Andrew Bird to score film: "Norman"

more than Where the Wild Things Are and 500 Days of Summer combined, this will be the ultimate I'm-going-to-see-this-film-because-of-the-music-featured-within-it flick.

Bird says of the film:

"It could do quite well. It’s got a fairly well known cast and it’s really well written and everything. It is more of a drama, it tackles high school drama without being lame...This is the first legitimate full length film that I did. I had the monitor of the film in the studio and I’m playing. It’s a lot of work. I don’t know if I ever want to do it again."

read more HERE

the premise of the film sounds cool enough:
"A troubled high-school kid (Byrd) pretending to be dying of cancer encounters problems with his new girlfriend (VanCamp) and others when he's exposed as a fraud"

it stars the guy from Aliens in America and the chick from Everwood. someone shoot me now for knowing that just by looking at a photo on IMDB. can I redeem myself by saying that I love Adam Goldberg? 'cause I do.

on a slightly related note, I was listening to Andrew Bird and the Mysterious Production of Eggs as I was tweezing my eyebrows this morning

Andrew Bird - Being Green (cover, en Francais!) [mp3]

Rolling Stone gives Phrazes a mediocre review

it figures. they have such trite music critics. not that I'd trust a publication that put Megan Fox on the cover one issue ago, and devotes 1/3 of its current cover to Bono (how many times has he made the cover this year alone? talentless hack.)

they didn't like Ludlow St, but if I remember properly, they gave Costello's piece of crap album a good review

don't even get me started on their despicable reverence for those Jonas drones and the fact that they couldn't appreciate Led Zeppelin in their own time.

The Strokes Post #262

do you guys know that line from Serendipity at the elevator: "bye, my sweet lesbian lady lover. I'm just kidding"? that's kind of how I feel about Katie.








insane quality.

The Strokes Post #261

I dunno if you guys have seen this already, I never posted it but it's been around for a few days. it's the interview Julian did with the Wall Street Journal, and it's really good. most importantly, he reassuringly states that he's moving back to NYC in January

another cool bit of slightly overlooked info, Nikolai did really well in the marathon he ran! he finished in the top fifth. congrats to him on accomplishing such an amazing feat.

in exactly one week I will behold Julian with my own two eyes. it's kind of surreal. it's supposed to rain that day, but I don't care, I'm still waiting outside all day. I've done crazier things at crazier hours in crazier SF weather in crazily inappropriate outfits.

Them Crooked Vultures streaming ENTIRE ALBUM

damn, I was fantasizing about this album last night. it seems as though the music g-ds have answered my prayers.

in short? this is baby making music.

The Strokes Post #260

Julian Casablancas - 11th Dimension (live, Conan) [link has been removed]

I originally ripped this for Connor, but when I ended up listening to it, it grew on me. initially, I hated the performance--mainly because Julian looked so pissed and out of it, plus the mixing was all messed up at the beginning, not to mention the fact that I was angry to see Julian without my other four favourite boys.

but objectively speaking, the song really does improve after 1:10, and, like Connor said, it is a nice funky version of the song.

I love that bit at 3:10

bon appetit.

Sunday Morning Covers

ZIP FILE

Julian Casablancas - I'll Try Anything Once (The Strokes "cover") [mp3, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]
I watched this video so many times yesterday. now everyone can carry it around in their music players.

Flunk - Karma Police (Radiohead cover) [mp3]
this is a solid cover of my favourite Radiohead song

Dr. Fox's Old Timey String Band - Kids (MGMT cover) [mp3]
doesn't that band name ring a bell? a good cover in any case.

Elliott Smith - Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain (Willie Nelson cover) [mp3]
so many Elliott covers in my collection. I'm so glad he left behind so many great bootlegs.

The Misfits - Rise Above (Black Flag cover) [mp3]
kind of fuzzy quality but the essence is there

Death Cab for Cutie - I'm Going Home (Sonics Cover) [mp3]
very cool. excellent audio quality, superb axe work.

The Hives - Find Another Girl (Jerry Butler cover) [mp3]
oh how I love this. oh how I love it when my favourite bands cover old numbers. *COUGH* Arctic Monkeys *COUGH*

Goldfinger - Ghouls Night Out (Misfits cover) [mp3]
this band was the shit when I was in middle school. I still have their cd somewhere.

Beck - Ballad Of Big Nothing (Elliott Smith Cover) [mp3]
beautiful, simply beautiful

Ben Harper - The Drugs Don't Work (The Verve Cover) [mp3]
his voice is so soothing.

