In a blog post entitled “nuclear power no thanks,” Thom Yorke dropped a few s-bombs on the British government last night. And by s-bomb we mean sarcasm, not shit! Har.

nuclear power no thanks
under pressure from the CBI
and under the confused assumption that we can carry on consuming power as we do now into the future
and too afraid to think out of their own isolated political fuzzy cloud
the british government is commiting to build a new round of nuclear power stations
for which we dont have the money.
great.
just perfect.
well done fellas.
you’ve really thought about this haven’t you?

Then, just as he might at the end of a Radiohead show or perhaps an awkward conversation with a stranger on the street, Mr. Yorke made his exit quietly and too soon. He did however leave the following image in his wake. We love him all the more for it.

After a slew of interview vagaries, phantom EPs, Thom Yorke solo meanderings and URL conspiracy theories, Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien helped clear the air a bit on the status of the band most simply refer to as world’s very best: they’re going to keep making albums. In fact, the guitarist told NME that the band will be heading into an Oxfordshire studio this winter with long-time producer (and Thom Yorke’s recent bandmate) Nigel Godrich. O’Brien even went on to joke that the album will retain a “Typical Radiohead” sound, offering English cold and cloud cover as means for sonic deviation. Or not. “We’re going into the studio in winter,” O’Brien says. “It’s always miserable! When you’re in a studio in the countryside the music you make is definitely affected by what season it is.” How about that! A depressing Radiohead album!

Radiohead has released a new song on its website, titled “These Are My Twisted Words.” As Jonny Greenwood notes in his blog post on the track: “We’ve been recording for a while, and this was one of the first we finished. We’re pretty proud of it. There’s other stuff in various states of completion, but this is one we’ve been practicing, and which we’ll probably play at this summer’s concerts. Hope you like it.”

Download the audio here or the torrent here.

Whether or not this track will appear on Radiohead’s rumored upcoming EP remains to be seen.

The internet is a confusing place. This song clip, seeming to be a new Radiohead track, appeared unexplicably this morning on the band’s fan site At Ease. Although “These Are My Twisted Words” sounds very Yorke-ian (Ed: yikes) , the band has yet to officially confirm that the song is one of theirs. Since they’re done with recording and releasing albums, perhaps this is their new, sneaky preferred method of delivering music to the masses. (via p4k)

In an interview with The Believer, Radiohead lead singer Thom Yorke indicated that the band would be unlikely to release another album conventionally, explaining that to release more music in such a manner would “kill” Radiohead. “None of us want to go into that creative hoo-ha of a long-play record again. Not straight off,” he said. “I mean, it’s just become a real drag. It worked with [2007 album] In Rainbows because we had a real fixed idea about where we were going. But we’ve all said that we can’t possibly dive into that again. It’ll kill us.”

The band is currently brainstorming as to how to release new and future music, with ideas about releasing music via EPs or just online brewing. Yorke and Jonny Greenwood have also been discussing releasing a bunch of orchestral songs, also via EP. Damn.

Thom Yorke and his fellows in Radiohead recently recorded “Harry’s Patch (In Memory Of)” as a tribute to the man of the title (must’ve been fun growing up with that name), the UK’s lone surviving soldier from WWI, who passed away at the age of 111 on July 25th from, we are assuming, boredom. 111 years is a longass time to be British (JUST KIDDING DUDES). Patch’s appearance on BBC radio inspired Yorke et al to record this war hymn in an abbey just before his death, as according to Yorke, “The way he talked about war had a profound effect on me… It would be very easy for our generation to forget the true horror of war, without the likes of Harry to remind us. I hope we do not forget.” The former, fair enough, totally subjective; the latter, some (namely vets of that other World War) would argue that there are still many profound lessons to be gleaned from the millions still living who have fought and continue to fight in wars around the world. Anywayyyy, plenty of lessons for everyone. Listen to the song at Stereogum and buy it (with proceeds going to the British Legion) here.

Pitchfork reports Crowded House’s Neil Finn, Johnny Marr, Ed O’Brien (Radiohead drummer), Phil Selway, Jeff Tweedy, KT Tunstall, John Stirratt, Glenn Kotche, Pat Sansone and others have formed this supergroup-esque collaborative follow-up to 2001’s 7 Worlds Collide. Unfortunately, Monsters of Folk just announced their record and Dead Weather remains fairly awesome. Too many supergroups in existence at one time will swallow all other non-super bands into a supergroup black hole, but we can look the other way just this once because this one’s a benefit for Oxfam International and not just a publicity stunt or excuse to tour with your bros. It’s also less a supergroup and more Judgement Night-style pairings of famous artists with other famous artists for individual tracks, only instead of rappers pairing up with rockers and our music collections suddenly including a Mudhoney/Sir Mix-A-Lot song, Neil Finn teams up with KT Tunstall and a ton of little kids around the world get to eat.

Us Radiohead fans are a rabid bunch; any mention of “Radiohead” and “new” together, and we think the second coming of Christ is here. Hell, Thom Yorke could crook his pinky at us and we’d break out into hives trying to interpret it.

It turns out there is a valid reason to freak out: Radiohead are back in the studio, and again with longtime producer Nigel Godrich. There’s no word if it will be released a la In Rainbows, via your local record retailer, or from the moon, but the Oxford five piece is indeed recording. Bassist Colin Greenwood spilled the beans over the weekend to BBC’s 6 Music, saying that the sessions “[S]o far [are] very noisy and chaotic and really fun.”

“It’s at the stage where we’ve got the big Lego box out and we’ve tipped it out on the floor and we’re just looking at all the bits and thinking what’s next?” he said.

Greenwoood, who was a speaker at the Great Escape Music Festival over the weekend in Brighton to assist the debut of a new music journal named Loops, also spoke about touring with Kraftwerk for the two bands’ jaunts through Central and South America. You can read the full article here and proceed to your regularly scheduled Radiohead drooling.

Hindsight is 20/20 and all, but we bet that Brian Message feels like a pretty big tool for actually recommending that Radiohead part ways prior to the release of their epic, insanely successful In Rainbows.

In an Irish Times story about musicians suriving the internet age, Message (whose Courtyard Management group manages the band) said that the band had spent almost two years working on the album but hadn’t been able to capture the songs in the studio, and that it seemed to him like it was quittin’ time.

“Radiohead are a once in a generation act,” Message said. “But you have to be honest if it’s not working. You have to have passion about what you do.” Sure, we get his point. But “not working” doesn’t seem the right way to describe a band whose album entered the charts at No. 1 and sold out a world tour.

The story really focused on Radiohead’s revolutionary pay-what-you-like internet download scheme, allowing fans to buy the album for whatever they wanted to pay. Which included, of course, paying absolutely nothing — and that’s the route most of them chose.

“We realized that, by using the Internet for the delivery of the album, we could reach 173 countries and it would cost us less than three cents a copy for distribution,” Message told the Irish Times. “Two of my partners in the management company came up with the idea of pay what you like. Both the band and us were really excited about doing something brave and a bit wacky.”

Thankfully for us, Radiohead hasn’t yet split. Maybe they’re still holding out for that collabo with Miley Cyrus.

In 2006 Cave In took a break from the music world after releasing Perfect Pitch Black. But it looks as though a three and a half year hiatus was enough to rekindle the desire to make music, because the Boston-based band has regrouped and will be releasing a new EP along with a coinciding reunion show this July.

To be titled Planets of Old, the new EP will be released on 12″ vinyl only via Hydra Head Records. The album will be released on July 19; the same day the band will be playing their release show at Great Scott’s in Allston, MA. Along with Cave In’s performance, Disappearer and Phantom Glue will also be playing.

