Sorry for the lack of posts this week kids - There's been a nasty flu bug crawling around the SS office. At any rate, while we sleep the day away, you enjoy "Don't Wait Up for Me," the first single off The Donnas' new LP Bitchin'. Snap judgment: Though we still prefer the party punk sound of Spend the Night, this latest stab at 70s metal could have been a really solid Joan Jett b-side.
We never really started groovin' on The Mix-Up like we'd hoped, but as background music for an aging hipster party goes...well this is a pretty cool video at least.
Beastie Boys "Suco de Tangerina"
In recent years, most of They Might be Giants' press (and a growing portion of its fanbase) has centered around a demographic too young to even remember the band's brush with mainstream fame in the late 80s and early 90s. Blame it on the success of their Malcolm in the Middle soundtrack, but the band's subsequent foray into children's music with 2002s No! and Here Come the ABCs seemed a natural fit for their playful harmonies and disarming geekiness. But long-time fans of the band's more adult, post-punk roots have surely been jonzing for a return to music not destined for the Disney Channel.
via Spinner:
"'The Shadow Government' is about waking up from a nightmare only to find yourself in the same bad dream" guitarist John Flansburgh tells Spinner. The politically-charged imagery and evil moon illustrate Flansburgh's explanation of the song. "It's really a mad scramble of all a bunch of different events in these frightening, manic times in which we live," he explains.
That outta do it. "The Shadow Government" is the latest single from TMBG's 2007 disc, The Else.
A few years ago it looked like Kid Rock's headbanging days were over. The rap metal icon embraced something of a hard rock Hank Williams approach on his self-titled 2003 LP and despite a grating duet with Sheryl Crow that became the album's breakout hit, it was actually a pretty solid disc of outlaw fist-pumpers and laid back boogies.
Well after providing the only thing close to entertainment at last night's VMAs, it looks like the move back to crap rock is complete - minus the white boy raps. Check out the video for "So Hott" below.
Kid Rock's latest LP Rock N Roll Jesus is due on stores on 10.9.
Despite generally favorable reviews from the traditional media, the blogosphere wasn't particularly enamored with Rilo Kiley's latest disc, Under the Blacklight. Whatever. Though we'll concede that the album occasionally tread fairly close to Mom-rock, Fleetwood Mac territory, overall we dug it - especially the shoegazer delight that was "Dreamworld." Sure, we're never in favor of pushing Jenny Lewis into the background, but the tune still captures the 1980s dream pop aesthetic better than anything we're heard so far in 2007.
The band performed the song last night on Jimmy Kimmel - check it out below:
Jeremy Piven and Lily Allen appear in Common's new clip for "Drivin' Me Wild" and it's a helluva lot cooler than Kanye's stilted Entourage appearance from last Sunday night. The song ain't bad either.
The Shins' latest video for "Turn on Me" rates pretty high on the creep-o-meter, but could play nicely along side Ben Kweller's "Penny on the Train Track" as some sort of Grannie's Gone Wild double bill. Oh, and of course the song owns.
Modest Mouse, suddenly obsessed with outsourcing their videos to indie kids, has selected a winner for the band's video creation contest, which you'll see below. It's actually quite clever, and one of my favorite tracks on the new disc. (Not the most innovative tune, but it recalls old school MM in a lot of ways.)
In addition, MTVu also hosted a contest for the band's third single, "We've Got Everything," which is also pretty kick as and viewable here.
Finally, check out other fan-made vids here and here, then check out Stereogum's "Another Freakin' Green Screen Contest" winner, featuring Modest Mouse's "Fire it Up " here.
Say goodbye to LonelyGirl15 folks. Though we haven't followed since the whole production got outed as cyber-fiction, it seems that things did take that long-suspected turn to the occult. In the end, LG got offed via ritual sacrifice. Watch her friends tearfully say goodbye to their 15 minutes below:
Other than the upcoming Kanye West disc, there's not a lot on hip hop's horizon that has us too psyched (sorry 50). That being said, Common is one dude who's never gotten his due (at least from the listening public) and even though new track "The Game" is only C-level material for the gifted MC, we're gonna give it a plug.
Produced by Kanye and featuring DJ Premier, the song comes from Common's forthcoming Finding Forever disc, and strikes a decidedly Ali-esque tone. We could do without the pretentious 30 second intro, but as LL taught us all those years ago, hoodies, boxing and rap go together like PB&J.
The boys of Maximo Park are rapidly asserting themselves as our favorite UK blogger band. The second single of the excellent Our Earthly Pleasures, "Books from Boxes," is pretty straight-forward guitar pop, but it's been bouncing around our heads all week anyway. These guys on autopilot is still a cut above most of their post-punk peers.
Air's "Mer Du Japon" has been our favorite track off Pocket Symphony since day one. Sure it's the most pop accessible tune on there, but it has everything we've come to love about our favorite French electro-pop duo. (We actually might not be able to name another, but whatever.)
The video is as softly elegant, arty and pretentious as the music usually is. Dig it, you snob you.
Just like we can't resist a Doherty drug bust, are blogging fingers are also similarly powerless against a good Hold Steady live clip. We've been pimping these songs for months, but now hear Finn and the boys win over UK hipsters who think Badly Drawn Boy is the best Springsteenophite currently rocking the stage.
Let's hope the guys in Fountains of Wayne never stuck working a desk job - With "Someone to Love," the band continues to paint the an Office Space-style picture of the American working stiff. Depressing stuff, but a catchy tune.
Fountains of Wayne - Someone To Love
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Coachella 2007 kicks off today, which means The Jesus and Mary Chain's reunion is in full swing. Tonight will be the band's real coming out party, but a few lucky bastards got to catch them Thursday at Pomona's Glass House. The inside word is, despite nine years of inactivity, the band was in top form (even, according to Pitchfork, outdoing much of the 1990's output) and fans should be going ga ga a little later on tonight.
And no, we're not there. Sucks to be us.
Check out "Just Like Honey," live at Pomona's Glass House:
See now this is the kind of bluesy hard rock that we've been wanting from Chris Cornell since Euphoria Morning. Who knew it would come via an MJ cover?
It blows our minds that some people aren't sure whether this is a parody or not, but we're sure she could score an opening slot on next tour either Toby Keith way:
We definitely need to start DVR-ing SNL, if only for Bill Hader's spot-on impressions. The guy is no Phil Hartman, but try nailing John Mayer's pained/Mega Warhead Sour-reaction any better.
Not to mention this is soo how we picture these two together, agreed?
Is is just us, or did you immediately think of the Beastie Boys when you saw those red jump suits? Great song though. Check out front man James Mercer's interview with The Boston Globe for some insight into what still keeps the band "wincing the night away" these days:
"Besides figuring out how to play "Spilt Needles" and "Sea Legs" live? I guess dealing with the possibility that we might have reached a peak as a band. We may not sell as many copies of the next record. Eventually you have to deal with that, and it's possible that this is what's happening now. Either way, it's coming someday."
