• Earthquake Tragedy in Haiti [wiki]
  • 10 Ways you can donate [USNews.com]
• M.I.A.‘s New Song Uncovered as a New York Times Diss
  • The Day after I posted the M.I.A. tweeted music video, Fader did some investigation to reveal that the song (which is actually called Space Odyssey) is a protest in response to The New York Times naming Sri Lanka one of the best vacation destinations for 2010.
    • [mp3: AR Rahman ft. M.I.A. - O...Saya]
• Florence Takes Over Zane Lowe, Debuts Remix by The Horrors
  • • [mp3: Florence + The Machine - Hurricane Drunk (The Horrors Remix)]
• New Peaches Music Video: Mommy Complex
• Savoir Adore and Mon Khmer at Mercury Lounge [photos]
• Hot Chip’s One Life Stand Gets Leaked
  • The brand new album by TLC favorite Hot Chip leaked last week and does not disappoint. Check out a stream of Alley Cats below and be sure to catch them on tour and pick up the album once it is properly released.

• New Crookers Music Video: Remedy Featuring Miike Snow
  • • [mp3: Busy P ft. Murs -To Protect & Entertain Crookers Remix]
• January 12th 2010: Rest in Peace to Teddy Pendergrass (59) and Jay Reatard (29)
  • • [mp3: Jay Reatard - Blood Visions]
      • [mp3: Teddy Pendergrass - Only You]
• Change of Heart: Lykke Li and El Perro Del Mar Duet

Hot Chip’s One Life Stand Gets Leaked

So what if Lykke used CD’s and an iPod, the set was a solid selection of sing-along tunes ranging from Salt & Pepa, M.I.A., The Knife, Missy Elliott and transitioned DJ duties to Bjorn with Madonna’s Vogue.

MP3: Lykke Li – Dance, Dance, Dance (Christian Flores’ Phones Edit) or zShare
MP3: Peter Bjorn & John – Nothing To Worry About (Woodhands Remix) or zShare

Ida Maria Citi Stage Saturday 2:15PM >>

We’ve seen Ida Maria a handful of times this year in intimate venues such as Bell House, Music Hall of Williamsburg and Mercury Lounge so it was interesting to see what she’d do onstage at a festival in broad daylight.

At the beginning of her set I got the impression that she felt a bit constrained and tame waiting to bust out (see pic.) Once she loosened up a bit Ida released her signature growl and shriek, locking in everyone’s attention and awe. The absolute highlight of Ida’s set was when she dumped water onto herself before diving into a spectacular cover of The Stooges I Wanna Be Your Dog.

Chairlift Citi Stage Saturday 3:30PM

Chairlift opened their set with the fabulous cover of Snoop’s Sexual Seduction and set the loungey seductive tone for their hour long set. There were a few sound issues but the trio powered through and delivered a strong set that served as yet another great platform for infiltrating mainstream.

<< Arctic Monkeys Budweiser Stage Saturday 4:30PM

My 3rd time seeing them in one week and I’m not sure i would’ve turned down 10 more opportunities to see them. Arctic Monkeys have matured and progressed in the ways every great band should and this set was an undeniable Lolla highlight for everyone who caught it. A.Turn and co.’s set was 10 min longer than at APW, so a more well rounded performance was able to take shape featuring the achingly epic 505 as set closer. The crowd went seriously bananas (read: crowdsurfing, moshing, pushing, flailing) and the band deserved every bit of excitement and enthusiasm hurled their way. [Jess]

Santigold Playstation Saturday Stage 5:30PM >>

Call me naive but I honestly didn’t think Santigold would draw in the immense crowd that she did on day 2 of Lollapalooza! Bon Iver played the Playstation stage the night before as well and surprised me with the number of people squeezed in to catch his set.

Santigold donned a gold jumper and gold sneakers to a huge crowd that ranged from ghetto to prep. It was pretty awesome sweating my ass off in Chicago with a bunch of strangers chanting “Brooklyn we go hard, we go hard!” in unison..if only they knew the half of it!

MP3: Basement Jaxx Featuring Santigold – Saga or zShare

Glasvegas Vitamin Water Stage Saturday 5:30 PM

Glasvegas’ crowd was surprisingly subdued, most likely due to the fact that the crowds were stalled across the park as the overwhelmingly large Arctic Monkeys crowd was leaving and the just as incredibly large Santigold crowd was filing it. Despite the serious festival gridlock, Glasvegas played a tight set as more and more fans trickled in to catch James Allan expertly belt out favorites like Geraldine and Daddy’s Gone. [Jess]

<< Lykke Li Citi Stage Saturday 6:30PM

I had to unfortunately leave the Santigold set a few minutes early in order to make it in time for Lykke Li. I saw her only one week prior at All Points West but I just can’t get enough of her captivating set. Her set from Lollapalooza was extra special in that she brought on Miike Snow singer Andrew Wyatt for the cover of Kings of Leon’s Knocked Up. It was a great and unexpected treat!

