Guess who is playing Chicago tomorrow night? Camera Obscura!
And D.C.'s own Georgie James is opening.
How excited am I?

If Pete Townsend is so fucking tech savvy, then why did he set up a hotmail account?

Some great photos of Mos Def and The Zutons in action.

Great idea.

More brilliance.

Assimilate, bitches!

This is great!

A few people (Yo Grizz!) have emailed me about the upcoming, two disc Greatest Hits collection from Oasis that will feature 18 songs picked by the band. And by the band, I assume they mean Liam and Noel because they are the only two that have stuck it out this long (leaving in the middle of the tour excepted). I was going to post my guess as to what the tracklisting will be, but instead I present you with four tracks that most likely won't be included but should:

Oasis | Fade Away (live) (MP3)
This is a live version of a b-side from the Cigarettes & Alcohol single. It comes from the Black on White bootleg, a CD that forever cemented my Oasis fandom. I loved this song when I heard the recorded version, but hearing it live gave it new meaning. "While we're living / the dreams we have as children / fade away." A lost classic that never got the chance it deserved. That this song sounds so good live with Tony effing McCarroll on drums speaks volumes. Even he couldn't fuck it up. "Now my life has turned another corner / I think it's only fair that I should warn you / Dream it while you can / Maybe someday I'll make you understand." When I was 21, this song seemed like the most profound thing ever.

(It's Good) To Be Free (Live) (MP3)
Another live track from the Black on White bootleg that just annihilates the recorded version originally featured on the Whatever single. "What would say if I said to you / It's not in what you say /It's in what you do."

Oasis | Rockin' Chair (MP3)
You can just imagine Noel sitting around writing this before the band really took off. "I'm older than I wish to be / This town holds no more for me." The "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" fade in at the start of the song gets me everytime, as does the acoustic solo about half way through. This track was originally on the Roll With It single, which I listened to hundreds if not thousands of times in college.

Oasis | It's Better People (MP3)
This song was also on that single and it's a bit of a rarity in that it's an acoustic song sung by Noel that's not a ballad. Strangely enough, I can't see Liam doing this song. He'd overpower it. Not the greatest song in the Oasis catalog by any means, but this is the type of song that would be a single now, whereas The Chief used to toss them off with ease back in the early to mid 90's and stick them on the b-sides of their singles. Ah Noel, you were so best before you started writing all your songs about your ex-wife and how she was taking all of your money. But I digress...

Editors / Cedars tonight!

Stream The Kooks track "Eddie's Gun" in Windoze Media.

New DJ Shadow material:
"Enuff" stream it in Windoze Media
"You Made It" stream it in Windoze Media

The Bronx are streaming their new record over at MySpace. It's shouty and fun.

Speaking of shouty and fun, I got a copy of the Be Your Own Pet album late last week ansd spent some time with it over the weekend. It's much like their live show, it runs together in most places and is very loud and in your face, but at least with the CD I can pick out the riffs and lyrics. It's not something I'd sit around and listen to, but it's fun for long drives. If you're into thrashy punk, you could do alot worse.

32 shows in 30 days. By a 65 year old. Because he's doesn't get most of today's guitar bands. So he went to check them out. Respect.

Shawn Hogan, hereo.

The Smiths, on first listen. Sounds like she was predisposed to hating them.

Sean Nelson of Harvey Danger (touring soon!) and John Roderick from The Long Winters interview each other. Great stuff, if only because Sean and John were each in each others bands. [via LHB]

The Chicagoist Guide to the Pitchfork Music Festival: Part One

Not even close. Bruce Bowen (6.5 ppg for his career, never averaging double digits once!) is nowhere near the player future Hall of Famer Chris Mullin (18.2 ppg for his career, All NBA once, second team All NBA twice and four time All Star) was. Talk about insulting. Kids today...wow. And Amare has a game similar to Patrick Ewing? Maybe post-surgery he'll turn into a soft, whiney jump shooter with a knack for coming up short in the clutch, but right now, not so much. And don't even get me started on the 'Melo and Bird comparison. USA Today's attempt is a little better. I can live with the 'Melo and Mullin comparison and I'm (somehow) less offended by the Joe Johnson to Bird comparison. But only just.

Last week I finally got some new music, which means I have something to write about today.

Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out of This Country
Oh. My. God. Why didn't anyone tell me about this record back in May when it came out? It's incredible. Imagine Belle & Sebastian with a motown fetish. Twee Motown, people! I don't even like B&S (or twee for that matter) but this record is fucking best. I've been listening to it for like 5 straight days. This will easily be in my Top 10 at the end of the year. Go buy this record right fucking now. Unfortunately they just came throught own a week or so ago so I missed them on tour, but this KCRW session is just as good. They drop a little of Paul Simon's "Call Me Al" into "Let's Get Out of This Country" and yes, it is best. You can also stream some MP3's over at the Merge site.
PS - They have a blog.