Bjork might not be everyone's bag of nuts, but it's hard to deny the creative genius. Her upcoming disc, Volta, sounds like more of the same madness and though we might not throw it on at the next SS office party, this is the stuff that keeps music bloggers in business.
Check out some studio footage and interviews from the making of Volta below:
We spent the weekend hitting ourselves in the head with a hammer for missing this one:
Last week's tribute show, "The Music of Bruce Springsteen" was already the coolest gig at Carnegie Hall this year, and that was BEFORE The Boss himself showed up for a surprise 11th hour appearance to jam with The Hold Steady, Steve Earle, Patti Smith, Badly Drawn Boy, (here come the tears again) Jesse Malin, Marah, Pete Yorn and other rockers who cite Springsteen as a musical hero. (Guess Brandon Flowers' invite got lost in the mail, hehe.) Check out the whole gang doing Rosalita as the show's encore. It sounds like crap, but seriously, how much fun does that look?
Here's a few more highlights:
Pete Yorn - "Dancing in the Dark"
Patti Smith - "Because the Night"
Jesse Malin ft. Ronnie Spector - "Hungry Heart"
This one's been blowin' up Youtube for the last few days - Funny stuff. Sure, he's no Johnny Cash, but cut the guy some slack. You know what they say about being green...
Even amid Weird Al's completely unexpected second-coming, we think it's fair to say that most of his tunes are best viewed in short, sweet bouts of nerdy fun. But that being said, no song in the last decade is more deserving of parody than R. Kelly's "epic" "Trapped in the Closet." Enjoy:
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The same overrated post-punk, now with bare abs, backup dancers and primary colors! Quick, somebody call Brandon Flowers and tell him all is forgiven.
Not everyone is ecstatic over "Dashboard," the catchy but overly poppy new single off Modest Mouse's forthcoming We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (due March 20), but one thing is clear: These guys sure know how to make a video.
Continuing with the nautical theme, the clip finds lead singer Isaac Brock as a salty old fisherman regaling his fellow tavern-goers with a magical tale of fish-hunting, a mythical island and natives that replace his once injured hand with a microphone. Yep, it's really weird. Check it below:
Well, it might not be nearly as blogalicious as dudes on treadmills, but we dig the jerky camera moves, and the song is actually cooler than "Here We Go Again." Enjoy.
In principle, we have nothing against a little creative thinking to pimp a band that deserves more State-side press than it gets. But the recent appearance of Scissor Sisters on NBC soap Passions was just so cheesy, we think it's got a better chance of tanking the band's American aspirations than it does helping them.
Basically, a little witch summons the band from a gig in England, to play a private set in the living room with her mother. Just as Jake Shears is about to lay the smack down, they are whisked away back into their CD, of course right after a few groan-inducing plugs: "Oh, so this is that band Scissor Sisters your so crazy about!" Ugh. Do they honestly still make TV like this?
For a band already so heavily steeped in kitsch (despite their obvious chops) this kind of ridiculousness might be a deathblow to whatever street cred is left. Then again, does anyone really watch Passions?
Ohhh, so the title of Nas' Hip Hop is Dead is like, a metaphor and junk. We were worried...but sampling Nat King Cole and crafting a banger like this has restored our faith. Long live the hippity hop...
The first single from Maximo Park's forthcoming sophomore full-length isn't anything terribly unexpected. That doesn't mean to say it's not great - the same kickass angular riffs, the same catchy as hell, jittery vocals - but for once it looks like a buzz band didn't try to reinvent the wheel with disc #2. Thank God.
"Our Velocity" will be released March 17, to be followed by the album Our Earthly Pleasures on April 2.
The Postmarks' sound verges on a bit of cuteness overkill, yet it's so damned smooth, lush and appealing that we could listen to "Goodbye" all day without gagging even once. It's breakup music for fey little Frenchmen. Yup, and we still like it.
The Postmarks' debut LP hits stores on Feb. 6. The official site is still under construction, so check out the band's MySpace for up-to-date info. (Also don't miss another SS fav "Let Go.")
If you grew up in Jersey like us, particularly in the 1980s, being a fan of Bruce Springsteen was for a time, expected if not almost required. Not unlike growing up on LI and listening to Billy Joel, The Boss' mythology (and there is a mythology folks) was so completely tied up with the Garden State, that dissing the guy was nothing short of blasphemous. Then E Street broke up, the 90's came and Springsteen spent a few years off the cultural radar. And as we NJ natives grew older, our love for the guy didn't wane, but instead changed to a love of "classic" Bruce, meaning pre-Born in the USA Bruce. That was his cheesy, sellout album and "real" fans had no business listening to it, no matter how fun driving by the beach blasting "I'm Going Down" still was.
Obviously, hating on the 80's went out with buying Creed records so it must be time to show Bruce's most wildly successful album the love that it deserves. No song is more Reagan-era than "Dancing in the Dark" but as many of us learned on the E Street reunion tour, if you take out the cheesy synth and Bruce's awkward white man dancing, it could still be a pretty cool party song. Cheers to Ted Leo for busting out a kick ass cover at Northsix in Brooklyn. No Courtney Cox this time, but go ahead and dance anyway. We won't judge.
Teddybears were already a weird-ass band in our book, but this apparent hatred of sandwiches (or people who eat them) is odd even for them:
Listen to Teddybears' latest single, "Punkrocker (featuring Iggy Pop)" here.
OK - I think ya'll know that normally we'd never ever ever ever waste precious blogging space on Good Charlotte, or even worse, Crazytown...but put them both together looking like douchebags? Well that's snarktastic enough to hold us over until the next time Jared Leto tries to kick someone's ass.
It seems that Joel Madden, one of the twins from Good Charlotte, and Shifty Shellshock (?) of Crazytown (assuming they are still a band) got into a little scuffle recently and some lucky soul managed to capture the whole thing on tape in all its wussiness.
We take particular issue with the voiceover's commentary ("A fight between two famous bands"...riiight) but it's always fun to see two "rockers" mix it up like two chicks outside a Britney concert. Who's fault was it? We're not sure but we're in Shecky's corner since it looks like Joel is jonzing for a rumble these days anyway. Watch out for those brass knuckles! Enjoy.
What if Bob Dylan started churning out radio-ready pop tunes - Would critics still kiss his ass? Maybe not...but we'd rather hear his version of "My Humps" any day of the week.
Wow - Stereogum is bigger than we thought. Wonder if Pete Townshend really reads the 'gum...after all, he does like the internet!
Either way, SS definitely needs a pitchman. Think Leto's interested?
SS loves a good lo-fi, low-budget video! To think, it wasn't long ago that artists like Michael Jackson or GnR were putting together $1 million + mini-movies, yet now we can just watch a home movie of a bunch of guys on a treadmill and have just as much fun. Video may have killed the radio star, but Youtube (and MTV) might have killed the video star.
