Bjork Video Casting Notice, DCFC & YYYs Covers

I happened to see this on Craigslist today:

CASTING for BJORK Music Video : 4 girls under 14 needed!
Reply to: robert@forgottensundays.com
Date: 2007-04-26, 12:43PM EDT
CASTING FOR BJORK MUSIC VIDEO

Young Girls under the age of 14 needed! - Need total of 4 girls (must be under the age of 14 or look very young). - Can be of any nationality. - Need at least one singer. - Hoping to find someone that looks like Bjork.

For more info, please visit: http://www.forgottensundays.com/casting/

Please IMMEDIATELY send any/all headshots, resumes, reels to our NJ office: Forgotten Sundays - Attn: Casting 14 Glen Terrace Montville NJ 07045

We look forward to meeting you!

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Hyperballad (Bjork cover) mp3 buy

Death Cab For Cutie - "All Is Full Of Love (Bjork cover)" mp3 buy

Nicole Atkins Prom Party Tonight At Union Pool

How much fun does this look?:

Get there early...tix are first come first served.

Nicole Atkins - "The Way It Is" mp3

album review: the twilight sad - Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters

Listening to the twilight sad (no caps, honest), I think of two things - the SNL skit "If It’s Not Scottish, It’s Crap" and the dad in So I Married An Axe Murderer, brilliantly played by Mike Myers (his career high point - it crushes Wayne or anyone else in his repertoire - "heed, pants, now" can not be topped). Take the heavy accent of each, combine it with introspective, "set the scene" lyrics and an ample shot of fuzzy and frantic guitars and you’ve got the idea.

Following up their US-only, self-titled EP (from which three tracks are pulled), the twilight sad remain on the same path - singing that jumps from even-paced to frantic and accompaniment that switches from barely there to all-in in seconds. James Graham is placid, pleading or preaching, often in the same song, with his THICK accent that reminds me of fellow Scots (and myspace page friends of twilight sad), My Latest Novel. The moments when he’s nearly out of breath and completely unhinged are my favorite - haven’t we all been there at some point? For me, it was last Thursday at the laundromat, but that’s a story for another time.

On most tracks, the band adds to the often frenetic pacing of Graham's singing and when they arrive, it's the soundtrack for that moment at the party when the drunk guy no one wanted there throws the first punch. Someone breaks a lamp, a full ceramic bowl of onion dip is tossed across the room just for fun, four or five guys alternately throw wild haymakers and try to put one another in headlocks while other dudes laugh and both encourage the action and fake their way through breaking it up and the ladies offer screaming and yelling "stop, stop, please, oh just stop!" as the quickest way to detente. The action slows, people are pulled apart, revealing shirt necks that are forever stretched, mussed hair and scratched faces. Participants all mutter variations of "yeah, yeah, I’m fine" as they smooth out the kinks and try to return to party mode. The pugilists head their separate ways, everyone else begins to breathe again and clean up when the drunk guy, "we took our eye off of him for just a second, I swear" takes a run at someone from the blind side and the grapple begins anew. Curtains are ripped from their rods, someone's ass goes through a window and expletives outnumber the guests ten to one. The faint wail of a siren presents itself as the herd spills onto the front lawn and neighbors begin to peek out darkened windows.

That's Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters - it makes your heart beat faster, it keeps you riveted and it leaves you with a great story to tell your friends. (John Byrne)

The Twilight Sad - "And She Would Darken The Memory" mp3 buy

Jesus And Mary Chain Tickets Still Available, New Video From Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Tickets for the reunited Jesus And Mary Chain gigs at Webster Hall next month went on sale today, and surpisingly (to me anyway...) did not sell out instantly. Maybe the $45 price tag is a bit high, but compared to Hall & Oates at Nokia for $99.50, the feedback fest sounds like an outright steal. Get them while they last here. I'll be at the Tuesday show, so bring enough to buy me a beer, too.

The Jesus & Mary Chain - "Taste Of Cindy" mp3 buy

The Shins - "Taste Of Cindy (Jesus & Mary Chain cover)" mp3

Speaking of the JAMC, their American nephews Black Rebel Motorcycle Club have posted a video featuring a couple tracks from their new set, Baby 81, which hits streets next Tuesday:



Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Tour Dates :

May
5 Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre *
6 San Diego, CA - House of Blues *
8 Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern *
9 San Francisco, CA - The Filmore *
11 Portland, OR - Roseland Theatre *
13 Seattle, WA - The Showbox *
15 Boise, ID - The Big Easy ! ^ (tickets)
16 Salt Lake City, UT - In The Venue ! ^
17 Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre ! ^ (tickets)
18 Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground ! ^
19 Lawrence, KS - Granada Theater ! ^
20 St. Louis, MO - The Pageant ! ^
22 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue ! ^
23 Milwaukee, WI - The Rave ! ^
24 Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre !
25 Detroit, MI - St. Andrews Hall !
29 Boston, MA - Avalon !
31 New York, NY - Webster Hall ! (tickets)

June
1 Philadelphia, PA - Theatre Of The Living Arts !
2 Washington, D.C. - 9:30 Club !
4 Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall !
5 Indianapolis, IN - The Music Mill !
6 Nashville, TN - City Hall !
7 Atlanta, GA - Roxy Theatre !
9 Fort Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room !
10 Orlando, FL - The Social !
12 Birmingham, AL - Zydeco !
13 New Orleans, LA - The Republic !
14 Houston, TX - Meridian !
15 Austin, TX - La Zona Rosa !
16 Dallas, TX - House of Blues !
17 Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom !
19 Las Vegas, NV - University Theatre !

* = w/ The Fratellis
! = w/ The Horrors
^ = w/ Eastern Conference Champions

Wanna Get Your Name In The Credits Of A Steve Carell Movie?

Just got this press release...it looks pretty noble...and just in time for Arbor Day!

Five bucks to say you have a credit in a movie with Carell and Morgan Freeman? So worth it.

UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND THE CONSERVATION FUNDINVITE PEOPLE AROUND THE PLANET TO GET ON BOARD
Creation of "Almighty Forest" inspired by Upcoming Event Comedy Evan Almighty

Universal City, CA, and Arlington, VA, April 24, 2007 Universal Pictures and The Conservation Fund are celebrating Earth Day and Arbor Day by teaming to launch the Get On Board initiative, with http://www.getonboardnow.org/ as its centerpiece. The website, which is now live, features the "Almighty Forest," an online destination where people can take real action to slow the effects of global warming.

For a donation of $5, payable via credit card, visitors can plant a virtual tree in the "Almighty Forest," knowing that 100% of the money goes to The Conservation Fund to plant real trees that help reduce greenhouse gases around the globe. Donations, which are tax-deductible in the U.S., can be in the donor’s name, given as a gift or dedicated in memory of a friend or family member. Trees can be acquired individually, in "groves" of 50, or as a "forest within the forest," with a donation equaling 1,000 trees. The "Almighty Forest" is an engaging interactive experience that makes it possible for members to customize their virtual trees and connect with other environmentally aware individuals via social networking functionality. Get On Board members who donate at least one tree before June 22, opening day of Evan Almighty, will have their names included on the DVD.

The site also features a carbon calculator that totals an individual’s yearly carbon "footprint," real-time "green news" updates via an RSS feed, practical tips for incorporating environmentally friendly habits into everyday life and behind-the-scenes scoop on the upcoming event comedy Evan Almighty. Evan Almighty, starring Steve Carrell and Morgan Freeman and directed by Tom Shadyac, is the first major motion picture comedy to Go ZeroSM and "zero out" the carbon emissions generated through the production of the film. The Conservation Fund’s Go Zero program makes it easy and affordable for individuals, corporations and communities to measure and offset their carbon dioxide emissions by planting trees in protected areas.

"Many people want to make a positive impact on the environment, but they aren’t sure how," said Jena Thompson of The Conservation Fund. "The Go Zero initiative makes it easy to understand the long-term implications of our everyday actions - and then do something about it. Get On Board is all about inspiring and empowering people to reduce their carbon footprint - by calculating what it is and taking simple steps to make a change for the better."

From the beginning of production, the cast and crew of Evan Almighty were on board with the Go Zero challenge-limiting emissions by choosing bicycles over vehicles while filming in Los Angeles, Virginia and Washington, D.C.; donating leftover materials from the set to Habitat for Humanity; and recycling whatever possible. Director Tom Shadyac has long believed in giving back and is a committed supporter of numerous charitable organizations. In addition to being one of the most successful directors in Hollywood - with credits including Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Nutty Professor, Liar Liar, Patch Adams and Bruce Almighty - he is founder of bottled-water company HtoO, Hope to Others, which donates 100% of profits after taxes to charities around the world.

About The Conservation Fund
The Conservation Fund is the nation’s foremost environmental nonprofit dedicated to protecting America’s land and water legacy for current and future generations. Seeking innovative conservation solutions for the 21st century, the Fund works to integrate economic and environmental goals. Since its founding in 1985, the Fund has helped its partners safeguard wildlife habitat, working landscapes, community "greenspace" and historic sites totaling more than 5.8 million acres. With 1% fund raising costs and 96% program allocation, The Conservation Fund is recognized as the nation’s top rated environmental nonprofit by both the American Institute of Philanthropy and Charity Navigator. http://www.conservationfund.org/.

Sufjan Stevens - "All The Trees Of The Field Will Clap Their Hands" mp3 buy

New Music from Copy, Coyote Bones, Minus Story, and People Noise

Kind of a busy day here, but there's always time for really good and totally free music...here are four songs totally worth your while. Put them in your Zune and go walk a mile while the weather's still nice...

Copy - "Closet Face" mp3


"...mingling the lush pop of Tears for Fears, OMD, Dr. Dre, Yaz, Pinback and Giorgio Moroder with the musical intricacy of Aphex Twin and Coltrane. "






Coyote Bones - "Grand Eclipse" mp3


...featuring members of Bright Eyes, Azure Ray, Tilly and The Wall, Now It's Overhead, The Faint and others.







Minus Story - "Stitch Me Up" mp3


"...an epic & anthemic cross between Pearl Jam, Queen, Brian Eno, and Roxy Music."




People Noise - "The Killing Fields" mp3

...featuring Ex-VHS or Beta guitarist Zeke Buck.

album review: The Muggabears - Night Choreography

The Muggabears - Night Choreography

This seven song EP by the Ex-Norman, OK, now-Brooklyn trio is one of those records that is filled with references to other bands, but sounds completely original in every way.

Tracks like "We Were Priests" and "Dead End Kicks" sound like they might have been written with help from Pavement, David Gedge from The Wedding Present, and/or Sonic Youth, and singer Travis Johnson at times even sounds uncannily like Thurston Moore, but the songs on this EP are neither nostalgic nor homage, but absolutely au courant.

Fuzzy, swirly, and charging guitars...throbbing pedal-processed bass grooves...walls of percussion...what's not to love?

Night Choreography is a must for fans of beautifully haunting (and hauntingly beautiful) guitar rock that will challenge, bedevil, and thrill the listener.

The Muggabears next show is May 12 at Pianos w/Mancino, Secret Life of Sofia, and Can Joann.

The Muggabears - "The Goth Tarts" mp3

The Muggabears - "Dead Kid Kicks" mp3

Photo: Lauren Andrews

Ban 50 Cent? Steal My Sunshine instead.

Saw this banner on Church Street in Tribeca this morning:



How about we ban crappy parenting instead?

In honor of this awesome weekend weather, here's my favorite sunshine song ever:

Len - "Steal My Sunshine" mp3 buy

Watch it here:

Free Fountains Of Wayne Show Tonight In NYC, New Great Northern Downloads

Fountains Of Wayne are playing a free set tonight at the Soho Apple Store at 7:30. I've seen shows there before, and for an in-store concert setting, that place is fantastic. Great sound, comfortable seats, no admission fee. More info here.

Fountains Of Wayne - "Killermont Street (Aztec Camera cover)" mp3 buy

Speaking of well-crafted pop, we're waiting for the new Great Northern album with baited breath. Their songs are full of beautiful California indie-melodies, dreamy textures, and lush orchestration...the kind of music that makes me want to put headphones on and sit in the sun in the park with a beer. The album comes out May 15 on Eenie Meenie, and the band will spend most of the next month or so touring the West Coast.

