Book Review: I Love Rock 'N' Roll (Except When I Hate It)

If you love music, lists, and especially lists about music, you'll love I Love Rock 'N' Roll (Except When I Hate It): Extremely Important Stuff About The Songs And Bands You Love, Hate, Love To Hate, And Hate To Love. Written by Brian Boone, who regular places pop culture under the microscope at Love Hate Society, I Love Rock 'N' Roll (Except When I Hate It) is a humorous trip through rock 'n' roll history.

Along the way, Boone takes a look at how bands decided on their names, established acts that foolishly decided to give disco a try, one-hit wonders, concept albums, how most '90s alt rock bands were only one degree of separation from the Pixies, song sequels, videos that were banned from MTV, why people shout "Free Bird" at concerts, and more. It's all done through the lens of someone the reader can tell not only cares a great deal about music, but who is also extremely funny.

Want to get an idea of the humor you'll encounter in I Love Rock 'N' Roll (Except When I Hate It)? In his section on "The Filthy Fifteen," which takes a look at the fifteen songs the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) deemed offensive in their public hearing, Boone writes the following about "In My House" by Mary Jane Girls:

The plot: The Mary Jane Girls are going to have sex with you. And their mentor Rick James will probably want to watch or chain you to an air conditioner for three days. The PMRC missed an opportunity for real music-related public service in that it should have just straight up banned Rick James. Not his songs—the actual person.

I Love Rock 'N' Roll (Except When I Hate It) is a lighthearted look at rock 'n' roll. If you're looking for a fun book about music, here it is. I Love Rock 'N' Roll (Except When I Hate It) rocks!

Brian Boone's I Love Rock 'N' Roll (Except When I Hate It): Extremely Important Stuff About The Songs And Bands You Love, Hate, Love To Hate, And Hate To Love will be released on Tuesday, August 2nd. For more information about Brian, check out Love Hate Society, Twitter, and Facebook.

OK Go Release Another Jaw-Dropping Video

Complete with tons of crotch shots! Yes!

A Far Cry From Mallrats

Here's the new red band trailer for Kevin Smith's Red State:



Looks pretty awesome, but where are all the dick and fart jokes?

Yaz, "Don't Go"

From 1982, here's Yaz with "Don't Go."

Enjoy!

Share Your Favorite MTV Memories!

Hey guys!

We're doing a special feature on MTV's 30th Anniversary next week. We'll have special interviews, several Ranked! columns on MTV, and lots more!

But we'd also like to let you have your say.

Drop us a line and let us know your favorite memories from the early days of MTV. We'll publish the best ones next week!

Help us celebrate MTV's Glory Days!

First Look: Battleship

Hollywood continues to search in closets and under couches for anything that could inspire the next blockbuster franchise. Flush from the financial success of the Transformer "movies", Hasbro went on a tear and optioned other toys and games for the big screen.

Last year, we told you about Battleship. More precisely about what would be in the Battleship movie.  Now we bring you the first look at the movie. I think it looks pretty and has a great cast, but I've always been opposed to the alien stuff. Why shove a genre element into a war movie based on a board game? And from the looks of it, it's nothing we haven't seen before.  What do you think?

Free Lollapalooza Sampler From Island

Buzznet is giving away two tickets to Lollapalooza, but what are the chances you'll actually win those? But in exchange for name, email, birthday, and zip code, you can download a free Lollapalooza sampler from Island (as well as throw your name into the hat for the tix). Here's the tracklist:

1. "All I Ever Wanted," The Airborne Toxic Event
2. "Country Shit," Big K.R.I.T. feat. Ludacris
3. "Listen To Your Love," Mona
4. "Bad Karma," Ida Maria
5. "Army Of Love (AOL Remix)," Kerli
6. "Every Lie," My Darkest Days
7. "Sins Of My Youth," Neon Trees
8. "Explode," Patrick Stump
9. "Two Wheels," Wax
10. "Tonight's The Kind Of Night (RAC Mix)," Noah And The Whale
11. "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Fame (DJ Mr. White Mix)," Black Cards

Interested? You can download the sampler here.

Ida Maria, "Bad Karma"

From 2010, here's Ida Maria with "Bad Karma."

Enjoy!

I'm Not a DeeJay, I Just Play One Online

As someone who does the brunt of her music listening online, I'm always looking for new sources of streaming music. Stalwarts Last.fm  and Pandora are good places to start, don't require an invite, don't necessarily require downloading additional software (though in Last.fm's case, you will need to download their client if you plan on scrobbling music from your hard drive), and are generally stable, reliable services. But what about newcomers like the much blogged-about Turntable.fm and the new-to-the-US Spotify ? The latter, like Last.fm, requires downloading and comes in a paid, commercial-free version  and a premium versions with unlimited streaming. (You can also use the service for free.)

