All the Things That Make You Better

Check out the stylish new video from Mates of States for Like U Crazy (although I'm still partial to the video for Fraud in the 80s). MoS will be back in Central Iowa at the M-shop in Ames next Tuesday night. It's a great show. This time around they're touring with Starlight Mints who are on the same label as MoS, Barsuk, which is one of the coolest record labels around. A look at their band list is proof positive.

M-shop has some other great shows coming up this fall. Click here for more info.

Good Sense, Innocence, Crippled, and Kind

Here's a once in a lifetime opportunity: own the wildest looking guitars ever played by a one-hit wonder. These guitars are being sold through eBay and at last check, the bids were over $30,000. You'd think this would've started some sort of psychedelic guitar trend or something, but I guess not.
Now I'm just trying to decide if this is worth a second mortgage. Don't tell my wife.

By the way, the band was Strawberry Alarm Clock and their one hit was Incense and Peppermints. More here.

Now It Seems You Don't Care For Me

Sean Lennon is a self-righteous prick and Julian Lennon used to sport a righteous mullet.

Previously...

Every Artist is a Cannibal, Every Poet is a Thief

U2 is working with Rick Rubin on their new album. First Neil Diamond, then Dixie Chicks, then U2. Sure, makes sense. That Rubin gets around. U2 is also collaborating with Green Day on a charity single.

Billboard and u2.com have more details.

Previously...

That's Great It Starts With an Earthquake

The latest news from R.E.M.:

• And I Feel Fine...The Best of the IRS Years (1982-1987) comes out next Tuesday. Most interesting for big fans is the bonus disc of tunes handpicked by the boys in the band. The whole set is somewhat of a companion piece to In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 that was released a few years ago.
• The band is being inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame on September 16. For the first time in a decade, the three remaining members of R.E.M. will perform with original member Bill Berry for the occasion.
• While all four of them are together, there is talk of recording music that would be released for a charitable purpose.
• Best of all, they are beginning to talk about the next album. Around the Sun was not their finest and, in my opinion, a big disappointment after Reveal.

It's Like Magic

Matthew Sweet again proves his love for soundtracks by including an unreleased tune on the upcoming soundtrack to NBC's hit My Name is Earl. Why does he choose this outlet for releasing new music? Who knows. With a name like Livin' Thing, it sounds like it is probably an outtake from his 2004 release Living Things. I haven't fallen in love with the preview offered here. The vocals seem mixed way too high. Hopefully, it'll sound better on disc or download. But I'll take new Matthew however it's offered.

UPDATE: Nope, it's not an outtake. It's a cover version of ELO's classic. Duh. I thought it sounded familiar.

Been Getting the Runaround

L.E.O. is finally releasing its debut album. You might remember that L.E.O. is somewhat of a supergroup of powerpop stars that got together to start an E.L.O. tribute band that turned into something much more. The album comes out October 17.

From theirspace (where you can check out some of the tunes):

L.E.O. is a power-pop-collective that has become a Traveling
Wilburys-esque creative outlet for a gang of like-minded musician/producers...it
was originally conceived by Bleu and includes the diverse talents of Andy
Sturmer (Jellyfish), Mike Viola (The Candy Butchers), Jason Scheff (Chicago),
Steve Gorman (The Black Crowes), Matt Mahaffey (Self), John Fields (big-time
pop-producer), Tony Goddess (pApAs fritAs), Hanson, Eric Barao (The Cautions),
Scott Simons (The Argument), and Paula Kelley, among others..