If you're going to sell out...

Play it: Bob Dylan "Love Sick"

Lately, I've been engrossed reading Bob Dylan: The Essential Interviews, which paints a fascinating portrait of a public persona shaped through time via the ridiculous questions that are asked of him.

One of those interviews, a press conference in 1965, garnered one of most prophetic and flip answers from good ol' Bob (page 75, for those reading along,) and recently it has popped up on YouTube:


Bob is asked "If you were going to sell out to a commercial interest, which one would you choose." Bob's reply: "Ladies garments"

40 years later (last year,) Bob Dylan's "High Water" is sold to Victoria's Secret to use in a television commercial, one in which he even appears in. And if Bob Dylan, of all people, sells out, the story goes it becomes harder for other artists to resist the urge, thus the flood in the last year of many former holdouts.

It should be noted that Dylan sold "The Times are A-Changing" to the Bank of Montreal a few years ago, it did not appear in the US (and Bob was not in the ad, of course.)

tags: bob dylan, music, victoria's secret, advertising, video, interview

Willy Wonka Queens

Play it: Entourage - Ep 308 (31)

After last week's uneventful snoozefest, we're back in the action. Rumors abound that Ari's setting up his own shop and Barbara Miller (Beverly D'Angelo) calls Ari to meet for lunch to 'help him' with the situation. It turns out to be a ambush led by nemesis Terrance (Malcolm McDowell) featuring heads of CAA, William Morris, ICM and APA ("who invited APA?") and after Ari admits he's coming after Terrance, his old boss informs him his funding will be tied up in litigation for as long as he can afford it. Barbara (Babs from here on out) offers to partner up, and after some negotiation, Miller Gold is born (Ari - "sounds like a f*ckin' beer!")

Meanwhile, Queens Boulevard is heading to the theaters, and instead of a handful of screens, it's now slated for wide release. Problem is, they had to colorize it because tests show that Black & White films are depressing. Director Billy Walsh is trying to get an injunction, and after Vince and E see it (where we catch a glimpse of Ethan Slurpee from My Name is Earl, and a saturated colorized Vince, E - "it's like Willy Wonka Queens") the boys are with Walsh. Vince hijacks a press conference with the Hollywood Foreign Press to announce that execs have ripped the soul out of the movie in the interest of money (cue Walsh scremaing "F*ck Commerce!")

Ending credits this week featured Queens of the Stone Age ("In My Head") and earlier the show also featured "Woman" from Wolfmother, so the new metal was well represented. Also, while last week's ep referenced The Doors ("Strange Days,") it featured no music from them, so this week we get "I Looked at You," from their debut (The Doors,) which was finally added last week to Rhapsody, via a Rhino re-release of the classic album.

More:
Full tracklistings with scene descriptions
Entourage decoder (TMZ) for Ep 3.07 (ep 30)
Entertainment Weekly analzyes last night's show

Previously:
Suspended in limbo (Episode 30/307)
A bird in the hand... (Episode 29 / 306)
Fair to Medellin (Episodes 25-28/ 303-305)
I am an orange god (Episode 24 / 302)
The top-tall turn-off (Episode 23 / 301)
Let's hug it out again, b*tch (Season 2 soundtrack and dvd)
Heartbreak Vince (Episode 22)
Show me the money (Episode 21)
Sympathy for the Ari (Episode 20)
Headed for a Gigli (Episode 19)
That's Hebrew for 'When do you get off?' (Episode 18)
Comic-consies (Episode 17)
Mandy Moore is Aquaman's kryptonite (Episode 16)
Cross-sword traffic (Episode 15)
Crouching Turtle, hidden Drama (Episode 14)
More Bob Saget on drugs (Episode 13)
Bring out the suit (Episode 11 & 12)
My Maserati Does 185 (Episode 10)
Let's Hug It Out, Bitch (Episode 9 - Season 2 Premiere)

tags: playlist, entourage, television, hbo, soundtrack, wolfmother, queens of the stone age, the doors

Punk and circumstance

Play it: Capitol Hill Block Party 2006
Play it: Ballard Seafoodfest 2006

The last weekend of July has always been a busy one for Seattlites. This weekend sees two neighborhoods square off with dueling festivals that encompass much of the character of the neighborhood where they occur. The Capitol Hill Block Party starts things off later today, and it's sprawling lineup continues to grow from it's roots as a smaller gathering of bands (surrounding the Seattle Night Out - a crime prevention program - coming this year on August 1st.)

This year's line-up is a who's who of local punk/hip-hop/alternative acts along with some more great national artists thrown in for good measure. The headline this year is the reuniting of Seattle legends The Murder City Devils, who's reign of terror lasted from 1997-2001. As if that's not enough, the lineup also includes Magnolia Electric Co., Six Organs of Admittance, Band Of Horses, Smoosh, Thee Emergency and Pretty Girls Make Graves (which features ex-MCD's Derek Fudesco.) The festival's been pumped, highlighted and talked about to death in this fair city, and it's pretty reflective of Capitol Hill. The lineup on both days are one's well worth the price of admission... so why am I hesitant to go?