Turntable.fm, the newest, and currently most gushed-over, online radio service literally lets you be a deejay. The Frisky breaks it down:

So, how does it work? When you log in to the site, you have a choice of either entering an existing "room" or creating a "room" yourself. Each room can have a max of five DJs playing music that fits with the room's theme at one time, but even if you're not DJing, you can sit and listen. If you do want to DJ, you upload songs into the queue and when it's your turn, your top song will play. Users can then vote if the song choice is Awesome or Lame—for each "Awesome" vote, the DJ gets a point which can then be put towards other site privileges, like fancy avatars. I haven't had the balls to play DJ yet—users can chat online while the songs play and sometimes their assessment of a DJ's picks can be harsh—but I have been hanging out in various "rooms" all weekend, listening to a mix of songs that I either haven't heard in awhile or wasn't privy to before.

The downside is you do need an invite, or a Facebook friend already on Turntable.fm. Generally, I'm not a fan of exclusive, invite-only services, but it's getting rave reviews and looks like a ton of fun. Being able to chat with other music fans is a plus, too.

This Week In Weezer

You know, sometimes I think Rivers Cuomo locks himself in his room, brainstorming ways to confuse his fans. Here he is covering "Tonight" from West Side Story.

Ben Folds And... Bob Saget?

You know, I always thought it was strange hearing Ben Folds cover Dr. Dre's "Bitches Ain't Shit." Throw Bob Saget in the mix, and things just get weird.

Lauryn Hill, "Doo Wop (That Thing)"

From 1998, here's Lauryn Hill with "Doo Wop (That Thing)."

Enjoy!

Top 13 Shark Movies

To get you all ready for the same eight shark documentaries airing on Discovery Channel next week, we decided to rank our favorite shark films. When the waters calmed, we were left with our thirteen favorite shark movies. Did yours make the cut? Find out below!

13. Mega Shark vs. Crocosaurus

12. Finding Nemo

11. Dinoshark

10. Sharks In Venice

9. Swamp Shark

8. Shark Tale

7. Sharktopus

6. Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus

Seriously Slash?

I've long maintained that Slash will play with anyone, credible or not. And if you feel like arguing this point with me, this video won't help your cause.

I Always Knew R2-D2 Was The Cool One

Personally, I think C-3PO needs a cigarette.

The KLF, "Justified And Ancient (Stand By The JAMs)"

From 1991, here's The KLF with "Justified And Ancient (Stand By The JAMs)"

Enjoy!

First Look: Knights Of Badassdom

Nothing will ruin your day more like a Succubus From Hell.

First Look: The Walking Dead: Season 2

Man, October 16th can't get here soon enough!

New Music Releases: BoDeans And Dex Romweber Duo

Here are this week's new releases by '80s and early '90s artists. We've compiled this list to the best of our abilities.

Artist: BoDeans
Title: Indigo Dreams
Release date: July 26, 2011
Rebirth or Reissue: Rebirth
More information: Thirteen new tracks.


Artist: Dex Romweber Duo
Title: Is That You In The Blue?
Release date: July 26, 2011
Rebirth or Reissue: Rebirth
More information: Thirteen new tracks from Dexter Romweber, the former lead singer of Flat Duo Jets, and his sister Sara Romweber, the former drummer for Snatches Of PInk.


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Set Your DVRs: Week Of July 25, 2011

Here are the musical acts appearing on the talk show circuit this week. We compiled this list to the best of our abilities. Check your local listings and don't shoot the messenger.

Monday, July 25th
Conan: KT Tunstall
Jimmy Kimmel Live: Big Talk
Last Call With Carson Daly: The Greenhornes (R)
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Ray Davies
Late Show With David Letterman: Tim Robbins And The Rogues Gallery Band (R)
Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Gomez

Amy Winehouse, "Tears Dry On Their Own"

From 2006, here's Amy Winehouse with "Tears Dry On Their Own."

Enjoy!



More after the jump...

Porcelain Black Does David Letterman

Porcelain Black, who we interviewed back in April, made her network television debut on last night's Late Show With David Letterman. How'd she do? She rocked.

But I think she may have frightened Dave in the process.

CD Review: Bravenoise, Everything Was And Everything Will Be

The release of the new Brave Noise album came as an odd but very real threat to the busy work of packing my car for my extended beach vacation. A link to the new songs came in just as I was experiencing a lull in shoving brightly-colored buckets and pails into my trunk, so I set out in search of my headphones.

Truth be told, I've got a terrible soft spot for local bands from the Washington/Maryland/Virginia area, so when I do get the opportunity to review something that's not shipped in from distant shores, I generally jump at the occasion hoping they don't disappoint.

Bravenoise consists of Andrew Bell, Andrea Spadafora, and Garron Marsh, an amicable-looking trio with a somewhat undefinable charm and a unique sound. In the face of the sonic maelstrom of the skin-melting full-on guitar assaults I'd been peppering my playlist with recently, they offered a cool melodic oasis with jangly guitar sounds and pared down arrangements.

That's not to say they can't rock a tune, but the musical direction shifts from song to song, allowing for the sharp contrast of the slower pieces to sweep aside the foot tapping infectiousness of their uptempo work.

Put simply, I liked what I heard.

Never mind that their drummer sites the master of all things percussion (Stewart Copeland, for those of you under a rock) as a huge influence or that their lead singer openly admits to being a huge Voltron fan as a child. These things alone could never have rose colored my glasses enough to elicit a positive response that was not warranted by the music alone.

Check out Everything Was And Everything Will Be on iTunes or Amazon and pay particular attention to my personal favorite "Night Of Pleasure" or the oddly familiar "Come Onto Me" ( *cough* Police *cough*).

Bravenoise - Come Onto Me by Bravenoise

Want more Bravenoise? Official Site | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

First Look: The Return Of Beavis And Butt-Head

I didn't even realize this was happening.



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Jimmy Ray, "Are You Jimmy Ray?"

From 1998, here's Jimmy Ray with "Are You Jimmy Ray?"

Enjoy!


Jimmy Ray - Are you Jimmy Ray by Konk1905

Here Are Your 2011 MTV Video Music Award Nominees

I know I'm too old for MTV. I know I'm no longer a member of their demographic and haven't been for a long time. But I'll still watch every year as I have since they launched in 1984.

There are some interesting choices this year. Tyler, the Creater, Kreayshawn, no nominees for Kanye's "Monster" or "Runaway," and Lady Gaga's near shutout.

Here are the nominees:

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Adele, "Rolling in the Deep"
Tyler, The Creator, "Yonkers"
Katy Perry, "Firework"
Beastie Boys, "Make Some Noise"
Bruno Mars, "Grenade"

First Look: Foster The People, "Helena Beat"

This is no "Pumped Up Kicks," but the video rocks!

Erin Hill & Her Psychedelic Harp, "Giant Mushrooms"

From 2011, here's Erin Hill & Her Psychedelic Harp with "Giant Mushrooms."

Enjoy!

Free Download: Newermind: A Tribute To Nirvana

Spin got a whole bunch of great artists together to do a full-cover version of Nirvana's Nevermind. And you can download the whole thing for free just by liking their Facebook page. Totally worth it!

Here's the tracklist:

1. Meat Puppets, "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
2. Butch Walker & The Black Widows, "In Bloom"
3. Midnight Juggernauts, "Come As Your Are"
4. Titus Andronicus, "Breed"
5. The Vaselines, "Lithium"
6. Amanda Palmer, "Polly"
7. Surfer Blood, "Territorial Pissings"
8. Foxy Shazam, "Drain You"
9. Jessica Lea Mayfield, "Lounge Act"
10. Charles Bradley & THe Menahan Street Band, "Stay Away"
11. Telekinesis, "On A Plain"
12. Jeff The Brotherhood, "Something In The Way"
13. Ema, "Endless Nameless"

Mario Paper

Someone painstakingly created this homage to Super Mario Bros. using paper cutouts. And it rocks!



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Nash, "Sad Robot Harmonies"

Man, I love this. Shades of E and Cake and Beck!

From 2011, here's Nash with "Sad Robot Harmonies."

Enjoy!

Top 25 They Might Giants Songs (1-5)

They Might Be Giants released their fifteen studio album, Join Us, today. To mark the occasion, we decided to take a look back at some of our favorite They Might Be Giants songs. When all was said and done, we came up with our Top 25.

Did your favorite make the cut? Find out below!

Here it is! The Top Five:

5. "She's An Angel"

Top 25 They Might Be Giants Songs (6-10)

They Might Be Giants released their fifteen studio album, Join Us, today. To mark the occasion, we decided to take a look back at some of our favorite They Might Be Giants songs. When all was said and done, we came up with our Top 25.

Did your favorite make the cut? Find out below!

Here are Numbers 6-10:

10. "I Hope That I Get Old Before I Die"

(this is more about Joe Franklin, but it does contain a bit of the song performed live)

Top 25 They Might Be Giants Songs (11-15)

They Might Be Giants released their fifteen studio album, Join Us, today. To mark the occasion, we decided to take a look back at some of our favorite They Might Be Giants songs. When all was said and done, we came up with our Top 25.

Did your favorite make the cut? Find out below!

Here are Numbers 11-15:

15. "Meet James Ensor"

Top 25 They Might Be Giants Songs (16-20)

They Might Be Giants released their fifteen studio album, Join Us, today. To mark the occasion, we decided to take a look back at some of our favorite They Might Be Giants songs. When all was said and done, we came up with our Top 25.

Did your favorite make the cut? Find out below!

Here are Numbers 16-20:

20. "Cyclops Rock"

Top 25 They Might Be Giants Songs (21-25)

They Might Be Giants released their fifteen studio album, Join Us, today. To mark the occasion, we decided to take a look back at some of our favorite They Might Be Giants songs. When all was said and done, we came up with our Top 25.

Did your favorite make the cut? Find out below!

Here are Numbers 21-25:

25. "XTC vs. Adam Ant"

The Wombats Do Jessie J

I love The Wombats. They kick ass on this cover of "Price Tag."

Lucky Uke, "We're Not Gonna Take It"

From 2011, here's Lucky Uke's cover of Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It."

Enjoy!

First Look: Beastie Boys, "Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win"

Spike Jonze! Beasties! GI Joe! Hell yeah!

Craft Time With Henry Rollins!

If you're looking for something to do with the kids today, here's a neat little craft from artist and awesome pop culture illustrator Brandon Bird:

(Here's the full-page version.)

David Lowery On Kid Rock

First of all, if you're not reading David Lowery's excellent 300 Songs, you're really doing yourself a disservice as a music fan. In it, Lowery recounts the songs, one at a time, from his solo, Camper Van Beethoven, and Cracker albums. He'll talk about their meanings, their inspiration, or what was going on in his life at the time he wrote them. As if this weren't enough, Lowery will often include the lyrics and an mp3 download of the song.

In a recent entry where he tries to explain the success of "Take The Skinheads Bowling," he talks about how totally unpredictable the music industry is. He talks about the proof by contradiction he gives his students at UGA that shows that success in the music industry cannot be duplicated, compares Camper Van Beethoven's career to that of The Dead Milkmen, how the BBC is partially responsible for the success of "Take The Skinheads Bowling," and the power of a handwritten note. He also uses the pulpit to take this not-a-jab at Kid Rock:

And the opposite is also true. Sometimes fairly untalented artists have big hits. Sometimes it’s the strange one hit wonders like Right Said Fred. Other times fairly untalented artists can have long and successful careers. Take for instance Kid Rock. This is not a jab. I believe there exists a scientific proof that can establish that Kid Rock is fairly untalented. I’m just stating facts. I have a feeling that Kid Rock might admit that he is fairly untalented and extremely lucky.

New Music Releases: They Might Be Giants, Shonen Knife, And REO Speedwagon

Here are this week's new releases by '80s and early '90s artists. We've compiled this list to the best of our abilities.

Artist: They Might Be Giants
Title: Join Us
Release date: July 19, 2011
Rebirth or Reissue: Rebirth
More information: Eighteen new tracks from the alternalegends.


Artist: Shonen Knife
Title: Osaka Ramones: Tribute To The Ramones
Release date: July 19, 2011
Rebirth or Reissue: Rebirth
More information: 13 covers of classic Ramones tunes.


Artist: REO Speedwagon
Title: Hi Infidelity: 30th Anniversary Edition
Release date: July 19, 2011
Rebirth or Reissue: Reissue
More information: Contains remastered versions of the original nine tracks and nine demos.


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Set Your DVRs: Week Of July 18th, 2011

Here are the musical acts appearing on the talk show circuit this week. We compiled this list to the best of our abilities. Check your local listings and don't shoot the messenger.

Monday, July 18th
Conan: Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros
Jimmy Kimmel Live: Viva Brother
Last Call With Carson Daly: Goldheart Assembly (R)
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Wye Oak
Lopez Tonight: Jordan Knight
Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Imelda May

A Tribe Called Quest, "Bonita Applebum"

From 1990, here's A Tribe Called Quest with "Bonita Applebum."

Enjoy!

Creepy Video Of The Week: Teddybears (Feat. Cee Lo & The B-52s), "Cho-Cha"

Thanks in advance to Teddybears, Cee Lo, B-52s, and Stereogum for giving me nightmares tonight!



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Talking Summer: Our Interview With My Tiger My Timing's Anna Vincent

A few weeks back, we featured My Tiger My Timing's Official Anthem of Summer 2011, "Endless Summer," on Culture Brats. Today, lead singer Anna Vincent drops by to discuss summer songs, summer nights, and the Glastonbury Festival.



Hi Anna. How's it going?
It's going great, we're enjoying the summer and excited to have our new single coming out - we're currently working on the follow-up which will come out at the end of October.

How did the Glastonbury Festival go? How was the crowd?
Glastonbury was an incredible experience for us, it was the first time we'd been, let alone played, so it was doubly good. The weather was glorious and the crowd was amazing - we were opening the John Peel Stage on the Sunday so we weren't sure whether anybody would be awake yet, but it was packed. Unforgettable!

Ace Frehley, "New York Groove"

From 1978, here's Ace Frehley's "New York Groove."

Enjoy!

First Look/Listen: They Might Be Giants, "Can't Keep Johnny Down"

I like it!



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CD Review: Emily Zuzik Band, The Wild Joys of Living

Emily Zuzik, whose wide-ranging career over the past ten years has included collaborations with Moby and writing theme music for TV and film, has just released her seventh album, The Wild Joys of Living.

