Just to Please My Aching Heart

World Party is releasing their first greatest hits compilation on 10/9 (evidently already out in Australia and available via import on 9/10 - hey, i like the symmetry). It will include 13 of his best, which is better than most others' best, as well as links to hundreds of online live and demo versions of the song. Of course, you could always just pick up Goodbye Jumbo and that will keep you occupied for a decade and a half like it has me.

Also of note, a new studio album will be release hopefully sooner than later (late 07, early 08).

You Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang

So what's the new R.E.M. album that is reportedly almost three-quarters finished going to sound like?

[W]e weren't going to say what it is or not because we don't want to have expectations out there in any direction. But, of course, you can go on YouTube and listen to some of the Dublin shows and get a pretty good idea of where we're going.

Ok, here you go.

Speculation is that "it will be a guitar-dominated, hard-rocking record." I just listened to Monster not too long ago and I have to say, this would be a welcome change from their last record.

Don't forget, R.E.M. Live out on 10/16.

Gave Me the News

Crowded House is releasing a new single from their excellent new release Time on Earth on September 17. She Called Up will be backed with So Dramatic, a piano version of People Are Like Suns, and the video for She Called Up. No word on a domestic release, so save the extra few bucks for an import single. Click here for the video.

Must Be the Clouds In My Eyes

"What are you doing? Are you sitting down?"
"I'm scrubbing the toilet. Seriously. Hold on. Just let me put the brush down."
"Don't bother, that's perfect..."

And so it goes Joe Pernice was informed of an invitation to play Carnegie Hall (!!) October 10 as part of a tribute to Elton John and Bernie Taupin. Each artist invited (a list that includes Brendan Benson, Aimee Mann, Roger McGuinn, and others) will play one song and it appears Pernice Brothers have chosen Daniel. Excellent. One would hope some kind of broadcast or release of these performances will occur.

It's got a back beat, you can't lose it

Apple is holding a special music-related event next Tuesday Wednesday and speculations are running wild. My money is on new iPods, but the release of the Beatles catalog could also be set loose. Reportedly the last words of the last Beatles press release (while they were still together) was "The Beat Goes On, The Beat Goes On". Coincidentally or not, the title of the invite to Apple's event is "The Beat Goes On". Only time will tell.

When You Speak to Me It's a Song

The Raconteurs get all jokey and let out some tidbits on their new album in the process. NME.com has it all.

Jack: "If I was to ever take a drug for pleasure, I would want that drug to be aspirin for all the headaches I get from second hand acidophilus powder and flax seed smoke."

Animated Groove Attitude

Here's some Collective Soul for you to get down to:*

Afterwords is out today. What? Your favorite record store is already sold out? Best Buy no longer carries the Soul? Wal-mart? 'Fess up: you love Wal-mart! Nope, it's a Target exclusive. Well, Target and iTunes.

Listen to the first single Hollywood here. I've yet to muster the interest.

*Sorry, this is a joke for thankfully a select few insiders.

You Either Kiss the Future or the Past Goodbye

Out today, Photograph: The Very Best of Ringo Starr. And yes, the very best of Ringo Starr can be very good indeed, but you probably don't need much more than this:

1. Photograph
2. It Don't Come Easy
3. You're Sixteen (You're Beautiful And You're Mine)
4. Back Off Boogaloo
5. I'm the Greatest
6. Oh, My My
7. Only You (And You Alone)
8. Beaucoups Of Blues
9. Early 1970
10. Snookeroo
11. No-No Song
12. (It's All Down To) Goodnight Vienna
13. Hey Baby
14. A Dose Of Rock 'N' Roll
15. Weight Of the World
16. King Of Broken Hearts
17. Never Without You
18. Act Naturally
19. Wrack My Brain
20. Fading In And Fading Out

Download it all here.

Previously...

Is That Love in the Air?

Meet the Missus The Heartbreak Kid is Ben Stiller's new movie about getting hitched and realizing the proverbial ol' ball and chain is even worse than that. Yeah, I won't see it either, but the soundtrack is not half bad. Two new Flaming Lips tunes, a Matthew Sweet appearance, World Party's classic Put the Message in the Box (!!), and a few other decent tunes (tracklist below).

