Keep Looking Up

There are a few things on TV that when I'm flipping around and I find it, I will watch all the way through...these include:

• any West Wing episode
• any episode of MythBusters
• any episode of The McLaughlin Group

and anytime Star Gazer, formerly known as Star Hustler, is on PBS.

For those not familiar with the Star Gazer/Star Hustler he is Jack Horkeimer who is the Executive Director of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium at the Miami Science Museum. More impressive than the title however is the presentation of Star Hustler which incorporates fascinating astronomy news and updates with what can best be described as "amazing" video effects.

When I was a kid, my local PBS station would play Star Gazer/Star Hustler just before they signed off for the broadcast day and each episode would end with the Horkeimer's phrase "Keep Looking Up."

Here is an example of the older Star Hustler version of his show:



Simian Mobile Disco -- Hustler
From the Attack Decay Sustain Release album.

Jay-Z -- I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me) [Unplugged Version]
From the MTV Unplugged album...and although it doesn't have "Hustler" in the title, this song should be called "I'm A Hustler" for it's well known repeated sample.

McCain and the Bridge

An interesting little thing is developing in Minnesota as potential V-P candidate Tim Pawlenty had to awkwardly disagree with John McCain this week as to the cause of the I-35 bridge collapse:

"Pawlenty is a national co-chairman of McCain's campaign and is often mentioned as a possible running mate. He stepped gingerly around the comments McCain made that the Interstate 35W bridge failure last summer could be traced to members of Congress diverting federal funds to wasteful projects.

Pawlenty said McCain's remarks were his opinion and that everyone should reserve judgment until federal investigators release findings later this year. Investigators have focused on an apparent design flaw involving beam-connecting gusset plates and construction weight above vulnerable components at the time of the failure."

Atmosphere -- That's Not Beef, That's Pork
From the Strictly Leakage album.

Happy May Day Everybody

The Libertines -- Mayday
This was a bonus track on Up the Bracket.

Elvis Perkins -- May Day
From Ash Wednesday.

Cinematic Titanic

If there was any doubt about my level of nerdiness, here is my post about Cinematic Titanic. This is every Mystery Science Theater 3000 fan's dream [short of the show properly coming back] as nearly every member of the original show is back making fun of bad movies. The first movie to get the Cin-Tit tribute is called The Oozing Skull. Here is the preview:



It looks like the next release will be The Wasp Woman which the group previewed at the USA Film Festival earlier this week.

The Go! Team -- Titanic Vandalism
From the Proof of Youth album.

The Flight to #3

After reading that the Flight of the Conchords scored a #3 record in the U.S. with their full-length debut by selling 52,000 records it is important to realize how far CD sales have fallen in the past decade...not to take away anything from the Conchords [they are great and I went out and bought the album on Tuesday like a good little fan] but at one time 'N Sync sold 2.4 million records in one week...like free Radiohead albums, those days are gone and probably not to return.

Flight of the Conchords -- Bowie
From the full-length debut.

Flight of the Conchords -- Frodo
From the Folk the World bootleg.

The Party's Over

Well, it looks like the glorious days of free Radiohead albums are coming to end according to this NME article...oh, what wonderful days they were.

Radiohead -- I Am Citizen Insane
From the Com Lag (2Plus2IsFive) EP.

Radiohead -- Fog
This is the studio version from the Knives Out, Part 2 single.

Radiohead -- Fog (Again) [Live]
This is the much better live version the Com Lag (2Plus2IsFive) EP. I think this maybe the the perfect example of who Radiohead's work transforms in the live setting...is there any better example out there?

Refreshing Honesty

The best part of this video, beyond the refreshing honesty of a 7-year old, is that his punishment is not getting to play video games for the weekend...

M83 -- Car Chase Terror
From the Before Dawn Heals Us album.

Tenacious D -- Car Chase City
From The Pick of Destiny album.

Young At Heart

If you can get over your potential Coldplay bias or the fact that this song may just be about Gwyneth Paltrow's tough life, this is an outstanding performance by the elderly singing group, Young At Heart.

