The KEXP Blog » James Mercer http://blog.kexp.org/blog where the music matters Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:24:19 +0000 en hourly 1 Thursday News Threads http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2010/01/28/thursday-news-threads-67/ http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2010/01/28/thursday-news-threads-67/#comments Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:27:11 +0000 Zach, KEXP http://blog.kexp.org/blog/?p=32728
  • I hope everyone likes videos, ’cause I’ve put a lot of them in here this week. Unintentionally, I might add. While I’m on the topic, check out hundreds and hundreds of videos from live performances for KEXP at youtube.com/kexpradio, including new Joseph Arthur, A Place To Bury Strangers, and We Were Promised Jetpacks performances. Alternatively, you can watch a 30-second preview for Animal Collective’s bizarre/abstract film, ODDSAC, below.


    • Joanna Newsom’s new album will apparently be three discs long. Seriously. She can do that. She’s Joanna Newsom. Additionally, a bare-bones harp-and-voice track called “‘81″ is streaming on Drag City’s site.
    • As The Stranger pointed out, LCD Soundsystem posted a behind-the-scenes video [embedded below] from the LA mansion where James Murphy has been working on the band’s new album. As Murphy wrote in a MySpace blog, “…basically, we’re back.”

    • Check out Phoenix covering one of my favorite under-appreciated Bob Dylan tracks from Pitchfork:

    Phoenix - Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands (Bob Dylan cover) (MP3)

    • On February 11th the Moore Theatre hosts “Defriending Cancer,” a benefit/variety show featuring solo musical performances from James Mercer of the Shins and Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse. Also, comedians Todd Barry, Neil Hamburger, Tim Heidecker (from Adult Swim’s Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!), Natashe Leggero (a regular on Chelsea Lately), Eugene Mirman, and Tig Notaro (featured on the Sarah Silverman Program).
    • Relatedly, the new video from Broken Bells has been released for their first single, “The High Road.” It features the duo (Danger Mouse and the aforementioned James Mercer) walking down a dark desert highway with nothing but flashlights to guide them. They run into bizarre a burlesque dancer, a surreal car accident, and steal a toy from a little kid. Check it out below.

    • Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson, John Legend, Seal, Natalie Cole, the Blind Boys of Alabama and more artists to be announced soon, will perform at a gigantor Black History Month special being hosted by President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle and emceed by Morgan Freeman and Queen Latifah. It’s called “In Performance at the White House: A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement,” and will air on PBS on February 11th.
    • This week in WTF: Justin Timberlake joins Brother Ali on stage to beatbox. And it all happened in Wyoming. Really. Don’t believe me? Check out the following crappy video proof.

    ]]>     http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2010/01/28/thursday-news-threads-67/feed/ 0     Thursday News Threads http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2009/10/01/thursday-news-threads-51/ http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2009/10/01/thursday-news-threads-51/#comments Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:15:09 +0000 Zach, KEXP http://blog.kexp.org/blog/?p=26956
    James Mercer and Danger Mouse have formed a band tentatively called Broken Bells.

    James Mercer and Danger Mouse have formed a band tentatively called Broken Bells

    • Yep, James Mercer and Danger Mouse are making a band now. Not just recording tracks or whatever. But for realz. They even have a potentially impermanent name: Broken Bells! They might very well make the catchiest songs ever, I bet.
    • Hey guys. Guys — did you hear? Pavement is reuniting! But if a year is too long for you to wait to hear them again, you’ll be pleased to learn that guitarist/vocalist Scott Kannberg (aka Spiral Stairs) will be releasing a solo record on Matador on October 20th. They’ve released a couple MP3s from that album so far, including the following one.

    Spiral Stairs - True Love (MP3)

    • Andrew Bird has been working on this impressive stop-motion music video for his song, “Anonanimal,” since well before releasing the track on his most recent album. It’s currently only streaming over at Rolling Stone. Recommended, though, despite Rolling Stone’s awful online video setup.
    • Updating old news, it turns out DJ AM’s death was caused by accidental drug overdose due to the combined effects of cocaine, Vicodin, oxycodone, Ativan, Klonopin, Xanax, Benadryl and levamisole. Yikes. Accidental?
    • There’s this band you’ve got to hear. They sound like a new Elephant 6 band. Oh, wait. Supercluster is a superclusterf#*k of musicians from bands like Pylon, Deerhunter, Of Montreal, the Olivia Tremor Control, and Casper & the Cookies. They’re putting out a new album on the 6th that includes the following track:

    Supercluster - I Got the Answer (MP3)

    • I guess this is just New Band Week or something. But Thom Yorke has assembled quite a group of musicians to help him record his new album and play some shows: Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea (!!!), longtime Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, Beck drummer Joey Waronker and accomplished studio percussionist Mauro Refosco.
    • Noel Gallagher apparently will be joining his buddies in Kasabian for their arena tour. Not wasting any time post-Oasis, huh, Noel?
    • And… just because: The Avett Brothers. Oh man, these guys are great. Their new album came out Tuesday and they performed on Letterman the day before. Check out the performance below:

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