Fountains Of Wayne guitarist Jody Porter is set to release his debut solo album next month. The album, ‘Close To The Sun’, is set for release August 26 and was produced by Porter and Michael Tudor with Strokes producer Gordon Raphael producing one track. In the past Porter has collaborated with artists including Albert Hammond, Jr. and Juliana Hatfield, but this is the first time the guitarist goes at it alone. Porter is expected to announce a fall tour in support of the forthcoming album.

Mongrel, the indie super-group we wrote about recently has just posted new tracks online at  Myspace.com/wearemongrel. The group features Arctic Monkeys‘ Matt Helders, former Monkey Andy Nicholson, Babyshambles‘ Drew McConnell, and Reverend and The Makers‘ Jon McClure.

As Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. releases his solo album, bandmate, drummer Fabrizio Moretti prepares his side project release. Moretti’s side project, Little Joy, is a collaboration with his girlfriend, Binki Shapiro and their friend Brazilian singer-guitarist Rodrigo Amarante, formerly of Los Hermanos. The album, which according to Rolling Stone is reminiscent of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vince Guaraldi and “Sixties wall-of-sound” girl groups, is set for an autumn release via Rough Trade records in the US.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman Karen O has debut demo tracks from her new side-project, Native Korean Rock. The demos are currently available to hear at the bands Myspace page at Myspace.com/nativekoreanrock. Among the tracks posted is ‘Sunset Sun‘ which features Karen O on vocals and acoustic guitar. Native Korean Rock played a live show last night (July 21) in New York at Union Pool, with more live shows expected in the near future.