Lego-ize Your Favorite Album Cover!
Try yourself if you don’t see your favorite album up there. In any case, enjoy this random selection, it also can also give you a pretty good idea of how I see the world without my contact lenses on.
Legend Rickie Lee Jones Is Asking Her Fans To Finance Her Next Album
he good thing is that she has already reached 71% of her goal offering amazing premiums, such as a house concert ($15,000-$40,000) some original paintings ($15,000), music instruments, clothes, shoes, boots, hats…
Not With The Band: A Pill For The Perfect Pitch? No, Thanks!
In this article published in Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, a group of researchers has found that people who took valproate, a drug used in the treatment of epilepsy, anorexia, migraine, panic attack and bipolar disorder, learned to identify pitch significantly better than those taking placebo
Bobbi Kristina Houston Gets Married, People Unleash Their Hatred, Why?
Can you consider this as incest? Technically and biologically it’s not incest at all, but it still looks weird to many people: Bobbi Kristina Houston, Whitney Houston’s daughter got married to her longtime boyfriend and adoptive brother Nick Gordon.
The Beautiful Melancholia of Spike Jonze's 'Her'
You will have to stay till the end of the credits to hear Arcade Fire’s ‘Supersymmetry’, a song originally composed for the movie but finally reworked for their ‘Reflektor’ album. I must say I was expecting to hear it sooner, but pay attention since instrumental variation of the same song recorded with Owen Pallett, is also featured on the score
Kanye Wants To Stop The Coinye!
Far from being honored, Yeezus did not appreciate it at all , and his lawyers have taken action to shut down the virtual currency called Coinye West. It’s true that the creators of the coin had pushed the Internet joke a bit far
Queens Of Noise At The Los Angeles Central Library, Thursday January 9th 2014
Exene talked fast and her outspoken tone got her lots of clapping and cheering during the talk. It was intense and passionate, and I tried to report about the best parts as much as I could!
Miley Cyrus And Britney Spears Videos Banned From Daytime TV In France
I am not at all for censorship and this cannot even be regarded as censorship, since the videos are still shown, only during hours when young children aren’t usually without parental supervision. That’s interesting because France isn’t exactly a shy country regarding to sex,
Insane Clown Posse Sues The US Government Over Gang Denomination For Their Fans
According to Muckrock, the FBI file identifies Juggalos as a ‘violent street gang’ numbering in the thousands, whose members “sometimes paint their faces to look like wicked clowns’ and ‘continue the dress by carrying small axes’, concluding that ‘the Juggalos [are] a legitimate gang with a large following
Morrissey Sees No Difference Between Eating Animals And Pedophilia
Pedophilia? This comparison pedophile/carnivore is not going to sit well with people! I understand the predator connection, but it sounds a bit weird, even to me! This is why vegans and vegetarians are never taken seriously, this is too extreme and people laugh at it!
Listen To (And Download) The Belle Brigade's New Single 'Ashes'
It’s quite a departure from their first album, a bit different from their fist-in-the-air anthemic ‘Losers’ tone, so may be fans are gonna be a bit confused at first, but they will be able to follow the genetic thread through Barbara’s inspired and breezy vocals.
Lady Gaga Has Recorded 'Do What U Want' Again? Why?
I personally find the whole thing very suspicious, Lady Gaga re-recorded a new version of her song ‘Do What U Want’ with Christina Aguilera, which dropped on New Year’s Eve… her first version was of course featuring R. Kelly, and you probably remember their performance
Coachella's 2014 Line-Up Is Here
This is true that headliner Outkast had already been announced a long time ago, that Arcade Fire was a given, as they have been playing literally everywhere lately, but Muse? I can already see your excitation, but I basically have none at this point. They excite me as much as Phoenix,
Conor Oberst Is Facing Rape Allegation
I am not the author but as I said in a previous comment, I was raped by a “rock star” when I was 16 years old and he was in his 20s. My husband suggests I may feel some empowerment by outing my rapist. It was Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes (and several other bands/side projects he fronts, bright eyes being the most popular). I hope you are right about helping the next girl but I’m waiting for the backlash.
