May 08, 2008
May 06, 2008
Keeping It Real With The Economist
Rapping about bling and bitches is played out. What's next for aspiring rappers? Rapping about The Economist. [via The Guardian]
The Economist's bid to appeal to more youthful readers seems to be paying off after two 17-year-olds created a rap about the business title, while a Facebook fan group created by a teenage schoolgirl has enjoyed a surge in popularity.We can only hope they tackle The New Yorker next. Grab the MP3 here or listen to an excerpt here. [Hat Tip Gawker]The rap, created by US students Ike Edgerton and Chris Misa under the name Psikotic, is a tribute that includes samples of Economist journalists such as Edward Lucas and Anthony Gottlieb from the title's audio podcasts.
The chorus of the rap runs: "He reads the Economist so he can get the gist, its solid competence gives him confidence that his intelligence is correct."
Other lines praise editorial standards such as "The style in which they write is simple and concise, how do they get their sentences so precise?"
The rap finishes with the defiant statement: "I guess reading it makes me kind of boring. Well if that's the price I pay for being well informed - too fucking bad."
May 05, 2008
Santogold: "Your Voice"
PEHDTSCKJMBA: Waits Explains Why There Will Be No New York Shows
Anti has the full list of tour dates posted. [hat tip BrooklynVegan]
May 02, 2008
McCarren Park Pool Shows
Since lots of people have been asking, yes, Gogol Bordello are confirmed. As are M.I.A., Ween, Death Cab For Cutie, Devo, DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist, and the Black Keys. Tickets and more information can be found at mccarrenpark.com. We're still waiting to hear more about the free JellyNYC Pool Parties, so stay posted.
Gogol Bordello, Wonderlust King
April 30, 2008
True Norwegian Black Metal
Peter Beste has a new book out documenting the Norwegian Black Metal scene in pictures. It looks amazing. These dudes are the real deal and make pseudo-satanic poseurs in America look like pussies. The lead singer of Gorgoroth, Gaahl (pictured aboved), actually did time for torturing a dude and drinking his blood. Here's what the publisher (Vice) has to say about Beste's book:
Documentary photographer Peter Beste has spent the last five years working in the milieu of the Norwegian black metal scene. This scene, with its notorious events of murder, church arson, and self-mythology, is absolutely sealed to outsiders. The international black metal fan base is one of the most devoted, fanatical, and proprietary in the world. Beste’s access and insight into this world is unprecedented and has yielded an amazing photographic journey
Check out the amazing video series by VBS after the jump.
[Hat Tip Gawker]
April 29, 2008
Scarlett Johansson: Falling Down
We must admit we're surprised, but her new record sounds pretty good thus far:
April 25, 2008
Wilco Tickets For McCarren Park On Sale At Noon
More information at mccarrenpark.com.
April 23, 2008
Celebrate Brooklyn 2008 Schedule
Brazilian Girls will perform Friday, July 11
The schedule is a bit underwhelming, but here it is. We'll definitely be checking out the Carolina Chocolate Drops on June 26:
I'm From Barcelona At The Brooklyn Masonic Temple
This promises to be a great show. The temple is amazing and I'm From Barcelona are a ridiculously fun live band. The show is May 1st at 7:30 and tickets are available at TicketWeb.
Best of all, we have A PAIR OF FREE TICKETS available via Boost Mobile.com. To win, be the fifth person to email us with the subject line "I'm from Barcelona." [we have a winner]
April 21, 2008
Devo Are Playing McCarren Park Pool
Tickets go on sale Fri, 04/25/08 10:00 AM. More information at mccarrenpark.com.
Devo on Letterman, 1992:
April 16, 2008
McCarren Park Pool 2008 Schedule
Since lots of people have been asking about McCarren Park Pool, here's the short answer. Yes, the venue will once again be hosting shows this summer. Sadly, this will be the last summer to enjoy live concerts. [Full story here]. We'll be maintaining the calendar at www.mccarrenpark.com.
Beginning in June, JELLYNYC and Helio will be hosting free Pool Parties on Sundays. Meanwhile, Ticketmaster will be selling shamefully overpriced tickets for the shows they represent as well. Hopefully, Live Nation won't be transforming McCarren Park into patchouli-infested hacky sack land again this year by booking jambands.
Confirmed shows thus far include Wilco, M.I.A. and Hold Steady. There are some pretty cool rumors circulating too. Visit mccarrenpark.com for the full schedule.
[Note: this will also be our last summer to maintain www.mccarrenpark.com, so attention real estate moguls, we're accepting your highest bid on the site.]
April 14, 2008
Nigerian Gangster
ChiTown DJ Mike Love mixes up Jay Z's American Gangster with Fela Kuti, Grab it here. Thanks Rumproast.
Previously, American Zeppelin mashup.
April 07, 2008
Pitchfork TV Launches
April 02, 2008
Bjork's Wonderfully Trippy "Wanderlust"
If anybody knows where we can see the high quality, 3-D version, let us know in comments. In the mean time, this will have to do. UPDATE: a high res version is streaming here.
In other Bjork news, Sterogum has a remix CD of Bjorks "Post" available for download here. It features songs by Liars, Evangelicals, Dirty Projectors, High Places, Atlas Sound, and many more. Here's the art work:
March 26, 2008
Feist: The Black Sessions
Last week they posted Cat Power's, The Black Sessions. Now Aquarium Drunkard has Feist recorded for French radio circa 2004. Her cover of The Kink's "Nothin' In The World Can Stop Me Worryin' 'Bout That Girl" is a highlight. Grab 'em all here.
