Flex Your Face!

Dude, this is one scary device to "work out your face!"

A Little Billy Joel Action

Aight, don’t sniff with disdain, claiming that you “don’t like Billy Joel,” cus I just saw you belting out “Piano Man” at karaoke night. So what was my point? Jefitoblog’s got a bootleg of Billy Joel’s 1997 VH1 Storytellers up over here.

A Little Kanye

I'm liking Kanye West's "Stronger," especially the Daft Punk sample, and the Hype Williams video is cool enough. Thanks to Unqualified.org for tipping me off to the video's release!

A Case of the Fridays

Well, my server is over its limit for the month, so no songs for this week. But I can say if I could divide myself into a VA-self and DC-self, Multiplicity-style, I’d hit the IOTA and Rock & Roll Hotel shows Saturday night.

Kicking off the night at IOTA is Getaway Car, albeit an acoustic version of the band, but I’m pretty sure the hooks should still be there, even if they’re unplugged. And I’ve been curious to see The Reserves (above) after hearing alt-country-ish bits and pieces of their little gem of a CD. Honor By August closes out the night with their ready-for-radio modern rock.

That same night we’ll have the ultra-catchy power pop of Brooklyn’s Hello Tokyo going on at the Rock & Roll Hotel in DC. Definitely an act to catch. Though I’m not sure what to make of the accordion-powered folk-rock opener, Golem, however.

Marah Update

If you’re big Marah fans, some nuggets for you. The kids from Philly, er…Brooklyn, have a new MySpace page at www.myspace.com/marahfans, an upcoming record (Angels of Destruction), and a new member (Christine Smith).

A stripped-down version of Marah (Dave, Kirk and Christine) will be touring this summer - they'll be rolling into town for a show at Jammin’ Java on July 25th. In the meantime, Serge will be spending some time with the wife and Adam and Dave will be touring w/ their side project Adam & Dave’s Bloodline. So I won't be getting the full version of Marah this summer, but I'll take what I can get!

Transformers - The Toys

Yeah, I'll admit it. I'm actually kinda excited about the new Transformers movie. I just can't help it - it's the freaking Transformers! Anyway, Maxim has got a feature comparing the Generation 1 Transformers toys to the new Transformers toys. Check it here.

Three More

▲Sir Paul’s feeling quite talkative these days. Pitchfork’s got a phone interview w/ him up here. Or you can check out Stereogum’s face-to-face interview with Paul McCartney here. And yes, Macca (that’s so much fun to say) did indeed guzzle Starbucks while he was being questioned!

▲Yeah, I heard you humming “Heavy Fuel” over there. That’s aight, I won’t tell. But you might want to go read Jefitoblog’s Complete Idiot’s Guide to Dire Straits over here. It’s always a good read.

▲You’ve probably already heard that The Verve is reuniting for a new album and several shows this fall. While you're waiting for those, however, go check out the demos from the Urban Hymns sessions at I Am Fuel, You Are Friends over here.

Threefer

▲Check out Cracked’s 25 Most Ridiculous Band Names In Rock History – these are actually bands you’ve heard of, and the witty commentary is a good read

▲Before you get that Chinese character tattoo, just make sure it says what you think it says! Hanzi Smatter points out typos that, well, don’t erase easily [thanks, Explained Bacon]

▲The new Kelly Clarkson record drops today – you getting a copy? Check out “Be Still” and “Yeah” over at Lines Through Lines here

Still Waiting For Axl

Velvet Revolver's new album Libertad drops on July 3rd. Until then, you can take a listen to their first single, "She Builds Quick Machines" over at their MySpace site here, and you can stream another new track of theirs, "She's Mine," over at Rock 'N Roll Pimp here. "She's Mine" sounds more like dirgy STP and less like vintage rocking GNR than I'd like.

Ice Road Truckers

I’ve been enjoying the new series “Ice Road Truckers” on the History Channel. It’s kind of like watching NASCAR, except with huge 15-ton tractor trailers that are going much slower, but on roads made of floating ice up by the Arctic Circle. It’s not all just watching the trucks drive, however. There’s little character studies and scientific tidbits thrown in throughout to keep things honest. And of course, there’s the inevitable constant waiting for wrecks – but in this case, wrecks can also involve breaking through the ice and plunging into the freezing water!

