My Poproks

• U2 signed a mega 12 year deal with Live Nation, similiar to the Madonna deal, and includes worldwide touring, merchandising, and the band’s site. 12 years is a long time, huh?
• Mos Def = Chuck Berry & Beyonce = Etta James in the upcoming film, Cadillac Records, about the Chess record label
• Simion Mobile Disco, everyone’s new favorite dance band, did the Flavorpill One Step Beyond party this past Friday
• Wooohah.com posted the Top 40 Hip Hop blogs
• Stereogum did another tribute album, Enjoyed: A Tribute to Bjork’s Post

Poland’s Heineken Open’ Er Festival will take place in Gdynia, or Gdańsk, and will feature (yet again) my favorite line-up of the summer fests so far! Scheduled are Jay-Z, M.I.A., The Raconteurs, and a bunch of other awesome acts, including about 40 Polish bands (among them one of my favorites, *MYSLOVITZ).

If you feel like flying to Poland, it’s July 4th-6th at the Babie Doły airport, and oddly enough, there’s camping…at the airport.

But, dude, look at this line-up:

Jay-Z
M.I.A.
Beirut
The Raconteurs
Goldfrapp
Massive Attack
The Sex Pistols
CocoRosie
The Chemical Brothers
The Cribs
Gentleman and the Far East Band
*Myslovitz (listen to this…)

Artist: Bomb the Bass feat. Fujiya & Miyagi
Track: “Butterfingers”
Album: Future Chaos

I guess this is more a videooftheweek rather than song (though the song is not bad…). Bomb The Bass, or more specifically, Tim Simenon, is an English dance and electronica DJ on Electric Tones (his own Amsterdam based label). His 7th release, Future Chaos, is set for a May release. Featuring Fujiya & Miyagi, this is the album’s first song and video; an animated minimoog?

Damn, why didn’t I think of that?

Believe it or not, thanks Kanye.

Bjork’s new Encyclopedia Pictura directed video for Volta’s “Wanderlust.” Oh, and you may need some 3-D glasses.

Sick.

Kylie Minogue X
US release of Kylie Minogue’s 10th studio album. Her disco-euro-pop is known well the world over, and the US only bonus track, “All I See,” feat. Mims may be the track that finally gives her a bigger name in the US. (”Speakerphone” = my fav).

Moby Last Night
Moby is a lot less his ambient electronic self and more dance sounding on his 9th album. The album was recorded in his studio in NYC, and features guest vocals by Grandmaster Caz (”Rapper’s Delight”), among others.

Van Morrison Keep it Simple
Van Morrison’s 35th album. He wrote and produced the record, including first takes and a classic Morrison sound, as well as playing a wide array of instruments (sax, ukulele, etc.). He’s one of the most important songwriters ever, and his music continues to prove relevant. Samples from four songs, including the title track, are up on the official Myspace.

R.E.M. Accelerate
R.E.M. is back? Or so everyone says. This record is definitely a jump in energy from their last two studio releases. Recalls the early days; it’s the end of world as we know, etc.

The Black Keys Attack & Release
The new Danger Mouse produced album, already heard a couple of amazing tracks off of this, including “Strange Times
 and “Psychotic Girl.” The band’s 5th, out on Nonesuch. If we could kindly ignore The Rapture’s second album, everything DM touches turns to gold.

Yelle Pop Up
Fun electro-pop from French singer, Yelle; the official US release of her 2007 album, Pop Up. Her new video for “Je Veux Te Voir” has Yelle dancing in a plastic smiley-face dress, pretending to work out, and taking a yellow hummer to a dance club. And it’s in French. Any other questions?

Check out a complete list of releases for tomorrow at Newmusictipsheet.com and Largehearted Boy.

8

Keep Your Eyes Ahead = Indie-Pop Yumminess. Helio Sequence’s 4th LP is a welcomed shift from their earlier records. Singer Brandon Summers apparently blew his voice out and had to re-learn how to sing, and it did wonders for the band’s overall sound (and you can clearly hear that his entire vocal approach has changed from 2004’s Love and Distance).

On Keep Your Eyes Ahead, this Portland duo creates 10 tracks of soothing indie-rock in the vein of new school Nada Surf, Rogue Wave, and yes, Modest Mouse (drummer and keyboardist Benjamin Weikel also played with MM circa Good News). This is a solid record all around, and one of my top picks for the year thus far.

Just came across the site for Electrosound, a mash-up DJ from Besançon (Northeaster France). He has a ton of free MP3’s of his mash-ups, including Britney vs Nirvana “Gimme More Teen Spirit,” Justin Timberlake vs Daft Punk “Around the Sexy Back,” and Lady Sovereign vs Gorillaz “Love Me or Dare Me.”

Fun.

Apparently so.

