January 05, 2009
January Playlist
Si senoritas et messieurs, this is a few days late…. normally a playlist is posted on the first of every month. Anyway, here are some recommended songs/bands, so perk those ears up!
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1. Rafter - “Juicy” ![]()
2. Arcade Fire - “Burning Bridges” – from their new LP Miroir Noir – Neon Bible Archives… you can download the song for free by clicking here.
3. Wild Light - “California On My Mind” ![]()
4. Boy Crisis - “L’homme” - The Hype Machine has this track, along with a robust amount of other Boy Crisis songs and remixes.
6. Cheap Time - “Glitter & Gold” ![]()
8. Kid Cudi - “Day ‘n’ Nite” – give it a listen or download the Crookers Remix of the track at RCRDLBL.com.
9. Soft Circle - “Drumbler” – and we give you yet another hookup from RCRDLBL.com!
More Kid Sister, Please!
If you haven’t heard of Kid Sister or listened to her forthcoming album Dream Date, then prep yourself ‘cause you’ll be inundated this season. She’s the younger sister of Flosstradamus' J2K (who also serves as her backing DJ), so talent runs in the family. Plus, you should’ve checked Kid Sister out weeks ago in our December Playlist. Right now we’re still obsessed, but the I’m-gonna-get-SO-sick-of-this factor ranks high on the Richter scale - mostly because her songs are so addictive that you'll exhaust yourself.
Kid Sister - Pro Nails ft. Kanye West
Her only available video is currently this one, for “Pro Nails.” It features Kanye West (blaghhggh) and isn’t the best song you’ll hear on Dream Date, which is why we need more ASAP. But whatevs, check it out and you will fall in love too.
Soulja Boy's Robbers Release Video
If this is any indication, 2009 is going to be fucking weird. From Bitten&Bound
Rapper Soulja Boy is keeping relatively quiet about being robbed at gunpoint by six men who entered his Georgia home last Tuesday. The singer, whose real name is DeAndre Ramone Way, and several of his friends were in the home at the time of the attack.On Wednesday a video turned up on the internet with two masked men claiming to be the robbers. Not only did they admit to the crime but they also said this isn’t the first time they have encountered Soulja Boy. The criminals said that they “stalked” him at the release party for his latest album iSouljaBoyTellem and followed him to his home after the party.
Hat tip Buzzfeed.
January 01, 2009
The January 2009 Movie Preview
by Dave Thomas

Chandni Chowk To China
Hope you like horror. Let me rephrase that. Hope you like crappy horror.
January 9
BRIDE WARS
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway battle to see who's the most popular actress, I mean, to see who gets a popular wedding venue.
WILL IT SUCK?
Gary Winick has done all right since Tadpole (13 Going on 30, Charlotte's Web) though one of the writers co-wrote Saving Silverman. The other writers worked on the American version of Creature Comforts, which wasn't bad. Likely outcome is meh.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
No competition from the week before since Hollywood is giving up on movies that weekend, and no romcoms for miles after. $47mil.
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THE UNBORN
WHAT'S THE PITCH?
Unborn twin vs. born twin.
WILL IT SUCK?
Wins the award for most problematic one sheet. Are you trying to titillate me or scare me because when you're talking about evil unborn ghost fetuses you can't do both. David S. Goyer writes, which can be a very good thing (The Dark Knight) but he also directs which hasn't worked out so well (The Invisible, Blade: Trinity). And how did Gary Oldman end up in this mishigas?
December 31, 2008
Happy New Year's Eve

Gang Gang Dance and Andrew W.K. are playing Santos Party House tonight
It's almost 2009 and we're ready to celebrate. Just 3 more weeks and Dubya is GONE!! If you're looking for something to do, MyOpenBar and Flavorpill have some great ideas. We've already had too many Sparks (we've been hoarding them) to blog, so we'll see you in 2009!
Slacker New Years Ideas

