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M Ward, Cold War Kids, The Shys, Loris Tickling |
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Monday, April 20, 2009 - 08:00 AM Posted by: Karl
M WARD gets animated for the video of his cover of Buddy Holly's "Rave On," backed by Zooey Deschanel. COLD WAR KIDS stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set streaming now via MPR. THE SHYS did the four or five free songs thing for Daytrotter, including two versions of the Ian Hunter-esque "She's Already Gone." IDA MARIA talks to Decider L.A. about synthesia, bleeding onstage, and more... GOMEZ is profiled by the Wall Street Journal, with streaming audio of "Airstream Driver" at the link. SKY LARKIN has a video out for "Antibodies" from the tough-to-find Golden Spike album. THE PIRATE BAY's founders were found guilty of breaking copyright law and were sentenced to a year in jail. BILL CALLAHAN: The artist formerly known as Smog talks to The A.V. Club about his new album, how it differs from his firt non-Smog LP, etc. SUPER FURRY ANIMALS: Gruff Rhys talks to Artrocker about the new album, his side projects, time travel, etc. DEVENDRA BANHART talks to the Petaluma Press-Democrat while listening to '70s British funk band Cymande in a rented van "somewhere on I-5." THE HANDSOME FAMILY: Rennie Sparks talks to the Chicago Tribune about their eighth studio album, "Honey Moon," which celebrates 20 years of marriage to bandmate Brett Sparks. WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: 17 Again tops the box office with 24 million, doing well enough over the course of the weekend that it may just have legs. State of Play placed with 14.1 million, a bit better than Russell Crowe's last pic, Body of Lies. Mosters vs. Aliens showed again, but has yet to match its production budget in the US. Fortunately for Dreamworks, the worldwide total is over 250 million. Hannah Montana slid to fourth place with 12.6 million (a 60 percent drop); even so, this one has made almost four times its estimated 15 million budget. Fast & Furious rounds out the Top Five with 12.3 million, with a 55 percent drop, but this one is already profitable to the tune of 50 million in the US. Below the fold, Crank: High Voltage debuted in sixth with 6.5 million, while Observe & Report roughly breaks even in seventh place. ANDY RODDICK & BROOKLYN DECKER got hitched in Austin, TX. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE: The father of Rubina Ali, one of the film's stars, denied he had offered the nine-year-old for sale for £200,000 in an illegal adoption deal offered by an undercover reporter from the News of the World. MADONNA was tossed to the ground Saturday when her horse was startled by photographers while riding on a Hamptons estate. BRITNEY SPEARS: A woman who was arrested for allegedly peering into Britney Spears's California home has said that it was part of a "joke". LINDSAY LOHAN threw herself at Leo DiCaprio. Meanwhile, Samantha Ronson is reportedly doing fine after spiltting with Lindsay Lohan. Was anyone worried? BILL MURRAY autographs a copy of Caddyshack for the woman he plunked with a wayward tee shot at a pro-am golf tourney. Cinderella story.GWYNETH PALTROW: Taking a dig at Wynona Ryder? BRAD PAISLEY and According to Jim actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley have welcomed a son. DREW BARRYMORE denies rumors that she is back with Justin Long. IRAN: An Iranian-American journalist branded a US spy has been jailed for eight years by Iran after a brief trial held behind closed doors. Meanwhile, the Israeli military is preparing itself to launch a massive aerial assault on Iran's nuclear facilities within days of being given the go-ahead by its new government. PAKISTAN: Here's a Taliban biker gang in the Swat valley. AFGHANISTAN: The US ambushes the Taliban near Korangul Outpost. It's the sort of success story the New York Times has not published very often, though it could have. TICKLING A LORIS: Let's go to the video. BABY MACAQUE plays hide-and-seek with its mom. Aww... some pics at the link. BARNACLES adjust length and girth for conditions. MAN BITES SNAKE: A Kenyan man bit a python which wrapped him in its coils and dragged him up a tree during a fierce three-hour struggle.
