The Best Of '07: Day 5

Welcome back!  We're confident you spent the weekend discussing the albums presented thus far and eagerly anticipating those still to come.  We know we did.  Keep checking each day as we continue to present the best albums of 2007 (in absolutely no particular order) and keep leaving comments.  We love it!  This is Airbag Radio.  The Best Of '07.

Kanye West - Graduation

Believe the hype!  Kanye West is as good as he boasts, if not better.  Even if he is an egomaniac, there is no denying his passion for music.  The man lives to makes great music.  Period.  From beginning to end, every song on Graduation is killer.  Killer hooks, killer beats, killer grooves, killer strings.  Every detail is perfect.  Lyrically, West puts himself out there as he is, honestly struggling with his contradictions.  Standouts on the album are 'Stronger,' 'Can't Tell Me Nothing,' 'Good Morning,' and 'Good Life.'

P.S.  To all indie-rock blogs and magazines out there:  I'm really disappointed in your album-of-the-year lists.  I can't help but notice that most of your lists of the best albums of the year include nothing but indie-rock.  Hmmm, maybe it's just me but, I'm a little confused.  You're saying that all of the best albums of the year are all indie-rock?  All of them?  The top 100?  None of the top 100 best albums might have been in another genre of music, for example hip-hop? I'm not suggesting that you include K-Fed on your list, but seriously, there isn't one hip hop album that is in the 100 best albums of the year?  1oo?  Really?  There must be some mistake.  Have you all been on vacation together in Iran where hip-hop was recently ruled illegal?  That must be it.  Well in that case, all you indie-rock bloggers and magazine editors out there, check out Kanye West's Graduation.  You'll love it!  You may even find yourselves making some room for it in your album-of-the-year list.  Glad to be of service to you.  Enjoy!

The Best Of '07: Day 4

And the journey continues... For those of you just joining us, we are in the midst of a 10 day trip through the best albums of the year (in no particular order.) For those of you have been with us, thanks for your support. Keep leaving feedback as we press on.

Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

The coolest sound of the year. Perfect party music for the indie rocker in everyone. If you love music, you'll love Spoon. And even if you just kinda like music, you'll love Spoon. We've said it here before, Spoon is one of the best bands around and there's really noone else doing what they do. They stand alone. Best songs on Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga include "Don't Make Me A Target" (listen to that one with headphones,) "Don't You Evah," and "Eddie's Ragga." If you dig this one, they've got plenty more where that came from (6 full-length albums and 3 EP's.) We highly recommend the band's 2005 release Gimme Fiction.

The Best Of '07: Day 3

Welcome back and thanks for tuning into to the third episode of our ten part series profiling the the ten best albums of the year. Remember, the list is no particular order and most importantly remember that this list is being brought to you by Ovaltine. This is Airbag Radio. The Best Of '07.

Amy Winehouse - Back To Black

Instant classic. Years from now, people will look back on 2007 and remember Amy Winehouse's Back To Black. Then they'll put it on and it'll sound just as good then as it does now. This album is infectious. Sweet grooves, blaring horns and an amazing voice take you on a trip through 60's Motown. But the lyrics aren't all sugar and candy. On the deeply personal songs, Winehouse bares her soul to her off-again/on-again/off-again boyfriend (who is now her husband.) Jealousy, bitterness, sorrow and despair are all major themes and it's all washed down with a whole lotta booze. 'Rehab' proved to be the smash hit of the summer but every song on the album is just as great. Favorites are "Tears Dry On Their Own" and "You Know I'm No Good." For the 2 people on the planet who have yet to hear Back To Black, get it.

The Best Of '07: Day 2

Thanks for joining us for the 2nd day of our 10 day journey through the years' best albums. Your comments have been much appreciated and we encourage you do continue posting your thoughts along the way. Let's do this. This is Airbag Radio. The Best Of '07.

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible



Epic. Anthemic. Glorious. Even with words like these, it is difficult to describe the magnitude of Neon Bible. This albums delivers sweeping themes over this large ensemble's even larger sound. Personal struggle and reflection under the weight of society. Fear, disillusionment, family, God, country. Highlights include "Intervention," "Ocean Of Noise," and "Neon Bible." Check this one out and if you like what you hear then you are sure to enjoy the bands debut album, Funeral.

The Best Of '07: Day 1

Here we go with the first of the ten best albums of the year (in no particular order.) This is Airbag Radio: The Best of '07.


Explosions In The Sky - All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone



This album is stunningly beautiful. Instrumental rock that not only builds larger than life soundscapes but also delivers real life intensity. Even without words to latch onto, you find yourself singing the melodies. We could say more, but we already said it here. If you haven't heard this one yet, please give it a listen. You'll discover your new favourite band.

Keep yourself tuned for more in the coming days...

Oh, what a year it has been....

