Yoko Ono--Revelations

With Cat Power.

The Thermals--Here's Your Future

Marc Maron of Breakroom Live, an internet politics and comedy show that I highly recommend, came back from performing stand-up comedy at South by Southwest, and he was psyched about a band he saw at the festival called The Gerbils. Since I consider Maron to be one of the finest voices on the margins of American culture when he recommends something I tend to check it out. So I googled The Gerbils and came up with nothing. I shrugged it off and moved on.

At the very end of the next show, Maron made a point of correcting himself. He didn't mean to say the Gerbils. He meant The Thermals.

Oh. Well, now. That's a completely different matter. I've known about The Thermals for a few years and though I have not seen them live yet, I have been informed that they do indeed bring it. Their new album Now We Can See will be out April 7th and can pre-ordered at their label's website.

Here's "Here's Your Future":


And here's the same song performed in Seattle in 2006:


And here's the same song again, backing Mary Louise Parker's not-nearly-iconic-enough freak out on the show "Weeds".

And speaking of the future, how about a stop in Baltimore?

Bob Marley--One Love

Give thanks and praise to the Lord, and I will feel alright.

Certainly one of the greatest songs of the 20th century.

Bishop Allen--Dimmer

Bishop Allen has a new video for the first song off their new album, "Dimmer". The band is on tour. Ryan at Ryan's Smashing Life has the tour dates and a look at the new material.

Camera Obscura--Let's Get Out Of This Country

Camera Obscura is back on tour. The blog Pop Headwound has the dates and places, a video and an MP3 from their new record.

Colin Meloy--Cupid

Decmbrists' frontman Colin Meloy does a mean cover of Sam Cooke's "Cupid". In this clip from last year, he's joined by Laura Gibson. The blog All Things Go has an MP3 of a version of the same song from its Valentine's Day mix with Cat Power joining Colin instead.

George Harrison--Wah Wah

Twilight Soundtrack

It's a chick film? Why?

Breast Feeding At Eight

If there is something wrong with this, please tell me what that is.

Sopranos Creator Returning to HBO

Sopranos creator David Chase is returning to HBO with a new series. The L.A. Times has the details.

Hippie Backlash

A little spoken word from a guy not afraid to say, we told you so. And rightly so.

Bruce Springsteen--Working On a Dream

Last week, the Boss appeared on The Daily Show and played the title song from his latest album. He gives it the acoustic, a la Nebraska era Springsteen, treatment. As always, the good people at Culture Bully have the MP3.

Beatles LP Countdown--Think For Yourself

"Think For Yourself", written by George Harrison, is the fifth track on the first side of the Beatles sixth British album, Rubber Soul.

Counting Crowes--Raining In Baltimore

The Counting Crowes are parting ways with their record label. In a letter to their fans they explain the move and set out on a new path as an independent band. They also offer a free cover of Madonna's "Borderline". Ironic and interesting choice.

This represents one more nail in the coffin of the old music industry. This must have been what it was like watching the studio system crumble in Hollywood at the end of the 1950s. Of course, that was a good thing for movies in the short term, and by short term I mean twenty years, but by the 80's artists faced renewed corporate influence that has left the industry worse off than ever creatively.

Here's one about my new town:

Meghan McCain, Daily Beast Columnist

Meghan McCain, the daughter of Senator John McCain, supports President Obama. Well what do you know? Do you think it might be a generational thing?

Bob Dylan--Political World

Louie CK on Conan

Last month comedian Louie CK went on Conan's show and talks about how a depression might do us some good.

Jenny Lewis--Carpetbaggers

With Elvis Costello.

P.O.S.--Why Go

This is mind blowing cover of a great Pearl Jam song from their first record called Ten. It sounds like Pearl Jam meets early Nine Inch Nails with some serious amounts of this guy's own talents mixed in. It's also a clear statement that if you have the talents necessary, you do not need a band. Very impressive (h/t Culture Bully, who has the MP3).

Peter, Paul, And Mary--If I Had A Hammer

This song always reminds me of upward mobility, but not the kind where you step on a guy to get a leg up. It reminds me of pre-Kennedy assassination times, when hope was alive and before things started spinning out of control. Of course, it was the best of times and it was the worst of times, for in some ways things are much better in the 21st century. But there was an optimism in the folk music of the early 1960s, that we could use a double shot of right about now.

The Decemberists--Hazards Of Love

Station Agent--is this a rejuvenation of the rock opera genre?

Bob Marley--Concrete Jungle