Death Cab For Cutie Take Over Stereogum

Today we’re doing something we’ve never done before. It’s gonna be a lot of fun and/or a total disaster. We’re handing over the blog to Death Cab For Cutie. All day Ben, Chris, Nick, and Jason will be trolling YouTube, refreshing The Hype Machine, and surveying all the news crossing Stereogum’s RSS. This is very exciting for us because it means we have the day off. Also everyone at Stereogum is a longtime fan of Death Cab For Cutie. We don’t give free t-shirts to just anyone.

The band’s new album Narrow Stairs, which you guys have been enjoying, is the #1 album in the country right now. A song from it was even featured on Gossip Girl last night. And yet they agreed to spend the day blogging for Stereogum. We hope you’ll make them feel welcome by sending tips to dcfc@stereogum.com or shouting words of encouragement and burning questions in the comments.

Before we get this started, we’ve got a premiere video and MP3 of Stairs standout “Long Division,” recorded at DCFC’s Seattle studio during the band’s final pre-tour rehearsal.

• A few more tracks have leaked from Weezer’s forthcoming red album, one of which sounds like what would happen if Queen made an indie rock hip-hop song. (Stereogum)
• Another Coldplay track leaked too, and like all the better Coldplay songs, it’s sort of like sonic Zoloft. (Mixtape Maestro)
• You’re likely to like Lykke Li. (The Walrus)
• This Caribou song makes me want to put on pelts, move to the forest and smoke hash all day while playing with catapillers. (Pitchfork TV)
• And what’s not to love about a whole bunch of new live Radiohead tracks? (*Sixeyes)

• You know Santogold’s album is good enough to stand up to all the hype when even the unreleased tracks are awesome. (RCRD LBL)
• As if Kanye West weren’t busy enough making hit records and putting on sold out shows, he’s also scooping the music blogs on the new music video from French hipster-disco duo Justice. (BrooklynVegan)
• Here’s the artwork and first track from the forthcoming album from Wolf Parade, which I’m going to play so much that my iPod will come to despise it. (Stereogum)
• Am I the only one who thinks that the new Coldplay song sounds like Coldplay making fun of themselves? (Pasta Primavera)
• The new Langhorne Slim record came out recently, and I suggest you go buy it if you like the way fun sounds when its old-timey. (Instrumental Analysis)

Listen To Fergie’s Track For ‘Sex And The City’

As with all of Fergie’s previous songs, I’m starting off thinking this sounds pretty stupid but am fully aware that eventually, the damn thing will be played on the radio so often that it will work its way into my subconscious and I will be unable to get it out of my head for the next two years.

The lyrics to the tune sound like a garbled Madlibs of SATC keywords like “Manolo Blahnik,” “Louis,” “bag,” and of course, what would a Fergie song be without some counting and a made-up word like “supercalifragisexy”?

Meanwhile, you can find the entire track listing for the soundtrack after the jump.

Photos: WENN

(Some Of) Madonna’s Hard Candy Leaked

That headline sounds dirty to us, too. But it’s true — seven songs by the Material Mom’s Powered By Timba-lake LP have leaked like a belted bathing suit and made their way onto the interweb: “Give It 2 Me,” “Heartbeat,” “Miles Away,” “She’s Not Me,” “Incredible,” “4 Minutes,” and “Beat Goes On.” The last one features Kanye, who does some sing-songing and a limpid mid-song rap: “Give me room now, I’m like a vampire on the full moon, now… Mr West now can you get any more fresh now, I think I just did just now,” etc. Take a listen, now: You’ll find the candy here. People with dance floors will like these.

New Weezer – “Pork And Beans” (Full-Length Track)

Earlier this week, a snippet of “Pork And Beans” surfaced. Now Weezer has a more filling portion streaming over at their site: Zone out on the spinning Weezer logo while you soak up the workout, Oakley, music biz, and Timbaland references and take a listen to the classic-sounding chorus and teeming “I don’t care”‘s. Such a sweet, savory dose of self-referential, self-deprecating Weezer rock. Interesting that in the lyrics Rivers is so focused on giving himself a makeover — this stuff sounds very familiar in a good good way.

