Nouvelle Vague Not Vague About New Album Release Date

The French group Nouvelle Vague, who do bossa nova/lounge covers of 80's New Wave/Post-Punk tracks, are set for their second U.S. album release on August 22. The new album, Bande A Part, finds them bringing in several vocalists to cover the following tracks:

1. Echo and the Bunnymen's "The Killing Moon"
2. Buzzcocks' "Ever Fallen in Love"
3. Lords of the New Church's "Dance With Me"
4. Yazoo's "Don't Go"
5. Billy Idol's "Dancing with Myself"
6. Blondie's "Heart of Glass"
7. The Wake's "O Pamela"
8. New Order's "Blue Monday"
9. The Cramps' "Human Fly"
10. Bauhaus' "Bela Lugosi's Dead
11. The Sound's "Escape Myself"
12. Heaven 17's "Let Me Go"
13. Visage's "Fade to Grey
14. Blancmange's "Waves"

Other editions of the album include covers of The Smiths' "Sweet and Tender Hooligan", New Order's "Confusion", U2's "Pride(In the Name of Love)", and Siouxsie & the Banshees' "Israel", among others.

Since I share an appreciation for both 80's music and lounge, I've continuously found Nouvelle Vague's sound very refreshing . Take a listen to the band's chilled-out cover of Yazoo's "Don't Go."
Nouvelle Vague - "Don't Go (Yazoo cover)"

And in case you've forgotten about the fantasic original, check out the link below.
Yazoo - "Don't Go" mp3 (via ZShare)

New Breaking Benjamin

Is it Adema? No, it's the new Breaking Benjamin. However, it does sound like lead singer Ben Burley is sporting a new voice---one very similar to the vocals of Mark Chavez.

Here is the new single, 'The Diary of Jane:'

Breaking Benjamin - 'The Diary of Jane'

Cornell to Perform Next Bond Film Themesong

Chris Cornell, whose busy life Ted highlighted awhile back, is set to write and perform the next James Bond themesong. Casino Royale opens in theaters this November, and it is the first film in the series to feature actor Daniel Craig.

Cornell's band Audioslave is set to release its third album September 5th. It is entitled Revelations.

Jennings Criticizes Jeopardy!

A posting on the website of Ken Jennings, the winningest Jeopardy! contestant ever, blasts the show for being "left coast" and outdated. Interestingly enough, it was on this very game show where Jennings accumulated nearly 2.5 million dollars in winnings. Even show host Alex Trebek wasn't safe from the diatribe, when Jennings compared his manner to that of a robot ("Trebektron 4000").

Can somebody please cue NIN's 'Bite the Hand that Feeds?'

The entire text of the letter lies below:

Dear Jeopardy!,

Hey, I hope you remember me. It’s been a while since we talked. We were a bit of an item a couple years back, in all the papers, but I think we both know that was just a summer thing. The last time we saw each other…well, the magic just wasn’t there. That’s why I don’t mind when I see you with a new special someone. Or two. Nearly every night! … I’m sorry, is this sounding passive-aggressive? I don’t mean to badger you. I remember that, when we were together, it seems like all I ever did was nag you with questions.

Let me start again. What I really wanted to talk to you about was your image. You’ve got a good twenty years on you now, and that’s Trebek-era alone. Times have changed since your debut, but when I watch you, it’s the same-old same-old: the same format, the same patter, the same fonts, the same everything as when I first crushed out on you in fourth grade. You’re like the Dorian Gray of syndication. You seem to think “change” means replacing a blue polyethylene backdrop with a slightly different shade of blue polyethylene backdrop every presidential election or so. Would you mind a few suggestions on how you might really freshen up your act a bit?

Read the rest of the letter here.

Ted's Song of the Week - 7/25/06

Settling Down
Jerry Cantrell
Boggy Depot

Every once in awhile, I'll blow the dust off of the records that defined my early years for a bit of nostalgia. You know what I mean. All it takes is one song to bring you back to a specific time, place, or achievement. That's the brilliance of music. Everyone's life has a soundtrack, although some may have a bit more background music than others. One of the albums that carved itself a niche in my life was Jerry Cantrell's Boggy Depot.

Released in 1998, Boggy Depot came at a time when angst, confusion, and "being misunderstood" were commonplace in my world. In other words, I was a teenager. Coincidentally, grunge was still lingering on the music scene, so my attitudes and the music of the time were alligned fairly well. This album was successful because it managed to capture the gloomy sound of grunge without totally getting sucked into the downward spiral of the genre.