The first track, "You Want To Go Out Tonight," is a catchy pop song that will probably be her breakout on this album, along with the equally pop-ilicious eighth track, "You Know When You Know". Emily Zuzik has a wonderful bell-clear tone but just when you think her voice will stay solidly in the "sweet" range she dips into a throatier soulful style with tracks like "Feels Like Rain" and "Motels." Then Zuzik switches it up again with a classic country anthem on "How Did You Get So Good," which I imagine will hit the country stations very soon as it's the kind of song you sing along with, loudly, as you drive down the road.

This album has a little bit of pop, some contemplative singer/songwriter, a touch of country, and just enough edge to the lyrics to keep it interesting while still being mellow. It would be a great companion album to that dinner party you've been meaning to have or just something to enjoy while you're relaxing in the sun. In the end I wouldn't call it "wild" but it's a good solid album that feels genuine and honest, with a few truly infectious songs that are sure to garner some attention.

Visit her website to learn more about the Emily Zuzik Band.



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First Look: This Must Be The Place

Oh wow. This looks good. A little odd, but damn good.



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Peter Schilling, "Major Tom (Coming Home)"

From 1983, here's Peter Schilling with "Major Tom (Coming Home)."

Enjoy!

Listen To This: DJ Schmolli, "Rebel Mother Down"

Here's a mashup that rocks! Danzig's "Mother" and Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell" over Rhianna's "Man Down:"



Like the song? Download the mp3 from DJ Schmolli's site.

You Can Now Take A Cruise With Weezer To An Island In The Sun

Weezer is doing one of those celebrity cruise things that seem to be popular among a lot of the hair bands I used to follow. Weezer will be performing on the cruise along with Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh, Gene Ween and Dave Dreiwitz, Wavves, The Antlers, Yuck, Free Energy, Boom Bip, J. Mascis, Lou Barlow, Keepaway, Ozma, The Nervous Wreckords, The Knocks, Sleeper Agent, and Yacht Rock Review. It's like Lollapalooza on a ship!

I've always wondered what happens on these things if you're the talent. When you perform a normal concert, you run backstage when it's done or sneak out the back, and you're done. You have no further interaction with the fans. But on a cruise, you're stuck. I mean, you could stay in your cabin when you're not performing, but those things are way too tiny for that. So what do you do? Mingle with the unwashed?

For this week's Your Say Hump Day, we want you to design your own concert cruise. Tell us what bands you'd have play at your gig. And feel free to give it a cool or cheesy name!

Eels, "Mr. E's Beautiful Blues"

From 2000, here's "Mr. E's Beautiful Blues" from Eels.

Enjoy!

Top 16 Artists Gone Solo

For this week's Ranked!, we decided to take a look at people who quit the band and went out on their own. Here are our sixteen favorite artists who went solo:

16. Ryan Adams
15. Lou Reed
14. Van Morrison
13. David Lee Roth
12. Janis Joplin
11. Ben Folds
10. George Michael
9. Justin Timberlake
8. Neil Young
7. Phil Collins
6. Eric Clapton

Tami Hart Is A Rock Star

Tami Hart, lead singer of Making Friendz (whose debut album I loved) sat down for an interview with New York Press. My favorite part:

Is the line "all your records sound the same to me" in "Luv Cruisin'" a reference to anything in particular?
Yeah, it's sort of in reference to all these, like, Crystal Castles / AIDS Wolf / Deer Tick bands, you know? All your names sound the same, all your wispy fake white vocal bullshit sounds the same. I'm more into Britney Spears than all these shitty Fleet Fox-y bullshit beardo bands.

SERVED!

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Who Else Remembers The Night Stalker?

Anyone else remember watching Kolchak: The Night Stalker back in the day? It was basically the 1970s television precursor to The X-Files and starred Darren McGavin, AKA the dad from A Christmas Story. I remember watching reruns of it as a kid and thinking it was pretty cool.

Anyway, I guess Johnny Depp thinks it's pretty cool too because he just signed to play Kolchak in a full length feature film for Disney. I think that sounds pretty sweet.

If you missed the show, and a lot of people did, it is currently available via Netflix Instant. Check it out, it's pretty fun.

Any other fans of Kolchak?

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The Screaming Blue Messiahs, "Bikini Red"

From 1987, here's The Screaming Blue Messiahs with "Bikini Red."

Enjoy!

Beyonce vs Extreme: "More Than A Boy"

This most excellent mashup mixes Beyonce's "If I Were A Boy" with Extreme's "More Than Words."



[PopBytes via MTV Buzzworthy]

CD Review: Colbie Caillat, All Of You

Colbie Caillat doesn't break any new ground on her third album, All Of You, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, you want to turn the world off, put the top down, and sing along to upbeat and peppy tunes blasting through your speakers. If so, All Of You is your soundtrack.

Caillat looks like a beautiful sunny day so it's really no surprise her music would reflect this. All Of You's standout tracks include the first two singles, "I Do" and "Brighter Than The Sun" (my favorite song on the disc); the title track; and "Favorite Song," a song she got Common to guest on. I really feel "Favorite Song," with its catchy chorus and music as sexual innuendo theme, will not only be the biggest song off the album, but possibly the biggest hit of Caillat's career.

