am/fm

We've pretty much ignored the news that Britney will be opening the VMAs -- I think it broke at an inconvenient time for me or something. But MTVs marketing of it is pretty interesting.

Check out their ass-kissing tribute to the fallen starlet, here (I can't get the video player to embed correctly).

It's a smart way for them to stroke the ego of the girl they embarrassed on national television last year, while reminding the audience that she is actually a legitimate performer, even if that talent has lain fallow for a few years.

Also, remember that snake thing? That was freaky.

—eh

The MTV Video Music Awards starts in about four and a half hours. To get ready, I want you to watch this video of VMA host Russell Brand on David Letterman.

He's kind of unknown in the States, but he's really, really funny. Also, his hair is awesome. I'm interested in seeing what he'll do tonight. (And as far as those Rocky Horror remake rumors go, I totally buy Brand as Dr. Frank-N-Furter.)

Brand has ton(ne)s of clips up on YouTube, although, be forewarned: his stand-up can be fairly raunchy.

—eh

Some of the more interesting press releases to hit my inbox:

• Stevie Wonder honored:

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington today named singer/songwriter Stevie Wonder ... as the recipient of the Second Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. The award presentation will take place in the Great Hall of the Library on Feb. 23, 2009. As an added distinction to this year’s Gershwin Prize, the Library has offered, and Wonder has accepted, a musical commission.

Set your TiVOs.

• Wizards pick up guitars:

Come "wrock" with us at NYC's first ever wizard rock festival Sunday, September 21, 2008. This all-ages event will be headlined by the bad boys of wizard rock, Draco and the Malfoys. The NYC Wizard Rock Festival will be held at Public Assembly (formerly Galapagos) in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Draco and the Malfoys, "My Dad is Rich ... Your Dad is Dead"

For more info, visit the Wizard Rock Festival website.

• Newcastle Ale is sponsoring a contest offering a trip to Glastonbury Music Festival.

Music aficionados can enter the sweepstakes via a mail-in tear-pad entry form at participating grocery stores nationwide from now until November 15, 2008. Winners will be selected on Nov. 25, 2008.

—eh

In other brain-melting news, have you heard? The VMAs are coming. And we will be there to live blog it! I'm going to try and sound even more old fogie than last year!

Get pumped. The list of presenters at this year's ADD-fest include: Michael Phelps, Miley Cyrus, Lindsay Lohan, Scarlett Johansson, Ciara, Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu, Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner and Christopher Mintz-Plasse. McLovin! I love that kid.

—eh

If you'll recall, Amiee Mann was having a YouTube contest, inviting fans to cover her new song, "Freeway." The prize was the chance to sing onstage with the artist. And now, the winners have been announced. One of them is a robot! See the winners and runners up here.

—eh

Gene Simmons is not the only member of KISS branching out into other areas of art/commerce. Paul Stanley, who apparently attended New York High School of Music and Art for art, is an avid painter. And his work is ... not terrible. See more here.

—eh

I'm on the fence about this movie. I love Michael Cera and I love movies about bands. And he plays a bass player. But watch this trailer:

It looks twee-er than Juno (the trailer uses the same freaking font, even). But I did like "Juno," and that cab thing looks really funny. And I like movies set where I hang out. But, though, I'm worried that the film is just going to be used for hipster self-validation for months after it comes out. (It's more than possible that I am a hipster.)

Anyway, the news is really that the soundtrack listing came out:

“NICK & NORAH’S INFINITE PLAYLIST:
ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK”
(ATLANTIC)
In Stores And Online September 23rd

1. Chris Bell – “Speed Of Sound”
2. Devendra Banhart – “Lover”
3. Bishop Allen – “Middle Management”
4. Vampire Weekend - Ottoman”
5. The Dead 60s – “Riot Radio”
6. Takka Takka – “Fever”
7. The Submarines – “Xavia”
8. We Are Scientists – “After Hours”
9. Band Of Horses – “Our Swords”
10. Army Navy – “Silvery Sleds”
11. Richard Hawley – “Baby You're My Light”
12. Shout Out Louds – “Very Loud”
13. Paul Tiernan – “How To Say Goodbye”
14. The Real Tuesday Weld – “Last Words”
15. Mark Mothersbaugh – “Nick & Norah’s Theme”

Looks like some good stuff on there, and it will be interesting to hear what Mothersbaugh does on a non-Wes Anderson project. But ... you know what? I'm too old to care about the "Garden State" effect. It's official. I'm a grown-up, not a damn hipster. I hope.

—eh

Valleywag is reporting that online mixtape-sharing venture Muxtape is down, due to unspecified problems with the RIAA. Apparently, they'll be back. But will they be as cool? Not if the RIAA has anything to do with it, I'm guessing.

