In The Buzz

Follow me at www.terrence-obrien.com

2009-05-20T12:31:00.001-04:00

You should check out my new site at Terrence-OBrien.com

In Case You Were Wondering

2007-07-10T03:04:00.000-04:00

I simply didn't have the time to keep this up.
But I have now joined the ranks of professional writer (well blogger... but I just like the sound of writer better.)

I'm a contributing writer at Switched.com, the AOL tech and gadget blog, and I have a music blog sponsored by B5 Media clumsily called Big Apple Music Scene.

Check me out at both.

Happy Birthday VHS!

2006-10-11T12:59:00.000-04:00

30 years ago today JVC released the 1st VCR and the accompanying VHS format.
Enjoy!

You've gotta be kidding me right?

2006-09-19T12:35:00.000-04:00

Rolling Stone is reporting that The Knack are suing Run DMC for lifting the riff to "My Sharona" for use in "It's Tricky".

Now are The Knack really this broke? or have they been living under a rock for the last 20 years...

NMT

2006-09-05T15:11:00.000-04:00

Not too much to get excited about from the music world this week.

I'm From Barcelona release their critically aclaimed debut LP Let Me Introduce You to My Friends. I'm From Barcelona attempts to fill that void that may be left by not having enough cutesy irony laced indie pop in your diet... I however am afraid this may give me diabetes.

Beyonce's confusingly titled new album, B'day, comes out today. It's sure to be chock full of hot producers & Jigga guest spots, but is it going to be more "Crazy in Love" or more "Gift from Virgo".

90's rock stalwarts cum supergroup Audioslave drop their 3rd load entitled Revelations. It's been pretty unanimously agreed upon that this is better than their sophmore effort Out of Exile, but not quite as good as their self titled debut... which places it somewhere between 'quite awful' and 'tragedy on par with 9/11'.

Pinkback releases what is sure to be a fans only affair titled Nautical Antiques: Selection of B-Sides Outtakes. While I have nothing against Pinback, infact I quite enjoy them sometimes, the idea of a b-sides collection from a band whos albums are often inconsistent is a little bothersome.

Crocodile Hunter Dies

2006-09-04T03:26:00.000-04:00

Steve Irwin, also know as the Crocodile Hunter has died after suffering a stingray barb to the chest. A conservationist, pop culture icon, husband and father, Steve Irwin's death will certainly be felt by many. Lets just hope they don't try to turn this into a pay-per-view special.

Top 5 Songs to Flee from the Police to

2006-09-01T14:40:00.002-04:00

5.
Pearl Jam – Go

Sure it’s a little cheesy sounding. 'Go' is a muscle car anthem for Gen-X, but it’s an undeniable pulse raiser. The spiraling guitar lines and wailing solos are the perfect backdrop for a high speed car chase down urban roads. Ones preferably filled with unwitting pedestrians and plenty of other cars to hit.

buy it at insound!

4.
Rage Against the Machine – Know Your Enemy
Nowadays it's hard to believe that this once sounded different and daring, but I promise you it did. 'Know Your Enemy' is Rage at their most hard core punk inspired and their most aggressively defiant. The chugging riffs are alternately frantic feet on the pavement and punches in the face. Antiauthoritarianism at its rap-metal best.

buy it at insound!

3.
Miles Davis – Spanish Key
Now wait! I know what you’re thinking, “Miles Davis??? Has he lost his fucking mind?” I promise you, children, I have not. Go swiftly to your parent’s CD rack… or your cool uncle's… or perhaps iTunes… but go get Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew, and cue up 'Spanish Key' (bonus points if it’s on vinyl). Turn up the volume to an almost deafening level. That bass line? It's the sound of a racing heart and the horns are chaotic desperate gasps for breath. Between the 2:15 and 3:15 mark the song picks up a frantic claustrophobic pace. This song begs to be placed behind foot bound chase sequence.

buy it at insound!

2.
The Walkmen – The Rat
If you have an inexhaustible reservoir of energy -- and the lungs of an Olympic runner -- then perhaps this is the song for your run from the police. If you can keep up with the constant, almost unsustainable tempo, it's guaranteed that no donut eating cop will ever catch you. However, if you’re not in shape, the Roadrunner pace of the song may cause your heart to explode.

buy it at insound!

1.
Beastie Boys – Sabotage
Perhaps it’s the Chips-esque video that really solidifies this as number one. You can’t hear it without picturing cop mustaches and muscle cars. It’s a classic, considered by many to be the best video ever, while others think it's only the second best video ever. But the song certainly deserves to be here on its own merits. The sprinting chorded bass line is the anchor for the high adrenaline of the choppily played punk guitar and screaming testosterone of the yell-rapped vocals. The defiant lyrics are really secondary to the packaging but they certainly only bolster my argument that you couldn’t do any better than this song for the soundtrack to you flight from the authorities.

buy it at insound!

Whoa... meta...

2006-08-31T12:53:00.000-04:00

Its obvious that we (as in the royal) here at In The Buzz really like lists. So with that in mind I couldn't let this go with out sharing it with you. Its a little old... and its not even that great... but a top 10 of top 10s is just way too meta to pass up.

New Music Tuesday (or NMT for those in the know)

2006-08-29T14:37:00.000-04:00

Tuesdays make me feel funny in my belly. Especially when Tuesday brings such glorious treats like Bob Dylan’s new CD Modern Times (buy it at insound!). Modern Times picks up where 2001’s brilliant Love and Theft left off. More meditations on life, death & the state of the world (you know… standard Dylan fare) laid over swampy tracks filled with melodies that sound like they’re crawling off of a barroom floor.

Game Theory from the legendary Roots crew also drops today. A decidedly darker affair than the disappointing The Tipping Point, this album leans in a less commercial direction and provides more room for ?uestlove & crew to breathe and work their magic.

Everyones favorite ditzy blonde lets loose A Public Affair today and is already proving to disappoint fans the world over… just look at the customer reviews on Amazon. A Public Affair finds Jessica trying to update her style a little bit and hop on some new trends such as 80’s fetishism… unfortunately she’s just a bit slow, and her cover of “You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)” just isn’t going to cut it.

Somewhere Beavis and Butthead are rocking out to Beyond Hell the latest from cartoon shock metal gods, Gwar. It doesn’t matter if you love Gwar or hate Gwar, the point of this band of art school pals was never to record great music but to provide the music world with its very own Tales from the Crypt. Sure its vicious and ultra violent, but its so cartoony that you could never take it seriously.

Sleater Kinney's Final Show

2006-08-29T10:25:00.000-04:00

RySpace has been kind enough to share his recordings of Sleater Kinney's final show at the Crystal Ballroom with the rest of the world, and for this I love him.
Check it out here and here

I wish I had been there...

Ted Leo & the South Street Seaport

2006-08-25T14:48:00.000-04:00

Gothamist posted a brief history of Ted Leo at the South Street Seaport... the torrential down pour that seems to be just over the horizon is only appropriate.

I was at the previous torrential down pour show, and traveled back home looking like I jumped in a lake. Thankfully I finally got to see him this summer at the Pitchfork Festival.

Top 5 songs about somebody elses girl

2006-08-23T14:24:00.000-04:00

Love, unrequited love, sex, revenge, crushes, fantasies... Girls are the number one topic for song writers. Sometimes the topic is specifically a girl that already belongs to someone else.

5.
Sublime - Santeria

The wounded male. A peculiar creature really, quick to threaten violence. Always belittling those around him... Apparently Sancho, stole his heina. This doesn't sit well with Bradley... who can blame him. I've heard people say that this is about the religious practice of Santeria, or about using the powers of Santeria to get his girl back, but outside of the opening line I just don't see it. What I do see is a pissed off boy who just had his girl stolen threatening to stick the barrel of his new .45 down some guys throat... bitches man...

buy it at insound!

