Check out this awesome performance by The Dead Weather Live on Nigel Godrich’s From the Basement. If you haven’t checked out their debut album out yet, Horehound, pick it up now. I am pretty sure everything Jack White touches is gold.

The following video is not from From The Basement, but it is one of my favorite songs by The Dead Weather called I Cut Like a Buffalo.

Check the performances in high quality video and sound here

The Dead Weather Myspace

Atlas Sound has a new album coming out this fall entitled, Logos. It contains this new song (download below), “Walkabout” featuring Panda Bear. I am not sure about you, but this is one hell of a song that features a cheery sample of this obscure garage rock song by The Dovers:

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Atlas Sound: Walkabout (feat Panda Bear)

Via twosyllable records:

Summer is no myth. It exists year round on Holiday Shores Ct, a two-block stretch on the Florida panhandle where twenty-one year old Nathan Pemberton grew up. It’s no more than five minutes from white sand beaches, squawks of seagulls, and wafting smells of suntan lotion.

Columbus’d The Whim is the first first full-length album from Pemberton’s Holiday Shores, who, like the street that bears their name, are quintessentially summer: chimey guitars, reverb-soaked vocals, warbling Rhodes, echoes of years past.
Pemberton started playing the piano at age seven and learned the guitar shortly after. He began finding his musical footing in high school bands, playing with his brother, friends, and eventually his college roommates.

The album, packed with 10 could-be singles, reads like a book of Pemberton’s well-written memories. Each word chosen meaningfully with a linguist’s touch; each sentence constructed carefully with an artist’s ear. Columbus’d The Whim is a literary work in addition to a sonic one.

The current line up, comprised of friends and roommates spent months recording together in Pemberton’s living room obsessing over vintage gear and perfecting their captivating hooks, heart-warming melodies, and creating a haunting tunnel of sound as a stunning backdrop.

Holiday Shores Myspace

On my first night in Buenos Aires, my roommate and now good friend Juan took me to see a band that one of his friends plays in called Utopians at a place called Plasma. Plasma, located in the Barracas neighborhood of Buenos Aires is a small hip loft/lounge that has a stage. Since you walk up a flight of stairs in order to enter Plasma, it pretty much feels like you are in someone’s hip apartment/loft.

PLASMA:

When we arrived there was already a band playing called Electrisixties. As I listened closer and gave the band a better look, I noticed it was four Argentinians playing perfectly tight 60’s style garage rock. Perfect harmonies, good English pronunciation and matching Mod style 60’s suits with high boots to top it off. As I listened more and more to each song, I thought about what a cool city I had moved too. Number 1, I can’t think of a venue in Chicago as cool as Plasma and number 2, I don’t remember ever seeing a band as cool as Electrisixties. It was refreshing to see a band play without any pretension and a band that actually came across well-rehearsed.

VIDEO - Electrisixties Perform their song “A simple goodbye”:

I look forward to seeing these guys again live. While mixing a combination of 60’s garage rock covers with their own original material, Electrisixties are about as good as it gets.

Visit their myspace and listen to their original song “With You.”

www.myspace.com/electrisixties

I don’t really know anything about these bands or who they are. All I know is that these are some damn fine tunes and you should check them out now.

DOWNLOAD:

MP3:Best Coast: Sun Was High (So Was I)

MP3:The Smith Westerns: Be My Girl

MP3:Memory Tapes: Bicycle

MP3:Highlife: F KENYA RIP

Over on Dead Air Space, Jonny Greenwood posted a list of some of his favorite hip hop tracks. I haven’t gotten into much hip-hop in my life, perhaps a list by Jonny Greenwood could convert me? Well, I am off to listen to some of these tracks and see if I like. If Jonny Greenwood likes them, they have got to be semi-good right? We will see.

The Tracklist:

Follow the Leader - Eric B & Rakim
Strange Eyes - RZA/Ghost Dog soundtrack
Air Hoodlum - Public Enemy (he’s a basketball fan….)
Take Notice - J Dilla
Deez Nuuuts - Dr Dre/Snoop Dogg
Zip Code - RZA/Black Knights
I Left My Wallet… - A Tribe Called Quest
Testin’ Me - Dudley Perkins
Bring The Noise - Public Enemy
Reunited - Wu Tang Clan
Wild - J Dilla
Don’t Believe the Hype - Public Enemy
Microphone Fiend - Eric B. and Rakim
Electric Relaxation - A Tribe Called Quest

The final song on Ok Computer. Perhaps the most perfect ending to an album and absolutely memorizing live.

On a pleasant Sunday evening in Buenos Aires, Argentina, No Age and Matt & Kim played a fun and energetic set to a venue only half full. But the people that were actually there had the time of their lives.

The show was at a place called La Trastienda Club in the San Telmo neighborhood of Buenos Aires. If a band from the United States or Europe (not including huge bands like Oasis, U2, etc) comes and play in Buenos Aires, they most likely will play at La Trastienda Club. The Club has a great feel to it and great sound. In terms of size, it is a venue along the lines of The Metro in Chicago.

A View from the inside of La Trastienda Club:

The show kicked off with Matt & Kim putting on a incredibly fun and energetic set. I was really impressed by Matt & Kim’s stage presence and attitude while performing. It is refreshing to see a band so passionate about putting on a great show and making sure everybody is having fun. It is a joy to watch Kim play the drums. I don’t think there was one moment the whole show where she didn’t have a huge smile on her face.

