Music
Listen Up: G. Dep’s ‘Special Delivery (Remix)’
Today, my coworkers and I were talking about how the Harlem Shake has become an Internet meme–even though the 2013 version is not the real dance. So, out of curiosity, I asked them what the real Harlem Shake looked like, and they clued me in to this video from 2002. The kid rocks it. P. […]
Listen Up: Tame Impala’s “Mind Mischief”
This video from Aussie indie band Tame Impala is so mesmerizing that their song seems secondary, in comparison–even though they made the video to promote the latest single off of their new album Lonerism. In fact, the melody has nearly escaped me, yet the 5:37 of entrancing imagery remains. You can catch Tame Impala at […]
It’s a Dangerous World Out There, Kids…
Here’s the latest from The Lonely Island, featuring special guest and the most famous of all d-bags, Adam Levine if I have to hear “Moves Like Jagger” one more time I think I will poke my eyes out, along with the always-funny Andy Samberg, and super-surprise guest Danny McBride. Slap on your tinfoil hat, drape yourself […]
Listen Up: Brant Bjork & the Operators’ “Hindu 65”
I first heard this song in 2005, even though the album came out three years earlier. Upon first listen, the track evoked images of a young man being chased through a dark alley, but knowing precisely which routes to take because the streets had been his playground since he could walk. This song grabbed me […]
Listen Up: Nico Vega’s “Gravity”
A bad-ass video for a bad-ass song. Best line: ‘You’re never gonna thrill me. But you can kiss my ass.’ [Side note: Yes, I said ‘ass’ way too much in these two sentences. So what?] Listen at a loud volume.
5 Fabulous Songs to Celebrate National Coming Out Day
Wave your rainbow flags, (no, not you, Chick-fil-a or Newt Gingrich) and show your pride: October 11th marks the official internationally observed National Coming Out Day, which celebrates individuals in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community and raises awareness of the civil rights movement. As a Hollywood/West Hollywood resident, I’ve discovered that there are certain […]
7 Songs More Likely To Induce Clapping Than the Song In the VW Commercial
The omnipresent Volkswagen 2012 Beetle commercial that features the highly catchy “Clapping Song” (‘3-6-9, the goose drank wine’) got me thinking about hand claps in music. From The Game’s “How We Do” intro to Billy Idol’s “Dancing With Myself” to The Black Keys’ “Howlin’ For You,” hand-claps inject a lively punch wherever they spring up […]
Black Monday: Dragsters In the Punk Lane
If you haven’t heard of Black Monday yet, you will. This fueled-up band emerged from the Los Angeles punk rock scene, playing with such legends as Fear, The Adicts, Agent Orange and The Dickies. Since reuniting last year, they’ve been booking shows throughout SoCal. They also got a brand-spankin’ new frontman, Brian Christensen. And their “Black Hell EP” […]
What’s the Saga? It’s Called ‘Songs For the Deaf.’
Yesterday marked the 10-year anniversary of Queens of the Stone Age’s third album Songs For the Deaf. From its 40-second intro, which featured the sound of a key going into an ignition, a car door slamming and an engine running, you knew that you Joshua Homme, Nick Oliveri, guest drummer Dave Grohl and the rest […]
Heartbroken and Attractive, A Sad, Sloppy Mess
SubPop, Matador, Kill Rock Stars, Merge Records… During the early ’90s, these independent record labels were amongst indie rock royalty. From these labels, low-fi, noise and sludge rock pioneers like Sonic Youth, Guided By Voices, Slint, Six Finger Satellite, Pavement, Bikini Kill and many more emerged. Their songs were gloomy, angst-ridden, distorted masterpieces that resonated with […]
Daffodils & Devil Horns 