These Are My Readers....

I found this email in my inbox over Christmas and just had to share. One of the most genius tests of the century:

I was reading the post about Radiohead being overrated and surprisingly, I agreed. Shocker! When you ask someone which band they like/listen to most people they go "I don't know...I like Radiohead" and then the question asker goes "oh, yea, there good" and that's the end of the discussion. What I'm proposing is the RADIOHEAD TEST:

When you ask someone "what bands do you like?" or "what kind of music do you listen to?", if the person answers "Radiohead or TV on The radio or Animal collective" you are required to ask the follow up question "WHAT ELSE?" !!!! Because once the person gives you the fluff answer of the "OVERRATED BAND THAT NO ONE EVER QUESTIONS" they must now actually dig deep into their musical catalog and give an actual answer.

And when they think about their iTunes habits and realize Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA" has the most plays in their catalogue, they will probably just make up an answer like "Antelope Horsemen" and hope you assume its some hip indie band you've never heard of OR they will most likely do the shoulder shrug "ugh, i don't know, mostly everything...EXCEPT COUNTRY" routine.

This will prove that Radiohead is overrated...right?...hello?....still there?..right?
Obviously i haven't had time to put this theory to the test, but i guarantee it will work.

I for one, am putting this test into action starting today. Your taste in music warrants absolutely no respect if you claim Radiohead or Animal Collective as your favorite band and can't name more than one or two songs on any given album. POSER! When you can't name any other band within that genre? POSER! When your iTunes reflects the exact opposite of what you're telling me you're into? POSER!

The Whipping Post- Keeping things honest in a world full of hypocrites.

U2 to Release Remix Album Featuring Justice, Hot Chip.

U2 are set to release a new remix album, Artificial Horizon, this January, and for the Irish band it was a chance to unleash new material from their vaults.

According to the quartet's website, the 13-track album will be released to members of their fan club only, and will feature remixes of Bono and Co.'s latter-day work courtesy of Trent Reznor ("Vertigo") and Justice ("Get On Your Boots"), plus by L.A. mix-master Danny Saber ("Happiness is a Warm Gun"), Irish DJ/composer/soundtrack maven David Holmes ("Beautiful Day"), and super producer Jacknife Lee ("Fast Cars").

There's even a never-before-released Hot Chip remix of "City Of Blinding Lights," U2's ode to New York City off their 2004 album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.

Artificial Horizon, a sequel of sorts to 1995's fan-club Melon remix collection, will be shipped to club members late next month, and is just the latest treat for members following exclusive releases like ZOO TV Live and Go Home: Live From Slane Castle, Ireland.

1. "Elevation" (Influx Mix)

2. "Fast Cars" (Jacknife Lee Mix)

3. "Get On Your Boots" (Fish Out Of Water Mix)*

4. "Vertigo" (Trent Reznor Remix)

5. "Magnificent" (Falke Radio Mix)**

6. "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" (Live U2360 Remix)*

7. "Beautiful Day" (David Holmes Remix)

8. "Starting at the Sun" (Monster Truck Remix)

9. "Happiness is a Warm Gun" (Danny Saber Mix)

10. "Get On Your Boots" (Justice Remix)

11. "City Of Blinding Lights" (Hot Chip 2006 Remix)*

12. "If God Will Send His Angels" (Grand Jury Mix)

13. "Starting at the Sun" (Brothers in Rhythm Ambient Mix)**

*Previously unreleased

**Previously promo-only

Julian Casablancas Video (Strokes Headlining Isle of Wight)

Julian Casablancas released the video for "11th Dimension", the first single off his solo debut, Phrazes for the Young. Chock full of stormy pagodas, black and white tricorns, street gangs, and an '80s club scene with obligatory keytar, it's a fun ride in the grand tradition of Dire Straits and Daft Punk. You'll also see a neon clad Julian juggle mallets when he's not scrawling profound (also neon) graffiti like "ANGER IS WEAKNESS. PATIENCE IS STRENGTH." So deep, very very deep. There's even a quasi-romantic twist with a foxy vixen in so much hairspray that you'll smell it through your computer.


