Natalie Portman's Shaved Head.

and..





Sometimes it's all in the name. Did you know that Guns N Roses were originally going to be called either s Heads Of Amazon and AIDS. Somehow I don't think GNR would have not been as popular. And so even if Natalie Portman's Shaved Head (or NPSH as the cool kids call them) is unable to crack a single hit, at least they can't blame the name. The cool part about the band, is that every show they play, they put Natalie Portman on the Guestlist, hoping, waiting, for that one shining moment when she blesses them with her presense.

Mp3:
NPSH- Slow Motion Tag Team

Harlem ..globetrotting to the south of france

That quite possibly was my worst headline ever. but it had to be done. Sorry guys. Regardless Harlem is based out of Austin, but formed in Nashville. Austin is like a foster parent for stray bands... it will nurture you till you are ready to find yourself and go out into the world... like ohio's Heartless Bastards, or Dallas's Strange Boys. But I digress... so yeah, I guess you could call their sound garage pop... they call it thrash punk covered in bbq sauce. I say its retro-garage. And I can hear a Pixies influence. Regardless, its good. The new album is called free drugs;-)

Mp3:

Harlem - South of France

Cover Friday - Metal edition

Techno tried to destroy the metal... but the metal was much too strong. I feel like playing Guitar Hero now... anyways. todays covers are 80's metal or hair band covers. There's not much to say really, so turn it up to 11 and rtfo (rock the eff out). Well except for the fact that most of these covers are nothing like the original..


Mp3:


Starting off... with Pockets & the KazooKeylele covering Europe. This will stick in your head for days.

Pockets & the KazooKeylele - The Final Countdown

Next off... Rodrigo Y Gabriela doing Metallica.

Rodrigo Y Gabriela - Orion


HOw bout some slayer... doing Iron Butterfly...

slayer - Ina Gadda Da Vida

These next two, I think are awesome covers. Bonny Prince Billy doing Danzig, and
Hellsongs doing Iron Maiden.

Bonny Prince Billy - Am I Demon

Hellsongs - Run to the Hills

Then there was the sensitive Ozzy phase... as done by Soft Charisma.

Soft Charisma - Dreamer

Remember Lita Ford? She did a duet with Ozzy once.

Reel Big Fish - Kiss Me Deadly


And before Brett Michaels did Rock of Love, he fronted Poison. and he wanted nothing but a good time

Reel Big Fish - Nuthin' but a good time

Repbulic Tigers have some bite

I don't know what to call mainstream indie music... it's like easy listening for hipsters, and there is some good stuff out there. whatever you call it, it translates easily to movie/TV show soundtracks, mostly because it can reach out to multiple audiences. I seem to like these songs alot, and I always like to race Josh Schwartz and Alexandra Patsavas to see who can find the music for the tv shows first.... Unfortunately they beat me to this one... their music is already been on Chuck and Gossip Girl. Regardless they are the Republic Tigers... their album is Keep Color. They are from Kansas City, Missouri, and they get todays post because the Missou Tigers are still in the tournament representing the Big 12.

Mp3:

The Republic Tigers - Buildings & Mountains



oh and btw, speaking of March Madness and movies... if anybody wants to vote on our march movie madness, here is a Bracket Fill it out and Send it to me

The Pains of being Pure at heart

I know Wednesday is usually a Boon pick day, but I'm still having trouble finding the CD that he recommended, so we are gonna hold off until I do.... So in the meantime I'd like to introduce you to The Pains of Being Pure at Heart out of NYC... they released their self titled debut back in february, and as the name suggests the music is emo, but more in the Cure/Smiths kind of emo way, not in the crappy dashboard way... very Curish riffs... very 80s sound... which is all the rave this year. If they bring the flock of seagulls hair back, I might have to quit.


Mp3:
First, a love song to a goth girl...

The Pains of Being Pure At heart - Everything with you

next, an ode to incest with your sister. you can't tell me these guys aint emo.

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - This Love is Fucking Right!

Happy Hollows make me happy

Ok Today's band is the Happy Hollows, from LA or as they like to mention on their blog ....Negahdariland, CA... Fresh off a gig at SxSw where they got to play at Antones with Silversun Pickups and The Duke Spirit. They seem pretty quirky and they make happy music... It's hard to place what they sound like. They have a great upbeat sound... straight out of the 90s really... kinda like if Len and The Dandy Warhols had a baby. And that baby .. and meanwhile Tilly and the Wall and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs met, and had a baby , and by some miracle , those two babies met and... this would be what they birthed.

