..::UNDERRATED MAGAZINE::..

Ay yo! chitlins of the NYC...

Rachael of UNDERRATED MAGAZINE fame is hosting an Issue 6 release partay. If I was there I would bees checkin' dat hotness out.



Now for zee rest of my chitlins and cornbread...

Secondly, my blog girlfriend cut 5 inches off her hair and is looking count chocolicious...I wanna sop her up with a biscuit ad eat the marshmallows.

Thirdly, check out Jason at Bastard Camus. He's got some good shiz for you to listen to.

Le Tigre - Deceptacon
Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.
TV On The Radio - New Health Rock
Lucero - Sixteen
Okkervil River - For Real

PS: Saw Star Wars III: very good, only good one of the 3 prequels. SAVE!! Lucas!!

PSS: Saw Madagascar: fun for the kids, the Lemurs and Penguins steal the show...main characters are pretty boring, dialog outside of the Lemurs and Penguins is terrible.

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Steven Malkmus - Face The Truth tracks

Stephen Malkmus, lead singer-songwriter & lead guitarist fronted the group Pavement as most of you know. Through heavy touring and a few good album covers they earned a nice cult following. Unfortunately, they split in 1999, but Malkmus soldiered on and his third solo release since Pavement, "FACE THE TRUTH" unveils to us a new Steven Malkmus...

Vague and cryptic enough for you? Elaborate you say? Come on, you know that's not me, I'm lucky enough to remember my own name today...4 day weekend remember?! just listen...

Steven Malkmus - Baby Cmon
Steven Malkmus - Pencil Rot
Steven Malkmus - Post-Paint Boy

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The National

Originally from Ohio and now based in New York, The National have been attracting some attention in the blog world...



Singer Matt Berninger will draw comparisons to Leonard Cohen at times, but Ryan Adams and even Tom Waits come to mind in certain instances. Particularly pretty is "American Mary", which veers toward Wilco territory minus the spacey guitar-jangle climax.

Most of the songs revolve around booze, women and the difficulties and joys of both, including "Bitters & Absolut" and the twangy "Watching You Well", the latter reminiscent of the Rolling Stones circa Let It Bleed.

The National - Wasp Nest
The National - Slipping Husband
The National - Murder Me Rachael
The National - Cold Girl Fever

Find more of The National at insound.com - just search "The National"

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Cloud Cult

Pitchfork refers to Cloud Cult as an "insane genius" and ranks Cloud Cult's new album as a "masterpiece", along with Modest Mouse's The Moon and Antarctica and Beck's Odelay. But what the fark do they know. I like what I've heard. You be the judge...

Cloud Cult - Car Crash
Cloud Cult - Breakfast With My Shadow

thanks to CW for telling me to check these guys out

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Knuckleheads...

piss me off...It's noogie time!!!! While I beat my co-workers asses, enjoy some tunes...



Secret Machines - Nowhere Again
Secret Machines - It's A Bad Wind
Scapegoat Wax - Aisle 10
Cake - Friend Is A Four Letter Word
Amos Lee - Seen It All Before

Three from Alkaline Trio:
Alkaline Trio - This Is Getting Over You
Alkaline Trio - Fuck You Aurora
Alkaline Trio - Radio

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Caribou (formerly Manitoba)

Sorry guys, work has been kicking me in the ding-ding the past couple days, so I haven't been able to post as much as usual. I spoil you guys with 3 to 4 posts a day and then I feel bad if I can't keep up! Anyway, check out Caribou.



Dan Snaith's Manitoba project is back with a new name but his hypnotic music hasn't changed. Caribou, like Manitoba, is still heavy on electronic jam sessions, with peculiar swirls of sound and stoned instrumental wanderings leading you who-knows-where. The Milk of Human Kindness also has that faint whisp of ‘60s bubblegum pop (see "Bees") and Stereolab-like drone present on Manitoba records like Up In Flames. Such reference points provide welcome toeholds in the midst of all the laptop anarchy, preventing the whole thing from drifting off into the ether. Snaith puts a few other twists on Milk, with mixed success. On the plus side, the sharp opener "Yeti" is a quick burst of fun, while "Lord Leopard" knocks up the beat a notch toward hip-hop territory. The lamentable "A Final Warning," however, falls off the deep end into an almost comedic dead-end. Still, Snaith continues to show off boundless creativity, and when he conjures the right mix of chaos and cohesion like he does on "Brahminy Kite," the result is a glorious noise all his own. –Matthew Cooke