Here we are at the end of 2007 and, oh, what a year it has been. A year full of everything. Good, Bad and Ugly. It is at this point that we should take time to reflect back and examine our lives over the past 12 months. Our triumphs, our failures and most importantly the music that served as a soundtrack to this movie called life.

Okay, enough of the sentimental crap. Over the next two weeks Airbag Radio will be highlighting the 10 best albums of the year. In no particular order. (It was hard enough to pick just ten.) In addition to that we'll be providing you with some bonus best-of-the-years at the end of it all (e.g. Best Song, Best Concert, Best Album Recorded Under Water, etc.) So hang on tight and keep your browser glued to www.AirbagRadio.com (but be sure to hit refresh once in a while.) This is Airbag Radio. The best of '07.

Feed Your Ears

For all you music lovers out there, this one is a must have. Led Zeppelin's newest compilation, Mothership, is what your ears have been waiting for. Two discs of groundbreaking rock & roll from one of music's most legendary bands. Every song is a classic. But even if you already have all the songs featured on this compilation, this is still an essential buy. Why you ask? For the first time in the CD era, Led Zeppelin's songs have been remastered to fully bring out all the band's greatness. The bass is heavy, the drums hit hard, the guitar screams and the vocals wail. Much like The Beatles' compilation release, Love, the sound quality on Mothership will blow you away. Your ears have to hear this.

Added bonus: The album artwork was created by Obey Giant.

Extra added bonus: As previously reported on Airbag Radio, a Led Zeppelin tour is rumored to be in the works.

Back In Black (And White)

Ladies and gentlemen, THE HIVES are Baaack! That's right, the self-proclaimed greatest band in the world has returned with The Black And White Album. Unlike the other self-proclaimed greatest band in the world, a.k.a. The Killers, The Hives have the chops to back up their arrogance. Also unlike The Killers, The Hives arrogance is all in fun! The Black And White album features both The Hives' signature punk rock'n'roll as well as some new experiments in stereophonic recording. If you're looking for the funnest album of the year, look no further.

Quality Guaranteed

You've gotta get your hands on the I'm Not There Soundtrack. Your favorite indie bands get down on classic Dylan. Sonic Youth, Iron & Wine, Stephen Malkmus (of Pavement), Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco), Karen O (of Yeah Yeah Yeahs), The Black Keys and many more put down killer takes on Bob Dylan songs. The two-disc collection even includes the previously unreleased "I'm Not There" from Mr. Dylan himself with The Band. Airbag Favorite: Stephen Malkmus busts out our favorite Dylan work of all time, "Ballad Of A Thin Man." Check it out! This one is for everyone! Guaranteed to satisfy!

The film should be in theatres soon! Keep checking Airbag Radio for the latest!

D-E-L!

Hip Hoppers Rejoice! Del The Funky Homosapien is baaack! Well, maybe not yet, but he'll be back on February 26th with his long awaited album, The 11th Hour. This will be Del's first full-length work since 2000's critically-acclaimed, instantly classic Deltron 3030 project with Dan The Automator and Kid Koala and his first solo LP since 1999's Both Sides Of The Brain. The much anticipated release has been in the works for a couple of years now and, based on recent singles and compilation tracks, the album is sure to be more than worth the wait. If you're not familiar with Del's name, you may already be familiar with his signature style as his is the voice that delivers one of the illest rhymes of all time with Gorillaz' smash hit "Clint Eastwood." Speaking of Gorillaz, look for a b-sides collection, titled D-Sides (D as in Demon Days), in stores November 20th. As for our main man Del, we're staying up 'til The 11th Hour.

Best Jack-O-Lantern Ever!!!

That's right! That's the recently graduated Kanye West Bear, vent shades and all. For those interested Mr. West has a new book forthcoming. The book will be made up of Kanye-isms from the man himself and, in true Kanye fashion, the book will be titled "Thank You And You're Welcome." For more Kanye, check his newest mixtape here.

Best Video Ever!!!

The Arcade Fire has recently released a completely interactive video experience for the song "Neon Bible." Go to www.beonlineb.com, that's Neon Bible scrambled up, to check it out. Click around, drag around, have fun! Let us know what you think!

For those who haven't heard it yet, you've got to get your hands on the album, Neon Bible. It's one of the year's best.

A Quote To Remember

"Every record is a journey."
-Chris Walla
(on the recording of Death Cab For Cutie's forthcoming LP)

Upcoming Concerts

Here's a couple of shows coming up that you don't want to miss. These two come from opposite ends of the musical spectrum. November 30th, Iron & Wine will be at Oakland's Paramount Theatre and Queens of the Stone Age will roll into The Warfield in San Francisco on December 20th. Although we can't speak on the Iron & Wine show, we can tell from experience that Queens of the Stone Age are so damn good that your head will split open and your brain will jump out and start dancing. You can get tickets for both shows at www.ticketmaster.com.

