Posted on 28 July 2010
Gwyneth Paltrow has another single out, titled “Country Strong,” after her upcoming film with the same name. It’s terrible! But mostly it reminds me of the month I spent in the Philippines, when her other single, a duet with Huey Lewis (R.I.P.) from her karaoke movie Duets played nonstop in every bar and mall in the country. It was that country’s “Thriller,” where “Thriller” is also that country’s “Thriller.” Of course they also stab you in the Philippines for singing “My Way” at karaoke bars, so karaoke is very serious. Basically what I’m saying is: I wish this was Paltrow’s cover of “My Way.” Listen to “Country Strong” at Videogum.
Posted on 23 June 2010
Woods’ downcast “Death Rattles” sounded like it needed a creepy video. I think they got one with “Death Rattles,” which shows the main character crawling out from under a rock and meeting with a group of mostly middle-aged LARPers (or he’s actually traveled back in time, like in Black Knight). There’s no real narrative to the video, though there is an ending. The video was directed by Sophia Peer.
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Posted on 18 June 2010
Snoop Dogg name-checked the show in “Gangsta Love,” so you know his love for Snookie Stackhouse et. al. is for real. Also for real? Lines like “Leave a stain on your brain, can a Dogg get some love / Won’t trick you like Eric and make you drink blood.” This guy is up for whatever. Watch his Bon Temps-accurate video at Videogum.
Posted on 21 May 2010
Springfield, MO pop crew Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin recorded their third album Let It Sway with Chris Walla and Beau Sorenson at Madison, Wisconsin’s Smart Studios. The 12-song collection follows 2008’s Pershing. Lead track “Sink / Let It Sway” incorporates the album’s title into its name and introduces the idea of a sinking submersion, but musically things are pretty buoyant.
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Posted on 21 May 2010
The pantheon of broken-hearted jams got so boosted with “Dancing On My Own.” It’s pitch-perfect tear-soaked dancefloor catharsis, it is Kleerup copping one his best beats, it’s somehow allowed Robyn to bottle the pop-spun stun of “With Every Heart Beat” and stamp it out as a brand her own. So visual — stilettos and broken bottles (been there) — so when Robyn tweeted a preview to its Max Vitali-directed video, it was the thing I was most looking forward to about Friday. There’s a lot of dancing in it. And dancefloors. And awesomeness.
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Posted on 21 May 2010
A Lull sound like Chicago: The songs on the highly percussive sextet’s free “Weapons For War” b/w “Spread It All Around” 7″ feature dense, eclectic, immediately catchy atmospherics that evoke a number of like-minded post-rock crews from their hometown. And then go elsewhere with it. “Weapons For War”’s from their forthcoming full-length, Confetti. No word on the looping, loping B-Side, “Spread It All Around,” but it’s my favorite of the two, so hopefully it made the cut.
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Posted on 21 May 2010
Last night Band Of Horses were on Letterman along with Katherine Heigl and magician Steve Cohen — it’s magic week on Letterman, so it’s not too late to DVR tonight’s magician Michael Ammar (you should visit his Men’s Hut). Band Of Horses brought standout “Laredo” to the show. And while the album overall hasn’t hit the same way as their debut, this track sounds good live, with less gloss on both the song and singer Ben Bridwell’s voice. You can see him pushing himself on those high notes, it’s kind of welcome. Dave agrees: “That’s all you’re looking for right there.”
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Posted on 20 May 2010
Goldfrapp’s videos are always entertaining because they never take themselves too seriously. That sense of humor comes out in this clip for next single “Alive,” which, without giving away too much, has kind of a nice final twist toward the end. The first twist to it? The Legs-directed video’s Satan worshipers aren’t as tough as they seem. Another hilarious thing: The video is safe for work, but includes enough erect nipple / panty line / wedgie shots to come pretty close.
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Posted on 18 May 2010
Talk of a new Aphex Twin album started about this time last year, when Warp Records celebrated its 20th anniversary and label founder Steve Beckett went on record saying a new Aphex album would happen in a year or two. No album yet, but Richard James did bring out some new tracks in Metz, France on Friday while on a European DJ tour. While the video is shaky, the audio is remarkably clear. And it’s good:
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Posted on 18 May 2010
Band Of Horses did “Can’t Hardly Wait” for a live, in-studio acoustic performance at Columbus, Ohio’s CD101.1FM. Singer Ben Bridwell begins by saying they’ve never tried it before, plus, Bridwell’s glossy voice is an unlikely substitute for Paul Westerberg’s gruffer shouts. But their acoustic version comes off well, with Bridwell making the end of his phrases a little bit higher, since he can. As mentioned, Band Of Horses were just announced as one of the many bands on the upcoming Twilight: Eclipse soundtrack.
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