Or if You're Not Spending New Year's Eve in NYC

While NYC will no doubt have some of the best parties, world-wide, Connecticut might be just close enough to steal some of the city's glamour and taste. And Massachusetts, too.

Connecticut events:

- Up Or On the Rocks in downtown Hartford is hosting TENET, a general pop/rock band I've never heard of from the area. Apparently they're kind of a big deal around here. Doors open at 7 p.m. and cover is $20 per person, $30 per couple. 21+

- The Wailers, best known for their association with Bob Marley, will be playing the Klein Auditorium in Bridgeport with their new frontman Elan Atias. The show starts at 8:30 p.m. for &$75 tickets.

- Toad's Place: Some more reggae/jam band material. They're having a New Year's Eve Extravaganza with Shakedown, a Grateful Dead tribute band. Also appearing are The Mo' Folkies and Far From Here. Doors open at 7 p.m., $9 advance, $15 day of the show.

And to recover from the night before, Tisane's Tea & Coffee in Hartford is having a Hangover Brunch from 11-4 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2008

Massachusetts events:

- Underbar in Boston is showcasing DJ Steve Walker in the main room with Top 40, Hip- Hop and Mashups in the side room. It's Las Vegas-themed. Doors open at 8 p.m. 21+

- Mantra in Boston with DJ Dirty Dek from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. $60 tickets, and they say that the place was sold out two days in advance last year.

- Rumor Nightclub in Boston is hosting DJ Clinton Sparks, known for Akon's song "Sorry, Blame It On Me," and Boston's own DJ Joey DelBuono. $75 tickets.

- Harry and the Potters at the Hynes Convention Center

Batman Has Some Competition (Hellboy II Trailer)

I just stumbled upon this and thought I should share it. Although Ed (so far) is right when he said that the new Batman flick will probably be next summer's blockbuster movie, Hellboy II: The Golden Army is looking to give it some competition - at least in the realm of early trailers.

To be honest I'm sort of surprised there is a second Hellboy. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the first but it just didn't seem like a box office hit ($100 million worldwide compared to - if we want to keep these comparisons goings - the $371 million Batman Begins brought in). Either way, looks just as much fun as the first.


PS: My favorite part about these movies? Selma Blair. I still have a crush on her from her Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane days.

Death Cab for Cutie Alive For Another Album

Alright, it has been way too long since Death Cab For Cutie, put out an album; The Postal Service was cool, but it wasn't the same. According to frontman Ben Gibbard and the band's website, there will be a new DCFC album dropping in May of 2008. Hopefully we can look forward to a collaboration with Feist, who Gibbard has recently been working in the studio with for the Red Hot And Indie compilation being produced by the National's Aaron and Bryce Dessner. Oh and if Jimmy Tamborello is listening, Dntel was alright, but another Postal Service would be better...maybe with Conor Oberst this time.

Top Everything Else of 2007...A Little Late

Hey everybody, so we recorded another podcast last Friday morning and I finally got around to editing it and putting it up online. Here you go, enjoy it. We touched on Top Single, Top Local Band, Top Comedy Album and Top Mix.

What Are You Doing on New Year's Eve?

While the end of the year in coming up quick and most of you probably need plans still for where your are going to get trashed and ring in the new year. If you don't mind heading out to New York City, you will find a huge selection of parties, all of them hosting amazing DJ's, open bars and most likely the best time you'll ever have.

Hiro Ballroom in the Maritime Hotel
Young Love Live + 33Hz Live
plus VHSorBeta Dee Jays
with DJ Alex English & Guests
Radiohead Album Release Party

Open Bar 9.30-10.30 / Doors Open 9 p.m. - 4 a.m.

Some of the finest music in town for NYE. Expect Dj's to be spinning In Rainbows and you to be shitfaced off champagne and cheap beer.


The Annex

XXXChange (Spank Rock)
Peate Suzuki + Lily of The Valley + Guests

Vodka Open Bar 9:30-10:30 / Doors Open 9 p.m. - 6 a.m.

The Annex is the most noteworthy nightclub in the Lower East Side, and DJs XXXChange (of Spank Rock), Peate Suzuki, Lily of The Valley and guests will be spinning electro, dance rock, hip-hop, and classics.
This party goes 'til 6am - so bring a flask of coffee! Tickets are only $25 (at least, they are until Christmas) - and that includes an early Open Bar. This is my bet for the overall best time and best party.

Spotlight Live

Hosted by Kevin Dillon (of HBO's Entourage)

5-hour Open bar from 9pm - 2am / Doors 8pm-4am
Gourmet hors d`oeuvres
Champagne toast at midnight

A rock'n'roll club right by Times Square, Spotlight has been getting great press this year, featuring some of the biggest names in music. Kevin Dillon will be hosting. DJs spin hip-hop and classics.

Lotus

Doors 9pm-8am

Just Confirmed: Biz Markie DJing!!!

The original lounge club that has played host to more supermodels than you can wag a stick at... Still one of the premiere venues in the city, this year festivities will be going on until 8am - so we advise plenty of red bull.
Biz Markie will be DJing - so put on your dancing shoes!!!

I Am Legend Falls Short of Legendary, Still Amazing

When I first heard Will Smith was playing Robert Neville in the newest movie version of the novel I Am Legend, I cringed a little bit with the though of the classic story being turning into another Independence Day or Men in Black.

Thankfully, Smith does an amazing job in I Am Legend and has brought himself up a few rungs on the ladder of present-day actors.

While the movie starts off in a decrepit New York City (instead of Los Angeles, like the book) with Neville flying through the empty streets on Manhattan in a brand new Mustang GT500, with his dog Sam riding shotgun, it doesn't take long for the audience to grasp what is going on. The scene quickly turns into a view of Neville's lonely life as the only person left on Earth. The movie quickly describes the event of three years prior when a cure for cancer, turns into the Krippin Virus which effects 90% of the Earth's population and subsequently turns the victims into blood thirsty vampires.

The movie's hour and 40-minute run time flies by as Neville fights off night-seekers (vampires), haunting memories and dark depression in order to continue living. Saying too much more would kind of ruin it for you though.

Expect a mixture of well-shot scenes, heart-stopping drama, explosions, violence and one of the best stories in theaters this year.

For a quick glimpse of what to expect, check out this short trailer.

Hot Chip's "Ready for the Floor"

In anticipation of Hot Chip's new album Made in the Dark due out February, here is the music video to their (I believe) second single.

That's about it.

Juno Hits Connecticut on Friday!

