Child Bite - Wild Feast

Yeah, punk rock is dead, but there are a handful of bands making chaos that refuse to believe this proclamation, and they're all the better for it. And maybe the punk rock zombie has just been reanimated into a new unholy beast, and if so, Child Bite are roaming the streets searching for brains to infect. Spazz-tastic, post-post-punk is the mission statement of Wild Feast, Child Bite's self-released molotov-cocktail of a record. ~from a recent Child Bite press release

You can stream this "spazz-tastic" new band's LP, Wild Feast, here. Or you can sample the mp3 to 'Brain/Sleep' here.

AOL Radio

For free CD quality radio on the net, the place to be is AOL Radio. They not only feature high quality niche stations such as British Invasion and an all-Pearl Jam channel, but they include several key XM Stations as well...all for free! All you need is a broadband connection and a free AOL/AIM account.

A Great Year-End List

Check out Neiles Life to to see what his picks for the Top 25 Albums of 2006 were.

What makes his list so great, you might ask? He includes at least two MP3s from each album on the list for sampling.

Time Congratulates "You"

Yesterday, Time Magazine named "You" as Person of the Year for 2006.
At first glance, this seems like a cop-out, a classic pandering to the very demographic that keeps that journalistic conglomerate in business. Obviously, "You" could mean anybody and everybody that has bought into the magazine, in one form or the other.

However, within the context of Facebook, YouTube, Digg, Myspace, and other user-generated sites, "You" comes to represent---well, You,--- and other readers of this blog and participators of activities on the Internet.

To explain further what Time means, I provide a quote directly from their writing staff:

But look at 2006 through a different lens and you'll see another story, one that isn't about conflict or great men. It's a story about community and collaboration on a scale never seen before. It's about the cosmic compendium of knowledge Wikipedia and the million-channel people's network YouTube and the online metropolis MySpace. It's about the many wresting power from the few and helping one another for nothing and how that will not only change the world, but also change the way the world changes.

The tool that makes this possible is the World Wide Web. Not the Web that Tim Berners-Lee hacked together (15 years ago, according to Wikipedia) as a way for scientists to share research. It's not even the overhyped dotcom Web of the late 1990s. The new Web is a very different thing. It's a tool for bringing together the small contributions of millions of people and making them matter. Silicon Valley consultants call it Web 2.0, as if it were a new version of some old software. But it's really a revolution.

With that said, congratulations to all of "You" for being a part of the revolution---for taking part in a medium that has the power to wrestle influence away from "Conflict" and "Great Men" and give it to those of us just large enough to matter. Thank-"You" for challenging the mainstream media and providing us with information that the three major networks were afraid to cover.

And as far as music is concerned, thank-you to all of "You" music bloggers and readers who affirmed that it wasn't the Big Five Record Companies who determined which bands deserved exposure or not. Thank-"You" for showing that radio exposure is so eighties---that "You" are only interested in listening to what "You" wanna listen to.

Give yourselves all a pat on the back: According to Time, "You" all deserve it.

'I'm From Rolling Stone' to Air in January

Rolling Stone joins forces with fellow pop culture exploiters MTV, to bring us I'm From Rolling Stone, a reality television show about interns at the world famous music magazine. Talk about overkill.

Read more here.

The Shins - 'Phantom Limb'

A radio single hasn't gotten me this pumped up for a forthcoming album in a long time. Wincing the Night Away will drop January 23. But until then, you can sample all the goodness of The Shins' latest single, 'Phantom Limb,' in MP3 format here.

Alternatively, you can listen to XM's Ethel, where you're bound to hear it at least twice in a two hour period ;)

Steely Dan - 'Dirty Work'

'Dirty Work (MP3)' disappeared from the Steely Dan repertoire after original lead singer David Palmer left the group in 1973. Compared to the rest of the band's catalog, 'Dirty Work' is largely anything-but the cynical jazz rock fusion that came to define the band's sound later on. More pop-oriented than sophisticated, 'Dirty Work' provides a tasty detour to listeners traversing the Steely Dan collection.

Vote For Your Favorite Song of 2006

JT brought "sexy back," and Mz. Furtado was "promiscuous." Panic at the Disco pondered whether anyone had ever heard of "closing a God-damned door," and Fall Out Boy instructed everyone to just "dance, dance." All in all, the two-thousand and sixth year of our Lord proved to be a very entertaining revolution around the sun.

