VW: Contra Review & New Cover Tune

As promised (about a month ago; sorry for the delay), here's my review of Vampire Weekend's latest album, Contra, which was released by XL Recordings last month. The article is featured in Kutztown University's campus newspaper, The Keystone.

Also, check out the band covering California-based street punk outlet Rancid. We've known for a while now about frontman Ezra Koenig's punk infatuation, so it seemed only right for the group to take on "Ruby Soho".

Vampire Weekend - "Ruby Soho (Rancid Cover)"

The Gabe! Doin' Covers!

"And it feels so unnatural, to sing your own name."

Peter Gabriel's career is illustrious. His time spent with Genesis was magical, to say the least, way back in the 70's. Truly an innovator of prog rock ... and rock stage theatrics. His solo career brought him much success. Songs like "Sledgehammer", "Red Rain", "In Your Eyes", and "Solsbury Hill" are timeless. Things have since settled down for Mr. Gabriel. He hasn't put out much material in this decade, unless you count his Hot Chip collaboration cover for Vampire Weekend's "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" last year or his tune for Wall-E two summers ago. But coming in 2010, The Gabe will release a cover record. Believe it! It's going to be called Scratch My Back. Fitting, because some of the artist he's covering, will in favor cover HIS songs. I don't know anything about THAT release, though. Here's the track-listing. And it is so good:

1. Heroes (David Bowie Cover)
2. The Boy in the Bubble (Paul Simon Cover)
3. Mirrorball (Elbow Cover)
4. Flume (Bon Iver Cover)
5. Listening Wind (Talking Heads Cover)
6. The Power of the Heart (Lou Reed Cover)
7. My Body Is a Cage (Arcade Fire Cover)
8. The Book of Love (Magnetic Fields Cover)
9. I Think It's Going to Rain Today (Randy Newman Cover)
10. Après Moi (Regina Spektor Cover)
11. Philadelphia (Neil Young Cover)
12. Street Spirit (Radiohead Cover)

Scratch My Back will be released on January 25th, 2010. You can bet your bottom dollar that we'll be using some of these as our "Allen Reed Memorial Cover Of The Week" for many shows in the Spring.

Peter Gabriel & Hot Chip - "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa (Vampire Weekend Cover)"

Weezer - The 8-Bit Album

Hey, remember when Weezer was good? Yeah, that was a long time ago, all the way back in 1997. But do you remember when Weezer was even listenable? That'll only take you back a few years. But in all seriousness here, Weezer constantly gives me pains and sadness. Many of you may not know how it feels to have your #2 favorite album of all time be put out by a band who is now writing songs called "The Girl Got Hot" and "I'm Your Daddy". Ouch. But either way, Pinkerton was a stone cold classic and a better 30-minute album you will not be able to find.

However, this is not a Pinkerton post, this is about something pretty damn cool. Do you remember when you first heard Weezer and thought, "Hmm, I bet this would sound pretty cool as video game music." No? Well luckily someone else thought that for you and they came up with this. The 8-Bit Album brings together up and coming 8-Bit artists who used their talents to cover Weezer songs. The whole catalog is touched upon too, from the glory days of The Blue Album and Pinkerton, to everything after, and even a good amount of B-Sides from in between. And what's the best part? It's free.

Pterodactyl Squad has put the album up on their website for free download to anyone who wants it, and believe me, you will not regret downloading this. The whole album is a blast, but especially "El Scorcho", "Buddy Holly", and "You Gave Your Love To Me Softly". This may sound crazy, but this is starting to creep up on Dark Was The Night for the year's best compilation so far. Don't miss out. Download it here.

The Thermals - "Basket Case" (Live From Pitchfork Fest '09)

As said before, Pitchfork has been slowly adding a bunch of videos from the 2009 version of their festival in Chicago. This video is just further proof of why The Thermals are one of the most fun bands around right now. After 4 fantastic albums, they have plenty of songs to draw upon, but they still decide to throw some surprises. Their Pitchfork set turned into a bit of a 90's cover session, covering Nirvana, Sonic Youth, and as the video shows, Green Day.

