am/fm

I've been taking bass lessons for a minute (I'm getting really good, if you need a bassist!), and one of the things I talked about with my teacher last week is singing while playing -- a skill I lack and would like to improve upon. He basically said, "practice more," which is his answer to everything; and also pointed out that it's harder to sing while playing bass than while playing guitar because you're doing something completely different rhythmically. I'll buy that, but I still don't think it's impossible. So here's a list of noted singer/bassists.

• Kim Deal, Pixies (also The Breeders, but she's not their bassist) ("Gigantic" is one of the first songs I figured out how to play)

• Kim Gordon, Sonic Youth

• Pete Wentz, Fall Out Boy (He sings back-up, but still)

• Paul McCartney, The Beatles

• Geddy Lee, Rush

• Sgt. Floyd Pepper, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem

• Gene Simmons, KISS

• Lemmy, Motörhead

• Phil Lynot, Thin Lizzy

• Roger Waters, Pink Floyd

• Les Claypool, Primus

• Benjamin Orr, The Cars

• John Entwhistle, The Who

• Kip Winger, Winger

• Sting, The Police

• Jack Bruce, Cream

• Maya Ford, The Donnas

Can you think of any other singer/bassists? Can you think of any other bassists period? I can: Carlos D, Interpol; Noel Redding, Jimi Hendrix Experience (among others, but not as a bassist, I don't think); Mark Ibold, Pavement and Sonic Youth ...

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I am a Pitchfork apologist, mostly because I remember the days when it was a scrappy little zine with reviews that verged on experimental, and not the bloated, lazily written arbiter of taste that it is now. But this smackdown exchange from their Colin Greenwood (Radiohead) interview is awesome, and kind of deserved:

Pitchfork: The Pitchfork review of Hail to the Thief put forth the idea that "anything Radiohead does from here on out will sound like Radiohead"...

CG: That's like a late-night stoner comment. At about three in the morning-- after you've put on Captain Beefheart and you put the red scarf over the light bulb-- it makes a lot of sense. But the next morning you're like, "I don't know, maybe the world is fucked and we didn't solve it." So I don't know about that.

Ha! There's a lot of meaninglessness in music writing in general (in Pitchfork, definitely), so it's cool to see Greenwood call them on it.

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• "Well, if you walk along McCarren Park it feels like Manhattan now. There’s nightlife and beautiful hipsters." Stephen Malkmus misses NYC. (Also, indie rock on FOX here.)

• So does Nick Cave.

• Regina Spektor plays a free show later this month.

• Stereogum pays tribute to my favorite artist, Bjork.

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We call this one the "Take On Me" filter.

or, if you like ...

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So I've been obsessed with the Grey Race ever since this post, and last week I got to talk to drummer Ethan Eubanks, which resulted in this story.

Thing is, Ethan and I talked for a long time, and there was so much good stuff that just didn't make it into the story.

Hooray for the blog, though! Here are some choice quotes that deserve to be read:

[Talking about his preference for music from the '60s and '70s]
AMNY: How old are you, if you don’t mind me asking?

EE: I’m 35 this year

AMNY: How did you get into all of this?

EE: My folks had a great record collection, so when I was growing up I had the run of a very amazing record collection. They had all the Beatles, all the Stones, and this was like, the original records that my dad had bought in the '60s when they were fresh off the shelves, like let’s go get the new thing. And so my whole exploration of music was through playing records, and destroying them and scratching them. I feel bad now but they were kind of like toys to me when I was a kid. And that was a big influence to me, the music around the house and growing up on those records. I never really turned on it, and said like, "Dad, your music sucks." I was into it from the beginning and I’m still with it.

AMNY: Are you a record collector yourself now?

EE: I live in New York City so I can’t really have vinyl because I don’t have any place to put it. But those records are there and they’re mine when I have a house of my own. I will definitely try to reclaim them and see if any are in playing condition but really it’s tough. It’s tough to dedicate that kind of real estate in your shitty New York apartment to records. It’s hard enough to get enough oxygen in there sometimes.

More after the jump ...