Cave In worked with Paul Q Kolderie, who has produced for the likes of the Pixies and Radiohead, on four tracks for the new record. Planets of Old will be Cave In’s sixth studio album to date, since their formation in 1995.

Official statement from Cave In
Dear friends,

Steve, Adam, J.R., Caleb
CAVE IN

Silversun Pickups and Eulogies will be rocking for a good cause this Thursday at the Echoplex in Los Angeles. Tickets go on sale tonight and all proceeds benefit The Pablove Foundation.

The Pablove Foundation is named after Pablo Castelaz, the five-year-old son of Dangerbird Records co-founder Jeff Castelaz and his wife Jo Ann Thrailkill, who suffers from a bilateral Wilms’ Tumor, a rare form of children’s cancer.

In addition to the performances, there will be some swag for purchase to raise more money for the foundation, including a limited edition t-shirt and the two-disc benefit compilation Give. Listen. Help. Volume 5, featuring Radiohead, Bloc Party, Oasis and the Dangerbird Records roster. Each CD purchase will be accompanied with a free poster, crafted specifically in honor of the evening.

Tickets go on sale tonight at 7 p.m. for $25 via TicketWeb. Purchase will be limited to two tickets per customer and are only available through online purchase, with a scheduled will-call pick-up.

Here’s some more background on The Pablove Foundation:

On May 17, 2008, Pablo was diagnosed with bilateral Wilms’ Tumor, a rare form of children’s cancer, and has been receiving treatment at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

The Pablove Foundation also plans to contribute to cancer research and treatment at CHLA, including the efforts of CHLA’s Saban Research Institute, one of the top cancer research facilities in the United States.

There is always a faint feeling of apprehension at the thought of Radiohead covers — lets face it, not many people can deliver a performance quite like Thom Yorke. But Macy Gray’s cover of “Creep” at the Los Angeles premiere of the music documentary The Heart is a Drum Machine, wasn’t all that bad.

The r&b songstress was backed by Matt Sorum, former member of Guns N’ Roses, on drums, and Billy Morrison of The Cult on guitar at the event, which took place at the Nike Ricardo Montalban Theater in Hollywood. Along with Gray’s performance, Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction also played, covering The Rolling Stones‘ “Sympathy for the Devil”, and Juliette Lewis also performed. The event was part of the LA Weekend series of culture events.

The performances were done in celebration of The Heart is a Drum Machine’s release, which looks at the reality of music as a unique human expression. The film has a hoard of musical guests who discuss the idea behind the distinct musical/human relationship, including Wayne Coyne of Flaming Lips, Andrew VanWyngarden of MGMT and John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Pink Floyd is taking their long term record label, EMI to court; suing the label for allegedly miscalculating royalty payments on their back catalog.

The band has filed a lawsuit against EMI, whom they have been with since 1967, for owed royalties they never received from the sales of their back catalog over the years. Neither the band nor the label has not commented on the amount of money in question, but since the success of the band’s Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall was so large — both of which are among the best-selling records of all time — the back owed royalties could possibly be in the millions.

According to Rolling Stone, the only group that has outsold Pink Floyd’s back catalog over the past 25-years is The Beatles. The lawsuit was most likely brought about after a routine royalty negotiation, which occurs every three years. Pink Floyd would not be the first big band to have trouble with spiraling major label. Since 2007, when EMI paired up with the private equity firm Terra Firma (insert ironic name joke here), the label has seen the loss of Radiohead and Paul McCartney.

He’s directed videos for Bjork and Radiohead, won an Academy Award for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and was even the drummer for that French band Oui Oui. And now Michel Gondry could be adding you into his personal portfolio, for the mere price of $19.95! What will this French man think up of next, a new and improved version of the Sham Wow!?

Upon visiting Gondry’s website, you are able to submit a photo to yourself via e-mail under the “sketch” section, which Gondry will take, and use as a reference to draw a pretty picture of you. Ok, we don’t know how pretty it will be, and from the looks of his website it will be more like a kooky caricature, accentuating the size of your nose, gut or bushy eye brows, but at least it will be autographed.

If you really like Gondry’s rendition of your portrait, you can even opt to have the sketch of your mug put on any item on the website. It will take 6-8 weeks to receive your sketch (he’s a very busy man), but you’ll probably look cooler than all of your friends wearing a one of a kind, signed Michel Gondry original — or  just look  like a narcissist, either way it’s still cool.

We patiently waited to hear the over-due new album from DOOM, Born Like This, and we waited even longer to hear what sort of genius Thom Yorke could add to DOOM’s already brilliantly strange cadence. Well, we got the track, we listened to it, and we have to say the Yorke remixed version of “Gazzillion Ear” sounds more like a The Eraser b-side than anything else.

We’re usually fans of the Radiohead/hip-hop mix, as the experimentally charged rhythms and compellingly melodic sounds of Thom Yorke’s wailing usually compliment hip hop beats, but this time around we can’t say that is completely true. The beginning of the “Gazillion Ear” remixed track starts out strong, giving you the expectation of something mind blowing, but it looses steam as it progresses. Regardless, Yorke managed to make a decent remix, and though we would have liked to see some more of DOOM’s original beats thrown into the mix, Yorke has managed to create a remix that is worth at least one or two good listens.

DOOM – “Gazzillion Ear” (Thom Yorke Remix)

Bat For Lashes has been gracing us with lushly glowing vocals and charm since the release of Fur And Gold three years ago. Now, Natasha Khan has a new album, Two Suns, dropping next week, and we’ve got exclusive, behind-the-scenes footage of Natasha and crew making the video for her newest single, “Daniel”.

Between her alluring vocals and winsome personality, Khan has conjured up a recipe for success that is boiling fast around her, and it certainly doesn’t hurt that she always has a striking music video to accompany her stellar songs. Bat For Lashes worked alongside the director to find a conceptual balance between the lyrics of “Daniel” and aesthetic visuals that would mirror the tempered tones of the songs’ voice, leaving the final product as an intense visionary of coming free of relationships and love.

Aside from the showing an inside look behind the making of the music video, Khan flaunts her coy personality throughout the exclusive — leaving us with an even more enduring lust for the singer and an even greater anticipation for the new album, due out on April 6.

The following is a true story about the trials and tribulations of one hardworking independent band whose efforts to land their low budget video on MTV resulted in the loss of more than just not seeing it aired.

Before starting, for the sake of transparency, I would like to state that I helped release the Team Robespierre debut LP, Everything’s Perfect in early 2008 and helped them on various levels for most of the year. That being said, they self-recorded and produced their record and subsequent 7″, they have spent much of the last two years touring the world on their own dime and in many cases, booking their own shows. This is the story of the collective efforts of the band and director Allen Cordell to get the video for their single “88th Precinct” aired on MTV.

I guess the best place to start is the beginning. Upon releasing Everything’s Perfect, Team Robespierre did a bunch of regional shows to celebrate the release. Arguably the biggest being a warehouse party in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn with Japanther. The place was so packed that inevitably the police shut it down, but not before Team Robespierre played their set and Allen got the footage he needed for the video.

Fast forwarding through the production phase to the finished product and delivery of the video, we were ecstatic when Pitchfork premiered the video and numerous other blogs ran it with the usual array of commentary. Then came the question: Should we send this to television outlets? The reality being that the video was rather low-budget (Allen’s time and labor aside) and we didn’t see it being something the Viacom execs would be into, but at the same time, there was nothing to lose — or so we thought.

Despite every place we sent the video asking for it on DVD or Mini-DV, television outlets still ask for it on Beta and Beta SP with closed captioning (you know, for the deaf people who want to watch their favorite music videos), meaning it would cost us roughly the same amount to reproduce it for TV consideration as it did to make the video. But it all seemed to be worth it when we received an acceptance e-mail telling us the video had been chosen to air on MTV2’s Subterranean. The video was to air on September 18, 2008. Below is the exact listing as it was sent to us:

Subterranean 9/18/08
1AM on MTV2 (now on Thursdays!)

