girl you know it's NEW.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club suckerrrss! 4 tracks from Baby 81 (released yesterday) at the myspace. 4 tracks that are kicking rock n roll ass. US tour May/June with the Horrors. yeeooww! oh wait. Horrors cancelled. darn.

Assemblage 23: Meta (Metropolis)
release: April 24, 2007
styles: EBM, dark synth, post industrial dance
similar: And One, VNV Nation, Apoptygma Berzerk
rating: ***
On Meta, Tom Shear seems to have moved on a little bit (relatively) from his own personal pain and emotional suffering. He still reflects on when he was down in a hole or sometimes still in one ("I can reach for the surface and try to pull myself free/but the last thing I want is to drag you down with me" in "Damaged"). On "Sorry," one of the best tracks that should be yet another dark dance club anthem, the lyrics are directed towards someone else down in a hole with whom he can't share the misery ("I'm sorry I cant grovel in emotions I outgrew"). He also worries about forgetting everything years from now ("Old"), which is one of the most sincere tracks on the album. "Madman's Dream" is oddly uncharacteristic, as it's apparently a reaction to the devastation in New Orleans, though musically the song stays true to the A23 dark synth dance form. And that's just fine because we need more depressing music for an already depressing world. -Kenyon

JESUS AND F-ING MARY CHAIN

May 21-22 Webster Hall, New York. only $45 plus fee. they better be damn good.

breaking news for Coachella- dancer Bez couldn't get visa to play with Happy Mondays. amongst some other re-unions at Coachy, Happy Mondays will be playing--supposedly drug-free--its first US show in 15 years (i saw them open for Jane's Addiction at Madison Square Garden, thank you very much) and then they'll leave the US and tour the UK. surprise. the band doesnt include all original members. gee wiz.
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girl you know it's NEW
People Noise- "The Killing Fields". Featuring Ex-VHS or Beta guitarist Zeke Buck and member of Boom Bip Matt Johnson (not of The The). debut album out in June. on tour right now this minute.
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kenyon is DJing HERE this saturday
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The Blow: Poor Aim- Love Songs (K)
release: April 24, 2007
styles: innocent indie electronic
rating: ***1/2
Although i have so far missed out on the Blow's proper record from last year, i knew Poor Aim- Love Songs (a previously limited-release EP, here with 7 remixes) would for now do the trick. Main girl Khaela is always lovable, layering her vocals over bouncy synth and drum machine beats and claps. On this collaboration with officially added member Jona (aka YACHT), they open with Khaela wonding why a boy didnt call her (maybe she came on too strong? maybe he's gay?). Later on, she shows she knows more about getting boys than she lets on in "Let's Play Boys Chase Girls". On "Come on Petunia" the Blow takes lyrics from "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic," which is tons better than Chris Sligh's version. Tracks 8-14 are remixes that play more as electro and experimental dance tracks, adding beats and additional vocals. I'm trying to keep the blog free of images of cats. I'll make an exception cause that cat appears to have one eye and these songs are mad cute. -Kenyon

ok. blog was having problems loading. seems to be fixed now.

girl you know it's NEW
White Shoes & the Couples Company --"Tentang Cita"

the band has signed with Minty Fresh and Rolling Stone has named them one of the "Top 25 Bands on MySpace". I don't know how they managed to figure that out considering there's like 1.5 million bands on MySpace. Therefore, advance copy is calling them one of the top indie pop bands from Indonesia.

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Erasure - "I Could Fall in Love With You ’’ from Light at the End of the World, out May 22 on Mute. at this point anything is better than that covers record they did a few years ago. For a duo that still sounds very 1980s (this could have been on a few of their old albums, though it's a little slicker), "I Could Fall" has a warm fresh feeling.

dates:
Fri 6/8 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena
Sat 6/9 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre
Sun 6/10 Denver, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Tues 6/12 Chicago, IL Auditorium Theatre
Fri 6/15 Atlantic City, NJ Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa
Sat 6/16 Boston, MA Bank of America Pavilion
Sun 6/17 Washington, DC Merriweather Post Pavilion
Mon 6/18 New York, NY Radio City Music Hall
Tues 6/19 Toronto, ON Molson Amphitheatre
Thur 6/21 Atlanta, GA Chastain Park Amphitheatre
Sat 6/23 Dallas, TX Smirnoff Music Center
Sun 6/24 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Wed 6/27 San Diego, CA SDSU Open Air Theatre
Fri 6/29 San Francisco, CA Greek Theatre
Sat 6/30 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre

this blog has been taking a minute to fully load. i'm working on it.

Klaxons: Myths of the Near Future (Rinse/DGC)
released: March 27, 2007
style: adventurous spellbinding rock
similar: early Liars, Pop Will Eat Itself, Test Icicles, Secret Machines
rating: ****
Given the dozens and dozens of newer dance-rock bands that have been buzzed about in the UK and US, Klaxons could have been easy to dismiss as more of the same. Merging punk, Britpop, noises and relentless psychedelic harmonies with lyrics that usually won't be comprehended, Klaxons' debut is unpredictably pleasing. There are at least a few tracks here for dancing, though Myths of the Near Future doesn't exactly earn the "new rave" tag they've given themselves. This is mainly a record to get crazy with, while taking in the band's non-stop, whirling sonics. -Kenyon

VNV Nation: Judgement (Metropolis)
release: April 10, 2007
style: EBM, dark dance, trance, post-industrial, future pop
similar: most artists on Metropolis
rating: **1/2
No matter what, VNV Nation is always totally sincere (particularly in a live setting), even if the songwriting and melodies aren't as memorable as the best tracks from 2000's Empires. Their emotion and energy is that convinving. Futureperfect and Matter + Form, the two follow-ups since Empires, have rarely been able to sustain the powerful arrangements and emotion within the songs themselves. At best, Judgement is only a slight improvement from Matter + Form, streamlining the electronics and featuring the usual lyrics about hope, loss, battles, things getting torn down, rebuilding, the past and the future. This may indeed be some of VNV's darkest work, but I'm still waiting for another passionate, memorable track that will get me on the dancefloor. The breakdown:

prelude- great intro.
the farthest star- ok, lyrics are optimistic. i think.
testament- harder, more aggressive. "it's just you and me now against the world"...i know i've heard that phrase before.
descent- dark, gloomy. spoken lyrics.
momentum- dizzying dark trance, brooding, instrumental on first half.
nemesis- heart-pounding with the bold statement "judgement day's not coming soon enough".
secluded spaces- ambient instrumental.
illusion- piano, slow, sad, powerful, a highlight.
carry you- straightforward futurepop.
as it fades- the closing outro music

-kenyon

classic vintage video. Kiss- "Tears are Falling" (1985)

depending on how you view it, this video is either a low or high point for Kiss in the 80s. no make-up. no Peter Criss or Ace Frehley. Paul Stanley's neon green gloves. the completely tacky outfits. the stage that has a vine to swing on. and an addictive pop-metal song. as for Gene Simmons, who cares, he gets enough attention already.

