This past weekend I had to drive way thefugout to the suburbs during a gigantic storm which made a 30 minute trip take about 80. Thankfully, I had the peace of mind to allow myself a cocktail as soon as I got to dinner and also the luck of finding some old mix CDs I had made for car trips.

On one said CD, is one of my very favorite Bonnie "Prince" Billy songs, "Aint You Wealthy, Aint You Wise". It was perfect for feeling lonely in the car on a rainy summer night and made me crave a dimly lit room with only candlelight, a glass of shiraz, a blanket and comfy pants. Of course, none of that could happen because I had to meet my family in suburbia for a pleasantly awkward dinner.

Anywho, it ended up being oddly great timing to be thinking of the great bearded one because he just put out a new EP with Cheyenne Marie Mize called Among The Gold and you can have it FOR FREE!

About the album:

“In the summer of 2008,” describes Mize, “there was a place called Funtown where about 300 lucky folks saw the first official coming-together of The Picket Line, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, and myself. In preparation for this little event, I met and began rehearsing with Will. After our first rehearsal together he asked me to join his touring band for the following Spring.

I had had the idea behind Among the Gold brewing for some time- originally thinking it was going to be me alone- to take some of my favorite very, very old tunes and record them. I offered the idea to Will, needing only a mic and a good room for recording, and he offered me a mic and a good room for recording. I asked him to sing a couple of the songs as duets as well. In the process we very much enjoyed singing together and we decided that they would all make great duets so it became more of a collaborative effort, with him helping me to decide on the rest of the tunes we would record, and helping me with instrumentation and arrangement decisions. And then it was.”

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? No wait, I mean, am I kidding you? NO I AM NOT! Legendary producer, musician and Guiness Book of World Records holder for longest solo concert performed, Chilly Gonzales, has now written, produced and directed a film. But wait, it gets better...

Written and produced by Gonzales, Ivory Tower stars Tiga and Peaches and Gonzo himself. The story centers around two champion chess-playing brothers, Hershell (Gonzales) and Tiga (Thadeus) who share a love for the same girl Marsha (Peaches), and confirms Gonzales as the musical prodigy and legendary all-round entertainer he’s always claimed to be. The film is supported by an album of the same by Chilly, produced by Boy Noize, being released September 14th on Arts & Crafts, and the film will be hitting the festival circuit before getting theatrical release later this year. And check out the music video for the track “I Am Europe” which serves as an unofficial trailer for the video, and brace yourself for some comic genius and amazing music!

I mean, you pretty much just have to say the magical word, "Peaches", and I'm completely sold. I'm not a chess fan, but I am HUGE fan of Jewish-sounding names like Hershell. It's already an award-winner in my book.

Check out the Music Video/Film Trailer here:

When I was in college, there was this awesome club in Cambridge, Mass called ManRay. I'd go for gay night and occasionally goth/industrial night (mostly because there was this hot goth chick who I had a huge crush on). I'm sure I set off all the nerd alerts as soon as I walked into the dance space - I mean, hell, I didn't own any black clothing at the time eventhough it's supposed to be a slimming color. While I was far from being goth, I ended up really liking the music being played. Between electro-industrial like Siouxsie Sioux, the emo-tones of The Cure or the more hardcore shouts of Nitzer Ebb, I was a music nerd in paradise.

Fast forward ten a few years and there's a young Chicago band bringing me back to some of my most awkward glory days.

To me, White Car sounds a bit like Nitzer Ebb and Joy Division blended together. Their four-song No Better EP could use a little polishing but the duo is on the right track and I hope they get busy working on a full-length soon.

For those of you in Chicago, they've got a few shows coming up - for anyone who has spent a good amount of time at Exit, this should be right up your alley.

Jul 31 2010 9:00P Pilsen Music Festival Chicago, IL

Aug 1 2010 9:00P @ Empty Bottle

Aug 6 2010 9:00P @ The Hideout Chicago, IL

Sep 25 2010 9:00P @ Secret Robot Project NYC

You'll have to wait until late September to grab the second full-length from indie pop trio Unicycle Loves You, but if you're in the Chicagoland area, the three-piece will be playing Lincoln Hall opening for Tapes n' Tapes (fantastic band if you haven't heard of them) next Thursday, July 22nd.


They will, no doubt, be playing jams from the forthcoming, Mirror Mirror, which is a dreamy album perfect for late summer when the sun sets and you think, "Hmmm, should I grab my hoodie?"

Download the title track: Mirror Mirror

Anyone who knows me knows that I am an animal lover. I have actually had to flee the grounds of a humane society building in Indiana due to my inability to stop crying while looking at the dogs and cats in captivity.

So it warms my heart to see people making a difference in the lives of abandoned or mistreated animals. Tomorrow, the Red Door Animal Shelter is having a fundraiser at Insight Studios tattoo shop (1062 N. Milwaukee, Chicago). 100% of the proceeds at the store will go to the shelter so if you're on the market to get a tattoo, please consider getting it done there (just make sure you either take public transportation, walk or don't leave anything out in the open in your car due to some assholes who crack the glass and have been known to take GPS gear).

Lily's latest video is an amazing work of eye-fuckery. It only makes sense that her fans are as adorable as she is - and now thousands of them are singing alongside her - eventually making up a giant virtual Lily. I'm hungover and my brain isn't properly functioning so there's a good chance that doesn't make sense. Watch the video to see what I'm talkin' bout.

The start of summer concert festival season has begun. This weekend I'll be sweating it out with hipsters almost half my age at the Pitchfork Music Festival. I'll also be hitting up Lilith Fair with a new crop of lesbians who didn't get to experience the sounds of Sarah McLachlan and Co. the first times around.

The one festival that hopefully will not make me feel old because I'll be a virgin attendee is HARD fest. Shit is gonna get real as Canadian electronic duo Crystal Castles headlines 12 dates around the nation.

I'm going to brush up on my coolness before then but hope to see you out at the Congress Theater on August 13th.

Download:

Black Panther (Story of Isaac Remix)

Courtship Dating (video)

Dolls (Alice Practice b-side)

Untrust Us (Alex Zelenka Remix)

Crystal Castles vs. HEALTH - Crimewave

Oh sure, some may call Batusis a "supergroup", what with guitarists from Rocket From The Tombs and the New York Dolls, but I'd just call them fucking awesome. Saturday, July 17th Batusis will be taking over Reggie's Music Joint in support of their new 4-song EP.

Cheetah Chrome (Dead Boys/Rocket from The Tomb) and his partner in crime, Sylvain Sylvain (New York Dolls) will be playing their dirty rocking blues-infused punk with Prima Donna opening.

