Today's Local Pick: George Stanford

Philly band Townhall's frontman, George Stanford, recently released his own solo EP. The collection's lead-off track, "My Own Worst Enemy," is a Marc Cohn-esque piano ballad with a catchy-ass cyclical refrain that builds upon itself as the song goes on. Check it out.

George Stanford - My Own Worst Enemy

The Wu is Back

I caught hip-hop's deepest posse this past summer at the Virgin Festival at Pimlico Racecourse, where the Staten Island crew tore through what might well have been the most enthralling set of a primarily indie-rock-centric weekend. Since then, I've been eagerly anticipating the release of their latest studio effort 8 Diagram. Several weeks ago I heard a leaked version of new tune "The Heart Gently Weeps" and it was obvious Wu-Tang Clan was back with a serious vengeance. Now that the album is in stores, you can check out the official version of the song below. In case you're unaware, it's a unique hybrid of the Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" beneath the Clan's gritty trademark verses, featuring moral support from Dhani Harrison (former Beatle, and writer of the original version, George Harrison's son), guitar work from Chili Pepper guitar whiz John Frusciante, and R&B chanteuse Eryka Badu supplying the hook. Besides the track being flat-out great, it's also proof that their are still hip-hop artists that aren't content simply trying to pimp ring-tones.

Wu-Tang Clan - The Heart Gently Weeps (feat. Dhani Harrison, John Frusciante, & Eryka Badu)

The Boss is Back

Bruce Springsteen hasn't released a studio album in five years, during which time it became en vogue in the independent rock realm to cop the Boss' sound. Mix in a glockenspiel-and-piano run here or a lyric about a tragic, working-class anti-hero there and you've got yourself a song. It seemed everybody from The Killers to the Hold Steady and Josh Ritter to Tom Morello have been drinking the E Street cool-aid over the past few years. That being the case, it's about time Bruce came out with some new material of his own (I don't count last year's Seeger Sessions as new material since it was a collection of old-timey folk tunes that are older than your mom...well maybe not your mom, she's pretty old). Also, with all of that in mind, I'll give the guy a break if his new single "Radio Nowhere" sounds a tad similar to Tommy Tutone's "Jenny," after all Bruce has just a little bit more cred than Tutone, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on this one. The new album Magic is slated to drop October 2. Check out the new single posted below.

Bruce Springsteen - Radio Nowhere [mp3]

New Josh Ritter

Josh Ritter has a new album titled The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter, and while that's a bold moniker for an album which stands as a stepping stone for an artist still attempting to establish himself as a fixture in the music biz, from what I've heard, the material seems to live up to the lofty billing. Case and point, the collection's lead-off track, "To the Dogs or Whoever," just might be the most dynamic tune Ritter has penned. It's got a Dylanesque quality without sounding overly devotional. Oh yeah and it's catchy as hell too. Check it.

Josh Ritter - To the Dogs or Whoever [mp3]

M.I.A. and the Future of Music

I'd be lying if I acted like a hardcore M.I.A. fan, although I have no doubts that they're out there. I had never really heard too much of her music, although I had read about her pretty regularly, whether it be critics raving about her unique take on hip-hop or various entertainment writers reporting on her legal situation in the US as a result of an apparent speculated tie to foreign terrorists. Regardless, it was all very, very intriguing, and so when I read the review of her new album Kala in Rolling Stone and saw her tracks posted all over everyone's blogs, I had to see for myself what all the hype was about. Now that I have, I'd still be lying if I acted like I was a major fan, but after hearing just a handful of songs, I'll readily admit that there is certainly potential room for growth in that area. Like most of the reviews I've read have stated, the material on Kala doesn't really compare to anything else that comes immediately to mind, at least not directly. It's more like a mashing together of many different styles and influences, but don't be mistaken, she's no Gwen Stefani knock-off. And whether you like the music or not, I believe one thing is for sure: the music crosscuts so many conventions that it has to be important. It blurs the generic lines of pop, hip-hop, and rock, as well as gender and national boundaries (she's from Bangladesh) to become something bigger than itself. It may not be the most popular music in America right now, or even the world at large, but it just might be the most evident prototype for the future of popular music. And don't forget, you heard that hear first.

M.I.A. - Paper Planes [mp3]

M.I.A. - Hit That [mp3]

Modest Mouse Rock the Landing

So I finally got around to seeing Modest Mouse last night, after missing out on a sell-out show during their first go-round in Philly this summer, and then missing them again at the Virgin Festival earlier in the month because they were up against the Police in a scheduling set-up that even the NBA playoffs would be ashamed of. Nonetheless, karma was on my side as I was passed along a pair of free tickets to last nights show at Penn's Landing, and even though it rained the entire time, the band sounded utterly cohesive as I found myself grooving to songs the studio versions of which I was never really in love with in the first place. For instance, I had heard the album version of "Bukowski" so many times on my ipod that I'd at times come close to imagining myself pulling a John Belushi on Isaac Brock's banjo. However, last night, that song was definitely one of the highlights for me. As was "The View," "Dashboard," and "Black Cadillacs," among others, and although there seemed to be a noticeable contrast between much of the newer material and the more vintage M.M. songs in terms of energy and crowd connection, one can usually expect that when a band is still figuring out how to translate studio tunes into more organic, live exercises. That kind of thing often comes with time and repetition. Irregardless, the set they put on was very impressive, and they certainly didn't let down their fans who endured more that a little precipitation in order to get their musical fix for the evening. If you're a novice in the Modest Mouse camp, I've posted a couple of my favorite cuts just for the hell of it. Cheers.