• I can't hear this song without thinking of Guitar Hero, but it's still a great song. I forget what made me think of it, but there you go.

• LA Times talks to Rick Astley about Rickrolling. He seems like a pretty cool guy, actually.

• This Gawker headline pretty much speaks for itself: 18th Century Pop Music Sounds Remarkably Like Joanna Newsome.

• We just had a convo in the office the other day about how everyone should know Bob Mould but they don't. Well, study up guys, The Onion AV Club delves into his iPod. Apparently he's so influential his own songs come up on shuffle.

• I don't know if even the Kanye factor saves this. This guy's shtick is that he paints while music is playing. OK.

• A new Al Green track! Produced by ?uestlove!! Unfortunately, it's kind of meh. Good beats, but Al seems kind of, I don't know, underutilized ... misutilized. He sounds like he's trying for a James Brown impression or something. After all these years, Al Green, you should be OK with being yourself.

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Anyway, Anti-Flag is playing the Knitting Factory tomorrow night. Some how MySpace is involved.

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(via)

• I've never actually been on Facebook, but I've been sick of hearing about it for quite some time. I also enjoy this song's appropriation of Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire."

• Elvis Costello has named his latest album, Momofuku after either, Best Week Ever speculates, the inventor of ramen or a series of local restaurants named after the inventor of ramen. BWE misses the fact, though, that momofuku also means "lucky peach" (according to David Chang, owner of Momofuku Noodle Bar et al.; I cannot find a translation, however, that doesn't mention Chang or his restaurants).

• Nah Right has a new Big Boi track, which features Andre 3000, but is not an Outkast tune. They also have some videos from Kanye's "Graduation" release.

• We were just talking in the office Thursday about the fact that due to KISS' theatricality, the band lends itself to the tribute band treatment more naturally than others (Do we really need more than one Bono?). It could be anyone underneath all that make-up, and the performance seems more like a piece of musical theater rather than just a rock show. Paul Stanley seems to think the same thing. Talking about a possible impending retirement, he says, "I think Kiss is more about a point of view, about a respect for fans and about a loyalty and a direction much more than it is the people in the band."

• Finally, NY Mag makes a list of the Ten Greatest Albums Made by Actors. They only come up with three. Surprisingly, this isn't one of them.

eh.www.amNY.com

Due to poor planning, I ended up getting to the show embarrassingly late. Which sucked, because what I saw was really good, and I wish I could have seen more of it.

But I did catch "New Soul." Twice. The MacBook Air star played the song as part of her regular set, leading a spirited sing-along, and again during her encore. My guess is that she just plain ran out of songs; she apparently played for more than an hour.

I still maintain that the song is only as good as it is because of her adorable accent, but fact is, it's a charming song. As is she a charming young woman. Her delivery and interaction with the crowd was nothing but gracious.

And, she has other songs! Which are just as good, if not more. Her sound, as you might expect from her background (Israeli ex-pat living in Paris), is cosmopolitan with a dash of Mediterranean spice. There was one song where she rhymed between French and English to cute comedic effect.

I wish I had more for you, but I was late and didn't take notes. But it was a good show. Don't get turned off by the hype.

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The above is The Go! Team in a Mitsubishi commercial. I love blondie's hair.

Here's the actual video (the song is "Doing it Right.")

And here's Brendan Benson in the new iPhone Touch commercial.

That's the second time in recent memory that Benson's "What I'm Looking For" has been used in a commercial. You know, advertisers, he has other songs. But maybe the Apple connection will be his ticket to the big time. I interviewed Benson like two or three years ago, and he was very gracious, despite the fact that I was a complete nitwit. And his publicist at the time said that he's done very well in England, but has had a hard time cracking the States (he's American, BTW).

Even with The Raconteurs, to the people familiar with the band, he's just Jack White's second fiddle. Poor guy.

Other bands visually referenced in the commercial (in order of appearance):

• Beck "The Information"
• Brendan Benson "The Alternative to Love"
•
•
•
•
(A little help on these, please. There'll be a prize. OK, there is no prize.)
• The Shins "Wincing the Night Away"
• Jack Johnson "In Between Dreams"
• LDC Soundsystem "Sounds of Silver"

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They're a cover band made up of some Amish kids who went on Rumspringa and never went back. They're also surprisingly competent rappers.

