We might not be big Velvet Revolver fans here at SS, but between his work in STP, an overlooked but impressive solo disc and an almost Doherty-worthy deathwish for most of the 90s, Scott Weiland should be able to put together one hell of an autobiography . The singer apparently got some advice from band mate Slash, who recently completed his own memoirs. But while that one will likely pan out to a booby-filled romp with stories of Axl being a dick thrown in, Weiland's tales of addiction could make for something a [...]
We'll dispense with the long dissertation on how silly a list of the "100 Greatest Indie Rock Albums Ever," as comprised by the editors of Blender really is, and just give you guys the top 10. Honestly? It ain't all that bad . A couple quibbles though: (1) We're pretty sure R.E.M.'s debut album wasn't called "Mumu" and (2) We'll still never get over how many people place Let it Be as the very best 'Mats disc. (Should be: Third place behind Tim and Pleased to [...]
Maybe the digital-only release for In Rainbows had a more practical motivation - Dudes couldn't think of a decent album cover. Thom Yorke and co.'s latest LP will finally take physical form on January 1 via ATO, immediately taking the pole position in this year's " worst album cover of the year " race.
Had The Strokes been drawn to the 50's pop of Buddy Holly rather than the 70s rock of Velvet Underground, they might have sounded a bit like Murder Mystery - Whether they'd have pulled it off with as much pinache is up for debate. The band's debut LP Are You Ready for the Heartache (due 1/29) offers a batch of earnest, fool good pop that'll please the hipsters, but remains refreshingly posture- and irony-free. A US is expected in early 2008, so bone up now and polish your dancing shoes at Christmas. [...]
Stereogum got its hands on an mp3 for the new Mike Viola track " Girly Worm " which, as expected, is terrific. The tune comes off the Candy Butchers frontman's upcoming solo disc Lurch , but with only 1,000 copies being printed and sold via his official site, you'll have to be quick. The 'gum likened "Girl Worm" to Randy Newman, but our favorite assessment comes from the comments section: "Sounds like John Mayer on awesomeness." No news yet on the next CB disc, but you [...]
Rilo Kiley might have lost a few cool points with the indie kids after the Fleetwood Mac-ish Under the Blacklight , but we still love em' for two tracks: The shoegazing "Dreamworld" (10x better live , by the way) and the sleezy funk of "The Moneymaker." Check out a acoustic take on the latter from the 4th annual Woodies , where the band joined Lupe Fiasco as last-minute replacements for trainwreck -in-waiting Amy Winehouse.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club won back our love with Baby 81 , and now they're scoring even more points by courting the indie kids with the American X: Baby 81 Sessions EP, a seven-track disc to be sold only at independent record shops. The collection will drop via Think Indie, and features extras from the band's most recent (and acclaimed ) proper LP. Keep reading for a full tracklist and a live take on the EP's namesake. American [...]
Wow - When Lupe Fiasco called his new disc The Cool (due 12/18) a "concept album," he wasn't kidding. We loved us some Food and Liquor and hopefully the follow-up will yield more of the brainy, jazz-infused hip hop we crave, but the dude's also definitely reaching for something a lot grander than cash, money and hoes in the thematic department: (via Drowned in Sound ) The record weaves a story from the narratives of two central characters. The Streets is a female "personification of the streets. [...]
We've got to start reading our issues of Billboard more carefully - P-fork uncovered this little nugget at the end of this edition's "Inside Track" column: "...Word is that an album featuring Modest Mouse, Built to Spill , and Love as Laughter covering each other's material is in the pipeline for release by Epic next year." The article's focus was on news that The Shins are being "heavily courted" by Isaac Brock's Glacial Pace label, but the possibilities of this covers album are endless. Off the top of our heads, we'd [...]
Reading some late night emails, SS found one video that deserved a second spin for ya'll: On a backdrop that's half "Yellow Submarine" and half Smashing Pumpkin's "Tonight, Tonight," Minipop 's video for "Like I Do" captures the dreamy ambiance of the track to a tee. Beautiful song, beautiful clip. Minipop's A New Hope is available now on Take Root
According to reports , British tabloid mainstay Amy Winehouse had a disasterous kick off to her 17-date tour, ending with fans booing and marching out in droves. Only nine months removed from her Best Female Solo Artist win at the Brit Awards, the "Back to Black" singer allegedly stumbled around stage, slurred her speech and then cursed out her fans for their jeers. This news comes amid daily gossip about Winehouse's health, and her recently jailed husband. Hopefully this uber-talented gal will pull it together before she self-destructs. Otherwise, [...]
