Music

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 08:05pm

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 05:36pm

Scientists say the weeks between Thanksgiving and Chrismukkah are the most depressing time of year (or maybe I read that on Friendster) and it's easy to see why. As we gear up for year end, spending awkward time with our extended families, it's natural to take stock of the last twelve months and ask the important questions. "When will I find a job that doesn't crush my soul?&qu[...]

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 05:35pm

The Ready Set, who was first highlighted by us back in July, has inked a deal with Decaydance/Sire and becomes the 82nd featured Crazed Hits act to get signed since February 2008.

Tags: deals, News &amp

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 05:31pm

How could Phoenix's 2009 get any better than it was before this week? A first-ever Grammy nomination is how. A head nod from an increasingly irrelevant institution, maybe, but it's nice to see NARAS memorialize the months-long moment these Frenchmen have been having since "1901" first blew up yr internet. The band's tirelessly held up its end of the bargain, doing every ta[...]

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 02:25pm

An open mind helps when it comes to navigating lists -- especially because it's a year end and a decade end, which means a blizzard of albums with numbers next to them. In some ways this could be viewed as annoying, sure, but lists also leave a point-form archive of what folks listened to for the past 12 months and past 10 years, respectively. It's point-form history. It's interesti[...]

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 02:07pm

A few notable journalism and new media-savvy folks not entirely impressed with MPR’s Future of the News Conference have rallied together to launch their own event — The Other Future of News — and it’s actually happening. It’s next Saturday at Spill the Wine from 10-5. More info here and here. What impresses me even more than the passion and drive [...]

Tags: Local: Minneapolis, american public media, future of news, mpr, ofon, other future of news

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 02:00pm

A countdown of the best music videos from 2009.

Tags: The Dead Weather, Matt and Kim, Depeche Mode, Other, Dead Man&#039, s Bones, Yeasayer

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 01:50pm

We've gone on and on and on about how great Apes & Androids' live show is. Well, was. Past tense, because sadly, Apes & Androids are no more. In talking about last year's greatest concerts, I said: "Live A&A are something like of Montreal by way of Spinal Tap (cue back-to-back harmonizing guitar solos, synchronized fist pumps, perfect and bombastic backing vocals, e[...]

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 01:50pm

We've gone on and on and on about how great Apes & Androids' live show is. Well, was. Past tense, because sadly, Apes & Androids are no more. In talking about last year's greatest concerts, I said: "Live A&A are something like of Montreal by way of Spinal Tap (cue back-to-back harmonizing guitar solos, synchronized fist pumps, perfect and bombastic backing vocals, e[...]

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 01:08pm

Frontiers Records is excited to announce the release of WIG WAM’s new album “Non Stop Rock and Roll” on January 29th in Europe (excluding Norway) and February 9th in the USA. The Norwegian Glam Kings are finally back in the ring with their brand new album. Aptly titled “Non Stop Rock And Roll”, this new record [...]

Tags: Entertainment, Hard Rock Music, Hard Rock News, Music, Non Stop Rock &amp, Roll, wigwam

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 01:00pm

Photo coverage of the Jesus Lizard's performance at the Metro in Chicago. (Night two.)

Tags: Concert Coverage, The Jesus Lizard

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 01:00pm

It gets my vote for best songwriting of the oughts, a decade that had some pretty fierce competition.

Tags: Spotlight, Jens Lekman

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 12:50pm

A couple of days ago Frog Eyes frontman/Swan Lake member Carey Mercer sent us a link to an article in the Edmonton Journal that discussed a clause in the contracts signed by performers at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics that barred them from speaking negatively about the Games or the Olympic organizing committee. Since this gag order impacts a number of musicians, and Carey is a Vancouver-based[...]

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 12:48pm

I’m kind of a big fan of Joe Bonamassa and think he’s one of the best blues guitar players around right now, so take this with a grain of salt.  Go out and buy the Joe Bonamassa Live From The Royal Albert Hall DVD right now!  Yes it’s that good.  The concert was recorded on May 4, 2009 and includes special guest Eric Clapton. Bonamassa called it &#8[...]

Tags: Video, Reviews, Blues, Joe Bonamassa

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 12:41pm

Today's additions to the list of the online best of the decade (2000-2009) music lists: About.com (best punk albums) About.com (top rock songs) Bearded Jive (top albums) Claptrapped - G$ (top albums) The De Mello Theory (top cover songs) Eats, Sweets, & Beats (best albums) FACT (best albums) Her List of Nine... (standout music videos) Hindsight Unseen (top albums) I'd Buy That for a[...]

