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What’s Hot on MOG
New on MOGtv! Video Interview with the Fiery Furnaces
Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger, everyone’s favorite art-rock siblings, talk about the music they love and the music they’d like to love.
http://mog.com/mogtv/fieryfurnaces2
Also, Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger talk about the dream: collaborating with George Bush. And other silliness.
http://mog.com/mogtv/fieryfurnaces1
MOG Heaven Now Online!
Dale, a longtime Mogger, has resurrected MOG Heaven. It's a place where victims of the MOG Wars go to, well, commiserate amongst themselves and contemplate the supergroups that artists who are no longer with us could form.
http://mog.com/Dale/blog_post/173207
And as for what, exactly, the MOG Wars are, leave it to Dale, who created them, to fill you in. It's fun and you might want to participate next time around. All Moggers are invited!
http://mog.com/Dale/blog_post/50625
News
Public Enemy, Hold Steady, Spoon, Les Savy Fav Play a Muddy Pitchfork Music Festival
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/173785
Timbaland May Produce Jay-Z's Entire Next Album
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/172839
Jenny Lewis Announces New Solo Album and Tour
http://mog.com/pinkertonwasbetter/blog_post/172473
New Amerykah Part 2 Due This Month, Badu Baby #3 Due Next Year?
http://mog.com/mollifire/blog_post/172793
Bjork Sparks China's Ban on "Threatening" Musicians
http://mog.com/pinkertonwasbetter/blog_post/173349
Bono and The Edge finish Spider-Man musical, plan to use material for U2 album
http://mog.com/Hello_Mimi/blog_post/173671
Listen To New Dandy Warhols, Plus Get Their FREE EP Before "Earth To..." Is Out
http://mog.com/mollifire/blog_post/173193
The Mekon's Jon Langford and The Ex's Kat Ex release debut album
http://mog.com/pinkertonwasbetter/blog_post/173341
Nas Expected To Nab #1 On Charts Next Week (Plus Tour Dates)
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/173083
Phish's Mike Gordon Heading Out On Solo Tour
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/173089
Beatles News: iPod, Sgt. Peppers Drum Skin & More
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/171947
Bon Jovi, The Police and Jay-Z/Mary J. Blige All Top Mid-Year Touring Chart
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/173285
Kanye West, Wyclef Jean, and NERD To Perform At Democratic Convention
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/172817
Kid Rock Fined $1000 & Heading To Anger Management For Waffle House Scuffle
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/173729
Album Reviews
Artist: Fleet Foxes
Album: Fleet Foxes
FluxCapacitor: "I discuss the Seattle five-piece's self-titled debut album with MOG outsider, The Girlfriend (a.k.a Jill)."
More…
http://mog.com/FluxCapacitor/blog_post/173157
Artist: Killer Mike
Album: I Pledge Allegiance To The Grind II
MrFrost: "When Killer Mike officially parted ways with Big Boi of Outkast in 2006, many fans questioned his ability to stay relevant and succeed without a major record label. Since then all he's done is release the first edition of I Pledge Allegiance To The Grind (which won "best street album" at the Ozone Awards) and gained one of the biggest cult followings in underground hip hop."
More..
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/172781
Artist: Sigur Rós
Album: með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust
incurablyerin: "Sigur Rós make landscape music. It’s kinetic, progressive, scenic, responsive, complimentary. Subtle, yet emotive and powerful, the Icelandic group’s fifth album, með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust (which translates to "with a buzz in our ears we play endlessly"), is not drastically different from Sigur Rós’s previous work. Considering the quality of those other four meticulously-crafted albums, this is a very good thing."
More…
http://mog.com/incurablyerin/blog_post/172749
Artist: Brian Jonestown Massacre
Album: My Bloody Underground
mr molly: "The 2004 documentary DiG! gave the world an insight into the fractious and tumultuous background of the Brian Jonestown Massacre (BJM) and in particular the brittle musical genius of Anton Newcombe. While the movie for the most part ultimately reduced the band to providing the musical and mental sideshow for a neat few hours of entertainment, the fact is this; they are still living this life and continuing their vision even after the cameras have been switched off."
More..
http://mog.com/mr_molly/blog_post/173223
Artist: The Hold Steady
Album: Stay Positive
TynansAnger: "It's understandable why the Hold Steady wanted to release Stay Positive digitally well over a month before its official release date. The album is so overstuffed with summer jams, ballads of rejection, and meditations on Americana, that it has already succeeded in becoming the definitive summer album of 2008 well before it was even released this week. Stay Positive is also one of those albums with enough diversity in song styles and pure rock transcendence to have us keep coming back to it for as long as we love rock."
More..
http://mog.com/TynansAnger/blog_post/172983
Artist: Various Artists
Album: Downtempo Garden
slackline radio: "Om Records have already placed their mark on the genres of lounge and chillout with their compilation series Om Lounge and Om:Chilled. Each volume has lent credibility to their interpretation of what defines these types of music. Now this time, Om have brought together sounds with an urban sensibility on their collection entitled Downtempo Garden. Downtempo Garden may be the mother of all inventions. Sure the telegraph and light bulb were nice, but now we have something that may be truly useful."