According to the Mux blog, there is a Muxtape for Bands in beta, which sounds pretty cool. With no other information at my disposal, I would speculate that this is a sharing service for unsigned bands. Like MySpace three years ago, without all that social networking junk and a prettier interface. Neato.

—eh

Guns N Roses' "Chinese Democracy" is looking less and less like a joke these days, as leaks and various other news confirms the existence of actual songs that would make up an album. The latest, Billboard reports, is that, "according to sources," negotiations are on for the album to be exclusively unveiled at either Wal-Mart or Best Buy. Dude, way to keep rock and roll alive.

Joan Baez (and others) immortalized labor activist Joe Hill in song, John Lennon praised the "Working Class Hero" and Axl Rose is potentially partnering with one of the most notorious union busters of our age. Not to mention, Wal-Mart is terribly unhip.

— eh

It's almost that time again. CMJ Marathon, the huge music conference that gobbles up downtown Manhattan and the very reason for this blog's existence (last year we won a prize from our bosses for our coverage), is coming. October 21-25.

And the confirmed line-up so far:

3OH!3, A Place To Bury Strangers, AIDS Wolf, An Albatross, Ane Brun, Anna Ternheim, Annuals, Beach House, Broken Social Scene, Cool Kids, Crystal Castles, Cut Off Your Hands, Deerhoof, Del McCoury Band, Delta Spirit, Donavon Frankenreiter, Envy On The Coast, Gang Gang Dance, Lee “Scratch” Perry, IRAN, Jay Reatard, Japanese Motors, Juliana Hatfield, Jupiter One, Lykke Li, Margot And The Nuclear So And So’s, Minus The Bear, Roisin Murphy, The Dears, The Takeover UK, They Might Be Giants, The Virgins and Yo Majesty. Follow the news here.

There's a lot to be excited about here. Cool Kids are an awesome live show, and The Dears will depress the hell out of you. They Might Be Giants are practically a New York institution. Deerhoof, yes! BSS, another hot ticket, if not my personal favorite.

But, as always, the real excitement is the bands you've haven't heard of yet. And for that, you'll have to wait until the event itself. My strategies vary from hitting up the earlier acts for a headliner that you already like to picking a venue at random to wandering the LES and getting in wherever you can get in (this is tricky on Friday and Saturday nights).

— eh

Sad news, guys: Isaac Hayes is dead.

More music here.

— eh.

Things I missed: probably a lot.

Lolla, for one. But check Stereogum or Pitchfork for updates.

This video is cool. I like the Cee-Lo/DM cameo in their own video.

eh.www.amNY.com

According to a press release from Atlantic Records:

Anthem/Atlantic recording group Rush will make a very rare national television appearance on Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report” on Wednesday, July 16th at 11:30pm ET/PT. The band will be performing their timeless hit, “Tom Sawyer.”

Get excited!

eh.www.amNY.com

OK, maybe I unfairly slammed the @Ross series for not having enough high-wattage stars a few weeks back. (@Ross is a concert series/fundraiser for the Ross School out in East Hampton.) They just announced Aretha Franklin for August 23. I could see paying $1,500 to see her. Yeah, I wouldn't pay that myself, but I could see someone else doing it (or paying $3,000 to bring me along).

eh.www.amNY.com

Seattle label Sub Pop Records (who got relevant by signing bands like Nirvana and Mudhoney in the late '80s, and stayed relevant with The Shins, Flight of the Conchords, No Age and other hipster fare) is celebrating its 20th anniversary this weekend with a big old concert in Redmond, Washington. I didn't make it out there, but I did find this video, courtesy SLOG , of Sub Pop claiming the Space Needle for its own.

Pretty cool.

eh.www.amNY.com

I was just sent the following photo. What the heck is that about?

Mysteries revealed after the jump ...

Britney Spears' "I'm not completely bonkers" comeback was entertaining (in a positive, non-schadenfreude way), but she did not make the Emmy shortlist. Oh well, we're rooting for you anyway Ms. Spears.

eh.www.amNY.com

East Hampton's Ross School just announced its schedule for this summers series of fundraiser concerts. As I remember last summer was kind of a high-profile disaster. Page Six recently reported that "Social @ Ross," as the series was called, would not be returning for a second summer.

And, in fact, this year's series is different. First off, it's billed as "@Ross," and Warner Brothers is no longer involved. The ticket price is still heafty: $500-$1,500. But, whereas last year the acts included Billy Joel, Dave Matthews and Prince, this year's schedule looks like this:

Event listings are as follows, with additional talent to be confirmed:
August 8 THE B-52s @ROSS
August 9 JONAS BROTHERS @ROSS
August 16 ANDRE AGASSI FOUNDATION @ROSS
August 18 THEATER @ROSS
August 20 WELL-BEING @ROSS
August 22 CUISINE & WINE @ROSS
August 24 CLASSICAL @ROSS
August 28 FILM @ROSS
August 29 COMEDY @ROSS

Read more at their website.

eh.www.amNY.com

My friend Melissa tipped me on this one.

