Wednesday, May 31, 2006

So Long SpyFuse

This shit is crazy. Here are two reports regarding the arrest of Saverio Mondelli, 19, and Shaun Harrison, 18, in relation to MyspacePlus and SpyFuse.

From the News:

"The alleged crimes began late last year when the two young men took advantage of a flaw they had discovered in the MySpace Web site in order to obtain personal information on MySpace users, the district attorney said.

MySpace discovered the intrusion earlier this year and blocked it. The Los Angeles-based company also reported the incident to authorities. During the course of the investigation, threats were made that unless $150,000 was paid, new exploit code would be released, according to the statement.

By this time, the sting operation had been set up, so instead of meeting with MySpace late last week, the pair from New York met with undercover officers from the U.S. Secret Service and the Los Angeles District Attorney's Bureau of Investigation. " (ZDNet)

From their lawers:

Two teenage Long Island computer programmers were trying to land a job with MySpace.com, not trying to extort the Web site, one of their attorneys said Friday. The popular social networking site improperly lured Saverio Mondelli, 19, and Shaun Harrison, 18, to Los Angeles with the prospect of a consulting contract, said Mondelli's lawyer, Michael Dowd of Manhattan.

And when they arrived in California last week and sat down for a business meeting with what they thought was a contingent of MySpace employees - who were actually Secret Service agents and local detectives - they were arrested without warning, Dowd said.

"The proposition to hire them as consultants was made by MySpace," Dowd said. "This was a naked attempt to lure them into the lion's den and to somehow make an allegation of impropriety against them." (SpyFuse)

Continue reading "So Long SpyFuse"

The story behind The Eraser cover art

Over at SlowlyDownward, Stanley Donwood gives us some background on his latest work titled "London Views." The first panel is being used as the cover for Thom Yorke's new "solo" album.








Previous Post: Get The Eraser!

Continue reading "The story behind The Eraser cover art"

Let's Go Fly A Kite

When looking back on things, Dustin Illingworth and I had pretty similar lives. We both went to the same high school, we both were on the basketball team, and we both dated the same girl (of course at different times). To be honest, Dustin was really better than me at most things. While I was sitting on the bench for JV, Dustin was the only white guy on the team that could really dunk. And now while I am sitting around with my failed attempts at pop songs, Dustin has been releasing glorious, sun-kissed tunes with his band, Kite Flying Society.

Residing in San Diego, Kite Flying Society recalls a beach born Boy Least Likely To minus the children’s instruments, and plus the salt water. They make feel-good music for a lazy afternoon, where your mind can only wander into those questions of “what if?”. Like their cinematic, long lost brother, Wes Anderson, KFS helps you be unafraid in those moments of uncertainty, by approaching them with honesty and a smile.

Their debut full length, Where Is The Glow?, will be released on July 28, followed by a west coast tour. Be sure to check them out, come August, when KFS comes to Spaceland for the International Pop Overthrow Festival. Preview their new track “If I Could Split,” and give a listen to some of their older demos below.


Put on a smiling face.

Kite Flying Society – “If I Could Split” mp3
Kite Flying Society – “6000 Shipwrecks” mp3
Kite Flying Society – “Esthetes Are Easy” mp3
Kite Flying Society – “Groundflower” mp3
Kite Flying Society – “Love & Seagulls” mp3

8/08/06 – Spaceland

Continue reading "Let's Go Fly A Kite"

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Thom Yorke - The Eraser

If you don't want to hear the new Thom Yorke album then I would recommend not clicking here. Good luck with your decision.

Continue reading "Thom Yorke - The Eraser"

Head Automatica @ Times Square

For all you NY people:

"SEE THE BAND LIVE THIS MONDAY IN NY FOR FREE
Head Automatica will be performing a special live acoustic performance at Virgin Megastore Times Square in New York this Monday, June 5th @ 11pm. If you pre-order your copy of their brand new album, Popaganda, only at the Virgin Megastore Times Square location, beginni
ng at 9am on June 2nd, you'll receive a wristband to reserve your space in line. Space is limited!"

For the world:

"Popaganda hits stores next Tuesday, but starting this weekend, you can hear the whole album at their myspace page at myspace.com/headautomatica as part of an exclusive listening party over there. Don't miss it."

Continue reading "Head Automatica @ Times Square"

Monday, May 29, 2006

Sirius blog radio

Power bloggers Gorilla Vs. Bear, Brooklyn Vegan and Product Shop NYC are taking over the satellite airwaves tonight! If I only had Sirius radio.

Here's some official low-down:
"Get the inside scoop on the indie rock scene. Each weeknight, Blog Radio will be hosted by a different blogger who will offer their take on today’s music scene! Some of the blogs that will be contributing inclaude Gorilla vs Bear, Brooklyn Vegan and Product Shop NYC. Blog Radio debuts May 29 at 10 pm ET!"(
Sirius)

The Content is seriously impressed and jealous.