Hooray! I discussed Juno earlier this month and posted the trailer to go along side it, but still haven't had a chance to see it. Finally it is here! I planned on seeing it Monday at a free early screening in Hartford, but I ended up missing out (sold out). Although this time around I'll have to pay for it, this is good news.

Some places in Connecticut it will be playing on Friday: Plainville, Manchester, New Haven, West Hartford, Fairfield...pretty much all the major locations. Check your local listings and what not, and be sure to see it this weekend.

Since I already posted the trailer I leave you with a short conversation between Ellen Page (Juno) and Diablo Cody (screenwriter) about acting and writing about being pregnant despite never experiencing it.

M.I.A. Song Ruined on Letterman and MTV

M.I.A has been ranting and raving on her blog over what transpired recently over here in the States. The first crime is how Letterman (or American television) censored her song "Paper Planes," which, by the way, I love more and more each time I hear it. I don't think I've given Kala enough credit this year. Anyways, what more or less happened was the gunshots in the chorus got censored and sounded like firecrackers or a cap gun. You can see why she is mad over that below. It does sound like crap.

Apparently, there is also a censored music video going around YouTube and being played on MTV. I found it, but it really isn't worth your time. The gunshots now sound like stomping feet. If you're dying to hear it I'll save you the time. You can find it here.

I still don't understand why these gunshots are being censored. Someone suggested it was being done to not scare the live audience at Letterman. Okay that makes sense, people who watch Letterman are old and the loudest sound they hear all day is bread popping out of the toaster, but why on MTV? I could be wrong, but I believe I've heard music video gunshots on MTV before. Well, since I'm spending all this time talking about this I might as well end this with the real, official video.

More Like A Top 20 Albums of 2007

As James Murphy says in "Us vs Them," the time has come, the time has come today.

Most major sites have already released their top albums of the year and with that has come countless forums battling it out over who did what wrong and who did what right. I drunkly and rightfully commented on Spin's list, which I still remain adamant about its bullshit.

Before I post the list that appeared in The Recorder last week, I would like to say that while this list reflects what Ed and I believe are the best of the year, this list will certainly change in our minds over time. Not to say that we're wrong right now (although we very well could be), but albums from 2007 are growing on me and...doing the opposite of growing on me the more I listen to them. A perfect example is LCD Soundsystem's Sound of Silver, which I believe should be a bit higher. And I also believe Lupe Fiasco's The Cool will be taking Pharoahe Monch's spot by week's end (in my mind). So without further ado, the list.

1. Kanye West - Graduation
Kanye’s newest album was our hands-down number one of the year. With an amazing mix of style, no one song on this album is bad.

2. Radiohead - In Rainbows
In Rainbows redefined how music is released and purchased. Not only did Radiohead fuck over every record label, they made their best album in years.

3. Chromeo - Fancy Footwork
The NYC via Montreal-based duo tore up the dance floors and my earphones with their electrofunk tracks this year. This album made every party in the summer of 2007 that much better.

4. The National - Boxer
2005’s Alligator was the band’s jump into popularity, but it was Boxer that kept them there. Interpol, one of The National’s contemporaries, is currently wishing their release this year sounded half as good.

5. Tegan and Sara - The Con
There’s not a bad thing that can be said about this twin sister duo. While The Con was not as easily accessible compared So Jealous, the creativity on this one grew on you quickly.

6. White Williams - Smoke
White Williams showed up kind of late this year, but his album was so damn catchy it cracked the Top 10 with ease. This electro pop release is all Williams, as he does vocals, mans the laptop and keys.

7. Justice - †

These French dance enthusiasts have made an album Daft Punk could be jealous of. For the rest of us, it’s an essential party record.

8. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
This shit got nominated for a Grammy, are you kidding me? James Murphy slays. This dance, punk, disco, whatever album is essential. Cop it if you haven’t yet.

9. Feist - The Reminder
Mostly known for her role in indie-powerhouse Broken Social Scene, Feist has wandered off by herself and made an extremely catchy album that has even caught Apple’s attention enough for her own iPod commercial spot.


10. Jamie T - Panic Prevention
Mike Skinner meets the Artic Monkeys equals someone who is apparently more capable of putting out a solid album this year. This genre-jumping 21-year-old was one of the best newcomers this year.

11. The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
Picking up where Chutes Too Narrow left off, The Shins continue to make outstanding rock albums that Zach Braff can’t get enough of.

12. Ratatat - Ratatat Remixes Volume 2
While most Ratatat’s original material is purely instrumentals, their remixes mash together vocals from one track and beats from another. Most of them are genius and all of them are free.

13. Bloc Party - A Weekend in the City
The band had a tough act to follow with Silent Alarm and while some people were skeptical of A Weekend, it turned out to be the most logical step for Bloc Party.

14. Band of Horses - Cease to Begin
Band of Horses kind of popped out of nowhere with a fall release, but received good press from just about everywhere. It was well deserved considering their album was brilliant.



15. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
Despite the fact that she became crazy in the last couple months does not change the fact that America fell in love with her when her album hit shores in March. Cross your fingers that the loveable, miserable R&B singer will come back to us for another try.

16. Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future
The hype train was at full steam with Myths and most of it checked out. This act may or may not have launched the debated genre of “new rave,” but either way their blend of punk and electronic music was a staple this year.

17. The Good the Bad and the Queen - Self-Titled
The Good, The Bad and the Queen would have been in Radiohead’s spot if they hadn’t released In Rainbows. It has the same lowkey rock smarts, but without the electric vibes.


18. M.I.A. - Kala
Mathangi Arulpragasam aka M.I.A. dropped another big record out of England this year, with her grungy, funk-laced pop songs that make Lady Sovereign look ever worse than she already is.

19. Against Me! - New Wave
This list needed some punk and Against Me! put out this year’s best punk album, no question. With a mix of political ideas and folky undertones, Against Me! stands out from any other band in their genre.

20. Pharoahe Monch - Desire
Common’s album was alright. Talib’s had its moments. Brother Ali had a solid outing. Jay-Z pretty much dropped the ball, again. Instead Monch steps up to be this year’s unlikely hero to the genre of hip-hop.



Look for our podcast on our 2007 'awards' like Best Single tomorrow or Thursday

Firefox Can Get You in Trouble-UPDATED

According to the Big Spring School District in Pennsylvania, the prior reports of a student being given detention for using Firefox instead of Internet Explorer were false. The school's principal sent out a message saying "The reports, blogs and other sources on the Internet indicating that a Big Spring student was assigned detention for using the Firefox internet browser instead of Internet Explorer are untrue and were based on the fake letter."

Damn Internet, making shit up and dressing it up as news.

