A formula has been developed by a senior lecturer in mathematics at England’s University of Southhampton to determine and process “the ethical and aesthetic implications of any one instance of the pervasive blurring of the lines between rock and advertising. The formula kicks out a number that could be used to determine just how much [...]

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Bloomington, Indiana’s Murder By Death may be slow to get new records out, but the band plays no shortage of shows. The non-stop touring has to take its toll at some point. I can’t imagine being able to write new material in such a draining, repetitive environment, but the band just released a statement on [...]

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Uhh, I’m not sure how I missed out on this video, seeing as how this song is off one my top-three favorite albums of all time (The Notwist’s Neon Golden), but it is inexplicably strange. It follows the story of a stuffed bear, a stuffed rabbit, a broken relationship, and a paper airplane. Despite its [...]

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Few things make me happier than Unwound. In this clip, the defunct Olympia, Washington trio is playing what looks like a house party at Kid City on Bixby Street in Santa Cruz, California sometime in 1994. “Envelope” off New Plastic Ideas and “Ratbite” off Fake Train. You’re welcome.

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This interview with Iceland’s Sigur Ros is so painful to watch, but I highly recommend it. The interviewer is admittedly a little daft or maybe just nervous, but even some of his simplest, most straightforward questions are met with nine-months-pregnant pauses followed by three muttered words at best. NPR posted the interview purely as an [...]

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Despite an overwhelming curiosity factor, the fact that Kim Deal has taken a stance opposing a new Pixies album is probably a blessing in disguise. Black Francis recently spoke to The Gothamist, saying, “While I may have tried to convince her otherwise, maybe she’s got a point… She doesn’t need a new Pixies record, [...]

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Of course, Madonna will leave Warner Bros. for Live Nation, unless Bugs Bunny counters and equals the offer, which is highly unlikely. The non-label, ticket peddling firm is offering the world’s number one homosexual icon (ok, maybe next to Bette, Babs and Beyonce) $120 million for a ten-year, three-record deal that also culls some of [...]

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The words Nine Inch Nails and hip rarely share the same paragraph, much less the same sentence, but with the announcement that Interscope’s last chance to make any money off Trent Reznor is a remix album, a few credible names have popped up. Evidently, the likes of Fennesz, The Faint, Ladytron, and New Order [...]

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Despite the overwhelmingly positive reviews for In Raindbows, Radiohead’s seventh studio album, MTV has evidently scoured the Internet to try to find some negative reactions to the much-hyped download. The negativity stems from the bitrate at which Radiohead allowed In Rainbows to be encoded. 160 kbps is considered sub-par by any remotely educated audiophile’s standards, but with a download [...]

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To serve as a preview of its forthcoming The Black & White Album, The Hives have just released a six-song pack at iTunes today, which includes one bonus track not featured on the regular album (and written for the Cartoon Network’s fall season). 
Tracklist:
Tick Tick BoomTry It AgainYou Got It All..WrongWon’t Be LongWell All Right ! [...]

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Sure, I guess eight years ago counts as retro, especially considering people’s attention spans today. This video is practically ancient history. “Future World” was the title track off Trans Am’s 1999 album, and this extremely lo-fi video manages to balance the band’s inherent silliness with its aloof, art school pretentiousness. And it’s a kick ass, [...]

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It’s almost as amusing as it is disheartening when pop stars get political. It’s infinitely more bizarre, though, when British pop stars weigh in on American politics. I remember seeing Sting on his Nothing Like the Sun tour when I was a wee lad (it was my first concert ever), and he tore into George Bush 41. [...]

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Cracked has compiled a list of the ‘10 Most Improbable Celebrity Fistfights’, which is more amusing than you might think, especially #7 on the list: Mick Jagger vs. Charlie Watts. Charlie Watts has always been known as the classiest and most reserved member of The Rolling Stones, but now he can add biggest bad ass in [...]

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Uh-oh. All those Facebook proponents who snootily claim its superiority to Myspace are poised to eat some crow, if NME gossip is to be believed. The rumor is that Facebook is preparing to launch a music platform to compete directly with Myspace’s ubiquitous artist pages. The portal will also integrate with Apple’s iTunes, allowing band’s [...]

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Simon Reynolds clearly understands Joy Division’s music, mystery, and cultural significance, as evidenced by his impressive review of Anton Corbijn’s biopic, Control, in yesterday’s New York Times. In fact, there are few other writers I’d want to read on the subject:
“Yet there’s one crucial factor mentioned in Touching From a Distance that ‘Control’ strangely ignores: [...]

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Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged session from November of 1993 is finally coming out on DVD November 20 via Universal Music. It’s so annoying how record companies hold back on goods just to milk the market every few years, but, sadly, this horse is primed for an unending flogging, since Kurt Cobain has been unwittingly appointed the [...]

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“Music for Airports” was composed in an era when air travel was still a romantic affair — a far cry from today’s paranoia drill, where getting through security becomes a shoeless, beltless, helpless exercise in humility. In this light, Eno’s ambient breakthrough feels more vital — and functional — than ever.”
-How Brian Eno Helped Travelers [...]

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Amy Winehouse’s drug problems are not exactly low profile. Even my mom knows “she’s a little weird.” But having dropped out of The Rolling Stones’ A Bigger Bang tour for reports of “narcotic dementia” have inspired one Mick Jagger to put on his cape and try to save the day. Evidently, neither his wallet [...]

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With all the excitement and confusion surrounding the impending Radiohead album, many fans have experienced technical glitches at the band’s website, just trying to order the damn thing. Guitarist Johnny Greenwood released a statement on the official Radiohead site, owning up to the less than smooth transactions:
“Just to let you know…w.a.s.t.e are working on the [...]

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Morrissey is set to record the follow-up to Ringleader of the Tormentors at the close of his current US tour, which finishes up in Miami, FL on November 8. Speaking on the direction of the new record:
“You are bound to pick up influences whose lyrics are famed for incorporating social and political commentary. But when you create and [...]

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