Yes, it's that time of year again, where the oft-replicated meme makes its emergence: time to vote for your favorite track of 2006. Because we are lo-fi (as well as cheap) and lack any sort of polling mechanism, we call on our readers to comment on what their favorite tracks were of the past 12 months. You heard correctly: Just comment to this post, detailing what your most likeable musical composition of the year was. From country, to jazz, to reggaeton, to pop, to indie trash, we urge all of our readers to participate in this most unscientific of all polls.

As an added bonus to our shyest of patrons, we even provide the option to comment anonymously. So come on, and bear your soul. Who knows, you may discover that you weren't the only one in Manhattan who actually digs Hinder's 'Lips of an Angel.'

PS: Stay tuned for my personalized review of my favorite album of 2006.

Failure - 'Stuck on You'

Failure was by far one of the most unrecognized bands of the 1990s. Combining addictive choruses with driving guitar hooks, this post-grunge band was too often labled as a "Nirvana wanna-be," and subsequently its members never received the credit they deserved.

In 1996, the band went out with a bang and released their final album, Fantastic Planet. Anchored by such dirge-pop anthems as 'Sergeant Politeness,' 'Saturday Saviour,' and 'Smoking Umbrellas (MP3),' this swan song effort proved to be the favorite of many of their fans. Ultimately, it was the space-rockish 'Stuck on You (MP3)' that bound the LP together and proved to be the album's shining star.

Pushing its lyrical properties unto the listener through its music, the song begins with a seductive guitar loop that maintains and echoes itself throughout the entire track---slowly, but surely, getting "stuck on you." Compounded with lyrics like "You burrowed like a summer tic" and "You played yourself to death in me," 'Stuck on You' is not only a fetching refrain, but a profound love song as well.

65 Days of Static

They drove through ghosts to get here, and we're glad they did. 65 Days of Static, after achieving acclaim in the UK, brings to America their album One Time For All Time. This experimental rock LP is fractured, yet intricate; detached, but cerebral. Indeed it flows from beginning to end quite seamlessly.

You can stream this exceptional album by clicking here, or you can stream the track 'Welcome to the Times' below:


65 Dats if Static - 'Welcome to the Times' (MP3)

New Thrills in 2007

In the words of frontman Conor Deasy, Irish pop rockers The Thrills are set to release their third studio album in 'earlyish' 2007 - although there's still a few last minute tweaks to take care of.

Read the rest of the story here at Soungenerator.

Pop Justice and the New Jo Jo Album

If you are up for some laughs, check out Pop Justice's review of the new Jo Jo album. Otherwise, that's all I've got for now. Hopefully next week see's us pick up the pace with our posting.

Pensioners Behaving Badly

Senior Citizens are singing more than just Christmas Carols this holiday season. Young@Heart, a documentary that highlights a chorus of retirees, features a World War II bride singing The Clash's 'Should I Stay or Should I Go?' and en ex-World War II pilot singing Jimi Hendrix's 'Purple Haze.'

You can check out a clip of this documentary here. (click on the picture of the old woman toward the bottom of the page)

Kid and Pam to Split

In another short-lived, high-profile marriage, it was announced recently that Pam Anderson and Kid Rock will be divorcing. What skanky musician will Pam hook up with next? I hear K-Fed is single.

Also, does this mean that Borat has a chance?

Read the full article here.

iLike for iTunes

iLike is a social music networking site that helps you to discover new music based on what you listen to in iTunes. One of the coolest features of the network is its extensive library of free, downloadable MP3s by unsigned bands. You can also see what other users in the iLike community share the same listening tastes as you. Furthermore, you can post a little box (just like below) that shows visitors to your website/blog what exactly you've listened to lately.

Here is what I've been listening to lately:

Daughtry With Slash - 'What I Want'

After a season touring for American Idol, Chris Daughtry, along with his band, have emerged with a debut album. Simply titled Daughtry, the disc has received fairly decent reviews from rock critics who would have three years ago figured it impossible to mention an Idol contestant and positive music criticism in the same breath. As we are all aware, Daughtry broke the mold for American Idol, and now appears to be well poised to carve a name for himself in the alt-rock circuit.

'What I Want' is track number seven off the record, and features rock elite Slash performing alongside Daughtry's band on guitar. You can check it out below:

Daughtry feat. Slash - 'What I Want' (MP3)

Caught On Tape: Mandy Moore - 'Candy'

"You know who you are,
Your love is as sweet as candy,
I'll be forever yours,
Love always, Mandy."

