For the record that's Pavement "Stereo" and that my friends is why these are the coolest kids ever and I can only hope that my kids will have one tenth the coolness of these indie rock hipsters.
Rave On This Christmas
After the last post, we thought that we should spread some holiday cheer, so from Airbag Radio to you, here is a free download of "Come On Santa" by the one and only, The Raveonettes! Enjoy! And if you like what you here there is whole EP of Christmas joy from The Raveonettes available to you on iTunes.
Grammys For Sale
So the Grammy award nominations are out and blah-dee-blah-da-blah, they are total shit again, as they are every year. Why am I the least bit surprised by this? I don't know, I guess it's because it's been 365 days since the last time such an underwhelming list of non-artists was announced.
Good news, Radiohead did get a couple of nods, including one for album of the year. Bad news, Grammy awards are voted on by folks at record labels, and Radiohead isn't on a label. So, I am sure that In Rainbows will be losing out to Coldplay's Viva La Vida, the official "Mom On Her Way To Starbucks Cruising In The Range Rover" album of the year.
Also as equally mind-numbing as the nominations is the number of categories. 110. Multiply that by 5 nominations per category and that's 550 nominations. Now, there may be 550 artists worth nomination out there, but only about 6 of them made the list. The rest of the selections look like they could be a free compilation album that you'd get with your copy of Us Weekly.
Now as much as I am ranting right now, I will probably tune in to watch the Grammys as I do every year and thank God for the fact that He saved me from listening to this horrendous music and pray that He will bestow the same grace upon the rest of America.
By the way, if it seems like I am overreacting, consider this: The Jonas Brothers are nominated for Best New Artist. Need I say more?
Good news, Radiohead did get a couple of nods, including one for album of the year. Bad news, Grammy awards are voted on by folks at record labels, and Radiohead isn't on a label. So, I am sure that In Rainbows will be losing out to Coldplay's Viva La Vida, the official "Mom On Her Way To Starbucks Cruising In The Range Rover" album of the year.
Also as equally mind-numbing as the nominations is the number of categories. 110. Multiply that by 5 nominations per category and that's 550 nominations. Now, there may be 550 artists worth nomination out there, but only about 6 of them made the list. The rest of the selections look like they could be a free compilation album that you'd get with your copy of Us Weekly.
Now as much as I am ranting right now, I will probably tune in to watch the Grammys as I do every year and thank God for the fact that He saved me from listening to this horrendous music and pray that He will bestow the same grace upon the rest of America.
By the way, if it seems like I am overreacting, consider this: The Jonas Brothers are nominated for Best New Artist. Need I say more?
Get It!
The new Kanye West album is now out and it's sure to please. This is a complete stylistic change for Yeezy so you longtime fans be ready for something different. Sparse beats and lots of singing. West is catching a lot of flack lately for putting his singing voice out there. To those nay-sayers, we'd like to point out that 'Ye has always been pushing the envelope of pop music (see Jesus Walks) and we at Airbag Radio commend his bravery. You definitely wanna get this one!
Comedy Hour
Check the video below to catch John Lajoie kickin' some dope rhymes for all us regular-ass folks out there.
If you like what you see, there's more at his website.
If you like what you see, there's more at his website.
'Tis The Season
Finally it’s beginning to feel like fall. Leaves on the ground and a chill in the air. In the spirit of the season, We'd like to make a musical recommendation to go with your pumpkin bread and apple cider. Iron & Wine’s first album, The Creek Drank The Cradle, is the perfect soundtrack to autumn. Soft-spoken vocals, sentimental lyrics, sparse acoustic guitar, and slow moving melodies blend together mirroring the beauty of the colors of the season. Sit down with this album and a cup of coffee and let what comes to mind run through your head. If you like what you hear, Iron & Wine’s got plenty more, but The Creek Drank The Cradle is the best place to start. Enjoy!
For those of you already in the know, e.g. everyone who reads this blog, check out "The Trapeze Swinger" on iTunes. This one will bring tears to your eyes.
For those of you already in the know, e.g. everyone who reads this blog, check out "The Trapeze Swinger" on iTunes. This one will bring tears to your eyes.
Sacto Gets The Colbert Bump!
Check the video below to catch Sacramento's own Mayor-Elect, Kevin Johnson, talking up our hometown on The Colbert Report.
On The Campaign Trail...
Wilco paid a visit last night to Stephen Colbert's Colbert Report. Check out Stephen's interview with Jeff Tweedy below and the band's exclusive performance of "Wilco The Song."
Even More From Iceland
Whilst digging around on the Sigur Ros website, we came across a few hidden gems. Click here to grab some rare and live tracks from our favorite Icelanders. We highly recommend "fjöll í austri fagurblá" featuring traditional viking poetry chanting by Steindór Andersen. (Burn-Dog, that one's for you!)
Led Zeppelin Minus The Led
Rumor has it that rock & roll legends, Led Zeppelin are gearing up for a major tour. This would be cause for celebration if it weren't for the fact that the band has been auditioning new singers to replace original vocalist Robert Plant who isn't up to the occasion. Seriously? Come on! That'd be like sending The Stones out on the road without Mick Jagger. It just ain't the same. Granted Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones (the other surviving members of the band) are legendary in their own right but we just don't like the idea of a band the likes of Led Zeppelin hitting the stage with some stand-in doing his best Led Zep impression. Don't do it! Protect your legacy! No band has ever pulled a stunt like this and kept their credibility intact. We'll definitely be boycotting this one.
Air Mail
We at Airbag Radio were honored to get some love today from one of our newest fans, Ezra. Thanks for the kind words. We love the shirt you're rockin'! (Every baby needs one of those.) Check it out below.
Dear Airbag Radio,
I just want you to know I love the updates and coverage that you provide! I am sad to have missed out on Sigur Ros at the Greek Theater, and hope to share other great and powerful moments with you. I love your piece on the VMA's, and the quote from Mike Skinner is powerful. I appreciate your observations and outlook.
Your Biggest Fan,
Ezra
Dear Airbag Radio,
I just want you to know I love the updates and coverage that you provide! I am sad to have missed out on Sigur Ros at the Greek Theater, and hope to share other great and powerful moments with you. I love your piece on the VMA's, and the quote from Mike Skinner is powerful. I appreciate your observations and outlook.
Your Biggest Fan,
Ezra
Thanks again, Ezra!
More From Thom Yorke
Radiohead-heads, here's cause for celebration. Thom Yorke has done some rework on an album from John Matthias & Nick Ryans. Check out his mix of 'Cortical Songs' below. If you like what you hear, be sure to grab it on iTunes.
More from Iceland
Our second favorite Iceland artist, has bestowed a new single upon us. That's right, Bjork is back, and this time she's brought one Mr. Thom Yorke, better known for his work with a little band called Radiohead, along for the ride. The new song, "Nattura," was composed specifically to encourage active support for the Nattura campaign, which aims at collating and providing sustainable and eco-friendly options suitable for Iceland, and generating alternative ways to utilize it’s natural resources. Sounds good to us and so does the song. Grab it on iTunes. All proceeds from the track will go towards the Nattura Campaign. Enjoy!
Back At It
Our apologies for the lack of recent posts. We have been recovering from what proved to be the greatest musical moment of our collective lifetimes, Sigur Ros at the Greek Theatre. Words cannot do justice to just how powerful this concert was. The highlight moment came during the encore when the hands of God reached down from the heavens to drop a little rain on us as the song grew and grew into a glorious crescendo of sound and a full downpour. Simply put, this was the third greatest moment of my life, second only to being born and getting married. This one will be tough to top and will never ever be forgotten. Thank you to the few thousand souls and the few great friends who were present that evening to share in the moment.
