Blog: Bears and Bullets

I'm not sure where these keep coming from, but the Raveonettes ( Official Website ) love Christmas. A lot. So much so, that along with the band's new Christmas EP ( Vice Records ), is their new free single "Come on Santa." Celebrate your Christmas (or other favorite Holiday) with some festive fuzz-garage pop, free from Bears and Bullets! The Raveonettes - Come on Santa - MP3

• The Raveonettes - Come On Santa - Tagged

Culture Bully led me to Portishead's newest video for their single "Magic Doors" off of their latest album Third , which should be filed under an all-new "Holy Crap" music section. I don't expect the music industry to take the plea seriously, but if they do, I suggest "Magic Doors" should be an early entrant.

During my week of family solitude, which I hope was good for most of you, I was sent an influx of Chromeo remixes of their single "100%" from Fools Gold. As a post-black Friday gift, I give you three of your own to take home, nurture, and eventually give out of gifts to your dearest friends, or friends you happen to not dislike. Enjoy! Chromeo - 100% (Treasure Fingers B-Live Pemberton Mix) - MP3 Chromeo - 100% [...]

I've already given you guys the Blender and Paste lists for the best music of 2008, and today we are able to see Q's . It's a little better than Blender's, but maybe not too much (Where the Hell is #45?!) Take a look... 50 Dido - Safe Trip Home 49 Emmylou Harris - All I Intended To Be 48 Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue 47 Randy Newman - Harps And Angels 46 The Verve - Forth 45 MISSING 44 Black Kids - Partie Traumatic 43 Joan [...]

The Hold Steady debuted their most recent video, the Jake Davis directed "Stay Positive" from their album of the same name (available now from Vagrant ). I still haven't gotten the courage to buy the album, even though I've heard most of it and it's still pretty damn good, but maybe seeing the Brooklyn guys painted on NYC skyscrapers will change my mind. Here's to hoping so. STAY POSITIVE - The Hold Steady

I'm usually pleasantly surprised by Bobby Solomon's mixtapes that he posts on his website, Kitsune Noir . He's got a good amount of them to download, but his most recent is one of my favorites. It's called Swedish Fish , apparently inspired by "Swedish Singers" even though a few of them are not. Doesn't matter, Bobby explains the tape. "Since this weekend is Thanksgiving here in the States I thought it would be nice for you all to [...]

I want to get some work in before I go off to my Thanksgiving/Lord of the Rings (Yes) Weekend, so I'll round off the little bit of crap the world has given out. Badical Beats , a site I haven't posted from in a good amount of time, has released a new MP3 (haven't done that in a while) from Women ( Myspace ), entitled "Black Rice." Beans (?) the writer, called it "Post punk lo-fi psych rock," which by any recollection could be the greatest music genre of all-time. [...]

• Women - Black Rice

It's almost that time of the year when all the major music magazines collapse on themselves and release their "Best Of" lists, inciting rage with most of their readers. So far we've been able to take a look at Paste Magazine's Modest Top 50 List , and Blender's chap of crap Top 33 . Have your say: Paste's Top 50 of 2008 50 TV On The Radio - Dear Science (Interscope) 49 [...]

Here's a video of Vampire Weekend's performance on Late Night on Conan O'Brien last week of their single, "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance," complete with string orchestra and scarves.

Yeah, that Saved by Zero ad from Toyota? Well, if you hate the ad (and most Americans do), you'd be pleased to see this Ring spoof. Also, for anyone really into the movement, you can sign this petition to get Toyota to remove the ads. Enjoy! Ring Spoof The Original Ad

Here's the official video of Beach House's single "Used to Be," off of their Apple Orchard B-side ( Carpark Records ). It's not on a beach this time, but i'm not complaining too much

As promised from yesterday, here's Part Two of Daytripping with The Black Keys from Pitchfork.TV . And yes, that's GZA.

Another Pitchfork.TV special worth mentioning here - The Black Keys (White Stripes with two girls and less kitsch) on Daytripping . Watch them drink, say stuff, and go to a .. GZA ... show at the SoCo experience in Wisconsin. Alright, I'll bite.

J.J. Abrams newest movie, the highly anticpated Star Trek, has released its first official trailer today (My mistake,it was leaked.) If its anything like Cloverfield, we should all be getting a collective movie hard-on now. I'm sorry, that may have gone too far for some people, but for the most of us (grow up, everyone else) it's completely accurate and appropriate. I'm not a Star Trek fan (Star Wars for me, even the shitty ones) but anything that Abrams touches usually turns to some terrifically scary gold. Star [...]

Austin Texas garage punk band Riverboat Gamblers ( Myspace ) have released their new single, "A Sloppy, Yet Sincere Apology," for free on their website. Their new album, Underneath the Owl , is due out March of next year via Warner Bros. Independent Label Group . The band, known for their mondo-fuck of a great live show, are SXSW regulars and have a terrific cult following. I hope getting sent this stuff means more from them in the future, because i'd be more than pleased to be able to see [...]

A couple days ago I got an email from UK electronica act Michael Woods and Diffused Music , complete with seven (!) separate remixes of Wood's single "Natural High" (ft. Inaya Day). Take all you want! Natural High (Micky Slim Remix) - Michael Woods - MP3 Natural High (Out of Office Vocal Mix) - Michael Woods - MP3 Natural High (Out of Office Dub) - Michael Woods - [...]

Ex- Deerhunter member Adam Bruneau has directed an unofficial video for the band's singles, "Microcastle" and "Cover Me Slowly" off of their new album Microcastle (available now via Kranky ). For those wondering, yes, you're basically getting a shit-ton of sepia-toned wildlife scenes. So, you know, get your fill if you were missing out from something like that. Deerhunter - Cover Me Slowly from Adam Bruneau on Vimeo . Deerhunter - Microcastle from Adam [...]

As promised, here's part two of yesterday's Cosmo Lee Pitchfork.TV interview with Nick Cave.

One of my favorite song writers of all-time, the enigmatic Australian Nick Cave, sat down Pitchfork.TV's Cosmo Lee for a couch-time interview. He talks about New York City, the Bad Seeds, and whatever's going on with his Grinderman project. Check back here tomorrow for part two.

Only a few days after Fleet Foxes (new album available on Sub Pop ) session on Later... With Jools Holland , the group has shown up on Vincent Moon's La Blogotheque . Check out the band's performance of "Sun Giant," and my personal favorite "Blue Ridge Mountains." Fleet Foxes - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo .