Travis Barker - Low Remix

Found this video of Travis Barker playing along to his remix of "Low" by Flo Rida.




Pretty bad ass. Lucky for us he had time to make this video between tattoo's.

-Adam

American Idol

I just read a great article on MSNBC about American Idol. I definitely agree with some of the thoughts. I haven't been a big watcher of American Idol since the first couple seasons. Luckily, I stopped drinking the American Idol kool aid for the past couple of seasons.

Although I do watch the auditions. They are pure comedy. Its not every day you get to see peoples dreams crushed on national TV.

The only part of American Idol I find truly fascinating are the people who don't know they suck at singing. The people who believe with all their heart they are amazing even though they are awful. How does this happen? Are they so self absorbed that they don't listen when people tell them to find another hobby? Are parents afraid to tell their kids they suck? For what ever reason its what makes the auditions great.

OH, YEAAAAH!

-Adam

Roids in Rap?

(although not mentioned in the article, here's Dr. Dre looking diesel at the MTV VMA's this past year)

Billboard has a very interesting article about steroids in the rap community. People named include 50 Cent, Wyclef, Timbaland, and Mary J. Blige. Mary J? MARY J? Remind me to never mess with the queen of the streets.

-Adam

Desoto Jones

Desoto Jones held their record release show this past Saturday at The Troc. Contrary to what Doug Wallen writes in the PW's feature, these guys are not emo. Clearly this guy has no idea what he's talking about and should brush up on his rock history.

Big thanks to the guys for getting my poor ass on the list. Desoto played a flawless 60 minute set to a packed balcony audience. After listening to the record, I questioned if the singer, Owen, had the chops to pull it off live. My question was answered as "Capgun" and "Don't Fail Me" were two surprise songs that really impressed me Saturday night. "Giant Magnets", which you may have heard on Radio 104.5, and "Non Fiction" are my favorites on the record and were played perfectly. The guys attained true rock star status (at least Troc Balcony rock star status) as every female in the room sang their hearts out during "Non Fiction".

I already know that their new album, "Aurora", will make my top album list at the end of the year. Desoto Jones is primed to have a breakout year in 2008, so get acquainted. Visit their Myspace, buy Aurora, and be on the lookout for an album review in the February issue of Alternative Press.

I've got a case of the Monday's,

Josh

Photo Credit: Brittany Sturges

Rewind: The Week In Rock

We learned Led Zeppelin motivated Marilyn Manson’s reunion with bandmate Twiggy Ramirez. As a bonus, Zep’s John Paul Jones provided some behind-the-scenes info about the big December reunion show, and revealed the band is meeting this month.

Fans hyperventilated at the news that Panic at the Disco is dropping their ! with the release of their next album, Pretty. Odd.

We pondered whether the Writers Strike would make this year’s Grammys anything like the People’s Choice Awards and celebrated Jonny Greenwood’s Critics Choice Award. Snoop Dogg forced us to remember the MTV Europe Awards.

For Weekend update, I'm Tina Fey

Josh

Wyclef Jean - Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant

Wyclef Jean - Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant

Released - Decemer 4, 2007 / Sony

I believe Wyclef is a musical genius. His first Album, The Carnival (1997), was amazing. It is still one of my Top-10 albums ever. The album is unique and showcases his aptitude for music and melody. His new album is the Carnival Vol. II. Vol.II? Really? When I heard this I was very nervous but also excited. I have been waiting for Clef's return to glory for some time, and i was hoping this would be it. I assumed this album would be a great album or awful, and by awful I mean.......

So this album?.....awful. I love Wyclef and desperately wanted to like this album. I listened to it over and over again hoping it would get better, but it didn't. The album is random and there is no real theme, which has been a problem for him in the past.

For some reason Wyclef loves to collaborate. Wyclef likes collaborating more than Amy Winehouse likes drugs. (Allegedly). The collaborations are what make this album feel scattered. Is he hoping that he will eventually stumble across the next "Hips Don't Lie". I picture Wyclef making an album like Jack (Matthew Fox) from the end of season 3 of Lost. He's semi-drunk, unshaven and yelling -

"I wasn't meant to make music on my own! I need to collaborate!"

Wyclef is trying to make "Do they know its Chrsitmas" on every song -

(you know....that corny 80's song with 10,000 artists singing on it)

At least the album has good parts, like the line: "If you make it rain, she'll be under the weather". Exactly.

Rating - 5.5 / 10

Favorite Tracks - "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)", "Fast Car", and "Riot (Trouble Again)"

Champagne and Cufflinks,

Adam

Billboard Blurbs

Billboard released an article on their Best Bet Albums for January and February OHHH8 and it looks like we might be in some trouble. Are we really primed for a Janet Jackson comeback, again? If this is what they call the "best bets" we're in for a shitty year. But judging from the totally legal leaks I've heard of the new Lil Wayne album, it's going to be the hot hip hop album of the year. Check out the listings for the entire year here, and listen to the Lil' Wayne track below.


