Happy Birthday, Bruce Springsteen!

New Jersey's own Bruce Springsteen, The Boss, turned 60 today. Oh how we love him.

"You've always got to remember, rock and roll's never been about giving up. For me, for a lot of kids, it was a totally positive force...not optimistic all the time, but positive. It was never--never--about surrender."

And so I guess now is as good a time as ever to announce a new segment for our show: The Mighty Mighty Boss-Tune! (Clever, right?). We'll be playing a Springsteen song, EVERY SHOW, throughout the remainder of the semester. So that is definitely something to tune in for, along with our already significant line-up of great rock 'n' roll music.

Here are some music videos in honor of one of the coolest dudes in rock music history.

Bruce Springsteen - "Surprise, Surprise"

Bruce Springsteen - "Born To Run"

Bruce Springsteen - "Thunder Road"

Happy 60th, Bruuuuuuuuuce!!!

Never Forget

Today we remember and pay our respects to all those who lost their lives in the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks. We will never forget.

Bruce Springsteen - "My City Of Ruins"


Bruce Springsteen - "The Rising"

The Clash Tops RXP's First Major Countdown

Check it out, people: New York's Rock Experience, 101.9 RXP, conducted a list over Labor Day weekend consisting of the definitive 1,019 tracks that stand the test of time in rock 'n' roll history. Essentially, a best-of-the-bests kind of thing. The countdown was arranged by the combined efforts of both listener and RXP staff vote submissions. 1,019 songs - that's a pretty extensive list, but let me assure you, it was quite enjoyable to tune into the station throughout the weekend and catch up on the Definitive 1,019 List. Here's the Top 10:

10. The Ramones - "I Wanna Be Sedated"
9. Elvis Costello - "(What’s So Funny About)…"
8. The Rolling Stones - "Gimme Shelter"
7. Tom Petty - "American Girl"
6. Led Zeppelin - "Ramble On"
5. The Beatles - "A Day In The Life"
4. Bruce Springsteen - "Thunder Road"
3. The Smiths - "How Soon Is Now?"
2. The Who - "Won't Get Fooled Again"
1. The Clash - "London Calling"

Is this what you expected? RXP favorites Costello, Petty, and The Boss all make the cut in the Top 10. Legendary 80's indie band, The Smiths, capture 3rd place. And the late Joe Strummer and Co. claim numero uno. Keep in mind, the fans had most of the say on what went down. I, for one, agree with the Rock Republic and applaud 101.9 RXP on a job well done.

The Smiths - "How Soon Is Now?"


The Who - "Won't Get Fooled Again"


Bruce Springsteen, Dave Grohl, Elvis Costello, & Steve Van Standt - "London Calling"


Click here for the entire list, courtesy of DJ Steve Craig and 101.9 RXP.

Concert: The Shins (Live at The Wellmont Theater: 5/17/09) + More!

Well folks, if it's been about two weeks since I posted. The summer's picking up quite rapidly, much more than before. Instead of laying around, bored, and waiting for some action, I've started my summer Spanish courses at the County College of Morris (not so bad, actually) and making bank while I make sub sandwiches for business types. Both unflattering tasks, but I'm getting decent marks and pretty nice pay. Enough to let me go see The Shins at least.

What a terrific show. Despite losing two members to a destined, failed taco business (so indie), the Seattle outfit showed up in Montclair, New Jersey to showdown. The Delta Spirit kicked ass as openers; most impressive newbie set of the year so far. We've played one of their tunes on our show. Lots of percussion creativity and emphasis on noise. A+ plus to those guys. Young dudes, opening for the The Shins, making their names. I've spoken enough about opening acts on this blog, let's get away from the appetizer and into the main course.

