I kinda liked “Cousins,” and have been interested to hear the rest of VW’s second record.

There is a super-handy embed widget that I was hoping I could just pop in here to give you a shot at it, too, but it seems unfriendly with our technical capabilities here.

Drowned in Sound seems to have it worked out, though, so you can hear it there, along with comments from fusty Brit music fans. Always fun.

http://drownedinsound.com/news/4138775-listen–stream-of-vampire-weekends-contra

Free download here, too: http://vampireweekend.com/index2.php

Typing as I listen, I’m getting flashbacks to Paul Simon’s “Graceland,” and some Dirty Projector-y fetishizing of African guitar, without the desire to venture into left field. Which brings us back to “Graceland.” They haven’t forgotten pop music’s adoration of auto-tune, either.

Check it out.

Mike Errico official site: http://www.errico.com

Available at: The Official Mike Errico Store || iTunes || Emusic.com

Also at: Facebook || Twitter || MySpace || Last.fm || Pandora || ILike || MOG

 

This is pretty much all I’ve been listening to since finding them.

Panama is ridiculous (FYI: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWjyj9gUElM),

but check out "I’m The One":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdflys0LqFs

This is just… it’s him going kitchen-sink crazy. And the lick sounds like a damn horse in a full sprint. It’s from the first record, his tone’s a little more ragged, and has a lot more to prove.

The guitar’s totally out of tune by the end, which would absolutely never happen now, unless it was an actual affectation.This is what ‘going for broke’ sounds like, to me.

No one else has ever captured what he has, with more money, better gear, bigger budgets, diplomas from Shredder Universities…Forget it.

FORGET IT!

PS: "Unchained," same deal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91zPg4f2K0g

FORGET IT!

Mike Errico official site: http://www.errico.com

Available at: The Official Mike Errico Store || iTunes || Emusic.com

Also at: Facebook || Twitter || MySpace || Last.fm || Pandora || ILike || MOG

 

Apparently, the eagerly-awaited collaboration between Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters), Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal) and John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin, and… friggin’ Led Zeppelin) has leaked onto the Internetz. In response, the band is streaming the entire thing on YouTube. So, if you are as curious as I was about what these three warhorses would sound like chained to one another, well, here ya go.

The self-titled debut will officially release on November 17th and one track, “Mind Eraser, No Chaser,” is now available as a free iTunes download.

PRESS RELEASE:

In response to the leak of Them Crooked Vultures’ album, the band has made the unprecedented decision to stream the record in its entirety beginning with first track “No One Loves Me & Neither Do I” http://bit.ly/stream_tcv

Hear it here: http://www.youtube.com/user/themcrookedv…

Them Crooked Vultures’ self-titled debut album is due out November 17 in the United States and Canada on DGC/Interscope Records. Its release has been preceded by first single “New Fang” currently streaming at http://www.myspace.com/crookedvultures and “Mind Eraser, No Chaser” now available as a free iTunes download.

Them Crooked Vultures recently announced its first ever shows in California and the Pacific Northwest: November 17 at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles, November 19 at the Fox Theater in Oakland, November 21 at the Paramount Theater in Seattle, and November 22 at the Roseland Theater in Portland.The dates expand an itinerary that already includes a December tour of the UK and Europe and January dates in Australia and New Zealand.

Mike Errico official site: http://www.errico.com

Also at: Facebook || Twitter || MySpace || Imeem || Last.fm || Pandora || ILike || MOG

Would make a lovely addition to any vocal booth:

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Mike Errico official site: http://www.errico.com
Also at: Facebook || Twitter || MySpace || Imeem || ILike || MOG

It’s a question I never thought I’d live to hear.

In a recent interview, the indie darling songwriter voiced a sentiment which is now familiar among musicians who don’t survive on radio singles and club appearances where they’re paid to sip Ciroc with the label turned towards the paparazzi:

“I definitely feel like ‘What is the point? What’s the point of making music anymore?’ I feel that the album no longer has a stronghold or has any real bearing anymore. The physical format itself is obsolete; the CD is obsolete and the LP is kinda nostalgic. So, I think the album is suffering and that’s how I’ve always created– I work with these conceptual albums in the long-form. And I’m wondering, what’s the value of my work once these forms are obsolete and everyone’s just downloading music?”

Maybe he’s just having a bad day. Maybe the whole industry is. I know I am (thanks for nothing, last night’s Thai food takeout place).

Read the rest at Pitchfork: http://pitchfork.com/news/36784-sufjan-q…

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Mike Errico official site: http://www.errico.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mike-Errico/8888939428
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Someday robots will be perfected, and future generations will never know how creepy they once were. Their dead eyes and unconscious gestures will seem quaint and obvious, and not the terrifying existential threat they presently are.

Till then, there’s Japan, birthplace of the new singing machine called the HRP-4C, featuring "Yamaha’s voice synthesis technology ‘Vocaloid.’" From its look, and its sound, it’s probably safe to assume that Kanye’s already hit on it. 

Link: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/new…

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Mike Errico official site: http://www.errico.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mike-Errico/8888939428
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Mark your Google calendars: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions will occur on March 15, 2010 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. No need to Google map the directions: Just get yourself to Times Square and follow the smell of horse poo from the carriage rides at Central Park. The Waldorf will be on your right.

And the nominees are:

ABBA
The Chantels
Jimmy Cliff
Genesis
The Hollies
KISS
LL Cool J
Darlene Love
Laura Nyro
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Stooges
Donna Summer

Who’s going to argue with that? And why bother? Every new class of inductees just makes the place more fun for fans. Plus, the requirement is to have released a single or album at least 25 years prior to the year of nomination. That makes Charles Manson eligible.

In other words, it’s not Cooperstown.

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Mike Errico official site: http://www.errico.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mike-Errico/8888939428
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I may be a crotchety bastard who’s out of rum and blogging in his underpants, but still, you think Jimi’d rate more than a $450 Strat knockoff. I mean, Steve Vai got a whole other string out of Ibanez. Remember the JEM? It also had a friggin’ handle, in case you wanted to… who knows what the handle was for. It was stupid. But they painted it fluorescent green, popped in pink DiMarzios and gave it to him. Meanwhile, Jimi finally gets something worthy of the can of lighter fluid he doused a real Strat with at Monterey. God damn: I’m a historian, over here.

Link: http://nevertoolateguitar.com/2009/09/22…

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Mike Errico official site: http://www.errico.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mike-Errico/8888939428
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/Tallboy7Vids

Awesome new holiday CD?
The Christmas album that killed Christmas?
Prank?

You decide.

Preview tracks here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002P…

According to today’s Huffington Post, “Some of the world’s largest recording companies are suing “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” claiming producers violated their copyrights by playing more than 1,000 songs without permission.”

It’s just an allegation, and if Jon Gosselin has taught us anything, it’s not to… wait. He hasn’t taught us anything. But on behalf of people who make their living getting paid making music, Ellen, please tell us you’re paying for the music you’re playing on your wacky show.

If not, I can only hope that hell will look like you sitting trapped at a desk, listening to one horrifying singer after another, for all eternity. Oh wait, that’s going to be your life. Never mind. We’re even.

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Mike Errico official site: http://www.errico.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mike-Errico/8888939428
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