Music: If You Don't Love This Video There is Something Wrong With You

The BPA fet. David Byrne and Dizze Rascal, "Toe Jam". Is it any surprise that Norman "Fatboy Slim" Cook is involved in this?

Art: Artist Guy Peellaert Dies - Designed Album Covers, Created Rock Dreams

Guy Peellaert was the Dutch-born artists responsible for illustrating the book Rock Dreams (1976), a tome that introduced me at a young and impressionable age to the history and more importantly the mythology of rock and roll. His dreamlike, paintings were filled with the humor, lust and grandeur of rock - I always wished that he and writer Nik Cohn would update this masterpiece to cover the crucial years after 1977 but this was not to be the case.

In a sense this is as it should be, for what Rock Dreams enshrined was a canon of music that would fragment in the wake of punk into a million jagged pieces with narratives that spoke to an increasingly specialized audience. Still, I like to think that some of the visual storytelling he employed found it's echo in the early videos of the 80s which codified easy to swallow personas for stars like Cyndi Lauper, Billy Idol,  ZZ Top and Madonna.

His visual style owed a debt to Edward Hopper, with a touch of photorealism and occasional collage elements woven in. His post Rock Dreams work continued his obsession with pop culture and Americana mythmaking with images of Betty Hutton and George Raft amongst others. His later works expanded his scope to take in the entirety of 20th century pop culture and world history.

He's also well known for doing the covers for David Bowie's Diamond Dogs album (famous for having to emasculate the Bowie/canine hybrid) and the Rolling Stones' It's Only Rock N' Roll album.

Here are some of his best pieces:

Music News: Songwriter and Singer Robert Hazard Dies

An Appreciation by Noah Mallin

Back when Cyndi Lauper was going to be the superstar of the 80s and Madonna was a ho-bag writhing around in her undies, Lauper was riding a wave based on her debut album much of which consisted of cover songs. The least likely was "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" a very 80s femme freedom anthem that was originally written and recorded by Philadelphia songwriter and musician Robert Hazard. Hazard with his band The Heroes had his own hit with "Escalator of Life" in 1982.

Hazard, like Lauper's backing band The Hooters, was a regular on the Philly and South Jersey music scene and even as further success eluded him kept singing, writing and playing, moving to Florida and pursuing a country inflected folk sound.

"Escalator of Life" is a great lesser-known new wave gem with some very clever lyrics and of course "Girls" is a timeless classic. Below is "Escalator" and "Change Reaction."

Music News: Make a Romantic Mix for Your Favorite Cellmate the Old Fashioned Way

Jerry Lee Lewis: "They don't call me the killer for nuthin'..."

By Noah Mallin

Back in the old days I was known as something of a mixtape maven, making knees knock in the lunchroom with inspired pairings of, say, James Brown and Camper Van Beethoven. It turns out that lost art is alive and well and like Michael Jackson choreography - at its height behind bars.

The New York Times by way of Billboard, Reuters and a side route through BoingBoing among others report on one music distributor that isn't staggering around at death's door.
Granted they specialize in pre-recorded cassettes and not mixes but their business is expanding when big record companies are contracting -- and with an "obsolete" format no less. Why? They market to America's ever-growing prison population. Nothing says "Be my bitch" like some homemade hootch and an Anne Murray cassette.

Why not CDs? It's simple, CD's can be broken into handy little neck-threatening shards. If you've ever tried strangling someone with cassette tape you'll know it's not terribly effective. According the the nation's paper of record:

"Best-selling current titles include Lil Wayne's "Tha Carter III," Mariah Carey's "E=MC2," Usher's "Here I Stand," Rihanna's "Good Girl Gone Bad," Nickelback's "All the Right Reasons," Leona Lewis' "Spirit" and Lyfe Jennings' "Life Change."

Perennial sellers include Al Green's "Greatest Hits," Linkin Park's "Hybrid Theory," Michael Jackson's "Thriller," Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the Moon" and a best-of collection by the Stylistics."

Hey, prisoners listen to the same crap as the rest of us!

