So, in a way to win back the day that breaks even Robert Smith’s heart, the good folks at Iheartcomix, the Media Contender, The Echoplex, and L.A. Record are holding the next edition of their monthly musical extravaganza Check Yo’ Ponytail 2 today. Featuring The Go! Team, Hottub, Juiceboxx, DJ Haul, and Franki Chan, the event promises to be a crazy good way to make Tuesday actually mean something fun. But before you throw on your undersized leather jacket and neon-colored kicks, we here at CoS are happy to premiere two exclusive mixtapes by The Go! Team and Hottub and Jaysonik.

The first offering is organized by The Go! Team and features nearly 30 amazing tracks from well-known and beloved acts, including My Bloody Valentine, Yo La Tengo, Deerhoof, Ennio Morricone, Mark Mothersbaugh, and more. The other, a 22-track compilation from Hottub and Jaysonik, reads like a who’s who of dance musicians and DJs: MDNR, Banbarra, The RAH Band, and the aforementioned Hottub and Jaysonik are all included.

Below, check out the mixtapes in all their glory. The show goes down tonight at The Echoplex; tix are $15 and available via TicketWeb.

The Go! Team Mixtape

Hottub vs. Jaysonik Mixtape

The Go! Team! – Check Yo Ponytail 4/19/11 Mixtape Tracklist:
01. Unidentified instrumental
02. Revlons – Whirlwind
03. Luther Ingram and His Orchestra – Exus Trek
04. Backyard Heavies – Expo 83
05. My Bloody Valentine – You Never Should
06. Menahan Street Band – The Contender
07. John Brion – Phone Call
08. Reginald Milton – Clap Your Hands
09. Paddy Kingsland (The BBC Radiophonic Workshop) – Take Another Look
10. Hijack – Intro, Phantom of the Opera
11. Tanya Winley – Vicious Rap
12. Deerhoof – The Galaxist
13. The Strawberry Alarm Clock – Pretty Song From Psych Out
14. Lalo Schifrin – Burning Bridges Instrumental
15. The Yum Yums – Gonna Be A Big Thing
16. Sven Libaek – Infinite Journey
17. The Go! Team – TORNADO
18. Guided By Voices – Game of Pricks
19. Mark Mothersbaugh – Let Me Tell You About My Boat
20. Little Denise Stevenson – Hip Breakin
21. The Octopus Project – Vanishing Lessons
22. Stereo Total – Supercool
23. The Kights – The Hump
24. LittleLisa – Choo Choo Train
25. Felt – William S Harvey
26. Yo La tengo – Magnet
27. Dean Wareham – West Broadway
28. Ennio Morricone – L’estasi dell’oro

Hottub vs. Jaysonik – Check Yo Ponytail 4/19/11 Mixtape Tracklist:
01. Jaysonik – Kangtang Laban
02. Hottub – Shoot The Lights Out
03. Rodger Collins – Foxy Girls In Oakland
04. The RAH Band – Messages From The Stars
05. Mim Suleman – Bibi Na Mpu
06. Banbarra – Shack Up
07. Official Tourist ft. Spank Rock – Fruhstick
08. Michatron – Use It Like A Bumper
09. Hottub – (Four) Lokos Only (Mochipet remix)
10. Jaysonik – SHove It Nigel
11. Cylob – Cut The Midrange Drop The Bass
12.  Lleggs – Digitial Tsunami
13. Jaysonik – Nothing
14. Hottub – Mag Takas
15. MDNR – Club Six (Jaysonik remix)
16. Hottub – Booty Pump
17. Scottie B & King Tut – You Can Call Me Al
18. Underground Theme – Elmo Is Dead
19. Little Dragon – My Step
20. MU – ???
21. Maximum Joy – Stretch
22. Hottub – Toohottotrot

Nearly every one of the 13 tracks on this LP is similar to a direct shot of adrenaline into your veins. The energy doesn’t just come from the volume level (this is a loud album), but it’s also due to how infectious everything is. The horns bring you back to the days of Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer,” realizing just how underused those instruments are in rock. The keyboards perk your ears up with a variety of effects that almost never repeat. All your focus is on the beat, instead of the singing. In this case, the vocals become another instrument to cut up, layer, remix, and add to the rhythm. Even though Ninja is the singer, it’s hard to tell whether you hear her, one of the many guest stars, or an unknown sample. It’s the way the music bounces all over the place that keeps you guessing and keeps you listening.

Half of Rolling Blackouts is full of abrasive tracks that slam into you with so many different ideas, it’s impossible to focus on a single part of it. Instead, think of it as an omelet stuffed with ingredients. You could try to break it down and enjoy each part separately or you can simply have it all together, the way it was meant to be eaten. The first of these is the opener, “T.O.R.N.A.D.O,” an incredibly appropriate title. Like a tornado, it’s fast, chaotic, and you’ll be thinking about it even after it ends. The brass section sounds like it’s falling off a cliff, playing the whole way down. Ninja’s vocals burn through verse after verse almost faster than you can follow and the whole thing sounds like the sky is falling. But once you settle into it, a strong, infectious rhythm forms out of the riotous mix of instruments. “Bust-Out Brigade” uses dynamite horns to create the feel of a 70′s TV theme, complete with zoom-ins and freeze frames. Children’s voices and chiming bells will bring you back to schoolyard, if the clanging drums don’t make you want to jump around in the first place. “Back Like 8 Track” is full of brass crescendos and incredibly funky keys, providing great support for Ninja’s faster-than-light vocals.

On the other hand, this record contains some of the poppiest (and best) moments of the Go! Team’s career. Melodic patterns that sound like they’d fit among early rock and R&B are propelled to the present by unique arrangements and modern effects. The strongest of these is “Buy Nothing Day,” featuring none other than everyone’s favorite throwback musician, Bethany Cosentino. The Best Coast frontwoman fits perfectly among the sunny guitars, uplifting vocals, strong but straightforward drums, and laid-back lyrics. Lines like “Don’t plan at all//’Cause making it up is so natural” would have fit perfectly on Crazy for You. Her vocals slide their way into the tracklist effortlessly and without sounding forced. “Secretary Song” fits the melodic bill as well, sounding like a cross between early 60s and Japanese pop as Ninja’s smooth vocals glide over a sharp solo. “Voice Yr Choice” (What’s up with misspelling “yr”? I’m looking at you, LCD Soundsytem) features high-pitched spaceship keys and a call-response between verses and shouts of “yeah.” All these songs feature distinctive harmonies and musicality that aren’t simple, but far more straightforward than tracks like “T.O.R.N.A.D.O.”

Unfortunately, some filler segments in the second half drag the LP down a little. The four-minute “Yosemite Theme” introduces some cool ideas with rickety guitars and a few buzzy effects, but the arrangement quickly becomes stale. “Lazy Poltergeist,” a short interlude that strips back to lovely patterns on the keys, isn’t bad on its own but works horribly alongside the following title track. When listening to an almost classical piano, the last thing you want to hear next is a screeching guitar that bleeds into a wall of reverb. Knocking out at least two of these songs would have created a much tighter album.

Rolling Blackouts doesn’t move away from what the Go! Team is known for. Instead, this is a snapshot of a band both honing their skills and creating a fun piece of music. While it falls apart a little towards the end, the group’s third effort is definitely worth checking out. With highlights full of riotous rhythms and groovy melodies, there’s something here for any music fan to love.

We may have picked the Top 100 Albums of last year, but there were countless other efforts that were begging for the attention of your ever-so-precious ears. This year won’t be any different, and there are already loads of artists competing for a listen in the first quarter alone, so we here at CoS have already spent an inhuman amount of time on the interwebs researching and writing about some of the biggest releases of the year 2K+11.

We’ve picked 50 albums slated for release this year, and while some of them already have concrete release dates, others are merely rumored. Nevertheless, every single one of them bring questions and are worthy of your open ears. Will Kanye and Jay-Z score a huge commercial hit with their joint LP, Watch The Throne? Is there anything scarier than a Fame Monster? Did Lupe Fiasco’s Lasers get stale after sitting on a shelf for all these years? We examine those questions in our 2011 Album Preview, but there are a few things that we already know for sure.

PJ Harvey wants to “shake” things up, The Decemberists’ Colin Meloy has stripped it down, and the Get Up Kids aren’t kids anymore. The Cold War Kids, on the other hand, have grown up and might be having kids of their own soon. U2 hooked up with Danger Mouse and have up to four albums in the bank. Dave Grohl un-Vultured and is Foo Fighting again, and a slew of up-and-comers are putting out new music.