Threefer

▲Indy’s back! And Harrison Ford doesn’t look too bad in this picture here. But what they don’t show is that he’s really sitting in a rocking chair watching Lawrence Welk with his walker beside him.

▲The Donnas had some early success with a big label backing, but things didn’t quite pan out they way they expected. Now they’re getting back to the basics with a new indie label and a new album that’s “chock-full of big singalong choruses, fat 80s guitar licks and an upbeat pace.” [thanks Pete]

▲Matt Nathanson’s new album Some Mad Hope will be dropping very soon – so he continues to pimp it, this time with a video of him playing an acoustic “living room” version of track 12, “All We Are,” here

Somebody Hates Don Henley

Apparently somebody had a beef with Don Henley back in 1990, and it wasn't Glenn Frey. Anyway, you might find Mojo Nixon's song "Don Henley Must Die" a bit entertaining for your Saturday afternoon - it's at Armagideon Time here.

Threefer

▲PUMPKINS: Do we really need four different versions of Zeitgeist, Billy Corgan? I don’t think so! Buyers, just say nein!

▲HE’S TALL: Yi Jianlian is six inches shorter than Yao Ming. But he still stands 7 feet, and he’ll most likely be a lottery pick in this year’s NBA Draft. Find out a bit more about him in this interesting article on SI.com.

▲MOUSTACHIOED: So did you like Hall or Oates better? You now what, I don’t really care, and it doesn’t really matter, because you can get them both at the same time over at Jefitoblog. He’s got an acoustic show, circa 1991, right here. And he’s even got a slammin' Idiot’s Guide to Hall & Oates here, to boot.

But Ryan Adams Is Feeling Much Better Now

Ryan Adams revealed the extent of his drug use in an interview with NME here just in time to promote the June 26th release of his new album, Easy Tiger.

"I snorted heroin a lot - with coke. I did speedballs every day for years. And took pills. And then drank. And I don't mean a little bit. I always outdid everybody...It's a miracle I did not die."

But he's feeling much better now. And Easy Tiger is sounding quite good. Take a listen to some of the tracks on his MySpace page.

A Case of the Fridays

This weekend will be bringing the heat, once again. Former local Brice Woodall will be back in town for a show at IOTA Friday, June 22. So we’ll start off things with his catchy modern rock track “Redwoods.” Haunting vocals soar over top of a chugging bass line and reverbed Edge-esque electric guitar. Give it a listen.

MP3: Redwoods – Brice Woodall

And we close things out this week with Rooney’s “When Did Your Heart Go Missing?” It’s packing 80s retro flavor, complete with synths and those bouncy irresistible choruses. If you like what you hear, Rooney will be at the 9:30 Club this Saturday, June 23.

MP3: When Did Your Heart Go Missing? - Rooney

Thursday Rocks In DC!

There’s a lot of quality live music going on tonight in the DC metro area. But don’t take my word for it. Instrumental Analysis has summed it up quite nicely here – with pictures and with mp3s!

Fourfer

▲CINEMA: Are you having trouble picking out movies to add to your queue on Netflix? Well, the AFI just updated their listing of the 100 Greatest Movies (from the previous 1998 survey). Maybe one of these days I’ll finally check out Citizen Kane, which still tops the charts at #1.

▲REALITY: In case you missed this week’s episode of Reunited: The Real World Vegas (like I did), EW.com wraps it up here in a nice package for you – all meat and no bone!

▲BREW: Frozen beer on a stick? Is it legal, and would you really want to drink/lick it, even on a hot summer day? [thanks DCist]

▲BEATS: Def Leppard and Mutt Lange are collaborating on some new songs for the upcoming DL album – Shania must have let Mutt out to play!

Threefer

▲ Can't get enough Chap Stick? Me too! Go here to commiserate and learn some truthiness, you addict!

▲ The Vatican has decided to take action against road rage by issuing their 10 Commandments for drivers.

