Listen to MC Chris's Tribute to Harold Ramis

This week's death of Harold Ramis affects just about everyone. There isn't anyone between the ages of 20-60 that hasn't been touched by his work, from National Lampoon's Animal House to Groundhog Day. Nerdcore tapper and animator MC Chris has been working on a Ghostbuster's themed album for the past two years. As a tribute to Ramis, MC Chris posted his song about Ramis's Ghostbusters character, Egon Spengler, to Soundcloud. "58.9" was meant to be a silly song about a fictional character, but has now taken on a meaning that lyrics like "The opposite sex is perplexing but mold I can manage" were never intended do. 

For more information and to preorder MC Chris Foreverrr, go to MC Chris's website. 
Also, go read Harold Ramis's IMDb page and marvel at the movies the man was involved with.
 

First Listen: New Releases for February 25

Some highly anticipated stuff coming out this week. But is it any good...

Beck - Morning Phase: Ken got to listen to an early stream of this, and his thoughts mirror mine: "The last album was a retread. And this is a sequel to Sea Change, like Hangover 2 was a sequel. But at least that movie changed locations." This feels more like the Wake Up, Ron Burgundy! to a proper Anchorman, as it feels like a lot of dull b-sides to an album I didn't care for to start, but the jarring thing for me is that I haven't enjoyed a Beck album in at least 8 years and it just gets more and more tenuous for me. A number of people loved Sea Change, and if you liked that, you might like this too. As for me, this is arguably the most disappointing listen in ages.

St. Vincent - St. Vincent: On the flip-side of things is St. Vincent. Her first album was an instant favorite for me, weird without being inaccessible. Her other efforts left me wanting a lot more - a few good singles here and there, but it never really reached the heights of what I wanted. The David Byrne project was great for reasons I chalked up to Byrne's involvement, but St. Vincent's new release is great. A lot of common musical themes from the Byrne collaboration, for sure, but it ultimately feels like Annie Clark has figured out the right balance that has been lost at times for me with her music. This is a rock-solid album, certainly her best since the debut, and perhaps better than anything she's done on her own so far.

Schoolboy Q - Oxymoron: Schoolboy Q is back with his first album since Habits & Contradictions, a rap album I thoroughly enjoyed. Oxymoron is no Habits, falling into a lot of tropes that his previous work didn't. The best songs are ones like "Collard Greens" and "What They Want," which rely more on the contributions of the guest stars than Schoolboy Q himself. Ultimately a disappointment, but it's something that has a chance to grow on me in the long run.

Neneh Cherry - Blank Project: If you only know Neneh Cherry via "Buffalo Stance," you may be surprised by this, which is actually a lot more like her 1994 collaboration with Youssou N'Dour. It's a somewhat low-key affair where the better songs are toward the end of the album. I was hoping for a little more upbeat, but it's not bad. Will definitely be getting more time.

ceo - Wonderland: I don't know much of anything about ceo except that I heard the lead track from this a while ago, "Whorehouse," and it's been stuck in my head for a while. It's slightly different electronic music, has a bit of a twist to it, so it remains interesting in ways that, say, last week's Phantogram didn't. Really enjoying this one.

Yellow Ostrich - Cosmos: Yellow Ostrich surprised me with the great The Mistress, a good, current indie rock piece. Cosmos doesn't do a great job on building what they've done over the last few years, but it's still a solid listen that is unlike a lot of music surrounding it. They're on Barsuk, which is probably why there's some comparison to Death Cab to be made, but overall, it's worth a try if you're looking for something off the beaten path.

Death Vessel - Island Interval: I'll be honest: the only reason I looked this up is because Jonsi of Sigur Ros guests on a song. What I didn't expect was that the album would actually give me good memories of Sigur Ros's early work. It's a pleasant, often quiet affair that completely flew under my radar and I hope to keep from flying under your radar as well. You'd be smart to give this a shot even if this sort of deliberative indie rock.

