We recorded piano wizard Daniel Taylor recently dicking around with some phones we had around the office. What was captured was nothing short of brilliant…

I can’t believe he hasn’t played on American Television before. UK heartthrob Ed Harcourt will be on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show this evening to promote his new album (well, that is to say his 2006 album that never got released in the States) The Beautiful Lie, which came out on Dovecote Records last Tuesday. Listening to The Beautiful Lie (and his back catalogue as well) it baffles me why he isn’t as huge in North America as he is in Europe. Last March during SXSW I ended up tagging along and filming Ed and his wife Gita as he got a sweet tattoo of one of his first songs, “Sing For My Supper” on his arm in Austin, TX. Enjoy our lil’ mini doc:

ED HARCOURT TO MAKE U.S. TELEVISION DEBUT ON THE TONIGHT SHOW JUNE 6, WEEK OF ‘THE BEAUTIFUL LIE’ RELEASE

LOS ANGELES, May 6, 2008 - Not long since wreaking havoc on Austin, Texas during SXSW, the illustrious Ed Harcourt will return to the States from his native England to perform on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” Friday, June 6. Timed perfectly with the release of his fourth full-length album, THE BEAUTIFUL LIE, due June 3 on Dovecote Records, Harcourt will celebrate the arrival of this much-awaited LP with a national television debut.

The Mercury Prize-nominated Harcourt has been keeping extraordinarily busy on tour with the Gutter Twins overseas, where he has been joining Greg Dulli, Mark Lanegan and co. on stage following his own opening set. “Ed Harcourt’s songs are as close to cabaret tunes and 1960s pop as they are to current rock,” recently noted the NEW YORK TIMES while UNDER THE RADAR hailed ‘The Beautiful Lie’ as “his best work to date.” The WALL STREET JOURNAL was on hand for one of his acclaimed Austin performances, calling Harcourt, “a gifted songwriter in the mold of Karl Wallinger and XTC’s Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding” adding, “and thus a descendant of John Lennon and Paul McCartney.”

Lead radio single, “Revolution in the Heart,” mimics Harcourt’s larger-than-life personality, brimming with his exquisite piano playing, booming delivery, thunderous rhythms and bursting backup vocals, compliments of The Magic Numbers. The track is currently going for adds at radio, already receiving early support across the country from stations like Starbucks XM Café, KBAC and others.

This visit is a precursor to additional U.S. tour dates this summer, to be announced soon.

I don’t know about you, but I’m stoked. The Anniversary, one of the most underrated bands of this decade is set to independently release a B-Sides and rarities double CD.

Devil On Our Side includes 26 tracks, spanning the band’s entire career. Highlights include early demos, compilation and 7″ singles, and over a dozen previously unreleased tracks, including 2 songs intended for the never completed 3rd album. It’s kind of a big deal.

While you’re waiting for the mid- June release of the record why not familiarize yourself with the band by picking up their previous releases Designing a Nervous Breakdown and Your Majesty, or at least listen to them here.

For years, friends of mine on the touring circuit would speak in reverent, hushed tones about the man they called Nightbeast, a roadie and TM for bands like Hawthorne Heights by day, but a one-man musical genius by night. I finally met the man, the myth the legend, Nick Nightbeast when he came through town tour managing Metro Station. We had some beers and bonded over being fat, bearded men in a scrawny boy world and I was instantly convert into a follower of the Beast. And I’m not alone: Nightbeast’s new full length, Inside Jokes for Outside Folks, dropped in stores everywhere yesterday and there were I’m sure, literally tens of people waiting breathlessly to purchase it. For those who weren’t though, might I suggest taking a perusal of the Beast’s Purevolume page, where the record can currently be streamed in its entirety for FREE? You’ll be glad you did.

In an attempt to break a world record for most hours flying using party balloons, a Brazilian Roman catholic Priest, suspended by 1,000 helium balloons, is now missing. His aim was to raise money to build a rest-stop church for truckers.

Even on my best day I couldn’t make this shit up.

Wacky news story of the day or sign of the impending apocalypse? Either way, this is why I listen to the BBC in the morning:

“Father Adelir de Carli lifted off from the port city of Paranagua on Sunday, equipped with a parachute, thermal suit, satellite phone and a GPS device.

A sea and air rescue operation is under way after he lost contact with port authority officials late on Sunday.

He wanted to break a 19-hour record for the most hours flying with balloons.

Father Carli was hoping to raise money to fund a rest stop for lorry drivers in Paranagua, one of Brazil’s major ports for agricultural products.”

Yeah, I don’t think I have anything else to add. Complete lyrics to Jimmy Webb’s “Up, Up and Away” and a full wikipedia synopsis of The Flying Nun after the jump. (more…)