The Madcap dies
Syd Barrett, possibly the single most notorious embodiment of all that what was great, awful, brilliant, insane, beautiful and ugly about the psychedelic movement of the late ’60s, has finally died. I say finally because if you’ve ever read much about him, it’s fairly obvious that he’d been living on borrowed time since sometime in 1967. Even though just about only notable things he had done since releasing “The Madcap Laughs” was to show up during the recording of “Wish You Were Here” looking extremely overweight and bald, it was clear that the rest of Pink Floyd hadn’t forgotten about him. If you saw Roger Waters on tour in 1999 or Pink Floyd’s Live8 performance, you would have seen/heard the tributes to him.
LONDON - Syd Barrett, the troubled genius who co-founded Pink Floyd but spent his last years in reclusive anonymity, has died, a spokeswoman for the band said Tuesday. He was 60.
See you on the Dark Side of the Moon, Syd.
Red Hot Chili Peppers to play at Apple Store opening?
The word on the street is that 58th or 59th Street near 5th Ave. in New York City will be closing down tonight around 6 p.m. for a “major live band” to play at the opening of Steve Jobs’ latest affront to God.
Curbed seems to think it’ll be U2, which was my first guess. My sources tell me, however, that it’s going to be The Red Hot Chili Peppers. This actually makes a lot of sense, seeing as how Apple held listening parties for the release of Stadium Arcadium in its stores, and gave away iTunes cards for free downloads of “Dani California.”
It’s a total mob scene anytime Apple opens a new store, but it’s a safe bet that this will be many times more insane. I’m going to try to be there, so check back for updates.
Chili Peppers top the charts
I don’t know how newsworthy this is, but I figured I’d write since I have to wait until Invasion is over before I can watch tonight’s TiVo’d episode of Lost. I was sort of happy to see the Red Hod Chili Peppers have the No. 1 album at the moment, since a lot of what tops the charts these days is utter crap, and this album most definitely is not. This would be the first time they’ve hit No. 1, according to Nielsen/SoundScan.
The Chili Peppers’ two-disc set, “Stadium Arcadium,” opened with sales of 442,500 copies, a record for the Los Angeles-based quartet.
Its previous best was 282,000 for its last studio release, “By The Way,” which opened at No. 2 in 2002. The band’s biggest commercial success was the 1999 album “Californication,” with sales of 5.3 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
The article goes on to say that Californication is their top-selling album, but the RIAA disagrees. They say it’s Blood Sugar Sex Magik.
If you haven’t picked up Stadium Arcadium, and you have any interest in the Chili Peppers, I highly recommend you give it a spin. I’ve got a review in the works, but an album with 28 full-length songs takes a while to take in fully, and free time is scarce these days.
Apple Corps. loses to Apple Computer
There’s not much to say about this just yet, because there really aren’t any details, but the news out of London is that The Beatles’ record label, Apple Corps., has lost to Apple Computer in their trademark case. The judge has ruled that Apple is not a music company, merely a distributor. Hopefully this will mean that Beatles’ music may eventually end up on iTunes, or at least some online service.
I hate to see The Beatles lose, but let’s face facts: if you’re dumb enough to confuse the two you’re probably too stupid to use a computer or appreciate The Beatles’ music.
I’ll get some more details up here as soon as somebody has a full story on the decision.
UPDATE: Here’s the story.
No “Sun, Sun, Sun” in this forecast
- The Elected - Sun, Sun, Sun
- Release Date: 01/24/2006
- Rilo Kiley side project's boring sophomore release borders on the level of elevator music.
The Elected’s sophomore effort Sun, Sun, Sun can be summed up in one very appropriate, very condemning word: nice.
Yes, that’s nice, as in: “My mom came up to visit me last weekend and we had a nice time.” Or: “Yeah, those Venetian blinds sure would add a nice touch to the guest bedroom.”
Or even still, when a prospective love interest tells you: “You’re a really nice person.” (Ok, you get the point.)
Sex rock at its finest
- Best Little Secrets Are Kept
- "Milkshake, milkshake, I love to feel you sweat. We don't have to go to the pool if you want me to make you wet. Can you keep a secret? Because the best little secrets are kept."
- Buy it on Amazon
All you hipsters and trendspotters that read this site probably already own this CD, but if you don’t have Louis XIV’s Best Little Secrets are Kept then I say “Tsk tsk!” The trendy dance rock band first made waves touring with The Killers last year and is now hitting alternative radio hard. With lyrics that are not so subtle about sexuality and sexual escapades, catchy danceable hooks, and great production value, this is a CD not to be missed.
By now, most Crap Filter readers probably know that at the beginning of the year I declared a personal vendetta against trendy dance rock… yet for the second or third time this year, I’ve fallen into listening excessivley to another dance rock CD. Hypocrite? Sure, I probably am, but I can’t help it when there is actually good music coming out of the trendy genre I had previously written off. Continues after the jump »
The madness continues!
Round 1, Bracket A of Band Madness was a massive success that made the moon landing look like a bad student film with a boom mic in the frame.
We had some upsets and a few predicatable wins, which will make for some really hot matches in Round 2. Right now, however, it’s time to vote in Round 1, Bracket B.
Make it your mission to see that Dire Straits beats Paul McCartney’s solo work. It’ll mean a lot to a lot of people if the individual Beatles don’t dominate this tournament. Get voting and good luck to your bands!
K-Fed blinded T-Dolb with… S-cien?
I’m saddened to have to report that not only is Britney Spears’ husband a talentless hack and drain on her bank account, but he’s also apparently lacking in ethics. Shocking, yes, I know.
