I'd hate to ask you to drive out to Denton 2 nights in a row, but it looks like that's where all the best music will be this weekend.

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Should Amy Buy the Farm...

If you have a Winehouse-sized hole in your heart, I've found someone just as tiny to fill that aching sliver. Meet Gabriella Cilmi. Although still quite young, this Aussie teen has the same smoke-and-whiskey-weathered vocals as everyone's favorite bouffant beauty. Gabriella also favors a classic R&B sound but with more pop overtones. Hopefully Miss Winehouse will live to see another day and another album, but one must be prepared...

~Jenn

Austin Brown on TV Tonight!

For once something non-depressing should be on the local news tonight. Austin Brown tells me that he and the rest of the Sounds will be on KTXA tonight (that's ch. 21 for most of you), so be sure to set your TiVo's tonight kiddos. Here are the important times:

Interview @ 7:45pm - Friday, January 30th
Musical Performance @ 8:50 - Friday, January 30th

Stay classy Dallas.

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To All My Single Ladies,

I could tell you that the Whiskey Folk Ramblers have a truly unique sound that mixes country twang with gypsy flair. I could tell you that they put on a hell of a show with a stage full of talented musicians (violin, acoustic guitar, harmonica to name a few). I could tell you that a good portion of the band were in punk bands pre-Whiskey Folk and the music reflects these nonconformist leanings. I could tell you many things, but I will tell you this: this band packs some serious eye candy. To judge for yourself, make the drive down to Denton this Friday night. Whiskey Folk is headlining at Rubber Gloves with the Heelers (another personal fave) as main support.

~Jenn

Some Vids are 2's and 3's

SubEx fav, and fellow TX boy, Ben Kweller, has released the video for "Fight" on his MySpace page today. It feels like it's been a year since we first saw BK perform this song on Carson Daly (ok ok, so its probably only been like 7 months) and now that BK has re-upped his deal with ATO I guess it finally warrants an official viddy. I'm posting this because I really, REALLY love the guy, but I have to be honest and admit that BK has never made a good video in his life, and this latest effort is no exception. Oh it has its little moments, but Ben, why so cheesy?

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BK Talks TX

Mozy on over to DC9 at Night and check out the Q&A Mikey did with fellow Texas boy Ben Kweller. You can pre-order his album here, but then again you guys already knew that.

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of Montreal - Jon Brion Remix EP

Producer Jon Brion, most known for scoring the films Magnolia, Synechdoche NY, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, has taken two tracks from of Montreal's latest release, Skeletal Lamping, and completely reworks them. These songs stand apart from your average remixes, as Brion has added various instrumentation and backing vocals, resulting in wonderfully nintendo-rrific reinterpretations. I'm not going to lie, of Montreal is one of my favorite bands going, but even for non-fans, this is one hell of a juicy remix EP. Head on over to Polyvinyl and pick it up.

MP3: of Montreal - Gallery Piece (Jon Brion Remix)

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Weezy's Prom Queen

From Weezy's MySpace blog:

Never before seen or heard, Weezy teams up with AT&T to premiere the 1st track off his brand new album, REBIRTH.

Don’t miss this world premiere performance Tuesday, January 27th at 9:30 pst. Visit http://www.facebook.com/freeforall to watch live from San Diego, Ca.

I didn't get to hear the tune on YouTube this morning before it got yanked, but apparently it features prominent use of Wayne's signature autotune. I've never heard autotune featured on a rock record before, but like Andy Samberg once quipped, "All the kids like that robot voice". I'm still holding out hope though that just because its a rock record that Weezy didn't get any wild ideas about playing any guitar on the track.

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LOLCORNELL of the Week

LOLCornell Mondays are now twice as good. I recently discovered this guy who writes a Chris Cornell comic strip. Starting today you will be treated with a "Conversations With Chris Cornell" comic to accompany your LOLCornellz every Monday until further notice.

