Pizza Comedy

Been on a pretty huge Black Keys kick this last month. Their latest album, Brothers, is perhaps my favorite LP of the year. An old school, gritty rock-n-roll album that stands out among the increasing wave of electronica-infused rock. This album could have been made in a garage in the 70s and sound the same as it does today — like a modern-day mix of Jimi Hendrix, White Stripes, and Kings of Leon — with a lot of gut-busting, bluesy rawness in between.

Here’s their latest music video, for a song called “Next Girl”. A great breakup song, and apparently, an even better song if you hate dinosaur puppets…

Artist: The Black Keys
Song: “Next Girl”
Album: Brothers (2010)
Website

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If you don’t have Brothers, pick it up. I love the new wave of electro-rock (obviously), but you hear an album like this and you realize nothing can take the place of good ol’ rock-n-roll. This is bare bones music. Much like the White Stripes, the entire band is a duo — vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney. And what they manage to accomplish musically is pat-on-the-back worthy.

I actually just bought their earlier album Rubber Factory (’04), and it’s even grittier and more blues-infused. Nice, real nice…

Hey, you. Yeah you, skanky lady that likes expensive cars.* Cee Lo and Fiddy have had enough of your shit. They wrote a song about it. It’s called “Fuck You” and in case you don’t get the message, let them spell it out for you…

You can actually download the track for free here. Audio below…

Artist: Cee Lo & 50 Cent
Song: “Fuck You”
Album: No Friggin Clue (2010)
Website (Free Download)

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According to the official website it’s a “remix”, but it also calls it a “freestyle”. So I’m not exactly sure what this is or what it’s from, but I enjoyed it. It was launched officially from 50’s website, so maybe he just laid down a meaty freestyle and made this track streeeeeeettttcchhhhhhh.

*Let’s be real, the author realizes that absolutely no “skanky hos who like expensive cars” read this website. In fact, he’d be surprised (and honored) if just a regular ol’ skanky ho read this website. He’d even be surprised if a just a human being with a vagina read this website. If you’re out there, with a vagina, then god bless you. But you’re probably not, so…random dude reading this, you’re pretty cool too.

Here’s a fresh track that’s been bouncing around my head all week. Comes from Syracuse electro-rock group Mouth’s Cradle — never heard of them before this one, but it looks as if my alma mater is still cranking out talent like whoa. Seriously, ‘Cuse, keep it up. First Ra Ra Riot (new album dropping in a week, check out their single “Boy“)…and now this. Makes me wonder why I didn’t start a rock-apella group there. I mean, have you heard my voice?

On this one, Mouth samples elements of Train’s “Hey Soul Sister” and make me do something I never thought possible, enjoy elements of a Train song. Crank this shit, cuz it’s my jam…

Artist: Mouth’s Cradle
Song: Summertime
Album: Summer Mixtape
Website

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That one’s def gonna be on the upcoming Summer POW! 2 double-mixtape coming out later this month. If you still haven’t checked out the first Summer POW! mixtape, you need to.

This dog did and look what happened to him…

He loves it.

I got this album on a strong recommendation from a friend a couple months back and did the standard “sure I’ll listen to it” blow off. Months went by…then randomly put it on when I was bored one day. And POW! He was right, I was stupid for waiting so long. It’s probably the most upbeat, pleasant summer album I’ve heard in a couple years. And I love summer, so back the hell off.

Never been a huge fan of people who spell their names in weird ways, but bare with Martyn. He’s undercover. And he’s about to impregnate you with audio waves…

Artist: Two Door Cinema Club
Song: “Undercover Martyn”
Album: Tourist History (2010)
Website

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One of many great songs on this album which flies by like whoa (Other key tracks are “What You Know” and “I Can Talk”). Only 10 tracks and 33 minutes long, so no surprise it goes by so fast. But all the more reason for you to check it out.

Here’s something I didn’t know though — this fast-riffing trio isn’t actually from the USA like I thought, they’re from Northern Ireland and are signed to a French record label. That one caught me off guard. Another thing I wasn’t expecting…how young and goobery the band members would look. You can discover that for yourself in the music video below. But believe me, it’s not a criticism. These kids are young. And someone just facebook’d a pic of me from my freshman year in high school (here’s the photo, try and find me) and I looked like the Michelin Man after Thanksgiving dinner. I forgot I was that round. Which is weird because I know it’s hip to be square.

Anyway, here’s the music video. Enjoy, watch, and check out this band. I think you’ll likely…

Slim and Weezy…what a great combo. I would equate their combined taste to when pepperoni first met pizza…a match made in heaven. Lil Wayne taking it slow and steady, having slo-mo coitus with the world and getting a child out of it…and then Eminem ferociously picking up the pace, just in case someone, anyone, tried to catch up to him and take his manhood away. Not gonna happen. Not on this track.

Add to that the sampling of Night At The Roxbury’s classic “What Is Love?”, and you’ve got something to write home about. Call up your ex. Put this song on speaker. Set fire to the world and feel good about it. Bold words, but I think this is my favorite track off of Eminem’s new disc…

Artist: Eminem feat. Lil Wayne
Song: “No Love”
Album: Recovery (2010)
Website

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He can hate me if he wants, but I have a lot of love for that tune. And to be honest, I think the whole Recovery album is really solid. Beats the crap out of Relapse and Encore, and for the first time in a long time, taps back into the epic flows and mind-blowing word play that made Eminem the best.

Sidenote: I’d really love to see that Jay-Z/Eminem double-headlining tour that’s going on. Not sure who’d win in a fight — Hova or Slim Shady — but I’d like to watch and see. (Personally, I think Shady would win. While Jay Z is hard for the streets, Eminem would probably just shank a bitch with a sharpened toothbrush.)

Here’s the latest from New York rockers Ra Ra Riot — ripe off their upcoming album The Orchard, which drops at the end of August. I first got into these guys because they were in my graduating class at Syracuse University (and ironically, recorded two demos for the band in my music engineering classes).

Please note: this is why I listened in the first place — I stayed because their music is amazing. Didn’t really dig it at first, but after a few listens…damn. “Can You Tell” is still one of my favorite tracks from the past 10 years. A really beautiful mix of strings, energy, and deep-cutting vocals.

Hopefully this sophomore album will deliver more of that candy. From the sound of this track below, it seems like their right on par with that punch of indie pop….

Artist: Ra Ra Riot
Song: “Boy”
Album: The Orchard (August 24th, 2010)
Website (FREE DOWNLOAD on their site)

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Pretty cool. Not surprisingly, these guys run in the same circle as their New York counterpart Vampire Weekend. Less popular, but equally potent. (btw, Vampire Weekend is apparently being sued for $2 million over the album art for their latest LP. It’s BS and they’ll win, but you should read about that if you’re interested).

Anyway, you can probably tell I’m looking forward to this album. But if that wasn’t enough, I got extra moist when I learned that Death Cab and Vampire Weekend were in the studio with Ra Ra Riot, helping them produce and mix it:

“The band co-produced the album alongside Andrew Maury and Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla mixed nine of its 10 tracks. The other track, “Do You Remember”, was mixed by from Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij, RRR frontman Wes Miles’ partner in the mutant-R&B side project Discovery.”

Awesome. My ears are perkin’ up just thinking about it…

This website is amazing.

I guess I should preface that with: If you like classic, face-melting rock-n-roll, old-school music, this website is amazing. If you like AutoTuned bullshit, stick with Akon.com and enjoy being mr. lonely.

It’s called Wolfgang’s Vault. And it’s got thousands of live shows from thousands of artists, dating all the way back to the 60s. Good, quality recordings directly from the soundboards — not some bullshit recorded from the audience. The Band, The Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Clapton, Bob Marley, Miles Davis, David Bowie and tons more. There’s even some new artists sprinkled in there too (Vampire Weekend, Ra Ra Riot, Death Cab For Cutie, etc). I’m not normally one to be impressed by these things, but I discovered it yesterday and I can’t stop with the nostalgia…

Peep this: I started my morning with a live set from the Band circa 1976 and then followed it up with an epic 2-hour jam fest from a Stones show a la ‘81. How was your morning? I thought so…

Anyway, check it out. If you want. It’s free — yes, you do need to create an account — but it’s free. And it rocks. For me personally, it’s cool to hear people playing in their prime well before I was born…many people who aren’t alive any more and who I’ve only heard on studio albums. Now I get to be a part of that music too.

Wolfgang, I’m sure you’re just some obese nerd in his late 60s, but you’ve done a great thing. Whoever you are, keep rocking…

Personally, I hate scary movies. I don’t watch them because, well, because they scare me. Not so much in the theater, but back at home…when I’m trying to sleep. I can’t do it. I keep thinking that a dead zombie robot is gonna crawl out of my closet or something.

Honestly, I don’t know why people do it to themselves. Granted, I understand this makes me a wuss…but I don’t care. I sleep well at night. As for this guy, I’m guessing he’s not gonna sleep well for the next three years…

I’m not sure what’s scarier, the creepy child actors or the vest/lip-pierce combo. Even though he screams like a girl, I’m gonna lean towards the child actors. They always freak me out.

And what the hell is Tracy Morgan doing hosting this show?? This must be his nightmare.