What we've learned: Mr. Casablancas is a cold war kid, raised in the good ol' 1980s, and there's a chance he took hallucinogenic drugs. My opinion is that Julian is TRYING to convince us that he's a free spirit and lives a hipster mentality. This video is so cliche, he's begging us to like him. During his media tour to promote this new album, Julian said, "I'm trying to create weird music." WHAT?! If you ask anyone who we consider to make "weird" music (flaming lips, Animal Collective), they're answer is always, "we just make music that sounds good to us." Artists aren't supposed to create music they THINK people will like. Create the music you were meant to create.

Julian, drop the neon jacket, throw on the Ray Bans, exit the 11th dimension, pick up a guitar, and rock the fuck out!

Casablancas has set aside some January 2010 dates to bring Phrazes to select East Coast venues. Check out the dates below:

Jan. 8 – Boston, MA / Paradise Rock Club
Jan. 10 – Philadelphia, PA / The Trocadero
Jan. 12 – Washington, DC / 9:30 Club
Jan. 14-15 – New York, NY / Terminal 5

More importantly, Julian and his band mates have announced their first gig in over three years, grabbing the Saturday night headlining slot at the U.K.’s Isle of Wight Festival on June 11-13, 2010. New York City acts will have a big presence at the fest across the Atlantic as both Jay-Z and Blondie are also on the bill. Jigga is no stranger to playing the British music festivals having already headlined Glastonbury in 2008, and the U.K. has already proven their love of the Strokes, with NME naming the band’s debut Is This It the best album of the decade.

Pending the announcement of any more dates, it’ll be the NYC quintet’s first gig since October 2006. Following their tour behind First Impressions of Earth, the band members splintered into offshoots like Nickel Eye, Little Joy and Albert Hammond Jr. and Julian Casablancas’ namesake solo projects, but now there’s finally confirmed evidence that the Strokes’ long hibernation may be coming to an end.

Happy Christmas. War Is Over (if you want it).

Well it's that time of year again, when I successfully piss off everyone in the family by opening all my Christmas gifts days ahead of schedule (don't leave them around the house with my name on them if you don't want me opening). Time to spend a few days with friends and fam, have a few too many scotch and eggnogs, and see if I can get hopped up enough to make a few bad decisions. Cheers!

I know I've been writing about the Devil a lot, but in one last story, Simon Cowell has announced he will be leaving "American Idol" after his contract ends in 2010. Still no word on whether or not he'll be hosting Rage Against the Machine's free concert in the U.K.

Britney Spears counts down the wackiest rumors people created about her in 2009. Number one rumor? People still care about Britney Spears.

I'll leave you with a few goodies for your stocking.

Flaming Lips version of Dark Side of the Moon arrived this week. Here's the band's take on "Money".


TSR remixes Empire of the Sun's "We Are The People"


Finally, Julian Casablancas dropped by Late Night With Jimmy Fallon to perform "I Wish It Was Christmas Today" with the host and a sexy slenderized Horatio Sanz.

Video Grab Bag

Wow this post has a lotta grab for the bag. I thought about making this two posts, but eff it, go big or go home. I think Obama said that.

If you don't know Miike Snow by now, you need to jump on the bandwagon. They've remixed tracks by Passion Pit, Kings of Leon, and Vampire Weekend. They also released one of the BEST ALBUMS I'VE EVER HEARD in 2009 (yeah, I said it.) Here's the video for the song "Silvia" due for release January 25th.


These next 3 videos can be seen on ESPN. I could watch these "commercial" all day. Blitzen's (aka Lupe Fiasco's) flow is sick.


Santa (aka KRS-One) lends his skills to part 2.


The trifecta ends with Bobby ray (aka B.O.B.) shows the world who he is with his ESPN Bowl Week plug.


