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.

Atonement

Coldplay is back with a forthcoming album and will be giving away their new single "Violet Hill" for free all week via their website. We think they might be atoning for the sin that was their most recent album, X&Y. Thanks Coldplay, maybe we'll forgive you.

Quote To Remember (Coachella Edition, Part II)

"I don't roll, but if I did roll, that's how I'd roll."
- 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

For you viewing pleasure...

(Photo compliments of Wilco)

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

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!