Great Northern - "The Middle" mp3 buy

Great Northern - "Home" mp3 buy

CAKE Rarities Album Due Soon, Download Barry White Cover Now.

I'm pretty psyched to find out that not only is CAKE finally recording a new studio album (their last was Pressure Chief in 2004), but they are also releasing a b-sides & rarities album shortly (shockingly titled b-sides & rarities), and a live album to follow in the Fall called Live at the Crystal Palace.

The rarities set includes covers of Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" and Barry White's "Never, Never Gonna Give You Up" in addition to other covers and seldom-heard originals.

Here's the best line of the press release for the album:

The limited edition "scratch and sniff" album art and appeal of the recordings to long-time-listeners adds to the b-sides and rarities album's uniqueness.

Sweet.

CAKE B-sides and Rarities track listing:
1. War Pigs
2. Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town
3. Mahna Mahna
4. Excuse Me, I Think I've Got A Heartache
5. Conroy
6. Strangers in the Night
7. Subtract One Love (Multiply the Heartaches)
8. Never, Never Gonna Give You Up
9. Thrills
10. Short Skirt, Long Jacket
11. It's Coming Down

Check out the Barry White cover now:

CAKE - "Never, Never Gonna Give You Up" mp3 buy

album review: Dinosaur Jr - Beyond

Dinosaur Jr - Beyond

With their first original-lineup album since 1989, Dinosaur Jr has released one of the best rock records of the year...an amazing feat considering the album sounds like it was recorded in the late 80's...and I mean that in a good way.

Beyond is full of hooky and heavy-fuzzy J. Mascis guitar work, hinting only occasionally at the stylistic progression of his pre-reunion solo work. A couple of the tracks sounded so familiar on my initial listen that I could almost swear they were songs from Bug, but sure enough, they are brand-spankin' new. Lyrically, only God knows what Mascis is singing about, but it all sounds cool.

There are a couple of Lou Barlow songs here, which are thankfully very un-Sebadoh. The entire record has a very-warm, non Pro-Toolsy feel to it, further making the album sound like a natural successor to Dino Jr's late 80's farewell. And check out that album cover above...totally SST, right? This one, however, is on Fat Possum.

For old-school fans of the band, Beyond is manna from heaven. Young whippersnappers who stumble across this album are going to think they've discovered the next big thing. Beyond hits stores May 1.

Dinosaur Jr - "Almost Ready" mp3 buy

Ten Questions With iLiKETRAiNS

A quick iLiKETRAiNS tutorial:

1) They are the best new UK band, no contest.
2) Progress Reform was one of the three best albums last year - and it's "only" an EP (out in the US on 4/23, according to their site).
3) Their new single, Spencer Perceval, is the best song of 2007 and I can't see anything topping it.

And now I have a chance to learn more about the boys from Leeds? Yes please!

I asked iLiKETRAiNS bass guitarist Alistair Bowis for some insight, and here's what he had to say:

1) Do the historical subjects about which you write interest each of you personally, or is it that the stories are interesting and compelling enough to warrant setting to music?

Both, I would say. The characters we write about have some incredible stories that can't help but fascinate; hence the obituaries section on our website where we are adding accounts of their lives, so people can share in what we have discovered when writing these songs. And drama and tragedy that fills them lend themselves quite naturally to a musical setting.

2) Can you envision a time in the future when writing songs about people and events from history won't interest you as a band?

Well, it is impossible to say what we will be doing in the years to come. There are so many stories out there that we could carry on more or less indefinitely, although we do have plans to progress the idea somehow, to keep moving forwards. What these plans specifically are, is yet to be decided, but we are all excited to discover where we will be going next.

3) What albums have the band been listening to lately?

Currently enjoying albums by Devastations, Beirut, Blonde Redhead, Joanna Newsome and This Et Al, among many others.

4) Given your recent American debut at SXSW, does success in the US (radio play, substantial sales and tours) matter to the band?

It depends really on the meaning of "success". As long as we can come over and play, and the audience enjoy the show, then we are happy. Of course, anything more than that would be fantastic, but one step at a time! Our SXSW show went very well, better than we could have expected really for our first time in America, but it will be interesting to see how well we are received on a more substantial tour.

5) Some of your songs have been labeled "murder ballads" by reviewers - Nick Cave gets mentioned a lot in the reviews - is "murder ballads" too simplistic a reference? Does it miss the point?

A few of our earlier songs were written after listening to a lot of Nick Cave, and could be reasonably described as "murder ballads" if you will. Songs like Stainless Steel and Before the Curtains Close are fictional tales of murder, but since then we have moved on from that. There is still an air of tragedy around them, but for the most part the stories are a little less sinister for that description. So now we are getting tagged as "history rock" or "library rock" which is closer to the mark.

6) How's the writing/recording for the debut full-length progressing?

It's going well. We have finally completed all of the songs for the album, and we are very happy with them. Half of it is recorded already, and we are going back into the studio from next week to finish off the remainder

7) One well-known example of what's now called "library rock" is Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, by Gordon Lightfoot. Are you familiar with the song? Do you like it? Did it influence the band in any way?

No, I don't know it. We will have to look out for it. Always happy for new recommendations! There wasn't really anyone who inspired us to write about historical figures. We just wrote one, and then realised that there were so many more songworthy stories to be uncovered, and it makes songwriting more than just a creative process - we get to discover all of these fascinating characters at the same time.

8) Can you share any of the possible subjects for songs on the forthcoming full-length album?

I don't want to give too much away, but along with Spencer Perceval - the only British Prime Minister to be sucessfully assassinated - we cover military disasters, 17th century catastophes, yacht race intrigue, faked death and more.

9) The Spencer Perceval single is a tremendous idea - two songs, two characters from the same historical event, each participant gets their own song. How did the idea for the single come about?

