The (k)Now

Heath Ledger's video for Mouse's "King Rat"

The video Heath Ledger directed for Modest Mouse's "King Rat" has been posted on Myspace Music.  Ledger was creating the video just before his death in January of '07, for the film and music company Masses as a means of protesting against the "illegal commercial whale hunts taking place off the coast of Australia."  It begs to ask, what if the shoe was on the other foot?  You can fill in the gaps.

frat dad: "freak in nature"

Underwater Peoples has made a significant contribution to my music adventure this year and they have added another psyche lo-fi group to the list of places to travel.  Frat Dad was featured on Underwater People's Showcase earlier this year and are featured on the Forkcast today.  "Freak in Nature" presents howl at the moon and shroom bonfire vibes similar to the new material by the Ganglians.  The track channels suburban motives for "freaking out" by claiming "my mom isn't home now, she said she'd be back at six, cause she's out playing tennis, so I'll eat up all the sticks."  Childish and in need of a babysitter, Frat Dad's ambition is simple and far out...just to be a freak in nature.

Frat Dad: Freak in Nature

No Deachunter

The No Deachunter tour features Dan Deacon, No Age, and Deerhunter.  The three artists kicked off the tour in Baltimore by playing a 10 minute version of Deerhunter's "Cryptograms."  This is really an odyssey of a track that blends electro, noise pop, and Deerhunter's melancholy melodies into something special.

wale: "pretty girls"

Wale is set to release a studio album later this year, however, his Back to the Feature Mixtape is my favorite rap album of '09 (so far).  While his cred has been taking some hits with his release of "Chillin" which features the much taboo Lady Ga Ga, "Pretty Girls" straddles the line between silencing haters and better defining what Wale brings to the table.  My love for Back to the Feature stems from its  smooth flow that doesn't get obnoxious or tiresome with overused gimmicks. "Pretty Girls" channels the same ease with piano backing, a soulful vocal hook, and of course a hip hop bang.

jack white's solo single

Jack White is a Music Man.  As posted earlier this year, White has a long list of music related endeavors and he keeps adding to it.  There has been a lot of buzz about a possible White solo album.  While these rumors have been neither dispelled nor confirmed, he will be releasing a solo track ("Fly Farm Blues") in support of an upcoming documentary It Might Get Loud (in which he is profiled).  The documentary captures White, U2's Edge and Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page sharing guitar trade secrets and jamming together.  The trailer is pretty epic and features Jack wearing a bow tie while making a slide guitar out of a Coke bottle and piece of wood.  The track was "written on the spot" upon film director Davis Guggenheim's request.  It will be released on a one-sided "7 and digitally.

related:

Jack produced singles for Transit and Dan Sartain for his Third Man Label due out August 11.  Transit is composed of all Nashville Metro Transit Authority workers and wrote "Cmon and Ride"/"Afterparty" about Nashville's bus system.  Alabama singer/songwritter, Dan Sartain, will also release songs "Bohemian Grove"/"Atheist Funeral" on Third Man.

them crooked vultures

For all things mainstream and Best Buy-like, I am curious to wonder what Josh Homme (lead singer/guitarist of Queens of the Stoneage) and John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin bassist) would want to do with Dave Grohl of the "Foo Foo Fighters."  It is understood that Grohl and Homme have worked together (Grohl playing drums on the QOTS's Songs for the Deaf), but, after Grohl's most recent Foo releases, what could they possibly still have in common.  All bitching aside, I am excited to hear about this undeniable supergroup called Them Crooked Vultures in which Grohl will once again sit behind a kit, Homme on guitar, and Jones on bass.  Let's hope Grohl wipes off the Foo stank from his boots before entering the studio and can get back to basics with some originals.

There are some rumors about a fall album release and tour, however, no official word.  Until then stay connected at the bands official website, Myspace, and Facebook.  Something smells...

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pitchfork

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Next Animal Collective Single & Jack White in Music Politics

No the above art is not the cover of the next Jimmy Buffet Greatest Hits disc (that will surely be released again this summer for all you middle aged Orange County Coconuts).  That colorful island flavor will wrap the next Animal Collective single Summertime Clothes 12".  "Summertime Clothes" will be Animal Collective's second single off of hyclaimed (see what I did there hyped and acclaimed together...) Merriweather Post Pavilion.  With June 21st slowly but surely approaching the single will be just in time for us to all put on some "Summertime Clothes."  The 12" will release on July 7 via Domino Records and will also include three remixes of the track from Zombie, Dam-Funk, and L.D.  A video will also be made by director Danny Perez (responsible for "Who Could Win a Rabbit" video).

via Pitchfork

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According to Pitchfork, Jack White's involvement in the Memphis community is expanding beyond his cash only Third Man Records.  White will be giving Nashville Mayor, Karl Deacon, advice on how to keep the Music City, musically relevant.

The Associate Press reports, Jack has become a member of Nashville's 46-member Music Business Council. The Council's goal is to further the town's reputation as a music town (what Los Angeles is to film, New York is to fashion, Nashville must be to music).  The Nashville MBC is "expected to advise on initiatives including the construction of a downtown amphitheater, the expansion of the CMA Music Festival, the creation of a new, non-country festival and the enhancement of music education." Any arts initiative is worth getting input from one of the leading creative minds in the "biz." (musically or otherwise)  

White Stripes Death Letter (Live)

compliments of Freak Boy:

Jack White (accompanied by the competent Meg White) scorches the blues cover of Son House's "Death Letter."

Don't don't you mind people grinning in your face/your mother would talk about you/your sisters and your brother too/no matter how you try to live/they're going to talk about you still/so don't you mind people grinning in your face

Animal Collective on Letterman

Check out Animal Collective play "Summertime Clothes" on The Late Show with David Letterman.  I get improv, but, improv sheet dancers on Letterman...know your audience guys.

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unrelated:

Ever since the White Stripes had to cut their 2007 tour short, citing Meg's anxiety, the band's future has been in question.  Some rumors swirled, whispering in fan's ears that WS were due to release an album this summer.  Then it was revealed that Jack White's summer project was not with Meg, but, with "VV" and the Dead Weather.  On top of his new super group, Jack White mentioned he was working on a White Stripes documentary.  Documentary is exciting news, but; what about Meg?  What about the White Stripes?

Today, Pitchfork cited an interview with Jack by Music Radar.  When asked about the next White Stripes disc Jack said, "It won't be too far off.  Maybe next year."  Next year might seem far away or not realistic with the success of Dead Weather yet to be decided and his slew of verging projects (see Jack White's to-do-list).  However, he keeps us hopeful by revealing that they have already recorded "a couple songs."

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related:

Jack White plays a huge role on Dex Romweber Duo's "Last Kind Word."  Dex Romweber is one of Jack's heros and he produced the 7" in his home studio to be release on his label Third Man at the end of May.  On the track Jack sings, plays guitar, and musical saw.  Jack has run out of instruments to learn and has now looked to the work bench for new challenges.   What it is, to be so talented...

Jack White's 2009 To Do List:

-- White Stripes Film. According to the Self-Titled interview, he's currently working on approx. 40 songs for a Stripes movie due later this year.

-- White is "producing four or five records right now," that include one from a new artist named Mildred and one from New York City singer-songwriter Rachelle Garniez.

-- He's initiating a Photo/Song Series: "We've got this whole series coming out where people are just taking a photo at the Third Man building with a blue background, and you just hear the music and look at their photographs. I've been producing and playing drums on all these records as well." 

-- Jack's newest band, the Dead Weather, is planning a summer tour that will run from June to August. 

-- Dead Weather's debut,  Horehound, is due out in June on Third Man

-- "There's some other stuff I can't tell you about, but other pretty big records."

compliments of Pitchfork