Music

Friday, March 19, 2010

Young Jeezy Now Just "Jeezy," Still Awful

Posted by Benjamin Sutton on Fri, Mar 19, 2010 at 3:14 PM

Young Jeezy is now just Jeezy
To whomever is still paying attention to him: Young Jeezy (real name Jay Jenkins) wants hereafter to be referred to as simply Jeezy. As HipHopWired reports, the name adjustment has been in the offing for a few months now, but wasn't made official until now. Other MCs who've gone through this hip-hop rite of passage include the likes of Lil Bow Wow and Sean "Puff 'P. Diddy' Daddy" Combs.

Young Jeezy, for those of you who don't know (consider yourselves lucky), has made a name for himself as a slow, seething, growling MC whose half-assed verses have become ubiquitous for constantly being featured alongside just about every smooth rapper or singer with a silky voice: Usher, Rihanna, Jay-Z, Akon, Kanye West, T.I., Christina Milian and more. He's also released full albums, which must be unlistenable. On the plus side, now making fun of him requires one less syllable—next year he'll just start going by "Jee."

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Watch the Video for "The Longest Shadow" by High Places

Posted by Mike Conklin on Fri, Mar 19, 2010 at 12:23 PM

The video for "The Longest Shadow," the second single from the forthcoming High Places album, hit Stereogum yesterday, and it's seriously no joke: all breathy and richly textured, with no real hint of the naiveté that characterized their earlier work. If the whole album is like this, it's a surefire candidate for Year-End supremacy.

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Members of R.E.M, X, She and Him to Pay Tribute to Alex Chilton at SXSW

Posted by Mike Conklin on Fri, Mar 19, 2010 at 11:28 AM

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When he died suddenly of a heart attack on Wednesday, Alex Chilton was scheduled to play a show with members of Big Star this Saturday at South By Southwest. That show will now feature a tribute to the Chilton, with members of R.E.M, She and Him, X and others on hand for the occasion. According to MTV News:

The Saturday night show at Antone's will feature original Big Star drummer Jody Stephens and newer members Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer of the Posies acting as a house band, with original Big Star bassist Andy Hummel expected to sit in along with She & Him's M. Ward, R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills, X's John Doe and Chris Stamey of the dB's.

One can only imagine the list of guest performers will grow larger and even more illustrious over the next 24 hours.

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Thursday, March 18, 2010

Alex Chilton and the Box Tops Don't Take Lip Synching Very Seriously at All

Posted by Jonny Diamond on Thu, Mar 18, 2010 at 4:39 PM

Thanks to commenter George for linking to this incredible video of the late Alex Chilton's Box Tops just having a lark doing a ridiculous lip synch on the teevee to "The Letter." It's absurd, and I think they're enjoying themselves.

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The Video for T-Pain's "Reverse Cowgirl" Is Finally Here!

Posted by Benjamin Sutton on Thu, Mar 18, 2010 at 1:15 PM

Ever since Mike and I discussed this track earlier this month, I've been eagerly anticipating the video for the second single off T-Pain's upcoming RevolveR record (dropping in May), "Reverse Cowgirl." The smoky, slow motion-y video went live yesterday, and it's everything it needed to be, with a dark palette speckled by bright red details and strobe lights, and, best of all, no Young Jeezy verse! Also, there's a woman wearing a saddle, which is both awful and exactly as it should be in light of the song's lyrics. Enjoy.

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American Idol Recap: In Which, Somewhat Regretfully, I Once Again Correctly Predicted the Outcome

Posted by Mike Conklin on Thu, Mar 18, 2010 at 9:31 AM

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So, Lacey was sent home last night, and once again, it's a total bummer, if not exactly a surprise. I was conflicted about who I wanted to see go, because my usual punching bags, Paige Miles and Katie Stevens, showed enough improvement to have warranted at least another week. As the day went on yesterday, I found myself more and more sure that it was Andrew Garcia who should go: He started out really well, with the much talked about cover of Paula Abdul's "Straight Up," and then it's been pretty much downhill ever since, leading up to Tuesday night's abysmal performance, sans guitar no less, of "Gimme Shelter."

Instead, we said goodbye to Lacey Brown, who, as I mentioned yesterday, has exactly the opposite of the type of voice that generally does well on Idol, in that her restraint is her greatest attribute. She doesn't bash you over the head with crazy notes or big runs—probably because she isn't able to, but I like to think it's because she has good taste in things. Alas, America does not, but we already knew that. And at least Siobhan didn't go home.

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Alex Chilton R.I.P

Posted by Mike Conklin on Thu, Mar 18, 2010 at 8:23 AM

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News broke last night, on Twitter of course, but first through the Memphis Commercial Appeal that Alex Chilton had died at the age of 59. Chilton got his start in soul-tinged 60s band The Box Tops, and would later go on to form Big Star, whose influence on the first-wave indie rock cannot be overstated. He was famously toasted by the Replacements, on the song "Alex Chilton" from the album Pleased to Meet Me.

