Author Archives: Emilio Pérez Miguel

Tenacious D Returns With A New Video: “Tenacious D – To Be The Best”

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Tenacious D, the duo that once proclaimed itself as "greater than the Beatles, the Stones and Zeppelin combined" is back with a new album this May

I’m sure many of you last heard of Tenacious D when they released the film “The Pick Of Destiny” and it’s accompanying soundtrack album in 2006. Both that film and album met with critical indifference, and the subsequent tour was a commercial failure.
But the duo made up by the mercurial Jack Black and Kyle Gass has remained active as a performing unit all this time, and now they’re finally releasing a new album. It’s coming out on May 15th 2012, and it goes by the suitable name of “Rize Of The Fenix”.

To pave the way for their latest record, the band has recently uploaded a mockumentary to its VEVO channel that explains what they’ve been up to until now. It begins with Kyle’s breakdown after the failure of “The Pick Of Destiny”, his subsequent incarceration, and Black’s embracement of the grand Hollywood lifestyle…  but the two former colleagues are reunited before long. I don’t want to spoil it for you, watch the clip below. It’s definitely worth the six minutes it lasts.

Oh, and see how many stars you can spot. Val Kilmer, Dave Grohl (who was the devil on “The Pick Of Destiny”), Tim Robbins… these Tenacious D folks sure know how to keep illustrious company.

The First Video By Uruguayan Band Gamepad Nes Punk

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Gamepad Nes Punk

There’s two ways to make music using a Nintendo-related device.

The first involves using a Gameboy:

And the second, a gamepad:

Cool, innit?

What you have just watched is 1.1, the first promotional video released by Uruguayan band Gamepad Nes Punk. They come from the city of San Carlos (Maldonado), and they have a debut album on the horizon. 1.1 is its first promotional single.

Gamepad Nes Punk are signed to Nadiequiere Discos, and I’ll make sure to cover their album when it’s released.

And just for the record, Mario sucked ass. Big time. And so did Sonic, and that clueless two-tailed thing that used to dash behind him. The best superhero to ever grace a videogame? Superfrog! Or alternatively, Zool!

Back when games were games, Team 17 meant business.

I was an Amiga guy. Sorry, can’t help it.

Spotify Uses The New Facebook Timeline To Tell The History Of Music

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Music streaming Spotify shows the world how to put Facebook's new timeline to good use.

So what if Facebook has made its new timeline compulsory? Stop complaining, and make the best out of it. It’s not that hard – all it takes is some imagination. Just look at what these folks at Spotify have done.

They have taken advantage of how Facebook lets you present information year by year, and their page goes back not just to 2006 (the year in which Spotify was actually founded) but to 1001. It doesn’t matter what genre or artist you’re keen on. If it’s had any – any – kind of impact in the history of music, then you’ll find at least a good couple of entries on Spotify’s timeline.

While I don’t know the exact way you feel about the new timeline, the fact remains that complaining won’t make any diference. The new profile is here to stay. Make the best of what is there. Others are already doing it, and if you can’t seem to reinvent the wheel then you can at least at what they’re doing for inspiration.

Manuales Ilustrados del Pequeño Tesla Vol. 2 (Uoh!) – Uruguayan Independent Artist

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Astute readers who’re well-acquainted with “The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy” surely remember these immortal lines, spoken by Marvin the Paranoid Android at the climax of the second series:

“Any work that references David Bowie in any way or the other partakes of his genius”.

Everybody knows that. Hugh Jackman certainly did when he signed up for “The Prestige”. He once claimed he became involved with the movie just to be close to Ziggy Stardust. My only question is why did he have to ruin Wolverine afterwards with his towering height (he gives Chewbacca a run for his money, he does) and his wooden face (he gives Orlando Bloom a run for his money, he does). On “The Prestige”, he had Christian Bale and Scarlet Johanson to cover up for his gross deficiencies. But on “Wolverine”, he had to carry all the weight by himself. Bleurgh.

Hugh Jackman. Batman. The Black Widow. Ziggy Stardust. Good.