01 The Flaming Lips: "The Horny Frog"
02 David Bowie: "Ashes to Ashes"
03 Buva: "She Makes Me Fall Down"
04 World Party: "Put the Message in the Box"
05 John Alagia: "Honey Come Home"
06 The Weepies: "Painting by Chagall"
07 Brian Hyland: "Gypsy Woman"
08 Amy LeVere: "Take Em or Leave Em"
09 Buva: "First Cut Is the Deepest"
10 Julieta Venegas: "Canciones de Amor"
11 The Flaming Lips: "Maybe I'm Not the One"
12 Ozomatli: "After Party"
13 Mathew Sweet/Susanna Hoffs: "Different Drum"
14 David Bowie: "Suffragette City"

Soundtrack is out 10/2 right before the movie hits theaters for its inexplicably bloated $40MM+ opening weekend on 10/5. Watch the trailer here for all the slapshit action.

I Don't Know

Here is the semi-regular feature story on the rumored possibility of a My Bloody Valentine reunion. Say it's so.

Seminal U.K. shoegazer act My Bloody Valentine is considering an offer to reunite and co-headline the 2008 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. A tour would follow later in the year, according to a report on the Daily Swarm.

Ooo, they're on MySpace. It must be true.

Well the Truth May Come in Strange Disguises

If a band that nobody listened to in their heyday comes back to release an album 8 years after their previous effort, is there any more reason to listen? The release of Kula Shaker's Strangefolk today overseas begs the question.

"In many ways, I think the world is a much more exciting place than it was 10 years ago. War, oppression, mass communication, ridiculously skinny jeans, that's what rock n' roll thrives on."

And what drives bloggers to feel the inappropriate urge to kick you in the face. Peace.

Out here October 9. Pre-order here or order the import here.

And In the Dream Everyone Is Holding Hands

Burning Sky Records is working on their second tribute album for my other favorite too poppy band, The Posies, due out this winter. One track is posted on theirspace (Burn and Shine - both versions are frickin' great) and they're seeking contributions. Here's your chance to shine ... and burn.

Rock Yourself to Sleep

Hmm.

Trying too hard, or not hard enough?

True, nice to hear the harmonies. Brings me back to my youth.

It just seems so ... I don't know ... unnecessary.

New Eagles: How Long from Long Road Out of Eden due out in October.

Blue Is the Memory of Her Bedroom Eyes

Well, it's taken a long nine months since I first talked about Wisely's video for Through Every Window to finally see the light of day. And why so special? It features Jenna Fischer, and boy does she look pissed.

Are guys allowed to swoon? Screw it, I'm gonna swoon. I was worried we'd never see it after he announced a new album was coming out in less than two months. Thanks, Willy. And thanks, Jenna, for featuring behind the scenes goodness here.

And the song? Never appreciated it enough the first few times I heard it, but now it reminds me of an obscure early McCartney song. It's not, but it evokes such a thought. Oh, evokes!

However Far Away

The Cure, who previously moved back the release of their new album from fall to spring, has followed suit with their previously announced tour. It seems Robert Smith needs time to freshen up his supply of Big Sexy Hair.

You're Pissed that You Missed the Very Last Kiss

Wilco shows a bit of Iowa love on their current tour, unlike the Gusterds:

08-24 Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre #
08-26 Santa Barbara, CA - County Bowl #
08-27 San Diego, CA - SDSU Open Air Theater #
08-29 Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre #
09-01 Denver, CO - Fillmore Auditorium #
09-02 Denver, CO - Fillmore Auditorium #
09-04 Duluth, MN - Bayfront Festival Park
09-11 Madison, WI - Overture Hall *
09-12 Chicago, IL - Jay Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park *
09-13 Southaven, MS - Snowden Grove Amphitheatre *
09-14 Dallas, TX - Palladium Ballroom *
09-16 Austin, TX - Austin City Limits Festival
09-18 Little Rock, AR - Robinson Auditorium *
09-19 Columbia, MO - 9th Street Summerfest *
09-21 Louisville, KY - Louisville Slugger Field *
10-09 Milwaukee, WI - Eagle's Ballroom
10-10 Minneapolis, MN - Northrop Auditorium
10-13 Kansas City, MO - Crossroads
10-14 Iowa City, IA - Main Lounge
10-16 Columbus, OH - Wexner Center
10-17 Detroit, MI - Fox Theater
10-28 New Orleans, LA - Voodoo Music Experience
11-02 Manchester, England - Manchester Academy
11-03 Newcastle, England - Newcastle Academy
11-04 Birmingham, England - Birmingham Academy
11-05 London, England - Brixton Academy
11-06 Brussels, Belgium - Cirque Royal
11-08 Barcelona, Spain - Razzmatazz
11-09 Madrid, Spain - Riviera
11-11 Bilbao, Spain - Euskalduna
11-14 Dublin, Ireland - Vicar Street
11-15 Dublin, Ireland - Vicar Street