More..
http://mog.com/slackline_radio/blog_post/172589
Videos
Clipse: "Fast Life"
http://mog.com/mollifire/blog_post/172965
Farnsworth Bentley ft. Kanye, Andre 3000 and Sa-RA: "Don’t Stop"
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/172709
Radiohead: "House of Cards"
http://mog.com/brittanybf/blog_post/172457
The Ghost of Zooey Deschanel Attacks in She & Him "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?"
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/173075
CSS "Left Behind," Read the Truth Behind Bassist’s Departure
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/172607
Alicia Keys: "Superwoman"
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/172907
Saul Williams: "Convict Colony"
http://mog.com/mollifire/blog_post/173183
The Cure: "Sleep When I'm Dead"
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/172831
Robin Thicke: "Magic"
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/173317
Stream
Artist: One Day As A Lion
Album: One Day As A Lion EP
Track: Wild International
http://mog.com/Michael_Goldberg/blog_post/172871
Artist: Negativland
Album: Thigamotactic
Track: Richard Nixon Died Today
http://mog.com/Michael_Goldberg/blog_post/172541
Artist: Mercury Rev
Album: Snowflake Midnight
Track: Senses on Hold
http://mog.com/Michael_Goldberg/blog_post/173287
Artist: Getatchew Mekuria & The Ex & Guests
Album: Moa Anbessa
Track: Aynotche terabu/Shemonmwanaye
http://mog.com/Michael_Goldberg/blog_post/173679
Mogger of the Week
Say hi to laura27!
laura27, a Northern Irish Mogger, has been on MOG for over a year, although it may not seem like it. Ben Gibbard’s MOG page was the point of entry that prompted her to create her own MOG page, one that she didn’t actually use for ages, preferring to read the MOG Gazette. "It was only last October that I started getting properly involved, largely due to uni [university/college-work] procrastination."
Now, an ever-devoted Mogger (she even took a break from her holiday in France to correspond "using free wi-fi on my iPod. This is how dedicated to MOG I am!"), and "budding archaeologist" on the cusp of graduation, laura27 has the "really crap" Irish weather to thank for motivating her music-listening. "There isn’t much to do [where I live] but listen to music and drink," she admits. "I get a lot of my musical taste from my parents who brought me up on great 80s music, like The Eurythmics, Madonna and Dire Straits."
She names a handful of favorite albums, based on the criteria of having a large influence on her music tastes overall, and because she never gets tired of listening to them: <i>The Downward Spiral</i> (NIN), <i>Get Lonely</i> (The Mountain Goats), <i>Takk</i> (Sigur Ros) and <i>Digital Ash In A Digital Urn</i> (Bright Eyes).
When she needs to relax laura27 can be found playing M83, music that is "such great, chill out music, which is perfect for bed time listening." She discovered the band on MOG, along with Bon Iver, Josh Ritter, Explosions In The Sky, and the Icelandic musician Valgeir Sigurdsson.
Be sure to stop by and say hello to laura27!
Word of MOG
A Birthday Gives Way to Musical Memories
Rawkkiddoh: "I turned 35 today, it feels weird to say it out loud, let alone write about it, after a day well spent. I cannot complain about much being where I am in life. While many things in my life have changed over the years, the one thing that has remained a constant has been my love for music. It has always been something I wished I could do, yet I am happy with my music collection and the many memories it gives me when I am browsing through it. I spent some time tonight going through my collection and one CD brought back a whirlwind of memories that seemed to put a cherry on an otherwise stellar day. That CD was Nothing Feels Good by the Promise Ring."
More…
http://mog.com/Rawkkiddoh/blog_post/173661
The Secret Language of Music
Jauretsi: "I realized in my early thirties that once one becomes stagnant in music tastes and not open to anything new, that's it. For example, remember meeting people when you were a kid who were into music from the 40's (or whatever decade) and it was as though they were stuck in that decade. This doesn't just happen to older folks, either."
More..
http://mog.com/Jauretsi/blog_post/173251
Re-Cap: The Who on VH1 Rock Honors
jb7889: "I'm watching The Who Rock Honors on VH1 now; it's about 20 minutes in and Incubus just covered "I Can See For Miles" and "I Can't Explain". Now I understand the whole premise of this concert and whatever, but there are definietly certain bands that shouldn't cover certain other bands. Incubus is one of them."
http://mog.com/jb7889/blog_post/173221
School-Day Crushes Open Young Ears to New Music
Lizziegreeneyes: "One of the first boys to catch my green eyes after moving to PA was a kid by the name of Mike Smith. He hailed from the wrong side of the Brandywine river & his siblings were known to cause trouble all over the town of Downing. […] Being an only child, I didn’t have an older sibling to school me in the ways of good tunes, epic bands & reasons to blow 5 weeks worth of my allowance to see that band live. Mike did."
