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2 COOL MOVIES TO RENT 2007-12-30 15:06:43 So, I’m feeling like crap today and I’m flat on my back watching a couple DVDs.  I’d heard of both of them, but never got the chance to see them, and it’s so rare that I rent two movies and neither of them suck. The first one is Hard Candy, which takes the whole victim-turns-on-the-creep concept of films like The Accused and I Spit On Your Grave and mixes it with the modern day equivalent, i.e., the “torture porn” of films like Saw, where sadism is used by a psychopath to achieve some warped end of justice.  In this one, a young girl catches a short eyes trawling for chicks in a chat room and instead of calling John Stossel, she takes matters into her own hands.  I’m not going to give away more, but suffice to say it’s a very tough film to watch made tougher by it’s intimacy.  There’s really only two characters in the movie, and most of it is dialog between them.  What made the film really stand out for me is that I coul ... Movies

TOMMIE PEDDER 2007-12-30 11:44:43 Rainy Day Women (Everybody Must Get Stoned)-Tom Petty and Eddie Vedder (Bob Dylan cover) American Girl-Tom Petty and Eddie Vedder The Waiting-Tom Petty and Eddie Vedder ...

TWILIGHT HOTEL-“Highway Prayer” 2007-12-30 03:10:21 Twilight Hotel occupy that strange space in the alt-country landscape occupied by artists from Canada who make Americana rock. I’m proud to make them one of my first 2008 reviews (album release date: January 29), because they have an authentic sound that offers more variety than the typical release in this genre. Highway Prayer, the Winnipeg band’s second album (their first was nominated for Best Americana Album at the 2007 American Independent Music Awards), goes from dark storytelling to rockabilly and twang, and covers much ground in between. Working with folks like Richard Bell (Janis Joplin, The Band), Stephen Hodges (Tom Waits), and Dave Roe (Johnny Cash), it’s easy to see how they’ve managed to create such a rich album. Courtesy of Killbeat. Oh, and if Highway Prayer doesn’t make you want to walk across the Key Bridge at dusk, with the whooshing of cars and blurry glow of headlights at your side, then you may just have no soul at all. It is the standout track o ...

DIGITAL PRIMATE–“Siege Mentality” 2007-12-29 11:24:23 I should say, right off the top, that techno/house music isn’t my thing. But there’s a sense of humor, and a variance of rhythm, in Digital Primate’s “Siege Mentality” that made me listen to it all the way through. More than once. I don’t know if it was the foray in dancehall (“Career a Move Up”), the slight grime infecting several songs on the album, or the Beyonce rip on “I Ain’t Wid It,” but something about this album puts it several cuts above the rest of its class. Snake Charmer I Ain’t Wid It I Deserve ...

THE ROOTS, LIVE IN CONCERT 2007-12-28 17:48:07 The Roots are one of the few rap bands that are actually better live than in-studio. Jay-Z knew it when he recorded his unplugged set, and if you’ve never had the pleasure, you can find out for yourself today. As always, a few tastes and a zip. The Roots: July 16th, 1999 (Montreux Jazz Festival) Without A Doubt Table of Contents The Next Movement Step Into The Realm Proceed Mellow My Man Jusfuckwiddis Ain’t Sayin’ Nothin’ New Concerto of the Desperado The Ultimate The Lesson Pt III (It’s Over Now) Double Trouble 100% Dundee You Got Me w/Jill Scott You Got Me (with Keyboard Solo) Freestyle Human Turntable solo Adrenaline Y’all Know Who ZIP FILE ...

DISTRAKT-”Distraktions” 2007-12-28 03:39:54 I was gonna start this post by writing, “I listen to a lot of rap . . .” But the truth is, I listen to rap a lot, but not a lot of different rappers. Most rap I hear doesn’t move me–especially the rap I find in my mailbox. Which is why Distrakt was such a surprise. Distrakt is an independent DJ/MC/producer who’s rocking Colorado with some innovative, expert beats. There’s not a lot of DJ/turntablist stuff out there worth hearing–the Xecutioners had a few albums a while back, but they crowded them up with guest shots by name rappers, while Distrakt features unknowns who need the break as much as he does. And he does a lot himself. This is standout music that deserves your ears. Give ‘em to him. On the Reg Dirty Record ...

YOUR MIDWAY HOST-“Our Cities Could Grow” 2007-12-27 04:12:12 The first track on Your Midway Host’s, “Our Cities Could Grow,” is an Americana marching song. It makes sense that singer/songwriter Nich Bazik got his start in a “Civil War Fife and Drum Corps.” But traveling through the album, the listener finds an excellent collection and wide range of Americana tunes, from Ryan Adams style ballads to Wilco/Uncle Tupelo banjo jaunts. It’s roots music of a high order, and I’m giving it, accordingly, a high recommendation. If I’d had more time to sit with the record over the year, it might very well have gotten a best of the year award. But instead I’ll have to be content telling you all to . . . check it out. Coming Out of the Rain (live version) Sevilla Oak Tree Johns Song Quiet Song ...

