Group Sounds begin their residency Tuesday June 14th at Sin-e. If you haven't heard them yet, be sure to check them out. They recently opened for The Kills and offer up fun, unpretentious pop that's a welcome break from the derivative post-punk that's monopolizing New York clubs these days.

MP3's
Business before pleasure | Things fall apart

Live Dates:
June 14th, 21st, 28th @ Sin-e
August 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st @ Pianos

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 09:41 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

You know you want it.

Thanks Daily Refill.... click here to get it.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Our friends at OneLouder are making us feel even worse about missing last night's Kraftwerk show. Check out these great pix and their review.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 01:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

We think they're melodramatic and overrated (granted, they have a few great songs). Nevertheless, the kids seem to love them. So here it is, care of Scenestars, the stream of the new Coldplay record. Enjoy.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 12:08 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

BrooklynVegan has a helpful White Stripes post this morning pointing us to some MP3's and the new White Stripes video. Check 'em out.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:11 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Somehow the new White Stripes record hasn't been leaked yet. In lieu of MP3's, Scenestars.net has provided a stream of the full record, "Get Behind Me Satan." This is a very different, more mellow, more sparse White Stipes almost completely devoid of Jimmy Page riffs. (Though "Red Rain" — one of the album's highlights — does sound like a Led Zeppelin III outtake). The good news is most of the record is more inspired than the cheesy Lenny Kravitz-sounding single "Blue Orchid." Start with "Little Ghost," a carefree bluegrass-inspired hoedown. "As Ugly as I Seem" is a lovely confessional on accoustic guitar, accompanied by Meg on bongos. Upon first listen, "Get Behind Me Satan" sounds like the proverbial "transitional" record. Most notably, many tracks are piano-driven, a break with their tradional guitar-heavy sound. Vibes, banjos, and xylophones are added to the mix on several tracks. Regardless of your opinion of their new sound, one question will linger; what's up with the Zoro costume, Jack? [The record is due to be released June 6]

Listen to the record by clicking here

Let us know what you think. Start your reviews here in comments.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:10 AM | Comments (14) | TrackBack

From Pitchfork
The bands involved were asked to pick a song by answering the question "What have you been listening to lately?" Yes, it's a covers album — but instead of being treated to a Counting Crows rendition of "Horse With No Name", we get popular contemporary artists covering... popular contemporary artists. Among the goodies on the CD are the inescapable Devendra Banhart trying on Antony & the Johnson's white facepaint, the Decemberists borrowing Joanna Newsom's shoes, and the Shins reviving their acquaintance with the Postal Service. We also get the Constantines and Ida each appearing both as performers and as cover-ees; yea, and a Wolf shall cover a Frog, a Mountain Goat shall cover a Silver Jew, and the majority of the tracks shall be previously unreleased, amen. The tracklist:

01 The Decemberists: "Bridges & Balloons" by Joanna Newsom
02 Spoon: "Decora" by Yo La Tengo
03 The Constantines: "Why I Didn't Like August '93" by Elevator
04 CocoRosie: "Ohio" by Damien Jurado
05 The Mountain Goats: "Pet Politics" by Silver Jews
06 San Serac: "Late Blues" by Ida
07 The Shins: "We Will Become Silhouettes" by the Postal Service
08 Josephine Foster: "The Golden Window" by the Cherry Blossoms
09 Cynthia G. Mason: "Surprise, AZ" by Richard Buckner
10 Jim Guthrie: "Nighttime/Anytime (It's Alright)" by the Constantines
11 Espers: "Firefly Refrain" by Fursaxa
12 Two Gallants: "Anna's Sweater" by Blear
13 Vetiver: "Be Kind to Me" by Michael Hurley
14 Ida: "My Fair, My Dark" by David Schickele
15 Mount Eerie: "Waterfalls" by Thanksgiving
16 Devendra Banhart: "Fistful of Love" by Antony & the Johnsons
17 Wolf Parade: "Claxxon's Lament" by Frog Eyes

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:02 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

From TinyMixTapes
Because it makes so much sense (why wouldn't they?!), uber-feminist dirtstache band Le Tigre will be producing a track for human Barbie doll Paris Hilton's upcoming debut album, as reported by MTVe. The album, due out on Paris' own imprint, Heiress Records, will be distributed through Warner Bros. Rumor has it that the album will be called "Paris is Burning." No release date has been set, but incidentally, Paris will be attending a totally hot launch party for her label thrown by PlayStation on July 2nd. More combinations that make perfect sense! I wonder, universe, if next we can see Bob Saget on Broadway or maybe Bright Eyes on Jay Leno performing "When the President Talks to God." Oh wait, list of things that are totally happening.

Le Tigre's list of recent collaborators reads like a pop culture who's-who. Their most recent single, "TKO," featured Missy Elliot, and Kathleen Hanna did a guest vocal on Green Day's latest, American Idiot. And to think, not too long ago they were just your average electro pop band. See what a major label can make happen, folks? Le Tigre released The Island last fall on Universal Records. They'll be too busy making music with famous people this summer to tour, but they will be appearing in your home non-stop for months to come via reruns of VH1 fundit programming. Be sure to catch "My Coolest Years: I Was a Closet Case."

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 04:19 PM | Comments (36)

Get well, Alan. We're all big fans.

