Monthly Archives: November 2008

And absolutely no one’s dead!

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[Nightmare Before Christmas – This is Halloween]

One of the best things about musicals is how they can convey the snarkiest of comments in a lighthearted way. And they’ve been doing so ever since we figured out how to mix music and performance. One of the best things about the holiday season is how all the most favorite musicals get hauled out of the vaults and broadcast on television so that each generation can experience this facet of pop culture that transcends all of the other trends.

I grew up watching The Wizard of Oz every single year around Halloween. I haven’t caught it in awhile, but this year I was delighted again to hear lines like “she’s not only merely dead, she’s really most sincerely dead!” as chirped eagerly from the mouths of the Munchkins.

But I haven’t seen any other soundtrack to a musical covered as much as Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. Fall Out Boy, Marilyn Manson, Fiona Apple, She Wants Revenge, Flyleaf, Rise Against, Korn… and even more have recorded some of the favorites off this soundtrack.

Check out the video that a fan created, with the scene from the movie that matches Fall Out Boy’s cover of the song “What’s This?”

When Christmas decorations are now erected even prior to Halloween, what better contribution to the holiday musicals from our generation, than one celebrating both holidays?! If you haven’t seen this movie yet, you must. It is adorable, funny, romantic, and visually compelling. The film’s stop-motion animation and visual effects are as revolutionary as Star Wars was in its day.

And when Marilyn Manson wants to sing a song that comes from a musical… When She Wants Revenge produces a cover that sounds like it belongs right in the movie… You have a true winner. If you’re going to buy anything on Black Friday, get this movie, and check out the re-releases of the original soundtrack to include the various remakes of its compelling songs. Not only was one done in 2006, there has been a SECOND re-release for this year’s holiday season too! That should tell you something. This is something you have to be in on, if you weren’t already.

Cheesy-pop!

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I’m on a Richard Cheese kick, lately. So this one will be a quickie for you all out there. I’m simply posting some kickass Richard Cheese songs. Who is he, you may ask? Why, only the most fun guy to see live, of course! Take modern hits – like “Rape Me”, by Nirvana – and think of some corny Vegas lounge singer using that style to deliver the aforementioned hit. Thus you have total hilarity as well as brilliance. I’m going to post for you three of my favorites of his. Seriously:  check this dude out live if you can. Word has it that he has been told by doctors to stop singing, so you may not get to see the guy live again!

Click here for his website!

Richard Cheese – Personal Jesus

Richard Cheese – Sunday Bloody Sunday

Richard Cheese – The Rockafeller Skank

Watching a woman sleep can get you scared

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The Eventually Home is finally out!

It’s the exact opposite of meh! It’s beautiful and gripping!

Yes, I do have a man crush on Andy Hull, but I dare you to not be amazed by this fantastic piece of work.

Everyone loves a trilogy. This is Part II.

This story is not about a Jedi, or THE ONE, or even about a man eating shark. Well…maybe a man eating whale named Emily!

i’ve been eating seaweed from a whale named emily
she could swallow me, or help swallow my pride

Really this project of Andy Hull, frontman of the band Manchester Orchestra, is about this simple thing. A man on a mission to understand why his whore of a wife cheated on him.

This man, a sailor, heads to sea. For three years. The first installment, titled perfectly, was The Bitter End.

Part II, The Eventually Home, is about his return… well, home. But is it “home” or just his desire to come to the end?

We have to wait for Part III to see.

The song we are sharing off the album is a pretty song that puts me at edge. A scorn sailor who hasn’t seen his wife in three years, watching her sleep. Has he returned to kill her? You tell me!

[Right Away, Great Captain – I Was A Cage]

Regardless of the story, it’s an amazing piece of work. Buy it. Buy two and give one to a friend.

photo by myspace.​com/​harrisonhudsonphotog​raphy


You know me better than I know myself…

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Maybe it’s because I miss being in smoky bars that blur my vision. Maybe it’s because I miss playing darts and the thrill of hitting a triple 17. Or it’s because 3 Doors Down is only good up to a point.

Listening to People in Planes is like being comfortable in your favorite bar. Finding out that they’re a band from Wales brings a universal understanding to this feeling, and an awe that people from a backwards country normally known for good punk pop can also produce this thick, mid-American variety of rock.

If you wanted to pick apart the lyrics, you might have fun challenging me over my “I Hate Kings of Leon” post. All I can say to that is, at least People in Planes stays on the beat.