More…
http://mog.com/Lizziegreeneyes/blog_post/172653
‘Toon Titans
Mike the Knife: "Just scoped out a post by dermahrk discussing the boxed set Fan Club, which collected all sorts of harmonious goodies recorded by Jellyfish - the droll San Francisco Bay Area-spawned neo-power-poppers - during the cult band's all-too-brief run from 1990-1994. The set is a delicious treat in and of itself. But it also served to remind me how much I admire the various musical efforts put forth by Jellyfish drummer/singer/songwriter Andy Sturmer since the band's demise - especially the work he's done as a composer and producer with Puffy AmiYumi - the bubbly female singing duo from Japan."
More…
http://mog.com/Mike_the_Knife/blog_post/173779
Nostalgia Begins Now: I Love the 90s
pinkertonwasbetter: "As the ecomony dips, so do our spirits. We can't help reminicing about the past and the way things were. On my way to a party the other night, I decided to stop by my old neighborhood and visit my childhood home. Memories of flannel, hi-tops, and Blues Traveler started flooding my head when it dawned on me: I love the 90's."
More..
http://mog.com/pinkertonwasbetter/blog_post/173499
The Top 10 Rejected Hip Hop Album Titles
MrFrost: "With all the Nas drama in our rear view mirror, The Rap Up decided to take a look at other memorable albums to have their original title changed. The N-Word has a long history of being rejected, which makes me wonder how Ol' Dirty Bastard convinced Warner Music Group to release his album titled "Ni--a Please", in 1999."
More..
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/173313
Enjoy your Sybaritic right as a Flawed Being; Go Climb a Mother-F*ing Mountain
indiepixie: "Every once and a while you crave a honey-suckle sweet escape. The type that detaches you from this world of technology and time efficiency –allowing you to delightfully dangle by a mere thread or two. As though the right pressure point in your back has been pinched, the rest of your body goes limp, your mind frees and suddenly, it’s just you and the ground below you, blue sky above, your brain synapses dormant save the occasional reminder to blink."
More..
http://mog.com/indiepixie/blog_post/173273
I Love The...
pinkertonwasbetter: "As the ecomony dips, so do our spirits. We can't help reminicing about the past and the way things were. On my way to a party the other night, I decided to stop by my old neighborhood and visit my childhood home. Memories of flannel, hi-tops, and Blues Traveler started flooding my head when it dawned on me: I love the 90's."
More..
http://mog.com/pinkertonwasbetter/blog_post/173499
MOG Wars: Dzendvokh, Recently ‘Assassinated,’ Offers "Food for Worms"
Dzendvokh: "I must say I was suspicious of that city slicker wandering around my fields in his tux but soon lost interest as I bent down to examine my crops. My cauliflower had been infested with a particularly bad case of cabbage maggot and I fully intended to cure them of this particular pestilence. The sun hung low in the sky, the last heat of the day seemed to bunch up and hover over the ground."
More…
http://mog.com/Dzendvokh/blog_post/173239
¡Viva Alejandro Escovedo!
carmensandiego: "Word of advice: if you want an idea of what heaven will be like, go see Alejandro Escovedo because his shows are heaven on earth. I've only been to two, but I promise you the man does not have off nights. As soon as he hits that stage he is on, he is in charge, he will kick your ass, and you will love every minute of it."
More..
http://mog.com/carmensandiego/blog_post/173319
If There Was A Madonna Sex Tape Would You Watch?
Charley Rogulewski: "I woke up Monday to see tabloid headlines suggesting that there is a Madonna and A-Rod (Alex Rodriguez, third baseman of the New York Yankees) sex tape. For weeks now, New York newszines (New York Post and New York Daily News) have been going nuts and reporting an affair between the two, who share the same manager/agent Guy Oseary."
More..
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/173711
New! Video Interview: Peter Moren Of Peter Bjorn & John
Singer-songwriter Peter Moren talks about dealing with success, how he
feels about his solo career, making The Last Tycoon and more.
New! Andrew Volpe of Ludo Now A Mogger!
Welcome Andrew Volpe to MOG! The lead singer of Ludo blogs about the group’s shows, and his thoughts and experiences while on the road.
Ludo's latest release is this year's "You're Awful, I Love You."
Other Artist MOG pages to check out:
News
Where it's at: Beck announces vinyl release and new tour dates
http://mog.com/pinkertonwasbetter/blog_post/172429
Lupe Fiasco Reveals Plans For Supergroup w/ Kanye & Pharrell
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/172399
John Lennon 'Peace' lyrics sell at auction for $833,654
http://mog.com/Sturgell/blog_post/171987
New Ludacris "Preview" Mixtape On The Way
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/172350
The Faces In Talks For A Reunion
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/171925
Rock Band 2 To Feature Exclusive New Guns N' Roses Song
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/172346
Radiohead Star In A New Video Without Cameras (Somehow...)
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/171949
John Legend Interviewed About New Album "Evolver"
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/172339
Alicia Keys To Sing New James Bond Theme?