From the band's messageboard [Via OneLouder]:
dear friends,

the following is a lot of sentences starting with "i". i've heard this is bad form and it tends to paint a very egocentric picture of the writer. good thing i'm a musician...

low has to cancel the shows we have booked in may and june - perhaps beyond. i have always tried to extend true respect to the fans of our music. it would be very easy to just cancel without proper explanation, and hope that the rumors tipped our way, perhaps adding to some crafted mystique. but, i'm a coward and i'll leave that to the true artists.

i have not been very mentally stable for the last while. due to this, touring at this time has become too much of a burden on everyone involved. my current problems and instability create undue and unnecessary stress for everyone close to me, especially on the road, so despite coming back from several months of shows we have thoroughly enjoyed playing and being a part of, i have to respect their best judgment. those last several months have been some of the hardest to live through, and it is too much to ask those around me to have to put up with that any more.

for those of you who cling to details and think information is power; i have been speculated/diagnosed with everything from post-traumatic stress disorder, ADHD, bipolar whatever, suicidal depression/anxiety ("here's some pills, call me if you are still alive next week - oh, wait, sorry, your small business insurance plan doesn't cover all this..."), to paranoia, laziness, OCD, and good old-fashioned two-faced asshole-ness. i know - "big deal, who doesn't have problems? you have a great and easy life! how bad can it be!?!" i wish i was a better person, and i'm working on that, much in the same way everyone else does. unfortunately, for one reason or another, that battle for me right now abruptly demands some drastic effort, sacrifice, and change - and that's just to stay in the game... i feel like i've come through the worst of it, by there's nothing uglier than lips speaking vain promises, so forgive me if i'm reluctant to be the cheerleader this time. i need to get healthy, and it's apparent that something about touring right now is doing more damage than good.

several months ago, amid a couple "bad days", i found myself standing in front of a photo of John Peel, on the wall outside one of the BBC studios on london. the image of his face in this photo is an image that exposes fools. i was ashamed to even look into his eyes. still, seeing his calm, wise face made me realize i had been letting my own selfish battle with sanity get in the way of the gift of music that i and we all are so privileged to be even a small part of. my thoughts raced.

i remembered being in the man's home and meeting his family. if there has ever been an example of a selfless man, he surely was/is. yet, it hurt more than looking at the sun than to look at him on some piece of paper!?!... in that instant, i knew i was a fool, and that i had become the enemy. to many this may sound like a very weird and/or dangerous realization, but i have a feeling that that moment will be one i will look back upon someday as "where things changed." - where the eclipse peaked and began to wane. God bless the DJ.

it breaks my heart. i love playing music and i love being able to play it for people, but i love the people i play music with the most. do the math. you have been so kind to us and the people we work with have been patient and selfless through all this, so despite complete faith that everyone probably understands and at least respects our decision, i still wish to extend my deepest apologies to all.

now, to wrap this up, a word or two regarding the individual inconvenience and monetary loss involved: i know this sounds a bit assuming but, in a cosmic, semi-mentally-ill way, i feel every subway fare spent to go downtown to buy and now refund the tickets, every plan made and day worked extra so the day of the low show would be open, every broken heart that was looking forward to feeling my righteous guitar riffs up close and live, and every dollar that will have to come out of the pockets of the promoters of all these shows (i'm serious... despite all the sleazy stuff that goes on the music biz, most of the promoters we work with are very honest people who are not getting rich off what they do, but they still do it because they love music and the community they live in... please go easy on 'em.)

thank you, and again, i am very sorry. i suggest that instead of going to the low show, go for a walk with a friend or two that day - somewhere where there's trees or rocks and dirt or plants. i plan to do the same, each of those days, right here in beautiful duluth... or at the funny farm - who knows? either way....

and please please please go out and get the M.I.A. cd!

peace be with you.

sincerely,
g. alan sparhawk

Thanks Jason

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 01:26 PM | Comments (6)

Dullard Harry Reid actually says something candid:

[From reviewjournal.com]
In the course of a discussion on filibusters and Senate rules, Washington's top Democrat gave the 60 juniors a lesson in partisan politics, particularly about the commander in chief. "The man's father is a wonderful human being," Reid said in response to a question about President Bush's policies. "I think this guy is a loser.

"I think President Bush is doing a bad job," he added to a handful of chuckles.

"He's driving this country into bankruptcy," Reid said, referring to the deficit. "He's got us in this intractable war in Iraq where we now have about 1,600 American soldiers dead and another 15,000 injured."

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:51 AM | Comments (0)

JUNE 14 - The Pixies Jones Beach concert announced.

Interpol and LCD Soundsystem opening

Presale tickets on sale thursday, May 5 at noon

Click Here for more info

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:28 AM | Comments (4)

You can download the song here.

"When The President Talks To God"

When the president talks to God
Are the conversations brief or long?
Does he ask to rape our women's' rights
And send poor farm kids off to die?
Does God suggest an oil hike
When the president talks to God?

When the president talks to God
Are the consonants all hard or soft?
Is he resolute all down the line?
Is every issue black or white?
Does what God say ever change his mind
When the president talks to God?

When the president talks to God
Does he fake that drawl or merely nod?
Agree which convicts should be killed?
Where prisons should be built and filled?
Which voter fraud must be concealed
When the president talks to God?

When the president talks to God
I wonder which one plays the better cop
We should find some jobs. the ghetto's broke
No, they're lazy, George, I say we don't
Just give 'em more liquor stores and dirty coke
That's what God recommends

When the president talks to God
Do they drink near beer and go play golf
While they pick which countries to invade
Which Muslim souls still can be saved?
I guess god just calls a spade a spade
When the president talks to God

When the president talks to God
Does he ever think that maybe he's not?
That that voice is just inside his head
When he kneels next to the presidential bed
Does he ever smell his own bullshit
When the president talks to God?

I doubt it
I doubt it

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 09:34 AM | Comments (74)

Stryper is planning a comeback. We don't know whether to be excited or nauseous. We just hope someone does an exit poll at the concerts to see how many fans are in attendence ironically. Those T-shirt sales will be huge. Everyone wants a cock-rockin', Jesus-fearing, mother-fucking Stryper 2005 Tour shirt.

Apply to be the official Stryper Street Team President here. Listen to their new, more-horrible-than-you-imagined mp3 here.

