In case you were wondering why fans of both The Hold Steady and Friday Night Lights have been losing their shit all week, here’s what happened: the band’s frontman has announced plans to release a solo album called Clear Heart Full Eyes, an homage to the show that was recorded in Texas and whose title is a play on FNL‘s most memorable catchphrase (“Clear eyes, full hearts can’t lose”). The news got us thinking about how wonderful it would be if our favorite programs were scored by bands we love, which led us to compile the following wish list of TV shows and the musicians who were born to soundtrack them. Add your pairings in the comments. Read More »
Today at Flavorpill, we wished that the world had more adorable skydiving grannies like 82-year-old birthday girl/lifelong daredevil Judy Wade. We discovered that Mad Men screenshots and Arrested Development dialogue go surprisingly well together. We couldn’t believe that ABC thinks that they can replace Roseanne Barr with the likes of Kirstie Alley. We supported public broadcasting by downloading a free mixtape of Anti- artists including Wilco, Tom Waits, Neko Case, Mavis Staples, and Dr. Dog. We liked Andy Rash’s 8-bit take on the cast of Breaking Bad. We wondered how long it took Bronx Zoo staffers to assemble these life-sized LEGO versions of various wild animals. We decided that Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark” definitely needs the gyrating Courtney Cox after watching the original video. We were excited to read that Norman Mailer’s son wants to direct Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne’s screenplay adaptation of his father’s novel The Deer Park. We found out which New York City kitchens are literally the hottest. And finally, we got a good chuckle out of this flowchart that details the do’s and don’ts of being mad on the Internet.
Many kids dream of growing up as someone else — in a royal family, on a distant planet, or as a movie star. But such aspirations don’t sound quite as fun in the long run as having amazing musicians for parents. By the time most rockers hit 40, they’ve calmed down enough to make a family and have years of experience to draw on for wisdom and guidance. And it’s not just any experience — the music industry often throws curve balls at its participants, and any parent who has had to contend with predatory label reps or getting their gear stolen on tour knows a thing or two more about overcoming obstacles than the average mom or dad does. Living in one of these seven artists’ households means a great record collection and a creative atmosphere to keep you company — even when you’re grounded.
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.
Girl power has never looked (or sounded) as good now that these 10 ladies have arrived on the scene. From the synth-pop stylings of Class Actress to the dancehall beats of Lady Chann, we’re bringing you a list of our favorite new female-fronted music acts, along with a few free downloads. As always, we made a few comparisons to help give you an idea of what each sounds like — and point you toward the ones that you’ll want to have on your iPod stat.
Across the pond, debate is raging over a controversial new Christmas card sold by Tesco. No, it isn’t racist or sexist or homophobic. But it does discriminate — against redheaded children. The copy plastered over an image of a carrot-top preschooler reads: “SANTA loves all kids. Even GINGER ones.” Now, we’re not denying that the card company intended to be funny. We just don’t think they should be making jokes that could actually hurt red-headed little kids. They already have to grapple with insanely sun-sensitive skin.
So, as a bottle redhead dating a natural redhead (don’t worry, our hair isn’t the same shade; that would be weird), we feel the need to defend our people. To that end, we’ve compiled a list of our ten favorite gingers. Who’s yours?
Best of the Year lists aren’t just about closure. After all, these lists make for a great way to catch up everything you missed while you were spinning that new Phoenix album endlessly. Making this time of discovery easier yet, InSound has rounded up their 50 most downloaded albums of 2009, and is offering everyone 10 free MP3s for download.
Looking at their list, we’ve eliminated albums that weren’t from 2009, and skipped over the obvious choices — the Grizzly Bears, the Phoenixes, and the Passion Pits. Those are for everyone else’s lists.
Total bedlam with a good soundtrack, that’s Lollapalooza. The last time I was in Chicago’s Grant Park with this many people — estimates show 200,000 bought tickets — we’d all just voted out a malevolent Washington administration that was past its expiration date. This time the masses and I were there to see as many different bands as humanly possible during a three-day free-for-all. People may not have been crying tears of joy, but spirits were definitely high. It would be nice to think that the world is a gentler place now than it was last November, but it’s not exactly true. Instead, the Midwest’s main music festival just seemed to prove that we’re pretty good at ignoring hard times. As Perry Farrell himself said, Lollapalooza is recession proof. Read More »
New music! Get your brand new music here! Impress your friends with a breadth of indie knowledge to make Ryan Schreiber cringe! Check out the latest downloads from favorites Dan Deacon, Neko Case and Morrissey! Grab free tunes to bolster your already overflowing collection of obscure artists from mid-level industrial cities who might or might not blow up and then enigmatically fade in the next eight weeks! Check out our Viva Radio show! Read a paragraph in which every sentence ends in an exclamation point!