In other news, I just discovered Joost, an online-based TV service that is totally free. Check that shit out.

People to See, Places to Go (Rest of December)

Wow is this week pathetic. Actually besides a few highlights here and there nothing is really going on until 2008, which is what I've been saying. I've searched around and tried to dig up a few things and below is what I've come up with. I may check to see if there are any movies or galleries opening up worth noting, but right now this is what we got. If you think we forgot something let us know.

Dec. 19
Allison Weiss
The Space / 6:30 p.m. / $10
We’ve talked plenty about Weiss over the last week or so. You can check here, here, here and here if you don’t believe me. So it is no surprise to see this show found its way onto our calendar. Some real good acoustic pop here, listen if you don’t believe me.
Opening: The Circuit

Dec. 21
Sinbad
Foxwoods Casino / 9 p.m. / $33-44
Wow, this guy is still alive? And this is not in reference to earlier this year when someone started that rumor that Sinbad actually did die; I’m just saying. The guy who brought you such gems as First Kid and Jingle All the Way is coming to Foxwoods. The price is a bit steep, but even the most washed up and irrelevant comedians manage to be funny live. It is also 100x better than see Fergie for $150+ nine nights later. Don’t get me wrong, “Fergalicious” is a great song, but I wouldn't pay $150 to see [insert dead artist or Jesus tap dancing here].

Dec. 22
Blow Up Dance Party
Café Nine (New Haven) / 10 p.m. / $5
Southern Connecticut hipsters are thrilled. Blow Up is back and if you don’t remember them the first time around think Shag Frenzy, but for New Haven instead of Hartford. Their Web site explains it involves “the most happening DJs in the universe spinning punk, indie, new wave.” Sounds decent.



Dec. 22
Shag Frenzy
Sweet Jane’s (Hartford) / No cover
Ironically, Shag Frenzy is the same night. So for those in the Hartford area too lazy to drive to New Haven for the night can simply stay in town. Same deal as above: indie, 80s, etc dance party. This one involves Johnny Strangler and Garage Flower though. Occasionally they have bands, but I can’t find any info on it (Update your site!).

Dec. 28
Catch 22
Webster Theater / 3 p.m.
How many times do I have to say that Dinosaur Sounds sucked and they haven’t been any good since their lead guy (not looking up his name) left for Streetlight Manifesto? Apparently a million, because that is exactly how many times Catch 22 plays the Webster. I’m not going to complain too much because it is so much better than what the Webster typically books (i.e. Blaza Ya Dead Homie, wtf?).
Opening: Westbound Train

Dec. 28
Quiet Life
The Space / 7 p.m. / $10
Despite the fact that I just said Catch 22 was almost worth going to, Quiet Life may be the better choice. Not only that they are playing with Aeroplane, 1929 and the Low Anthem. I briefly heard and was relatively impressed by Aeroplane before, despite their comma. Seriously, fuck you guys for that.
Opening: Aeroplane, 1929

Dec. 29
Lisa Lampanelli
Calvin Theatre (North Hampton, Mass.) / 7 p.m. AND 10 p.m. / $25-35
There's really nothing to say of Lisa Lampanelli. Her name really says it all. If you've seen any of her comedy or even briefly saw it on Comedy Central's various roasts you know what you're in for. A very offensive and very hilarious time. Two shows in one night, so you should be able to grab tickets. If you missed her at one of the Connecticut casinos a month or so ago, now is your chance.

For those of you not used to Lampanelli's comedy or any sort of vulgar comedy I suggest you skip the following video of her at the Pam Anderson roast.

Dark Knight Trailer Finally Released

While I am not the biggest fan of comic book-based movies, the new Batman movie looks amazing. Christian Bale comes back as Bruce Wayne and it looks like it's going to be another great performance from him. The best role in the movie though, is Heath Ledger as The Joker and he looks pretty damn creepy.

While the movie doesn't come to theaters until July of 2008, you can expect to see a ton of new trailers as the movie grows nearer and I'm sure this will be the summer's biggest blockbuster.

YouTube video of a YouTube video from The Simpsons

If you didn't catch last night's Simpsons, you missed their version of that annoying YouTube video of some guy taking a picture of himself everyday for some long extended period of time and sets it to dreary piano music. Well those video suck, but the Homer Simpson version is actually quite funny.

I Am Legend Makes Millions, I Can't Find a Ticket

Well the numbers are out and this winter's blockbuster hit I Am Legend made well over 75 million in its first weekend at the box office. While it isn't hard to see why Will Smith's newest flick is bringing in all the cash, it surprised me when I couldn't get a ticket to a 9:30 p.m. showing on opening night, even though I was trying to buy the ticket seven hours in advance.

Apparently, I Am Legend sold out both iMax showings in Manchester on opening night and most other showings around the state. I know I wasn't the only one who had problems scoring these tickets. I guess I'll have to wait till later this week and go to a $5 matinée.

Expect my actual review in the next couple days.

Members of Green Day Decide To Play Good Music After 17 Years of Practice

Green Day, every 12 year old's favorite band, decided to put together a side project by the name of Foxboro Hot Tubs, and it is pretty good. I don't know if it is good because it is coming from Billy Joe Armstrong (and my expectations are so low) or because it is actually good.

They had a six-song EP for download on their site recently, but it is currently down. You're still able to hear half of it on their MySpace, however. Then someone was kind enough to throw up the last three from the album on their own MySpace. How sweet.

The best part about this album (besides that it is free) is that it isn't obviously a Green Day side project. Granted, Armstrong's vocals are too recognizable at times and you're like fuck, but it is usually smooth. Check it out and I'll update this post if an official download becomes available again.

Lupe Fiasco Album Drops Tomorrow

Everyone is gushing over Kanye this year, but if Lupe's The Cool came out a few months earlier I think people would be talking about this guy. Not to say that The Cool is better than Graduation, but it may be the easiest runner-up. From what I've heard, it certainly beats out anything Jay-Z, 50 Cent (notice no one is talking about him anymore?) and Ghostface put out this year.

His MySpace (linked above) features a few songs off the album. So check it out and then go out and buy this tomorrow. One of his singles - and a great jam, if I might add - is "Superstar." You can listen to it on his MySpace, but you can also just check out the video below.



It doesn't end here though. He'll be coming through Connecticut in March. Leave it to Yale to get Lupe for, what I assume is, their spring weekend. Get your tickets early.

Feb. 2 - New York, NY - Nokia Theatre
March. 1 - New Haven, Conn. - Yale University

Firefox Can Get You in Trouble

The one little quirk that comes into play when I update the blog is that I have to go out of my way to open up Firefox so I can post. I usually use Safari, but it doesn't cut it when it comes to making full posts. As I opened it up a few minutes ago, a friend of mine from work sent me a link to an amusing story.

