National Geographic is scary sometimes

National Geographic released this video the other day on their youtube account. It's probably the sickest video I've ever seen besides "Miracle of Life" in Biology class. Or that science safety video with the test tube breaking off into the man's hand then fiilling up with blood.

Yes, so apparently ancient rituals for the people of Thailand include being possessed by gods and then brutally damaging themselves either by poking sharp objects (or blunt objects) through the skin in their mouths. Yummy. There are also people who like to whack themselves in the back with sharp swords or pretty much cut off their tongues with an axe.

But do you know what the scariest part about this video is? Everyone else is ok with this. They see it as a sacrifice to the gods and encourage people to mutilate themselves. So I'm a little freaked out.

I've been saying it all along...

This video pretty much speaks for itself. I am going to go download this song.

Right now.

The Comeback with Finger Eleven

Well it's been a while since I've written, but now that I have returned I have a pressing issue I would like to discuss.

It's called the Comeback. A lot of musicians do this. They come out with an album and it gives them enough fame to keep their names in the heads of the people who listen to them. Then, they disappear for long moments in time. You don't really remember what they used to sing, but you remember the name. That's the most important part because then the musician comes back. You have a vague reminder of what they used to play, but you really don't remember and frankly you don't really care.

So they come back with some mega hit about breaking up or losing out, but the song is a hit. It's not because those who have heard the band before will listen to them again, but the band has suddenly hit a new generation of people who like their new song. Maybe I should give you an example.

I was going through the iTunes top songs list (I'm a sucker for radio music) and found the new single from Finger Eleven. Now, any angsty youngster in the late 90's/early 2000's will know of the band. They were the ones that wore the black clothing and hated the world for giving them such a painful life to live. Now, seven years later, they have returned and they aren't so angsty.

I think someone got their heart broken? Yeah?

But anyway, what shocked me the most is that this song is now probably on the same list of crappy songs that all comeback artists try to submit themselves to. With influences from bands who probably formed after they had their fifteen minutes, Finger Eleven should just change their name to Pussy Whipped or Cry Babies.

Let's hear the song:



Now, let's hear what they used to sound like:



And now, the point when they sold out:



I think the entire philosophy of the comeback is to re-introduce the band from the black hole they fell into. However, this is probably the worst comeback I have heard yet. I mean, Korn did a better job than them. God.

Zeitgeisty!

I haven't listened to the new Smashing Pumpkins album mostly because I don't really like the band. But this post isn't about my somewhat extreme hatred of Billy Corgan's vocal performances on 97% of his recordings. Well, ok. Maybe it is a little bit.

The Seattle Stranger posted this hilarious satire of the Smashing Pumpkins frontman. This is basically what I imagined him to sound like in my mind.

My favorite part:

This band has always been the headlight on the barreling locomotive of modern youth; with a title like Zeitgeist, nobody can argue. I brought back original Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlain—recovered and reverent of yours truly, he's the epitome of a new leaf turned over—plus another chick bassist and some new guitar guy. Zeitgeist (Say it! It feels good!) arrives this week, in four different forms: The Best Buy version is different from the Target version is different from the iTunes version, which is different from everyone else's version. Most zeits would've settled for a single geist, but ours demands more marketing strategies, so I offer it four.

Read the rest here.

And the award for best vocoder use goes to...

Someone recently showed me this song by Imogen Heap called "Hide and Seek."

At first I didn't know what to make of it. It's very simple - just a vocal and some disjointed lyrics, really. But the melody and harmony will just grab you and for 4 and a half minutes you will sit in attentive silence.




Here is the video for the song, courtesy of Youtube.
Back when I wrote about that Editors' song, I said I didn't like it when artists are in their own videos. At least, not when it is in some way that seems out of place - like they're playing the song in their rehearsal space while the camera cuts to shots of some storyline you and I could care less about.

Well, I think it might not be so bad in Imogen Heap's case. The video seems to try to be a visual of what the song is - it's just her and her voice. The light around her face intensifies when she whips out a big, beautiful vocoder chord. I like that because when I listen to music I visualize textures, and lights doing things like that.

Enjoy.
If you'd like to hear more, check out her myspace.

Pool Part-ay!

Every Sunday there are big pool parties at McCarren Park Pool where bands play for free. There is a giant slip and slide and a game of dodge ball, and some BBQ. What's more, it's right in the heart of Williamsburg (the hip part of it anyway). So it is absolutely worth your time if you've got no plans on a Sunday.

And if you do have plans then drop them because this is better than whatever you've got going on. Unless you're having your own pool party with free music and your pool happens to be bigger (not likely).

It just happens to be beautiful out today so I will be going to this one. Here is the line up.

Sunday, June 8:
The Octopus Project:
Erase Errata:
Dan Deacon:
OCDJ:

For more information and future lineups go to http://thepoolparties.com/.

Nintendo taught me everything I know about sex.

Here's a little bit of weekend blogging. Don't know if you've seen this but it is f-u-nn-y.

So the next time anyone tells you that videogames do nothing but rot your brain, show them this video and they'll see just how educational they actually are.

Avril Lavigne will steal your girlfriend and make tons of money doing it.

Avril Lavigne is in trouble. And no, not for the reason I always thought she would (sex tape?), but for something a little more serious. Apparently, she's stolen musical ideas from an old 70s band called Rubinoos. Here is the deal according to AOL Music Online:

Tommy Dunbar, the founder of the Rubinoos, filed the suit in California's Northern Federal District Court in San Francisco July 2. The suit alleges that "Girlfriend" bears striking similarities to the Rubinoos' song "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend," co-written by Dunbar and former Rubinoos' road manager James Gangwer, and released by Beserkley Records in 1978.

Someone has been nice enough to post a video comparison on Youtube so I'll show it to you here and you can decide for yourself.

Here's what I think. The ideas are too similar. They might be different keys, and different chords but who the hell is this musicologist that was hired and declared the songs to be in different meter? Was it a 15 year old Intro to Music student? I don't mean to get too geeky about this one but it bothers me that Dunbar might lose this case because I doubt he has got the money to hire the kinds of lawyers that Avril can. The songs are too similar, I think. Just because one sounds like a shitty 70s rock song and one sounds like a shitty 2007 song doesn't mean the man's claims are unfounded.

I know that in songwriting it just kind of happens sometimes that you steal an idea without meaning to, or without evening knowing you did. But if it does happen I suppose you have to give credit where it is due when someone calls you out on it. Though, I imagine it gets hairy when you're being sued by a middle aged rock star who has no way to make money off of his music anymore and sees your accidental thievery as his last chance to pay off his mortgage. He might not be so forgiving.

But I think Avril and her producers definitely stole directly from this man and should pay the price for it. They have to give him credit. If they don't then it'll just be another sad example of the giant music industry crushing the little guy in order to allow for the crimes of the big guy, er... girl.

Dear Editors, that IS the saddest thing I've ever seen.

"Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors."

This is the new single the Editors have put out and in the song, singer Tom Smith declares that that the image the title conveys is the saddest thing he's ever seen. I think I'll have to agree with him on that one. The audacity it would take to do that. Makes me angry.

But on to the single and video. The song immediately puts forth new sounds for the band as it opens with gentle chords on a piano. Soon enough, however, we return to the angular and well-reverbed-and-delayed guitar lines driven by a signature Editors beat. This is good stuff. Listen and watch here:

I'm not crazy about the video though. I just wonder when rock bands as a whole will refuse to be in their own videos. I mean - we have Youtube now. So if I want to watch the Editors playing this song, I can do it.

