[MusicRatty] tag: haley

' . . . If You Wanna Dance With Me'

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:30:00 +0000

In this blogging lark – as darcy of the blog feel it once called it – we find our inspirations where we can, even in the bits and pieces left on another blog’s floor, if need be. So it was this morning when I stopped by The Great Vinyl Meltdown and pondered what caithiseach had to say in last Saturday’s post about Chuck Berry’s “Little Marie.”

Discussing Berry’s 1964 sequel to his own “Memphis, Tennessee” and the early rock ’n’ roller’s influence on the music we love, caithiseach noted a couple of covers of Berry tunes that did pretty well: the Electric Light Orchestra’s take on “Roll Over Beethoven” went to No 42 in 1973, and the Beach Boys’ version of “Rock and Roll Music” went to No. 5 during the Bicentennial summer of 1976.

I blinked. And I thought of two other Berry covers, neither of which was released as a single. The Beatles put their very good version of “Roll Over Beethoven” on their second LP, With the Beatles, released in Britain in late 1963. In the U.S., “Roll Over Beethoven” showed up on The Beatles’ Second Album, which came out in the spring of 1964. And the Fab Four’s version of “Rock and Roll Music” was released in Britain on Beatles For Sale in December 1964.

Here in the U.S., “Rock and Roll Music” was included on the first Beatles LP I ever owned: Beatles ’65.

One of our family traditions at Christmas during my childhood was that just before we left St. Cloud for the three-hour drive to my grandparents’ home, either my mom or my dad would go back into the house to check on something. While in the house, Mom or Dad would pull from a closet two additional gifts, unwrapped, and place one on my bed and one on my sister’s bed, evidence we’d find when we came home from Grandpa’s that Santa Claus had not overlooked us just because we’d been out of town.

The gifts we found on our beds were generally toys and games, standard 1960s childhood fare. Twice, my sister and I shared gifts: One year, we each found the end of a ribbon on our beds, and found the ribbons attached to the game Geography, a game we enjoyed for many years. In December of 1965, we each found an envelope, containing pieces of a note that had been cut up. We quickly realized we each had only half a note and combined our pieces. The note read:

“We come to thee from across the sea
“With melodies quite fair,
“Which you will find if you look
“There or there.”

We looked at each other, digesting the meaning of Dad’s bit of doggerel.

“It’s a record!” we said, nearly simultaneously, and we ran downstairs to the living room, where the RCA stereo and our household’s few LPs were kept. There, in the front of the stack of records, was a crisp, new copy of Beatles ’65. As soon as we unpacked a little, we were allowed to open the record and play it for the first time.

Beatles ’65 was one of those records that Capitol – which issued Beatles’ recordings in the U.S. – created piecemeal, in this case by pulling some songs from Beatles For Sale, one track from the British version of A Hard Day’s Night and adding the single “I Feel Fine/She’s A Woman,” which was not released on an album in the UK at the time.

I don’t know how well my sister liked the record. She never seemed to be too interested in the Beatles. As for me, I was still a few years from being a rock ’n’ roll boy. But I liked some of it: the opener “No Reply,” the feedback-triggered “I Feel Fine,” the sweet folk rock of “I’ll Be Back” and “I’ll Follow The Sun.” But my favorite track of all – and thus the first rock ’n’ roll cover I loved – was the Beatles’ take on Berry’s “Rock and Roll Music.”

It took years before I got around to listening to Berry’s version, which is – and I find myself feeling silly damning one of the fathers of rock ’n’ roll with faint praise – a good one. There is joy in Berry’s delivery of his classic, which was released as Chess 1671 in late 1957 and went to No. 8 on the combined charts of the time. Had I heard Berry’s original first, it might be my favorite.

But I heard the Beatles’ version first, that December night in 1965. The swift introductory chords, John Lennon’s urgent vocal, the driving accompaniment of the other Beatles behind him and the amazing piano part (Paul McCartney’s work, according to Geoff Emerick in Here, There and Everywhere) all made for one of the first rock recordings that I really loved. I wasn’t ready to give up on Al Hirt and Herb Alpert and my soundtracks yet, but man, did I love “Rock and Roll Music”!

Then there was the Beach Boys’ version a little more than a decade later, at a time when, to me, the Beach Boys were utterly irrelevant. I’m not the only one who thought so. In The Great Rock Discography, Martin C Strong writes about the band in 1976: “At this point, the Beach Boys abandoned even the slightest attempts to push their own musical boundaries, Instead [sic] relying upon tired retreads of their earlier sound.”

And when I heard the Beach Boys’ 1976 cover of “Rock and Roll Music,” released as Brother/Reprise 1354, I thought it was flabby and never gave it another thought until today.