Artist: The Spinto Band
Track: “Summer Grof”
Album: Moonwink

The Spinto Band, an indie outfit from Wilmington, Deleware with 4 albums under their belt, have announced very little about the new video above. The video was posted up last week on the band’s myspace page, and comes along with an indie-rock tune that’s catchy as hell (who doesn’t love hand-claps?). The video was directed by Albert Birney (who doesn’t love water balloon fights?). Their new album, Moonwink, is soon to follow.

Last year’s list was pretty extensive, but let’s just make it official now. Of course, you know I kinda dig the “Low” song because I rock them Reeboks with the strap. So that’s out.
Most annoying human being of 2008 Q1? YAAAAAAH!!!

So, The Idolator posted their first quarter Top 10 list, and while I disagreed with it for the most part (I’m just not on board with the Hot Chip thing), I feel pretty inspired to make my own.

You’ll notice my #1 (ehem, ugh. Oh God, I suck. But fuck it, I love it), and also #3 (I vowed that the Kate Nash album would count for 2008 according to My Poproks). Also, still on the fence as to whether Maths + English will count for ‘08 as well, but it isn’t out officially in the US until next month.

A few of these will definitely be making the year-end list.

1. Vampire Weekend Vampire Weekend
2. Gnarls Barkley The Odd Couple
3. Kate Nash Made of Bricks
4. Liam Finn I’ll Be Lightning
5. The Gutter Twins Saturnalia
6. The Whigs Mission Control
7. Yael Naim Yeal Naim
8. MGMT Oracular Spectacular
9. Kaki King Dreaming of Revenge
10. Helio Sequence Keep Your Eyes Ahead

•  ”Anti-emo” violence has broken out in Mexico, organized by young people who dislike “emos.” It has resulted in peace Marches led by gay-rights organizations in Queretaro, suggesting the violence is stemmed in homophobia
• First Dr. Pepper announced they’d give everyone a free can of soda if Guns N’ Roses finally released their album Chinese Democracy, then Guns N’ Roses got a manager for the first time in 2 years. Hmm…
• T.I. and Nate Dogg both plead guilty yesterday

If you were unable to navigate your way through the DOS programming on The Raconteurs website (hit M for Media, V for Videos), here’s a simple and web2.0-ish Youtube video to enjoy.

Even though I’m not the biggest fan of bitter little Trent lately, I hear Ghosts is decent, and this is pretty big tour announcement…

Tickets aren’t up yet on the ‘Master, Trent says more to come:

July 25 Pemberton BC Pemberton Festival
July 26 Seattle WA Key Arena at Seattle Center
July 28 Edmonton ALB Rexall Place
July 29 Calgary ALB Pengrowth Saddledome
July 31 Winnipeg MAN MTS Centre
August 2 Minneapolis MN Target Center
August 5 Toronto ONT Air Canada Centre
August 7 Uncasville CT Mohegan Sun Arena
August 8 Worcester MA DCU Center
August 12 Knoxville TN Knoxville Civic Coliseum
August 13 Duluth GA Gwinnett Arena
August 15 Oklahoma City OK Ford Center
August 16 Houston TX Toyota Center
August 18 Dallas TX American Airlines Center
August 20 Saint Louis MO Scottrade Center
August 22 Cleveland OH Quicken Loans Arena
August 23 Auburn Hills MI Palace of Auburn Hills
August 27 East Rutherford NJ Izod Center
August 29 Philadelphia PA Wachovia Center
August 31 Lexington KY Rupp Arena
September 2 Morrison CO Red Rocks Amphitheater
September 3 Salt Lake City UT The E Center Of West Valley
September 5 Oakland CA Oracle Arena (formerly Oakland Arena)
September 6 Inglewood CA The Forum

I think I like this.

Food Fight!

Be Your Own Pet have announced a bunch of North American dates to follow their current European tour supporting their new ultra-voilent record, Get Awkward. They will be joined by She Wants Revenge…Are they still signed? ::Shrugs::

Anyway, tickets start going on sale this Saturday.

5-08 Anaheim, CA - House of Blues
5-09 Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
5-10 San Diego, CA - House of Blues
5-12 Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre
5-13 Kansas City, MO - The Beaumont Club
5-15 Austin, TX - Stubb’s Bar-B-Q
5-16 Dallas, TX - House of Blues
5-17 Houston, TX - Meridian
5-18 New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
5-20 Saint Petersburg, FL - Jannus Landing
5-21 Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Revolution
5-22 Lake Buena Vista, FL - House of Blues
5-23 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
5-24 Asheville, NC - The Orange Peel
5-25 North Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues
5-27 Baltimore, MD - Ram’s Head Live
5-28 New York, NY - The Fillmore NY @ Irving Plaza
5-30 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
5-31 Philadelphia, PA - The Fillmore at Theatre of Living Arts
6-01 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
6-02 Montreal, Quebec - Club Soda
6-04 Toronto, Ontario - Phoenix Concert Theatre
6-05 Detroit, MI - St. Andrews Hall
6-06 Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
6-07 Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
6-09 Cincinnati, OH - Bogart’s
6-10 Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue
6-11 St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
6-12 Chicago, IL - House of Blues
6-13 Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom
6-14 Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line Music Cafe
6-17 Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore Ballroom
6-18 Seattle, WA - The Showbox
6-19 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
6-20 San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
6-21 Los Angeles, CA - Wiltern Theatre

6.5

Besides being a seemingly rushed recording and release, The Raconteurs’ Consolers of the Lonely has its moments. Like Broken Boy Soldiers, the combination of Jack White’s balls out guitar rock and Brendan Benson’s poppier musical approach makes for a good record…just maybe not a great one.

