Cannibal Cheerleader » scarlett johansson http://cannibalcheerleader.com Punk + Prose + Austin + Blood + Guts Mon, 09 Jan 2012 23:04:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 Wear http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2009/09/wear.html http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2009/09/wear.html#comments Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:02:00 +0000 admin http://cannibalcheerleader.com/?p=273
Cannibal Cheerleader has long been the apologist blog for Scarlett Johansson’s solo career, even though the brilliance that was Anywhere I Lay My Head deserved no such excuses, and her new album Break Up with Pete Yorn is no exception – here’s a sure to be misunderstood record that features the starlet’s haunting vocals alongside sparse instrumentation, all the while lamenting about love and loss. Not necessarily the most unique or original concept album but a winner nonetheless, considering the nuance and passion Johansson injects into every verse. Definitely worth a spin!
]]> http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2009/09/wear.html/feed 0 All Said and Done http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2009/01/all-said-and-done.html http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2009/01/all-said-and-done.html#comments Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:15:00 +0000 admin http://cannibalcheerleader.com/?p=193 SCARLETT JOHANSSON COVERS JEFF BUCKLEY
Love her or hate her (we here at Cannibal Cheerleader are definitely in the former category) Scarlett Johansson is back again, only this time instead of the great Tom Waits, she’s covering Jeff Buckley’s “Last Goodbye” for the soundtrack to her newest film, He’s Just Not That Into You. It’s lacking the effervescent David Sitek production but the sparseness of Johansson’s smoky croon over a simple piano line is a refreshing change of pace. Give it a listen over here.
Scarlett Johansson – “Innocent When You Dream”
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KYLESA REVEAL NEW SONG
We are eagerly awaiting the release of Static Tensions, the newest release from Atlanta metal-gods Kylessa, and from the sounds of the newest track on the band’s Myspace “Said and Done” this will be the band’s magnum opus. The track is reminscient of the leap forward Mastodon took with Blood Mountain, so here’s hoping for big things from these guys. Head on over and check it.
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ASOBI SEKSU RELEASE “ME & MARY” VIDEO
Our favorite New York-based dream poppers Asobi Seksu, fresh off the release of the excellent Hush, have released their new video for single “Me & Mary”. As whimsical and esper-filled as the music itself, the video depicts the band’s two chief members dancing through a shapeshifting cartoon wonderland. Check it out below!

Comments? 
]]> http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2009/01/all-said-and-done.html/feed 0 Bloody Best of ‘08 http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/12/bloody-best-of-08.html http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/12/bloody-best-of-08.html#comments Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:25:00 +0000 admin http://cannibalcheerleader.com/?p=170 CANNIBAL CHEERLEADER’S BLOODY BEST
TOP TEN SONGS OF ‘08

Squeaking in at the last second care of the newest incarnation of ex-Distiller Brody Dalle, Spinnerette, “Ghetto Love” combines spidery guitar riffs and wailing female vocals to make a part-industrial, part-punk masterpiece that rivals the tunes from such seminal works as Coral Fang. Highly recommended for fans of old school LA punk with a 2008 twist.

Tender as a broken heart and bloody as a gaping wound, “The Twist” by Frightened Rabbit combines a lovelorn tale of self-loathing with a minimalist piano line that nonetheless sounds more true to life than the majority of romantic ballads on the radio today. Combining real-world experience with careful, quiet riffs makes this tune one of the finest love songs of the year.

Morgan Nagler’s voice remains fragile as a icy lake but on “Atlantis” from the Whispertown 2000’s latest effort Swim her lyrics are focused on under the water, escaping into the hidden city deep below, away from sin. A testament to the quiet, serene songwriting of the Whispertown quartet, this tune is one of the most haunting of the year.
The tale of a suicidal goth girl might not be construed as one of the most whimsical and heartwarming songs of the year, but under the sweeping electronic orchestra of M83, “Graveyard Girl” is an equal parts kitschy ode to John Hughes narratives and a shoe-gazing spin through layers of haunting vocals. Slightly out-edges “Kim and Jessie” just due to our morbid fascination here at Cannibal Cheerleader.
With the year’s release of her sophomore album Jenny Lewis went from sultry songstress to road-weary troubadour, winding tales of a life hard-lived, and none harder than the lovelorn ballad as told in “Acid Tongue”. With a sense of the weight-of-the-world on your shoulders held up only by one’s own hope, Jenny Lewis spins a tale of drug abuse and loneliness that’s a road song for the 2008 generation.
2008 has been a good year for My Morning Jacket, cementing them in their rightful place as one of America’s premiere rock bands. Perhaps no better testament to this exists than in the wild experimentalism displayed on their newest album and on the song “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt. 2″, which features bizarre instrumentation combined with the signature Jim James vocal stylings to create a haunting a captivating song that remains one of MMJ’s best ever.

