Already loved the original track but after seeing that 'Ye and Eminem hopped on...wow. And they don't disappoint. Drake's adds to his massive hook with an improved verse and the surprise best guest spot goes to Em who twists the beat up and slaps it silly. Check it...
The season is still young, but the top teams are starting to take shape already. Could their be a possible Top 6 in the EPL with star-studded Manchester City and rejuvenated Jermaine Defoe-led Tottenham joining the usual English giants? Let us see:
-The biggest game of the weekend went to the season's first inter-Top 4 match-up as Arsenal traveled to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United. After much pressure, the top-form Gunners finally scored on a fantastic strike from Andrey Arshavin. However the London-side boys fell apart after Manuel Alumina's late charge forced a PK that Wayne Rooney converted and a Ryan Giggs free kick bounced off the head of Abu Diaby and into Arsenal's net for an own goal. Despite a temper tantrum from Arsene Wenger (and some post-match words), The Red Devils held on 2-1.
-Burnley's 3-0 defeat at the hands of Chelsea ended the recently promoted team's early cinderella run.
-Liverpool's title dreams are starting to fade as the Reds lost to Aston Villa in an embarrassing 3-1 defeat Monday. To save some face the Mereyeside team ended up stealing a 3-2 win at Bolton Wanderers on the backs of, who else, Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard.
-Tottenham continued their hot start defeating Birmingham 2-1, thanks to 90th minute heroics from the tiny speedster Aaron Lennon, whose goal saved the fans at White Hart Lane a major disappointment.
-In their first game without recently Man City transfer Joleon Lescott, Everton notched their first win of the season, slipping by quickly sinking Wigan 2-1.
-Speaking of the Citizens, they manage to keep steadily pushing through EPL teams, emerging victorious from their match with Portsmouth 1-0. Former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor's now has scored three goals in as many games.
Goal of the Week:
Yeah you thought I'd given enough praise to Ade? Not quite yet. His outstanding header from a standing leap not only gave Manchester City a win, but reaffirmed that he will be their go-to striker.
I've been sleeping on posting something about this for awhile, but senior year is almost starting so I gotta get a jump on not procrastinating...right? The Satanic Satanist is chocked full of dreamy pop songs that pull you into the psychedelic alternate universe with spinning suns and runny flowers that the Beatles began painting 40 years ago. A more accessible disc than 2008's experimental Censored Colors and 2007's vintage Church Mouth, these Portland-via-Alaska boys have made a record that pelts you again and again with little pop nuggets until you fall back into their aural bliss. John Gourley's vocals have continue to improve, reaching a sufficiently sultry and sexy falsetto more akin to Robert Plant and Paul McCartney than Justin Bieber (seriously...what's up with that kid?). It'll be hard to find a more consistent and thoroughly solid album this year so don't bother looking and grab this now...album still streaming on their Myspace so don't forget that neither!
New track off Fall of Troy's upcoming album, In The Unlikely Event. Still laying down nasty grooves with Thomas Erak's winding finger-picking pyrotechnics. A lot more clean vocals than their usual croon and shriek formula...still got enough good wails to please any cynical banshee. In The Unlikely Event drops October 6th.
There's something in the way my brain is wired that sends awesome pulses to my brain whenever I hear some post-hardcore band posted a cover of a hip-hop song. So when I saw Broadway, an actually talented group (kind of a contradiction in that genre), covered Lonely Island's introspective, politically-charged, "I'm On A Boat"...my spidey senses were webbin' out. Crunching guitars, over-used Auto-Tune, and mandatory breakdown makes this one hilariously cool cover. You can't get any better than gang vocals chanting "I fucked a mermaid". Check their myspace below, cuz you know Poseidon is looking at them...
Seems like Hurricane Bill has shot a ton of Moneen news down from up north this week. Here's a new video for their song "Hold That Sound" off their upcoming album, The World I Want To Leave Behind. Some great shots and high quality effects, including some blurry overexposure that make things a little more in-your-face. While the track lacks some of "hugeness" Moneen is capable of, they still write some of the biggest leading riffs you'll find around these parts. Record drops September 15th.
