BreakThru Radio is currently streaming a three part recording of a live performance by beloved Memphis musicians, Ben Nichols (of Lucero) and Cory Branan.

Lucero is known for their rowdy, whiskey-soaked performances, but with Nichols on his own, the songs' innate sentimentality really shine through. As for Branan, he only performs solo, but he seems to have brought some of the wilder elements of his voice into control since I last saw him - resulting in songs that reflect the subtlety of his albums.

Things to listen for:

- Ben Nichols singing back-up on one of Cory Branan's best, "Tall Green Grass".

- During a conversation with Cory a couple years ago, he clued me in that certain portions of the first song Nichols plays are about him.

- A half-decent, half-drunken cover of "Great Balls of Fire".

Here are the links to the 3 parts:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Make sure to bring earmuffs next time you take your kids to Chuck E. Cheese. Their animatronic band, better known as The Rock-a Fire Explosion, can now perform foul-lyric tunes from top 40 radio. The saavy hacker who put together the performance programmed the plush critters to play songs from artists like Plain White T's, Fergie, Nickelback, and others. Click the picture on the right to see Rock-a Fire perform Bubba Sparxx's "Ms. New Booty."

This is the worst thing to happen to children since the release of Kidz Bop Volume 12...oh, that was yesterday.

Having sold millions of records fronting two of the most successful rock bands in recent history, Chris Cornell has finally earned the right to chill out. As the former lead singer of Seattle grunge pioneers Soundgarden and the recently disbanded “supergroup” Audioslave, Cornell has been praised as one of the best singers in rock. He possesses a voice with incredible power and a full vocal range that makes it one of music’s most resilient instruments.

Since the demise of his group efforts (isn’t it amazing that bands with songs like “Blow up the Outside World” and “Drown Me Slowly” would cite irreconcilable differences?), Cornell is all about the freedom he feels as a newly liberated solo artist.

In June 2007, Cornell released his second solo album, appropriately titled Carry On, a musically confused clutter of stylistic variations that even features a cover of Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean.” As for the decision to transform Jackson's most popular song into a brooding ballad, it seems to be perfectly in line with Cornell’s newfound ideology: I can do any damn thing I want.

Cornell’s album shows that, once again, he’s fully capable of going beyond his role as a product of early ‘90s grunge to become a lasting musical icon.

Cornell’s two day stint at the Beacon Theater begins tonight.

I'll admit it. When I was in middle school, I used to love KoRn. Yeah, I was that guy - - the guy in the JNCOs. Ever wonder why "Got The Life" was #1 on Total Request Live everyday in 1998? Because I voted for it non-stop.

Earlier today, KoRn announced their latest entrepreneurial endeavor - - creating their own brand of bio-fuel. Korntastic will be a domestically produced alternative fuel derived from plant based energy sources. The product will emit a significantly smaller amount of CO2 than regular fuel does. The band has arranged to have bio-fuel replace gasoline in the 16 touring vehicles on this year's Family Values Tour. Lead singer Jonathan Davis says "We can't save the planet overnight but this is our way of saying everyone has to start somewhere. As a touring band it's our responsibility to start making a difference. We encourage all other bands touring this summer to do the same." Al Gore must be so proud of you guys. In fact, rumor has it Al started wearing JNCOs.

KoRn's new album, Untitled, hits shelves today. To promote the release, they will play a free concert tonight at 6 at the South Street Seaport.

If you’re the sort of person who likes The Cure more so in theory than in say...reality, then we’ve got the band for you! Philadelphia based pop-rock group Liam and Me, who performed Thursday night at the Bowery Ballroom, is all about channeling 80’s new wave bands without all of those annoying, retro cobwebs. The four members of Liam and Me (vocalist/keyboardist Matt O’Dowd, guitarist Dan Larkin, bassist Kevin McKenzie, and drummer Jon Briks) are just beginning to perpetuate a buzz that started amongst colleges of the Northeast and eventually caught the attention of indie and major labels alike.

Liam and Me is known for crafting perfect pop songs and dance tracks that could serve as the soundtrack to any of your most profound frat party moments (admit it, they did seem profound at the time). The band has had an overwhelmingly positive response from fans and press after their self-release "There’s a Difference" early this year. What could be bad? They combine hook-happy melodies with dynamic arrangements that, while drawing from the 80’s, loses the attitude in favor of imaginative accessibility.

Liam and Me is quickly becoming known for their fun, energetic live concerts. They’ve shared the stage with such acts as The Sounds, Reliant K, and The Shiny Toy Guns. The band has upcoming shows up and down the east coast. Check them out and see what you think.

