Archive for the ‘Listening’ Category

StarShipSofa, the British online audio science fiction anthology magazine, has released a novella by Lawrence Santaro called "Lord Dickens's Declaration." You can listen to it for free — that's what they do, after all; present audio presentations of top science fiction by authors such as Gene Wolfe, Neil Gaiman, Cory Doctorow, Michael Bishop, Tad Williams, Charles Stross and many more — but for a limited time you can buy a limited edition ebook and the proceeds will go towards helping Jeanne and Spider Robinson's bills as Jeanne fights off a rare biliary cancer that's taking everything they've got.

I've mentioned here before my love of Jeanne and Spider's work, and any chance to help out (while getting new stuff to read at the same time) is a Good Thing. You can read about her ongoing battle (and her fight to continue producing a Stardancer movie) at http://stardancemovie.blogspot.com.

What's "Lord Dickens's Declaration" about? Think "steampunk/time travel/alternatehistory" and you won't be too far off. There are gentlemen and ladies and intrigue and SCIENCE and steamships and long discourses on the nature of time itself. Also, cavemen. Santaro usually writes horror fiction but he rises to the challenge here. The book is also beautifully designed and illustrated to look like an old and treasured book, which just adds to the steampunk feel. Nicely done.

While you're in the area, check out the StarShipSofa's podcasts. They're free, professionally done, and a welcome addition to your portable library.

Turns out that in the future, we're not limited to just guitar, fiddle, and whatever else was playing in the background. The future will also include punk rock.

Rock and roll, mudder's milk and shindigs. The Browncoats is a rock group that wallows in singing about outer space, flying miscellaneous aircraft, and places and people that just do not exist… yet.

They've had great success with their raucous version of "The Hero of Canton" (see video above) and now they have a whole CD to abuse people with. Captain Paul Moerke, Air Marshall Bailey and Co-Pilot Gary Miller use guitars, drums, cigarettes, and lots and lots of beer to produce hard rockin' mudder goodness.

Register at their website to get a free copy of the CD's title song "Space Age Loser," buy a few tracks from Amazon or iTunes, go check out their upcoming performance at Dragon*Con, or stop out their MySpace page for more videos like this one with SNL actor Bill Chott, "Make Mudder Milkshakes" (not for the squeamish).

Weird Al continues his onslaught of song releases with "Ringtone," and a video made in collaboration with Current TV's "SuperNews":

Next Tuesday he'll be releasing "Internet Leaks," a downloadable mini-album of the five songs he's produced since his last album: his T.I. parody “Whatever You Like,” his Doors pastiche “Craigslist,” his Jungle Cruise homage “Skipper Dan,” his Charles Nelson Reilly tribute “CNR” and "Ringtone." Look for it at iTunes, Amazon, and the usual places. And they'll be on a physical CD when his next album comes out:

The songs on “Internet Leaks” will all show up again on my next full album release, whenever that is (I’m assuming next year sometime, but there’s no way to  be sure). Some people may say, “Why should I buy the ‘Internet Leaks’ tracks now when they’re going to be on your next album anyway?” Well, if all you’re interested in is the physical CD, and you don’t mind waiting a year or so… you probably SHOULDN’T buy the tracks now. Nobody’s forcing you to buy the songs twice – I just wanted to make the tracks available so everybody could enjoy them as early as possible.

By the way, if you DO purchase “Internet Leaks” now, you’ll be able to take advantage of iTunes’ “Complete My Album” function when the full album becomes available. You’ll be able to painlessly add the missing tracks, and the full purchase price of “Internet Leaks” will be deducted from the cost of the album.

The hot new music video from The Guild, written by net-heartthrob Felicia Day and Jed Whedon and performed by Day and the rest of the Guild cast members (with Maurissa Tancharoen dancing and singing backup vocals, I believe), hit the web today and immediately leveled up to #1 in the iTunes Music Videos and held firm. And good, because it's a great pop song in its own right that becomes more addictive the more you listen to it.

Besides, how cool is it that a largely home-made music video by a group of talented geeks pushed Taylor Swift to #2?

Watch it for free above, check out the lyrics here, buy the video at iTunes and get the MP3 from Amazon And get ready for season three of The Guild to start August 25th on Xbox Live and September 1rst on MSN/ZUNE.

Available on iTunes, Amazon and other fine MP3 retailers. Video is also at iTunes.

"Remains," the hauntingly beautiful song from the end of "Epitaph One," the unaired 13th episode of "Dollhouse," is now available for purchase at Amazon and Amazon.uk. It's not at iTunes yet but they usually release new stuff on Tuesdays, so here's hoping.

"Remains" was written and performed by "Dollhouse" writers Maurissa Tancharoen & Jed Whedon (who also wrote the script for this episode) and released on their "Nervous Circus" label. And it's gorgeous.

"Epitaph One," which was supposed to premiere at the San Diego Comic-Con next week, was leaked to the torrents last week along with the unaired pilot. You're on your own finding it, but if you do download it please buy it anyway when it comes out on the 28th. You'll also get commentary on two episodes, lots of deleted scenes, and several hefty features. Order it from Amazon for just $31.99!

burn down my home
my memories hardened in the brightest chrome
good times escape
while every mistake seems to be caught on tape…

And if you haven't yet voted for the winner of the Dollhouse Season One DVD set, please do! Ten entries were chosen for you to select from, and one random winner from all the entries will also be chosen. Vote!

The latest in his "Internet Leaks" collection, it's an original this time. Available for download from iTunes and Amazon (DRM-free).

In honor of their 25th anniversary and their new album "Back From the Dead," just released last month, Spinal Tap is asking the fans to get involved.

David St. Hubbins, Derek Smalls and Nigel Tufnel of Spinal Tap are inviting fans to create an original video to be posted on YouTube for one of the following songs off of their album BACK FROM THE DEAD — Hell Hole, Warmer Than Hell, Big Bottom, Stonehenge, Back From The Dead and/or Short & Sweet. Judging the contest, will be Colman Hickey, who created the classic video for Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight using characters made of Legos.

One lucky winner will receive an autographed, limited edition Spinal Tap prize pack!

No idea what the autographed prize pack consists of, but what the hell. More details available at YouTube and you can see a sample contest entry here.

Also they've produced an official Spinal Tap iPhone app. Listen to music, watch videos, get the latest Tap news, and see what other fans are writing on their wall. Free app, but it looks like you'll need to be connected to get anything from it so put it on the phone or keep your iPod Touch near a wifi connection.

If you haven't picked up the new CD "Back From the Dead," you should. Amazon has it for just $10.99 and you get 19 original songs, a one-hour DVD, and a "unique pop-up diorama package that unveils three 12-inch action figures (courtesy of Sideshow Collectibles) of the band along with a proportionally sized Stonehenge." What's not to love?

Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora recorded a new version of "Stand By Me" with Iranian superstar Andy Madadian. It's meant for the Iranian people, and can be downloaded for free here. It was created with the intention that all people of the world stand together. And as my wife Teres is reminding me, over and over, because "Jon's so wonderful."

Here's the video. I never knew Jon Bon Jovi knew Farsi…

River and the Reavers, self-proclaimed performers of "River Rock," had released a new song to their MySpace page: "An Open Letter to My Captain." It's a club song, fast and driving, that backs up River's cutting and too-knowing questions to her Captain:

Nestled in the black
I find the time to be alone
Still hearing
everything
There is to know

You put a mask up on your face
You act like
you're a big disgrace
Just dont forget I know
Just what you know

Be sure to check out their other songs while you're there!