New Midlake Record

Denton jazz school kids Midlake have announced the follow-up to the 2006 epic, The Trials of Van Occupanther. The Courage of Others will be released on February 1, 2010. IRTJ is thrilled beyond compare.

Freelance Whales @ Mercury Lounge

Freelance Whales played the Mercury Lounge last weekend. Lots of shows for them over CMJ this weekend. If you're in NYC, catch them if you can.

CMJ Happenings:

Oct 20 2009 3:00P
Cake Shop!1 Pop Tarts Suck Toasted CMJ bash!

Oct 21 2009 7:00P
Bowery Ballroom CMJ show

Oct 22 2009 5:00P
The Bell House - Gothamist Showcase - CMJ

Oct 24 2009 4:30P
The Delancey - The Deli Magazine / This Side Up / Young and Hungry CMJ Party

Thanx organizingthesoup for the pictures.

VIDEO: Devendra Banhart - "Walillamdzi"

Banhart has made the jump to a major with the release of What Will We Be. Sounds like he's happy with the arrangement and maybe he'll get a video he likes out of the deal. From Stereogum:

Other than "Carmensita" and "Little Yellow Spider," every video I've made has been a complete fucking mess of incompetence and deception. And the labels have released the videos without me seeing them -- incomplete videos that make no sense and make me look even dumber than I am. It's shocking. I've shot videos that should be fully animated that were released without any animation.

Here's to Natalie Portman and major labels.

Bon Iver On Hiatus

Mr. Iver let loose last night in Milwaukee that he's going to take a break for a bit. Probably a good thing as he's been on the road for the better part of a year. He's got his "experimental post-folk" thing called Volcano Choir ready to pump out some sounds soon so the drought may be short lived. While you wait, watch Baby's from his recent cemetery show in Hollywood.

LISTEN: New Thom Yorke - "Hearing Damage"

So the kids like their vampires and Thom Yorke. Looks like the everyone is going casing in on passionate werewolves and vamps on the silver screen. The "New Moon" soundtrack is stacked with all your favs. It's all up on the YouTube so this one may get yanked soon.
Digest it quickly. Lots of blips and bloops...totally stock T. Yorke, bro.

LISTEN: Woods

While IRTJ isn't the the first to stake claim to liking Woods. We might be the first ones to actually systematically make omelets to these songs the past 3 mornings in a row. Truly.

Here are a couple unreleased songs from their stop at Daytrotter.

Press Play - "Suffering Season"

Press Play - "Time Fading Lines"

VIDEO: New Wolfmother

We love us some Wolfmother here at the Tip Jar. New jams from the upcoming "Cosmic Egg". It's time for you to bring out your leathers.

Cosmic Egg


New Moon Rising

Wavves House Show

Santos is a party house and Ray Concepcion captured Wavves in three parts.

Seven Nation Army By Kelly Clarkson?

What? Might as well keep it going with the arena rock thing. Kelly Clarkson doing Seven Nation Army. It's very soulful, if you're into that kind of thing. She kinda looks like a blueberry wearing a patent leather jacket. Not hatin', just sayin'. Go American Idol alumni cover bands!

What? Temple of the Dog?

Get your 1990's on. Chris Cornell shows up at a Pearl Jam show in L.A. yesterday, everyone does a little reminiscing and the next thing you know they're busting out Hunger Strike. Just like old times. A lot of throwbacks happening these days and super groups, weird.

LISTEN: Freelance Whales

Maybe I've just got a soft spot for this kind of thing, but it's changing my morning. Freelance Whales, who knew?

The band's self-released Weathervanes is out and worth it. Go and listen for a taste. If you're in Brooklyn you can catch them at a club or subway stop near you. Do it now before they're gone on tour for 2 years straight.

Press Play "Generator - First Floor"
Press Play "Generator - Second Floor"

A little video from before they decided to plug-in.

KISS on Letterman

How can I not post this. Considering Letterman's foray into scandal. He and Gene probably had some good stories to swap. Unfortunately it's a new song Modern Day Delilah, and it looks like Gene and Paul have a couple hired guns filling in. All the same, good times.

