The Pack AD - Canada Wins Gold In Rock Olympics

Vancouver's The Pack AD have a new record coming out April 27 on Mint Records called We Kill Computers.

Here's a new song from the record.

Here's a promo video for the record:

Sunday Morning Song: Trains Across the Sea

Good morning. Here's Why? covering the Silver Jews:

Concert #5: Punk Rock at 17 Mules

Winners: She Rides was the best band of the night, in my stupid opinion.
Losers: The smog that enveloped the crowd during Homostupids. Ew gross.

Concert #4: Bellows in Pawtucket

Winners: Bellows set was Hot Hot Hot.
Losers: Me, cuz I had to leave before Tinsel Teeth got on.

Warning: Don't Download The New BSS!!!

I need to formally apologize for the recent post referring to the free Broken Social Scene single that is available to download. I forgot it wasn't 2004 and well, it sucks. It sounds like poop on rye. Like 98% of all of the Arts and Crafts stable, the music is boring and I deleted it from my hard drive after one listen. Sorry!

See, I didn't actually "listen to the song" before I posted it. My excitement for new Broken Social Scene music was more nostalgia-driven than I first realized. Yeah, that was a mistake.

Cokemachineglow summarized the mediocrity more eloquently here.

Here is a tune way more interesting and listenable and makes me proud about listing on this blog:

New Broken Social Scene Single

There's a new Broken Social Scene single in town, called "World Sick." You can find this on every other blog in the universe. I threw up a post only because after you download the single, it asks if you want to embed it to your website, and I clicked, Yes. Thought it would've been a waste of a copy. Also thought asking to embed was a very bright move, making that the first available option after downloading the track. Now every single underground rock blog will be peer pressured into posting this new mp3, starting the buzz for the new Broken Social Scene record! Smart Canadians!

PS: They are fucking incredible live if you have a chance to see them play. Go see them. Thank you.

The Johnny Cash Show: Best Performances Part One

I spent last night watching two hours straight of The Johnny Cash Show. I still have the second DVD to watch. Here are my favorite three performances from Part One. Stay Tuned for Part Two.

Bob Dylan: I Threw It All Away/Girl From the North Country (With Johnny Cash)


Louis Armstrong and Johnny Cash: Blue Yodel No. 9


Waylon Jennings: Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line/Duet With Johnny Cash/Brown-Eyed Handsome Man


Bonus: Eric Clapton, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash: Matchbox

Most Awkward Mission of Burma Interview Ever?

Bob Weston looks uncomfortable and/or angry in this hilariously bad interview.

Dirty Laundry Presents: Mission Of Burma from Dirty Laundry on Vimeo.

Here's an interview the AV Club did with Peter Prescott. I'm glad this interviewer did more research than glancing at a Wikipedia entry...

Black Tambourine - Slumberland Records Release

Black Tambourine have a reissue coming out on Slumberland on March 30.

I was introduced to the early Slumberland band when I was a DJ at 91.1FM WMUA. I took on the project of reorganizing the vast 7''s collection that had been scattered across the station over the years. I recall one of the cooler records I stumbled across was by Black Tambourine:

By Tomorrow was the 9th piece of music released by Slumberland in 1988 and the first recording by the group. My fondness for bursts of Jesus and Mary Chain/Velvet Underground noisey pop led me to obsess over the record, especially the first song, By Tomorrow, found below.

By Tomorrow:


Bonus:

For Ex-Lovers Only
(Via Pitchforkmedia.com)

What The Hell? Violent Femmes on Sabrina the Witch

What a weird cameo, The Violent Femmes appearing on 90's crap Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. I used to watch this show all the time and vaguely remember this episode but didn't know who the hell The Violent Femmes were when I was nine years old.

(Via The AV Club)

Concert #3: John McCauley at The 201

Concert #3: John McCauley, lead singer of Queer Dick (the way he introduced himself), performed at the small bar at 201 Westminster St., known as The 201, Providence, RI, on Thursday night, February 11.

A few of John's friends performed as the warm-up acts: Chris Paddock, Liz Isenberg, and Vio/Mire.

Highlight of opening acts: Chris Paddock ripping apart his original tune, "These Old Shoes." You might have heard it performed before by Deer Tick on War Elephant.