The Shins opened with "Know Your Onion! - Pam Berry - Phantom Limb" !!!. Totally set the pace for an explosive evening. Throw in some surf rock covers (courtesy of The Beach Boys), new tunes "Double Bubble", and a massive punk rock rebellion/girls-in-the-audience-guitar-playing-slaughter fest, and you've got yourself one hell of an evening. They played from roughly 9 til 11:30 PM. Me, who was suffering from upset stomach and a reluctant case of being the designated driver, did not get as nearly as messed up as my local concert go-ers, but I witnessed some great rock 'n' roll by an expeirenced and humble rock band. No bullshit. They played their old tunes better than recorded sessions and recieved a standing O. Garden State bump or not, these guys carried their own. Best performances of the evening: "Gone For Good", "Sleeping Lessons", or "New Slang". Well done. Well worth my 40 bucks. Looking forward to new material and a new record in 2010.

Though this is from a week earlier, this is pretty much how the song went... Fact.

In other news, I thought I had swine flu earlier this week. Whoo-oo-oa I was on fire. Fever fest!

Just starting to feel better now. Memorial Day Weekend, staying up late, and alcohol destroyed my immune system. I met a ton of new people, swam in a freezing cold ocean, and stole many a-drinks. I should not be alive. I should've been the pork's disease's next victum, yet here I am. Blogging late on past events. Whoever said the summer is time to relax was mistaken. Seriously.

Want more?: Bell X1 put out a new record. Check that out, along with "The Great Defector". Really great stuff. Thanks to RXP in New York City for the new tuneage.

Also, Bruce Springsteen is up for best song in a movie at the MTV Movie Awards this Sunday for "The Wrestler". He'll lose to Paramore because we live in a cruel and uneducated world.

Buenos dias! (Learning already...)

The Total NMTM Playlist (Every Song Ever!)

I don't know if you guys are ready for this. I mean, this is every single tune we ever played on Never Mind the Mainstream since day one! From our epic launch, we've covered so many genres and sub-genres of alternative and indie rock 'n' roll and here's the list of all those amazing songs. One hell of a ride, one hell of a list, one hell of a show!

Total KUR NMTM Playlist (9/19/08 - 4/24/09):