That's not it for video's yet. The King of Pop, Justin Timberlake (oops too soon?),and Timbaland give us a peek at their hilarious song "Carry Out".


Late of the Pier give us their new video for "Blueberry". Consider them the poor man's Animal Collective. (Sidenote: I just don't get Animal Collective and I don't see why the entire Internet thinks the band put out the greatest album ever. Don't get me wrong, Pink Floyd is my all-time favorite band ever. I like the out there psychedelic music a lot. All I need is a little rhythm and timing to get into a song, which is where you fail me, Animal Collective. I leave that for another post. I don't get you, AC, but Late of the Pier I get. And like a lot.


I'll end with the man due to blow up in 2010. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson drops his video for "The Sound". His latest LP Summer of Fear, out on Saddle Creek, has gone virtually unnoticed, yet easily makes one of my top albums of the year.


The Whipping Post- Where Animal Collective is the new Radiohead.

Around The Way News

STP says they are "almost finished" with their new album. Perfect timing, as Scott Weiland has also announced he's "almost finished" with drugs.

Kevin Jonas recently got married in New York. I'm assuming that when loses his virginity (just go with me) the sky will turn purple and a loud piercing noise will emit from the sky and everyone will get a nose bleed just like when Locke turned the wheel in Lost.

John Frusciante has officially left the RHCP's to work on his own material. Since hearing the news, the RHCP's have been furiously trying to change their cell numbers and email addresses before Dave Navarro gets wind of this.

The Whipping Post- keeping you informed about need to know stories of the rock and/or roll variety.

U.K. DEFEATS TERRORISM!

Battle Christmas ends in RAGE as the band took the coveted Christmas No. 1 in the British pop charts on Sunday, after the beloved Internet campaign to keep the winner of the "X Factor" TV talent show from the top spot.

"Killing in the Name" sold more than 500,000 download copies in the past week, enough to beat Joe McElderry's "The Climb", which managed sales of 450,000 by downloads and in the shops.

The surprise outcome brought an end to a four-year run of "X Factor" winners claiming top position in the seasonal charts, and showed the power of the Internet in the process. It was the first time a download-only single had achieved a Christmas No. 1, and in the process notched up the biggest one-week download sales in British chart history.

Previous 'X Factor' winners have easily secured the Christmas top spot, and music experts had said there was little chance anyone could produce a serious rival. Bookmakers had believed that the popularity of the show, with some 20 million viewers tuning in to see McElderry win last week, would mean his debut single, a cover of a song by Miley Cyrus, would come out on top.

Simon Cowell, the executive producer of "X Factor," had hit out at the online campaign, saying that it was aimed at him and it was "stupid."


In taking the title for 2009,"Killing In The Name" (released in 1992!) also set two new landmarks, becoming the UK's first download-only Christmas Number One and notching up the biggest one-week download sales total in British chart history, according to the Official Charts Company.

We've shown that we can make a difference and that you don't have a right to Number One just because Simon Cowell says so, especially with a bad cover! The revolution has begun and it's our turn to say no to spoon-fed commercialized pop "music" by greedy opportunistic media whores.

Best Top 5 List Ever

One of my favorite free-time blogs I like to read is Music Snobbery. A little because of the name, a little because of the multiple Philly references (at times I truly miss that city but then I remember how everyone's "fuck you" attitude and general disdain for life began to rub off on me), but I mostly like Music Snobbery because he puts together kick ass year end posts like this one and this one.

I could not have agreed more with his top five idiot bands of the year and applaud him for being what seems to be one of only a few true music fans left. If I have to read about another "band" being the new Forever the Sickest Kids/All Time Low/insert any band featured in AP Magazine, I'm going to fucking kill somebody. I don't even like writing about it because the thoughts of hatred far exceed the speed at which I can type, so I'm glad somebody did it for me.

Thank you, Music Snobbery.


Well I'm off to listen to Owl City....the lyrics are so deep!

