Live Review - Glasvegas @ Webster Hall

When you fall in love with a band from the beginning and seeing them evolve in front of your eyes, it is like watching your own children grow up. For me, watching Glasvegas sell out bigger venues every time they play New York and attending each one, is not only a privilege it is an honor. I simply love this band and what I witnessed last night at a sold out Webster Hall was just magic. The Scottish quartet took the stage for a hour long set, which included their self titled debut in it's entirety plus a few songs from their Christmas EP A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like A Kiss). Opening with the rising single "Geraldine," standing front row, my skeleton jumped out of my skin. Their music is part 50's retro, part Jesus and Mary Chain and Joy Division, but at the end of it all, it is purely their own. When singer James Allen belts out his lyrics, you feel his pain, they are songs everyone can relate to, because in one form or another the heart ache that Allen is singing about is something we have all gone through.
Looking like rock stars ripped from the pages of your favorite magazine, Glasvegas had the crowd at their feet all night and begging for more. With Bassist Paul Donoghue and Guitarist Rab Allen dancing around the stage and drummer Caroline McKay pounding her heart out, it is just pure passion that drives the band's live sets. From the crowd pleasing "Go Square Go," "It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry,""Fuck You It's Over," to "Flowers and Football Tops," and "Daddy's Gone," the crowd chanted back as if it were a soccer match back in the band's native Glasgow than a rock concert.
I first herd of this band a year ago and was instantly hooked, I have written about them hundred's of times, including landing their first American interview. Yet, it was not until after witnessing the band just a few months back at Bowery Ballroom, I knew I had something special then. Last night at Webster Hall, backed by a new lighting system which will put them on equal playing field as U2 when they open for the legendary band this summer. Glasvegas are hitting the big leagues, the place where they belong.

For my Interview with Glasvegas click HERE

Rancid Tracklisting

Famous punkers Rancid have announced details to their long awaited album. The record, Let the Domino's Fall will be out just in time for the summer on June 2 in the UK and June 3 in the States. This is the band's first album of new material since 2009's Indestructible. Check out the track listing to Let the Domino's Fall below:

'East Bay Night'
'This Place'
'Up To No Good'
'Last One To Die'
'Disconnected'
'I Ain't Worried'
'Damnation'
'New Orleans'
'Civilian Ways'
'The Bravest Kids'
'Skull City'
'L.A. River'
'Lulu''Dominoes Fall'
'Liberty and Freedom'
'You Want It, You Got It'
'Locomotive'
'That's Just The Way It Is Now'
'The Highway'

Live Review-The Gaslight Anthem @ Webster Hall

In their first headlining New York City concert since August, New Jersey punks The Gaslight Anthem pulled out all the stops to prove why they are one of musics most talked about rising stars. Opening with "Great Expectations," from the bands latest The '59 Sound, they kicked into high gear and showed no signs of stopping. In the bands brief three year history they have received acclaim from fellow Jersey Idols Bouncing Souls and got The Bosses approval as Springsteen himself is a fan. Placing their hearts on their sleeves and their influences on their wave of rockabilly punk meets good old fashion Rock and Roll the Gaslight Anthem are bound for glory.
Just before getting into the title track "The '59 Sound," singer Brian Fallon reflected on how much he wanted to play Webster Hall after seeing one of his favorite bands, The Cold War Kids at the venue a year ago. "I showed 'em! We showed 'em! You showed 'em!", Fallon would chant after claiming his victory and vision of playing the legendary venue. The band was all smiles all night and humbled by selling out the concert, victory at last. The true highlight of the night came when they covered Pearl Jam's "State of Love and Trust," from the Singles Soundtrack. Fallon would also mention how much the soundtrack to the famous Cameron Crowe film would impact him as a songwriter and musician growing up. Yet, Pearl Jam was not the only cover the band jumped into, tossing in James Brown's "It's A Man's World," to Ben E. King's "Stand By Me," and even Glasvegas' "Geraldine."
One hell of a night and great way to kick start the weekend. I have not seen such a wild crowd in a very long time and a band that enthusiastic since the summer. Catch The Gaslight Anthem on tour this Spring and I promise it will be a great night!

Inside All Of Us....

The trailer for the much anticipated screen adaptation to Where The Wild Things Are, has just been released and all I can say is...WOW! It will open up your childhood, Spike Jonze my hat is off to you.

The film, produced by Tom Hanks, features a great cast including Forrest Whitaker, James Gandolfini, Catherine O'Hara and many others. Plus the score was done by Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and music from Arcade Fire!

FREE MUSIC!!