I like that the video is filmed in old fashiondy sepia.

They'll be at Stout Saturday.

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eh.www.amNY.com

The Onion AV club breaks down the 5 stages of Lou Reed. Which include: Factory Boy, Glam-Rock Monster, Smug Asshole, Sellout and Elder Statesman. It's pretty funny.

(Sweet glamor in Paris, that is some blond hair!)

Pitchfork waited for the man (I'm sorry, I just couldn't help it) this past September, and had a cordial interview with the noted curmudgeon. Also, I had a co-worker who used to run into Reed at a coffee shop by his apartment, and reported that he was actually a pretty decent guy. So maybe the jerkface routine is kind of a put on. Or not.

But you know what? Even if he is kind of mean, I don't really care. I don't need my musical heroes to be my friends, I need them to make good music. And I don't think that Reed could have made the music he did if he wasn't an asshole. You don't get the dismissive sneer of, say, "Beginning to See the Light" or whatever, from a man who smiles candy bars and rainbows. So ... yeah.

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OK, the actual holiday is Monday, but I've been mired in our weekend coverage all day. So I just thought I'd share my favorite Irish song, the Dubliners and Pogues doing "The Irish Rover."

Also, bonus, The Pogues doing "Waxie's Dargle," a song which reminds me of the greatest triumph of my life: winning the quiz at the end of Dublin's Literary Pub Crawl. (Actually, my sister and I took second and third, but first prize was a t-shirt and the second and third prizes were bottles of Jameson. I think it's clear who actually wins there. And there's nothing more important in life than drinking, literature and winning — so, there you go. OK, I guess music's pretty important as well.)

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Apparently Eliot Spitzer's call girl of choice is a budding musician. I'll be surprised if this is still up tomorrow, but for now, check out her MySpace page for a sample ... of her music, pervs.

It's pretty basic pop R&B. The Times is less kind: "On the Web page is a recording of what she describes as her latest track, 'What We Want,' an amateurish, hip-hop inflected rhythm and blues tune that asks, 'Can you handle me, boy?' and uses some dated slang, calling someone her 'boo.' "

Her bio:

About Ashley Alexandra Dupré

I am all about my music, and my music is all about me… It flows from what I’ve been through, what I’ve seen and how I feel. I live in New York and am on top of the world. Been here since 2004 and I love this city, I love my life here. But, my path has not been easy. When I was 17, I left home. It was my decision and I’ve never looked back. Left my hometown. Left a broken family. Left abuse. Left an older brother who had already split. Left and learned what it was like to have everything, and lose it, again and again. Learned what it was like to wake up one day and have the people you care about most gone. I have been alone. I have abused drugs. I have been broke and homeless. But, I survived, on my own. I am here, in NY because of my music. It started when I moved in with a musician during my odyssey to New York. One day, I was in the shower singing “respect.” He and his lead guitarist burst in, had me repeat it and it started. We wrote, rehearsed and toured. After recording a bit with them, I decided to move to Manhattan to pursue my music career. I spent the first two years getting to know the music scene, networking in clubs and connecting with the industry. Now, it’s all about my music. It’s all about expressing me. I can sit here now, and knowingly tell you that life’s hard sometimes. But, I made it. I’m still here and I love who I am. If I never went through the hard times, I would not be able to appreciate the good ones. Cliché, yes, but I know it’s true. I have experienced just how hard it can be. I can honestly tell you to never dwell on the past, but build from it and keep moving forward. Don’t let anyone hold you back or tell you that you can’t…because you can. I didn’t and here I am, just listen to it…. What we Want is my latest track. It’s really about trust, something my past has made very difficult for me to feel. This one was inspired by a guy, who taught me not to confuse my dreams with the sounds of the city…I hope you like it.

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Rarely do you get a concise explanation of a song's meaning by their artist. They usually (and perfectly acceptably) prefer to put the burden of interpretation on the listener.