--BATUSIS SUMMER 2010 U.S. TOUR--

July 14 Nashville, TN The Rutledge

July 15 Memphis, TN The High Tone

July 16 St. Louis, MO Off Broadway

July 17 Chicago, IL Reggie's Rock Club

July 18 Detroit, MI Small's

July 20 Toronto, ON The Opera House

July 21 Cleveland, OH Beachland Ballroom

July 23 New York, NY Irving Plaza

July 24 Long Branch, NJ Brighton Bar

July 25 Philadelphia, PA M Room

July 27 Erie, PA The Crooked I

July 28 Baltimore, MD Bourbon Street

July 29 Washington, DC Black Cat

July 30 Charlotte, NC Tremont Music Hall

July 31 Atlanta, GA The Earl




Batusis Vinyl

Batusis Digital - iTunes

Batusis Digital - Amazon

What's better than meeting your future bandmate in a 7-11 parking lot? Meeting them in a Dairy Queen parking lot! Seriously, have you ever eaten one of their dipped cones? When I picture heaven, there will be a 24-hour Dairy Queen and dipped cones and blizzards for everyone. Also, you won't gain weight.

Anywho, two out of the three bandmates from Michigan-based band Breathe Owl Breathe met in a Dairy Queen parking lot and as Elastica sings, "A connection (was) made" between Micah Middaugh and Andréa Moreno-Beals. The third band member, Trevor Hobbs, was added to the mix after he and Micah turned a party into an improvised zombie movie. Who do I have to screw in order to hang out with these people?

Their upcoming album, Magic Central will be out at the end of September but you can view the video and download the title track here:

Breathe Owl Breathe - Own Stunts from Magic Central on Vimeo.

Rhymesayers ninjas, Eyedea and Abilities are bringing their MC/DJ tag team to The Bottom Lounge in Chicago this July 22nd. Get your mind blown by some of the illest, fastest rhymes straight from the devil's tongue.

Download: This Story

I know my birthday isn't for another eight months or so, but I'm going to go ahead and put in an early request for someone to buy me a sex saxophone. I'm sure you can get one on the cheap on eBay (fingers crossed!).

In my humble opinion, Bjork is one of the most talented artists on the planet - she is also an activist to preserve the earth's beauty. She has teamed up with the Dirty Projectors to create an album whose proceeds will all directly benefit the National Geographic Society Ocean Initiative.

The track below, "Mount Wittenberg Orca", is about whales, and you can actually hear the distant, cold, nautical influence in the vocal layers put together by Bjork, David Longstreth, Amber Coffman, Angel Deradoorian and Haley Dekle. If you've ever gone whale watching or seen a program about them on tv, you can hear their siren calls back and forth to each other and this is exactly what this song encapsulates. Just beautiful.

Dirty Projectors + Björk- All We Are by DominoRecordCo

Shakira, why are you so adorable? I need more of you in my life and I'm not just saying that because your hips don't lie. You love the XX, I love the XX and I heart you so hard!

I can't claim to have known about this gorgeous pairing all along - someone passed the link on to me and I must say, I'll be listening to Ellie Goulding and Erik Hassle's beautiful and heartbreaking duet, "Be Mine", for the remainder of the day.

While I took a 10 minute break from listening to the new Christina Aguilera masterpiece (and yes it IS a masterpiece), I decided to check out the new Lady Gaga video for Alejandro. Everyone, but especially Perez Hilton, has been drinking the Gaga kool-aid and hitting it hard this year. But really, this 9 minute video (I didn't even have time to go to the bathroom during my break) is a snoozefest. Hmmm where have I seen and heard most of this stuff before? Oh yes, Madonna did all of it minus maybe sexually objectifying Crispin Glover look-alikes. Really, Crispin Glover as a sexpot, mmmmnothanks.

Seriously:

Estelle keeps bringing the jams and this couldn't have come at a better time. "Fall In Love" is a perfect summer song to listen to while holding hands with someone special on a sunny day.

I am so obsessed with Groove Armada now that they've got SaintSaviour as their front-woman. Talk about taking things up a notch or ten. Well they've put out a fantastic new video for their jam "Look Me In The Eye Sister". I love the imagination that went into this. Also, it kind of reminds me (creepily enough) of the CSI serial killer who would make dioramas of her victims' crime scenes. Don't worry there's no blood in this video, just rockin' out.

While this isn't super polished, I am totally digging the DIY sensibility of True Womanhood's song and video for "The Monk". The kids look like they know how to have a good time, and I am all for that.

Grounded on friendships going back to middle school, True Womanhood band members Thomas Redmond, Melissa Beattie and Noam Elsner play in an instinctual style that is sonically and emotionally loud. Obviously, the trio’s sound is also catchy and timeless if the press love and props from other bands including HEALTH, A Place to Bury Strangers, and Titus Andronicus is any indication.



Not everyone loves True Womanhood though, it seems. Band member Thomas Redmond explains, “We were asked to come up with a song for a World Cup compilation coming out in the UK and the country we were assigned was Slovenia. When we submitted the song it was harshly rejected for sounding like ‘a chant to the devil.’ They actually said that! We found this to be pretty amazing, but even better, the next day we heard back that the song had actually grown on them.”



Apparently, Devil chants can be endearing with time… See for yourself – check out this unreleased True Womanhood if you dare right HERE . Additionally, the band recently debuted the video for the Basement Membranes single, “The Monk.” The video was shot guerilla style throughout Washington, D.C. as documented by Brightest Young Things right HERE. Check out the tune The Monk for this addictive and melodic slice of heaven.

If experimental down-tempo music is what you're looking for, please feast your eyes and ears on the sounds coming from Eluvium and Julianna Barwick.

Eluvium's latest album, Similies, has gotten rave reviews and each song reminds me of Joy Division putting lyrics to Moby's song, "The Rain Falls And The Sky Shudders". All in all, a great album to do your work to on a rainy day when you don't need distractions.

Juliana Barwick has a similar sound but with a much more electronic overtone. The first track off of her latest EP, "Sunlight, Heaven", immediately brings to mind whale watching on the Discovery Channel.

Julianna Barwick's experimental soundscapes are in part informed by her experience growing up in Louisiana and Missouri, singing weekly with her church congregation and school choirs. Her loop-based compositions replicate the soaring textures of a large choral group using only her voice, a loop station and some occasional instrumentation. Barwick starts her songs quietly, usually with a single refrain, and then builds the pieces up until she's created a complicated, weaving sonic architecture. Her extraordinary range and vocal technique propels the music into a variety of different emotional spaces, from feverish to tranquil.

If you're in the mood for some low-key live music, check the two out together at the below dates:

05.13 - St. Augustine FL @ Cafe Eleven
05.14 - Atlanta GA @ The Earl *
05.15 - Asheville NC @ Flood Gallery Fine Arts Center *
05.16 - Carrboro NC @ Cat's Cradle *
05.17 - Washington DC @ DC9 *
05.19 - New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge *
05.20 - Allston MA @ Great Scott *
05.21 - Montreal @ Casa del Popo *
05.22 - Toronto @ The Drake *
05.24 - Chicago @ Schuba's *
05.25 - Indianapolis, IN @ Big Car Gallery
05.26 - Louisville @ 21C Museum
05.28 - Lawrence, KS @ Jackpot Saloon
05.30 - Denver @ Larimer Lounge
05.31- Salt Lake City @ Kilby Court

* w/ Julianna Barwick

>

My next door neighbor is going to kiss the ground I walk on when I tell him (if he doesn't already own it) that The Judy Garland Show: Volumes One, Two & Three have come to DVD. While he's not the queeniest queen in the castle, he's got a gigantic poster of Judy up on his wall and usually when I take my dogs out at the end of the evening I can hear show tunes blaring from his television. This might be the perfect gift to get him for Memorial Day.

