Ryan Adams - 'Cold Roses' stream

You can stream the new Ryan Adams double LP Cold Roses on Ryan's official website. The sound quality is pretty shoddy, but you can get a nice overview of the record (out Tuesday).

I have to admit, this whole return to "classic Ryan" seems like an ill-advised step backward, but it's hard to argue with the quality of the tracks I listened to. If this is the second coming of Whiskeytown, I sure as hell won't complain.

Matador Records - Not just a record label for Pornographers

Apparently the above ad for Stephen Malkmus' new album was too hot for Paste Magazine (click to enlarge, you perv). Matador has called Paste out on their objection, a real travesty since it's probably the best record ad ever created by mankind (and I am NOT prone to bouts of overstatement). Who knew that the marketing departments of record companies, even those at Matador, were actually still good for anything?

As for Paste, well they cover a lot of music I dig, but I'm generally non-plussed by their breezy, press release-quality articles. It's not bad enough that conservative hand-wringing is infiltrating every nook and cranny of the public domain? Suck it, Paste.

Sweetass monkey butter! New New Pornographers!

You can download a new song from The New Pornographers here. Be warned - it's just a cruel tease because the album is not due until August 23.

The Return of New Music

April was a pretty dry month, but May has a slew of new music releases:

• Ryan Adams - Cold Roses (May 3)
• Aimee Mann - The Forgotten Arm (May 3)
• Spoon - Gimme Fiction (May 10)
• Lucinda Williams - Live at the Fillmore (May 10)
• Weezer - Make Believe (May 10)
• Stephen Malkmus - Face the Truth (May 24)
• The Wallflowers - Rebel, Sweetheart (May 24)

Fuckin' Idiot Alert #2

I'm surprised this guy even knows how to read:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/04/26/eveningnews/main691106.shtml

Best... DVD... Extra... EVER!

From the upcoming 'The O. C. - Season 2' DVD set, due on August 23:

"Extras will include eight takes of the kissing scene between Alex and Mischa that the network wouldn't let you see..."

...and some other crap like commentaries and gag reels. I know, I know - I'm pathetically immature.

Nerd Alert - Star Wars: Revelations

Continuing an ongoing tradition, PanicStruck Productions has released probably the most ambitious Star Wars fan film ever produced. Set just after the events of Episode III, Revelations follows the mission of a female former Jedi, who is now pursued by the Empire's allies, including Vader and other former Jedi eager to curry favor with the Emperor. Or something to that effect.

I haven't watched very much of it yet, but the production values and special effects alone make it worth checking out. You can download the entire 40-minute film in a number of formats (large QT is about 242MB). It is available from the PanicStruck site as well as a number of mirror sites.

Incidentally, Lucas apparently announced at Celebration 3 that the live action TV series in the works for 2006 will take place during a similar time frame.

Springsteen - 'Devils & Dust' (DualDisc)

Okay, okay - I NEVER have anything nice to say about major labels. But I'm gonna give Sony credit. 'Devils & Dust' has been released exclusively in DualDisc format, which includes a two-sided disc of CD audio and DVD content (including the 5.1 mix plus some other content). This used to be the kind of thing you had to fork over 25 bucks to enjoy (usually after you'd already shelled out for the CD). In fact, Sony has been one of the greatest perpetrators of the "double-dip" (i.e. releasing a "bonus DVD" four months after the fact). But they seem pretty jazzed about the DualDisc format (they've even come up with new packaging for it).

Considering I picked up 'Devils & Dust' at Circuit City for $9.99, I feel like I actually got some value added. I don't know if the world needs to hear about Bruce boning a hooker ("Reno"), but hey, you can hear it in 5.1!

Quote of the day - Barry Goldwater

I just had to post this quote, which I stole from Andrew Sullivan's site this morning:

"However, on religious issues there can be little or no compromise. There is no position on which people are so immovable as their religious beliefs. There is no more powerful ally one can claim in a debate than Jesus Christ, or God, or Allah, or whatever one calls this supreme being. But like any powerful weapon, the use of God's name on one's behalf should be used sparingly. The religious factions that are growing throughout our land are not using their religious clout with wisdom. They are trying to force government leaders into following their position 100 percent. If you disagree with these religious groups on a particular moral issue, they complain, they threaten you with a loss of money or votes or both. I'm frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in 'A,' 'B,' 'C,' and 'D.' Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me? And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate. I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of 'conservatism.'"