This Is a Thing That Exists: Miley Cyrus Brings The Flaming Lips Onstage to Sing "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots"

... I don't even... I mean... 

Does this mean Miley Cyrus is cool or The Flaming Lips are lame now?

I guess I shouldn't complain. Maybe this will help spark a new found revival for good music. I have heard stories that Miley Cyrus actually does have good taste in music and was never really into that Disney fluff she used to do. This could lead to a bunch of teenage/college age girls running out and listening to the Flaming Lips and then discovering Butthole Surfers and Melvins. 

Probably not, but an old man can dream. 

Go Home Spotify, You're Drunk

I still think there's something bizarre going on with Spotify's music recommendation system...

The Lemonheads Have a New Video for "Ever!"

To help celebrate/promote the reissues of their first three albums, the Lemonheads are releasing videos for individual songs featuring archival footage of the band. The latest is for "Ever," my personal favorite of Ben Deily's Lemonheads material. Originally released on Lick, the video features footage of their very first gig at The Rat in Boston back in August 1986. There is also footage of one of Deily's final shows with the band in 1989, along with some down time at quarries in IN. I love this approach of new videos with old footage and can't wait for more.

To get your own copies of the long awaited reissues of Hate Your Friends, Lick, and Creator, head over to the Fire Records website. For the Lemonheads and Evan Dando news, head over to the Lemonheads website. If you're in the Boston area, you can see Ben Deily's current band, Varsity Drag, at TT the Bear's in Cambridge on 3/19. 

Lemonheads, "Ever" (Official) 2014, w/re-mastered audio from Benjamin Deily on Vimeo.

90s Boston Rock Stars Invade Parks and Rec

Yesterday, Kay Hanley of Letters to Cleo posted a bunch of pictures on Instagram from the set of Parks and Recreation. I had a chuckle from this since Adam Scott's character has been known to wear a Letters to Cleo shirt on the show every so often. Based on other pictures she posted, this episode will be the one featuring Jeff Tweedy of Wilco. Tweedy will be the frontman of a band called Land Ho! that Leslie and Andy are hoping to reunite for a concert in Pawnee. The rest of Land Ho! would seem to be John Dragonetti (Jack Drag, The Submarines) and Dave Gibbs (Gigolo Aunts). No word on what other Boston bands will be represented, but maybe Fuzzy or The Sterlings can open.

Weezer Debuts a New Song, And it Isn't Terrible... Kinda

Being a Weezer fan for 20 years is kind of like having an ex-girlfriend that you had to break up with. You had a great few years, but then, even though you have some amazing memories together, you had just grown apart irreparably. But, unlike a bad break up, you don't have friends checking to see if you want to spend $65 to hang out with your ex every year or so. Sure, you might pull out some old memories and reminisce every so often, but you could never go back.

Over the weekend, Weezer had their Weezer Cruise. They debuted a new song, "Back to the Shack," that isn't terrible. Maybe. I don't know. Whenever there is a new Weezer song kicking around, I always expect the worst, but there is a little part of me that is hopeful that Weezer is back instead of whatever they have become lately. The song has lots of references to the past ("Rocking out like it's '94") which makes sense since this year is the 20th anniversary of the Blue Album. Rivers starts out apologizing to fans for dabbling in dance music, and refers to getting back to playing lead guitar and Pat playing drums, but isn't that how it's always been? It's not like he talks about getting Matt back on bass. Stereogum claims it "... bears a distinct Pinkerton vibe..." but not really. It's probably at least as good as "Perfect Situation," but I'm trying to not get my hopes up, because I'll probably get let down again. 

First Listen: New Releases for February 18

This week is thankfully a lot slower than last week, but there's still a lot to get to, so let's get to work:

Ida Maria - Accidental Happiness: We hadn't heard much of anything from Ida Maria as of late, but it turns out that she was working out some alcohol addiction issues, and it's nice to report that she's back with an EP of mostly good songs. Nothing here has the flash of KATLA or her debut, but it's still a solid little EP of songs from someone we haven't heard from in some time. Good to have her back.

