For a large version of this poster, click here. Graphics by Erez Avissar

Pitchfork is throwing two big parties in Austin, Texas on March 19 and 20. Come hang with us!

We've once again teamed up with our friends at the Windish Agency to present the fifth annual Pitchfork/Windish Austin Party. The party will go down at Emo's (603 Red River St.) on Friday March 19 from 12 - 6 p.m. It features 12 bands on both the outdoor stage and the Emo's Jr. indoor stage. The party is free and open to the public, but be warned: Lines get long if you don't show up early. Thanks to our friends at Ticketweb for helping out.

Bands playing the Pitchfork/Windish Austin Bash include Neon Indian, Japandroids, Real Estate, Memory Tapes, Surfer Blood, Local Natives, Best Coast, and more.

On Saturday, March 20, from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m., we'll kick off the first ever official Pitchfork SXSW Showcase at the Scoot Inn (1308 East 4th St.). This is a full-on SXSW show, so badges and wristbands will be free, with a very limited number of tickets possibly available at the door. (Stay tuned to SXSW.com for more info.) The showcase lineup features Titus Andronicus, Sleigh Bells, the Very Best, Bear in Heaven, and more.

Check out the lineups and set times for both shows below. See...

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First of all, a super big thank you to all the good people who made this Saturday's record release show the second-ever Titus Andronicus headlining appearance to sell all of its tickets! And a full two days in advance! Unbelievable. If only my teenage self could see me now, he whose life was so transformed within the walls of the Bowery Ballroom by the likes of the Arcade Fire and Ted Leo/RX and the Fiery Furnaces and Against Me! and all the other greats bands that me and my buddies have seen there. In fact, you all deserve two thank you's, since I promised myself that if that show sold out, I would buy myself a Playstation 2 (yes, 2 - the place isn't that big). Liberty City, here I come!

Speaking of my wildest dreams coming to brilliant life, could that version of myself, who, at sixteen, was never far from his Discman (remember those?) with the ever-present Slanted and Enchanted or Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, ever imagine that this summer Titus Andronicus would be playing with PAVEMENT not once but TWICE?!?!? Okay, those mindfucks will be going down at big-ass festivals where oodles of bands will be sharing in the unfathomable honor, but shit... remember Pavement? Seriously, though. Pavement! Okay, yeah, Silver Jews are better in a lot of ways (we can not live on smirking alone, after all), but shit - IT'S PAVEMENT, FOR GOD'S SAKE! We have already heard about the Primavera Sound Festival, so...

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Get ready for another Pitchfork Music Festival lineup announcement! We've already revealed that Pavement, Modest Mouse, LCD Soundsystem, Raekwon, and many more are on board for this summer's fest, which goes down July 16-18 in Chicago's Union Park. And it's about to get even awesomer.

The artists joining this year's already-stacked bill are: Canadian guitar battalion Broken Social Scene, Animal Collective's own Panda Bear, infamous garage-soul power trio the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, underground hip-hop warrior El-P, West Coast indie heartbreakers Girls, Jersey ragers Titus Andronicus, Brooklyn synth-rock crew Bear in Heaven, Indiana rap bruiser Freddie Gibbs,  glam-garage upstarts the Smith Westerns, L.A. roller-rink funk visionary Dam-Funk, experimental psych band Cave, and krautrockers Alla.

Below, you'll find the lineup broken down by day. And we still have plenty of artists left to announce!

When you're planning your weekend, keep in mind that Union Park will open at 3 p.m. on Friday, and the day will feature more music than it has in previous years. Three-day passes are already sold out, so you're going to want to grab those single-day passes as quickly as you can. Get your tickets here.

Here's the lineup so far:

Friday, July 16:

-- Modest Mouse
-- Broken Social Scene
-- El-P

Saturday, July 17:

-- LCD Soundsystem
-- Panda Bear
-- The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

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Next Tuesday, March 9, is a big record release day in the U.S. Several titles coming out next week are available for your listening pleasure right now. Click below for links to stream new albums from Titus Andronicus, the Shins' James Mercer and Danger Mouse's Broken Bells, Gorillaz, Liars, and more:

-- Titus Andronicus: The Monitor
-- Broken Bells: Broken Bells
-- Gorillaz: Plastic Beach
-- Liars: Sisterworld
-- Frightened Rabbit: The Winter of Mixed Drinks
-- Gonjasufi: A Sufi and a Killer
-- Free Energy: Stuck on Nothing
-- The Morning Benders: Big Echo
-- The Besnard Lakes: The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night

Speaking of instant gratification, it is about time we took that concept to its logical conclusion. If you head over to our MySpace (OurSpace?) you may now stream our new album, The Monitor, in it's entirety for free, just because we like you guys so much. I have been trying very hard over the past hour to put the songs in order, but it just isn't happening. How annoying. Anyway, you already know what the tracklist is, so you shouldn't have too much trouble. This streaming thing is only going to be happening until the 3rd, or maybe just until the 2nd. I never know with this sort of thing. Just to be safe, you better listen to it right this second.

Hey, stop reading this. Didn't I just say to go listen to our record on MySpace right now?

Well, as long as yr here, we might as well talk about some of the appearances we are going to be making at this year's SXSW music conference. We already heard about the Fucked Up Saves Music showcase that is going down on the 20th at Red 7 Patio, but did you know that we are also going to be playing with Fucked Up at a BrooklynVegan day party on the 17th at Emo's? Two shows with Fucked Up - how lucky are we? Fucked Up is one of the greatest bands in the world, even though my father doesn't approve of their name (nor Fuck...

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When my brother and sister and I were kids, our father tried to teach us the value of delayed gratification. If we went on some outing, like to the zoo or a museum or wherever, he would allow us to pick out one souvenir, but we would always have to wait until it was time to go home before we could make that decision. That way, he thought, we'd figure out that, by waiting, we'd be able to determine what we really wanted and not miss out by being rash. It was his hope that we'd learn the value of long-term planning, being goal oriented, look at the big picture, that sort of thing, a lesson that would surely serve us well throughout life.

Well, forget that. Everybody knows delaying yr gratification sucks. With that in mind, let Titus Andronicus give you what you think you want right this second, damn the consequences, in the following two ways.

Firstly, it is our pleasure to share with you another song from our forthcoming record The Monitor. It is the first song on said record, and it is called "A More Perfect Union." You know, as in, "We, the people, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility..." and so forth. You know, the preamble to our United States Constitution, that most beautiful and beloved of documents. Get it? First song... preamble... come on, it makes perfect sense. What is that, you don't know...

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Photo by Rez Avissar

MP3:> Titus Andronicus: "A More Perfect Union"

On March 9, XL will release The Monitor, the sprawling, blown-out, vaguely Civil-War-themed sophomore album from Jersey rockers Titus Andronicus. And up above, you can download the album's charged-up seven-minute opener "A More Perfect Union". If, after hearing that one, you're not totally convinced about the album, click below to watch the stirring YouTube trailer for it.

In the coming months, Titus Andronicus will engage in an insane amount of touring. Go see them and let them crash on your floor.

Limited Edition Titus Andronicus "Monitour" tour posters available on our upcoming tour. 150 Made, Hand screened and numbered.