Hey, cheapskate! Why pay $85 to hang out with a bunch of has-beens on Randall's Island, when, for roughly 1/28th the cost, you could experience an entire week-end of has-beens in and around New York City! Here's four shows that will appeal to any bargain rocker.

TONITE: Suicide, the demented techno duo that launched an entire genre, play for FREE at South Street Seaport at 7pm. Okay, so their recent releases are pretty spotty, and their live show is decidedly hit-or-miss, it's still worth the price of admission ... because it's FREE! Keep your fingers crossed for "Rocket U.S.A."

TOMORROW: an intriguing, unlikely double dip in the outer boroughs, starting at the Water Taxi Beach in Long Island City (Queens) for a fresh set of "cutting" (known to you and most as 'scratching') from hip-hop Grandmaster Flash! A mere $3 will get you sand in your toes, an unrivaled view of Manhattan, and booty-shaking old-skool beats from a guy whose vinyl collection must have serious holes in it by now. Trivia tidbit: Flash did not actually perform on "The Message." That one was Melle Mel all the way.

Why not follow your trip to the "beach" with a trip to the "pool"? But leave your swim trunks at home, because Brooklyn's latest concert hot-spot, the McCarren Park Pool, is where you'll find Starbucks recording artists Sonic Youth performing their indie touchstone Daydream Nation LIVE, in its entirety (except, perhaps, for that song with the piano). Okay, i'm fudging a bit here, because the show is around $35 to get in, thanks to our good friends at Clear Chan ...er, Live Nation. But, the pool is surrounded by a lovely park, perfect for throwing down a blanket, surreptitiously cracking a beer from the bodega, hanging out with your friends listening to the music, all while sticking it to the man in the process. If you are a purist enough to plop down the bucks to stand on paint-chip-flecked concrete just to get a good look at what Kim Gordon is wearing that day, well, be my guest. Not a very "indie" thing to do, though, is it.

SUNDAY: A legitimate free show at the Pool, and one involving a bona fide current act! The Brooklyn Music Scene's crown jewel, TV on the Radio, rocks this week's edition of the JellyNYC Pool Party in splendid style. That said, the RSVP list is more jam packed than the 1am L train, so make sure you get there EARLY, like 2pm early, if you have any intentions of getting in (even if it means endure a live set of execrable bass-less wonders Celebration). Or you could always, you know, just hang out outside.

Live sets from four terrific New York legends ... grand total $3. Come on down!

Photos from WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot and Three Pink Monkeys on Flickr and the Grandmaster Flash web site.

The Von Bondies, the Detroit garage revivalists who made noise with “C’Mon C’Mon” and whose drummer once found himself in fisticuffs with Jack White, are finally prepping the follow-up to 2004’s Pawn Shoppe Heart, Billboard.com reports. The new album, Love, Hate and Then There's You, marks the band sophomore major-label release, and Butch Walker—the tour de force behind the knobs for Fall Out Boy, Avril Lavigne, The Academy Is..., Rock Star: Supernova, Lindsay Lohan, and, er, Pete Yorn, among others—produces the album’s last three songs.

Much has happened since the band pawn shopped their hearts. They lost their guitarist, bassist, and their bassist’s replacement. Frontman Jason Stollsteimer and his wife parted ways and he formed a new band, Hounds Below. But despite all this, it “doesn't mean there isn't still a Von Bodies," Stollsteimer told Billboard.com.

We’ll hear what the new Von Bondies, who purportedly play like the old Von Bondies, sound like when Love, Hate and Then There’s You drops sometime in early 2008.

Shows for you to enjoy tonight:

Fresh-faced Welsh-men The Automatic (known stateside as the Automatic Automatic for reasons known only to a few record label schmoes) bring a UK-sized pop-punk ruckus to the always lovely Bowery Ballroom. In 2006, their halfway-novelty hit "Monster" (featuring a both enduring and hilariously unexpected chorus) dropped on BBC like a ton of Rarebit, and with their slot on the western swing of the recent Warped Tour, Yanks were introduced to their unbelievably energetic live show and their excellent debut Not Accepted Anywhere. Expect the unexpected ... and a few 15-foot jumps from rafters or stacks of speaker cabinets. Check out "Raoul" and "Monster" on TheirSpace.

Feeling a little more adult / bluesy / sinister? Or, is the prospect of seeing the opening acts at Bowery leaving you a little flat? Please see the tuneful-but-volatile harmonium-bass-drums power trio Beat the Devil, with their early "Secret Showcase" in the basement of Cake Shop. It's their first performance after their already-legendary appearance at South Street Seaport that wowed thousands, and it may be your last chance to see them for a while (as the band is departing for a lengthy tour after the show). I can't vouch for the cake, but i can sure vouch for the rock. Full disclosure: this author's band opens at 8pm. Beer + sake special too.