Clear across town (where your humble Drake resides) is the Ballard Seafoodfest, which has been around (with it's Lutefisk eating contest) a lot longer - this being the 32nd year. It's a decidedly more laid-back affair, without as much hooplah and a more country/twang slant to the music performers (and local faves like the Squirrels.) Once again, very reflective of the neighborhood. But music really isn't the main attraction (the festival is free, so no admission for the bigger draw performers,) it's more about food and family... oh, and getting drunk. As the Seattle Weekly so aptly puts it:

Last year's Ballard SeafoodFest was advertised thusly: "SeafoodFest is about families and friends, clowns and puppets, and generally acting like kids, no matter what your age." But for many, SeafoodFest is about getting blind drunk in the hot sun with impunity, making it the single most enjoyable urban carnival in the free world.

Anyway, since I'm first and foremost a dad now, that happy circumstance trumps the punk... and as much as I loves me some punk, you can't beat being a (drunk) happy daddy.

tags: playlist, music, capitol hill block party, ballard seafoodfest, seattle, murder city devils

Return to pink shirts and dock shoes

Play it: Miami Vice - Season 1
Rhapsody Playlist Page

Tomorrow sees the wide release of Miami Vice, Michael Mann's re-visit to his influential TV show from the 1980s. It's getting mixed reviews, but I'm glad that at least it was him doing it and not in the hands of some hack.

One great by-product of the movie's release is the new Sleuth Channel is re-airing of all the old episodes every weeknight at 8PM (EST,) starting with the Pilot episode ("Brother's Keeper") Tuesday, August 1st. And... the first two seasons were released on DVD this week (special combo edition.)

As I was compiling a playlist (in conjunction with the movie) I found myself getting all nostalgic for that era (my high school glory days,) as the songs so capture the mid-80's. I was planning on putting all the seasons together, but after reaching over 160 songs in just 3 seasons, it became necessary to break it out by year. First off, naturally, is season one, which musically is consistenly the best to profile. The show, as legend has it, started as a memo/idea that simply read "MTV cops," and Michael Mann went from there. Whether or not it's true, the series did incorporate MTV style and music into the druglords vs. cops world of Miami, and early on it was pretty in synch with the network. There's no Don Johnson singing (and only one Philip Michael Thomas track) found in the first season, thankfully.

The most famous song moment comes in the pilot with Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight." (PLAY VIDEO CLIP) While it doesn't seem like such a big deal now, it was revolutionary having a song play all the way through interwoven into the dialogue and plot. It's telling that for the new movie soundtrack, the only song redone is this one (by Nonpoint,) as Moby thankfully leaves Jan Hammer's theme behind and creates his own homage. Other surprising moments from the first season soundtrack include "Lunatic Fringe" by Red Rider, "I Send a Message" by INXS, and "Renegades Of Funk" by Afrika Bambaataa. Naturally I've included special Jan Hammer moments like "Crockett's Theme" and "Rico's Blues," which were on many a new age mix back in the day (wait... did anyone actually have a new age mix back in the day?)

Later seasons would see not just more music, but actual cameos from the performers (Sheena Easton, Glen Frey, Phil Collins, Frank Zappa and more.)

tags: playlist, miami vice, television, michael mann, soundtrack, 1980s, phil collins

More Portuguese please

Play it: Os Mutantes - Setlist 07/26/2006

Os Mutantes played last night at the Moore theatre, in their 4th show ever in the US (and their 5th since reuniting earlier this year.) They started their set with five more obscure songs (that is, not on their greatest hits US release - the David Byrne curated collection, Everything is Possible,) which was a bit backwards to what I think US folks are used to. But it worked, as folks we're still getting into their seats and it proved a good warm-up. Because when they finally played "Canto De Mambo," the audience was ready to hoot and holler, and Sergio Diaz appeased us by giving his favorite Carlos Santana impersonation (the original song comes off as both a tribute and a jab to Santana.) From then it was (should've been) hit after (should've been) hit, building the crowd up to fever pitch by the time Diaz ripped through a lengthy solo during "Ando Meio Desligado (I Feel a Little Spaced Out)." While only Diaz dressed up for the show (as a Musketeer?) the band still exhibited much of the zaniness of their releases, complete with antique bug-spray sounds, non-sequiter yelling, and plenty of dissonance and feedback to make sure even the most straight-ahead of songs took some whiplash-inducing turns.

I found it unfortunate, though, that they felt the need to sing many of their Portuguese-language classics in English. All the songs that they re-recorded in English for the album Tecnicolor they performed here in translation (and I've included in the playlist.) The original versions had a lot more grace to them in their native Portuguese, and it felt awkward (to me anyway) to hear them in English.

