This Week On The Music Front

Ugh, it's Sunday. Normally this would make me so bored and stir crazy I would want to scoop out my eyeballs and eat them with fava beans, but with all the shit that went down this week, this Sunday was a godsend. Plus I definitely had things to look forward to today.

This was a more interesting week for music, Lollapalooza actually notwithstanding. Although it did provide good amounts of interesting stories, pictures, and a big cup of Chi-town haterade for me to sip on. Here's the rundown on everything.

TTFN & CUL8R BYOP

Yes it's true kiddos. Be Your Own Pet is no more. You feel like the longer you pay attention to music, its scene, and the outcome, these kinds of things should not bother you anymore. But as I have followed BYOP since their inception and own all but one of their LPs, CDs, and EPs, this really gets me. Some say it was because they were running into issues with their Get Awkward release, namely censorship problems, but some blamed it on their signing to a big label, Universal, or because they pulled out of the Warped Tour lineup. Whatever it was, it does mean that Jemina and Co. aren't starting any more food fights, telling bitches to leave, or kicking ass at the Dude Zone anytime soon. *Tear slowly rolls down cheek* I hear there are going to be some spinoff bands but NOTHING will be like BYOP. Thank god I got to see them when they opened up for the Arctic Monkeys two years ago.

NME TRIES TO TELL THE US WHY WE'RE COOL AGAIN

This ish went down like tranqqued up grizzly from a treelimb. According to NME, we (America) were cool once, then stopped being cool, and now, thanks to 25 new bands, are offish cooler than the other side of the pillow. And while the editors can acknowledge that we have an underground scene like no other, these bands (read:the ones they picked randomly out of assrtd issues of Paste, Fader, Spin, and Filter) are suddenly making us really legit again. Because uh yeah, before Vampire Weekend, we were just a wasteland. This is the list of bands. Try not to get too angry. Or maybe get angry, and go tell other people what you think:

01 Vampire Weekend

02 Lil Wayne

03 Glass Candy

04 Kings Of Leon

5 MGMT

06 Spank Rock

07 TV On The Radio

08 Boy Crisis

09 Black Kids

10 Holy Ghost Revival

11 The Hold Steady

12 Fleet Foxes

13 Amazing Baby

14 Jay Reatard

15 HEALTH

16 The Cool Kids

17 Black Lips

18 Yo Majesty

19 White Denim

20 Telepathe

21 Iglu and Hartly

22 Chester French

23 Girl Talk
24 TheDeathSet

25 Grace Jones

Like, rly? Girl Talk is that far down? And White Denim? And TVOtR wasn't making us cool back when they actually put out an album? Glass Candy certainly deserves to be that high on the list, but, who put this ish together?

CHESTER FRENCH TALKS TO ME IN WARM, FRIENDLY TONES

I left a comment on Stereogum dealing with all this NME nonsense. Here it is, in full verbatim fashion:

Firstly, good music really is just that. Good music. It comes from Britain and America AND the rest of the UK. Like, Frightened Rabbit are amazing and they're Scottish. Oh yeah, and it DEFINITELY comes from Canada. Stars? The Guest Bedroom? Pony Up? Yes please! Oh yeah, and the Leeds music scene is killing it right now. It deserves something of a recognition since it somehow manages to create a barrier against the shitty typical shetpile of the normal music scene. Oh yeah, and Los Campesinos! Yes please! But keep in mind that NME is the equivalent of a fifteen year old's self published zine. It's whatever music they like...uh,and whoever's show they have a press badge for. I met the dude in TheDeathSet...that band is like Australian. And why are Black Kids and VW so high on that list...because they sound British? Glass Candy pwns and so does Jay Reatard and the Black Lips. But NME did acknowledge that there is a significant underground scene in NY and LA (although those of Philly, Chicago, Atlanta, and Seattle are equally noteworthy), they just choose to ignore it. Whatev. Americans may have had their fill of these bands (Chester French...sigh, whatev), but they're like still hitting the other side of the pond, no? Like Pokemon! But not with Japan, with the UK...okay, so not like Pokemon.

Then I checked my email. I received this message from DA Wallach of Chester French. First I got worried. I get in too much trouble for the things I say on the internet. When that happens, I take a deep breath and ask myself, "What would Sarah Morrison do?" This time I didn't have to:

Hey Erika-

I saw your comment on the stereogum blog where you mention our group, Chester French. I hope no one's had their fill of us yet, since the album isn't even out, but I definitely want to win you as a fan. If you send me your mailing address back I'll mail you a special edition package of our single and shall be sure to get you a copy of the album when it finally sees the light of day! Hope you're having a great weekend.

D.A.

Normally I'd get psuedo-frustrated for people taking the things I say too seriously, but this guy was just tooooo sweet to get angry at. That's Chester French for you, I guess.

All up in ur emale, leevin u messagez.

NEW VIVIAN GIRLS SONG

Someone actually compared them to a crappier version of the Pipettes. I hope she never goes on to have a music journalism career. If she does, it will probably be writing for NME. The Vivian Girls are hot awesomeness from Brooklyn. They're an all girl band that makes muddy and/or raw rock music. It's great. They're great. They just released a new song from their S/T LP called "Where Do You Run To?" and it's sort of good. Play it on a cool, sunny Autumn day, enjoy your tea, and try to figure out the fastest way to get that still sleeping one night stand out of your bed and into a taxi. Uhhh..."I know it's eight in the morning on a Wednesday, but I have to go to church now..."

Vivian Girls: "Where Do You Run To?"

As you can see, it's obvi been a busy week for everyone. In other news (ION is going to be the new abreev for that saying, so you know for future ref), Jessica Fletcher's badass friend Mistress Viviane has a new column going on Single Scoop about "the realities of sex." It's really good and worth reading, because we've all had these bedroom bafflers at least once.