Dawn Landes - Bluebird: I became a fan of Dawn Landes when she opened for Hem many, many years ago. Her voice is absolutely gorgeous, and her roots-tinged folk sound just hits me in just the right way. Her latest release, Bluebird, is thankfully more of the same, and I mean that in the most positive light. In a way, she's like the anti-Marissa Nadler, as Landes's songs feel more light and airy than the standard fare. If folk music or beautiful voices are your thing, this album is for you.

The Presidents of the United States of America - Kudos to You!: So I knew that POTUSA had reunited, and their 2008 album was all well and good, but I didn't realize they were still going. I feel like they'll never quite shake being that novelty band that sang about fruit all those years ago, but this new album actually kind of embraces that whole thing a bit, offering a decent alt-rock time with some goofy songs to fill in the gaps. If you have a nostalgia button, this will likely end up pressing it over and over again, but, frankly, this album is actually pretty good. It's worth a listen if you were ever a fan.

The Jezabels - The Brink: I somehow tripped up on The Jezabels sometime last year. Their debut album was a hair uneven, but there was some sort of quality to it that stuck around and kept me coming back over and over. I had no idea they had a new album out until I saw it on the new release list today, and it turns out they're a fairly big deal in Australia, with top 10 albums and songs and a few awards to boot. The Brink takes the best parts of their debut and builds on it, making an expansive, ambitious alt-rock release that is absolutely my favorite release of this week and could make a play in my top 10 this year I enjoyed it so much. There's a lot to love here, and this is a band that I'm beginning to hope will be around for a long, long time.

Lost in the Trees - Past Life: I don't know why I have Lost in the Trees filed away as a "weird" band in my brain, but I do. Past Life is not weird at all - it's a solid, if unspectacular, indie folkish effort. The band has dropped a couple members and tightened up their sound in a way that feels more direct, which may account for why I don't feel like this is "weird." Overall, it's worth a listen. I know I'm interested in spending more time with it in any regard, but I was waiting for something to kind of jump out at me, and that didn't happen.

Lydia Loveless - Somewhere Else: Everything about Lydia Loveless screams old-style country, and listening to the album absolutely feels like a throwback in line with Lucinda Williams with hints of Kathleen Edwards and Jason Isbell. It's rocking at the right moments, hits all the traditional emotional and musical chords, and it left me wondering how I hadn't tripped up on her music prior to now. It's really a fun, rollicking record. And she's only 23. I don't even know anymore. I feel old. Let's just move on.

Angel Olsen - Burn Your Fire for No Witness: Angel Olsen's new album is certainly some sort of folky thing, but I don't really know how to accurately describe it. She's not like Dawn Landes or like Marissa Nadler, it's not really lo-fi although it has that sensibility in places. The songwriting feels sharp, though, and it's sticking in my head, so there's something to that. Overall, one to look out for.

Suzanne Vega - Tales From the Realm of the Queen of Pentacles: I had no idea Suzanne Vega was still making music, and, while this is arguably the most embarrassing album title I've seen in some time, the album is really not bad for something that you recognize as a singer who arguably hit her prime in music almost 30 years ago. It might be too poppy for some, but it's pretty solid for an album by an artist recording new music in her fourth decade. Worth a try.

Phantogram - Voices: This week ends with Phantogram's highly anticipated follow-up to the brilliant, brilliant Eyelid Movies. I had heard the single from this album, "Fall in Love," and was underwhelmed, but you can never tell by a lead single. Unfortunately, I feel like the somewhat weird, stilted electronic pop of their first album has been abandoned for something a little more strange and a little less melodic. I could be way off on this album and it could really be a grower, but what I enjoyed about the group just isn't there with this one, and it's mostly a disappointment. I can't recommend this, unfortunately, unless it's more of a curiosity of what is sure to be one of spring's real buzz bands.