Slinking in on a tide of electronic clicks and swishes “Courtship Dating” is easily the most radio-ready and immediately catching track off the Crystal Castles’ debut LP. With a fiery chorus and a dance-worthy groove “Courtship Dancing” is easily the top electronic track of the year.
This year saw the release of the Hold Steady’s Stay Positive, yet another release of bar-ready rock jams that weaved tales of lost Americana in a country that’s lost in innocence but still clings to undying dreams and hopes. Nothing better captures this attitude that “Constructive Summer”, the first song off the album and one of the best straight up rock tracks the Hold Steady have ever composed. 

As the final track off Bloc Party’s newest LP Intimacy, “Ion Square” needed to encapsulate the message of the entire piece, an instantly politcal and romantic tune, all awash in electronics and guitar pedals. The song succeeds with ease, capturing the zeitgeist of the band’s current incarnation and pummeling the listener with equal parts poetry and passion, forming one of the best tracks of the year.
This was the year of Be Your Own Pet, and just in time as the band imploded near the end anyway in a decidedly rock and roll move. Still, the group left us with a string of punk rock revivalist tunes that screamed of Buzzcocks and hellfire, with all the fury and passion that first made the world fall in love with youthful rage. Perhaps none of these tracks is better or more definitive of the band’s delightfully sordid career than “Becky”, a tune banned in the US and full of high-school politics, figurative and literal backstabbings, and all the blazing guitarwork and shrieked Jemina Pearl vocals that have made the group so endearing. While their entire discography deserves a thorough examination by indie rock lovers everywhere, this is a good song to start with and the best song of 2008.

TOP TEN ALBUMS OF ‘08
10. My Morning Jacket – Evil Urges

Every few years America needs a reminder that they’re musical legacy is carried on the back of a quintet from Kentucky, hefting the burden of Southern-rock and fuzing it with massive degrees of guitar heroics and rampant experimentalism to rival the likes of Radiohead. This year’s reminder is Evil Urges by that same quintet, My Morning Jacket, and it’s packed full of such a wide range of incredible tracks to be considered one of their most far-reaching and fantastic releases to date.
9. The Action Design – Never Say

Resisting the urge to rework tracks from their Tsunami Bomb repertoire, Agent M and her new band the Action Design have constructed an entirely new sound, combining heartfelt punk ethos with elements of dance-rock and electronic. The formula works fantastically, displayed best on their album Never Say, an album of surprising depth and meaning during a time when Warped Tour bands are becoming more and more vapid. One of the best punk releases of the year.
8. Ponytail – Ice Cream Spiritual

With wild experimentalism and frenetic energy rivaling any indie rock band this year, Ponytail have a chokehold on the mad-crazy progressive meets jazz fusion rock and roll market. Their newest release Ice Cream Spiritual describes their sound perfectly in the name alone – a combination of childish delight and wild religious fanaticism. Capture that image in your mind, turn it into a move, and Ponytail is the perfect soundtrack.
7. Scarlett Johansson – Anywhere I Lay My Head

With a subversive edge totally unexpected in a covers album, Scarlett Johansson’s Anywhere I Lay My Head, a collection of Tom Waits’ songs, surprises and delights with its inventive renditions, creating a new set of standards for actresses turned singers. With David Sitek of TV on the Radio behind the boards, and a patented ‘Tinkerbell on cough syrup’ sound, tracks like “Falling Down” and “Green Grass” take on a new and incredible life of their own. Deservedly one of the best of the year, both for its music and for the gutsiness of its creation.
6. Bloc Party – Intimacy

On Bloc Party’s last album A Weekend in the City, the politics of everyday London living became very personal, hitting home with every subsequent sweeping song. On their newest album Intimacy, the quartet have managed to switch gears, making the most personal of moments become full of political meaning. On tracks like “Trojan Horse” a lover’s betrayal is akin to the fall of Troy and on “Talons” the group details the terrible (and deadly) consequences of romantic dishonesty. An emotional album fighting against an ‘emo’ world, Intimacy finds a band in rare form, taking the lessons of the past and moving their sound forward with rewarding results. 
5. Marnie Stern – This is It…

