INSTA-REVIEW: Gnarls Barkley The Odd Couple

Now playing on Phawker Radio! Why? Because we love you! BY ED KING ROCK EXPERT Break open a bag of Funyuns! There’s a new Gnarls Barkley record! The dynamic duo of Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo kicks off their new album with “Blind Mary,” a “cute” number about stalking a blind girl named Mary. How sweet! This one has that digital approximation of the ’60s Ed Sullivan sound, which seems to be this band’s bread and butter when not doing the Night at the Roxbury party music. I’m really feeling nostalgic for that “Groove Is in the Heart” band, Lisa Stansfield, […]

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JUST IN: Flaming Lips To Headline ‘Jam On The River’

[Photo by JONATHAN VALANIA] INQUIRER: This year, The Jam is presenting two days of psychedelic sounds on the Delaware River with three nights of after-party concerts at area venues. Flaming Lips — the nation’s reigning weirdy-beardies — top the May 24 lineup at the Great Plaza on the waterfront. Also on the Saturday billet are Josh Ritter, RJD2 and Bassnectar. Disco Biscuits — Philadelphia’s celebrated noodles-with-jam band — top the May 25 music menu, which also includes Deadmau5, Avett Brothers, Lotus, and American Babies. MORE

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TONITE: Get Your Thinking Machine On

BY MICHAEL DONOVAN Thinking Machines are an indie-rock trio based in the 215. To date they have released three full-length albums: their self-titled debut in 2001, Dream In Lo-Fi, released in 2002 and most recently, A Complete Record of Urban Archaeology, released in January, 2008. Though only a three-piece, Thinking Machines sounds much larger — thanks in no small part to the expansive guitar and bass work. On the TM’s third album, elements of post-punk and indie rock are mixed together for an end result akin to the soon-to-hit-Philly Les Savy Fav (but not as weird) and Minus the Bear. […]

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HEAR YE: Now Playing On Phawker Radio!

BY SARA SHERR The Breeders are my favorite band of the ’90s, back when cheerleading tomboys from Ohio roamed the Earth like alt-rock glamazons in flannel. Kim Deal’s terminal coolness is as undeniable as it is Midwestern friendly and gum-crackingly accessible. Everyone feels like they could pull it off. Together with her equally gum-crackingly cool sister Kelley and a revolving cast of band members that once included Throwing Muses/Belly’s Tanya Donnelly, their harmonies were tighter than your tightest black jeans, and their weird, wonderful guitar sounds made left-field hits that worked both as stoner jams and shimmying pop songs. The […]

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MONEY: NIN Don’t Need No Stinking Record Company

Nine Inch Nails’ 36-track instrumental opus Ghosts I-IV, released March 2 via NIN.com, has amassed a first week total of 781,917 transactions (including free and paid downloads as well as orders for physical product), resulting in a take of $1,619,420 USD. “These figures represent the most relevant and contemporary metric for measuring how Nine Inch Nails’ music is reaching its fans,” said NIN manager Jim Guerinot. NIN’s label The Null Corporation will not be releasing traditional sale figures to soundscan. As previously reported, the $300 Ultra-Deluxe Limited Edition of Ghosts I-IV immediately sold out its run of 2500. The $5 […]

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MAGNETIC FIELDS: I Hate California Girls

Welcome to our second homegrown Phawker TV rock music video! This week we bring you this gloriously spiteful fuzz-pop confection from Magnetic Fields’ new barbwire-kissed Distortion — a great song in search of a video, if ever we heard one. And so we worked some of our Hollywood magic. Hat’s off to The Wook for the concept and execution, you can head over to Wookified to see the uncensored version. In closing, we would just like to say ‘some gave their all’ and nobody knows that better than Paris Hilton, bless her little waxed-hairless Chihuahua heart. WORTH REPEATING: As Dorothy […]

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INSTA-REVIEW: The Breeders Mountain Battles

NOW PLAYING ON PHAWKER RADIO! WHY? BECAUSE WE LOVE YOU! BY SARA SHERR The Breeders are my favorite band of the ’90s, back when cheerleading tomboys from Ohio roamed the Earth like alt-rock glamazons in flannel. Kim Deal’s terminal coolness is as undeniable as it is Midwestern friendly and gum-crackingly accessible. Everyone feels like they could pull it off. Together with her equally gum-crackingly cool sister Kelley and a revolving cast of band members that once included Throwing Muses/Belly’s Tanya Donnelly, their harmonies were tighter than your tightest black jeans, and their weird, wonderful guitar sounds made left-field hits that […]

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