Also out this week:

* Peter Buck - I Am Back To Blow Your Mind Once Again
* Guided by Voices - Motivational Jumpsuit
* Jimbo Mathus and the Tri-State Coalition - Dark Night of the Soul

Friday Freebie: Get All of De La Soul's Music Free for Valentine's Day

I saw De La Soul on the Unlimited Sunshine Tour a looong time ago, and they were really a fun act. This month marks 25 years since the release of their debut album, and they're offering all of their back catalog for free download beginning at 11am eastern today through noon tomorrow.

The band has a new album coming shortly and a lot coming down the pike, so there's good reason to become reacquainted with the group. A newer song is above.

Newport Folk Fest Update: 4 More Acts and Buy Tickets NOW

Newport Folk Festival is quickly shaping up to be the event of the year. They've only announced six acts in all, and all six are absolute winners. Joining the aforementioned Mavis Staples and Houndmouth are Jenny Lewis (making her Newport debut), Shovels & Rope, Hurray for the Riff Raff, and the reunited Nickel Creek. This makes three holdovers from last year (Houndmouth, Hurray for the Riff Raff, and Shovels & Rope, but Newport might be the only festival that can pull it off without seeming repetitive. The Newport community is more like a family than a concert festival, so seeing the same bands there numerous times just feels right. Plus, I skipped Shovels & Rope last year to watch all of Frank Turner's set, and while I didn't exactly regret it, the two songs I saw them do made me need more. The Nickel Creek reunion was on my personal prediction list, so I'm thrilled to see that they're officially playing. Nickel Creek is a reminder to keep your eyes open on all performance spaces since they did a surprise reunion at the kids' tent in 2012.

Also, if you're holding off on buying tickets, buy them now. As in right now. Saturday single day tickets and two day passes are sold out, meaning there are only three day passes along with Friday and Saturday only tickets. Gone are the days of deciding if you're going to go once you look at the weather report.

For more information including tickets, go to www.newportfolk.org. You can also check out a video of Nickel Creek in the kids' tent at Newport Folk Festival 2012.

Brilliant Beast - Where Do You Want

We've been posting a ton about the shoegaze scene in Minneapolis lately, but for some reason that area is a hotbed of 90s inspired acts lately. Brilliant Beast just might be my favorite as of yet. Led by siblings Hannah and Jordan Porter (who also share lead vocals), the band released their second album late last year.

Brilliant Beast somehow join shoegaze with a poppier sound, with just the slightest edge of punk. It reminds me of the earlier, more pop driven period of Built to Spill. The third track, "Nepotism Shakes," is the soundtrack to the most lush dreams you've ever had and is much closer to Slowdive. "Crushdumb" brings back the noise and energy, while still swirling you around in dreamland.

You can get some more info on Brilliant Beast at their website. While you're at it, stream their whole album (which is out on Guilt Ridden Pop) at their Bandcamp, and check out the official video for "A Child on Fire" below.

Check Out a Video About Dave from Brown Bird's Recovery

For those of you who don't know, Dave Lamb from Brown Bird was diagnosed with leukemia last year. Any form of leukemia or cancer diagnosis is scary and hard enough, but for musicians it can be especially hard since the vast majority are self employed and without insurance. Plus, while going through procedures and recovery, Brown Bird has been unable to tour, cutting off virtually all incoming revenue. Luckily, Brown Bird are a fairly successful and known band so they were able to start a YouCaring to help defer the costs. If you're a fan of Brown Bird, it's definitely worth checking out the video.

Unfortunately, health insurance is a political firestorm right now, so I will mention the video was put together with HeadCount.org and implores people to look into getting health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. I try to avoid politics on this blog, but I would hope health insurance can slide by just this once. If you'd prefer, you can go here to watch them perform "Thunder & Lightning" at the Newport Folk Fest.

First Listen: New Releases for February 11

Busiest new release week so far this year, so let's not waste any time.

