Grant Manship

Daytrotter Sessions - Grizzly Bear

Grizzly Bear's much anticipated Daytrotter session is now avalaible so get over there and check out the band's story and free songs!

Beirut - Elephant Gun

iTunes Song Suggestion of the Day - Apr. 27th, 2007

The White Stripes - "Icky Thump" from Icky Thump - Single

YACHT ON A YACHT

YACHT's third album, I Believe In You. Your Magic is Real. will be released on May 8th via Marriage Records.  May 5th will serve as the day for what will certainly be an excellent CD release party.  YACHT will perform in Portland, OR on an actual yacht as it cruises around the Willamette River.  You can get all the details about the party after the jump.  Check out a new MP3 from the album right now!

• YACHT - "So Post All 'Em" from I Believe In You. Your Magic is Real
  

Feist - 1234

New Shapes and Sizes

Here are a couple of tracks off of the new Shapes and Sizes album, Split Lips, Winning Hips, A Shiner.  The album is due in stores May 22nd thanks to the good people at Asthmatic Kitty.

• Shapes and Sizes - "Alone/Alive" from Split Lips, Winning Hips, A Shiner
• Shapes and Sizes - "Head Movin'" from Split Lips, Winning Hips, A Shiner

Hear NIN's "Capital G" at exterminal.net/

I mentioned in my review of NIN's Year Zero about a web address that was discovered in the binary code that's visible once the CD is heated.  The web address in question is www.exterminal.net.  If you go to the site and click the <Classified> link a drop-down appears that lists another link entitled, inmate-exhibitA (36 MB).  If you click that link you'll find a version of "Capital G".  You can hear it below:

• Nine Inch Nails - "Capital G" from Year Zero

Favorite New Release of the Week - Apr. 17th, 2007

Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero

Lately, it seems like there's been an endless amount of press focusing on the potentially bleak outlook our world is facing.  Maybe the press got advanced copies of Year Zero and have aligned themselves with Trent Reznor's vision of the future in this extremely dense concept album.  It tells the story of an Orwellian society where the separation of Church and State no longer exists, a totalitarian government is using society's fear of terrorism to advocate their power, and a drug called Parepin has been added to the water supply to assist with mind control.  While writing this I realized that certain aspects of the story aren't that different from our current reality.  Maybe that explains that odd taste I've noticed in the drinking water.

The concept for the album isn't the only thing that's complex or innovative.  The actual disc itself is covered in a thermo-chrome lacquer.  The mostly black disc will turn white when heated to reveal lines, blocks, the copyright notice, and a string of binary code that translates into a web address where more of the story concerning Year Zero can be uncovered. 

Musically, the material on this album ranks as some of the best in the NIN catalog.  The songs are a manifestation of the anger and frustration that is felt as someone  grows tired of watching their world senselessly collapse around them.  Year Zero is Trent Reznor's way of saying, "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore."  The lyrics tell the story of life during Year Zero through the eyes of people living it and, as I alluded to earlier, mirror several of today's issues.  "Capital G", probably my favorite track on the record, is a less than flattering narrative from the viewpoint of a member of the totalitarian leader's constituency.  With lyrics like "I pushed a button and elected him to office and a/he pushed a button and it dropped a bomb" and "Well I used to stand for something/now I'm on my hands and knees/traded in my god for this one/he signs his name with a capital G"  it's not too difficult to figure out who inspired the song.

With the ever present comparison of the war in Iraq to Vietnam and the general discontent with the current administration, daily life has been rife with material for artists to pen protest songs.  That being said, Trent Reznor didn't stop with just one song, he's written an entire, blistering album to voice his dissatisfaction with the way things are going.  After listening to Year Zero, you'll be more than ready to get up and join the fight too.

Buy Year Zero at: iTunes | Amazon | Insound

Secretly Canadian Celebrates 100th Release

Secretly Canadian's 100th album, appropriately titled SC100, is set to be released on April 24th, 2007.

Three years in the making, the album features 18 Secretly Canadian artists covering a couple of their fellow label mates' songs.  Any artist who issued a record from SC01 (June Panic, "Glory Hole") to SC99 (Swearing at Motorists, "Last Night Becomes This Morning") was eligible to appear on the album.  The songs each artist covered were determined by the very precise and scientific method of drawing them out of a hat.  SC100 is a two disc set, with the second disc being available only from your favorite digital download store.

A big congrats to the fine folks at Secretly Canadian for all they've accomplished over the last 11 years.

• Nikki Sudden - "See(ing) Double" from SC100 [June Panic Cover]
• Dave Fischoff - "Abilene" from SC100 [Damien Jurado Cover]
• Marmoset - "Black Cab" outtake from SC100 [Jens Lekman Cover]

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. - R.I.P.

November, 11 1922 - April 11, 2007