4.
Derik & the Dominos - Layla

Famously written about Patti Boyd, the wife of Clapton's good friend George Harrison, Layla landmark tale of unrequited love. The title and refrain were inspired by The Story of Layla / Layla and Manjun (madman) by the Persian poet Nezami. Sure by now many of us disregard this song as sappy classic rock pap, but go back and listen to it again and try to forget all your preconcieved notions about it. It is impossible not to feel Claptons pain as he wails through the chorus, pleading with out sounding pathetic, and when the 2^nd movement comes it the wafting piano chords are the sound of accepting defeat.

buy it at insound!

3.
The Cars - My Best Friend's Girl

The Cars aren't much for beating around the bush. No vaguries, no metaphors, no name changes. Just a chugging little pop tune about being in love with your best friends girl friend... who used to be yours. This is classic Cars, chugging riffs, bouncy harmonies, high pitched synth melodies, you can't go wrong with Cars singles.

buy it at insound!

2.
Rick Springfield - Jessie's Girl

I know this is the 1^st song that popped in all of your heads when you saw this. Don't even try to deny it. Hell you may have even drawn a blank when trying to think of other songs about other peoples girls because this has become so ubiquitous. Sure its campy, sure its been played to death by every VH1 special under the sun, but theres reason for that; Its a perfect new wavey pop tune. Yet another song that completly casts aside any ideas of being anything but completely literal and direct. Rick Springfield claims this is based on a real situation, but has never revealed who "Jessie" or "Jessie's Girl" is.

5.
Elvis Costell0 - Alison

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalisooon... Oh creepy, creepy Elvis Costello. This is the ultimate unrequited love song... though possibly cause she doesn't know Costello loves her... or that he even knows who she is. Costello watches from a distance, imagines what her life must be like. It sounds sweet till you listen to the lyrics. The obssesive watching from the bushes quality is unshakable, and the ending mantra of "my aim is true" is just plain scary.

buy it at insound!

2006-08-22T14:00:00.000-04:00

Oh Tuesday, how I love thee… let me count the ways.

One 1000; Outkast. Idlewild. The soundtrack to their film of the same name that opens this Friday. Few artists are as consistently interesting as Outkast (Radiohead of the rap world). How many other musical acts could decide “hey I / we should make a film… a period piece! About the depression! And of course do an album of new material to accompany it!” that you would still take seriously afterwards? This could be their worst album ever and still be better than 99% of the music released this year.

buy it at insound!

Two 1000; Cursive, everybody’s 2^nd favorite Oberst associates, release Happy Hollow their first studio album since losing their cellist Gretta Cohn. Tim Kasher decided that rather than replace Gretta with a 2^nd rate wannabe Gretta they’d ditch the cello and play up the drunken horns.

buy it at insound!

Three 1000; Mountain Goats put out the highly anticipated follow up to The Sunset Tree, Get Lonely today. If you were hoping for rollicking drinking songs in the vain of “This Year” however prepare to be disappointed as Get Lonely finds the Mountain Goats playing more laid back tunes behind even more introspective tales penned by prolific song writer John Darnielle.

buy it at insound!

Four 1000; Former Dashboard confessional touring guitarist Mike Stroud and pal Evan Mast drop the wonderfully presumptuously titled Classics. Daft Punk + Hip Hop + Hair Metal Fetish = <3

buy it at insound!

Five 1000; Professional cum bucket Paris Hilton releases her self titled debut… Paris

Six 1000; Future Crayon the B-sides album from indie elctro darlings Broadcast.

buy it at insound!

Seven 1000; Legendary schizophrenics Primal Scream see the US release of Riot City Blues… I have no idea what it sounds like, nor do I want to guess since I’d probably be wrong.

Awesome new Rapture video

2006-08-22T00:43:00.000-04:00

Top 5 Late Night TV Musical Perfomances

2006-08-16T15:31:00.000-04:00

5. Fear on Saturday Night Live
_{I Don't Care About You, Beef Bologna, New York's Alright... If You Like Saxophones, Let's Have a War}

I was unable to find video of this performance. If anyone happens to have it I would greatly appreciate it if you could share it with my blog reading public. Thanks

What makes Fear's appearence so memorable is not what you see. It's what the producers pulled. John Belushi managed to convince Loren Michaels to book the unabashedly violent hardcore punks, and even convinved him to let them bring in dancers (including Belushi himself, and Ian McKaye) by volounteering to appear on the episode. Things started as just awkward as Lee Ving told everyone it was "great to be in New Jersey", and gave a spirited performance of their anti New York screed New York's Alright... If You Like Saxophones. But as the band launched into Let's Have A War the "dancers" got out of control and had themselves a mini riot, knocking over cameras and scaring the hell out of the audience.

4. Sinead O'Connor on Saturday Night Live
_{Am I Not Your Girl?, War}

It's O'Connor's 2^nd performance, an accapella cover of Bob Marley's War that made headlines. O'Connor quivers with what is, in hindsight, obvious nervousness. None the less she stands strong as she ends her emotional performance byb proclaiming "Fight the real enemy" and tearing up a photo of the Pope. The audience doesn't know what to do, not a sound is made. Even to this day its thrilling and shocking.

3. The White Stripes on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
_{Seven Nation Army, Jolene, The Hardest Button to Button, Let's Build a Home}

To my knowlege no band, or show has done anything like this. For a full week The White Stripes took up residence at the NBC studios and served as the musical guests on Conan O'Brien. Every night brought another fantastic performance from a band at their creative peak. This is my personal favorite (though the impromptu verse from John the Revelator during Let's Build a Home is also a highlight) from their week long engagement.

2. U2 on The Tomorrow Show
_{I Will Follow, Twilight}

The opening notes of I Will Follow announced the arrival of a new era... the U2 era. The ragged urgency of the Edges riff and the posturing of Bono were a perfect introduction to the arena rock by way of dancey post punk that U2 would embody and perfect in the beginning of their career. Even at this early stage Bono is obviously convinced of his rock'n'roll messiah role, and soon the rest of world would be too.

1. The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show
_{All My Loving, Till There Was You, She Loves You, I Want To Hold Your Hand}

Sure they were just a bunch of pretty British boys who played jangly pop tunes. Sure you can barely hear the performance above the screaming teenage girls. Regardless it is the watershed moment for American music and pop culture. Every other televised performance, every other cultural coming out is compared to this and pales in shear magnitude and importance. And whens the last time you heard teenage girls scream like that for... well anyone?

New Music... Sucksday! oh the wit! I kill me

2006-08-15T13:43:00.000-04:00

So I'm not really gonna bother talking too much about new music Tuesday... Its not cause I'm lazy... it's just cause I don't know what to say about any of the worthless albums out this week...

Christina Aguilera? Obie Trice? Snakes on a Plan OST?
crap. crap. crap.

not even crap worth mocking... just plain vanilla crap.

buy it at insound!

Sonic Youth & the Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ McCarren Park Pool Tomorrow

2006-08-11T11:19:00.000-04:00

I've got an extra ticket to the show tomorrow if anyone is interested, selling it for face value.

Top 5 Wind in Your Hair Driving Fast Songs

2006-08-10T16:45:00.000-04:00

Sorry, I know this is a day late, but you know job and all…

I’ve decided to buy a car… I can’t live on Staten Island and continue to not have one… stupid lack of decent public transportation…
So I’ve picked one out pretty much, gonna go down to the dealership today and take a test drive. This got me thinking, of course, about driving… driving fast… blasting music.
So for your reading pleasure, I give you my top 5 songs to blast while driving fast on a gorgeous summer afternoon.

5. U2 – Where the Streets Have No Name

It’s a journey to nowhere in song form.
Sling a bag over your back; grab the keys from the table next to the door… practically trip down the stairs as you run to the car. Keys in the ignition… pick up your girl/boy-friend. Windows down, stereo blasting.
U2 generally lends itself well to driving, the push of Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. and the histrionics of “the Edge” and Bono combine to create a soundtrack that makes you wish your car could take off into the air.