We have done a similar thing before. Our first single, Before the Curtains Close consists of two parts, the second being a sequel to the first which serves to further explain the story. And the Terra Nova single (about the failed antarctic expedition of Captain Scott) is backed with a song about a member of the Norwegian team who were competing with Scott and won the race to the Pole, but this member was thrown off the team shortly before the start due to a dispute with the team leader Roald Amundsen. It makes the single a bit more complete as a body of work in its own right, when the two sides have some connection - a bit more satisfying I think. We have some ideas of what we will do for the next one too, but you will have to wait and see.

10) As a relatively new band, is it ever possible to tour and perform too much? Will you be one of those bands who does 200+ nights on the road in a given year?

I can't really imagine being tired of touring right now. It's always great to have an audience to play to. But you do always have to be careful about not playing the same places over and over again. There are plenty of places for us still to go though. I don't know about 200+ nights in a year, we need time to write new songs and do the gardening. But we'll see...

(John Byrne)

iLiKETRAiNS Live @ SXSW:


Band photo at top by Joe Dilworth

Kaiser Chiefs Review, Running With Aesop Rock, Tribeca Film Festival Picks

The Kaiser Chiefs were fantastic at Roseland Thursday night. Despite a less than stellar sound mix (that made sets by The Annuals and The Walkmen hard to listen to), the Chiefs proved again that they are one of the best live bands on the globe. NME review here.

I've been running to Aesop Rock's "All Day", the third of the Nike+ Original Run series of workout songs commissioned by the shoe company. About 45 minutes long, it's all over the place stylistically, but in a good way. It starts the way I start when I'm running...medium paced and light, and progressively gets harder and funkier, cycling the runner through pacing just right to make it through to the end a workout of that length. If you are a medium paced runner, this track (as well as the previous tracks in the series by The Crystal Method & LCD Soundsystem) are ideal for 5k or 5-mile road races. I'm going to try one out on my Zune at the race through the Lincoln Tunnel next weekend.

Aespo Rock - "All Day (Nike+ Original Run excerpt) mp3 buy

Tickets for The Tribeca Film Festival go on sale to the general public tomorrow (Sunday the 15th). As usual, the fest has an amazing line-up of music-related fare. Here are a few I'm going to try to see:

DJ Spooky's 'Rebirth of a Nation' - Featuring Spooky's live mix at The Winter Garden.

Planet B-Boy - Documentary about the global resurgence of break-dancing, and various crews' preparation for the "Battle Of The Year".

Scott Walker - 30 Century Man - A look at the reclusive artist as he records a new album, featuring interviws with Brian Eno, David Bowie, Jarvis Cocker, and Radiohead.

This is England - Drama about Punks, Mods & Skins in 1983's Northern England.

The True Legend of Tony Vilar - A mockumentary style, half-true, half-imagined tale based on the story of real-life singer Tony Vilar. Born in Italy, he later moved to Argentina and became one of the most popular crooners in 1960's Latin America, then mysteriously disappeared, leaving a faint trail apparently leading to New York City.

and A Walk into the Sea: Danny Williams and The Warhol Factory - A portrait of Danny Williams - Warhol's onetime lover, collaborator and filmmaker, offering an engaging exploration of the Factory era, an homage to Williams' talent, and a compelling inquiry into Williams' mysterious disappearance at age 27.

The Tribeca Film Festival runs from April 25 to May 6. Tickets here.

A great list of free TFF events here.

Midnight Movies - "Patient Eye" mp3

New season of The Henry Rollins Show starts tonight

I don't watch a whole lot of TV, but one of the season passes on my TiVo is for The Henry Rollins Show on IFC. I was thrilled to see it's got a whole new season of Rollins' ranting, raving, and insightful interviews all lined up for me, starting with the season debut tonite at 11 pm ET, featuring an interview with Marilyn Manson, and musical guest Peaches. Here's a preview.

I'm also psyched that IFC is kicking off the new Rollins season with Henry Rollins: Uncut From Israel tonite at 9:30 pm ET. This 90-minute special was taped during Rollins' recent trip to Israel where he performed two nights in Tel Aviv. I have no idea what to expect from that show, but I've never not loved any of his spoken word performances that have been broadcast.

Check out this week's exclusive web-only performance of Peaches, "Hit It Hard," here.

And here is a web-only Peaches interview from that same performance.

Kaiser Chiefs Afterparty with Klaxons & Soulwax DJ's Tonite

Klaxons? Soulwax? Guns'n'Bombs? Steve Aoki? That's a pretty insane line-up.

Free with RSVP here.

Kaiser Chiefs - "Ruby" mp3 buy

April Bakers Dozen Downloads...Kate Havnevik, Low, The Clientele, White Rabbits & more.

Some really great new stuff here this month...I tried to pace the track-listing this time around, starting moody and slow with The Clientele, Low, and Kate Havnevik from Royksopp (pictured left at the Filter Courtyard @ SXSW last month), and ending with some punk-disco courtesy of In Flagranti, who've nearly set my Zune on fire this week from so many plays.

The Clientele - Bookshop Cassanova mp3

Low - "Breaker" mp3

St. Vincent - "Now Now" mp3

Kate Havnevik - "Unlike Me" mp3

Elk City - "Cherries in the Snow" mp3

Coffinberry - "Write This" mp3

Busy P - "Rainbow Man" mp3

White Rabbits - "The Plot" mp3

The Willowz - "Evil Son" mp3

Bang! Bang! - "Prefab Nation" mp3

Bang Gang - "It's Alright" mp3

Jimes - "El Camino" mp3

In Flagranti - "NonPlus (Sex Schon Remix)" mp3

Thanks as always to the labels & music pimps for hosting these.

Fountains Of Wayne Contest

There's an insane amount of good music out lately, but I haven't seen any album as universally loved by critics as the new Fountains Of Wayne release, Traffic and Weather.

If there were still such a thing as Pop Radio, this album would be a massive hit. It's a record full of very personal stories about the people you walk past on the street or sit near on the train that you never give a thought to...but put to music in the catchiest and hookiest way possible. You'll be sucked right into the story of "Yolanda Hayes" from the DMV, or "Michael And Heather At The Baggage Claim" in no time flat.

