It's been a long fucking time. The best band of 5 years ago have decided to grace us with their epic indie presence. I have been worried that Win Butler and Regine Chassagne had settled into the good life, bought an old church, some sheep and set about growing an amazing veggie patch in the outskirts of Montreal. Thankfully there must be some tension in there life that has permitted for them and their thousands of members/friends to record something.
This will be the first full length release since Neon Bible, which much like The Killers Sam's Town echoed the more earnest works of Bruce Springsteen. Where The Killers went for the dancing in the dark catchy pop era of Springsteen, The Arcade Fire connected more with the Nebraska period, Atlantic City styled moody but concerned Springsteen. I'm excited, their live shows when the live sound permits for all 400 members to be heard are epic, grandiose and beautiful.
In unsurprising reports about the album it will feature "more upbeat" songs and "include a harpsi-chord as well as the bands usual heavy-orchestral string arrangements, played by Julliard-trained string players." It's also being produced by Neon Bible producer Markus Dravs who most recently worked on Coldplays U2'ish experiment in wankery Viva La Vida.
Although these are all rumor's and nothing has been formally announced by the band i still have hope.
To get you all excited is The Arcade Fire live in a Elevator.
The swine flu outbreak has put the kibosh on the planned Cornelius/Deerhoof tour. Originally those dates went right through the hot zones in Southern California and Mexico. Hypochondriac travel restrictions have made the trans-Mexico leg logistically impossible. The bands intend to reschedule in 2010, unless we all die in a pandemic.
Jamie Jasta is not dead. Hatebreed's is dropping a new album, “For The Lions " May 5th through Koch Records. The album was finished in 2008, but the band took a second pass at the recordings with original guitar player Wayne Lozinak to record a some additional tracks. The result is an 18-song hardcore opus.
Dsico has made a whole album of material available for free download here. Entitled "The Aborted Album" the work is a collection songs recorded between 2006 and 2007. Dsico explained "I suppose I've been a bit busy with other things... Rather than simply let them languish on a hard-drive I thought I might as well put them out." Jose loves that enthusiasm.
Coldplay announced last week that they will be giving away a live album beginning May 15th. The album titled LeftRightLeftRightLeft will be available at concerts for all of 2009 and the rest of the year and via digital download on Coldplay.com. That first tour date is in West Palm Beach with Pete Yorn and the Howling Bells.
Pink has come out of the closet and admitted publicly that she is bisexual. This not news to Jose at all except that it sort of implies that Carey Hart might actually be a man.
Good Charlotte vocalist Joel Madden had a problem at Heathrow Airport with a British Airways flight. Madden was not allowed to board because he had tattoos. He was told he had to cover up all of his tattoos before he could board the fight. Madden complied. Later British airways released the statement: "British Airways does not have a policy against tattoos. We don't understand why the employee took it upon himself to enforce regulations that don't exist."
Sludgy metal fiends The Matador have signed a deal with Imagine It Records. they will be releasing a new 5-song EP "Bad Day For A Snake" on June 06th. You can visit their website here. Or you can skip right to downloading their 2008 demo here.
Last week at a ceremony, the Kennedy Center uncharacteristically bestowed honors on a number of musicians. The honorees included The Who, George Jones, and Barbra Streisand. The conjunction of the three is considered to be a harbinger of the apocalypse. The Who are the first tock band to be regaled with the honor. Actor Jack Black introduced the legendary British band at the Washington, DC Opera House. José would have enjoyed it better if Tenacious Dhad performed.
Coldplay has issued a flat denial to accusations of copyright infringement last week. Guitarist Joe Santriani had accused them of stealing some of his work and using it in the single 'Viva La Vida'. Their statement read in part: "If there are any similarities between our two pieces of music, they are entirely coincidental, and just as surprising to us as to him. Joe Satriani is a great musician, but he did not write the song 'Viva La Vida.”
ABC has announced the lineup this year's Dick Clark New Year's Eve special. The painfully wholesome Jonas Brothers and Taylor Swift will be headlining and Ryan Seacrest will be hosting. Also performing will be Natasha Bedingfield, Fall Out Boy, Jesse McCartney, Ne-Yo, and the Pussycat Dolls. José will be going to bed early.
Ben Harper is heading out on tour with a new band, Relentless7. The blues-rock act has booked a score of club dates leading up to their debut album, White Lies For Dark Times in May 2009. José expects this will be like the late career change that Henry Rollins made from Prog-rock to cock-rock.
