Death Gets Magnetic

This morning on my way into work for a couple hours, I listened to the new Metallica album Death Magnetic. I was posting to Twitter.com while listening, below are my tweets about Death Magnetic.

From twitter.com/grantruby:

Death Magnetic track 1 "That Was Just Your Life" is so brutal. If the album continues like this I will be very happy.

Death Magnetic track 2 "The End of the Line" continues the brutality started on track 1. Hell yes.

Death Magnetic track 3 "Broken, Beat & Scarred" doesn't let up. Is it safe to welcome Metallica back yet?

Death Magnetic track 4 is single "The Day That Never Comes". Starts very Unforgiven & gets crazy brutal. This is a meh track for me.

Death Magnetic track 5 "All Nightmare Long" is a 'wow' track. Where was all this brutality on your last 3 records, Metallica?

Death Magnetic track 6 "Cyanide". Do any of these songs suck?

Death Magnetic track 7 "The Unforgiven III," improves over part 2, which sucked ass. Token slow song on an otherwise brutal album.

Death Magnetic track 8 "The Judas Kiss" is very thrashy, but shows skill & maturity not found in many young thrash metal bands.

There's a sweet Sandman-style breakdown on "The Judas Kiss". #metallica #deathmagnetic

Death Magnetic track 9 "Suicide & Redemption" 7 mins in (of 10) & still no vocals. This song is so classic Metallica!

Death Magnetic track 10 "Apocalypse" is this album's "One". It's fast & totally brutal. Metallica are they're best when they go speed.

Rick Rubin, thank you for making Metallica good again! #deathmagnetic

Hammet's solos are ridiculous, Ulrich kills, Trujillo shows he belongs, Hetfield gets evil and Death Magnetic pwns! #metallica

Those are the live tweets as I was listening to the album. These 10 songs illustrate 2 things: a) Metallica is officially back and b) Rick Rubin is still a God. Over his career, Rubin has reinvented and reinvigorated so many bands that a list would take up a whole blog. His production credits are on Wikipedia. Take a gander at that list. It's full of amazing albums that define genres. There is nary a stinker on there. Rubin did LL's first album, the Beastie Boys' first album, he's produced the Slayer catalog, Red Hot Chili Peppers since Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Johnny Cash's American Recordings series, he's worked with Dixie Chicks, Neil Diamond and so many more. He's a genius. And he proves it once again on Magnetic.

But Rubin can't turn shit into gold (actually, he can), the members of Metallica illustrate on this album that they really still have it in them. They thrash, they get speedy, and they are brutal damn near throughout. Only one song on the album clocks in under 6 minutes, that's final track "Apocalypse" at 5:01. Seven of the tracks are more than 7 minutes including "The Judas Kiss" at 8:01 and instrumental "Suicide & Redemption" at 9:56.

After the first listen (it's now on my stereo at home, on repeat), I think my favorite track is the instrumental suite "Suicide & Redemption". It shows all that is good about Metallica: Kirk Hammet's solos, Lars Ulrich going batshit wild, and even Robert Trujillo shows that he belongs among the giants of a genre. Throughout the album, James Hetfield manages to eschew formula and cheese and gets dark and evil with his lyrics.

This is a reinvigorated Metallica that sounds like a young band that has the maturity of masters. I thank Rubin for finding that within each of them, pulling it out of the depths, and putting it on this album for the world to hear.

Metallica is tour this fall. They'll be in Salt Lake City playing at Energy Solutions Arena November 3rd. You'll be able to find me there. I won't be missing this spectacle.

Death Gets Magnetic

Soft Lips Are Open, Them Knuckles Are Pale

As a companion post to the review of Only By The Night, I thought it would be a good idea to also share the video for KOL's "Sex On Fire". It's an interesting one, for sure.

Soft Lips Are Open, Them Knuckles Are Pale

Too Early to Tell: Kings Of Leon Only By the Night

I got my hands on the new Kings of Leon album Only By the Night today. This is where the songs "Crawl" and lead single "Sex On Fire" come from. I dig both of those tracks (Sex more than Crawl), and am very excited to have this new album in my ears right now.

Kings of Leon really sold me with their last album Because of the Times. They ditched the straight ahead southern rock for a more epic version of the same. They aren't just an indie Lynyrd Skynyrd on speed anymore, they are a mature rock band that knows how to get down. And get down they did on Times.

Early reports on Night are that it is very much the companion album to Times, and I'm at all upset to report that I agree with the early reports. Night builds on the foundation laid out by Times and reaches further into the stratosphere. I don't think this album will garner them the radio and mass-media attention they so rightly deserve, but I don't think the band (or their fans) will be too upset to find that to be the case.

Having listened to the album several times through, it is apparent that there are 2 distinct halves to Night. The split isn't entirely tempo driven, though one half is much more of a rock album, following the lead of Times; while the other is much more mellow, and shows a darker, and more melancholy side of KOL. The more upbeat first half includes previously available songs "Crawl" and "Sex On Fire," while the more brooding second half includes the epic ballads "Cold Desert" and "I Want You".

This is an album that I think most KOL fans will enjoy, if not on the first listen. However, I think this album is sure to bring new fans into the fold with the ballad heavy second half of the album. I don't really hear any major radio singles on this album, which confirms other early reviews that I've read. That said, KOL continue to build their fan base and have solid record sales, so I don't think anyone in their camp is really complaining.

Kings Of Leon's new album Only By The Night will be available everywhere September 23rd.

Visit Kings Of Leon at their official website and on MySpace.

Too Early to Tell: Kings Of Leon Only By the Night

Southern Rock for the Indie Rock Set

I was introduced to Delta Spirit by the Redhead. She had heard a few songs of theirs and when they opened for Matt Costa she wanted to check them out. I like live music, so I obliged.

They were so good live! We didn't stick around for Costa, but I can't imagine he was able to match their energy on stage. Costa is a Beatles wannabe, whereas Delta Spirit are more of an indie rock Lynyrd Skynyrd. (I know, it sounds pretty fantastic, doesn't it?) Their Wikipedia entry says they're "a hybrid of rock and northern soul," but don't you believe it. Even the band's name contradicts that. Delta Spirit is clearly a throw back to the old delta blues of North Western Mississippi.

Unfortunately, that live energy is lost, for the most part, on their new album Ode To Sunshine. The real standout on this album is "Trashcan," a piano laced bar jam that hearkens back to such masterpieces as Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls Of Fire" or anything from Billy Joel that had balls. These guys are gritty, dirty and lost in that vast dead space between genres. They aren't an indie band, and they aren't southern rock, they are (to their detriment, perhaps) both.

I have a hard time speaking poorly about this band or this album, though, because I really do think you should give it at least one listen.

Southern Rock for the Indie Rock Set

More Bad News For People Who Love Bloc Party

Well, the other day I posted a quick excerpt from a Pitchfork review of the new Bloc Party album Intimacy.

I both agree and disagree with their observations on the album. Let me explain:

This album does not deliver on any of the potential that we saw from Bloc Party on their debut Silent Alarm. In that respect Intimacy is very similar to their sophomore set A Weekend In the City. Is it as bad as Weekend? No. I can't imagine them ever making an album that bad again. It was a mad stinker!

The lyrics really buoy this album, where the last album the lyrics were stale and unimaginative. Here, like on Silent Alarm, lead vocalist and primary songwriter Kele Okereke is both enigmatic and epic. This is obviously a breakup album lyrically, however, the general songwriting and execution is lackadaisical. It's almost as if the band is trying too hard, but they don't want anyone to think they are trying too hard.

