Wednesday Roundup: Snappy Madonna, Prince Wins a Webby, and Musical Morphine

Madonna Snaps at Bored Audience

According to one report, Madonna stopped a concert in Las Vegas to personally address a bored looking audience member. "If you are only going to sit there, at least you can smile," the diva yelled to the man. I find it a little ridiculous that a paying audience member must find himself being criticized by the very artist he's paying to see. Just a little bit.


Prince Wins Webby For Contribution to Online Music

The Purple One will be receiving a lifetime achievement award for his "use of the internet to connect to audiences" from the Webby Awards. Prince has released several albums available exclusively on the web, and has used the internet to premiere new videos. In fact, Prince has been one of the few artists to embrace the web, rather than sue everyone associated with it. Yay for him!


Music As a Pain Killer

A new study has found that patients can cut levels of chronic pain by up to 21% simply by listening to their favorite music. The study has been published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing. I will crank some Quiet Riot to that.


Have a great rest of the week folks.

Michelangelo is a party dude

I've been perusing the internet all day and just happened to run across a link to watch the old Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles intro. Needless to say, I had to watch it. TMNT was a staple of my childhood, so watching the opening scene to the TV show brought back a flood of memories. 80's cartoons were so much better than the junk they offer nowadays.

As I was watching the intro, I kept on thinking about the theme song singers. I imagine those people never dreamed they would compromise their musical talents to perform cartoon themes. At the very least, they sound enthusiastic. I would have loved to be the one to sing "That's a fact, Jack!"

For further references to awesome theme songs, check out Chip N' Dale's Rescue Rangers, Ducktales, and Talespin.

Ted's Song of the Week - 5/30/06

Out In the Black
Imaad Wasif
Imaad Wasif

Imaad Wasif, a former member The New Folk Implosion, displays real soul in this ballad about a lost love. If you've heard the name before, it's due to his recent involvement with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, in which he joined as a touring guitarist. However, Wasif should not be labeled among the hipster genre that the YYY's have defined. Wasif is a talented folk artist with a flair for versatility.
In a style reminiscient of the late Elliott Smith, Wasif serenades his listeners with a haunting acoustic sound that will leave even the most obstinate fan in a melancholy state of mind.
This is a great track for your latest chill-out mix. "Out In the Black" is available for download here.

New Material From Dropping Daylight

Minneapolis' piano-driven rock outfit, Dropping Daylight, will be unleashing their debut album in two weeks . Though somewhat tagged with the emo/punk scene, the band actually possesses a little too much classic songwriter sensibility to fully fit in. And while scheduled to perform on the Vans Warped Tour again this year, the band is often more akin to the likes of Ben Folds than, say...Simple Plan.

Earlier today, Dropping Daylight added a spankin' new track to their Myspace page. The song, titled 'Answering Our Prayers,' finds vocalist/pianist Sebastian Davin exploring the realm of the ballad. Davin's vocals; pristine and honest, find him lifted up over the musings of a melancholy Wurlitzer.

The new track is accompanied on the page by a band commentary. While many of the group's other songs are significantly heavier and more uptempo, this track finds a reflective Davin holding the limelight for a moment. This intimate encounter easily caught my attention, and I've found myself listening to the track repeatedly today. Give it a listen... or several.

Dropping Daylight's forthcoming album, Brace Yourself, is due for a June 13 release.

The 10 Commandments: A Parody

I realize that this isn't quite music related, but with all the 'Da Vinci Code' controversy running rampant I feel this clip is not only hilarious, but also well suited. Watch the trailer for '10 Things I Hate About Commandments' below:

Memorial Day Shoegazing

You can download the top ten shoegazing songs from Mars Needs Guitars. The post doesn't mention where the list originated, but it is tasty nonetheless. Explore the music here.

Coffee, tea, or tunes?

I've always thought the best thing to go with a $6.75 Banana Caramel Frappuccino Light Blended Coffee and a fresh $5 blueberry scone would be the ability to spend even more money on music downloads from the same vendor. Well, my sarcastic prayers have been answered by none other than the java-giant Starbucks.

I know it has become common practice to create business alliances in today's society. It's the allure of the one-stop shopping experience that drives many businesses to offer just a bit more to remain competitive. For instance, the video rental/tanning salon idea that has caught on in my respective region. Now, when i'm in the mood to rent the latest Angelina Jolie flick, I can also get a couple shades darker without having to move more than 15 feet from the new releases. What a concept!

