HAVE YOU SEEN?: Lorde's "Yellow Flicker Beat"

My goal is to post more often. It's also to make over this site. Let's see if i do either of those things.

I'm totally loving this video Lorde just put out for "Yellow Flicker Beat." Maybe it's just because i'm hungover, but to me this video is like the bizarro version of Miley's "Can't Stop." Please see rationale below:

Sure, Lorde dances like she graduated from the Thom Yorke School of Interpretive Dance:

While Miley ... does this:

But wait a second... what's this? 

They both perform from bed:

They both perform by a window:

Actually, the above image of Miley is a 2-4-1... since they both like performing by vertical slatted shades: 

And both have a fondness for shrubs:

And they both perform from a pool:

And outfit themselves in sheer tops! 

So yeah... I think i'm on to something. 

HAVE YOU HEARD?: TOKYO POLICE CLUB "SWEETNESS" (JIMMY EAT WORLD COVER)

Tokyo Police Club returned to Red Bull Studios Los Angeles yesterday for the second of 10, 10 hour long sessions to rehearse and record their cover of 2002's "Sweetness" by Jimmy Eat World.

Their cover is 100% perfection. It reminds me of why I love this song so much... "Sweetness" is really kind of effortlessly perfect.

Sweetness (Featuring Michael Angelakos of Passion Pit) by TokyoPoliceClub

The band is back in the studio today from 12pm-10pm PST to record 2003's "Under Control" by The Strokes, which will premiere tomorrow at 1pm EST/10am on AltPress.com.

As a reminder, fans can get a glimpse into the studio daily from 7pm-8pm PST at Livestream.com/tokyopoliceclub.

HAVE YOU HEARD?: KAISER CHIEFS "I PREDICT A RIOT"

Well, I suppose The Kaiser Chiefs must be feeling pretty smug right now.



Watching the people get lairy
Is not very pretty I tell thee
Walking through town is quite scary
And not very sensible either

A friend of a friend he got beaten
He looked the wrong way at a policeman
Would never have happened to Smeaton
An old Leodensian

La-ah-ah, lalala la la la
Ah-ah-ah, lalala la la la

I predict a riot, I predict a riot
I predict a riot, I predict a riot

I tried to get to my taxi
A man in a tracksuit attacked me
He said that he saw it before me
Wants to get things a bit gory

Girls scrabble around with no clothes on
To borrow a pound for a condom
If it wasn't for chip fat, they'd be frozen
They're not very sensible

La-ah-ah, lalala la la la
Ah-ah-ah, lalala la la la

I predict a riot, I predict a riot
I predict a riot, I predict a riot

And if there's anybody left in here
That doesn't want to be out there

Watching the people get lairy
Is not very pretty I tell thee
Walking through town is quite scary
And not very sensible

La-ah-ah, lalala la la la
Ah-ah-ah, lalala la la la

I predict a riot, I predict a riot
I predict a riot, I predict a riot

And if there's anybody left in here
That doesn't want to be out there

I predict a riot, I predict a riot
I predict a riot, I predict a riot

HAVE YOU HEARD?: THE HORRORS "STILL LIFE"

WHY THE FUCK ARE THE HORRORS SO FUCKING GOOD?

This song, "Still Life," is unfairly good. This song was written for every human who was ever a moody teen that listened to Echo and the Bunnymen and held on to every utterance from Ian.

I love you. I love you. I love you.

HAVE YOU HEARD?: ZEBRA TRACKS "ISABELLE CREEPS"

Got some more new music for your ears from a band called Zebra Tracks.

I really dig this track called "Isabelle Creeps":
Zebra Tracks - Isabelle Creeps by Zebra Tracks

I'm not really that into this song called "Bicycles":
Zebra Tracks - Bicycles by Zebra Tracks

HAVE YOU HEARD?: SNOWMAN "HYENA"

I have no idea what this Snowman group is about, and I like it that way. I think the less I know about them, the more weird and strange they'll remain to me. Listening to this track "Hyena," all I can think about is some African jungle tribe doing some sort of 2012 Apocalyptic ritual where someone gets sacrificed to the Aliens ... hopefully not me.

recommended if you like: Animal Collective, Sigur Ros, Man Man

Hyena by SNOWMAN

HAVE YOU HEARD?: THE SPINTO BAND "OH MANDY" (ORCHESTRA ARRANGEMENT)

The Spinto Band 'Oh Mandy' (For Orchestra) by ForOrchestra

Everyone always says that when they hear The Spinto Band's "Oh Mandy" they think of me... I just found a orchestra rendition of it!

And... because it's my favorite song of 2011, there's also one of Rebecca Black's "Friday"!!!! (thanks Karen for the link!!!):
Rebecca Black 'Friday' For Orchestra by ForOrchestra

HAVE YOU HEARD?: "BOB DYLAN" COVERING "FRIDAY" BY REBECCA BLACK

Obviously this isn't really Bob Dylan, but this version of the track kind of puts a whole new prospective on the song. Also the line "gotta have my bowl," sounds kind of... different in this context:



(i made the photo composite myself!)

HAVE YOU HEARD?: SLOWED DOWN "FRIDAY"

Rebecca Black's "Friday" is about 2 hours away from being old meme, but there's something about this slowed down version of the track -- reminiscent of Sigur Ros's finest work -- that draws me in. Like the Devil disguised as a Syrian Jap strolling on Ocean Parkway talking about the uy-gay she's dating who has a store... I feel like I'm being happily brainwashed.

HAVE YOU HEARD?: FALLEN ANGELS "SEXY BOY"

AXE [client] just put out a commercial for their new scent, AXE Excite, which features an exclusive cover of Air's 1998 classic track "Sexy Boy" by a choir called The Fallen Angels.

Hear the cover in full: http://bit.ly/hzk201

Watch the commercial:

HAVE YOU HEARD?: ANALOG REBELLION

Analog Rebellion - "You've Been Had (Machine)"

A few years ago I had a record label called Stolen Transmission that went through Island Def Jam. One of the artists signed to the label was an insanely talented and sweet teenager named Dan Hunter who went as PlayRadioPlay!. He was an earnest Christian that we all took bets on trying to figure out when he'd decide that he wasn't into Jesus anymore and into... other stuff. I liked that he was a Christian -- it meant that he'd be less trouble on the road... but he was a precocious kid and it was only a matter of time before the darkside kicked it. It took just about a year. The music industry can make anyone lose their faith in God.

After Stolen Transmission parted ways from Island Def Jam and eventually dissolved, Dan Hunter started a new project called Analog Rebellion. I assume the name change was meant to be reflective of his life changes, musical changes, and well, just changes in general. The music from Analog Rebellion saw more nods to Granddaddy than PRP! did, which seemed to borrow a bit from Postal Service.

On this new track, which I yanked from the Dallas Observer, he seems to play with the rhythm section of The Walkmen's classic "The Rat," while coyly playing homage to one of their earliest works "We've Been Had," in the title "You've Been Had (Machine)."

If you like that song, definitely check out the rest of his work. Daniel is insanely prolific and kind of brilliant. ... i can't believe how much he's grown!!!!

HAVE YOU HEARD?: MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE

I went to see My Chemical Romance last week at Roseland -- one of the best shows I've ever seen -- and the band played a song that I totally thought was Glasvegas and even tweeted that they were covering a Glasvegas song.

It was this one, which i can't embed, boo, but i'm purposely using a live version of the song because the recorded version doesn't have that Glaswegian vibe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1WXwMQgCqM

Does it sound like Glasvegas? If so, which one? I can't put my finger on it. Or is it the Temper Trap?

Either way, i'm not hating. I love that they're pulling that sort of influence! LOVE IT.

HAVE YOU HEARD?: JJ72

JJ72 doesn't exist anymore, but when they did... they stole my heart. I always heard them as the delightful mixture of Placebo, Muse, Smashing Pumpkins and Joy Division. I loved the dynamics of Mark Greaney's voice so much that I wanted to crawl inside his skin and wear it as my own. I also thought he was the hottest thing on earth with weird teeth and Ian Curtis' face (only outdone by his drummer who looked even more like Ian Curtis than Ian Curtis). Oh, and they covered Pet Shop Boys... so, you know, fate and shit.

The first time I heard The Joy Formidable I told friends how much they reminded me of JJ72, and most people looked at me puzzled, except for my friend Johnny (a fellow Irishman just like JJ72). When I asked Johnny if he'd heard of TJF he said no. When I told him to check them out because they reminded me of JJ72, he said "Oh wait! I saw them play and said to my friends that they sounded like a female fronted JJ72."

I wish I had lots and lots of money so i could find my favorite bands from years ago that are no longer together and ask them politely to regroup and play a show for me and my friends and people who love them. JJ72 would probably headline.

Here are my favorite JJ72 songs. Please listen to them LOUDLY and enjoy.

Here are a bunch of their videos:

Here are my reasons for picking each song:

"Formulae" - If you combined all the best parts of JJ72 songs into one track, this would be the one. Mark's angelic voice turning into a manic wail mixed with pixies-style song structures basically equals my heaven.

"Serpent Sky" - the bassline in this song is like sex. it's like having the biggest dong and knowing exactly what to do with it.

"I Saw a Prayer" - this track, from JJ72's second album takes things down a notch. more dreamy and romantic. Very Joy Formidable.

"Nameless" - a ballad from their second album. a total win.

"Snow" - I think this was the first JJ72 song I ever heard. I found out about them because they were opening for Muse in Europe so I went to their website and waited for 30 minutes for the video for this song to load so i could watch it. I waited another 30 minutes so i could watch it again. This was in 2000. The web was slow back then. The lyrics are entirely silly but wonderful all at once.

"October Swimmer" - Actually, maybe this was the first JJ72 song I ever heard. The lyrics are as weird as their name and the chorus soars in ways that would make Matt Bellamy totes jealz.

"Bumble Bee" - This song is a total Nirvana jerkoff fest and it's amazing.

"Not Like You" - Cutesy ballad that would be great on a christmas mix tape.

"Improv" - JJ72's most pared down song. shows how great Mark's voice is.

"Oxygen" - this song is HOT. was one of the first songs i'd ever heard by JJ72. i remember seeing the bassist in the video for this song and instantly crushing on her.

"It's a Sin" - obviously Pet Shop Boys are one of the greatest bands of all time and JJ72 agrees and did this awesome cover.

"Algeria" - this song was on the first album and was a perfect little window to what their 2nd album would become. fucking huge and epic and over the motherfucking top. i wish the last line before the chorus was "guide me through the chorus" instead of "guide me through the colors." that's my only complaint about jj72 ever.

HAVE YOU HEARD?: THE JOY FORMIDABLE ACOUSTIC

Major thanks to my friend Peter Gaston at SPIN.com for sending this over to me... not only did he introduce me to the Joy Formidable, but he also keeps me utterly satiated with their music.

Go to SPIN.com to hear The Joy Formidable play acoustic versions of "Austere," "I Don't Want To See You Like This," and a cover of Passion Pit's "Moth's Wings."

HAVE YOU HEARD?: THE REFUSED

They're no longer around, but this song and video are classic. It makes me want to pump my fist into people's faces.

HAVE YOU HEARD?: JIMMY FALLON AND BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN COVERING "WHIP MY HAIR"

I've been loving that Willow Smith song "Whip My Hair" since September 7, 2010.

I even called it the Best Song of 2010.

I need to thank Audrey Buchanan for sending me this cover that Jimmy Fallon did as Neil Young with Bruce Springsteen as Bruce Springsteen:

HAVE YOU HEARD?: THE JOY FORMIDABLE

Last night I finally got to see a band I've been loving loving loving for months: The Joy Formidable.