There are some good standout tracks here. Namely lead single "Mercury" but also "Zephyrus," "One Month Off" and "Halo". The rest are just...meh.

So, to Pitchfork I say, well done. You pretty much nailed it on this one.

I just hope these songs are good live. With the high level of energy on this album, I think they will be. That is, of course, assuming, that Bloc Party ever comes to Salt Lake.

More Bad News For People Who Love Bloc Party

Bad News For People Who Like Bloc Party

I haven't listened to the new Bloc Party album Intimacy yet, but I plan to today. I'm really excited about this album because their last one, A Weekend In The City, was a total stinker.

Well, some of my excitement was drained today when I read the review on Pitchfork:

[M]aybe it's the quick turnaround or a desire to see Intimacy in a better light, but it's easy to judge this as Another Weekend in the City: The B-Sides.

Yeah, it's never a good thing when comparing something to Weekend.

Now I'm worried. Scared. Trembling even.

Bad News For People Who Like Bloc Party

Tokyo Police Club Free Yr Radio

My love for Tokyo Police Club should come as no surprise to anyone. I have good news for those of you in Salt Lake City like myself: Tokyo Police Club will be playing a free show on September 15th at Urban Outfitters in the Gateway. Yes, I said they are playing a FREE show.

How tits is that?!

Here's the deal, they're playing as part of a series of shows to benefit public radio stations around the country. To get in you'll need to print an e-ticket at freeyrradio.com. That's it. Make sure you show up early, because they're only letting in a limited number of people.

The show is at 7pm on September 15th.

Find out more on Tokyo Police Club at their official website and on MySpace.

Tokyo Police Club Free Yr Radio

i forgot how much i love these fags

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2ayKK8E7gc&feature=related

i forgot how much i love these fags

LETS MAKE A LIST!

im proposing a swift orderly change......wait, thats death cab lyrics again.....what i meant to say is im proposing we make a list of the 'best' songs.....not like the best songs ever but the 'best' songs for each catergory....for example, i just posted my thoughts on the best panty dropper of all time....i realize that its odd that HEAD LIKE A HOLE makes me all moist, but fuck, it is what it is.......so 10 catergories.......add your own, or change them, i dont care, just trying to get the ball rolling...so to speak.oh and if anyone has seen or heard from shugg, or ck, or fields, or sealionwoman....uh, this is yer blog too, jerks! good luck, and happy listing(PS, MY PICKS ARE IN PINK).........♥LU

1. BEST PANTY DROPPER....UM, EVER : HEAD LIKE A HOLE-NINE INCH NAILS...SOMETHING ABOUT THAT BACKBEAT AND TRENTS BREATHY SINGING THAT GETS ME ALL WORKED UP IN THE PANTS AREA

2. BEST SONG TO FIGHT TO, OR ABOUT, OR OVER, OR UNDER, OR WITH: LATELY, WHEN IM IN A FIGHTIN MOOD, OR WANT TO BREAK STUFF, I LISTEN TO RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE.....ANY RAGE USUALLY BUT SPECIFICALLY 'TESTIFY.' ITS GETS YE OLDE BLOOD WORKIN, AND I DEFY YOU TO COUNTER THAT.

3. BEST SONG TO DRINK A BEER TO: FLOGGING MOLLY'S ENTIRE WITHIN A MILE FROM HOME ALBUM,DER....BUT MORE THAN THAT, I LIKE-A THE MURPHY'S VERSION OF 'THE GANGS ALL HERE' BUT MORE THAN THAT EVEN IS 'I THINK I'LL STAY RIGHT HERE AND DRINK' BY MERLE HAGAARD.

4. BEST SONG TO DRINK WHISKEY TO: UNCLE TUPELO 'STILL BE AROUND.' HANDS DOWN

5. BEST SONG TO LISTEN TO AFTER A BREAK UP: ITS A TOSS UP BETWEEN EDDY GRANT'S 'ELECTRIC AVENUE' AND ANYTHING BY WHAM! (OR SERIOUSLY, I WILL POSSESS YOUR HEART DCFC, WALK THROUGH HELL SAY ANYTHING....LONG LIST, WHICH IS WHY I SETTLED ON WHAM! THAT AND I LOVE GEORGE MICHAEL ♥)

6. BEST SONG TO LISTEN TO DURING ELECTION COVERAGE: JOE DIFFIE 'PROP ME UP BESIDE THE JUKEBOX' CAUSE SERIOUSLY, I WANT TO GO TO HEAVEN BUT I DONT WANT TO GO TONIGHT.....(THANKS FOR THIS CATERGORY, DUGAN)

7. BEST SONG TO WALK INTO THE ROGUE WITH GRANT TO: UH, DER....'BILLIE JEAN' JUST TRY NOT TO SHAKE A TAIL FEATHER WHEN THAT BAD BOY IS ON THE JUKE.

8.BEST SONG TO FEATHER YOUR HAIR TO, OR PRIMP IN GENERAL: 'LIKE A VIRGIN' THAT IS ALL.

9. BEST SONG TO BLOW COKE TO: 'CATS IN THE CRADLE' BUT NOT THE HARRY CHAPIN VERSION, THE UGLY KID JOE VERSION

10. BEST SONG TO RUB ONE OUT TO: 'STUCK INSIDE OF MOBILE WITH THE MEMPHIS BLUES AGAIN' WELL, MAYBE NOT, BUT ITS ON THE ALBUM BLONDE ON BLONDE WHICH IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE ALBUMS ACROSS GENRES OF ALL TIME. LISTEN TO IT.....

LETS MAKE A LIST!

BEST PANTY DROPPIN SONG IN THE WORLD....according to zombielu

God money Ill do anything for you.
God money just tell me what you want me to.
God money nail me up against the wall.
God money dont want everything he wants it all.

No you cant take it
No you cant take it
No you cant take that away from me
No you cant take it
No you cant take it
No you cant take that away from me

Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
Id rather die than give you control.
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
Id rather die than give you control.

Bow down before the one you serve.
Youre going to get what you deserve.
Bow down before the one you serve.
Youre going to get what you deserve.

God moneys not looking for the cure.
God moneys not concerned with the sick among the pure.
God money lets go dancing on the backs of the bruised.
God moneys not one to choose
No you cant take it
No you cant take it
No you cant take that away from me
No you cant take it
No you cant take it
No you cant take that away from me

Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
Id rather die than give you control.
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
Id rather die than give you control.

Bow down before the one you serve.
Youre going to get what you deserve.
Bow down before the one you serve.
Youre going to get what you deserve.

Bow down before the one you serve.
Youre going to get what you deserve.
Bow down before the one you serve.
Youre going to get what you deserve.

Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
Id rather die than give you control.
Head like a hole.
Black as your soul.
Id rather die than give you control.

Bow down before the one you serve.
Youre going to get what you deserve.
Bow down before the one you serve.
Youre going to get what you deserve.

You know who you are.

BEST PANTY DROPPIN SONG IN THE WORLD....according to zombielu

New We Are Scientists Video!

We've posted about W.A.S. here on Midgets! before and I wanted to make sure everyone was kept abreast on their latest happenings. They posted a new video on their MySpace page. It's for "Impatient".

This is the description on thier MySpace page:

Keenly aware that with the clip for Impatience their reputations as principal providers of meaningful, lighthearted, life-affirming video content would again be tested, W.A.S. cooked up a MONSTROUSly entertaining, WOLFISHly ambitious, TRANSFORMATIVEly redemptive music vid that truly ratchets their recent dog obsession one notch up the food chain.