I am way too young and butch to have known Ms. Judy had her own variety show, but apparently it was critically acclaimed and was even nominated for an Emmy. You posthumously go girl!

Here's what the release has to say:

Ending its critically acclaimed, Emmy-nominated CBS-TV run after just one season (1963-64), the show’s 26 episodes are revered by many today as the legendary entertainer’s finest work.

Come along for these two delightful episodes featuring legendary, multi-Grammy Award-winning songstress Lena Horne; comic actor Terry-Thomas (It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World); masterful, Grammy- and Emmy Award-winning crooner Tony Bennett; comedian/singer Dick Shawn; and series regular Jerry Van Dyke.

Restored and digitally remastered from the original videotapes and digitally remixed sound in 5.1 surround sound, this dynamic diva will move you like no one else!

Swedish pop goddess Robyn will be debuting a new album in June and it is the hotness. Check out this tight remix of "Dancin' On My Own" from Fred Falke.

Robyn - Dancing On My Own (Fred Falke Edit)bysheenabeaston

There is a bounty of new music today but I'd like to take the time out to recognize a group you may not know about simply because they are making my ears very happy at the moment.

Stereo Total first tickled my fancy when I heard "I Love You, Ono" - a very whimsical and fun ditty put out all the way back in '99. That song, is still just as fun today but their title track, "Baby Ouh", showcases more of their sultry side.

It's your lucky day because their label (my favorite), Kill Rock Stars, has posted a free single off of all Stereo Total albums free for your downloading pleasure:

KRS has posted a FREE MP3 with the release of each Stereo Total album,
check it out:

Ich Bin Der Stricherjunge

I Love You, Ono

Touche-moi

I Am Naked

LA, CA, USA

C'est la Mort

L'Amour À 3

Check out their live show:

August 2010

25 - New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge

26 - Cambridge, MA @ Middle East

27 - Montreal, QC, Canada @ La Sala Rossa

28 - Toronto, ON, Canada @ El Mocambo

29 - Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick

30 - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle

31 - Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey

September 2010

1 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir

2 - San Francisco, CA @ Slim's

3 - Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex

4 - Austin, TX @ Mohawk

Oh hai there leather, lace, gyrating hotness. There are almost no words except that the genie in the bottle of yore certainly came through on granting at least my wish.

Go ahead and kiss those girls Xtina, kiss them good.

Taking a page out of Madonna's Rules of Slut, Christina Aguilera is primed to drown you in a pool of sex when the video for her first single, "Not Myself Tonight" is released in its entirety. Here's a little taste of what we're in for. I'm talking, whips, crops, canes whatever - come on baby let's go.

There is absolutely no false advertisement when it comes to the debut EP from experimental electronic band, Fates. Murky Circuits sounds like a highly caffeinated robot took over a decrepit Radio Shack and had its way with anything it could grab.

The trio is comprised of Django Voris, Moritz Wettstein and PJ Norman who all share a love of experimental music. They literally hooked up all of their laptops and then tried to connect as many other electronic items as they could to generate new sounds. The end result is actually quite surprising.

It's weird for me to think I could find this enjoyable since it's not electronic dance music - but this is about the most tangible experimental music I've heard. Even without lyrics or a melody there is an obvious progression between the sounds that makes this a perfect listen while reading a spy novel.

If you're looking to branch out and test the experimental waters, this is the perfect pool to dip your toes into. Listen to their EP at their website.

Green screen, Beth, Nathan, Hannah, "Pop Goes The World" = fun times.

Not only does Dances With White Girls bring me back to the good old days of seeing how low I could go on the dancefloor (really really low for those of you who were wondering), he's also got THE greatest DJ name in all the land. Oh, and he's generous too - check out and download his set of remixes for everyone from Franz Ferdinand to Crystal Waters.

Latest tracks by danceswithwhitegirls

A few days ago I got to chat with the very tall, very dreamy, Tyler Hilton. When I used to podcast for the CW Source last year, I had to go back and watch the old seasons of One Tree Hill. Luckily, I watched it all at night time when I could play drinking games with myself for every time Peyton moped, Lucas squinted and Brooke got slutty. Tyler had a guest starring role for most of the second season and I absolutely hated his character - so I made sure to tell him so in the interview.

See it here in all its glory and then check out his single, "Sunset Boulevard" off of his upcoming album, The Storms We Share. Also, follow Tyler on Twitter.

I loved the Local Natives before, but their cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "Cecilia" is kiss-with-tongue-worthy. Here they prove you can pretty much make music anywhere you're at so long as you have some stuff to hit, some good looking guys and a guitar. Jubilation.

This is the trailer for the upcoming release, "A Million In The Morning", which not only looks like it kicks a thousand asses, but it can boast an impressive soundtrack featuring the likes of Jay Electronica, DJ Honda, RJD2, EL-P, The Death SET and more.

The DVD is available now on www.amillioninthemorning.com.

LCD Soundsystem get their clocks cleaned by a group of vicious pandas while filming the video for "Drunk Girls" the first single from their latest release, This is Happening. It looks like a lot of fun, but it also looks like there will be bruising tomorrow.

One has to wonder if Bachelorette's (Annabel Alpers) third album, My Electric Family, is an extension of her single, "My Electric Husband" off of her last album The End of Things. Either way, Family is like a lullaby for robots. Alpers combines electronic elements with brass and syrupy-sweet vocals which of course, reminds me a bit of Au Revoir Simone and Stereolab.

Immediately, "Instructions for Insomniacs" has a swinging beat and the soft beauty of a California sunset by the ocean with a flute fluttering the song out like the last of the lightning bugs.



Oddly enough, the song goes into the nightmarish ominous tones of "The National Grid", whose layered vocals sound like a clock whose time is about to run out.



One of my favorite tunes off of the album is "Mindwarp" - total funkadelic disco perfect to do "the bump" to.



The rest of the songs are a bit more even-keeled, ending with "Little Bird Tell Lies" - which conjures up some nostalgia.



File this one under: great to listen to at the beach when you can people-watch and enjoy some nice weather.

I love me some Elijah Wood. No, he does not give me "the feeling" but that face of his makes me think of unicorns, Hostess cupcakes and monchichis. I have no idea why exactly he's in this Apples In Stereo video, but I'm enjoying him nonetheless.

Ugh I totally put my bitchy pants on this morning and there is no rhyme or reason for it. In order to combat whatever monster took over my sanity, I will be drinking herbal tea, going for a run and zoning out to Beach House.

Beach House - Zebra

Beach House - The ArrangementbyBella Union

Her dimples are as cute as a thousand Justin Biebers and homegirl has some serious pipes. So far this is my favorite cover of the day and someone over at the Disney channel needs to get in touch with this chick.