The Pipettes - We Are The Pipettes
More Motown influenced girly goodness, although this has some Go! Team splashes every so often. Some of this record is brilliant and some of it is kind of annoying. In general, I like the songs where they actually sing more than the ones where they chant and shout, but it's a bit different from most of the stuff dominating the bloggersphere, so it's worth a listen. I'd rate this a 7 out of 10. Go grab some MP3's here.

The Futureheads - News & Tributes
I'm torn about this record. The songwriting is better than their debut, the production is top notch and they're obviously a better band since we heard them last but I can't help but be letdown a bit by this record. The first album kicked my ass all over the place where this one is more varied with a broader scope. But it just hasn't clicked for me yet. But I fully intend to give it a few more spins in order to grab hold of me. Verdict TBA.

Sweet. Do I loose what's left of my cool points if I reiterate that Wowee Zowee is my favorite Pavement record?

U.S. radio hangs up on Madonna.

Catherine Wheel BBC session. [via Torr]
Unfortunately it's a Happy Days era show. Ferment would have to be on a list of my Top 10 all time favorite records and Chrome ranks right up there as well but I kinda lost interest until 1997's Adam & Eve (which I believe is out of print now).

The Mighty Mozzer pays tribute to Syd Barrett, writes missive for True To You dot net.

Grambo v. Kevin Smith. Nicely done, although I'm still on the fence about Clerks 2.

A memo from Steely Dan to Luke Wilson. [via goldenfiddle]

Next iPod to do eBooks?

Micro$oft's iPod killer is doomed.

Is there anything funnier than mainstream media writing about bloggers? I vote no. I give you, as evidence, Portrait of a Blogger: Under 30 and Sociable.

"Bloggers in general don't intend to have a lot of impact," said Amanda Lenhart, who directed the survey. "The motivation comes from within; it tends to be very personal. They're not out to change the world."

"Of all the bloggers out there, there are only about 10,000 that have an audience beyond their friends and families," said B.L. Ochman, a business blogger who tracks online trends.

"It astounds me that people are willing to do this stuff without getting paid," Ochman said. "I come from a generation that gets paid for our work."

"The average blogger is a 14-year-old girl writing about her cat," said Alexander Halavais, an assistant professor of interactive communications at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut.

Yikes. I don't even know where to start with that(other than I'm over thirty and occasionally blog about my cat). But that was the funniest thing I've read in ages.

Save Our Sonics. I have only been to Seattle once, but I can't imagine it without the Sonics there. Worst. Although the Oklahoma City SuperHornets might not be a bad idea. True Hoop has all the details of the Sonics sale and possible move.

The Sports Guy chooses and EPL team to follow. This is a much better read than you'd think.

New Eric Bachmann (Archers of Best, Crooked Fingers) material over at LHB.

Color me interested.

Has anyone tried out Lightroom? Sounds cool. I'm looking for some software that is better than iPhoto but more photo oriented than Photoshop.

I need some new music, people. Any suggestions? I have an iTunes gift card burning a hole in my wallet money clip. What should I buy with it? I'm leaning towards the last Rogue Wave record, which was recommended to me many moons ago but I could never find in stores. Any other suggestions? Is the Mew record out yet?

I just browsed around eMusic for the first time in ages. They've added a ton of stuff lately, like the V2 catalog. I can't wait to download the last few Paul Weller records as well as all the elbow singles. Sweet. They also have the new Pipettes and Futureheads records, which is good because DCeiver been promising me a copy of News & Tributes for three weeks now.

What he said. Where have you gone Captain Rock? [via Chromewaves]

New Sloan!

50 albums that changed music.

Mercury Music Prize nominations released. Artists up for the award include Thome Yorke, Arctic Monkeys and...Scritti Politti?

I just want to go on record telling everyone that this is the single worst song I have ever heard in my entire life and I can't wait for these guys to become these guys. Book it.

As if my ex-roommate didn't give me enough reasons to make fun of Pearl Jam.

News on the Funeral follow up. No pressure here. None at all.

Interesting. "We do know that it's a version of 'The Great Escape', it's something like nine minutes long and it will 'make us shit our pants.'"

"Shock" might be too strong a word.

Sweet!

A week late but still best.

The day the Boston Globe hoop coverage died.

Peter Gammons is out of the hospital.

Are Apple's customers rebelling?

Wired Mag buy Wired.com. Guess that explains the whole Tripod thing.

Confessions of a car salesman.