Continue reading "Sirius blog radio"

Desert Sessions

The Content took a little get away to the heart of the desert this past weekend to celebrate Memorial Day weekend. Finding ourselves in the heart of Joshua Tree (where the streets really have no names), I thought it kind of fitting to share some U2 tracks that might be a little interesting to y'all. These are some of the contract demos that ended up putting one of the biggest bands ever on a label. They are a little rough around the edges, but they capture the innocence of a band before all the malarky set in. And apparently, Bono seems to have always been able to sing. Go figure.

U2 - "An Cat Dubh" mp3
U2 - "Street Mission" mp3

U2 - "Touch" mp3
U2 - "The Dream Is Over" mp3
U2 - "The Fool" mp3
U2 - "Another Day" mp3
An actual Joshua Tree.
This street actually has a name (but I really don't know if it should).

Continue reading "Desert Sessions"

The Kingdom’s Constellation (or I’m trying to get your number)

It’s funny what brings us to music sometimes. It can be the buzz of the next big thing, an interesting sound that hit your ear at the right time, a haunting falsetto or even a gruff grumble of an ironic lyric. In the case of the Kingdom it was none of the above, but rather, the one thing that brings most of us boys to our knees in pleas of “please, please… please?”

A woman. Before hearing “I Am Constellation,” my introduction to the Kingdom was a promo pic of the band in their birthday suits with the oh-so-cute keyboardist Jenna Roadman wrapping herself in a white sheet to cover up her bits and pieces. Smitten and interested, “I Am Constellation” was a pleasant treat of new music reminiscent of an adolescent Stars at a Northwest rendezvous with Architecture in Helsinki. That might be an over statement in comparisons, but given the Kingdom’s youthfulness (they will be releasing their debut full-length this summer) it might be safe to say they are headed in a really good direction.

Here are a few tracks from their Unitas EP. Listen to a few more on their Myspace. Be sure to catch them at the Fold when they come to LA in July.

The Kingdom - "I Am Constellation" mp3
The Kingdom - "Arcadia Of My Youth" mp3

7/24/06 - The Fold In The Derby (info)

Continue reading "The Kingdom’s Constellation (or I’m trying to get your number)"

Saturday, May 27, 2006

Become the Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Halloween is coming early this year as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have announced a contest for their new video "Cheated Hearts." If you want to dress up like your favorite Yeah and do your best karaoke with "Cheated Hearts" blasting in the background then you might just be able to land a spot in their new video. For rules regulations and the bunch go here.

If you haven't heard "Cheated Hearts" yet then you are in trouble, sister. We'll bail you out this one time only so that at least you'll have something playing against that white wall you are supposed to film in front of. And if that isn't enough we'll throw in a couple extra goodies you might not of heard yet.




Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Cheated Hearts" mp3
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Let Me Know" mp3
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Gold Lion (Nick Zinner Remix)" mp3

Continue reading "Become the Yeah Yeah Yeahs"

Friday, May 26, 2006

New Keane, Fonda Show Sold Out

After streaming Keane's new single "Is It Any Wonder?" at Stereogum, I listened to it six more times in a row. It could have been due to the fact that it's a catchy rock ballad, which could rival with the lesser of U2 tracks, or just because I had my streaming player on loop and didn't know it. Either way, I took a liking to the track because this boy can sing his lungs out. I am completely guilty when it comes to Keane and I can understand why others find the sound less than appealing (I am not going to the grave with these guys); however, if a band has a wicked pair of pipes, than you can probably assume that it is playing in my car (away from anybody else knowing about it).

Keane will be releasing their sophmore effort on June 12 entitled
Under the Iron Sea. Their show at the Henry Fonda is now sold out.


Check out the video for "Is It Any Wonder?" Makes me want to go back to Six Flags.


Continue reading "New Keane, Fonda Show Sold Out"

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Radiohead Tickets... Thank God.

After ten minutes of heart pounding stress, The Content secured four tickets to Radiohead's Thursday show at the Greek! No ebay for us, just friends. How did everyone else do?

Continue reading "Radiohead Tickets... Thank God."

GUILTY

Now if I can only get Radiohead tickets.

Continue reading "GUILTY"

The Album Leaf - New Album, New Shows

Jimmy Lavalle might be my favorite instrumentalist. I undoubtedly turn to the Album Leaf in all of my desperate attempts at studying and writing, and it always helps me work more effectively. Thank goodness there will finally be more music to listen to during those endless hours of reading, since the Album Leaf is readying their follow up to 2004's breakthrough, In A Safe Place.

The new album, Into the Blue Again, will see a release on September 12, right when the new school year is upon us. For us Californians, the Album Leaf has a few summer dates to debut their new material, before setting out on an extensive tour of the States and the world this fall.


Here are a few songs with a few more available for download on TAL's Myspace.

The Album Leaf - "On Your Way" mp3
The Album Leaf - "Over the Pond" mp3

7/20/06 - Detroit Bar - Costa Mesa, CA (tix)
7/21/06 - Howe and Sons Pizza - Visalia, CA
7/22/06 - Cafe du Nord - San Francisco, CA (where you at N&UR)

Continue reading "The Album Leaf - New Album, New Shows"

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Thom Yorke's Eraser revealed!