And here is the video:

New We Are Scientists Video!

biggest surprise in the cellophane series........

MORE LATER.

biggest surprise in the cellophane series........

Placebo "MEDS"

well here is the next installment of 'cellophane.' Ive been slacking lately, due to the insanity in my life, but whateva. after being beaten in the face with the atrocity that is/was Bloc Party 'a weekend in the city' i decided i needed to go back to the box of cellophaned cds and give another a shot...i chose Placebo's MEDS. released in the spring of 06, ive obviously had it for a while, and like w/ the bloc party, i just didnt give it the attention it needed, i mean, lets face it, its been a pretty strange year and a half for me and ive been listening to A LOT of dcfc and modest mouse etc....getting away from the things i really love like the cure, the incubus, the nofx etc....i digress------i threw in Meds about a wk ago and it has not left the cd player yet. it opens strong with the title track creeping you out just enough to make you listen a little harder, you know, to make sure you havent lost your god damned mind.....and the sex, and the drugs, and the complications.....the chorus alone is enough to make you say out loud 'oh shit, did i?' most of the time, youre alone when you say this so the walls sort of snicker but you dont care, you DIDNT forget to take your meds (baby...did you forget to take your meds?) all in all the entire record is a bipolar/manic depression questionaire....starting with the aforementioned query over your ability to remember to medicate yourself for your safety and the safety of others....the very next track puts you back on top of that manic coaster and spins the anger wheel a bit...if you are me, you are, again, creeped out, but more than that, driven to thinking about all the things that make you, you....namely your anger and hatred(haha) infra red----one last thing before i shuffle off the planet, i will be the one to make you crawl so i came down here to wish you an unhappy birthday.....so if you were still questioning yourself after meds, here is your answer, someone call the ambulance, theres going to be an accident... roller coaster indeed. i laughed, i cried, i broke stuff....better than no country for old men(which i hated, just in case you didnt get the sarcasm) my favorite track on the disc as of this second(because im on a peak of mania/bip0lar not a valley) is not my favorite MUSICAL track. does that make sense? i mean, lyrically this thing is a showstopper, i wish it came in book form....or perhaps i'll get hammered and paint them on my walls....but musically, its slow. still great dont get me wrong its just not the best on the album....my fave is called follow the cops back home. here are the lyrics

The call to arms was never true,
Time to imbibe, here's to you,
I'll tell you stories bruised and blue,
Drum machines and landslides.

Just one more round before we're through,
More psychedelic yuppie flu,
It's such a silly thing to do,
Now we're stuck on rewind..

Let's follow the cops back home,
Follow the cops back home,
Let's follow the cops back home,
And rob their houses.

The call to arms was never true,
Let's take a ride and push it through,
Suspended animation in blue,
Blame it on apartheid,

Let's spend the night in Jimmy Choo's,
I'll give you coats and cheap shampoo,
I'll give you nothing else to do,
Now we're stuck on rewind..

Let's follow the cops back home,
Follow the cops back home,
Let's follow the cops back home,
And Rob their houses..

Let's follow the cops back home
Follow the cops back home
Let's follow the cops back home
And rob their houses..

The call to arms was never true,
I'm medicated..how are you?
Let's take a dive swim right through,
Sophisticated point of view.

Let's follow the cops back home
Follow the cops back home
Let's follow the cops back home
And Rob their houses..

just some really great lines in there, like 'im medicated, how are you?' hahaha thats awesome, or suspended animation in blue, blame apartheid.

um, buy this album. or holla and i'll send you a copy

Placebo "MEDS"

3 New Songs to Check Out

This is a bulletin I recently posted on MySpace:



I like to change up my profile song from time to time...but right now there are several that I'd put on, but I just can't replace One Day As A Lion just yet.

Check out these artists' profiles. I think you'll dig 'em.

Paula Fuga "Country Road" (http://www.myspace.com/paulafuga) - This song features Jack Johnson and totally makes me want to have a beach BBQ and drink on the beach.

Shwayze "Corona and Lime" (http://www.myspace.com/shwayze) - This is another one that makes me want to hit the beach. But more in the cruising capacity. This is a top-down rollin' sort of song.

Cold War Kids "Something Is Not Right With Me" (http://www.myspace.com/coldwarkids) - This new song is very promising and makes me all the more excited to see them at In the Venue on October 2nd.

Those are just a sampling of all the songs I've run across recently. Hope you likes 'em.

3 New Songs to Check Out

One Day As A Lion - stream the EP

It was announced here on Midgets! that Zack de la Rocha and Jon Theodore were releasing an EP on Anti- as One Day As A Lion. Well, the day is finally here.

It actually comes out tomorrow, but I have the EP and uploaded the tracks to imeem.

Listen to the whole EP here. And remember to go buy a copy tomorrow.











I'll give this a review once I've spent some time with it. Probably tonight or tomorrow.

One Day As A Lion - stream the EP

One Day As A Lion Post Song on MySpace

We recently were pleased to pass on the news of One Day As A Lion signing with Anti-, and now we are even more pleased to let you know that there is a song you can listen to.

The band has posted a song, "Wild International," on their MySpace page. It's very Rage Against the Machine, but not nearly as heavy. Pretty much what you would expect of a Zack de la Rocha-Jon Theodore collaboration.

What the hell are you waiting for? Go listen to the song!

One Day As A Lion Post Song on MySpace

New Bloc Party, Better Than Old Bloc Party

In light of the recent post by Zombielu (one which I agree pretty much 100% with), I found the new Bloc Party single posted on Hype Machine today. And what do you know? It's damn good!

Here's the video:

I can't disagree with Zombielu's assessment of Bloc Party's last album, A Weekend In The City, because it really was a stinker of an album. But does it matter that a band befalls the sophomore curse if they follow it up with some amazing music? If this song is any indication, the album is going to be their best. Yes, I said it. This song is better than anything on their first album, Silent Alarm. I'm really excited to hear the rest of this album. As soon as I do, I'll let you know all about it.

New Bloc Party, Better Than Old Bloc Party

Bloc Party "Weekend in the City"