New Scarlett Johansson – “Anywhere I Lay My Head” (& Album Art)

You’ve heard what Scarlett has to say about covering Tom Waits, you’ve read what Bowie has to say about her covering Tom Waits, shit you’ve even seen what Tom Waits has to say about ScarJo covering Tom Waits. NOW IT’S TIME TO HEAR HER COVER TOM WAITS. The record’s called Anywhere I Lay My Head, and the first cover to convert its way into internet friendly streamability is the title track. As Sitek told us on a snowy night a few months back, he was going for a “cough syrup/Tinkerbell” vibe throughout. That night we complained that Sitek’s admittedly gorgeous production tended to bury her vocal — drowning Tinker Bell in the cough syrup, to fuck with the metaphor. We walked out thinking it was a swell sounding Sitek album, and Scarlett was the guest star. This is just the first helping, but see how the syrup suits you.

(via the Gorilla)

Now, the art:

See, she’s laying her head! (Hey photographer, you’re fired.) Anywhere I Lay My Head is out on Rhino, soon. Since the Zooey vs. Scarjo debate is inevitable, let it roll. As far as we’re concerned, M. Ward built the record up and around Zooey’s voice; in total, Anywhere leaves you thinking it’s Sitek’s show. Whether that’s just the sheer strength of his signature sonics, or whether that’s him betraying a lack of confidence in her vocals, is better tackled when we have the whole record to wrestle with on repeat. For now, here’s the tracklist:

01 “Fawn” (Alice)
02 “Town With No Cheer” (Swordfish Trombones)
03 “Falling Down” (Big Time)
04 “Anywhere I Lay My Head” (Rain Dogs)

05 “Fannin’ Street” (Orphans)
06 “Song for Jo” (original)
07 “Green Grass” (Real Gone)
08 “I Wish I Was in New Orleans” (Small Change)
09 “I Don’t Want To Grow Up” (Bone Machine)

10 “No One Knows I’m Gone” (Alice)
11 “Who Are You?” (Bone Machine)

Throughout Marchy March and the Funky Month, we’ll be bringing you mp3-rich Listen Up posts written by some of our favorite music bloggers from around the world wide Interwebs. Today, we have Rachel Hurley, who runs Scenestars, has a show on Breakthru Radio, and is an expert on the independent music scene in my hometown of Memphis. After the jump, what she thinks you should be listening do.

• If your first thought of what the 20th Annual International Folk Alliance Showcase might entail includes a gathering of folks that need a bath more than a record deal, you might rethink your point-of-view after hearing John Elliott of the LA-based band The Hereafter play an unbelievably entertaining set in a hotel room at 2AM during the conference. (Scenestars)
• If you dig Austin’s Oh No! Oh My! or Memphis’ Snowglobe, you might just like Tim Regan’s new project Antenna Shoes (Regan, who also played on the last Sparklehorse album, splits his time these days between the three bands. (The Ardent Sessions)



• Check Austin nightlife blog Famousish’s picks for “unmissable” performances during this month’s SXSW extravaganza, including the infamous Lord T and Eloise. (Famousish)
• Speaking of SXSW – The Second Annual Six Degrees of Memphis Day Party and Official Showcase will be held on March 14th at Opal Divine’s Freehouse. Check out the latest “10 Degrees of Memphis” radio show to hear music from most of the participants, including Jump Back Jake, Giant Bear, Amy Lavere, Snowglobe, Blair Combest and The Third Man. (Breakthruradio.com)
• And finally, to really get you in the mood for what I like to call ‘Rock & Roll Spring Break,” check out this video from our favorite New Zealanders, The Flight of the Conchords dudes with a little film they made about SXSW. (Brooklyn Vegan)

Throughout Marchy March and the Funky Month, we’ll be bringing you mp3-laden Listen Up posts written by some of our favorite music bloggers from the world wide Interwebs. Today, we bring you the musical stylings of the invaluable Culture Bully.

