Featuring exclusive performances by Peter Gabriel, Andrew Bird, Billy Bragg, and Har Mar Superstar, the Voice Project presents artists covering other artists in aid of the women of Northern Uganda.
In a region where soldiers abducted as children are afraid to return home because of what they’ve been forced to do, the women have banded together to sing songs of forgiveness. Inspired by their undertaking, the Voice Project initiated “cover chains,” with musicians covering their favorite acts and passing the baton for that act to do the same.
Typography geek Greg Solenström recently paired black and white photos of Brooklyn with Akzidenz Grotesk font and Jay-Z and Lil Wayne’s “Hello Brooklyn 2.0″ for a fan made tribute that we think could work as an official video. Check it out after the jump, plus nine more of our favorite fan videos for artists like Radiohead, MGMT, and Grizzly Bear.
February brought the release of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band benefit album, a diverse homage to New Orleans sound that brought in high profile contributors ranging from Tom Waits and Ani DiFranco to Andrew Bird and Paolo Nutini (and if you missed our initial coverage, you can watch videos and stream the full album here).
Now, we’re giving away three prize packs featuring multiple albums from the artists who contributed to the project. To win, be one of the first three readers to tweet the correct answer to our trivia question @earplug. After the jump, view the albums included in each prize pack and read the question you’ll have to answer if you want all of this free music that’s up for grabs.
Andrew Bird, Tom Waits, Jim James, Paolo Nutini, and Ani DiFranco are among the diverse artists who joined the Preservation Hall Jazz Band in New Orleans for this album benefiting the group’s time-honored home.
Proceeds from the project — which finds its cast of legendary and contemporary musicians tackling New Orleans classics — go toward Preservation Hall’s music-outreach program and upkeep. Also among the contributors are such established forces as Richie Havens, Dr. John, Pete Seeger, and the Blind Boys of Alabama.
1. After the disappointment that was Vista, Microsoft launches Windows 7 today (video). [via The Today Show]
2. Because all reverends look alike: MSNBC anchor Contessa Brewer introduced Rev. Jesse Jackson as Rev. Al Sharpton during a live interview yesterday. [via Gawker]
3. Inspired by memories of performing Handel’s “Messiah” in churches as a kid, Andrew Bird will play five church shows around Minneapolis and Chicago in December. [via NME]
4. After a little over a year Shrek the Musical — DreamWorks attempt to challenge Disney’s strong Broadway presence — will close on January 3rd. [via Variety]
5. Johnny Depp plans to play guitar with Babybird, one of his favorite British rock bands, at London’s Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen in November. [via Guardian]
What qualifies as an indie rock coloring book, you ask? Coloring the whimsy of Andrew Bird‘s whistling; finding the birds in Devendra Banhart‘s beard and coloring them yellow; helping a Wolfmother get ready for her Wolf Parade by drawing a festive hat. Consider this book an addendum to your childhood as well as the essential gift for any fledgling hipster baby. Brought to you by the nonprofit organization The Yellow Bird project,The Indie Rock Coloring Book features indie rock inspired illustrations awaiting your coloring mastery. All royalties will be donated to charity.
In celebration of the book’s release, we’re holding a coloring contest with fantastic prizes! Details after the jump.Read More »
Previously the term “wanderlust” evoked one image in our mind: mushrooms. And, Bjork’s amazing 3-D music video for the track “Wanderlust” directed by Encyclopedia Pictura… which absolutely involved mushrooms. But now it’s our favorite new music festival, too. According to its website, Wanderlust is a new kind of fest that marries yoga and rock n’ roll. Situated in Lake Tahoe in a lush part of Northern California, there were tons of opportunities for eating fruit, shopping for hippie accessories, and going on a hike or two in spite of the surprisingly sweltering weather. Read More »
1. You fool! That’s not Advil… that’s Ratatat poisoning!
2. Do you have Cat Power? Or more importantly, have you walked your Dr. Dog lately?
3. Yo, I heard the Wolf Parade was sick last weekend… who knew murderous woodland creatures could be so organized?
4. Chicago’s Pitchfork Zoo opened today, but their Animal Collective is seriously lacking. What d-bag thought it would be a good idea to have only one Panda Bear? I give it a 7.4. Read More »
Times are tough, and baking beans ain’t easy. Sure, they’re cheap, but you can’t just cook ‘em: they require something to open that can and a handy flame. Lucky for us, music in the recession age isn’t so infuriatingly elusive. In the third installment of our Depression Special series, we save you enough dolla-dolla bills to save up for that switchblade. After the jump, five free and legal full-record downloads to enjoy while you’re foraging for firewood.
With year-end best-of lists rolling in from all directions, we’re already knee-deep in premature music nostalgia (can we get a Kanye?!). We’re all for laying out the accolades, but why linger on what was?
With so much to come, we’ve already got sights set squarely on ’09. After the jump, download links to nine killer tracks from next year’s most-anticipated albums. From the look of things, it’s going to be something of a stunner…