Go to their blog... It talks about Star Wars and Muppets, and you get the rest of the Imaginary EP for whatever you want to pay for it btw...

here's a sample

Mp3:

The Happy Hollows - Big Bad Wolf

The Helio Sequence Broken Afternoon

My Computer has decided to die on me... the video card blew ups... So I figured that my afternoon is jacked because my PC is broken, this post was in order. So yeah this might be a little old, but I never talked about them last year... Portland Or boys The Helio Sequence released the album Keep your Eyes ahead last year. They've always been considered a mildly eccentric band, much like Modest Mouse, and Like Modest Mouse, They've kinda become more listener friendly as they get older.

I'll give you two... one really mellow, one not so mellow.

Mp3

The Helio Sequence - Broken Afternoon

The Helio Sequence - Can't Say No

Cover Friday - ...was a Rolling Stone edition

So there is a panel going on today at SxSW right about now called "Slaughtering Sacred Cows"... basically saying that people suck up so much these days that proper critisism is lost and bands get completely Over-rated. Some bands deserve to get knocked off their pedestal... Ahem.. Animal Collective is one of them these days. Sonic Youth is anther one... Juno said it best... They have a few good songs, but the rest is just noise. Rush, U2, ACDC ZZTop are on the list.



The Rolling Stones aren't. Yeah I don't really know why today is the Stones day, but it has to be done... Not only are they rock icons, but they made their start singing covers... Starting With Chuck Berry's "Come On" and Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away" and went on to influence bands for 5 decades.


On with the covers...



No, not that kind of cover of the rolling stone.... ahem

I'm starting off with Rage's version of "Street Fighting Man". It's kick ass, and I just realized after listening to it again that the first few bars are actually the intro music to The Opie and Anthony Show.

Mp3:

Rage Against the machine - Street Fighting Man

Moving on to a little Social D, and "Under My Thumb"

Social Distortion - Under My Thumb

From Punk to Cowpunk... Nine Pound Hammer is a side project of Nashville Pussy and here they are doing a version of "Dead Flowers"

Nine Pound Hammer - Dead Flowers

Buckwheat Zydeco sounds exactly like the name implies. Here they are with "Beast of Burden" ...the original is a favorite of my gf... or as she likes to put it "This is my jam"

Buckwheat Zydeco - Beast of Burden

Indie poppers Over the Rhine did a good version of "Ruby Tuesday" a few years back

Over the Rhine - Ruby Tuesday

Listen to the Voice on this one... Its Victoria Bergsman... before she sang on PB&J's "Young folks", she was in a band called The Concretes and she did a cover of "Miss You"

The Concretes - Miss You


I don't know why but I feel that the definitive "Paint it Black" cover is Gob. Maybe because on the Stir of Echoes soundtrack and all I remember from that movie is this song.

Gob - Paint It Black

"Honky Tonk Woman" really sounds like it should have been a Waylon Jennings song to begin with so this cover is fitting.

Waylon Jennings - Honky Tonk Woman

I always wonder what a bollywood version of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" would sound like

Ananda Shankar - Jumpin' Jack Flash

Patti Smith is the definitive cover of "Gimmie Shelter"

Patti Smith - Gimmie Shelter

Now we are to "Sympathy for the Devil"... I had a tough time deciding on this. I decided to go with Jane's Addiction... just cause its Perry Ferrell

Jane's Addiction - Sympathy For the Devil

I had to give "Satisfaction" to Cat Power. because her voice is so awesome. she could sing "Mary had a little Lamb" and I'd still get all tingly.

Cat Power - Satisfaction

The Sundays are the definitive cover of "Wild Horses" but I'm saving them for a later post that Boon and I are collaborating on, so I decided to go with the Iron & Wine/Calexico live Version.


Iron&Wine/Calexico - Wild Horses

Goldielocks ...her porridge is juuust right.

