April 18, 2010
Record Store Day 2010
Yesterday marked the third momentous Record Store Day, and for those scratching your heads trying to remember what a record store even is, it’s one of those long-standing places of business being destroyed by this internet thing (no, not those places). Many people have gotten touchy about the demise of local record stores and for three years running have reserved April 17th to do the unthinkable: going out to buy music they could easily get for free from their computer. Because sometimes to keep something you love, you have to do irrational things like getting married or respecting copyright laws.
Since many musicians grew up in such boutiques and, not to mention, appreciate the idea of people paying for their music, tons of big names help out with the festivities by issuing special vinyl records; this year is no exception, and there is a ton of great wax to collect. A few of the highlights include: a double LP of Pavement’s recent Quarantine the Past compilation that even has a different track listing (now Pavement psychos can argue which is better), a sea foam green vinyl of the Flaming Lips cover of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, a vinyl reissue of Modest Mouse’s The Moon and Antarctica, the Hold Steady’s new LP Heaven is Whenever, a 12” of LCD Soundsystem’s new single “Pow Wow,” and get this, a 7” of Blur’s new single “Fool’s Day.”
All of this is pretty cool stuff, but Blur’s choice to premier “Fool’s Day” as a vinyl on Record Day is a hell of a gesture. This is the first song that the full band (including the brilliant Graham Coxon) has made in seven years, and it happens to not suck. A gritty little minor-chord chugger, it has that Blur charm of being simultaneously melancholy, a bit ragged, and damn catchy. Sure, the melody sounds a bit like the Cutting Crew’s “I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight,” but hearing Coxon kick out a sweet riff at the end will make any Blur fan happy. Sadly for us Yanks, the single is only being sold in record stores in the UK, so you will have to stick to the loads of other special records made available yesterday. But if really want to hear ‘Fool’s Day’ you could always find it on, well, the internet. Yeah… that’s a little awkward…. Happy Record Day everybody!
For a list of even more special releases here’s Pitchfork’s list.
by Geoff Anstey
The Flaming Lips Are Covering Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon On New Year’s Eve in Oklahoma City…Guests Expected to Appear at the Show: The Flaming Lips’ Families, and NBA Star Kevin Durant, Possibly the Only Current Residents of Oklahoma City [Pitchfork]
Stream First Track From Ted Leo’s Upcoming LP The Brutalist Bricks, “Even Heroes Have to Die,” Which Features a 15-Second “Oh-Oh” Breakdown; Bricks Due Out March 9, Just in Time to Influence All Kinds of Spring Teenage Love/Angst [Brooklyn Vegan]
Stream a Bunch of Tracks From Dubbed-Out San Francisco Electroheads oOoOO Which Are Equal in Overall Hotness, and Kind of Sounds the Way the Now Defunct Misshapes Parties Looked [Gorilla vs. Bear]
Watch (Washed Up?) Jam Band Phish Cover (Washed Up?) Indie Band TV on the Radio’s “Golden Age;” Feel Confused, then Slightly Outraged, then Wonder How Anyone Could Feel Anything But Indifferent Curiosity Towards This [Spin]
Stream New RJD2 Track, “Games You Can Win,” Which, Sadly, Sucks as Much as Anything RJ Has Done Over the Last Couple Years – Oversaturated, Boring Electropop; The Colossus is Released January 19, and Hopefully Will Be Better Than This Pile [Pitchfork]
Stream New Spoon Single, “Written in Reverse,” Which is Officially Released Tomorrow. The Song Is Super Bluesy, Frustatingly Faux British, and Actually Pretty Good (I Have Never Said this of a Spoon Song; Transference Released January 19 [NPR]
Watch Libertines/Babyshambles Frontman Pete Doherty Accidentally Sing the Nazi-era German National Anthem, Which, As I Don’t Speak German, Is Not Nearly as Funny as It Should Be [NME]
Blur Frontman Damon Albarn Announces New Gorillaz Album Plastic Beach, Which Will Feature Contributions From Snoop Dogg, Lou Reed (?), Mos Def (!) and, Most Excitedly, Bobby Womack; Elsewhere, If You Want to Feel At All Sexy Today, Click that Bobby Womack Link [Spin]
compiled by Max Sebela
Watch Yoko Ono Duet With Antony and the Johnsons’ Antony Hegarty; Feel Melancholy [Pitchfork]
Jay Z Finally Discusses The Whole Little Mama Crashing The VMAs Thing…Contrary To Popular Belief, Jay Believes Fighting Mama Not The Solution (C’mon Jay, That’s What You ALWAYS Say) [Prefix]
Stream Little Joy’s Binki Shapiro Singing a Cute Little Lullaby, “Kids Song” – If Only Kids Listened To This Instead of Stuff Like This…Or, To Take Things One Step Further Into Pseudo-Reality, This. [Gorilla vs. Bear]
Stream Los Angeles Dub-Glitch Guy Flying Lotus’s New Song “Satelllliiiiitteeeeeee” – Wandering, Glitchy, and Lovely [Myspace]
Dan Deacon Announces Fall Tour; Promotes It With Ridiculous Cartoon-Character Naming Contest (Just Spotted The Michelin Man) [Pitchfork]
Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon Announces Hiatus For Bon Iver; Luckily, Unmap, The Recent LP From Vernon’s Side Project Volcano Choir Is Haunting, Sprawling, and Provides Vernon in the Meantime [Prefix]
Blur/Gorillaz Frontman Damon Albarn In Running For London Olympics’ Artistic Director (My Guess: Albarn Replaces All Athletes With Cartoon Characters, Who Perform As Avatars of Real Athletes, A La Those Food Races at Basketball Games) [NME]
Ryan Adams Has First Art Gallery Opening At New York’s Morrison Hotel; In Other News, Ryan Adams Doesn’t Seem A Very Talented Artistl; Should Probably Stick To Releasing 30 Albums a Year and Hanging With Elton John [Spin]
compiled by Max Sebela
August 25, 2009
Blur | Midlife: A Beginner’s Guide to Blur
FRESH BAKED
Blur
Midlife: A Beginner’s Guide to Blur
2009 | Virgin Records
B
To help introduce Blur to a wider audience, Virgin brings us Midlife: A Beginner’s Guide to Blur, which earns its scholarly name by being a curious best of compilation. If you’re looking to be blindsided by a pack of hits, this disc isn’t for you (2000’s The Best of Blur would be more fitting). Instead, Midlife attempts to give a general feel of the band, and tries to display Blur’s knack for albums more than their knack for singles. This isn’t to imply a lack of hits – most of the band’s biggest songs are here – but thrown in with them are deeper album cuts that gain more admiration from avid fans than from singles charts.
Hearing songs like the lush “Blue Jeans” or the foreboding “Death of a Party” helps show that the band is more than the razor sharp, cheeky pop they became famous for, and to the uninitiated (namely Americans), it hints at some of the depth and daring that makes them such a great band. But being a best of, there is still quite a display of the blessed hand they have for pop, and unlike the previous best of, it actually documents how Blur came into their own, spending more time on their breakthrough LP Modern Life is Rubbish. Songs such as “Girl and Boys” or “The Universal” are fine examples of why they are Brit-pop masters, while others like “Chemical World” or the elusive “Popscene” show how they got there.
The album’s approach isn’t perfect, however, and even though it keeps a more organic feel by supplying some left turns, it strays from its purpose by bewilderingly having some weak tracks, at least comparatively. In particular, the songs from the disappointing Think Tank never hold up, and to have three tracks from an album that didn’t even have Graham Coxon (a vital member) in the band is an undeniable mistake. Also there are some bizarre choices such as the frantic “Bug Man” and the spacey “Strange News from Another Star,” which are fine songs, but even as deeper album cuts lack focus, and in no way should have replaced greats such as “Country House” or “End of a Century,” both of which are sorely missed. It’s these oversights that make Midlife a better introduction than representation. Fans will undoubtedly see gaping holes in the collection, but with its abundance of quality, first-timers will hopefully see Midlife as a reason to get into one of the greatest bands Britain has to offer.