The Content is counting the seconds until Mr. Yorke's The Eraser is released to the mass public; however, in a show of dominance no ordinary music site could achieve, Pitchfork Media has already heard the entire album. Hot damn they're good. Being the good men and women that they are, Pitchfork took the time to type out a play-by-play of the album. Read it here.

Continue reading "Thom Yorke's Eraser revealed!"

New Bloc Party, LA shows

After suffering from a case of heat exhaustion caused by Wolf Parade's Coachella set, I was forced to lay down in the middle of the polo field, bodies and feet passing all around me. Fortunately I had Bloc Party as the soundtrack to my hour-long rehabilatation. Check below for two new songs that were played during their set at Coachella. You can download the full Coachella set here.

Also, Bloc Party will be playing two nights in LA in the near future. The shows will be a great opportunity for the Bloc to unleash some even newer tracks on us Yankees. Tickets are on sale now.

Bloc Party - "Waiting for the 7.18 (Coachella)" mp3
Bloc Party - "Uniform (Coachella)" mp3

8/1/06 - Grove of Anaheim (w/ Mew) (tix)
8/3/06 - Greek Theatre (w/ Broken Social Scene, Mew) (tix)

Continue reading "New Bloc Party, LA shows"

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Let's Go Bowling

Can I get an upgrade? Here are some of your favorite acts (and not so favorite) that are upgrading their live show to the infamous, world renowned, overpriced, landmark in open air theater – the Hollywood Bowl. Go get your trip hop on with gramps. Maybe he’ll even bring you down to the box seats with him and granny.



7/6/06 - Belle & Sebastian w/ LA Philharmonic (w/ The Shins) (tix)
7/23/06 - The Flaming Lips (w/ Thievery Corporation, Os Mutantes) (tix)
7/31/06 - Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young (tix)
8/2/06 - Al Green (tix)
8/27/06 - Gotan Project, Zero 7 (w/ Jose Gonzalez, Sia, Herbert) (tix)
8/28/06 - Dave Matthews Band (tix)
9/10/06 – Willie Nelson (w/ Ryan Adams, Neko Case) (tix)
9/23/06 - Totally '80s w/ the Human League, The Psychedelic Furs, ABC (tix)
9/24/06 – Massive Attack (w/ TV on the Radio) (tix)

Continue reading "Let's Go Bowling"

San Diego Street Scene

Looks like some great bands will be performing at this year's Street Scene. The Content just might have to make the trip. Too bad there are so many terrible bands. I guess we will just have to weigh the shit against the gold and see which wins.

The show is August 4th and 5th. Check out their page for details here.

Thanks to Evan Gaines for the heads up.


Continue reading "San Diego Street Scene"

Monday, May 22, 2006

Nouvelle Vague - Dreaming of Jean-Luc Godard

The down tempo irony found in Nouvelle Vague's cover songs bleed Godard. They should be playing through a phonograph in Breathless or Pierrot Le Fou. They are care-free and cool, like the French New Wave was meant to be.

Nouvelle Vague is a collaboration between Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux. The two producers gathered a group of French and Brazilian vocalists to record reinterpreted covers of popular pop songs. Think Cat Power with a lot more flavor.

The collective released their self titled debut album last year, and will return with Bande a Part on June 12th.

If you enjoy planning ahead, Nouvelle Vague will be dropping by the Henry Fonda Theatre on Sept. 8th. The early bird always gets the worm!

Grab the covers here:

Nouvelle Vague - Love Will Tear Us Apart
Nouvelle Vague - Killing Moon
Nouvelle Vague - Bela Lugosi's Dead

For good measure here is a great screen shot from Breathless.



Continue reading "Nouvelle Vague - Dreaming of Jean-Luc Godard"

SpyFuse - Get Your Spy On

So do you want to know who is viewing your Myspace? I know you do.

After some major legal issues with Myspace over their Spyspace technology, and more possibly their name, MySpacePlus has finally unleashed their newest artillery in tracking who views your Myspace. SpyFuse, which officially launched on Friday, allows users to track who, when, where but not why someone is viewing your Myspace page. It could be an ex-lover, a psycho planning out your death, a future girlfriend, or someone you've never even met. Best of all, you can finally know that Uncle Stevie just viewed your page 235 times in the last 4 days.

Available for free for the first 72 hours, SpyFuse reports that its newest form of Spyware can not be blocked by Myspace - a similar claim of their previous releases. After the initial 72 hours, SpyFuse will be available for a small fee; but, what parent won't fork over the green to find out how many sexual predators are stalking their little Mandy. So everyone beware, because Big Brother is indeed watching.

Visit SpyFuse and have them send you a message, telling you how to get a hold of their new tracker.

Continue reading "SpyFuse - Get Your Spy On"

Pitchfork interviews Man Man

There's nothing better than reading a great interview. It takes a skilled individual to sit down with a band, and facilitate a detailed and interesting dialogue. Interviewing Forward Russia a while back turned out to be a lot more challenging than I expected. It went alright, but we have a lot to learn.

Go read a master interviewer at work...
MAN MAN INTERVIEW

Continue reading "Pitchfork interviews Man Man"

All The New Radiohead You Could Ask For

Hopefully you have gotten a chance to check out the full bootlegs of Radiohead's latest performances available at Not For Profit. If not, we'll make the search that much easier for you. Below you will find 11 new Radiohead songs performed at their recent gigs in Europe. Though supposedly there aren't going to be any Radiohead releases this year, these recordings do give you an idea of the direction the band is heading.

