Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Moving, vacation, babies, etc...
Distraction Jackson is a bit busy right now so we might be holding off on our high quality posts until after the weekend. I'm moving, won't have internet until the fifth and currently on vacation, Gregarious is possibly having a baby in the next few days/hours/minutes. Big events, sorry DJ has to suffer in post quantity or quality. Hopefully I've posted enough videos above to make you happy until the 5th.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Andy McKee plays Toto's "Africa"
My buddy Erich told me about Andy McKee and showed me this video:
He recently put out a CD with Don Ross. Check it out.
He recently put out a CD with Don Ross. Check it out.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Merry Christmas to our Loyal 17
Merry Christmas to the blog visitors of DJ. Even though I'd probably still run this blog if only 1 person was visiting, it's great to know that at least 17-20 people a day check this site if not the 80 some that visited on that one big day we had. Glad to see you like it, come here every week or day and I hope you keep coming back to check out the complete randomness, mixed with a lot of music, that is Distraction Jackson.
Merry Christmas.
Live Tyler
Merry Christmas.
Live Tyler
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Hotel Cafe "Winter Songs"
One of the best venues to produce good musicians, Hotel Cafe has released a record for the holiday season called "Winter Songs". It features all women of Hotel Cafe, including Sara Bareilles, KT Tunstall, Ingrid Michaelson, Colbie Caillat, Priscilla Ahn, etc... I like about half the songs, especially from the above mentioned. Check it out on their site, they have a player.
Previous Hotel Cafe posts: Joe Purdy and Hotel Cafe Tour.
Previous Hotel Cafe posts: Joe Purdy and Hotel Cafe Tour.
Monday, December 22, 2008
100 Best Tracks and Worst Album Covers of 2008
This might be my last two lists that I post (maybe).
100 Best Tracks. This one's a gem because they have a player below each track for your ear devices...and it's the whole list this time.
Worst album covers of 2008. This has slowly grown to be my favorite list this year. Brad Paisley made the list (pitchfork's comment below):
"The artist who did this also designs GeoCities pages for people in 1996."
100 Best Tracks. This one's a gem because they have a player below each track for your ear devices...and it's the whole list this time.
Worst album covers of 2008. This has slowly grown to be my favorite list this year. Brad Paisley made the list (pitchfork's comment below):
"The artist who did this also designs GeoCities pages for people in 1996."
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Gummy Awards
I'm a big fan of the Gummy awards presented by Stereogum.com. This years category has: Best Album, Best Movie, Best TV Album, Best.... Check it out.
Here's Best Music Video...
Here's Best Music Video...
Friday, December 19, 2008
Erik Mongrain Taps it out
I won't even comment on this except to say that I am seriously impressed and if you've never played guitar before this is very impressive what he does with all parts of the guitar and the sound/harmonics he gets from it:
All the lists, 2008 style
I've already posted my favorites lists this last week but there are more out there and I'm sick of posting them. So here are the rest.
New pic
The new picture of Gregarious and I is a picture from our live Tenacious DJ concert to benefit addicted bloggers to get out of their chairs and relieve themselves twice a day. We called it Tenacious DJ's BABGOTCRTTD concert. Only 10 loyal DJer's came. We raised $.14. Sorry BABGOTCRTTD's, suffer more.
Jack Johnson and Friends Christmas Album
Thanks to Gregarious showing me this, Jack Johnson and his label have released their first "Holiday" album. I'm a fan of everyone on there but I will say that I like the Jack songs better than the others. The Matt Costa one is good and Rogue Wave's is a different little gem. Check it out, I'm happy they have something out there so I don't have to listen to Mannheim Steamroller anymore.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Fiction Family
As previously mentioned, Jon Foreman from Switchfoot and Sean Watkins from Nickel Creek have started a band called Fiction Family. They were toying with calling themselves The Real SeanJon, but I think they were just looking to get sued by a rapper.
Anyway, their album is coming out in January and you can download a free mp3 of their song, "When She's Near" by going here. They don't sound like Switchfoot or Nickel Creek, they just hit the spot.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Amie Street
Very good Best Albums of 2008 list. Features Brett Dennen, Vampire Weekend, The Weepies, etc...
Oh No, the Acorns!
Ladies and gentlemen, can I please have your attention. I've just been handed an urgent and horrifying news story. I need all of you, to stop what you're doing and listen. Cannonball!
(I'm sorry, they've been showing Anchorman on TBS around the clock)
By the way, we're still studying squirrels?
(I'm sorry, they've been showing Anchorman on TBS around the clock)
By the way, we're still studying squirrels?
Relevant's Top Ten Albums
For a different Best Albums list than Rolling Stone that doesn't include the Jonas Brothers, Relevant's Top Ten Albums of 2008. I agree with their number 1, it is a very good album.
50 Tool Addictions, 50 Websites
You can do everything on the internet. And here are the tools that have helped you or will help you do that.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Album Review - Heavy D "Vibes"
Wait, what? Heavy D has a new album? Nice, that brings me back...Wait, it's classified as "Reggae-pop"? This should be interesting, Allmusic reviews.
