PRETTY MUCH AMAZING, HAS ONCE AGAIN BEEN TRUMPED. I DONT KNOW IF I WILL BRING IT BACK THIS TIME.

IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING, HASN’T IT. BUT THIS MAY BE IT FOR PMA. WHO KNOWS. WILL UPDATE AGAIN NEXT WEEK TO KEEP EVERYONE IN CHECK.

THANKS AGAIN FOR BEING LOYAL READERS FOR A WHOLE YEAR.

-LUIS

UPDATE (about 2 hours later):

Thanks for the support. I’m looking into any cheap/quick hosting — I doubt I could ever leave PMA, its been my baby for so long. I won’t be making any decisions until Monday, so till then with some sort of verdict.

The Dodos are a two-piece band out of San Fransisco, California, who create beautiful, hypnotizing songs and beats. The hooks are catchy and memorable, and the sound is different and unique. The band tends to clash styles of bands we’ve heard before and turn them into something fresh- you can’t help but think of Band of Horses, Panda Bear, and Animal Collective when you are listening to the Dodos. Still, I’m not a huge fan of Panda Bear or Animal Collective, but still find myself transfixed by this new band’s songs. Their cd, Visiter, has received tons of praise, notably from Pitchfork, and is available now.

You can check out a few songs (my personal favorite is “Fools”) and tour dates on their MYSPACE.

Then comment on what you think of this new “buzz band!”

-Adam

First, an ingenious video tribute to the best show on television, LOST.

Now, some interesting news courtesy of TV Guide’s Michael Ausellio about the hit show…

According to Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, the show’s producers, the strike-shortened 13 episode season will likely be producing a 14th hour!

Sweet. Thoughts on video? Thoughts on Lost in general? I will be positng episode recaps once the season comes back on April 24, along with other TV recaps…

-Adam

Yesterday, Chicago Sun-Times blogger, Jim DeRogatis leaked the entire lineup for what looks like 2008’s best summer music festival, Lollapalooza. The first four artists on the roster get your blood pumping, but two in particular caught my attention. Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails.

Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails have been taking turns giving the music industry the big finger. The Brits made headlines last October for releasing In Rainbows without the control support of a record label, and Trent Reznor’s Nine Inch Nails followed suit with last month’s Ghosts I-IV.

The two bands have also been busy one-upping each other with their innovative promotion strategies. Life was happy having two brilliant bands continuously providing for innovative and buzzworthy ways to distribute digital media, simultaneously help digging record labels’ graves. That is, until Reznor accused Radiohead of ripping their fans off by selling them low-quality files.

Wired has come up with a 10 round face-off between the bands, and looking at the people’s votes, it seems Nine Inch Nails has got Radiohead beat in terms of innovation. Now we pose this question, who will take over Chi-Town this first week of August (Aug 1-3)?