Anyway, Starbucks is taking its game to another level by adding more wireless capabilities to its stores. This would allow for further expansion of a potential digital music service. Could they be attempting to squeeze-in on itunes' or napster's share of the downloading market?

Starbucks Entertainment President Ken Lombard:

"Customers want to bring their devices into our stores. We don’t have a solution today, but we are committed to finding one".

Don't get me wrong. I like the idea of furthering access to my favorite artists, but I also like my coffee shops to remain kind of unpolished. A place where a group of friends can hang out, drink coffee, and listen to aspiring folk-singers.

I guess we can't stop the inevitable flow of technological tie-ins, but wouldn't it be nice to get away from it for the half-hour it takes to enjoy a cup of coffee?

Read the rest of the story here.

Caught On Tape: Silverchair - 'Anthem (For the Year 2000)'

This week, I'm taking a slightly different approach to Caught On Tape. It's probably not hard to imagine that a considerable portion of the conversations held between us Lonely Note contributors revolves around music. From time to time, when something marginally interesting or amusing has been said, one of us will remark that we wished we had recorded it to put on the site. The following conversation is one that I was able to save, and I've chosen to implement it in my description of the following music video selection. And now, here it is: A great track that has significantly lost meaning over the last six years. I present to you...Silverchair's 'Anthem (For the Year 2000),' from their 1999 album Neon Ballroom.

tae: So, I've gotten yet another caught on tape outta the way.
steve: Yeah man.
tae: It was either Seal or Silverchair's "Anthem for the Year 2000."
steve: Year 2000!!
steve: lol
tae: I wanted to discuss what a good decision it is to write a song about the future when the year you sing about will be outdated within a year.
steve: I know.
steve: You mean, kind of like Will Smith's 'Willenium?'
tae: Yes.
steve: He released it in like Nov. of 1999.
tae: I know. It had very little time to stay relevant. And now...why would anyone want to listen to that song again?

steve: That's why Prince is where it's at.
steve: The visionary
tae: Yeah, Prince has gotten more than 15 years out of 1999
tae: And people STILL like it.
steve: Yeah dude.
steve: Partying like it's 1999 is synonymous with getting crazy now.
tae: ...But to say "We'll make it up to you in the year 2000"...you have to know when writing something like that that the year 2000 will soon be over and done with. And now it is. It is behind us now. You can no longer make it up to us.
steve: LOL

steve: Dude, this should be your post for next week's Caught On Tape.
steve: Our convo about the song.
tae: O.K.

Daughtry Expected NOT to Accept Fuel Offer

Less than two weeks after Fuel offered former 'American Idol' contestant Chris Daughtry a position as its lead singer, it has been discovered that he will more than likely decline the request. It is uncertain whether Daughtry will attempt to go solo or form his own band from scratch, but the show bounds their contestants to contract at least three months after the season finale, meaning that Daughtry will be busy performing either way.

Wednesday Roundup: Musical Shoes, Billy Talent & The Idol Crown

Nike Teams Up With The Apple iPod

It seems everything has to be "iPod compatible" these days. From automobiles with docking stations to toilet paper dispensers (see Top 10 Strangest iPod Accessories), the sleek MP3 device is making inroads into all sorts of markets. Today, the sneaker is no exception. Nike has announced plans to produce a Nike+ line of shoes that can "talk" to the wearer's iPod. For joggers, the connected iPod can display/store performance information as well as play songs containing beats compatible with the running pace. Think of some 'Enter Sandman' kicking in during that final, closing kilometer, for instance.

Visit nikeplus.com for further details.


Billy Talent Nominated For Video Award

People still care about Billy Talent? Apparently the Canadians do. Canadian music channel, MuchMusic, has nominated the band for a top-spot video music award. The winners will be announced June 18.


Will Taylor Hicks Win Idol?

As of this writing, the 'American Idol' finale is still in broadcast. Surprisingly, the producers have made the two hour time slot pretty interesting. Chris Daughtry rocked the stage with Live, Burt Bacharach has made an appearance, Bucky dressed up in a suit, and Clay Aiken proved that there are actually people out there douchier than he is. Projections have Taylor winning this season's competition over Katharine McPhee pretty handily. But as history as shown, nothing is ever certain as far as this particular contest is concerned. I guess the world will find out the results in only a few minutes.


There ya have it. Have a great and safe Memorial Day Weekend!

Lostprophets countdown

It will be a little over a month (June 26) before the Lostprophets' third studio album, Liberation Transmission, graces the shelves of your local music outlet. This may seem like an eternity to some LP fans, but fear not. The strength of the first single "Rooftops" is evidence enough that the forthcoming album is going to be great.

I don't know if they'll be able to top 2004's Start Something, but for now we can only wait and see. Have a listen to "Rooftops" and form your own opinions.

Lostprophets - Rooftops

Ted's Song of the Week - 5/23/06

The Adventure
Angels and Airwaves
We Don't Need To Whisper

Angels and Airwaves have produced a winner with their debut effort We Don't Need To Whisper. I've been listening to the newly released album all day and it has truly been a struggle to pinpoint what track I like the best. Unfortunately, I had to narrow the candidates down to "The Adventure" for the song of the week, but it very easily could have been any one of the tracks on the album. It's that good!
One of the coolest things about "The Adventure" is that it's constantly changing in flow. There is a perfect balance of driving beats and guitars reminiscient of The Edge (U2) with the ethereal breakdowns of singer/guitarist Tom Delonge delivering the chorus. A great song for those listeners with ADD.
Delonge has been bouncing back and forth between Blink-182 and Boxcar Racer for the last couple years, and while both bands have been successful, I believe that his latest stint with Angels and Airwaves could be the musical niche he's been seeking. This is his chance to experiment with a more mature style of music without pandering to his pop-punk audience
Alongside Delonge, former members of The Offspring and The Distillers round out the band to create a poor man's "supergroup." Check out the band's website and myspace page to learn more.

Angels and Airwaves - The Adventure


For song lyrics, click here.

Artist Spotlight: Dearborn

Dearborn has already achieved a large amount of attention and success within their native Chicago; but as they prepare to release their sophomore album this year, the band seems to be setting their sights on the world. And with a sound that could draw comparisons anywhere between John Mayer and Incubus, Dearborn seems poised for their chance at commercial success. Below is a sampling from the band's 2004 album, Prepare to Qualify.

Dearborn - Better Than This

The band received the 2004 Chicago Music Award for Rock Album of the Year for their debut release, Prepare To Qualify, and this past year were up against rock greats Billy Corgan, Wilco, The Pony's, and Umphrey's McGee as a nominee for 2004 and 2005's Best Rock Entertainer Award.

For more information and music, head on over to the following links:

Dearborn at Purevolume
Dearborn at Myspace
Dearborn Official Site

Axl vs. Tommy

Axl Rose gets bitchslapped by vanity fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger?? I guess truth really is stranger than fiction.

According to several reports, the scuffle between the two began when Rose moved Hilfiger's girlfriend's drink out of the way at a club he was to peform at. When Axl refused to comply with Hilfiger's request to move it back to its original location, Hilfiger began swinging fists.

Says club owner Noel Ashman of the incident:

"Axl was a gentleman and had the good sense not to retaliate as he would have done some serious damage to Hilfiger."

Hilfiger was removed from the venue, and Rose, along with Guns 'N Roses, performed an acoustic set, dedicating the song 'You're Crazy' to Hilfiger.

Those Cold Dwelling Simians Explain Bassist's Departure

Arctic Monkeys bassist, Andy Nicholson, will not tour in the New World due to fatigue and exhaustion. Nick O'Malley will be filling in during that leg. I guess having tequila shot contests with Noel Gallagher tends to tire a young rocker out.

In other Monkeys news, the band is planning on producing a feature film. Peter Carlton has described the upcoming production as a "kind of music documentary." Sounds...intriguing(?).

Ribbed for their pleasure

For all those file-sharing fanatics, it may be a good idea to crank up the computer security in the near future. Is the RIAA on another witchhunt? Nope, but there's a new Trojan horse on the horizon, and it's hungry for a wide variety of AVI, MP3, MPEG, WMV, and other formatted files.

This bane to the file-sharing public is known as the "Troj/Erazer-A horse" and its mission is to wipe out pirated files and security-related programs, which gives the hackers of the world a smorgasbord of opportunities to invade your computer.

"The Erazer Trojan is a vigilante worthy of a Charles Bronson movie, taking the law into its own hands. However, it's perfectly possible for the Trojan to aim poorly and wipe out innocent files too," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos. "The Erazer Trojan targets internet users it believes are involved in piracy, but fails to discriminate between the true criminals and those who may have MP3 music files or home movies that they have created themselves. Malware is not the way to fight internet piracy."

The people who create these trojans and other viruses are truly despicable. I'm sure they have their reasons for such loathsome activities, but the same argument could be made for Hitler, Saddam, Ted Bundy, and Michael Jackson. In a nutshell, they all suck.