In other news, Thom Yorke will be releasing an album on XL Recordings this July entitled, The Eraser. As "un-solo" as this may be, one of the songs on the album was performed at the Koko benefit this month called "Cymbal Rush." Here is the tracklisting and the cover of the album. The song "Black Swan" has been slated to grace the closing credits of Richard Linklater's new film, A Scanner Darkly, being released this summer (is this film going to be off the hook madness or what?).

Also, a reminder to all that Radiohead tickets for the Greek go on sale this Thursday at your favorite Ticketmaster location. Good luck and enjoy.

Radiohead - "Arpeggi" (Koko - 5/1/06) mp3
Radiohead - "Cymbal Rush" (Koko - 5/1/06)
mp3
Radiohead - "Bangers and Mash" (Copenhagen 5/6/06) mp3
Radiohead - "4 Minute Warning" (Copenhagen 5/6/06) mp3
Radiohead - "15 Step" (Amsterdam - 5/9/06) mp3
Radiohead - "Bodysnatchers" (Amsterdam - 5/9/06) mp3
Radiohead - "House of Cards" (Amsterdam - 5/9/06) mp3
Radiohead - "Nude" (Amsterdam - 5/9/06) mp3
Radiohead - "Open Pick" (Amsterdam - 5/9/06) mp3
Radiohead - "Spooks" (Amsterdam - 5/9/06) mp3
Radiohead - "Go Slowly" (Blackpool - 5/13/06) mp3

Continue reading "All The New Radiohead You Could Ask For"

Jose Gonzalez the busy bee

Jose Gonzalez doesn't seem to be stopping anytime soon. After recording his breakthrough debut, Veneer, his schedule has been packed with performances dotting the globe. The singer will soon be embarking on another US tour this June, with a stop in LA at the El Rey theater.

Gonzalez will also be making a stop at the Hollywood Bowl at this years KCRW World Festival in August with the likes of Gotan Project, Zero 7, and Herbert. This is fitting since Gonzalez is a featured singer on three tracks on Zero 7's new album,
The Garden. Jose will be touring with Zero 7 through the UK as a singer (not as a supporter) beginning at the end of May.

It will be interesting to see how his imitate performances translate in that great big bowl in Hollywood, but I think the Gonzo can hold his ground. Check out one of the tracks off of Zero 7's new album featuring Jose.

Zero 7 - Left Behind (w/ Jose Gonzalez) mp3

6/16/06 - El Rey (w/ Juana Molina) (tix)
8/27/06 - Hollywood Bowl (KCRW World Festival) (tix)

Continue reading "Jose Gonzalez the busy bee"

Saturday, May 20, 2006

Saul invades The Freud

How exactly do you classify an artist like Saul Williams? The most common move is to just lump all his vocations into a long string of words - preacher, rapper, poet, philosopher, chef, good driver, fashion icon, dancer... Instead, I'm going to say, "Seeker of Truth". If there is a path that might lead to expanded knowledge, Saul is ready to walk it. His mind is bigger than anyone I've ever come face to face with; however, it is not used as a mere parlor trick. His genius doesn't lie in his ability to talk fast, recall pages of lyrics or mastery of beat - it lies in the content of his words.

This was my first Saul Williams show, and my expectations were set pretty high. The lights went down, the crowd got excited, and then Staceyann Chin appeared instead of Saul. Since this was such a formal event, I hadn't expected any opening acts. So I sat back and hoped for the best. I got about half the best I had hoped for. Staceyann is clearly a talented poet, but (like a lot of slam poets) her focus was too narrow. It was all about how guys can't handle her being a lesbian and/or part black. It pisses me off when people tell me how I must feel about them, since I am a straight, white male. She immediately embodied the ignorance she was accusing me of.

Staceyann was a mediocre appetizer, and now I was starving for the main course. Sporting mohawks, both Saul Williams and his DJ stormed the stage, blowing through a handful of songs (mostly from his S/T album). In the middle of this set, Saul stopped and addressed the sitting audience, saying "I know this is the Freud Playhouse, and we need to act scholarly, but god damn lets have some fun." Everyone quickly jumped to their feet, and the party began.

Saul's performances are evenly divided between hip hop and spoken word, and he discussed the awkwardness of his transition into poetry. After a few minutes of indecision, the duo rocked one more song, and Saul then said goodbye to the beats. If his hip hop segment was a 9.9, then his spoken word was a 10.0. I wish I could crawl into his brain for a moment, and find out where he stores his memory vault. If he lived a few thousand years ago, Saul would have done well with oral traditions. While he did a few songs off his album sans music, he also recited from his 2003 book, Said the Shotgun to the Head. He must have gone through 10 pages all from memory. The free-verse prose centers around a homeless man who believes that he has met the Messiah.

What else is there to say? If you don't own any Saul Williams, check out this mp3 and go buy an album.
Saul Williams - Telegram

(Unfortunately, our camera ran out of batteries at the show so these are just stock photos.)