New Scarlett Johansson Video

First we have the new Portishead today and now the first video from the upcoming Scarlett Johansson album of Tom Waits covers...This is called "Falling Down" and you may not notice it but at the end that is David Bowie in the background.

Tuesday is National Portishead Day

So tomorrow is the big day when the new Portishead album hits North America...It has been 3,864 days since the last proper new album [September 30, 1997 -- April 29, 2008] and the reviews seem to indicate that the album may be well worth the wait...

Portishead -- Machine Gun
From the new album Third out tomorrow.

Free Coldplay Tomorrow!

From the Coldplay HQ:

We're very pleased to announce that Coldplay's new single, 'Violet Hill', will be available as a free download exclusively from Coldplay.com for one week starting tomorrow, Tuesday April 29th, at 12.15pm UK time. This is a full week ahead of the single's conventional paid-for digital release, on Tuesday May 6th.

Then, on Wednesday May 7th, there will be a free limited edition 7-inch vinyl of 'Violet Hill' on the cover of NME magazine, backed by the exclusive B-side, 'A Spell A Rebel Yell'. You can pre-order the issue by clicking here.

Coldplay -- Don't Panic [Live on BBC Radio 1]

Coldplay -- Yellow [Acoustic]

New We Are Scientists

We are still a couple of weeks away from the new We Are Scientists album [out May 13th in North America but available as an import if you can't wait] but a single is available for download on Amazon. It is a radio edit of "After Hours" and it is typical of their power-pop awesomeness...amazingly, the word "awesomeness" is a real word in the Blogger spell check.

We Are Scientists -- After Hours [Radio Edit]
From the upcoming album Brian Trust Mastery.

Music & Lyrics: Josie Cotton "Johnny Are You Queer?"

It's hard to admit but I learned something from the Adam Corolla Show the other day. They were playing a collection of bad songs done by famous people (John Travolta's "Let Her In," etc...) and for some reason they tacked this song on the end as sort of a little known song that is great...I had never heard it but it is pretty interesting subject matter for 1982...

Johnny what's the deal boy
Is your love for real boy
When the lights are low
You never hold me close

Now I saw you today boy
Walking with them gay boys
Now you hurt me so, now I gotta know
Johnny are you queer?

'Cause when I see you dancing with your friends
I can't help wondering where I stand

I'm so afraid I'll lose you
If I can't seduce you
Is there something wrong?
Johnny come on strong.

Why are you so weird, boy?
Johny are you queer boy?
When I make a play
You're pushing me away

Johnny, are you queer?
'Cause when I see you dancing with your friends
I can't help wondering where I stand

Johnny you've forsaken
A love you could be takin'
I want to give it to you,
But you never come through

Oh, why are you so weird, boy?
Johnny, are you queer boy?
When you asked for a date
I thought that you were straight.
But Johnny, are you queer?

Johnny, are you queer boy?
Johnny, are you queer boy?
Johnny, are you queer boy?

Hey Johny.. Johny are you.. you know...

Josie Cotton -- Johnny, Are You Queer?
From the Convertible Music album.

Is This the End?

So I guess this is the end of the Madden curse?

Elvis Costello -- Green Shirt
From the Very Best of Elvis Costello.

New Turin Brakes Video

Mail

Send your music the old fashioned way to this post office box:

Matt Flaten
P.O. Box 237
Colfax, WI 54730

"Sea-" Megapost

So I am searching for something to write about for my mega post but I'm coming up empty...so let's do the big news here in Seattle: the Seattle Seahawks released Shaun Alexander today and I think everybody was a little surprised. First the Sonics, now Shaun...at least it gave me an idea for my mega post...

Eugene Mirman -- Seattle, Steakhouse
From the Absurd Nighclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman album.

The Kooks -- Seaside
From the Inside In/Inside Out album.

Nirvana -- Mexican Seafood
From the Incesticide album.

Black Lips -- Sea of Blasphemy
From the Los Valientes del Mundo Nuevo live album.