There are other versions of Berry’s classic song, of course. All-Music Guide lists versions by the Ballroom Band, the Bay City Allstars, former Beatle Pete Best, Bingo Kids, Gary Busey (!), the Everly Brothers, Bill Haley, Ray Hamilton, Humble Pie, Jan & Dean, Tom Jones, the Manic Street Preachers, REO Speedwagon, Showaddywaddy and Tenpole Tudor, to mention only a few.

I don’t think I’ve heard any of those versions, but I know they’d have to be better than I can almost imagine to improve on the versions by Berry and the Beatles, offered below. I’m also posting the Beach Boys’ version. Enough people liked it in 1976 that it went to No. 5. I’ll just note that the Beach Boys’ version reminds me of H.L. Mencken’s comment: You’ll never go broke underestimating the taste of the American public.

Chuck Berry – “Rock and Roll Music” (1957)
3.50 MB mp3 at 192 kbps

Beatles – “Rock and Roll Music” (1964)
3.52 MB mp3 at 192 kbps

Beach Boys – “Rock and Roll Music” (1976)
3.39 MB mp3 at 192 kbps

Brother Ali & Haley Bonar @ Radio K

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:33:26 +0000

radiok twitter: Last week’s Haley Bonar and Brother Ali sessions (both with new songs) can be heard at radiok.org! Sims just wrapped up with 2 new songs.

Haley Bonar
4 songs
Oct 2, 2008

Brother Ali
4 songs
Oct 1, 2008

Don’t forget that it’s Radio K’s Power Surge…

DONATE HERE!