Ok, maybe I don't know about her porridge... even if I'd like to... However I do know a little bit about her music, and its pretty good. Goldielocks is a from the UK, and she's definitely doesn't like to be pigeon-holed cause she seems to be a mix of things... first off she's 75% english and 25% Swedish... She's a little bit grime, and a little bit pop singer, ...AND she's got some mad producing skills, because the tracks I've heard sound great. I'm gonna say that she's Basically a combo of Lily Allen, Lady Soveriegn, MIA and Peaches. She'll be at SxSW performing at RIO on March 21. She'lll be part of a lineup that cumulates with the Crimea headlining. I love that band... so if you are down there you should check that show out... it promises to be stellar.

Mp3:

Goldielocks - Cold Sweat

The Phenomenal Handclap Band ...at SXSW and I'm not

Yeah, I'm starting to get a bit bitter that I'm stuck in Dallas this week when I should be at SXSW like all the other bloggers... you know what makes it even worse... I keep getting text messages of little events happening here and there... I just got one this morning that said Seth Rogen, Anna Faris and Danny McBride will be in such and such room. And when the music part starts, I will be doubly upset. regardless. The Phenomenal Handclap band out of Brooklyn will be at SXSW. Hell they will be all over the place all week long... especially tomorrow... They start out playing the opening day bash at the Emo's Annex, and their official showcase is tonight at the Radio Room. And that's hosted by My Old Kentucky blog... So we know that they are finger licking good.

The band definitely has a funky bluesy vibe. Check it out.
Mp3

The Phenomenal Handclap Band - Testimony

Shugo Tokumaru ...Japanese moment of Zen

Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down. Ok That's not true. But Mondays do suck. But then you hear a happy Japanese pop song and everything gets better... Shugo Tokumaru is one of those one man band multi-instrumentist... like Culture Reject and Andrew Bird, and his latest release, Exit, gives us some happy little mini-symphonies that are a mix of pop, folk, and electronica. Guaranteed to cheer you up on a Monday.

Mp3:
Shugo Tokumaru - Paruchute

Covers Friday - Shaken not Stirred Edition

My name is Bond... James Bond. I don't know why I'm in a Bond Mood... its Friday the 13th, and St PAddy's day weekend, and I pull out Bond. Perhaps its cause Quantum of Solace will be out on DVD in 2 weeks. Regardless, today you get James Bond Covers.

From the Sean Connery Days...


Mp3:
A few instrumentals.... Covers of Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones

Man or AstroMan? - Goldfinger

the Whodads - Thunderball

OK and this song is probably the most covered\Sampled bond song ever. I really like this version... originally by Nancy Sinatra

The Postmarks - You Only Live Twice

This is a secondary Bond Song... not the title track, but still official... From On Her Majesty's Secret Service and originally by Louis armstrong

Puppini Sisters - We Have All the Time in the World


A great live version by the Arctic Monkeys... who are cover masters.

Arctic Monkeys - Diamonds are Forever

Thus ends the Sean Connery Era. Now on to Roger Moore
... originally by Sir Paul McCartney

GNR - Live and Let Die

... originally by Lulu

Emiliana Torrini - The Man With the Golden Gun

...and the most covered Bond song of the Roger Moore Era orignally by Carly Simon

IvanaXl - Nobody Does it Better

A couple from the 80s and the Timothy Dalton period..

... The best bond song ever maybe? By Duran Duran

Lost Prophets - A View to a Kill

... followed by a less than stellar A ha song....

Balor Kights - The Living Daylights

Pierce Brosnan had his moments... .here's one originally by Sheryl Crow

Mister Bond - Tomorrow Never Dies

M. Ward has never had nobody like you.

M. Ward is friggin' awesomne. Yeah I said it. Hold Time is the new solo album, his first since 2006's Post War. Not that he hasn't been busy since... he's been involved in lots of other people's projects. He seems to have the perfect mix of country/folk and indie pop and Personally I think he's at his best when he has guest female vocals... he's had some of the best... Neko Case, Jenny Lewis, Lucinda Williams.... And now Zooey Deschanel on this album... They made sweet music together on Zooey's and M. Ward's collaborative project...last years She & Him, and she returns to back him for a few tracks on this album.