The Walkmen touring with Kaiser "I Predict a Riot" Chiefs; Walkmen to be on very hip Spiderman 3 soundtrack.

4.06.07 Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory *
4.07.07 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club *
4.09.07 Boston, MA - Avalon *
4.12.07 New York, NY - Roseland Ballroom *
4.17.07 Montreal, Quebec - Spectrum *
4.18.07 Toronto, Ontario - Kool Haus *
4.20.07 Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre #
4.21.07 Minneapolis, MN - Trocaderos #
4.24.07 Vancouver, British Columbia - Commodore Ballroom #
4.25.07 Seattle, WA - Showbox Theatre #
4.26.07 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom #
4.27.07 San Francisco, CA - Warfield #
w/ Annuals # with the Little Ones

The Walkmen's label, Record Collection, will release the Spiderman 3 soundtrack May 1. Includes the Walkmen, Flaming Lips, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Rogue Wave. Are they serial?
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Sunday nite at Masonic Temple, Smithtown.

the Mint Chicks. from freakin New Zealand!


the Prayers. from freakin San Diego!


did i mention they're from San Diego!?

Encrypt Manuscript. from somewhere around these parts.

Palomar: All Things, Forests (Misra)
released: March 20, 2007
style: indie poppy rock!
rating: ****
Since their formation in 1998, Palomar have traipsed the indie easy streets of Brooklyn, humbly perfecting pop. Despite risky line-up changes, their fourth album, All Things, Forests maintains all the cutsey power pop hooks and effortlessly pretty harmonies you’ve come to expect of these gals (and guy!, Dale Miller, who is endearingly shunned in nearly every recent photo of the group). The record lives up to its sort of somber cover art, showing off the band’s mature, more serious side. Life’s no bowl of cherries, but Palomar makes even the darkest parts sound awfully sweet with catchy tracks like, "You're Keeping Us Up" and "Woah!!". -Shannon

Adult. - "I Feel Worse When I'm With You"

this is what happens when you get married. from Adult.'s latest record, released March 20 on Thrill Jockey.

new Art Brut + tour dates.

"Nag Nag Nag Nag" - first single from next record at myspacey. record out June 26.

Apr 17 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Apr 18 - Brooklyn, NY @ Studio B
Apr 19 - Toronto, ONT @ The Mod Club
Apr 20 - Chicago, IL @ Subterranean
Apr 21 - Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour

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it looks good on paper.

a bunch of shows "curated" by David Bowie. curated. Air, Arcade Fire, Poly Spree +
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Green Apple Music & Arts Festival April 20-22....with a zero waste goal! earth day. now more than ever. even though we're already screwed.

the wierd, eclectic line-ups include, among many others:

Central Park in New York - Taylor Hicks, Brand New, Slick Rick
Lincoln Park in Chicago- The Decemberists, Kaiser Chiefs, The Smithereens, The Walkmen, Andrew Bird
Golden Gate Park in San Francisco- Bob Weir and Ratdog, Trans Am, The English Beat, Smoosh

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doesn't look as good on paper.

Smashing Pumpkins playing big festivals in Europe. U.S. dates tba, includes August 5 in D.C.
new record, Zeitgeist, out July 7, 2007. the line-up? don't ask. let's just say we can add it to the list of incomplete reunions.

The Dollyrots: Because I'm Awesome (Blackheart)
release: March 13, 2007
style: punk pop rock
rating: **
Kicking things off with a title track that's wrapped with Blur's "Song 2", a streamlined Sleater-Kinney and Veruca Salt, the Dollyrots' cheery songs remind me of any random rock band from 1996 who were riding the post-grunge age. Or Blink-182 with a girl singing. I'm hardly the target audience for this, but 15-year old girls looking for an alternative to Avril Lavigne will love it. -Kenyon

classic vintage video.
New Edition- "Mr. Telephone Man" (1984)

man, life was rough back in the day before cell phones.

Erasure. yea! Debbie Harry. yea! the Gossip. yea! Margaret Cho. >>crickets chirping<< June 18 at Radio City Music Hall. more dates here.

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the Stooges. no kidding.

Apr 7 - Orpheum Boston, MA
Apr 9 - United Palace New York, NY
Apr 13 - Fox Theatre DETROIT, MI
Apr 17 - Filmore Auditorium Denver, CO
Apr 19 - The Warfield San Francisco, CA
Apr 27 - WaMu Theater at Qwest Field Events Seattle, WA
Jul 21 - Tromso Open Air Festival Bukta

other bands re-united so far this year: police, van halen (sorta), genesis

and finally, Roger Waters is re-uniting with...HIMSELF!

4hero: Play With the Changes (Milan)
release: February 27, 2007
style: electronic progressive soul
rating: ***
Artists who are mainly the producers while using various guest voices is usually an interesting concept leading to a diverse album. UNKLE and Massive Attack are a couple that have been successful with the formula (minus that last MA record!) and 4hero (not to be confused with rock band 764-Hero) can be added to the short list. Known in the London area for their jungle/drum 'n' bass, 4hero has adapted proficiently to modern soul with drum 'n' bass-type beats (aka the latest style, "broken beat"). If the soul singers on American Idol want to sound 2007, they might want to consider pursuing this path instead of singing an Aretha Franklin song for for the millionth time. -Kenyon

---------------------------------

Prosser: s/t (Clickpop/SpinART)
release: March 13, 2007
style: soft country folk rock
rating: **1/2
This project from ex-Delay member Eric Woodruff doesn't do enough to stand out from any other drifty country-indie rock hybrid. Here and there, he does find his way on this mostly slower-paced album that nestles in a wilderness with bears so friendly he can ride them. -Kenyon

breathe in the French band AIR.