Check out our new favorite: Whitest Boy Alive's "Golden Cage." This fan-made video of optical illusions is probably the only clip that has even made Mobius strips work so well with electro rock.
February is fast approaching, and for you Arcade Fire disciples that means a week's worth of shows at the Judson Memorial Church! So if you're getting curious about what a show in God's office might sound like, check out this clip from a Jan. 20 show in Montreal's Polish Catholic Church at St. Urbain and St. Viateur:
P-fork called Of Montreal's new disc, Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer (we'll bet a title that pretentious had those guys all a-twitter), "the band's darkest and most experimental to date" and scored it an 8.7. Well we haven't heard the whole thing yet, but that almost too-revealing bodysuit in the video for "Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse" (yeah, we know) should be worth at least 5 points:
UPDATE: You can stream the whole disc, right here. What say you, ladies and gents?
Recent comments out of the Kaiser Chiefs' camp indicates that these boys are the latest new-wavey UK act looking for world domination. I think we know it ain't gonna happen, but even if they could crack the code in the US, do we really want/need another Killers? At least the new tune, "Ruby," is catchy. More than we can say for most of Sam's Town...
Yours Truly, Angry Mob is set to be released on March 27.
Tracklisting:
1. Ruby
2. The Angry Mob
3. Heat Dies Down
4. Highroyds
5. Love's Not A Competition (But I'm Winning)
6. Thank You Very Much
7. I Can Do It Without You
8. My Kind Of Guy
9. Everything Is Average Nowadays
10. Boxing Champ
11. Learnt My Lesson Well
12. Try Your Best
13. Retirement
Confession time - When Arcade Fire first broke, here's what we saw: A solid, but over-hyped blogger phenomenon, kick-started by a heavy P-fork endorsement that made all the hipsters fall in line. Wrong! In fact the more time goes by, the more we realize that these guys kick seriously ass. Check out the band's performance Friday night at Canterbury High and start praying for that album leak...
Iggy Pop doing a punk version of Sting or David Bowie is pretty cool on its own, but this new Teddybears track is actually damn good to boot. Happy Friday kids...
In case you didn't catch America's performance on Letterman Monday night (yes, that America) well...well we can't really blame you on the surface. The world certainly didn't need an America reunion. But you know SS always tunes in to check out the ever-present Ryan Adams dressed in his 70's NYC punk gear (but with the added surprise of Roca-wear t-shirt...perhaps he's taking this hip hop more serious than we thought??) and Ben Kweller, well pretty much blending into the background. (Nice scarf though!)
OK it's official. Bloc Party's A Weekend in the City is now SS's most anticipated new album of 2007. The follow-up to 2005's Silent Alarm will drop on February 6, to be followed in March by a US tour.
Official first single "The Prayer" got us excited, and though latest video leak "I Still Remember" might be a tad "softer" than some of the angular tunes fans have come to expect, it's a solid, sensitive olive branch to the mainstream that could help elevate the band from indie darling to (dare we say?) Coldplay level fame. Well...but much better of course. But don't tell Noel Gallagher.
In one of the most bizarre album promos ever, The Arcade Fire trots out their Juno award, and a freaky-deaky mask to deliver a cheesy, 70's style intro to Neon Bible, due on March 6th, via megaphone and some song snippets:
The tracks aren't nearly long enough to make any judgments, but the video at least shows that AF has a sense of humor. After the critical praise heaped on the band's debut, SS was a tad worried about indie pretension overload this time around. Instead we just get Richard Reed-Perry scaring the crap out of us.
Tracklist for Neon Bible:
1. Black Mirror
2. Keep The Car Running
3. Neon Bible
4. Intervention
5. Black Wave / Bad Vibrations
6. Ocean of Noise
7. The Well & The Lighthouse
8. (Antichrist Television Blues)
9. Windowsill
10. No Cars Go
11. My Body Is A Cage
OK - We said no more posts till after the holidays, but it wouldn't be Christmas in SS 'ville without mention of this song. It's still the best yuletide tune ever, even if the lyrics don't exactly give you the warm and fuzzies. Enjoy, and see ya'll real soon!
That's right kids! After an excruciating period of radio silence, SS is ready to rejoin the blogosphere! Now before you get too excited, we probably won't kick back into full gear until after the holidays. But hey, there's time for at least one post aimed at all your last-minute shoppers. Ya'll have probably seen this one a million times already, but it just didn't feel right not mentioning it. Seriously, how often do we really get the chance to say something nice about JT? His Color Me Badd impression? Nothing short of brilliant.
Is it just us, or should SNL drop the L and just start doing digital shorts full-time?
Does Jay Z still have it? Not everyone is giddy over the newly unretired MC's latest single, "Show Me What you Got." This NASCAR inspired video will do little to change their tunes.
We're still keeping the faith...for now.
Madonna's last disc, despite its disco-heavy party vibe, didn't get much love from US radio. It's perplexing considering the wealth of potential hit singles on Confession on a Dancefloor, including latest single, "Jump," a dance track that would have fit in well during the "Ray of Light" days.
The rather literal video won't winning any VMAs, but it does prove that at 48, the gal's still probably hotter than your girlfriend.
Two old songs see new life via the billion dollar boys at Youtube:
-Last week SS was lamenting that annoying tendency to pair kick-ass songs with lame videos, and the less accessible, "arty" tunes with the good stuff. Gnarls Barkley is the exception that proves the rule. "Gone Daddy Gone" is not only a splendid take on the Violent Femmes classic, but the video is off the hook! (And also a tad creepy for the easily skeeved.) Now we're itchy...
-Oasis needs a hit. Bad. (And it sounds like Noel Gallagher knows it.) "Acquiesce" has been a fan fav for years, and with the band's greatest hits disc, Stop the Clocks, on the way in November, perhaps it was a good time to cash in a very old chip and get some good buzz for a change.
The video was directed, coincidentally enough, by Robert Hales, the man behind Gnarls Barkley's first uber smash, "Crazy." If nothing else, this tune should remind us all that there was, in fact, a time when the blokes in Oasis' actually earned the right to be assholes.
Now this is frustrating. First I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness gives "According to Plan," one of SS's favorite tunes of 2006, one of the crappiest videos of the year. Now the band releases "The Owl," a song composed mainly of mildly creepy background noise and no vocals at all, but that one comes along with this awesome trip of a cartoon.
Only now can we see the pure genius that is Weird Al. Straight Outta Lynwood is in the top 10, and the lead single "White and Nerdy" - hilarious.
Stereogum says that only three people haven't seen this vid...guess we're out of touch with the 80's "That Guy" stand up comedy album genre. Time to hit the books...
Yup, that's Biff from Back to the Future. (Who, BTW, went to high school next door to SS's old apartment!) If only we'd been blogging back then...
