Cap’n Jazz. Tomorrow/tonight. Empty Bottle, Chicago [via the A.V. Club]: The A.V. Club has learned that seminal emo outfit Cap’n Jazz is playing a mini reunion set Friday night at the Empty Bottle as part of the Joan Of Arc Don’t Mind Control Variety Show. So the question that started my awkward conversation with Mike Kinsella … [Read more…]
Say what you will about the Conan O’Brien-NBC rift. A silly distraction or a reflection of the state of Olde World entertainment in the 21st Century? Who cares. Skip those arguments for a moment. Conan’s expensive stunts are where it’s at. Last night, Conan dressed a Bugatti up as a mouse and played the original … [Read more…]
PBS aired an hour-long documentary on sampling about an hour ago, featuring one very odd talking head. “Copyright Criminals” had a fantastic array of characters involved in sampling music, including a pretty interesting discussion with Clyde Stubblefield, who’s “funky drummer” beat has provided countless hip-hop hits with one intense breakbeat. Stubblefield’s inclusion in the doc. … [Read more…]
I’d like to kick off a new feature of weekly music-related videos with this live 8-bit cover of “Party in the U.S.A.” Anamanaguchi‘s Luke Silas took the Miley Cyrus smash-hit and filtered it through an GameBoy for a fast-paced version of the tune that defies chipmunk-like speeds. Take a peek: [youtubevid id=”6VJP_tyINuo”]
There are a few warning signs of what can make or break a band and tend to set off alarms. Any combination of the following three signs found in any band should be considered worrisome: Third-rate, watered down electronic pop-punk/scrunk with little thought put into the music and lyrics. More band tees and general merch … [Read more…]
The New York Times is reporting that Memphis punk-rocker Jay Reatard has died: Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr., the Memphis musician better known by his punk-rock stage name Jay Reatard, has died, his record label Goner Records said on Wednesday. Matador Records, which released Reatard’s 2009 album Watch Me Fall, released this statement: We are devastated … [Read more…]
“Here It Goes Again,” you say? Not quite: [youtubevid id=”u3cCURh8kxI&NR=1″] OK Go is back with a brand-spakin’ new album, Of the Blue Colour of the Sky, and the band has kicked their record release off in style once again. As one of the entities that cemented the “viral video” phenomenon, OK Go does have a … [Read more…]
Hot indie bands, one hilarious comedic-actor and a hip-hop mixtape. Great combination, right? Well, almost. Childish Gambino’s new mixtape, I Am Just A Rapper, has so much potential. Yet, the results are a little mixed. Childish Gambino, otherwise known as Donald Glover, is someone to watch out for. When it comes to rhymes, Glover’s got … [Read more…]
This past weekend was a great weekend for playoff football. Grueling match-ups, blowouts and high scoring shootouts abound. Perhaps it was because he missed the field so much this past weekend that a video featuring LaDanian Tomlinson “made by” (according to Pitchfork) music video director Eric Wareheim the “Tim & Eric” team (of Tim & … [Read more…]
My friend’s niece is a big fan of Yo Gabba Gabba!, a brilliant brand of childrens’ programing on the part of Nick Jr. I remember finding ridiculous videos from the show and trying to show them to some of my friends. I mean, who wouldn’t want to learn beat boxing from Biz Markie? Well, at … [Read more…]