4.Cake – The Distance

The pulsating bass and chugging guitar that drive The Distance are the building blocks of many great driving songs of old (sic Radar Love by Golden Earing, Born to be Wild by Steppenwolf, Let’s Go by the Cars). Cake updates this formula with G-funk synths, pseudo hip-hop rhythms and wry spoke-sung lyrics. The chorus alone puts it on this list

“He’s going for distance! He’s going fooor speed.”

3.Spoon – The Way We Get By

I spent some time praying that this song would become huge, disgusting, this generations Smells Like Teen Spirit… it never happened. But it is still an undeniable pop classic. It’s a crowd pleaser that is perfect road fodder. The driving drums and hopping piano line, even the dynamics of the song are perfect for driving down the road… and occasionally flooring the gas pedal.

2.The Cardigans – My Favourite Game

From their often overlooked album Grand Turismo My Favorite Game is complete with high BPM processed drums that seemed to be a prerequisite for releasing a single in the mid/late 90’s… and it doesn’t hurt that the video was like a bad and dangerous driving highlight reel.

1.Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run

Topping off one of my lists for the second time (in case you can’t tell I sort of dig the guys tunes) the Boss has crafted the perfect driving song. Its epic. Its chugging. Its rhythms are pushing. Its immediately satisfying. This is the song where Springsteen perfected his formula of girls, cars, and music. The Springsteen mythology is in its best form right here.

There are so many honarable mentions but I just don't have the time... plus that would be cheating.

Technorati Tags: top 5, music, best, driving

Just another day...

2006-08-08T16:45:00.000-04:00

After taking last week off I’m back to my usual weekly duty of a “New Music Tuesday” post, and tomorrow a return of my weekly Top 5 (now with 15% less lazy!).
This week we have the 2 CD solo debut of Matthew Friedberger, Winter Women / Holy Ghost Language School. Most people don’t “debut” with double albums (unless of course you have an ego the size of Cody Chestnutt’s but Friedberger is not most people. He is arguably the more important half of The Fiery Furnaces who are inarguably the most consistently interesting act in modern music.
If you’re a feminist, possibly a militant lesbian, and you like Dave Mathews Band music but find it well… just a tad too masculine… well your in luck, cause Ani DiFranco is here to give you Reprieve (oh word play how I love thee).
Comets On Fire bring us Avatar.
I’m not going to say anything about this album… I’m just going to give you the quip from Amazon… few things have ever sounded less inviting.

The follow-up to "Blue Cathedral" is an earthy, more accessible, and downright beautiful album. "Avatar" veers from swinging, bluesy explorations to piano-laced, progressive power balladry to pure tribalism, evoking everyone from the Allmans to Quicksilver to Procol Harem to some insane Fela/Sun Ra/Crazy Horse hybrid, yet remains wholly Comets On Fire. Though they play cleaner and clearer, their firepower is evident and abundant.

Slayer’s original line up returns for the first time since Seasons in the Abyss to make an album of militant antireligious anthems entitled Christ Illusion
On the rap front Masta Killah and MOP drop new “joints” today, entitled Made in Brooklyn and Ghetto Warfare respectively. Ghetto Warfare is an album of b-sides and unreleased tracks and therefore is certainly “fans only” material.

Wierder than I thought

2006-08-07T12:10:00.000-04:00

This is old news, but I've never actually seen or heard the performance before so I wanted to share with you.
This is one of the most surreal moments in pop culture.
I give you Phish & Jay Z live, performing 99 Problems and Big Pimpin
ENJOY!

p.s.
I know I owe you Pitchfork Day 2 coverage... its coming... better late than never right?

Plagurism is fun

2006-08-04T12:13:00.000-04:00

I just stole this post from Pop Tarts Suck Toasted cause I'm really lazy, but I wanted to share with the 1 or 2 of you that might read my blog but not his.

If you're not in Chicago this weekend, and you find yourself indoors trying to beat the heat you can check out the live Lollapalooza webcast on AT&T's Blue Room. Here's the schedule starting with today!

Friday August 4th Lineup*
12:30 PM Subways
01:30 PM Cursive
02:30 PM Panic! At the Disco
03:30 PM Editors
04:30 PM Umphrey's McGee
05:30 PM Secret Machines
06:30 PM The Raconteurs
07:30 PM Deadboy and the Elephantmen
08:00 PM Ryan Adams
09:00 PM Sleater-Kinney

Saturday August 5th, Lineup*
12:30 PM Living Things
01:30 PM Iron and Wine
02:30 PM Coheed and Cambria
03:30 PM Wolfmother
04:30 PM Nada Surf
05:30 PM The Smoking Popes
06:30 PM Common
07:30 PM Dresden Dolls
08:30 PM 5 Songs from Kanye West's Performance
09:00 PM Thievery Corporation

Sunday August 6th Lineup*
12:30 PM Sparta
01:30 PM Stars
02:00 PM Matt Costa
02:30 PM Ben Kweller
03:30 PM The Frames
04:30 PM The Redwalls
05:30 PM She Wants Revenge
06:30 PM Andrew Bird
07:30 PM Poi Dog Pondering
08:30 PM Wilco
09:30 PM Blues Traveler

Pitchfork Festival: Day 1

2006-08-03T01:08:00.000-04:00

Saturday at noon the Pitchfork Festival officially kicked off with a set from Hot Machines. I skipped both their set and Chin Up Chin Up’s. Instead I checked out the Graphic Noise: Art at 1000 dB’s exhibit of concert poster art and get some food from Ina’s a restaurant I discovered last year at Intonation and had to make the trip back to this time… twice.

The gallery was pretty dead, but definitely worth checking out. And its location is perfect, right outside the State and Lake stop on the red line on my short above ground walk to the green line to head to Union Park. Many of the artists appeared at Flatstock at the Pitchfork Festival, hocking their wares and signing posters.
After that it was on to Ina’s which due to the festival was a tad on the busy side. Ina’s has by far the best breakfast foods I’ve ever had. The Vanilla Bean Waffles with fresh seasonal fruit and absolutely amazing, and the baked French toast with apple compote will ruin all other French toast for you.
After rushing through my meal it was time to walk down the block to Union park to catch Man Man’s set at 2pm. In case you missed my previous post, Man Man was one of the acts I was most excited to see, and I was not disappointed. Man Man emerged clad in their trademark white outfits and face paint and proceeded to have themselves a Captain Beefheart style musical freakout. They skipped their quieter more contemplative songs in favor of all out craziness. Toy horns and pans played central role in some songs, and they even showered the audience in brightly colored feathers.

Band of Horses followed and I took a seat in the shade across the park. I’ll admit that I didn’t pay much attention but the set seemed enjoyable. I was trying to stay cool and was chatting with some friends. Mountain Goats followed, and while I’m a huge fan of The Sunset Treethe material simply didn’t come off live. Maybe if I had camped out in front of the stage and baked in the hot sun I could have gotten a decent spot and been more engaged, but half way through the set I took a seat on the ground towards the back of the crowd. Part of the problem may have been that I was simply unfamiliar with most of the material as John Darnielle barely touched upon The Sunset Tree.
Following The Mountain Goats is when the show really took off. Destroyer wowed me infusing their set with much more enthusiasm than I assumed Dan Bejar could muster for his theatrical prog-pop tunes. A good mix of Your Blues tracks and Destroyer’s Rubies song made up most of the set.

Art Brut followed and as usual was mind bogglingly fantastic. Eddie Argos ranted and raved and boasted, while the rest of the band played the best ‘so dumb its brilliant’ punk rock to come out in ages. The usual set of tracks off of Bang Bang Rock & Roll was augmented by a number of new songs including “Nag Nag Nag” and an as yet untitled song that was only half finished. If you’ve never seen Art Brut I suggest you do it ASAP, you won’t regret it.