I was just listening to Mike Doughty's new solo CD, "Golden Delicious," and the first track, "Fort Hood," quotes from "Let the Sunshine In" in the chorus. I wondered to myself, "Huh, I wonder what that's about?" And Googled the song title, but for reasons above didn't expect much by the way of answers.

Wrong.

Damn. This is an awfully sad song.

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This kid (Ronald Jenkees is his name) is fascinating. Check out more of his stuff on his MySpace or his web site.

In his own words: "Before you ask, I'm a perfectly normal and healthy guy, just a little geeky and different - but that's a good thing, not a bad thing."

UPDATE:

This one is also awesome! I can't stop watching this guy.

eh.www.amNY.com

(via)

It's Britney, bitch!

The somewhat unreliable singer has decided to problem solve by appearing as a cartoon in the video for her latest single "Break the Ice" (hear a remix here).

If you're bored, check out some Britney-thru-the-years photos here.

And, here are some... artistic... representations of Ms. Spears.

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(Via Stereogum)

• Did ya catch the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction last night? Yeah, me neither. Idolator put together a great cheat sheet, if you want to fake it.

• The PLUG Awards were last week, and I shared my experience, but I neglected to mention any of the winners. Also, our sister site, Metromix, has a pretty cool photographic breakdown of the ceremony.

• Though everyone is pretty much more familiar with covers of Leonard Cohen than his actual recordings, the man goes on tour later this year, Brooklyn Vegan is reporting.

• I just caught an episode of this "Lil' Bush" show last weekend, and it's pretty funny. No "South Park," but still mildly amusing. What I didn't realize is that some of my favorite rock stars are involved with the show, most notably Iggy Pop as Lil' Donald Rumsfeld and Kevin Federline as Lil' Karl Rove! Learn more at Pitchfork.

• Eddie Argos (Art Brut) is a freaking nut! In a good way!

• And, of course, we're always on the look out for good pop music scholarship, so we were delighted to find this map of where exactly the area codes were where Ludacris' hos reside. Evidently, he's familiar with some ladies in the Midway and Wake Islands. According to Strangemaps (the above-linked site): "Only scientists are allowed to inhabit the Midway Islands, and only military personnel may inhabit the Wake Islands. Draw your own conclusion.” Although, 808 also encompasses Hawaii, so that datum is more sensational than anything else.

I was going to try to make this into a post about songs that mention area codes prominently, but the only other one I could think of was 2 Skinnee J's "718." Know any others? Leave 'em in the comments.

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St. Vincent (via)

So the biggest little concert celebrating the independent music scene (PLUG founder Gerry Heart was clear to make a distinction between the "independent community" and "indie rock" when I spoke to him last week) went down last Thursday. After a hellacious day in the office, I made it out to catch a good portion of the show.

In a daze, concert-going buddy no. 1 (heretofore known as c-gbn1, which serendipitously makes her sound like a robot) and I entered the cavernous Terminal 5 just as St. Vincent was wrapping up her set. While I procured delicious refreshment, I noticed St. V sounds vaguely Bjorkian. Good for her. The kids like Bjork.

After her (short) set, there was a screening of a Michael Showalter video, which I thought was kind of an odd choice of entertainment, considering that these things were all over the internet in the weeks before, and people interested enough to be at the PLUGs had probably already watched them on Stereogum, or some such. Part of my issue with Terminal 5 is that it's just too big. With things like this, and later, Patton Oswalt's patter and award announcements, which didn't out and out demand the attention of the room, everyone just tuned out, semi-patiently waiting for the next band to begin.

"Jesus Christ! I feel like my dad at a rave," said Oswalt, trying in vain to capture the ears of the room before announcing the Forms. Who, for their part, were very calming to those who might still be wound up from a very busy day at work. They played a couple of minor-key rock songs.

More after the jump ...

First I read this piece in the New Yorker, a profile of "rock and roll" designer Rick Owens who sells $200 tee-shirts and leather jackets that retail for many thousands of dollars.

Then, this interactive bit of nonsense proffers Marc Jacobs as an "indie" look.