Apparently, a high-schooler in Pennsylvania was given a two-hour detention for using Firefox in class rather than the dismal Internet Explorer 6 that rules most computers,including the Dells that reside in The Recorder office. The student tried to defend himself saying it's a "better browser," but this was seen as disobedience and was punished.

This isn't really topical to entertainment...unless you're a nerd like me.

EDIT: Update here.

Don't Forget About the Grammys

The Grammys are a while away, on Feb. 10 to be exact, but as of right now there are a few outstanding names and they'll probably be the same ones snatching up those golden phonographs.

For one, Rihanna and Kanye West are all over the place. These nominees are in Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year and a handful of other places. Rihanna appeared five times; West was eight. He's recognized for his Graduation as a nominee for Album of the Year, as well as "Stronger" for Best Rap Solo Performance, and "The Good Life" with T-Pain for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. If you've been following More Like A Six-Foot Turkey for a while, you'll notice that West also sits at out number one album of 2007.


I was also pleased to see the British trio of the producer and two singers, Mark Ronson, Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse. While Allen wasn't really as popular in the States and didn't manage to have as much marital drama as Winehouse, she still made it into the Grammy lists with her Alright Still nominated for Best Alternative Music Album. Back to Black and "Rehab," nominated for Album of the year and Record of the Year, respectively, are probably going to define Winhouse's career, but the album altogether is great and definitely something that both English and American tastes can get used to.

One a side note, The Arctic Monkeys did a cover of Winehouse's "You Know I'm No Good."

The man responsible for both of the explosion of both the Winehouse and Allen careers is producer and DJ Mark Ronson, who many know for his percussion-heavy beats. He is nominated for Producer of the Year.

In the same category for Producer, Timbaland is the guy we know best for his work as an artist and with Nelly Furtado, M.I.A., Fabolous, Ne-Yo and Justin Timberlake. He's mentioned for Record of the Year for "What Goes Around... Comes Around," by Justin Timberlake and for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals with his, Furtado and Timberlake's "Give It To Me."

Justice also managed to make in in there with their "D.A.N.C.E." nominated for Best Dance Recording and † for Best Electronic/Dance Album. Nice.

If you feel like scrolling through all 31 fields of music and 109 categories of nominees, the 50th Annual Grammy list is available.

Another Pay-What-You-Want Album (Saul Williams)

I'm not really 100 percent sure how I feel about Saul Williams, but thanks to his generosity you're able to figure it out without paying a dime. In the same vein as Radiohead's release this year, Williams gives you a rather high-quality (in technical terms) album. You can purchase the album here, or as I said, get it for free (also there). Williams falls under the category of experimental hip-hop with some spoken word in there, but what I'm digging most on his album The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust his his "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" cover (originally done by U2, obviously). The song seems fitting given this cold, dreary Sunday we're experiencing here in the Northeast. Or maybe it is just the Jets' loss.

You can sample some songs on his MySpace, including "Sunday, Bloody Sunday."

This Week's Turkey Trailers

Well, we are back at it again, this time plus Melissa.
We touch upon six different movies, four nationwide releases and two
from the local area in Hartford.

Here you go folks, hope you enjoy and please leave messages.

Paulson's EP to Be Released on Christmas

Really need a really last minute Christmas gift? Wake up Christmas Day and download this album for a friend or family member. A handful of songs off the album are being streamed on their MySpace. The song, which the EP is named for, "Calling on You" is one of them and it is pretty good. A nice mix of typical "emo" with an almost refreshing mix of electronics. Not bad.

The covers on the EP may be the most noteworthy though. "Wonderwall" is on their MySpace now too, but what I look forward to hearing most is "Party All the Time," originally done by Eddie Murphy. "Wonderwall" is done really well so my hopes for "Party All the Time" are pretty high.

Track listing for Calling on You EP:
1) Calling On You (Album Version)
2) Calling On You (Mezzir Mix)
3) Calling On You (Choral A Cappella Version)
4) Wonderwall
5) Better Off Alone (Originally by Alice Deejay)
6) Party All The Time

This little guy will run for $4.99 on iTunes on Christmas.

Fuck Spin

There is a lot to talk about in the world of music at 4 a.m., but I have something specific to say.

Spin is bullshit.

Granted, if you're from Spin and you're hiring ignore this post. But seriously. Against Me! best album of the year? Maybe if this was 2006. Wasn't that year awful? I think Tilly and the Wall was one of the best albums last year. But not in 2007. This year was rather amazing. As you can obviously note from our Top 20. I think we spent 30 minutes on that and it came out about 100x better than Spin's.

They did a decent job on the Top 10, which is all I will look at considering how bothered I am by their number one. Maybe tomorrow when I have nothing better to do, I'll humor them by looking at this shit list. Putting Jay-Z and M.I.A. in the top 10 is sort of a cop out though. Jay-Z blew. Especially when I briefly saw they had Brother Ali on here. M.I.A. was pretty good, but was no where near her last one. I feel like you need to put M.I.A. in your top 10 just because you can look "diverse" in your music choices. Well guess what, you just look stupid. Kanye at four is doable, especially with LCD Soundsystem in front of it, but Against Me! and Arcade Fire can go to hell. Arcade Fire was boring as shit. Winehouse also slides at seven because I understand the mainstream appeal to her and she is actually pretty good. The rest of this list can go to hell though. Spin, you fail me.

Snowed In? What to Watch Tonight

If you're located in the Northeast like us, you're probably stuck in your home. Lucky for you it is a Thursday night and there's usually a good amount of television at your disposal. I can't expect you to swim through all your channels and find what to watch yourself though. So I'll do it for you.

There's nothing really going on until prime time, so we'll start at 8 p.m. Note all the times are Eastern.

8 p.m. -
I haven't watched Survivor since the first season, but I know there's plenty of you out there that get off on this stuff. This season's China edition will be on CBS. I'm leaning towards The Office on NBC, however. Despite the fact that it is a repeat of last season's holiday episode, it seems fitting given the weather.

I would probably spend this hour over at Comedy Central watching The Daily Show and Colbert Report, but I have a very limited amount of channels here. There's also a new episode of Smallville on CW.

If you're looking for something long-term you have a couple options. FX is running American History X tonight while Disney is running The Polar Express. ABC Family will feature Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (movie links go to trailers). The NFL Network is also running the Broncos/Texans game, which should make some some good television unlike the Wizards/Heat game on TNT.