Bon Iver on Conan
Good stuff here from Bon Iver on Conan
More Bon Iver goodness:
Bon iver - "Flume" from MySpace Transmissions
Bon Iver - "For Emma" from MySpace Transmissions
Bon Iver - "Lump Sum" from MySpace Transmissions
Bon Iver - "Blindsided" from MySpace Transmissions
More Bon Iver goodness:
Bon iver - "Flume" from MySpace Transmissions
Bon Iver - "For Emma" from MySpace Transmissions
Bon Iver - "Lump Sum" from MySpace Transmissions
Bon Iver - "Blindsided" from MySpace Transmissions
Pitchforks 100 Best Tracks (#100-#51)
Pitchfork has and will be releasing their Top end of the year Lists this week. Today they have their Best 100 Tracks of 2008, numbers 100-51. What's great about this list is that every song has the track you can play. Brilliant!
I'll post the rest of their stuff this week:
* T: The Best Tracks of 2008 (50-1)
* W: The Best Albums of 2008 (honorable mention)
* Th: The Best Albums of 2008 (50-26)
* F: The Best Albums of 2008 (25-1)
I'll post the rest of their stuff this week:
* T: The Best Tracks of 2008 (50-1)
* W: The Best Albums of 2008 (honorable mention)
* Th: The Best Albums of 2008 (50-26)
* F: The Best Albums of 2008 (25-1)
Rolling Stone's Top 50 Albums - What in the world?
Okay, so I know this is list overload and I"ll stick to my normal sites like Stereogum and Pitchfork but I was looking through Rolling Stone's Top 50 Albums list and noticed a few terrible descrepencies, mainly:
40 Jonas Brothers - A Little Bit Longer
39 Taylor Swift - Fearless
12 Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy (can it be that good?)
03 Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
So, my thoughts: Jonas Brothers? I know Rolling Stone covers more than just indie or alternative music but honestly do they have to go out to the world of tweendom? This is not a case of being fair to all genre's, this is a case of trying to cater to tweens; their future subscribers.
Fair is when you put in a "country" (country is not the country of the days of old) star. I have no comment on her other than Rolling Stone has gone too far with their fairness. If they had wanted to be fair and put in country than there are far more artists that are pure country that could take this title...mainly the ultra talented Brad Paisley. I'm not a huge fan of country (not really any besides Johnny Cash) but I appreciate some of their talent and he has to be top...plays very great lead while singing, very impressive.
GNR: I'll admit, I was a huge fan when I was an early teen in the 90's and I'm all for them releasing another album...if it was 1995 and this kind of rock was not past it's ridiculous stage. I've listened to the album and it's brought back nostalgic feelings, but it's just too late, I'm onto indie and such...
Lil Wayne. I know he broke selling records and had a huge album in the rap world and for that they had to mention him...but I don't agree. I've listened to his stuff on talk shows and SNL and it annoys me. Then again I'm a huge fan of real rap, read: Run DMC, De La Soul, Tribe, etc... His isn't the rap I know, his is annoying and it doesn't make any of my lists.
Venting, accomplished. The rest of the list is fairly decent with Bon Iver, Vampire Weekend, Cold Play, Dylan and Fleet Foxes. Wait, why is John "Cougar" Mellencamp at number 5?
40 Jonas Brothers - A Little Bit Longer
39 Taylor Swift - Fearless
12 Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy (can it be that good?)
03 Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
So, my thoughts: Jonas Brothers? I know Rolling Stone covers more than just indie or alternative music but honestly do they have to go out to the world of tweendom? This is not a case of being fair to all genre's, this is a case of trying to cater to tweens; their future subscribers.
Fair is when you put in a "country" (country is not the country of the days of old) star. I have no comment on her other than Rolling Stone has gone too far with their fairness. If they had wanted to be fair and put in country than there are far more artists that are pure country that could take this title...mainly the ultra talented Brad Paisley. I'm not a huge fan of country (not really any besides Johnny Cash) but I appreciate some of their talent and he has to be top...plays very great lead while singing, very impressive.
GNR: I'll admit, I was a huge fan when I was an early teen in the 90's and I'm all for them releasing another album...if it was 1995 and this kind of rock was not past it's ridiculous stage. I've listened to the album and it's brought back nostalgic feelings, but it's just too late, I'm onto indie and such...
Lil Wayne. I know he broke selling records and had a huge album in the rap world and for that they had to mention him...but I don't agree. I've listened to his stuff on talk shows and SNL and it annoys me. Then again I'm a huge fan of real rap, read: Run DMC, De La Soul, Tribe, etc... His isn't the rap I know, his is annoying and it doesn't make any of my lists.
Venting, accomplished. The rest of the list is fairly decent with Bon Iver, Vampire Weekend, Cold Play, Dylan and Fleet Foxes. Wait, why is John "Cougar" Mellencamp at number 5?
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Why is this not on the front page?
Notable news items highly worthy of DJ:
5 Terrible Gadgets (or are they? I like the pillow one)
Actor slits own throat in play
And the most important article you'll view today: Ninja Squirrel Pictures
5 Terrible Gadgets (or are they? I like the pillow one)
Actor slits own throat in play
And the most important article you'll view today: Ninja Squirrel Pictures
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Playable Shirt
This could get annoying on the subway or possibly be a worse distraction than texting...unless you got good with it.