††† - †††: ††† is a side project of Chino Moreno of the Deftones. I only realized this after finishing the album for the first time, and it explains quite a bit - the album would fit right in on mid-1990s alt-rock radio in a lot of regards, and it is ultimately an all-over-the-place nostalgia trip more than anything else. It's worth listening as a curiosity, for certain, but whether it has staying power for you might be based more on your love of the Deftones and/or the state of alt-rock when you were in high school/college.

Nina Persson - Animal Heart: Nina Persson is perhaps best known for her work as lead singer of The Cardigans, but this is her first solo album. Truly, this is an album that mirrors her work with A Camp more than it resembles anything you remember from The Cardigans, but that's not really a bad thing. There are some memorable tracks on here along with some slower-type songs that only kind of work. Overall, a decent album that deserves a look or two, but your enjoyment might be based more on your expectations than anything else.

Speedy Ortiz - Real Hair EP: If It's Too Loud favorites Speedy Ortiz offer a four track EP this week that, in my mind, include four of the best songs they've done yet. There's more immediacy here than most of their album, and "American Horror" is an instant favorite for me in particular. I'd actually call this a good entry point for the band if it was more representative of what they've done so far, but that's not a problem. Watching a new band continue to evolve like this is often a lot of fun, and this EP is a solid quick hit.

Cibo Matto - Hotel Valentine: After 15 years, Cibo Matto releases their third proper album. I always found Cibo Matto to be a bit of an acquired taste, and it's interesting to say that now when the new album largely fits in with a lot of the more popular indie acts and recent indie hits of the time. If you dig TuneYards or Fol Chen, this might actually work for you - Hotel Valentine is certainly more accessible than anything else they've done, and while I wouldn't call it necessarily better than Viva La Woman, for example, it's still a solid album from start to finish. Really enjoying this surprise of a release, it's definitely worth a listen for you.

Hurray for the Riff Raff - Small Town Heroes: Another If It's Too Loud favorite, Hurray for the Riff Raff, releases a new album this week, their first for a major label (in this case, the RCA subsidiary ATO Records, run by Dave Matthews). It's more polished than their previous efforts, with some more expansive sounds, and the band continues to explore all sorts of Americana sounds, and it all works. On first listen? Maybe my favorite album of theirs, even if a single song hasn't jumped out at me just yet, but in terms of entertaining, expansive folk/Americana music, you really can't go wrong with this. Especially with the Inside Llewyn Davis revival of sorts, Small Town Heroes really fits right in, and is absolutely deserving of a listen this week.

Band of Horses - Acoustic at the Ryman: I'm a sucker for acoustic albums. Not so much live albums, per se, but I love hearing bands that generally aren't acoustic rework their music in intentionally limiting ways. Band of Horses is best known for "The Funeral," I suppose, which was a quiet-loud-quiet-loudloudloud affair about a decade ago that I loved, but never felt they reached those heights again. They've since become much more popular, but a lot of their music has had the more quiet, perhaps folksy, aspects to it. Thus, Acoustic at the Ryman works well for Band of Horses in the sense that the more stripped-down sound feels very natural for a lot of the songs, and songs like "The Funeral" or "No One's Gonna Love You" don't lose their impact and instead sound like they might have worked this way in another universe. At the end of the day, there's not a ton here for people who aren't already fans, but as an interesting live album attempt, it basically succeeds. If you're a fan, absolutely put it on your list.

The Civil Wars - Between the Bars: There's not much new to say about The Civil Wars, who continue to release music while on some sort of hiatus. This EP collects some cover versions they've been doing in various forms for a while - "Sour Times" and "Billie Jean" are both great, "Between the Bars" a little plodding, and the cover of "Talking in Your Sleep" by The Romantics is actually an older song that was on an earlier EP (although it may be rerecorded). This may not be the new Civil Wars album we want, but it's a nice little bookend to their excellent album from last year.