March 25, 2008
Uncut Previews The ScarJo/Waits Record
They shy away from actually giving it a thumbs up or down, but they don't seem to hate it. More here.
March 20, 2008
Cat Power: The Black Sessions
Aquarium Drunkard has posted a collection of Cat Power tracks recently recorded at France Inter. The material mainly consists of tracks from Jukebox. If you're a fan they're definitely worth a listen. Grab 'em here.
March 17, 2008
Arnaud Rodrigues: Som Do Paulinho
If you're a fan of Os Mutantes and Tropicalia, this 1976 LP from Arnaud Rodrigues is essential. Grab it while it lasts. [Thanks Rumproast]
March 14, 2008
RIAA Wants To Charge All Broadband Users An Extra $5 A Month
This is totally retarded.
March 12, 2008
The Gazetteers: More People Should Resign
Since every scandal-plagued resignation deserves a theme song, this one goes out to Eliot Spitzer via our friends The Gazetteers: "More People Should Resign"
March 10, 2008
Who Knew?
Now this is a scoop.
Fleet Foxes
We've been LOVING the new Fleet Foxes EP, "Sun Giant", just released by Sub Pop. It's hands-down our favorite release thus far this year. Fans of band of Horses and My Morning Jacket won't be disappointed. The reverb-drenched vocals are nothing less than beautiful. Here's a track from their fortcoming full length (below) and a bunch more via Hype Machine and Brooklyn Vegan. You can also get a sample on their Myspace page.
After the jump, Fleet Foxes covering "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac.
March 08, 2008
Free Show Tonight: Hey Hey My My
They'll be playing at Soundfix and are slotted to go on at 8pm. We've really been enjoying their debut.
March 07, 2008
Portishead: Third
As The Vulture says: "These guys haven't released an album since 1998. But they're back! And they sound more or less the way they did in 1998." That's not a bad thing.
March 05, 2008
Mastodon's Brooklyn Masonic Temple Shows: Part One
From the Mastodon website: "this is the first in a series of 4 videos from Mastodon's shows with Neurosis at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple at the end of January." Watch the video after the jump. [hat tip Brooklyn Vegan]
Continue reading "Mastodon's Brooklyn Masonic Temple Shows: Part One" »
February 29, 2008
Steely Dan: The Lost Gaucho Album
People have long asked the question are you a bigger Beatles or Stones fan to peg where someone's tastes are rooted. We prefer the question Ella or Billie? In our opinion, how people answer that one says much more about their personality. (For the record, we prefer the Stones and Billie Holiday). Generally, people love the music of all four so discussing their "rivalries" rarely causes much friction.
If you want heated debate, bring up Steely Dan. No band has ever been more polarizing. There's simply no gray area when it comes to these undisputed kings of Yacht Rock. You either love Steely Dan or hate them. We love them. In fact, we don't trust people who don't like them. People who hate Steely Dan are bad people who probably dislike kittens and rainbows too. Not only is Steely Dan a great band, they can predict the future. How else can you explain their cautionary letter to Owen Wilson a full year before his suicude attempt?
The people over at Aquarium Drunkard must be good people since they are hosting Steely Dan's The Lost Gaucho Album. If you're a fan, go grab it now. The sound quality is pretty solid (a bit on the sharp side) but fans will be pleased. Here's the story on the tracks via BigO Worldwide:
As to why so many songs were dropped from the final lineup of Gaucho, a case can be made that this early version was too close in style to 1977’s Aja - shorter songs, sweeter melodies and more accessible lyrics. The finally released Gaucho seemed purposely obscure, deep and complex. Was it to spite their record company MCA? Is it possible that The Second Arrangement was never erased but that Becker and Fagen concocted the story to avoid releasing what they thought was the better version of Gaucho? Listen and decide for yourself.
Speaking of rivalries, look for Sean Manning's Rock & Roll Cagematch: Music's Greatest Rivalries Decided in August. Should be a great read. More on this anthology when the publication date draws nearer.
February 28, 2008
Hey Hey My My
We've been enjoying the debut record by Hey Hey My My. Their unfortunate name (which references Young's "Into the Black" of course) reminds us of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Junior Senior's Hey Hey My My Yo Yo, but don't let that get in the way. Their music is fantastic. We'd deem their breezy, alt-country melodies as Americana if they didn't happen to be from France. Thanks to our friends at JELLYNYC, Hey Hey My My are doing a few New York shows in coming days. You can catch them at Mercury on 3/5 (opening for Lightspeed Champion), at Southpaw on 3/7 (playing with The Epochs and The Subjects), and then at Soundfix on 3/8. They're certain to be getting lots of press in the near future. You can check out some tracks on their myspace page, myspace.com/heyheymymyband, or watch a couple of their videos after the jump.
Our guess is that the top one won't be showing on Brooklyn Vegan anytime soon.
February 20, 2008
Grand Archives
We're huge Band of Horses fans, so we've been eagerly awaiting the debut release of Grand Archives which came out yesterday. This Sub Pop band is fronted by former BOH member Mat Brooke, who left the band after Everything All the Time. Aquarium Drunkard has some tracks which sound great. Especially Miniature Birds which reminds us of Seals & Crofts, except in a good way. (We didn't think that was even possible). You can check out some demo tracks here. And there's more at there myspace page.