let me pre-empt this by saying, i love Bloc Party. First time i heard them was working at the edge and the single BANQUET was brought in from their album SILENT ALARM... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdkmhquF60o (watch it by clicking on that thing)....i, as well as everyone at the table, knew it was a hit. so of course, when the promo copies of the full length came in, i was first in line to snatch it up....and let me tell ya, from start to finish, that record is amazing....simple, rock and roll with catchy lyrics and a really cool production quality that was just screaming "we're the next big shit!!!" and while banquet was and is a dope song, there are 12 other equally or MORE as dope as that single...for example, the opening track says 'like drinking poison, like eating glass...' that's just good shit. my current favorite(it rotates, you know that) is track #3 called POSITIVE TENSION http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYomPOvDllQ (the video is super dope too....pun sort of intended)....either way, its a solid, brilliant, ahead of its time record....beginning to end....you're just as boring as everyone else....nothing ever happens....ok, ok now to the follow up: 2 years after silent alarm came A WEEKEND IN THE CITY.i was like a kid in a candy store, so excited to spin this over and over and over and over again....then i heard the single 'i still remember'....well apparently, they DIDN'T still remember, cause if they did, this would be a better song(what i mean here, is that the single was fucking SHIT....in the worst way, it was awful)....being the optimist(hahahah) that i am, i gave this amazing band the benefit of the doubt and when the promo copies came in, i was first in line to snatch it up.....and then i got a divorce and left town....put all my cds, etc...in boxes...forgot i even had the 'new' bloc party because i was still busy listening to the 'old' (which leads you to the correct conclusion that the shelf life for silent alarm is astounding...one of those i can listen to over and over and not get pissed off or bored) anyway, i found some cds not long ago, still in the cellophane...hence the blog...one of them being a weekend in the city...so i was super stoked, threw it in ye olde cd spinner and sat back....within 2 songs i knew i hated it...but i kept listening....within 4 songs i thought i was going to cry because it was so bad...but i pressed on...by the time the record had played out, i was ready to toss it out the window and say good riddance. for a couple of weeks, i could not figure out why i hated it so much, other than the very superficial facts of 1. its just really bad and 2. i think i want to break it.....i gave it another spin on my trek to slc this past weekend and i figured it out....on the first album, they were straight up rock and roll kids with respectable but limited musical range....SIMPLICITY....complete with hand claps...who doesn't love a song with fucking hand claps?????? a very tribal back beat that is 'heavenly in its brilliance and hard to master' (thanks mojo for being a poet so i don't have to). on their second album, bloc party decided they would learn to play their instruments, and play them well mind you....and write some sticky, top 40 style lyrics....in this move, they may have gained one more listener (undoubtedly some wanna be euro-trash kid who eats too much cheese) but lost this one....it sounds like they are just trying too hard, they muddy the waters with actual guitar playing instead of just beating on the strings of silent alarm....i know, it may not make too much sense to say that a band is WORSE for learning to play BETTER...but trust me on this one, i hope the next one (due out sometime this year, still untitled) goes back to the basics of the 'party.....complete with hand claps

Bloc Party "Weekend in the City"

Who's Gonna Answer These Profanity Prayers

I got the new Beck album, Modern Guilt in the mail Monday and pretty much immediately started listening to it. My first reaction was, "Meh, it's okay." But the more I listen, the more I'm beginning to realize that Beck + Danger Mouse = Genius.

Danger Mouse (né Brian Burton) hasn't produced anything for someone as high profile as Beck to this point. Everyone knows Gnarls Barkley, of course, but the average person couldn't name a single other thing Danger Mouse has done. That may or may not change with this Beck collaboration. While Beck continues to be the most original artist alive today, he doesn't exactly make hits anymore. So this album may end up like his last two, admired by geeks (like yours truly) and critics, but mostly ignored by the mass audience. And that's a shame, because there really are some good songs on this album.

Just to kind of summarize how I feel about this album, and Beck's career in general. After Odelay! He jumped ship to Mutations and his career arc followed that move (Midnight Vultures, Sea Change). Then in 2004 he returned to his previous arc with Guero which very much sounded like a natural followup to Odelay! Since then, he has followed this new arc and continued the progression that was originally started by Odelay! and continued with Guero.

If you're at all a fan of Beck you'll enjoy this album as you have those in past.

Who's Gonna Answer These Profanity Prayers

Sweet Jesus! One Day As A Lion

Imagine, if you will, Zach de la Rocha of Rage Against the Machine working with Jon Theodore, drummer for the Mars Volta.

Well, imagine no more!

One Day As A Lion were just announced as signees of Anti-, a subsidiary of Epitaph. All of us that have been waiting since the turn of the century for new music from ZDLR will finally get our fix.

Details were announced on the Epitaph website, and the official One Day As A Lion website. Apparently they have 5 songs that will be released as an EP on July 22nd.

Can you say "stoked"? I knew you could.

Sweet Jesus! One Day As A Lion

Shaq Can Rap And Other Non Sequitors

This is kinda music related, so I figured it would make good Midgets! fodder.

There seems to be a bit of a controversy over Shaquille O'Neil's rapping skills. He had his Maricopa County Sherriffs badges taken away from him because of his use of a racial slur. Well, whatever, this rap is raw!

If you haven't seen it yet, here it is in full for your viewing pleasure.

So, Kobe, how my ass taste?

UPDATE: The video below has been removed from YouTube for whatever reason. However, TMZ still has it. If you'd like to see Shaq ripping Kobe, watch it here.

Shaq Can Rap And Other Non Sequitors

New Verve Released Online

I'm by no means a fan of the Verve, but that "Bittersweet Symphony" was a heck of a song. (Too bad they didn't earn a dime from it!)

Anyway, the band reunited at Coachella this spring, and have a new album in the works. I was just over at Stereogum and they have a link to stream a new song from the Verve. You can listen to the song here.

It sounds very much like the Verve that I'm familiar with. If you're a fan of the band, chances are you're at least going to be okay with this song, if not in love with it.

Tell me what you think...

New Verve Released Online

When Midgets Attack!

I saw this episode on the television box last night and, of course, found it on YouTube this morning. I couldn't resist, if anything it'll freak zombielu out.
Enjoy yourselves.

When Midgets Attack!

Cellophane

recently, i left the torturous life i had led for the better part of my years.....and in my haste, i left without a good amount of my music..and as you all know, and can relate, this was hell...being without FREEWHEELIN BOB DYLAN was/is pretty devastating...however, the other day i was looking through a box of things that mikey decided to let me have, and i found soooo much music...heres the kicker, a lot of it was still in the cellophane....im going to start a series of reviews of these albums here on midgets....some are fan fucking tastic...others are questionable, and still others are horrid....stay tuned for the first of these reviews....BLOC PARTY, a weekend it the city....keep in mind the first record; SILENT ALARM was brilliant....k, love you bye.

Cellophane

Something to Keep You Busy

Unfortunately, I don't really have enough time to go into detail about the following bands, but I wanted to drop some science on you for your aural pleasure.

Leona Lewis Spirit (myspace.com/leonalewis) - I know, she's been around for awhile. Her song is a huge smash in America, but if you haven't checked this album out, you're only doing yourself a disservice. Her voice is amazing, and the songs are all really strong.
Jamie Lidell Jim (myspace.com/jamielidell) - The Redhead is all over this guy. I haven't spent much time with the album yet, but it's so damned funky that I know I'm going to fall in love with it instantly.
Lykke Li Youth Novels (myspace.com/lykkeli) - I was first introduced to Lykke Li through the KEXP Song of the Day Podcast. It's spacey, almost dreamy, and infectious. And for the record, this is how it's pronounced.
The Ting Tings We Started Nothing (myspace.com/thetingtings) - This British dance duo started as a joke. It's a fucking beautiful joke. Shake your ass to "Great DJ," "Shut Up And Let Me Go" and others.
dan le sac VS Scroobius Pip Angels (myspace.com/lesacvspip) - I've mentioned these two before, I reviewed their album here on Midgets!, I'm going to keep pumping them up until Armeggedon. Brit rapper and rock heavy producer team together to make beautiful music. You'll dig it, or you just don't appreciate good music.
Shy Child Noise Won't Stop (myspace.com/shychildmusic) - This NYC duo, drummer and programmer, make some seriously danceable music. It's like Hot Chip if they were from New York.
The Last Shadow Puppets The Age of the Understatement (myspace.com/thelastshadowpuppets) - Featuring Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys and Miles Kane of the Rascals get together to make epic songs in a time when minimalism is in.
Atmosphere When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint that Shit Gold (myspace.com/atmosphere) - A more brooding Slug than we're used to, the beats are more down tempo from Ant, too. This is Atmosphere's "dark" album. It comes as no surprise that these two would eventually make a very dark and brooding album, so here it is.

So there you go, eight albums that you should check out. That should keep you busy for a little while, anyway.

As always, let me know what you think of these if you happen to check any of them out.

Something to Keep You Busy

How'd Ya Like THEM Apples?

