Mar/100
Preview MGMT’s “Congratulations” – Now!
Preview MGMT’s “Congratulations” – Now!
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Just a quick plug, since I know that there’s a ton of MGMT fans here in the ShowClix offices: NPR is currently streaming the Brooklyn quintet’s new album, Congratulations, a full three weeks before its release! Give it a listen and get hyped, boys and girls.
Mar/100
Gorillaz vs. Eddy Grant: Stylo Clash
Gorillaz vs. Eddy Grant: Stylo Clash
According to Billboard.com, veteran Reggae singer Eddy Grant might be the only one who was unhappy with his Plastic Beach download. Grant, famous for a variety of 80’s hits, including “Electric Avenue,” is convinced that Gorillaz, Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett’s virtual jam band, ripped off a track of his called “Time Warp” to produce “Stylo,” Plastic Beach’s first single.
“Anyone who knows ‘Time Warp’ will know this is ‘Time Warp’ with people singing and rapping over it, [along] with funny little noises,” said Grant. “‘Time Warp’ is a very popular song and has been a staple of the DJ scene for many years and I feel total disrespect from Gorillaz and their management company.” He is currently seeking, “a full credit for the song and an apology from the band,” but no monetary compensation.
Now, I worship Gorillaz just as much as the average, awkward twenty-something. Additionally, I usually chalk this kind of accusation up to an acute case of inflated ego, but I don’t know. There’s definitely some note sharing going on here. What do you think?
Mar/100
Gorillaz battle Bruce Willis with Britpop and shotguns
Gorillaz battle Bruce Willis with Britpop and shotgunsGorillaz, the illegitimate virtual offspring of Blur frontman Damon Albarn and Tank Girl creator Jamie Hewlett, recently released the music video for “Stylo,” the first single off their upcoming album, Plastic Beach, which drops next Tuesday. It’s got a catchy beat, some sexy CG, a wicked car chase, and Bruce Willis brandishing a ridiculously big gun. That’s a pretty well-balanced diet, if you ask me.
I’ve been listening to this song on WOXY for the past month, and it gets more addictive each time I hear it. It’s like a persistent little earwig that burrows father into your brain the longer it hangs around.
Wow, that doesn’t sound pleasant at all. It’s actually a good song. I think I’ve just been looking for an excuse to use an earwig analogy.
Feb/100
Cypress Hill: Name Droppahs
Cypress Hill: Name Droppahs
When Rise Up, the first new studio album from Cypress Hill in six years, finally drops on April 6, it will have more than a few names to drop with it. A cavalcade of guest stars will be getting their cameo on with the West Coast crew, including modern rock demigod Tom Morello (RATM, Street Sweeper Social Club), Mike Shinoda (Linkin Park), Daron Malakin (System of a Down), Marc Anthony, Pittbull, Young De, Everlast, The Alchemist, and Evidence. Even legendary stoner stooges Cheech and Chong will make an appearance to provide some toke(n) comedy relief.
“We spent time in the studio with some of our favorite artists and friends, and we’re really proud of how the album turned out,” said B-Real. “We’re looking forward to taking these songs on the road and playing them for our fans around the world.”
Not a bad lineup. Still, if you ask me, Everlast is no London Symphony Orchestra…
Sep/090
Monday Newsmix: Jay-Z wins and Kanye fails
Monday Newsmix: Jay-Z wins and Kanye fails
Blah blah blah Beyonce blah blah blah...
Yes, I’m back (for really real this time!) The past few weeks have been hella busy, but believe me when I say that I’ve held you, my loyal readers, in the fondest corner of my heart while I’ve been away. (Yes, all three of you. And speaking of which, hi Mom!)
But anyway, let’s get to the news:
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Yes, our good buddy ol’ pal Kanye was at it again over the weekend – and this time on national TV. At the start of yesterday’s MTV Video Music Awards show, as country starlet Taylor Swift began her acceptance speech, West hopped on stage, snagged the mic, and let loose a torrent of verbal diarrhea. The cause? Defending pop singer Beyonce, whom he felt had produced “one of the best videos of all time.” All the while, a timid and confused-looking Swift simply stood there. (One can only imagine what was going through her head at the time. Sadness? Shock? A desire to bludgeon Kanye over the head with that award statue?) Thankfully, West was removed from the show shortly after.
Things even worked out in a roundabout way. Later on in the show, none other than Beyonce herself let Swift finish her speech. Kanye also apologized for the incident, but all things considered, his words ring hollow, smacking of publicist pressure rather than genuine remorse. Just please become a gay fish or something already, Kanye. We’re tired of your crap.