His five music picks, after the jump!

• John McLaughlin. Andrew WK. Together. Finally. (Idolator)



• Aquarium Drunkard drops a few tracks from a rare psychedelic compilation, adding that they’ll “melt your face like that Nazi dude at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark“…which is nice…if you’re into that sort of thing. (Aquarium Drunkard)
• Mala Fe – an artist who should be celebrated for combining two of the nation’s most passionate desires: Michael Jackson and salsa. (WFMU)
• Young vengeful female murderers unite – Be Your Own PET have just written your anthem. (Fluxblog)
• Vampire Weekend: now overhyped on two continents! (Culture Bully)

Check out his five music pics, after the jump!

• Time machine engage! From the 80s, I really only miss good cartoons and the overuse of synthesizers. Ghosthustler is trying to fix at least one of those things for me. The group will be playing the Gorilla Vs Booze party at SXSW…hosted by our friend, Gorilla Vs. Bear. Here’s a new track. (Missing Toof)
• I was out in San Francisco for Noise Pop this past weekend. Zooey Deschanel & M.Ward were both staying not only in my hotel, but on my floor! The duo made their live debut at the festival. While not on stage, at the hotel, Zooey wore a huge coke-bottle, eye-magnifying glasses most of the last day I was there…In an unsettling development, my dreams have been invaded by a naughty Harry Carey-like woman ever since. (Hear them on MySpace, see pics at Brooklyn Vegan)
• Gnarls Barkley has returned, and quite triumphantly, with “Run”. Check the new video in which Justin Timberlake makes a fun cameo. It’s hipster Soul Train! (You Ain’t No Picasso)
• Trent Reznor did his best Radiohead impression this week. His release of “Ghosts I-IV” didn’t have quite as much stir, but its the most attention I’ve paid to him in years. Reznor has made the first nine songs of his new collection (totalling thirty-six tracks) available for free with hopes that you might pay at least $5 for the entire set. (Culture Bully)
• SXSW is rapidly approaching. It’s a music geek’s dream spring break. Free booze, food and music. I’m admittedly bias, but the best free party is sure to be Hot Freaks! This year I’m most excited to see Lykke Li. Get an excellent sampling of this talented Swede over at March On Electric Children! (March On Electric Children)
• And finally, orcs, goblins, paladins, clerics and dwarves everywhere shed a tear yesterday. Gary Gygax, co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons, died on Tuesday at the age of 69. I payed tribute in my own way. (MOKB)

• I have a suspicion that Lightspeed Champion has a solid chance of winning this year’s Tapes ‘n Tapes Buzziest Band at SXSW Award, and for pretty good reason. (The Yellow Stereo)
• I first heard The Avett Brothers‘ excellent single “If It’s The Beaches” a few weeks ago on Friday Night Lights when Landry and Tyra finally got back together, and I’ve been listening to it – curled up in bed and crying into my heart pillow – ever since. (I Am Fuel, You Are Friends)
• It’s ridiculous that Jonny Greenwood’s score for There Will Be Blood wasn’t eligible to win an Oscar, because it was by far the most memorable of the year. I like to listen to it while bowling, because I have a competition in me. (You Are So Relevant)
• If you’re into the softer folky stuff, Peasant sounds sort of like a less f*cked up version of Elliot Smith. (BrooklynVegan)
• After years of actively resisting the M.I.A. bandwagon, I have finally given up and admitted to my love of “Paper Planes”. (Instrumental Analysis)

New Madonna (Feat. Justin Timberlake) – “4 Minutes (To Save The World)”

Madonna’s new single was leaked by a French DJ a couple days ago — and now it’s popping up everywhere. Like here. A lot of fun, oui? For their part, Warner’s been really vigilant about folks YouTubing or otherwise uploading it. They issued a copyright claim post haste, but nobody should be surprised that “they were still not quick in enough for thousands of motivated fans of the Material Girl, who managed to download the video or song…” Also via AccuraCast “As of the time of publishing this article, only one video of the track could still be found on DailyMotion. The track included the voice-over of the French DJ announcing the new single at the start.” Who knew Warner could be so efficient? Uploads will shift by the minute — hope you like playing Whac-A-Mole, Bros.