Another sad day for the Kennedy family as Ted Kennedy passed away last night at the age of 77. His death comes exactly 14 days after the death of his sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Having a brother with a disability and a mother who works extremely hard to make sure children with disabilities have the same rights as you or I, I can see the huge gap left by the passing of these two. Ted, also known as "The Lion of the Senate", and Eunice, who created the Special Olympics, logged countless hours of effort so that people with disabilities had all the opportunities to share in the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness outlined for every person in our constitution. While I hope going forward, someone will step up to fill the size 1,000 boots left by Ted and Eunice Kennedy, I also hope their contributions will never be forgotten. R.I.P, Ted and Eunice, you will be missed...
If your summer playlist is missing a lil' something, check out "Feel It All Around" a new track from Ernest Greene's project, washed out. Trying to find words other than "woozy" or "breezy", but that about sums it up. Add a heaping dose of Greene's soulful vocals and some Vice City-esque synths and you got an audio magarita for your poolside jam list. Shouts to the bears at weworemasks for the awesome rec and be sure to check out their website if you haven't already. How they fit so much good music into one place is beyond me...
In the same week U.S. News & World Report named my school, Boston University, #60 on their annual University rankings, these dudes come along and give us an even more distinct honor. #18...on the douche scale. I can't even hate, this feature is hilarious...even took a jab at communication majors like myself. Thing is, I know first hand who they are talking about and they are dead on. So peep it above and if you see your esteemed institution on there, check yourself, "bro"...
Philippe Petit is out of his mind. Might be in the slightest of ways, but nonetheless, crazy. Man On Wire, the buzzed about 2008 documentary about Petit's plan to walk a wire between the World Trade Center Towers in 1974, is most certainly not crazy. In fact, it's utterly captivating. Director James Marsh accompanies this magical story with abstract recreations that add an extra surrealism to the already unbelievable event. More importantly, Marsh captures the beauty in the emotions that Petit's team and he, himself, experienced in turning dream into reality. Passion, lust for adventure, terror, doubt, relief...I can be just as skeptical as the next cynic, but watch this and it's kinda hard to not buy into the "follow your dream" and "anything is possible" moniker...get at it!
Now this is what I call a music video. Reminds me of the first time I saw the video for "California Love". Don't know how I've slept on this song for so long. You go Jay-Z remaining the Don, a stunning Rihanna bustin out a stunning hook, and you know 'Ye is gonna kill it. This'll be a huge song for awhile and look for The Blueprint 3 to be up there for the best hip-hop album of the year. Album drops September 11th and video below...so what you waiting for?
"Only thing that's on my mind, is who's gonna run this town tonight..."
Where have our neighbors from the North in Moneen been these last three years? Playing hockey or eating poutine is my guess...All jokes aside it's good to hear from them, especially with updates on their forthcoming album, The World I Want To Leave Behind. As the band's first studio LP since 2006's spectacular Red Tree, safe to say it should be on point. If you need any convincing check the song snippet in the video...hot damn! The record drops September 15th, adding another circle on a inked up Fall release date schedule.
VIDEO WAKE-UP!!! Eh, I mean at least if you're like my lazy ass and just woke up. But nothing like starting your day off right with a healthy dose of Saosin. The OC brahs dropped a new song "Is This Real?" in a not-so-official video. Unlike their rumored new single "Changing", this song is what I expect to hear from Saosin. Yeah you can knock on the simple structure and blurry production, but I'm gonna keep my mouth shut until a mastered version comes out. In the meanwhile, gonna spew nothing but sunshine. At least one highlight of the video is getting to see Alex Rodriguez (not that one) going Bam-Bam on the drums. In Search of Solid Ground drops in two weeks...
