Michael Cera Pulls His Head Out of His Ass

The A.V. Club's headline says it all, Holy. Shit., this is finally happening.

Holy. Shit. Michael Cera finally on board for Arrested Development movie
by Genevieve Koski February 24, 2009

Seriously, could this day get any better, entertainment-news-wise? After months of infuriating Arrested Development fans by holding out on the much-discussed movie adaptation, it seems that Michael Cera finally managed to negotiate a deal to his liking, and is reportedly a go for the movie, according to "inside sources." Cera has been the lone holdout of the ensemble cast for a while now, so this announcement, combined with Ron Howard's almost-confirmation at the Oscars ("It's looking very much like we're going to make [the movie], but we've now been asked to stop offering any details. It's cloaked in a little mystery, but it's looking good."), is a good omen for the perpetually on-again-off-again project.

Chickens don't clap!

Andy Richter Controls the Late Night Universe

Watching the final episode of Late Night with Conan O' Brien the other night was bittersweet. Conan is the only late night host I have ever really enjoyed, his brand of humor is unparalleled. Instead of funny headlines, ads, and kids doing the darnedest things, he chose introduce us to a Masturbating Bear and give us a glimpse into The Year 2000.

A lot of this humor early on of course was due to the inclusion of Conan's sidekick Andy Richter, who left Late Night in 2000. Richter went on to be featured on several amazing Fox comedy series...which were of course, cancelled. While I know Conan wouldn't be the type to sell out, I can't help but be worried that NBC will make him tame the show down a bit with it being on an hour earlier, or make him do things that are more in tune with the "Tonight Show" name, when he takes it over from Jay Leno in June. But today, comes the amazing news that Andy Richter will in fact be rejoining Conan for The Tonight Show come June and once again perform sidekick duties. The chemistry between the two is the stuff of comedic legend, and I cannot be more pleased. Now all we need is for Conan to get the Max Weinberg 7 to stick around and I'll be a happy man.

One of my favorite Richter sketches from Late Night.


Then there's Mr. Weinberg:

Song of the Day: Faraquet- Cut Self Not

Faraquet is a band that died off way too early, they never really got their chance to shine. Their one full length "The View From this Tower" was released in 2000 by Dischord Records and is easily one of my favorite, pure Math rock records. I really think the band had a big influence on early Minus the Bear stuff, although it is a lot louder and rougher cut. Recently the band released "Anthology 1997-98," which features 10 previously unreleased tracks, from these unappreciated and long forgotten D.C. gents.

Song of the Day: Fear - I Love Livin In the City

Mr. Peter Dobson introduced me to Fear, along with a bunch of other similar punk bands about a year ago. While it's not my absolute favorite brand of music, I still appreciate it quite a bit, it's just pretty damn fun to listen to. I don't know how many times this song has been drunkly shouted out in Pete's car. I watched Decline of Western Civilization today, so this seemed fitting for the song of the day. Follow the bouncing ball and revel in the absurdly ridiculous vulgarity of Lee Ving.

Black Thunder

From Lamb Goat:

"Doomriders is currently at Godcity studios in Massachusetts with engineer Kurt Ballou recording their next Deathwish Inc release. The group has recorded twelve new songs in addition to several covers and according to the band, "everything is sounding amazing." Slated for release later this year, this will be the first proper Doomriders album to feature former Cave In drummer JR Conners."

Song of the Day: Bob Dylan - Desolation Row

It recently came to my attention that My Chemical Romance did a cover of this song to be featured on the "Watchmen" soundtrack...and I want to freaking puke for so many different reasons. It boggles my mind why they didn't use the actual Dylan song for the film, why give the song over to some two-bit emo-goth hacks, whose version is a completely blasphemous 3 minute iteration of the original, nearly 12 minute long epic. The mention of the song in the novel is in fact brief, but it's meaning in relation to it in general is pretty damn cool.

This makes me even more nervous about the "Watchmen" movie than I already. I want it to be good, but my hopes are dwindling. What makes me want to puke even more is the number of kiddies who will eat up this ridiculous cover, and never know the beauty of the original song.