Cold War Kids “Something Is Not Right with Me” (sub debut)
The Death Set “Negative Thinking”
Cool Kids “Delivery Man” (sub debut)
Sunny Day Sets Fire “Adrenaline”
Radiohead “House of Cards”
Team Robespierre “88th Precinct” (sub debut)
She & Him “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?”
The Virgins “Rich Girls” (sub debut)
Ladytron “Ghosts”
The Last Shadow Puppets “Standing Next to Me”
Bon Iver “The Wolves (Act I and II)” (sub debut)

High-fives were given all around. Not only would it air, but after Radiohead no less and on the same night as our good friends in The Death Set. E-mails were sent, press releases drafted, viewing parties were planned as the minor victory seemed imminent. Then, that Thursday, September 18, literally 8 hours before it would air and all interested parties had been notified, we got another e-mail saying we needed to make an edit. Apparently someone was giving the finger in the background of one of the crowd scenes and it needed to be blurred out. The edit was easy, re-close captioning and copying it onto 4 tapes as they requested resulted in an additional $400 expense. Not only was this a blow financially, but considering it came on the day it was to air and after our press releases had been sent, it was a double heartbreaking blow and slightly embarrassing.

Needless to say, we made the edit because it was guaranteed to air. Sure, the $400 probably wouldn’t be compensated in the amount of viewers it would garner at 1am on MTV2, but we were all excited it would be on TV, so we did it. Upon re-delivering it, re-edited, we were told there was another edit their quality control department overlooked — there was a girl sticking her tongue through her two fingers — a reference to cunnilingus that was not suitable for a generation of viewers who grew up watching the wholesome programming on MTV. So tack on an additional $200 (luckily, this time they told us we would only need two tapes and we were spared half the cost).

Yeah, it might have been a month later and nearly $1,000 of money neither the band, label or Allen had (in true partnership fashion, the costs were split evenly between the three), but it was to air, so at this point, we had to do it. I mean, would we rather spend another $200 to get it aired or let all the money that was already spent go to waste? So we made the edits and returned the video with the simple question of, “when can we expect this to air?”

No response.

Second e-mail asking for an air date.

No response.

Third e-mail, sternly asking for a reply.

“Don’t have a date at this time, will let you know.”

Next month?

“I have no more episodes of Subterranean airing in November, so no.”

Then when?

“When I find a week where your video fits and makes sense.”

Are you telling me you cannot schedule it at this time after all of the alterations we’ve made?

“I’m asking you to be patient. I have no air date. When I do you’ll know. There’s only one more episode of Subterranean with new videos this year and that is on 12/4. The two remaining episodes after that are top ten countdown shows and then we’re on hiatus for the holidays until January. In that show I have a couple of video premieres and a couple of big names who need to be played. I haven’t solidified the playlist at all yet though, some things will depend on how the videos in the top ten episodes are lining up. I’ll look at the Team Robes video for that but no promises. You may be looking at early 2009.”

So a year after the record came out, over six months after the video debuted on Pitchfork, three months after it’s initially scheduled MTV2 air date and lots of wasted money we were given a “maybe” in early 2009. That was until we got the news that the person we had been dealing with was laid off in December. Now, not only was the status of the video up in the air, but we had no one to talk to about it.

Eventually we get in contact with the new programmer, but there seemed to be some confusion. The new programmer was under the assumption that the video was already featured on Subterranean back in September. Obviously we knew it hadn’t aired, so we asked the person to reconsider knowing full well that a video and record over a year old will not be a priority to them. But low and behold the reconsideration worked! Well, not exactly. Last week we get word that the video will be up for “fan voting” (this week) to air on an MTVU show called The Freshmen. Granted, it’s not Subterranean and now our fate rests in the hands of “fans” (using quotes because we’re not sure how many fans of TR even know there is an MTVU), but better than nothing right?

Well, considering they’re up against arguably less indie acts than themselves — meaning artists on major labels and the misspelled Loney Dear (they list it as Lonely Dear) — our expectations are low. Only to be lowered by the fact that Team Robespierre was put at the bottom of the bunch and the college kid who was assigned to write about the nominees has a crush on one of them (”Is this boy sexy or what?!”) and lets everyone know that “synth-y beats are “in” right now,” but that ultimately Team Robespierre’s “just not for me.”

As the editor of Impose eloquently put it, while you wrap your head around the decision-making process that nominates bands for a viewer’s poll and then editorializes on them shamelessly after nearly a year of stringing along, MTV can try to wrap their head around why it’s lost touch with real music fans and finds itself in trying times that extend beyond financial means.

I too could implore you to vote and refresh all day for the only artist on the list who made their record and their video without a real budget, but it’s probably better to just have you watch it here. At least then we know it’s being watched and not lost in some abyss of promises and spent money.

Team Robespierre – “88th Precinct”

Arctic Monkeys are the first headliners to be announced to headline this year’sReading and Leeds Festivals. The rest of the line up will be announced later tonight, but the rumor mills are flying with possible bands to fill in the three headlining slots.

NME posted the news, but it has since been retracted with a note stating they will have the official line-up at 7pm (BST). So like, in two hours we’ll know the rest. But for now, among those rumored are Radiohead, Kings of Leon and The Offspring.

Arctic Monkeys will be kicking off the festival on August 28 at Leeds and will also play on August 29 at Reading. The Reading and Leeds festivals will also be part of the UK’s newly endorsed secondary ticketing program, which allows fans to buy and re-sell tickets in a secure environment, via Viagogo. Festival reps hope that this new ticket selling process will help reduce ticket fraud, after last year’s ticketing controversy at the Reading and Leeds Festivals. Tickets go on sale tonight after the rest of this year’s lineup is announced. 

UPDATE The full line up for this years Reading and Leeds Festival has been revealed by NME.com. As rumored, both Radiohead and Kings of Leon will be headlining along with the Arctic Monkeys. Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bloc Party, and Vampire Weekend are among the other artists that are on the bill for this year’s festival as well. 

Reading And Leeds Festival line up 

Kings Of Leon
Kaiser Chiefs
Placebo
Fall Out Boy
Funeral For A Friend 
Deftones
Arctic Monkeys 
The Prodigy
Maximo Park
Ian Brown
Courteeners
Radiohead
Bloc Party 
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Vampire Weekend
Brand New
The Gossip 
GlasvegasAFI
Friendly Fires
Florence and the Machine
Gallows
Jamie T
The Gaslight Anthem
White Lies

After the momentous success of last year, All Points West is back for another go at the festival scene, and even though we won’t be seeing Radiohead back on the stage for another round of jaw dropping performances this year, the line up is pretty stacked, having Coldplay, Tool and The Beastie Boys headlining the three day event at Liberty State Park in New Jersey. 

The festival will take place on July 31-August 2, and along with the three headliners, MGMT, Fleet Foxes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Gogol Bordello, Crystal Castles, and Echo & The Bunnymen are all part of the loaded line up. The festival is also taking a Coachella-like turn this year, axing the Queen of the Valley stage, and instead creating a tent to house comedy, DJs, and electronic acts, as reported by Brooklyn Vegan. 

If you went to the festival last year, you might remember the woes of traveling to and from the park, but don’t cringe too soon. This year the festival heads have tried to revamp the transportation system, to ensure more frequent ferry rides from Manhattan, and free Light Rail travel from Jersey-side travelers. One other major improvement has been made to the festival as well — the beer garden area will have shorter lines, more beer and will have views of the stage, so what more could you ask for? 

Tickets for All Points West go on sale on April 3rd, and further information about the festival will continue to be updated at the All Points website.

