FRIDAY HILARITY.... WHY NOT? (NSFW)

This next clip is totally out of character for the Gypsy Boombox, but it's just too funny to pass up.  Plus it's Friday and a good laugh is always a great way to start the weekend.  Here is a mash-up of oompa loompa pimp comedian Kat Williams performing pieces of his fantastic stand-up special The Pimp Chronicles with some remixing by DJ Steve Porter.  Sure it's ridiculous, but the talent is undeniable.  Check out Porter's YouTube page for more hilarious clips, including one of Allen Iverson's famous "Practice" press conference.  Happy weekend, everyone.  And remember kids, stay in school, and don't do drugs.
 

MUSIC ON TV

If you survived the fallout of the LeBronocalypse last night, it was a good evening to channel surf, and possibly spot some of the Boombox's favorite bands performing live.  All week on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon bands were performing Rolling Stones' songs, celebrating the reissue of Exile on Main Street.  Last night, Phish showed up to perform their live staple "Loving Cup", and even got a surprise wobbly introduction from Keith Richards.  Meanwhile, America's greatest bar band The Hold Steady visited The Cobert Report to perform "Hurricane J" from their new gem Heaven is Whenever. Check it out.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
The Hold Steady - Hurricane J
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Fox News

Oh and P.S.  The National visited Sir David Letterman last night, with brilliant buddy Sufjan Stevens in tow to provide backing vocals on "Afraid of Everyone".  Dig it.

NEW CAMELFACE ALBUM!!!

Check out this hilarious comic strip from cartoonist Asher Sarlin. 

WILCO VISITS LATE LATE SHOW

Chicago greats Wilco visited the Late Late Show wit Craig Ferguson to perform the cut "Deeper Down" from their recent self-titled album.  The band reportedly busy writing their next album, and will begin recording later in the year.  The band are also curating the upcoming Solid Sound Festival, a three day event held at MASS MoCA in North Adams, MA.  Even more information here.  God Craig Ferguson is annoying, but here's the video of last night's performance.

OUTSIDE LANDS 2010

San Francisco's Golden Gate Park will once again host the Outside Lands Festival this August 14-15.  The lineup will be announced on June 1rst, but over at the official website, festival mascot Ranger Dave has been offering hints as to who might perform, some vague and some quite obvious. Ticket info, Wine Country lineup, A Taste of The Bay Area news, and more right here.

HOW TO DESTROY ANGELS

Trent Reznor has announced his first post-Nine Inch Nails project, dubbed How to Destroy Angels.  The group is a collaboration with his wife, ex-West Indian Girl frontwoman, and smoking hottie, Mariqueen Maandig.  On the band's official website, they have been releasing small, strange video snippets of assumed new music.  It's sound is reminiscent of NIN's later lo-fi piano vs. fuzz instrumentals, with Maandig's vocals comparable to the likes of Zero 7 and Beth Gibbons.  Both sexy and evil.. just how I like it.  A self-titled EP is expected this summer, but check out the first leaked track, "A Drowning", here on the Boombox.

THE DEAD WEATHER ALBUM & DATES

Sea of Cowards, the sophomore effort from blues supergroup The Dead Weather, comes out today.  Jack White & Co. will hit the streets in mid-July for a string of shows throughout the US.  They will also sweat it out at Bonnaroo in June. And Alison Mosshart, I still love you. Check out the tour stops below.  Also don't miss the sick video for "Die by the Drop" on the band's official site.

The Dead Weather Tour
06-12 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo
06-26 Pilton, England - Glastonbury Festival
07-02 Belfort, France - Les Eurockeennes Festival
07-13 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
07-14 Boston, MA - House of Blues
07-15 Toronto, Ontario - Sound Academy
07-17 Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
07-19 San Diego, CA - House of Blues
07-21 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Palladium
07-22 San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theatre
07-24 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
07-27 Billings, MT - Babcock Theatre
07-28 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
07-29 Milwaukee, WI - The Rave
07-30 Chicago, IL - The Congress Theater
07-31 Detroit, MI - The Fillmore
08-02 Baltimore, MD - Ram's Head Live!
08-03 Brooklyn, NY - Prospect Park