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists were in a spot that no man would envy. Following Art Brut is no easy task, but Ted Leo and crew were more than up to the job. They played a nice cross section of material from their career and didn’t shy away from the crowd pleasers like “Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone” and “Timorous Me”. Pat over at Pop Tarts Suck Toasted referred to the Ted Leo set as the biggest surprise of the weekend, so there’s one more Ted Leo convert.
Next were The Walkmen who sounded good, but a bit too much like someone was simply blasting their CD over the PA. I sat back and listened from the distance recouped some energy from standing in the sun all day and staked out a spot for The Futureheads who were fantastic.

They plowed through their set with minimal filler and banter but maximum energy. The Futureheads also played to the crowd more than any other act on the 1^st day and even led the audience through a sing-along of their amazing Kate Bush cover Hounds of Love

The Silver Jews ended the night on a more mellow note, winding through their set at a deliberate pace. The rumored Pavement reunion didn’t surface, but to be honest I never seriously considered it a possibility. The intricacies of the The Silver Jews recordings were amazingly well preserved in a live setting.

All in all a fantastic first day for the festival and I couldn’t wait for more.
I’ll post my coverage of day two soon.

Sleater Kinney webcast on NPR.org

2006-08-02T15:27:00.000-04:00

NPR will be webcasting Sleater Kinney's sold out show in DC tomorrow (Thursday, August 3rd). You can view this as a wonderful oportunity to get a last taste of Sleater Kinney live, or just a viscious tease meant to bring you to bring of a jealousy fueled nervous breakdown...

Pitchfork Festival Opening night party @ Metro

2006-08-02T02:09:00.000-04:00

The festivities in Chicago started Friday night at Metro with the Pitchfork Festival Opening Night Party featuring The Joggers, a trifecta of underground comedy stars (Todd Barry, Eugene Mirman, and Aziz Ansari), Voxtrot, and Spencer Krug vehicle Sunset Rubdown.

The Joggers took the stage first and did their prog-rock via Les Savy Fav shtick. There were a number of memorable and enjoyable songs during their set, including a disturbingly straight cover of Yes’s Long Distance Run Around for those who doubted their prog-rock pedigree.

Following The Joggers was the comedy. Aziz was trapped in New York unfortunately, but Eugene Mirman, and Todd Barry, still killed. Mirman, and Barry know therir audience, and packed their sets with Pitchfork and MySpace jokes.

Voxtrot followed with their well written if a little dull set of pop tunes. At least this time around the sound was much better and Mothers, Sisters, Daughters and Wives actually sounded like it was being played by a band.
Voxtrot played a few new tunes from their forthcoming long player that’s as of yet untitled, and tentatively scheduled for release in early 2007.

After Voxtrot’s pretty selves were done wooing the young indie girls Sunset Rubdown took the stage. Spencer Krug gets more adventurous and shrugs off the shadow of Isaacc Brock that colors Wolf Parade’s Appologies to the Queen Mary with Sunset Rubdown.

The more erratic compositions of Sunset Rubdown are a more comfortable fit for Krug’s rambling phrasings and unpredictable melodies. Live the impact of the instrumentation is only amplified, the delicate melodies of the xylophone and cascades of piano are overtaken by the unexpected power of guitarist and drummer Jordan Robson Cramer and Michael Doerksen who act like steroids for Krug’s emotional outpourings.

Archaeological evidence suggests Jackson is immortal

2006-07-30T01:38:00.000-04:00

Evidence was discovered Friday, by a group of tourists wandering the Field Museum in Chicago, that suggests Michael Jackson may actually be an ancient Egyptian. Further investigation is being undertaken to confirm the theory, but striking features such as the cartoon like eyes, narrow lips, and lack of nose have led most to conclude beyond a doubt that this artifact is a burial carving intended to adorn Jackson's coffin. Museum officials declined to comment at this time.

Just to rub it in...

2006-07-26T16:30:00.000-04:00

This week I am presenting you with the top 5 artists I'm most excited to see at the Pitchfork Festival this weekend.
I do this for 2 reasons.
1, in my mad dash to make sure everything is taken care of at work before I leave for my vacation I have not had the time to come up with anything better, and 2, I just want to rub it in that I'm going to the Pitchfork Festival and dear reader may not be... which makes me better than you.

5. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists –

2 years ago I wandered down to the South Street Seaport to see my favorite Thin Lizzy worshipping punk rockers. I got about a song and a half before strong winds and rain closed down the show… I had to make the hour long trip home looking like I had jumped in a lake but it whet my appetite for more…

4. Diplo –

Last year Diplo was the only DJ I managed to check out at Intonation, but I’m pretty sure its safe to assume he had the best set. He actually had the best DJ I’ve ever seen and I can’t wait to squeeze in some more time dancing and sweating under the big top.

3. Tapes ‘n Tapes –

These dancey little bastards have grown on me since I first listened to their album The Loon and went ”eh”. Now its tough to go a day with out one of their lovely ditties getting lodged in my brain.

2. Os Mutantes –

Brazilian tropicalia legends reunite and bless this show with their presence. They’ve inspired everybody you listen to that’s ever dabbled in rhythms that originate in South America. Beck would sleep with all of them if he could.

1. Man Man –

Man Man was an early favorite of mine, I fell in love with Six Demon Bag the moment it hit my iPod. Their live show has been described as a “circus-of-insanity”… I can’t wait.

Technorati Tags: top 5, music, indie, pitchfork, festival

Everyday should be Tuesday

2006-07-25T16:25:00.000-04:00

Every Tuesday like clockwork the record companies deem us worthy of receiving the latest in rock ’n’ roll technology.
… And we like good sheep gobble it up.

This week we are force fed the long awaited / feared Pharrell Williams solo effort, In My Mind. Pharrell tries to become Kanye, when what really Pharrell should be focusing on is just being Pharrell… Unless this is Pharrell being Pharrell… in which case he should try to be Kanye. Producers will never stop getting greedy and trying for the spot light… but they should at least try to stop releasing solo albums.
Old School obsessees Jurassic 5 bring us another platter of “Real” hip-hop called Feedback. Of course by "real" they mean dated sounding…
Today also sees the domestic release of The Knife’s excellent Silent Shout which has been pumping its gooey electro goodness through my iPod for a few months now.
Noise “rock” artists Excepter give us Alternation yet another collection of completely incomprehensible and incomparable “music” that is about as far from ‘common’ as you can get.

If you’re a fan of artists old enough that your dad saw them when he was 16, then you, my friend are going to have a hell of a day as well. First off is Tom Petty’s Highway Companion, his first solo album in twelve years, and it’s steeped in southern rock goodness. Also today a reunited New York Dolls give us One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This a follow up that was 32 years in the making. And still sounds exactly like the New York Dolls.

The lamest thing to happen to boardgames... ever...

2006-07-25T10:12:00.000-04:00

Engadget is reporting thatMonopoly has gone plastic... at least in the UK.

Stores have cut the price on the traditional version with its colorful "Monopoly Money" in order to clear out stock now that they've introduced the new electronic version.
VISA struck a deal with Parker Brothers to brand the mock debit cards... so now instead of bright orange $500 dollar bills everyone gets this:

You're not in a truck...

2006-07-21T10:09:00.000-04:00

Andrew Raff has posted a song on his MySpace page putting Senator Ted Steven's description of the internet as a "series of tubes" to song.
The page was taken down then re-instated after a article on Wired pointed out that MySpace's cancellation email cited trademark and copyright violations when no copyright laws had been broken.

I know I'm a little late to the ball game on this one, but go enjoy the song and remember

"the internet is not something you just dump something on. It's not a truck.

It's a series of tubes."

The top 5 most depressing songs ever

2006-07-20T13:46:00.000-04:00

Hello my blog reading public. I realize I am a day late in posting this, yesterday was a little on the hectic side, my job had me stuck in Stamford, Connecticut for half the day.
But now I am ready to bestow upon you my top 5 most depressing songs ever! These are the songs that take you from self pity to utter despair and can ruin any good mood.