All Points West Music & Arts Festival line-up
Friday, July 31
Beastie Boys, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Vampire Weekend, The National, Fleet Foxes, MSTRKRFT, Q-Tip, The Pharcyde, Organized Konfusion, The Knux, Ra Ra Riot, Seasick Steve, Telepathe, Shearwater, Heartless Bastards, Flying Lotus, College Humor Live, Arj Barker, Eugene Mirman and Bo Burnham.

Saturday, August 1
Tool, My Bloody Valentine, Gogol Bordello, Arctic Monkeys, Neko Case, The Ting Tings, Yelle, Crystal Castles, St. Vincent, Tokyo Police Club, The Cool Kids, Kool Keith, Cage the Elephant, Chairlift, White Rabbits, Electric Touch, The Postelles, Black Gold, College Humor Live, Tim & Eric, Judah Friedlander and Jim Jeffries.

Sunday, August 2 
Coldplay, Echo & The Bunnymen, MGMT, The Black Keys, Elbow, Silversun Pickups, Mogwai, We Are Scientists, Ghostland Observatory, The Gaslight Anthem, Etienne De Crecy, Lykke Li, Akron/Family, Steel Train, Kitty, Daisy & Lewis, College Humor Live, Janeane Garofalo, Michael Showalter and Todd Barry.

Some paparazzi take pictures of super models and actresses lounging barely clothed on exotic beaches. Then there’s the guy who takes semi-nudes of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke. Of course, then there’s people like us, who post those pictures. We can’t really judge.

Yorke meditated in the sand, swam and relaxed on Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — where they were playing festival dates — last Thursday. Maybe those deep, cleansing thoughts are about getting rid of negative energy in his life. Like Miley Cyrus.

[See the rest of the photos here]

Dedicated to those songs that I can’t stop playing, humming, or thinking about; the 4+ minutes you fall head-over-heels in love with. Past instances have included The Groovie Ghoulies’ “I’m Doin’ Fine,” Electric Six’s “Improper Dancing,” and Tender Box’s “Spectacular Spider-Man Theme.”

I don’t buy music every week, so when I go shopping I often pick up more than one album at a time. This is great and stupid, because while the one-stop shopping is an economic use of my time, I end up unfairly comparing two unrelated, dissimilar albums. If I’d purchased The Velvet Underground’s first album on its own without the accompanying purchase of Van Halen II, I have a higher opinion of it today. When I bought the pair — for whatever reason — I couldn’t get into the trippy stylings of the Velvets because I was head over kicked heels for VH II. Since then I have grown and adapted from my initial impression, realizing it was unfair: Not only is Velvet decidedly overrated and more than a little dated, but the run of the final three songs of VH II (”D.O.A.,” “Women in Love” and “Beautiful Girls”) are better than anything Lou Reed could pretend to care about writing. Velvet Underground can’t touch VH II’s ass-less chaps.

This comparison trend of mine was tested again when I received the dual gift of the Arcade Fire’s Neon Bible along with The Faces‘ A Nod Is As Good as a Wink… To a Blind Horse, and if I’d been placing bets, I would have put it all down on the boozy bar rock of Rod Stewart and Ron Wood. Chuck Berry covers, dirty riffs, sexism… Wink is like a Stones cover album and should have swept me off my feet. I promised myself I’d listen to both albums all the way through once before allowing myself the privilege (or the handicap) of repeated listens. Wink won the first listen of the pair (which was chosen at random — I try to do these things fair since I understand my own psychosis better anyone).

But then I moved on to Neon Bible, which started with “Black Mirror”, and I forgot all about rooster hair cuts.

“Black Mirror” — in fact much of Neon Bible — is a fantastic musical creation forged from the qualities I find annoying in bands I don’t usually enjoy. The overt sincerity of U2, the airy musicality of the Talking Heads, the sing-it-to-Saturn of Bruce Springsteen, the symphonic back-up of Coldplay. Maybe it’s a ratio thing: I can’t get past these annoying bits with these bands because their music seems to offer little else. If things were more evened out, maybe I could actually manage to get through Achtung Baby. But somehow when these qualities join together in this Arcade Fire configuration, it sounds like the kind of noise that could consume the world.

At the risk of outing myself as a hack, “Black Mirror” is a classic example of an album launcher. Some Track One’s start an album only to get out of the way, and others announce the album’s presence and tell everyone to get on board fast. “Black Mirror” possesses an unrelenting drive, feeling at once out of control — like a stagecoach headed by rocket elephants — yet fully aware of where it’s heading. It may be aiming for a cliff, but it knew that from the start. The Arcade Fire have a major Bowie thing happening with most of their work, and that would be a hindrance if they didn’t wear it so well. One review of “Black Mirror” compared it to a reworking of the “Suffragette City” riff, but that misses the point. The song may cosmetically sound a little like “Suffragette”, but the culmination of all those textures brings intensity, depth, darkness and hope along with them. If anything, it feels like “Heroes”. Bittersweet, heartsick and romantic.

On the rare occasion I don’t repeat “Black Mirror” and actually allow another song the daunting task of following up, I half expect to hear Radiohead’s “The National Anthem”. This would theoretically fit the mood, but where Kid A is an experiment in anti-music, “Black Mirror” is about music-music. It’s as pro-music as you can get. Kid A is clinical and shattered, Neon Bible is lush and voluptuous. Radiohead tends to write music to comment on music itself, but there’s no barrier separating you from the emotions and excitement of The Arcade Fire. Neon Bible gives a million of these kinds of emotional payoffs, but “Black Mirror” demonstrates them in the kind of way that tells you everything you’d ever want to know about the band, or hope to find.

Tension runs through the entire song, and it’s never released, only eased. The singing, instruments and song entirely build up to a cliff before “falling” into the chorus once again. Each verse is a remount back up that hill. The best example of this comes right in the middle. We build and build with the lyrics, and that familiar piano lick trickles in late enough to remind us it’s there and to keep us climbing. Then the lyric doesn’t lead directly into the chorus, but takes us to the “That curse is never broken” section, and it doesn’t get broken for many measures after. Win Butler suddenly breaks into a French version of the titular chorus, deftly giving the song a plateau but still no free-fall into the dark waters beneath. The backing vocals rise to the forefront after the full orchestra takes us through the chorus once again. “The kiss is never broken,” and neither is this rhythm. Butler talks to his mirror as everything seems to crescendo until we finally hit the water and gasp for air.

Individually as pieces, the music isn’t complicated at all. It’s a simple rhythm guitar lick, straight-forward drums, bass line, piano lick. That’s where the true power of the song originates: it’s not inventing new wheels to play with. It’s using all the wheels we already knew were available in a way we could only hope to achieve. The placement of these elements shows mastery. “Black Mirror” is one of those songs that is so good and so consuming and so powerful and so magnificent that you can’t imagine a single person in the free world who wouldn’t enjoy it. This is the curse of music loving — of course there’s someone out there who won’t like it, and even worse there are some who will simply dismiss it as, “Yeah… that’s alright.” I can understand not liking something completely, but when a song like this demands the kind of respect and attention it so obviously does, a mere dismissal like that would result in glove-to-face slaps in a more gentile era.

“Black Mirror” marks a year’s worth of Greatest Song at This Moment articles, and I’m thrilled beyond words that I can continue to enjoy this song without having to uphold my self-imposed moratorium on each artist I consume. If anyone wonders about the thesis of this project (i.e. “Trying to answer WHY these songs are so great at these moments”), I have no better answer concerning “Black Mirror” than I would for Van Halen II. The answer is: They’re the best.

Watch the “Black Mirror” video.

With their newest album Kingdom Of Rust set to drop on April 7 [Astralwerks/Heavenly], Doves will kick off their first U.S. tour supporting the album the following month starting in San Diego.

Doves have been recording their follow up for the past 18 months, having ensconced themselves to a farm house-come-studio in Cheshire. In doing so they teamed up with long time Doves collaborator Dan Austin to co produce all but two tracks on Kingdom Of Rust. For the remaining two tracks Doves enlisted producer John Leckie [Stone Roses Radiohead].

Tickets go on pre-sale beginning Wednesday, March 11. Knock here and give the password “Jetstream.” We’re told that unlocks the golden ticket.

Doves tour dates
05.14.09 – San Diego, CA (House of Blues)
05.15.09 – Anaheim, CA (House of Blues)
05.16.09 – Los Angeles, CA (The Wiltern)
05.18.09 – San Francisco, CA (The Fillmore)
05.19.09 – Eugene, OR (McDonald Theatre)
05.21.09 – Vancouver, BC (Commodore Ballroom)
05.22.09 – Portland, OR (Wonder Ballroom)
05.23.09 – George, WA (Sasquatch! Festival)
05.26.09 – Denver, CO (Gothic Theatre)
05.28.09 – Minneapolis, MN (Varsity Theatre)
05.29.09 – Chicago, IL (Vic Theatre)
05.30.09 – Detroit, MI (Majestic Theatre)
06.01.09 – Toronto, ON (Kool Haus)
06.02.09 – Montreal, QC (Le National)
06.04.09 – New York, NY (Terminal 5)
06.05.09 – Philadelphia, PA (The Trocadero)
06.06.09 – Washington, DC (9:30 Club)
06.07.09 – Boston, MA (House of Blues)

Liam and Noel Gallagher are never shy about stirring up some sort of controversy, and of course it looks like the dueling brothers of Oasis have done it again. Only this time it seems like they’ve pissed off the largest country in the world.

According to a statement released by Oasis, the band has links with the Free Tibet campaign, which has caused the band to loose their performance licenses in China. Noel Gallagher appeared at a “Free Tibet” benefit concert back in 1997, and now after scheduling their first concert dates in the country, the Chinese government has deemed the band “unsuitable” to perform there. Ticket sales have been halted, refunds have been given back to fans, and the April dates Oasis were scheduled to play have been canceled.

The band said in the statement that they are, “extremely disappointed that they are now being prevented from undertaking their planned tour of mainland China and hope that the powers that be within China will reconsider their decision and allow the band to perform to their Chinese fans at some stage in the future.”

The rest of Oasis’ South East Asian leg of the tour will go on as planned, including their April 7 date in Hong Kong. The Free Tibet Campaign is based out of London, England and campaigns for the rights of the Tibetan people to determine their own government, and to free Tibet from the occupation of China on their land. In the past bands like Radiohead, Beastie Boys, and Rage Against the Machine have all played at the benefit concerts for Tibet.

Wandering while the stage was being turned around for Deerhunter, we found the secret stash of free shit in the back, with Up The Antics doing screen-printing, handing out swag, and Rock Band set-ups for our inner guitar hero to emerge at. Also making an appearance was The Ice Cream Man who set up shop from within a car trunk and handed me a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. I teared up a little bit at the sugary goodness at my fingertips, moving on to then gripe to my concert partner about my lack in smooth moves (“How do I know he’s hitting on me? And if I’m doing it back? WHY CAN’T WE JUST KNOW, OMG”).

But nothing could have prepared us for the audio that Deerhunter’s subwoofers were about to deliver to our asses. I think that perhaps I lost part of my right eardrum and all sonic-detecting capabilities for three days from the show. Massive layers and impressive walls of sound blasted throughout Mezzanine, and at one point I realized half of the audience was starting to move towards the back of the venue purely because the volume was that monumental. Singer Bradford Cox chatted with the audience in songs, though I was too distracted by his arms that seemingly had been swapped out for PickUp Sticks (Does he eat? Can I take him to dinner?).

Songs like “Nothing Ever Happened,” which carried more of a melody and catchy chorus, translated well to merit some toe tapping. I found myself comparing them to a less creepy Radiohead with Kasabian’s singer on vocals. But stuff like “Wash Off” nearly killed me, literally; I felt my heart panic from within my chest going “WTF dude!!” from all the reverb, and the guitars just swarmed all over the audience, being peaceful at first to then lay some serious assault. I walked out screaming at everyone unknowingly and hearing a “Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep” in between my ears. I think I need to start wearing ear plugs. Overall though, I was impressed with what the four-piece could deliver; I just think I’m going to stick to the MySpace page. Besides, I had to get to bed early anyway…happy hours awaited the next day.

Last night’s BRIT Awards saw Kings of Leon follow up their first Grammy with their first (two) BRITs, while Grammy darlings Coldplay were totally snubbed in favor of alt/indie/prog rockers Elbow.

Soul singer Duffy was the big winner of the night, taking home the award for British Female Solo Artist, Best British Breakthrough Act and Best Album for Rockferry.

Next in line with the most awards was, ironically, the very un-British Kings of Leon, who took home the BRITs for International Group and International Album for Only By The Night. American Katy Perry also got a little English love, winning the award for International Female Solo Artist. The male equivalent went to Kanye West.

But the biggest upset of the night (at least by our standards) was the award for Best British Group. The nominees were Radiohead, Coldplay, Girls Aloud, Take That and Elbow. Particularly with Radiohead and Coldplay having released two of the year’s most critically acclaimed albums in In Rainbows and Viva La Vida respectively, it’s a bit surprising (and refreshing, might we add) to see Elbow come out on top.

You can check out the full list of winners here.

Don’t hate us for putting something together so last minute, it’s still better than chocolates and dead roses right? After all, nothing says “I love you” like just the right song. So we asked our contributors to give us their favorite love-inspired song and why. This could mean a “real” love song, or something ironic and funny — or both. So without further ado, here’s a little love from the Tripwire to you.

Pat Peterman – “I Love The Way You Do Your Thing”

As the editor, I get free reign, so I’m picking a soul song from a relatively obscure compilation out of Birmingham Alabama. Released by The Rabbit Factory, there are plenty of love songs that pull at the heart strings on The Birmingham Sound: The Soul Of Neal Hemphill Vol, 1, but I decided to go with an upbeat number that was the song that first made me take note of this collection of songs. Pat Peterman’s “I Love The Way You Do Your Thing” might be the least-southern soul track on the comp, but I certainly love the way she does her thing. –Derek Evers

Patrick Swayze – “Shes Like The Wind”

Like Master Po guided Caine, Patrick Swayze has always been a guru to me. It started with Road House, wherein I learned to be nice until it was time not to be nice, but as I grew older, I realized that He had been there for me well before then, as his She’s Like The Wind soundtracked my ascension to manhood. On Valentine’s Day, even. Dancer, actor and singer, too!!?! Obviously, Swayze is a man with insight to offer a man looking to make his mark in this world. I’m no hoofer, but the Dirty Dancing that took place to said bit of treacle did make that Valentine’s Day much more significant. When you’re fumbling around in a borrowed bed in the time-honored Upstate NY fashion, perhaps emboldened by a warm Budweiser or two, it’s hard not to feel like Johnny Castle. At least until your parents pick you up. –Rob Browning

Ocotillo – “Let Me Love You” (Mario cover)

If a gentleman is trying to win the affections of a lady from an unworthy cad and the promise is uttered “every night, doin’ you right,” well heck, that’s my kind of love song. Ocotillo’s cover of “Let Me Love You” glides along over rolling “Obvious Child” drums and even though I don’t technically know what “You’re a dime plus ninety-nine, it’s a shame you don’t even know what you’re worth” means, I’m pretty sure I appreciate the sentiment. Synths straight from Phil Collins and velvet vocals perfectly gliding over drums that refuse to stop come together to create one of the most damn sexy songs you can drop on your girl for V-day. –Christen Thomas

Jeff Buckley – “Hallelujah”

There are many songs about love in the rock/pop pantheon: “All You Need is Love”, “Love Song” “He Hit Me (It felt Like a Kiss)”, but few are as great or haunting as Jeff Buckley’s phenomenal cover of the Leonard Cohen classic “Hallelujah”. Whereas Cohen’s original version has a beautiful fierceness brought on by his serious, heavy voice, Jeff’s soft vocal on the other hand is something teetering on ethereal and otherworldly. When he delivers the line “I’ve seen the flag on the marble arch/but love is not a victory march/it’s a cold and it’s a broken hallelujah!” you hear a young man that fully grasps the meaning of the song and the fickle nature of love and the world. The saddest part of the story is that Jeff only recorded one studio album Grace. The title is fitting and eerie; he was destined to not walk long on the Earth but within the words and music of “Hallelujah” Buckley gave all that cared to listen one of the greatest cover songs of all time. And he found grace. Amen. –Danny Phillips

Ted Leo And The Pharmacists – “Under The Hedge”

Understated but always versatile in meaning, Ted Leo has always had a way with words. This is my favorite of his songs, one that I read as a very simple nod to the complicated thing that is love and the remarkable ways in which it tends to unfold. It captures me by “but I still love you, you see?” and has me totally floored by love, language, and music by “I ran like a rabbit from your rifles.” It’s beautiful without ever being sentimental — a rare and genuine accomplishment. As a bonus, it’s so catchy you’re bound to love it long after your inevitable breakup. –Sarah Flynn

The Smiths – “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out”

Never has a story about a death wish been as delightful as this upbeat 80’s classic. “There is a Light…” is also a subtle love song. It’s about the time in all of our lives where things aren’t going so great, but we have the joy of love to keep us alive. Or rather, it’s the moment when you are with your love; the emotion you feel, you’d be happy to die right then and there. Death could come by being crushed by a double-decker bus or a ten ton truck. It doesn’t matter how horribly you are killed, as long as you are killed together. You don’t want to go home, you want to die horribly with your lover because it’s best to die with joy in your heart. It’s so romantically goth. –Meiyee Apple

Paramore – “That’s What You Get”

Dear Harmonix,
There is a band that no credible music critic likes, a band that is made for record execs that wanted another Avril, a band that caters to pre-teens. This band is Paramore. However, what you have done with this song, by putting it in Rock Band 2, has made fans out of all of us? The lyrics that we warble into the toy microphone speak of how love is painful, and asks “Why do we like to hurt so much?” While all I ask is “Why do we love playing fake guitar to this song so much?” So thank you, Harmonix, for allowing us single folks to have fun on this Valentines Day. A day that was meant for lovers can now be a day where single people nationwide can get together to play your game and become one. That’s what we get. Love, Meiyee Apple

Radiohead – “Where I End And You Begin”

Perhaps it’s just the mysterious demeanor behind Thom Yorke’s heart-piercing vocals, or the ironically disturbing idea of eating someone alive for the sake of love, but Radiohead’s “Where I End and You Begin” is a Valentine’s Day must-listen-to for those sad sappy suckers out there who can’t quite get a grip on the woes of love gone awry. We’re not saying you should sit down and drown your love-life-sorrows with a box of chocolates (or for some of us out there, a bottle of whiskey), and the dejected-Radiohead blues, but the cynic romanticism surrounding the lyrically driven dirge will give you something else to think about on Valentine’s Day when you’re tired of watching lovebirds swoon over silly Hallmark nonsense, or at least, that’s what this writer will be doing. –Brianne Sullivan

The La’s – “There She Goes”

The La’s Lee Maver’s greatest and simplest song is still considered an epic moment in British music. Even though he went on to suffer one of the greatest bouts of writer’s block, if that was the price he had to pay just to write this song, it was all worth while. As the rumor circulated that the track was actually about heroin and not a girl, the tune’s legend has grown even more, and the rumor only adds to its
power. Not only does it add complexity to one of the most simply structured songs, it also throws it into the pantheon of great ambiguous love songs like “Golden Brown,” “Brown Sugar,” “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” and “Beetlebum.” And let’s face it, when it comes to love, the best kind is a bit intoxicating, dangerous and painfully addictive. It’s hard to come by a better metaphor than that. –Miguel Banuelos

Swervedriver – “Duel”

It’s not an obvious choice — its not dripping with saccharine sweetness like “God Only Knows” or “My Sharona” — but when you are 16 years old and confused as hell about girls, sometimes there’s only music to help you through it. To me, this song was the epitome of everything that was cool in the world; tattered leather jackets, sun-scorched expanses of pavement and an unstoppable rock ‘n’ roll juggernaut with guitars set to “kill.” It’s connection to ‘love’ is more in the form of escapism, in imagining, even for a few moments, that your not just another awkward 16 year old kid, but instead, a globe-conquering badass that has women all figured out. Because, let’s face it, nobody is really all that cool at that age, whether we think we are or not. — Jason Jackowiak

Black Joe Lewis – “Bitch, I Love You”

Austin’s Joe Lewis juxtaposed track of love is nothing you or I haven’t felt before. It’s love without explanation, it’s tortured and it’s frustrating. There are late nights and there are wrongdoings. There are arguments and professions of outright violence. All of these sentiments are expressed in the classiest of ways, through good old blues. Midway through the song when Lewis straight talks his woman through curses and threats for making him blue, it’s not so much pre-meditated domestic violence as it is a man complaining to his peers, bitching about everything this woman is putting him through. But, at the end of the track when he meets his lady again, the true feelings come out despite all the wrongdoings. Bitch, I love you. –Kyle Rother

Type O Negative – “Love You To Death”

Nothing says white trash romance like Type O Negative — I mean that in the most respectful and endearing way. No matter how many times Peter Steele croons this tune, it always feels like the first, bloody time. Sensual, sexual, even sadistic at times, this track unravels the brutal vulnerability of lust, love and emotional servitude. This song vividly reminds me of the power behind the carnal force of sexual attraction, as well as the murderous weapon it can be. The words “am I good enough, for you” resonate to anyone who has experienced betrayal and affirms how quickly we can begin to question our own worth when things don’t go according to plan. With sweeping keys, signature Type O distortion and kill yourself vocals, “Love You To Death” is the perfect soundtrack to a romantic night of box wine, Fredericks of Hollywood lingerie, fist fights and hours of dirty make up sex. –Zeena Koda

Tin Hat Trio – “Empire of Light”

“Empire of Light” may be the saddest, sweetest love song I have ever heard. Written by Mark Orton in memoriam of his wife Lauren, who drowned tragically in 2003. I find it difficult to listen to this composition without tears in my eyes, and could not imagine crafting a more beautiful and somber melody in the wake of such an incredible loss. The poetry in this song is more inspiring and honest than anything I could say about it. Orton has committed an eternal eulogy to music. An everlasting hymnal for the love he and his wife shared in life, after death, and in his dreams. “Quiet as a photograph. Knowing you would cry for me. Now you’re watching over me, endlessly. I’ll be dreaming… of you.” –Andrew St. Aubin

Bob Dylan – “Lay Lady Lay”

I remember the first time I heard this song. I was with my mom, we were running errands somewhere when I was a kid. We’d pulled into the parking lot of wherever we were going, and the song had just come on the radio. My mom stopped the car, turned up the volume and told me this was one of her favorite songs. We sat in silence, listening, until it was done, and something in this song ever since then has held the same magic that it did for me that day. “Whatever colors you have in your mind/I’ll show them to you/And you’ll see them shine.” Doesn’t get much better than that. I have a deep and rapturous love for Bob Dylan anyway, but you have to respect someone who can write a song about gettin’ it on on top of a big brass bed and make it sound romantic and wistful. Plus, this song (and all of Nashville Skyline) are proof to any naysayers that Mr. Dylan can definitely carry a tune. And he didn’t even need a bucket. –P. Elizabeth Cawein