Rich Hil has teamed up with Chicago's own Kid Cudi on a slow track with some paranoid piano samples on "Won't You Tell Me". This track will be featured on Hil's upcoming mixtape, Limos Nostra Act. 1.

Rich Hil - Won't You Tell Me

James Murphy has been a busy mo fo. When he's not scoring movies or putting out other band's albums on DFA he's recording his own. LCD Soundsystem's latest album, This Is Happening, will be out May 18th but they're streaming it in its entirety on the band's website right now. After one listen so far, I'm giving it 4 booty shakes. That's a good thing in case you aren't sure which way my booties sway.

LCD Soundsystem - Drunk Girls

I am super pumped for the new Band of Horses to come out (eventhough it is supposed to be a huge departure from their last album). Their song "No One's Gonna Love You" can still bring a tear (or three) to my eyes whenever I hear it.

All I can say about "Laredo" is that there is mention of a Kia and that is not good if that's my takeaway. Still, it's a pretty song and as per usual the voices sound polished and mellow - I'm excited to hear the rest.

Olivia Merilahti, one half of French/Finnish duo - The Dø, sets the tone of the album as her childlike vocals shout "We are - not crazy. We are not afraid of you adults!". "Playground Hustle", the first song off of their first full-length, A Mouthful, takes you on a journey on a map that leads you everywhere and nowhere at once. It is an adventure captained by the pirates who have marauded our ears for over an hour yet leave us craving more.



An album favorite, and the song that first made me take notice, "On My Shoulders" is a heartbreaking look at love that is just as good acoustic as it is remixed into a dance ballad.

Merilahti's voice pleads:

Why would I carry such a weight on my shoulders

Why do I always help you carry your boulders

You wonder why I carry such a weight on my shoulders

And why would I t-ttt such a load

Cos someday you’ll see next time I’ll try it another way

On the other side of the earth, you've got "Queen Dot Kong" which may as well have been a track on the cutting room floor of Lady Sovereign's Vertically Challenged EP. Originally this was a bit jarring - but after a few listens it is whimsical fun and can actually hold up against other MCs.

Other standout tracks on the album include "At Last", "Unissasi Laulelet" (which I don't understand in the slightest but it is beautiful and reminds me so much of my beloved Bjork I can't help but recommend it), "Travel Light" which has more of an edge than most of the tracks - and finally "Tammie" because it's like a totally foreign version of a Southern ho-down. What's not to love?



So far, this is on my top 10 albums of 2010 (in the US) so far...there are only 3 others on the list and we are well into April. All I can hope for is that they make their way to Chicago so I can give them the standing O they deserve.

Totally digging this song by Wave Machines, "Keep The Lights On", but the video just makes it at least ten times better. The girls are super cute and anything that incorporates a CSI-like crime scene along with dancing is A-OK in my book.

The rest of the soundtrack sounds kind of, well, kick-ass too! Preview it here. Full set list here:


01 Stand Up - The Prodigy
02 Kick-Ass - Mika vs. RedOne
03 Can't Go Back -Primal Scream
04 There's A Pot Brewin' -The Little Ones
05 Omen - The Prodigy
06 Make Me Wanna Die - The Pretty Reckless
07 Banana Splits - The Dickies
08 Starry Eyed - Ellie Goulding
09 This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us - Sparks
10 We're All In Love - New York Dolls
11 Bongo Song - Zongamin
12 Per Qualche Dollaro In Piu (For A Few Dollars More) - Ennio Morricone
13 Bad Reputation - The Hit Girls
14 An American Trilogy - Elvis Presley

Dub beat droppin' superhero cartoon character, love-child of DJ's Diplo and Switch, Major Lazer is getting his tour on and will be making the kids dance and sweat their balls off at The Metro this Friday. If you're not in Chicago, fret not my darlings, he's taking it cross country.

Check out Major Lazer's interview with Diplo & Switch (his Dr. Frankensteins).

Apr 9 2010 8:00P
The Fillmore Detroit Detroit, Michigan
Apr 10 2010 8:00P
Metro Chicago, Illinois
Apr 11 2010 8:00P
First Avenue Minneapolis, Minnesota
Apr 13 2010 8:00P
Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom Denver, Colorado
Apr 15 2010 8:00P
The Knitting Factory Reno, Nevada
Apr 16 2010 8:00P
Mezzanine San Francisco, California
Apr 17 2010 8:00P
Coachella (Festival Polo Field) Indio, California
Apr 24 2010 8:00P
Sound Academy Toronto
May 20 2010 8:00P
Electronic Beats @ E-Werk Cologne
May 21 2010 8:00P
Maria Berlin
May 22 2010 8:00P
Rock In Rio Lisbon
May 26 2010 8:00P
Village Underground London
May 28 2010 8:00P
Primavera Sound Barcelona
Jul 16 2010 8:00P
Camp Bisco 9 - MAJOR LAZER Mariaville, New York
Aug 13 2010 8:00P
Oya Festival Oslo
Aug 14 2010 8:00P
Flow Festival Helsinki

Nathaniel Rateliff's music has the uncanny ability to make you dig deep within yourself and recall certain times like sensory memories. In a style similar to Glen Hansard and Bonnie "Prince" Billy there is so much emotion with each note he sings it's impossible not to feel right along with him.

Rateliff's debut album, In Memory of Loss, is filled with beautiful Southern charm and instrumental minimalism that allows his voice to overwhelm your ears with a tragic beauty.


His live shows are have said to blow people away (Vanity Fair actually). See him at a venue near you:

Apr 5 Rock Island Brewing Company Rock Island, Illinois

Apr 6 Lincoln Hall w/ Low Anthem Chicago, Illinois

Apr 7 The Ark w/ Low Anthem Ann Arbor, Michigan

Apr 9 Vaudville Mews Des Moines, Iowa

Apr 10 The Waiting Room w/ Megafaun Omaha, Nebraska

Apr 11 Lincoln Center w/ Indigo Girls Fort Collins, Colorado

Apr 27 BARNSTORMER III w/ Ra Ra Riot & Delta Spirit West Liberty, Iowa

Apr 28 BARNSTORMER III w/ Ra Ra Riot & Delta Spirit Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Apr 29 BARNSTORMER III w/ Ra Ra Riot & Delta Spirit Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

Apr 30 BARNSTORMER III w/ Ra Ra Riot & Delta Spirit Monticello, Illinois

May 1 BARNSTORMER III w/ Ra Ra Riot & Delta Spirit Maquoketa, Iowa

May 18 Fox Theatre Boulder, Colorado

May 19 Bluebird Theater Denver, Colorado

May 21 The Mill w/ Tallest Man on Earth Iowa City, Iowa

May 22 Carleton College w/ Tallest Man on Earth Northfield, Minnesota

May 23 Varsity Theater w/ Tallest Man on Earth Minneapolis, Minnesota

May 25 Pabst Theater w/ Tallest Man on Earth Milwaukee, Wisconsin

May 26 The Dome House w/ Tallest Man on Earth Bloomington, Indiana

May 27 The Brass Rail w/ Tallest Man on Earth Fort Wayne, Indiana

May 30 Drake Hotel Toronto, Ontario

I never would have thought to combine the folk/emo/heavily bearded sound of Bonnie "Prince" Billy with the subtle electronic music of Hot Chip. But damnit, they did it, and I like it. It helps that the song itself is hot and this latest Hot Chip release is hot hot hot - but it could've gone terribly wrong.