Mr. McCauley hit the stage with an electric guitar for forty minutes and played ONLY new songs and covers. I was cool with the lack of "hits" since, being a local artist, I've seen them performed many times.

John mentioned the fresh cuts were recorded for a new, separate project from Deer Tick.
More details forthcoming!

The covers included:
The Replacements: "Can't Hardly Wait" (I think)
The Beatles: "Black Bird"
Bill Haley: "Rock Around the Clock"

Throw in an Otis Redding cover (I think, I missed the name) and one line from the Silver Jews' "New Orleans" and Thursday night made for an intimate, exciting night of music at The 201.

John was especially loose, since of the 30 or 40 people in the audience, most of them seemed to be a friend.

Check out Deer Tick playing at Jerky's and Firehouse 13 in Providence, April 2 and 3, with Those Darlins.

Here's Deer Tick covering "Can't Hardly Wait" on decent quality video.

The Steve Wilkos Show White Rapper

Early January I was lucky enough to attend The Steve Wilkos show, a mix of Jerry Springer violent humor and Maury Povich earnest dysfunctional weirdness. The following two clips features one of the most goofy humans ever attempt to freestyle. He is my personal savior.

RIP Fannie the Elephant

There once was an elephant that lived in Slate Park in Pawtucket, RI, a nice ten minute ride from my house. Here is a tribute to Fanny:

Chicago, Don't Let Me Explode

I read this a couple days ago on another blog and thought it was a good idea for a post:

My Three Months Last FM page's Top Five Musicians
(Note: This doesn't count the cassette tapes in my car, my CD's, and my records)

1. The Hold Steady – 352 spins
I have the great Separation Sunday recording jammed onto my iPod. The perfect suburban Americana record of the past decade and their best effort to date.

Your Little Hoodrat Friend


2. Circulatory System – 213
I don't know how many times I've screamed about Signal Morning, but add another strike to that long list. Shut up and buy it, you sissy.

Overjoyed


3. Mission of Burma – 167
Slowly have become one of my favorite bands ever. They have zero bad records and each take about six months to fully comprehend. Check out their newest release, The Sound, The Speed, The Light you poser!

1,2,3 Partyy! (THIS VIDEO IS FUCKING ESSENTIAL!!!)


4. Bob Dylan – 113
Those Yesterday Sessions are some of the best unreleased Dylan music you can ever find. I blogged about the amazingness here if you haven't checked it out yet, by all means, download it, suckah!

5. Of Montreal - 60
I have a bootleg of all a live album, named 2-18-02, from Of Montreal it features a bunch of covers the Athens group have played on tour the past over the years. When I saw them, they played Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit, and it was the best performance of the night. The record I have includes a few originally cut by The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Beatles, and The Velvet Underground.

Smells Like Teen Spirit (The guy front row with poofy blond hair isn't me, I swear..)

Twitter Rules. Leads To This Blog Post

I've been deluged with new music since joining Twitter. It feel good to drown in instant mp3 gratification. Following my favorite writers and fellow snobs has opened my ears up to one of the better parts of the internet takeover of the music industry.

Here are three bands that I picked up on because of the good old twitter.

1. Mi Ami (via Tinymixtapes.com)

My buddy Alex raved about Mi Ami's last record Watersports when he DJ'd with me at 91.1 WMUA. Check out his blog/radio show here. I think their older stuff sounded more kraut-rock-y, now they sound a little more noise/dance-y but they retain the good old build-up-to-the-point-of-explosion, mesmerizing sound that the Germans perfected back in the 1970s.

2. Mess Folk (via Viceland.com)

This guy plays some noisy, slightly offensive, anti-art punk rawk and roll. Love.

3. Scratoa! (via Tinymixtapes.com)

Reminds me of Captain Beefhart and the Steve Reid and Kieran Hebden projects. Kind of. Not really able to describe this properly. Just listen to it!!!

Here is a picture of me with Boston Celtic folk hero Walter McCarty. (Via Twitter) Thanks, Luke!

