Watching the Grammys is like going to a dance party on the Titanic. That said, raging mindlessly against the mainstream is just as bad as following it – and since I was forced to watch the show, some brief thoughts: Read the rest of this entry »

A solo, ethereal take on one of The National‘s best songs by past tourmate St. Vincent, live at the Brooklyn Vegan Haiti Benefit in New York on January 23. Just gorgeous.

* The National singer Matt Berninger (pictured at left; photo by David Greenwald) tells Pitchfork the band’s May-due — but still unfinished — new album is “a meaner record… it’s less restrained than Boxer… there’s a lot of yelling.” Exactly what I wanted to hear! But Matt also revealed he’s a new dad and the band is unlikely to keep up their history of endless road-dogging on their upcoming tours (not that they should have to), so see ‘em when you can.

* You Ain’t No Picasso has the bootleg from Radiohead’s Haiti charity show from last week, where they played the best setlist ever.

* The Numero Group has put together what looks like an exhaustive history in song of Chicago recording studios, 1908 – 1980. Download it here.

Mazatlan, Mexico, December 2009.

Belle & Sebastian – “Slow Graffiti”: mp3

More Photography: Camera Obscurist

Akron/Family, live at UCLA, now for your enjoyment. (I’m gradually posting all of my collegiate low-res concert videos to Vimeo and then, obviously, here, so keep an eye on this space for more.)

Akron/Family – “I’ll Be On The Water”: mp3

More: Rawkblog.tv | Videos

The Largo experience is a sacred one, which is why there are nearly no videos from the performances it houses and why I present this to you now without endorsement and the warning that if I see a camera in anyone’s hands the next time I go to see Jon Brion, I will personally present it to Flanagan on a stake. Nevertheless, this is a historical document: Fiona Apple and Jon, playing a jazz standard. It’s a regular, regularly gorgeous occurrence at Largo, but, I’d imagine, a surprise to Fiona fans. (It comes from Apple’s recent concert for Haiti; donate to Save the Children here.)

The answer, for a long time, has been yes — but Paste Magazine’s cover story on the subject, the best thinkpiece about the state of “indie” music 2010 you’ll read all month, probably all year, is a must-read eulogy.

The big story of District 9 was its bargain-basement $30 million budget, a number that astounds once the movie starts playing. Its aliens are forcefully, disgustingly real; its cinematography is effortlessly propulsive (and tack-sharp, especially on Blu-ray) and Peter Jackson protegee and first-time director Neil Blomkapf’s decisions are largely on-point. (By contrast, an effort such as I Am Legend cost roughly $150 million for CGI vampires right out of a 1997 Castlevania game.) Once the action begins, about 20 minutes in, the movie turns into a blockbuster thrill ride that puts fat-wallet spenders to shame. Read the rest of this entry »