My friends were all fairly big fans of Cantrell's Alice In Chains, so this solo record didn't have too much of a problem findings its way into our listening rotation. With tracks like "Cut You In" and "My Song" getting decent radio play, Boggy Depot found a decent amount of commercial appeal and gave AIC fans some satisfaction until the next record could be produced.

"Settling Down" never got a whole lot of attention on Boggy Depot, but I always thought it was one of the album's finest tracks. Cantrell delivers this melancholy confessional with a sincerity that makes one believe he's desperately in need of a hug. Of course, the haunting bass-line delivered by Fishbone bassist Norword Fisher helps to create this "only happy when it rains" mood. Enjoy!

Jerry Cantrell - Settling Down

Would Bob Marley approve?

In an interesting musical twist, Easy Star Records will be releasing a reggae tribute to Radiohead on August 22. While the concept of a Radiohead tribute is not out of the ordinary, it would seem to be a peculiar choice to bring the reggae element to such Radiohead classics like "Subterranean Homesick Alien" and "Karma Police." However, Easy Star CEO Eric Smith believes that reggae and Radiohead go together like peas and carrots.

CEO Eric Smith:

Reggae has always tackled dark subject matter, but manages to do it in a way that still conveys hope at the bleakest moments. Radiohead's approach is similar."

The album is entitled Radiodread and will primarily cover Radiohead's masterpiece OK Computer.

Radiodread's track listing:

Airbag (featuring Horace Andy)
Paranoid Android (featuring Kirsty Rock)
Subterranean Homesick Alien (featuring Junior Jazz)
Exit Music (For A Film) (featuring Sugar Minott)
Let Down (featuring Toots & The Maytals)
Karma Police (featuring Citizen Cope)
Fitter Happier (featuring Menny More)
Electioneering (featuring Morgan Heritage)
Climbing Up The Walls (featuring Tamar-kali)
No Surprises (featuring The Meditations)
Lucky (featuring Frankie Paul)
The Tourist (featuring Israel Vibration)
Exit Music (For A Dub)
An Airbag Saved My Dub

AskMen.com Names the Top 10 Rock Diss Songs

Askmen.com, which probably doesn't need to rely on a referral from us, has posted their compilation of the Top 10 Rock Diss Songs of all time. To qualify as a "diss," the song had to be an attack aimed from the artist towards another notable figure or celebrity. The site makes it clear that due to the excessive amount of 'dissing' evident in much of Rap/Hip Hop music, that this particular list would be inclusive only to the Rock N Roll genre. Everyone from Fleetwood Mac to Limp Bizkit is on here. Who wins the top spot? Check it out, and see for yourself.

A Visit to Taliesin

Yesterday, I took a daytrip to Wisconsin to tour Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin. Wright, often credited as the greatest of American architects, spent a good part of his life building, rebuilding, and remodeling the home/studio. Resting on the brow of a high hill outside the small town of Spring Green, less than an hour from Madison, Taliesin was Wright's architectural experiment, and allowed him an abundance of creative freedom.

It is truly remarkable to find oneself walking around inside of Wright's mind. Here was a man so deeply immersed in his work that it often feels his designs leave nothing to be accounted for. His concepts of organic architecture can easily be seen at Taliesin, which moves harmoniously with the landscape rather than simply resting upon it.

In recognition of my excursion, and by the suggestion of my traveling companion, I'm including an audiopost of the Simon and Garfunkel classic, 'So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright.' Coming off of S&G's highly-successful final album, 1970's Bridge Over Troubled Water, this track seemed befitting for a leisurely drive through the hills on a wet summer day.


Simon & Garfunkel - 'So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright'

Snakes on a Plane OST

For those unaware, the "critically acclaimed" Snakes on a Plane will be hitting a theater near you in less than a month! Not only am I looking forward to Samuel L. Jackson sputtering sure-to-be-memorable lines such as "We got muthafuckin' snakes!" (refer to mock poster below), but the soundtrack isn't looking too shabby either.




