Love on the rocks ain't no surprise, pour me a drink and I'll tell you some lies...

Prepare for random post Thursday!

1) Jack White & Karen Elson's Divorce Party Invitation. I'm sad I already missed this "swing bang hum dinger." A rock star and a supermodel will always be cooler than you and me... even in divorce.

Neil Diamond said it best...

2) White Denim's "Street Joy" video. Watched this when Matt left it open on Gorillavsbear. I felt pretty nostalgic when I saw the french-braid up-do with the end tucked under.


White Denim - Street Joy from Downtown Music on Vimeo.

3) Eddie Vedder, Ukulele Songs

Oh, hello. It's just me--Eddie, barefoot with my uke.

Dreamy songs perfect for summer listening on lazy afternoons. I love the cover of the Everly Brothers' Sleepless Nights. I feel like if I just broke up with a boy I'd play this song over and over and cry in the dark. Maybe Karen Elson should listen.

...so it’s storming on the lake little waves our bodies break...

My test of a good album is when you put it on you rarely skip a track...listen again and again until you know every word. Eventually, you get sick of it and take it out of rotation. But then one day you pop it back in... and love it all over again. I can say I feel that way about Bon Iver's first album, For Emma, Forever Ago.

For Emma, Forever Ago

I already know that the band's second album, Bon Iver, Bon Iver is in that category. An accidental itunes leak led me (well, Matt actually) to get a hold of it early. I haven't really stopped listening to it since.

Bon Iver, Bon Iver 

Justin Vernon is amazing. And very woodsy. Of good mid-western stock. (He's from Wisconsin). I've seen him three times.. twice with Bon Iver** and once solo. He always just looks like he's having a good time doing what he loves...playing music. Lucky guy.

The very woodsy Justin Vernon

Here is the new video for Calgary, as they said on pitchfork.com --go ahead, just try to figure out what's going on here.




P.S. Bon Iver is going to be on Jimmy Fallon again on Tuesday, June 21st. Hooray for DVRs!

**Here my brother, Reed, points out Justin Vernon the first time we saw Bon Iver. They opened for Wilco in Indy.

It's a cruel... cruel summer

**Super-double post Wednesday**

 Just when the music on your ipod was getting a little moldy... Stereogum comes to the rescue!

You can get on the website and download two "mix tapes" of sorts.. Cruel Summer Volume 1 & 2. Totally free and totally awesome. (The reference to the 80's song is bringing out my inner-valley girl)

Go HERE and download for yourself, then jam!

Take a look at the playlists:

Volume1
01 DOM – “Living In America”
02 Cloud Nothings – “Didn’t You”
03 Restless People – “Days Of Our Lives”
04 Lemonade – “Lifted (Le Chev Remix)”
05 Japandroids – “Younger Us”
06 Sleigh Bells – “Tell ‘Em”
07 Toro Y Moi – “Leave Everywhere”
08 Cults – “Go Outside”
09 ceo – “Come With Me”
10 BRAHMS – “Brought It Out”
11 Buke & Gass – “Medulla Oblongata”
12 The Acorn – “No Ghost”


Volume 2
13 HEALTH – “USA Boys”
14 Dominique Young Unique – “Show My Ass”
15 Chromeo – “Don’t Turn The Lights On”
16 Javelin – “Oh! Centra”
17 Robyn – “Dancing On My Own (Buraka Son Sistema Remix)”
18 Best Coast – “Boyfriend”
19 Blonde Redhead – “Here Sometimes”
20 Male Bonding – “Franklin”
21 Mr. Dream – “Scarred For Life”
22 Twin Sister – “All Around And Away We Go”
23 Washed Out (Feat. Caroline Polachek) – “You And I”
24 MNDR – “I Go Away”
25 Baths – “Hall”
26 Magic Kids – “Summer”
27 ARP – “Summer Girl”

And because it's sadly omitted on the list, but it's now in your head--here's Bananarama's Cruel Summer. 




They are rocking the overalls.

Isn't she... pretty in pink ?

Yes! Just a day after my post about the Pretty in Pink--we found it on vinyl for less than $2! I love Half-Price Books on Vinyl Friday. (20% off!) Wild times.

Me and my cousins... and you and your cousins...

My cousin Colleen in North Carolina recently provided me with some of her must-read titles for my summer reading list.
(Another post for another day!)

She asked me for some music recommendations. So I'm continuing the Cousin Audio-Visual Club here because it's always better to take a listen than just read about music! And "all of you"***--whoever that may--- be can enjoy the wisdom of musical taste. :)

1) Wolf Parade Expo 86

This one's not actually out yet, but will be soon. Edited to add: It's now out!  However, I happen to know it is  good all the way through!And I will be seeing them at Pitchfork Music Fest next month--hooray!
Here's a link where you can download two tracks.

