The scoop on MGMT’s new album and how the U.K. is honoring classic albums from the Clash, Coldplay and more, after the jump…but first…

True to his word, the in-progress, psychedelic-leaning Smashing Pumpkins album, Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, will be released one track at a time, as free downloads, starting in late October. “No strings attached, no e-mail address need be given, no fees, nothing, totally free,” he says. “A 44-song free-for-all!” Even when it will be available physically, the format will be 11 EPs with four tracks each. “I thought it would emphasize that each song is really important to me,” he says, “and also try to get myself up to the speed of a world that is absolutely devouring information.”

“I want no limitations on what I can, and will do,” he says. “I think the size and shape of the traditional album is just morphing into something much more in the moment. Four songs at a time will mean I can give my heart over to the music fully without giving away my now happy life.”

Although Corgan says he’s written 53 songs, he won’t say whether he’ll be recording them with the latest edition of the Pumpkin or reveal any song titles. “The first four songs are speaking a new language to me, rooted in the psychedelic music I love but still sounding quite modern and like the Pumpkins I long to hear,” he allows. He’s also hoping to have the first track available just after Halloween.

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MGMT’s Andrew VanWyngarden has revealed he has taken up surfing in his spare time as the band record their new album ‘Congratulations’.

The singer admitted that he’s become so enamoured with the sport that he’s now surfed some of the world’s most notorious waves, including Waikiki in Hawaii and Australia’s Maroubra Beach – as well as the band’s current recording location of Malibu.

MGMT are currently recording ‘Congratulations’, and VanWyngarden says the album has been influenced by the band’s massive rise in popularity since ‘Oracular Spectacular’s release.

He revealed: “It’s us trying to deal with all the craziness that’s been going on since our last album took off. Sometimes it just doesn’t feel natural.”

VanWyngarden added that the title track “is pretty dark”, before adding that Royal Trux’ singer Jennifer Herrema sings on the album.

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Classic British album covers from the likes of David Bowie, The Clash, and Coldplay are to be featured on a new series of Royal Mail stamps in the United Kingdom.

The 10-stamp set will be available on Jan. 7, according to the Norvic Philatelics stamp collectors’ website, and should make music nerds who are also stamp collectors really, really happy.

The set includes stamps depicting the following album covers:

Blur’s Parklife
The Clash’s London Calling
Coldplay’s A Rush Of Blood To The Head
David Bowie’s The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars
New Order’s Power, Corruption & Lies
Primal Scream’s Screamadelica

Tags: Alt-News, Blur, Coldplay, David Bowie, MGMT, Smashing Pumpkins, Stamps, The Clash

This entry was posted on Monday, October 19th, 2009 at 8:14 am by Jenn-O and is filed under Alt-News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.