So states the spoken portion of Mandy Moore's first and biggest single, 1999's 'Candy.' One taste of this delectibly sweet pop anthem, and the country was craving the song like, well....candy. Sure, the lyrics are cutesy and contrived, but how else can one express the feelings of an inexperienced teen crush. Ms. Moore was only 16 when the single became a hit and boosted her to the ranks of pop princess; a current trend of singers which included Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Jessica Simpson. With a voice that exceeded her age, and a video that fit snugly into the mold of late-90s pop music, Moore achieved widespread success and fame.

Like the video for Britney's '...Baby One More Time' before it, 'Candy' was oddly appealing. Oddly to the extent that legions of grown men were finding a sixteen year-old girl attractive - something that is generally frowned upon in society. Of course, looking back at it now, Moore looks younger than ever. Which makes it all the more humorous.

The video depicts a typical day in upper-middle-class suburbia. Teens dressing in the latest trends, cruising down the street in their VW Beetles and mopeds, hanging at the local burger joint, and most of all, choreographing dance routines in the middle of a skate park. All of the things that 98% of the world wishes it had the resources to do. Bubbly and upbeat, it's no wonder the track was like sugar to the hearts of so many.

Fox News to Pilot Own Conservative Daily Show

Right wing bastion Fox News is planning to air its own version of Comedy Central's long time running The Daily Show. This Just In is slated to air for only two showings on Saturday nights in late January, but if well received, would become a regular, weekly feature on the network.

However, unlike The Daily Show, Colbert Report, and Real Time With Bill Maher--all shows that satirize the news--This Just In would not be occupying a time slot on Comedy Central, HBO, or another entertainment station like the aforementioned shows do, but would instead be broadcast on an actual news channel; a notion that is disconcerting to those worried about further blurring of entertainment and journalism.

But what is most unusual about Fox News developing a right-leaning news satire? Dennis Miller has proven to us that conservatives aren't that funny.

For those of you unfamiliar with either The Daily Show or Fox News, I've done you a world of a favor and included a clip that features both

Lindsay Lohan a Poor Host?

Lindsay Lohan was booed last night while hosting the World Music Awards in London. Lohan, so taken aback by the audience's cold reception, left the ceremony only halfway through her hosting duties. Individual awards presenters assumed Lohan's role for the rest of the show, yet faced similar chides from the crowd.

It is unclear what provoked the crowd's hostility, but it may have something to do with Lindsay's pop sensibility (or lack thereof).

Watch the vid below to see what I mean:

Will New MSI EP be 'Another Mindless Rip Off?'

New York's wacky electro/punk/hip-hop outfit, Mindless Self Indulgence, has developed a massive underground following over the past six or seven years. Of course, a fresh face might notice that the band's track record has seemed a bit jaunted during that time. Afterall, when You'll Rebel To Anything came out a little more than a year ago, it marked the first full-length album of new material to be released by the band since its 2000 sophomore disc, Frankenstein Girls...

But for a band that has largely made a career out of putting itself down - and which playfully mocks and insults its core fanbase for buying into the whole thing, this method of madness seems almost too perfect.

With numerous singles, EPs, remixes, and a live album filling the voids between its full-lengths, MSI seems to be telling its audience that it has simply been ripping them off. There's even been two alternative versions of YRTA and two remix discs issued within the last year alone. And as if they hadn't made their point clear, here comes the latest - Another Mindless Rip Off.

The EP will be made up of five new/previously-unreleased tracks, and will be accompanied by five remixes of the track 'What Do They Know?' According to their representatives at D.A.M.N. Artist Management, the new EP will be on limited release this season, sold exclusively through Hot Topic retail stores. Like most of MSI's limited material, it is expected to become a hot commodity, and will likely find the band back onto the eBay charts again before long.

The group's official website has posted the official tracklisting as follows:

Another Mindess Rip Off (limited edition Hot Topic EP)
1) My World
2) Pre-Teen Violence
3) Frying Pan
4) Lush
5) Born to Be Beheaded
6) What Do They Know? (MSI vs Julien k and Chester Bennington)
7) What Do They Know? (ProCon "Backstabbers Delight Mix")
8) What Do They Know? (The Perfects "Hollowboy Extended Pleasure Mix")
9) What Do They Know? (VNV Nation "Maelstrom Mix")
10) What Do They Know? (Kenny Muhammed. The Human Orchestra. "The Last Word Mix")

Samples from the new EP can be heard on the band's Myspace and Purevolume sites.