Redcoats Take Upper Hand in U.K.'s Revolutionary War

The table's have turned dramatically as we update the Rage Against the Machine vs. X Factor situation. X Factor winner, Joe McElderry, is officially 11,000 units AHEAD of Rage as we close out the week and RATM needs to pull out all the stops.

Rage Against The Machine have announced plans to play a free concert in the UK if their single "Killing In The Name" beats Joe McElderry's "The Climb" in the race to be Christmas Number One. The band will head over to UK shores for a special one-off "thank you" gig in 2010 if they win and are planning to invite X Factor judge Simon Cowell to MC at the show.

Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello said: "Attention Freedom Fighters! RAGE VS. X-FACTOR WILL BE DECIDED BY SALES. Spread the word! Knock on doors! Host downloading parties! Knock over ladies buying X-Factor! The clock is ticking. And if 'Killing In The Name' is number one WE ARE COMING. And it will be the victory party to end all victory parties."

Final numbers-and distinctive winner- will be announced later today.

Flaming Lips to release "Dark Side of the Moon"

Before the page turns on 2009, the Flaming Lips are adding to their list of distinctions with one more bit via Tuesday's iTunes release of The Flaming Lips And Stardeath And White Dwarfs With Henry Rollins And Peaches doing "Dark Side Of The Moon." Wayne and the gang performed "Eclipse" on KCRW in October (which you can still watch here), and they'll usher in 2010 by expanding on that teaser, performing Dark Side Of The Moon in its entirety along with Stardeath And White Dwarfs just after the ball drop at their New Year's Eve show in Oklahoma City's Cox Center. Wayne seems excited! He made a trailer for the event, which we have here along with a tracklist breaking down the cameo appearances on the Lips' recorded version of Pink Floyd's classic.


If for whatever reason you don't know DSOTM tracklist by heart:

01 "Speak To Me" / "Breathe" (featuring Henry Rollins and Peaches)
02 "On The Run" (featuring Henry Rollins)
03 "Time" / "Breathe Reprise"
04 "The Great Gig In The Sky" (featuring Peaches and Henry Rollins)
05 "Money" (featuring Henry Rollins)
06 "Us And Them" (featuring Henry Rollins)
07 "Any Colour You Like"
08 "Brain Damage" (featuring Henry Rollins)
09 "Eclipse" (featuring Henry Rollins)

Musical Passion Laying the Smackdown on Blind Consumerism

I thought about not writing about the ongoing battle between Rage Against the Machine and Simon Cowell's "The X Factor" (UK version of American Idol), mostly because it was happening across the pond; but things are getting good.

To give the short version of the story, a facebook group devoted to protesting the whole "X Factor" movement and commercialized bullshit popped up and shot straight to over 800,000 members. Simon's been too busy parading his "X Factor" winner, Joe McElderry, around to much to care about Facebook. McElderry was pegged to have the number one Christmas song without contest....until Tom Morello and Rage got involved.

In an interview with NME, Morello said that by buying "Killing In The Name", fans are effectively voting against The X Factor and other reality TV programs like it. He added that he felt the campaign was a "wonderful dose of anarchy and the rebel anthem song will transcend the Christmas holidays."

Rage Against The Machine performed 'Killing In The Name' live on British radio this morning (December 17), including full swearing in the chorus, as their Christmas Number One battle with The X Factor escalated. Interviewed on BBC 5live, the band took the opportunity to criticise Simon Cowell before playing their song live down from the line from Los Angeles.

Despite being asked to perform a "radio edit", singer Zack de la Rocha slipped into the full "Fuck you I won't do what you tell me" lyrics, resulting in the station pulling the plug. De la Rocha attacked Cowell, saying: "Simon is an interesting character. He seems to have profited greatly off humiliating people on live television and has a unique position of capturing the attention of people on television, but also the airwaves. We see this campaign as a necessary break of that control."

Meanwhile guitarist Tom Morello explained why the band had decided to back the fan-led campaign. "People are tired of being spoon fed one schmaltzy ballad after another," he said. "They want to take back their own charts. We're honored they've chosen our song to be the rebel anthem to topple The X Factor monopoly.