Yet another gem from Coldplay. They've treated us to some of the most visually stunning and thought provoking music videos in the alternative genre (Trouble, The Scientist, Talk.) And some that would be classified, as Graham Greene would say, "entertainments." (The Hardest Part) This time it features elements of both. For your viewing pleasure, an alternate take of Violet Hill featuring the world's leaders and some of their friends. The synch is awesome. The shot of Castro landing on his face...priceless.



Also, click here for the VH1-approved version.

Enjoy yourselves.

How'd Ya Like THEM Apples?

dan le sac vs. Scroobius Pip Angels

Usually I wait, sometimes too long, to review an album so that I can be in depth, detailed, and give you a good grasp of what is really going on, or at least my interpretation of what is going on, with a particular album.

Sometimes what I usually do just doesn't fit.

Enter dan le sac vs. Scroobius Pip. These Limeys (what's the plural for Limey?) are sensations in the Mother Land, but little known this side of the ole pond. You've seen me gush about these guys before, and now that the album is out, I'm here to gush some more.

Included on this are their two bigger singles, "Thou Shalt Always Kill" and "The Beat That My Heart Skipped" as well as some other really amazing songs. "A Letter From God To Man" is just that, and Scroobius deftly maneuvers the divisive issue with an aptitude that is both surprising and refreshing. "Angels," the title track, is a narrative from several view points that wraps around itself and is such a great, heavy story. "Fixed" calls out pretty much all of hip hop for not using their heads and their hearts to make good music, as opposed to pop music. Called out by name is Dizzee Rascal. I think they aren't friends any more. There's also "Development" where Scroobius raps the periodic table for a bit, and "Tommy C" about Tommy Cooper, a magician that died on stage to thunderous applause.

While Scroobius Pip is a talented word-smith, dan le sac is a master at production. His work is very rock based but totally danceable. I must say that I do loves it.

You will probably loves it, too.

Check 'em out on MySpace, Facebook.

dan le sac vs. Scroobius Pip Angels

Nine Inch Nails The Slip

Nine Inch Nails recently released a new album, taking Radiohead's idea of "pay what you want" to a new level of customer appreciation. You can download The Slip absolutely free at theslip.nin.com. One of the cool "geek" elements of this album is found when you load it into iTunes. Each track has it's own individual artwork. They seem loosely based on Year Zero artwork and are compelling in that it adds that extra twist that NIN is coming to be known for.

This album has a lot of diversity on it. It's obvious that Trent Reznor is still in the same mindset that produced With Teeth and it's less accessible followup Year Zero. There are several songs on this album that would have fit nicely on Teeth. There are also some obvious lingerings from The Fragile here, with some of the songs ambling about with no real destination, but still very listenable, a definite improvement over the droning songs of Fragile.

The album kicks off with an intro titled "999,999" that leads into "1,000,000" which I think is pretty brilliant, actually. "1,000,000" is very much a similar song to "Only" from Teeth. When I wrote notes for this review I put that it's just missing the hi-hat. That's definitely true. Damn good song, one of my faves on this album.

The feeling quickly transitions as "Letting You" comes on. It's a politically charged rager that hearkens to "Starfuckers, Inc" from Fragile. Looking at the lyrics, you quickly see that this song is about the complacency and apathy of the human public toward our government representatives doing all this damage to the world. I think it is specifically about Americans, but could easily be applied to the globe.

"Discipline," the albums first single, brings the missing hi-hat from "1,000,000" and the drone of "The Day the World Went Away" from Fragile, but with the syncopation this song moves rather than slowly lagging until boredom and sleep set in. As a first single it was a smart choice because it encompasses several elements of recent NIN singles into one cohesive song. However, I'd be surprised if this was the biggest single on the album.

The album continues with "Echoplex" and "Head Down," both of which are time machines to the Teeth era of NIN with "Head Down" showing some influences from the gritty Year Zero. It's groovy. It moves. But like a lot of songs on Year Zero there is a lot of superfluous noise for texture. Then comes a signature song that Reznor has been adding to each of his albums since Further Down the Spiral's "Hurt" took off. "Lights In the Sky" definitely fills the role, and with zeal. From the piano to the soft whispered vocals, if this song were more profound and compelling, it would be called "Hurt II".

Then comes the interesting tangent that I didn't expect, but wasn't really surprised to find. "Corona Radiata" gets it's name from the area in the lower part of the upper brain that controls nearly all the neural communication to and from the cerebral cortex. I wonder if Reznor got inside someone's brain and found this song playing. It is a mash of drowning piano sound for more than four minutes before any guitar shows up. Then, inexplicably, there are some cat noises at the end. It's completely instrumental, and the only track I skip while listening to the album. "Corona" is quickly followed by "The Four Of Us Are Dying" which is in the same vein, but much more listenable. "Four Of Us" is immediately reminiscent of the more sweeping soundscapes of Fragile, but with a point and a purpose. There is even a Broken feel to the song, while no lyrics appear. The two songs together account for more than ten minutes of instrumental music and a bridge to the final track.

In the closing minutes of The Slip the listener gets thrown back to a darker day when Nine Inch Nails was just a project, not yet an iconic band. The tempo changes are reminiscent of Pretty Hate Machine with the purity of anger found on the first three NIN albums. With whispered vocals and a crescendo building to a scream Reznor makes it perfectly clear that he knows "What this is all about" and claims that he knows "Exactly what I am".

I know, too. Trent Reznor and company are amazing musicians with yet another brilliant album under their collective belts.

Nine Inch Nails The Slip

Top 5 Favorite Albums Right Now

I've been wanting to write this blog for some time now, and I'm forcing myself to get it written down and share these awesome albums with you.

Each of the albums in my current Fave 5 have been mentioned here on Midgets! so there aren't any real surprises, I just wanted to reiterate my love of these albums for you, dear reader.

Clinic Do It! - I wrote a full review of this album previously on Midgets! and since then have been listening to this album a LOT. I've tried to come up with a better description of the sound, and I'm not sure there is a good way to properly describe the sound of this band. On our way to Lake Powell recently, the Redhead and I were trying to come up with a good way to tell people what they sound like, and we agreed that we couldn't really label it. Sure, it's indie rock, but it isn't your standard stuff. They have driving riffs that are more of a trait of hard rock, they use strange instrumentation that is a trait of more experimental bands. It's like the crossroads of indie-folk-psychedelic-metal-rockabilly-and others. They even dedicate the album to the 600th Anniversary of the Bristol Charter (some Googling revealed that it's not the 600th Anniversary, and that is is closer to the 900th, but who's counting?). If you don't like this album, I literally feel sorry for you. This album is available now on iTunes, Amazon.com and finer record stores. Visit them at clinicvoot.org and myspace.com/clinicvoot.
Standout tracks: Memories, Tomorrow, Winged Wheel

Duffy Rockferry - This was first mentioned on Midgets! in a best of 2008 1st quarter recap. As was mentioned there, she's been featured in SPIN, Rolling Stone, and more recently Paste promoted the Welsh songstress, too. She performed on the Tonight Show as her first American television appearance, and is starting to get some attention from radio. If you have a place for a a strong, soulful voice in your heart, this will fit nicely. Her voice is absolutely stunning and the production by former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler as well as Jimmy Hogarth and Steve Booker, compliments both her voice and the general mood of the vocals so well as to make this one of the few truly complete albums of the digital age. This album isn't available in the states until May 13th, but you can download a couple singles on iTunes, or pre-order the album there or at Amazon.com. Visit her at iamduffy.com and myspace.com/duffymyspace.
Standout tracks: Mercy, Warwick Avenue, Sleeping Stone