The dynamic duo that is Felt have returned to save the day with a new jam entitled "Protagonists". Sick beat and although Slug sounds a little slowed down, he still kills it and Murs is as classic as ever. With all signs pointing towards Aesop Rock setting up behind the boards for the new record, tentatively titled Felt 3, I can't help but get giddy just thinking about the project. Murs said in this recent article that the official announcement on the producer and who the new album will pay tribute to is coming any day now. I got my $5 on Pam Grier...Anyone else got thoughts?
While Sportscenter nursed their rug burns from the return of Brett Favre, there was some excellent Premier League football this week. Let's get to the storylines:
-Burnley have made themselves the top story of the young season with two major wins this week. After upsetting giants Manchester United 1-0 on Wed., the Clarets slipped back on their glass boots this morning, upsetting reeling Everton 1-0. Both victories came at the hands of botched PK's as Red Devil's midfielder Michael Carrick had his saved and Everton's Louis Saha missed agonizingly wide on his, as the reaction in the photo above tells the whole story.
-Despite the crushing loss to Burnley, Manchester United came back in full-force, blowing away Wigan 5-0 on Saturday at DW Stadium. Strike Wayne Rooney scored twice, the first marking his 100th goal in United colors. Michael Owen notched his first score late in the match and Nani added a fantastic free kick that had Red Devil fans asking "Cristiano who?".
-Back in Manchester, the Citizens continued a solid start this weekend as Emmanuel Adebayor added his second goal of the season in a 1-0 topping of Wolves, who were coming off their first EPL victory Wed when they beat Wigan 1-0.
-The football gods continue to shower their graces upon London-side clubs. The Gunners have lived up to their nickname, pounding lowly Porstmouth 4-1 on the back of AbuDiaby's two goals. Tottenham, looking like the top club in England at the moment, drubbed Hull City 5-1 on Wed before slipping past West Ham 2-1 earlier today. Former Hammers striker Jermaine Defore has won over the fans at White Hart Lane since coming to Tottenham, scoring 4 goals in the past two games. Chelsea also handily captured the first derby victory of the season, defeating Fulham 2-0 at Craven Cottage.
-Not feeling as down about their loss to Tottenham after witnessing their play this week, Rafa- and the Liverpool boys bounced back Wednesday, putting away Stoke City with ease 4-1.
-American starlet Jozy Altidore made his Premier League debut yesterday for Hull City. The former Villareal striker set up the match's only goal as Hull beat Bolton Wanderers 1-0.
Goal of the Week: This week's honor goes to a spectacular strike from West Ham striker Carlton Cole in a losing effort, as the Hammers fell to Tottenham 2-1. (Goal at :52) <a href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&playlist=videoByUuids:uuids:bbb74bf7-ac38-4b00-90cc-5b11ad9d3ace&showPlaylist=true&from=IV2_en-us_foxsports_videosearch&fg=everyzing" target="_new" title="PL Highlights: West Ham/Tottenham">Video: PL Highlights: West Ham/Tottenham</a>
That about does it. On the "To-Do" list for everyone today: 1) Enjoy some sunlight 2) Watch some of the Red Sox/Yankees game on ESPN at 8pm 3) See why True Blood is the hottest show out...get it done.
As fans of Brand New, members of fellow Long Island band The Republic of Wolves have no problem with the comparisons. Surprisingly, their link to Brand New took a strange turn when a number of the band's tunes were posted on YouTube disguised as demos from Brand New's upcoming record Daisy. You can read about the whole ordeal in this interview with the boys in Wolves, but they have one hell of a discovery story.
In response to the mass attention they received, the band released a package of three demos to many earnest ears. I'll be the first to say the fact that they passed as Brand New isn't as surprising after hearing these songs. Within the harmonies of "Cardinals", abstract lyrics and sound dynamics of "Spill" and the woozy drone of powerful "Through Windows", its easy to think Jesse Lacey and Co. are playing an elaborate trick on us all. Each of the demos sound like they'd fit in seamlessly with Brand New's spectacular Fight Off Your Demons demos. But these kids are for real and make some damn good music, so don't sleep on 'em and hit the MySpace link below.