On the lengthily titled This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is That, supreme shredder and songwriter Marnie Stern has managed to deliver on the promises of her early albums by taking her prestigiousness behind a six-string and combining it with excellent songcraft and a Karen O. wail to make one of the best albums of the year. Singles “Shea Stadium” and “Transformer” confirm the album’s pop sensibilities and deep cuts like “The Crippled Jazzer” delight with their destructive riffs and dizzying imagination. The best release from one of the best indie rock guitarists ever. 
4. M83 – Saturdays=Youth

Capturing the spirit of youthfulness couldn’t be a harder task for a young songwriter. How to describe all the nervous fumblings, the magnificent discoveries, the awesome highs and terrible lows of approaching adulthood? If you’re M83, the solution is to let the music do the talking, sweeping maximalist riffs over John Hughes-style cinematics, creating an aura of energetic passion with all the ignorant bliss of a lonely teenage dreamer. Saturdays=Youth is perfect soundtrack to your years in high school, that is, if you were a nervous indie rock kid like myself. The best release from the already formidable M83 so far.
3. TV on the Radio – Dear Science

Following up on an album like TV on the Radio’s Return to Cookie Mountain might be seen as some to be an impossible task. To surpass its rip-roaring fury one would have to turn inward and redefine what made the band so remarkable to begin with, and that is just what TVoTR have accomplished on Dear Science, a remarkably careful and sensitive record with no less of the force of the former but more secure in its songcraft and enriching in its tunes than ever before. Sounding more like a soul-session band with a rock edge than an indie band hiding behind laptops, the group careens through dizzying tunes of power and depth with equal parts dark sorrow and unimaginable hope, crafting one of the best records of the year.
2. Be Your Own Pet – Get Awkward

The kids will never be alright if Be Your Own Pet has their way. From violent zombie fights to rampant drug usage, Get Awkward is a violent adolescent wet-dream come nightmarishly true, an over-exaggerated version of High School the Musical with a horrific injection of bloody reality. Though it turned out to be the band’s swan song, what a collection to go out on, combining a matured punk rock sound with endearingly clumsy lyrics and the trademark Jemina Pearl snarl carrying the whole crew along. This album should be the definitive soundtrack to every awkward youth, every wanna-be punk rocker, every indie-kid ready to cast off scene politics and relearn the magic of rock in pure, unfettered form. 
1. Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles

What is punk rock? A daunting question to be sure, but demanding of an answer in an era of strict genre definitions and blogosphere gossip dominating true music journalism. Is it fast and loud music? Politically charged songs? Here at Cannibal Cheerleader we’ve come to believe that punk rock is a passion for change, a forward-thinking musicality that underlies a band’s music, an adventurous spirit and a talent for creating new and different sounds. With this in mind, we can say with no reservation that Crystal Castles perfectly epitomizes punk rock in 2008 to us. Braving criticism and legal woes all year, the band nonetheless released a fiersome collection of sixteen magnificent tracks that race back and forth from soothing electronic noodling as in “Air War” to blood-splattered rockers like “xxzxcuzx me”. In a year that saw the world change wildly it seems only fitting to have a band that did the same in between every song on their album top the list of our bloody best of 2008. Crystal Castles, a true Cannibal Cheerleader original. 

Surely someone has some opinions on this one – comments?
]]> http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/12/bloody-best-of-08.html/feed 4 New Realms http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/07/new-realms.html http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/07/new-realms.html#comments Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:52:00 +0000 admin http://cannibalcheerleader.com/?p=117 NEW KAREN O NATIVE KOREAN ROCK VIDEOS
Our friends over at The Modern Age managed to capture some excellent videos of KO and the Native Korean Rock crew performing the Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman’s stripped down songs of romance and desire lost at sea.

Here’s there show review:

“The stage was set up like a kid’s school production of “South Pacific”, with a nautical extravaganza situated on the stage. A ship bow dead smack front and center, silver cellophane covering the floor, reflecting the blue and purple clear cellophane positioned by the monitors and drum kit–giving the impression of a dreamy sea. A foamy seascape hung as a backdrop.

When the band came out, they were all clad in white, with little sailor’s caps donning their heads. As the ship’s leader, Miss Karen was decked out in a checked button down shirt, black poofy skirt with pockets, and a captain’s hat with “Native Korean Rock” written in the band.