 

Hugh Jackman. On his own. Not good. This way to the toilet. And don't step on my toes.

And the boys from Uoh! also knew as much. Their latest album is named “Manuales Ilustrados del Pequeño Tesla Vol2. Hagalo Usted Mismo” [Little Tesla’s Illustrated Handbook, Vol. 2. Do It Yourself], in a nod to the brilliant inventor that Bowie brought back from oblivion in “The Prestige”. Poor fella, if only 10% percent of what you can read online is true then everybody and his wife ripped him off. Either that, or the one who wrote the Wikipedia post about Tesla is one of his direct descendants, and he’s had to lead such a destitute life that he’s tattooed a “V” for vendetta on his forehead.

On to this record, now. Personally, I find reviewing it quite a departure for one simple reason. See, “Manuales Ilustrados del Pequeño Tesla Vol2. Hagalo Usted Mismo” is a 100% instrumental album. So, I can’t bob my hair like a character out from “Amélie” and start dissecting its lyrical connotations. There are none. I have to focus on the aural experience.
Fuck you, Hugh Jackman.

And a la Traveling Wilburys, this is the second part of an album that didn’t exist. Whatever you do, don’t go looking for Vol. 1. Look for happiness, look for love, look for a mountain of serenity. Look for whatever you want, but don’t look for the first installment of this record. It’s nowhere to be found. (There is, however, another EP by Uoh! that was released in 2011.) Continue reading →

10 Incredible Beatles Covers (Part 2)

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Finishing off the series that was started yesterday, on this post you can find 5 Beatles covers that I find either zany or moving. Or both ; )

I hope you like them too, and if there’s any significant cover that you think I’ve missed feel free to share the link on the “Comments” below.

Yesterday (Walk Off The Earth)

I Will (Jasmine)

This Boy (Andrew Lubman)

I Wanna Hold Your Hand (Natalie Hawkins)

Come Together (Sungha Jung)

10 Incredible Beatles Covers (Part 1)

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Will The Sons Of The Beatles Become The Next Sensation?

James McCartney’s recently told the BBC that he and Sean Lennon, Dhani Harrison and Jason Starkey have discussed the possibility of banding together, and emulating their illustrious fathers.

Zak Starkey has expressed no interest in the project, and young McCartney has even stated that if Jason is not up for the job then he wouldn’t mind playing the role of drummer himself.

The impact and significance this band could really have remains moot, but it’s sure got everybody talking and speculating.

And here in Uruguay, this story couldn’t come at a better time. The whole country is abuzz with Paul McCartney’s first-ever Uruguayan performance, to take place in one week’s time. Macca will play the Estadio Centenario on the 15th of April.

As you can imagine, it’s an event I wouldn’t miss for anything in the world. I’ll be there, and I’ll duly review the gig afterwards.

And just to add to the mood of excitement, I’d like to share the 10 zaniest Beatles covers I’ve managed to find online with everybody else. Below you’ll find the first five. I’ll publish the second batch tomorrow.

From Me To You (Walk Off The Earth)

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (Cover Tune Grab)

Something (KCLR)

Across The Universe (Austin Criswell)

While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Jamie Allensworth and Marty Schwartz)

Young Musician Tanner Patrick Covers Katy Perry’s “Part Of Me” Using His iPad As A Drum Kit

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Texan musician Tanner Patrick has just recorded a viral version of Katy Perry's "Part Of Me" using his iPad as a drum kit, and apps like Easy Beats 2 and Pro Tools

I just love these videos that show us what can be done with an iPad and a little imagination. I’ve written about creating music with an iPad and GarageBand before, and I recall a post I wrote about a year to this date about the first music video that was actually shot using an iPad 2. And now, I’d like to share this new viral video with you. It shows Texan musician Tanner Patrick playing the drums on his iPad for a cover of Katy Perry’s latest hit, “Part Of Me”.

On the video (which had 100,000 views in six days) you can see Patrick using an app named EasyBeats on his iPad to set down a basic groove, while he mixes his vocals and other instruments using a digital audio platform known as Pro Tools.