by Geoff Anstey
Because When I Think Modest Mouse, I Think New Orleans Honky Tonk (Stream Modest Mouse’s New Single “Perpetual Motion Machine” To Understand) [Spin]
Stream Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold Covering Neutral Milk Hotel’s “Two Headed Boy” [Chocolate Bobka]
Post-Punk Legends Mission of Burma Announce New LP The Sound, The Speed, The Light; Released October 6 [Matablog]
Last Night May Have Been Blur’s Last Reunion Show (Blur Needs to Stop Making Reunited/Broken Up Headlines…They’re Like the Brett Farvre of Music) [Prefix]
Lady Gaga Makes Chart History, Scoring Three Number One Singles Off One Album; Joins Fellow History Makers Avril Lavigne (Ha!) and Ace of Base (Ha Ha!) [Billboard]
Christian Screamo Outfit Confide Make What May Possibly Be the Most Ridiculous Cover/Video of 2009 Thus Far (Spoiler: It’s a Postal Service Cover) [Idolator]
According to Billy Corgan, Billy Corgan Has Earned Right to Keep Using The Smashing Pumpkins Name Sans Any Other Original Pumpkins, Because All Other Members Irrelevant [NME]
Weezer Covers Lady Gaga and MGMT…Begins Set With Shout Of “Let’s Get Our Groove On”…Starting to Look Like a State Fair Headliner. [The Tripwire]
Chicago Producer/Musician/Artiste Jim O’Roure Announces New LP The Visitor; Released September 8 [Pitchfork]
compiled by Max Sebela
Jet Blue Announces Concert Series in JFK’s Terminal 5 – Retains Position as Hippest Airline Ever [Brooklyn Vegan]
AEG Set to Lose $85 Million in Cancelling Michael Jackson’s Scheduled Tour [Billboard]
Billy Corgan Yet Again Insults Public; Reaffirms His Own Alternative-ness [Pitchfork]
Surprise Spoon EP Got Nuffin Shows Up on Amazon With Artwork — Comes Out This Tuesday [Pitchfork]
Blur to Release Live Album of Reunion Shows [Pitchfork]
Jackson More than $400 Million in Debt at Death [Billboard]
New Fleet Foxes Song For Download! [Pitchfork]
39 Michael Jackson Singles Enter the ITunes Top 100 [Prefix]
compiled by Max Sebela
Governor’s Island Free Festival “Punk Island” Announces Line Up…Happening This Sunday! [Brooklyn Vegan]
Man Curses Keith Richards’s Impossibly Long Life on Death Bed [Idolator]
Athens, Georgia’s Georgia Theater Burns Down [Brooklyn Vegan]
Radiohead and Johnny Marr Contribute to The Sun Came Out Benefit [NME]
Islands Announce Follow-Up to Arm’s Way [Pitchfork]
Woman Charged $80,000 Per Downloaded Song By RIAA [Idolator]
Joy Division’s Classic Unknown Pleasures Celebrates 30th Birthday [Prefix]
Kelis Wants $20,000 a Month From Nas For Baby Expenses [Prefix]
Blur, Freshly Reunited, Writes New Material [Rolling Stone]
compiled by Max Sebela
Roadtrip, Anyone? Initial Pop Montreal Lineup Announced [Brooklyn Vegan]
Santigold Working on New Album With Pharrell Williams [NME]
Prefuse 73 Organizes Super-Group [Pitchfork]
The White Stripes Making Documentary of Canadian Tour [Rolling Stone]
De La Soul Touring in Celebration of 20 Years of 3 Feet High and Rising [Brooklyn Vegan]
Mos Def’s New Album Available in T-Shirt Format [Pitchfork]
BAM Announces Schedule for Next Wave Festival 2009 [Brooklyn Vegan]
The Ventures’ Bob Bogle Dies [Rolling Stone]
Members of Blur and New Order Team Up to Form Bad Lieutenant [The Tripwire]
Coldplay Off The Hook In Cat Stevens’ Book [The Tripwire]
compiled by Erin Sheehy