Song of the Day: Okkervil River - Singer Songwriter

In my last post I talked about how the majority of singer / songwriters these days don't have much going for um. They for the most part are poor imitators of things from a better time, and rarely exude any sort of originality in what they do. They're ultimately forgettable amongst the terribly over-saturated market, because their music all blends together. Well...this Okkervil River song is pretty much about just that.

Favorite verse:
And this thing you once said disappeared from my head
in the time that it took to be amazed.
And this thing you once did might have dazzled the kids,
but the kids once grown up are gonna walk away.
And your world is gonna change nothing
And our world is gonna change nothing



That said I won't try and act all high and mighty like there is no one these days doing anything worth a shit, you just really gotta sift through the lot. Some of my favorites: David Bazan, Chuck Ragan, M. Ward, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Damien Jurado, and Rocky Votolato.

Song of the Day: Leonard Cohen- The Old Revolution

I know its the second Leonard Cohen song, but deal with it. It's a sad day when you realize that music really just isn't what it used to be. No one sings about the types of things songwriters like Cohen, Dylan or Lennon did anymore, granted they were in a different day and age. Anyone who tries to attempt their subtle yet insightful lyrics and somber melodies these days for the most part falls flat on their face, and comes across all too self righteous and contrived.



The reason I picked this song for today though is because I came across a cover The Walkmen did of it for a Daytrotter session. Listening to the bands rendition of the song, and thinking about their music in general, really made me realize that they are the closest thing we've got to these previous masters. They sing songs and make music for the old souls who are still out there, it's really a timeless approach, and one that I relate to more then most other music period.

The Walkmen have two separate sessions on Daytrotter, the first, which includes their cover of Cohen's "The Old Revolution," is comprised of all Cohen covers. The second is a bunch of Neil Hagerty covers. You can freely (and legally) download both sets. Enjoy.

Song of the Day: M. Ward - Requiem

One of my favorite songs on M. Ward's 2006 classic "Post-War." Everyone and their mom is a singer/songwriter these days, but M. Ward does it with style. His unique voice, keys, guitar plucking ability, and honest, lo-key, minimalist approach set him above the rest by miles. His new album "Hold Time" is out today, I'll probably be buying it tomorrow.

Sasquatch hoooo

The Line Up (So Far):Jane's Addiction (feat. all four original members), Kings of Leon, Nine Inch Nails, Ben Harper & Relentless7, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Erykah Badu, The Decemberists, Fleet Foxes, TV On The Radio, Animal Collective, Silversun Pickups, Bon Iver, Santigold, Of Montreal, Explosions In The Sky, Devotchka, Peter Bjorn & John, Gogol Bordello, M. Ward, The Avett Brothers, Doves, Calexico, Grizzly Bear, M83, Girl Talk, The Gaslight Anthem, The Walkmen, Chromeo (dj set), Deadmau5, Mugison, Sun Kil Moon, Airborne Toxic Event, Blitzen Trapper, Shearwater, BLK JKS, The Wrens, Tobacco, Monotonix, King Khan & The Shrines, St. Vincent, Passion Pit, John Vanderslice, Bishop Allen, Blind Pilot, AA Bondy, Black Moth Super Rainbow, The Knux, Ra Ra Riot, The Dodos, Beach House, Arthur & Yu, The Submarines, Owl City, Viva Voce, James Pants, Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band, The Builders & The Butchers, The Dutchess & The Duke, Natalie Portman's Shaved Head, Dent May & His Magnificent Ukelele, Fences, School of Seven Bells, Death Vessel, Horse Feathers, Hockey, Point Juncture, WA, The Pica Beats, Loch Lomond, Vince Mira & more to come.

Who I'm actually excited to see:
Jane's Addiction, Nine Inch Nails, Yeah Yeah Yeah's, Erykah Badu: Four acts I don't absolutely adore but in the festival setting will no doubt be pretty incredible.

M. Ward, Animal Collective, Gogol Bordello, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Shearwater, Beach House, John Vanderslice, TV on the Radio, Blitzen Trapper: A bunch of acts I've been dying to see for years but have never got the chance. I've heard that Animal Collectives live sets are a sight to behold.


The Walkmen, The Dutchess and the Duke, Girl Talk, Monotonix: Old favorites who have never disappointed live.

Explosions in the Sky and King Khan and the Shrines: These are the two I am easily most excited about. Neither of which I've seen live, but whose music just seems so incredibly conducive to the live open air setting.

