Stream Feist - Metals

Jack vs. THE LION KING 3D (1994/2011)

To review THE LION KING 3D or not to review THE LION KING 3D.  That is the question.  It's almost pointless to review this movie because, fuck, who doesn't know THE LION KING?  If you have never seen this movie, I should punch you in the face.  It's Disney when Disney was still awesome and wasn't totally reliant on Pixar.  To me, it was the last great non-computer-animated movie.  (More after the break)

Film Review - DRIVE (2011)

DRIVE tells the tale of a man who is a stunt driver by day and getaway driver by night.  He befriends a pretty neighbor and her son, and they nearly develop a romantic relationship until her husband comes home from jail.  And then all hell breaks loose when the mob comes calling on the husband to pay his debts.

I just plain didn't care for DRIVE.  It's not a terrible movie, but it's just.. meh.  To me, DRIVE is playing on a loop in Purgatory.  More after the break...

Stream Ryan Adams - Ashes & Fire

Stream the new album (out 10/11) over at NPR right now. 

Austin City Limits 2011

Another year, another ACL gone by too fast! The weather was close to perfect, and the music was bangin'. Check out a few photos after the break then head to our Facebook page to view the rest.

Drake Take Care cover art

"Feels like it's been so long. Is life moving so fast in this generation that when we desire something it begins to move in slow motion? Are we just used to getting what we want right away? Or do we require one another to feel right about all that is going on around us? Maybe our anticipation is justified by the fact that we genuinely cannot wait to share a moment again? Either way, your life and mine are scheduled to meet on October 24...I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Take Care drops 10/24. 

Radiohead to perform on The Colbert Report

Radiohead is set to perform a special 1 hour long episode of The Colbert Report on Monday, September 26. It's Colbert's first hour long episode & a bit monumental for a band that rarely makes appearances on late-night TV or any sit down interview for that matter. Radiohead is going to perform four songs from their latest album King Of Limbs and the recently debuted and unreleased song "The Daily Mail." They're also going to perform an additional song for the internet.

Stephen Colbert said in a statement, "I look forward to meeting the Radioheads and leveraging their anti-corporate indie cred to raise brand awareness for my sponsors." Perfect.

Before Monday, you can catch Radiohead performing on the season premiere of SNL on 9/24. Their remix album TKOL RMX 1234567 is out 10/10. Download Thom Yorke's "MoneyBack" mix here.

Listen to new James Blake tunes

"Once We All Agree"
"Fall Creek Boys Choir"(ft. Bon Iver)
"Not Long Now"
"A Case Of You" (Joni Mitchell cover)
"Enough Thunder"
"Deeds"
"Olivia Kept"
"Evening Fell Hard For Us"

Enough Thunder reveals itself 10/4.

Stream Wilco - The Whole Love

Listen to the album in its entirety over at NPR.

Also, stream Twin Sister's In Heaven at Soundcloud.

Washed Out "Amor Fati" music video

Washed Out: Amor Fati from Yoonha Park on Vimeo.

The Foo Fighters Counter Protest the Westboro Baptist Church

You know that evil church that protests funerals of dead soldiers and anything else they want to promote their agenda and get media notoriety through controversy? Well, apparently this weekend, they were protesting the Foo Fighters show in Kansas City, MO.  Why?  According to Westboro Baptist Church leader, Fred Phelps, "The entertainment industry is a microcosm of the people in this doomed nation: hard-hearted, hell-bound, and hedonistic.  These people have a platform and should be using it to encourage obedience to God; instead they teach ever person who will listen all things contrary to him: fornication, adultery, idolatry, fags."

...So, obviously, Phelps has never actually heard a Foo Fighters song because the song is called "Everlong" not "Everlong Penis is my New God and Mistress."

So, the Foo Fighters counter protested the WBC's protest with an impromptu concert featuring the country parody, "Keep it Clean."  It's kinda hard to tell what he's saying... but how fucking rad is that?  Dave Grohl is the coolest man in rock in roll.

Jack vs. CITIZEN KANE (1941)

 

I like movies, yet I've never seen the movie that a lot of critics call the greatest movie of all time... Until tonight.  I recently bought the CITIZEN KANE 70th Anniversary blu-ray set.  Why?  Because I'm terrible with money, and the movie snob in me wanted this for my respectable movie library.

How good is CITIZEN KANE?  CITIZEN KANE currently has a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.6 on IMDB (and #38 on the top 250 list)... so it appeals to real critics and armchair critics.

I've decided that I would live-blog the experience of watching this classic for the first time.  It's gonna be weird.  Most of my knowledge of CITIZEN KANE comes from The White Stripes' "The Union Forever."  I do know what "Rosebud" was, but I don't really know how that will affect the way I watch it.  Hope it doesn't.  I hope I can enjoy it like I enjoyed Harry Potter knowing that Voldemort dies... (Fake spoiler alert: Rosebud was a wizard, and he's killed to save Malfoy.)  

"Spoiler."  Hehe... You get it if... you know that... Nevermind.

I will do my best to make this entertaining for all of us.  That's why I'm with my friends Gentleman Jack and Coke... Wait, not Coke... Diet Dr. Thunder.  Jack and Diet Dr. Thunder... Awesome...Drinking game: I will take a shot every time someone in the movie says "Dude, where's my sled?"

So, without further... stalling, Orson Welles' classic... CITIZEN KANE

And... Here... We... Go.  (More after the jump!)

Neon Indian on Jimmy Fallon

Star Wars as Interpreted by Hilarious People

I guess I'm in a Star Warsian mood today.  I want to marry Emma Stone.

"Stand Up To Cancer Celebrity Ambassadors Aziz Ansari, Zach Galifianakis, Bill Hader, Ed Helms, Ken Jeong, Jaime King, Seth Rogen, Andy Samberg and Emma Stone - along with Star Wars alum Samuel L. Jackson - Use the Force for Good as they recreate classic Star Wars scenes to raise awareness for cancer research."

Jack Reflects on Star Wars on Blu-Ray

Soo... I am not going to buy it.  Maybe someday.  I own the two trilogies on DVD already.  I don't care enough about the movies to watch the three disks worth of extra footage.  That shit will be on youtube or the imdb trivia page.  And who knows how much longer Blu-Ray is gonna be around?

The first three movies (episodes 4-6) are still gonna be the same classic movies with minor changes.  The second three will still be "meh," and they'll still all look like they were filmed on green screen, and they'll still be pretty boring, terribly written, and terribly acted.  I can defend my ridiculous LOTR blu-ray purchase because they added literally hours of new things to those movies... Probably too much, but whatever.

The nerd community has been outraged (is it me, or is the nerd community always outraged?) with a couple changes to the classics.  The biggest being Darth Vader screaming, "Noooo!" at the climactic moment in Return of the Jedi.  (Entirely too much more after the jump)

James Blake - "Not Long Now"

Last month, James Blake presented the stunning song "Fall Creek Choir Boys" with vocals from him and Bon Iver. The single was nothing short of great. Today, another track from the Enough Thunder EP (10/10) by Blake has surfaced, and it too does not disappoint.

James Blake - Not Long Now (Radio Rip) by Sound Injections

Florence + The Machine - "Shake It Out"

The details for Florence's new album Ceremonials were just released yesterday and without further ado, the lead single has surfaced it's way onto the internet. "Shake It Out" is the second track we've heard from the sophomore album that Flo has described as being built around "big" themes of "love, death, violence, and guilt." She also said, "There's big moments of confessions on it, overcoming your demons and trying to find in song the ultimate hangover cure." Producer Paul Epworth recently tweeted that their were "no weak tracks" on the album.

"Shake It Out" is definitely epic sounding and has a very positive and encouraging vibe to it with lyrics like "it's always darkest before the dawn" and "it's hard to dance with the devil on your back, so shake him off."

Florence + The Machine - Shake it Out by Artur Cunha

Click to listen to first track released, "What The Water Gave Me".

Review - Bon Iver @ The Long Center 9/13/2011

On 9/13/2011, Lomo and I had the privilege of seeing Bon Iver at the Long Center in Austin, Texas.  This was her second time seeing them.  This was my first.  And anyone who has followed this blog knows that we are huge fans.

The Long Center is a beautiful venue inside and out but I thought it was an odd choice.  I know I felt an uncertainty with what was the proper etiquette.  The unending line to the alcohol as well as the constant flow of traffic to and from the auditorium gave a sense that this was your everyday rock show (or folk show). But the massive venue and seating as well as the elderly, well-dressed ushers gave a sense that this was a show to experience passively. I know that I felt subdued.  (MUCH more after the jump)

Whipped Cream of the Day

• Coldplay released their second single from Mylo Xyloto (10/24) on Monday. "Paradise" is another successful, playful, and head-bobbing song from the group as they continue to reveal their new sound.

• From Beirut's most recent album The Rip Tide, comes a sad story of love taken by disease and an unfortunate accident with a car. The video for the song "Santa Fe" is mostly an account of the happy times of the main character with his late wife and dog spending time on the beach.

• The National are touring in the fall with several bands including Neko Case & The Walkmen as opening acts. They are rolling through Austin on 12/4 with Local Natives kicking off the show.

• It seems like Thom Yorke hasn't stopping moving in months, maybe ever. Listen to Modeselektor's "This" & "Shipwreck" both featuring the Radiohead frontman. You can expect these two tracks from Modeselektor's new album Monkeytown (10/4). Modeselektor also has a remix of "Good Evening Mrs Magpie" that will be released on the upcoming remix album of King of Limbs, TKOL RMX 1234567 (10/10).

• Drake posted a couple new tracks on his blog earlier this week with links to download (which for some reason aren't working anymore). It is unknown if "Free Spirit" & "Club Paradise" will be featured on Take Care (10/24).

• FACT magazine enlisted the help of jamie xx to put together a mixtape for their weekly session. There's no tracklist but the sounds on it are pretty far-out and definitely worth listening to. The download is up for three weeks.

• The video for Cut Copy's "Blink And You'll Miss A Revolution" features some old school cave men/monkeys using the band's body parts to play the song themselves. 

• To coincide with the release of Era Extraña that came out today, Neon Indian released a video for "Polish Girl". The album is $8 on Amazon.

• Florence + The Machine revealed the cover art & tracklisting for her sophomore album Ceremonials. Take a look at the glamorous songstress & the songs listed here. 

New Music Tuesday

CANT Dreams Come True
Neon Indian Era Extraña
Toro Y Moi Freaking Out
Ladytron Gravity The Seducer
St. Vincent Strange Mercy
Girls Father, Son, Holy Ghost
Das Racist Relax

Jim Carrey Singing "I Am the Walrus" (1998)

Did any of yall know that he did this?  This version tows the line between absolutely masterful and crazy-terrible.  Seriously, as I was listening to it, my mind oscillated between, "Wow, that's Broadway-esque" and "Egads, that was off."  This was part of an album of covers called In My Life put together by Sir George Martin, the Beatles's producer.

And if you already knew he did this... well... I had a dial-up modem until 2003.

Update... Jeff Beck's cover of "A Day in the Life" on the same album...Awesome

Remembering That We've Already Won

I felt that this needed to be addressed in some manner... We have no intention of making this a political blog.  We have no desire to impose the thoughts of the far left or far right on anyone.  And that isn't what this clip is about.  This is a clip of a man (who happens to have his own television show) who just experienced something terrible yet has something incredible and heartfelt and honest and inspiring to say.

The following is the opening to the first Daily Show after the September 11 attacks.

The Daily Show

Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

Slow News Day: How to Peel a Banana Like a Monkey

Okay, I've never had THAT much trouble peeling a banana... In truth, I've had more trouble spelling banana than peeling a banana.  But I've had the problem that this dude has had before.  This is no joke.  This is a public service announcement.  We've all been doing it wrong.  

1. Who else desperately wants a banana right now?

2. It's... kinda hot, right?

Stream CANT - Dreams Come True

Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor debuts his first solo album on 9/13. You can stream the album now on Soundcloud.

CANT - Dreams Come True by Transdreamer Records

Indiana Jones, Barbara Streisand as a Dominatrix, Carrie Fisher, and the Most Bizarre Thing You'll See Today

Yes, this footage is crazy grainy, but this is what's going on:

"While shooting the scene where Harrison Ford gets whipped in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Steven Spielberg had an unlikely passel of visitors: Barbra Streisand, Carrie Fisher, and The Empire Strikes Back director Irvin Kershner. He promptly put them all to work on a super-weird, ultra-rare outtake where Streisand whips Ford ("This is for all the money you’re going to make on Return of the Jedi!"), Fisher comes to his aid with a smooch, and Kershner steps in to critique Ford's acting..."

Whipped Cream of the Day

• Very interesting video for the super sweet song "Cairo" by Kamp!. Check out a remix of the song by Moullinex here.

• M83 announced their plans to digitally release a Midnight City Remix EP on 9/27. The remixes we can already hear are pretty impressive. The EP will include Trentemøller, Big Black Delta, Man Without Country, & Team Ghost.

• It's official: despite somewhat poor reviews (not by me), Lil Wayne's Tha Carter IV sold almost 1 million copies in its first week (964,000 to be exact). This is more than twice as many sold as Jay-Z & Kanye's Watch The Throne did in its first week. This is Weezy's third #1 album, & it was the second biggest sales week of the year (behind Gaga). You can watch the latest from the de-throned men"No Church In The Wild" here.

• Listen to Kathleen Edwards "Wapusk" track which features backing vocals from boyfriend/tour mate, Justin Vernon/Bon Iver. They'll be making a stop here in Austin next week (9/13) which the good people here at MSD will be attending and documenting for later review.

• Documentary maker Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me) is doing a series of videos on Hulu called "A Day In The Life" which documents, you guessed it, a day in the life of a notable person in our culture. The most recent chapter follows Greg Gillis aka Girl Talk around while he's on tour. Other episodes have followed Will.I.Am, entrepreneur Richard Branson, & comedian Russell Peters.

Wilco - "Born Alone"

Yesterday, Wilco released another single from their forthcoming album, The Whole Love. This is coming after releasing "I Might" & "I Love My Label" (a cover of Nick Lowe). The Whole Love comes out on 9/27.

Also, watch hilariously as Jeff Tweedy covers The Black Eyed Peas "I Gotta Feeling" while laughter ensues all around.

Alison Mosshart & The Forest Rangers - "What A Wonderful World"

Listen to Alison Mosshart (The Kills, Dead Weather) sing an absolutely beautiful version of a Louis Armstrong clssic for the hit show Sons of Anarchy that premiered last night. "What A Wonderful World" was actually co-written by Bob Thiele, the father of Sons of Anarchy music supervisor Bob Thiele Jr.

Also, The Kills just announced that "Baby Says " will be the second single released from Blood Pressures. Watch an acoustic version here.

Terrible Song from My Youth - "Escape" by Enrique Iglesias

Jack here with yet another terrible song from my youth.  For this installment, we review Enrique Iglesias's "Escape." 

To be fair... there are worse songs in which the lead singer appears to mercilessly stalk someone.  Really, these terrible songs are my favorite to mock (looking at you, Clay Aiken... But not too close... Okay, not looking at you anymore... Sorry), but this one is overlooked.  Why?  Because it's sung by Latin McDreamypants who we all know is banging the hot tennis player.   My entire review will be about the chorus:

You can run, you can hide

But you can't escape my love

You can run, you can hide

But you can't escape my love

That isn't sweet.  Because, you have to imagine that the "she" he's singing to IS running and IS trying to hide... And he's mocking her attempts to flee.  Rest assured, m'am... you can't escape his "love."  And the words he uses, namely "hide" and "escape"...  One doesn't try to hide from or escape a good thing.  More after the jump.

Ryan Adams

Ryan Adams debuted the title track from his next album, and you can head over to twentyfourbit to listen & watch. Listen to another track from the album, "Lucky Now" here.

Ashes & Fire is out 10/11.

Adele Interview

The oh-so-lovely Adele (who has one of the best laughs I've ever heard) gave an interview on The Jonathan Ross Show last weekend hinting at some new material that many are speculating to be the James Bond theme. Skip to the six minute mark to see for yourself. Adele is coming to Austin 10/19, and we'll be there documenting the experience.

The Wildfire Playlist

Apparently we at motorcycle sidecar drama like to write the soundtrack to people's misery and misfortunes (songs for bathing grandma, the apocalypse, the music of Dr. Kevorkian's waiting room, and hurricane Irene), so here is another natural disaster playlist inspired by the recent and ridiculous wildfires tearing up our city.  Bad taste?  Possibly... but isn't any reason to listen to Jimi Hendrix's "Fire" a good reason?

As always, feel free to tell us what we got right, what we got wrong, and what we missed.

Stream Neon Indian's - Era Extraña

Stream Era Extraña over at NPR right now. The album is out 9/13.

"The Rum Diary" - October 28th

In related news, Tim Burton's next directing move "Dark Shadows" which according to IMDB is "A gothic-horror tale centering on the life of vampire Barnabas Collins and his run-ins with various monsters, witches, werewolves and ghosts" has added even more amazing actors to the film. Johnny Lee Miller is joining, who's work as the serial killer in the last season of Dexter was outstanding. Literal kick-ass star Chloe Grace Moretz has been cast along with (of course), Tim's partner and one of my favorite actresses ever, Helena Bonham Carter. The cast already includes Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley, Christopher Lee, and possibly Alice Cooper. The release is set for 2012 and you can bet we'll be first in line.

Toro Y Moi - "All Alone"

Whipped Cream of the Day

• Looks like Jay-Z & Kanye better put some security around their throne #WeezyDoneItAgain

• Neon Indian has been a busy little synthesizer machine lately. Here's another track & free download from the upcoming Era Extraña album out 9/13. And part two of a three part instrumental that will be featured on the record. 

• There's been a void in my life and now I know why. I haven't had any new Röyksopp to listen to. This week they surprised fans by releasing two new songs; one of which is an original and is "best served when calm." 

• Check out this different take of Gorillaz "Feel Good Inc" by the talented Josie Charlwood. I'd love to hear more from this lovely lady. 

• Listen to another epic track from M83's next record Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (10/18). 

• These days, kids and Bon Iver go together like cereal and whiskey in the morning. Here's an unofficial fan video of the track "Michicant" from his latest album. 

• Jamie xx did a set on BBC last week and previewed his remix of "Bloom" that will be featured on Radiohead's remix album, TKOL RMX 1234567 (10/10). Skip to the very end to listen.

• Just a few visually stimulating videos to share with you folks: Unison "Brothers & Sisters", a surfer dude with "flare", & Willie Nelson covering Coldplay's "The Scientist" for Chipotle Mexican Grill in a neat-o stop motion animated short.