▲ Autoblog has a gallery of high-res Audi R8 photos up here that are very suitable for some sweet desktop wallpaper.

Girlfriend - The Remix

Looks like the remix of Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend" has got its own video now. It's definitely much better with Lil Mama adding her rapid-fire verses in to give us a break from Avril's incessant cheerleader schtick.

Computer Hardware Photography

Photographer Mark Richards has done some very cool photography work in this newly released book Core Memory: A Visual Survey of Vintage Computers. Though the title isn't sexy, there's some striking photography of the interworkings of old-school (we're talking UNIVAC and ENIAC) computers. You can check out a slide show of his project here.

When The Turtles Cry

If you’ve been wanting to get yourself a pet giant Galapagos tortoise, better not put off that trip to the islands too much longer! Ecuador, the owner of the Galapagos Islands, is considering restricting tourism in the Galapagos Islands in the interests of protecting the fragile ecosystems of the islands.

Threefer

▲ Laverne might be coming back to Scrubs next season! Well, sort of…

▲ EW.com has got a cool Q&A with the Beasties here

▲ A pirated version of Michael Moore’s “Sicko” has hit YouTube

More New Kelly Clarkson

Wanna hear what Clive Davis is bitching about? Candy Beans has a couple of new tracks, "Judas" and "Sober," from Kelly Clarkson's upcoming album, My December here. I'm not really digging either one, though I guess I prefer "Sober" to "Judas."

Goodbye, Farewell and Amen

It looks like they (well, the powers that be) have finally released the final episode of M*A*S*H, Goodbye, Farewell and Amen, on DVD. I had been awaiting for its impending release, butI had kind of forgotten about it, until I saw it during yesterday's visit to Best Buy. Turns out it came out on May 15th. Anyway, it's one of my favorite movies of all-time, and no doubt it'll be included in my next Amazon order.

Thump

Damn, I must say that the title track off of The White Stripes' Icky Thump is packs a wallop. It marches on with an almost simple, dirge-like power, fitting dirty guitar riffs and digitized solos in between Jack White's yelps. You can check it out over at All Things Go right here.

A Little Busta

Here's Busta Rhymes sampling the classic Knight Rider beat for "Fired Up." It definitely gets your head bobbing...

My Boys

Alright, I've become a farmer...well, at least, two plants' worth. Today I planted two cherry tomato plants in huge pots in the back yard. One of them is staked up, in the usual fashion. However, I didn't have a second stake, so I had to improvise and use a wire hangar as a makeshift stake for the other plant. Very tasteful. I'm pretty excited about the chance to actually grow my own food!

Musicians Trash Classic Albums

In this Guardian article, various musicians that you’ve actually heard of piss all over classic albums – and we’re talking a “the emperor’s not wearing any clothes-style” pissing. It makes for a very interesting read. [thanks Information Leafblower]

Score The Sopranos

This is pretty cool! Stereogum has this feature up here where you can score the final scene of the last episode of The Sopranos with any mp3 you want (as long as you've got the URL of the mp3). So if you weren't happy with Journey, you go ahead and pick something better!

Bob Schneider

Looks like Heather over at I Am Fuel, You Are Friends is getting into Bob Schneider, and we can reap the benefits. She's got a bunch of live cuts and unreleased demos in her post right here, so go over and check 'em out, kids!

Threefer

▲ Bruce Willis talks with EW.com about the Die Hard franchise here. “It's a lot harder being funny than it is doing action. Action is just the grown-up equivalent of me saying to you, ''Let's go jump off the roof of the house.'' He’s just effin’ cool, that Bruce Willis is.

▲ Looks like Josh Adam Garcia may have falsely “JAG”ged up his resume in his attempt to become “The Next Food Network Star.”

▲ Want the luxury of a Rolls-Royce but afraid to lose the utility of an SUV? Then this 1969 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow truck is for you! Sweet! No pimping needed!

Does Cucumber Deserve Its Own Soda?

There's a new flavor of soda in town, well, in Tokyo, at least, and it's "Pepsi Ice Cucumber." I don't care what they say - when I think beverage refreshment, "the refreshing taste of a fresh cucumber" does not come to mind.

It's Not Just From Women...

MSN.com has kindly posted the 10 most deadly health threats to men. Time to shape up, dudes!

Threefer

▲ Need a new car but only have $2,467? Then get yourself a Tata!

▲ Interested in getting a Virginia vanity plate, but not sure how it would look? You can check it out on this vanity plate generator [thanks, Arjewtino]

▲ Do you think you really piss like a racehorse? Slate.com answers exactly how much a racehorse actually urinates…

Covers, Poison-Style

What’s our favorite band out of Mechanicsburg, PA up to these days? Stereogum’s keeping us up to date right here (that band is Poison, by the way). Did they really need to cover Justin Timberlake’s “Sexyback?” Probably not. But I’m guessing CC will find some guilty pleasure (whether she admits it or not) in their cover of The Romantics’ “What I Like About You.” You can check out both covers over at Stereogum.

Fake Plastic Trees

Even though Radiohead's "Fake Plastic Trees" is one of my favorite songs of theirs, I just saw the video to it for the first time a week or so ago. My supermarket doesn't quite look like that.

Transformers Theme

I have severe reservations about the upcoming Transformers movie. Changing the auto identities of the Autobots is one of them. But I won't get into just how fitting it is to have a Camaro named "Bumblebee," compared to a Volkswagon Beetle named "Bumblebee." Though I am pleased Megatron isn't changing into a tiny Luger anymore. That was just stupid. Anyway, Idolator, has got what may or may not be the new theme here - and it's nu-metal!

A Case of the Fridays

It’s 90-degrees, so there’s no use in waiting. We kick things off with “I Should Be Lost Without You,” by David Condos. It’s a beautiful starry-eyed, dreamy pop song that soars along, carried by David Condos’ Chris Martin-esque vocals, chiming guitars and piano. If you like what you hear, David Condos will be opening up for Gasoline Heart at IOTA this Saturday, June 9th.

MP3: I Should Be Lost Without You - David Condos

It’s like stepping into a time machine when you slip on your headphones and listen to the Motown-y sounds of Ryan Shaw. It’s only 2:15, but it’s packed full of goodness, with the Stevie Wonder-esque soulful vocals, whirring keyboards, and little searing guitar fills. If you like what you hear, you can check Ryan Shaw out at Wolf Trap Wednesday, June 13th.

MP3: Do the 45 - Ryan Shaw

Video Twofer

▲ Paul Murff over on the Marah message boards has got what he calls “the very best stuff he’s ever shot of the band” up on YouTube – they’re videos from Marah’s Barcelona 2007 show. Who are you not to check these out and see if he’s right? God, I love “It’s Only Money, Tyrone.”

▲ This video is a rather interesting cover of Coldplay’s “Fix You.” No, it’s not your local bar band, but it’s a choir made up of senior citizens! Apparently these choirs are all the rage these days…

New Pumpkins

The new incarnation of the Smashing Pumpkins played a surprise show in Nurburg, Germany, revealing more of the tracks off their upcoming album, Zeitgeist. Culture Bully has got mp3s of several of the tracks in his post here. Go to it, NOAAgirl!

The Traveling Wilburys

I’ve often heard people lament about how The Traveling Wilburys albums are out of print – a fact which I found rather surprising, too. Interestingly enough, MSN Music just interviewed Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne as part of a pretty cool article on The Traveling Wilburys here. Turns out their record deal ran out, and they never got together to renew it, so says Mr. Tom Petty.

New Kelly Clarkson

Jonesing for some new Kelly Clarkson tracks, but not really digging her screamy “Never Again?” Music For All might be able to provide your fix with a leak of the mellower, slower-building "Sober" from the upcoming My December album here. Or you can check out Kelly Clarkson’s MySpace for a stream...

Need a reason to eat lunch at your desk? One of my favorite bands, The Damnwells, are playing an online show today at 12:30, and you can watch it live here.

thanks to Seth for the tip

Like Lee Van Cleef...

