If you like Wilford Brimley as much as I do (and my wife apparently), then you owe it to yourself to check out this video.

An impromptu performance of the ZomBOOsical! classic Aim for the Brain from our live show a few weeks ago. And then we sing a song about TokenGirl. It’s subtle.

See if you can guess which part Moe wrote. It’s like a game.

It feels a little odd to say this but I’ve never really paid attention to the Rolling Stones as a musical group. As many people my age can attest, I’ve known about the Rolling Stones for as long as I can remember. They’ve been such a permanent fixture of my pop culture world that when it came down to it, I didn’t really need to pay attention to them. They were simply always around. In the same way that I give no thought to the song “Happy Birthday” until it’s time to sing it for someone, whenever I hear “Brown Sugar” or “Paint it Black” I simply notice that a Stones song is on and continue with my day. From the constant jokes about the drug use of Keith Richards to the spot-on Mike Meyers impression of Mick Jagger on Saturday Night Live, these were how I knew the Rolling Stones.

Over the last year or so I’ve been revisiting bands that I missed out on over the years and the classic rock of the 1960′s and 70′s has been a major focus for me. After hearing that Exile on Main St. was getting a re-issue along with some bonus content, I grabbed the album and gave it a good listen. Now, I not only understand why people call this the Rolling Stone’s masterpiece, I finally get why the Rolling Stones are a great band.

Exile on Main St is a curious album, to be sure. On one hand, it has the uneven quality that makes mastering engineers run for their faders and a few heavy duty compressors. On the other, it is full of such down to earth roots rock that you can’t help but feel a more polished album would have lacked the very heart and soul that makes Exile a masterpiece of rock and roll. The Rolling Stones’ music has always been described with adjectives such as “swagger” and “dirty”. Exile on Main St is the personification of this feeling and the dirt and attitude reach down to its very core. From the basement production elements to the rambling and gutsy songwriting, Exile becomes a testament to what makes the Rolling Stones great. It gets to the heart of what their music is all about. Exile on Main St. speaks.

Not every tune is golden and this is the least “radio single” filled Stones album that I can think of. In fact, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards have both commented on how surprised they are that this album is as popular as it is. Taken on an individual song basis, it’s not hard to agree with them. However, it’s when the whole album is absorbed that the real brilliance is revealed. Young artists at the top of their creative game, producing music outside of the normal studio system for the first time in ages. It’s raw, full of anything goes and has that powerful glow that only true artistry can provide. Sometimes it’s difficult to see exactly where its coming from but you feel it when you step back and let it take you away. If there was ever an album that was done a disservice by our current iTunes inspired “one-track-at-a-time” world, this is it.

Originally released as a double album, the current reissue manages to pack all 18 original tracks onto one disc. Having never heard the original LP, I can’t comment on the quality of the re-master but I know that Exile on Main St. Sounds amazing overall. Some careful and heartfelt work went into making sure that everything could be heard in the mix while retaining the character of the original.

In addition to the main disc, a second disc is full of alternate takes and a few new songs that had been hiding out in Mick Jagger’s basement. The stand out track, for me, would have to be “Plundered My Soul” which has the fortune of a newly recorded vocal along with some new Richards guitar work. Far from feeling like a quick cash in, this song captures the spirit of the band from 1972 but adds the gusto of two performers with a lifetime of experience to bring to the table. It’s a stand-out track on the whole album, let alone the second disc.

Exile on Main St. is truly a great work and should be a part of any music fans collection. While I struggle to recommend it at the $30.00 price point many stores are charging, if you find it on sale or wait for a price drop, you can’t go wrong.

Our thanks to SimpleNate for sending us this review. You can find more musings by the great and mighty SimpleNate over at his website: Who Is SimpleNate.

LCD Soundsystem’s newest (and supposedly last) album hit today. This is Happening is the fourth full-length from the NYC-based brainchild of DFA Records co-founder James Murphy and re-establishes the label’s dance/punk supremacy.

Taking hints from the recently popularized chillwave indie movement, This is Happening mixes old-school synth sounds and layered drum beats with Murphy’s alternating laid-back then over-the-top vocals. The major thing that has always set LCD apart from others in the genre is still at the center of the new release. I’m talking, of course, about the inherent danceability and catchy loops that will stay in your head for days after just one listen.

The album kicks off with the building-block track “Dance Yrself Clean” and its hard to ignore Murphy’s request. As dreamy synth explodes into a high energy party with Murphy flexing his high notes, you’d have to be dead to not at least tap your foot. The single, and clearly the black sheep of the album, “Drunk Girls” follows with its more-punk-than-not attitude and turns out to be a bouncy romp filled with guitar and background call-back vocals.

As the album spreads it’s wings with tracks “One Touch” and “I Can Change” it sets you up for the wonderfully energetic and apathetic “Pow Pow Pow”, truly a classic LCD Soundstem track.

Some people have said This is Happening has strayed too far from The Sound of Silver and it’s more listener friendly attitude. I disagree. This is Happening stays true to the LCD Soundsystem roots of their self-titled debut and pushes the boundaries of the genre. With new bands like Chromeo and Avi Buffalo becoming more and more popular, and older bands like Hot Chip (also on the DFA label) seeing themselves rise to fame, its only natural to have this new LCD release bridge the gap. That said, if you’re unfamiliar with the band, This is Happening is a great place to start. And really, if you aren’t familiar with LCD Soundsystem, you really should be.

From our live DGR show on Saturday.

Please excuse the ending.

No. Shit.

“Because a groove is a terrible thing to waste, this sonic learning institution will be unlike anything before, as Professor Collins and the finest bassists in music will unleash an intense curriculum, on the web, for intermediate to advanced funk disciples within the program. Enrollment is limited for the first year. For more information about the program and to learn about pre-registration opportunities, please provide your information.”

www.thefunkuniversity.com

After editing the latest episode of DGR, I happened upon this video of one of Herb Alpert’s hits of the 1970′s. I’m not sure where you watched music videos in those days before MTV but here it is for you to enjoy. I, for one, love the dancing on the beach scene.

For those who may not be familiar with the influential trumpeter who graced our latest episode, might I point you here. You’ll find all kinds of interesting facts about this million album selling trumpet player. The most intriguing fact that I discovered is that he is the “A” in A&M Records. Who knew?

Should you want more of Herb Alpert’s fine music, may I suggest you purchase this album on Amazon: Definitive Hits

Go ahead. Dance. You know you want to.

It took a long time for me to appreciate the music of Jack White. Something about his stuff just never grabbed me and his most public group, The White Stripes, left me feeling flat. Maybe it’s the fact that I could never get over the rather boring drum work of Megan White or maybe the riff based songs weren’t my thing. Whatever the reason, it took me watching the documentary It Might Get Loud to come to the understanding that Jack White kicks some major ass. Just looking at the bleeding hands intensity of his performances married to the serious student he became when in the presence of Jimmy Page gave me a new respect for his talent.

As I was driving home the other day, our local Indie Rock station, The Current played a track from The Dead Weather and mentioned that the group featured Jack White along with a few other folks from popular rock outfits. While I’m not one to jump on the bandwagon of the many “supergroups” that are popping up these days, I can say that The Dead Weather represent everything I like about Jack White. More than that, however, this album just makes me…fucking angry.

(more…)

Check out the video for the new single. It’s called “I Should Have Known It” and it’ll be on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers new album, Mojo. Mojo is set to hit on June 15th.

Enjoy

You’ll understand why I’m posting this video after you hear this week’s podcast. Beyond that, it’s just fucking hilarious.