It turns out that Popo-Zao himself has blinded Thomas Dolby, not with science, but with THEFT! Quoth the Dolb-man:
“Britney Spears’ husband Kevin Federline, whom I’d never heard of until a few days ago, appears to have illegally sampled one of my compositions. On his MySpace site you can download an MP3 which uses a looped sample from Mobb Deep’s ‘Get It Twisted’, which in turn copped the string line from my own song ‘She Blinded Me With Science.’ Now, Mobb Deep did it the right way and had his label BMG come and ask for a license. They paid me a fee and a royalty on the sales of Mobb Deep’s record. However K-Fed, as his fans affectionately refer to him, did NOT ask permission, he just went ahead and did it. He is therefore blatantly violating the copyright law. And laws aside, he owed it to me as an artist to ask if I minded that he recorded a vitriolic rap over the top of my music.
All arguments about fair use aside, Thomas Dolby’s prime error here is that he refers to K-Fed as an artist. Also, he refers to K-Fed’s affectionate fans. I’m pretty sure that they’re not his fans, and they’re not calling him K-Fed in an affectionate manner. Kevin Federline is essentially the butt of a joke that everybody in the world except Kevin Federline is in on.
I’m going to have to assume that Thomas Dolby usually has better things to do with his time than reflect upon what a total drag on society K-Fed is. It’s the only logical explanation
Eminem has new material; ditches his bitch
Shock! Less than three months after remarrying his on-again-off-again wife Kim, Eminem has filed for re-divorce.
Though the marital issues of most rappers wouldn’t make headlines, Eminem has used his tormented relationship with Kim, his high school sweetheart, as a source of his most popular and demented rhymes.
He’s killed her off in song and assailed her with his lyrics — but that was before they got back together.
The only safe assumption is that he was running low on material and needed a refill. This should get him through another album or too. Look for the singles “Bitch, you still suck” and “Bitch, you’re still a bitching bitch” soon on iTunes.
Suge Knight is up to no money
The toughest dude in the world named Marion is bankrupt.
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rap mogul Marion “Suge” Knight filed for bankruptcy on Tuesday to avoid losing control of his Death Row Records label in a $107 million civil court judgment, his lawyers said.
Knight, who co-founded Death Row in the early 1990s and helped launch the careers of such rap stars as Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur, has failed to make good on a March judgment to pay Lydia Harris, who claimed Knight cheated her out of a 50 percent stake in the music label.
…Two weeks ago, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge said he would appoint a court officer, called a receiver, to take control of Knight’s assets, including Death Row, and directed Knight to disclose his finances in a debtor’s exam set for April 1.
Is anybody even on Death Row anymore? I was pretty sure that everybody in rap was ready to pop a cap in Suge Knight. He should be begging Harris to take half of the label, and then maybe he could convince some half decent rappers that he’s not a total douchebag looking to screw them over.
Oh wait, I forgot I was talking about Suge Knight.
Announcing Band Madness!
From the people who brought you Crap Filter and A Week of Kindness, it’s Band Madness!
BAND MADNESS puts 512 bands into a March Madness-style tournament bracket with the results determined by your votes. In each matchup, vote for WHICHEVER BAND YOU LIKE BETTER…
After a week, the results for Bracket A will be posted and voting will open for Bracket B, so remember to check back next week for the new matchups.
Now, you too can filter the crap! The voting for the first 64 matchups on Round 1 is open now. Head on over there and get voting. And tell ‘em Crap Filter sent ya!
Under the radar: Farewell to Arms
With my wife away this past weekend, I had to find something to do Saturday night. A friend of mine, Joshua Landis, called me that afternoon to let me know he was playing at a bar like 15 minutes from my house (a microbrewery with a good stoudt called Destiny Brewing Company in Phoenixville, PA). So, it was a no brainer, I went to hang out with Josh, hear him play a few songs, and drink a few…
After Josh played a short opening set (he was supposed to play 45 minutes or something and they only gave him 20… bastards!), a band from Connecticut set up and began tearing into a 30 minute set that impressed me quite a bit. After a song or two, they introduced themselves as Farewell to Arms, then without delay tore into another song. Continues after the jump »
Lollapalooza acts announced; apparently still exists
Am I the only one who’s a little bit shocked by the fact that Lollapalooza still exists? Possibly even more shocking than the fact that it’s around at all is the fact that the lineup looks absolutely amazing. Long gone, however, are the days of the massive tour, replaced with a single weekend in Chicago, stuffed with more music than you can handle. Obligatory block quote follows:
The lineup, announced Thursday at the South by Southwest music festival, is about twice the number of last year’s festival, when Lollapalooza was downsized from a coast-to-coast tour to a weekend event in Chicago.
At least they had the courtesy to make it centrally located, even if that does mean that those of us on the coasts who want to attend will be forced to make a trip across some red states.
I’ve got to say that I’m extremely impressed by the lineup. I’d list them here, but there’s 130 of them, so you’d do best to just head over to the Lollapalooza site and see for yourself. In case you’re wondering, tickets are $130 with a $15 service charge, which doesn’t really seem all that bad for a three day show. If I remember right, Lollapalooza ‘92, which is widely considered to be the holy grail of Lollapaloozas, was in that range as well.
I feel obliged to write about ‘American Idol’
I’m pretty sure I’ve refrained from writing anything about “American Idol” up until this point, mostly because I haven’t watched it in two years. I was too crushed after George Huff’s loss to watch any more. This year’s competition is just getting out of the boring few weeks between the auditions where people with no talent intentionally embarass themselves just to get on TV and the finals, where people with actual talent sing tired love songs.
The first victim of Simon Cowell’s increasingly banal rejection speeches was 21-year-old Melissa McGhee, who forgot the words to the song she was singing on Tuesday night’s competition.
Don’t worry about missing out, because in true Fox fashion, they’re going to stretch this out until May 24. It’s just starting to get good.
