The reason why there was no update yesterday is because I was busy pulling together all the content for this coming week. Among it, look for an in-depth story with Criteria tomorrow morning. Frontman Stephen Pedersen talks about his decision to drop the lawyer biz and take on rock ‘n’ roll full-time. Methinks you’ll enjoy it. Then on Thursday, look for this week’s column focused on my interview with The River’s Sophia John about the station’s gradual shift in format over the past year. Good stuff. In fact, though both stories are also slated for this week’s issue of The Reader, you’ll get some exclusive extras right here on Lazy-i — Sheesh! This is beginning to sound like a promo for Access Hollywood.

And speaking of Hollywood, looks like our old friends Rilo Kiley have up and dumped the whole Brute/Beaute ruse outright and signed to Warner Bros., who will be rereleasing More Adventurous under its moniker later this year (See story here). And all that talk about wanting their own label — pish. Says frontwoman Jenny Lewis about signing with Warners: “I felt like it was inevitable that this is where we were going to end up. It seemed like the time was right for us. I don’t know what sort of success that will bring us. That doesn’t really concern me. I just wouldn’t want to regret not having taken a chance.” If success “doesn’t really concern her” then why sign with Warners?

Meanwhile, Bright Eyes continues to get beaten and battered around the head and neck by critics as The Faint/Bright Eyes tour rolls throughout our United States. The latest attack comes from the Chicago Sun-Times, home of Roger Ebert, which didn’t like anything about last Saturday’s windy city show, from Oberst’s singing to the use of two drummers (read it here). “He glowers beneath his mop of raven hair, which he wears in his eyes, and acts aloof, if not petulant.” God, the critic sounds like a spurned lover. How will Conor bounce back from a month’s worth of media hazing?

It’s not all negative in Saddle Creek land. The Good Life received a nice write up in New York Newsday, which called Album of the Year “a small masterpiece, a 12-song tale of a yearlong relationship.” And then went on to describe the band’s set last Friday night at The Knitting Factory (read it here) The show also got a strong preview in the last issue of Time Out New York.

But who cares about shows in New York when you’ve got some good ones right here in River City, like tonight’s Le Beat CD release show at Sokol Underground with Mal Madrigal and Son, Ambulance? The new Le Beat is some of the most laid-back stuff I’ve heard coming out of Omaha, more laid-back than even the latest Neva Dinova stuff, which it most closely resembles though Le Beat has a much closer allegiance to the Velvets. Didn’t know this show was even happening? Maybe it’s because neither One Percent nor Someday Never are involved. Will anyone show up? It starts at 9 and costs $5.

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