Stephen Colbert, Professional Satirizer

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Sarah Palin Uses a Hand-O-Prompter
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Economy

Half-Ass Super Bowl Thoughts From a Bored Dude

Thoughts on last night's American Coliseum Championship:

Super Bowl 44 was boring. Besides the onside kick, the Peyton Int, and yeah, that's it.

Join hands, suck face, and FUCK Tim Tebow.

The onside kick reminded me of how you can always come back in NFL Blitz.

Peyton and Brett's game losing INT's were my favorite plays of the otherwise mediocre NFL season.

I laughed harder at commercials that weren't supposed to be funny. I also am a fan of Stella. This has some relevance.

The Who were so bland, they landed a C- from me, and everyone at the party agreed was accurate.

Here's a couple awesome Half-Time Shows, from past Super Bowls:

The Boss:

Watch Bruce Springsteen Super Bowl halftime in NFL  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

The Prince:

Superbowl XLI Half-Time Show Starring Pr
by Molsonxxx2

Rahm Samberg Buttfuns Sarah Palin

I was complaining about SNL last night and then I saw this. Well played, Rahm Samberg, right on. The real anger is a breath of fresh ammonia.

The Strange Boys - Be Brave Video

I can't hide my embarrassing affection for The Strange Boys and their record Boys and Girls Club. People say they sound like Blonde on Blonde era Bob Dylan. I could contest that comparison with large amounts of my music snob muscle. But I gotta eat some food and besides, in the end it doesn't even matter one ounce who the hell they sound like. They're good, that's all. Check 'em out.

I can say that those two records (Boys and Girls Club, Blonde on Blonde), over the past two months, have been on my turntable more than any other pieces of vinyl I own.

Here's their new video for "Be Brave" starring Jenna from Mika Miko on Sax. (Via Buddyhead, the only major publication who I see giving these guys some attention.)

Dan Deacon - The Glorious Genius

Dan Deacon, please never change.

Dan Deacon - Woof Woof - Bromst - Carpark Records

He Was A Rebel Jew

Ah, I haven't had much to say this week. So fuck it. Here's a bunch of Silver Jews videos, via that Pitchfork beast. They're the fuckin' best.

Top 10 Redneck Moments:


Strange Victory, Strange Defeat


Candy Jail


Aloysius, Bluegrass Drummer

Propaganda Sucks So Listen to Red Mass and Duchess Says

Red Mass are a band out of the boisterous garage scene in Montreal and, boy howdy, they need some lovin' here on Music is a Sin!

Roy Vucino is the man in charge of this shotgun blast of Reverend Horton Heat-inspired rock n roll blasphemy. He's played with Mark Sultan, used to play in now-defunct CPC Gangbangs, amongst other Montreal outfits I assume were brilliant, and is now behind Red Mass. They have a new EP out, reviewed here by yours truly, in less obnoxious terms:

Click here to read my 75orless review.

Most interesting fact about Red Mass:

They are friends with Duchess Says, another Montreal group that are the real deal.

Duchess Says hit us in the nutz in 2008 with their French-Rriot girl punk record, ANTHOLOGIE DES 3 PERCHOIRS.

Coolest Possible Recording Red Mass Has Released:

Their Split 7'' on Alien 8 with Duchess Says!!! Hear it here or buy it.

The following videos are via les sessions bande à part, a French Canadian live music video website that I need to surf for another five hours, based on the footage that follows:

Red Mass - Male Models (From their Self-Titled Ep)
Watch full 24 minute session click here



Duchess Says - Ccut Up - from ANTHOLOGIE DES 3 PERCHOIRS
Watch full 24 minute session click here

Goal for 2010: Go to 100 Concerts

Dear Loyalists to Music is a Sin!

My goal for 2010 is to go to 100 musical concerts, shows, whatever you want to call them.

So far, I've been lucky enough to catch 2 precious rock bands in their primes: Mission of Burma and White Mice.

Slow month of January, 2 down, 98 to go. February is guaranteed to pick up.

Reason why I want to go to 100 concerts: arbitrary number I picked because it looks cool.

Reason why you should care: I will try to review them, starting next gig, probably this weekend.

Odds of reaching 100: 2 to 1.

Here's a picture from that actress from Mad Men. You have earned it for dealing with this post: