New album to be released by the Pretenders

It was just announced that the Pretenders will release a new album on September 23 called Break Up the Concrete. Their label (Shangri-La Music) is expanding on the idea of artists giving away their albums online for free. The album will be released song by song-- one song per week. This will be the band's first release in 6 years. A few things you can expect from the new album:

~Chrissie Hynde has collaborated with a new group of musicians for this album.

~The album was recorded in 10 days and has been described as a "stripped down roots album."

~The first MP3 was just released today and it's called "Boots of Chinese Plastic." Wanna listen? Click here. It's like nothing you've ever heard from the Pretenders, but still has the unmistakeable voice of Chrissie Hynde attached to it.

Paul Simon could have a hefty check coming his way. The musician wants $10 million in damages from a clock company in Georgia, who has been using his song "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Simon never gave them permission to do so and it has been estimated that 40,000 clocks have been manufactured and sold using the song.

The Dude Theory.

If you're not familiar with the name Mike Doughty, you might still recognize his voice from the 90's band Soul Coughing. They had a few hits that received some mainstream airplay, such as "Super Bon Bon" and "Circles." However, be mindful of shouting out a request for "Super Bon Bon" at one of Doughty's shows these days-- he might just kick you out of the venue.

Mike Doughty has put his Soul Coughing days behind him and has released a few solo albums since the band's breakup. His latest album is called Golden Delicious, which was released earlier this year. On this album, Doughty utilized a method he likes to call The Dude Theory. He describes the theory on his website as, "the idea of making a relaxed record that sounds like a bunch of dudes playing music for the pure joy of playing." Perhaps one day The Dude Theory will be at par with theories such as Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity or perhaps even the Big Bang Theory... I think it has potential.

Mike Doughty writes one of my favorite blogs, which you check out here. He recently posted a bunch of new videos--all acoustic performances with Scrap Linvingston on cello. And if you ever have the chance to see Mike Doughty live, do it... his catchy hooks and quirky lyrics are even better live!

:: Click here to stream Mike Doughty, live at Cat's Cradle on March 31, 2008 ::

The Feist/Muppet jam session...

This is too cool! Feist has recently recorded an alternate version of her hit "1,2,3,4" with the help of some Muppets. She's also set to make an appearance on Sesame Street at some point in August. You gotta see this:

Every morning when I wake up, I sit with my cup of coffee and go through my favorite music blogs and news websites to check in on the latest from my favorite bands. I thought I'd give you a rundown on a few things I came across this morning:

• Death Cab for Cutie just released a new video on MTV today (yes, believe it or not they still squeeze in a few music videos every now and again). You can check it out at the bottom of this post. The video is directed by Autumn de Wilde, who pretty much kicks ass with everything he does.
• When asked by BBC6 whether or not Oasis would be following in the footsteps of Radiohead by offering up their album for free online, Noel Gallegher said, "That's not our bag. I didn't spend a year in the most expensive studio in England, with the most expensive producer in America, and the most expensive graphic designer in London to then give it away. Fuck that." My point being... yes, Noel Gallegher is still a big jackass.
• Rolling Stone recently wrote an article about the Rothbury Festival (near Lake Michigan) and how it could be the next Bonnaroo. And you all know how we feel about Bonnaroo here at the Tide, so this can only be a good thing. You can check out the article here.
• Nickelback is the latest band to sign on with Live Nation for a 3 album and 3 tour deal. Supposedly they're going to get between $50-70 million dollars from the deal. How can a band suck so bad, yet be worth so much money? I guess it's just one of life's biggest mysteries. And while we're talking about crappy bands getting ridiculous amounts of money for making crappy music... how about that ridiculous $400 million contract Rush Limbaugh just renewed? Yup, on the air until 2016.
• Elvis Costello is teaming up with Elton John for a new tv series. Did y'all know this? Apparently it was announced on his website a few months ago. It's going to be called, "Spectacle: Elvis Costello with..." and it will appear on the Sundance channel. It will feature interviews and performances with both legendary and up-and-coming musicians. Now that's television I can watch!

I'm Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You

Yesterday I discovered a song that is so good, I've listened to it about 27 times in the last 24 hours. The band is called Black Kids and the song is called "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You." It's an excellent summer song. It sounds like the Cure, but way more pop influenced and upbeat. It's one of the best songs I've heard in a really long time. The band is from Jacksonville, FL and their debut album, Partie Traumatic, will be in stores on July 22. Check out the video below!

:: Click here to download "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You" by Black Kids ::

Guitarist for the Strokes getting ready to release new album

Albert Hammond, Jr. is getting ready to release a new solo album on July 8. For those who are unfamiliar with the name, he plays guitar in the band The Strokes. He is also the son of Albert Hammond, a musician and songwriter who wrote hits for Chicago, Tina Turner, Julio Iglesias, Willie Nelson and his biggest claim to fame (in my book atleast) is writing the song "Don't Turn Around" which was covered in 1993 by the band Ace of Base. I think that song has been stuck in my head for fifteen years now. Albert Hammond, Jr.'s new album is called Como Te Llama? and you can stream the entire album right now at his myspace page.

Also, for those who are big fans of Albert Hammond, Jr. or the Strokes, you might be interested in pre-ordering the album from Newbury Comics. You'll get an autographed booklet along with your order if you do so.

:: Click here to download the song "GFC" by Albert Hammond, Jr. ::

Kanye responds

It looks like Kanye has responded to all the backlash he's been getting for his Bonnaroo performance. Click here to check out what he had to say. If you don't feel like reading the whole thing, here are some highlights from his rant:

"I understand if people don't like me because I like me or if people think tight clothes look gay..."
(Yes, Kanye. The tight clothes... that is EXACTLY why people don't like you. So perceptive you are.)

"We were obviously dealing with fucking idiots who didn't really have the capacity to really put on this show properly."
(Really? It seems to me that anyone who can sell 80,000 tickets to a festival, have multiple bands play simultaneously throughout the site without a glitch, and have the biggest bands headline each year (even bigger than YOU!), kinda knows what they're doing. And your pyro show? You could have just lit a few candles on stage and it probably would have had the same effect. Go watch a KISS concert and take some notes.)

"Remember when you were a shorty and water would hit the tv???"
(Huh?)

"Having an expensive stage cuts my payday in half..."
(But I'll bet you still made more on that one show than most people in this country make in one year. Shhhh--hear that? I'm playing the world's saddest song on the world's tiniest violin.)