Caribou - Hello Hammerheads
Caribou - Bees
Caribou - Pelican Narrows
Caribou - Brahminy Kite

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The Black Crowes : Indianapolis 500 : Carb Day

So, it's kinda crazy that I haven't even mentioned that the biggest day of the year in auto racing is this weekend in Indianapolis - The Indianapolis 500 is Sunday. I'm taking Friday off (4 Day Weekend!) to go down to the track for what is traditionally known as "Carb Day" or Carburetion Day. Of little significance race-wise these days, it's really just a big blowout all-day party before the race. The Black Crowes will be playing so I am really looking forward to that.



The write up from The Indianapolis Star:
The recently reunited Black Crowes will headline the Miller Lite Carb Day concert May 27 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The concert date isn't even on the band's Web site yet, but it's official.

The Robinson brothers, Chris and Rich, and the rest of the crew will show up in Indianapolis toward the end of a tour that started Tuesday.

From 1990 to 2001, the Georgia-based rock band released six recordings that reached the top 30 of Billboard magazine's album chart.

The band has been on hiatus since Oct. 21, 2001. According to its Web site, the tour started as a five-gig reunion of sorts and blossomed. The originally planned five shows in New York City sold out in 11 minutes.

Among the band's numerous hit singles are "Hard to Handle," "Jealous Again," "She Talks to Angels" and "Remedy." Other band members include guitarist Marc Ford, Eddie Hawrysch on keyboards, bass player Sven Pipien and Bill Dobrow on drums.

The concert is free with gate admission on Carburetion Day, when fans can watch the last day of practice before the Indianapolis 500, the annual pit stop competition and the Futaba Freedom 100 race.

The Black Crowes - Gone from WhatchaRockin?

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The Contender Update: FINALE

OHHHHH MAN! The Contender finale is tonight!!! I am bouncing off the walls thinking about it. Did you know this show hasn't been getting that great of ratings?! How the heck? - it's soooooo good! If they don't bring it back, with heavies or another weight class, I'm gonna be so pissed! Argh! Anyway, sorry to all you Jesse lovers out there - Chris & The Lovely Wife -, but that fight went exactly as I predicted. Sergio was just simply too fast for Jesse. All love to Jesse, he's always got a puncher's chance, the kid hits like a sledgehammer and for that, I love him, but really he's gotta get mean, get that eye of the tiger if he's ever going to be more than an average fighter.

So now we are looking at Peter Manfredo Jr. vs. Sergio Mora for the one meeeeeellion dollars. I don't even care at this point, I love them both. I want Sergio to realize his dreams and be able to buy his mother the new house and I want Peter to be the man again...refind that confidence and put together a complete fight. I just couldn't pick one if I tried. OK, I'd pick Peter, but both will be great in the long run, they'll both find success after this show. OK, well, tune in tonight for the LIVE finale fight between Peter & Sergio! I have to DVR it as I have softball tonight, so don't tell me who wins!

Prediction: Sergio by decision. Peter fights in a similar style to Jesse, a little quicker, better defense and uses angles better, but takes rounds off and tires at times, Sergio never seems to take a round off. This will be a 1 round/point decision either way.

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:::...Lebowski Fest...:::

Plan accordingly...



Kenny Rogers - Big Lebowski Soundtrack - I Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)

I'm pissed I'll be at Lollapalooza in Chicago. Why would two incredible events have to be on the same weekend?! Horseshite.

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Bob Marley - Live

Bob Marley - Trenchtown Rock
Bob Marley - Lively Up Yourself
Bob Marley - Burnin' & Lootin'
Bob Marley - Get Up, Stand Up
Bob Marley - Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)

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Stereophonics - The Music Mill, Indianapolis, IN - Friday May 27th

Stereophonics will be at The Music Mill here in Indianapolis this coming Friday. Stereophonics is comprised of Kelly Jones (vocals/guitar), Richard Jones (no relation - bass), Stuart Cable (drums) and Tony Kirkham (keyboards). They were formed in South Wales, originally as the teenage cover band "Tragic Love Company". Early reviews cited the Manic Street Preachers as their most obvious influence, and their initial batch of singles struggled to disabuse cynics of this notion. Yet in Kelly Jones, the Stereophonics (name taken from the brand name of Stuart’s grandmother's gramophone) possess an able writer as well as a singer of some distinction, a fact that was only truly acknowledged following the release of their debut LP.

