Caught On Tape: Naturally 7 - "Feel It (In the Air Tonight)"

Here's a thoroughly entertaining video that has been blowing up online lately. I'm perfectly sure I'm not the first to link to it, but hey, as a fan of a'capella, beatboxing, and of course the mighty Phil Collins, this track was just too hard to pass up.

The group is Naturally 7, an R&B/Gospel septet hailing from NYC. All of the instruments the band plays - percussion, bass, keyboard, guitar, and horns - are made solely from vocal rhythms and harmonies. The band calls this style "vocal play" as opposed to "a'cappella," to represent that they don't merely sing without instruments, but AS instruments. Naturally 7 seems to bring a heightened spiritual and emotional level to the music, and the result is not only catchy, but physically impressive.

The group's single takes on the often-sampled chorus of Phil Collin's classic "In the Air Tonight." Naturally 7 have garnered a strong European following, and the rumor surrounding this video is that it was filmed on board a Parisian subway train. To my knowledge, the group's new album, Ready II Fly, has been released in Europe for a couple months now, but has yet to make a U.S. appearance.

Here's the link to the group's official music video for the song. The official version has significantly better audio quality, but I still find the mass transit version alot more fun.

The Doors - 'Tell All the People'

Although probably their least acclaimed album, The Soft Parade spawned a number of daring tracks that strayed away from the usual Doors model.

'Tell All the People' was just one such number. With marching brass prefacing Morrison's vocals, the entire canticle comes across as one bloated, over-produced, Fat Elvis of a song that...surprisingly works.

Perhaps it is its sirenesque hook, or its whimsical lyrics:

"Follow me across the sea/Where milky babies seem to be; Molded, flowing revelry/With the one that set them free"

Or perhaps, instead, it is the fact the song was composed by guitarist Robbie Krieger that 'Tell All the People' comes across as a breath of fresh air for those treading the Doors catalog.

While 'Tell All the People' may never top the trendy influence of 'Crystal Ship' or 'Love Street,' it will always hold an important spot as a flavorful sensation within the vaults of deep Rock and Roll.

Breakfast With Korn

Attention all Korn fans:

Catch "Breakfast With Korn," a live event that will be presented Tuesday, March 6, between 8-10 am PST and broadcast on the world famous KROQ. This event will feature intimate performances by the band, as well as several interviews, all from a secret location!

Everyone has the opportunity to catch this sure-to-be groundbreaking performance by going to AT&T's Blue Room music site. After this live set has commenced, the AT&T Blue Room will be looping the broadcast for up to 24 additional hours for those who were unable to catch the original airing. Additionally, the interviews will be archived for permanent access.

If you can't experience Korn live, and in person, enjoy the next best thing: "Breakfast With Korn" via AT&T's Blue Room, Tuesday March 6 at 8am PST.

Jamiroquai - 'Seven Days In Sunny June'

OK, I'm not one to rush out to see most films upon release to theater. In fact, I'm not even one who waits for the release to DVD. No, I'm one who usually is begrudgingly persuaded by a friend or loved one to invest two hours into watching a movie that everyone else has been raving about for the past year or so long after the production has been removed from the new release racks of most video stores.

Usually, I'm not impressed, and I end up regretting that the last two hours of my life I spent watching the movie are a couple I will never get back again. But sometimes, the movie-watching experience is strangely worth my while.

The latter affair is exactly what happened to me when I watched The Devil Wears Prada via my girlfriend's Netflix selection. Not only was the movie unexpectedly entertaining for me, but the soundtrack was surprisingly delectable as well.

One track by Jamiroquai known as 'Seven Days in Sunny June' particularly struck my fancy. Not straying too far from the typical Jamiroquai form, the song renders a punctual reflection of the world of the fashionista; chilled out and jazzy, the melody is all things cosmopolitan.

While you may not agree with my sentiments regarding the film, I hope you share my opinion when it comes to the tune:

The Intense Eyes of Matthew Sweet

You just never can tell what some random browsing of YouTube will provide a music-savvy user such as myself. After checking out their network for a few moments, I stumbled upon this so-called "rare footage" of power pop master, Matthew Sweet, in an interview from 1989.

