B.

Coming Soon...

A.

Coming Soon...

Best Music Videos of 2009

Who would have thought, by the end of the first decade of the 21st century, music videos would pretty much be an obsolete art form. I can remember countless days in elementary school rushing off the bus so I could see what the "Big One" was on Much Music's countdown. Nowadays you gotta scour the interwebs for all your music video needs. Don't worry though, you can save yourself the time. I've compiled all the best from 2009 right here:
(P.S. Some of these videos contain nudity and are definitely NSFW)

Animal Collective - In The Flowers



Bob Dylan - Beyond Here Lies Nothing


Bob Dylan - Must Be Santa


Chairlift - Evident Utensil


Charlotte Gainsburg (feat. Beck) - Heaven Can Wait



The Dead Weather - Treat Me Like Your Mother


Department of Eagles - No One Does It Like You


Devendra Banhart & Cibelle - London, London


Girls - Hellhole Ratrace


Girls - Lust For Life


Grizzly Bear - Ready, Able



M. Ward - Rave On


MGMT - Kids


The Muppets - Bohemian Rhapsody


Vampire Weekend - Cousins



Yeasayer - Ambling Alp



And just because I like you all so much, I'm including two brand new videos hot off the 2010 press:

Animal Collective - Brothersport


Islands - No You Don't

2009 Bonnaroo Lineup

It was a late night in the back end of February 2006, cold as a witch's tit out, when my friend messaged me over MSN. It was the first time I ever heard about Bonnaroo. Tom Petty was to my friend as Barack Obama is to America, and he was going to be performing at a music festival way down in the back waters of Tennessee. Basically, he was going no matter what, and as it turned out I was obliged to join him. Radiohead and My Morning Jacket were the ones that had me sold. Well that, and obviously Mr. Phil Lesh and friends. Anyways, I went, many shows were seen, many faces were melted, many memories were made, I discovered the purpose of life itself, yadayadayada 2007's line up rolls around. I'm not gonna lie, my initial reaction was bittersweet. This go around there was no MMJ, but Jacky White would make his first appearance on the farm, and seeing how I hold him in the same company as I hold Jimmy James and the boys, I knew I had to make my triumphant return. Once again, a merry time was had by all, but if the ghosts of the past have told us once, they've told us a thousand times.... nothing compares to your first. Mind you, The Flaming Lips did land a spaceship onstage, so I mean, there was that. When it came time for last year, I was once again a bit skeptical. Yes My Morning Jacket was back, but Metallica, at Bonnaroo, really? It's not that I didn't like them, but it just didn't feel.... right. I got over it though, being through two Roo's can really alter your perspective on a lot of things. And besides, headliners are just the cherry on top; everyone knows the undercard is where it's really at. In the end I'm glad I came around. If you were there, then you also witnessed the greatest concert in the history of music. I'm of course talking about MMJ's torrential onslaught on all that we knew..... or at least thought we knew. Any person walking away from that show would forever be different from the person they were when they were walking to it. Yes, I'm not lying, none of this is hyperbole, we actually witnessed God confirm his existence..... unless those were rain machines after all. Either way, if you've made it this far, if you've trudged through all that verbal diarrhea, what I was trying to get at is I've come to know and love Bonnaroo. So it is with confidence when I say that, for me, this is by far the greatest line up I've seen for Bonnaroo..... and it doesn't even include MMJ. I will be glad to make 2009 the fourth time I visit the farm. I can't wait to bask in all it's glory with all you fine ladies and gentlemen that will be joining me. Somebody set my alarm for Saturday morning, I gots me some tickets to order:

The Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival 2009 Lineup:

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Phish (2 Shows)
Beastie Boys
Nine Inch Nails
David Byrne
Wilco
Al Green
Snoop Dogg
Elvis Costello
Erykah Badu
Paul Oakenfold
Ben Harper and Relentless7
The Mars Volta
TV on the Radio
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Gov’t Mule
Andrew Bird
Band Of Horses
Merle Haggard
MGMT
moe.
The Decemberists
Girl Talk
Bon Iver
Béla Fleck & Toumani Diabate
Rodrigo y Gabriela
Galactic
The Del McCoury Band
of Montreal
Allen Toussaint
Coheed and Cambria
Booker T & the DBTs
David Grisman Quintet
Lucinda Williams
Animal Collective
Gomez
Neko Case
Down
Jenny Lewis
Santogold
Robert Earl Keen
Citizen Cope
Femi Kuti and the Positive Force
The Ting Tings
Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Kaki King
Grizzly Bear
King Sunny Adé
Okkervil River
St. Vincent
Zac Brown Band
Raphael Saadiq
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Crystal Castles
Tift Merritt
Brett Dennen
Mike Farris and the Roseland Rhythm Revue
Toubab Krewe
People Under the Stairs
Alejandro Escovedo
Vieux Farka Touré
Elvis Perkins In Dearland
Cherryholmes
Yeasayer
Todd Snider
Chairlift
Portugal. The Man.
The SteelDrivers
Midnite
The Knux
The Low Anthem
Delta Spirit
A.A. Bondy
The Lovell Sisters
Alberta Cross

MORE ARTISTS TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON!

Best Albums of 2008

Did you really think this was going to come on time? Are you not starting to pick up on the trend here?

“I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.”

