Snoop Dogg - New Video

If you haven't seen this yet, you're in for a treat. Getting cooler with age, the D.O. Double G is back...with an eighties vibe that might just cause you to slip and call him Doggie Dogg.

Snoop Dogg - "Sensual Seduction"

Snoop Dogg - Sensual Seduction [EXCLU]
Uploaded by PeteRock

Gutter Twins - Greg Dulli (Afghan Whigs) and Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees)

The Gutter Twins is a collaboration of two Alternative Rock icons. They have an album dropping next year. Press release here, video and tour dates below.

Sub Pop veterans Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan return to the label in its 20th year under the moniker The Gutter Twins for the March 4th, 2008 worldwide release of Saturnalia, their highly anticipated first album. In addition, the band has announced a handful of very special US and European show dates to preview the complex and carefully crafted songs in advance of the official record release....

Mark Lanegan rose to fame as singer for the much loved Seattle band Screaming Trees qnd Greg Dulli as the magnetic leader of the Afghan Whigs. Following the break up of both groups, Lanegan and Dulli went on to achieve significant notice on their own....

The Gutter Twins was born out of a rumor told by Lanegan to a journalist after the two artists began collaborating together in various ways in 2002. What started as a rumor grew into an honest and raw record, and while Saturnalia brings together the driving forces behind ‘90s favorites, the record does not rest on the sonic laurels of these singer’s previous successes.

Gutter Twins - "On My Way To Canaan's Land

Gutter Twins Tour Dates

2/14/08 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom

2/19/08 Paris, France Maroquinerie

2/21/08 London, England Koko – Sponsored by NME

2/23/08 Amsterdam, Netherlands Melkweg

3/1/08 San Francisco, CA Noise Pop – Bimbo’s

Black Kids - Wizard of Ahhhs Review, Video

Another review over at kevchino you should check out. I've been listening to this EP a lot. It's very good, but too short. Can't wait for the full length. Black Kids myspace has the whole thing streaming (it used to be a free download, but now apparently it's gone).

Kinski Tour Dates - Scoring Dance Performance

You can check out Kinski's myspace for more information, but I just recieved an email letting me know that the band will be on the east coast next week. Here are the dates:

Wednesday, November 28, 2007 @ Velvet Lounge, Washington DC (w/ Clockcleaner)

Thursday, November 29, 2007 @ Johnny Brenda's, Philadelphia PA (w/ Alasehir - members of Bardo Pond)

Friday, November 30, 2007 @ Europa, Brooklyn NY (w/ White Hills and Oneida)

Saturday, December 1, 2007 @ Middle East, Cambridge MA (w/ Oneida and Cul de Sac)

Wednesday, December 5, 2007 - Saturday, December 8, 2007 @ Performance Space 122, New York NY
C.L.U.E. (color location ultimate experience) by choreography team Robbinschilds combines movement-based video, live dance performance and a live original score by Kinski.

The New York shows are of interest. They will be scoring dance performance, which sounds odd on paper (or blog), but could be great.

Of Montreal Talks Selling Out

I know I am a little late here, but I really appreciate this essay about "selling out" by Of Montreal's Kevin Barnes. The band recently sold a song to T-Mobile and felt they must defend the move, before they faced the backlash that Band of Horses did a few weeks ago. I have no problem with artists selling their art. But I think what typically happens after they start making money is that they lose their drive and therefore their art suffers. If the band can continue to challenge themselves and make great music while making money, then more power to them. Although, I do get upset when I hear a song I dig in a commercial or on the radio. Much thanks to Stereogum for the essay....

Selling Out Isn't Possible
by Kevin Barnes

Are you a sell out? Yes. Don't let it bother you though, cause apparently I am also a sell out, and so are your parents and everyone you've ever known. The only way to avoid selling out is to live like a savage all alone in the wilderness. The moment you attempt to live within the confines of a social order, you become a sell out. Once you attempt to coexist you sell out. If that's true, then selling out is a good thing. It is an important thing. If we didn't do it, we'd be fucked, quite literally, by everyone bigger than us physically who found us fuckable.

