The Sailor Jerry Presents concert series sails on, and the most recent addition to its roster has been most excellent Detroit garage stalwarts the Dirtbombs. We nominated the band’s latest album, Party Store, as one of the most underrated of 2011 during a mid-year wrap-up, and our opinion hasn’t changed — if you haven’t heard it, it’s a collection of covers of old Detroit techno tracks reinvented as garage-rock tunes. It’s also a fantastic and original piece of work, and still gets a regular workout on the Flavorpill stereo. Plus, it catalyzed various discussions about other great covers records from over the years, inspiring us to round up ten of our all-time favorites, starting with Party Store itself.
If you’ve ever wondered what your favorite literary characters might be listening to while they save the world/contemplate existence/get into trouble, or hallucinated a soundtrack to go along with your favorite novels, well, us too. But wonder no more! Here, we sneak a look at the hypothetical iPods of some of literature’s most interesting characters. What would be on the personal playlists of Holden Caulfield or Elizabeth Bennett, Huck Finn or Harry Potter, Tintin or Humbert Humbert? Something revealing, we bet. Or at least something danceable. Read on for a cozy reading soundtrack, character study, or yet another way to emulate your favorite literary hero. This week: the example of all mothers’ say sos, Little Red Riding Hood.
A few days ago, Neko Case flipped out on a concert-goer after a jewel case of her own album was thrown at fellow New Pornagraphers band member, Carl Newman. Although Case only upped her street/comedy cred with the rant and failed to come across as the Bill O’Reilly of indie rock, this episode got us thinking about some of our favorite indie celebrities’ most hot-blooded hissyfits. Below, we have gathered our ten favorites (including video of Case’s monologue), so click through and watch as the hand-knitted mittens come off and the Pabst-fueled moments of crazy ensue.
1. Cat Power is planning to record an album of new material without her regular backing band. [via NME]
2. Kristen Wiig‘s “Gilly” character will host a two-hour SNL Christmas special that will air on December 17. No word yet on if she’ll be expanding her vocab. [via WaPo]
3. ’80s heartthrob Andrew McCarthy is set to direct a 9 1/2 Weeks-inspired episode of Gossip Girl this spring. [via People]
4. John Malkovich and Anne Hathaway are in talks to play the villains in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 4. Malkovich would be playing the Vulture; Hathaway the Vulturess. [via Vulture]
5. Is social media savvy putting the Obama White House at risk of becoming a reality show? [via NYT]
Back in June we told you about Elizabeth Goodman’s unauthorized Cat Power biography — a piece that stirred up some of our most heated commenter debate to date. This morning, courtesy of Pop Candy we’ve been listening to these Cat Power BBC performances non-stop; the awkward interaction between Chan Marshall and the host on a few tracks is rather priceless. She’s a divisive artist around Flavorpill HQ, but for those of you who are fans, you’ll definitely enjoy this expansive collection of downloadable songs.
Juliette Lewis is the greatest pixie-lion you will ever meet. To some, she is a quirky and versatile actress (What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Natural Born Killers, Hysterical Blindness); to others, a full-fledged bad ass rocker-chick (The Licks). But Lewis doesn’t care what you think, because these labels are generalizations. Resorting to her own homegrown lexicon, Lewis admits that she is simply an “emotionalist.” On the verge of her August tour with The Pretenders and Cat Power, Juliette Lewis sat sat down with Flavorpill to chat about her new solo album, Terra Incognita (out September 1st), the “geniosity” of Omar Rodrigeuz-Lopez, and, of course, one of her promotional collaborators, Willy, a bull. Read More »
“Chan Marshall does not want you to read this book.” The opening line of A Good Woman says it all. Chan Marshall’s biography, written by Elizabeth Goodman, channels the life of one of the most elusive personalities in contemporary music. Marshall, once infamous for her on-stage breakdowns, shyness and unpredictability, was just as notorious for telling the media very selective truths about her past, which is riddled with alcohol, depression, hallucinations, and loneliness.
Goodman’s initial aim was to commemorate Marshall’s development as a musician and retell the moving story of her shaky childhood in Atlanta. Instead, she met with obstacles and traps, all set by Marshall. Read More »
2. Google can’t keep up with Twitter’s speed, so Larry Page sez they might hop in bed together. [via Guardian]
3. It’s like our generation’s Lilith Fair: Cat Power will tour with Juliette Lewis and the Pretenders this summer. (Side note: I was totally kidding, but the Lilith Fair website say it’s returning in 2010.) [via Pitchfork]
4. Could Night at the Museum really hurt Terminator‘s box office? [via Variety]
5. 13 canceled shows that you’ll always miss. [via TDB]
Lunch is long gone, it’s 4 p.m, Iranian nukes are back in the news, the court says high-level officials are not accountable, God was in the war room, pregnancy isn’t important enough to take time off, and work just won’t end. There’s only one way to make it out of this day alive: THE CAT POWER HAPPY HOUR, a new daily pick-me-up from your friends at Flavorpill. After the jump, a picture so cute it’ll turn your cubicle into a den of pure cuddle. (Check back tomorrow, same time, same place for more unhinged adorability).
Yay! It’s Friday! Which means it’s time for What We’re Listening To, a weekly roundup of the tracks that have been getting the repeat treatment in our office. After the jump, ten songs that Flavorpill staffers are loving right now, along with some light commentary on why we think they’re special (we hear A LOT of music ’round here). Enjoy and feel free to leave your own recent obsessions in the comments. Read More »
(out September 1st), the “geniosity” of Omar Rodrigeuz-Lopez, and, of course, one of her promotional collaborators, Willy, a bull. 