The subdued, 30-minute set was charming way to spend the evening. The songs were quiet, sweet, and whimsical–perfectly showcasing Karen O’s uncanny ability to sing songs with an intimate vulnerability that always rings true.“

And of course, here are the videos of the songs “Days Go By” and “Comes the Night”. Check it people!

Native Korean Rock – “Rapt”
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SCAR-JO POSTS ITUNES PLAYLIST
Our favorite Tom Waits-covering A-list actress Scarlett Johansson recently had her music tastes prodded in the iTunes music store. The 20-song mixtape, which leaned heavily on classic singer-songwriters like Bob Dylan and showmen like Frank Sinatra, featured a few left-field choices as well, including the Arcade Fire and one of our personal favorites, Celebration, of which Johansson states “I love the female vocals by Katherina. It inspired me to explore a new realm for my own vocals.” Come to think of it they do sound pretty similar – perhaps a ScarJo album covering Celebration is in order? You can view the list by clinking on this link or by going to Scarlett’s music Myspace. In other news, Scarlett Johansson has a music Myspace (who knew?)

Scarlett Johansson – “Innocent When You Dream (Live)”
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NEW COLD WAR KIDS
There’s a lot going apparently in the world of The Cold War Kids who last we heard were entrenched deep beneath the earth at work on their sophomore LP. Well the Kids have emerged into the sunlight and the result is Loyalty to Loyalty which comes out Sept. 23rd according to Stereogum. They’ve also got a new track up on their Myspace called “Something Is Not Right With Me” which retains the yelping, carnival-esque noodlings of their past sounds but adds a little bit more bounce and a harder edge that we hope hints at an album of soul-shaking rock and roll from these guys. Also, it looks like the troupe will be swinging through Austin on Oct. 24th at Emo’s so be sure and check that out as well. Here’s the tracklist for L2L:

1 Against Privacy
2 Mexican Dogs
3 Every Valley Is Not A Lake
4 Something Is Not Right With Me
5 Welcome To The Occupation
6 Golden Gate Jumpers
7 Avalanche In B
8 I’ve Seen Enough
9 Every Man I Fall For
10 Dreams Old Men Dream
11 On The Night That My Love Broke Through
12 Relief
13 Cryptomnesia
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NEW GNARLS BARKLEY VIDEO
Not much to be said about this Odd Couple standout except, why are Gnarls Barkley so damn clever? Great tunes, great videos, great pairing. Cee-Lo and Danger Mouse 4 lyfe.

Comments?

]]> http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/07/new-realms.html/feed 2 Everything’s Falling Down http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/07/everythings-falling-down.html http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/07/everythings-falling-down.html#comments Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:59:00 +0000 admin http://cannibalcheerleader.com/?p=111
SCARLETT JOHANSSON RELEASES EP, COVERS CURE
Scarlett Johansson, much storied already in these pages (postings?) for her recent album of Tom Waits covers entitled Anywhere I Lay My Head, has just released a new live EP covering songs from said record as well as “Boys Don’t Cry”, the Cure classic. Given the live setting, one might think the songs wouldn’t translate as well without the David Sitek production touch. However, these tracks remain whoozy and beautiful with Johansson’s deep and whispy vocals providing an original and creative take on the bark and growl of Waits. Still, both artists deliver the songs with a common ingredient: soulfulness, and these tracks are chock full of it. Taking a hit to our wallets for the blogosphere, we at Cannibal Cheerleader purchased the EP from iTunes and will now post a few tracks for everyone.

Scarlett Johnasson – “Boys Don’t Cry (live)”
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NEW KANYE VIDEO W/ ANDRE 3000
Courtesy of Kanye’s blog, we have this completely awesome Michael Jackson meets Motown meets modern day track called “Everybody”, featuring the “Cool Outrageous Lovers Of Uniquely Raw Styles” (COLOURS for short, haha, oh politics) which features Andre 3000, Kanye West, and Sa-Ra. I also do believe that if you watch the video you’ll spot Chromeo spinning on top of the platform. Check it out y’all, see what you think!

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BLOC PARTY BASSIST TAKES PATERNITY LEAVE
Looks like our favorite post-punkster bassist Gordon Moakes of Bloc Party fame is going to be a daddy, and as such is taking a few months off the BP tour-wagon in order to be at home when the baby arrives. Says Moakes from a posting at the Bloc Party website:

“Unfortunately I’m not going to be able to join the boys during the next month or so of touring. The reason for this is that my wife is expecting our first baby in a few weeks and after some long hard thinking we all decided, band included, that it was a bit silly for me to be flying round the world at such a critical time in the pregnancy. No one wants me to wind up in the wrong continent should there be any complications or should the little one decide to put in an early appearance. So while the other chaps are jetting around the Pacific Rim I will be buying the groceries, attending ante-natal classes and generally preparing myself for the cloud of unknown that is becoming a Dad.