5. The Streets – Dry Your Eyes

Mike Skinner, yes the guy that previously brought you such somber tracks as “Fit But You Know It” and “The Irony of It All”, gets all sorts of miserable on “Dry Your Eyes”. Originally the chorus was to be sung by Chris Martin of Coldplay, but Skinners voice cracking just makes the whole track more convincing. This vivid first person description of being rejected would make even the most hardened cynic get all misty eyed.

She brings her hands up towards where my hands rested
She wraps her fingers round mine with the softness she’s blessed with
She peels away my fingers, looks at me and then gestures
By pushin’ my hand away to my chest, from hers

4. Ben Folds Five – Brick

Common sense would say that a song about taking your girlfriend to get an abortion could never be a hit. Common decency would probably also prevent you from sharing such an experience with the world… thankfully Ben Folds does not listen anything “common”. We’re walked through the day, the experience step by painful step.

They call her name at 7:30
I pace around the parking lot
Then I walk down to buy her
Flowers
And sell some gifts that I got
Cant you see
Its not me youre dying for
Now shes feeling more alone
Than she ever has before

3. Nirvana – Where Did You Sleep Last Night

An old blues song, originally recorded in a jail cell, being performed by a whiny white suburban guy has no right to be this convincing or this heart breaking. A life time worth of pain and frustration is captured, not in a lyric, or in a note, but in a breath. Right before the last line of the song everything stops and Kurt Cobain draws one last breath in preparation for the last screeching gut wrenching line.

2. Billie Holiday – Strange Fruit

Based on a poem by Lewis Allen about lynching in the south, “Strange Fruit” will
make you feel ashamed; for your country and for ever complaining about anything… ever. The metaphor only serves to make the image even more disturbing, reminding us that they weren’t even human in many peoples eyes.

Southern trees bear strange fruit,
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,
Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze,
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.

1. Bruce Springsteen – The River

There are more tragic fates in this world than a mundane predetermined existence, but you’d be hard pressed to think otherwise while listening to “The River”. Springsteen’s lyrics capture the desperation of the daily grind and the trappings of small town life better than anyone ever has, and he delivers them with the conviction of someone who is intimately connected to the lifestyle.
Listening to this song is the best argument that just being another cog in the machine is a fate worse than death.

Then I got mary pregnant and man that was all she wrote
And for my nineteen birthday I got a union card and a wedding coat
We went down to the courthouse and the judge put it all to rest
No wedding day smiles no walk down the aisle
No flowers no wedding dress

Technorati Tags: top 5, top five, music, depressing, list

A distraction from the Mideast crisis

2006-07-18T14:12:00.000-04:00

Another new music Tuesday is upon us.
And another slow one at that…
July 18th, 2006 brings us a number of releases to make us go “heh”.
First up is Method man, with 4:21 The Day After. Apparently after reading some disparaging reviews of Tical 0: The Prequel Meth decided he had to rethink his whole approach and come at us with a “Clear headed… Street” record. The only thing that gives me hope that the entire thing isn’t complete crap is the fact that the RZA is back behind the boards on a few tracks.

MSTRKRFT, the indie worlds second favorite remixers, release The Looks. I won’t pretend to be completely in the know about these guys, but from what I’ve heard they sure do like Daft Punk a lot… but I do enjoy the quip in their press release that states “they play parties not shows..”

Brooklyn based French Kicks continue to struggle against the stigma associated with having been a 2^rd tier neo garage rock group by sanding down their rough edges (they were never really sharp to begin with…) with harmonies and pop polish on Two Thousand. If you’re interested in perfectly pleasant, and completely forgettable pop rock that sits somewhere between the Strokes and Phoenix, the French Kicks will be appearing at the Virgin Records in Union Square.

Lilly Allen is poised to be the second coming of Annie and The Streets… though to me she kinda just sounds like the second coming of Nelly Furtado… and its all thanks to a little place those in the know call MySpace. Allen has been uploading radio friendly originals and covers to The Space and through viral marketing has landed a #1 in the UK with “Smile”. Her debut album Alright, Still comes out today and despite strong endorsements from Pitchfork, Pop Tarts Suck Toasted, Mojo, Q I think I’ll hold off on picking this up… perhaps I should finally get around to actually checking out her MySpace page.

Technorati Tags: new releases, music, indie, pop, myspace, lilly allen

Office Webisodes!

2006-07-17T16:45:00.000-04:00

10 part online only Office miniseries available here

World Series of Pop Culture

2006-07-12T22:57:00.000-04:00

In case you haven't seen it yet the World Series of Pop Culture on VH1 is fucking awesome...
I'm completely addicted.

Technorati Tags: pop culture, vh1, world series, TV

Top 5 Solo Breakthroughs

2006-07-12T21:25:00.000-04:00

The release of The Eraser yesterday got me thinking about solo albums. I decided to compile a list of the best break out solo albums. Basically I was looking for albums from artists who had established themselves with successful groups then shed their hangers on and released substantial albums.

5. Ryan Adams – Heart Breaker

With Heartbreaker Adams set himself free of the alt-country trappings he had helped popularize with Whiskeytown. Heart Breaker's more folksy sound won him critical aclaim. Though sales were slow at first it is now considered a landmark album. Sure it was all a pretty swift decline from here, Gold, Demolition, Winona...
but for one album Adams was able to strike pure emotional gold.

4. Ice Cube – AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted

Ice Cube left NWA immediately following their breakthrough Straight Outta Compton. Ice Cube got help from the bomb squad and released a clostrophobic hyperaggressive masterpiece. Cube spits in the face of everyone, Easy E, the police, the government, and white people in general, and the whole time it only makes you love him more.

3. Lauren Hill – The Miseducation of Lauren Hill

Lauren Hill won the Grammy for best new artist despite haveing been around with the Fugees for a few years. Hill took the the more socialy concious, soul lovein elements of The Score and built a whole world. The Miseducation of Lauren Hill isn't just an album, its a legacy.

2. Brian Eno – Here Come the Warm Jets

Makeing his second appearance on one my lists, is Brian Eno. Eno left (the highly overated in my mind) Roxy Music and jumped head first into a solo career, delivering a disc dense with fuzz and ambient tones, packed into neat pop-song'esque packages.

1. Michael Jackson – Off the Wall

Sure Jackson had released solo singles before, and even did the soundtrack to Ben. But Michael Jackson's first real solo release is Off the Wall. Jackson was young, hungry, and agressive. Haveing to prove that he could carry an album without his family obviously made him put forth all the effort he could muster. The result is a blast disco bliss.

Technorati Tags: top 5, solo, music

Technorati Tags: top 5, solo, music

RIP Syd Barret

2006-07-11T16:52:00.000-04:00

Syd Barret has died.
Syd Barret was a founding member of Pink Floyd, and the main creative force behind the landmark Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

Barret was forced to leave the group in 1968 due to his increasing mental instability. But continued to serve as an inspiration not just for the other members of Pink Floyd, but many other musicians as well, including David Bowie.

Technorati Tags: Syd Barret, Pink Floyd, music

New Music Tuesday

2006-07-11T16:35:00.000-04:00

I should have posted this earlier… but its been busy round here.
But as always you can expect me to post something about my favorite holiday.

Today is the first New Music Tuesday in a few weeks that I’m genuinely excited about. Today we see the release of Thom Yorke’s first solo album. The Eraser. Rolling Stone praised the album, Pitchfork pissed on it, Stylus holds it on a pedestal, and Tiny Mix Tapes and Entertainment Weekly seem unimpressed… I’ve heard half the album and I must say I’m thrilled.

Sufjan Stevens releases The Avalanche: Outtakes And Extras From The Illinois Album. Most artists outtakes collections don’t intrigue me at all, but Sufjan is such a prolific artist with such a singular vision that he could record the sound of him making a PB&J sandwich and I’d probably at least download it.