If I want to watch a music video for the song I would much rather watch some visual rendering of the song, in whatever way that comes about. Maybe that includes the band, but I think the idea of a band playing a song in a random location while some weak story goes on around them is silly now. Take note, Editors. Now you know what pleases me.

If only my morning commute looked like this...

The White Stripes are doing more and more than convinces me that they were sent from the heavens to show us humans how to be awesome. What did they do this time, you ask?

Rumor had it that the band was going to be playing a secret show in Winnepeg, Manitoba. So a bunch of the band's fans decided to head over there to catch the show. Little did they know, a show was coming to them.

Mr. and Ms. White boarded a transit bus and proceeded to play a couple of songs for the people on their. The fans caught the performance on tape and here it is for your viewing pleasure. Just head on over to Youtube.

This is pretty much one of the coolest things that could ever happen to fans of a band. I would have crapped my pants. It actually sounds like several people are doing just that in the video, too. I mean, can you imagine? Now all I need is for British Sea Power to show up on the Q train.

Read about some more music news on Rolling Stone's Daily Music Blog.

I don't mean to be a geek but...

I am one, so you're just going to have to deal with it. I just came across this amazing little item on the Internet and I wanted to share it for all the people who will actually appreciate this thing.



Check out what this thing can do:

That’s where this thing comes in, as it has 4 interchangeable Marvel backgrounds and another 4 Marvel characters (Spiderman, Hulk, Green Goblin, and Dr. Doom), which are hinged for easy posing. This allows your kid to easily arrange his set, and, frame by frame, piece together his movie. Once the masterpiece has been finished, you can play it back on your TV using the paltry on-board memory or put your movie onto a SD card and then put it on your computer, video player or a DVD in order to preserve it forever.

Thanks to Coolest Gadgets for that.

The likelihood that a 10 year old is going to make a more interesting and engaging movie than that new Fantastic Four movie? Pretty damn high, I'd say. So I'm all for it.

R.E.M.R.E.H.E.A.R.S.A.L.

R.E.M. have done something I have always wanted to see a band do - rehearse. A few lucky fans have been able to watch them do this in Ireland where the band is having an open rehearsal for their new material. I think this is really cool. According to Spin,

Stressing this was not a conventional concert, Stipe, wearing an off-white suit-jacket and sneakers, informed the sold-out crowd it was getting to witness R.E.M.'s creative process first hand. Just so nobody was under any illusions, a neon back projection spelled it out: This is Not a Show.

R.E.M. is one of my favorite groups and I look forward to hearing what they've got in store for us next. Apparently, it's heavier and guitar oriented. It makes me wonder when that instrument starts to get old for musicians. I mean, I don't hate the guitar and I don't think anyone should stop using it if that's how they want to write songs, but I just wonder if they ever want to just drop it and try something else.

Not to say that R.E.M. hasn't tried different sounds in the past. It's just that I don't know how successful they were at making them coherent enough to be good songs (what the hell happened with UP! you guys?). So I guess the longer they decide to play loudly on their guitars, the better.

So now I'm going to show you a little video I found a while back on Youtube of R.E.M. performing for the first time on Letterman. This might even be their first television performance, actually. In any case, it's inspiring. Just look at them in this video and then imagine them travelling the proverbial road to stardom - getting to the point where people travel across the globe to watch them rehearse. Damn.

But we like Timbaland just the way he are...

What the hell is Timbaland thinking? Quit making music? Is he serious? This makes me sad because he is one commercial artist who consistently put out good work. He has a knack for hot beatz and the melodies and choruses that get stuck in your head for entire days.

Surely he doesn't need to work anymore - he must have more money than entire communities of people in Middle America do. But has the fun really all gone away? Is working with amazing performers like Justin Timberlake and Bjork getting stale?

Please, tell your story Timbaland! We must know why you decided this! This is what he said to Gigwise:

Music is boring right now. I'm too innovative for the world. I've been doing it so long, I'm about to throw in the towel. I'm about to de-crown myself and pass it over to one of the up-and-coming producers under me. They won't be able to be me - there's only one Timbaland - but there's a certain sound that I try to teach.

There is something admirable here - like the desire to pass along the talent and the technique. But could he be any less modest about it? Jeez. I suppose it's just the old hip hop bravado at work. I'm the shit and you are not and maybe one day someone will be the shit like me but it's not likely to happen in my life time. That's putting it politely, anyway.

And what's that about music being too boring? This is straight up ignorant. There is always new music to listen to that is breaking ground and the fact that one of the most ground breaking producers in commercial hip hop doesn't seem to believe that is a little bit sad. Maybe he just ran out of places to steal his samples from.

My guess is that this is phase and the online magazine just caught him at a time when he is re-evaluating his life. Perhaps we may next find him in a tibetan mountain with monks. But if this is anything like Jay-Z's "retirement" a couple years back then you can be certain you'll be hearing a new Timbaland single in about 6 months.

Rage Against The Band.

I don't care what disappointed fans have to say - this is good news. Rage Against the Machine might not be putting out a new album - so what? The fact that they are going to be playing a show is a good sign. Maybe they'll be so excited once they see the crowd that they will want to keep doing it over and over and over. And then I'll finally be able to see the band perform live - I've always wanted to. Mostly because I've always felt that they captured the sound of the band in their band name perfectly and not a lot of bands do that so successfully. But this band really is the sound of raging against the machine.

Speaking of which, my ipod was acting funny and I was screaming at it earlier today. That is not necessarily the sound of raging against a machine, however it was intense and very rock-and-roll all on its own. I swear.

But let's get to the real reason why this show is so important. Rage to wash away the residue of that dark, dark period of time known as Audioslave. God, what a lame thing that was. Let's fix it, guys.

You can read about the one-off show here.

But it might be better to get it from the source: the band's website.

PJ Harvey is set to release a new record.

This is exciting news for me. I don't know about you. But if you are friends with me on facebook, then maybe you remember seeing how obsessed I was with PJ Harvey for a while. I think I must have listened to To Bring You My Love about 1000 times. And don't even get me started on how amazing Stories... is.

So now she's going to be releasing a new one - it's the seventh record she's put out (that's a lot!) and there is one little piece of info about it that is getting me excited. According to Spin.com,

As the follow up to 2004's acclaimed effort Uh Huh Her, the new record, which Harvey began working on last year, returns the dim rocker to seasoned producers Flood and John Parish, both who worked on 1995's To Bring You My Love and 1998's Is This Desire?.

The production on those records is very, very good. I think the reason it works so well is because they manage to make the music sound the way her voice sounds. Desperate sometimes, but menacing other times. Always darkly prophetic, however. If you can imagine guitars sounding dark prophetic, that is.

So this will be interested and I look forward to it.

Oh, and in other news - we've got business cards now. So look out for small pieces of card stock with the word S.C.A.R.Y. on em. That's us. And we're coming for you.

Do You Remember the Verve?

Because I do. According to NME.com The Verve are getting back together to go on tour. Lead Singer Richard Ashcroft has written a few new ditties and plans on showing them off around the beginning of November.

Alas, those old American fans won't be able to see him. No tour dates have become available for a trip to the States. So Englanders, get your chance in while you can. I mean, you can't beat a couple of old Nineties songs with a reunion tour.

Amy Winehouse's New Song

My Tears Dry on Their Own. It sounds like a woman standing up for the rights she deserves; which are basically ruing the day. However, for Amy Winehouse it seems the man walks out on her and not vice versa. But that doesn't matter, because she's stronger than that.

Well, that's the illusion I get from the song, however, it's not what I get from the video. A very Sex and the City -esque creation from David LaChapelle on Winehouse walking down non-descript streets and hanging out in bedrooms waiting for her man. What does that remind me of Carrie Bradshaw?

