Hip-hop records to look out for in the next, say, six months or so: Kut Kaper, head honcho of Realtime Recording and a DJ who has appeared on recent Moshe and A-Frame and Mike Clouds releases, will be releasing a solo project called Bad Habit. Syn the Shaman, formerly known as KGB and a sometime member of the Flavor Bakers, NFM, Project Dark, Triple Threat, and Moving Car, will be dropping a solo record called The Cure (no word on a Robert Smith cameo for that one).

Sort of like a musical parasite, but good, X-Ray Actress have decided that rather than play clubs, they’ll create their own club and just have it move from venue to venue, taking over as they go. "X-Ray Actress is ready to be playing a lot," says keyboard player/songwriter John Dyer, "but we decided we’ll have the most success in setting up venues that are in our style, instead of setting up gigs with guitar bands." So, welcome to Mars, their "roving club." The first performance/residency will be this week, August 25, at Bubba’s. "We’re thinking DJ, band, concert grand harp player, stuff like that," says Dyer. "Mars is going to be as close to the earth as it’s been in its history — so we’ll have a projection of that." Dyer says he’s also looking the old Surplus Store building: "I don’t know, maybe, maybe, we might permanently put something there." It would certainly be a great location/layout for a club. As for the next Mars, look for night number two in October.

Speaking of Dyer, he’s been recording Loverless as of late (this is not surprising, as Loverless shares guitarist Elijah Ocean with Dyer’s X-Ray Actress). The band report that things went well up at Dyer’s Unintentional Studios in Blue Hill and that they’re now working on mastering with the Studio’s Jim Begley. They say they’re planning a mid-September release for the self-titled debut full-length.

Wondering what’s up with Sara Cox? Well, she’s got better things to do than play for y’all. Cox and husband Nate Schrock (who play together in the Coming Grass) had their third child, and first daughter, on August 14. They named her Lila Mae. The "Sibilance" staff would like to offer congratulations, but don’t expect any presents or anything. We’re all broke.

Old-timey bluegrassers the Mutineers report that their first full-length, Where Mockingbirds Roam, has been sent to the duplicator. They’ll be taking September off for some baby-making of their own, and then will be back in October for a CD-release gig, somewhere in Portland.

Reports are in that Acoustic Coffee has been sold. The "Sibilance" staff, crack reporters that we are, have discovered that the new owner’s name is Mike, and that things won’t change all that much from the way things have always been at Acoustic. Just imagine the panic in the singer/songwriter community . . .

Local legend Joe Brien reports the Troubles are back on the scene after about three years of time off. Joe just can’t give up on a band; first we see the Kopterz back gigging, now this. "Sibilance" staffers bet Brien still has copies of Rolling Stone from 1973 stashed in his attic. Anyhoo, the Troubles make their return with a 5 pm gig this Friday, August 26, in Lewiston’s Festival Plaza.