If this song isn’t skillfully crafted to appeal to the masses, I don’t know what is. Enjoy Know By Now:

[People in Planes – Know By Now]

People in Planes have changed names twice already this decade. Also known as Robots in the Sky and Tetra Splendour, they’ve shuffled labels a few too many times in a short period but since their appearance at 2005’s South by Southwest festival, it seems that they are on a roll. They’ve toured with Blue October and had a video directed by Joaquin Phoenix! That’s progress in my eyes…

Today is November 21: the day that hordes of teenagers and desperate housewives alike have been breathlessly awaiting is finally here, so to celebrate Twilight’s premiere, I will share with you another track off 2008’s Beyond the Horizon album: Vampire. This is a messy departure from the rest of the album but it still comes off as a calculated and passionate disaster. Kind of like the books.

[People in Planes – Vampire]

It’s time to show some love to People in Planes.

Or join the teenage vampire craze, why not?

A Peter Sellers Odyssey

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[Richard Strauss – Also Sprach Zarathustra]

I’ve become a big Peter Sellers fan in the last 7 to 8 years. So today, I’m tossing in something a bit random. Have you all seen 2001: A Space Odyssey? If not, then shame on you! Stanley Kubrick at his best! Well, there’s the theme song from the movie that everyone knows. It’s Richard Strauss’ “Also Sprach Zarathustra” and it’s sheer joy. Here’s a clip from the aforementioned movie with the song playing.

Now, the reason I throw in Peter Sellers is because he starred in another of Kubrick’s classics. The film Dr. Strangelove netted Sellers an Oscar nomination, which was remarkable because he played three different roles in the flick. Also, many people forget he was also in Kubrick’s Lolita. So he had one hell of a career. His personal life? Well, not such a stand up guy. Can’t defend him there. For a good explanation, I would highly recommend watching Geoffrey Rush’s performance as Sellers in The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. An outstanding film in its own right.

Well, back to Strauss’ classical….well…..classic. Sellers was in a film that hardly gets mention except by the hardcore fans of films. I’m not really a huge movie fan, but I do enjoy something different, and his film Being There was nothing short of incredible. To be perfectly honest, Forrest Gump ripped off the premise from this movie, and Tom Hanks’ performance – while excellent itself – pales in comparison with Sellers’ performance as Chance Gardener. Well, in the flick, you hear a jazz-funk cover of “Also Sprach Zarathustra” performed by Brazilian artist Deodato. Check it out for yourself!

As a little side note for anyone that is also a huge fan of the now defunct show Arrested Development, they threw in a little dedication to Being There in its final season. If you need a hint on how? Then watch this clip of the final scene from the movie, and try to remember how they pulled it off.

Oh, and to those who have been sending me e-mails about your band or music, I will be digging through those in the next week. Please, if you do e-mail me? If possible, try to make it personal. I’ve nearly deleted more than a few of these because the subject line was so vague that only my curiosity kept me from deleting it initially.

Finally, please do buy the music! It helps pay these people! Even those in symphony orchestras!

The Drug Scouts of America

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I didn’t even mean to buy a book that night.

I was at the electronics store for something else, but I was on the phone with someone who asked me how it was that I always found fiction books with drug stories in them.

How would I know?

“The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star“

I turned the corner and hit the book section, and it must have been fate. This was the night I would actually purchase, rather than read a random page and return to the rack, this book. Who wouldn’t want to read about the crazy, drug-fueled, sex-filled shenanigans of a bona fide rock star? It’s safe to say that I HATE Mötley Crüe, so I suppose that is what had always held me back from actually bringing The Heroin Diaries home with me.

Today was the day I was gonna get over it.

I’m glad I did.

“Sometimes, if I didn’t know better…I’d think that my dealer is trying to kill me.”

Don’t get me wrong; this book is not amazing or anything. It’s decent: I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of rock and roll or a good collection of drug and debauchery stories. I’m glad I bought this book because it brought me to the “Heroin Diaries soundtrack!”

I know…that’s what I said when I discovered that Nikki Sixx had created a track for each chapter of the book.

Just another way to make a fucking dollar…

Once I realized it wasn’t actually a Crüe album, I decided to buy it. Not only are these tracks a true departure from Crüe music, it’s a fantastic album!

Dark, compelling, and polished. An album people notice. I mean, listen to the opening track! Yeah. You’re hooked.

[Sixx A.M. – Xmas in Hell]

The band Sixx A.M. released the single “Life is Beautiful” for mainstream radio, and it’s a great song…but my personal favorite is a track called Courtesy Call.

[Sixx A.M. – Courtesy Call]

It’s a tongue-in-cheek track about the nightmare that Nikki and the band caused hotel staff.

