New Pains Of Being Pure At Heart "Young Adult Friction"

ACL Lineup Announced

Well it's that time of year when we get to see who we'll be sweating it out to here in the Austin summer. As usual the headliners are a bit weak with the exception of the Beastie Boys who always bring it live. The other two headliners are "Alt Rawk" heavy weights Pearl Jam and "Jam Banders" Dave Mathews. Some good acts include: Sonic Youth, Mos Def, Arctic Monkeys, The Decemberists, Bon Iver, Phoenix, Girl Talk, The Walkmen, Blitzen Trapper, School Of Seven Bells, Robyn Hitchcock and Passion Pit. Maybe it's because I'm old but I really don't mind leaving early!

Flaming Lips Get Assist From The Governor

Well it looks like "Do You Realize" will be Oklahoma's official state song after all. Governor Brad Henry will sign an executive order making it so and overruling the State Legislator. The blog The Lost Ogle found these pictures of the very same Republicans who made such a fuss about The Lips sucking up to Wayne and company.
Do I smell political back pedaling? Look whose wearing a Hammer and Sickle shirt?

Sundays Slept On

Joe Strummer "Walker" & Havana 3 A.M.



Walker was a film by British director Alex Cox based on the life story of William Walker the American Explorer who invaded Mexico. The soundtrack was scored by Joe Strummer who also plays one of Walkers men in the film. Strummer had previously worked with Alex Cox when he composed songs for Sid And Nancy and Straight To Hell. During filming Strummer would hang out in his trailer recording on to a four track. The songs were influenced by the local music they were hearing at the bars which included a mix of reggae, calypso and Brazilian Music





Havana 3 A.M. was a short lived band that featured former Clash bassist Paul Simonon. The bands sound was a mix of rockabilly, reggae and various sounds that were coming from Latin America at the time. The band had somewhat of a radio hit with the song "Reach The Rock". When guitarist Nigel Dixon passed a way Simonon called it a day and pursued a career in art.

Wizard Gets Tased At Coachella

Well this looks like another case of the cops inablity to deal with a situation without resorting to violence. In Europe the police there would have been able to resolve this shit nonviolently since it's pretty obvious that this kook is a threat to nobody.


Naked Wizard Tased By Reality from Tracy Anderson on Vimeo.

Depeche Bring "Wrong" To Jimmy Kimmel

I'll admit that I've never seen Depeche Mode play live but seeing the guys playing drums and guitar was a bit of a shock. I have always thought of them as a synthesizer only band.

New Morrissey Video "Something Is Squeezing My Skull"

Morrissey is an old pro and can be a great entertainer. He can also be a big diva sometimes. Way back when I was in high school I scraped together enough money to buy a ticket to his concert and "Moz" came out and played half heatedly for twenty minutes and called it a night. It took me a while to get over that one.

Morrissey -Something Is Squeezing My Skull

New Scratch Featuring Damon Albarn

The one time Beatboxer for the Roots has a new album coming out and the lead track features Damon Albarn of Blur.

More Proof That Republicans Suck

It looks like the GOP representatives in Oklahoma have voted down the states citizens choice for a new state song. The voters chose The Flaming Lips "Do You Realize" and democracy rules right? Wrong! It seems the delicate sensibilities of Rep. Corey Holland were offended when a member of the band wore a hammer and sickle shirt during a concert the band performed at city hall last year. The song can be re-voted on in 2010 so lets vote the bums out and Oklahoma a great song!

Greatest Album Covers

Pink Floyd - Animals



Pink Floyd's Animals came it in the U.K. in January 1977 and was successful in spite of it being the height of the Punk Rock Era. Animals was a concept album based on the George Orwell novel Animal Farm. Orwell's novel attacked Communism while Pink Floyd chose to attack Capitalism a tricky thing for a band that sells albums and t-shirts to do.