Chilton was at his home in New Orleans when he started complaining that he wasn't feeling well. He was taken to a local hospital, where he died, in the emergency room, of a suspected heart attack. He was scheduled to perform with Big Star on Saturday at SXSW, and his death will cast a dark shadow over this year's festivities.

Some videos after the jump...

Continue reading »

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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Song of the Day: "You're Going Back" by The Tallest Man on Earth

Posted by Mike Conklin on Wed, Mar 17, 2010 at 1:37 PM

I've listened to this song, off the upcoming (and brilliant) new Tallest Man on Earth record, The Wild Hunt, a million times in the past 18 hours, because "Let us float in the tears, let us cry from the laughter" is basically the best line ever. That's all. Enjoy.

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American Idol Recap: In Which the Judges Concede That Siobhan Was Better Than Crystal

Posted by Mike Conklin on Wed, Mar 17, 2010 at 11:28 AM

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Well, what do you know? Rolling Stones night turned out to be a really terrible idea, pretty much all around. I found myself somewhat disappointed that really no one, except for Paige Miles of all people, tried to capture the energy—the swagger—of the original songs, most everyone choosing instead to slow things down. It was far more boring than it should have been, but there was one important turn of events: Simon told Bowersox she got beat. That wasn't until the very end, though, so... from the beginning:

Continue reading »

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Tuesday, March 16, 2010

You American Idol Top 12, Now Featuring Almost No Weird People, Thank God

Posted by Mike Conklin on Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 4:28 PM

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I wouldn't hold it against you if, after last week's absolutely disastrous results show, you decided that you didn't care enough about this season of American Idol to keep watching. With Lily Scott and Alex Lambert sent packing long before their time, we've already been given ample evidence that Americans still hate anything that doesn't immediately make sense to them. Did Lily belong in a coffee shop like Bowersox? Or was she a Duffy-style "throwback" like Didi? Was Alex a Made-for-Disney teen-pop star in the making like Tim Urban? Or did he have laid-back troubadour potential like Andrew Garcia? They both existed in a grey area, and it worked against them more—and faster—than even I thought it would. Depressing, for sure.

But they can't just go ahead and crown Crystal the winner without at least letting everyone sing a few more times, so the show must go on. The Top 12 kicks off tonight, and they're singing, god help us, songs by the Rolling Stones. I can't even begin to guess who will do what, but I'm gonna go ahead and predict Bowersox will do a scratchy, acoustic reading of "Satisfaction," while Mike Lynche does a big, soulful "Wild Horses." Rumor has it Siobhan Magnus is doing "Paint It Black," which could actually be very good. Unfortunately, it probably won't matter. She used to have super weird hair, after all.

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Song of the Day: "Girls FM" by Happy Birthday

Posted by Mike Conklin on Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 11:02 AM

The self-titled debut full-length from Vermont trio Happy Birthday comes out today, via Sub Pop, and I am in love with the album's opening track, "Girls FM," for the many ways it reminds me of the 90s and the Elephant Six collective.

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Harold Ford Jr.: Why I'm Not Looking at Iggy Pop's Pectoral Muscles

Posted by Mike Conklin on Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 10:34 AM

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Times writer David Itzkoff's screen-grab from last night's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony has been making the rounds this morning, and, understandably, the focus has been on New York Senatorial candidate non-practicing politician Harold Ford Jr. I'd like to shift your attention, though, to his lady-friend and the old dude over there on the right, neither of whom are fairing nearly as well as Ford at managing to divert their eyes from Iggy Pop's super-weird, wrinkly pecs.

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Belgian Man Makes Lego Busts of Famous People

Posted by Mike Conklin on Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 10:08 AM

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So there's this 45-year-old Belgian comedian named Dirk Denoyelle, and while I'm not sure if it's technically part of his comedy act or simply a way to pass the time, ol' Dirk likes to use legos to create busts of famous people. Most impressive is his series charting the many changes in Michael Jackson's face over the years, even though I don't know what exactly is going on the that second one, which I assume we're to place somewhere around Thriller/Bad-era. It was good enough to make him one of only nine people in the world to be considered a "Lego Certified Professional," which I find quite surprising, especially considering I thought this last image, after the jump, was Fred Armisen. It is not Fred Armisen.

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Monday, March 15, 2010

SXSW Tip Sheet: Magic Kids

Posted by Lauren Beck on Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 4:29 PM

So you’re headed to Austin, and you’re really excited to see Hole, right? Of course not. You’re hoping to catch a few on-the-cusp buzz bands while causally bumping into Kirsten Dunst so you can brag to your friends that you bumped into Kirsten Dunst while seeing the Next Big Thing back when they were just Things. You should therefore see the Magic Kids.

