DJ Dave's Upcoming Music Picks

Well folks, DJ Dave here, and as I was browsing my dear blogo-net I couldn't help but notice that there is some amazing music coming down the pipe from some bands that you may not have heard of. Now, I realize that my music picks are often criticized, even villified. Heck, I've had my mix cds used for frisbees. Just ask Adrian, my taste in music can only be described as acquired. But, as a frontliner, life-on-the-edge, thrill-seeker with an eye for the cutting edge of trendiness, you tend to put your neck on the chopping block. Anyway. Not bitter. That being said, here are my picks for exciting new music.

Bloc Party -- Here's the video for "I Still Remember" from their upcoming cd "A Weekend In the City" (Feb. 6). Check it out. I predict these guys will be the next Coldplay. But hey, I also predicted that America wasn't ready to accept Will Ferrell as a movie star.



The Shins -- "Wincing the Night Away" (January 23). Okay, so this cd came out last week. Deal. Anyway. It's good. Really good. It's the kind of cd that you can put on and forget about. It won't offend you and that says a lot. If you're working and looking to listen (or not) to some calm, pretty pop music, you'll love it. Plus the song writing is great and the melodies are a delight. Ch-ch-check out the video from the first single "Phantom Limb"



Modest Mouse -- "We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank" (March 20). Not such a sunny title but a very sunny first single in "Dashboard." It sounds like they want to get played on the radio again after the surprising success of the ubiquitous "Float On." Plus they've added former Smiths guitarist/living legend Johnny Marr to their lineup. I don't know if they'll be able to capture the ears of radio again but it's definitely worth checking out or at least illegally downloading. Video for "Dashboard" isn't available yet but here's my favorite song of the last record.



The Good The Bad And The Queen -- Self titled (January 23). Calling them a supergroup would be an understatement. Blur/Gorillaz Damon Albarn, The Clash's Paul Simonon, The Verve's Simon Tong and Nigerian funk master Tony Allen comprise this new band. Oh yeah, and super producer Danger Mouse is producing. Wow. Just check out this dark cd for some gloomy rock at its best. Here they are in the kitchen.



Clap Your Hands Say Yeah -- Some Loud Thunder (January 30). These guys make weird, twisted pop. Voices and guitars are way out of tune but the songs are undeniably catchy and strangely beautiful. Here they've enlisted producer Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Phantom Planet) to elevate their sound and it appears that it worked. Check out the video for "Over and Over Again (lost and found)" from their last record.



Peter Bjorn and John -- Writer's Block (February 6). I haven't been this excited about a record coming out in a long time. These guys are Swedish and they rule. They make lovely music that sounds both modern and old at the same time. When I first heard them I thought they were from the 60s but really ahead of their time. Turns out I was wrong but I think that description is kind of a great compliment. Plus, how often does whistling sound this cool?



Well music fans, that's all I've got for you. I guarantee that at least one of these records will make your day. Hope you enjoy. Happy listening!

cant get it out of my head

Soyjoy..... ENJOY....

Seriously - they need to run this commercial 'as is' here in the US

I've seen the future...

And it's not pretty. From the same people who brought you the ever popular Monk-e-mail comes this crystal ball to create hilarious pictures of yourself as a cane-toting, rascal-scooting curmudgeon... If you dare.

Tom Cruise: Dress Casual

Wow. Ben Stiller show. Amigoblanco, you've inspired me.

Manson

Caption Contest Time!

Can't leave caption contests alone the game needs me. Post your best in the comments section.

You Won't Believe This, But I'm Actually On A Crowded Elevator Right Now

Oh, hey David. No, it's a fine time. Always got time for you, my man. Dave. How's that lady I saw you with on Saturday? No shit. You're something else, my friend. Really something. Oh, that? That was just the second floor. Yeah, you won't believe this, but I'm actually on this crowded elevator right now. Yeah, it's totally crazy. We're packed like sardines in here.

Dude, I can hardly move. That's why it took me four rings to pick up. I was, like, trying to jam my hand down into my pocket without touching this woman's ass in front of me. Everyone was probably like, "Who's playing 'Ice Ice Baby'?" 'Cause of my ringtone. Yeah, it's really, really funny. Vanilla Ice. What? Yes, you do. It went, "ding ding ding da-da ding-ding." Come on! Listen: "ding ding ding da-da ding-ding, ding ding ding-ding doo-doo doo-doo doo." Call me back and you can hear—wait, that wouldn't work. Anyway.

Yeah, I get great service. Mm, I think like $40. Only two bars, but you can hear me fine, right? I'll speak up.

Yeah, pretty good. Well, the Tiffany thing's not going so well. I don't know. All of a sudden, she got uptight on me. I'm gonna lay low for a week or two, and then see what's up. But damn, those pantsuits she wears. I mean... Holy shit.

God, there's so many people. I'm right in the center, too. What ever happened to the concept of personal space?

Shit, this elevator has gotta be over the weight limit. I'll be lucky if I make it without plummeting to my death. Wait! What's that sound?! Ahhh! Dave, call 911! Heh heh. No? Not even for a second? Oh well.

Problem is, the elevator always fills up with all these people from the law firms in the building. I know. I'm the one who works around them. What? Maybe. Try me. Mm, how many? Heh heh. "How many can you afford?" Dude, that's so true.

Halfway there. Sixty-first floor.

Isn't it weird how everyone stares forward in an elevator. Just like zombies. "Brains!" What? I know. It's stopping at every fucking floor. I don't even know what's on half these floors. There's this cafeteria on 30, so a couple people got off, but then like a dozen people got on.

Hey, isn't it funny how you make gestures when you're on the phone, even though the person on the other end can't see them? Like, I just did this zombie face, even though there's no way you could see it. Yeah, I saw it. It sucked rod.

One sec. Let me switch hands again.

Christ, I'm sweating like a pig... I can smell myself.

Nah, I just grabbed a sandwich. Shit, I'm gonna be late. Dave, let me put you on speaker for a second while I unwrap this bad boy. I got a pastrami melt and the smell is just irre-fucking-sistible. No, Luigi's. Fried onions, totally.

Mmmf. So damn good.

I should get one of those headsets, but people who use those things look like such assholes. Mmmmm!

Okay, I'm here. Okay, cool. Yeah, I'll call you tomorrow.

Spiders on Drugs

Impossible is the opposite of possible

Creator of Ramen Dies

Momofuku Ando, Japanese inventor of instant noodles, dies at 96

TOKYO (AP) — Momofuku Ando, the Japanese inventor of instant noodles, has died, according to Nissin Food Products Co., the company he founded. He was 96.
Ando died of a heart attack on Friday, Nissin said in a statement posted Saturday on its corporate website.
He was born in Taiwan in 1910, when the island was under Japanese colonial rule. He moved to Japan in 1933, according to Japan's daily Mainichi newspaper.
Faced with food shortages in post World War II Japan, Ando developed the idea that a quality, convenient noodle product would help feed the masses. He founded Nissin in 1948.
In 1958, "Chicken Ramen," the first instant noodle product, was introduced after many trials. Following its success, the company continued to add innovative products, including "Cup Noodle" in 1971.
"The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum" opened in 1999 in Ikeda City in western Japan commemorating his inventions.
The company's products even went into space when Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi took instant noodles in a pouch called "Space Ram" on his 2005 mission on board the U.S. space shuttle Discovery.
Ando was a keen promoter of developing food for space travel, Nissin said.
Ando gave a 30-minute speech at the company's New Year ceremony and enjoyed Chicken Ramen for lunch with Nissin employees on Thursday before falling ill, Japan's largest daily Yomiuri said.
Ando is survived by his wife Masako, two sons and a daughter.

Urinal Thief Still At Large

Police hunt pub urinal thief

LONDON (Reuters) - British police said Friday they were hunting a man who stole a urinal from a pub toilet.