(Click Image to Enlarge)

(Click Image to Enlarge)

Courtesy of Alan Byrne
(Click Comic to Enlarge)

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Introducing: The O's

Hailing from the big D, Taylor Young and John Pedigo met while involved with different local projects ranging from the Polyphonic Spree to Boys Named Sue. They shared a mutual love for the whiskey but soon forged a musical bond that resulted in The O's, a duo that features simple tunes with down-home harmonies.

If you're looking for a safe and cheap way to ease the drab, dreariness of another Texas February, take notice. The O's are releasing their debut album "We Are The O's" this Feb 10th, to the joy of indie rockers, alt-country fans and bluegrass pickers all over the metroplex. Armed with a guitar, a banjo and their signature kick drum and tambourine, the boys have taken a batch of catchy, introspective, danceable rock songs and stripped them down to their primordially bare, all-American bones. "Don't Waste Your Day" sounds like Death Cab For Cutie if they bypassed heavy production highway in favor for the stripped-down side streets of their folk forfathers. In a move to catch the eye of every groupie within a 60 mile radius, The O's wax poetic to an unknown "darling" on "I Still Wait" ("In the darkness, fluorescent paleness drifts over the night. In a state of shock I screamed forgiveness and tears filled my eyes"). Swoon!

Tonight, the O's will take the stage at Andy's Bar in Denton as main support for the AM Ramblers, a bill that will surely result in many whiskey shots and much debauchery. So, rest up, drink plenty of water and get a good meal in your belly. It's time to party like it's 1909.

Doors at 9. Cover is $6 for 21+ and $8 for under.


~Jenn

Silly Title, Serious-ly Dance-able

With the release of their sophomore effort "Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future" on January 27, the Bird and the Bee (Greg Kurstin and Inara George) are back with more pun-laden, catchy tunes to dish out to all those hungry hipsters. Fans of the group that brought you "Fucking Boyfriend" and "Again and Again" will be relieved to learn that they've kept it in the family but added a punch of glitter for a heavier pop edge. On "My Love," a pounding electronic base is layered with looped hand claps for undeniable commercial appeal. Enjoy this tiny taste of the good things to come from these indie darlings.

MP3: The Bird and The Bee - My Love [Right Click to Save As]

~Jenn

Consolation Prize

It takes a Canuck to end the hump-day doldrums. I just got a track from Julie Doiron's upcoming album, "I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day" (due out March, 10). The track, titled "Consolation Prize," really fills that Kim Deal-shaped void in my heart, and serves to ends my perpetual longing for 1996 every time I hear it (even if for just a moment). March will also see Doiron making a swing through TX for SXSW.

MP3: Julie Doiron - Consolation Prize [Right Click to Save As]

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Dave Wrangler's Black and Tan DJ Mix

Just discovered this morning that Dave Wrangler's new website has gone active. Hit it up for all his past remixes and DJ mixes. He's even posted the Byte.fm mix we told you about a while back. If you make more cash than a struggling blogger, I'd suggest you hit up Dave to DJ your next party. (Sorry Mikey, I know your b-day is this weekend, but you will have to settle for the Black and Tan DJ Mix instead). The entire set is about an hour long. See the setlist and download link below (click image to enlarge).MP3: Dave Wrangler - Black & Tan DJ Mix [Right Click to Save As]

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Subterranean Homesick Boots

This isn't a blog that would normally ever mention anything output by U2 or any of their numerous clones, but with the release of their single "Get On Your Boots" (from their upcoming disc " No Line On The Horizon") I think a proper history lesson is necessary in order to gain an accurate understanding of the track. Please enjoy the following YouTube vids and notice how the song changes over the last 5 decades to become what it is today.

Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues (originally released April 1965)


Elvis Costello - Pump It Up (originally released March 1978)


The Escape Club - Wild Wild West (originally released November 1987)


Billy Joel - We Didn't Start The Fire (originally released November 1989)


U2 - Get On Your Boots (to be released March 2009)


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Dallas Got Next!

Here comes the leak! Local rapper-done-good Anonymous???? just let a couple gems slip out, and we caught 'em for you. First up is "Texas," which showcases A????'s flowstyle atop Britney Spears's "Toxic" sample. The Pleasant Grove native even puts a little gospel shine on the chorus.