Can't Wait
The big day is almost here. This Friday, Sigur Ros will be at Berkeley's Greek Theatre. For those of you who haven't bought tickets yet, there are still a couple left. For those of you who are going, here's a little preview of the opening band, Parachutes. Sounds promising.
Vote Or Die!
Okay, it's not quite like that. But if you do promise to vote, you can get your hands on a nifty free track from Wilco. This one's extra special as it's a live recording featuring Fleet Foxes and its even more extra special as it's a cover of the Bob Dylan classic "I Shall Be Released." Get it here, but remember, you've got to vote. Enjoy and Happy Voting!
Randon Factoid: Mr. Diddy (pictured above) failed to vote back in '04. Damn! He's such a Maverick he didn't even listen to himself. Maybe we oughta put him in the office.
Farewell, Paul
We say 'Goodbye' to an all time great and we say 'Thank You' for all he's done.
Trailer to the classic, Cool Hand Luke below. Our favorite of his movies and a must-see.
Trailer to the classic, Cool Hand Luke below. Our favorite of his movies and a must-see.
Blogging for Dummies: Etiquette 101
Imagine going online one day and discovering someone is biting your style. Maybe it’s your header (or elements of) that has been snatched. Or a certain post format from your blog being copied. How do you react; are you angry? Flattered? Creeped out? Most likely a combination of all three.
The world wide web is exactly that–wide. Million upon millions of people, many of whom share similar interests are involved in the internet community. There is bound to be some overlap and in fact, we expect it & at times welcome it, because after all, who doesn’t love meeting new people that are into the same kinds of things? But there comes a time when a certain line is crossed and it’s just flat out wrong to claim other people’s ideas as your own.
In the blogger-sphere in particular, it’s common to find writers who blog about the same topics (especially trendy ones). My sexy Aussie pal Em wrote a great article on issues surrounding this. However, I think the #1 thing that people forget to mention when such a similarty evolves is crediting the original source. I, for instance, began posting a weekly installment of Things I Love Thursday, inspired by the lovelyGala Darling yet I also was gracious enough to give her the credit as seen here in my very first TILT post. It wasn’t hard. It took two seconds. You should try it next time.
My apologies if I’m coming off a bit ranty here. It’s just that I get really fired up about this sort of thing. It’s recently been brought to my attention that there is someone out there with some very, very, very striking similarities to my blog & content. I know that I work really hard and put a lot of effort into my words and ideas and so when something like this comes to light it’s quite disheartening and frankly, pathetic if you ask me. One of my favorite parts of the web is all the organic material I come across on it. I’d like to keep that going. So please, be kind to one another. Use the golden rule. Give credit when it is due. Inject some love into the blogger-sphere<3
Has your online personality/work ever been jacked? What are your thoughts/opinions on dealing with it? Discuss.
Deftones In Studio
FYI... our city's finest are currently holed up in their West Sac studio working on their sixth album, titled Eros. Look for the new release from Deftones this winter. Can't wait for this one, they never let us down. For more check the band's blog.
Back To School
Ahh... fall is here. Pumpkin ale, college football, Iron & Wine albums, and for some, school. In honor of those starting or returning to school this fall we thought we'd post a list of favorite albums from the old college days. Be forewarned, this list was created upon graduation way back in '05 and contains a couple of albums that we will never ever listen to again, but for the sake of history we thought we'd offer up this list as a glimpse into the history of Airbag Radio. FYI No particular order.
Amnesiac – Radiohead
Nevermind – Nirvana
Early Days – Led Zeppelin
( ) – Sigur Ros
Gorillaz
Rage Against the Machine
Phrenology – The Roots
Toxicity – System of a Down
Legend – Bob Marley & The Wailers
White Pony – Deftones
Revolver – The Beatles
War All The Time – Thursday
Sea Change – Beck
Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits
I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning – Bright Eyes
Highly Evolved – The Vines
By the Way – Red Hot Chili Peppers
A Rush of Blood to the Head – Coldplay
The Eminem Show – Eminem
Veni Vidi Vicious – The Hives
[Hybrid Theory] – Linkin Park
The Best of Ken Burns Jazz
Absolution – Muse
lovehatetragedy – Papa Roach
Automatic for the People – R.E.M.
Original Pirate Material – The Streets
Audioslave
In Utero – Nirvana
OK Computer – Radiohead
Unplugged in New York – Nirvana
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain – Pavement
Greatest Hits – Bjork
Busted Stuff – Dave Matthews Band
40 oz. to Freedom – Sublime
Hope you enjoyed it. We certainly had a few laughs looking back on it. Now hit the comments section with your favorites from your school days.
Amnesiac – Radiohead
Nevermind – Nirvana
Early Days – Led Zeppelin
( ) – Sigur Ros
Gorillaz
Rage Against the Machine
Phrenology – The Roots
Toxicity – System of a Down
Legend – Bob Marley & The Wailers
White Pony – Deftones
Revolver – The Beatles
War All The Time – Thursday
Sea Change – Beck
Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits
I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning – Bright Eyes
Highly Evolved – The Vines
By the Way – Red Hot Chili Peppers
A Rush of Blood to the Head – Coldplay
The Eminem Show – Eminem
Veni Vidi Vicious – The Hives
[Hybrid Theory] – Linkin Park
The Best of Ken Burns Jazz
Absolution – Muse
lovehatetragedy – Papa Roach
Automatic for the People – R.E.M.
Original Pirate Material – The Streets
Audioslave
In Utero – Nirvana
OK Computer – Radiohead
Unplugged in New York – Nirvana
Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain – Pavement
Greatest Hits – Bjork
Busted Stuff – Dave Matthews Band
40 oz. to Freedom – Sublime
Hope you enjoyed it. We certainly had a few laughs looking back on it. Now hit the comments section with your favorites from your school days.
Yeezy Does It
To those who were masochistic enough to suffer through this year's VMA's, we feel your pain. This is the last year we'll ever subject ourselves to the mind-numbingly awful experience of MTV trying to stay relevant. Ultimately, we had to shut it off before we threw up on ourselves in agony. Unfortunately, that meant we missed the only good thing that happened during the entire show, Kanye's new song "Love Lockdown.' Oh well, that's what the internet is for right. Check it out below.
In other Yeezy news, rumor has it that West's new album, titled 808's and Heartbreaks, is set to be released December 16th. Merry Christmas to all!
While were on the topic of big releases in the world of hip hop, look for a release from Jay-Z before the year is out and keep your fingers crossed for Dr. Dre's long awaited, highly anticipated Detox to be out by year-end as well.
MTVRave On
The Raveonettes (featured on the Airbag Radio birthday mix) have bestowed a free remix EP upon the world. Get your hands on it at Vice Records. P.S. This is just the first of four. Keep your eyes peeled for more.
Justice Delivered
After having spent the past week listening to attorneys drone on and on about the glories of our justice system, the new mix from Justice is a real treat for the ears. It's a four part journey into sound titled "Planisphere." Check it out on the band's LameSpace.
Still Feeling Faint?
On Friday, November 7th, The Faint will hit up Sac State's Union Ballroom. Aww... It'll be just like the old days when we used to catch the likes of Hieroglyphics and Flogging Molly at the venue. Tickets are on sale at their website. Also be sure to check out the band's newest album, Fasciination, out now.