4/21 Vancouver, BC Richards On Richards
4/22 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom
4/23 Tacoma, WA Pantages Theatre
4/25 San Francisco, CA Nob Hill Masonic Center
4/26 Las Vegas, NV The Joint
4/27 Phoenix, AZ The Marquee
4/29 Indio, CA Coachella Festival
5/02 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
5/04 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre
5/05 Toronto, ON Kool Haus
5/06 Montreal, PQ Metropolis
5/08 Philadelphia, PA Theatre Of Living Arts
5/09 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
5/10 New York, NY Theatre at Madison Square Garden

turn it on, turn it on again. Genesis 2007. only $57-227 at Giants stadium.

Mike Rutherford, Phil Collins and Tony Banks. No Peter Gabriel, but come on, it's no worse than no Michael Anthony for a Van Halen reunion. Live line-up includes long-time Genesis sidemen, Chester Thompson on drums and Daryl Stuermer on guitar.

Sept. 7 - Toronto, Ontario BMO Field
Sept. 11 - Boston, MA TD Banknorth Gardem
Sept. 14 - Montreal, Quebec Olympic Stadium
Sept. 16 - Hartford, CT Hartford Civic Center
Sept. 18 - Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center
Sept. 22 - Columbus, OH Nationwide Center
Sept. 23 - Washington D.C. Verizon Center
Sept. 27 - East Rutherford, NJ Giants Stadium
Sept. 29 - Cleveland, OH Quicken Loans Arena
Oct. 2 - Chicago, IL United Center
Oct. 9 - San Jose, CA HP Pavilion
Oct. 12 - Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl

i should probably be blogging about Arcade Fire this week, right? .....whoops!

girl you know it's new.


The Noisettes- "Mind the Gap" (from upcoming record out April 17 on Universal) I can't say that I've heard a song like this in the past month, possibly in the past six. Not to say that "Mind the Gap" is blowing my mind. But its punk is more arty than the Yeah Yeah Yeahs , as dizzying as Deerhoof and almost as experimental as any big '70s prog rock band. They'll be on tour with TV on the Radio, which makes total sense.
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Mouthful of Bees- "The Now" from the End (out now on Afternoon Records) Mouthful of Bees? what WILL they think of next!? oh those crazy kids. lo-fi rock n roll with a '60s backbone. though halfway into the song i forgot the vocals were even present.

This is Me Smiling: s/t (One Haven/Red Ink/Sony)
release: March 6, 2007
style: Piano-lead rock pop
rating: ***
Oh man I could totally write something witty and forcefully humorous here regarding the band's name. You know like, this is me [fill in the blank]. Ha. Nah, that's dumb, I don't have time for that. Chicago area band This is Me Smiling is going to, without a doubt, be compared to Ben Folds Five. Not just for the piano, but for the vocals as well. It would be like Ben Folds looking into a mirror. But hold up, cause This is Me Smiling rocks harder. They toured with All American Rejects and by the time this debut gets to "Goodbye to Each New Day" and "So Excited to Sleep" it's easy to hear why. -Kenyon
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Oreskaband: s/t teaser EP (Terry Dollar/Sony)
release: ???
style: Ska
rating: **1/2
Oreskaband is puzzling. I'm just not sure what to make of them. On one hand, they're, well, ska. The third wave of which died about 8 years ago and more or less replaced for the suburban kids by emo (especially on long island!) Plus they have the obligatory "ska" in the band name. On the other hand, they're a really cute, young, fun, upbeat all-female Japanese band. Either the Japanese are far behind in trends or these girls will be leading the way for a fourth ska wave. -Kenyon

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Big Business: Here Comes the Waterworks (Hydra Head)
release: March 6
style: big sludge metal stuff
rating: **1/2
The song title "Another Fourth of July...Ruined" is awesome. The old-school metal-rooted noise of Big Business (not to be confused with the Business) is so bass-end sludgey and heavy we need some construction vehicles to move it. -Kenyon

Tiger Saw- "Under the Samba Moon" from Tigers on Fire (Tract, April 3).
sounds like Lambchop + Devandra Banhart with a global influence

Leonard Cohen- "Suzanne" from Songs of Leonard Cohen (originally released 1967) timeless forever!
first three albums reissued with extras on April 24 (Columbia/Legacy) to honor 40th annivers of first album.
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totally old school-

-all of pioneering experimental band Can's records getting digitally released March 13
-Megaforce Records will release Bad Brains record late spring, produced by MCA of Beastie Boys.

Dirty on Purpose (for those in the know it's DoP):

March 2 - Relative Theory Records (Norfolk, VA) +
March 3 - Local 506 (Chapel Hill, NC) %
March 5 - Earl (Atlanta, GA) #
March 7 - Social (Orlando, FL) @
March 8 - Respectable Street / The Honeycomb (Palm Beach, FL)
March 11 - Cafe Eleven (St. Augustine, FL) $
March 12 - Beta Bar (Tallahassee, FL) #
March 14 - Gen Art SXSW Party (Austin, TX)
March 15 - Spaceland & LiveDaily SXSW Party (Austin, TX)
March 16 - Official SXSW Showcase (Austin, TX)
March 19 - The Paper Heart (Phoenix, AZ) *
March 20 - Echo (Los Angeles, CA) **
March 22 - Detroit Bar (Costa Mesa, CA) **
March 23 - Rickshaw Shop (San Francisco, CA) **
March 25 - Kilby Court (Salt Lake City, UT) *
March 26 - Hi-Dive (Denver, CO) *
March 27 - Jackpot (Lawrence, KS) *
March 28 - The Waiting Room (Omaha, NE) *
March 29 - Schubas Tavern (Chicago, IL) *

+ = w/ Lymbyc System & Relay
% = w/ Grizzly Bear, Papercuts
# = w/ Apollo Sunshine, Earl Greyhound
$ = w/ The Thermals, The Big Sleep
@ = w/ Maria Taylor
* = w/ Besnard Lakes
** = w/ Helio Sequence, Besnard Lakes
!"&***<> = ??????

their latest ingenius, unique constructive video for "Car No Driver".