9 p.m.-
For those of you who didn't make long term commitments to either the movies or sporting events, I have another block of television for you.

30 Rock (NBC) takes home the cake at 9 p.m. I blew this show off when it first started, but it has really grown into great comedy. Tina Fay does great work in front of (acting) and behind the camera (writing). I still can't figure out if Tracy Morgan is that bad of an actor or it is just his ridiculous character. CSI on CBS is a decent standby and for those who didn't get enough punishment at 8 p.m. with Survivor can torture themselves with Don't Forget the Lyrics! on Fox.

The movie channels finally decide to become a factor at this hour with The Hills Have Eyes on HBO and The Pursuit of Happyness on Starz. Pursuit is a really great movie that I had the chance to rent over the summer. Will Smith is great, as usual. Watching this would be good preparation for his new movie I Am Legend, which comes out tomorrow. Little Miss Sunshine, another great and cute movie, is on another HBO channel at this time too.

10 p.m.-
We take a bit of a nosedive here thanks to local news and repeats, but there are still some goodies. Mad Men, created by The Sopranos writer and executive producer, will be airing on AMC. The show was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Drama Series. If you do have a hankering for the news, BBC's World News America will begin here. So skip the house fires. The earlier (and terrible) basketball game should be coming to an end around 10:30 p.m., which is exactly when the Spurs/Lakers game begins. If you're a sports guy or gal and the Broncos/Texans game is getting boring (or you don't get NFL Network), this isn't an awful one to tune in to.

11 p.m.-
It doesn't get much better here. More local news and some Sex in the City reruns. Scrubs reruns start on My TV 9, or whatever they are calling that channel now. Today's episodes of The Daily Show and Colbert Report start here too. So if you caught up on yesterday's earlier, now you can watch today's. Sticking with BBC from last hour will give you Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, which is one of the few reality shows I find myself enjoying.

HBO has some amusing stuff on, like Taxicab Confessions - certainly a guilty pleasure for some. They also have Blood Diamond starring Leonardo DiCaprio, another great movie I saw this summer. Keeping with the Will Smith theme, Starz is running Independence Day here. Solid choice. Pursuit and Independence Day may be my two favorite Smith flicks, so just typing this is hyping up my I Am Legend anticipation.

12 a.m.-
Here comes the end of the night for most of us and with that comes all the usually bad late night shows. Leno and Letterman may be the least funniest people I've ever seen on television. On the other hand, feel free to switch the channel to Jimmy Kimmel on ABC. will.i.am will be appearing as the musical guest. TBS stops running reruns here and runs Jerry Maguire, a nice change of pace from late night talk shows and gives us poor chumps without HBO a movie to watch.

I guess I'll finally mention Meerkat Manor here. It is actually running all night on Animal Planet, so consider this a nice little fall back. Comedy Central gives watchers their crass cartoon, Drawn Together, which is usually good for a couple laughs. You, Me and Dupree airs on HBO2. Dupree is in the same vain as everything else Owen Wilson has done in the last five years. Nothing special, but it will provide some laughs without much thinking.

You're own your own for 1 a.m. SportsCenter is about the only thing new on at this point, so find something you know you like and enjoy the reruns.

Golden Globes Nominations Annouced This Morning + Juno

The nominations for the Globes were announced this morning. You can find the whole list here.

It is good to see Pushing Daisies getting some respect on here. Nominated under the "Best Television Series - Musical or Comedy." I don't know how much of a comedy the show is, especially when you compare it to some of its competition like 30 Rock and even Entourage. I was really surprised to see The Office or even Scrubs (in it's last season) missing from this list. Steve Carell is nominated for Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy, but still the show is only getting better.

I don't see anyone giving Grey's Anatomy much competition in the field of Best TV Drama, although House could surprise. I imagine the same sort of thing happening in the Best Animated Feature Film category and Ratatouille.

I actually haven't seen any of the nominations for best drama or best comedy. Some of these films aren't even out yet and I'm sort of surprised how top-heavy the list is with latecomers. What I can say about this is that it is good to see Juno in the Best Comedy or Musical category. Ellen Page, who plays the main character in the film, is also nominated for Best Performance.

The film has been getting great reviews so far with its limited release. Expect it to start expanding in the Connecticut area within the next week or two. I'm actually going to a screening of it on Monday so I'll let you know if it is worth the hype. The film is directed by Jason Rietman, who also did the film Thank You For Smoking (also good) and written by Diablo Cody. Cody is a bit of a newcomer, as this is her first film. So far, so good though. A lot of people are assuming Judd Apatow actually wrote Juno, due to the moniker I've often heard as Knocked Up from the female perspective. Superbad comparisons will also be bound to happen with Michael Cera in the mix. Without further ado I present to you the trailer.



The Golden Globes will air on NBC on Jan. 13 at 8 p.m.

A Little Mellow--Actually It's A Lot

Recently I've heard a lot of mellow and slow-paced material coming out for the past month. It's usually kind of depressing and mellow, but there are definitely some stand-out tracks here and there, especially on Grizzly Bear's EP, Friend. "He Hit Me," "Little Brother" and "Deep Blue Sea" basically made the album and I appreciate that they mixed it up a little with covers from guests. Like many of the EPs that pop up in this blog, Friend can be found easily and downloaded for free.

In the meantime, a review for you.

Also worth mention is Okkervil River's GOLDEN OPPORTUNITIES mixtape (I guess they like CAPS). This one can be downloaded for free on their Web site. Too bad they don't have "Black Sheep Boy" on there, but the song can be played through the site.

These songs will definitely help slide you into the post-Christmas depression, so get ready!

Wilco in New Haven, but it's not at Toad's, BAR or anywhere that you would think.

While I keep getting shit on in the amount of times I post by Mark and newcomer Melissa, I decided to see if there was anything cool coming up on my own at 9 a.m.

What I found was Wilco. A band like Wilco usually wouldn't come to CT because they are on the bigger side of indie-alt rock bands and tends to stay in NYC or Boston, but not this time. They are playing in New Haven at...The Shubert Theater? This is kind of odd because the Shubert is usually saved for legitimate theatre.

Tickets for the February 24th Wilco show will go on sale Saturday, December 15 for 33 dollars.

For more information, you can check out The Recorder's review of Wilco's Sky Blue Sky or take a quick peek of Wilco live right here.

A Great Big Pile of Free

Going along with Melissa's Black Kids post a couple down, I have another free EP for you. This one was also reviewed in this week's Recorder.