Watch Never Seen Before Footage Of Nirvana's Last Concert In Los Angeles
It’s difficult to comprehend it, but 20 years after his death, there’s still some footage of Kurt Cobain, unseen by most people, which are suddenly surfacing. On December 30th, Dave Markey, who directed ‘1991: The Year Punk Broke’, uploaded this 15-minute video of Nirvana’s last show in Los Angeles
How Would You Like To Make $2,000 Per Day For Life Because Of One Song You Wrote 30 Years Ago?
‘What’s unique about it is the sound of my voice. There’s no one else who sings like me. They might sing better than me, but no one sings exactly like me. My voice sticks out on the radio by a mile.
Your Late Christmas Present: My Talking Henry Rollins, No Batteries Included!
I don’t know who got this idea but they were onto something,… Henry Rollins as an action figure talking like the real deal? This could work or even be a bit dangerous if you believe this video.
Not With The Band: When A Song Makes Us Think More Than Usual
So far no supersymmetric particles have been discovered, but it is a very convenient love imagery not unlike the Greek philosophers’ idea of the quest to find our lost half. It’s also very seducing that, interestingly, we may never know if these superpartners exist
Suddenly, The Pixies Release EP-2 And A 'Blue Eyed Hexe' Video
Francis has compared the third track ‘Greens and Blues’ to a great Pixies’ classic: ‘It was my attempt to come up with another song that would – musically, emotionally and psychologically – sit in the same place that ‘Gigantic’ has sat. Not that I could ever replace that song
FOMO Fest At The Echo/Echoplex, Friday January 3rd 2014 (Part 1)
FOMO stands for ‘Fear Of Missing Out’ and if you were already afraid to be missing out on January 3rd, it was the place to be. Me? I am always afraid of missing out, as there are so many budding bands in the area and more and more every year it seems.
FOMO Fest At The Echo/Echoplex, Friday January 3rd 2014 (Part 2)
On the stage of the Echoplex, Lo-Fang, real name Matthew Hemerlein, had hardly started his set of romantic, breezy, and emotional songs. The stage was very dark and I could barely see the two other musicians, a girl on keyboard and a drummer, but Hemerlein was himself switching between guitar and violin
LA Witch At The Echo, Monday December 30th 2013
When you don’t have a car in Los Angeles, you are almost like a handicapped person, right? No way! As long as I have legs I will use them and I decided to go to this free show at the Echo during this very-slow-show-week (it’s always like this between Christmas and NYE in Los Angeles) despite my lack of motor vehicle.
Listen to De Lux's New EP
Their set had a 80s-dance music revival flavor, no doubt about it, but at the same time it was complex, full of disco loops, funky bass, and even a bit tropical. It was at time so layered and buoyant than I had the impression they were playing several tracks at the same time
Beyoncé Is Revising The Bible But She Is Still Selling Albums (For Now)
Apparently, she also wants to use others’ drama in her pop songs. Her single ‘XO’ includes an audio sample from the 1986 space shuttle Challenger explosion, the one that killed the seven crew members… err that’s really bad taste, and not very well received by the NASA people and the families of the lost ones,
Mainstream Country Music Sucks? What's New?
