I have given in to the GaGa

So, I lasted about a year before I have finally give Lady GaGa a chance. Initially I was not impressed, seemed like just another pop princess making bad electro pop. Even though some of the outfits, things on stage she was doing and her overall presentation seemed better than her music, she still seemed annoying and tried too hard. Then I started to read actual decent reviews of her music. Pitchfork became a fan of her new single Bad Romance, the guys from Sound Opinions both gave her album a Buy It on their rating scale and Rolling Stone proclaimed her the future of pop. After all this I caught her video for the mentioned song on TV and it was fun and a little crazy. After watching the full video and hearing Bad Romance in its entirety, I could not get the catchy song out of my head. I am giving it a chance. God knows she is huge right now and seems a bit smarter than the Britneys and Pinks. I just wish Perez Hilton was not her best friend. Still trying to get over that.

Here is the infectious video that brainwashed me into buying her new repackaged album, The Fame Monster.

Bad Romance:

Off to LA for vacation!

Well, I'm off to LA for a week long trip. I'll be staying half the week in Silverlake so I'm hoping to catch a glimpse of some of the locals like Jenny Lewis or Ann Magnuson.

While I'm in LA I will be visiting the famous Amoeba Records. I will be there to pick up the latest by Beach House, Patty Griffin and Charlotte Gainsbourg. I also need to check their back catalog and pick up some more Patti Smith. I'm going to see Patti in a couple weeks, so I am catching up on picking up some of the albums mid way through her career.

It should be a fun trip and I look forward to sharing some exciting stories when I return. I also plan on reviewing albums starting with the batch this Tuesday, so look for that soon:)

Kanye West snubbed by Haiti benefit organizers

As reported on Pitchfork, Prefix and Spinner, Kanye has been dissed by organizers of the Haiti benefit telethon this Friday.

Popeater quotes a producer of the Haiti telethon as saying, "After what he said on the Katrina telethon and the way he behaved at the MTV Video Music Awards, everyone agrees it's just best that he does not participate. Kayne has to make everything about himself. He will do anything to steal the spotlight and, well, this night it's just not about him."(Pitchfork.com)

Let's face it, Kanye is a total ass and the backlash that started after the MTV Music Awards has not ended. Kanye is a decent musician, but its about time people are sick of his shit.

All that aside, the benfit has an all star line up including Madonna, Bono, Jay Z, and more. It will be broadcast pretty much everywhere, all major network and cable channels. Tune in this Friday January 22rd at 8pm. All the music will be available on Itunes the next day.

Coachella Line up announced

Coachella looks pretty amazing this year! I have never been to Coachella and am not really a fan of the outdoor festivals, but this year is the best I've seen in a long time. so many of my favorites are playing: Fever Ray, She and Him, Gossip, Gorillaz, the Dead Weather, Yeasayer, and the list goes on and on.....

Hmmmm, maybe I should look into this, I do have some friends in Cali!

My Girls by Animal Collective becomes My Boys by Taken by Trees

I thought this was a very interesting cover of the popular song My Girls by Animal collective. Taken by Trees makes it into a world music My Boys.

Check out the video:

I like Madonna and I'm not afraid to admit it!

Its true. I have been a Madonna fan since the first album in 1983. Although my music taste has grown and matured, I still love the Queen of Pop. I have seen her in concert many times and its always over the top and impressive. I did not see the last tour, Sticky and Sweet, and its coming out on DVD/CD on March 30th. Here's a preview of what some of us missed:

Winter 2010 guide to new music

I think its going to be another exciting year for music, so I thought I would post an edited down guide to releases I'm excited about. Thanks to Pitchfork.com for always keeping me up to date and informed. If you would like to see a full listing as posted by Pitchfork, please follow the link. Check out the full guide, there is SO much more than what I have below.

http://pitchfork.com/news/37446-the-pitchfork-guide-to-upcoming-releases-winter-2010/

01/26:

Beach House: Teen Dream

Charlotte Gainbourg: IRM (w/Beck)

Patty Griffin: Downtown Church

02/02:

Midlake: The Courage of Others

02/09:

Massive Attack: Heligoland

The Watson Twins: Talking to You, Talking to Me

Yeasayer: Odd Blood

02/23:

Erykah Badu: New Amerykah pt 2 Return of the Ankh

03/02:

Natalie Merchant: Leave your Sleep

03/23:

GoldFrapp: Head First

She & Him: Vol. II

Others without date yet:

!!!