Tomorrow: an entire weekend of legendary New York acts, for $3? Stay tuned.

Photos by Jackie Roman

The naked body is said to be a beautiful thing, but this seems far from true when bellicose NYC band Liars are interpreting the human form. BrooklynVegan pointed us to the scraggly punk trio’s new, dark video for “Plaster Casts of Everything,” off their upcoming eponymous fourth album, on which nudes are superimposed on top of each other. They look de-gendered and dreadful, with double chins and droopy anatomical parts helping to make the whole clip cringe-worthy. And when a furiously bright headlight spews forth from the car-driving protagonist’s mouth, illuminating from inside his ride disembodied visages or maniacally dancing people, we can’t help but wonder what the band’s new tracks, like “Leather Prowler” or “Freak Out,” will look like after given video treatment.

Liars’ truth can be heard when Mute releases their self-titled album Aug. 28.

Brace yourself. Tonight, one-time underground act The White Stripes will perform (gasp) at Madison Square Garden. The White Stripes will officially join the ranks of Billy Joel, The Police and many other larger-than-life performers that have come before. The venue choice for tonight’s show has taken many by surprise. Mainly because— who knew that there were so many people who liked the White Stripes? Yes, it seems that the word is out and their previously small, cult following will have to fraternize with the masses to see them play.

The White Stripes’ summer tour began in Canada and the band has returned to the United States to play performances in New York and Boston. The tour supports their latest album "Icky Thump", which was released on June 19th.

The White Stripes may have seemed slightly out of the picture in 2006, when the band was put on pause while Jack White toured with the Raconteurs. White's noticeable delight at playing with his new gig (imagine the more diverse wardrobe options!) caused many to believe that The White Stripes would be history. But Icky Thump turned out to be a complete resurrection for the band. It gets back to the elements that put people in a craze over the White Stripes' garage-rock revival in the first place.

Let’s hope that tonight, the duo can dismiss the indie disdain, and prove that even gargantuan concert venues don’t take them too far away from where they started.

Photo by AJ Fischler via Flickr

Ever been to Milton, Ontario? Neither have we, but sounds like it might be a beautiful place judging by the halcyon indie pop soundscapes scored by that town’s the Most Serene Republic, who have announced they’re prepping sophomore full-length Population for Oct. 2 release. Arts & Crafts, the label that seems to be the home of all fuzzily exotic Canadian collectives except the Arcade Fire, will release the band’s follow-up to their 2005 debut, Underwater Cinematographer.

The album is led by “Sherry and Her Butterfly Net,” and with tracks complementarily titled “A Mix of Sun and Cloud,” “Career in Shaping Clay,” and “Humble Peasant,” the album seems like it might be all about bucolic whimsy. But notions of rainbows and sunshine may be offset by tracks coined “Compliance” and “Neurasthenia,” an ailment with symptoms like fatigue, anxiety, and, ugh!, impotence. But then there’s “Multiplication Tables,” so who knows, maybe the album is about math algorithms.

Population’s tracklisting:

1. "Humble Peasants"
2. "Compliance"
3. "The Men Who Live Upstairs"
4. "Present of Future End"
5. "A Mix of Sun and Cloud"
6. "Battle Hymn of the Republic"
7. "Why So Looking Back"
8. "Sherry and Her Butterfly Net"
9. "Agenbite on Inwit"
10. "Career in Shaping Clay"
11. "Solipsism Millionaires"
12. "Multiplication Tables"
13. "Neurasthenia"

Perry Farell’s outer-worldly project Satellite Party has undergone more lineup changes, MTV.com reports. Ex-Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt has left the band, releasing the statement, “I have always been uncomfortable with the direction of the lineup and live show.” We suppose nonsensically creepy lyrics (On “Wish Upon a Dogstar,” Farell chants, “Yeah we can celebrate our inner horizon / We can activate our Christ teach, too / Oh it'll be fun!”) might also have something to do with it.

The split appears to be an amicable one, though. “I wish Perry Farrell and any musician that remains on the tour all the best,” Bettencourt said. Still, it sounds like someone is expecting others to jump Farrell’s spaceship as he and drummer Kevin Figg did.

Replacements for Bettencourt and Figg have been found in Silvertide’s Nick Perri and Jordan Plosky, respectively. Fun fact: sexy stickman Plosky used to drum for Ryan Cabrera. Now the Party can really get started.

Photo by stjnky via Flickr

I'm not a major Yeah Yeah Yeahs fan, but of all the acts who came up through the ranks of the New York City signing spree the early part of this decade, i've always found them the ones most worth cheering for. Inventive, accessible, good-looking, effortlessly sexy and pretty much singular, with a terrific stage-presence, both in terms of sound and appearance. Certainly more than you could say about, oh, Elefant.

