A Very Aqua Teen Hunger Force Christmas at Daytrotter

This image is all you need to see...

STREAM IT AT Daytrotter BY CLICKING THE PIC!

O&A Records Should Sign Mustard

The 'O' in this case is for Opie and the 'A' is for Anthony...the massively popular morning radio show hosts who have been turning ears for years now. (You've probably seen their yellow "WOW" stickers on car windows without even noticing. Hell I have one on my back bumper)

Their antics have always been borderline absurd - landing them more often than not in some hot water - but their goal was obvious...to entertain.

So what better way to do that than to pull a homeless street musician named Mustard into the studio and perform on the show!

Here's the thing, Mustard is genuinely talented! As displayed here, performing an awesome rendition of, "Creep" by Radiohead.

Is This Guy For Real of the Day?

This is apparently an Australian rapper.

I'm hoping this is just a joke, but I have a sad, sad feeling it's an attempt at being serious.

Either way, it's sure to put a smile on your dull Tuesday face.

Alvin Band - "Tijuana"

This song is off of the incredible, "Mantis Preying" album.

I know, I just did an Alvin Band post only a few weeks ago...so I won't go into detail. It's just, since first spinning the album it has been sticking to my ribs like a hearty Thanksgiving meal. I feel it long after it's over.
(Similar to the way Yeasayer made me feel with "Sunrise" or Fool's Gold with "Surprise Hotel".)

Except this is more...Animal Collective meets The Flaming Lips IMO.

Either way, here's the track TIJUANA.

Couldn't find it anywhere so decided to bring the heat myself...its great.

The Happy Chanukah Song

Just wishing everyone a happy holiday...as Chanukah is underway and we're just a few weeks from Christmas!

Now I know what you're thinking. "Here comes the Adam Sandler classic, The Chanukah Song. Hasn't this gimmick been played out yet?"

Well the answer is quite frankly...NO, it hasn't. That's a great song...but I'm not going to post it here.

NO

Instead I'll post the newly created animated version sung by none other than...NEIL DIAMOND. (I'm not kidding)

Hilarious Gaming Video of the Day: The Tetris God

Yet another original College Humor video...this one related to the video game we all know, love, and have been obsessed with at some point in our lives...TETRIS

Brilliant...a must watch.

Video Game Music Motherload

YouTube user "SilvaGunner" has been uploading for the past 2 weeks the Theme songs, cut scenes, and bonus sounds of all the great major video games. He's seperated each game out into it's own playlist, so you can browse all the sounds of your favorite game with a few swift clicks.

That said, he is either one of two things:

1) Making a lot of calls to gaming development companies to license their music

2) A bad ass on the lam for making in game music publicly availbale via YouTube.

I'm no lawyer, but there has to be something illegal with this.
(Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong in the comments)

Nor am I snitch...so check out his YouTube page now before everything is brought down to a crushing end. FATALITY!

http://www.youtube.com/user/SilvaGunner

A Very Bob Dylan Christmas

Here's the video for "Little Drummer Boy" off of Dylan's newly released album of Christmas music, "Christmas In The Heart" It's very well done and sticks to the more traditional side of the song (as opposed to say the video for "Must Be Santa" which is just...out there and awesome)



Some great stuff is coming out of this album and its getting a lot of good praise. Equal parts classic and works re-created by the master himself.

Pick it up in time for the holidays wherever good music is sold...or skip the lines and grab it from an e-tailer HERE!


-- PS: I've been in search of a new job...so if you're wondering why posts are few and far between well...now you know. Aiden Sparrow...could you pick up some of my slack?! Mike? BUELLER!?

Greg Pattillo Is The Beat Boxing Ian Anderson

This is great and requires incredible talent.

Greg Pattillo is clearly a gifted flautist...that said his beat boxing skills are pretty impressive as well.

Put all of that together, in a hotel room when he's bored and alone and you get this awesome video:

Give You That Friday Feeling!

Don't really have anything to say here.

I'm happy it's Friday. I'll be catching the 3rd and final Phish show tonight at MSG.

The first night was incredible.
The second night was jammed the F out.
...the rest lies only a few hours away.

Enjoy this great clip of the Grateful Dead performing, "New Speedway Boogie"
I believe this is during the Festival Express.

NOTE: this song will make you feel like a bad ass. Seriously, listen to it as you walk through a crowded city...see that it don't put a little bad ass in your step.



(OK i really only wrote this post because I wanted to say "bad ass"..it's a fun couple of words)

Kill The Rest of Your Day: Continuity

CONTINUITY

Continuity is probably one of the simplest flash based games I've ever played. At the same time, it presents rather challenging puzzles using a "sliding tile" mechanic that I'm not sure has ever been using in a platformer before.

You owe yourself to play this so:

Click here to play Continuity

Tiger Woods Voicemail Slow Jam

I've tried not to mention the whole Tiger Woods scandal going on right now here on the blog.

This video by the crew over at the blog 'Half Day Today' takes the voicemail Tiger left with his mistress and mashes it with a nice R&B slow jam.

What comes out is nothing short of awesome...I'm looking forward to seeing how Mr. Woods can redeem this whole situation.

Finding creative ways to do something shirtless...

A very odd but skilled cutting of audio and video to create music. The song is originally by Muse and is called Knights of Cydonia. I would probably enjoy watching this more if the man had just done it with a shirt on.

Anyways... for your entertainment:

Thanks to Gisellita for the find.