From their Press Release:

The multi-platinum and Billboard charting rock band Stryper is back and set to release Reborn via Big3 Records on August 16, 2005. Reborn marks the band's first complete studio release of original material in over a decade, since 1990's Against The Law, and features 10 original tracks marked by Stryper's trademark blend of melodic vocals, heavy guitar licks and pounding drums, as well a new version of the previously released track "In God We Trust." After writing and recording some songs in April 2004, Michael Sweet approached the band about reuniting and recording the material as a Stryper record. The album was re-recorded in Massachussetts at Blue Jay Studio, Mixed Emotions, and Sweet's home studio. The title track "Reborn" is provocatively dark with catchy lyrics and raw guitar riffs, and will impact radio on June 7th.

Said Stryper frontman Michael Sweet of the new record, "Our fans have said they would like to hear Stryper with more edge, but I didn't want to do something so heavy that it would limit us. We were able to deliver the edge yet still keep the melody and catchy guitar riffs." As for the title Reborn, Sweet remarks, "I wrote the song "Reborn" before we decided to reunite as a band, and once we came together it was natural to make this notion the essence of the album as we feel we are being reborn. We truly feel like a new band."

The release of Reborn begins a remarkable new chapter in Stryper's career. With 8 albums released and more than 8 million albums sold worldwide, the band has been a pioneering force in the Christian metal music scene, and one of the most exciting forces in American rock music. Reborn encapsulates the band's signature sound, yet includes a modern twist that will not only speak to Stryper's loyal fan base worldwide, but also to hard rock fans everywhere.

Original Stryper members Michael Sweet (lead vocals, guitar), Oz Fox (lead guitar), Robert Sweet (drums) are pleased to announce the addition of Tracy Ferrie (bass) to the band. Stryper will embark on a North American tour in support of the record this fall.

Big3 Records will also release a Stryper DVD, packed with live footage and special features, by the end of the year. The DVD is history in the making. Not only is it the first Stryper DVD to be released, but it is also the first ever live music filmed in Puerto Rico

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 07:55 PM | Comments (11)

From Press Release
As we prepare for the release of Face The Truth, perhaps the finest work of Stephen Malkmus' recorded career (and we're including that other band he used to be in), the following tour dates have been announced:

June
04 Washington DC Black Cat
05 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts
07 New York, NY Irving Plaza
09 Cleveland, OH Beachland Ballroom
10 Detroit, MI St. Andrew's Hall
12 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
14 Los Angeles, CA El Rey
15 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore w/Martha Wainwright
18 Seattle, WA Neumos w/Martha Wainwright

On May 24, Matador will be releasing the 3rd post-Pavement album from Stephen Malkmus, Face The Truth, on the every popular compact disc and phonograph long player configurations. Face The Truth, Stephen's first bona fide solo recording, captures our favorite singer-songwriter at the height of his creative powers. We can say with total confidence that some of SM's wittiest moments to date are found on this album, along with many of his most heartfelt. An album of staggering lyrical and musical range, Face The Truth' is unlikely to be supported by heavy touring (what with Stephen's pending dad-to-be status), but selected US dates are planned, so catch him while you can!

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 12:27 PM | Comments (2)

Sufjan Stevens's new record Illinois isn't set to be released until July 5 but it's happened again.... an Internet leak. If you are an impatient, heartless bastard with no scruples, check it out here.

Here's the upcoming tracklist (care of Pitchfork)

01 Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, IL
02 The Black Hawk War, or, How to Demolish an Entire Civilization and Still Feel Good About Yourself in the Morning, or, We Apologize for the Inconvenience But You're Going to Have to Leave Now, or, "I have fought the Big Knives and will continue to fight them until they are off our lands!"
03 Come on! Feel the Illinoise!
-Part I: The World's Columbian Exposition
-Part II: Carl Sandburg Visits Me in a Dream
04 John Wayne Gacy, Jr.
05 Jacksonville
06 A Short Reprise for Mary Todd, Who Went Insane, But for Very Good Reasons
07 Decatur, or, Round of Applause for Your Step Mother!
08 One Last "Woo-hoo!" for the Pullman
09 Chicago
10 Casimir Pulaski Day

11 To the Workers of the Rockford River Valley Region, I have an Idea Concerning Your Predicament, and it involves shoe string, a lavender garland, and twelve strong women
12 The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts
13 Prairie Fire That Wanders About
14 A Conjunction of Drones Simulating the Way in Which Sufjan Stevens Has an Existential Crisis in the Great Godfrey Maze
15 The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!
16 They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back From the Dead!! Ahhhhh!
17 Let's Hear That String Part Again, Because I Don't Think They Heard It All the Way Out in Bushnell
18 In This Temple, as in the Hearts of Man, for Whom He Saved the Earth
19 The Seer's Tower
20 The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders
-Part I: The Great Frontier
-Part II: Come to Me Only With Playthings Now
21 Riffs and Variations on a Single Note for Jelly Roll, Earl Hines, Louis Armstrong, Baby Dodds, and the King of Swing, to Name a Few
22 Out of Egypt, into the Great Laugh of Mankind, and I shake the dirt from my sandals as I run

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:16 AM | Comments (2)

SATURDAY APRIL 23rd @ CLUB EXIT
147 Greenpoint Ave @ Manhattan Ave, Greenpoint, Brooklyn

BLACK DICE
Eric Gaffney & Jason Loewenstein (original members of Sebadoh)
Blood on the Wall
Cause Co-Motion

get there early, bands have to be over by midnight!

[ BLACK DICE ]
BLACK DICE, with acclaim ranging from such outlets as The New York Times to Frieze magazine, have been creating an international underground stir. Past performances at art spaces such as the Andrew Kreps Gallery and the Swiss Institute, align them with the New York art world. Notorious for their history of aggressive live performances that challenge sound barriers, their music has grown to a state of spatial complexity, creating a sea of electronic bass tones, altered vocals, percussion experimentation and abstract guitar drones. Black Dice has released records on DFA and Troubleman Unlimited records.

