Dead Clouds

Favorite Albums and EPs of 2011

2011-12-23T14:47:00.001-08:00

"There was time now..."

It seems as though what once was a weekly (or bi-weekly) posting schedule is now an annual event. Life moves fast but music moves faster. I haven't lost touch yet!

These are my favorite albums and EPs that came out this year. In no particular order:

Favorite Albums (Yes, a Top 11):

Smith Westerns - Dye it Blond

- These guys are young but they made one hell of an album. Saw them at FYF Fest and they were fantastic live as well.

Male Bonding - Endless Now

- If Blink-182 understood that growing up doesn't mean making boring music, it just means understanding the science of power pop. I probably listened to this album the most.

400 Blows - Sickness and Health

- Makes you want to throw Molotov cocktails at strollers.

Future Islands - On the Water

- Lush synth landscapes

Atlas Sound - Parallax

- Whether it's with Deerhunter or as Atlas Sound, Bradford's genius always makes him a fixture on most end-of-year lists.

Wilco - The Whole Love

- It's Wilco.

Yuck - self-titled

- If you love 90's indie, this is a must have.

The Kills - Blood Pressures

- Aside from The Black Keys, maybe the best duo in rock.

Girls - Father, Son, Holy Ghost

- Girls continue to put out melodic records that are a joy to listen to. with a retooled line-up, I was looking forward to the next album as soon as I was done listening to this one.

My Morning Jacket - Circuital

- The best live band touring right now.

The Rapture - In the Grace of Your Love

- Dance your ass off then dance some more.

Favorite EPS:

DOM - Family of Love EP

- I think this was the best under-the-radar album this year. Extremely melodic and completely blissed-out.

Wavves - Life Sux EP

- While the beachy-rock imposters continue to fall to the wayside, Wavves gets better.

Radiohead - King of Limbs EP

- Despite what several people have said, this was a great EP. Watch their 'From the Basement' special if you are not convinced.

Biggest Disappointment:

Mastodon - The Hunter ('dad metal' - see 'Blasteroid')

Review: Autolux – 'Transit Transit'

2010-07-04T14:50:00.000-07:00

Image credit: Autopia

Six years in coming, it's needless to say that Autolux fans have been waiting for the 'Future Perfect' follow-up with the patience of a saint. Though always appeased by new songs at their live shows, I don't know if I'd consider that more torturous or a gifted taste of things to come. But, if patience is a virtue, indulgence is the tastiest sin.

'Transit Transit' delivers a balanced attack, showcasing all sides of the band and taking on the expert track placement of albums like Kid A or OK Computer where the mellow tracks are balanced out by the songs 'with teeth'. The album lacks no showcasing of Carla Azar's spectacular drumming, Greg Edwards' trance inducing and post-rock melodies nor Eugene Goreshter's gliding vocals and rhythm appurtenant bass playing.

Where 'Spots' and album closer 'The Science of Imaginary Solutions' (here Azar assumes lead vocals) take on the Radiohead feel that is synonymous with the afore mentioned albums yet, seemingly more in the vain of Thom Yorke's solo work with a textured, aural display that takes the listener out-of-body for a moment, songs like 'Census', 'Supertoys' and 'Kissproof' reaffirm that post-rock assault that Autolux listeners were first smitten by.

Even if it takes another six years for the next Autolux album, the band has produced an assuredly solid and satisfying follow-up to 'Future Perfect' while providing a blueprint for where they are headed but, also where they've been.

Rating: 9.4/10

Key tracks: 'Census', 'Kissproof'

VIDEO: Autolux - 'Supertoys' (Live @ From the Basement)

Show Review: LCD Soundsystem @ The Palladium

2010-06-05T21:07:00.000-07:00

(photo courtesy of Ben Wener, OC Register)

For as much as LCD Soundsystem is a New York band, they are as much a Hollywood one with their Sunset Blvd. special ability to get hipsters and middle-aged men alike shaking their ass on the dance floor.

Bringing the party to the Palladium on Friday night, DFA label mates Holy Ghost! set the vibe with a handful of retro-dance tracks before the crowd energy swelled and LCD took the stage.

Starting things off with 'Us v. Them', the band was on a steady roll until one of Nancy Whang's keyboards died as 'Get Innocuous!' started to build. After aborting the song and retooling with a Wurlitzer, they launched into the track again treating us to a version that lent itself to an acid-lounge feel - it worked.

The rest of the evening saw the band equally visit all of their albums. Highlights of the night include an extended play cut of 'All My Friends' which seemed to re-energize the crowd, though there never seemed to be a lull all night. Additionally, 'Daft Punk is Playing at My House' turned the entire floor and the mezzanine area into a mega dance floor.

Ending the main set with the hypnotic 'Yeah' before a three song encore which included 'Losing My Edge', the night concluded with their favorite show closer 'New York, I Love You But You're Bringing Me Down'.

Another great LA visit from James Murphy and gang that as always, left us wanting more.

SET LIST:

Us v. Them
Drunk Girls
Get Innocuous!
Yr City’s a Sucker
Pow Pow
Daft Punk Is Playing at My House
All I Want
All My Friends
I Can Change
Tribulations
Movement
Yeah

ENCORE:

Someone Great
Losing My Edge
New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down

VIDEO: 'Daft Punk is Playing at My House' @ Palladium

(Thanks to weilub106 for the nice vid.)

Your Ten Desert Island Albums?

2010-05-17T00:05:00.000-07:00

Inspired by something Bender said on Futurama, what are your ten desert island albums?

I'm sure this list will probably change next week but, here's how it stands as of today. And of course, I'm making it more complicated by trying to take into account my mindset and moods while being stranded on an island - don't overthink your own list.

QOTSA – Rated-R
While it's not my favorite Queens album, the variety on it seems like something that would give me an even slice of that robot-rock sound.

'Auto Pilot'

Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland
Good for both licking mysterious toads and eating random plants on the island.

Built to Spill - Keep It Like a Secret
This BTS album would pretty much make any list I was putting together for anything.

My Morning Jacket – Z
Yim Yames is coming with me to the island whether he wants to or not!

Radiohead - The Bends
Kid A or Hail to the Thief are probably my favorite albums but, like the Queens selection, the variety on this LP lends itself to well, life alone on an island.

'Planet Telex'

Pavement – Crooked Rain Crooked Rain
What's a desert island existence without some jangle-pop goodness? Plus, I can go insane singing 'I'm just a boy with a new haircut' over and over. Check annnnd check.

Smashing Pumpkins - Pisces Iscariot
By now, we're all sick of Corgan and his bullshit but, this album is amazing and way before he became too annoying to talk about, look at or listen to.

'Hello Kitty Kat'

The Beatles – Revolver
If you aren't taking your favorite Beatles album with you then, wow.

The Black Crowes – The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion
Just like Yim Yames, Marc Ford is coming with me to this goddamn island! But, this is the Crowes' best album, too.

The Velvet Underground and Nico – Self-Titled
Jimi, The Beatles and Velvet make up the holy island trinity.

Show Review: Japandroids @ The Echoplex

2010-04-23T16:47:00.000-07:00

Brian King, (photo courtesy of sleepydoll)

I think my buddy Kevin described Japandroids best when he said 'time to watch two guys make four guys worth of sound'.

After sets by electro, grind-core rockers All Leather and rabbit-accessory clad surf(?) band NoBunny (who's set will forever lurk in the dark corners of my mind), Vancouver garage-rockers Japandroids took the stage to a warm, LA reception.

NoBunny

Starting things off with 'The Boys Are Leaving Town', the band ferociously ripped through their entire album and then some with my favorite track 'Wet Hair' being played a time and a half due to a 'we effed up' moment.

The crowd was extremely active and really hit their peak during the desert-groove track 'Crazy/Forever' starting a mini-mosh pit which saw several small, hipster girls get carried away in the swirl of humanity.

Dressed in all white, guitarist/vocalist Brian King was his usual energetic self, 'exploring the space' and taking many of his normal drum-kit perches as he and drummer David Prowse traded vocals over most of the set.

Concluding at a peaked energy level but noticeably drained after really given it all out and leaving it on the stage, Japandroids thanked everyone for coming out and ended things.

As my buddy Randol said, it is nice to see that not all bands feel compelled to play an encore especially with the performance level these guys put out. He was right, too. An encore would have seemed like taking the foot of the throttle. I'm glad they took us all off the cliff.

VIDEO: Japandroids - 'Wet Hair'

Website: www.japandroids.com

No, not THAT Genesis...

2010-04-11T16:04:00.000-07:00

We don't often speak about those bands where the drummer has moved from behind the kit to handling lead vocals. Probably because this doesn't always work out to the best of circumstances.

I suppose, as of recently, I could name a few successful kit-to-mic transitions with The Stills and Band of Horses, the latter of who's formation resulted in this move. But looking back, of these movements, Genesis is the band that always comes to mind.

While being a late comer to the Peter Gabriel prog-rock sound of it's earliest incarnation, I always hated them because Phil Collins was a douche and not just because of that Lion King song. I remember being a kid and hearing 'Hold On My Heart' on several of those in-store 'muzak' radio stations and even with not having a well-developed musical pallet at that time, I still knew it was trash.

But, I can thank my buddy Jason for sharing the story of Genesis, not THAT Genesis. So, enter the 'classic era' of that band:

Phil Collins is the drummer, totally spaced on some, from the looks of it, very good drugs. Peter Gabriel is a twentysomething, stud frontman wearing insane costumes while reciting lyrics about the first hermaphrodite who lived on Mount Ida.

Case in point:

(Gwar, eat your heart out.)

The band records, releases and tours on The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. During the tour, Gabriel tells his band that he's leaving, something they say they knew was coming.

Deciding to carry on as Genesis, Phil Collins becomes the drummer/lead vocalist. And, needless to say, he wasn't dressing up in any costumes. Initially, things sounded great. If you weren't aware, Collins does a great Gabriel impression...

Because of the extra vocal duty, the band brings in a second drummer (quite a spectacle to watch because, Phil Collins is actually a stellar drummer despite his other douche-y qualities). After this lineup, the band began to shift again and after a couple lineup changes, the three-man, 80's carnation that I grew up despising was upon the world.

And, after all that, my point - Peter Gabriel is it. Look at the pictures, watch the vid and go get an album or two.

It's a compact and biased version (only to Phil Collins) but, it's my blog.

Genesis Live in Shepperton '73 - 'Watcher of the Skies'

Review: Future Islands - 'In The Evening Air'

2010-03-25T15:31:00.000-07:00

If it means anything, this was the first album I had heard in a while that made me want to come out of a writing 'hiatus'. Well, that and a break from classes.

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Future Islands is a synth-pop band (they use the term post-wave) that explores the darker regions of early Killers and TV on the Radio territory. Lush-soundscapes fill the tracks while still allowing breathing room for the songs to flex.

On the opening track 'Walking Through That Door', the synth hook is immediate. Lead vocalist Samuel T. Herring sings with a controlled urgency that juxtaposes against the reeling squeal of the key-laden chorus. Each track has it's own personality yet, the cohesion binding everything together is strong.

'Long Flight' displays a bit of a tribal influence to the percussion but, the drive stays true to a dark-corner disco sound. Spanning the track, an echoed, steel-drum line leads the rhythm. Some sound motifs reappear on later tracks without becoming repetitive. This is especially true with the third song, 'Tin Man', which I see as being the playlist single that brings in the new listeners. 'I am the Tin Man', Herring proclaims over a buzzing wave of fuzz and rapid fire guitar attacks before ceding to it's conclusion, burning out with a ferocious blast of sound.

Setting up a hazy dreamscape, the title track, rather than going the usual route of setting itself up as a lead single instead acts as a break in the album. 'In The Evening Air' is a short one-minute (and 15 second) intermission that creates a buffer between the album's two sides without breaking up the familiarity of sound. It leads into 'Swept Inside' which is reminiscent of Arcade Fire's 'Rebellion (Lies)' with it's anthemic, driven bass-line. But, a sped-up drum tempo makes it a great, mellow dance track.

If you love 80's music, 'Inch of Dust' will be your song. Conjuring some Bowie vocals over a simple and drawn out bass-snare drum beat, the band always makes sure to pepper in little bursts of electronic rain drops before pushing the throttle again.

'Vireo's Eye' returns Future Islands to the epic sounding intro lines that may be their best selling point for new fans. While not fully bringing the album out of the clouded atmosphere, the track opens things up for a moment of sunlight.

The final song is the culmination of the LP – the way a solid one should conclude. A great dance groove and textured sample driving the bass and vocals while somber lyrics keep 'As I Fall' grounded before it melts away, leaving the last two minutes to deconstruct the composition into a moaning, brooding section of strings.