That's because most of the show was about her waiting for one man. She roams the streets for new men, but end up alone. Her tears will definitely dry on their own.

So The Beatles Have Finally Given In

I watched this last night on TV:



It shocked me mostly since there was this huge brawl between Apple and The Beatles. I thought I should share it with you. It's pretty cute with Sir McCartney wearing a pair of chuck taylors and playing a mandolin.

The Muggabears @ Mercury Lounge (6/18/07)

I realize that it's a silly thing to think, but I was under the impressed that a three piece band couldn't rock as hard or be as exciting live as a bigger band could. The Muggabears proved me wrong. They played at the Mercury Lounge in NYC on June 18, 2007 and rocked me quite hard.

If you remember, I wrote a blog post about this band a couple of weeks back where I basically tried to get you to listen to their Myspace. Well now I'm going to have to ask you to not only listen to their entire discography (2 EPs and a fully length), but go see them in concert as well.

In accordance with their oh-so-huggable name, the band's dynamic on stage might be described as "cute" - their banter is unrehearsed and short. They nervously stare out into the audience or to the floor in between songs. Never once however do they come off as cold, however. No, they're happy to be there and play for you.

And they did play. The shyness fades away as soon as notes were heard from the guitar and it becomes all danger. Sure, they're cute bears. But remember that they're The Muggabears - as in, these bears will fucking mug you.

The set opened with my personal favorite (good move, guys) "The Goth Tarts." The drums pound out that tom/shaker rhythm and the bass and guitars chug along in a long intro that when played live really sets up the menacing chords that follow the main sections of the song. When the singer, Travis Muggabear declared "I went looking for you" in the song's opening lines, it felt like he was warning each and every one of us in that audience.

The guitar and bass literally roared like rolls of thunder in the worst rainstorm you can imagine when they played "We Were Priests" - the closest they come to straight up punk. I stood amazed at how loud and how strong this music was.

Not all was perfect, however. About halfway through the set, lead singer and guitarist Travis Muggabear's equipment started to cut out on him and a faulty pedal or cable plagued him for the rest of the set. You can't really blame anyone in a band for things like this, because as the singer said, "It happens." But I think this is a really telling moment for bands because it becomes an issue of what you do with the technical difficulty - you have to make it work in the overall performance.

In this case, the band let these set backs fuel the emotion they put into the music. The song "Dead Kid Kicks" closed the set and even though I already loved the recorded version of the song, I felt like I was hearing something completely new. They absolutely tore it up, with the lead singer beating the hell out of his guitar. It was as if he was scolding the thing for acting up earlier. This time it behaved.

If you like giant, oddly tuned chords of noise slapping you in the face (and who doesn't?), then I highly recommend going to check out The Muggabears. They've got another show at Mercury coming up in a few weeks so maybe I'll see you there.

The Go! Team has got some new moves

There was always something about The Go! Team that always brings me back to them. I could go on months without hearing them for a while, then I can stick them on my ipod and immediately be transformed into this dancing machine.

Thankfully, I don't have to listen to the same Thunder, Lightning, Strike over and over again. Now, with their new album Proof of Youth coming out in the UK in September I can dance even more. Yeah, September is a long ways away, but until then I can listen to their new single Grip Like A Vice pretty much everyday. That is, until they come out with another single. Then I'll listen to that one.

It pretty much sounds like the anthem for women everywhere. It's almost like a ritual calling sound to the ladies to join together against the evil predator called THE MALE. Ha. Either way, it's got that funky beat their known for from their last album and it's got some new tricks here and there. Just another brand new song from the dance moguls, The Go! Team.

The New Supergroup Chavs

What do you get when you mix part Klaxons and part Libertines?

That's right, you get Chavs. It's the latest group designed to melt faces with their English-ness. Sadly, the elusive Pete Doherty will not be joining the group. Other members include: Carl Barat, Gary Powell, Jamie Reynolds, and Steffan Halperin. Tim Burgess of The Charlatans sings vocals. I guess all those drugs did Doherty in.

According to NME.com, the band will be playing a show tonight. The last time they played it was only five songs in London.

While scoping out the goodies at wikipedia, I found out that a Chav is a British slang used to describe white kids who dress in the fashionable hip-hop culture or guido. When did it become fashionable to look retarded? I think in America we use the term wigger.

Unfortunately, I am not at liberty to put up a photo or any mp3 because I can't find any. They're good at this whole new thing.

Radiohead leaks...sort of

In an ingenius way to sample their new album, Radiohead puts up a youtube video where they play bits and pieces of their new songs.

According to NME.com, the band has not released anything new since 2003's Hail to the Thief. I'm trying to play this youtube post and damn, I can't make ends of anything. Instead of playing a streaming 30-second sample, the band decides to take clips from here and there within the song. You really can't get anything much out of this leak except for the faint sounds of Thom Yorke's voice and some techno stuff.

It is up on youtube under the description

"...bits of tape which have been chopped out of the mixes when they were edited..."

I think that means that what we're listening to is stuff not even on the album. Either way, I'm confused and thrilled to actually hear the entire thing.

Geez.

Liars record leaks. Amazing.

I urge you to download the new Liars album. It's so much fun! It doesn't have the spacey take-you-to-another-state-of-mindness of Drums Not Dead - this is more of a straightforward collection of songs.

What I do like is that there are a few different threads throughout the album - some songs have the same fuzz guitar driving them, others are 1990s trip hop influenced, some are driven by the pounding drumming that makes the previous album so special and then a few of the songs are stabs at being the Jesus and Mary Chain. But it's all twisted and beautiful pop music.

The band have tried lots of conventional song structures this time but managed to make them sound really fresh because they are, well, Liars and that's what they do. "Plaster Casts of Everything" is my current favorite song and I cannot wait to DJ another party so I can play it really loud and get everyone jumping around like raving lunatics. As it is, I've been doing this by myself in my room. So download this thing so you can do it too!

Liars Tracklist:

1. Plaster Casts of Everything
2. Houseclouds
3. Leather Prowler
4. Sailing to Byzantium
5. What would they know
6. Cycle Time
7. Freak Out
8. Pure Unevil
9. Clear Island
10. The dumb in the rain
11. Protection

There is a something of a lack of information about this album and the leak, but if you Google it you will be able to find a download location. There are many but they're likely to change each day so you'll need to search a little. I've gone ahead and Googled it for you:

Click here.

Good luck finding it! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have been. And yes, I am going to purchase it because Liars make it well worth their fans money to do so. Just check out the packaging for Drums Not Dead and you'll see.

Jack and Meg White USB Keys + Icky Thump.

I suppose you would need to be a hard core White Stripes fan in order to want to buy one of these. I know I said I was really getting into them but not enough to want to pay $99 for one of their albums. For the price, they aren't even giving you USB keys with a lot of space on them. Not to mention that you're not getting any album artwork either. Just little weird figurines. I guess USB Meg is kind of cute.

Check this out:

These figures have removable hats that reveal a USB port. Each USB 2.0 flash drive has a 512-megabyte capacity and are Windows and Mac compatible. The Jack and Meg figures are available separately, or you can purchase the set at a discount. They are produced in a limited edition of 3,333 Meg drives and 3,333 Jack drives.
Each drive contains the complete Icky Thump album in the Apple Lossless format.

But if you are a White Stripes-aholic then these will be right up your alley. Go here and buy em.

Proof that our prison system is perfect.

I was going to post a picture right here at the top but I don't really want to look at her dumb face so I won't. Mind you, the only reason that I am bothering to post on such a stupid topic is because I just happened to be checking out Time.com and I read this article that literally had me laughing out loud for about five minutes. I mean, you can't really write this stuff.