photo via flickr
Brooklyn Based dutifully compiled a list of last minute new years ideas (so did My Open Bar and Flavorpill...see above). Some of your options include:
Hardcore cover bands at Death by Audio, "Easy Lover Loft Party" off the Halsey L, a big party at Shangri-La in Greenpoint, Trapeze artists at Monkey Town, an annual nye Masquerade party with complimentary champagne at Huckleberry's on Grand, Studio B's last big hoorah of 2008 (and possibly, ever?), and the 200 most played songs of all time at Barcade(!). Click through for the full list.
Party on, party poopers, just don't go rioting on Bedford this time, mkay?
December 30, 2008
"The City" A Little Too Close To Home
MTV launched its new reality show "The City" last night and since we generally like any show/film intended for teenage girls we tuned in. In case you missed it, it’s a spin-off of the network’s popular monstrosity "The Hills," only it takes place in Manhattan. The first episode revolves around Whitney—a fish-out-of-water with a brain that's fittingly about the size of a herring's. This big-eyed star of “The Hills” has evidently just moved to the city and is trying to make it in the fashion industry. Along the way she meets Olivia, a self-proclaimed "uptown girl" who habitually rolls her eyes and throws catty cocktail parties where nobody has any fun. Whitney also gets courted by a creepy Australian "bad boy" who has calluses from tussling his hair. This Russell Brand-wannabe could be the new Fabio for pubescent girls.
About fifteen minutes in, around the time Uptown-Olivia begins waxing poetic about the downtown crowd's lack of sophistication, we began feeling nauseas. But ironically it wasn't because the show felt contrived. Au contraire. We felt nauseas because "The City" was nailing it. Manhattan actually feels this dumb and inauthentic. Our city (or at least Manhattan) has become a velvet rope playground where the freshly transplanted nouveau riche try to be bohemian by staying up-to-date on trendy restaurant openings. It's become a place where L.A. jetsetters, like Whitney, can feel right at home and feign bohemian by drinking $12 cocktails beneath Houston street with the edgy "downtown set."
Of course, we’ll stay tuned. Now that we’ve been avoiding Manhattan like the plague, “The City” will be a great way to keep track of what’s happening on the island.
video c/o Gawker
December 29, 2008
D.B.A. Now Open In Williamsburg
From our mailbag:
I'm Ray Deter, owner of d.b.a. 41 1st Ave between 2nd and 3rd Streets in the East Village, and we've just opened the doors of a new, big, beautiful d.b.a. in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, at 113 N. 7 Street between Berry and Wythe Streets. We're open every day from 4pm to 4am. We have 16 beers on tap, 3 Hand Pulled, Real Ale Lines, many whiskeys single malt, bourbon, rye, etc. We will be tequilas, and will hold regular tastings with artisinal cheeses, charcuterie, and other specials (last week we had a tasting and beer pairing with bacon brittle from Jonathan White's Bobolink Farms, and may make it a regular offering due to its huge popularity.) The Williamsburg d.b.a. is bigger than the East Village d.b.a, with XX square feet, a brand new customized bar made of bamboo, and that warm and familiar, inviting d.b.a. atmosphere. Like the East Village d.b.a., the Williamsburg d.b.a. also has a back patio, which we will open in the spring.
December 21, 2008
The Best Music of 2008
Overall, 2008 was a pretty good year for music, despite all the beards. We can't defend the inclusion of Kanye West on our list, but some of us (uh Robert and Brian) have been loving his 808s and Heartbreak. Sure, autotune vocals are the dorkiest thing to take over pop music since Peter Frampton, but oh well, Robert likes Frampton too. Lisa turned us on to Lucky Dragons and Lau Nau. And our new music editor Elizabeth kept us in the loop with the best new releases all year.
In the end, we were perplexed by The Bug—wtf... they pretty much suck right? Intrigued to see crystal become the new black, since black had just become the new wolf. Annoyed that The Hold Steady—frat music for hipsters—won't simply go away. Delighted to see another solid bootleg release by Bob Dylan (The Bootleg Series, Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs – Rare and Unreleased 1989-2006). Weirded out by Scarjo. And made blissfully happy by the most important music moment of the year: Hamster Eating Popcorn on a Piano. Thanks to all our writers and friends who helped us compile this list.
Have a great holiday. We're signing off for a few days.
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30. The Tallest Man on Earth Shallow Grave |
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29. GZA Pro Tools |
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28. LUCKY DRAGONS Dream Island Laughing Language |
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27. WOLF PARADE At Mount Zoomer |
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26. NOUNS Nouns |
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25. JOHANN JOHANNSSON Fordlandia |
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24. JASON COLLETT Here's to Being Here |
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23. INDIAN JEWELRY Free Gold! |
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22. THE WAR ON DRUGS Wagonwheel Blues |
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21. GANG GANG DANCE Saint Dymphnia |
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20. SHE & HIM Volume One |
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19. HERCULES & LOVE AFFAIR Hercules and Love Affair |
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18. BEACH HOUSE Devotion |
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17. KEMIALLISET YSTAVAT Split Series |
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16. KANYE WEST 808s & Heartbreak |
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15. HOT CHIP Made in the Dark |
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14. TV ON THE RADIO Dear Science |
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13. THE WALKMEN You & Me |
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12. PORTISHEAD Third |
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11. THE DODOS Visiter |
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10. MGMT Oracular Spectacular |
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9. JAY REATARD Singles 06-07 |
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8. LAU NAU Nukkuu |
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7. GIRL TALK Feed the Animals |
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6. BON IVER For Emma, Forever Ago |
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5. FLEET FOXES Fleet Foxes |
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4. EL GUINCHO Alegranzo |
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3. VAMPIRE WEEKEND Vampire Weekend |
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2. DEERHUNTER Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. |
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1. SANTOGOLD Santogold |
