Big Blue Ball

Often when a musician becomes so accomplished in their career, the art of creating an album becomes less about art and more about using their celebrity to make a quick buck (see Neil Young’s 2006 album Living with War…I know it got nominated for 3 Grammys but I stand by my convictions on this one. Trust me, it sucks). It seems to me that sometimes a band or solo artist, who has put out a countless number of studio albums, all of a sudden stops making an effort to try something new and be creative. Or perhaps they have just run out of things to say. Fortunately, this is not yet the case with Peter Gabriel.

Today, Gabriel will release a side project of his that he has named Big Blue Ball. The album features musicians from all over the world; musicians that were flown in during the early 90’s to record at Gabriel’s “Real World Studios” in Wiltshire, England. Helping him out with the project is World Party musician Karl Wallinger (also in the band The Waterboys). Some of the more recognizable names on the album include Tim Finn, Sinead O’Connor, Joseph Arthur and The Holmes Brothers.

Describing the experience of recording with talent from all over the world, Peter Gabriel discusses the experience in the liner notes of the new album: “There’d be a studio set up on the lawn, in the garage, in someone’s bedroom as well as the seven rooms we had available. …We had poets and songwriters there, people would come in and scribble things down, they’d hook up in the café…. Then they’d disappear into the darkness and make noises- and we’d be there to record it.”

The years were 1991,1992 and 1995. So why has it taken so long to release the recordings? Apparently, disorganization is the price you pay for doing things in such a free and untraditional way. It has taken nearly eighteen years to sort the whole mess out, says Gabriel. The result however, would have been worth the wait, even if it had taken thirty years.

The album opens with “Whole Thing,” a song Gabriel describes as being hypnotizing. This is also one of the strongest tracks on the album and features Karl Wallinger, Tim Finn and Francis Bebey (an artist, musician and writer who passed away in 2001, but released more than twenty albums in his time).

Other highlights on the album include “Shadow,” a song featuring Papa Wemba on vocals, one of Africa’s most popular musicians, and “Burn You Up, Burn You Down,” which includes Gabriel, The Holmes Brothers, Wallinger and Jules Shear (whose biggest claim to fame might be the creation of MTV’s Unplugged series).

The album ends with what is the most straightforward, acoustic pop song on the album, “Big Blue Ball.”

This could be a contender for “Best World Album” in next year’s Grammy awards. If he wins it will be Gabriel’s first Grammy win in this category… surprising for an artist that has sold millions of records and has had a prominent interest in world music for years.

The biggest upset in Bonnaroo history

There were a couple of surprises in this year's Bonnaroo lineup. Metallica and comedian Chris Rock, were among a handful of unexpected acts to play the mainstage. Last night Kanye West played, and what was predicted to be one of the highlights of this years festival, ended up being one of the biggest disappointments in Bonnaroo history.

Kanye was supposed to hit the "Which" stage at 8:15pm. Being the ego-maniac that he is, he decided that this stage wasn't big enough for him... he wanted to play the "What" stage (the biggest stage at the festival). So Kanye's set time got pushed back to 2:45am, after Pearl Jam's set, which ended a little after 1am. Ok, not too bad, right? We can all surely hold out until then, to see what has been named one of the greatest tours to exist in years-- Kanye West's "Glow in the Dark Tour." Everything I've read about this tour has been amazing and as a bunch of us sat around after Pearl Jam waiting, we were all getting excited about what was about to occur on the main stage.

Then we all got word that Kanye's set got pushed back again until 4am. So a lot of people decided to hit the hay (it was, after all, the third night of Bonnaroo and being awake until 2:45am was an accomplishment in itself.) I decided to wait it out... how could I miss a once in a lifetime opporutnity to see one of the greatest live shows I might ever see? So a bunch of us hung out and waited.

At 4am we headed over to the main stage, claiming a spot close to the front. The crowd was estimated to be around 30,000... about half the size he could have had if he had gone on at his original set time. At 4:15 he had still not gone on yet. Then 4:30 came around and Kanye finally hit the stage. Let me make a list now of all the things that completely sucked about this show, just to emphasize how disappointing the whole experience was:

-Kanye hit the stage at 4:30am... having the sun rise in the middle of something called the "Glow in the Dark Tour," doesn't really enhance or contribute to the experience.
-After all these people were waiting, Kanye didn't even acknowledge the fact he was at Bonnaroo or that we had been waiting up all night to see him. I'm not even sure he knew where he was.
-Kanye was the only one up on stage, performing to what appeared to be a recorded track... then we found out he actually had a live band, but they were backstage playing because Kanye is an arrogant a-hole and wanted the stage all to himself.
-He cut the length in half of many of his songs
-He played from 4:30 to 5:30am. A sixty minute set? Please. You are pathetic Kanye.

Walking around the festival today, all you hear is people bashing Kanye West and the show last night. I was watching the band Rogue Wave today and the singer said to the audience, "So we heard Kanye West didn't go on until 4:30 in the morning today." The crowd responded with a lot of boo-ing and cursing. Walking around the grounds you can see spray painted walls that read, "F--- Kanye West."

So I guess it's unanimous... the biggest upset in Bonnaroo history? Kanye West.
Go home Kanye... you are no longer welcome at our Bonnaroo!

With that said, I will be writing an article soon featuring some of the highlights of this year's festival. There are so many and I plan to include lots of pictures. Keep checking back!

When My Morning Jacket signed onto the lineup for this year's Bonnaroo festival, they had a lot to live up to. Last night the band took the stage, with thousands of fans in the audience, anxious to see how they could possibly top the performance they gave back in 2006 at the festival.

As I walked over to the stage, I was hoping the rain would hold off just a little longer. There had been rumors of thunderstorms throughout the day and we had seen a little bit of rain about an hour earlier. When My Morning Jakcket came out on stage, they were greeted by an uproar from the crowd... this is what many had come to the festival to see. My Morning Jacket is famous for their extraordinary live show and with this being one of the biggest summer music festivals, everyone knew they were going to go all out. The band went on at midnight and I can confidently say that what followed in the next four hours, will never occur again in the history of rock shows--ever. It did start to rain during their set, but with so many die-hard fans in the audience, it didn't matter. The crowd dwindled away a bit with the rain, but even when the rain started coming down harder, thousands of fans remained, dancing, singing and enjoying another legendary performance by My Morning Jacket at Bonnaroo.

The concert was supposed to end at 3am, but after coming back on-stage for their encore, they didn't stop playing until 4am. Just before the last song, Jim James walked up to the microphone and thanked everyone, then said, "Has anyone seen little orphan Annie?" The crowd was a little confused, as he kept repeating this over and over again. All of a sudden, Zach Galifianakis walked out on stage, dressed in a red and white dress and the band starts playing Motley Crue's "Home Sweet Home."