Panda Bear: Person Pitch (Paw Tracks)
release: March 20, 2007
style: contemporary psychedelia
rating: ****

Animal Collective's Panda Bear (Noah Lennox) may have just won the honor of best replicating Brian Wilson's vocals. What makes it more admirable is that the tracks on Person Pitch are far from the symphonic rock of Pet Sounds, from which a million other artists get inspiration. Panda Bear's methods are soothingly experimental and feature all kinds of wonderous sounds, unusual percussion and vocal manipulation. Heavenly. I guess this is what happens when you move to Portugal. -Kenyon

PLACEBO

Apr 6 Roxy Boston, MA
Apr 7 Metropolis Montreal, QC
Apr 9 Guvernment Toronto, ON
Apr 10 Theater of Living Arts Philadelphia, PA
Apr 11 Roseland New York, NY
Apr 13 House of Blues Chicago, IL
Apr 14 Beaumont Club Kansas City, MO
Apr 15 Pizza Hut Park Frisco, TX
Apr 18 Fillmore Denver, CO
Apr 21 The Fenix Seattle, WA
Apr 22 Roseland Portland, OR
Apr 23 Fillmore San Francisco, CA
Apr 26 House of Blues Las Vegas, NV
Apr 27 Marquee Theater Tempe, AZ
Apr 29 Empire Polo Field Indio, CA

classic vintage video. Blur- "Chemical World" (1993)
Blur hanging out in the forest with the forest animals and doing their best to look real cute.

girl you know it's NEW.
-----------------
Winterpills- "Handkerchiefs" (record out on Signature Sounds, February 27) inspired by some of the best songwriters, Winterpills' hushed soft pop is like Galaxie 500 fronted by an uncorrupted Jewel.
-----------------
Illinois- "Screen door" (record out on Ace Fu March 6). a choo-choo train of happy rock.
-----------------
Thomas Lunch- "Tator tots and Robots" (record out on Hi Fi Alliance, February 8) Tator tots and robots. That's a pretty random combination. Minimal electro-spun quirkiness owing much to Devo.
----------------
myspace pick: Christian Williams- gothy country more brooding than Johnny Cash covering "Hurt."

Wintersleep: untitled (Labwork Music)
release: March 6, 2007
style: sorta epic indie noise rock
similar: Pedro the Lion, Lou Barlow, Elliott
rating: ****

The music from this Nova Scotia band isn't as dreamy as the name Wintersleep suggests, but this untitled (why?) effort does have it's fair share of etherealness. The band's interplay of guitars, bass and drums are anything but standard, taking on various complex patterns and an assortment of guitar effects, all at an easy-going pace. They are also skilled at being real quiet: "A Long Flight" begins with acoustic guitar and chorus-like background vocals before evolving into yet another great performance. -Kenyon

Thirdimension: Before the End Begins (Hidden Agenda)
release: February 20, 2007
style: unplugged
similar: Super Furry Animals, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci
rating: **

A band really can't go wrong recording live and acoustic in an old church in Sweden. Thirdimension takes selections from its first two neo-psych pop-rock records and minimizes the instrumentation while getting heavy reverb. There are a few covers too, though "We're Not Gonna Take It" is hardly Twisted Sister, as it only borrows the chorus. For "Don't Fear the Reaper," Thirdimension gets the job done even though the song has been exposed enough in recent years. Fortunately, they put a twist on it by making it a medley with the Posies' "Dream All Day." "Sore Lips," and "This Time" are two standout originals due to fullness and harmonies. As much as it's nice to get intimate and focus on the basic structure of the songs, Thirdimension sounds more comfortable when they're plugged IN. -Kenyon
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Richard Lloyd: Field Of Fire (double CD re-doing, Reaction/Parasol)
release: February 6, 2007 (originally 1987)
style: rock n roll, bar rock, pop-rock
rating: **

When records of big name artists are remastered, it's usually pointless because we've heard the music before. Then there's people like Richard Lloyd, who few people have heard about and who put out albums before CDs existed. For that reason I can understand why this double CD (one is the remastered--and better--original, the other is a "revisited" version) was issued. What irks me is that the guitarist of early New York punk band Television can't sing all too great, as his voice is pretty throaty (think Bruce Springsteen with a bad cold, although he's closer to Ian McCulloch on the opening track). Some of the melodies do better, notably "Keep on Dancin," "Watch Yourself" and "Black to White." You might then think of him as a working-class American man instead of one of the first punks. Surprisingly, Field of Fire doesn't sound too dated. But even in 1987, there were better things going on. -Kenyon

girl you know it's new.
Cornelius: "Fit Song". from Sensuous, out April 24 on Everloving.
breakthrough, mindblowing. you've never seen any video like this, ever ever. although the song itself is quite minimal. and yes, it's been five years since we've heard from the Japanese experimentalist.

If they don't listen to Al Gore, maybe the unconverted will listen to Snoop Dogg. Live 8, take THIS!

Al Gore announced a HUGE worldwide 24-hour event featuring concerts to focus on the threat of climate change, to take place July 7 when it will be mad hot. Line-up so far inclues Red Hot Chili Peppers, Snoop Dogg, Bon Jovi, Foo Fighters, Lenny Kravitz, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, Duran Duran, Korn, Pharrell, the Black Eyed Peas, Enrique Iglesias (eh?), Faith Hill. The "Live Earth" concerts will take place in Shanghai, South Africa, Australia, London and cities to be announced in Japan, Brazil and the United States. This sounds a little inconvient.

Evil Dead the Musical
at New World Stages, 50th Street in NYC. seen February 10, Saturday 11pm.

The Evil Dead series of films had become more comedy than horror with Army of Darkness. So the next logical step? An over-the-top musical comedy with gore in front of a live audience. It's the kind of thing we might have heard years prior to it actually happening, but never thinking it would actually come to fruition (Freddy Vs Jason, anyone?). But, like it or not, Evil Dead the musical is now a large (and possibly, in time, integral) part of the Evil Dead cult following. Judging by the audience at the theater and reviews online, everyone appears to like it. And there really isn't much to dislike, unless you are devoted to the frightening, atmospheric early 80s horror of the first film. I'll certainly raise my hand to being a diehard of the more serious Evil Dead, and while I was skeptical and disappointed the stories had gone in a knowingly campy direction, I went to the show with as open a mind as possible and wasn't going to let the audience, which usually annoys me at concerts, get me down. Happily, the crowd never became an issue and everyone seemed to respect the show as well as understand all the references to the Evil Dead movies, the one-liners and the show's spoofing of formulaic horror films. One of the best things about the performance was that the story, more or less taken from Evil Dead 1 and 2, successfully tied together the two movies, something Evil Dead 2 itself wasn't able to do (you can probably look all that up on Wikipedia or something). Aside from that, the set design for such a smallish theater was rather impressive, complete with a cellar door on the floor and a talking moose head in the cabin where most of the action takes place. And let's not forget, this IS a musical, so, there were songs. Those songs were carried well by the actors, even when Ash and Scotty were singing "What the f*ck was that?!" (one of my favorites) after their girlfriends became taken over by demons. With the addition of the dead-on (sorry) jokes and the gore, blood and guts that mostly splattered into the "splatter zone" at the end, Evil Dead the Musical was an unusual, entertaining two hours that raises the question as to what an off-broadway musical can be. Wait for it...wait for it........groovy. -Kenyon

The Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics poll is out this week. They printed one of my comments. boing! the top 10 were hardly shocking, pretty much what was expected considering what past years have looked like. out of nearly 500 critics, i was the only one that voted for Elefant.

Mas Rapido!: Pity Party (Parasol)
release: February 6, 2007
style: indie rock, indie pop
rating: ****

Pity Party is just what it sounds like. The band formerly known as Toothpaste 2000 (only one of the best names ever) wrote a record about being unloved, broken-hearted, sad, lonely and depressed. And they really pile it on through the 15 tracks, song after song. Happily, they have the hand-clapping songcraft to go with that, channeling and paying tribute to the Kinks, Teenage Fanclub and Neil Young. Fun times. -Kenyon

Dear and Glorious Physician: s/t (New Granada)
release: now?
style: Indie Rock
rating: **

While this band consisting of four siblings (two brothers and two sisters) doesn't stand out among any other rock bands I've heard lately, there's a familiar boy/girl vocal and a rugged guitar, bass and drum attack that I can't quite pinpoint. It's comfortable in the '90s indie rock era, that's for sure. Dear and Glorious Physician (which is, after Googling the name, also a book title from 1958) straddle punk and noise-rock, and there's some basslines worth moving to but they need to do more than dress in solid white outfits to get my attention cause the tunes aren't exactly doing it......awkward! -Kenyon
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Light Yourself on Fire: s/t EP (Kiss of Death)
release: now?
style: Hardcore metal
rating: ???

Oh good, it's been a while since I listened to sh*t like this. And because band names with the words "die", "I", "kill" and "me" were getting exhaustive, it's, um, refreshing to hear a name like Light Yourself on Fire. This very brutal band, with growling vocals and heavy heavy guitars calls its style "power death" and they claim one of their influences was Joy Division. Really. -Kenyon
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Monikers: Eat Your Young EP (Kiss of Death)
release: now?
style: old school punk just before punk got real popular
rating: ***

Thank you Monikers for restoring the idea that diy pop-punk still exists. In fact, the band (which includes the ex-guitarist of Discount) is straight out of 1993, and you wish you could be seeing them this weekend playing with Jawbreaker and Green Day at some little place like CBGB or the Continental. -Kenyon

David Lee Roth rejoins Van Halen. A Van Halen without Michael Anthony. dumb. we wait all this time and then they pull this shit. Anthony was the least significant member of the band, but come on! bets are on as to how long Alex and Eddie can put up with Roth till they get pissed off again.............Prince at Super Bowl half time show was hot. I liked the lights. He did a medley starting with an abbreviated version of "Let's Go Crazy" and ended with an abbreviated of "Purple Rain" with some other random music in between, including a cover or two. nah, sorry, no witty comments on this.

classic vintage video. Rick Springfield- "Human Touch" (1983)

what do you do when you wake up in the year 2016? you dance, of course!

Skinny Puppy: Mythmaker (SPV)
release: January 30, 2007
styles: Industrial, experimental, electronic
similar: Skinny Puppy
rating: **1/2

Practically a legend through its 20+ years, Skinny Puppy's bleak, statement-making music is definitely an acquired taste. Hell, I even tried to get into their less accesible industrial noise-art tracks by watching a concert video years ago but found myself satisfied enough with dance club favorites "Assimilate" and "Smothered Hope." On its 13th album, it's hard not to expect the same qualities for which SP is known. At the same time, it probably would not be a good idea to expect a replication from the late 1980s. Featuring lyrics inspired by recent experiences with manipulation and control as well as the same from "public figures," Ogre, cEvin Key and new member Mark Walk are hit and miss with the latest installment. Since the distorted vocals have been a defining characteristic of the band, it's tough hearing otherwise. When the vocals are relatively clean, the band is convincing. The vocoder, however, should have been left behind (especially in "Haze"), as it removes the seriousness of a serious band. Leave that for Daft Punk. "Politikil" is one such track with distorted goodness and segments of it is welcomingly old school. And as for those lyrics, when they can be made out, it's troubling. "Ugli" includes the repetitive line "Jesus wants to be ugly" before making noises and dying, while on the first track there's something about "your mother's pisshole" and being "the maggot's muscle." If the delivery and context of those lines were as strong as a classic like "man in motion going nowhere" or had a notable sound bite, I just might be compelled to interpret the meaning. Otherwise, forget it! -Kenyon

TV ON THE RADIO/the Noisettes dates. because all the critics love the TVotR.

Mar 28 2007 - The Fillmore - San Francisco, California
Mar 29 2007 - The Fillmore - San Francisco, California
Mar 29 2007 - Music Box @ Fonda - Los Angeles, California
Mar 31 2007 - Music Box @ Fonda - Los Angeles, California
Apr 1 2007 - Belly Up Tavern - Solana Beach, California
Apr 4 2007 - Gypsy Tea Room And Ballroom - Dallas, Texas
Apr 5 2007 - La Zona Rosa - Austin, Texas
Apr 6 2007 - Meridian - Houston, Texas
Apr 9 2007 - The Club At Firestone - Orlando, Florida
Apr 10 2007 - Culture Room - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Apr 12 2007 - 40 Watt Club - Athens, Georgia
Apr 13 2007 - Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, Georgia
Apr 14 2007 - Mercy Lounge - Nashville, Tennessee
Apr 17 - 2007 - The NorVa - Norfolk, Virginia
Apr 18 2007 - 9:30 Club - Washington, Washington DC
Apr 20 2007 - The Trocadero & Balcony Bar - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Apr 21 2007 - Vassar College - Poughkeepsie, New York
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mash-up master Girl Talk. because Pitchfork just can't get enough.

01/26 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theater
01/27 Seattle, WA Chop Suey
02/02 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop
O2/03 Columbus, OH Wexner Center
02/09 Brooklyn, NY Studio B
02/14 Las Vegas, NV Aladdin Hotel & Casino Theater of the Arts
02/16 Ann Arbor, MI Michigan League Underground
02/17 Nashville, TN Mercy Lounge
03/02 Athens, OH Casa Nueva
03/03 Bloomington, IN Buskirk-Chumley Theater
03/11 Sunrise, FL Langerado Music Festival
03/17 Austin, TX SXSW Fanatic Promotion Showcase at Elysium
03/23 Milwaukee, WI Stonefly Brewery
03/24 Madison, WI Union South Club 770
03/30 Pittsburgh, PA Andy Warhol Museum
04/13 Buffalo, NY Soundlab
04/28 Indio, CA Coachella
05/04 Providence, RI The Living Room
06/07 Vancouver, BC Richards on Richards

i know i'm a little late on this but....hilarious.

note to American Idol: please please put a stop to contestants singing songs by Aretha Franklin. enough is enough. and wow. a girl sang a Jeff Buckley song. halle-freaking-lujah! death by camera has profiles on some of the rejects. jesus christ why do i even care about this?
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Coachella 2007 line-up. which i will not be at. god damn great line-up though with many surprises. fudge.
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"We have a Myspace profile, but we didn't make it and we never would. It's like some random weirdoes who did that." - Spencer Krug of Wolf Parade and Sunset Rubdown in an interview with prefixmag.com
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Misra Records, Absolutely Kosher Records Join. activate powers!
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second hot song and video of 2007. Teddybears with Iggy Pop: "Punkrocker"

Iggy Pop, dudes with bear heads and the city.

check resemblance to Daft Punk's "Da Funk" (1997)

guy with dog head in city. more of a short film than a music video.

first hot song and video of 2007. Bloc Party: "I Still Remember".


check the resemblance to Fleetwood Mac's "Big Love" (1987)

so how about that american idol last night? my picks for most delusional: the girl that sang like the lion from wizard of oz and the guy who teaches singing.

Locksley: Don't Make Me Wait (Feature/self-issued)
release: January 16, 2007
styles: Rock around the clock indie rock.
sounds like: Sloan, early Beatles, That Thing You Do
rating: ***1/2

We can whine all we want about bands ripping off other bands or doing something that's been done a thousand times. Last year, She Wants Revenge, though they all but replicated the best elements of Joy Division, Interpol and Fischerspooner, possessed something else necessary for success: good tunes. (though very few people seemed to care!). And while Locksley wouldn't be around if it wasn't for the Beatles, the Brooklyn quartet doesn't try to mimic the band's latter psychedelic days like most other followers. Instead they love to clap their hands and say yeah to the early years of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "Twist and Shout." Although the record loses some of its steam towards the close and Don't Make Me Wait is hardly revolutionary, the self-issued album is full of upbeat backbeat, jangly Strokes-like guitar and of course a ballad here and there. They'll be opening some dates for the Rapture/Under the Influence of Giants in February and at least a few of the teenage girls will be swooning. -Kenyon

we are so in the future now.

Deerhoof- "+81" from Friend Opportunity out on Kill Rock Stars/5RC January 23.
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what you'll be psyched for:

Of Montreal January 23
The Shins January 23
Skinny Puppy January 30 (they will kick any of these indie rock bands' asses)
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah January 30
Bloc Party February 5
Apple in Stereo February 5
!!! (ChkChkChk or something like that) on Warp(!) March 6
Arcade Fire March 6
LCD Soundsystem March 20
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in the future, we are so screwed. 2006 was warmest. i'm serial.

new stellastarr* + brief tour dates*
demo recording of "Warchild" for next record at www.myspace.com/stellastarr

February 5- San Diego
February 7- Los Angeles
February 10- San Francisco
February 13-Washington, DC
February 15- Philadelphia
February 16- Boston
February 22- New York

classic vintage video.
a-ha- "The Sun Always Shines on TV" (1985)

The second single from their first album, the beginning of "The Sun" appears to be a continuation from the "Take On Me" video. Following one of the best song intros, the band is in a church playing to mannequins and mannequin heads. brilliant! and one of my favorite songs for a dance club. Although "Take on Me" is of course a-ha's one hit wonder, they, like many other similar artists (Gary Numan!) are still around. In fact, they were one of the biggest surprises at Live 8. no, they really did play at Live 8!

kenyon guest DJing. this saturday!

girl you know it's new.



You Am I- "Friends Like You" from Convicts (Yep Roc) out January 23. huge in Australia since forever. similar: Urge Overkill, Fountains of Wayne, Paul Westerberg.

Cezzane- "I’ve Got So Much" sim- hold steady, pedro the lion.

The Black Watch- "Williamsburg" from Tatterdemalion (Stone Garden) the real test when comparing a band to the founding shoegaze bands is to have me be the judge. i don't hear any swervedriver or ride as suggested, but there is a pulse on the heyday of early '90s 120 minutes rock. around long enough to have had a release on the defunct Zero Hour, avoid getting this Black Watch confused with the other Black Watches, there's a few.

Partyline- "Zombie Terrorist" from Zombie Terrorist (Retard Disco) ex-Bratmobile . similar: capricorns, tracy + the plastics.

Pink Nasty- "BTK Blues" from Mold the Gold (self-released) similar: Jenny Lewis, Neko Case. the name Pink Nasty suggests a combination of electro dance and hip-hop. shockingly, this is heartfelt Americana.

2006 is so last week.

favored albums


1. Elefant: The Black Magic Show (Kemado)
2. She Wants Revenge: s/t (Geffen)
3. Goldfrapp: Supernature (Mute US)
4. Muse: Black Holes and Revelations (Warner Bros)
5. Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Show Your Bones (Interscope)
6. Cat Power: The Greatest (Matador)

7. Band of Horses: Everything All the Time (Sub Pop)
8. Mates of State: Bring it Back (Barsuk)
9.Peaches: Impeach My Bush (xl)
10.Hammock: Raising Your Voice...Trying to Stop an Echo (Darla)

favored album with original release in 2005 but reissued-Editors: the Back Room (Fader)

favored singles

1. Primal Scream: "Country Girl"

2. We Are Scientists: "The Great Escape"
3. Scissor Sisters: "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'"
4. She Wants Revenge: "Tear You Apart"
5. Under the Influence of Giants: "In the Clouds"
6. Peaches: "Boys Wanna Be Her"
7. AFI: "Miss Murder"
8. Keane: "Is it Any Wonder"

9. Muse: "Knights of Cydonia"
10.Two Gallants: "Steady Rollin'"


best new club track: combichrist - "this sh*t will f*ck you up"
best records from 2005 i listened to the most in 2006:
madonna- confessions on a dancefloor, apoptygma berzerk- you and me against the world
song i made fun of/mocked the most: justin timberlake "sexy back"
most overrated indie band: tapes n tapes
best mash-ups/sampling: girl talk
toughest follow-up: the killers
worst end of year list: pitchfork
record i didnt get to, wanted to hear: joanna newsom, jarvis cocker, brand new, the blow
dumbest band name: test icicles
most annoying name: shout out out out out
best album title: yo la tengo- i am not afraid of you and i will kick your ass
best band name: someone still loves you boris yeltsin, she wants revenge, be your own pet
worst and most annoying song: kt tunstall "black horse and the cherry tree", the fray "cable car"
best 2 minutes of noisy goth-tinged punk: the horrors "sheena is a parasite"
worst shit i ever heard: white star magic
bands that had records out in 2006 that no one cared about: skid row, winger
non-local concerts i went to: madonna, nine inch nails/bauhaus/peaches, my morning jacket, yeah yeah yeahs, elefant, diamond nights

new SHINS via video shot by fans. this is the first single from upcoming record out in January.
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MTV reality competition show I'm from Rolling Stone starts January 7 and the candidates for the editing position are behaving like they're on vacation. Sure enough, 2.5 minutes into this 5-minute promo they start getting called on that. These guys were chosen from a pool of thousands of applicants? note the assignment for Lollapalooza. I thought Lollapaloza died like 10 years ago.
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The Cure’s Festival 2005 DVD was released December 5. This concert features guitarist Porl Thompson, part of the quintessential Cure line-up circa 1985-1993. I'll watch this after I'm done with the Cure in Orange on youtube. could take a while.
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no, seriously, that last record from Brand New was hot. here are tracks from latest, if your connection doesn't fail.
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nowhere image

Stars of Track and Field: Centuries Before Love and War (Wind-Up)
release: January 16, 2007
styles: Rock with some electronic help
rating: ***

Portland, Oregon trio Stars of Track and Field has two sides to them. One is the soft indie electronic side ("Lullaby for a G.I.") and the other is big rock, nearly arena-sized ("Movies of Antarctica.") The band began experimenting more when they replaced the bassist with programming, which may have led to such a difference within the same record. Hushed indie electronic is great and all, but the band actually does better when it's trying to be the next Embrace or Coldplay. I'm totally serial. -Kenyon
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Honey Power: Macrosilly (Seksound)
released: September 1, 2006
styles: Indie Rock
rating: *1/2

The name implies cutie indie pop, though this band from--of all places--Estonia is more like a less antagonistic Art Brut or the Fall. Honey Power's instrumentation is rooted in the school of post-punk and it's neither exciting nor memorable. The vocals are like a hungover Mark E Smith while the guitar never produces power or anything as sweet as honey. -Kenyon

Steve Almaas & Ali Smith: You Showed Me (Parasol)
released: October 17, 2006
styles: Indie Country Rock/Pop
rating: ***

If the Raveonettes ever explored their country-western side more, it would probably resemble something like this. Steve Almaas, whose history goes as far back as early Minneapolis punk band Suicide Commandos, combines harmonies with book-writer Ali Smith. With the expected pedal steel and ringing country-style guitar, there are several songs that work splendidly (the breezy "Absolutely Free" and the chugging "#7") while only a few wonder off track ("Culebra," featuring an old school Casio rhythm, loses focus). "I Don't Like to be Alone" could have been about Texas, but instead it's an ode to New York City as well as country music's greats. -Kenyon

VNV F-in Nation. TOUR 2007 . next record out April 2007.
first leg- April, covers the East and Midwest
second leg- June/July, covers the West and South

15-18 Mar 07 - USA : Austin (TX), South by South West Festival
05 Apr 07 - USA : Miami (FL), Studio A
06 Apr 07 - USA : St.Petersburg (FL), Jannus Landing
07 Apr 07 - USA : Atlanta (GA), Masquerade
09 Apr 07 - USA : Charlotte (NC), Tremont Music Hall
10 Apr 07 - USA : Norfolk (VA), NorVa
12 Apr 07 - USA : Washington DC (DC), 9:30 Club
13 Apr 07 - USA : Philadelphia (PA), Trocadero Theatre
14 Apr 07 - USA : New York (NY), Irving Plaza
15 Apr 07 - USA : New Haven (CT), Toads Place
17 Apr 07 - USA : Burlington (VT), Higher Ground
18 Apr 07 - USA : Boston, Axis
20 Apr 07 - CAN : Montreal (QC), Club Soda
21 Apr 07 - CAN : Toronto (ON), The Docks
22 Apr 07 - USA : Detroit (MI), St. Andrews Hall
24 Apr 07 - USA : Cleveland (OH), Peabodys
25 Apr 07 - USA : Chicago (IL), Metro
26 Apr 07 - USA : Minneapolis, Minnesota

my morning jacket "it beats for you", starring caldwhale.

Hammock: Raising Your Voice...Trying to Stop an Echo (Darla)
released: November 20, 2006
style: Bliss
similar: Manual, Robin Guthrie, Sigur Ros, Emerald Down
rating: *****

Gorgeous. Stunning. Sublime! Deserves no distractions or interuptions from barking dogs, people talking and general noise pollution. A candidate for best ethereal rock record of the year. -Kenyon
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Casper & the Cookies: The Optimist's Club (Happy Happy Birthday to Me)
released: August 22, 2006
styles: offbeat post-Elephant 6 indie rock/pop
rating: **1/2

Given the varied instrumentation, boy and girl vocals and the list of bands they've played with (Marshmallow Coast, Dressy Bessy), it shouldn't come as much shock that they're from Athens, GA and include an ex-member of Of Montreal. In comparison to Elephand 6 artists, Casper & the Cookies is less about Brian Wilson and psychedelics and more about a quirky stew of instruments and optimism. It's not the most exciting indie rock album ever, and in fact it's confusing at times. Still, there are at least a few enjoyable experimental indie tracks to warrant the cute band name. -Kenyon
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Beau Tand: s/t (Pinstripe)
released: December 12, 2006
style: singer/songer with dance music
similar: Barry Adamson, Maxwell Implosion
rating: *1/2

Former Eighteenth Street Lounge DJ from Washington D.C. that I'm sure has a very alluring voice....when he's not singing. On this debut as Beau Tand, he's got that right idea to be a singer/songwriter with various styles of music blended together, but most of this just sounds like a washed-up Tom Jones or a tortured Neil Diamond. It's not quite the classic noir film soundtrack music the press release indicates. -Kenyon

classic vintage video.
John Waite- "Change" (1982)

he's pissed off at his girlfriend because she's doing coke.

My Morning Jacket: Okonokos concert DVD/CD
released: October 31, 2006
rating: *****

It seems like overkill for a band to not only release a live DVD while they're still on tour but release it only a year after the last proper album. Having just seen the country-rock-ethereal My Morning Jacket for real (see below), it was an unusual chance to experience a very similar performance via DVD so soon. All the songs here sound phenomenal and the band uses the lighting to its advantage on a stage decorated with plant life and stuffed animals. Aside from each wonderful song sounding incredible on its own, the very little time they take between each song keeps the momentum going as well as perplexes me how they barely take a breather. Just when you're trying to finish processing how good one song is, the next one, whether it's from Z or It Still Moves or a random gem from frontperson Jim James' early recordings. Before the concert actually starts, there's some irrelevant wierd stuff going on with a party circa 1900 involving people and animals which flows into the concert. It makes Okonokos a little more surreal than your average concert recording. -Kenyon

Kevin Devine and the Goddamn Band played at the local venue here and I missed it. I'm a fool! I've seen him a few times at the now defunct local bar, both solo and in the band Miracle of 86, and I could tell right away, especially solo, that Kevin was the real deal, a passionate singer. (see my review of his 2003 record at allmusic!) In this song with the Goddamn Band, my impulse comparison is a cross between Dashboard Confessional and John Mayer, but that hardly does justice. here's the live-ish video for "Me and My Friends" off Put Your Ghost to Rest out now on....Capitol!

one big holiday.
My Morning Jacket/the Slip at Roseland. 11.30.06
all photos © 2006 Kenyon Hopkin. Shannon has a full review HERE.

slip inside this house. one of the best most appropriate openers ever.


after that curtain/sheet came down, mmj was like wow.


best looking photo. though the top half of drummer's hair looks like a face.

Fast Food Nation (2006) **1/2

As a statement, Fast Food Nation should get its message across to the unconverted. As a film, it started to drag when, of all people, Bruce Willis is discussing the quality of hamburgers with star Greg Kinnear and when Ethan Hawke is talking about suburban life. The problem with the story--derived from the book, which is essential reading in more detail--is that there is too much uncompelling time spent on the lives of the characters and not enough on the issues with the fast food industry. In one of the three plots, which would work better if they intertwined more, immigrants from Mexico walk a great distance to cross the border and get jobs. Yes, it's a long, long journey. It's not fun. I get it. But we don't need to see more than a half minute of them walking and getting picked up in a van. In the second story about a girl working at the restaurant, there's an attempt to get to know her, her mother and uncle Ethan Hawke. This only stalls the issues. In the third story, there's a lot more that could have been explored than the idea that there's literally crap in the hamburgers. The immigrant workers' story is the only one that gets intense, whether you agree with Mexicans coming here or not. And at the end of Fast Food Nation, when we finally see how the cows are killed, mutilated and broken down in pieces for Americans to put in their mouths, there comes to mind the idea that, well, some suckers are doing this horrible job every day. And, according to the film, desperate abused illegal aliens are the ones doing it. It's only a small part of what's wrong with the fast food industry as well as the country's culture. If the slightly entertaining and minorly thought-provoking Fast Food Nation can prevent a handful of people from eating animals or even take action, then congrats to director Linklater. Otherwise, the cows are still screwed. PS. note the My Morning Jacket poster towards the end. PS. there's a lot of cameos here, so expect people in the theater to be declare out loud, "Bruce Willis!" or "Avril Lavigne!". shut up. -Kenyon

The Gingerdead Man (2005) * (no stars if you dislike murderous talking Gingerbread men).

Grade Z dumbness that is so pitifully acted and scripted that it's a laughable goody. So low-budget that the whole movie takes place in a bakery. It is all in the bakery because the Gingerdead Man booby-trapped all the exits! At 70 minutes (nearly 10 minutes of that is the credits) you really can't even call this is movie. The trailer is all that needed to be made, though there's a scene near the end that's pretty twisted. And yes, that's Gary Busey. Who knows what compelled him to do this.