He Continued, "people aren't buying 'Killing In The Name' to protest a record coming out on a major company. We wrote 'Killing In The Name' in a small industrial slum in Los Angeles. The X Factor song is written by a cabal of overpaid songwriters to shove the schmaltzy business down your throats. So there are two very different choices. The thing the listeners need to know is, it's a really close race and its a real liberating musical revolution and we’re honored to be a part of it."

Now I'm not a gambler, but just in case you are, "Killing In The Name" recently became the bookies favorite to bag the Christmas Number One slot. As of this writing, RATM is beating Simon and his X Factor puppet by close to 37,000 units. The number sounds like a lot, but X Factor winner Joe McElderry's, "The Climb", had it's physical release yesterday and is expected to sell very well in the closing half of the week. Final numbers will be revealed on Sunday.

New Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend posted a new song, "White Sky" on their myspace this morning. It's not the first time we've heard the song; the guys have been performing it live for a while now. But this is the first time we're able to hear the song in it's full recorded version.

Not much surprises me with this track. It's a classic Vampire Weekend melody, complete with the obligatory yelp-filled chorus. Nonetheless, I'm still pumped for the release of their sophomore album, Conta, January 12th.

Vampire Weekend on Myspace

or listen to the track here on Hype Machine, because Myspace sucks balls.

You Should Know: Bad News Bears

Combine Hellogoodbye, PlayRadioPlay!, and all 17 members of Forever the Sickest Kids. Take the very best that all of them have to offer, blend, and you have Bad News Bears, aka Mike Sacchetti and Jack Winter.

In their latest '09 Sampler, Bad News Bears take a step toward powerpop maturity and trade in most of the bleepy-bloopy dance beats for a more pop/rock synth scene. In short: it works. Bad News Bears was one step away from winning a legit deal with Epitaph via MTV's Best Music on Campus.

For some awesome reason, my embedding isn't working so check out Bad News Bears Myspace and take a listen to two poperific songs off the '09 Sampler, "Sleepless But Not In Seattle" and "It's No Secret". And be on the lookout for a winter tour date near you!

Around The Way News

Some top news stories of the rock and/or roll variety....

SPIN Magazine names J.Cole and The xx their top artists to watch in 2010. Really? Way to go out on a limb there guys. That's like naming Turkey the new food item to look out for at Thanksgiving dinners.

Johnny Rotten regrets recruiting Sid Vicious for the Sex pistols. I forget how that one ended....

The Green Day: Rock Band game is coming for 2010. The new twist: You teach Green Day how to play their instruments. If you reach expert level, a shadow guitarist arrives to take you to super stardom.

Video Grab Bag

The xx made their U.S. television debut on Last Call with Carson Daly. It's a really great performance after you get past the minute long introduction by Carson "I still believe I'm a teen heart throb" Daly.


Hot Chip gives us their new video for "One Life Stand" via Myspace exclusive. The Dance Rockers' new album drops February 9th.

Hot Chip - One Life Stand (MySpace Exclusive)

Hot Chip MySpace Music Videos

The White Stripes give us a glimpse of their upcoming film Under the Great White Northern Lights, which chronicles the duo's 2007 tour of every province and territory in Canada. The Film will be part of a bonerific box set that includes: a DVD of the film itself, a DVD of White Stripes 10th anniversary show (dubbed The White Stripes Under Nova Scotian Lights), a 16-track White Stripes live album recorded during the Canadian trek on both 180 gram vinyl and CD, a live 7" (featuring "Icky Thump" and "The Wheels on the Bus"), a 208-page book with photos from the tour by Autumn de Wilde (and a foreword by Jim Jarmusch), and a silk screen print. This gargantuan collection is due out March 16th.

As for this video clip, check out the technique Meg White uses on drums. She plays the snare-and-cymbal beat with one hand, casually steadying herself on her stool (labeled Meg) with the other.

