Courtney Love

Courtney Love is out and about again with a performance at a Gay & Lesbian benefit in L.A. Fansite, Moonwashedrose.com, offers the following mp3s from the show. Other guests included Linda Perry and Billy Corgan.

Sunset Marquis

PCH

Rhiannon

You can watch two vids of the show on YouTube...

And, while you're there, why not check out Courtney's stand up performance at Pamela Anderson's toast and roast...

Smokey & Miho

Smokey and Miho are an unusual mix of styles but it all comes together so naturally. This dynamic duo consists of Miho Hatori, of Cibo Matto fame, and Beck guitarist, Smokey Hormel. Have a listen to the mp3 below, thanks to Midheaven and head over to Amazon.com to buy the compilation of their only two EP's.

Blue Glasses

Jim Carrey 'Somebody to Love'

I'm gonna start listing off some of the best karaoke performances in movies. These will be done in no particular order. I'm kicking it off with one of my personal favourites, Jim Carrey doing Jefferson Airplane's 'Somebody to Love' in The Cable Guy. Stay tuned for Bill Murray and Cameron Diaz...

Jim Carrey - Somebody to Love

Regina Spektor

Regina Spektor seems to have entered the mainstream out of nowhere. I knew a couple of people that used to rave about her old albums, saying she was a cross between Fiona Apple and Emiliana Torrini and that she was completely ignored and under-rated. I don't know whether it's just because a couple of her songs have appeared on Grey's Anatomy or whether it's because Triple J are plugging her like crazy or whether it's because she's now signed on with the Shoplifter Records label. Maybe it's just the beauty of word of mouth. Either way, I'm happy, cause she's EVERYWHERE.

Us

Pound Of Flesh

Fidelity

Lacrimosa

The Music Of Angel

Ok, so you may think this is lame, but I think this list is warranted. Angel has had some great tunes on it, not just songs which were featured, but also, thanks to Caritas, the Karaoke bar, there are a few original performances of some classic songs. Most of these are done by Lorne, played by Andy Hallett, a charming and charismatic performer who got his acting break when he was discovered by Joss Whedon. Here are a couple of songs he's sung throughout the show, thanks to My Dear Angel. If anyone has a track of him singing I Will Survive or I Left My Heart In San Fransico, please email me.

Lady Marmalade

It's Not Easy Being Green

Another star who steals the show is Christian Kane, of the band named 'Kane', who plays Linsday, Angel's enemy, polar opposite and, let's face it, love bunny. He does a great performance of a song that he wrote, 'L.A. Song', in one of my favourite episodes, 'Dead End', or more commonly known as 'the evil hand episode'. Thanks to the website, Evil Hand Issues, who have posted this song on their site, as well as a few more by Christian.

L.A. Song

And, last, but certainly not least, here are a few songs which were featured in the background over the years. Thanks go to Mandimoo.com and Scott Heiferman.

Vast - Touched

Rob Zombie - Living Dead Girl

Outkast - Ms Jackson

Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood

Young People

Why do people ignore Young People? No, I don't mean you JDs out there, I mean the band. Why are they not all over the net?! I have listened to their album, All At Once, about a thousand times. Katie Eastburn has the most incredible voice. Here are a few mp3s I could find. Thanks to Idolator and Dreams of Horses.

F
Dark Rainbow
Forget

kvrx Local Live archives have a couple of live tracks which are awesome...

Ask The Dust
Unknown

Their official site also offers a few more songs that aren't on their album.

4 Nellie McKay Live Shows

NellieMcKay.org serves up four great recordings of Nellie McKay from 2003/04. Here are some highlights...

Hounddog

Sari

Manhattan Ave

While you're at it, check out a couple of songs from her latest album, Pretty Little Head...

Long and Lazy River

Colombia Is Bleeding

Live Dive Archive

The Acousticwoodlands offers live gigs for you to download, of Joanna Newsom (highly recommended!) and M. Ward from 2004.

And I thought I would take this opportunity for some shameless self promotion...
I've started a Joanna Newsom website, Run With My Pack, which includes links to the live shows mentioned above and much, much more! Feel free to check it out...

Cold War Kids

RollingStone.com gives CWK's new album, Robbers and Cowards, 4 stars in this review, by Jonathon Ringen.

Listen to these covers from their official website...

• Tom Waits' I Don't Wanna Grow Up
• Fiona Apple's Fast As You Can

Download their lastest album, Robbers and Cowards at Meganova.org.

...or if you're not into downloading torrents, here are some mp3s for ya...

The We Used To Vacation EP:

• We Used To Vacation
• Harmony In Silver
• Expensive Tastes
• Quiet Please!

From the new album, Robbers and Cowards:

• Hang Me Out To Dry
• Robbers
• Red Wine, Success

Nirvana covers

In honour of the release of About a Son, a film based around audio interview tracks of Kurt Cobain, I thought I'd get together some covers of Nirvana songs...

Animal Collective - Polly

Cibo Matto - About A Girl

Hole - Pennyroyal Tea

Matthew Sweet - Lithium

Paul Anka - Smells Like Teen Spirit

Polyphonic Spree - Lithium

Rogue Wave - On A Plain

Natalia Zukerman on The L Word

My favourite Natalia Zukerman song is featured in the Season Three finale, in the background while Alice makes an on-air rant about gay marriage. Here's what she says...

"I want to believe, my friends. Believe me, I do. Cause my friend Shane is getting married this weekend and I wanna believe for Shane and I wanna believe for all of the rest of us who are flailing around in this abyss trying to feel what we are supposed to feel in order to connect in meaningful ways. I wanna believe that real, true connection among human beings is actually possible. And supposedly, marriage connects us, I mean, supposedly it improves our moral fibre and all. Which begs the question, I mean, why do these crazy, creepy, defending the family crusaders think it's a bad thing for gays? I mean, why can't they just wish us well? Hypocrites. Cause we're going to Canada people, whether you like it or not. To take our best shot at this connection. And if we fail, it is not because we are less wholesome than you are. Please, i mean, you guys have been failing at this since the beginning of recorded history. But if we succeed and our love connections actually florish and there's a little less lonliness in the world, then even I might start believing in miracles."

I found a live show of Natalia's to download on a random site which was really good, but I can't find it now. She chats a little with the audience in between songs and I swear she is a dead ringer for Alice. They sound exactly the same, exactly. Maybe they're just from the same neighbourhood and both happen to be gay so they do the same thing with their accent (apoligies to Natalia if she's not gay - I'm just assuming). Anyway, it's a great episode of a great show and one of my favourite songs features in one of my favourite scenes. And this all has a special relevance for me, as I dedicate this posting to Dac and Joe, on their way to Canada to become Mrs and Mrs Morlard. Congratulations guys!

Here are a couple of Natalia mp3s, Little Heart is the one that was on The L Word and there's more available on her official site.

Little Heart

Southern Wind

Erase Errata to tour Australia and NZ!

Here are the tour dates, get your tickets now, only a week to go!

Thursday, Nov 16 @ Transit Bar, Canberra
Friday, Nov 17 @ Spectrum, Sydney
Saturday, Nov 18 @ East Brunswick Club, Melbourne
Monday, Nov 20 @ The Rosemount Hotel, Perth
Wednesday, Nov 22 @ Rocket Bar, Adelaide
Thursday, Nov 23 @ Powerhouse, Brisbane - part of LADYFEST!
Saturday, Nov 25 Wellington
Sunday, Nov 26 Auckland

One Minute/Marathon

Theo Bleckmann

The Tofu hut describes Theo Bleckmann as "Equal parts transgressively avant garde, respectfully traditional and puckishly inventive" and offers two of his songs to download...

Teacher's Pet

Chim Chim Cheree

Devendra Banhart Live @ SPIN

The SPIN Magazine website has a
feature on Devendra Banhart, with Quicktime videos of him performing 5 songs, mostly from his 2004 album, Rejoicing In Hands, plus an interview...

A Sight To Behold

This Is The Way

This Beard Is For Siobhan

At The Hop

Michigan State

Interview

It's facinating to view Devendra in action, you can never really get the full picture just from audio tracks. Hearing him talk about his music, acid, rose petals and good vibes is swell, and so is that jacket.

AIR Chart Awards

The Australian Independent Records Label Association has announced the first ever AIR Chart Awards. Dominating the nominations are the Hilltop Hoods, who are riding an ever-increasing wave of success at the moment, with post-ARIA buzz. I was thrilled to see The Grates' 'The Ouch The Touch' EP nominated for Best Performing Indepedent Single/EP, as that is their best, often overlooked release. They have recently returned from a tour of the UK and Patience, the band's lead singer, appeared on Spicks & Specks. The rest of the nominees are on the AIR website. Here's a couple of mp3s to keep you going until the winners are announced at the end of November.

Hilltop Hoods - Dumb Enough

The Grates - Sukkafish

Flashback: The White Stripes Live 2003

Music blog, Who's Driving The Bus? has posted mp3s for a White Stripes gig in Boston from April 2003. I figured I'd give it a mention in anticipation of their new album, Aluminium, due to be released yesterday. Where are the torrents peoples?! Check out the September 18th 2006 posting for the tracks.

And while you're at it, check out Hannah Simpson's blog Cakeyvoice, if only for her knitted tributes to music and film. Here's the ones she did of the White Stripes...

Cat Power Live

Outstanding, Boston-based blog, Bradley's Almanac has posted mp3s of an entire Cat Power gig! She performed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston on 5th September 2006 with her usual style of stopping and starting songs randomly but... hey, she's definately worth it, and the audience seemed to think so... It was posted on 30th October 2006.

Jeff Hanson

His voice is often mistaken for a female's and he is constantly compared to Elliott Smith, something that is hard for me to hear considering my adoration of Elliott. Still, I think Jeff does a bang up job just being himself. I haven't had the pleasure of hearing a whole album of his but from what I have heard so far...

He offers bitter-sweet folk songs, each with a heavy vail of sadness over tunes that are bubbly enough not to weigh you down. Ok, yes, similar to Elliott in that way.

This Time It Will

Hiding Behind The Moon

Just Like Me

Welcome Here

Someone Else