Verdict: If you're a fan of her two previous albums, buy All Of You the day it comes out. If you weren't a fan, give the album a listen first, but download "Brighter Than The Sun," "I Do," "All Of You," and "Favorite Song" and don't be surprised if you aren't soon a fan.

Colbie Caillat's All Of You will be released July 12, 2011.

Adam Sandler + Adam Sandler = Unfunny

Wow. Judging by this trailer, Jack And Jill could possibly be the worst movie ever made.

They Couldn't Kill It With A Sequel So How About A Remake?

I was reading this article with the director of the new film Horrible Bosses (which I think looks very, very funny) and something lept out at me:

Do you know precisely what's going to be your next project?
No, I know War Games will be, once it's written that'll be. I'm hoping to do a smaller one before that.

I do want to ask about War Games, because it's kind of an interesting concept to bringing that idea into mind. The original is so based in cold war paranoia and new technologies, but how exactly do you bring that into the modern age?
It definitely is rooted in cold war paranoia, it’s definitely rooted in fear more than anything, and I feel like that certainly hasn’t changed. We are very, very afraid, and we’ve taken all these steps to make our country more secure, more safe in ways that actually don’t make us more safe at all. Meanwhile there’s been a real change in hacking, where people can go and often the age of the people who have been going to those places. And you see it weekly, those stories of, NSA was hacked, the White House email was hacked, a LulzSec does it again. There’s all these crazy, I have to say I think it’s actually quite a bit more plausible that someone in this day and age, rather than someone on a modem on their desk at home, war-dialing to hopefully get in to the videogame manufacturer of choice, that someone with some intent goes someplace they don’t mean to go, and starts something they don’t mean to start, like, you can buy that now.

New Music Releases: R.E.M., Tesla, and Megadeth

Here are this week's new releases by '80s and early '90s artists. We've compiled this list to the best of our abilities.

Artist: R.E.M.
Title: Lifes Rich Pageant (25th Anniversary Edition)
Release date: July 11, 2011
Rebirth or Reissue: Reissue
More information: Contains remastered versions of the album's original twelve tracks and nineteen demos.


Artist: Tesla
Title: Twisted Wires & The Acoustic Sessions
Release date: July 11, 2011
Rebirth or Reissue: Rebirth
More information: Twelve acoustic live tracks. Includes two new songs.


Artist: Megadeth
Title: Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? (25th Anniversary Edition)
Release date: July 11, 2011
Rebirth or Reissue: Reissue
More information: Contains remastered versions of the album's eight original tracks and thirteen live tracks.


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Set Your DVRs: Week Of July 11, 2011

Here are the musical acts appearing on the talk show circuit this week. We compiled this list to the best of our abilities. Check your local listings and don't shoot the messenger.

Monday, July 11th
Conan: Jessie and the Toy Boys (R)
Jimmy Kimmel Live: Jill Scott (R)
Last Call With Carson Daly: Alberta Cross (R)
Late Night With Jimmy Fallon: Panda Bear
Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Joss Stone

My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, "Sex On Wheelz"

From 1992, here's My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult with "Sex On Wheels."

Enjoy!

STS-135: The End of an Era

On Friday, July 8, 2011 at 11:29 AM EDT, I watched something that I will never see again.

With thousands looking on from vantage points near Cape Canaveral millions more streaming online, the space shuttle Atlantis blasted into space on its final mission--the 135th and last mission for the space shuttle program.

As Atlantis soared into the Florida sky, my mind traveled back to April 12, 1981 where, 30 years ago, I stared raptly at the television in my parents' living room and watched as the Columbia kicked off the era of reusable space vehicles. I was almost giddy with the excitement of that moment. This was the first mission in a brand new phase of America's manned space program, one that I was watching unfold before my very eyes.

As a kid born in the mid-1960s, the space program was in high gear by the time I entered the world. The Gemini Program was in full-swing at that point, and Ed White became the first American to perform a spacewalk when I was only three months old. I was two when tragedy struck and Ed White (along with Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee) perished in the first major tragedy to strike the space program, the Apollo 1 fire. I actually first became aware of what NASA was up to a couple of years later. I still remember angrily stomping around the house complaining that whatever it was I wanted to watch on TV wasn't on because of the "stupid Moon." (Hey...I was four. How could I know how significant Apollo 11 was?)

Science And Love Go Well Together: Our Interview With The Cast Of Eureka

We had a chance to sit in on a press conference with the stars of the Syfy TV show Eureka, which premieres its new season July 11th. Here is a transcript of some of the questions answered by Colin Ferguson, who plays Sheriff Jack Carter, and Salli Richardson-Whitfield, who plays Allison Blake.

When asked whether the dynamic of the cast has changed over the show's progression from the beginning to Season 4.5...
Colin Ferguson: It's sort of been an amazing thing to watch actually, to - because we all obviously have actors of all different ages in the cast, and so we've watch sort of the younger members of the cast sort of grow up and become artists in their own right, and that's been an amazing journey to follow.