Rating: 8.9/10

Key tracks: 'Tin Man', 'Walking Through That Door', 'Swept Inside'
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There has been some slight underground buzz that this is an early contender for album of the year and, while still early, I can't say it's unwarranted. But, while this isn't the band's first album, it's definitely going to be their 'coming out' one.

If you're in LA, they are playing at an art space on Melrose called Sync Space on 5/21 -and let's face it, seeing an artsy band at an art compound is always cool. Right?

'In the Evening Air' is out on Thrill Jockey on 5/4.

MySpace: www.myspace.com/futureislands

'Tin Man'

A cold, rainy day in LA (what?)...go with it.

2010-01-17T17:34:00.000-08:00

Queens of the Stone Age - Better Living Through Chemistry (live at Rock AM Ring 2003)

The Exploding Hearts - brighten up that grey, LA day!

2009-12-13T16:12:00.000-08:00

You have to love a group that looks like a Clash cover band and has got that bright, jangly, garage-pop down.

VIDEO: The Exploding Heart - 'Rumours in Town'

Best Albums and Songs of 2009

2009-12-12T12:17:00.000-08:00

It was a great year for music, even for us indie kids. So many solid albums and even more stellar songs/singles. On my list, it was a good year for Bradford Cox, repeating his place at the top - this year as Atlas Sound and in 2008 with Deerhunter's 'Microcastle'. What can I say? This dude knows how to put together great tracks while keeping the cohesion necessary for a solid LP.

Soooo, without further ado-

Best Albums of 2009

1. Atlas Sound - Logos

Prior to it's release, Bradford said his second album under the Atlas Sound name would be more poppy and accessible than 'Let the Blind Lead Those...' - he was right. 'Logos' is a beautiful collection of bliss and pop-hooks, peaking with the sparkling 'Walkabout' ft. Noah Lennox. This song actually came about from a meeting between Cox and Lennox, a subsequent discussion about sampling and a Boss SP-303.

2. Flaming Lips - Embryonic

At least we can say that we won't hear any of these songs on a commercial. The Lips have managed to reinvent themselves once more, strongly venturing into an album full of electronic blips and acid-grooves. The blown-out speakers mixed with the simplistic layering of many of the tracks makes 'Embryonic' a true headphone album that is a pleasure to listen to again and again.

3. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavillion

These boys just keep getting better, eh? I did go on a bit of a rant about A.C. but, always maintained that these guys were genius' and this album definitely reflects that. Lush samples and inter-track, evolving loops provide a treat to active listeners. Coupled with the late quarter release of the 'Fall Be Kind' EP, solid activity has proven to be the best medicine for a group of hearty, soul-brained, sampling conductors.

4. Eels – Hombre Lobo

While the Eels tend to come and go from the radar screen, E certainly will be staying on it through the next release 'End Times' whose news has already started to leak out as the band has offered a free mp3 download from the album and some nice looking pre-orders on their site. 'Hombre Lobo', as with all the Eels releases, has plenty of the lonely man watching his dream girl from afar lyrics but, the songs are all presented with great variety - electronic, garage blues, delicate arpeggios and sharp distortion, as well.

5. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It's Blitz

I'll be honest, I'm still not a fan of 'Zero' but, the album as a whole is brilliant. The return to 80's sounding synths was an excellent move. I think the heavy reverbed guitars as their complete sound had grown a bit old. Nick Zinner, the sonic architect gets a MicroKorg popped in front of him and told he needs to not play as much guitar and produces a masterpiece. Not too shabby :)

6. Girls - Album

A late-comer with their release, Girls skyrocketed up people's play lists after getting a nice boost from Pitchfork. While some of the depth of these songs gets lost in the live tracks I've seen, 'Album' delivers with 50's era harmonies and chord jangles fresh from a Kinks-era of pop perfection.

7. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

The early front runner behind the 'Two Weeks' single (even before it was a single), just re-established what we already know about Grizzly Bear - chamber pop is not dead and soft does not mean lacking.

8. Bat for Lashes – Two Suns

A beautiful, musical prodigy who pens all of her own songs, moulds the soundscape and has such an alluring, haunting voice too? I couldn't be happier - anything to flush out that negative female pop-star image that poisons people's brains with Hannah Montana and High School Musical. The darkness of a lot of the songs intrigues me yet, subtle fillers and bright chord rips reveal something new on every listen.

9. Mastodon – Crack the Skye

Ah, nothing like being able to put a metal album in a best of the year list - I cry black tears of joy. Seeming to be more of a prog-metal band, Mastodon's 'Crack the Skye' sounded more like Pink Floyd turning up to 10 on a Mesa Boogie triple-rectifier and eating a bunch of acid. If that doesn't sound appealing, throw away your headphones.

10. Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures

Supergroup is a dangerous word but, if it's composed of Josh Homme, Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones, 'supergroup' is no longer the right term - I believe mega-coalition is more like it. Filled with Zeppelin-esque riffs, Grohl's ferocious drumming and just enough of that Desert sound sprinkled throughout, TCV kicked down the door and is still stomping on the panels. The smart and controlled marketing campaign of 'Follow What's Heard' dropped teasers and hints throughout various web pages and got everyone's mouths salivating at the prospect of what was to come - and come I, I mean, it did.

Honorable mention

Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains

A new band whose sound is larger than their 3-piece set-up and said they learned how to make a record by listening to Wilco's 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot'. If there is any prerequisite for checking out a new band, following the Jeff Tweedy method is one of them. Early in their career, they've learned how to leave room to explode in songs and seamlessly flow into a different track. Expect big things from these guys, I do.

Spiral Stairs - The Real Feel

As the second guitarist in Pavement, Scott Kannberg held his own. In his first, proper solo release, his song writing is as good as anything Pavement put out and instead of a compilation of quirky b-sides, we get a complete album with strong structure and a nice journey of tracks.

Obits - I Blame You

Sub-Pop has been on a role these days with their signings and Obits was no different. I have a soft-spot in my heart for bands made up of grown-ups and not young kids so, I immediately was spinning this album non-stop. Garage pop with a solid helping of punk riffs and single coiled guitars made their rookie release a fresh listen and excellent palette cleanser when you are not quite sure what to throw on your iPod.

Future of the Left - Travels With Myself and Another

From the ashes of the band McLusky, singer/vocalist Andy "Falco" Falkous and drummer Jack Egglestone may have put together the most deceptive and aggressive dance-rock album of the year.

Best Songs

1. Atlas Sound ft. Noah Lennox - 'Walkabout'

As far as I'm concerned, this song is the pinnacle of all those chill-wave songs but with some bite. I don't really think much else needs to be said about this song except that it truly is pop-perfection and, I refuse to number any of the songs after this because, without the context of the albums it's not fair and well, this track pretty much transcends them all. It wasn't even close.

But, the rest...

Animal Collective – Summertime Clothes
Eels – In My Dreams
Cymbals Eat Guitars – ..And the Hazy Sea
No Age – You're a Target
Spiral Stairs – True Love
Bat for Lashes – Daniel
Thom Yorke – All For The Best
Deerhunter – Disappearing Ink
Mastodon – Oblivion
Grizzly Bear – Two Weeks
Dinosaur Jr. - Over It
Sonic Youth – Sacred Trickster
Sunset Rubdown - You Go On Ahead (Trumpet Trumpet II)
Wilco – Wilco (The Song)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Soft Shock
Girls – Laura
Built to Spill – Aisle 13
Monsters of Folk – Say Please
The Dead Weather – Hang You From the Heavens
Them Crooked Vulture – No One Loves Me (And Neither Do I)
The XX – vcr
The King Khan and BBQ Show – I'll Be Loving You
Arctic Monkeys – Crying Lightning
Future of the Left – Arming Eritrea
Small Black – Despicable Dogs

Best Album Concept

The Mountain Goats and John Vanderslice - Moon Colony Bloodbath EP

All I need to say is that it's about organ harvesting colonies on the moon.

Top 5 Shows I Attended in 2009

1. The Flaming Lips @ The Greek Theatre
2. Them Crooked Vultures @ The Wiltern
3. Sunset Rubdown @ The Troubadour
4. Wilco @ The Wiltern
5. TV on the Radio @ The Ventura Theatre

Show review: Lilys @ Spaceland

2009-11-24T20:28:00.000-08:00

It has certainly been a while since Kurt Heasley brought his band out for a live run. But, the pleasant surprise of seeing an ad mid-week that said Lilys were playing that Sunday changed that.

Lilys hit the road for a small cluster of West Coast tour dates and a couple Sundays ago, saw them bring their show to the small and David Lynch-esque Spaceland venue in Silverlake. While the place was virtually empty through the opening bands, there couldn't have been more than 100 people there by the time their set ended.

Kicking things off with 'Squares' and providing peppy and jangly renditions of tracks including (my favorite song) 'Ginger' and 'Nanny in Manhattan', the band looked happy and Kurt was talkative throughout - though sometimes a bit incoherent.

While there were no lush, shoe-gazey offerings of anything from 'In the Presence of Nothing', there was no love lost among the committed - surely, anyone at Spaceland on a Sunday night doesn't just 'happen to be there'.

All in all, the bartender mixed some strong drinks which kicked in at the right time and LA was treated to a rare Lilys appearance, well, since their last time at Spaceland.

VIDEO: Kurt Heasley - 'Ginger' (acoustic)

Johnny Marr: Guitar Mercenary

2009-11-15T12:58:00.000-08:00

After catching The Cribs on Letterman and watching the guitar master of Manchester do his thing with his newest band, I realized that Johnny Marr is now officially a mercenary guitarist-for-hire and well, that's awesome.

We have all too often seen great ax men eventually part ways with their main band only to roll out a solo project with a title that is somehow a play on their name, full of rehashed riffs, 'special guests' and knob-polishing, ego-gluttonous soloing.

Not Johnny Marr.

While he did have his stint with The Healers, he easily shrugged off that iteration of his ability and moved on to being a hired gun (of sorts) for Modest Mouse and helping write the phenomenal 'We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank' while putting enough of his own swoon-worthy riffs to let you know he's there but, not envelop the sound. Isaac Brock, frontman for Modest Mouse, has openly stated that Johnny Marr has an open door policy with the band to come and go as he wishes.

The latter provided him with the ability to join The Cribs, a favorite band of his from the UK. An already talented group, Marr fit in seamlessly and has since put his Jaguar to work.

We may never see a Smiths reunion. Morrissey will probably continue to put out the same solo album again and again. But, before long, we may just see another Johnny Marr infused band and I couldn't' be happier.

VIDEO: The Cribs on Letterman

Halloween show review: 400 Blows @ Nomad Gallery

2009-11-02T12:03:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful All Hallows Eve in Echo Park – a crisp and cool night, several Jack Skellingtons walking about and yes, there was even street parking! Nomad Gallery and art compound opened their doors to host a Halloween event which showcased several great costumes (I think zombie Jesus was my favorite), old horror flicks projected on the walls and a great set from LA's own 400 Blows.

The band's following is a hearty mix of off-the-path scene kids, devout metal/punk fans and hardcore tone chasers. Mostly unheard of outside Los Angeles, the band has managed to cruise below the radar even after releasing two stellar albums - 'The Black Rainbow' (2003) and 'Angel's Trumpets and Devil's Trombones' (2005).

Playing their first show in sometime and with a slightly re-tooled lineup (though no ferocity lost), they erupted into 'The Beauty of Internal Darkness'. Lead vocalist, Skot, let it be known that 'this wasn't a reunion' and that 'they never left'. After proceeding to tear through a few new songs, Blows capped their night with the explosive 'Electric Wilderness' which sent the crowd into a beautiful chaos.

It would be a shame if this band didn't gain a larger following but, from what I can see, they don't mind one bit as long as their friends and fans are the same thing.

VIDEO: 400 Blows - 'Electric Wilderness' (live)

MySpace: www.myspace.com/400blows

Show review: Sunset Rubdown @ The Troubadour

2009-10-28T21:30:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday night, Sunset Rubdown concluded their North American tour at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. 'This is the last one for a while', said front man Spencer Krug who added, 'all good things must end'.

Suffering from a cold, Krug started the set with just a guitar before being joined by the rest of his band which included the brilliant multi-instrumentalist (though the band has a few) Camilla Wynne Ingr who was just fascinating to watch perform albeit, spurned on by the intrigue of watching her play a xylophone with a vibrator.

The band's set list spanned all of their releases and even offered up a new song. Overall, their live sound was polished and top notch. And, even on songs that featured tandem drummers, nothing was over done and there was plenty of breathing room for all the brilliant fills that fans have become accustomed to while swooning with their headphones on, to ring through.

While nobody hopes that we've seen the last of Sunset Rubdown, at least we have plenty of side projects to keep us entertained :)

_Major thanks to Sean at Speed, Glue and Music for introducing me to this band a few years back. Well done sir.