Mobius Band Cover Daft Punk, Make Your Valentine’s Day Mix Easier

Yes, It’s almost Valentine’s Day. In that spirit, we’ve given Mobius Band plenty of love and they’ve finally returned the favor, the teases. We knew the Brooklyn/Massachusetts-trio could turn a cover the moment they tackled Radiohead for OKX. Now, taking a page from Kanye’s book, the lads are covering Daft Punk. Their decidedly less robotic take on “Digital Love” is part of their Love Will Reign Supreme EP, which you’ll be able to download tomorrow for free at the band’s site. For now, the six-song tracklist and album art, plus “Digital Love” and tour dates after the jump. As far as that photo, looks like “Digital Love” of some sort, but let’s hope you spend your V-Day more excitingly than a little liquor in front of the tele.

[Photo by Emily Keegin]

Check out the song here

• Don’t you hate when your friend says “you have to see [RANDOM-ASS BAND] live,” so you pay $20 and go to some random bar and it’s just them playing their eight songs in a different order and standing there, and you’re like, “I hate my friend?” Well trust me — you have to see Jukebox the Ghost live. (Jukebox Myspace)
• Chali2na of Jurassic 5, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, and many others have teamed up for Rainydayz, a collection of remixes from Radiohead’s In Rainbows. Not to be confused with Wainydayz, the remixes of David Wain’s online videos. (onesevensevensix)
• This week also marks the 10-year anniversary of Neutral Milk Hotel’s In The Aeroplane Over The Sea, the first album I ever owned that made every other album I owned instantly turn into crap. (listen.)
• The Magnetic Fields are touring again for the first time in four years? Just long enough for them to come up on my iPod’s shuffle enough times for me to now want to see them. (The Music Slut)
• If you think Teyana Taylor’s song “Google Me” is ridiculous, you should’ve heard her EP, “Askin’ Jeeves”. (Youtube)
• And finally, Tay Zonday covers Lily Allen’s “Smile” on UK television, thus breaking Kato Kaelin’s record for the longest fifteen minutes in history. (Stereogum)

Soundtrack To Your Lost Premiere Party

Got friends coming over for tonight’s nerd Superbowl? Before you sit in silence, eyes glued to ABC, check out Neatorama‘s party ideas. Our favorites:
1. Refreshments: Airplane-sized bottles of liquor and mini packets of peanuts.
2. Decor: Luggage scattered all over the living room.

As for your pre-game playlist, save for DriveSHAFT your best bets are:

• Cass Elliot – “Make Your Own Kind Of Music” (iTunes)
• Patsy Cline – “Walking After Midnight” (iTunes)
• Petula Clark – “Downtown” (iTunes)
• Three Dog Night – “Shambala” (iTunes)
• Nirvana – “Scentless Apprentice” (iTunes)

As for what you missed since May’s season flash-forward, there were some Verizon mobisodes that are part of the official Lost canon. The latest one gave us a headache.

Our favorite dumb theory: time on the island moves in reverse. That explains Richard…

But not Walt, eh?

(Pics via Cracked.)

OK, almost game time. Let us know what you think.

