Annie Clark has recorded a new music video to accompany her new single “Laughing With A Mouth Of Blood.” The song is the third to be released from last year’s sophomore album Actor, our 16th favourite album of 2009.

The video shows Annie showing up to play an instore at an empty, feminist bookstore, run by Fred Armisen (of SNL) and Carrie Brownstewin (formerly of Sleater-Kinney) who are now a comedy double act going by the name of thunderAnt.

Watch the video below.

Today, Matador Records announced that The New Pornographers will release their fifth full-length album called Together on May 4. A.C. Newman, the indie supergroup founder, has penned nine songs for the album, while Dan Bejar (another New Pornographers mainstay) has written three. Aside from Newman and Bejar, the album will feature the usual cast of characters: John Collins, Neko Case, Kurt Dahle, Kathryn Calder, Todd Fancey and Blaine Thurier. According to Matablog, the album will also boast contributions from special guests, such as Zach Condon (Beirut), Annie Clark (a.k.a. St. Vincent), Will Sheff (Okkervil River), and the Dap-Kings, who will guest for the horn section.

Check out the New Pornographers website to see pictures of their recording sessions (be sure to click on the Together icon).

Imagine, if you will: A modest, intimate music festival in which interesting musicians and artists all come together to perform in gorgeous, historic theaters in a small, yet quaint city in the Southeastern U.S.

It sounds like a welcome respite from massive (yet quality) U.S. festivals like Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo. Fortunately for all of us, such a festival already exists. Big Ears, a music festival based out of Knoxville, Tennessee, premiered last year and attracted major media attention from the likes of the New York Times and Pitchfork. Understandably so, considering the founder of the festival is also responsible for the much-anticipated Bonnaroo festival every year in Manchester, TN. Last year, Big Ears hosted an impressive line-up of artists such as Antony and the Johnsons, composer Philip Glass, and electronic acts such as Matmos, Dan Deacon, and Fennesz.

Today, Big Ears announced a rather diverse line-up, which includes Vampire Weekend, Joanna Newsom, St. Vincent, Andrew W.K., The xx, Nico Muhly, DJ/Rupture, My Brightest Diamond, jj, The Ex, Javelin, Gang Gang Dance, and more. American composer Terry Riley has been attached to the festival as an artist-in-residence.

Mark your calendars: the dates are March 26, 27, and 28 of next year. Follow the Big Ears Festival Twitter page for ticket sale info and news on more artists, expected to be announced later.

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After a significant build-up period of increasingly bizarre, unlikely rumours (Death Cab? Grizzly Bear? Thom Yorke?), Stephenie Meyer has finally put the uncertainty to rest, posting a finalized list of songs (later confirmed by Atlantic Records) that will appear on the Twilight: New Moon soundtrack, the sure-to-be-massive sequel to the ridiculously popular Twilight movie.

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What is probably one of the oddest videos I have seen in a long time, St. Vincent delivers on giving us an entertaining video that matches well with the music. The video just draws you in, almost hypnotic. “Actor Out of Work” is off her new album Actor, which comes out May 5th, via 4AD Records.

- Brent Koepp

St. Vincent’s (née Annie Clark) follow-up to her first album Marry Me, will be titled Actor and be released on 4AD on May 4th (5th in the US). Preceding the album is the single titled ‘Actor Out Of Work’ which is due out April 20th.

UPDATE: According to GvB, this is the artwork:

Actor Tracklist:

01 The Strangers
02 Save Me From What I Want
03 Neighbors
04 Actor Out of Work
05 Black Rainbow
06 Laughing With a Mouth of Blood
07 Marrow
08 The Bed
09 The Party
10 Just the Same But Brand New
11 The Sequel

St. Vincent Dates:

02.27 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall (Noise Pop Festival)
03.18 – Austin, TX – Central Presbyterian Church (4AD SXSW showcase)
03.20 – Austin, TX – Antone’s (Billions Corporation SXSW showcase)