The pseudo-nihilistic punk rockers of the 70's created an impossible code in which no one can actually live by. It's such garbage. The idea that anyone who attempts to do anything commercial is a sell out is completely out of touch with reality. The punk rock manifesto is one of anarchy and intolerance. The punk rockers polluted our minds. They offered a solution that had no future. Of course, if the world would have ended before Sandinista! was released then everything would have been alright. It didn't. Now we have all of these half-conceived ideas and idiot philosophies floating around to confuse and alienate us. I think it is important to face reality. It is important to decide whether you are going to completely rail against the system or find a way to make it work for you. You cannot do both -- and if you attempt to do both you will only become even more bitter and confused.

When I was younger, and supported my parents, I chose to float between the two. A lot of people choose to do this. There are so many confused young people running around now polluted by this alloyed version of the tenets of the punk rock manifesto. Of course they're confused. It isn't possible to be in chorus with capitalism and anarchy. You must pick one or the other. Very few people are willing to do it, though. The worst kind of person is the one who sucks the dick of the man during the daytime and then draws pictures of themselves slitting his throat at night. Jesus Christ, make up your mind! The thing is, there is a lack of balance. When capitalism is working on a healthy level, everyone gets their dick sucked from time to time and no one gets their throat slit. It's impossible to be a sell out in a capitalist society. You're only a winner or a loser. Either you've found a way to crack the code or you are struggling to do so. To sell out in capitalism is basically to be too accommodating, to not get what you think you deserve. In capitalism, you don't get what you think you deserve though. You get what someone else thinks you deserve. So the trick is to make them think you are worth what you feel you deserve. You deserve a lot, but you'll only get it when you figure out how to manipulate the system.

Why commercialize yourself? In the art industry, it's extremely difficult to be successful without turning yourself into a cartoon. Even Hunter S. Thompson knew this. God knows Duchamp and Warhol knew it. Some artists are turned into cartoons and others do it themselves. I prefer to do it myself. at least then I can control how my cock is photographed. Why should it be considered such an onerous thing to view the production of art as a job? To me, the luckiest people are the ones who figure out a way to earn a living doing what they love and gain fulfillment from. Like all things in this life, you have to make certain sacrifices to get what you want. At least most of us do. If you're not some trust-fund kid or lotto winner, you've got to slave it out everyday. People who wanna be artists have the hardest time of it 'cause we are held up to these impossible standards. We're expected to die penniless and insane so that the people we have moved and entertained over the years can keep us to themselves. So that they can feel a personal and untarnished connection with our art. The second we try to earn a living wage or, god forbid, promote our art in the mainstream, we are placed under the knives of the sanctimonious indie fascists. Unfortunately, there isn't some grand umbrella grant that supports indie rockers financially and enables us to exist outside of the trappings of capitalism.

The thing is, I like capitalism. I think it's an interesting challenge. It's a system that rewards the imaginative and ambitious adults and punishes the lazy adults. Our generation is insanely lazy. We're just as smart as our parents but we are overwhelmed by contradicting ideas that confuse us into paralysis. Maybe the punk rock ethos made sense for the "no future" generation but it doesn't make sense for me. I like producing and purchasing things. I'd much rather go to IKEA than to stand in some bread line. That's because I don't have to stand in a bread line. Most people who throw around terms like "sellout" don't have to stand in one either. They don't have to stand in one because they are gainfully employed. The term "sellout" only exists in the lexicon of the over-privileged. Almost every non-homeless person in America is over-privileged, at least in a global sense.

Obviously, I've struggled with the concept. I've struggled because of the backlash following my songs placement in TV commercials. That is, until I realized that the negative energy that was being directed towards me really began to inspire my creativity. It has given me a sense of, "well, I'll show them who is a sellout, I'm going to make the freakiest, most interesting, record ever!!!" ... "I'm going to prove to them that my shit is wild and unpolluted by the reach of some absurd connection to mainstream corporate America."

I realized then that, for me, selling out is not possible. Selling out, in an artistic sense, is to change one's creative output to fit in with the commercial world. To create phony and insincere art in the hopes of becoming commercially successful. I've never done this and I can't imagine I ever will. I spent seven years not even existing at all in the mainstream world. Now I am being supported and endorsed by it. I know this won't last forever. No one's going to want to use one of my songs in a commercial five years from now, so I've got to take the money while I can. It's the same with pro athletes. You only get it while you're hot and no one stays commercially viable for long. It's not like Michael Vick is going to be receiving any big endorsement deals anytime soon. As sad as it may seem, one of the few ways most indie bands can make any money whatsoever is by selling a song to a commercial. Very very few bands make enough money from album sales or tour revenue to enable themselves to quit their day job.

