New Flaming Lips Album May Be Good After All!

I must admit that I was worried when I heard the disco vibe in the Flaming Lips latest release, Mr. Ambulance Driver, about what direction the Flaming Lips may have been heading. But I just read this news which I found encouraging.

Excerpt:

"After two albums of lushly orchestrated pop that brought them to a new level of acclaim, the Flaming Lips are returning to guitar-based rock'n'roll as they finish up their next studio set. "At War With the Mystics" is due in February or March via Warner Bros. Lips frontman Wayne Coyne tells Billboard.com the group was inspired to plug in after featuring a cover of Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" in its live shows."

Weekly Album of the Week #15

This is one of the most incredible bands I have heard in a long time. While the full album is only 30 minutes in length its so full of interesting bitties and cool sounds (imagine if the Flaming Lips taught Roger Waters how to write music and made him be an optimistic guy) that by the end of the album it makes you want to hear more.

My Favorite songs on this album are Come Together and Tonight. Check it out here if you please. The samples amazon provides are not very good, but check them out anyway!

Jek Porkins, We Hardly Knew Ye!

Matthew Hootkins, whom most people will remember as Jek Porkins, the fat Rogue pilot who dies in the original Star Wars, has, in fact himself, died. He was also in Raiders of the Lost Ark, A River Runs Through It, Batman (the Micheal Keeton version), and the upcoming Colour Me Kubrick as well as many other movies.

FYI

Weekly Album of the Week #14

Imagine if Rabbi Pfitzowitz and Bob Marley had a love child and you may very well get this weeks artist for the Weekly Album of the Week; MATISYAHU.

Finding a link for this album was tough, and I'm not quite sure why. Matisyahu could be called an endangered species since (to my knowledge) he is a one of a kind Hassidic-Reggae groove-man. He has a smooth sound and a keen way of expressing his spirituality which is draws you in whether you share his views or not. There is a quality in his voice that is a wee bit reminiscent of Marley; and yet a very distinct Semite quality that at times you are not sure if you are listening to reggae or if its a cantor at a synagogue.

Give it a try by clicking the hypo-link above. I promise that you will, at the very least, find it interesting, and glad that you did.

Bin-Laden cares about you.

This is one weird idea which Mexican authorities are trying to stop bribes and double parking. Pictures of Maria Theresa pleading with you not to offer bribes, Saddam asking you not to double park, and bin-Laden pleading with you to drive safely because he cares about your life.

Hilarious and surreal idea. Check out the full story here

Weekly Album Of The Week #13

I usually post albums which I currently own but this week I am choosing an album on my "To Get" list.

While the "gray heads and long hairs" of the American Music Institutions of higher learning (ala Juliard) where agonzing over trying to find the great American equivalent to the music of Bach, they failed to recognize that he was allready among them in the spectre of one Louis Armstrong.

Armstrong took a true American music and made it into something more than it was (a novelty act), into high art. These recordings from the late 1920's with the Hot Fives/Sevens represent Armstrong at his finest period (before he was well known among whites and singing "What A Wonderful World"). If he were Elvis, this would be Armstrong's Sun period. His creativity was young, raw, and on fire. You can give the tracks a listen here. I suggest you start with "West End Blues" on CD 3 track 5.

Weekly Album of the Week #12

After the Beatles broke up, George Harrison was quoted as saying that whatever the spirit which manifested itself through the Beatles transferred to the comedy troup Montey Python. I am making a similiar analogy when I say that whatever spirit it was which manifested itself in the music of kurt Cobain (or demon) upon his suicide was transferred a few miles away into the music of Elliott Smith.

Elliott Smith was a wonderful songwriter who exhibited through his music a very fragile and yet threatening soulfullness. One of the highlights of the movie "ROYAL TENENBAUMS" was the scene where, while shaving his beard and cutting his hair, Luke Wilson's character prepared to commit suicide to the tune of Elliott Smith's "Needle in the Hay." A haunting tune with wicked quips, especially when he sounds like a snake on the line "I'm taking the cure so I can be quiet Wherever I want So leave me alone You ought to be proud that I'm getting good marks." Something about the overall tone of his music just hits a chord within me, I'm not a drug addict so I don't why, but his music definately flows with me.

This album is full of great moments like that which is why Elliott Smith by Elliott Smith is my Weekly Album of the Week.

Gues who's birthday it is today?

Todays birthday belongs to this little chap who was almost born in a McDonalds so long ago...


(it's me!)

John Densmore: Man of Integrity

Found this on the net today. John Densmore: Man of Integrity. I think it is cool I guess. Not like they actually need anymore money. Just goes to show you what butt-tards the other two guys are.