THE NATIONAL RELEASE HIGH VIOLET

The National's new album, High Violet, hits records stores today.  The album is expectedly great, and is retailing for a mere $7.99 in most stores.  The band plays Letterman on Thursday night, before a hometown show at the Brooklyn Academy of Music Saturday night.  The National then head out west to begin a proper, full-length tour, hitting most major markets across the US and Europe. Tour dates here.  Also, check out the new video for "Bloodbuzz Ohio" from High Violet, then go grab the album. Enjoy.
The National - "Bloodbuzz Ohio" (official video) from The National on Vimeo.

 

GORILLAZ BRING "STYLO" TO COLBERT

Check out the Gorillaz performing the Plastic Beach track "Stylo" on the Colbert Report.  Fucking sick.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Gorillaz - Stylo
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Fox News

 

FILM OF THE MONTH (YEAR?)

 

I strongly encourage fans of the Boombox and film to stop updating your Facebook pages, and take 2 hours out of your busy life to let artistic & directing mastermind /visionary / personal hero Terry Gilliam blow your mind with his new film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.  Gilliam's past works include Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Time Bandits, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, and 12 Monkeys.  ALL classics, but Parnassus could quite possibly be Gilliam's masterpiece.  The filming of the movie took a blow when lead actor Heath Ledger passed away, but friends of Ledger and Gilliam in the acting community stepped in to finish the vision, offering a unique experience as Ledger's character was given new life by Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell.  Following his spellbinding turn as The Joker, this performance cements the artistic tragedy of Ledger's untimely death.  Oh, did I mention that Tom Waits plays the Devil?

The film is released on DVD today, April 27th.  Enjoy the trailer below.

MGMT ADD NORTH AMERICAN DATES

MGMT have added several dates to their extensive North American tour, which officially kicks off at the end of May.  The Brooklyn daytrippers will also feature on the "Live on Letterman" concert series, broadcasting live from the Ed Sullivan Theater Tuesday, May 11, following the taping of the band's performance on the Late Show.  The show will be webcast started at 8 PM EST at http://www.cbs.com/late_night/late_show/. Tickets are still available for most of the US dates.


MGMT Tour Dates after the jump.

NEW M.I.A VIDEO (NSFW)

Brace yourself for another WTF? moment, dear readers.  M.I.A has released a video/mini-movie for her new track "Born Free".  As if the song wasn't a strong enough statement of revolt and angst, now director Romain Gavras has unleashed his own horrific visual interpretation.  It starts out like a scene from a Micheal Mann thriller, then offers a glimpse of comedy, before raging into a slightly hard-to-watch genocide of sorts.  This is video is EXTREMELY GRAPHIC AND VIOLENT, and NOT SAFE FOR WORK.  You've been warned.  If you are a ginger like me, please go watch the baseball game.

FREE PHOENIX

On the heels of their Grammy win for Best Alternative Album, Boombox darlings Phoenix have decided to bestow some free music on the unworthy masses.  Live in Sydney features 8 Wolfgang tracks performed live on the band's recent tour.  Download the live album absolutely FREE here.

TOOL!!!! SORTA...

TOOL fans should check out his ridiculous "cover" of "Lateralus", performed by a Japanese composer/performer/group called Soemon.  The language barrier on the website causes the info to be a bit iffy, but the performance speaks for itself.  Sorry for the giant video, but it's worth it.  Mesmerizing stuff. Enjoy.
 Nice call, Brent...

NEWPORT FOLK FESTIVAL!!!