Last night it was obvious that it's Sergio Diaz's show now, as he was taking extended guitar solos and conducting throughout. It had to be necessary, though, for Diaz to step in as not only is Rita Lee absent, but his brother Arnoldo Baptista spent the 90's recovering from the effects of too much LSD and seems barely together - a few acid hits beyond Brian Wilson as far as stage presence goes.

All in all, it was a fun show and one I'll tell my son about later when he's older. Hopefully I won't get the blank 'so what' stare that I got from several co-workers yesterday when I told them what I was so excited about.... but I probably will.

Photos:
Flickr blogger Luiza got some great shots (including the Diaz photo above) from Monday's show at the Fillmore in SF.

Previously:
Everything is Possible
What Kurt Cobain couldn't do (Os Mutantes reunite, Tecnicolor album review)

tags: playlist, music, brazil, os mutantes, tropicalia, tropicalismo, live music, concert

Bread and Circuses

Play it: "Panis Et Circenses"

I'm seeing Os Mutantes in just a few hours!

Here's the trailer for an upcoming documentary on the band (which features an animated Beck as narrator.)



Previously:
Everything is Possible
What Kurt Cobain couldn't do (Os Mutantes reunite, Tecnicolor album review)

People are leaving

Some odds and ends from the news world today that have tickled my curiosity bone:

The Concretes' lead singer Victoria Bergsman has quit the band. (NME) Bergsman, it's reported, is pursuing a solo career. Despite losing probably their most identifying feature, the band plans to go on as before, already writing new material for an album. Can you imagine this song with another singer? I guess the Target ad has made Bergsman realize she's a commodity.

Band of Horses co-founder Mat Brooke has left the band. Brooke, who formed the band with fellow Carissa's Wierd member Ben Bridwell, had been the lead singer and songwriter of Carissa's Wierd, but took a backseat to Bridwell's lead in Band of Horses. In their recent Letterman appearance, Brooke was nowhere to be seen, so today's announcement explains that abscence. Has Bridwell's songwriting and vocal prowess caused some jealousy? Has Bridwell gone from background guy to ego-driven lead dude? No word yet on the reasons for Brooke's departure, only conjecture.

Meanwhile, in non-music leavings, Harold Reynolds was just mysteriously fired from ESPN. He's been there 11-years and is far from controversial (aside from taking players' sides whenever possible) and was thought to be there through the next 8-years. I miss him already on Baseball Tonight, but perhaps the M's can ditch Dave 'Ego' Henderson or Dave 'Check for a heartbeat' Valle and pick up Reynolds in the booth. He was a fan favorite here during his playing days and would be a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stagnant sound booth. (Play "Lament for Harold".)

And finally, did anyone else here about the Steely Dan open letter to Luke Wilson? Apparently they're accusing his brother Owen of stealing a character from their song "Cousin Dupree" as the inspiration for the mess that is You, Me & Dupree. Say the grammy-winners "Instant karma is a fact, Jack. So you spaced out little bro is generating some MAJOR harsh-ass karma for himself by f*cking us over like this." They then ask Luke to persuade his bro to come down to a concert and apologize in front of the fans... and if that doesn't happen... then the threat:

there are some pretty heavy people who are very upset about this whole thing, and we can't guarantee what kind of heat little Owen may be bringing down on himself ... for example there's this guy that works for us sometimes ... one time we saw this guy, with his bare hands, do something so unspeakable, that - but, hey man, let's not even let it get that way, you know?

Creepy...but funny regardless if true or not... no word on whether 'little Owen' made it to the concert or not, but if his nose is broken, it might be a good thing.

More:
Steely Dan Iron Fists Older Wilson (Billboard blog)

tags: music, news, the concretes, steely dan, band of horses, owen wilson, luke wilson, harold reynolds, baseball tonight

Middle-age symphonies to the cat on the windowsill

Play it: Scritti Politti - White Bread Black Beer

As I mentioned back in my Wales post, Scritti Politti are back, and their new album White Bread Black Beer finally sees it's US release today. Some are comparing much of Green Gartside's songs this time around Brian Wilson and his "teenage symphonies to God," but Pitchfork nails it on the head when they call it more like "middle-age symphonies to the cat in the windowsill." "Snow in the Sun" is the song that has every one's Brian Wilson references cued up, but the intimacy of both Gartside's airy voice and home studio makes it more relaxed then Wilson's grand intentions.

Starting out as a political post-punk band in 1978 (Scritti Politti references the writings of Italian Marxist theorist Antonio Gramsci,) the original Green Gartside-led collective had one of the most dramatic transitions from messy marxist art punk to the soulful electro-pop of the 1985 album Cupid & Psyche '85 (play "Perfect Way.") Early recordings only hinted at how Gartside would become, and in turn influence, soulful R&B of the mid-80s. While White Bread... still has Gartside writing smart R&B and electro-pop, but it's far more intimate then his previous pop albums, and in that, it's a slight return to Scritti Politti's roots.