With that said, the majority of the crowd was bouncing up and down with each song and at one point some fans managed to climb up onstage and dance.

Fans Dancing on Stage:

After their last song when the house music came on, both Matt & Kim jumped in the crowd and started dancing with everyone.

Kim Dancing With the Crowd:

Matt & Kim is a tough act to follow with their good vibes and “happy dance party vibe.” No Age followed with a tight, very loud set that still had the crowd moshing and dancing around, but being that their vibe is a little more “punk and serious,” the mood died a little bit. I am not sure if they have been switching off who opens and who closes on this recent tour, but I think it would of been better if No Age opened and Matt & Kim closed. Starting out with the more “noisy serious vibe” of No Age and ending with the “happy dance party vibe” of Matt & Kim would of worked better.

No Age Performing:

Video: No Age Perform a New Song:

All in all it was great to see bands like No Age and Matt & Kim have fanatical fans in another continent. I talked to Dean from No Age briefly before the show and he said the South American leg of their tour had been going great and they have had an awesome turnout at every show. It was too bad though, they had arrived in Buenos Aires earlier that day and had to leave the following day in the morning. Hence, they weren’t able to spend that much time in Buenos Aires and experience the city. Bummer.

View More Photos From No Age and Matt & Kim Live in Buenos Aires, Argentina

In the movie Forest Gump, Forest finds himself a significant part of many major historical moments from the 1950’s onward. From meeting a young Elvis, to investing in Apple, Gump was everywhere. Perhaps the same could be said about the late keyboardist Nicky Hopkins, who played a significant role in recording some of the most important albums of the 60’s and 70’s, who helped shape the sound of1960’s Rock N Roll and who went on tour with some of the biggest acts of that time.

Hopkins begin his career in the early 60’s playing keyboards for a band called “Screaming Lord Sutch’s Savages” which included Richie Blackmore, the founder of Deep Purple. He also played keyboards on records by The Kinks, and several albums by the Rolling Stones including Between the Buttons, Their Satanic Majesties Request, Beggars Banquet and Let It Bleed.

In 1965, Hopkins played keyboards on The Who’s first album, My Generation. In 1967 he joined the Jeff Beck Group, which featured legendary performers such as Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood. Hopkins also performed on The Beatles song “Revolution” and contributed to solo recordings from John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison.

Nicky Hopkins also made his way across the Atlantic to the West Coast, playing with bands such as The Jefferson Airplane, The Steve Miller Band and New Riders of the Purple Sage where he helped define the “San Francisco Sound.”

Along with performing on many of the Rolling Stones albums from the 60’s, Hopkins joined the Stones on several tours in the early 1970’s and contributed heavily to The Rolling Stones classic album Exile on Main Street. In 1975 he found himself on tour with the Jerry Garcia Band.

Other famous rock music moments Nicky Hopkins can be found on:

Joe Cocker: “You Are So Beautiful” (1974)
Cat Stevens: “Matthew and Son” (1967)
David Bowie: “Early On” (1966 sessions with the Lower Third)
Led Zeppelin: “Rock and Roll” (1969)

Back when I was a young lad, in my “obsessed with every typical classic rock artist phase”, I was a big fan of The Who. I regarded Tommy as one of the greatest albums of all time and Who’s Next came in a close second. Now when I listen to these albums they come across as overblown and semi cheeseball. One thing I didn’t do was give early Who the listen it deserves. After hearing “I Can’t Explain” on the radio recently, I finally realized how bad ass early Who is and how underrated it tends to be.

Watch: The Who Perform “I Can’t Explain” Live in 1965

I can’t imagine hearing “I Can’t Explain” for the first time in January of 1965! It probably seemed so alien and from another planet (granted, The Kinks were doing something similar). Following the release of the single “I Can’t Explain” their first album “My Generation” was released. Although deathly over played, the song “My Generation” has gained a new life for me. Put this song on loud and rock out. 1965!

Watch: The Who Perform My Generation Live in 1965

Along with the exceptional early punk that accompanies songs like “I Can’t Explain”, and the album “My Generation”, the Who’s 1967 Album, “The Who Sell Out”, delivers about as perfect 60’s pop as you can get. While highly influenced by the psychedelic vibe surrounding a swingin 1967 London, “The Who Sell Out,” contains several gems that rival the best of 60’s melodic pop. Listening to albums like The Shins Oh! Inverted World, it is easy to see what a significant influence Early Who has been for current bands whether it is intentional or not. Songs like “Jaguar” from “The Who Sell Out” sound like they could of appeared on Oh! Inverted World. The same could go for “Our Love Was.”

Listen: The Who - Jaguar

Watch: The Shins “Know Your Onion!” Music Video

Listen: The Who - Our Love Was

To get started listening to Early Who, I suggest picking up the albums “My Generation” and “The Who Sell Out.” “My Generation” provides you with some balls out 60’s garage rock while “The Who Sell Out” is a must for any 1960’s sunshine pop record collection.

So my instructions to you: stop fist pumping to “Babe O’Reilly”, buy a scooter, get a tailor made suit, go to the Twisted Wheel Club in Manchester and dance the night away to “I Can’t Explain.”