Modest Mouse - Paper Thin Walls [mp3]

Modest Mouse - The View [mp3]

Dylan Remixed

Everybody knows Mark Ronson is on fire. He's produced two of the year's hottest albums in Lily Allen's Alright, Still and Amy Winehouse's Back to Black. He even released a very well-regarded LP under his own moniker called Version with vocal assistance from some of the hottest names in the music biz. You know when a DJ/producer releases his own album and it takes off, he's managed to catch lightning in a bottle. Now Columbia Records has asked him to create what is apparently the first official Bob Dylan remix. Why not ask him to repaint the Mona Lisa while he's at it? After combing through the hundreds of songs in Dylan's more than ample catalogue, Ronson arrived at "Most Likely You'll Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)," a track from 1966's Blonde on Blonde, which is just about the best album ever. The results are acceptable, though not overwhelming. Ronson's affinity for beefed-up horns is evident in his engineering, and it works to a degree, but gone is the core of what Dylan referred to as his "thin, wild mercury sound" that carries in the original. I'd give it a B- for the effort. Nice try Mark, but don't quit your day-job, and by "day-job" I mean making beats for Brit-pop stars and laying down tracks for Ghostface Killah. Stay away from the classics, because chances are you won't improve them. Just ask Madonna and her ill-conceived take on Don McLean's "American Pie," or ask Limp Bizkit and their half-baked cover of the Who's "Behind Blue Eyes." If you can find them, that is.

Bob Dylan - Most Likely You'll Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine) (Mark Ronson Remix) [mp3]

K-OS and a Confusion on Entourage

I've been hearing a lot of buzz about Sunday night's new episode of Entourage. However, oddly enough, most of that buzz seems to be more inquisitive than anything. To be more specific, I've heard a lot of people asking the same question, and that question is, "who is Anna Faris?" Faris made a rather prominently featured cameo in the episode, playing herself, which apparently left most people confused as to what kind of acting cred she really has if the majority of America hasn't ever heard her name before Sunday. The whole situation probably has her IMDB page getting more hits this week than the premiere of all of the Scary Movie films combined (not that those movies aren't each cinematic treasures unto themselves). Anyway, the point is, I actually do know who Anna Faris is. She had major roles in the previously mentioned Scary Movie franchise, and had bit parts in many other projects, the most respectable of which is probably the Bill Murray-Scarlet Johannsen vehicle Lost in Translation, where she played a character strikingly similar to one she played in the Ryan Reynolds comedy Just Friends. So maybe she actually could benefit E's help with her real life career, or maybe just a few more acting lessons.

Either way, after watching the episode, since I already knew all of these things, I had a different question on my mind, and it was more concerned with the song that played over the end credits. It sounded like a strange hybrid of different influences and styles. The verses sounded a lot like Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues," but the production and the chant-like chorus had a much different feel all together. After some research I was surprised to find out the song was performed by eclectic, Toronto-via-Trinidad MC K-OS (pronounced "Chaos"). I had heard some of his material in the past and none of it sounded like this song which is titled "Valhalla," and is posted below. It's definitely strange all over, but something about it makes me want to keep listening over and over. Weird. But I guess not as weird as Anna Faris playing herself as a recognizable actress...

K-OS - Valhalla [mp3]

Country Rouse, City Rouse

Josh Rouse has a new album called Country Mouse, City House, which supposedly he recorded in his home studio in Spain in a mere matter of days. I would call that a rather ambitious undertaking for most artists, and although I'd be hesitant to say it's on par with some of Rouse's previous efforts, as usual, his tremendous sense of songcraft keeps him afloat. CMCH finds him doing what he does best, musing over laid-back, catchy arrangements with sing-along choruses, and while his material rarely overwhelms in terms of sheer weight, there is no doubt that this guy flat-out bleeds infectious pop tunes. I can say with complete confidence he's one of the most underrated songwriters of his generation. Check out the mp3's below for proof (courtesy of Carl Sandberg Visits Me in a Dream and LiveJournal).

