Ting Tings' New Video Officially Debuts
"That's Not My Name" secures The Ting Tings' name
Can't get enough hyper-empowerment dance-rock in your day? Us either. It's a good thing Katie White and Jules De Martino of The Ting Tings have just put up their new video for "That's Not My Name." The uber-manche of catchy hooks and quintessential indie-anthem from this summer finally has a video that backs up the wailing layers of distortion. What could slam this song home better than a bunch of blacklights, neon-painted jump roping dancers, and Katie and Jules doing what they do best? Well, we could think something up for the blonde-bobbed indie-darling, but we're trying to keep this SFW.
Click here for the video.
Click here for the band's official website, including tour dates.
Posted by Mark Steffen on Jan 26, 2009 @ 1:00 pm
The Quintessential “I Wish That Band was Still Around” Album.
Admit it. You loved them.
Anyone who listened to radio in the late nineties can probably name at least three Blink-182 songs - if not sing the lyrics word for word. It was impossible to ignore them when “All the Small Things,” “What’s My Age Again” and “Adam’s Song” were all over the radio. Even if, like me, you weren’t into that kind of music at the time, you just couldn’t help but love them...
Posted by Cory Roop on Jan 26, 2009 @ 7:00 am
M.I.A. Nominated for Oscar
Every new mom deserves some fresh ice.
M.I.A. can't be stopped. Let's face it, no matter how many times you hear the infectious hook, you can't help but make a gun with your fingers and blast along as she takes money. She recently added an Oscar nomination (for her work on Slumdog Millionaire) to her list of accolades that includes a Grammy nomination and Pazz and Jop Singles Award, making the list officially greater than the amount of countries she pulls influences from.
With a baby still due Grammy night, M.I.A. should be back in shape to attend her first night at the Oscars, where, rumor has it, she'll be looking to extend her baby shower guest list: "maybe I can afford to book Dave Chappelle at the baby shower now."
Way to keep it fresh. Watch out for this soon-to-be-baby-mama on the red carpet February 22.
Posted by Mark Steffen on Jan 23, 2009 @ 7:00 pm
New Music from The Loose Salute
Bohemian Like You
Conjuring that mellow Laurel Canyon mood is no easy task, and when you're a new band from the rocky shores of Cornwall U.K., recreating the sunny vibe of late 60's/early 70's L.A. demands more than a bong hit and a beach ball - well maybe a few bong hits. The bohemian vibes of those times have spawned a plethora of modern bands whose needle is stuck in that groove, to fine affect. The Beachwood Sparks, The Thrills and The Chamber Strings just to name a few.
The Loose Salute, named after a 1970 Michael Nesmith solo album, are an easy, breezy, beautiful quintet. Main songwriter and drummer, Ian McCutcheon, has been a member of the dreamy pop movement for quite some time. Before turning on to the California sound, McCutcheon kept the beat in Slowdive and offshoot band Mojave 3.
"Tuned To Love" is a simple toe tapping number, evoking the feeling of driving to a beach bonfire up the coast with the top down. The Loose Salute mix the feel good groove of Canned Heat, the hushed harmonies of Fleetwood Mac and the rocking side of Matthew Sweet without sounding too dated.
Their debut album, Tuned To Love, is available now via Graveface Records.
Posted by Joe Roth on Jan 23, 2009 @ 7:00 am
Decemberists Release New Album Art
Typically magisterial, Meloy and Friends are Back for More.
If you haven't already suffocated on the sheer amount of literary referencing and over-the-topness of The Decemberists, there's good news. The Portland troubadors will release The Hazards of Love on March 24 (Capitol Records). Colin Meloy will be leading the usual suspects on a tour of love's dangers along with a few friends making guest appearances: My Brightest Diamond's Shara Worden, Lavender Diamond's Becky Stark, My Morning Jacket's Jim James, the Spinanes' Rebecca Gates, and Robyn Hitchcock can all be heard, too.
The cover art is a surprising departure for the band, simplistic and typographic, especially after the downright pompous-looking tracklist. Alas, no tour dates yet. But keep those tweed blazers sufficiently mussed (you know, not hobo-wrinkled, pick it up off the floor wrinkled), there's bound to be an extensive run around the country to back up this latest concept album. It may be worth whatever price you've got to pay to see the NPR-adored Decemberists, in a recent press release some details unfurled: "[The Hazards of Love] tells the tale of a woman named Margaret who is ravaged by a shape-shifting animal; her lover, William; a forest queen; and a cold-blooded, lascivious rake, who recounts with spine-tingling ease how he came “to be living so easy and free”"
Posted by Mark Steffen on Jan 22, 2009 @ 5:30 pm