is below...

Continue reading "the new Beastie Boys video/trailer/single"

Apples In Stereo will be putting out their seventh LP, Travelers in Space and Time, on April 20th through Yep Roc/Simian/Elephant 6. A few days before that the band heads out on a two-and-a-half week tour of the US. Its New York stop comes Wednesday, April 21st when they play Bowery Ballroom with Generationals and Laminated Cat. Tickets for the show are on AmEx presale now, and general sale Friday at noon.

The album, a "a futuristic pop record" (so says frontman Robert Schneider), is the band's first with drummer John Dufilho. Its cover is above. The new record is the second release ever on Elijah Wood's Simian Records (New Magnetic Wonder in 2007 was the first).

The other band signed to that label, which is technically an imprint of Yep Roc, is Heloise & the Savoir Faire, who have shows coming up too. Heloise & Co. play Valentine's Day at Galapagos with comedians Adira Amram, John Roberts and Reggie Watts (tickets are on sale). They also play Music Hall of Williamsburg on March 5th. Tickets go on sale Friday (3/5) at noon.

A video of Heloise and Elijah chatting with the Apples in Stereo tracklist, and all tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Apples in Stereo announce new album & 2010 tour dates, Heloise & the Savoir Faire (their labelmates) have shows too"

Scarlett Johansson w/ David Bowie & Elijah Wood (2004)

On May 20, Scarlett Johansson's Tom Waits covers album, titled 'Anywhere I Lay My Head,' sees its release, with guest spots from David Bowie and production by TV on the Radio's David Sitek. Spearheaded by Waits' 'Falling Down' -- from 1988's 'Big Time' -- this isn't your average celebrity music makeover.

"When I had the idea to do an album of Tom Waits songs, before I had even met Dave [Sitek], someone suggested I sing 'Falling Down,'" Johansson tells Spinner. "But I decided it was too corny for me to do just because it has the lyric about 'Scarlett and me.' But Dave hadn't even noticed it. When I mentioned it, he thought the synchronicity was crazy and I never even thought twice about it after that. I was like, 'Yeah, let's do it.'"

"With 'Falling Down,' our pursuit of making one song with both Kermit the Frog and David Bowie on it became a success," Sitek adds.

Have an exclusive listen to 'Falling Down' on Spinner.

photos by Ryan Muir

Unlike last year's semi-swanky, semi-outdoors, semi-conventient location, this year's SXSW Playboy party (Thursday night, March 13, 2008) felt more like a rave in a big abandoned (yet conveniently located) warehouse (which ended up being the same location as the late night VICE party that happened later in the week). LIKE last year, there was a bunch of Playboy models running around in blue bunny outfits, and there was plenty of free alcohol available all night....well past Austin's 2am bar closing time.

I got there right before Moby started (around 1?), and left almost before Justice finished (around 4). I'm a big fan of classic techno, and especially classic Moby, so Moby's classic techo-heavy set kept me more than happy - especailly when he closed with "Thousand". Justice's DJ set was good too, and the visuals were definitely entertaining, but I was really just a zombie by that point. I was thinking, "this would be really fun if I could do more than just stand here". Up until then my SXSW went something like this.....

Tuesday: last minute preparation all day, fly to Texas, arrive at midnight, check into hotel, sleep.

Wednesday: wake up early --> change hotels & run errands --> my Wednesday day party ---> run more errands real quick --> my official showcase till 2am.

Thursday: wake up early ---> get to Emo's by 10:30 for Thursday day party ---> dinner & short break ---> see Jens Lekman @ the Mohawk (which was as good as always) ---> Playboy Party ---> collapse

Ryan was not only more awake than me, he got to the Playboy party earlier, stayed later, danced a lot, and thought it was pretty much the best party he went to all last week (unless you count the all day Mess With Texas festival on Saturday). More of Ryan's photos (which also include openers The Rub, MGMT and The Heavy), below.....

Continue reading "Justice, Moby, MGMT, booze & Playboy bunnies @ SXSW 2008"

Paul McCartney @ Highline Ballroom, NYC - June 13, 2007

Paul McCartney stormed the stage of a small ballroom on Wednesday and delivered a 20-song set featuring Beatles favorites and select cuts from his newly released album "Memory Almost Full."

The free show for about 700 fans at the Highline Ballroom in New York's Chelsea district was hastily arranged, with McCartney's website only announcing the gig on Tuesday. Passes were distributed through a give-away on the website and to fans who lined up on Wednesday outside the venue.

The former Beatle and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer played a dozen songs from the Beatles catalogue that included opening number "Drive My Car" and Fab Four warhorses "Hey Jude," "Lady Madonna," "Let It Be" and "Get Back." The remaining songs came from the new album and other McCartney solo projects. [Reuters]

More below....

Continue reading "Paul McCartney @ Highline Ballroom - pics & reviews"