I'm sitting here this morning and everyone is talking about the show last night... some are regretting that they didn't hold out until the last song, but those who stuck it out through the rain know that it was well worth it, and most would gladly trade in a warm bed and dry clothes again to see a repeat performance.

Today: Cat Power, Iron & Wine, BB King, Levon Helm, Kanye West, Pearl Jam, Phil Lesh and Dead Confederate.

Dangit! My internet connection keeps going out here....

Each year, bands will record a few acoustic songs backstage. I was just hanging out with some friends from Warner Bros. records and guess who they invited me in to see?? Go ahead guess...

Rilo Kiley!!! I was watching them with about 5 other people. The connection is not letting me upload photos right now. I will try again later.

BEST DAY EVER.

I'm heading out to see my first show of the day pretty soon... Jose Gonzalez. He is this amazing musician who I've been wanting to see for a really long time, but have never had the chance to do so. He plays one of my favorite songs that's come out in the last 5 years called "Lovestain." It's so simple, but oh so good. Go youtube it!

What's on the docket for today? Jose Gonzalez, the Swell Season, Raconteurs, Tegan & Sara, RILO KILEY!! and Willie Nelson. However, Willie Nelson is at the same time as Rilo Kiley... I'm going to have to figure that out. Oh, and tonight My Morning Jacket plays at midnight. There Bonnaroo show two years ago was legendary. I've heard people say it was one of the best concert experiences to ever exist in the last 25 years. I remember watching that show, thinking that it would be hard for any concert to ever top that experience for me. They came out for an encore that lasted well over an hour. The crowd was going nuts... glow sticks were flying everywhere in the crowd, the band had so much energy on stage... we were all going crazy. I think show ended around 4am.

It is hot, but no one's complaining. I found a hotel room to take a shower in the morning (showers are hard to come by here at Bonnaroo). Went to bed late last night, woke up early this morning... how early is too early to crack open the Red Bull?

There are a lot of other shows to see today too. More updates to come!

Hello from Bonnaroooooo!!! Got here safe and sound tonight, with a couple bumps along the way. The drive was nice... got pulled over somewhere in Tennessee and got a speeding ticket (oops... sorry Mom!) Also, someone gave me super secret backroad directions into the festival and I ended up getting a little lost (don't worry, this happens to me every year). Luckily, in the middle of nowhere I came across a small convenience store and met to young hippie kids who also had super secret backroad directions in. They knew where they were going and I followed them.

When I got to the media compound (the place where I'm staying), I met up with a couple friends and was off to go see my first show. Vampire Weekend was playing just before midnight. If you don't know who Vampire Weekend are, they've received a massive amount of hype this past year. In fact Spin magazine named them "the best band of 2008," when we were just a couple months into the year. I've always thought they were a little over rated, but I gotta say, their live show does not disapoint.

Here is the first of many crappy pictures I am sure to take over the weekend. This is Vampire Weekend taken from a nice little spot I found on the side of the stage:

Also, on my way out of the tent I saw Janeane Garofalo... I'm not kidding. She was performing at the comedy tent earlier this evening. She was very short and was walking very fast. See the blur with the backpack on, on the left side of this photo? That is her.

One of my favorite things about Bonnaroo is all the grafitti on the walls here. I will leave you tonight with one of the best pieces of art I've seen in my last 3 years here at Bonnaroo:

I promise to write a lot more tomorrow and post a lot more pictures. Bonnaroo has only just begun!

Ben Folds was in Newport News last week, performing at the Bonefish Grill. Click here to read all about it!

Monday Music Mix- Volume 1!

Hey, so I'm thinking of starting a new thing here... my Monday Morning Mix. I'll do a new mix each week. Sometimes it will follow a theme, other times it will just be based on whatever mood I'm in or stuff I've been listening to recently. Sound cool? Alright then... for my first mix, I've just taken my most recently played songs/albums in my iTunes, so some of it might seem kind of random. I want to mention that the version of Ella Fitzgerald singing "Mack the Knife" (track #4 on the mix below) was the first time she ever performed that song live. You can find it on the album, Mack the Knife: Ella in Berlin, one of my favorite albums of all time. The album was recorded in 1960. I used to play it on my first radio show in college (a jazz show). Notice how she forgets the words in the middle and just starts making up lyrics... then she starts scatting and continues her amazingness through the end of the song, throwing in her best impersonation of good ol' Satchmo along the way. Enjoy!


**Click on the Elvis Costello song inside the iPod screen to start player from beginning, then navigate like any other iPod. (Some tracks will take a few seconds to start)

Jewel goes country!

Jewel is getting ready to release a new album on June 3, titled Perfectly Clear. It's a country album! I think this could work for her... I'm not a big fan of country music, but I think she does a pretty good job on the album. Wanna hear it?

:: You can stream the entire album for free here ::

This week is "World Vegetarian Week" and after doing a little research I realized just how many musicians are vegetarians/vegans. I seem to come across more and more people these days that have made the choice to stop eating meat. Here are just a few musicians on the list:

• Prince
• Elvis Costello
• Bob Dylan
• All of the B-52's
• Meatloaf (ironic ain't it?)
• Peter Gabriel
• Morrissey
• All of the Beatles
• Chrissie Hynde
• Peter Buck (REM)
• Robert Smith (the Cure)
• Sarah McLachlan
• Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day)

And Vegans?

• Fiona Apple
• Weird Al
• KD Lang
• Moby
• John and Yoko
• Amy Ray (the Indigo Girls)
• Steven Tyler

This is just a partial list of musicians I found. It would be really interesting to see a pie chart of vegetarians broken up by profession. If you've been considering plunging into the vegetarian lifestyle, this is the perfect week to do so. If you need some motivation to trade in that pork chop for some tofu, check this out. And here is an excellent resource for all things vegetarian. Just some food for thought (no pun intended). Here's one last thought that's been on my mind... if vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat???

Another big music festival has been added to this summer's lineup. Anthony Kiedis, singer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, is curating the New American Music Festival (couldn't he have come up with a more creative name?) in Pittsburgh, PA. Bob Dylan, the Raconteurs, Gnarls Barkley and Spoon are all on the lineup. For those who think seeing 20 bands in one weekend is the ideal summer vacation (I can't be the only one), here are some festivals you might want to look into.

