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Okay, this is what I need: Hours upon hours of footage of Andrew...

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:19:00 -0500

Okay, this is what I need: Hours upon hours of footage of Andrew Falkous talking about anything at all whatsoever, but especially the things that bother him. “You should only speak ill of the dead…”

tUnE-yArDs“Hatari”Live in Chicago, 10/15/2009Somehow...

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:56:33 -0500

tUnE-yArDs
“Hatari”
Live in Chicago, 10/15/2009

Somehow I just totally skipped over this woman’s work for the better part of this year, mainly because I guess whenever I saw the name, it really put me off and I never bothered to listen. How foolish of me.

Atlas Sound & Panda Bear“Walkabout” There are a...

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:48:00 -0500

Atlas Sound & Panda Bear
“Walkabout”

There are a few fan-made videos for this song, but this clip by Fernando Nogari is the clear winner with its lovely muted colors, understated stop-motion effects, abundant jewels, and beautiful actress. It’s not the most obvious treatment for the song, but it fits comfortably with the tone of the music.

"That’s a little lazy. Beach Boys is just kinda your go-to vocal harmony band—especially given the..."

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:20:00 -0500

“That’s a little lazy. Beach Boys is just kinda your go-to vocal harmony band—especially given the fact that there are so many bands right now with guys in them who do legitimately sing like the Beach Boys. I feel like Amber and Angel’s tones are very, very different. They’re much less about that “warm, round” thing than a very linear, angular thing. That’s a little lazy, dude.”

- Dirty Projectors’ David Longstreth reacts to comparisons of his music to a wide range of reference points in articles and reviews about Bitte Orca. He says some nice things about Beyoncé and of Montreal, so that’s cool. I guess he’s into insolent sex parties.

“He’s lame, he’s not attractive, he has really...

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:02:58 -0500

“He’s lame, he’s not attractive, he has really no musical gift to give to the world…there’s something about him that’s hokey and uncharismatic…” An appreciation of Peter Gabriel!

The Flaming Lips“Watching The Planets”Live in Los...

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:54:00 -0500

The Flaming Lips
“Watching The Planets”
Live in Los Angeles, 10/15/2009

Mike Powell’s review of this song on Pitchfork today is excellent. I especially enjoy this bit: “I suspect the band put it at the end of Embryonic because it’s what they want you to feel most; what they want ringing in your head. Is it “dark”? Does surrendering to the undifferentiated energy of the universe seem dark to you?”

"Dylan’s thing has never been palatability, and he’s clearly enamored with..."

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:29:55 -0500

“Dylan’s thing has never been palatability, and he’s clearly enamored with contrast— in this case, between his worn, gravel-gargle voice and everything else. And it’s his unhinged vocals that make Christmas in the Heart interesting, and, in some ways, appropriate to its subject: In practice if not in theory, Christmas songs aren’t about perfect pitch and studied harmonies, they’re about slouching around an out-of-tune piano with your relatives, sloshing back store-bought eggnog, and hollering songs you learned in kindergarten and have been singing— with abandon, without training, without self-consciousness— nearly all of your life. It’s Christmas: Even Bob Dylan’s allowed that.”

- I really like Amanda Petrusich’s review of Bob Dylan’s perplexing and hilarious Christmas in the Heart on Pitchfork, but I wish they had let her give the album a 12.25!

Previously.

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:30:39 -0500

Previously.

Sleigh Bells “A/B Machines”Live in NYC,...

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:28:00 -0500

Sleigh Bells
“A/B Machines”
Live in NYC, 9/30/2009

Sleigh Bells is just a girl with a microphone, a guy with a guitar, and an iPod. So why do they look so totally compelling and epic in live footage? It’s rare to see audience-shot stuff that conveys this much excitement. This was filmed by Abbey Braden, who should be getting some serious gigs on the strength of what she did at this one show.

There was no way I was not going to fall immediately in love...

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:34:00 -0500

There was no way I was not going to fall immediately in love with Margaux Motin’s art. Technically brilliant, stylish, sexy, funny, energetic, just a joy to behold. Here’s the full strip, with guitar tab for “Darling Nikki,” on her blog.

"With Or Without You.” Twice. Which I think really captured how he was feeling at the time. Or..."