There’s also news on possible new ones from Rage Against the Machine, The White Stripes, The Shins, and a John Frusciante-less Red Hot Chili Peppers. Throw in the chances of Daft Punk releasing an album as The Third Twin, and what you’ve got below is required reading. We’ve included audio on more than a few of the albums, so grab a drink, plug in your headphones, and decide whether or not you’ll be tuning in.

-Ray Roa
Senior Staff Writer

Cake – Showroom of Compassion

Cake have already long established themselves as alternative rock giants. But in recent years, even guys who have been playing together since 1991 have found a way to keep things interesting. Showroom of Compassion, their first record since 2004′s Pressure Chief, will be released on the group’s very own Upbeat Records, which also happens to mark the band’s departure from Columbia Records. As if that weren’t momentous enough, lead singer John McCrea said this will also be the first Cake album to feature reverb and acoustic piano. What was that adage about old dogs and new tricks? -Chris Coplan
January 11th via Upbeat Records / Order via Amazon

[wpaudio url="http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Sick-Of-You.mp3" text="Cake - 'Sick of You'" dl="0"]

The Decemberists – The King Is Dead

What do you get when you combine an homage to The Smiths, recording sessions on a farm, and R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck? The Decemberists’ latest record, The King Is Dead (or a really weird smoothie). While the title of the group’s sixth studio album plays off The Smiths’ 1986 The Queen Is Dead, lead singer Colin Meloy says the sound is much more influenced by early R.E.M. Three of the songs, “Don’t Carry It All”, “Calamity Song”, and “Down by the Water”, even feature Buck on guitar. On top of all of that, the album was recorded entirely on an eight-acre farm outside of Portland, which according to Meloy contributed to a more rustic sound. Maybe that smoothie isn’t so weird after all. -Jack McGrew
January 11th via Capitol Records / Order via Amazon

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Smith Westerns – Dye It Blonde

It appears as if the musical trend for 2011 will undoubtedly be reinvention. For their 2009 self-titled debut, Smith Westerns unleashed an effort of lo-fi garage pop that eats away at your defenses and leaves you smiling through feelings of forlorn. For their sophomore LP, Dye It Blonde, the Chicago outfit are taking that sound and adding a sheen of Brit-pop goodness. In an October 2010 interview with Pitchfork, lead singer Cullen Omori said the songs would be “more involved but are still poppy and still catchy,” with influences ranging from Oasis to T. Rex and Teenage Fanclub. Guess blondes really do have loads more fun than the rest of us. -Chris Coplan
January 18th via Fat Possum Records / Order via Amazon

“Weekend”

Cold War Kids – Mine Is Yours

2011 may be a make-or-break year for Cold War Kids; their sophomore album and subsequent tour were victims of what some industry insiders call a “slump.” The Long Beach natives’ Mine Is Yours seeks to shrug that off. To that end, singer Nathan Willett took a more personal approach to songwriting. “If I really wanted to connect to it,” he told Rolling Stone, “I knew it had to come from me.” Hence, there are tracks like “Sensitive Kid”, about Willett’s parents divorcing during his high school years, and “Louder Than Ever”, reflecting on failed relationships. Despite the subject matter, songs like “Royal Blue” reveal a rosier sound than much of what these Kids have previously released. Can CWK v.3.0’s brighter take on echoey guitar rock enliven a fan base largely dulled by v.2.0? -Ben Kaye
January 25th via Downtown Music / Order via Amazon

Cold War Kids – ‘Royal Blue’

Destroyer – Kaputt

We can finally solve the equation that Destroyer proposed to us with the 2009 EP Bay of Pigs. That x was in the form of a 14-minute “ambient disco” track bearing the same title of the LP, which now closes out Dan Bejar’s latest record, Kaputt. But Bejar’s hands are in many musical pies on Kaputt, as he expands on previous outings with ample new wave textures but the same byzantine Bejarisms. (Is Bejaresque minted yet?) All this excitement about this album recalls the Destroyer drinking game, my absolute love for Destroyer’s Rubies, and Bejar’s loveable soused antics when he played live with The New Pornographers this year. Look, this album is incredible and will end up on arguably everyone’s year-end list. Buy it. Don’t believe me? Read this. -Jeremy D. Larson
January 25th via Merge Records / Order via Amazon

Destroyer – ‘Kaputt’

Gang of Four – Content

UK’s politically charged Gang of Four are back in 2011 with Content, the band’s first new material in 16 years. Original members John King and Andy Gill opted to crowd-fund the release, offering helicopter rides, autographed limited releases, and even vials of their own blood to spur donations. And unlike with Public Enemy, the strategy succeeded, generating over 170% of the original goal. Content was co-written by King and Gill, with Gill serving as producer as the recording progressed in his home studio. With the current turmoil in the global political arena, Gang of Four’s socially aware punk rock is as relevant now as at any time during their 30-plus-year career. -Derek Staples
January 25th via Yep Roc Records / Order via Amazon

Gang of Four – ‘Never Pay For the Farm’

The Get Up Kids – There Are Rules

Mötley Crüe headlining the biggest emo-friendly festival around could be a sign that the genre has seen its heyday. So what happens when a historically pivotal emo band reunites for a new album amidst a wholly different musical climate? The Get Up Kids’ There Are Rules. The Kids spent seven years between records playing in various musical genres, and the maturing influences carpet their fifth full-length. Lead single “Automatic” sounds like an odd, absurdly catchy Devo cut. “Pararelevant” is more synth-heavy than anything else in their catalog. Diehards and purists may take issue with the new sound, but it’s worth an unprejudiced listen. While “Regent’s Court” sounds the most like their older work, it’s evident throughout that these guys haven’t forgotten who they were; they’ve just grown up. It’s what The Get Up Kids would sound like if they formed in 2009 instead of 1995, and it’s all rather intriguing. -Ben Kaye
January 25th via Quality Hill Records / Order via Amazon

The Get Up Kids – ‘Regent’s Court’

Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean

Iron & Wine, the folk project of musician/beard enthusiast Sam Beam, has made a career of touching the hearts of listeners with emotionally evocative and gentle acoustic numbers. Now, Beam becomes another member of 2011 musical revolution when he leaves his long-time home of Sub Pop Records for the major label sanctuary of Warner Bros. Records. Along with the change in label, Beam and company are reinventing their sound for the act’s fourth record. In an October 2010 interview with SPIN, Beam said the LP would be a pop record focused on the “early-to-mid-’70s FM, radio-friendly music” he grew up with. Awww, just as heartwarming. -Chris Coplan
January 25th via Warner Bros. Records / Order via Amazon

[wpaudio url="http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/01-Walking-Far-From-Home.mp3" text="Iron & Wine - 'Walking Far From Home'" dl="0"]

Monotonix – Not Yet

Monotonix is one of those bands that come along once in a blue moon. They tour relentlessly, make fans a part of the show (literally), and always look like they’re having a ball. Amidst the tireless work ethic on the road, the Tel Aviv-born rockers find time to get in the studio and turn the amps up to eleven. The trio’s sophomore release, Not Yet, the follow-up to 2009′s Where Were You When It Happened?, is more of the balls out, punk-infused garage rock that defines what these guys are all about. The album’s lead single, “Give Me More”, harkens back to late ’60s Detroit and the unabashed raw power of a sound defined by bands like MC5 and The Stooges. If “Give Me More” is any indication of what Monotonix has in store for the new year, let’s hope they keep on giving it. -Megan Caffery
January 25th via Drag City / Order via Amazon

Monotonix – ‘Give Me More’

The Go! Team – Rolling Blackouts

It’s been a long minute since The Go! Team had new material to release. Their last album, Proof of Youth, was back in 2007. That shouldn’t be a surprise, though, given the detailed sampling process that Ian Parton goes through. In an interview with Spinner, the UK outfit’s mastermind mentioned that much time is spent “storing all my favorite bits then filtering it down. It’s not like it’s just picking up an acoustic and writing a song. It’s a drawn-out affair.” But just because they’ve been gone for a few years, don’t think the English sextet have lost their edge. The lead track off the upcoming Rolling Blackouts, “T.O.R.N.A.D.O.”, is an explosive mix of blaring trumpets and Ninja’s energetic, on-beat vocals. The band followed this freebie up with the album’s first single, “Buy Nothing Day” (featuring Bethany Cosentino), which is probably the poppiest melody in the band’s history. Given the quality of the first two songs made available, this may be the first time anyone is looking forward to a rolling blackout. -Joe Marvilli
February 1st via Sub Pop / Order via Amazon

The Go! Team – ‘T.O.R.N.A.D.O.’