Congrats to Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, who scored his 100th goal (and 101st later in the match) in Red Devil colors earlier today in a 5-0 drubbing of Wigan. One of the top young English strikers and we hope to see many more in what hopes to be a promising 2009-2010 campaign for Man U. ROOOOOOONNNNNEEEEEEEY!
"This here may well be my masterpiece"- Lt. Aldo Raine
That's right folks, Quentin Tarantino has set his quirky gaze on World War II and, boy, does he have one hell of a vision.
Inglourious Basterds, at it's base, follows two intertwining stories. Fist, the tale of a Nazi movie premiere at a small Paris cinema owned by Emmanuelle Mimieux. Kicker is Emmanuelle is really a young Jewish woman named Shosanna, whose family were murdered by the SS, and, damn, does she have a devilish scheme planned for the unsuspecting goose-steppers. The other, the story of a band of wily violent, Nazi-scalping, Jewish-American soldiers leading a ruthless assault on the Third Reich that they plan to end in the death of German high command at said movie premiere.
Throw in Tarantino's trademark machine-gunning, smart-ass dialouge (see: Pulp Fiction) and vibrant pop-art visuals (see: Kill Bill) that Andy Warhol would go gay for (well, again...) and you got yourself the movie of the summer, and possibly the year.
Brad Pitt as Lt. Raine is spectacularly funny, mixing a redneck drawl with a working man smarts to produce a character that is all things Amurican. Melanie Laurent, as the wickedly beautiful Emmanuelle/Shosanna, is utterly captivating and sinister.
However, all these performances are overshadowed by the incredible Christoph Waltz, who portrays the "Jew Hunter" Col. Hans Landa. As the character who ties the entire shindig together, Landa is sickeningly charming, unwaveringly polite, and sly as a fox. Simply put, he steals every scene he's in.
Despite a running time of over 2 1/2 hours, the pacing of the movie in five chapters keeps your attention sharply focused on every little detail. Throw in some seriously gory scenes, a ton of great laughs, and a seemingly unintentional edge-of-your-seat feel, and you'll be surprisingly putting on your pickpocket outfit and asking Tarantino, "May I have some more?"
So as good ole' Lt. Aldo Raine put it best, Inglourious Basterds may very well be Tarantino's masterpiece.
The rumors are true...no longer can you call Rx Bandits a "ska" band. After 2006's ...And The Battle Begun, a personal favorite, the band parted with their horn section, focusing more on their progressive rock styling as a quartet.
No matter how you take your Rx Bandits, there is no arguing with the fact that their newest release, Mandala, is a fantastic album. Chocked full of tunes settling somewhere between a jam-oriented Sublime ("March of the Caterpillar) and a mellowed out Mars Volta ("Mientras La Veo Soñar"), Matt Embree's soul-infused voice spirits every song and Christopher Tsagakis is quickly becoming one of my favorite drummers. There is something intrinsically serpentine about the record. Could be surging bass lines, windy riffs, or just that wiggly nonsense your whole body gets when vibing to the record.
Standouts include "Hope Is A Butterfly, No Net Its Captor…(The Virus Of Silence)", a track with as many time signature changes as America has pissed off health insurance companies. "Bury It Down Low" offers a slight dose of familiar horns for fans of the band's older work. Yet, jam sessions like at the end of synthy "It's Only Another Parsec…" and heavy "Breakfast Cat" make you forget all about those brass instruments.
Like the late great Bob Marley might've said: no horns, no cry...or something like that. Get it!
I wish I could think of a snappy opening for this, but all I got is that District 9 is the best film of 2009 so far. That got you hooked?
In modern day Johannesburg, South Africa all is normal...I mean, if you can exclude the huge-ass alien mothership hovering idly above the metropolis. With a large race of aliens a.k.a "prawns" (think of some other 6-letter words..start with the letter "N") calling JHB home, humans have put them in their own shitastic ghetto known as...hmm...District 9.