The NME recently called Stereophonics "Princes Of Wales", and while the band are more than proud of their achievements on their home turf, its worth pointing out that Morfa Stadium (In South Wales) aside, some of their biggest live shows have taken place in France - where Stereophonics are serious business.

The single, "Dakota", was the first single from their album "Language. Sex. Violence. Other?"

Stereophonics - Dakota (Highly Recommended!)
Stereophonics - Live Forever(Oasis Cover - Acoustic In Dublin)

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Marvin Gaye

Marvin Gaye was often wrapped in personal torment, but despite his personal problems, he continued to record hits. A failing marriage, alcohol, drug abuse and a deepening depression were all sad issues he faced. Gaye grew more disillusioned with the state of the nation. Following the deaths of four protesters at Kent State University and his brother's return from Vietnam in 1971, Gaye was explosive. He recorded his best-selling album What's Going On, a musically diverse and politically charged manifesto on the contemporary problems of racism, poverty, and war. Hailed as Motown's first "concept album," it contained soul-wrenching top-ten hits like "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)," "Mercy Mercy Me," and the famous title track, the lyrics of which spoke for a nation in chaos: "War is not the answer / Only love can conquer hate / We've got to find some way / to bring some lovin' here today."

He followed this success two years later with Let's Get It On, an album whose sultry title song debuted at number one.

Marvin Gaye - Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) (Highest Possible Recommendation!!)

Bonus:
Marvin Gaye - Come Get To This
Marvin Gaye - My Mistake
Marvin Gaye - All You Need To Get By

Ladies with soul represent:
Aretha Franklin - Chain Of Fools
Sade - By Your Side

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White Stripes - My Doorbell & Stream Get Behind Me Satan...

Stereogum has the latest release from The White Stripes forthcoming album, Get Behind Me Satan. Scenestars allows you to stream the entire album.

Whatta you think RS?

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Weezer - Make Believe

Some people are high on Weezer's new album, Make Believe, but I'm not so much. I think it's a lot of poppy/emotional fluff. Rivers Cuomo is a pop songwriter fronting a hard rock band, enamored with big choruses and loud guitars and that's cool with me, I like that, but this album just isn't a great blend really. There is no song that really stands out. It's got a very new wave feel and seems just a little overly sappy at times. This album could stand for a small shot of metal just to up it's rock count I guess, it's unremarkable to say the least.

Weezer - Perfect Situation
Weezer - Freak Me Out
Weezer - We Are All On Drugs

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Things to laugh at: cause self-humiliation is my middle name...

That is Dodge for Halloween 2004...pretty sweet huh?! Please tell that to The Lovely Wife...she hates it. It's so gross and dirty, especially right in the crotch (I wore it backwards on accident one year, and sat in some nastiness), that's why it rules. I got it the whole thing for like $20! It sucks at packed parties though, your head is crashing into things, it's hot as balls, but really, it's worth.



The Lovely and I having some fun with strawberries...don't ask me, I just miss her long hair...Look at it! (In my best Will Ferrel voice) It's so long and glorious!! Oops, did I say that out loud? Just kidding honey...no I'm not...yes I am...no, no not really...I love when Will Ferrel says "glorious!". Man, that guys is funny.



Here was an awsome and terribly bad idea from last year...Dodge mohawk...yeah, I loved it, The Lovely thought otherwise...My job was like, "cool, you weirdo"...this is the Midwest - change scares people. I thought throwing out gang signs and making a mean face was appropriate somehow...this was taken at work for the company directory. No, I'm kidding, I wish!



Kids, guess what tonight is?! J-Bobo's bachelor party!! It's actually a TWO DAY event, that's how great this kid is. In fact the kid, as boob job Gwen would say, is BANANAS - B - A - N - A - N - A - S!! I love Gwen's bigger boobs, so I'm not knocking them. So, here's to my boy J-Bobo! Tonight were going out here in Indy with a big ol' crew and tomorrow night it's up to the greatest boobie club in Indiana, or so I hear, The Hip Hugger. I was looking for a picture of him being Magnum P.I. for Halloween - hopefully most of you aren't too young to remember Magnum P.I. It was pretty awsome in a suckass kinda way, Magnum P.I. that is, not J-bobo's costume, but I can't find it, so I'll post it later. Here is to the soon to be married for the rest of their entire lives with no turning back, forever and ever and ever and ever, locked down, not even making out with others couple...J-Bobo & Annie.