With 425,000 copies of American Gangster sold, Jay-Z scored his 10th #1 album, tying him with Elvis Presley for second on the all-time list. He now trails only The Beatles (19) for the top spot. Elsewhere on Billboard: The Eagles fell to #2, while still moving an impressive 359,000 units via their unholy union with Walmart. Another fan of cutting out the little guy, Garth Brooks, came in at #3 with The Ultimate Hits (352,000) while Angel's and Airwaves' Cure-loving I-Empire scored a #9 debut with 66,000 copies sold. [...]
30-year-old bloggers are in fanboy heaven today, as My Bloody Valentine has announced the first three dates for a much-anticipated reunion tour. So far we're only got UK dates on the board, but with a new album on the way shortly, we're sure this is only the tip of the icerberg. A spot at Coachella 2008 has long been rumored, but not yet confirmed. The gigs so far include: 06-20 London, England - The Roundhouse 06-28 Manchester, England - Apollo 07-02 Glasgow, Scotland - Barrowland
Normally we might not have given The Reason 's inoffensive pop punk a second look, but Sara Quin 's duet with lead singer Adam White in "We're So Beyond This" makes for one of our favorite videos in a while. With a Hives-like juxtaposition of black and white and Quin's adorable emoting, a well-worn source of musical angst (chicks just don't get me man!) actually works. We're So Beyond This - The Reason feat. Sara Quin Add to My Profile [...]
Wisely 's new self-titled release has a track called "Cracked World View." That's bad because it immediately reminded us of Hootie and the Blowfish. Wisely's video for the first single on said album, "Through Any Window," features The Office 's Jenna Fischer. This more than makes up for any Blowfish-related trangressions. Download the mp3 below and check the clip after the jump. Download: Wisely - "Through Any Window" [...]
Wow - Prince really is a dick. We'll probably get sued for that one, but it's true. How else do you explain this legal standoff with his stubbornly loyal fans? Sure, we've heard of artists protecting their rights (Metallica, we still love you) but this goes above and beyond, and sounds an awful lot like censorship. You'd think a dude who flashes a 50 foot phallic symbol at the Super Bowl would be, you know, against that. To make matters stranger, in response to the lawsuit asking Prince fan sites to [...]
A collaboration like the one brewing between the White Stripes and Beck is the sort of thing that keeps bloggers in business - But couldn't they have chosen a better track than "Conquest?" Don't get us wrong, we sure want to be excited over what Mr. Hansen can do here with two turn tables and a microphone, but the song isn't among Jack White's best. On the other hand, we are excited about the accompanying video on the way (via the band's official site ): "The video [...]
You know those Jersey boys that every year push for Bruce Springsteen to run for office? Bet they're wicked pissed. According to Page Six : "Jon Bon Jovi could be planning one day to run for governor of New Jersey. That's why he's keeping his house in Red Bank, even though he and his wife, Dorothea, and their four kids have moved to SoHo."
Field Manual finds Death Cab for Cutie guitarist Chris Walla finally putting his considerable production skills (Tegan & Sara, The Decemberists) to use for his own proper release, and today we've got the first taste of what that might sound like: It's a lot like Death Cab. But as fans, we mean that in the best possible way. The set is available 1/29 via Barsuk Records and features 12 new tracks. Listen to the mid tempo, melencholy bounce of "Sing Again" and tell us what you think. [...]
British tabloids are reporting that Lily Allen is in talks to join the cast of Dr. Who . Allegedly set to play the Doctor's new sidekick on the fourth season of the re-launched BBC sci-fi classic, we should still probably take this with a grain of salt since Allen is already set to star in her own BBC show next year. But as long as these TV commitments don't interfere with her burgeoning lunch box design career or British cover girl obligations, we're all for it. [...]
sonic slang
Bison - Quill
Neutral Milk Hotel- Aeroplane Over the Sea
Shinichi Osawa – Big Beach Mix 2012
