Archive for the ‘music’ Category

Oh, The Divorces! : (

Monday, December 27th, 2010

Divorce, it’s a sad theme, because the kids are the ones that get hurt and grow up a little bit broken. We all are who we are; we all have our stories, but no one escapes the pain of a divorce and I find that severed relationships are the saddest stories. Remember Tracey Thorn from Everything But The Girl? Well, on her new album Love And Its Opposite she asks “who’s next?, who’s fled, who’s been caught out in somebodies bed?” – in “Oh, The Divorces!”. Download the album here; a bittersweet little holiday gift for you, from Tracey. Also included is a new cover version of Sufjan Steven’s seasons classic, ‘Sister Winter’.

Enjoy.

Duck Sauce – “Barbra Streisand” Video

Tuesday, September 28th, 2010

You’ll find every music person on the planet in the Duck Sauce video, but Barbara Streisand.The official “Barbra Streisand” single is out 10/12.

A Real Music Video — NSFW El Guincho: Bombay

Tuesday, September 28th, 2010

Finally a music video that encompasses everything a music video should; sparkles, water, a fat man, a crow, girls, girls, girls, 70’s filter, a bit of science and a really good song. The video is actually a trailer for a film, called Bombay, directed by Nicolás Méndez. This is El Guincho’s, aka Pablo Díaz-Reixa, second album, “Pop Negro” which he mixed with Jon Gass (Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston), released by Young Turks / XL Recordings (The xx).  El Gincho grew up on the Canary Isles, the Spanish-owned archipelago off the coast of Northwestern Africa; starved for 80’s pop culture and later found a talent for music while in Paris and Barcelona. He describes his music as a kind of “space-age exotica”.

Blonde Redhead’s New Video “Not Getting There” (Official Video)

Monday, September 20th, 2010

Weezer has a new Album

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

Weezer Album, Hurley

The album just name’s itself. The album cover comes from a photo taken with Rivers Cuomo and Jorge Garcia, but clearly the decision was made to crop the photo and let it be thy name.  And simply enough it’s called ‘Hurley’ – you gotta love it.
‘Hurley’ is due out Sept. 14 via indie label, Epitaph Records.

MGMT’s New Album ‘Congratulations’

Tuesday, April 13th, 2010

MGMT 'Congratulations' promo

MGMT is far too original to go mainstream, although pop success is theirs to have judging by the success of their first album ‘Oracular Spectacular’. Their sophomore album, ‘Congratulations’, which is officially out today, is far from the indie pop sound that put them on the map. As a warning to their fans, 26-yr-old, Andrew Van Wyngarden says this about ‘Congratulations’:

“It’s definitely going to shock people. We dropped any sort of irony that was on the first record, and Congratulations feels true to who we really are,”

The NY psych-pop duo wanted to change their sound to avoid floating down the main stream and have refused offers with big touring acts to stay true to their originality.

 “We’ve recently been offered support slots with a ton of big bands. Really huge, enormous, big bands – Like Lady GaGa and U2 and Coldplay and Foo Fighters. And we turned them all down. We really didn’t want to do any of that. I think on some level ‘Congratulations’ is a reaction to the success of the first one. I mean, of course we were happy and felt lucky that stuff happened, but it wasn’t really what we were shooting for. I think a lot of people misinterpreted and misunderstood what we were about.”, says Andrew.

You can listen to ‘Congratulations’ in it’s entirety, on their website, which they offered so that their fans could hear the music from them rather than a leaked copy on the inets (hear the whole thing now.) They kicked-off their North American tour at The Fillmore in San Francisco, CA, last night, which will include Coachella, Bamboozle, and Lollapalooza fests. Their European tour begins in the fall and will end mid December in Lisbon.

