Photo by Will Deitz

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Swans have added a string of North American dates to their current world tour. New York noise artist Margaret Chardiet aka Pharmakon will open a string of shows. Swans are touring in support of last year's The Seer; Chardiet released her first widely-available album, Abandon, last week. Stream "Ache" above.

On May 25, Pharmakon will play a collaborative show with Iceage offshoot Vår in Brooklyn. Tickets for the show, co-presented by Sacred Bones and Pitchfork, are available here.

Revisit Brandon Stosuy's interview with Swans' Michael Gira and interview with Pharamakon and watch Pitchfork.tv's documentary on Swans after the dates.

Swans:

05-20 Zagreb, Croatia - Pogon JEedinstvo
05-21 Parma, Italy - Campus Industry Music
05-22 Geneva, Switzerland - L'usinie
05-23 Schorndorf, Germany - Club Manufaktur
05-24 Barcelona, Spain - Primavera Festival
05-25 Paris, France - La Grande Halle de la Villette
05-27 Frankfurt, Germany - Mousonturm
05-28 Berlin, Germany - Volksbühne
05-29 Dresden, Germany - Beatpol
05-30 Munich, Germany - Feierwerk
05-31 Porto, Portugal - Optimus Primavera Sound
06-13 Brooklyn, NY - Northside Music Festival (Warsaw) ^
06-14 Pittsburgh, PA - Rex Theater
06-16 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo
06-19 Calgary, Alberta- Sled Island Festival
06-22 Hlvarenbeek, Netherlands - Best Kept Secret Festival
06-23 Clisson, France - Hell Fest
07-18 Indianapolis, IN - Deluxe at Olde National Centre *
07-19 Detroit, MI - Majestic Theatre *
07-20 Chicago, IL - Pitchfork Music Festival
07-22 Iowa City, IA - Blue Moose Tap House $
07-23 Newport, KY - Southgate House $
07-24 Columbus, OH - The Bluestone $
07-25 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom $
07-26 Buffalo, NY - Tralf Music Hall $
08-13 Edinburgh, Scotland - Liquid Room
08-14 Belfast, Northern Ireland - Limelight
08-15 Dublin, Ireland - Button Factory
08-16 Cork, Ireland - Cyprus Avenue
08-18 Wales, England - Green Man Festival

^ with Chelsea Wolfe
*  with Low
$ with Pharmakon

California fuzz-rocker Mikal Cronin has shared a grungy house-party clip to accompany "Change", a highlight from his excellent new MCII LP. Directed by Claire Marie Vogel, the video has got a slightly eerie, slightly off vibe, depicting an invisible man throughout, clad in a hoodie but with no face.

Check it out below, via SPIN, after Cronin's upcoming dates. And revisit Evan Minsker's recent interview with Cronin here.

Mikal Cronin:

05-15 Paris, France - Nouveau Casino 
05-16 London, England -  Tuffnel Park Dome 
05-17 Brighton, England - Great Escape Festival 
05-18 Utrecht, Netherlands - Le Guess Who?
05-23 San Diego, CA - The Casbah
05-24 Los Angeles, CA - The Echo ^*
05-25 San Francisco, CA - The Rickshaw Stop 
06-06 Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios #
06-07 Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern #
06-08 Missoula, MT - Old Beck VFW Post 209 #
06-10 Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry #
06-13-15 Toronto, Ontario - Silver Dollar (NXNE Festival)
06-16 Montreal, Quebec - La Divan Orange #
06-17 Boston, MA - Great Scott #$
06-18 Philly, PA - Kung Fu Necktie #$
06-20 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom #
06-21 Washington DC - Comet Ping Pong #$
06-22 Asheville, NC - Emerald Lounge #%
06-23 Atlanta, GA - The Earl #
06-24 Nashville, TN - The Stone Fox #
06-26 Dallas, TX - Club Dada #
06-27 Austin, TX - Mohawk Inside #
06-28 Marfa, TX - Padre’s
06-29 Tucson, AZ - Club Congress
07-19 Chicago, IL - Pitchfork Music Festival
07-25 Lisbon, Portugal - Musicbox
07-26 Barcelos, Portugal - Milhoes De Festa Festival
07-29 Madrid, Spain - El Sol
07-30 San Sebastian, Spain - Surfilm Festival
08-02 Katowice, Poland - OFF Festival
08-03 Venlo, Netherlands - Zomerparkfeest
08-04 Binic, France - Binic Festival
08-05 Lorient, France - Le Galion
08-06 Bordeaux, France - Relache Caserne Niel
08-07 Paris, France - Le Gibus
08-08 HaldernRees, Germany - Haldern Pop Festival
08-09 Oslo, Norway - Oya Festivalen
08-10 Goteborg, Sweden - Way Out West Festival
08-11 Copenhagen, Denmark - Pumpehuset
08-12 Hamburg, Germany - Hafenklang
08-13 Nijmegen, Netherlands - Doornroosje
08-14 Groningen, Netherlands - Vera
08-15 Hasselt, Belgium - Pukkelpop
08-16 Biddinghuizen, Netherlands - Lowlands Festival
08-17 Skipton, England - Beacons Festival
08-18 Brecon Beacons, Wales - Greenman Festival
08-24 Los Angeles, CA - FYF Fest

^ with Pangea
* with Gap Dream
# with Shannon and the Clams
$ with Roomrunner
% with Greg Cartwright

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Solange Knowles is shifting gears in the music industry once again and (re-)joining a major label. Billboard reports that she's signed a deal with Columbia Records, which will put out a new Solange full-length later this year. According to Billboard, the new album will likely feature songs from her excellent 2012 EP True.

This is a notable pivot given that Solange found her groove as part of Grizzly Bear member Chris Taylor's independent label Terrible Records last year. Prior to that, she was part of Universal's Geffen imprint-- an experience that didn't go very well, she's said in interviews. Solange also told Pitchfork last year that she didn't have plans in the foreseeable future to switch to a major label.

It's possible that True was so well-received that Solange outgrew Terrible Records, or she simply worked with Columbia to find a deal that suited her better than her previous relationship with Universal. Her older sister Beyoncé is a Columbia signee, so maybe that has something to do with it. Or maybe the line between "indie" and "major label" is growing so fine that it's inconsequential. 

Listen to a brand new version of Solange's "Looks Good With Trouble" featuring Kendrick Lamar, above. 

Photo via Instagram user bsilcio/Slicing Up Eyeballs

Last night, the Breeders hit Boston with their reunited Last Splash lineup, part of their current tour in support of the 20th anniversary LSXX reissue. At the hometown gig, former vocalist/guitarist Tanya Donelly (also formerly of Throwing Muses and Belly), joined the group on stage, as Slicing Up Eyeballs reports.

Donelly performed "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" with the band, the Beatles cover included on their 1990 debut Pod. She co-founded the Breeders with Kim Deal that year, but left after Pod and 1992's Safari EP. (Kim's twin sister Kelley took over when Donelly began focusing on Belly.)

Donelly also sang last night on Last Splash's "Do You Love Me Now?", one of the record's songs written collaboratively by Kim and Kelley Deal. Watch video of both below.

The LSXX reissue is out May 14 via 4AD.

"Happiness Is a Warm Gun":

"Do You Love Me Now?":

The music video for Foxygen's We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic highlight "No Destruction" features one loose story line-- the band are dressed up in Western clothes, performing by a body of water, and signing autographs for nearby square dancers. But they've also spliced in archival footage of films that Sam France and Jonathan Rado made during high school and college.

The video was directed by the band's friend Bryan Felber, who also worked on the old films.

Merchandise have shared a 15-minute art film to accompany their new record, Totale Nite, released last month via Night People. Titled "Rush of Blood", the film was written and shot by the band at home in Tampa at the same time as they were recording the album. It was conceptualized, directed, and edited by frontman Carson Cox with an original score of experimental/drone works by guitarist Dave Vassalotti. They both appear in the film as well. (Cox gets his head shaved, surreally, by another image of himself.)