[ ERIC GAFFNEY & JASON LOEWENSTEIN (SEBADOH) ]
Founding two thirds of Sebadoh III era Sebadoh, plus Eric was there all the way back to The Freed Man - drums on Weed Forrestin' even. Responsible for all of the harder, weirder Sebadoh output, these two guys haven't played together in years - since Gaffney left to protest Sebadoh's more commercial turn, just before the Bakesale record. Eric has rounded out his days since the early nineties putting out records and touring under the Fields of Gaffney moniker.

[ BLOOD ON THE WALL ]
Bro and sis duo Courtney and Brad Shanks and most of the time drummer Miggy Littleton (who also used-to-play in White Magic). Smart co-ed indie rawk like you didn't think they made anymore. Rock 'n roll. "BOTW is a classic fucked up rock band, hitting the earth's atmosphere at just the right angle to produce all kinds of heat." - Time Out NY

[ CAUSE CO-MOTION ]
Tight concise un-twee pop, played clean with uneffected guitars and bass, and a just the facts three piece drumkit. smart snappy songs and neat and tidy melodies. " simply thrilled and smashing times. reverb disasters and crash-pop shambles. wobbly bass. quarter sleeves, cotton shoes, and awkward hats." - Josh Gabriel, Artrocker Zine

[ CLUB EXIT ]
Club Exit is a fuckin' crazy designed to the hilt Polish super disco located above a Burger King around the corner from the Greenpoint Ave train station in Greenpoint, Brooklyn - Little Poland, NYC. Club Exit achieves some kind of comfy elegance - perhaps in spite of it's many many rooms and levels of pulsating lights, lasers, smoke, backlit ovular furniture, light fixtures, bathrooms sinks, bartops, etc - in general lots and lots of backlit opaque plastic and brushed steel. You've walked past it a zillion times - you've got to see the inside of this place. All VIP lounges and secret hidey-holes will be open to everybody for the duration of this event.

ADVANCE TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE @ EAT RECORDS -&- @ REJOICE
EAT RECORDS - 718.389.8083
REJOICE - 718.599.6646

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 11:40 AM | Comments (0)

BECK has announced a special NEW YORK gig.

The star will be appearing at the Hiro Ballroom in the city's Maritime Hotel for the exclusive show.

Tickets can ONLY be bought here.

The password to purchase tickets is: girls. Tickets are limited to two per person and priced at $25.(From NME)

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 07:54 AM | Comments (2)

From press release:
It's already been quite a year for London, England's Bloc Party: their debut, Silent Alarm (Vice Records), was released last month to a large heaping of critical acclaim on an international scale. Their first tour of the US has been packed with sold out, incredible shows. And now they're making their nationwide television debut on "Late Show with David Letterman" this evening. Check them out tonight at 11:30 on NBC.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 11:24 AM | Comments (11)

Check this funny remix of Daft Punk is Playing at my House. Funny shit.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 12:15 PM | Comments (0)

From Pitchfork:

Will Oldham is collaborating his beard off these days: Fresh off the success of his Superwolf venture with ChaveZwan alum Matt Sweeney, he's laid down a series of cover songs with Chicago post-rockers Tortoise. Initially concieved as a half-joke between Overcoat Recordings owner Howard Greynolds and Oldham, the record has ballooned into a full-on but unnamed collaboration, featuring 10 cuts from artists as disparate as Elton John and Lungfish.

"On one level, it sounds like a cross between Tortoise and Will Oldham," Tortoise bassist Doug McCombs told the Chicago Reader. "But ultimately it sounds like a collaboration between six people, not just a group and one guy."

Set for an October release via Overcoat, the involved parties are also rumoured to be embarking on a tour, but that's still in pipe-dream stage. Of course, we'll keep you updated as soon as it makes the jump to wet-dream, but for now all we can do is give you a neat lil' list of the tracks the indie stalwarts have recorded:

* Daniel (Elton John)
* The Calvary Cross (Richard Thompson)
* That's Pep! (Devo)
* It's Expected I'm Gone (the Minutemen)
* Cravo e Canela (Milton Nascimento)
* Some Say (I Got Devil) (Melanie)
* Pancho (Dan Williams)
* Love Is Love (Lungfish)
* On My Own (Quix*o*tic)

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 09:15 AM | Comments (0)

From Rolling Stone:

Rick Rubin is hoping to do for Neil Diamond what he did for Johnny Cash. The producer -- who revived the Man in Black's career in the Nineties with the Grammy-winning American Recordings series -- has revealed to Rolling Stone that he is producing Diamond's next album, the follow-up to 2001's Three Chord Opera.

The record will mark a slight change in direction for Diamond, moving away from his recent, lavishly arranged crooner material to his stripped-down singer-songwriter style of the late Sixties. "This is more of a songwriter's album than a singer's album," says Rubin

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 03:51 PM | Comments (3)

From Pitchfork:

What's it been, like five weeks since we reported that creepily-pale blues exploders Jack and Meg White had just begun recording duties for their fifth studio album? Well, you can reset your egg timer, as according to an email from the band's label, V2 Records, the latest LP from the White Stripes has been given a release date of June 14.

The album, which was produced by singer/guitarist/thespian Jack White, doesn't seem to have an album title or tracklist yet, but their PR company notes that unlike the Stripes' previous release, 2003's Elephant, no guest artists appear on the disc. And considering Jack's recent crossover success with Loretta Lynn's Van Lear Rose, you know our good friend Kenny Rogers is somewhere sulking in his chicken bucket right now.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 03:38 PM | Comments (9)

From AP

WILTON, New Hampshire (AP) -- Guitarist Rod Price, founding member of the blues boogie band Foghat, died Tuesday after falling down a stairway at his home, a family friend said. He was 57.

The London native's solos drove Foghat to three platinum and eight gold records during the band's quarter-century career.

