It seems Liz Phair is ready for the big time. Chart Attack is reporting that Capitol Records is tentatively looking to release her new album, Happy Tragic Thing, on May 20th. Phair brought in Vitamin C, Michael Penn and Pete Yorn, among others, to compose songs for the new album. Not to mention, she's been working with The Matrix, whom you can thank for providing the US with Avril Lavigne. So, we'll see just how much the "hard work" has paid off come this summer.

Lee Norris fronted Neo Ouija kicked off 2003 with the debut release from Xela, entitled For Frosty Morning And Summer Nights. Check out this page for more info on the release, and just browse Neo Ouija to learn about some of the best kept secrets in electronic music.

According to everyone and whitestripes.net, The White Stripes seemed to have decided on a track listing for their upcoming album, Elephant. Also, it seems some people would like to think that "Seven Nation Army" will be the the first single. But, who really knows? (Well, I guess Jack and Meg might). Anyways, the album is released on April 15th, so you should really know what you're getting into...

Hey Mercedes are auctioning off some items in support of a friend who lost their sister, neice and two kids in an accident involving drunk driving. Auctions include handwritten lyrics and signed albums, please click here to show some support.

Chevelle have officially sent "Send The Pain Below" off to radio as the second single from their newest release, Wonder What's Next. I hear their Robert Hales (STP, NIN) directed video will make an appearance on MTV2 and/or MMUSA in next few weeks. And, since they've got a new single to support their next Top 40 radio push, it's time for some more touring. Head over to pollstar.com and check out their upcoming dates with Trust Co. and Pacifier.

Epitaph will release Scandinavian Leather, the new album from Norwegian fjord-rockers Turbonegro, sometime in the spring. In the meantime, watch out for Ass Cobra and Apocalypse Dudes to be re-released on February 25th to a store near you.

The Used have finished the video for "Buried Myself Alive", the next single from their self-titled debut album, and you can get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of it on their webpage.

PJ Harvey told Radio 1 that her upcoming album is "pretty ugly" and "quite disturing, quite dark, quite bluesy". She continued: "With every album I tend to react against the previous one in an effort to find new ground." So, if you'd like a good preview of what the album isn't going to be, make sure you study Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea. And, shame on you if you haven't enjoyed that album yet.

Everyone's favorite noise makers, Matmos, are "deep in the middle" of work on their new album. Don't get all happy yet, it's only tentatively scheduled for a September release on Matador Records. M.C. Schmidt and Drew Daniel have graced us with a few updates though: they have mixed down four new songs and the album will sport "special guest stars and unexpected stylistic detours". Cool. In other news, Drew Daniel's other project, The Soft Pink Truth, will release Do You Party on February 17th (UK). If you've yet to experience Pink Truth, head over to Soundslike and listen to "Coat Check" from the Promofunk 12".

The inevitable Papa Roach and frog-loving Nonpoint are headed out on tour for the entire month of March. Does that excite you? Well then, we got the dates...

Perhaps the tightest band I've ever seen live, Poison The Well have finished pre-production on their upcoming album. The band begins tracking on Wednesday in Los Angeles, CA (yep, everyone is in LA) and then will finish everything up (mixing, mastering) at a undisclosed location in Sweden by April 1st. So, I think I smell a summer release. How about you?

Saves The Day are currently in pre-production for their follow-up to their MTV2-worthy Stay What You Are in Los Angeles, CA (isn't everyone there these days?). So far the band have put together about 18 songs and plan on premiering a few of them at the Chain Reaction show in Anaheim, CA with Piebald and Moneen. Unfortunately, if you haven't gotten tickets, the show sold out in four hours and no tickets will be sold at the door. Better luck next time.

Head over to this website and download yourself a bootleg of the Elliott Smith show at the Spaceland in Los Angeles, CA from January 12th. Lots of new songs (reportedly part of From a Basement on the Hill) were played and the sound quality is decent. And, hey, it's free.

Did you buy Title TK? If you did and enjoyed it, you might want to know that The Breeders will be playing a few US shows in February. Head over to pollstar.com, because I'm too lazy to post the dates.

The Cardigans have posted the fifth and, possibly, final edition of their recording journal. The band is now re-recording tracks at Tambourine Studio in Malmö, Sweden, with vocalist Nina Persson recording vocals across the pond in Copenhagen. No definite plans for the release of their album, but sometime this year sounds good.

Following an appearance on the aussie TV show Rove Live on February 11th, The Living End will head to Los Angeles to begin recording their answer to 2000's Roll On. Then, after the album has been released, maybe the US music scene can push them back into obscurity again.

The Lost Prophets will begin recording their follow-up to The Fake Sound Of Progress beginning March 1st with producer Eric Valentine (Queens of the Stone Age) in Los Angeles, CA. Sorry, no witty, sarcastic comment. That's all.

Maybe you remember a band called At The Drive-in going on hiatus about two years ago. The guys with the Afros started Mars Volta and the rest of them started Sparta. According to an UnderCover Media interview with Jim, the main man in Sparta, it was a break-up all along and spun as hiatus by the record company. Don't expect a reunion.

Deep Elm Records in conjunction with The American Foundation For Suicide Prevention will bring you the first annual Too Young To Die tour beginning March 14th in Dallas, TX and featuring Brandtson, Red Animal War, Desert City Soundtrack, Settlefish, Davis Singer and others. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of tickets, merchandise and compilations will be donated to the AFSP, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing our knowledge of suicide and our ability to prevent it. Also, a compilation CD will be available exclusively at all Hot Topic retail locations beginning March 4th or from the bands on tour. Click more for the dates.

The Foo Fighters cleaned up this year at the Kerrang Awards taking home five awards. They are also up for a Brit Award for Best International Group and two Grammies for Best Rock Song and Best Hard Rock Performance. If thats not enough they will be performing on SNL on February 22nd.