Miscellaneous News and Notes for the New Year…

As 2009 gets started in the world of music, we have already seen some extraordinary happenings…from a possible Album of the Year candidate only 3 weeks into January (see Animal Collective), the unlikely return of everyones favorite New Zealanders in Flight of the Conchords to the Boss being EVERYWHERE. In today’s reality obsessed rumor driven world, there is no reason why we can’t act silly when we hear about potential recording sessions, a new album release or a out of left-field reunion announcement. So without further ado, here are some hot stove tidbits for you to sink your teeth into…

1. Coachella 2009. Why not speculate about an event that is months away that most of us never even make the trip for? Possibly because it gives us a clue about what to expect as the year unfolds…and has arguably become the premier venue for bands giving it another go (see Jesus and Mary Chain and Rage Against the Machine). This year, the Noise Pop stylings of Pavement could possibly be on display after a 10 year hiatus. Now only if the Smiths would just take the money and do the same…
2. Other Reunions of Note. Punk-ska revitalists The Specials will be embarking on a UK tour in 2009 to celebrate their 30th anniversary. I expect by mid-year we’ll be hearing their catchy tunes in advertisements everywhere. Blur will also be reforming for UK shows mid-year and releasing new material.
3. New Releases. 2009 will bring releases from Morrissey, The Arctic Monkeys (with Josh Homme producing?) and Vampire Weekend to name a few. Black Keys guitarist and vocalist Dan Auerbach (below) will be releasing a solo record on the BK’s label Nonesuch Records. In February and March expect offerings from U2, the Von Bondies, MSTRKRFT and Peter Bjorn and John. Depeche Mode’s “Sounds of the Universe” and the much anticipated new release from Tortoise will arrive in April.

    Some videos worth checking…

The first video is from much heralded Vampire Weekend and their song “Oxford Comma”. Fortunately this video features no scowling grammar teachers but rather skips along much like the song itself. The video itself is a continuous shot, meaning there was no editing involved, and took over 20 takes to complete. The band must be fans of Wes Anderson as the side scrolling landscape and multitude of seemingly random characters and costumes are undoubtedly his influence. Check it out…

Next up is from the red hot “Feed the Animals” album by Girl Talk. Some one has painstakenly took the time to put together the collection of music videos to sync in with all the tracks in one of his mixes. Now if someone could just make one continuous video to sync in with his whole album…Check tracks 2 and 3 out. Sparks sold seperately.

Lollapalooza two weeks baby!

    Dance!

Or fistpump, headbob, sway, or chill out…but great electronica/dj work has been done in the past year.

Checkout
Muscles: Guns, Babes, and Lemonade
The Field: From Here we Go To Sublime
Buriel: Untrue
Skream: Skream
Calvin Harris: I Created Disco
Timputer: Partyficial Intelligence (underground mixtape circulating around the DC metro area)
Chromeo: Fancy Footwork
Simeon Mobile Disco: Attack Decay Sustain Release
DJ Shadow/Cut Chemist: The Hard Sell (See it live on their nationwide tour)
Justice: Cross (featuring the euro hit D.A.N.C.E.)
Matthew Dear: Asa Breed
Daft Punk: Alive

Two other albums worth mentioning from 05/06 are:
Ellen Allien and Apparat: Orchestra of Bubbles
Mylo: Destroy Rock and Roll

On the Indie rock front, Vampire Weekend is dropping their self-titled debut at the end of the month. This band grabbed a lot of buzz at the end of the summer with their release of Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa, a really great track. Look out for the release.

08 should bring great things.