Brooklyn band Creaky Boards is saying Coldplay's Chris Martin plagiarized their single "Songs I Didn't Write" on "Viva La Vida." They even made a handy video highlighting their claim.

They definitely sound a little similar, but I don't know ... it could be coincidence. I'm no musicologist, but this does seem like a pretty simple musical idea, and I don't think it's that strange to see it repeated.

(I think plagiarism claims are pretty tough to prove, although sometimes they are substantiated after a long and difficult legal process, cf. George Harrison "My Sweet Lord"/"He's So Fine".)

Melissa is skeptical as well: ""I don't know. My boyfriend is having a hernia over it. I think it seems like a coincidence, and a lucky PR stunt, but some radio stations, and of course the British press, are talking about it."

But CB does sound like a worth-it band to check out.

eh.www.amNY.com

I'm shocked that Sufjan Stevens isn't all over this. Christian Kiefer, Matthew Gerken and Jefferson Pitcher have gotten together with a bunch of indie rockers (including Bill Callahan (I love him; he used to be called Smog) and Xiu Xiu) to create the ultimate presidential album, "Of Great & Mortal Men: 43 Songs For 43 Presidencies." The album will be out Sept. 9, with a follow up 44th presidential song to be released online in November. For now, you can hear "James Monroe: The Last Cocked Hat," feat. Marla Hansen over at Force Field PR.

eh.www.amNY.com

You probably already own Goo Goo Dolls' "Greatest Hits Vol. 1: The Singles." It's the greatest examples of mid-'90s mediocre rock all on one disk.

But wait, there's more!

Vol. 2 is on the way Aug. 26! It's got alternate takes and live versions of the songs you know and love from Vol. 1, as well as other songs you've never heard (of) before. (According to Amazon, "9.1% of customers who bought this item bought it with Coldplay's "Viva la Vida." I never took statistics, but this has to mean something.)

Seriously, though. This is a gutsy cash in from a band that hasn't been popular in almost a decade. Way to monetize your averageness, guys.

eh.www.amNY.com

June 12, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BECK: MODERN GUILT RELEASE DATE AND TRACK LISTING CONFIRMED FOR NEW ALBUM

Beck's new album Modern Guilt, produced with Brian "Danger Mouse" Burton, will be released July 8th on DGC Records in North America and July 7 on XL Recordings in the UK and Europe

eh.www.amNY.com

OK, first I was ruminating on what the heck Franz Ferdinand was up to. New music, that's what, The Guardian is reporting. Listen.

Then, just two days ago, I discovered that both Jill Sobule and Katy Perry kissed girls, but different ones. Now Sobule is weighing in on EW.com:

Katy Perry's song is a kind of catchy party song, although I will admit that I do smile when a critique mentions my version in a more favorable light. Is that wrong?

Now you know.

eh.www.amNY.com

(via Stereogum)

Beck played a "secret" show out in L.A. Monday night where the kids got a preview of the new album. Above is "Modern Guilt." Everyone is expecting the album any day now. Get excited!

And in case you missed it, here's the already out single, "Chemtrails."

eh.www.amNY.com

(via)

I saw Gnarls Barkley last night at Irving Plaza, and it was a fantastic show. I'll have a full write up for you later, but I wanted to share my celebrity sighting: Woody Harrelson was there! I never see famous people (mostly because I'm oblivious), so that was exciting.

Anyway, Brooklyn Vegan has more photos of the night, and I'll be back later with my review. It was good.

eh.www.amNY.com

These guys never got the attention they were due. After the release of their first album, "Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone," they were dismissed, if they were noticed at all, as Strokes sound-alikes. And, yeah, they have that same kind of raw rock sound, but Hamilton Leithauser has a crazed emotionality to his delivery that too-cool Julian Casablancas couldn't achieve even if he tried (not that he would try; that's kind of the point). They're also a lot weirder than the Strokes.

But so anyway, they're their own band, but with three albums to their name, The Walkmen are still not as popular as they should be. But maybe fourth time's a charm. "You & Me" is due out this fall, and their management promises "romance and drama" and "viola and trumpet." It should be good.

Here's a refresher while we wait ...

"The Rat"

"We've Been Had"

"What's in it for Me"

eh.www.amNY.com

So I've spent a good 20 minutes looking at this press release from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. All I could gather is that one day there will be an album. And kittens.

I was reassured to see that Spinner and Brooklyn Vegan were similarly confused. It's not just me.

eh.www.amNY.com

Fellow amNY'er Pete Catapano weighs in on the legend's death:

He was one of rock’s most influential musicians — and sadly many don’t even know a single song by him. A year after a suffering a stroke and a heart attack, Bo Diddley died at the age of 79 yesterday.