Hot DAYUM - Christina Aguilera has released the first single off of her highly anticipated full length, Bionic (available June 8th, single available April 13th), and it is solid gold. The beats hit so hard you might end up with black eyes by the time it fades out.

Personally, I can't wait for the tracks featuring Sia and Le Tigre the most- but this Pallow Da Don produced dance floor gem is hitting the spot perfectly on this happy hump day.

The sisters Casady are set to release their fourth album this May and if their first single, "Lemonade", is any indication of what's to come, I can't wait for this shiz to drop! The instrumentals are beautiful and haunting in the way you can only expect from the odd duo.


Download: Lemonade

So, stop what you're doing and begin with downloading Please Don't Put Me On A Slow Boat to Trowbridge and finish it all up with the entire album available at Hugh's website.

Any of you who read this here blog have already heard about my undying love for Kelis's jam "Acapella". Every ounce of booty-shaking juice that I have coursing through my veins is used up once the first beat leaks into my headphones.

Brace yourselves because the video just takes everything up a few notches. Also - it makes me consider getting my septum pierced (which my girlfriend has previously told me not to do).

Let's all get in the hot tub time machine and dial it back past the 80's all the way back to the 60's. Mayer Hawthorne is perhaps not exactly who you would expect to be belting out doo-woppy soul, but this white boy from Detroit kills it. Even Snoop Dogg has major love for this kid. He'll be playing the Congress Theater in Chicago on April 2nd but has a long line of dates all across the US and abroad. Check out his live performance on the Jimmy Kimmel show:

Apr 2 Congress Theatre Chicago, Illinois
Apr 3 Turner Hall Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Apr 4 First Avenue Minneapolis, Minnesota
Apr 5 Beaumont Theatre Kansas City, Missouri
Apr 7 Ogden Theatre Denver, Colorado
Apr 8 In the Venue Salt Lake City, Utah
Apr 10 McDonald Theatre Eugene, Oregon
Apr 11 Commodore Ballroom Vancouver, British Columbia
Apr 12 Roseland Theatre Portland, Oregon
Apr 14 Freeborn Hall @ UC Davis Davis, California
Apr 15 Warfield San Francisco, California
Apr 18 Empire Polo Field @ Coachella Indio, California

Most of the time, it's hard to be a short, chubby Jewish girl. The tallest people in America always stand directly in front of me at concerts, people think it's ok to pat me on the head or use my head/shoulders as an arm rest. They feel the need to constantly tell me how it's awesome to stand next to me because they feel so tall...I get it, I'm short.

This morning though - I am on top of the world. That's right bitches I feel at least ten feet taller than all of you. Why? Because I got a wicked hot freestyle rap done for me by two fresh MCs - Kosha Dillz & Flex Matthews. They were hanging out in the airport, had some free time and a little pretty birdie told them to show Chubby Jones some love. Here it is in all its glory. Kosha - if I wasn't gay, we'd totally be knockin' boots.

As a small Jewish girl with a love for the ladies, I have never been baptized - but if I were, I think it would probably be in a kiddie pool or a whirlpool. YACHT's new video for "The Afterlife" makes it look kind of fun. Maybe there's a mikvah in my future?

Mar 24 Bowery Ballroom Brookyn, New York

Mar 25 The Middle East Downstairs Cambridge, Massachusetts

Mar 26 Le Studio Juste Pour Rire Montreal, Quebec

Mar 28 The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern Toronto, Ontario

Mar 30 Magic Stick Detroit, MI

Mar 31 Beachland Ballroom Cleveland, OH

Apr 1 Logan Square Auditorium Chicago, IL

Apr 2 The High Noon Saloon Madison, WI

Apr 3 Varsity Theater Minneapolis, MN

Apr 5 Slowdown Jr. Omaha, NE

Apr 6 Mojo’s Columbia, MO

Apr 7 The Firebird St. Louis, MO

Apr 8 Headliner’s Music Hall Louisville, KY

Apr 9 Hi-Tone Cafe
 Memphis, TN

Apr 10 40 Watt Club Athens, GA

Photo by Dale Heise

Digital Leather is Shawn Foree and company. He's a bit artsy and has probably done more drugs in one weekend than I did throughout my 4 years at college (ok, that might be a lie). His music (minus lyrics) reminds me a bit of Bowie meets Joy Division, and mama likes that.

Lyrically, I can't say I "get" him - he tends to sprinkle the words "Nazi" and "fag" into his songs as if they were all-purpose seasoning. But hey, he's got a way to make people talk about him no?



Lyrics aside, I hear the live show is worth throwing down the cheddar for. Who knows, maybe you'll see Michelle "Bombshell" McGee there, swastika and all!

Mar 23 Saturn Bar w/ Bare Wires New Orleans, Louisiana

Mar 25 Hal & Mal’s w/ Bare Wires Jackson, Mississippi

Mar 26 Hi Tone w/ Bare Wires & River City Tanlines Memphis, Tennessee

Mar 27 Subterranean w/ Mickey, The Glide Chicago, Illinois

Apr 8 The Hole w/ Baby Tears & Jeff the Brotherhood Omaha, Nebraska

For those with sensitive ears...you should never listen to Peaches, but you are missing out on life.

This is the best thing I've seen in a long time - and it's no wonder I found it on Kathleen Hannah's blog.

He was larger than life in a similar way as Divine, but was a living and breathing art project, sometimes beautiful but also sometimes very scary. You can actually stream the entire documentary on SnagFilms for free right now.

As much as I love We Have Band's music - their videos up the coolness ante exponentially.

Much like following the magic glove in that viral "Beat It" video, we're following the yellow band member/shoe/pants. It really is quite gorgeous - and the music is so pleasantly 80's new wave it makes my heart skip a beat.

Apr 6 - COCO66 - Brooklyn NY

Apr 8 - Monkey House Winooski - Winooski, VT

Apr 10 - Casa del Popolo - Montreal, QC

Apr 11 - The Garrison - Toronto ON

Apr 12 - Call the Office - London ON

Apr 14 - Contemporary Art Museum - Detroit MI

Apr 15 - Borrom Lounge - Chicago IL

Apr 16 - Project Lodge - Madison WI

Apr 17 - 7th Street Entry - Minneapolis MN

Apr 18 - The Aquarium - Fargo ND

Apr 21 - The Vera Project - Seattle WA

Apr 22 - Biltmore Cabaret - Vancouver BC

Apr 23 - Northern - Olympia WA

Apr 24 - Berbatis Pan - Portland OR

Apr 26 - Bottom Of The Hill - San Francisco CA

Apr 28 - The Parish - Oakland CA

Apr 29- Brookdale Lodge - Santa Cruz CA

May 2 - UC Irvine - Irvine CA

May 4 - Solar Culture - Tucson AZ

May 7 - Mohawk - Austin TX

May 10 - Circle Bar - New Orleans LA

May 11 - E.A.R.L. - Atlanta GA

May 12 - Pilot Light - Knoxville TN

May 13 - Al’s - Lexington KT

May 15- Garlfield Artworks - Pittsburgh PA

May 16 - Pleasant 123 - Huntington WV

May 18 - Floristree - Baltimore MD

May 19 - Kung Fu Necktie - Philadelphia PA

M. Ward and Zooey D. will be releasing She & Him's second album, "Volume Two", next week. I'm a sucker for both of these artists but am having a very hard time getting over Zooey's voice making me think of her Cotton commercial.