Music: Bo Diddley, Founder of Rock and Inventor of a Beat, Dead

An Appreciation by Noah Mallin

When the pioneers of rock n' roll are mentioned Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley often vie for the top of the list. The late great Bo Diddley however was just as important to music. The singer, songwriter and guitarist was one of the greatest American musicians. It's one thing to name a song after yourself (which he did frequently). It's another to invent a beat. And not just any beat.

The so-called Bo Diddley beat (which had a long complex derivation before he popularized it) would underpin songs from Buddy Holly, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Who, The New York Dolls, The Ramones, The Jesus and Mary Chain, George Michael and countless others.

He didn't just invent the beat, he invented himself as a glasses wearing swaggering woman-taming cowboy with a homemade square guitar. His sound was actually more varied than legend suggests ranging from ballads to outright rockers. With sidekick Jerome Green he developed an outrageous call and response that echoed in the rough and clownish contrast of Chuck D. and Flava Flav in Public Enemy. His chicken-scratch guitar style prefigured funk and he toured with a sexy female guitarist in the late 50s and early 60s who could play just as sharp as she looked named Lady Bo. In short, he was the coolest man in the world.

In 1979 The Clash asked him to open up for their US tour, but by then he was already a legend freighting his substantial back catalog of songs with him from concert to concert. It's that catalog that survives him and defines his legacy.

Neophytes should immediately seek out the two-disc Chess Records anthology and then the fantastic Bo Diddley is a Gunslinger LP to truly appreciate a musical giant who is with us no more.

Music: Weezer Vid is Net Pleaser

New Weezer album cover or Village People 2.0? Emo Scarface Guy, Dweeb, Puny Cowboy and Tattoo Enthusiast

In the last post I whined, as I so often do, about record companies that don't understand that music videos are advertisements and ought to be embeddable by anyone. Along comes Weezer to prove the point by cleverly producing a video that asks (maybe too hard) for viral love.

Oh Weezer, how can I say no? With a catchy melody hewed from pure power punk goodness and hilarious and poignant cameos from the Chocolate Rain dude, the numma numma kid, Chris Crocker and a bunch of other YouTubers "Pork and Beans" is a must to display here. Lets hope the rest of the new album manages to put memories of their last two to rest...

Oh, and nice 'stache Rivers...

Music: This Week's New Releases

Portishead: "Go on, drink it..."

Compiled By Noah Mallin

Portishead come back after 11 years with their atmospheric gloom-mongering intact. Their new one, Third (It's their third album, natch) is readily identifiable as the work of the pioneering trip-hop threesome but the beats have grown more abstract and the rich production is studded with off-kilter glitches and unexpected detours. Here's the video from "Machine Gun":

Philly's leading hip-hoppers The Roots continue in a serious vein with Rising Down. The new set won't feature the song "Birthday Girl" which the band's fans decided was just too darn commercial and lighthearted (though not creepy despite the fixation on the age of consent) to fit into the harsh survey of modern life that is the new record. Here's the video for "Risin' Up":

Santogold has been getting a great deal of hype around N.Y.C. for their self-titled debut. The duo of frontwoman Santi White and John Hill have weathered many an M.I.A. comparison but the album actually has a fair share of guitar based songs to go along with tracks helmed by Diplo and M.I.A. producer Switch. Here's the video for "L.E.S. Artistes":

Back in the early 70s Tom Petty was just a guy in this band Mudcrutch who moved out to L.A. in search of fame and fortune. The record company was all, "Dude, you don't need those guys Tommy -- you're the real star...ditch those losers..." And he was like, "Uh...Okay," and took off with guitarist Mike Campbell after one album. Guess the guilt has been eating him up 'cause he got the old band back together to record a new album. Here's the video for "Lover of The Bayou":

Finally Madonna does her embarrassing Mom who dresses too young and fakes a British accent routine on the lamely innuendo'ed Hard Candy (Mtume did it better with the song "Juicy Fruit" way back when..)

Music: This Week's New Releases

Black Francis: "Yer in me power..."