The official lineup is found below

Radiohead
Rage Against the Machine [Down Rodeo]
Nine Inch Nails [March Of The Pigs]
Kanye West [This Love (Kanye West Remix)]
Wilco
The Raconteurs [Broken Boy Soldier]
Louis XIV
Love and Rockets
Gnarls Barkley [Crazy]
Bloc Party [Song For Clay]
The Black Keys
Broken Social Scene
Lupe Fiasco [Daydreamin']
Flogging Molly
Mark Ronson [Toxic]
Cat Power [The Greatest]
The National
G. Love & Special Sauce
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
Explosions in the Sky
Brand New
Gogol Bordello
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
Dierks Bentley
Okkervil River [John Allyn Smith Sails]
Amadou & Mariam
Blues Traveler
John Butler Trio
Girl Talk [song]
Your Vegas
CSS [Mens' Needs CSS Mix]
Eli “Paperboy” Reed & the True Loves
Battles
Steel Train
Jamie Lidell
Bang Camaro
Butch Walker
The Blakes
Mates of State
Tally Hall
Spank Rock [Loose]
White Lies
Brazilian Girls
Magic Wands
Chromeo
Electric Touch
Duffy [song]
Innerpartysystem
The Kills
The Postelles
Rogue Wave [Are You On My Side]
The Parlor Mob
The Go! Team
Bald Eagle
Mason Jennings
Krista
The Gutter Twins
Ha Ha Tonka
Yeasayer
Witchcraft
Grizzly Bear [Knife ]
We Go To 11
MGMT [Time To Pretend]
Sofia Talvik
The Weakerthans
Booka Shade
Santogold [You'll Find A Way (Switch And Sinden Remix)]
Black Kids
Black Lips
Dr. Dog
Nicole Atkins & the Sea
The Ting Tings
Kid Sister
Office
The Cool Kids
What Made Milwaukee Famous
Does It Offend You, Yeah?
The Whigs
Manchester Orchestra
Foals
Uffie [Ready To Uff]
The Octopus Project
Cadence Weapon
Ferras
De Novo Dahl
Noah and the Whale
Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s
K’NAAN
Serena Ryder
Newton Faulkner

via Chicago Sun-Times

Really, there are two types of Mariah. There is the Mariah who warbled power ballads and insidious dance tunes throughout most of the 90s before going a bit crazy (Britney is so behind the times) and making the biggest comeback this side of Take That. Then there is Mimi Mariah, who insists on having guest rappers on everything and going all a bit hip hop. Which granted, has served her just as well in recent years as her old jeans and sweater on a swing in videos persona, but has left me colder than a witches tit in November. Mariah launched onto the scene back in 1990 with the epic debut single Vision of Love, which perfectly showcased her astounding vocal range and showed that she could (co)write a melodic tune up with the best of them. I fell instantly in love. I spent a fortune on importing her debut album (which i later retitled Visions) and devoured the mix of balladry (Love Takes Time, I Don’t Wanna Cry) and pure pop tunes (All In Your Mind remains an all time fave along with funktastic There’s Got To Be A Way). Her second album barely a year later was more of the same leading off with 70s inspired Emotions, more ballads (Can’t Let Go) and the excellent spiritual follow up to There’s Got To Be A Way, Make It Happen. Once again, this song showed that Mariah could pull off a bit of restraint and rule the dancefloor in a way that was completely more acceptable than say, Celine doing Misled (though i like that song too…). I was all ready for Mariah to release the highlight of her second album, You’re So Cold, (a down and dirty slice of prince-esque pop) but instead she released a cover of I’ll Be There with Trey Lorenz which actually sealed her fate as an international superstar. Her next few albums in retrospect, were a slow and subtle shift to the more hip hop orientated sound she would come to adopt, but kept the pop sensibilities that I loved. Tracks like Hero, Dreamlover, Fantasy and my all time fave Mariah song, Always Be My Baby, competed with Whitney, Janet and Deborah for space on my cd player and often won out. Add into this one of the most enduring Christmas songs in recent memory to be released and I was convinced I would be a Mariah fan for life…

Then Butterfly came along and my interest started to wane ever so slightly. Honey was the first lead off single of hers that I abandoned in a ridiculously short amount of time, and her duet with Brian McKnight (Whenever You Call) was the only track on the album I kept coming back to on a regular basis. A similar tale happened with Rainbow. It was only the nostalgia of treacly ballad Thank God I’ve Found You that held my interest. What was going on? True, I was going through a big indie college rock phase, but hey I was still spinning Deborah and Kylie, and worshiping at the altar of Steps so it couldn’t be that my pop had fizzled out. Still, I had invested so much time in Mariah and she had provided so much enjoyment for me, that i owed it to her to be a bit more faithful (unlike Janet she hasn’t burned all her bridges with me ). Unfortunately Glitter was a big old mess, but the single Through The Rain was a return to form that I appreciated (even though Charmbracelet was still too hip hop heavy for my liking). Then the whole world liked Mariah again thanks to her emancipation and once again, I was left pondering why one of my favourite acts had experienced such a fall from grace from me…

E=MC2

..Until now. Mariah’s latest album is probably my favourite album of hers since Daydream. It’s by no means in the classic Mariah mode of old that I adore, but maybe I am mature enough now to accept that she has moved on and so must I. Or perhaps there is enough hint of it in this body of work that it is completely appealing to my nostalgic side. Lead off single Touch My Body is a tongue in cheek slinky groove that wisely keeps Mariah at the centre of the song and hangs back from Timbaland style over production that can overpower lesser artists. It’s the reliance on guest rappers and artists that once again do nothing for me - Migrate with T-Pain (who?), the reggae flavoured (but not in a good Jesse/Shayne way) Cruise Control and frankly boring Side Effects could all be left off the album to create a much tighter collection of tunes. I think it was PPG who heard that the very We Belong Together sounding sob fest Bye Bye could be the second single. From an accountants point of view, this is probably a good choice. It’s a lovely tune, with a gorgeous restrained vocal from Mariah and a lovely lilting melody. I have no problem with this as a single. It’s just that there are a few other songs that could easily be stronger and better single choices. I Stay In Love is probably the most 90s Mariah song here - there is some lovely piano and she starts off the song using the lower register of her voice, which I absolutely adore. It’s an incredibly pretty song that sticks in your head and makes me fall in love with her all over again. Plus it makes me want to hug Darren incredibly tightly and that’s always a good thing. The incredible That Chick takes inspiration from Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall and is a song so brimming with potential (both remix and radio) that I wouldn’t be surprised if this was a massive smash all over the world this summer. (And a funky little choreographed dance routine wouldn’t go amiss either). Taking me back to the days of perfect summer pop grooves like Make It Happen and Always Be My Baby continues with the very lovely I’ll Be Lovin You Long Time. O.O.C is a club banger in the same way that So Cold should’ve been (though it doesn’t really need the annoying bloke rant behind the groove!) I have to say I am preferring Mariahs 70s and 80s influences much more than her hip hop vibes and that is what is making this album work for me in a big way.

Reviewed by Paul from Fizzy Pop

Listening Booth:
Mariah Carey - Bye Bye

Musicologists report:

The National is set to release a documentary DVD on May 20th entitled A Skin, A Night directed by Vincent Moon. It’s basically a behind-the-scenes (or making-of) Boxer.

Here’s a clip of National fans’ favorite “Slow Show”, but a little different than you remember it.

Catch an MP-Free and Tour dates after the jump.

The National - Fake Empire from The White Sessions, 5.7.2007

Watch Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes sing with Bruce Springsteen on “Thunder Road” at a benefit for Barack Obama… Pretty cool! What do you guys think? -Adam

I don’t know if this is a joke or not, but Radiohead announced that the name of their social networking site is W.A.S.T.E. Central. My guess is you can either waste your time, or all you’ll find in it is garbage.

Technically speaking, W.A.S.T.E. Central is your typical Social Networking site, like say Myspace or Facebook, with the “regular features of a social network – a main portal, members/fans own private spaces (profiles), blog and message board features and of course the most important ingredient of a true-blue social networking site, especially geared as a fan base -> facility to upload songs, photos and videos.” Says Rotorblog’s Zafra.

It would be unbelievably stupid for any non-Radiohead fan to join, but if they did, they won’t be missing out on anything any other network offers. But, for hardcore Radiohead fans, W.A.S.T.E., is Mecca. Not only will they get to create their own profile and establish their presence within the realm of the most important rock band on earth, but they get access to Radiohead-related clips, up-to-date band tour listings, and who knows later on, some good old’ Radiohead freebies; I’m thinking In Rainbows: The Sequel, no?