The Streets – Computers and Blues/Cyberspace and Reds

Mike Skinner – aka The Streets – has made it very obvious that Computers and Blues has been done for a while. In fact, he’s gone as far as to say, “[The album] doesn’t feel a part of me. It’s a part of my past. It sits in the machine right now waiting to leak into the cloud.” In response to his feeling of disconnect, Skinner has apparently recorded another album – Cyberspace and Reds – that he’s described as “painfully repetitive…chord changes that have never changed in that way before…the lyrics will make no sense.” What does make sense is that we should have both of them before Valentine’s Day, and if that doesn’t make you love him more, then you’re just as coldhearted as he is. -Ray Roa
Computers and Blues due February 7th via 679 Recordings; Cyberspace and Reds TBA

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Cut Copy – Zonoscope

Rejecting tour offers from Lady Gaga, Nine Inch Nails, and Coldplay might sound asinine, but Cut Copy isn’t your average group. The band who hails from Melbourne, Australia, instead added a member, hit the studio, and is set to release Zonoscope next month. The follow-up to 2008′s excellent In Ghost Colours is only the electro-pop group’s third album, but it’s being anticipated as would a work from a band with three times their discography. Bassist Tim Hoey says that first single “Take Me Over” is one of the more “pop moments” on the record. “We certainly are using all sorts of electronic instruments, more synthesizers, computers, all of that, but contrasted with more organic sounds, more organic percussion,” says Hoey. Better still is the announcement  that the record’s final track, “Sun God”, is a 16-minute epic.  - Jack McGrew
February 8th via Modular / Order via Amazon

Cut Copy – ‘Take Me Over’

Bright Eyes – The People’s Key

It’s been four years since Conor Oberst released music under the Bright Eyes moniker, and while it seemed like the band’s July performance at a Nebraska immigration rally would be a one-off, it looks like the new year is bringing 10 new songs and a two-week tour. Fans of the angsty Oberst from Bright Eyes’ earlier days may have abandoned their hero after the band’s sonic evolution on 2007’s Cassadaga, but those who stayed on the train will be surprised and pleased to hear the synth-laden, new wave vibe on lead single “Shell Games”. -Ray Roa
February 15th via Saddle Creek / Order via Amazon

Bright Eyes – ‘Shell Games’

Mogwai – Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will

We can already assure you that Mogwai’s Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will is going to be an early highlight for 2011. The post-rock mainstays officially release their seventh full-length in February, and the day can’t come soon enough. Young Team producer Paul Savage returns for the LP, and if that means anything to you, you’re going to want to stay tuned. -Harry Painter
February 15th via Sub Pop / Order via Amazon

Mogwai – ‘Rano Pano’

PJ Harvey – Let England Shake

What better valentine could come this year than Let England Shake, the latest from one of England’s and music’s most influential women in rock. For the better part of two decades now, Polly Jean has continued to offer album after album of honest-to-everyone songs grounded in a wide array of sounds from post-feminist grunge to brit-folk. On her 8th proper LP, we may find Harvey putting the onus on us. “I think a lot of my work has often been about the interior, the emotional, what happens inside oneself. This time I’ve just been looking out, so it’s not only to do with taking a look at England, but taking a look at the world and what’s happening in the current day world affairs.” So rarely does Harvey lay a bad egg that the very thought of this album all but guaranteed it a spot on this list. To boot, the first sampling from the album sounds like a gorgeous and haunting collage of her recent works, and it’s one fantastic song. -Jeremy D. Larson
February 15th via Vagrant Records / Order via Amazon

PJ Harvey – ‘Written On The Forehead’

Adele – 21

Looks like British powerhouse Adele is trying to add another award to her shelf. Much like her 2008 debut, 19, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter’s simply titled sophomore release, 21, showcases the big voice and big sound that turned her into a critical darling at the tender age of—you guessed it—19. The first single from 21, “Rolling in the Deep”, is an incredibly soulful number you can bop your head to, but you can’t mistake the hint of sadness in Adele’s raspy vocals. There’s no denying that the girl has talent beyond her years, and come 2011 Grammy season, we’ll see if the critics still think so, too. -Megan Caffery
February 22 via XL Recordings / Order via Amazon

Adele – ‘Rolling in the Deep’

Toro Y Moi – Underneath the Pine

Toro y Moi’s debut came out just last year, but the man born Chaz Bundick is staying ahead of the pack and releasing a follow-up very early this year. Underneath the Pine arrives next month and will reportedly feature live instrumentation and, if new track “Still Sound” is any indication, less chill, more funk. -Harry Painter
February 22nd via Carpark Records / Order via Amazon

[wpaudio url="http://www.spin.com/audio/download/81526/09_Still_Sound.mp3" text="Toro Y Moi - 'Still Sound'" dl="0"]

Lupe Fiasco – Lasers

Talk of Lupe Fiasco’s third album began back in June 2009; the following two-plus years saw the Chicago MC complete the album only to have its release delayed by Atlantic Records. The label claimed the LP lacked potential singles, but Fiasco’s refusal to sign a 360 deal probably didn’t help. The wait got so intense that fans even held protests outside of various Atlantic offices in order to get the album out. Atlantic finally heard their cries and, deciding that perhaps giving into the demand was a sound business move, announced the album’s March 2011 release. With tracks like “I’m Beamin’”, first single “The Show Goes On”, and “What U Want”, we’re just glad the album’s finally getting its time to shine. -Chris Coplan
March 8th via Atlantic

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R.E.M. – Collapse Into Now

For Collapse Into Now, R.E.M. took the rulebook they compiled for their last album, 2007′s Accelerate, and threw it out the window. Forget about speed or getting back to a core sound; according to Mike Mills’ interview with Rolling Stone, it’s all about creating the best songs they can. Produced by Jacknife Lee (U2, Snow Patrol, Weezer), the band’s 15th record will feature a bevy of special guests, including Eddie Vedder (on the first single,”It Happened Today“), Joel Gibb, Peaches, and Patti Smith. It was recorded in multiple cities, such as New Orleans and Berlin, with the trio taking breaks in between to edit the material. “The songs go from one type into another really easily, and it all seems to fit as a piece,” Mills says. “It makes sense as a whole the same way that Automatic For The People did.” All that’s left to see is if R.E.M. can back that statement up. -Joe Marvilli
March 8th via Warner Bros. / Order via Amazon

R.E.M. – ‘It Happened Today’ (feat. Eddie Vedder)

The Dodos – No Color

The Dodos have quite an ambitious goal for their fourth album, according to an interview Meric Long did with Pitchfork: “One of the things that we intended to do was to really just make a record that was exciting, almost to the point where it might be unlistenable.” If No Color is half as exciting to listeners as it is to him, that, um, excites us. The San Franciscans have yet to put out a bad album, so any time they do release something, it’s worth keeping an eye out. It helps that Neko Case is involved, too. -Harry Painter
March 15th via Frenchkiss Records

New York Dolls – Dancing Backward in High Heels

Punk pioneers, and some of America’s favorite cross-dressers, the New York Dolls are back in 2011 with the release of Dancing Backward in High Heels. For the band’s fifth studio release, and third since reforming back in 2004, surviving original members David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain chose to move the recording process to the birthplace of androgynous glam-rock, the UK. The album’s 11 tracks were recorded in Newcastle, England, and produced by Louis XIV’s, and one time Dolls’ touring bassist, Jason Hill. It seems with the passage of time, the Dolls’ sound has grown more “bluesy”, most evident in the cover of the 1962 hit by Patti Labelle and the Bluebelles, “I Sold My Heart to the Junkman”. While the release is still a few months off, samples are available via 429 Records. -Derek Staples
March 15th via 429 Records / Order via Amazon

The Mountain Goats – All Eternals Deck

The Mountain Goats’ donnish and prolific career continues in 2011 with the release of their new death metal album, All Eternals Deck. Well, it’s not a death metal album — at all. To clarify, John Darnielle, the man behind the Goats, hired metal guru Erik Rutan to produce a handful of tracks on the album. Rutan, former guitarist for Morbid Angel who now fronts the three-piece death metal band Hate Eternal, is one of four producers on the album, which was recorded in as many locations across the US. Darnielle likens the album to, well, “…if you have ever watched, say, a 70s occult-scare movie where one of the scenes involves a couple of people visiting a storefront fortune teller, getting their cards read, and then trying to feel super-hopeful about what they hear when what they’re visibly actually feeling is dread” or “the feeling of exultation that comes with having recognized the oncoming train of fate.” Sounds pretty metal to me. -Jeremy D. Larson
March 29th via Merge Records