It's a very subdued, even gentle, album (even with the repeated cursing in "Cooking" and the distorted guitars of "Dr. Abernathy,") and I can see it slipping by many ears who are looking for something a little more danceable (like the electronic-funk of "E Eleventh Nuts,") or something less... sweet - and White Bread can seem pretty sacharine at times - but those that let it slip will be missing one of the smartest releases this year.

Video:
"Perfect Way" (Classic!)
"Word Girl"
"Wood Beez"
"Boom! (There She Was)"

More:
Wales watching (trip to Wales / Welsh artists profiled)

tags: music, scritti politti, gartside green, pop, electronica, wales, album review, rhapsody

Suspended in limbo

Play it: Entourage - Episode 3.07

How do recap a show where nothing really happened? I supposed there's one of these every season... just 30 minutes of plot lines to get you to the next episode. All the characters are in limbo. Ari's waiting for his (large) severance buy-out so he can open a new (huge) talent agency, Vince is between projects and E's having problems recovering from his three-way - he's suspended between girlfriend and his girlfriend's girlfriend. That's it in a nutshell... if you missed it, you really didn't. Highlight might've been Seth Green mentioning that no one wants to see a comedy based on four guys in their 30s living together, in explaining why his terrible sitcom Four Kings was cancelled last year (which some critics considered a poor clone of Entourage.)

Music-wise we've got a recent hip-hop classic (Jurassic 5's "High Fidelity" from 2002's Power in Numbers) and real oldie from J Geils Band ("Give it to Me" from 1973.) Oddly enough, the episode title ("Strange Days") references The Doors song, but the song doesn't make an appearance. Just the fact that I stooped to mentioning that is evidence enough of how boring the episode was. Humpf.

More:
Full tracklistings with scene descriptions
Entourage decoder (TMZ) for Ep 3.07 (ep 30)

Previously:
A bird in the hand... (Episode 29 / 306)
Fair to Medellin (Episodes 25-28/ 303-305)
I am an orange god (Episode 24 / 302)
The top-tall turn-off (Episode 23 / 301)
Let's hug it out again, b*tch (Season 2 soundtrack and dvd)
Heartbreak Vince (Episode 22)
Show me the money (Episode 21)
Sympathy for the Ari (Episode 20)
Headed for a Gigli (Episode 19)
That's Hebrew for 'When do you get off?' (Episode 18)
Comic-consies (Episode 17)
Mandy Moore is Aquaman's kryptonite (Episode 16)
Cross-sword traffic (Episode 15)
Crouching Turtle, hidden Drama (Episode 14)
More Bob Saget on drugs (Episode 13)
Bring out the suit (Episode 11 & 12)
My Maserati Does 185 (Episode 10)
Let's Hug It Out, Bitch (Episode 9 - Season 2 Premiere)

tags: playlist, entourage, television, hbo, soundtrack, jurassic 5, j geils band, the doors

Changed, or possibly damaged

Play it: 10 Albums that changed my life

Andrew Careaga over at bloggedy blog is celebrating having 100,000 visitors at his blog by compiling his list of the top 100 albums that has changed his life. He's counting them down ten at a time and not just simply listing his faves, as bad albums can have an affect as well (as he points out with his early selection of Hotel California by The Eagles.)

While he's doing this, he's invited several frequenters of his blog to submit their own, and I've done just that.

10 albums that changed my life (a perspective from growing up in the tiniest of towns w/o an older sibling.)

1. Bootsy Collins - Bootsy? Player of the Year/This Boot is Made for Fonk-N
Won these albums at the fair one year as an 11-year old. The former had cutout star-sunglasses in the album sleeve, while the latter had an 'unfinished' comic book, making it fairly easy to get into for an 11-year old (and once in, mind fully blown.) To this day, I still have trouble distinguishing the two... they're the same album to me.
Live video of "Bootzilla" from 1978

2. Guided By Voices - Bee Thousand
This album is responsible for turning me from a music buyer, to a music gorger. Saw them live every single time they came to Seattle (except once when they came twice w/in three months one year.) No such thing as a casual Robert Pollard fan.
Video for "I Am a Scientist"

3. Nick Drake - Pink Moon (Fruit Tree Box Set)
After my band went on hiatus back in '95, I would lock myself in my room for days at a time and pour through Drake's catalogue, finding reasons to carry on playing (and living.) One would think depressing songs make you more depressed, but I've never found that to be true.
VW Cabriolet commercial featuring "Pink Moon"

4. Big Star - #1 Record/Radio City
Had a neighbor who had these on vinyl, but wasn't until later when The Posies covered "Feel" and "I Am the Cosmos" that I got this 2-on-1 CD and helped me realize why I liked The Posies and The Replacements so much.
Video of Big Star performing "When My Baby's Beside Me" (05/21/2006) featuring Ken and Jon of the Posies.