The suspect walked into the Royal Oak pub in Southampton, on the English south coast, ordered half a pint of beer and then made several visits to the men's toilet.

There he carefully removed a white urinal from the wall, stuffed it into a rucksack and was captured on closed circuit television walking out with the bulging sack on his back.

"He made a very, very expert job of dismantling it from the wall and turning the water off. A very professional job," landlord Alan Dreja said in a video posted on the Southampton Daily Echo newspaper's Web site.

A police spokesman said the thief may have been a tradesman.

"One of the theories is the guy is some sort of cut-price plumber who is going round and stealing parts to order," he said.


Maybe they should start using this guy as a deterrent.

Sun sets on the OC

This is a real drag. But for those of us who spent many Thursday nights with Seth, Ryan, Summer and Wood Head, things will never be quite the same.

I know my favorite OC moment has to be the first Chrismukha episode when Seth is juggling his two dates Summer and Anna. Share some of your favorite OC memories with us.

Sun setting on "The O.C." next month
By Kimberly Nordyke
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Fox has pulled the plug on "The O.C," which collapsed in the ratings this season.
The network said Wednesday the teen soap will end its four-season run next month. New episodes will air in the show's ultra-competitive 9-10 p.m. slot every Thursday through the series finale February 22.
So far this season, the show is averaging about 4.1 million total viewers, less than half of what it garnered during its debut season, according to Nielsen Media Research. Last season it averaged 5.7 million.
"The O.C." got off to a promising start in August 2003, garnering plenty of buzz with its attractive cast. But at the start of Season 2, Fox moved the show to Thursday nights, where it faced an uphill battle and never recovered. Before this season began, Fox said it was cutting its order of episodes.
The show, which follows a group of friends and families whose lives were changed by the arrival of an outsider (Benjamin McKenzie) to the chic California community of Newport Beach, recently saw some cast changes. Mischa Barton's character was killed off at the end of last season, and Autumn Reeser and Willa Holland came on board as regulars.
The other original cast members still on board include Peter Gallagher, Kelly Rowan, Adam Brody, Melinda Clarke and Rachel Bilson.
During its four seasons on the air, "The O.C." also generated buzz around the indie music featured in its episodes and spawned six soundtracks.
"This feels like the best time to bring the show to its close," said creator/executive producer Josh Schwartz. "Thanks to the hard work of our cast, crew and writers, we have enjoyed our best season yet, and what better time to go out than creatively on top."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

From The Onion

How Did I End Up On The Cover Of This Romance Novel?

Last week at the supermarket, while shopping for my weekly supply of three dozen eggs and 12 pounds of mutton, I spotted a rack near the checkout...

Cool Link to a Free Talib Kweli CD

Download an entire cd from two of hip hops most most innovative artists, Talib Kweli and Madlib for free here. Thought you should know.

CarryOn or Courtney Love?

The following list of New Year's resolutions belong either to a CarryOn employee or rock star/mother/train wreck Courtney Love. Can you guess which one's belong to Ms. Love?

1. get cd out within th enext month - arpil latest.


2. I resolve to give up beets and malted milk balls. I hate them both and am encouraged that this resolution is obtainable in 2007.


3. become a women of limitless selfr esteem
   
4. Start referring to myself in the third person.


5. In 2007 I want to become more financially ‘savvy’ and get myself out of my college debt.
   
6. listen to Linda and relax and let the people who would see me fail walk in peace dont feed myself any vitriol from them


7. dont peek at tabloids and bad websites, as it absouloutly shatters the Law to make that cause agiants yourself.


8. Wear my retainers every night.


9. dont go to nightclubs with 19 year olds.


10. My resolution is to start a 401K and move all my savings into an ING account.


11. STOP SMOKING GO TO HYPNI THERAPY AND JUST DAMM WELL STOP, LIFE IS MYC HOICE AND I WILL DIE FROM SMOKING UNLESS I CHOOSE TO STOP.
    
    Check your answers here