New Vampire Weekend - "Horchata"

Come get you some new Vampire Weekend pronto. It's called Horchata. It's new. It's anticipated. It's coming in January. It's on a record called Contra. It's, it's, it's......(pant, pant, pant)

Press Play

Vampire Weekend tour dates - ONLY Cali, Japan, Australia and Canada
10/6 Montreal, QC Le National
10/8 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
10/15 London, UK King’s College
10/22 Paris, FR Nouveau Casino
11/02 Long Beach, CA The Art Theater
11/05 Pioneertown, CA Pappy and Harriet’s
11/07 Lafayette, CA Town Hall Theatre
11/08 Santa Cruz, CA Catalyst
11/09 Visalia, CA The Cellar Door
11/10 San Luis Obispo, CA Downtown Brew
11/12 Bakersfield, CA Chencho’s
11/14 Lomita, CA VFW Hall
11/17 Tokyo, JAP Tokyo Unit
11/21 Sydney, AUS Oxford Art Factory

The Rainbow Gathering Documentary

Yep, The Rainbow Gathering finally got its own documentary and its screening October 9th as part of the NJ Film Festival at Rutgers. I wonder if we'll see some Steiger kids?

A synopsis for those unfamiliar with the Rainbow Gathering.

Every summer since 1972, Rainbow Gatherings have occurred in a different U.S. National Forest, drawing tens of thousands of counter-culture types to the wilderness to set up a temporary city. Filmed at the 38th Annual Rainbow Gathering Of Tribes (Big Sandy, Utah), 'We Love You' allows the audience a glimpse into this rarely seen sub-culture, the violent oppression of Federal Agents who target them and their ultimate victory as they pray for peace the day after a siege by Federal Agents.

4 New Radiohead Songs

Mr. Yorke used his recent super group as a platform to unleash a few new Radiohead songs. Fancy that. Sometimes it's what super groups are best for.

Open The Floodgates



Skirting on the Surface



Lotus Flower



Judge, Jury and Executioner

NO ONE CARES: New Nirvana

Sub Pop is unleashing a 20th anniversary edition of Bleach, to possibly little fanfare? Does Courtney need the cash? This little ditty is from the Pine Street Theatre in Portland on February 9th, 1990. It's all shined up for ya from RCRD LBL.

VIDEO: Grizzly Bear and Victoria Legend

A little ditty from the upcoming "New Moon" soundtrack. It's only a taste, but haunting one none the less.

SONG: Phoenix Remix by Animal Collective

Deakin from Animal Collective got his hands on Phoenix’s “Love Like a Sunset.” It's good. How did it come about? After a long drive through the Panamanian back country listening to a full head of Phoenix he was put at ease. Then a few years later Phoenix asked if AC could rock the remix. Pleased as punch to be asked, they did.

Press Play

SONGS: New David Bazan via Daytrotter

Mr. Bazan has had a bit of an epiphany as of late. Possibly forgoing his godly ways and entering a conscious state of eternal questioning. He disappeared for a while, left Pedro the Lion in the dust, did a house show tour and then dropped these gems on Daytrotter.




Press Play: Hard to Be

Press Play: Curse Your Branches

Press Play: Bless This Mess

VIDEO: Dirty Projectors Warm-Up For Jimmy Fallon

So the Projectors were on Jimmy F. a while back, and they killed. But the real mind bending performance happened beforehand, backstage. Questlove tweeted this video of them warming up with "When The World Comes To An End".

Jawbox Reissue Coming

It's reunion day...sort of. Straight from a mass email I can't seem to unsubscribe from (after many efforts) Jawbox will reissue For Your Own Special Sweetheart (Dischored/DeSoto) on November 24. Originally released on Atlantic in 1994 and will include three bonus tracks. Wasn't there a time when everyone wanted to go record with J. Robbins?

VIDEO AND PICS: Sunny Day Real Estate at Terminal 5

Word is that Mr. Enigk and the boys leveled Terminal 5 last night. Thrilled, we are. Good to see them back to form. Will Pavement be as good? Who else will reunite for the cash in? Get lucrative.

A couple pics and video below + a set list. Thanks BV for the goods. Follow the link for more.





Some "Circles" for ya.