The future is now! And it's coming to a dance floor near you...

The times they are a'changing. These days those words couldn't be more true. In the past 20 years there has been such an exponential leap in technology that its almost unbelievable. In 1998 if you had told me in 10 years you will have a wireless broadband iPod that acts like a mini PC in your pocket, that can play 3d games, play movies and read voice commands I would have laughed. At the time I was working off of a monochrome cell phone with an indigo screen and text messaging was a new tech.

Flash 10 years later and we are now witnessing the signs of a robot renaissance. A time to come when we will coexist with automated beings that can match and even perfect our movements. Whether this will lead to an altogether scary apocalypse (a la The Matrix) or to a hilarious non-stop dance party (a la Manoi Go) is something only time can tell. Until then enjoy the various leaps in robotic technology demonstrated below.

Manoi Go - My robot likes to party all the time, party all the time...


Amazing show of technical perfection in breakdancing. So many moves were demonstrated! Imagine Manoi Go partying day and night. Think about those awkward parties where no one wants to be the first on the dance floor (until you have had a couple beverages). Just ask Manoi Go to get the party started. Throw on his patented "Manoi Go Theme Song" and get ready for the wildest night of your life.

Unfortunately the next two robots are less hilarious and more of a sign of an apocalypse. Watch as they practice their hunting skills: perfecting their running and learning how to ride vehicles to make them more efficient. If it weren't for the peace-promoting moves of Manoi Go I would say way have a grim future in store. But until then...Manoi Go!

Asimo Bot Running


Robot Riding Bike

Reality TV Pitch of The Day: "Celebrity Bowling"

CELEBRITY BOWLING

Thought of this on Sunday as I was sitting around watching football.
I think its gold...PURE gold.

Think about all the other lame "Celebrity" reality shows out there.

Now take two celebrities. Let's go with John Goodman and Bill Murray (For some semi-obvious reasons, they both jumped out at me...sorry Jeff Bridges/Mr. Harrelson)

Just like a regular bowling matchup. 2 guys, joking around, maybe having a few drinks. Talking to the crowd, the announcers, the viewers at home. Telling jokes...

Bowling is just a good natured fun "sport" and I think a simple tweak like adding a celebrity would pull in great ratings, not to mention the other crap you could do. Prizes, trick shots, etc.

Got a show idea? Post it in the comments...

Watch Out For: The Contribution

Good news for fans of live music and the extended jam.

There's a new act on the block called, "The Contribution"

The lineup is a stellar list of musicians spanning a number of different, established bands:

Railroad Earth's Tim Carbone on violin/vocals, New Monsoon's Jeff Miller on guitar/vocals and Phil Ferlino on keys/vocals, and String Cheese Incident's Keith Mosely on bass/vocals and Jason Hann on drums.

Be sure to keep an eye on their website HERE for updates and hopefully tour info.

Even with their busy schedules, there are plans for a few live shows and they've already released a video of their first single "Come Around". (Check it below, its double A a-awesome!)

The Muppets Cover Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody"

NO KIDDING!! This is possibly one of the greatest non-meme vids to grace the internet in quite sometime.

This is a BRAND NEW music video put together by the one and only Muppet Studios and was posted on their YouTube page only a few days ago.

SO GOOD!!

The Creepiest Thing You Will See All Month

No words to describe this.

Furthermore, it's only listed on a few websites and the creator (or most likely 'surreal artist') is still unknown.

Warning, do not attempt to watch before going to bed!



Anyone with ANY idea or information on this...please put me at ease.

WFMU Comes Across A Mystery CD

If ever a time seemed right for me seriously use "WTF!?" this is it.

This is a story posted last week on the WFMU Radio blog by Swan Fungus.
(WFMU is a radio station at 91.1 FM in Jersey City, NJ)

It's a lot easier to head over there and read it, but too wrap it up in a nutshell and get you intrigued:

The author was hiking in California's, "Joshua Tree National Park"...a park that spans almost 800,000 acres of desert.

While hiking, the author found a CD (inside of an old floppy disc, inside of a plastic bag...) with an odd message on the cover and yes, I kid you not, a treasure map.

Upon listening to the CD, they found 11 tracks of odd noises, breathing, guitars, and voices. Some sort of sound like music, while others just sound like ethereal noises or background chatter.

There was an e-mail address listed , but no replies have been returned.
When the CD was put into itunes, the track names were revealed, but the artist came up as, "???".

Anyways, be sure to hit the jump off and get in on this mystery!
CLICK HERE

Hopefully with the help of the interweb, this case will be cracked.

UPDATE 1 "What We know so far"-
News of this "mystery CD" is spreading around the internet. A lot of message boards/forums pretty much ignoring this as someone trying to get free publicity for their band or something.

Either way, it's still fun to join in the hunt. So here's what we've figured out so far.