5. Prince - Dirty Mind
What's a youngster to do after finding Bootsy? Hearing "I Wanna Be Your Lover" on a K-Tel compilation led me to buy this follow-up album, which was a revelation musically and helped bring forth (along with Showtime on cable) a sexually awakening of sorts. Led to me buying everything from the Purple one and his entourage, that is until Lovesexy... couldn't be seen buying something that album cover.
Great video of Prince performing "Head" on the Dirty Mind Tour, 1980.

6. INXS - Shabooh Shoobah
Bookend tracks "The One Thing" and "Don't Change" still have to be two of the most played tracks of my early teens. Asked for a keyboard for my birthday and learned to play nearly every song on the album. High on this list due to the later discovery of a video tape in my dad's posession featuring my mother stripping to "The One Thing." Hearing that song now brings back the oddest mix of memories (he says shaking head in wonder.) Here's "The One Thing" music video which I'm watching to help wash my memory - still dig the pomegranate imagery. And "Don't Change" video as well.

7. Kenny Rogers - Ten Years of Gold
On 8-track... growing up in a small town in a family that listened to Country, Bluegrass and Big Band exclusively, you had to grab hold of anything you could, and this was the one album in my father's collection that I found myself listening to. Rogers re-recorded several tracks from this First Edition days for it, and those were the ones that stuck with me, specifically the song "Just Checked In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)," which opened my ears to more interesting things.
Groovy video for "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)"

8. Tom Waits - Nighthawks at the Diner
Ahh... my beat phase in college - Jack Kerouac, William S. Burroughs and listening to Tom Waits. Can't imagining owning just one Waits album, but this one is one I still recommend. Still find myself quoting lyrics from this when I'm in a stereotypical diner, like "the coffee was just too weak to defend itself..."
Video of Waits doing "Nighthawks at the Diner" acappella

9. Steely Dan - Katie Lied
Late high school through college I was a Dan Fan. As someone playing Jazz saxaphone, listening to rock, and reading a lot of literature at the time, Steely Dan was a perfect fit. Once again led to owning every album.
Video of the Dan performing "Black Friday" live

10. Talking Heads - Speaking in Tongues
Ok... I liked to dance a lot in High School (insert amateur break-dancer confessional here,) but it wasn't until I heard "Burning Down the House" that I found my own style of wreckless abandon. David Byrne spoke directly to my inner geek-freak, which I found easier to let fly with Talking Heads playing.
Classic "Burning Down the House" video

tags: playlist, music, inxs, kenny rogers, bootsy collins, prince, guided by voices, nick drake, big star, tom waits, steely dan, talking heads, video, rhapsody

Remember the fate of cats and curiosity

Play it: Carnivale - Music from the HBO Series

The second (and last) season of HBO's Carnivale made it to DVD this week, so I thought I'd compile and profile music from both seasons of the show. It's a fascinating mix of early American gospel, blues, folk, jazz and old timey country music.

The orginal music was composed by Emmy-winner Jeff Beal, and captures the mood of good vs. evil in the great dustbowl of mid-America. But the theme song used in the title sequence, believe it or not, was written and performed by former Prince & The Revolution bandbmates Wendy & Lisa. The title sequence is quite dense and intricate - much deserving of this amazing look under the hood. (Or, why not youtube it.)

The visually stunning series featured some award-worthy performances and interesting cameos (John Doe, for one) and left the viewer curious as to where in the world they were going with the plot. It reached a sort-of (rushed?) conclusion by the end of season two, but still left a few questions unanswered.

The language of the show (much like it's former time-slot follower, Deadwood) sometime required interpretation, and HBO's (Webby award winning) website for the show was happy to translate.

More:
A Carnivale montage to Mars Volta's "The Widow" (YouTube)

tags: playlist, carnivale, television, hbo, soundtrack, jeff beal, wendy and lisa, gospel, blues

Mr Blue Collar

Play it: Rhymefest - Blue Collar

For folks that thought it was a one-time 'dabbling' when Jon Brion collaborated with Kanye West on 2005's great Late Registration, it's obvious it wasn't, as he recently helped produce (along with DJ extraordinaire Mark Ronson and Kanye West) the debut album from Chicago rapper Rhymefest (Blue Collar, released last week.)

"Oh my God, I love him!" says Brion of Rhymefest. "That guy is absolutely for real." Then he goes on to answer the genre-hopping question, "as for myself, I think for years, whatever assumptions people have had, I would like to think by now they realize I'm not really in any camp whatsoever."

Rhymefest, you might recall, is responsible for co-writing some of Kanye West's hits, including "Jesus Walks," so he's a grammy winner even before his first release. Born Che Smith in South Chicago, Rhymefest likes to play up his 'everyman' persona, even if he is a grammy-toting, Louis Vitton-shades-wearing, friend of Kanye West on a Clive Davis imprint... the act still feels real - Blue Collar rings of both the trials and fun of being broke, but the real fun is in much of the pop culture samples that give Danger Mouse a run for it's money.