¡All-Time Quarterback! – Plans Get Complex
A.A. Bondy – American Hearts
A.A. Bondy – Oh The Vampyre
A.C. Newman – Take On Me (A-ha Cover)
Aesop Rock (Feat. John Darnielle) – Coffee
Albert Hammond Jr. – GfC
Angus & Julia Stone – Just A Boy
Arcade Fire – Black Mirror
Arcade Fire – Headlights Look Like Diamonds
Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #2 (Laika)
Arcade Fire – Wake Up (Acoustic)
Arctic Monkeys – Fluorescent Adolescent
Arctic Monkeys – Leave Before The Lights Come On
BC Camplight – Couldn’t You Tell?
Babyshambles – Fuck Forever (Edit)
Bad Brains – Pay To Cum!
Band Of Horses – Is There A Ghost?
Band Of Horses – No One’s Gonna Love You
Band Of Horses - Detlef Schrempf
Barton Carroll – Brooklyn Girl, You’re Gonna Be My Bride
Bat For Lashes – Daniel
Bat For Lashes – Moon And Moon
Bayside – The Walking Wounded
Beck – Devil’s Haircut
Beck – Gamma Ray (TWICE)
Beck – Replica
Beirut – My Night With The Prostitute From Marseilles
Belaire – Through The Air (Kanye West Cover)
Belle & Sebastian – Get Me Out Of Here, I’m Dying
Belle & Sebastian – Step Into My Office, Baby
Ben Gibbard – Thriller (Michael Jackson Cover)
Ben Kweller – Wasted And Ready
Big D & The Kids Table – Shining On
Big Star – Thirteen
Billy Bragg – A New England
Billy Bragg – The Milkman Of Human Kindness
Billy Bragg & Wilco – All You Fascists
Birdie Busch – Go Go Gadget Heart
Björk – All Is Full Of Love (TWICE)
Björk - Hyperballad (Live)
Black Flag – Rise Above
Black Flag – TV Party (TWICE)
Black Kids – Hit The Heartbrakes
Black Kids – Look At Me (When I Rock Wichoo)
Black Lips – Short Fuse
Blink-182 – Josie
Blink 182 – Not Now
Bloc Party – Always New Depths
Bloc Party – Hunting For Witches
Bloc Party – Letter To My Son
Bloc Party – One Month Off
Bloc Party – Signs (TWICE)
Bloc Party – The Once And Future King
Bloc Party – Your Visits Are Getting Shorter
Blondie – Union City Blue
Blur – Song 2
Bob Dylan – Tangled Up In Blue
Bob Mould – It’s Too Late
Bon Iver – Beach Baby
Bon Iver – Brackett, WI
Bon Iver – Creature Fear
Bon Iver – Flume
Bon Iver – For Emma
Bon Iver – Skinny Love
Boyz II Men – Mo’ Town Philly
Bright Eyes – First Day Of My Life
Bruce Springsteen – A Night With The Jersey Devil
Bruce Springsteen – Darkness On The Edge Of The Town
Bruce Springsteen – Girls In Their Summer Clothes
Bruce Springsteen – No Surrender
Bruce Springsteen – What Love Can Do
Built To Spill – Big Dipper
Built To Spill – Car
Built To Spill – Sidewalk
CSS – Cannonball (The Breeders Cover)
CSS – Left Behind
CSS – Rat Is Dead (Rage)
Camper Van Beethoven – Eye Of Fatima (Part 1)
Cat Power – Fool
Cat Power – He War
Chad VanGaalen – Molten Light (TWICE)
Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah! – Yankee Go Home
Clap Your Hands, Say Yeah! – Is This Love?
Coconut Records – West Coast
Coheed & Cambria – The Suffering
Coheed & Cambria – The Velourium Camper III: Al The Killer
Cold War Kids – Coffee Spoon
Cold War Kids – Every Valley Is Not A Lake
Cold War Kids – Hospital Beds
Cold War Kids – Relief
Cold War Kids – Saint John
Cold War Kids – Something Is Not Right With Me
Cold War Kids – Welcome To The Occupation
Color Revoult – Mattresses Under Water
Colour Revolt – A New Family
Colour Revolt – Naked And Red
Common – The People
Conor Oberst – I Don’t Want To Die In The Hospital
Conor Oberst – Souled Out!!!
Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band – Nikorette
Cortez! Cortez!! – Newspapers
Crystal Castles Vs. Health – Crimewave (TWICE)
Cursive – Bloody Murderer
Cursive – From The Hips (Edit)
Cursive – I Couldn’t Love You
Cursive – We’re Going To Hell
Daft Punk – Something About Us
David Bazan – Hallelujah
David Bowie – Life On Mars
David Bowie – Space Oddity
Dead Man’s Bones – In The Room Where You Sleep
Death Cab For Cutie – Long Division
Death Cab For Cutie – The New Year
Death Cab For Cutie – Your New Twin Sized Bed (TWICE)
Delta Spirit – People, Turn Around
Delta Spirit – Trashcan
Depeche Mode – Enjoy The Silence
Desaparecidos – Mall Of America
Devo – Through Being Cool
Dinosaur Jr. – Feel The Pain