Franz Ferdinand - Mis-shapes (Pulp cover) [mp3]
Franz Ferdinand covering Pulp? yes, you better thank your lucky stars. now get listening.

The Format - Do You Believe in Magic? (The Lovin' Spoonful cover) [mp3]
recommended by Chuck, authorized by Hanan. really good stuff.

BONUS:

this is cute. it's just like Jules "covering" the Strokes, this boy is covering a song by his other band, The Format, with his new band, fun.

The Strokes Post #259

Saturday Music Definitions: Working

gotta go into work today, which is lame because teachers should never work on Saturdays.

here's a mix for y'all to enjoy.

Ryan Adams - Dreams Of A Working Class Clown [mp3]

The Henry Clay People - Working Part Time [mp3]

John Lennon - Working Class Hero [mp3]

Michael Jackson - Working Day And Night [mp3]

Bob Dylan - Working Man's Blues #2 [mp3]

I love The Henry Clay People.

The Strokes Post #258

Katie is my guardian Strokes angel.


Albert looks amazing. the first thing I was gonna ask Jules if I met him was "how is Albert?!" but that looks a tad unneccessary now. I am so happy.

this made me cry real tears:


it's such a homage to his fellow Strokes, and it was just so cool of him. he's bringing the attention back to the band, not being selfish or anything. oh I love you Julian C.

you know, everything has seemed like a rollercoaster but this is a sign of good things to come.

happy weekend everyone!

Band of the Week: Cut off Your Hands

this morning, as I was gushing over the happy Strokes news of late, I wanted to listen to some music to match my mood. I opened up my cd drawer and my eye caught my The Shaky Hands cd, which reminded me of a slightly better band called Cut off Your Hands, nee Shaky Hands (they changed their name because of legal issues). so I pulled out my vinyl copy of You & I instead.

Cut Off Your Hands is like a lovely post-punk cocktail of The Clash, early Beatles, The Smiths' pop hooks (minus Morrissey's depressing lyrics) and your local indie group that makes music that you can dance to.

like recent blog darlings Girls, they make really good nostalgic music which is stuck in limbo between the 50's/60's/70's and the internet age. also like Girls, they fluctuate between wistful ballads and high energy dance numbers. they're like an infinitely better Kaiser Chiefs. and I like the Kaiser Chiefs.

everything is so right about this band, down to the live shows I've heard so much about. this is probably the best band you've never heard of, if I were you, I'd head on over to AMAZON (or your local record store) and pick up their debut right away.

I still have this clipping somewhere in my collection of music reviews etc

if you needed any more convincing, the band hails from New Zealand, which houses, without a doubt, the sexiest accent of the English language ever. don't believe me?

Cut off Your Hands - Oh Girl [mp3]



visit Cut off Your Hands on MYSPACE, they have some shows for their fellow Kiwis and Australian neighbours

The Strokes Post #257

oh Pitchfork can whine and moan but they drool over Jules like the rest of us

here's a link to a very good interview. I'm so relieved he's moving back to NYC.

I loved this bit:

Pitchfork: Are the over-the-top shows the type of thing you'd be able to do with the Strokes?

JC: No, I would never get those four dudes to agree on something like that. You'd have one guy say, "Let's go out and have some Persian rugs and done!" And you'd have another guy say, "Let's dress like robots," and then nothing would get done.

Pitchfork: I like the robot idea, I'd go with that person.

JC: That person is me. [Laughs]

what I really love about these recent interviews with Julian is he really lets his guard down and it's almost like having a proper conversation with him. he is one cool mofo.

PS if you still haven't read the SPIN interview, the whole mag's digital issue is up.

Classic Track Thursday

this song is so magical. it makes me dance without worry, it brings me back to happier days.

The Lovin' Spoonful - Do You Believe in Magic? [mp3]

but you know how they say curiosity killed the cat? well I stupidly clicked HERE after being confused by a google search of the song's name. holy crap it made me want to stab something. or a couple of people. please don't look at the view count, it might make you throw up.