Foghat released its self-titled debut album in 1972. The group was best known for the hit single, "Slow Ride," from the 1975 album, "Fool for the City."

After many years of touring he settled in Wilton in 1994. Many in town knew Price as a loving dad who never missed his son's baseball, soccer or basketball games. Fewer people knew of Price's musical background.

Price had played with Champion Jack Dupree, Duster Bennett, Eddie Kirkland, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Willie Dixon and Honey Boy Edwards.

In recent years, Price concentrated on his blues projects, cutting several CDs and giving private guitar lessons at his home.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:52 AM | Comments (5)

One MP3 for each band performing:

Download away.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 05:31 PM | Comments (1)

05-01 Indio, CA - Coachella Music and Arts Festival
05-02 San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
05-03 San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
05-05 Portland, OR - Roseland
05-06 Seattle, WA - Showbox
05-07 Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore
05-10 Minneapolis, MN - Quest
05-11 Chicago, IL - Metro
05-12 Chicago, IL - Metro
05-14 Toronto, Ontario - Phoenix
05-16 Boston, MA - Avalon
05-17 New York City, NY - Irving Plaza
05-18 New York City, NY - Irving Plaza
05-20 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
05-21 Philadelphia, PA - TBA

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:41 AM | Comments (3)

Korn guitarist finds God, leaves band

NEW YORK (Billboard) -- Korn guitarist Brian "Head" Welch has parted ways with the hard rock act, citing a recent religious awakening.

Welch broke the news Sunday on Bakersfield, California, station KRAB-FM.

"I had it in my heart to come here and explain to you," Welch said. "I'm good friends with Korn. I love those guys, and they love me, and they're very happy for me."

Addressing the aggressive tone of the music he made with Korn, Welch said, "Anger is a good thing, and if kids want to listen to Korn, good, but there's happiness after the anger. I'm going to show it through my actions how much I love my fans."

Welch added that he would be appearing at a local church on February 27, during which time he would "speak (about) how I got to this place in my life, and I'll answer all your questions."

On its official Web site (http://www.korn.com), Korn's remaining members said they respect Welch's wishes and hope "he finds the happiness he is searching for." The group is in the studio working on a new album, due in September, which will be its first since fulfilling its contract with Epic last year.

For now, no replacement for Welch has been named, nor has a new label home for the band.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 11:20 AM | Comments (10)

News on Danger Mouse and the Gorillaz from the press release (see below). [Note, Danger Mouse remixing Dinah Washington verges on sacriledge. Whose idea was this? That said the Gorillaz project sounds cool.]

"Artist and Producer Danger Mouse has recently finished producing the highly anticipated forthcoming Gorillaz album. The album, titled Demon Days, is due out in May.

Danger Mouse was recently honored in GQ's Man of the Year issue and Entertainment Weekly's Album of the Year as well as 'year end' accolades from SPIN, Vibe, Blender, NME, Wired, Q and Village Voice to name just a few.

In a recent interview with NME, Gorillaz guitarist Noodle said of the album's Demon Days title: "Its' interpretation is completed by the instinct of the listener. In one sense the Demon is a disease and the disease is an absence of thought, a state where people make action without consideration. This is the invisible evil, with a million eyes. This is the return of the ogre, the rise of the beats. Its time is now. The moment we live in has agitated this slumbering giant, the dormant illness. These are the Demon Days, and the land it stalks is the on cusp of a thick fog. In another sense it is time to become the Demon. A time for an action, made with less contemplation, but from a disciplined and considered instinct. Strike with perfection and effect.These are Demon days we exist in. We strike to capture the moment. And hope to contain it, in a balance."

In other news, Danger Mouse has been tapped to produce a Dinah Washington remix for the upcoming Verve Remixed 3 CD. Verve Remixed 3 is due to be released in early April on Verve Records.

Danger Mouse picked the Dinah Washington classic "Baby, did you hear me?" for his contribution to the remix CD.

One of the finest jazz singers of the '50s and early '60s, Dinah Washington is best known for her performances of songs including "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes", "Unforgettable" and "This Bitter Earth". Her life was tragically cut short in 1963 at the age of 39."

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 09:59 AM | Comments (0)

A response to the Stylus reimagining of Summer Teeth:
Summer Teeth is Wilco's magnum opus. Their most accomplished record. Their Exile on Main Street. The most perfect record a band could hope to produce. Though critics flock to their more recent, "experimental" releases, most overlook the complexity of this richly rewarding record. Summer Teeth's best song, "Via Chicago," is one of the most intricate tracks they've ever recorded. Critics overlook the sophistication of most of the tracks on Summer Teeth because they get lost in their surface level catchiness. Nevertheless, this is more of a "studio album" than the uneven Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and the self-indulgent A Ghost is Born. Just ask a Wilco fan, this is the record that they actually listen too. Don't be fooled by the showy sonic bursts on their later records, Summer Teeth is the record Wilco will be remembered for. It's that good. [Note to Stylus.... how could you cut "She's a Jar?"]

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 10:49 AM | Comments (5)

From Pitchfork:
"OK, don't hold us to this, but it looks like those rumors and innuendo about the Unicorns' demise have not been greatly exaggerated. A history lesson, if you will: it all started with reports that the band's December 21 show in Houston, Texas was their last. The early days of 2005 saw the seemingly straightforward message "THE UNICORNS ARE DEAD, (R.I.P.)" posted on the band's official website, with the Latin postmortem sic transit gloria ("thus passes the glory") appended thereon.

And that should've been that. But that is never that with the Unicorns-- the inevitable Chinese whispers started wafting through the zeitgeist, claiming that the breakup was just another Andy Kaufmanesque prank along the lines of that wrestling thing the 'Corns did last year. Mere days later, the web obituary was replaced with a cryptic call from "HALIBUT CORN HORN" to "GET READY TO DANCE," among other nonsense. The band's publicist stayed as vague and tight-lipped as a North Korean apparatchik-- maybe he just wasn't in on the joke.