Radiohead's In Rainbows

In Rainbows, the newest from Radiohead, is finally here! There is so much to say about this album. And so much has been said already. The internet has been buzzing for days over the album and its release. This is a huge moment in the story of Rock n' Roll.

First and foremost is the music itself. This one will have you saying "This is Radiohead?" Amazing! Another new page for the band. The album is equal parts bounce/groove jams and lush/dense ballads. Thom's voice explores new spaces in the Radiohead soundscape. The songs are heavy on rhythm, but for the most part, light on the digital beats of the last few albums. Favorite tracks thus far: "15 Step," "All I Need," "Bodysnatchers" and "Videotape." Overall the album is a stunning masterpiece and will only be more amazing when available on CD and vinyl.

Second, the release of the music. The unprecedented experiment succeeded. In just 3 days, 1.2 million copies of In Rainbows have been purchased. Unbelievable! Even Kanye's super-hyped Graduation didn't make it to 1 million in the first week. In fact, few albums have sold more than a million copies all year.

If you have yet to get a copy of the album, head over the www.inrainbows.com. Remember the price is up to you. You've got nothing to lose!

Can't wait to hear this thing on wax!

New Radiohead Album

Finally it's here!!! The new Radiohead album, In Rainbows, is complete and will be available in just 10 days! The format for this release is unprecedented. The album will be available in two formats, digital and discbox. On October 10th, anyone who purchases either version will be able to download the album. The pricing for the download only is left entirely up to you. You get to input your price. For those willing to spring for the discbox package, the album will be shipped on December 3rd, and will include both a CD and double vinyl version of the album, a bonus CD of extra songs, and lots of cool art sure to wow you for hours. Unfortunately, the discbox doesn't come with the price-it-yourself option.



Few releases have been as highly anticipated as this one and certainly no albums have ever been released in this fashion. Typically months of press is put out prior to an album's release in order to build up hype, e.g. Kanye West. Although fans had an inkling something was brewing, no one had any clue that the album would be put out on such short notice. This is a groundbreaking experiment and Radiohead is just the band to test it out.

Go to www.radiohead.com and www.inrainbows.com for more information.

Out This Week

Who cares about Kanye and 50? The real battle goes down this week when indie/folk heavyweights Iron & Wine and Jose Gonzalez go head-to-head. In all seriousness, there is no real competition here (Foo Fighters will triple out-sell both of them anyway), but if your are a fan of Iron & Wine, then you should definitely pick up his new album, The Shepherd's Dog as well as Jose Gonzalez's In Our Nature. You won't be disappointed. The Foo Fighters' newest, Echoes, Patience, Silence & Grace, is pretty damn good as well. After you check out these new releases, be sure to let Airbag Radio know what you think.

Out Last Week

Last Tuesday saw the release of couple of solo albums from artists known for their legendary bands.

The first of these was the new album from Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth. If your a Sonic Youth fan, then Thurston's album, Trees Outside The Academy, is a special treat, and if your not a Sonic Youth fan, it's still great. The reason this project stands out is that, for the most part, Thurston gets down on the acoustic guitar, which is a strong contrast to his ground-breaking and mind-bending electric guitar work with Sonic Youth. If your looking for a place to start with Sonic Youth, Airbag Radio recommends 1987's critically-acclaimed Daydream Nation and/or their latest album Rather Ripped.

Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder also released a solo project. The soundtrack to the film Into The Wild, is Vedder's first full-length solo release. The film is based on the book of the same name and as a result, so is the soundtrack. Although the film looks promising, the soundtrack is just so-so. It's a bit disappointing because, on paper, this should have been a great project, but when actually put into to play the songs are a bit watered down and over-literal. Hopefully the movie doesn't follow the same footsteps.

Back To The Highway

While we eagerly anticipate the release of the Bob Dylan biopic I'm Not There, out November 21st, I thought I'd post some old thoughts on the man that has inspired me so much. This was originally composed for the Fan Stories section on dylan07.com.

I was first introduced to Bob Dylan via the film Don't Look Back. As soon as the ending credits rolled, I ran down to Tower Records to pick up his first Greatest Hits album. I slowly grew from a casual listener to an avid fan. I can honestly say that there is no single musician who is more important to music than Bob Dylan. You could take away everything else in my collection and as long as I still had his albums I'd be happy. Bob Dylan is hands down, the Beginning and the End of Rock & Roll.

Obey Giant At Toyroom

Toyroom (907 K Street) will be hosting a collection of prints by Obey Giant artist Shepard Fairey from September 14 to October 13. The opening receptions will take place Friday the 14th and Saturday the 15th from 7pm until late. Obey Giant is a favorite of Airbag Radio, especially the print below, titled "Peace Girl." If you've got time, definitely check out the showing.

Best Live Bands

Here's an answer to a question recently posed to Airbag Radio. Who are the best live bands today?

Radiohead - Epic. This band in amazing on record, live they are unreal. Every ounce of emotion is magnified a thousand times on stage. If you see one band before you die, this is it.