Overall, it's a pretty slick throwback to early rock 'n roll/doo-wop; the music her singing voice was made for. Perhaps it's my own A.D.D., or living in short attention span city, but I can only hang with this album for a few songs before wanting to change up the pace. It is what it is - and that is sweetly predictable.

UK dub ambassador Caspa is literally hitting it and quitting it as he makes a brief appearance in the states and then heads back east to the land of tea, crumpets and the royals.


If you have the chance to go-to-da-flo, jam on it - his DJ sets are not to be missed.

Mar 19 2010 Dub Police @ Fabric London - UK

Mar 20 2010 Beyond Wonderland LA - USA

Mar 24 2010 Wrong Bar Toronto - Canada

Mar 25 2010 Smart Bar Chicago - USA

Mar 26 2010 Webster Hall NYC - USA

Mar 27 2010 Ultra Miami - USA

Apr 3 2010 White Rabbit Plymouth - UK

Apr 4 2010 Bar House Chelmsford - UK

Apr 7 2010 Annie Mac Presents @ Pacha London - UK

Apr 9 2010 Redrum Helsinki - Finland

Apr 10 2010 Digital Brighton - UK

Apr 11 2010 Nitro Shrewsbury - UK

Apr 16 2010 Dakota Cheltenham - UK

Apr 17 2010 Karma Hotel Oostende - Belgium

Apr 23 2010 Volume Edinburgh - Scotland

Apr 28 2010 Wedgewood Rooms Portsmouth - UK

Apr 29 2010 Stylus Leeds - UK

Apr 30 2010 Rinse / FWD @ Matter London - UK

Apr 30 2010 TBC London - UK

May 1 2010 The Loft Maidstone - USA

May 2 2010 Eclectricity Festival Birmingham - UK

Australian chanteuse, Sia, has an album coming out this June but has thankfully decided to give us a six pack of extreme tasty goodness to stream ahead of time. Packed with pop melodies, hand claps and overall radness, I cannot wait for the full-length to land in my lap so I can wear it out in good fashion.



ENJOY!

So, eventhough the band's name gives me visions of Welcome Back Kotter (what doesn't do that for me though) I'm finding myself oddly attracted to Deluka's jam "Cascade". The video is dark and filled with lots of hipster hands in leather jacket pockets. it's like, get these peeps some gloves already, even the cool ones with the fingers cut off.

This is just as much for your eyes as it is for your ears:

This band blipped up on my radar last week when I was incredibly hungover and not in the mood to put anything remotely loud into my ears. That being said, I continued to sit through We Are Enfant Terrible's song and video for "Wild Child" anyway and then made a note to share it with you all. With sober mind and body (mostly) I can now fully give this an ass shake and hipster-one-knee-bounce of approval.

The folks over at Pitchfork just added a few more reasons to dig at the lint in your pockets and scrounge up whatever you can to make it through the fences at Union Park this summer.

Canadians aren't just good at hockey, they are also (WARNING: huge over-generalization coming) fantastic performers. The indie darling supergroup that is Broken Social Scene (Brendan Canning, Kevin Drew, Justin Peroff, Charles Spearin, Andrew Whiteman, Sam Goldberg, Jason Collett, David Newfeld, Leslie Feist, Emily Haines, James Shaw, Evan Cranley, Amy Millan, Ohad Benchetrit, John Crossingham, Martin Davis Kinack, Jo-ann Goldsmith, Bill Priddle, Torquil Campbell, Adam Marvy, Lisa Lobsinger, Julie Penner, Jason Tait, Elizabeth Powell) has just been added to the Friday night lineup alongside Modest Mouse and indie hip hop favorite, El-P.

Animal Collective's cute cuddly (I'm assuming) Panda Bear will be going solo on Saturday night - hopefully just as the sun is going down and bringing some much needed shade from the sun that tends to beat down on the crowd every year.

Other Saturday additions are the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Bear in Heaven, Dâm-Funk and The Smith Westerns (who I'm probably most excited to see out of the group).

Sunday has added a group getting a lot of hype these days - Girls, and a couple of psychedelic local bands, Cave and Allá (neither of which I've heard before but that's what's so great about this festival, you learn about a lot of great bands and the DJ sets are usually not to be missed).

If you haven't been paying attention, here's the lineup so far:

Friday

Modest Mouse

Broken Social Scene

El-P

Saturday

LCD Soundsystem

Panda Bear

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

Raekwon

Titus Andronicus

Bear in Heaven

Freddie Gibbs

The Smith Westerns

Dâm-Funk

Sunday

Pavement

St. Vincent

Lightning Bolt

Girls

Cass McCombs

Here We Go Magic

Sleigh Bells

Cave

Alla

Full Freak Video (WARNING: You will be forced to dance your ass off no matter where you're at):

Tonight I'll be interviewing One eskimO before their live set at The Vic, in Chicago. They've got a beautiful sound that channels both past and future all rolled up in a nice neat soulful package.

What sets them apart from many other artists, is the emotional and theatrical sensibility of their songs. In fact, their sound lent itself so well to storytelling, they've turned their act into a full-length animated movie.

Using the songs of the cd as a template, a narrative slowly came into shape. The story revolves around the central character of One eskimO, an adventurous and determined young man seeking his place in the universe. He is accompanied on his adventure by his bandmates, Giraffe, Monkey, and Penguin. Every hero needs his villain, in this case Mr. Top Hat, a mysterious stranger who, like a puppet master, pulls unseen strings to drive the characters' destinies.

The trailer for The Adventures of One eskimO is just beautiful. It brought the same lump in my throat as the trailer for Where the Wild Things Are did to me last year.

It makes me believe in Saturday Morning Cartoons again and a world without bratty Disney characters. Oh please, bring me back!!


Download: One eskimO - Kandi

Um, watch this behind-the-scenes look at Estelle's new music video for her single, "Freaky". Not only does the song sound hot-ta-ta, but the video looks like it's the kind to spark dance-offs at your local video-bar. The entire video was supposed to be available this past Friday but I can't find it anywhere. MOMMA WANTS IT NOW!! Sashay shante baby.