Yo La Tengo's new disc is out, it's wonderful, and though some people might not love that title, we think it's the bees knees yo. But, the band has always had a sense of humor to go along with the genius (witness Yo La Tengo is Murdering the Classics for an example) , so this website comes as no surprise.
Tell people how bad ass you really are. Like this chap. Do you really want to tangle with him? At least wait till he washes his hands...
SS discovered this clip on the Rock Daily last night...ever wonder what U2 would have looked like, had the band gotten together in the 60's? Turns out, you don't even need to use your imagination on this one...in 1979 Bono and the boys were apparently a groovy retro act, based on this psychedelic performance on "Pop on the Box."
The song, entitled "Life On A Distant Planet," isn't that far removed from the U2 you've come to know, but the imagery belongs in an Austin Powers flick. And Bono's dancing is awfully, to borrow of phrase from Jack Black's School of Rock, "robotronic." Enjoy.
SS is always wary of any band with a name as far-reaching and all-encompassing as UK popsters, The Feeling. You know the type: The Sounds, The Soundtrack Of Our Lives...we like these bands, but come on, don't beat us over the head with it. You're not gonna be the Wyld Stallyns, so get over yourselves.
The Trash Can Sinatras, Ned's Atomic Dustbin, Better Than Ezra, Camper Van Beethoven...not only do band names like these date SS as a clear product of early-90's alternative rock, they represent bands that actually gave their respective names some personality...not just a moniker that's tailor made for sound bites, press releases and stadium intros. So needless to say, The Feeling were in a hole from step one. (Any guess where this is headed?)
Yup, The Feeling is a new SS fav. We first discovered them while cruising MySpace for a sexy new intern (send those apps in now ladies), and were instantly hooked on the band's sunny, Supertramp-ish hooks and catchy-as-hell choruses. It's almost a guilty pleasure, but the album Twelve Stops and Home is packed with too many short, sweet, pop gems to dismiss it as such.
Check out four tracks on the band's MySpace. "Never be Lonely" is the new big single, but make sure to check out "Love It When You Call" and its Fountains of Wayne-meets-early 80's stadium rock hooks. Good stuff.
Chris Cornell, possessor of the greatest scream in rock and roll, and his super-group Audioslave fell a bit out of favor with SS on the band's 3rd disc, Revelations. In truth, the album is a solid mix of Rage-ish rock and soulful post-grunge - a logical progression considering the band's roots. But that first single, "Original Fire," well that was just crap.
Not to mention, this all came just a year after the band's sophomore release, which had most of us thinking that Audioslave was trying to motor through its contractual obligations and head to splitsville. Word of a Cornell solo disc further stoked that flame, and once the guy was picked to record the new Bond theme, well Audioslave was as dead as disco (or more appropriately in 2006, dead as grunge rock).
But then we heard "You Know My Name" and SS has changed its tune. Not because it's good...quite the opposite. We love you Chris. In fact, SS would sell its soul for your pipes, and one of your older songs inspired us to spend a good month or our teenage years learning to play the spoons. But stick with your day job. This one could be a Soundgarden B-side. At best.
Here's a couple minutes of "You Know My Name," spliced in with the trailer to the accompanying flick.
The first official Badly Drawn Boy single off the upcoming (10/17) Born in the UK disc is online. "Nothing's Gonna Change Your Mind," if it's at all indicative of the rest of the tracks, has SS pretty psyched about the release. Check it out and see if you agree:
Murky days in the city always puts SS in a mood. Not sure what mood that is, but it's the one where you sit around and listen to dream pop or electronica and stare at people in that Zach Braff, "I'm a reflective hipster trying to figure it all out" kind of way. Yeah, we suck on these kind of days. But the music is usually pretty sweet. So here's a couple of today's choices, so you can be sweet too (in private at least).
-The new Umbrellas disc, Illuminare, picks up right where "The City Lights" left off in 2005. It rarely hits the swelling melancholic heights of that track, but "Boston White" for example, has an even more lush and infectious hook. The track fizzles a tad on the chorus, but we could keep the verse on repeat, head phones jacked up, for hours. You can hear that track, plus two others, on the band's MySpace.
-EPO-555, despite one of the worst names in pop music, released another disc of majestic Danish electro pop with Mafia. Like with Umbrellas, we're a bit partial to Dexter Fox, the band's last disc, but there's still a lot to dig here.
The official site has all sorts of goodies to hear and see. Make sure to check out the vid for "Preemptive Stroke" (our personal fav), but the three Mafia tracks on display are worth a spin as well. Oh, and if you too have that Braff-ish, pretentious malaise today, here's "Le Beat's On Fire" via youtube:
Let's end on a high note for today: SS proudly presents the two worst songs we've heard all week:
The first: "It's All Coming Back to Me Now," a cover of the Celine Dion track as done by Meatloaf. (Though it's not nearly as awful as the metal (?!) track, "The Monster is Loose," currently streaming on MySpace.)
The second: "Bush Was Right." Now don't start kids. We're not getting drawn into a debate here...we'll leave that to the political bloggers. Instead we'll just point out how this "song" sounds exactly like "We Didn't Start the Fire."
TGIF Beeatches! Enjoy:
A little bit Jack Johnson and a little bit Supergrass, The Kooks have managed to tread the line between reggae-infused acoustic rock, and fuzzy Brit pop. We likey.
The band's new single, "Ooh La," will drop on October 23, but you can hear it now at the band's MySpace, along with three other tracks from Inside In/Inside Out.
The Bowery Ballroom gig on 10/23 is already sold out, but you can catch The Kooks on the 28th at Brooklyn's North Six.
Now this is surreal. Since when were daytime soaps the place to find hipster name-dropping and conversations about retro glam fashion? All My Children's rating must be in the tank. But this can't possibly be helping...can it? It's got to be a pretty safe bet that AMC's typical demo (i.e your mom) doesn't have a clue who Mike Patton is. But we do. So enjoy, then call home to explain.
(via Pitchfork)
And if by chance you're one of those people not familiar with Patton's post-Faith No More career. Check out this clip from one of his band's Tomahawk. The soccer mom's are gonna eat this up yo.
The video for Band Of Horses' "Great Salt Lake" is as bright, and sweetly affecting as the song itself. Check it out:
If you missed the gig at Webster Hall this week, Band Of Horses is on tour through the fall, in support of the recent disc, Everything All the Time. See all upcoming dates below:
09-13 Washington, DC - Black Cat *
09-14 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle *
09-15 Charlotte, NC - Tremont Music Hall *
09-16 Mt. Pleasant, SC - Village Tavern *
09-17 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse *
09-18 Columbia, SC - Headliners *
09-19 Nashville, TN - Exit/In *
09-20 Birmingham, AL - Bottle Tree *
09-21 Oxford, MS - Proud Larry's *
09-23 Oklahoma City, OK - Conservatory *
09-24 Lawrence, KS - Granada Theater *
09-26 Boulder, CO - Fox Theater *
09-28 Salt Lake City, UT - Club Sound *
09-30 San Diego, CA - Epicentre *
10-02 Los Angeles, CA - Avalon *
10-03 Los Angeles, CA - Avalon *
10-04 San Francisco, CA - Fillmore *
10-06 Eugene, OR - WOW Hall *
10-29 Las Vegas, NV - Vegoose Festival
11-02 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
11-04 Seattle, WA - Showbox Theater *
11-05 Seattle, WA - Showbox Theater
Many of you might have a love/hate relationship with Jack Black's tongue-in-cheek, faux folk metal band Tenacious D. OK maybe it's even hate/hate, but you really can't argue the dead-on (if highly-exaggerated) authenticity in their Zeppelin-esque hooks, lyrics and devil-soaked revelry. If nothing else, it at least perfectly illustrates that thin line of irony that so-often separates the brilliant from the ridiculous. And we still laugh at song titles like "Cock Push ups" and "Hard F**irking." Such children we are.
Perhaps if Black had assembled a "fake," cliche-ridden EM or Andie band, the hipsters would be more enamored with Tenacious D, but then again, we already have Death Cab. Oh snap! We kid, we kid. But seriously, Tenacious D's new flick, Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny will descend on the universe this November to rock your socks off. The accompanying album drops on November 14th, and we're sure it will be brilliantly terrible. Or perhaps just terrible. It's so hard to tell anymore.
Now this is the Paris Hilton CD we want!
World-renowned prankster and graffiti artist Banksy has pulled an elaborate con on various record chains by replacing copies of Hilton's album with his own, less-than-flattering remix edition. With tracks like "Why Am I Famous" and "What Am I For," you'd think that people might think something was fishy...especially with the thought bubbles inside the jacket proclaiming things like "Every CD you buy puts me further out of your league" or "Every time someone asks me how I am, I hesitate for a little bit too long."
The discs have probably all been pulled by now...Too bad. Who out there doesn't think this one could have totally outsold the original?
See all the album art here, and check out the "making of" video below:
If anyone out there managed to snag a copy, let us know!
Can someone PLEASE explain to use why Kevin Federline is turning into, like, a real celebrity? In addition to his "music" he's got not one but two acting gigs lined up: A CSI cameo, and now a three episode arc on Entourage as a spoofed up version of himself...hmm, know what's sad? We're about two steps away from K-Fed being the real celeb in that family.
So, as our Labor Day weekend gets washed down the drain, this all makes us that much more irritated. Check out 'dat "Hip hop flavor mixed with a little bit a' rock and roll." Oy.
This though...this friends, is funny.
Just for fun: A couple of tunes currently on the ole' SS jukebox. They couldn't be more different, but it's all about the variety kids.
First we've got Old Crow Medicine Show's new single, "Down Home Girl." It's the lead single off Big Iron World, which hits the racks this Tuesday, and offers another solid dose of folksy blue-grass style rock...but this one somehow reminds us a bit more of Ryan Adams than usual. Maybe it's the harmonica. Oh and check the old dude at the end of the clip. Hilarious!
Second is Men Women and Children's "Dance in My Blood." The clip has been around for a few months, but with the band just setting off on a jaunt with Head Automatica (they went sorta pop on us with the new disc, but "Cannibal Girl" is catchy as hell), we thought it was worth a plug. Cool song - kind of a rocked up, American-ized version of Jamiroquai, but one complaint: For a song all about getting down, that lead singer needs to learn how to bust a move. What would Jay Kay do??
Check out the official site for another SS fav: "Messy."
To borrow a phrase from the great Homer Simpson: "We like our beer cold, our TV loud and our homosexuals flaaaaming!"
Yep, that's just about right.
That intro still sounds too much like Billy-freakin' Joel, but Scissor Sisters still kick ass! The band's sophomore disc, Ta-Dah, hits the US on Sept. 26.
This crapfest has already been covered to death, but it just didn't feel right to dis our homie K-Fed like that. So Mr. Spears, one more time: "You suck."
So Snakes on a Plane didn't tear it up this weekend like most of us in the blogosphere were hoping, we're still betting on those b-movie buffs to give the thing enough of a DVD shelf-life to ensure at least a couple more "this on a that" straight to video sequels.
Plus, maybe it finally got these guys laid:
Now that the weather's cooled to a temperature we can actually enjoy in SS county, a few sun-centric videos seemed appropriate. School might be right around the corner kids, but summer is a state of mind...
We begin with a groovy little shoegaze band called A Shoreline Dream which, as you might expect from their name, has a serious beach-combing fetish. Think Sigur Ros with a tan.
Next we've got a somewhat obvious one, since nothing says barefoot rock like Jack Johnson. But instead of tossing out one of the hits, we've got an oldie but a goodie. Though Johnson wrote "Rodeo Clowns," the track was originally popularized by G Love (of the brand-new and thoroughly summer-worthy Lemonade) who gave it his usual Philly-funk vibe. This version appeared on On and On and we think comes from the 1st Bonnaroo. Enjoy.
Next, "Summertime" x 2. The first features Sublime and The Pharcyde, then second Big Willie himself holdin' it down for Philly.
Finally we have Jack Johnson protege Donavon Frankenreiter. Though this kat's new disc, Move By Yourself, finds him exploring more funk than before, this track is a total hippie beach party. Check out "It Don't Matter" from his appearance on Carson Daly.
You know, for a band still carting around the "side-project" label imposed by most folks in the media, The Raconteurs sure seems like the real deal. Here's what's currently on the calendar:
- Austin City Limits: Sept 15-17
- Musical hosts for MTV Video Music Awards on August 31st: The band will perform "several times" throughout the broadcast.
- Autumn tour: Hitting eight UK stops, beginning in Glasgow.
Yep, so Jack White's a busy boy. But if any of you are getting worried that he'd leave behind that little act we call the White Stripes, let this calm your fears. Does this guy ever sleep?
The Raconteurs - "Hands":
If you haven't noticed, SS has been tracking Beck's new disc, The Information, pretty obsessively. Though the album is still a few weeks away (10/3), Mr. Hanson has been kind enough to throw us folks in the blogosphere a bone every so often, and yup...we've got more so here's a quick recap, then peep the new stuff below.
All caught up? Good. The final few pieces of the puzzle are coming together as we've got a tracklist, as well as a lead single. Check out the video for "We Dance Alone" at the official site, then the full set below. Lots of unknowns on there, but based on the leaks so far looks like we're in for some hippity-hop goodness.