The next track is "Close Or Not." According to Anonymous????, before he started rapping he wrote screenplays and dreamed of working in the film industry. The lyrical premise of "Close Or Not" was a plot of one of his old movies. Despite how detailed the events seem, he assures us it is not a true story. It's about two people who never knew their father (a common occurrence in his old neighborhood), who grow up, fall in love and have a baby together. Later on, they find out they have the same father. DUN-DUN-DUNNNNNNNNNNNN! Solid vocals, solid beat.

If you think this is the best, then wait til his album drops soon. It'll get the party going. Also, Anonymous???? is pretty confident his music will only get better and better as he develops over time. He says, "My best songs are gonna be the ones I write right before I die... the songs I write today aren't gonna be as good as the ones I write tomorrow."

Download the mp3's here:

MP3: Anonymous???? - Texas [Right Click to Save As]

MP3: Anonymous???? - Close Or Not [Right Click to Save As]

-Mikey-

Get 'Em High

This one's been out for a minute, and I can't believe I let it slip by! I guarantee, if you can dig on classic Kanye West, then this one's gonna do the damn thing. About 6 weeks ago, DJ Benzi (with a little help from Plain Pat) put out this KILLER mix called Sky High. It basically amounts to Kanye's greatest hits, remixed by some pretty big names in the blog-DJ world. I gotta tell ya, I can't stop listening to it. According to Benzi, "Kanye West himself blogged about the project proclaiming "This is that shit!" When it was out before at the tail-end of 2k8, it was floating around as a webrip off of imeem I think. Benzi's been gracious enough to post the HIGH-QUALITY version of the album for free online, or you can get the real deal mailed to you for free, as long as you cover S&H. This new & improved version also includes a new verse from Kid Cudi, and some extra remixes here and there. What a little gentleman! Check out this tracklist:

1. Sky High Feat. Kid Cudi
2. Good Morning (The Kickdrums Remix) Feat. Big Sean
3. Champion (Nick Catchdubs Remix)
4. Barry Bonds (Eli Escobar Remix) Feat. Lil Wayne
5. We Major (The Kickdrums Remix) feat. Nas
6. Crack Musik (Cookin Soul Remix) Feat. The Game
7. Good Night (Plain Pat Remix) Feat. Mos Def
8. Get Em High (A-Trak Remix) Feat. Common [Right Click to Save]
9. Throw Some (Cousin Cole Remix)
10. Electric Touch (Steve1der & Mighty Mi remix) feat. Lupe Fiasco
11. Love Lockdown (Tom Wrecks Remix)
12. Flashing Lights (Diplo Remix)
13. Addiction (Kenny Dope Remix)
14. Stronger (A-Trak Remix)
15. Workout Plan (Chaise Marcel Remix)
16. American Boy (Benzi Refix) Feat. Will.I.Am
17. Homecoming (Discotech Remix) Feat Chris Martin
18. I Wonder (Scottie B Remix)
19. Good Life (Stretch Armstrong Remix) feat T-Pain
20. Cant Tell Me Nothing (DJ Godfather Remix)
21. Outroduction feat Big Sean

Download the album here!:

Benzi x Kanye West x Plain Pat “Sky High” (The Official Version)

Let Benzi mail you the CD here!

-Mikey-

Rocking Out, Saving Puppies

While poking around Sterogum, I discovered that Neko Case had released a track, "People Got A Lot Of Nerve," off her latest effort Middle Cyclone (due out in March). This particular album is one of my most anticipated of the new year, so I was very excited to encounter a little taste. To sweeten the deal, Neko and ANTI will make a cash donation to Best Friends Animal Society, a nonprofit animal rescue, for every blog that repost the song. Philanthropy and kick ass new music all at once? Neko says yes we can.