A Great Big Pile of Leaves' debut EP comes from a New York-Connecticut duo that brings on a mix of influences, all of them pretty fun. You can download their EP from the top of their MySpace page or just listen to a few samples there if you're feeling you aren't quite ready for commitment. I understand, it can be a rough world out there. You don't want to be giving yourself up to just any album download.

Make him take you on a few dates first and see how you feel then. If you don't like him, you don't need to call him back. Trust me, he's used to it.

Vampire Weekend Weekend + YACHT in 08'

Two things.

1. I totally forgot this weekend's show with Vampire Weekend, Ra Ra Riot and Tokyo Police Club. Sadly, it is sold the fuck out. But if you're going, good for you and let me know how it is. I'm sure if you really wanted to dig up tickets you could search Craigslist or something. I should have posted this earlier so maybe you could go, but...sorry. There's always New York in January.

Dec. 15 - Cambridge, Mass. - Middle East Downstairs
Jan. 29 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
Jan. 30 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom

2. YACHT! YACHT is pretty amazing and is in the same vain as White Williams. I'm adding him to the list of shows to watch for in the beginning of the year since there isn't anything happening. Well, I'm going to have stop saying that because more and more shit keeps popping up.

Jan. 18 - Worcester, Mass. - Clark University

Staying Productive with As Tall As Lions

The band As Tall As Lions has busted out an EP, Into the Flood, as of Nov. 28 and even with a new mix of sounds, these five tracks stay true to ATAL's originality. They put it out in three weeks, which is kind of impressive. The best track on there is "We're the Ones That Keep You Warm At Night." I did my first band interview ever with ATAL's frontman Dan Nigro, published in The Recorder, for the Dec. 12 issue.

They have a show coming up, tomorrow actually, on Dec. 13 at Toad's Place in New Haven with The Receiving End of Sirens. Doors open at 7 p.m. As of now, its not sold out and tickets are only $12/14. I have class at that time, but if not, I'd probably think about going.

If you can't make that show:

Dec. 14 - The Living Room in Providence, R.I.
Dec. 15 - The Station in Portland, Maine
Dec. 16 - School of Rock in South Hackensack, N.J.
Dec. 17 - The Gramercy Theatre in New York, N.Y. is SOLD OUT, sorry
Dec. 18 - The Loft @ The Chance in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Dec. 29 - The Palladium in Worcester, Mass.

They look really busy.

2/5ths Black, 100% Awesome (Black Kids)

They only have four songs as of now, but the Black Kids are getting their name out there. The band from Jacksonville, Fla. has put together their EP, Wizard of Ahhhs, even though they're not on a label yet.

It's kind of surprising that Ed hasn't yet posted something on here about the Black Kids, considering how much he talks about them, but they've definitely got our attention.




Their EP is avialable for download on their kind-of unfinished Web site, blackkidsmusic.com, or if you're too lazy to download it, the four songs are on their MySpace.

Allison Weiss Wednesdays

I got ahead of myself yesterday selling everything up until the new year short. I'm mostly right, but lets not forget Allison Weiss next week. She'll be playing at The Space in Hamden, Conn. with a bunch of locals on Dec. 19. The Circuit probably comes in at a respectable second best and the rest is seemingly forgettable. At least according to what I heard on their respective MySpaces.

Today, however, is officially Allison Weiss Wednesday up in Connecticut. Two Advocates (New Haven and Hartford) should be running my story on Weiss today. Hartford is on top of their game and already have the story up. New Haven's story is the same bit.

Ed also did a Q&A for The Recorder, which will print today and is online now.

Some Other Goodies Coming Up

I don't see Thursday's podcast dealing with upcoming shows because frankly there aren't any. This happens every year around this time. The holidays approach and venues pack it in until the new year. I don't think they are even thinking about the new year yet. So 2008 will start off slow, but there are plenty of shows to look forward to already. Melissa's post on White Williams being the biggest. Seriously. I can't get enough of this guy and I'm still in disbelieve he's playing the bar in New Haven I typically go to. Beyond White Williams there are about three-four shows worth your time yet. Here's some info below.

The Mars Volta
Jan. 11 - New Haven, Conn. - Toad's Place
Jan. 12 - Providence, RI - Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel
Jan. 14 - New York, NY - Terminal 5

I'm not even a big fan of the band, but I can't help but imagine "An Evening with...The Mars Volta" being amazing. I haven't heard that this is going to be acoustic, but Mars Volta at Toad's Place should be a riot. And not the wow-this-is-a-fun-time riot, but a literal one. Nice small venue for this band.

Wu-Tang Clan
Jan. 11 - Boston, Mass. - Palladium
Jan. 12 - New York, NY - Hammerstein Ballroom
Jan. 13 - New Haven, Conn. - Toad's Place

This is actually the second time in the last year, year and a half that the Wu-Tang Clan has come to New Haven. Sort of think of that for a minute. It is hard to get someone like Brother Ali or Immortal Technique around here and Wu-Tang is going to be here twice recently. Sadly, I will be missing out on this one too as White Williams is, well, White Williams. We almost hit the road and drove to Atlantic City (4+ hours) to see Williams and Girl Talk, so you no there is no missing this one.

Blonde Redhead
Jan. 18 - New Haven, Conn. - Toad’s Place
Jan. 19 - New York, NY - Terminal 5
Jan. 20 - Boston, Mass. - Paradise Rock Club

I believe the show in New Haven is a make up day. Not sure what happened.

Gallows
Feb. 7 - Worcester, Mass. - The Palladium
Feb. 8 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
Feb. 9 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom

Vice just did a rather amusing and rather short interview with the band. I thought Ed reviewed one of their albums recently, but he just must be a fan as I've heard him speak of them. Either way, good, hard punk.

If anything pops up, we'll keep you updated. And if we missed anything in the Northampton, Worcester, Providence, Connecticut area, let us know.

White Williams is Heading Up to NE

For some reason White Williams has decided to start off his next tour in Cambridge, Mass. at the Middle East Upstairs on Jan. 12. But he's also stopping in New Haven at BAR Nightclub on Jan. 13 with the band Ecstatic Sunshine, which means I have to start working on a fake ID right now or grow, like, 7 inches. Mark your iCal if you haven't already. I know Ed has.

If you're not familiar with White and his beats, he's got two of my favorite songs by him up on his MySpace: "Route to Palm" and "New Violence." There's also a list posted of tour dates.

Here's a review of White Williams' album, Smoke, by The Recorder's own Ed Gaug.

By the way, I'm Melissa- co speaker of the podcast a few posts back. I look forward to posting more on here and Mark has given me permission to copyedit Ed's stuff.

P.S. The title of the post is the link to some more information on Pitchfork.