In my stead we’ve been schooling a friend of ours, Daniel Lindegren (aka Tommy Sparks), in the ways of the Bloc. For the next few weeks Daniel will be doing his best to cover my portfolio of bass, keys, buttons, knobs and things that go ‘clonk’. He is more than proficient at many of these things so I can’t see it marring anyone’s enjoyment of the Bloc Party experience while I’m away. All being well, I will return to reclaim my mantle around the end of August, possibly bringing with me some profound wisdom as a new father, if not a complete lack of sleep.“

Seems reasonable to us Gordon! Good luck with the baby, and stay tuned CC readers for more info on the upcoming third LP from Bloc Party. Here’s a little track that makes us hope this little guy continues the family lineage.

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NEW BAND CHEER – THE SHONDES
I was attracted to this band by a banner ad that read ‘The Shondes – The new Sleater-Kinney?”. While it may be a lofty comparison to set this Brooklyn quartet alongside the greatest American punk act of all time, the Shondes do bring the rock and definitely have some tracks behind them. With a combination of old school riot grrrl, neo-classicism, queercore, and traditional Jewish music (yeah, we don’t know how it all works together either), The Shondes pull off punk with the immediacy of bands like Bikini Kill but with the panache and songwriting skills of acts like Team Dresch. Definitely worth checking out if only for the killer violin parts; take a listen below and visit the band’s Myspace.
The Shondes – “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”
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OF MONTREAL REVEAL SKELETAL LAMPING
After a few news-releases and subsequent retractions over at Pitchfork, our favorite gender-bending Canadian indie-rockers Of Montreal have announced the details behind their upcoming album Skeletal Lamping (that’s the crazy and bizarre cover art up there). Read more details here, but if it’s anything like the band’s last LP, we can expect a brand of subversive pop that transcends boundaries yet again.
On a side note the band is swinging through Austin on their upcoming tour, though according to the Pitchfork article the band will be playing at “507 E. 6th St.”. What, no club, no Emo’s or Mohawk?


View Larger Map

Here’s what Google Maps says 507 East 6th St. looks like but given this is away from West 6th St. (West of I-35 that is) and subsequently far from the downtown area where music clubs hold shows every night, we’re not sure what this place is, we’ve never been there. Looks like we’re going to have to a little CC investigating to see what’s so special about this location (Google Maps says it’s not a known business either) and why Of Montreal are playing there. Stay tuned…
Any comments?
]]> http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/07/everythings-falling-down.html/feed 3 Fight Off Your Demons http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/05/fight-off-your-demons.html http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/05/fight-off-your-demons.html#comments Thu, 15 May 2008 20:16:00 +0000 admin http://cannibalcheerleader.com/?p=63 CRYSTAL CASTLES’ REMIXES/B-SIDES

Here’s a new remix of Crystal Castles‘ standout “Vanished” from their eponymous debut. Also, here’s an mp3 of the bside for their newest single “Courtship Dating”. Check em out!

Crystal Castles – “Vanished (Epic Win Remix)”

Crystal Castles – “Trash Hologram”

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JESSE LACEY TO PERFORM SOLO IN AUSTIN


That’s right, according to this article July 26th at the Mohawk, the frontman for Brand New will be hitting up Austin on a solo jaunt with longtime BN tourmate Kevin Devine. Further details as they become available folks!
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ANYWHERE I LAY MY HEAD/VIRGINIA EP LEAK


The new Scarlett Johansson album Anywhere I Lay My Head has leaked! Here’s a song from the album (which I still say is pretty damn good) that you can download plus the Imeem player. Stay tuned for the full review soon!

Scarlett Johansson – “Town With No Cheer” (Tom Waits Cover)



Also the new EP from the National the Virginia EP has leaked. Here’s the first track from that bad boy!

The National – “You’ve Done It Again, Virginia”

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HOLD STEADY TOUR SWINGS THROUGH AUSTIN


That’s right, our favorite bar-band/rocker-poets the Hold Steady will be swinging through Austin on August 6th in support of their new record Stay Positive. We need to post a CC calendar to keep up will all these awesome summer shows!
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FLIERS FOR LOCAL UPCOMING SHOWS



Here are some fliers for some upcoming Austin shows for the likes of some of our favorites, including Pink Nasty and Balmorhea. These are definitely shows you’ll want to attend so hit them up! Tonight’s the Be Your Own Pet show and you know we’ll be at that so stay tuned for pics tomorrow!