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5614 Reads |
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R Hitchcock, Ra Ra Riot, Crystal Stilts, Cutout Bin, Unknown Cat |
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Friday, April 17, 2009 - 08:00 AM Posted by: Karl
THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE: ...with ROBYN HITCHCOCK! I'll be seeing him with the Venus 3 tomorrow, so I wanted to warm up with the new "Up to Our Nex," chased with a handful of classics, including "Brenda's Iron Sledge," "Sometimes I Wish I Was a Pretty Girl," "Heaven," "Uncorrected Personality Traits," an extra-wacky take on "Madonna of the Wasps" and a recent take on "I Often Dream Of Trains" backed by fellow Soft Boy Kimberley Rew. RA RA RIOT stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set streaming on demand via MPR. CRYSTAL STILTS did the four free songs thing for Daytrotter; I regret having missed them last week. THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS are posting free downloads at their website. BOB DYLAN talks to the Huffington Post about his favorite songwriters. Click-through for prior installments in the wide-ranging interview. EVERY MOTHER'S SON: "Come On Down to My Boat," baby. THE BREEDERS: the Deal sisters talk to Pitchfork about their new limited edition EP, the future of the Pixies, and Joss Whedon's "Dollhouse". ALISON MOSSHART of the Kills and The Dead Weather talks to Interview about her stage persona, collapsing onstage, her influences, etc. DUFFY talks to Interview about bad decisions, disappointing older men, etc. Actually, this piece is old, but it was new to me. CUTOUT BIN: From Art Brut to the Defonics, from The Jam to Judas Priest, from Violent Femmes to Van Halen, plus The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, The Kinks and covers from Wilco, Jason & the Scorchers, The Boy Least Likely To, Liz Phair, the English Beat and more -- this Friday's fortuitous finds are streaming from the Pate page at the ol' HM. NOW SHOWING: This weekend's wide releases include: the Big-in-reverse comedy 17 Again, currently scoring 67 percent on the ol' Tomatometer; the thriller State of Play, currently scoring 81 percent; and Crank: High Voltage, which was not screened for critics (even though the original Crank got a pretty good score). LINDSAY LOHAN got a family intervention, according to OK! magazine. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN is not "the other man" in a Jersey divorce case, according to the wife in question. HEIDI KLUM is knocked up for the fourth time. DREW BARRYMORE & JUSTIN LONG: Together again? HARRY POTTER & THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE: The third and final trailer is online. JOSH HARTNETT says his stomach scare -- which sent him to the hospital last month -- is from drinking the water in third world countries. WOODY ALLEN is suing American Apparel for using his image (without permission) on one of their billboards, so of course they now want infor about his sex life. PAKISTAN: The leader of the July 2007 insurrection in Islamabad has been released from custody and will preach at the very mosque where he and his followers staged their battle against the Pakistani government. China is calling on the Pakistani government to deal with militants based there and allegedly plotting attacks in China later this year. AFGHANISTAN: Commander Mansoor - a mid-level Taliban commander from southern Helmand - is simply looking for a way out. The NYT chronicles US efforts to recruit for Afghan militias to fight the Taliban. THE UNKNOWN KITTEH: Let's go to the video. WOOD FROGS head for the orgy pool, because they can't eat until they've mated. BERTIE THE HORSE discovers the power of corporate branding. SNAKES on a PLANE: Four baby pythons escaped from a container aboard a passenger plane in Australia, leading to a search that forced the cancellation of two flights. The story prompted an even wackier SoaP opera at... National Review?
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3197 Reads |
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TPOBPAH, Andrew Bird, PJ Harvey, Dr. Dog, Dog+Chicken |
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Thursday, April 16, 2009 - 08:00 AM Posted by: Karl
THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART talks to Newsweek about their sudden buzz, the probable backlash, etc. Video of a new song, "103," and "Young Adult Friction" at the link. ANDREW BIRD stops by The Current for a chat and mini-set streaming now via MPR. THE FREE MUSIC ARCHIVE is open, with contributors like KEXP. PAUL WELLER talks to Seattle Weekly about why "The Modfather" is still excited about making music, his recording process, and what it's like to hang with own idols like Ray Davies and Paul McCartney. P.J. HARVEY talks to Magnet about her new long-distance collaboration with John Parish. Audio at the link. NPR vas video of the duo from SxSW. DR. DOG plays "The Ark" for Jimmy Fallon. This one reminds me a bit of early Peter Gabriel. SUPERCHUNK: Jim Wilbur talks to Spinner about the band's return after eight years, as well as the 20th anniversary of Merge Records, the label founded by bandmates Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance. JASON ISBELL talks to the Mpls City Pages about what makes his second post-Drive-By Truckers LP different, and more... ROBYN HITCHCOCK talks to ChartAttack about the Venus 3 tour, his on-and-off sessions with XTC's Andy Partridge, the Soft Boys, and more... DAN DEACON is interviewed by The A.V. Club about -- among other things -- dancing and intellect. MAD MEL UPDATE: A 24-year-old Russian pop singer has come forth, claiming that she had a romantic relationship with the 53-year-old actor and has now fallen in love. BRITNEY SPEARS: An employee of land developer John Sundahl is claiming the pop wreck and Sundahl are going to tie the knot. Meanwhile, her dad has been seeking permission from a judge to expand the pop star's current Circus tour - but the dour economy may hamper those plans. NICK LACHEY & VANESSA MINNILLO "are on the rocks big time," according to the NYDN. GWYNETH PALTROW wants another baby. JESSICA SIMPSON gets called "top heavy" ... by her mom. BONUS: John Mayer reportedly liked to tell Simpson he liked her spiritual side, just to get her to shut up. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS: Mike Myers appears in the latest footage. Yep, that's him. EVAN RACHEL WOOD & MARILYN MANSON are back on, as Wood confirms to GQ. Slideshow at the link. Call it gratuitous Thursday. MEGAN FOX: Not the marrying kind. Shocka! OUR FRIENDS, THE SAUDIS are planning to review their law surrounding the marriage of young girls after a court refused to nullify the marriage of an 8-year-old to a man 50 years her senior. IRAN: Pres. Ahmadinejad said he was preparing a new proposal to resolve disputes with the West over Iran's nuclear program, opening the door to talks with the US. As if it's not a delaying tactic. AFGHANISTAN: The Taliban murdered a young couple trying to elope in southwestern Afghanistan after accusing them of immoral acts. A group of Afghan women who braved an enraged mob yesterday to protest against an "abhorrent" new Afghan law which appears to legalise marital rape and child marriage had to be rescued by police from a hail of stones and abuse. DOG & CHICKEN, getting it on... mass hysteria. JAILBIRD ruffles feathers at a high-security prison in Columbia. THE DONALD is a cat with a Trump-esque tumor. PASQUALINA the DOG was reunited with its owners after surviving eight days in the rubble of a house wrecked in the Italian earthquake that claimed 294 lives. THE DOG ate her G-string.
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3272 Reads |
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AC Newman, Camera Obscura, English Beat, Baseball Cat |
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Wednesday, April 15, 2009 - 08:00 AM Posted by: Karl
A.C. NEWMAN makes "Like A Hitman, Like A Dancer" wth Nicole Atkins at the Ed Sullivan Theater. CAMERA OBSCURA is advance streaming its My Maudlin career LP via NPR. RAPHAEL SAADIQ did the four free songs thing for Daytrotter. THE ENGLISH BEAT stopped by The Current for a chat and mini-set streaming via MPR. ROBYN HITCHCOCK talks to Wired about synesthesia, Syd Barrett and the sad passing of the record store. GEORGE HARRISON & ERIC CLAPTON: Live in Tokyo with "Taxman," natch. APPLES IN STEREO frontman Robert Schneider says the band's next album may not appear for a year, but will be "futuristic R&B-ish mega-pop" and like "yesterday's vision of tomorrow." BONNIE "PRINCE" BILLY, a/k/a Will Oldham, talks to Black Book and The A.V. Club. FRIENDLY FIRES lead guitarist Edd Gibson talks to Decider Chicago about musical ADD, sh*tty band names, and breaking into swimming pools. Singer-guitarist Ed Macfarlane talks to Straight.com about touring America and the band's next album. THE DECEMBERISTS & STEPHEN COLBERT: It's on like Donkey Kong. Again. April 27th. MAD MEL UPDATE: the Gibson divorce could be the most expensive in Hollywood history. MADONNA is movin' on up, to the East Side. CHRIS BROWN is denying reports that he's getting romantic with Girlicious singer Natalie Mejia. KEIRA KNIGHTLEY has no use social networking via Facebook or Twitter. Probably a healthy limit on a movie star's need for attention. ANGELINA JOLIE is the Most Beautiful Woman in the World, according to a Vanity Fair poll. PAM ANDERSON getting married again? Fourth time's a charm... LINDSAY LOHAN makes a self-deprecating eHarmony profile parody. Smart move. MARLEE MATLIN says her relationship with William Hurt was passionate, but dangerous. NORTH KOREA: Fuming at the UN Security Council's strongly worded note condemning a recent missile launch, North Korea said Tuesday it will restart its plutonium factory, junk all its disarmament agreements and "never participate" again in six-country nuclear negotiations. THE STANS: The Pakistani government has approved the controversial bill that will allow for the implementation of sharia, or Islamic law, into a large region of northwestern Pakistan. Afghanistan said Tuesday it was concerned its own security could be hurt by the deal between Pakistan and Taliban guerrillas. The Swat Taliban have renewed efforts to recruit fighters and supporters following delays in the implementation of their peace agreement with the government. IRAQ: A senior leader in a Sunni Arab movement founded to combat al Qaeda in Iraq is edging away from the military activity of the past, toward a once unthinkable alliance with the country's Shi'ite prime minister. A FRANTIC FELINE bounded behind home plate and into the stands on Opening Night for the NY Mets. THOUSANDS OF DOLPHINS blocked suspected Somali pirate ships when they were trying to attack Chinese merchant ships passing the Gulf of Aden. A WILD BOAR attacked a woman out walking her dog in a graveyard in Gothenburg on Tuesday morning. DANTE is thought to be the UK's only vegetarian cat.