New N.E.R.D. – “Everyone Nose”

Pharrell and N.E.R.D. have been on our minds a lot lately, the In Search Of…-era coming up by way of comparison when describing to friends the production ticks and sleazy beats of “Golden Prize,” the first single from Apes & Androids’ awesome debut LP. So, news of new N.E.R.D. is welcome, particularly because, as expected, they’re flashing some new looks. And we dig at least one of them: The sax ‘n’ double-bass verses kill, but the hooks are soporifically smoothed out and the “all the girls standing in the line…” line is just another slice of “B.O.O.T.A.Y.” Don’t think Apes & Androids will sound like this anytime soon. N.3.R.D. is out sometime this spring.

More on Billionaire Boys Club Blog »

• Arcade Fire has released another one of their crazy interactive music videos that are both fun and sort of make you want to cry. This time it’s for “Black Mirror”. (rorrimkcalb.com)
• If you’re like me, and only enjoy things other people tell you to enjoy, you’re going to enjoy this list of the most blogged-about bands of 2007. So go enjoy it (just like I told you to). (HypeMachine)
• Oh my god, there’s a new Gnarls Barkley song that everyone’s gonna play non-stop and will never go away! (Culture Bully)
• Erykah Badu has a new music video with lots of wierd colors and hair. (Stereogum)
• Thom Yorke, live tracks, downloadable at no cost. What’s not to like about that? (Gorilla vs. Bear)

• Oooh, the new Stephen Malkmus album due out in March appears to have leaked. Or maybe he just hasn’t stopped jamming since ’05. (Cause = Time)
• Big fan of “Teenager In Love” by The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, although if I recall my own experiences, being a teenager in love sounded a lot more like Rush and ELP. (Merry Swankster)
• Hate Something Beautiful salutes the upcoming Breeders reunion at Coachella with an mp3 of their impossible-to-dislike single “Cannonball.” No word on that Blind Melon reunion, though — can’t imagine what the holdup is…
• This remix of “Sister Savior” by The Rapture ought to nicely fill your “Sounds like Depeche Mode without actually being Depeche Mode” quota for the week. (The Music Slut)
• Finally, a decent Robert Pollard track comes to us via the outstandingly named blog, Baby You Got A Stew Goin’!

• Some hipster chick named Katy Perry (who looks like Zooey Deschanel, but isn’t) wrote a tribute anthem to Jared Leto and all the other guy-liner-sporting emaciated emo douches of his ilk called “Ur So Gay”. (YouTube)
• Here’s that amazing Sonic Youth cover of The Carpenters‘ “Superstar” you fell in love with in Juno. (Aquarium Drunkard)
• This sick mixtape of covers includes Radiohead singing The Smiths, Sufjan Stevens covering REM and Conor Oberst doing his best Dylan. (Captain Obvious)
• Beulah’s written the most badass version of “The ABC’s” that’s ever been recorded, and you’d do well to go download it and put it into your ears. (You Ain’t No Picasso)
• I can’t really figure out why I’m unable to stop listening to Vampire Weekend’s track “Walcott”. Download it and help me out. (Music For Kids Who Can’t Read Good)

• Go ahead and clear out the rest of your day, because you’re definitely going to want to spend it listening to the smooth, sultry sounds of Mr. Val Kilmer. This is even better than Steven Seagal’s first album, though not quite as good as his second. (Val Kilmer Music’s MySpace)
• Here are Billboard’s Top 25 Songs of 2007 mashed up into one huge melody of sounds you never want to hear again. (DJ Earworm)
• A late Christmas present: a bunch of rare tracks from The National. (Sixeyes)
• Here’s a few songs from the soundtrack to Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets. (Aquarium Drunkard)
• And how about a couple of weird tracks from Destroyer and Patrick Wolf just to make sure Val Kilmer has been cleansed from your aural palette forever. (Said The Gramophone)