Josh Rouse - Sweetie [mp3]

Josh Rouse - Nice to Fit In [mp3]

The Upside of John From Cincinnati

As my interest in HBO's new series John From Cincinnati began to wane, after the first few episodes or so, I realized that, despite my tepid feelings for the show itself, there was one definite bright spot. No, I'm not talking about the reemergence of Luke Perry's acting career (although he might beg to differ on that). I'm talking about the theme song, "Johnny Appleseed" by Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros, which I had never heard prior to seeing John From Cincinnati. And while I'll admit the show hasn't turned out to be my cup of tea (not enough, if any, likeable characters, strange, sci-fi-ish plot twists that seem to lead nowhere in particular, etc.), they had a decent enough shot at hooking me based on theme song alone. Basically, this is just another reminder why Joe Strummer is one of the great rock frontmen of all time, and why, for such a long time, the Clash really were the only band that mattered.

Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros - Johnny Appleseed [mp3]

(courtesy of My Old Kentucky Blog)

Jason Isbell, a Trucker No More

A co-worker recently made me aware of Jason Isbell's new album Sirens of the Ditch, and after hearing him perform on The World Cafe this afternoon, I decided I had to put together a post about the guy. Now I won't pretend to know a ton about the Drive-by Truckers, a band of which Isbell was a former instrumental member: for me, they were always neo-Skynyrd to My Morning Jacket's neo-Allman Bros, and having always been a Allman man, my tastes naturally skewed more towards MMJ. However, I have heard a fair amount of Drive-by Trucker tunes, and have even seen them perform live (with Robert Randolph supplying peddle-steel guitar assistance, no less) and they sounded great. However, judging from what I've heard of Isbell's new album, that band has been dealt a major blow by losing a tremendous songwriter. To me, he sounds like a sweeter, saner Ryan Adams. Check out the tunes below, courtesy ickmusic.

Jason Isbell - Chicago Promenade [mp3]

Jason Isbell - Dress Blues [mp3]

Virgin Festival

As I had previously mentioned, I spent my weekend in the beautiful state of Maryland. Actually Baltimore, to be specific, a city famous for its crabs (and various other STD's), but that's not why I was there. I was there for the second annual Virgin Festival at Pimlico Race Course, or as I like to call it, "Bonnaroo-Lite." Having missed actual the actual Bonnaroo this summer, I was able to get my sweaty-dirty-music-experience fix by going to other, smaller fests, and this one was about as close as I got to the real thing. It was two days of heat, booze, and cattle-like crowds, featuring staggeringly overpriced burritos and people in body paint, and of course, an abundance of varying musical acts, highlighted by the Police, the Beastie Boys, Wu Tang Clan, a crack-ish looking Amy Winehouse, and a quirky, upbeat Regina Spektor. As is the case with many a-festival, scheduling conflicts naturally arose among competing artist sets, so I didn't see everybody I had hoped. I missed the Smashing Pumpkins, Interpol, Matisyahu, and Modest Mouse, but sacrifices always have to be made, and hopefully I'll get the chance to see those bands again in the near future. As for right now, I'm not losing any sleep over it. In fact, as a direct result of my two days out of town, where I placed more emphasis on rocking out and drinking Miller High Life than catching up on Z's, I'd say sleep is going to be the one thing I do most during the ever-important recovery period this week. But in the meantime, feel free to scope some of my pics from the weekend below. Some of them came out nicely and some of them are just ok (click on the pictures to view enlarged versions).

TV On The Radio

Regina Spektor

Wu Tang Clan

Cheap Trick

Amy Winehouse

Ben Harper

The Police

Beastie Boys

Peter, Bjorn and John

Spoon

Weekend at Pimlico

I'll be out of town this weekend at the second annual Virgin Festival at Pimlico Race Course in Maryland. If you haven't seen the artist line-up, it's pretty solid. The point is, I won't be posting this weekend, but will present my reaction to the festival next week. Until then, be easy y'all...

Fionn Regan (Pronounced like "Finn Raygin")

I caught most of Fionn Regan's (pronounced phonetically like "Finn Raygin," or so is my understanding) set at the Xponential Music Festival a couple of weeks ago, but at the time, I didn't think much of it. His music, which I'd describe as smart, subtle Irish folk-pop, in my opinion doesn't lend itself greatly to the summer outdoor music festival scene. It's a bit too slight and quietly contemplative to be fully enjoyed in that type of scenario. However, I've found that in the studio, as on his new album The End of History, Regan's tunes are far more palatable. Check out "Put a Penny in the Slot," a catchy, acoustic number that recalls a young Donovan. Although, on some of his moodier material, particularly the single "Be Good or Be Gone," he reminds me a lot of Damien Rice, that is, when Rice is keeping things simple and not trying to outsmart himself. Anyhow, Regan was recently nominated for the UK's Mercury Award, which doesn't mean jack to most folks on our side of the pond, but over there, it's kind of a big deal. Check out the mp3's posted below, including Regan's cover of one of my personal favorite Beatles tunes, recorded live on BBC radio.

