Monday, October 5, 2009

Music News: From treadmills to Purple Rain

OK Go shot to fame after their clever treadmill video for "Here It Goes Again" in 2006, but had been around for much longer prior to that. With about seven EPs under their belt and two full-length albums they are set to release their third album titled Of the Blue Colour of the Sky. The band is departing from their alt-rock sound and using influences from Prince's Purple Rain for the new album. Their new single "Shooting the Moon" has also been announced as a track on the New Moon soundtrack. Other artists included on the soundtrack include Thom Yorke, Grizzly Bear and Death Cab For Cutie. As much as this movie franchise stinks, you have to admit they've got some pretty good musical tastes.


I don’t think anyone is going to be surprised to hear that the Lady Gaga/Kanye West ironically titled “Fame Kills” tour has been cancelled already. There’s no official word on why it was cancelled but low ticket sales and backlash against West’s diva behavior are speculated reasons. Everyone has their own opinions about these two trainwrecks but I can admit that I really like both of them, musically speaking. That can’t go without saying that I think they’re both run-of-the-mill assholes.

Add this to the 847598347-billion projects Thom Yorke has going on right now. Yorke debuted a new group featuring Red Hot Chili Peppers’ bassist Flea, Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, Beck drummer Joey Waronker and percussionist Mauro Refosco. They performed two shows on October 4th and 5th at Los Angeles’ Orpheum Theater. They performed music from Yorke’s solo album The Eraser, which Yorke has been performing strictly solo. With the addition of the band, he hopes to bring it more to life.

-Felicia



On to the Monday Playlist...

Sean: I mentioned House of Heroes briefly in my middle-eights piece, but I feel that their awesomeness bears repeating. I've been listening to The End Is Not the End consistently since last winter, and I still never seem to get sick of it. It's nearly flawless, and also a good example of how spirituality can play a role in music without taking over. This is the album's killer opener, "If."

Chris: "You Were Right About Me" by Talk Less, Say More is proof that sometimes downloading a band's music based on their name alone is not a bad thing. A digital copy of the London group's album It's About Time is available for free via Records on Ribs, and it's well worth the mere 2-3 minute wait it takes for it to arrive on your desktop, if only for the aforementioned opening track. It's warm yet murky electronic pop music that dollops on a healthy dose of sadness and a glimpse of hope. As it ebbs and flows in epic fashion, it's hard to not wish the rest of the album was as great as its kickoff track, but nevertheless, just by offering up their music for free and having one outstanding cut on their album, I look forward to keeping tabs on TLSM in the future.



Enjoy. -Sean

9 comments:

ChristianH said...

I was watching Lady Gaga on SNL this weekend and my girlfriend looked asked, "Okay, so why do people like her again?"

And I just shook my head, because about two seconds before she asked me that question I was thinking to myself 'I honestly just don't get it.'

Her voice? Mediocre. Her dancing? Awful. Her "fashion"? Among the worst things I've ever seen. Footage of bodies being dumped into a pit at Auschwitz is easier to look at than that ridiculous bloody tampon of a dress she wore at the VMAs. Seriously, that SNL performance was ungodly bad. Maybe the worst I've seen on that show since Ashlee Simpson's lip-synching debacle.

Here's my honest belief: Somewhere, a couple years ago, two record company executives were hopped up on coke, and one guy bet the other that he couldn't take an obnoxious, facially unattractive, barely talented, poorly-dressed stripper and make her super famous by the end of the decade. Either that, or this whole thing is a practical joke. I can seriously think of no other reason for Lady Gaga.

I'll take Kanye West being a dick to Taylor Swift (because frankly, I'm just jealous that I didn't get to fuck with her myself). Let's face it, Kanye's always been a dick. But the man is talented, and his fashion sense isn't comparable to a mentally handicapped toddler playing dress up.

Lady Gaga? That bitch can fall down a hole head first and get buried alive while worms much away at her honker nose and her probably mile-wide vagina. THAT is a video of Lady Gaga I'd be interested in watching.

ChristianH said...

P.S. Does Thom Yorke's new group have a name? Because that is a lineup I can get behind a million ways (see how I also tied in an OK Go reference there?)

chris said...

Okay, I'll bite. I heard her music first and thought yes, she was incredibly mediocre. And even though her costume designer clearly didn't know how to make that gyroscope dress work, at least she's weird.

I'd take a weird pop star that causes reactions and debate, whether positive or negative, over another traditionally attractive, rote performer anyday.

And I'm not sure whether I should be doing this or not (which probably means I shouldn't) but here I go anyway, because I have no self-control and am trusting that everyone will be understanding...

Christian, you're awesome and a great writer and music commentator, but can you watch the gender based comments in the future? That made me a little ill inside.

Felicia said...

I'm not about to go on some fucking diatribe over why I like Lady Gaga's music. I understand it's totally cool to hate her, but all I have to say is that she sings pop music. Pop music is dumb. I like dumb music sometimes. The end.

Felicia said...

Oh, and I didn't see anything about a name for Thom Yorke's band. It does sound pretty kick-ass though.

And how can you say Kanye's fashion sense isn't comparable to a mentally handicapped toddler playing dress up? Judging that Canadian Tuxedo I saw him wear a while back ago, that is TOTALLY something a mentally handicapped toddler would wear.

Spender said...

I was already a fan of House of Heroes but am glad to learn of Talk Less, Say More. My kinda music.
Lady Gaga? I dunno... I don't hate her or her music. It is, as Felicia says, dumb pop music and there's plenty of that around. Hell, I even find myself bouncing along to it occasionally.
As far as Kanye goes, I can't look at him without asking "Do you like fishticks?"

ChristianH said...

Jeez, we made the jump from Pajiba and people got touchy. I apologize.

Felicia said...

Touchy? I don't think so. I just don't think Lady Gaga is worth getting your panties in a bunch over.

Boo said...

haha. I love awkwardness.