The Beatles Catalog Goes Online

Latest news has it that The Beatles songs will finally go digital here in the near future. iTunes has apparently scored the rights for sale, but a specific date of availability has not yet been released.

Foo Fighters - Skin and Bones

Come November 21, Foo Fighters will release Skin and Bones, a live album featuring acoustic nuggets from the band's catalog, as well as differing interpretations of their other not-so-soft tunes.

Below I've included track 13 off that disc: 'Friend of a Friend (mp3),' and the stage performance of my favorite song off In Your Honor, 'Cold Day in the Sun (mp3).'

Additionally, you can stream these songs below.

Foo Fighters - 'Friend of a Friend'


Foo Fighters - 'Cold Day in the Sun'

Cingular to Offer Free Downloads to Phones?

Read about Cingular's plan to allow subscribers to download songs without charge here.

Barzin - 'Let's Go Driving'

Barzin's music has been described as "gorgeously ghastly"; the downtempo sophomore album My Life in Rooms is a forty minute whisper that lures the soul to deeper--and sometimes darker--places. Below you will find a sample of this slowcore reflection. Additionally, you can stream the entire album here.

Barzin - 'Let's Go Driving' (MP3)

Incubus - 'Anna-Molly'

The new Incubus album, entitled Anna-Molly, is slated to drop later this month. For now you can check out the title track and first single (mp3):

Incubus - 'Anna-Molly'

REM and Van Halen Top Nominees List

College rock pioneers REM and 80s powerhouse Van Halen (not Van Hagar) are two of the bands up for consideration for this year's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Who else is on the list? Further details available here.

Gomez - Five Men in a Hut: Singles 1998-2004

4.5 out of 5 Stars
If you are one of the unfortunate ones who've never heard of Gomez or the rollicking licks they've produced in the past 8-10 years, then this album is for you. Five Men in a Hut provides a great introduction to 36 of the most critical tracks the band ever laid down on tape between the years of 1998 and 2004. Key songs include 'Catch Me Up (mp3),' 'Sweet Virginia (mp3),' and 'Big Man (mp3)' to name a few. For an effective refresher course on a spectacular band, this collection works very well.

Gomez - 'Sweet Virginia'

Caught On Tape: MC Hammer - 'Addams Groove'

They do what they want to do, say what they want to say, live how they want to live, play how they want to play, dance how they want to dance, and they even kick and they slap a friend. Who could I be talking about? Why, none other than the Addams Family, of course.

The family began as a comic strip in the 1930s and moved on to become a successful television series between 1964 and 1966. A television cartoon series followed in the 1970s, and eventually, another cartoon series and several live-action movies were produced in the 1990s. This macabre take on family life was able to transcend generations of viewers. In 1993, for the second feature film, Addams Family Values, hip hop phenomenon MC Hammer produced his own spin on the original show's popular theme song. Titled 'Addams Groove', the single became an instant success in the midst of the film's release.

The music video for the song starts with Hammer getting his head chopped off in a guillotine. The head then procedes to bounce around the floor, rapping the lyrics to the song. From there, we see Hammer as the victim of much of the family's torturous amusement. Hammer, his dancers, and his big pants also make sure to bust some pretty wicked moves throughout. Even Thing, the Addams' pet hand, leads the viewer through the chorus in part of the song.

In a nutshell this video is pretty legit. In fact, it is almost 2 legit 2 quit. With that said, and with the Halloween holiday just around the corner, enjoy this devilishly funny trip back to a time when MC Hammer was all the rage. Scary, isn't it?

Buckcherry

September 19, 2006 -- Val Air Ballroom, West Des Moines, Iowa

Hank here, glad to be posting again as your concert/beat writer. I haven’t posted in a while, but hope to do so now with regularity. So for all who have missed me, (I’m sure it’s a ton of you) I’m back. You might think I haven’t been to a concert in a while, but that is quite the contrary. It's just that I have seen some bands (Staind, Breaking Benjamin, Evans Blue etc…) that I have already posted about, so I had no need to repost them. So without further adieu, here goes:

The Bangkok Five

With my lovely companion in tow, we arrived at the magnificient Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines just in time to catch the opener, The Bangkok Five. I’m not going to lie, I don’t think I needed to hurry to catch this band. I went to their site prior to the show and listened to their debut single off of their debut EP Who’s Gonna Take Us Alive?, and I really enjoyed the song. I also enjoyed "Karmakazi," "Spread Eagle," and "Starting Me Up," so I was a little excited to see them. However, seeing them in concert, I was a little disappointed. The five-piece just seemed to be making a lot of noise on stage and not really attempting to create any flow. They have a nice jangly guitar to complement the noise, but it seemed to get lost in all the noise. The band ‘complemented’ their sound with lots of random screaming, yelling, and guitar chords between songs, for absolutely no reason at all. I almost felt like I was at a Henry Rollins rant instead of a rock concert. Add on their constant complaining of the record industry and how unsigned bands get no respect, and it just got downright annoying. They seem like a band that’s in it for just the sex, drugs, and partying, and not so much the music, even uttering a nice phrase like “….there’s lots of underage pussy in here.” Classy.