dios (malos) – I Want It All
Dodos – Fools
Does It Offend You, Yeah – Dawn Of The Dead
Echo & The Bunnymen – The Cutter
Echo & The Bunnymen – The Killing Moon
Editors – An End Has A Start
Elliott Smith – Ballad Of Big Nothing
Elliott Smith – Independence Day (Live)
Elliott Smith – LA (TWICE)
Elvis Costello – Radio, Radio
Feist – I Feel It All
Feist & Ben Gibbard – Train Song (Vashti Bunyan Cover)
Felice Brothers – Frankie’s Gun
Fleet Foxes – He Doesn’t Know Why (TWICE)
Foals – Olympic Airways
Franz Ferdinand – Call Me (The Blondie Cover) (Live)
Franz Ferdinand – The Fallen
Gang Of Four – Damaged Goods.
Get Him, Eat Him – Ancient History
Gnarls Barkley – Going On
Gnarls Barkley – Run (I’m A Natural Disaster)
Gogol Bordello – Wanderlust King
Good Old War – Coney Island
Grizzly Bear – Deep Blue Sea
Guided By Voices – I Am A Scientist
Guru (Feat. Common & Bob James) – State Of Clarity
Happy Mondays – 24 Hour Party People
Headlights – Put Us Back Together Right
Heatmiser – See You Later
Hot Chip – One Pure Thought
Hot Chip – Wrestlers
I’m From Barcelona – Paper Planes
Ida Maria – I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked
Illinois – Alone Again
Illinois – Headphones
Imogen Heap – Headlock
Incubus – Stellar
Interpol – Evil (TWICE)
Interpol – Narc
Interpol – Obstacle 1
Interpol – Obstacle 2
Iron & Wine – Jezebel
Jane’s Addiction – Been Caught Stealing
Jane’s Addiction – Stop
Jason Lytle – Brand New Sun
Jeff Mangum – I Love How You Love Me (Bobby Vinton Cover)
Jenny Lewis – Acid Tongue
Jens Lekman – Black Cab
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts – I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll
Joanna Newsom – Peach, Plum, Pear
John Frusciante – This Cold
Josh Ritter – The Temptation Of Adam
Josh Ritter – Wolves
Joy Division – Digital (TWICE)
Joy Division – Disorder
Justice – Never Be Alone
Justin Towles Earle – Can’t Hardly Wait (The Replacements Cover) (TWICE)
k-os – I Wish I Knew Natalie Portman
Kevin Devine – Brooklyn Boy
Kevn Kinney – Chico & Maria
Kevn Kinney – MacDougal Blues
King Khan & The Shrines – Took My Lady To Dinner
Kings Of Leon – Sex On Fire
Kings Of Leon – Use Somebody
LCD Soundsystem – All My Friends
Ledbelly – Where Did You Sleep Last Night?
Lily Allen – The Fear (Edit)
Longwave – There’s A Fire
Los Campesinos! – Death To Los Campesinos!
Los Campesinos! – It Started With A Mixx
Los Campesinos! – We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
Lovvers – No Fun (The Stooges Cover)
M. Ward – Epistemology
M83 – Don’t Save Us From The Flames
M83 – Graveyard Girl
M83 – Kim & Jesse (TWICE)
MGMT – Electric Feel (TWICE)
MGMT – The Youth
Maritime - Parade Of Punk Rock T-Shirts
Mark Mulcahy – Jason
Matt Pond PA – Basement Parties
Matt Pond PA – Hearts And Minds
Metric – Monster Hospital
Mew – Special
Midnight Oil – Beds Are Burning
Miracle Legion – Academy Fight Song (Mission Of Burma Cover) (TWICE)
Miracle Legion – Madison Park
Miracle Legion – The Backyard
Modest Mouse – Fire It Up
Modest Mouse – Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes
Modest Mouse – Trailer Trash
Morningwood – New York Girls
Morrissey – I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris
Morrissey – I Don’t Mind If You Forget Me
Morrissey – Something Is Squeezing My Skull
Morrissey – There Is A Light That Never Goes Out (Live)
Motion City Soundtrack – Even If It Kills Me
Muscles – Hey Muscles, I Love You
Muse – Knights Of Cydonia (Radio Edit)
My Morning Jacket – Gideon
My Morning Jacket – Thank You, Too
My Morning Jacket – Touch Me, I’m Going To Scream (Part 1)
Neckbeard Telecaster – One More Night Like This
Neutral Milk Hotel – King Of Carrot Flowers (Parts 2 & 3)
New Order – Age Of Consent
New York Dolls – Trash
Nine Inch Nails – Head Like A Hole
Nirvana – Come As You Are (Unplugged)
Nirvana – On A Plain (Unplugged)
Nirvana – Plateau (Meat Puppets Cover)
Nirvana – Serve The Servants
Noah And The Whale – 5 Years Time
Oasis – Falling Down
Oasis – Shock Of The Lightning
Of Montreal – Du Og Meg
Of Montreal – Know Your Onion! (The Shins Cover)
Orange Juice – Blue Boy
