#SummerJams

Super Hipster Edition.

This one's for the ladies; one of my favorite new bands in LA is a trio of sisters called Haim.  They're the best chick-band I've heard in a long time.  Still unsigned, they just released their first music video this morning (audio much better than video):



I've seen them 4 times in LA and had the pleasure of working with them when they opened for Portugal the Man at one of venues that I'm occasionally employed by: super humble, funny girls with a good appreciation for the art they're making and the fans they're gathering.  When I saw them in March, they had their parents (both musicians) come onstage and play a cover. In April, Ryan Adams did a guest spot.

They haven't gotten much radio play in the US yet, but they're on the charts in the UK and were Band of the Week  a few months ago in Vogue.  They received critical acclaim after appearing at South by Southwest in March.

And their EP is available for Free Download.  That's fucking sweet.

I first heard about them because the lead singer dates guitar-virtuoso Blake Mills (formerly of Dawes) and did a duet with him for the "Chimes of Freedom" album (a compilation of Bob Dylan covers that raised money for Amnesty International):



So check them out now, get on the bandwagon while they're still relatively unknown, and then you can sound like a hipster when they get signed and start popping up on traditional media.  Download their free EP: I promise they'll be stuck in your head instantly and leave you wanting more.

-DMc, West Coast Correspondent

Channing Tatum Dirty Dancing

Shout Out to GQ. Today after I had finished ripping out all of the double sided ads in the latest issue of GQ I was reading about Channing Tatum and they mentioned a Dirty Dancing Short he was in and how it was hilarious. I immediately put down The Magazine and went to The Internet, their worst fear I think, and found out that YES in fact the Channing Tatum Dirty Dancing short is hilarious. Far warning, I love Dirty Dancing and have seen it a bunch and that is definitely a big part of why I think this is HILARIOUS. GQ!



-jv
RIP SWAYZE
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I'm On Fire

Ive been in the thick of this folksy/country/accoustic/sanger-songwriter situation for about a week now. It began when I started listening primarily to my Ryan Adams Pandora Station and letting my Power Station have a break. Through a serious of aggressive Thumbs Down I had beaten The Station back from any Rock 'n' Roll fastness and skimmed the bad singers off too. Then a band called Town Mountain, cool name, came on with a song called "I'm On Fire" and I was rewarded for my Thumbs Down and Skips with a glorious New To Me  folksy love song. Which is another problem I would run into because a lot of the times the songs would go Gloomy on me and my five commercial breaks of Work would be whisked away and I"d be back in Bad Singersville with a forecast of The Drabsy McGloomies. I had never heard "I'm On Fire" before so I did not know that it was a Bruce Springsteen song from the 80s, no matter though, Town Mountain's cover blows The Boss's out of the water. Now that I've heard Town Mountain's cover about a million times I just wish I naturally said "fire" as cool as they do, its the coolest. Enjoy.



-jv
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Im A Long Way From Home

One of my favorite songs from the Walk The Line soundtrack is "Im A Long Way From Home".

-jv
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Jimmy Fallon LMFAO cover

Jimmy Fallon impersonated Neil Young and covered "Sexy and I Know It" and its awesome.

 Bruce Springsteen doesn't seem to understand the joke; Jimmy Fallon is just doing a spot on impersonation of Neil Young at the phase where he wore a sweater and hunched over while playing a guitar with a hat pulled low over his face. Springsteen is in some Retro-Himself duds, He should be acting like Himself then. Not grumbling. Jimmy Fallon kills it at impersonating Neil Young.

-jv
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Rumour Has It

Four Girls, a Rubber Spatula, a Ladel, a Cheese Grater, and an amazing Adele song. The Girls use the kitchen equipment to round out their sound. I like how the video ends too.

-jv
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It's Miley!

I know Miley! from E! News and magazines and the radio. And most recently from the vh1 top twenty video countdown. I like Miley! Most of her songs are good, Party in the USA anyone?, and her brother has the coolest knuckle tattoos ever. Her dad set the standard for what a good looking mullet looks like back in the day and is currently illustrating what a classic weirdo stage dad looks like. Miley!s new song is a Bob Dylan cover "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" and it is way better than the original. Miley! recorded the song as part of an Amnesty International fundraiser celebrating 50 years of Amnesty International with a CD of Bob Dylan covers.
Miley! kills it.



Also, to be fair this is the most current picture I could find of Billy Ray Cyrus.
-jv
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Call Your Girlfriend Dance Off

Robyn is a master of pop-y dance hits (Show Me Love is in my Top 10 of All Time Songs). And her latest is no exception. The song and video have been out for months, but I just saw it and it's too awesome not to share.



Also too awesome not to share is the recreation of the video in a tiny office at Saturday Night Live, by Taran Killam and bunch of flashlights. It's remarkably accurate.



Happy New Year!

-av

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The Wellesley Tupelos and LAB sing "The Chain"

 Just thought I'd share this sweet performance by our very own LAB:



-av, Fan
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How I Feel About Kid Rock

I like Kid Rock. You like Kid Rock. Because everyone likes Kid Rock. Because of the song "Picture". Everyone likes the song "Picture" by Kid Rock featuring Sheryl Crow. If you do not like the song "Picture" it is because you have not heard the song "Picture" by Kid Rock featuring Sheryl Crow. And if thats the case watch the video right down there. Otherwise I like his version of Feel Like Makin' Love better. "All Summer Long" is maybe the most listen-to-able song ever. "Born Free" is a good song. On the first episode of The Sheild when Vic shoots that guy and "Bawitdaba" is playing it was definately the most intense television I had seen at that point. Because of Kid Rock. I like Kid Rock. And so do you, probably, if not watch this video of "Picture" by Kid Rock featuring Sheryl Crow.


-jv
fan
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Great Band

There is this great band called Real Fire that my friend is in who is the drummer. They have a great sound and they do fucking great covers like this one of Adeles' rolling in the deep.



They've been playing at my BBQ for the last few years and I feel like they are starting to get some traction going so do myself and them a favor and check out their youtube channel, like the videos and if you really like them follow them on twitter.

 -sf

p.s. this is a little incentive to those of you who have heard/been invited to my Memorial day weekend BBQ's but have been hesitant to come.

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