Compiled by Noah Mallin

Last week brought us a new album from ex-Pixie Kim Deal's band The Breeders; This week brings us ex-Pixie Black Francis (nee Frank Black) and his new album, the awesomely rocking Svn Fngrs. As we all know, two weeks of ex-Pixies albums means five more weeks of winter. Here's the video for new track "I Sent Away":


Air celebrates the tenth (!) anniversary of their acclaimed Moon Safari with a three-disc CD/DVD re-issue featuring live tracks and remixes. Here's the Spike Jonze directed video for "Kelly Watch The Stars":


M83 issues another album of cinematic popcraft with Saturdays = Youth. Here's the video for "Graveyard Girl":


Finally a DVD of rare live Clash performances, The Clash Live: Revolution Rock continues Sony's mission of uncovering every last scrap of Clash related material out there. Here's a preview of the doc which previously aired on PBS:

Music: This Week's New Releases

The new offerings in the music world this week sound more like an update from an Afghan record store what with Mountain Battles and a new Cave dispatch.

Leading the way is a new album by the sisters Deal, otherwise known as The Breeders to us mere mortals. I don't think it's overpraise to call my first encounter with Mountain Battles delightful, a compendium of all the things I've come to rely on Kim (and Kelley) Deal for and a few new tricks to boot. Here's a home-made video for "Overglazed":


Nick Cave laughs in the face of those who say you can't rock and age gracefully. He and his Bad Seeds issue Dig! Lazarus, Dig! I don't think it's overpraise to say this may be one of their best albums. In addition Cave has a fantstaic mustache. Enjoy the title track:


Sub Pop gives us two very special releases, the freaky-folksy friendly EP from Fleet Foxes they call Sun Giant and hot UK act Foals' post-punk debut Antidote. I don't think it's overpraise to say that each of these albums will make someone's Top 10 list -- somewhere. Could it be you? Here are the Fleet Foxes doing "Summertime":


And the Foals' herky-jerky "Cassius":

Music: New Release Tuesday

The Raconteurs are voting for McKinley this year...

Those rascally Raconteurs rush release their new one, Consolers of The Lonely today. Naughty iTunes spoiled the retro unheard release fun by accidentally offering downloads over the weekend. Here's the video evidence, a new song called "Salute Your Solution":


The B-52's are all "Mwahh hah hah hah we're not dead fool!" with new release Funplex. Here's a fan video for the song "Funplex":


Reformed drug enthusiast Evan Dando delivers a remastered deluxe edition of his band The Lemonheads' most beloved album, It's a Shame About Ray. Check him out at the height of his indie-Fabio-ness in the "My Drug Buddy" video:

Music News: Universal Says No To Angry Girls -- Male Menacers OK Though

Be Your Own Pet try out their gangsta stares...

The retro-retards at Universal Music have put their foot down on Be Your Own Pets' new album Get Awkward, axing three songs from the U.S. version. The reason? The songs were too violent, so says the sanctimonious money hemorrhaging major label which is home to Eminem and 50 Cent, DMX and a whole host of others who sing or rap about shooting maiming killing etc.

Apparently violence is OK for boys, like the fellas in Hatebreed, but little girls like BYOP singer Jemina Pearl are supposed to play nice.

Guess what Universal? Most fans will download the songs and perhaps the whole album for free at any number of locations on the World Wide Web. The idea that you can cut off a continent from content is so 1991.

More important, the whole label system is in itself so 1991, unless you are an American Idol winner. Good luck finding new music when the most creative artists out there want nothing to do with your interfering ways.

Finally, girls kick ass, OK? Get used to it you election year brown-nosers.

Meanwhile, the songs are "Blow Yr Mind", "Black Hole", and "Becky" and they are quite funny. They are also all available on the band's MySpace page for free.

