Live Atoms

Okay. So this is really cool. Thom Yorke's house band, ft. Flea, Nigel Goodrich, Beck's Drummer. Yeah, when you are Thom, you just have to ask.



Enjoy.

Three Weeks, Too Long

Look. We've been busy. Don't hate us.

Here's some rock and roll to make you feel better.



Tallahassee Lassie - Freddy Cannon

Enjoy.

Serendipity, via Venice Beach

Hello.

The vitriol from our last post having dissipated, we here at the Unincorporated have moved on. But Southern California insists upon revisiting us; thankfully, in good ways.

We have been graced to discover Ted Hawkins. Ted's initial rise to notoriety was as local as it gets, performing on the boardwalk on Venice Beach. From there, he went on to cut several albums in the 80s and 90s, leaving his greatest impression on the boardwalk in the US, but rising out of obscurity in Europe and attaining the phenomena of continental cult status (how does that happen?). His voice is as good as it gets, part Sam Cooke, part tobacco worn gravel. Sadly he died at 58 in the 1990s of a stroke.



There Stands the Glass - Ted Hawkins

Enjoy.

Back from LA to Reality

Hello.
Sincerest apologies for the extended hiatus here at the Unincorporated, but we have been transcontinental travelers by heading to Los Angeles for a get together, bookending some busy work days in between.

Punk' N Center has rarely been a long form blog, but we will likely breach that if we were to go in depth into our sojourn to the other coast. We rarely have been so awestruck with how inanely stereotyped people behave to fulfill said stereotype. So rather than commence into a vitriolic diatribe that frankly would hurt feelings, we will try to express the journey through... youtube.

Randy Newman is awesome. You might even believe this song. This maybe the impression you may have prior to arriving to the Greater Los Angeles area. But remember, Randy Newman is a great songwriter, and all great songwriters are liars.


This cheesetastic music video, which highlights why LA does not deserve a football team. Here's what happened when they had one. This should have been the first warning.


At some point this is exactly how we felt. Really.


Of course, nothing is black and white. Life is a lot more like a Elliot Smith song, happy/sad/dirty/beautiful.


Enjoy.

Meet the Traveler

Hello.
Redding Hunter, aka Peter and the Wolf. His album "lightness" is now several years old, but never disappoints, like conversations with old friends. Lo-fi folky magnificence.



This Kid I Knew - Peter and the Wolf

Enjoy.

Punk, Still

Hello.

Another rawk song from the unincorporated. We love this awesome video, particularly the bowstaff reverend ninja kid. That's right, all kinds of nouns that should not be strung together.



Enjoy.

Yes, Ladies & Gentleman, Rock and Roll

Hello.

The Future of the Left are from Wales. This doesn't keep us from envisioning this song is somehow about former senator from PA, the honorable Rick Santorum. 'The shape of punk to come' we thinks.



Arming Eritrea - The Future of the Left

Enjoy.

What goes around comes around.

Hello.
The Tings Tings are probably best known in this country for their iPod affiliation, although they are utter pop superstars across the pond. We were listening to used to be known as Top 40 radio this evening when "That's Not My Name" came on. This has summer single written all over it despite it's original release being 2 years old. As any great single it struck us with familiarity, but specifically reminded us of "Wild Wild West" by The Escape Club. That song reminded us of "Pump It Up". And probably so on, and so on...






Not only do we think that these songs have remarkable sonic similarities without being Joe Satriani vs. Coldplay vs. Yusef Islam vs Cat Stevens vs etc.; they all have terrible music videos.

Enjoy.

Reevaluation

Hello.
We at the Unincorporated are not necessarily fans of young mister Oberst. But he has, however, been part of a modern folk revival and is involved with some artists we respect a great deal. That's definitely on display in this version of Lua he rerecorded with Gillian Welch for the Dark Was the Night compilation. Better than the original in our opinion.



Lua - Gillian Welch & Conor Oberst

Enjoy.

Warm Heart of Africa

Hello.
You name your band The Very Best, and here's what you get. Afro-Pop goodness. Two versions of this song, the first featuring Ezra Koenig from Vampire Weekend. And we at the Unincorporated don't care what anyone says, we are still listening to that album from beginning to end. The second is from hornpoppers Architecture in Helsinki.



Warm Heart of Africa - The Very Best f. Ezra Koenig



Warm Heart of Africa - The Very Best remix by Architecture in Helsinki

Enjoy.

Kanye with the Kid

Hello.
We here at the Uninc. think very highly of Kanye West. He is not the best rapper, but perhaps the best songwriter crafting music today. Take this track, which samples the overplayed, over-hyped Lady GaGa into something completely new and ridiculously catchy. This is a Kid Cudi song, with Kanye as producer, but let's be real. This is the Kanye show, at least production wise. Lyrics, nsfw.



Enjoy.

Yes, Andrew Bird.

Hello.

Enjoy.

A Unbelievable Concert Experience

Hello.
Last night we traveled to Asheville and at the Social Aid and Live Music Club know as The Orange Peel we witnessed Todd Snider in person. He performed for probably 90 minutes and was on the whole time. Every moment was remarkable.

So here's some Todd, but please, please go see him.



Greencastle Blues - Todd Snider




Enjoy.

Hypersexualized Awkwardness

Hello.
Look, we like Clarence Carter. But the video for "strokin'" takes the cake. What exactly is the concept? Please feel free to answer this question in comments.


Let's submit two of the best lines:

A:I remember one time I made love on the back seat of a car
And the police came and shined his light on me, and I said:
I'm strokin', that's what I'm doin', I be strokin'

B:I don't stop until I know she's sas-ified
And I can always tell when she gets sas-ified

Ridiculous.
Enjoy.

Depression as Pop

Hello.
Thought we would feature this video by the frighteningly catchy Of Montreal. Odd images, and potent, danceable lyrics about the darkest times in one's life. Oh, Of Montreal.



Enjoy.

Garage Rawk

Hello.
Apologies for the delay in posting, although there's unlikely to be any tears shed without the presence of the Unincorporated online for the rest of eternity, let alone a week. Please let us indulge out moment of organizational pity, or as we like to call it, true assessment of blog worth.
Oh, but wait, let's wash away those feelings with some rock and roll. This blog has previously conveyed our love for King Khan and his iterations. Now there is another. Apparently he has joined his usual compadre, BBQ, along with indie darlings the Black Lips. We here at Punk'N Center do not care tremendously for the Lips, however, that may have some do with their music and mostly to do with their haircuts. The song released from this sonic fuzzbox is pretty good and what you may expect from this collaboration. BTW they are called the Almighty Defenders.





Bow Down & Die - The Almighty Defenders

Enjoy.

Concord with the Conchords

Hello.
Jermaine and Bret are geniuses. The song independent of the video is actually just as funny, if not funnier.






Hurt Feelings - Flight of the Conchords

Enjoy.

Boogie Down

Hello.
Playing it old school today, in the days before auto-tune. Bask in KRS-One's flow, best moment coming close to the beginning when all his backing tracks drop out and it is just him rapping.



Enjoy.

Will Popularity Destroy Us?

Hello.
We suspect the world will get to know the Avett Brothers in the upcoming months. The shaving of the faces, the combing of the hair, and most of all the production of an album by 'the' Rick Rubin. SO in our opinion this spells the end of the Avetts as something of a touring phenomenon with good albums. But, we've been wrong before.

Here's the first single off there album being released late this summer. Yes, the title is "I and Love and You".



I and Love and You - Avett Brothers

Enjoy.

Love's the Greatest Thing

Hello
Here's a random Blur song for you today. Great opener to their penultimate album, 13.



Tender - Blur

Enjoy.