# with Richard Swift
* with Dr. Dog

She Looked Like She Was Not Even There

Guster is hitting college towns and cool venues everywhere (except Iowa). Guster disappoints me with their lack of love. Sigh, me gusta Guster.

NORTHEAST WEEKEND:

09/07 – Providence, RI @ Providence Piers............TICKETS are $10
09/08 – Boston, MA @ Bank of America Pavilion for WFNX Disorientation show............TICKETS ($10) on sale 8/24
09/09 – New York, NY @ Randall’s Island for Farm Aid...TICKETS

WEST COAST DATES:

09/14 – San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield............TICKETS
09/15 – Los Angeles, CA @ Avalon Hollywood............TICKETS
09/16 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues............TICKETS
09/17 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre............TICKETS
09/19 – Orem, UT @ McKay Events Center............TICKETS
09/20 – Denver, CO @ The Fillmore Auditorium............TICKETS
09/22 – Seattle, WA @ The Showbox............TICKETS
09/23 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom............TICKETS

NEW DATES: COLLEGE TOUR + SOUTHERN CLUBS

09/27/07 – Vermillion, SD @ University of South Dakota............TICKETS on sale 9/6
09/28/07 – St. Louis, MO @ St. Louis University...Tickets TBA
09/30/07 – East Lansing, MI @ Michigan State University...Tickets TBA
10/01/07 – Kent, OH @ Kent State University...Tickets TBA
10/02/07 – Bloomington, IN @ Indiana University............TICKETS on sale 8/31
10/04/07 – State College, PA @ Penn State University...Tickets TBA
10/05/07 – Rochester, NY @ University of Rochester............TICKETS on sale 9/10
10/06/07 – Burlington, VT @ University of Vermont............TICKETS on sale 8/25
10/12/07 – Nashville, TN @ Vanderbilt University...Tickets TBA
10/13/07 – Gainesville, FL @ University of Florida...Tickets TBA
10/14/07 – Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room............TICKETS on sale 8/31
10/16/07 – Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre............TICKETS on sale 8/25
10/17/07 – Knoxville, TN @ Bijou Theatre............TICKETS on sale 9/7
10/18/07 – Murray, KY @ Murray State University...Tickets TBA
10/19/07 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel............TICKETS on sale 8/25
another NC date TBA
10/23/07 -- Richmond, VA @ Toad's place..................TICKETS on sale 8/25
10/26/07 – Raleigh, NC @ NC State University............TICKETS on sale 8/25
10/27/07 – Williamsburg, VA @ College of William & Mary ...Tickets TBA

You Pulled Me Out of Time

Paul McCartney is releasing a three-DVD retrospective featuring music videos and live performances. The McCartney Years will be released on November 13. Now if he's just do the same with all his b-sides and rarities, I'd be a happy Macca fan.

Disc one:

"Tug Of War"
"Say Say Say"
"Silly Love Songs"
"Band On The Run"
"Maybe I'm Amazed"
"Heart Of The Country"
"Mamunia"
"With A Little Luck"
"Goodnight Tonight"
"Waterfalls"
"My Love"
"C-Moon"
"Baby's Request"
"Hi Hi Hi"
"Ebony And Ivory"
"Take It Away"
"Mull Of Kintyre"
"Helen Wheels"
"I've Had Enough"
"Coming Up"
"Wonderful Christmastime"

Disc two:

"Pipes Of Peace"
"My Brave Face"
"Beautiful Night"
"Fine Line"
"No More Lonely Nights"
"This One"
"Little Willow"
"Pretty Little Head"
"Birthday"
"Hope Of Deliverance"
"Once Upon A Long Ago"
"All My Trials"
"Brown-Eyed Handsome Man"
"Press"
"No Other Baby"
"Off The Ground"
"Biker Like An Icon"
"Spies Like Us"
"Put It There"
"Figure Of Eight"
"C'Mon People"