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/171945
Thurston Moore, Mike Watt, Byron Coley On "No More Bush Tour" w/ 50 Foot Woman
http://mog.com/mollifire/blog_post/171715
Death Cab, REM, NIN, and Lil Wayne Headline 2008 Voodoo Festival
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/171812
Album Reviews
Augusts1: "Here it is plain and simple: Scarlett Johansson is not a singer. She’s an incredible actress with loads of talent. No question about that. I’ve enjoyed every movie I’ve seen of hers. But Scarlett is not a singer. Yet there are plenty of musicians and singers who can’t sing well. Mick Jagger, Lou Reed and Richard Butler can’t sing. Yes, they have moxie, and they didn’t let their unusual voices stop them from having successful careers in rock. So it’s no surprise that Scarlett hasn’t been deterred from releasing her debut CD, Anywhere I Lay My Head."
http://mog.com/Augusts1/blog_post/171734
Album: The Coral Sea
incurablyerin: "With The Coral Sea, Patti Smith—poet, artist, rock ‘n’ roll legend, wave-maker, and genuine Renaissance Woman—has created yet another awe-inspiring work, in this case something very different than the rock ‘n’ roll of her other albums. This one, a double-disc set of live recordings, features two live performances of Smith’s epic spoken word poem "The Coral Sea" (published in a book of the same name in 1997)."
http://mog.com/incurablyerin/blog_post/171485
Artist: Bonnie "Prince" Billy
Album: Lie Down in the Light
sageturk: "The "Prince" releases the counterpoint to his previous masterwork, "I See A Darkness" - and leaves us wondering which is more terrifying."
More…
http://mog.com/sageturk/blog_post/171855
Artist: Various Artists
Album: An England Story - From Dancehall To Grime: 25 Years Of The MC In The UK
Mollifire:"The title of this beautiful collection is the first sign that we're dealing with a well-researched music anthology. I half expected it to come with its own Dewey Decimal code or Library of Congress number! Besides being a historic document, An England Story is clearly a labor of love for the music contained within and the rich musical heritage represented by this collection."
http://mog.com/mollifire/blog_post/171860
Album: Real Animal
Mike the Knife: "Whether you pigeonhole singer-songwriter-guitarist Alejandro Escovedo as alt-country or Americana or just call him a pop musician, his career has been the proverbial long, strange trip – and, ultimately, a good one. I mean, the guy was close to death from Hepatitis-C in 2003. Thanks to modern medicine and the financial support of his friends and fans, he recovered – and has since released his eighth and ninth solo albums, including this year’s eclectic, electric Real Animal. His remarkable odyssey continues."
More…
http://mog.com/Mike_the_Knife/blog_post/172158
Album: I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too
Joxley: "It’s hard to believe that latest release I Know You’re Married But I've Feelings Too is only Martha Wainwright’s second full album – collaborations with artists ranging from brother Rufus to Snow Patrol, the Canadian-American songstress has firmly established herself with the music scene. And securing assistance on this record from (amongst others) Pete Townshend and Donald Fagen, this record is unlikely to loose her that place."
More…
http://mog.com/Joxley/blog_post/172109
Nas Video For "Sly Fox" Slams Corporate Media
http://mog.com/mollifire/blog_post/171841
Bloc Party: "Mercury"
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/171926
Estelle: "No Substitute Love"
http://mog.com/mollifire/blog_post/171366
N.E.R.D.: "My Drive Thru" feat. Santogold & Julian Casablancas
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/171647
Albert Hammond Jr.: "GFC"
http://mog.com/Sturgell/blog_post/171861
Beck: "Gamma Ray"
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/171798
Killer Mike & Ice Cube: "Pressure"
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/171242
Feist "1, 2, 3, 4" on Sesame Street
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/172365
Behind the Scenes of The Game and Travis Barker’s "Dope Boys"
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/172351
Stream
Album: Untitled
Track: Hero
http://mog.com/Michael_Goldberg/blog_post/171614
Artist: Joseph Arthur
Album: Foreign Girls
Track: Lovely Cost
http://mog.com/Michael_Goldberg/blog_post/172311
Artist: DJ Foundation
Album: Old Skool G-Had
Track: Old Skool G-Had
http://mog.com/Michael_Goldberg/blog_post/171791
Artist: Fleet Foxes
Album: Fleet Foxes
Track: White Winter Hymnal
http://mog.com/Michael_Goldberg/blog_post/171930
Scribes4Life, or Scribes for short, is one of the most hip hop-devoted Moggers writing on MOG. Having seen MOG listed as a music website suggestion in a men’s magazine in January 2007, he signed right up and he’s "never looked back." It’s even helped him find artists like Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Brother Ali, Orgone and The Cool Kids. "Everybody on here knows SO much about music."
Though he’s enraptured in hip hop music these days, Scribes admits, "It took me years to look past Hip Hop to see what the world had to offer in terms of music." He surely discovered what was out there by "[jumping] in feet first." He recalls, "When I first started really listening to music in terms of a broad spectrum of genres, I […] bought at least one CD per week based on anything, from recommendations to album cover art. I even joined BMG or Colombia House under two different names so that I could get 20 CD's in the course of a week. Yeah, I'm an addict."
