Song of the Day

**11/30/09

Band of Skulls - Friends

-------------Band of Skulls must have a friend who's been secretly sending their music to record labels and vampire authors. The British rock trio were suprised the movie's music supervisors even knew who they were. Nonetheless, the slow-bopping tambourine tapper "Friends" pledges allegiance to bar hopping and weekend devotions to best pals with more commercial appeal than the band may have expected. They played up Thanksgiving at The Neighborhood Theater, a hometown venue in Charlotte, NC, and if my tummy wasn't so obese with greenbean casserole and stuffing, I'd have seen them. Get "Friends" from the New Moon soundtrack (sorry...I wish it was on another album). But if you want to hear more Band of Skulls, check out "Death By Diamonds and Pearls" and "I Know What I Am" from their debut album Baby Darling Doll Face Honey.

http://www.myspace.com/bandofskulls/

Song of the Day

**11/29/09

The Dead Weather - Treat Me Like Your Mother
------------Jack White's got another project, and when I found out about The Dead Weather and the celeb-hipster following it accumulated, I had my reservations. The Rancounters wasn't anything wildly impressive, and while Icky Thump resurrected The White Stripes just in time for festival performances, it was nothing too special.

The Dead Weather has a more reckless, uninhibited outlaw grunge to it, though, and it's sounding more and more appealing with every listen. "Treat Me Like Your Mother" sounds like a segway into the perfect incestuous-undertoned creeper song, but its a renegade bang-bang shoot-em-up barage of intimidating lyrics that's looking to start a bar fight. Get "Treat Me" from The Dead Weather's 2009 album, Horehound.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7QSkI6My1g

Song of the Day

**11/28/09

Visceral - So Far Apart

--------------Trolling the interweb on a Saturday night - pretty much as dorky-schmorky as you can get, right? I'm not complaining here, I've stumbled upon the likes of Dallas quintet Visceral. They've got a big-venue, Warped Tour stage quality about their thoughtful punky melodies that I must give a nod to. Though they're unsigned, Epitaph might wanna scoop these guys up to make them labelmates with the likes of New Found Glory and Sing Out Loud.

Visceral has a couple of shows coming up in the lone star state, but I'm keeping my guitar-shredded fingers crossed these guys will jump into a big van and make their way east. Get "So Far Apart" from their August release Rapture.

http://www/myspace.com/wearevisceral/

Song of the Day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXhzyFjMYUE

**11/27/09

JEFF the Brotherhood - Mind Ride

-------------Mind control never sounded so badass with engine chugging guitars that skips right into an even more ominous, uptempo punk rip. The lyrics may not be so seductive, but there's no denying the magnetic draw of this Nashville group. JEFF the Brotherhood may not be best bros with popularity right now (only a handful of friends and Myspace plays), but that isn't stopping their garage grunge music from being played on tour through North Carolina, Virginia and Canada this winter. Check out other songs "U Got the Look" and "Bone Jam" from the band's LP Heavy Days.

*P.S. the link is at the top of the page, because technology decided to be high as a kite today.

Seven Songs For Black Friday

Black Friday:
Songs to Fuel the Commercial Sensation

------Look at that line for Target! If I wanted a plasma screen TV for 30 bucks or a jade tupperwear organizer, I'd go to Ebay on any given Sunday rather than Black Friday. I've heard people brave the midnight doorbusters for the "experience" and "people watching." If you want to know what the world will look like before its end, it's probably this.

If you have decided to save big and waste time standing in line for a couple of hours, you should start it off right with some essential, get-in-the-zone-for-shopping playlist.

1. Billy Bragg - The Busy Girl Buys Beauty

**This punky alliteration tells a tale between the babe and the broad, the one who buys whatever satisfies her material heart and the lonely lady who can't rub two pennies together for a pair of Doc Martens.

2. Barrett Strong - Money (That's What I Want)

**Black Friday may not be the cup of tea you wanted to chug before heading out the door at 2 a.m. Strong knows the pain of being broke and still having to spend (especially on the opposite sex). Fellas, you've got an empty-walleted friend in "Money (That's What I Want)."

3. The Steve Miller Band - Take the Money and Run

**Screw buying crap - why not just rob and run? The heartland boys of Steve Miller seem to be alright with it, but I'd make sure you aren't around any mall cops if you're planning on playing a Friday Bonnie and Clyde.