Although the tracklisting for the upcoming disc is largely emo, it does contain tunes from some up and coming bands from other genres that deserve exposure. According to wikipedia, here are the songs that will be contained on the soundtrack:


Tracklisting
Cobra Starship - "Snakes on a Plane (Bring It)"
Panic! at the Disco - "The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide is Press Coverage (Tommie Sunshine Brooklyn Fire Remix)"
The Academy Is... - "Black Mamba (Teddybears Remix)"
Cee-Lo - "Ophidiophobia"
The All-American Rejects - "Can't Take It (El Camino Prom Wagon Remix)"
The Sounds - "Queen of Apology (Patrick Stump Remix)"
Fall Out Boy - "Of All the Gin Joints in All the World (Tommie Sunshine Brooklyn Fire Retouch)"
Gym Class Heroes - "New Friend Request (Hi-Tek Remix)"
The Bronx - "Around the Horn (Louis XIV Remix)"
Armor For Sleep - "Remember to Feel Real (Machine Shop Remix)"
The Hush Sound - "Wine Red (Tommie Sunshine Brooklyn Fire Retouch)"
Jack's Mannequin - "Bruised (Remix)"
Coheed and Cambria - "Wake Up (Acoustic)"
Donavon Frankenreiter - "Lovely Day"
Michael Franti & Spearhead - "Hey Hey Now"
Trevor Rabin - "Snakes on a Plane - The Theme"

The soundtrack will be released August 15.

Ted's Song of the Week - 07/19/06

Starlight
Muse
Black Holes and Revelations

I've been listening to this album non-stop since its release last week. While it doesn't possess the same charm that their previous album Absolution had, Black Holes and Revelations is definitely worth purchasing. From start to finish, Muse's newest offering is a rollercoaster of ups and downs that features a rare versatility that the group has only begun to showcase.

The trio from England decided to use a lot more synthesizers in their latest release, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Much like Radiohead, Muse has steadily evolved their sound to incorporate a number of instruments to keep their art fresh and interesting without "selling out".

"Starlight" is the second track on Black Holes and Revelations. It is rumored to be released as the second single, which doesn't come as a surprise to yours truly. I knew from the moment I first heard the song that it was meant for radio-play. I was particularly impressed with singer Matthew Bellamy, who evokes images of both Billy Joel and U2's Bono in this celestial ballad.

Muse - Starlight

Pearl Jam Concert Reviewer Compares Group to Stones

In the wake of a transition to a new career and a new address, I'm choosing to forego my own writing tonight and highlight an interesting review from Jim Harrington, staff writer for insidebayarea.com:

The analogy that Nirvana and Pearl Jam were, respectively, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones of the '90s continues to be a valid one. Nirvana had a comparatively brief, yet utterly brilliant, career that changed the very face of the music world. The band was led by a genius lyricist, Kurt Cobain, who was often likened to the great John Lennon. Nirvana's legacy has been colored both by what it accomplished and by what might have been. All of that basically fits the Beatles' mold.

Pearl Jam, despite its overwhelming success, was usually ranked as the second most important band of its era. The group has managed to outlast its contemporaries, although it hasn't had a major hit record in years. Those same things could be said about the Stones.

The most important shared trait between Pearl Jam and the Rolling Stones — at least for our purposes — is that they're great live acts.

That's not to say Nirvana and the Beatles weren't. But Pearl Jam and the Stones thrive in the live arena like few others.

On Saturday night at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, Pearl Jam certainly made a convincing case that it deserves to be included among rock's finest live acts. The group delivered a no-frills evening of tuneful hard rock that moved like a juggernaut for more than two hours.

Is PJ the Rolling Stones of a new generation? Read the rest of the San Francisco concert review here.

Alice Mudgarden

Keeping in theme with Ted's most recent post on Chris Cornell's next solo endeavour, I've decided to grace you all with a track from one of Cornell's earliest side projects: Alice Mudgarden.

Alice Mudgarden was a one song collaboration featuring Layne Staley, Mark Arm, and Chris Cornell. The song is entitled 'Right Turn' and can be heard below:

Alice Mudgarden - 'Right Turn'

Cornell's side project

Rock icon Chris Cornell has been balancing a hectic schedule lately. If it isn't enough that his group Audioslave has an album due for release on September 12, the singer has also ventured forth into the culinary and fashion worlds. Add his second bout with fatherhood to the mix and one may get a brief glimpse of how much this guy is capable of. Apparently, Cornell wants to add another activity to his agenda by releasing a second solo album.

In an interview with AOL Music News, Cornell discussed the possible directions this new solo album may go.

When I did the first [solo album] there was definitely a bit of surprise, because people expected it was going to be more in the vein of acoustic, and it wasn't, really. I feel like the songs for this second one may be more in that direction.

While the prospect of a new Cornell solo album is exciting, the singer has indicated that a release will not clash with Audioslave's forthcoming album.

This record comes out in September, and I don't really want the two to be fighting.

For further Cornell news, check out Steve's post on the first time Cornell went solo.