That said, i often feel like the only person i know who found Fever to Tell an immediate low-point. Especially after the promise of the first EP (and the live shows that supported it), Fever to Tell felt like a dashed-off f**k you from a band intent on torpedoing its impending success, with 11 songs of tuneless preening (the sort of thing the band had already mastered with the first EP's "Art Star") and the one pretty number that just made the remainder seem even more half-assed. Maybe it was, collectively, a refreshing show of rock-star style arrogance, maybe the band thought they needed to do something big and obvious to make an initial impact. Regardless, it connected.

It took three years for Show Your Bones to finally happen along, to me (and seemingly only to me) righted the ship a little bit with a much greater emphasis on melody and songcraft and less on attitude. Or, if nothing else, "Cheated Hearts" alone proved worth the price of admission. But fans of the first, for whom Fever was pretty much their only exposure to the band, were no doubt wondering where the screechy-silly-"sexy" novelty went, what with the keyboard and the acoustic guitars and such. Had YYY already gone mainstream?

Well, they were in the first place, but new EP, Is Is, finally effectively (re-)unites both dimensions of the band. Though consisting of songs written before Show Your Bones, it still sounds like a fairly natural progression for the group. Fans of the band's sassier side (and fans of huge Phil Collins-style snare sounds) will dig "Rockers to Swallow," while fans of the more anthemic material will get a major fix with the remaining tracks. And the whole thing over all sounds cool as hell. Not sure why these songs are just seeing the light of day now, rather than when they were written, but it's been proven time and again, you really can't fault anything this band does strategically.

Also, how cool are EPs? Why don't more bands make these?

Photo by Stig Nygaard via Flickr

This Brooklyn based Indie Rock band recently gained both notoriety and respect in 2006 by releasing an EP every month. Having completed this impressive feat they are about to release their second full length album The Broken String tomorrow (it is already available on their website). This new CD reworks many of the songs from their 2006 EP's.

Bishop Allen's music is reminiscent of The Clash, and Belle and Sebastian with their own irresistible twist. They alternate between a sweet, quiet sound with piano and ukulele as in Click Click Click Click, Like Castanets, and Butterfly Nets, to an upbeat, and bouncy sound as in Rain, Middle Management and News From Your Bed. Their songs also often feature compelling stories, like Corazon, a song about a piano which the band rescued from the trash outside of a public school in Brooklyn.

Bishop Allen was formed in 2003 by two Harvard grads Justin Rice and Christian Rudder, and is named after the street of their Cambridge apartment at the time. They are frequently joined by other artists, notably Darbie Nowatka who sings lead vocals on some songs and often joins them live. Prior to starting the band Christian Rudder started the website Sparknotes.com currently owned by Barnes and Noble.

New York-based quartet Professor Murder recently released a new track on their MySpace page, entitled "Dutch Hex." The 12" single, to be released on Brooklyn's The Brothers Label, will also include a remix by Trey Told 'Em (a collabo between Girl Talk and Hearts of Darknesses).

On "Dutch Hex," P-Murder (or King Oppression, as they are alternately known) sound as if they've been using a dance-punk cheat sheet, compiled from the notes of their contemporaries and predecessors. And yet, just as on last year's Professor Murder Rides the Subway EP, the foursome manage to sound fun and original, rather than derivative. Take equal parts The Rapture, !!!, and The Clash, and add a dash of new-wave zest, and you're approaching Professor Murder's territory.

The final minute or so of the song consists of a refrain being chanted a capella, then suddenly rescued from pretension by the addition of tribal percussion, then synth claps, and finally that ubiquitous Professor Murder favorite: the cowbell. The real treat of this track comes at the 2:30 mark, though, when the Brothers' production work backs up the call-and-response yelping of the refrain with a synth effect that sounds something akin to a Gospel choir singing through a vocoder.

After an appearance at last weekend's Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, the band will resume their North American tour on August 16th, with eight cities on their schedule as of today. Sadly for me, the boys' native New York isn't one of them.

Photo by Nev Brown.

In a recent interview with Paste magazine, Ben Kweller talks about being on the road with his family, his new tour, recording two albums at once, and escaping flash flood waters at his Texas home. For New Yorkers, the latest good news is that Kweller is planning three full album shows on July 30—August 1. They will take place at Southpaw in Brooklyn, featuring the album’s Sha Sha, On My Way, and Ben Kweller.

