Wet Gossip | Music Blog

Gummy Awards 2008: Great Video Contenders

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:31:00 +0000

By opening the polls yesterday to the most important vote of 2008, we understandably set off a firestorm of doubt, unrest, and confusion: Best Video Of The Year? But who remembers all the videos? Well we remember all the videos. That’s because we blog. It’s understandable that if you don’t spend your days resizing YouTube embed codes, you might not remember every video to hit the internet this year. Also it’s understandable that if you’ve been on the internet this year, you’ve come to think of most “indie”-oriented videos as cheaply constructed, transparently press-cycle-extending promo material. HOWEVER I think you’re being a little cynical and depressed about this whole thing, and someone has to win this category, and really at the end of the year there were a few clips worth remembering. To help jog the brains, here’s 11 that, while maybe not the best, might remind you of the [...]

Breaking: Jazmine Sullivan

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:35:59 +0000

Who: Philadelphia soul singer Jazmine Sullivan, who at the age of 21 has already gained fans like Kanye West, duetted with Stevie Wonder and released her first album Fearless.
Sounds Like: Sullivan’s voice recalls both Mary J. Blige and Lauryn Hill, and on the Missy Elliott-produced Fearless, Sullivan jumps from roots reggae on “Need U Bad” to the girl group sound of “One Night Stand” to the Winehouse-esque “Bust Your Windows,” a song that made Kanye West proclaim on his blog “This is my favorite song right now!!!”
Vital Stats:

New Glasvegas Video - “Please Come Back Home”

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:23:00 +0000

It was Glasvegas’ drummer Caroline McKay who made it to 10 on NME’s 2008 Cool List, but that doesn’t stop vocalist James Allan from wearing sunglasses at night. Of course, everyone’s cool in this one. The imagery’s atmospheric, autumnal, dark. You see dead leaves, a concerted choir, and lots of colorful lights punctuating the black backdrop. The video’s for the depressing, but anthemic “Please Come Back Home” from the Scottish quartet’s forthcoming “mini-album” A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like A Kiss).

New Franz Ferdinand - “Ulysses” (Radio Rip)

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:39:00 +0000

For those paying attention It’s been a long wait to get a followup to You Could Have It So Much Better. Last Monday we had a fan-constructed version of Tonight: Franz Ferdinand’s “Ulysses,” which was made using the stems available for Beatport’s FF remix competition. It’s no surprise that the real version isn’t as melted or warped sounding. (Still, bummer.) “Ulysses,” the real, debuted on NME radio today and someone made a rip. It’s funky. A bit Spoon-y in its rhythm. And, yes, it sounds very FF, too.

Kanye Claims Self-Defense

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 19:26:00 +0000

West has blogged about the circumstances of his arrest in a long, all caps post titled WHO’S WINNING, ME OR THE MEDIA? He claims that he didn’t assault anyone (probably true), that paparazzi should be illegal (perhaps), and that he is not a celebrity, just “a normal person that’s famous” (huh?). Read the whole thing here squid brains.

Blake Schwarzenbach Has A New Band

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:36:00 +0000

It’s called the Thorns Of Life. They’re referencing Shelley. And it’s not just Blake: The ex-Jawbreaker/Jets To Brazil frontman has come out of retirement (though I’m guessing he’s still teaching classes at CUNY) and is joined by Aaron Cometbus (!) on drums and Daniela Sea from The L Word on bass. I’ve never watched The L Word so I can’t vouch for Sea, but Schwarzenbach’s one of my favorite lyricists ever and Jawbreaker remains one of my favorite bands, a band I still listen to regularly (yes, even Dear You).
Additionally, in my opinion, there was no better zine than Cometbus. DIY Kerouac. (Plus, Aaron also played drums in Crimpshrine, Pinhead Gunpowder, etc.). When I was a youngster that zine inspired me madly as did Jawbreaker, so this is momentous. (I bet Craig Finn, who’s mentioned the influence Schwarzenbach’s had on him, is just as excited). Thorns Of Life played [...]

Taylor Swift

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:58:57 +0000

With her homespun charm, curly golden locks, and prodigious gift for songwriting, Taylor Swift is one of youngest Nashville newcomers to capture a national audience in years. When she was just 16, Swift’s first big single, “Tim McGraw,” peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard country chart and held a spot in the top 10 for months. On the single’s success, Swift joined the ranks of teenage country queens like Tanya Tucker, Marie Osmond and LeAnn Rimes, who all charted as teenagers. Unlike those young chart-toppers, Swift wrote the song herself. Born in Wyomissing, Penn., in 1989, Swift began playing guitar at 12, and moved outside of Nashville with her family as a teen, and debuted at the Bluebird Cafe famed songwriter showcase. Her self-titled debut album, issued in October 2006, spawned a handful of radio hits such as “Tim McGraw,” “Our Song” and “Picture to Burn,” all of which [...]

Phish - At The Roxy

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:30:46 +0000

Artist:
Phish
Review:
Recorded in 1993 during a three-night run in Atlanta, this
mammoth eight-disc box captures Phish right when they were putting
a spit-shine polish on the live improvisation that would make them
kings of the Nineties jam-band scene. At the Roxy is a must-have
for one reason: the second show on February 20th, where Phish
unleashed their most experimental set to date. On Disc Five,
guitarist Trey Anastasio, keyboardist Page McConnell, bassist Mike
Gordon and drummer Jon Fishman play for 60 nonstop…

Rating:
4 Stars

Preview Killers’ Day & Age

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:10:00 +0000

After aping Springsteen and Bono, Brandon Flowers allegedly set out to write like Arctic Monkeys and MGMT for LP3. Day & Age doesn’t sound like those bands, but the vibe is more fun (thanks in part to producer Stuart Price) than that of meaningfulcore Sam’s Town. At least based on thirty second samples of each song. A true evaluation would be premature even for us, but for the impatient a single stream of ten song snippets awaits.

Hype Monitor: She Keeps Bees, Fredrik and Kissey Asplund

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:40:21 +0000

Photo:Adriana Jovanovic
Every week, Hype Monitor wades through the most buzzed-about bands all across the Internet.

The Band: She Keeps Bees
The Buzz: Dark rock from Brooklyn that recalls Rid of Me-era PJ Harvey, ignited by the rich, soulful vocals of Jess Larrabee.
Listen If: You’re a teeth grinder or a fist shaker, or you like the sound of grimy, primal blues.
Key Track: “Gimmie,” where Larrabee pours her rich voice over a grizzled guitar strum.

The Band: Fredrik
The Buzz: Swedish collective disappears into the woods, writes airy songs built from thumping percussion and fluttering acoustic guitars.
Listen If: You’re looking for the perfect soundtrack for a long hike in a dark woods.
Key Track: “Black Fur,” a lonesome, loping number boasting a gently pleading vocal melody.

The Band: Kissey Asplund
The Buzz: Swedish soul singer — really! — whose eccentricities make Erykah Badu look like Roberta Flack.
Listen If: You have a hard time believing there’s such [...]