VIDEO: Sunset Rubdown - Troubadour, 10.27.09

Julian Casablancas - November residency in LA

2009-10-22T12:43:00.000-07:00

I hate posting 'news' on here but, the tidbits I do post are for the LA brethren, cool happening, cool happenings :)

That said, Julian Casablancas is doing a November residency at the Downtown Palace Theatre in LA - dates and address below.

November 6 - On Sale 10/23 @ 10am
November 13 - On Sale 10/26 @ 10am
November 20 - On Sale 10/28 @ 10am
November 27 - On Sale 10/30 @ 10am

Downtown Palace Theatre
630 S. Broadway
Los Angeles, CA

VIDEO: Julian Casablancas - 'Phrazes for the Young' Sampler

coming soon! NOTHING.COM

2009-10-21T10:20:00.000-07:00

tee in pic courtesy of Threadless.com

How about a music site to satisfy the most elitist of the elite where basic e-snobbery is done with? The new 'site' can be called nothing.com. It will be no-fi, no-wave and where it's cool to listen to nothing but, even nothing is something so they'll have to be an anti-website which doesn't exist and only thought to be in existence somewhere at sometime but, if you know about it, you are already too mainstream.

Review: Spiral Stairs - 'The Real Feel'

2009-10-12T13:25:00.000-07:00

In June, we were all pleasantly surprised by Matador's announcement (on their Matablog) of Scott 'Spiral Stairs' Kannberg's first-official solo-outing 'The Real Feel'. The news was accompanied by a memorable album cover and presumably the lead single, 'Maltese T' with it's Pavement-esque jangle-pop which instantly rooted itself in my mind and my play list with a stellar follow-up single, 'True Love' hitting the net a couple weeks ago.

Last week, I spun the full album for the first time and it is as good as the two singles would lead one to believe. Kannberg has put together a grown-up pop album with a decent amount of alt-country influence including lush slide-fills and banjo riffs too. But, undoubtedly, plenty of his sound contribution in Pavement is present in the LP as well.

On 'Call the Ceasefire', Kannberg sings 'did you realize, that was betrayal'. Perhaps the album may have been during the Pavement era but, the hiatus/break allowed him to polish up and offer a release as good as anything else that you've heard this year and comparable to most of the Pavement albums.

The album bobs and weaves through genres without losing it's focus or the listener's attention but, always comes back to that slight country twang that separates this album from the pack - it's cohesion is in it's diversity. 'Wharf Hand Blues' reminds me of an early-90's, contemporary jazz, Sade type vibe. While 'Subiaco Shuffle' is a foot-stomping, blues jam that could have easily been a Black Crowes b-side.

The album hits stores 10/20/09. If you are in LA, catch him at The Troubadour on 10/19 – he is supporting Bob Mould.

Rating: 8.5/10

Key tracks: 'Maltese T', 'True Love', 'Cold Change'

VIDEO: Pavement at Lollapalooza

Stellar follow-ups and solid debuts

2009-09-02T16:29:00.001-07:00

A couple interesting blips popped up on the NME site today that hadn't hit any of the other music blogs-

James Murphy talks 'Sound of Silver' follow-up

Posted from the NME site-

LCD Soundsystem: 'We're making the album of the decade - but it's late'

James Murphy speaks about follow-up to 'Sound Of Silver'

LCD Soundsystem claim their forthcoming album would have been the album of this decade - if it was released in time.

James Murphy is currently working on the follow-up to 2007's 'Sound Of Silver', and joked that if he had got his act together he could have stolen all the plaudits for the last 10 years.

"I'm opening a book on how long it will take after this record's release for people to be saying 'If this was released five months ago, it would have been the album of the decade...'," he told Mojo.

Currently the album - which is being recorded at "a mansion. It sleeps ten and there's an amazing pool and it felt pretty amazing" - is all instrumental, but Murphy intends for it carry a some real messages by the time he's finished.

"I'm working on a song called 'Why Do You Hate Music?'. Everyone seems to hate music right now, even people who make music," he explained. "There's a song called 'Love In LA', which has an Eddy Grant, Sly & Robbie feel.”

He added: "I'm doing what I set out to do on 'Sound Of Silver', which is take more chances."

AAANNNDDDDD....

Jesse Hughes a.k.a. The Devil a.k.a. Boots Electric readies solo debut

Eagles Of Death Metal's Jesse Hughes to release solo album

And Hughes wants to recruit Dr Dre to work on it…

Eagles Of Death Metal singer/guitarist Jesse Hughes is working on a solo album.

The impressively moustachioed frontman told BBC 6music that the album, his first as a solo artist, would be named 'Boots Electric Fabulous Weapon'.

He has been recently going under the nickname 'Boots Electric' after formerly being referred to as 'The Devil'.

Hughes said he had some rather ambitious production wishes for the album. "I'm trying to work with Dr. Dre and my dream job of all time would be to work with [Outkast's] Andre 3000," he said. "But I'll probably end up working with someone at K Mart."

Eagles Of Death Metal played at the Reading And Leeds Festivals last weekend (August 28-30). Watch a video interview with Hughes backstage at the Leeds bash by clicking on the right.

-----------------

I can't wait for a headlining LCD show. I saw them open up for Arcade Fire at the Hollywood Bowl and have been jonesing ever since.

Last time I saw Jesse was at the Natasha show and he lit everyone up-

Noel Gallagher quits Oasis

2009-08-28T16:16:00.001-07:00

Looks like it broke on Rolling Stone - basic statement is:

“It’s with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight..."

Is this really it or another faux-ending?

Here is the Rolling Stone link-

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/08/28/noel-gallagher-quits-oasis-with-great-relief/

Surprise! Third Man Records L.A. pop-up store

2009-08-26T17:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the lads and ladettes at La Weekly and he West Coast Sound column for this juicy tidbit.

The Regent Theatre in downtown has been made over into a pop-up store for Mr. Jack White's label/record purchasing hut.

It's a three-day shindig-

Wednesday AUG. 26: 10 am to 8 pm
Thursday AUG. 27: 12 pm to 8 pm
Friday AUG. 28: 12 pm to 8 pm

I'm there :)

FYF Fest Presents: SAVE OUR STATE PARKS

2009-08-22T19:37:00.000-07:00

In case you are unaware, the Fuck Yeah Fest is still rolling along and this year, they have focused on saving our California state parks.

Thus, FYF Fest Presents: Save Our State Parks:

A great lineup (thus far, more to be added) consisting of Tim and Eric from Adult Swim, No Age, The Thermals, Fucked Up, Dios and many more.

Tickets are only $20 and go toward a great cause - you can even pick them up at participating record stores and bypass the TicketWeb service charges. I'm going tonight to Origami :)

More info on the main site:
http://www.fyffest.com

See you at the park!

UPDATE: Got my Indie Rock Coloring book!!

2009-08-06T13:07:00.000-07:00

;)

Record store crawl yields Vendetta

2009-08-06T00:21:00.000-07:00

During an LA record store crawl of Territory Records+BBQ, Origami Vinyl and Vacation Vinyl, I came across a very interesting LP from '68 by a band called Bohemian Vendetta which I bought based on the description alone - "This is one of the best acid-punk LP's ever! Excellent Vox organ/fuzz teen garage psych and the covers are pretty fantastic as well.." - the latter including a brilliant version of The Rolling Stones ' (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction'.

I also picked up-

TV On the Radio - Young Liars EP
Neutral Milk Hotel - On Avery Island
400 Blows, 7" - The Sore Thumb
Wilco, 7" - Unlikely Japan

I also got a Vacation tee for my brother :)

*Major thanks to Tony at Territory and Neil at Origami.

No Age - Losing Feeling EP

2009-08-05T21:16:00.000-07:00

Listen to the new EP for free at the Sub Pop site-

http://www.subpop.com/releases/no_age/eps/losing_feeling

You can even pre-order the 12" EP for $8.

Go Sub Pop! :)

Them Crooked Vultures

2009-08-04T16:02:00.001-07:00

Antiquiet broke news today concerning Dave Grohl, John Paul Jones and Josh Homme's new band/project. They revealed the name to be 'Them Crooked Vultures', a midnight post-Lollapalooza show in Chicago and it looks like the websites are up too (MySpace, Facebook, official).

Since Dave Grohl's comment about the project in 2005, the only updated have come as of late. Any ideas on what this is going to sound like is mere speculation. Although, we tend to know what to expect from Homme and Grohl (together as well a la the great 'Songs for the Deaf' which Grohl drummed on) - let's see hoe JPJ gets involved with Homme's desert sound.

But, we all hope Brody Dalle was right on when she described what she had heard from the trio as '“...pretty fucking amazing. Just beats and sounds like you’ve never heard before.” in an earlier Antiquiet interview.

Official site: http://themcrookedvultures.com/

Farewell to Baatin of Slum Village

2009-08-02T09:19:00.000-07:00

photo courtesy of the Examiner

Sad news broke this weekend concerning Slum Village founding member Baatin. He was found dead in Chicago at age 35 - cause of death unknown at this time.

I haven't spun any Slum Village for a while but, one of my first concerts was the Okay Player Tour which featured them as well as other early label stars.

R.I.P.~

VIDEO - Slum Village - 'Conant Gardens'

Don't miss: BURNING BRIDES @ The ECHO

2009-07-30T19:31:00.001-07:00

Burning Brides is a relentlessly driven rock band whose opened for QOTSA, Melvins and Royal Trux. But, even with a Guitar Hero song, has never received their just accolades. While you can

See them at the small venue The Echo for a small venue price tag.

Burning Brides
Thursday, August 13th @ The Echo

Official site: http://www.burningbrides.com/home.php
The Echo's site: http://www.attheecho.com/

VIDEO: Burning Brides - 'Lovesick'

Troy Van Leeuwen interview - QOTSA news!

2009-07-30T17:59:00.000-07:00

In a DunlopTV interview, Troy talks about what got him into guitar playing and also some new Queens of the Stone Age plans including a tour supporting the self-titled re-issue where they play the older tracks-

On the subject of Animal Collective...

2009-07-26T18:23:00.000-07:00

Music and social grouping is funny - the thing meant to unite is also a seperator and deflector.

It seems Animal Collective has become one of those bands that can end a friendship. Not because someone doesn't 'get it' (though this may be the cause albeit, not severe enough to split friends) but, because they just don't dig it.

I'll say it - Animal Collective is not the sonic-sculpting power house that along with the disciples (who could convince you Panda Bear, Geologist, Deakin and Avey Tare were at the Last Supper), everyone whose heard 'Summertime Clothes' twice make them out to be. Merriweather Post Pavillion (agreeably their most accessible release) is not a Pet Sounds or Loveless type album though it may sport lush, woozy Beach Boy melodies.

Understand this isn't an attack on AC as a whole or individually. I just think that the avant-garde tag gets thrown around as much as the ill-fated 'indie' label. And, the projected greatness on a band that isn't 'great' kills it.

Nonetheless, Noah Lennox, Brian Weitz, Josh Dibb and David Portner are excellent at what they do. Perfect looping and sampling is a fucking art and these dudes can do it live while dropping the jaws of several Phish fans on a jam-band stage with nary a 'traditional' instrument in sight. In a sense, this band is too gifted not to stray from the sampler more - 'Fireworks' off the Water Curses EP should be evidence enough - particularly the live version.

Animal Collective is a band that at times, I feel guilty for not liking more but as I said, I think that feeling stems from the projections and faux-confidence of (mainly) two-track fans to try and 'fit-in' by not fitting-in to fit-in.

Again, I don't dislike AC. Quite the contrary, I actually have and actively spin the entire discography including Merriweather Post Pavilion which I have listened to several times - a perfect album for the 95+ degree days of an LA summer.

I look forward to this band's future - specifically Mr. Lennox (Panda Bear). His most recent solo offering was 2007's stellar Person Pitch which was sensational and well-deserving of a spot on many reviewers end of year lists. As well, the new Atlas Sound single 'Walkabout' featuring Lennox is a garage-pop tease that only makes me excited for the the Logos release in October and Panda Bear's next album.

VIDEO: Animal Collective - 'Fireworks'

Arctic Monkeys - 'Crying Lightning' (video)

2009-07-25T12:45:00.001-07:00

(thanks to Stereogum for the vid)

I think that with the sound of the track and visuals, it's also important to point out that they went into the new album recording process with Josh Homme looking like this-

and emerged from recording with new press photos like, well-

as a QOTSA junkie, stoked for this album :)

LA peeps: Yeah Yeah Yeahs @The Greek - just announced!!

2009-07-22T17:27:00.000-07:00

Your favorite Beastie Boys slot-filler just announced a show at the Greek Theatre w/ a 'special guest'.

You're welcome :)

YEAH YEAH YEAHS
Plus special guest
Thu, September 17 at 8:00 PM

The presale is available from:
Thu, Jul. 23 at 10:00 AM until Fri, Jul. 24 at
10:00 PM, or while supplies last.