The Strokes Post #256

photos and mp3s have surfaced of Julian's (secret) record release show at LA's Spaceland. I love that tattoo on his right forearm. I'm quite pleased to have a better view of it =)









set list:

1. “River of Brakelights”
2. “Out of the Blue”
3. “Glass”
4. “11th Dimension”
5. “Tourist”
6. “Left & Right in the Dark”
7. “4 Chords of the Apocalypse”

download the entire show here
(thanks, K.!)

record review: Julian Casablancas - Phrazes for the Young

The album begins with an eerie ten seconds which keeps the listener on edge, unsure of what is to come. Then, “Out of the Blue” explodes with a Strokes-like force that reassures you: all will be well. The song itself meanders along Julian’s existence, as if his whole musical life were flashing before him. But instead of blubbering some ambiguous stream of consciousness, his lyrics are crisp, well formulated and demanding recognition. Long gone are the days of hiding behind cryptic messages. This is Julian’s voice, in every sense of the word.

Phrazes for the Young continues with catchy songs, and Julian uses every instrument to its ultimate potential. He doesn’t have flashy solos or ominous bass lines, he just has the musical equivalent of eloquence gushing from his hands and feet and kisses.

It has a little bit of everything, from a deliciously soulful “4 Chords of the Apocalypse” to the electrifying “River of Brakelights” (a song that will leave you dizzy for sure) and even a country ballad called “Ludlow St” which eulogizes the past and cynically proclaims the inevitable bleakness of the future.

Ironically enough, this album is the ultimate futuristic record: it relies heavily on synths and consistently references better things to come. “Forgive them, even if they are not sorry”, Julian sings. Strokes fans might be reassured that this wise, sober, musically omnipotent higher being will be the much needed glue for the future of the band.

Phrazes for the Young ends with a couple of exquisitely intoxicating songs, concluding with just as much of a whirlwind bang as the opener--just in completely different musical territory.

In the end, we can all rest assured that the world’s greatest songwriter has not lost his Midas touch.

Damn good album.
5/5

buy it on AMAZON, vinyl or cd (I'm getting both)

Julian Casablancas - Out of the Blue [mp3]

The Strokes Post #255

I wish it was Christmas today.

I love Christmas music so damn much. combine that with Julian's voice, and, to top everything off, I wasn't expecting to hear this for at least another month--so seriously, I wish it was Christmas today. this is so perfect.

I think my fixation with the holiday derives from my nostalgia for the snow days I never had and the lack of Christmas trees in my childhood household. I have such issues.

Julian Casablancas - I Wish it was Christmas today [mp3]

read all about it HERE, the song was originally featured on SNL

I think Jules needs more cowbell.

[many thanks to Rachel aka klein for the links!]

must watch videos: Julian Casablancas secret record release show @ SPACELAND, LA

HOLY CRAP I DIDN'T THINK I'D FIND ANYTHING.
I love youtube. he sounds so amazing.



these two users have the show.

The Strokes Post #254

happy happy joy joy! the day has finally come!



(cool embedded thing courtesy of Katie the German feline!)

happy official Phrazes for the Young day everyone! and screw you Britons for having it a day early.

PS did y'all hear? last night, Jules played Spaceland in LA as a secret LA record release show. I'm so uber jealous, because I've heard about Spaceland from PEOPLE I KNOW WHO HAVE PLAYED THERE. ie it's a small, intimate venue for super obscure indie bands etc

le sigh.

PPS here are a couple of bonus tracks (courtesy of Connor!)

Julian Casablancas - 30 Minute Boyfriend [mp3]

Julian Casablancas - Old Hollywood [mp3]

PPPS Jules has some great 45 inch holiday goodness in store for us.

PPPPS I was GOING to post a proper review of Phrazes today but I am extraordinarily exhausted (mentally and physically). maybe tomorrow? in any case, Out of the Blue is officially my favourite.

The Strokes Post #253

guess what I picked up after work today? it made me so giddy, I was dancing around through the store as I left

[just for the record, I bought these THE MINUTE THEY WENT ON SALE. I only PICKED them up today.]

if I can, I will record the concert. but if I know my big venues, I know they're pretty anal about video. people in the back rows manage to snag videos, but I am always in the front. always.

ahhh I is so excited.

The Strokes Posts #251 + 252

here's a nice bootleg as an "I'm sorry for being a neglectful blogger" catch up post.