In his recent posts Scribes4Life has had some thoughts to share about hip hop. Currently he sees a large divide. "It’s moved from the underground/mainstream argument to East v. West to Crunk, Bling, Gangsta, Conscious, & Emo Hip-Hop. With all the divisions, there is a lack of unity within the culture in general. Division creates weaknesses. So when someone has a debate about who's real & who's fake, they don't take the time to realize that these created divisions have driven the artists who want fame & money (Fast) to jump in lanes that lead to the payload. When people ask why aren't the vets retiring & why don't the new-comers kick that real Hip Hop, they don't realize the generational gap that has been established. These divisions have created a ‘Them vs. Us’ state that can really only be corrected by following patterns of Jay, Nas, Kweli, Kanye, Lupe, Mos, etc."
What’s an emcee to do? Scribes suggests, "EMBRACE- Every one of these emcees has reached beyond a ‘mainstream’ or ‘conscious’ label, and even the genre itself." Drawing from his aforementioned list of emcees, he expounds upon their contributions to modern day hip hop, "We can say that Jay and Nas are mainstream, but the reality is that both men have done songs with lesser-known artists and really take pride in their music as an underground cat might. We can say that Lupe and Kweli are conscious, but what do you call the music that brings UGK, The Game, Jay-Z, Styles P, Snoop Dogg, and Ghostface on the track? When you get Little Brother working with Lil Wayne, people get pissed and arguments about why Wayne is hailed as the king ensue. Meanwhile, there's little to no credit given to the fact that these two acts are seen at very different angles, but still make good music together. During the 19th century black people were categorized how much of their genetic make-up was black (quadroon, octoroon, quintroon). More often than not, now people are just black or they're not. Strange, but true...why can't Rap or Hip Hop music, just be Hip Hop?"
Hypothetically, if Scribes4life could pick seven living artists to hop aboard an Ark to preserve the artform of hip hop for all of eternity, who would they be and why? "Rakim (amazing lyricism, smooth delivery, originality, dope freestyles, most quotable), Nas (dope concepts, dope lyricism, often relevant topics, originality),
Pharoahe Monch (astounding lyricism, ill delivery, definitive originality, sometimes relevant topics), Lupe Fiasco (great lyricism, crazy originality, extremely relevant topics), Talib Kweli (excellent lyricism, genius concepts, dope delivery, always relevant topics, sick freestyles), Black Thought (excellent lyricism, amazing delivery, more and more relevant topics, uncanny freestyles), Gift of Gab (amazing lyricism, amazing delivery, often relevant topics, wonderful concepts).
Stop by and talk records with Scribes4Life!
My Favorite Album For Each Year I've Been Alive...What Are Yours?
matt cleveland: "This is a list of my favorite albums for each year I’ve been alive. I tried to stay away from compilations, mainly because I’m an album lover, and there are enough albums put out each year that I was able to find at least one to slot as my favorite. I also didn’t include ep’s or soundtracks (except for runners up). I sorted my iPod library by year, and started at 1979 and worked my way down to 2008."
More…
http://mog.com/matt_cleveland/blog_post/172393
Best of The Blogs In June
FluxCapacitor: "For this post, I've chosen 10 of the best songs from all across the interweb in June. The list includes my favorite leak, live performance, next big thing, team-up, electronica, Swede (yes, it’s only sensible that they get a category all of their own)...and much, much more, peeps!"
More...
http://mog.com/FluxCapacitor/blog_post/171568
Musicians, Actors, Writers, and Thinkers, Oh My!: A Concert Review of Fleet Foxes in NYC (with live video)
Nella Mia Anima: "The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan, Stanley Kubrick, Ethan Hawke, Jane Fonda, Mark Twain, Dylan Thomas, Jack Kerouac, Arthur Miller, Thomas Wolfe and that's just the beginning. New York City is unique in that it can shine as the superhero of uniqueness as much as it can fall victim to being just another stereotye. And the city by no meanskeeps either a secret. My most recent trip there allowed me to experience much more of the former than the latter."
More…
http://mog.com/Nella_Mia_Anima/blog_post/172299
Every Old Mixtape is New Again
Brickback of The Dead Husbands: "The best things I discovered were the mixed cd's. The mix tapes. The cassettes with little pieces of tape designating their point of origin, their contents, their miniscule, handwritten tracklists folded carefully and tucked inside plastic coffins. The tapes were nice, and finding my cassette player made it all the better, but a few earth shattering discoveries left me more crippled than the box of journals had."
http://mog.com/brickbat/blog_post/171380
Hip Hop never died - it just evolved outside of the USA
SerenityLife: "It kills me how some people would like to write off Hip Hop but it is alive outside of the USA. Somalian born, NY and Canadian raised hip hop artist K'naan is a testimony of a young man growing up in the USA listening to Hip Hop but he took the art and claimed it as his own by incorporating stories and beats from his life and all his travels."
More…
http://mog.com/SerenityLife/blog_post/171871
It’s Not Me, It’s You.
pinkertonwasbetter: "Break-ups suck, everyone knows that. You run over what went wrong in your head a billion times over. You destroy their favorite t-shirt. You wait by the phone for hours, waiting for them to call. What happens though when it's your favorite band that does you in?"