Need more macaroni? The Sergio Leone Anthology was just released on Tuesday, and it includes the holy trinity of Spaghetti Westerns (A Fistful of Dollars, For A Few Dollars More, and The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly), plus a Leone western (Duck, You Sucker) that I’ve never heard of, starring Rod Steiger and James Coburn. The packaging and extras have all gotten some strong reviews so far, so it’s definitely worth a long, squinty look.

I want to make sure I devote a little space here to Ennio Morricone's brilliant work on the scores of the first three movies. So here's a little something special - a link to this very cool mashup of "Ecstasy of the Gold" (The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly) and Nas' "One Mic" over at Mashuptown here. Take a listen.

Anyone Can Play Air Guitar...Right?

Aight, kids, it's time to pick up your invisible axes and take to the 9:30 Club. Wednesday they'll be having the US Air Guitar Championships - at least the DC Regionals, for what that's worth. But I'm betting it'll be entertaining. Right? Now, the question is, what song would you air guitar to?

Threefer

▲ Yep, Paul McCartney’s is indeed 64, but he’s got a new CD, Memory Almost Full. And I Guess I’m Floating has got an mp3 for Macca's “End of the End,” as well as a video for “Dance Tonight” here

▲ Compare the Smashing Pumpkins’ 1992 and 2007 live versions of “Today” here

▲ Character actors: they’re so essential to the movie experience, but they just never get any respect – but now they at least get their own list with The 20 Best “That Guys” of All-Time

New Matt Nathanson

Matt Nathanson is streaming the first track, “Gone,” from his upcoming album, Some Mad Hope, over at his MySpace page. So what are you waiting for? Go listen to it!

It’s pretty catchy on first listen, and it’s definitely got a Goo Goo Dolls-sort of vibe going on, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing for some people (like me). You can also check out the fansite www.prettytheworld.com for Matt Nathanson updates.

*thanks to reader Matt for the tip

Beastie Boys / Off The Grid

New Beastie Boys. Yeah, you already know it's an instrumental album. Idolator's got a leak here of "Off the Grid," a slow burner of a groove that once it gets going, kind of actually rocks. Would I want an entire album of Beastie Boys instrumentals? Probably not. But this one track's pretty cool.

Wes Tucker & The Skillets / Laura Tsaggaris

Tonight, Tuesday, June 5th, Wes Tucker & The Skillets will be rocking the IOTA with their brand of soulful alt-country. Singer/songwriter Laura Tsaggaris will be opening the evening with a full band in tow. Check out the achingly lovely “I Just Can’t Share” on her MySpace page. And the whole evening is for a good cause - the show will benefit RAINN, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network.

MP3: Casting Stones – Wes Tucker & The Skillets

Threefer

▲ Yeah, Smashing Pumpkins has an album a new material coming out, but there’s also a Pumpkins tribute album on its way. You can check Ben Kweller’s cover of “Today” here.

▲ Obtusity takes a little look back at Radiohead, or more specifically, their music video history, here [link courtesy of Boboroshi]

▲ If you’re upset because you’ve missed a couple episodes of Friday Night Lights, there’s no need to fret – NBC now has them all up online here

Mickey Avalon

And now for a little Mickey Avalon... While Butch Walker converts tales of the seamy, sleazy, dirty side of LA and Hollywood into glam-rock anthems, Mickey Avalon uses his lethargic gigolo delivery to spin those tales into clever rhymes not quite fit for the workplace. And they're sneakily catchy.

MP3: Waiting to Die – Mickey Avalon

National Doughnut Day

Mmmmm…..free doughnuts. Or at least one free doughnut per customer at Krispy Kreme stores today to mark the celebration of National Doughnut Day!

Manson In New Issue Of Spin

You can read a a little teaser from Spin’s cover feature/interview with Marilyn Manson online here. Man, say what you will about him, but Marilyn Manson's definitely one interesting character. And he markets himself quite well, I might add.

Threefer

▲ Creed (from The Office) offers some more thoughts, blogger-style!

▲ Uh, but what happens after you stop being in the tribute band? Plastic surgeries aren’t exactly reversible

▲ Looks like the new Apatow (The 40-Year Old Virgin) flick, “Knocked Up,” is getting some good reviews