Fionn Regan - Put a Penny in the Slot [mp3] (Courtesy of FPSA)

Fionn Regan - Getting Better [mp3]

Zach Galifianakis Lends Kanye West a Little Redneck Cred

When I first read about the making of this video for Kanye West's new single "Can't Tell Me Nothing," it sounded like a joint effort between West and Zach Galifianakis. The story was that the two had met and hit it off at a comedy club where Galifianakis was performing. Although, if you watch the video, it seems as though Kanye amazingly managed to keep himself behind-the-scenes, as this clip has become another example of Galifianakis' odd brand of off-beat humor. I've seen the guy do stand-up and he was so drunk he pissed his pants right before before taking the stage. Nonetheless, he was pretty hilarious, interacting with/berating the crowd, playing the piano while rattling off one-liners, and just being downright zany. If you're a fan of this spin on the Kanye video, you should check out his other vids where he makes similar work on Anita Baker's "You Bring Me Joy" and Fiona Apple's "Not About Love." In my opinion, this video rendition of "Can't Tell Me Nothing" is far more interesting than the original version featuring West, which is surprisingly boring, and not nearly as imaginitive as Kanye's other new video for "Stronger," where he takes on a Godzilla-like persona (possibly a manifestation of his own self-image?). Either way, I'm always a big fan of hip-hop stars who aren't afraid to branch out and be original. There's no arguing that this video, with Galifianakis at the helm, is certainly an example of that mentality.

By the way, doesn't Zach Galifianakis look a lot like Sam Beam of Iron & Wine? And come to think of it, you never see those two guys in the same room at the same time. Just something to think about...

Bishop Allen is Actually a Band and Not One Person. Read On...

If you're unfamiliar with Bishop Allen, the Brooklyn-via-New-England indie-pop act, then you probably don't make too many rounds in the blogosphere because, in the words of Zoolander's Mugatu, these guys are "so hot right now." They garnered notoriety in '06 by releasing one EP per month, in the process churning out an eye-popping 58 songs in a year. Ryan Adams thinks that's crazy. Not only that, but I believe songwriters, and collective brain-trust, Justin Rice and Christian Rudder also attended Harvard, where, judging from what I've heard off of their new album The Broken String, it's possible they both majored in being awesome. That's a bit of hyperbole, but the songs do sound pretty good. Either way, I think it's safe to say that if this whole music thing doesn't pan out, you won't see these guys on the corner begging you for change any time soon. Check out the tunes below, courtesy of The Passion of the Weiss.

Bishop Allen - Rain [mp3]
Bishop Allen - Click, Click, Click, Click [mp3]

Hip-Hop Friday: Beastie Boys vs. the Cure

I'm willing to admit that mash-ups are easy blog fodder, especially when you're looking for hip-hop material. Not to mention, there isn't too much great hip-hop music being released at the moment. Hence, DJ Moule's mash-up between the Beastie Boys' "Root Down" and and the Cure's "Close to Me," courtesy of Between Thoughts and Expression. It's not the best mash-up I've ever heard, but it is oddly compelling if you give it a chance (the intro is a bit too long). Plus, I find it funny to picture Robert Smith throwing down with the Beasties.

DJ Moule - Close To My Roots (Beastie Boys vs. The Cure) [mp3]

The Arcade Fire Hoop It Up

A while back I read some blog rumors about the Arcade Fire being on tour and coming into contact with some fan and allegedly "stealing" the guy's basketball. At the time, it seemed like a pretty random and far-fetched story. After seeing these pics of the band runnin' ball, I have to admit that the tale has been granted a bit more credibility. I mean, who knew that the hottest indie-rock band in the world, and arguably one of the best bands, and probably the most original, to ever come out of America Jr. (AKA, Canada, eh) were such serious ballers? Not to get totally stereotypical, but I think I'd be far less shocked to see pictures of these guys slapping a puck around, or even throwing a baseball, surface on the internet. Dig the shot of Win Butler dunking (or at least touching the rim, which is more than I can do). Just one more reason why the Arcade Fire kicks more ass before breakfast then most bands probably do over the course of a career.

The Xponential Music Festival

I spent the majority of this past weekend at the WXPN summer festival in Camden, NJ, which they were calling the "Xponential Music Festival" this year. This explains why I was unable to post because it was so damn time consuming, but nonetheless, certainly worth attending. My own personal highlights included sets by the Cat Empire, Will Hoge, the Swimmers, Ryan Shaw, and a surprise appearance by Rhett Miller. I've posted some of my own photos below so you can relive the experience with me. Enjoy.

Ryan Shaw

Rhett Miller

Marc Broussard

the Fratellis

the Swimmers

Will Hoge

the Cat Empire

Martin Sexton

Fountains of Wayne

The Philadelphia Skyline

Apologees

I realize it seems I've been shirking my responsibilities as a blogger as of late. I haven't posted since Thursday, but I promise I'll get around to posting something soon. So if you're looking for new content, hold tight and I'll get to it. Until then, stay up...

New Iron & Wine

Iron & Wine has a new album due out in September, but because Sub Pop is about the coolest record label around, they made the first single available for free download via their website. In my opinion, it's not I & W's best tune, but it sounds decent and it's beginning to grow on me.

