If Taylor Swift is as gifted at writing catchy phrases for greeting cards as she is at writing hit songs Hallmark better watch out. Swift signed a deal with Cleveland based greeting card maker American Greetings. The agreement will create a line of greeting cards, gift packaging, stationery, online photo personalization products and online greetings.

Swift says:

"My idea of a great song is a song that says how I feel better than I could. I feel the same way about greeting cards," Taylor says. "I've always been fascinated by feelings and how we express them to each other. Getting to write and design these cards is a wonderful experience."

American Greetings said in a statment announcing the news:

"We are absolutely thrilled and honored to introduce Taylor Swift as the newest writer and creative contributor to the American Greetings family," stated Zev Weiss, Chief Executive Officer at American Greetings. "Her abilities as a storyteller and songwriter make her a natural at writing cards for consumers of all ages. She has the unique ability to connect with her fans through life experiences and greeting cards do the same--cards help people express, connect and celebrate these events with the important people in their lives. We believe it's a natural fit!"

Haste the Day has successfully carved their niche market with more than 230,000 album sales statewide, killer touring in 2008-09 and the release of their latest album that was released last fall, “Dreamer.” Now the hardcore band from Indiana is hitting the road with the Napalm & Noise Tour beginning Nov. 20 in Illinois with All That Remains, The Devil Wars Prada and Story of the Year.

The road has become a second home for the group as last October they were direct support for Norma Jean’s tour followed by being a part of the sold out Saints & Sinners tour (Hollywood Undead, Senses Fail, and Brokencyde). The band also went international this year headlining in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Columbia and Panama. Haste the Day also headlined the Scream the Prayer tour this year. In December, the band will go abroad once again to Germany for the Christmas Rock Night festival.

As I Lay Dying is currently holed up with Adam D. and Daniel Castleman at Lambesis Studios in San Diego. They're hard at work recording and writing their follow up to 2007's stellar effort, An Ocean Between Us. The band will be recording and writing throughout the rest of 2009 and vocalist Tim Lambesis has issued the following update via the band's myspace page:

After a wildly successful 17th anniversary summer, complete with a live broadcast performance, the punk-pop gurus of Bremerton, Wash. are back at it again. Now, MxPx are set to release Left Coast Punk, their latest EP (the band’s first in five years), through their very own label, Rock City Recording Company.

They've always been the harder-and-faster variety of punk playing bands, the band coined the phrase “Left Coast Punk” as a simple way to describe their sound and those similar, residing from the Left Coast. It is that particular sound that is evident within the new tracks as well as MxPx vocalist and bassist, Mike Herrera felt the name just seemed to fit, “It just made sense to use the term, it’s been around awhile, something I believe we coined, but it perfectly describes the clash of pop sensibility with the fast and hard playing that we are known for.”

Alesana has unveiled the track listing and artwork for their next album, The Emptiness which will be out on Jan. 26, 2010.

Produced by Kris Crummett (Emarosa, Dance Gavin Dance), the album is the Raleigh, NC group's third effort and sees the band at their most creative. Combining their trademark dynamic, emotionally charged, three guitar attack with a metal edge, the album is given new depth thanks to a strong narrative and the addition of a live string quartet. Look out for a preview of the tracks in the coming weeks!

The track listing is as follows:

1. Curse Of The Virgin Canvas
2. The Artist
3. A Lunatic's Lament
4. The Murderer
5. Hymn For The Shameless
6. The Thespian
7. Heavy Hangs The Albatross
8. The Lover
9. In Her Tomb By The Sounding Sea
10. To Be Scared By An Owl
11. Annabel

You can now hear the first track from the forthcoming Shapes Stars Make album These Mountains Are Safe. "Le Dodici" is the first song to be released from the album and you can hear it here: http://www.myspace.com/shapesstarsmake

They're an all-embracing indie band pulling ambience, post-rock guitar hooks and romantic vocals from a galaxy of influences; but it's the shimmery texture of their sometimes experimental music that sets them apart. In fact, if Aurora Borealis had a soundtrack, Shapes Stars Make would be it. Songs grow and diminish as if they are alive, evoking a living breathing being made of music and light. This emotionally rich indie rock is heavy with post-rock influence and has been beautifully categorized as an 'atypical condensation of genre techniques' (The Neo-Surrealist Movement). Absolute Punk has referred to Shapes Stars Make as 'airy with gentle flickers that light up small and large.' Michael Gooden, Jon Cook, and Zach Edwards give their music room to expand and contract organically which, with the help of producer John Congleton (Appleseed Cast, Explosions In The Sky), leads to the sweeping layered melodies that define this band.

Shapes Stars Make will be releasing their debut full length with Dreamt Music in January 2010.

The Disco Biscuits are hitting the road once again in support of their new EP, “On Time.” The band will spend time in California around Thanksgiving before returning to the East Coast for a number of dates in New York and their native Philadelphia, including a five-night engagement at The Nokia Theatre between Christmas and New Year’s.

The EP is out on their own label, Diamond Riggs through Warner Music Group’s Independent Label Group. This EP serves as a teaser for the Disco Biscuits’ full-length February, 2010 release, “Planet Anthem” which will also be distributed through ILG. “On Time” can be purchased online on iTunes and at livedownloads.com for $4.99, or at any of their upcoming live shows. Additionally, “You and I,” from the full-length album, is available for free streaming online here.

MUDVAYNE have outdone themselves once again with the mind-blowing packaging for the new album. The new release is revolutionizing cover artwork design, as this is the first disc to use black light reactive ink. Every bit of art and text in the packaging of the record will be printed on ink that can only be seen with a black light.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=129965

The image seen above is cover of MUDVAYNE’S self-titled album due out on Dec. 22 . The artwork was created exclusively by the “King of Rock Tattoos” Paul Booth. The world renowned tattoo artist had the following to say about the concept and artwork:

“This project has been absolutely killer to work on! The whole black light concept was totally experimental and quite the challenge, so of course, as an artist, I was drawn to it like a moth to a bugzapper. I am happy to see bands focusing more energy on their album art… something I thought the internet had killed. Hailz to MUDVAYNE and everyone at the label for going the extra mile!”

The guys are just as excited about the artwork and packaging:

The album will be available in the following formats:

(Allido/Interscope)

They keep sayin' "Whale" but his name's "Wah-lay". On the heels of fellow freshman class all-star and Cleveland native Kid Cudi's debut record and also coming off of the Jay-Z Blueprint III Tour, DC's Wale comes out swinging in his highly anticipated debut album, Attention: Deficit. This go-go infused, diverse hip-hop record features collaborative efforts from top-tier talent such as Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Mark Ronson.

Well, we didn't see this one coming. Aerosmith lead guitarist has said that his bandmate for 30 plus years Steven Tyler has quit the band. Perry is quoted by the Las Vegas Sun as saying:

“Steven quit as far as I can tell. I don’t know any more than you do about it. I got off the plane two nights ago. I saw online that Steven said that he was going to leave the band,” Perry adds . “I don’t know for how long, indefinitely or whatever. Other than that, I don’t know.”

Tyler had an embarrassing fall from the stage in the summer that caused the band to cancel many dates on their world tour. Making things even weirder on the Aerosmith front is Perry saying that he may replace Tyler with a new vocalist. Yeah, like that will work.