MP3: Neko Case - People Got A Lot Of Nerve [Right Click to Save As]

~Jenn

LOLCORNELL of the Week

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Notoriously Bad

The Notorious premiere was painfully uneventful. The movie was poorly acted and even more poorly written. Are you seriously telling me that you can't make a movie about a rapper who grew up on the mean streets of Brooklyn with dialogue any less cheesy? Even seeing it opening night in the hood couldn't save the experience, as even the die-hard B.I.G. fans didn't seem all that into it. The two best things that came from that movie being made are the Jay-Z/Santogold collaboration for the soundtrack, and the accompanying video. In all fairness, Jamal Woodard's portrayal or Biggie was decent (he at least had the breathing down), and you could tell that Woodard (who raps under the name Gravy in real life) had some decent mic skills even when he was just spittin' out somebody else's lyrics.

Jay-Z on iLike - Get updates inside iTunes

and Mr. "Gravy" in action (not the greatest song of his, but his music isn't even on the hypemachine yet):



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If You Got A Gun Up In Your Waist Please Don't Shoot Up The Place

In honor of tomorrow's opening of the Biggie biopic "Notorious," here are 2 more of Dave Wrangler's B.I.G. remixes. I'd also like to let you in on SubEx's plans of seeing the movie tomorrow night in an undisclosed theater possibly in the Oak Cliff or Duncanville areas. If we are able to obtain new batteries for the video camera we'll document the event, if not stay tuned for the full write-up of our Notorious exploits on Monday.

MP3: Dave Wrangler - Party & Bullshit (Notorious B.I.G. vs Peter, Bjorn and John mashup) [Right Click to Save-As]

MP3: Dave Wrangler - Juicy G Thang (Notorious B.I.G. vs Dr. Dre mashup) [Right Click to Save-As]

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Alela Diane - White As Diamonds Video

PitchforkTV debuted the first single from the new Alela Diane album, "White As Diamonds" yesterday, and we are loving this tune. The Nevada City native's sophomore album "To Be Still" hits shelves Feb. 17th (expect a full preview in the coming days). We also hear that there are some rumblings of an Alela Diane SXSW stop, so add her to the ever growing list.



MP3: Alela Diane - White as Diamonds [Right Click to "Save As"]

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I Wanna Be A Mockstar

My wife and friends will be the first to attest to the fact that as of late I have been obsessed with the iPhones app Photoswap -and that might be putting it mildly. But the appeal I see in the briefly invasive activity known as photoswapping (other than the occasional random breast) is that you can bump into some pretty cool people.

So was the case this past week when I swapped pics with the vocalist/guitarist Seth Gordon from the band The Mockers. He swapped a pic of his band's myspace and I replied w/ my email address. Pretty soon I was overwhelmed with Mockers mp3's, random factoids, and photos.

Besides a killer rendition of "God Only Knows" (sung drummer Nelson Bragg, who also splits time in Brian Wilson's band) the band also has a number of pop-punk albums under their belt, a number of rabidly successful Spanish tours (apparantly their wildly successful there), and a documentary in the works. That's right, Chris Fiore (the director of Jay-Z's tour documentary Backstage) is directing a documentary about The Mockers. Unlike the Jay-Z doc, this one (titled Mockstar and due in early '09) will be a film is about four semi-normal guys, living semi-normal lives, playing music for the sheer love of playing, while knowing full well that stardom, whether super, semi or any, is unlikely.

And what's more, I can't believe I've made it this far in without mentioning that ever since 2001 the Mocker's have featured former child star Robbie Rist (AKA Cousin Oliver from Brady Bunch shark-jumpage fame) on lead guitar.

I know I continue to harp on this, but so far I would have to say that the iPhone is the greatest product I've ever purchased. Hands down. And I have The Mockers as my latest testament to that fact.

MP3: The Mockers - God Only Knows (Beach Boys cover) [Right click to "save as"]
MP3: The Mockers - Real Enough For Me [Right click to "save as"]

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You're Latest Love is Just a Click Away...

Searching for that special song to complete your thoughts? Looking for that perfect album to keep you warm and cozy on a cold winter night? Your search is over, and it will cost you less than you think. Meet Laura Stevenson and the Cans' "A Record."

