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It's been six years since British trip-hop duo Massive Attack released "100th Window," the band's last proper studio album. (Let's forget about that tepid, instrumental soundtrack for "Danny the Dog" from 2004.) And increasingly it's been looking as if the duo, Daddy G and Robert "3D" del Naja, were going the way of their Bristol, England homies Portishead, who took 11 years to release last year's phenomenal "Third."

The good news today is that fans won't have to wait quite that long. Today, EMI Music announced that a four-song Massive Attack EP called "Splitting the Atom" will be released on Oct. 6 followed by a full-length album next February.

The EP title track features long-time Massive collaborator Horace Andy. The disc will also include "Pray for Rain," with vocals from TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe, and remixes of two tracks called "Psyche" and "Bulletproof Love," according to today's announcement.

Listen to what appears to be a leaked version of lead single "Splitting the Atom" here.

Details remain foggy regarding the follow-up album. But When I interviewed Daddy G before Massive's 2006 tour stop in Seattle, he told me that he and del Naja had approached punk icon Patti Smith, David Bowie, Faith No More's Mike Patton and others about appearing on the album.

Patton later told me he had cut four songs with Massive Attack, not including a collaboration called "Kill the DJ" for his Peeping Tom project.

GWAR, that's who. Huh huh, huh huh. They rule! Oh, and they release something called "Lust in Space" today, in case you're interested.

Rascal Flatts will headline the Tacoma Dome on Oct. 29 with former Hootie & the Blowfish front man Darius Rucker opening, Live Nation announced this afternoon. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Aug. 15.

Alt-rock legends Depeche Mode will headline KeyArena Monday night (Aug. 10). But I’m actually a little more excited about catching their opening act, Peter Bjorn and John. You know, the Swedish trio that came whistling out of nowhere with “Young Folks,” a.k.a. the catchiest song of the decade, in 2006.

So I caught up with band member Peter Moren on the phone during his recent stop in New York. Check GO in the morning for my write-up. Meanwhile, here are a few interview clips I chopped up for you all. Here’s what Moren had to say about …

… the band’s beginnings and how close he came to being a librarian instead of a rock star.

… the evolution of their most popular song and apprehension about being a one-hit wonder.

… the new “Living Thing” album and making music with “trash.”

Between spins on KISW-FM (99.9), landing some opening gigs for Buckcherry next week and a slot on the main stage at White River Amphitheatre on Aug. 22 for Pain in the Grass, you could call Atomic Outlaws Tacoma's hottest band.

Yesterday, I hung out with those boys for a spell for a story I'm working on for an upcoming issue of GO. And they were nice enough to let me record a few rehearsal tracks, including one that's been getting played on the ol' radio machine.

I don't know about you, but I think they're pretty well tuned up for White River. Check back in, and I'll post more as that show approaches.

Lozen headlined the New Frontier Lounge last night. And here's some of what you missed.

And I was in a hurry when I posted the first two and didn't have "Earth People" ready. But here it is now. Enjoy!

The bad news: I showed up to the New Frontier too late to bootleg Tacoma's Cannon Canyon, my original plan for Thursday night. The good news, though, is that I've got a new band crush. Sugar Sugar Sugar is from my old stomping grounds, Bellingham, and they rocked. Judge for yourself. And check back in a bit. I got some pretty sweet clips of last night's headliner, Lozen, too.

It's trendy these days for iconic rockers to take one of their classic albums and perform it in its entirety in concert. Motley Crue just did it with "Dr. Feelgood" last night at Auburn's White River Amphitheatre. Roger Waters gave Pink Floy'ds "Dark Side of the Moon" a similar treatment a while back. And now one of alt-rock's pioneering acts is getting into the act, too.

The Pixies are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their "Doolittle" album by taking it out on the road, with back-to-back stops scheduled for Nov. 11 and 12 at Seattle's Paramount Theatre. According to today's announcement, the band will play all the tracks from "Doolittle" - college radio classics like "Wave of Mutilation" and "Monkey Goes to Heaven" - and related b-sides.

Tickets are set at $58 and they go on sale at 10 a.m. on Saturday (Aug. 1).

In April, Pixies singer-guitarist Black Francis brought his new project, Grand Duchy, to Jazzbones. Click here to revisit our interview with Francis and his wife, Violet Clark. Grand Duchy will headline Seattle's Triple Door on Sunday (Aug. 2).

Alice in Chains will headline the Moore Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 24, Seattle Theatre Group announced. Tickets are set at $25, and they go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday (July 31), according to this afternoon's announcement.

Alice in Chains recently gave away "A Looking in View," the first single from the forthcoming "Black Gives Way to Blue" album, for free. It's the first studio recording we've heard from Alice since the group re-formed with lead singer William DuVall. You can listen to a clip I previously posted here or find out more about the album and tour on Alice's fan site.

New Alice in Chains singer William DuVall at Seattle's Moore Theatre in 2006.
ERNEST JASMIN

While I was gone, Barsuk Records also sent me details regarding a not so secret house show that Seattle singer-songwriter Rocky Votolato is playing in Tacoma on Thursday (July 30). Well, they sent me the date, that is, and mentioned that he's road testing some new songs. But the address is hush-hush secret; you know, until you buy tickets here and it's e-mailed to you.

You can find clips from my last interview with Rock here, by the way.

I've been off this week, spending a little time on the Peninsula. So I haven't checked in as much as usual. But I had to belatedly post this Beastie Boys clip for the fans that still haven't heard the heavy Adam Yauch news. The Beasties headlined the first concert I ever attended, and I'll always have a soft spot for those guys - still one of the most ridiculously fun acts in pop music after all these years. Get well, MCA!