Chromeo: Only if I'm trashed enough and this is a 3 a.m. dance tent event...

Zack Galifinakis, Demitri Martin, Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job: Comedic Genius

Someone I'm not excited at all to see...AGAIN: Ben Harper, why in the hell is he continually booked at these things.

Song of the Day: David Bazan - Cold Beer and Cigarettes

Bazan has an eerie and endearing voice that resonates through all of his painfully honest music. This is my favorite song from the "Fewer Moving Part's EP" which was released on Barsuk Records, what seems like 2 years ago now. Oh yeah...did I mention he's playing in my living room on Feb. 28? Check out a great performance of this song on the Seattle installment of the Burn to Shine series. This You Tube video is sort of annoying, as apparently everyone in the audience is 12, and giggles continuously after the "Trying to focus his high hopes on a vagina or two" line in the song.

Song of the Day: The Flying Burrito Brothers - Lazy Day

This is the kind of music I've been really into the last few months. Country music of the 60's and 70's that took the formula presented to them by their forefathers and reinvented it with the psychedelic, jammy, bluesy and straight up rock of a new era of music. It really is just music that makes you smile and and want to stomp your feet and clap your hands. It's all a product of the resounding genius of the legendary Gram Parsons (although he isn't in this clip, even though he wrote the song and originally sang it), who along with the Flying Burrito Brothers was also a member of The Byrds, and had a pretty kick ass solo career. Long live the country rock of the 60's and 70's, cause god knows its better than anything that gets passed off as country music today. See also: The Allman Brothers Band, The Band, James Gang and Townes Van Zandt, and more recently Seattle's own The Moondoggies.

Song of the Day: Blitzen Trapper - Furr

This song completely made the album for me. This is exactly the direction I loved to see the band venture further into after the already amazing "Wild Mountain Nation." It really has the makings of a classic, one of Portland's finest.

Song of the Day: Murder City Devils - Rum to Whiskey

Spencer Moody was far to drunk, drinking his own bottle of whiskey on stage, to sing virtually ANY of the verses to this song at the reunion show at the Showbox last night (Let alone the right words to a number of songs.) He pretty much just jumped right to the chorus and repeated it over and over...I'm not going to try to complain though, the audience (including myself) ate it up. After listening to the band since my junior year of high school, I'm pretty damn ecstatic to have finally seen the crew live, they tore the house down, and I without a doubt will be first in line to get a ticket the NEXT time they decide to reunite. One of Seattle's best contributions to the realm of music, period.

Song of the Day: The Walkmen - Four Provinces

The Walkmen truly are, without a doubt, my favorite band. Their music is a sparse, depressing, multi-layered menagerie of drunken hopefulness. This video seems to convey that quite well. Pretty pumped that they are heavily rumored for Sasquatch this year, because seeing them live is an incredible treat.

Song of the Day: Leonard Cohen - Diamonds in the Mine

Forgot how awesome this song was until I stumbled upon it on one of my mix cd's while driving to Seattle today.

The Nightlight Lounge is back...

And what a way to get the ball rolling:

March 30 can't come soon enough.

Song of the Day: Yes- Roundabout

I sort of had the epiphany while listening to Yes the other day the profound influence this period of their music has on so much music today. Bands like Minus the Bear, Battles, Don Cabellero, Faraquet (and for that matter any of the Math Rock genre) took so much from their absurd time signatures and prog heavy spacey sounding finger tapping.

New Cursive Album, Stat!

From a MySpace Bulletin this morning:

Hey all,

We are pleased to announce we are releasing our new record Mama, I'm Swollen as soon as humanly possible. This means March 10, 2009. Just a little over a month from now. We are extremely thrilled to share it with everyone.

Tracklisting:
1. In the Now
2. From the Hips
3. I Couldn't Love You
4. Donkeys
5. Caveman
6. We're Going to Hell
7. Mama, I'm Satan
8. Let Me Up
9. Mama, I'm Swollen
10. What Have I Done?

PREORDER IT HERE

Due to the short prep time vinyl will be delayed until April 21st. It should be worth the wait, we plan to do 180 gram vinyl and cool deluxe packaging.

All the Love,
Cursive

Now if they'd only book a damn Seattle show.

I proudly salute the "criminals" who did this