REM have broken up, and so it is the end of an era. As a final hurrah, the group is releasing a career-spanning retrospective Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage 1982-2011, dropping November 15th. Below are two videos for the group’s final song, to be featured on the collection, “We All Go Back to Where We Belong.” The first video features Kirsten Dunst, and the second has John Giorno.
It doesn’t seem that long, but the Black Keys are already prepping a new album El Camino, for release December 6th. And the viral promotion for it has been absolutely awesome. First a teaser video featuring Breaking Bad’s Bob Odenkirk, then a fantastic album cover, then the equally minimalist single cover above (which you’ll be able to grab November 25th on vinyl as part of Record Store Day’s Black Friday – the single is available digitally today), and this video below for the song. And “Lonely Boy” itself? It’s guaranteed to make you move and shake just as erratically as our friend here.
On a side note: apparently there used to be a building where that bulldozer now sits. And in that building the Black Keys recorded their best album Rubber Factory.
Trailers for upcoming movies. Some are good, some not as much.
5. Packers Beat Vikings
Just wanted to remind you guys my favorite team is still the only undefeated team in the league and Aaron Rodgers is a touchdown-throwing beast. 24 of 30 passes, three for TDs, and a mere 335 yards. Discount Double Check!
4. Cowboys Beat Rams
The story here isn’t the quarterbacks (although Romo certainly played better) but DeMarco Murray, who set a franchise record with 253 rushing yards. And while it should be a given to win against the Rams, it still was nice to see my second-favorite team, who have had their share of embarrassing losses this year, earn the W for this week.
3. Pujols Sets World Series Records (And I Was There!)
As crappy as it was watching the Rangers get stomped at home in Game 3, I can honestly say I was impressed with Albert Pujols three home runs. Afterwards I learned that is a World Series record shared only with Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson. And I saw it happen in Rangers Ballpark. So that was pretty cool.
2. Holland Pitches Like a Champ (And Did I Mention I Was There?)
Of course it was even better being in the ballpark last night, as the key player of the night was Texas’ Derek Holland, who only allowed two hits and no runs in 8 and 1/3 innings. It’s because of Holland the series is all tied up, and hopefully it will be because of Wilson that we come ahead after tonight.
1. Texas Tech Wrecks Oklahoma in Norman, Shocks BCS
While watching the Rangers get beat, I moseyed into another office, and they happened to be showing the Texas Tech/OU game, which I was almost certain would not lift my spirits. Oh me of little faith; like the rest of the country, I was surprised to find my Red Raiders wrecking the Sooners after a lengthy weather delay. Even though it wasn’t the game I was attending, it did feel good to celebrate something Saturday night. And now we’re in the Top 25 for the first time since a little duo with the names of Harrell and Crabtree beat a guy named Colt McCoy back in 2008. I was pretty worried about this season, but after this away-game upset, who knows what this young TTU team is capable of? Should be a fun remainder of the season, and a promising one next year.
Bonus Overrated Event – Tim Tebow Wins Some Game For Broncos After Playing Like Crap For the Majority of It
In what was undoubtedly the worst NFL game of the week, one horrible team (Denver) played another (Miami), and the result was a low-scoring, punt-filled snooze fest worthy of napping through. Then, like the blessed pigskin messiah he is, Tebow decided to play football in the fourth quarter and started throwing passes that were in the general proximity of his intended receivers. Tebow racked up a not-so-dazzling thirteen completed passes for 161 yards. But of course he rallied his team to win, and I suppose that’s all that really matters in the NFL, but as they do, the media blew his performance way out of proportion. Lest we forget the other 45 minutes of the game where he played like crap; before everyone gets all crazy, let’s focus on the obvious fact that there is a lot of room for improvement. And the Dolphins still suck.
Every Saturday, I post a 15-20 minute podcast featuring some tracks I’ve been jamming the previous week, as well as some commentary and random musings from yours truly. Enjoy!
Tracklist:
FIDLAR – Oh
Out of Vogue – Flag
The Beets – Friends of Friends
The Big Pink – Stay Gold
Bleached – Searching Through the Past
Small Black – Moon Killer
A friend of mine and I were discussing the awesome awesome lineup for Fun Fun Fun Fest this year, and recently, they announced their schedule for our viewing pleasure. My friend was excited, but admitted he knew only a few bands. Where, he wondered aloud, could he find a comprehensive rundown of each band, a sampling of their musical chops, so he could further educate himself before the finest weekend of his year? I assume the Fun Fun Fun website has such a playlist, and they do, and it’s cool, but I wanted to make my own. So every Friday, from now until the fest (that’s nine weeks), I will be posting a playlist for your educational purposes for each stage and day, excluding the Yellow stage, which is mostly comedy.
This week’s playlist covers the bands playing on the Black (Punk/Metal) stage on Sunday – OBN III’s, Davila 666, Ceremony, NoBunny, Zero Boys, Eyehategod, Kid Dynamite, Cannibal Corpse, Boris, Black Lips, and Blonde Redhead.
Listen to the playlist on Spotify.
Missing From Playlist (not on Spotify yet): Schmillion
My Stage Pick: Black Lips
I saw these guys rule it at a Mess With Texas show several years ago – they threw hamburgers into the crowd about halfway through the set. Their new album is great and their live shows are famous for getting a little crazy. A big must-see for the Black stage for the whole weekend, maybe THE must see for this stage now that Slayer has moved to Orange.