Gah! I'm sick of this. It's kind of ridiculous that there's clothing for sale that costs $1,000+, but then to turn around and call this clothing "rock"? Johnny Ramone would not approve. (Vivianne Westwood would, though, I guess.)

(Also, I'm kind of annoyed that the New Yorker seems to be all about these profiles of obscenely wealthy people these days. I don't care. And I hate everything Patricia Marx writes. She's obnoxious.)

Just needed to get that off my chest.

eh.www.amNY.com

John Cale

So just ignore the first paragraph of this entry, it'll make your ears bleed in anticipation. What follows is a detailed and fascinating look at the history of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" in the popular consciousness complete with charts, graphs, sound clips and commentary. Check it.

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PS This may merit me a smack, but Rufus Wainwright's version is my favorite.

PPS I was in an American Apparel store many years ago, and Jeff Buckley's venerated version was playing. Not being familiar with his cover (see above re: Rufus) I asked the clerk who it was. I was knocked unconscious by the force of his disdain.

Their album has leaked all over the internet. Do some digging, find it yourself.

(I'll give you a hint and point you here.)

Also, MTV has banned the video for their first single, "Run" because it triggers seizures. Odd. Check it here.

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Apparently Winona Ryder is engaged to Rilo Kiley's Blake Sennett (who was also one of the bullies on "Boy Meets World" back in the day, among other things, but don't ask him about it; he gets mad. Feel free to ask Jenny Lewis about "The Wizard," though. She loves to talk about it.)

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Above: Part one of an eight part interview with SM about the making of his latest album. Prior to this I may have said that Stephen Malkmus can do no wrong, but in the face of that mustache, I stand corrected.

Also, before I get into the meat of this review, I should put out there the fact that I've been listening to "Slanted and Enchanted" on repeat for almost two weeks now. So, that's just where I'm coming from.

The opener "Dragonfly Pie" grabbed me from the get-go. With abrupt and unexpected shifts in rhythm and tone, it knocks you off balance, but hooks you for a fun ride.

He's using, again, that wangity synthy sound that employed on his last solo album, "Face the Truth" (hear it on "Pencil Rot" here). As with "Truth," you can hear a lot of his Pavement-y origins, but he's not stuck in the past. The deadpan nonsense lyrics are still there, but also too are flourishes of country, pop and piano balladry.

The album's tent peg, the titular "Real Emotional Trash," is a ten-minute emotional opus with two movements, the first a vaguely bluesy lament which gives way, in an extended instrumental break, to an upbeat "doin' it for themselves" second half. The effect is kind of theatrical. Although given my relationship to lyrics in general (I generally don't have time for them) and SM's specific brand of loose gibberish (which is, admittedly tighter here; we'll get to that later), I have no idea what this play would really be about. Upon repeated listens, the structure reminds me a lot of "Proud Mary." So this is Malkmus' Tina Turner moment?

OK, so I just said I don't really pay attention to lyrics. That's probably better phrased as lyrics are tertiary or maybe ever quarternary (I think I made that word up) to me when considering and processing a song, behind melody, rhythm and, I don't know, something else. So like, I can kind of tell that there is a story to "Real Emotional Trash," even if I'm not really interested in what it is. And there are a lot of these tracks that seem to be about something, with fully drawn characters. If this seems unremarkable, consider the following from "Fillmore Jive" (listen here):

I need to sleep it off
I need to sleep why don't you let me
I need to sleep why don't you
I need to sleep
I need to sleep
I need to sleep
I need to sleep, why won't you let me
I need to sleep
I need to sleep
I need to sleep
Why won't you, why won't you let me sleep?

(Sometimes when I'm suffering through a particularly pernicious bout of insomnia I sing this song to myself. And then I cry.)

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How can these guys be so talented? Their music is just so vital. I remember when ... I remember when their first single broke, and it was all I could listen to for weeks. There was something so pleasant about that tune. And it came out at just the right time, filling a void in popular music; it seemed to have an echo in so much space.

Doesn't this make you crazy?

Ha ha ha, bless my soul.

But seriously, their new single is kick ass. And the new video is fun.

eh.www.amNY.com