The creator of what become known as the “Bo Diddley Beat,” the musician inspired everyone from the Rolling Stones to Buddy Holly Bruce Springsteen to George Thorogood. In fact, Thorogood should probably give about 99 percent of his royalties to Diddley’s family considering his sound came strictly from Diddley.

Need proof? Check it out..

Diddley peforms a few years ago:

George Thorogood, “Who Do You Love”

Bruce Springsteen, “She’s the One”

Rolling Stones “Not Fade Away”

Allman Brothers, “Nobody Left to Run With”

— Pete Catapano

Bo Diddley is dead at 79.

eh.www.amNY.com

In one of the most fun publicity stunts since he staged the PEHDTSCKJMBA press conference, Tom Waits interviews himself.

A sampling of Q&As:

Q: Can you tell me an odd thing that happened in an odd place? Any thoughts?
A: A Japanese freighter had been torpedoed during WWII and it’s at the bottom of Tokyo Harbor with a large hole in her hull. A team of engineers was called together to solve the problem of raising the wounded vessel to the surface. One of the engineers tackling this puzzle said he remembered seeing a Donald Duck cartoon when he was a boy where there was a boat at the bottom of the ocean with a hole in its hull, and they injected it with ping-pong balls and it floated up. The skeptical group laughed but one of the experts was willing to give it a try. Of course, where in the world would you find twenty million ping-pong balls but in Tokyo? It turned out to be the perfect solution. The balls were injected into the hull and it floated to the surface, the engineer was altered. Moral- solutions to problems are always found at an entirely different level; also, believe in yourself in the face of impossible odds.

Q: How would you compare guitarists Marc Ribot and Smokey Hormel?
A: Octopus have eight and squid have ten tentacles, each with hundreds of suction cups and each have the power to burst a man’s artery. They have small birdlike beaks used to inject venom into a victim. Some gigantic squid and octopus with one hundred foot tentacles have been reported. Squids have been known to pull down entire boats to feed on the disoriented sailors in the water. Many believe unexplained, sunken deep-sea vessels, and entire boat disappearances are the handiwork of giant squid.

Q: What is a gentleman?
A: A man who can play the accordion, but doesn’t.

Read the whole thing here.

eh.www.amNY.com

The Village Voice Announces Initial Lineup for the 8th Annual Village Voice SIREN MUSIC FESTIVAL™ at Coney Island

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Broken Social Scene, The Helio Sequence, Beach House, Times New Viking, Jaguar Love, The Dodos, Annuals, Film School, Parts & Labor, Dragons of Zynth, These Are Powers and more to be announced!

I totally heart Stephen Malkmus. I guess if you've been reading this blog for a while, that's pretty obvious.

eh.www.amNY.com

Nasty Little Man, Beck's PR firm, just sent out a release that confirms rumors that Beck's as-yet-untitled forthcoming album will be out this summer, months ahead of the original fall release date.

Having met a few years ago, Beck and Danger Mouse had planned to work together at some point, finally convening last December to do a few songs. Encouraged by the results, they decided to make an entire record and over the next few months recorded extensively, with the goal of using only 10 pieces in the end.

Yay! I'm excited. I won't hear anything bad about either of these two. Anything they touch separately turns to gold, so I'm sure this project will be ... well, gold-plated gold.

eh.www.amNY.com

I like this concert series the best of all the free summer shows, even though I rarely get to see any of them, because they're all Sunday afternoon (when I am busy working to bring you Monday's paper). But anyway, Pool Parties has let the word out that this year's schedule will include: The Breeders, MGMT, The Hold Steady, Liars, Aesop Rock, Black Lips, Deerhunter, Fuck Buttons, Matt & Kim, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Team Robespierre, The Loved Ones, Panther, King Khan and His Shrines and Ting Tings.

It's gonna be a great summer. I can just feel it.

eh.www.amNY.com

They're there August 13.

On sale Friday: www.ticketmaster.com, (212) 307-7171.

Also, Jelly NYC should be announcing their Pool Parties line up soon -- the group throws free concerts at McCarren Pool most weekends in the summer, as an alternative to Live Nation's for-pay soirees. Although, IIRC, I think the slip 'n slide popped last year, so we'll see what other fun fun fun they cook up for us this year.

eh.www.amNY.com

The schedule is up!

In the most anticipated hipster event of the summer, Vampire Weekend plays a free show June 14 ... with Kid Sister, which is a surprisingly weird combination.

Other exciting shows: The Skatalites play July 30. Battles and Black Dice, August 16. It's going to be a good summer. I can just feel it.

eh.www.amNY.com

Anyway, Anti-Flag is playing the Knitting Factory tomorrow night. Some how MySpace is involved.

eh.www.amNY.com