MGMT

Gorillaz

Do you know School of Seven Bells? New Album 2010?

One of my favorite albums of 2008 was an exciting new act out of Brooklyn called School of Seven Bells. They are on the Ghostly International label, which is more well known for techno/electronic acts. The band consists of twin sisters Alejandra and Claudia Deheza as well as Benjamin Curtis. Well, they may have a new album out in 2010. They reported in NME that they have named the new album Disconnect From Desire. No release date has nailed down, but they will be performing some of the new songs in Europe this winter on tour.

Here is a video from their 2008 album Alpinisms:

Cover of new Goldfrapp album

The new Goldfrapp album is getting its finishing touches! Allison has just released the cover of the new album titled "Head First"

Jack White is a busy guy

Jack White is going to be a busy guy in 2010. There is the White Stripes live box set called Under the Great Northern Lights, which includes a documentary, live DVD, live CD, vinyl, and to book to be released on March 16. There has also been talk that new White Stripes material has been started. Currently he is in the studio with one of his many side projects, The Dead Weather(with one of my favorites, Allison Mosshart). The Dead Weather will be offering a 7 inch single with rough cuts of two new songs, Jawbreaker and No Horse. But the project I'm really excited about is that he is producing an album for rock-a-billy queen Wanda Jackson. If it comes out anything close to what he did with Loretta Lynn, it will be fantastic. I read that one of the tracks will be a Amy Winehouse cover, could be pretty cool.

There are many other exciting projects and bands featured on his web page for his Third Man Studios.

The Wild Beasts on tour

One of my favorite new bands(and I say new, as in new to me) is The Wild Beasts. They are coming to America for their first North American tour. It seems they are also playing very small venues. Now is the time to see them, before they start doing opening gigs for bigger acts or catch on with the larger masses.

I recently picked up my tix to see them in Pontiac at The Pike Room on February 20.

Here is the dates and then a video for a music sampling:

02-10 Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour *
02-11 San Francisco, CA - Independent *
02-13 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge *
02-14 Seattle, WA - Chop Suey *
02-17 Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry *
02-18 Chicago, IL - Schubas *
02-19 Chicago, IL - Schubas *
02-20 Detroit, MI - Pike Room *
02-22 Toronto, Ontario - Horseshoe Tavern *
02-24 Boston, MA - Great Scott *
02-25 Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie *
02-26 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom *
02-27 Washington, DC - Black Cat *

New Masssive Attack Album

Massive Attack will release its 5th studio album on Feb 8th and it is titled Heligoland. As usual, the album has a list of guest vocalists, including: Damon Albarn, Martina Topley-Bird, Hope Sandoval, Guy Garvey, Tunde Adebimpe. Adrian Utley from fellow trip hoppers Portishead, will also contribute some assistance on guitars.

Massive Attack was always my least favorite of the trip hop genre. Tricky was always my favorite. So it is no surprise that I am excited to see Martina Topley-Bird on the list of guests.

Here is the track listing:

Pray For Rain - featuring Tunde Adebimpe

Babel - featuring Martina Topley-Bird

Splitting The Atom - featuring Robert del Naja/Grant Marshall/Horace Andy

Girl I Love You - featuring Horace Andy

Psyche - featuring Martina Topley-Bird

Flat Of The Blade - featuring Guy Garvey

Paradise Circus - featuring Hope Sandoval

Rush Minute - featuring Robert del Naja

Saturday Come Slow - featuring Damon Albarn

Atlas Air - featuring Robert del Naja

Here is a performance from last year featuring Martina Topley-Bird with Massive Attack:

New Yeasayer video Ambling Alp

I am one album too late on this great band. Better late than never I guess. I knew about their last album, took a listen, thought it was interesting, but failed to buy it. By the sound of the first single off the new album out soon, I think I have finally given in to the hype that is Yeasayer.

Their new video has already done the rounds on blogs and pitchfork TV. But I thought I would pass it on as well. Here is their new video. Pretty trippy.