Kasabian Vs. The Automatic

In yet another feud between bands, The Automatic have responded to Kasabian's recent ill-hearted statements against them by calling Kasabian "pathetic:"

Asked what acts he hated, Pennie (keyboardist for The Automatic) told The Barfly: “Well I’m not going to be as pathetic as Kasabian and slag other bands off… there’s just no need for it."

Last week, Kasabian cursed the music industry and called The Automatic "horrible," Pete Doherty a "fucking tramp," and continued to lay down insults about a couple of other bands. Kasabian's tirade against these bands stemmed from frustration at the British music scene for being too depressing, negative, and miserable.

Now if only Brandon Flowers would say something mean about Kasabian, we could have a grudge match that spanned the transatlantic!

Ted's Song of the Week - 7/11/06

Certain Kind of Light
Gus Black
Autumn Days

When I first heard this track, I got the feeling that I had heard this artist before. As far as I knew, Gus Black was simply an emerging Indie artist on the music scene. After a bit of research, I found that the guy has been around for the last ten years and has contributed a song to the original Scream soundtrack. He's the artist who did the bang-up job of covering Blue Öyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper." At that time, he was simply going by the name of Gus. Go figure!

"Certain Kind of Light" is one of those rare tracks that I enjoyed from the very start. It's bold, simplistic, and subtly intense. A great song for a roadtrip mix.

To find out more about this up-and-coming artist, check out his official website or myspace page.

Gus Black - Certain Kind of Light


As an added bonus, check out Black's BOC cover. He definitely adds a unique touch to the song.

Gus Black - Don't Fear the Reaper

Adam Carolla Hangs Up on Ann Coulter

This isn't quite music related, but I had to post anyway. Listen to the link below to hear the "only interview with Ann Coulter where she didn't say something offensive:"

Ann Coulter is tight on time.mp3
(From Adam Carolla's radio show)

Chad Smith to U2 and Black Eyed Peas: Sellouts

For their decisions to let Apple use their music in iPod commercials, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith has branded U2 and the Black Eyed Peas sellouts:

"I'd feel like a jerk if we did that. But they're all lining up to do it. I think Black Eyed Peas look like a bunch of idiots. It's dangerous. The U2 song on the iPod when it came out was weird and it was longer and it had more parts."

For other Chad Smith "news" refer to Tae's post highlighting Smith's striking resemblance to Zoolander villian Mugatu.

Musical Easter Eggs

Easter eggs, in this case, are hidden features in DVDs, CDs, books, and the like. I recently stumbled upon a very interesting website that identifies easter eggs found in many of our favorite albums. For instance, did you know that Radiohead's OK Computer contains ingredients needed to make a McDonald's hamburger in its album sleeves? Or have you heard about the secret picture found inside the jewel case of Tool's Undertow?

You can discover these secrets and many more by clicking here.

Interpol to return in '07

Rock group Interpol has been hard at work on their third studio album, which they've been working on since early 2006. The album is expected to be released sometime in 2007.

The group released the following statement on their official website:

We’re hard at work on the writing of album three. We’ve been at it for six months - in case you heard we were on hiatus. We’re all very excited about it and think that you will be too. Having yet to record, we can only say that Release will come sometime next year.

In addition, Interpol did reveal some working titles for a couple of tracks they are working on. With song titles like "The Heinrich Maneuver" and "Pawn Shop" on the docket, the third Interpol album is slowly taking shape into something that hopefully resembles their fabulous debut, Turn on the Bright Lights.

Stay tuned for more Interpol updates.

Caught On Tape: Smashing Pumpkins - 'Tonight Tonight'

Once, in college, I took a course in the History of Photography. Because of a particular resonance with me, I chose to write the largest of my research papers on the beginnings of the motion picture, as it emerged from still photography.

Early works from photographers such as Eadweard Muybridge in the mid to late 1800's found that when multiple photographs of a movement were taken in succession over a short span of time, and then placed next to one another, the human eye could form a connection between them to show the way in which things move. Due to earlier research on the eye's ability to retain information for 1/10 of a second, devices such as the zoetrope had already been finding success depicting illustrated 'motion.' Once the exposure time of photography became short enough to freeze-frame a moving object, the concept of creating motion pictures began to flourish. As technology continued to expand, and the capability of motion pictures increased, filmmakers began to emerge. At first, these short films stuck to showing everyday occurrences, but as the possibilities expanded, so did the ideas.

Now, I realize up until now this seems to have little reference to my headline. Film obviously had a long way to go before the more current age of computer technology and music videos. But it was the work of a French stage owner, named Georges Melies, that directly affected the following music video by The Smashing Pumpkins.