Disc three:

From "Rockshow":
"Venus And Mars"
"Rock Show"
"Jet"
"Maybe I'm Amazed"
"Lady Madonna"
"Listen To What The Man Said"
"Bluebird"

From "MTV Unplugged":
"I Lost My Little Girl"
"Every Night"
"And I Love Her"
"That Would Be Somethin"

From Glastonbury 2004:
"Jet"
"Flaming Pie"
"Let Me Roll It"
"Blackbird"
"Band On The Run"
"Back In The USSR"
"Live And Let Die"
"Hey Jude"
"Yesterday"
"Helter Skelter"
"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"

Keep Ireland for the Irish

Too funny:

What if the Beatles Were Irish? | Funny Jokes at JibJab

But It's Just the Price I Pay

Do we still care about The Killers? I can't remember. Still haven't picked up the new one, and here comes another. This time, they'll be releasing a b-sides album from all their singles in the UK and the occasional soundtrack tune. As a music fan who has spent far too many dollars on import singles, this is a much appreciated gesture.

Also of note, expect a new studio album tentatively in fall of 08.

Hey, Kids, Rock n Roll

It seems unfathomable to me that R.E.M. has yet to release a full-fledged live album in their long, storied career until now - well, October 16 to be more specific. They must have thought long and hard to come up with the name: R.E.M. Live. The tracklist (below) seems to be a bit too heavy with tracks from Around the Sun, their least satisfying album I've ever heard. But, it was recorded during that tour so it's to be expected. I've never been a big live album fan, but if you've seen them (as I did on their Monster tour - great!) and are an R.E.M. completist, there you go.

"I Took Your Name"
"So Fast, So Numb"
"Boy in the Well"
"Cuyahoga"
"Everybody Hurts"
"Electron Blue"
"Bad Day"
"The Ascent of Man"
"Great Beyond"
"Leaving New York"
"Orange Crush"
"I Wanted To Be Wrong"
"Final Straw"
"Imitation of Life"
"The One I Love"
"Walk Unafraid"
"Losing My Religion"
"What's the Frequency, Kenneth?"
"Drive"
"(Don't Go Back To) Rockville"
"I'm Gonna DJ"
"Man on the Moon"

I Think of Everything to Be Discovered

Here's one I missed, and shame on me: Paul McCartney has just released an iTunes exclusive live EP: iTunes Festival - London. It includes some of my favorites from the new album as well as two excellent classics.

1. Coming Up
2. Only Mama Knows
3. That Was Me
4. Jet
5. Nod Your Head
6. House of Wax

By the way, Ever Present Past will be the next official single from the album, which is a solid choice. It really reminds me of My Brave Face. And kudos to Hear Music for the promotion of this album. It's the most I've seen for a Macca release since probably Flowers in the Dirt. I even saw a promo for that new Grey's Anatomy spin-off that included EPP. That's not necessarily my favorite way to promote music, but beats the hell out of a McDonald's ad.

I Hope It Isn't Too Late

Hear Music, Epiphone, and Paul McCartney are giving away a guitar hand-painted by Macca himself as well as three first place prizes of an autographed guitar. Sweet. The drawing will be around 9/10, so enter now - and give it to me if you win.

Do You Wanna Make Me Feel Like I'm a Thousand Stories High?

Stereogum gives some inches to Dan Wilson and his new tune Cry, previously heard on hisspace along with a few other tunes. Remember, his solo album Free Life comes out 10/16.

Previously...

Moving Up and So Alive

Pitchfork is reporting confirmation of a new album from Jesus & Mary Chain! Hang on, flashing back to my noisier and more youthful days ...

TheirSpace

All The Things That Go To Make Heaven And Earth

Just in time for back to school, it's a big day for much-buzzed-about new releases. Take a look:

New Pornographers - Challengers
Rilo Kiley - Under the Blacklight
Imperial Teen - The Hair the TV the Baby & the Band
Architecture in Helsinki - Places Like This
Caribou - Andorra
Josh Ritter - The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
The Waterboys (!) - Book of Lightning

Knock yourself out.

Hoping That It Doesn't Come Too Late

Flaming Lips are bubbling around this fall - naturally, no Iowa dates.