Enter Code: ZERO for presale tickets!

@The Getty - 'Saturdays Off the 405'

2009-07-20T22:14:00.000-07:00

This summer, the Getty Center in Los Angeles has started a program called 'Saturdays Off the 405'. Basically, they have a couple bands or DJ sets and a cash bar. The museum and grounds are open until 9pm giving you ample time for music and art.

This Saturday, Cut Chemist is the featured performer.

*Parking is free after 5pm and no admission (as always).

Thom Yorke/Atlas Sound+Panda Bear/Monsters of Folk

2009-07-17T21:32:00.000-07:00

some great new tracks courtesy of the awesome-duo Stereogum+P4K-

Thom Yorke offers a solid, electro-cover of Miracle Legion's track as his contribution to Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy"

Thom Yorke - "All For The Best"

----------

Dreamy and lo-fi? Bradford Cox and Panda Bear?

Really good.

Atlas Sound ft. Noah Lennox (Panda Bear) - "Walkabout"

----------

Let's not forget the supergroup here :)

I must admit, the track is better than I was expecting - I'm glad. On the first listen, you know who's soloing with his flying V...

Monsters of Folk (Jim James, M. Ward, Conor Oberst) - "Say Please"

Update: Internet radio gets new 'deal'

2009-07-08T23:45:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm happy Pandora will still be around for now :)

From BusinessWeek.com-
by Ian Paul

After almost two years of back and forth, there is finally a deal in place that will guarantee the future health of Internet radio. If you haven't heard, Internet radio services like Pandora, Blip.Fm, and Last.fm were in trouble because the royalty fees imposed on them in 2007 were more than double what they were paying previously and threatened to drive Internet radio into extinction. Royalty fees are paid to copyright-holders for the right to broadcast a specific piece of music.

The songwriters, recording companies and performers who own the rights to these recordings feel they should be compensated since many Internet radio stations make money simply by playing music without live hosts, news breaks, and other expenses of traditional radio. This method of broadcasting is also known as "pureplay."

Under the new deal, Internet radio stations will pay about 40 percent less than the 2007 rates, ensuring a fair deal for everyone. Or is it a fair deal? Internet radio is still the hardest hit from royalty fees; satellite radio is next, and of course conventional radio stations have paid minimal royalties for years. So how is this fair?

Let's take a look at the three major radio models we have today:

Traditional Radio

The oldest form of radio out there, traditional radio stations on your AM and FM dials have been playing music with minimal royalty fees for close to a century. Radio stations do have to compensate songwriters for playing their songs, and under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, radio stations have to pay royalties for making their live broadcasts that include music available online.

To make money, these stations charge for advertisements based on their popularity with the listening public. In its heyday, broadcast radio was the only game in town to connect an artist with listeners. As a result, radio stations didn't compensate artists, since it was believed that radio exposure lead to increased album sales for the performers.

That premise has been basically true over the course of radio's history, but now that new forms of radio are developing, traditional radio is on the decline. But still the old business model persists. Now, a movement called musicFIRST is trying to change that model, but their success is still in doubt.

Compounding the problem is the fact that traditional radio's advertising revenue is on the decline, yet these stations still reach as much as 90 percent of Americans on a weekly basis, according to a Stanford study reported by Reuters. So, while traditional radio is as popular as ever, its revenue base is still declining.

Satellite Radio

Using digital signals beamed in from satellites orbiting the planet, satellite radio allows you to take your favorite radio stations with you wherever you go. Satellite radio is a subscription-based service and usually consists of commercial-free specialty stations for every kind of music imaginable.

Unlike traditional radio, satellite stations have to pay royalties that are based on their revenues from subscription services.

Internet Radio

Internet radio has the least advantageous royalty arrangement compared to the other two forms of radio, and has a more complicated formula for shelling out payments. But Internet radio is also a fast-rising star with a lot of potential.

Internet radio usually works by having you select some of your favorite artists, and the radio service then shapes a "station" according to your musical preferences. The Internet radio model gives you a little more choice than conventional radio, and is closer to satellite radio in that regard. However, you typically don't get to flat-out pick your playlists like you do with a RealPlayer subscription.

In my view, you're just as likely to be exposed to new music thanks to Internet Radio as with traditional radio. In fact, you may actually have a greater chance of finding new music online since the potential for hearing new music is practically limitless. Traditional radio stations typically play the current top hits intermixed with the same few hundred songs they've been playing since 1996.

Not So Radical Suggestion

Internet radio says it will survive, and so will satellite radio, while traditional radio is in decline. So where do we go from here? I have to admit, I'm a traditionalist and I'm just not buying the music industry's argument that they need to charge royalties to Internet radio, or any radio for that matter.

I honestly believe that radio in any form exposes an artist to new audiences, and this exposure can lead to increased album sales, concert attendance, and so on. Internet radio is an ideal channel for exposing listeners to new music, since Internet radio is all about finding music that you may not have discovered on your own. It's an innovative setup that owes a lot to early pioneers like Pandora.

But if the music industry pushes for more and more royalties the next time Internet radio agreements are up for review in 2015, it must be careful not to drive this emerging medium out of existence.

Sure, if Internet radio disappears you can always sell albums on your own Website or post videos on YouTube, but even in this fragmented digital age you still need to have those mainstream channels that users gravitate toward. So as Internet radio grows up, it may turn out that artists need Internet radio just as much as Internet radio needs their music.

VIDEO: Ambulance LTD. - 'Primitive (The Way I Treat You)'

Beck's record club, future releases

2009-07-03T20:29:00.000-07:00

(photo courtesy of douche on Flickr)

Looks like Pitchfork is going to keep updating with the vids/songs from Beck's record club project so, you can head over to the good folks there for future video/song postings from the man with the devil's haircut.

The third vid went up on Beck's site today, 'Femme Fatale':

Record Club: Velvet Underground & Nico "Femme Fatale" from Beck Hansen on Vimeo.

Beck's record club - 'Waiting for My Man'

2009-06-27T00:25:00.000-07:00

new vid from Beck's record club project up on his page-

Wilco electrifies The Wiltern in LA

2009-06-24T13:40:00.000-07:00

photo courtesy of Mick O kcim, Flickr

The boys of Wilco are currently in the middle of a three night, sold-out run at Los Angeles' historic Wiltern Theatre. I was luckily in attendance for their second show on Tuesday.

Opening with 'Via Chicago' off of 'Summerteeth', the groups extensive set list (see below) spanned their entire catalog. Their third song in saw them break out material from their newest release 'Wilco (The Album)' with 'Wilco (The Song)' (of course, right?).

My personal highlights of the night came with the material from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot which has grown into even more sonic-maturity and Nels' scorching solos throughout Sky Blue Sky's tracks – killer boots and axe-candy as always :)

Jeff Tweedy was pretty talkative throughout the latter part of the set and post a Mr. Cline sonic assault, Tweedy said, 'That was pretty good Nels but, can you play two instruments?'. He gladly obliged with what appeared to be an electric mandolin around his neck and a slide guitar resting comfortably over his lap for 'Deeper Down'.

After two encores, the band closed with a particularly rocking version of 'I'm a Wheel'.

Setlist: Wilco @ The Wiltern, 6/23/09

Via Chicago
Company In My Back
Wilco (The Song)
I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
One Wing
A Shot in the Arm
Side With The Seeds
Bull Black Nova
Jesus, Etc.
Impossible Germany
Forget The Flowers
Deeper Down
California Stars (ft. Jonathan Wilson on guitar)
Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway (again)
Heavy Metal Drummer
A Magazine Called Sunset
You Never Know

First Encore:

Poor Places
Reservations
Spiders (Kidsmoke)

Second encore:

The Late Greats
Hate It Here
Walken
I'm The Man Who Loves You
I'm A Wheel

no 'beating around the bush' with these guys...

2009-06-20T21:59:00.001-07:00

The Dead Weather on 'Conan'

2009-06-19T23:18:00.000-07:00

Great network television debut - everyone was on their game (despite what Entertainment Weekly thinks). Jack White has a nice touch as a drummer. It's interesting that his setup is similar to Meg White with the flat and somewhat behind him positioning of the skins.

Alison Mosshart sold herself, for sure - in the best way possible. She was very sexy and tough garage-rock chick at the same time (word to Brody Dalle).

The debut LP 'Horehound' is due out 7/14 from Jack White's Third Man label.

Here is the vid-

The Dead Weather - 'Hang You From the Heavens' (live on Conan)

"Where Is My Vote?' - $5 tees!!

2009-06-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

Show your support for the citizens of Iran who are trying to be silenced-
'Where Is My Vote?' tee

VIDEO: Eddie Vedder - 'The Times They Are A-Changin'
(Bob Dylan cover)

Beck's 'record club' - first song today!!

2009-06-18T17:15:00.000-07:00

Dropped by Beck's site today and was excited to see the first song to come out of his record club was posted. The idea was reported by a few sites but the best article is from the team at Pitchfork.

The idea has him and several friends including the likes of Nigel Goodrich and MGMT, covering full, legendary albums.

First bullet out of the gun - Velvet Underground and Nico.

Way to take it slow :)

'Sunday Morning'

clip courtesy of becksounds

new vinyl pickups - Comets on Fire, Panda Bear

2009-06-16T14:41:00.000-07:00

After a trip from LA up to Paso Robles, I hit Salzer's Records in Ventura and Just Play in SB - Salzer's was the winner.

I picked up Comets on Fire's 'Blue Cathedral' and Panda Bear's 'Person Pitch' for good prices.

Thanks to all the great staff at Salzer's. If you haven't been there, it's right off the 101N at Victoria. Upstairs they have a head shop and adult oriented goods along with a nice sticker selection, books, incense and various cool things for your place. Downstairs is all the music (vinyl, cd's) and posters, mags, etc. Going up the staircase, you can view all the tees they have for sale.

http://www.salzers.com/
www.myspace.com/salzersrecords

All Tomorrow's Parties - The Film!!

2009-06-03T19:27:00.000-07:00

Another nice surprise when I signed in to MySpace today, a bulletin announcement from ATP that the 'first proper trailer' for All Tomorrow's Parties - The Film was up on Our True Intent's site. I'm stoked, here it is:

nice :)

Overlooked: Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell

2009-06-03T10:53:00.000-07:00

While having to compete with stellar 2008 releases from the likes of My Morning Jacket, Deerhunter and No Age (to name a few), it's easy to see why Tokyo Police Club's first LP 'Elephant Shell' (via the Saddle Creek label) was left out of many end of year lists - even if just an honorable mention.

Sure, these guys are still young and 'exploring the space' but, they have always been a band that you were hearing or reading about, late-buzz or not. The ability to hang around and stay relevant in the indie-rock world (and the minds of it's inhabitants) is essential if only to develop a super-core fan base that sticks for the long haul (Vaselines anyone?).

The first half of the album is melodic and sparkling. Burst-fire drum riffs offer the resemblance of Strokes drummer Fabrizio Moretti setting the base for lush, pop-laden deliveries, short and collected.

The second half of the album wains and strays from the first-half formula in which the young band flourishes. Soft ballads and faux-stadium anthems dull the party and ultimately set up a few early album re-hashes - too little, too late.

However, with 11 tracks and a total time of under 30 minutes, the ratio is in their favor. 'Graves' is easily the album's best track which received some early exposure on Mtv2's Subterranean as a multiple show resident. Other bright points on the rookie LP are the peppy opener 'Centennial' and the the mid-album dance track 'Tessellate' which also made a Subterranean appearance.

This is an album of two halves - unfortunately, the latter completely forgettable. But, the illuminated areas early in the album do glow bright. Expect great things.

Final rating: 6.7/10 (if the first half of the album was an EP, it would be an 8.)
Key tracks: 'Graves', 'Centennial', 'Tessellate'

VIDEO: Tokyo Police Club - 'Graves'

LCD Soundsystem - new album news, kind of?