Here’s a hint guys: most of your audience are high school kids who live at home with their parents or are poor college age or post-graduate 20 something’s who deal with a lot more crap than you do, so don’t preach to us about how much you’ve suffered. We know how much the record industry sucks (i.e. Napster downloading controversy), so thanks for the reminder. We’re paying good money to see you play (which I’m guessing is your dream come true, so how bad is your life??), so spare us your sob story and give us some positive energy. It was almost as bad as listening to a band bring political onesidedness on stage, something I absolutely will not tolerate. Music knows no bounds, so alienating fans who pay good money at your concert just to bash a certain political party is uncalled for. Speak about it on TV or in an interview or even in your lyrics, but in between songs, just thank the crowd from being there. How can I say this and be a Rage Against the Machine fan? They hated both Republicans and Democrats equally, and did not hold their hatred for anyone. Plus, when you went to their shows, you KNEW what you were getting!

Ok, so sorry about the rant, it’s just that I felt The Bangkok Five’s performance in concert didn’t do them justice. Their lead singer Frost has a good animated voice, he just needs to channel it and make it more powerful. They have a good sound, just need more practice getting the crowd involved. I’m sure it is hard being a newer band and winning fans, but even the best bands out there will tell you it’s not how good your songs are, just how you connect with your audience. I really think this band has a good future, if they can just perfect their visual show. Give them a listen here, I think you will enjoy them.

Buckcherry

From the instant Josh Todd, took the stage, he just exuded the look of a rock star: shirtless, stick skinny, leather pants, lots of tats, and crazy; he could have carried the crowd all night. Blazing into a great opening song “So Far”, he dominated the ambiance of the steamy Val Air all night. Being a med student, I found it humorous when girls talked of how accentuated his “penis muscles” were than night. Penis muscles? You know what I’m talking about; it’s the lower part of the abdomen on the sides where the curve seems to lead right toward the center and to his ‘nether-regions.’ If you can’t picture what I’m talking about, just picture D’Angelo in his very steamy video “Untitled” standing there naked with this shirt off, and you will know what I’m talking about. Well, I’ve heard numerous girls talk about how ‘sexy’ this is on a guy, and Josh Todd was in full effect in this category. However, it’s disappointing for these girls when I tell them that’s it’s no special ‘penis muscle,’ just the end of the rectus abdominus muscles on the abdomen, and the apparent line is just the inguinal ligament running over a relatively non-muscular region of the body, providing the pathway where the testes descend into the scrotum during development (consequently the same area where men tend to get hernias, since it is such a weak area – learn something new everyday, huh?). So not so exciting huh? Ok sorry, I’m sure what was boring, but you can’t say you aren’t smarter from having read this article!

Buckcherry played a strong set, focusing on their new CD Fifteen (which I think is dynamite), and hitting important tracks from their first two CD’s. They really nailed and their sappy slow song, “Sorry.” And they played my companion’s favorite song, the title track off of their new EP, “Fifteen,” which made us very happy. I did have a question about one thing from their presentation: they were displaying their old artwork from their first album as their background. Wouldn’t you think you’d want to show off your new artwork from the album you are supposed to be promoting?? Just a thought…. I did really like another piece of 'artwork' they included, which consisted of two girls dancing just behind the drum set. Was there any reason for it? Probably not, but would you expect anything less of Buckcherry? I mean, c’mon, these are the same guys who just had a lawsuit filed against them about some girl who appeared in their video when she was underage!