Enter Wikus Van De Merwe (an tour-de-force Sharlto Copley). Wikus, a mission leader of a private contracting group (sound familiar) who want to evict the entire race from District 9 and place them in an "alternative living space" outside the city. After, what I'll call a "change of circumstances" for our purposes, a military witch hunt descends on District 9, sparking a war between humans, drug lords, arms dealers, and of course, aliens. Within the crisis, Wikus and Christopher Johnson (seriously), a friendly alien papa who just wants to get his young extraterrestrial son home, become entrapped in a struggle for freedom.
In his first American release, director Niel Blomkamp masterfully guides the audience through a poetic metaphor of society's xenophobia and inability to adapt to new cultures. Placing an unbelievable entity (our fishy aliens) in substitute of past and current victims of persecution and genocide, (see Darfur, the Holocaust, and even South Africa's past, only 15 years removed from apartheid) these other-worldly creatures don't seem so different from us.
Stylistically, I've always enjoyed faux-documentaries when done right (see [REC]) and this is definitely no exception. The pacing for such a complex plot is also top notch, as the movie is full steam ahead from the opening scene. The film never loses its feverishly intense feel, even when explaining background (gasp!).
Despite all these subtleties, District 9 is a summer blockbuster through and through. Excellent use of CGI breathes life into our alien brethren and allows for breath-taking shots of their massive mothership. And no worries, there are plenty of rad alien weapons giving way to numerous shootouts with delightfully gory results. And humor? Of course! Check out a smear campaign of a man doin' it doggy style with an alien (no lie). And those wacky South African accents...damn!
This is the part where you stop reading and head to your nearest movie theater. Yeah it's like that...
The last time I listened to the radio regularly, "Lose Yourself" was playing every 10.6 seconds and I was spiking my highlighted hair as to find a date to the 8th grade dance. But when I was out in Arizona, this song came on that got my "waitwaitwait hold up" stamp of approval. After weeks of searching to figure out what that diamond in the rough was, I finally stumbled upon Jason Derulo's "Watcha Say".
Borrowing a great sample from Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek", the 20-year-old Derulo drops radio-friendly bass bumps and a Chris Brown style to shoot the track sky high. The dude, who was writing credits for the likes of Weezy, Birdman Sr., and Stat Quo, throws in shit giving a Rihanna, The Dream, and T.I. feel all rolled up into one summer jam ball.
Gonna predict this to be the big end of the summer hit so get at it..oh and for the other member of the "Best uses of "Hide and Seek" All-Star squad, check the SNL skit "Dear Sister". Props to Shia LeBouf, kid's pretty funny.
Studio update numero dos from our favorite brothers in Circa Survive. Can't get enough of these videos. Find some harmony between viral marketing, a sneaky look into their creative process, and just straight up art. Much love to Anthony Green and Co...the more tunes the better. Make like a a banana and keep your eyes peeled for more studio updates from Circa here, and while you wait, hypnotize yourself with the beautiful artwork from In Letting Go tattooed on some random kid above. Props to him/her...always politically correct.
Just caught a trailer for the upcoming horror-comedy Zombieland and I'm really bummed I hadn't heard of it before. Following in the vein of Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, the film follows a few survivors (including a hilariously badass Woody Harrelson) going from coast to coast in a zombie-infested U.S. of A. killing the undead before taken refuge in an abandon amusement park. Sure to be a lot of awesome action and looks like a great cast, including Adventureland's Jesse Eisenburg (a seemingly poor man's Michael Cera) and Emma Stone (you drink Jules...). And c'mon, a good zombie flick always rocks. Hit below to check the trailer...official release date is October 9.
Heard a lot of talk buzzing like pissed off yellow jackets about Dance Gavin Dance. Some good, some bad. Most centered around their immensely talented, but immensely self-absorbed former vocalist Jonny Craig. Like my childhood hero Nate the Great, I decided to do my own sleuthing, except with less pancakes.
Looking at DGD's 2007 release Downtown Battle Mountain, the only record to feature Craig, I now get the duality. There is a lot to love and a lot to hate. If you want to stick your metaphorical music thermomenter into their post-hardcore brew, the best test would come from lead track, the obligatorily long and random titled, "And I Told Them I Created Times New Roman".