2009-06-02T20:59:00.000-07:00

thanks to punkguy.com for the image

I always look forward to James Murphy's bloglings but, the ones about new albums are my favorite MySpace surprise :)

Also, some comments about his visit to the Mtv Movie Awards with pal Aziz Ansari from Human Giant:

'making a record'

"making a record is strange. last time i made a record i had a pretty brutal and miserable experience. then i made something that wasn't the record, went back to said record, and had a great experience. it all worked out. this time i'm having a pretty great experience. i like the record more, but have no idea if that means it's better or anything. it's just more fun. the shitty full-days of lying on the floor stuck in my own head about things has been pushed back into hours, or only one hour, here and there. i also get to swim in the morning, and do things like that. which is good. which makes the record better, i think. because now when i'm not actually working on the record, i'm doing something i like and that occupies my mind, rather than sitting in a room with my head in my hands wondering if i still know how to make music.

i was very hungover today, mainly because i drank a lot of drinks with alcohol in them yesterday. i accompanied my tv star friend to the mtv movie awards because it seemed like the most hilariously hollywood thing i could possibly do right then, and wound up at times pretending to be either his publicist or body guard, which was very funny. i also ate a lot of these skewers with a shrimp and a green olive on them. they were good, but not substantial enough really to soak up the shitty free beer that they have at these things.

while at the awards, i learned a few things:

1. will ferrell is very nice in person, and must be exhausted with how much effort he puts in to seeming like a decent, regular guy. i met him very quickly and he was so absurdly nice that i felt like a dick for all the times i was wooden and awkward with strangers at a festival or something.
2. danny mcbride is fucking hilarious. and pretty much like you expect.
3. eminem is a better actor than you think.
4. pr people and "young hollywood" seem like, literally, different species of animal.
5. young, self-satisfied, confident celebrities are weird to be near.
6. the more excited young people are about an actor/actress, the less likely i am to recognize them. there is an inverse relationship formula for volume-of-screaming to person-i-recognize that i'm working on.
7. jason 'mayhem' miller has a very large head. and that's coming from ME.
8. talking for 2 minutes with ben stiller about something totally unrelated to the mtv movie awards while at the mtv movie awards makes people audibly say "who is that talking to stiller??" in total, unselfconscious earshot of the subject (me) while said subject (still me) walks back to the bar area. they'll actually point.
8b. being at an event thrown by a company called "music television" pretty much ensures that you will not be recognized by anyone at all except for the people you show up with, previously know, and danny mcbride.
9. comedians are funny in person, but not the way you think.
10. hollywood likes to stratify, and being the +1 of a tv personality makes you pretty low on the list, but if you've just said hi to will ferrell, and he looked at you in some way that could be interpreted as "familiar"--largely because he's kind, and you blurted something about him using "north american scum" in "stepbrothers"--you can basically walk into any room you want and take beer for the next 5 minutes. it's like getting an invincibility pill in pac-man. you can feel the power start to blink after you cruise out with 4 beers from the 3rd dressing room, so you should probably head back to your friends and share the beers.
11. chris isaacs likes his dog.
12. forest whittaker is disarmingly friendly.
13. i, as a person, am oddly frightened (i'm saying frightened here--not intimidated) by jim carey.

i think like being a largely anonymous dude in a weird band that most people don't know about. it's nice. i wouldn't want to be a movie star. i mean, i feel like i knew that, but it's good to have your feelings validated like that once in a while. because it's easy to sit back and say "i wouldn't want to be a movie star" when it's totally not a salient point... but being there, with everything seeming so easy for them, still didn't make me want any of it. except the free stuff.

today i woke up late, sat around in a horrible state, until i went in the pool and played "goodminton" (which is badminton where the object is to keep the birdie in play as long as possible), ate in n' out burger, and watched several episodes of the BBC show "ashes to ashes", which has amazing music.

tomorrow i'll wake up early, do a little jiu jitsu stuff, swim, shower, get into my making-a-record outfit, eat an avocado and a hard boiled egg, make an amazing coffee, and get to work on a new song. gavin russom (gavin and delia, black leotard front, black meteoric star) is here for a few days, so maybe i can get him to wrangle some synths with me. i have a good feeling about tomorrow, frankly. and i'm also terrified that i'll never make anything good again.

that works.

oh: my tv friend is aziz ansari. thanks, aziz."

For the record, Murphy's blog was in neon green font - sorry if I didn't do the entry justice.

VIDEO: LCD Soundsystem - 'Losing My Edge'

(late) Review - Wavves - self-titled

2009-05-29T15:57:00.000-07:00

"With lo-fi at his command, Wavves is your favorite summer album."

Certainly a refreshing listen, Wavves (Nathan Williams) has carved an interesting niche for himself. lo-fi enough for the hipsters, poppy enough for the older indie rock crowd (i.e. old Built to Spill fans and 'Avery Island' devotees) and fuzzed-out enough for the alt-heads.

Having some previous releases on No Age's Dean Spunt's label Post Present Medium, the fellow noise-popper now signed to the Fat Possum label, has put together a collection of tracks varying from an 8-bit, synth-chunk assault in the albums opener 'Rainbow Everywhere', twisted and mangled tribal, sister-track 'Sun Opens My Eyes' and bright, fuzzy, skate-punk anthems of the 'Teenage Daydream' variety like 'Get in the Sun'.

But, before you can get out your SYR bootlegs and washing-machine tees, the albums great layout mixes things up with 'More Fur' which sounds like a one-way conversation with Satan.

After the dark lord signs off, we get another woozy, Beach Boys jam with 'So Bored' and then a trifecta of goth-centric tracks - the highlight being 'Summer Goth 2', an acid-country jam with enough sustain to fill any space left in the EQ.

Final rating: 8.1/10
Key tracks: 'Get in the Sun', 'No Hope Kids', 'So Bored'

VIDEO: Wavves - 'So Bored' (live at Upset the Rhythm, from their YouTube channel)

Denny's + stoned unicorn = greatness.

2009-05-27T16:28:00.000-07:00

I found the full version on the Daily Fork site:

Please give us more!! The Grand Slamwich was a step in the right direction :)

Jay Bennett R.I.P.

2009-05-24T22:49:00.000-07:00

Wow - shocking headline on Pitchfork's site today - I was absolutely floored.

In spite of the lawsuit or any bad blood between the two sides, the former Wilco multi-instrumentalist was found dead in his home. The cause is still unknown as per the Pitchfork article - tough news to have to break over the holiday weekend.

Jay Bennett was 45.

Review - Wilco (The Album)

2009-05-23T22:14:00.000-07:00

image courtesy of David B. Johnson

At this point, how do you accurately review Wilco? An amazing band whose had a stronger stride than any since the amazing story and deserved success of 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot'. Every album including and since then has shown us the sonic mastery that patience produces – Nels Cline also helps :)

Sure, Tweedy's voice gets grittier and richer with every album and just like 'Sky Blue Sky', you wait for an ambient solo to take you to Mars. Glenn Kotche still surprises you even though you now how skilled he is. And, no matter indie-folk, pill-popping blues or mature-rock, Wilco does it better than anyone else.

Wilco (The Album) opens with, you guessed it, 'Wilco (The Song)' – controlled and delicately crashed feedback delivers the sonic punch on this breezy-pop opener. 'Wilco will love you babe', Tweedy sings before returning to the chorus. This track and the album's second half 'Sunny Feeling' are the peppiest songs on their newest album. Not that this is a problem or disadvantage for Jeff and the rest of the band – especially if you've seen the 'Sunken Treasure' DVD.

'Deeper Down' is very Sgt. Pepper-ish sounding with a distinct 60's pop feel. Mr. Cline gets even more comfortable on this track and keeps his promise of a 'more plastic, more sonic' album – things begin to evolve into a mature, prog-pop sound.

On 'One Wing', while disarming and at the same time armed with a quiet start, the lush and delicate riffs shine through what sounds like quiet key strokes. Tweedy's voice holds off Kotche's drum rolls before the full delivery with a galloping change and a Nels solo right into Saturn. While Cline owned 'Sky Blue Sky', this album is Kotche's time to shine.

'Bull Black Nova' and the Feist duet 'You and I' bring the sun out again, thanks in part to an epic solo on the former, in the likes of a Pink Floyd/Rush garage jam.

As the latter part of the album comes and goes with slower and more moody tracks like 'Country Disappeared' and 'Solitaire', Wilco fans are reminded why their favorite albums change between 'A.M.' and 'Being There', 'A Ghost is Born' and 'Summerteeth', etc.

In 'I'll Fight', Wilco brings things back up for a bit before going into 'Sunny Feeling', a bright track with a charming and shimmering cheekiness.

'Everlasting' allows a somber closing and offers bursts of Wilco glory and ambient, effect-ridden hand-waives to finish the album.

See you at The Wiltern!

Final rating: 8.5/10
Key tracks: 'Wilco (The Song)', 'One Wing'

VIDEO - Wilco - 'I'm the Man Who Love You' (live from Lollapalooza '06)

Radiohead back in the studio...

2009-05-18T20:25:00.000-07:00

Image courtesy of MSNBC

I'm surprised at myself that I'm not more excited - I guess I've just come to expect the studio report leaks (this one via the BBC) that have come to produce only great things. Here is the story from the BBC - I know the Radiohead board is buzzing too :)

Radiohead in studio
The Oxford band have started work on the follow up to In Rainbows

18 May 2009 - Radiohead have started working on the follow up to their 2007 album In Rainbows.

Bassist Colin Greenwood told 6 Music the Oxford band have been busy in the studio over the last week with producer Nigel Godrich.

"It was very noisy and chaotic and really fun," he said.

"It’s at the stage where we’ve got the big Lego box out and we’ve tipped it out on the floor and we're just looking at all the bits and thinking what’s next?"

"I'm very impressed and grateful for Nigel our producer and his ability to make it all sound vaguely plausible," he added.

Greenwood, who was speaking at the Great Escape music festival in Brighton, where he was helping to launch a new music journal called Loops, gave no indication as to when the Oxford five-piece will be releasing their next record or whether they will be briging it out in a similar format to their last LP.

"It's at the stage where we've got the big Lego box out and we've tipped it on the floor." Colin Greenwood on Radiohead's new album

Last time, Radiohead offered fans the chance to choose how much they were prepared to pay for In Rainbows.

"We were just saying to people how much do you think we're worth?" he added.

"It's like a long term relationship and it was great because it kicked off lots of debate about it."

The band have just finished touring with electro pioneers Kraftwerk in South America which Greenwood described as a "brilliant experience".

"They are one of our musical heroes and it was a real privilege to share a stage with them," he enthused.

"What I like about Kraftwerk is I obviously love the beats but I love their melodies too. They seep into your brain and stay there."

The five-piece are due to headline the Reading and Leeds Festivals this summer for a headline show where they have some unfinished business.

"It was a bit frustrating when we were playing some of our own shows last year because it was light for the first half hour, 40 minutes of the show," Greenwood said.

"So we wanted to do it as it was meant to be seen – darker and louder."

-Jo Youle

VIDEO: Radiohead - Bangers and Mash (Live from the early days of Pitchfork.tv - I love it!)

Revisit a great song: Old 97's - 'Timebomb'

2009-05-14T21:19:00.000-07:00

Stumbled upon this performance from KEXP Radio on their respective YouTube channel-

Old 97's - "Timebomb" (Live on KEXP Seattle)

Catching Up: Wilco streams, Dead Weather Tours and coloring The Shins!

2009-05-13T11:59:00.000-07:00

(just in case you HAD NOT seen the cover)

First off, Wilco is streaming their new album on their site right now! I'm swooning already - Here you go :)

----------

Jack White's latest band has announced the plans for their upcoming tour and album release. "Horehound" is set for stateside release on July 14th and will hit Europe one da earlier. As for the tour, you can get all the details at their site - The Dead Weather. LA peeps - they are playing The Wiltern.

VIDEO: The Dead Weather - "Hang You From the Heavens"

----------

And, last but certainly NOT least - an indie rock coloring book!!

Pitchfork had this story since the plan first leaked out and they have posted some additional new details on their site. As always, awesome work dudes and ladies.

From the Pitchfork site:

"Last year, we reported on the existence of Miller's Colour It (Red), a book of disarmingly cute kids' puzzles inspired by indie rock hits. It was a benefit for the (Red) organization, which raises money for the AIDS-fighting Global Fund. This summer, Miller will be back with another indie rock kids' book for charity.

The Indie Rock Coloring Book, due July 22 from Chronicle Books, is a collaboration between Miller and the T-shirt company Yellow Bird Project, which partners with bands to design T-shirts and then gives any profits from those shirts to charities chosen by the bands. Similarly, all royalties from The Indie Rock Coloring Book will be split between charities chosen by the bands depicted in its pages.

All of the illustrations in The Indie Rock Coloring Book are brand new. Rilo Kiley's Pierre de Reeder provided the foreword. Artists you will get to color include Bon Iver, the Shins, Broken Social Scene, and MGMT."

Now, go listen to the new Wilco album and smile!

Moon Colony Bloodbath EP

2009-05-08T22:25:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Tim (and the rest of the team over at 3 Beads of Sweat), I was able to get my mail-order in and received the vinyl the other day (was hoping for a randomly inserted green vinyl but, to no avail - oh well).

If you are unfamiliar with the whole deal, several outlets and message boards had reported that extra copies of the limited, show-only vinyl (supposedly, an original run of 1000) from the John Vanderslice/John Darnielle 'Gone Primitive' tour may be available through mail order from the (now closed down) 3 Beads of Sweat label.

The best part of this whole release is that the concept of the EP is about an organ-harvesting colony on the moon!

I didn't hesitate to order and the cool staff at 3 Beads gave me info on how and when to order. The album cover came a little banged up but, I can thank the gentle, rock-hands of the USPS for that.