Paris Hilton has been released from the jail house - though she's not in the clear just yet. In fact, she's spending her time in the medical ward of a maximum security detention center. Cos she's sick. The poor baby.

Don't worry though, because the experience is changing her for the better. "I used to act dumb. ... That act is no longer cute," is what she told ABC. Whew. After 3 whole days in the slammer, it's good to see her making some progress. Maybe she'll stop being a huge joke.

Oh wait - no she won't. Punch line:

Hilton has been saying that she is changed by her jailhouse experience, and she repeated that theme with Walters: "Now, I would like to make a difference. ... God has given me this new chance."

I'll let that speak for itself.

2007 Shortlist Winner

Out of all the numerous award shows I watch, I think I enjoy the Shortlist Award. Ok, so it's not really an award show with multiple prizes given in various categories, but it is when some of my favorite bands who are never recognized by MTV can perform a song or two and win a coveted prize.

I remember the first time I watched the performance. Funny, it was on MTV. Anyway, I didn't even know they were still giving out the prize over some dispute with the founders. All I remember hearing last was that TV On the Radio won last year.

This year, however, was a tough call. Out of nine nominees, Cat Power wins for The Greatest. According to Billboard.com, she won this coveted award against the likes of Band of Horses, Beirut, Bonnie Prince Billy, Girl Talk, Hot Chip, Joanna Newsom, Regina Spektor, Spank Rock and Tom Waits. TOM WAITS! He was one of the nominees and he still didn't win. What a close call. I could never make a decision like that against such a variety of sound. Not to mention that all these musicians are so talented and hardworking, you could never make a single choice.

Way to go, Cat Power. You finally stop singing about how depressed you are and now you're winning stuff.

Ready to Uff.

Her name is Uffie. And she will make you dance. But she will also threaten your life, and tell you to get the fuck out if you do not like what she has got to offer.

Well, I like it. So please let me stay, Uffie.

Her music is pure cheese - straight up dance music with a rap flow influenced by the roots of Hip Hop. She's one of the artists on Ed Banger Records, a wonderful Paris based electronic/dance label that I just discovered the other day.

She's got some pretty sweet tunes on her myspace, and a couple more on the 2 compilations that the record label put out.

I think in particular you're going to like "Ready to Uff":

If you don't, then I don't know man. Uffie might do things to you. And I can't help you if she does.

Courtney Love, you are so funny

Courtney Love announced on her website that she is putting her band back together.

On NME.com, Love's latest blog entry includes news that one of her new members looks exactly like Kurt Cobain, her ex-husband.

She quotes:

Another (guy) I found out later models on the side...but I'll admit it, I really hired him 'cos he looks so much like Kurt. It's weird, and he can play really well. He didn't kill me but he swore if I gave him a week he'd learn everything. He's blonde and soooooooo beautiful and his guitar playing is great.

I wonder if her new man will become her new husband and father to Francis Bean. But then again, having a member of your band look like your late husband could come off as either 1) disrespectful or 2) fucking creepy.

My second reason comes from the fact that the guy is dead. What if you were on stage and your boyfriend/husband who had died a decade ago plays right next to you. Wouldn't you have a freak out and completely forget it's not him? I would.

But Love also admits to him playing pretty decently, so she has other reasons for hiring him. Maybe she'll just put him behind the drummer or wearing a KFC bucket for a hat.

M.I.A.'s comeback includes a lot of "Boyz"

M.I.A. has just released her first video off her latest album Kala.

I haven't heard M.I.A. in a while and listening to this song makes me fall in love with her music all over again. It's got like this Carribean beat with the Southern marching band quality of drumming and the classic M.I.A. whininess. You can never get enough nasal sounding whines especially from the tiniest girl in East London.

Besides her whiny voice, you can't leave out the fact that you can barely understand what she's saying most of the time. That's boss. Her wardrobe also changed a lot from the baggy t-shirts to some nylon and body suits.

The other songs on her album are:

1. Bamboo Banga
2. BirdFlu
3. Boyz
4. Jimmy
5. Hussel (featuring Afrikan Boy)
6. Mango Pickle Down River (with The Wilcannia Mob)
7. 20 Dollar
8. World Town
9. The Turn
10. XR2
11. Paper Planes
12. Come Around (featuring Timbaland)

A Touchy Subject.

Apple has released an ad for their newest line of iPod.

Very interesting. The "iPod Touch" perhaps?

Here's the video:

I knew it was only a matter of time before this would be out. Won't the screen get all smudgy?
Ah, who cares. It's going to look beautiful. I wonder if someone is going to create some cool apps for it - like finger painting or maybe even a tiny midi keyboard so you can create music with the ipod instead of simply listening to it.

Next would have to be an ipod that is controlled by your mind. And after that, an ipod that controls YOUR mind. The possibilities are endless.

Special thanks to Mike for the heads up on this.

So have you heard that ___?____ is coming to town?

Hello everyone. I'm BACK!

Where did I go? I wish I knew.

In any case, things are as they should be. I'd like to announce that we are now the proud owners of www.supercoolawesomeradyeah.com! Clicking on that link is pointless. You're already here. But I put it there so you could try it out. If you wanted to. Cos I did. Four times.

Anyway, now you don't have to type in a really long url in order to read our blog (this is actually debatable, but you've gotten used to the name by now, right?). But on to the reason for me posting:

Where are you going to go see bands this summer in NYC? Do you even know?

Maybe you do. But just in case you're like me and need to have all your info in one place or else it is everywhere and you can't find anything and then you get really sad because you don't know where you left anything and...

Here's a list of some of the shows (many of which are free!) that you can check out this summer.

McCarren Park Pool Parties:
http://www.thepoolparties.com/events.php

This is a really cool thinger that happens for a bunch of sundays in the summertime. It's a giant community pool that lacks water but has amazing bands (TV on the Radio, Blonde Redhead) that you can check out for the low, low price of $0.

Southstreet Seaport Music Festival:
http://seaportmusicfestival.com/

Here's one that already started. A very impressive line up indeed. I'm going to try and make it to Battles. I have to know they make the sounds they make.

Music at Prospect Park in Brooklyn:
http://www.briconline.org/celebrate/schedule_2007.asp

For some local flair, check out this long list of events happening in my home town. Prospect Park is absolutely beautiful right now, so I highly suggest going. And make sure that either before or after you've checked out these performances you go over to the pedal-boats and ride em.

Siren Festival:
http://www.villagevoice.com/siren/

This is a great one. Hosted by the Village Voice, in Coney Island, on what will most likely be the hottest fucking day of the year. The line up looks really great. I've been hearing a lot about Matt and Kim, and Elvis Perkins from friends so this should be really fun. I'll probably be spending a ton of money on merch and my wallet will die. So it goes.


So those are just some of the really cool shows you can see this summer. Do not forget to check out the bands we talk about in this blog when they play this summer. We're going to try and implement some kind of system where we will list their showdates for your convenience.

Hopefully I'll be seeing you at some of these shows. Like I said, most are free and this is probably the best thing you could be doing with your time so check them out. Tell friends.

byebyebye.

Thanks to Jon for the info.

Secrets Secrets are no fun

Last night, Sir Paul McCartney played a secret show in London for a crowd of celebrities. NME.com has the scoop on the show with pictures and everything.

What I'm concerned about is the "secrecy" going on here. I thought musicians and fans had a mutual agreement. We go out to see your show and you play for us. It's like we're the kings and queens and you're the musical court. Your goal is to entertain, not keep things private.

Anyway, I'm not mad at any musician in particular. I'm just upset that Paul McCartney didn't give me enough time to get plane tickets to fly out to London so I can hear him play. Because it will definitely be a longshot for me to ever see him live.

