Out of the blue, Eagle-Seagull showed up in yesterday's CMJ Blast (an e-mail based newsletter written by College Music Journal that's distributed daily by subscription). The story (located here) was essentially a rehash of what we all already know (They just finished recording their second album with producer Ryan Hadlock, The Year Of The How-To Book, tentatively set for release in early 2008. The band will hit the road briefly in September). Still, CMJ is mighty big exposure. Has the band lined up a label yet, or are they just going to self-release it?

"No, we're definitely not (going to self release it)," said Eagle*Seagull frontman Eli Mardock. "The level of interest in the album is really exciting but it's best to keep our mouths shut for now and not name any names. We're just not rushing into anything, and we're in no rush to release the album, either. We want to make sure we do things right. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if we make an announcement within a month or two."

It's no surprise that there's label interest. Their new music is catchy and fun and, at times, downright uplifting. Find out for yourself when they play at The Waiting Room this Saturday with The Show is the Rainbow & Columbia vs Challenger.

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The last time we heard from Adam Weaver, he was stirring things up with a new album and his comments about the local indie scene (See Column 105, here). That was way back in December '06. Weaver dropped me a line yesterday, saying that he and his band, The Ghosts, are about to come out of a self-imposed hiatus that they entered after their last gig in April. "The timing (of the hiatus) is kind of a shame because I think we were actually starting to establish a bit of a following," Weaver said, "but due to a couple of us moving, a couple of us getting married, and much day-job insanity, we decided to take a break for awhile."

Well, the break is over and Weaver and his band are now working on a new record. "We're currently doing pre-production in our practice space, and hope to get into the studio mid-October -- hope to," he said. "We'll be working with Andy (Koeneke) from Spring Gun and J.J. (Idt) from Eagle*Seagull down in the old Presto! space in Lincoln. This will be much more of a band effort, and much less of my sad-bastard singer/songwriter stuff. There may be a band name change as well."

Don't look for them to play anywhere in the near future. "If someone asks us to open for them, we might do it if it seems like a good fit," Weaver said, "but the record is number one priority."

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It'll be a veritable hoedown tonight at The Waiting Room with The Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash and the Southpaw Bluegrass Band. $10, 9 p.m.

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Cold Call...

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