MGMT:

04-07 Sydney, Australia – Metro Theatre
04-12 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
04-13 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
04-17 Indio, California – Coachella
04-29 Toronto, Ontario – The Mod Club
04-30 Durham, NH – University of New Hampshire
05-02 East Rutherford, NJ – Bamboozle
05-28 San Luis Obispo, CA – Avila Beach Bowl
05-29 Santa Cruz, CA – Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium
05-31 George, WA – Sasquatch Festival
06-01 Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
06-02 Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
06-04 Salt Lake City, UT – In the Venue
06-06 Austin, TX – Stubbs
06-07 Houston, TX – House of Blues
06-08 Dallas, TX – House of Blues
06-11 Morrison, CO – Red Rocks
06-13 Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theatre
06-14 Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue
06-15 Columbus, OH – LC Pavilion
06-16 Detroit, MI – Fillmore
06-18 Chicago, IL – Rivera Theatre
06-20 Milwaukee, WI – Riverside Theatre
08-08 Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza
09-16 Dublin, Ireland – Olympia
09-20 Glasgow, Scotland – Barrowland Ballroom
09-23 Birmingham, England – 02 Academy
09-24 Bournemouth, England – 02 Academy
09-26 Manchester, England – Manchester Apollo
09-29 London, England – Brixton Academy
09-30 London, England – Brixton Academy
10-03 Brussels, Belgium – AB Café / Resto
10-04 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso
10-07 Paris, France – Bataclan
10-08 Paris, France – Bataclan
11-29 Dusseldorf, Germany – Stahlwerk
11-30 Hamburg, Germany – Docks
12-02 Oslo, Norway – Sentrum Scene
12-03 Stockholm, Sweden – Berns
12-04 Copenhagen, Denmark – Vega
12-06 Berlin, Germany – Columbiahalle
12-07 Munich, Germany – Tonhalle
12-08 Vienna, Austria – Gasometer
12-10 Prague, Czech Republic – Archa Theatre
12-12 Milan, Italy – Alcatraz
12-13 Zurich, Switzerland – Maag Hall
12-14 Lyon, France – Le Transbordeur
12-16 Barcelona, Spain – Razzmatazz
12-17 Madrid, Spain – La Riviera
12-18 Lisbon, Portugal – Campo Pequeno

source: Pitchfork

photo: public promo image for ‘Congratulations’

Who’s the Most Corporate Band in America?

Friday, April 9th, 2010

PepsiBlackeyedpeas

They consider themselves a brand, the Black Eyed Peas band leader will.i.am says about the group. They’re the pushers of products like Coors, Levi’s, Honda, Apple, Verizon, Pepsi in exchange for video budgets, underwritten tours, and exposure. On their current tour, BlackBerry delivers text messages sent from audience members, that are seen on two huge stage screens, as will.i.am performs them via freestyle rap.

 “I consider us a brand. A brand always has stylized decks, from colors to fonts. Here’s our demographic. Here’s the reach. Here’s the potential. Here’s how the consumer will benefit from the collaboration.”

If will.i.am wasn’t in music, “He’d be the best ad executive on Madison Avenue,” says Randy Phillips, president and CEO of the concert promoter AEG Live, who says he plans to have will.i.am deliver a seminar to AEG’s global marketing team. “I’ve never seen anyone more astute at dealing with sponsors’ and companies’ needs and understanding their brands.”  Fresh off of a tech meeting stint with about 20 Silicon Valley companies, will.i.am injected “Google” into a song and sent shout-outs to the fellow geeks in the audience–”All the technology lovers make some noise!”

It used to be record sales that drove success to a band, but Black Eyed Peas has made their music about corporate connections and brand recognition. Just last month, they held a concert in Times Square to promote Samsung’s new line of 3-D televisions that led to a link-up with James Cameron, who was also there to endorse the 3-D televisions. Talks of a feature film collaboration are in now in the works.

image: Pepsi/Getty Images

source: WSJ

 

 

MGMT’s New Video For “The Youth”

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008


MGMT – The Youth from Eric Wareheim on Vimeo.

MGMT‘s latest video for “The Youth” will rock your socks off. Directed by zany Eric Wareheim of Adult Swim’s Tim and Eric Awesome Show. Great Job! These kids in their sparkles and dead pan faces are so on! Eric really knows how to choreograph a dance.

These guys have come so far, so fast.

