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Sunday, September 30, 2007

New Radiohead Album "In Rainbows" announced

radiohead in rainbows mp3

Surprise! There's a new Radiohead album that will be available online on October 10 through this site. You can order a discbox (pictured above, pricey at 80 quid) or a download version (choose your own price, even free!). I've got my copy reserved. Links below are to hype machine live tracks. Amazingly, most of the new album tracks are already available in some live form.

CD 1 AND VINYL (also available via download)
radiohead in rainbows mp3 15 STEP
radiohead in rainbows mp3 BODYSNATCHERS
radiohead in rainbows mp3 NUDE
WEIRD FISHES/ARPEGGI
radiohead in rainbows mp3 ALL I NEED
FAUST ARP
radiohead in rainbows mp3 RECKONER
radiohead in rainbows mp3 HOUSE OF CARDS
JIGSAW FALLING INTO PLACE
radiohead in rainbows mp3 VIDEOTAPE

CD 2 AND VINYL (not available by download)
MK 1
radiohead in rainbows mp3 DOWN IS THE NEW UP
radiohead in rainbows mp3 GO SLOWLY
MK 2
radiohead in rainbows mp3 LAST FLOWERS
radiohead in rainbows mp3 UP ON THE LADDER
radiohead in rainbows mp3 BANGERS AND MASH
radiohead in rainbows mp3 4 MINUTE WARNING

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DJMonsterMo | 10:10 PM | View Comments »



Sunday, September 16, 2007

Rilo Kiley Live at the Riviera Theatre, Chicago, IL - Portions for Foxes, Rise Up With Fists (video), also Grand Ole Party and Johnathan Rice

    Rilo Kiley played a fantastic set at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago last night.

    First things first. The opening band Grand Ole Party was pretty darn good. Pardon my ignorance; I hadn't heard of them before. They have an uncanny similarity to one of my favorite bands, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and that's not a bad thing. Her big voice, which has a touch of Beth Gibbons XL flavor, belies her tiny frame. Check out their songs "Look Out Young Son" and "Belle Isle".

    grand ole party mp3 Grand Ole Party - Look Out Young Son (MP3)
    grand ole party mp3 Grand Ole Party - Belle Isle (MP3)
    grand ole party video Grand Ole Party - Bad Bad Man (video)

    Johnathan Rice (Jenny "Cradle-Robber" Lewis' boyfriend, 7 years her junior; yeah, I'm jealous) came on next and performed quite a few tunes from his new album 'Further North'. Highlights included "We're All Stuck Out in the Desert" and of course "End of the Affair" featuring a guest vocal from Jenny Lewis (which made the place go apesh*t).

    johnathan rice mp3 Johnathan Rice (hype machine)

    Jenny Lewis graced us with her presence in a gaudy sequined outfit that would have put Prince or Michael Jackson to shame in their heyday. The important thing was that her voice outshone the unnecessary glitter. The burning question for me, however, was how the new album material would fare in a live setting. As you may know, 'Under the Blacklight' is quite a polarizing album for critics and fans alike (see my review below). However, the live renditions of the songs off 'Under the Blacklight' thankfully shed the artifice of the studio sheen for the energy and edginess that endears the band to fans.

    I believe this was the set list. I might have the order mixed up (maybe I'm getting senile; at least I felt that way with all the 18-somethings in the place). Let me know if there are any mistakes or omissions.

    It's A Hit (A rousing start to the set.)
    Close Call
    Portions For Foxes (Definitely got the place going.)


    rilo kiley portions for foxes live riviera theatre concert video Rilo Kiley - Portions for Foxes (live at the Riviera Theatre)

    Paint's Peeling
    Breakin' Up
    Dreamworld
    The Moneymaker (*Cringe*, just as bad live as on the album.)
    Wires And Waves
    Ripchord (Featuring Blake on the Uke!)
    With Arms Outstretched (Everyone was singing along; a real nice moment)
    Silver Lining (There was a false intro to the title track "Under the Blacklight" before they transitioned song. There also bounced aroundlarge balloons filled with silver confetti.)
    I Never
    Smoke Detector
    15
    Rise Up With Fists! (Jenny Lewis 'cover')


    rilo kiley rise up with fists live riviera theatre concert video Rilo Kiley - Rise Up With Fists (live at the Riviera Theatre)

    Greetings In Braille (The Elected 'cover', featuring Jenny Lewis on the melodica!)
    Spectacular Views
    (Extended Coda)

    Encore:
    Give A Little Love
    Does He Love You?

    My review of Under the Blacklight:
    I was quite rattled by Rilo Kiley's squeaky clean production quality, afraid that it would dilute and attenuate the rough indie edge that I had enjoyed on prior albums. The album tries to achieve a daring blend of indie rock, 80s pop, folk, and country. The results are mixed. While I love this band to death, it was hard for me to let them off the hook here. This is probably my least favorite Rilo Kiley album. The songwriting has generally gotten a bit better, with the glaring exceptions of "The Moneymaker" and "Smoke Detector". "Dejalo" sounds like it belongs on a Gloria Estefan album. "Dreamworld" isn't a bad song but it plays like an homage or rip-off of Fleetwood Mac. As usual, the highlights on the album are songs that effectively showcase Jenny Lewis' vocals (i.e. "Silver Lining" and "Under the Blacklight"). "Give a Little Love" is a charming little ditty reminiscent of playful early era Rilo Kiley (circa "The Initial Friend" EP).