You can't play this album without the songs creeping into your head for the rest of the day...it just can't be done. And yeah, it's got tons of the New York & New Jersey references that make local fans treat these guys as favorite sons.

extrawack! wants to give one lucky reader an autographed Fountains Of Wayne poster. Just send a review of the song "Yolanda Hayes" (streaming links below) in SIX WORDS OR LESS to extrawack@gmail.com (put "FOW" in the subject line) by midnight Thursday (4/12). The best review as judged by us wins the poster. Contest only open to US residents.

Fountains Of Wayne - "Yolanda Hayes" win real

Police & Smashing Pumpkins To Play "Live Earth" Concert In Jersey

from the press release:

NEW YORK -- Organizers today announced sixteen of the headliners who will perform at the U.S. leg of the 7-continent, 24-hour Live Earth concerts on 7/7/07. The concert will be held at Giants Stadium in New Jersey, Live Earth Founder and Executive Producer Kevin Wall said. Tickets for the show go on sale Monday, April 16 at 10 a.m. EDT.

"Capping Live Earth with a blockbuster show like this will ensure we meet our challenge of building a mass audience to combat global warming," Wall said. "Live Earth will be a monumental event both in terms of entertainment and in turning the tide against global warming."

The global concert on 7/7/07 will begin in Sydney and continue across all 7 continents, concluding with the U.S. show.

"We hope the energy created by Live Earth will jump start a massive public education effort," Live Earth Co-Chair Vice President Al Gore said. "Live Earth will help us reach a tipping point that’s needed to move corporations and governments to take decisive action to solve the climate crisis."

The U.S. show will feature live on stage:
AFI
AKON
ALICIA KEYS
BON JOVI
DAVE MATTHEWS BAND
FALL OUT BOY
JOHN MAYER
KANYE WEST
KELLY CLARKSON
KT TUNSTALL
LUDACRIS
MELISSA ETHERIDGE
RIHANNA
ROGER WATERS
SMASHING PUMPKINS
THE POLICE


Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. EDT on Monday, April 16 and will be available at livenation.com/liveearth or by calling Ticketmaster at (212) 307-7171. All ticket information is available at LiveEarth.MSN.com. All proceeds will go to The Alliance for Climate Protection and other international NGOs.

Live Earth is a monumental music event that will bring together more than 2 billion people to combat the climate crisis. Live Earth’s 24 hours of music across 7 continents will deliver a call to action and the solutions needed to answer the call. Live Earth marks the beginning of a multi-year campaign led by The Alliance for Climate Protection to move individuals, corporations and governments to take action.

Earlier today, Wall announced that the following artists will perform at the London leg of Live Earth at Wembley Stadium:


BEASTIE BOYS
BLACK EYED PEAS
BLOC PARTY
CORINNE BAILEY RAE
DAMIEN RICE
DAVID GRAY
DURAN DURAN
FOO FIGHTERS
GENESIS
JAMES BLUNT
JOHN LEGEND
KEANE
MADONNA
PAOLO NUTINI
RAZORLIGHT
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
SNOW PATROL

review: iLiKETRAiNS - "Spencer Perceval"

Question: Who’s doing what iLiKETRAiNS are doing? Answer: No one, at least, no one as good as they’re doing it. The boys from Leeds create what’s been tagged "library rock," taking people and events from history and writing songs about them, often in the voice of the subject. Their debut EP, issued in the UK last year, Progress Reform, features tracks like Terra Nova (about Robert Falcon Scott’s failed South Pole expedition), The Beeching Report (about British railway reformer Richard Beeching) and A Rook House For Bobby (about exiled US chess prodigy, Bobby Fischer). Entertainment AND education? Yes! It’s like Schoolhouse Rock, v.2. And an added bonus...they often perform in matching British railway uniforms. Come ON man, it’s everything you need in one place; a parade, a concert and a history lesson.

Fresh off their debut US show at SXSW (from which the photo above comes), iLiKETRAiNS have issued their first single for Beggars Banquet, a two song offering and unlike anything I’ve ever seen...a "concept" single. The A side, Spencer Perceval, is a 9+ minute spectacle written from the view of John Bellingham, the man responsible for the assassination of Perceval, who was British Prime Minister at the time of his death. The B-Side, I Am Murdered, clocks in at over six minutes and is written from Perceval’s side. The title quotes Perceval’s words immediately after being shot. If you’re familiar with iLT’s previous work, the elements are all there on Spencer Perceval...chiming guitars, David Martin’s lazy, yet intense vocals, the slow build, the collapse and the impending crescendo that seems to threaten every note and then finally arrives. I Am Murdered is slower and a bit awkward, but I like it more with every listen.

The single is available only as an import, but Progress Reform is scheduled to be released in the US on April 23. Find the single, which comes with a cool limited-edition poster showing Perceval’s horse drawn casket here. Fingers crossed for a substantial US tour, but in the meantime, check out Spencer Perceval and be the envy of all your hipster, corduroy and Puma-wearing friends. "Oh yeah, iLiKETRAiNS...library rock man, it’s the wave of the future, where YOU been?" (John Byrne)

iLiKETRAiNS - "Spencer Perceval":

James Murphy/LCD Soundsystem Press Conference

This morning I attended an alleged press conference in Manhattan, where LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy was to "be officially responding to allegations of the assumed LCD Soundsystem backlash". Obviously meant to be a bit of a goof, the event turned out to be more fun than your average press junket roundtable.

The event started with Murphy joking that DFA's been preparing for any backlash by compiling embarassing data in advance on perceived possible backlashers for use in case it's needed. Truth of the matter is, there's very little backlash going on, despite Murphy pointing out that he's heard from haters that upstarts like Lindstrom and Ed Banger are forcing DFA off the top of the groove pyramid.

The conference soon turned into a Q&A free for all, with questions ranging from interesting to downright ridiculous:

-When asked about this past weekend's shows at The Bowery, he said he thought the crowd was better on Friday, but the band played better on Saturday...and he thinks the upcoming Studio B show (their first Brooklyn show ever) will have more of a party vibe.

-He claims he gets his news from "Best Week Ever".

-He spoke a bit about his passion for Ultimate Fighting, and when asked, claimed that if he had to choose music to enter the ring to, he'd pick The Fall's "Totally Wired".

-He finds it strange that people ask him to play his own music when he's DJ-ing, which he feels is like being that guy in a band wearing his own band's shirt.

