Here's Matt

If you haven't see this yet, you need to. It's simply a guy dancing around the world. But it's so much more powerful and signifgent then you could ever imagine.


Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.

Quantum of Oddness

File this under collaborations that should never work but will probably be awesome. Jack White and Alicia Keys are dueting it up for the next Bond Jam. The song "Another Way To Die" will be featured in the "Quantum of Solace" opening title sequence. It will either be great or a mess. No middle ground on this one.

Gnarls Yorke

This is good. I want this to be a single. Now please.

Can you mapquest me to Sesame Street?

For it's new 39th season (Sesame Street has seasons?) It looks like the street is trying to give the older kids watching something to snicker about. Take a look at some of the cute cleverness they've got going on:

Feist! NPH! Jack Black! Will Arnett and a very special 30 rock parody. With all that hipness Sesame Street is turning into Melrose Ave. 

While You Wait For The Others...

Grizzly Bear performed another new song last night on another late night show. A couple months ago they premiered they instant classic "While You Wait For The Others" on Conan. Last night "Two Weeks" was played on Dave. If these guys have a few more other songs as good as these two gems then we might have an album of the year on our hands. I can't wait for the others.

The video link is not working, you'll have to settle for an MP3:

"Two Weeks" by Grizzly Bear

King Khan and the Summer

How's your summer going? A little slow? Well, I have just what you need. "The Supreme Genius of King Khan and The Shrines" is latest release from said berlin garage pyshedliac soul rock band. Like "A Heartbreaking Work of Stagering Genius," their album title is an tongue in cheak as it is true.  This impressive collection of barn burners is enough to cool down or heat up any summer dulldrum day. Blast these songs from the beach, your car, and even your bathroom and its instant party (a port-a-party?). Your summer just got a lot better. Your weclome.

Download em': 

Destoryer
Welfare Bread

Linked:

King Khan

Know Your Onion!

The Onion videos are the most consistently funny sketches online. They never dissapoint and always have some good profound mixed in with the funny. Their latest is no exception:

Domino's Scientists Test Limits Of What Humans Will Eat

Something Is Right With Them

The true test of any great new band is to stare hype in the face and say, "yeah, it's true. We're that good, and we're going to prove it with awesome songs." Cold War Kids were one of the bigger "buzz bands" of ought six and have returned a couple years later to look hype in the eyes and prove themselves. Their new song off of the upcoming "Loyalty to Loyalty" LP is called "Something is Not Right With Me" and it makes good on their sound both advancing and enhancing. It's passionate good ol' fun. The buzz is back. 

Link: Cold War Kids

Who would you rather do?

Decades went by without a Sherlock Holmes film and all of a sudden there's two hot Holmes projects that just got the green light. Both heavy weighst in their own right; In one corner Robert Downey Jr. (RDJ) does the Holmes boy with Guy Ritchie helming. In the other corner, Sacha Baron Cohen (SBC) plays the sleuth and Will Ferrell is Watson, Judd Apatow produces. 

So tons of talent all around. Some of our favorite people are working on both these projects and we will eargely see both. However, I have a couple of suggestions for each film: Ritchie needs a Watson and he should look no further then Britans own Ricky Gervas, a guy capable of matching the comedic and dramatic chops of Downey and bringing the much needed Brit to the duo. As for Apatow's version, he needs a director. I know he has a capable crew of dudes to take the position, but he should try a new colab. How about Edgar Wright? Wouldn't that be great? Ferrell and SBC under the control of the current king of action/comedy? Maybe Simon Pegg and Nick Frost could show up too. Couldn't hurt...

Reguardless, a little profesional competion is fun because it makes people perform better. And when the best in the biz perfrom better, we win!

These are a few of my favorite things...

When I was young, my go to comedy was "The Muppets". Now older, wiser, I'm very into Woody Allen. What do you get when you combine both? Dreams, my friend, sweet dreams.

Who would you rather do?

Two trailers just hit the web and they have a lot in common. "Watchmen" is based on "the most acclaimed graffic novel of all time" and directed by "300" vet Zack Snyder. "300" was based on a graphic novel my Frank Miller who scribes and directs "The Spirit".  It looks like we have two artsy comic book movies to look forward to that don't start with Bat or end with Man. I think "Watchmen" has the edge here. Better source material, more accomplished director and it just plain looks incredible. "The Spirit" has some good things going for it (including ScarJo) but the effects look almost too good, like how the hell is all that going to make a cohesive story? Judge for yourself...

