New Okkervil River Album in September

Pitchfork has it.

Okkervil River’s The Stage Names in 2007 was originally conceived of as a double album, and the upcoming full LP is obvious the second half/sequel: The Stand-Ins is the title. So those of you who love these songs will highly anticipate September (despite the next school year starting, marking the end of summer):

MP3: Plus Ones

MP3: John Allyn Smith Sails

MP3: The President’s Dead

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Immuzikation Goes Hog Wild!

Dang. Right as I was about to go to bed, this crept up in the web site’s email account, from Immuzikation:

“i made zis last nite. zeeee tracklist is on zeee jpeg. zee story is on ze blog. nitey!”

So, of course, I must post it before hopping in the sack. On this rollercoaster of a track:

George Michael, Estelle, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Madcon, Otis Redding, Charles Wright, Yarbrough and the Peoples, Claudja Barry, Montell Jordan, The Roots, Kool G Rap and DJ Polo, Gaz, Sam Cooke, Chicago, Yael Naim, Yocera, Chubb Rock, Can, N.E.R.D., and (whew!) Jamie Lidell

Like some of the names above, it’s big, but check it out:

MP3: Immuzikation–Valedictorian (Warning: 26 Minutes long! but well worth it!)

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Lollapalooza Countdown: 72 Days-Santogold

While I’m sure new indienational (independent + international) sound sensation Santogold will have a fairly packed turn out at the event, it will likely be a concert worth attending.  Many of her songs have proven bloggable, and she’s pretty cute.

I think this could turn into one hell of a sexy dance party:

MP3: Creator

MP3: L.E.S. Artistes

MP3: L.E.S. D.A.N.C.E. (Santogold vs. Justice)

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Sonic Youth: Hits Aren’t for Sellouts

Sonic Youth has recently compiled, with the help of their celebrity friends, a list of their music to be released in Starbucks stores.  The album: Hits are For Squares. The celebs/artists: Eddie Vedder, Dave Eggers, David Cross, and Chloë Sevigny, Radiohead, Beck, the Flaming Lips, Mike Watt, Flea, Mike D, Gus Van Sant, and Diablo Cody. The album’s message: idiotic.

So SY, bless their collective youthful heart, decide to release an album of music that they don’t want to become hits? As far as I know, hits mean that you are popular and selling well and are able to make more music with more flexibility. And as far as I know, if you wouldn’t want music to be a hit, you wouldn’t sell it in the largest coffeehouse in the world (over 15,00 stores in more than 40 countries). I know it’s an image thing, and I’m sure SY is making a bunch of money, which I am more than fine with, but GET A DIFFERENT NAME FOR THE ALBUM. It smacks of arrogant insincerity.

Please enjoy this song.  In fact, make it a hit, if you will:

MP3: Kissability

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M @ M: MGMT “Time to Pretend”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aT1o8ONod6I

On of the most interesting videos I’ve seen in awhile. Also I drink champagne when I’m thirsty and smoke reefer when I want to get high.

MGMT — Time to Pretend

GC

Love Is All cover Prince’s “Darling Nikki”

And this time Nikki’s a boy.  Slow the song down, grind around a bit with some wrong notes on the guitars, add in a few tempo changes, and take the vocals up an octave while sprinkling a little Joanna Newsom-on-shrooms voice, and you’ve got this latest cover from this Swedish group.

Stream it at their MySpace page, and download the original below:

MP3: Prince-Darling Nikki

MP3: Prince-All the Critics Love U in New York

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News Beat, Witch Trials Edition

Kenya mob burns 15 women to death over witchcraft

A rampaging mob in western Kenya burnt 15 women accused of witchcraft to death, a local official and villagers told AFP Wednesday. “This is unacceptable. People must not take the law into their own hands simply because they suspected someone,” said Mwangi Ngunyi, the head of Nyamaiya district. “We will hunt the suspects down,” he added.

The gang of about 100 people moved from house to house late Tuesday, tied up their victims and set them ablaze, the official said.

Ngunyi added that the mob also torched 50 houses in Nyakeo village, located some 300 kilometres (180 miles) northwest of the capital Nairobi.

While the tragic death of any person in the world is unfortunate, this bizarre headline deserves some attention, no? This is in no way meant to be exploitative or insensitive:

Wolfmother’s Witchcraft

Frank Sinatra’s Witchcraft