Bonnaroo
Manchester, TN :: June 12-15
The festival started off as a big jam band fest in 2002, but has evolved into an all-encompassing event. This year's headliners include Jack Johnson, Pearl Jam, Metallica and Kanye West. The festival has been named by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the "50 moments that changed rock history." Other highlights in the lineup: Robert Plant, Death Cab for Cutie, Swell Season, Levon Helm, Ben Folds, Rilo Kiley, My Morning Jacket, Drive-By Truckers and Minus the Bear. If you want to win a pair of Preferred Access passes, check out www.tideradio.com and tell us, "What Would You Do for Bonnaroo?" Last year's winner wrote us a song!
Lollapalooza
Chicago, IL :: August 1-3
Jane's Addiction singer, Perry Farrell, started this festival in 1991. This year's lineup includes Radiohead, Wilco, Rage Against the Machine, Kanye West (have you heard about his glow in the dark tour??), Nine Inch Nails and the Raconteurs.
Austin City Limits
Austin, TX :: September 26-28
Lineup includes the Foo Fighters, Neko Case, the Swell Season, the Silversun Pickups, Stars, Jenny Lewis, What Made Milwaukee Famous, M. Ward, Hot Chip, Beck and a ton of other artists that are bigger than the ones I just named. I think I just got drool on my keyboard.
Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival
San Francisco, CA :: August 22-24
This is a brand new festival, which will be held at Golden Gate Park. Lineup includes Radiohead, Ben Harper, Tom Petty, Steve Winwood, Jack Johnson, Wilco, the Black Keys, Andrew Bird and more. A fun fact for you... Radiohead will be ther first artist to ever play at night in Golden Gate Park!
Floyd Fest
Floyd, VA :: July 24-27
You won't have to travel too far from home for this one, which is set along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Amos Lee, Rusted Root, David Grisman, Railroad Earth and Donna the Buffalo make up a mostly Bluegrass lineup. Heck, I think I might go just to see what a band called, "Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band" sounds like. Check out the full lineup here.

Death Cab for Cutie = One damn good band.

The day has come... the new Death Cab for Cutie album hits stores tomorrow! The album is called Narrow Stairs and I was ecstatic when I received an early copy of it in the mail right before the weekend. Let me tell you, this album does not disappoint. I feel like their last album, Plans, was a little too polished and over-produced, compared to the band's earlier releases. I'm sure this was due to the pressure that comes with releasing a major-label debut, because band member Chris Walla produced this album (along with all the other Death Cab albums). Credit must be given to the fact that Plans helped Death Cab for Cutie break into the mainstream. They went from a college band with a loyal following, to a band that was at the top of the charts at many radio stations throughout the country, and they didn't seem to lose any of their loyal fans along the way. Regardless, it's nice to see the band is back to their original sound on Narrow Stairs.

The thing I love about the new album, is that the band knows they have made it... they don't have to try any more to be something they're not. Every song is stretched to its potential, patiently building to a high point, that is well worth the wait once you get there. The single, "I Will Possess Your Heart," is 8 minutes and 25 seconds on the album and appears as the second track (the song was cut down to the 4 minute range as a radio edit). The build is incredible. Ben Gibbard doesn't actually start singing until well into 4 minutes. The instrumentation layers itself gradually and when Ben Gibbard starts to sing, it's just about perfect. Another one of my favorites on the album is "Cath." Even the opening guitar line has a strong hook. This is something the band has only become better at over time- catchy melodies, that never come off as sounding corny or too predictable.

One thing I've always loved about the band is that Gibbard doesn't try and hide his lyrics behind a wall of sound. He's a story teller and has a vulnerability to his songwriting, that might come across as kitchy to some and relatable to others. There is a short, two minute song on the album called "You Can Do Better Than Me." The lyrics are straightforward right from the start: I'm starting to feel, we stay together out of fear, of dying alone. He's always had an approach to his lyrics, which rests on both ends of the spectrum- confrontational lines mixed with genius metaphors. This one is a little bit more confrontational. The song ends with a display of Gibbard's vulnerability: There's times I think of leaving/But it's something I'll never do/'Cause you can do better than me/But I can't do better than you.

Death Cab for Cutie continue their streak of being a quintessential soundtrack for 20-somethings on Narrow Stairs. At the same time, I guarantee you will find atleast one song that hits home, regardless of age. If you are a new listener and haven't heard a lot of material from the band, this could actually be a good album to start with. It's one of their most melodic, but doesn't lack the creativity and patience that some have criticized their major-label debut for.

In conclusion (wow, this ended up being a much longer review than I expected), Death Cab for Cutie is one damn good band. Buy their new album.

People ask me why I don't own a tv and I've come up with some pretty good arguments in the past. Every argument/reason I've come up with is completely, 100%, without a doubt, validated by this commercial I just came across online. Have they really been airing this?! I feel so out of the loop... but for once, maybe that's a good thing.

That is Meatloaf with 80's pop-star Tiffany, singing about the "GoPhone." If this doesn't make you go out and buy a GoPhone, I really don't know what will. I can picture the AT&T marketing team now, sitting around the table brainstorming. I'm guessing the conversation went something like this:

"How can we get our message across?"
"How about if we get Meatloaf to sing a little jingle about the GoPhone?"
"And he can be singing with Tiffany! She's really big, you know?"
"And Tiffany can be walking in the door singing, while carrying an animal carcus and then she'll release a white dove into the air!"

Pure marketing genius.

**I'll admit, it takes a lot to make me laugh, so don't be offended if you think this is the funniest thing to ever hit television.

I once dated a guy that was obsessed with the Cure. In fact, one day he dressed up like Robert Smith (eyeliner and all) and started playing Cure covers with his band, outside our dorms in college. I think they got through 2 songs before everyone was yelling out the windows for them to shut the f--- up. Looking back, I should have realized what a schmuck he was right then and there (not because he was playing Cure covers, but because his band sounded like the noise a dog makes just before it throws up). He used to sit and listen to the band's Disintegration album straight through because there was no other way to listen to it, and anyone who skipped tracks on the album just didn't get what the band was trying to portray with this concept album (although I think he was just borderline OCD). Yes, I'll be the first to admit Disintegration is an excellent album, no matter how much I've tried to convince myself otherwise. Even Kyle from South Park will agree--one of the finer moments in South Park history was when Robert Smith was walking away and Kyle shouts, "Disintegration is the best album ever!" What an excellent line, from a show I had always felt somewhat indifferent towards.

The Cure are going to be releasing a new single, on the thirteenth of each month to gear up for the release of their thirteenth studio album. The first song will be released May 13. They will also be kicking off a big tour on May 9 in Washington, DC at the Patriot Center.

Coldplay has a new song that they are offering for free through their website. Get it free here.

Also, the other day I received the new Weezer single in the mail. It's called "Pork and Beans." No, I'm not joking. My initial thought was, "Rivers Cuomo went to Harvard and this is the best he could come up with?" Then just this morning I read that this was a response to his record label rejecting the original batch of songs he had delivered to them. He said he was told to write "catchier" songs, so this is what he came up with... a song with a deliberately inane theme. Way to stick it to the man, dude! Here are some lyrics from the song:

Everyone likes to dance to a happy song/With a catchy chorus and beat so they can sing along/Timbaland knows the way to reach the top of the chart/ Maybe if I work with him I can perfect the art.

Thank God it's Friday! (and thank God fashion has evolved since 1978!)

Sarah McLachlan-Rarities, B-Sides & Other Stuff, Vol. 2

Sarah McLachlan will be releasing a new album on April 29: Rarities, B-Sides & Other Stuff, Vol. 2. I was just checking out some of the material from the new album, which includes collaborations with Bryan Adams, Emmylou Harris and... Run DMC??? Yup, and the Run DMC collaboration is pretty creative... I think she's trying to give Aerosmith a run for their money. You can preview a bunch of songs from this new album here.

Tomorrow is Record Store Day throughout the country! So head down to your local record store and support them... I sure will! A lot of stores are giving away free cds and hosting in-store performances by bands too. In the age of iTunes and digital downloads, a lot of stores are hanging on by a thread. I much prefer the experience of shopping at a record store over a digital download any day. I love having something tangible in my hands that a band produced... artwork, lyrics and all. I love talking with record store employees about obscure music... It's the one place I can go where people are just as into the music as I am. I love ruffling through a pile of discount cds to find a gem being sold for $3.00. I love hearing something unfamiliar play over the speakers as I browse the store. Hopefully I'll see you out at Plan 9 or if you're a collector of vinyl, check out American Oldies Records in Newport News (they have a huge collection!).

Bill Cosby releasing hip-hop album

This is no joke... Bill Cosby is releasing a hip-hop album! It's going to be called, "Cosby Narratives Vol. 1: State of Emergency." He says he's going to rap about, "education, self-respect, self-esteem and confidence." Awww man... I want to hear a rap about Jello pudding pops and Rudy Huxtable! That would make excellent content for a hidden track, don't you think?

To read the full article, click here.

How I spend my down time

I've been really into watching music documentaries and live concert DVDs the past couple months. Ever since I watched that documentary on the Pixies, I've been eager to find films about bands I love. This past weekend I watched a documentary on the Flaming Lips called Fearless Freaks, that's been sitting on a shelf at home for a good 2 years. Eh... it's was ok. I would only recommend it to die-hard fans (which I'm not really, so maybe that's why I found it a little boring). The Flaming Lips do however put on a hell of a live show though. Check out these pictures I took last year at Bonnaroo:
What is that giant sphere in the picture on the left you ask? It's the grand entrance of the lead singer of the Flaming Lips! Wayne Coyne is actually inside the sphere!! He rolled down a giant ramp and then crowd surfed while inside the bubble!!! (My overuse of exclamation points in the paragrah above is completely warranted by the way, if you had seen this entrance.)

This Thursday night I watched a live broadcast of an Ani Difranco concert online. She was playing in Reno. I love watching live broadcasts like this of full concerts... it's the next best thing to actually being there. Ani Difranco is a bad-ass in concert. I love her guitar playing... so rhythmic and unique. And her story is so inspirational to anyone who is a musician. Something else kinda cool on my end... I took my sister to go see her concert in Boston a couple years ago and we realized that Ani Difranco's bass player went to a performing arts camp with us when we were growing up. Cool! Here is a great live performance:


The last DVD I want to talk about is something that was included with the newest album by the band Stars. This is a band that's been around for a while, however I just got introduced to them within the last couple years. They are now one of my favorites and I think I might be borderline obsessive about them (driving 3 1/2 hrs. into North Carolina to see a show one night... is that obsessive?) Anyway, they're a great band and the good thing about them is that they're well known within a circle of people, but not huge (yet) so you can still see them at relatively small clubs if you're lucky. The DVD that comes with their latest album, In Our Bedroom After the War, is kind of a live performance/travelogue/interview type of documentaary. If you don't know this band, you have to look into getting some of their albums. They are on the same record label in Canada as Feist, called Arts & Crafts. They are excellent. Really. Go buy their entire dicography. Now. Go.

Ok, with all of that said... I'm always looking for good music documentaries, so if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

Taxes shmaxes...

Have you done your taxes yet? Yeah... neither have I. Here's something else to look forward to on April 15 besides not having to worry about your taxes anymore: The Kooks new album Konk. It will be in stores April 15. They are one of my favorite bands to come out of the UK in a long time and their new single, "Always Where I Need to Be" knocks my socks off!

Never too old to rock!

Take a look at this amazing story. I can only hope that I end up like this when I'm 80 years old. Coldplay, the Ramones, the Clash... heck, I'd be the hippest granny on the block!

Did you figure out who the voice of El Madmo is? It's Norah Jones! I guess the project has been around for a while, but they're just now releasing an album.

So did you hear that Bob Dylan won a Pulitzer yesterday? It's the first time a rock musician has won the prize. He was awarded a Pulitzer for his, "profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power." To read the full story, click here.
And check out this young chap:

bob dylan from mervyourself on Vimeo.

Guess the artist...

There is a new band roaming around the internet lately... El Madmo! They just signed to Connor Oberst's (of Bright Eyes) record label, Team Love. Take a listen here and see if you recognize one of the voices. Here are some hints: this artist has won tons of Grammys, broke onto the scene in 2002, has a world famous father, has worked with Dolly Parton, Ray Charles, Ryan Adams, Foo Fighters, Willie Nelson and a slew of others. Still don't know?? C'MON! tomorrow my friends... tomorrow.

It's been a while, I know. Oh how I've missed thee! There's so much catching up to do... my last post was just before SXSW. I feel like that is too far in the past to talk about now, but I'll just say highlights included: Seeing R.E.M. play for the first time, running into Ben Harper on the street in the middle of the night, the Helio Sequence, Phantom Planet and catching up on sleep when I returned. Ok, moving on...

I figure the best way to play catch up on music now is by making a list, so here are some cds that have caught my attention in the past few weeks and some stuff I can't stop listening to:

The Helio Sequence Keep Your Eyes Ahead
B-52's Funplex
Hot Chip Made in the Dark
Kaki King Dreaming of Revenge
R.E.M. Accelerate
The Black Keys Attack & Release

I suggest all of the above. My favorite song as of late is the new Death Cab for Cutie single, "I Will Possess Your Heart." Have you heard it?? Brilliant. Their album Narrow Stairs will be in stores on May 13th... too far away! I promise to be better about keeping up with my blog posts. In the meantime, here is a link to another new Death Cab for Cutie song titled "Cath." This one is a live acoustic version (the studio version has not been released yet). Enjoy!


:: Download Death Cab for Cutie's live-acoustic version of "Cath" ::

Blog posts will be sparse for the next week or so... tomorrow I leave for South By Southwest! I've been wanting to go for years and this will be my first time. Bands I'm looking forward to seeing: Nada Surf, I Was a Cubscout, She & Him, My Morning Jacket, REM, the Whigs, Pompeii and a ton of others. I'm hoping to get some good pics so I can share... stay tuned!

One of the best TV appearances I've seen in a long time...

Wow! Check out Liam Finn's appearance on David Letterman a couple weeks ago... amazing. You gotta watch all the way until the end... it's well worth it. Such a great buildup! I love how at the end, Letterman says, "How 'bout that? Everyone alright?" Liam Finn is the son of Neil Finn (of the bands Split Enz and Crowded House). His new album I'll Be Lightening is in stores now. Happy Friday!!

I am so confused about this. Really? Keith Richards???

Free album download

Following in the footsteps of Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails have released their new album, Ghosts I-IV, online for free today. You can download it here. And for you uber-fans who have an extra $300 lying around, there is also a vinyl set you can buy, which is signed by Trent Reznor.

Not a NIN fan? That's ok... check out the link provided by dolynu in the comments section of the post below this one, and take a listen to the Postal Service remix of a Cribs song. Thanks dolynu!

This could be a new obsession...

A friend just introduced me to a band called I Was a Cub Scout. Think Ben Gibbard (from Death Cab for Cutie) meets Torquil Campbell (singer for the band Stars), sung with a British accent. Damn this band is good. I must go google/wikipedia/itunes/myspace this new discovery now... more on I Was a Cub Scout in future posts I'm sure.
Happy Friday!

Check out this video from the band:

Reasons to join the Tide Pool...

This weekend I'll be taking a few lucky Tide Poolers to see the sold out Regina Spektor concert at Toad's Place... with a private meet and greet after the show! Have you signed up for the Tide Pool yet??? We're constantly giving away CDs, concert tickets and other cool things for our loyal listeners. Here's a sneak peek at a few giveaways we have coming up (for your eyes only).

Jack Johnson's new album, Sleep Through the Static
Shawn Mullins new album, Honeydew (win it before you can buy it in stores!)
Tickets to see comedian Martin Short
Gift certificates to your favorite local business' ...and lots more!

Join the Tide Pool here!

Last weekend I watched a documentary about the Pixies that came out a of couple of years ago. It's called Loud Quiet Loud and the cameras followed the band around on their sold out 2004 reunion tour (venues were selling out in 4 minutes!) Has anyone seen this? The film was great, but I couldn't help but notice that most of the members of the band have gone a little looney over the years (with the exception of guitarist Joey Santiago). Pixies have always been a band that people either love or hate (or people just don't know who they are). Fans got excited after the reunion tour because Frank Black illuded that Pixies would release a new album in the future. Unfortunately, just last month he told an interviewer, "The band did a successful reunion tour but that kinda fizzled out," before adding "They're not going to make a record." Bummer!! I've never been a big fan of Frank Black's solo stuff (although I was a big fan of bassist Kim Deal's band the Breeders). Just this morning, I read in the news that Frank Black has been collaborating with Modest Mouse singer/guitarist Isaac Brock and Larry Norman (a Christian artist who passed away on Sunday). The album will be released later this year apparently. It's crazy to think about how influential a band can be, even when they never break into the mainstream:

"No! That's just not right! The Pixies opening for us is like the Beatles opening for us. I won't allow it. There's no way we can follow the Pixies!" ~ Radiohead's Thom Yorke, after finding out the Pixies were going to play before them at Coachella.

"I was trying to write the ultimate pop song. I was basically trying to rip off the Pixies. I have to admit it (smiles). When I heard the Pixies for the first time, I connected with that band so heavily I should have been in that band - or at least in a Pixies cover band. We used their sense of dynamics, being soft and quiet and then loud and hard." ~Kurt Cobain

Here they are performing "Where is My Mind?" (the song that inspired the title of this blog) on their reunion tour:

Thoughts on Monday's music news headlines:
~After seeing Juno get nominated for 4 Oscars (including best picture), any lingering belief I had that the Oscar's might have an ounce of credibility was dismissed. However, no one can deny the fact that Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova's win for their song "Falling Slowly," was well deserved. And how about that performance and their acceptance speeches? I love them!
~Paul McCartney is back in the studio recording for a new album to be released this summer. Is anyone excited about this?
~There will be a new music festival in August called the Outside Lands Festival. They are expecting to sell 160,000 tickets (that's double the size of Bonnaroo!) The festival will be in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park and the headliners will be Radiohead, Jack Johnson and Tom Petty. I'm thinking this could be the biggest festival of the summer.
~Noel Gallagher (Oasis) is selling his holiday home because he hates James Blunt, who lives next door. Wondering if James will serenade Noel with a rendition of "Goodbye My Lover" as he's pulling out of the driveway. That song is almost as annoying as "Beautiful." Almost. Must stop writing about James Blunt before I start ranting...

I am really liking the new album from The Helio Sequence called Keep Your Eyes Ahead. I'm having a hard time explainging their sound to people. I guess it could be electronic-ambient-psychadelic-indie rock. Maybe. The band is Brandon Summers on vocals/guitar and Benjamin Weikel on keyboards/drums. I've found it to be good driving music.

Check out the downloads below. Also, for those who would like to save any of the downloads I place on this site, just right click and hit "save target as." Then you can save the file as an MP3 on your computer. Happy Friday!

:: Download "Everyone Knows Everyone" by the Helio Sequence here ::
:: Download "Blood Bleeds Blood" by the Helio Sequence here ::
:: Download "Keep Your Eyes Ahead" by the Helio Sequence here ::

Frances Bean Cobain (daughter of Kurt and Courtney) is in Harper's Bazaar magazine and the pictures are making me feel kinda old. Wasn't she just a baby a few years ago? My favorite part of the article:

She counts Michael Stipe as her godfather and still winces when she remembers the untimely death of a rabbit given to her by Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins. ("He's like, 'Promise it won't die,' and it did. And I was like, 'Oh, Billy, my bad.'")