The Thermals - "Basket Case"

More On Upcoming Mulcahy Tribute

Awhile back, I posted about the magnificent news of a Mark Mulcahy tribute compilation being produced by many a-great artists/friends and released on September 29th this year. I am a huge Mulcahy fan and this whole project is being done in the hope that he can continue to create great music after the sudden and tragic death of his wife last year, leaving him to raise his young family all by himself. It totally sucks and couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. Here's the old post. Now there is an update: some songs are now on the interwebs! Want to hear 'em? Keep reading.

Stereogum posted Thom Yorke's rendition of "All For The Best", a track released by MM's original jangly rock 80's band, Miracle Legion (well worth getting to know). It's a great tune and the cover is what you would expect from Yorke; AKA: electro-gloom. Here it is.

On MM's MySpace, you can hear two additional tracks from the compilation, one from Josh Rouse, and the other from The National. The National covers "Ashamed Of The Story I Told", a prime Polaris song. It's surprisingly upbeat for such a mournful song. Take a listen here.

Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy is out 9/29 via Shout! Factory.

Doesn't Really Get Much Better Than This!

Thanks to Roberto for this.

A Better Cover Than Mike Posted

I like John Mayer just as much as the next guy (assuming the next guy hates John Mayer). So I will say this...

The man can play a mean guitar, I will give him that, but also, he is a douche. And not just on the 'Hey, I'm famous look how much tail I can get' level, but also on the 'Hey, my music doesn't matter as long as my fans are high just like Dave Matthews' school of music' level.

So while I'm on the topic of hating people, let me give someone some love. Cee-Lo Green is fucking great. He is a good father, as evidenced on one episode of My Super Sweet 16, and one hell of a damn singer. So, without further ado, because I can't type as I am more focused on the Lost premiere tonight, here is Cee-Lo and Gnarls Barkley covering Radiohead's "Reckoner"

Phenomenal Cover: John Mayer - "Kid A"

Ah, it feels great to blog again. Especially about whatever I feel like, although, I'm still very ecstatic for our return show coming up at the end of the month. But I'll keep that down for awhile. I have a quick story:

I recently found a treasure. Like a bottle that rushes a shore, this was something to be examined and marveled over. It came to me from a torrent. A FREE torrent, people. It was this amazing cover of one of my favorite songs (and for such few lyrics, it's truly an orchestral masterpiece of surrealism and the supernatural). The tune: Radiohead's "Kid A", the title track from their monumental 2000 record (best record of this bizarre decade, anyone?). Who covered this masterpiece and did such justice to it? John Mayer! ...?

I guess John boy has always been a cooler dude than what his pop music makes him out to be. He plays a lot of soul and blues, which is important, because if you forget rock's roots then your just a dickhead. He's also been on Chapelle's Show and Tim & Eric; so he's a TV star, as well. And lastly on his cool list (I'm sure there's more, like how he gets with amazingly hot chicks as the ultimate rebound man, but...) he does benefits! Really, really nice benefits!

I took this crappy picture from my crappy phone cirva Christmas time 2008. I was working with New York's 95.5 WPLJ, where I had interned this summer, on an extroadinary benefit at Blythedale's Children's Hospital in Valhalla, NY. Granted I chipped my tooth the night before (don't ask) and I got like, no sleep (waking up at 2 AM...that's when I usually go to bed!), it was a great thing to be apart of. Here's John acousta-rockin' out with Matchbox 20's prodigal son, Rob Thomas.

I told Rob I was his biggest fan. I lied, but only to get this picture. I think he would've gotten in it even if I wasn't a lying jerk, but I didn't want to blow it. Also, I really did enjoy 1996's Yourself Or Someone Like You. "3 AM", great tune. I don't care who you are; it's good.

So anyway, back to my main point. John Mayer covers Radiohead's "Kid A". This wasn't realeased on any compilation of anything, but shitty CW or ABC Family teen dramas should pick it up if they haven't already (I only watch The Colbert Report religiously. I saw that show live over break, too! Epic.). It's a great cover, it truly is. He doesn't piss on it or add any unessecary moans, trying to be like Thom Yorke, who he most certainly is not. But it's majestic in its own right. John hits every emotion, just as much as Radiohead did. I'm not sure anyone will truely ever understand the more profound meaning behind "Kid A" that we all know is out there. Whether or not Thom had writer's block at the time, this allegory of leaving a strange town as a wayward soul is solitified as ambient genuisness. A+ to you Radiohead. And an A to you John Mayer, for not being such a cool dude and realizing the true rock 'n' roll of the times.

Rats and children follow me out town...