P. Diddy – Diddy
Pattern Is Movement – Bird
Pattern Is Movement – Peach Trees
Pattern Is Movement – Right Away (TWICE)
Pattern Is Movement – Sylvia
Paul Westerberg – Love Untold
Pavement – Cut Your Hair
Pavement – Gold Soundz
Pearl Jam – Even Flow (Edit)
Pearl Jam – Jeremy
Pearl Jam – Life Wasted
Pela – Cavalry
Pela – Drop Me Off (TWICE)
Pela – Interview/Song Writes Itself
Pela – Lost To The Lonesome
Pela – Tenement Teeth (TWICE)
Peter Gabriel – Solsbury Hill
Phoenix – 1901
Pinback – Blue Harvest
Pinback – Penelope
Pixies – Caribou
Pixies – Debaser
Pixies – Holiday Song
Pixies – La La Love You
Pixies – Monkey Gone To Heaven
Pixies – Plant Of Sound (Edit)
Polaris – Ivy Boy
Polaris – Waiting For October
Psychedelic Furs – Love My Way
Public Image Limited – Rise
Queens Of The Stone Age – 3’s & 7’S
Queens Of The Stone Age – Burn The Witch
R.E.M. – Belong
R.E.M. – Ghost Rider (Suicide Cover)
R.E.M. – I Took Your Name
R.E.M. – It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
R.E.M. – Man-Sized Wreath
R.E.M. – Maps And Legends
R.E.M. – Nightswimming
R.E.M. – The One I Love
R.E.M. – We Walk (Live)
R.E.M. – World Leader Pretend
Ra Ra Riot – Can You Tell
Radiohead – Bangers And Mash
Radiohead – Morning Bell
Radiohead – Reckoner
Radiohead – True Love Waits (Live)
Radiohead – Videotape
Radiohead – Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Californication
Reel Big Fish – Everything Sucks (Edit)
Rilo Kiley – The Absence Of God
Rivers Cuomo (Feat. Rainn Wilson) – One Of Us (Joan Osbourne Cover)
Rogue Wave – Chicago X 12
Santogold, Julian Casablancas, & N.E.R.D. – My Drive Thru
Say Hi – Hallie & Henry
Say Hi – Northwestern Girls
Say Hi – Spiders
Say Hi To Your Mom – Blah Blah Blah
Say Hi To Your Mom – Sweet, Sweet Heartkiller
Sea Wolf – Middle Distance Runner
Sigur Rós – Gobbledigook
Sigur Rós – Hoppípolla
Silversun Pickups – Panic Switch
Simon & Garfunkel – The Only Living Boy In New York
Sleater-Kinney – Modern Girl
Smoking Popes – Megan
Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin – I Think I Wanna Die
Sonic Youth – Kool Thing
Sonic Youth – Rain On Tin
Sonic Youth – Teenage Riot
Spoon – Don’t You Evah
St. Vincent – Actor Out Of Work
St. Vincent – The Strangers
Stars – Take Me To The Riot
Stephen Malkmus & The Million Dollar Bashers – Maggie’s Farm (Bob Dylan Cover)
Streetlight Manifesto – Day In, Day Out
Streetlight Manifesto – Somewhere In The Between
Sufjan Stevens – Dear Mr. Supercomputer
TV On The Radio – Dancing Choose
TV On The Radio – Family Tree
TV On The Radio – Golden Age
Takka Takka – Fever
Talking Heads – Burning Down The House (Live)
Talking Heads – Girlfriend Is Better
Talking Heads – Psycho Killer
team9 Vs. Stereogum – Lockdown Shelter (Kanye West Vs. The Rolling Stones)
Ted Leo – Since U Been Gone (Kelly Clarkson Cover)
Tegan & Sara – Walking With A Ghost
The A-Sides – Cinematic
The Afghan Wings – Gentleman
The Avett Brothers – If It’s The Beaches
The B.P.A. (Feat. David Byrne & Dizzy Rascal) – Toe Jam (Edit)
The Band - I Shall Be Released
The Black Keys – Just Got To Be
The Black Keys – Strange Times
The Black Keys – Your Touch
The Breeders – Cannonball
The Clash – Clampdown
The Clash – The Magnificent Seven (Live)
The Cranberries – Zombie
The Cure – Lovesong
The Cure – Lullaby
The Damned – New Rose
The Dead Milkmen – Punk Rock Girl (TWICE)
The Decemberists – O Valencia!
The Decemberists – Summersong
The Decemberists - Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect
The Doors – Love Me Two Times
The Elected – Would You Come With Me?
The Field Mice – Emma’s House
The Godfathers – Birth, School, Work, Death
The Good Life - Empty Bed
The Helio Sequence – Keep Your Eyes Ahead
The Hold Steady – Chicago Seemed Tired Last Night
The Hold Steady – Constructive Summer
The Hold Steady – Curves & Nerves
The Hold Steady – Lord, I'm Discouraged
The Hold Steady – Massive Nights (Live)
The Hold Steady – Slapped Actress
The Hold Steady – Stay Positive
The Hold Steady – Stuck Between Stations (TWICE)
The Jim Carroll Band – People Who Died (TWICE)
The Killers – Bones