2) Phosphorescent Here's to Taking it Easy

First of all--what better title for summer. It's got a little alt-country flavor. Put it on and listen all the way through. My favorites: We'll be Here Soon and The Mermaid Parade. Here's a review that gives it justice.


3) Sleigh Bells Treats

At first listen I wasn't that into Sleigh Bells, but now I've had it on repeat. Roll down your windows and jam to Rill Rill, my favorite track by far.


(Plus, I gotta love a cool rocker chick with cool rocker chick bangs!)

Described here as aggressive but not macho. Yep.



 4) The Radio Dept. Clinging to a Scheme

 These guys are Swedish and I guess have been around for a bit. This album sounds familiar but totally different. Example: Heaven'S on Fire.  Again, good all the way through! Always a plus in my book. More here.

5) Pretty in Pink soundtrack

Yes. A retro pick! And I will mention that Matt downloaded this one. It's held up well from 1986. A little OMD with "If You Leave" and "Pretty in Pink" from Psychedelic Furs.

Seriously though, that dress was never cute.

Take a listen to all at playlist.com . Couldn't get it to embed here... but this is the link!



Just a cool bonus video from Vampire Weekend as an homage to cousins !

***(I use the term "all of you" loosely. Hi, Reed. Hi, Matt. Hi, Mom)

Catch me in the kitchen like a Simmons whipping Pastry....

Yes. This is awesome. I always loved Tom Colicchio on Top Chef but now he's getting extra points for showing up at Bonneroo---catching some Jay-Z. Tom, you don't have to pack your knives and go.

I love the guy in the left of the picture. He's like..."Is that the guy from Top Chef? Hmm...I think it is him."

Didn't see any pictures of Padma. (Sorry, Matt.)

I think Tom is probably in an Empire State of Mind....
(all the Bonneroo videos I found were awful quality so this is the real video.)




And if I'm not mistaken, Top Chef DC starts tonight on Bravo! Hooray!

Do you know the way to San Jose?

Ladies and gentleman, Mr. Burt Bacharach....(I wanted to find that Austin Powers clip but never came across it. Bummer)

Anyways, just added this Burt Bacharach tribute album All Kinds of People Love Burt Bacharach to my itunes. Good stuff. Jim O'Rourke's tribute album features Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, Glenn Kotche of Wilco and others. Songs you already know---with a makeover.


Check out (There's) Always Something There to Remind Me below.

 Burt says, "Hey, you're going to like this."

It's a terrible love that I'm walking with spiders...

I have shown my love of the band The National here.. and here...but now I am beyond excited because they are coming here to Louisville this September! Yesss! Of all the bands we've seen/are seeing, I wanted to see them the most. I was bummed practically all of their summer tour is in Europe, but now they've come to their senses and are coming back to the Midwest!  Hooray, my night is made!!



Above you can watch them playing in a castle**... but soon they will be playing here!!

***See that front row? See that sixth row---that's where I will  be this fall!

See you in September boys!

**I recommend hitting the full screen icon for maximum enjoyment! 
***Edited to add: We got sixth row! Not too shabby!

I want my, I want my MTV...

Remember a time when there was videos on MTV and VH1? Now occasionally there are a few on...in the middle of the night--or a lame early Sunday morning countdown. Blech. But with the internet--alas, there are still videos being produced--and good ones...
If I were a VJ, this would be my line up.

The Black Keys "Tighten Up". Young love on the playground.

The Black Keys "Tighten Up"

The Black Keys | MySpace Music Videos


Best Coast "When I'm With You". True love with Ronald McDonald.


Local Natives "World News". A day at the beach with dog agility and a young Asian boy calling the shots. Lip-syncing children are very in.



Robyn "Dancing On My Own". The Swedish songstress stalks her ex- and busts out her version of the fist pump.



The National "Bloodbuzz Ohio". The rest of the band leave Matt Berninger alone to sort out his issues.

"Money for nothing and your chicks for free...."

Say no more...mon amour...**

**Super-double post Wednesday**!!

This Saturday is Record Store Day. So you should figure out a great album you've been wanting to buy... and physically go to your local record store and buy it. Record Store Day has been going on for the last three years nationwide as a way to support the independent record stores (that means do not even set foot near a Best Buy), who in the changing face of the music biz... are struggling. The best part is that there is all kinds of special release EP's, singles, re-issues happening just for Record Store Day. (The Hub has already placed a hold on several. Good man.)

We will be patronizing ear X-tacy in Louisville... which has been struggling to stay open as of late! You should too! (If you live in Louisville if not, find your town's own ear X-tacy and go there.)

“Folks who work here are professors. Don't replace all the knowers with guessors. Keep'em open they're the ears of the town”--Tom Waits on the independent record store.


A side note--This all somehow makes me want to watch "Empire Records". Worth a rental.
Damn the man! Save the Empire!

(**If you get this post title reference, you are one of my people.)