I Want My Music Television vol. LXXXIII

There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.


The Ghost Inside – Broken Bells



The latest Broken Bells video just may be the greatest Outer Limits episode never to air and even stars Firefly vet Christina Hendricks who is no stranger to outerspace.


Half My Heart – John Mayer



I am really disappointed that with the absent of Taylor Swift we were deprived of some cheesetastic scenes that harken back to when Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks would share microphones during their duets. Instead we just get John Mayer sulking around as if he just got accused of being a racist.


Holiday – Vampire Weekend



Oh those wacky Ivy Leaguers of Vampire Weekend going all Victorian on us. Well done boys.


Rockstar 101 - Rihanna



If Rihanna is teaching Rock Star 101, who is the professor for 102, Pat Boone?

I Want My Music Television vol. LXXIV

There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.

Giving up the Gun – Vampire Weekend



Sure the whole world is focused on Winter sports right now (and how the Americans went to Canada to upset the host nation last night), but Vampire Weekend are still stuck in the Hamptons mindset and featured tennis in their new video and who better than the RZA to be the referee. And as a tennis coach? Of course, Lil John, because he always tells the truth.


Maybe So, Maybe So – Mayer Hawthorne



Another summer pastime, instead of the thrilling snowboard cross, we get a leisurely skateboarding romp in the latest Mayer Hawthorne video.


Alice – Avril Lavigne



Straight from her ProActive commercial (seriously, how much money are they paying all these celebrities to go on television and say, “look how bad my skin used to be”) Avril Lavigne gets the theme to the new Alice in Wonderland movie. Considering his track record on reenvisioning (Sleepy Hollow, Planet of the Apes, Willy Wonka) I am not sure why Tim Burton is going back to that well again considering how inventive his original ideas are.


The Only Exception – Paramore



Get your lighters ready, it’s a Paramore power ballad.

Best of the Week vol. XXX

Quote of the Week: (Facebook) is all about finding people you never got a chance to sleep with in high school or college. It’s annoying. (Ronnie, Mercy)

Song of the Week: The End – Pearl Jam (Castle)

Big News of the Week: Scott Brown, Your Newest Senator: It is hard to be surprised by political outcomes considering our last three presidents were black, brain-dead from cocaine use, and a hillbilly (two of which were even reelected). There is even a politician in Minnesota that managed to lose to both Jesse “The Body” Ventura and Al “Stuart Smalley” Franklin. But it is hard not raise an eyebrow at the special election in the very liberal Massachusetts that filled the senate seat that was held by someone with the last name Kennedy for fifty-four of the last fifty-six years by a Republican. Not only that but a Republican who has posed nude, his wife appeared in a 1984 music video for Digney Fignus's The Girl With the Curious Hand (I have never heard of it either but of course it is on YouTube) and has a daughter who was on American Karaoke (and she is single fellas, as her father so elegantly put in his victory speech). God bless American.

Gratuitous Token Hot Chick Picture of the Week:



Free Download of the Week: Cousins (Video) – Vampire Weekend (iTunes)

Deal of the Week: Save Up to 56% on Boxed Sets (Mel Brooks Collection, Home Alone, X-Men Trilogy)

Video of the Week: The episode of Chuck I have been waiting for since I first heard Kristin Kreuk (who ranked in at #2 of The Hottest Hot Chicks of the 00's) would be appearing this season, and here is a promo of that episode, and as an added bonus, it also features Stone Cold Steve Austin. Color me excited.

Next On: Going Solo


Next Week Pick of the Week: Greek, Monday at 10:00 on ABC Family: When we last left Cypress Rhodes, Casey and her sisters burnt down a rival’s sorority house. That should lead to some entertainment when the show returns. What won’t will be Casey hooking up with Cappie which will probably be lame especially if the add Evan for a love triangle and Rebecca after that for a love quadrangle. I am not a fan of the newly late start time, but on an already crowded Monday, I most likely would have caught on Hulu later in the week anyway.

