I have been a little remiss in posting about “new music” lately but I thought I would play catchup here with a few short snappers about some lesser known collaborations and side projects from some more well established bands.

	The Music Tapes – Music Tapes for Clouds and Tornadoes While technically not a side project, The Music Tapes is an experimental indie band lead by Julian Koster, formerly of Neutral Milk Hotel and Chocolate USA. Music For Clouds and Tornadoes comes out on August 19, 2008 on Merge. Check out the video for “The Minister of Longitude” over here.
	Lackthereof – Your Anchor Lackthereof is the side project of Danny Seim, also known as the drummer from Menomena. Seim actually began the Lackthereof project in 1997 and Menomena started as a side project in 2000. Your Anchor was released on July 22 on Barsuk (I was more than a little surprised to learn that Your Anchor is the 9th full-length Lackthereof album, and the second one to be released in 2008). You can download “Last November” from Lackthereof over here.
	Inara George with Van Dyke Parks – An Invitation Inara George is a member of The Bird and The Bee and she is an accomplished solo musician in her own right. Her upcoming “solo” record brings her together with longtime family friend, the legendary composer and arranger, Van Dyke Parks. An Invitation is set to drop on August 12 on Everloving.
	Black Diamond Bay – S/T Black Diamond Bay is the side project of Patrick Krief of The Dears. BDB released a self-titled record in April of 2008 on SunnyLane Records, (but after scouring the Internets, it seems to be almost impossible to purchase). However, if you really need to satisfy your Patrick Krief fix, the old Krief EP (which is what the band used to be called) can be purchased here.
	Mount Eerie with Julie Doiron and Fred Squire – Lost Wisdom The upcoming album by Mount Eerie is a collaboration between Canadian chanteuse Julie Doiron (formerly of Eric’s Trip), guitarist Fred Squire and Phil Elverum. If you want to hear Mount Eeerie live, you can catch them at the Bowery Ballroom on September 18 opening for WHY?. The new Mt. Eeerie record, Lost Wisdom, comes out on October 7, 2008.
	Graham Wright – Lakes of Alberta Graham Wright is the keyboardist from Tokyo Police Club. In 2008 Graham recorded five songs that he claims will “eventually make up his EP,” The Lakes of Alberta. Two of those songs, “which don’t sound anything like [his] other band”, are streaming now at Graham’s MySpace page.

Northampton Wools
Northampton Wools is a collaboration between Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) & Bill Nace. They’re opening for The Dead C at the Bowery Ballroom on October 13.

Sunset Rubdown
Sunset Rubdown is Spencer Krug’s (Wolf Parade) side band and I only mention it here because they just announced a show at MHOW on September 16, 2008. Also, according to Drake, SSR’s Random Spirit Lover was criminally left off the 2008 Polaris Prize Long List. (Tickets for the upcoming SSR show go on sale 07/25 at 12:00 pm.)

Megazoid
I recently read an interview with Wolf Parade where band member Arlen Thompson named Megazoid as a side project of Wolf Parade’s Hadji Bakara. From what I can gather, it’s a collaborative live effort between Hadji and Ninjatune artist, Sixtoo. Wolf Parade are coming to town to play some shows at Terminal 5 on July 31 and August 1.

A.C. (Carl) Newman
A.C. Newman, The New Pornographers front man (and current Brooklynite) will be releasing a follow up record to 2004’s The Slow Wonder in the not so distant future. Look for some A.C. Newman solo shows in the Gowanus area in the fall.