File Under: Rock The Party
Here at Airbag Radio we are big fans of music that pushes boundaries, exposes the creator (or Creator) and challenges the listener. But, sometimes you just gotta cut loose and indulge in some fun. For those moments when you're seeking pure pop exuberance, we highly recommend Girl Talk, mashup DJ extraordinaire. Girl Talk is known for shaking together the most unlikely of musical combinations into on hell of a party. His newest album, Feed The Animals, combines over 300 samples into an hour long party jam. This one's also pay what you want, Radiohead-style. All the fun of pop music, none of the guilt. Check it out here!
FYI...
...there is a new film forthcoming from the producer of Paris, Je T'aime. This one's called New York, I Love You and is apparently the sequel to the former. However, based on the trailer, we may be sitting this one out. "Why?," you ask. Well it's just that we don't recall the first film being so focused on the city that it served to honor. Rather the city served as an elegant backdrop to each unfolding story. Based on the trailer, this one's all about the city and all it's magnificence. Don't get us wrong, we love New York, but it seems that the heart of Paris Je T'aime has been lost in translation. We've got our fingers crossed that this is just a bad representation. Decide for yourself. See Trailer Below. Release date: 2.13.2009
Jay-Z and Oasis Come Together
That's right! The feuding Titans have put down their fists and hit the studio together for a new music project titled OJayZis. OK, so, maybe it's not exactly like that. Oasis and Jay-Z actually have nothing to do with OJayZis other than that they are responsible for all of the tunes mashed together by Cookin' Soul for this mashup project. It's not quite The Grey Album, but it's pretty good. Check it out here. Let us know what you think. And for more Jay-Z/Oasis mashups, check out DJ Danny Diggz work on "Jackin' Jay-Z."
Quote To Remember
"I came to this world with nothing, and I'll leave with nothing but love. Everything else is just borrowed." -Mike Skinner aka The Streets
Still Stoned
In response to our recent critique, Rolling Stone has decided to downsize and revamp their magazine. We'll see if they revamp their cover policy. For more click here.
New Tunes From Bobby D.
OK, not quite new, but new to us. This October will see the release of Tell Tale Signs, volume eight in the Bob Dylan Bootleg Series. It's been three years since we last got a glimpse into the Dylan archives with the series' previous installment, No Direction Home. Tell Tale Signs will deliver rare and unreleased songs recorded from 1989 to 2006. Click below to get a taste of what's coming.
Coming Attraction...
Duality Of Humanity, a solo exhibition from Shephard Fairey, the mind behind Obey Giant, opens , September 13th at White Walls Gallery in San Francisco. All those interested in attending, say "Aye."
Recommended Reading
Interesting thoughts on the music's power to unite individuals and inspire change.
WTF?
OK, it's no news that Rolling Stone Magazine, has sold its soul a thousand times over and will perpetually burn in hell for the sins it has committed against the Rock & Roll it once championed so proudly, but this is un-fucking-believable! The Fucking Jonas Brothers! Are you kidding me? How much did Disney shell out to buy this cover? And which would be worse, if Disney paid to get these kids on the cover or if Rolling Stone chose to put them on it?
This is the ultimate all time low for Rolling Stone. A magazine that featured John Lennon on it's very first covered. A magazine that has had a long history of featuring thought-provoking images of envelope-pushing artists. A magazine that now has given up all that it once represented and featured the clean-cut pre-fabricated all-American teen sensations, The Jonas Brothers. To quote one of our dedicated readers, Anonymous, "Fuck Rolling Stone Magazine, that's what I say!"
When the cast of The Hills made the cover, I was optimistic about the future. I thought to myself, "This is the lowest Rolling Stone can possible go. This is the worst possible magazine cover. It can't get any worse than this. It's all uphill from here." Apparently I was wrong. It can get worse and it did. And just like our current economy, we likely haven't hit the bottom yet. Look for another spoke in Disney's corporate cog of machinery, Hannah Montana, on a future Rolling Stone near you.
Atmosphere Comes Home
Well, not exactly. Their home is in Minneapolis. But they are coming to our hometown, Sacramento. In fact they are gonna be right down the street from Airbag Radio Headquarters. So close, in fact, that we might even invite Slug and Ant over to our spot for a little after-party. Atmosphere's Paint The Nation Tour rolls into Empire, Friday, September 19th. Tickets go on sale Friday, but if you hit us up, we can get you the pre-sale details. (We'll keep you updated on the after-party!)
Check last week's performance on Letterman below.
Back To The Streets
Sorry guys, this post is completely un-Sesame Street related. But it is Streets related. As in The Streets. As in we've got some more info on the forthcoming album from The Streets. As in the album, Everything Is Borrowed, will be in stores in the UK on September 15th, which means it'll likely hit stores here on the 16th. No official word yet though. While we eagerly await all the genius that this album is sure to contain, you can head to the above link to grab a free download of the single "The Escapist." As always, let us know what you think.
Album Artwork Below
More From The Street
Here's another musical performance from Sesame Street. This one you've got to see to believe.
Congratulations!
Amoeba Music in Hollywood was recently voted the Greatest Thing About LA by readers of Los Angeles Magazine. The record store lasted through six rounds of voting to come out on top, beating out other fixtures of Los Angeles such as Sunset Boulevard, Disneyland, In'N'Out, USC Football, The Beach, and even The Weather. Now it's official, if you're ever in Los Angeles, the one thing you have to do is visit Amoeba Music. Congratulations to Amoeba and all who voted!
Nas vs. Fox News
Yesterday, Nas and Color Of Change took to the streets of Manhattan to protest Fox News' racist and misogynistic reporting. And we couldn't agree more. It's about time someone protest Fox News and we'd like to apologize for not being the first. The bullshit has got to stop. For more, check the video below.
On The Horizon
This summer has already brought us a couple of big releases (Beck, Sigur Ros) and promises to bring us a few more. In the coming months, be on the lookout for the following:
Conor Oberst (out August 4th)
The Faint - Fasciination (out August 4th)
Calexico - Carried To Dust (out September 9th)
TV On The Radio - Dear Science (out September 23rd)
Common - Invincible Summer (out September 23rd)
Cold War Kids - Loyalty To Loyalty (out September 23rd)
Be sure to check out Cold War Kid's new single "Something Is Not Right With Me" over at the band's LameSpace.
Feisty!
Saturday was the night, Feist at The Greek Theatre. And believe us, homegirl put it down! This was easily a Top 5 concert experience. Absolute brilliance! Ms. Leslie & Co. perfectly balanced moments of delicate subtlety and outstanding showmanship all into an evening of pure uninhibited joy. This performance far surpassed any expectations we had going in. Particularly impressive was Leslie Feist's stage presence. She was both larger than life and intimately personal at the same time, improvising lyrics, bantering with the crowd between songs and summoning up cheers with a raise of her guitar. And of course, most impressive of all was her voice. Only one word can describe it: Grace.
Ear-worthy!
A couple of new projects have some new tunes out on the world wide web for your enjoyment.
First and foremost, the previously plugged new project from Zack De La Rocha of Rage Against The Machine, One Day As A Lion, has posted a new tune up on MySpace. This one is everything you've been waiting for from Zack, overtly political, bombastical and wildly international. Grab the self-titled EP on Tuesday.