Here Comes a Feeling You Thought You'd Forgotten

Vampire Weekend must be upset that they were born in the eighties instead of making music in it because they very may have been the biggest college radio band of the decade not named R.E.M. Maybe that is why they dress like a J Crew ad from the era. Now they have to resign to being the blogger buzz band of the month and sadly that month was in September 2007 and by the time their self-titled debut album was released in January 08, it seemed like the entire buzz died. Two years later, which in blog years might as well be eight, the band is back with their sophomore outing Contra (a reference to, the band insists, the awesome Nintendo game, not the political organization).

For the album, the band still comes up with melodies that would make River Cuomo jealous and music that weighs heavy on Graceland-era Paul Simon afro-centric beats and rhythms, but branches out into other influences such as synth-pop of the eighties, while the first single Cousins includes some surf rock flair right out of a Dick Dale song. On the flip side, the band also unfortunately discovers auto-tune on the reggae tinged California English which turns out to be a massive fail.

But the rest of Conta is the same preppy soundtrack fun you can find on their first album that will make you want to flip up the collar of your polo shirt while listening. Sure Cousins is a silly song, but try not to sing along to the chorus by your second listen. I have no idea what Horchata is, but I want to drink it at some high price resort drinking it, while listening to the song, I just won’t be wearing a balaclava (which they rhyme with the song title). Giving up the Gun is the culmination of everything the band strives to be, an assessable song with sing-a-long words, but is still a complex wall of sound where you can find a new blurt of sound every time you listen to.

Song to Download – Giving Up the Gun

Contra gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

I Want My Music Television vol. LXX

There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.


Brick by Boring Brick – Paramore



I would say the new Paramore video is Alice in Wonderland on a psychedelic trip, but the original was already that to begin with. And though it may not fit with her persona, Hayley Williams actually looks thoroughly attractive with the blonde hair and summer dress here.


Cousins – Vampire Weekend



When you hear a band is going to name their album Contra, you assume it is some pretentious political statement about the Nicaraguan rebels. But no, Vampire Weekend named their new album after one of the great video games of all time which gave way to the greatest cheat code of all time that, even though I haven’t played the game in almost two decades, I still know by heart.


Give it Up to Me – Shakira featuring Lil Wayne



I’m really not a fan of Shakira’s turn into electronic and Lil’ Wayne is the most overrated rapper of all time, but she really hasn’t looked much better than the two videos from her new album.


Remember December – Demi Lovato



I am not sure what is more disturbing, that Demi Lovato raided Rob Halford’s closet for the performance portion of the video, that she is sporting the Amy Winehouse for the girls night out scenes, or that I even watched it. At any rate, I swear this song was on the Less Than Zero soundtrack even though it actually predates the person singing the song.

The 9th Green’s Readers Favorite Songs of 2008

First off, congratulations are in order Emily and Niv who both picked up Amazon gift cards for sending in their top ten lists and thanks to everyone else who also contributed to the list (check your e-mail that you sent your lists from if you haven’t got it yet). After sending all the ballots sent in this year through my patent pending algorism that makes the Electoral College seem reasonable in comparison, here is what it came up with. If you do not like the results start get ready to send in a list for 2009.


1. Viva la Vida - Coldplay

2. Shut Up and Let Me Go - The Ting Tings

3. Electric Feel - MGMT

4. I Will Posses Your Heart - Death Cab for Cutie

5. Heartless - Kanye West

6. Where I Stood - Missy Higgins

7. The Show - Lenka

8. Signs - Bloc Party

9. You Don’t Know Me - Ben Folds featuring Regina Spektor

10. Human - The Killers

11. Violent Hill - Coldplay

12. In This Life - Delta Goodram

13. Oxford Comma - Vampire Weekend

14. If I Never See Your Face Again - Maroon 5 and Rihanna

15. Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) - Beyoncé

16. Come on Get Higher - Matt Nathenson

17. Live Your Life - T.I. featuring Rihanna

18. Broken - Lifehouse

19. She’s a Lady - Forever the Sickest Kids

20. Paper Planes - M.I.A.

21. Shape Shifter - Keri Noble

22. The Resolution - Jack’s Mannequin

23. How I Could Just Kill a Man - Charolette Sometimes

24. Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon

25. My Medicine - Snoop Dogg

I Want My Music Television vol. XXIX

There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube. I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available, if not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.