Music: Oh Astro Puts Lionel Richie in Blender Where He Belongs

Oh Astro are the "found art" kind of musical miscegenators who think its perfectly a-ok to make smashy with Lionel Richie's "Hello", Hot Chips' "Boy From School", and Fujiya and Miyagi's "Ankle Injuries." As if this flaunting of copyright conventionality weren't enough they have also dished out this video for their song "Hello Fuji Boy" which melds the whole potpourri to clips from the kitschy Kroft classic TV show "The Lost Saucer" starring Ruth Buzzi and Rock Hudson widow(er) Jim Naybors.



Oh Astro - Hello Fuji Boy from Oh Astro on Vimeo.

Music: The Deal Twins are, like, The Most Adorable Women on Earth -- Watch as The Breeders Toy with a Brit Hipster

I had a major crush on ex-Pixies bassist and Breeders mastermind Kim Deal in high school and college and man if she and twin sister Kelley just keep getting cooler. On the eve of the release of the new Breeders album Mountain Battles they sat down with an excited English chap and proved that you don't need dope to cackle. Check out the interview for The Culture Show and stick around till the end to see them perform "Here No More."

Music: Raconteurs Celebrate the Change of Seasons by Springing New Album on Unsuspecting Public

Jack White's other band, you know, the one he sneaks into motels with for a little string-bending while Meg's not around, has stunned the music world by announcing their new album Consolers of the Lonely will be released next Tuesday. Amazingly the set was only finished on March 1st. There will be no preview for the media.

Presumably The Raconteurs are taking this unusual task to replicate the old days of records being released without leaking onto the net and being consumed as a whole by excited fans eager to hear the next note from their favorite band.

Music: MTV Bans Gnarls Barkley's New Video -- Not For Epileptics

Gnarls Barkley go gonzo...

Just like some other sites out there, we are a music curating interweb TV station too. This April Gnarls Barkley will release the follow up to their album St. Elsewhere and its megahit earworm "Crazy." Though the new one is named after another TV show, The Odd Couple, they've pretty much dropped the dressing-like-movie-pairs routine for new video "Run."

MTV has taken the unusual step of banning the video because the strobing may cause seizures and other medical maladies due to the so-called Harding Effect (future band-name alert!). Of course the network has pretty much banned all videos in favor of witless reality programming so no harm, no foul. Make sure to bite down hard on your belt before watching!

Culture: The Week in Death

I gave Boyd Coddington more play this week because I simply enjoyed his work more than the other three famous folks who shuffled off this mortal coil -- and yet they deserve mention. Remember to refresh this page if the vids don't play at first.

Buddy Miles, wonderful drummer though he was, seems fated to be remembered for his very short stint with Hendrix rather than for his own hitmaking, voicing a California Raisin or any other gig he's had. Still, great drummer. Here's Buddy Miles doing "Them Changes" on Playboy After Dark and boy that party at Hef's pad looks wild. Too bad it cuts away before the orgy starts:


Then there' s Mike Smith, lead singer for the Dave Clark 5 whom I maligned last year as a second string British Invasion band that didn't deserve Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction ahead of other more worthy artists. Well great, now I feel bad not only because the induction was less than a week away, but also upon learning that Smith has been paralyzed below the ribs since 2003 from a spinal cord injury, and now he is no longer with us. Here's the Dave Clark 5 doing one of my favorite songs of theirs "Catch us if You Can":


Finally William F. Buckley, patrician grandpapa of modern conservatism and erudite wordslinger died as well. Buckley helped form the intellectual underpinnings of a movement that would find it's flowering with President's Reagan and Bush the Younger. He was funny, an unreconstructed snob, an intellect whose conclusions were often dubious but rendered with such high-falutin' language and superiority that followers and some detractors were often left speechless. Buckley founded the National Review one of the most influential conservative publications in the country. Here's patrician demagogue on the right (literally and figuratively) Buckley getting a mite hot and bothered with patrician demagogue on the left Gore Vidal in 1968:

Music News:The Craziest Record Ever? Frank Black (Francis) , Isaac Brock, Larry Norman Cover Lee Hazlewood

Black Francis

Pitchfork confirms what has merely been wild conjecture: Move over Scarlett Johansson for the wildest record combo yet. Ex-Pixies frontman Black Francis (or Frank Black depending on his mood) Issac Brock of Modest Mouse, recently (as in this Sunday) deceased Christian rock pioneer Larry Norman, and Norman's brother's band Guards of Metropolis, all joining to cover songs from also recently expired singer/songwriter/ Nancy Sinatra svengali Lee Hazlewood's album Trouble is a Lonesome Town.