-One "reporter", whom I'm pretty sure was a plant, asked Murphy to respond to accusations that he was more "Eldridge & Canal" than "Roebling & Grand". Murphy responded that despite his current residence in Williamsburg, he's a long time West Village guy.

-He's not too worked-up about the album of remixed versions of every single track off of Sound Of Silver that appeared for free download on the Internet the same day the true album was released. He knew it was coming beforehand, but the fact that the makers request all downloaders to make a donation to charity, he thinks is a good thing.

-And he more or less concluded the session by sharing with one reporter his recipe for seasoned potato cubes.

If nothing else, Murphy proved he's got a pretty decent sense of humor, and for a guy who seems to be a kingpin in the world of trendsetting, he doesn't appear to take himself too seriously.

Here he is responding to a question as to whether he considers himself a role model:



The Fall - "Totally Wired" mp3 buy

LCD Soundsystem - "Watch the Tapes (Team9 remix)" mp3 donate

LCD Soundsystem - "North American Scum" wma buy

Yo La Tengo + Mets = Best Baseball Song Ever.

It's baseball time, baby!

That means two things.

Time to get my Jose Reyes shirt out of winter storage, and time to post the coolest cover of any baseball team's theme, ever.

Yo La Tengo - "Meet The Mets" mp3 buy

Spunk Lads Reunion Against Ratner Tonight @ Southpaw

from the press release:

London's legendary punk icons, The Spunk Lads, will reunite to raise money for the fight against Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards project. Joining the lads on the bill is Irish hip-hop band Seanchai & The Unity Squad, The Choke, and the Blackout Shoppers.

Formed at the outset of punk's London heyday, the Lads -- singer Nick Knickers, guitarist Bloody Dick, bassist Prince Albert and drummer Jackson Bollocks -- influenced every great Western punk band, and a few Eastern ones as well, plus a handful of Northern acts and at least one really fab Southern band. The Lads' original tenure as punk luminaries ran from 1976 through 1979.

Twenty years later, the Lads discovered they had all relocated to Brooklyn, New York. In 2000, the band reunited, and over the next five years released the seminal albums Paddington Station, G.M.T. and Girl At The March. The Lads called it a day in 2005.

"Ratner's bollocks, he is" says Knickers. "Cities grow one punter at a time. London's not great 'cause of the Millenium Wheel or Big Ben -- it's great 'cause of the chippie, the corner shop, the people who make it breathe one thread at a time. Same with Brooklyn -- it ain't for limo-chauffered developers, it's for the rest of us."

The event will raise funds for Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn's legal fund. DDDB is currently fighting legal battles in state and federal courts to prevent Ratner's Atlantic Yards development from moving forward. DDDB, part of a coaltion of over 50 community, religious and grass roots groups and elected officials, is working toward honest development of the Vanderbilt rail yards that benefits all New Yorkers.

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I've seen The Spunk Lads before, and they are a riot. You'll think you're at the Hope & Anchor drinking your lager out of a tall tin back in '77. Good cause, too.

The Spunk Lads with The Choke, Seanchai & The Unity Squad, and the Blackout Shoppers at Southpaw, 125 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, NY (718) 230-0236 $15 -- proceeds go to DDDB's Legal Fund Doors at 7pm, show promptly at 8pm.

movie review: Killer Of Sheep @ IFC Center

For better or worse, many of my friends are in the Media industry, so when they tell me about a film, or a band, or a TV show, their descriptions are filled with superlatives that sound like they are straight out of a press release, or a PR strategist's media campaign briefing book.

My buddy Michael isn't part of that "insider" gang...he's a straight-up movie buff. He sees an awful lot of stuff, and I've learned that he's got a terribly discerning eye for quality films.

I recently saw an ad for the IFC Center's showing of the recently restored Killer Of Sheep, described on it's website as follows:

"Killer of Sheep examines the black Los Angeles ghetto of Watts in the mid-1970s through the eyes of Stan, a sensitive dreamer who is growing detached and numb from the psychic toll of working at a slaughterhouse.

Frustrated by money problems, he finds respite in moments of simple beauty: the warmth of a coffee cup against his cheek, slow dancing with his wife in the living room, holding his daughter. The film offers no solutions; it merely presents life — sometimes hauntingly bleak, sometimes filled with transcendent joy and gentle humor."

I knew Mike would have an opinion on this flick, and before I could ask, I found the following in my email box with a request for it to be posted here, which I'm happy to do:

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If I told you that you could see a pure, ego-less, and absolutely essential humanistic film wonder at the movies this week and top that off with a declaration of a money back guarantee... would you bite? Well, I hope so.

I chose this blog to post this announcement because I think its creator, Mr. Wack, is one of the most humane
and moral people I know. I think this movie, Killer Of Sheep, is one of the most humane and important works of modern American art so it only seemed fitting to make this blog an outlet for my offer. The details I remember are sketchy, but the story goes that the writer/director Charles Burnett made this film as his graduate thesis for UCLA film school. I think it took something like 5 years to complete the project, working mostly on weekends and when there was money to rent equipment. When the mind thinks of this kind of cobbled together, slow cooked labour of love the initial inclination is to imagine having to forgive its inherent limitations w/in an art form that requires millions rather than hundreds of dollars to work properly. Often when you watch a movie on IFC or Sundance you prepare yourself for something less than perfect, but that you know is good for you and might require a bit more chewing, like say oat bran. None of that here.

Robert Bresson, the famed French director, once said, "Make visible what, without you, might perhaps never have been seen". That is exactly what Burnett did with, Killer of Sheep.

Ironically, despite its focus on giving cinematic existence to off the radar American life, it is probably the most revered modern American film never before screened in you local theatre. Kind of absurd to imagine it being one of the 50 original films chosen for the National Registry, labeled as a "national treasure" by the Library of Congress and yet almost nobody has had the opportunity to view it since its completion in 1977. I would rather not suppose why that was initially, but there are copyrighted songs in the soundtrack that probably were unlicensed (and for the sake of a thesis project probably not required) and even if the public demand for this film were high, it could not have been legally screened beyond the world of non-profit film centers (it was just such a screening that I was extremely fortunate to attend at the Museum of The Moving Image my first week after moving to NYC in 1995)... until now!