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In other hip-hop news, perennial news generator Jay-Z pulled a far more hilarious stunt recently. When wacko conservative “commentator” Glenn Beck appeared on Fox News’ The O’Reilly Factor late last week, he gifted host Bill O’Reilly with a copy of the latter’s book, A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity. The catch? The book contained an inscription by none other than Jay, reading: “Peace Bill, JZ. Off That.” O’Reilly – a vocal opponent of “hip-hop culture,” AKA a racist – remained ignorant of the reference to a lyric in Jay’s recently-released The Blueprint 3: “This ain’t black verse white, my n*gga we off that.”
Billy Boy then proceeded to ignore the peace offering and launch into a tirade against Jay. Good show of maturity, ol’ chap.
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NEWSBITES
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R.I.P. Jim Carroll, punk rocker and author of The Basketball Diaries.
Waiting for the next Massive Attack album? If so, don’t hold your breath: according to Rob “3D” Del Naja, the album is in a “state of flux,” and it may be a while before it’s released. The good news, however, is that they have 10 tracks ready to go, incorporating guest appearances from Damon Albarn and Guy Garvey (Elbow), among others. Hope this one’s worth the wait.
Pop duo Tegan and Sara have unveiled an October 27 release date for their next album, Sainthood.
Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas is set to release his solo album, Phrazes for the Young, on October 19.
Grab a new EP from Portugal. The Man for the low, low price of nothing (and a quick website registration.)
May/090
Free Album Stream: Black Moth Super Rainbow – “Eating Us”
Free Album Stream: Black Moth Super Rainbow – “Eating Us”
Of the current crop of bands in the contemporary psychedelic scene, Pittsburgh homeboys/gals Black Moth Super Rainbow are far and away my favorite. Combining authentic analog instruments (I especially love their vocoder) and devices with post-modern songwriting and production, the mysterious fivesome craft dense, mind-blowing electro-rock that’s like absolutely nothing else out there.
The band’s latest effort, entitled Eating Us, may be their most polished work yet – but don’t take my word for it. Gracious as they are, BMSR have posted the entire thing for streaming on their Myspace. Hook up your best sound-system and take this one for a ride this Memorial Day weekend, because it’s definitely one of my favorites so far this year.
Eating Us is due out May 26 on Graveface Records. As always, if you like what you hear, be sure to support the band with a bit of cash.
May/090
Free Album Streams: Wilco and Iron & Wine
Free Album Streams: Wilco and Iron & Wine
Ah, I just love the Internet. Without the abundance of high-bandwidth connections, what would we do with our lives? Sit around campfires and draw cave paintings while grunting rough harmonies in some primal language? (Actually, that sounds like a neat concept for the next Animal Collective album.) But you know what I love more than the Internet? Generous bands.
Case in point: Alt-folk band Wilco, whose latest album started out as an exercise in (satirical?) narcissism. But now we can lay those fears to rest, as the band has made Wilco (the Album) available for streaming – in high-quality compression, too! – on their website. There’s also a lower-quality version for those of you still stuck in the Stone Age. I’ll likely post my impressions at some point in the near future. Stream the entire album here.
And for another bonus, singer-songwriter Iron & Wine has posted the entirety of Around the Well, his latest collection of B-sides for free streaming on his Myspace. At two CDs’ worth of material, that’s a pretty hefty promotional item, and it’s really interesting to hear Sam Beam’s more experimental side on a few of the tracks. Stream the entire album here.
Wilco (the Album) is set to release on June 30, while Around the Well will drop next Tuesday. If you like what you hear, please support both of these artists with a bit of your hard-earned cash – they deserve it for taking this sort of risk.
May/090
The Dirty Projectors announce limited-edition release… on cassette
The Dirty Projectors announce limited-edition release… on cassette
If you thought that the trend of bands releasing limited-edition vinyl pressings was esoteric, well, what about an even stranger medium? It may sound like a joke, but for their latest album, Brooklyn-based experimental band Dirty Projectors have decided to supplement the audiophile-savvy black circles with some little, rectangular tapes.
In addition to digital and CD releases, the group’s fifth proper album, Bitte Orca, will see release in small numbers on compact cassette come June 9th. Compact cassettes rose to prominence in the 1970s and lasted well into the ’90s as a popular form of recorded music, before being fully supplanted by CDs around the turn of the millennium. They’re generally disliked by music fans, however, for their low sound quality and the fact that the players require almost as much maintenance as a turntable. So God knows what prompted the band to pull a stunt like this, but maybe a few nostalgia-heads will get a kick out of it.
Again, Bitte Orca will release June 9 on indie label Domino (home of fellow sonic innovators Animal Collective, Ulrich Schnauss, and The Notwist, among others). The band also has a series of American tour dates scheduled for May and June, many as the opener for TV on the Radio.