Then just last week, a post on the band's online guestbook led us to believe that the breakup was for real. Signed "Alden and Diamonds," presumably guitarist Alden Ginger and singer/keyboarder Nicholas Diamonds, the post verified that the band has indeed bought the indie-pop farm. Quoth they: "Thanks for all the support but the Unicorns are Dead... Sorry to say it but you all have to understand that touring and trying to produce a new album has taken its toll on our lives and the band. We want to enjoy making music but this process has made it impossible to do so. We are glad you guys love the music but we have a life too and being a Unicorn makes a 'normal' life impossible."

Plebes like us can only wonder at lives of such richness and depth that mere music-making cannot be allowed to disrupt them, but that's what they said. The message continues: "On the bright side there will be some new material forthcoming. Take it sleazy, th' corns." The rest of the site was, of course, absolutely no help, offering only a risible maze-game in which we are exhorted to rescue the boys from some sort of ransom kidnap situation. Every bit as tangled, maddening, and pointless as the band's long breakup tease, the maze makes a surprisingly suitable postmortem.

But it's been said that if you wait long enough, a light will shine through. And lo, a recent missive from the band's PR confirms that the band has in fact broken up and that two of its former members will continue on as Th' Corn Gangg-- the hip-hop side-project the Unicorns announced last year. What this means for lovers of the band's debut LP/swan song Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone? is still up for interpretation, but for once the Gangg seems to be shooting straight-- the message says the band will soon be making mp3s available to the public ("w/ some very special guests"), touring the U.S. in April, playing SXSW, and presumably making a record sometime here. And we're not sure we believe it, but we do have one live date. L.A., they love you:

03-12 Los Angeles, CA - The Echo

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 01:33 PM | Comments (30)

In support of their great new record:
The Matt Sweeney & Bonnie "Prince" Billy- Superwolf free instore tour of New York.

Saturday March 5th:

1PM: Sound Fix- 110 Bedford Avenue (Williamsburg)
3PM: Kim's Mediapolis- 2906 Broadway
5PM: Built By Wendy- 7 Centre Market Pl
7PM: Mondo Kim's- 6 St. Mark's Place
9PM: Other Music- 15 E. 4th St.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 12:46 PM | Comments (0)

From Dallas Morning News:
This is beyond messing with Texas

Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst, it seems, isn't a fan of Texas. He startled a sold-out audience at the Ridglea Theater in Fort Worth by slurring, "I don't know if you know this, but I hate your fucking state. I'd put a fucking gun to my head before I'd live in your state." Must have been kidding. Nah. If you went to see him, you weren't a "normal Texan," he continued, because "if you were a normal Texan, you'd probably be roping steers and raping Indians." Pretty strong stuff for a 24-year-old from Nebraska. Go shuck some corn.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 11:26 AM | Comments (94)

For those of you patiently waiting for the new Beck record (out in March), here's something to keep you busy: an exclusive look at the 8-bit collective remix video of "Hell Yes." :

Windows Media
Real Player

Also, here's the latest on the upcoming release and the premature MP3's many have downloaded:

(From MTV.com)
It's arriving a little later than expected, but after a few delays in song selection, Beck now plans to release his new album, Guero, on March 29—or possibly sooner, to minimize the damage of an Internet leak.Initially due in October 2004 the follow-up to 2002's Sea Change forgoes the melancholy of his last breakup record and finds the Los Angeles native in an upbeat mood with a carefree, stripped-down approach. An unmastered and unfinished version of the record, erroneously titled Ubiquitous, has been floating around online for a few days now.

Produced by Odelay and Midnite Vultures collaborators the Dust Brothers, Guero (Mexican slang for a blond-haired, fair-skinned Caucasian) features 13 tracks that loosely act like a Beck mixtape — evoking the beat-driven material on Odelay, the acoustic tracks of 1998's Mutations and even the bluesy junk-shop textures of 1994's Mellow Gold.

While a definite creative and spiritual link to his '90s records is apparent, the major distinction is in the relaxed manner and noticeable maturity. Guero is Odelay minus the over-caffeinated Moogs and ping-ponging video game bedlam of albums past.

The album kicks off with "E-Pro," the album's first single, which features a beat seemingly jacked from a classic Beastie Boys record with a simple, heavy rock riff and marks a return to the Dadaist rhyming absent on the somber Sea Change.

"Girls" also has radio-playability written all over it. A funky up-tempo jam, the sun-drenched track features "oohs" and "aahs," breezy acoustic guitars and Beck's lithe falsetto. "Hell Yes" features more rhyming and a minimal electro groove, robotic voices and females cooing, "Please enjoy," while Beck maintains, "My beat is correct."

"Que Onda Guero" ("What up, whitey?") is a dead-ringer for vintage Cypress Hill in an East-L.A. barrio with its requisite Spanglish and low-rider beats.

The latter half of the record becomes moodier and psychedelic with songs like the sad, celestial ballad "Broken Drum," the down-tempo "Earthquake Weather," the dusty "Farewell Ride" and the almost trip-hop vibe of "Emergency Exit." The White Stripes' Jack White plays bass on the shuffling and sparse "Go It Alone."

A concept video for "E-Pro" has been shot, and an experimental pixilated video for "Black Tambourine," featuring a connect-the-dots dancing Beck, has also been made, but it's undetermined what that video will be used for.

Tracks recorded that didn't make the final cut, possibly destined to be B-sides, include the distortion-heavy "Novacane"-esque "Chain Reaction," "Gospel" and an unnamed track that sports a riff reminiscent of "Devil's Haircut," only funkier.