]]> http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/05/fight-off-your-demons.html/feed 2 Warped Speed http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/05/warped-speed.html http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/05/warped-speed.html#comments Wed, 14 May 2008 12:09:00 +0000 admin http://cannibalcheerleader.com/?p=62 BE YOUR OWN PET JOIN WARPED TOUR


According to this Pitchfork article, the mighty munchkins of Be Your Own Pet will be joining the Warped Tour for dates in July and August. The skater-punks will surely enjoy a little of Jemima Pearl’s madcap live antics and you know WE’LL be loving her at her upcoming Stubb’s show this Thursday. Prepare for pictures on Friday of that show.
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JOHANSSON’S TOM WAITS ALBUM STREAMING


Imeem is streaming Scarlett Johansson’s Tom Waits covers album. Check it out here and prepare to float on a wave of shoegazey-goodness with Marilyn Monroe providing vocals.
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CARRIE BROWNSTEIN POSTS NEW MONITOR MIX


Carrie Brownstein, writer for NPR and guitarist of the greatest American punk band to have ever existed Sleater-Kinney, has uploaded a new Monitor Mix. Check that shit out, it’s even got the Libertines on it!
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FULL-LENGTH EVIL URGES REVIEW

Here’s a new feature – full-length reviews! Check out this new one for My Morning Jacket’s Evil Urges and comment if you like it! Warning, long text ahead!

“The title track off of My Morning Jacket’s newest LP Evil Urges begins innocently enough, strutting in with a snare-drum downbeat, soft, funky guitar-plucking, and a twangy, country guitar riff, complete with syrupy slides, a seeming reassurance that the alt-country giants are back in fine form. However, as lead singer Jim James slinks in with a surprising, layered alto, a soulful falsetto croon more reminiscent of Curtis Mayfield than Neil Young, it becomes apparent that the Kentucky quintet is not in Louisville anymore. “Evil Urges”, a bricolage of extremely divergent genres including funk, Southern-rock, blues, and country, serves as a warmup to the album as a whole which, through its swerving between the Jacket’s noted strengths and their continuing flights with experimentalist tendencies, makes for a fantastic voyage and the band’s most original and exciting work to date.
For any longtime fans of My Morning Jacket it should be clear by now, after 2006’s acclaimed Z, that the band’s penchant for reverb-soaked vocals and hushed instrumental strains have long since taken a back seat to piercing Prince-style vocals and fiery guitar heroics. The flecks of artistry and inspiration that peppered their debut effort The Tennessee Fire and separated it from contemporaries have been given room to breathe and fleshed out in all their glory. The band’s slow rise to fame recalls a roller-coaster ride, clicking up the tall first ascent with their debut and sophomore LP, the excellent At Dawn. The band’s Southern-rock dominance stood high atop the peak with the magnificent It Still Moves. And if the wildly innovative Z is the excitement of the first drop, Evil Urges is the first loop and the listeners are not strapped in but trusted to be stuck to their seats by the music’s sheer chaotic force.
Urges, unlike previous Jacket LPs, contains not one extraneous song, not one skippable track, and flows elegantly from classic late-60s outlaw country like “Smokin’ From Shootin” and “Sec Walkin’” to barn-burning rockers like “Aluminum Park” and “Remnants” to radical mutations like the disco-rock “Highly Suspicious” or the bizarre instrumentation of both parts of “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream”. To describe the album as incomparable would not be wholly inaccurate, as its style varies so wildly and its influence seems cherry-picked from the best rock has had to offer since its inception. However, the album might be most accurately described as a rough combination of R&B-style singing and Flaming Lips’ madcap experimentalism, all painted on a canvas of Lynyrd Skynyrd country-fried rock and roll. Overall the piece gels fantastically and weirdly, stunning longtime fans with how different a band with a seemingly simple foundation, that of classic Southern-rock, can sound when they let loose their artistic urges, and flooring first time listeners with its disparity and creativity.
During this year’s South By Southwest Music Festival My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James performed a solo set at St. David’s Episcopal Church to a hushed crowd of 240, all of whom witnessed acoustic performances of old classics such as “Gideon” and new tracks like “Librarian”. Much like during this performance, the listeners of Urges are all witness to the church of Jim James, only instead of reverent sermons he is preaching hellfire, brimstone, and yes, evil from the pulpit, raining down a musical storm on we the parishioners. Bow down before the mighty My Morning Jacket because they’ve just crafted one of the best records of the year. “

]]> http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/05/warped-speed.html/feed 1 Blonde on Blonde http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/04/blonde-on-blonde.html http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/04/blonde-on-blonde.html#comments Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:49:00 +0000 admin http://cannibalcheerleader.com/?p=51 CRYSTAL CASTLES UPDATE


Oh Crystal Castles, it’s been too long! How are you? How’s the new record? Why, you say you’ve got a new single?