08-25 San Diego, CA - Ace Parking Lot %
09-07 Chicago, IL - Aragon Theater *
09-08 Madison, WI - Willow Island ^
09-09 Minneapolis, MN - The Myth *
09-12 Kansas City, MO - Uptown Theater *
09-15 Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre (Monolith Festival)
09-18 Vancouver, British Columbia - Orpheum Theater *
09-19 Portland, OR - Roseland Theater *
09-20 Seattle, WA - Paramount Theater *
09-24 San Antonio, TX - Sunset Station Lonestar Pavilion
09-25 Austin, TX - La Zona Rosa
09-28 Saint Louis, MO - The Pageant
09-30 Cleveland, OH - Agora Theatre
10-01 Pontiac, MI - Clutch Cargo's
10-03 Charlotte, NC - Amos' Southend
10-12-14 Atlanta, GA - Bouckaert Farm (Echo Project Festival)

% with Z-Trip, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
* with Black Moth Super Rainbow
^ with Cold War Kids

Die Tuff

Plenty of Bleu news to report:

• Two new literally-named EPs are now available online.
  
• The Blizzard of 05 was written, well, two years ago during a blizzard: "most of it was recorded in the two weeks surrounding that legendary storm, and it was done almost entirely live in the studio..as a result, i think it's one of the most cohesive works i've been a part of." More here. Download here.
  
• Birthday Songs is a little collection of, well, birthday songs Bleu has written for friends: "they were all written, recorded and mixed in 24 hours (or less)...sometimes it shows (hA!), but some of them are really fun." Download here.
  
• His hair metal band LoudLion has a few songs on the upcoming Balls of Fury Soundtrack. Download LoudLion here or here.
• The Major Labels record is finished.
• "for those of you with short memories, TML is the band i started with Mike Viola and Ducky Carlisle (now Rock Jetstream)...making this album was easily one of the most rewarding musical experiences i've ever had...and i genuinely can't wait to get it out there and start bringing the music to the people (slash/melting-faces)...this project is really close to my heart...stay tuned."

Previously...

Happy Birthday Dear Compact Disc, Happy Birthday To You

The compact disc is 25 years old today. Happy birthday to the next obsolete technology. Have fun with your friends the 78, the 45, the 33 1/3, the DAT, the 8-track, the cassette tape, the Betamax and the VHS. May you rest in peace.

It Don't Matter

Stereogum has a new tune from Rogue Wave, Chicago X 12, which is quite nice. It features Nada Surf's Matthew Caws so you'd expect it to be quite nice. New album Asleep at Heaven's Gate comes out Sept. 18 and promises to be "meloncholic" (sic - hey, it's a Smashing Pumpkins generation.)

MP3: Rogue Wave - Chicago X 12 (via Stereogum)

Tell Me There's Time Left

Matt Pond PA announced tour dates in support of their new album Last Light, which will be released Sept. 25. No Des Moines or Iowa ... yet. More here.

September 27th, 2007, Boston, MA, Paradise Rock Club
September 28th, 2007, New York, NY, Bowery Ballroom
September 29th, 2007, Hoboken, NJ, Maxwell's
October 1st, 2007, Washington DC, 9:30 Club
October 2nd, 2007, Pittsburgh, Diesel
October 4th, 2007, Columbus, OH, The Basement
October 5th, 2007, Detroit, MI, Magic Stick
October 6th, 2007, Cleveland, OH, Grog Shop
October 7th, 2007, Chicago, IL, Double Door
October 8th, 2007, Minneapolis, MN, Varsity Theater
October 11th, 2007, Vancouver, The Plaza Club
October 12th, 2007, Portland, OR, Doug Fir
October 14th, 2007, Seattle, Chop Suey
October 16th, 2007, San Francisco, CA, Great American Music Hall
October 17th, 2007, Los Angeles, CA, Troubadour
October 19th, 2007, San Diego, CA, The Casbah
October 20th, 2007, Phoenix, AZ, Modified Arts
October 22nd, 2007, Dallas, TX, House of Blues - Cambridge Room
October 23rd, 2007, Austin, TX, Antone's
October 24th, 2007, Houston, TX, Meridian
October 26th, 2007, Atlanta, GA, The Loft
October 27th, 2007, Chapel Hill, NC, Local 506
October 28th, 2007, Birmingham, AL, Vulcan Park
October 29th, 2007, Nashville, TN, Exit/In

Previously...