The Information tracklist:
Elevator Music
Think I'm In Love
Cell Phones Dead
Nausea
Soldier Jane
Strange Apparition
Dark Star
Movie Theme
We Dance Alone
No Complaints
1000 BPM
Motorcade
The Information
New Round
Horrible Fanfare/Landslide/Exoskeleton
UPDATE: God bless ya' Youtube:
If you believe Ross Millard, guitarist for The Futureheads, it might be a while before we get a 3rd LP from his band. After the breakneck speed of the last couple years that included two acclaimed releases and almost non-stop touring that brought the band to the States four times...they seem to be ready for a break.
With that in mind, enjoy this vid from the band's latest single, "Worry About It Later." Then go to sleep.
With those candy-coated melodies and soaringly yet calculated choruses, Keane definitely qualifies as a guilty pleasure around the SS office...but gosh darn it, we like them.
The band's video for "Crystal Ball," the second single off Under The Iron Sea, just dropped. You might get your hipster card revoked, but take a peek. It's Friday after all.
Looks like a balmy 87 degrees in NYC tomorrow kids. So with the great heat wave of '06 coming to a close, let's work up a sweat the old fashioned way and dance dance dance to OK Go's latest single (and brilliant video) "Here It Goes Again." If we all log on at once, maybe we can still get that blackout...
UPDATE: The band talks to EW about their second stab at viral video fame.
Though Outkast's Andre 3000 and Big Boi have bother appeared in other films on their own (like Be Cool and ATL), Idlewild will be their first on-screen collaboration. So naturally they've been hyping this thing online for what seems like an eternity.
The TV spots have just started to pop up over the last week (though the August 25 release is still some three weeks away). So far, we're hedging our bets.
Judging from the trailer, the movie certainly looks sharp, and though we didn't catch Big Boi's turn in ATL, Andre 3000 does have some acting chops. So if these two can muster up some on-screen chemistry, we might have a winner on our hands. Unfortunately, we've had a bad feeling about the soundtrack for some time.
After the brilliance of Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, is it just us, or does this one have letdown written all over it? The leaks have been shaky, or at least not as immediately pleasing as prior work (OK, "Idlewild Blues" is growing on us), and the split rumors persist despite repeated denials. Check out the two vids below (the Idlewild trailer and "Morris Brown," the first track off the soundtrack) and judge for yourself. 8 Mile or Cool as Ice?
Also check out the duo discussing the film here. And hey, if the movie tanks, at least Saddam and P Diddy are still fans.
"Harrowdown Hill," off Thom Yorke's The Eraser, will serve as the first (and likely only) single to see a release (August 21). Sure the album's great, but SS doesn't really see the point in releasing a single for Yorke's moody, electro cut-and-paste job. The hard core fans will buy the disc either way, and the rest of the world is just gonna scratch its collective head. Don't count on any Z100 requests for this tune kids.
But hey, we like it and he's a nice fella, so watch the brand new, uber eerie video below:
Gotta love Beck. The dude's not a slave to the whole album/single format and even though that other new track, "Cell Phone's Dead" got yanked in like a day, another song quitely popped up on his MySpace page. The blogosphere salutes you Mr. Hansen.
Not sure whether we're hearing a tune from his forthcoming "hip hop-heavy album," but it's a groovy little number either way. (Even if the video looks like it was shot for 50 bucks in 1974.)
We've been on the fence about Boy Kill Boy. On the one hand you've got the jitter guitar of "Suzie" that fits right in with those angular retro rockers (Maximo Park, Franz Ferdinand) that ya'll know SS is a sucker for. But on the other hand there's this Fall Out Boy, or perhaps more accurately My Chemical Romance, emo sensibility in their sound that wants to turn us off. Then again, they are English and everyone in the blogsphere knows that automatically makes them cooler...
Music cred aside, they do seem to have the rock star image down pat, and the British kids dig em'. So, even though Pitchfork ain't impressed, we're coming around a bit. Check out the video for "Suzie" and let us know what you think. Closer to The Smiths, or a lukewarm Hot Hot Heat?
Since The Killers' Brandon Flowers has made a name for himself in the blogosphere both for a) shooting his mouth off and b) making music, we thought these two videos complimented each other nicely. The first has Flowers' take on SS favorite Pet Shop Boys (don't worry, he plays nice this time) and the second (just for fun) is a live cut of "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" off Hot Fuss.
You can still also stream "When You Were Young," the lead single from the forthcoming Sam's Town disc, here. Enjoy.
Scissor Sisters will sashay back into the limelight on 9/26, with the release of its sophomore disc, Ta Dah. Like many of you, we really dug the disco-flavored Elton John-meets-Bees Gees dance pop that gleamed so brightly on the self-titled debut. People might have wanted to call it a guilty pleasure, but the music was honestly just too damn good to get shoved into that box. Here's hoping for a repeat performance.
The lead track, "I Don't Feel Like Dancing," leaked over to Stereogum, and though the opening piano lick reminds us a little too much of Billy Joel, the rest of the tune channels the Brothers Gibb more than ever. Get over yourself macho men. This ain't just for drag queens and divas. You know you wanna dance...
Also check out this live performance from The Siren Music Festival on Coney Island. Technical difficulties aside, they still kick ass. If you just wanna hear the tune though, you can skip the five minute dance-off and jump to about the six-minute mark.
We realize this might be a little bit too much to take on a Monday morning, but here goes: Paris Hilton's former BFF Nicole Ritchie has decided to follow in the footsteps of her A Simple Life co-star, and record her own album. Hmmm, will having Lionel Ritchie as a father help, or hurt her chances of it turning out a complete piece of crap?
Watch this and think it over. Personally, we think she's screwed.
Razorlight's sophomore, self-titled disc is on the UK racks (it's download-only for us yanks for now) and if you're a regular SS reader, you know we've been chomping at the bit for months on this one. "Up All Night," still our pick for the best rock single of '06, has climbed the charts all the way to #3, and while the rest of the album doesn't always live up to its dizzying heights, you'll be hard-pressed to find a better Brit pop rock record all year. Don't back down Johnny Borrell, you were right all along. You guys kick Arctic Monkeys' ass.
Razorlight tracklist:
In The Morning
Who Needs Love?
Hold On
America
Before I Fall To Pieces
I Can't Stop This Feeling I've Got
Pop Song 2006
Kirby's House
Back To The Start
Los Angeles Waltz
If by some chance you've missed our 27 references to "In The Morning," watch this clip:
You know that dude by the subway that plays guitar? You know, kinda grungy lookin', smells funky, never wears a shirt? Well don't feel guilty about pocketing the change from your Starbucks yesterday. It was actually Eddie Van Halen (yikes!), who debuted some new tracks last week in LA.
MC Hammer, on the other hand, would like a quarter. (Bah, it's hard to be snarky here. Who wouldn't love more Hammertime? Look3X in 2006 yo!)
Check out this short clip from Eddie's show. David Lee Roth's bluegrass stuff sounds pretty good now huh?