Iron & Wine - Boy With A Coin [mp3]

Band-I-Know-Nothing-About-of-the-Day: Animal Collective

I don't know anything about Animal Collective, and I'm willing to admit that. In fact, when I'd seen the name listed in the "popular artists" section on elbo.ws I thought it was a project involving a group of hip-hop producers. That idea was based on a Danger Mouse interview I read where he mentioned such a project, although I think he was calling it the Underground Animal Collective. I don't think this is the same thing, but apparently this track by Animal Collective is pretty popular in the blogosphere. I can see why, it's a cool song, albeit not quite what I was expecting when I first heard it. It's called "Fireworks" and you can sample it yourself courtesy of The Late Greats (even though it's referenced there in a somewhat less than flattering way).

Animal Collective - Fireworks [mp3]

Throwback-Video-of-the-Day: Tom Waits

I heard this song for the first time in quite a while today on one of the many XM satellite radio stations. If you're not familiar with this song at all, this is vintage Tom Waits, and if you're not familiar with Tom Waits, then you're probably wondering if this is how the guy always sings. The answer is yes. To this day, I find it amazing that he ever managed to become a successful musician with the kind of career longevity that he's had. His singing style is certainly an acquired taste. To me, it sounds a bit like sandpaper with a hangover, if you can imagine that concept sonically. Regardless, there is no debating that dude is a true original and one hell of a songwriter. Case and point, witness the simultaneous combination of off-kilter genius and hilarity displayed in this video for "The Piano Has Been Drinking."

Catching Up to the Annuals

North Carolina's the Annuals play lush, quirky indie-pop that sounds like the type of tight, hook-happy tunes that Brian Wilson would be pumping out if he were fronting an up-and-coming rock act today. Their only LP Be He Me came out in the fall of '06. The main reason I'm posting about them now is because I was a bit late to arrive to the party. I'm just now finding out about them, and mostly what I'm finding is that there really isn't much to dislike about these guys.
Annuals - Bleary-Eyed [mp3] (from Happy Clap Music)
Annuals - Brother [mp3] (from The Presidential Award for Aural Fitness)

Okkervil River are Coming to Philly

I've just become aware that one of my new favorite bands Okkervil River will be playing Johnny Brenda's in late September. For those of you who are not familiar with the band, they're a smart, catchy folk-rock outfit from Austin who manage to churn out both hooks and clever lyrics, making them sound altogether terrific in the studio. One would imagine they'd be a strong live act too. I suppose now I'll have the chance to find that out first-hand in September. They're new album Stage Name is set to be released on August 7th. Be sure to check out the tracks below, the first of which I believe is slated to appear on that album. Both tracks are posted courtesy of the band's own homepage, where you can also find several more free downloads.
Okkervil River - "Our Life is not a Movie or Maybe" [mp3]
Okkervil River - "The President is Dead" [mp3]

Hip-Hop Friday: Pharoahe Monch

It's been eight years since the release of Pharoahe Monch's last studio album, and despite having remained active during that period with cameos on tracks from other artists such as Talib Kweli and the late J Dilla, many of his hardcore fans have been eagerly anticipating the follow-up to his initial LP Internal Affairs. It appears they're long wait is finally over with the release of Desire, and while it may not pack all the punch of its predecessor, it does feature some killer tracks like "What It Is" and the title cut (posted below courtesy of Blogs are for Dogs). As a bonus, I've also posted Monch's remix of the Amy Winehouse hit "Rehab" (courtesy of nialler9) which, despite him only laying down a single verse, blows away Ghostface Killah's remix of the same song (and I actually like Ghostface's version, so that's saying something).
Pharoahe Monch - "Desire" mp3
"Rehab" (Pharoahe Monch Remix) mp3

Music from "Once"

Glen Hansard, frontman of the Frames, stars in a new motion picture titled Once. He plays a Dublin street musician who falls in love with a woman, possibly another street musician. Clearly, I'm not ultra-familiar with the plot of the film, despite having read a very positive review in the paper recently. What I do know, however, is that, from what I've heard, the movie's soundtrack sounds very promising. Below is a tune called "Falling Slowly" performed by Hansard (posted courtesy of Achtung Baby!: My Chernobyl Love). It's got a very sentimental ballad feel to it, but it's also very catchy. Check it out, and also see the movie if you get the chance, because there's nothing like a good indie flick done right.
Glen Hansard - "Falling Slowly" mp3

