You guys may have heard about this one, but apparently Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman, two of the world's greatest classical musicians, were going full-on Milli Vanilli style at the inauguration. They had recorded the music a few days prior, and were playing along to it, unmiked, at the inauguration.

According to the New York Times,"the players and the inauguration organizing committee said the arrangement was necessary because of the extreme cold and wind during Tuesday's ceremony. The conditions raised the possibility of broken piano strings, cracked instruments and wacky intonation minutes before the president's swearing in."

It was cold as hell--gotta give em that. But it's probably safe to say this is the first and last time you'll be able to see musicians of this caliber faking it. Damn good thing the CD didn't skip, too, because they would have had a much harder time clearing that stage than Ashlee Simpson had on SNL.
-AM

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I went to the second night of Animal Collective's two very small, very sold-out shows. They killed it! I'm an Animal Collective nut in general but damn if they don't keep getting better and better. My only complaint this time was the blinding lights. I've seen their amazing light show before, but it's definitely meant for larger venues, not the smaller Bowery Ballroom. Anyway, here are some photos from the show, as well as their set list. The next time the boys come through New York it will be at the incredibly large Terminal 5 in May. I bet they'll sell that out too! -SK




Also Frightened
My Girls
Blue Sky (new song)
Slippi
Leaf House
Summertime Clothes
Guys Eyes
Fireworks
Lion in a Coma
Brothersport
--
Winter's Love
Comfy in Nautica

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There's a lot going on with Sweden's Loney Dear these days. The new album, Dear John, will be released next Tuesday via Polyvinyl Records. Their video for "Airport Surroundings" is below and tour dates with Andrew Bird can be found after the jump. Also, so we're clear -- Loney Dear is the same band as Loney, Dear. The Swedes decided to drop the comma ...cos really, who gives a fuck (yuck, yuck). -IL

01/29 Northampton, MA Iron Horse
01/30 Boston, MA The Orpheum*
02/02 Richmond, VA The National*
02/03 Washington, DC The 930 Club*
02/04 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse*
02/06 Orlando, FL The Plaza*
02/07 New Orleans, LA House of Blues*
02/09 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon
02/10 Houston, TX Rudyard's British Pub
02/11 Denton, TX Hailey's
02/12 Austin, TX The Paramount Theater*
02/13 Albuquerque, NM The El Rey*
02/14 Tucson, AZ The Rialto*
02/15 San Diego, CA Soma San Diego*
02/17 Visalia, CA Howie and Son's Pizza
02/18 Los Angeles, CA The Orpheum*
02/19 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore*
02/20 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore*
02/21 Portland, OR Roseland*
02/23 Seattle, WA The Moore*
02/24 Boise, ID The Knitting Factory*
02/25 Murray, UT The Murray*
02/26 Denver, CO The Ogden*
02/27 Omaha, NE Slowdown*
03/01 Chicago, IL Schubas
03/18 - 03/21 Austin, TX SXSW

* = w/ Andrew Bird

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This is why The Curious Case of Benjamin Button does not deserve all the accolades it has been receiving. Thank you. -IL

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Click here to listen to Hot Chip's rendition of Joy Division's "Transmission." The track was recorded for War Child's Heroes, a charity compilation benefiting children living in war zones. You can pre-order the album here. The compilation will officially be released in the U.K. on February 16th, in the U.S. on February 24th and in Canada on March 3rd ...don't know why Canada got the shaft -IL

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A whole lotta hoopla was made of President Obama's first day on the job yesterday--and rightly so. There were a couple big strides toward meeting campaign promises (suspending military tribunals at Guantanamo), a couple goofy gaffes (Obama didn't seem to think Biden's dig at Justice Roberts was very funny). But in all the analysis, media commentators managed to miss the single most important statement of the day. Read it after the jump.It was buried in his comments about a renewed commitment to the Freedom of Information Act:

"I will also hold myself as President to a new standard of openness. Going forward, anytime the American people want to know something that I or a former President wants to withhold, we will have to consult with the Attorney General and the White House Counsel, whose business it is to ensure compliance with the rule of law. Information will not be withheld just because I say so. It will be withheld because a separate authority believes my request is well grounded in the Constitution."

What this means is that on day one Obama came into power and, totally unprompted, reduced the executive powers of the presidency. He willingly removed the ability for the President (i.e. himself) to make information secret and cover his ass.

Sure, closing Guantanamo and initiating new approaches to the economy, environment and geopolitics is great for anyone who is on the left politically. But for all those who would say that Obama is a self-serving politician like any other, albeit with a new agenda, this is pretty damn hard evidence that we're looking at a remarkable guy. Whether you agree with Obama's politics or not, it's pretty hard to look at a move like the one he made yesterday and not feel hopeful that the guy is there to enrich the highest possibilities of America, rather than simply to remake Washington's power in his own image.

