When it comes to instruments which polarize listeners, the accordion must rank just behind the didgeridoo and just ahead of the human voice (all down to personal taste, y’see) as one of the single most divisive noises of all time. If not quite the full Marmite*, it is certainly a roll-mop herring, dipped in semolina, and sprinkled with sprouts.

Some people love them, and will claim that it is possible to create a whole one-man orchestra of tones and melody from the wheezing beasts. Others simply hear the sound of dying sheep, doing a polka, in hell. And there is no convincing either side that they’ve got the wrong end of the stick.

This is going to do nothing to change matters.

(Here’s the video. Skegness has never looked so colourful.)

Now, it’s important for impartiality that I explain that I quite like accordions. I don’t LOVE them, even though I once got sent a free one as part of the publicity for Samim’s similarly bellows-heavy ‘Heater’, but I quite like them. My friend’s dad used to play one, and he even rigged it up so you could put it through an amp. This made him officially the Matt Bellamy of the squeezebox and therefore automatically cool…or cooler than other accordianists…which isn’t saying a lot…but STILL.

This, on the whole, is not as chirpy a tune as Samim’s. It’s mournful, carrying a boomy, cavernous sense of weight around the heartal area, pierced through by Vika’s icy sobs. She’s sad and wants her loved one to know about it, by sighing pointedly and pointing at her own tears. TEARS OF SADNESS, YOU UNCARING DOLT!

But that frosty cool can’t stand up to a thawing blast of the dreaded squeezebox. No sooner has she struck the perfect anguished pose, but some busker chips in with a jaunty air, smashing the cymbals on his knees together and nodding eagerly towards the upturned hat full of coins on the pavement.

As mixed messages go, it’s like finding morris dancers in full regalia, jigging around the South Pole, next to an empty tent, surrounded by polar bear footprints, and signs of a struggle.

Still could be worse. It could’ve been played on bagpipes.

Download: Out now
CD Released: May 24th
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BBC Music page

(Fraser McAlpine)

View full post on BBC Audio & Music | Radio 1 Chart Blog

The Dead Weather
Apr. 14, 15 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Apr. 17 – Indio, CA @ Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Apr. 18 – Las Vegas, NV @ Pearl Concert Theater
Apr. 20 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theatre
Apr. 22 – Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom
Apr. 23 – Bonner Springs, KS @ Capital Federal Park
Apr. 24 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
Apr. 26 – Orlando, FL @ House of Blues
Apr. 27 – Birmingham, AL @ WorkPlay Soundstage
Apr. 28 – Memphis, TN @ Minglewood Hall
Apr. 30 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s BBQ
May 1 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues
May 2 – New Orleans, LA @ New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
June 12 – Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Festival

The New Pornographers
May 31 – George, WA @ Sasquatch Music Festival
June 7 – Calgary, AB @ MacEwan Hall
June 8 – Edmonton, AB @ Edmonton Event Centre
June 9 – Saskatoon, SK @ The Odeon Events Centre
June 10 – Winnipeg, MB @ The Garrick Centre
June 11 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
June 12 – Milwaukee, WI @ Pabst Theater
June 13 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
June 15 – Toronto, ON @ The Sound Academy
June 17 – Montreal, QUE @ Le National
June 18 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues
June 19 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
June 21 – Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero Theatre
June 22, 23 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
June 25 – Chapel Hill, NC @ Memorial Hall
June 26 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
June 27 – Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom
June 28 – St Louis, MO @ The Pageant
July 15 – Vancouver, BC @ The Vogue Theatre
July 16 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
July 18 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
July 19, 20 – Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theater
July 21 – Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre
July 23 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s BBQ
July 24 – Dallas, TX @ The Showroom at Palladium
July 25 – Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom
July 26 – Lawrence, KS @ Liberty Hall
July 28 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
July 30 – Boise, ID @ Egyptian Theatre
Aug. 4 – Madison, WI @ Orpheum Theatre

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Apr. 15 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up Tavern
Apr. 17 – Indio, CA @ Coachella Valley Music Arts Festival
May 26 – Big Sur, CA @ Henry Miller Library
May 27 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
May 29 – George, WA @ Sasquatch! Festival
May 31 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
June 1 – Calgary, AB @ MacEwan Hall Ballroom
June 2 – Edmonton, AB @ The Starlite Room
June 4 – Missoula, MT @ Wilma Theatre
June 6 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
June 7 – Milwaukee, MN @ Pabst Theatre
June 8 – Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue
June 9 – Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues
June 11 – Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Music Festival
June 14 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
June 15 – Columbia, MO @ Blue Note
June 16 – Kansas City, MO @ The Beaumont Club
June 18 – Aspen, CO @ Belly Up Aspen
June 19 – Lyons, CO @ Telluride Bluegrass Festival
June 21 – Santa Fe, NM @ Santa Fe Brewing Company
June 22 – Tempe, AZ @ Clubhouse Music Venue
Aug. 1 – Newport, RI @ Newport Folk Festival

View full post on Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily

Yes, finally, everyone needs to watch this! Apple has debuted a new official trailer for Tim Blake Nelson’s Leaves of Grass starring twin Edward Nortons. The more I think back to this, the better it gets, it was such an entertaining movie and I can’t wait for it to hit theaters. We debuted a bad early trailer last year but this one is a huge improvement. It’s a great story about two different cultures clashing and also watching brothers get together and just have fun. And Edward Norton knocks it out of the park with his side-by-side dual performances – you’ll be amazed. I’m also glad they don’t spoil everything in the movie either. Enjoy!

Watch the official trailer for Tim Blake Nelson’s Leaves of Grass:

You can also watch the official trailer for Leaves of Grass in High Definition on Apple

An Ivy League professor (played by Edward Norton) is lured back to his Oklahoma hometown, where his twin brother, a small-time pot grower, has concocted a simple scheme to take down a local drug lord.

Leaves of Grass is both written and directed by fellow actor Tim Blake Nelson, who directed Eye of God, Othello and The Grey Zone previously. This was produced independently by Tim Blake Nelson and Edward Norton and first premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last year. First Look Pictures is distributing in the US and will be releasing Leaves of Grass limited starting on April 2nd coming up. Go see it – it’s good!

Discover More: Indies, Trailers, Worth Watching

View full post on FirstShowing.net

Another fun stoner movie! AICN has debuted the official poster for Tim Blake Nelson’s Leaves of Grass starring Edward Norton (twice) as two brothers. We ran a trailer for this last year and I’ve heard that it might be out in theaters sometime this spring, so keep your eyes open at your local art house for Leaves of Grass sometime this year. I like this poster but it’s not perfect, mainly because I’m sure the MPAA told them they’re not allowed to have any marijuana-related symbols or paraphenalia, which I’m sure is why there are some rolling papers and nothing else. I actually really enjoyed this film and suggest everyone check it out!

An Ivy League professor (played by Edward Norton) is lured back to his Oklahoma hometown, where his twin brother, a small-time pot grower, has concocted a simple scheme to take down a local drug lord.

Leaves of Grass is both written and directed by fellow actor Tim Blake Nelson, who directed Eye of God, Othello and The Grey Zone previously. This was produced independently by Tim Blake Nelson and Edward Norton and first premiered at the Toronto Film Festival earlier this year. It does not have a US distributor yet, as far as we know, but will probably pick up one and hit theaters sometime in 2010. Look good so far?

Discover More: Indies, Opinions, Posters

View full post on FirstShowing.net