The Police, John Mayer and Kanye West Save the World

In case you missed the twenty-two hours of Live Earth coverage over the weekend, I've decided to post one the performances that I felt stuck out among the rest. This performance took place during the Police's set when they were playing "Message in a Bottle" (one of my personal favorites in the Police canon). What makes said performance intriguing isn't so much that they allowed John Mayer sit in on the song (I've heard Mayer cover the song live in the past by himself, and he does a nice job). What is somewhat eyebrow-raising, however, is when they brought out Kanye West from backstage after the first third of the song and allowed him to freestyle his own verse. All in all, it was a bold, if not completely well thought-out, idea. The freestyle had potential, and my hopes were high, but ultimately the execution was less than inspiring. In fact, for lack of things to say, Kanye started rhyming about Al Gore and and sinking into generic hip-hop performance buzz-phrases like repetitive "uh-yeah's" and imploring the crowd to wave their hands around "like they just don't care." And while it was disappointing to see Kanye stoop to spitting such rap cliches (a move that has never been a problem for the "Louis-Vuitton-Don"), I believe there are actually two ways of viewing this performance. The first is as a veritable train-wreck, which it kind of was. The second is to look at it as somewhat refreshing, if for no other reason, then for the the genre-bending, ego-obscuring effort of it all. It's pretty respectable for the Police, who are everyone's favorite classic rock legends of the moment, to not only share the spotlight with a young, budding rock star in John Mayer, but also sharing it with an explosive, egotistical, brash young hip-hop star, who also happens to be one of the most polarizing figures in popular music. In a way, for me, it reaffirmed that maybe some of the acts that participated in this global festival actually did care about the cause more so than the spotlight. Why else would these three huge acts be plowing through a classic song that they clearly didn't rehearse together (hell, Sting couldn't even pronounce Kanye's name correctly)? Maybe that's naive logic, but remember, sometimes it's naivety that allows people sleep at night. You can judge for yourself.

Random-Video-of-the-Day: Flight of the Conchords

Believe it or not, I'm still having issues posting mp3's thanks to spotty service from MediaMax, so I'm forced to put up another video. With that in mind, today I've decided to draw attention to my new favorite TV comedy, and the brightest, most original new show on HBO (no, it's not John from Cincinnati). It's Flight of the Conchords, the best thing to come out of New Zealand since Steinlager and wool. The show is about a Kiwi folk duo who have relocated to New York City, only for hilarity and zaniness to ensue. The band, consisting of Jermaine Clement and Bret Mckenzie, search for love, success, and an overall sense of equilibrium by bumbling, redeeming, and randomly breaking into song along the way. This particular clip is my favorite tune from the show. After being confronted in an alley by a pair of street hoods, Jermaine and Bret, AKA Hiphopopotamus and Rhymenoceros, spit hot lyrical flames and drop some ill dance moves, much to the confusion of their would-be attackers. If you haven't seen the show before, this scene is a good sampler, plus it's downright hilarious.

Hip-Hop Friday: DJ Axel

When I was in Europe a few Summers ago, I came across a television show on MTV Europe called MTV-Mash, or something to that effect. It was basically a video show which was centered on a series of doctored music videos featuring two oddly-paired songs (and their respective videos) combined, or "mashed," together. You'd see the Cure paired with Nelly and Eminem paired with Shakira, etc. That was my first exposure to the mash-up phenomenon. I was shocked. Mash-up's have become far more prevalent and widespread in the years since then. Some are good and some are terrible, but when it's done right, it's a pretty brilliant form of recycling. It's also probably an enjoyable undertaking for DJ's and people of that ilk.
Peter Axelrad, AKA DJ Axel's, new album Breakin' the Law features a series of fresh mash-up's that are, at their best, very listenable, and at their worst, at least somewhat intriguing. For me, much of the album is a little too similar to last year's Rock Phenomenon mixed-tape by DJ Vlad, which essentially uses much of the same type of material, combining rock samples with rap vocals. Nonetheless, I've decided to post two of my favorites from Axel's collection, courtesy of his official website (you can check out more of the album there). Basically, the first song is here because, in my opinion you just cannot go wrong with a Bob Marley sample, regardless of what you do with it. The second is here because I found it to be the most interesting track of the collection. It combines 50 Cent and Lena Horne, in the process giving both songs a strangely original feel, even though everybody's heard the originals many times before. After all, isn't that what recycling is supposed to be all about?
"Could You Be Kick Pushed and Loved" (Bob Marley vs. Lupe Fiasco) mp3
"Rhythm Inferno" (Lena Horne vs. 50 Cent) mp3

Dr. Dog Covers Architecture in Helsinki

For whatever reason, the band Architecture in Helsinki (who aren't from Helsinki at all, but rather Australia) arranged for several specific bands to cover their song "Heart it Races" which will appear on a yet-to-be-released album. The three bands they chose are Dr. Dog, Hey Willpower, and the Soft Tigers. I won't pretend to know a whole lot about the latter two bands, or about Architecture in Helsinki for that matter, but I am a fan of my fellow Pennsylvanians Dr. Dog. And having begun to really appreciate their old-school rock sound on their latest LP We All Belong, I don't hesitate at all to say that their cover of "Heart it Races" is their studio high watermark. It sounds fresh and polished, without losing any of the retro charm of their previous recordings. Oh yeah, and it's catchy as hell too.
Dr. Dog - "Heart it Races" mp3

The Arcade Fire Rock, Even in an Elevator

MediaMax is apparently still broken, so here's another video. It's The Arcade Fire playing "Neon Bible" inside an elevator. This clip is taken from a longer version, which provides a bit more context for why they are in an elevator. It's worth checking out here. But for now, here's the shorter version.