• If there’s one thing that will make the first day back to work after your break somehow bearable, it’s this hour-long in-studio performance video Radiohead put out on New Year’s Eve. (Goldenfiddle)
• Wanna hear some bearded guy whisper to you whilst playing a folk guitar? Then head on over to my apartment later on. Or just download this new track from Iron & Wine. Your call. (Spinner)
• If you think Led Zeppelin is the only band capable of making decent rock and roll and about fantasy geek topics such as hobbit warfare and battle axes, then you’ve clearly not heard the fantastic sounds of Dead Meadow. (Obscure Sound)
• Here’s a pretty sweet “Mega Download” with tracks from Apes & Androids, Caribou, CoCoRosie and Andrew Bird. (RCRD LBL)
• One of your resolutions this years should be to get a little more Dan Deacon in your life. Start here. (Gorilla vs. Bear)

New Michael Jackson (Feat. Fergie) – “Beat It ’08″

Man have we got good news for you if you enjoy the pointless reworking of classic music! The Thriller desecration continues, under the veil of the hastily assembled, ’08-stamped studio abortions. If you thought the Kanye joint was bad news and relatively uneventful, Fergie’s here to change your mind, going for an “Unforgettable” style line-trading collaboration, except that MJ’s not dead and Fergie sounds more like a strangled cat with a ruptured meow box than Natalie Cole. At least she has better pitch than her shot at Bond. Click around in MattP‘s little iMeem box of MJ remix magic at your own risk to your ears.

Remember, all this stuff is out on the Thriller – 25th Anniversary Edition, out 2/12/08, ostensibly timed as such in order to be one of the worst Valentine’s gifts you could give your lover.

Winners Of The 2007 Gummy Awards

Finally, a list you’ll hopefully enjoy — after all, you made it. This year’s Gummy voters came out in record numbers, meaning more statistically sound results than ever (the album rankings surer, the hotties hotter). But before we get to the results for best video, best live act, and most overblogged, we’d like to commemorate the strong showing of voter turnout and (mostly) great taste with this, a special Gummy Award presentation ceremony. Here to announce the top three in the all-important Best Album category, welcome Human Giants Paul Scheer and Rob Huebel, joining us now, live and on location.

Thanks guys, and thanks for dressing up for the occasion. Also, congrats to Joe Frazier! Last but not least, congrats to the randomly selected winner of this year’s Top 50 CDs, courtesy of our favorite brick + mortar + digital store Other Music. (Matthew S., check your gmail!) Without further ado, the complete results by category, this way…

Music: Britney Spears ft. Lil Kim – Gimme More (Remix)

Lil Kim raps over Brit’s “Gimme More”. It sucks.

Listen here.

In Case You Missed It: Last Night’s Party (Feat. Radiohead Covering Björk)

So Radiohead hosted a party yesterday (hosted, get it?). Everybody was invited, but not everybody could get in — or get online, as it were. But here’s some good news for those who found the party crashed due to tech/bandwith issues, here’s a replay. Here’s Part One: Entanglement, featuring a reworking of “Harrowdown Hill.” It’s got a beat and Thom can dance to it.

After the jump comes Part Two, in which Radiohead becomes the world’s best Björk cover band.

That’s Homogenic’s “Unravel.” Study Radiohead’s rendition on your PMP:

Radiohead – “Unravel” (MP3)

And for your comparison and contrast:

The top comment on that Björkian YouTube: “Bjork’s amazin, she and thom yorke should get married! =)” The Cremaster master would have something to say about that … but yeah that’d be a hell of a couple.

Also: “To Whom It May Concern … I GIVE UP”? There’s another testcast scheduled for tonight, so nobody’s giving up on anything just yet.