Top 10 Your Face off
Time has apparently assigned their entire staff to work on Top Ten Lists for the last few months. Who am I kidding, we all love these.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Album Review - Guns N Roses "Chinese Democracy"
Way too late from the big days of GNR, but here is the review of Guns N Roses latest. (This used to be my favorite hair band back in the day - there is still a place in my heart for Axl)
To put Chinese Democracy in some perspective: it arrives 17 years after the twin Use Your Illusion, the last set of original music by Guns N' Roses. Consider that 17 years prior to the Illusions, it was 1974, back before the Ramones and Sex Pistols, back before Aerosmith had Rocks and Toys in the Attic, back before Queen had A Night at the Opera — back before almost anything that Axl Rose worships even existed. Generations have passed in these 17 years, but not for Axl. He cut himself off from the world following the trouble-ridden Use Your Illusion tour, retreating to the Hollywood Hills, swapping every original GNR member in favor of contract players culled from his mid-'90s musical obsessions — Tommy Stinson from the Replacements, Robin Finck from Nine Inch Nails, Buckethead from guitar magazines — as he turned into rock's Charles Foster Kane, a genius in self-imposed exile spending millions to make his own Xanadu, Chinese Democracy.
Like Xanadu, Chinese Democracy is a monument to man's might, but where Kane sought to bring the world underneath his roof, Axl labored to create an ideal version of his inner world, working endlessly on a set of songs about his heartbreak, persecution, and paranoia, topics well mined on the Illusions. Using the pompous ten-minute epics "Estranged" and "November Rain" as his foundation, Axl strips away all remnants of the old, snake-dancing GNR, shedding the black humor and blues, replacing any good times with vindictive spleen in the vein of "You Could Be Mine." All this melodrama and malevolence feels familiar and, surprisingly, so does much of Chinese Democracy, even for those listeners who didn't hear the portions of the record as leaked demos and live tracks. Despite a few surface flourishes — all the endless, evident hours spent on Pro Tools, a hip-hop loop here, a Spanish six-string there, absurd elastic guitar effects — this is an album unconcerned with the future of rock & roll. One listen and it's abundantly clear that Axl spent the decade-plus in the studio not reinventing but refining, obsessing over a handful of tracks, and spending an inordinate amount of time chasing the sound in his head — that's it, no more, no less
Friday, December 5, 2008
10 Riff Offs
Remember the controversy with Coldplay's latest "Viva La Vida" that sounded a lot like a Creaky Boards song? This site was obviously inspired by finding more "riff-offs". Compares the two side by side with the ability to listen to both songs.
Digital Prowess
This graphic artist is impressive to say the least. My favorites are the anatomy of a gummy bear and anatomy of a lego figure.
Take Away Show Friday - Fleet Foxes "Sun Giant" & "Winter Hymnal"
A site I check everyday (read:many times a day) called current (it's like newsvine + cnn + our generation + multimedia + user input) for news, music, and tons of a other stuff has paired with La Blogotheque and his Take Away Shows. This is their first pairing (no more than just showing his shows on currents site). Good one with Fleet Foxes:
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Best of 2008 - Artists, Tracks and Albums
The lists of 2008 are starting to come out. Leading off is Last.fm (one of my favorite music sites) Best Artists of 2008. You can play a track from each artists.
Alternatively, the Best Albums of 2008 and the Best Tracks of 2008.
By the way, all of these lists are based on the number of listeners or plays on last.fm (or using their plugin for iTunes that logs what you play). This one's by the people, not the editors.
(i don't mean to spoil the list, but I'm happy Bon Iver made it in there)
Alternatively, the Best Albums of 2008 and the Best Tracks of 2008.
By the way, all of these lists are based on the number of listeners or plays on last.fm (or using their plugin for iTunes that logs what you play). This one's by the people, not the editors.
(i don't mean to spoil the list, but I'm happy Bon Iver made it in there)
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Where in the heck is Live Tyler?
Well, I've been busy and been turned into an octopus. Don't let this dissuade you from visiting Distraction Jackson because I can still type. On a more serious note these events have happened in the last month to make me not able to post as much and instead have been posting quick snippets or videos that get content up on the site. That's not my total vision for this site, it's a lot more and the music part of that vision has suffered. Here are my lame excuses for dropping the quality and amount of postings:
-We sold our house and moved into a new one
-I was packing boxes
-I was without the internet machine for two weeks
-I was lazy
-Couldn't post on my lunch break b/c work cracked down on which sites we go to
-Can't watch/listen streaming video or audio at work...this makes posting to DJ very difficult during the day
-I was lazy during the holiday week
So, that being said, I will return to posting and offer you this gem in the meantime:
By the way, I'm way backlogged with "Daytrotter Sessions", "new artist discoveries", "Where do I start?", "Album Review" and "Current Bandcrush". I'll start pumping those out soon.
-We sold our house and moved into a new one
-I was packing boxes
-I was without the internet machine for two weeks
-I was lazy
-Couldn't post on my lunch break b/c work cracked down on which sites we go to
-Can't watch/listen streaming video or audio at work...this makes posting to DJ very difficult during the day
-I was lazy during the holiday week
So, that being said, I will return to posting and offer you this gem in the meantime:
By the way, I'm way backlogged with "Daytrotter Sessions", "new artist discoveries", "Where do I start?", "Album Review" and "Current Bandcrush". I'll start pumping those out soon.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
YouTube Symphony Orchestra
Interesting way to form a symphony, but leave it up to youtube. Join them and play Carnegie
Monday, December 1, 2008
The Most Dangerous Cuddling...