The Strokes - Live at Eurock Cannes, 2006 [ZIP FILE, ENTIRE CONCERT]

epic set list. I partiuclarly appreciate the constant love to "Alone, Together", which might as well have been a single--they play it so much =)

1. Juicebox

2. The End Has No End

3. Red Light

4. The Modern Age

5. Heart in a Cage

6. 12: 51

7. Alone, Together

8. Electricityscape

9. Is This It

10. Ize of the World

11. Someday

12. You Only Live Once

13. Hawaii

14. Last Nite

15. Hard to Explain

16. Vision of Division

17. Reptilia

18. Take it or Leave It

Sunday Morning Covers

ZIP FILE

Editors - Road To Nowhere (Talking Heads cover) [mp3]

Bonnie Prince Billy - Puff, The Magic Dragon (Peter, Paul & Mary Cover) [mp3]

Guillemots - Take Me Out (Franz Ferdinand cover) [mp3]

Jimi Hendrix - Like A Rolling Stone (Bob Dylan cover) [mp3]

Dashboard Confessional - Valens (The Movielife cover) [mp3]

Rufus Wainwright - The Origin of Love (Hedwig and the Angry Inch cover) [mp3]

Joey Ramone - What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong cover) [mp3]

The Botticellis - Here I Go Again (Whitesnake cover) [mp3]

Saturday Music Definitions: Fear

belated Halloween post!

Elliott Smith - Fear City [mp3]

Doves - There Goes the Fear [mp3]

Death Cab for Cutie - Pity and Fear [mp3]

Smashing Pumpkins - Where Boys Fear to Tread [mp3]

The Strokes - Fear of Sleep [mp3]

The Bravery - Fearless [mp3]

Kings of Leon - McFearless [mp3]

Band of the Week: The Takeover UK

for fans of: Mando Diao

this is a weird coincidence: in posting The Takeover UK as Band of the Week following Bombay Bicycle Club last week, I have effectively posted about 50% of the bands featured in this SPIN article

it wasn't intentional, I've just been listening to their debut album, Running with the Wasters, a lot lately.

anyhow, even though this band is from Pennsylvania, they do sound like a UK indie band in a lot of ways. they're vibrant without being cheery, they're catchiness is directly proportional to the amount of repetition in their choruses, and they have energy up the wazoo

this song kind of reminds me of Jimmy Eat World--listen, and deliberate:

The Takeover UK - Running with the Wasters [mp3]

really solid debut, can't wait to catch their live show. I can just feel a cult following forming already.


so perverse, I love it.

visit them on MYSPACE

new Spoon LP on the way

I still haven't listened to the Got Nuffin EP. I am bad. I love this band, just never got around to listening to their latest offering.

in any case, I am super stoked about this news, that they are planning to release their seventh full length album in January. it shall be called Transference. Spoon makes perfect albums. seriously, it's insane how cohesive and listenable their studio albums are. I'm not familiar with their EPs as much so I can't make any claims in that department.

here is a track listing:

'Before Destruction'
'Is Love Forever?'
'The Mystery Zone'
'Who Makes Your Money'
'Written in Reverse'
'I Saw the Light'
'Trouble Comes Running'
'Goodnight Laura'
'Out Go the Lights'
'Got Nuffin'
'Nobody Gets Me But You'

and this means new tour dates. thank your lucky stars.

Spoon - Everything Hits at Once [mp3]

The Strokes Post #250

[from my MOJO newsletter]:


this makes me wish I were a proper music journalist. le sigh.

Classic Track Thursday

Rancid - Time Bomb [mp3]
from ...And Out Come the Wolves (1995)

Rancid come from Albany, which is where a lot of my professors at Berkeley lived. the band recorded their stuff at a studio in Berkeley and I'm sure played loads of shows at 924 Gilman (the club of Green Day fame)

this band adores the Replacements, you can just hear it in their music.

there really is nothing better for everyone's inner child than 90's punk rock from the East Bay. listening early Rancid and Green Day proves this. it's perfect for every adolescent in existence, seeing as how there is just the right combination of angst and punchiness (the songs usually averaging at 2 and a half minutes)

The Strokes Post #249

you know how everyone freaks out about turning thirty? I don't think Jules is one of those people.
he's so beautiful, it's insane.

artist to watch: The Potentials

I get emails all of the time of bands claiming that they have a "unique" sound, and usually it's not true. but sometimes, that's not entirely a bad thing.

The Potentials are a three-some from Fairfax, VA. they aren't unique, because their music sounds like what Chester French would be in an alternate universe where they hung out in their garage instead of going to an Ivy league school.

regardless, I'm grateful that it's electronica that doesn't leave me with a horrible headache. so go ahead and indulge in something one part derivative, two parts catchy.