Something not-so-Corporate
- Everything in Transit
- Something Corporate's Andrew McMahon fights back from a recent bout with cancer by creating a solo project that takes the sound he already developed with Something Corporate and transforming it into a more mature and powerful sound. And on drums... Tommy Lee... yes, THAT Tommy Lee.
- Buy it on Amazon
- The band on Myspace
In a period of my life where stress is high and my boss is screwing me over, an escape from life sounds really nice… and not just a week in Florida (although, I did just enjoy a great vacation in Clearwater, FL last week). In the opening track to Jack’s Mannequin’s debut “Everything in Transit” (entitled “Holiday from Real”), McMahon sings out:
But if you left it up to me
Every day would be a holiday from real
We’d waste our weeks beneath the sun
We’d fry our brains and say it’s so much fun
Out here
But when it’s all over
I’ll come back for another year
Oh how I can relate… of course my woes are nothing compared to the past year of McMahon’s life. This CD was finished and in post-production before the diagnosis came, but on June 1st, about two months prior to the release, McMahon was hospitalized and diagnosed with leukemia. Don’t fear, however. Apparently doing well, he’s touring again and promoting the hell out of this CD. Continues after the jump »
Warsaw packed with Les Savy Fav fans
- Les Savy Fav
- Les Savy Fav plays an impressive set to hundreds of smelly hipsters at a packed Warsaw ballroom.
I’ve been to a lot of concerts in my day. It’s just the nature of things that some will be awe-inspiring and some will be disappointing. Some will destroy your expectations and leave you wondering what just happened. This was one of those.
Before Friday’s show to a healthy crowd, I wasn’t overly familiar with Les Savy Fav’s incredible live performances. I’m a fan of the “Inches” singles collection, which is a great album showcasing the band’s career, but pretty much all that I had heard about their live shows is that “they’re great live.” That’s a lukewarm endorsement, and a more than a bit of an understatement. To say that they’re great is to say that there are a lot of hipsters in Williamsburg. Williamsburg is teeming with those filthy mothers. And Les Savy Fav is more than great live. Continues after the jump »
Mellow fellows
- In Praise of Folly - The Present Age
- Release Date: 04/20/2004
- Let the rains keep falling in Seattle if it helps bands like IPOF maintain their angst.
- Buy the album or vic a few free MP3s here!
Is it the rain in Seattle that makes all the music that comes out of it so dank and murky?
From Jimi Hendrix and the sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson (Heart), to the Nirvana-led grunge movement of the early ‘90s and thereafter, nothing musical reverberating from this Pacific Northwest city ever seems to come across as uplifting or inspiring, and I’m apt to wonder if, indeed, gloomy skies are really to blame.
Latest evidence: In Praise of Folly, the most recent addition to my musical library.
Spirit filled hardcore
- The Recovery
- Enlow's return after an indefinite hiatus proves that they are back and here to stay, with a powerful sound that can capture the ears of metalheads, hardcore kids, and punkers alike. Well worth a listen (even if you don't fit into any of those categories)!
- Buy it on Amazon
- But it on ITunes
After a hiatus and an indefinite future, Enlow has returned with their follow up to 2003’s “The Desperate Letters”. Their new release, “The Recovery”, was recorded with the infamous Stephen Egerton of Blasting Room Studios (perhaps you know him better as one of The Descendents). Not only is this a solid release, but it already seems to be getting a lot of press and drumming up attention from the scenesters, drawing comparisons to Underoath, Dead Poetic, and even This Day Forward.
Personally, I am not Mr. Hardcore Aficionado, so comparisons are hard to draw for me when I listen to albums like this one. Most people who listen to hardcore would scoff or laugh at the comparisons that I could make here because my ears are less trained to the sound, but I did dabble in the hardcore scene in my teenage years and so, I’ll give it a shot… their sound is a mix of the ever-popular metalcore trend and an early hardcore/post-hardcore sound. Translation: I think of Stretch ArmStrong and old-school punk/hardcore like early H2O, but can hear influences of modern metalcore like some of Zao’s stuff and perhaps something a bit more chaotic like Norma Jean. Continues after the jump »
Exhibit confirms the death of hip-hop
You know you’ve made your mark when The Smithsonian comes looking for your stuff. Either that, or your contribution to pop culture and society has become so mainstream and passé that eight-grade civics teachers can’t wait to take their classes there to ogle it. Museum officials, most likely tweed-jacketed types who I can only assume will faint at the actual sound of rap music, have issued a casting call of sorts for memoribilia.
The project, the beginnings of a permanent collections, will gather objects that trace hip-hop’s origins in the Bronx in the 1970s to its current global reach. It is expected to cost as much as $2 million and take up to five years to complete.
…
Hip-hop culture, whose main elements include rappers, DJs and breakdancers, is considered one of the most powerful cultural explosions ever. Today, it’s incorporated into marketing to sell everything from cars and clothing to food and furniture.
I couldn’t have summed it up better myself. If Run DMC don’t show up with a collection of old 40 bottles and worn-out Adidas, I’ll be really bummed out.
Under the Radar: Harris
In December, I wrote a piece on the top ten unsigned bands of 2005 and Harris rocked their way into the top 5 (#4 to be exact). The band has been on the steady rise to the top of their local scene and are undoubtedly going to hit the national scene hard in the coming months and years. Their live show is excellent and their sound is unique and powerful. Check their Myspace page for upcoming shows in a city, town, of village near you.
Last week I caught up with Mike, the lead singer and bassist. We got the chance to discuss indy rock, the Massachussetts sound, and Canada.
CF: Harris? What does the name mean?