Here's the playlist from last night:

Drive My Car
Only Mama Knows
Dance Tonight
C Moon
The Long And Winding Road
I'll Follow The Sun
Calico Skies
That Was Me
Blackbird
Here Today
Back In The USSR
Nod Your Head
House Of Wax
I've Got A Feeling
Matchbox
Get Back
Hey Jude
Let It Be
Lady Madonna
I Saw Her Standing There

Is It Really Selling Out If You Drive a VW?

Yesterday on Billboard.com, it covered the many aspects of featuring a band's music in a car commercial. Who may the band be, you ask? None other than Wilco.

One member believes:

"This is a subject we've discussed internally many times over the years regarding movies, TV shows and even the odd advertisement," the band says. "With the commercial radio airplay route getting more difficult for many bands (including Wilco), we see this as another way to get the music out there. As with most of the above (with the debatable exception of radio) the band gets paid for this. And we feel okay about VWs. Several of us even drive them."

I remember when a band would get tried and persecuted for acts like letting their music play in commercial. I mean, look what happened to The Beatles. You can listen to their music in everything from a car commercial to the Target ads, Gap ads, etc. There is no end.

True, they make a point of saying that radio play is so rare for bands like Wilco or anything out of the mainstream and you do make money everytime that car commercial plays. It's good publicity. It will get people to go out and buy the damn thing.

Knocked Up Makes Me Rethink Motherhood

I've always been a little skeptical on the idea of motherhood. Well, I could only be this way because I'm 22 and still on my way to getting a job and a life of my own. But then I think of the numerous stories my mother tells me about giving birth.

You were a stubborn baby and didn't arrive until two weeks past your due date. It was a hellish birth and I ended up getting a C-section.

That is not scary enough. With all my ideas of child rearing, I went and saw Knocked up with Katherine Heigl and Seth Rogen. It sounded like a good movie hearing about the reviews and anything by Judd Apatow seems to turn to gold.

And it did turn out to be one of the funniest films I've watched this summer so far. It's about a woman named Alison (Heigl) and a man named Ben (Rogen) who engage in an one night stand. The audience watches everything. They see them meet, get drunk, go to her sister's poolhouse (her apartment), and begin the ritual act of having sex. We even see Ben carelessly throw the condom on the floor when Alison in a pit of sexual desire screams "Just do it already."

Don't worry. I haven't given away the plot yet. The film is called Knocked Up because she doesn't have a baby. It's about the process of having a baby. Since Alison and Ben aren't so close to each other, they begin to date in hopes to bettering the future of their child. That's where the real drama begins.

However, it's not the only point in the film. Knocked Up is riddled with funny banter between Ben's friends and Alison's sister and her husband. It is definitely the movie to watch when you're in your mid-twenties. It's almost like watching a quarter-life crisis that ends happily and definitely not tragically.

Kelly Clarkson and her loss of luster

And I return with another post about pop music. It's undeniable that pop music sort of follows us around everywhere we go. When we're at the grocery store, in a cafeteria, at your co-worker's desk. It just follows you around like a bad break up.

That's the theme of Kelly Clarkson's new song Never Again. Before even hearing the song, you can ultimately predict what it's about; a really messy break up with a lot of angst and hatred for her boyfriend who screwed her over. Now she's following him around like a bad seafood dish in a Chinese Restaurant.

I've been a really big fan of Kelly Clarkson. There is no denying that she has an excellent voice and she deserves her fame. However, this new song from her new album My December makes me a little hesitant to enjoy Kelly Clarkson any further.

Her last album Breakaway has a lot of themes (it looks like) as her new album. It's all about the guy who fucks everything up and ends up alone while the girl prevails and walks away without a scratch. It's a beautiful dream that I think many women would love to come true: a life without baggage. I know I would. But her new album gives her no room for relenting if you're the male species. Judging from this song alone, she's gone a little dark. The synth and the heavy guitar playing makes me think more AFI than the womanly Kelly Clarkson. Without further ado:



At least she's not baring it all. Well, except for the scene where she's shirtless.

June Greetings and Franz Ferdinand

I love when you start off the month with good news. It's like starting with a clean slate. What good news could I be talking about? Perhaps it's the recent capture of known villain Paris Hilton. Her tyranny over the people of Beverly Hills has finally come to an end.

But enough about Paris. Let's talk about Glasgow. According to NME.com, Franz Ferdinand is making a blip on the radar. While the band was away on hiatus, I don't remember the world in dire need of the band. Personally, I haven't listened to them since "Take Me Out."

Franz Ferdinand played their top secret gig in Glasgow revealing five new songs called 'Anyone In Love', 'New Thrill', 'An English Goodbye', 'Favourite Lie' and 'Turn It On.'

Of the new material, 'New Thrill' received the warmest reaction from the fans, while old favourites 'Matinee' and '40' were lapped up by the screaming crowd.

I guess the blip will get bigger with a new album, a touring session, and miles and miles of publicity up the ass on MTV. It probably was a good idea to take a hiatus with such extreme amounts of celebrity approaching the band. Paris should have thought of that before getting in a car drunk.

You got to listen to Casiotone for the Painfully Alone

If you're a fan of heavy synth-related music, then you'll enjoy Casiotone For the Painfully Alone.

The name says it all. It's a guy with a casiotone (a series of small keyboards ranging in sound and distortion made by Casio) who pours his heart out over Daniel Johnston inspired music. His last album was released in 2006, but I just heard about him the other day.

The lyrics are simplistic and in a storytelling method, but they're still very powerful. You wouldn't guess that all of this beauty would derive from one brain. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone is not exactly about the pain of being jilted by love, but something about his Conor Oberst-esque voice gives a sense of hopelessness in a world filled with nothing but the stuff.

Although I did just make a judgment call about Owen Ashworth and Conor Oberst, they are nothing alike. If anything, they are on the furthest parts of the musical spectrum. Where Conor Oberst dwells in a pile of political driven country music, Owen Ashworth creates a fusion of pain and lack of self-worth on a keyboard designed for children. Sadly, I don't think children are dealing with the types of adult pain that Ashworth describes.

It's almost a corruption of children's toys. You take something so innocent with pre-recorded tracks like "When You Wish Upon A Star," and play a few minor tunes. Soon enough you're waving to a crowd of hundreds who want to hug you out of sympathy. It's brilliant. Instead of destroying all those toys from your childhood, you can make it into a musical sensation. I mean, look at Cocorosie.

You can listen to songs from Casiotone for the Painfully Alone on his myspace.

No, wait... one more... The Muggabears!

Alright, so I know I said there would be no more posts tonight but I absolutely need to talk about this band I just found out about. You know, sometimes you go through a period where no music is really hitting you in the way you want to be hit, and then all of a sudden you hear a song and BANG! it knocks you in the gut. "The Goth Tarts" did this for me! The drums pound, and the bass drones and the guitar plays something closer to black holes than it does chords and notes. This song is the sound you hear a subway train make as it passes over your head as you lay down on the tracks - it is wild and yet somehow controlled into a wonderful little MP3. The Muggabears are the shit.

Here is their Myspace link.

And here is the link to their website, where you can listen to "The Goth Tarts" and other tracks off of their new EP Night Choreography.

I learned about that song from another wonderful blog called Fine Fine Music, which you should all go to because clearly the people who run it have got a fantastic ear for whats new and whats good.

Anyway, The Muggabears are going to be playing in NYC soon, and I will be doing my best to attend. If it is sold out then I will be pissed because then I'll have to stand outside waiting for the possibility of extra tickets. Oh well.