The Roots - Rockin'. Hip-hop's greatest band, throws rock's best party. Exhilaratingly fun. Amazingly entertaining. Even casual fans admit this is one for the history books.

Rage Against The Machine - Intense. Nothing has been lost in the seven-year absence. The reunion show at Coachella was one of the top five experiences of my life.

The Black Keys - Loud. This blues-rock two-piece can bring the noise. Guitarist Dan Auerbach is hands down the best I've ever seen. He simultaneously plays bass, rhythm, lead and slide all on one instrument. Salvation for the blues.

The Mars Volta - Crazy. Hands down the best musicians on the planet. Every time I see this band, it bends my mind how good they are. Everything is out of sync yet somehow held together.

Who do you think the best live bands today are? We'd love to hear your thoughts.

Noooo....

The White Stripes have cancelled their forthcoming tour due to health issues. According to the bands website, Meg White is suffering from accute anxiety and is unable to tour at this time. So this means no White Stripes, no Amy Winehouse, no Shins. My life is unraveling. At least the new Kanye kicks ass! (Review coming.) Hopefully Meg's feeling well soon and The Stripes can come back around this way.

New Stuff From Sigur Ros

November 6 will be a big day for all you Sigur Ros fans out there. Not only will that day see the release of the live DVD, Heima, but also the release of the double EP, Hvarf/Heim. Heima, traslated as Homeland, will feature live footage from the Takk tour, including a performance inside an abandoned herring oil tank in Iceland. After watching the trailer for the film, this doesn't look like a traditional live documentary (and now I want to visit Iceland). Check it out for yourself here. Hvarf/Heim, translated as Dissappear/Home, will be comprised of lost songs and live acoustic renditions of some the band's classic material. See what the band had to say about the upcoming releases here. Cant's wait for both. For those interested, Sigur Ros also has a book available, titled In A Frozen Sea.

Kanye West vs. 50 Cent

One week from today, it all goes down. On Tuesday the 11th, Kanye West and 50 Cent will go head-to-head on the Billboard charts for the top spot of the week with Graduation and Curtis, respectively. From what I've heard of it so far, Kanye's album is off-the-chain dope but Fiddy is so confident in his selling power that he has said in fact that he will stop making music if West comes out on top. Who'll take the crown? Airbag Radio has pinned it's hopes on Kanye, but it's more likely that 50 Cent will be the week's top seller for the same reason that a guy like Chris Daughtry will always outsell The Shins. Unfortunately, product always outsells art. All the same, I'll be picking up a few extra copies of Graduation to sway things toward Kanye's favor. As a side note, some have speculated that country music star Kenny Chesney will swoop in from the fake corn fields and steal the whole show. In that case I'll be picking up a few more copies of Graduation. Here's hoping for Kanye...

For Your Reading Pleasure...

Here's a little something I prepared for a dear friend entering her college years (aka Radiohead-discovery years). I thought I'd share it with you all for kicks. Enjoy!

An Airbag Saved My Life
A Play-By-Play Synopsis Of Radiohead’s Complete Catalog

Pablo Honey (1993)
Pablo Honey is a pretty good album by regular standards, but it pales in comparison to what Radiohead would follow with in the coming years. This album is most noteworthy for the song “Creep,” which remains the band’s lone radio hit.

My Iron Lung (1994)
My Iron Lung, both the EP, as well as the song, served as a turning point for Radiohead. A new beginning that would pave the way for greatness to come.

The Bends (1995)
The Bends is Radiohead’s first masterpiece. Large guitars and pleading vocals both pull you in and pull you apart.

OK Computer (1997)
Among critics, this album is regarded as the best work of the past three decades. Even when compared to Radiohead’s own catalog of stellar work, OK Computer stands out above the rest. My mind is still bent each time I listen to this album.

Airbag/How Am I Driving? (1998)
This collection of OK Computer-era b-sides demonstrates that even the band’s leftover songs are amazing. The instrumental track, “Meeting In The Aisle,” serves as a hint of changes to come.

Kid A (2000)
Following the success of OK Computer, the band made a conscious decision not to rest on their laurels but rather recreate their sound entirely. The result was Kid A, a hybrid of blips, bleeps, rock, beats and the end of the world. The change both shocked fans and rattled the music industry a bit.

Amnesiac (2001)
Recorded simultaneously with Kid A, Amnesiac maintains many of the same elements yet still stands apart as an equally great album with its own distinct sound. This album will always hold a special place to me, as it was my introduction to Radiohead.

I Might Be Wrong – Live Recordings (2001)
Comprised of live material from the difficult Kid A/Amnesiac tours, this EP includes a live recording of the song “True Love Waits,” a standout track unavailable on any other releases.