The e-mail address was: andernestborgnineasdominic@gmail.com

This refers to the television series Airwolf...which starred Ernest Borgnine as Dominic.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086662/

On Track 3 ("Long Stem Road") - we hear what is clearly reversed sound. I re-reversed, and...it's pretty much nothing.
You can hear, "beep bop doo doo doo" and then you'll hear a male voice say, "To me I suck"

On Track 7 ("Monied vs. Landed") - we are treated to a quote:
"When you have lost yourself in the wasteland of unending nothingness, the night things will come."
Turns out, thanks to Amazon, this is an excerpt from the book, "Necronomicon: The Wanderings of Alhazred)"
[http://www.amazon.com/Necronomicon-Wanderings-Alhazred-Donald-Tyson/dp/product-description/0738706272 ]
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necronomicon

Update 2 "MetaFilter to the rescue" -

The metafilter community picked up on the story and immediately jumped into action.
http://www.metafilter.com/86940/The-Crazy-World-of-andernestborgnineasdominic

As I mentioned, the initial 100 or so posts are all pretty much skeptical of the whole thing, which I understand but...it's TUESDAY, have some fun!

user 'pla' posted two GREAT points:

1. The tracks have number and "of" tags, suggesting twelve tracks with #9 missing (the ninth track on the site, "Gloomsday", identifies itself as track #10).
2. The 12th track (11th as listed) identifies the band as "Musky Taint" and the album as "Tres Mellow", from 2006. It also identifies the artists as "Evan: tremelo, Ilya: Delay, Dan: bass, Ken: Drums". A quick Google search for various combinations of those turns up nothing very promising.

User 'yoyo_nyc' took this information and of course Googled it, which brought up THIS SITE as pretty much the ONLY result.

It's a blog post from 3 years ago (2006) on a blog titled...gulp...get this:

SWAN FUNGUS

Do me a favor and scroll up to the original post I made...who did I give credit to on the WFMU site for finding the mystery CD? (If you don't want to scroll, the user was, "Swan Fungus".

DING DING, looks like we have a winner, and in this case...unfortunately it appears to be some shameless self promotion. This whole thing was like a musical version of the "Balloon Boy" hoax.

Well, that was fun while it lasted!

"Ultimate Hogan" is Ultimately Awesome

This one is making the rounds on the web today.

There appears to be a website where the entire thing started:

http://ultimatehogan.com/

On the page we simply get an embedded YouTube video along with the name of the mastermind behind the whole thing: Erik Gustafsson, an Interactive Art Director out of Sweden

That's about all I know and really that's about all that makes sense. After watching it, I still have some questions...mainly about that last scene. (WTF is it? WTF is it from?)



Other than that, this is PURE genius

Great Sound of the Day: "Alvin Band"

*Note: No chipmunks were mentioned/harmed in this post. *

Alvin Band is a trip to listen to...plain and simple. A musical journey that finds the listener completely controlled and in the hands of Rick Alvin Schaier.

Schaier created the entire album in a friends bathroom using little more than a microphone and a Powerbook. As you might imagine, what came out this are 9 songs of incredible vocal compositions, not far off from the freak folk/indie sound we get from bands like Animal Collective, Grizzly Bear and Panda Bear. The album titled, "Mantis Preying" released this September and I'm finding it to be a GREAT car companion especially during these cold Fall and Winter months.

Below you can check out the official video for, "Temple Pressure" which is off the Mantis Preying album. Alvin Band have also released a 6-song EP known as, "Lady Portrait" and thats all. So Mr. Schaier, the people demand...more, more, more!

Alvin Band - "Temple Pressure"


Schaier is also drums/vocals for the band, "Miniature tigers", whom are getting nationwide attention thanks to solid reviews from Rolling Stone and Spin magazine.

~ check them out too!

The Ham Fights Back at Paula Deen

Upon first viewing you'll laugh.

Upon the 100th viewing you'll be hysterical.

I can't stop watching this clip of Paula Deen getting hit in the face by a turkey ham.

With each viewing, I see or hear something hilariously new.

Kick Off the Holiday Week Properly

Animal Collective's new EP, "Fall Be Kind" is set to release officially on December 8th, 2009. That said, we'eve already heard a few fantastic tracks off the album, released as singles or from live playings.

Here's their song, "What Would I Want? Sky" (Rated by pitchfork the rare 10...they do admittedly love their AC over there. Hey, so do we!)

Here we have Animal Collective at their very best, taking trippy percussion/blipping guitars and transforming them into into an indie pop jam with a very distinct AC timing.

Even bigger: The song features a sample from the Grateful Dead's, "Unbroken Chain"...the first ever legally cleared sample from the band EVER.

Cannot wait to pick up this bad boy!

Garcia Rips the Banjo

Stumbled across this great rehearsal session with Jerry on banjo.

I was looking for a live version of him and Grisman performing 'Shady Grove' couldn't on YouTube thoguh. Anyone know if such a thing exists?! Hit me up!

First Track off the New Animal Collective EP Released

Check it out! Press play on the video below to stream, "Graze"...the first song off the new "Fall Be Kind" EP to be released to the public.

It's truly awesome. Listen in it's entirety...the 3:00 mark is Animal Collective at their usual greatness. Can't wait to pickup a solid copy.



Comes out in early December (around the 8th)....

Here's a link to pre-order it off Amazon.

The Top 'Best of the Decade' Lists

The end of the year always brings about "Top Album" and "Top Track" lists. Counting down the artists and the songs that were stuck in our head for 12 months. (Or if you're tastes are like mine, I remember my favorite tracks of 2008 cropped up late, November-ish.)

As we approach the end of 2009 however, the lists become extra epic. No longer "Best of the Year" but now... "BEST OF THE DECADE"

While many albums or songs are no-brainers, you will often find a few good surprises in the lists.

That said, I don't have the time, energy, or power to write one up myself. I'd make a list of my favorites only to be torn a new one by friends and readers for, "Not including MY favorite album!"

