Forever In Green

This is the first video from the fantastic new Beck album, Modern Guilt.

The Fleet Foxes have been having a kick ass year. They have exploded onto the scene with their debut ep and first release, taking the helm of the current folk revival with their self proclaimed “baroque pop” sound. Now they have infiltrated the realm of video with a madcap claymation adventure set to the hauntingly beautiful White Winter Hymnal. Pitchfork has the video review HERE

…so much so that he has written a poem to express these sentiments. Stereogum has the scoop HERE

Mogwai is always good for some ethereal, often abrasive toned audio swells. The new single is no different. Swiftly moving with a tight pop beat and guitar hook, “Sun” brings a fun twist to the often grim textures of Mogwai. You can download the new track HERE

The new album, called “The Hawk Is Howling” will be released on Matador on September 23rd.

Check it:

The fresh Danger Mouse produced album from Beck will drop on the 7th of July 2008. It will contain 10 new tracks and clock in at just over a half hour. Check out the tracklist:

Orphans
Gamma Ray
Chemtrails
Modern Guilt
Youthless
Walls
Replica
Soul of A Man
Profanity Prayers
Volcano

Also check out this clip from a June 9th live performence of some fresh material: LINK

“America… just a nation of two hundred million used car salesmen with all the money we need to buy guns and no qualms about killing anybody else in the world who tries to make us uncomfortable.”

-Hunter S. Thompson

A wise,furious. and psychotic man who has irrevocably changed the face of journalism and politics has a biopic coming out this year. It looks to focus on key ventures of Thompson’s life, such as his time with the Hell’s Angels and his involvement with George McGovern’s 1972 Campaign. Narrated by Johnny Depp, Gonzo looks to illuminate the genius of this important American icon to the masses who may only have him pegged as a drug addled buffoon in the film Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas. Look for it in limited release this Forth Of July.

Check the trailer HERE

Of Montreal front man Kevin Barnes has announced that all finishing touches for the upcoming album Skeletal Lamping, have been completed. The album is slated to be released sometime in October 2008. All indicators point towards this release being very complex and challenging. According to Barnes it can be perceived as one long piece with different movements that sometimes don’t “work”. Read his whole statement HERE

Detroit started the summer of 2008 off with a synthesized bang last month, with the annual Detroit Electronic Music Festival. The lineup this year was pretty eclectic, ranging from laptop superstar Moby to the smooth grooves of Carl Craig. The former capped off the evening I attended, encapsulating the sense of freedom and community that was accrued throughout the sweaty, flashing funk fest.

Approaching Detroit’s Hart Plaza, there can be no mistaking what is happening. A line of colorfully dressed characters stretches all the way down to Cobo Hall. They are grooving to the overflow of beats emanating from the wide range of stages within the plaza. The sun is heavy overhead, but contributes to the sleepy throbbing ambiance of the midday sets, prepping the crowd for the madness that nightfall will bring.

With each different stage, there is a completely different environment. The open air pit is a zone for congregation and light free flow dancing. The underground realm is a breeding ground for the intense folks, who don’t feel like messing around with the pesky sun. Armed with gas masks, glow sticks pacifiers, and a will to get down, these creatures of the night dazzle the senses with their swirling, grooving moves. Elsewhere break dance battles are rampant, as well as every other kind of interpretational dance imaginable. As the afternoon wanes, the crowd starts to swell and the evening begins with a rousing set by euro favorite Benny Benassi. Soon however, the attention begins to shift over to the stage overlooking the Detroit river with a fantastic view of Windsor, Canada, as the Cool Kids take the stage.

One member a Chicago native, the other hailing from Detroit, The Cool Kids definitely have a handle on the aesthetic of the Midwest, making them a particularly good fit for DEMF. In fact, their whole set seemed to be steeped in nostalgia, creating a wholly satisfying homage to the MCs that paved the way for them throughout the years. They hit tracks from their new release Fish Riding Bicycles as well as their two EP’s, Totally Flossed out and The Bake Sale. The centerpiece of the set was a montage of old school jams which they invited everyone to sing along with, including cuts from The Notorious B.I.G. and Skeelo. Full of energy and charisma, the Cool Kids appreciation of the fruits of Pop’s past was a perfect segue way into the set by Girl Talk.

I have always enjoyed the DJ stylings of Girl Talk, but was converted by his transformative live performance. Things really got rolling before the show even started when he took the mic and invited the crowd to join him on stage. This resulted in near pandemonium as legions of frenzied techno freaks leapt over security and started the party. The set started shortly thereafter with an announcement from the performer informing the audience that he was Girl Talk and that there were to be no rules at this show. This announcement was followed by an explosion of beats and a roar from the crowd. Girl Talk himself proceeded to run frantically around the stage betwixt writhing crowd dancers, jumping and diving, and eventually ripping off his clothes down to his boxer shorts.

The set was basically an orgy of classic pop hits fused together almost beyond recognition, including jams from The Notorious B.I.G., Abba,Elton John, Bruce Springsteen,Wu tang Clan, and Ace of Bass, among many many others. With the culmination of this set, the crowd migrated to the only remaining stage, where the smooth jazz stylings of the legendary Carl Craig were fused with beats and live session musicians. A cathartic, suiting climax to a long day of digital debauchery.

To commemorate the release of Weezer’s new Red Album, here is an offering that encapsulates the fun, zany spirit of the new release. Tay Zonday of Chocholate Rain fame joins Brian Bell for an acoustic rendition of the red hot single, Pork and Beans.