The Casket Girls - True Love Kills the Fairy Tale: I honestly couldn't tell you what it was that drew me to this album. Probably the name of the group, which implies some sort of tongue-in-cheek metal outfit or something incredibly dark. Instead, what I'm hearing is a somewhat-lo-fi, dreamy indie pop that is kind of blowing my mind a bit. Every song is a winner, "Same Side" being both a highlight as an opening song but also pretty representative of the album on a whole. The closer, "The Chase," is just as solid as everything that came before it. I can't really compare it to anything specific, but this sort of music feels new to me, and this album is really a standout for me. Definitely the best thing I've heard this year so far, highly recommended.

Thumpers - Galore: Moving from The Casket Girls to Thumper is an exercise in how two similarly-positioned acts (indie, lo-fi-ish sounds, not doing anything especially unique) come across so differently. Thumpers is a British duo doing the sort of dancey indie pop that's become so popular over the last few years. It's not a bad album by any indications, but there's literally nothing here to separate it out from the dozens of times I've heard this before, and, frankly, Yeasayer does it a lot better anyway. I assume a few more listens will result in a few musical gems here and there, but in a week that is filled with a lot of interesting music, this one doesn't do anything to break through.

Temples - Sun Structures: So I had no original intention of listening to this one, given the album title and the Fat Possum release, but I read a review that noted that this British act was one of Noel Gallgher's new favorites, so why not, right? It turns out that Temples is a very capable throwback act that's making some really, really addictive psychedelic pop rock. We've had throwback acts come and go over the years, like The Coral or any number of Elephant 6 acts. This album in particular, though, scratches an itch I didn't know I had, even if it's slightly longer than it needs to be. If this sounds anything like what you'd want to hear, this is absolutely worth your time. Another stellar release this week.

Fanfarlo - Let's Go Extinct: My first experience with Fanfarlo was actually when their first album came out. It was also one of my first digital experiences, as the album was for sale initially for $1 and touted by Sigur Ros, so why not? The album was great, but the follow-up missed the mark for me. Let's Go Extinct is not what I'd call a return to form, but it is a solid, lively album that reminds me why I enjoyed the band to start. Plenty of poppy songs going around, "Landlocked" being a standout track in particular, and there's a little bit of experimentation to go along with it as well. Another solid release for this week, and definitely one that's going to stay on my radar for a while.



Also out this week:

* Neil Finn - Dizzy Heights
* Sun Kil Moon - Benji

First Two Acts Announced for Newport Folk Festival!

The Newport Folk Festival just does things differently. Last year they had a rolling line up announcement, where they took literally months to announce the full line up, band by band. There was a practical reason for this, since Newport is a non-profit and pays artists less than other festivals do, they can't always announce acts right away due to contractual reasons. For fans, this actually works out perfectly since you get to check out each band and get excited about ones you might have missed if it was all announced at once. You know, the way every other festival is.

This year, they've already announced the first two acts: Mavis Staples and Houndmouth. In any other circumstance, I hate gospel music, but in 2011 I decided to check out Mavis's set at Newport, solely for her connection to Jeff Tweedy. I assumed I'd hear a song or two, and then head over to the Fort Stage for the Decemberists. Instead I sat transfixed by one of the most powerful and beautiful voices I have ever heard. This year she's being promoted as "Mavis Staples & Friends," with her 75th birthday being celebrated throughout the weekend. Cue the Jeff Tweedy rumors...

I missed Houndmouth last year. They were on my initial list of "must see" bands, but your schedule always changes at Newport. Instead I opted for Kingsley Flood and Frank Turner. While I don't regret my decision, I'm thrilled they're making a return trip this year. For the last three years, Newport brings back a band that played the previous year. Houndmouth are joining a club that consists of David Wax Museum, Brown Bird, and Spirit Family Reunion. Not a bad group to be in.

For more information on the Newport Folk Festival, including tickets, head over to their website. 

First Listen: New Releases for February 4

A fairly interesting new release week this week.