Craig's vocal acrobatics and Will Swan and Sean O'Sullivan's face-melting riffs, which slide into mid-tempo grooves before gandering back again, anchor the best chunks of the song. Jonathan Mess's screams wobble back and forth between complementing Craig's sensation clean vocals and becoming undecipherable mess (no pun intended). Nonetheless, I'm digging the song, and a couple of others on the record. But, hey, check it out for ya self and if you're a fan of Craig's pipes, check out his new band Emarosa. I'll probably be posting some thoughts on them in the near future. Get the DeLorean prepped...
Brett Favre used to be my favorite player. When I was a little kid, I wanted to grow up and play quarterback for the Redskins. Part of this traces back to my Dad's time spent as a high school QB, but a great deal also came from the way I looked up to the way Favre played the game. His cannon of an arm, his child-like enthusiasm for the game, and his wise-beyond-his-year's leadership. On top of all this, his Monday Night Football performance against the Oakland Raiders in 2003 (399 total yrds, 4 TDs) in his first game since his father passed away from a heart attack, is one of the defining moments in the NFL's storied history.
That Brett Favre has lone since disappeared, along with the black Michael Jackson and the girl-next-door Britney Spears, all spinning weightlessly into some Twilight Zone-style vortex. The surefire legend has been replaced by a greedy, attention-starved ghost of his former self.
With the news that Favre had signed a new deal with the Minnesota Viking after a fourth straight off-season of retiring and un-retiring, I almost feel sad about the overwhelming notion that everyone just wants to stop talking about #4. From the unseen eye rolls of sports commentators, muted anger-filled shouts in the form of Facebook statuses, to the snarky newspaper headlines, it's clear that, worse than hating Favre, now no one cares about a man who, for a generation of football fans like me, once defined the sport.
So like many NFL seasons before, Favre will once again be under center. But this year, cheers of support and wide-eyes of admiration will be replaced by jeers and indifference. It's sad to see...I only wish that Favre would taken this response into consideration and stayed in small-town Mississippi, enjoying a retirement filled with hunting and fishing.
We can only hope the small print of his new deal reads: "1 year deal, $10-$12 million...then never come back."
"Hate Everyone", the first song off Say Anything's upcoming self-titled album, hit the airwaves today. Definitely gonna be a grower, but can't say I'm not digging it. Despite a radio-friendly melody (anyone else getting a Ramones vibe?), frontman Max Bemis' in-your-face lyrics are just as confronting ever, especially in the outro where Bemis brashly pinpoints everyone he hates. Check it out in the video below and pick up Say Anything, supposedly dropping October 13th.
So apparently Andy Hull from Manchester Orchestra and Kevin Devine are releasing a new TV series entitled "Baby Time". Something is wrong with them. What's definitely on point, though, is their cover of MGMT's "Time To Pretend". Hit the video and get all the goods and be sure to check out Mean Everything To Nothing and Brother's Blood..two of the best records of the year fo sho.
"I'll move to Paris, shoot some heroin, and fuck with the stars..."
With the start of the 2009-2010 English Premier League season, I wanted to add a new Sunday segment for all the fanatics across the pond. With that said, let's get to the Week 1 wrap up of EPL football.
-Chelsea opens their campaign by narrowly escaping lowly Hull City 2-1 thanks to two fantastic goals from Ivorian Didier Drogba, including an incredible chip in 2nd half injury time.
-Emmanuel Adebayor scores in the 3rd minute of his City debut as the Citizens defeat Blackburn Rovers 2-0. But...
-...Gunners fans don't miss Ade a bit as they drub Everton 6-1 thanks to 2 goals by captain Cesc Fabergas, a fantastic strike by Denilson, and a header from new transfer Thomas Vermaelen. More good news for Arsenal as Barca manager Pep Guardiola admits defeat in trying to lure Fabs to Camp Nou.
