I'm home sick today, but not too sick to blog, apparently...

Bombardment Society rolled out a set of new music Saturday night at O'Leaver's. It's the third band I've seen in the past week working on new material that's better than the last stuff they've put out. I know bands are supposed to improve over time, but it's still a surprise when it actually happens. Bombardment's new material is heavier but more coherent, more streamlined, more tuneful, i.e., they're playing songs. Part of the credit goes to bassist Lincoln Dickison sitting at the core of the action. The weight is unavoidable. I caught the last couple songs by Perry H. Matthews. It didn't even sound like the same band -- very prof. Now if they can only get their act into the studio...

Pitchfork is finally reporting about that Azure Ray reunion -- old news. The new news is that both Maria Taylor and Orenda Fink have new solo albums on the way. BTW, Tim Kasher has been added to that show, along with Andy Lemaster. Tix are still available -- too bad it's at the Troubadour.

When Slumber Party Records launched about a year ago, the label was poised to be the city's hot new thing with the hottest new bands. And then... nothing. After a year of nothing, Slumber Party appears to have launched a new website (at least it's new to me) at slumberpartyrecords.com. The site includes news (Capgun Coup's West Coast tour got cancelled due to "van troubles"), show calendar (Bear Country, Capgun Coup and Honeybee will be playing at The Bemis "Open Studios" event this Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m. All three bands are current musicians-in-residence), and promises of new "weekly things" on the site including videos and downloads. They even have a new "press" site, but I can't tell you about it because you ain't press.

Tonight at The Waiting Room it's transgender pop diva Edie Sedgwick with The Stay Awake and Perry H. Matthews. $7, 9 p.m. I'm feeling better already...

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