The half-minute video is apparently an excerpt from a show known as Alternate Beat, a program that aired on local access cable in Cleveland, Ohio during the time just before College Radio hit the mainstream. And to echo the comments of user Operanaka1 on the YouTube page, Mr. Sweet does appear to have an "intense look" emitting from his eyes.

One of my favorite Matthew Sweet songs is 'Sick of Myself,' and you can listen to it here:



Otherwise, you can view the interview video from '89 below:

New Wilco Preview

Blogs are for Dogs has a link to a sample of "Walken," a tune contained on the forthcoming Wilco album. Sky Blue Sky is the expected name of the new long player, and it is scheduled for release in May.

Head over to Blogs are for Dogs and check it out.

Scorcese To Direct New Jagger Film

The Long Play, a film written by Mick Jagger, will be directed by Academy Award winning director Martin Scorsese. The movie will be about two friends in the music business and their lives within it.

You can read the full article here.

The Beach Boys - 'Sail On, Sailor'

This isn't the Beach Boys your parents listened to in junior high. Instead, this is the Beach Boys your parents may have heard in passing while attending college. Written over the course of two years, 1973's 'Sail On, Sailor' was the carefree band's attempt at recaputuring a position in the Top 40.

'Sail On, Sailor' was more soulful than other Beach Boys singles quite simply because it was sung by Blondie Chaplin, a South African who briefly joined the band in the early seventies. Minus the defining vocals and sound of musical architect Brian Wilson, 'Sail On, Sailor' sounds more like Stevie Wonder and less like the earnest oceanside pop that dominated Stateside summertime radio stations in the sixties.

Recently, 'Sail On, Sailor' was featured in 2006's The Departed, the Irish-Mafia gangland masterpiece that only last night gave Martin Scorsese his long awaited Oscar, as well as took home the Academy's paramount award for Best Picture.

Listen to 'Sail On, Sailor' here.

Mew - 'The Zookeeper's Boy'

Although released back in 2005, it was only recently that I was introduced to this tasty space rocker. 'The Zookeeper's Boy' is from the Danish quartet Mew's last album, And the Glass Handed Kites. Its celestial chorus beautifully compliments the jaded verse sung throughout the rest of the single, while the song as a whole is a driving epic.

You can check out Mew's 'The Zookeeper's Boy' here.

Chris Sligh & Mute Math's - 'Typical'

American Idol is, once again, in full-swing. And although there are no Chris Daughtrys' I can rally around this year, there is another "Chris" who I'm rooting for. That "Chris" is Chris Sligh, the Jack Osbourne look-alike who isn't afraid to take verbal jabs at Simon.

Last night, Sligh sang a catchy song that I was unfamiliar with. Come to find out, after a day or so of researching the tune between working and other errands, the song is called 'Typical' and is by the New Orleans based Mute Math. Furthermore, the album that 'Typical' is contained on was only released a few months ago in September of 2006.

Kudos to Sligh for not only choosing a great song, but for highlighting a track that is fresh and under most of America's radar.

You can listen to 'Typical' here.

Kaiser Chiefs - 'Ruby'

Here's a another great tune from across the water that has struck my fancy as of late. Kaiser Chiefs' new single 'Ruby:'

Mika - 'Grace Kelly'

Here's a great lazy Sunday tune. I saw this video on MTV Hits last night, and was instantly drawn to its deliberate Queen-like sound. Not to mention, I'm a sucker for piano rock.

Watch Mika "try a little Freddie" in his single, 'Grace Kelly,' below:

Caught On Tape: Valentine's Day Edition

First and foremost, Happy Valentine's Day. I understand some of you may be celebrating whilst others are sulking in apathy to the utter commercialization of the holiday, but either way, I'm here to add that little extra something to your day.

The concept of love may be the single biggest inspiration in all of songwriting. Songs about love may easily date back to the dawn of man. And while countless songs continue to be written about the subject, we never grow tired of them. It's an emotional experience that everyone can relate to in one way or another, and something that continues to baffle minds and break hearts. I know, it sounds ridiculous, but speaking from experience...

