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Spiritualized Float in Space in New York City

Kenneth Partridge — 2010-07-31T10:30:00+00:00

Getty Images

The third Spiritualized album, 1997's 'Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space,' is very much one man's story. Genre-wise, it falls somewhere between science fiction and self-help -- group mastermind Jason Pierce's journey into the both the distant cosmos and depths of his own soul. One day, he might consider playing the whole thing with just an acoustic guitar, but Friday night at New York's Radio City Music Hall, he went the opposite route, honoring the record's sonic grandeur and performing it from top to bottom with the help of an orchestra and gospel choir.

Pierce, who spoke to Spinner about the gig earlier this month, has staged similar concerts in England, but Friday's performance -- the culmination of a week-long series of shows celebrating the 25th anniversary of Spin magazine -- marked the first and possibly last time he'll revisit the album on U.S. shores.

Jon Lindsay, 'Futuretown' -- Free MP3 Download

Mike Spinella — 2010-07-31T06:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Free MP3 Download of the Day

Chocolate Lab Records

Artist: Jon Lindsay
Hails From: Charlotte, N.C.
Song: 'Futuretown'
Album: 'Escape From Plaza-Midwood'
Sounds Like: Rufus Wainwright, Elliott Smith

In Their Words: "Futuretown is a place that has something for all and sundry. It is always summer and everyone knows how to dance but you'll find out fast what happens when you break the rules. Futuretown's a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there ... yet."
-- Jon Lindsay

Download: 'Futuretown' (MP3)

[Get Winamp] [Download Help]

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Grateful Dead's Bob Weir Plans Jam With Marin Symphony

Benjy Eisen — 2010-07-30T23:47:00+00:00

Filed under: Concerts and Tours, News, Holy Hell

With just five other musicians onstage with him during his three decades as a guitarist in the Grateful Dead, Bob Weir often sounded like he was playing with a full fledged symphony. Certainly epic compositions such as 'Dark Star' and 'Terrapin Station' leant themselves to such comparisons, and the Dead's vast catalog has indeed been touched by several orchestras in recent years. But, for the first time ever, Weir will actually collaborate and perform with a live orchestra on October 22, in the Bay Area, when he takes to the stage with the 41-piece Marin Symphony.

"The idea was presented around 18 months ago by two of our board members," Marin Symphony Orchestra Executive Director Noralee Monestere tells Spinner. "[We] arranged a meeting with several former Dead band members and the idea was a huge hit with guitarist Bob Weir, who wanted to create a symphonic voice in the Dead genre."
The program will showcase rearranged Grateful Dead classics and, in honor of the Dead's live tradition, the performance will include lots of room for improvisation. In other words, they're gonna jam.

Gil Scott-Heron's Untelevised Revolution Pre-empted by Drug Abuse -- Twisted Tales

James Sullivan — 2010-07-30T17:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Twisted Tales

Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images

Gil Scott-Heron grew up with a distrust of television. As his grandmother, who helped raise the young poet, told him, "Anything I've got to watch is dangerous."

Son of a librarian and her estranged husband, a Jamaican-born soccer player, Scott-Heron is best known for his timeless commentary on media and activism, 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.' The revolution will take place at the moment when minds are changed, he said -- before the advertisers arrive: "The theme song will not be written by Jimmy Webb or Francis Scott Key, or sung by Glen Campbell, Tom Jones, Johnny Cash, Engelbert Humperdinck."

Besides his intense social conscience, Scott-Heron became known for his unblinking portrayals of the perils of substance abuse in songs like 'Angel Dust' and the dance-oriented 'The Bottle,' the biggest "hit" of this hip-hop godfather's modest commercial career. So it came as a disappointment to many of Scott-Heron's fans when his long, frequent absences from performing beginning in the late 1970s were attributed to a lifelong struggle with booze and drugs.