Finally:
I'm gonna give some TGIF love to The Underrated Blog for putting together a great "going-out-of-town" mix. She's compiled a lot of the songs making the rounds on the blogs in one place for you...Nice job Rachael. Make sure you check out The Great Lake Swimmers, The Editors, the Tegan & Sara cover that was posted by your's truely, Love As Laughter...heck, they're all good. GO GET IT.



Have a great weekend!

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THE ROBOT ATE ME - Carousel Waltz

San Diego lo-fi indie pop band The Robot Ate Me is playing three shows here in Indy this week to promote their new album "Carousel Waltz" which hit stores on May 10th. The album is described as "personal, achingly heartfelt and completely timeless."

From "Carousel Waltz":
The Robot Ate Me - Bad Feelings

Summary from their website:
Hi, Love! With 'Carousel Waltz' life is celebrated with trumpets! Love is carried by clarinets! We are all lifted on strings that break just as quickly as they are made. These are songs made for people living, loving and fighting through every pitfall and every incredible moment that swings in their direction. This is the new album by The Robot Ate Me. BYE! [more]

From their previous album "On Vacation":
The Robot Ate Me - The Genocide Ball
The Robot Ate Me - Oh No! Oh My!
The Robot Ate Me - On Vacation
The Robot Ate Me - Apricot Tea

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Doubt creeping in...

Well my selections for 3 songs for life are all ready in doubt. Aerosmith's "Dream On" is creeping around in my head now. See, I tried to pick three that ease my need for many different types and genres of music, but I'm not sure if I accomplished that well. See, If I wanted some rap or hip-hop I don't really have anything. I might go with Eric B & Rakim's "Juice (Know The Ledge)" or maybe Public Enemy's "Shut 'Em Down" or "Can't Truss It", but I'm still rolling that around.



Indie Selections:
Crooked Fingers - Call To Love
Lou Barlow - Home
Olympic Hopefuls - Drain The Sea
Ol' Yeller - Nightstand (Recommended!)
The Thermals - A Stare Like Yours
Wolf Parade - Grounds For Divorce (Recommended!)
Tegan & Sara - When You Were Mine (C.Lauper/Prince cover) (Recommended!)

I Say This Shiz Is Coo' So It Is:
L.L. Cool J - Going Back To Cali
The Band - The Weight (ft. The Staple Singers)
Bon Jovi - Bad Medicince
Bon Jovi - Livin' On A Prayer
Guns N' Roses - Civil War

Hmmm...now Arcade Fire's "Neighborhood #2 (Laika)" is messing around in there too.

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The Postal Service & Questions...

Nothing new here, these songs are all over the blogosphere regularly, but seriously, I could listen to each of them 100,000 times and never get sick of them. Here's a question: If you could only listen to 3 songs for the rest of you life, what would they be? Impossible it seems to me to choose, but what if you had to?

Or maybe, if you were gonna die in ten minutes and the radio was on, what song would make it better...(well, as ok as a song could make it).

Or what is your theme song? You know you walk into a room or party...what's playing just for you?

The Postal Service - Nothing Better
The Postal Service - The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
The Postal Service - We Will Become Silhouettes


OK, I gotta work. I'm gonna get fired. Will you guys feed me and MJ if I do?


EDIT: OK! After much thought I figured these out for myself.

1. 3 songs for life:

Nina Simone - Sinnerman
Jane's Addiction - Jane Says - Live Steel Drums version
Guns & Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine

I know, I know. Let's just leave it alone for now.

2. My party songs used to always be James Brown's "Super Bad" and "Sex Machine", not saying that I am either, only saying these songs are a state of mind. The Lovely used to tell me these songs reminded her of me. We went to a DMB concert together waaaaaay back in the day (probably 3 years before she and I started dating) when I was actually dating her best friend, the beautiful Dee who makes an appearance around here sometimes, and we drove all over Lexington, KY listening to Brown's greatest hits and I kept blaring these two songs, so of course, they stuck with her. Anyway, I always like to adopt a little James when I walk into a party or bar. Confidence is high, I repeat, confidence is high. ;)

Anyway, thanks for all the feedback on this and keep it coming, this is really fun.