More…
http://mog.com/pinkertonwasbetter/blog_post/172382
One Copy Left
Rawwkiddoh: "After work today I headed out to pick up a few cd's for myself. Call it a reward for a great day of school, call it me feeding my addiction if you will. I had a list pre-made of three albums I wanted to get. Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies, Albert Hammond Jr. and M83. Me First is a band that brings back a lot of memories and the cd is a collection of all their first 7 inches they put out way back when."
http://mog.com/Rawkkiddoh/blog_post/171701
The most wanted song
Fistula Spume: "The Most Wanted Song" is a musical work that will be unavoidably and uncontrollably "liked" by 72 ± 12% of listeners. I figured since I posted "The Most Unwanted Song" it would only be fair to post the most wanted one. "
http://mog.com/fistula_spume/blog_post/171224
Montreux Jazz Festival: Where Santogold Meets Buddy Guy Who Brings Surpise Guest Billy Gibbons
indiepixie: "Nestled on the edge of Lake Leman (evidently the locals do not call the lake "Lake Geneva"), Montreux Jazz Festival has held court since 1967 in an idyllic, mystical setting that only adds to the enchantment of the music emitted from its grounds. On any given day, you can watch one of the world's greatest jazz artists' voice quake in one corner, while a world-reknown DJ spins in the basement below, as Europeans mix with Americans over cocktails on the grass, and couples gaze at the lapping lake as the sun sets. To call it heavenly only half describes the experience."
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What's Hot on MOG
Welcome Nicole Atkins, Singer-Songwriter Extraordinaire, To MOG!
Nicole Atkins, the uber-talented, New Jersey-based singer-songwriter with the beautiful album Neptune City, is now a Mogger. Nicole just did her first post at MOG and expects to post more soon. Mogger indiepixie tells us that on July 4, the two of them are going to hang out at the O2 Wireless Festival in London where Nicole is performing alongside Morrissey, the National and Beck.
Stop by Nicole's MOG here:
...And you might want to check out indiepixie's MOG on July 5 or so to find out what happened.
New! Video Interview: Everclear's Art Alexakis On How The Pixies Changed His Life
Mogger Jenny Tatone sat down with Art Alexakis at painter Chris Haberman's Portland live/work space and they talked about music Art digs, the mixtapes he makes for his girlfriend and the group's latest album, The Vegas Years. Four cool inteview clips over at MOGtv.
Watch the clips here!
http://mog.com/mogtv/everclear1
News
Amy Winehouse's Glastonbury Performance Video
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/170019
Jay-Z Headlined Glastonbury; And The Verdict Is....
http://mog.com/Sturgell/blog_post/170157
Tom Waits Invites Tricky To Collaborate With Him In SF
http://mog.com/mollifire/blog_post/169849
Bjork Joins Sigur Ros On Stage at Nattura Concert
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/170246
Clipse's Re-Up Gang Compilation Album Due in August
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/170249
Radiohead Releasing In Rainbows Basement Tape Footage
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/169418
Madonna Headed for Divorce Court
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/169551
Kanye Posts Angry Bonnaroo Blog ... Read It Here
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/169318
Man Who Leaked GnR's Chinese Democracy In Hot Water With The Feds
http://mog.com/Sturgell/blog_post/169463
DJ Scratch Splits from EPMD
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/169784
Dr. Dre's Detox Is Finally Finished!!
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/169473
Kanye, UGK Biggest BET Award Winners (Performance Vids Here)
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/169439
RZA Says The Wu-Tang Clan Is Pretty Much Dead
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/169611
The Verve's New Album Dubbed Four; Listen To New Single "Love Is Noise"
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/169198
Kings Of Leon New Album News; Check Out Two New Songs!
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/169113
Phish Keyboardist Adds More Fuel To The Fire, Comments On Reunion Rumors
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/169769
Album Reviews
Artist: Spiritualized
Album: Songs in A&E
Augusts1: "Jason Pierce is maddening. His live performance at the
Coachella Festival last April was underwhelming. Immobile other than strumming an acoustic guitar, sitting sideways to the audience whilst barely acknowledging them and wearing mirrored sunglasses, you could say Pierce was the antithesis of enthusiasm and energy."
More…
http://mog.com/Augusts1/blog_post/169373
Artist: G-Unit
Album: Terminate on Sight
MrFrost: "G-Unit's been in the news all year, and sadly the vast majority of their headlines had absolutely nothing to do with music. Whether it was Tony Yayo's assault case, 50 Cent's mansion being burned to the ground, or Young Buck being kicked out of the group, G-Unit has been more of a soap opera than legitimate rap crew. However, if you look a bit under the surface you'll find some of the hardest working musicians in the game."
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http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/170214
Artist: Aimee Mann
Album: @#%&*! Smilers
Kronski: "The very nature of this record, its essence, the spaces where the edges of songs come together, demands the listener to question their own expectations of pop music. That is whether or not it is the job of pop music in general to provide a catchy melody with which to sing along in the car or should it shine a light on man's deepest desires and faults?"