Mike: We needed a name pronto to apply for a battle of the bands that we didn’t even make it into. Our original drummer wouldn’t share his middle name with us, so we stole his license. Turns out his middle name was “Harris”.
CF: Who are the musicians that comprise Harris?
Mike: Matt plays guitar, Jon plays guitar, I sing and play bass, Jim plays keys and sings, and Rob plays the drums. Continues after the jump »
Take a dip in the Pond
- Matt Pond PA - Several Arrows Later
- Release Date: 10/11/2005
- Matt Pond PA's latest succeeds where others have failed and should propel them into a household name.
- Download some Matt Pond MP3s for free!
It’s about time the band Matt Pond PA got some recognition.
Formed eight years ago in Philadelphia, Matt Pond PA is one of those bands that’s always working, always putting out new material and touring, yet somehow always flying just beneath the mainstream radar. With the release of Several Arrows Later, however, that string of virtual anonymity should come to an abrupt end.
Screw the Grammys, Bono’s got bigger plans
Celebrities—always wanting more. Apparently somebody on the Nobel nominating committee figured a gazillion Grammys wasn’t quite enough for our boy Bono, and now he’s nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize too.
I’d say Bono has a good shot based on name recognition, but he’ll have some competition from his buddy Bob Geldof, who is nominated for organizing the Live 8 concerts last summer. I don’t know how much Live 8 actually managed to accomplish, but I guess that with African debt relief, it’s the really just thought that counts.
The competition will be tough, since they’re both up against such heavyweights as the guy who didn’t stop us from invading Iraq based on fairy tales and the corrupt guy who stopped the death penalty in Illinois.
For what it’s worth, I did my part by attending Live 8 in Philadelphia. And no, not one of those countries has called to thank me.
‘Chinese Democracy’… could it be?
I think that by now pretty much everybody expects to see actual democracy in actual China before we hear Axl Rose’s 10-year project. Rumors started flying a few weeks ago that he had played the album (on a CD, not live) after hours in a New York club, but nobody could really say more about it than that. This week, however, there’s something a little more real to report. Apparently some of the tracks have gotten out. And apparently they’re not bad. The AP has a short article.
The tracks leaked Wednesday take a different direction from Rose’s traditional raunchy Sunset Strip-style rock. “Better” has emo/industrial touches mixed with Rose’s trademark vocals and hard rock backdrop. “There Was A Time” is a rough studio mix of a power ballad with similarities to GNR’s classic “Estranged.” “IRS” is closer to the sound of yesteryear, with powerful guitar solos and classic rock flavor.
I haven’t heard any of them yet, but I’m sure you can just hit up the usual suspects if you’re curious.
50 Million Ways
A blast from my past, MG! the Visionary, apparently still makes music… and great music at that. The other day, I was online looking for new music, and I thought this incredible emcee (every now and then, I still pop in his late 90’s Uprok Records release, “Transparemcee” and his skills always astound and amaze me). It dawned on me that he probably still made music and that I should search for him. His website appearred to be down, so I was ready to give up, but then I had a sudden thought to check on Myspace because everyone and their dog is on Myspace nowadays… sure enough, MG! was there and so were 4 downloadable tracks that I had never heard.
So, the obvious next step was to download and listen, which I did. I found that MG! is still amazing and since his “Transparemcee” days, he has added more sounds and flavors to his repetoire. Of the four downloads I found that day, there was a great reggae tune, an R&B joint, and two hip-hop tracks reminiscent of the style that I fell in love with when I first heard him.
Today’s song of the day is “50 Mill”, a hip-hop song for fans of indy and underground rap. Since I rediscovered MG! he has put new songs up on Myspace and this one is gone, but I see it’s still available for download on his Purevolume page. MG! looks to be returning with a new full length soon, so go get a taste to see if you dig the sound and foresight of the Visionary. My guess is that you will.
Under the radar: Paper Tiger
Despite what you may think Paper Tiger is not simply a tool for taking off wall paper (although it is a great tool if trying to perform said task). The Philadelphia based rock outfit of the same name has been tearing it up in their short life as a band. I booked them twice, their 3rd and 5th shows respectively (I think), and they did a remarkable job each time. Packed houses of their friends and a great developing sound, Paper Tiger had it all. And they still do… I suspect they are better today than last I saw them and their cohesiveness and development will continue to improve. Paper Tiger is undoubtedly a band on their way to the top of the local scene and hopefully beyond.
Check out my interview with Keith and Chris, and try not to hold Keith’s obsession with Howard Stern against him, it’s not his fault he has bad taste:
CF: Who are you and what instrument do you play in Paper Tiger?
Keith: I am Keith Montgomery and I play the bass in Paper Tiger.
Chris: Chris, and I play lead guitar and backing vocals.
CF: Though I have seen and heard you, most of the readers here have not… describe your sound to those folks who have not yet been so blessed as to listen to you.
Keith: The best way I can describe it is loud, quiet, happy and sad. In all honesty though, I like to let the listener decide for themselves what we sound like. I don’t like to compare our band to other bands because I just end up stumped trying to think of who we sound like, which is a good thing.
Chris: Well, we have a very unique sound that is also quite palatable. I bring in a classic rock element, while Nick and Keith bringin a hard hitting sound. Then, Brad has his funk/classic rock/hip-hop influences. We have been described as having a “wall of sound”. Pop Music 101: The term “Wall of Sound” was originally coined in reference to the recording style of Phil Spector. Continues after the jump »
Newsflash! Gay Cowboys have been hot for years!
Look, everybody knows that all cowboys are gay, especially the sheep-herding ones. Or maybe Heath “A Knight’s Tale” Ledger and Jake “The Day After Tomorrow” Gyllenhall are the only ones, who knows. What you might not have known is that this is nothing new.