"Baby Bones" opens this lush album with gorgeous harmonies reminiscent of local fave, Eisley, that cascade into a big band-ish chorus complete with burgeoning trumpets. Look for "Landslide Song/The Dig" to be the backing track in a commercial for the newest Apple product or hipster clothing store. With an extremely infectious melody and a bubbly hiccuping voice, this record standout is not to be missed. In "A Shine To It," Stevenson begins her first-person lament with "I sold my blood to a hospital, but it wasn't very much blood. So they didn't give me much money." She continues in this heart-laid-open prose that reads like a gut-wrenching letter to that one love that you gave it all to (blood and body) and received nothing in return. An echoing organ combines and collides with distorted, muffled vocals for a sweetly cacophonous effect that defines "Source and the Sound." This interesting combination explodes into a seriously rocking good time reminiscent of early Rilo Kiley.

Best of all, this album can be acquired for free if you'd like. Donations are accepted but aren't required. So, take advantage of Stevenson's generosity, but pay it forward and tell someone else about this talented up-and-comer. You're welcome.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE ALBUM

~Jenn

Winner Winner, Kweller Dinner

And now a message from one of Texas's greatest exports, Ben Kweller:



That's right, pre-order his new album (scheduled for release February 3, 2009) Changing Horses, and you could be eligible for a dinner date with Benjamin himself! On top of that, you'll be getting a fantastic album from an artist that never disappoints. Expect a full review of Changing Horses closer to the release date.


-Mikey-

Squarepusher - A Real Woman

Going through the stack of UK electro albums I've recently received has turned into a much more laborious task than I first imagined. Luckily the first disc I chose was Squarepusher's "Just A Souvenir," because I have literally had to rely on track 4, "A Real Woman" to cleanse my palate after each subsequent album.

Sure it's got all the snare drum fidelity of a 311 album and the vocals are all vocodered up, but given the recent influx of auto-tune that seems to have overtaken hip-hop, I'll take vocoder every time.

With lyrics like "You are real / You exist / You are sane / You're alive / You are dreaming / You're a person / You are happy / Because you're real," I'm not sure if actually is singing about a real woman or trying to justify his feelings for some form of AI (which the vocoders make even more confusing).

Trust me though, regardless of your feelings when the track starts, by then end you'll strangely feel like starting it over at least once.

MP3: Squarepusher - A Real Woman

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The Unbearables

I got a tip over the weekend that I should check out a band from Austin called The Unbearables. While the comparisons to Polyphonic Spree and Mount Righteous immediately start flying around, they may be based more on the band's size than their sound. The Unbearables are much closer to Sufjan Stevens, but that's not entirely fair either, as they are still able to evoke their garage rock roots from time to time.

The thing that IS certain, however, is that you'll have plenty of opportunities to decide for yourself, as they have been very busy in the studio lately. "Autonomy vs. Shame," stage 1 in a series of 3 EP's dealing with the life-cycle, is out now (Vol's 2 and 3 out in Feb. and May respectively), and then their full-length is scheduled for a July release. But to me the most exciting news is that they will be in town playing a show with the aforementioned Mount Righteous at the Chat Room Pub in Fort Worth on Feb. 7th -and though the venue is the self-proclaimed "8th best bar in Fort Worth, that night there will be nowhere else in the world I'd rather be!


MP3: The Unbearables - The Darker Part
MP3: The Unbearables - The Loose Connection
MP3: The Unbearables - The Line
MP3: The Unbearables - The Let Go

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Friday On My Mind, Everywhere I Look Around

I got a phone call yesterday from Mikey who was playing Rock Band 2 at the time. He explained to me that he had just finished drumming the hell out of AC/DC's "Let There Be Rock," but also, just before the song commenced, the game threw out this interesting nugget: Malcom and Angus' older brother George was a member of The Easybeats.

Not only did a little internet research confirm that he did in fact play rhythm guitar for The Easybeats, he penned our latest obsession "Friday On My Mind," as well as the tune "Love Is In The Air" for fellow Aussie John Paul Young (no relation). He has also done some production work, most notably for AC/DC, and for a short stint, served as their bass player.

...and people say no good comes from playing video games (or eating out for that matter)!