Leave it up to Trent Reznor to give it all away. Since his band, Nine Inch Nails, is hitting the road this summer with Jane's Addiction and Tom Morello's Street Sweeper, all of the bands have signed off to release a six song sampler of new tracks from each band.
The Jane's Addiction songs are especially good because they have all been produced by Reznor and will appear on the band's forthcoming record. Head on over to www.NINJA2009.com to get your sampler now!

Liam Gallagher Clothing Line

Liam Gallagher will now join the ranks of Sean Combs, Gwen Stefani, and many other musicians turned designers. The iconic Oasis front man is about to dabble into the fashion world. Earlier this year in Milan, David Beckham was not the only Brit in the Italian city, Gallagher met with designers and makers to launch Pretty Green, his clothing line named after a song from The Jam. The singer mentioned on the company's site "The reason I'm doing it is I like clothes. We're going to do clothes I like, if people like it cool if they don't, they don't!" Liam has always had a great sense of style and I am curious to see what he comes up with. Check out the photo's below to see what he has been up. Also, check out the companies site at http://www.prettygreen.com/

Vampire Weekend on Fallon

Say what you want about Jimmy Fallon, but he has been getting some great guests on his show. Here is Vampire Weekend debuting a new song "White Sky," on Late Night.

Quick News

The untimely passing of Jeff Buckley over a decade ago still lingers in the music world. His voice, passion and lyrics will always remain with us. With the celebration of the 15th anniversary of Grace, Buckleys final and most famous record, Columbia records announced it will release Grace Around the World. The new release will be a CD/DVD retrospect of Buckley live performances, unseen backstage footage and more. Grace Around the World hits stores on June 2.

Another posthumous releases, before his death Heath Ledger had directed a video for Modest Mouse. The song "King Rat," a B-Side to We Were All Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, was requested by Ledger to direct a video for the band. The video which also features animation from Terry Gilliam who was in the middle of directing Ledger in his final role in The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus. This was not the only thing Ledger had directed, right before his death he made a short film to the music of his idol Nick Drake. The video for "King Rat," will be out sometime this year.

In more posthumous releases Nirvana's back catalogue will be out and remastered on vinyl this year. The band's infamous Nevermind along with their final live recording of MTV's Unplugged in November of 1993 will also be released.

TSOOL on Leno

One of my favorites, The Soundtrack of Our Lives came to the Tonight Show this week and killed it. Take a look and go grab the band's latest double album Communion now!

Playlist

Here is a playlist of songs I have been listening to...Check them out and enjoy!

U2-"Magnificent"
Thursday-"Friends in the Armed Forces"
Prodigy-"Invaders Must Die"
Hot Chip-"Transmission" (Joy Division Cover)
Morrisey-"Something is Squeezing My Skull"
Paper and Sand-"I am the Wrecking Ball"
Elbow-"One Day Like This"
The Fratellis-"Nina"
The Wombats-"My Circutboard City"
Lily Allen-"The Fear"
Starsailor Feat. Brandon Flowers-"Tell Me It's Not Over"
Pete Dogherty-"New Love Grows on Trees"
Sigur Ros-"Hoppipolla"

Bell X1 on Letterman

Letterman sure likes his Irish bands, having U2 rock for a week earlier this month and having Bell X1 on St. Patrick's Day.

New Dylan Cover

Just a couple weeks ago Bob Dylan sprung out that he is releasing his umpteenth album next month. Take a look at the Summertime Americana inspired cover for his latest Together Through Life.

Bloc Party Remix Tracklisting

Bloc Party are going to beef up their last record, last years Intimacy, with a remix album. This of course does not sound foreign to a band who are constantly having their material remixed as well as remixing music for other artists. Bloc Party did a similar effort after the release of their debut, Silent Alarm back in 2005 by later releasing Silent Alarm Remixed. Here is the track listing for Intimacy Remixed done by the DJ's changing the sound around.

'Ares' (Villains)
'Mercury' (Hervé Is In Disarray)
'Halo' (We Have Band Dub)
'Biko' (Mogwai)
'Trojan Horse' (John B)
'Signs' (Armand Van Helden)
'One Month Off' (Filthy Dukes)
'Zephyrus' (Phase One)
'Talons' (Phones RIP)
'Better Than Heaven' (No Age)
'Ion Square' (Banjo or Freakout)
'Letter To My Son' (Gold Panda)
'Your Visits Are Getting Shorter' (Double D)

Quick News

Radiohead are currently working on new material! This is always a monumental moment because one never has any idea what new sound or idea the band will come up with next. Guitarist Ed O'Brien told BBC that “We are working on new material. We’ll be doing some more recording. It’s business as usual." The band is embarking to South America and are currently plotting a small tour for the summer to wrap up the In Rainbows tour.