When they finally got into my personal fave song “Crazy Bitch,” they added a little impromptu break in the middle of the song, adding “The Stroke,” and “Fire” from Billy Squire and The Ohio Players, respectively. Two interesting, but effective, choices indeed. They then plowed through the rest of their set, not missing a beat all night. "Broken Glass" and "Next 2 You" lived up to expectations as move-your-body songs. As they played “Lit up” into their encore, Josh Todd made us repeat “cocaine” over and over (possibly to make us crave some?), even telling us that it "helps him drink more Budweiser." Can’t say I have personal experience, but it sounds interesting (I guess). As the set ended, I left feeling very satisfied, except for them leaving "Brooklyn" out of the set. When I first heard their new CD Fifteen, I was completely blown away with how much they had matured since I first heard them in 1999. It’s a complete album, filled with all types of songs. Somebody much wiser than myself told me they were starting to sound much like the Black Crowes. I first scoffed at the idea, since the Crowes are one of my favorite bands, but after listening to their album and experiencing them in concert, they definitely fit into that southern rock mode. They have really found their sound, and I was lucky to have caught them at their peak. Check out pictures of the concert courtesy of Lazer 103.3.

I will leave you with this quote straight from Josh Todd’s mouth:

"What excites you Iowa? For me, it’s big tits and a fat fucking ass!”
-Josh Todd

We shall speak again soon. Until then, adios!

Coming soon: Hopefully Godsmack and Alice in Chains shows.

Underrated and Overhyped: The Trials and Tribulations of K-Fed

"I'm the most talked-about of anyone over the last couple of years." That's what Britney Spears coattail rider (and spouse) Kevin Federline told Entertainment Weekly recently. When asked by the publication to name the most underrated rap artist, he replied with a simple, but concise, "Me."

Oh, the world can be a horrible place for a faux artist like Federline. But wait, the agony doesn't cease there: "I used to be embarrassed to go to the store and buy tampons [for Britney], but that's all past tense. Once you make it through that, then you're good."

Between the critics, and the supermarket favors for his wife, it is obvious K-Fed is a tortured soul. On that note, who could possibly resist the cheer-up factor of Federline's single 'Lose Control?' I know I can't:

The Peasant, Damien DeRose

There are a bajillion singer-songwriters out there vying for king of the lo-fi circuit, but Damien DeRose is a stand out for many reasons. At the young age of 20, DeRose, known as Peasant, sold-out every pressing of his debut Fear Not... Remarkably, Fear Not... was self-released and distributed on his own time.

The Wind is the most recent work made available by this underground folk phenomenon. But if you're interested in acquiring this latest piece by Peasant, you better take action fast: only 200 copies of this release will be pressed.

Below you can stream one of the featured tracks, 'I can't Believe You're Believin,'' or you can download it here. Additionally, you can also stream The Wind.

Peasant - 'I Can't Believe You're Believin''

No Wait Wait

No Wait Wait is a spectacular outfit from Duluth, Minnesota. The band was formed when New Yorker Marc Gartman traveled to the "air conditoned city" for a brief visit, but ended up falling in love with the burg and starting the group instead.

The album About You is No Wait Wait's latest, and you can stream the entire disc here. I have also included a stream to the single 'Don't Give Up (On Your Man)' below. Additionally, you can download that same track here.

No Wait Wait - 'Don't Give Up (On Your Man)'

Norwegian Electro Rockers 120 Days

Just in time for Halloween comes an eerie, yet enchanting single from Scandanavian foursome 120 Days. An excerpt from their press release:

The four young men of 120 Days have already graced the stages at Reading and Leeds Festivals in the UK. Their self-titled debut album hits stores on Oct 10, and can best be described as the new dawn in electronic rock. Featuring vintage keyboards, droning guitars, and a drum machine reminiscent of Kraftwerk and NEU, this band has become all the rage in their home country.

You can find out more about 120 Days by visiting their official website, download 'Come Out, Come Down, Fade Out, Be Gone' here, or stream the single below.

120 Days - 'Come Out, Come Down, Fade Out, Be Gone'

Jimmy Chamberlain Speaks About New Smashing Pumpkins Album

From Monsters and Critics:

Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin has broken his silence about the reunited band`s new album, which, as previously reported, will feature production by Roy Thomas Baker (Queen). Still up in the air is who, if anyone, Chamberlin and Pumpkins mainman Billy Corgan are playing with in the studio.

Read the rest of the article here.

According to Axl, Xtina is One of the Greatest

Is Axl Rose going soft in middle age? First, the GNR bad boy backs down from the fists of milquetoast clothing mogul Tommy Hilfiger. Now he professes his adoration for pop superstar Christina Aguilera?

According to Soundgenerator, Aguilera told Blender in a recent interview that Rose personally revealed to her that he thought she was "one of the greatest vocalists of our time" backstage at the VMAs in late August. The sultry sexpot disclosed to the magazine that she thought the compliment was "sweet."