Now, I could have easily taken the nihilistic approach and posted something like Cannibal Corpse's "F$&%#@ with a Knife;" however, I've chosen the high ground, and picked a song that is dear to my heart. That song is Pet Shop Boys' "Love Comes Quickly," from their phenomenal 1986 album Please.

One of my personal favorites - particularly within the PSB catalog, "Love Comes Quickly" is an optimistic song for anyone who hasn't found a special someone. I was going to post the original music video to the song, but then I found this awesome live performance from London's Wembley Arena, and my mind was made. If you're one of those people who thinks love will never get to you, don't fret. Sooner or later, this happens to everyone.


Pet Shop Boys - "Love Comes Quickly" (Live at Wembley Arena, 1989)

Michael Jackson Could Appear on American Idol

The King of Pop may appear on American Idol, and may even mentor contestants, our online source proclaims. The plan, if all goes well, is to have a Michael Jackson-themed week on the reality show, with the music star coaching the participants.

This is all part of a planned American comeback for Jackson.

Ozzfest 2007 To Be Free!

Although only in existence for a little over a decade, Ozzy Osbourne's Ozzfest has become a rock institution. With many popular bands getting their big break on the festival's "second stage", Ozzfest has contributed greatly to the vitality of metal today.

That contribution was extended yesterday, when Osbourne's wife and manager, Sharon, announced that there will be no price attached to tickets for this year's show.

That's right, Ozzfest 2007 will be free:

"Everybody has been so good to us over the years, and year after year ticket prices get higher and higher and higher,” Sharon Osbourne, who is Ozzy’s manager as well, said. "We just thought we can't keep on raising ticket prices because there is not that much money out there anymore. Hey, kids can go online and download music, why not go to a show for free too? What the heck?"

Fans can plan on getting tickets through sponsors' websites, and the sponsors will pay for the tickets. However, nothing is on release yet.

Overview of the Best Web 2.0 Social Music Sites

Ryan Stewart with TechCrunch presents an impressive breakdown of the eight or so social music sites currently out there on the Internet. From Finetune to MyStrands, Stewart's article is the one to check out if you are looking for the best sites to share and discover the most important music to you.

Nine Inch Nails announces new album

Trent Reznor and the gang have been keeping busy. A new DVD and a new album are both set to be released this spring.

After touring extensively behind their With Teeth album, Nine Inch Nails recently announced a February 27th release for a 24 track live DVD, Beside You In Time.

Then, just today, the band made a statement on their website that a new studio offering, to be titled Year Zero, will also be released this spring, with a date set for April 17th.

The six year wait between NIN's 1999 double-album The Fragile and 2005's With Teeth may have felt like an eternity to some fans, but now the band seems to have picked up steam again, and it will be exciting to see what they have to offer in 2007.

The Rise of the Blipster and the Controversy It Has Stirred

There is even a new word for black fans of indie rock: “blipster,” which was added to UrbanDictionary.com last summer, defined as “a person who is black and also can be stereotyped by appearance, musical taste, and/or social scene as a hipster.”

Since when should listeners of music be defined and categorized based upon their race? That is the burning controversy recently spawned by the above New York Times passage (in addition to many others) in this January 28th article. The article, as it turns out, focuses on the role race plays among listeners of indie rock. And to say the least, it has a whole bunch of other bloggers quite aggravated.

If anything, the article is a great read that takes an introspective look at what really is the collective identity of hipster music today. Read the whole thing here.

Happy Birthday Tae!

In honor of Tae's birthday, I've included an appropriate "gift." It's Altered Images' 'Happy Birthday:'

We're This Many! (Holds Up 2 Fingers)

Today marks the momentus 2nd anniversary of a little music blog affectionately known to us as The Lonely Note. It was January 24th of 2005 when Steve proclaimed our existence to the entire cyber universe. And in the two years since that first post, we've managed to publish well over 700 music-related articles and reviews.

I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of myself and the other contributors, to thank all of you who have been with us along the way. We've had the pleasure to hear from alot of great artists and great listeners. I hope you continue to check in with us as we continue to plow ahead into the future.