Like Gorbachev introducing "Glasnost and Perestroika," it was the kind of willingness to let go of political power for the public good that should earn him massive respect and political capital. Sometimes having the confidence to not hoard all the marbles can be the key to winning the whole game. Now let's just hope the banks follow his example before we end up having to nationalize everything and emulating the aspects of our Russian buddies that didn't work out quite so awesome.
-AM

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In 1997, David Bowie figured out a way to get an advance on future royalties. He issued bonds called, "Bowie Bonds" and made them available to whomever wanted to buy them. Basically, via the "Bowie Bonds," the Thin White Duke relinquished his rights to the expected royalties and deferred them to the happy new owner of the bond. Click here to read an article that explains how the "Bowie Bond" may have started a snowball effect, which caused the unenviable economic downturn. -IL
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Yes, I say, "Ho-Hum," because ...what the fuck?! Where is Jean-Claude Van Damme's nomination? Did everyone in the academy not see his tour-de-force portrayal of himself in JCVD? That must be it. It's the only explanation for this grave injustice. All of you at home or at work probably think I'm joking -- but I assure you, I am not. Nominations below, whoop-de-doo. -IL

Best Picture
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Best Director
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant, Milk

Best Actor:
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Best Actress:
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader

Best Supporting Actor:
Josh Brolin, Milk
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road

Best Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

Best Original Screenplay
Frozen River
In Bruges
Happy-Go-Lucky
Milk
Wall-E

Best Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Best Foreign Language Film
The Baader Meinhof Complex
The Class
Departures
Revanche
Waltz With Bashir

Best Animated Feature
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
Wall-E

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And here we have a video of an unreleased El Guincho song courtesy of Mania TV. Pablo and Co. taped "Bombay" for them yesterday. Those of you who haven't had the pleasure of seeing El Guincho live in concert will enjoy watching how he translates his song to the live setting. I found myself quoting Jack Nicholson's famous line as The Joker ..."Where does he get such wonderful toys!?!" - IL

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Please kids, put the acid down. Drop the bong. Seriously, who needs them when there's Animal Collective? Here's the music video for the song, "My Girls," off their epic, Merriweather Post Pavilion. -IL

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The Silversun Pickups announce sophomore album, Swoon, dated April 14th

More glory for Animal Collective!

Electroclash pop stars Yeah Yeah Yeahs announce overdue third record

Cursive return to New York City

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (remember them?) not completely broken up

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Auteur, Noah Baumbach, has a really funny piece in The New Yorker. After watching Margot At The Wedding, I thought Baumbach had given up on comedy. Kicking & Screaming, Mr. Jealousy -- both really funny! Heck, even parts of The Squid & The Whale were funny. Here's hoping this little story about a mouse leads him back to making comedic films. Click here to read "Mouse au Vin." -IL

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School of Seven Bells just announced a short U.S. jaunt before jumping over the pond. The band features Bejamin Curtis, formerly of The Secret Machines, and sisters Alejandra Deheza and Claudia Deheza. U.S. dates below. - IL

2/6 Wellesley, MA - Wellesley College
2/7 Princeton, NY - Terrace F. Club
2/11 Minneapolis, MN - 7th St Entry w/Fujiya & Miyagi
2/12 Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge w/Fujiya & Miyagi
2/13 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick w/Fujiya & Miyagi
2/14 Alfred, NY - Alfred University Knight Club w/Fujiya & Miyagi
2/15 Boston, MA - The Paradise w/Fujiya & Miyagi
2/18 Philadelphia, PA - The Trocadero w/Fujiya & Miyagi
2/19 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club w/Fujiya & Miyagi

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Say what you will about Coldplay, but this video is pretty amazing. Look out for the Chris Martin puppet stage diving -- stroke of genius. The chopper at the end is pretty great too. - IL

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Antony & the Johnsons' new record, The Crying Light was released today. Here's the video for the first single, "Epilepsy Is Dancing." The video has Antony making sporadic appearances, but mainly features scantily clad dancers swaying along to his song. If the video isn't trippy enough for you, you can always watch MGMT and their scantily clad dancers drinking moon blood here. - IL

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Say Hi (formerly known as Say Hi To Your Mom) just announced their tour dates. March 3rd marks the release date of Oohs & Aahs, Say Hi's latest. The kind folks at Barsuk Records are giving away the song, "November Was White, December Was Grey" for free. Get it here.