Kanye West & Jay-Z – Watch the Throne

Critically, Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was among the best albums put out in 2010. Commercially, however, West’s fifth LP failed to capitalize on the massive publicity campaign embarked on by the Chicago MC in the months leading up to the album’s release. America might still be pissed at Mr. West, but nothing helps heal wounds like teaming up with a rapper that even Oprah champions. Originally set to be released as an EP last fall, West and Jay-Z’s collaborative LP, Watch the Throne, has evolved into a 10-track full-length and is now due out sometime in March. Hopefully. Details-wise, little is known about the album, but heavyweights like Pete Rock, Q-Tip, and Madlib have been mentioned as producers, and Kanye has declared that the LP hears Jay-Z flowing like he did back in the Reasonable Doubt days. It’s hard to imagine this album not living up to the hype. Let’s just hope we hear it before 2012. -Alex Young
March? via Def Jam

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The Strokes – TBA

We all know the story, but here it is one more time: The followup to 2006′s First Impressions of Earth was originally scheduled for release in 2009, but inner band disagreements delayed those plans over… and over… again. Frontman Julian Casablancas further threw us for a loop with the release of his solo debut amidst these supposed recording sessions. But in early 2010, progress on the record moved forward as the band began working with award-winning producer Joe Chicarelli (My Morning Jacket, The Shins) and renowned engineer Gus Oberg. No new songs were offered during the band’s 2010 live performances, but as of November 16th, 2010, the album is finished. Expect 10 songs to be included, and a March 2011 release date is promised. Cross your fingers. -Joe Marvilli
March via RCA

Lady Gaga – Born This Way

With Lady Gaga’s The Fame Monster becoming the world’s biggest-selling record of 2010 (5.8 million units!), its follow-up, Born This Way, is an almost guaranteed success. But what about quality? The conspicuous star has been fanning the anticipatory flames, promising a Polish crowd “the greatest album of this decade” – lofty considering the decade just started. She told BBC the album’s sound blends her usual dance-pop anthems with “metal and rock ‘n’ roll,” a sonic conglomerate sampled in live performances of new track “You And I”. On New Year’s Eve, Gaga revealed that Born This Way drops May 23rd, with the first single/title track (which Elton John calls “the new gay anthem”) landing on Grammy night, February 13th. So while the workhorse pounds the road again with another North American tour starting in February, it’ll be six months before we see how Lady Gaga meets the hype she’s created for herself. -Ben Kaye
May 23rd via Interscope

Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2

When founding member Adam Yauch (MCA) announced that he had cancer in 2009, the Beastie Boys’ upcoming double album was put on hold. A year and a half later, Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 1 is still delayed indefinitely, but the second part will be available in early Spring. The Beasties’ eighth studio album will feature 16 tracks and include collaborations with Nas on “Too Many Rappers” and Santigold on “Don’t Play No Game That I Can’t Win”. Comparing the tracks to previous work, Yauch stated, “It’s a combination of playing and sampling stuff as we’re playing, and also sampling pretty obscure records. There are a lot of songs on the record and there are a lot of short songs and they kind of all run into each other.” Sounds like a good way to end the fight with cancer. – Jack McGrew
Spring via Capitol Records

Beastie Boys – ‘Too Many Rappers’

Death Cab For Cutie – Codes and Keys

Death Cab For Cutie fans who thought that 2008’s Narrow Stairs was a bit of a downer apparently aren’t alone. “There’s a level of self-loathing that I’m embarrassed about, it’s a really dark record,” frontman Ben Gibbard told SPIN. “I didn’t want to make that record again.” He added that the creative process for Codes and Keys entailed the band building songs from singular riffs or vocal lines and that the “achingly gorgeous” title track is a sprawling, seven-minute mostly instrumental number, which includes DCFC’s first string arrangement in over a decade. Throw in songs that originated solely from guitarist/pianist Chris Walla’s demos, and it’s no wonder Gibbard feels “so proud of this album” that he doesn’t really care if people like it or not. -Ray Roa
Spring via Atlantic

Dr. Dre – Detox

It only took a little more than a decade, but hip-hop’s Chinese Democracy is finally coming out. Really, we’re not kidding. Sure, Detox doesn’t have an unofficial release date yet, but it’s hard to ignore the events of the past six months: October found us thinking that Dr. Dre was too busy working out with LeBron to release an album. Then a song leaked, and another one leaked, then we got a video. Three days after Christmas, Eminem and Fiddy finally made us really want to buy Detox. Throw Def Jam’s press release in with news that Dre will promote the album through a Facebook game and what we’ve essentially got here is a promise that can’t be broken. -Ray Roa
Spring via Aftermath/Interscope

Dr. Dre – ‘Kush’ (feat. Snoop Dogg, Akon)

Foo Fighters – TBA

What’s not to love about Dave Grohl? He sings, he plays guitar, he drums, and he smiles. He’s just a downright honest guy. That’s why when he insists that the next Foo Fighters record “sounds big”, we’re apt to believe him. After finishing up his gig in Them Crooked Vultures, Grohl set the ball in motion last September, when production on the Foo’s seventh album began. From what’s been said, fans can expect a celebratory record. Grohl told BBC recently that “there’s not one sleepy ballad” and that there are several familiar faces involved. In addition to having producer Butch Vig at the controls, the album also sports longtime collaborator and now full-time member Pat Smear (of The Germs, but also considered Nirvana’s “fourth” member) and, incidentally, former bandmate Krist Novoselic, who plays accordion and bass on a track titled “I Should Have Known”. Throw in the little fact that the whole thing wasn’t recorded with computers — all on analog tape, actually — and you might see the group carving out their finest record since their debut. But, we’ll see come Spring. -Michael Roffman
Spring via RCA

U2 – Songs of Ascent + three other albums?

U2 may have gotten slightly tangled in the web of utter disaster that has been the Spider-Man musical, but as long as it doesn’t delay their upcoming studio album, we’ll try to forgive ‘em. Though we’ve yet to get an actual track listing or release date, we do know a handful of details about the band’s 13th LP. Originally planned as a companion album for 2009′s No Line on the Horizon, Songs of Ascent will be produced by super producer Danger Mouse (Beck, The Black Keys, Gnarls Barkley). While we’re not entirely sure of what to expect, bassist Adam Clayton does warn us that it’s not “going to sound like familiar U2 territory at all.”

This album isn’t the only unfamiliar territory that the Irish band is going into lately. Songs of Ascent is only one of four albums that they’ve been working on recently, starting with the soundtrack to Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark. Aside from that, U2 also plans on coming out with a dance/club-sounding album produced by will.i.am, David Guetta, and RedOne, as well as a Steve Lillywhite-produced album of unused tracks from their most recent LP, No Line on the Horizon. As of now, there are no official release dates for any of the records. -Dana Grossman
Songs of Ascent due in Spring via Interscope; Other albums TBA via Interscope

Coldplay – TBA

While it wasn’t out in time for Christmas, it’s safe to expect Coldplay’s fifth album at some point this year, though we hope it sounds nothing like the Christmas single the band put out. Coldplay supposedly recorded a load of songs and are weeding it down to album length, which has meant delays. Another reason for delays might be how seriously the group is taking this album. Chris Martin told BBC Radio 1′s Zane Lowe, “We’re going for it. We regard this as our last big shot.” In 2009, The Sun reported Coldplay was recording in a church. So, this could be super serial. Like, Arcade Fire serial. -Harry Painter
2011 via Capitol Records

Also stay tuned for…

– Aphex Twin – LP #6: Something is coming March 12th, 2011.

– Beyoncé – LP#4: — According to producer Sean Garrett, Mrs. Hova’s fourth full-length “[is] going to be her biggest album ever.”

– The Cars – Free: It took 23 years, but the new wave icons will soon return with their seventh LP.

– Daft Punk/The Third Twin – LP#4?: Maybe/hopefully not?

– Fleet Foxes – LP #2: In the works for nearly two years, Fleet Foxes completed their “less upbeat” sophomore LP last September. Most details are still forthcoming, but a Spring 2011 release date is expected.

– How to Destroy Angels – LP #1: Trent Reznor says he’s proud of the band’s debut EP, but it was merely “the results of a couple of months of experimentation and tinkering.” In other words, he’s now ready to kick your ass.

– Jane’s Addiction – LP #4: Featuring TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek.

– Justin Bieber – LP #2: Featuring Kanye West.

– Lil Wayne – Tha Carter IV: “6’7″ is just the start of Weezy’s 2k11 takeover.

– Queens of the Stone Age – LP #6: Recording begins in January.

– Radiohead – LP #8: A batch of songs has been completed, but Thom Yorke and friends aren’t done quite yet. One way or another, though, we fully expect music’s most important outfit to return at some point in 2k11.

