Do you guys remember those Bud Light Presents - Real American Heroes radio ads? I have a bunch of them in Mp3 format and this one came on while my Zune software was set to shuffle earlier.
I'd forgotten about it, but it made me think of my buddy Jeremy Broussard who has a deli meat slicer on his wedding registry, which I just think is 100% awesome. This guy takes deli meats very seriously, and I can't say I blame him.
So Jeremy, this goes out to you:
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Check out the new banner above. That is my Zune Card.
With the new update to the Zune software (version 2.5), Microsoft has added this function which allows users to embed Zune Cards on web pages. So now you guys can see what I'm listening to.
If you guys are members of the Zune Social be sure to add me as a friend!
As with all new features, I'm sure there are kinks to be worked out. For instance, it appears that the tag is not refreshing with an regularity. Hopefully that is something Microsoft can work out soon. In any event, I think it's a pretty cool feature. They even added a Facebook application.
Neutral Milk Hotel's landmark indie masterpiece "In the Aeroplane Under the Sea" celebrated its ten year anniversary this past Sunday, February 10th.
To celebrate, check out a couple of articles about the album and the band.
Head over to Stereogum for a great collection of videos showcasing performances of a few tracks.
Then, check out this wonderful piece at Pitchfork in which Dan Snaith of Caribou, Tim Kasher of Cursive, Josh Jones of The Evangelicals, Kevin Barnes of Of Montreal (my favorite) and others share their thoughts on the impact and influence of one of the best albums to ever be made by anyone from Louisiana.
I've long known that "Elephant Gun" by Beirut (from the Lon Gisland EP) was the best song released in 2007. That is a gimme. What I didn't know was that there is a video for the song which is almost as amazing as the song itself.
Take the jump to check it out and to see what I thought was the second best song of the year.
Spoon's "The Underdog" from Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga has also long been a serious favorite of mine. It also has a fantastic video.
If reading different, various takes on the topic of art, "selling out", etc. is something you enjoy, I present a companion piece to the Dave Eggers essay I posted here last year.
Here Kevin Barnes, lead singer of the Athens, Georgia band Of Montreal preemptively defends against the backlash he expects for recently taping a commercial for T-Mobile. This is not the first time Of Montreal has come into the spotlight on account of this issue. We've already talked about their Outback Steakhouse commercials.
Courtesy of Stereogum: 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.
I'm reminded of this by You Ain't No Picasso's most recent post.
If you ever have the chance to see Beck play live, please take it. His is a show you will not regret attending. Here is why:
The puppets crack me up every single time.
I mentioned a few days ago that new Trapped in the Closet chapters will be out soon.
If you're a fan, head over to Stereogum for a beautiful recap ("Oh shit!") by R. Kelly and a quick preview of Chapter 13.
SPEACIAL AGENT DALE COOPER: (to Diane) "There are two things that continue to trouble me, and I'm speaking now not only as an agent of the Bureau, but also as a human being. What really went on between Marilyn Monroe and the Kennedys, and who really pulled the trigger on JFK?"
Seven o'clock in the morning and the rays from the sun wakes me. I'm stretchin' and yawning in a bed that don't belong to me. Then a voice yells "Good morning Darling" from the bafroom. Then she comes out and kisses me and to my surprise she ain't you.
I've come a long way in my life where my opinion on artists allowing their songs to be used for advertising is concerned. Certainly it is a choice, and a matter of principle. Tom Waits has vehemently fought to keep his music from being used to sell everything from automobiles to corn chips, and he has consistently won. That's very admirable. I respect his stance very much.
Other bands whose music I love have allowed their music to be used in commercials. Recently, Of Montreal allowed their song "Wraith Pinned to the Mist (and Other Games)" to be used in an Outback Steakhouse commercial. Kevin Barnes, the bands creative force and songwriter took a flippant attitude about the whole ordeal: "We were approached by Outback Steakhouse's ad agency asking about making their own cover version of 'Wraith Pinned to the Mist (And Other Games)' for one of their commercials. We thought it would be totally amusing to hear their take on one of our songs as a jingle."
This is a band which has had great success as an indie rock act. While they are among the most popular groups in the indie scene, that doesn't necessarily add up to much money in the end. These guys are working for a living just like we all are, and they have mortgages to pay and children to feed. While I'd rather not hear one of my favorite songs turned into a jingle, I completely understand, and it doesn't really bother me too much. Ten years ago I would have felt very differently about it. Now that I have a mortgage of my own, I can identify. If you haven't seen the original video for the song I recommend you check it out.