Ed's Big Christmas List

As I sit here and look at Mark and Jamie's Christmas Gift guide in The Recorder, I feel like I need to make my own list with stuff that I want. While some of it is more realistic than others, I like to think my parents love me enough to pick up a few of these things. Hint, hint, wink, wink. What the fuck am I doing, my parents don't read this, or for that matter, know how to use a computer.

1. Vizio 32" LCD HDTV

While having a xBox 360 is awesome, it doesn't do a whole lot for me if it isn't attached to a sweet TV. Anyways, all TV channels are going to be digital by 2009, so why wait?

2. Call of Duty 4 (xBox 360)

This is the most bad-ass game out right now that I can actually see myself playing. Halo 3 is losing its luster already and I rather play a war-based game. Come find me on Live mothafuckers.

3. Superbad - Unrated (Two-Disc Special Edition)

While Superbad was one of my favorite movies this year, I only want this DVD cause it comes with an actual McLovin Hawaii ID, which Walmart banned for that exact reasoning. They suck anyways.

4. Nintendo DS Lite Crimson & Black

I know Mark already has a DS and absolutely loves it, so I decided that i needed a portable gaming system. Nintendo has never let me down, so I guess the DS is my choice.

5. Apple iPhone

Yeh, this is a complete cop-out because I work for Apple and I love
all of their products. This is the hottest thing all year and was named "Invention of the Year." Fuck all other phones.

Lip Gloss Still B Poppin'

I've been looking around for great covers this year and I came across this gem on YouTube. Shea Donoghue doing Lil' Mama's "Lip Gloss." This is definitely one of the better ones I've heard on YouTube, given the... interesting people on there. Take it in.

Welcome to 3 a.m.! (Top 10 Albums Podcast)

"It's 4 a.m.
I'm watching court TV!
And I want a fucking sandwich!"

So here we go. It is a little late this week and little Edward fell asleep on the couch, but here we are. We recorded this about an hour ago, but with some editing we're finally ready. This week's podcast deals with the Top 10 Albums of 2007. Something we've been working on for the last two weeks or three. We'll release 11-20 next week. We'll also have shows to talk about and probably movies too (finally). So enjoy and let us know what you think.

Top 20, Middle Distance Runner, Allison Weiss, etc

It has been almost a week since we've last updated this (or should I say since I last updated this--Ed you're lazy!), so I decided to give a quick miscellaneous update.

a. We're working on our Top 20 albums of the year list now. We got up to six and we were hoping to have it all worked out for tomorrow's podcast, but who knows. Maybe we'll do a Top 10 this week and reveal the rest later. Anyways, if you are interesting in giving feedback or suggestions, go wild. Here is the top six we came up with. And, who knows, this will probably change by the time it is 'official.'

1. Kanye West's Graduation
2. Radiohead's In Rainbows
3. Chromeo's Fancy Footwork
4. The National's Boxer
5. Tegan & Sara's The Con
6. White Williams's Smoke

Just a short list of others that are in consideration is: M.I.A., The Shins, Animal Collective, Feist, Amy Winehouse, Ryan Adams, Iron & Wine, Ratatat, LCD Soundsystem, Jamie T, Justice, Bloc Party.

b. For those of you in the area, there is a pretty sweet local hip-hop label by the name of Dekagon Records. They are based out of Newington, Conn. and recently put out a release by Archetype. Anyways, I'm mentioning this because I forgot to link the story I did for the Hartford Advocate a couple weeks ago.

c. To go along with that. Two band(s)/artist(s) I did/doing pieces on are Middle Distance Runner and Allison Weiss. Middle Distance Runner was around a month ago for Shag Frenzy in (I believe) Hartford, but they put out a solid EP this year that can mostly be heard on their MySpace. Their sound is all over from The Strokes to Chin Up Chin Up, so who knows, just enjoy.

My article on Weiss will be online next Wednesday. I spoke to her yesterday and it went rather well. She'll be in Hamden, Conn. on the 19th and I'll sure we'll be hyping the shit out of it when we do another local shows podcast (Ed loves her too). I'll link the piece up here when it is published.

d. I almost forgot. We're not only doing a Top 20 album of the year, but also #1 local release, single, comedy album and mix. I'm not going into detail just yet about all those, but as a quick note I think we found our local winner: A Great Big Pile of Leaves. I don't want to hear, "Brooklyn isn't local." They're CT dudes and one of them lives in New Haven AND it was recorded here--they're CT and they're fun. I'm going to throw Minus the Bear out there as a comparison to the first track on their MySpace.

e. Expect a podcast late tomorrow. Movie releases are pretty dry besides The Golden Compass, so that is almost out of the question. Our podcast, if you haven't heard yet, touches all the way until next week with shows. So who knows. We will have something for you though, so be sure to check back. <3

Welcome to Earf 1: This Week's Shows Podcast

This week we skip the Thursday Turkey Trailers because there really isn't anything to discuss that we didn't touch upon in last week's podcast. Side note: I was totally right about Enchanted, man is that movie big. Anyways, check out the podcast for a rundown of the next week or so of shows in the Connecticut area--sorry Providence, Northampton and Worcester, I didn't see anything fantastic from you guys this week. Better luck next time.

Bloc Party Show Ended Due to Orgy

I was waiting for this to turn up on some more reliable sources before I posted it here, but I’m not sure when I’ll be near a computer next (holiday traffic) and this is just too odd not to run with.

Apparently, a show earlier this year in Holland was interrupted and eventually ended due to an orgy that broke out among the audience. It started with one couple and then eventually spread throughout the venue. The news first hit the net a couple days ago (there’s some more info here), so I’m sort of surprised no one else has run with it. And surprised we haven’t heard about this earlier. It isn’t anything major by any means, but it makes for a good laugh. Most notably front man Kele Okereke’s quotes, such as this one:

“Apparently there are laws against that sort of thing, but I know there is a lot of latent erotic energy in how we perform so I wasn't surprised.”