Rainy days 'round the SS office always get us into a little darker mood, musically speaking. Nothing but goth and synth this afternoon folks, so bust out the eyeliner and start brooding! Since Depeche Mode has yet another greatest hits collection due this November, that gave us as good excuse as any to lay that greed-centric classic, "Everything Counts" on ya'll. (The 101 version, not the wussy original.) Enjoy.
Here's another...no real Cure news. It's just the greatest song ever.
Not only is this funny, but it makes fun of James Blunt and Pete Doherty. Brilliant! See ya'll tomorrow folks.
Cut Chemist released his first "proper" solo disc, The Audience's Listening, on 7/11 and SS really hopes the title doesn't prove to be an ironic one. The DJ and Jurassic 5 founder has crafted an uber-ambitious album that throws a sonic array of beats, loops and samples at the listener that transcends mere hip hop or techno.
Our favs are "The Garden" and "Storm" (both of which are streaming at his MySpace). The former incorporates guitar, scratches, Brazilian vocals, island accents and a thumping beat that makes for an addictive Middle Eastern-flavored hip hop near masterpiece. The latter is a more straightforward, old school DJ club cut that pulses and careens with sweat-soaked energy.
For our money, this is all bound to rank up there with Cut Chemist's legendary collaboration with DJ Shadow, Brainfreeze. It's a diverse, ambitious effort from one of the best turntable artists on the planet. Let's hope we don't wait seven years for another taste.
Watch him work at this year's SXSW:
It's Happy Hour ya'll...time to get your drink on!
The trailer for Snakes on a Plane has us worried. It might not be nearly awful enough to live up to the B-list classic status already bestowed on the flick...BUT, the single of the same name from emo super group Cobra Starship...now that's the crapfest we're looking for!
The rest of the soundtrack is pretty run-of-the-mill emo and pop punk...a strange choice for a Sam Jackson vehicle, but it does have a couple highlights. The Sounds' "Queen of Apology" is a shiny dancefloor punk track that had a bopping around the office a few months back, and Donavon Frankenreiter (who still needs a stage name) is always good for some mellow 70's fun. But the whole set left us with the same feeling as the movie...sure it's bad, but bad enough? Where's freakin' K-Fed when you really need the guy...
Snakes on a Plane: The Album tracklist:
1. Cobra Starship - Snakes on a Plane (Bring It)
2. Panic! at the Disco - The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide Is Press Coverage (Tommie Sunshine Brooklyn Fire Remix)
3. The Academy Is - Black Mamba (Teddybears Remix)
4. Cee Lo Green Ophidiophobia
5. All-American Rejects - Can't Take It (El Camino Prom Wagon Mix)
6. The Sounds - Queen Of Apology (Patrick Stump Remix)
7. Fall Out Boy - Of All The Gin Joints In All The World (Tommie Sunshines Brooklyn Fire Retouch)
8. Gym Class Heroes - New Friend Request (Hi-Tek Remix)
9. The Bronx - Around The Horn (Louis XIV Remix)
10. Armor For Sleep - Remember To Feel Real (Machine Shop Remix)
11. The Hush Sound - Wine Red (Tommie Sunshines Brooklyn Fire Retouch)
12. Jack's Mannequin - Bruised (Remix)
13. Coheed & Cambria - Wake Up (Acoustic)
14. Donavon Frankenreiter - Lovely Day
15. Michael Franti & Spearhead - Hey Now Now
16. Trevor Rabin - Snakes On A Plane - The Theme
Oh, and if you want to experience the awfulness, intentional or not, of Cobra Starship right now, check out the video for Snakes on a Plan (Bring it) below:
SS is addicted to Best Week Ever. The pop culture blog, though sponsored by VH1, still has a pretty indie-friendly music vibe, and they like to bust on K-Fed just as much as we do. This morning's post beat us to the punch, but we won't hold it against them. Who the hell wants to get up early anyway?
We alluded to this "Who Sucks More" face-off here, but leave it to the good people at Celebrity Deathmatch to bring it to life, er, well clay at least. Place your bets ladies and gentleman!
Austin City Limits always kicks ass, and 2006 should be no different. Peep this: September 15-17, three days, eight stages and 130 bands. Sure the headliners are amazing as always (Tom Petty, The Flaming Lips, The Shins, Van Morrison, etc.) but for some of you more indie-minded folks, the smaller stages might be even more enticing. Wanna find out more? Well, you'll just have to click dat for the full lineup. But if that still doesn't sell ya, perhaps this delightful promo video will do the trick. Who can resist a guitar-slinging squirrel? We sure can't.
We don't know about you, but we've been feeling a little gross ever since that K-Fed post earlier today. So, time to freshen up and regroup with a new track from The Rapture.
It's been a long three years, and Pieces Of The People We Love will finally drop this September. But if that's still simply too long for your impatient little ass, you can already stream the lead track, "Get Myself Into It" on the band's MySpace.
We get kind of an early Police feel, combined with a bouncy Scissor Sisters (who incidentally, also has a new disc on the way) disco polish. The sound basically dropped straight out of 1979, but if you're like us, it'll get stuck in your head for the rest of the summer.
For more post-punk fun, stream a whole bunch of tracks from Echoes here, then check out the vid below. The wait is almost over kids.
TV On The Radio just dropped its 2nd LP on the Brits (and first since moving to Interscope), Return to Cookie Mountain, and the Brooklyn art punkers have been basking in the glow of some stellar reviews.
The group's often challenging music has taken a turn for the accesible, without losing any (perhaps gaining some) of the artistic street cred or critical praise. According to the New York Times:
"The aesthetic has shifted toward something fuller, grander and more rocklike."
NME is streaming the whole disc here, so check it out and hear what's so crazy-good that even David Bowie decided to guest.
The tracklist for Return to Cookie Mountain:
I Was a Lover
Hours
Province
Playhouses
Wolf Like Me
A Method
Let the Devil In
Dirtywhirl
Blues from Down Here
Tonight
Wash the Day
Oh, and if you never saw this, it's worth a look...Apparently an endorsement by David Cross is some sort of hipster band right of passage 'round these parts. Kinda funny, but still makes us miss Arrested Development:
OK kids, time for a little history lesson: The year is 1990 and though Sonic Slang might have only had a marginal understanding of what any of these things even were back then, Pet Shop Boys were the first gay, British, cheeky (we're still a little fuzzy on that one) but wickedly smart, electro pop duo we ever listened to. Our gateway drug if you will, to New Order, Depeche Mode, The Smiths, et all, which years later would lead to the indie rock explorations that gave birth to Sonic Slang.
True, we were a little young to catch "West End Girls" back in 86', but when we did catch on it had us hooked, and forever expanded our musical horizons beyond top 40 radio and N.W.A. So in a way, Sonic Slang owes its very existence to the lush vocal stylings of Neil Tennant and the gorgeous keyboard work of Chris Lowe. So thanks boys. When we finally make some money, the check is in the mail. But until then we'll do our part by pimping your brand-spanking new, and quite excellence disc, Fundamental.
