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There's an eye-in-the-sky traffic reporter here in the L.A. area named Amelia Earhart, which I thought was a job specific handle like "Dallas Raines"and an unfortunate one at that. Turns out it's her real name.
In another part of the world, "Americana/Folk/Roots Music" makers Brown Bird will be performing songs from last year's release The Bottom of the Sea on August 14th at Space in Portland, Maine. One of those songs is,yup, Amelia Earhart.
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-Download a song from Air's new album.
-The Soulstrutters talk iPhone hackers and albums with babies on the cover. Personal Fave: Real Eyes.
-M(with Flexi-disc soundtrack).
-Wiedland: Jane and Kathy were always the coolest of The Go Gos in my opinion. And they've remained pretty cool.
-Debbie Rowe is apparently ok with the always-forgotten Rebbie Jackson raising her kids. Which is what will most likely happen any day now. How come you never see Rebbie? Not that I'm complainin'.
-The Strange Dreams of Paul White, comes with its own pillowcase. (I'm a huge sucker for creative packaging.) : "This is a digital only EP. If you play it backwards it will probably vocalize your innermost fears. So probably best not to."
Not to get all Shadoe Stevens radio voice here, but this is a nice song to ease you into your Wednesday morning. Local Natives have an easygoing, impromptu-jam-session-around-the-campfire sound that reminds me of Okkervil River. The boys will be playing Spaceland August 3,10,17,23, 24 and 31 so catchem while you can...
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-Some vinyl collecting enthusiasts are singing the praises of the light rock sounds of Robin George. Yowch, at $69.99, I'll just watch his videos thankyaverymuch.
-Idlewild, still getting away with "it."
-The rapper Shad has an update on the state of Canadian hip-hop:
"There’s definitely some regional differences. Toronto is close to Detroit and New York so there’s more of that kind of vibe going on there. I find out West there’s more of an underground kind of vibe in towns like Victoria and Calgary. A lot of our hip hop artists that have found an audience have a range of influences. Kardinal’s got some West Indian Flavor. K’naan uses a lot of African rhythms and sounds, k-os fuses a range of sounds together, etc… so that’s something that can be said for Canadian hip hop too.
Shad is currently part of this year's Warped Tour when not working towards a Master's Degree at Simon Fraser University.
I think it's safe to say that Italian music producer Maurizio Dami has got the posing-with-your-keyboard- snarl down pat.
The godfather of Italo Disco better known as Alexander Robotnick made Problems D'Amour back in the 80s, when he could not speak English very well. It is only recently that he became aware of the popularity the track, that some now call a classic.
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++A look at Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy Krueger. Looks like they're staying very true to the original. (Via)
Got this in the inbox...This is Max McElligott aka "Wolf Gang" a Londoner whose flashy and bombastic orchestral manoeuvres might not be for everyone. An acquired taste, much like cilantro or pleats, as Zachary Quinto might say.
I like it. For some reason it reminds me of an updated version of something from the play Hair.
There is, however, the issue of the unusual and Hannibal Lecterish refrain "pieces of you in my hand."
Explain yourself, Mr. Gang!:
++Singer Marc Anthony has become "minority shareholder" of the Miami Dolphins. Is it really necessary to point out that he's a minority? When it's Jimmy Buffet he's a "partner." (Note: as a minority I'm allowed to make these jokes.)
Gloria and Emilio lifted the seat cushions of the Sound Machine to get enough loose change to buy a stake, too.
++I had no idea that one of my favorite funnymen and Twitterers Dave Hill is part of band. And they're not half bad, in a goodtime, Huey Lewis, gentleman-start-your-barstool-throwing -Sam Roberts kind of way.
Hill's band, Valley Lodge...:
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-Eagle and Talon: Girl Band To Watch. Saxophone solos and nostalgic double voice-work? Say no plenty more.
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-Tickets to the tiny powerhouse in a tank top, aka Ani DiFranco's, upcoming shows are going quick,y'alls.
-"There are no shortcuts to any place worth going." - Beverly Sills.
I heard this song on XM alt-radio last night and because of the band's name (is "Amazing Baby" used in this sense? or in this sense?) felt compelled to look them up and found the Gerry Spence-wear inspired video above.
Turns out there are two videos for this song; the psychedelic one here and another more absurd more city-fied take on the song that prompts writer Camille Dodero to ask: "Who will be the third Brooklyn band wih a llama video so we can officially call this a trend?" Ha ha.
