Sonic Slang

There was, as usual, significant buzz surrounding the release of Marah's latest disc, If You Didn't Laugh, You'd Cry last month. Can we believe the hype this time?

Ever since Marah (photo left, by archphoto) released their second LP Kids in Philly, hurling them into "next big thing" purgatory...well let's just say it's been a struggle to climb out. Their two official releases since then have been hit-or-miss (20,000 Streets Under the Sky being the hit, and Float Away with the Friday Night Gods being the big, bloated miss). But both discs had their moments of working-class genius with roots rock riffs and street-poet fairy tales convincing enough to make a fan of Bruce Springsteen (he appeared on Float Away).

So we waited for the boys to pull it together and drop the classic we all knew they had in them. Hold onto your hats folks because this one might finally be it.

You can stream a few tracks on their Myspace page and decide for yourself if it's the real deal. Tour info is available here.

Filter reports that Ris Paul Ric (Chris Paul Richards), former frontman for Q and Not U, has released a solo record called Purple Blaze on Academy Fight Song.  Judging by the tracks available on his Myspace page, the album looks to be a tad more delicate and poppy than the rock sound of his old band. 

The title track, a sprightly little acoustic ditty, is actually pretty catchy (though barely two minutes in length).

Ric is currently touring through the end of December.

Ester Drang's third full-length may not drop till Jan. 24 but you can download "Come Back Alive" now, and start getting excited.

"Come Back Alive"

For the newbies, a little background, via the Jadetree website:

"Though considered by many to be a relatively new act, Ester Drang has spent the last eight years droning away in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, playing their elegant and arty songs to a dedicated but rather modest following. Convinced it would be a travesty to let these engaging symphonies go unnoticed, Jade Tree signed the band in early 2003, providing a home for their swinging-door guitar lines, hollowed out drum beats and synth-covered yearnings, while allowing the group to deliver their visions with Technicolor radiance. These days the Drang seem to tight-rope walk along the same musical heights as heady experimentalists like Spiritualized, the Sea and Cake or even their neighbors and occasional collaborators the Flaming Lips."

In his first solo offering since the demise of Phish,  Trey Anastasio give us his most pop-accessible set since...well ever really. Shine is due this Tuesday, and for fans of his work with Oysterhead, this could be a letdown.  But if you still get your hippie groove on to discs like Hoist, then you might be in for a treat.

VH1 is streaming the entire album here.  Check out the title track, and "Sweet Dreams Melinda."

Legend has it that sunny/psychedelic beach popsters dios (malos) sold bootleg copies of SMILE on Ebay to finance their self-titled debut.  The Beach Boys influence almost clubs you over the head on that disc, but these guys are no second-rate cover act, and after the initial warm critical reception, expectations were high for their sophomore effort (released 10/11).

Judging by the first single, "Feels Good Being Somebody," the sound is a bit brighter and poppier this time around, but they California harmonies have happily remained.

Stream the track here.

For those of you that were thoroughly underwhelmed by With the Lights Out, the triple-disc Nirvana box set, and I believe there are many of you, perhaps the Nov. 1st release of Sliver: The Best of the Box will more fondly recall you flannel-clad youth.

When a band as great as Nirvana suffers a premature demise, I suppose fans want to believe in some tremendous, magical backlog of unreleased brilliance that sits in storage somewhere, waiting to be unleashed upon the world, further proving their genius. Prince is rumored to have such a vault.  Springsteen proved it, to some extent, with Tracks, but Nirvana's entry was an overblown mess of a release that was basically a pile of demos, poor recordings, and half-finished songs with a few gems peppered here and there. But hey, being prolific and being great aren't necessarily the same thing kids.  Richie Valens had like three songs.

At any rate, now Sliver alleges to distill the best of With the Lights Out not unlike Springsteen's one-disc follow to Tracks, 18 Tracks. I don't remember hearing enough great songs to warrant all this, but hey, I guess it's still better than another Courtney Love solo disc...

Get the track list here, and you can stream one of the "new" tracks, "Sappy," here.

Thanks to Stereogum for the link

Many of you guys may already be familiar with this, but for those that aren't, The Music Genome Project's Pandora is something to behold, and an exercise in some of the most exhaustive music obsession that you'll ever see.

Taken from their website: "We set out to capture the essence of music at the most fundamental level. We ended up assembling literally hundreds of musical attributes or "genes" into a very large Music Genome...Over the past 5 years, we've carefully listened to the songs of over 10,000 different artists - ranging from popular to obscure - and analyzed the musical qualities of each song one attribute at a time."

What do all those countless hours add up to?  Well, basically it's a personal DJ that will take your song or artist suggestions, and create a complete music library based around similar-sounding tracks. 

The first ten hours are free, then it's only three bucks a month thereafter.  It's an impressive feat, and well worth the price. Try it here.

According to America's Most Wanted's website, authorities in California have issued a warrant for Victor Edward Willis, better known as the Cop from the Village People. 