Jimmy Tamborello continues his infuriating compulsion to create new monikers by releasing Mistake, Mistake, Mistake, Mistake today under the pseudonym James Figurine, which is maddeningly close to just plain Figurine, one of his many other projects…
The album was supposed to be Tamborello’s take on minimalist German techno in the vein of Kompakt, but Tamborello admits that the album fails at this landing much closer to the Postal Service than Justus Kohncke.
Featuring guest spots from Jenny Lewis, Erlend Oye and John Tejada Mistake, Mistake, Mistake, Mistake is sure to make electro loving indie fan-boys/girls wet their little panties with delight.

Other releases this week include Peaches contender for least witty album title of the year Impeach My Bush, Muse’s latest album of bloated electro-rock Black Holes And Revelations comes out today trying even harder to become Radiohead for the frat boy set by enlisting producer Rich Costey who previously has worked with Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave. Soul Asylum releases a new album today… I think that in and of itself is fucking hilarious.

Technorati Tags: new releases, music, Thom Yorke, rock, Sufjan Stevens, James Figurine

Bubmershoot lineup

2006-07-11T12:54:00.000-04:00

Hey Seattle, leave some acts for us!!

Bumbershoot has announced its complete lineup:

Saturday, September 2:

The Gossip, Blondie, Jamie Lidell, Deerhoof, Lady Sovereign, the Blood Brothers, NOMO, Badly Drawn Boy, Hawthrone Heights, Yellowcard, AFI, the Thermals, the Can't See, Po'okela Street Band, Dub Championz, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Erase Errata, the Epoxies, Korby Lenker, the Swains, Mark Pickerel & His Praying Hands, Laura Veirs, Alejandro Escovedo, Shooter Jennings, Derby, Slender Means, Halou, Rogue Wave, Of Montreal, Rik Wright, p:ano, the Living Jarboe, PK & What Army?, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, the Lonely Forest, the Lonely H, the Purrs, Daylight Basement, Sirens Sister, Cloud Cult

Sunday, September 3:

Kanye West, Spoon, the New Pornographers, Mates of State, Zero 7, Jose Gonzalez, Vashti Bunyan, Blue Scholars, Dengue Fever, Jeremy Enigk, Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk, Rishi Rich Project, Common Market, Gokh-Bi System, Tor Dietrichson with Mambo Cadillac, As I Lay Dying, mewithoutYou, 3 Inches of Blood, the Fall of Troy, Great Big Sea, Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson, Matt Costa, Sonya Kitchell, Electric Shades of Blue, West Valley Highway, Crystal Skulls, the Like, Mon Frere, Jim Knapp Orchestra, Kelley Johnson Quartet, Floyd Standifer, John Bishop Group, Deadbeat, Lusine, SynthClub, Thee Emergency, New Fangs, Velella Velella, Romance

Monday, September 4:

A Tribe Called Quest, Feist, Atmosphere, Steve Miller Band, Metric, CocoRosie, the Veronicas, Nouvelle Vague, Sparta, Copeland, the BellRays, the Subdudes, Particle, the Village Green, the English Beat, Yerba Buena, Breakestra, Cancer Rising, Olympic Sound Collective, the Briefs, Speaker Speaker, Bettye LaVette, Sera Cahoone, Brett Dennen, Randy Oxford Band, Rocky Votolato, Mountain Con, Bitter:sweet, Jacqui Naylor, the Transmissionary Six, Johanna Kunin, Kane Hodder, the Hollowpoints, Go Like Hell, the Invisible Eyes, Izabelle, the Saturday Knights, Macklemore, Abyssinian Creole

Technorati Tags: Bumbershoot, seatle, festivals

Cursive and my tired Tuesday

2006-07-11T12:01:00.000-04:00

In case any one out there is not aware… Mondays are bad nights to go out…
I’m falling asleep in my cubicle.
Cursive was awesome last night, just thought I’d share for those of you who couldn’t be there. Despite my general indifference for the group I found my self thoroughly entertained and engaged. Tim Kasher has the worst case of verbal diarrhea of any front man I’ve ever seen… he just could not shut up.

The openers were less enthralling. La Salle, from Michigan, bills themselves as “post-rock balladeers”… I don’t know what exactly they think “post-rock” is… but I’m pretty sure it is not occasionally scotch taping pieces of Breeders songs to pop emo tracks.

Tim Kinsella of Joan of Arc followed with one of his many projects Make Believe. Tim Shuffled awkwardly around stage looking like a fidgety child with downs syndrome while his companions played what sounded like a high school jazz band tuning their instruments. It is easily one of the worst performances I have ever seen.

Cursive came out however and made everything better, blowing through what seemed like a pretty brief set, but packing ever precious second with uncontainable energy and passion. The replacement Gretta has some serious cello chops, and gets some fantastically grating noises out of that thing.

I haven't seen a show at Bowery in a while... I forgot how great the sound is... makes every other venue seem like shit.

Summer concert fun continues!

2006-07-10T12:34:00.000-04:00

Belle and Sebastian's 4th of July show, for those of you that missed it was incredible.
Gothamist coverage, The Modern Age coverage, and Brooklyn Vegan coverage.
I was slightly concerned by the prospect of the show getting rained out... I mean... they're from fucking Scotland for christ sake... if they can't deal with some rain damn it...

Yesterday was the inagural event at McCarren Park Pool, the newly opened mid sized venue in that hipster haven of Williamsburg / Green Point. Les Savy Fav headlined putting on one hell of a show for those of us who were able to stay away from the world cup.
Tim Harrington paraded around in his underwear and got sweaty for us as usual.
Turn out was lower than I expected... but thats because I'm in the dark and didn't realize the final game of the world cup was yesterday until I was watching temporary soccer fans run around flailing Italian flags.

Tonight I'll be going to see Cursive sans cello, plus horn section...
It will be interesting to say the least I'm sure.

Then on Thursday you have your choice, Okerville River at Castle Clinton, Yo La Tengo (performing the Sounds Of Science only) at the Prospect Park Bandshell.

Then Saturday is Siren with Tapes n' Tapes, Art Brut, and Man Man... hopefully I can get there early enough to catch those crazy bastards in Man Man...

Technorati Tags: NYC, New York, Concerts, indie, music, Les Savy Fav, Belle and Sebastian, Summer Stage, Siren Festival, McCarren Park Pool

little feedback?

2006-07-06T21:29:00.000-04:00

Just wondering what peoples opinions of the newly redesigned In the Buzz are.
leave some comments and let me know.

Top 5 Sunday Morning Albums

2006-07-05T19:36:00.000-04:00

As a tribute to my past slaving away on Sunday mornings assembling the New York Times in the back of the Village Shoppe and a tribute to my friends still slaving away back there I present my top 5 Sunday morning albums.

5. Boards of Canada – Geogaddi

Geogaddi is like a good breakfast blend of coffee, mellow, sweet, warm but robust enough to snap one to attention. Mind numbingly repetitive tasks and the absurdity of day break grind just become part of the music. The rhythmic washes of synthy goodness take over and you forget that for the last 2 hours you’ve been collating news paper.

4. Radiohead – Kid A

Just like Geogaddi, Kid A takes the synthesizer and turns it into a warm and absorbing framework to build Thom Yorke’s pleas for… well I’m not even sure half the time. I think Thom Yorke is perfectly happy having things to complain about, he mourns the cold soulless world as much as he revels in it. It’s a bizarrely contradictory and self fulfilling sort of mindset that all clerks secretly identify with… they may complain, but many harbor a secret love for their lot in life.

3. Manitoba – Up in Flames

Horns, strings, and marching drums all come together to create one of the most ‘organic’ sounding electronic albums in recent memory. Where many DJs and pastiche musical artists live for the worn vinyl clicks that remind you you’re listening to repurposed music Dan Snaith makes it his goal on Up in Flames to do make you forget the dusty grooves and possibly long dead musicians that are playing melodies you’re enjoying.

2. Yo La Tengo – I Can Hear the Heart Beat as One

I Can Hear the Heart Beat as One is the perfect soundtrack for just about everything really… From the opening 1,2 punch of Return To Hot Chicken and Moby Octopad to blissfully idealist My Little Corner of the World, Yo La Tengo create an album to accompany any task and make it more tolerable.

1. Velvet Underground and Nico – S/T

It’s the only thing that can really prepare you to sell lotto to some one who is already drunk at 7am and on his way to church…

A report for the 4th

2006-07-04T12:11:00.000-04:00

So today is once again new music tuesday, however since it is the 4th of July almost nothing new is actually being released. Cex is releasing his latest batch of... well whatever it is he thinks it fucking awesome... its a shame most of the rest of us don't.

This week has been show crazy, Friday I attended a wonderful free show at Prospect Park with Voxtrot, Mat Pond PA, and TV on the Radio. Brookly Vegan has some fantastic photos here to check out.

Voxtrot write some nice songs, but it just didn't come off live... perhaps it was the venue, perhaps it was their sound man (the 1st 2 songs didn't seem to be anything but drums and vocals from what I could tell) or maybe its just that Voxtrot suck live...

Mat Pond PA were boring as fuck as well, though the prospect of a torrential downpour drove them off the stage a little early which was nice...

Finally TV on the Radio came out and suffice to say, tore the roof off that mother sucka... ok so there was no roof to tear off... but still.
It was my first taste of the new material, and I am excited to hear the album. Antibalas Afro Beat Orchestra served as temporary members of the band, fleshing out arrangements with horns and percussion. It was an all around amazing performance from one of the best live bands out there... I keep thinking about about how far they've come since I first saw them open for the Secret Machines at Northsix... They were a fucking mess, and now they're filling ampitheaters and parading around like rock messiahs... and quite convincingly I might add.

Sunday was a night for noise. Webster hall was packed with geeky asian boys and their reluctant girlfriends for a stellar performance by the Boredoms.
Lightning Bolt opened the show, setting up in the middle of the floor as opposed to the stage, by trying to destroy as many ear drums as possible. Thankfully I staked out a place to side of the stack of amps and cabs that allowed me to hear with out suffering permanent damage to my hearing. After Lightning bolt treated us to blasts of fuzzy bassy goodness and spastic drum bursts it was time for the Boredoms to do their thing.
Eye opened by playing what I can only describe as light bulbs. He used his whole body to control the sound, flailing his arms and contorting his torso. I also learned that being a Boredom is exhausting... I was tired and dehidrated just watching them. The worlds most awesome drum circle is an unstoppable force. They burned through complex poly rythms barely pausing for breath before moveing on to the next excercise in percussive interplay. 3 drummers in complete lockstep, playing off of each other like a well seasoned orchestra is certainly a sight to see...

later today I shall be attending a free show at Battery Park by Belle and Sebastian, curtesy of my pal Pat over at pop tarts suck toasted who held a contest to rid himself of 2 extra tickets that he either thakfully or greedily got his hands on... the perspective I suppose lies in whether or not you managed to snag your self one.

Sleater Kinney breaks up :(

2006-06-28T14:50:00.000-04:00

Direct from the official site...

After eleven years as a band, Sleater-Kinney have decided to go on indefinite hiatus. The upcoming summer shows will be our last. As of now, there are no plans for future tours or recordings.

We feel lucky to have had the support of many wonderful people over the years. We want to thank everyone who has worked with us, written kind words about us, performed with us, and inspired us.

But mostly we want to extend our gratitude to our amazing fans. You have been a part of our story from the beginning. We could not have made our music without your enthusiasm, passion, and loyalty. It is you who have made the entire journey worthwhile.

With love and thanks,
Sleater-Kinney

And it appears as if the Webster Hall show on August 2nd, their last in NY, and their penultimate show over all, is sold out.
I'm just glad that I got to see them at Siren in 2002

Its been great guys, you will be missed.

Technorati Tags: music, sleater kinney, break ups, tour, indie

Top 5 Album Closers

2006-06-28T14:10:00.000-04:00

5. Brian Eno – Here Come the Warm Jets, from Here Come the Warm Jets

This song basically breaks down to being a meditation on the beauty of the Fuzz pedal. Layered processed guitars build up and repeat phrases of blissfully smeared melody. Scattershot drum tracks slowly coalesce and join the frothy goodness… its like a musical milk shake.

4. Sunset Rubdown - Shut Up, I am Dreaming of Places Where Lovers Have Wings, from Shut Up, I am Dreaming

The promise of ‘Shut Up, I am Dreaming’ is realized on its final track. The whole album builds and builds, whispering the whole time that sweet release is on its way. The epic piano hop of the almost title track is joyous and playful, and desperate and longing.

“And if I fall into the drink,
I will say your name, before I sink.
So… don’t make a sound.
Don’t make a sound.”

Few bands can relish in and celebrate despair so convincingly.

3. Talking Heads - This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody), from Speaking in Tongues

It’s not the funkiest, or smartest, or most rocking, or weirdest the Talking Heads have ever been… but its definitely the sweetest. The Talking Heads are not known for their love songs, but few songs have ever captured the naivety of new love so perfectly with out pilfering the archive of saccharin sweet clichés that every other song writer draws from. Its impossible to listen to this song with out being carted off to that naïve place in your own head that still believes in the power of love, and puts a smile on your face.

2. Pavement – Filmore Jive, from Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain

The lo-fi demo-esque opening leads into a wonderfully overdramatic plea for a visit from Mr. Sandman… Reverbed, chorused, strangled, desperate… it describes the vocals and the guitar. This is the beginning of the artistic vision Stephen Malkmus would eventually realize with the Jicks, but he never again captured that vision so perfectly.

1. Beatles – A Day In The Life, from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

Everything about this song is perfect. The orchestration never overtakes the pop roots of the song, and the pitch perfect vocal performances from both Lennon and McCartney suck you in to the disjointed plotline. Its 2 songs in one, shifting back and forth; vignettes of pop tunes stitched together in perfect disharmony.
And then of course there’s the chord.

Technorati Tags: top 5, music, rock, indie, last tracks, album closers, lists

Actually I think Terry Riley might have invented the remix

2006-06-27T22:54:00.000-04:00

So it seems that P Diddy is a liar... but we all knew that... what I didn't know is that in 1968, Terry Riley mixed up a version of Harvey Averne's You're No Good that looped sections of the song, chopped up the vocals and tossed in some Moogy goodness here and there. This could possibly be the first example of remixing as its known today.

Check it

An Alchoholic Psychiatrist's Best Friend

2006-06-27T14:09:00.000-04:00

Eddie, as he was known on the hit show Frasierdied thursday. Just thought someone out there might care.

The World's Christianest Rock Band

2006-06-27T12:37:00.000-04:00

Sin Destroyers

Awesome

Technorati Tags: christian rock, jesus, music, culture

... tuesday...

2006-06-27T11:54:00.000-04:00

You know its hard to keep getting excited for New Music Tuesday when releases suck this much...
Today's highlights? include India.Arie, that so inoffensive she's offensive songstress that brought us "Video" drops Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationships.
The Return of Dr. Octagon is released today... I'm not to clear on the details surrounding this release, it doesn't even have album art on Amazon, but I'm sure it can't live up to Dr. Octagonecologyst
Snoop hangers on the Dogg Pound put out the wittily misspelled Cali Iz Active, and nu metal lite purveyors Lost Prophets dump Liberation Transmission on us...
Dashboard Confessional release yet the next chapter in their album arc / instructional audio series How to do the Polar Opposite of Rocking... or Dusk and Summer
The only release that I can muster even a passing interest in besides giggling at it is Dirty on Purpose's Hallelujah Sirens Pat over at pop tarts suck toasted is a big fan if that helps...

Technorati Tags: music, new releases, pop, indie, hip hop, rap, rock,

10 Years of digital pet madness

2006-06-23T09:00:00.000-04:00

Tamagotchis!
Yes its true they haven't been popular here for a very long time, but they're still going strong in Japan.
Bandai is selling 3000 limited edition Tamagotchis (1,000 of 3 different colors) to celebrate its 10^th aniversary...