"Devil's Pie" samples The Strokes' "Someday" in one of the albums highlights, and the combination feels pretty seamless. Rhymefest also reworks Citizen Cope's "Bullet and a Target" in the song "Bullet" and while it may not feel all that original, it still works tremendously well. What doesn't work so well is the 1960's pop nugget "Build Me Up Buttercup" reworking as "Build Me Up" featuring the recently deceased Old Dirty Bastard. It's touching as a tribute to ODB, but feels a bit out of place on this otherwise stellar debut.

More:
Battling Tendonitis, Brion Tiptoes Back Into Performing (Billboard)
Pitchfork gives Blue Collar an 8.0
Rhymefest as Spin's Artist of the Day (July 12th)

tags: music, rhymefest, jon brion, kanye west, mark ronson, hip-hop, rap, old dirty bastard, the strokes, citizen cope, album review, rhapsody

My super ex-basketball team

Play it: Selling the Sonics

The price of my childhood? $350 Mil.

Yesterday it was announced that the Seattle Supersonics (and WNBA companions, the Seattle Storm) were sold to a set of Oklahoma buyers led by Clay Bennett. This coming on the heals of several attempts by the Sonic ownership (led by Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz) to strong-arm the city of Seattle into building or renovating a new facility to play in - basically what would amount to a $200 million bail-out for the team.

Schultz says he turned down higher offers to better the chances of the Sonics staying in town, but selling it to a group led by someone who's promised to bring a team to Oklahoma City in the next five years, means he's really just playing lip service. Ultimately Schultz is just putting himself in a place to say he's not (directly) responsible for the Sonics leaving Seattle.

"Certainly, ultimately we hope for basketball in Oklahoma City, but it's unrelated to this transaction," said Bennett yesterday, with metaphorical fingers crossed behind his back.

Here's some (little, or no) comfort to yesterday's announcement and this morning's fallout, in the way of a playlist.

Selling the Supersonics
* "Supersonic" - Oasis
* "Sold Out" - Sleater-Kinney
* "Oklahoma U.S.A." - The Kinks
* "Sonic Reaction" - Upsets
* "Busting Up A Starbucks" - Mike Doughty

More:
Hey Howard, we're not morons (Seattle P-I)
Schultz sold out Seattle (Seattle Times)
Schultz leaves bad taste with Seattle fans (FOXSports)
Goodbye Hornets, welcome Sonics (The Oklahoman via Seattle Times)

tags: playlist, nba, sonics, seattle, oklahoma, sports, rhapsody

You only get one chance for a first impression

Play it: Uncut Magazine's Greatest Debut Albums of All-Time

The full (100) Uncut list of greatest debuts is finally making the rounds now, and it's necessary to remember that this is coming from an 'over the seas' perspesctive (Uncut is a British rag.)

The Velvet Underground & Nico makes for a nice #1, but it's telling that The Stone Roses is all the way up at #4 and the Arctic Monkeys' debut from last year (Whatever People Say I Am...) came in at #36. As with any list like this, there's a lot of debate as to why this is higher then, say, that.... but in the end it is just a list put together by blokes like you and me. (Well... maybe not like YOU ;)

Full list (stereogum)

tags: playlist, uncut magazine, velvet underground, debut albums, music, rock, rhapsody

A bird in the hand...

Play it: Entourage - Ep. 306
Download: Blondie vs. The Doors "Rapture Riders"
Download: The Koreans "Keep Me In Your Mind"

This week's Entourage turned up the heat a notch, taking a cue from Nip/Tuck with a threesome and our sweet lil' E. His girlfriend Sloan (played by the delicious Emmanueal Chriqui) should be enough, but throw in her friend Tori (played by HBO fave Malin Akerman) and E might be in over his head (literally over his head - he's 5'5", at most.) To set the mood, HBO chose Cherish's "Do It To It" (featuring Sean Paul,) which is interesting only in that the lyrics to the song reference "that whisper song" (by Ying Yang Twins) which was played... wait for it.... during the four-way scene in Nip/Tuck.

Meanwhile, Vince is involved in his own three-way - that being himself and two movie projects. Vince's hardball play with the studio heads for Aquaman 2 has Ari running circles. To send him off the deep end, Vince tells Ari he won't agree to do Aquaman 2 unless Ari finds a job for Drama, which has Ari scrambling his minions to find him a role ("I don't care if he's getting gang raped by a gaggle of silver backed apes.") When Lloyd comes through with an audition for an Ed Burns pilot (about... you guessed it, Irish brothers - Fighting Fitzgeralds anyone?) and Ari informs him that the part of Pablo Escobar has been offered to Benecio Del Toro, Vince reluctantly agrees to get back in the fish suit, but refuses to meet the studio head for breakfast. The insult is felt and the sequel might as well be called Brokeback Aquaman, as Jake Gyllenhaal's got the role (which mirrors his near step-in for Tobey Maguire in Spider-Man 2.)

