Scott Pilgrim. 23 Years Old. Status: Totally Awesome

Hello, internet. Long time no blog. What, you ask, has brought me out of my blogging hibernation? Well it's nothing short of the attainment of a lifelong goal. You see, I've always wanted to work at a record store because I love music. Just as much as I love music, however, I love comic books. And now I work at a store that also sells comics!

No, we're not axing the reggae section and installing boxes of Superman comics. In fact, we don't have very many comics at all. But it's worth writing about because Decatur CD now stocks the most relentlessly fun graphic novel series (way more respectable than "comics," right?) on the shelves today: Scott Pilgrim. Written and drawn by Canadian wunderkid Bryan Lee O'Malley.

If you click that link, you'll see that Scott Pilgrim has a video game in the works. It's only natural for a book about a guy that has to defeat a series of his girlfriend's evil ex-boyfriends to earn her love! Scott Pilgrim combines the action of super-hero comics with the hipness of manga--but way more intelligent than the bulk of either genre. And because we like to keep things music-related at Decatur CD, Scott plays in a band with Stephen Stills and Young Neil (no relation).

Remember, to share in the joy of comics you don't have to move into your parents' basement and read Wolverine, just swing by Decatur CD and pick up one of the Scott Pilgrim volumes we stock. And when the movie comes out, think how cool your friends will think you are!

New. Release? Tuesday.

[Above: Today's new releases.]

Releases? We don't need no stinkin' releases! After all, it's only Tuesday. What? Did you assume something interesting would come out today? Not us. Sigh. The only thing that came out today worth listening to is the debut record from Thee Stove Godz on Poppy's Truck Records. Believe it.

Anyway, until next time...

Our band could be your life.

Today, we celebrate 25 years of the album that made Young Eliot the man he is: the Minutemen's Double Nickels on the Dime. We'll be playing it more than a couple times at good old DCD throughout the afternoon, so stop by and have a listen. (Just kidding! Eliot didn't bring it in after all. Incidentally, Eliot has been fired.) (Update! Double Nickels on the Dime playing right now [4:12 p.m.] at Decatur CD! Young Eliot has been rehired!) And if by some chance you find yourself in New York tonight, why, head over to the Bowery Poetry Club for their 25th Anniversary Celebration. Mike Watt, Richard Hell and more will be performing. If you're like us and will be spending the evening in Georgia, you can listen to the live webcast here. Jam econo, y'all.

Ticket Alternative's new and notable shows

Each week, our pal Leila at Ticket Alternative sends us an e-mail listing all the brand-new, freshly-announced, hot-off-the-presses Ticket Alternative shows. And each week we post this e-mail on the blog for y'all's information. Think of it as a sister post of sorts to our semi-regular monthly show calendar postings. Don't forget: You can buy tickets for any of these shows at good old Decatur CD. Enjoy:

Who's Bad (Michael Jackson Tribute) @ Andrews Upstairs, 8/1 - Just Announced

Bobby Long w/ Tim Brantley @ Andrews Upstairs, 8/21 - Just Announced (his other show @ The EARL the night before, 8/20, is selling very fast)

The Brunettes @ The Drunken Unicorn, 9/7 - Just Announced

Living Colour @ The Loft, 9/14 - Tickets on sale TODAY!

Concert ticket giveaways left and right

[Above: Not these tickets.]

We gave away several pairs of tickets and one meet-and-greet opportunity to tonight's War/Average White Band show at Chastain, and it got us thinking that we should probably remind y'all what other shows we've got on tap. Have a look, and if you're interested in any, stop by the store to drop your first name/phone number in the giveaway box by the cash register:

Neko Case @ Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center on July 26th
Tori Amos @ Chastain on July 27th
Dream Theater and Zappa Plays Zappa @ The Tabernacle on July 28th
Paolo Nutini @ Variety Playhouse on July 28th (winner will meet Paolo Nutini)
Depeche Mode @ Lakewood Amphitheatre on Sept. 1st
Creed @ Lakewood Amphitheatre on Sept 11th

New. Release. Tuesday.