The video ‘Why Country Music Was Awful in 2013’ basically compiles a bunch of country songs (released this year I guess), and gathers samples by themes: ‘trucks’ (yeah a lot of trucks) driving ‘old dirt roads’, and loaded with ‘girls’ ‘wearing tight blue jeans’, to go to the nearest ‘river bank’, when ‘the sun goes down’, while drinking the ‘good stuff’ (meaning a good old beer),
'N.Y.E. L.A.' With Daedelus and Fool's Gold
it is true that, for some reasons, people are desperately looking for this sort of communal moment on NYE, this togetherness and falling-in-the-arms-of-a-stranger feeling and so far we didn’t have it. Then, the fact that the city had offered free rides by train or bus from 9 pm to 2 am was definitively a plus
VUM at the Echo, Monday December 30th 2013, Reviewed
Listening for an hour of VUM can be a bit macabre and be like chasing the echoing ghost behind Pearl’s non-emotive vocals while exploring distant places and exotic civilizations in a mind-dream, a bit as if you were in this ‘Avatar’ movie – without the big budget and the Hollywood special effects
Cults At The House Of Blues, Saturday December 21st 2013
There’s no doubt in my mind, Cults have a collection of sweet sweet catchy songs that curl in your ears like a warm kitten on a sofa, but will they be able to continue in this direction forever? How many ‘Go Outside’, one of their most famous songs, can they produce?
Mariah Carey Performs Once Again For A Dictator's Money
Here we go again, another singer receiving big bucks to perform in a less-than-okay country. Mariah Carey adds one mark to a long list (Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Usher, Kanye West, Nelly Furtado, 50 Cent, Sting,…) as she was paid $1 million to perform for Angolan President
Courtney Love Will Go On Trial For Defamatory Tweets!
she pretended that her tweet ‘was never intended to be public, and upon learning it wasn’t a private message, immediately removed it’. So Courtney Love didn’t know what Twitter is? What a joke. She also said that ‘the entire Twitter Posting was hyperbole making light of Holmes’ constant attention-seeking, and not a statement of fact’… attention-seeking?
At The End Of 2013, 'Reflektor' Doesn't Unite But Divide The Music World
At this time of the year when people compile their lists of best albums of the year, Arcade Fire’s ‘Reflektor’ is on a great number of these lists. Is it really justified? It would probably on mine but I have to be honest, I am not sure I would have put it on any list if the same album had come from another band that I had never heard of.
Thee Oh Sees Are On Hiatus, But Rejoice, John Dwyer Is Moving To Los Angeles!
Thee Oh Sees are taking an indefinite hiatus! That’s so sad because they are an unique band with an extraordinary energy, and their stoner-garage-punk-surf-psychedelic rock combines everything you want to hear and see at a live rock show. Frontman John Dwyer announced the news, this week, during a show at the Great American Music Hall.
Three Recent Bad Uses Of Christmas Songs
Cat Power just covered the ultra classic song ‘Have A Merry Little Christmas’, and you know what? She managed to reinvent the song, it’s beautiful, chilling, and she sings with a voice to give you lumps in the throat, and I hate Christmas songs
Justin Bieber Announces Retirement And Internet Hysteria Follows
For many unbeliebers like me, I must admit it sounds like a Christmas present, People magazine has already set up a poll ‘Should Justin Bieber retire?’ and has so far received a 92% for a yes, but they have to be kidding right?
The Dead Weather Is Back With A Vengeance And ‘Open Up (That’s Enough)’
The Dead Weather is one of Jack White’s diverse musical projects and fans can rejoice because the band will release a series of new singles preceding an upcoming album set up for 2015,… Wait, 2015? Who do they think they are? the Star Wars trilogy?
Listen To 'Boys in the Woods ', The Black Lips' First Taste Off Their Upcoming Album
heavy Southern guitars and a sort of spaghetti-via-the-bayous western atmosphere before a duel in the sun or in the mud. You can still hear the Black Lips’ signature drunken multi-vocal harmonies and at the end the song sound very much like one of their good old tunes
Junip's José Gonzalez Scores Ben Stiller's new film, 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty'
The Junip frontman ended up singing 3 songs on the soundtrack, and watching the trailer of the movie, it is probably once again one of these perfect collaborations that becomes essential to the movie, like one of the characters. Shapiro even explained how it all started:
What? Target Does Not Want To Sell Beyoncé's Album?
Interesting, but kind of ridiculous, the album has already reached some sales records (617,000 copies sold in the US and 828,000 worldwide through Sunday) in the iTunes Store after being only 3 days on sale, so if Target wanted to ‘punish’ Beyoncé for selling her album digitally before making it available to physical retailers, they look totally stupid!