I have many listens ahead and of course, a review in due time, hehe.

VIDEO: The Mountain Goats - "Autoclave"

What a lineup! ATP NY '09

2009-05-01T15:28:00.000-07:00

Image courtesy of atpfestival.com

I think ATP just took the festival-crown for '09 - what a lineup (new additions not on graphic yet):

ATP New York 2009 - Sept 11-13 at Kutsher’s Country Club in Monticello, New York.

The full line-up so far...

Friday

The Jesus Lizard
Iron and Wine
Don’t Look Back: Dirty Three Performing ‘Ocean Songs’
Don’t Look Back: Suicide Performing First LP
Don’t Look Back: The Feelies Performing ‘Crazy Rhythms’
Don’t Look Back: The Drones Performing ‘Wait Long By The River’
Comedy Stage - Hosted and curated by David Cross

Saturday: curated by ATP

Animal Collective
Panda Bear
Deerhunter
Melvins
Boss Hog
Autolux
Dead Meadow
El-P
Anti-Pop Consortium
Autolux
Atlas Sound
Akron Family
Sleepy Sun
Bridezilla

Sunday: curated by The Flaming Lips

The Flaming Lips
Boredoms perform 9 drummer BOREDRUM
No Age perform Husker Du
Caribou perform as Caribou Vibration Ensemble
Deerhoof with Martha Colburn
Stardeath and White Dwarfs

Visit atpfestival.com for further details.

Dinosaur Jr. giving away new track for free!!!

2009-04-30T15:51:00.001-07:00

Go to http://www.dinosaurjr.com/ for a free download of "I Want to Know You'. Great track :)

VIDEO: From '06, recently reformed Dinosaur Jr. play "The Lung" on Mr. Wick's show :)

No Age, Deerhunter and Dan Deacon announce joint tour!!

2009-04-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

Image courtesy of tinymixtapes.com

Pitchforkmedia is reporting that while tour dates/venue details are still forthcoming, the three acts will be set up at once, and they will alternate songs. This is going to be a good one :)

VIDEO: Deerhunter - 'Strange Lights'

Lilys - 'Ginger' (live from ATP '08, New York)

2009-04-26T15:30:00.000-07:00

I've been in a constant search for the out of print (OOP) 10" vinyl of 'A Brief History of Amazing Letdowns'. Finding a video I didn't think existed is right up there - thank you to Jay Breitling and his blog (http://jbreitling.blogspot.com) for showing up where I stumbled to :)

Philebrity @ ATP NY 08: Lilys from Philebrity on Vimeo.

UPDATED 5/5: I guess the out-of-print CD will have to do - new pickup :)

Review - Silversun Pickups - Swoon

2009-04-24T18:23:00.000-07:00

'lush, shoe-gazey hooks wear thin on sophomore outing.'

For a band that got it's name from a local Silverlake liquor store, the Silversun Pickups have certainly made a name for themselves, if not only for the 'Young Folks' like catchiness of their prior album's lead single, 'Lazy Eye'.

'He sounds like Kurt Cobain on helium' an old acquaintance and band mate Ben once said of vocalist/lead guitarist Brian Aubert. He was THE first one to really be on to SSPU's. He knew before the LP was even a glimmer, while they were still doing residencies at small, hipster dives in Los Feliz (I actually have a copy of a recording he did of them early on at one of these shows). While we've gone our own ways since then, I will always give credit where it is due.

That said, the anticipation of their sophomore outing was growing while it was still titled 'TBA'. The first radio single 'Panic Switch' is a gem. It appeals to the synthy, lush-pop direction guitar bands have been affording themselves towards in this recent age of alt-rock (is that term as obsolete as indie-rock now?). Swelled, shoe-gaze hooks with the type of fuzz that makes your back itch dominate.

Texturing, filling the space appropriately while also allowing a track to breathe, their strength, also becomes the monotonous nag that pulls at you upon first listen. It tells of a band desperate to achieve maturity in order to bypass the 'curse of the second album'. As a result, one of the most anticipated albums of the Spring from a rising band has it's development arrested, trapped between dramatic synth-cries and string accompaniments which pin the album to earth, deserting the spacial and galactic exploration of Carnavas.

I would like to see another guitarist added to the lineup if only for touring to allow front man Brian Aubert to really be able to play lead without having to worry about rhythm parts.

Because of his vocals and preferred fuzz-tone, you will always hear the Smashing Pumpkins comparisons. While they are there, they are slight. Corgan's voice sucks (this coming from a Pumpkins fan through Mellon Collie..) and all the studio magic the digital age brought couldn't fix it (auto-tune? please no). Aubert actually has a good and distinct voice. A bright point on the album is the mixing which is far superior than any of their prior albums - they've learned how to allow his voice to mix with the guitars and effects to add another weapon to their arsenal without worrying about him being able to cut through the aural wave.

Their albums have continued to grow tiresome with the same fuzz effect used on seemingly every track they've ever recorded and the predictability of the galloping drum patterns need adjustment - instead of carving a niche, the charm has worn.

While the singles that come off of 'Swoon' will no doubt be on every rock station play list, this album only has a limited number of plays before you find yourself listening to their Pikul EP or in my case, The Mountain Goats??

Final rating: 6.3/10
Key tracks: 'Panic Switch', 'There's No Secrets This Year'

Video: 'Common Reactor' (live, from 'Carnavas')

just a quick update...

2009-04-12T13:41:00.000-07:00

I think periodic updates might be the way to go from now on.

what I've been spinning:

Wavves - Wavves (on the dude from No Age's label - ambient, lo-fi and poppy hooks.)

Sebadoh - Bakesale (I'm humoring Amazon's 'best indie albums' list but, some visits to old favorites have been nice.)

Violent Soho - I Don't Belong Here (This Australian band understands grunge - I appreciate it as an updated homage.)

'Jesus Stole My Girlfriend'

Vivian Girls - Surfs Up 7" (dreamy psych-surf saturated in low fidelity and to the point pop understanding.)

Lilys - A Brief History of Amazing Letdowns (Ginger, Gigner, Ginger!)

Also, I appear to be the only one unimpressed with the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs album and particularly, the lead-single 'Zero' - just don't dig it.

TV on the Radio is in town this week - if you are in LA and can, catch them at the Ventura theatre, not the Glass House - trust me, Ventura >>>>>>> Pomona. Eat at Winchester's too :)

tracks from Dan Auerbach solo album..

2008-12-22T18:40:00.000-08:00

A pleasant surprise this afternoon after I got home from work.

Tracks are from the forthcoming 'Keep It Hid'. I am also happy to say I have tickets for his El Rey show-

http://www.myspace.com/danauerbachmusic

(my) Top Albums of 2008

2008-12-21T18:03:00.000-08:00

Let me just say, it was a tough list. Initially, I didn't think it would be but, #1 and #2 could have gone either way. I didn't get a chance to see No Age this year - every single instance, my own fault. Nonetheless, while seemingly less-polished, they deliver an indie/underground debut that could only be described as a call to arms for noise-pop to come back from the shadows and 'polish yourself up', just a bit.

I did get a chance to see Deerhunter (who were at the top of my list for shows next to ...Trail of Dead, again..) and the trip during each song made it quite an experience. It made me start spinning the Florescent Grey EP again and maybe that pushed it to the top but...

Best Albums of 2008

Deerhunter - Microcastle

Your guide to drenching sparkling '60's pop in a shoe-gazer's embrace. This may be a clue to what the 13th Floor Elevators may have done with a BOSS-202 sample pad. C'mon Roky!

No Age - Nouns

Everything you wanted to hear as a previous listener of 'Weirdo Rippers' and a memorable welcome to new listeners alike. Times New Viking could be at the top of a lot of lists with an album that also learns to harness the treble.

The Black Keys - Attack and Release

The Black Keys and Dangermouse? Did you listen to it? No more questions. My favorite band from Akron. Yeah, I know the other ones too. Dangermouse did his thing, Auerback and Carney did theirs and it was a match made in a single-project heaven. I really enjoyed the album - live, sans Dangermouse, it was a BK garage-jam attack that blew my mind. That said, while it was a great album, I'm not jonesing to hear another project with Dangermouse. Not only does it protect the albums credibility but it allows the Keys to move beyond.

TV on the Radio - Dear Science

The world of music will always need albums where guitars are traded for synths and hand-claps. I'm glad I live in a world with TVOTR. That tells you nothing about the album but, just buy it. No regrets will be had.

Brendan Canning - Something For All of Us

This didn't show up in any lists, I'm sure. I'll admit I'm a BSS whore - moving from one project to another but, be it a time and place, well-spaced listen, this album was a pleasure to listen to all the way through. 'Churches Under the Stairs' became an instant favorite late in my spins.

Want to send me your lists? I'll post them.

Email me

farewell to Dirty on Purpose.

2008-12-07T20:48:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite bands of the past few years is deciding to call it a day. All the members are working on other projects. I'm inclined to follow the main guitarist and drummer to their band Neckbeard Telecaster (no offense to the other members, it's just that name is rad.) :)

I first saw/heard them on Subterranean when the show debuted 'No Radio':

Couple other favs:

'Light Pollution'

'Your Summer Dress'

(recording kind of sucks - check the album version on their only full-length LP 'Hallelujah Sirens')

Richard Wright passes away at 65.

2008-09-15T17:48:00.000-07:00

I was very saddened to read the morning report on NME.com concerning Mr. Wright's passing and hate that my most recent update is another obituary (of sorts) but, it is to an amazing musician.

Rick's warm and rich keyboards along with contributing vocals were an essential ingredient to the Pink Floyd we all love.

Pink Floyd - 'Us and Them' (From Live At Pompeii)

He always seemed like a super-nice guy. It's a shame I was never able to shake his hand.

QOTSA and Friends - Celebration of Natasha Shneider

2008-08-18T19:48:00.000-07:00

An amazing show dedicated to an amazing person. Set list says what I could not:

And some vids:

Powdered Wig Machine (Desert Sessions track w/ PJ Harvey and Chris Goss)

Long Slow Goodbye

Secret Machines w/ new guitarist (vid)

2008-08-08T23:18:00.001-07:00

Found this video of the 'Sad and Lonely' intro on YouTube from the Viper Room show in LA. Thanks saratogan62!

I like the new version. It's nice to not hear him not play a 'cover'.

But, I'm an instigator...here's the old version:

Kings of Leon: new record, tour

2008-08-06T13:51:00.000-07:00

via email update-

LATEST NEWS FROM KINGS OF LEON

First single off Only By The Night -"Sex On Fire"
"Sex On Fire", the first single off Only By The Night can be heard now on MySpace. The song will be available from iTunes on August 12. The video is being shot in Los Angeles this week and is being directed by the renowned Sophie Muller.

New US Tour Announced
Kings of Leon have confirmed their first North American tour in support of the band’s new record, Only By The Night. The album will be released on September 23rd, and the tour kicks off on street date with an exclusive club show at New York’s Webster Hall. It will continue through October and November, ending November 19th at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, TN. More info will be available soon at KingsOfLeon.com.

September
23 New York, NY Webster Hall w/The Whigs

October (w/The Stills and We Are Scientists)

11 Las Vegas, NV The Joint
12 San Diego, CA House of Blues
15 Los Angeles, CA Nokia Theatre
17 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theatre
18 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theatre
20 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre
21 Portland, OR Schnitzer Hall
23 Denver, CO The Fillmore Auditorium
25 Austin, TX Austin Music Hall
26 Oklahoma City, OK Bricktown Events Center
28 Houston, TX Verizon Wireless Theater
29 Dallas, TX Palladium Ballroom
31 Chicago, IL Aragon Ballroom

November (w/The Whigs and We Are Scientists)

1 Minneapolis, MN Orpheum Theatre
3 St. Louis, MO The Pageant
5 Milwaukee, WI The Eagles Ballroom
7 Toronto, ONT Kool Haus
8 Detroit, MI The Fillmore
10 Washington, DC DAR Constitution Hall
12 Boston, MA Orpheum Theatre
15 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory Ballroom
18 Atlanta, GA The Tabernacle
19 Nashville, TN Nashville Municipal Auditorium

Video: Kings of Leon - 'California Waiting' (live)

Sunset Junction, August 23rd and 24th - Black Keys and BSS headline!

2008-07-22T22:03:00.000-07:00

The annual Sunset Junction street-fair, Farmer's Market and outdoor show festival is upon us again, LA hipster-folk :)

The Black Keys and Broken Social Scene are headlining each respective date. Don't miss it! Bring your appetite (awesome food stands), spending money for all the vendors and comfortable shoes.

Video: Broken Social Scene - 'Almost Crimes'

One Day As A Lion - NEW SINGLE UP!!

2008-07-16T12:36:00.000-07:00

The formidable duo of Zach de la Rocha and Jon Theodore, well, the sound is out.