Modest Mouse is a band I like even more than Of Montreal however, and for some reason this commercial irks me a little more.
I guess it's beacuse I detest American Idol as a show and a national obsession. I think it's terrible in every way something has the propensity to be terrible. There are no redeeming qualities to be found in American Idol in the world I inhabit. I'm not saying anyone who watches and enjoys it is wrong for doing so, but it is not for me, personally.
So beyond being a Ford commercial, this spot is also associated with American Idol which makes me like it less. However, there are a few redeeming qualities in the commercial. The three Ford Mustangs are totally sweet, so I'm a little conflicted there. Also, for some reason as they sing the song, the American Idol contestants are walking like zombies, which admittedly is weird, but zombies are awesome, so I don't know how to feel.
Thanks to Stereogum (via Best Week Ever) for the heads up on the commercial. Best reader comment at Stereogum:
My soul hurts after watching that.
Posted by: Kim at March 15, 2007 2:27 PM
Brilliant quip from Best Week Ever:...this was like the modern musical equivalent of the Kennedy Assassination, Watergate and and Jack Nicholson getting killed at the end of Easy Rider, all happening in front of us, at the same time...
I think this is without a doubt the most interesting band working today. I want to kick myself so hard every time I recall that I skipped out on a show they played at Twiropa in New Orleans, which was about five blocks from my house. I knew about the show and for reasons I can't remember I didn't end up going.
Full story at Stereogum
I wrote last week about some new albums I am listening to a lot.
Since then, I have been listening more and more to Peter and the Wolf's "Lightness" album. I seriously can't get enough. The harmonies and instrumentation are just incredible, and very much unlike most anything else that I've heard. If I were much more than a simple fan of music I would write a shining review for you guys, but I'm just not that kind of writer. The best I can do is to tell you I love it and recommend it.
To preface the next part of this post, I will warn you all that I am a terribly sentimental person. Proceed with that knowledge.
The one regret I have about the album is that on it is a song titled "Safe Travels", which I have maybe listened to about 30 times in the last two weeks (along with the other song I noted, "The Bonsai Tree"). Had that song been available or known to me 17 or 18 months ago, it would have been so perfect for a bittersweet post about my brother leaving for a tour of Iraq with the Army. Now I regret that I was not able to write that post.
To make up for it, I present to you....this post. Check out the song via the link below. You will not regret it. If you like it, buy the full CD here, here, or here,
Peter and the Wolf - Safe Travels
Beirut - Lon Gisland EP - Ba Da Bing
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Some Loud Thunder - Self-Released
Lily Allen - Alright Still - Capitol
More releases at Insound
Because I ripped on Arland yesterday for not clueing me in about Menomena (I don't even know if he likes them) I figured I should say thanks today for an album he did turn me onto.
Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity
I'm really enjoying this one a lot lately as well. The more I listen the better it gets. Apparently Deerhoof have been around for a while, but I'd never listened before. And to add to the appeal, according to their MySpace, the drummer's last name is Saunier, which is an alternative spelling of my family name. What up cuz?
| Deerhoof - +81.mp3 |
Menomena - Friend & Foe
I really wish I'd checked these guys out live when I was living in Portland. I blame Arland. It was his responsibility to tell me about bands. He really dropped the ball here.
I'm listening to the new album Friend & Foe as I type this and I really, really like it. I'd be willing to bet they put on a killer live show.
Plus, this sounds super cool. They're playing the Crystal in Portland with a 25-member choir. Interesting.
I have picked up some really great albums recently. This is a quick list of stuff I am enjoying so much I just had to let you guys know about it.
Shout out goes to my Dad who gave me the brown Zune I wanted for Christmas, allowing me to listen to music constantly again. Many many many many thanks. Let's just say I've gotten a lot of use out of it.
Peter & the Wolf - Lightness - Key track(s): "Safe Travels" & "The Bonsai Tree"
Peter, Bjorn and John - Writer's Block - Key track(s): "Amsterdam" & "Young Folks"
The Blow - Paper Television - Key Track(s): "True Affection" & "Parentheses"
Casiotone For the Painfully Alone - Etiquette - Key track(s): "I Love Creedence", "Nashville Parthenon", "New Years Kiss" & "Young Shields"
There are things to get irritated about on so many levels regarding this post, but the one that I am going to focus on (because it irritates me the least) is the fact that there is no need for anyone to bother thinking on their own when there are great men like Donnie Davies out there doing all the thinking for you. As if that weren't enough, he's got a website to let you know what he's thought up for you. How nice of Donnie.