Cath... - Death Cab for Cutie

The more I listen to Narrow Stairs (see: And They Carried on Like Long Division) the more Cath… becomes my favorite song on the lattest Death Cab for Cutie album. The video is about as odd as the four and a half minute bass groove that started off I Will Possess Your Heart. Half, a fairly literal version of the song about a lady marrying someone she could have done better than with the other half with the whole band lip syncing in a backstage area with grass. Arighty then. Hero - Nas & Keri Hilson The latest album from Nas is no longer called the word I am not allowed to say without receiving a beatdown, indeed is now named, well, nothing. The song has to be in the running for beat of the year so far with it Neptunes meets Timbaland feel, granted the video itself just looks like another Hype Williams retread. Oxford Comma - Vampire Weekend In what could be the most profound question of the year, Vampire Weekend ponders, “Who gives a (expletive deleted) about an Oxford Comma”. Indeed. But my pretentiousness aside, you got to like any video that is all one shot. Just don’t ask me what the whole chapter thing is about. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) - Amanda Seyfried Yes that is Lily Kane singing… singing Abba from the theatrical version of Momma Mia, a movie there is no way anyone can get me to see unless Lily Kane herself invites me and involves some extracurricular activities afterwards.

I Want My Music Television vol. XVII

There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube. I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available, if not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.


Honey - Erykah Badu



We have our first year contender for video of the year. Although, despite the great concept, it could have been taken a little further as there are many classic albums Erykah Badu didn’t try recreating (someone really needs to do a rock version of this concept). But of the ones she did, Paid in Full has to be my favorite.


Steer - Missy Higgins



As Russ said about this song from Missy Higgins, “Get ready to hear Steer on every TV show in existence.” Well, maybe that would be the case if there were any actually television in the near future, but his sediment is point on with this catchy ditty. And the crash test dummy theme is brilliant.


A-Punk - Vampire Weekend



Interesting visuals for this quirky song from Vampire Weekend. You can check out my review of their album here: All Your Diction Is Dripping with Distain.


I Want Those Flashing Lights (Kanye West Remix) - Colin Munroe



Kanye West said he had a video coming up for Flashing Lights, I just never expected this was the outcome from some random dude by the name Colin Munroe. But the video is cool in a Bittersweet Symphony kind of way. You can also download this song for free from the dude’s MySpace page.

All Your Diction Dripping with Disdain

If you rock out in your minivan to Daughtry or whatever your local Clearchannel adult contemporary station makes you believe constitutes as rock these days, you probably have never heard of Vampire Weekend. The band is the latest internet buzz band that is declared by the holier than you music blogs as the next big thing. Of course, keep in mind none of the previous next big things actually became big.

Of course, much like Daughtry, it is hard pressed to call Vampire Weekend a rock band in the sense of U2 or The Clash, but are better classified under nerd rock after all the band met each other when they were attending Columbia (yeah they are smarter than you and don’t seem to mind letting you think that). They would have been a perfect fit for 120 Minutes or college radio in the late eighties put in-between They Might Be Giants and Violent Femmes.

Vampire Weekend’s self titled debut album sound as if They Might Be Giants tried to be a little more serious by listening to Paul Simon’s Graceland and early The Police on repeat for a whole year. Sure there is some quirkiness still in tack thanks to name dropping Lil’ Jon and Peter Gabriel while rhyming together Louis Vuitton, Reggaeton, Bennetton and really all you need to know about One is the subtitle is Black’s Got a New Face which you will be singing along with eventually if you listen to it enough.

But there is a musicianship on the album that was lacking in many college rock acts which is mostly what kept them on college radio and off the mainstream stations. The problem though is the album starts dragging near the end which isn’t good for an album just over a half an hour long. But, hey, it is much longer before Daughtry starts to get grating (which is only about five seconds).

Song to Download - Oxford Comma

Vampire Weekend gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

2008 Winter Music Preview

For the past couple years, the first quarter of the year has been a vast wasteland where record companies drop albums by artist they hope to break in the new year (see last year with Amy Winehouse) or albums that were supposed to release before Christmas but held them because they sucked (see the chick from The Pussycat Dolls this year). Yet scrolling over this years’ Winter Music Preview, even though there really is not a blockbuster among them aside maybe Jack Johnson, there is a decent amount of good (and more than enough crappy) music being released the first four months of 2008.

If you are interrested in preordering the albums from Amazon, the link on the album name will take you their, the links on artists names will take you to their iTunes page. If I left one of your favorite artists off the list with an upcoming album feel free to drop me a comment or feel free to wax poetic in the comment section on which albums you are looking forward to. (Note: release dates subject to change):


January 22

Jukebox - Cat Power: Chan Marshall is back to get her indie queen back from Feist with a album full of cover songs with songs made famous by Frank Sinatra, Hank Williams and James Brown. The album is available for pre-order on iTunes.

Pocketful of Sunshine - Natasha Bedingfield: Of the new songs I have heard, it sounds like Natasha will go down as a two hit wonder. The album is available for pre-order on iTunes.


January 29

Tim's House - Kate Walsh: No not that Kate Walsh, this is a British singer that is more Norah Jones than Lily Allen. The album is already available on iTunes.

Just A Little Lovin' - Shelby Lynne: She won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 2001 (almost a decade after releasing her first album) and has been (unfairly) ignored pretty much ever since by the general public.

Moment Of Forever - Willie Nelson: With Kenny Chesney producing, Willie takes on songs by Dave Matthews, Bob Dylan and a few songs he wrote himself.

Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend: This year’s buzz band which means the album will most likely fall under the weight of all the hype.

Her Name Is Nicole - Nicole Scherzinger: As I mentioned in the intro, it is never a good sign when you get moved from the fourth quarter to the first.


February 5

Sleep Through the Static - Jack Johnson: My most anticipated album of the winter, nothing like a surfer to warm things up with snow on the ground. The album is available for pre-order on iTunes.

Detours - Sheryl Crow: Maybe it is a coincidence that Crow hasn’t had a hit since duetting with Kid Rock, but Tuesday Night Music Club producer is back for this album which was recorded in Nashville which could hint at a more folksy sound.

It Is Time For A Love Revolution - Lenny Kravitz: The album title is reminiscent of his first Let Love Rule, a romp of tree hugging 60’s inspired jams.

Lucky - Nada Surf: Who had the group the recorded Popular in the late 90’s sustain a career a over decade later in their office pool?


February 12

25th Anniversary of Thriller - Michael Jackson: Yeah, seeing that this album hit its half a century mark doesn’t make me old at all. But anyways. If I am not mistaken, this will feature remixes by Kanye West and will.i.am.

Shine - Estelle: Speaking of Kanye and will, they will both be appearing on this album British singer/rapper Estelle, the first released on John Legend's label.


February 19

Mockingbird - Allison Moorer: Younger of Shelby Lynn, Moorer releases an album of cover songs with her take on songs by Nina Simone, Joni Mitchell and Johnny Cash.


February 26

On a Clear Night - Missy Higgins: Huge in her native Australia, where this album already hit number one last May, now she tries to conquer the States. Again (her debut, The Sound of White was essentially overlooked here). This album is already available on iTunes.

Discipline - Janet Jackson: Insert your own wardrobe malfunction jokes here.

Another Country - Tift Merritt: She is Ryan Adams approved, that is all I need to know.

March 4

Warpaint - The Black Crowes: The first album from the band since Kate Hudson tried to pull a Yoko Ono.

Asking for Flowers - Kathleen Edwards: Made some of the best alt-country music this decade that is not credited to Ryan Adams, expect more on this album.


March 11

Hello - Tristan Prettyman: I think I may be the only one who check out her first album that was very Jack Johnson with a female twist, hopefully more people check out the follow up.

Ego Trippin' - Snoop Dogg: Snoop has set the bar high after the Sexual Seduction video. Snoop says there will not be any guests on this album but expect prodution from the Neptunes.

These Are Good Times People - The Presidents of the United States of America: Peaches is one of the greatest songs ever in the history of the world. Or at least from the ninties.


March 18

Bittersweet World - Ashlee Simpson: Yeah, this is going to suck.


March 25

Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings - Counting Crows: I already talked about this in the Fall 2007 Music Preview but it seemed to be pushed back every couple weeks.


Sometime April

Accelerate - R.E.M.
Atlantis - Gnarls Barkley
The Glass Passenger - Jack's Mannequin
Rising Down - The Roots
That Chick - Mariah Carey