This is a weird little post for Friday. Weird because I haven't ever written about an Italian band before. And weird because the band in question plays an experimental brand of americana that has more in common with Ennio Morricone (in fact they signe dup his iconic whistler to appear on this record) than it does with Johnny Cash. But don't worry these guys have been anointed by John Convertino and Joey Burns (Calexico) so rest assured you're getting some pretty cool shit. The band (a trio) is called Guano Padano and their [...]

It's never easy to map out an entire decade in music. So, in constructing the "Decade in Music" interactive timeline , we sought to shape it with some of the bigger tent-pole trends, news (Elton John performing with Eminem) and groundbreaking changes in the industry, business and technology (Napster, the iPod). We also wanted to highlight albums (Britney Spears, Danger Mouse, Radiohead) that took a snapshot of the era, as well as deaths (Ray Charles, Johnny Cash) that affected everyone. And, of course, we wanted to include the occasional "wardrobe malfunction" controversy or bizarre curiosity ("Trapped in the Closet") [...]

"Imagine you're in the middle of a tornado. Trees, pieces of a fence, car parts are all circling around you, your screaming at the top of your lungs and roman candles are shooting out of your stomach...you reach out your hand and someone grabs on." KS. Kelli Schaefer is a raw and undeniable talent. I saw Schaefer at The Woods, Portland a fortnight ago, picked up the six songs she has so far released, and have been pre-occupied by her impact every subsequent day. If you were to suspend belief, [...]

"Imagine you're in the middle of a tornado. Trees, pieces of a fence, car parts are all circling around you, your screaming at the top of your lungs and roman candles are shooting out of your stomach...you reach out your hand and someone grabs on." KS. Kelli Schaefer is a raw and undeniable talent. I saw Schaefer at The Woods, Portland a fortnight ago, picked up the six songs she has so far released, and have been pre-occupied by her impact every subsequent day. If you were to suspend belief, or [...]

Okay I missed this first time around but better late than never. For those of us who want for authentic country music, then you could do no better than starting with Joey Allcorn's album All Alone Again , it's immediate, authentic and oozing tradition, a collection of thirteen original songs, with tracks like Honky Tonkin' Ramblin' Man and Lonesome Lovesick Man Hank [...]

50 M.I.A. - Arula 49 Muse - Absolution 48 The Walkmen - Bows and Arrows 47 Brendan Benson - Lapalco 46 The Delgados - The Great Eastern 45 Avalanches - Since I Left You 44 Outkast - Speakerboxxx/The Love Below 43 Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot 42 Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend 41 Wild Beasts - Two Dancers 40 Ryan Adams - Gold 39 Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles 38 Bloc Party - Silent Alarm 37 The Knife - Silent Shout 36 Spirtualized - Let it [...]

Back in the 1970s, as part of their holiday marketing scheme, the RIAA introduced the world to the phrase, "Give The Gift Of Music." Over the years, during the holiday season, people do tend to buy more than they would at any other time. Often, it is the new releases that fly off the shelves and under the tree, but just as often, people are buying those old reliables, the Greatest Hits albums, to give as Christmas presents. With that said, I thought I would offer my thoughts, in chronological order, on 15 of the top Greatest Hits albums of [...]

De a pocos se van sumando más medios a publicar sus listas con lo mejor de la década, anteriormente revisábamos la lista de la norteamericana Pitchfork con 200 posiciones que escogió como disco de la década a Kid A de Radiohead, ahora es turno de la NME y aunque últimamente ya no tenga la influencia de antes, resulta más que interesante revisar la decisión del staff de la publicación británica. Es conocido el impulso que ha logrado dar la NME a la nueva música británica, no han querido parecer distintos en su lista ya [...]
EMI Music becomes the first major label group to pact with Hulu, the popular U.S. online video service that offers TV shows and movie. EMI will offer concerts and videos from artists on its labels including Virgin, Capitol and Blue Note. The relationship kicks off today with exclusive content from Norah Jones whose new album "The Fall" debuts this week. The Norah Jones page on Hulu will feature multiple concerts and her entire collection of music videos. An interview with Jones is available on the Hulu [...]
EMI Music becomes the first major label group to pact with Hulu, the popular U.S. online video service that offers TV shows and movie. EMI will offer concerts and videos from artists on its labels including Virgin, Capitol and Blue Note. The relationship kicks off today with exclusive content from Norah Jones whose new album "The Fall" debuts this week. The Norah Jones page on Hulu will feature multiple concerts and her entire collection of music videos. An interview with Jones is available on the Hulu blog . [...]