Next up, also via LameSpace, Karen O of Yeah Yeah Yeahs has dropped a handful of stripped down acoustic love songs, under the name Native Korean Rock. Karen's put together a "motley crew of NYC natives" for a couple of performances, but no word on whether these tunes will ever surface on a release.
Take a listen and let us know what you think.
PS, Mac users, you may want to try the above links out in Firefox, apparently MySpace doesn't like Safari.
Free Coldplay
It seems like all of Coldplay's good songs were left off of Viva La Vida. First the acoustic take on "Lovers In Japan," which we briefly featured here and highly encourage illegally downloading, which we normally do not condone, and now "Death Will Never Conquer," which you can grab for free here (legally). This one's got an old timey church feel to it. We dig it! What are your thoughts?
Free Converse
Oops, we meant to to say free music from Converse. Click here to check out "My Drive Thru" performed by Santogold, Pharrell, and Julian Casablancas of the Strokes. Great summer track!
Counting To 4
Feist will be at The Greek Theatre this Saturday. Yeah! In the meantime, catch her at your favorite childhood music venue, Sesame Street. (Video Below)
Awesome! Makes me wish I was 4 years old all over again. (By the way, Is it just us or does Sesame Street look a little different? Maybe a bit more Uppper West Side than it used to be?)
Comedy Hour With Airbag Radio
While we're still laughing about Sonny J's work on the MPC (see previous post) we thought we'd provide you with some more comedy. Click the pic below to get a bigger view of this hilarious story. Painful!
You Have To Hear This!
Apparently a handful of remix artists got together to honor one of their favorite icons (and ours), Mr. Johnny Cash. Sounds like a pretty good idea on paper. Dope beats laced with the deep tones of the Man In Black himself. Well, it's too bad it sounds like a shit idea on record. Seriously, this stuff is so bad, we can't help but ask ourselves, "Are these guys fucking serious?" You have got to check it out here. You won't know whether to laugh or cry. Our favorite has got to be "Country Boy (Sonny J Remix)," There must've been a typo on the memo because Sonny Boy's remix is more akin to Will Smith's "MEN In Black" than to the MAN In Black's original classic.
Word On The Streets
The Streets, aka Mike Skinner, aka the mind behind 2004's album of the year according to us, have new album forthcoming titled Everything Is Borrowed. No official release date yet but look for the album to be released sometime late summer. In the meantime, check out The Streets' myspace page to catch a listen to a medley sampler of 4 new songs.
For the aforementioned, best album of 2004, check out The Streets' A Grand Don't Come For Free, a concept album with a fascinating story portraying everyday life and human emotion with vivid detail. Infatuation, excitement, love, boredom, hate, depression, redemption. You've really gotta listen to begin to peel back the layers.
Be forewarned, if you have never heard The Streets before, this is British rap, so it may sound a bit odd or choppy at first to American ears. Enjoy!
For Your Listening Enjoyment
Visit here to get a listen to Jose Gonzalez performing at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia. Set Highlight: Jose's encore take on Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart." If you like what you hear, be sure to grab the studio version of "Love Will Tear Us Apart" on the Stay In The Shade EP. Special thanks to NPR Live and University of Pennsylvania's WXPN.
Going Gonzo...
There's a new bio-pic out covering the life and times of Hunter S. Thompson, one of the great journalists of the modern era. Check the preview below.
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like it'll be showing in Sactown, but we'll keep you posted on the DVD release. In the meantime, check out Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas for a glimpse into the life of Gonzo.
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like it'll be showing in Sactown, but we'll keep you posted on the DVD release. In the meantime, check out Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas for a glimpse into the life of Gonzo.
A Voice In The Desert
At long last, after 8 years of waiting, a voice in the desert has been heard. That voice goes by the name, One Day As A Lion. The words spoken: "One Day As A Lion is both a warning delivered and a promise kept."
Why do these words matter? Who is One Day As A Lion? What is the significance? Well, one half of One Day As A Lion happens to be one Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against The Machine and One Day As A Lion stands as his first recorded project since 2000, when Rage Against The Machine released their final studio album, Renegades. The other half of the equation happens to be one Jon Theodore, former drummer of The Mars Volta. This combination of genius has us eagerly anticipating the band's debut, which will arrive in the form of a self-titled EP on July 22 via Anti-.
Here's more from the mouth of the lion: “A defiant affirmation of the possibilities that exist in the space between kick and snare. It’s a sonic reflection of the visceral tension between a picturesque fabricated cultural landscape, and the brutal socioeconomic realities it attempts to mask."
How fitting for these times that we find ourselves in?
Check the band's page here.
Crate Diggin'
Another semi-irregular column? That's right! And this time we've got our sights set on kickin' it old sKool style. (Yes, that's old sKool with a capital K, which means we're serious about kicking it old sKool!) This stuff is essential for any music junkie's collection, and if you don't have it, grab it from your dad's record collection. First up...
The Velvet Underground - LoadedWhile digging through the archives of the Airbag Library Of Music & Arts, we stumbled upon this long lost gem, and we're amazed that it had sat on the shelf, collecting dust, for so long. Much has been said about the significance of The Velvet Underground. Under the weight of the band's legacy as pioneers of all things alternative, it is easy to lose sight of the band's music itself. Initially discovered and showcased by artist Andy Warhol, The Velvet Underground made their debut in 1967 with the release of The Velvet Underground & Nico. Loaded served as the band's fourth and final album for the original lineup featuring Lou Reed. Musically, the album leans heavy on steady-driving acoustic guitar, ramshackle percussion, and offbeat vocals. Highlight of the album, "Sweet Jane." Other moments of brilliance, "Who Loves The Sun," "Rock & Roll" and "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'."
MDYHTS
It's back! MDYHTS is our semi-irregular column featuring Music Documentaries You Have To See. This time around it's DiG!, a 2004 documentary focusing on the bands, The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Although the film follows the early careers of each of these bands, it is the drama and controversy surrounding The Brian Jonestown Massacre's leader Anton Newcombe, that really commands the attention of the viewer. Over the course of the film, Newcombe's simultaneous creativity and instability bring new depth to the term "tortured genius." This guy can write damn good music, but he is damn crazy too. You'll be blown away by the dichotomy. Enjoy!
Queen Josh Meets UNKLE
Josh Homme from Queens Of The Stone Age has lent his vocal talents to a song on UNKLE's forthcoming album. Listen below.
Look for the album, End Titles... Stories For Film, online July 15th and in stores September 2.
Look for the album, End Titles... Stories For Film, online July 15th and in stores September 2.
Presenting...
Airbag Radio is proud to announce the addition of a new wing to our our facility, which currently houses Airbag Radio, Airbag Manufactory, and now an art studio, (name to be determined). To celebrate we hosted a listening of the new Sigur Ros album during which listeners were free to paint as the music inspired. Below is what was revealed. Enjoy!
Any suggestions for the studio name? Let us know here.
Internet Neutrality: The Government Has Put This Blog Up For Sale
Click below for an insightful and thought provoking video on the future of the internet.
Save the Internet | Rock the Vote
Thanks to Radiohead for the tip!
Did Jay-Z Rock It?
This past weekend, Jay-Z, aka the greatest rapper alive, graced the stage at Glastonbury '08 with his controversial presence and put all the doubts to rest. Can a rapper headline a major music festival and set the shit off? Hell Yeah! Hova kicked the night off right performing Oasis's 'Wonderwall' in honor of Noel Gallagher's jaw-flapping that gave birth to all the doubts in the first place. For more on that see here. Immediately, thereafter Hova broke into '99 Problems' which featured a little reworking to the tune of 'Back In Black' from AC/DC. Check the vid below.
Getting Colder or Coldplay and Its New Album
Ah yes, here's the inevitable review of Coldplay's newest album, Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends. So what's the verdict? What's Airbag Radio's take on this highly anticipated release? Five Stars? One Star? No Stars?
Well, to be honest, the album really isn't worthy of much of a review. The best we could come up with is an "Ehh..." "Why?," you ask. Well, it's not that it's really that bad, but it also isn't really that good. It just comes in at so-so. "Why?," you ask. Well, it's not that the band's not putting forth the effort, it just seems that they are putting in too much effort.
Becoming the world's biggest band that isn't U2 has, in a way, forced Coldplay to try to sound like the world's biggest band that isn't U2. Over the past few year's the expectations surrounding Coldplay's music have become bigger and bigger. This has caused the band's expectations of themselves to become bigger and bigger. As much as they may try to break free of these expectations, they are still, in trying to break free, responding to and being affected by these large expectations.
Now, take note of the liberal usage of the words large, bigger and biggest in the previous paragraph. Then think back to the first time you heard Coldplay and think about why you liked them at the time (if in fact you did), or (as in our case) why you grew to like them. For us a large part of our gradual attraction to Coldplay's music had to with the intimate, personal experience it created. From the first chords of 'Don't Panic' on Parachutes, you are brought into the music that is both beautiful and small. Sure there are some big moments on Parachutes and Rush Of Blood To The Head (e.g. 'Yellow' and 'Politik') but those moments are delicately balanced out with moments of subtlety.
Fast forward to Viva La Vida, and we find that the big moments are no longer just big but oversized. Simultaneously, the moments of intimate subtlety are small oasis' scattered at random throughout the landscape. Yes, there are moments of genius, but the overall feeling is larger-than-life and impersonal.
But don't let us decide for you. You be the judge check it out and let us know what you think. We suggest snooping around on the internet and downloading the acoustic version of 'Lovers In Japan.' This track really brings out the personal touch we feel Coldplay has lost and is a stark contrast to the cut that made the album.
Beck-tiful!
For you visual learners, here's another sneak peak at Modern Guilt. Check out the promo clip after the jump!
Beck-tastic!
Modern Guilt is just a couple of weeks away and iLike's got a couple of sneak peaks for all you who can't wait!
Feeling Faint?
The Faint's new album, Fascinatiion, (No, That's not a typo.) isn't out until August 5th, but Airbag Radio's giving you a taste with the lead single 'The Geeks Were Right.' Check it out here. Let us know what you think. And if you're feeling The Faint after this one, check out the band's last full-length release, Wet From Birth. It's a must-have for any snowboarder's iPod.
The Greatest Show On Earth
Sigur Ros, hailed as the greatest live band ever, will be playing at The Greek Theatre in Berkeley, hailed as the greatest venue ever, for what just may go down in history as the greatest concert performance the world has ever known! Friday, October 3rd. Tickets go on presale here at 6AM tomorrow morning. Set that alarm clock! Too good to be true!
Bright Eyes Minus The Bright And Minus The Eyes
Conor Oberst aka Bright Eyes is stepping out from the shadows of his stage name to put out his first album to be released under his Christian name, the appropriately titled Conor Oberst. The album was recorded in Tepoztlán, Morelos, México, during this past winter in a mountain villa called Valle Místico with the appropriately titled Mystic Valley Band. The album will be out on Merge Records but not until August. In the meantime head over to Conor's website and check out "Danny Callahan" and "Souled Out!!!" Sounds Promising!
That Rain Dance Must've Worked...
...'cuz we got what we we're hoping for. Here it is from Deaf Indie Elephants, Sigur Ros, live at Bonnaroo 2008!
Did Coldplay Steal A Song...
...or is this guy just reaching for some media attention?
Sorry, as much as we love busting Coldplay's balls, it sounds like it's just an odd coincidence. Apparently Chris Martin was recording in England during CMJ 2007 and the band had already written and recorded demos of "When I Ruled The World" 6 months prior to CMJ. Coincidentally, tomorrow's the big release day for Viva La Vida. Keep your eyes on EMI's stock prices, you know the label bosses will.
Sorry, as much as we love busting Coldplay's balls, it sounds like it's just an odd coincidence. Apparently Chris Martin was recording in England during CMJ 2007 and the band had already written and recorded demos of "When I Ruled The World" 6 months prior to CMJ. Coincidentally, tomorrow's the big release day for Viva La Vida. Keep your eyes on EMI's stock prices, you know the label bosses will.
Bonnaroo-tiful!
By all reports, this past weekend's Bonnaroo festival was quite an event, featuring an earth ending performance from Sigur Ros and M.I.A.'s "last show." We've got our fingers crossed in hopes that this is just M.I.A.'s "last show" for a while and consider ourselves blessed to have witnessed the Sri Lankan MC in all her glory at Coachella. We've also got our fingers crossed in hopes that Deaf Indie Elephants will be posting the mp3's of Sigur Ros' performance. In the meantime though, they've got Cat Power's Bonnaroo set available for download here. Enjoy!
Spoon at Daytrotter
Spoon, currently our most favorite of bands that aren't Radiohead, made a recent stop by Daytrotter to record a four-song set, including a cover of Paul Simon's "Peace Like A River." Grab it all here. Let us know what you think!
And The Party Don't Stop...
Those birthday mix CD's have finally arrived from our pressing plant, Airbag Manufactory, and have subsequently been shipped out to each of you who emailed in a request. Thanks for the overwhelming response. We were blown away. In fact we had to double the order just to meet the demand and are now completely out of stock. Take a listen or two and let us know what you think. Enjoy!
Guilty Until Proven Innocent
Beck's forthcoming album, Modern Guilt, now has an official release date. Look for the Danger Mouse produced set in stores July 8th. Check the album art below.
Two Heads Are Better Than One
Radiohead and Portishead, together at last.
Find more videos like this on w.a.s.t.e. central
Grab the mp3 over at Deaf Indie Elephants.
Find more videos like this on w.a.s.t.e. central
Grab the mp3 over at Deaf Indie Elephants.
Happy Birthday...
...to us! That's right, Airbag Radio turns 1 year old today and Mom and Dad are getting out the video camera to film us smearing chocolate cake all over our 1 year old cheeks. Thank you to all who have been reading since the beginning and thank you to all who have joined us along the way. In honor of your patronage (and our birthday), we are giving away free mix CD's for you all. Just hit up james@airbagradio.com with your address, and we'll send you the best Happy Birthday mix you've heard in your life.
Episode IV: A New Hope
OK, so we admit that we're the first to throw Coldplay under the bus when they do anything remotely mediocre, and thus far the snippets of Viva La Vida we've been exposed to have been definitely sub-mediocre. But we still hold out hope for these one time heroes of ours. And today hope has come in the form of a leak. Check out the YouTube video below, before it's snatched away from us, to get a listen to an acoustic rendition of "Lovers In Japan."
Not to shabby! Let's hope the non-acoustic version holds up as well.
Not to shabby! Let's hope the non-acoustic version holds up as well.
South Of The Border
Attention, all SoCal Airbaggers, Pasadena, our most favorite of southern cities, is playing host to a free music festival headlined by The Raveonettes, Saturday, June 21st. Click here for more info. 
Real Estate Market Report
Ok, so that's not what R.E.M. stands for, but this is your R.E.M. Report. Michael Stipe & Co. rolled into Berkeley this past weekend and put on an outstanding fan-pleasing show. But not until after The National and Modest Mouse warmed up the chilly night with some crowd-pleasing work of their own.
The National kicked it off with Airbag favorite, 'Start A War' and the old folks in the crowd could be heard saying, "Wow, these guys are actually pretty good." The band's setlist was primarily centered on last year's critically acclaimed Boxer, but featured some back catalog as well.
Modest Mouse came out, guns blazing, with the 1-2-3 punch of 'Black Cadillacs,' 'Satin In A Coffin,' and 'Dance Hall' and the old folks in the crowd could be heard saying, "What the hell is this?" Legendary Smith's guitarist Johnny Marr was along for the ride, which leads us to believe that the longtime wandering gun-for-hire may be settling in for a second album with the Mouse. Other set highlights included 'Fire It Up' and 'Dashboard.'
And finally, the hour was upon us. The sun set, the cold settled in and the old folks could be heard saying, "I won my tickets on KFOG... How did you hear about the show?" When R.E.M. finally took the stage, it was clear that they are back and they are back to rock. The set bounced around from fast-paced material off the new album Accelerate to old favorites to obscure gems. The peak of the show occurred at it's lone acoustic moment, when the band gathered around the piano, guitars in hand, for an haunting rendition of "Let Me In." As the encore came to a close with "Man On The Moon," the old folks could be heard saying, "This was fun... We should do this again sometime!"
What does R.E.M. stand for anyway? We'll give you two points if you can guess the answer without hitting up that Google search bar.
The Grab Bag
Here's a handful of snippets on shit we've been diggin' lately. We call it The Grab Bag...
The Black Keys - Attack & Release
The Keys are back and this time with the acclaimed Gnarlster himself, Danger Mouse, along for the ride. Dan & Patrick bring their traditional heavy guitars and heavy drums, while the Mouse ups the ante with even heavier keys. All Blues, All Soul, All Good.
Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold
Underground hip-hop's greatest duo, Slug and Ant, put it down for all the down and out. Ant's beats reach new heights with extra emphasis on the synth, while Slug kicks some of his most brutally honest rhymes yet.
Justice - ✝
'D.A.N.C.E.' is pure pop bliss but the rest of the album is not for the faint of heart. For those who usually don't find themselves in the electronic section at the record store, us included, this may take a couple of listens to get your head around. But we think you'll find the effort to be well rewarded. Play it in your car on a long drive and turn that shit up. There's a lot to be heard.
The Roots - Rising Down
Hip-hop's best live band lays down some dope studio work. Meanwhile, Black Thought and the myriad of guests get super-lyrical and super-political. Particularly noteworthy, is the fact that the hit-single 'Birthday Girl' is not included on the album. When it came down to it ?uestlove & Co. decided it just didn't fit the theme of the album and tossed it. Must of been a tough decision but in the end, the album really does benefit from the single's absence.
Thanks for tuning in. Now we wanna hear what you've been hooked on. Look for more Grab Bags in the future.
Quick History Lesson...
Click here to check out a little video highlighting Radiohead's career from Pablo, Honey to Hail To The Thief.
News From Iceland
This past week, Sigur Ros put the finishing touches on their newest album, titled Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (Translation: With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly). You'll have to wait until June 24th to get a listen to the album in its entirety but today you can download the single "Gobbledigook" via the band's website, effective 11:30 AM. Enjoy! Let us know what you think. Album artwork below.
View-worthy
Someone spent some time serious time with their Mac and The Bird And The Bee's 'Again & Again.' Here are the results. Pretty amazing!
Summer's Here
With 100-plus degree heat this past weekend and a new song from Beck, Summer is officially here. Head over to beck.com to get a listen to 'Chemtrails,' the first from Beck's forthcoming album, Modern Guilt. Look for the album in June.
A Brief Digression
This past weekend, The Sacramento Bee featured an article on the Midtown neighborhood of Sacramento. Although Airbag Radio has been exclusively a music blog, I found the article to be worthy of a response. The article focused on the "problems" of the ongoing Midtown Renaissance, specifically noise and violence, and how these problems are upsetting the residents of the neighborhood. I responded to the article, which can be viewed here, via the comments feature on the article webpage, however, I wanted to be able to share my thoughts here with you as well. Thank you and please enjoy this brief digression.
As a resident of Midtown, I welcome the noise and excitement that our neighborhood caters to. Midtown is the heart and soul of Sacramento. It gives me great pride to see people flock to "The Grid" on weekends to take part in the urban lifestyle that I get to experience on a daily basis. To my neighbors who are upset or bothered by the cultural renaissance and renewed interest in Midtown I say "Move!" If you want to live in a quiet sanitized neighborhood, head out to Natomas. Otherwise, embrace the late-night noise. Get out and see what's going on in your own neighborhood! People are excited about where you live and that's a great thing. To the author of the article, please don't demonize Midtown by insinuating that stabbings and shootings are a regular part of life here. Midtown is as safe or unsafe as any other part of the city.
Please feel free to comment here. And for more, we recommend reading Michael Heller's thoughts.
As a resident of Midtown, I welcome the noise and excitement that our neighborhood caters to. Midtown is the heart and soul of Sacramento. It gives me great pride to see people flock to "The Grid" on weekends to take part in the urban lifestyle that I get to experience on a daily basis. To my neighbors who are upset or bothered by the cultural renaissance and renewed interest in Midtown I say "Move!" If you want to live in a quiet sanitized neighborhood, head out to Natomas. Otherwise, embrace the late-night noise. Get out and see what's going on in your own neighborhood! People are excited about where you live and that's a great thing. To the author of the article, please don't demonize Midtown by insinuating that stabbings and shootings are a regular part of life here. Midtown is as safe or unsafe as any other part of the city.
Please feel free to comment here. And for more, we recommend reading Michael Heller's thoughts.
MDYHTS
What's that stand for? Music Documentaries You Have To See, as in our new semi-irregular column featuring just that, the music documentaries you have to see before you die. (Well, maybe it's not as serious as all that, but you have to see them nonetheless.) This concept was sparked by a recent conversation and a desire to dig back into the archives rather than just hit up current stuff on this blog. MDYHTS will feature reviews of music documentaries we highly recommend on a sort of whenever basis. First up...
I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
A Film About Wilco By Sam Jones
This was our introduction to Wilco and serves as a great entry point for anyone interested in the band. Simply put, it will change your life. (OK maybe it won't, but it certainly changed ours.) Filmed during the recording of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, this film begins as a glimpse into the process of writing and recording an album. But as the film progresses, things begin to come undone. You'll love the music, you'll love the drama, you'll love the film. Put it into your Netflix queue or check it out at our very own Airbag Library.
Quote To Remember
"The world has to change. It just can't be one thing -- and that's the beautiful thing. That's why people feel so passionate about an event. People have that passion and have an opinion about who should perform there. But the world changes and we have to embrace the change. The artists of yesterday paved the way for the artists of tomorrow and that's just how music is. For us rappers to arrive at this point has taken years."
- Jay-Z repsonding to Noel Gallagher of Oasis' comment that "It's wrong" to have a rapper headline Glastonbury Festival
Oh Noel, if there's one thing we can count on you for it's to say dumb shit like that. Thanks to Jay-Z for staying classy about it. Jay, we've reserved the headlining spot at next year's inaugural Airbag Festival for you.