The Killers – Human
The Killers – Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine
The Killers – On Top
The Killers – Spaceman
The Kinks – Waterloo Sunset
The Knife – Heartbeats
The La’s – There She Goes
The Lemonheads – It’s A Shame About Ray
The Libertines – Boys In The Band
The Like – What I Say And What I Mean
The Manchester Orchestra – Wolves At Night
The Mountain Goats – Cubs In Five
The Mountain Goats – No Children
The Mountain Goats – The Boys Are Back In Town/Ignition (Remix) (Thin Lizzy/R. Kelly Cover)
The Mountain Goats – This Year
The National – All The Wine (TWICE)
The National – Mistaken For Strangers
The National – Murder Me, Rachael
The National – So Far Around The Bend
The Offspring – Can’t Repeat
The Only Ones – Another Girl, Another Planet
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – A Teenager In Love
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – Come Saturday
The Pharcyde – Passing Me By
The Police – Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
The Postal Service – There’s Never Enough Time
The Postal Service (Feat. Jen Wood) – Nothing Better
The Psychedelic Furs – Love My Way
The Raconteurs – Level
The Ramones – Do You Remember Rock 'N' Roll Radio?
The Ramones – I Wanna Be Sedated
The Ramones – Rockaway Beach
The Replacements – Can’t Hardly Wait
The Replacements – Color Me Impressed (Edit)
The Replacements – I Will Dare
The Replacements – Left Of The Dial
The Replacements – Perfectly Lethal
The Replacements – Skyway
The Replacements – When It Began
The Roots – The Seed
The Sex Pistols – God Save The Queen
The Sex Pistols – Pretty Vacant
The Shins – Australia
The Shins – Gone For Good
The Smiths – William, It Was Really Nothing
The Smiths – Rubber Ring
The Smiths – Sheila Take A Bow
The Smiths – Still Ill
The Smiths – This Charming Man
The Sounds – Rock ‘N’ Roll
The Stone Roses – I Am The Resurrection
The Stone Roses – She Bangs The Drums
The Strokes – Heart In A Cage (Edit)
The Strokes – Juicebox
The Tallest Man On Earth – Walk The Line
The Teenagers – Love No
The Thermals – An Ear For Baby
The Thermals – Now We Can See
The Thermals – Pillar Of Salt
The Thermals – We Were Sick
The Ting Tings – Shut Up And Let Me Go
The Vines – In The Jungle
The Virgins – Rich Girls
The Walkmen – Little House Of Savages
The Whigs – Right Hand On My Heart
The White Stripes – Dead Leaves And Dirty Ground
The White Stripes – You Don’t What Love Is (You Just Do As Your Told)
The White Stripes (Feat. Beck) – It’s My Fault For Being Famous
The Wombats – Let’s Dance To Joy Division
They Might Be Giants – Don’t Let’s Start
Throw Me The Statue – Lolita
Throw Me The Statue – Your Girlfriend's Car
Tilly & The Wall – Fell Down The Stairs
Tokyo Police Club – Box
Tokyo Police Club – Citizens Of Tomorrow
Tokyo Police Club – Graves
Tokyo Police Club – In A Cave
Tokyo Police Club – Juno
Tokyo Police Club – New New Song
Tokyo Police Club – Nursery Academy
Tokyo Police Club – The Harrowing Adventures Of
Tom Waits – Singapore
U2 – New Year’s Day
Vampire Weekend – Campus
Vampire Weekend – Exit Music (For A Film) (Radiohead Cover)
Vampire Weekend – One (Blake’s Got A New Face)
Vampire Weekend – The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance
Veruca Salt – Seether
Violent Femmes – Kiss Off
Wall Of Voodoo – Mexican Radio
Warren Zevon – Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner
Warren Zevon – Werewolves Of London
We Are Scientists – After Hours
We Are Scientists – It’s A Hit
We Are Scientists – Lethal Enforcer
Weezer – Falling For You
White Rabbits – The Plot
Wilco – Bob Dylan's 49th Beard
Wilco – Passenger Side
Wild Light – Heart Attack
Wild Light – Surf Generation
Wolf Parade – California Dreamer
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cheated Hearts
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Hysteric
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Kiss, Kiss
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Y Control (The Faint Remix)
Yeasayer – Tight Rope
Yo La Tengo – From A Motel 6
Youth Group – Shadowland
ZZ Top – La Grange