Norman has been acknowledged as an early influence by Black Francis, as has Hazlewood.

Here are some clips-- as always just refresh the page if they don't play the first time. If you are reading this on another site just follow the link back here and enjoy!

Here's Larry Norman doing "Why Should the Devil Have all The Good Music":


Here's Guards of Metropolis doing "Whatever it is":

Music: This Week's New Music Releases

Alison Goldfrapp

Goldfrapp take a chill pill and eschew the dancefloor with their mellow new disc Seventh Tree. Here's the video for "A & E" which I am assured does not feature Peter Graves:


Edgy R & B diva Erykah Badu comes back from a long lay-off with New AmErykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War which oddly is also the name of a folder on George W. Bush's desktop. Here's the video for "Honey" which opens up in what the ancestors used to call a "record store." Hmmm...


Dreamy shoegazey types Beach House lay some Devotion on us. Here's the sparkly video for "You Came to Me":


Cowboy Junkies simulate a cough-syrup flashback with Trinity Revisited, a re-recorded version of their soporific best seller The Trinity Session -- this time with special guests such as Vic Chestnutt and Natalie Merchant.here they are with Ms. Merchant doing "Working on a Building":



Give Dolly parton credit for self knowledge (and parody) -- her new one is called Backwoods Barbie. In amongst the Nashville bric-a-brac are covers of Smokey Robinson's "The Tracks of My Tears" and Fine Young Cannibals "She Drives Me Crazy." Here's the "Better Get to Livin' " clip featuring the always welcome Amy Sedaris:


Don't forget: If the vids don't play, refresh your browser!

Music: Express Yourself -- As a Tangent

Gawker reports that the new so uncool it's cool thing to do on the web is to turn your favorite songs into graphic representations of themselves. The kids call it Song Chart Memes. If you're a Blur fan you'll dig the above. If your tastes run in a more Prince-ly vein see below, and a few more faves:





Find lots more here.

New Music: This Week's New Releases -- Raveonettes, Nick Lowe, AMC, and more!

The Raveonettes: Take a picture -- it'll last longer...

One of the best jobs I ever had was working in a used CD store in Ithaca, New York. I worked for a man named Sven Smith (if you're out there in Blogistan Sven, drop me a line) who had impeccable taste in music and entrusted me with his store for days at a time while he explored the wonders of morphine or hydroponically grown weed. Among his heroes was Nick Lowe, who shared his fondness for well-cut suit jackets. It was through Sven that I learned to appreciate Lowe's first solo album, 1978's Jesus of Cool (retitled Pure Pop For Now People in the States so as to prevent incidents of record store firebombings at the hands of future Mike Huckabee voters). Both titles describe it to a T.

Lowe's first and best is re-issued this week on Yep Roc with lots of juicy extras, some of which come from his Bowi EP, so named in response to David Bowie's concurrent Low LP. Lowe said he wanted to get Bowie back for naming an album after him and not even spelling it right. Here's Lowe in an awesome Riddler-esque jacket doing "I Love The Sound of Breaking Glass":


Mark Eitzel reactivates his American Music Club moniker for a new album of moody sullenness and top-notch songwriting. The new album is called The Golden Age, that sarcastic bastard. Here's the video from their album Engine for the song "Rise":


Ex-Soul Coughing frontman Mike Doughty shows us what he thinks of red-eye reduction settings and dental hygeine with the first video from his new album The Golden Delicious, "27 Jennifers":


Atlas Sound, which is the more melodic alter ego of Deerhoof dude Bradford Cox, release their new one entitled Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel. Like, heavy man. Here's the vid for "River Card":


The Raveonettes finally unleash last year's Lust Lust Lust on hard up Americans. Here's "Candy":