Hail To The Thief (2003)
This is Radiohead’s most eclectic piece of work. The listener journeys through a variety of styles that all are uniquely Radiohead. On one extreme is the freak-out “2+2=5” and on the other is the subtle ballad “Sail To The Moon.”

Com Lag (2plus2isfive) (2004)
A collection of Hail To The Thief b-sides that prove yet again that many of Radiohead’s best songs never made it onto a proper album. Two standouts are "Fog (Again)," a live version of an Amnesiac b-side and the Lou Reed-esque "Wicked Child."

Jonny Greenwood – Bodysong (2004)
The first solo work from any member of the band, this album is actually the soundtrack to the film Bodysong, which documents different stages of human life from birth to death. Composed by Greenwood, the soundtrack combines the traditional instruments of a film score with the soundscape of a Radiohead album.

Thom Yorke – The Eraser (2006)
Most similar to Amnesiac, The Eraser brings beats galore and mad vocal hooks to the table. You’ll be bobbing your head and singing “This is fucked up” at the same time.

Thom Yorke – Spitting Feathers (2006)
B-sides from The Eraser, the extended version of “Harrowdown Hill,” makes this one worth the price of admission alone.

The as-of-yet-untitled, long-in-the-works seventh album from Radiohead is expected to be available by year’s end. Get ready!

Play This: Bat For Lashes, LCD Soundsytem

Two quick recommendations coming your way. First off, Bat For Lashes' debut album Fur And Gold. This one has been much hyped as of late, and for good reason. Powerful vocals (akin to Bjork at times), epic instrumentation and dream-inspired themes. If you don't want to check out the entire album at least grab the album opener "Horse And I."

Second pick, Sound of Silver from LCD Soundsystem. This one has been on the list of things to check out for a while now and I'm glad I finally did. Falling kind of into the indie dance genre, LCD Soundsytem is heads and shoulders above the rest of the class. The main reason being that main-man James Murphy delivers the good but never takes himself too seriously. Groovy beats keep you moving. Heavy on the electronics but never too heavy. If you just check out one track, go for "North American Scum."

Weekend Extraordinare Part I: Wilco Shines

This past weekend was the big back-to-back concert extravaganza. Wilco on Friday followed by Beastie Boys on Saturday. The type of weekend us music geeks dream of. Two bands known for their stellar performances. Both shows at Berkeley's legendary Greek Theatre. And Airbag Radio was there to take in every minute of it.

In this post we have included a review of the Wilco's performance, to be followed by Beastie Boys in a separate issue.

Let's start by pointing out that these six guys can play. Wilco masks their deadly accuracy in deceptively loose delivery but when they turn it on its apparent how tight the band really is. That night's performances of "Shake It Off" and "Hate It Here" demonstrated their perfect live skills.

Frontman, Jeff Tweedy, was not only a killer bandleader and singer (even better live than on record) but also an entertaining spokesman, conversing with the crowd between songs on various topics, including phrases not to use e.g. "I loves me some..."

Lead guitar player, Nels Cline, was certainly the stand-out musician of the band. His style comes off as a hybrid of John Frusciante (of the Chili Peppers) and Tom Morello (of Rage). With a little slide guitar in there to mix it up. He really belongs on the list of best guitar players of our time. Drummer, Glenn Kotche was equally impressive but had less opportunities in the set to wow the crowd.

Show highlights included "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart," "Impossible Germany," "Hate It Here," "Jesus, Etc." and "Sky Blue Sky." Deeply missed were "Heavy Metal Drummer" and "What Light." (Maybe next time they come around.) And if they do come around again, you gotta be there. Even though they probably won't have this awesome of a poster next time.



Stay tuned for Part II of Weekend Extraordinare.

Fields

This past May, Airbag Radio had the good fortune of catching indie up-and-comers Fields at New York's Mercury Lounge. What a show! Cool crowd, good beer and great music all going down in an old brick room on the edge of the East Village. Fields delivers driving acoustic rock, soothing melodies, and crescendos of epic proportions. We highly recommend you check out their full length debut, Everything Last Winter. If our plug for the band has piqued your interest, check out "Song For The Fields," the free single of the week on iTunes. Grab it before Monday night. For further listening, see Fields' EP, 7 From The Village.

Ragin' In SF

Saturday, August 18th, Rock The Bells rolled into the parking lot at San Francisco's AT&T Park bringing with it a myriad of hip hop acts, an eclectic crowd and one legendary rock band hellbent against the man. Mad props to Rage Against The Machine for throwing down big time despite the subpar soundman and a less than enthusiastic crowd. The band was in fine form and hasn't lost a step in the past seven years they've been split up. Main man Zack de la Rocha spit mad fire aimed at the powers that be and, during "Wake Up," proclaimed that we, the people, must realize that the true power for change lies in our own hands. Equally outspoken was mad scientist Tom Morello's guitar, which he banged and clanged into a concoction of other worldly noises. As for the rest of the show, Wu-Tang Clan's time on stage was more like a party, with Method Man taking the helm as both king and jester. Oakland posse Hieroglyphics put it down with their signature indie style. Unfortunately, The Roots, Mos Def and Talib Kweli all took the stage prior to Airbag's arrival at the festival. All in all, making it to Coachella the past spring for Rage's comeback was a dream come true, catching 'em a second time this year was an extra special treat.