Goddamn Kids...
Atmosphere came around to dump some paint on my blog. It took me hours to clean this place up! Check the pic below. I guess you better do these guys a favor and check their new record at paintthatshitgold.com.
Heard In The Desert
For those who couldn't be there, click here to grab Portishead's Coachella performance. Check out Deaf Indie Elephants for more performances from the desert.
Best Day This Week? Tuesday, Hands Down!
Be sure to catch The Late Show with David Letterman this Tuesday. Death Cab For Cutie will be stopping in to perform live on the show. In other Tuesday news, Narrow Stairs arrives at your favorite music retailer that day as well. We'll go out on a limb and predict that this one tops the year-end lists!
Comin' At Ya!
Be on the look out for a new Beck album in stores soon. No specific details have been announced but rumor has it that it could be dropped upon us without warning, much like the latest from The Raconteurs. (Remember, Jack White and Beck are good friends so they may be sharing ideas.) Rumor also has it that Cat Power shows up on the new album. Keep your fingers crossed!
Stressed?
Here's a new video from Justice for the song 'Stress.' Not as happy-go-lucky as 'D.A.N.C.E.' Let us know what you think it means.
Radiohead Makes Time 100 (And Why Time Sucks)
Radiohead has made it on this year's Time 100 list which features the world's 100 most influential people. Although this should be cause to celebrate the greatness that is all things Radiohead, I would prefer to take this opportunity to offer Time Magazine a big F U. Why such hostility toward a publication bestowing this recognition on my favorite band?
Well, the first strike against Time is that it is completely focused on Radiohead's ground-breaking "business model." The second strike is that the band is listed under Builders & Titans rather than Artists & Entertainers. And the third is that Hannah Montana is featured on the list under Artists & Entertainers.
I agree that Radiohead's release of In Rainbows was a bold and exciting move that did shake up the music biz. However, for the band, this non-traditional release was an artistic statement, rather than a new "business model." In interviews following the album release, guitarist Jonny Greenwood pointed it's that the purpose of the release was two-fold. The first reason was for everyone to hear the album at the same time, rather than critics getting the first listen. The second reason was to ask the question, "How is music valued by those consuming it?" Recently frontman Thom Yorke has indicated that Radiohead won't be releasing future albums in this fashion stating "...it was a one-off response to a particular situation."
And what about the music? In Rainbows is an excellent album featuring beautiful songs and further experimentation from a band with a long-history of genre bending and envelope pushing. Does anyone at Time care about that? Nope, Radiohead are completely ignored as artists and are stuffed into the vague Builders & Titans category. But everyone's favorite Disney star did make the Artist & Entertainers category. Hannah Montana! Yeah!
Again, I say F U Time Magazine. First of all, if any recognition is to be given to Hannah Montana, it should go to Disney instead. In addition, Disney should go into its own category called Corporations With Their Grip On The Balls Of Society. (Starbucks and Walmart can be added to that list.)
Apologies for the hostile nature of this post, but I felt I couldn't just stand by and watch while some self-important magazine attempts to homogenize art that I hold so near and dear. For any first-time readers, be advised, this post is very uncharacteristic of Airbag Radio.
BOYCOTT TIME!
Another New Album From NIN (For Free!)
Today, Nine Inch Nails has announced the release of their newest album, The Slip. The Slip is available for free via the band's website. Physical manifestations to follow. Check it out here!
Radiohead Take On Child Labor In New Video
Radiohead have recently created a new video for the song 'All I Need' for use in MTV's human rights media campaign, EXIT. Check it out here.
Nationalize Music?
With the Music Biz in a downward spiral, some interesting and unique ideas are being proposed as to how it can be resurrected. Here's an article that explores some of those ideas and concludes that the best solution is to nationalize music as one would nationalize health care, for example. We say let the music business die, music will live on, but it's an interesting read nonetheless.
Quote To Remember (Coachella Edition, Part II)
"I don't roll, but if I did roll, that's how I'd roll."
- Stephen Malkmus
- Stephen Malkmus
Tired Of Death Cab Yet?
Never! Death Cab For Cutie Fans, head over to Daytrotter to pick up a new six-song live session (for free) that the band recently recorded. Be sure to read Ben Gibbard's commentary on each of the songs. Very interesting...
Single Day Tix For Outside Lands Fest! Yeah!!!
Single day tickets for the three-day Outside Lands Festival in Golden Gate Park will be available for consumption as of May 1st at 10 AM going for $85 + charges. In addition, each day's lineup has been announced and can be viewed at the festival's website. Friday looks to be the strongest day as it is set to feature Radiohead, Beck, Manu Chao, The Black Keys and Cold War Kids. Here's hoping for an onstage collaboration between Radiohead and Beck. (They've done it before!)
More From NIN
Nine Inch Nails has recently released a new digital single titled "Discipline" via their website. The song is available here for free and this time features vocals. Enjoy! 
Out Today!
Today sees the release of two highly anticipated albums. The first of these is Portishead's newest, titled Third. This project has been long in the works and long overdue as it has been 11 years since the trip-hop trio's last studio release. The other big release of the day it The Roots' Rising Down. These veterans of hip-hop have long been known for pushing themselves in new directions with each album. Be sure to find time to head to your local indie music store to grab each of these. If you like what you hear, let us know. If not, keep it to yourself... just kidding, let us know about that too!
Coachella 2008 (...yeah, we were there!)
So how was it? Killer! Every artist we saw put it down big time! The journey to Saturday's event in the desert was not for the faint of heart, as we braved traffic, fires (no joke!) and 101-degree heat, but for those with courage, the rewards were bountiful. Here's our play-by-play recap of Saturday at Coachella 2008.
After braving previously mentioned traffic and fires (pictures to come), we arrived in the parking lot to the opening riff of Cold War Kid's "We Used To Vacation." A quick dash to the entrance and a pit stop for security and we were inside to catch the rest of the band's set on the main stage which briefly featured Devendra Banhart guesting on percussion. Simply put, Cold War Kids rocked it! 2 years after the buzz has died down, these guys prove that they're here to stay. Can't wait for them to get back into the studio. Highlight of the set: 'Hang Me Up To Dry.'
Next up was Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks. We arrived at the second stage to catch the entire set, which leaned heavily on the band's latest, Real Emotional Trash. Unfortunately, SM didn't pull out any Pavement tunes for the special occasion but it was still an awesome performance. Malkmus laid down some fancy guitar work and drummer Janet Weiss, formerly of Sleater-Kinney, certainly takes the award for best drummer of the day. Highlight Of The Set: 'Baltimore.'
After a break to grab some organic wraps, we headed back to the main stage in time to catch Death Cab For Cutie. To all who were at the Davis show, how I wish you were here. Although much shorter, the Coachella show was a sight for sore ears after the experience with crappy sound and crappier fans this past Tuesday. (More to come on that later.) Saturday's performance featured three new songs from the forthcoming album, Narrow Stairs, and with each listen, these songs grow more and more beautiful. (Early prediction: Narrow Stairs tops year-end lists.) Highlight of the set: 'I Will Possess Your Heart.'