So without further ado, here are the best of the best from what's out there so far. These are the big names in music blogging/reporting. I will work to keep this update continually until the end of the year. So if you happen to have a list you would like added, please comment or shoot me an email!

I encourage you to dig deep into these, don't just see who they chose as #1. See who they chose as say, #23 and give them a spin! I mean, you are reading this post...I know you have nothing better to do.

Music

• NPR top 50 recordings of the decade
• NME top 100 albums
• Pitchfork Top 200 albums
• Pitchfork top 500 tracks
• Paste top 50 albums
• AV Club Best Music

Books

• Times Online Top 100 of the decade

Wednesday Chill Pill - "Weak Ends" by MillionYoung

This is the perfect track to chill with and ride out the rest of this Wednesday afternoon.

It's off the "Sunndreamm" by Mike Diaz (who records under the name MillionYoung)

Just press play and enjoy. If you like this, feel free to download the EP which MillionYoung has given away from from his website here.
(NOTE: the link on his page is broken, use THIS ONE!)

Granny Viking

We're all well aware of the Techno Viking now, but I was tipped off via Reddit to what appears to be his Grandmother.

Someone get this lady a water bottle so we can perform a grip strength test...and then we need her to point in an offensive manner.

The Animated Story of Dock Ellis and the No-No

This is great stuff and a must watch for Monday.

Dock Ellis was a pitcher in the MLB during the 1970's.

While his career included a World Series win and a starting position for the NL in the All-Star Game...he is probably most remembered for pitching a no hitter with The Pirates in 1970.

This is because he threw the no-no on the psychedelic LSD.

The guys over at No Mas got hold of a 2007 interview Dock Ellis gave about the fateful game and created an animated story of the tale. It's truly a great work.

(via - Coventry Music Blog)

An All-Star Comedy Carol - "Do They Know It's Christmas"

This is what the internet is great for. We get to see some of our favorite funny men and women doing what they do best...without any middle man. No ratings to worry about, production values and second takes, or even regulations to follow.

In this video, which I came across via "Weird Al" Yankovic's (@ALyankovic) twitter feed, a bunch of comedians got together under the name, "Comedy Death-Ray Xmas Nativity Choir"

The choir members include:

Patton Oswalt, Mike Phirman, Jimmy Pardo, Brian Posehn & Scott Aukerman, Garfunkel & Oates, Aimee Mann, Chris Hardwick, Paul Scheer & June Diane Raphael, Doug Benson, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Nick Thune, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Cracked Out, Dragon Boy Suede, Natasha Leggero, Thomas Lennon & Ed Helms

Enjoy and have a great holiday season!

Top 5 TV Theme Songs of Right Now!

Too often we see Top 5 or Top 10 lists of the best TV Theme Songs of all time. They're great and often bring about a sense of nostalgia. Albeit to say that a TV's theme song is the 'best of the best' it is important to choose a generation.

Dick Van Dyke or Mary Tyler Moore certainly have their place in the hall of fame.
Just the same, the Fresh Prince of Bel Aire and Family Matters deserve to be hanging right beside them. Certainly these top TV theme songs are generational.

So today, I bring you, the Top 5 TV Theme songs on television RIGHT NOW! You can still turn on the TV after work and catch these theme songs as they play on a debut episode of the series.

Without further ado...the list...

5. Good Eats
(Food Network - M-T, 8pm EST)
I'm not sure if I love the simplicity of this song or just seeing Alton Brown's face. But after quite an extended number of seasons, I still get a joyous feeling when I hear this song. It just makes you happy.


4.30 Rock
(Comedy Central - M-T, 11pm EST)
The theme to 30 Rock is as quirky as the show itself. It's just enough to get you ready for the episode and quickly introduces the cast. Again, it's simple but works and is quite memorable.


3. The Office
(NBC - Thursdays at 9pm EST)
It's tough to take down the office. It's had a catchy theme song for many seasons now and the devoted fan base has covered it a thousand different ways which you can find on YouTube. It's still a classic.


2. Always Sunny In Philadelphia
(FX - Thursdays at 10pm EST)
God I love this show...you get that first bit of funny...then the name of the episode...and BAM! You're hit with this theme which to me, is very Married With Children-esque. You hear the song and instantly relate it to the show.


1. Curb Your Enthusiasm
(HBO - Sundays at 9pm EST)
I'm sure this wasn't any secret. Quite possibly the best show CURRENTLY on television.


Honorable Mention: Of course I wanted to include The Simpsons, Family Guy, and Southpark...but they were too obvious. They've been around for so long now that I'm almost annoyed when I hear them. Same goes for the Survivor Theme Song(s). There's been some 20+ seasons of that show and they all maintain the same dramatic chanting/tribal vibe.

Worst Theme Award:
I had to include something for this category...and we have a clear winner.

Dog The Bounty Hunter
(A&E - Wednesday at 9pm EST)
"I'm the dog...the big bad dog."
...'nuff said...

White Antelope Will Give You That Fall Fleet Foxes Fix

I personally love the Fall season. The bright colors of the leaves on the trees just before they fall to the ground. The smells of fireplaces burning, warming the heart and soul. The sounds of plucking guitar strings forming a beautiful melody that just makes you feel good on the inside...

If you're with me on that, especially the last part, then I'm sure you're a fan of the Fleet Foxes.

Their sound to me, is the EPITOME of Autumn and Winter. Unfortunately they're not due to release a new LP until the Spring of 2010.

However the front man for the group, Robin Pecknold, has been releasing a lot of great solo EP's in the time off from the band. Along the same lines...he's been re-tooling classic folk tunes under the moniker White Antelope, in a way that only he can.

If you're like me and you're missing the Fleet Foxes...fear not. Mr. Pecknold is here to save the season.

White Antelope - "Silver Dagger"


White Antelope - It Ain't Me Babe (Bob Dylan cover)


White Antelope - False Knight On The Road

The Dark Side of Planet Earth

Wow Alert!

This is an awesome mash-up of Pink Floyd's epic, "Dark Side of the Moon" with the first episode of the BBC's, "Planet Earth" television series.

My hat's off and a round of applause to Allan Corbett, who thought of the idea and created the amazing video. The audio and video tracks are completely unedited and are ripped of the original vinyl and DVD issues of each work.

In my opinion, some of scenes from this movie work better than the ever classic, "Dark Side of OZ"

You can find more awesome work and ideas on Allan's website here.


(PS - oh...and this might be a great time check out the awesome online mash-up creator, "YouTube Doubler". It really doesn't get any easier than this...just provide two YouTube links and it automatically mashes them up in two separate players side by side. It couldn't possibly be any easier or more fun...give it a whirl.)

Trailer Trash: White Fury (1990)

White Fury is a film prodcued by AIP Studios in 1990 to little or no fanfare. This can be attributed to the fact that...well...it was produced by AIP studios. Notorious for releasing a ton of low budget films in the late 1980's and early 90's. A majority of which were written and directed by the same core people.
VHS after VHS of horrible dialogue and some inadvertently hilarious prop/scene mistakes.

How low budget are we talking here?

Check out the trailer for "White Fury" below and see for yourself.
This as well as many other movies released by AIP have reached a cult status similar to The Room. You owe it to yourself to find these movies and check them out with some friends. Intoxicants not included, but recommended for an over the top, absurdly hilarious night.

My Morning Jacket to Appear on "American Dad"

My favorite current band in all the land, My Morning Jacket, are...believe it or not this is the oddest announcement I've made on Coffee Con..set to appear on the FOX cartoon, "American Dad"

I got the word through the great JamBase.com who found the link on the all-things-Family-Guy-blog "Stewie's Playground"

The episode premieres November 22nd at 9:30pm...so set your DVR's immediately.

The episode is titled, "My Morning Straitjacket" and will be about main character Stan becoming obsessed with the band and deciding to become a groupie.

The first set of screens from the episode are mind blowing. Enough to make even the biggest "American Dad" basher realize this is a very big episode.

Something Phishy This New Years

You knew it was bound to happen SOMEWHERE and if you've paid close attention to the Phish.com homepage today you know exactly what I'm talking about.

The boys have announced their first shows to take place after their Fall tour ends this December 5th.

It's a 4 night stand at Miami, FL "American Airlines Arena"

• 12/28/09 - American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL - $50.00 Reserved seating
• 12/29/09 - American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL - $50.00 Reserved seating
• 12/30/09 - American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL - $50.00 Reserved seating
• 12/31/09 - American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL - $60.00 Reserved seating

As usual, REQUEST YOUR TICKETS FOR THE LOTTERY NOW!

Wish I could make this one but...my sources say, "Not a chance."

Fuel For Tuesday - "Baby What You Want Me To Do"

Certain songs, for whatever reason, just have an innate quality that help them stand the test of the time.

So can be said about "Baby What You Want Me To Do", originally written by the great Blues musician Jimmy Reed.

ORIGINALLY is the key word there, because since its creation, it has been covered countless times by a wide range of artists.

Erma Franklin took the blues classic and turned it into a funk & soul gem.
Elvis used it to define himself in his '68 Comeback Special TV program. Watching him in the video below...there's no doubt he is...THE KING.
...and the list goes on. The Grateful Dead have covered this song, Johnny and Edgar Winter, and so on, and so forth.

It's good to look back and recognize Jimmy for his contributions to the world of music. A posthumous inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, you owe it to yourself to dig into his collection. (In fact you'll most likely hear a song and have that, "Aha! So this is the guy who originally wrote this song!?" moment)

That said, the videos below prove...you can never have too much of a good thing.

Enjoy, and I'll see you at the office!

Your Weekend Jam - Kurt Vile

"Kurt Vile is IT...plain and simple."

I thought about making the above quote the entirety of this post, but figured I should expand a bit more on this awesome rising star.

Signed to Matador Records in 2009 and hailing from Philly PA, Kurt Vile may just be THE IT artist of 2009.

Though you can't picture him, you may know him as the lead guitarist for the indie act, "The War on Drugs" (Also out of Philly...and also very awesome). Vile also plays with a backing band known as "The Violators"...makes sense if you think about it for a second.


Now you CAN picture him.

His most recent album, "Childish Prodigy" was released early last month and I can't stop playing it. (Seriously, even if you try to stop it, the songs are still going on in your head)

I encourage you to start early on this one...Kurt Vile is poised to take on the universe in the near future.

Here's his MySpace page and some streaming tracks off his newest album, ala YouTueb of course, to wet your palate.

Kurt Vile - "Freak Train"


Kurt Vile - Hunchback


Kurt Vile - Beach on the moon

Be Happy Thursday: Pokey LaFarge & The South City Three

Just came across what might be the greatest find of the week:

Pokey LaFarge & The South Carolina Three are a group from St. Louis who are putting out some unbelievably old time-y country blues.