Throwback-Video-of-the-Day: Jeff Buckley

This is a video for Jeff Buckley's first studio single "So Real," circa 1994. Quite frankly, it's about the most bizarre music video I've ever seen. I've seen it many times and I'm still not quite sure what kind of message they were trying to get across when they put together this footage. Between the ape costumes and the bicycle riding and Buckley's blatant 'wife-beater' tan at the end of the video when he's running shirtless in the street, not to mention the interlude with the people rocking out with bags over their heads, I'm not really sure how it all ties together and what it's supposed to be saying, other than simply manifesting an overly-conscious attempt to avoid the glossy, pretty-boy pop star label, which is why Jeff insisted on this song being his first single in the first place. Anyway, for what it's worth, here's the video.

Issues with Mediamax

I've been having a little trouble posting mp3's lately, and since that's pretty much the bread-and-butter of my website, the situation poses a bit of a problem. I normally upload my own mp3's and host them using Mediamax, which usually works out great, but for the past four days or so the site has been under construction, and hence rendered useless. To tell the truth, it's really beginning to cramp my style a bit. And since I'm apparently not bright enough to quite figure out some of the other media-hosting avenues, it looks like I'll be playing the waiting game until Mediamax gets their act together. In the meantime, I'll try to post some cool videos I guess. For instance, here's a video segment that appears to be lifted from Wilco's bonus documentary disc which accompanied their latest album Sky Blue Sky. It contains a private performance of "Impossible Germany," a song which, after hearing it about a billion times (slight exaggeration), amazingly I have yet to tire of. Make sure to pay close attention to Nils Cline absolutely shredding during the Santana-meets-Television extended guitar outro. It's pretty much the rockinest thing I've ever seen a fifty-five year old do. I think you'll agree.

Getting Cozy with The Cribs

The Cribs are a ragtag UK band specializing in songs about drinking, pubs, girls, and drinking in pubs with girls. Sound familiar? It might. That's also the forte of several other UK bands that are hot right now, namely The Arctic Monkeys and The Fratellis. However, The Cribs actually predate both of these bands. In fact, there new album Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever is there third effort. If you are unfamiliar with their previous material, now is a good time to get on board because they certainly seem to be hitting their collective stride. Check out the mp3's posted below, courtesy of indiecristoph. The first, "Girls Like Mystery," should be right up your alley if you're a fan of either of the two other previously mentioned UK groups. The second, "Men's Needs," actually sounds like it could be a long, lost Strokes B-side, from the crisp, symmetrical guitar riffing in the mold of Albert Hammond Jr. to the staticky howled vocals that recall Julian Casablancas on his best day.
"Girls Like Mystery" mp3
"Men's Needs" mp3

More Overrated Artists

This post is a follow-up to yesterday's rant about Dave White's article where he identifies some of rock and rolls most hallowed icons as being overrated. After rolling that situation around my head for about twenty-four hours, I actually came up with some of my own additions that I might make if I was constructing a list of overrated acts. Keep in mind, these are not necessarily artists which I dislike or feel do not possess talent. Most of them I simply think are over-exposed, and anyone who knows me well knows that over-exposure is probably my biggest pop-culture pet-peeve. My additions are as follows:

Johnny Cash. It appears for Mr. Cash that no career move he could have possibly made while he was alive would have been nearly as effective as his own death would prove to be. When he dies a few years ago, he all of a sudden he became a guitar slinging, bad-ass musical legend (again), who not only inspired a very successful biopic, with a blockbuster soundtrack that he didn't even sing on (why people would buy a disc with Juaquin Phoenix vocals instead of a regular Johnny Cash album is beyond me), but he also released several posthumous cover albums (which are actually pretty damn good), and had some of his classic tunes appearing in commercials and advertisements ad nauseam. Don't get me wrong, I think dude was a genius, but how he could have possibly surpassed his peer and fellow Sun Records alum Elvis Presley in the public consciousness I cannot understand. Before Elvis imploded, he had thirty #1 singles. That's not a typo. Thirty #1 singles! I guess if he would have lived a little longer and withered away more slowly, like his old buddy Johhny, we'd be seeing his songs in Levi's jeans commercials and watching Reese Witherspoon playing Priscilla Presley, instead of June Carter Cash, on HBO every night.

The Police. The Police are everyone's favorite classic rock band. Well this month they are anyway. They haven't cut any new material in decades, yet as soon as rumors of their recent reunion tour surfaced, people couldn't jump on their bandwagon fast enough. I love the Police (I have for a long time) and I even own some police albums, but I'm willing to bet my life's fortune that if you polled all of these newly-minted Police fanatics, that 85% of them couldn't name one of the band's albums beyond Synchronicity, and probably half of them wouldn't know that one. These guys are a tremendous, original band, but right now they are the vintage flavor-of-the-month, and to me, that's a precarious position for them to be in.