What do you think? Do you ever see yourself doing something similar when it comes to recording your own covers, or even your own demos? Sound off in the comments below, please.

Sworly – Listen To The Latest Hits For Free

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Name: Sworly
URL: http://www.sworly.com

That you can listen to mostly any song you want online is common knowledge. And so is the number of fakes and dupes you’re forced to endure on sites like YouTube before you find what you’re looking for. Oh, and that’s not counting the number of live and rare versions of songs that are found there, and which are labeled as the real thing. And as if that wasn’t enough to drive you to the point where you turn into the smoke monster from “Lost” and go on a rampage, you also have to deal with songs which have been pitched, in order to keep YouTube from taking them down. Which would be great fun if what you wanted was to listen to Chip and Dale singing in unison. Which you’re not.

This new site is here to change that, once and for all. Sworly gives you nothing but real songs that you can listen to on your browser, and at no cost. Sworly scours the Internet for you, and it brings together all these songs you’d might be interested in. The site is really easy to navigate, with the coolest songs being highlighted on the homepage, and a search box for looking music up straightaway. In all cases, the songs you’re playing can be easily shared with all of your pals on Facebook. Continue reading →

Joel Oberstein (New Releases Now!) – Interview (Part 2)

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This is the last part of the conversation I had with Joel Oberstein from New Releases Now! You can read how it all started by checking yesterday’s post, and see what I had to say about the site when it was first reviewed on MusicKO here.

 

PART II

MUSIC & YOU

 

When did you become interested in music? What was the first album or single you ever purchased?

I’ve always loved music, and my parents turned me onto a lot of good stuff growing up.  I’d lock myself in my room, blast music and study every photo and word on an album.  It’s difficult to remember the first thing I ever bought, but I’ll go with the vinyl single of “The Night Chicago Died” by Paper Lace.

Are you in a band yourself, or have you been in a band in the past? Is there a clip on YouTube or elsewhere we could watch?

Yes, I was in a few local bands…one of them was called Soaked, which had a few songs featured on the TV show ‘Party Of Five’ several years ago.  Continue reading →

Joel Oberstein (New Releases Now!) – Interview (Part 1)

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A new interview fresh from the oven for you. The interviewee this time is Joel Oberstein from New Releases Now!, a site that was recently reviewed on MusicKO.

This is the first half of the interview. The second (“Music & You”) has just been posted. Give it a look.

Full Name: Joel Oberstein
Startup: New Releases Now!
Position:  Co-owner / President

 

 

PART I

THE STARTUP

 

Tell us a little about your startup. How was it conceived? What are its most distinctive features in your opinion?

We’ve been in the music marketing business since 1995 and despite the fact that we’re living in the information age we found that there wasn’t a comprehensive source for retailers, radio programmers and on-air personalities, music supervisors, clubs/concert promoters, and others in the entertainment industry, as well as music fans to sample what was being released each Tuesday across all genres of music.  Having grown up in the heyday of record stores, we like to think of it as a virtual new release end-cap.  We keep release info active in the system well past street date, so if you’re interested in seeing what came out in prior weeks you can do that.  Users can also search for titles by genre or even record label, so if you’re a fan of Prog Rock or Sub Pop Records for instance you can easily find those titles as well.  NRN Radio then allows a user to stream a track from those selections.  We also partner with several popular music related and pop culture sites such as Ranker, Popdose, The Music’s Over, and American Music Association (to name a few) to provide content for them.  In addition to being a high traffic site, we also deliver NRN electronically every week to a large industry/fan mailing list.  As a huge music fan, it’s the type of service I would sign up for if I didn’t work in the biz just so I could stay up to date on what’s going on release-wise.

What was the original launch date?

November 2009

What has been the response so far?

People seem to like that it’s easy to navigate and has what they’re looking for in one place.

In which countries has it been more successful?

Since we’re based in the U.S. that’s where most of our traffic comes from, but we do see a lot of activity in the Europe, South America, and Australia/New Zealand.     Continue reading →