Dear Florida,



You were supposed to be so hot my jeans stuck to me as I walked from the car to the next air conditioned restaurant. You were supposed to be so humid I cursed being born with what we like to call the "Jewfro". You were neither of these for the entire week I was there and now I am even pastier than before I left. Not cool.

The only thing that makes up for it on this chilly day in Chicago, was the Friendly Fires vs. Holy Ghosts remix of "On Board". I'll sip my tea and bob gently in my seat waiting another four months until warmer weather makes its way here.

I still love you,
Mia

OnBoard by Girlie Action

I have a severe obsession with Kathleen Hannah. I want to have her babies and I want them all to look like her. Watch the video to see Kathleen and her amazing glasses. She's like my superhero.

Leela James encapsulates the old school smoothness and soul so commonly found on the Stax label. Elegant, mostly classy (minus the white bra-type thing she's wearing in the video) sweetness.

Today will be a long one, but I've got some new tunes to help try to keep the hangover at bay.

Woodhands - Dissembler

Quasi - Repulsion

Peter Broderick - And It's Alright

The Morning Benders - Excuses

I've got a case of the winter blahs that just wouldn't go away - so I did what the music doctors told me and injected some dance tracks into my veins.

I saw MEN open up for the Gossip a few months ago but have been following JD Samson around like a puppy dog ever since Le Tigre first leaped into my ears. It seems as though JD's new-ish trio does nothing but make you smile and want to shake your ass all over the dance floor.

And when you're done with that one check out:

The Wild Beasts have put out another visually beautiful video (though with much darker tones and not with all the trickery) for a gorgeous song, "We Still Got the Taste Dancin' On Our Tongues".

While they might have a much shorter attention span - the youth of today are infinitely cooler than in my day. The All-Ages Music Project is taking the wrist-bands out of music appreciation.

Extremely catchy, moody, seductive pop that reminds me a bit of a more upbeat Raveonettes. Download Scanner's We Never Close Our Eyes and if you enjoy that, stay tuned for their full-length, Submarine, coming out this month.

The voice that now sits atop Groove Armada's beats has a side project that is just blowing me away. Saintsaviour recorded a boatload of demos in her bedroom and has thankfully shared them with our thirsty ears via her myspace page. Her voice gives me butterflies in my tummy; their wings beating faster with every stroke of the piano key. I am simply lost in her music and do not want to be found.

Her cover of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" is as heartbreaking as it should be, but is probably my least favorite of everything available for listening.

Here is "Fallen Trees", one of my favorites in the bunch:

All Tomorrow's Parties has a newly confirmed guest curator - writer/director/silver fox Jim Jarmusch.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3rd: IGGY & THE STOOGES performing Raw Power, SLEEP performing Holy Mountain, MUDHONEY performing Superfuzz Bigmuff + Early Singles, THE SCIENTISTS performing Blood Red River (first ever U.S. Show)

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4th ATP 10th Birthday: SONIC YOUTH, EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY, THE BREEDERS, F**K BUTTONS, THE BOOKS, PAPA M, APSE



SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5th curated by Jim Jarmusch: THE BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE, RAEKWON, GIRLS, F*CKED UP, WOODEN SHJIPS, THE BLACK ANGELS, VIVIAN GIRLS + more to be confirmed!

Thanks to The Yellow Stereo I now know of The Morning Benders. The video for their studio recording of "Echoes" is brilliantly warm and the choir might be too old to be deemed adorable, but they still really are.

There is absolutely nothing more I can say about this that the genius that is Michael K at DListed.com hasn't already said. Ok maybe one thing - can someone tell me where the apparent tip of the hat to Keith Haring is relevant? Kthx.

Somebody pinch me. Now somebody buy me a plane ticket to Tennessee and get me a pass to Bonnaroo. Daryl Hall and his gorgeous man mane will be joining Chromeo on stage Friday June 11th.

This won't be the first time the ghosts of pop past and present have collaborated. Those of you familiar with the Live from Daryl's House web series may remember a particularly great episode involving Chromeo.

If you're thinking, "Say whaaaaaaaaat! How can these two come together!?!" check out the latest Chromeo video for "Night by Night". It could have easily come from the big H&O.

The Dø are a Finnish-French duo who first caught my attention semi-randomly when I stumbled across a video of their song "On My Shoulders" on Vimeo. It was love at first strum. Later, I would find a fantastic remix

This April, as my early birthday present, their full-length American debut A Mouthful will be out on Sex Degrees Records.

The Dø, (rhymes with "glow") named after the first and last notes of the musical scale, are one of the most talked about new bands in Europe. The duo recently became the first French act to reach #1 in France with an album sung in English. Comprised of French/Finnish vocalist/ guitarist Olivia Merilahti & multi instrumentalist Dan Levy, The Dø, have taken France by storm with their debut release, A Mouthful and have garnered rave reviews across the globe for their unique sound which encompasses everything from indie rock to folk to hip hop to experimental music & soul. They have performed throughout Europe, sharing the stage with prestigious artists the likes of Radiohead, Sigur Ros and Vampire Weekend among others. Six Degrees Records is proud to release one of the most captivating debuts in recent rock memory for the first time in North America.

* U.S. Bonus Tracks

Compass will be the third full-length release from Jamie Lidell and it's being billed as his most eclectic album to date - and has guest appearances from Leslie Fiest, Beck, Chris Taylor (Grizzly Bear), Gonzales and Pat Sansone (Wilco).

"I wrote every song in a month," Jamie says, "It's been an emotional couple of years, so I tapped into what I wanted to say and started writing. There was a lot to draw on." I'm not fully caught-up on the life and times of Lidell but it sounds like this could be the next Sea Change - which means it's a great listen but a snoozer of a live show. Either way, I'm pretty pumped to hear what he's got laid down.

Shearwater has created a powerful, instrumentally beautiful, rich collection of songs for their latest album, "The Golden Archipelago". Jonathan Meiburg's voice reminds me of a minstrel who has come in to entertain the king's court.

Thanks to NPR music, we can stream the album in its entirety until its release on February 23rd.

It's still cold outside but we have reason to rejoice and festivities to look forward to in the much-missed summer. Pitchfork's 3-day music festival will be back in Chicago's Union Park and will play host to some wicked hot performers playing to a crowd of hipsters, faux-hipsters and music nerds alike. Break out your worn out copy of Franny and Zooey and prepare yourself for summer's best ticket.

Here's the press release from the P4k website:

It's time! Right now, head on over to Ticketweb and get your tickets for the 2010 Pitchfork Music Festival, which will take over Chicago's Union Park July 16-18. For $40, you can buy a ticket for any of the fest's three days, and $90 will get you a pass for the whole weekend.

This year's Pitchfork Music Festival lineup includes Pavement, Modest Mouse, LCD Soundsystem, Raekwon, and many others, with even more to be announced here soon.