"Wild International" is now up on their MySpace page (not Zach's idea, I'm sure). Be sure to give it a listen. It has the familiarity of a savage RATM riff and the metallic-robot drone riff us indie rockers and revolutionaries alike have grown to love.

Check it out-

http://www.myspace.com/onedayasalion

Natasha Shneider, May 22, 1956 - July 2, 2008

2008-07-09T11:55:00.000-07:00

Natasha Shneider, the beautiful keyboard player and singer of band Eleven and one-time member of Queens of the Stone Age has passed away from cancer. She was 51.

As a fan of Eleven, QOTSA and great music in general, I am deeply saddened as we all are.

The first post showed up on Troy van Leewen's new project's blog, Sweethead:

'Natasha Shneider, musician extraordinaire, former actress, singer of the ground-breaking band ELEVEN, and one-time QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE keyboard player, died today at 11:11am of cancer. She was a brilliant, beautiful, and ballsy woman who will be missed deeply by all those who knew her and who knew her work. Send your loving thoughts her way in the universe.'

It was followed with an update to her Wikipedia entry, a subsequent article on Billboard.com and a statement posted on the QOTSA.com page:

'On July 2nd, at 11:11 AM, Natasha Shneider passed away. She ended her time in this Life with the style and poetry that she lived all the days previous, crossing over while held in the arms of her closest and dearest. No words can encapsulate the unwaivering strength she provided, adversities she overcome, the talents she possessed & nutured, the sharpness of her wit nor the beautiful complexity of her intellect. We are so thankful for her influence & the gift of her friendship.

A celebration of Natasha Shneider will be held in Hollywood at the Henry Fonda Theatre on Saturday, Aug 16th. Further details will be released shortly. All proceeds of the benefit and donations made will go to the relieve the burden of Natasha's fight against cancer. To donate, go to NatashaShneider.org
Now is all we have. May you all make the most of it.'

As you read, there will be a celebration of the life of Natasha Shneider at the Henry Fonda Theatre in Hollywood on Saturday August 16th.

Condolences can be left on Eleven's Myspace page.

QOTSA w/ Natasha:

'Broken Box'

'Medication'

Zach de la Volta? Rage frontman's new band, EP

2008-07-02T09:56:00.000-07:00

(Image courtesy of Anti- Records)

Appearing on the Anti- Records site, One Day As A Lion will release their self-titled EP on 7/22. The band consists of Rage's Zach de la Rocha and ex-Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore.

Track list:

01 Wild International
02 Ocean View
03 Last Letter
04 If You Fear Dying
05 One Day as a Lion

Rage Against the Machine - "Freedom"

TV on the Radio - new material?

2008-06-26T21:40:00.000-07:00

That was the first new image to pop onto TVOTR's MySpace page tonight. I've really been on a Young Liars EP kick so, this is just what I needed :)

It looks very Nine Inch Nails - Year: Zero-ish. There is another picture on there that adds to it.

For you LA fans, they are (what appears to be) co-headlining the San Diego Street Scene with the Black Crowes.

See you there.

TV on the Radio - 'Satellite'
(some random fan video)

Goat Punishment (call me late from '98)

2008-06-05T12:52:00.000-07:00

During their hiatus from '97-'00, Weezer was still actively touring, kind of...under the name Goat Punishment. This name brought in the longtime fans who instantly recognized the pseudonym.

In '98, while playing a show under their afore mentioned hiatus, they blew through a setlist of all Nirvana covers!

Here are some vids I stumbled on, courtesy of "the tube":

"Breed"

"Aneurysm"

You can find more audio tracks on grungegopher's YouTube channel.

Death From Above 1979 - if you missed them, it's okay - read this!

2008-06-04T18:12:00.001-07:00

Few duos short of Tubbs and Crockett... (pause)

...have been able to match the furiosity and intensity of (formerly existing) dance-punk band Death From Above 1979 - consisting of drummer/vocalist Sebastian Grainger and bassist Jesse Keeler aka JFK.

Their original name "Death From Above" involved them in a dispute early on with DFA Records, forcing them to add the 1979 to their name. This year was reflective of, well, in Sebastian's own words-

"1979 is the year of my birth,
1979 is the year of Off the Wall,
1979 is the year of Pleasure Principle,
1979 is the last year of the last cool decade,
1979 is scratched into my arm,
1979 is scratched into my arm,
1979 is scratched into my fucking arm."

Armed with "only" Keeler's Rickenbacker bass and solid state crunch-tone, Grainger's basic drum set-up is constantly assaulted with berzerker attacks while producing the most aggressive and pop-sensible electro-rock records of the past decade. All the while, supplying a soundtrack for an angry (and enjoyable) sex session or a savage night in the city.

DFA1979 exploded on the scene with the "Heads Up" EP in December 2002 which gave us the first taste of what was to come with tracks such as "Too Much Love" and a live version of "Do It!". Followed up by the "Romantic Rights"EP in April 2004 - these early releases paved the way for the full-length "I'm a Woman, You're a Machine" in late 2004.

Sadly, their one and only full length would mark the end of any new recordings under the Death From Above 1979 name, aside from "Romance Bloody Romance", a remix and b-sides release in October 2005.

On August 3, 2006 the band was officially disbanded.

Jesse Keeler posted a message in the official Death from Above 1979 forum which read-

“I know its been forever since I wrote anything on here. I'm sure by now most of you assume the band isn't happening anymore since there are no shows, no work on a new album, etc. well. I wanted to let you know that your assumptions are correct. We decided to stop doing the band... Actually we decided that almost a year ago. We finished off our scheduled tour dates because there were good people working for us who relied on us to make a living and buy Christmas presents and pay rent etc. We couldn't just cancel everything and leave them out to dry... Plus I think we wanted to see if we would reconsider after being out on the road. Our label was really hoping that we would change our minds, so they asked us to keep quiet about the decision for at first. Well, it's been quite a while now and we are still very sure the band won't happen again, so I guess it's time to say something.(...)"

For those looking to hear more from these dudes, check out Grainger's former (new project in the works some have said...) band Femme Fatale (the "Fire Baptism" album featured JFK on drums/percussion). They are more hardcore compared to DFA1979 and quite the listen. Keeler's current project is electro-band MSTRKRFT and Sebastian's is with a band called The Mountains.

And, let's not forget "Romantic Rights" is the opening theme for the MTV show Human Giant.

List of bands that need to play together again while they are still healthy and alive:

1. At the Drive-In (RIP to Jeremy Ward though)
2. Death From Above 1979
3. The Smiths

Yeah, it's like that.

"Romantic Rights":

"Do It!"(live):

RHCP disband!

2008-05-22T13:09:00.000-07:00

NME.com is reporting that the band has decided to take a break for at least a year due to an exhaustive schedule, more family time as well as side projects from John Frusciante and Flea.

Anthony Kiedis told Rolling Stone that at the end of their Stadium Arcadium tour, they all thought:

'Let's not do anything Red Hot Chili Peppers-related for a minimum of one year, and just live and breathe and eat and learn new things.

He added: "I'm just home, hanging out with this really cool little kid, learning how to surf. But I'm starting to get just a little bit of a tingle that it would be nice to start thinking about songs and pieces of music. But just pieces.'

There is no formal announcement on the Chili Peppers website.

Rest well sirs.

Video: "By the Way" (courtesy of Warner Bros. Records)

Awesome show alert: Built to Spill

2008-05-06T15:38:00.000-07:00

Pitchforkmedia.com is reporting that Built to Spill will perform Perfect From Now On in it's entirety, prior to their All Tomorrow's Party appearance.

The singular, L.A. date also boasts Camper Van Beethoven running through Key Lime Pie.

Built to Spill, Camper Van Beethoven
09-12 Pioneertown, CA - Pappy and Harriet's

new Autolux track!

2008-05-01T14:06:00.000-07:00

As always, ROBERT DENSWORTH brought us the report. You can check out the song on their page - Autolux MySpace page

Blog as posted by Mr. Densworth-

|||||||||||

hello.

the single is now up on myspace.

so sorry for the delay/hangup.

there were a few complications
that were beyond autolux.

thanks for being patient.

audience no. 2 will be available shortly to buy on iTunes, etc.

i will let you know when it's up.

thank you.

robert densworth

Interview @ SXSW w/ Eugene from Autolux:

From Crackle: Autolux Interview @ SXSW 2008 Part 1

The Roots.

2008-04-25T17:02:00.000-07:00

I don't listen to hip-hop like I used to when I was younger but, it doesn't mean I don't retain the loves for solid beats and good grooves.

Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Slum Village - conscious artists like that will always hold my attention.

However, it's all about The Roots my babies-

"You Got Me" (sans Jill Scott)

Though an earlier iteration, I don't believe there's ever been a more formidable rap duo since Eric B. and Rakim than Black Thought and Malik B.

Fortunately, I've seen them early and later in their evolution (last year's Coachella, before the RATM reunion).

Don't stop making music - ever.

To LA: Fiery Furnaces @ Spaceland!!!

2008-04-15T12:21:00.001-07:00

That's right, your favorite indie-rock siblings are hitting the road (again) with dates that include playing with the Cool Kids and Raconteurs, respectively.

For the lucky LA hipsters (like myself, minus the hipster)-

fri. 05-30 Los Angeles, CA - Spaceland
sat. 05-31 Los Angeles, CA - Spaceland

VIDEO: "Benton Harbor Blues"

new Weezer - 'Pork and Beans'

2008-04-14T11:00:00.000-07:00

(photo credit: Amazon.com)

Amazon is streaming part of the new Weezer single from the assumed, "red-album", due out 6/17/08.

Check it out:

Pork and Beans

"Undone (The Sweater Song)"

Forecast of rain for Coachella...

2008-04-09T13:21:00.001-07:00

PURPLE RAIN!

News out of the Coachella camp today has Prince added to the lineup as a Saturday headliner.

Lollapalooza lineup is stellar; Radiohead playing Hollywood Bowl

2008-04-07T14:15:00.000-07:00

Super-thanks to Pitchfork for the info!

Lollapalooza will take place August 1-3 at Grant Park in the Windy City. Who's playing? Well, the official lineup released today and that earlier leak from the Sun Times was right on:

Radiohead
Rage Against the Machine
Nine Inch Nails
Kanye West
Wilco
The Raconteurs
Bloc Party
Gnarls Barkley
The Black Keys
Broken Social Scene
Love and Rockets
Flogging Molly
Cat Power
Lupe Fiasco
The National
Explosions in the SKy
Gogol Bordello
Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks
CSS
Rogue Wave
The Go! Team
Grizzly Bear
The Gutter Twins
The Whigs
Foals

...and the rest...

Alsoooooooo!

Radiohead update info. for second leg of North American tour:

05-05 West Palm Beach, FL - Cruzan Amphitheatre *
05-06 Tampa, FL - Ford Amphitheatre *
05-08 Atlanta, GA - Lakewood Amphitheatre *
05-09 Charlotte, NC - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre *
05-11 Bristow, VA - Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge *
05-14 St. Louis, MO - Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre *
05-17 Houston, TX - Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion *
05-18 Dallas, TX - Superpages.com Center *
06-06 Dublin, Ireland - Malahide #
06-07 Dublin, Ireland - Malahide #
06-09 Paris, France - Bercy #
06-10 Paris, France - Bercy #
06-12 Barcelona, Spain - Parc del Fòrum (Daydream Festival) *#^$
06-14 Nimes, France - Arenes #
06-15 Nimes, France - Arenes #
06-17 Milan, Italy - Civica Arena #
06-18 Milan, Italy - Civica Arena #
06-20 Neuhausen ob Eck, Germany - Southside Festival
06-22 Scheeßel, Germany - Hurricane Festival
06-24 London, England - Victoria Park #
06-25 London, England - Victoria Park #
06-27 Glasgow, Scotland - Glasgow Green #
06-29 Manchester, England - Lancashire County Cricket Club #
07-01 Amsterdam, Netherlands - Westerpark #
07-03 Roskilde, Denmark - Roskilde Festival
07-05 Werchter, Belgium - Rock Werchter Festival
07-06 Arras, France - Main Square Festival
07-08 Berlin, Germany - Wuhlheide
08-01 Chicago, IL - Grant Park (Lollapalooza)
08-03 Indianapolis, IN - Verizon Wireless Music Center %
08-04 Cleveland, OH - Blossom Music Center %
08-06 Montreal, Quebec - Parc Jean-Drapeau %
08-08 Jersey City, NJ - Liberty State Park (All Points West Festival)
08-09 Jersey City, NJ - Liberty State Park (All Points West Festival)
08-12 Camden, NJ - Susquehanna Bank Center %
08-13 Mansfield, MA - Tweeter Center %
08-15 Toronto, Ontario - Molson Amphitheatre %
08-19 Vancouver, British Columbia - Thunderbird Stadium *
08-20 Auburn, WA - White River Amphitheatre *
08-22 San Francisco, CA - Golden Gate Park (Outside Lands Festival)
08-24 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl *
08-25 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl *
08-27 Chula Vista, CA - Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre *
08-28 Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl *
10-04 Tokyo, Japan - Saitama Super Arena
10-05 Tokyo, Japan - Saitama Super Arena

* with Liars
# with Bat for Lashes
^ with Low, Clinic, Modeselektor
$ with Ensemble Nacional de España de Música Contemporánea, performing pieces by Jonny Greenwood and Radiohead
% with Grizzly Bear

Liars - Army of Me (Bjork cover)

2008-04-03T13:03:00.000-07:00

The track is from Sterogum's Enjoyed: A Tribute to Björk's Post-

original version/great video-

Lollapalooza '08 taking shape

2008-04-02T15:59:00.000-07:00

Confirmations courtesy of the Lollapalooza forums-

(notables)

Rage Against the Machine
Bloc Party
Radiohead
Nine Inch Nails
Wilco
Gnarls Barkley
CSS
Flogging Molly
Black Lips
MGMT
Jimmy Eat World

...Miley Cyrus is confirmed too.