Travis Barker and DJ AM In Critical Condition

Saturday, September 20th, 2008

Travis Barker, 32 and DJ AM, 35, were critically injured after their plane crashed on the runway, shortly after take off. TRVS had just played a free T-Mobile concert in South Carolina with Perry Ferrell and Gavin DeGraw.   There were six people on the Lear jet leaving Columbia, SC headed for Van Nuys, CA, just before midnight, Friday.  Four of the six people are reported dead, while the two survivors are said to be severely burned.  Travis and DJ AM were taken by ambulance to a burn center in Augusta, GA. DJ AM was airlifted with severe burns to the face, while Travis suffered severe burns from waist down.   They are both in critical condition.TMZ reports the plane went off the road and crashed on a nearby highway after air-traffic controller reported sparks coming from the plane.  Those that lost their lives due to the crash are the pilot Sarah Lemmon, 31, co-pilot James Bland, 52, Travis’ body guard, Charles Still , 25, and Travis’ assistant Chris Baker, 29. Travis and DJ AM are both said to be in critical, yet stable condition.  

Annie Lennox in Musical Quandary

Tuesday, January 15th, 2008

“Nothing is for free EXCEPT music.”

There’s no question that the music industry remains in a troubled state. Artists have too many options and more control, but that control is forcing the artist to become too creative in their business choices.

Like so many others, Annie Lennox is refusing the corporate option to resign to a label. She can choose to sell straight from her own site or through an MP3 download site, but doesn’t like the idea of internet downloads because it allows fans to download for free.

Lennox tells Spinner.com, “I don’t want to go into the corporate structure. I never wanted to be in the corporate structure in the first place. “I have issues in some way with people downloading. If I want to make a certain kind of record I personally have to get the band together, the studio engineer, the producer.

“I have to pay a good deal of money to make that happen. If people just download it that means I’m indulging in a very expensive hobby. I don’t quite see how people can do that and have it make sense. I can’t go into Starbucks and demand free coffee. We’re in this capitalistic system where nothing is for free except music.”

Pitchfork’s Top 100 Tracks Of 2007

Tuesday, December 18th, 2007

100 Ost & Kjex – “Milano Mugolian (A Thrilling Mungophony in Two Parts)”
99 Broken Social Scene Presents: Kevin Drew – “Backed Out on the…”
98 Old Time Relijun – “Indestructible Life!”
97 Sir Richard Bishop – “Ecstasies in the Open Air”
96 Times New Viking – “Teenage Lust!”
95 Groove Armada [ft. Mutya Buena] – “Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control)”
94 MGMT – “Time to Pretend”
93 Antibalas – “Beaten Metal”
92 Air – “Mer du Japon (Kris Menace Remix)”
91 Menomena – “The Pelican”
90 Miranda Lambert – “Gunpowder & Lead”
89 Air France – “Beach Party”
88 The New Pornographers – “Myriad Harbour”
87 Sophie Ellis-Bextor – “Me and My Imagination”
86 Rekid – “Next Stop Chicago”
85 BARR – “The Song Is the Single”
84 50 Cent – “I Get Money”
83 Sonic Youth – “I’m Not There”
82 Tinariwen – “Matadjem Yinmixan”
81 Modest Mouse – “Dashboard”
80 Grizzly Bear – “Little Brother (Electric)”
79 Magik Markers – “Taste”
78 Amy Winehouse – “Tears Dry on Their Own”
77 The National – “Mistaken for Strangers”
76 Klaxons – “Golden Skans”