Here’s the defining question about Ben Kweller: What has he got that all the other guitar –playing young guys with perplexing love lives don’t? For one thing, he has the kind of universal appeal, diehard loyalty, and teeny bopper envy that guys like John Mayer could only dream of finding. And on top of that, he seems to charm the hell out of every music critic imaginable (including this one— five minutes on the phone with Kweller and not only do I want to attend his next concert, but I really want to be his best friend). Bottom line: The guy’s got charisma.

Another thing that sets him apart is his pre-mature affiliation with just about every normal sequence of life. Kweller has been in the music business for ten years and he’s only 25. He started playing guitar when he was 7, began writing songs at age 9, formed his first band when he was 12, dropped out of high school when he was 16, and fell in love with his third real girlfriend one year later. They moved in together when he was 19, and got married and had a kid when he was 25.

What’s also interesting about Ben Kweller is that he uses a wide variety of instruments—layering acoustic, electric and bass guitars with pianos, glockenspiels, tambourines, xylophones, organs, drugs, claps, harmonicas and triangles—and even more impressive is that he actually plays them all himself. He avoids standard pop fair with unique lyrical content (which ranges from talk of his five-year history with his wife Lizzy to telling the story of a kitten he once rescued from a dumpster).

Goofy pop charms aside, Kweller’s appeal might just be due to his mastery of the slightly off-kilter love song. When it comes to music, there is a fine line between annoying and suitably heartbreaking. But with Ben Kweller, that concern is quieted. You can feel free to get with the sentimental vibe.

Photo by Steve Hopson via Flickr

This has been a big summer for Harry Potter fans. The 5th movie Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix recently came out on July 11, and has thus far amassed $168M at the box office. The much anticipated final Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows comes out tonight.

Part of the ever expanding range of Harry Potter culture are many new rock bands deriving their inspiration and material from this epic series. The genre Wizard Rock was invented 5 years ago by two brothers Paul and Joe DeGeorge, of Harry and the Potters, and has continued to grow. Currently wizardrock.org lists over 60 bands with clever amusing names ranging from Draco and the Malfoys to Philosopherock.

The music ranges from the traditional rock sound of Harry and the Potters to the clever lyrics of Draco and the Malfoys to the more pop sound of Philosopherock. Though the primary venue for this brand of rock is libraries, schools, and book stores, and they usually draw younger crowds they know how to rock, putting on a good show for fans of all ages.

These groups also tend to promote reading and playing, and writing music on their websites. One group the HP Alliance is using the Harry Potter craze to combat genocide in Darfur, recently releasing a podcast Becoming Dumbledore's Army: Harry Potter Fans for Darfur aimed at challenging fans to act on the positive messages in the book to fight real world injustice.

You know, while you're riding on the F-train, kinda hung over, towards Coney for a free day of summer sun and rocking, people are going to tell you the Siren Festival used to be cool. That it used to have good bands, and now it stinks. Those people are wrong: the Siren Festival has always kinda stunk. But, a trip to Coney Island is never a bad idea, especially when you know most of your friends are going to be going down as well, and the distant hum of the bass from a live act always sounds kinda nice when you are just kinda hanging out on a beach towel, enjoying a summer day. That's why people tend to go, no matter who's playing.

At some point, though, you may get the urge to de-sand your shorts and check out one of the bands. Here is your handy guide of who to see, when and where, and what you might consider doing with your Coney time otherwise. (Well, i'm not gonna tell you where the good pizza is. You'll just have to figure that one out on your own.)

The STILLWELL Stage

1:30 White Rabbits

Slightly hyper guitar pop. This sounds like one of those bands where the singer and perhaps one of the other guys pogo, or clap self-consciously and generally look like they're forcing the issue. But it promises to be an energetic way to kick off the fest, at least at lot more than the coinciding act on the main stage.

Recommendation: See them on Letterman tonight, then decide for yourself.

2:30 Elvis Perkins in Dearland

More Hee-Haw for smart people. A band like this playing while you are having $12 biscuits and gravy the next morning at least makes a modicum of sense, but here? Have a great time standing on sizzling hot concrete trying to stay awake.

Recommendation: Shout "Go Back to Dearland!!" during a quiet moment. There will probably be a few too.

3:30 The Detroit Cobras

Half-past-three is about when most will be arriving to the fest, and some early-60s-influenced gravely-girl-garage is a great way to get your portion of the party started. You can drink, you can dance, you can lament the loss of the batting cages. Siren is good at getting one or two of these sorts of bands in the line-up each year, which is probably why i still bother going.

Recommendation: Nathan's sells HUGE beers to go for, like, $3 in case you’ve got some catching up to do.