Its hard to believe its been only 10 years since digital pets started makeing children throw tempertantrums in your local Toys'R'Us

Technorati Tags: japan, bandai, pop culture, gadgets, digital pets, tamagotchi, toys

Top 5 Summer Albums

2006-06-21T09:43:00.000-04:00

So starting this week I will be posting a top 5 list every Wednesday.
In honor of the solstice, the 1st day of summer I present you with my top 5 summer albums.

5 - Dre Dre - The Chronic

I don't know what is more summery than block parties, forties, and hydraulics. Dre and his indispensable (at least on this album) partner Snoop Doggy Dog capture both the fun in the sun vibe of summer and the tensions that spill in to the inner city streets when the temperatures rise.

4 - Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II

Something about the combination of John Bonham’s avalanche drums, Jimmy Page’s crushing, searing (sloppy) guitar heroics, and Robert Plant’s sex, drugs, and hobbits vocals makes me feel like I should be driving in a van down a stretch of desert highway, or performing manual labor in the August sun.

3 - Sublime - Sublime

So at this point Sublime is kind of lame… it’s the soundtrack of my high school days, and many a frat party. But it is the very epitome of the summer album… so much so that I only think the album is great from June – September… the rest of the year I think it sucks.

2 - Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It in People

You Forgot It in People is not a beach blanket, sand between your toes summer album… it’s a late night barbeque, cooler full of beer, broken air conditioner summer album. Its urban, suburban, rural all in one. Its full of warm fuzzy sounds that can make any summer night feel complete.

1 - Beach Boys - Pet Sounds

What could I possibly say about this album that you haven't already heard. If you don't know why this is my number one summer album then I don't know why you'd even care to read this list.

Please join in the fun, post you're top 5 in the comments.

Tuesday, Tuesday

2006-06-20T09:29:00.000-04:00

Ahh... new music Tuesday.
The one day you can count on me posting something... anything...

This week unfortuneately does not see the release of anything of great interest.
Nelly Furtado's new album, Loose drops today, and while the single Promiscuous is a damn good time and I enjoyed Whoa, Nelly! more than I should have, I'm having a lot of trouble getting excited about the album.

Keane, the ugliest adult contempory emo band around, release a new album of dreary chubby faced mope pop called Under the Iron Sea. If Coldplay are just a bit too rockin for you... Keane is your band.
College station favorites Guster put out a woderful companion piece for your frat's more relaxed bashes... you know the ones where the cops are only called twice.
Only other even semi-notable release this week is Obie Trice. And thats only notable cause he spends alot of time hanging out with multiple gun shot victim "Fitty Cent" who is only really notable cause hes pals with Eminem and "the mutha fuckin D. R. E."

Bonnaroo Webcast

2006-06-15T15:38:00.000-04:00

AT&T Blueroom is streaming the Bonnaroo festival live starting tomorrow.
Here's the lineup:
Times are in Central Standard

Friday June 16th Lineup*

12:30 PM World Party
01:00 PM Andrew Bird
02:00 PM Ben Folds
03:00 PM Steel Pulse
04:30 PM Devendra Banhart
05:30 PM Oysterhead
07:30 PM Bright Eyes
08:30 PM NEW! - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

Saturday June 17th, Lineup*

12:30 PM Neville Brothers
02:00 PM Buddy Guy
03:15 PM Dungen
04:00 PM Gomez
05:30 PM Elvis Costello and The Imposters
07:00 PM Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley
08:30 PM My Morning Jacket

Sunday June 18th Lineup*

12:30 PM Brothers Past
01:30 PM Les Claypool
03:00 PM The Codetalkers feat. Bruce Hampton
04:00 PM Matisyahu
05:30 PM moe.
07:00 PM Bela Fleck & the Flecktones
08:30 PM Phil Lesh & Friends
10:30 PM Very Special Guest

Pitchfork Update

2006-06-15T10:48:00.000-04:00

Pitchfork Media unveiled a mild face lift to the site and added an RSS feed.

I've been waiting for Pitchfork to add RSS feeds... plural...
dumping everything, Reviews, News, Features, Track Reviews all into one RSS feed is confusing and messy...
They also compacted everything on the site so that you no longer have to scroll down to see the Track Reviews...

Unfortuneatly it doesn't seem like they actually removed any content from the front page... They actually added a cover photo for the 2nd Record Review as well... and it might just be my perception but there seem to be more annoying Ads!
The whole thing just became even more cluttered than it allready was...

Who ever is doing the web design and whoever was incharge of the RSS project should be fired.

-Update-
Pitchfork removed the album art for the Villalobos Review...
Unfortuneately the 6 flash banner ads remain
RSS is gone... will it return with a better implimentation?

Holiday, Celebrate

2006-06-13T18:59:00.000-04:00

Ah, Tuesdays... they can't come often enough.

This weeks notable releases include, Mr. Lif, The Futureheads, Sonic Youth, Hot Chip, Six Organs of Admitance and occasional Stroke colaborator Regina Spektor.

mmm... CDs...

Staten Island Edition

2006-06-09T23:17:00.000-04:00

3 of the finest bands Staten Island has to offer will be playing the Knitting Factory on June 23.
Murray Dead Rabbit and Paragraph will be bustin up the Tap Bar for free. Show starts late so be sure to drink plenty of coffee, or Red Bull and Vodka if you're a multi tasker.

Crazy Ass Kidz Show

2006-06-08T16:47:00.000-04:00

I caught this on Fluxblog.

This is some real HR Puff 'n' Stuff type craziness, with some video game bleeps and old skool beats thrown in for good measure. If this actually becomes popular with children they will definately grow up to be the most bizarre generation ever.

My Favorite-est of Holidays

2006-06-06T16:33:00.000-04:00

Tuesday.
A.K.A. New CD Day.

The hope that something fantastic is on its way is what keeps me chugging through the week. This week we have Camera Obscura which I have only a passing interest in (I'll obtain my copy illegally is what I'm trying to say... sorry Camera Obscura).
But it also brings the release of Scott Walker's The Drift (which is my good pal Tim listed as his 10^th favorite album of the year so far.) And Be Your Own Pet, the newest "Next Big Thing". These Nashville native, UK darlings are apparently comparable to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but none the less have peaked my interest.

We had joy we had fun... we had concerts in the sun

2006-06-01T16:39:00.000-04:00

So for my inaugural post I decided to list off the wonderful shows going on this summer in good ol' NYC...
every one else is doing it so why can't I?

I've cherry picked my fav's and will be attempting to attend as many as possible.

6\02 - Super Furry Animals - South Street Seaport
6\30 - TV on the Radio, Matt Pond PA, Voxtrot - Prospect Park
7\04 - Belle and Sebastian - Battery Park
7\06 - Broken Social Scene - Prospect Park
7\11 - Puffy AmiYumi - World Financial Center Plaza
7\13 - Yo La Tengo - Prospect Park
7\13 - Okkervil River - Castle Clinton (I hate having to choose...)
7\16 - Amadou & Mariam, Daby Toure - Central Park Summer Stage
7\27 Philip Glass and Kronos Quartet perform live score to Dracula - Prospect Park
7\27 - The Hold Steady - Castle Clinton (I actually won't be attending this as I'll be on my way to Chi-town for a little Pitchfork Fest love)
7\30 - Lady Sovereign, Pete Rock, Jean Grae - Central Park Summer Stage (I'll still be in Chicago)
8\03 - New Pornographers, the Frames, Calexico - Central Park Summerstage (not free)
8\11 & 8\12 - Sonic Youth & Yeah Yeah Yeahs - McCarren Park Pool (not free)
8\25 - Ted Leo/Pharmacists - South Street Seaport

Hope to see you there!

Lanching June 1st

2006-05-14T16:06:00.000-04:00