My Ex-Boyfriend's Band has not disappeared, just reassessed and readjusted. Selling my soul to financial marketing for 40 hours a week has meant my own writing is a growing luxury. So rather than keep this as a full blown blog, My Ex-Boyfriend's Band is turning into a weekly column and moving to the Austinist. I started writing for Austinist when I first moved to Texas, and was very sad to leave when I had to sign a non-compete agreement at the Austin American-Statesman. I am very excited to be back in the beautiful world of Ist so I can touch a wider audience and share all the Austinist resources with you lovely readers.

Check out the first entry I wrote for the Austinist on Graham Williams and the birth of Transmission. And keep visiting the Austinist for My Ex-Boyfriend's Band. Here's the new banner:

We haven't settled on a specific schedule yet, but the column will probably run on Wednesday. This week's entry will be catching you up on all the important Austin music news you missed over Thanksgiving. And trust me, between a psych folkster landing a movie deal and a disappointing homecoming from the latest it band, there is plenty you've missed.

The festival line-up will be reshuffled so that Muse takes over the Saturday headlining spot. That means the rest of the bands have moved around as well to make some interesting new match ups, ones that honestly make a little more sense, like the Arctic Monkeys vs. Damien Rice. Picking between Arcade Fire and Muse will be hard, but I'll probably try to see both of them. A few new faces have been added as well, like St. Vincent and Dr. Dog.

Print out the new schedule here: http://www.austincitylimits.com/schedule/day1.htm (and click through to Day 2 and Day 3 to get the rest of it, y'all are smart, I don't need to put a million links down for you)

On Sunday night, the Stubb's show will now feature Ghostland Observatory outside with the Cold War Kids, and Dr. Dog will play an after-show inside. Tickets are $25 and on sale now.

But C3 might have an extra surprise up their sleeve. NME posted an interested tidbit saying that Muse is taking over the White Stripes spot at Stubb's as well. They are the only ones reporting it, but NME is a reputable outlet, they might know something we don't. Anyone heard more on that?

The White Stripes have released a statement regarding their canceled appearance. They have actually scrapped the entire US fall tour due to Meg's anxiety issues. Pitchfork has the brief apology as well as their depressing new schedule.

Now I understand why Bob Dylan is suddenly playing an intimate show at Stubb's on Saturday night. C3 had to throw us something because the festival headliners for that evening won't be coming to Austin after all. The White Stripes have canceled both their Saturday headlining spot and their Sunday Stubb's show. The official reason for the absence of Jack and Meg is illness.

Sound Team is scheduled to play on Saturday as well. I assume that show will go on despite the break up. Does anyone know for sure?

In Silver Lake, the cult of Elliott Smith was looking for their second savior. Just beyond Hollywood’s glittering shadow, the bohemian enclave became a cultural hotspot in the 90s, cultivating a slew of alternative rock bands such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Rilo Kiley. And, despite the sunny location, the neighborhood has a special appreciation for dark emotions. After Smith died in 2003, there remained a yearning for melancholy music, a need for raw sadness mixed with hazy melodies. Hungry ears turned expectantly to Earlimart’s Aaron Espinoza.

Somehow Earlimart has resisted chasing the ghost. With Espinoza’s ethereal voice and penchant for poignant songwriting, following the footsteps laid by the king of heartstrings would have been easy. The group even dedicated its 2004 release, Treble and Tremble, to the recently deceased Smith. The setup was right in front of them. Which makes Mentor Tormentor an ironically perfect title for the new album.

On Mentor Tormentor, Earlimart makes a point to maintain an alternative slant. Originally more Pixies than Pedro the Lion, the current incarnation of the band keeps just enough dimension and grit to save its polished rock from dissolving into romantic pop. The sonic landscape stresses diversity as well. “Answers and Questions” incorporates a sweeping chorus worthy of The Anniversary, while “Happy Alone” is a delicate affair highlighting Ariana Murray’s lilting vocals. Ultimately, the album’s breadth is comforting, confirming a level of talent that would have melted away in a more routine collection.

Earlimart is highly aware of its influences, and in Mentor Tormentor you can hear the echoes of bands they have inspired as well. Now that they share the Silver Lake scene with contemporaries like Silversun Pickups and Great Northern, a clear sense of the past and the future is emerging. Now it's Earlimart’s turn to be the mentor.

Centro-matic's free Labor Day show at the Parish restored my faith in local indie rock. I love that venue and I love that band. Check out the column I wrote at Impose Magazine.

Hilly Kristal, founder of the historic NYC venue CBGB, died Aug. 28. Kristal passionately supported the Lower East Side rock scene, bringing the Ramones, Patti Smith and Blondie to CBGB when they were still young artists looking for a break. The Brooklyn Vegan has an excellent collection of MP3s posted as a tribute to the punk pioneer.