4:30 Lavender Diamond

Wow, is this band dumb, even by L.A. standards. Like, unicorn-with-hearts-for-eyes dumb. I mean, chickie-poo has a pretty voice, and the half-folk/half-chamber-pop melodies are surprisingly not annoying. Lavender Diamond would be great if you didn't understand English. But instead, you have to deal with her discursive treatises on God and beyond-clunky attempts at dark irony. Chances are you are in Coney to escape one and immerse yourself the genuine version of the other. And what's this band doing following the Detroit Cobras? That's like putting Doug Mintkiewicz in the two-hole.

Recommendation: Go on one of Coney's legendarily half-assed Haunted House rides, if evil developers haven't knocked them down yet.

5:30 Matt and Kim

Spazzy but amiable synth-n-big beat indie-pop from one of Brooklyn's favorite power couples. With such a rabid local fan base, you'll no doubt get swept up in the enthusiasm, even if you're not exactly a convert (yet). The Ted Leo of Siren '07. Root, root, root for the home team!

Recommendation: Check 'em out

6:30 Voxtrot

Five cute guys with cute bouncy songs and a cute name. Which means there ought to be some cute girls. Could be worse.

Recommendation: Try and win a stuffed animal at some point beforehand.

8:00 Cursive

The venerable Saddle Creek band brings the sudsy, arena-shaking emo sound within earshot of attendees at the Cyclones game. No doubt you've made up your mind about this band long ago. If you're willing to eschew a live set by the Dolls for this, you're part of the reason Coney - and New York - is going in the toilet.

Recommendation: Move back to the Midwest.

Tomorrow: Part II, the Main Stage.

Upbeat Austin pop rockers Voxtrot have a number of big milestones coming up.

First, they will be playing this Sunday’s Coney Island Siren Fest alongside my favorite synth duo, Matt and Kim. Second, they will release their single "Firecracker" on August 27th, which will be packaged with thier B-sides "Honey Bee" and "Loan Shark." Third, they will head to Europe in Late August, and return for a North American tour on September 19th.

If you're new to Voxtrot, I suggest heading to their website, and listening to "Trouble"

Tour dates are under the cut.

One look at the cover of California band Rooney’s latest album and you can’t escape an immediate association with The Beatles, mop-top haircuts and all. But one listen and instead of picturing yourself in a boat on a river with tangerine trees and marmalade skies, circa 1968, you’ll imagine you’re driving through Malibu in a vintage convertible, circa now.

Rooney is a five piece rock band of Los Angeles natives that you’ve probably heard of due to their much acclaimed 2002 debut album. However, you might be wondering what they’ve been up to for the past five years. Here’s a brief catch-up session:

After establishing a fan base around L.A. and Orange County by playing many of the area’s clubs on a regular basis, as well as surrounding venues in Pomona and Santa Ana, Rooney began relentlessly touring in support of their debut album until the end of 2004. Over the next few years, they produced two new albums with two different producers and nixed them both. They were eventually able to combine these into something that the band deemed worthy of releasing. The result is Rooney’s highly anticipated follow up, "Calling the World,” which was released yesterday, on July 17.

Rooney is a band that generally garners a mixed reaction. If they’re not being praised for their glaringly obvious similarities to bands like Weezer and The Strokes, they’re being written off as a pop band with nothing of their own to say. What is most impressive is that their sound shows a depth of musical interest. They’re influenced by artists spanning from the sixties to the present, everything from The Beatles to The Cars to Blur. Rooney manages to capture elements from the past and yet never sounds less than modern.

An impressive debut is difficult to beat, but Rooney’s latest “Calling the World” shows that the band has really figured themselves out musically. It’s easy to understand why the album was so long in coming. In typical twenty-something fashion, the band has had trouble finding a clear direction (hence the three attempts at a sophomore album). And while the album may take some getting into –the firsts few tracks are the weakest because they’re clearly trying to avoid being called a pop group— the best moments occur when the band concedes to being exactly that.

Despite the tendency amongst young songwriters to try and say something beyond their years, the members of Rooney are unapologetically young. While they might not be changing the current musical landscape in any revolutionary way, they’ve created a record that’s youthful and yet, bolstered by lyrics that could mean something to just about anyone. “I’m always writing about girls,” says lead singer Robert Carmine.

Thurston Moore has the higher public profile, Kim Gordon is the bad-ass rrriot-chick, and Steve Shelley revolutionized the use of rock-maracas, but for my money, Lee Ranaldo has always been the coolest Sonic Youther. Why? Well, partly, becuz he's one of the few people in rock who can pull off a decent spoken word part. First, he somehow kept a straight face in the presence of a lit fire-cracker during the recording of "In the Kingdom #19." "Skip Tracer" is a high-light in one of SY's best records (Washing Machine).

And now this: an epic, caustic performance on the new Cribs record Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever. The tune, "Be Safe", clocks in at close to 6-minutes, and they sure didn't skimp on the Lee. Whether the Cribs did it for SY cred or vice versa, the result brings out the best in all concerned. It also proves Ranaldo has much better taste in co-conspirators than some of his bandmates.

Not that The Brothers Jarman really needed the help, of course; this is more just the cherry on the sundae. Stream Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever here.

One of the joys of my job is discovering extremely talented, unknown bands. About a year ago, I heard a demo CD from an Australian band called Dappled Cities (then known as Dappled Cities Fly), whose music slowly caught on after Stereogum called them a band to watch. Now they are enjoying moderate success, and will spend the next few month opening for bands like Tokyo Police Club and The Fratellis.

A Dappled song that has stuck with me is a mellow track called "Fire, Fire, Fire." The track's video, which must have been directed by an eskimo with a heroin problem, is now available online thanks to Spinner. Enjoy.

A rundown of recent local releases:

Out now (in an ephemeral sense) is The Nightmare Sequence, the long-awaited follow up to Summer of '93 by dark glam-punk trio The Dead Betties. Press is already coming in hot and heavy, and most of it consists of not-completely-inaccurate comparisons to the Sonic Youth classic Sister. Add a much higher level of angst and about three more Steve Shelleys and you'll get the idea. A quickie 7" release of two tracks, "Destination: I Do" and the sublimely catchy "Malls of the Midwest" earlier this year gave a sneak peak at what is a well-executed, yet balls-out, full length, with recording and production that matches the energy of the Bettie's live performance. As for The Nightmare Sequence, it's an Internet exclusive. No messy jewel cases! Oddly, their MySpace page still features traxx from their old record, but they're still pretty slamming.

Like your music on an actual CD? Squaresville. Well, if that's the case, TeePee Records is about to drop Beautiful Targets, the latest release from the surprisingly venerable quintet Hopewell. Led by Jason Russo (a one time touring member of Mercury Rev), Hopewell specializes in lush, epic pop, played with stadium-shaking grandeur, yet remain generally consistent in tone with fellow TeePee acts (whose roster also includes luminaries such as Brian Jonestown Massacre, Sleep and recently, The Warlocks). As for the band, they'll be touring in the UK when their record drops tomorrow, so the cake will have to wait until they get back.

Lastly, in a manner consistent with their skewed take on success in the music industry, Vic Thrill + the Saturn Missile celebrated the official retail release of their brilliant Circus of Enlightenment by ... disbanding. Last Friday's appearance at the remodeled Sound Fix in Williamsburg is rumored to be the last by the titular techno-twosome, for a while anyway. That said, Thrill, one of local rock's finest showmen, has never had trouble bringing the noise on his own, so you will still, presumably, have ample chances to get your nerd-dancing groove on to live performances from what is one of this author's early favorites of 2007. Still the dynamism (and context) that guitarist Mr. Missile brought to the party - and it was always a party - will be missed.

Alright, go support your local rock act. Enjoy!

You may remember Remy Ma as the female voice behind Terror Squad's 2004 hit, "Lean Back." This weekend, the Grammy-nominated rapper turned herself in to police on charges of shooting a woman outside Pizza Bar, a trendy hotspot in Manhattan's meat-packing district. The victim, Makeda Barnes-Joseph, was one of Remy's close friends, who recently disputed with the rapper over the ownership of an item worth $2000. Remy pleaded not guilty to the shooting.

Since the news of the shooting made its way to the public, Remy Ma has been getting more attention than she did when she was performing hits. Seems like a common way for outdated performers to get attention is by acting outlandish...remember Screech's sex tape?

The rapper was supposed to perform at Club Aura in White Plains on Saturday, but it is unlikely that the promoters for the show will post the $250,000 bail.

What better topic for Friday the 13th than horror movies?

According to Billboard Online, shock rocker Marilyn Manson will begin production on Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll in late 2007. The project, which will be Manson's directorial debut for the big screen, will depict the psychological trauma endured by author Lewis Carroll as he developed his most beloved fictional character, Alice. Manson, who considers himself an expert in Lewis Carrol's history and literature, will star as the haunted writer. Other cast members will include Lily Cole, Tilda Swinton and Evan Rachel Wood.

The rock star is no stranger to the behind the scenes aspects of film production - - he is responsible for the majority of his controversial music videos. If his music videos are any indication of what he plans to bring to the big screen, we can expect some trippy characters and creepy visuals from Phantsmagoria.

Manson isn't the first shock rocker to jump into film direction. Rob Zombie emerged as a filmmaker in 2003 with his demonic debut, House of 1000 Corpses. His highly anticipated (by me, at least) remake of Halloween will be out on August 31st of this year.

This week's Unknown Unknown is DJ DrayDel. While citing heavy-weight influences ranging from Sugar Hill Gang to Kool Moe D, this Floridian high-schooler produces a sound often owing more to retro-Casio effects. But don't write him off so soon, DrayDel is just getting started - as the extensive bio on his MySpace page attests.

The best track among his selections is the playful-yet-ominous remix of the "Cuppy Cakes Song". DrayDel's low-key style serves to underscore the original's utter creepiness.

Check out DJ DrayDel's beats, read his story, and find out how to get your hands on his tracks here.

As promised here are some suggestions for your Thursday night.

Tonight at Cake Shop: Poetic-post-punkers Freshkills headline a bill also featuring (are you sitting down for this one?) Gay For Johnny Depp, as well as a band featuring some folks from spooky / goofy gothic-dance act Bellmer Dolls. I'm not sure what to say about Gay For Johnny Depp, other than that may be the best band name I've heard since Touched By An Uncle. As for Freshkills (one word), samples from their terrific debut album Creeps and Lovers can be heard on their MySpace page.

Tonight at Gallery Bar: Dance, motherf***er, dance with the suave soul DJing of sick solo crooner Baby Dayliner at the LES's Gallery Bar. An open vodka bar from 10-11 might help loosen you up, but with the selection of 60s pop and soul, early 80s R+B and Baby D's reliable spin of "96 Tears", you'd be dancing even without it.

Then there's this huge fun-fest: The World Famous Milk Studios BBQ, a FREE block party chock-full of some of the City's best photographic talents (who's works will be on display) and a raucous live performance from massively-popular punkers Against Me at 9pm. Besides, you couldn't ask for better weather, and I've even heard rumors of a mechanical bull! 14th St. between 9th and 10th Aves., next to that gas station.

Feelin' Broke in the BK? Then pack your flask and head to the usually-annoying Luna Lounge tonite, for a freebie featuring the dependably over-the-top metal mayhem of The Giraffes atop the bill. Please note though, that you'll need to RSVP beforehand.

Well, no excuses for being bored and/or going to some crappy Courtney Love on-stage meltdown. Have a great night!

The wait for Justice is over. Over the past year, the Parisian electro-rock twosome has quickly emerged on to the hipster radar screen, as their addicting chorus from "We Are Your Friends" invaded the speakers of every Lower East Side dance party. In the past few weeks, their seizure-inducing video for "D.A.N.C.E" has found its way to every music blog. Today, they release their debut US album, †. Get ready to hear these guys in every club by the end of the month.

Vice Records, has put together a medley of hooks from the new album to give us skeptics a broader taste of the overall product. The label has also arranged for fashion artist So Me (the man behind the Ed Banger t-shirts) to put together a teaser for the new album. That can be seen here. Below is the video for D.A.N.C.E:

Lime Wire Blog's freelancer Jens Carstensen took the Pianos stage on Tuesday night with his indie punk band Career Club. While Jens was shredding on his bass, guitarist Hans Gutknecht provided vocals for the energetic performance, while drummer Lisa Klimkiewicz provided a strong rhythmic beat.

Carstensen, Gutknecht and Klimkiewicz? They should probably change their name from 'Career Club' to the 'Unpronounceable Name Club.' *Rim-Shot* Jackie Roman was snapping pictures during the show. More are under the cut.

<img src='http://blog.limewire.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/courtneylove1.gif' alt='courtneylove1.gif' / hspace="12" align="left">Planning on going to this FREE Courtney Love show on Thursday? If so, two things. One, bring a helmet - - hopefully you haven't forgot about the Great Mic Stand Incident of 2004 at Plaid.

Which brings us to the second, more obvious point: Why does anyone care about Courtney Love anymore? Well, yeah, because you never know what sort of non-musical "incident" may arise at one of her gigs. Say you were there! It certainly can't be anything she sings or plays. I mean, I was there that fateful night in '04 (to cheer on a friends' band who had played a set on an unrelated bill earlier in the eve). The smallish room was full, but not packed. Courtney and her band were - surprise, surprise - flat out awful, unenthusiastic, scarcely rehearsed, and not even remotely entertaining. Even a slapped together cover of "Voices Carry" (i think) failed to register with anyone in the audience. I may be making this up with the benefit of hindsight, but to my recollection, Love knew she was bombing too, and perhaps realizing her reputation as Rock and Roll Bad Girl was at stake, figured desperate measures were in order. Thus the mic stand.

So, seriously, on Thursday, why not just cut the crap and not bother with instruments? Just, i dunno, pour beer on people or something. Or at least have the decency to hit someone in your own band this time, keep it in house, you know. Then again, it is a free show on Thursday. You get what you pay for.