January 2, 2008
As you may remember, Destroyer dude, Swan Laker, and the sexiest New Pornographer this side of Neko Case, Dan Bejar teams up with girlfriend, the visual artist Sydney Vermont, to create the pastoral-rock duo Hello, Blue Roses. The twosome's full-length debut The Portrait Is Finished And I Have Failed To Capture Your Beauty is out 1/22 on Locust, but this week we 'Gum Dropped that platter's "Sunny Skies," a dose of the bright stuff amid the early January moon. You can hear it while reading Vermont's thoughts on the track, along with how she and Dan spent their Winter Solstice, here. Also, for those paying attention, you may remember that a few 'Gum Drops ago, we debuted "Policy Merchant 2," a song from the Frog Eyes side of the Absolutely Kosher split with Hello, Blue Roses (which Carey discusses in his Q&A). Either way, you can listen to it again over here.
On top of the fruits of Bejar and Vermont's new work, we thought it made sense to welcome in the New Year with a box set collecting the five most recent studio albums (plus over 60 bonus tracks) by perennially ageless David Bowie. (Father Time skips his place ever year, no?) More details after the jump.
CONTINUE READING THE 'GUM DROP VOLUME XVIII: HEAR NEW HELLO, BLUE ROSES, WIN LOTS OF BOWIE...
Posted at 1:27 PM in
Tags: David Bowie | Hello Blue Roses
November 19, 2007
It's that colder, darker time of year when we ask Stereogum readers to determine the best records and bands from the past twelve months. You may remember most of these categories from the 2006 Gummys, but we've made a few changes!
CONTINUE READING VOTE IN THE 2007 GUMMY AWARDS, WIN THE YEAR'S 50 BEST CDS...
Posted at 5:24 PM in ,
latest by feedbacker
August 4, 2007
Traversing Grant Park is draining when it's 140°, so Satellite Party provided an opportune time to get hydrated. But damn if it didn't seem Ash & Pete were on our tail. (We get delusional when we're thirsty.)
Miss Simpson's given us a lot to blog about over the years. Mr. Wentz, too. So don't act all surprised we wanted the couple's take on the forthcoming Cure LP. Pete's burly bodyguard didn't let us play paparazzi for long, though we'll try again tonight. We did manage a few surreptitious snaps before everyone on-site save Eddie Vedder headed to Daft Punk.
CONTINUE READING LOLLAPALOOZA '07: ASHLEE SIMPSON & PETE WENTZ...
Posted at 3:44 PM in ,
Tags: Ashlee Simpson | Fall Out Boy | Lollapalooza | Pete Wentz
latest by Ashley V
May 24, 2007
The drop box is closed, submissions are in, and it's time to turn the reins of this thing over to you guys. The Stereogum Presents: Another Freakin' Green Screen Contest (Starring Modest Mouse) netted ten entries from Modest die hards with video know how, and it's time for them to be judged by a jury of their rather-snarky-but-hey-we-love-each-other-don't-we peers (i.e. YOU, anon231). To cast your vote click here. Hope you feel like listening to a lot of "Fire It Up"! It'll be more fun that way.
Posted at 7:23 PM in
Tags: Modest Mouse
latest by marisol
May 18, 2007
Before you head out into your weekend of fun, we wanted to remind you that there are just FOUR DAYS left before we close the ingeniously titled Stereogum Presents: Another Freakin' Green Screen Contest (Starring Modest Mouse). Sorta tells you all need to know, but here's the quick recap: Make a video for the Modest Mouse cut "Fire It Up" using some provided video assets and whatever personal/public domain footage you can get your paws on, submit it by May 22nd, and have it voted upon by your Stereogum reading peers. The big winner will fly round-trip (with hotel) to a gig of your choosing on MM's next US tour. AND we'll throw in an autographed CD, a special-edition CD, and a vinyl copy of We Were Dead... -- so you can be a multi-audio-formatted MM fan with a great live-show story and an enviable frequent flier mile tally. We love you.
