Video Vixens: The Childishly Adult Version

i'm getting ready to call 2010 the Year of Porny Indie Music. Between covers like this to an ever increasing crop of nekkid music videos, seems like today's musician is all about the boobies. And i ain't mad atcha for that.

I could probably do an entire post just on what the Flaming Lips have been doing for their last few videos, but today, we'll just focus on their latest. Sure, the tingly bits are blurred, but i think we all get the idea. As if the giant vagina ball in the beginning wasn't going to tip you off in the first place.



mp3: See the Leaves (The Flaming Lips from Embryonic)

Proving that our Spanish brethren are every bit as weird as their US counterparts, i bring to you the latest from El Guincho's Pop Negro. Entitled "Bombay," this one more than gives the Lips a run for their money. More weirdness AND more boobies!



mp3: Bombay (El Guincho from Pop Negro)

While this next one has bathing suit clad girls in swimming pools, i'm afraid you're going to have to dial back your nudie expectations for the latest from (The) Tony Castles. Of course, this arguably is the strongest groover of the bunch, so i suppose you'll survive.

mp3: Black Girls in Dresses ((The) Tony Castles from No Service)

Not to harsh your buzz, but here's another non-nekkid video, yet it still speaks to the Gen Xer in me. It's an homage to some of the greatest video games of the '80s, so you know we've got a winner here. When you start off with a nod to "Elevator Action," well, i'm hooked.

mp3: Who's That? Brooown! (Das Racist from Shut Up, Dude)

Admittedly, this last one has nothing to do with music videos, nor is it particularly adult-ish beyond the very odd boob infatuation, but, damnation, i lurvs me some Japanese TV, and the Ancient Dogoo Girl might just be my new fave character on the tube, now that i think about it. i can only hope that when i eventually have kids, they'll be treated to such fare as this.

mp3: Booby Trap (RZA from Digi Snacks)

mp3: Turning Japanese (Liz Phair from Juvenilia)

Maybe Not the Greatest You Ever Will Hear, But A Pretty Damn Good Robot Mix Nonetheless

OK, i've got a boatload of reviews and freebies i need to get to, but guess what? That ain't happening today, my friends. Work has been hectic, and equally if not more importantly, i need to get my ass to the Velvet Lounge to go catch the early show with the Elastic Waste Band headlining. Who are they? Just the remaining members of Morphine with a Delta Blues Man sitting in for Mark Sandman. Too bad the Lounge's website is sucky, and they won't answer their own phone to tell folks when the show actually starts, because the real losers here are the LET readers deprived of the daily fix of little heard gems as dictated by yours truly.

And the Flyers. They're losers, too.

Fortunately, apropos of absolutely nothing, i've been sitting on a robot mix for some time now. i'd like to say it's The Greatest Robot Mix You Ever Will Hear, but that might be pushing it this time. i'd probably need some Heartbeeps clips to reach that stratosphere, but this one is pretty damn good nonetheless.

Without further ado, it's Maybe Not the Greatest You Ever Will Hear, But A Pretty Damn Good Robot Mix Nonetheless.

mp3: Robots in the Garden (Autolux from Future Perfect)

mp3: Freak-A-Zoid Robotz (RMXXOLOGY Theme) (Delicious Vinyl All Stars feat Bobby Evans from RMXXOLOGY)

mp3: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (Live On The BBC) (The Flaming Lips from Future Soundtrack for America)

mp3: Robots (Live) (Flight of the Conchords from The Distant Future)

mp3: Orion's Belt Buckle (Free the Robots from Ctrl Alt Delete)

mp3: Do You Like Robots? (Mike Doughty from Smofe and Smang)

mp3: Revelation of the Robots (Luke Kuzava from Zombies Can't Dance)

mp3: Grocery Robots (Patton Oswalt from My Weakness is Strong)

mp3: Tonight (The Robot Ate Me from Carousel Waltz)

mp3: Death Star Droid (Robot Koch from Death Star Droid)

mp3: Mr. Roboto (Styx from Kilroy Was Here)

mp3: Paranoid Android (Sia covering Radiohead from Exit Music: Songs with Radio Heads)

And, of course, the greatest robot dance i've ever seen, which means it's probably that much greater than the greatest you thought you had seen prior to seeing this one. Or something like that.

