We’re very jazzed to inform you that we linked up with Dangerbird Records co-founder Jeff Castelaz recently, just as he was riding his bike across the country to raise funds for the Pablove Foundation. Along the way, Jeff recorded some video blog entries for us, talking a bit about what he was up to and what he was jamming. Check out the first installment above and if you’re in LA, maybe try and catch a celebratory show at the Avalon tomorrow night as Jeff pedals back into LA.

Band of Horses are headlining, Shirley Manson’s going to be there… it should be a great time. You can snag tickets here.

If you’re one of the 42 million people that have fallen in love with our recent Hotbox at the Levi’s/FADER Fort video series, it’s possible you’ve forgotten (or never knew) that we used to film bands letting loose in front of our fireplace, too. We did. And yes, have a website and a fireplace. In Manhattan. Lissie, recent Fat Possum signee and acquirer of our tender hearts, rambled on by last week before playing a Mercury Lounge show the very same night. She’s a little bit Loretta Lynn, a little bit Veronica Bennett, but mostly just really really good. Check out “I Don’t Know,” “Wedding Bells” and “Everywhere I Go” below, then scour your town, city or village for a copy of her new Why You Runnin’ EP.

If you’ve heard anything from the San Francisco’s Dominant Legs, then you too are probably rediscovering that itch for Tracy Chapman and the heart massage her vocals proffer. While some kids are turning to muddy guitar riffs and beachy keen melodies, it’s nice to know Mr. Legs’ head resides in a time when vocals were dominant. Har. That and lights were used with purpose during music video shoots. See what we mean above.

What does one do when they need to “break free” you ask? Well, Freddie Mercury slips on his finest cleaning-the-house garb and dances around between fabulous tableaux scenes of housewife gone leather-pants-clad and shirtless human beast eating grapes with stage smoke and backup dancers. If there were such a thing as human print, then this video would be a great representation of just that.

Sandor Vlah and Gyula Takaes are two strong men from Budapest, Hungary who go by the name of The Golden Power. El Perro Del Mar is, as you may have already learned via video introduction, a young woman from Sweden by the name of Sarah Assbring. Under the direction of the Control Group, they’ve joined together to create one of the more beautiful/uncomfortable music video experiences we’ve had in a while.