Brings you back to much much simpler times. Disregard all the complicated issues of the modern world. Let Pokey, a veritable modern day Bob Dylan, settle your bones and make you feel like there isn't a worry in the world.



The gang over at Daytrotter.com (...I know, they're amazing) once again hooked up with Pokey for an incredible set over their studios.

I highly encourage you to hit the link and head over.

Here's their official homepage for more in depth info on the band.

Congratulations to the 2009 World Champion New York Yankees!

27

Incredible Dog Mambo Dancing

This is an incredible dog. It can dance the Mambo.
This dog is incredible. Mambo it can dance.
This is an incredible dog. It can dance the Mambo.
This dog is incredible. Mambo it can dance.
This is an incredible dog. It can dance the Mambo.
This dog is incredible. Mambo it can dance.
This is an incredible dog. It can dance the Mambo.
This dog is incredible. Mambo it can dance.

Hoots and Hellmouth

After seeing Hoots and Hellmouth twice in the last 2 months I have to say I am impressed. They feature some fancy pickin' on acoustic guitars, a mandolin, and an upright bass. They also do a fair amount of stomping and jumping on a plywood tambourine contraption. It sounds great live. altsounds.com seems to think they suck pretty badly according to their review of the new album "The Holy Open Secret", but I disagree, I am digging it. Here's a taste.

Oddly Addictive - "Sleigh Bells"

There is an exhausting amount of show reviews still trickling out of indie blogs everywhere from this years CMJ Music Marathon in New York City.

One of the acts getting rave reviews is the Brooklyn electronic duo Sleigh Bells
(Even the site everyone loves to hate, Pitchfork, had great things to say rating their song "Crown on the Ground" a 9.)

So what? Well give it a listen. The song sounds like they hired a 3 year old to sit behind the mixer. Each note crunches and grinds at an intolerable volume. It's annoying and you'll wan't to turn it off after 30 seconds. The only thing is you're hearing is fine and so is your volume. The songs are intentionally like this...it's their gimmick...and it's working.

The big bang comes 10 minutes later...when you say, "Wait a minute...let me play that again, I kind of liked it." You actually begin to miss all the noise. That is why, "Crown on the Ground" as well as the other tracks Sleigh Bells have released on their MySpace page are oddly addictive!


Sleigh Bells - "Crown on the Ground" (demo)

I'm Sorry For Showing You This of the Day

Could you consider this "Rap" music?
Perhaps a completely new sub-genre known as "Crap" music?

Either way...YOU PRESS PLAY AT YOUR OWN RISK!

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll want to punch me in the eye.

Tuesday TuneUp: "Be Thankful For What You've Got"

Because really...does it get any better than:

Diamond in the back, sunroof top,
Diggin the scene,
With a gangsta lean, wooh-ooh-ooh.

Life Lesson of the Day: How To Eat Chicken Wings

I'd assume the title pretty much says it all.

Chef John from the great foodie site FoodWishes.com uncovers one of the biggest food riddles of all time.

How exactly does one go about getting all the meat off of a chicken wing?

If only I caught this yesterday...now I have to wait another week for Football and wings.



PS - Lets seal the deal Yankees!

Jay-Z and Alicia Keys perform "Empire State of Mind"

Jay-Z got to perform his song, "Empire State of Mind" featuring Alicia Keys at Game 2 of the MLB World Series.

After being pushed back from Game 1, most likely due to weather conditions, the performance went off without a hitch in front of thousands of New York's finest fans. Even better, the Yankees pulled off their first 2009 Series win, evening the seven game series at 1-1.

The track is one of many singles off of Jay's newest studio album, "The Blueprint 3", and is quickly becoming the modern day anthem of New York City. It was played at almost every Yankee game since it debuted right there alongside Frank Sinatra's famous "New York, New York". Plus this is the inaugural year of the new Yankee stadium itself...it's a bigger deal than you think.

Have a wild (but safe) Halloween weekend and GO YANKEES!

Stuck In Your Head of the Day: "Baby Come Back"

I think after the "ABC's" and "Mary Had a Little Lamb"...this is the song most ingrained in my brain.

Thanks to Christine for bringing it up and an equally heartfelt, "Damn you Christine." for getting this song stuck in my head just in time for the weekend.

Player - "Baby Come Back"

Who Dat Wednesday: Jeff Bujak

WHO: Jeff Bujak

WHAT:

Jeff Bujak generates heavily organized piano progressions, twists and winds them amid constantly evolving poly-rhythmic electronic beats and constructs a sound that is not only unique, but extremely fresh to the underground music scene. Bujak is a solo performer that uses computers, keyboards, effects, samplers and vocals to create a "progressive-piano groove."

Bujak really covers a LOT of sounds here. His groove is undeniable...equal parts Electronica act and Jam Band. He's toured with the likes of U-Melt, Lotus, The New Deal, and Marco Benevento. That should shed some light on what you'll find out of Jeff Bujak's music...but I encourage you to go deeper. There's a lot more than meets the eye. If you ask me...the future is very bright for Jeff Bujak.





...AND OH YEAH! Bujak allows tapers at most gigs!
So be sure to check out his shows on Archive.org!

God Bless The French

Exchange with my co-worker:

(4:52:49 PM) CO-WORKER: I'm on my lover song period right now
(4:52:49 PM) CO-WORKER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqU2WXKcUb0&feature=channel
(4:52:58 PM) ME: oh jeez
(4:53:00 PM) ME: u dance to this?
(4:53:07 PM) CO-WORKER: I make love on this :-)
(4:53:11 PM) ME: bwahahahahaha
(4:53:29 PM) ME: "lover song period"
(4:53:32 PM) ME: Jesus thats good stuff
(4:53:38 PM) CO-WORKER: hey
(4:53:41 PM) CO-WORKER: I'm french
(4:53:45 PM) CO-WORKER: so I'm romantic :-)
(4:53:47 PM) CO-WORKER: right?

(For the lazy people, the video is Boyz II Men - "I'll Make Love To You")

Weezer and Weezy, that's a lot of weez.

Weezer's last studio effort, "The Red album" proved to be a grower. One of those albums that I simply didn't approve of until listening to it a handful of times. At which point it became tolerable. Not the greatest thing ever, but good, tolerable, Weezer-esque music.

Their next album, "Raditude", is due out November 4th of this year. I fear it may fall into the same category as the last, but they are certainly moving in new directions.

Take for instance this track, "Can't Stop Partying" which features none other than Lil Wayne. (who himself has a highly anticipated rock...yes, rock...album coming out titled, "The Rebirth".)


Weezer f/ Lil wayne - "Can't Stop Partying"


Post your take in the comments...HOT or NOT?

Them Crooked Vultures First Single

Them Crooked Vultures have released their first single, "New Fang", off their highly anticipated debut album. I mean HIGHLY anticipated. Perhaps the most anticipated of 2009.

Why?

The band consists of music legends Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters), John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin...need I say more?), and Josh Homme (Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age)...clearly putting them into "supergroup" category.

The track is available for your listening pleasure below. It's VERY good and will make you want more...which you'll get soon enuogh. They've announced tour dates so far for the West Coast, Australia, and Europe.

Funny Friday - Pulp Fiction With A Laugh Track

How does this have only a few thousand views!?

It's the scene from Pulp Fiction where Marvin get's shot in the face...with a laugh track added to it. Completely changes the nature of the scene.

I also love the "Seinfeld-esque" corny music opener.

Awesome Mashup of the Day: MC Trebek

YouTuber Tronovitch has crafted a lot of great mashup vids in the past...usually hilarious remixes and 'auto-tunes' of pop-culture events.

His most recent is the hilarious mashup of MC [Alex] Trebek of "Jeopardy" fame!

Sure to put a smile on your face...and who doesn't want that today? TGIF!



(P.S. locked in tickets to Night 1 of Phish at MSG Dec. 2!!)

Hudson Mohawke Is The Sound of the Future

Have you ever wondered what alien music might sound like? Music from the year 3000?

:: mind explosion ::

Don't think too hard, because Hudson Mohawke (A.K.A Hud Mo) is a Producer/DJ who has been blending genres and crafting beats that sound - literally - out of this world. From another planet or something.

His sound is a mix of electro, prog, hip-hop, and techno. It trickles through your skin, pumps through your veins, and then just smacks the crap out of your brain...and you love every second of it.

Though he's been doing his for a while, this most recent album, "Butter" is sure to make him a staple in the ever increasing indie/electronica realm. Don't let that stop you from listening though. Hud Mo is the real deal and his genre-crossing antics are sure to please almost everyone.

Here's the track, "Fuse" from his most recent LP Butter which released in September of this year.

Hudson Mohawk - Fuse

Awesome Web App of the Day - Let Them Sing It For You

I've always been a fan of Text 2 Speech conversion. You know what I'm talking about...the software that allows you to enter in a sentence or some words. The words are then converted to "speech" by the computer and output using a number of different pitches and volumes to sound like an actual person. (Though often, it pretty much sounded like a robot.)

Well the site, "Let Them Sing It For You" brings txt2speech to the modern world by doing exactly what it says. It sings your text to you. How so? It uses clips of words taken from popular songs and splices them together to create your supplied full sentence.

For example the sentence, "Are you hungry?" might take the ARE from Kansas' "Dust In The Wind" ...the YOU from Bob Dylans "The Times They Are A Changin"...and the HUNGRY from Duran Duran's, "Hungry Like The Wolf". It then combines them to complete the sentence!

It's rather fun and can lead to some hilarious results. Here's one I did fast to demonstrate this to my coworkers.

I typed in: "It is such a nice day outside and I am stuck inside the office."



Check it out and have fun! Let Them Sing It For You

Lil Wayne Headed to the Big House

This is sort of breaking news...most media outlets are JUST picking it up.

Rapper Lil Wayne, (born Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr...thanks Wikipedia) has pleaded GUILTY of attempted weapon possession.

Police found the weapon on his tour bus in 2007 and used a DNA profiling technique to pin the weapon on Weezy.

Lil Wayne has said himself that he expects a 1 year sentence.

OUCH...and this is on the heels of Cash Money's CEO announcing that Lil Wayne will release two new albums before the end of 2009. The much anticipated album "The Rebirth" as well as "Tha Carter 4"...the next in Weezy's "Tha Carter" series which pulled in a best rap solo performance Grammy last year for "A Milli."

Our Take: Weezy's got enough material to last him into 3010. While I hope this doesn't turn into the judge using Lil Wayne to, "Set an example"...it's safe to say whatever the outcome, we'll still have a lot of Weezy on the airwaves.