Continue reading "Saul invades The Freud"

Friday, May 19, 2006

Spring Cleaning

We are polishing up the site right now, which may result in some odd displays for the time being. Please bear with us.

XO
The Content

Continue reading "Spring Cleaning"

Saul Williams pre-game warm up

Before I dive into the show review, it is important that you get a feel for what a Saul Williams concert/reading/talk is all about. Unfortunately, our camera ran out of battery prior to catching any video, but these poems/songs below are very similar to what we saw at UCLA. Enjoy.




Continue reading "Saul Williams pre-game warm up"

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Prefuse 73 Cancels Tour



Due to some sort of illness, Scott Herren has canceled the entire Prefuse 73 / Edan US tour. This week just keeps gretting worse. Oh well, go buy a copy of Security Screenings and call it a day.

Previous Post: I finally get to see Prefuse 73 (fitting)

Continue reading "Prefuse 73 Cancels Tour"

Two Days with the radio

Due to an unexpected 2,000 car repair, I have been driving a bright blue Chevy Aveo for the last two days. It has no CD/Tape Player, no power door locks, and no power windows, but it drives like a dream. As a kid, I always wanted to be on my own during the early 1990's, and now I got to live that dream. Yesterday, Smashing Pumkins' "Today" came on KROQ as I was jamming down the 405, and for that second I had transported a decade.

The craziest part of my two day rental experience was the amount of radio I listened to. I had that dial spinning all day long, and I learned a few things:

1. The voice of Indie 103.1 is the antichrist: How F%cking laid back and cool can you possibly be. Oh wow, I don't care about anything. The guy sounds like a 35 year old wash up. "THis isss Indie 103 1, like check out these ads, they like pay for our show and stuffffff... "

2. Big Boy needs to change his name: The guy is like 150 pounds now. I wanted to win the X-Box 360, but was afraid to call in and sound like a stupid white kid. Oh well.

3. KROQ plays 5 songs: Red Hot Chili Peppers - "California is the play I love, blah" ( 5 different versions)

4. KCRW is still amazing, but could use more music: I think NPR should stick to the news and KCRW should stick to new music.

5. TURN OFF YOUR RADIOS: Unless it's KCRW/NPR, it is shit. Pure fact.

Continue reading "Two Days with the radio"

Films to watch this summer

a short and rushed list:

The Fountain (Sweet)

Southland Tales (Little nervous with the cast)

A Scanner Darkly (Most excited for)

Little Miss Sunshine (The Indie world continues its domination)

Marie Antoinette (Sophia makes me happy)

X3 (you know you're pumped)

Superman (can it be as big as its price tag?)

Miami Vice (Michael Mann is the man)

An Inconvenient Truth (Hopefully not just a blame game)

The Break Up (Sit back and enjoy)

All the trailers are on apple's site.

Continue reading "Films to watch this summer"

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Eastward Travels: Beirut here I come

***UPDATE: download these songs now! Postcards from Italy and Mount Worclai (Idle Days) ***

I finally gave in. After seeing their name everywhere over the past few weeks, the temptation became too much to resist. It backed me into a corner, and now all I can yell is, “Beirut! Beirut! Beirut!” The exclamation points are definitely on purpose there, and since I like to hinder the use of such things, take it as a vital warning to you all. This is something you need to hear.

With its eastern tinged mandolin and hand drums, singer Zach Condon’s warble sounds like the leader of a kulak exodus marching through a sea of Red and White soldiers, on its way to the Caucuses. More vagabond than crusader, more Russian than Brooklyn, Beirut captures the essence of bands like Neutral Milk Hotel and Devotchka without sounding like it copied the others’ blueprints. Their sound is all their own, and comes to shake its feet on our welcome mats as an invitation for a pleasant escape from the guitar based rock that has become the standard.

Brooklyn Vegan has the list of where you can find everything you need to know about Beirut from everyone you need to know it from.





Continue reading "Eastward Travels: Beirut here I come"
New Keane, playing the Fonda

Why do I feel guilty for kinda liking these guys? Could it be that singer Tom Chaplin could do battle with Bono's vocals? Possibly. Even though I don't really agree with their schtick of attacking rock music without a guitar (sounds similar to some other new band that everyone seems to have fallen in love with recently) I still can appreciate any band that can write a solid pop song.

Keane will be touring behind their soon to be released sophmore album, Under The Iron Sea. Right now they are planning a small venue tour with a few stops here in the states. Presale tickets are already sold out but the rest of the tickets for their show at the Fonda will go on sale this Saturday.

Go to Stereogum to stream their new single "Is It Any Wonder?"

6/21/06 - Henry Fonda Theater (tix)

Continue reading ""
The Raconteurs @ Wiltern LG

Presale tickets for Jack White's midwest supergroup go on sale today at 4:00pm. The regular onsale will be tomorrow (5/18/06) at noon. You better stay on top of this one because the Fonda show sold out in half a freckle past a heartbeat. Good luck.

And while you wait for tickets to go on sale, take a listen to the acoustic version of "Steady As She Goes."