lcdamfdjh-761222.jpg75 Escort – “All Through the Night”
74 Black Lips – “Katrina”
73 The Twilight Sad – “Cold Days From the Birdhouse”
72 Ted Leo & the Pharmacists – “La Costa Brava”
71 The Shins – “Turn on Me”
70 Cassie – “Is It You?”
69 Roísín Murphy – “Overpowered”
68 Black Kids – “I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You”
67 Devin the Dude [ft. Andre 3000 and Snoop Dogg] – “What a Job”
66 King Khan & the Shrines – “Welfare Bread”
65 DJ Khaled [ft. T.I., Akon, Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Birdman & Lil Wayne] – “We Takin’ Over”
64 No Age – “Neck Escaper”
63 Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings – “I’m Not Gonna Cry”
62 Cool Kids – “I Rock”
61 !!! – “Heart of Hearts”
60 The White Stripes – “Rag and Bone”
59 Lil Wayne – “Upgrade U”
58 Shellac – “The End of Radio”
57 Electrelane – “To the East”
56 Aesop Rock – “None Shall Pass”
55 Studio – “No Comply”
54 Joanna Newsom – “Colleen”
53 Bat for Lashes – “What’s a Girl to Do?”
52 The Clientele – “Bookshop Casanova”
51 Kanye West [ft. T-Pain] – “Good Life”
50 Dude ‘N Nem – “Watch My Feet”
49 Yeasayer – “2080”
48 Liars -“Plaster Casts of Everything”
47 T2 -“Heartbroken”
46 Deerhunter- “Wash Off”
45 The Honeydrips – “Fall From a Height”
44 Pantha du Prince – “Saturn Strobe”
43 Deerhoof – “The Perfect Me”
42 Spoon – “Black Like Me”
41 Los Campesinos! – “You! Me! Dancing!”
40 Beirut – “Elephant Gun”
39 Sally Shapiro – “He Keeps Me Alive”
38 Matthew Dear- “Deserter”
37 Blonde Redhead -“23”
36 Okkervil River – “Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe”
35 Dirty Projectors – “Rise Above”
34 The Tough Alliance – “Silly Crimes”
33 Dinosaur Jr. – “Almost Ready”
32 R. Kelly [ft. T.I. and T-Pain] – “I’m a Flirt (remix)”
31 Cortney Tidwell – “Don’t Let Stars Keep Us Tangled Up (Ewan’s Objects in Space Remix)”
30 Dan Deacon – “Wham City”
29 Arcade Fire – “Keep the Car Running”
28 Dizzee Rascal – “Pussy’ole (Old Skool)”
27 Lil Mama – “Lip Gloss”
26 Jay-Z – “Roc Boys (And the Winner Is…)”
25 Kanye West – “Can’t Tell Me Nothing”
24 Gui Boratto – “Beautiful Life”
23 Simian Mobile Disco – “I Believe”
22 Animal Collective – “Peacebone”
21 M.I.A. – “Boyz”
20 Radiohead – “All I Need”
19 The Field – “A Paw in My Face”
18 Chromatics – “In the City”
17 Burial – “Archangel” 16 Feist – “1 2 3 4”
15 Jens Lekman – “A Postcard to Nina”
14 Caribou – “Melody Day” 13 Of Montreal – “The Past Is a Grotesque Animal”
12 Spoon – “You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb”
11 Grinderman – “No Pussy Blues”
10 Jay-Z [ft. Beanie Sigel] – “Ignorant Shit”
09 Animal Collective – “Fireworks”
08 Justice – “D.A.N.C.E.”
07 LCD Soundsystem – “Someone Great”
06 UGK [ft. Outkast] – “Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You)”
05 Rihanna [ft. Jay-Z] – “Umbrella”
04 M.I.A. [ft. Bun B and Rich Boy] – “Paper Planes (Remix)”
03 Panda Bear – “Bros”
02 Battles – “Atlas”
01 LCD Soundsystem – “All My Friends”

Kevin DuBrow Dead At 52

Monday, November 26th, 2007

 

The lead singer of 80’s glam-metal band, Quiet Riot, Kevin DuBrow was found dead in his Las Vegas home yesterday confirms the band’s drummer, Frankie Banali. Kevin had just celebrated his 52nd birthday last month in New Orleans.

 

Frank wrote on his website:

 

“I can’t even find words to say. Please respect my privacy as I mourn the passing and honor the memory of my dearest friend Kevin DuBrow.”


A cause of death has yet to be determined. Quiet Riot bassist Kelly Garni has asked fans to be patient for details on the singer’s death.

“I ask that no one here offer any speculation or opinions, theories or other things that could be construed as negative or, and I’m sorry for this, even sympathetic, right at this immediate time. I am already, within hours of this, having to deal with untrue rumors and speculation and that only adds fuel to that. There is a tendency for the subject of Kevin to incite flames on every board, and now is not the time for that. I will explain to everyone here the facts and the truth in the next 24 to 48 hours as I realize this will affect us all. So please, until then, be patient. All details and other pertinent info will be passed on to you here when it becomes available to me.”

 

Randy Rhoads, who died in 1982, was a founding member of the band and guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne at the time of his death. Credited with helping to launch the 1980s glam-metal scene, Quiet Riot are perhaps best known for their cover of Slade’s “Cum on Feel the Noize,” which appeared on 1983’s Metal Health and eventually peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was the first by a metal band to reach the chart’s #1 position.
Founding Members of Quiet Riot
Rest in Peace.

[source: MTV, Reuters]