By TK & Felicia | Music | August 24, 2009 |
By TK & Felicia | Music | August 24, 2009 |
Urbanoutfitters.com is offering their 6th free music download. Artists on this edition of the mix include Jay Reatard, Discovery (who I was hyping on music news a couple weeks ago) and Bibio. Click here to download your 25 free itunes tracks, which will be available until January 31, 2010.
—Felicia
Um, so, we love Ryan Gosling, right? Star of Lars And The Real Girl and Half Nelson? Well, he’s got a band… of sorts… called Dead Man’s Bones (along with stage actor/performer Zach Shields), and they’re heading out on tour. The tour will be backed by a different children’s orchestra in each city they go to, and there will be a talent show opening for them at each stop as well. Never let it be said that they aren’t original. For a taste of their actual music, you can check out their MySpace page, which features awesomely titled songs like “My Body’s A Zombie For You.” Well, I do love zombies. Anyway, here’s a video for “In The Room Where You Sleep” which is kind of creepily cool. It’s got a bit of a Murder By Death vibe to it, which I can dig.
—TK
Dr. Dre’s classic album, The Chronic will be reissued on September 1st. Death Row Records is under new ownership, you know due to Suge Knight’s jail stints, various money issues and whatnot, and they want to focus on their so-called “glory years.” The reissue will include all the original 16 tracks plus seven previously unreleased tracks. It will also have a DVD featuring an interview with Dr. Dre and music videos.
—Felicia
Norah Jones has a new album coming out, and it sounds like she’s trying some new ideas out, which I always support (my favorite Norah Jones stuff is her work with The Little Willies, which, if you haven’t checked out, you absolutely should). Anyway, she’s teaming up with producer Jacquire King, who previously worked with Modest Mouse and Kings of Leon, and some guests will include Ryan Adams and Okkervil River’s Will Sheff, as well as some of Tom Waits’ bandmates from his outstanding Mule Variations album.
Oh, what there hell. Here she is on Sesame Street.
—TK
The Smashing Pumpkins (or really just Billy Corgan at this point) have chosen 19-year-old Mike Byrne as their new drummer. Jimmy Chamberlin, the group’s original drummer, left SP in March. Byrne was chosen through an open audition process, which included jamming for 15 minutes and talking about Fugazi for 15 minutes. He will make his debut with the group on their upcoming tour and new album.
—Felicia
In November, Columbia/Legacy Records is set to release, exclusive on Amazon.com, a ridiculously comprehensive Miles Davis boxed set. And when I say ridiculous, I mean fucking ridiculous. It will compile his entire history with Columbia, and will be spread over a whopping 70 CDs, as well as a live DVD. The whole shebang will retail for around $370, which is steep, but, if you’re a Miles nut, probably worth the money. Part of me desperately wants it, even though I know I may never listen to all of the albums. I can’t help it, I’m a hopeless collector. So now you all know what to get me for Christmas.
—TK
New York artist LeRoy Stevens has put together a compilation vinyl album called Favorite Recorded Screams. It contains 74 clips of screams from various artists ranging from The Pixies to Slayer. He chose the clips based on surveys taken from multiple Manhattan record shop workers. The 3 minute 32 second vinyl is on sale for $15 at a few Manhattan record shops and online. You can read a story the New York Times did on Stevens here, you know, because we’re not the freaking New York Times here at Pajiba or anything. (click image to enlarge if you want to read the list)
—Felicia
Here’s your Monday Afternoon Playlist:
Felicia: I’m currently listening to “Oh Sherry” by Steve Perry. You know, just to piss you “too cool for school” people off. And because YouTube recommended the video to me personally.
Jez: “Merry Go Round” (Motley Crue) - I put new strings on my very first electric guitar last week and secured the locking nut so I could do divebombs with the tremello system without going out of tune. At the same time, a dude I only know through Facebook starts quoting lyrics from the “Too Fast for Love” album. I was reminded again of what a great album that was. I plan on learning this entire album over the next month. “Merry Go Round” is my current favorite. Starts out mellow, then has a rocking, plodding chorus followed by a bitchin’ guitar solo, and then ends sexy. Like Vincent Vega said, “You dig it the most.”
TK: The Mothman Prophecies is a movie that I really, really wanted to be good, because its got such a cool premise. Unfortunately, it’s ultimately a mixed bag, though still worth watching. One of its saving graces is the fantastic song, “Half Light,” by Low, a moody, brooding piece that features some spooky as fuck garbled snippets from the movie — not to mention, of course, Mimi Parker’s awesome vocals. I love this song.
Caspar: Despot — “Look Alive.” Taken from the new Definitive Jux Presents compilation - number IV, fyi - this track by Despot has apparently been kicking around for a year or two. Still, it’s completely excellent and a lovely breath of fresh air. A friend of mine recommended it to me today after I got beaten up on my way home yesterday, thinking (quite correctly) that I would be cheered up by the lyric “I’ve got two left feet and they’re both in your ass”.
Christian: Katrina and the Waves, “Walking on Sunshine” - Whether you’re taking a road trip, annoying a coworker, or deeply contemplating your next gruesome murder whilst walking through your Wall Street office with headphones on, few songs are as catchily fitting as the classic cut from Katrina and the Waves (aka ‘Most Unfortunately Named Band Ever’), “Walking on Sunshine”. Put it on repeat! You can’t lose!
Sean: Sister Hazel put a new album out this week—their seventh studio record—called Release. I was going to review it until I realized that I had absolutely nothing interesting to say about it (despite the fact that I’m a sucker for the band, having been a fan since high school). It’s a Sister Hazel record; nothing more, nothing less. For your Florida-style southern-ish rock pleasure, here’s “Take A Bow.”
Lizzie: I’ve gone back to Amanda Fucking Palmer’s album this week. “Oasis” is one of my favorites off of it. It’s really upbeat and kinda poppy, until you listen to the lyrics.