-Barry Goldwater, September 16, 1981

Upcoming Concert Schedule

April 23 - Wilco, Houston
May 14 - Tift Merritt, Nashville
May 15 - Rev. Horton Heat & Supersuckers, Nashville
June 25 - Spoon, Austin

DKHtown Playlist - "Here Comes Summer!" Edition

1. Let It Ride – Ryan Adams
2. Beverly Hills – Weezer
3. Blue Orchid – The White Stripes
4. Dear John – Aimee Mann
5. Fortress – Pinback
6. Hwy 5 – John Doe & Neko Case
7. Baby C’mon – Stephen Malkmus
8. Please Please Please – Fiona Apple
9. I Turn My Camera On – Spoon
10. Eve, the Apple of My Eye – Bell X1
11. Beautiful Side of Somewhere – The Wallflowers
12. Walter Reed – Michael Penn
13. Beautiful – Aimee Mann

Fuckin' Idiot Alert

"Remember the Alamo! Shoot 'em!... To show you how radical I am, I want carjackers dead. I want rapists dead. I want burglars dead. I want child molesters dead. I want the bad guys dead. No court case. No parole. No early release. I want 'em dead. Get a gun and when they attack you, shoot 'em."

-Ted Nugent at the NRA Convention in Houston this past weekend

Ah, Nuge. We're sure gonna miss ya now that you've gone back home to your bunker or whatever. But I promise that if I ever get half a chance, I'll shoot you. Just so you can shoot back.

Tom DeLay just continues to choose good company.

Spoon me, please!

The hype machine kicked into high gear this week when Merge Records released the first official (and hey, free!) MP3 from Spoon's forthcoming LP Gimme Fiction. I've already seen several print articles and read a few Britt Daniel interviews online because, let's face it, every music geek on the planet has wet himself (or, er, herself - just kidding) 11 times already just thinking about this album. It was originally supposed to be named after the first track "The Beast and Dragon, Adored" but apparently that was just a cruel tease that has me still cleaning the spooge out of my authentic whiskered denims. Nevertheless, Gimme Fiction is a groovy title, and the album cover is predictably awe-inspiring, and "I Turn My Camera On" is just so perfect and Britt Daniel has such neat hair and... oh, but I digress.

May 10, bitches. Don't talk to me that day.

NRA: Get the fuck out of my town...

... and take that prick Wayne LaPierre with you. The annual NRA convention is in Houston this weekend. Keynote speaker? Tom DeLay. 'Nuff said.

That's Hot - week ending 4/9

1. John Doe - Forever Hasn't Happened Yet
   I continue to be charmed by the sheer simplicity of this record - 32 minutes of Doe's brand of rock 'n' roll.
2. Josh Rouse - Irving Plaza, New York
   I'm heading there this weekend to catch Josh in NYC. Rawk on!
3. Music from the O.C.: Mix 4
   I downloaded the whole damn thing for this groovy little import tune by Bell X1, but you know the rest of it is creamy goodness.
4. "Black Tambourine" by Beck
   Track du jour by his royal Beck-ness.
5. Lava Reflection Darth Vader (Target exclusive action figure)
   This little rip-off from Hasbro ($12.99?!?) is now flying off the eBay shelves for up to 50 bucks. Maybe my little buddy needs a new home.

Tift Merritt Update

I was a little shocked to find out that Tift Merritt appeared in the April issue of FHM Magazine as part of their Women of Country Music feature. Bizarre it may seem, but I thought her photo (above) was nice and not a bit skanky (unlike some of her, ahem, country music sisters). Of course, isn't time to quit referring to Tift Merritt as a "country" artist? Anyway, any press is good press, right?

In other Tift news, there are a couple of exclusive acoustic performances available for purchase from MSN Music and Napster respectively. Word of warning: these will all download in Windows Media proprietary format. So if you're an iPod devotee (like me) you'll have to burn them to CD, then re-import them as either MP3 or AAC formats. I'll spare you my rant on that topic for now. There's an additional exclusive performance available on SonyConnect, but I haven't downloaded that yet (just how many media players can my PC handle?).

Finally, Tift will be winding up her tour supporting Tambourine soon. I'm actually thinking of traveling to Nashville to catch her at The Mercy Lounge. Her full tour schedule is updated on her website.