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January 31, 2005
Ship of Fools
The Arcade Fire will be performing on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" tomorrow night, February 1st!
Merge is apparently planning to take over the world, releasing a new Buzzcocks album in the process.
In continuing Eels coverage, you can preview a song from the immense double album, as well as the album art.
I hate Peter Frampton. I am, however, curious about how his stupid vocal tricks are going to come alive on the new Pearl Jam acoustic album.
I suppose stranger things have happened, but witnessing Bob Mould DJ a club night in DC would probably be pretty high on my list. {Via largehearted boy}
The world is truly a dangerous place when going to a Charlatans show can get you—and 499 other lucky fans—Winter Vomiting Disease.
Chuck D will be among the presenters discussing the historical significance of It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back at NYU next month.
I want to know what qualifies as a "special" relationship with an iPod, and who the hell would treat one like a pet.
Posted in A/V Dorkout | 31 January 2005 at 12:44 PM | Comments (0) | | Link
January 25, 2005
This is My Boomstick
Whoop! New ...Trail of Dead is out today. I'll take this moment to point you to the archived video of their performance on Letterman last week, which is interesting for no other reason than the two drummers bashing away at their kits.
The new M83 is also out today. While I wasn't much on the previous album, the songs I've heard from this album are much more engaging.
Also out now is the new Old 97s live DVD, which I can say sight unseen, is probably fantastic—since I've been lucky enough to see them live myself.
Listened to the new Hot Hot Heat single today, courtesy of The Catbirdseat. I was pretty fine with it until the chorus, and which point—yegads—it gets ugly. I say bring back the organ and the yelping.
The Charlatans UK have left Universal Island and signed to Sanctuary, which is apparently becoming the Factory Records of the 21st century.
I'm definitely in favor of March coming ASAP if it means those resolution jackasses will quit crowding my gym.
Posted in A/V Dorkout | 25 January 2005 at 12:23 PM | Comments (0) | | Link
January 24, 2005
To Be Young
The weekend was quite nice, as I spent part of it shopping for records—my pathological desire for music is quite out of control—and another part cheering on Sweden in the Saturday night Sweden-South Korea soccer match in Carson. It was an amazing game (despite the tie); the teams were evenly matched, and both goals were beautiful, perhaps even masterful, shots.
I screamed myself hoarse (in Swedish, no less), but it was a good time.
Perennial hyperkinetic favorite Petra Haden has joined forces with The Decemberists for their upcoming album, Picturesque.
The almighty Ted Leo is going back on tour in February!
Elvis Costello has signed on to write a Danish opera based on the life of fairy-tale writer Hans Christian Andersen, exploring his unrequited love for Swedish singer Jenny Lind. The unrequited love theme always reminds me of Alexander Pope, and the end of "Eloisa to Abelard":
And sure, if fate some future bard shall join
In sad similitude of griefs to mine,
Condemn'd whole years in absence to deplore,
And image charms he must behold no more;
Such if there be, who loves so long, so well;
Let him our sad, our tender story tell;
The well-sung woes will soothe my pensive ghost;
He best can paint 'em, who shall feel 'em most.
He may have been a small, sad, angry man, but he was a damn good poet. Where's his opera?
I think I've mentioned this before, but Interpol will be contributing a Joy Division cover for the soundtrack of Touching From a Distance.
As previously reported, The Eels have signed to Vagrant and will be releasing a 33-track double album. The track list can be found here.
Kiki & Herb, the New York drag/cabaret duo (I was lucky enough to catch a performance while I was in NYC) cover The Decemberists' "I Was Meant for the Stage" on their new album.
Though the album currently has only a UK release date, Waiting for the Sirens Call, the album album from New Order (sans founding keyboard player Gillian Gilbert), does have a tracklist available for Stateside fans.
Posted in A/V Dorkout | 24 January 2005 at 12:31 PM | Comments (0) | | Link
January 21, 2005
Small Stuff
We have preliminary Hot Hot Heat tour dates for this winter.
Miscellaneous news on the new Sleater-Kinney release on SubPop (including a tracklist), as well as some rumored tour dates.
Yesterday was a dark day in the continued saga of intellectual property rights, as the first file-sharing convictions were handed down.
Posted in A/V Dorkout | 21 January 2005 at 05:41 PM | Comments (0) | | Link
January 19, 2005
Like a Flying Saucer Landing
The Truckers are just the media darlings of the planet:
...the forthcoming Ray McKinnon film Chrystal, starring the equally irresistibly Southern Billy Bob Thornton, will feature three Truckers tunes - including "Uncle Frank," a choice track from the reissued Pizza Deliverance. "Sink Hole" from Decoration Day (also included in Chrystal), was inspired by McKinnon's Oscar-winning short The Accountant...