And in case you missed it, Adult Swim ran an Old School night on Friday where they showed old episodes of the shows that originally made AS so fantastic: Sealab 2021, The Brak Show, Home Movies, Space Ghost, etc. What is even more fantastic is that I remember all of those shows. Mid 90's born Hannah Montana tweens? You ain't got shit on me! It was also V's birthday on Friday, the 1st of Aug, so Alex, if you catch my girl on the streets, take her by the hand and buy her a cupcake. Jess Fletch can surely recommend you some good places to go. And now the "p" key on my laptop is stuck. Great.

eace easy eo le,

Erika

Whoa Party Time!!

This is a little late, I know, but if you read this fast enough, and hurry to catch whatever respective train you ride, you can catch these!! You know Thursday is party day. But so is Saturday!! Here's a quick rundown on all the places to see and be seen tonizzight!!!

BOXERS AND BIKINIS!

Presented by the gorgeously talented Around the Way Girls and YUME Music. The flyer should pretty much tell you everything. The swimwear dress code isn't mandatory, but you're obvi encouraged to have fun with it, duh. Oh, and you didn't hear this from Radio Rose, but ID isn't required...can you keep a secret???

925 Bergen St, Loft 406
Doors at 10 pm

POST LOLLAPALOOZA JUMPOFF

Still feeling froggy after seeing all those shiny, pretty acts onstage at Lolla?! Well the party ain't over yet, son! Head over to the Hideout and catch the post-Lolla jumpoff awesomeness ish that is this party! DJ sets from Oh Snap!!, Cadence Weapon, and the Hood Internet (that will be hot shit right there!!!!). Go before midnight and save yourself three bucks. Plus, I mean, what are you really doing tonight ANYWAY?? Hmmm...?

1354 W Wabansia
Chicago, Ill 60622

HENSE SHIE OPENING RECEPTION

Come out and actually enjoy living in Atlanta! Yeah! Check the freshest summer jams with DJ sets by the oh so incomparable, oh so righteous fiends of funk Noot D'Noot and DJ Drop D of Miami. While you're chunky dunking to the music (see...ha, ATL peoples have our own language too!) peep the newest works by artists Hense and Shie. Raw.

7 pm - 3am
644 N. Highland Ave
Atlanta, GA

Alllll right bitchess!! I've covered all of our respective cities. Well, except OK. Sorry Sarah. :( Get out to any of these other dangerous cities and you'll be able to party with us girl!!

Everybody Wang Chung tonight!!!

Oh! And if anyone goes to any of the above listed sweetness events, you have to drop all the Peach Pit girls' names at least once! Ha! You don't really...it just seemed like fun...

Deuces,
Erika

Holt Goes To Hollywood

Ohai I got a new layout. Likes? You do?! Thx! I don't know how I feel about it just yet, but if anyone runs across a cute template site, lemme know!

Anyway, after some general boredom, I took my cyber-ass to the Adult Swim website and downloaded their new compilation mixtape, Worldwide Renewal Program. Yeah, you didn't know Adult Swim put music together?

Well now you know! Oh! You just been learned homie!

So on this mixtape is a rapper called Hollywood Holt. He's not from Hollywood btw. He's from Chi-town. I know! I got confused too! I listened to his song, "Hollywood." And fell like so in lurve with it. I went to his website and turns out homeboy has a mixtape of his own, called Holt Goes to Hollywood.

I downloaded it (duh) and ALLZ I can say is mad props to my man! The whole 22 track mixtape is ALMOST flawless except for the fact that he can't seem to get the lead-ins to the next song to gel quite right, but overlooking that, the rap game may have just found a new contender.

Hollywood Holt is ALLZ about mopeds and ain't taking no shit from the "bitches in the parking lot." If he had a cute bitch, he'd throw her on the back of his moped and glide away with his newly acquired eBay treasures.

Dude is cooler than the other side of the pillow. His genius is taking already popular songs and turning them into his own by rapping over the beat, or throwing in a verse of his. ("Throw Some D's On It" became "Throw A Kit On That Bitch", about his moped obvi. "Beat In My Trunk" has samples from that "Cryptonite" song.)

There's even a new My!Gay!Husband! remix of Fiest's "My Moon My Man" with Hollywood Holt. Did I mention Steven Hawking did the intro and outro to this shit?! Damn!

The best songs, hands down, are "Throw a Kit on it," "Rapture," and "Kingdom Come." Whoever produced this ish should be given some kind of award.

Obvi I could go on all day about Hollywood Holt, but I'm sure people read blogs so they don't have to read, so I won't. Just cop that mixtape here, and listen to Hollywood Holt here.

"Throw A Kit"



No biterz!

Deuces,
Erika

OHHHH MA GAWD!!!

The Hood Internet, aka the best thing for mash-ups since sliced bread, have a new mixtape out! First, it was the Hood Internet Mixtape Vol. 1. That was blazin'. Then they had The Hood Internet vs The Pack (I don't know who The Pack is). Not to mention there were a ton of individual awesome tracks in between those mixes. And there was a Mixtape Vol. 2, which was a good title, and it was off the chain.

(Actually, it was so AWEsome it was on the chain, then threw itself off the chain in a cool hari-kari fighting style. They had katanas and chopsticks. Someone played some pop music.)

Moving on, it's been a hot minute since ABX and DJ STV SLV dropped anything comprehensive. Well, the wait is over! Today, The Hood Internet vs Chicago dropped. 24 brand new tracks that you couldn't get anywhere else, all featuring Chicago natives. Also, there are some people who aren't from Chicago, but that's not important.


So go cop this! It's free! The Hood Internet is super philanthropic like that, yo. Get it girl, get it, get it girl!

Deuces,
Erika