MP3:

M. Ward - Never Had Nobody Like You

School of Seven Bells ...keep em' ringing

I really like this band. I really like this album. I have no clue how I missed it when it first came out, but if you don't have it, I suggest you add it to your collection. So yeah, anyway the School of Seven Bells is what some people would call an indie supergroup... if there is such a thing. It's the brainchild of Benjamin Curtis formerly of the Secret Machines (Curtis is originially form dallas). He's joined by Deheza Twins formerly of On! Air! Library!. The musical vision of Curtis, and the fabulous voices of the twins makes for some great music... The band itself is named after a mythical South American pickpocketing academy, and if possible, that's kind of what the album sounds like... its poppy with a bit of a tribal/latin feel, but it has a bit of a dreamy surrealness to it... like the music that you would hear in the background while dreaming of the lost cities of gold. BTW, totally off topic.. do you remember that cartoon?... The Mysterious Cities of Gold... about the kid named Esteban and the Mayans and such?

Anyways... here's a sample... of the album, not the random cartoon

Mp3:

School of Seven Bells - Iamundernodisguise



oh and for good measure... here's the intro to that cartoon I was telling you about...

The Weeks music to pass the day with

Wow, I totally spaced on posting this week... luckily I had this this little band in my back pocket... The Weeks are out of Jackson, Mississippi... props to the dirty south... and they released their debut album Comeback Cadilliac back in July... Anyways, they have a nice little sound, even if it dangerously close to the Kings of Leon. Actually in all reality it is s a mix between Kings of Leon, The Hold Steady, and Everclear of all things. Listen.. you will be able to hear an Everclear song hidden in buttons.

I thought the songs were catchy though...so here we go.

Mp3

The Weeks - Buttons

The Weeks - Altar Girl

Covers Friday - Lets do it for the Kids edition

Yeah, I didn't really have a theme for this week, but then I heard the over the rainbow song for the 4th time in two weeks, and I figured it wanted to be posted. That together with the fact that I recently had an hour long discussion about Saved by the Bell and took about a billion Saturday morning cartoon quizes on Facebook... yes I am a child of the 80s... I started to feel a bit nostalgic. So I put together a little homage to what could be construed as children's covers... its bob tested, and probably not mother approved though.




We'll start off with the song that started it all... a 300+ lb Hawaiian singing pretty songs...

Mp3:

Iseael Kamakawiwo'ole - Somewhere Over the Rainbow, What a Wonderful World

Then we got The Corn Sisters, who are Neko Case and Carolyn Mark, reminding me of Black Snake Moan and Christina Ricci for some reason.

Mp3:

The Corn Sisters - This Little Light of Mine

Before Pebbles and Bam Bam started their singing group as teenagers on their own show, they had their first concert together on an episode of the Flinstones.. this is the song they did, sung by Frente!

Mp3:

Frente! - Open up Your Heart and Let the Sun Shine In

Reel Big fish have a new cover album out.. with mostly hair band covers, but there was this gem of a cover of Toots and the Maytals' "Monkey Man" that totally sounds like a kid song.

Mp3:

Reel Big Fish - Monkey Man

Speaking of Monkeys, this could not be complete without a Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Cover of "I wanna be like you" from the Jungle Book... originally sung by a monkey. BTW, this is actually a slightly different version from the one on the Swingers Soundtrack.

Mp3:

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - I Wanna Be like You

Then there is the Hank Williams classic "Kaw Liga", a song about a Wooden Indian that I know I heard a lot as a kid... sung by Big Sandy

Mp3:

Big Sandy & his Fly Rite Boys - Kaw Liga

Tom Waits covers the seven dwarfs as only he can do...

Mp3:

Tom Waits - Heigh Ho

and finally, because Schoolhouse Rocks! rocks... we got a lil Blind Melon talking about the virtues of threesomes...

Mp3:

Blind Melon - 3 is the Magic Number



That's all folks. I have the strangest urge to watch Robot Chicken after all this pop culture.

Clem Snide - Hungry Bird Review

The reports of Clem Snide's death has been greatly exaggerated... It's no irony that a brilliant lyricist such as Eef Barzelay has pulled a Mark Twain... the band supposedly broke up when making this album, and Eef went on to to some great solo albums and some movie scores... but according to their website, the band is back, albeit in a slightly different incarnation. Of course this is commonplace, because I don't believe any Clem Snide album had all the same band members... it was mostly just an outlet for Eef. Regardless, the band is back, and actually touring in support of the new album, Hungry Bird.