...is with a deceivingly cute panda bear. Does this guy not realize that the name of the panda also has the name bear attached to it? He should maybe try the koala's, they are more cuddleable.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Singers of All Time
Rolling Stone has release their list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. Instead of making you go there and listening to all those nice sound samples and making you happy I figured I'd give you the short and dirty (the link is quite comprehensive so if you're looking for something to get you to lunchtime, I suggest). I'm sure someone like Mary J. Blige is pretty mad that hair/rock band prototype Axl Rose is above her on the list:
100 Mary J. Blige
99 Steven Tyler
98 Stevie Nicks
97 Joe Cocker
96 B.B. King
95 Patti LaBelle
94 Karen Carpenter
93 Annie Lennox
92 Morrissey
91 Levon Helm
90 The Everly Brothers
89 Solomon Burke
88 Willie Nelson
87 Don Henley
86 Art Garfunkel
85 Sam Moore
84 Darlene Love
83 Patti Smith
82 Tom Waits
81 John Lee Hooker
80 Frankie Valli
79 Mariah Carey
78 Sly Stone
77 Merle Haggard
76 Steve Perry
75 Iggy Pop
74 James Taylor
73 Dolly Parton
72 John Fogerty
71 Toots Hibbert
70 Gregg Allman
69 Ronnie Spector
68 Wilson Pickett
67 Jerry Lee Lewis
66 Thom Yorke
65 David Ruffin
64 Axl Rose
63 Dion
62 Lou Reed
61 Roger Daltrey
60 Björk
59 Rod Stewart
58 Christina Aguilera
57 Eric Bourdon
56 Mavis Staples
55 Paul Rodgers
54 Luther Vandross
53 Muddy Waters
52 Brian Wilson
51 Gladys Knight
50 Bonnie Raitt
49 Donny Hathaway
48 Buddy Holly
47 Jim Morrison
46 Patsy Cline
45 Kurt Cobain
44 Bobby "Blue" Bland
43 George Jones
42 Joni Mitchell
41 Chuck Berry
40 Curtis Mayfield
39 Jeff Buckley
38 Elton John
37 Neil Young
36 Bruce Springsteen
35 Dusty Sprinfield
34 Whitney Houston
33 Steve Winwood
32 Bono
31 Howlin' Wolf
30 Prince
29 Nina Simone
28 Janis Joplin
27 Hank Williams
26 Jackie Wilson
25 Michael Jackson
24 Van Morrison
23 David Bowie
22 Etta James
21 Johnny Cash
20 Smokey Robinson
19 Bob Marley
18 Freddie Mercury
17 Tina Turner
16 Mick Jagger
15 Robert Plant
14 Al Green
13 Roy Orbison
12 Little Richard
11 Paul McCartney
10 James Brown
09 Stevie Wonder
08 Otis Redding
07 Bob Dylan
06 Marvin Gaye
05 John Lennon
04 Sam Cooke
03 Elvis Presley
02 Ray Charles
01 Aretha Franklin
100 Mary J. Blige
99 Steven Tyler
98 Stevie Nicks
97 Joe Cocker
96 B.B. King
95 Patti LaBelle
94 Karen Carpenter
93 Annie Lennox
92 Morrissey
91 Levon Helm
90 The Everly Brothers
89 Solomon Burke
88 Willie Nelson
87 Don Henley
86 Art Garfunkel
85 Sam Moore
84 Darlene Love
83 Patti Smith
82 Tom Waits
81 John Lee Hooker
80 Frankie Valli
79 Mariah Carey
78 Sly Stone
77 Merle Haggard
76 Steve Perry
75 Iggy Pop
74 James Taylor
73 Dolly Parton
72 John Fogerty
71 Toots Hibbert
70 Gregg Allman
69 Ronnie Spector
68 Wilson Pickett
67 Jerry Lee Lewis
66 Thom Yorke
65 David Ruffin
64 Axl Rose
63 Dion
62 Lou Reed
61 Roger Daltrey
60 Björk
59 Rod Stewart
58 Christina Aguilera
57 Eric Bourdon
56 Mavis Staples
55 Paul Rodgers
54 Luther Vandross
53 Muddy Waters
52 Brian Wilson
51 Gladys Knight
50 Bonnie Raitt
49 Donny Hathaway
48 Buddy Holly
47 Jim Morrison
46 Patsy Cline
45 Kurt Cobain
44 Bobby "Blue" Bland
43 George Jones
42 Joni Mitchell
41 Chuck Berry
40 Curtis Mayfield
39 Jeff Buckley
38 Elton John
37 Neil Young
36 Bruce Springsteen
35 Dusty Sprinfield
34 Whitney Houston
33 Steve Winwood
32 Bono
31 Howlin' Wolf
30 Prince
29 Nina Simone
28 Janis Joplin
27 Hank Williams
26 Jackie Wilson
25 Michael Jackson
24 Van Morrison
23 David Bowie
22 Etta James
21 Johnny Cash
20 Smokey Robinson
19 Bob Marley
18 Freddie Mercury
17 Tina Turner
16 Mick Jagger
15 Robert Plant
14 Al Green
13 Roy Orbison
12 Little Richard
11 Paul McCartney
10 James Brown
09 Stevie Wonder
08 Otis Redding
07 Bob Dylan
06 Marvin Gaye
05 John Lennon
04 Sam Cooke
03 Elvis Presley
02 Ray Charles
01 Aretha Franklin
Album Review - The Killers "Day & Age"
Stereogum's premature review on the Killers release tomorrow. I'm always curious on what the Killers are going to do next but I can always guarantee it's going to be another brand of their Vegas indie pop/rock...aka fun and memorable.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Rambo 5?