LAST WEEK IN LONDON

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 06:00:29 +0000

Times Square, Texas and Two Fine Ladies By Peter Coulston Hello and welcome to what promises to be a great week here in this capital of live music. I hit the ground running on Monday at the Soho Theatre on Dean Street, which was presenting My Brightest Diamond, an experimental Indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York City. The theatre is a small, modern building that is supported by the great and the good of art and business in London, and offers a wide variety of entertainment at reasonable prices. The bar downstairs has good food, exceptional cocktails (with or without alcohol) and a modern ambience. The theatre itself is upstairs and is very comfortable with good views of the stage. Marla Hansen The show started at 9pm with Marla Hansen, the viola player from the headline band performing a set of acoustic indie songs. Her vocals were delicate but effective, a cross between Suzanne Vega and Emmylou Harris, and she played her viola with her fingers making it sound like either a ukulele or a zither. The songs were equally delicate, one sounding a bit Japanese, but very enjoyable indeed. A Friend Indeed and Wedding Day were impressive and are on www.myspace.com/marlahansen. My Brightest Diamond The band itself is fronted by Shara Worden on vocals and, most of the time, a beautiful vintage Gibson cello guitar. She has incredible range and control in her vocals and is assisted by Marla Hansen on viola, Maria Jeffers on cello and Olivier Manchon on violin and saw. The music itself borrows heavily from classical and opera and needs concentration to fully appreciate its quality. To lighten things up, the band includes some magic and a puppet show in the act, which is all great fun, trust me. There were so many good songs, including If I Were Queen which could have come from a musical. Other fine material like Inside a Boy, Golden Star and The Diamond can be sampled on www.myspace.com/brightestdiamond along with the new EP, Goodbye Forever. An exceptional musical experience, which breaks a few rules and comes highly recommended by this reviewer. The Crave Tuesday was an altogether different evening at the great rock venue, Monto Water Rats on Grays Inn Road, Kings Cross. There were five bands to hear and the first one was on stage already as I arrived on the dot of 7pm. The band in question was The Crave, a four piece alterative rock outfit from Brighton. They are a very professional group full of power chords, strong vocals and slide driven guitar solos. They have just returned from the States, and this was their first London gig in two years, which is certainly our loss. For a solid, well rounded rock band, check them out on www.myspace.com/thecraveband, where you will hear and enjoy Headlights and Right Side of the Tracks among others. Baraca Music The next band up was a little heavier, a little louder and called Baracas, a London based blues/rock trio. These boys are a good but standard metal band with the lead guitarist doing most of the vocals as well, although the bass player made a pretty good job of the old Ray Charles classic, I Got a Woman. No complaints about the musicianship and songs like Cigarette and Sunshine were good vehicles for the extended guitar solos that they generated. There was a competent nod to the blues and www.myspace.com/barascasmusic will cover anything that Ive left out. Imajim My ears pricked up after the first number by Imajim, an alternative indie/rock four piece with an impressive lead singer and a slightly different approach to things. They list Radiohead as an influence and I could certainly see that, as well as a bit of Killers for good measure. They feature great harmonies, experimental rhythm and melody patterns, well constructed guitar solos and a hint of that Balkan Beat that I am always going on about. This gig was to launch their CD,We Are Speakers which I have a copy of and will be reviewing very soon. I particularly loved the title track as well as Aqualuna and Hate Love Songs which you can sample on www.myspace.com/imajim if you cant wait for my album review. They will be at the Hope and Anchor in Islington on the 21 October, and I may well be there also. The Travelling Band The Travelling Band is from Manchester and set the scene for the headliners, who are a bit more country than that which had gone before. These guys (and girl) are all a country band should be; solid songs, spot on harmonies and fine musicianship; with the organ and violin standing out. Lead vocals are moved around to allow a change of sound and mood and they can rock pretty well when necessary. Biding My Time was one of a few good songs to be found on www.myspace.com/thetravellingband. Hey Negrita Theres nothing like a party to close the evening, and who better to fit the bill than Hey Negrita, that Country/Rock band that has taken Texas by storm (no puns intended regarding the recent hurricane), and now intends to do the same here on the current UK tour. They are, of course, from the UK as all my previous reviews will testify, and are made up of Felix on vocals and acoustic guitar, Matthew Ord on all other guitars and backing vocals, Captain Bliss on harmonica and backing vocals, Paul Sandy on upright bass and Neil Findlay on drums. They have come a long way since I first heard them some years ago, and now have a dedicated fan base on both sides of the Atlantic. Their raucous style of country rock gets better every time I see them, and, despite some sound problems, this gig was no exception. Great vocals from Felix and the boys were complimented by brilliant solos on harmonica and Matthews beautiful Gretch Les Paul style guitar, an instrument favoured by Chet Atkins among others, (Felix did tell me the correct name for it, but Ive forgotten), not to mention the addition of Alabama 3 harmonica ace, Nick Reynolds, on One Mississippi. Older stuff like Devil in my Shoes, which Felix assured us was not about athletes foot, was supplemented with the catchy Room Service which is on the new album You Can Kick, which I will be reviewing soon. So just because it sounds and feels like a party, it doesnt mean that the music has to suffer: it certainly doesnt with these guys. Julia Biel A change of pace and a new location were both on the agenda on Wednesday, as I made my first visit to Café Koha at 11 St Martins Square, which is located just behind Leicester Square tube if you leave from Exit One. Upstairs there is what appears to be a very fine restaurant, while downstairs houses a quite modern wine bar with a piano and other music related equipment in one corner. The occasion was one of many showcases by Julia Biel at this venue where she also features a guest artist. My previous experience of Julias music was at the Troubadour in January last year, so I was long overdue or another listen. Julia has a soulful voice that has accurately been compared to Billie Holliday and Alison Goldfrapp among others, while she accompanies herself on either keyboards or, on this occasion, a beautiful Ibanes Cello guitar, a model often used by George Benson. Her songs are influenced by Radiohead, Bowie and Judy Garland among others, and she had a couple of real professionals on guitar and bass with her to make her jazzy soul material sound special. You Made Me Write a Love Song was brilliant and You Do My Head In reminded me a little bit of Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds. A wonderful experience that I hope to repeat soon and recommend that you follow my lead, after first visiting www.myspace.com/juliabiel. In addition to impeccable taste in style and quality of material, instruments and backing musicians, she displayed equal wisdom in inviting Miranda Barber as her guest. Miranda Barber This was a perfect venue for Mirandas sophisticated but entertaining material which she performed on this occasion with Leanne Porter on cello, Dave Hawkins on guitar and the beautiful and talented Haley Glennie Smith on backing vocals. Lots of old favourites were stunningly performed and can all be found on the album Lips Decision, which you should all have bought by now. Some of her new songs are taking an interesting turn, with Eliza being a bit fifties and Summer Rain having something of Willie Nelson about it. What can I say about Miranda that I havent already said? You are a star, as anyone visiting www.myspace.com/mirandabarber will discover. Save Ginglik Normally I would have finished the week with this gig and bid you all farewell. However, dark things are afoot in Shepherds Bush with the proposed closure of Ginglik, that peaceful haven of music, comedy and late night drinks that I often visit on a Wednesday for The Big Secret acoustic night. Basically, when the lease comes up for renewal next year, the council must spend £300,000 on health and safety related issues, which it is apparently loath to do. The alternative is to spend £50,000 to fill the club with cement, which fits far more comfortably within their budget. As you will have seen on the front page of Backstage Pass on Friday, there was a protest meeting outside the club on Saturday evening at 5pm and yours truly was there flying the flag for Ginglik and Seatwave, eating the sausages and drinking the wine. We had some good music from, among others, New Yorker, Christian Zucconi, who looked and sounded a bit like Steve Tyler, and guitar and comedy legend and sex symbol, Earl Okin, who certainly did not, but charmed us all the same with a sublime rendition of Georgia on My Mind. Syd Spencer did some good acoustic jazzy blues, or was it bluesy jazz, and Pirate Casino were just a good, tight rock blues band from Shepherds Bush who I am determined to see again. There were sensible and passionate speeches from club founders, Colin and Tammi, Ginglik manager, Matt Lovell and MP for Shepherds Bush, Andy Slaughter, all of which the local council agree with and would like to see happen, providing they dont have to pay for it. By the way, Lily Allen did not show, which as probably why the free sparkling wine lasted so long. So there we are, there is a petition on the Ginglik website and all support will be gratefully accepted. In the meantime, stay safe and well, keep live music alive and see you next week.