The album is one of those that gets better on every subsequent listen. Although not the best that Clem Snide has put out, Hungry Bird has a unique feel, and is special in its own right. The best I can describe it is Cinematic. It's as if, when you listen to the album straignt through, you are really watching a movie. "Me No" is a moving upbeat track, offering the perfect catchy intro segwaying into the character development section with the smoothness of "Rum" . Along the way it celebrates specific plot points, and this is where some of the strongest tracks on the albums are showcased.... The Spoken word of "Encounter at 3am" is like a necessary soliloquy from the main character... "The Endless Endings" is more of a character introspection, and "Beard of Bees" offers the backdrop for a love story. It all crescendos into the climax of "Pray" , and then rolling the credits "With all my heart" . Although musically it sometimes waivers into the realm of easy listening notably on "Born a Man", the lyrics remain strong enough to pull it through and keep the audience entertained, and ultimately Clem Snide earn their title of indie Rock semi-legends.

Mp3:

Clem Snide - The Endless Endings

Steel Panther / Gary Floater ...this is not the greatest song in the world... this is just a tribute

Ah the tribute band... you can find them all over town on a Saturday night, tirelessly playing the songs of their favorite artists, forcing you to sing along. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but sometimes its just boring. However, when you decide to make a band that can make fun of an entire genre of music... That's special. The next two bands take their stabs at the joke that is Hair Bands and Nashville country. The result is pure awesomeness. Thanks to Boon and Gabe for showing me the way.



First off.. we have Steel Panther. This aint your average hair band. They are the longest running heavy metal band on the Sunset Strip. The lead singer not only fronted a Van Halen cover band for a while, he also did a stint singing for LA Guns.... the real LA Guns. Tony Romo and Mr. Belding from Saved by the Bell sang "Don't stop Believin'" with them on stage. And along with covering 80's hair metal hits, they are entirely capable of creating originals that are PERFECT parodies of your average hair band songs, including the power ballads. Their new album is currently in the works, but check out this sample.

*EDIT* Boon has informed me that I forgot to mention that Slipknot's Corey Taylor provides the vocals for this particular track. Which makes it even greater. Sorry to omit such an important detail.

Listen: Steel Panther - "Death to all but Metal"







A little bit rock n roll.... now a little bit country. A Hero Never Learns The songs of Gary Floater pays tribute to a nashville music icon who had over 4 decades of hits. He embodies everything that country music today is all about and has inspired country artists the world over. Well, he would have... if he wasn't totally made up... He's actually the brainchild of Owen Temple and Adam Carroll, fantastic Texas singer songwriters making a statement of all that is wrong with Nashville today... Take note Toby Keith... you suck! Sorry, I couldn't help it... Again, Caroll and Temple (who sounds suspiciously like John Anderson) are able to make incredible Parodies of nashville music, and it sounds like they had fun doing it.. I know I have had fun listening to it. I'm gonna give you three samples... although the entire album is awesome. I even got a new song for my Killing Kittens cd.

Mp3:

Gary Floater - That's wne the Eagle Screams

Gary Floater - Holding on so Tight

Gary Floater - Let me Kiss you where it hurts

Matt & Kim - Daylight

So, I've been going through music from bands that are performing at SXSW this year... and I'm pretty sure it's going to take me till freakin' july... especially since I'm not gonna be there this year to see the live shows... but whatever... stupid work... Anyways, Matt & Kim brought the house down last year at the Mess with Texas BBQ show... fans rushed the stage to dance with them. This year, they will be headlining a Thursday March 19th Showcase at Opal Divines. (along with Flossstradamus... a band with a truly great name)

Well this song has been around for a couple of months, but I still get happy when I hear it. And I heard it today, so I'm posting it. Matt & Kim are a cool little dance\new rave duo out of Brooklyn, and although "Daylight" is by far the best track on the album Grand, there are a few more jems on it as well.

MP3:

Matt & Kim - Daylight

Simian Mobile Disco ... the techno twins?

Is Techno an actual genre anymore? is it more like dance... do you have to be named Svlad and Deter to enjoy it as you wave your glow sticks triumphantly?... well Simian Mobile Disco are an group from the UK, that I guess most people would call electronica, but it's kind of the same level as Dust Brothers, Hot Chip, Brighton Port Authority, etc... It's very dancable, but obviously not German. But i think Techno is alive and well in these guys.

Regardless, I like them. I love this song. its from Sample and Hold, the remix album of their 2007 release Attack Decay Sustain Release.

Mp3:

Simian Mobile disco - Hustler(Joakim Remix)


They are currently working on a new album coming out this year... the first track is kinda meh, but you can hear/see for yourself in this video...