· The multimedia kings of culture jamming, Negativland, are back this Tuesday with a righteous continuation of the group's copyright-freedom manifesto, this time aiming directly at the hand that feeds: the recording industry.
Made famous from the band's 1991 legal stomping by U2's lawyers over a mishmash masterpiece melting "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking for" with inane Casey Kasem banter, the audio alchemists of Negativland only became more riled up. The new CD, No Business, is from its own Seeland Records imprint, and comes in a nifty six-by-11-inch package crafted to fit the 48-page thesis "Two Relationships to a Cultural Public Domain" and a bright yellow whoopee cushion of a giant copyright symbol. The CD is pure Negativland magic, eons from the old days of cutting and splicing tape into the ensemble's Dali-esque mental theatre, using nearly seamless computer technology to rearrange an overflowing file cabinet of audio snippets into hypnotic masterpieces that playfully question the issue at hand. Must-hear selections include the looping "Piece of Pie" and the insane juggling of lyrical bits by Ethel Merman in the title track, singing such stinging lines as "show people, stealing everything the traffic will allow." Highly recommended.
· Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine, the master of schlock, is releasing a third album next week, and I can't wait to hear his lounge-lizard take on a new batch of pop "standards." Maybe you've caught his act on Last Call with Carson Daly, or were captivated by the perfect film moment when his cover of Disturbed's "Down with the Sickness" played over the rooftop scene in last year's Dawn of the Dead. One nibble of this cheese, baby, and I'm hooked. The new album, entitled Aperitif for Destruction, spreads the schmaltz with old-Vegas spins on Jane's Addiction's "Been Caught Stealing," the Violent Femmes' "Add It Up," The Killers' "Somebody Told Me," Alice in Chains' "Man in the Box," and 12 other twisted takes.
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno hosts actress Juliette Lewis in her new rock band, Juliette & The Licks, this evening and Cowboy Troy on Thursday; The Late Show with David Letterman presents Hot Hot Heat on Thursday and The Wallflowers on Tuesday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien welcomes Doves on Thursday overnight, Mudvayne on Friday overnight, and Billy Idol on Tuesday overnight; Last Call with Carson Daly gets chatty with Scott Weiland on Thursday overnight, The Donnas on Friday overnight, and The Dan Band on Tuesday overnight; Jimmy Kimmel Live welcomes Audioslave this evening overnight, Gwen Stefani on Thursday overnight, The Dears on Friday overnight, and Seether on Tuesday overnight; and Saturday Night Live's musical guest this weekend is Coldplay.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, May 24:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change
Amber Pacific- The Possibility & The Promise (Victory) performing special acoustic nights between Vans Warped Tour dates
Audioslave- Out of Exile (Interscope) highly anticipated return of this supergroup, recently making history as an American band playing an outdoor concert in Cuba
Belle & Sebastian- Push Barman to Open Old Wounds (Matador) collections of EPs and singles
Ron Blake- Sonic Tonic (Mack Ave) produced by Meshell Ndegeocello
James Blood Ulmer- Birthright (Hyena) featuring of cover of Willie Dixon's "I Ain't Superstitious"
Buff Medways- Medway Wheelers (Damaged Goods) new from Billy Childish
Alex Chilton- Live in Anders (Rykodisc) the former Box Tops and Big Star vocalist recorded last year in Belgium
Cosmic Farm- Cosmic Farm (Tone Center) new from master bassist Rob Wasserman and Dixie Dregs keyboardist T Lavitz
Nikka Costa- can'tneverdidnothin' (Virgin) super funky pop with plenty of moxie, on tour now with Lenny Kravitz's "Electric Church: One Night Only" tour
Death in Vegas- Satan's Circus (The Lab) once again, the duo of Richard Fearless and Tim Holmes define the current state of electronica with an instrumental album of percolating bliss and dub zone wicky-wicky
Bruce Dickinson- Tyranny of Souls (Sanctuary) new solo album from the Iron Maiden vocalist
Enron: The Smartest Guys In the Room- motion picture soundtrack (Commotion) with music from Tom Waits, The Cardigans, Traffic, Dusty Springfield, and Judy Garland
Foetus- Love (Birdman) CD and DVD set with guest vocalist Jennifer Charles of Elysian Fields and thereminist Pamelia Kurstin
Girlyman- Little Star (Daemon) second album of breathtaking three-part harmonies and back-porch melodies
Gorillaz- Demon Days (Virgin) produced by Danger Mouse, with guests Dennis Hopper, Shawn Rider, De La Soul, Ike Turner, and the London Community Choir
Harper- Down to the Rhythm (Blind Pig) hot import from Down Under, winning last year's prizes for both male vocalist and song of the year in the Australia Blues Awards
Head of Femur- Hysterical Stars (SpinART) quirky, psychedelic pop, featuring the surreal children's song, "The Sausage Canoe"
The Highend Sound - Urban Lounge Supreme (Groove Gravy) smooth blend of hip-hop beats and tiki-lounge drifts
Vijay Iyer- Reimagining (Savoy Jazz) piano-driven quartet featuring a cool cover of John Lennon's "Imagine"
Stephen Malkmus- Face the Truth (Matador) the third solo album from the Pavement founder
Meat Beat Manifesto- At the Center (Thirsty Ear Blue Series) Jack Dangers with a jazz trio
Molly Hatchet- Warriors of the Rainbow Bridge (Steamhammer/SPV) all new
Mysterious Skin- motion picture soundtrack (Commotion) music by the teaming of Harold Budd and Cocteau Twins guitarist Robin Guthrie
Popa Chubby- Big Man, Big Guitar: Popa Chubby Live (Blind Pig) new tasty tones from the blistering blues-guitar monster, featuring three cool covers: Jimi Hendrix's "Hey Joe," Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," and the Carter Family's "Keep on the Sunny Side"
Post Stardom Depression- Prime Time Looks a Lot Like Amateur Night (Control Group) don't be fooled by the clever peek-a-boo sleeve over the CD's case; this is tough swagger rock with a gritty, dark whip
Satan's Rats - What a Bunch of Rodents (Overground) re-issue of this rare 1996 release, expanded with tracks from seven-inch singles
Screaming Trees- Ocean of Confusion: Songs 1989-1996 (Epic Legacy) 20-track best-of collection with two previously unreleased tracks
Sleater-Kinney - The Woods (SubPop)
Maria Taylor- 11:11 (Saddle Creek) new solo album from one half of the terrific duo Azure Ray, with guests Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes and Gretta Cohn of Cursive
Violent Femmes- Viva Wisconsin and Freak Magnet (Shout Factory!) re-issues from 1999 and 2000, with bonus tracks
Wallflowers- Rebel, Sweetheart (Interscope) also available in the DualDisc format
X-Ray Spex- Germ Free Adolescents (Castle/Sanctuary) expanded re-issue from 1978, with nine bonus tracks
Youth Group- Skeleton Key (Epitaph) big buzz on this quartet from Sydney, Australia
various artists - Static Disaster U.K. (In the Red) budget-priced label sampler featuring two tracks from the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion on CD for the first time
· Richard Cheese & Lounge Against the Machine, the master of schlock, is releasing a third album next week, and I can't wait to hear his lounge-lizard take on a new batch of pop "standards." Maybe you've caught his act on Last Call with Carson Daly, or were captivated by the perfect film moment when his cover of Disturbed's "Down with the Sickness" played over the rooftop scene in last year's Dawn of the Dead. One nibble of this cheese, baby, and I'm hooked. The new album, entitled Aperitif for Destruction, spreads the schmaltz with old-Vegas spins on Jane's Addiction's "Been Caught Stealing," the Violent Femmes' "Add It Up," The Killers' "Somebody Told Me," Alice in Chains' "Man in the Box," and 12 other twisted takes.
Television Alert:
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno hosts actress Juliette Lewis in her new rock band, Juliette & The Licks, this evening and Cowboy Troy on Thursday; The Late Show with David Letterman presents Hot Hot Heat on Thursday and The Wallflowers on Tuesday; Late Night with Conan O'Brien welcomes Doves on Thursday overnight, Mudvayne on Friday overnight, and Billy Idol on Tuesday overnight; Last Call with Carson Daly gets chatty with Scott Weiland on Thursday overnight, The Donnas on Friday overnight, and The Dan Band on Tuesday overnight; Jimmy Kimmel Live welcomes Audioslave this evening overnight, Gwen Stefani on Thursday overnight, The Dears on Friday overnight, and Seether on Tuesday overnight; and Saturday Night Live's musical guest this weekend is Coldplay.