After the last head exploding Rambo adventure they are chalking up for a new one. I mean, honestly, have you seen the latest Rambo? I will give you that it's entertaining but more with the shock and awe about how Rambo kills the rebels. Before that movie I never knew that an arrow would split a man in half and blow him up on the way through. I just thought it was extremely sharp. In one word it's ridiculous (but slightly fun to watch).
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
Take Away Show Friday - Jeremy Warmsley Reposts
I was in a Jeremy Warmsley mood so I decided to repost these two very good take away shows:
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Album Review - Q-tip "The Renaissance"
One of the most influential hip-hop artists in history (and my top 5 personal favorite) has returned with an album although sadly without the rest of Tribe Called Quest. Still satisfies the Q-tip portion though. Allmusic reviews:
When the best rapper/producer in hip-hop history spends almost a decade without a record on the shelves (despite his best efforts), it has to be considered a crime — if not a tragedy. Difficult to tell, though, is why Q-Tip was bounced to five different labels within six years. He never pronounced himself angry about the situation, saying only that he continued to work, reportedly recording three full albums that were never released. (At least one of those, 2003's Kamaal the Abstract, was a reality, since it was only denied a release after promos were sent out.) His long-awaited return on The Renaissance is no disappointment, offering more of the same understated, aqueous grooves and fluid rapping that the Abstract Poetic has built his peerless career on. Although it has a few more message songs than his dance-heavy debut from 1999 (Amplified), many of these tracks are club grooves painted with the same production touches as ten years earlier; his work is still excellent 20 years after his career began, but he seems less interested in spinning four minutes of fluent rap for each track. (Granted, he's carrying this show alone, with no Phife Dawg to take every other verse.) Some of the songs are built with a live group (including guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel), although they usually sound programmed. One thing is for sure: Q-Tip is still a master of pacing and atmosphere, structuring the first half of the record so smoothly that listeners may not notice a transition until the sixth track, "We Fight/We Love," which contrasts the perspective of a man in the middle of war with a woman left alone. The closer, "Shaka," got the most attention leading up to release, since an early version sampled Barack Obama (perhaps coincidentally, The Renaissance was originally scheduled to be released on Election Day). Sounding like a latter-day Midnight Marauders and The Love Movement, and very similar to the unreleased Kamaal the Abstract, The Renaissance is a worthy comeback for the man who's arguably done more to make hip-hop enjoyable than any other figure.
Fantastic (Time Wasting) Contraption
I'd like to thank Jay for introducing me to my new favorite distraction and the biggest time waster I've seen in a while: Fantastic Contraption
Try to keep it under 4 hours a day if you can...
Try to keep it under 4 hours a day if you can...
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Friday, October 31, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Redo the NBC Chimes
Interesting article here about bands redoing the NBC "G-E-C" chimes: (video to accompany)
"I don't imagine we'd be a very good candidate for the early morning show," Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne tells EW.com's Hollywood Insider blog of his band's chances of landing the a.m. slot with their recently filmed spin on the NBC network's memorable series of three chimes.
The Lips-- along with T.I., the B-52s, B.B. King, and others-- made their way to Los Angeles last week to record an eight-second spot for the network's rejuvenation of the 75-year-old ditty, according to Hollywood Insider. The spots will begin airing between programs around Thanksgiving.
In a must-see video clip accompanying the story, Coyne shows the EW.com crew his amazing-looking, double-necked, "Guitar Hero"-fashioned hybrid axe and reminds them that "the notes [in the NBC theme] are set in stone, as handed down from the Biblical creator, whoever it was who made those notes, the cosmic player." Weird, but I still say "Knight Rider" is weirder.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Take Away Show Friday - Four of my favorites
I didn't have time this week to search out new shows so I'm posting four of my all-time favorites:
(the one that kicked it all off here on DJ and my personal favorite)
One of my all-time favorite videos:
("hey ya" cover meets take away show...destiny)
(the one that kicked it all off here on DJ and my personal favorite)
One of my all-time favorite videos:
("hey ya" cover meets take away show...destiny)
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Wrestling Gimmicks...the worst of the worst
13 Worst Wrestling Gimmicks...ever. (Koko B. Ware, I remember him...ridiculous)
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Adele - who knew?
It's rare that I hear an artist for the first time on SNL and really like them. Usually, if I haven't heard the musical guest, it's because I've purposely avoided them. I had never heard of Adele before Saturday, and I am very impressed with her. She's got a strong, soulful voice. Here's the video for her single "Chasing Pavement".
And here's a clip from her album, "19". It's a little different from the other songs on her album, but I'm a sucker for the bassline.
And here's a clip from her album, "19". It's a little different from the other songs on her album, but I'm a sucker for the bassline.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Update - Ray Lamontagne album "Gossip in the Grains"
Since posting the review of his latest album I had a chance to listen to it and I am very impressed. Never before has he combined so many great and different sounds on an album without straying away from who he is. "You Are the Best Thing" is his upbeat soulful sound, "Let It Be Me" is his classic lonesome song, "Sarah" is a great change of pace but sticks with his somehow upbeat relaxed style and also features a mandolin so I love that. "He Me, Hey Mama" features the banjo and a southern blues sound that he's never done before. "Henry Nearly Killed Me" is an upbeat bluesy song that comes across very well for being different from his norm. Finally I wanted to highlight two bonus tracks on iTunes in "Empty" and "Be Here Now" both live recordings and both great. Those are two of my favorite songs of his and I'm glad they including them on some album. "Empty" has this sounds that puts me in this great longing mood every time I hear it...so good.