-Injury-ridden Manchester United defeat newly promoted Birmingham 1-0 thanks to heroics from Wayne Rooney, who has taken the Red Devil's load on his shoulders. Nani and an invigorated Dimitar Berbatov also stepped up to fill the gap left by Cristiano and new striker Michael Owen, who came on as a sub, nearly scored twice late in the match.
-Tottenham soiled Liverpool's title hopes at White Hart Lane, sliding by the Reds 2-1. Despite a equalizing PK from captain Steven Gerrard, the recently transfered Sebastian Bassong quickly responded, mailing a header into the back of the net, sending Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp into a frenzy.
-The big shock of the weekend came from the boys at Wigan Athletic who upset Aston Villa at Villa park 2-0. An absolutely brilliant strike by Hugo Rogadella Rodriguez sent a dagger through all Villans' fans hearts before Jason Koumas put the nail in the coffin in the 54th minute.
Goal of the weekend: Hugo Rogadella's masterful strike against Aston Villa in the 31st minute. (Begin at :39 on video)
More next weekend. Happy Sunday! Go enjoy the sunshine or at least watch Tiger own face in the PGA Championship. Peace!
To many Jesse Lacey is God. No comment from me on where I stand on that. I will say his solo set at The Downtown is one of the better live releases I've heard in awhile. Excellent quality, Lacey gives life to a lot of classic Brand New songs, as well as covers of Built To Spill, Jawbreaker, and Neutral Milk Hotel. Although the echo vocal effect Lacey uses throughout the set is a little unnecessary, it adds a ominous tone that makes the tunes a heck of a lot bigger. A must get for all Brand New die-hards and music lovers a like...damn did I forget how good Deja Entendu was..Night night!
Late afternoon, the sky was a new-born baby blue. The sparse clouds sat slothfully in the sky like scoops of homemade whipped cream. As I steered around a serpentine, tree-lined street near my home, the sunlight stabbed through the lumps of foliage like transparent arrows. Although deep in the August heat, I thought to myself: "It truly is summer".
The sound tying the whole atmosphere together was the album pumping out of my car's stereo, Third Eye Blind's latest, Ursa Major. For anyone who remembered the band's height of popularity in the late 90s, opening track "Can You Take Me" leads you to believe you never stopped listening to the Nor-Cal quartet (and if you're like me, you really haven't). A true anthem, singer Stephen Jenkins' uniquely nasal vocals rise over power chords. Songs like "Sharp Knife", "Water Landing", and "Summer Town" follow suit in true 3EB fashion.
Although every song on the album is incredibly solid, making Ursa Major one of the most consistent records in recent memory, tracks like "Bonfire" (check the spirited "whoa-ohs") stand out as true gems on the album. Lyrically, Jenkins keeps with his witty political observations in "Don't Believe A Word" ("Rap stars brag and shoot each other/and entertain just like no other/we love thugs when they attack and/we love crime all black on black") and lustful love songs like standout "Why Can't You Be" (which finds a woman asking why her lover can't be like the adjustable shower head that gets her off) and "One In Ten" (which follows a man trying to sleep with a lesbian").
You can follow the Pagans and believe summer started sometime in June, you can say summer began with that fling you had in the starry nights of July, but be sure to check this record out, and maybe you'll see why I don't think summer is official until August 18th.
'Ye stays on his reflective streak, dishing out this re-vamped version of his 2007 hit single "Can't Tell Me Nothing" last week at The G-Shock Event in NYC . Rapping nearly a capella with the exception of solitary keys, Kanye injects the song with forceful meaning and deliberate emphasis (ooh they so sensitive). I mean, the chorus sounds more like a warning than a statement. You can say what you want about Kanye West: The Person, but Kanye West: The Artist is a great one...and Kanye West: The Performer is one of the best out. Video below.
Now I thought I had a pretty solid list of top albums of the year. Each record was sitting all dolled up, smugly congratulating each other like they had their spot all locked up. Well wouldn't you know the boys from Thrice drop their newest effort, Beggars, and shake all my shit up.
