Mayo On The Side

Since Ryan Adams disbanded the Cardinals and married a certain Mandy Moore earlier this year, things have been quiet on the music front.

He's been rubbing mayonnaise on his poorly knee and considered braiding his chest hair (well, according to his Tweets he has).

But, now two of his crazy side projects have re-surfaced with new tunes and new sites. Don't expect your usual Ryan material here, if you're familiar with his other side projects The Shits or DJ Reggie, you'll know what to expect. Let the madness commence. . .



Werewolph

The satanic pizza eating band. All pretty good tunes, with 'Mega Wizards' even sounding like it's Ryan singing it.

Tracklisting:

1. Dead People Unite
2. Evil Weekend
3. Mega Wizards

Head on over to the Werewolph website to hear the tunes.

Sleazy Handshake

The band with the cat with pizza eyes as their mascot. Loving the Egyptian theme of the picture. Tunes sound as sleazy as you'd expect.

Tracklisting:

1. Brain Fart Wind Tunnel
2. Lick Me
3. Mr Smartypants
4. Oops Who Farted
5. Yes

Head on over to the Sleazy Handshake website to hear the tunes.

It's good to hear Ryan kicking back and writing some crazy jams again. Catch up with him at his new website Ryanada.ms.

Name In Stone

Do actors make good musicians? It certainly seems to have worked for Jason Schwartzman and Zooey Deschanel, but not so well for Scarlett Johansson and Keanu Reeves. Ryan Gosling is the latest actor who it seems to be working well for.

He and Zach Shields make up Dead Man's Bones, who will be releasing their debut album, 'Never Let a Lack of Talent Get You Down', later this year on their own Werewolf Heart label.

This 'live in a cemetery' video for 'Name In Stone' recently surfaced on the internet. It features the duo, as well as the L.A. Inner Mass Choir and The Silverlake Conservatory of Music Children's Choir. The song sounds lovely and haunting, with the video adding an extra dimension to the 'feel' of the music.

You can download a free live mp3 of 'In The Room Where You Sleep' here.

All You Did Was Save My Life

Our Lady Peace will be releasing their seventh studio album in the near future. Our Lady Peace.net has been teasing and taunting us for the past month or so with the album cover and recently lyrics for 'All You Did' as well as a small in studio video.

The album, entitled 'Burn Burn', is produced by singer Raine Maida and is said to go back to the sound of their first release, 'Naveed'. I really can't wait to hear the new tunes. This band has played a BIG part in my life over the years and are one of those few bands that can speak to your heart and soul.

I found this video on YouTube tonight. It's from a show the band played in March and is one of the first airings of this song.

One by One

I'm loving this song by Joseph Arthur so much at the moment. I wanted to post some of the lyrics on here, but couldn't choose just one part, so have posted the whole song.

I first heard the song when it was first streamed on his blog last year and loved it from the first listen. The live versions are absolutely spell binding, here's one that was performed in France last year. Check out audience interaction (it'll raise the hairs on the back of your neck). Really hope he tours the UK soon.

'One by One'

Nights like this get twisted
When the light hits the frame
If you don't wanna be resisted
It's good to feel your pain

Smile when the camera holds you
With its evil knife
Burn your edges and make your mark
With the gift of your life

You always look at me
And then you look away
As I pretend to stay

Mannequins drinking bourbon
On a street with the same name
Little kids singing songs
Before they find out about the flame

One by one they tear stars out of the sky
And one by one throw them back
'cept for now there's a wish behind each
As one by one they turn black

You always look at me
And then you look away
As I pretend to stay

[One by one they turn black]
We are too late
[One by one they turn black]
We are too late
[One by one they turn black]
To go back there now
[One by one they turn black]

I can't hear you darling
Underneath your strange cough
Wearing your skin-tight outfit
Only you could pull off

It's hard to know where you're going
Or even where you stand
When you're running or you're burning out
In the promised land

Roses fill up dusty glasses
Drunk in the lungs of your dreams
Blooming inside cadavers dancing
And zombies coming clean

[One by one they turn black]
We are too late
[One by one they turn black]
We are too late
[One by one they turn black]
To go back there now
[One by one they turn black]

One by one they turn black
One by one they turn black
One by one they turn black
One by one they turn black

(C) Joseph Arthur.

Moon On A Stick. . .

Since the return of a certain Stewart Lee to our television screens recently, I've been looking around the web at old Lee & Herring clips from the likes of Fist Of Fun and This Morning With Richard Not Judy. Both classic comedy shows that I grew up with, which are probably partly responsible for my warped sense of humour today.

Richard Herring is currently on tour in the UK and while looking around on You Tube, I came across this hilarious clip of him dealing with a heckler at one of his stand up gigs. It truly is priceless, enjoy. . .

Coconut Records

It's been a bit quiet around here I know, but I've got a few questions for you...

Have you heard of Jason Schwatzman?

You may have seen him in films like Rushmore, I Heart Huckabees or The Darjeeling Limited.

But did you know that he was the original drummer in a band called Phantom Planet who are probably best known for their song 'California' as it's the theme for The O.C.

More importantly though, did you know that he's now in a band called Coconut Records?

Well, it's more of a solo project with a band name. The debut album by Coconut Records 'Nighttiming' was released in 2007 and was one of my favorite records that year. Originally it was released as a download only, but when the CD came out and you ordered it from Young Baby Records you even got a one of a kind Polaroid taken by Jason with the album. There were also bonus tracks, which were most of the album in demo or alternate form. Great, independent stuff.

Thankfully this wasn't a one-off. It's just been announced that Coconut Records will be releasing a new album in January, called 'Davy'. First single, 'Microphone' is available as a free download now from Amie Street, where they will donate $1 for each download to the Mr Holland's Opus Foundation, which donates new and refurbished musical instruments to undeserved schools, community music programs and individual students in America. Pretty cool if you ask me.

You can also isten to it here, there's not much to watch though:

Creepy Doll

Neil Gaiman is one of my all time favourite authors. His writing style and imagination never fail to draw me into his world whenever I read anything by him. Amercan Gods, Stardust, Good Omens (with Terry Pratchett) are all wonderful books, not to mention the awesome Sandman comic series and so much more, it's so hard to pick a favourite.

Recently he made a guest appearence at a Jonathon Coulton show in Manchester where they performed 'Creepy Doll', a song from Coulton's 'Thing For A Week' album.

Gaiman did a spoken word version of the second verse. The lyrics work really well this way and almost sound like something Gaiman would have written himself. I'm currently reading 'The Graveyard Book', his latest novel and really loving it.

Here's a clip of 'Creepy Doll' with Mr Gaiman...

You can download the annoyingly catchy 'Creepy Doll' here.