Watch Watchmen

Watch The Spirit

Newsworthy?

The tongue-in-cheek seriousness of the following New York Times article about a young man being trapped inside a Brooklyn bar almost makes you think you're reading a piece by The Onion. But the fact that its real makes it even better. Read on.

"A night out, becomes a night in"

The movie adaptation will star Michael Cera.

For Your Consideration

The Emmy nom bomb was just dropped. I liked the emmys, they make some smart choices, but there's crop seems very samey. Maybe, it's just that the great shows on TV have stayed consistently great. Maybe that's a good thing. I would have liked to see a bit more Pushing Daises Love but it didn't have a whole season so I'll cut them some slack. And yes, I know, I'll watch Mad Men and Dexter, soon, I promise. 

Check em out

It Takes Two

I watched this trailer twice to try and figure out what this movie is actually about, no luck. But who cares? It stars Dicaprio and Crowe as zany corrupt guys fighting each other. I'm so there. 

Best. Self. Portrait. Ever.

I might be the last person in the world to see this guy, but in case you haven't either, It's a must view.

Commercial Appeal

So Converse got Pharell, Jullian Casablancas and Santogold together to do a good old fashion commercial jingle. However, you wouldn't know it from the song or the video below. The song is catchy to the point and after a few more listens I may upgrade it to "good". The video's praise doesn't need upgrading. It's inventive, clever and totally fun to watch. All good qualities for a music video slash shoe commercial. "Chuck" it out.

Santogold, Julian Casablancas, and N.E.R.D. Produced by Pharrell

Modern Beck

Years ago a new Beck album would be like a holiday. In the time following "Odelay", any output that guy had was sacred and exciting. I felt like I HAD to get Beck albums. Like watching Tiger Woods in the masters you had to do it because it felt like an important moment in history. Something you could tell you kids about. A guy at the top of his game shaking up the system and kicking ass while doing it. Post "Sea Change", Beck has not put on a green jacket in sometime. To be honest, I've found myself bored with Beck. "Modern Guilt" is not a big shiney come back album but it is his most focused and sincere Album (with a capital 'A') since his tide's changed. Give some credit to Danger Mouse who insisted Beck start with all new material to make one specific piece of work. Give credit to Beck for challening what he once was and still may be, the Tiger Woods of Indie rock.

"Gamma Ray" by Beck

Also out today: ¿Cómo Te Llama? By Albert Hammond Jr. A little bit of Strokes for a Strokeless world. 

"The Boss America" by Albert Hammond Jr.

I am here to make friends...

This video is great. Someone put a lot of time into this and I personally believe it was worth it if only just for a time capsule piece to show our grand children what that whole "reality TV" thing was about. I'm not a fan of reality TV* and not just because I'm a writer and it puts us folk outta jobs, it's because it's all the same. Same jerks, same fights, same plots and even the same dialogue. It's all a bunch of Samey McSamesallots, and to me, that makes for some boring TVing. 

* Except for Top Chef, which kicks ass. 

via Videogum

Indie-Dependence Day

Tomorrow is the 4th of July. A great time for good friends and good tunes. The key to a cool Independence Day party mix are to keep things light. Nothing too heavy here, just some fun jams. I also used all new songs but most of them are so soaked in nostalgia that you'll remember them from your childhood. So go celebrate America's birth in style and save me a hot dog. 

The 4th of July Mix: (Right click to down load each track)

1. "Constructive Summer" by The Hold Steady
2. "Welfare Bread" by King Khan and the Shrines
3. "Gamma Ray" by Beck
4. "Keep On Rolling" by Quiet Village
5. "Can't Stop Moving" by Sonny J
6. "Collapsing At Your Doorstep" by Air France
7. "Bruleé" by Ratatat
8. "Gobbledigook" by Sigur Rós
9. "Born To Be Your Man" by Birdmonster
10. "The Rabbit,The Bat,& The Reindeer" by Dr. Dog
11. "The Boss America" by Albert Hammond Jr.
12. "Drop-Out" by Times New Viking
13. "The '59 Sound" by The Gaslight Anthem
14. "Easy Does It" by Bonnie "Prince" Billy

July Fools

This video is great. It actually has the ability to test your smarts. Give it a shot. Am I dumb?