BRIAN GROSZ-”Bedlam Nights” 2007-12-26 04:23:54 The easy comparison is to Tom Waits, but I’m not gonna say it. Instead, I’m gonna tell you that Brian Grosz is a bluesy and gruff singer-songwriter who weaves tales of problems that can be best solved with bullets to the head and bags of trash that hang like grapefruits from the trees. It’s guitar-based music, but it sounds like dark piano songs, witt a musical complexity that defies the typical Soundgarden-gone-acoustic sound. The former Dogs of Winter frontman, this Brooklynite is supposed to be great in concert. I can’t speak to that, but I’m really digging “Bedlam Nights,” and I’m gonna advise you all to check it out. Readers know that that’s not something I do after all my reviews–only those that are spinworthy from front to back. So do it. Check it out. Roads (Portishead cover) Tell Me Why ...

DUCKDOWN RECORDS DOWNLOAD 2007-12-25 04:21:05 Duckdown, home of Boot Camp Clik, is generously offering a free album download for Xmas! A live performance by Black Moon, one of the most underrated rap duos around. Unauthorized Biography of Black Moon ... Download

MERRY CHRISTMAS-AMY MANN IN CONCERT, CAROLING! 2007-12-25 04:05:52 An Xcellent quality Xmas set from a most Xcellent lady. That makes for a triple-X show for your hollyday! Enjoy. A few tastes, then a zip. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Christmas Time Little Bombs Whatever Happened To Christmas? Calling On Mary Clean Up For Christmas Way Back When I’ll Be Home For Christmas UNZIP YOUR CHRISTMAS PRESENT ...

THE THREE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS: DAY THREE 2007-12-24 03:49:47 I’ve Got My Love To keep Me Warm-Kay Starr [Stuhr Remix] (Highly recommended!) Mambo Santa Claus-Big John Greer The Pipettes - In The Bleak Midwinter The Real Slim Santa-Eminem Do They Know It’s Christmas-Far Do They Know It’s Christmas-Pete Yorn Do They Know It’s Christmas-Richard Cheese Christmas is Interesting-Jonathan Coulton (Highly recommended!) ...

5 ALBUMS FROM OTHER PEOPLE’S BEST OF 2007 LISTS THAT I WISH I’D HEARD BEFORE I MADE MY LIST 2007-12-23 16:24:22 The great and frustrating thing about music is, no matter how much you hear you can never hear it all. Here’s 5 albums I found about by reading other peoples’ lists (most of which I found on Largehearted Boy’s master online list). 1. Andrew Bird-Armchair Apocrypha. How the hell did this album get by me? It sounds like something that should have been submitted by the label. Shame on Fat Possum for not doing that. God bless e-music, where I found this delightful pleasure. Great singer-songwriter tunes, perfectly crafted and constantly engaging. Not a flawed track on the entire album. Andrew offers lots of free music on his download page, so go check it out. Like this: Imitosis (Four Tet remix) 2. Ha Ha Tonka-Buckle in the Bible Belt. A really, really, really good album, also available on e-music. Self-described “foot-stompin indie rock,” this is easily as great as The Broken West. Being a huge Americana fan, I can’t understand how this al ...

5 REASONS TO START A BLOG 2007-12-23 08:20:23 Actually, it’s one reason and five supporting arguments: Because you get to cultivate relationships with talented artists and labels who share music with you that you otherwise wouldn’t hear! 1. Finian McKean. I interviewed Finian McKean on my old site, before the RIAA threatened to separate me from my family for posting a song from a CD submitted to me by a representative of a label, and Fin proved to be an incredibly interesting man, with strong support for the movement of music from the physical to virtual world. At the time, Ryan Adams had failed to defend a couple kids who were facing prison time for posting a few songs off his boring album, “29,” and Finian indicated that Ryan should have come out against what his label was doing. Quite a controversial statement. But I agree. If 2007 proved nothing, it proved that the artists need the labels less than the labels need the artists. Finian’s got a new record coming out called “Monsters of the Deep Woods.&rdquo ...

THE THREE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS: DAY TWO 2007-12-23 06:51:02 The Specimen - Wish It Would Snow Courtesy of the band! Biggie’s Last Christmas-Cheekyboy What Can You Get a Wookie For Christmas-Star Wars Father Christmas-Elastica I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (remix) - DJ Olive Little Drummer Boy-The Hoodoo Gurus The Knife - Christmas Reindeer Courtesty of Big O. Be Bop Christmas-Babs Gonzalez The First Noel-Crash Test Dummies Everything’s Gonna Be Cool This Christmas (acoustic version)-eels Odawas “I Tell Lies (Odawas Remix)”. A sad one. Still hungry? Sounds Familyre offers a whole album of Xmas music! ...

THE THREE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS: DAY ONE 2007-12-22 14:12:59 Originally, I decided to boycott Christmas songs this year because really they’re lame. But I gave in. Three days of tunes for your Xmas. You’re Not the Kind of Ho (That Santa Had in Mind)-Dr. BLT DJ BC’s Xmas Mash Up Mix (follow link) There’s a Star Above The Manger Tonight-Califone Podsafe Christmas Song-Jonathan Coulton Gloria-Elastica Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer-The Slip If I Was Santa Clause-Atmosphere Mod Guitar Christmas-Stratocruiser Christmas Card from a Hooker (Tom Waits cover)-Neko Case ...