Read why I find Donnie so disgusting after the jump.
One of the most dangerous ways homosexuality invades family life is through popular music. Parents should keep careful watch over their children's listening habits, especially in this Internet Age of MP3 piracy.
So says Donnie, founder of the C.H.O.P.S. program, or Changing Homosexuals in Ordinary People.
Donnie is compiling a list of "Gay bands" that people should watch out for, lest homosexuality invade their home. I almost can't decide which is more irritating, the fact that someone is compiling such a ridiculous list, or that the artists on the list don't make any sense. Ok, Rufus Wainwright? Yeah, he's gay so I can see his inclusion on such a list. Elton John, sure, if you were going to think up a stupid list like this I can see the inclination to include him. But Metallica? Jay-Z? Ghostface Killa? Lil Wayne? Sufjan Stevens (a very publicly Chrstian singer/songwriter)? The Strokes? What the hell are these people doing on a list like this? It's preposterous.
Thankfully for those among us who are letting Donnie do our thinking, there is also a list of "Safe" artists. Artists who won't threaten your and your children's sexuality in any way. Strangely, the safe list is very short and filled with mostly Christian rock artists....and Cyndi Lauper????? How did she make the safe list?
It's about damned time.
Record Labels Contemplate Unrestricted Digital Music
Executives of several technology companies meeting here at Midem, the annual global trade fair for the music industry, said over the weekend that at least one of the four major record companies could move toward the sale of unrestricted digital files in the MP3 format within months.
I rarely think about the ways in which the world is getting smaller all the time. You hear people talk about it, and it is certainly visible in the real world from time to time, but it does not often have a direct effect on my day to day life.
I pretty much only buy music online now, and I'd say 99% of it is purchased in digital format, specifically MP3. I very rarely buy discs, and I even more rarely go into brick and mortar stores to do it. Back in July of 2006 I bought an awesome pop album by English MySpace-darling Lily Allen (website)(MySpace). I loved it. The album is great. I've been listening to it constantly ever since.
What I didn't realize is that the album still hasn't been released in the United States. If you check Amazon.com, you will see that her album Alright, Still will not be released until January 30, 2007. I didn't realize this until yesterday. I was reading an article about the album which included an extensive interview with Allen and I'm thinking to myself, "this is awfully late in the game right? That album came out over six months ago?!?"
It turns out that the site I buy music from carries music from all over the world. So when her album was released in England, the site made it available for purchase. I bought the album a full six months before its US release. And it's not just me. I know a bunch of people who've gotten the album and have been listening for a while.
Anyway, the point of this post is two-fold. First, to point out this crazy way that the world truly is getting smaller. Second, on January 30th, do yourself a favor and pick up Lily Allen's Alright, Still. You will not regret it. I can't think of too many reasons not to like it.
I'm just going to come right out this morning and start ripping off Stereogum, but these two bits are so good that I can't not post them.
First, I have to write this in the hope that Beth will read it because I know she'll lose her potatoes over it. The over the top ridiculous metal band The Eagles of Death Metal opened the first of three scheduled shows for Axl Rose recently and were greeted with "not deafening boos, but lots of grumbling and grousing and ... indifference" from the audience.
When Axl came on stage afterward this is what he had to say:
So how'd you like the PIGEONS OF SHIT METAL? Don't worry, that's the last show they're playing with us.
I didn't even know Of Montreal had a new album on the way. It's hard to imagine how they've recorded it, because it seems like they've been on the road constantly since the release of their last, the excellent Sunlandic Twins.
But apparently they have been recording and you can listen to streams of some of the new stuff here.
Of Montreal’s new album, Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? is scheduled for release in January
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Also of note, I haven't seen or heard much press on this, but Beck has a new album out on Tuesday, October 3rd by the name of The Information.
I don't think I'm alone when I say I can't wait to hear it. For one thing, it's a Beck album, and he rarely fails to impress. Second, the album is produced by Nigel Godrich (Radiohead). Finally, Guero was so awesome, everyone should want to hear this on that merit alone.