Thank you!

And in case you weren't here in the beginning, click HERE to check out where it all started.

Does Iggy like Bob Hope?

It's not uncommon for most musicians to have a concert rider of sorts for the many venues where the perform. Sometimes these riders can include needs that are simple and somewhat understandable (ham sandwiches, alcohol, condoms, etc.) and sometimes they can be a tad eccentric (a brandy glass full of brown M&Ms). Either way, it would seem that these requests reflect the personalities of the performers that we enjoy watching in concert.

Iggy Pop is one of those individuals you would expect to request items that he doesn't necessarily need. That's why I wasn't suprised to run across his hilarious concert rider the other day. Whether it is needing a couple homosexuals for rock n' roll interior decorating or huge floor fans to give the blowing-in-the-wind feel of Bon Jovi, Iggy and his crew know how to make one hell of a concert rider. It's kind of a long read, being 18 pages, but the stream of consciousness writing is entertaining for all. Enjoy!

Check it out here.

Rage Against the Machine to Reunite?

This article says so at least. The reunion will be for a single night in April at Coachella.

Read the details here.

A Brief Introduction to The Small Faces

Many folks know that Rod Stewart cut his rock teeth fronting a band known as Faces. But do many people outside of the sixties BBC era know that long before Faces came into existence, the very same band was fronted by future Humble Pie vocalist Steve Marriott, and referred to as The Small Faces? Indeed, it was when Marriott left the band in 1969 that the group recruited Stewart (as well as guitarist Ron Wood), dropped the "small" part of its name, and reinvented itself as, simply, Faces.

Unlike fellow mod rockers The Who, The Small Faces achieved limited success here in the States. However, in their native Britain, the group garnered widely received support, with Ogden's Nut Gone Flake reaching #1 in the island nation. In America, the only song to reach the Top 40 was 'Itchycoo Park (mp3),' a psychedelic, yet playful reflection of the collective drug experience of the time.

While 'Itchycoo Park' was anchored in spellbounding psychedelia ("We'll get hiiiigghhh!"), it was 'Tin Soldier' that effectively illustrated the typical R&B power of the band. Laden with bluesy guitars and organs, as well as accented with powerful vocal harmonies all throughout its Gospelesque chorus, 'Tin Soldier' was a prolific milestone, pushing the group's influence perhaps beyond even The Rolling Stones during the year of 1968.

For those of you interested, you can watch a live video of the band performing 'Itchycoo Park' below. Furthermore, you can sample the MP3 for 'Tin Soldier' here.

Frank Zappa on the Steve Allen Show

How about this for old school: A squeaky clean Frank Zappa on the Steve Allen Show playing a bicycle as an instrument. The year was 1963.

After you get finished watching Part One below, you can view the remainding segment here.

Jonezetta - 'Get Ready (Hot Machete)'

Although their name is borderline lame, Jonezetta has created a danceable hard rock single that has begun to slowly penetrate the national airwaves. You can listen to 'Get Ready (Hot Machete)' here.

Caught On Tape: James Ingram & Michael McDonald - 'Yah Mo B There'

Though Paul Rudd's character in The 40 Year Old Virgin may have expressed his utter distaste for the 1983 Ingram & McDonald duet, 'Yah Mo B There,' I can't help but taste sweet ambrosia everytime I hear it. A melody like a feather tickling the follicles in my ear. Vocal harmonies lap at me like a slippery wet willy. The beat plays my ear drum like a timpani. This is a great song, I exclaim with resounding enthusiasm. And every great song deserves, in return, a great music video.

As a fan of the the one-and-only Michael McDonald (and similarly of the fantastic comedic series, Yacht Rock), this song strikes an instant chord for me. The track's title sounds phonetically like a tribal chant. Some have even claimed it to mean "God Will Be There," which is understandable given the uplifting, spiritual nature of the lyrics, and the use of the religious reference 'Yah.' Whether this dissection of the song is accurate is up for interpretation. Upon initial listens, one could easily hear the lyrics repeating "Yeah, I'm gon' be there." Or, as others have interpreted/misinterpreted the lyrics, "I'm a beaver" or "I'm a weiner."