Stephin Merritt's Father Wants To Record An Album Of His Son's Songs
If you know about Merritt’s anti rock star image, you’ll probably think that the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree! And it seems that the two men have truly found each other, as Fagan wants to cover his son’s songs! He has started a Kickstarter campaign to fund the album, simply called ‘Scott Fagan Sings Stephin Merritt’.
Not With The Band: Should Performers Boycott Homophobic Russia?
We have our homophobic idiots at home, but imagine an actor saying this publicly? He would certainly be under fire beyond recovery, since we aren’t talking about Alec Baldwin screaming his usual faggot slur at paparazzi.
Shepard Fairey & Dennis Morris’ new exhibition 'SID: Superman Is Dead' Opening Night With Ritchie Love
I was still waiting outside when I heard the guitars, telling me there was some action happening on stage and I decided that, if I wanted to see something, I couldn’t respect the rules anymore… After all, they were celebrating punk history and anarchy, so it was time to try something a bit unruly
I Think I Got It, Beyoncé's New Album Is Here
Because of the visual-album concept, her album comes at the hefty price of $15.99, at times when people don’t buy music anymore! And she is selling, selling a lot of them nevertheless. She can do whatever she wants she will always be the queen of sales… . But she preaches consumerism it’s normal that she inspires it.
So Macaulay Culkin's The Pizza Underground Was Plagiarism?
A few weeks ago, we heard about Macaulay Culkin’s new band, The Pizza Underground, which basically recorded the Velvet Underground’s greatest hits with reworked lyrics all centered around a totally pizza theme, with cheesy titles such as ‘Papa John Says’, ‘I’m Beginning to Eat the Slice’, ‘Pizza’,
R Kelly's Twitter Campaign Disaster
Some people have so much confidence it is scary, but sometimes it doesn’t serve them very well! This past week, R. Kelly dropped an album, ‘Black Panties’, and I have zero opinion about it because I can’t stand the guy (and his music).
Henry Rollins As A Cannibal In His First Leading Movie Role
May be this weirdo cannibal character is a bit too close of what we expect Henry Rollins to be in a movie, intimidating, lonely, pissed off at people and damn scary, but it looks interesting nevertheless. Expect to see this film during next summer/fall in the indie festival circuit.
A New Study Confirms It: Music Doesn't Make Your Children Smarter
They followed 29 parents and their 4-year-old children, tested the children and randomly assigned each of them to one of 2 classes: one with music training and one with visual arts. Both classes were taught by the same teacher (Mehr himself) to get rid of the effect of different teachers, and they tested the children on cognition, vocabulary, mathematics and special tasks:
Led Zeppelin Is Now On Spotify, The Big Winner Of the Day
I am not exactly sure because you can nevertheless find parts of their respective catalogs when doing a search on Spotify. I wonder how long anybody will be able to resist. With the new free radio service, it’s now a matter of time till Spotify crushes Pandora
The Pixies Fired Their Bassist For Being Too Enthusiastic?
“The band has made the decision to go with another bass player.” I was shocked… I get the feeling they’re more introverted people than I am. Nobody really talked about deep issues, at least out loud. There was a show at the Mayan in Los Angeles where I got overly enthusiastic and jumped into the crowd, and I know they weren’t thrilled about that
NYC Will Celebrate The 50th Anniversary Of the The Beatles' First American Performance In February
f you are planning to visit New York City soon, do it in February! NYCBeatles50 is going to celebrate the Fab Four, and in particular the 50th anniversary of their first performance on American television, on the Ed Sullivan show,
My Ten Best Concerts Of 2013
I got to see them at the Jimmy Kimmel Live on July 29th, and managed to bump (almost) into Josh Homme’s giant body when exiting the green room. But seriously, these guys have a mega-monster sound, they blow up the roof even when there’s none