Radiohead - Nude (Holy Fuck Remix)

On a related note, Radiohead have just announced (via W.A.S.T.E., no doubt) Los Angeles (!!!) and San Fransisco dates (among other wonderful cities) to their slowly growing tour.

08/01 - Lollapalooza @ Chicago, IL
08/03 - Verizon Wireless Music Center @ Indianapolis, IN
08/04 - Blossom Music Center @ Cleveland, OH
08/06 - Parc Jean Drapeau @ Montreal, QC
08/08 - All Points West Music & Arts Festival/Liberty State Park @ Jersey City, NJ
08/09 - All Points West Music & Arts Festival/Liberty State Park @ Jersey City, NJ
08/12 - Susquehanna Bank Center @ Camden, NJ
08/13 - Tweeter Center For the Performing Arts @ Mansfield, MA
08/15 - Molson Amphitheatre @ Toronto, ON
08/19 - Thunderbird Stadium @ Vancouver, BC
08/20 - White River Amphitheatre @ Auburn, WA
08/22 - Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival @ Golden Gate Park - San Francisco, CA
08/24 - Hollywood Bowl @ Los Angeles, CA
08/25 - Hollywood Bowl @ Los Angeles, CA
08/27 - Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre @ Chula Vista, CA
08/28 - Santa Barbara Bowl @ Santa Barbara, CA

Here are some live Radiohead gems for you to keep:
Radiohead - Killer Cars (Live acoustic)
Radiohead - Karma Police (Live at Amnesty Int. Festival)
Radiohead - Talk Show Host (Live at Amnesty Int. Festival)
Radiohead - Bodysnatchers (Live at 93 Feet East, London, 16th Jan 200

SO PMA HAS A NEW LAYOUT (OBVIOUSLY!)

JUST LOOKING FOR SOME FEEDBACK. I JUST FELT LIKE A CHANGED, IT WAS A STRONG URGE.

I’M NOT REALLY ATTACHED TO THESE LAYOUTS AS THEY ARE GENERIC WORDPRESS LAYOUTS, SO I AM JUST FEELING THROUGH THEM. I’M NOT CRAZY ABOUT THE BANNER FOR SURE, LOOKING TO MAKE A NEW ONE SOON, OR CHANGE THE LAYOUT COMPLETELY — AGAIN!

THINK OF THIS AS TRYING CLOTHES ON… SO NOW, YOU CAN BE THE FRIENDS WHO CAME TO THE MALL WITH ME; HOW DO I LOOK?

Pretty Much Amazing’s Listening Booth is where we get to talk about our favorite new songs! Yay!

This Is Ivy League - The Richest Kids
Is this music or is this a mere exploitation of a hyped demographic *cough* Vampire Weekend *cough*? I’m glad to say, this is music. Real. Good. Music.

Wyclef Jean - Fast Car (remix feat. Lupe Fiasco)
At first, I thought this was just a new Lupe Fiasco track. Warning to those who want to add Cool Youg Lou to your remix team: He’s a verse hogger.

G-Unit - Grimey
In this new track from the upcoming G-Unit mixtape, 50 Cent confesses to being dirty, grimy, and filthy, but doesn’t go on to admit himself as a tired MC.

And now moving onto our daily downloads. These are free and legal. So download away.

Foo Fighters - Keep The Car Running
Jens Lekman - Friday Night At The Drive-In Bingo
Athlete - Hurricane (Camp America Remix)
Justice - DANCE (Paste Black Remix)
Oh No! Oh My! - Finally Found A Home
The Fiery Furnaces - Ex-Guru
The New Pornographers - Myriad Harbour
They Might Be Giants - Careful What You Pack
The Mountain Goats - Sax Rohmer Number 1
Xiu Xiu - I Do What I Want, When I Want

Pitchfork.tv, “the first-ever music video channel dedicated to documenting independent music as it happens… the online channel will bring you closer to the artists you love, through original mini-documentaries, secret rooftop and basement sessions, full concerts, exclusive interviews, and the most carefully curated selection of music videos online,” launches today.