Music This Week

Nov. 24
Welcome
Grady Tavern (Manchester) / 9 p.m. / $2 (21+)
Alright, I (sort of) hated on this band before, but they sample (I think) En Vogue, which is amazing. Also, part of my new non-hating for this band has to do with my alcohol consumption and you will be partaking in that same alcohol consumption at the bar it is taking place at. So, with that said, looks worth the two bucks.
Opening: Bands that don't sound good even when drinking. Sorry. (JK, Tyler Trudeau is almost the shit)

Nov. 26
Maritime
Wallingford American Legion / 8 p.m. / $10
You hear the names The Promise Ring and The Dismemberment Plan, and then realize this band came from those great bands and you automatically become interested--with good reason. Solid stuff.
Opening: The One Am Radio, The Tyler Trudeau Attempt

Nov. 27
Coheed and Cambira
The Palladium (Worcester, Mass.) / 6 p.m. / $28
Ed was creaming (Yes, Ed I said creaming) over this band in a previous blog post. So if you also enjoy creaming over this band a trip to Worcester isn't that ridiculous. Apparently they are trying to be Rush now, which is much better than trying to be Coheed and Cambria.
Opening: The Fall of Troy

Nov. 28
M.I.A.
The Palladium (Worcester, Mass.) / 7 p.m. / $24
So Kala will be on everyone's top whatever list this year, there's no reason to not go out and see this artist live. I don't know what else to say about her, but I'm pleasantly surprised everyone loves her. They should.
Opening: Who knows, who cares.

Nov. 28
Silversun Pickups
Lupo's (Providence, RI) / 7:30 p.m. / $12
Again Ed loves this band. I haven't listened to them cause I'm fucking lazy. They're probably good though, right?
Opening: Lupo's site sucks.

Nov. 29
I Am the Avalanche
Webster Underground / 6 p.m. / $10
The band, which was one of two split from The Movielife, makes their second stop of their tour in Hartford. I've seen the band live a handful of times and usually enjoy them--despite not really knowing their music. The show is also only 10 bucks, which is usually a price reserved for VFW shows. Not too shabby.
Opening: Daggermouth, Sadaharu

Nov. 29
Patent Pending
The Space (Hamden) / 7 p.m. / $10
If you liked/like The Matches you may be able to sit through a Patent Pending set. That same sort of pop-punk with attempts at more punk leanings applies here too. I've seen them live once on accident and was annoyed, but this is a fairly impressive lineup for The Space. Plus, Ivydrive fairly fun.
Opening: Ivydrive

Nov. 29
Andrew Bird
Lupo's (Providence, RI) / 7 p.m. / $24
Andrew also put out a great album, Armchair Apocrypha, that people will be putting in, or at least considering, for their top lists this year. This date is jam packed, but this guy certainly deserves to be considered for your time. Probably the best of the night.
Opening: Glenn Kotche

Nov. 30
Tara Jane O'Neil
Heirloom Arts Theatre (Danbury) / 7 p.m. / $7
I don't know what this shit is to be honest, but Manic Productions is doing it and they rarely (maybe never, who knows) book anything that sucks. I'm going to throw out the comparison of a more experimental, noisy Regina Spektor.
Opening: TBA

Dec. 2nd
Matisyahu
Toad's Place / 8 p.m. / $30
I was planning on sticking in November, but this show warrants going a step into December. Toad's Place does it again with another sweet-ass show as the year winds down (Ghostface Killah backed by a live band and Band of Horses this month!?). You would never think reggae and hip-hop would mix so well with traditional Jewish themes, but it does. I recommend listening to his cover of "Message in a Bottle" on his MySpace now. Classic.
Opening: Dub Trio

Download the Weekly Turkey Trailers Podcast

We're giving this whole podcast thing a shot--apparently it's the newest craze.

You can check out the podcast in its entirety right here!

PS: We're going to try to get one of these up every Thursday night starting next week just in time for the weekend of new releases. YES!

Wait, I've Seen That Before

I was watching music videos on YouTube last night and I pulled up Kanye West's video for "The Good Life" and as it starts, I turn to Mark and say "This looks really familiar." This seemed familiar because it applies the same design elements that Justice used in their summer video for "D.A.N.C.E." While they might not be identical, you can tell Kanye saw the Justice video and liked it as much as I did. While both videos are really amazing and fun to watch, Justice takes the cake for doing it first and having a catchier song. I'll let you decide.

Justice

Kanye West

Hip-Hop Lyrics Explained Through Math Charts

While the title of this post might make absolutely no sense yet, the link below will make you laugh for a good hour if you are at least a casual hip-hop fan. If you don't understand a certain chart you can click on it and it will pop up a youtube link to the song it is referencing. Check it out here.

Some Anticipated Albums (Vampire Weekend, Futureheads, Hives)

I've been scouring the Internet instead of writing up some Best ofs for 2007 and stumbled across the following and figured I should share.


The Hive's newest album comes out Tuesday, but have/had their album streaming on their MySpace. The Black and White is the follow-up to 2004's Tyrannosaurus Hives. From what I've heard it sounds pretty solid. "Tick Tick Boom" will sound familiar to some as it has been the background music to Finish Line commercials for a bit now.

The Futureheads are also making some noise with their upcoming release. The first song can be sampled on their MySpace. It isn't much, but it is something to get excited over. I skipped over their 2006 released News and Tributes, but their 2004 debut was solid. There's no name or date on the new album yet, but look for it in 2008.

Last, but certainly not least is Vampire Weekend. Their self-titled debut will be dropping early 2008, January 28th to be exact. The track listing is as followed:

1. Mansard Roof
2. Oxford Comma
3. A-Punk
4. Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa
5. M79
6. Campus
7. Bryn
8. One (Blake's Got a New Face)
9. I Stand Corrected
10. Walcott
11. The Kids Don't Stand a Chance

They have four tracks from the album on their MySpace now that I'm sure will be remastered and whatnot before January's release, but you'll get more than an idea. I wouldn't doubt that this album will be in heavy rotation on college radio stations and iPods all around. Definitely check them out.

The Blood Brothers Break Up

Yesterday the Blood Brothers announced that they are calling it quits.

Dear Friends,

After 10 years of making music as The Blood Brothers, we have made the collective decision that our time together has come to an end. We feel extremely fortunate to have spent such a deeply memorable and amazing part of our lives with each other. At this point, however, we feel it's best that our futures move forward on separate paths. We'd like to express our sincerest thanks and gratitude to all the bands we've played with, individuals who have helped us make our records, and fans who have come to our shows and picked up our music throughout the years. Your friendship, support and love hold such a profoundly special place in each of our hearts. We hope that the memories you attach to our music are as fond as those you have given us. Thank you and take care, we'll miss all of you.

Love,
The Blood Brothers

The band's last album, Young Machetes, came in October of last year. I haven't listened to the band since then really, but Machetes was pretty solid, as was Crimes before it. I actually caught them in 2005 at the Bamboozle festival in Jersey. Anyways, four out of the five members of the Blood Brothers are still producing music currently. I assume the side projects Neon Blonde and Head Wound City will turn into full-fledged bands with releases in the near future.

Here's "Laser Life," one of my favorites off their last album. Farewell Blood Brothers.