Cat Power -- Sea of Love
From The Covers Record record.

Ella Fitzgerald -- Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
From the 75th Anniversary boxset.

Mott the Hoople -- Sea Diver
From the All the Young Dudes album...one of Juno's favorite.

The Wedding Present -- Ringway to Seatac
From the Live at KEXP, Vol. 2 album.

Marcy Playground -- The Shadow of Seattle
From the Marcy Playground album.

Queen -- Seven Seas of Ryhe
From the Greatest Hits collection.

Bobby Darin -- Beyond the Sea
From the Goodfellas soundtrack.

Weinland -- Curse of the Sea
From the La Lamentor album.

Echo & the Bunnymen -- Seven Seas
From the Ocean Rain album.

The Futureheads -- Back to the Sea
From the News and Tributes album.

Modest Mouse -- March into the Sea
From the We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank album.

Bruce Springsteen -- Seaside Bar Song
From the Tracks boxset.

Feist -- Sealion
From the The Reminder album.

Travis -- The Sea
From the Re-offender single.

Coldplay -- Swallowed by the Sea
From the X&Y album.

Chavez -- The Ghost By the Sea
From the Better Days Will Haunt You collection.

British Sea Power -- Waving Flags
From the Do You Like Rock Music? album.

Doves -- Down to Sea
From the Lost Sides collection.

Margot & the Nuclear So and So's -- A Sea Chanty of Sorts
From The Dust of Retreat album.

Low -- Long Way Around the Sea
From the Christmas album.

Mclusky -- Bipolar Bears Take Seattle
From the Mcluskyism collection.

E-mail

So I received an email from Hillary Clinton last night...read for yourself:

"Dear Matthew,

Thanks to you, we won a critically important victory tonight in Pennsylvania. It's a giant step forward that will transform the landscape of the presidential race. And it couldn't have happened without you.

There will be much more to do beginning tomorrow. But tonight, let's just celebrate the fact that you and I are part of a remarkable community of people tough enough, passionate enough, and determined enough to win big when everything is on the line.

Thanks so much for all you do.

Sincerely,

Hillary Rodham Clinton"

For a long time I have tried to be positive about this election but I think I have reached my limit. "The Landscape" has not changed. Hillary cannot win the nomination [although I have no doubt she could win the election.] Tonight Hillary won 52 delegates and Obama won 46...and Hillary whooped his ass by 10% points! A few more percentage points and we are talking about using the "L" word...landslide. But that was tonight...in two weeks we have North Carolina and Indiana in which Obama is polling ahead in both states. What happens when Obama wins two more states?...nothing. Hillary will continue on until the convention no matter what.

Nirvana -- Endless, Nameless
From the With The Lights Out boxset.

Muse -- Endlessly
From the Absolution album.

2:42 Mega Post

Wired's music blog Listening Post asks the question "Is 2:42 the perfect song length?"

The post's author Eliot Van Buskirk lists these songs as running 2:42...

King Missile: "Jesus Was Way Cool"
Boards of Canada: "Sherbet Head"
The Fall: "Neighborhood of Infinity"
Galaxie 500: "Leave the Planet"
Sonic Youth: "Providence"
Smog: "Your Wedding"
Lee "Scratch" Perry: "Yakety Yak"

Not exactly the classics I was hoping for...here are the songs from my collection that run 2:42.

Highlights include two of my favorite songs "God Only Knows" by the Beach Boys and "Walk Away Renee" by The Left Banke...there maybe something to this after all!

The Kooks -- Always Where I Need To Be
From the new album Konk.

Pete Yorn -- Man in Uniform
From the Day I Forgot album.

The Zombies -- Is This the Dream [Mono Version]
From the I Love You album.

Weezer -- American Gigolo
From the underrated Maladroit album.

Weezer -- I Just Threw Out the Love Of My Dreams

The Rolling Stones -- We're Wastin' Time
From the Metamorphosis collection.

R.B. Greaves -- Take a Letter Maria
From the album called...wait for it...R.B. Greaves.