Tempo di classifiche di fine anno anche per NME , la prestigiosa -e controversa- rivista britannica. Votata dalla redazione e da una selezione di musicisti e addetti ai lavori, arriva la classifica dei 100 migliori album del decennio che sta per finire. Tra i giurati: gli Arctic Monkeys, Carl Barat, i The Killers, Jarvis Cocker, Pete Doherty, gli Elbow, Johnny Marr, gli MGMT, Ian Brown, i The Big Pink, Snoop Dogg, Alan McGee, gli Yeah Yeah Yeahs e molti altri. Qualche sorpresa. Un gruppo inglese (i Libertines ) è stato scalzato dal podio da [...]
Music brag NME has crowned The Strokes' debut album 'This is It' as the best album of the decade. As the naughties come to a close NME (and a long list of music experts) voted for what they thought are the best 100 albums of the decade. With the concluding list spanning artists from Jay-Z to Johnny Cash and a few unexpected ones in between. The New York rockers beat off the likes of Primal Scream's 'XTRMNR' and 'Up The Bracket' by The Libertines to take the holy grail. Mike Skinner must be [...]

Music brag NME has crowned The Strokes' debut album 'This is It' as the best album of the decade. If that isn't enough encouragement for the boys to get cracking with their next album release then I don't know what is. As the naughties come to a close NME (and a long list of music experts) voted for what they thought are the best 100 albums of the decade. With the concluding list spanning artists from Jay-Z to Johnny Cash and a few unexpected ones in between. The New York rockers beat off the [...]

Here's the weird thing about the British: In general, they have much better taste in music than Americans. While we waste our time on interchangeable pop stars, they're singing the praises of Gossip's Beth Ditto. But their likes and dislikes are very particular - and, in general, they seem to love the kinds of semi-mainstream/semi-indie bands that become one-hit wonders or just never make a huge splash in the U.S. and then fairly quickly fall out of favor with the music-geek set. For example: NME has just named its #1 album of the '00s... and it's [...]
Pitchfork may have usurped everyone with their best-of-the-decade list, but the floodgates are open now and many other publications are printing their nominations. Today (Nov. 17), the NME has produced a list of the albums they consider to be the best of the decade, and there are very few surprises. The paper was one of the earliest champions of the Strokes when they emerged at the beginning of the decade, and Is This It is their predictable number 1 choice. The list is male dominated and indie-centric—Jay Z's The Blueprint [...]

Yet another list from a UK Music Magazine. NME always prided itself on being the cool UK Magazine, well since it changed its name from New Musical Express , and since Melody Maker disappeared along with Cliff Richard's shadows. So what's their list of the Best albums of the decade like? Keep reading. 50. MIA - Arular 49. Muse - Absolution 48. Walkmen - Bows and Arrows 47. Brendan Benson - Lapalco 46. Delgados - The Great Eastern This list starts so much better than many others. It's great to [...]

La scorsa settimana abbiamo terminato il nostro viaggio attraverso gli album più importanti del decennio che si sta concludendo. Abbiamo quindi pensato di riassumere il tutto in questo post che non è altro che la lista completa, tappa per tappa, degli album che di volta in volta abbiamo approfondito, in modo tale da avere una sorta di indice delle varie puntate. Dopo il salto trovate anche la listona di tutti gli album che di anno in anno sono stati inseriti fra "gli album da salvare". [...]
Though Courtney Love has understandably garnered very little sympathy over the use (and misuse) of the Kurt Cobain avatar in Guitar Hero 5 , the ability to export songs from Band Hero will allow irreverent players to torment deceased rock icons in new and interesting ways. Activision has been quick to take down most videos that would cause a scene, but check out the bevy of Cobains doing "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls. Truly, this must be how he wants to be remembered. [ Kotaku ]
If Dave, Krist and Courtney weren't angry enough, it looks like the new ability to import Band Hero songs into Guitar Hero 5 is going to push them over the edge. In this latest clip, a player has the late Kurt Cobain join the late Johnny Cash to sing the disco hit, "YMCA." Later, Kurt is used to play the Spice Girls' "Wannabe."

Here's another great way to wake up on a Sunday, Sunday Morning Coming Down, a perennial Versions Galore fave. Done originally by the Convoy drivin, one time Streisand fondler, Kris Kristofferson , it's covered here rather beautifully by Johnny Cash . Is it me or does anyone else still do a double take when JC belts outs "I wished Lord that I was STONED." [...]