– Rage Against the Machine – LP#5: So says Google Translate.

– Red Hot Chili Peppers – LP #10: Flea plays piano and Josh Klinghoffer replaces John Frusciante on guitar for the Peppers’ long-awaited follow-up to 2006′s Stadium Arcadium. It’s supposedly due in the “beginning of Summer 2011.”

– Rick Ross – God Forgives, I Don’t: The Teflon Don is wasting no time in following up his 2010 masterpiece. The rapper’s fifth album is “60% done,” with the Drake-featuring first single, “Made Men”, already available for streaming.

– Ryan Adams – LP #13/Blackhole: The wifey finally let him skip weekend trips to Ikea.

– The Shins – LP #4: Four years is long enough.

– Tenacious D – The Rise of the Phoenix: The comedy duo’s “R-Rated” third album is due out in late 2011.

– The White Stripes – LP#7: Jack White seems pretty content with his current role as record label/producer extraordinaire, but sooner or later, he’s got to give the people what they want. How else is he going to make money (via eBay)?

– Wilco – LP#8: Work began last October.

The tour kicks off on January 22nd in Vienna, Australia. From there, the band spend the majority of the next few months playing around Europe, including a chunk of shows in the UK, Germany, and France. Then, starting on April 10th, The Go Team! grace North America with a string of dates that includes stops in Toronto, ON, Brooklyn, NY, Philadelphia, PA, and Los Angeles, CA. Buzzy pop-rock trio Dom will provide support on select dates.

Rolling Blackouts hits stores January 31st via Memphis Industries.

The Go! Team 2011 Tour Dates:
01/22 – Vienna, AU @ The Arena (FM4 Birthday Party)
02/03 – Glasgow, UK @ Oran Mor
02/04 – Edinburgh, UK @ Liquid Room
02/05 – Aberdeen, UK @ Lemon Tree
02/06 – Newcastle, UK @ The Cluny
02/08 – London, UK @ Heaven
02/09 – Cambridge, UK @ The Junction
02/10 – Birmingham, UK @ Birmingham Institute
02/11 – Bristol, UK @ Anson Rooms
02/13 – Falmouth, UK @ The Princess Pavilion
02/14 – Bournemouth, UK @ The Old Firestation
02/15 – Oxford, UK @ Academy 1
02/16 – Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2
02/18 – Leeds, UK @ The Cockpit
02/19 – Manchester, UK @ Academy 2
02/20 – Liverpool, UK @ Academy 2
02/21 – Nottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms
02/24 – Norwich, UK @ The Waterfront
02/25 – Sheffield, UK @ Academy 2
02/26 – Leicester, UK @ Academy 2
02/27 – Cardiff, UK @ The Millennium Music Hall
03/05 – Dublin, UK @ Academy
03/10 – Dusseldorf, DE @ Zakk
03/11 – Frankfurt, DE @ Brotfabrik
03/12 – Zurich, CH @ Stall 6
03/14 – Milan, IT @ Tunnel
03/15 – Munich, DE @ 59 to 1
03/16 – Stuttgart, DE @ Schocken
03/17 – Berlin, DE @ Lido
03/18 – Hamburg, DE @ Ubel & Gefaehrlich
03/22 – Strasbourg, FR @ La Laiterie
03/23 – Brussels, BE @ Orangerie @ The Botanique
03/24 – Rennes, FR @ Ubu
03/25 – Paris, FR @ La Fleche D’Or
03/26 – Angouleme, FR @ La Nef
03/20 – Valencia, ES @ Sala Minor
03/31 – Madrid, ES @ Joy Eslava
04/01 – Barcelona, ES @ Sala Razzmatazz
04/10 – Toronto, ON @ Opera House *
04/13 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club *
04/14 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Theatre of Living Arts *
04/15 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Club *
04/16 – Brooklyn, NY @ GBH/Brooklyn Bowl
04/19 – Los Angeles, CA Echoplex
04/20 – San Francisco, CA @ Mezzanine

* = w/ Dom

Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino high profile collaborations extend beyond Rivers and Wavves. She’s also teamed up with The Go! Team for “Buy Nothing Day”, the first single off the UK outfit’s forthcoming album, Rolling Blackouts. Courtesy of the fine folks at Some Kind of Awesome, you can stream the track below.

“Buy Nothing Day” (b/w a cover version of Betty and Karen’s “I’m Not Satisfied”) will be released as a US-only 7″ single on December 14th. Rolling Blackouts will follow January 31 via Memphis Industries. Pre-order here.

During each of Lollapalooza’s three days, we blogged the latest updates with tidbits ranging from The Weakerthans’ unexpected cancellation to Perry’s surprise guest. Once arriving back to the weekend’s official headquarters, aka Michael Roffman’s living room, and finding some food, we spent the next several hours recapping and reviewing all of the day’s events.

And while it was limited, a few of us did manage to squeeze in some sleep as well.

To recap all of our coverage for both Lolla and non-Lolla attendees, as well as provide a few additional memories and friendly links, we not present you Consequence of Sound’s most extended and thorough piece of Lollapalooza coverage yet. We remember, Lollaplooza 2008…

Table of Contents:
I. Day 1 in Review
II. Day 2 in Review
III. Day3 in Review
IV. Interviews
V. Day 1 in Photos
VI. Day 2 in Photos
VII. Day 3 in Photos
VIII. Lollapalooza by the Numbers
IX. Lollapalooza Bootlegs
X. Lollapalooza in Videos
XI. Lollapalooza.com 2008 Blogs
XII. Special Thanks
XIII. Comments

Day One: Friday, August 1st

The Main Event: Radiohead

Tonight, Chicagoans (and out of towners) were finally treated to the British spectacle that’s been in the cards for four to five months. Riding on a hype that would benefit most summer blockbuster films, Radiohead headlined the first night of 2008′s Lollapalooza. Thom Yorke and Co. were welcomed with open arms, literally, and they responded with a warm, balmy performance.

It’s a wet dream for Perry Farrell that the British quintet matched the hype. The buzz over the past few months has been deafening, with fans scorching up the web and tickets for Friday leaving the box office. This morning, it wasn’t really a surprise to see several fans, well actually hundreds, catapulting through the entrance and racing to the front of the AT&T stage, where they’d be camping for a mere ten hours. As the day aged, more and more eco-friendly Radiohead shirts were bought and worn. It seemed as if they were the only band that mattered.

To some, they were.

Continue reading…

The rest of the day…

Day one of Lollapalooza 2008 started off with a bang. Though with a line of festival-goers stretching more than five blocks, most folks didn’t start rolling in until Holy Fuck and Black Lips kicked off their respective sets, unofficially signaling the start of this year’s festivities.

Neither band shows signs of early morning hangovers as Holy Fuck thrilled an already crowded AT&T Stage, many composed of those diehard Radiohead fans in hour one of their day-long camp out, with the electro bliss of “The Pulse”. While fans of Yorke and company didn’t seem all too captivated by the Canadian natives, perhaps because no remix of “Nude” was offered, Holy Fuck did offer the other willing recipients a set of overpowering sounds that brought reminders and memories of LCD Soundsystem’s ruckus set last Lollapalooza.

Those who choose to make the long trek over to the Bud Light Stage for Atlanta’s Black Lips received a set that while lacking a bit of the band’s characteristic inane stage antics, was equally enthusiastic. Kicking off with “I Saw A Ghost (Lean)” and “O Katrina!”, the band’s 16 song set offered the mostly still sleepy concert goers with a style that blended Phil Spektor with early Rolling Stones.

Before heading over for our interview with the Black Lips, we made a quick stop at the AT&T Stage to check out a few minutes of Yeasayer. While the band presented themselves well on the larger than life main stage, most of their set seemed a bit underwhelming, with the exception of a captivating rendition of their hit “2080″. Though their synth, electro-heavy sound was tight, Yeasayer frontman Anand Wilder was a bit sloppy on the vocal side of things.

One of the day’s more surprising performances was the set delivered by Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears on the BMI Stage. The grooving Austin blues outfit delivered some of the festival’s coolest sounds under the overhang of Grant Park’s greenest areas, allowing for a refreshing scene of comfort and music. Though a rather unknown act on the bill, anyone walking by the BMI Stage during their set couldn’t help but be stopped by Black Joe Lewis, even if it was just for a few minutes.