Next time you see a commercial with one of your favorite bands songs in it, just tell yourself, "cool, a band I really like made some money and now I can probably look forward to a few more records from them." It's as simple as that. We all have to do certain things, from time to time, that we might not be completely psyched about, in order to pay the bills. To me, the TV is the world's asshole boss and if anyone can earn some extra bucks from it and they're not Bill O'Reilly, it's a good thing.

There are some great points here and I commend him for speaking his mind.

Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot

I have been listening to Daydream Nation this evening. It really is a great rock record. People should listen. I remember the first time I heard it, I was very confused. It wasn't punk...or was it. It sure was noisy. And do I even like it? By listen two I was sure did. I remember Providence. This mellow track (is it even a song?) that didn't seem to fit on the album, yet somehow made the whole album.

Anyway, here is the video for "Teenage Riot". If you don't have Daydream Nation, let me know...I'll make you a copy.

Vampire Weekend - "Mansard Roof"

I think I had a dream that I got this album last night. Quite off the wall, but I don't have it, and if anyone wants to mail me a copy just let me know. I do like these dudes. Don't really care that some people call them "prep rock".

Radiohead - "Unravel" [Pocket Remix]

I wish I was as cool as I feel when I'm listening to music. And I don't feel bad saying so. Music has always been there to make me feel better or worse, cool or nerdy, weak or strong. Whatever I need.

I spent all of last evening watching the Radiohead webcast and it did it's job. Some how making a grown man want to be a rock star. Creating sounds. Inspiring.

Here is a great remix by Pocket of Radiohead's version of Bjork's "Unravel" via Stereogum.

Looks like Thom and the boys are having a great little party, eh?

By the way, that was what is called a gotem on the Bon Iver tour dates (last post). They were supposed to be there - you thought - but they weren't.

Not sorry.

Bon Iver - My Review and tour dates

This dude is awesome. I reviewed his fabulous new album For Emma, Forever Ago for Kevchino. It really has a wonderful vibe. Check it out. It's still streaming here. It is in my running for best album of '07 (even though it won't be released this year) with Radiohead and the National.

The recent Jagjaguwar signee's live performance of "Skinny Love" - one of the most powerful songs I've heard all year - is below. Nice version too.

I don't understand...Radiohead in the news

So Radiohead made their way into the headlines again today, but I don't quite understand what happened. Supposedly there was to be something on Radiohead TV tonight, but I haven't seen it and can't seem to find it where they say it is.

helo
there will be something on the box tonight
its another test
but right now we

are entangled in cables
however
weather permitting
our technical experts will

resolve the entanglement
itll be broadcast as a quicktime h.264 stream
if youve got a

mac you'll already probably have quicktime player
if youve got a pc and it doesnt work,

you might need to download the installer (click here to download and install)

then click on to
www2.radiohead.tv

Stanley

Snap. Just watched, and saw the whole thing, I think. Some beats and a Bjork cover. Sounds nice.



Give up?

My Bloody Valentine New Album?

I think they should probably leave well enough alone. I mean I dig Loveless as much as the next guy, but this just scares me. I mean what if it sucks? I suppose it shouldn't bother me since a similar situation is happening with Portishead and I'm sort of excited about that. Oh well it's MBV it can't be bad can it?

We were making a record in the 90s, around when the band broke up in 1995…and I continued with Belinda. We kinda made we made most of an album….It’s going to be this ‘96/‘97 record half-finished record finished, and then a compilation of stuff we did before that in 1993–94, and a little bit of new stuff.

I pretty much know what the one that’s going to come out this year is going to sound like because its already pretty much 3/4’s done already…it sounds like what we sounded like – different but not radically different. People will go, “Yeah, it sounds like My Bloody Valentine.”

Read more at the Daily Swarm. "Only Shallow" video below.

Sigur Ros - Album Stream

Again AOL comes through with their weekly album stream. This week features Sigur Ros's soundtrack album Hvarf/Heim, the Black Ghost record, a Joy Division re-release and Nas's greatest hits.




Speaking of Sigur Ros, I haven't seen the movie, but dang don't I want to?