4. Sublime - Pawn Shop

**Maybe your Black Friday involves buying something you can't find on a shelf, but more likely in a pocket. The six-minute sketcher is perfect if you're feeling pretty damn mellow about your newest purchase.

5. Lil' Wayne feat. T Pain - Got Money

**Probably the track you want to play right before bursting through the push or automatic doors. "Got Money" is thug pop at its prime with a whole lot of ego, and you'll be taking it out of your pocket all day long for your steals and deals. When you're buying a 50-pack of toilet paper, why not feel a little fresher?

6. Madonna - Material Girl

** Why wouldn't you put the anthem of all 80's shopping songs on this mix?! Many think Madge was on to something when she said the boy with the cold hard cash is always Mr. Right. Even if you hate the message, you can't hate the bitchin' beats from "Material Girl."

7. Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx - Gold Digger

**At the end of the day, money curses us all, and if we can't see the magic being cast from it, we'll be spellbound for life. West and Foxx are more than jaded by the ladies with too much to ask for, hence the sampling of Ray Charle's "I Got a Woman" to create "Gold Digger." Boys, buena suerte on Black Friday, especially if you're being dragged along by your lady to hold the purse and swipe the plastic.

Song of the Day

**11/25/09

Anya Marina - Whatever You Like

--------------Covers can be oh- so good a little bearable ,or oh- so lame, but Anya Marina's adaptation of T.I.'s "Whatever You Like" couldn't be better. The San Diego songwriter has penned music featured on scandalous tv shows the likes of Grey's Anatomy, The Real World and Gossip Girl. So why is Marina's "Whatever You Like" everything you want? The vibe drops from playa pimp to simple seductress with Marina's coy vocals and mischeviously simple instrumentals. Check out "Whatever You Like" on this nifty Youtube clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0BPnJUx_Yw

Song of the Day

**11/24/09

Dinner and a Suit - Long Drive Home

-----------You'll always look presentable and suave when you dress for the occasion. The Jersey based Dinner and a Suit are looking pretty dapper indeed, what with a buzz on Alternativepress.com and the now available Safe to Say playing on their myspace page. The getup that dresses Dinner and a Suit shoes of Augustana, pants of Stellamaris and jacket of Citizen Cope - the rest of the outfit is up to your discretion.

http://myspace.com/dinnerandasuit/

Song of the Day

**11/23/09

Them Crooked Vultures - New Fang

-------------Before heading home today, I decided I needed a somewhat reckless, impulsive but researched album purchase for the road. Them Crooked Vultures was my answer, and with a trio of John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin), Joshua Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) and Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters), I eagerly expected greatness. "New Fang" is slightly scathing and admittedly confused in its lyrics, but the barhouse jam drums and sexily-whining guitar riffs are like a shot of Jack Daniels in a muscle car. Get "New Fang" from Them Crooked Vultures self titled 2009 album.

Song of the Day

**11/22/09

I.Y.A.Z. - Replay

----------------I'm excited for this SOTD - for some reason the Akon-echo and minimalist sentiments of "Replay" can't get out of my head. The sing-along chorus feels good and reminds us of the melodies that make us smile everyday.

So who's this reggae/ R&B rapper from the Virgin Islands and how the heck does he have a top download on itunes? I.Y.A.Z. is the first signee of Sean Kingston's label Time Is Money Entertainment, T.I.M.E., a division of Warner Brothers. J.R. Rotem's synth-heavy production is surely a radio hit (don't kill me- I haven't been listening to the FM or XM streams as of late). Get "Replay" anywhere - itunes, as a ringtone whatever - just listen!

Song of the Day

**11/21/09
Justin Beiber - One Time
-----------------Jo Bros ain't got nothing on this 15-year old Canadian heartthrob. No lie, kids - this pint-sized tweenage thug was responsible for causing a thousand-fan riot at a mall in Garden City before he even reached the mall. The VP of Island-Def Jam Records was arrested for failing to control the crowd.

This kid has a swagger like a Jackson Five Micheal and the sweet white boy appeal of Jesse McCartney. I've gotta say I am now responsible for a couple more hits on the already ten million strong Youtube vids, which are delightfully wholesome with bicycles and smiles. And when your vid features a call on your iphone from Usher, you've got more game than COD 2: Modern Warfare.