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 12:30pm

Holiday Shores has been on my radar for a little while now, and I finally got to see them — with Evangelicals, who surprisingly evoked a little Dio in their set — a couple of weeks back. It was a great set. And apparently, lots of folks think the same thing. Holiday Shores is making a lot of “bands to watch” lists for 2010. While this song isn’t my[...]

Tags: Video, Music, dio, Evangelicals, Holiday Shores

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 12:29pm

SWEET! Check out this sweet new sampler from Dope Lotus Records, including a Cassettes Won’t Listen remix of “Perfect Day.” Download the sampler (zip) Download Cassettes Won’t Listen : “Perfect Day” (remix) (mp3) From the press release: Jason Drake (aka Cassettes Won’t Listen) has relaunched his record label, Dope Lotus Records[...]

Tags: mp3s, Cassettes Won&#039, t Listen, dope lotus records

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 12:15pm

Today's additions to the list of the online best of 2009 music lists: About.com (best folk albums) About.com (best kids' albums) About.com (best punk albums) About.com (best rock albums) About.com (best rock songs) About.com (top country songs) About.com (worst rock albums) Albums of the Year (list of albums lists) Alex Garcia in Seattle (top albums) AOL Radio Blog (top metal songs) The[...]

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 11:57am

Jawbox’s seminal album, For Your Own Special Sweetheart, it pretty notorious in the scene. So when a reissue like that comes along, it dredges up all the historical issues involved. The questions of selling out, jumping ship from Dischord, the band’s career trajectory, the break up, etc. But instead of talking about all that, I’m just going to say this reissue helps r[...]

Tags: Music, Album Reviews, Jawbox

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 11:51am

The other day the Killers wished Guadalupe a Happy Birthday as a Christmas single to benefit (RED) and the Global Fund. To complicate matters further, because complication is what that lead sentence needs, the charity track also featured work from Mariachi El Bronx, the alias for the newly mariachi-made-over hardcore punkers the Bronx. A few of you lamented the lack of El Bronx coverage this year,[...]

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 11:23am

Today's updates to the list of online "best of 2009" book lists: The Australian (best books) An Awfully Big Blog Adventure (books) Barnes and Noble (best paranormal fantasy books) Barnes and Noble's Heart to Heart Blog (best romance fiction) Barnes and Noble Review (best mysteries and thrillers) Bookstore People (literary gems from small presses) Carolyn Kellogg (favorite book[...]

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 11:18am

When posting about "Night By Night," Dave 1 and P-Thugg's first original track since 2007, we mentioned its dark disco feel. As if on cue, this Jérémie Rozan-directed video for the song makes a little Saturday Night Fever nod before we go into a shadowy Greenpoint warehouse for some dark disco (and then others sorts of) dancing. It should be a hit with fans of fancy fo[...]

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 11:12am

Alan Palomo caps an active week (Grizzly Bear remixes, Ann interviews) by performing four Psychic Chasms tracks at Daytrotter. There's a more communal and, well, roomy feel outside the bedroom.

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 11:00am

Flashmob (feat. Meghan Kabir), who we first featured in November 2008, is signing with Warner Bros. Records and become the 82nd featured Crazed Hits act to get picked up by a major.

Tags: deals, News &amp

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 11:00am

A list of the best albums of the decade as compiled by Dom Davis of Dearling Physique.

Tags: Animal Collective, Spotlight, radiohead, Portishead, The Knife, Dearling Physique

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 10:40am

Alan Palomo and Neon Indian played a few Psychic Chasms jams for Daytrotter recently; take a listen to "Deadbeat Summer" -- complete with expanded Rundgren sample -- below, and download the full session here. neon indian :: deadbeat summer (daytrotter session) ******** click through for more...

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 10:36am

Last seen getting his balloon-heart popped in the video for Basement Jaxx's "My Turn," Devonte Hynes offers up a clip under his own alias as a psychedelic appetizer from his forthcoming Domino LP Life is Sweet! Nice to Meet You. The ex-Test Icicle seems to be on some high-grade peyote throughout "Marlene," which is like "Ambling Alp" in that there's sand and[...]

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 09:47am

The airy Australian elecro-poppers were commissioned by Bacardi to cover the 1976 Blue Öyster Cult classic. Less cowbell. Download it for free.

Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 06:40am

(UPDATED) In response to my inquiry asking if the restructuring included layoffs, I received this statement on Friday morning. "The integration of our online and pr teams caused us to eliminate 3 positions from the existing staff that had become redundant;  we’re already searching for new hires for early 2010 who will more fully complement the new integrated pr/online structure, an[...]

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009 at 08:58pm

Exclusive video premiere on Metal Injection. The video was directed by Scott Fulton and Eyesmash Productions. Pick up your copy of "Dawn Of Reprisal" here. Added by: metalinjection Tags: malefice metal blade Date: 2009-12-02