A true masterpiece, Beggars displays a band who has not only evolved musically and lyrically, but have reached a vantage point on the mountain where few can stand to breathe the air beside them. Each band member stake their claim forcefully in each song, while still maintaining a unified sound. Brothers Ed (bass) and Riley Breckenridge (drums) shape up a hipster skinny-jeans- tight rhythm section, supplying pounding drum beats ("All The World Is Mad") and sludgy bass lines ("Talking Through Glass/We Like Swing Sets").
Not to take anything away from the brothers Breckenridge, but despite their efforts, the true shining stars of the record remain vocalist/guitarist Dustin Kensrue and guitarist/keyboardist Teppei Teranishi. Snatching the spotlight musically, Teranishi plays God on every track, steering each songs direction with his intricate riffs and textured use of keys ("Circles", "Doublespeak"). But don't think Teranishi just lurks in the background like a phantom...no he'll bust out, just see his searing solo in "The Weight" and his reverb-drenched shredding in epic closer "Beggars".
Kensrue, however, is the captain of this ship, showing off the true versatility he possesses vocally. From grizzly barks ("The Weight") to soulful crooning ("In Exile") to a baby-making fragile falsetto ("Beggars"), Kensrue demands you're attention on every track. I've always thought of him as a great vocalist, but this record really establishes him as one of the best out.
The true strength of the record is what we have come to expect from the So-Cal foursome: pure and unaltered substance. Each listen is a true treat, as you discover some small nuance or stroke of genius you missed the last time you played it through. A "gift that keeps on giving" in every sense of the word. I don't say this often so listen up: this is one of those records that reminds me why I love music so much.
I don't know where Beggars will end up on my Top Albums of 2009 list come December, but I'll tell you right now, it's got the #1 spot held down pretty tightly right now.
The ear-trippers in Circa Survive just released their first video update on what the hell they've been up to. Rad video, although defining it as a "tease" is well suited. Gotta say though, the five seconds of Anthony singing sounded incredible. Word is their new record, the first from their new home at Atlantic Records, will be out later this year. Fingers and toes crossed that it'll the join what looks to be a fantastic second half of 2009 for my ears.
Fascinating read in the UK's Rock Sound magazine about the dudes in Brand New. Their views on touring, their current situation, their upcoming album Daisy, and their lives in the foreseeable future. All indications point towards the gods we know as Brand New hanging their shoelaces up after this record drops, but thankfully we will always have their tunes. Remember September 22nd for Daisy and catch them on their fall tour. See me if you're hitting up one of the nights at House of Blues (with the skull-shattering orchestra known as Glassjaw)...I'll be the kid in the front.
Saosin just dropped a new track dubbed "Changing" on our heads. Tumbling drums hit over and over like an incoming tide and piercing chords crescendo into a huge chorus. Vocalist Cove Reber takes on an unusual breathy whisper in the verses before hitting those atmosphere-blasting high notes we've come to expect from him. The real goods on this song is that the track doesn't even hit its best part until the bridge. Yikes. In Search of Solid Ground hit stores and iTunes store digital shelves September 8th...get your calenders out and do some circling.
Shoot 'Em Up is a pretty self-explanatory movie. A completely over the top and cartoonish action movie, mysterious bum Mr. Smith (Clive Owen) spends a cement brick on gas pedal 90 minutes shooting his way through 106 (!!!) bad guys using a gun in every way imaginable. Trying to protect a coveted baby he stumbled upon and the hooker he falls for (a crazy hot Monica Bellucci), carrot-munching Mr. Smith uncovers a wild plot while running from his Elmer Fudd foil Hertz (a perfectly slimy Paul Giamatti). With gallons of blood, intentionally corny puns, and one of the most insane sex scenes ever, Shoot 'Em Up provides a tutorial on how to make a truly fun and entertaining movie. I mean you can't argue against a dude killing people with carrots...right?
The excitement builds. Everyone get ready for September 22, 2009. I love how Brand New tends to release shit around my birthday. First single "At The Bottom" below, got that Modest Mouse feel..more updates later when I'm back from the desert.
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