Country musician Ned Sublette wrote a song about cowboys getting cozy way back in 1981. Sublette’s tune, “Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly (Fond of Each Other)”, explores the softer side of life in the saddle. Check it:
Available exclusively through iTunes, the song features choppy Tex-Mex style guitar runs and Nelson’s deadpan delivery of lines like, “What did you think all them saddles and boots was about?” and “Inside every cowboy there’s a lady who’d love to slip out.”
Leave it to famous pot smoker, country music “outlaw,” and anti-shampoo activist Willie “The Dukes of Hazzard” Nelson to make gay cowboys cool like, literally months, before it was cool.
Someone passed a copy of the song to Nelson back in the late 1980s and, according to Nelson’s record label, Lost Highway, he recorded it last year at his Pedernales studio in Texas.
If you want to hear it, and I know you do, iTunes has your exclusive hook up. Check it out.
Click here…
it’s really not necessary to say anything else….
Four tracks of near perfection
- Kissing Cousins EP
- What if Sonic Youth was a bit more tame, they enlisted PJ Harvey as their lead vocalist, and listened to a steady diet of Portishead and The Breeders? I imagine it may sound a little something like this...
- Buy it from VBM
Kissing Cousins can be found where the dark, quirky, lo-fi rock sound of PJ Harvey meets the sultry, lounge flavored trip-hop feel of Portishead. This EP is a mere 4 songs, but in the short time it takes to listen to, you’re bound to fall head over heals for their brand of melancholy, downtempo rock. The extremely sexy and sultry vocal delivery takes center stage with a backdrop of dream-like fuzzy guitar work, deliberately downbeat drumming, and solid bass lines.
The first track, “Silhouettes”, begins with an inviting riff on top of decidely slow and alluring drums. After a thirty second intro, we are first treated to the vocal stylings of Heather Heywood. According to the Velvet Blue Music webpage, Kissing Cousins sound like “PJ Harvey decided to use a tamed down Sonic Youth to be her backing band.” In this track, we can already see where this description came from. The music is very akin to a tamer Sonic Youth here, and Heywood’s vocal delivery can easily be compared to Ms. Harvey. Continues after the jump »
Was that a real Madonna with Gorillaz?
I didn’t bother to watch all of the Grammy Awards last night, but I did catch the first half hour or so. The Gorillaz “performance” was a pretty neat trick, and I’m willing to bet that the illusion seemed more realistic to people watching in the audience from a fixed perspective, rather than the moving shots we got on TV.
Madonna’s performance was actually impressive too. The choreography was good and it seemed like she was really singing, which is a nice little touch, seeing as how awards shows are notorious for lip-syncing.
The part of the performance where Gorillaz and Madonna overlapped was a little suspicious, however. I wasn’t sure if that was her, carefully interacting with the animated characters from behind the screen or if it was a computer-generated material girl. Well, I did thirty seconds worth of sleuthing, and I’m convinved that Madonna was computer generated as well.
At first I just noticed that the computerized Madonna didn’t have the knee-length fishnets compressing those 47-year-old thighs, but when you look at the two side-by-side, there are a lot of details that don’t match. I don’t think I uncovered some great conspiracy, but for those of you who might have been wondering, here’s your proof. The animated Madonna was still pretty impressive.
Keith Richards must be rolling in his grave
So it’s been about a day-and-a-half since the NFL, with help from the referees, made sure the Steelers won Super Bowl XL, and I really don’t have anything insightful to say about it. In fact, I’ve been avoiding ESPN’s postgame coverage altogether, with the main reason being I hate Ron Jaworski with a passion.
And I’ve never been one of those guys to say something like, “Oh, and the commercials sucked too!” in a post-Super Bowl conversation. The commercials have sucked for a while now. Commercials always suck. That’s why they’re commercials. Continues after the jump »
Tuning back to 1989
- Key Lime Pie
- Indy rockers, Camper Van Beethoven, were in full force in 1989 with this release... but only a year later, they parted ways and pursued other (in Lowery's case, less-adventurous) endeavors. It may have been 2004's "New Roman Times" that won me as a fan, but without "Key Lime Pie" the face of indy rock today would be much worse off.
- But it on Amazon
In the year of 1989, I was a mere 8 years old and didn’t really know much about the indy music scene… well, I knew nothing about the scene, but that’s understandable at 8 years old. In fact, my musical diet at the time consisted of my mother’s contemporary Christian music and my dad’s oldies… not exactly what I’m into now. It is safe to say that my knowledge of indy rock and the music underground was not quite… well, existent.
But, whether I knew about them or not, Camper Van Beethoven, a great indy band that had already won over college radio and post-punkers alike, came to see 1989 as the year they would release their seemingly final album. In 1990, CVB disbanded and David Lowery went on to form the slightly more commercially successful band Cracker (whom you probably know from the alt-radio smash “Low”) and the rest of the band pursued their previously formed non-Lowery project Monks of Doom.
Not until Michael Moore chose a cover of their 80’s college-rock cult hit, “Take the Skinheads Bowling”, as the them to his Oscar-winning Bowling for Columbine, did CVB truly hit the mainstream. In recent years, they reunited and put out the 2004 album that won over a new generation of fans (including me), “New Roman Times”. To support this album, CVB toured with indy band on the rise, Modest Mouse in 2005 and seem to be gaining a new younger fanbase. Continues after the jump »
Under the Radar: Keyke
Keyke is a singer/songwriter in NYC, whom I just learned was born and lived the early part of her life in the Amish Country of this great home state of mine. Her live show is an experience who all who witness it, improvisational tunes about life, love, lust, and anything else beginning with an “L”… she has a shy awkwardness on stage that will win over anyone’s heart. Below is an AIM interview from earlier today that reveals just a little insight into this extraordinary girl who is willing and able to pour her heart out to anyone… once she gets through that stage fright. Enjoy:
pronouncedcake: I dunno, right now might be wierd because I’m sick and all silly feeling from drinking at an open mic
pronouncedcake: Is there such thing as a good time?
pronouncedcake: I mean for an interview,
pronouncedcake: Never ever did one before
pronouncedcake: Ha, did I fuck this up Justin?