The building on the cover of the album is the Battersea Power Station on the Thames river near London. The building is actually two different power plants one built in the 1930's and the other in the 1950's both built in the same style. The photo also contains the Pink Floyd Pig which was flying next to the building. On the first day of the shoot a marksman was on duty to shoot the pig down if it got lose. After realizing the insurance company would not allow a marksman on sight he was not there the second day when the balloon did fly off. A police helicopter did follow the pig but had to break off the chase when it flew to 5,000 feet. The balloon was later recovered relatively unharmed in a farmers field and patched up for a third day of shooting. The image on the cover is a composite using a photo of the building taken on the first day of shooting and of the pig on the third day.

Bat For Lashes Perform "Daniel" On Jools Holland

New King Khan And The Shrines Video "Land Of The Freak"

Warner Music Group Has It All Wrong

Like many people lately I have come across a lot of music videos on YouTube that have had the audio deleted thanks to The Warner Music Group. Although this has stopped me from listening to some Smith's songs online I have the albums at home so I'm alright. However last night while perusing YouTube for old skateboard video footage I came across a video of Cairo Fosters part in Transworld's "The Reason" in which the audio had been deleted. The video features Built To Spills "Carry The Zero" that was released on Warner Records. Now watching a skate video without audio is a weird thing. Without the sound of the tail slapping the ground or the trucks grinding a ledge or rail the visuals lose something. Speaking of losing something Warner is losing potential customers who could be discovering their bands and others thru these clips. Trust me I have purchased many a record based on a song I heard on a skateboard video. Some examples are The Faint, AIM, Operation Ivy and McRad which are all in my CD case or on my Ipod as we speak. As the major record label system continues to die I can hear the greedy executives hammering their own nails in the coffins with their lack of vision. Oh well, I'm of to listen to Fugazi and watch Ban This.

Poetry In Motion - Ray Barbee

Ray Barbee was one of my favorite skaters back in the day. Peep his part from "Ban This" below.



Now days Ray is holding it down on the musical front.

Pixies Box Set On The Way

The Pixies are set to release Minotaur a box set that will feature reissues of their four studio albums and the Come On Pilgrim EP. The albums will not be remastered but will feature new artwork and bonus tracks yet to be determined. The Pixies will also be playing some European dates this summer now if they will just book some stateside shows, please!

New Handsome Furs - Agony

This one was played by the band in Munich and might be a b-side for an upcoming single.

Bon Iver With MHS Jazz Band

This weekend Bon Iver's Justin Vernon went back to his old high school and performed some originals and some covers with the school band.

New Matt And Kim Video - Lessons Learned

In this clip smiley sweethearts Matt and Kim walk thru Times Square and take off all there clothes. That's it but watch out for NYPD!

Matt and Kim - New Music - More Music Videos

Official Lolapalooza Line up

It's a pretty good line up. I find it interesting that Snoop Dog is listed down by Against Me!. I wander if this is due to a decline in Snoop's musical stock or the expected lack of interest by the so called "alt" crowd?

TV On The Radio Perform "Crying" On Leno

Franz Ferdinand Play "No You Girls" For Jimmy Kimmel

New Coathangers Video - Stop Stomp Stompin

The Coathangers are four ladies from Atlanta, Georgia who like myself must have lived on the bottom floor of an apartment complex.

New Phoenix Video - Lisztomania

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Play "Heads Will Roll" on Fallon

Just when "Zero" was getting old they come with a new one.

New M. Ward video - Rave On

Featuring the lovely Ms. Death Cab For Cutie.

Neko Case Brings "This Tornado Loves You" To Letterman

The Breeders Self Release EP

The sister Deal have parted company with 4AD and will be self releasing a four song EP next Tuesday. Keeping with that DIY spirit the ladies printed the vinyl jackets themselves. The cover art comes from Chris Glass who designed the American Recovery Reinvestment Act logo for the Obama administration.

New Streets Video - I Love My Phone

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Bring Zero To Letterman

Teenage girls please aspire to be Karen O not Miley Cyrus or something.

New French Kicks Video - Abandon

New Abe Vigoda Video - Don 't Lie

Abe Vigoda's video for "Don't Lie" finds the boys cruising thru what looks like the Joshua Tree State Park in some grainy Super 8 footage.