Before the testcast proper came a couple of record spinning sessions; we’d linked to Nigel’s earlier, and Colin had one, too. Here they both are embedded for her pleasure:

• If you missed the lovely Feist absolutely killing it on SNL last weekend, I highly recommend you watch this video, then download”1234″ if you don’t already have it. I don’t care if it WAS in that iPod commercial, it’s catchier than Paris Hilton’s panties. (Rock Sellout)
• A new EP from Grizzly Bear came out this week, and it makes me want put them on repeat, and hibernate in my apartment for the winter. (nialler9)
• Even if American Gangster didn’t deliver on its claims to be the second coming of The Godfather, it did give us an album’s worth of the first decent work Jay-Z has done since re-inventing himself as the Bill Gates CEO of all black people or whatever. (Ain’t Got No Music)
• Lots of great music came out last month, but my favorite song may just have been “I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You” by Black Kids – and that’s the name of the band, not a reflection of their race. (The Bathysphere, #7)
• So after all that speculation, it turns out about 1/3 of the people who downloaded the new Radiohead album were honest/dumb (depending on how you look at it) enough to actually pay for it. So why not download one of their songs for free? Everyone else did. (Glorious Noise)

• Believe it or not, everyone in the world isn’t as jazzed about a new Radiohead album as we are, which is why its good that Jay-Z had a big record come out this week, too. Jay-Z is like the Radiohead of people who talk about money and power over beats instead of playing instruments. (Nah Right)
• Beirut also just released a pretty great new album, if you’re into people wailing over a Balkan polka orchestra. Beirut is like the Radiohead of bands for people who are too cool admit they still like stuff that’s been around as long as Radiohead. (Audio Deficit Disorder)
• If, for some reason, you’re compelled to further explore the music of Tay Zonday live in concert, go here (and don’t come back, because you’re weird…we think). I’d say that Tay is the Radiohead of creepy-looking people who got famous for performing a completely insane song on YouTube. (Culture Bully)
• White Rabbits covered My Morning Jacket. This is like the Radiohead of…okay, this is nothing like Radiohead. (Aquarium Drunkard)
• And I’ll leave you with LCD Soundsystem, who been getting a lot of face time on my iPod since I saw their mind-sexing show in NYC last weekend. They’re like the Radiohead of American bands capable of actually being as good as Radiohead. (Fluxblog)

New Fiery Furnaces Video – “Ex-Guru”

The bouncy-then-snake-sacrificing pop of “Ex-Guru,” from the Fiery ones’ latest LP Widow City, sees the Friedberger sibs frolicking in a sylvian setting. In describing the tune, FF said “”the loud guitar-drums-and-Chamberlin ‘thunderstorm’ part towards the end … indicates the thunderstorm brought about by the jilted ex-guru,” but all we get are odd faces carved into tree trunks, extreme eyeball closeups, and a tight shot of a cute pussy.

“Ex-Guru” in your pocket:

The Fiery Furnaces – “Ex-Guru” (MP3)

Widow City is out now via Thrill Jockey.

Stereogum Presents… Drive XV: A Tribute To Automatic For The People

After OKX, our 10-year cover tribute to the Radiohead classic OK Computer, we soon began narrowing the list of prospects for our next celebratory project: sifting, sorting, debating, etc. But when we realized we were approaching a decade and a half since the release of R.E.M.’s Automatic For The People (originally released 10/5/92) — surprised by that period of time as we had been by discovering it had been a full decade since OK Computer — we knew we had our next project chosen.

It’s a similar sort of awe and respect we have for Automatic, an album that stood out of step from the angsty grunge and brainy indie rock of that era; in that sense, it’s also an album out of time, and one that still affects us all here at Stereogum. Now 15 years on, and with R.E.M. showing signs of increased activity, releasing a CD/DVD set R.E.M. Live on 10/16 and working furiously and furtively on a new album expected next year, it’s an ideal moment to reflect upon and celebrate this personal, critical, and commercial favorite.

Check it out here

Or download the entire album: zip, torrent

Michelle,

Is there any way you could post this James Blunt video? I’m sure your readers will think he’s a total McSteamy dreamboat. Pretty please?

Let me know what you think!
NAME REDACTED

Sure, Name Redacted — we’ll be happy to post the video! So, readers, what do you really think about this James Blunt video? Is he the Steamy McDreamboat you’ve always wished for? Let us know in the comments.