This is genius...

Malkmus Sings "Maggie's Farm"

With an assist from John Medeski on organ.

From the "I'm Not There" soundtrack.

Widespread Panic

Does anyone else find it weird that Fox is sometimes using a short clip from "Ain't Life Grand" by Widespread Panic when they cut to commercial during the ALCS? It's a pretty good song, but kind of a random choice.

Oh yeah, go Sox!

Ted Leo

Ted Leo has a new song that is probably the best war protest song since Masters of War. Check it out here: Bomb.Repeat.Bomb. Just a great song to crank up and piss off any neoconservatives in earshot.

Looks like I have to add Living with the Living to the long list of new and not-so-new albums I need to buy (Arcade Fire, Grandaddy, Loose Fur, Beck, Sonic Youth). I did pick up Built to Spill's latest and the new Shins recently. The Built to Spill is great, I mean, it isn't anything earth-shattering, but if you like their previous stuff, it is good. The Shins took a few listens to get into, but now I am really digging it. A bit more complicated musically than their earlier stuff (not that it is Amnesiac or anything).

The Flickr Song

The Flickr Song. Funny stuff.

Jack Black's Celebrity Playlist

Rolling Stone has Jack Black's celebrity playlist. What bums me out is that when you click to listen, you need to install some player, and then you don't even get to hear the World Saxophone Quartet. I was really looking forward to it!

The Tenacious D movie looks pretty damn funny (the website is great, too). If it is anything like "Butt Baby" (not safe for work) you know it will be good.

Box Elder

For Malkmus lovers only:



There is a great video for "Baby C'mon" on YouTube as well, and of course check out the video for "Mama" (Real format) from the Matador web site, which Ann loves.

Albums of the year...so far...

Here are my picks for albums of the year, so far, from someone who hasn't heard that much new music this year:

• Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass: by far the best album title of the year, and damn good music as well. You know a band is pretty confident when the first song on their album ("Pass the hatchet, I think I'm goodkind" - another great title) is a 10 minute long jam with minimal lyrics. You can download the whole song here, if you like.
  
• The Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America: not quite as strong as their previous effort, Separation Sunday, but still a great album. Bonus points for the Kerouac inspired title. Check out a live version of Stuck Between Stations, the first song on the album.
  
• Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit: the first half of this album is really great, it sags a bit in the middle, but thats a minor quibble. Here is a great video for "White Collar Boy."
  
• Honorable Mentions: The Flaming Lips - At War With the Mystics; Pavement - Wowee Zowee: Sordid Sentinels Edition (reissue, so it kinda doesn't count); Bruce Springsteen We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions; Neko Case Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
  

I'm actually kind of disappointed in myself for not checking out more music this year. There are a lot of albums that have come out that I've been meaning to get (Sonic Youth, The Decemberists, Willie Nelson w/ Ryan Adams, others), but I just haven't had a lot of time to wander around the record store. If any of you have any suggestions, let me know.