MP3: Miike Snow – Plastic Jungle or zShare

Yeah Yeah Yeahs Budweiser Stage Saturday 8PM >>

One week prior we caught Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ killer set at All Points West, so this time around it was all about singing and dancing our asses off. We found a comfortable spot and literally danced until we were (almost) dead, scaring bystanders! Jess said it best:  it was our own Saturday night dance party featuring Yeah Yeah Yeahs! Indeed it was, and also a great prelude to another epic night out in Chi-town.

MP3: Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Zero (Erol Alkan Remix) or zShare

I’ve seen Lykke Li a handful of times before  but each time is never like the last. Lykke Li drew in a very impressive crowd who were all excited to take in the sounds, energy and vision that is a Lykke Li on stage. LL stunned in a leather onesie under a flowing black batwing-like shawl.

LL’ sugary vocals over subdued keys, drums, clicks and sounds make for an interesting struggle between sweet and aggressive with dark and mysterious undertones. I don’t think I’ll grow tired of this delivery anytime soon.

I decided against trekking the muddy field to the mainstage for Echo in the Bunnymen but was just as enthused to finally catch Ghostland Observatory live. Animated Texas duo, Ghostland Observatory kicked off their laser spectacle of a show shortly after LL. It was truly a sight to see with pigtailed front-man Aaron Behrens jumping frantically in a cloud of light and smoke.  It was definitely not the kind of show I expected, a pleasant surprise. Highlights from the set included Sad Sad City and Heavy Heart.

MP3: Lykke Li – Breaking it Up or zShare
MP3: Ghostland Observatory – Midnight Voyage or zShare
MP3: Lykke Li – Knocked Up (Kings of Leon Cover) or zShare

Lykke Li at APW Day 3, 8.2.09

I almost let all of the speculation, negativity and rain prevent me from making it out to the last day of All Points West on Sunday. The festival gates didn’t open until 4PM when the sun peaked out which unfortunately meant bands scheduled before this time were skipped.

The main draws of the remaining gigs for me were La Roux, Lykke Li (always a great show) and Echo and the Bunnymen who I unfortunately decided against trekking through the mud/madness for.  Coldplay and MGMT were not on my agenda.

La Roux at APW Day 3, 8.2.09

I got to Liberty State Park just in time to catch La Roux and stayed in the Queen of the Valley tent for Lykke Li and Ghostland Observatory before heading back to home sweet Brooklyn.

I’m really glad I decided to be a trooper and close out the weekend on the final day of the 2nd Annual All Points West Festival in New Jersey. As a whole I was VERY pleased with the organization, amenities, sound, art installations and of course fantastic acts. Great job APW, you can pat yourself on the back for a job well done. Here’s to next year!

MP3: Lykke Li – Time Flies (The Disco Pusher Remix) or zShare

MP3: La Roux – Quicksand (Mad Decent Remix) or zShare

Created by Josh Schwartz (Gossip Girl, Chuck, The O.C.), the show follows 20-somethings who frequent the fictional LA venue, Club Rockville.  Basically it’s a drama about the music scene:  love, lust, PR, guestlists, bands, groupies, bloggers, cheesy dialogue and some decent bands playing each week. The series premiered March 17th, with new episodes and performances HERE every Tuesday.
My favorite bad line in the first episode was when Deb asks Hunter what he thinks of a band. His reply was the following bitchy run on sentence:

“I saw them here 8 months ago and there were like 6 people here but 4 of them had blogs. Voila! The band gets signed to a label where it  will now no doubt put out an overhyped and overproduced EP and before you can Clap Your Hands Say Yeah the blogosphere, which proclaim them the next great, will take even more pleasure in being disappointed.”

Does anyone sense a bit of resentment from the writers? The New York Times named the show “An Opportunity to Hype (and Mock) Indie Bands.” I wholeheartedly agree and add that the characters, storyline and dialogue are bad filler for the live segments (great exposure for the bands.)  But as always, you be the judge.

MP3: Lykke Li – Dance, Dance, Dance (Christian Flores’ Phones Edit) or zShare
MP3: The Kooks w/ Simon Wilcox- Young Folks (Peter Bjorn & John Cover) or zShare

The event takes place November 12th at Roseland Ballroom. Performers include: Lykke Li, Vampire Weekend, Santogold, and All Time Low.

MP3: Santogold – Starstruck (Diplo Remix) or zShare

Industry folk and fans alike packed in to see the lovely 22 year old Swedish phenom’s headlining CMJ gig with notable openers Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson and Friendly Fires. Cameras, fingers and hips snapped along as Lykke flailed around the stage pounding drums and tambourines, singing through a speakerphone, dancing on top of speakers, and dropping it to the floor while hitting every note beautifully.

Highlights for me included: Let it Fall, I’m good I’m Gone, A Little Bit and her cover of the Tribe Called Quest classic, Can I Kick it? Lykke got the crowd hyped up when she chanted Obama then jumped into the crowd like a rock star. I held her mic as she maneuvered her way back onstage to bid the crowd farewell. Although this is my first show of the week, it has raised my standard for CMJ shows in 08!