M.I.A.'s New Viral Gig + More -- The Chum Bucket

Marina Galperina — 2010-07-30T17:00:00+00:00

Filed under: The Chum Bucket

M.I.A. has joined an all-star panel of judges for a Vimeo contest. [Pitchfork]

Pre-Milli Vanilli lip-syncing new waver fesses up. [PreFixMag]

In case you need a refresher, Jarvis Cocker and PJ Harvey are still hot. [Flavorwire]

President Obama is immune to Bieber Fever. [CNN]

Arcade Fire mourn the lost art of love letter writing. [NME]

Dawes Aim to Play the 'Biggest Stage' Possible

Emily Tan — 2010-07-30T16:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Concerts and Tours, News, Exclusive

Matt Jacoby

Dawes may have already played SXSW, Sasquatch! and Bonnaroo, but frontman Taylor Goldsmith has grander plans for the future.

"We're happy just to play our music and get our stuff across to people and make a living at it," Goldsmith tells Spinner. "But in terms of goals, a lot of other bands wouldn't say this and it might be a little shameless, but we want to play the biggest stage that we possibly can."

Spiritualized Bringing 'Electricity' to Radio City Performance

Kenneth Partridge — 2010-07-30T15:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Concerts and Tours, News, Exclusive

Jim Dyson, Getty Images

Whatever inspired 'Ladies and Gentlemen, We're Floating in Space,' Spiritualized's classic 1997 album, it was heavy, heavy stuff. Frontman and songwriter Jason Pierce has repeatedly downplayed the influence of his breakup with then-bandmate Kate Radley, but with its bipolar mix of drugged-out despair and manic hopefulness, the record nevertheless sends listeners through an emotional ringer.

On Friday, July 30, Spiritualized will present 'Ladies and Gentlemen' in full at New York City's Radio City Music Hall, staging what's being billed as the album's first and last stateside performance. Pierce says that even after all these years, playing the songs is a powerful experience.

Caribana Brings a Million Caribbean Music Fans to Toronto Streets

David Dacks — 2010-07-30T14:45:00+00:00

Filed under: Concerts and Tours, Exclusive, Canada

Aaron Harris, CP Photo

Check the dancers: they're a big part of the appeal Toronto's annual Caribana Festival. Now multiply their fabulous hair, intricate makeup and spangled costumes by 10,000, then imagine everybody doing the one-legged dance of this year's big soca hit 'Palance.' At Trinidad's Carnival earlier this year, the song was played 417 times in a row; in Toronto, who knows?

By the time the biggest Caribbean tune of 2010 drops some time Saturday during the Festival's marquee parade, the million-strong crowd will be ready, having been stoked all afternoon by the impossibly loud soca and calypso blasting from a flotilla of flatbed trucks. Combine the sights and sounds with the smell of hundreds of smoky barbeques, and wash it all down with refreshing coconut water and you get a idea of Caribana's sensory overload.

And that's just the parade. With over 30 official events and parties (and even more unofficial ones), is Caribana the biggest music festival in Toronto?

"No," Caribana rep Stephen Weir tells Spinner, noting the festival's continued cultural divide. "I take a lot of artists to be interviewed. If I take them to a television station where there are a lot of Caribbean-Canadians working, there's a real buzz. But when I bring them to another outlet which isn't quite so diversified, they have no clue."

Newport Folk Festival 2010 Free MP3s

Spinner Staff — 2010-07-30T14:30:00+00:00

Filed under: The Hit List, Free MP3 Download of the Day

In a summer concert circuit crowded with large-scale music festivals, George Wein's Newport Folk Fest consistently stands out for its impressive multigenerational lineup of blues, folk and bluegrass acts. This weekend, an eclectic mix of artists including Andrew Bird, the Swell Season, and Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings will be taking the stage in Newport, Rhode Island. Help yourself to these free MP3 downloads from some of the performers at the 2010 Newport Folk Festival.