DeVotchKa panned on L.A .Times blog

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 08:56:02 +0000

Giving DeVotchKa an unfavorable review is a rarity on par with seeing Haley's Comet. Chris Barton from the LA Times, however, is clearly impervious to the band's charms. In his critique of the act's show a few nights ago at the El Rey in Los Angeles, he gave the band a thumbs down, saying, "For all of the energy and commitment on display from the band, the most festive presence was the bundle of Christmas lights jammed into the mouth of Jeanie Schroder's sousaphone. In short, it was an evening of dance music whose inescapable reserve afforded precious little dancing." Maybe he was seeing something we didn't? The group certainly sounded fine to us earlier in the day on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic. Guess it's just a matter of perspective. -- Dave Herrera

Aftermath: Common and N.E.R.D. at Verizon Wireless Theater

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 05:21:23 +0000

Pharrell Williams of N.E.R.D.
Photos by Lorraine Inije

During N.E.R.D.’s performance Tuesday at the Verizon Theater, Pharrell Williams stopped the music to pander to the crowd. Pharrell, one-half of production force the Neptunes when he’s not fronting this three-piece side project, has made his considerable riches largely by conforming just enough to be accepted while coloring outside the lines in ways to be sufficiently avant-garde and spoke the language of the outcast. “We’re happy to be here to celebrate difference,” he said, drawing lines between “us” and “them.”

It’s an interesting schtick, because Pharrell is all young-boy charm and his allegiances –to streetwear, Japanese designers, geek culture and other less-glorified roads – has always come across as genuine. Even his dedication to N.E.R.D. is a left turn. The band, consisting of other Neptune Chad Hugo (a no-show; he has a reputation for being a family man and a studio rat) and Shae Haley, has never quite struck its stride or fulfilled its potential. It’s entirely plausible that the Neptunes could make more money by selling a single music track to Madonna than N.E.R.D. has made off of three albums.

Still, Pharrell is pushing the brand ferociously, all but putting the Neptunes in a box while he traipses the country for months. The only thing is, N.E.R.D. works better as a concept than an executed reality. Onstage, Pharrell is too controlled and too vain to ever give himself over the rock-star abandon he attempts to channel.

He’s way too cerebral to be truly reckless – his marching band-like stomps never give in to artistic messiness; even when the band pulls up some two dozen women up on the stage for closing numbers “Lap Dance, ” “Everybody Nose” and “She Wants to Move” (complete with a “Seven Nation Army” bass riff) it’s more like drill-team practice than anything that aspires to sublime anarchy.

Likewise, the show’s headliner, Common (above), presents his show as an idea that never quite completes itself. It’s “The Cooler,” a bar where Common takes a stool, orders a drink and chats up ladies in between songs. In theory it works because Common, who’s traveled from underground underdog to conscious-rap sacred cow (with a stopover as an Erykah Badu punchline), has relied on Kanye West for the production of his most recent and most critically acclaimed albums. In turn, West has given him bouncy female-centric songs like “Go,” “Testify” and “Drivin’ Me Wild” around which to fit his narrative.

But, as with N.E.R.D., Common never transcends his moment, though both acts’ backing bands bring life and nuance to their source material. And Common’s crew gets extra points for tossing in snippets of crowd pleasing numbers – Busta Rhyme’s “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See,” Black Sheep’s “This or That,” the bassline from Marley Marl’s “The Symphony.”

Yet as main attraction, Common, despite working up a healthy sweat before ending his first number, is too perfunctory; down to his premeditated encore and a freestyle session where he rhymes “Houston” with “boostin’.” Yeah.