So her parents are Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, her godfather is R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe and she's friends with Billy Corgan? This girl needs to join a rock band and start writing songs! There's something kind of endearing about her too. Like when asked what her ambitions are, she says, "I want to be sublimely happy ...I want to be able to live in a way that isn't too hectic. Calm. And I want those around me to be sublimely happy as well." You can read the full article here.

U2 have gone back into the studio to record a new album! I've been getting some emails about the new U2 song we've been playing here at the Tide... the song "Wave of Sorrow" is off of the recent re-issue of the band's Joshua Tree album. It's a never before released song that Bono recently went back into the studio to record vocals for. The band is going to be recording their follow up to How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois and no release date has been set yet.

Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has been using Boston's song "More Than a Feeling" throughout his campaign and Boston's Tom Scholz (songwriter) is peeved! Check out the letter to Huckabee below. And just for kicks... here's a picture of Mike Huckabee playing with Chuck Norris. I think they should release an album under the name HuckaChuck. I'd buy it!

Dear Gov. Huckabee:

It has come to my attention that your campaign’s use of my song More Than a Feeling and my band’s name BOSTON has resulted in a great deal of false information, which it now appears may exist permanently on the Internet.

While I’m flattered that you are fond of my song, I’m shocked that you would use it and the name BOSTON to promote yourself without my consent.

Your campaign’s use of More Than a Feeling, coupled with the representation of one of your supporters as a member “of BOSTON” clearly implies that the band BOSTON, and specifically one of its members, has endorsed your candidacy, neither of which is true.

I wrote and arranged More Than a Feeling, engineered and produced the recording, and actually played all the guitars on that BOSTON hit as well as most of BOSTON’s songs, not the person holding a guitar in your promotion who identified himself as being “of BOSTON.” Your claim that this was “the guy who originally did it” is a bit mystifying since he never played on that recording, nor has he been “of BOSTON” since he left my band over a quarter century ago, after performing with us for only three years.

BOSTON has never endorsed a political candidate, and with all due respect, would not start by endorsing a candidate who is the polar opposite of most everything BOSTON stands for. In fact, although I’m impressed you learned my bass guitar part on More Than a Feeling, I am an Obama supporter.

While this may seem like a little thing to you, BOSTON has been my life’s work. I hold the trademark to the name and my reputation is inexorably tied to it.

By using my song, and my band’s name BOSTON, you have taken something of mine and used it to promote ideas to which I am opposed. In other words, I think I’ve been ripped off, dude!

The unfortunate misconceptions caused by your campaign now live indefinitely on Internet news sites and blog archives.

As the “straight talk candidate,” I hope you will help undo the damage still being caused by this misleading use of BOSTON and More Than a Feeling.

Still evolving,
Tom Scholz for BOSTON

Happy Presidents Day!

Who is this girl we are hearing on the new MacBook Air computer commercial? Could she be the next Feist? Her name is Yael Naim and not only was she born in Paris and used to play shows with Wynton Marsalis' backing band in Tel Aviv, but she successfully covers Britney Spears' song, "Toxic" on her album and makes it sound all artsy and deep. Below is the video for Yael Naim's song, "New Soul," which you might already be familiar with.

On a seperate note, tune in this Saturday night for a live performance from one of my new favorite artists, Thao. She will be performing a few songs during my "Amy Goes Nuts!" show, which starts at 9pm.

Happy Valentine's Day! The download below is from the band, American Music Club. The song can be found on their new album, "The Golden Age," which will be in stores on Feb.19. If you like the sound of this band, check out lead singer Mark Eitzel's solo stuff. He's worked with members of R.E.M., Sonic Youth and Yo La Tengo. And another fun fact... Mark Eitzel was born in my hometown of Walnut Creek, CA (actually, that is just a fun fact for me because I can't think of any musician off the top of my head that was born there.) American Music Club's new album will be their ninth release and to give you an idea of what it sounds like, Merge Records describes it as, "a collection of smoky songs with a generous helping of heartache."

::Download "All the Lost Souls Welcome You To San Francisco" by American Music Club here ::

Actress Scarlett Johansson will be releasing a Tom Waits cover album. Last summer at Coachella she jumped on stage with the Jesus & Mary Chain, so perhaps that inspired her to pursue a career in music. Here is the track listing from the album, which will be released on May 20:

Anywhere I Lay My Head

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)

And here is a picture of her performing with the Jesus & Mary Chain. Is she wearing a MuuMuu? (and is that how you spell MuuMuu?)

The Grammys are a sham!

Why the heck didn't Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova win at the Grammys on Sunday night? Because the Grammys are a sham I say! If you haven't seen the movie "Once" yet, go Netflix it now! It was by far my favorite movie from last year. And how about Herbie Hancock winning album of the year? Pretty cool! And one last thought... Kanye West is an arrogant a-hole.

This weekend (Sunday) Alanis Morrisette, Matchbox 20 and Mute Math will be doing a show together at the Norfolk Scope Arena. The lineup might seem a little mismatched, but hopefully it will introduce Alanis and Matchbox 20 fans to the greatest live band out there. I've said it before and I'll say it again--Mute Math rocks!

YAAAAAY!!!! Check this out. Guest appearance by Elvis Costello, M Ward, Chris Robinson and Jonathan Rice? It doesn't get much better than that! Too cool.

Don't forget about tonight's concert at the Kimball Theatre with Dar Williams... be there!

New R.E.M. today!

Wow, two blog posts in one day? What's the occasion? Just wanted to give you a heads up that I will be premiering a brand spankin' new R.E.M. song today at 5pm! The song is from their forthcoming album, Accelerate (in stores April 1.) They'll also be hitting the road with Modest Mouse and the National in support of the new album. Sweet!
Now, back to your regularly scheduled program...

Bonnaroo Lineup announced!

The Bonnaroo 2008 lineup was announced in the wee hours of the morning today. I think that this could quite possibly be the best lineup ever for Bonnaroo! My favorite holiday is only 4 months away--yippeeee!!! And of course, stay tuned to 92.3 The Tide for details on our annual "What Would You Do for Bonnaroo?" contest!

