March 17, 2008

Over the past 12 months we’ve seen a number of bands create innovative methods to try to beat the dreaded internet leak. The latest brilliant ploy comes from The Raconteurs who have just announced that they will release their second album, Consolers Of The Lonely, on vinyl, cd and digital formats next Tuesday. In a little over a week we’ll have 14 new tracks from the supergroup.

The Raconteurs finished recording the album two weeks ago, and have opted to bypass the traditional “first week sales” marketing push the record labels love so much. Instead they plan to release Consolers Of The Lonely, and then promote the album after everyone has a chance to hear the music at the same time. We figure that there are some major label execs that are hoping the new album goes down like a lead balloon, but we’re banking on Jack White and the boys to deliver another delicious serving of rock. Read on for the full letter from the band, including the outstanding news that they plan to sell 320kbps mp3s.

For their Rolling Stone cover shoot back in 1992 Kurt Cobain famously wore a t-shirt declaring “Corporate Magazines Still Suck” as a way of sticking it to the establishment that

Fact: White people look ridiculous when they dance. This is bound to be one of my least popular statements, but I stand by it. I have been to weddings and I have seen your macarenas, chicken dances, electric slides, mashed potatoes, and running men. I’ve been to The Phish concerts and I have survived the twirlers, twisters, hoopers, sicky-sicky ragers and meatstickers. The fact is, we all have a touch of the Elaine Benes gene.

Admittedly, I look more ridiculous than most. Get me drunk enough and I will perform the “African Ant Eater Ritual” in its entirety for any audience. But if you want to see a real, full-fledged spectacle, put on some traditional Irish music, preferably a jig or a reel. After a few glasses of Jameson, I will show you the true meaning of the word “spastic.” (In my more sober moments I realize that being a quarter Irish does not excuse such behavior.)

The ‘Celtic Music Resurgence’ of the past half a century has provided drunken a-holes like me with some truly inspired music to compliment our pints of Guinness and Smithwick’s. So, in honor of St. Patrick’s Month (which began officially on March 1st in Hoboken NJ) here are two of my favorite trad-Irish artists for you to check out! Slante!

Read on for Neeko’s look at the music of Flook and Solas…

Happy St. Paddy’s Day everyone! When I was a kid it was all about Shamrock Shakes and green bagels – that’s how we Jews celebrated it at least. These days

SXSW has finally wrapped up in Austin, and sadly Hidden Track didn’t have any correspondents on the scene. Luckily, almost every single blogger and their brother attended the schmoozefest, so