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:20:00 -0500

““With Or Without You.” Twice. Which I think really captured how he was feeling at the time. Or rather, the world perception of him as an artist, his brand identity at the time, like, not being able to live without Neil Diamond songs because they are everywhere you go, and not being able to live with them because they are not in the Rock Hall Of Fame yet. Or, another interpretation is that you can’t live with the songs because you don’t like them, but you can’t live without them, because you sort of do like them. The songs, you know, they creep inside your soul while you’re asleep through the radio waves even if the radio is off, so you’re both living with them, because they are inside your soul, and living without them, because you’re asleep when you’re hearing them. The second time round I sort of tried to change the lyrics a little bit, slowed down the tempo … I can live with you / I can’t live without you / Neil.”

- Bono attempts to console a distraught Neil Diamond in the second edition of Liz Colville’s hilarious Corrections to Other People’s Music Writing.

Jonathan Ames’ Bored To Death is my favorite show on...

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:48:38 -0500

Jonathan Ames’ Bored To Death is my favorite show on television right now.

Wild Beasts“This Is Our Lot”Live in Juan’s...

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:56:19 -0500

Wild Beasts
“This Is Our Lot”
Live in Juan’s Basement, 2009

This song a slow burn, but the moment when Hayden sings “I couldn’t be more ready, I couldn’t be more ready!” is a hot white flash of pain and desire. Intense stuff.

Dolly Parton“Baby I’m Burning” Yeah, you sing...

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:18:00 -0500

Dolly Parton
“Baby I’m Burning”

Yeah, you sing it, creepy Sim version of Dolly Parton! Sing it ‘til my heart bursts!

Weezer with Kenny G“I’m Your Daddy”AOL Session...

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:31:00 -0500

Weezer with Kenny G
“I’m Your Daddy”
AOL Session 2009

Rivers Cuomo has Lil Wayne guest on his record, jams live in session with Kenny G, and is selling his new album as a bonus gift with a Weezer-branded Snuggie. He exists in a continuum of irony and non-irony so hilarious and confusing that if he’s not the new Andy Warhol, he’s at least rock’s answer to Jeff Koons.

Foo Fighters“This Is A Call”Live on Late Show with...

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:00:00 -0500

Foo Fighters
“This Is A Call”
Live on Late Show with David Letterman, 1995

Yeah, this was almost 15 years ago. My review of the Foo Fighters’ Greatest Hits is up on Pitchfork today, and I’ve already received some email from readers thanking me for not being a dick about this band. I am genuinely amazed and disappointed that they didn’t call this thing The Best Of Foo, but maybe they’re waiting to use that for a box set or something…

"It was the first song I wrote on computer. Before, I had a typewriter. The reason is my handwriting..."

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:23:45 -0500

“It was the first song I wrote on computer. Before, I had a typewriter. The reason is my handwriting changes dramatically day to day. I don’t trust it. I will write one of the best lyrics ever and discard it because the handwriting looks like shit. Or the handwriting looks good but it’s a crap lyric, lo and behold, it’s in the song. Too late.”

- Michael Stipe, discussing the song “Drive” in the new issue of Rolling Stone.

Live Wrong and Prosper...the Book!

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:47:19 -0500

Live Wrong and Prosper...the Book!:

Please support Kali Holloway in raising money to produce a book version of her brilliant website Live Wrong and Prosper.

The Ballad Of That Guy From Titus Andronicus

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:30:00 -0500

The Ballad Of That Guy From Titus Andronicus:

Patrick Stickles’ account of his ordeal playing a Vice Halloween party is depressing, but it’s a well-told story.

"I’m also not really sure that I would classify the hesitation to spew unapologetic hate speech..."

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:19:00 -0500

“I’m also not really sure that I would classify the hesitation to spew unapologetic hate speech on stage as “shyness.” It’s more like self-preservational common sense, and also a modicum of human decency. He might be an unfunny nightmare with hate in his heart, but he is not a stupid nightmare with hate in his heart! He knows that you can’t just say the stuff that he just says.”

- What We Talk About When We Talk About Jeff Dunham Gabe Delahaye continues to tear into the wildly racist ventriloquist Jeff Dunham.