In an online interview with Nylon magazine last summer, one such Magic Kid said, “If it makes you feel sad, then it’s bad music,” which should give you a pretty good idea about where these guys are coming from. Though their happy, huggy, fairy-dust vibe is somewhat consistent with other bands boasting more than six members (see: Polyphonic Spree, I’m From Barcelona, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros), there’s an undeniable retro-pop influence at the forefront. We're talking sock hops, soda shops and wide-eyed innocence. They’ve recently signed to True Panther Sounds, an imprint for Matador which picked up a solid reputation for sniffing out unknown talent after signing Girls last year. At the very least, take a listen to their song “Hey Boy” posted above and decide if they’re worth your precious SXSW time, or just take our word for it — they are.

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All Three Special Edition Covers For Method Man, Ghostface and Raekwon's Upcoming Wu Massacre

Posted by Benjamin Sutton on Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 3:57 PM

Method Man, Ghostface and Raekwon's Wu Massacre album, after many delays and recent claims by Meth that Def Jam has tried to sabotage the project, now has a fairly final release date of March 30 and three epic special edition covers by comic artist Chris Bachalo in addition to the aforementioned album art. My favorite is Ghost's (below), without a doubt, but check out the other two after the jump. (NahRight)

Wu Massacre Ghostface Cover

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Vampire Weekend Sounded Kind of Shitty on Fallon

Posted by Mike Conklin on Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 2:51 PM

So, the good news: They didn't play "Cousins" again. But then the bad news: Ezra wasn't really up for the falsetto parts, and the whole thing is a bit meh. Neither good nor bad, but maybe sort of funny: during a break in the song, drummer Chris Thompson puts on a hat for no apparent reason, and people cheer. That dude seems to be enjoying this a little more than the rest of them, doesn't he?

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New She and Him Record, Volume Two, Streaming Now at NPR

Posted by Mike Conklin on Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 2:25 PM

I don't know why they insist that they're such a polarizing band, because, well, they just aren't, really, but NPR has the new She and Him record, Volume Two, streaming on their website right now. Go listen, and decide which side you'll take in the fiery, fiery debate that is certain not to follow.

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Julian Casablancas and Andy Samberg Team Up for "Boombox"

Posted by Mike Conklin on Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 11:48 AM

This also happened on Saturday Night Live, I guess. You'll roll your eyes at first, when you realize it's just Andy Samberg doing his white rapper schtick. But then Julian Casablancas shows up, and then he says, "I saw a Spanish guy doing the Bartman," and then old people start doing it. (Um, not the Bartman, but, you know... it) It's actually pretty funny.

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Monday Morning Feuds: Kate Nash vs. The Pussycat Dolls

Posted by Mike Conklin on Mon, Mar 15, 2010 at 9:55 AM

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In a recent interview with Gigwise, British singer Kate Nash gripes openly about the type of music that's being hoisted upon young girls, specifically calling out the Pussycat Dolls and the message they send.

"Young kids should be taught about sex, but they shouldn't be taught to be sexy,” Nash said.

“It's really distasteful. They're called Pussy. Cat. Dolls. You don't need to say anything else really.

“It's encouraging sexualisation and sexuality in young kids, and I think that's a bit weird.”

If, by "encouraging sexualization and sexuality in young kids," she means to say that they've made it so that "11-year-old girls walk around the mall wearing sweatpants with the words "hot stuff" or "princess" or "flirt" emblazoned on the ass," yes, we completely agree.

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Friday, March 12, 2010

This Weekend: Poor Indie-Rock Bands Need Your Help

Posted by Lauren Beck on Fri, Mar 12, 2010 at 4:35 PM

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It would be super nice of you to head over to Cake Shop this Saturday with $10 in your pocket and a fistful of Doritos. There will be a great big bunch of bands playing before they make their way to Austin for indie-rock spring break SXSW next week, including forever L Mag faves Darlings, My Teenage Stride, The Sundelles and lots of others you’re probably sick of us writing about. Here’s where the Doritos come in: Bands tend to be poor unless they’re U2, so not only will all door proceeds be split among each of them to help pay for gas, but there will be $2 Dos Equis for whoever brings snacks for their road trip.

Not that you guys care, but in college my school would organize a trip called "Dayton to Daytona" every year after graduation. Driving to Florida was pretty fun, but the way back to Ohio was not so much. That's how I imagine the drive back from SXSW being: lots of headaches and maybe even a friend getting sick on you. Point is, bring a few bottles of water instead of Doritos? Sets are just 20 minutes, so get there early — doors at 7pm, tickets $10.

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