P.O.S. Audition - Another prominently featured album on Midgets! I have been rocking to this rapper-cum-punker a lot lately. His consciousness surpasses a lot of current music by light years. His flow doesn't every get stale, mostly because he changes it nearly every song. And his production, by Doomtree, is spotless. Appearances from Atmosphere's Slug, Bouncing Souls' Gret Attonito, the Hold Steady's Craig Finn among others don't hurt the album, only adding to the overall aesthetic of the hip hop-meets-punk ethos. On some tracks he is bitterly angry, while on others he shows a softer, more loving style. He name drops and references several punk bands, but doesn't ignore the obvious genre he belongs to. If you like punk, you will like this. If you like hip hop, you will like this. If you don't like either, give it a try anyway. You never know, right? Audition is available on iTunes, Amazon.com and at any self respecting record store. Visit him at myspace.com/posisruiningmylife.
Standout tracks: Half-Cooked Concepts, Bush-League Psych Out Stuff, Living Slightly Larger

Black Tide Light From Above - Metal. That's all I really should have to say about this album, but I'll say more. Like, they're all teenagers, the lead singer is 15, and they shred better than anything this side of ...And Justice For All. There hasn't been a band as melodic and heavy as this since Metallica went all Black Album on us and started sucking. Like other albums on this list, Midgets! first met Black Tide in the 1st quarter review. In that I said that Black Tide are "like Metallica with Sebastian Bach fronting." I stand by that now. There is such an insane level of talent in this band, members of which are 15, 16, 18 and 19. They've been together for more than 4 years and could easily out-shred anything that you think is metal today. This album is melodic, orchestral, and fucking metal. I can't quit listening to it. Pick it up on iTunes, Amazon.com or any record store worth spitting on in a fire. Visit them at blacktidemusic.com and myspace.com/blacktide.
Standout tracks: Warriors of Time, Show Me the Way, Let Me

We Are Scientists Brain Thrust Mastery - I gave a bit of an opinion on this album when Midgets! posted their video for "Chick Lit". I'm listening to this album a lot lately, and it's weirdly enjoyable. This seems to be much more of a breakup album than their previous work on Love and Squalor, but the catchiness of the songs is undeniable. These Brooklyn cats sound like they're from Essex or something (for those of you not paying attention, that's where Bloc Party is from), but bring with them a very American feeling. The album is available May 13th on iTunes, Amazon.com and any record store worth shopping in.
Standout tracks: After Hours, Chick Lit, Lethal Enforcer


Honorable mention:
Nine Inch Nails The Slip - This album was released with out any pre-promotion, not to mention it was absolutely free. Midgets! reported the link to download the album which was quickly followed by a premature review. This album is quickly moving up my personal chart and will soon supplant one of the top 5 listed above. It's a damn good album, and when I have a minute, I'll write a full review.

Top 5 Favorite Albums Right Now

Gnarls Barkley "Going On" (video)

Gnarls Barkley, those purveyors of originality, have released a video for their forthcoming single "Going On". The second single from their new album The Odd Couple is much more like their cross-over hit "Crazy" than anything else on the album. In my opinion, this is the song with the greatest potential to be a big pop hit. When this album first came out, "Going On" was the only song to make the top 100 songs on iTunes.

It's also my favorite track on an otherwise underperforming album.

Check out the video, tell us what you think.

Gnarls Barkley "Going On" (video)

Overdue: My favorite album of the year so far....

There was a lot of hype about Bon Iver by some of my favorite music critics. I ignored their strong taking to him. Alas, I was taken by the video for The Wolves (Act I and II) on Stereogum. The song intrigued me to check out the full album, For Emma Forever Ago. I love when a man playing his guitar somehow sounds like something that hasn't been done for centuries. Of course his quiet raspy vocals did place him in a category with others, but something about the yearning in each song seemed so real. Moral of that story, listen to my mentors sooner.

I immediately fell in love with several songs on the album. 'Skinny Love' became a constant play and even part of a running mix. Not too many mellow songs make it onto my running playlists, but this song just zones me out and all I can hear is Justin Vernon's voice and my feet on the pavement. 'Creature Fear' has the best line on the album "I was teased by your blouse/Spit out by your mouth" almost making a joke of the rejection. I love the climactic drums on this one that transition into the instrumental 'Team'. The melancholy 'For Emma' gives you a sense of closure. "Go find another lover to bring a /To string along" backed with horns that almost taunt the listener. This song marks the undertone of the album for me, although he's clearly discontent he's made peace with certain things.The closing song 'Re:Stacks' plucks at my heart strings crooning "Your love will be safe with me."

Stereogum posted a blog Mammas, Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Indie Rockers, and this passage from Justin's mom is what prompted me to finally let people know what album has made me at ease lately. Why do mom's always know?

Justine Vernon, mother of Justin Vernon
My favorite song is "Re:Stacks," the last one on the record. I think it is a very beautiful song and I love the emotion in it. I especially like the part, "there's a black crow sitting across from me, his wiry legs are crossed, he's dangling my keys, he even fakes a toss; whatever could it be that has brought me to this loss." Even though there is sadness here, I think this song is more about hope, "it's the sound of the unlocking and lift away, your love will be safe with me." To me, it is not about getting over things and moving forward, it is about going through the sadness, taking some of it with you and being made whole because of it. I cry every time I listen to it.

Here's a slowed down version of 'Flume' live:



And a SXSW performance of 'Skinny Love':

Overdue: My favorite album of the year so far....

Death Cab For Cutie Narrow Stairs (stream)

I was literally JUST handed the new Death Cab album Narrow Stairs. I put the songs up on iMeem so you could check 'em out.

I haven't even listened to this album yet, so I can't judge it at all. I do really like the first single "I Will Possess Your Heart," so there's that.

Players for each song are below.

Narrow Stairs is available now at iTunes, Amazon.com and your finer record stores.

Death Cab For Cutie Narrow Stairs (stream)

"want a pick covered in saliva? who doesn't. "

A quote from Alison "VV" Mosshart of The Kills from their blog. She's mocking herself for offering Conan her slimy pick after he told her his "two and a half year old always steals his." Alison is one half of The Kills, her partner is British guitarist Jamie "Hotel" Hince. They rocked the stage on Conan last night with "Sour Cherry" one of my faves from the new album Midnight Boom, which came out March 10, 2008.

When I first heard this album, already my head was bobbin. Now my shoulders and my legs have joined in. It's a great album to dance, run, clean or whatever-activity-you-please to.

Some songs from the album that gave my foot a mean tappin' :

"Cheap and Cheerful" with a nice smokers hack to start off the song. "I want you to be crazy because you're boring baby when you're straight."

"Getting Down"- "Oh oh oh oh ah oh oh ah..." You'll be singing it and you won't even realize.

"M.E.X.I.C.O."- "C U"

"Sour Cherry"- I wanted to see them live, BAD, and was severely disappointed they won't be stopping in SLC. Seeing this performance did not help my disappointment.



I kind of want a saliva covered pick. Gross.

See if there coming to your town here.

"want a pick covered in saliva? who doesn't. "

Too Early to Tell: Nine Inch Nails The Slip

It was reported earlier on Midgets! that Nine Inch Nails released a new, free, digital album today. I, of course, took the liberty of joining the foray and downloading the album.

In high school I was a passive fan of NIN and really was taken by The Downward Spiral when it was released in 1994. But then came a dark period for NIN and I wasn't really into the expansive, dense music of the followups to Spiral (1999's The Fragile and it's companion remix album, 2000's Things Falling Apart).