Catchiest Song You'll Hear All Day: "When We Swam"

Some of you may be familiar with the infectious vocal swagger of Thao Nguyen.

As a member of Thao with The Get Down Stay Down, we get that same awesome sound multiplied with folk/pop flavor.

The combination is incredible and it certainly shows on the new disc, "Know Better Learn Faster".

I'll shut up now and let this video of, "When We Swam", off the new album do the talking. Then you can let me know how right I was in the comments.

"When We Swam"

Free or Die Tuesdays: Umphreys McGee 04/09/2009

New little idea I had that's going to work two-fold.

Firstly...I was a huge fan of the "jam band" ideal back a handful of years ago.
On any consistent basis there was a live CD playing in my car, on the stereo at home, and even on my 1st generation iPod (which I ironically nicknamed livePod because well...it housed ONLY live music)
Phish, The Grateful Dead, Mule, and recent acts like Tea Leaf Green ruled my soundscape. It was just too easy to hit up the wonderful www.Archive.org and have LEGAL access to all the live music I desired.

Then came the big folk/indie boom of the late 00's and while I kept my grips with the live scene and still regularly catch shows...I started to get back into the studio album. Acts like Dr. Dog spearheaded the jump for me. Just something about hearing the music from the standpoint of the artist. In the context they wanted you to hear it at first listen. This also made the live experience more enjoyable because you had a basis for judgement.

Anyways, enough banter...the point is I want to GET BACK into the live world.

So each Tuesday that I can remember (had to throw in the disclaimer) I will post a live show from the Archive that you can download at home.

Note: a majority of these will be jam bands...but hey, thats just the policy of that genre...recording is encouraged to help spread the music. That said, a lot of times recordings are done by fans...so these will try to be the best quality sound I can find.

Kick it off first with:

UMPHREYS MCGEE
04/09/2009
LIVE @ Town Ball Room

Show:
Buffalo, NY
http://www.archive.org/details/um2008-04-09.um.aud.flac16

Utopian Fir
Utopian Fir >
Utopian Fir
Anchor Drops
Fusssy Dutchman
All In Time > Senor Mouse
All In Time
Ocean Belly
Search 4
FF >
FF> August
Bridgless
Encore Break
Liquid
Roulette

Download the show NOW as High Quality Mp3 or hit the link above for lossless audio and individual song downloads.

(Have an artist you'd like to see here? Shoot an email or post in the comments. Like I said...two-fold here, maybe you all can introduce the rest of us to some new bands!)

Monsters of Folk Are "Golden"

Jim James, M. Ward, Mike Mogis, and Conor Oberst are the four men known as, The Monsters of Folk.

I've mentioned them a bunch here on Coffee Con and they're getting a lot of attention as they just started touring in support of their debut self-titled album.

The reviews are coming in about their first few shows and so far "Epic" and "The Real Deal" seem to be scattered amongst all of them. It also seems like, while they're playing a lot off their debut, they're also digging into each others deep catalogs.

YouTube user reils1029 just uploaded this awesome cover of "Golden" by My Morning Jacket. The vid is taken from the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland, OR from their October 14th, 2009 show.


I HAVE to scrounge for tickets to the November NY gigs...have to.

Happy Birthday to the Grateful Dead's Bob Weir!

Bobby turns 62 today!!





This means today is a GREAT day to go back to THE FIRST post I ever made here on Coffee Con.

Awesomely Bad Music Video of the Day - Bobby and the Midnites, "I Want To Live In America"

...and be sure to catch Bobby, Phil, and the rest of the great great great amazingly great lineup of the newly formed Dead band, "Furthur" on tour this year!

FURTHUR WEBSITE

Your Band for the Weekend - The Black Seeds

The Black Seeds are a New Zealand band who are crafting some seriously fresh dub reggae tracks with subtle nuances of Afrobeat, funk, and even a surf rock sound (that description sounds good enough to eat, I know. Too much "Iron Chef America" lately.)

The group consists of 8 members and a past lineup even included Bret McKenzie, half of the Flight of the Conchords duo.

They've released 5 studio albums to date, but none of them have really seen major success stateside...that all could change FAST.

Their most recent LP, "Solid Ground" is finally being released in the U.S. on Easy Star records on September 29, 2009. Expect track after track of vibrant reggae rooted sounds but with a modern twist that's as inviting as warm milk.

Dance Dance


Sling Shot


So True

Underrated Fridays - Beastie Boys "The Mix Up"

Released in 2007, "The Mix Up" is the 7th studio album released by The Beastie Boys consisting entirely of Instrumental music.

It won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album and has sold over 250,000 copies worldwide. That said, this album isn't the first thing you think of when you hear The Beasties in conversation, in fact I often find it to be forgotten altogether.
A shame really as the sounds on this album are accessible to nearly all ears. It's got hip-hop, funk, soul, jazz, punk...it's all there...it's just been forgotten.

So I highly recommend you get this album by whatever means necessary. Then pop it in your car and blast the bass because it makes for some pretty bad ass road trip music.

The Electric Worm


The Gala Event


Freaky Hijiki

R.I.P. - Captain Lou Albano

Words cannot express the loss we are feeling today.

We lost one of the greats today and he will surely be missed.

Whether you knew him through his wrestling career or his many acting gigs, Lou was always just trying to put a smile on your face.

Rest In Peace Cap'n...



2009 is so close to over...it's been a terrible year for major celebrity deaths.