I’ll be driving down to Richmond this afternoon through last night’s brief round of snow and ice (Wife is not happy I’m going) to watch the first meeting of the 2011-12 season between Old Dominion and Virginia Commonwealth. Last year, ODU earned victories over the Rams at both of VCU’s home courts – the Siegel Center and the Richmond Coliseum, the death dome where the CAA’s conference tournament is played. It’s right down the street from VCU’s main campus. Unfortunately, the story ended with VCU making the Final Four and ODU losing in the first round in heartbreaking fashion to two-time national runner-up Butler. No, I’m not over it. This year finds both teams in reload mode, searching for consistency after losing a handful of seniors to graduation. Despite this, the game is guaranteed to be heated because it is well-known throughout Virginia as one of the best rivalries in the nation. Before I head out, I’ll refresh myself by watching this video of highlights from ODU’s first of two wins in Richmond last year.

Here is a clip (directed by Nathan Vollmar) for “Nothing Is The News” from Damien Jurado’s Maraqopa, out February 21st on Secretly Candian. Maraqopa is Jurado’s second album produced by fellow songwriter Richard Swift, following 2010′s overlooked Saint Bartlett. Jurado will be on tour this spring and will stop by D.C. on May 21st at the Black Cat. I saw him open for John Vanderslice last year and can assure you that he puts on an excellent live performance.

1. Nothing Is The News
2. Life Away From The Garden
3. Maraqopa
4. This Time Next Year
5. Reel To Reel
6. Working Titles
7. Everyone A Star
8. So On, Nevada
9. Museum Of Flight
10. Mountains Still Asleep

A new album from Spiritualized album is an event. After a delay or two, it looks as if the next Spiritualized album is set for release on March 19th. Fat Possum will handle the U.S. release of Sweet Heart Sweet Light, Jason Pierce’s 7th album as Spiritualized and first since 2008′s underrated Songs In A&E.

1. Hey Jane
2. Little Girl
3. Get What You Want
4. Too Late
5. Heading For The Top
6. Freedom
7. I Am What I Am
8. Mary
9. Life Is A Problem
10. So Long You Pretty Things

Photo by Steve Gullick

Photo by Glen E. Friedman

Edit: Tracklisting has been posted over at Merge. Release date is February 21.

Tour (Opening for Feist)

11/20/11 – Northern Alberta – Jubilee Auditorium

11/21/11 – Calgary – Jack Singer Concert Hall

12/1/11 – Toronto – Massey Hall

12/3/11 – Montreal – Metropolis

12/5/11 – Ottawa – National Arts Centre

12/6/11 – Quebec City – GrandTheatre du Quebec

If you were an avid music fan coming of age in the late 80′s or early 90′s, you experienced Nevermind, but if you looked deeper, you also experienced two classic albums that were released within two weeks of each other in the fall of 1991. Matthew Sweet’s Girlfriend was released on October 22nd, 1991 and My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless dropped on November 4th, 1991. One redefined power-pop, the other flipped guitar-rock on its head completely. It is no surprise that neither artist has come close to topping these feats, with the latter failing to release another record at all. I wouldn’t hear these albums until years later (I was five in ’91), but they remain as potent as ever. I can only imagine how amazing it must have felt to experience this music as it was being released for the first time.

This Is Our Science is out now on Fake Four.

Vince Gilligan fills in critic Alan Sepinwall on the burning questions that linger after BB’s amazing season four finale. Gilligan also drops hints about the show’s final season. The worst part? Waiting for what happens next.

• Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan post-mortems season 4 (@What’s Alan Watching?)

ESPN columnist J.A. Adande gives his two cents on the NBA lockout, which just sacrificed the first two weeks of this season. The fans lose again and I need a John Wall fix.

• NBA cancels two weeks, earns self-inflicted wound (@ESPN)

Kotaku gets an early glimpse at what next month’s new Assassin’s Creed game will offer. I’m ready for more daggers and lots of wall-climbing.

• Three Hours With the Surprisingly Ambitious (and Tougher) Assassin’s Creed Revelations (@Kotaku)

In the wake of Steve Jobs’ passing, a former Gizmodo editor documents his communications with Steve Jobs before and following his site’s discovery of an iPhone 4 prototype.

• Steve Jobs Was Always Kind To Me (Or, Regrets of An Asshole) (@The Wirecutter)

The new Crooked Fingers album, Breaks In The Armor, is out today. SPIN details Eric Bachmann’s time in Taiwan and offers a full album stream.

• Album Premiere: Crooked Fingers’ Boozy Opus (@SPIN)

While the NBA season is in limbo, college basketball will be here in a matter of weeks. The CAA, otherwise known as the conference that brought you cinderella stories from George Mason and (ugh…) Virginia Commonwealth, will broadcast its annual media day on ESPN3 next Tuesday. Go Monarchs.

• CAA Basketball Media Day Live to be Broadcast on ESPN3 (@CAASports.com)

Image courtesy of AMC