An old-school Wu fan, throws up the W.


The calm before the Rage.

Dropping A Timebomb

Today saw the release of the new single, "Timebomb," Beck's first release since last year's block rockin' album, The Information. This little jingle got's some block rockin' going on as well. Classic Beck synth grooves, steady rhythm and a schoolyard chorus hollering back at the man himself. As Beck puts it this is "a song for bonfires, blackouts and the last hurrah of summer." Sounds good to us. Check it out below on iTunes.



For more Beck gems you have yet to hear, go over to www.beck.com and check out "Forget Marie." This one sounds like a Sea Change era outtake that'll hopefully make its way onto an album someday.

Foos Fight Fire With Fire

Foo Fighters have announced that their sixth album, Echoes, Patience, Silence And Grace, will be released on September 25th. But while you do your best to wait patiently for the release date, you can get your Foo Fightin' on over at stereogum.com. They've got a special treat, Foo Fighters covering The Arcade Fire's "Keep The Car Running" from the BBC's Live Lounge.

If this track leaves you jonesin' for some more covers of Arcade Fire, check out Calexico's take on "Ocean Of Noise."

The Shins Hit Up The Greek Theatre

That's right! Everyone's favorite indie hitmakers, The Shins, will be bringing their live show to Berkeley's Greek Theatre on Friday, October 5th. For those who have yet to catch the band live, this performance is a must-see. Their stop at The Warfield this past spring was stellar, including the surprise cover of Pink Floyd's "Breathe." (Props to the guys for taking on this classic, and pulling it off with grace and style.) Tickets go on sale this Sunday, August 19th, at 10AM.

Dylan Revisited

The man behind the smash success of Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen has recently put his remix prowess to work on a Bob Dylan classic. Today's It-DJ, Mark Ronson, has become the first to get the stamp of approval from Dylan himself to rework one of his songs. Now before you get all worked up that someone would dare to alter the great work of Robert Zimmerman, let us say that no one holds Dylan in higher esteem than we at Airbag Radio. That said, Ronson's remix of "Most Likely You'll Go Your Way (And I'll Go Mine)" is pretty good. (We should also note that we at Airbag aren't usually fond of remixes.) Too often, remixes focus all attention on the remix and ignore the essence of what made the original, well... the original. Ronson's "Re-Version" walks, or rather, dances the fine line between creating something new yet maintaining respect for the masterpiece. Kicking drums and blasting horns serve to compliment Dylan's cool delivery rather than drown it out. But don't take our word. Check out the track at www.dylan07.com. If you like what you hear you can grab more Ronson remixes, including Coldplay's "God Put A Smile On Your Face" and Radiohead's "Just," via the iTunes link below.

Internet Radio Day Of Silence Update

As you have read here previously, internet radio has been facing its end as we currently know it. A looming increase in royalty rates, has threatened to drive most broadcasters out of business and highly commercialize those that remain. Good news! As part of the Internet Radio Day Of Silence, one million people contacted Congress, which oversees royalties. As a result Congress has delayed the increase in rates and has set a September deadline for Internet Radio and SoundExchange (the organization responsible for collecting royalties on the behalf of record labels) to come to an agreement. Thank you to all who participated! Stay tuned for further updates.

Modeselektor (featuring....

A new track off Modeselektor's forthcoming album has popped up on the internet. Normally this wouldn't be cause for celebration, but this track is very special in that it features noneother than Radiohead's own Thom Yorke on vocal duties. For those familiar with Mr. Yorke's work, "The White Flash" is much in the same vein as last year's The Eraser. Take a listen below. Look for Modeselektor's album, Happy Birthday, in September.

Modeselektor - The White Flash (feat. Thom Yorke)

In other Radiohead news, the band is currently in New York with producer Nigel Godrich mixing their yet-to-be-titled 7th album.

Spoon's Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

If you love Spoon, you gotta hear their newest, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, and if you don't love Spoon you gotta hear their newest anyway (plus 2005's Gimme Fiction). Spoon is one of the few that make the shortlist of "greatest bands in the world with mad indie cred," (alongside The Shins & The Arcade Fire). And similar to the bands on that list, Spoon's music can be difficult to describe for the main reason that there just isn't anyone else out there doing quite what they do.

Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga immediately presents a more driving and bouncy sound than the roll and rumble of the band's last album, Gimme Fiction, but there's no denying that its Spoon. As for further description, we leave the rest to you. Take a listen and let us know what you think.