2008 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival Confirmed Artists:
Pearl Jam - Metallica - Jack Johnson - Kanye West - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Phil Lesh & Friends - My Morning Jacket - The Allman Brothers Band - The Raconteurs - Willie Nelson - Death Cab for Cutie - B.B. King - Sigur Ros - Levon Helm and the Ramble on the Road - Ben Folds - O.A.R. - The Bluegrass Allstars Feat. Luke Bulla, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer and Bryan Sutton - M.I.A. - Umphrey's McGee - Iron & Wine - Yonder Mountain String Band - Swell Season - Talib Kweli - Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi’s Soul Stew Revival - Gogol Bordello - Broken Social Scene - Robert Randolph’s Revival - Rilo Kiley - Mastodon - Lupe Fiasco - Against Me! - Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - Pat Green - Ozomatli - Tegan & Sara - Solomon Burke - Drive-By Truckers - The Avett Brothers - Israel Vibration - Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet featuring Bela Fleck - Phil Lesh - Larry Campbell - Jackie Greene - Aimee Mann - Ladytron - The Fiery Furnaces - Orchestra Baobab - Ghostland Observatory - Jose Gonzalez - Dark Star Orchestra - Minus the Bear - Donavon Frankenreiter - Lez Zeppelin - State Radio - Battles - Jakob Dylan - Two Gallants - The Sword - Vampire Weekend - Little Feat - Nicole Atkins - The Felice Brothers - Mason Jennings - MGMT - The Lee Boys - Black Kids - Serena Ryder - Steel Train - Grupo Fantasma - Back Door Slam
Bonnaroo Comedy:
Bonnaroo Late Night Chat About with David Cross - Janeane Garofalo - Zach Galifianakis - Jim Norton - Brian Posehn - Mike Birbiglia - John Mulaney - Michelle Buteau
More acts will be announced in the coming weeks!
Tickets for the 2008 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival go on sale Saturday, February 16th, 2008 at 12:00 PM EST through www.bonnaroo.com

Barsuk Records has been the home of some of my favorite bands--Death Cab for Cutie, Nada Surf, Rilo Kiley and John Vanderslice. I just received in the mail, the new album from Barsuk's What Made Milwaukee Famous and I've already listened to it twice today, all the way through... that never happens. If I get past 2 songs on an album, on any given work day, that's pretty darn good. I think this band might be the next Death Cab for Cutie (I'll give them a couple more records to work up to that status though.) The band's new album, What Doesn't Kill Us, will be in stores March 4. Some favorites on the album: "Self-Destruct" (great lyrics and great dynamic build up that will make you long to see them live) and the song "The Other Side" (the lyrics might be a little kitchy, but they're memorable and relatable.) Below is a song for you to check out from the band. Enjoy!

:: Download "Resistance St." by What Made Milwaukee Famous here ::

The Secret Life of David Ryan

I found out that Ryan Adams has a YouTube site and has been posting films under the name HORION74. Talk about some low budget film making! Still, if you're a big Ryan Adams fan, it's worth checking out. If you search through his videos, you'll find one of him performing a new song (I think) called "Like Yesterday". And who knew Ryan Adams was such a big fan of fashion week?? He is candid in his description of himself, which makes me like him more after everything I've read about him being such an arse. The films include songs and dialogue, as well as short movies that will leave you scratching your head (like this one). I'm guessing it will be a while before the first Oscar nomination for Cardinal Films Inc.

Next Thursday, February 7, is our concert with Dar Williams at the Kimball Theatre here in Williamsburg. A special treat has been added to the bill for that night.... opening act, The Cleftomaniacs! They are an amazing A Cappella group from William & Mary and they'll be singing your favorite Tide tunes. Ever wondered what the Red Hot Chili Peppers or Green Day would sound like A Cappella? Then come check out the show!

Two group members, Peter and Beth, stopped by the Tide studios today to talk about the group and the upcoming show, so tune in all next week to hear clips from their interview. If you want to check out some of their songs, visit the "CDs and Music" link on their website.

Here are the deets for next week's Dar Williams show:
DAR WILLIAMS w/ opening act the CLEFTOMANIACS
Date: Thurs., February 7
Where: The Kimball Theatre, Williamsburg (Merchant's Square)
Doors: 7:30pm
Show: 8pm
Price: $30
Tickets available at http://www.tideradio.com/ and the Kimball Theatre box office.

We hope to see you there! For pictures from our last concert with Marc Cohn concert, click here.

Ok, I HAVE to see this: http://www.u23dmovie.com/
We're in luck too.... the only place playing it in Virginia right now is the Virginia Air & Space Museum in Hampton. Nice! It will open in other theatres on Feb. 15. Also, check out this article in Rolling Stone about the film. I think Jay-Z is just jealous that he didn't come up with the idea.

With TV appearances on Letterman and Conan, you might already be familiar with Nicole Atkins. I hear Rufus Wainwright mixed with Jenny Lewis and Neko Case, but that's just me. Should The Tide play Nicole Atkins? Email me at music@tideradio.com if you wanna, and let me know what you think! She's definately got an original sound. Check out the below video, as well as her myspace site. How about those incredible orchestral arrangements she uses in her songs? Pretty cool... yeah?

So I went to go see Mike Doughty play at the Jewish Mother on Friday night. I was way disappointed and it had nothing to do with Mike's performance. He was great. Why does the Jewish Mother have all those tables that are so inconveniently placed? The people who were sitting, were getting mad at the people standing and they could have fit about 100 more people in that place if they just took the tables out. The audience was horrible... really rude and the bartenders were yelling out drink orders while he was playing. There's nothing worse than watching an acoustic show that is pretty mellow and having some bartender walk through yelling, "2 Bud Lights and a Heineken!" I'm glad Mike called him out on it too... go Mike go! Oh yeah... and the tone deaf dude standing to the right of me? He was singing louder than the artist on stage. Every lyric to every song. The guy to my left? Air guitar. Van Halen style. The whole time. Mike Doughty, we love you and apologize on behalf of Virginia Beach. Also, I heard a rumor that the Jewish Mother might start booking more punk shows. I'm guessing they will refuse to remove all the tables for those shows as well. That's a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Anywaaaay, enough about that.

The lead singer of Gomez, Ian Ball, has released a solo record and we're liking it! It's a little more mellow than Gomez, but still has those catchy hooks. Check out the downloads below!

:: Download "I Knew You Were Trouble" by Ian Ball here ::
:: Download "Failure" by Ian Ball here ::

Mike Doughty - tonight - the Jewish Mother in Virginia Beach. Be there. It will kick ass.

Check out this new song/video from his album Golden Delicious

(in stores Feb. 19)