Continues after the jump »
Gorillaz to play at the Grammyz
Sometimes I like to take something awesome and then completely ruin it just for the hell of it. I love a good slice pizza, but every once in a while I’ll move the refrigerator and rub it on the floor there. That’s how I feel about Madonna accompanying Gorillaz as they open the Grammy Awards.
Madonna and the Gorillaz will perform together for the first time at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards, which will be presented Wednesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
The 47-year-old pop star will sing with the Gorillaz, who will be appearing in 3-D animated color. The brainchild of Blur frontman Damon Albarn, the Gorillaz are a melding of rock and hip-hop that represents band members as cartoon alter-egos created by animator Jamie Hewlett.
At least it’ll be in color.
The Gorillaz are nominated for four awards, but there’s no word on who will be accepting for them.
Magical overdose
- The Magic Numbers (self-titled)
- Release Date: 10/04/2005
- The Numbers' debut is a rollicking good-time party CD that is best consumed in small doses. Not recommended for diabetics.
- Buy it on Amazon
If The Magic Numbers were a cereal, they’d have more sugar than Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Or Cocoa Puffs. Or even that Ritalin-endorsed, parental nightmare called Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Cereal, if that was possible.
Why? Because their eponymous debut record is so choked with sweetness, so overflowing with the excesses of enchanted melodies and doo-wop harmonies you don’t know whether to get up and dance like Napoleon Dynamite, or vomit.
Fortunately, I like sugary cereals. But even I have limits, and this record pushed them nearly as hard as Hanson’s chunder-inducing Middle of Nowhere.
Masked villain conquers New York
- MF Doom in concert
- Doom and a collection of classic and current hip-hop's finest take over Times Square for a rap marathon.
If you want to see MF Doom perform, you have to be prepared for a marathon, not a sprint. Keep in mind that marathons are long — very long. And you’re likely to be in pain and dripping with sweat, urine or both by the end. But when you finish that race, the end result is more than worth it. That’s the feeling you’re left with by the time the house lights go on after an MF Doom show, but without the urine part.
The masked villain topped a heavy bill that played to a packed house at Times Square’s Nokia Theatre on Jan. 26. I think it’s safe to admit that I wasn’t fully prepared for the experience. That’s not to say that the entire show wasn’t great — although it did have its ups and downs — it was just a lot to take in. Continues after the jump »
Weezer tries on Velvet; Robin as Teddy
Despite some early bad press for the movie “Factory Girl,” members of Weezer are playing members of the legendary band The Velvet Underground, according to Digital Spy. Weezer guitarist Brian Bell is portraying Lou Reed and drummer Patrick Wilson is playing John Cale in the Edie Sedgewick biopic.
The early bad press I speak of came from Reed, most famously known for attending Syracuse University, who isn’t exactly a fan of the movie, calling the director and the cast a “bunch of whores.” Continues after the jump »
Under the radar: John Mallinen
When I first met John, he struck me as 2 things: 1. a musical GENIUS and 2. a dirty hippie from Colorado. Both of these perceptions proved to be true. He can play just about any instrument you put in front of him and many of them he can play very well. And, though you cannot quite tell from this picture, he is indeed a dirty, smelly, dreadlocked hippie… in addition, I have come to know that John is an idealistic guy who wants to change the world, not just through his music but through all of what he does. Continues after the jump »
The PopoZao challenge
OK, so you’ve got two choices: you can either watch an MTV News clip of Kevin Federline jamming out to his new single PopoZao (which has surprising been reviewed as “incredibly horrible”), or you can watch a video of from “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” with James Lipton of “Inside the Actor’s Sutdio” reciting the lyrics.
Choose wisely.
Dr. Feelgood story
This story would be so kickass if it happened when I was in the 6th grade. Motley Crue have been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the band’s genesis.
Tommy Lee, Mick Mars, Vince Neil and Nikki Sixx are now among a select group of 2,301 that also includes Rin Tin Tin and Ryan Seacrest.
“We’re across the street from the Erotica Museum and Frederick‘s of Hollywood. This is a perfect place for us to be,” bassist Sixx told an estimated 600 screaming fans.
Unfortunately, I moved on from the Crue a long time ago (like 7th grade), unlike FM radio and some of my coworkers.
Jesus talks
Kanye West is made to look like Jesus on the new issue of Rolling Stone, with the following cover line: “The Passion of Kanye West”
You can just hear the magazine buzz!
According to the New York Daily News, the cover shot was photographed by David LaChapelle, who is known for doing controversial spreads, including a Britney Spears kiddie-porn doozy from the late 90s.
Here’s your token response from religous types, as Catholic League president Bill Donohue checks in:
“At first glance, it appears that both Kanye West and Rolling Stone are equally culpable of misappropriating Catholic iconography. But on closer inspection, it looks like Rolling Stone deserves the lion’s share of the blame.
“West is a young rapper who is hard to peg. On the one hand, he eschews gangsta rap and likes to sing lyrics like, ‘They say you can rap about anything except Jesus/That means guns, sex, lies, videotapes/But if I talk about God, my record won’t get played.’ On the other hand, he is capable of saying plainly foolish things, e.g., the government is responsible for the spread of AIDS among blacks and gays.
