New R.E.M. video - Supernatural, Super Serious

Radiohead Remix Album - Amplive: Rainydayz Remixes

So, there has been much hubbub (sp) about San Francisco's Amplive and his unauthorized remix of Radiohead's magnum opus In Rainbows. Thankfully, it looks like they worked a deal out! And, true to the In Rainbows tradition, the album is available online, free of charge. (I'm not implying that In Rainbows was "free of charge" because anyone with a conscience should have paid for it) It includes vocals by Too $hort, MC Zumbi of Zion I, Chali2na of Jurassic 5, Codany Holiday, and Del The Funky Homosapien. So, if you ever wanted to spin Radiohead at your next dance party, but couldn't find a song with a good dance-able beat, look no further! Download it HERE

Anyone in Denver?

If anyone is in Denver, you've got a great show this Friday that you've got to go to. If nothing else, go, and the leave some comments here so I can live vicariously through you're experience. I wish I could make it. The Gift of Gab (Blackalicious, Mighty Underdogs, Quannum) is doing a show together with Galactic (a great funk group) and Chali 2na (Jurassic 5). Yikes! That would be a great show. If you don't believe me, check out Gab's track "The Corner" on Galactic's last album From the Corner to the Block below.

Galactic - The Corner ft. The Gift of Gab.mp3

The show is at the Fillmore on Feb. 15th at 8 PM

You NEED this stuff on your iPods!


The Mighty Underdogs




Blackalicious




Gift of Gab Solo




Lateef & the Chief



Lateef the Truth Speaker

Maritime - Guns of Navarone video

I love this band and the new album. Great song.

R.E.M. promo Video

I haven't been excited about R.E.M. in a long time. And, I'm excited to be excited about them now!

Vampire Weekend on Letterman - A-Punk

This song makes me happy

Tragedy! The Format breaks up!

Ack! The Format announced today on their myspace blog that they are calling it quits. Here's what the post said:

"We have just put out word that we will not be making a new Format album. Please understand this was a tough decision and we're both upset about it. While we accept there will be false speculation as to why, understand that Sam and I remain extremely close and in fact are still passing the twin peaks box set back and forth in an attempt to figure out who REALLY killed laura
palmer. We also want to thank everyone with and within the Format,
particularly Mike, Don, and Marko, whom without, none of this would have
ever even been fully realized. We both suggest you support their musical
talents and whatever they decide to do. And lastly we want to thank the
fans who made this the best 5 years of our lives."


Very sad! They will be missed. In memoriam, enjoy this amazing live Format cover of Billy Joel's Moving Out.

The Format - Moving Out (Billy Joel Cover).mp3

Turntable Needed, Donations Accepted

Dear Everyone,

I am looking to buy a record player / turntable. I have recently started collecting some vinyl, but have nothing to play them on. So sad. Let me know if you guys know of anyone selling or giving one away.

ALSO - if anyone has some vinyl LPs that jive with my music taste, and you want to sell - drop me a line!

New Mountain Goats Video -Sax Rohmer #1

The first video off The Mountain Goats' new LP, Heretic Pride. Not only is the album fabulous, but this is one of the most innovative cool videos I have seen in a LONG time!

Best movie background music

If any of you have caught Cloverfield, there is a party scene with some awesome music in the background. Definitely a party I would want to be at. Hypeful even got together the playlist together with MP3s. Check it out!

Saul Williams - Sunday Bloody Sunday video

Intense? Less annoying than Bono? Yes, and yes.

27 Jennifers video - Mike Doughty

Hooray! A new video for Mike Doughty's upcoming LP, Golden Delicious. The video features 27 girls actually named Jennifer.

New Years Eve Radiohead Webcast - in case you missed it

In case you missed it, here is the New Years Eve Radiohead webcast Scotch Mist. They sound amazing. As for me, I missed it because I was too busy freezing at Seattle Center watching the Space Needle fireworks show malfunction. No countdown, no "Happy New Year!!!" . . . just lots of confused, disappointed, cold people wandering back to their cars. Woo Hoo!

Belated 2007 Albums rundown

Ack! I have been so busy that I failed to offer my Best albums of 2007 list to the deluge of other lists that have been circulating around the blogosphere. I have a tough time ranking albums, so I am going to base my decisions largely upon the following questions:

1. What is the album's play count in my iTunes?
2. How long has my excitement about the album lasted?
3. Does it work as an "album," or are there just specific songs that I like?
   

Top 5

• Band of Horses – Cease to Begin
• This album got me more excited about music than anything has in a long while. I had sampled their Everything All at Once last year, but for some reason, it didn't stick. I must have played Cease to Begin 10 times through, back to back, when I first got my hands on it. I have subsequently come to enjoy their previous release as well. I love the indie-croon, I love the harmonies that remind me of something off the O Brother Where Art Though soundtrack. The beard frightens me, but I can get past that.
  

