Today's Hotness: Texas Is The Reason, Sparklehorse, Clinic

>> Second-wave emo fans rejoice: flash-in-the-pan hardcore act Texas Is The Reason will reunite for a single show Thanksgiving weekend. The band will play Irving Plaza. Not a lot more details out there, but there are plenty of snarky comments here and here. Texas Is The Reason released a single full length before breaking up. The record, in our opinion, didn't really live up to the promise of the first single. We can remember someone amazedly saying to us back in the day that they had only played 40 shows before they were signed.

>> Following up on the link to All Songs Considered the other day, here's another stream of new Sparklehorse. The band's long-awaited third long player Dreamt For Light Years In The Belly Of The Mountain streets Sept. 26. The set includes collaborations with Steven Drozd of The Flaming Lips and Danger Mouse. Have a listen to "Don't Take My Sunshine Away" in one of two tasty flavors of streaming media: RM | WM.

>> We enjoyed watching this new and spooky video for Clinic's "Harvest." Definitely worth watching. And the tension of the droning strong driven by pulsing bass and scritching guitar is delicious. Kudos, Clinic. Here are some links: RM | QT | WM | YT

>> While we're sharing up video, here is the link to the second promo "trailer" for the forthcoming Bonnie "Prince" Billy set The Letting Go. That Mr. Oldham certainly is an unusual fellow. The Letting Go streets Sept. 18.

>> This is interesting: according to info pointed to by Coolfer here, the forthcoming Microsoft Zune digital music doohickey will come pre-loaded with tunes from Serena Maneesh.