This just in: Michael Jackson is still nuts
As if you needed to be told, but Jacko is still wacko. After his child molestation trial, he basically got the hell out of Dodge, er, the United States, and high-tailed it for Bahrain.
Continuing his tradition of covering himself with inappropriate things (sequin jackets, surgical face masks, ghastly white skin), Jackson showed up at a mall sporting a black robe and veil, the likes of which only the subjugated and oppressed women of the world typically wear.
The poorly written edited AP article, which repeats the part about him wearing the robe and veil three times, gets into marginally more detail:
The 47-year-old pop star was accompanied by three children, apparently his, whose faces were covered with dark scarves. They wore yellow shirts and sweat pants or khakis, without robes.
So what’s the lesson here? If you want to make sure nobody can tell who you are, be sure to make a scene. Sure, they won’t know for sure that you’re the King of Pop, but if you make an ass of yourself in the right way enough times, the whole world will be able to narrow down the list of who might be walking around a mall in an obscure country with kids wearing bags on their heads.
That’s Michael Jackson for you — always discrete.
Silver and Gold
- Silver Cities EP
- Though Silver Cities is still coming into their sound and their own, they are heading in a good direction. Another job well-done by Velvet Blue Music on releasing sounds from the underground that don't suck.
- Buy the EP from VBM
Anyone that has been following Crap Filter probably knows that I have declared a personal vendetta against dance rock for the year of 2006. So, it’s just my luck that when I receive a brand spanking new CD from one of my favorite indy labels, Velvet Blue Music, it turns out to be some dance rock band called Silver Cities that I suspected sounded like every fourth band to release music in the past year. But, since I trust Jeff and his musical prowess, I decided to give it a spin and take on this review, rather than pawning it off to some other Craphead (my personal affectionate term for Crap Filter writers, like myself).
At first, I thought I’d regret the decision. “Why the hell didn’t I just send this to Vin? He has no musical taste, he’ll be okay listening to dance rock crap.” But my sentiments started to fade as the CD began it’s second go round, and by the third and fourth, I found a few tracks making me tap my toe and sing along. And by the fifth listen of this short five track EP, it hooked me… “This ain’t half bad… Actually… It’s pretty damn good.” Continues after the jump »
Elliott’s last stand
- Elliott - Photorecording
- Flying for years under the mainstream radar, Louisville's Elliott have thrown in the towel, but not before releasing a terrific last-hurrah compilation.
Found on the press release for Elliott’s latest CD, Photorecording:
“The legacy left behind by Louisville’s most beloved is one that will prevail, and this release closes the door with an intimate look into the final hours of the band.”
If the fact you’ve never heard of Elliott trumps the shock that should result with news of their untimely demise, you’re definitely not alone. It’s this anonymity and lack of commercial success – forever predicted and foretold and promised to be on its way, then always slowly fading out of reach – that has plagued the band for years, ultimately forcing members to ring the group’s death knell and go their separate ways.
And it’s a damn shame. Because this is a skilled and accomplished band that deserves, or should I say deserved, much, much more.
Under the radar: Jeff Cloud
Jeff Cloud is not the member of any unsigned bands at the current moment, but his indy-rock cred is disgusting. Performing with Joy Electric, Starflyer 59, and his own project, Pony Express, no one can say he doesn’t know music. I personally own albums of all three of the aforementioned acts, yet what strikes me most about Jeff is NOT his performance ability, which is superb… it is his love and devotion to helping unknown bands and artists get their shot.
Jeff’s label, Velvet Blue Music has become, to me, one of the labels I can always trust to put out great music on nearly every release. Without further adieu, I present to you my interview with Mr. Jeff Cloud.
CF: What exactly is Velvet Blue Music and what is your vision?
Jeff: Small, 100% independent record label based in Huntington Beach, CA. My vision is / was to work with new and creative bands that were being ignored by the larger labels. We are on our 108th release right now, and I think we have stayed true to this vision. Continues after the jump »
Soul singer Wilson Pickett dies at 64
The big news of the day is that soul singer Wilson Pickett has died. There is no other news of the day. It’s sad to see yet another influential musical figure of the ’60s die — it really makes you wonder who’s going to be next. I want to put my money on a member of the Rolling Stones, but that seems like the easy pick. Maybe we need to start a death pool around here at Crap Filter world headquarters.
Back to the subject at hand, Pickett was famous for songs such as “In the Midnight Hour” and “Mustang Sally,” but when I hear his name, I only hear Land of 1,000 Dances. Give it a listen and you’ll know it too. Why does it sound so familiar? That’s right, Ini Kamoze.
Like any good star, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member had his share of run-ins with the law.
In 1991, he was arrested for allegedly yelling death threats while driving a car over the mayor’s front lawn in Englewood, N.J., and less than a year later was charged with assaulting his girlfriend.
In 1993, he was convicted of drunken driving and sentenced to a year in jail and five years’ probation after hitting an 86-year-old man with his car. In 1987, he was given two years’ probation and fined $1,000 for carrying a loaded shotgun in his car.
Ah, there’s nothing like an obituary to ruin a perfectly good legacy. So long, Wilson, we’ll miss ya.
A taste of rockabilly
- The Occupants
- Move over Stray Cats, The Occupants are the ones that are here to rock this town. Maybe in a few years, they can occupy that #1 spot.
- The Occupants on Myspace
Hailing from the Philadelphia area, The Occupants began as the solo project of Daniel Drust. Since the project’s inception, The Occupants has grown to a three piece band with Dan on guitar and vocals, and the added rhythm section of Mad Mike on bass and Tow on drums. Dan described their sound to me as “pop punk/rockabilly with elements of folk, blues, and metal” (which, by the songs on this demo, seems to be a pretty accurate description).