The new single, "Minimal," is classic PSB, with more than a hint of New Order. We dig it, and so should you. Check out the vid below.
And for good measure, one of our favs:
What the hell, one more for ya: "Flamboyant" mixes wacky Japanese TV and kick ass electronica. Can you beat that? No. No you can't.
SS ran in to apply a second coat of sun tan lotion, and we thought we'd drop a new video on the more nocturnal, pasty readers stuck inside. (Robert Smith, we're talking to you.)
Check out The Starlight Mints' "Inside of Me." The band's latest disc, Drowaton, dropped a couple months back and though it contains their usual quirky blend of Flaming Lips-esque pop, this track is likely the most straight-forward (not to mention one of the best) ever. Of course, the video is weird as hell. Enjoy.
Tom Petty finally responded to the controversy surrounding the "Dani California/Mary Jane's Last Dance" similarities. In the expected laid back, hippy way, Petty had this to say:
"Everyone everywhere is stopping me. The truth is, I seriously doubt that there is any negative intent there. And a lot of rock & roll songs sound alike. Ask Chuck Berry. The Strokes took “American Girl�? [for their song “Last Nite�?], and I saw an interview with them where they actually admitted it. That made me laugh out loud. I was like, “OK, good for you.�? It doesn’t bother me ... If someone took my song note for note and stole it maliciously, then maybe. But I don’t believe in lawsuits much. I think there are enough frivolous lawsuits in this country without people fighting over pop songs."
Big surprise huh? You can exhale Chili Pepper fans...nobody's going to court. And the lesson learned here: Tom Petty still rules. So, to further illustrate this point we give you a live performance of the new single "Saving Grace" from the 6/20 MSG performance.
Look for Petty's new solo disc, Highway Companion, on July 25. You can also get more info, and stream "Saving Grace," at his MySpace page.
Despite not releasing an album truly worth listening to in about 20 years, David Lee Roth, God love em', always manages to stay in the news. Whether it's for brief reunions with Van Halen, rumors of further reunions, working as an EMT, getting a new radio show, losing a new radio show or performing at race tracks, Diamond Dave will always be with us, high leg kicks, spandex and all. But now this is a new one:
Get ready for Strummin' with the Devil: The Southern Side of Van Halen.
From Allmusic.com:
"Not only do listeners get to realize their dream of hearing Eddie Van Halen's "Eruption" played on a banjo, they also get legendary frontman David Lee Roth handling lead vocals on "Jump" and "Jamie's Crying" — the latter has been turned into a waltz. Roth has always been game for self-parody (money), and he rises to the occasion, providing just enough ham to keep things in "DAVE TV"-land."
The tracklist for Strummin' With the Devil:
1. JUMP - David Lee Roth with the John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band
2. JAMIE’S CRYIN’ - David Lee Roth with the John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band
3. I’LL WAIT - Blue Highway
4. RUNNIN’ WITH THE DEVIL - The John Cowan Band (courtesy of Pinecastle Records)
5. DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY - Mountain Heart
6. AIN’T TALKIN’ ‘BOUT LOVE - Iron Horse
7. HOT FOR TEACHER - David Grisman
8. FEEL YOUR LOVE TONIGHT - Tony Trischka, Dudley Connell, Marshall Wilborn, Dave McLaughlin
9. PANAMA - Cornbread Red
10. UNCHAINED - Iron Horse
11. ICE CREAM MAN - Larry Cordle
12. AND THE CRADLE WILL ROCK... - The John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band
13. COULD THIS BE MAGIC? - The Nashville Bluegrass Band (courtesy of Sugar Hill Records)
14. ERUPTION - Dennis Caplinger
15. JAMIE’S CRYIN’[RADIO EDIT] - David Lee Roth with the John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band
Reading about it doesn't really get across the absolute and total weirdness of this project though. So, without further ado, we present Diamond Dave himself, performing "Jump," bluegrass style.
The disc hit stores this month kids, so if you find a store that still has a copy, hook us up!
The Fever just dropped a new video for "Waiting for the Centipede," off the band's latest disc, In the City of Sleep. This is some trippy-ass shit. From Filter:
"The video uses a pastiche of the turn-of-the-century meets Vaudvellian cut-out art made by singer Geremy Jasper. It's a twisted journey ala Alice in Wonderland, but no white rabbits, tea or Walruses... more like skeletons, fun-house mirrors and top hat wearing demons."
Pitchfork has it right - the new video for The Strokes "You Only Live Once" is the filthiest thing ever...but not in the way you're probably thinking so don't get your hopes up...perv.
Watch the video below, then go hop in the shower.
Radiohead premiered a new track, "All I Need," last night in Chicago. God bless the lucky bastard who managed to snag some video and get it up on YouTube. Check it out below.
Despite our bold promise to go "Weird Al-Free" in 2006, SS is all about the goofy parodies this week. So many of you got a chuckle out of that James Blunty "My Cubicle" here's some more yucks to through till happy hour.
Bono's shtick has always been ripe for imitation, but this chap has got it spot on. Plus, if you're familiar with the whole Snakes On a Plane (Or SoaP, as the cool kids have taken to calling it) viral phenomenon, it's that much funnier.
Snakes, afros, Bono in a hoodie and that bad mo-fo Sam Jackson - a recipe for funny if you ask us. The track is about two minutes too long, but somebody get this guy a job on SNL quick!
And we thought "Steady As She Goes," the new track from Jack White's "more legit than we expected" side show The Raconteurs, couldn't get any cooler.
Now featuring Paul Reubens! (Pee Wee Herman for you silly non-fans.)
We, like Ultragrrl (thanks for the link!) are still trying to figure out if posting this is offensive or not. Don't get us wrong, everyone at Sonic Slang is down with tolerance (unless you're preaching tolerance to James Blunt of course), but this is seriously whacked.
In fact, it makes those hippies down at Fraggle Rock look pretty damned normal by comparison. Ahhh, nothing like some puppet blood lust (in Jesus's name of course) to brighten up your Monday. But was is just us, or did you feel a little sorry for poor ole' Lucifer in that sling and wheelchair? God is a bully...
Have a blessed day everyone. Satan has been paralyzed!
Well for those of you that have remained faithful in the pro-Paris era of Sonic Slang, we thank you...and sort of wonder what the hell his is wrong with you. But regardless, we bring help! This new Pop Slut video is the perfect remedy for those of us that find ourselves nodding our heads to "The Stars Are Blind," then throwing up just a little in our mouths.
Yes friends, many others continue to grapple with this new world in which, at least temporarily, our favorite bimbo appears to have at least marginal skills at something...
But that doesn't mean for even a second, that we can't still poke fun. Thanks to Best Week Ever for taking us back to our Hilton-bashing roots, if just for a few minutes.