Do yourself a favor and go to iTunes and take a listen. You might just be buying his album after you do. I did.
Do yourself a favor and go to iTunes and take a listen. You might just be buying his album after you do. I did.
Andrew Bird New Songs
Andrew Bird Previews 3 new songs and 1 redone song in NYC. Bonus: they are all videos. From what I hear, I like, especially Fitz and the Dizzyspells.
Fitz and Dizzyspells
Masterswarm
Natural Disaster
The Confession
Fitz and Dizzyspells
Masterswarm
Natural Disaster
The Confession
Album Review - Ray LaMontagne "Gossip in the Grain"
One of my personal favorites just released his third album "Gossip in the Grain". I have no opinions of it yet as I haven't heard it so I'll leave Allmusic to do my bidding. Anyone have any thoughts on the album?
Ray LaMontagne's third album, Gossip in the Grain is as different from 2007's Till the Sun Turns Black as that album was from 2006's Trouble. The deep, heart-of-night atmospherics of the preceding disc have been jettisoned in favor of a brightly lit palette of textures and instruments that legendary producer and multi-instrumentalist Ethan Johns uses to illustrate LaMontagne's considerable ambitions as a writer. The set opens with the singer channeling his inner Memphis soul man on "You Are the Best Thing." Horns, strings, and a female backing chorus underscore LaMontagne's heartfelt uptempo rasp that touches on Sam Cooke as much as it does Tim Buckley with a hook worthy of Stax/Volt. In terms of sequencing, it certainly grabs the listener, but it is also arguably the best track here. "Let It Be Me" follows with a folksier, looser soul groove, where acoustic guitars, a Telecaster, piano, and strings underscore the hypnotic lilt in the verse. But LaMontagne can write a coda and a bridge and he gets his voice right into the meat of the lyric. We may have heard lyrics of this type a thousand times before, as they evoke loneliness and longing, but rarely have they been expressed this authentically and this dramatically. Echoes of Van Morrison's Astral Weeks are apparent in the gorgeous chamber jazz of "Sarah," and eerie, psychedelic British Isles folk — complete with an otherworldly pedal steel — haunts the grooves on "I Still Care for You." LaMontagne and Johns are able to create varying yet webbed atmospheres in these songs. Ray can find a style and write in it as if he'd created it. Johns adds so much depth and dimension in the mix that it feels as if both singer and songwriter will never be able to extricate themselves either from the emotional intentions expressed in his lyrics, or from the sound itself. The most notorious track on this set is the humorous yet tender "Meg White," for the White Stripes' drummer. With its imaginative use of an Ennio Morricone-esque spaghetti western intro, Johns playing Wurlitzer and Mellotron, a Pink Floyd cadenza, and drumming of the sort White trademarked, it's no throwaway; add to this a seemingly sincere offer of friendship and empathy and there is an undeniable emotional appeal. "Hey Me, Hey Mama," has a back porch singalong feel, and features a banjo, trombone, and trumpet. The rambling free-form blues of "Henry Nearly Killed Me, (It's a Shame)" touches on Canned Heat, John Lee Hooker, and the Rolling Stones; it's another high point here.
Gossip in the Grain is LaMontagne's most adventurous recording, yet in many ways it's also the most focused and well executed. The partnership with Johns has become almost symbiotic at this point; his songwriting has become so confident, sure, and expressive — despite the ready intimacy in its subject matter — that he's become a kind of force majeure. One thing is certain, that given the consistency and vision LaMontagne has shown on all three albums, punters are certain to follow him wherever he goes next.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Alligator vs. Python
I know this is two years old but I didn't see it the first time so it's new to me and it's a pretty sweet picture.
Avett Brothers "Murder in the City" Video
Official Avett Brothers "Murder in the City" Video. Officially one of the best songs I've heard in my life as well:
And for more Avett from the very place we saw them last year at the Attucks Theater in Norfolk:
(thanks for these Jason...and happy birthday)
And for more Avett from the very place we saw them last year at the Attucks Theater in Norfolk:
(thanks for these Jason...and happy birthday)
Album Review - Keane "Perfect Symmetry"
I've heard that the new Keane album detracts from their previous very good album "Hopes and Fears". The first line of Allmusic's review captures that very well. I haven't heard the album yet but have heard a few songs and I'm not as thrilled as with "Hopes and Fears", but there is hope for it.