It took Trent and crew 5 years after Falling Apart to release a new album. When With Teeth was released I immediately renewed my fan status and fell in love with the album. NIN played Coachella that year, and to see NIN live, returning to the public eye after an extensive hiatus, was absolutely life changing. I had the pleasure of seeing NIN twice more while they toured for Teeth and thoroughly enjoyed each for it's unique attributes. Trent is a true performer, and loves to entertain.

Then, last year, NIN released an angry, subversive album in a series of encoded websites that played along the storyline built behind the album, Year Zero. It was a dense, yet somewhat accessible collection of songs based 15 years in the future, when the America had turned for the worse. Zero was a dystopian look at the future, if we continue on our current path. It was his 1984, and for the purpose of getting him off his record label, and entertaining his fans with an interesting story, it worked. But it basically was a commercial failure.

Earlier this year, NIN released Ghosts I-IV to much acclaim. The four discs of instrumental music played out like a soundtrack to some sci-fi movie (perhaps a Year Zero movie is in the works?), but wasn't anything that radio would play. Now comes The Slip, a return to accessible industrial rock that reminds me a lot of With Teeth.

I've only listened to it once, and I'm going to have this baby on repeat for the afternoon. The cover art is shown above, but each track has it's own artwork, too. If you download the album and import it to iTunes, make sure to open the artwork viewer and check out the series of shots, which appear to be based loosely on Year Zero images.

The music, as I mentioned, is reminiscent of With Teeth in that it is at once industrial and accessible. That was what I really like about Teeth: It was something you could head bang to, but it was also something that your girlfriend would like. And on first listen, is something I see in The Slip as well.

If you'd like to check it out for yourself. Head on over to nin.com and get yourself a copy. It is absolutely free. I'm pretty sure if you like NIN at all, you're going to dig this one.

Too Early to Tell: Nine Inch Nails The Slip

the slip

in a surprise(?) move, Trent has posted the new, full length NIN, the slip, online as a DRM-free download. Hard copy available in July. good ole Trent says on the official NIN site, "Thank you for your continued and loyal suport over the years, this ones on me" WOOOOOOOO!

http://www.nin.com/


I love trent. i always have, and fuck me, i always will.

the slip

Sean Demery Is Not A Jerk (repost)

Sean Demery knows what he's talking about, and few in my field (radio) would disagree. Because several of the people who post on this blog also work in the radio industry, I thought it appropos to repost a blog from seandemery.com on the state of Alternative radio. What follows are Demery's words, not mine. A link to the original post is below.

I believe... That an Alternative radio station practicing the status quo is at odds with itself, thus making the station impotent with the Alternative listener.
I believe... That most all formats have the same production values that Alt Rock stations offer. How Alternative is that?
I believe... That the word Alternative has meant nothing for years since the format through progression is the mass.
I believe... That our jobs at Alt stations is to distill music for consumption in the same way as movie critics give suggestions on what to see... and you believe it.
I believe... That real people will listen to something compelling on the radio (instead of their iPods) if you give it to them on a regular basis.

Sean goes on to say many more things in almost a stream of conciousness on what Alternative radio is and what it should be. I wish this would spread like a virus through the Alternative radio world, because many many people need to change their mindset on what Alternative has become in order to fix it.

If you'd like to read the original post, you can find it at seandemery.com. If you want to know more about who Sean Demery is and why he's in a position to be saying these things, click here.

Sean Demery Is Not A Jerk (repost)

NOFX: They Still (Don't) Suck Live

NOFX played last night at In The Venue.

Let's do a recap, shall we?

I thought you might be interested. Here we go, kids!

I showed up and No Use For A Name were already playing. Shows end really early here, so they start really early. Something I still haven't gotten used to. And quite frankly, is bothersome. But that's a blog for another day.

I saw about three songs from NUFAN before they wrapped up, which was disappointing because they do a really awesome live show. I saw them twice in Phoenix over the last year, once at Marquee Theatre with about 2,000 people and once at Clubhouse with about 500. Both shows were intense and judging by the crowd reaction to the few songs that I saw the show at In the Venue was no different.

Then came the long wait for NOFX. The time seemed to go by surprisingly fast. The music played over the PA was a good mix of old and new school punk. But then it took a drastic left turn to "Jamrock" by Stephen Marley. As the opening notes of the song played, NOFX walked on stage. An interesting tongue-in-cheek choice for an intro song from a group that is now one of the oldest (and best) punk bands around.

When Fat Mike got to the microphone, he announced that NOFX hadn't played "a club in Salt Lake City in like 5 years." And went on about the setup of the venue, with the bar patrons behind cage-like fencing saying, "this is nice, you have the Mormons out here (in the big room) and the Jews in there (behind the fence)." They introduced the first song as one that was "literally for you guys, we mean it." First song: Straight Edge.

The band then quickly ran through "Murder the Government" (featuring alternate lyrics), "Dinosaurs Must Die," "Franco Un-American," and "Perfect Government" before pausing. A group of people started chanting "NOFX! NOFX! NOFX!" and Fat Mike responded saying, "We're right here, you don't have to yell our name." And continued with a chant of his own "Audience! Audience! Audience!" A pretty hilarious moment.

Fat Mike introduced the next song as a new one, but it wasn't all that new. They played "Seeing Double At the Triple Rock" from their last official full-length Wolves in Wolves' Clothing, which was released over two years ago. As they were talking about the next song, they mentioned how it was for the real fans, and if you didn't know the song it was really going to suck because it's so long. I knew immediately that we were about to get eighteen minutes of sheer punk bliss: "The Decline".

When this song/EP was first released, I would have been happy if the band had played just that and then left. I still kind of feel that way today. The last time I saw NOFX they started with "The Decline". I thought after the first section that they would stop, but they kept going and going and going until they'd played the entire thing. I was in such elation that they really could have stopped right there and I would have been content. In Salt Lake, though, it was obvious they were going to play the whole song from the get go, and the crowd erupted joyously.

The band (and by that, I mean Fat Mike) kept bantering with the audience, as NOFX are known to do, and flowing through their set. The Fat One kept taking drinks from his solo cup, conveniently placed in a cup holder on his mic stand. They played fan favorites "Bob," "Eat the Meek," "Linoleum," and others. They also played a song about Salt Lake City that, according to Fat Mike, had taken five minutes to write and was reading the lyrics (he wasn't). It was essentially about how weak SLC is because of the Mormons, but California has too many Jews. Classic NOFX.

They ended the set with "Kill All the White Man" before exiting the stage. They didn't come back; In the Venue shuts down at 11pm and in lieu of playing an encore they just kept playing rather than wasting time by leaving the stage. As the crowd began to leave, a lot of stuff was thrown from the stage into the crowd, people diving everywhere to get a piece of NOFX. I always hang around awhile after a show like this, because you never really know what's going to happen, especially with NOFX. Once, at the Marquee Theatre in Tempe, Fat Mike said "We're doing a European encore tonight. Good night, everybody." The house lights came up and most everyone left. But the gear was never touched and so a small group of people hovered around. Security didn't kick anyone out, and 45 minutes later they came back and played five more songs. So I don't leave a NOFX show until the gear is getting packed up.

Good thing I stuck around. No, they didn't come back to play, but one of the security guards was grabbing set lists and handing them out. After saying there weren't any left, the dude next to me and myself spotted one by Smelly's drum kit. The security guard went to grab it and the dude next to me offered to Ro Sham Bo for it. Well...