Artist: The Swell Season
Song: 'Low Rising'
Album: 'Strict Joy'
Sounds Like: Van Morrison, Ray LaMontagne

Download: 'Low Rising' (MP3)

Andy Kropa, Getty Images

Tom Jones Praises Frank Sinatra's Character

Steve Baltin — 2010-07-30T14:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Concerts and Tours, News, New Music, Exclusive

Getty Images

With more than four decades of chart-topping success, Tom Jones has rubbed elbows with the titans of music. Few men still alive today can tell tales of hanging in a Las Vegas hotel suite singing gospel tunes with Elvis Presley or grabbing a drink with Frank Sinatra at Caesar's Palace, but the 70-year-old Jones can. Even after all he's accomplished in his legendary career, including the massive popularity of his new critically acclaimed 'Praise and Blame' album, the Welsh icon remains truly in awe of the things he's experienced.

"Those people, they've gone on since. They've passed away, so I think, 'My god, I was there. I knew them. I knew these people,'" Jones tells Spinner. "It reminds me, when I'm telling people about it and they're going, 'Wow,' I'm still going, 'Wow' myself. It's a thing that I haven't gotten used to."

South Rakkas Crew Bring Canadian Dancehall to the World

David Dacks — 2010-07-30T13:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Concerts and Tours, Exclusive

Riga, Latvia is the last place you'd expect to see a tropical storm. But two weeks ago, Canadian dancehall futurists South Rakkas Crew blew in like a gale-force wind with their, yes, raucous dance dance revolution.

Now, the South Rakkas hurricane will be blowing across their northern homeland, including a stop in Toronto for an unofficial Caribana party this weekend, as 2010 upgrades to a Category 5 year for the Mississauga, Ontario-raised party-starters -- who began their career a decade ago crafting boy-band beats and have now teamed up with the taste-making likes of Diplo.

"I'm blessed that the world is vibing to what we're doing," Rakkas crew-chief Dennis Shaw tells Spinner, "but I always wanted to tour Canada, and we've only done bits and pieces. This is the biggest tour yet!"

Potent Quotables: Shears Stays Single(ish)

Kim Davis — 2010-07-30T13:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Potent Quotables

Chris Jackson, Getty Images

"I don't think there will be a wedding. Chris is too punk for anything like that." --Jake Shears

Despite their six-plus years together the Scissor Sisters singer and his boyfriend aren't likely to walk down the aisle any time soon. It's too bad -- Shears looks great in white.

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The Ultimate Music Geek Quiz, Vol. 1

Garin Pirnia — 2010-07-30T12:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Quizzes & Trivia

Making music is cool, no doubt, but knowing all about music is somehow perceived as dorky -- maybe because it actually is (which makes us King Dork, of course). Well, we say you should show some pride in your knowledge of musically arcane trivia by taking our ultimate Music Geek Quiz and letting your geek flag fly.

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?id=916495

http://cdn.channel.aol.com/multipliers/quiz_1_1/quiz.swf

The Ultimate Music Geek Quiz

What is the name of A-Ha's second album?

'The Sun Always Shines on TV'
'Foot of the Mountain'
'Scoundrel Days'
'Hunting High and Low'

Aimee Mann has a blink-and-you-might-miss it performance in what '90s cult movie?

'The Big Lebowski'
'Dazed and Confused'
'Clerks'
'Rushmore'

Which band contributed the song 'Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want' to a scene in 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off'?

She and Him
Muse
The Smiths
The Dream Academy

The band Nerf Herder named themselves after a 'Star Wars' insult but also contributed the theme song to what Joss Whedon show?

'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'
'Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog'
'Angel'
'Firefly'

Which actress sang the theme song 'Falling' for the show 'Twin Peaks'?

Sherilyn Fenn
Julee Cruise
Peggy Lipton
Laura Dern

The Italian band Goblin composed several soundtracks for what Italian horror director?

Dario Argento
Marino Girolami
Lucio Fulci
Mario Bava

Coldplay's Chris Martin parodied himself in what Ricky Gervais project?

'The Office'
'Extras'
'The Invention of Lying'
'Ghost Town'

Which member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers made a cameo appearance in Moby's 2002 music video 'We Are Made of Stars'?

Dave Navarro
Flea
John Frusciante
Anthony Kiedis

In the film 'High Fidelity,' a concert poster for what headlining band is hanging up in Rob Gordon's apartment?