"Is there anybody alive out there?"

"Bruuuuuce" On The Daily Show

"Thank you, Jon."

Bruce Springsteen came on the show tonight, and this being one of my favorite shows anyway, I had to tune in. Only I tuned in a little too late, like towards the end of the interview where Jon Stewart talks about his own New Jersey experiences, and you just know that Springsteen's going "you think you had it bad, funny guy", in his head. This had been advertised for a while and I was wondering what song he was going to play. I knew it had to be something off the latest record. I crossed my fingers for "Surprise, Surprise", which should replace "Happy Birthday" at all birthday functions in society from this point on. I was also pulling for my new favorite, "Life Itself", but hey, I don't call the shots. Instead he played the title track, "Working On A Dream". And by the way, if you haven't read my album review, check it out here. It's one of my favorites of 2009 so far. I'm glad The Boss is getting a brand new, younger fan base. These songs are good and it's not often we see a legend comeback with such great material. Beat this star-studded, quick response post, Stereogum! And I'm sure the YouTube video will be up tomorrow. Until then, enjoy this retro, but beautiful acoustic performance.

New Video: Bruce Springsteen - The Wrestler

Late night Stereogum catch-up sessions,
you prompt yet another 2 AM post.

Anyone who listens to our show understands this (if nothing else): Big Jim likes to get nostalgic about the old world of professional wrestling, circa late 80's to mid 90's. It's something that all little boys got sucked into. We had to let our childish anger out somehow, why not by power-bombing our brothers onto sofa pillows while the Saturday Night main event glared on our TV's in the background? That world may be staged and fake, but for little kids, it gets a hold on you and the memories can last. Maybe shape your life. But hey, that's TV & kids 101.

So The Wrestler is a great movie. And Bruce's track "The Wrestler", was written for Mickey Rourke and whatever friendship they have going on (CORRECTION, or maybe correction: Jim tells me the director asked Bruce to write it. Regardless, it's magic). I've talked about this before. But hey - now there's a video for it. Watch it yourselves. I have it below (thanks YouTube). The video makes me realize a few things: 1. Bruce is looking old in this one; the slicked back hair is not rejuvenating him by any means. 2. Marissa Tomei = still hot. 3. Pro Wrestlers may have more out-of-the-ring struggles than one would think; just watch the video, or better yet, go see the damn movie! And 4. It brings back the memory and paints a picture of the moments one spends, alone, in a dark gym, reflecting on years past, reflecting on the what was and what might have been, and it pumps blood back into your cold veins as you wait for sleep. Don't get me going about high school track, now.