One thing to let you all know. Don't Ro Sham Bo me for anything. I will beat you.

After that I took off and caught the train home.

A great night of punk was had by all. There were a lot of people on the train that had gone to the show so we were all talking about how great it was. A great ride home from the punk rock show.

If you don't know about NOFX, you should kick yourself. Then you should check out their official website and their MySpace Page.

NOFX: They Still (Don't) Suck Live

Dude.

I've only had a passing interest in Bjork these past years. "Hyperballad," "Human Behavior," "Dancer Upstairs," etc, it's mostly good. I liked her better fronting the Sugar Cubes. One thing you can count on from her is that the acompanying video is as trippy as the song itself. Wanderlust does not disappoint. Created by Encyclopedia Pictura, it mixes live shots with stop motion with CGI to create a totally surreal experience. Remember when music videos were like Sabbath's "Paranoid?" A shot of the band and some quick zooms from the camera, and that cheap-ass blue screen effect?
Well, all I can say is you've come a long way baby. Check it out, thanks to Pitchfork Media's new site featuring music videos and concerts, www.pitchfork.tv.



If you likey, mouse on over to Pitchfork.tv and check out Encyclopedia Pictura's creation for Grizzly Bear's "Knife."

Enjoy yourselves.

Dude.

Now I'm Looking For A Word That Don't Exist: P.O.S. Audition

"First of all, Fuck Bush/That's all, that's the end of it"

With an opening line like that, how could this album possibly be bad?

I may be a little late to the party on this one (Audition was released January 31, 2006), but better late than never, right? I was introduced to P.O.S. by a listener of The End (props to Russell). He's a big fan of punk rock (as am I) and we got to talking about music and he dropped the science with this one. I'd seen the name in some places (P.O.S. toured with Gym Class Heroes) but I'd never bothered to actually give it a listen until Russell told me it was really good. If you like NOFX and tell me to check out a rapper, I'm pretty much going to do it.

The first time I listened to it I was walking from the Trax station to a club where the Redhead was working a show and I fell in love with it instantly. It's definitely in my top 5 rotation right now (another blog idea!), with no signs of slipping. I don't listen to a whole lot of rap, but when I find a good album (rap albums usually are sorely lacking, underground or otherwise) it sticks with me for awhile (see: Kanye West's Graduation or Anglo-Saxon's Unplug). One reason this album really took a hold of me was the prominent featuring of Slug (from Atmosphere) on two tracks, and also because this album has some soulful, funky, heavy rock beats that just won't quit.

"Now I'm looking for a word that don't exist/To help this rapper's selfish pride that I hide inside these fists."

On "Bush League Psych-Out Stuff" (featuring Slug) the beat is so smooth and funky that you just can't help but get sucked into the song. Then to listen to the lyrics (which include a sweet AFI reference), the story is so compelling that I find myself repeating the song several times over before moving to the next track on the album.

"We don't throw our hands up like we don't care anymore/We throw our hands up like we don't care anymore"

P.O.S. is no one trick pony, though, and he doesn't need Slug to have a great track. He does have several other guests on this album (including Greg Attonito of Bouncing Souls and Craig Finn of the Hold Steady), but some of the best tracks are just him rapping over the beats of production team Doomtree (originally formed by P.O.S. and Kai, growing into a Minneapolis collective).

"Make your mind, or make it up/Make cents, take dollars, or just make enough/To get by with a little help from your friends/Bump heads, but make ends meet to stack ends"

With several references to Charles Bronson, a flair for punk-rock sensibility and ethos, as well as a cadence not dis-similar to Eminem, this album simply does not stop. There are no tracks here that are throw aways. Each has it's positives that demand and control your attention. With his chameleon-like style, P.O.S. is able to change up his delivery, not just song-to-song, but verse-to-verse. Add to his control of words the control of music he is pleasurably rapping over, and this album has everything a backpack-rap fan could ever hope for. But this album encompasses so much more than just what the backpack set wants; P.O.S. is a complete rapper: he's entertaining, eloquent, and masterful.

You can hear several songs from this album on his MySpace page, or do a search on iMeem. Or just save yourself the time and download the album on iTunes or Amazon.com. If you don't like it, I'll give you your money back.*




*Any offers of money are strictly lies and will never happen no matter how much you want it to.

Now I'm Looking For A Word That Don't Exist: P.O.S. Audition

We Are Scientists "Chick Lit" (video)

We Are Scientists stormed into my life in 2004 with their sophomore album With Love and Squalor. Since then they've released a UK only b-sides album, lost a member (they are now a 2-piece) and made a new album, Brain Thrust Mastery.

When I first started listening to Mastery I was slightly disappointed. Not because it wasn't good, but more because it didn't have the frenetic energy of Squalor. I've listened to the album several times since that first foray and like it more with each listen. There are still the captivating lyrics of Keith Murray, and the syncopated dance-able drums (formerly by Michael Tapper, now by a supporting cast).

The second video from Mastery was posted to their MySpace page today. "Chick Lit" is described by the band as "the story of a young girl named Agatha" even though no Agatha character ever makes so much as a cameo. It's also later described as a video where they "play pirates who contemplate a change in career". Also not the case.

Here's the video:

We Are Scientists "Chick Lit"


It's a pretty funny video. I mean, Shih Tzu ranchers? How awesome is that!

This song, and the whole album, will be available May 13th on iTunes and Amazon.com and your finer record stores.

You can visit We Are Scientists online in the Sci-Cave at wearescientists.com.

You can view the first video from Mastery on YouTube.

We Are Scientists "Chick Lit" (video)

Viva La Vida

There's two things that usually suck me into a song, simplistic intro/outro and emotional high notes. Coldplay has managed to master both on their newest single "Violet Hill" off their anticipated album Viva La Vida or Death and all His Friends.The album doesn't come out until June 17th, but you can download the single for free for a week at Coldplay.com. You can also see the artwork for the new album. I'm lovin the free-be's.

Viva La Vida

Coachella Withdrawal

Although I spent this weekend at the beautiful Lake Powell, I'm still really bummed I missed Coachella this year. So to add to my depression I have been you-tubing and blog checking. I found this video of American Bang doing a acoustic version of "She Don't Cry No More" on Spin's Poolside performances. I dug it in all its entirety. Especially the backup vocals doing the reach around. Definitely lots of hints towards Kings of Leon for me, not to mention their Nashville roots. I love me some Kings.

Here's their opening performance from Coachella that is much more rock n' roll:



I'm quite excited to explore them some more.

Coachella Withdrawal

Coachella

due to the lack of funding, i missed it. and seems most of you did as well.....prince and dcfc at the same fest and im too broke to attend...meanwhile, a good friend of mine and her kids were in a horrible car accident and in ICU....there is a food shortage in the US, we are STILL at war and gas is approaching 4 dollars a gallon. YET, im uber pissed about missing prince....

Coachella

New Nine Inch Nails "Discipline" (stream)

Nine Inch Nails have released a new song, "Discipline". You can download it yourself at discipline.nin.com. It's a good track that builds more on the sound of With Teeth than Year Zero. I absolutely love With Teeth, and found Year Zero to be a difficult listen, so I'm stoked that this next album will be more along the lines of the former.

The track information for "Discipline" has an album title of simply ?. Which could mean a couple different things: Either ? is the album title, or there simply isn't a title yet. I'm betting on the latter here, but with Reznor, you just never know.

If you'd like to check the song out before handing over your email address to download it, here it is in all it's NIN-ish glory:




You're welcome.

New Nine Inch Nails "Discipline" (stream)