Make sure to catch Radiohead performing “Bangers & Mash” in Nigel Godrich’s (wiki) basement studio exclusively for the online music’s demigod.

Radiohead - Bangers & Mash (BoA Pavilion, Boston, MA 6-5-2006)

Meanwhile, in New York, Stereogum’s Scott Lapatine is sitting in his lair plotting an inevitable response to P4K’s new media launch. The project is called Videogum.com, little is known about this new venture, except that it could be an independent, more Pitckfork.tv-like version of their YouTube identity of the same name.

Taking a look through their YouTube Videogum page, it doesn’t look anywhere as near as impressive as Pitchfork.tv, with some videos wearing less than 500 views. Only time can tell where ‘Gum go with this under-wraps-project. Until then, be the first to find out about Videogum by disclosing your email address here.

Jigga and Mary J visit Letterman in support of their “Heart of the City” Tour. Jay-Z is surprisingly funny, and Letterman is an ace talk host, sticking it to R-Kelly.

Below are some upcoming tour dates and Hov and Mary performing “Can’t Knock The Hustle”

Linkin Park vs. Jay-Z - Numb vs. Encore (Live)

The recent uprising of solo female electro artists has not gone unnoticed in our world. Yelle is a French girl with blistering dance floor gems, whereas Robyn’s latest album is perhaps the peak of the genre. Also featured is Roisin Murphy’s You Know Me Better from her embarrassingly unheard of LP, Overpowered (the best pop album since Ray Of Light), Stefy’s man-hating slice of magnificence and internet favorite Lykke Li.

Roisin Murphy: You Know Me Better | Download

Robyn: Cobrastyle | Download

Lykke Li: Little Bit | Download

Yelle: A Cause de Garcons | Download

Stefy: Chelsea | Download

Speaking of Roisin Murphy, check out her videos in a rather splendid youtubeular fashion here and here. Tell me please, is she not the best music video artist of the 2000s so far?

I have never done anything like this on PMA before, but it might be fun, if people are willing to participate. You should all know how this works.

And a little party shuffle to get those creative juices flowing. Here are the first seven.

Juelz Santana & Lil Wayne - Let Us Pray

Wale - Conclusion

My Morning Jacket - Sec Walkin (Live)

Björk - Wanderlust (B-Ju Remix)

Death Cab For Cutie - The Sound of Settling

Missy Elliot - Ching-A-Ling

LCD Soundsystem - New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down

My iTunes is littered with crap. I know. Craaaazy.

Over here in Britain, ‘to festival’ has become the fashionable verb of the in-crowd. Everyone ‘does’ them, so to speak – from Kate Moss to David Tennant (our current Dr. Who). Indeed, 2008 could well be the year of the trendy festival. But when did - with all the celebrity buzz and media hype - festival makers begin caring too much about photo opportunities with stars and less about the actual artists hitting the stage? Basically, when did line-ups take backstage?

 Yes, there is more to Glastonbury than the headliners – so why are the number of ticket registrants down on last year? Similarly, Leeds and Reading festivals still have day tickets available some two days after they went on general sale. Take a look at the line-ups and it is not hard to see why. Festivals should be about catching that new hyped-up band for the very first time, about rushing home to by an act’s CD because you stumbled across the wrong stage at the right time, about being blown away by the oh-so-now act – not about watching The Killers, Metalica, Editors or Kings of Leon perform the same set list as you saw them last year.

Where are our favorite acts? MGMT, Hot Chip, Foals, Vampire Weekend, Robyn, Justice, Bonde de Role, Sebastien Tellier so name but a few… C’mon festivals – we’ve been soul mates for a good five years now, don’t start letting me down now!

 As a new writer on this here pretty amazing blog and in a bid to allow you to get to know me, I have opened up by iPod and below are the first five shuffled tracks to app