The band offered some context:

"Rush of Blood" is an attempt at carrying over visual themes explored on the record (anxiety, mental fog, the elephant in the room). It was shot and edited in a style that is meant to reveal something to the viewer by its invisibility and hidden meaning. Special thanks goes to Chris Swanson, Darius Van Arman, and Shawn Reed for their help in making this video happen. Styling by Aldo Padaldo.

Prior to their upcoming European tour around Primavera, Merchandise also play a free show this afternoon at NYU with Mission of Burma. Tonight, Cox and Vassalotti will both perform solo sets at 285 Kent, the first solo shows they've done outside of Tampa. Both of their solo projects-- Blonde God and D. Vassalotti, respectively-- have cassettes out on Night People.

Watch "Rush of Blood" after their huge tour schedule:

05-10 New York, NY - NYU Strawberry Festival
05-10 Brooklyn, NY - 285 Kent (solo performances)
05-15 London, England- 100 Club
05-16 Brighton, England - The Haunt
05-17 Brighton, England - The Corn Exchange
05-18 Utrecht, Netherlands - Le Guess Who Festival
05-20 Paris, France - Fleche D’Or
05-21 Rennes, France - Ubu
05-22 Lyon, France - Le Sirius
05-23 Nimes, France - Paloma
05-24 Barcelona, Spain - Primavera Sound Festival
05-30 Porto, Portugal - Optimus Primavera Festival
06-01 Austin, TX - Chaos in Tejas †=
06-02 Austin, TX - Chaos in Tejas †=
06-04 Dallas, TX - Club Dada †=
06-05 Nashville, TN - Stone Fox †=
06-06 Louisville, KY - The Workhouse Ballroom †=
06-07 Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups †=
06-08 Pittsburgh, PA - The 6119 †=
06-09 Boston, MA - TT The Bears †=
06-10 Burlington, VT -  The Monkey House †=
06-11 Montreal, Quebec - Il Motore †=
06-12 Toronto, Ontario - NXNE Music Festival †=
06-13 Toronto, Ontario - NXNE Music Festival †=
06-14 Taylor, PA - Underwood Skatepark †=
06-15 Brooklyn, NY - 285 Kent (Northside Music Festival) †=
06-17 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda’s †=
06-18 Washington, DC - DC9 †=
06-19 Richmond, VA - Strange Matter †=
06-20 Charlotte, NC - The Milestone †=
06-21 Atlanta, GA - 529 †=
06-22 Gainesville, FL - The Atlantic †=
06-23 Miami, FL - Churchill’s †=
06-24 Tampa, FL - TBA †
07-18 Athens, GA - Caledonia Lounge
07-19 Indianapolis, IN - Vogue Theater
07-20 Chicago, IL - Pitchfork Music Festival
07-22 Minneapolis, MA - Triple Rock Social Club %
07-23 Iowa City, IA - Gabe's *
07-24 St. Louis, MO - Blank Space *
08-02 Katowice, Poland - OFF Festival
08-30 Verona, Italy - A Perfect Day !
08-31 Salisbury, England - End Of The Road Festival
09-07 Isle Of Wight, England - Bestival

* with Wet Hair
! with Primal Scream, Jake Bugg
% with Daughn Gibson
† with Milk Music 
= with Destruction Unit 

Last night, the Breeders took a break from their Last Splash Anniversary Tour to play a few for "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon". Watch them do "Cannonball" and a web exclusive performance of "Driving on 9" below.

"Cannonball":

"Driving on 9":

Photo by Richard Dumas

This week, UK post-punk group Savages released their incredible debut Silence Yourself, which they'll tour in support of throughout the summer. Check out the dates below (which include a slot at July's Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago).

Savages' May 9 show in London at Ministry of Sound will be available to stream live here via the Creators Project. (The stream starts at 9:15 in London; 4:15 p.m. Eastern time.) Also in London, on May 29, Savages and Bo Ningen will premiere a "sonic simultaneous poem" called "Words to the Blind" inspired by early Dada's simultaneous poetry.