Jay Reatard keeps screaming and us, and yet, we kind of like it. Self-loathing? Perhaps, but we just can't help it. Mr. Reatard doesn't have a new album out tomorrow or anything (not until Aug. 18th), but the folks below all do! Quite a list, too. Check it out:

Fiery Furnaces
Matthew Sweets/Susanna Hoffs (covers, vol. 2)
Magnolia Electric Co.
Michael Jackson (3CD Motown collection)
Bill Frisell
Bo Diddley ('60-'61 Chess collection)
Wye Oak
John Adams
Nick Lowe (box)
Cheap Trick
Ian Hunter
Starlight Mints
Portugal. The Man
Crooked Fingers
Aimee Allen
13th Floor Elevators
Megafaun
Skygreen Leopards
...and more!

Ticket Alternative's new and notable shows

Each week, our pal Leila at Ticket Alternative sends us an e-mail listing all the brand-new, freshly-announced, hot-off-the-presses Ticket Alternative shows. And each week we post this e-mail on the blog for y'all's information. Think of it as a sister post of sorts to our semi-regular monthly show calendar postings. Don't forget: You can buy tickets for any of these shows at good old Decatur CD. Enjoy:

Who's Bad (Michael Jackson Tribute) @ Andrews Upstairs on August 1 - Just Announced, already selling fast

Corey Smith @ Augusta Riverwalk Amphitheater on August 8 - Just Announced

Cobra Starship @ Vinyl on August 19 - Just Announced, selling very fast

Soulsavers w/Mark Lanegan @ The Loft on September 19 - Just Announced

Dr. Dog @ The Loft on September 29 - Just Announced

A3C Hip Hop Festival @ East Atlanta Village on October 1 - Just Announced, URB showcase just revealed

Drummer (Black Keys drummers' new side project) @ The EARL on October 16 - Just Announced

An Intimate Evening With Ian McLagan (of Faces, Small Faces fame) @ November 9 - Just Announced

New. Release. Tuesday.

That Jack White sure is a busy guy. Between some little known band called The White Stripes, his side project The Raconteurs, a new record label he recently founded and all sorts of other myriad things taking away his attention on a regular basis, we hardly know how dude finds time to sleep. And yet, a new record from a new band including White drops tomorrow. The band is The Dead Weather, and if you love ol' Jackie Boy, you probably already know about it. We'll have that one and several others on our shelves bright and early Tuesday. Have a looksee:

The Dead Weather
Beastie Boys (Ill Communication reissue)
David Bowie (VH1 Storytellers)
500 Days of Summer (soundtrack ft. Black Lips, The Smiths and many more!)
Rolling Stones (reissues)
Iggy & The Stooges (rarities reissue)
Discovery (Ra Ra Riot/Vampire Weekend supergroup)
Neil Young (reissues)
Dandy Warhols
Nina Simone (live)
Greg Brown
Most Serene Republic
Crosby Loggins
Daughtry
...and more!

New. Release. Thursday?

All quiet on the blog front recently, we know, but Blog Daddy Austin has been out of town, gasp, enjoying himself, that selfish so-and-so. But now that he's back (and recommending Those Darlins - see below), the proverbial interwebby whip can indeed be cracked, thus ensuring regular online updates of myriad sorts. What in the world are we blathering on about? Well, new releases, for starters. Have a look at all the neat stuff that hit these here shelves on Tuesday:

Son Volt
Those Darlins
MGMT
The Jayhawks (anthology)
Maxwell
Drive-By Truckers (live, 2CD set)
The Minus 5
Chali 2Na (Jurassic 5 MC goes solo)
Bowerbirds
Tiny Vipers
We Were Promised Jetpacks
Bombadil
The Young Fresh Fellows
Oneida
The Rural Alberta Advantage
stellastarr*
Paul Oakenfold
Marcy Playground
Yung Ralph
Owen
Soullive
...and more!