The Potentials - Mayday Baby [mp3]

The Potentials - The Next Attraction [mp3]

visit them on MYSPACE

The Strokes Post #248

yeah, the sound mixing was sounding a bit funky (especially at the beginning), but seriously, I was so glad when I heard the imperfections.



it means that Julian, who's ears are infinitely more musically inclined than mine, will DEFINITELY pick up on this during his shows and compare it nostalgically to the glory days of The Strokes, and he will never ever allow the band to break up.

but anyhow, 3:08 and on, is just glorious. I couldn't move last night when I was watching this, I was just gaping in awe of his excellence. he sounds so good.

does he have any idea how sexy that wide legged stance thing he does is?

Minus the Bear - When We Escape

Minus the Bear - When We Escape [mp3]

I don't know much about this band (other than that they are epic live), but this song is gorgeous. the reason that I'm posting it is because, yesterday, when I was sorting through my things, I came across a post-it with the song title written on it.

when I used to work in tech services at my school's library, post-its were everywhere (we had to flag things etc etc) I ended up using them to write song titles of things I liked from last.fm. I had listened to Minus the Bear before, just not regularly. this guy I was sort of interested in at one time gave me some of their music and I ended up going to a show of theirs with one of my friends, who was a big fan of the band. but anyhow, it's a great track, enjoy.

The Strokes Post #247

I think it's very cute that this showed up a few hours after the album leaked. it reminded me strongly of what The Dodos did for Time to Die (great album, btw)

Arcade Fire - Wake Up

this song came on the radio today as I was picking my younger brother up from school, and I put it on FULL BLAST. it's such an epic song, and I love it. it makes me want to see the band live so much, just hearing their music. the echos, the buildups, the layers, everything is just perfect. then it got me thinking to the days when my older brother would pick me up from school with Mac Dre playing really loudly. oh how very different we are.

Julian Casablancas: European tour dates

Copenhagen Vega (November 30)
Stockholm Gota Kallare (December 1)
Berlin Maria Am Ostbahnof (3)
Amsterdam Paradiso (5)
Paris Le Bataclan (8)
Manchester Ritz (11)
Glasgow ABC (12)
Dublin Academy (14)
London Forum (16)

yay! I'm so happy for my Euro-trash Strokes fan counterparts. haha, I'm only joking, I wish I were Euro-trash

he really looks so much better with dark hair. it's making me seriously contemplate dying my hair black, an idea I've been toying with for ages. but if I did that, I would want my hair straightened and I would miss my curls aka mane.

The Strokes Post #246

I've been singing this song all day, disappointing myself when I hear my voice isn't Jules'.

"on ludlow streeeeeeet"

I love the line about Puerto Ricans. it reminds me of West Side Story.

Sunday Morning Covers

ZIP FILE

Vampire Weekend - Exit Music (for a film) (Radiohead cover) [mp3]
I don't think I've ever posted this one, even though I've listened it to bits.

Ben Folds - Lost in the Supermarket (The Clash cover) [mp3]
I love this one. it made me get up and make a cup of tea, though =)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Sheena is a Punk Rocker (Ramones cover) [mp3]
solid.

Beck - Hot In Herre (Nelly cover) [mp3]
of course, Beck reinvents a classic into something barely recognizable, but totally psychedelic and awesome. the original was one of my favourite songs as a pre-teen. haha. preteen.

Conor Oberst - Kodachrome (Paul Simon cover) [mp3]
I tried to give his solo album another go this week, but it just wasn't cutting it for me. oh well.

Delta Spirit - I'm Waiting (Bill Bush cover) [mp3]
I am itching to see these guys again.

Rogue Wave - Birds (Neil Young cover) [mp3]

CSS - Rat (Rage cover) [mp3]

of Montreal - Computer Blue (Prince cover) [mp3]
I wish I had the attention span to get through this band's entire discography, but, then again, like The Flaming Lips, of Montreal is a fun band to turn to for a musical trip rather than obsessive listening rampages.

The Black Keys - Summertime Blues (Eddie Cochran cover) [mp3]

Arctic Monkeys - Baby I'm Yours (Van McCoy cover) [mp3]
I think this is the fourth or fifth time I'm posting this song, but it's just so good.

The Strokes Post #245

seeing as how everyone is equipped with Phrazes at this point, I think I'll post some pictures instead

here's the Valensi family + Fab







his wife is a really good photographer. I quite like the selection on her blog

Morrissey collapses, is hospitalized, but is currently "stable"

our main man Moz wasn't feeling too good last night and collapsed during a performance. you can read more on NME

here are my wishes for a speedy recovery!

