Music

« Older Entries | Newer Entries »

Should The RIAA Sue The U.S. Military?

[ 1 Comment ]Posted on July 16, 2008 by admin in Music

Wednesday, July 16th, 2008

Should songwriters benefit from the use of their music as torture?

What do Rage Against the Machine, Neil Diamond, the Bee Gees, Christina Aguilera & Bruce Springsteen have in common? They’re all forms of torture, at least in the hands of the American military. I’d grant Christina Aguilera this status all on her own, but there is, as they say, no accounting for taste. Mother Jones has compiled the Torture Playlist, a selection of songs used by the military to induce sleep deprivation, “prolong capture shock” (great band name!) and disorient detainees during interrogations. The Groundswell Blog has created a sticker to help raise awareness (at least awareness that there’s a Groundswell Blog), so you can print them and stick them on CD’s at your local record store. I’m not sure what that will accomplish, but the stickers sure are clever, huh? People keep raising the question of whether the artists are receiving the appropriate royalties for the U.S. Military’s use of their songs, but I’ve wondered for some time if anybody’s paying royalties to that poor guy standing on the box.

Jamie Lynn’s Reproduction Rap

[ Comments Off ]Posted on July 11, 2008 by admin in Music

Friday, July 11th, 2008

Sex education has never been so danceable.

I’m violating my own rule against posting YouTube videos on the main page, but I feel strongly that you’ll benefit by learning about “weeners & vageeners” from Jamie Lynn’s Reproduction Rap. Who knows how long before this video gets pulled, so I made a WMV file you can download here.

Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust

[ 1 Comment ]Posted on July 2, 2008 by admin in Music, Popular Media

Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008

By the time I learn to pronounce “Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust”, Sigur Rós will have released their next CD.

No, that headline is not some coding error. Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust (which apparently means “With a buzz in our ears, we play endlessly”) is the new release from Sigur Rós, of Iceland. I’d heard of them, but this is the first recording I’ve listened to. And listened, and listened. The cover art is perfect; if this stuff doesn’t make you wanna get nekkid and play on the freeway, you need help. Apparently a lot of the tracks were recorded without dubbing, and the sheer freshy-freshness of the performances shine through. Don’t be fooled by the apparent simplicity of these tunes though; especially on tracks like “Gobbledigook”, they’re doing some whack stuff with meters and tricking you by using simplistic percussion lines. This recording is destined for some “Best Of” lists at the end of 2008.

Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

[ Comments Off ]Posted on July 1, 2008 by admin in Music

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008

A review of Spoon’s Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga in less than 25 words.

A friend challenged me to take Pitchfork Media’s Top 50 of 2007 and review each artist in 25 words or less. I accepted. When the little Amazon gizmo loads below, take a listen for yourself.

Spoon – Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Alt-rock 21st century Squeeze with less reverb.

PunkTards Rule

[ 1 Comment ]Posted on June 28, 2008 by admin in Lifestyle & Culture, Music, Popular Media

Saturday, June 28th, 2008

Differently-abled punk band Heavy Load are out to demonstrate that disability rocks.

The temptation to make jokes about how I’ve never met a punk band member who wasn’t differently-abled or worthy of a term like “punktard” (hey, did I just coin a phrase?) is overwhelming, but I’m too grown up and what these guys are doing is just too cool. Meet Heavy Load, “Brighton’s Answer to the Ramones” (their words). These guys are on a “mission to demonstrate that disability rocks”. Learn more about them at HeavyLoad.org. There’s also a movie being made about them, and they’re running Stay Up Late, “A campaign for people with learning disabilities…fighting for the right to party!” Being a gimp has never been so hip. He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Differently-Abled Brother.

« Older Entries | Newer Entries »