Willis skipped out on an October 21st court appearance where he would be sentenced for a July drug arrest.  Caught at a traffic light with crack cocaine, a loaded pistol and other paraphernalia in his corvette (yes, the cop from the Village People drives a corvette), Willis had been released on $100,000 bail.

Willis was also convicted in 1990 of drug possession and acquitted of rape in 1993. 

See now the biker guy would have made sense, although dirty cops in Cali is never big news these days.  At any rate, actually staying at the YMCA might be looking pretty good once police catch up with him.  I wouldn't imagine jail to be a good experience for a fella who wrote "Macho Man."

New York Doll, already a hit at Sundance, will make its premier in LA and NYC on the 28th, expanding thereafter.

The documentary delves into the life of the late Arthur Kane, mild-mannered employee at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint’s Family History Center library, and more famously, founding member of The New York Dolls where he was better known as the gender-bending bassist, "Killer Kane."

A one-time punk who went Mormon is, in itself, a fascinating story. But coupled with the recent revival of his pioneering glam-rock band, Kane's triumphant return the band and subsequent untimely death in 04' from Leukemia, the story becomes essential viewing.

Check out the film's official website for more info.

Wilco's live, double-album, Kicking Television, will be releases on  Nov. 15, but you can preview four of the tracks on their website via quicktime.

Thanks to Chromewaves for the link.

Sounding so much like Duran Duran they verge on copyright infringement, VHS or BETA just might have hit a new peak in this day of 80s idol worship. Even so, "Night on Fire," "Alive" and "The Melting Moon" are almost as much fun as Lebon and the boys in their "Hungry Like the Wolf" heyday.  And to be fair, they've been around since the late 90s, well ahead of the synth curve.  Stream them first, and others at their website.

Who needs SONG leaks when you can get a look at the cover art for unreleased albums? Am I right people?  Plus, honestly, have you heard those new Strokes songs?

 

The Darkness - One Way Ticket to Hell (Nov. 18) - Devil imagery...check. Sexual innuendo...check. Cheesy fireballs and junk...check. Spandex....nope. OK, three out of four ain't bad. Grade: B+ - via Goldenfiddle.com

The Strokes - First Impressions of Earth (Jan. 24) - Kinda looks like a painting you might see hanging it a NYC art gallery that you're afraid to say sucks, for fear of exposing your uncoolness. Coincidence? Grade: C - via Themodernage.org

After posting about the new Depeche Mode disc earlier this week, it got us thinking about other great 80s acts that are currently providing inspiration for the skinny-tie revival.  Echo and the Bunnymen are such a band, but they differ from many of their brethren.  Namely, they are still cranking out kick ass music.  Download.com had a free track off their latest disc, Siberia.  It's a little more poppy than the moody, atmospheric stuff you'll find elsewhere on the album.  But still a good little tune.  Check out "Stormy Weather."

What's better than a full week of Mo Rocca?  Nothing you say?  Hah!  How bout Mo Rocca in 3D!!

That's right, VH1 is bringing back their addictive I Love the 80s series next week, Oct. 24-28, with the bonus of a full extra dimension to enjoy Michael Ian Black's delightful quips and Hal Sparks' goofball antics!

Perhaps you think they covered most of the "me" decade the other 47 times I Love the 80s aired. Perhaps they did. But come on...Alan Thicke...in 3D!

Pick up your 3D glasses at your local Best Buy. For more info, check out I Love the 80s in 3D.

I guess when you are compared most closely to 80's groups like Duran Duran, cashing in goes with the territory.  The Killers have already re-released an expanded edition, padding the 2.6 million and climbing sales, of their glossy, calculated, targeted (ok, and damn catchy) debut Hot Fuss.  Now Billboard.com is reporting a 3rd version coming Nov. 22.

A boxed set featuring individual, vinyl singles for each and every track, the collection will also reportedly include a b-side for each song, as well as a cover of Morrissey's "Why Don't You Find Out for Yourself."  Only 5000 copies are to be printed.

After their major label breakthrough, Good News for People Who Love Bad News, Modest Mouse became the rare breed of indie act that managed a smooth transition to the big stage without the word "sellout" following them around.  It helped that the album was great, but equally great was the amount of artistic freedom the band allegedly was afforded.  I guess then, it only makes sense that Issac Brock, the groups lead singer, has agreed to head a new subsidiary of Epic, Glacial Pace.

The first artist to sign with Glacial Pace is singer/songwriter Mason Jennings.  Brock, savvy PR man he is rapidly becoming, had this to say in a recent press release concerning the signing:

"I can be a real shit head critic when it comes to music so I have to tell you how nice it felt to instantly want to compliment instead of criticize the music," he said.

Jennings is currently recording and expects a new disc in early 06'.

Besides the Depeche Mode disc, there's not too many exciting releases today. But after some digging, we found a few that might be worth a look. Some of them look like outtakes from an I Love the 90's episode on VH1, but what the hell.

Marah - If You Didn't Laugh, You'd Cry: The Philadelphia roots-rockers seem to have recovered from that Oasis-esque debacle Float Away with the Friday Night Gods (even though I still think it's a kick ass title).  Their latest is described as "folk-punk."  We shall see, but if it's as good as the Springsteen-eque (oddly enough, a collaborator on Float Away) 20,000 Streets Under the Sky, I'm sold.

And if that's not enough, they released a companion Christmas disc to go along with it: A Christmas Kind of Town.

Thrice - VHEISSU - Ahem. Moving on...

Brian Setzer - Dig that Crazy Christmas: Last I checked, it is still October, but we have another xmas disc here. Setzer's about the only guy who can title an album like that and get away with it, but how can you argue with songs like "Santa Drives a Hot Rod?"

Keith Sweat - Candy Store: Yep, that Keith Sweat. The poor man's R Kelly (but hopefully without the pedophilia) is back, or so we think. Kelly had the Chocolate Factory, so only stands to reason Sweat drops the Candy Store. Billboard.com says it's out today, but we found no other evidence. Finding someone who actually buys it might be a trick too...ah well, if not, just go listen to "Twisted" and remember when...

The former kings of gloomy electro-pop are back...apparently looking to show that current batch of 80's-obsessed wanna-be's what depression is SUPPOSED to sound like. 

Depeche Mode's first disc since 01's Exciter, Playing the Angel (in stores today) is, some are saying, their best since Violator.  But how do Gahan and the boys plan on tapping into the pre-teen goths that think The Killers invented synth?  How else, but a myspace account! 

Stream it, and let us know what you think.  Buy it, or "Enjoy the Silence?" 

   

Billboard.com reports that Gretchen Wilson's 2nd album All Jacked Up, the follow-up to her 3.9 million-selling Here For the Party, has debuted on top of the charts with 264,000 copies moved.

Other debuts include Sheryl Crow's Wildflower at #2 with 140,000, and Neil Young's Prairie Wind at a surprising #11 (72,000 units). The subdued set marks Young's highest sales week since delving into grunge with Pearl Jam 1995's Mirror Ball.

Ryan Adams and The Cardinals also jumped in at a respectable #33, considering their last release came just four months ago.

With the forthcoming release of their first official greatest hits collection, Solid Gold Hits, rumors have been swirling about the eminent demise of The Beasties. Well, according to MTV.com, we can rest easy.

This may quiet some fears due to a quote from Billboard.com last year, where Mike D. said in response to questions about whether To The 5 Boroughs was their swan song, "You know, to be honest, we really never know."

Let's just hope they don't take 6 years for a new disc this time.

Pete Doherty, God you've just got to love this guy. I mean ok, he'll be dead pretty soon. (In fact, if the ex-Libertines frontman was more famous stateside, I'd totally pick him in one of those "dead pool" things.) But anyway, he cracks me up. For example:

After becoming more famous lately as Kate Moss' boyfriend and coke buddy, he's gone and made his own news by getting busted in, yep you guessed it, a drug raid.

After being released, Doherty was quoted as saying, "This implant I've got to keep me off heroin has gone septic and it's spitting pills." Ok, since I don't speak freak-o, we have another gem that's basically in English.

"I have been clean on this tour. It's libelous to call me a smackhead - it's a good job I am too disorganized to sue," he likely slurred.

Libelous to call PETE DOHERTY a smackhead??? That's like being Libelous to call the Pope religious, or Bill Gates rich, or Paris Hilton...blond. Ok you get the idea.

Anyway yeah, Pete Doherty: Funny almost dead guy. I think he plays music too.

There have been good rock and roll films (The Doors, Ray) and there have been bad rock and roll films (movies starring Kiss, Detroit Rock City, movies that mention Kiss at all, etc). Now there's been an awful lot of positive buzz going around about Joaquin Phoenix and his spot-on portrayal of Johnny Cash in Walk the Line.

This comes as little surprise. Phoenix is a brilliant actor and just this side of crazy, which I think will help him as The Man in Black.

But, it's been reported that two more rock bi-opics are in the works, and let me just say for the record...WTF??

Frodo Baggins himself has been tapped to portray...are you ready for this?...Iggy Pop! OK, I'm not saying the guy's not a good actor. His creepy turn in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was effective and showed he has range beyond vague home-eroticism and hairy feet, but does anyone really think Frodo Baggins can pull off Iggy, on stage with the Stooges, carving up his chest with a piece of glass and shrieking like a maniac? I'll reserve judgment on this one for now...but something tells me that this next casting will result in a Cat in the Hat-sized flop:

Mike Myers as Keith Moon.  Yes, the drummer from The Who. That Keith Moon. Played by Mike Myers. And what's more, Roger Daltrey is producing it, so one can only assume that he has some say in this debacle.

The mind boggles...

I can only assume that Myers' recent turn with Kanye West as the Awkward White Man convinced that powers that be that he's ready for a dramatic turn. Well...I guess he wasn't THAT bad in 54.

Party on Wayne.