Eric Clapton. Simply put, Clapton is the Robert Horry of rock and roll. For those of you non-basketball fans, let me explain. He's a stupendously successful role player but he is not nearly as effective front-and-center. Is it a coincidence that all of Clapton's most impressive material has been the result of him essentially being just one of several talented people in a number strong ensembles? The best music he ever made was made came while he was playing with Cream (featuring Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker), John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, and Derek and the Dominoes (with Duane Allman at his side). Eric Clapton can make a very good band into a great band, but his solo career has been less than stunning and he is most certainly not God.

Jay-Z. I had to throw in someone a little more current and Jay-Z is the latest example of why, in the modern music machine, good marketing is more important than actual substance. I like some of Jay-Z's music (although I view that primarily as a testament to good production from Kanye West, Just Blaze, Rick Rubin, etc.), but the guy is an admitted sell-out. He has admitted on numerous occasions to dumbing down his music to increase his cash-flow, and dude will pimp seemingly any product from computers to soft drinks (I'm still trying to make sense of that recent ad where he's joy-riding shotgun with Dale Earnheart Jr. behind the wheel and Danica Patrick cruising next to them. Call me crazy, but I think Jay-Z and Nascar make for an awkward mix). Not only that, but he's got the most contrived public image that I've seen in a long time. He carries more self-dubbed nicknames and overzealous, cocksure personal assertions (no Jay, you're not "rap's Grateful Dead," whatever that means) than most rappers have bling, and I don't even want to get into the phony retirement thing. I know everybody does it, but at least wait a couple of months before you start making music again. You have to let it marinade a little. Not to mention he looks like a fraggle. There, I said it.

That's the list for now. I'll probably have my own "Underrated" list to follow at some point this week. I know that this stuff might be beginning to border on overkill, but these are things I think about all the time. Just bear with me if you can.

"Overrated" Rock and Roll Giants

I came across an article by MSNBC contributor Dave White, wherein he gives his takes on the abundance of overrated acts throughout the canals of rock and roll history. His list of unjustly deified, over-haled artists looks like this:

U2
Metallica
Nirvana
The Doors
The Clash
Bob Dylan
The Beatles
Sonic Youth

A pretty bold list, no? I actually do agree with White on a couple of those bands, namely U2 and Nirvana. Both great bands, but both are treated with way too much reverence. U2 carries a swagger like it's their birthright to be the "greatest band in the world." Meanwhile, Bono trots the globe making bids to become the paitron saint of sunglasses. Not to mention that damn "Vertigo" song from that inescapable ipod ad with its half-baked spanglish lyrics ("uno, does, tres, catorse" translates to "one, two, three, fourteen"). These guys were far more likable before they got all smug and preachy, but that was a long time ago. Nirvana, on the other hand, has justifiably reserved its place in rock history by almost singlehandedly plunging the knife into the bloated gut of the hair-metal scene. However, does the class of generic crap-rock which they spawned produce music which is any less irritating? After all, they are the ones responsible for bands like Nickelback and Puddle of Mudd. Besides, with the benefit of hindsight, maybe Pearl Jam was a better band than Nirvana anyway.

With those things being said, I do take exception to some Dave White's other assertions. Specifically, his statements about The Beatles, The Clash, and Bob Dylan. Sure, it's exciting trying to take to task cultural icons, but if that's the territory where you ant to go, you had better make some sound arguments to back up your points. Dave White fails in this regard. All he does when discussing these three artists is talk about how much love they get. He doesn't once attempt to explain why so much respect is undue. A memo to Mr. White: being highly-rated is not synonymous with being overrated. There has to be an underlying downside which is often overlooked and obscured by popular opinion for something to be called overrated. The fact is, The Beatles, The Clash and Bob Dylan not only pioneered their respective genres (Pop-Rock, Punk, and Singer-Songwriter), but they are still the best examples within those genres today. The Beatles were pop geniuses, incapable of making a bad record. The Clash were called "the only band that matters" with good reason; they made angsty, political music that was more than just fun tunes to rock out to, it was truth. And of course, with apologies to Bruce Springsteen and Bright Eyes, a hundred-thousand singer-songwriters later and there still is no one who can justly carry the moniker of the "Next Dylan." These three artists define the phrase "often imitated, never duplicated." That is why they get so much respect and that is why so much respect is due.

Hip-Hop Friday: "Rehab" Remix

Today's tune is a bit of a hip-hop hybrid. It's a remix of the Amy Winehouse hit "Rehab" featuring Jay-Z (it's safe to say his "retirement" didn't exactly stick). It's not the best remix I've ever heard. In fact, it doesn't really sound like a remix at all until about two-thirds of the way through the song when Jay-Z's verses finally take flight. Like I said, to be honest, I find the track less than inspiring, but it's tough to go wrong with the support Mark Ronson's blazing production. It's worth a listen or two.

"Rehab" (Remix feat. Jay-Z) mp3