Finally the kicker. Killer of Sheep is one of the best movies I have seen. And as the Wack one can attest, I've seen a few. Its power is stunning. Burnett's ability to tell a hard, wearying story about race, class, and family without any more ego than a camera toting fly on the wall is among the rarest gifts in film history. The title refers to the main character's job working in a slaughter house, but I just don't want to interject any more than that. I've seen many a movie depict racial isolation, but one scene here where the family car breaks down on the freeway is a study in quiet, desperate, underclass horror that has no equal in American cinema.

I don't really have words to show Killer of Sheep proper respect, so I'll just offer anybody with a verifiable ticket stub from the current run screening at the IFC Center @ 6th Ave and 3rd St. in Manhattan a refund if you aren't well and truly moved by seeing this film. extrawack! can hip you to my contact info, and I will gladly reimburse you on the spot (I live 3 blocks from the IFC Center). I also encourage you to share the experience with others. Word of mouth is the best tribute you can give to artistic expression that enriches the soul. Killer of Sheep makes me proud to share "This Bitter Earth" with Charles Burnett.

PLEASE SEE IT TODAY.

Buy IFC Center tickets here.

Trailer:

Meatwad Hearts Right Said Fred: Aqua Teen Hunger Force Celebrity Playlists

We normally don't reprint stuff publicists send over verbatim, but this bunch of "Celebrity Playlists" of the "stars" of the forthcoming Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film is a hoot. These guys reach way back for their party jams:

Carl:
Jailbreak - AC/DC
If you go to jail, why stay there? Get some friends with guns and dynamite to get you out.
Mr. Roboto - Styx
There's more to this song than meets the eye. He's like, in this jail for kick ass rockers, and he kills this robot and hides inside the robot shell to get outta there. Bad ass.
Love in an Elevator - Aerosmith
In the stage show they had an actual elevator. A little too on the nose if you ask me, but the song is still pretty rockin'.
Pour Some Sugar on Me - Def Leppard
Lots of hot chicks liked this song when it came out. I'm hot, but I'm not sticky sweet though. And that is my ultimate downfall with single women at the moment.
Queen - Flash
The movie was kinda weird, there was like bird guys and the villain had these stupid eyebrows, but the song made me pump my fist some.
Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi
Jersey baby!!! The Garden State!!! Hometown heroes!!! Hearing this makes me wanna be all macho cowboy, hop on a hog and go frost my hair, you know, back when I had that.
When the Bullet Hits the Bone - Golden Earring
This is possibly the toughest song in the world. Look at the title. Bullets. Bones. The only way to make it rule more is if you called it "When the Bullet Hits the Bone of the Skull (with an Axe)". That would completely rule.
The Final Coundown - Europe
If you have to psyche yourself up to do something, like pay the water bill or take out the garbage, playing this song before you do it kind of makes it easier.
Having My Baby - Paul Anka
Women like babies for some reason, and what's more romantic than making one of them? I'll tell you what. Using birth control. Babies cost money.
I'm in Love with a Stripper - T. Pain with Mike Jones
Strippers are like cable television. You wanna look, but you don't want to pay for it. And you definitely, definitely don't want to fall in love. Unless she can do that thing with the ping pong ball and the sweet pickle. That's what love is.
More Than a Feeling - Boston
You got a better riff than this, I'd like to hear it. But I won't. Cause it don't exist.
Party Party Party - Andrew W.K.
This song is borderline obnoxious, but somehow you really like it and always want more. Kind of like that baby back ribs song on the TV.

Meatwad:
Lovely Day - Bill Withers
If you don't smile when you hear this song, you may as well eat some rat's poison.
Day O (The Banana Song) - Harry Belafonte
This song is fun and is also about bananas. Bananas got good potassium. And the symbol for potassium is the letter K.
Get Low - Lil' Jon and the Eastside Boyz
This tells you how to wiggle your butt and it tells you to skeet a lot, which is like soft-shoe dancing. I ain't got no shoes.
Around the World - Daft Punk
I like this song because it is a future world and the words are pretty easy. That way I ain't gotta remember nothing.
I'm Too Sexy - Right Said Fred
This man is sexier than everything in the world almost. You think he's lying, until you see the video. He got muscles, boy.
Yakety Yak - The Coasters
This song talks about getting nagged to death about doin' chores. How do they make that sound so fun? It just says, "Shut up and do your chores" over and over!
Wake Up Little Susie - The Everly Brothers
This is about a girl falling asleep at the movies with a boy. I hope he didn't draw on her face while she was asleep. With toothpaste. And then shave her head. I hate it when people do that every night.
9 to 5 - Dolly Parton
I still want to get a job someday, even though this song tells me not to.
Move Your Feet - Junior Senior
This song is my jammy jam. It fits my good dancing style.
Macarthur Park - Richard Harris
I don't understand why this man is so sad. I would eat that cake, even if the rain made it all mushy. It's like cake soup in there, but it sounds like someone paid for it. Free cake. You know what I'm sayin?
I Want Candy - MC Chris
I'm glad this song ain't called "I Want Vegetables." Because I don't want those at all. The best part about candy is that it tastes good.
Oh Yeah - Yello
This song is crazy. Is it supposed to be crazysexycool? That deep voice sounds like Jason from Friday the 13th if he talked. They should got Justin Timberlake to sing the "Oh yeah" parts. Then I may actually buy it with the money I got from my grandmomma.
Slob on my Knob - Three Six Mafia
I like this song because Frylock doesn't want me to listen to it. It teaches a valuable lesson about germs and how they done get transmitted. That's why you gotta wash your hands wherever you go where there's a door. Cause they got slob on the knob there.


