classic vintage video.
the Go-Go's: "Get Up and Go" (1982)
the little clay versions of them are like the weemees of 1982. fun fun fun.

Mick Harvey: Two of Diamonds (Mute)
release: July 31, 2007
style: haunting folk singing songwriting
similar: Nick Cave, the Animals' "House of the Rising Sun" . rating: ****
Although it wouldn't be as effective as Johnny Cash, the co-founder of the Birthday Party and the Bad Seeds could have easily thrown in a version of NIN's "Hurt" on Two of Diamonds. It really would make sense since there are several covers here. With reserved instrumentation (acoustic guitar, brush-stick drums, blah blah), Harvey's country-folk-blues is appropriate for a Tarantino or Lynch film. Like Johnny Cash, Harvey is impressively still doing something that's sincere and moving (even when it's a cover), three decades into his career. And that's rare in a time where Bon Jovi has lost its heart writing a song like "Have a Nice Day". -Kenyon

65daysofstatic: The Destruction of Small Ideas (Monotreme)
release: May 1, 2007
style: post-rock experimental instrumental
rating: ***1/2
65daysofstatic --the name comes from an unreleased John Carpenter film--is opening for the Cure. Holy gee! How in the world did that happen. The last time i saw the Cure they didn't even HAVE an opener. Although this British band's complex instrumental rock is on the dark side, i'm skeptical how it's going to go over with most of the Cure fans. Because it's instrumental. and experimental. Like, i bet a lot of them will just be talking, finding their seats and not appreciating the intricate interplay of 65days' guitar, drums, bass, piano and electronics. If the stage lighting can somehow coincide with the music, then there's a good chance that enough people will be staring at the stage thinking, oh man this band is amazing, too bad this jerk is drinking a beer and looking at his cell phone. Count your blessings and be thankful you're seeing this band. -Kenyon
--------------------------------

The Boggs: Forts (Gigantic)
release: May 8, 2007
style: Boggy bogg rock
similar: Art Brut, Metric
rating: ***
Somewhere along the way from the Boggs' first album (which wasn't the easiest listen) to Forts, they made a huge transition, letting go of the street-folk and blues and instead writing songs that could be considered indie pop! "Little Windows", with its deep male voice and girl voice is, unbelievably, reminiscent of Beat Happening or the Vaselines. Elsewhere, Forts still has smatterings of the Pogues and some just-drank-four-beers vocals. The difference is that this is something you can really party to. A pleasant surprise indeed. I'm totally wasted right now. -Kenyon

Deas Vail at a church in Port Jefferson Station last nite.


check out that bass guitar action.

girl you know it's new.

Suzanne Vega- "Frank and Ava." yea, Suzanne "Luka" Vega. or should i say Suzanne "SHERYL CROW" Vega. incidentally, Sheryl Crow's middle name is Suzanne. and here's what i title the song- "Frank and Ava (it's not enough to be in love)". cause that's what she says a lot in the song. it's not enough to be in love. from seventh album out July 17, 2007. lots of guests on album, including Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth (!).

interpol at msg. wow. that's kinda wacked. obviously plenty of seats still available. file this next to morrissey and muse.

They Might Be Giants: The Else (Idlewild/Rounder)
release: July 10, 2007 (today!)
style: they might be giants
similar: Factory Showroom, John Henry, Mink Car
rating: **
It's incredible that the two Johns have already written hundreds of songs and still more incred that they have another album 22 years after the debut. They are indeed writing decent songs here, but The Else is nothing more than safe pop-rock with a very very slight piece of quirk from TMBG. It's probably the band maturing. After all, they've been doing this for a long time now and have played countless shows. Most of the songs themselves (aside from a couple like "Feign Amnesia") are sleepy and the shared vocals on The Else are calm calm calm ("Upside Down Frown" is pretty darn cute though). Most of the time it sounds like they are holding back big time- especially John Linell. Although "With the Dark" is quite unusual, the excitement and curiosity of the first few albums are a different era. -Kenyon

its 7.7.07 baby! time to party! oh i mean, it's time for awareness about our effed up planet. look at live earth. i call it "earth aid". segments are on several regular tv channels too. this will keep you busy the entire day. i'm super duper serial.

classic vintage video. the Cars- "Since You're Gone" (1982). this is what happens when you miss someone. hallucinations. ps> *benjamin orr forever*.


and because benjamin orr is barely in that video and because we got the earth aid this weekend>>> "Just What I Needed" at Live Aid 1985. "the new cars" can kiss my *ss.

big benefit show with Kenyon DJing 8.23.07
Thursday, August 23, 2007 at Mulcahy's. Wantagh, Long Island
benefit for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
with: Autumn Thieves (NYC) + Black Hole/White Hole (Charlotte, NC) + James Kiwi (LI, NY) + Long Island Drone Orchestra (LI, NY) + Reality Serum (LI, NY) + Sisters Free From Bondage + (LI, NY) + Soundpool (NYC) + Kenyon DJing.
=================================

oh wow wow wow.
WHITE LION + guests at the Crazy Donkey, Farmingdale, LI. July 25, 2007. expect photos for serious.

update>>> sh*t sh*t sh*t. mike tramp is the only original member doing this. fudge this.
==============================

they might be giants. doing stuff in nyc and long island. record out next week.