For the full story, click here.

Caught On Tape: Seal - 'Kiss From A Rose'

By 1994, with the release of a second self-titled album, Seal no longer needed to "get a little crazy." He had already achieved mainstream success, and the sophomore record's first single, 'Prayer for the Dying' had won the album a good deal of recognition. However, it wasn't until a year later, with the release of Val Kilmer's captivating Batman Forever, that Seal truly rose to superstardom. By adding his song, 'Kiss From A Rose,' to the movie soundtrack, Seal became an adult contemporary sensation , and the single remained on the charts for 45 weeks. With 'Kiss From A Rose,' it appeared that the soulful Seal had found his raison d'être.

A year later, Seal would try to mirror his soundtrack success by jumping aboard the Michael Jordan/Looney Tunes mainstay, Space Jam, with a cover of Steve Miller's 'Fly Like an Eagle.' While it is true that any soundtrack for a cartoon starring a basketball player is a good career choice, it is more true that any soundtrack for a movie about a man dressing as a bat is an even better one.

In the 'Kiss From A Rose' music video, Seal is shown singing in front of the Bat Signal, arms outstretched, acting out his superhero fantasies. These shots are juxtaposed with clips from the movie, in which we see Batman berating Chris O'Donnell for being such a pretty boy, and the Riddler doing a killer Jim Carrey impersonation. 'Kiss From A Rose' became synonymous for greatness, and all movie soundtracks have been weighed against it ever since. And now here it is:

Wednesday Roundup: Brendan Benson Sixpack, Arctic Monkeys Outdrink A Gallagher & Stereogum Hate

Download Six Brendan Benson Songs

Continuing my obsession with The Raconteurs, I've decided to highlight six Brendan Benson songs available for download at Sixeyes. Will Brendan ever become as popular as Mr. White?


Noel Gallagher's Reputation Destroyed

...Or his drinking reputation at least. When Noel Gallagher challenged the Arctic Monkeys to a drinking contest he didn't know what he was in for. Apparently the Arctic Monkeys outdrank the Oasis legend after a show in London. Read the rest of the story here.


Fuck Stereogum

Supposedly there are some out there who think music blogging is overrated. For those that fall into this camp, they can buy a t-shirt saying "F*ck Stereogum," an obvious diss at one of the pioneers of this writing genre. Stereogum themselves even think it's funny.



There ya have it, the Wednesday Roundup short and sweet. Peace.

A Surprisingly Good Damone Song

Most of the music I've heard from Damone has failed to impress. Typical, predictable, pop-punk is the musical style I've always pigeonholed them to. That's why I was surprised to find out that the raucous 'Out Here All Night' was put out by the very same band.

Possibly an attempt at reinventing themselves, this new single possesses enough spunk to make any Negative Nancy wanna let loose. However, I cannot verify whether all the other songs on the same-titled Out Here All Night are just as good, since I haven't heard the rest of the album. Maybe somebody out there could fill me in?

Anyhow, I've attached a stream to 'Out Here All Night' below. Judge for yourself.

Damone - 'Out Here All Night'

Ted's Song of the Week - 5/16/06

Taste the Pain
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Mother's Milk

I’ve been spending a lot of time on the road lately, so it’s been essential to keep music on hand at all times. On my latest excursion, I packed along the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ breakthrough album Mother’s Milk. It had been quite awhile since I had given it a listen, but I was definitely refreshed to the pure genius of the group’s work. In addition, RHCP just released their latest album Stadium Arcadium this last week, so I felt the need to pay homage to their early work.
Mother’s Milk's is chock-full of gems that launched RHCP into the mainstream. Funky covers of Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire” and Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground” lay the groundwork for original tracks like “Knock Me Down” and my personal favorite “Taste the Pain.” Released in 1989, Mother’s Milk helped land RHCP on the musical map
The album is surprisingly solid, despite band troubles prior to recording. The untimely death of guitarist Hillel Slovak and departure of drummer Jack Irons forced the group to re-tool and add John Frusciante and Chad Smith for this album, which ended up being extremely successful by going gold.
“Taste the Pain” is a bit different from the group’s traditional fare, but the fusion of funk-metal with a horn section is candy for the ears. My favorite part of the song occurs around two minutes in, when the group breaks it down with an onslaught of the brass section with a quick follow-up of intense guitar-work. The Chili Peppers at their finest.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Taste the Pain


For lyrics, click here.