The Raconteurs - "Steady As She Goes (Acoustic)"

7/21/06 - Wiltern LG (tix & tix)

Continue reading ""
You let us down Philly!

"URGENT TROUBLING NEWS:

LIARS PHILADELPHIA SHOW CANCELLED!! PLEASE CONTACT THEATRE OF LIVING ARTS 215-922-2599 FOR FULL TICKET REFUND.PLEASE NOTE:THIS IS NOT OF OUR OWN VOLITION..
FOR REASONS BEYOND OUR COMPREHENSION LIARS ARE NOT WELCOME IN PA ON WED 5/17/06. WE WIIL HOWEVER BE IN DC AS PER "THE PLAN" THE FOLLOWING NIGHT 5/18/06 WITH SACRIFICIAL CHEESESTAKES AND 76ERS.. OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHIES.. BROKEBACKLIARS" (Liars)

Pitchfork Media tells us that "According to their booking agent, the 'reasons beyond our comprehension" were poor ticket sales. Philly!' (PFM)

Hey Chris, your city's on notice.

Continue reading ""

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Bookslut thinks V for Vendetta is a prude

I've had one of the crappiest days in a while; however, my tagline for this article finally made me smile. V for Vendetta left a somewhat sour taste in my mouth, but I couldn't quite explain why. Thinking back on the movie, I find a handful of major reasons why the adaptation fell short. My shitty day has drained all energy out of me, so I'll let Bookslut explain it to you.

This review is right on the money, and I highly recommend reading more than just this excerpt.

"The moral of the graphic novel isn't just that we must all put on the mask, but that we must all put on the mask and take action. It's a leap that Alan Moore isn't afraid to make, but the Wachowski Brothers are. And that only hurts the film in the end, which is a shame. Because in this day and age, a film unafraid to make people want to stand up could have truly made inroads with a complacent public. Instead, we get a half-decent studio picture released in March, forgotten in April, and sold on DVD in June. Nothing that'll change the world." (Bookslut)

Additionally, read the Alan Moore interview, which discusses the graphic novel and the film adaptation.

Continue reading ""

Excited for tonight

FEARLESS
by:Saul Williams

I don't know whether to laugh or cry
and I don't know whether to live or die
I kept my love for her locked deep inside
it cuts like a knife
she's out of my life
out of my life, out of my hair
out of my mind, there's no love in there
I move on, move on

dear God, I wasn't breast fed
and most of my conversations with men seem to revolve around music
I'm no musician but the pain has been instrumental
my sense finally tune the instruments of - of - of
of being lonely, of being lost, of being loved, of being human
man I could use a metaphor but I can't get beyond this shit
I could use someone to talk to
but most of my conversations with men seem to revolve around music

I am a poet who composes what the world proses
and proses what the world composes

I am a poet who composes what the world proses
and proses what the world composes

damned indescion and cursed pride
I kept my love for her locked deep inside
and I don't know what to doto get it through to you
get out of my life tonight
get out of my life
out of my life, out of my hair
out of my mind, 'cause no lovin' fair
I move on, move on

she had nothing but time on her hands
silver rings, turquoise stones and purple nails
I rub my thumb across her palm
a featherbed where slept a psalm
yay though I walked, I used to fly, and now we dance
I watch my toe
nails blacken and walk a deadened trance
'til she woke me with the knife edge of her glance
I have the scars to prove the clock strikes with her hands

and I don't know what to do
to get it through to you
and I don't know what to do
to get it through
out of my life, out of my hair
out of my mind, 'cause no lovin' fair
I move on, move on, I move on



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Devendra curating "Hypnorituals and Mesmemusical Miracles Hanging in the Sky: 5 Nights of Soleros and Bandoleros at El Cid!!!!!!!"

Only Devendra Banhart could pull off a festival with a name like that. Pitchfork gave us the dirt on what to expect from these five nights at the El Cid (a place The Content loves).

"Devendra and I met when he first came to L.A. some 6 or 7 years ago, when I would book him as often as I could justify at the Silverlake Lounge. At that time he was completely unknown. To my recollection, back then he rarely played guitar, often preferring to sing karaoke style along with a boombox playing rough backing tracks he had recently recorded. The Silverlake Lounge is where he met Flux Information Sciences during a show, who swept him away to NYC, introduced him to Young God's Michael Gira, and subsequently the fame he is currently enduring. "It was Devendra's wish to hold this festival at El Cid, I think for its casual atmosphere and Spanish decorative flair, not to mention El Cid's tall trippy twin evergreen trees on the outdoor patio..." (Pitchforkmedia)

Truthfully, I only know a handful of these artists, but it should make for a good time. Devendra might even place a few days!

July 18:
Jana Hunter

The White White
QuiltEntrance
Phiiliip

July 19:
Ruthan Friedman

Cavernous Tullie
Stephanie Ruddie and Justin Luke
Feathers

July 20:
Nobody and the Mystic Chords of Memory

Subtitle
Mountain Party
Ryan Donnelly

July 21:
Coconut

Scarcity of Tanks
Hecuba
Viking Moses

July 22:
Michael Hurley
Sir Richard Bishop
Stuart and Caan

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Monday, May 15, 2006

Watch it while you can

If only we had elected Al Gore in 2000...