Head here for rules and the video assets you'll work with, and when you've pulled your Modest opus together, submit your entry here. Good luck and no cutting!
Posted at 6:07 PM in
Tags: Modest Mouse
latest by Maria L.
April 23, 2007
Look, if even Björk is doing it, who are we to resist? So when Modest Mouse approached us about doing a fan-made video contest for the We Were Dead... cut "Fire It Up," we just couldn't say no. (There's no denying Johnny Marr.) And we know Modest Mouse is doing another such contest with MTV, but ... not this song. Our song's better! And so is our prize: Stereogum readers will vote on all the submissions, and if they choose yours, you and a friend will fly round-trip (with hotel) to a gig of your choosing on MM's next US tour. Winner also receives an autographed CD, a special-edition CD, and a vinyl copy of the #1 Billboard smash album (still crazy, after all these weeks).
CONTINUE READING STEREOGUM PRESENTS: ANOTHER FREAKIN' GREEN SCREEN CONTEST! (STARRING MODEST MOUSE)...
Posted at 12:30 PM in
Tags: Modest Mouse
latest by Amy
April 17, 2007
The viral Volta onslaught wasn't enough to appease Björk fans' appetites and impatience for the record's release, so the photoshop savvy among 'em have taken matters into their own laptops. Stereogum reader Kevin sent over a bundle of spoofs on Björk's album art. In this one, her suit is black not.
Perfect for a contest! Give us your best parody of the Volta cover. Click here for the original art work, and here for the alternate art that leaked a few weeks back. There's only one rule: Entries must be 400 x 400 pixels. Oh and you gotta e-mail 'em to tips @ stereogum.com by Tuesday, April 24th at 6PM EST. Best submission wins a copy of the CD when it's released. There's a bunch of good ones floating around the internet already, so no cheating! We've seen 'em all. If you're looking for inspiration, some of the better ones are after the jump.
CONTINUE READING MAKE YOUR VERY OWN VOLTA COVER...
Posted at 7:55 PM in ,
Tags: Björk
latest by scott
April 10, 2007
Thanks everyone for entering our Sing Indie Rock Karaoke With Of Montreal Contest. After patient and dutiful deliberation, camp Of Montreal has returned with the name of our Grand Prize winner, none other than one Griffin Walker. Congrats Griffin, and check your email! You are the only person walking into Studio B this Saturday guaranteed a song with the world's greatest karaoke band. Griffin will sing Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" with Kevin and crew, and he'll have an extra ticket so a friend can attest to this later that night while cruising. (We know a couple of other people picked that song, too, but Griffin was whom OM chose. Sorry! But know that you're our backups in case GW doesn't answer our email.) The contest runners-up are Matthew Sklar, who shrewdly preyed upon our affinity for Joe Jackson with his selection, "Steppin' Out"; and Dan Crawford, who caught us in one of our "'Web In Front' is the greatest album opener ever" moods (besides, how great would it have been to see OM cover Archers Of Loaf?!). Both of you get a pair of tickets each ... and there's hope still for your fronting OM.
If you're going Saturday night, here's what you need to know: Everybody has a chance to sing with the band. The sign-up list will be presented near the entrance; you jot down your name, and they'll chose song-singers, raffle-style. And this is worth noting: Of Montreal tell us they are giving "huge priority" to folks who come in costume -- and the more outlandish the getup, the greater your chances. (There may even be a costume contest, but don't hold 'em to it.) Worker bees will hand out lyric sheets at the event and there may be a side-screen projector during the show.
And after all that madness, a full set of Of Montreal! Can't wait to see Kevin's "attire."
So if you wanna get prepared (or are just curious), take the jump for the band's final master karaoke list. It does not disappoint.
CONTINUE READING OF MONTREAL CONTEST WINNERS & KARAOKE PLAYLIST...
Posted at 6:27 PM in
Tags: of Montreal
latest by Dan
