A few months ago after watching some of his YouTube clips I thought to myself, “Damn, I bet Daniel Johnston never tours around here anymore.” Well, I guess I’m wrong. The outsider legend himself is coming to the Paradise Rock Club on October 15.
Thoughts on Kings of Leon
They haven’t moved to “arena rock.” They are that popular to fill up an arena like the Garden in Boston. A lot of their “fans” probably have only heard “Sex on Fire” and “Use Somebody,” two songs that have been played constantly on KISS 108. Allegations that the brother/cousin quartet are sell-outs don’t make a lot of sense. They’ve been signed to RCA since the release of their debut album in 2003. Their sound strikes a chord with the average “pop” music listener because they play an incredibly mainstream sounding garage rock. Like their major label counterpart The Strokes, they can be easily be confused as “indie” because their rhythm is comfortably between soft rock and punk.
No Age “Losing Feeling” Stream
No Age, via Facebook, just announced….
“You can listen to our new EP, Losing Feeling for free and pre-order the 12” here: http://www.subpop.com/channel/blog/you_can_now_hear_the_no_age_losing_feeling_ep_for_free_you_can_also_buy_it_for_8“
Edit: It works!
1. “Losing Feeling” – Polished Weirdo Rippers era sounding; electronics heavy; extremely catchy.
2. “Genie” – Shitgazey; vocals heavy; noise pop
3. “Aim at the Airport” – Animal Collective-y opening; top quality instrumental
4. “You’re A Target” – A winner…very Nouns-y…one of the group’s best tracks of all time
Grade: 9.8
Obama seeks to help save Darfur
Reporting from Washington and Nairobi, Kenya — After years of worldwide outrage over suffering in Darfur, the Obama administration will soon launch a new policy that could soften some longtime U.S. sanctions against the Sudanese government implicated in the large-scale killings and displacement of African tribespeople.
How exactly will policy change?
White House officials say that specific conditions would have to be met before sanctions would be lifted, and that Sudan could face even tougher sanctions if its leaders act in bad faith. But President Obama’s handpicked envoy to Sudan, J. Scott Gration, said in an interview Monday that the Khartoum government, which expelled humanitarian groups this year after an international court accused Sudan’s president of war crimes in Darfur, has shown a willingness to work toward stabilizing Darfur in order to allow aid to be delivered.
“We see that there is a spirit of cooperation and an attitude of wanting to help,” Gration said.
Guess I spoke a little too soon in blasting Obama’s Darfur policy…
Bill Clinton, Kim Jong-Il have meeting
Former US President Bill Clinton has met North Korean leader Kim Jong-il during an unannounced visit to the country, state media have announced.
Mr Clinton is in Pyongyang to discuss the fate of jailed US journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee.
Sanford goes to Argentina, Clinton goes to Korea…
Iran police arrest three American “tourists”
Three Americans arrested after apparently straying into Iran are being questioned by police, Iranian state television has reported.
…why?
“We don’t know whether they are tourists or not. We are questioning them,” said a local security official.
Well come on. What kind of American would want to go to Iran for a *vacation*?
Seinfeld Cast on Curb
Canada.com:
Hey, you. Shmuck! Yes, you.
The cast of Seinfeld is about to reunite for a five-episode run of Curb Your Enthusiasm. You got a problem with that?
Good.
Because Larry David, Curb’s iconoclastic writer, star, producer and complainer-in-chief, doesn’t need another reason to get angry.
David, seething with mock indignation, took the stage moments after a highlight reel from Curb’s seventh season was shown to reporters at the semi- annual gathering of the Television Critics Association.
The co-creator, one-time head writer and executive producer of Seinfeld has done what he once swore he would never do: Talk the cast of Seinfeld into a reunion.
Never got much into Seinfeld, but very very excited none-the-less for this season of Curb.
Quote of the Day
The quote of the day comes from great Catholic thinker G.K Chesterton. Chesterton advocated an economic philosophy known as Distributism, encouraging as many owners of production as possible.
“Too much capitalism does not mean too many capitalists, but too few capitalists.”
CD Review: Julian Plenti is…Skyscraper
Band: Julian Plenti
Label: Matador
Release: 2009
1. “Only If You Run” – 9.8
2. “Fun That We Have” – 9.5
3. “Skyscraper” – 9.5
4. “Games For Days” – 9.8
5. “Madrid Song” – 9.1
6. “No Chance Survival” – 9.3
7. “Unwind” – 9.5
8. “Girl on the Sporting News” – 9.3
9. “On the Esplanade” – 9.6
10. “Fly As You Might” – 9.7
11. “H” – 9.0
Comments: Paul Banks is down to serious business with this, which is seriously amazing. The critics hit the mark when they categorize this as part folk, part pounding art rock. A lot of it is better than Interpol — and that’s saying a lot.
Grade: 9.5
CD Review: The Satanic Satanists
Band: Portugal. The Man
Release: 2009
1. “People Say” – 8.3
2. “Work All Day” – 8.9
3. “Lovers In Love” – 8.6
4. “The Sun” – 8.8
5. “The Home” – 9.3
6. “The Woods” – 8.8
7. “Guns and Dogs” – 9.1
8. “Do You” – 9.3
9. “Everyone Is Golden” – 9.4
10. “Let You Down” – 8.6
11. “Mornings” – 9.6
Comments: What’s going on in this album is essentially marginalized pop music. It’s the kind of music that could easily become “big,” but as a whole is a bit too obscure for that level. I sense a variety of reggae and R&B influence. For its genre(s), it’s no doubt top-tier. The latter half of the album consists of some of the best pop-rock this year has seen.
Final Grade: 9.0 out of 10
Kids Like You & Me (KLYAM) 