Art rock, post rock, even if it’s all messed up, it’s still rock n’ roll to us. New York’s Skeletons & the Kings of All Cities conjure up exotic backdrops set to irregular rhythms and assorted instrumentation to produce a bizarre, complex sound that’s part music part art. Their 2nd album Lucas is out now on Ghostly International. Moments of cacophony lead to longer instances of cumulative harmony as the band mixes genres and styles to derive a unique brand of din. Formerly called the Skeletons & the Girl-Faced Boys, the act is headed by Matt Mehlan and complemented by a revolving cast of musicians. They play the Scoot Inn on Friday for what promises to be an intriguing evening. The venue’s MySpace page indicates a presentation of “art videos” in addition to the eclectic band. more ›

SXSW.com released an updated lineup for this year's SXSW Music Festival earlier today, and it's one hell of a list. The SXSW committee hastens to note that "This is a partial list of performers confirmed to appear at the 2006 SXSW Music Festival. This list is current as of 1/13/06. All of this information is subject to change." International acts include: Masahiro Nitta, DMBQ, Ellegarden, Tsu Shi Ma Mi Re, PE'Z, The Emeralds (Japan)... more ›