Go listen. Go. Now.

One last note for the evening.

Itunes has started selling higher resolution songs for $1.29 as a part of their new Itunes Plus. I haven't tried it and I don't think that I will try it any time soon. It's too much money. I liked 99 cents. That was easy. How about DRM-free music for 99 cents, Apple?

How the hell am I supposed to figure out if buying the new White Stripes single AND a Cat Power album is going to over-charge my debit card account if the songs are all $1.29? I can't do that kind of math in my head! Geez.

Looks like they've won for now. And yes, of course I was lying about not spending that kind of money. I want the high quality tracks because they're better, don't I?

Don't I?

Ugh.

One historic moment in pop music.

I like looking at footage of pop musicians in the studio because it reminds me that they are normal people and they don't just write their brilliant hits in one shot. You see them in this state that can almost be described as "vulnerable."

I came across the following video on Youtube while mindlessly searching through for musicians I like in the studio. The description of the video doesn't give justice to what actually happens in it. In fact, the very moment when Jay-Z first hears the beat you're sure to recognize is one of the coolest things I've seen. It's almost as if you can see the music slap him in the face and when he recovers a brief second later, you then witness see his brain working at top creative speed. I won't ruin the surprise, but if you like Jay-Z then you're going to appreciate this video:



See? It's like magic.

God, I love that song.

Oh my god.

It's sad to say that I'm just getting into The White Stripes. By "getting into" I mean, of course, that I've been head over heels obsessed with them. I could go into a long post about the reasons why - and I was going to do this. But then I came across a video on youtube that made me orgasm about thirteen times. It explains why I like this band and why I want so badly to be Jack White so that I can be that cool and also claim to have shared a bed with the unbelievably sexy Meg White and also why I am so excited for their new album. Ah, that was a mouthful. Just watch the video, goddamnit.



Then go to their Myspace and listen to the new single, "Icky Thump" - which sounds exactly the way its name does. Ah, they're so GOOD.

Let Me Introduce You To: Lavender Diamond

With only one EP and one album, Lavender Diamond hits the stage and other areas to promote their new album Imagine Our Love

The album is not for the strong of heart. Actually, it's for those weaklings that can't get a break in love or a break in anything. Lavender Diamond's sound ranges in the sweet and the cuddly. Honestly, you will want to hug a teddy bear and write love notes to your boyfriend/girlfriend across the classroom.

That would be if you had a boyfriend/girlfriend to speak of after listening to the album. Although they have a cute sound, they promote the downside of love. That's breaking up and destroying the very life force of the one you love then stomping on their heart in steel-toe boots and mercilessly setting it on fire.

If I could put them into a category of my own creation, it would have to be something to do with "puppy love." The upbeat vocals of Rebecca Stark brings good tidings to a tragic world. With a byline like "Peace On Earth Forever," they are alluding to an imaginary place where Snow White always wins over the evil witch and she has 7 little people (trying to be PC) answering to her every want and need.

Let's watch the music video to understand what I'm saying. This is from their new album and it's called Open Your Heart



What I don't understand is the irony between singing so upbeat the destruction of love. However, I think this is the quirky thing about them. I have read some reviews and their accused of sounding too kitschy and will disappear in a few years. Yes, that can be true, but who wants to live in the future?

Lavender Diamond's new album has been released May 8th and I encourage you to listen to them in order to understand how they plan to bring world peace.

Paprika: She Will Travel Through Your Dreams

I mentioned in March a new movie about to appear in America. It's called Paprika and it seriously a film lost in the imagination of a child stuck in the walls of an adult's mind.

The story is based around a young woman named Chiba Atsuko and her alter-ego Paprika. She is a dream analyst who explores the dreams of her patients to cure different mental symptoms. However, the device called DC Mini (which helps people connect through dreams) is stolen and used to merge reality and dream together. Chiba and Paprika must work together in order to fight against the terrorist and save the world from their own dreams.

I went and saw this movie with a friend. I absolutely loved it and the only reason why is because it's something I never encounter in American cinema (animated or not). Dreams are the only place within a human mind to be completely free of the world's ability to bicker and bitch about everything. It is the sacred spot no one can ever encounter, but when that place is threatened by a crippled old man with only the goal of power in mind, you get a little scared. That's the entire premise of the film and that's something no American will probably never cover.

Most reviewers who see the movie say it's a step up from the trash that Americans make lately. I have to agree with these reviewers. Paprika explores not only the concept of dreams while you're dreaming, but the dreams you aspire. It's not suitable for kids because kids are still dreamers. It's adults who struggle to get through the 9-5 and stay stuck in their high school/college glory. That and the combination of colors and animation makes Satoshi Kon's film a must-see.

Sadly, you can't see this film everywhere. For those New Yorkers, it's playing at the Angelika and the AMC 25 in Times Square. For those New York Tourists: check it out the next time you're in town.


And to add a little music to it: Susumu Hirasawa's soundtrack is the same song repeated and remixed throughout the film. Luckily, it transforms the film from reality to a complete dream.

The Greatest Gig To Have Sex To.

I have been a long time believer that Portishead's music is a natural aphrodisiac. You put on Dummy right before getting it on with your special someone and I guarantee you that your sexual experience will not only be enhanced, but you'll feel as if you're starring in the absolute hottest sex scene Hollywood has ever produced.

Oh, and did I mention that the album is incredible all around? Yeah, it's a classic and everyone ought to listen to it - especially on dark, rainy nights.

I got super excited when I found out that the group is going to be performing again for the first time in years. They will be curating All Tomorrow's Parties later in the year, which you can see on the event's website.

There will be many a baby made the night of this show, I can assure you.

Unfortunately, it won't be happening anywhere near me. But if this is an indication that they might touring, or at least performing other shows again - then it's a mighty good thing. So go listen to Dummy if you haven't, become obsessed with it like I have and I will try to keep you updated on more Portishead show information.

Let Me Introduce You To: Dirty Projectors

The other night, I enjoyed an evening with one of my favorite bands Deerhoof. However, this isn't a post about how awesome they are playing awesome music (including a windmill flashing the glorious colors of the rainbow). it's a post about their opener, Dirty Projectors.

There was something about their performance that led me to downloading their music. Maybe it was the superb harmonies made by frontman Dave Longstreth, guitarist Amber Coffman, and bassist Angel Deradoorian. The combination of voices makes a soothing sound like a synth machine instead of using the revolutionary instrument.

Or perhaps it's the guitar playing by both Dave Longstreth and Amber Coffman combined that harmonizes a sound of math rock. This four-piece group is capable of creating a grainy pixelated sound without using the fancy equipment and wiring. I mean, that wiring is pretty tough to untangle.

Or could it be the faint sounds of their ex-group THE Dirty Projectors rather than the new and improved Dirty Projectors. The former band used bits of classical orchestra with the richness of electric guitar and the strained voice of Longstreth. It sounds like a musical acid trip to Wonderland.

Either way, they bedazzled me. The group was brought on the tour with Deerhoof after Deerhoof suggested them playing the opening. If Deerhoof is suggesting opening bands for their own shows, you know they'll only choose the best.

You can't listen to any music on their website. Mainly, it only consists of a few show listings, a band photo, a message from a local newspaper and some funny shots made possible through MS Paint. To listen to some of their music without being tempted to illegally download it, go to their Myspace.

Give It Up, Billy, The Nineties Are Over

According to NME.com, The Smashing Pumpkins will be playing their first comeback show since 2000 in Paris.

I remember there being a lot of hype about the final curtain call for The Smashing Pumpkins. I think I even wanted to go to one of their farewell shows, but alas my youth was too...youthful? In other words, I was too young to go. However, I knew people back then who actually attempted to go to the final performance of one of the 90's most influential grunge bands. Let's just say it included a lot of flowers and a lot of drugs.