Keane bids adieu to uplifting ballads and ushers in a different style — '80s-influenced pop — with Perfect Symmetry. While the album isn't solely devoted to exploring that new genre, it's certainly the focus, and "Spiralling" appropriately kickstarts the set with whooping vocals and retro synthesizers. "When we fall in love," sings Tom Chaplin in his Wembley-geared voice, "we're just falling in love with ourselves." Coming from the same mouth that once crooned the over-earnest strains of "Somewhere Only We Know," those lyrics are wholly different — a sign that four years spent in the shadow of U2, Coldplay, and other like-minded bands have convinced Keane to make their own Achtung Baby. Of course, that album saw U2 turning sonic experimentation into something entirely inventive, which Perfect Symmetry doesn't quite accomplish with its own mixture. This isn't quite art, after all; it's mostly just fun, shot through with a self-consciously cheesy approach that's engineered to sound little like the department-store rock of 2004's Hopes and Fears. "Fun" seems to be at the top of the band's agenda, though, and Perfect Symmetry accordingly succeeds in doing away with most of the pre-conceived notions that accompany Keane records. The "old" sound doesn't even surface until midway through the album, when the album's title track offers up a combination of sparse piano notes (later giving way to dense, double-fisted arpeggios) and a meteoric melody in the chorus. But that's the exception, not the rule, and Perfect Symmetry sounds more comfortable during its truly unexpected moments: the spacy blips and bleeps of "You Haven't Told Me Anything," the synthesized anthem "Again and Again," and the energetic "Wooooooh!" that opens the entire album. The band's underlying strength remains Chaplin's ability to turn a melodic phrase with grace and dexterity, which fails to lose its vitality no matter the musical context, but Keane's willingness to take these left-hand turns deserves its own share of accolades.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Music on TV
My pick of the week would have been Conor Oberst on Monday...if I had posted this on Monday or if you know Doc Brown.
Monday, October 13:
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Ra Ra Riot
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Conor Oberst
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Cat Power (rerun)
FUEL TV: The Daily Habit: Kool Keith
Tuesday, October 14:
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live!: Kanye West
NBC: The Tonight Show With Jay Leno: Kings of Leon
FUEL TV: The Daily Habit: CSS
Thursday, October 16:
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Ne-Yo
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Hot Chip (rerun)
PBS: Tavis Smiley: T.I.
Friday, October 17:
NBC: The Tonight Show With Jay Leno: Black Kids
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Ludacris
FUEL TV: The Daily Habit: Aesop Rock
Saturday, October 18:
Fearless Music TV: The Rumble Strips
Monday, October 13:
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Ra Ra Riot
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Conor Oberst
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Cat Power (rerun)
FUEL TV: The Daily Habit: Kool Keith
Tuesday, October 14:
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live!: Kanye West
NBC: The Tonight Show With Jay Leno: Kings of Leon
FUEL TV: The Daily Habit: CSS
Thursday, October 16:
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Ne-Yo
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Hot Chip (rerun)
PBS: Tavis Smiley: T.I.
Friday, October 17:
NBC: The Tonight Show With Jay Leno: Black Kids
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Ludacris
FUEL TV: The Daily Habit: Aesop Rock
Saturday, October 18:
Fearless Music TV: The Rumble Strips
Monday, October 13, 2008
Suicide Squeeze Records
My brother sent me a link to the Suicide Squeeze Records label last week. It has some pretty good artists on there. I recommend checking out: Page France, Modest Mouse (I'm sure you've heard of), Elliot Smith, and Minus the Bear. On the other hand it has some odd music that I skipped over, but it's worth a visit for the aforementioned bands.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Teitur
Teitur - Last.fm. This is a band that I should have dropped everything and made a post about them the first time I listened to them a while back. Teitur comes from the Faroe Islands and brings a very unique sound with him. Good voice, good musicality, good instrument usage, very good melodies and an overall good sound. You'll see when you listen but he incorporates a lot of different instruments for his rhythm and melodies that you usually wouldn't use and it just works. His debut album "Poetry and Aeroplanes" back in 2003 was very good and I recommend going over to iTunes to listen to it all, including the album "The Singer". On the last.fm site listen to all the songs, they are all very good.
I highly recommend Teitur and I think most if not all of you will like him. I wish I had posted him a year ago so that you had heard him earlier.
"New Artist Discovery" label
I've added a new label to all of the artist discoveries that I post called "new artist discovery". If you click on that label (right hand side of the screen under labels) then you'll only see all the new artist discoveries I've posted and not get the other new music stuff like new albums. That was bugging me, now it's fixed.
By the way, the "new artist discovery" isn't always brand new artists, it's sometimes artists I've just heard of or haven't posted yet. It's basically personal to me of when I first heard them. For example, Teitur has been out since 2003 but I only discovered him personally in 2006 and just posted him now. Most of the time it's because I have the procrastination gene and sometimes I can blame it on actual paid work.
By the way, the "new artist discovery" isn't always brand new artists, it's sometimes artists I've just heard of or haven't posted yet. It's basically personal to me of when I first heard them. For example, Teitur has been out since 2003 but I only discovered him personally in 2006 and just posted him now. Most of the time it's because I have the procrastination gene and sometimes I can blame it on actual paid work.
iTunes single of the week
There is a pretty good "Single of the Week" on iTunes this week. It's an artist called "Johnny Flynn" and the song is "The Box". It's a fun upbeat, irish/blues/folk song. Worth a free download.
This day, 16 years ago
If this won't make you feel old. On this day 16 years ago House of Pain's "Jump Around" was at the height of his popularity. Remember what you were doing in 1992? Probably listening to this song instead of New Kids on the Block.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
New Shipment of Artists
So it's been a while since I've posted any new artists. In fact it's been since August 12th that I posted The Beautiful Girls. I apologize and offer you the promise that I won't do that again...maybe.