Set List:
1. Friday
2. Seven
3. Shadows
4. Song About An Angel
5. Grendel
6. Guitars & Video Games
7. Iscarabaid
8. Theo B
9. New Song
10. 47
11. J'Nuh
12. Sometimes
Encore:
13. In Circles
14. Spade And Parade
15. 48

Julian Casablanca "11th Dimension"

It's a Strokes theme today. Julian got himself a bunch o' keyboards and some hooks. He's killin' in Tokoyo so it shouldn't be too long before he breaks in the Philippines.

NEW: Sufjan Stevens Song

There's Too Much Love is a return to form for Mr. Stevens to a degree. Thanks to MOKB for the link. Tour dates if you're interested.

Listen Up

or

OLD NEWS: Wavves and Black Lips Go Fisticuffs

Brooklyn Vegan broke it two days ago and since we've got our hand on the pulse of hipster violence we're bringing it to you again. The update is that WAVVES wasn't involved but those on the scene spin a different tale. From BV:

Well, I suppose last night was the perfect storm. I didn't see the beginning, but I did see people dragging Nathan and Jared apart, and then Jared and a popular DJ running at Nathan again, spilling beer all over everyone (including me), and punches being thrown. The lights at Daddy's were turned on, the cops showed up, but Jared and the chick were not ready to stop fighting and were even trying to fight other people outside the bar. Jared was bloody. Nathan was fine. Insane. Weirdest indie rock moment I've experienced.



It's good to see those kids are willing to fight it out over some internet posturing.

Stroke In Rehab

This may not be new news but one Mr. Albert Hammond Jr. got checked into rehab by his fellow Strokes. Leave it to a girlfriend to cause a man to go off the deep end. I wonder if this will delay the new Strokes record? Or cause Julian to rethink his solo career?



More of the story...

VIDEO: Omo - "Oversized"

VIDEO: Flaming Lips and Karen O

It's hump day. Kill some time.
The Flaming Lips "I Can Be A Frog"

VIDEO: Andrew Bird and St. Vincent

It's making the rounds. Worth the watch.

Getting Mugged for Chicken

So a friend of mine has this story. His friend is in Brooklyn and it's 2am. He's raging on a sack of chicken nuggets from a 24 hour chicken and fish place. He's approached by a smallish black man in black hoodie. It goes down like this...all being shouted through the mugger's full, gold grill.

Black Man - Gimme all yo money!

Nuggets - What? no....ah...hmm...I don't have any. Only nuggets.

(A long pause as the mugger weighs his options)

Black Man - Gimme all yo chicken nuggets!

Nuggets - Umm, ok. Here you go.

(Another long pause as the mugger observes his rewards)

Black Man - Gimme yo hot sauce.

Nuggets - Wait? What? No.....huh?

(Mugger proceeds to run away)

This is a true story. Confirmed by a third party.

Not a great way to bring back the Tip Jar, but hell...I'm unemployed.

Sisterhood

Please visit IRTJ's new sister bolg, Glamour Shits.

Pipe Snake Trilogy: The Final Battle

Mankini: Part Deux

I'm not sure if this is something I can get behind. Cool hat, though.

Mankini

It's hot out there...

Senator Franken...Fantastic

Looks like Coleman is picking up the tab...

This deserves a re-post

I just saw a commercial for this, and I really have a tough time believing that 1) it got through product development in the first place and 2) that this can be advertised and marketed with a straight face. Perhaps IRTJ should hold a contest for the "best" slogans for Liquid-Plumr's Foaming Pipe Snake. Here are two:

"Make sure your plumber has a foaming pipe snake"

"Housewives no longer need to call the plumber when their husbands come home with foaming pipe snake"

Long live the King

Nothing snide, no analysis from the suburban white male perspective, just homage. To say nothing else, every song on Thriller was a potential #1 hit.

RIP Jeff Hanson.

Folks here at IRTJ wish his family condolences. He was a nice man, that we met or shared the stage with on several occasions over the years. M.I.J. was a fun band, and his latest work was haunting.

St. Paul songwriter Jeff Hanson, 31, found dead

The St. Paul tunesmith, who recorded for Kill Rock Stars, may have been injured in a fall.

By CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER, Star Tribune

His voice was sweet enough to often be mistaken for a woman's, and his songwriting was strong enough to earn him a deal with one of the country's most influential indie-rock record labels.

Jeff Hanson's rising career came to a sudden end Friday, when he was found dead at his apartment in St. Paul.