After another break to grab some Heinekens (the only beer available at the event), we moved over the Sahara tent, a.k.a. the 'techno tent', as did everyone else at the festival to catch the day's most highly anticipated performer, M.I.A. When we say highly anticipated, we mean highly anticipated. You couldn't pack more people into a tent if Jesus himself was speaking. In fact, much like when Jesus spoke, people climbed into the rafters of the venue just to get a better glimpse of the world beat hip hop star. M.I.A. hadn't even come on stage yet and this was already one for the ages, and when she did finally come out, it was apparent why all these strangers were willing to pack into a sweaty hot tent and to get so close to each other. She burned the fucking place down! As soon as the beat dropped on 'Bamboo Banga,' the anticipation in the room exploded into exhilaration. Maybe it was the heat getting to me but in that moment, between the bangin' beats and the wave of cheering, the sounds of sirens and gunshots, and the dope rhymes of this Sri Lankan MC, it occurred to me that perhaps a moment like this is the closest we'll ever come to world peace, a moment in which all the bullshit is erased away and a tent full of total strangers unite to put their hands in the air in the shape of a gun for the "Bang! Bang! Bang!" of 'Paper Planes.' Music Will Change The World. That may sound a little off but if you were there you'd know what I mean, or maybe it was just the heat getting to me.
Following M.I.A.'s barn-burning show and my moment of enlightenment, we booked it to the main stage for Portishead's, already in progress, first U.S. performance in almost a decade. As good as M.I.A. was, this was even better, but in a different way. Portishead's set was eerily captivating. From the spacey trip-hop beats to the eery black and white video to the devastating victory of Beth Gibbons vocals, you could not turn away. New songs from tomorrow's Third, stood strong next to timeless classic from the bands previous two albums. What a note to end on. Highlight of the set: 'Cowboys.' Highlight of the day: 'Cowboys.'
Quick Note: When we say we, in the case of this post, we really means we, as opposed to all other posts, in which we is used to mask the singularity of the authorship of this blog. Thank you and good night!
Quote To Remember
"Are you guys excited for Prince? He'll be arriving soon in his purple helicopter, where he'll get into a purple limo, that'll take him 100 yards to a purple stage, but only after he walks down a purple carpet."
-Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard at Coachella 2008
Recommended Traveling
If you love music, and you like to travel the world wide web, be sure to visit Music Direct. Though not as indie as our good friends at Insound, Music Direct packs a pretty vast selection of vinyl into one little web site, (especially if you dig Miles Davis as much as we do.) Check it out! It'll be worth the journey. Let us know if you find anything else interesting.
Pending...
This July two of our favorite artists will collide for one of the most significant collaborations of our time! Click here for more...
Feist Hits The Road
That's right! She of iPod Nano fame is out on tour and heading to a venue near you. Catch Feist at Berkeley's Greek Theatre on Saturday, July 19. Tickets go on sale Sunday the 13th. Tickets go on PRE-sale Thursday the 8th. And tickets go on PRE-PRE-sale today at noon. Hit us up for info on how to grab 'em early.
Airbag Radio offers up a big 'Congratulations!' to Feist on picking up 1-2-3-4-5 Juno Awards (that's Canadian for Grammy) this past week.
Quote To Remember
"It remains my belief that change is not made by politicians, but by people. No matter who is elected, we do not abdicate our responsibility to take action, to organize, to struggle and to push who is in office to make change on the ground. You can't wait and hope your vote will turn the system around. You need to take action where you live and where you work."
-Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine
-Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine
More Death Cab News...
Death Cab For Cutie diehards, the band will be appearing at Berkeley's Greek Theatre, Saturday, June 21st. Wondering why they'll be back in the area so soon? Well. consider the SF and Davis shows teasers to get you pumped for the new album and by the time they are back around in June you will have memorized every lyric of every new song and be jonesin' to get your sing on with Ben & Co. Tickets go on sale April 13, but for those in the know they go on sale April 9th.
In other Death Cab news, frontman Ben Gibbard has a new side project called Just Jazzin'. Check out their myspace page here and be sure to watch the video.
PS If this side project seems a little odd to you, check your calendar!
In other Death Cab news, frontman Ben Gibbard has a new side project called Just Jazzin'. Check out their myspace page here and be sure to watch the video.
PS If this side project seems a little odd to you, check your calendar!
What's a Junip?
Fans of Jose Gonzalez, Rejoice! The good folks of RCRD LBL have been kind enough to release a song from Jose's side band, Junip. If you're familiar with Jose's sound, you'll find "Chickens" to be a bit more upbeat than his solo work. If you're not yet a fan of Jose, you will be after you get your ears around this.
New Single from Death Cab
Death Cab For Cutie have released a single from their forthcoming album, Narrow Stairs. You can grab "I Will Possess Your Heart" on iTunes. Check out the single and let us know what you think here. Look for the full-length out May 13th.
NIN Go It Alone...
Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor has had it with record labels. And he's letting us all know just how much he's had it by bestowing on us a 36-song, 4-part album, titled Ghosts I-IV. Not only is this project noteworthy as it is strictly instumental, it is also strictly independent. Much like Radiohead's In Rainbows, this new album from Nine Inch Nails has been self-released and is currently only available via the band's website. Unlike Radiohead, pricing here isn't optional, but it's damn cheap. You can grab the download of the entire thing for five bucks, CD's for ten, or if you just want to get a taste you can grab part I for free. Nothing to lose.
The Party's Outside
As previously reported here on Airbag Radio, Northern California is finally getting it's own music festival in the form of the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival down in San Francisco. It all goes down August 22-24 in Golden Gate Park. The initial lineup has been announced and is set to feature Radiohead, Beck, Wilco, Manu Chao, Cold War Kids, M. Ward, Devendra Banhart and more than 30 others. Tickets go on sale this Sunday at 10AM.
Ears & iPods
Here's a few records that we strongly recommend. First off, The Raveonettes' newest album, Lust Lust Lust. Equal parts noise and pop make for some cool grooves on this brief journey of sound. Be sure t listen to this one in the car. Our second pick is Real Emotional Trash, the latest from Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks. This release is Malkmus' fourth post-Pavement album, and while flavors of Pavement remain, there are some new twists to the music as well. In particular, the extended freakout guitar jam solos and minimal lyrics provide a contrast to Malkmus' back catalog of anti-hits. If you dig this one, check out Pavement's debut album, Slanted & Enchanted, from '92, praised by fans and critics alike as indie-rock's greatest album. P.S. All of these albums are available on vinyl and the labels are throwing in a free download of the album with the record. Keep your ears happy, and your iPod full!
Jackie Greene, Back On The Road
Hometown hero, Jackie Greene, will be hitting the road this spring in support of his upcoming album, Giving Up The Ghost. He'll be rolling though Sacramento on March 29 and stopping off for a show at The Empire. Look for the bluesman's new album in stores on April 1st.
Congratulations to The Swell Season!!!
Airbag Radio would like to offer congratulations to Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, collectively known as The Swell Season, on winning this year's Academy Award for Best Original Song. The award was given for the song "Falling Slowly" from the film, Once. Those who have had the opportunity to see this movie know that this award is well deserved. Those who have yet to check it out, need to do so. Both the film and the music are deeply emotional and honest. Particularly noteworthy, is the fact that Glen and Marketa, the writers of all the music in the movie, are also the main actors, adding another level of honesty to the performances of the songs. Watch the movie, then get the soundtrack. In other Swell Season news, the duo will be performing at Oakland's Paramount Theatre on April 26th. Unfortunately, Airbag Radio will be M.I.A. on this show as we'll be catching M.I.A. and others down in the desert that same day. Tickets go on sale this Sunday at 10 AM.
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