Pitchfork

-- In indie rock musician circles, Stephen Malkmus has long been a known and feared master of fantasy basketball. (Ask Janet Weiss.)

And in this interview with sportswriter Steve Alexander, he dodges most of the music questions, reveals his love for Kendrick Perkins, and names the player who currently epitomizes punk in the NBA. (Spoiler alter: It's Matt Barnes, obviously.)

-- Itchy-scratchy postpunk OGs the Slits have signed with Narnack. Next month, all three original members will start recording their first album since 1981's Return of the Giant Slits. Pray to Jah that it doesn't suck.

-- Cursive will tour the American Southwest in March. The trek follows their run through the East Coast and Midwest in January.

-- Bedroom synthpop master Max Tundra will play his first-ever American shows this weekend, both in New York. He'll be at the Bowery Ballroom on Friday and Le Poisson Rouge on Saturday. After that, he'll return to the UK and Europe for a run of headlining dates. And Domino will release the single for "Which Song", Pitchfork's 65th favorite track of 2008, on February 2.

-- Nights Out, the second album from British electro-pop partiers Metronomy, will be out digitally in the U.S. on January 19, and it's being sold exclusively on iTunes. To celebrate, Metronomy will tour North America through the end of January.