M83 "We Own The Sky" + Maps Remix

M83 - We Own the Sky from David Altobelli on Vimeo.

GUILTY

The one time brilliant producer has been found guilty of Second-Degree murder by a Los Angels jury for the 2003 killing of actress Lana Clarkson. Spector had a history of crazy behavior like the time he held the Ramones hostage in the studio during a recording session.

Sundays Slept On

The Jesus And Mary Chain - Stoned & Dethroned

The first track on the Jesus and Mary Chains fifth album Stones And Dethroned opens with the lines "It's off then it's on" which could very well allude to the tumultuous relationship between the brother Reid. A couple lines later they say "fuck with me and I'll fuck with you" this could be aimed to the bands fan base since the album was originally supposed to be a solely acoustic affair. Instead the album ended up being a much more somber affair mostly leaving behind the brutal distortion the band was know for. To me this album always seemed to be inspired by the American South West with its endless highways, almost deserted small towns and all empty space in between. The album also features two guest vocalists with Jim's then girlfriend Mazzy Star's Hope Sandoval dueting on "Sometimes Always" giving the song a Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood feel and The Pogues Shane Macgowan taking the lead on "God Help Me". Stoned & Dethrones proved that the Reid boys were legitate song writers and musicians that did not simply hide behind a wall of distortion.

Greatest Album Covers

Miles Davis - Bitches Brew

Miles Davis's 1970 double album Bitches Brew was a kick in the teeth to Jazz purists of the time with its electric instrumentation and more "rock" sound. An album that different needed a cover to match the sound within. That's where artist Mati Klarwein came in. Born in Hamburg Germany Mati's family fled their home for Palestine to get away from growing Nazi threat. From their he traveled to Tibet, France, India, North Africa, Turkey and Bali truly becoming a citizen of the world. Finlay in the early sixties he settled down in New York City. Mati's art has been described as Surrealism and Pop Art and also has been influenced by Psychedelic art.

New St. VIncent Video - Actor Out Of Work

Texas's own Annie Clark sits down with a bunch of out of work actors and watches them cry on cue.

The Specials Bring A Message to Jools Holland

The reunited Specials played A Message To You Rudie and Gangsters on the Jools Holland Show.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs Live On Jools Holland

Also look for them on Saturday Night Live this weekend and lets hope the sound is ok.

Beck's One Foot In The Grave Gets Deluxe Reissue

On April 14 Interscope Records will reissue Beck's One Foot In The Grave along with 16 previously unreleased tracks. The album was originally put out on Washington State indy K Records but has been out of print for several years now. I bought this album back in the day a little after Mellow Gold came out and got exposed to the stoner/folk side of Mr. Hanson.

Bat For Lashes - Daniel (lofi version)

It's called a shit sandwich enjoy it Hannity!!

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
Baracknophobia - Obey
comedycentral.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor

New Thieves Like Us Video - Your Heart Feels

New Thermals VIdeo - Now We Can See

Franz Ferdinand Cover Britney Spears Womanizer

We have already heard Lilly Allen do it now it's Fanz Ferdinand's turn.

Phoenix Do SNL

The French band performed the seldom seen three song set on SNL probably due to a lack of funny material worth airing. Judging by these three songs the upcoming album should be quite good. Oh, and the sound was descent for a change.

New And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead Video - Isis Unveiled

This is the new video off of The Century Of Self out now on the bands own Richter Scale label.

Sundays Slept On

Texas Is The Reason - Do You Know Who You Are?
Before Emo was a bad word associated with overly sensitive guys in skinny jeans with silly hair cuts there were bands like Texas Is The Reason. Wanting to get away from the frat boy macho attitude that permeated the Hardcore scene at the time guitarist Norm Arenas of Hare Krishna Hardcore band Shelter and drummer Chris Daly of 108 saw the band as a way to do something different. The name Texas Is The Reason comes from the Misfits song Bullet that says "Texas is the reason the presidents dead" alluding to JFK's assassination in Dallas. The band only released one EP and one LP before breaking up due to inter-band strife. Before breaking up they were being courted by Capital Records who saw them as the next phase in the ongoing Punk explosion. Do You Know Who You Are was produced by J. Robinns (Jawbox, Burning Airlines, Channels) and was released by Hardcore label Revelation Records in 1996. In 2006 the band played two shows to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the albums release.