After a recent review The 101ers CD, it is refreshing to hear a newer band that can also fully appreciate old time rock’n’roll and doesn’t jump on some current bandwagon. With Dan’s laundry list of influences…
Lots of great pop/punk bands that I’ve always liked, aka Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks, Stiff Little Fingers, [The] Ramones, MxPx, Rancid, [The] Queers… roots-rock/rockabilly acts aka Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Carl Perkins, Wanda Jackson, Little Richard, Tiger Army, Screamin Jay Hawkins, Joe Turner… and acts I don’t feel like categorizing aka [The] White Stripes, Son House, Bukka White, Etta James, James Taylor..
…it is safe to say that The Occupants know their roots… although improper use of “aka” may cause one to question their knowledge of grammar. That’s okay because grammar isn’t very rock’n’roll anyway. Continues after the jump »
Norris does Meatloaf
Well all knew Chuck Norris could kick, but who knew he could sing?
Me, that’s who. And now I’ve got proof.
I’ve come across some rare, legit footage of Norris performing Meatloaf’s “I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Wont Do That).” It features a kick-ass piano solo by the rugged Renaissance man.
I’m gonna stop there because I don’t want to spoil any more of it.
Living la vida dorado
Start printing more of those Golden Shower T-shirts, Kodesex. We’ve got a new fan.
Singer Ricky Martin, currently immersed in Year 7 of the Latin Explosion, apparently told Blender magazine that he enjoys sprinkling his liquid waste.
“I love giving the ‘golden shower.’ I’ve done it before in the shower. It’s like, so sexy, you know, the temperature of your body and the shower water is very different.”
…
Even though everyone’s pretty much known for a while that Martin’s career is over, this pretty much confirms there’s no chance of a revival. Unless he and R. Kelly decide to do a duet.
After some began questioning his ability to run a humanitarian foundation as a result of the comments, Martin squirted back, as Yahoo! Music news reports.
“At the time I granted the interview never did it cross my mind that my comments would spark this absurd and sensationalist public discussion. I cannot avoid speculation about my career and life, but I cannot allow those for whom my foundation works to be affected because I am a public figure.”
Rock’n’roll 101: Joe Strummer
- Elgin Avenue Breakdown Revisited
- Punk legend, Joe Strummer, and his first band, The 101ers, display what rock'n'roll was just before the punk rock explosion. Check out this CD and they'll show you that they have the "Keys to Your Heart"
- Buy it on Amazon
Born John Graham Mellor, Joe Strummer became a groundbreaker in the melding of musical styles and a godfather of the punk genre as a member of a little band called The Clash. The Clash is arguably the most important band in British punk rock, and this writer would argue that they are possibly the more important band of the last 30 years… but not until recently did many discover that The Clash wasn’t where it all started for Joe.
In the wake of the punk rock explosion, Joe Strummer was the heart and soul of a band called The 101ers. Self described as “Squat Rock”, the band infused soul, R&B, and reggae into old time rock music. Their original 1975 release entitled, “Elgin Avenue Breakdown”, was rereleased in 2005 with several previously unreleased tracks as “Eligin Avenue Breakdown Revisited”. Shades of The Clash can be heard throughout the CD, but what comes out most clear is Strummer’s sincere love of rock’n’roll as an artform. This CD is a must for fans of The Clash, post-Clash Strummer, and anyone interested in the roots of the punk rock movement of ‘77. Continues after the jump »
The (slightly belated) 10 best albums of 2005 - indisputable!
(Actually just Dan Hopper’s 10 favorite, but I get more Google hits this way, plus it’s so controversial!)
Everybody give a big Crap Filter howdy to new occasional contributor Dan Hopper, who slaved for weeks with a hot iBook on his lap to bring us his excellent top 10 list. — Chris
10. Sleater-Kinney - The Woods
I mistakenly purchased this album thinking it was the soundtrack to the musical Into the Woods, and after a couple tracks of saying to myself “Little Red Riding Hood sounds fucking pissed,” I realized that it was actually just a band of angry chicks. The name Sleater-Kinney is derived from the ancient Gaelic for the words “lyre” and “yelling” according to a Wikipedia article that I just made up; The Woods is the band’s major-label debut, which is probably a good move for them, given that it’s also their seventh LP and they ain’t exactly household names, unless your house is made of music blogs. The album’s pretty much straight-up rock; “Entertain” is quite entertaining and “Modern Girl” is quite modern girling, and there’s really no rotten egg in this dozen (actually ten tracks, it’s a stupid baker). I’ll be damned if they don’t sound like Rush at times (I’m not joking, listen to that bridge in “Wilderness”), only difference is they’re actually females, not just mistaken for females, and only 30% of their songs are about dragons as opposed to Rush’s 100%. Continues after the jump »
Incentive for Roger Clemens to return
At 41 years old, Roger Clemens can still pitch. Last season for Houston, he led the major leagues in ERA (1.87) and finished third in the NL Cy Young voting.
But Clemens is now without a team after the Astros, Roger’s hometown team, refused to offer him arbitration. Given “The Rocket“‘s age and high salary demands, many teams are hesitant to sign the righthander, so Houston remains a possibility, albeit a remote one.
Enter rapper Paul Wall via MTV News.
Houston’s Paul Wall is such a sports fanatic that he says if Roger Clemens signs back with the Houston Astros, he’ll give his kid the middle name of Roger.
The ball’s in your court, Clemens.
Knowing “Almighty Dollar” Roger, he’d probably charge Paul for using his name.
Sweet sweet chaos
- Sweet Sweet Suicide
- Norwegian punk/hardcore band shows that black metal isn't the only harsh sound coming out of Scandanavia. Crank your stereo, sing-along, and start moshing it up. A superb hardcore release.
- Buy it on Amazon
- Visit the band's website