MP3: The Easybeats - Friday On My Mind
MP3: John Paul Young - Love Is In The Air
MP3: Ben Lee - Friday On My Mind (Easybeats Cover)

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New Of Montreal Viddy - An Eluardian Instance

Enough said.

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LOLCORNELL of the Week

(Click Image to Enlarge)

(Click Image to Enlarge)



(Click Image to Enlarge)


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Happy 39th Raekwon

Happy Birthday to the 3rd best of all the Wu-Tangers, Raekwon the Chef. Sorry, we're no Erykah, but Happy 39th nonetheless.

MP3: Raekwon - Ice Cream

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My Girl Sunday

Dust hasn't even had time to accumulate on the latest Animal Collective vinyl and already we've (and apparantly everyone else in the blogosphere) received a remix from Houston's own Dave Wrangler. Being the most pop-tinged song the album, "My Girls" was probably the most obvious choice for the remix treatment, but nonetheless, Mr. Wrangler has managed to take something indie and make it completely dance club friendly.

MP3: Animal Collective - My Girls (Dave Wrangler Remix)

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Friday Morning Mixed Bag

I've got four tunes to share this morning for no real reason, so I've thrown em into this Friday's "Mixed Bag".

First up is an English-language French band called Tahiti 80. They're not new by any stretch (they've been at it since 1993) but they still haven't found that mainstream success in the states, but as the old cliché goes, they are actually pretty big in Japan. The jazzy/funky track I'm posting, "Big Day," twinges on Jamiroquai at times. Besides being the lead track on their album "Fosbury," it was actually featured on the FIFA '07 soundtrack, but let's face it, even less people play soccer video games than play real soccer.


The next track from the mix was sent to me by a buddy in England who randomly found a promo version of their 2007 album "Fort Nightly" in a bin in the "Exmouth Market Area" (wherever that is). The band is called White Rabbits, and they hail from Brooklyn. They aren't complete unknowns, having been reviewed by the Onion's A.V. Club and touring with the Kaiser Chiefs, and not to mention a Letterman appearance, but it's not like they are exactly "knowns" either. White Rabbits describe their sound as "honky tonk calypso," which is not completely accurate, but does sound intriguing -and if that isn't enough to peak your curiosity, they are best known for playing with 2 drummers and 3 singers. I'm posting their track "March of the Camels," but just a hint to readers, stick with it until at least the 1:30 mark before passing judgment.


These next 2 tracks are courtesy of producer Dave Wrangler who's been seeming to get a lot of buzz lately not only for his remixes and mashups, but more recently for his original stuff. I should be posting some of his originals in a future post, but today I wanted to share with you some of the former. In honor of the impending release of the major motion picture "Notorious," Mr. Wrangler has done a remix of Biggie's "Dead Wrong," and he's mashed Mr. Smalls up w/ Ghostland Observatory. It's a little on the dark tip compared to Wrangler's usual party style, but good nonetheless. Also, fans of Dave can catch an exclusive mix on Jan. 13th at www.byte.fm.


MP3: Tahiti 80 - Big Day
MP3: White Rabbits - March of the Camels
MP3: Notorious B.I.G. - Dead Wrong (Dave Wrangler Remix feat. Studemont)
MP3: Notorious B.I.G. vs Ghostland Observatory- Nasty Boy (Dave Wrangler Heavy Heart Remix)

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More A.C. Newman

My pals over at Insound just passed along this interesting tidbit. If you order an A.C. Newman shirt (looks like the above graphic and is printed on light grey American Apparel shirt) you will also get a link to download the entire "Get Guilty" disc sent to your email on January 20th for free. Pre-order your shirt/digital album set HERE. (Super secret hint: use promo code guiltyshirt10 to get an extra 10% off)

I have also recently been made aware that A.C. Newman has contributed a cover version of a-ha's "Take On Me" to this year's Starbuck's Valentines day CD, which should be released sometime in the next few weeks. Pick it up at your nearest SBUX location, and if they're sold out check the one across the street.