If you’re like me, you would have avoided this album (and book) like the plague. But I dove in for you, because that’s what I do. Take a deep breath; the water’s fine.

Like, what if I wanted to talk about the Ming Dynasty?

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They’re self-taught. They’re soft-spoken. And they’re hard-rocking. “To me, it’s just bands that are really into creating their own version of rock’n’roll, and are not trying to rip off anybody.”

Formed in the mid-90’s, Midwest independent rockers Dropnickel recently played an anniversary show for their label which was actually a reunion show for themselves. The formation of Dropnickel was a turning point for frontman Brett Johnson, who decided then and there to start his own independent label. He’s signed a total of 21 bands, with 6 currently on the roster.

I bought Dropnickel’s 1998 CD, “Completed”, two years ago. I loved it! So I was excited to get to travel to Minneapolis and see them perform at the BWR Anniversary show… At the Triple Rock no less!

Here is some video we captured at the show. This is the song “Ming Dynasty”, written about the breakup of a marriage that started from a silly comment. Well. Sometimes, you’re just better off.

Ming Dynasty by Dropnickel@Triple Rock

Backup singer/lead guitarist Jeremy Fink is active in another BWR band called Casanatra. He blows me away on guitar and I think his backup vocals really seal the deal while performing with Dropnickel.

I think the track off “Completed” that rocks the hardest and shows off every member’s talent at the same time is Snow Flies. Enjoy:

[Dropnickel – Snow Flies]

Brett Johnson was interviewed for the Twin Cities’ CityPages publication by Andrea Swensson. He explained to her that the bands on his label aren’t necessarily “indie rock” and he bristles at this combination of words. “It’s usually heavier or more aggressive, I guess, but it’s not exactly metal. I just always call it Midwest independent rock.”

Check out this label and sample some of Johnson’s brand of rock at bluewormrecords.com. I recommend Seconds Before, which was in my opinion the best band to open for Dropnickel that night.

Check out Dropnickel on MySpace

Check out Seconds Before on MySpace

As far as I can tell, they’re too indie to be found on Amazon. So peruse the label and buy what you like! Show some indie love.

Check out Blue Worm Records on MySpace

Fuzzy animals make fun music

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Okay, so this is not going to seem “new” to a lot of people. Who cares! I’m here to share music I love. So for this one I’ll be posting up a couple of songs from a man who goes by the artist name of Panda Bear. Many of you probably know who this guy is, already. For those who don’t? Click here for his Wikipedia page. The album Person Pitch is what initially got my attention. Better late than never, one might say. I was listening to Sirius’ Left of Center, and heard what I initially thought to be something in the mold of the Beach Boys or at the very least inspired by their frontman Brian Wilson.

Well, after a little digging, I found out what the song was, and went bonkers when I bought the album and took a listen. The song I’m posting is what gave me an utterly euphoric feeling I hadn’t had from music since listening to the other cut I’ll be posting. See what I did there? I made you have to scroll through to find out what the other song was! I’m tricky like that. So here you have the track “Bros”.

And here is a video of a live performance by Panda Bear doing the aforementioned “Bros”. I had a chance to check him out live in New York City last year during the summer. First off, the band opening for him? Atrocious. Good lord, people that tag their band “experimental”? Stop it. It’s meant to be played to torture terrorists in Gitmo. Not for performing live. Anyways, he doesn’t really “perform”, per se, but in a way DJs. Now, coming from a DJ background, I’ll sort it out. He uses a mixer and instead of turntables, he has samplers that are loaded with presets that he triggers. All the while, he is singing.

Once samples are triggered, he “mixes” the tracks. It makes for a continuous hour of music all while trippy videos and images are shown on a screen behind him. The show was great in a very odd way, but I just have to reiterate my disdain for the uber-hipster crowd. You’re not cool. Stop dressing like Marty McFly and waxing pretentious when it comes to any number of artsy topics. The crowd at these sorts of shows are usually lame and uninspiring, and this crowd was no different. No movement, no sound, no FUN! Seriously, this music was awesome, as was the show. That’s really besides the point. Here you’ll see what I mean about the “live” show.

Now, earlier I mentioned the euphoria I felt through song. This next track had me dancing on yet another trip down to New York City while watching the legendary Francois K DJing. He hopped around from ultra deep house to ragga, but this track had me going insane. I rarely dance. That says something. This is Global Communication’s “The Way” (The Secret Ingredients Mix) from 1996. I first heard it while in a club in Boston when it was brand spankin’ new, and it’s one of those tracks that led me down the path of house music. Utterly phenomenal song! Enjoy!