Les Claypool's Duo De Twang - Four Foot Shack: All this album taught me is that I really don't care much for Primus, even when they're strange acoustic twangy renditions. The highlight for me was a fairly amusing take on the Bee Gees's "Stayin' Alive," but beyond that, this is really just for fans of Claypool and Primus and not much else.

The Haden Triplets - The Haden Triplets: The Haden Triplets are exactly who you think they are: Petra Haden (of That Dog and various a capella renditions), Rachel Haden (also of That Dog), and less famous sister Tanya Haden who has done cello work for various indie and alt-rock bands. The three got together and did a collective album of folk standards for Jack White's Third Man Records, and it's pretty solid. I'm a big fan of Petra Haden in particular, and this was fairly anticipated for me and largely delivers. If you enjoy a lot of good folk music, like hearing modern takes on the standards, etc, this is worth your time. A highlight of the week.

Marissa Nadler - July: Marissa Nadler has pretty significantly held down the fort on darker indie folk over the years, and July, while probably not her best album, is certainly the most cohesive. You tend to know what you're getting with Nadler, and there are no stumbles to speak of on July, just a solid experience from start to finish. It would benefit from a couple standout tracks, but nothing jumped out at me on first listen, unfortunately. Still a great effort.

Nicole Atkins - Slow Phaser: I first heard of Nicole Atkins when her previous album, Mondo Amore came out. It was a good, albeit not great, pop folk album similar in sound to Brandi Carlisle in a few ways. Slow Phaser pulls her closer to the pop area with more mixed results. Songs like "Girl You Look Amazing" are solid, but then you have some thematically strange songs toward the end that don't seem to fit much of any real sound. It's ultimately a mixed bag, but when it's on, it's absolutely on. Worth your time if you're a fan, worth your time if you're looking for something similar.

Sweetheart 2014: Starbucks occasionally puts out a covers compilation around Valentine's Day of love songs. The 2014 entry has a few standouts (most notably Vampire Weekend doing the operatic "Time to Say Goodbye" and Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings covering "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours"), but is overall really exactly the corporate sterile monstrosity we come to expect from Starbucks. Honestly, it's good for a single listen to find the covers you find interesting, and then just file it away.





Also out this week:

* Broken Bells - After the Disco (seriously heartbroken that this isn't on Spotify yet)
* Amy Stroup - Tunnel

Check Out a Video for The Lemonheads "A Circle of One"

While we wait impatiently for the first sounds to emerge from the next Lemonheads album featuring Evan Dando, Ben Deily, and Juliana Hatfield (aka the LH-Punk All-Stars) and produced by Ryan Adams, we can tide ourselves over with this brand new video for the Lick classic "A Circle of One." According to Ben Deily's Facebook page, this is the first of multiple videos to commemorate the reissue of the first three Lemonheads albums on Fire Records. 

In the video for "A Circle of One," you get to see footage of the band from '86-'89, mostly clowning around at home with friends. The "Art Truck" from the Creator tour is also featured, as well as a cameo from Husker Du's Grant Hart.

Keep an eye out for more videos. For more information on Evan Dando and the Lemonheads, head on over to the official Lemonheads webpage. To check out Ben Deily's current band Varsity Drag, check out his website. And finally, go to the Fire Records website for information on the reissues of the first three Lemonheads albums.

Lemonheads, "A Circle of One" (Official) 2014, w/re-mastered audio from Benjamin Deily on Vimeo.

Highlights from Amazon's February's mp3 Sale

Every month, Amazon.com puts up 100 albums for $5 each. Ones that may be of interest to readers:

* A Perfect Circle - Mer de Noms
* Waxahatchee - Cerulian Salt
* Outkast - Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik
* The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You
* The Beastie Boys - Solid Gold Hits
* Portugal. The Man - In the Mountain In the Cloud
* Mazzy Star - So Tonight That I Might See
* Neutral Milk Hotel - On Avery Island
* They Might Be Giants - Flood
* Beck - Sea Change