I feel like someone important once said that, and it’s true, so you might as well get used to the fact that the arrival of these babies is always going to be absolutely unpredictable. I mean, who said you can’t come out with an Album’s of the Year list for 2008 after 2009 has already arrived? I had to let that shit gestate. And, with the utmost consideration and deliberation, it humbles me to say I think I might have come up with the definitive list. So without further ado, (and lord knows we’ve had our fair share of ado) here she be:

1)Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes/Sun Giant EP


2)TV on The Radio – Dear Science


3)My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges


4)MGMT – Oracular Spectacular


5)Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago


6)Dr. Dog – Fate


7)The Raconteurs – Consolers of The Lonely


8)The Felice Brothers – The Felice Brothers


9)Department of Eagles – In Ear Park


10)Islands – Arm’s Way


11) Deerhunter - Microcastle


12)The Black Keys – Attack and Release


13)Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer


14)Delta Spirit – Ode To Sunshine


15)Deer Tick - War Elephant


16) Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend


Once again, much like last year, I couldn’t quite narrow it down to just ten albums. Although you will notice I was able to actually give them a numerical breakdown, as opposed to just alphabetical order and a number one like 2007; and even though this is my own personal list, I was able to take enough of an objective approach to not give the number one slot to my favourite band, MMJ, (another example of the sacrifices I'm willing to make to ensure that this is the definitive list).

Once you've had a chance to devour those delectable delights, here are the rest of the albums worth checking out from 2008:

Black Mountain - In The Future
Okkervil River – The Stand Ins
She & Him – Volume One
The Walkmen – You & Me
Kings of Leon - Only By the Night
Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
Blitzen Trapper – Furr
Dead Confederate – Wrecking Ball
Hacienda – Loud Is the Night
Earth – The Bees Made Honey in the Lion’s Skull
The Dodos – Visitor
The Hold Steady – Stay Positive
Vivian Girls – Vivian Girls
Cold War Kids – Loyalty to Loyalty
Girl Talk – Feed the Animals
Little Joy – Little Joy
Drive-By Truckers – Brighter Than Creations Dark
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds – Dig! Lazarus Dig!
Plants And Animals – Parc Avenue
White Denim – Workout Holiday
Hot Chip – Made In The Dark
The Whigs – Mission Control
Cat Power – Jukebox
DeVotchka – A Mad & Faithful Telling
Man Man – Rabbit Habits
Tapes ‘n Tapes – Walk It Off
Human Highway – Moody Motorcycle
Why? – Alopecia
Lil’ Wayne – Tha Carter III
M83 – Saturdays=Youth
Black Kids – Partie Traumatic
Old Crow Medicine Show – Tennessee Pusher
Ladyhawk – Shots
Conor Oberst And The Mystic Valley Band – Conor Oberst
Cut Copy – In Ghost Colours
Eagles of Death Metal – Heart On
Mudcrutch – Mudcrutch
Beck – Modern Guilt
The Black Angels – Directions to See a Ghost
Buffalo Killers – Let It Ride
Raveonettes – Lust Lust Lust
Hercules and Love Affair – Hercules and Love Affair
No Age – Nouns
Passion Pit – Chuck of Change EP
Hey Rosetta! – Into Your Lungs
Shearwater - Rook
Abe Vigoda - Skeleton
Erykah Badu - New Amerykah: Part One (4th World War)
Women - Women
Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue
Fuck Buttons - Street Horrrsing
Fucked Up - Chemistry of Common Life
Seasick Steve – I Started Out With Nothing and I Still Got Most of It Left

Best Music of 2009 (so far)

I'm just in the midst of putting the polishing touches on my Best Albums of 2008 article; so now that you've had the chance to digest everyone elses', you can come here to get the straight up, true music lover's choice... the definitive list, if you will. In the meantime though, 2009 is making itself out to be an early contender for a great year of music. Already out are a couple albums that have pretty much guaranteed their way onto my Best of 2009 list. First up was Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion. Indie rockers must of been extra good this past year because come Christmas morning the album somehow had magically found it's way onto the interwebs. You can listen to the whole album streaming here or I'm sure with enough sniffing around you too can find a download of it. Check out the album cover....


Don't worry, that's just your eyes playing tricks on you. You haven't been slipped any electric kool-aid. But, if you do want to know what an acid trip actually feels like, just download "Merriweather Post Pavilion" and you'll have a pretty good idea......
Be forewarned, any consumption of hallucinogenics in collaboration with the listening of said album could potentially produce severe brain hemorrhaging and should only be undertaken by the utmost professional.

If you do make it through Animal Collective's latest opus, you're going to need something to come down to. Thankfully, M. Ward's Hold Time is now available as well.


It's not actually released until February 17th but the whole album is currently streaming over at NPR . If brevity is more your thing, check out this video for the title track directed by M. Ward himself.



Lastly, but definitely not least, is Neko Case with a new song called People Got Alotta Nerve off Middle Cyclone, due out March 2nd. The best part about bringing you this tune? Just by linking to it here on my blog, Neko Case's label will donate $5.00 to the Best Friends Animal Society. If you have a blog, you should link to it as well as the deal stands for all that do.

Chapter One: He adored New York City....

Last night Woody Allen's Annie Hall was on TV, and it got me thinking of another one of his excellent films, Manhattan. I just had to share what might just be the best opening of a film ever....



Now that's what I call editing! A perfect mix of a monologue, blissfully romantic shots of Manhattan, and the timeless, pulsating jazz of George Gerswhin's "Rhapsody in Blue". I'm also including a sort of "remix" of this scene. It's accompanied by some poetry, read by Jack Kerouac, author of one of the greatest books in the history of mankind, On The Road.