• Bright Eyes – Cassadaga
• Along with the Four Winds EP, Connor Oberst has again impressed me with Cassadaga. I can even forgive the country twang on a few songs due to the overall strength and musicmanship of the rest of the album. I LOVE the strings on the album, am still impressed with Oberst's poetry, and am very glad that his vocal skills have improved yet again, as with each previous succeeding album. My wife still says he sounds like a Billy goat, but thats fine with me.
  
• Radiohead – In Rainbows
• I hope all of the hubbub about this album doesn't leave a bad taste in peoples' mouth. When Radiohead is "on," I love them. When they are "off," I can't stand it. Kid A didn't do it for me. In Rainbows takes what they do best and projects it down fresh and new paths. It is an odd album in that respect. It all feels very familiar, but doesn't smack of repetition. It doesn't feel like they are simply repeating tired formulas. With each listen I like it more.
  
• Domo – Baby Mercury
• Why hasn't anyone heard of this band? I have readily admitted my penchant for indie-punk-pop. This Tempe, AZ 3-piece packs a mighty punch! Guitarist and main vocalist Captain Advantage - AKA Jason Sukut (previous keyboardist for fifteen minutes fast) has an unbelievable talent of consistently writing some of the most catchy hooks I have ever heard. Their previous 2006 self-released Sweet Creepy is equally impressive. I hope this band breaks big. I also hope that Sukut's membership in the Source Victoria doesn't distract him from giving us some more Domo albums!
  
• Minus the Bear – Planet of Ice
• This album was a pleasant surprise. I liked their Menos El Oso, but I didn't love it. However, I love Planet of Ice. It features the best parts of the pre-Menos El Oso era, and incorporates the good innovations from Menos El Oso. It seems like a reconciliation of two styles - like the band was trying to sort through and come to terms with the various sounds they have been toying around with. However, in being such, Planet of Ice fails to break much new ground. Thats fine with me though, because it rocks my socks off! Also, I don't know what it is about the albums title, but it perfectly fits the feel of the music. Weird, I know, but true.
  

Close Runners-Up

• Iron & Wine – Shepherds Dog
• I can't decide if I like where Sam Beam is taking us. I like this album a lot, but often find myself returning back to his more stripped-down, acoustic recordings.
  
• Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha
• Holy Musician! Always amazing, but never at the top of my list.
  
• Lifesavas – Gutterfly
• Spirit in Stone took a long time to grow on me, and I think the same holds true with Gutterfly.
  
• Maritime – Heresy and the Hotel Choir
• I loved their previous releases. This one holds up well, and might hold together better as an album than the other 2 did.
  
• Dear and the Headlights – Small Steps, Heavy Hooves
• Another band that everyone should know. These guys are just fun.
  
• Galactic – From the Corner to the Block
• Funk + a bunch of the Quannum crew = awesome.
  
• Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
• I don't like all of the songs on this album. But the ones I do like are among my top tracks of 2007.
  
• Great Lake Swimmers – Ongiara
• I have clocked a lot of hours studying to this album
  
• The New Amsterdams – At the Foot of my Rival
• SOOOOOO much better than Story like a Scar. SO much better!
  
• Okkervil River – The Stage Names
• Growing on me, quickly.
  
• Grand Archives – Grand Archives CDR
• Though only 4 songs long, this self-released CDR is giving me VERY high hopes for their upcoming Subpop full length.
  
• Blue Scholars – Bayani
• I liked their self-titled and Long March EP better, but I still spin this one a lot. I especially like playing the opening sample of "Still got Love" really loud to annoy the Mrs.
  
• Adam Panic – Wonderful
• This album has been a long time coming - I am glad it is finally out, but hope it picks up
  
• Jose Gonzalez – In our Nature
• Why hadn't I heard of this guy before? Amazing.
  
• Lateef the Truth Speaker and Z-Trip – Ahead of the Curve
• Oh Lateef - how you tease us! I have been waiting for a full length Lateef album for a while! This is getting there, but I'm ready for a full album of 100% new tunes.
• Viţa de Vie - Egon
• I hesitate to mention it, because its Romanian and no one I know but me speaks Romanian. But, this is Viţa de Vie's best album, hands down, by leaps and bounds. Too bad no one but me enjoys it.
  

Good enough to get significant play-time in my iTunes

• Pinback – Autmn of Seraphs
• Pinback never stuck with me before, but I like this one.
  
• Saves the Day – Under the Boards
• "Can't stay the same" is among my top tracks of 2007. There are some other gems on this album, but some not-so-good ones too.
  
• John Vanderslice – Emerald City
• A few phenomenal tracks, a few lackluster ones.
  
• Jeremy Enigk – The Missing Link
• The new songs on the EP were great - I wish there was more.
  
• The Weakerthans – Reunion Tour
• Awesome! I thought these guys were done for.
  
• The Mighty Underdogs – the Prelude EP
• The LP will be highly anticipated. The Gift of Gab + Lateef = classic. It has a very early '90s vibe in the sample choices.
  
