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July 1, 2010
Shorties (Stream the New Wavves Album, W.S. Merwin, and more)
Stream the new Wavves album, King of the Beach (out digitally today, out on CD & vinyl August 3rd).
The Washington Post reports that W.S. Merwin has been named poet laureate of the U.S.
The Believer's 2010 music issue is on newsstands now.
The Nervous Breakdown offers an excerpt from Maria Semple's novel, This One Is Mine (just released in paperback).
The Arizona Republic talks to the curator of the protest album, A Line in the Sand: A Collection of Protest Songs by Arizona Artists Opposed to SB 1070.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette profiles Sleigh Bells.
"Treats" has correctly been described as a clash between the White Stripes and M.I.A. with distorted beats made to blow out your speakers, siren synths and lurching guitar riffs, all topped by spastic sing-song melodies.
Express Night Out also profiles the band.
The Guardian Music Blog makes a pitch for Bret Easton Ellis as the most musical author.
PopMatters profiles the Carolina Chocolate Drops.
The Carolina Chocolate Drops have spent the last five years touring and recording extensively, drawing attention to the oft-ignored history of the African-American string band and reviving the Piedmont sound as they blend it with… well, just about everything. Their newest release, Genuine Negro Jig, effortlessly transitions from Civil War Era fiddle tunes to Blu Cantrell’s 2001 single “Hit ‘Em Up Style”, placing old songs in modern context and imbuing new songs with centuries-old sound. Perhaps the most dynamic band in roots music, the Carolina Chocolate Drops’ live shows are, quite simply, spellbinding as they make a joyful noise with fiddles, banjos, bones, autoharps, jugs, and good old handclaps.
The 9513 analyzes Johnny Cash's handwriting.
The A.V. Club examines the thematic obsessions of author Philip K. Dick.
Flavorwire shares a summer reading list for heavy metal fans.
The Washington Post reviews Daniel Clowe's latest graphic novel Wilson.
This is a book about life's passages and disappointments, and will be most appreciated by those who know something of quiet desperation. It's not a pretty book, and even its language is so vulgar that it's difficult to quote from. But this descent into a man's soul is certainly a long way from what my mother used to call "your funny books."
Online lists of "best music of 2010 so far":
Click Track (best indie 7" singles)
Idolator: (#1 albums)
Rawkblog (albums)
The Jewish Chronicle interviews author Neil Gaiman.
On sale at Amazon MP3:
Grace Potter & the Nocturnal's 13-track self-titled album for $3.99.
Goldfrapp's 9-track Head First album for $3.99.
Today's additions to the 2010 Bonnaroo downloads page:
mp3 sets:
Avett Brothers
Disco Biscuits
Gaslight Anthem
Isis
The National
Lossless Sets:
The Dead Weather
Disco Biscuits
Stevie Wonder
Win a $100 Threadless gift certificate and the new Roots album in this week's Largehearted Boy contest.
Follow me on Twitter and Stumbleupon for links (updated throughout the day) that don't make the daily "Shorties" columns.
also at Largehearted Boy:
Atomic Books Comics Preview (highlights of the week's comics & graphic novel releases)
daily mp3 downloads
Largehearted Word (highlights of the week's book releases)
Try It Before You Buy It (mp3s and full album streams from this week's CD releases)
weekly music & DVD release lists