Well, seven years later, The Smashing Pumpkins have returned with a new album called Zeitgeist which I have problems pronouncing. I wonder, though. How well is this album going to do? Yeah of course, the hardcore Pumpkins fans will shave their heads and call themselves Corganites once they hear this album, but what about those disappointed fans who threw flowers at the band at the end of their farewell show?

They now can dish out the $20 (that's right) to go see the Pumpkins in all their old regalia. Maybe they'll spare a few plaid shirts here and there for those "underdressed" fans. I don't think those fans will ever get over the painful realization that the Smashing Pumpkins broke up. However, I don't think these fans realize that Kurt Cobain is dead.

You're trying to reattach broken hearts, Smashing Pumpkins! I ought to wham you one in the jaw!

It must be "Let's Get Arrested" Week for the music industry.

First we have ex-Creed front man Scott Stapp. According to a Spin.com article, Stapp was arrested for aggravated assault, with intent to commit a felony after getting into a domestic dispute with his wife. The judge apparently reduced the sentence, as the article reports:

Today, the charge was reduced to a misdemeanor by Judge Cory J. Ciklin "because the allegation is that Stapp threw a bottle of Orangina at his wife, at her head, and missed and the bottle broke," sheriff's spokesman Paul Miller told Billboard.com. "Based on the circumstances, the defense attorney argued that was not a deadly weapon." Stapp, currently behind bars, is scheduled to go free today on supervised conditions, which includes random drug and alcohol testing.

So I wanted to look at the ingredient list for Orangina so that we here at Supercoolawesomeradyeah can decide if the bottled beverage really could be considered a deadly weapon. Here is what I found after Googling it:

carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup and/or sugar, orange and other citrus juice concentrate, citrus fruit pulp ,citric acid, phosphoric acid, guarana extract, natural flavor, caffeine, artificial color (fd&c red #40)

I don't know how I feel about the high fructose corn syrup/and or sugar. Are they just not sure? Is it the syrup on Monday but sugar on Thursday? Uncertainty equals danger in my book. And aritificial coloring is just awful! When the ingredients in your food are numbered, then so are your days!

So I think that solves it. This is in fact, a dangerous weapon:Stapp is a lucky man because if I had been the judge I would have locked his ass away for this domestic dispute and then thrown away the key for making me deal with car ride after car ride of "With Arms Wide Open." Unfortunately, right now the only victims of the rage that caused are my mom and dad.

So I vote to have his sentence reduction taken away. Let's end my parents' suffering!

Ah, but who's going to listen to me anyway?

In other news:

Method Man was arrested for carrying about an ounce of weed on him, among other illegal items . He will probably be hit with a harder, longer lasting sentence than Scott "Wife Beater" Stapp will. You can use your imagination as to why that might be.

Now, I don't want to sound like a giant pothead marijuana advocate, because I could honestly care less whether the thing is legal or not - but I am quite certain that this is not a weapon:Hm. Till next time. Oh, and stay out of jail, Okay?

Free music courtesy of Adult Swim.

So I went to see the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie in the theaters and left thinking only one thing: Why the hell didn't I smoke my brains out before walking into that theater? I knew that I should expect nonsense and a non-plot from the movie but seriously, I probably would have found Jesus had I blazed. Oh well, I thought. Money well spent, I thought. If only I had spent a little more before hand, I thought.

The brilliant folks at Adult Swim have something new out and this time I don't have to spend any money at all. Nor will I have to smoke up to enjoy it. It's a brand new compilation they put together with some of the coolest groups around today. Here is the song list:

Warm & Scratchy:

1. "Me-I" - TV on the Radio
2. "Dead Sound" - The Raveonettes
3. "The Equestrian" - Les Savy Fav
4. "Crimson Red" - The Rapture
5. "Justine" - 120 Days
6. "Canada vs. America" - Broken Social Scene
7. "Color of the Love You Have" - SOUND Team
8. "The Bunting Song" (Acoustic Version) - The Good, the Bad and the Queen
9. "Half Century" - The Brother Kite
10. "Silver "(Original Beats) - Jesu
11. "Back to Flash" - Amusement Parks on Fire
12. "Stay Awake" - Asobi Seksu
13. "Winter" - Fennesz
14. "Sunset Rodeo" - Liars

What a line up! I'm downloading the tracks as I write this and I can't wait to check it out. I'm especially excited by the opportunity to finally check out Fennesz. And a new Liars track is a very good thing.

Anyway, you can download it all here: Adult Swim presents Warm and Scratchy.

Go get it and then leave a comment here and let me know what you think of it.

When Monarchs Make An Exit.

And now I will call your attention to this great band I've discovered recently. They are called The King Left. I was lucky enough to see them perform at Piano's a few weeks ago.

I was also under the impression that they were this touring act just arriving from their travels with -insert gigantic band- in Europe or some other distant land. They're actually a local band from my homeland of Brooklyn, NY.

This is both:

A. Refreshing - It's kind of amazing to know that right here where I live, bands this exciting are waiting in the wings for their big shot, and working their asses off. It's not like I didn't know this, but the King Left got me really excited about it again.

B. Disappointing - why the hell are they not opening for huge bands yet? They need to be!

The thing that indicates to me that a band is special is when each song I hear them play sounds like an event all on its own. If I can leave the venue remembering what they did on stage during this song, or how the guitar did this particular thing in this song, or how the singer looked absolutely cool when he sang this song then the band is special.

I never thought you could mix the fury of Nine Inch Nails with the ironic, yet jerky guitars of Blur but here it is in the song "A Dead Ringer." And how many bands can successfully deliver a line like "Who taught you how to fuck?!" and make you feel the absolute rage behind it? Not a lot of locals bands, that's for damn sure. But there it is in "The Storm in a Teacup." So The King Left is special.

This is what I felt after checking them out at Piano's in lower Manhattan and what I feel right now as I listen to the tracks on their Myspace over and over. I think everyone ought to check this band out, especially if you like the kind of music we've been plugging in this blog.

And it probably helped that singer Corey Oliver got my attention a couple songs into the set by adding the lyrics to one of my favorite unreleased Radiohead songs ("Lift") to the intro of one of his songs - It prompted me to shout out something unintelligible, but positive. I later learned from him that the affirmation made his night.

Well thanks, Corey. Your band made mine.

My Hatred for Dave Matthews

I'm not the type of person who will judge another person from their musical tastes. That being said, every time I meet someone new, the first question that always comes to mind to ask is, "What kind of music do you listen to?"

Now, I know that question is a bit on the broad side, but you can find out a lot about a person by just finding out what they listen to. Usually, they fit into a social hierarchy of music. I only call it this because the faces and the groans that I have gotten in my lifetime for liking one band or another made me begin to adapt this sort of barbaric understanding.

It all started when I was in the Eigth grade. It was a time for beginnings and understanding a view of music that one would probably adapt for the rest of their lives. I, on the other hand, was on the range between everclear and The Backstreet Boys. Don't get me wrong, those were the bands of choice back in 1997 (10 years ago. Doesn't that date me). I was covering one side of the spectrum to the other when it came to pop music. However, there was one side that I refuse to participate in and that side was called Dave Matthews Band.

Usually, you will see me calling Dave Matthews Band the music of the devil. That is because I have always hated this stupid guy. It's not like I have given them a chance. I've probably heard Crash and that Ants Marching song a billion times. I just never really got into them. I had my ways, I was 14 for crying out loud. I didn't like Dave and I was pretty sure that I would never like Dave. That was until all my friends mocked me for not liking Dave.

