YO LA TENGO goes "Periodically Double Or Triple" in the fruity second clip from Popular Songs.

BAT FOR LASHES stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set streaming via MPR (plus video.)

SILVERSUN PICKUPS also stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set streaming via MPR.

PASSION PIT stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set streaming via MPR, too.

WOODEN BIRDS stopped by Oregon Public Broadcasting for a chat and mini-set in audio or video.

JOHNNY MAESTRO: "The Worst That Could Happen." A great self-indulgent song written by Jimmy Webb, sung by the man who made it a hit with the Brooklyn Bridge.

TORTOISE co-founder Dan Bitney talks to PopMatters about the past, present, and future of the band that changed indie rock forever, and continues to thrill their power base on their first original record in five years, Beacons of Ancestorship.

MOUNT EERIE: Phil Elverum talks to the Village Voice about touring with a full band, Buddhism, plus his enduring love and artistic affinity for David Lynch's Twin Peaks.

FRANZ NICOLAY of The Hold Steady talks to The Hook about his solo adventures.

ST. VINCENT: Sax man Evan Smith talks to Renegade Bus about watching the Dallas-born band take the music world by storm.

JON HAMM talked to The A.V. Club about the upcoming season of Mad Men (debuting August 16), and his recent forays into comedy on 30 Rock and Saturday Night Live.

WILLIAM SHATNER talks to TIME about his off-camera relationship with Conan O'Brien, buying dinner for J.J. Abrams and why, when it comes to musical collaborations, he's not unlike Dracula.

PEE-WEE HERMAN returns for a stage run in L.A. this November.

LINDSAY LOHAN surprised "on-again" girlfriend Samantha Ronson in Chicago for Sam's birthday over the weekend.

TWILIGHT star Ashley Greene is treatening suit against those who post nude photos of her on the Internet.

THE TOP MOVIE NUDES (minus the dudes) according to Mr. Skin. (SFW link) Shaping up as Gratuitous Wednesday, it seems.

ZOMBIELAND, starring Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg and Abigail Breslin, has a red band trailer online.

REGGIE MILLER is denying accusations he got down with someone else's fiancee - but the former basketball star does admit he flirted a little bit ... well, actually a lot.

IRAN: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad tightened his grip on Iran's powerful intelligence services, ousting four senior officials in a widening purge against authorities who challenged the harsh crackdowns after June's disputed elections.

PAKISTAN: US officials stuck to their belief that Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud was killed last week, amid reports a CIA drone fired missiles at him as he was getting a leg massage on the roof of his father-in-law's house. A leg message?  Meanwhile, Pakistan's nuclear facilities have already been attacked at least thrice by its home-grown terrorists in little-reported incidents over the past two years.

AFGHANISTAN: Gen. Stanley McChrystal says he is comfortable with the prospect of lower-level Taliban commanders and fighters rejoining the country's political process.

MONKEY & DOG, riding together... mass hysteria!

KODA, the mini-horse who suffers the double-whammy of being born a dwarf. Pics at the link.

CATERPILLARS been spotted 'dancing' to put off predators as they eat their way through a leaf.

LADYBUGS have mounted their biggest invasion of the British Isles since the long, hot summer of 1976.

SHARK ATTACK: A 26-year-old tourist from Spain was attacked and bitten by a shark Monday in the waters off Volusia County, FL -- the seventh shark bite in Volusia County this year. What say you, Police Chief Brody?