A Few More Things To Be Really Excited About In 2011

This week has packed quite a punch for me with exciting news about things coming out in 2011. Let's talk about it.

- REAL BRAID REUNION, FOR REAL. The influential and best midwestern, mid-90s second wave emo (or post-emo or whatever) band has decided to maybe not tour, but to write, record and release a new album. This is unbelievably awesome, and I don't have any doubts in my mind that the record will be fantastic. You can read about this here and here. If this new record is half as good as 1998's perfect Frame and Canvas, I will be completely content. I haven't been this excited about a music release since In Rainbows.

- NEW FEELIES ALBUM. Coming April 12th via Bar/None Records, titled Here Before. The great 80s jangle pop band returns with their first album since 1991's Time for a Witness. Pitchfork has posted an MP3 of the album's second track, "Should be Gone," here. I haven't gotten to listen to it yet, but according to Bravender, it is real good.

- POSTHUMOUS DAVID FOSTER WALLACE NOVEL? The other night I was just browsing on the interwebs and decided I would read about DFW on Wikipedia. Then, I discovered plans for a posthumous publication of an unfinished novel of his titled The Pale King. Seems like no one tried to finish it or touched it too much aside from an editor, so that's great news. According to the Wikipedia article, "The novel portrays IRS agents working in a Midwestern office attempting to overcome the 'intense tediousness' of their jobs." Seems underwhelming coming from the same guy who write Infinite Jest, but it is also supposed to be structured as a mock memoir, which should be interesting. I am so pumped for this.

- SUPER BOWL. The Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Green Bay Packers. That just rules. Of course, I'll be rooting for Pittsburgh very hard, but would not be offended by a Green Bay victory.

Oh yeah, and also, two more 2011 albums that are ruling me: Lemuria's Pebble (Bridge Nine) and Minks' By the Hedge (Captured Tracks). I'll talk more about those a bit later, though.