• The National – Boxer
• I didn't like it on the 1st listen. I have no problem with mumbling, but this album bored me. After a couple more listens, it is growing on me.
  
• Lyrics Born – The Lyrics Born Variety Show: Season 2
• I liked Season 1 a lot better, but still good.
  

OK, but disappointing

• Rogue Wave – Asleep at Heaven’s Gate
• Some great tracks, but a bunch of ho-hum ones that didn't resonate with me.
  
• Jonah Matranga – And
• Lackluster.
  
• Angels & Airwaves – I-Empire
• An embaressing admission. Tom is SO pretentious and it shows in the music . . . but . . . I thought it wasn't 1/2 bad. Not great, but I haven't deleted it.
  
• Matt Pond PA – If you Want Blood
• Meh.
  
• Matt Pond PA – Last Light
• This album was ok, but bored me. Not many stand out tracks
  
• Dashboard Confessional – the Shade of Poison Trees
• Better than the last 2 releases. MUCH better. I still yearn for the Swiss Army era though.
  
• The Thrills – Teenager
• I had high hopes for this one. Maybe too high - and thats why it didn't impress me.
  
• Rocky Votolato – The Brag & Cuss
• Rocky! You're killing me! I just can't handle this much country twang!
  
• Jimmy Eat World – Chase this Light
• Oh Jimmy. How you've fallen! Here's what I think the problem is. The band is no longer teenagers or even 20-somethings . . . but they still try to sing about teenage angst. It doesn't work anymore. Plus, too many of the songs smacked forced over-the-top-anthem-ness. Too polished - over produced. I'm not feeling the sincerity in the music like I did with Clarity. This said, there are a few really good tracks. Big Casino is a standout.
  
• Classic Case – Losing at Life
• Boring. I liked Dressed to Depress, and I loved Blankface. The band broke up in any case, hopefully their next ventures will be better.
  
• Saul Williams – The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!
• Meh. Give me more "Twice in a Lifetime." Give me more "Black Stacey." However, do check out the AWESOME cover of U2's Bloody Sunday!!!
  

The Dumbest Looking band of 2007

As I was eating my breakfast, a video came on for a band named The Last Goodnight. I was shocked and appalled by what absolute idiots these guys looked like. Cheese-ball mohawks, contrived emo-esque long hair all gelled down over the face, ridiculous outfits, sad pensive looks on their faces - they had it all. Good work Virgin Records - you really signed a winner this time. Is this what the music industry is coming to?! Major labels are starting to realize that the indie music scene is raking in a lot of money and critical acclaim - so they dig up some band, dress them up in some mainstream-ified attempt at indie fashion and give them some sad pining-away name like The Last Goodnight. Its sounds like an attempted homage to The Get Up Kids' The Long Goodnight, but without the sincerity, talent or actual emotion.

In any case, I couldn't turn the stupid video off because I just HAD TO see what the name of the band was at the end so I could look them up and excoriate them. I'm so disgusted by all of this, that I'm not even going to provide any links. Take that Virgin Records!

If you have an idea for a Dumber looking band - please leave a comment

Amos Lee - Colors

When was the last time that you listened to something new from the legendary Blue Note Records label? Their slogan "The Finest Jazz since 1939" is probably accurate. We're talking John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk, Wynton Marsalis, Duke Ellington . . . the list goes on. While I "appreciate" classic jazz, I can't say I listen to it much. However, I can remember my old roommate Ken (a trumpet player) spinning some old jazz albums from Blue Note. In any case, Amos Lee is one of their contemporary acts and his music is really growing on me. Acoustic, bluesy, soulful. Enjoy this live video.

Best Music Video of 2007

According to Sterogum.com the best music video of 2007 was The Underdog by Spoon. Enjoy.

New Iron and Wine video - Boy with a Coin

Finally! A video from Iron & Wine's latest LP, Shepherd's Dog. Who knew that large beards and flamenco dancers could go together so well?!

Hopefully you've already snatched up Shepherd's Dog, but also consider buying the Boy with a Coin single. It has 2 great b-sides, Carried Home and Kingdom of the Animals.

New Phantom Planet

Let me be the first to say that I wasn't impressed with Phantom Planet's last LP. To be honest, I preferred Negatives 1, Negatives 2 and Polaroid - all b-sides collections. Oddly, Polaroid was the first Phantom Planet I heard, I was immediately hooked. From there I got their earlier Phantom Planet it Missing and The Guest. I highly reccommend purchasing all of those. But, I'm holding out hope that their Spring 2008 release, just announced to be on the Fueled by Ramen label, will be better than their eponymous release.

In honor of this possibility, enjoy this new video of them played some Christmas tunes. Plus an MP3 (which I presume will end up on the new LP) from their most recent Limited Edition Tour EP.

Phantom Planet - Leader.mp3

Andrew Bird - Imitosis

New Andrew Bird Video - Imitosis

Be a pal and by some of Mr. Bird's music!