The Klaxons are being forced to re enter the studio to rework and remake their latest record. The highly anticipated follow up to 2007's Myths of the Near Future, was slated for a summer release this year, yet the label felt it was too dense and psychedelic to put out. Singer Jamie Reynolds told NME that "We made a really heavy record and it isn't the right thing for us, I understand that." No word on when the new record will be available.

Jack White can add another band to his resume. The White Stripes and Raconteurs front man has started a new band called The Dead Weather with Kills singer Alison Mosshart, Raconteurs guitarist Jack Lawrence and Queens of the Stone Age bassist Dean Fertita. This time around, it White is stepping aside and letting Mosshart sing, while Jack plays drums and does backing vocals. The band had their first gig in Nashville last night and here are some demo's of The Dead Weather below:

Morrissey on Kimmel

Last month Morrissey rocked Jimmy Kimmel Live, check out the performance of "Something is Squeezing my Skull."

Our Lady Peace Cover

Canadian rockers Our Lady Peace have announced the title and cover to their latest album. The record entitled Burn Burn! will be out sometime this year, take a look at the cover below. This is the band's follow up to 2005's Healthy in Paranoid Times.

Incubus Cover & Tracklisting

Incubus has announced the full track listing to their two disc / double LP collection of Greatest Hits entitled Monuments and Melodies. The compilation features the band's biggest singles, rarities, B-sides and covers. The cover art was done by Incubus front man Brandon Boyd, Monuments and Melodies is out June 16.

DISC ONE
Black Heart Inertia

Drive

Megalomaniac

Anna-Molly

Love Hurts

Wish You Were Here

Warning

Stellar

Talk Shows On Mute

Pardon Me

Dig

Oil And Water

Are You In?

Nice To Know You

Midnight Swim

DISC TWO
Neither Of Us Can See

Look Alive

While All The Vultures Feed

Pantomime

Anything

Punch Drunk

Admiration Martini

A Certain Shade Of Green (Acoustic)

Monuments And Melodies

Let's Go Crazy

600th POST!!

We have reached another milestone on the blog, as I am publishing my 600th POST!!!

This is exciting news for the little blog that could. I would like to also mention that about a month ago I signed up for a sitemeter program to let me know when and where around the world I am getting hits. This site has reached far and wide from Australia, China, Singapore, Nigeria, across the UK and US. I would also like to say in less than a month "With This I Think I'm Officially A Yuppie" has received over a thousand hits!!!! Such great news!

I would like to thank Steve Pedulla of Thursday, Jon Langford of Your Vegas, Nathan Bayley of Blue Knives and Paper and Sand.

However, overall I would like to THANK YOU!

Thank You for taking your time to read and comment on the blog and keep coming back. I will do my best to provide more to my readers. Expect big things!

Catching Up With Depeche Mode

Quick News

As mentioned a few weeks ago, Nine Inch Nails and Janes Addiction are hitting the road this Summer in a co-headlining joint. However, not like the tour will disappoint to begin with, they have added Street Sweeper as the opener. If the name is foreign to you, no worries, you know who is in it. Street Sweeper is the new band featuring Tom Morello (RATM, Audioslave, Nightwachmen). Morello will be joining his friends all summer with rumors that Street Sweeper and Jane's will be doing Lollapalooza in Chicago in August!

If you grabbed the latest Rolling Stone with U2 on the cover, you were also given another special treat. Hold Steady guitarist Tab Kubler showing off his photography skills, contributing his portraits of Leonard Cohen to the issue. Take a look at Tab's work, the issue is on new stands now.

Check out the cover to one of my favorite singer-songwriters Jarvis Cocker for his latest effort Further Complications, Cocker's Complications will arrive in May. I really love the cover to this record. Cocker's last effort was his long awaited solo debut, Jarvis, which was released in 2007.

WQAQ Presents...

My former College radio state, WQAQ is holding its annual Spring Concert this April...Check out who they have going...For more info head on over to www.wqaq.com

U2 on Letterman Night 5

The final night of a great week on The Late Show with David Letterman. Here they are closing out a historic week with "Get On Your Boots."

U2 on Letterman Night 4

'See the world in red, white and blue / See down to Joey Ramone Avenue / In the Big Apple on Letterman / Think of The Beatles on Ed Sullivan'

It was a "Beautiful Day" on the fourth night of Letterman and the best night of my life as I met my heroes after the show!! Plus check out the band's interview with Letterman (below)

U2 on Letterman Night 3

Letterman went crazy and the crowd went crazy for U2 performing "You Know I'll Go Crazy if I Don't Go Crazy Tonight." Plus check out the U2 Top 10 list!