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Album Preview: A.C. Newman - Get Guilty

The term "power pop" gets tossed around a lot when referring to A.C. Newman and his bandmates, the New Pornographers, but to lump Newman's latest solo effort, "Get Guilty," into this same category would do a huge disservice to the well-crafted and at times intricate collection of songs. Which is not to say the disc isn't as accessible as the Pornographer's last album, 2007's "Challengers," rather that the arrangements are simply more lavish, and the inspirations more complex. Songs about mischievous young gods (Thunderbolts), the 1967 film "Le Samourai" (Like a Hitman, Like a Dancer), and the catchiest (and perhaps only) song about a Donald Barthelme short story (The Palace At 4 A.M.) are just a few examples of the Newman's wide-ranging influences. "Get Guilty" finds Newman in a balancing act between minimalism and maximalism like never before in his career, with nary a misplaced note. Every musical idea has its purpose, and despite somewhat grand orchestrations, the album manages to maintain its intimacy. The album's standout track "Changeling (Get Guilty)" best exemplifies this idea, with it's palm-muted pre-chorus that make the astonishingly explosive wail of "Change your mind…" in the chorus even more overtaking. The interesting and heart-tugging harmonies of Nicole Atkins pepper the album and are at their most titillating in the Phil Collins-esque "Elemental." Other guest musicians include Jon Wurster (Superchunk, Mountain Goats) on percussion, as well as the Mates of State. While many people will instantly bond with the constant drive and relentless catchiness of "Submarines of Stockholm," interesting and insightful beauty can be found from the opening lines of "There Are Maybe Ten or Twelve" to the closing acapella refrain of "All of My Days & All of My Days Off," a love letter to his wife and a perfect epilogue to Newman's stunning work.

mp3: A.C. Newman - Submarines of Stockholm
mp3: A.C. Newman - There Are Maybe Ten or Twelve

Buy the album HERE.

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The Bubble Has Burst - Wendy's On My Mind

It was none other than Wendy's where I chose to have lunch when my bubble was burst. Half way through my sandwich (apparently you can't triple stack a double stack), I noticed The Easybeats' "Friday On My Mind" playing over the restaurant's speakers. I was somewhat saddened to learn that what I thought was a chance happening last week was really just a case of two eateries subscribing to the same outsourced music package. But this does give me an opportunity to let you in on a little known fact about myself, as I have carried a picture of Dave Thomas in my wallet for over 6 years (true story), partly due to the fact that it was right around the same time that I realized Col. Sanders was an actual human. All is not sad, however, as I am still glad I have discovered this somewhat forgotten gem, and it did influence the creation of Shazam and Abracadabra.

Also this whole situation gives me an excuse to share this classic piece of audio I've been laughing at for years in which an elderly Col. Sanders for the life of him simply cannot get through a KFC radio spot. Hopefully one of you producers out there can make a dance remix of this for me, it would make my week.

mp3: Col. Sanders - KFC Commercial

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Little Black Dress

Dallas-based label, Idol Records, announced yesterday that Little Black Dress would be the first artist signed to their newest imprint, Exploding Plastic Records. The Toby Pipes and Nolan Thies project is currently being recorded and produced by the duo at Pipes' Bass Propulsion Labs Studios here in town, and is expected to see the light of day March '09. Judging from the tracks on the band's myspace, their upcoming full-length debut should appeal to that artsy Depeche Mode/Joy Division/Smiths/Roxy Music-loving crowd, which is perhaps one such reason for the new imprint, that will help differentiate between acts like Little Black Dress, and the PPT's of the world. Either way this can only mean good things for the bolstering of importance of Dallas' music scene.

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Anonymous???? - Anonymous

The best rapper in Dallas, Anonymous????, began sifting through his stacks of material this past weekend and started the process of paring them down to the final track list for his upcoming debut disc, which we recently learned will be called "Hip Hop Legend". The album is now set for a May release. We still haven't heard what all will make the finalized list, but I can tell you that LehtMoJoe-produced track "Anonymous" will not make the cut.

This latest Anonymous???? cut has a little more serious tone than the last few we've heard, but it's just as hard-hitting, and features the unparalleled lyrical prowess he is becoming known for. It is also the first Anonymous???? track we've posted featuring a second vocalist, with BunBun bringing her patented brand of sass to the choruses.