Why, it’s album-standout and one of my favorite tracks of the year “Courtship Dating”! Awesome! And you’ve just released your self-titled debut in the UK? Rad! And you have a new video?

That’s awesome as well and really captures some of what it’s like to see you guys live. Thanks for the obligatory update guys!
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SCARLETT JOHANSSON VIDEO


First there was the music, now Scarlett Johansson’s foray into the world of Tom Waits’ covers has a music video. Not on YouTube yet so check it out here. Little self-indulgent but frankly, this album is still getting an A+ from me!
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LONG BLONDES VIDEO


Clearly it’s video day here at Cannibal Cheerleader – so why break the streak? Here’s one from UK new-wavers the Long Blondes, whose new album Couples is out soon. Looks and sounds rad!

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CRUISERWEIGHT VIDEO


And just to prove today’s video day wasn’t an excuse to be lazy here’s a video I edited for Cruiserweight who played during Dynamite Boy’s reunion show last Saturday. Check it!

Comment folks!

]]> http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/04/blonde-on-blonde.html/feed 0 Open Hearts, Hardcore Times http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/04/open-hearts-hardcore-times.html http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/04/open-hearts-hardcore-times.html#comments Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:22:00 +0000 admin http://cannibalcheerleader.com/?p=46 CONVERGE IN AUSTIN


Tonight’s Converge show at Red 7 here in Austin definitely renewed my faith in the hardcore scene. You can get bogged down in lame, crust-punk bands with no sense of integrity or unity to the punk ethos, but then you see great bands like these tonight (Converge, Red Chord, etc.) that really show the intellectual depth of bands such as these. When anger is this awe-inspiring people begin to take notice of what kids are so angry about. From opener “Plagues” to closer “Jane Doe” the Converge crew proved they’re the thinking man’s hardcore group once again. Here are some pictures from the gig.
Converge




The Red Chord

Genghis Tron

Coliseum

The Network

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CONOR OBERST RELEASING SOLO ALBUM


As we previously reported Conor Oberst and his Mystic Valley Band may be releasing an upcoming album. Turns out they ARE releasing an album, a solo Conor Oberst one, so says this press release. Conor Oberst, as the album will be called, is set to be released 8/5 and here’s a tracklist. We’ll definitely be picking this one up before we see the Bright Eyes frontman at ACL this year.

01 “Cape Cañaveral”
02 “Sausalito”
03 “Get-Well-Cards”
04 “Lenders In The Temple”
05 “Danny Callahan”
06 “I Don’t Want To Die (In The Hospital)”
07 “Eagle On A Pole”
08 “Moab”
09 “NYC – Gone, Gone”
10 “Valle Místico (Ruben’s Song)”
11 “Souled Out!!!”
12 “Milk Thistle”

Also here’s one more, super upbeat solo track recorded live this past December for your enjoyment!

Conor Oberst – “I Don’t Want To Die (In The Hospital)”

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CAT POWER SHOWS RESCHEDULED


Check out the Cat Power Myspace for more details, but the Austin Stubb’s show is rescheduled now officially for October 11th. The date’s already circled on my calendar!

However, I know everyone gets tired of Cat Power updates lacking content so here’s a bside that’s been floating around the Internet for a while!

Cat Power – Wonderwall (live cover version)

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CRYSTAL CASTLES ON NME COVER?


Check it out! How cool is that? Apparently they’re now a ‘hype band’ that we should be watching out for! Read more about it here. Of course, astute readers of CC already know the deal with these guys.
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ARCADE FIRE ROCK (AGAIN!) FOR OBAMA


The Arcade Fire will be playing in support of presidential nominee (hopefully future president) Barack Obama in North Carolina on May 1st and 2nd in anticipation of the upcoming NC primary (story here). Basically, if you like rock and roll at all you’ll vote for this guy. C’mon people, I think it’s required now if you’re reading this blog.
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SCARLETT JOHANSSON SITE FOR WAITS’ ALBUM


Apparently there’s a site up now to cover the release of the new Scarlett album of Tom Waits’ covers. Luckily if you swing by you’ll be able to hear six tracks from the album and, as I’ve said before, it’s pretty darn good stuff. Definitely worth checking out.