Under scorching heat (as expected at 2:15) and with refillable water bottles of wine flowing( $24 at the bar tents), The Go! Team joined a host of other Friday bands in setting a great tone for Lolla 2008. With their usual, six person band on stage, Go! played a balanced selection of tracks off both albums. They scored with their instrumental and more melodic tunes, getting everyone moving in the sun, only a few hours before The Black Keys would do the same on the exact stage. Ninja, the main singer, came out with a special energy and with a bright colored pair of sunglasses that matched with many of the crowd watching. Compared to 2006, The Go! Team was able to switch instruments easier and sounded very polished in their performance, which can be hard for the electronic samples and tempo changes in every other song. This was another breakout Lolla performance from The Go! Team, who at this point might as well be penciled into a middle of the day slot every year.

For anyone who has seen Gogol Bordello live in the past, their set on Friday was your typical performance. In other words, an hour long of furious, gypsy punk rock that is unique as it is fantastic. Under the watchful eye of a blistering sun and accompaniment of Lollapalooza’s best creative dance moves, the Brooklyn rockers played a set of mostly hits, highlighted by the frantic, rootsy “American Wedding” and jaw-dropping closer “Think Locally Fuck Globally”.

The musical/husband and wife duo of Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel took the Myspace Stage soon after the finals rings of Gogol Bordello faded. While begining in classic Mates of State form, the drummer and keyboardist were soon accompanied by an orchestral section as they made their way through the set heavy in Re-Arrange Us’ material. Though Mates of State seemed a bit too small for the stage, their innocent grace brought memories of Broken Social Scene’s epic 2006 Lollapalooza performance.

After Cadence Weapon, the crowd at the BMI Stage began to overfill as fans rushed in to catch local rap duo The Cool Kids. Despite taking the stage 15 minutes late (iit seems that even a rock festival can’t curb Late Rap Show Syndrome) they were met by a rabid crowd ready for a hometown party. And The Cool Kids delivered, tearing through the entirety of their wildly popular Bake Sale EP, a couple tracks from their forthcoming EP, and a rollicking medley of covers that included The Pharcyde’s “Passing Me By”, Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s “Raw”, and the obligatory rap anthem, “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang.” They were playful (directing the crowd specifically on how to behave for each song), helpful (Mikey Rocks showed genuine concern and extended a hand to a crowd surfer about to fall), and creative (taking their self-proclaimed title of “Black Beastie Boys” to new levels by throwing lines from “One Two” over the Beasties’ beats.) In short, The Cool Kids were just about everything you would expect from a great hip hop show; they put on a party and it’s not hard to see why they have built up such a positive reputation without even releasing a full-length album. Given Lollapalooza’s favoritism of local rap acts you would have to imagine The Cool Kids will be back. But don’t expect to see them on the street stage again.
If lucky enough to evade the sun, Radiohead fans camping out, and girls wearing headbands, Bloc Party provided one of the more solid crowd pleasing sets of Friday. The crowd for Bloc Party was different, containing many casual music fans and college radio fans. It was definitely a show for the tried and true Bloc Party fan, the set list seemed to contain more tracks off Weekend in the City and earlier songs by the band were done with some new live twists. Parts in the middle of the set allowed Kele and the rest of the band to play some of their slower and more calming tracks, which surely had to be appreciated by thousands showing up for Radiohead in a few shorts hours. “Helicopter” and “Waiting for the 7.18″ stood out as the best tracks of the performance and had the crowd loving their choice to stick it out with Bloc Party.

As Jack White led his bandmates on stage for their Friday night performance on the Bud Light stage and the first sounds of Lollapalooza’s most notable rock and roll band overcame the packed crowed gathered to see the Raconteurs, the collective feeling was one of awe. Between the guitar solos, extended jamming, and dueling vocals between White and Brendan Benson, the four-piece outfit reaffirmed why that with only two albums under their belt, The Raconteurs are already widely considered one of today’s best rock bands. Though the performance was largely affected by sound problems, renditions of “Conolers of the Lonely”, “Level”, and “Keep It Clean” still provided enough captivating sounds that the delayed echos circulating the crowd were easily forgiven.

While most gathering in Grant Park’s south side as the sun began to set below Chicago’s famous skyline were focused on the long-awaited headlining performance to come, Stephen Malkmus led his Jicks in a 45 minute se that best can be described as fun. Heavy in material from his recently released album Real Emotional Trash, Malkmus not only offered a taste of his vast talents and decades of live experience, but also presented himself as someone full of innocence and modesty, reflecting a pleasant down-to-earth persona.

But by the time 8:00 p.m. came around, most of the day’s more noteworthy memories were, at least temporarily, forgotten as Lolla-goers got their first sites of Radiohead.

Day Two: Saturday, August 2nd

The Main Event: Rage Against the Machine

The walk from Buckingham Fountain to the AT&T Main Stage featured a variety of sites as 8:30 p.m. approached on Saturday night. A line of ambulances were parked horizontal to the path full of bruisers in an all out sprint to ensure a piece of the action, while those too young, too small, and perhaps too smart, positioned themselves on hills, stairs, and any other sort of barrier that would provide safety from the scene about to take place.

The Toadies were engaged in an appealing 45 minute set across the south field of Grant Park, but like Stephen Malkmus the night before, it was viewed, if anything, as background noise. Festival-goers grew impatient for the first signs of Zach de la Rocha, Tom Morello, Tim Commerford, and Brad Wilk on the field of dead grass.

Darkness and for the first time, anticipation, began to fill the Chicago air.

Continue reading…

The Main Event: Wilco

There weren’t any fireworks over this headliner, but the Chicago natives didn’t need them. Strutting across the stage after a very impressive performance by Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Jeff Tweedy brought out his rag tag band for a universally sound set. Even if it was only months after their career defining residency here at the Riviera, Mid-westerner’s galore were eager to see what is quickly becoming an American musical past time, Wilco.

In the foreground of a bold Chicago skyline, the Bud Light stage shined a bright red, with fans gathering nonchalantly, as opposed to the rough housing going down across the park. It was pleasant and as many continued chatting or sharing joints, what was left of the wafty Saturday sun diminished quietly. A breeze joined in, just in time, as the band swept in to open with Being There‘s “Misunderstood.” Within seconds, multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone was already throwing various instruments as Tweedy carried on with Yankee Hotel Foxtrot‘s pivotal, “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart.” Not much else was said, but most of the fans were too busy swaying, or clapping, or… wondering what the hell they were wearing.

Continue reading…

The rest of the day…

Saturday mornings are usually filled with either sleep in’s, hang overs, or plans to stay in and watch TBS all day. But today, not only was it the second day of Lollapalooza, but the weather was out of this world. Under clear blue skies and a sun that wasn’t even half as harmful as yesterday’s, everything was in it’s right place… to borrow from yesterday’s act, which was still running on all our minds.

The angular guitars and rhythmic snyths and drums of Foals almost made a mockery of other shows across the park. With a crowd that seemingly never ended inside an already small space of the Citibank stage, Foals brought their style of dance-rock to another level. With people closer to the stage dancing and moving, the people in the back were left to wonder who the hell is “Foals” and why didn’t they hear of them sooner. Surely, these crowds will walk away from Lollapalooza with one more new band to check out. While many of the people who saw Foals did so on their way to MGMT, many walked away with a performance that made MGMT’s job that much harder and a new band to follow. As for the already-a-Foals-fans, the highlight of the set was Balloons, a solid song made stronger by a band clicking in all gears on tour and a raucous crowd who found a band to stop and groove or dance to.

Coming off of a few months of touring, Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan, aka The Gutter Twins, brought their gloom rock outfit to Lollapalooza. Seeing the underground legends again was nothing short of fantastic, but it was odd to hear and see it all go down in daylight. Most of the downtrodden songs off of this year’s Saturnalia, namely set opener “The Station” or even “God’s Children”, were awkwardly juxtaposed against an even more surprising cool, crisp August day. No one could argue that the show’s pivotal moment came when Dulli ripped right into his other band’s (The Twilight Singers) material, specifically “Bonnie Brae.” Although Rage fans had begun gathering, it was great to see such a large audience for such an underrated band. Next time, give ‘em an evening shift.

MGMT did indeed make an attempt of this difficult task with a hour-long performance on the MySpace Stage. Though enthusiastic and fun, thanks to a multitude of the Brooklyn duo’s indie-approved hits like “Electric Feel” and “The Youth”, sound problems seemed to ravage a good portion of the audience. In some spots, the electro-heavy sound was overpowering, while in others, the banging DJ beats of Booka Shade bled into MGMT’s air. However, in the end, the mix of the band’s recent indie cred and catchy as hell music seemed to attract more than a fair share of folks.