Grapple with The Boss!? You'd lose, punk.

"Working On A Dream" is out now. It's one of The Boss's best. Allright, let's hear it for comebacks!

Working On A Dream: The NMTM Review

Trust me, this picture needs to be big.

Okay, so this is a pretty "mainstream" thing of me to do, but I believe New Jersey's own Bruce Springsteen, The Boss, deserves an album review for his latest release, titled "Working On A Dream". In a nutshell, this record is incredible. It's another one of those "return to form" records from legendary artists that are apparently all the rage right now. There really is not a dull moment on this one; each song is unique and it's really a great mix of hard and soft, fast and slow, moving and suspenseful tunes. And if your lazy like me, you can pretty much stop reading right now, but I leave you this one last thing: Go buy this record. Don't just download it. You need this. You want this in your collection. You desire the sleeve. This is rock 'n' roll and an all over great record. Here's the track list, and with it, I'll comment a sentence or two about each.

1. Outlaw Pete
(The record opens with 8-minute long Western tale of a true bad ass. A shady character keeps his emotions pretty tight. Just a son of a gun who lives a life of crime just because it's a lifestyle.)

2. My Lucky Day
(Bruce has seen a lot of tough stuff in his life, but every now and again, he gets lucky. I saw he's pretty happy now-a-days. This song is triumph of the fortunate day.)

3. Working On A Dream
(The title track. I'm not sure what else The Boss has to prove anymore in his career, maybe to just defy age and limitations. Regardless, very nice bit right here. Performed at the Super Bowl, too.)

4. Queen Of The Supermarket
(Okay, this is a GOOD song. Maybe not lyrically, but it's sharp. Haters beware. This blogger is a fan of the whacked-out ladies that make it into memorable songs.)

5. What Love Can Do
(So good it was played on our show. A Valentine's Day treat for sure. Reminiscent of Magic's "I'll Work For Your Love". Bruce is still proving to people the power of love.)

6. This Life
(A heavy track. One of Bruce's strongest vocals on the entire record. What else can you expect?)

7. Good Eye
(How about just a great Southern track. Bruce's vocals are skewed on this harmonic tune. An ode to BB King and the blues of the deep south.)

8. Tom morrow Never Knows
(The unexpected is something that comes up in a lot of good songwriting; surprisingly, it's easy to talk about being unaware of life's journeys to come. I can see Bruce singing this song to a young person, possibly a kid, who's not sure of where he's being taken to on his life. But hey, kid, no one really knows.)

9. Life Itself
(Pretty rough and tumble. Great guitar work on this piece. If Bruce is "working on a dream", then perhaps "Life Itself" is the moment at which you wake up and realize that your faced with reality once again. A bitter defeat.)

10. Kingdom Of Days
(A great love song. A tribute to timeless romance when your with someone who seems to diminish seconds, minutes, hours, and days. Pivotal lyrics: I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I do, you whispered, "then prove it, then prove it, then prove it, to me baby blue".)

11. Surprise, Surprise
(My personal favorite. Happiest tune on the album. Surprise's can be a lot of fun; and this is a birthday song to anyone to anyone who thought The Boss was too old to make you smile.)

12. The Last Carnival
(Carnies deserve a love story. Bruce knows how hard a true working man can live his life. This song ends the album with a sundown of chorus lines and peace.)

13. Bonus Track: The Wrestler
(Written for Mickey Rourke and the great, great movie that bares the title of the song, this might be the saddest song I have ever heard, let alone Bruce's. If nothing else on this record, you need to listen to "The Wrestler".)

Well that's all I got on this one. Album reviews aren't terrible tough to do, but they are time consuming. Luckily, I have nothing else to do on Sundays, other than to fold laundry and listen to life, one record at a time.

Come on, open your eyes, and let your love shine down!