Sorry this took so long to update readers! Internet troubles plague music blogs worldwide I’m sure, it’s just lame when I feel like it’s a really good post. If you like what you’re seeing comment peoples!

]]> http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/04/open-hearts-hardcore-times.html/feed 0 The Cowboy, Scarlett, and Me http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/04/the-cowboy-scarlett-and-me.html http://cannibalcheerleader.com/2008/04/the-cowboy-scarlett-and-me.html#comments Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:26:00 +0000 admin http://cannibalcheerleader.com/?p=45 WEEZER REVEAL ALBUM COVER/TRACKLIST


According to this Pitchfork article, that picture up there featuring a mustaschioed Rivers Cuomo might just be the official cover of Weezer’s Red Album. Seeing as all the press photos we’ve been seeing of our favorite antithetical rock frontman lately have had him sporting a strange hairdo (see this soccer photo), it’s only fitting that he be as strange on his latest album cover.
The tracklist was also posted:

The Red Album
Troublemaker’
‘The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations on a Shaker Hymn)’
‘Pork and Beans’
‘Heart Songs’
‘Everybody Get Dangerous’
‘Dreamin’’
‘Thought I Knew’
‘Cold Dark World’
‘Automatic’
‘The Angel and the One’

Bonus Disc for US Release

‘Miss Sweeney’, ‘Pig’, ‘The Spider’ and ‘King’

Ten songs, classic Weezer action. This album seems to be making the ‘return to rock’ a reality for the Weez machine, especially given the sound of their first single “Pork and Beans“. Also, it looks like fan favorite “Pig” was relegated to b-side status, which is fair enough as everyone has heard it more than enough since it leaked a few years ago. Of course if you haven’t heard it yet, here’s what it sounds like!

Can’t wait for this album!
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SALLY SHAPIRO – REMIX ROMANCE VOL. 2


If you’re like me you’ve been spinning Sally Shapiro’s Remix Vol. 1 constantly since it came out last week. The tracks maintain a dancey edge reminiscent of old-style disco tracks without ever becoming to campy or ridiculous, meaning normally hardcore rock and roll fans (cough cough) can hide in their rooms and listen to it on their headphones, bobbing their heads to the beat approvingly in private. The techno infiltration of the likes of Holy Fuck and Junior Boys on Vol. 1 makes the original tracks interesting in new ways and Vol. 2, with remixes by the likes of Dtnel, promises to be no different. Here’s the first track from this album which will be released in June, and go pick up Vol. 1 soon!

Sally Shapiro – Time To Let Go (CFCF remix)

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SCARLETT JOHANSSON – NEW TOM WAITS COVER SONG


Last week I posted what I felt was a ‘bait and switch’ when I told everyone that a new Scarlett Johansson track from her upcoming Tom Waits’ covers album (entitled Anywhere I Lay My Head) had been posted online, though it had already been taken down by the time I wrote the post so no one got to hear it. Well, thanks to “>Falling Down” from Big Time, and like the last track, it’s shoegazey wonder and completely different from the source material. Still, as a big fan of female vocalists, shoegaze, and Tom Waits, I can’t help but to enjoy myself when I listen to it. Definitely will be picking up this record.
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CRYSTAL CASTLES’ PITCHFORK ARTICLE


While most people read Pitchfork probably for the overwrought album reviews, people should know they have articles down in the lower right hand corner. And while the weekly Puritan Blister isn’t as good a series as say Poptimist, it’s always good to read a piece like today’s PB article where the author explains in detail his absolute obsession with Crystal Castles. Read it to find out what I’ve been going through for over a year myself! I especially like the part about trying to figure out the lyrics, finding out they’re about suicide, violence, and death and thinking they’re all the cooler for it. Check it out if you don’t mind relatively pompous and way too self-referential music journalism.
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COOL SHOWS IN AUSTIN THIS WEEK


Converge tomorrow at Red 7! There will be blood@! There will be pictures!

Dynamite Boy reunion this Saturday!

Cruiserweight show this Saturday! Fun times to be had by all enjoyers of rock music this week.

That’s it for this update – comment away folks, it makes me uber happy!

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