Quick News

In a statement that caught the entire music world by surprise, Bob Dylan will release an album of new material next month. The basis for the untitled disc comes from the change the country is facing now. For more on the new Dylan, check out David Fricke from Rolling Stone's interview HERE

THE BEATLES ARE REUNITING!!! Well who ever is left of them anyway, but it is still great news to hear. Paul McCartney will be joined next month on stage by Ringo Starr at a charity concert at New York's Radio City Music Hall to benefit the David Lynch Foundation. The last time the two shared the stage and performed together was in 2002 at a tribute to the late George Harrison.

In related news, ever wanted to get a Masters in Beatles knowledge? Well now you can! At England's Liverpool Hope University, they are offering a Masters degree in Beatles popular music and society. You can study the bands effect on the world around them and how the world effected them. See Hope.ac.uk for more info.

U2 on Letterman Night 2

Might as well have just called yesterday, U2uesday! With New York City street 53rd and Broadway being temporary renamed "U2 Way," for the week. The Irish boys were "Magnificent" on their second night on Letterman.

While their latest record No Line on the Horizon receives mixed reviews, that wont stop the band from putting out more music later this year. Bono told Rolling Stone that they have a title and single ready to fly out. The next album, titled Songs of Ascent will feature "Every Breaking Wave," as its first single. Stay tuned as more info arrives!!

U2 on Letterman Night 1

Check out the first night of the band's week long residency at the Ed Sullivan Theater. On night one they shoveled snow (see below) and played "Breathe" off their latest No Line on the Horizon.

U2's New Horizon

New Depeche Mode!!

Here is one of the best video's out there at the moment. It comes from one of my all time favorites, Depeche Mode for their latest single "Wrong." Enjoy!

Rising Artist - La Roux

Over the past few years the UK has not ceased to amaze me in what music we have been importing from them. They seem to have a better answer to all of our calls here in the States. La Roux is their next call to the dance-electro craze hitting the city streets. A mix of Italian pop, Euro disco and English wit, England's La Roux is one lady that is going to make the world go gaga. Her songs are cleaver, hip and body moving, an artist who is going to make a big splash in 2009 (my prediction) I could even see her do the title song for the next Bond film. Her sound is fresh and sexy that it will have everyone wanting more. With her debut arriving later this year, La Roux is someone we should keep our eye on.

Movie of the Month - Closer

When certain artistic formats try and transfer over to another medium, it is either hit or miss. The 2004 film Closer, directed by Mike Nichols, is one of those films that transfers and hits incredibly. Originally a play in London's West End by Patrick Marber, Nichols had become inspired to make it into a film after witnessing the stage performance. Marber would work with Nichols to adapt the play into a screenplay. The film, which stars Julia Roberts, Natalie Portman, Jude Law and Clive Owen (in his best role to date), struck a chord with audiences world wide. Set in modern London, it is a film with intersecting stories and intersecting love lives. Rather complicated to explain in text, the idea is who is cheating on who or who is being honest with who in modern relationships. By the end of its 98 minute run, Closer has you saying "wow." Powerful performances, brilliant writing and talent beyond belief both in front of and behind the camera. Natalie Portman and Clive Owen would both walk away with Golden Globe Awards and Oscar Nominations for their roles, yet all involved are just electric. Backed by a great soundtrack featuring The Smiths, The Prodigy, and Damien Rice, Closer is one film not to be missed.

Underated Classic - Led Zeppelin III

What happens when the loudest band on Earth decides to take it easy and discard the thunder that had made them so famous? In 1970 Led Zeppelin, one of the bands credited for being one of the first "metal," or "loud rock," bands stripped down their sound for their third record. After a successful run touring America, Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page would retreat to a small cottage in Wales with no running water and electricity to unwind, write and get inspired. Inspired they were, with no modern technology available to them at the time and the duo would rework acoustics and their sound all together. After rehearsing and writing the songs, Page and Plant would go back to England to meet bassist John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham to record and finish out the record in a run down mansion. Creating a different feel all together and abandoning conventional studios, Jimmy Page would produce the most diverse Zeppelin album ever. Boasting only one single "Immigrant Song," the heaviest song on the record would open the album, yet the sum would receive mixed reviews the world over from critics and fans. The press for the album would be so bad, Page would not do interviews for over a year. With critics and fans aside, Led Zeppelin III would stand the test of time and studied as the most diverse and daring records of the 1970's.