Over the years I've heard wonderful things about the Newport Folk Festival, and obviously I grew up listening to so many jazz greats perform at Newport Jazz, but this year I find myself a New England resident, so the excitement is finally localized.  2010's festival will take place the weekend of July 30-August 1, having moved to a 3-day format.  Friday night will feature Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers, Tim O'Brien, and Sarah Jarosz performing a more intimate show at the International Tennis Hall of Fame before the real festival kicks off Saturday at Fort Adams.  Saturday's line-up boasts performances by My Morning Jacket's Jim James, Calexico, Blitzen Trapper, Andrew Bird, personal favorite AA Bonday, as well as songwriting genius John Prine, and bluegrass royalty Doc Watson & David Holt, and Sam Bush, plus many more.  Sunday gets serious with Edward Sharp & the Magnetic Zeros, The Avett Brothers, The Felice Brothers, Richie Havens, The Swell Season, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Justin Townes Earl, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, and the Punch Brothers with Chris Thile.  The festival will close with a special performance by Levon Helm that they are calling Levon Helm Band's Ramble on the Road featuring Special Guests.  That alone is enough to make me pee in my pants a little.  For more artists and ticket info visit the Newport Folk Fest site.  Should be an amazing weekend, and a classy step away from the chaotic summer festival circuit.  Hope to see you Sunday...

THE DEAD WEATHER ANNOUNCE SEA OF COWARDS

The Dead Weather will release their second album, Sea of Cowards, on May 11th.  Jack White has been busy lately, finishing this album as well as reportedly working on a track with Jay-Z. Dope.

Sea of Cowards Track List:
01 Blue Blood Blues
02 Hustle and Cuss
03 The Difference Between Us
04 I'm Mad
05 Die By the Drop
06 I Can't Hear You
07 Gasoline
08 No Horse
09 Looking at the Invisible Man
10 Jawbreaker
11 Old Mary

BECK & FRIENDS KICK INXS

Beck's newest "Record Club" installment is a fantastical take on INXS' 1987 classic Kick.  Along for the ride this time are Annie Clark from St. Vincent, Liars, and Os Mutantes.  Check out the video below of the supergroup rocking out to the album opener, "Guns in the Sky".
Record Club: INXS "Guns In The Sky" from Beck Hansen on Vimeo.

ALBUM DU JOUR

WHITE RABBITS - It's Frightening

Last night I had a dream that I was being taught to speak French by learning the lyrics to the song Charles Barkley sings in the Taco Bell commercial, and singing it over and over in French. ("le box, le box rochers balancent la cinq boîte de dollar") It was genuinely awful.


So today I needed a great album to get the awful ditty out of my head for good, and It's Frightening did just that.  Thank you White Rabbits!  If you haven't heard these Brooklyn transplants (via Columbia, Missouri), I suggest starting here with their second album, released in May of last year.  The album was produced by Britt Daniel, so fans of Spoon will familiarize with the pounding pianos and drums in the forefront of several songs.  Their are also shades of solo Thom Yorke and quieter, spooky Radiohead on tracks like "Lionesse" and "Rudie Fails".  Check out the albums opening track "Percussion Gun" below, or quit messing about and go grab the whole album.  You'll thank me later.  Screw you, Barkley.

SUMMER KINGS OF LEON

After a nonstop year of sold out arenas all over the world, Kings of Leon will take their quest for world domination outdoors this summer.  The Nashville rockers will hit amphitheaters from coast to coast, with key stops at Hollywood Bowl, The Gorge, Deer Creek, and of course Bonnaroo.  Why the band's management chose to play the old Fiddler's Green in Denver instead of Red Rocks is beyond comprehension, but what do I know?  No word on an opening act yet, but I'm predicting either U2 or Jesus.

Full King of Leon Summer Dates after the jump...

DEV B's "BABY" VIDEO

Our favorite smelly poet, folk troubadour, and all-around weird fucker Devendra Banhart released a new video today for his song "Baby", one of the catchier zips from his recent What Will We Be album.  Keeping with the recent indie hipster trend, Devendra invited some famous friends along for the video, including Fabrizio Moretti from The Strokes, Andrew from MGMT, and GZA the Genius.  The video, as you may have expected, finds Banhart and his cohorts riding a tampon-looking spaceship into a pair of galactic breasts.  Then Where The Wild Things Are  breaks up, and everyone dances happily except GZA, who sits on a thrown and uses up his Anytime Minutes.  The overall effect is delicious.  Enjoy the video below, and scope Dev B's new Bulimic Frank Zappa look.