(Only available until the NBC conglom takes it down...again.)

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¡Werewolf!

I dare you to walk down a dark alley, blasting "Credits" on your ipod. If the requiem drum beat doesn't get you, than Shane's guitar-line is sure to slit your throat. You'd never see it coming though, because ¡Werewolf! hides its sinister plot within their sexy, down tempo tunes.

Each note is candy coated ultra violence.

Download if you dare. All scaring aside, I love this band and hope you'll love them too!

Right click + Save Target As = download (Yay!)
Credits
BAOT405


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Oddica to launch this Friday

The Content likes to keep the kids in the know and this is deserving for your little ears to hear. This Friday (5/19) is the launch for everyone's soon to be favorite T-shirt designer, Oddica. Rather than create just another T-shirt company, Oddica has built its company around its artists. With Q&A's, artist profiles, and a generous eternal royalties setup, Oddica has created a company where they can just "stay behind the curtain and seamlessly deliver the Artist's vision to (the) customers." Artists also have the opportunity to share in 41% of the company.

All this really wouldn't matter if they didn't have a design or two that caught my eye. But what is even better is that with their launch this Friday, Oddica will have a special pricing system setup:
That's right. If you buy 4 shirts or more they are all $10 bucks each. And all of their shirts are printed on only the highest quality, sweatshop free and Content approved, American Apparel cotton. Eat that one Threadless. So make it over to Oddica this week to give the site a little look see because come Friday the May Madness will begin.

Oddica.com


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Sunday, May 14, 2006

Sunday Flashback

We finally finished uploading footage from the Living Room show. Here are four more great songs for you to watch and enjoy. Happy Mother's Day!











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Saturday, May 13, 2006

Coachella - Day One

A lot has been said about Coachella, and it’s all true. It was hot, and filled with lots of douche bags. Lots of sweat, and way too many shirtless meatheads, forcing my arms into their sweaty sickness, as I waited to hear this or that. My back hurt constantly. My feet were bloody with pain (unfortunately I didn’t read Jax’s list).

However, it was all worth it. Every pain, discomfort and douche bag “Freebird” request, was worth being able to see a wheel barrel full of this year’s greatest music.

Here was our attack on Coachella:
• Animal Collective
• Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (CYHSY tent way to full, run to Deerhoof)
• Deerhoof
• Kanye West
• Sigur Ros
• Devendra Banhart
• Dinner with the Juan Maclean and Franz Ferdinand
• Cat Power
• Rest under the stars listening to Depeche Mode
• Daft Punk


My three years at Coachella have all been such a wonderful experience, shared with friends and loved ones. Recently, there have been people shooting off about the legitimacy of Coachella as a showcase of good music, rather than a stage for bigger names to gain indie cred. These mouths need to be shut, because they're making me nauseous. Coachella, in its desert atmosphere, creates a communal vibe that can’t be felt anywhere else on the West coast. In this way Coachella is a way to bring us all together to enjoy the one interest we all share – music.

...and for good measure a picture of me trying to escape the sun (and James Blunt's vocals) on Day 2.

Previous Post: Coachella Day 2

Continue reading "Coachella - Day One"
Thom Yorke solo album!

I must conserve energy. I am too tired.

Read this:

"this is just a note to say that something has been kicking around in the background that i have not told you about. its called The Eraser nigel produced & arranged it . i wrote and played it.the elements have been kicking round now for a few years and needed to be finished & i have been itching to do something like this for ages.it was fun and quick to do.inevitably it is more beats & electronics. but its songs. stanley did the cover. yes its a record! no its not a radiohead record. as you know the band are now touring and writing new stuff and getting to a good space so i want no crap about me being a traitor or whatever splitting up blah blah...this was all done with their blessing. and i don't wanna hear that word solo. doesnt sound right.ok then thats that.

i think its out in july and im pretty certain XL are going to put it out.

love thom (Atease)"

Sign up for the mailing list here

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Friday, May 12, 2006

Phil Selway's mother dies, Radiohead reschedule Amsterdam date

From Atease:

"Tonights (May 10) show at the Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam has been cancelled. We've just been informed of the sad news that Phil Selway's mother has died. The show has been postponed for now. Management stated that a new date is not yet available. However, it looks like the band will reschedule for August 28th."

On the DeadAirSpace board Phil wrote:

"Just wanted to say sorry to the people who were due to come to our show in Amsterdam last night, particularly those who made wasted journeys. My mum died suddenly in the early hours of yesterday morning and so I just wanted to be at home with my family. Mum was a big Radiohead fan, and was very proud of all we've done as a band. I love and miss her very much."


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To: Friends in NY/Brooklyn

From: Bloc Party

"We're coming to play your town! Don't you feel much more important than those kids on the west coast?"

Here are the dates:

July 27th: Irving Plaza (New York)- on-sale TBA

July 29th: McCarran Pool (Brooklyn) w/ Secret Machines, Mew-Pre-sale: May 15th / Public on-sale: May 20th

The Pre-sale are for Marshals only. Thanks to Brooklyn Vegan for the heads up.

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Thursday, May 11, 2006

Stop holding my songs hostage itunes!