A little self-indulgent? Perhaps, but one thing is certain: Anonymous???? is one name that the people of Big D will not soon be forgetting.

mp3: Anonymous???? - Anonymous

We Like Sportz

The Lonely Island Guys, better known by most as the crew largely responsible for SNL's Digital Shorts, have released another video from their upcoming album, Incredibad (in stores Feb. 10). The latest vid, "We Like Sportz" is the sequel to 2005's "Just 2 Guyz" from their pre-SNL days. While it doesn't quite have the same magic J2G had, it does show that Lonely Island magic, and still manages to give us SubEx'ers warm fuzzies for the Summer of '05. On the plus side though, I was very glad to see that cunt hole Steve getting a cameo in the new viddy.



Also the Incredibad tracklist has been made known, and is as follows:

Disc: 1
1. Who Said We're Wack
2. Santana DVX (ft. E-40)
3. Jizz In My Pants
4. I'm On A Boat (ft. T-Pain)
5. Sax Man (ft. Jack Black)
6. Lazy Sunday (ft. Chris Parnell)
7. We Like Sportz
8. Boombox (ft. Julian Casablancas)
9. Shrooms (Interlude)
10. Ras Trent
11. Normal Guy (Interlude)
12. Dream Girl (ft. Norah Jones)
13. Like A Boss
14. Dick In A Box (ft. Justin Timberlake)
15. Punch You In The Jeans
16. The Old Saloon (Interlude)
17. Space Olympics
18. Iran So Far (ft. Adam Levine) - PENDING
19. Incredibad
20. Natalie's Rap (ft. Natalie Portman & Chris Parnell)
Disc: 2
1. Jizz In My Pants
2. Just 2 Guyz
3. Lazy Sunday
4. Ras Trent
5. Dick In A Box
6. We Like Sportz
7. Space Olympics
8. Bing Bong Brothers =w=

LOLCORNELL of the Week

(click image to enlarge)


(click image to enlarge)




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New Austin Brown Demos

Just a short while ago we were promised a new Austin Brown disc in early 2009, and it appears the good man is set to make good on his word as some new demos have appeared on the band's myspace this morning. From what I can tell so far, the new tunes have all the polished bluesy-ness from Nova Dreamer, but with bits of that ZZ Top, SRV, Texas sound added in, as well as some hints of old school funkiness for good measure. If these are just "demo quality" as Mr. Brown claims, then I can't wait to hear the the final versions when the band reunites with producer John Congleton in the near future.

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Shazam and Abracadabra ...Friday On My Mind

Being the third Shazam-related post in such a short time, perhaps its about time that this sweet little app gets it's own semi-regular feature on SubEx. So for this first (or perhaps third, but hey who's counting) time we bring you the newly dubbed "Shazam and Abracadabra."

A few days ago I was eating at Chili's of all places, when I heard a dischordal guitar line that sparked my interest. I had to immediately Shazam this artist who must have been one of the few early 2000's indie rock acts from Portland that somehow slipped through my cracks. Shazam instantly linked me to what I thought was a wonderfully executed retro-looking video. Then came the wikipedia link where I learned that this was not a new Portland band at all, but a mid-60's group from Australia called the Easybeats, and their biggest hit, 1967's "Friday on my Mind."



How have I never heard what the APRA labeled in 2001 as the "Best Australian Song" of all time? How does KLUV not feature in it's playlist one of the very first songs from Australia to go Platinum worldwide? How have so many people remained oblivious to this forgotten classic even after cover versions by David Bowie, Peter Frampton, Gary Moore, and most recently by fellow countrymate Ben Lee, among others? In 1987 Rolling Stone writer David Fricke bestowed what is likely the greatest compliment possible when he said that the Easybeats had the songwriting depth of the Beatles with the added ferocity of the Rolling Stones, and he was dead on. It's too bad contractual obligations, drug use, and numerous other factors reduced their careers from pioneers 40 years ahead of their time to mere footnotes in rock history.

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MP3: The Easybeats - Friday On My Mind
MP3: Ben Lee - Friday On My Mind