New Releases Coming Tuesday, May 24:
... and like the winds, young grasshopper, are subject to change
Amber Pacific- The Possibility & The Promise (Victory) performing special acoustic nights between Vans Warped Tour dates
Audioslave- Out of Exile (Interscope) highly anticipated return of this supergroup, recently making history as an American band playing an outdoor concert in Cuba
Belle & Sebastian- Push Barman to Open Old Wounds (Matador) collections of EPs and singles
Ron Blake- Sonic Tonic (Mack Ave) produced by Meshell Ndegeocello
James Blood Ulmer- Birthright (Hyena) featuring of cover of Willie Dixon's "I Ain't Superstitious"
Buff Medways- Medway Wheelers (Damaged Goods) new from Billy Childish
Alex Chilton- Live in Anders (Rykodisc) the former Box Tops and Big Star vocalist recorded last year in Belgium
Cosmic Farm- Cosmic Farm (Tone Center) new from master bassist Rob Wasserman and Dixie Dregs keyboardist T Lavitz
Nikka Costa- can'tneverdidnothin' (Virgin) super funky pop with plenty of moxie, on tour now with Lenny Kravitz's "Electric Church: One Night Only" tour
Death in Vegas- Satan's Circus (The Lab) once again, the duo of Richard Fearless and Tim Holmes define the current state of electronica with an instrumental album of percolating bliss and dub zone wicky-wicky
Bruce Dickinson- Tyranny of Souls (Sanctuary) new solo album from the Iron Maiden vocalist
Enron: The Smartest Guys In the Room- motion picture soundtrack (Commotion) with music from Tom Waits, The Cardigans, Traffic, Dusty Springfield, and Judy Garland
Foetus- Love (Birdman) CD and DVD set with guest vocalist Jennifer Charles of Elysian Fields and thereminist Pamelia Kurstin
Girlyman- Little Star (Daemon) second album of breathtaking three-part harmonies and back-porch melodies
Gorillaz- Demon Days (Virgin) produced by Danger Mouse, with guests Dennis Hopper, Shawn Rider, De La Soul, Ike Turner, and the London Community Choir
Harper- Down to the Rhythm (Blind Pig) hot import from Down Under, winning last year's prizes for both male vocalist and song of the year in the Australia Blues Awards
Head of Femur- Hysterical Stars (SpinART) quirky, psychedelic pop, featuring the surreal children's song, "The Sausage Canoe"
The Highend Sound - Urban Lounge Supreme (Groove Gravy) smooth blend of hip-hop beats and tiki-lounge drifts
Vijay Iyer- Reimagining (Savoy Jazz) piano-driven quartet featuring a cool cover of John Lennon's "Imagine"
Stephen Malkmus- Face the Truth (Matador) the third solo album from the Pavement founder
Meat Beat Manifesto- At the Center (Thirsty Ear Blue Series) Jack Dangers with a jazz trio
Molly Hatchet- Warriors of the Rainbow Bridge (Steamhammer/SPV) all new
Mysterious Skin- motion picture soundtrack (Commotion) music by the teaming of Harold Budd and Cocteau Twins guitarist Robin Guthrie
Popa Chubby- Big Man, Big Guitar: Popa Chubby Live (Blind Pig) new tasty tones from the blistering blues-guitar monster, featuring three cool covers: Jimi Hendrix's "Hey Joe," Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," and the Carter Family's "Keep on the Sunny Side"
Post Stardom Depression- Prime Time Looks a Lot Like Amateur Night (Control Group) don't be fooled by the clever peek-a-boo sleeve over the CD's case; this is tough swagger rock with a gritty, dark whip
Satan's Rats - What a Bunch of Rodents (Overground) re-issue of this rare 1996 release, expanded with tracks from seven-inch singles
Screaming Trees- Ocean of Confusion: Songs 1989-1996 (Epic Legacy) 20-track best-of collection with two previously unreleased tracks
Sleater-Kinney - The Woods (SubPop)
Maria Taylor- 11:11 (Saddle Creek) new solo album from one half of the terrific duo Azure Ray, with guests Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes and Gretta Cohn of Cursive
Violent Femmes- Viva Wisconsin and Freak Magnet (Shout Factory!) re-issues from 1999 and 2000, with bonus tracks
Wallflowers- Rebel, Sweetheart (Interscope) also available in the DualDisc format
X-Ray Spex- Germ Free Adolescents (Castle/Sanctuary) expanded re-issue from 1978, with nine bonus tracks
Youth Group- Skeleton Key (Epitaph) big buzz on this quartet from Sydney, Australia
various artists - Static Disaster U.K. (In the Red) budget-priced label sampler featuring two tracks from the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion on CD for the first time