By the way, if you don't have your hands on Gimme Fiction, your music collection is in serious need. "I Turn My Camera On" and "My Mathematical Mind" are two of the best songs of the decade and, as a whole, the album is a phenomenal display of craftsmanship and artistic skill.

OK Computer Tribute Album

Typically, tribute albums are comprised of generic reproductions that suck the life out of great work and cash in on the legacy of a great artist (e.g. the recent John Lennon tribute album that featured the likes of Avril Lavigne on "Imagine" and Christina Aguilera on "Mother"). OKX: A Tribute To OK Computer breaks the mold by both being artistic (for the most part) and free (via music blog stereogum.com). The album features lesser known artists taking Radiohead's familiar tunes to interesting new places. Of course, a couple of the performances stay disappointingly true to the original. Highlights include Cold War Kid's nearly acapella take on "Electioneering" and Doveman's haunting interpretation of "Airbag." Download the tribute at www.stereogum.com/okx. It's worth checking out. After all, it's free.

Explosions In The Sky

Instrumental rock seems just a bit tougher to pull off than regular-old rock with vocals. Typically our personal connection with a song lies in the singer's words and voice. After all you sing along to your favorite tune, you usually don't strum along. The lack of vocals really forces a band to push the limits of song in order to fill the void. Consequently, instrumental rock either comes off as overly ambitious or just too repetitive.

That said, I was amazed when I first heard Explosions In The Sky. This band isn't just great by instrumental rock standards, it's great by any rock standards. Powerful soundscapes are paired with subtle melodies and delivered through complex arrangements that are still within arm's length of you ear. Check out their latest release, All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone. If you like what you hear, there's plenty more where that came from. Explosions' catalog features four full-length albums and one EP (available for free on their website), as well as the soundtrack for the film Friday Night Lights.

Universal Music vs. iTunes (and the significance of it all...)

Universal Music Group has opted to not renew its distribution contract with Apple's iTunes. The two sides have entered into an interim agreement but Universal, the world's largest record label, has the ability to pull its music from the iTunes Store at any time.

Since the inception of iTunes, major labels have pressured Apple to increase the price per song. Apple has long fought to keep prices down as their real profit lies in the sale of iPods rather than music. Traditionally, Apple has had the upper hand in this battle, as the iPod has dominated the digital music player scene. Now it seems Universal is throwing its weight around to see if it can't shake things up a bit.

This is a case, in which a major label is unwilling to adapt their business model to the changing times of the music industry. iTunes does now offer a higher price point for record labels willing to sell higher quality DRM-free music. (DRM-free music is not copy protected and can be played on any MP3 player not just the iPod.) EMI, another of the major labels, was recently the first to participate in iTunes Plus program. Universal, however, has stated that it will not sell any DRM-free music. Right now it seems Universal is setting up to part ways with iTunes and find a new place to call home where it can command a higher price per song and maintain DRM copy protection, all the while using its massive catalog as leverage.

Universal's stubbornness may bring itself some more dollars on the bottom line, for a little while. But the music business has changed. Power has shifted from the hands of the corporations to the ears of the fans. If Universal doesn't grow and adapt with the changing times, it will ultimately die a long slow death. And you have to ask yourself, "Would that really be so bad?" After all, music was here long before the music business and music will still be here long after the music business dies.

New Single From Iron & Wine

Today, Iron & Wine released the first single from the forthcoming album, Sheperd's Dog, via iTunes. The song "Boy With A Coin" presents a more rhythmic sound than past releases but still reflects the essence of Iron & Wine.

"Boy With A Coin" is accompanied by the non-album track, "Carried Home." The CD version of the single, to be released next Tuesday, July 10, will also feature an additional non-album track titled "Kingdom Of The Animals."

Iron & Wine fans should be sure to grab the single, as the full-length album doesn't arrive until September 25th. Ironically, everyone's other favorite folk artist, Jose Gonzalez, will release a new album that same day. (Cant Wait!)

Chris Cornell Goes It Alone

Chris Cornell recently released Carry On, the 2nd solo album of his more than two decade musical career. The majority of that career has been spent delivering killer vocals in killer bands including Soundgarden, Temple Of The Dog and Audioslave. Unfortunately for any artist who steps away from the company of a great band, one's solo work is always compared to that of the band. In some cases the solo efforts outshine those of the band, e.g. Neil Young, and in other cases it just misses the mark, e.g. well... Chris Cornell.

Cornell has always had one of the most powerful voices of our time. He has also afforded the luxury of being a part of some of the most powerful bands of our time. His voice is still earth-shattering but, without an equally earth-shattering band, it's power is lost.

In all fairness to Mr. Cornell, this album really doesn't amount to much even without reference to his musical past. The songs never really get off the ground and overproduction sucks the life right out of the music.

The lone highlight of the album, is Cornell's take on Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean." This is an outstanding cover that makes no attempt to duplicate the original and thereby stands on it's own as a great performance. Cornell's voice grabs's your ears and forces you to hear the song in a whole new way. Click below to grab the song on iTunes. As for the rest of the album, save your money and pick up Soundgarden's Superunknown.