Somewhere in Middle America

Counting Crows rolled through town last weekend with Collective Soul and Third Eye Blind. I passed due to the $50 ticket price and I heard from a colleague that I didn't miss much. The Crows played quite a bit of new music, which evidently sounds like their old music. Here's more on their new album Saturday Nights, Sunday Morning due out in November.

"This album is really starkly divided, not just musically but thematically," Duritz says. "The first half is pretty dark stuff and 'Sunday Mornings' is not a side about redemption either. 'Sunday Mornings' is about sorrow and grief."

Also worthy of note, a remastered set of August and Everything After (their first and likely career best album) is due in stores September 18 and will include demos and a live performance. If you haven't in a few years, be sure to revisit this great album. It holds up quite well.

Never Be Let Down

Smashing. Lovely. Brilliant. Dada's Joie Calio has a new band named X Levitation Cult. Yeah, let's call them XLC. You can hear two tunes on theirspace.

Like.

More.

Now.

Because You Like Coldplay

Sick of Judd Apatow yet? Yeah, me too. Knocked Up was hardly a worthy follow-up to the pitch-perfect 40-Year-Old Virgin. Nonetheless, I'm intrigued by his new movie Walk Hard - The Dewey Cox Story. Not necessarily because of the story (Rutles, Spinal Tap, A Mighty Wind redux), but first because Mr. Candy Butcher Mike Viola is responsible for much of the music (along with Van Dyke Parks for the protest songs), and second because of some of the cameos (Eddie Vedder as himself, Paul Rudd as John Lennon, Jack Black as a Macca-like figure).

Movie films can be so very good or so very bad. Walk Hard comes out in December so I guess we wait to find out where it stands.

More:
The Playlist
Goldenfiddle

These Are Golden Times

Right now in Des Moines, the heat index is a sweltering 103°. It has rained a bit over the past few days and the cruel joke of late summer rains is that they force my brown lawn out of its welcome dormancy. In other words, I have to mow. Now since we all live by our own personal soundtrack of life, there needs to be some perfect music to listen to as I attempt to cool down post-mowing during these dog days of summer. I'm not looking for an adrenalin-pusher here - it needs to offer a pleasant segue from a loud, dirty summer afternoon job to a warm, summer ale evening. Enter Brandon Schott...

Brandon's new album is called Golden State. In name alone you get that summer sun vibe. Musically, the album relentlessly chills you out with its nuanced melodies and meticulous songcraft. It's not going to hook you instantly and piledrive catchy tunes in your head. You now know where to go for that. I wouldn't go as far to say that Golden State is an acquired taste, but it ages quite well. If you're an impatient listener, as I tend to be at times, please give this one multiple tries. You might not hear it until the second or third go-round, but it's there, and you'll be glad you found it.

Brandon offers warm familiarity, particularly in his voice, which sonically falls somewhere in between Ben Folds (when he's not goofing) and David Grahame. In fact, throw in a bit of Duncan Sheik at his Drake-ish best, Josh Rouse's respect of a previous generation, Trash Can Sinatras' atmospherics, and Michael Penn's maturity and you'll soon discover this summer's other sophisticated pop gem.

Standouts for me include Beautiful Trainwreck, Beachwood, Release, Simple Life, and Golden State, the video of which is below. Yep, not counting the instrumental ditty that metaphorically separates the album "sides" from each other, that's half the album.

Find a hammock and load up your iPod because that Golden State will be welcome indeed. It's been available via iTunes for months, but some of you still get a buzz from that plastic, which you can find in stores today.





iTunes
Amazon.com
HisSpace
Official Site (thanks for the link, Brandon!)

Previously...

UPDATE: The CD version is much more than just a plastic disc ... from Brandon:

The package was put together by my brilliant wife, Michelle, and is housed in an old school LP style package with a 16 page color booklet featuring full color artwork by our friends - some truly beautiful photographs and illustrations that I am honored to have compliment my music.

God Only Knows Such a Sweet Surprise

Following Macca's lead, John Lennon just released his solo catalog digitally via iTunes. Lennon Legend and Acoustic are both available today for the first time digitally. Plus, they're EMI so you can get them DRM-free! Beatles next?

The Act You've Known for All These Years

Evidently, Cheap Trick has become a Beatles cover band.