With Axl's new savoir-faire, is it possible that the former posterchild of bad behavior is ready to re-enter society from his reclusive cocoon of the past decade---or more importantly, to finally drop the long fabled Chinese Democracy to the public? The album is rumored to have a release date of November 21, 2006.

Ted's Song of the Week - 10/17/06

Bling (Confessions of a King)
The Killers
Sam's Town

Well, the Killers couldn't live up to the hype. Before Sam's Town dropped in stores, the group had been touting their latest musical effort as "one of the best albums in the past 20 years". However, the Las Vegas quartet fell far short of those expectations, but still managed to eke out one of the best albums of 2006, which isn't exactly a bad thing.

Sam's Town has been able to produce a solid first single in "When You Were Young" and with the second single "Bones" to be released shortly, the group will once again celebrate success on the synth-rock circuit.

After listening to the album a number of times, I've found that my favorite track would have to be "Bling (Confessions of a King)". With a brooding intro, the song slowly builds steam and releases a haymaker of intensity. Vocalist Brandon Flowers leads the charge on a track that clearly borrows a couple pages out of U2's playbook.

The Killers - Bling (Confessions of a King)

Paul McCartney To Trademark His Name

The headline says it all. Paul McCartney is in the process of making his name a legal trademark. You can read more details here.

Hawkins Blows $300,000 on Blow; Leaves The Darkness

After admitting that he has spent over a quarter of a million dollars on cocaine, lead singer for The Darkness, Justin Hawkins, has split from the band. The Darkness have immediate plans to look for a new front man. In the meantime, Hawkins will be entering rehab.

Read the rest of the story here.

10 Reasons You Shouldn't Go to Film School

Just in case you were thinking about investing thousands of dollars in a film school curriculum, DVGuru has ten reasons listed for why that may be a bad idea. Read the list here.

Ted's Song of the Week - 10/11/06

Live To Win
Paul Stanley
Live To Win

If you happened to catch the latest episode of South Park, entitled "Make Love, Not Warcraft," you would have heard the latest from KISS guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley during the hilarious montage sequence of the show. "Live to Win" is a guitar-driven dervish of arena-rock that would make Megadeth proud. If you ever need a cheesy pump-up track for the next sporting event, this is the song for you.

This is only the second solo effort from Stanley, but it may as well be his last. "Live to Win" is a catchy track, but it also sounds a bit forced. The lyrics are laughable and elementary. I have to wonder if Stanley even took this seriously. In a nutshell, this track is so bad that it's awesome. This isn't the first time that Stanley has tread down this road of mediocre greatness. His work on KISS's Psycho Circus is a prime example of this.

All in all, Paul Stanley should retire while he still has some some rock credibility. Otherwise, he'll have to rely on South Park to promote his wares.

To see the song put to use in South Park, click here.

Paul Stanley - Live To Win

Wham! To Regroup

Fashion experts say the 80s are coming back, and as latest reports suggest, so is Wham! According to Soundgenerator, Andrew Ridgeley is reuniting with George Michael for a concert this Christmas. Ridgely's presence is nescessary in order to provide critical "oohs" and "aahs" for the background vocals.

To celebrate the comeback, I'm posting the video to Lonely Note contributor fave, 'Everything She Wants.' Maybe the George Michael hologram hair will make a reapperance as well??



Some people work for a living, some people work for fun, Girl I just work for yooouuuu!

Paris and Nicole Bury the Hatchet

North Korea may have tested its nuke today, but at least I can sleep a little easier knowing that Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie are friends again. As the picture above attests, the two were spotted together over the weekend.

Does this mean Nicole will be invited to duet on the new Paris album?

Leak of the Year?

Idolator claims to have a leak of the new Jay-Z song. Get it while it's hot here.

Caught On Tape: Robbie Williams - 'Rock DJ'

When Robbie Williams burst onto the American pop culture scene (ca.1999) with his hit single, 'Millenium,' he was already rich and famous in his British homeland. However, I was completely out of the loop and had no idea. So, I can distinctly remember watching the music video, and thinking, "Who is this weiner? And why is he pretending to be so wealthy and popular?"

Well, little did I know that he had cut his teeth in the early 90s brit-pop sensation, Take That - which could be taken as the UK's answer to New Kids on the Block. Remember the song 'Back for Good?' Well, while Take That never took off as much in the USA, their popularity overseas helped pave the way for Williams' extravagant solo endeavors. His first American success wasn't gained until the release of The Ego Has Landed, which had been produced as a compilation album.

