SORRY – THOSE FIRST 100 ORDERS CAME AND WENT FASTER THAN A JONAS BROTHERS FAN CLUB.  THIS SCHEME PORTION OF THIS PRE-ORDER IS OFFICIALLY CLOSED (although you can feel free to still pre-order this album which is a reward unto itself). 

Here is a scheme for you Mountain Goats fans who want to legally get your hands on some new tunes before February 19th.

Mountain Goats record a couple of exclusive tunes.  We put ‘Heretic Pride’ up for sale two months early.  The first 100 people to preorder it get these 2 tunes as free bonus downloads right away in the form of an mini-digital-EP called "Songs for Vamsidasa Babaji".

These exclusive tunes are:
1. Last Man On Earth

2. Toolshed

Only the first 100 get this exclusive EP treatment and downloads will be sent to you once we process your order (which may take a day or so). 

Click here to Pre-order – Heretic Pride

Man, let’s just hope this doesn’t have the same impact on the prospects of Hvarf-Heim as her presence did to Tony Romo’s performance against the Iggles last Sunday.

via Billboard..

 JESSICA SIMPSON’s picks for best albums of 2007

1. Colbie Callait, "Coco" (Universal Republic)
2. Justin Timberlake, "FutureSex/LoveSounds" (Jive)
3. James Morrison, "Undiscovered" (Interscope)
4. The Wreckers, "Stand Still, Look Pretty" (Maverick)
5. Sigur Ros, "Hvarf/Heim" (XL Recordings)
6. The White Stripes, "Icky Thump" (Warner Bros.)
7. Ray LaMontagne, "Till the Sun Turns Black" (RCA)
8. Keane, "Under the Iron Sea" (Interscope)
9. Mute Math, "Mute Math" (Teleprompt/Warner Brothers)

Seems like "fuck" is a naughty word in the UK.  Apparently, crap is more vulgar than shit (according to the BBC web site).  Trust us, the video below is neither shit nor crap in any country.

The label folk at Rough Trade are taking their new years’ resolution to keep the good times flowing very seriously.  In fact, our newest addition to the family is wasting no time by holding a showcase at Joe’s Pub in New York on January 10, 2008.    The event will feature sets by Basia Bulat (Oh, My Darling hits stores on February 5) and Jeffrey Lewis (12 Crass Songs is out on January 29).

As you might expect, space will be extremely limited because…well, you know all of the "industry types" that turn up at these things.  So best click here to get your tickets now.

Watch Film School do their thing. Beware of rock.  

While our DIY screenings are taking Heima to the people (see here for a complete listing), we’re presenting the film in the same theaters where one might find I Am Legend, Juno or even Alvin & The Chipmunks.   Get there early….

12/18, 7:30pm – San Francisco CA – Embarcadero Center Cinema
12/18, 7:30pm – Denver CO – Chez Artiste
12/19, 8pm – Boston MA – Kendall Square Cinema
12/19, 8pm – Atlanta GA – Midtown Art Center
12/20, 8pm – Austin TX – Dobie Theatre
12/20, 8pm – Seattle, WA – Metro Cinema

Sometimes you find out that one of your guilty pleasures is something that those closest to you are also harboring.

Thus is the way Adam, Miwa and I discovered we all religiously watched the MTV original series "Rob & Big"… that is, over a pitcher of beer and a fast food mexican dinner shared at the food court of the South Street Seaport.  This (last August) moments before The National hit the stage of the Seaport.  Since then, time has slowed to a snail’s crawl as we’ve spent many a post-work get-together ruminating on favorite scenes from the first two seasons and longing for the announcement that Season 3 had a premiere date.

Well guys, the wait is over!!  Enchiladas and mini-keg of Heineken at my place TUESDAY, JANUARY 8th!!!

It is both the time for giving and the time for testing out that new digiCam your parents/wife/grandma stuffed inside your stocking. 

We are extremely honored to be helping out the verbially gifted folks at Said The Gramophone with some prize packs for their video contest to end all video contests.  And after reviewing the schwag from our peers, I would have to say our prizes pretty much blow doors on the competition (c’mon Sub Pop, can’t you just dig out a Singles Club #46 7" – there have to be some laying around). 

An extremely rare v23 art calendar released on the ocasion of 4AD’s 10th anniversary, Beirut – Gulag Orkestar CD, TV On The Radio – Return to Cookie Mountain CD, Blonde Redhead – 23 CD, Various Artists – Plague Songs CD, Kristin Hersh – In Shock CD, M. Ward – To Go Home 7", TV On The Radio – Province 7", Blonde Redhead – 23 7", Blonde Redhead – Silently 7", Beirut – Elephant Gun 7", gorgeous silkscreen Beirut poster (all courtesy 4ad)

a birthday phone-call from Basia Bulat, singing you or a friend "Happy Birthday", a signed copy of Basia Bulat’s Oh My Darling CD, Super Furry Animals – Hey Venus CD, Taken By Trees – Open Field CD (all courtesy Rough Trade)

Matador prize-pack: One (1) signed, hand stamped, mega-limited Times New Viking (My Head)/RIP Allegory 7". Less than 500 of these exist…

More info at:  http://saidthegramophone.com/wonderful_video_contest.php

While we thought Adam was hot shit around these parts when he got some video banners happening for the Thom Yorke album, that was nothing compared to what we came across today (on Pitchfork no less).

And while we liked the promo video and all that … the money in this promotion is certainly the "Call the Clan" mobile portion which gets you a personal message dialed in from the RZA, tracks to listen to, album release info, a sign up for Wu news via SMS — all phoned into a local "718" Staten Island number … presumably to a phone located deep in the Park Hill Housing Projects.

Leave it to the Wu to bring it up to the next level.

While we are on the topic, you might want to check this guide out on one of our favorite sites

FM94/9 has teamed up with the San Diego Museum of Art to stage an on-going evening of art, music and culture. Or least that’s how they’re billing it. It does sound pretty cool though. SDMA’s special exhibition for the night is titled Animated Painting and will feature 25 cinematic works by 14 international contemporary artist who adapt traditional painting and drawing methods to the concepts and technologies of animation. Better yet Film School make up the music portion of Sights & Sounds. They’ll be performing in SDMA’s auditorium starting at 9pm. Two cash bars and FM94/9 spinning tunes in the museum’s rotunda confirm that it’s a party. So everyone in San Diego come on down for Sights & Sounds on Thursday, December 13th.