Beta Band
Stereolab
Of Montreal
Belle and Sebastian

'The Simpsons' has always been known for its self-deprecating celebrity cameos. Which of these musical acts made fun of itself in an episode?

Robert Goulet
50 Cent
'N Sync
They all have

What artist and song won the first-ever Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, in 1959?

The Champs, 'Tequila'
Bobby Darin, 'Splish Splash'
Domenico Modugno, 'Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu'
Jerry Lee Lewis, 'Great Balls of Fire'

Not only did Huey Lewis contribute a couple of songs to the 'Back to the Future' soundtrack, but he had a small uncredited role in the film as what?

School Teacher
High School Band Audition Judge
Terrorist Van Driver
Bystander No. 2

Writer-director Cameron Crowe enlisted his wife, Nancy Wilson, to supply musical scores for a few of his movies. What hard rock band is she a member of?

L7
The Runaways
Vixen
Heart

The late, great Malcolm McLaren made headlines for being the Sex Pistols' irascible manager and also had a solo music career. What's the name of his 1983 debut album?

'Duck Rock'
'Paris'
'Swamp Thing'
'Duck Soup'

Ciccone Youth was the edgy side project of Sonic Youth. Where did the name derive from?

A combination of Sonic Youth and a mobster's name
A combination of Sonic Youth and an Italian dish
A combination of Sonic Youth and Madonna's surname
None of the above

Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood plays a lot of instruments, but what's the name of the exotic instrument he played on four of Radiohead's albums?

The ondes Martenot
The melodica
The Mellotron
The theremin

The Rolling Stones sued the Verve because they overused a snippet of which one of their songs?

'The Last Time'
'Wild Horses'
'Paint It, Black'
'Start Me Up'

Scottish DJ-producer Mylo's song 'In My Arms' was a mash-up of '80s one-hit wonder 'Bette Davis Eyes' and what other megahit '80s song?

'Never Gonna Give You Up'
'Waiting For a Star to Fall'
'Hungry Eyes'
'Nothing Is Gonna Stop Us Now'

In the film 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,' the lead singer of the fictitious rock group the Weird Sisters was portrayed by which famous real-life musician?

Jarvis Cocker
Thom Yorke
Morrissey
Gary Numan

In 2003, Sufjan Stevens set out to record one album per each of the 50 US states. How many of them has he released so far?

Iggy Pop Reissues 'Kill City', Ponders Stooges' Future

John D. Luerssen — 2010-07-30T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: News, New Music

Marc Stamas, Getty Images

Iggy Pop is proud of 'Kill City,' the 1977 album he recorded with late-era Stooges guitarist James Williamson. With Williamson and Pop back together in the Stooges after three decades of estrangement, the project's Oct. 19 reissue couldn't be better timed.

"'Kill City' to me was a very good minor work," Pop told Rolling Stone this week while promoting his new T-shirt line. "It was an important work. It was my indie record."

The National Play Intimate Set at Spin 25th Anniversary Show

Ginny Yang — 2010-07-30T12:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Concerts and Tours, News

Simone Joyner, Getty Images

Although the National filled its Thursday show at New York's Terminal 5 to capacity, the band managed to keep an intimate vibe throughout the night. With a simple set design and a collection of slow-burning tunes, the five-piece group electrified the audience as part of Spin Magazine's 25th Anniversary concert series.

Opening act Suckers lined up in a row across the edge of the stage and played falsetto-filled tracks off of 2010's 'Wild Smile,' including 'Save Your Love for Me,' 'It Gets Your Body Movin'' and 'Martha.' Singer Quinn Walker, clearly awed by the crowd, recalled picking up a copy of Spin magazine in high school and wondering, "Wouldn't it be weird if I was in that?"

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings Announce Fall Tour

Emily Tan — 2010-07-30T11:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Concerts and Tours, News

Mark Venema, Getty Images

After spending July touring Europe, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings are planning to keep their travel momentum going with a string of US shows this fall.