The Smiths - Asleep [mp3]

I know this is a bit inappropriate to post, because it's about death, but it's my favourite Smiths song, and it's just so beautiful.

The Strokes Post #244

a word to the wise,
DO NOT WAIT FOR THE PROPER RELEASE OF PHRAZES FOR THE YOUNG. seriously, you'll hate yourself later. those amazon previews were SHIT SHIT SHIT. you cannot condense musical genius into thirty second snippets.

CLICK ME IF YOU LOVE TO BE HAPPY.

thanks so much Katie!

Saturday Music Definitions: Pure

I can't really describe the elated feeling I am experiencing right now, it's just pure bliss. and it is a direct result of Julian crooning in my headphones.

Maroon 5 - Pure Imagination [mp3, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]

Audrye Sessions - Nothing Pure Can Stay [mp3]

The Who - Pure and Easy [mp3]

Eric Reed - Pure Imagination [mp3]
(this guy is a jazz pianist)

four new songs from Girls

the band has recorded a cool acoustic session on KDHX (a St. Louis radio station) and you can snag the mp3s at Fuck yeah! Go team! or you can download them below.

1. Heartbreaker [mp3]

2. Lovelife [mp3]
doesn't this remind you forcibly of Bob Dylan? especially the end?

3. Broken Dreams Club [mp3]

4. How Can I Say I Love You [mp3]

additionally, they'll be playing Bottom of the Hill the day after their Cafe Du Nord show on the 20th. I'll be going to both shows, but I'm more excited about the one at BOTH, as it is my favourite venue ever. Nick even mentions it in one of The Strokes' interviews. every time I look at the calendars on the wall and see "The Strokes" in August of 2001, I cringe in envy.

Band of the Week + record review: Bombay Bicycle Club

I first heard about this band in SPIN, they did a little feature a few months back about bands that were named for places outside of their own home country. I listened to a couple of tracks online and was impressed but the band still hadn't released a full length album at that point, so I didn't pursue them any further.

little did I know then that their debut, I Had the Blues But I Shook Them Loose (released this July), is spellbinding. I've been listening to it non-stop since I bought it last Sunday.

produced by Jim Abbiss (of Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not fame), the album is filled with fuzz-y guitars that scream of My Bloody Valentine, but with a twist that will shake you to the core. I can only describe it as Joy Division meets early Pearl Jam, with the obvious advantage of modern production. it has that restless energy of The Gaslight Anthem wrapped in up in that weird sensation which occurs when things get so personal that they become detached.

it's just damn good music and it's scary how I can just picture their live shows. slightly awkward but redeemed by the brutal honesty of the music. I'm not talking about lyrics here. I mean the music itself. it's so personal, so anxious, it's like reading your journals from high school. observe:



I'm really glad that this band has combined the shoe-gaze goodness of MBV with more post-punk elements and a disheartened voice to match.

funnily enough, the American band The Pains of Being Pure At Heart have snagged all of the attention for bringing back MBV-type lo-fi, but they also sound a shit load like Belle and Sebastian. this places them on the other end of the happy spectrum (ie the cheery, upbeat side), as opposed to Bombay Bicycle Club, who a tad on the gloomier side.

you can hear lots of influences in their music, sure, but Bombay Bicycle Club sounds more like the whirlwind ups and downs of a hazy night on the town than anything else.

Connor was the one who recommended that I listen to this album. thank you, very much. really, really good call.

visit the band on MYSPACE

in a slightly related note, I've been reading a lot of Hornby lately and it's made me realize that people in the UK look at Indian food like Americans look at Chinese. "let's go grab a curry" is such a great fucking expression.

The Strokes Post #243

not to be the bearer of bad news, but NME has a looksie at why Strokes IV is taking so long to shape up.

"It's weird with the band, a band is actually a great way to ruin a friendship."
my heart stopped when I read that. I hope all of this is just a cover up for Albert (whom I sincerely hope is ok, but I think we can basically assume that he is indeed in rehab). since when have The Strokes been a democracy, anyways? I always thought that Jules was adamantly anal about his songwriting, with a few minor exceptions when he co-wrote songs on FIoE.

The Rakes break up

a while ago, I found this picture online, and it made me so happy (I'm the one grinning like a son-of-a-gun on the left, with the pale arms). I'm super bummed out that the band has broken up; they had three good records and one hell of a live show.

...and in the process, they also have deprived me of seeing Free Energy : (

here's what Free Energy's people had to say:

"a new country-wide tour is in the works for the early part of the new year, so it won't be long. Luckily, we have been able to hold on to the Boston date (which will now be a Free Energy show) and keep in the dates from Dallas-Philly in late November. There is a new NYC date announced as well below.