Guero track list, according to Beck's publicist:
"E-Pro"
"Que Onda Guero"
"Girl"
"Missing"
"Black Tambourine"
"Earthquake Weather"
"Hell Yes"
"Broken Drum"
"Scarecrow"
"Go It Alone"
"Farewell Ride"
"Rental Car"
"Emergency Exit"

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 05:55 PM | Comments (6)

First he talks Chloe Sevigny into blowing him. Now, he's been asked to curate the UK's celebrated annual All Tomorrow's Parties music festival. What is the allure of this self-absorbed Jesus-wannabe? Maybe next year they'll ask egomaniac runner-up Colin Farrell to curate.

From the ATP website:

VINCENT GALLO CURATES ATP APRIL 22-24 2005

"Vincent Gallo the actor, director, musician and general talented bastard is curating All Tomorrow's Parties on April 22-24, 2005.

He has probably the biggest and one of the best record collections of anyone I know and I know from what he is planning, this ATP is gonna be fucking great.

The line up for this event is being worked out as I write this and tickets have already started to sell so look out over the coming weeks for new confirmations for the event."

[for the record, Buffalo 66 is a great movie.]

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 12:22 PM | Comments (14)

from Pitchfork
Portishead begin work on first LP in eight years

"Along with Massive Attack, Portishead helped shape the hypnotic spaciness of trip-hop in the mid-90s with one of the genre's defining albums, 1994's Dummy. As the Bristol, England-based movement slowly lost its grip on the general public's consciousness, the band also retreated, and despite an underrated 1997 self-titled LP, Portishead has spent most of the ensuing years gathering a healthy coat of dust.

Well, until now. NME reports that founding members Geoff Barrow and Beth Gibbons have come out of their eight-year seclusion and are currently at work on an album of new material in their native UK. The band have been in the studio since late last year prepping what will be their third full-length, and while no word has been given as to a firm release date, number of tracks, or even what the album will sound like, Barrow recently spoke to the BBC about the nature of their extended shore leave. "We've just had our heads down really, we've never actually broken up, or parted, or whatever," he said. "So for us it just seems, even though we haven't played for years, we still see each other and write-- we just haven't released a record for a long time."

And while that doesn't really tell us anything, the as-yet unnamed album is expected in stores before the end of the year, and will mark the duo's first studio collaboration since 1997's sophomore effort, Portishead.

In related news, Portishead have joined in the efforts to raise money for tsunami victims in Indonesia. The band has been confirmed to perform at a special relief concert to be held at the Bristol Carling Academy in Bristol, England on February 19. Also on the bill are Massive Attack, the Coral, and Robert Plant. Tickets are £30 (roughly $55) and all proceeds will aid water and sanitation efforts in the effected areas. For more information, or to make a donation, visit the official website at: http://www.crisisinasia.com"

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 11:39 AM | Comments (2)

Remember K-Tel Records? They pumped out the hits during the Seventies and Eighties with classic collections like "Hot Nights, City Lights," "Girls, Girls, Girls," and "Disco Rocket." Anyone raised in the Seventies had at least one K-Tel record in his/her collection. Ever wondered what happened to K-Tel? Times must be tough... now you can order all your pharmaceutical favorites at the K-Tel Drug Mart. Celebrex, Plavis, and Lipitor can all be purchased "[at] a savings of up to 70% or more. All drugs are shipped directly to your home from our licensed pharmacy in Canada, where drug prices are regulated by government review boards. What's more, with the favorable exchange rate on the US dollar, the savings are even greater!"

The Apocalypse is surely near. What's next? Is Tab now a malt liquor? Does Garanimals sell bondage gear? We feel dirty now.

It's a virtual jukebox of Canadian drug import hits!
Visit them today.

See the full K-Tel collection here

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 11:57 AM | Comments (1)

Check out the Free Videos of Joanna live in November in Birmingham. (Thanks DJH)

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 05:51 PM | Comments (4)

If you weren't lucky enough to get tickets to one of the Pixies' shows this week at the Hammerstein Ballroom, check them out tonight on David Letterman. We frankly don't know where they found the time to stop by and say hello to Dave. The band is slotted to play eight sold-out shows this week already.

Letterman airs 11:30PM EST on CBS.

Here's Jason Bell's review of their show last night (with set list):

The Pixies, Hammerstein Ballroom, 12.13.04

With eight nights of shows, plenty will be said about the Pixies residency at the Hammerstein Ballroom, so I'll keep this brief. Last night was hands down the best show I've seen all year. Charles was in fine form, his voice an amazing instrument of humor and sheer madness. "Tame" was epic; the highlight of the set for me.

Two songs into their show, something strange happened. The entire band left the stage, supposedly to solve a monitor problem, but nobody bought that argument. We were beginning to think we were witnesses to the second end of the Pixies. Maybe five minutes went by with nothing happening on the stage, no announcements. Fortunately, our fears were misplaced as the band came back on stage, joked about playing "one more song" and then launched into a blistering version of "Bone Machine". It was on.

I was there early so I saw Mission of Burma's full set. They did their best to warm up the crowd, but a muddy mix and some Red State idiots in the audience seemed to put a damper on the set. I actually heard someone yell out "COMMUNISTS" after one of the band members made a crack about George Bush. Weird.

One last thing. David Byrne was in the house, sitting in the first level of the VIP box seats. He was wearing a bright red jump suit, which made him look like a hipster astronaut. Now, a Talking Heads reunion, that would be...special!

Here's the Pixies setlist, courtesy of the Pixies Music Forum:

Is She Weird? / Something Against You / [break] / Bone Machine / Cactus / I Bleed / Caribou / No. 13 / Broken Face / U-Mass / Mr. Grieves / Dead / Hey / Velouria / Ed is Dead / Gouge Away / Wave of Mutilation / Monkey Gone to Heaven / Crackity Jones / Isla de Incanta / Tame / In Heaven-Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf) / Here Comes Your Man / Holiday Song / Nimrod's Son / Vamos / Where Is My Mind?