Rev Run signed a worldwide deal with U.K. label Craze Productions. The album will feature a guest spot by Kid Rock, who Rev will tour with this spring. This will be one of Craze Productions' first physical releases, so it will be interesting to track how well it does. The label has focused primarily on web/mobile downloads and ringtones in the past.



Burger King is sponsoring a new contest "My Song, My Way". Contestants logging onto mysongmyway.com are required to upload a solo video of themselves singing any song their way. At stake is a Super Bowl XLII VIP package that includes two tickets to the Patriots beating any Junior-Varsity team the NFC puts up, first-class hotel accommodations and roundtrip airfare with ground transportation.

I knocked up Jamie Lynn,

Josh

R.I.P. Hip Hop

I am constantly saddened by the state of Rap/Hip-Hop (I use the slash because i don't know the real difference. Is it that girls can only like hip-hop and not rap? Are the two terms interchangable? Maybe there isnt a difference and the two terms are just to confuse white people). There are a handful of good and great rappers still out there, but all of the "pop" stuff is perplexing. I understand that some songs are huge in clubs and on the dance floor, but bad is still bad. I rate the respect I give to an artist based on my beilief that i could do what they do.

Can I make beats and rap like Kanye? No. Can I rap as well as Nas? No. That is why i give them all the respect in the world. Can I rap better than Soulja Boy? Yea. Im almost positive I can rap better than him. Is he even rapping? He has no delivery, no style to his flow.

Maybe i'm getting older, maybe the music is getting worse.

Any way, here is his new song that caused me to write this diatribe.






Keep it Gully,

Adam

Random Retro

Harvey Danger - Flagpole Sitta





-Adam

Jealousy Curve will be doing a live performance today on Radio 104.5 today at 5pm. We've given plenty of love to these guys in the past. Show up at 104.5's station for a chance to get in and watch for free. If you can't do that, turn the dial as you sit in that 76 Friday traffic and rock out. Jealousy Curve joins good company in those being chosen to play live on Friday.

-Josh

The Color Fred - Bend To Break

The Color Fred - Bend To Break

Released - October 30 2007 / Equal Vision Records

If you don’t know Fred Mascherino, you should. He grew up in Coatesville, and went to Temple University. He Started playing in the band Brody, and then Breaking Pangaea. He then joined Taking Back Sunday in 2003. In October he announced he was leaving TBS and was going to begin working on a solo album.

Bend To Break is that album.

I must say before Fred found any sort of success he was a guitar teacher, my guitar teacher. So, maybe I’m a little biased, but there is no need to be biased against good music. Bend to Break is a simple 11-song album, with each song more catchy than the next. It is hard to argue against great pop-rock. It easily transitions between up-beat catchy gems (Get out) and slower more simple songs (Don’t Pretend). This is definitely an album worth checking out

Rating - 7/10

Favorite Tracks - "Get Out" , "Minnesota", and "If I Surrender"

Holla at ya Boy

Adam

The Color Fred - If I Surrender

Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight

Rilo Kiley - Under The Blacklight Released - August 2007 / Warner Bros.

I had no idea what to expect before listening to “Under the Blacklight”. I knew nothing about Rilo Kiley or what kind of music they played. After the first listen I wondered why anyone would subject themselves to this chick singing over boring elevator music.

Well I couldn’t have been more wrong. I gave the album another shot and realized I had made a big mistake. The album was quite complex. The layers were a treat to hear and the music was very melodic and chill. I’m usually a hard sell on chick singers (besides Gwen and Ashlee) but Jenny Lewis definitely won me over.

Rating – 7.5 / 10

Favorite Tracks - "Dejalo", "15", and "Silver Lining"

Keep It Pushin'

Adam

They grow up so fast

I wake up every morning with a smile on my face knowing that we're one day closer to Hayden Panettiere pulling a Britney and giving us a real upskirt....and one closer to the release of Brooklyn-based MGMT Columbia Records debut. It seems like just yesterday all of us (then) interns were toasting to their signing. These guys are set to be the biggest indie crossover of 2008. “Time To Pretend” is available as a free download as Single of the Week on iTunes. Here.

The guys made their television debut earlier this week, performing a flawless version of “Time To Pretend" on The Late Show With David Letterman.
What bands are you hoping break through in 2008?

Indie Bands '08

Philly Weekly came out with it's Biggest Indie Bands of '08 story this week. Of the bands featured, my two favorites, both of which I've posted about on this blog before, are War On Drugs and Drink Up Buttercup. Read our earlier post on WOD here.

Can't wait for the Drink Up official release! Wasn't it us who predicted they'd blow up like K-Fed's parenting skillz?


Sex Ya Later,
Josh

Revolution

has begun....