To sum it up:

The following dates (with the Rakes) have been cancelled:

10/31: Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy*
11/01: San Francisco, CA @ Slims*
11/03: Salt Lake City, UT @ The Urban Lounge*
11/04: Denver, CO @ The Bluebird*
11/06: Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock*
11/07: Chicago, IL @ Double Door*
11/09: Toronto, ON @ Mod Club*
11/10: Montreal, QC @ Petit Campus*
11/12: New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom*


The new Free Energy touring tinerary looks like this:

FREE ENERGY TOUR DATES:

10/24: London, UK @ Cargo (DFA Night)
10/26: London, UK @ Barfly
10/27: London, UK @ Rough Trade Records (Hoxton) In-Store
(Early Show)/Waterats (Late Show)
10/28: London, UK @ Windmill
11/11: Boston, MA @ Great Scott
11/19: Dallas, TX @ The Cavern
11/20: Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
11/21: Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon
11/22: Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
11/23: Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
11/24: Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
11/25: Washington, DC @ DC9, set TBA
11/27: Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie
11/28: New York, NY @ Santos Party House"

RIP, Rakes.

Classic Track Thursday

Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK [mp3]
I think this was my first Pistols song-- long before I became fascinated with Sid Vicious, punk music, and/or mohawks. haha no, I'm kidding, I never liked mohawks, although Robert De Niro looked pretty bitchin' when he sported one in Taxi Driver (especially in that ending scene, when there's blood everywhere and he does that gun thing to his own head...genius.)
oh, and Joe Strummer looked good all of the time anyways.

...but then there's this.
we can sigh, we can laugh or we can choose to turn our heads and concentrate on the bassline in "NYC Cops", "Juicebox", or "Is This It". yeah, I think I know which one I'm doing.

I don't feel like I really need to talk about the Sex Pistols, I mean, come on, they're the fucking SEX PISTOLS. in short, they were a great UK punk band with one really great LP to their name (it actually was in the first pile of vinyl that I bought when I first started collecting...I had heard the album before, of course). for the Pistols, like all great bands, I feel like the music speaks for itself. listening to Never Mind the Bollocks really serves as a forceful reminder of what an insanely explosive year for music 1977 was.
the Sex Pistols will always be the greatest "fuck you" band. no pun intended.

The Strokes Post #242

I tried posting yesterday but blogger was being a biatch. so it's not my fault, blame the internet for the lack of posts yesterday. here I go play catch up.


of course we know which indie bassist said that XD

I love love LOVE that The Strokes and/or Jules are popping up all over the media. I just got my issue of SPIN and there's a fantastic interview with Jules in it. Katie (Katzen) was nice enough to email me the scans, but I wanted to wait (I have no idea why)

here are the scans if you're not subscribed to SPIN (which you should be)

http://i747.photobucket.com/albums/xx116/kmkane23/sc003ba253.jpg
http://i747.photobucket.com/albums/xx116/kmkane23/setsfysf.jpg
http://i747.photobucket.com/albums/xx116/kmkane23/gfutryurtyu.jpg (I love that picture on the couch...for some reason it now reminds me of Tobias Funke saying to his wife Lindsey "there's the woman I'm sexually attracted to!")
http://i747.photobucket.com/albums/xx116/kmkane23/dgydtyetuy.jpg (the wiped out bit says "do you have to grow up in a ghetto RoboCop war zone to make rock music?")

by the way, Katie, was it you whom I convinced of SPIN's greatness? or did you get the magazine all along?

Julian Casablancas to play SF in November!!

ok, so I'm a shameless, bloody liar. I promised to stop posting every little Jules thing I came across but I JUST CAN'T HELP MYSELF. 7/8 of this website has become devoted to the damn solo album and I am very comfortable with that.

Julian is playing the Regency Ballroom on NOVEMBER 17th! tickets go on sale Sunday! SEE YOU THERE!!

I am sososoosososoososos happy...that is LESS THAN ONE MONTH AWAY.

thanks Katie aka Katzen!!! you > Orson Welles, anyday.

new video: Arctic Monkeys - Cornerstone

I love it when people make mockeries of highly-sensitive works of art. so when I watched this video, the band's rendition of my favourite song from Humbug (and definitely its most heartfelt), I convulsed with laughter. seriously, genius.
my favourite bit was 1:14.
well done, Alex. this is the band that I fell in love with. I completely forgive him for his subpar energy at this year's concert.