The White Stripes: "Let's Shake Hands"

THE WHITE STRIPES MySpace Music Videos

THE HEAVY

"I saw her dancing with the devil and he was wearing my shoes"

The Heavy's album, Great Vengeance and Furious Fire, had me hooked in 2007, but their latest release, The house That Dirt Built, is like something I've never heard. 1/3rd Bo Diddley and 2/3rds Gnarls Barkley, The Heavy cook up some intoxicating guitar riffs, reverberating bass lines, and vocals that will challenge any genre they decide to take on. They chop beats from the likes of Bo Diddley, Little Walter and The Parliaments and fuse them with their now patented brand of high grade dirt.

After convincing everyone at SXSW (and playing alongside MGMT at a playboy party) indie label's jumped. It won't be long before these Brits find major label love here in the U.S.

Illegal Art Offering Pay What You Want

Illegal Art, home of Girl Talk, is offering their entire catalog at pay what you want prices. While the label's complete catalog is not yet available, a tentative schedule has been made, and all albums will be posted by March. I highly recommend Girl Talk's Unstoppable, an early (and hard to find) album. While the album isn't his best work, it's interesting to compare this album, littered with synth samples and often confusing at times, to his most recent work on Feed The Animals, a seamless mashup of 300+ tunes.



Girl Talk just wrapped up his U.S. tour before heading internationally to start the new year. Here's a video to the song "Touch 2 Feel" with some old live clips.

Douchebag Year End / Decade End Blog Poster Says What?

What?



Kidding. I'm not one to post the best 37 albums of the past year, or the greatest 219 songs of the past decade. If you ask me, every album I got over the past decade is great...that's why I got it. But I'll give you one decade-end story. Eminem and The Beatles are officially the top selling artists of the 2000's. Surprised? Not me.

Over three decades after their breakup, the Beatles still released the top-selling album of the 2000's. The Fab Four’s greatest hits compilation, 1, sold over 11,448,000 copies since its release in November 2000 according to Nielsen SoundScan’s decade-end sales numbers. Eminem was the 2000s’ top-selling artist with 32.2 million combined in sales, plus two albums in the decade’s Top 10: The Marshall Mathers LP was fourth with 10,195,000 sold and Eminem Show was fifth with 9,789,000. Slim Shady edged out the Fab Four for the distinction of the decade’s top-seller as the Beatles claimed Number Two with 30 million. Only two more albums managed to cross the 10 million plateau: ‘NSync’s No Strings Attached (11,111,000) and Norah Jones’ Come Away With Me (10,523,000.)

As a testament to the record industry’s decline in the second half of the decade, only two albums released in the years between 2005 and 2009 managed to get in the Top 20 of the 2000s’ bestsellers: Nickelback’s All the Right Reasons and Carrie Underwood’s Some Hearts at 14 and 17, with sales under seven million. Obviously Nickelback and Carrie Underwood fans don't know how to download, or quite possibly even know how to use a computer.

FUCK MYSPACE

Over the past 4 years or so, as I jumped from blog to blog, writing about various music related topics, one thing remained constant: I always used Imeem to upload and embed my mp3's. It was extremely simple, user friendly, and fast. And then.....the Apocalypse.

As of today,
MySpace's acquisition of imeem (at an extreme bargain basement price) is complete. The company officially announced the transaction on its blog after weeks of speculation.

The impact of the deal will be felt immediately. Starting tonight, imeem users will be redirected to MySpace Music. Sources say that in the coming weeks, the company will migrate playlists created on imeem to MySpace Music profiles as well. So anyone with a myspace music page, i.e bands, will have their music changed over from Imeem. Any "private" users of Imeem (those who use the site to just listen to music or upload for hosting) are SOL. See ya. Bye.

The deal, and firesale price of under $1 million, was predicated on imeem's lack of cash. The company ran out of money after fourth-quarter ad deals didn't meet projections. Exasperating the problem were the licensing payments due record labels, and a copyright infringement lawsuit from the Orchard.