Other songs featured in the mix this week included the Blondie vs. The Doors mash-up "Rapture Riders" from Go Home Productions (Mark Vidler,) which made it into an Alias episode earlier this year already and is quite possibly the first legit mashup, as Blondie has given it the ok and is releasing it as a bonus track on their next greatest hits release. The ending credits featured the song "Keep Me In Your Mind" (Download) by the relatively unknown (and now defunct?) band The Koreans. Quite a coup for a dead act... the song's drawn a bit of interest on the net since the episode ran. It will be interesting to see if it resurrects the band (or, at least, the album.)

More:
Full tracklistings with scene descriptions
Entourage decoder (TMZ) for 7/16

Previously:
Fair to Medellin (Episodes 25-28/ 303-305)
I am an orange god (Episode 24 / 302)
The top-tall turn-off (Episode 23 / 301)
Let's hug it out again, b*tch (Season 2 soundtrack and dvd)
Heartbreak Vince (Episode 22)
Show me the money (Episode 21)
Sympathy for the Ari (Episode 20)
Headed for a Gigli (Episode 19)
That's Hebrew for 'When do you get off?' (Episode 18)
Comic-consies (Episode 17)
Mandy Moore is Aquaman's kryptonite (Episode 16)
Cross-sword traffic (Episode 15)
Crouching Turtle, hidden Drama (Episode 14)
More Bob Saget on drugs (Episode 13)
Bring out the suit (Episode 11 & 12)
My Maserati Does 185 (Episode 10)
Let's Hug It Out, Bitch (Episode 9 - Season 2 Premiere)

tags: playlist, entourage, television, hbo, soundtrack, sergio mendes, blondie, mashup, mark vidler

Sad anniversary

Play it: "Never Met A Man I Didn't Like" Silkworm

It was one year ago today that Silkworm drummer (and all-around great guy) Michael Dahlquist was taken from us too soon, when he, Doug Meis and John Glick all were hit and killed on impact by a woman attempting to take her own life.

Below is the video for "Wet Firecracker" featuring some serious acting chops from Mikey.



Previously:
From the ashes sinks a bottomless pit (Silkworm remaining members form Bottomless Pit)
A treat and a tribute
Absolutely senseless...
Silkworm drummer Michael Dahlquist dies

tag: anniversary, silkworm, michael dahlquist

I wanna be your Corin Tucker

Play it: Sleater-Kinney Farewell
Play it: Sleater-Kinney Parts (Heavens to Betsy, Excuse 17, Quasi)

Man... I leave the country for just 17 days and Sleater-Kinney breaks up? Two weeks ago it was announced that S-K were going on indefinite hiatus. I suppose indefinite hiatus is a more realistic way to say you're breaking up with the option to reuinite, like many bands are doing these days. Corin Tucker confessed that they were essentially broken up before making their last album, last year's tour de force The Woods. It was excitement around the song "Entertain," though, that had them bearing down for one last go at it, and thank goodness, as it's by my ears (and many others) their best album (certainly their loudest!) Quite a way to go out.

So how do you sum up an 11-year career in 15 songs? I'm sure every fan has their own list, but here's mine (note, All Hands on the Bad One isn't Rhapvailable for some reason - but the song "Ballad of a Ladyman" is through a Kill Rock Stars comp, thus included.)

Sleater-Kinney play their last two shows ever (in theory) in Portland, August 11th and 12th.

tags: playlist, sleater-kinney, indie rock, rhapsody

Fair to Medellin

Play it: Entourage Eps 303-305

The upside to missing a few Entourage episodes while I was on vacation, is getting to watch them all back-to-back (via DVR.)

Another thing that happened while I was gone was that Pirates Of The Carribean: Dead Man's Chest surpassed Spider-Man for the all-time opening weekend box-office record. It's a case of life imitating art as it was just a few weeks ago that Aquaman achieved the same thing in the facto-fictional world of Entourage. Vince is now the number one draw in the theater, which means several things. First is old friends will come out of the woodworks - or in this case prison - to get a piece of the action. In this case, old neighbhorhood pal Dom is a thug who worms his way into the Aquamansion and under the rest of the gang's skin.

Second, though, is Vince can have just about any project he wants but the one he's wanted to do (since last season) is Medellin: The Pablo Escobar Story, and that one requires some work. It's now in the hands of so-called animation king Phil Rubenstein, who's played as an insecure, whiney little man by Bruno Kirby. Vince meets to convice him he's right for the role, but it takes an encounter with Dom to make Phil believe Vince is street enough to play Escobar. When Rubenstein's original Shrek doll is found missing, though, all fingers point to Dom and Phil regresses to locking himself up in his bedroom, sobbing about his loss. One has to think this is a jab at Jeffrey Katzenberg, one of the producers of Shrek (and a former self-proclaimed 'King of Animation.') Dom is cornered, confesses and after they sneak the doll back, is relinquished of his key to the Aquamansion.

So now they're back on with Medellin... or are they? Aquaman 2 has been greenlighted and begins the same day, so they try to convince the studiohead that they need a little time to finish Vince's pet project before jumping back in the tank. They get 2/3 of the time they ask for (setup as a fool's errand) and meet with Medellin director Paul Haggis to figure out a way to do it. Once they do find a way (involving Vince's weight gain scenarios) the studiohead still won't go for it. No way is he going to risk his franchise being seen "doing three hours of blow on every multiplex in the country." Vince ups the ante asking for a 'fool's errand' worth of dough to do the picture and we're left at a standoff.

Whew, caught up now.

Musically I didn't find much inspiration in a particular scene, but the transition from Frank Sinatra's "I've Got The World On A String" to Busta Rhyme's "I Love My Bitch" is smoother then you'd think.

More:
Full tracklistings with scene descriptions
Entourage decoder (TMZ) for 6/26
Entourage decoder (TMZ) for 7/3
Entourage decoder (TMZ) for 7/10

Previously:
I am an orange god (Episode 24 / 302)
The top-tall turn-off (Episode 23 / 301)
Let's hug it out again, b*tch (Season 2 soundtrack and dvd)
Heartbreak Vince (Episode 22)
Show me the money (Episode 21)
Sympathy for the Ari (Episode 20)
Headed for a Gigli (Episode 19)
That's Hebrew for 'When do you get off?' (Episode 18)
Comic-consies (Episode 17)
Mandy Moore is Aquaman's kryptonite (Episode 16)
Cross-sword traffic (Episode 15)
Crouching Turtle, hidden Drama (Episode 14)
More Bob Saget on drugs (Episode 13)
Bring out the suit (Episode 11 & 12)
My Maserati Does 185 (Episode 10)
Let's Hug It Out, Bitch (Episode 9 - Season 2 Premiere)

tags: playlist, entourage, television, hbo, soundtrack, paul haggis, pablo escobar, frank sinatra, busta rhymes

Locusts at this year's Bumbershoot

Play it: Bumbershoot 2006

Ok, this news is a couple days old, but do you know how long it takes to compile a complete playlist of Bumbershoot's lineup when it's over 100 artists? Whew!

The 2006 Bumbershoot lineup is now finalized and I gots to say hooray for the new additions. Spoon, Blondie, Steve Miller Band, Badly Drawn Boy, Vashti Bunyan, Jose Gonzalez, Feist, Rogue Wave, Lady Sovereign and Mates of State.... tons of local acts like Rocky Votolato, Laura Veirs, Jeremy Enigk, The Purrs... lots of local hip-hop including The Blue Scholars, Common Market and Abyssinian Creole... more comedy this time, including the Upright Citizens Brigade... a return of the Decibal exhibit, featuring soundscape artists like Deadbeat and Luisine.

Naturally my cousin's getting married in Montana that weekend (Doh!)

Since it hailed at Sasquatch in my absence, I'm predicting a different natural disaster for Bumbershoot while I'm a safe distance away.

tags: music, bumbershoot, music festival, seattle, spoon, blondie, rhapsody

Not quite Radiohead

Play it: Muse Black Holes and Revelations
AOL Free Album Stream
Play it: Thom Yorke The Eraser (For Sale Only)
AOL Free Album Stream

I posted on the number one single in the UK, so here's something on the number one album. Muse's Black Holes and Revelations has debuted at the top of the charts. The young trio from Teignmouth, England certainly won't end the Radiohead-meets-Queen references with this release, but they do up the ante as far as being a grandiose reach. In theory, it should fail miserably, but it somehow transcends that fate and actually works.

The opener, "Take a Bow," sounds like it's about George W. Bush, but I'm sure Blair's got a piece of the action:

Corrupt / You're corrupt
Bring corruption to all that you touch
Hold / You behold
And beholden for all that you've done
And spin / Cast a spell
Cast a spell on the country you run
And risk / You will risk
You will risk all their lives and their souls
- "Take a Bow"

The Prince-like swagger in "Supermassive Black Hole" is truly fun, and the over-the-top Rush-ness of "Knights of Cydonia" make for great fun. Not an album of the year candidate by any means, but a ride that's well worth the price of admission nonetheless.

Meanwhile, Thom Yorke's debut solo album is naturally going to get compared to Radiohead as well. The Eraser isn't Radiohead, though, no matter how you slice it, but you're certainly drawn into thinking so by Yorke's vocals and endless tinkering with the sound. I'm probably in the minority here, but I find the songs sounding too much like each other. While "Black Swan" stands out, the rest tire my ears quickly. Perhaps being too much a Radiohead fan has shortened my patience? Because on the whole Eraser just makes me feel like saying bring on the real thing. [Eraser is available for purchase only)

tags: music, muse, queen, radiohead, thom yorke, album review, rhapsody