The Strokes Post #241

I know I usually do belated posts, but in the spirit of keeping things fresh, I'm going the opposite route and posting tomorrow's post today. take THAT, predictability.

I just realized that I never scrambled to find an mp3 of "River of Brakelights" and then I realized that I hadn't checked my RSS feed (or the included subscription to hype machine either) or NME or anything else since Friday. so here is me being a responsible music blogger:

Julian Casablancas - River of Brakelights [mp3] (SOURCE)
I can't believe that I didn't like this when I first heard it. it must have been the fact that it was morning, I was tired and listening through on my brother's computer with his shitty speakers.
I love the countdown thing he has on his website.

The Strokes Post #240

there's a short but nice interview with Jules from GQ, nothing new or anything, although he does talk about drinking a bit.

I like the photo, though, it's my new desktop background

I've been listening to "River of Brakelights" on repeat, and I'm getting a tad addicted to it

I'm kind of ticked off because I just NOW realized that the tattoo artist who did my second baby on Sunday fucked up and I now have a grammatically incorrect tattoo. it's supposed to be ";" then "," then "."
that's how it was in Shelley's original manuscript, and that's how the obsessive English major/grammar freak in me wanted it. semi colons are my favourite punctuation marks, and now my tattoo makes me look like a daft person who can't use them properly. oh well. I guess that's what I get for trusting tattoo shops that reek of cannabis.

I only realized it because I took a photo of the thing for a friend of mine. if I were more vane and spent more time in front of mirrors, maybe it wouldn't have taken me 2 days to figure out. oh well, I still think that it looks badass.

The Strokes Post #239

there's a new song on Julian's website, "River of Brakelights"

it's interesting, I'll give him that. I liked 11th dimension a lot more but I'm happy just to hear him sing. it's almost like Nickel Eye meets Muse. what do you think?

Sunday Morning Covers

ZIP FILE

Calexico - Fourth Time Around (Bob Dylan cover) [mp3]

The Flaming Lips - Borderline (Madonna cover) [mp3]
she's on the cover of RS right now. you wanna know something funny? I never heard any of Madonna's songs until I heard Ryan Adams cover "Like a Virgin". I still haven't heard HER sing anything, I'm just familiar with a few covers of her songs. that goes to show you how vehemently I avoid pop music.

The Violent Femmes - Crazy (Gnarls Barkley cover) [mp3, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]

Arcade Fire - Guns of Brixton (The Clash cover) [mp3, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]
they just got this one right. I especially love the mandolins and Win Butler's "ohh"s

The Soft Pack - Fences (Phoenix cover) [mp3]

Dashboard Confessional - El Scorcho (Weezer cover) [mp3]

Jim James (of MMJ) - Rocket Man (Elton John cover) [mp3]

Arctic Monkeys - Diamonds are Forever (Shirley Bassey cover) [mp3]
this is very, very sexy (even though I hate diamonds)

The Magnetic Fields - Heroes (David Bowie cover) [mp3]

The Dead Weather - New Pony (Bob Dylan cover) [mp3]

Franz Ferdinand - Heisa-Ho (De Kift cover) [mp3]

The Strokes Post #238

this song is high on my fabricated-Strokes-set-list. it is so...stimulating.

Saturday Music Definitions: Nothing

this post is dedicated to Mr. Shakespeare, and his fabulous play Much Ado About Nothing, which I watched tonight. at this point, I am more or less acquainted with 80% of his plays, but I've still gotta tackle those histories.

I was surprised at how many songs turned up in my itunes search for "nothing" (tells you a lot about the optimism of musicians, eh?), so I limited the ones I posted to contemporary songs that I really liked.

The Wallflowers - God Says Nothing Back [mp3]

Maroon 5 - Nothing Lasts Forever [mp3]

Jimmy Eat World - Nothing Wrong [mp3]
Futures is so incredibly delectable.

Harlem Shakes - Nothing But Change Part II [mp3]
I really like this track, it's the opener to the now defunct band's debut LP, Technicolor Health.

Elliott Smith - Ballad of Big Nothing [mp3]

Audrye Sessions - Nothing Pure Can Stay [mp3]

Winston Audio - Nothing To Hide [mp3]
strange coincidence: when I went to see Winston Audio, they were opening for Audrye Sessions, a local band with a "nothing" song in their discography which I've posted above.

The Strokes Post #237