The lineup so far:


Friday, July 16:

-- Modest Mouse

Saturday, July 17:

-- LCD Soundsystem

-- Raekwon



Sunday, July 18:



-- Pavement

-- St. Vincent

-- Lightning Bolt

-- Cass McCombs

-- Sleigh Bells

-- Here We Go Magic

The folks over at Pitchfork have finally created a roster in which I will happily attend all three days. The past few years I've been pretty "meh" about the Friday lineup but right now kicks ten thousand asses. I've seen Modest Mouse a few times - mostly at all-ages shows where I want to punch the tallest person standing closest to me. The best thing about Union Park is that there are a million great places to stand and enjoy the music - and when other people aren't feelin' it, they go off to the Star Wars bedsheets they grabbed from their parent's attic and contemplate another beer or curry fries (or BOTH).

So, so far who am I excited for the most? It would have to be St. Vincent. I've heard mixed reviews about her live shows so I'm anxious to see what she sounds like playing to a festival crowd.






I am also insanely excited for LCD Soundsystem. I have heard only amazing things about their shows - I am a big fan of the albums they've put out and I am always up for actin' a fool out on the makeshift dancefloor.

Summertime cannot come quickly enough and I look forward to seeing what the rest of the roster has to hold.

The six members of 2 AM Club came to chat with me about their upcoming album release, their Tiny Porno residency in L.A. and what they thought about Taylor Swift's performance at the Grammy's.

Keep an eye out for these guys:

The first single from The Morning Pages is a beautiful and welcome tune for the frosty day I'm having. My Name Is Lion is filled with gorgeous strings that warm my soul better than a cup of Celestial Seasonings blueberry tea. Who knew this tree could grow in Brooklyn?

Download My Name is Lion.

Not only is "Laughing with a Mouth of Blood" one of my very favorite songs off of St. Vincent'sActor, but this video is just fantastic. With the help of thunderAnt (Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen) they have sufficiently captured the (over-dramatized) womyn's bookstore experience. For those of you who live in Chicago and have had the pleasure of going to Women & Children First, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Elvis Costello will appear on A Prairie Home Companion, Thursday, February 4th, in a special, first time live Cinecast of the show from the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, MN. Thursday's show will be beamed into hundreds of movie theaters around the the United States and Canada, and will also air in audio-only form during the A Prairie Home Companion's regular time slot this Saturday. Also on tap for this year, Costello will tour the U.S. this spring with a variety of line ups: solo, with his band the Imposters, and with the Sugarcanes, the accomplished musicians who joined him on his Grammy-nominated 2009 album 'Secret, Profane & Sugarcane' (Hear Music).

Check here for a list of theaters broadcasting Thursday's show.

I haven't had a night like this since my Junior year of college.

Layer upon beautiful layer of beats, synths and ominous sound effects, this is an almost perfect album.

Co-written and produced by Beck, this is a beautiful and very French-feeling album. Just gorgeous.

Stereogum is one of my favorite music sites for many good reasons - one of which is that they share some amazing free downloads that usually correspond to my musical tastes.

They've come through again (even if there are a couple of misses mixed in with some excellent mashups):

...we've again collaborated with our favorite mashup artist, Australian producer Neil Mason aka team9, to mix our favorite tracks of 2009 with familiar oldies, creating something more than the sum of their parts. The process -- Stereogum acquiring exclusive audio and making playlists, Neil working his ACID Pro magic (i.e., the hard part) -- started months ago, with an eye on this holiday deadline. It's our fourth annual Christmas present to you, and we think it's the best MySplice yet. Enjoy...

My thoughts are with his family. He was an incredible talent.

This song and video are absolutely delicious and will go really well with the vegan egg nog I plan on having sometime this holiday season. I'm so used to hearing Sia's "Breathe Me" and all of its remixes, it's nice to hear her switch it up - and dare I say it, change for the better.

Alongside Girl Talk, Chicago's Hood Internet are some of the sickest mash-up masters around. They just put out another ill mixtape just in time for the holiday season. Listen and download below.

The Hood Internet - The Mixtape Volume Four by hoodinternet

1. Intro
2. David Banner vs Fujiya & Miyagi - Get Like Pterodactyls
3. The Beastie Boys vs Matt And Kim - Good Ol' Fashion Rump Shaker
4. Kanye West vs Cage & Aviary - Touch The Television
5. Lil Wayne (feat. Babyface) vs Royksopp - Comfortable Up Here
6. Passion Pit vs Juvenile - Back That Sleepyhead Up
7. DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince vs Daft Punk - Summer Circuit
8. Public Enemy vs HEALTH vs Nosaj Thing - Bring The Tabloid Sores
9. AZ (feat. Ghostface Killah) vs The Golden Filter - Solid Gold From New York
10. Modest Mouse vs Kanye West - Floating Paranoia
11. Clipse vs Yuksek - Kinda Like A Big Break
12. Weezer vs Glass Candy - Buddy Holly's Imagination
13. Bangers & Cash vs Bag Raiders - Bang Raiders
14. Amanda Blank vs VEGA - No Reasons To Like You Better
15. Michael Jackson vs Ratatat - Billie "Wildcat" Jean
16. Kid Sister (feat. Pitbull) vs Phonat - Free Control Ocho
17. Twista (feat. Erika Shevon) vs Boys Noize - Wetter And Jeffer
18. Flo Rida (feat. Ke$ha) vs MSTRKRFT - 1000 Times Right Round
19. R. Kelly (feat. Keri Hilson) vs Sally Shapiro - Number One Christmas
20. Drake vs The Rapture - Best Jealous Lover I Ever Had
21. Bon Iver vs Friendly Fires vs Aeroplane - Lump Sum Of Paris
22. Jeremih vs Handsome Furs - Birthday Furs
23. Yung LA vs Solid Gold - Who Ain't I Gonna Run To?
24. Major Lazer (feat. Mr. Lexx and Santigold) vs Dirty Projectors - Hold The Stillness
25. Dead Prez vs Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks Of Hip Hop
26. Soulja Boy vs Joe Jackson - Swaggin' Out
27. OJ Da Juiceman (feat. Gucci Mane) vs Discovery - Make The Loop Say Aye
28. Glasses Malone (feat. Lil Wayne) vs Chromatics - A Moment To Remember Haterz
29. Paper Route Gangstaz vs Animal Collective - Animals Collecting Money
30. B-Hamp vs Little Boots - Ricky Bobby Boots
31. Ghostface Killah vs Beirut - Save Me Concubine
32. Keri Hilson vs The Glitch Mob vs TV On The Radio - Red Dress Turnin Me On
33. Dorrough vs Bibio - Fire Ant Paint Job
34. Outro

Recording artist IYAZ came into our Chicago studio a little while ago and I chatted him up about growing up in the US Virgin Islands (I still have no clue what that means but it sounds really nice compared to the sleet and snow currently ruining the bottoms of my pants).

His song "Replay" is kicking ass and taking names on the charts and it couldn't have happened to a sweeter guy. Seriously, after he left, the women who work in the studio next to where we recorded were calling me telling me how much they loved him.

Check out our interview below and follow it up with checking out the video for "Replay".

I can't say I've heard of Malachai before but their single, "Fading World", is pretty slick. Domino Records has been generous enough to make it available for FREE download. This is the first single for their full-length, The Ugly Side of Love, set to be released February 2, 2010.