A few months ago, after I had seen Jenny Eliscu and Gurj Bassi tweet about them a bunch, my friend Peter Gaston sent me their album, A Balloon Called Moaning, and I instantly fell in love. Like, within 30 seconds of listening to the first song I heard, which was "The Greatest Light is The Greatest Shade," I was dumbfounded by how a band this good could exist:

I would listen to that song non-stop for hours and days. It was dreamy like My Bloody Valentine, but poppy like the Smashing Pumpkins and the perfect song to get me relaxed whenever I was stressing.

I found myself riding my bike around the city with that song pumping through my headphones -- never loud enough -- making me feel like I was flying through the streets in a movie of my own.

Seeing the Joy Formidable last night was amazing. Watching the three piece take over the stage and enchanting the audience with adorableness as they cited their sadness over yesterday being the last day of their tour was too much cuteness to handle... but don't get me wrong, they're not a cute band. Performance-wise, Ritzy played her guitar with as much primal ease as Kurt Cobain, flailing around at times and never missing a note. I looked around to see if there was another guitarist on stage because I couldn't believe how great she was -- not because she was a girl, but because she was just amazing. She didn't seem tethered to an instrument twice her size... rather, it seemed like it was an extra appendage (that she knew how to control way better than any appendages I was actually born with).

It's been so long since I've had a chance to just get so completely lost while watching a band. Thank you, Joy Formidable.

New Single:

HAVE YOU HEARD?: JESSIE J

A new friend of mine just texted me to say "Do you know Jessie J, musical artiste? Vulgar gal rap." Naturally, I want to know about all things musically new that I haven't heard before, especially when it involves a woman breaking down the barriers of femininity that society places on them.

Last night I had a conversation with someone about the concept of "post-feminism" and how I grew up as one of the guys and never thought of myself as a woman/girl held back by the constraints of society. Both my mom and dad worked, and that was never weird at home. My mom also cooked, and that was just what it was. I was always expected to do as well as the guys, if not better (because my parents would tell me that I was THE BEST). Even as the smallest one in my social group (of more guys than girls), it was never assumed that I couldn't do something because I was a girl... it wasn't even assumed that I couldn't reach things that were high up since I was always climbing on stuff like a monkey. Basically, me and my female friends grew up as dudes with slits and that was the ONLY difference (particularly since I didn’t grow boobs until I was about 18).

So the verb "banging" comes into play. It means "to bang" as in "to have intercourse." I was asked "Can a girl bang a guy?" I say yes. I say that if the girl is telling a story about having "intercourse" with a guy, then she can say "i banged that dude." Similarly, a guy can say "i banged that girl," or a person might be able to say "we banged." It puts the power into the hands of the story teller, which, in my mind, neutralizes gender roles. It's not necessarily a bad thing if a person says they banged another person, but it’s slightly less vulgar than to say “fucked” and a lot less awkward than saying “had intercourse with,” or “made love to,” or “railed.”

Anyway, I am a fan of this Jessie J character’s song “Do It Like a Dude,” for this precise reason. She wants to bang and is unapologetic about that. She also c0-wrote Miley Cyrus' "Party in the U.S.A." with Dr. Luke, so I love her for that alone. God Bless!

TEAM FACELIFT

My boy, Matt Raz, edited a video for Team Facelift's "Heart Attack," which was directed by Tommy Mas and is of a song off their new mixtape called "6 Grams". Catch a cameo by one of my favorite dudes on Twitter and in music, Prince Terrence.

I need to go to the party in this video. Matt, where is it and why am I not there?

Oh... and if you've never heard of Team Facelift, their ish doesn't typically sound like this. They usually sound more like License to Ill-era Beastie Boys... which was the Boys' best era, if you ask me.

TEAM FACELIFT - "Heart Attack" from Matt Raz on Vimeo.

SONG OF 2010

I hope that 2010 is defined by Willow Smith's "Whip My Hair."

Here are two videos for the song: