The Slits became a part of the punk pantheon with songs that even today continue to be meditations on alienation and angst. With Trapped Animal, The Slits remain the same genre bending band they were in their inception, still standing out from the rest of the pack. In the title track they examine how the conveniences that surround us in today's modern world have also trapped us. Other tracks include “Pay Rent” which focuses on the everyday struggle artists face trying to pay the bills through their art along with the sexually charged “Lazy Slam.”

https://sites.google.com/a/weheartmusic.com/vu/press-releases/theslitsalbumtrappedanimaloutnow-playinglasanfrancisconycindecember

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Among the music she's listening to, she highly recommended Little Dragon. When I found out that singer Yukimi Nagano was Swedish/Japanese, I immediately thought of Maia Hirasawa. Kudos for the bicycle bell on Little Dragon's song "Recommendation". Also, just a quick shout-outs to some links/mention of W♥M in the blogs: KPerfetto thinks we're one of the places to discover new music. Yay!

http://weheartmusic.vox.com/library/posts/tags/little+dragon/

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(Cross-posted at BlogHer) A mere twelve hours after Halloween's end my cable provider's Sound of the Seasons station was playing holiday music. Aren't we supposed to wait until after Thanksgiving? At least? I'm not the only blogger lamenting the premature appearance of holiday tunes. Heck, the Halloween candy is still on sale, and we already can't escape good cheer and holiday schmaltz. Sure, nothing compares to hearing the Pogues' "Fairytale of New York," Wham!'s "Last Christmas" and Waitresses' "Christmas Wrapping" for the first time in a season -- but will they grow stale by December 22 when the holiday season really kicks into high gear? (A to Z) I'd like to say I'm one of those people who loves holiday music, but I'm not. Far from it. I think the only album I own with a true "Christmas" song is a Ramones best-of with "Merry Christmas, I Don't Want To Fight." When pressured, I tell people my favorite holiday song is Joni Mitchell's "River," but it's only Christmas-y in theme, and pretty damn depressing to boot. Let's face it, holiday music just isn't cool. From The Guardian: But to break through the X Factor stranglehold on the December chart, there can be no smirk, no irony, no subtext. The office Christmas party cognescenti do not wish to be challenged, sneered at or patronised. You've got to shake those sleigh bells with heartfelt conviction, wear the tinsel tiara with pride, duet with Bing Crosby in your chunkiest snow-scene sweater and love it.Indie rock to the rescue?This isn't the first time that Canadian indie rockers have riffed on Do They Know It's Christmas? In 2005, a band called the Unicorns were joined by Arcade Fire, Beck, Devendra Banhart, Karen O, Peaches and more to release an October single called Do They Know It's Halloween?, with all proceeds going to Unicef. And Fucked Up themselves have a tradition of celebrity singalongs – for a 2007 Christmas single they enlisted Nelly Furtado, the Black Lips and LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy to rock along to Stars On 45. The blogger at We *heart* Music are getting into the spirit by already publishing their Christmas Music Guide 2009. Or you have a last.fm account could do a tag search for "holiday music." Since the songs are tagged by other last.fm listeners, you can be guaranteed the playlist is as diverse as any, probably more so than your average radio station. (Where else can you hear Mariah Carey juxtaposed with Revered Horton Heat?) See? Holiday music doesn't have to suck?

http://kathy-p.blogspot.com/2009/11/when-is-it-too-early-to-start-playing.html

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For the follow-up to Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett's opera Monkey: Journey to the West, the duo have turned to a man best known for flawed superheroes, melancholy swamp things and a nymphomaniac Alice in Wonderland. Comics legend Alan Moore is to write the lyrics for the pair's next production, he has revealed.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/nov/10/alan-moore-libretto-gorillaz-duo

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LOS ANGELES – Nov. 11, 2009 – Beginning today, comedian/actor/author Bill Cosby’s recently produced hip-hop album, “Bill Cosby Presents the Cosnarati: State of Emergency,” is available now through Amazon.com. Fans can purchase the album as a digital download for the special price of $1.99 TODAY only as part of Amazon's Daily Deal. Tapping into rap music’s socially conscious roots, “State of Emergency” addresses most critical issues affecting today’s youth. A trio of talented and skillful young rappers—Jace the Great, Brother Hahz and Supa Nova Slom—address such themes as self-respect, peer pressure, abuse and education through frank, insightful lyrics with a two-fold aim: bridging the generation gap and empowering listeners to take action rather than continue to sit back.

https://sites.google.com/a/weheartmusic.com/vu/press-releases/billcosby%E2%80%99snewhip-hopalbumhit%E2%80%99samazonsdailydeal

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It was quite a few years ago I first heard Art Brut. I do believe I was not overly impressed with what I heard. For starters the lead singer (Mr Eddie Argos) couldn't even sing in tune... well actually, it wasn't even singing, was it? Talking, i'd call it. Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll Art Brut - Bang Bang Rock & Roll 1 comment Anyway... Art Brut Vs Satan was released in April this year (2009, in case you had forgotten). It's the third album released by these guys. Produced by Frank Black in the space of twelve days, I believe that Art Brut Vs Satan is at least seven times better than Bang Bang Rock and Roll (the first album released in 2005).

http://weheartmusic.vox.com/library/posts/tags/art+brut/

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Suburban Noize Records, also known as Subnoize is an independent record label based in Burbank, California, in the United States. Formed in 1995 by Kottonmouth Kings' frontman Brad "Daddy X" and their manager, Kevin Zinger, the label has since expanded to include numerous other artists. The label has been creating a brand based around underground hip hop, marketing and distributing numerous artists including the Kottonmouth Kings, Hed PE, Big B , and the hip hop group X-Clan.

http://weheartmusic.vox.com/library/posts/tags/suburban+noize/

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Fleet Foxes are a five-piece Seattle-based band signed to Sub Pop and Bella Union. The band came to prominence in 2008 with the release of their second EP, Sun Giant, and their debut full length album Fleet Foxes. Both Sun Giant and their eponymous debut album received much critical praise and reviewers often noted their use of refined lyrics and vocal harmonies. The quintet describes its music as "baroque harmonic pop jams".

http://weheartmusic.vox.com/library/posts/tags/fleet+foxes/

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Although nothing to do with music, I thought I'd report on my recent attendance at Crypticon 2008 today (November 15th). Although a pleasant experience with the Q&A with various guests (the two I attended was Fright Night's Chris Sarandon and The Cryptkeeper John Kassir), I thought the rest of my time spent there dragged on a bit. The turnout was really good, I even ran into people I knew, which is unusual as I don't really know anyone. So what does one do at these conventions ? Usually buying stuff, like 8x10 signed actor portraits and sometime overpriced merchandises. My sister did get a nice deal on the Lost action figures Todd McFarlane put out a few years ago. I contemplated on buying bootleg Hellraiser and Evil Dead stuff, but instead got an autographed Hellboy II. Was disappointed that there were not more obscure horror DVDs and packages for sale (it seems I already own 90% of whatever they were selling). My brother took most of the photographs, including James Duval (Frank the Bunny), Chris Sarandon (famous for playing Jack Skellington), Doug Jones (Pale "Jazz Hands" Man), and here's a picture with Michael Berryman (that The Hills Have Eyes dude). Berryman, no offense or anything, is such a nice guy, but he's really scary-looking. He even seems like a fanboy as he was collecting autographs from the other attendees!My complaints and suggestions for future shows is to keep the cost down. $30 per day is really expensive, and adding on additional purchases, you can easily tap out $100. The other problem is that the convention extends for three days - perhaps just keep it to the weekend. I also think that it would've been better to have it in the Summer or perhaps closer to Halloween (but I can understand that October might be too insane to try and organize anything). Other disappointment was that legendary make-up artist and actor Toni Savini canceled out. Other than that, it's worth checking out these conventions if you want to meet actors and get more merch. I wouldn't mind attending a Star Trek convention one of these days if they held one closer to home.

http://weheartmusic.vox.com/library/post/crypticon-2008.html

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White Denim is comprised of three men from Austin, Texas. They have a quite distinct rock sound, which immediately reminded me of The Hives and The Ramones. Their somewhat hard-rock/edgy tone produces some very catchy drum patterns. White Denim tends to jam at the end of their songs, or even in the middle, reminiscent of some of the Rolling Stone's work. These guys are clearly very influenced by classic rock, and some rifts even sound like they could have been created by Jimi Hendrix himself. Keeping that in mind they've adapted well to the sounds of modern rockers, obviously blooming from similar influences with each their own swagger and style.

http://weheartmusic.vox.com/library/posts/tags/white+denim/

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Look at these guys, awww.... everything appearance-wise about The Grates oozes cuteness and fun (feel free to look at their website for further evidence), but don't be fooled too easily. There's a definite rawness to The Grates, guitar-rich pop songs, complimented by the voice of Miss Patience Hodgson, which can sway from sugary sweet to rock vixen-esque in a matter of seconds within the same song.

http://weheartmusic.vox.com/library/posts/tags/the+grates/

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What I like about jazz is how multi-dimensional it can be. From Dixieland, Big Band to a small trio playing in a hotel lounge, jazz can stir a swell of emotions from wooing a lover to putting a spring in your step. It can even make you want to kick back after a long day and relax.

http://weheartmusic.vox.com/library/post/jazz-note-6-kick-back-relax.html

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Putumayo World Music was established to introduce people to the music of the world's cultures. The label grew out of Putumayo clothing company, founded by Dan Storper in 1975 and sold in 1997. Co-founder Michael Kraus joined Storper to help launch Putumayo World Music in 1993. In the past fifteen years, the label has become known primarily for its upbeat and melodic compilations of great international music characterized by the company's motto: “guaranteed to make you feel good!”

http://weheartmusic.vox.com/library/posts/tags/putumayo/

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There's no additions to the original album, the first disc is relatively short, being barely 40 minutes long. The second disc made up for it, with fan-favorites such as "Mykel and Carli", a song about two of their biggest fan (who died while driving to a Weezer concert), "Jamie" (a song about their attorney, originally appearing on DGC Rarities, Vol. 1), and "Susanne".

http://weheartmusic.vox.com/library/posts/tags/weezer/

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Halloween is an annual holiday celebrated on October 31. It has roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain and gets its name from being the eve (e'en) of the Western Christian holy day of All Saints (the Eastern Orthodox celebrate All Saints Day in June). It is largely a secular celebration but some have expressed strong feelings about perceived religious overtones.[1][2][3] The colours black and orange have become associated with the celebrations, perhaps because of the darkness of night and the colour of fire or of pumpkins, and maybe because of the vivid contrast this presents for merchandising. Another association is with the jack-o'-lantern. Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, wearing costumes and attending costume parties, ghost tours, bonfires, visiting haunted attractions, pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.

http://weheartmusic.vox.com/library/posts/tags/halloween/

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Peter Gabriel saw something in Joseph Arthur, because he signed Arthur on his record label, Real World. Although he's no longer on Real World, he's releasing a ton of material on his own record label, Lonely Astronaught. Already this year alone these are the EPs that's already released: Could We Survive (Mar 2008), Crazy Rain (Apr 2008), Vagabond Skies (Jun 2008), and Foreign Girls (July 2008). At the rate he's going, he'll probably have three or four EPs released before his album, Temporary People comes out September 16th, 2008.

http://weheartmusic.vox.com/library/posts/tags/joseph+arthur/

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Melanie Valera is Tender Forever, currently based out Olympia, Washington .... and Bordeaux, France? I've only heard a few songs from her debut album, The Soft And The Hardcore (you can download one of the song on krecs.com), so I already knew what to expect with her latest album, Wider (released last December).

http://weheartmusic.vox.com/library/post/tender-forever.html

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Har Mar Mall - I mean Superstar - is back, after five years of absent since 2004's The Handler... Which did extremely well in the UK (check out the free track, "DUI", from The Handler album). Even though he's been gone, he's actually been doing behind the scene sort of thing by writing music for other people: The Cheetah Girls, Jennifer Lopez, Kelly Osbourne, and Ben Adams. When one of his song, "Tall Boy" was rejected by Britney Spears' management, he decided record and release it under his own album.

http://weheartmusic.vox.com/library/posts/tags/har+mar+superstar/

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School of Seven Bells (aka SVIIB) got their name from some PBS program about some "mythical South American pick-pocket academy", as mentioned on their their interview/music session on KCRW (incidentally, check out KCRW's vox page). Although Alejandra have admitted to not being able to verify the name, I can tell you that the so-called school is from the Andes Mountains outside Bogota, Colombia. I am assuming that the Andes Mountain shown in the PBS program might have inspired the naming of their debut album, Alpinisms (the term refers to the European mountain range, often called the Alps). Strangely, however, the cover artwork by Bryan Collins, well, it looks like it was pulled from a picture of Yosemite National Park's famous Half Dome.

http://weheartmusic.vox.com/library/posts/tags/school+of+seven+bells/

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Spain has a rich cultural legacy associated in part with artists like Picasso and Salvador Dalí, as well as film directors Pedro Almodóvar, Luis Buñuel and others. Recently, Spanish actors and actresses such as Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz have also helped bring Spain into the global spotlight. On September 29th, Putumayo released España, an exploration of the contemporary music of Spain, in an effort to introduce Spanish music to a broader international audience.

http://www.putumayo.com/blog/?p=514

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