Athens, GA seems like such a musically friendly town. So friendly, in fact, that Jack Logan recorded a new CD with the help of a group called the "Monday Night Recorders," a bunch of local musicians—including one Patterson Hood—who got together every Monday night to record three new songs. {Via The Catbirdseat}
Oooooh! Sloan are recording new songs, which will appear on their forthcoming greatest hits album.
Looks like there is a new Portishead album on the horizon.
For those who still remember "Novocaine for the Soul," Vagrant has signed The Eels, who will be releasing a 33-track double album in April.
Gang of Four will soon be re-embarking on tour, and have announced that The Departure will be opening for them on the road.
Apparently being an idiot and working with your fellow inspid idiots to write a sub-par webzine pays really, really well. {Via The Catbirdseat}
I had no idea, but apparently Jason Lee is into skateboarding and has directed a music video for the band Midlake. {Via The Catbirdseat}
Ian Curtis' widow has confirmed that Control, the roughly biographical film based on her book, will be made after all. Photographer Anton Corbijn has been selected to direct, as he had "a long working relationship with the band, photographing their early press shots and directing the video for the track ‘Atmosphere’."
It's about fucking time! The Karate Kid is finally available on DVD, in a four-disc collector's edition.
Better yet, the wonderfully funny Michael Showalter, David Wain and Michael Ian Black are taking their show, Stella, will hit Comedy Central this summer. A douche bag is a hygenic product; I take that as a compliment.
Posted in A/V Dorkout | 19 January 2005 at 04:15 PM | Comments (0) | | Link
January 07, 2005
Best Kept Secret
Interpol will be returning stateside and touring the West Coast (and other parts of the country) in support of Antics.
The band responsible for one of my favorite songs of 2003—"Bandages"—has video available for "Island of the Honest Man." The song is off their upcoming album, Elevator, due out April 5.
Speaking of videos, check out the WMV file of the video for Elefant's "Misfit."
There are rare occasions when I wish I lived in NYC. The Drive-By Truckers' New Year's Eve show at the Bowery is one of those occasions, but I live vicariously through the photos posted on Stereogum.
Better yet, check out the advance footage available from the forthcoming DBT DVD.
Check out the Arcade Fire on NPR, courtesy of the Catbirdseat. And "Rebellion (Lies)" is my favorite song on the album.
Dude, I need either a) a job that lets me travel at my leisure or b) to become independently wealthy, because I missed Tres Tangled Truckers and I'm pissed.
Oh, well. I guess I'll just relax and enjoy the bittorrent. {Via largehearted boy}
Posted in A/V Dorkout | 7 January 2005 at 03:31 PM | Comments (0) | | Link
January 05, 2005
All Bad News
Word on the street (or the Weather Channel, depending on who you trust) is that sunny SoCal is in for another drenching tonight, so I thought I'd leave y'all with some entertainment.
I've been wandering the web of late in search of promising new music, so I've included an impromptu playlist below. Please forgive the sub-par sequencing.
01. The Swayback — "Forewarned"
02. Clann Zu — "Bethlehem to Jenin"
03. Andy Monley f. John Grant — "Blue Light"
04. Ida — "Late Blues"
05. Magnolia Electric Co — "The Dark Don't Hide It"
06. The Six Parts Seven — "This One or That One?"
07. The Whole Fantastic World — "Your Old Address" (I really liked Burning Airlines the first time, too!)
Posted in A/V Dorkout | 5 January 2005 at 03:23 PM | Comments (0) | | Link
January 03, 2005
Alright for Fighting
The Arcade Fire will soon be kicking off a tour in support of their growing popularity, starting in San Francisco next week.
After years of bringing joy and laughter into the lives of children everywhere, Mr Bungle are calling it quits.
Following the immense popularity of their indie pop catalog, Merge will be re-releasing three early Dinosaur Jr recordings: Dinosaur, You're Living All Over Me and Bug. Because, you know, they're poppy.
Ida will be releasing a new EP in February.
Iron & Wine will also be releasing a new album—on the same day—but you can listen to the title song here for now.
Sounds like Renfield Records will be releasing a tribute to Failure, featuring Cave In and The Minus Story, in March.
The new ...Trail of Dead album also brings us a mini-site featuring songs from Worlds Apart.
In one of Maxim's rare moments of readability, the magazine features an interview with Greg Dulli on the art of the cover song.
Tom Waits will be appearing in Domino, a new film by Tony Scott—yes, that Tony Scott—because the filmmakers won him in a poker game.
Shortly after the 100 million-song hulabaloo, iTunes has crossed the 200 million-song threshold.
Maybe this facilitated the explosion: iTunes now accepts PayPal.
Posted in A/V Dorkout | 3 January 2005 at 03:03 PM | Comments (0) | | Link
