Missed Ben Folds Five's UNC Chapel Hill Memorial Hall show reunion show? Watch it HERE!!!

Here's probably the ONLY time I'll ever thank myspace...

Ben Folds Five - MySpace Front To Back concert

Holy Shit! The new Justice documentary!

Screening party @ my place November 24

JUSTICE - A CROSS THE UNIVERSE (teaser)
Uploaded by edbangerrecords

New Radiohead video for "Reckoner"

From Thom:

hello my mind is not functioning at the correct speed at the moment thanks to being in Tokyo but however and here is one of my favourite video things that has ever happened for Reckoner it is, the result of somebody entering a competition to make an animation to one of the tunes on IN RAINbows. on aniboom. you can scroll down dead air space and find all about it.. but anyway

so we asked them whether it was ok to make it the official one we use as it goes with the song so well. they said yes.

and if you're like me and find it hard to find videos on televsion any more, or even turn on the television you can watch right here.

ok now im going to fold some clothes.

Radiohead - Reckoner - by Clement Picon

basia bulat: lil' cutie

I drove to DC this past weekend to hang out with a friend of mine for a day. While I was there, we stopped into Melody Records in Dupont Circle, where I picked up Brian Eno & David Byrne's first collab., My Life in the Bush of Ghosts and Los Lobos' classic, Kiko. But, most notably for me, I also picked up Basia Bulat's album, Oh, My Darling.
It really snuck up on me. I wasn't expecting to dig it as hard as I'm digging it right now. I haven't really listened to anything else since Saturday. And I know I'm about 9 months late on her, but really, I'm pretty sure the timing was just right for me. I have a weakness in general lately for female Canadian singer-songwriters. And for really emotionally wrought music, so this meshes quite elegantly with my current interests and the coming fall.

Overall, I'd say my favorite part about it is the fact that she completes all of her thoughts. That, or her thoughts line up really well with mine, because I feel like she covers all of her bases really adequately. Oh, and she's also a lil' hottie.

The Tough Alliance broke my heart

(and clearly don't seem to mind)

The Tough Alliance
"The New School"
2008

terrible
miserable
cheesy
caribbean
bullshit

Damn you, Tough Alliance. I really dug "A New Chance" -- so much that I even gave it the #9 spot on my 2007 Year's Best List. This new disc, however, likely won't even merit another listen. Tough Alliance, you have let me down.

until next time...

-b

Glasvegas: The Killers, version 2.0?

It seems Glasgow, Scotland has bragging rights to this week's indie darlings, Glasvegas. Barely nudged out of the #1 spot on the UK charts by Metallica's "Death Magnet," (which SUCKS btw) their self-titled disc dropped to HUGE hype last week and, for the most part, the disc does not disappoint. Lead singer, James Allan, claimed the disc was all killer, no filler...and while tracks such as "S.A.D. Light" and "Geraldine" are killer, there are two missteps I would definitely consider filler ("Stabbed" and "Ice Cream Van"). Overall, two tracks out of ten isn't bad--and the remaining 8 tracks are good-at least at what they're trying to be--which is basically big and bombastic...the drums remind me of 80's heavy metal drums. Speaking of 80's metal, James Allan's voice reminds me of Mike Tramp, lead singer of White Lion (you know, "When the Children Cry").Quite strange, yet quite comforting seeing as how I still rock "Pride" even to this day. Recommended.

For those who:
Miss Mr. Brightside,
want a leg-up on who'll be the next big thing on 90210 next week.

Start here:
"Flower and Football Tops"
"Geraldine"
"S.A.D. Light"

BDP [hearts] CWK

Dear God,

Thank you for the Cold War Kids.
They are great fun.
Although I STILL haven't gotten my hands on a copy of their new disc, "Loyalty to Loyalty" (hint, hint, wink, wink...come on PR machine...hook a brutha up!), thanks to the kind folks over at Stereogum, this morning my Reader inbox was filled with the video for their first single, "Something Is Not Right With Me."

It is good. Really good. Really really good.
Is is Twitchy.
Is is Paranoid.
Is is Manic.
Is is Me if there's even a remote possibility that I won't get that 5th cup of morning coffee.
Is is Really getting me pumped for their October 20 show at the Cat's Cradle.

Enjoy!

Stream the new Rosebuds disc!

From the kind people over @ Merge Records...you can stream the new Rosebuds disc, "Life Like," in its entirety...here.

"The fourth full-length from this Raleigh, NC band is a return to more organic territory, barely a year after releasing the synth-heavy dance pop of 2007’s Night Of The Furies. Guest appearances by Portastatic’s Matthew McCaughan, Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, and Ashley Stove’s Jim Brantley."

--thnx to Jedidiah @ New Raleigh for the head's up

Peter Bjorn & John: Seaside Rock

Peter Bjorn & John
Seaside Rock
(2008)

Yeah...I wouldn't bother...mostly forgettable instrumental set from the guys with "that song with the whistling" doesn't even work in the background..."vocals" consist of Swedish (?) dialog...I think the young folks would be better off just going back to Amsterdam. Disappointing.

New Music FYI: Royal Bangs

Royal Bangs Announce Fall Tour w/The Black Keys
Then, back to the Studio

Rolling Stone's "new favorite rockers", Royal Bangs have just announced they'll be heading out on a Fall Tour with The Black Keys, beginning October 3rd. Knoxville's resident laser-fueled, turbo popsters, have been steadily winning over the hearts of fans and writers alike with their recent release of We Breed Champions (Audio Eagle) and chronic touring schedule. Check out "Let's Get Even" and see why William Goodman wrote for SPIN that their Bonnaroo performance "rates as the best show I've yet to see" and why Magnet Magazine labeled them Issue 79's "Band To Watch". And, you'll definitely be hearing more from Royal Bangs in 2009. They've already booked studio time for their next album.

A Few Quotes:

"Let's start off with a bang, specifically the Royal Bangs, our new favorite rockers, whose late-night set featured tracks from the Knoxville quintet's awesome new album, We Breed Champions." - Austin Scaggs, Rolling Stone (July, 08)

"A nerd fantasia, a robo-rhythmic onslaught."- Metro Pulse

"Listening to the atomic rock of Royal Bangs is like slamming a Jolt Cola and letting the explosive formula of fizzy, electro rock 'n' roll pour down your T-shirt." - Cleveland Scene

"Radiohead vs. fifteen bottles of Southern Comfort" - Knoxville Voice

Royal Bangs' Tour Dates:
( * = w/ The Black Keys)
Sep 12 The Exit/In (N.B.N.) Nashville, TN
Sep 19 The Pilot Light Knoxville, TN
*Oct 03 Orange Peel Asheville, NC
*Oct 04 House of Blues Myrtle Beach, SC
*Oct 05 Disco Rodeo Raleigh, NC
*Oct 07 Coyotes at City Block Louisville, KY
*Oct 08 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN
*Oct 09 LC Amphitheatre Columbus, OH
*Oct 10 Madison Theatre Covington, KY
*Oct 11 EJ Thomas Hall Akron, OH
Oct 25 The Cake Shop (CMJ) New York, NY

Links:
live review in SPIN
"Let's Get Even" off We Breed Champions
MySpace.com/RoyalBangs
AudioEagleRecords.com

Thanks Meredith over at Pirate!Promotion and Management!