While the lyrical message may be up for grabs among dissenting minds, the soulful music was able to overcome and gain a wide enough favoring to win a 1985 Grammy Award.

In the video, Ingram and McDonald portray a couple of fed up fry-cooks, who abandon their jobs and traverse the country in an Airstream RV. Along the way, the video jumps to a number of individuals who seem to be in trouble, and literally/theoretically drowning. Will they be hoisted from certain peril or left as chum for the sharks? You'll have to watch to find out.

While occasionally steering into the same confusing undertow that so many other videos did in the 80s, the overall cinematography is lush and vibrant, and is able to keep afloat nicely. Fortunately, Ingram and McDonald yah mo b there to throw it a life preserver.

As Promised, My Favorite Album of 2006: Broken Boy Soldiers

Jack White is scorned by some, but seen by many as a musical hero. As co-founder of the White Stripes, the sometimes scandal-laden lead singer has had many the top music critic pay awful close attention to any and all projects he has chosen to particpate in.

In 2006 Jack White released a new album with a group described as a "new band made up of old friends." Combining the punk sensibility of the Detroit scene with the enduring sounds of Rubber Soul, Mr. White created what I feel is a 21st century masterpiece.

Melodic, terse, and meaningful, Broken Boy Soldiers provides an assembly of songs that range from the simple to the complex, from the intellectual to the emotional. While the authority of track number two's 'Hands' lies in its powerful rythym, the album is equally balanced by the beautiful melody contained on 'Together,' a Lennon influenced ballad if there ever was one.

With that said, I find The Raconteurs' Broken Boy Soldiers to be my favorite album of 2006.

You can sample 'Together' here.

Tate Modern Hosts 'Tate Tracks'

While the pairing of art and music may not be a new concept, the Tate Modern museum in London has been putting a refreshing twist on the idea. This idea has come to be known as 'Tate Tracks.' Musicians were invited to wander through the gallery and pick out a piece of art that spoke to them, and then record a song specifically to accompany the piece. As worded on the museum's website, "It's about art inspiring art."

After the musician has recorded the track, it is featured in the gallery along with the original piece. For the first month of display, Tate Modern is the only place in the world where the song is available. At the end of the month, the song is also made available on the museum's website.

Currently, the gallery is hosting Andy Warhol's Brillo along with a song by The Landscapers, titled "VaVaVoom." The track is scheduled to be appear online after February 1st. Past musician-artist pair ups include The Chemical Brothers with Jacob Epstein and Graham Coxon with Franz Klein.

For more information on Tate Tracks and to check out some rare new tunes, head on over to the Tate Modern Official Website.

What other artist-musician pairings would you like to see?

Here's an easy one to get your brain churning: David Bowie, Lou Reed and John Cale together for Warhol's Marilyn Diptych.

Guitar Hero II Will Take Over Your Life

I've finally rocked out hard enough on Reverend Horton Heat's 'Psychobilly Freak Out' when I am relieved to see the crowd go mad and cheer for what seems like forever. They are ecstatic and are crying out for more. "Encore you want?" I proudly ask my fictitious mass, "Then an encore you will get." I crack my knuckles and quickly stretch out both arms as I prepare to give my audience another relentless riff. The song I am to feed to them for their final helping of succulent shred is none other than Rush's 'YYZ.' After a brief meditation I convince myself that I will in fact hit nearly every note in perfect sync and will not fail to please my fans. I am ready to shine.

It is 5:30 in the morning.

In case you've been wondering where I've been for the past week, the above vignette explains my whereabouts exactly. After gratefully receiving the video game sensation Guitar Hero II (fake plastic guitar controller and all) for Christmas, it has been my self-proclaimed duty of late to conquer every song in the game, no matter how long it takes. If only work and personal hygiene didn't have to get in the way, I'd surely have unlocked every string snapper by now (I keed!).

In any case, I'll try to post more this week, and not let this tasty candy of a game interfere with my providing you readers with music, news, and reviews.

Or then again....we'll see.