The unthinkable has happened to me - I am no longer opposed to digital music. This is a big deal for anyone that knows me, and has seen my CD/LP collection. I like physical objects - digital booklets just don't do it for me. I have a slowly growing collection of purchased itunes music; however, this will not continue for long. I hate the fact that itunes still basically owns the songs I download. They pulled the same trickery that Bill Gates did with Windows. The "You Kind of Own It" policy.

Don't you just love keeping track of your authorized computers, and CD burns?

Once a file builds a home on my hard drive, I should own it. It's my land they're inhabiting!

Does anyone else have trouble burning purchased music onto a mix CD? Every time I put an itunes song into a mix, it refuses to burn; however, once I delete the song, it works. I know this isn't Apple protocol, but it certainly adds to my prior frustrations. Thus the big red X over the itunes symbol.

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NSA knows about all your boring calls

"I said I didn't have a bomb."
"But sir, you said bomb."


How good is Meet the Parents?

Remember when you drunk dialed a long lost friend, ordered a pizza, or argued with your significant other? Guess who knows you made that call? A lot of stuffy white men. Nice.

USA Today released an article about the newly uncovered NSA phone record database:

"The National Security Agency has been secretly collecting the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans, using data provided by AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth, people with direct knowledge of the arrangement told USA TODAY.

The NSA program reaches into homes and businesses across the nation by amassing information about the calls of ordinary Americans — most of whom aren't suspected of any crime. This program does not involve the NSA listening to or recording conversations. But the spy agency is using the data to analyze calling patterns in an effort to detect terrorist activity, sources said in separate interviews. (
USA Today)"

I smell a press statement.

"Bush said that 'if al-Qaeda or their associates are making calls into the United States or out of the United States, we want to know what they're saying.' "

Just that simple.



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Tool goes #1 again

With 564,000 copies of 10,000 Days sold this week, Tool jumped to number 1 on Billboard's Top 200. I guess all that downloading didn't affect much. Now you can buy that gold ring Maynard. You're welcome.


Congrats to Maynard, Adam, Danny and Justin!

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"Arpeggi" live in Copenhagen

The first time I heard this song, I was mostly disappointed. I just couldn't find the genius in it. This full band version of "Arpeggi" is not that song. It is completely new, and heaps better.



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Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Doherty shreds blood for new paintings

Mmm... not sure what to think about this one. I mean I love the guy, but there is no way he has the cleanest blood.

Pete Doherty is "set to exhibit paintings that were created using his own blood" (NME). The paintings will be shown at an unnamed gallery in London, and have a price tag of 1000 pounds each.

Yummy.

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Destroying Spaceland with Blood on the Wall

First, I need to mention that the drive from Santa Monica to Silver Lake has become a staple product of my life, and each trip contains an interesting story. Past stories include: dead cat in the middle of the road, our car combusting on the 405, almost killing ourselves on the 101/110 (every time).

This trip to Spaceland was no different. Towards the end of Destroyer's set, this crazy guy in leather chaps came rushing up to the front of the stage. He just stood staring at the drummer, playing air drums and taking off various shirts. At the end of the set he rushed the stage and handed the drummer a business card and a large piece of string. Yeeeah. Whacko.




Oh wow, totally forgot about the show. Blood on the Wall played before Destroyer, and despite their lumberjack appearance, they played a fiery set of punk influenced wall-of-sound tunes. The punk feel came from co-vocalist/bassist Courtney Shanks, who brought some deep growling vocals. Plus her last name is Shanks! Yikes. The wall-of-sound half of Blood, is occupied by c0-vocalist/guitarist/brother Brad Shanks. He played some mean guitar, topped off with a crazy high voice. It made me think of Three-One-G, which was confirmed by his Get Hustle t-shirt.

Dan "the man" "destroyer" Bejar did not disappoint last night. Every time time I listen to a Destroyer record, I am left both hopeful and confused. Storytelling is a definite trend right now (ex. Decemberists, Unicorns, Islands, Liars, Sunset Rubdown), and Bejar tells yet another tale with Destroyer's Rubies. I read back that sentence, and it worries me that I might sound cynical. I don't think these bands are exploiting some marketable trend (AT ALL), I just think their is something strange in the air (perhaps a war).


Bejar's trembling voice is soothing in its uncertainty. Let me be more specific about this. Trembling vocals are now synonymous with Bright Eyes, an artist I adore, but not the picture I am going for. Bejar's voice has more of a quiver (think Clap Your Hands), which gives his stories a whimsical touch. I think this is where I also gain my sense of confusion. I start to feel pulled in multiple directions. The songs are rooted in pop, but are all slightly askew. This feeling goes beyond Destroyer (yet another ambiguous trend?), and into Neutral Milk Hotel and much of new indie music. To me it is the evolution of the pop song. Like all art, there is a constant sway in styles - a push and pull. The Beatles did it with Revolver, Picasso did it with Cubism. This quirky, singer-songwriter feel in indie music, is the new embodiment of melody.

Pop songs have hit every point on the map, and this stop is but a single dot on a crowed atlas; however, I'm enjoying the temporary destination, and the continuous ride.


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