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Shaking and Withdrawn Megamix by Pete Doherty

Petey has his issues, but he's good yo...



Shaking and Withdrawn Megamix by Pete Doherty

Related: Speak of the devil himself, All The Young Mod Soldiers posted today's problems in Pete's life...Eviction. Stop spending the rent on smack Petey! Actually, it's late night parties that got Petey ousted. Rawk!

Bonus Plug: Check out Yeti Don't Dance for a couple tracks by YANP fav, Bishop Allen.

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I Got Soul But I'm Not A Soldier...

Thievery Corporation (ft. Emiliana Torrini) - Until The Morning
Moby - In This World
George Michael - Freedom
Army Of Lovers - Let The Sunshine In (cover)
Bobby Darin - Daydream
Eric Clapton with Sheryl Crow - Little Wing (cover)
George Baker Selection - Little Green Bag
Gomez - Getting Better
Screamin' Jay Hawkins - I Put A Spell On You (cover)

Oh, and since all the other bloggers are comparing their mental capacities based on Newsweek's Top 1000 high schools in America list...I attended #300, which is a public school for all you elitist beeyatches out there, so while I am not as smart as Thighs or Lindsay, I'm no knucklehead either. Look at the big brain on Dodge!

I need direction to perfection...no no no...you gotta help me out!

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The Killers w/ Tegan & Sara - The Riviera - Chicago, IL - 5/11/05

The Lovely reminded me last night that I never did a write-up on our recent venture up to Chicago to see The Killers and Tegan & Sara. Well, I will start by telling you that when we left Indianapolis, IN around 2:30pm EST it was a comfortable 75 degrees...3 hours later in Chicago it was frickin' 45 degrees...what?! Also, the Windy City was no joke...it felt like a hurricane was coming through at a few points. Anyway, despite the weather, we found The Riviera with relative ease and since we were a little early went next door to The Green Hill (I believe) for a couple preshow drinks. Sold my spare ticket for a decent profit too for merch money in the show...nice.

OK, on to the show. Well, it started out bad because they found my camera stashed deep in MJ's purse and made me take it back to the car, so no pictures. We met a guy who snuck his camera in and that said he would email me the pictures, but he never has, so that's a bummer and mainly the reason I haven't posted on the show, but MJ made a good point and said that you guys need to know whether it was good or bad. She's right, you need to know! So...Tegan and Sara, while having recently released an oustanding album in So Jealous were really quite disappointing, not musically mind you, but they only played for 30 minutes tops. The Killers didn't come on for like 40 minutes after the Tegan & Sara set! We waited longer for The Killers than Tegan & Sara played! This was not the end of the world, just a little annoying I guess.

Anyway, moving on, Tegan & Sara's set was good despite it's brevity. MJ and I went up with J-Bobo & Annie, MJ's Lil' Bro and met up with our pal Double D. Even ran into some other friends from college, so we had plenty of people to talk to and occupy ourselves in the time between sets. The Riviera was packed and was general admission, but MJ got us to a great area and view. It was the perfect spot actually, that's why I was really pissy I didn't get my camera in. The Killers have a good stage set-up, red and black carpet, red and black amps, the huge "The Killers" lights in back, the huge drum riser painted to match - I mean, you can really feel the bands Vegas roots. There is an atmosphere of decadance they are seriously pushing. They are serious showmen too. They played through basically all of Hot Fuss and kept the crowd dancing and frantic. The encore of "All These Things That I Have Done" could be the best evs in my concert going experience, I mean the crowd was going insane and the version was clear, clean and powerful. I was jumping up and down and yelling the lyrics, I didn't even give a ef...which is how it should be. You have to see these guys live. I know Hot Fuss has it's moments of mediocrity, but this performance didn't. It was great shiz from start to finish.

Chicago Sun Times Review of the show...

The Killers - Somebody Told Me
The Killers - Mr. Brightside
The Killers - Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine
The Killers - All These Things That I Have Done

Added Bonus:
Stars - Elevator Love Letter
The Stills - Still In Love Song
The White Stripes - Cold, Cold Night
The Shins - So Says I
Prince - When Dov