Radiohead Tour Update [3/31]

2008-03-31T21:34:00.000-07:00

I'll probably be at 2 of those SoCal dates :)

Submitted the news tip to Pitchfork so, we'll see if they post it too.

Updated North American locations-

AUGUST 08
NORTH AMERICA

Fri 8
All Points West Festival
New York, NY

Sat 9
All Points West Festival
New York, NY

Fri 22
Outside Lands Festival
San Francisco, CA

Boston, MA
Chicago, IL
Cleveland, OH
Indianapolis, IN
Los Angeles, CA
Montreal, Canada
Philadelphia, PA
San Diego, CA
Santa Barbara, CA
Seattle, WA

- Source: Radiohead.com

"High and Dry" from The Bends-

"Right Hand on My Heart" by The Whigs

2008-03-25T14:10:00.000-07:00

The video debuted on MTV2's Subterranean this week:

Portishead - Machine Gun (vid)

2008-03-25T14:05:00.001-07:00

That "drum sample" is live my babies...

Make mix tapes, not war.

2008-03-14T15:47:00.000-07:00

Here's your hypothesis English buffs:

Human survival depends on the continued evolution, existence and perpetuation of the homemade mix tape.

Well, that's probably a bit extreme however, it's quite a useful social tool. I'd say that often, my mix tapes are compilations of bands/songs most of my friends haven't heard but, isn't the true iteration a mix of old and new? Pink Floyd and At the Drive-In, Deerhunter and Hazel...

I love nothing more than at the very least, giving someone a soundtrack for their day.

But, it's a constant evolution.

My generation has really gone through 3 adaptations-

1. Cassette/radio

- Like the Konami Code of the same generation, the play+record button combo. really had few contenders.

It was about the timing (or maybe it wasn't, creating the same type of analog-vinyl vibe?). Some songs were missing the first ten seconds or the DJ was talking over it because you couldn't run to your radio fast enough to hit play+record.

2. Napster CD's.

- It was like the bank vault was left wide open and everyone had really fast shoes...or Doc Martens (56k) and was running out with as much as they could carry.

That was just me?

Come on, everyone had at least 25 of their own "mixes" they'd made.

Judases.

3. iTunes/pirated music.

- I see this as the last evolution in shared music for a very long time. A smaller and more condensed version just doesn't seem possible right now without the time vested in a new, technological infrastructure (which IS possible but so intensive) or doing it without a significant loss in sound quality (even more so).

But, that's okay. I'm cool with the way things are :)

Lemonheads live @ Malmö Festival '07

"My Drug Buddy"

Review: Black Keys – Attack and Release

2008-03-10T23:20:00.000-07:00

Street date release: 4/1/08

On the Danger Mouse produced follow-up to 2006's “Magic Potion” (also stellar), the “Attack and Release” title is extremely evident with tracks that grab you with their teeth and throw you away. The mood of the album is immediately set by the ghostly, half-groove opener “All You Ever Wanted”. Danger Mouse's production is immediately heard and the union is analog, sampled, “synthy” and rich.

“I Got Mine” immediately takes you to a garage somewhere in Akron for a jam straight from a Keys practice session, or so it sounds. Raw and crash symbol infused, Auerbach sings, “I was a movin' man, in my younger days” over a fuzzed and notey lick. At about 2:00, Danger Mouse drops in some haunting samples mixed with what sound like 8-bit raindrops.

Immediately into the first single and prog. rocking “Strange Times”; as in the previous track, Danger Mouse and the Keys meet perfectly in the middle.

The layered “Psychotic Girl” (one of my favs) brings back the banjo and drum-machine sound (they're live though) to meet with a DM section that I can only describe as “the soundtrack to a mystery while riding “Pirates of the Carribean” on acid."

What would it sound like if the Black Keys were abducted by aliens while rehearsing in a 747 test hangar? Answer: “Lies”.

The two-part track that follows- “Remember Me”, sides A and B, begins with the mellow and lazy-snared “Side A”. In my head, the track immediately produces imagery of Chief from “...Cuckoo's Nest”, under-water...

The “motor running-down” (me and Danger Mouse love the DL-4) and ending synth-dots are amazing (sounds like a sampled backwards guitar).

Don't let that scare you.

It's an amazing precursor to “Side B”, a kick-down the door jam with a heavy, surf-rock solo that seals it.

“Same Old Thing” - After a 70's, detective intro., the reverb-heavy lick starts to bring the album to the start of it's “come down”.

A sustained fuzz-attack slowly gains strength to battle the explosions coming off of Carney's drum heads.

Over the track of what sounds like a computer scrambling numbers, a post-hook strum completes a 60's, pop-psyche riff in "So He Won't Break". It concludes with the guitar sounding like it's being played through a 10w amp turned to 11.

“Oceans and Streams” brings you back to the party for one last drink. Organ-flares introduce a double-time symbol pattern by Patrick Carney. An “Akron special” solo is thrown-in, quickly back into the riff and then a last stand by the slide-steel.

The Dan Auerbach and Jessica Lea Mayfield duet “Thing Ain't Like They Used to Be” closes the album like a cigarette burning-out on the ground.

Rating: 4.8/5

Rogue Tech. Tip #2 - Partition is there, just not recognized.

2008-03-10T18:37:00.001-07:00

Windows XP: After system change, your partition is no longer displayed or detected in your boot list.

Perhaps this has happened to you-

After a major system change whether it be a service pack install or BIOS flash, you reboot and oh shizz, your main partition (usually C:) is booting automatically with no option to select your other partition.

The following will help you as long as you don't have a super-complicated drive set-up.

Basically, all you're doing is altering the BOOT.ini file which lists your currently installed operating systems for a multi-boot system.

1. Right click on My Computer from your start menu and select properties. This should bring up your system properties screen.

2. Click on the advanced tab at the top and then on settings, right under startup and recovery.

3. At the new window, click on edit.

You should now see your BOOT.ini file displayed in notepad. This is where we can edit.

This is probably what you see (what I saw too)-

[boot loader]
timeout=60
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

The last part of the script is really the part we need to focus on. When you have created a secondary partition correctly and properly installed the OS, you should see an additional line with the secondary partition info. Since this is not the case here, we need to add it in.

*Again, this isn't for a super-complex set-up.*

The partition you added is most likely named D: or E:, maybe F: but, it doesn't matter.

The line for our main operating system reads as-

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

Notice the partition (1) part...

To get it to recognize our lost partition, simply add to the bottom:

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Alt. Boot" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

And where it says "Alt. Boot", you can rename to anything you want - this is what you will see when you have your boot options back. Close the window, save the changes.

Your BOOT.ini should now look like-

[boot loader]
timeout=60
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Alt. Boot" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

When you reboot your system, before you get to the welcome screen, you should see something like the screen below with your main operating system listed and whatever you named the reinstated one:

Quickpost this image to Myspace, Digg, Facebook, and others!

Black Keys. new track. live from Akron.

2008-03-07T12:48:00.000-08:00

This (live) song (...which I found on YouTube) is the second half of a two-part track called 'Remember Me'. This is 'Side B', a 2:00 jam after the more mellow, lazy-snared, 'Side A'.

Rogue Tech. Tip #1 - Firefox Tab History

2008-03-05T21:01:00.001-08:00

Firefox: Changing number of recently closed tabs

Couldn't find anything on this so I gave it a shot myself.

I'm using Firefox 2.0.0.12

1. Type about:config into the address window.
2. Scroll down to browser.sessionstore.max_tabs_undo.
3. Double click and change the number to the amount of tabs you'd like to recall.

Click 'OK' and you're done. You may want to bookmark this because you can customize a lot of other things from this page too.

I don't know what the max. number is but, I just keep it at 20-30 which is plenty.

Balanced Attack (and Release)

2008-03-05T13:10:00.000-08:00

It was a good late-night to morning transition with the leak of the Black Keys' new album 'Attack and Release'. Thus far, it's been an exceptional voyage and I expect more of the same (being only 6 tracks in).

Early review: The best way to describe it this early on would be a ghostly, folk-supernova with excellent lo-fi vs. hi-fi balance. Progressive at points and classic Keys at others.

The production by Dangermouse is impressive. Hints of 50's pop and Beatle-esque chord pops lend themselves to a Grey Album vibe but, this album is all Dangermouse x Black Keys.

sometimes you have to graf-bomb the net.

2008-03-03T15:12:00.000-08:00

Sonic Youth sounds like kids skating in 1980...

2008-02-25T20:46:00.000-08:00

Well, this song does anyway..

^sweet.

'they don't sound like the album!"

2008-02-05T20:32:00.001-08:00

I heard some dude once say that when he saw K.I.S.S. live for the first time, he was extremely disappointed because they 'didn't sound like the album'. Later in his adolescence, he realized that a truly great band doesn't 'sound like the album'.

Yeah, in the applicable rock band, perhaps the solos are right on and hit that one perfect note that makes everything right in the universe for at least a moment, like in Weezer's 'Buddy Holly' - you know which one.

Fine.. (it's at 3:26 on the vid)

Or, the solos are complete different and your mind just gets blown through the dude behind you.

Nonetheless, you get the point.

If you think this is a 'K.I.S.S. post' you've completely missed the point. I'm not even a K.I.S.S. fan.

It all culminates below - this is some rough (understatement) footage recorded at the 100 Club in London of an early Queens of the Stone Age show supporting 'Era Vularis'.

The muffled sound, pixelated colors and overall vibe just seem to wholly convey what it is to be rocked out by the Queens.

Plus, this song rules.

'Turning on the Screw' > Obama + Hilary (Hilama or Clintama, whatever you prefer..)

sometimes, it’s easy to fall in love with pop.

2008-01-21T14:26:00.000-08:00

Everyone has their guilty pleasures when it comes to things like food and music and that's okay. But, most always seem to lock away the latter in their soul-basement like a half-human, lizard monster named Gorath.

However, it's important to realize that most of the bands that would fall under the 'guilty pleasures' heading are products of a power-pop formula, no matter how chugging the guitars or prevalent the use of major-chords.

Since the days of early Motown Records and "Hitsville USA", that perfect equation of melodies and intro-verse-chorus-verse-bridge-chorus structure has lent itself to such pop perfection as The Temptations, The Beatles, Sonic Youth as well as Nirvana. The Shins have been able to achieve what I hear as a neo-50s/60s pop sound. A present day and adapted Beach Boys sound, if you will.

Granted, Sonic Youth isn't hard-wired to the basic pop-structure but, their understanding of it allows them to pretty much do whatever they want.

I have no shame in saying that Blink-182 is one of my favorite bands ever. Power-pop perfection. Everyone of those riffs hooked you within 10 seconds - and that's the dark beauty. Great pop is meant to hook you as you're switching the stations or mindlessly dredging through your presets. Kelly Clarkson's 'Since U Been Gone' is a prime example of effective power-chord progression, sound management and pop-understanding. That song is good. Too bad, right?

That is not to say that the main indie scene along with many a noise-pop band has not forged their own stake. My Bloody Valentine's "Loveless" is a sonic masterpiece. Kevin Shields ability to mold that wall of sound into that same colors on the records cover is the only true way to describe it.

Now, with bands like Voxtrot, Rogue Wave - you have a reason to say 'I really dig a good pop song'. With the re-emergence of sub-pop and super-noise-pop bands such as Animal Collective and No Age, the whole 'pop' thing expands more. Pop sensibility has become accepted by more and I love to see it.

I hate labeling things by genre but, sometimes you have to.

This even applies to the heavier stuff.

Always keep your ears open and give things a chance but, still except songs for what they are and don't get a 'good genre pop-song' confused with 'I like this band'.

I'm a student of the art of pop - what else can I say?