At this point, Common is more adored for what he represents than what he produces; he’s living on his legacy but determined to market his relevance. For a closing number, Pharrell appears onstage and the two perform “Gladiator,” an unreleased single from Common’s still-delayed eighth album, Invincible Summer. “Are you not entertained?” the song asks. Actually, we are - we just want more. - Kris Ex

The 2008 MTV VMAs Live Blog: It Has To Be Better Than Last Year

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 20:54:40 +0000

After what seemed like several years of hype but no real buzz, the day is finally here. Welcome to the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards live blog. Tonight’s show poses many questions: Will America fully embrace Russell Brand? What brand of hot pants will the Pussycat Dolls be wearing? What terrible reality show will get the most plugs? And what the hell will Britney be doing? Scroll down and stay tuned in for what promises to be a less painful ride than it was 365 days ago (we hope).

8:53: We haven’t been watching the pre-show (because we don’t want to have a collective stroke), but who is the guy who looks like Casey Affleck and taking shots at T-Pain?

8:56: No matter what Britney does four minutes from now, she’ll be hard pressed to outdo the elephant in that ad for the VMAs.

9:01: Guh. It looks like Britney’s ability to bring the show to a grinding halt hasn’t waned. When was the last time you saw Jonah Hill bomb at anything?

9:03: Man, Britney is a terrible actress. If we wanted to see someone’s bad acting, we’d be watching Turtle butcher the script on the season premiere of Entourage right now. That being said, she hasn’t looked that great in a long time.

9:05: Are the VMAs in a high school gymnasium this year? This looks like our prom — zombies and all.

9:07: Rihanna comes out to confuse people rather tepidly (despite the awesome White Stripes reference in the breakdown). You know, for all the junk Britney took last year, that performance wasn’t much better (despite the zombies).

9:10: Slash looks like he needs a drink. We know how he feels. Also, he’s starting to look like some biker’s grandma — not a good look for a badass.

9:12: Russell Brand comes off like a weird synthesis of Austin Powers and Steven Tyler. That’s a combination that looks way better on paper. Also, we wish he would never mention the Jonas Brothers’ genitals again.

9:14: Did he just try to tell a joke involving Madonna getting penetrated by a baseball bat? This is probably the most awesome bomb performance we’ve ever seen.

9:17: is Joe Jonas looking like John Stamos on purpose?

9:19: Britney wins Best Female for the first time. Not for nothing, but “Touch My Body” got robbed.

9:21: In a battle of wits between Pete Wentz and Speidi, does a black hole open up? Props to the tux, though.

9:23: DJ AM and Travis Barker, available soon for Bar Mitzvahs and Sweet Sixteens.

9:27: Is that really Demi Moore? Maybe someone at MTV misread the memo. They really wanted Demi Lovato — she certainly wouldn’t have forgotten her mike.

9:29: Chris Brown wins Best Male. Weezy got robbed, and Brown concurs.

9:30: Russell Brand looks like he can see people changing the channel.

9:31: So because the Jonas Brothers appeal to young people, they have to perform on the set of Sesame Street?

9:33: STAMPEDE! Also, is “Love Bug” a euphemism for VD? Because that’s seriously inappropriate.

9:34: WAIT! Are we really doing this “We’re only going to show you 40 seconds of a performance” thing again? Not that we want to see Katy Perry ruin a Madonna song, but that was a pretty awesome banana dress.

9:40: Michael Phelps has gotten the biggest reaction of the night. The dude won eight gold medals — why does he look so nervous?

9:42: It’s really cruel to make Weezy walk down those stairs while he spits. Also, why is Leona Lewis mangling the Animals? We think we liked her slightly better when she called herself Alicia Keys.

9:44: Story: T-Pain was in the Rolling Stone office a few weeks ago to play his new record, and he was wearing one of those hats around. So it’s not just a costume — it’s a lifestyle.

9:45: Weezy’s pretty much killing it, and Kobe Bryant LOVES IT.

9:47: For a second there, we thought that the group that brought us “Camel Toe” had won the award for best dance crew. Now we’re disappointed.

9:49: Are we sure these are actually the Pussycat Dolls? These women are fully clothed. Does it seem like the Pussycat Dolls exist just to win these awards? Also, they love the troops. That should help post-traumatic stress disorder!

9:53: Just a reminder: While you’re reading this or watching the show, you could be watching the great Kyle Orton leading the Chicago Bears to victory.

9:56: Are they really making Danity Kane count text votes? Because if that’s true, that’s awesome. Also: They’re sitting down, and they’re still towering over Pete Wentz.

9:58: And now welcome the stars of a movie you won’t get to see for three months! This show needs more real vampires.

9:59: With Katy Perry’s dress and Haley Williams’ pants, is yellow the new black?

10:00: We have to assume the people who wandered over to the Whiskey tonight to see a Warrant cover band are seriously confused.

10:03: Oh, so Paramore were in the studio all along? That was poorly executed and not terribly interesting — an apt metaphor for most of this show’s first hour.