Tour dates after the jump! - IL

March:

06 SEATTLE, WA Neumo's *
12 SAN FRANCISCO, CA Bottom of the Hill **
13 LOS ANGELES, CA Echo **
14 LAS VEGAS, NV Beauty Bar **
15 TUCSON, AZ Plush (WXSW) **
17 FT. WORTH, TX Longhorn Saloon **
18 AUSTIN, TX SXSW
19 AUSTIN, TX SXSW
20 AUSTIN, TX SXSW
21 AUSTIN, TX SXSW
22 MEMPHIS, TN Hi-Tone Café **
23 NASHVILLE, TN End **
24 ATLANTA, GA Drunken Unicorn **
25 RICHMOND, VA Plaza "Duckpin" Bowl **
26 WASHINGTON, DC Black Cat **
27 PHILADELPHIA, PA Johnny Brenda's **
28 BROOKLYN, NY Bell House **
29 NEW YORK, NY Mercury Lounge **
30 CAMBRIDGE, MA Middle East Upstairs **

April:

02 COLUMBUS, OH Circus **
03 CHICAGO, IL Beat Kitchen **
04 MINNEAPOLIS, MN 7th Street Entry **
05 OMAHA, NE Slowdown **
06 DENVER, CO Hi-Dive **
07 SALT LAKE CITY, UT Kilby Court **
08 BOISE, ID Neurolux **09 PORTLAND, OR VENUE TBA

** with Telekinesis / * with Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band

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If the forthcoming Animal Collective record Merriweather Post Pavilion still leaves you craving more experimental zaniness this spring, fret not -- you'll be able to satisfy your yearning with the new Black Dice record. REPO, the band's fifth full-length, will be out on April 7 on Paw Tracks. According to the band, "REPO is the sound of a disciplined group of cosmic jokers setting out to reclaim the landscape popular culture would have us believe we cannot afford." And, yep, it has a song called "Ultra Vomit." Keep an eye out for tour dates here.

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In case you missed it. Here it is, courtesy of the good 'ol Internet. - IL

"Mykonos"



"Blue Ridge Mountains"

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This is the new video from the English band, Friendly Fires. It's for their latest single, "Skeleton Boy" off last year's self-titled debut album. Not that D+T condone the use of drugs, but there's something about this video that makes me want to take lots of them and watch this video over and over again ...while dancing, of course. - IL

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By now everyone has probably seen all the movies that have been hyped up and realized they're not very good. Benjamin Button -- no bueno. Revolutionary Road -- ditto. Awards or not, the hooplah these films have garned are not deserved. For the record -- and so you don't think I'm a jaded prick with access to a blog -- of the nominated films, I did enjoy Frost/Nixon and The Wrestler very much. That being said, yesterday I stumbled upon a little movie that can only be described as bonkers. Chandni Chowk to China is a Bollywood-made Kung Fu movie. The first Bollywood film to be distributed by Warner Bros. It's about a bumbling cook from Chandni Chowk who is convinced he's the reincarnation of a king and goes to China to enjoy his imagined riches. The plot is far more intricate than that, but it's not my ambition to give anything away. The movie is charming and funny, tender and action-packed -- complete with a ten-minute intermission. I don't know why the movie had an intermission, it wasn't anywhere near as long as Button or Che. And, I'm not sure how wide of a release Chandni is getting, but be on the look out. This season, it's been all about the smaller-scaled movies -- JCVD, Let The Right One In, Wendy & Lucy ...and now this. - IL

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Fanboys, the much-delayed Star Wars fanboy film, will finally see the light of day in some major cities in about three weeks. With so much press and controversy surrounding the film, it's going to be a challenge for the picture not to disappoint eager moviegoers.

The film is set in the late nighties, where a group of diehard Star Wars fans plan to break into the Skywalker Ranch and steal a print of the Phantom Menace. Why? One of the crew has cancer, and might die before the film's May '99 release. (It's called the Make A Wish Foundation by the way. What? I'm just pointing out a major hole in the plot.)

As you're likely aware, producer Harvey Weinstein didn't take to the whole cancer angle. They re-shot the movie without it, then realized that the movie would stink without the cancer (like Life As A House!), so they've gone ahead and released the original, which was completed in 2007 when Seth Rogen was still fat.

I don't know about you guys, but I have a bad feeling about this. -SB

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Remember when Mates of State used to tour with Taking Back Sunday? Yeesh. Well, they'll be co-headlining a tour with mondo buzz-band Black Kids, whose buzz evaporated quicker than the free flow of credit in this godforsaken country. People cared about Wolfmother longer than the Black Kids.

The tour kicks off in April, with Mates of State supporting their 2008 Barsuk release Re-Arrange Us. And what pray tell is the point of putting out a record these days unless it's going to be remixed by your peers? This spring, probably right around the tour, Barsuk will release Re-Arranged: Remixes Vol.1, which features four remixed tracks from Re-Arrange Us including one by Flosstradamus and another by the Mae Shi. Ohh, and it comes on vinyl to boot. -SB

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