7/03: San Jose, CA @ Discovery Meadow Park
7/18: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
7/19: Dewey Beach, DE @ Bottle & Cork
7/20: Lancaster, PA @ Chameleon
7/21: Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
7/22: Detroit, MI @ Max Fischer Music Center (Concert of Colors) FREE
7/25: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
7/26: Seaside Park, NJ @ The Green Room
7/27: Wellfleet, MA @ Beachcomber
7/28: Uncasville, CT @ Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun Casino FREE
8/01: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
8/03: Amagansett, NY @ Stephen Talkhouse
8/04: Oyster Bay, NY @ Planting Fields Arboretum FOTA Pavilion FAMILY SHOW
8/04: Oyster Bay, NY @ Planting Fields Arboretum FOTA Pavilion
8/08: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
===================================
Daft Punk is playing at Keyspan Park, Brooklyn. make this cool by singing it like "daft punk is playing at my house" by lcd soundsystem. Thursday August 9, 2007
========================
Smashing Pumpkins touring in the fall. incomplete line-up. eh who cares. add to the list of incompletes. yea. put them next to White Lion.

clara clara--from france!--at ryan's house thursday nite. fun times.

Maps: We Can Create (Mute)
release: June 19, 2007
style: lovely electronic with vocals
similar: M83, Luke Slater
rating: ****
This is what i'm talking about. Maps (James Chapman) is many good things: psychedelic, soothing, cosmic. We Can Create is neck deep in synth strings, Chapman's whispery, layered vocals and percolated percussion. All done on a 16-track without computer. Spectacular. -Kenyon

Fairmont: Wait & Hope (Go For Broke)
release: June 12, 2007
style: raw indie rock
similar: the Hold Steady
rating: *1/2
These guys are pissed off. They went through some hell with previous record labels, so you can't blame them. The lyrics are emo-like but who knows, this venting might be directed at business associates rather than girls. Check it out- "you ruined everything/you're the reason why i sing" and then the very next song the guy is like, "i'd do anything to ruin you." jeez. Okay that's all fine and good and depressing music is great but then in "At the End of the Movie" it's "let's quit our jobs, kill our pets, bury them in our backyard." jesus, enough. Add to that the throaty/whiney/annoying vocals and Wait & Hope, with the exception of "Today i was Thinking About You," is a big bummer. -Kenyon

Chris Benoit. wow. this is wacked.

whoa . whoa. whoa. the Cure.
65daysofstatic opening all dates.

Thu-Sep-13 Tampa - St Pete Times Forum
Sat-Sep-15 Atlanta - Gwinnett Center
Mon-Sep-17 Charlotte - Charlotte Bobcats Arena
Wed-Sep-19 Washington DC - Patriot Center
Fri-Sep-21 Philadelphia - Wachovia Spectrum
Sun-Sep-23 New York City - Madison Square Garden
Tue-Sep-25 Boston - Agganis Arena
Wed-Sep-26 Montreal - Bell Centre
Thu-Sep-27 Toronto - Air Canada Centre
Sat-Sep-29 Chicago - Allstate Arena
Tue-Oct-02 Denver - Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Thu-Oct-04 Salt Lake City - E Center
Sat-Oct-06 San Francisco - Shoreline Amphitheatre - Download Festival
Mon-Oct-08 Seattle - Key Arena
Tue-Oct-09 Vancouver - General Motors Place
Thu-Oct-11 Santa Barbara - Santa Barbara Bowl
Sat-Oct-13 San Diego - Cox Arena
Sun-Oct-14 Los Angeles - Hollywood Bowl
Tue-Oct-16 Houston - Toyota Center
Wed-Oct-17 Dallas - American Airlines Center

Vince McMahon- fake dead. Chris Benoit - dead for real?

July 10, 2007.

first single at the myspace and interpolnyc.com.

The Polyphonic Spree
The Fragile Army (TVT/Good)
release: June 19, 2007
style: huge symphonic pop
similar: no one!
rating: ****
Dizzying yet blissful, the third work from the 20+ member Polyphonic Spree (now with matching black military outfits with peace symbols patched on) opens with a jolt of energy which contains so much instrumentation and vocal parts it will make you spin. So several more listens will be required till the spinning stops. One of the fullest sounding records in memory, the Fragile Army is also more musically powerful and less (for them at least) sunshiney than their two other albums. There's a few spots that even have a dark undertone. "Watch Us Explode (Justify)", "The Championship" and other "sections" can be applied like instructions for celebrating and overcoming any obstacle. This is what heaven sounds like. Did someone say that already? Darn. Well if they didn't I'm saying it now. And if they did....this is what *love* sounds like. -Kenyon

The Loose Salute: Tuned to Love (Graveface)
release: June 5, 2007
styles: gentle Americana indie pop
similar: Call and Response, latter day Mojave 3, Oh Laura
rating: ***1/2
Ex-drummer of Mojave 3 and (near the end of its existence) Slowdive. I'm so in. Like Mojave 3, the Loose Salute goes the way of soft and sunny country-leaning pop (and Mojave 3 also has a record with "tune" in the title). Pedal steel, bells, Farfisa (?) and xylophone all surface here, while the quintet is just as strong with the somber, quieter efforts as they are with lively pop numbers. Although drummer McCutcheon does sing, he teases us with some vocals on the opening of Tuned to Love, then sits back and lets Lisa Billson handle the majority. He returns for lead vox a few times, where his singing could be the result of listening to lots of Ian Brown and Nick Drake. Good times. -Kenyon