Squeezing Tupac From Peter Criss

Upon review of Frisbie's new New Debut, the material issue is whether derivativeness warrants merit or demerit. C'mon, we're talking power pop here! It's less about originality of melody than originality of execution. And wow, no cheap tricks here, my friends. Frisbie's execution is an exercise in perfection.

Who are Frisbie? They are a group of guys seemingly guided by voices of not only haunts of their hometown of Chicago, but of notable contemporaries as well. I was struck on numerous occasions by the ghost of Ellison clearly making his voice heard, especially on the stand-out track I Speak Your Mind. For a split second, I was resentful of the tragic reminder, but then I accepted the sheer nostalgic joy it evoked. Horns reminiscent of CTA and ELO flourishes balance perfectly with modern GBV melodies and Jellyfishy wit. Big stars they are not, but a Frisbie of a generation ago would undoubtedly be influencing the young poppers of today.

The recognition of Frisbie's greatness on New Debut is instant and exponentially more rewarding with each listen. "You're so fucking beautiful" ... "Yes impossible everyone." I dare you to try to shake them off, but why would you want to? The album clocks in mercifully at about 40 minutes - the quicker to reward yourself all over again. I finally know why the repeat function exists.

Sure, Frisbie sounds familiar, but on New Debut, familiarity hardly breeds contempt, it breeds a classic. Relish in the familiar and enjoy - over and over and over again.



iTunes
CD Baby
Not Lame
FrisbieSpace
DigFrisbie

Previously...

You've Got a Clue

So is this the cover of the new Matthew Sweet album? Is the title really Sunshine Lies? Was Rock Bottom really just a cruel joke? Is Badass the baddest?

Time will tell.

Your Life Is Filled with Maybes and I'm One of Them

A good read on Jason Falkner. It's not often we see an interview with one of our favorites. Under the radar indeed. Cool background info on his experiences with Air, plus, of particular note:

I definitely want to do at least a record a year.

That would be fine. Still no official word when his excellent new album will be released in the states, but it's currently available via import from Japan and it's worth the money if you're a big fan.

Previously...

So Sweet and Tender, All Life Needs

Paul Weller (The Jam, Style Council) and Graham Coxon (Blur) have collaborated on a 3-song release including the single This Old Town. From this review, it sounds worth seeking out...

There is a surprisingly heavy dose of Matthew Sweet style power pop that is spun into this mix ... This track wouldn't sound out of place on Sweet's Altered Beast or Blue Sky on Mars.

Seeking out ... hell, I'll make it easy for you:

Buy here.
Sample/download here (via Modern Music).

Are You Ready To Go?

Fountains of Wayne are on tour and tix are on sale:

08.03.07 New York, NY Beacon Theatre w/ Squeeze
08.04.07 Baltimore, MD VIRGIN Festival
08.05.07 Norfolk, VA The Norva
08.09.07 Boston, MA Copley Square Park
08.11.07 Alpine, CA Viejas Casino w/ Squeeze
08.12.07 Anaheim, CA The Grove of Anaheim w/ Squeeze
08.13.07 Los Angeles, CA The Greek Theater w/ Squeeze
08.14.07 Saratoga, CA The Mountain Winery w/ Squeeze
08.16.07 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
08.17.07 Las Vegas, NV Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
08.19.07 Seattle, WA Neumo's
08.21.07 Salt Lake City, UT The Depot
08.22.07 Denver, CO Fillmore Auditorium w/ Crowded House
08.25.07 Chicago, IL Double Door
08.26.07 St. Paul, MN Minnesota State Fair w/ Joan Jett
09.15.07 Cranford, NJ UC Music Fest - Nomahegan Park
10.16.07 Tokyo, Japan Liquid Room
10.17.07 Tokyo, Japan Liquid Room
10.18.07 Tokyo, Japan Liquid Room
10.20.07 Osaka, Japan Club Quattro
10.21.07 Nagoya, Japan Club Quattro

With Squeeze and Crowded House?!? Wow. More here.

The Things You Felt Were Real

Wisely's new album will hit stores October 2. Check out Cracked World View on hisspace. Sounds great. He's quite the pop maestro. If it's half as good as Parador, it'll be twice as good as this.

Note: Mike Ruekberg plays piano on the new track. How am I not surprised that they're working together?

Previously...