According to sources familiar with the deal, MySpace Music is not acquiring imeem's licensing deals, which are now in default, as the service has its own arrangements with the music industry through the joint venture.

The imeem deal comes just months after MySpace acquired iLike, but there are differences. iLike was a strategic acquisition planned and executed by MySpace Inc., to benefit multiple areas of MySpace, not just the music site. Imeem, meanwhile, is described as an acquisition of opportunity. The company approached MySpace Music after its cash situation became untenable.

Dear Myspace, when do you plan on allowing me, and countless others, to upload our own music to share with the rest of the world? When will your omnipotent grip loosen and grant me permission to host and embed my music on my blog? This I ask you, All Powerful One.

The Whipping Post- convincing you to defriend Tom since 2009.

UPDATE: I just looked at some old posts and all the music that accompanies these posts have vanished.....I hate you Myspace.

Rihanna and Shy Ronnie

From this past Saturday's SNL. Is there a best of Andy Samberg digital shorts I can buy somewhere, because these things are hilarious.

Are The Grammy's The New VMA'S?

Album of the Year: Beyonce, Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift? CBS and the Recording Academy know all the12 year olds go to bed at 10 o'clock, right? Even Johnny Depp got a nomination during yesterday's announcements.

Beyonce led everyone with 10 nominations, followed by Taylor Swift with eight, and Lady Gaga with five. We're talking about a GRAMMY AWARD and they're calling this the best of the best? Worst. Year. Ever. Full list is here if you feel like wasting the next 15 minutes. I bet the producers are already thinking about getting Rihanna and Chris Brown to present together.

Still looking forward to my annual Grammy Pickoff with BoBizzy, for competitive nature's sake.

Coming Out

News flash: I've been in love with Tegan and Sara for years now. Their music that is....something tells me I'm not their type. The Con is one of my most played albums on iTunes. Have I ever told anyone this? Never. Until now. The twin sisters' new album, Sainthood, should be titled The Con Part Deux, as they continue their journey toward musical maturity. My only question: what are angst-ridden teenage girls going to listen to now?

"Hell" off the new album.

Flaming Lips To Perform "Dark Side of the Moon" Live

The Flaming Lips will ring in 2010 by channeling Pink Floyd for a performance of Dark Side of the Moon during the Embryonic band’s New Years Eve Freakout!! concert at their native Oklahoma City’s Cox Center. Flaming Lips recently rerecorded Dark Side in its entirety in the studio with the hopes of unveiling their rendition as a iTunes-only release.

Back in October, the Flaming Lips visited KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic to perform “Eclipse,” the closing track on Dark Side of the Moon.

Rolling Stone Content Actually Worth Reading

Over the past few years, Rolling Stone magazine has transformed itself into the new Us Weekly; however, every once in a NEW MOON (omg Team Jacob!) they put out something actually worth reading.

The Great Rock and Roll Gift Guide features 85 must have gifts this Christmas season. Box sets, books, techie stuff....all complete with prices and where to buy.

The magazine also takes a very in-depth look at Aerosmith and the band's clear hatred toward Steven Tyler. Drugs? check. Jealousy? check. Rage? check. New singer? yes sir.

CD Release Tuesday

With quality music releases officially on the decline until the end of the 4th business quarter, two stand out this week. The Bravery and Blakroc (made up of the Black Keys and various hip hop artists) both put out SOLID albums today.

Most impressive is Blakroc's self titled release. The list of guest appearances on this album is endless. Ludacris, ODB, Mos Def, RZA, Q-Tip....the list goes on. Major standouts on the album include "Hard Times" "Ain't Nothing Like You" and "What You Do To Me".

Coochie (feat. Ludacris & Ol’ Dirty Bastard) - Blakroc

As expected, The Bravery put together another great album. I've been eagerly anticipating the follow up to "The Sun and The Moon" for what feels like forever now and they certainly didn't disappoint. They remain everything that White Lies wish they could be.

Song For Jacob - The Bravery