Picture the scene. recently viewed films. because Kenyon can't just listen to music all day and night.


Last House on the Left * (1972) Any significance attributed to this old-school-looking drama-horror film quickly disintegrates from bad acting, annoying characters, corny music, little suspense and prolonged abuse and cat-and-mouse chase scenes.

White Noise ** (2005) If you can accept the idea of Michael Keaton of all people communicating with the deceased via radio and TV, White Noise is not as bad as you'd think. the supernatural thriller is darker and more depressing than expected, and actually a little scary. Of course it also leaves some important questions unanswered.

Children of the Living Dead * (2001) A bunch of kids in a van drive off a cliff and it's funny. Otherwise this zombie dud is terrible in every possible way.

Terminal Bliss (no stars) (1992) Not even Luke Perry, during his heyday on 90201, can save this complete mess of an excuse for a drama, where no character is likeable. Good luck sitting through even the first half.

Mindhunters **1/2 (2005) Brutal death scenes make this psychological thriller worth watching. Predictable ending and obvious foreshadowing is a small price to pay.

Birth ***1/2 (2004) Unique story about reincarnation without any special effects, yet fails to question the how or why while maintaining a solemn yet fascinating atmosphere.

Classic vintage video of the week that you never saw.
The Cure: "A Forest" (1980). note Robert Smith's short hair. note that he doesn't look like Robert Smith. note that Simon Gallup gets less camera time than the drummer.

MP3, video and puppets in the hooouussssseee.

Be Your Own Pet- "Adventure".
Youthful, raw indie noise rock with a tiny new wave. record out June 6.

Drop the Lime- "E-Lock"
I challenge you to sit through this video. record out?

the Spores. I like puppets, but these creep me out. record out june 27.

The line-up at Jones Beach so far this year is above average. There are still the usual 70s and 80s semi-icons and wash-ups such as Journey, Poison and Styx, but also included is Depeche Mode/Goldfrapp May 13, the New Cars (blech!)/Blondie June 9, Nine Inch Nails/Bauhaus/Peaches June 17, Fiona Apple (!) July 22 and Roger Waters September 15.
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I Am Robot and Proud posted part of my review.
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Blender's latest list is the worst things to ever happen to music. While I think Blender making this list should be number 51, I sorta agree with their number 1. note their new deal with AOL.
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Also at AOL- a streaming of the new Secret Machines record.
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Soapnet removed 90210 from the 10am timeslot and now its only on at 5pm. This is shitty because the second season just began and the notorious Emily Valentine was just about to be on. Shannon will be taping at 5pm so I can still provide reports. My VCR is impossible to deal with. 90210 series has not officially been released on dvd, though it is obtainable.
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Kenyon hasn't made time yet today to make a post. Instead he's getting ready to do his radio show. Today and most wednesdays, 2:30-5pm EST on WUSB Stony Brook. Go HERE or HERE to listen.

Chicks on Skates. Long Island Roller Rebels 2006 season opener: The Wicked Wheelers of the West vs The Rolling Thundercats. April 22 at Skate Safe, Bethpage, Long Island.


Kids, don't try this at home. Or, rather, at the local skating ring. These girls practice. And still get injured. When you're on wheels and pushing each other, it's gonna happen. So don't take these roller derby bouts lightly. And this thing is well organized too, not to mention already mad popular. Hundreds showed up for this opening season game, with one a month scheduled. You can learn on your own how the game is played (I didn't know up till now) and even if you don't know or like me fear of someone getting badly hurt, it's still a blast. Adding two good punk/hardcore bands during intermissions make it a small event.



Two Man Advantage. Songs about hockey. And more songs about hockey.

Kenyon's favorite player name: Killer Tofu. Shannon's favorite player and name: Alison Chains

Classic vintage music video of the week that you never saw.
INXS: "Don't Change" (1982) NO ONE can replace Michael Hutchence. He OWNS you. yea yea, that's right, he OWNS you. Bitch.

The Secret Machines itinerary in New York yo. The word "itinerary" makes you sound important. Second record, Ten Silver Drops is out this Tuesday April 25. Usually I hate record titles with numbers. This one doesn't bother me as much because the Secret Machines are cool. I am, however, still angry that they didn't play that date with Interpol and I had to stand through boring Calla.

April 25 – Conan O'Brien
April 26 – Hiro Ballroom – NYC (CD release party)
April 27 – Virgin Megastore, Union Square, NYC (acoustic)
May 3 – Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

New tracks and video at thesecretmachines.com

Roller derby tonite. expect photos.

Saved by the Bell's Jesse secretly liked the Cure. Or, she's just a poseur. This is from the episode where she gets f*cked up on caffeine pills. In this image you can clearly see a Cure poster circa 1987. Saved by the Bell is now on Adult Swim. Couldn't figure out at first how it fits in with Family Guy and Aqua Teen. Then it hit me. It's absurd and surreal.

MP3s in the hoouuusseee.

the Noisettes -"IWE"
sounds like Joanna Newsom rocking out. full length out this summer. feel the buzz and anticipation! it's killing me!

Head Automatica - "Laughing at You"
that band that played after Diamond Nights. and your next guilty pleasure. full length out June 6.

World Party - "What Does it Mean Now?" Windows Medium. High.
if you were hip in the early 90s, you'll remember them. try to remember. or do i have to put you under hypnosis and ask you dumb repetitive questions like, "who do you see?, who's there? what does he tell you to do?" and "how does it make you feel?". record out May 2.

Gary Numan: Jagged (Metropolis)
released: March 13, 2006
rating: **
styles: Gloomy
similar: Gary Numan's Pure and Exile

Sometime during Gary Numan's 20+ albums, he started listening to Nine Inch Nails. And just before Jagged, he must have been very depressed. Following the equally dark Pure and Exile, Jagged's dark dark rock is built on betrayal, despair and hurt (an ex-lover, perhaps?). It's something that Numan can't escape from, given that many of the same words and subject matter make it into EVERY song here (lies, cold, pain, lost). Music of this sort can be quite beautiful, even comforting. This isn't. You'll only wish Numan could crawl out of his psychological prison and either redirect his pain or make some refreshing ice cold synthpop again. -Kenyon

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De/Vision: Subkutan (Dancing Ferret)
rating: *
styles: electronic, synth pop
similar: Beborn Beton, Wolfsheim, Iris

"Come on move it/when i'm on the mic/we gonna rock you/we gonna rock you right." whoa hold up. this is supposed to be the new de/vision record. oh shit, it is. once they get that rap-rock big beat thing out of the way, they get back to normal with dark dance-floor synth pop. which is mostly slow. don't expect another "your hands on my skin" or "try to forget" here. cause it's not happening. -Kenyon

Roller derby on Long Island is for real.

Classic Vintage Music Video of the week that you never saw.
OMD: "Electricity" (1980)

Buckcherry: "Crazy Bitch"
rating: *
from the album 15, released April 11 on Eleven Seven.

Buckcherry was a band that a few people got all excited about then promptly disappeared from the spotlight. And don't forget, this was after we had to keep hearing about where the band name originated ad naseum. They had a couple semi-hits in the late 90s-- "Lit Up," a cross between Guns N Roses, the Black Crowes and Aerosmith, and "For the Movies," which somehow had the sound of early Blur and really wasn't that bad. the band is actually still together. Sorta. They just released their third record, 15, but not without casualties. There's only two original members now (the singer and a guitarist) and they're on some unknown label (they used to be on Dreamworks. whoops!). however, they supposedly did sell out Irving Plaza in New York, so they must still be doing something right. First single "Crazy Bitch" is a title so genius that even Guns N Roses apparently could not come up with it. And of course, the name of the tour is "The Crazy Bitch Tour 2006." Wow. It would sound better if it was Crazy Bitch Tour 1976. Or 1986. Both the dirty version and clean version of "Crazy Bitch" are sleezy and explicit, with lyrics that no blog should bother repeating.Unless you're specializing in rock 'n' roll porn.

The Boy Least Likely To: The Best Party Ever (Too Young to Die)
release: May2, 2006
styles: Indie Pop, Twee, Sunshine
similar: Saturday Looks Good to Me, Shins, Bikeride, early Beach Boys
rating: ****

Seriously, the name of this band is kinda emo/pop-punk. But the cover of The Best Party Ever says otherwise. Yea. Little animal figures playing instruments, one holding a balloon. This isn't emo at all. This band is adorable twee/indie pop. With lots of fun instruments (harmonica, xylophone, synth et al) and appropriately cute song titles ("Be Gentle with Me," "Warm Panda Cola," "I'm Glad I Hitched My Apple Wagon to your Star"), it's so damn cute and sweet you'll wish it was watermelon or a granola bar so you could eat it. The Best Party Ever is the best innocent, daydreamy record this year and one from which other twee bands should take notes. -Kenyon

All four of Madonna's dates at Madison Square Garden--June 28/29, July 2/3, sold out Monday morning. Tickets were $64.50--354.50. Of course, tickets are available at ebay and craigslist. Go to ebay to see tickets selling for $500+, go to craigslist to read people's rants on scalpers. I got two tickets for the first show at the lowest price level in sections 424 and 426. I realize it is dumb for me to be paying as much for Madonna as I did for U2. Therefore I may sell.

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New Red Hot Chili Peppers. Double album Stadium Arcadium out May 9. First single--"Dani California." And no, I would never ever pay $65 for these guys. or even $20!

Quicktime 128k

Windows 128k
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And just so this blog can get back to sounding hipster rather than mainstream: Shannon saw Wolf Parade at Webster Hall Sunday night......Radio Indie Pop is streaming the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs record.

The Birthday Massacre. Friday night April 7 at Metasin, Long Island NY.

Diamond Nights. Wednesday night at the Crazy Donkey, Farmingdale, Long Island.


Despite a packed crowd of restless emo (and mostly high school) kids anticipating Head Automatica, New York City's Diamond Nights did an unbelievable job winning a lot of them over with its party-time rock 'n' roll. Highlights were vocalist/guitarist Morgan getting them to sing along some "yeah yeah whoa whoas" at the beginning of "Saturday Fantastic" and walking into the crowd during the last song. "The Girl's Attractive" and "Destination Diamonds" were also killer.


Since there were few people there to specifically see these guys, Kristina, Shannon and I didn't have to worry about competing with any groupies they might usually have at their headlining gigs. If the band seemed friendly onstage, they were even friendlier offstage. Really cool guys. We hung out with them for a little while outside. This is the result:

Shannon wrote a little something as well. Thanks to Rick at the Crazy Donkey for hooking me up, and the guy working the parking lot.

I'm always joking about a "Battle of the Bands" (we gotta practice! battle of the bands is in two weeks!). But Warped Tour really does have a Battle of the Bands. .....I found my Cloud Room CD....big records out this week from Flaming Lips, Morrissey, Placebo, South, Vines. God damn, didn't you just HAVE records out!?

hot shows this week on Long Island. expect photos.

tonite: Diamond Nights (Kemado records) at the Crazy Donkey in Farmingdale, opening for Head Automatica.

friday at Metasin, where Kenyon DJs: the Birthday Massacre (Metropolis records)

I Am Robot and Proud: The Electricity in Your House Wants to Sing (Darla)
release: April 4, 2006
styles: Indie Electronic
similar: Manitoba, Minotaur Shock
not to be confused with: Ima Robot
rating: ****

The other night I heard someone say that Toronto is so ahead of the curve, musically. I Am Robot and Proud must be an example to which he was referring. The Electricity in Your House Wants to Sing isn't revolutionary or anything, but it's nice to hear electronic music this warm and friendly. Plus, the record title is just really cute. Sole member Shaw-Han Liem manages to mix in piano, sax and flute to the bubbly synth with no problem. Even when the acoustic guitar threatens to tip the balance, I Am Robot stays focused on producing some of the most endearing machine-pop this year. -Kenyon

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Growing: Color Wheel (Troubleman Unlimited)
release: April 11, 2006
similar: Ulrich Schnauss, Brian Eno
rating: ***1/2

Color Wheel is one of those records that are easily going to be misplaced in the alphabetical ordering by artist. While Color Wheel seems more appropriate to be the name of this ambient electronic band, Growing is actually the name, although the minimally designed CD cover and spine neglects to inform us of either option. Nonetheless, this is what ambient ambient indie electronic is all about. You got your smooth washes of synth that are straight out of NPR's Hearts of Space, the effects-processed guitars, and glitchy, drum 'n' bliss percussion. The 16-minute minimal "Blue Angels" finds Growing immersed in a never-ending hypnotic trip, where everything is peaceful enough to make even that latest bad news about global warming be an afterthought. -Kenyon

Director George Romero (Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, etc) is at the Cinema Arts Centre tomorrow night.....In 90210 season 1, episode 12, "Joey" by Concrete Blonde is inappropriately played in reference to a baby named Joey. In the same episode, "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak is played while Brenda and Kelly are skydiving.