10:05: Brand is sort of a mess and none of the performances have been stellar (save for Lil Wayne), but this is much, much better than last year’s show so far.

10:09: Does this mean that Shia Labeouf is the next singer for Velvet Revolver?

10:10: Linkin Park win for Best Rock Video for a song that sounds EXACTLY like “With Or Without You.” Joe Hahn thought Transformers was awesome. He’s wrong.

10:13: Pink does all her own stunts! That toss through the sugar glass was pretty sweet, and this song is definitely great. However, we’re pretty certain MTV will have to blur out her nipples in subsequent broadcasts. Actually, are they blurring them in real time?

10:22: McLovin should totally join Slipknot full time. Also, nothing says Best Hip-Hop Video like metalheads from Iowa.

10:25: Lil Wayne takes the prize for “Lollipop.” As one of the commenters mentioned: He can’t afford a belt? Also, we’re big Weezy fans, but we’re still not entirely sure what a “Static Major” is.

10:27: T.I. deserves better than to have to rap his way through a high school production of Guys and Dolls.

10:30: Rihanna’s back! And she didn’t even get a costume change! She had well over an hour — Madonna does those things in about 40 seconds. That being said, T.I. is nailing this, and Professor Lupe Fiasco concurs with his findings!

10:32: We haven’t mentioned it yet, but the idea of the house band being a guy drumming along to some guy’s iTunes playlist is remarkably odd. We hope Travis Barker cashed a huge check. Sidebar: Haven’t these “Real World/Road Rules Challenges” gotten seriously dull since the Miz left to join WWE? (A nod to anyone who needs the info: The Miz did not win the ECW championship tonight).

10:37: Corbin Bleu looks like the love child of Lionel Richie and Adam Duritz. Bummer for that kid.

10:39: Wait, has Christina Aguilera has assumed Rihanna’s “Umbrella” identity? This lip sync job gives Britney’s “Gimme More” performance a run for its money as the worst in VMAs history. Also, did she just put on a cape?

10:41: She did! She put on a cape! Finally something to cover her ridiculous camel toe.

10:43: Wait, is flopping Russell Brand’s whole schtick? Because if it is, that makes him the British Norm Macdonald.

10:44: Tokio Hotel win Best New Artist. In a contest based on text messaging, was there ever any doubt?

10:49: LL Cool J. Legend. Innovator. About to come out with his best album in a decade. Not allowed to play on the main show. Is there no justice in the universe?

10:53: Paris Hilton overcomes her illiteracy to give the Best Pop Video to Britney Spears. She’s tonight’s Martin Scorsese: She’s done better work, but it’s been a weak year, you know?

10:55: Lupe Fiasco. Incredible MC. Innovator. Entertainer. Best live act in hip-hop. Dressed like the maitre’d on a cruise ship. Not allowed to play the main show. LL knows your pain, Lupe.

10:59: Drake and Josh introduce Kid Rock. Kid Rock is also having a Martin Scorsese sort of year (i.e., “All Summer Long” is by far the worst single of the man’s career, but it’s inexplicably his biggest).

11:03: Like Batman, Weezy swoops in to save this song. He doesn’t really succeed. Also, if Ian Curtis was still alive, this would certainly give him fits.

11:10: Kobe gets to give away Video of the Year? He only got one gold medal; Phelps has eight! Has anybody had a career rebound better than Kobe Bryant? That dude is now officially bulletproof. R. Kelly should retain him as legal council in the future.

11:12: In what would be considered a minor upset if people got upset over these things, Britney Spears wins Video of the Year, completing our Scorsese metaphor. Who is that guy Britney is sitting next to? UPDATE: We didn’t recognize Britney manager Larry Rudolph. He looks like Lorenzo Lamas missed a Botox appointment.

11:13: New Kanye song! It’s AutoTune-tastic! Is that the Blue Man Group?

11:15: Kanye appears to be paying back Daft Punk — expect them to sample this about 20 minutes after this goes off the air. Aren’t those drummers the same people that killed Luke Skywalker’s uncle?

11:17: Russell Brand sends us off, saying the winner was ultimately, uh, “love.” We’re pretty sure who the losers were. We’re tired, sweaty and pretty confused, so thus ends the 2008 VMA live blog. This was definitely a step up from last year, but it’s certainly a baby step. Stay tuned for further wrap-ups from the after-parties, plus behind the scenes photos and videos from the night’s festivities.

Good Friday: New Science Projects, Zeuss/House Harkonnen, THe BAcksliders, VEGA?, Squeeze, Sean Kirkpatrick, Kate Voegele, Bear Colony, Beard-a-Fit 2

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:30:06 +0000

C'mon, y'all: Help a bouncer out. Please. For Beard.

Weekend's here. Stuff's happening. You should go.

Enough pleasantries. The show's we already told you about...

All weekend long, you can catch the Beach Boys show at the Meyerson Center. Tonight, there's Mudhoney at the Granada, the Wye Oak/Brickfight/Nouns Group show at the Chat Room Pub, the Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights/We Are Villains gig at Hailey's, and the Faux Fox CD Release show with The Party and Hawatha Hurd (...and that's pretty much it for the Friday night action). On Saturday, catch there's the Red Monroe/PPT/Baboon gig at Dada and Janiva Magness at Pearl on Commerce.

And then, of course, the shows we haven't yet gushed about...

Eyes, Wings & Many Other Things, New Science Projects, Clint Niosi, The Angelus
Friday, Sept. 5, at the Double Wide
Pretty much the lone show going on tonight that we haven't written about yet, but could still be worth your while. By now, you should know that The Angelus is pretty rock solid and that much of that praise is directed, specifically, at the vocals of frontman Emil Rapstine. Guy's got a nice voice that matches the band's sound. New Science Projects is a gritty, kinda experimental blues rock kinda thing--tough to describe, other than to say that it's very raw, emotional stuff worth checking out. Don't know much about Clint Niosi, although I keep seeing his name popo up on some interesting bills. And I know even less about Eyes, Wings & Many Other Things, except to say that this is that band's CD release show, and as such, they've made it a free affair. So, uh, yay for them.

Kung Foo Preacher, Zeuss, Lame, Black Tie Vendetta, Primordius
Friday, Sept. 5, at Curtain Club
I feel like I've been writing about the House Harkonnen in like every Good Friday for the past month. Maybe I have, I dunno. But I'm still dumbfounded by them because I saw them at the Curtain Club a few weeks back for what i was told was their last show ever, and they were awesome. Like really good, heavy, heavy rock, with some garage influence. But I kept seeing them on bills after that, and I'd heard that they were starting a new band called Zeuss. So I finally asked the band what was up and their response was that they're not breaking up. But, it seems, Zeuss is still gonna happen as a separate project. Tonight, I believe, is one of Zeuss' first gigs. Could be cool. If you're not feeling like taking a risk, though, head on down to Lola's in Fort Worth tomorrow night for the sure-thing HK show, as the guys play alongside the Feds.

THe BAcksliders, Lovie, PJ and the Bear
Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Double Wide
Another night, another cool show at the DW. You know THe BAcksliders and Lovie by now--damn near the whole city does (especially those who enjoy chick-fronted rock)--and this show should be a pretty crowded affair if only for those two acts. Also, there's a few PJ and the Bears out there in the world of Myspace, one from Tennessee and one from Austin. I couldn't figure out which one this is, but whatever, you're probably not going to this show for them anyway.

VEGA, Cynical Plague, Arkaynum, All the Above
Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Door (or, actually, the Prophet Bar, but "In the Big Room")
Don't know anything about this show except that there's a band called VEGA on it. If that means Alan Palomo of Ghosthustler's new project, then, yeah, this could be worth checking out. But since it's not listed on his Myspace page (and really doesn't seem the right venue for his taste), I'm guessing it's not him. So, in turn, no need to go? Probably not.

Squeeze, Fastball
Saturday, Sept. 6, at House of Blues
Remember Squeeze? Maybe, but not really? Hey, me too! Turns out they're playing Dallas this weekend. ut not with Jools Holland, whose gone on to TV fame in the UK and whatnot. Lame. And they're playing with Fastball, a band from Austin that knows how to write good pop songs (their songs on the radio in the late '90s/early '00s are proof of that), but hasn't done anything exciting in years. If that sounds like your thing, go for it. Won't find me there, though.

The Great Tyrant, Sean Kirkpatrick, Silk Stocking
Saturday, Sept 6, at The Lounge on Elm Street
The fact that this venue chooses to use the "on Elm Street" part of their name constantly reminds me of the whole Freddy Kruger thing. Which is fine, I guess, but especially fitting on this night where gloom popper Sean Kirkpatrick will be performing with a full band (and may, I'm told reveal a new name for their project), alongside gloom circus rockers The Great Tyrant and the also gloomy Silk Stocking. Last time I saw the Great Tyrant, my response was that they were, and I quote, "really fucking weird," but I think I'm gonna head to this show and give 'em another chance. Either way, it should be a nice, depressing night. Thanks Gutterth!

Kate Voegele, Matt White, Josh Hoge
Sunday, Sept. 7, at The Loft
Kate Voegele's on the radio, I think--or at least gunning for it hard--and this show is part of her single-worded Back2School tour. Which is nice and all, but, really, Kate, do you think it's a great idea to throw a "Back2School" show on a school night? And have the doors open at 8 p.m., no less? Come on... Rant aside, this should be a night of pretty standard but potentially endearing singer-singwriter fare, if that's your thing.

Luminate, Look Mexico, Bear Colony, Tyler Jordan, Criminal Shift
Sunday, Sept. 7, at The Prophet Bar
Don't know anything about the other bands on this bill, but the last time Bear Colony came through, this guy and I checked them out and both really enjoyed their set. So, yeah, I recommend their stuff. I believe, at the time, I called them a "less shiny Shiny Toy Guns." I don't think that really works, but if you give 'em a listen on their Myspace, maybe it'll make sense to you, like it apparently did to me then.

Beard-a-Fit 2 with Cas Haley, The Slack, THe BAcksliders, others...
Sunday, Sept. 7, at Club Dada
You know beard. You've seen him scowl as he looks at your ID. You've seen him smile as he cracks a joke about his favorite club in town, Casino Royale. Well, his pocket's still reeling from the high medical bills that inspired the initial Beard-a-Fit, so, this benefit's back. Some cool local headliners--don't really see Cas Haley performing around town too often any more, but alas, here he is--and a whole bunch of cover bands from the '70s, too. Good cause for a good guy--and I know it'd mean a lot to Beard if he saw you there. So, you know, there you go.

...and that's your weekend. --Pete Freedman

dont sleep: aveo

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:42:01 +0000

So a whole bunch of Barsuk titles dropped today, but I fear that lost amongst the John Vanderslice and Mates of State will go one of my all-time favorite Barsuk releases, Aveo’s Battery. I’m probably going to work up a proper review of this sometime soon, but I strongly encourage you to check this album out. It was released four years ago and sank without a sound, which was a crime. It’s got Britpop tendencies to be sure — you can hear bits of the Smiths and the Housemartins and maybe even James — but it’s also got that American indie rock ache — I can see fans of the National and Shearwater and My Teenage Stride being into this. So since downloads are at a premium, some suggested tracks: “Newton and Galileo,” “Haley,” “Desert and the Great Divorce,” (which I’m pretty sure cops the guitar line from the Cure’s “Lovesong”) and “Dust that Dreams of Brooms.”

The Stream 09/03/08

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 08:37:36 +0000

Billy Bragg is playing a free show at The Electric Fetus tonight. Wanna hear an unreleased 1960's era Bowie tune? Sufjan Stevens pens score for Natalie Portman's upcoming short film. Today In Music History: 1947 - Eric Bell (Thin Lizzy) was born. 1948 - Donald Brewer (Grand Funk Railroad) was born. 1955 - Bill Haley & his Comets turned down a tour of Australia because of their fear of flying. 1966 - Donovan's "Sunshine Superman" was #1. 1982 - The first day of the inagural US Festival featuring Gang of Four, The Ramones, English Beat, Oingo Boingo, The B-52's, Talking Heads, The Police and more. 1988 - Rick Astley was at the top of the UK singles chart with "Never Gonna Give You Up." 2002 - The Rolling Stones 40th anniversary tour kicked off in Boston. 2005 - Fats Domino was rescued from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit the city.

Live Blogging 09/02/08

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 10:01:43 +0000

11:45 a.m. Michael Franti & Spearhead Their latest, All Rebel Rockers will be released on September 9th. It's our CD Of The Week. Michael Franti will be in town tonight for Ripple Effect. More... 11:20 a.m. Local Music - The New Standards Catch them on stage tonight at The Fitzgerald Theater for the Provention Concert along with Dan Wilson, Haley Bonar, The Honeydogs, Jeremy Messersmith and others. More... 11:10 a.m. Kings Of Leon Their latest, Only By The Night will be released on September 23rd. They're playing Orpheum Theatre on November 1st with We Are Scientists and The Whigs. More... 10:50 a.m. Stereolab Chemical Chords is their 9th studio album. They're playing First Avenue on October 12th. More... Song Of The Day Info - The Faint Today on our Song Of The Day Podcast we're featuring The Faint with the tune "The Geeks Were Right" from their latest, Fasciinatiion. More... 9:50 a.m. Ben Folds His latest, Way To Normal will be released September 30th. He's playing The Myth Nightclub on October 17th. More... 9:45 a.m. Calexico Watch the "Two Silver Trees" video. Their new album, Carried To Dust will hit the shelves on September 9th. More... 9:30 a.m. Sigur Rós They're playing The Orpheum on September 25th. More.. 9:10 a.m. My Morning Jacket They're playing The Orpheum on October 2nd. More...