Perry Farrell made his much-awaited Lollapalooza 2008 debuted with a performance on the newly created performance area that is his namesake. While more spectacle than anything else, special guests appearances from Slash and Samantha Ronson certainly helped Perry deliever one of the more unique performances so far this weekend. Though, between Ronson’s DJ set, Perry’s lively sing-a-longs, Slash’s acoustic strums, and the nearly 800 folks overwhelming the side stage, the set’s mixbag of material certainly made it hard to comprehend what was actually going on.

Spank Rock dazzled the crowd with a host of guest singers including Amanda Blank. Letting some of the producing and beats start things off, the Baltimore duo eventually turned the stage into the sexiest place in Grant Park, with electronic sounds and lyrics geared to get everybody moving. One of the great things to watch was Naeem Juwan and Amanda Blank bump and grind like no one was watching. This brand of entertainment even inspired many of the more bohemian ladies in the crowd to yell any sexist, crazy, or weird lyrics with Spank and with the rest of the people in attendance. Known for being a live staple at Spank Rock shows, “Shake it till my dick turns racist” had either the crowd laughing, dancing, or screaming the entire time and with personal Lollapalooza and Chicago references being made throughout it, no one can blame them. After seeming reluctant due to the blazing heat and energy of the crowd dying, Spank Rock did close the show with “Bump” and made sure everyone walked away with yet another great band to listen to or another great Spank Rock performance in their memory.

With some of the crowd from Spank Rock leaving, fans of Battles got close, fast. Renowned for intense live shows, the Citibank stage yet again was packed for the experimental noise dance of Battles. Similar to Foals in angular guitars and creating musical layers on stage, Battles rocked hard for even the most stiff of concertgoers. With much of the band being trained adults, who have been playing for years, this was an easy show to impress the people watching. With an almost nonsensical drum set up, John Stanier showcased his amazing drum skills on a very special day, his 40th birthday. The four-piece outfit played nearly without stops creating a sort of jam session feeling, albeit a technically stunning jam session. Interesting to note was the translator for the hearing impaired being rendered useless by Battles not really having distinguishable lyrics. Also two shirtless fans were able to get onto the stage and dance before eventually being escorted off by security. Battles did come back for a short encore after the main set was finished, this of course to make sure they closed off the stage properly for the night before everyone headed over for Rage Against the Machine right next door.

It was exactly 6:30pm on Saturday, when the montage friendly horn section from the Rocky theme song began to play over the mounting speaker system of the AT&T Stage; breaking the sitting silence of the crowd and giving way to the arriving night. With a few electric roars and sporadic applause from the heat pressed audience, the Second City’s second son, Lupe Fiasco, entered the south stage with backflipping charisma (literally). Never dumbing it down for one moment. The live, achromatic set of Lupe blended past hits from his Grammy winning debut Food & Liquor with the fiercely sharp tracks of 2007’s The Cool; opening with the string-enriched skate anthem, “Kick-Push” and closing with an extended rendition of the red-carpet single, “Superstar,” featuring Matthew Santos.

Although the performance was only an hour long, the on-stage offering from Lupe and crew felt like a lifetime captured in the blink of an eye. The flawlessly pure combination of energy and raw talent lyricism made-up for the show’s short duration, as it showcased Lupe as not just one of hip-hop’s elite emcees, but one of the music industry’s top performers. Watch out Kanye, the star in your shadow is becoming a little brighter.

In what might possibly be the weekend’s greatest power hour, Will Sheff and his Texas outfit, Okkervil River, laid fire to the Playstation 3 stage. Culling most of the material from last year’s The Stage Names, the set list stretched back some, even bringing out material from 2004′s Black Sheep Boy and 2002′s Don’t Fall In Love With Everyone You See. Sheff commands the stage, checking over on fellow band members at each break, before bleeding out into the microphone. His rough voice seemed innovative in comparison to the clean syrup on record. Some highlights included an epic rendition of “Girl in Port”, a fan driving performance of “Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe”, and a hard hitting cut of “For Real” which had Sheff scaling the drum set with guitar in hand. They may have inadvertently opened for Broken Social Scene, but they clearly stole the fire.

Broken Social Scene took the Bud Light Stage for what many fans considered an encore now two years in the making. Yet as special as the occasion was considered to be, the band’s return to Grant Park at their epic 2006 performance was for the most part, by the book. The Kevin Drew, Brandon Canning fronted Canadian band kicked off in standard BSS fashion with some instrumental experimentation on “Pacific Theme” followed by a rendition of “Cause = Time”. And for the most part, the set remained your typical Broken Social Scene performance – brilliant music, captivating vocals, and even a few guest appearances. (Amy Milan filled female duties, while Apostle of Hustle’s Andrew Whiteman was a member of the current traveling unit.)

But ultimately, it was by no means what most had been expecting. It was no 2006 performance. Gone were the tears of joys, cries for an encore that left such a memorable impression in the minds of all those who had witnessed the spectacle. In reality however, the expectations may have been a bit much, no longer are we talking about the same Broken Social Scene that was seen two short years ago. They are no longer music’s best kept secret, and with the success, has come a loss of intimacy. Still as underwhelming as the performance may have been for some, the sounds of “7/4 (Shoreline)” and “It’s All Gonna Break” couldn’t help but leave you smiling and dancing along.

Given that the crowd either devoted itself to spots for Rage or picnic space for Wilco, it was nice to hear Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings soldiering on. The band’s sound is unique in that it sounds neither modern nor retro, it just sounds solid. The Georgia natives went over some, but no one complained, as they brought out the best in everyone on the North side of the park. Smiles and swaying should be good enough in anyone’s book.

As darkness approached, it was time for Wilco and Rage Against the Machine.

Day Three: Sunday, August 3rd

The Main Event: Nine Inch Nails

Two stories fell over Grant Park tonight. South at the AT&T stage, Kanye West brought fans along on his extraterrestrial expedition, whereas up north, industrial guru Trent Reznor wreaked havoc on the Bud Light stage, opening his fans’ eyes to an apocalyptic future. Most, if not all witnessing, should agree that NIN told the proper story to end Lollapalooza 2008. The only problem is scaling back and remembering it all.

Ah, where to begin…

Continue reading…

The Main Event: Kanye West

Uncertainty filled Grant Park’s south end on Sunday night. With Kanye West just moments away from making his triumphed return to Lollapalooza, this time faced with the task of closing out the 2008 version of the festival, questions undoubtedly floated throughout the crowd.

What would Kanye do? Would Lollapalooza be a follow up to June’s Bonnaroo disaster? Would his seizuring light show be brightening the night’s sky? Would the Chicago native treat his hometown to something special? What’s more, would the city even embrace a performance?

One couldn’t help but wonder.

Continue reading…

The rest of the day…

The third day of any festival is always hard. Aching backs, sore legs, and trembling eyes are usually the sort that describe a third day attendee. It makes you wonder how anyone can survive the fourth day at Bonnaroo, let alone the late nights. Fortunately for those that attend Lollapalooza, things are wrapped up nicely on Sunday, usually. Unfortunately, this year’s Sunday was a bit stale in comparison to Friday and Saturday, with most of the acts smudged at the end, inviting chaotic scheduling conflicts that nobody should have to make. It didn’t help that the sold out crowd felt overbooked and unwarranted, either.

Heat and humidity didn’t stop vocalist Michael Kincaid from rocking out on a Sunday morning. Over at the Citi stage, What Made Milwaukee Famous churned out a few genre spanning songs, mostly picked from this year’s album, What Doesn’t Kill Us. Everything from Spoon to Dashboard Confessional bled from the set, though much to the audience’s pleasure, they never strayed too far from the garage. It was a good early morning set for the Austin, Texas unit, though not nearly as memorable as one would have expected.

Despite the prospects of playing on a stage missing a video screen and still rittled with sound problems (see MGMT’s Saturday set), The Whigs provided an early morning punch of grunge-friendly rock anthems that helped get many folks filling the south end of Grant Park out of Sunday morning hangovers. While there was a large contrast in quality between the Georgia native’s heavy rock oriented sounds vs. their slower, acoustic ballads, which almost seemed overwhelmed due to the size of the stage, the – fronted band’s passion and drenched, Cobain-like look, certainly left a lasting impression.

Though a Perry Farrell performance at Kidzapalooza has been a staple since the festival first kicked off in 2005, this year’s performance was one for the ages. Like yesterday, the former Jane’s Addicition frontman/Lollapalooza mastermind was joined on stage by Slash for a short, unannounced performance. Only this time around, the performed renditions of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstitious”, GNR’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” and Jane’s “Mountain Song” and “Jane Says” were for the children presented at the Kidzapalooza stage on Sunday afternoon. Though between Perry’s mystifying pieces of advice to the young boys and girls, Slash’s cigarette smoking guitar playing, and the massive amounts of adults overwhelming the tiny stage, the performance was anything from your standard lullaby.