But I would say, as far as all the adults go, it's stunning that we haven't had more problems. You hear about casts and sort of insiding and whatnot, and everyone really gets along. I think we get along better now than we ever have, and that's a really odd thing to be, for our calendar of six years, into a process like this and to find everybody sort of really, you know, doing - going above and beyond to respect each other's process and respect, the foibles and the complications of working together.

So as far as the people go, we've never gotten along better.

Roseanne's Nuts

I had heard a few months back that Roseanne Barr had a nut farm in Hawaii. Did I think it was odd? Oh yeah.

Odd enough for a reality TV show?

Definitely.

In a day and age where we're asked to check out the exploits of a group of nobodies from New Jersy, why can't Roseanne have her own show, too?

Roseanne's Nuts debuts on Lifetime on July 13th at 9:00 PM. Here's the trailer:

First Listen: Puro Instinct (Ft Ariel Pink), "Stilyagi"

This just ended up in my inbox. I like it a lot, even though I have no idea what she's singing about. What do you think?



If you like it, you can download it for free here.

First Look: Taking Back Sunday, "Faith (When I Let You Down)"

Cats!

But it does have a nice little "Welcome To The Jungle" spoof at the beginning.

Cher Lloyd, "Swagger Jagger"

From 2011, here's Cher Lloyd with "Swagger Jagger."

Enjoy!

Rooting For The Underdog: Our Interview With Neon Trees

With their irrepressibly catchy single "Animal," I was psyched to hear that Neon Trees was open for interviews during their tour. I caught up with the warmhearted and down-to-earth Branden Campbell in between show dates and he talked about touring, their current video contest, and going off the beaten path... in more ways than one.

Hi, how are you today?
Good, good.

You are currently on tour for your album Habits, right?
That's right.

So are you finishing up the U.S. and just about to go to Europe?
Yeah, this Thursday [June 30th], I'll play in Milwaukee at Summerfest and then the next day we fly to London for a couple of shows there. And we'll actually spend about ten days in the UK, then Spain, and then come back to the States where we're going to do, actually, San Jose, Sacramento, Orange County, and Las Vegas before we go to Asia.

You're headlining for this tour, is that correct?
Yeah, well it depends. You know in the summertime you end up doing a lot of festivals. And since we're a newer band, in the grand picture of everything, you don't typically headline when you have Coldplay or the Foo Fighters or, you know, these other established bands. Which is great because we get to play in the afternoon or the early evening and then we get to hang out and watch other great bands. So there is some of that, so it depends on the show. Yeah, there are some headlining shows that we're doing and then there's some of the festivals that we'll get to play in the middle, kind of thing. So it's a mix of it all.

CD Review: Making Friendz, Social Life

"All your records sound the same to me," Making Friendz singer Tami Hart laments at the start of Social Life's second track, "Luv Cruizin." Luckily for us, Making Friendz is part of the solution: they have created an album that takes elements from the past to create something fresh and exciting. A mixture of fuzzy lo-fi, early '80s synth, disco, and punk, Social Life would be the album to put on at a party to get all the wallflowers on the dance floor.

The album's standout tracks include "Situation," the thumping get-you-moving first single and video; the aforementioned "Luv Cruizin;" "Don't Make Me Cry," where I swear Hart's channeling Cyndi Lauper; and my favorite track on the disc, "Something To Believe In," where Hart moves in the background to create a New Wave classic that conjures up the ghost of Human League.

This is an awesome album. In fact, my only complaint is there isn't enough of it: Social Life's nine songs and one remix clock in at less than twenty-nine minutes. Social Life is so good, it left me wishing for five more tracks.



Making Friendz's Social Life is available at iTunes, Amazon, and your local record store if it has any taste. For more info about the band, check them out on MySpace, Facebook, or Twitter.

Field Of Dreams 2: NFL Lockout With Taylor Lautner

If he can bring back football, I'm Team Jacob all the way, baby!



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The Dream Academy, "Life In A Northern Town"

From 1985, here's The Dream Academy with "Life In A Northern Town."

Enjoy!

Top 16 Movies About Prostitutes

For this week's Ranked!, we decided to take a look at the world's oldest profession and rank our favorite movies about prostitutes. We narrowed our list down to the top sixteen. Did your favorite make the cut? Find out below!