And please do make a purchase or two! That would just be splendiferous. And neat. And other words that sound just plain silly.

I Slept With Someone at inALLcaps.com and All I Got Was This Stupid Blog Written About Me

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I am over 30 and wear a FOB t-shirt quite regularly. I recently had the album Infinity on High on constant repeat in the car. I love EMO music and I might need some help.

Granted, I am not busy at home cutting myself, nor do I have an EMO haircut. I do have a strong fondness for dark zip-up hoodies, and I have a collection of band tees. Maybe this music is made for 30 year olds? I wonder if some pimply fourteen year old can really pick up on the heavy irony that Pete Wentz lays down in some of his lyrics. Or maybe fourteen year olds find the misheard versions better anyways!

It’s not all about Wentz and his amazing song writing abilities, but it’s that magical combo of Patrick Stump’s distinctive voice and solid vocal range (although it seems that it doesn’t hold up in some of the footage and audio I have seen/heard of them in concert).

I had a hard time dealing with the fact that every album seemed to be a change in style or direction for them. From hardcore punk to experimenting with R&B. When it comes down to it though, it’s something to be embraced if it’s done well.

From what I have had the privilege of listening to of Folie à Deux, their upcoming release scheduled for late 2008, it’s another big change, and one that I am going to welcome with open arms.

The rumors are rampant about this album already the closer we get to the 12.16.2008 release date. Kanye West will make an appearance. Lil’ Wayne will make an appearance. (Jay-Z showed up on Infinity on High, in case you slept on that one.) Pharrel has produced a song. Even Debbie Harry supposedly gets on the bus to throw down some vocals. I don’t LOVE Blondie, but having the frontwoman of one of the most well-known NYC punk bands make a guest appearance on your record is a big deal.

I really want to share these two leaked songs of the new Folie à Deux (seriously, that is the worst name in history for an album, but prove me wrong in the comments if you got one worse) album, but DMCA violations are being handed out a lot to many popular blogs, with targets especially directed at songs off this album. Not sure if inallcaps is big ENOUGH yet, but considering all the press releases we are getting now, and the new collab with errorFM, I think someone at the labels might finally be watching! (Thanks for the page views!) So…maybe I try to get in a few of their old songs? I guess it’s the best I can do. I suggest looking for those leaks on the interwebs anyways. I am convinced it will get you to pick up Duex, and that’s really my goal anyways.

Oh! Guess what? I dug up a Kanye West/FOB mashup, which is at least timely and relevant.

[Download Kanye West/Fall Out Boy – I Don’t Care I Still Love Her]

One of my favorite things about Fall Out Boy has been that they get creative with their song titles. This one might be my favorite title for a song ever:

[Download Fall Out Boy – It’s Not A Side Effect Of The Cocaine, I Am Thinking It Must Be Love]

I’ve lost my mobile phone, you’ll have to call my home

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I know you missed me! The Little One is BACK! And I now have SEVENTY-SIX tracks in my iTunes. Yeah, 76! I am a Hard Drive Rebuild Survivor. Action, Advocacy, Awareness. Er, something like that.

Thank God that thirteen of those tracks were compiled by England’s Just Jack. These uplifting, boogielicious electronica ballads are enough to make me forget all about the potential for four years’ worth of important e-mail transmissions being lost forever.

Is he single? I want to marry him based solely on the fact that when forced to select from the slim pickins of 1997 dance tracks to cover for a radio station celebration, he picked “Lovefool” by The Cardigans. Yeah baby. Love me, love me. Reason will not reach a solution.

It’s hard to pick just one track off Just Jack’s 2007 Overtones album to share. The opening track, Writer’s Block, really pulls you in to enjoy the whole album. So you better buy it, just so you can hear it. But it’s Symphony of Sirens that I’ll share with you. Maybe because I like it when artists mispronounce words or draw out syll-ABB-les in order to make them rhyme. Check it out:

[Just Jack – Symphony of Sirens]

His voice is so soothing, and the electronic background – which I normally am not a fan of – just makes me HAPPY! Is it the choppy North London accent that does it for me? It’s not just because I have nothing else to listen to, is it? Say it isn’t so, because Just Jack (it’s just Jack Allsop) is my new faaaayyyyv’rit.

How can you not love this adorable guy. Check out the vid for No Time:

You know what to do here. Right here, right now. Click this. Get yourself some Just Jack. You don’t have to hiss his name realfast a la Jack McFarland. Just make The Little One happy and buy yourself some hot music. Dooo itttt.