More…
http://mog.com/Kronski/blog_post/169566
Artist: Adele
Album: 19
John Madden: "It can't be easy when you're hailed as the new someone-who's-still-around. It bugs me as a listener - The View were the new Kooks who were the new Arctic Monkeys, all before the Monkeys had a second album out. And is 'the new Winehouse' really a compliment?"
More…
http://mog.com/John_Madden/blog_post/169282
Artist: Fleet Foxes
Album: Fleet Foxes
Chalky: "Entering the UK album chart at number 11 this week, new comers Fleet Foxes are giving a "whatsup wave" to the industry biggies just ahead of them such as Coldplay, Duffy, Neil Diamond, Paul Weller and The Fratelis. This is all the more impressive when you notice that L.A. rockers Weezer charted at only number 21 this week with their new album. Either Fleet Foxes are being majorly hyped (not really – just the same old Duffy and Lil Wayne posters everywhere in London), they've been given a load of great reviews to encourage something new and different into the music world or they are actually pretty good."
More…
http://mog.com/Chalky/blog_post/169405
Artist: Emmylou Harris
Album: All I Intended to Be
ted baylis: "Imagine a lake, calm and flat, shimmering through the changing light of day. There's nothing going on, not much happening. Now, add a few guitars, a mandolin and country legends like Dolly Parton, Vince Gill and the McGarrigle sisters. Surprise, surprise…there's still not much happening, but it's such a nice place to be."
More…
http://mog.com/ted_baylis/blog_post/169323
Artist: Walter Becker
Album: Circus Money
Spencer Owen: "Maybe for good, maybe not, but right now I'm done listening to Circus Money by Walter Becker. I've given it a few spins, had my laughs with its perverse lyrics (real example: "Mind meld... a permanent picture of your pussyprint in cement") and smarmy charms, enjoyed its middle-aged white guy skankin' rhythms as much as that's possible (the three reggae songs are the three best songs: "Downtown Canon," "Bob Is Not Your Uncle Anymore," and "Do You Remember the Name"), indulged my Steely Dan fandom ("that's classic Becker," I would have thought to myself at times, were I not under the illusion of retaining some youthful dignity), and now I'm done."
More…
http://mog.com/Spencer_Owen/blog_post/169795
Videos
Check Out Glastonbury '08 Performances From Duffy, Hot Chip, MGMT & More
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/170231
Amy Winehouse at Glastonbury
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/170019
Jay Z "Wonderwall" (Live at Glastonbury)
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/170007
Vampire Weekend "Oxford Comma"
http://mog.com/Charley_Rogulewski/blog_post/169759
Talib Kweli "Eat to Live"
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/169579
Jennifer Hudson "Spotlight"
http://mog.com/MrFrost/blog_post/169428
Brighton Port Authority "Toe Jam"
http://mog.com/IZIZOZ/blog_post/169158
Stream
Artist: Duffy
Album: Rockferry
Track: Mercy
http://mog.com/Michael_Goldberg/blog_post/170260
Artist: Emmylou Harris
Album: All I Intended to Be
Track: Hold On
http://mog.com/Michael_Goldberg/blog_post/169853
Artist: Foals
Album: Antidotes
Track: Balloons
http://mog.com/Michael_Goldberg/blog_post/169560
Artist: Lacktherof
Album: Christian the Christian
Track: Tongues O' Fire!
http://mog.com/Michael_Goldberg/blog_post/169255
Mogger of the Week
Say hello to carmensandiego!
One conversation with carmensandiego is all it takes to realize how hooked on music she is. "I just love music, all kinds. I won't even discount modern country." Music was constantly around her as a child. She recalls one of her earlier musical memories to be "my mom driving me to school in the first grade and the Beach Boys' 'Barbara Ann' came on the radio. It was only half over by the time we got to school, and I refused to get out of the car until it was over."
Her father, a multi-talented "music nut," also influenced carmensandiego's taste and devotion to music. "He made damn sure his kid liked music. He's a classic rock and blues kind of guy, so some of that rubbed off on me," she says. "One of my favorite things is when I turn him on to some of my music. So far he likes Ryan Adams and The Cure. He's worked out 'Just Like Heaven' on his guitar and he plays it whenever I visit."
"I go to concerts all the time, ever since my dad took me to see the Rolling Stones when I was eight." If dear dad didn't influence her love of concert-going, then perhaps carmensandiego never would've hitchhiked to Depeche Mode (one of her favorite bands, more specifically "anything from 1983 to 1993, aka the Alan Wilder years."
"I lived in Jacksonville, FL, and the show was in Orlando, which is about a three-hour trek. So, when I was at a Barnes & Noble one day, in the magazine section, I noticed a guy checking out a DM article and I started a polite conversation - which is better, Violator or Black Celebration? - that led to the following lie: 'Hey, I have a ticket to the Orlando show, but my ride bailed on me.' He offered to drive me, so we exchanged numbers, I begged my dad to take me to the nearest TicketMaster outlet, and the next day I was in a car full of Philipino boys rocking out to very loud but very good reggae. Then we went to the show, which was AWESOME by the way. I never saw them again. I don't even remember their names."