Hanson, 31, likely died from a fall or other accident at the concrete-floored apartment, which he had just moved into days earlier, said his sister, Sara Hanson. He was found by his parents.

"He was very excited to show off his new place to my parents and show how well he was doing," Sara Hanson said.

Hanson rose to underground fame in 2003 when he was signed to Kill Rock Stars, the Olympia, Wash.-based label that launched Sleater-Kinney and Elliott Smith. His soft, effeminate voice caught the attention of the label's staff, which then flew him out for a test gig, he said in 2005.

"I think they wanted to see if I sang like that for real," Hanson quipped.

He released three records for the label, including last year's "Madam Owl" and an eponymous 2005 album that earned a 7.8 rating out of 10 from trendsetting music blog PitchforkMedia.com.

Around the Twin Cities, Hanson frequently headlined the Triple Rock, Turf Club or 7th Street Entry. He toured the West Coast and Scandinavia this spring with fellow songwriter Chris Koza.

"He went a lot farther than a lot of local musicians ever get, whether it was recording for Kill Rock Stars or playing to 400 people in Japan," said Minneapolis booking agent Paul Gillis.

Hanson, who grew up in Waukesha, Wis., divorced last year and did not have any children -- "besides his two dogs," said Sara Hanson, who emphasized that her brother never had any trouble with substance abuse. Funeral arrangements have not been made pending the medical examiner's investigation.

Chris Riemenschneider • 612-673-4658

Shocking: Stryper member marries born again ex-hooker.

Here's hoping that this publicity will lead to a reunion tour. My life needs the yellow and black attack. Also, a reality show about this "porn-again Christian" trying to minister to prostitutes would be an interesting sidebar on "Rock of Love"

Read it for yourself.

Guitars of Your Dreams

People have a lot of time on their hands. Thanks to ibored for these and more (follow the link) wonderful examples of American ingenuity. I want a "Wangcaster".

Summer Time Mix #2

Can you smell it? It's sort of like Banana Boat and more than a hint of perspiration. It's summer. And to commemorate, here is another IRTJ-sanctioned mix to get you up to speed brought to you by me, Peter T. Hooper. Use the player below or download here (right-click on Summer Times Mix).

Summer Mixtape Volume 1

Here is a little mixtape from Plain Ole Bill, who is currently P.O.S.'s DJ (and in the interests of full disclosure, my brother-in-law). 70+ minutes of upbeat goodness that will start your summer right. Listen in the player below or download here.

Attacked By Animals

Suburban housewives and quant jock dads got attacked by Animal Collective last night via Letterman. "Summertime Clothes" was played...complete with interpretive dance troupe.

Austin Reggae Fest 2009

IRTJ was out at another dusty and dirty reggae fest. This may be becoming a habit.

Oh how we thought nothing could top 2008's shenanigans but we were wrong...follow us to down the rabbit hole won't you?

Is your pet Saved?

Music: Akron/Family

White House Weed Blow

Kal Penn -- best known as Kumar from the stoner classic Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle -- has accepted a new gig as associate director in the White House Office of Public Liaison, where he will be an emissary to the Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities. - via Ask.com

Maui-wowie!

How to solve a murder using only the F-word

I was a bit of a late-comer to the Wire, but got hooked somewhere during the first season. Finally finished the series last night. This has to be one of my favorite TV series scenes of all time. Brilliant.

Quote of the Day

"i don't want to do lame shit"
-TBILLZ

Hey guys, who wants some joy fits?!?

I'm not quite sure how to introduce this.

Can I get a side of blow with that?

After a ten-month investigation, NYPD narcotics officers busted John's Pizza & Heros on Westchester Avenue in the Bronx on Tuesday, charging six people with participating in cocaine trafficking at the restaurant. According to prosecutors, manager Benigno Burgos and his associates moved hundreds of thousands of dollars of drugs through the joint, with customers coming from as far as Connecticut to pick up their take-out orders, which were actually pizza boxes stuffed with up to $40,000 of cocaine at a time. The place also delivered. - Via Gothamist

Fantastic. Nothing beats a little "za" with a dash of Peruvian marching powder. I would have drove from Austin to score some of that white diamond lust. Say, I've got a great idea for a restaurant, we'll make so much money. Anyone want to guess what it is?