The Candyskins - 'Submarine Song'

Every now and then you stumble across a catchy and powerful pop song that you somehow overlooked during the era it was actually released. 'Submarine Song,' by The Candyskins, is one such song. Released in 1991, the tune was well ahead of its time, putting forth the same sounds of power pop that made bands like Teenage Fanclub, The Refreshments, and Matthew Sweet briefly popular later on in the decade.

Sample the mp3 to 'Submarine Song' here.

Child Bite - Wild Feast

Yeah, punk rock is dead, but there are a handful of bands making chaos that refuse to believe this proclamation, and they're all the better for it. And maybe the punk rock zombie has just been reanimated into a new unholy beast, and if so, Child Bite are roaming the streets searching for brains to infect. Spazz-tastic, post-post-punk is the mission statement of Wild Feast, Child Bite's self-released molotov-cocktail of a record. ~from a recent Child Bite press release

You can stream this "spazz-tastic" new band's LP, Wild Feast, here. Or you can sample the mp3 to 'Brain/Sleep' here.

AOL Radio

For free CD quality radio on the net, the place to be is AOL Radio. They not only feature high quality niche stations such as British Invasion and an all-Pearl Jam channel, but they include several key XM Stations as well...all for free! All you need is a broadband connection and a free AOL/AIM account.

A Great Year-End List

Check out Neiles Life to to see what his picks for the Top 25 Albums of 2006 were.

What makes his list so great, you might ask? He includes at least two MP3s from each album on the list for sampling.

Time Congratulates "You"

Yesterday, Time Magazine named "You" as Person of the Year for 2006.
At first glance, this seems like a cop-out, a classic pandering to the very demographic that keeps that journalistic conglomerate in business. Obviously, "You" could mean anybody and everybody that has bought into the magazine, in one form or the other.

However, within the context of Facebook, YouTube, Digg, Myspace, and other user-generated sites, "You" comes to represent---well, You,--- and other readers of this blog and participators of activities on the Internet.

To explain further what Time means, I provide a quote directly from their writing staff:

But look at 2006 through a different lens and you'll see another story, one that isn't about conflict or great men. It's a story about community and collaboration on a scale never seen before. It's about the cosmic compendium of knowledge Wikipedia and the million-channel people's network YouTube and the online metropolis MySpace. It's about the many wresting power from the few and helping one another for nothing and how that will not only change the world, but also change the way the world changes.

The tool that makes this possible is the World Wide Web. Not the Web that Tim Berners-Lee hacked together (15 years ago, according to Wikipedia) as a way for scientists to share research. It's not even the overhyped dotcom Web of the late 1990s. The new Web is a very different thing. It's a tool for bringing together the small contributions of millions of people and making them matter. Silicon Valley consultants call it Web 2.0, as if it were a new version of some old software. But it's really a revolution.

With that said, congratulations to all of "You" for being a part of the revolution---for taking part in a medium that has the power to wrestle influence away from "Conflict" and "Great Men" and give it to those of us just large enough to matter. Thank-"You" for challenging the mainstream media and providing us with information that the three major networks were afraid to cover.

And as far as music is concerned, thank-you to all of "You" music bloggers and readers who affirmed that it wasn't the Big Five Record Companies who determined which bands deserved exposure or not. Thank-"You" for showing that radio exposure is so eighties---that "You" are only interested in listening to what "You" wanna listen to.

Give yourselves all a pat on the back: According to Time, "You" all deserve it.

'I'm From Rolling Stone' to Air in January

Rolling Stone joins forces with fellow pop culture exploiters MTV, to bring us I'm From Rolling Stone, a reality television show about interns at the world famous music magazine. Talk about overkill.

Read more here.

The Shins - 'Phantom Limb'

A radio single hasn't gotten me this pumped up for a forthcoming album in a long time. Wincing the Night Away will drop January 23. But until then, you can sample all the goodness of The Shins' latest single, 'Phantom Limb,' in MP3 format here.