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DJMonsterMo | 11:06 AM | View Comments »



Saturday, September 15, 2007

SBL - LJ Dissing (MP3), a Larry Johnson Diss Rap?

    lj larry johnson dissing sbl mp3
  • ESPN reported on the following: Rap linked to Chiefs' Johnson stirs controversy in K.C.
    The rapper rips on Priest Holmes and the KC GM.
  • LJ denies the allegations
  • The alleged rap is by a group called "SBL" and their myspace is located here. However, they removed the alleged song and youtube video.
    SBL updated their myspace with the following apology:
    The L.J. Track that has been posted and reported through the news radio and tv is in fact a fake. We used this to gain publicity for SBL & Basement Entertainment, and the CD to be put out in Dec.
    We want to apologize, first and foremost to L.J. & Joe Hall, but also to the Chiefs Football Team, for any problems or harm that may have been caused by our actions.

  • According to ESPN:
    Basement Entertainment owner James Tinberg told NBC affiliate KSHB that Johnson recently was at a party freestyle rapping and that the song was cut into a 3.5-minute rap. He told the station that the lyrics were edited to make Johnson "say funny stuff."

  • Well, here's the MP3. Is it LJ? Judge for yourself. lj larry johnson dissing sbl mp3 SBL - LJ Dissing (MP3)

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DJMonsterMo | 8:41 AM | View Comments »



Sunday, September 09, 2007

Hideout Block Party Day 2: Andrew Bird - Fake Palindromes (live video)

Day 2 at Hideout was great, even for the little bit that I got to enjoy (and in spite of Michigan getting crushed). True to form, I arrived late, delayed by tennis and college football. The Wolverines have gone from bad to dreadful; it was so painful to watch them. And I missed Dan Deacon and Art Brut to watch them have their asses handed to them. Stupid, stupid. Anyhoo, back to the main topic...

When I arrived, The Blue Ribbon Glee Club was on stage. They are a curious Chicago-based group who bill themselves as "Chicago's finest punk rock glee club". They did some interesting covers but didn't have a great mic set-up. Their cover of David Bowie's "Life on Mars" was pretty good. They also performed a fantastic cover of the Pixies' "Where Is My Mind" with The Frames, much better than the one they have on file here:
blue ribbon glee club mp3 Blue Ribbon Glee Club - Where Is My Mind (Pixies cover, live at Ronny's, MP3)
Their recorded cover of Fugazi's "Waiting Room" is better:
blue ribbon glee club mp3 Blue Ribbon Glee Club - Waiting Room (Fugazi cover, live, location unknown, MP3)

The Frames were quite good, although most of the crowd wasn't really feelin' it. I think their set would have been better in a small venue (or if talkers were muzzled).


andrew bird fake palindromes live video hideout block party Hideout Block Party Day 2: Andrew Bird - Fake Palindromes (live video)

Andrew Bird's set was fantastic and far exceeded my expectations. The dual sometimes-rotating horn-shaped gramophone speakers behind him added an otherworldly Leslie speaker-like effect to a set already filled with many interesting elements such as his idiosyncratic vocal delivery, his whistle and loop pedal bag of tricks, and his violin and guitar skills. Sorry, the first bit of the video is out of focus.

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DJMonsterMo | 12:10 AM | View Comments »



Saturday, September 08, 2007

Hideout Block Party Day 1: Bloc Party - Banquet (live video)


hideout block party bloc party video Hideout Block Party Day 1: Bloc Party - Banquet (live video)

Bloc Party kicked off the new leg of their U.S. tour at the Hideout Block Party in Chi-town yesterday. The lead singer Kele Okereke has a good sense of humor; he joked about being excited to play at the "world famous Hideout Block Party that we named our band after" (well, after day 2's lineup, there might be more buzz about this party; see below). They performed selections from 'Silent Alarm' and 'A Weekend in the City'. The performance exceeded my expectations and the crowd was fairly into it. It confirmed for me however that 'Silent Alarm' indeed has better songs live as well as on CD as "Banquet", "So Here We Are", and "Like Eating Glass" really generated the most crowd excitement. I left before the two encores to retrieve my car from its illegally parked location at the local Home Depot. Day 2 today: Cass McCombs, Head of Femur, Dan Deacon, Art Brut, The Frames, and Andrew Bird!

Day 1 featured
6:00 south stage
The Cinematics Glasgow, Scotland U.K.
6:30 north stage
Scotland Yard Gospel Choir
7:00 south stage
The Changes
7:30 north stage
The 1900s
8:30 south stage
Bloc Party London U.K.
10:00 truck stage
Scary Toesies Puppet Theater

Day 2 features
12:00 truck stage
Steven Krakow's Guitarkestra
12:30 south stage
Cass McCombs Los Angeles
1:15 north stage
Golden Horse Ranch
Square Dance Band
2:15 south stage
Head of Femur
3:15 north stage
O'Death New York City
4:00 truck stage
Dan Deacon Baltimore
4:45 parade / south stage
Mucca Pazza
5:15 north stage
Punk Band
5:30 south stage
Art Brut London U.K.
6:30 north stage
Blue Ribbon Glee Club
7:00 south stage
The Frames Dublin, Ireland
8:15 south stage
Chicago Short Film Brigade / Bird Video
8:30 south stage
Andrew Bird
10:00 central screen
Movies

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DJMonsterMo | 10:55 AM | View Comments »