I can't believe it took them ten months to figure it out. Why didn't they just order a pizza?

Prison Pigeons

Police say inmates are using carrier pigeons to smuggle cellphones onto a prison farm in southeastern Brazil.

Police inspector Celso Soramiglio says that guards at a prison near the city of Sorocaba caught a pigeon last Wednesday with components of a small cellphone inside a bag tied to one of its legs.

A day later, another pigeon was found with a bag containing a cellphone charger. - Via USA Today

Is this worse than mulletsgalore.com?

Why the F#$%K do you have a kid?

Brits Highlights Amazing Indie Products:

Shamwowzers!

You know him. You love him. Vince Shlomi has made a little green on the Shamwow, so to celebrate he got a hooker. Who wouldn't right? Ms. street walker got fiesty and clamped down on the pitchman's....tounge. Shamwow! Get kinky, right? Well, she wouldn't let go so ole' Vince decided to beat her up. Good move, dude. Classy.

Roxanne decided to take a few pics for the ensuing law$uit. Check it.

Get Psyched

A couple of things to help with the soul searching.


















Headdress: Click to listen to "Spirit Canyon Medicine Song" from their album Turquoise, available on limited edition vinyl (with digital download) from Mexican Summer. Don't forget the peyote, gringo.


















Daughters of the Sun: Click to listen to "Gong the Divider" from their forthcoming album Rings, available from Modern Radio Records on April 25. Buy a tabla and join the drum circle.

"They" Control Your Computer

"A vast electronic spying operation has infiltrated computers and has stolen documents from hundreds of government and private offices around the world...It can, for example, turn on the camera and audio-recording functions of an infected computer, enabling monitors to see and hear what goes on in a room." - NY Times.

Yes. They are following you online.

A school by any other name would be much less gay

What's in a name? If you are a crazy-ass religious fundamentalist, the answer is "A lot." Westboro Baptist Church, the Kansas congregation that believes that the deaths of US soldiers are God's punishment for a nation tolerant of gays (and I'm sure many in the GLBT community would only tepidly agree that the US is tolerant of homosexuality), is set to protest against a Maryland high school- open since 1962 - that is named after famed US poet Walt Whitman, who may have been gay.

The church argues that the name of the public school, "says A LOT about Maryland," and that the students who attend the high school "are taught Rebellion Against God 101 every day in every way." This actually sounds like a pretty sweet class (click here for link).

In other news, the church is thanking God for the impending floods in North Dakota, saying that the floods are a direct result of a North Dakota law barring the Westboro Baptist parishioners from protesting within 300 feet of a funeral (click here for link).

Just so you can see for yourself how crazy these people are, here is the homepage for the church.

Pop 'til you Drop

**Click to listen to "Fences"

I'm not afraid to say it, I love Phoenix, and I have for years. They crank out some of the best (quasi-) indie pop songs, which make good days better and bad days bearable. The new album is out May 29, just in time for some windows-down, volume-high, summer driving.

Anti-American News Briefs

It's a tough news day for the good ol' U.S. of A.

1. Red Meat (and the other whit meat) Kills: Researchers have found, after controlling for other factors such as smoking, that eating red meat every day increases the risk of premature death (link here). Americans like their red, red meat.
2. S.U.V.'s Perform Poorly on Safety Tests: Despite claims by suburban moms that they simply "feel safer" in S.U.V.'s, tests by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggest that this sense of security is misplaced (link here). Suburban moms are now conflicted as cars might be safer, but the Jesus fish decal just does not look right on a Volvo.
   
3. Japan Wins World Baseball Classic: Despite being "America's past time," it was the countries of East Asia that were playing in the championship round of the World Baseball Classic, with the US team not even reaching the finals. If the US auto industry can get bailouts because it is not competitive relative to its East Asian competitors, perhaps it is time for MLB to start lobbying to Congress for some of its own bailout cash due to the same reasons. Seems like roids need to make a comeback if America is to regain her prestige.
   

Music (video): Clues / Ex-Arcade Fire & Ex-Unicorns

Clues is made up of Bredan Reed (x-arcade fire) and Alden Penner (x-unicorns). They up the shop, working on a record that's coming out May 18th on Constellation. Now for your viewing pleasure.