Her teen years were spent hanging out at Einstein A-Go-Go, an all-ages club. "They played goth, punk, techno, indie, R&B, one-hit wonders, 80s, metal, all the stuff the popular kids probably didn't listen to. We prided ourselves on that." carmensandiego was introduced to lesser known music there and was able to see Luna, Mike Watt and the Geraldine Fibbers play the club. She also remembers, "I actually saw Shannon Wright there in 1995 when she was a part of Crowsdell. I found out 'who she is' last year, and it blew my mind. I watched this lady perform 13 years ago, when no one knew who she was, and now she's so successful. It's so great to see a hometown girl really make it legitimately."
Aside from seeing great live shows, carmensandiego can be found reading about music, be it "alt-country," Brit rock, or anything 60s. "I can always be counted on for a recommendation if you need one."
"I've met many wonderful people through Mog, several of whom helped pull me through a rough spell last year (They all know who they are, and I thank them all from the bottom of my heart)."
Currently a freelancer writer "languishing in public relations hell," carmensandiego can be found recording her musings on MOG, or appreciating the older music. "George Harrison, Van Morrison, Sam Cooke, Neil Young, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, they are all currently enjoying a renaissance in my stereo thanks to Mog."
She adds, "Something I would like, though, is to learn more about hip hop and jazz. So if any Moggers have suggestions as to 'the good stuff,' I'd love to hear it." and "Any Asheville Moggers, contact me!"
Stop by and say hello to carmensandiego!
Word of MOG
Nicole Atkins & The Sea - Live at Socrates Sculpture Park - June 17, 2008
DaveCromwell: "When I saw that Nicole Atkins & The Sea were doing a free outdoor concert at Socrates Sculpture Park in Queens, NY on the 17th of June - I just had to go - right? I mean - come on! This was a Nicole Atkins show. And the Sea. She (and they) are amazing and I try never to miss any shows she does in New York, if at all possible."
More…
http://mog.com/DaveCromwell/blog_post/169935
Before the Internet…
Rawkkiddoh: "As I was driving home today I began to wonder how I used to find out about new music before the wonderful internet invaded my life. I am talking a good ten years back when the only constant exposure you had to music was the radio. I guess you could include MTV as exposure, but when I was a kid I did not have the luxury of cable television growing up."
More…
http://mog.com/Rawkkiddoh/blog_post/169886
Tell Mollifire What Music Magazines You Enjoy
mollifire: "While I was away from the internet for a whole week, I thought I would try getting my music "fix" from magazines. I've always loved magazines with their glossy pages and slick layouts, but in the last year I've only read a few random copies of things here and there. So I was excited to go to the store and stock up on a few for the long car ride to and from our camping destination."
More…
http://mog.com/mollifire/blog_post/170201
Live Albums Kill Live Music
Anna: "While cleaning up my MacBook (= deleting useless stuff), I found myself deleting the few live albums I have in the process, without any remorse, whatsoever. Truth is, I don't like live albums."
More…
http://mog.com/Anna/blog_post/169753
Reassessing Santogold
gijibae03: "There's been an internal debate about Santogold for me. I came across the gold-laden mistress from a very brief and very vague review describing her as the new M.I.A. I thought that to be a very tall stature to live up to, given that Maya has an original sound that's easy to mimic but hard replicate, at least in terms of energy and sincerity. And with this chipped shoulder, I tossed back the golden pill and shrugged my shoulders.
More…
http://mog.com/gijibae03/blog_post/169270
Chris Martins' Head
msquared64: "For what you are about to read, let me first preface by saying that I mean no offense to any fan of Coldplay's, and especially no offense to anybody who is religious on any level. This is strictly in jest to the artists across the pond that are rapidly cascading downwards on my list of likable artists."
More…
http://mog.com/msquared64/blog_post/169154
Remembrance of Things Past: June 20th 2008: The Cure Brings 'Goth' To Madison Square Garden
indiepixie: "1) Wake up to "Six Different Ways" set on my alarm, 2) Doodle Robert Smith on a spare scrap of the NY Post, 3) Re-read all his infamous interviews from Rollingstone looking for inspiration, 4) Think about how guilty all those major labels that first rejected the skinny kids from London's Crawley suburbs back in the day. Think about how many bands I know currently in the same predicament and surviving off ramen, 5) Smirk at Bob's quote to Rollingstone per Disintegration "I realized at this time that, despite my best efforts, we had actually become everything that I didn't want us to become: a stadium rock band [laughs]." And thank god they became a stadium rock band still touring to this day."
More…
http://mog.com/indiepixie/blog_post/169293
Death Cab for Cutie Concert Review
caliscrnwrtr: "This week I was lucky enough to see Ben Gibbard, Chris Walla, Jason McGerr, and Nicholas Harmer twice in one week – Saturday 6/21 at The Greek Theatre in Berkeley and Monday 6/23 at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles, and both concerts seemed to mirror their surroundings. Both were as different as they were alike. Berkeley's felt very "Bay Area" while the Nokia felt very "LA, if you know what I mean."
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