16. Angel

15. My Own Private Idaho

14. Loverboy

13. Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo

12. Best Little Whorehouse In Texas

11. American Gigolo

10. Mighty Aphrodite

9. Leaving Las Vegas

8. Midnight Cowboy

7. L.A. Confidential

6. Trading Places

NME Gets It Dreadfully Wrong

I'm an Anglophile, so I love NME. To celebrate the launch of their new video site, NME published a list of the Top 100 Videos Of All Time. To save you a click, here's the Top 10:

1. "Hurt," Johnny Cash
2. "Just," Radiohead
3. "Wicked Game," Chris Isaak
4. "Black Hole Sun," Soundgarden
5. "All Is Full Of Love," Bjork
6. "Everlong," Foo Fighters
7. "Buddy Holly," Weezer
8. "Sabotage," Beastie Boys
9. "Vidrar Vel Til Loftarasa," Sigur Ros
10. "Smack My Bitch Up," The Prodigy

For this week's Your Say Hump Day, we want to know if you think any of these videos belong in a discussion of the top 10 videos of all time.

Have your say in the comments!

The Pigeon Detectives, "Lost"

From 2011, here's The Pigeon Detectives with "Lost."

Enjoy!

Summer Music In The City

Remember those hormone-soaked years when you spent your meager pocket change and what was left of your allowance scraping up concert and club tickets to see live music? I'll wait a minute while you think about that. Are you in the proper frame of mind now? Good.

Anyway, if you were to zero in on a small group of music crazy kids in New York spanning the years from 1981 through 1991, you would have noticed that in their sweaty little fists they held so many ticket stubs that it would be hard to categorize and count them. We went to seedy dive bars, medium-sized ballrooms and concert halls, outdoor fields, and massive stadiums. It didn't really matter much who was playing as long as we had the will and four wheels to get us there.

As you can imagine the horror of having our parents sit directly behind us at some of these venues was soul crushing, mostly because they were so completely uncool. I, on the other hand, am NOT uncool. And that is why I keep encouraging my kids to attend any kind of concert that comes down the pike. Hearing be damned, these kids are going to understand the importance of live music if it kills me.

They Might Be Giants Covers Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping"

Yet another reason to love the Onion: not only do you get their usual hilarious posts, but they've been posting some pretty kick-ass cover songs this summer.

Here's They Might Be Giants covering Chumbawamba's "Tubthumping!"


They Might Be Giants covers Chumbawamba

All Eyes On The Throne

The rumors weren't true: the Jay-Z and Kanye West Watch The Throne album didn't drop on July 4th.

But we were treated to the cover art. And I wouldn't have expected anything less.

I love you, Kanye!

Mary Jane Girls, "In My House"

From 1985, here's Mary Jane Girls with "In My House."

Enjoy!

First Look: "Weird Al" Yankovic, "Another Tattoo"

Time for me to fess up: I don't really care for the new Weird Al album. I tried. I wanted to like Alpocalypse. But it just didn't do it for me.

But you know what? I did love "Perform This Way" (especially the video).

And I'm digging the new video for "Another Tattoo:"



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New Music Releases: John Parr

Here are this week's new releases by '80s and early '90s artists. We've compiled this list to the best of our abilities.

Artist: John Parr
Title: Letter To America
Release date: July 4, 2011
Rebirth or Reissue: Both
More information: Twenty-nine live and acoustic versions of past and present hits from the guy who brought us classics like "Naughty Naughty" and "St. Elmo's Fire."


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Set Your DVRs: Week Of July 4, 2011

Here are the musical acts appearing on the talk show circuit this week. We compiled this list to the best of our abilities. Check your local listings and don't shoot the messenger.

Monday, July 4th
Conan: She And Him (R)
Jimmy Kimmel Live: Hanson (R)
Last Call With Carson Daly: Biffy Clyro (R)
Late Show With David Letterman: Jay-Z and Eminem (R)
Lopez Tonight: Sheila E. (R)
Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Parachute (R)

McSAPRR, "Hot Dog Rock"

From 2011, here's McSAPRR with "Hot Dog Rock."

Enjoy the Fourth of July!

Wondermark: Our Interview with David Malki !

Today we're talking with David Malki ! (yes, the exclamation point is included), who is an author, creator of the webcomic Wondermark, editor of the anthology Machine of Death, and at the head of so many projects, frankly, I have a hard time keeping track. What I can tell you is he is definitely doing some unique work which I hope you'll dig as much I do.

Hi David, how are you doing?
Good. Thanks!

You write an online comic using Victorian wood cuts. Can you tell us a little bit about that and how you got started?
Sure. Wondermark is a comic strip that's made using illustrations from books from the 1800s that are all scans from primary sources whenever possible and then cut apart in Photoshop. And the elements used is sort of puzzle pieces and ingredients to make comic strips. And it's something I've been doing now for eight years, and it started sort of as a lark, sort of an experiment like, "I wonder if you could make a comic strip this way." And the answer turned out to be yes. So I kept doing it.

First Look: Spy Kids 4: All The Time In The World

Four reasons I wouldn't mind seeing this movie:

1. Jessica Alba in skin-tight outfits.
2. AROMA-SCOPE!
3. Ricky Gervais as a talking robotic dog.
4. Jeremy Piven. They said he's in the movie, but I don't see him in the trailer.

Stacey Q, "Two Of Hearts"

From 1985, here's Stacey Q with "Two Of Hearts."

Enjoy!