The line up for Barack Obama's inaugural ball has been top secret until this week. So far we have learned that Ludacris and Big Boi will appear at one event place in Washington D.C. Other rumored performers include David Banner, Bobby Valentino, Lil Jon, T-Pain, Cedric the Entertainer, the Cheetah Girls, Fantasia and Monica, as well as a number of NBA stars. Jose was hoping for Chuck Berry.
Julien's Auctions has put up Michael Jackson's famous sequined white glove. The bidding begins April 21st, 2009. The glove, was first seen in his 1983 video for Jackson's hit "Billie Jean." The world-renowned chomo plans to donate a portion of the proceeds to the charity MusiCares. The rest he will spend on cabaña boys.
Former CCR front man John Fogerty is wrapping up in the studio and will be releasing The Return of the Blue Ridge Ranger in 2009. The album serves as a sequel to his 1973 album Blue Ridge Rangers. Fogerty is also putting out Comin' Down the Road, a documentary DVD about his life and career.Did anybody else think this guy was dead?
Jose would like to point out that he was wrong two weeks ago: R. Kelly was acquitted this week. This means that it is in fact ok to pee on your 13-year-old groupies and even to video tape it. Lo siento, go forth and be free my urophilic companeros.
Village idiot Nicole LaScalia (no relation to Justice Scalia) is suing Mudvayne, Clear Channel, Korn and Live Nation over a concert injury. On March 8, 2006 LaScalia fractured her leg at the KBPI Birthday Bash. Clear Channel has called the suit “frivolous.” Korn’s management only stated that they “cannot comment further on the suit as it is a legal matter.” Lawyers take all the fun out of a good story.
Black Box Revelation, will begin their first US tour this month. The Belgium-based band only will be in the states long enough to hit the highlights: New York, LA, San Diego, etc. They’ll spend the rest of the time pimping their new album, Set Your Head On Fire. I’ll warn you now these little twerps are all in high school but they also rock like the Stooges.
Scott Weiland and Eric Kretz of Stone Temple Pilots are being sued by their label, Atlantic Records. Atlantic states that Weiland and Kretz owe the label three more album. Members Dean and Robert DeLeo, dropped by Atlantic in 2003, are not named in the suit. If the U.S. third circuit court of appeals can sort this out, the product would be the band’s first album since 2001.
Chris Martin of Coldplay turns out to be a whiney bitch. He stormed out of an interview with John Wilson for BBC Radio 4's cultural arts program, Front Row, after only 9 minutes. Bandmate Will Champion stayed behind to complete the interview. Wilson asked a softball question about the title Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. Martin began crying and stormed out of the studio. Jose sees a future blurb about rehab.
Metallica played an all-classics set at Bonnaroo Friday night presaging their next release. The band has said repeatedly in interviews that it will be a return to their 1980s thrash roots. The album, apparently dubbed Death Magnetic, is due for release in September.
Kanye West didn’t make the same impression. Instead he was two hours late irritating the concert-goers. YouTube is now hosting several dozen grainy videos of the crowd chanting "Kanye sucks" and pelting the empty stage with glow sticks. I didn’t even make up the glow sticks thing. Hippies really do that.
Alanis Morissette got dumped again; do we get to look forward to another album of girl-angst? Ex-boyfriend Ryan Reynolds ditched her for Scarlett Johansson (can’t fault him there.) Sadly the new album released this week seems to be another 12 songs of Buddhist mumbling about peace and harmony. Hunt that girl down! Jose wants to see a catfight!
Three summers ago, I was all over X&Y. When Coldplay dropped that record, it got plays non stop. Almost every song was good, dark, different, even the overplayed "Speed Of Sound," the album's lead off single, was bearable.
Since then, the band toured the world numerous times, I think Chris Martin and Gwenyth Paltrow had another baby, and they hunkered down with the legendary Brian Eno to record their fourth album, Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends. Will this be their Joshua Tree, that remains to be seen, but we will get our first chance to see what exactly went down in the studio when the band gives away their new single, "Violet Hill," for one week only beginning tomorrow at 6:15 AM EST. Will it be a landmark recording? Will it be the greatest thing ever? Will it just be another Coldplay song? We will all know this time tomorrow.
On the touring front, the band only has two shows on the horizon, and they are both free. The band will play the Brixton Academy in London on Monday June 16th, and Madison Square Garden in NYC on Monday June 23. Stay tuned to their site for info on how to get your free tickets.
Viva La Tracklisting 01 Life in Technicolor 02 Cemeteries of London 03 Lost! 04 42 05 Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love 06 Yes 07 Viva la Vida 08 Violet Hill 09 Strawberry Swing 10 Death and All His Friends
Download Audio/Video Tracklisting
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