Melies saw an opportunity to use film for narrative entertainment - to bring the stage to film. While many did not share his sentiments, he made his attempt. Through an accident involving some film getting caught during recording, he realized the ability to manipulate the medium. With his prior experience in magic, he began hand coloring frames, editing frames through slow and fast motion, and even superimposing figures. These 'trick films' caught the world by surprise. His 1902 film, Le Voyage dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon), is still regarded as one of the earliest and most important works in narrative film history.

Fast forward more than 90 years into the future to 1996, when The Smashing Pumpkins won 7 Mtv Video Music Awards for their single, 'Tonight, Tonight.' The music video pays homage to Melies' legendary work, adopting many of the original's scenes directly. The creativity used in transforming the classic into a newer medium makes this arguably one of the top music videos ever made. The ship shown at the end of the video is even named the S.S. Melies, to honor the pioneering filmmaker.



Click here to view Melies' original Le Voyage dans la Lune(1902)!

The Worst Album Covers Ever

They may create great tunes, but sometimes even the best of musicians releases an album cover that would burn the rods and cones out of the healthiest of eyes. DJLanda at Rateyourmusic.com has compiled a list of 100 of these aesthetic monstrosities, and has even added humorous descriptions to go along with each of them.

Unsurprisingly, weirdo Prince makes several appearances on the list; as do The Scorpions.

You can view the entire list here.

Seether's "One Cold Night"

On July 11th, Seether will release an acoustic album which was taped live from a February show at Philadelphia's Grape Street.

This acoustic 13-track CD/DVD contains tracks from their first 3 albums, including a cover of Pearl Jam's "Immortality" from their 1995 release Vitalogy.

While One Cold Night can't be purchased until July 11th, you can stream it here. I have been playing "The Gift" incessantly the last few days!

Here is the track list for the acoustic LP:

1. "Gasoline"
2. "Driven Under"
3. "Diseased"
4. "Truth"
5. "Immortality"
6. "Tied My Hands"
7. "Sympathetic"
8. "Fine Again"
9. "Broken" (sans Amy Lee, thank God!)
10. "The Gift"
11. "Remedy"
12. "The Gift" (radio mix)
13. "Plastic Man"

Ted's Song of the Week - 7/04/06

Soft
Second Coming
Second Coming

It's always an amazing phenomenon when the earth seems to swallow up a promising young band when they are on the cusp of stardom. Unfortunately, this was the case for Second Coming.

In the Fall of 1998, this group from Seattle, Washington unleashed their self-titled album onto a market flooded with groups like Stone Temple Pilots, Creed, and Collective Soul. The music scene was a breeding ground for the post-grunge movement. It was on the strength of singles "Vintage Eyes" and "Soft" that launched Second Coming into the rock stratosphere. With solid radio play and a tour in support of Monster Magnet, the group seemed destined for a long, successful career.

Fast-forward to the present day and one will find that Second Coming has joined Monster Magnet in the halls of forgotten rock. Of course, Monster Magnet was horrible, so they belong there, but Second Coming was a group on the legitimate rise.

The group did manage to release another album in 2003, but this failed to garner them any acclaim. Overall, it's a shame that they couldn't pull off a comeback, but at least they left us with a great track like "Soft" to remember when rock wasn't produced in a mall.

Second Coming - Soft

Happy Birthday Uncle Sam

You knew that with today being America's Independence Day, the blogosphere would be buzzing with 4th of July themed mixes. Here is one such compilation I stumbled across by way of Surviving the Golden Age. It features Piebald, Springsteen, Mellencamp, Ray Charles, the Team America theme song, and of course, one of my favorites: Liam Lynch's 'United States of Whatever.'

I have posted the latter below:

Liam Lynch - 'United States of Whatever'


Happy Birthday USA!

Lostprophets Dominate British Charts

With their third album, the Lostprophets have taken the top spot on the UK charts. Liberation Transmission has just debuted at #1 on the British album list; in retrospect, their previous album reached #4 in 2004.

For those who are still curious and haven't heard any of the new material, the first radio single, 'Rooftops,' can be heard here, courtesy of Indiependent Music (note the clever name).

Brooke Hogan's Music Debut

Yes! What everyone has been waiting for. It's Brooke Hogan's new music video. While many people may not have a clue who Brooke is, her dad is a household name. He is none other than the Hulkster himself.

Brooke takes after her famous father in numerous ways. She's tall, shares his charisma, and even lifts weights! All of this is evident in the clip below:



Will Ric "the Nature Boy" Flair's daughter Ashley follow suit and make her music debut too? Stay tuned to find out.