Frightened Rabbit - Backyard Skulls

Again, breaking my prejudice against videos featuring the band "playing" the music - at least in this case they were slick and did the school dance setting. That helped a lot. I don't know a lot of this band's material but what I know I like. Also working in the band's favor, A) their from Scotland so that's always a plus in my book and B) they remind me at times of that Pulp-era Brit indie rock.

PJ Harvey - Big Exit Live! 2001

Ah, the bombastic opening track from my favorite PJ Harvey record (that I know - I still don't have them all). There is such a tone that runs over this record; it's a little bit Nick Cave (that's probably more due to Mick Harvey's presence on this record and less to do with the fact that Polly Jean and Mr. Cave were at one time an item) and a little Radio Head (which is accented by not entirely because of Thom Yorke's presence on three tracks). It's also claustrophobic and quiet and a little bit hopeless and violent, as if just months before 9/11 Ms. Harvey was channeling the new Zeitgeist of fear and aggression that would be coming down the pipes and never quite leaving us here in the States. Listening to this record is a very specific mindset. It's fun and creatively-inspiring in the right moments but perhaps a bit bleak and haunting at others.

The Dark Knight Does Indeed Return

Just finished re-reading Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns in preparation for back-to-backing both of these animated adaptions tonight. Can't wait - even without the internal monologue I think these will be freakin' awesome!

Now someone animate Grant Morrison's Gothic storyline from issues 6-10 of the Legends of the Dark Knight book circa 1989.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds 2001 Concert

Well, the video for Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds live at LA's Henry Fonda Theatre may have been taken off-line, but here's an older show to get us through those withdrawals.

Fen's New Album Dustwalker

Somehow a new album by the band Fen came out on January 25 and I missed it entirely!!! Here's the first song I could find on the ol' tubeyou. If you're into good black metal (yes, there is such a thing, quite a lot of it actually!) then this is the band. I reviewed their last record here. To sum it up, the thing sounds as though you are listening to it through a rain storm. It goes great with reading John Crowley's Little, Big as it has a forest tone, all dry branches and soiled, dead leaves, mud trails and flickers at the edge of your vision.

Slayer - Raining Blood Live

Few things get the blood pumpin' like Reign in Blood-era Slayer.

Nick Cave Live @ LA's Fonda Theatre 2/21 Streaming for a few more Hours