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A little pointless wondering out loud here since no one reads on a Saturday anyway: Do I want to go see 500 Days of Summer?? It's been ages since I've seen a cute love story but the pretentiousness of the previews make me gag. Blurbs like these from Ebert/ONTD ain't helping matters:
We never remember in chronological order, especially when we’re going
back over a failed romance. We start near the end, and then hop around
between the times that were good and the times that left pain. People
always say “start at the beginning,” but we didn’t know at the time it
was the beginning. "500 Days of Summer" is a movie that works that way.
One thing's for certain, the soundtrack looks phraysh. Can definitely get behind something that includes Poison, Paul Simon and Jack Penate.
Hmm.
Update: Also this. Parts of which need to be read like this.
Ever wonder what it would be like if Uncle Karl Lagerfeld were to be your creepy shoes salesman*? Well, wonder no more. This is my favorite video in a long time (slightly NSFW and totally camp):
Tiga's Ciao is out now and is getting rave reviews.
tiga shoes mp3 was here.
*Oh who are we kidding, this is most shoes salesmen.
++Saw this yesterday on Daily Swarm regarding Clap Your Hands Say Yeah's Alec Ounsworth going solo. I seriously love a great headline.
July 15, 2009
Pitchfork: The Sound of One Hand Clapping
++‘Memba singer-songwriter David Gray? Of "Babylon!" yelling fame? He’s back with a new album come September & has a new single called Fugitive available now.
Gray’s songs have been used in numerous television programmes and films, probably more so than any other artist I’ve seen. Also, interestingly (only to me) he is from the town of Sale and one of his albums was named Sell, Sell , Sell.
Gotta confess that I'm just now learning all about DJ, underwear designer, Intel muse and generally most interesting man in the world, DJ Hell.
A few months back, Britain's Guardian newspaper called Hell's Teufelswerk (above) "one of the most ambitious and cogent dance albums of, well, all time."
That's some red hot praise. And, as usual, where there's smoke there's Diddy.
This song Summer Children by Nickodemus (via KEXP and the wonderful Mahogany Blog), which was filmed in the streets of Philly, reaches crazy levels of excitement and enthusiasm. We're talkin' elevated, almost Dane Cook levels of enthusiasm according to some imaginary advisory chart.
Nickodemus' sophomore album, a love letter to the sun featuring dance music from all over the world, can be streamed in its entirety at his site.
According to BlackBook, Playboy kicked off its "Uncovered" video series today where musical guests will create new videos the 2nd Tuesday of each month for 10 months. The series kicks off with Dinosaur Jr. playing Smiths songs.
-Try to mock the video and its hilarious graphics, above, but you too will be shouting out "Cheez pogo!" in a French accent by its end.
-Strangelets, the Supersoul trio given to Moroder-ic rhythms, not the "Substellar agglomerations of strange matter".... have decided to take on Sebastien Tellier.
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-Brandy is making a play to be used as the official spokesong for AshleyMadison.com.
I could look at these Bootie Mashup posters all day. Mesmerizing. The Bootie L.A. crew with "L.A.'s resident Dance Crew R.A.I.D. or "Random Acts of Irreverent Dance" (sounds potentially violent!) will be at the Echo on August 1st. Look for remixes by Yo Majesty who once paired with Ben Mono below.
Mono = the king of "Diskotainment".
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++A quote from Broken West's Ross Flournoy:
"Now that some people know who we are, I don't feel like we have to come out with guns blazing and introduce every melody in the first five seconds of a song," he says. "These songs aren't as immediately catchy, but they're more rewarding because they build over time."
++This isn't related to music but whatever...Seth Meyers talks about "Frenemy" and "Staycation" being added to the dictionary and laments the lack of love for "Fartface." I'd like to lobby for "Spam-pede" myself.
++Oh my my, Oh hell yes: Keller Williams, not be mistaken for the realty company Keller Williams, performs "Freaker by the Speaker" below. The acoustic guitarist, who sometimes defies description, will be playing NY, NY on the 11th.*.:
(*Be careful not to stare too long at the picture of Alan Parsons in the right sidebar. He will destroy us all.)
-When you're Lenny Kravitz, who needs a swank South Beach pad when you work here??
Kravitz is the proprietor of a 2,500 square foot, state of the art recording studio...a magical realm where signatures sign themselves apparently.
-Figure out your NPR name.
-I love reading the highly creative, often repetitive, constantly reinvented (they are all "formerly" something else) names of bands performing at The Smell. Do the Coconut Coolouts (playing July 13th) ever play chill-outs and cookouts? Another favorite: Bipolar Bear. (July 18th).