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3120 Reads |
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New Releases, Samplers, Dukes of Stratospheare, Raccoons |
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Tuesday, April 14, 2009 - 08:00 AM Posted by: Karl
PHIL SPECTOR is likely to die in prison after the legendary music producer was convicted of second-degree murder for shooting the actor Lana Clarkson in a drunken and "sadistic" bout of Russian roulette. The future was foretold by Ronnie "Z-Man" Barzell. Right now, burly convicts are warming up their karaoke versions of "Be My Baby." NEW RELEASES: Ida Maria, Booker T (and the Drive-By Truckers), The Boy Least Likely To, Death Cab and more are streaming this week via Spinner. JILL SOBULE (also streaming at Spinner) has an interview + tracks from her fan-financed LP. THE SWIMS did the four free songs thing for Daytrotter, two previously unreleased. They remind me a bit of the Pooh Sticks, though that will mean nothing to almost everyone. FREE SAMPLERS from a bunch of indie labels can be downloaded via Amazon. THE DUKES OF STRATOSPHEARE, the psychedelic front group for XTC, play "The Mole From the Ministry" and "You're A Good Man, Albert Brown" for Twofer Tuesday. BOB MOULD talks to Under the Radar about his new album, and revisits his first solo LP, Workbook. BAT FOR LASHES: Natasha Khan talks to the Birmingham Mail about her old day job, her two albums, etc. She talks to the BBC about songwriting and naturalist David Attenborough. The Beeb includes some video, too. GLASVEGAS: Paul Donahue and Caroline McKay talk to Fazer about SxSW, how the band works up songs for demos, upcoming dates opening for U2, and so on. SMASHING PUMPKINS: Billy Corgan blogs an update on his new direction. MAD MEL UPDATE: Gibson's wife Robyn has filed legal papers to divorce Mel after 28 years of marriage, citing "irreconcilable differences." There have been reports that Mel has been involved with another woman, which the actor denies. BRITNEY SPEARS shouts, "What's up, Sacramento?!" at her concert in San Jose. Video at the link. MADONNA is still keen on adopting four-year-old that Malawian girl, which is consistent with her pursuing the matter in court. CHRIS BROWN has started dating again since his troubled relationship with pop chanteuse Rihanna ended last month, reportedly getting back together with another ex, Erica Jackson. SCARLETT JOHANSSON responds to public outcry over her recent shrinkage. DISNEY could sue itself for copyright infringement, though I think they would call it a lot of homage. MARILYN CHAMBERS was found dead inside her Santa Clarita home Sunday, just days shy of her 57th birthday. The cause of death remains unknown; an autopsy is due to be performed. JONNY QUEST may be made into a movie not named Jonny Quest. M'kay... IRAN: Roger Cohen argues in the New York Times that Pres. Obama must strike a "grand bargain" over Iran's nuke program, while Michael Rubin has a column in the Wall Street Journal reciting the failure of European engagement with Iran and quoting Iranian officials publicly admitting that their diplomatic efforts are a ruse. The Bipartisan Policy Center's most recent report on Iran's nuclear program describes the sort of diplomacy that would be required to stop an arms race in the Mideast, including getting China and russia to cooperate. HEZBOLLAH has started putiing mushroom clouds in its propaganda. PAKISTAN could collapse within months, says David Kilcullen, one of the more influential counter-insurgency voices in Washington. AFGHANISTAN: The Taliban assassinates a female provincial official known for fighting for women's rights. RACCOON HOUSE PARTY: Let's go to the video. WHEN CROCS ATTACK: Early yesterday morning the 20-year-old man and a friend had been drinking, when they tried to swim across the crocodile-infested waterway near the Daly River community. That was a fatal mistake. THE CANINE COGNITION LAB has opened at Harvard, where scientists hope to gain insight into more than the psychology of dogs from visiting pet pooches - including an alert German shepherd named Celia and a rottweiler called Taylor who loves to eat chicken. BAILEY the GOLDEN RETRIEVER had surgery for a suspected tumor, but the vet found 17 garments, including nine socks, four gloves and a stocking. THE SQUIRREL THREAT: Spokane, WA, plans to detonate squirrels using propane-fueled explosions. What could go wrong? KANGAROOS overrun Australia's capital city: They bounce across the roof of Parliament House. They collide with cars. They come in through the bedroom window. Protected by a silver spoon.
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3407 Reads |
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