Led Zeppelin Reunion?

After years of speculation, a Led Zeppelin reunion may soon be more than a dream. Surviving members, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones, along with Jason Bonham, son of the band's deceased drummer John Bonham, are reportedly getting together for a memorial show in honor of Ahmet Ertegun, founder of Atlantic Records. If all goes well with the one-off performance, an entire tour may be in the works.

If Led Zeppelin does reunite for a full-fledged tour, it will be hands-down the hottest ticket of the year. These hard-rock pioneers have always been on the list of "bands you wish you could see before you die but too bad you'll never get too." Well now you just might need to move them over to the list of "bands you have to see even if the closest show is 500 miles away."

Although these type of rumors pop up every couple of years, this one is different in that there is at least one show committed to, which makes kick starting a tour just a little easier. After all, as long as their rehearsing, they might as well keep rehearsing their way around the world.

Internet Radio Day Of Silence

Today thousands of internet radio stations have joined in a "Day Of Silence" to protest increased royalty rates that threaten to drive interenet radio broadcasters out of business. The new rates, effective July 15th, will raise royalty costs more than 250% and eliminate the ability for small web stations to pay royalties as a percentage of total revenue.

The looming rate hike not only threatens to close most internet radio stations, but the remaining broadcasters will become more commercialized in an effort to bear higher costs. On the surface, the increased rates appear to benefit artists. But, if few stations survive, then artists will ultimately recieve less airplay, defeating the purpose entirely.

Today's internet radio provides fans with choice and provides artists with opportunity. But the internet radio of tomorrow may end up sounding a lot like... well, regular old radio. And who wants that?

To learn more more and find out what you can do, click on the link below.

The White Stripes - Icky Thump

The White Stripes are back with a rockin' new joint. The band's newest release, Icky Thump, is loud, fun, and addictive. In the first seconds of the opening track, it's apparent that this album is here to rock. But rock's not all you'll find. Jack and Meg take you on little trip to Espana with "Conquest," while "St. Andrew" is a Medieval Scottish folk jig melting into a hit of acid. The band's sound is fuller but The White Stripes' brand of bare-bones rock & roll is still at the core of it all. Standout songs include "Icky Thump," "Rag And Bone" and "I'm Slowly Turning Into You." Grab it below on iTunes (with a bonus track) or amazon.com.

You can catch The Stripes rockin' the house at Berkeley's Greek Theatre on September 21st. (Why does The Greek Theatre get all the good shows? Because it's the best damn venue around!) Tickets are on sale at www.ticketmaster.com.

Radiohead, Nearly There

This past week, Radiohead informally announced that the band's long-awaited seventh album is near completion. The following was posted by guitarist Ed O'Brien on www.radiohead.com/deadairspace:

"Yes I know its been a while ..... but we've been working on this album for a while ...... BUT WE ARE NEARLY THERE ....."

Radiohead have been at work on the album off and on for the past two years. The band took a brief break from the recording process last year to tour in support of frontman Thom Yorke's solo album, as well as road test some of the new tunes. Judging by those performances, it seems Radiohead have moved into yet another exciting new direction. Look for the album sometime before the end of 2007. (We hope!)

Beastie Boys Are Back (In Berkeley)

New York's Finest are back with a brand new album and a tour to match. The Beastie Boys forthcoming project, The Mix-Up, will be a strictly instrumental number, e.g. 1996's The In Sound From Way Out! Look out for it June 26 or pre-order below from amazon.com.

You can catch the Boys live at Berkeley's Greek Theatre on Saturday, August 25. (Yes, that's the day after Wilco's performance at the same spot.) Tickets go on sale this Sunday, the 17th, at 10:00AM.

Wilco In Berkeley

Wilco has just rolled out their West Coast Tour Dates. Among them is a stop at Berkeley's Greek Theatre on Friday, August 24th. General Admission tickets go on sale Sunday, June 17 at 10:00 AM.

For those who have not yet heard Wilco's latest album, Sky Blue Sky, it is definitely worth a listen (or ten). Jeff Tweedy & Co. have peeled away the sonic layers of their traditional soundscape to reveal graceful songwriting and beautiful melodies. Certainly one of the top albums of the year, thus far. Check it out below on iTunes or amazon.com.

In The Beginning...

Finally, it’s here! Airbag Radio has arrived. What is Airbag Radio? Airbag Radio is a blog dedicated to music. Here you will soon find album reviews, music news, concert updates and anything else worth making note of. What makes Airbag Radio different? No Bullshit. We at Airbag Radio aren’t here to force our own musical taste upon you. We aren’t here to cultivate an image of elite coolness. We are here to simply share our thoughts and engage in discussion because, just like you, we love music. Thank you for your visit. Check back regularly for new postings.