The album opens up with the classic rock title track, whose crunchy guitars and matching cymbal crashes sound more like a certain two piece band we know (the one with the girl drummer and the matching red and white outfits?). The album’s single, “Solute Your Solution,” which has a pretty cool video under its belt (must navigate through the clever DOS set-up to find), finds Benson and White trading off vocal duties in a way that’s a cross between Lennon/McCartney and Delonge/Hoppis (Blink 182, I know…sorry). It’s hard rocking 70’s feel is interrupted only by White’s 21st Century garage band howl.

Softer tracks like “You Don’t Understand Me” and “Pull This Blanket Off” sound more One Mississippi than White Blood Cells. As the record plays on, White and Benson’s vocals seem to bleed together and sound more and more alike. The horns on “The Switch and The Spur” don’t compliment the track as well as I’m sure the band intended, but add a strange sound that could actually just be categorized as “The Raconteurs.” A healthy mix of Mexican (perhaps inspired by White’s bull-fighting days) and American folk is pulled off wonderfully. How it translates on their pop record is quite another story.

The 3 chord versed rock of “Hold Up” falls a bit flat, and the not-so-catchy shouted chorus is saved by a pretty bitchin’ guitar solo. “Top Yourself,” an album highlight, shows White sticking to the bluesy-indie-rock sound that made records like De Stijl and Elephant so memorable. “How you gonna stop yourself/When your man stops ringin’ your bell/You’re right between heaven and hell/And you’re gonna need the good lord to help you.” Enter banjo. I even think drummer Patrick Keeler had Meg White in mind on this track.

After some more oddly placed horns (“Many Shades of Black”) and keyboard-driven classic rock (“Rich Kid Blues”), it becomes clear that there’s nothing nearly as prominent as Broken Boy Soldier’s “Steady As She Goes” on this record. The Raconteurs still get away with a good album here, mostly due to Jack White’s merciless ‘Cool’ factor, and the afore-mentioned bitchin’ guitar solos. ::Patiently waits for another Brendan Benson album::.

Trust, I am going nuts trying to find this D’Mystro song, “Volume of Good Life” from when Kanye was “only at the age of six or seven years.” The reason I’m looking for this is because Kanye West is being sued for sampling the song on “Good Life,” the latest hit off of Graduation.

Dayna Staggs claims that Kanye did not obtain a license to sample the song, and is also including Roc-A-Fella in the lawsuit.

I’m sure he’ll put it on his myspace any day now. I’m trying to understand why he has Kanye’s video on there, though (especially since he finds his version of the song to be “vulgar and offensive”).

Hata.

Awe man, you mean M.I.A. isn’t playing with the Fuck Buttons? I guess I’ll have to settle for my second favorite “Fucking” band. Tickets go on sale Saturday at 11am for the first batch of shows.

McCarren Pool, here I come.

M.I.A. w/ Holy Fuck

4-25-27 Indio, CA - Coachella
4-28 San Diego, CA - 4th and B
5-01 Austin, TX - La Zona Rosa
5-02 Dallas, TX - Palladium Ballroom
5-05 Nashville, TN - City Hall
5-06 Atlanta, GA - The Tabernacle
5-08 Detroit, MI - Fillmore
5-09 Chicago, IL - Aragon Ballroom
6-02 Toronto, Ontario - Sound Academy
6-02 Montreal, Quebec - Metropolis
6-06 Brooklyn, NY - McCarren Park Pool

M.I.A.

4-11 Poughkeepsie, NY - Vassar College
4-12 Providence, RI - Brown University *
4-26 Indio, CA - Coachella
5-12 Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom
5-13 Maplewood, MN - Myth
5-14 Lawrence, KS - Liberty Hall
5-17 Denver, CO - Fillmore Auditorium
5-18 Salt Lake City, UT - The Depot
5-23 Portland, OR - Roseland Theater
5-24-26 George, WA - The Gorge (Sasquatch!)
5-27 Edmonton, Alberta - Edmonton Event Centre
5-28 Calgary, Alberta - MacEwan Hall
5-30 Winnipeg, Manitoba - Burton Cummings Theatre
6-14 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo
7-01 London, England - Roundhouse

New Gutter Twins video for their fucking amazing fucking song “All Misery/Flowers” off of Saturnalia. One of my definite Playlist songs for 2008. Damn, Dulli is such a badass.