Stereolab Go On Hiatus

After almost 20 years of pushing musical boundaries France/England's Stereolab will go an hiatus. The band will release Chemical Chords 2 later this year but has no plans to record new material and have cancelled their two remaining live dates.

Arctic Monkeys Check In From The Studio, Diss Crocs!

Crocs are pretty much the worst thing to happen to footwear, ever.

Merge 10th Anniversary Initual Line Up Announced

One of the best record labels out there turns 20 this year and it's time to celebrate. The 5 days of festivities will feature 25 Merge acts old and new. The first bands to be announced are: Superchunk, Spoon, Conor Oberst, Spent, M. Ward, The Rosebuds, Destroyer, Guv'ner, Polvo, Pipe & The Broken West. The five day pass is on sale at the Merge website now and will set you back $150.

New Amadou & Mariam Video - "Sabali" (Paul Epworth Remix)

New To Me - Rainbow Arabia

Rainbow Arabia are married couple Danny and Tiffany Preston who mix tradition Middle Eastern sounds with more modern and Western Electronics.

New Jay Reatard Video - DOA

New Sonic Youth - Calming The Snake

This is a not so great recording of SY debuting the song in Chile. Still when it comes to Sonic Youth I'll take what I can get.

God Help The Girl Album Art And Track List

God Help The Girl Is the soundtrack to a twee musical written by Belle & Sebastian leader Stuart Murdoch. The soundtrack features a 45 piece orchestra and vocals by Neil Hannon (Divine Comedy), Aysa (Smooch) and many other people listed below.

01 Act of the Apostle (Catherine Ireton)
02 God Help the Girl (Catherine Ireton)
03 Pretty Eve in the Tub (Stuart Murdoch and Catherine Ireton)
04 A Unified Theory (Instrumental)
05 Hiding Neath My Umbrella (Catherine Ireton and Stuart Murdoch)
06 Funny Little Frog (Brittany Stallings)
07 If You Could Speak (Catherine Ireton and Anna Miles)
08 Musician Please Take Heed (Catherine Ireton)
09 Perfection as a Hipster (Neil Hannon and Catherine Ireton)
10 Come Monday Night (Catherine Ireton)
11 Music Room Window (Instrumental)
12 I Just Want His Jeans (Asya)
13 I'll Have to Dance With Cassie (Catherine Ireton)
14 A Down and Dusky Blonde (Dina Bankole, Catherine Ireton, Celia Garcia, Brittany Stallings, Asya)

Swervedriver Reissues First 3 Albums With Bonus Tracks

U.K. shoegaze band Swervedriver has reissued their first three albums along with four bonus tracks. It seems like even they are admitting that their fourth album was not very good. Their second album Mezcal Head is especially good and should have brought them a larger fan base. The band has regrouped last year and been touring on and off.

New John Vanderslice Album Art And Track List

01 "Tremble And Tear"
02 "Fetal Horses"
03 "C&O Canal"
04 "Too Much Time"
05 "D.I.A.L.O."
06 "Forest Knolls"
07 "Oblivion"
08 "Sunken Union Boat"
09 "Romanian Names"
10 "Carina Constellation"
11 "Summer Stock"
12 "Hard Times"

New Horrors Video - Sea Within A Sea

To me it sounds like someone has been listening to Deerhunter which is not a bad thing. Production duties were handled by Portishead's Geoff Barrow.


The Horrors - Sea Within A Sea from XL Recordings on Vimeo.

Marianne Faithfull Covers The Decemberists For Letterman

The British singer covered the Decemberists Crane Wife 3 for Dave.

New Del The Funky Homosapien Video - Get It Right Now

Del in the studio (Pro Tools?) and on the streets (Oakland?) doing his thing.


Del the Funky Homosapien "Get It Right Now" Music Video from Granted Productions on Vimeo.