The Killing Floor: What Happened At Rue Morgue Festival Of Fear 2011
Published on September 29th, 2011 in: Blu-Ray, Canadian Content, Conventions/Expos, DVD, Halloween, Horror, Movies, Reviews, Science Fiction, Toys and Collectibles, Underground/Cult, Video |
Every August, Rue Morgue hosts its annual horror convention Festival Of Fear as part of FanExpo Canada (which also includes Gaming, Comics, Sci-Fi, and Anime). Every year, I await their list of guests and schedule of events. This year they presented a Near Dark screening with Lance Henriksen (read more here), a Q&A with Tom Savini (read more here), a 30th Anniversary cast and crew reunion for My Bloody Valentine (read more here), and much more, like events and panels with Malcolm McDowell, Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger), Elvira, and John Waters. There are literally too many things for one person to do. If ever there were a compelling reason to clone myself, it would be for Festival of Fear.
Congratulations To PJ Harvey, Two-Time Mercury Music Prize Winner
Published on September 8th, 2011 in: Feminism, Music, Streaming, Video |You may have already heard that PJ Harvey has won the UK’s 2011 Mercury Music Prize for her most recent album, Let England Shake, but what you may not know is that she is the first person to win the award twice. Additionally, she was the first female to win the award ten years ago for her outstanding 2001 album Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea.
Watch her performance of “The Words That Maketh Murder” at the Mercury Prize ceremony on September 6.
We reviewed Let England Shake on the Popshifter blog back in February, with J Howell saying that it “will likely stand the test of time as one of the finest, perhaps even one of the most important, records of the early twenty-first century.”
On September 12, 2011, PJ Harvey will release an exclusive iTunes Session which can be pre-ordered on the iTunesStore. The EP features seven recently recorded live tracks along with an interview. It also includes four songs from Let England Shake as well as three of her most widely acclaimed songs from past albums.
iTunes Session track listing:
1. Let England Shake
2. The Words That Maketh Murder
3. The Last Living Rose
4. Written On The Forehead
5. Angelene
6. C’Mon Billy
7. Down By The Water
8 – Interview –
Says Harvey of her win, “I feel surprised and astonished that I’ve won twice and I do feel proud, it’s amazing, I can’t quite take it in but at the same time I feel that making music and words is very important to me and I’ve always tried to make it the best it could possibly be and I hope to continue doing that. I hope to be back here again in another 10 years’ time with another record because it’s very important to me to keep making word that is of relevance, not just to myself but to other people.”
We hope so, too.
You can stream two songs from Let England Shake on Soundcloud: “Written On The Forehead” and “The Words That Maketh Murder.” You can also purchase the album from iTunes and Amazon.
Brand New Video From Iceage, “You’re Blessed”
Published on August 30th, 2011 in: Current Faves, Music, Video |Check out the latest video from Iceage, whose album New Brigade we reviewed in June, saying, it “teeters on the thrilling precipice between the purity of the band’s nascent talent and future brilliance.”
Hungry For Love, Part Three: More Music Videos So Bad They’re Good
Published on August 9th, 2011 in: Music, Retrovirus, Video |By Jim R. Clark
This is Part Three in our series on bizarre videos you may have forgotten about or never seen. Don’t forget to check out Parts One and Two.
Yes friends, it’s time for another installment of horribly bad music videos that I have combed the web to find for you. Suffering in obscurity no more, these videos will leave you humming some new tunes. In addition to the usual weird New Wave videos I include in these lists, this edition features a Beatles tribute band from India and a special Goth section at the end! Please enjoy!
(more…)
Creepy Video For Newest Erland & The Carnival Single, “Springtime”
Published on May 12th, 2011 in: Current Faves, Music, Video |Reading the press release on Erland & The Carnival‘s latest video made me squirm: “Much like the terrifying conclusion of the film Creepshow, we find our hero, Erland Cooper, buried and overcome by roaches.”
Full disclosure: I am mortally terrified of roaches. Thankfully the ones in this video are the less grotesque “Palmetto bugs” and not the standard horrifying, flying cockroaches that are the state bird of Louisiana.
The song is wonderful and the video is perfectly creepy, especially for those of use who appreciate morbid delights. Enjoy . . . and check out Erland & The Carnival’s excellent Nightingale album (reviewed on Popshifter here) if you haven’t already.
Don’t Quit Your Day Job: Super Bowl “Singers” Please Take Note
Published on February 4th, 2011 in: Comedy, Music, Upcoming Events, Video |By Laura L.
Ah, football. (That would be American football for most of the world.) What do you think of when you think of football? Touchdowns? Sure. Tailgating? Perhaps. Rap? Are you serious? Sadly, I am afraid I am. And YouTube has reminded me of this dark moment in not just National Football League history, but rap history as well. And with the 2011 Super Bowl upon us, what better time is there to open that vault?
It all started back in 1985. The Chicago Bears, under the leadership of legendary coach Mike Ditka, were having an incredible run, losing only once in the regular season. They would eventually win the Super Bowl that season. But that legacy may not be completely untainted. Three words: Super Bowl Shuffle.
(more…)
Shaking With Anticipation: PJ Harvey Album Now Available To Pre-Order From iTunes
Published on January 20th, 2011 in: Music, Upcoming Events, Video |By Less Lee Moore
Although PJ Harvey‘s long-awaited new album, Let England Shake, won’t be out until February 15, the iTunes pre-order has begun.
The pre-order features an instant download of “Written On The Forehead” plus an exclusive track, “The Big Guns Called Me Back Again.”
PJ Harvey will also be playing Coachella on Sunday April 17.
Check out the video for the first single, “The Words That Maketh Murder.”
Getting Up Early In The Morning With James Vincent McMorrow
Published on January 20th, 2011 in: MP3s, Music, Upcoming Events, Video |By Less Lee Moore
Early in the Morning, the debut album from singer/songwriter James Vincent McMorrow, was self-released in Ireland in 2010 and hailed as “one of the first truly great albums of the decade” by The Dubliner. The album will be available for the first time in the US on January 25 from Vagrant.
But you don’t have to wait to hear it. My Old Kentucky Blog is streaming the album in its entirety.
You can also download “If I Had a Boat,” the album’s first single.
Introducing James Vincent McMorrow (EPK) from Vagrant Records on Vimeo.
A Very Gerry X-Mas
Published on December 25th, 2010 in: Holidays, Movies, Video |If you watch nothing else this holiday season, watch this.
Film Junk Presents: A Very Gerry X-Mas! from Jay Cheel on Vimeo.
Reed Farrington (from Film Junk‘s Cantankerous podcasts) stars in this new Christmas special.
Featuring gingerbread, Star Trek, stop-motion animation, and lots and lots of sneezing, it is, in its own inimitable way, as brilliant, profound, and disturbing as The Wrestler.
Enjoy!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Popshifter,
Less Lee Moore
Pop Music: The Balkans
Published on November 29th, 2010 in: Culture Shock, Current Faves, Issues, Music, Three Of A Perfect Pair, Video |By Jim R. Clark
There has been quite a bit of interest in Balkan music lately due to the popularity of such bands as Gogol Bordello and Balkan Beat Box. If you’re one of those music nuts who’s heard everything, then hopefully this article can introduce you to something new. Here is a taste of some of the great musical offerings popular in the Balkans today. Maybe you will get hooked and want to start your own Manele band!
(more…)