The soul band will kick things off with a few festivals, including this weekend's Gathering of the Vibes in Bridgeport, Ct., and the Newport Folk Festival, which NPR will stream live. Jones and the Dap-Kings will also play a free show at Brooklyn's Prospect Park on Aug. 7 as well as a gig at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Aug. 13.

Gories Hold 'Practice' at Sold-Out New Jersey Club

Kenneth Partridge — 2010-07-30T10:30:00+00:00

Filed under: Concerts and Tours, News

Steve Shaw

The first time around, the Gories lasted seven years, three albums and about a half-dozen singles. The way they see it, that's enough rehearsal for one lifetime. Last summer, the Detroit garage rockers prefaced their first tour in 16 years with exactly zero full-band practices, and Thursday night at Maxwell's in Hoboken, N.J., where they played the first of this week's three New York City-area reunion shows, they again relied on muscle memory and shared history.

"You guys are literally at our practice," singer and guitarist Dan Kroha told the packed club. "You could be in our basement right now. Just pretend this is the basement of my parents' house."

Chromeo Light Up New York City

Alex Suskind — 2010-07-30T10:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Concerts and Tours, News

FilmMagic

At 11:20PM on Thursday night at New York City's Bowery Ballroom, hundreds were waiting in anticipation for the night's main act, the '80s-inspired funk maestros known as Chromeo. As the lights dimmed, people swelled towards the stage. Two pairs of leg-shaped lamps -- from the cover of the duo's second album, 'Fancy Footwork' -- lit up. One set was fastened underneath an electric keyboard, the other, under a table holding up a laptop. Then, as a loud booming bass began to shake the floor, a sequencer blasted through the speakers, each sound eliciting loud cheers from the sold-out crowd. Cue the fat synth, talk box and thick drumbeat; the dance-party commenced.

Chromeo's show was funky, entertaining and, well, bright -- as the duo played their brand of electro-funk, 12 gigantic sets of spotlights and six multi-colored strobe lights shined on behind them, mesmerizing and slowly blinding the crowd at the same time. Synchronized to the beat of the music, the lights put a spotlight on the dancing mass, particularly during favorites like 'Momma's Boy,' 'Bonafied Lovin' and 'Tenderoni.' They also played two new tracks from their soon to be released third LP, 'Business Casual': 'Don't Turn the Lights On' and 'Night by Night,' both of which were greeted warmly by the energetic crowd.

Edwyn Collins Announces Tour Dates for November

Andrew Kerr — 2010-07-30T09:15:00+00:00

Getty Images

Edwyn Collins has announced he'll be hitting the road in November for a national tour. The six-date jaunt kicks off on Nov. 5 in Oxford before winding up in Birmingham on Nov. 15, the NME reports.

Collins, who was forced to take a prolonged sabbatical after suffering two brain haemorrhages in 2005, will be promoting his new solo album 'Losing Sleep'.

Due for release on Sept. 13, the album features a wealth of collaborations from some of the indie scene's leading lights. Members of the Cribs, Franz Ferdinand, the Drums and Magic Numbers are among those who shared writing duties on the record.

Best Coast's Debut Album Inspired by Snacks the Cat

Andrew Kerr — 2010-07-30T08:45:00+00:00

Filed under: News, UK

Getty Images

Most bands are routinely asked about their music, but for Best Coast singer Bethany Cosentino fielding questions about her cats has become more of the norm. Speaking to the Guardian, she said, "As a musician, maybe it's weird that I'm always getting asked to talk about my cats. But the truth is, I'd sooner talk about my cats than my music. In fact, the two things go hand in hand."

She continued, "You can hear my cat Snacks meowing on our early demos -- he appears on our album sleeve and he even gets a credit on the record."

Snacks has been immortalised on the cover of debut album 'Crazy For You.' The singer explains, "When I was on tour in Europe, my boyfriend sent me a picture of Snacks that he took on his iPhone. I knew when I received it that it had to be the cover of our album. It sums us up, I guess: goofy and nostalgic, and featuring a cat with California on its butt!"