Alternatively, you can listen to XM's Ethel, where you're bound to hear it at least twice in a two hour period ;)

Steely Dan - 'Dirty Work'

'Dirty Work (MP3)' disappeared from the Steely Dan repertoire after original lead singer David Palmer left the group in 1973. Compared to the rest of the band's catalog, 'Dirty Work' is largely anything-but the cynical jazz rock fusion that came to define the band's sound later on. More pop-oriented than sophisticated, 'Dirty Work' provides a tasty detour to listeners traversing the Steely Dan collection.

Vote For Your Favorite Song of 2006

JT brought "sexy back," and Mz. Furtado was "promiscuous." Panic at the Disco pondered whether anyone had ever heard of "closing a God-damned door," and Fall Out Boy instructed everyone to just "dance, dance." All in all, the two-thousand and sixth year of our Lord proved to be a very entertaining revolution around the sun.

Yes, it's that time of year again, where the oft-replicated meme makes its emergence: time to vote for your favorite track of 2006. Because we are lo-fi (as well as cheap) and lack any sort of polling mechanism, we call on our readers to comment on what their favorite tracks were of the past 12 months. You heard correctly: Just comment to this post, detailing what your most likeable musical composition of the year was. From country, to jazz, to reggaeton, to pop, to indie trash, we urge all of our readers to participate in this most unscientific of all polls.

As an added bonus to our shyest of patrons, we even provide the option to comment anonymously. So come on, and bear your soul. Who knows, you may discover that you weren't the only one in Manhattan who actually digs Hinder's 'Lips of an Angel.'

PS: Stay tuned for my personalized review of my favorite album of 2006.

Failure - 'Stuck on You'

Failure was by far one of the most unrecognized bands of the 1990s. Combining addictive choruses with driving guitar hooks, this post-grunge band was too often labled as a "Nirvana wanna-be," and subsequently its members never received the credit they deserved.

In 1996, the band went out with a bang and released their final album, Fantastic Planet. Anchored by such dirge-pop anthems as 'Sergeant Politeness,' 'Saturday Saviour,' and 'Smoking Umbrellas (MP3),' this swan song effort proved to be the favorite of many of their fans. Ultimately, it was the space-rockish 'Stuck on You (MP3)' that bound the LP together and proved to be the album's shining star.

Pushing its lyrical properties unto the listener through its music, the song begins with a seductive guitar loop that maintains and echoes itself throughout the entire track---slowly, but surely, getting "stuck on you." Compounded with lyrics like "You burrowed like a summer tic" and "You played yourself to death in me," 'Stuck on You' is not only a fetching refrain, but a profound love song as well.

65 Days of Static

They drove through ghosts to get here, and we're glad they did. 65 Days of Static, after achieving acclaim in the UK, brings to America their album One Time For All Time. This experimental rock LP is fractured, yet intricate; detached, but cerebral. Indeed it flows from beginning to end quite seamlessly.

You can stream this exceptional album by clicking here, or you can stream the track 'Welcome to the Times' below:


65 Dats if Static - 'Welcome to the Times' (MP3)

New Thrills in 2007

In the words of frontman Conor Deasy, Irish pop rockers The Thrills are set to release their third studio album in 'earlyish' 2007 - although there's still a few last minute tweaks to take care of.

Read the rest of the story here at Soungenerator.

Pop Justice and the New Jo Jo Album

If you are up for some laughs, check out Pop Justice's review of the new Jo Jo album. Otherwise, that's all I've got for now. Hopefully next week see's us pick up the pace with our posting.

Pensioners Behaving Badly

Senior Citizens are singing more than just Christmas Carols this holiday season. Young@Heart, a documentary that highlights a chorus of retirees, features a World War II bride singing The Clash's 'Should I Stay or Should I Go?' and en ex-World War II pilot singing Jimi Hendrix's 'Purple Haze.'

You can check out a clip of this documentary here. (click on the picture of the old woman toward the bottom of the page)

Kid and Pam to Split

In another short-lived, high-profile marriage, it was announced recently that Pam Anderson and Kid Rock will be divorcing. What skanky musician will Pam hook up with next? I hear K-Fed is single.

Also, does this mean that Borat has a chance?

Read the full article here.