The shameful thing in it all is that I have over 30 artists that have been sitting in a drafted post ready to come out onto their own individual post. Some have been sitting since this site started, some I've just recently discovered. So in order to not keep you waiting for new artists to much longer I'm going to post 30 of their names below. No links yet, but you know how to use the google box if you see someone who interests you. I will post a new one this week...probably. Maybe the overdue Bowerbirds or Teitur. Artists to come:
John Vanderslice, Cass McCombs, The Ruby Suns, Brandon White, Slackstring, Matthew Brookshire, Jason Harrod, Dan Rockett, Ernie Halter, Joe Garner, We Are Telephone, Louis, Speechwriters LLC, Stars, Oh No! Oh My!, Andrew Lipke, The Essex Green, Jf Robitaille, Math and Physics Club, Bowerbirds, Voxtrot, The Format, The John Butler Trio, Teitur, Angus & Julia Stone, Great Lake Swimmers, Wintersleep, Foy Vance, Stabilo, Gary Nock
The shameful thing in it all is that I have over 30 artists that have been sitting in a drafted post ready to come out onto their own individual post. Some have been sitting since this site started, some I've just recently discovered. So in order to not keep you waiting for new artists to much longer I'm going to post 30 of their names below. No links yet, but you know how to use the google box if you see someone who interests you. I will post a new one this week...probably. Maybe the overdue Bowerbirds or Teitur. Artists to come:
John Vanderslice, Cass McCombs, The Ruby Suns, Brandon White, Slackstring, Matthew Brookshire, Jason Harrod, Dan Rockett, Ernie Halter, Joe Garner, We Are Telephone, Louis, Speechwriters LLC, Stars, Oh No! Oh My!, Andrew Lipke, The Essex Green, Jf Robitaille, Math and Physics Club, Bowerbirds, Voxtrot, The Format, The John Butler Trio, Teitur, Angus & Julia Stone, Great Lake Swimmers, Wintersleep, Foy Vance, Stabilo, Gary Nock
Daytrotter Sessions - Okkervil River
Double Dosage of Daytrotter today. It's been a while since I've posted one and I have about 10 in the queue. A while back I posted an 8.0 review of Okkervil River's album that was very promising. Since then they did a Daytrotter Session. Definitely worth downloading the songs, especially "April Anne" and "You Can't Hold the Hand of a Rock and Roll Man"(from their ablum, not daytrotter).
I don't know what's changed with Daytrotter not streaming the songs on their site but at least you can still download them for free. They still have their player on the right side of the their main page.
I don't know what's changed with Daytrotter not streaming the songs on their site but at least you can still download them for free. They still have their player on the right side of the their main page.
Daytrotter Sessions - Aimee Mann
Aimee Mann recently stopped by the Daytrotter Studio to record a good session. Take a listen, it's good stuff. For some reason you can't play the songs online but you can download them. "Little Tornado" is a good one to download.
Music on TV - October 6-12
Sorry for the late post on this.
Monday, October 6:
VH1: Hip-Hop Honors: Ghostface Killah, De La Soul, Lil Jon, Slick Rick, MC Lyte, Big Boi, Q-Tip, Bun B, Scarface, Chuck D, Cee-Lo, Flavor Flav, Estelle, EPMD, Juelz Santana
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Jenny Lewis
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: the Pretenders
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live!: Solange Knowles
Tuesday, October 7:
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Death Cab for Cutie
Syndicated: The Ellen DeGeneres Show: Kanye West
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Tegan and Sara
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live!: Black Kids
Wednesday, October 8:
Syndicated: The Ellen DeGeneres Show: Kanye West
Thursday, October 9:
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Beck
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Young Jeezy, Nas
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live!: Foals
NBC: The Tonight Show With Jay Leno: Rachael Yamagata
Friday, October 10:
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Lou Reed
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Tom Morello
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live!: Atmosphere
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Dead Confederate
Saturday, October 11:
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Lil Wayne (rerun)
PBS: Austin City Limits: Bettye LaVette
Fearless Music TV: Black Kids, O'Death, Gemma Hayes
Monday, October 6:
VH1: Hip-Hop Honors: Ghostface Killah, De La Soul, Lil Jon, Slick Rick, MC Lyte, Big Boi, Q-Tip, Bun B, Scarface, Chuck D, Cee-Lo, Flavor Flav, Estelle, EPMD, Juelz Santana
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Jenny Lewis
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: the Pretenders
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live!: Solange Knowles
Tuesday, October 7:
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Death Cab for Cutie
Syndicated: The Ellen DeGeneres Show: Kanye West
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Tegan and Sara
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live!: Black Kids
Wednesday, October 8:
Syndicated: The Ellen DeGeneres Show: Kanye West
Thursday, October 9:
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Beck
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Young Jeezy, Nas
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live!: Foals
NBC: The Tonight Show With Jay Leno: Rachael Yamagata
Friday, October 10:
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Lou Reed
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Tom Morello
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live!: Atmosphere
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Dead Confederate
Saturday, October 11:
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Lil Wayne (rerun)
PBS: Austin City Limits: Bettye LaVette
Fearless Music TV: Black Kids, O'Death, Gemma Hayes
Honestly
I think the government should fire them and take back the loan they gave them...this is ridiculous.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
New Andrew Bird Album
Andrew Bird has a new album releasing in January and has just released a live album. To hear a song from his new album "Noble Beast" listen here. Sounds like it could be a good follow up to his best album Armchair Apocrypha.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
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