Frylock:
Da' Butt - E.U.
This song has an extensive list of girls that have big butts. Tanya, Theresa, Irene, Melissa, Sonya, Shirley, Tammy, and Little Keisha, we salute you.
No Diggity - Blackstreet
I really needed a new way to say "no doubt." This song helped me in my hour of need.
White Lines (don't do it) - Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five
If a rap song doesn't convince you not to do cocaine, nothing will.
Reeling in the Years - Steely Dan
You just put this on, open a bottle of merlot, get in the tub, and reminisce.
Space Oddity - David Bowie
I don't understand why he didn't just go into manual control and turn the ship around. It's like he wanted to die or something.
We Didn't Start the Fire - Billy Joel
It's like a history lesson and the ultimate pop song in one! Great for kids and adults alike.
Broken Wings - Mr. Mister
Everyone likes an intense song about redemption and love and wings. I wish Mr. Mister would have dealt more with the legend of Icarus and the ultimate fall of Troy, but then the song would have been over an hour long. And that would be too much of a good thing.
Informer - Snow
Hardcore gangster rapper Snow tells kids that it's cool to rat out your drug dealing friends. An important lesson if you plan to live life on the mean streets.
Silhouette - Kenny G
You've never heard anything like it.
Gonna Make You Sweat - C & C Music Factory
He's gonna make you sweat till you bleed. Actually, that's kinda gross and unsanitary. Thank goodness they don't carry the Ebola virus.
Aria - Yanni
This man makes love to synthesizers. I'm not even sure how that's possible, but he does it.
My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion
Sometimes I use this song to euthanize lab rats. The subjects will usually chew their own wrists open and bleed to death right in front of you.

Shake:
Lady Marmalade - Labelle
Any song about a slut is pretty much guaranteed to make the cut.
My Neck, My Back (lick it) - Khia
See above.
Addicted to Love - Robert Palmer
How this bonehead got all those hot chicks in his video is a mystery. I mean, I can wear a suit too, you know.
Here I Go Again on my Own - Whitesnake
All I can think about when I hear this song is Tawny Kitaen bouncing around on the hood of a car, and then those nerds with teased hair from the band bust in and ruin everything. Who taught hippies how to use Aqua Net anyway?
I Would Do Anything For Love - Meatloaf
You won't do what, Meatloaf? Pass up a buffet? Get your cholesterol checked? You would do anything for syrup straight out of the dispenser, Meatloaf. Still, I like your charisma. You got huge brass ones to take your shirt off in front of people.
We Built This City - Starship
I wonder if a city built on rock and roll comes to band practice late, lives in it's mom's basement, and has bad credit since it had to buy every imaginable brand of guitar amp before it got it's "sound".
Feel Like Makin' Love - Bad Company
The chorus went "I want to bang your friends!" before it got a much needed re-write.
Red Barchetta - Rush
This is an epic song about stealing your uncle's old hot rod in the future, and racing it with future cars. I have since adapted this into a teleplay for the internet.
Hot Blooded - Foreigner
Any of the hundreds of women I have satisfied will tell you this song is about yours truly. Except for the part where he asks the girl if she's old enough.
Blinded by the Light - Manfred Mann's Earth Band
The ultimate gross out song. If you rev up a douche it's no one's business but your own!
Makin' Whoopee - Eddie Cantor
This is a 1920s version of that Golddigger song people went crazy over, except Eddie didn't decide to ride on the coattails of a dead guy to get his point across. Instead, he used samples from hardcore gangsta contemporary Louis Armstrong.
Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie
"Well hung with snow white tan," "God given ass"... this song is practically my biography. I would have ditched the backup band and focused on my solo career, though.
Nude Love - Master Shake
Wrought with emotion, intrigue, lyrics, and a tenderly plucked acoustic guitar, this melody is sure to stay in your heart forever. The devilishly handsome genius that made this track is also a good kisser.

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The movie opens April 13, and a soundtrack featuring Schooly D, Mastodon, The Hold Steady, Killer Mike, and more is out three days prior.

Here's Mike Relm's 15-minute megamix of the best of the soundtrack:

Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film - "Megamix" mp3

Bloc Party @ United Palace, 31 March 07

I made the trip way uptown Saturday night to see Bloc Party at the United Palace, the church/theatre best known for being Reverend Ike's HQ, which is now booking rock shows.

The building itself is absolutely beautiful, with an insane amount of fancy latticework, art, and ornaments throughout.

The place is amazingly easy to get to, only a couple blocks from a stop on the A line, and about a minute from the George Washington Bridge if you are coming in from Jersey. The downside is that street parking is very tough to find, and the parking lots near the Palace jack their rates up to $30(!!) on nights of events. Cash only.

The show itself was pretty great, and featured two of the best openers I've seen on the same bill in a while.

Sebastien Grainger (formerly of Death From Above 1979) played a set of bass-heavy rock songs a bit hookier than those of his previous band, none of which would have sounded out of place on rock radio, should such a thing still exist. I can't wait to hear what his album's gonna sound like.

Albert Hammond, Jr. turned in a set of songs from his solo debut that, although sound not a million miles away from his Strokes songs, are somehow more immediately enjoyable. His solo tunes seem a bit more pop-song based and less new-wave-for-new-wave's-sake than what we've heard from his other band lately. And the crowd seemed to love him.

Bloc Party was Bloc Party. A solid, great sounding set, and the newer, more anthemic songs sounded fantastic in the larger building. Kele seems to be coming out of his shell a bit more as a front man, but it's not like he's turning into Pelle from The Hives anytime soon.

The security guys did something cool at this show that I've never seen before. After the third song, they chased the accredited photographers out of the 10-foot area between the stage and the first row, and actually walked up to people at their seats in the front and on the aisles and told them it was cool to approach the stage, turning that photo walkway into a bonafide pit. The crowd loved it as the area filled with pogo-ers and ass-shakers, and the closeness of the fans made the band turn the energy level up a notch as well.

All-in-all it was a great night, but next time I go up there I'm street-parking downtown and taking the train. That $30 could have bought me and the missus a lot of beer.

Scatter o'light has the scoop on Friday night's show here.

Bloc Party:


Sebastien Grainger:


Sebastien Grainger - "When You Go Out" mp3

Albert Hammond, Jr. - "In Transit" mp3

Bloc Party - "Helicopter (Whitey Remix)" mp3

Lily Allen, Jarvis Cocker to Open Daughtry Summer Arena Tour!

Lily Allen "Oh My God (Kaiser Chiefs Cover)" mp3

Jarvis Cocker - "Running The World" mp3