 

The Dark Knight, Best Movie of the Summer or All Time?

The buzz for this film is getting crazy. With all the hyperbole surrounding the Batman sequel Christopher Nolan must be constantly blushing. What I find most exciting is that all the hype could be valid. They've done everything right so far from the casting to the brilliant marketing campaign, so maybe the film is just as good. Check out the latest "viral" poster above. So good right? Maybe too good...

(via Collider)

Best Song Right Now

From the sound of their music you wouldn't guess Air France is from Sweden. Their homeland conjures up visions of snow caped mountains and endless winters. Yet somehow these guys get summer better then most. "Collapsing At Your Doorstep", off the recently released No Way Down Ep, begins when you wake up hot and sweaty from sleep and ends when you're hot and sweaty from dance. In between we find ourselves brought to barbeques, oceans, and sunsets all viewed through the exuberant eyes of a child. Is it just a forgettable summer tune? No, better. 

"Collapsing At Your Doorstep" - Download

www.myspace.com/theairfrance

Come on, Catch up!

Hello there. Good to see you again. It's July and the year is half way over. It's the perfect time to sit town, take stock, and apreciate all the albums that have been relessed in 2008. Now, don't get too excited, there is still no frontrunner for AOTY (Album of the Year). It's a little discourageing considering last year at this time we were already blessed with "Boxer", "Person Pitch", "Sound Of Silver", "Neon Bible" and "Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?" five albums that are superior then every album so far this year. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. Music has been very nice to me in in O' 8. I'm just waiting for a masterpiece or two. Is that too much to ask? Anywho, here's what we've got so far:

Best of 07' in '08: 

"Vampire Weekend" by Vampire Weekend. Great album, get over it. 

"For Emma, Forever Ago" by Bon Iver. The perfect way to bring winter to LA.

Punk is not dead (It was just napping): 

"Nouns" by No Age. With this relesse, the Titus's album (below), as well as Times New Viking and The Gaslight Anthem, punk rock is back in my life (and better then ever).

"The Airing of Grievance" by Titus Andronicus. It's like, imagine if Conner Oberst had stayed in the Desperacidos and they decided to make an awesome album. 

And Folks all like "I'm Not Dead Either": 

"Visiter" by The Dodos. It's Annimal Collective you can take home to Mom. 

"Ragged Wood" by Fleet Foxes. The perfect way to bring Fall to LA.

Just Add Dancing: 

"In Ghost Colours" by Cut Copy. Sorry Hercules, but this is the best album to dance to in 2008.

"Hercules and The Love Affair" by Hercules and The Love Affair. But your album is pretty great too.

"Feed the Animals" by Girl Talk. RIP: The DJ, 1950 - 2008.

Obligatory Hip-Hop Albums:

"Tha Carter III" by Lil Wayne. How this quirky, odd and highly entertaining album sold over one million copies in it's first week is beyond me. Maybe the kids have better taste then I give them credit for. 

"The Bake Sale" by Cool Kids. The "Cool For White Indie Kids to Like" Hip-Hop album of the year.

Good to Hear you Again

"Stay Positive" by The Hold Steady. This album is disappointing in the same way Apocalypse Now was dissapointing. It's great, but not The Godfather II.

"Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust" by Sigur Ros. The most fun you'll ever have with a Sigur Ros album.

"Fate" by Dr. Dog. The album you always hoped they would make.

"Rook" by Shearwater. Moody, pretty, and haunting. Like your Ex-Girlfriend (who died).

"At Mount Zoomer" by Wolf Parade. After what seemed like an endless ammount of side projects from the members of this band it was hard to recall what they actully sounded like. After one listen to Mount Zoomer it'll be very hard to forget.

Some very good stuff up there, no? Yes. Still a lot to look forward to, icluding new stuff from Of Montreal, Conner Oberst (sans Bright Eyes moniker), The Walkmen, Kings Of Leon, and M. Ward. Though I have a feeling some band we've never heard of is going to come out of nowhere and make good on that masterpiece I'm waiting for. Come on guys, show me what you got.