In 2000, Williams followed up his success with a fresh album - aptly-titled, Sing When You're Winning. This album spawned the popular single, 'Rock DJ.' What helped propel 'Rock DJ' to fame was the shock value of its music video. Creative and a bit disgusting, the video portrays Williams singing to a group of his adoring fans. And throwing himself to them...literally. The video takes a slightly naughty twist from the get go, as Williams begins to perform a striptease to his song - throwing his clothes to the crowd as he goes. Before long, ol' Robbie is as naked as a jay bird, with only a little video editing to cover up necessary areas. But the video doesn't end there.

This darkly humorous video is clever in that it seems to pose a valid question: 'What more can an artist give once he's been stripped of his clothes?' If you haven't seen the video and are interested in finding out Robbie Williams' answer to that question, look no further. And, if you HAVE seen it before, well...another viewing surely won't hurt.




"What's a guy gotta do to get a little attention around here?!"

Gertie Fox - 'Modern Love'

The first 15 seconds of 'Modern Love' are confusing: you almost start to believe it is 1994 and that great riff you hear playing is in fact the new Dinosaur Jr. record. While Gertie Fox may be very accessible here in the present day, their music sounds strikingly familar to those of us who never knew a time before MTV, but who are old enough to remember when only drug dealers and stock brokers had cell phones.

You can find out more about this great band here, download the MP3 for 'Modern Love', or listen to the song below:

Gertie Fox - 'Modern Love'

Did Brandon Flowers Kill a Man?

Brandon Flowers may sing for a band named The Killers, but could he actually be a literal killer himself? Gigwise reports the "frontman has admitted that he once accidentally ran someone over while driving, but wasn't told what happened, causing him to fear he killed someone."

Read the details here.

Bossanova - 'Calvary'

Bossanova's latest, Hey Sugar, has been available for a good portion of 2006, but it wasn't until recently that the tasty nugget 'Calvary' was brought to my attention. The Vancouver outfit utilizes organs and keyboards to produce classic pop throughout the album, and such strategies are apparant here.

Below I've included a stream to 'Calvary', or you can download the actual MP3 here.

Bossanova - 'Calvary'

Tap It Out!

Have you ever come across a song that you absolutely loved at first listen, yet you didn't know the title, artist, and/or lyrics? Unless you have friends who can identify this mystery track through your off-key humming, it's fair to say that you're going to have to wait for another time to identify the song. Or do you?

There is an online program named Song Tapper that can identify your mystery track through the simple procedure of tapping the melody on the computer's spacebar. I spent a half-hour testing it out and found that it was right roughly 50% of the time, but those odds aren't too bad for rocking out the keyboard.

Song Tapper will usually produce ten guesses to what the song may be, so you can get a variety of interesting results. For instance, I typed in the melody to Nelly Furtado's "Promiscuous Girl" and ended up getting that track plus Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back" and Slipknot's "Spit It Out".

To check out the site, click here.

Ted's Song of the Week - 10/03/06

Punkrocker
Teddybears
Soft Machine

If NYC hipsters Interpol were to take Ritalin, you might get a taste of what the Teddybears sound like. With a mixture of poppy effects, varied vocalists and throbbing beats, this Swedish group has found an excellent recipe for a quality album. It comes as somewhat of a surprise, being that the group was formerly part of the Norwegian black metal scene in the early 90's. I guess it goes to show that there's a pop-junkie in even the most hardcore of musicians.

"Punkrocker" is one my personal favorites on the album. It is an infectious song that will have one chanting along to the chorus in no time. As a special bonus, Iggy Pop guest-vocals on the track.

Fun Fact: Guitarist Joakim Åhlund also plays lead guitar for The Caesars, the group that gave us "Jerk It Out" (From those insufferable iPod commercials).

Teddybears - Punkrocker

21st Century Bluesman Paolo Nutini

Paolo Nutini has a name that sounds Italian, but he's entirely Scottish. He has jammed with Jimmy Page and Robert Plant at the Montreux Jazz Festival, and he's known for his mellowed-out cover of the Lovin' Spoonful's 'Daydream.'

These Streets, Nutini's debut, dropped all the way back in July, but he's only now starting to get more attention here in the states. Below is track number one off that album, the bluesy 'Jenny Don't Be Hasty.'

Paolo Nutini - 'Jenny Don't Be Hasty'