It's Covered: Seven Nation Army

Sure, it won 2004's Grammy for Best Rock Song, and has been named a top 100 guitar rock track by everyone from Rolling Stone (21 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time) and Q (8 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks) to NME (5 in its list of the 50 Greatest Tracks Of The Decade) and VH1 ( 75th best hard rock song of all time). But we can all agree, i'm sure, no honor is the equivalent of being chosen for LET's "It's Covered." Today, Jack and Meg White, that accolade belongs to your "Seven Nation Army."

The mark of a good cover is reinterpretation while still maintaining the "core soul" of a track. Merely replaying a song is a waste of the listener's time. If you bring nothing new to the table, why wouldn't i just listen to the original.

Well, there's obviously something in "SNA," as today's covers are all over the board stylistically, ranging from bedroom acoustic to hardcore funk, electro to ska, coming in from multiple nations, don'tcha know.

First up, a ska interpretation by The Dynamics. If the reggae flavor entices you to spark up a spliff, well, i won't hold it against you. Of note, the only cover version i know of that chose not to spell out "seven." i have no idea what that portends. Perhaps more interesting still, though perhaps less, it is one of two French covers here today. For a nation not particularly known for its military prowess, it's an interesting track to receive so much local love. Thanks, Ben, L'Oncle Soul, for helping out here. We Uncles need to look out for one another.

mp3: Seven Nation Army (Ben, L'Oncle Soul from Soul Wash)

(i'm sure you can find it somewhere in the US, but i could only find French links. If it's not one thing, it's another, right?)

mp3: 7 Nation Army (The Dynamics from Version Excursions)

And now, for something completely different, two bedroom-y takes from a couple of young ladies. Notice how each emphasize the recognizable bass line (actually, a semi-acoustic guitar filtered through a whammy pedal, but who's keeping score?) line. Dubliner Vyvienne Long opts for a cello to pick it up, while Nataly Dawn uses what an acoustic guitar, adding percussion by way of hand claps and the body of the aforementioned axe. Hell, see for yourself here. Both women take different approaches and offer slightly different sounds, but damnation, the results are fine either way you slice it. Oh, please note that Vyv's take was done for National Children's Hospital in Ireland. Feel free to donate here.

mp3: Seven Nation Army (Nataly Dawn from her website)

mp3: Seven Nation Army (Vyvienne Long from Even Better Than The Real Thing Vol. 2)

In case you needed to get your freak on, the Flaming Lips have your back. Their "Harry Potter and George Bush's Severed Head Army Mix" is about what you'd expect from every one's favorite lovable weirdo band. Wayne Coyne does not disappoint, adding sirens and megaphones where no one had thought to before. Gotta love the Lips.

mp3: Seven Nation Army (Harry Potter And George Bush's Severed Head Army Mix) (The Flaming Lips from LateNight Tales: The Flaming Lips)

And then there's Vivek Shraya's take, produced by Meghan Toohey of the So and So's fame, created to help drive interest to his then newly released If We're Not Talking. VS goes straight electro here, but he still manages to keep the balls of the tune intact, which is nice. You know, in case the song wants to have kids or something. What about Tomer G's even techno-ier version, you ask? Who is Tomer G, for that matter? Near as i can tell from the Interwebs, he brings us the only Israeli version we've got.

mp3: Seven Nation Army (Vivek Shraya from his website)

mp3: Seven Nation Army (Tomer G from Seven Nation Army single)

But where's the local DC Metro Area angle, Uncle Terrible? Goddamn, but you are some picky bastards. How about this twangy guitar version by Her Next Friend, a Virginia trio? Oh, and in case you were wondering, in British law "next friend" is the phrase used for a person who represents in an action another person who is under disability or unable to maintain a suit on their own behalf. It's that kind of fucked-uppedness that endears a band to my heart before i listen to the first note. Well done, kids.

mp3: Seven Nation Army (Her Next Friend from New #2)

Still not countrified enough for you? Well, lucky for you, i found this rollicking take by none other than Berlin's The BossHoss. Is that some accordion goodness in there? Yes. Yes, it is. Still not country enough for? BAM, motherfucker, here's some Oak Ridge Boys to soothe your cheatin' heart. The things i do for you people...

mp3: Seven Nation Army (The BossHoss from Internashville Urban Hymns)

mp3: Seven Nation Army (The Oak Ridge Boys from The Boys are Back)

Last up is probably my favorite version, arguably better than the original. Nostalgia 77 knocks this bastard out of the park. Alice Russell simply owns this thing, giving a soulful, funked out take vocally. Shit's so good it'll make you slap yo' mama. You've been forewarned, so don't blame me if you opt to listen to this with your Ma in slapping distance.

mp3: Seven Nation Army (Nostalgia 77 from The Garden)

Oh, and i suppose we probably should throw the original in there, too, just for posterity's sake.

mp3: Seven Nation Army (The White Stripes from Elephant)

The Obligatory Thanksgiving Mix Post

By this time, i have come to learn that the great unwashed masses now realize that when it comes to the Greatest Mixes You Will Ever Hear, they're not going to find any place else that stuff 1/100th as good as the junk they'll find here at LET. Arguably not the clearest of wording aside, i get it, folks. A holiday comes around, and all y'all need a mix to help you with decorating/eating/drinking/avoiding suicide/etc. And you want some really good shit. i can dig it. No worries, even. Truth be told, though, Thanksgiving isn't exactly the easiest holiday for which to make a mix to blow your mind AND stuff your turkey. Aside from that Adam Sandler track, what's a Mix Master Supreme to do? Well, whip out your three ring binders and start taking notes, kids, because this is how its done.

mp3: Thank God I'm A Country Boy (John Denver from Back Home Again)

Don't ask me why, but this was one of my absolute favorite tracks when i was about five. Probably had something to do with that infectious fiddlin'. Or maybe because i associated JD with the Muppets, and that's reason enough for any kid to love a tune.

mp3: Thank Heaven for Little Girls (Maurice Chevalier from Gigi Soundtrack)

Who doesn't love songs that verge on blatant pedophilia by old French dudes? You know NAMBLA wishes they had a theme song this catchy.

mp3: THANK YA (DOOM from BORN LIKE THIS)

If i have to explain the inclusion of DOOM into any of my mixes, you need to either move along to a different site or do some more research on where you've ended up, suckafish.

mp3: Thank You (Pearl Jam with Robert Plant from 10-5-05 Concert)

You would have felt cheated if this Zep track wasn't on your Thanksgiving mix, then i would have felt either bad and/or annoyed with your whining, and then nobody wins. So here it is, and everyone can go about their merry way, no muss, no fuss.

mp3: Thank You, Boob Lady (Hanz Zimmer from The Simpsons Movie OST)

This one is for The Missus and her plentiful, er, cornucopias. That's huge tracts of land to you and me, kids.

mp3: Thank You Boys (Jane's Addiction from Nothing Shocking)

It's short, sweet, jazzy and somehow catchy as hell. What's not to be thankful about all that?

mp3: Thank You Jack White (For The Fiber-Optic Jesus That You Gave Me) (The Flaming Lips from Fight Test EP)

This track is both bizarre and entertaining. It's about a chance backstage encounter between Jack White and the Flaming Lips wherein the White Striped Raconteur gives a gift of love to his heroes--a light-up Christ figurine. i wish i could get some rockstar drugs.

mp3: Thank You, Lord, For Sending Me the F Train (Mike Doughty from Smofe + Smang)

One of my favorite MD tunes from his best solo work to date. The fact that i've waited for that train and thought those same things certainly endears it further to me, but don't let the fact that you've somehow managed to fortunately avoid Brooklyn up until this point in your life deter you from loving it just a little bit yourself.

mp3: Thankful 'N Thoughtful (Sly and the Family Stone from Fresh)

Sure, it's about overcoming addiction, but goddamn, that bass line could be the funkiest drug i've ever heard. And those horns? Somebody call Betty Ford's for me now because i have a problem turning this one off repeat on ye olde iPod.

mp3: Thanksgiving Theme (Vince Guaraldi from Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits)

i had to get one absolutely legit Thanksgiving track in here, so i used this chestnut. Bust out the jelly beans and popcorn, folks, it's party time!

And with that, you're welcome.