James Brown – “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World”

There’s nothing more chivalrous than the Godfather of Soul himself declaring for the entirety of Mankind the fact that no matter what he has done, out of all the accomplishments and failures, it would mean nothing if not for Woman. As Mr. Brown says, man made cars, roads, boats, trains; man made toys for baby girls and baby boys, and man made money to buy even more from other men. Some might think it a pre-feminist movement or an old world thought for this to be a “man’s world”, but it still holds true that this world would be nothing for a man without a woman or a girl. –Kyle Rother

New Kids On The Block – “Please Don’t Go Girl”

I have a lot to thank New Kids On The Block for. Not only was it my first introduction into the madness of fan obsession (which I would later helm and put in effect for Radiohead), Joey McIntyre is also responsible for being the formative reference for my future crushes. Any dude with blue eyes and a great smile now makes my heart go a-flutter. But most importantly, “Please Don’t Go Girl” was the first love song I ever heard as a wee young Jenz in 1988. It fit a generation of young love that was both innocent and realistic, Joey singing to his ‘best friend’ “Please don’t go girl/You would ruin my whole world.” The video also includes all five Kids singing in an abandoned warehouse, roaming the streets of a metropolitan city, and then ending at an amusement park. Sweet. Last month I got “You’re my love within” from this song tattooed on my inner left forearm — true love is forever, indeed. –JENZ

M.I.A has been added to the lofty list of artists who will be performing at the Grammy Awards this Sunday, even though the ceremony falls on the Sri Lankan rapper’s due date. Billboard anncounced yesterday that the nine-month-pregnant Maya Arulpragasam will be performing at L.A.’s Staples Center on February 8, alongside artists like U2, Radiohead, Justin Timberlake, and… Neil Diamond.

M.I.A. doesn’t seemed too worried about going into labor on stage though, saying on her MySpace blog, “Baby + Grammy… is due on the same day!!!!, so either way I figured ill win.” Maybe if she’s lucky, Lil Wayne will give her some parenting tips backstage.

Rumors have also been flying around about the ever anticipated, Radiohead Grammy performance this weekend, as well. Radiohead is expected to play “House of Cards”, off of their highly acclaimed album In Rainbows, but ateaseweb.com has said that the USC Marching Band might be playing alongside the band on “15 Step”.

If the rumors are true, we’re interested in seeing the dynamic between Thom Yorke’s electrifying gyrations on stage alongside the robotic, stiff stature of a pristine college marching band. We’ll have to wait till Sunday to see for ourselves, as the rumors have yet to be confirmed, but we’re sure between babies and marching bands, it’s bound to be an interesting night.

Yeah, it sure is an thrilling prospect: The idea of Radiohead on stage at this years Grammys, making the awards show that much more interesting if not exciting. Yet we’re not going to lie; we’re left wondering if a part of Thom Yorke and Radiohead’s mystique is taking a hit by playing on stage next to the likes of Justin Timberlake, Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, the Jonas Brothers and Katy Perry?

Nothing against any of these performers, they all have a reputation deserving of the world’s biggest stage, but part of Radiohead’s allure is that they are above the mainstream cheese — not above the mainstream mind you, just the cheese. Conversely, The Grammys never stray from it. Just ask perennial performer Kid Rock.

Maybe Radiohead is like us and feel that The Grammys have taken a step forward this year. The nominations do seem to imply the awards committee is taking a closer look at what is musically respected vs. what gets the most promotion behind it. Of course, Radiohead is one of those rare commodities that embodies both great music and strong worldwide sales, making a performance like this not entirely surprising. But it does beg the question to be asked; why now?

Well, they are up for five awards — including Album of the Year for In Rainbows — and Thom Yorke is promoting the show on billboards and TVs near you (possibly part of the performance deal?). But they have been nominated for, and won two Best Alternative Album awards for both Kid A and OK Computer. Maybe they have something awe inspiring planned, like Elvis Costello playing “Radio” on SNL or Nirvana playing the intro to “Rape Me” at the MTV Video Awards.

Or maybe we’ll see Jaydiohead come to life on stage — after all, The Grammys are notorious for pairing unlikely artists together for one-off performances. One need look no further than Kid Rock, who’s played interesting collaborations at the Awards show for what seems the last 27 years. This year, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, T.I. and Kanye West will team up to perform a version of their single “Swagga Like Us” and it is rumored that Paul McCartney will play backed on drums by Foo Fighters‘ Dave Grohl.

While it is currently unknown whether Radiohead will perform with any other bands at the event, we’re going to go on the record and say we are extremely excited to see Radiohead play the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on February 8. But we will be holding our collective breaths hoping that this isn’t the start of them slowing turning into a band our moms listen to on light FM. Just think of the cheese factor if she alphabetizes Kid Rock under ‘R’ and they end up next to each other on her CD rack? And all because she saw them on the Grammys.

Coldplay might have topped the BRITs nominations list with four nods, but our choice for best week ever goes to blues man Seasick Steve. He not only became the oldest artist ever nominated for a BRIT award this week, but also announced he’s getting ready to work with Jack White.

Seasick Steve made the announcement at the BRITs nomination party. Of course, he also admitted that prior to being nominated he’d actually never heard of the BRITs. At 67 years old he takes the cake for oldest ever nominee, shortlisted in the Best International Male category. Poor Steve is up against Beck, Kanye West, Jay-Z and Neil Diamond. But apparently he tests well with the British, and has for a while now — he won the 2007 MOJO award for best breakthrough act — so we have our fingers crossed.

Other than Steve, Coldplay pulled a Grammy repeat, scoring four nominations. They tied with soul songstress Duffy (whose album beat them out for best-seller in the UK in 2008) at the top of the heap, with Adele, Elbow and Scouting for Girls close behind at three nods each.

Radiohead, Girls Aloud, Estelle and the Ting Tings grabbed two noms each, with Radiohead and the Ting Tings competing against Coldplay and Elbow for best British album.

The nominees for both the best international group and best international album awards are AC/DC, Fleet Foxes, the Killers, Kings of Leon and MGMT. The best international female category (the counterpart to Seasick Steve’s nomination bunch) features Beyonce, Gabriella Cilmi, Katy Perry, Pink and Santogold.

The BRITs are also bringing back the award for best producer, last given at the ceremony in 1998. The nominees — Bernard Butler, Brian Eno and Steve Mac — will find out their fate a little sooner than everyone else, as the award will be presented at the Music Producers Guild Awards on Feb. 12.

The rest of them will be handed out on February 18 in London. The only artist who can count on taking home a trophy is Florence and the Machine, who is the winner of the 2009 Critics’ Choice award, chosen annually by a media panel. Well, her and the Pet Shop Boys, who will be recognized in the outstanding contribution to music category. You can check out the full list of nominations here.

U2, the Pet Shop Boys, Kings Of Leon, Duffy and Girls Aloud will perform at the awards ceremony.

New boyfriend, new label… man, next thing you know, we’ll be seeing photos of Amy Winehouse without track marks down her arm. But until that day comes, we can all turn our attention to her newly minted Lioness Records, which will soon be releasing the debut from Dionne Bromfield — who just happens to be Winehouse’s 13 year-old goddaughter.

According to the Guardian, Winehouse has polished her godmotherly credentials by sinking an alleged one-million pounds into the release, bringing in artists such as Lady GaGa, Lemar and X Factor’s Eoghan Quigg to duet with the 13-year-old.

Bromfield first came to public attention last year in a YouTube video shot by Pete Doherty, where she sings Alicia Keys‘ “If I Ain’t Got You”. With Winehouse accompanies her on electric guitar and backing vocals, Bromfield shows considerable promise — and a whole lot of heartache for a (then) 12-year-old girl. The video has attracted nearly 170,000 views since May 2008.

Besides creating a record label to release her album, Winehouse has spent a reported £15,000 sending Bromfield to intensive singing classes in Los Angeles. She has also bought her a guitar – and started teaching her to play. “Dionne is young but she has more potential than any girl I’ve ever seen,” Winehouse told the Independent last year. “I know she’s got an advantage by knowing me but I’d put her in a room against anyone and she’d do the business.”

While we give kudos to Winehouse for both her gumption and family values, we suggest she heeds all of the warnings about the demise of traditional labels. Unless of course she has a 360-deal — assuming she knows what that means — then forget what Radiohead manager Brian Message says about record labels. There’s a lot worse things you can spend your money on, right?

Today we have unveiled our review of the highly anticipated, much internet-sheriffed about new Animal Collective album Merriweather Post Pavilion. And like many of our contemporaries, we find it to be quite an enjoyable listen. But exactly one week into 2009 and it’s already being proclaimed the best record of the year, with some giving it higher praise than any release in all of 2008. And so I am left to wonder; am I the only one who isn’t even sure it’s the best record I’ve gotten in the last week, let alone all of this year and last?

To be certain, it is a beautiful record; one that I assigned to one of our more critical writers in the hopes that he would find something that didn’t sit well with him, only to be greeted with his overstated joy. And upon reading Flavorwire’s interview with Pitchfork editor Mark Richardson, I have a better understanding of why they chose to rate it so high. Yet earlier this week, when we simply stated that all the publications are elbowing their way to be the first to bow down to it, it elicited a comment of “don’t pretend like you’re not ready to bow down to this record as well. It’s fucking incredible and you know it.” Fair enough, but in an odd twist of irony, the commenter went on to add, “and please don’t turn into the next holier than thou Pitchfork snob website.”

That added jab became the incentive for this editorial, because it led me to hypothetically ask Chris (the name under which the comment was left), “if we — as music ‘journalists’ — are not to be critical of the music laid out before us, then who is?” I know the reason I started reading Pitchfork was not because they were critical and at times, demeaning, but because they had a definitive voice. One that you trusted, and would hope to give you insight that other, less confrontational sources like The Chicago Tribune, Paste Magazine, Spin were afraid to bring up. So does this speak more to Pitchfork watering down their content to fill a wider audience range, or — and the stance I take — that we as listeners and the music industry as a whole are looking so desperately for some reason, any reason, to believe that this year can be filled with a summery disposition like the one displayed on Merriweather Post Pavailion. That no matter what is to come in ‘09, it has to be better than last year?

It’s as though Animal Collective is the musical equivalent of Barack Obama. They don’t have to do anything extraordinary in order to save us from our daily doldrums. They just need to be. Sure, in the end Merriweather meets — or excedes — our expectations, but it doesn’t matter what it sounds like. It didn’t matter for the past three months when everyone was trying to get their hands on it, and the band and their label were successful (for the most part) at keeping it away from the masses, building the expectations even more. Maybe that’s what the anticipation was built upon. Maybe it’s not the band that we cared about or that we all were interested to hear what the album sounded like, but we wanted to be the first to say we’ve heard the record. To exclaim its amazingness before anyone else. I mean, The Tripwire is already really late in posting our review a mere three days after it’s vinyl release (note: not CD or digital yet).

Like Richardson explained in the Flavorwire interview, much of the excitement and anticipation comes from not knowing what Animal Collective will do next. The fact you cannot predict what sound they will embody from record to record is one of their biggest assets. As he goes on to say that while a lot of people will want to compare them to Radiohead because of the experimentation and departure from “conventional” pop-music, that “one thing with Radiohead, is that every album had at least a few tunes that could fairly be described as ‘rock songs.’ You could tell what all the instruments were, there are guitars, etc., but that’s not really true with [Merriweather Post Pavilion].”

The Radiohead comparisons are both justified and lofty praise for a band that used to wear masks. But in the end it doesn’t matter what Pitchfork, myself, yourself, or anyone thinks, because music is only as deep as the moment we are listening to it. Once it’s off and the criticism begins, it loses any value. So to answer Chris, I can only say that I will continue be that “holier than thou” opinionated asshole, because someone has to try and weed through the herd mentality. Even if the herd is right.

And in case Chris or anyone else is wondering, I think that Merriweather Post Pavilion is a wonderfully produced record. Possibly one of the best produced records of the last decade. And it’s the lush and sonic beauty of the production which makes it a better-than-good record. Still, the songwriting — in my humble opinion — is only average, with many of the songs sounding very similar, even repetitive and blending into one another at times. Maybe this is intentional, maybe it’s not, but as a whole it is not nearly as poppy as Strawberry Jam or innovative as Sung Tongs (still my favorite Animal Collective album to date). I will listen to it often and thoroughly many more times, but if I were to make any comparisons, it would be to another band’s monumental opus.

Merriweather Post Pavilion will inevitably be Animal Collective’s Pet Sounds. You will either think it’s the best thing they’ve ever done, or a record that will remain critically acclaimed and on your shelf while you reach for Strawberry Jam. Either way, it will forever be remembered. As for a number? I’ll give it a 7.5.

And then there was one. The announcement today that Kraftwerk founding member Florian Schneider has left the legendary German electronica group leaves just co-founder Ralf Hütter as the only remaining original face in the lineup, two months shy of the band’s South American dates with Radiohead.

The announcement came via the band’s web site this morning.

Florian Schneider leaves Kraftwerk after a 40 years partnership with Ralf Hütter. This partnership has generated an incredible music and huge advances in music technology.

Our thanks for the state of art that led to Kraftwerk’s music all these years. And our wishes for success Florian’s new projects as well as to this new Kraftwerk.

Schneider did not appear as part of Kraftwerk for the band’s 2008 tour, but as Hütter told The New Zealand Herald in September, Schneider “never likes touring” so has spent the last few years “working on other projects, technical things.”

Schneider and Hütter co-founded Kraftwerk in 1970, later expanding the group to a four-piece with a rotating cast of players. Schneider is largely credited with taking electronic music to the mainstream, and even inspired David Bowie to record an instrumental song called “V2 Schneider” on his Heroes album.

Hütter and fellow Kraftwerk members Stefan Pfaffe, Fritz Hilpert and Henning Schmitz, will take the stage with Radiohead on its spring tour in Latin America, beginning March 15-16 in Mexico City.

Kraftwerk supporting Radiohead
03.15.09 – Mexico City (Foro Sol)
03.16.09 – Mexico City (Foro Sol)
03.20.09 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Praca da Apoteose)
03.22.09 – Sao Paulo, Brazil (Chacara Do Jockey)
03.24.09 – Buenos Aires, Argentina (Club Ciduad)
03.26.09 – Santiago, Chile (San Carlos De Apoquindo)
03.27.09 – Santiago, Chile (San Carlos De Apoquindo)

Kraftwerk (headlining)
04.25.09 – Wolfsburg, Germany (Altes Heizkraftwerk)
04.26.09 – Wolfsburg, Germany (Altes Heizkraftwerk)

Like our #6 pick, Radiohead’s video for “House of Cards” is a technical marvel. Without the use of cameras or lights, all of the imagery was captured using 3D plotting technologies, collecting information about the shapes and relative distances of objects. Besides, what year-end list would be complete without the self-loathing charm of Radiohead?

Radiohead – “House Of Cards”
Directed by James Frost