Read Laura Snapes' cover story on Savages here and watch the video for "Shut Up" below.

05-07 Nottingham, England - Bodega
05-09 London, England - Ministry of Sound
05-13 Brussels, Belgium - Botanique-Orangie
05-15 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Melkweg
05-16 Cologne, Germany - Geb9
05-17 Berlin, Germany - Lido
05-19 Frankfurt, Germany - Zoom
05-20 Zurich, Switzerland - Kinski
05-21 Milan, Italy - Magnolia Club
05-22 Nimes, France - TBA
05-23 Barcelona, Spain - Primavera Sound Festival
05-25 London, England - Field Day Festival
05-29 London, England - Red Gallery
06-01 Porto, Portugal - Primavera Sound
06-06 Paris, France - La Maroquinerie
06-08 Manchester, England - Parklife Festival,
06-18 Berlin, Germany - Zitadelle *
06-19 Prague, Czech Republic - Tipsport *
06-20 London, England - Yoko Ono’s Meltdown #
06-22 Hilvarenbeek, Holland - Best Kept Secret Festival
06-28-29 Pilton, England -  Glastonbury Festival
07-04 Roskilde, Denmark - Roskilde Festival
07-11 New York, NY - Webster Hall
07-12 Boston, MA - Middle East
07-13 Washington D.C. - Rock ‘n’ Roll Hotel
07-14 Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer
07-15 Montreal, Quebec - La Tulipe
07-16 Toronto, Ontario - Mod Club
07-20 Chicago, IL - Pitchfork Music Festival
07-21 Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock
07-23 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theater
08-30 North Dorset, England - End Of The Road Festival
10-04-06 Austin, TX - Austin City Limits Festival
10-11-13 Austin, TX - Austin City Limits Festival
 
* with Portishead
# with Iggy Pop

Photo by Trent Maxwell

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Today, Mikal Cronin officially bestows upon us his new record, MCII, via Merge. In honor of the release, Cronin has shared a couple of covers with Aquarium Drunkard, as part of their Lagniappe Sessions. He chose two radio hits from his youth-- Sixpence None the Richer's late-90s single "Kiss Me" and 1988's "I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by Scottish band the Proclaimers.

Cronin told Aquarium Drunkard:

I recorded these songs a little while ago to send to my girlfriend when we were living in different states. We share an affinity for cheesy 80s and 90s pop songs, and since she can play ukulele well we could trade cover songs back and forth. On my computer I titled the album these songs belong to as “(F)ukin’ around with Mikal Cronin”… which I stand behind as a mildly funny name for a dumb uke cover album.

He also noted that he was about 11 or 12 when "Kiss Me" was on the charts. "It was stuck on number 2 in the charts behind TLC’s 'No Scrubs' and Ricky Martin’s 'Livin’ La Vida Loca'," Cronin writes. "That’s pretty rough."

Watch a new Yours Truly segment on Mikal Cronin:

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In an interview with MTV Hive, Blood Orange mastermind and increasingly in-demand songwriter Dev Hynes (Sky Ferreira's "Everything Is Embarrassing", Solange's "Losing You") outlined some upcoming collaborations with other artists. For starters, he's been working on new songs with Jessie Ware, the material of which he describes as "powerful". Hynes is also working on the follow-up to 2011's Coastal Grooves that's due later this year, and Clams Casino has contributed to the recording sessions, along with Adam Bainbridge of UK electro-pop stylists Kindness.

In addition, Hynes is continuing to work with ex-Sugababes outfit Mutya Keisha Siobhan, who released the Hynes collaboration and Kendrick Lamar interpolation "Lay Down in Swimming Pools" that's streaming above. Hynes also mentions that he hopes to work on more productions for Solange after he finishes his stint as musical director for her live band during her upcoming concert dates.

Watch the video for Solange's "Losing You" below.