Belle & Sebastian -- Legal Man
From the Legal Man single.

The Electric Soft Parade -- Stupid Mistake
From The Human Body EP.

The Platters -- Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
From the 20 Best of Doo Wop collection.

The Hives -- Fall Is Just Something Grownups Invented
Available as a single on iTunes.

The Beatles -- Lovely Rita
From Sgt. Peppers.

Deerhoof -- Scream Team
From the Runners Four album.

Marvin Gaye -- This Love Starved Heart of Mine (It's Killing Me)
From the Summer of Motown collection.

The Damned -- New Rose
From the Damned Damned Damned album.

The Kinks -- David Watts
From the Kink Kronikles album.

The Dave Clark Five -- Glad All Over
From The Hits collection.

The Cribs -- I'm Alright Me
From The New Fellas album.

Sebadoh -- Rockstar
From the III album.

Gorillaz -- 5/4
From the 1st Gorillaz album.

Johnny Greenwood -- Future Markets
From the There Will Be Blood soundtrack.

The Beach Boys -- Don't Worry Baby
From the Made in the U.S.A. collection.

Franz Ferdinand -- You Could Have It So Much Better
From the album of the same name.

Bruce Springsteen -- From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come)
From the Essential Bruce Springsteen.

Tenacious D -- Car Chase City
From The Pick of Destiny soundtrack.

Crystal Castles vs. HEALTH -- Alice Practice
From the Crimewave single.

The Mamas & The Papas -- California Dreamin'
From the If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears album.

The Beatles -- Nowhere Man
From the Rubber Soul album.

Nine Inch Nails -- 10 Ghosts II
From the Ghosts I-IV album.

Dusty Springfield -- What Do You Do When Love Dies?
From the Dusty in Memphis album.

Elvis Presley -- Love Me Tender
From the Essential Elvis Presley collection.

The Association -- No Fair At All
From The Association's Greatest Hits.

The Vines -- Vision Valley
From the album of the same name.

Dinah Washington -- Unforgettable
From the album of the same name.

Glen Campbell -- By the Time I Get to Phoenix
From the Rhinestone Cowboy album.

The White Stripes -- It's True That We Love One Another
From the Elephant album.

Billy Bragg & Wilco -- Christ for President
From the first Mermaid Avenue album.

Black Oak Arkansas -- Jim Dandy
From the Dazed and Confused soundtrack

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers -- Don't Do Me Like That
From their Greatest Hits collection.

The Stone Roses -- The Hardest Thing in the World
From The Complete Stone Roses collection.

Simon & Garfunkel -- Homeward Bound
From the Greatest Hits collection.

Hole -- Celebrity Skin
From the album of the same name.

The Moody Blues -- I Don't Want to Go On Without You
From The Singles colelction.

The Who -- Squeeze Box
From The Ultimate collection.

The Ramones -- Pinhead
From the Loud, Fast Ramones: Their Toughest Hits collection.

The Kinks -- Nothin' in the World Can Stop Me Worryin' 'Bout That Girl
From the Rushmore soundtrack.

The Beach Boys -- God Only Knows [Mono Version]
From the Pet Sounds Sessions boxset.

The Black Lips -- Lock & Key
From the Good Bad Not Evil album.

Mates of State -- Gotta Get a Problem
From the Team Boo album.

M. Ward -- Green River [CCR cover]
From the Green River single.

Ol' Dirty Bastard -- Shimmy Shimmy Ya
From The Dirty Story -- Best of ODB collection.

The Turtles -- Grim Reaper of Love
From the 20 Greatest Hits collection.

Harry Nilsson -- Let the Good Times Roll
From the Nilsson Schmilsson album.

Moby Grape -- Someday
From the Moby Grape album.

The Left Banke -- Walk Away Renee
From There's Gonna Be a Storm collection.

Happy Birthday to Us

This week marks the 1-Year anniversary of You Are So Relevant and I must admit I am excited that CS and I have kept this thing going for so long...so this week I will be posting "Mega Posts" in honor of our special day...

Thanks for your support and comments over the past year!