If Anthony Gonzalez’ breakthrough album Dead Cities, Red Seas, and Lost Ghosts was a dreamy bedroom experiment, and it pretty much was, that means Before the Dawn Heals Us was a beautiful cinematic sleeper hit, and it also pretty much was. Let’s call Digital Shades Vol. 1 an itch Gonzalez had to scratch – it was an ambient pastiche favoring mood over substance (fingers crossed for no Volume 2). And then there was the masterpiece, Saturdays = Youth. Favoring over-the-top, pathos-driven production and theme, it was a brilliant homage to the 80’s, teenage angst, and young love. It was beautiful, near flawless. It has grown to be one of my favorite albums not just of 2008, or of the last decade, but of all time. It’s one of those albums you turn on before you drift off at night, it’s a cloud that sweeps you away.
So how does Gonzalez top what will no doubt be his finest work? An epic, two-disc conceptual album inspired by Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and childhood slumber. Over 72 minutes and 22 tracks, M83 brings together an array of sounds built around the theme of dreaming, and it really does sound like it. Gonzalez has always been great at building, rather than borrowing, from his older works; here you can hear the grand tinkering of Dead Cities, the bold soundscapes of Before the Dawn, the soft ambience of Digital Shades, and the captivating emotion of Saturdays.
But there’s something more; as with every album, Gonzalez continues to grow. He is now the prominent vocalist for his band, holding his own alongside the declarative Zola Jesus and previous collaborator Morgan Kibby. And his songs now are even more direct pop statements; rather than hinting at the idea of achieving soundtrack-worthy compositions in one part of the album, Gonzalez has stretched them throughout. There is a memorable melody around every corner, in between each instrumental interlude, each playful crescendo with laughing children, each soft acoustic strum.
Sure, it’s nowhere near the brilliance of Saturdays=Youth. Maybe it does run a little long, maybe there are a few too many short interludes, maybe there are slight flaws hidden around the strong highlights. But isn’t that why we love double albums? Their ambition? Their objective? Their adventure? As with any double album, this is meant not to be shuffled around for your commute, but to be listened to in one sitting, or two, or ten. It’s meant to be fully digested as a whole over and over again. And ultimately, that is a rewarding task. It may not be the best M83 album, but it’s certainly one of the best albums of 2011.
Rating: 9 out of 10
If you’ve never listened to Ben Folds, you’re deprived of one of the finest pop pianists of the past quarter century. Plain and simple. And now the Nashville songwriter has released the first thing to come close to a greatest hits (other than the energetic Ben Folds Live album). The career-spanning three disc retrospective gives you the hits, highlights, live show energy, wit and charm, and even some demos and outtakes for the hardcore Folds followers. Most of the great Ben Folds Five tracks from the 90’s are here, and the trio even reunited for three new ones, one of which is actually not too bad.
As Folds has aged from jaded college kid to sentimental father figure, his music nowadays is less observational and humorous and more….ballad-y. And the post-Rocking the Suburbs stuff really dwells on that. Still, there are gems from the past years that do not go unnoticed, like “You Don’t Know Me” and “There’s Always Someone Cooler Than You.” While not exactly the best introductory course to Folds’ prolific career (the collection overall seems more for the educated and devoted), the first disc does a decent job of covering big tracks from all of Folds’ full-lengths. And if you like what you hear, I highly recommend you delve further; the man still has a remarkable sense of how to craft a memorable melody.
In what can only be described as a clusterfuck, the always hirsute (and probably stoned) organizers at Transmission have managed to officially, after literally months of anticipation, announce set times and the Nites schedule for this year’s Fun Fun Fun. Â Those of us who have attended the fest in years prior are not surprised at the sheer lack of organization. Â And because the bands picked usually rule, we are quick to forgive. Â Transmission is usually slow getting things together. Â They truly are the most casual, laid-back, and Austin-y of the two major promoters in town (love them or hate them, C3 has their shit down pat almost a year before anything happens – but their lineup usually sucks, so you take the good with the bad).
But now that the fest has moved to Auditorium Shores, is selling more tickets, and is bringing bigger acts, I think it’s time for a smoother operation. Â Let’s chalk this year up to a learning experience. Â With some minor setbacks, usually quickly corrected. Â For the few of us who bought early bird tickets when the fest was only a two-day thing and then upgraded, we have only received two wristbands; meanwhile, Ground Ctrl Ticketing does not answer phone calls or e-mails, probably because it’s being run out of a shanty in Pflugerville…. or something. Â The schedule today was initially released as a too-small-to-read press release JPEG on Austinist, but thankfully the lineup was posted on the official site shortly after. Â Of course, the Nites schedule isn’t finished, and there was some original confusion over what stage Slayer is now playing (they’ve moved to Orange), but everything else seems to be intact. Â As is the case when you make an official lineup, some bands were moved around, but it doesn’t seem too far off what was originally announced, and conflicts, at least in my opinion, remain minimal. Â So great job, Transmission! Â Looking forward to rocking at the Shores. Â Now I just need that Friday wristband….
UPDATE: And they took my advice and got an app this year! Â But no Android version….?