"How can you not like Dave Matthews Band? Everyone loves Dave Matthews Band.

Guess what, kiddies? I didn't. And from 8th grade onto my senior year of high school, I couldn't get enough of my ridicule. Maybe it was from my suburban upbringing that I had to endure the number of stoner kids who would wear Birkenstocks in their developement homes and listen to jam bands like Phish or Jerry Garcia. It was Dave Matthews and that stupid Holden Caufield from Catcher in the Rye that basically ruled over my changing tastes in music.

I became so avid of my hatred for Dave Matthews that I began asking "Do you like Dave Matthews?" rather than "What kind of music do you listen to?" My concept of social hierarchy went from "punk,""hipster,""ghetto fabulous rap guy," to "Dave Matthews lover," and "Dave Matthews Hater." I, of course, was a hater.

Now at a budding age of 22, I still hate Dave Matthews band and anyone who does is left in my own social category. Let's just say that if this was India, you wouldn't dare talk let alone breathe near a Dave Matthews fan. Way to go! Keep on wearing your tie-dyed shirts and pookah shell beads. Don't forget your ipods filled with the sweet melodies of Dave Matthews Band.

Ew. I'm sorry if I offended you, but you offended me first.

Secondhand Serenade/Dashboard Confessional: Oh Yeah He's That Guy From That Band. Right?

I don't usually watch MTV. When I do watch, I'm usually watching the music videos in the morning (or Beauty and the Geek reruns. Don't ask). Anyway, I had the good fortune to watch some music videos this morning. It was the regular crew of videos. Neyo's "Because of You," Bow Wow's "Outta My System," followed by Ciara's "Like A Toy." Suddenly, there was a break from the mudane black and white videos about love vendettas. There was what I thought another hit by the lovely Carrie Underwood. But I was completely mistaken. Instead, I saw the heavily tattooed arms of a man that I thought was Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional. I was mistaken again to realize it was some dude called Secondhand Serenade.

I didn't really listen to the song because I was too busy trying to figure out where I've heard his voice before. "It's that dude from Dashboard Confessional," just kept on running through my mind. "Or maybe it's the lead singer from that band The Get-Up Kids."

However, I was wrong yet again. I decided that it would kill me all day if I didn't figure out exactly where I heard his voice from. So, I went on his myspace page. This is the quote directly from the horse's mouth.

When it came time to chose a name [it said chose, not choose.], he decided to go with Secondhand Serenade in an attempt to stay away from the typical singer/songwriter image.

He's not from any bands that were famous. He's just some dude who claims to write all his songs about his wife. If all of his songs are about his wife, then he's got some issues because his latest song Vulnerable makes me question whether or not he likes being the bitch in the relationship.



I think the best part of the video is when his wife and him play mirror tricks and whoosh! She's vanished. Or maybe the part when his shoebox of photos (cliched) turns into a group of blue butterflies. I don't which one is gayer. Either way, the song has some nice lyrics with an overly heard voice from the dude. He's also got too many tattoos to be a romantic singer? Well, I'm trying my best not to compare him to Dashboard Confessional.

Speaking of the tattooed man, Dashboard Confessional came out with a new single in the early parts of the year. Unfortunately, I haven't heard the song until now. Haha. Wait a go, Simone. Great journalistic skills. Anyway, I thought I should share the song Stolen with you all because of two things: 1) Dashboard Confessional has a way of making me fall in love with my boyfriend all over again. 2) It doesn't hurt that Chris Carrabba is a hottie. Enjoy.

Fields: Do You Love Them or Hate Them?

While our good friend Keith discovered the harshness of band crowds and the beauty of Blonde Redhead, I thought I should bring up the opening band, Fields.

They're pretty new so I'm surprised when I heard the large amount of ambiguity over the band. If you haven't heard Fields then I suggest you listen to them right now. They are currently one of those feature bands on myspace. Although the music isn't as passionate as it is in performance, I think they have a huge journey of fans who will scream at them for their talent and then there will be the ones who will boo them off stage.

While I was enjoying their songs on stage, I heard a man from behind me scream you suck which could be indication of my previous hypothesis. The album is good otherwise.

They have a cuteness about them. A cuteness with a bit of an edge. Kind of like listening to Tilly and the Wall without the tap shoes and then add some Blonde Redhead influence and you get a monster of sound with a touch of sweetness in the voice of singer Thorunn Antonia's voice. Surely this sound has been done a few dozen times over and over again, but I like how there's a separation of the acoustic and the electric guitar. I like how banging on a tambourine is classified as an act of violence.

It's album you have to hear. I doubt that I can tell you if they're good or bad, but they are something to listen to them. I think.

Rihanna: Um-brella...eh eh eh eh eh eh eh (ad infinitum)

I told you I have a thing for pop music. However, I have to give it to Rihanna for being so innocently "Lolita". Although she is outside the age range that Nabokov speaks of, she's definitely got some nymphet-like qualities. Take for instance her new video for her song Umbrella. I love the song and the production is really good, but this video is a little bit over the edge.

Besides the fact that she's wearing the skimpiest of outfits in a over-used idea of CGI graphics, the video doesn't go with my perception of what I would think her video would look like. If you listen to that song, you don't expect a barely legal girl to create something where she is completely silver. I mean, I thought it would be her just mellowed out and there would be rain and...umbrellas. This production, I think, just exploits the little girl as a sex symbol.

However, her new album is called Good Girl Gone Bad which could give some exhibit of her change in face.

An apology to Blonde Redhead.

On Tuesday, May 8 2007 I went to go see one of my favorite bands Blonde Redhead perform at Webster Hall in NYC. While I don't want to go into a review of the show (which was sexy and awesome), I simply want to call your attention to one slightly disturbing event that occurred while I was there.

During one of the band's newer songs off of 23, the drummer Simone Pace triggered a sub bass sample with his midi drum pad that was, as I affectionately refer to it, the "shit-your-pants" note. It was so deep and so hard that it made your entire body shake, get stuck to the floor, and then shake again as the wave finished passing through you. In short, it was fucking loud and I loved it.

Unfortunately, too many people in the audience did not. At the end of the song, a sad group of human beings directly in front of Kazu called her attention and began yelling about how something was too loud.

The singer spoke her first words of the evening: "What? Too loud? Something is too lou- The bass? The bass is too loud?"

After looking around the stage for a moment, and listening to about 50 voices scream out "Bass drum!" or "Floor tom!" or "Bass!" Kazu finally shrugged her shoulders and declared that "You might be the most conservative people I've ever..."

She was cut off by Singer/Guitarist Amadeo Pace, who picked up his head from tuning his guitar to deadpan, "We don't have a bass player."

Those of us in the audience who were quickly growing tired with the whining bastards up front had to laugh at this bit of humor. And then we all laughed when the drummer finally pointed a finger up in the air, as if to say "Oh, I know what you mean!" and then slammed down on the midi trigger one more time to send that enormous deep wave at us again. With a smile on, of course.

So the sound man probably turned down the sub woofers at this point to appease the few people in the audience who seem to have forgotten who it was they came to see. Maybe this group of people had never listened to a Blonde Redhead record before Misery is a Butterfly. If they had, they'd realize that this was a band rooted in abrasive music - music that is loud and hard and makes your soul hurt a little bit because that feels good some times. I can understand why the band couldn't simply say "Fuck you" to their adoring fans who payed to see them, but I'd also put money on the fact that they left that stage wondering if the future of rock fans was going to be a dark one.
So on behalf of the Blonde Redhead fans at that Webster Hall show, I apologize to the band for the few who were so fucking lame.