Encore: Gigantic / Debaser

--JASON BELL

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 12:20 PM | Comments (0)

From Pitchfork:
"After a relatively quiet 2004, the world-conquering duo Outkast will once again be ubiquitous in 2005, with both an HBO film and a pair of albums on the way. The duo's HBO film-- which co-stars Ving Rhames, Paula Jai Parker, and Terrence Howard-- is titled My Life in Idlewild, and is set in the Prohibition-era South, where speakeasy performer Big Boi and his piano-playing pal Andre 3000 are forced to protect their illegal club from gangsters. Co-written and directed by Bryan Barber-- who also crafted the "Hey Ya!" and "Roses" videos-- the film cost $15 million."

Click here to continue onto Pitchfork

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 11:38 AM | Comments (3)

The 47th Annual Grammy Nominations are out and it's all about Kanye West. He snagged 10 nominations, including Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Song of the Year, and five in various Rap categories.

More germane to this site, the Best Rock Performance Duo or Group With Vocals (love those category names!) field includes Elvis Costello, Franz Ferdinand, Green Day, the Killers (ugh!), and U2. Green Day, Velvet Revolver, Modest Mouse, the Killers and U2 picked up noms in the Best Rock Song cat. I'll take either U2 or Franz Ferdinand.

You gotta hand it to the Grammy people, they sure are up on modern music. That explains why they waited until after the "electronica is the next rock" fad died to add the Best Electronic/Dance album category thingy. ILM favorites Basement Jaxx picked up a nom here, along with Crystal Method, Paul Oakenfold, the Prodigy and Paul Van Dyk. I'm behind Basement Jaxx, but the Prodigy will probably win, on name recognition alone.

Other artists picking up multiple nominations were Alicia Keys (8), Usher (8), Ray Charles (7), and Green Day (6). Sentimentally I'd like to see Ray Charles pick up a few, but I'm guessing that it will be an Usher evening.

The Awards are given out on Feb. 13, 2005 in Los Angeles and on CBS.

-JPEG

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 02:05 PM | Comments (11)

[from CNN]
The rap artist O.D.B., whose utterly unique rhymes, wild lifestyle and incessant legal troubles made him one of the most vivid characters in hip-hop, collapsed and died inside a recording studio Saturday. He was 35.

O.D.B. had complained of chest pains before collapsing at the Manhattan studio, and was dead by the time paramedics arrived, said Gabe Tesoriero, a spokesman for O.D.B.'s record label, Roc-a-Fella.

O.D.B. -- also known as Ol' Dirty Bastard, Dirt McGirt, Big Baby Jesus or his legal name of Russell Jones -- was a founding member of the seminal rap group the Wu-Tang Clan in the early 1990s.

With his unorthodox delivery -- alternately slurred, hyper and nonsensical -- O.D.B. stood out even in the nine-man Clan, which featured such future stars as Method Man, RZA and Ghostface Killah.

The Wu-Tang blueprint was for each member to pursue solo projects, and O.D.B.'s were among the best.

He released hit singles such as "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" and "Got Your Money," and appeared on remixes with artists like Mariah Carey.

"There's nobody like him in the game," RZA told The Associated Press in an April interview, when asked if O.D.B. could resume his career after prison. "He's got a lot of problems he's got to iron out, of course, but as far as a one-of-a-kind person, a one-of-a-kind artist, he's one of a generation, one of a lifetime. He's a very rare commodity."

But as his fame increased, so did his erratic behavior, and fans came to expect the unexpected from O.D.B.

When MTV News followed him around at the height of his popularity, he took the camera crew and several of his kids (he was said to have more than a dozen, by numerous mothers) to the welfare office -- in a limousine -- to get an allotment of food stamps.

And he received them.

In February 1998, he crashed the stage at the Grammy Awards and hijacked a microphone from singer Shawn Colvin as she accepted an award, apparently upset over losing the best rap album Grammy to P. Diddy (then known as Puff Daddy). He complained that he spent a lot of money for new clothes because he thought he was going to win. The rapper later apologized.

Over the years, he was wounded in shootings and arrested on a veritable laundry list of charges, including menacing security officers, illegally possessing body armor, driving with a suspended license, shoplifting and threatening a former girlfriend.

In 2000, after escaping a court-ordered stint in a California rehabilitation center, authorities searched for him for a month. He was finally arrested in Philadelphia -- three days after performing in a New York City concert with his Wu-Tang clique.

He was sentenced in 2001 to two to four years in prison for drug possession, plus two concurrent years for escaping from the clinic. He was released in 2003 and immediately signed with Roc-a-Fella.

He heralded his return with a news conference alongside singer Carey -- pop fans may know him best for his memorable cameo on her hit "Fantasy," featuring rhymes like "me and Mariah, go back like babies with pacifiers."

Tesoriero said O.D.B. had been working on his comeback album for more than a year and was almost finished.

"Russell inspired all of us with his spirit, wit, and tremendous heart," Roc-A-Fella founder Damon Dash said in a statement. "The world has lost a great talent, but we mourn the loss of our friend."

His mother, Cherry Jones, said she received the news of her son's death in a phone call, which she called "every mother's worst dream."

"To the public he was known as Old Dirty Bastard, but to me he was known as Rusty. The kindest most generous soul on earth," her statement said. "Russell was more than a rapper, he was a loving father, brother, uncle, and most of all, son."

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 09:57 AM | Comments (2)

Le Tigre played a sold out Halloween show last night at Irving Plaza. Even though they signed to a major label, it was great to see that they are still really fucking cool. Kathleen took the stage dressed as Orphan Annie. She looked hot as hell in a huge red afro. Adrock was there sans costume. So was Joan Jett. The crowd couldn't get enough and it was great to see that, despite mixed reviews for the new record, the band can still actually get hipsters to dance. They closed with a cover from Footloose wearing matching anti-Bush dresses. Great show and no one is cooler than Kathleen Hanna.

Posted by freewilliamsburg at 02:00 AM | Comments (11)