“Mountain Song”

As Perry and Slash were entertaining the kids, the electro-friendly duo better known as Chromeo offered those gathered around the Myspace stage an incredibly vibrant and loud performance full of familiar favorites from their much-acclaimed debut album, Fancy Footworks. Unlike some of the other indie approved acts who struggled on the massive stage (see: MGMT, Mates of State), Chromeo seemed to flourish in the setting.

This is the conversation we imagined taking place when Girl Talk was scheduled to perform on the much too small Citi Stage:

C3 Presents Staff Member: Hey Perry, I have a fantastic idea!

Perry Farrell: About Lallapaloooza?

C3 Presents Staff Member: I think we should book Girl Talk, a mishmash DJ from Pittsburgh that everyone seems to be talking about these days.

Perry Farrell: Anything for Lallapaloooza!!! But since his name doesn’t have the “Jane’s Addiction,” “Slash,” or “Rage Against the Machine,” in it, I feel like he should be put on the Citi Stage.

C3 Presents Staff Member: Anything you say, boss!

The result: sheer and utter mayhem. While those who actually saw Gregg Gillis would have only seen the DJ jumping up and down around his custom made laptop, the suffocating crowd size certainly put a damper on what sounded like another trademark Girl Talk performance.

Over on the modest MySpace stage, New Jersey’s own Blues Traveler rocked through some good ol’ blues rock. Frontman John Popper looks the same as usual these days, though he’s a bit more engaging, and with good reason. The band managed to grab a larger than expected crowd, which enjoyed the set list ripe with new and old. No surprise that old timing hit, “Runaround”, received some accolades; however, the audience stuck around ’til the end. Good news for the Princeton quintet.

English rockers Love and Rockets played a loud set, and stress the loud, as the sun settled once and for all. While most of the audience could have been waiting for the industrial madness to come, the gothic rockers benefited from a crowd who loved hard hitting rock. Borderline shoegaze, Love and Rockets was a pleasant surprise. Drummer Kevin Haskins proved to be one of the better drummers for the weekend, shining towards the end in songs “Kundalani Express” and “Mirror People.” The shining moment came during closer “Yin and Yang (The Flowerpot Man)”, where a group of dancers, hidden behind black and white striped costumed and dome faced heads, ricocheted around and around. It all came down into a culminating crash and burn, ending a powerful and unlikely set. Before leaving the stage, bassist David J tipped his hat to the audience, and then held it out, for God knows what.

A member of the audience gathered at the Playstation 3 stage around 8:00 p.m. said it best. “The National just sound perfect.” Though not your prototypical festival-friendly band, especially considering the Brooklyn based rockers were performing right before Nine Inch Nails, the Matt Berninger led band delivered a performance of unmatched musical quality, mixing stunning, vibrant sounds, somewhat reminiscent of Nick Cave, with equally captivating lyrics. The National’s hour long performance was quality throughout, but the set’s final two pieces, “Fake Empires” followed by “Mr. November” in all its perfection, was easily one of the biggest highlights of not only the set, but entire third day.

As the final day of Lollapalooza 2008 came to a close, two of music’s more intriguing names, Kanye West and Nine Inch Nails, took their respective stages for the last performances of the day.

Lollapalooza Interviews

• Will Sheff of Okkervil River
• The Black Lips
• Michael Kincaid and Jason Davis of What Made Milwaukee Famous
• Jeremiah Edmond of Manchester Orchestra
• Sofia Talvik

Day One in Photos:

Day Two in Photos:

Day Three in Photos:

Lollapalooza by the Numbers:

• Performances by The Weakerthans: 0
• Kanye West Look-a-Likes: 1
• “Glow in the Dark” sunglasses: 1
• Myspace stickers using pasties sightings: 1
• Perry Farrell sightings: 3
• Radiohead t-shirts: 5
• Total Broken Social Scene Members Appearing On Stage: 10
• People Too Many at Perry & Friends: 800
• Attendees: 225,000
• Samples used by Girl Talk: Infinite

Lollapalooza Bootlegs:

via Lollapalooza Message Board and largehearted boy:

• Radiohead
• Rage Against the Machine
• Wilco
• The Raconteurs
• The National
• Bloc Party
• MGMT
• Explosions in the Sky
• The Whigs
• Blues Traveler

Lollapalooza in Videos:

Radiohead – “No Surprises”

Radiohead – “Paranoid Android”

Rage Against the Machine – “Testify”

Rage Against the Machine

Kanye West

Wilco – “New Song”

Nine Inch Nails – “The Big Comedown”

The Raconteurs

Girl Talk

The National – “Apartment Story”

John Butler Trio – “Ocean”

Love and Rockets

Riots

Perry Farrell & Slash – “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”

Bloc Party – “Like Eating Glass”

Lollapalooza.com 2008 Blogs:

This year, Consequence of Sound’s Lollapalooza coverage was featured on Lollapalooza.com’s Blogapalooza. Also taking part in the fun was Ross Hebert, the official, fan-approved Lollablogger. Be sure to check out all of his entries as well!

Special Thanks:

Consequence of Sound would like to thank the following people for helping us out this weekend: Art Pena, Hattie Trott, Ross Hebert, Alex Bonami (bmanders), Bryan Hawkinson, Maggie Gryske, Brendan Telzrow, Zach Hinkle, Megan McDiffitt, Nicole Orbe, Laura Hamlett, Brittany Pearce, Jacqueline Thompson, Nick Travers, and of course, Perry Farrell.

Comments:

Voice your memories, thoughts, and anything else on your mind, below…

Neither band shows signs of early morning hangovers as Holy Fuck thrilled an already crowded AT&T Stage, many composed of those diehard Radiohead fans in hour one of their day-long camp out, with the electro bliss of “The Pulse”. While fans of Yorke and company didn’t seem all too captivated by the Canadian natives, perhaps because no remix of “Nude” was offered, Holy Fuck did offer the other willing recipients a set of overpowering sounds that brought reminders and memories of LCD Soundsystem’s ruckus set last Lollapalooza.

Those who choose to make the long trek over to the Bud Light Stage for Atlanta’s Black Lips received a set that while lacking a bit of the band’s characteristic inane stage antics, was equally enthusiastic. Kicking off with “I Saw A Ghost (Lean)” and “O Katrina!”, the band’s 16 song set offered the mostly still sleepy concert goers with a style that blended Phil Spektor with early Rolling Stones.

Before heading over for our interview with the Black Lips, we made a quick stop at the AT&T Stage to check out a few minutes of Yeasayer. While the band presented themselves well on the larger than life main stage, most of their set seemed a bit underwhelming, with the exception of a captivating rendition of their hit “2080″. Though their synth, electro-heavy sound was tight, Yeasayer frontman Anand Wilder was a bit sloppy on the vocal side of things.

One of the day’s more surprising performances was the set delivered by Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears on the BMI Stage. The grooving Austin blues outfit delivered some of the festival’s coolest sounds under the overhang of Grant Park’s greenest areas, allowing for a refreshing scene of comfort and music. Though a rather unknown act on the bill, anyone walking by the BMI Stage during their set couldn’t help but be stopped by Black Joe Lewis, even if it was just for a few minutes.

Under scorching heat (as expected at 2:15) and with refillable water bottles of wine flowing( $24 at the bar tents), The Go! Team joined a host of other Friday bands in setting a great tone for Lolla 2008. With their usual, six person band on stage, Go! played a balanced selection of tracks off both albums. They scored with their instrumental and more melodic tunes, getting everyone moving in the sun, only a few hours before The Black Keys would do the same on the exact stage. Ninja, the main singer, came out with a special energy and with a bright colored pair of sunglasses that matched with many of the crowd watching. Compared to 2006, The Go! Team was able to switch instruments easier and sounded very polished in their performance, which can be hard for the electronic samples and tempo changes in every other song. This was another breakout Lolla performance from The Go! Team, who at this point might as well be penciled into a middle of the day slot every year.

For anyone who has seen Gogol Bordello live in the past, their set on Friday was your typical performance. In other words, an hour long of furious, gypsy punk rock that is unique as it is fantastic. Under the watchful eye of a blistering sun and accompaniment of Lollapalooza’s best creative dance moves, the Brooklyn rockers played a set of mostly hits, highlighted by the frantic, rootsy “American Wedding” and jaw-dropping closer “Think Locally Fuck Globally”.

The musical/husband and wife duo of Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel took the Myspace Stage soon after the finals rings of Gogol Bordello faded. While begining in classic Mates of State form, the drummer and keyboardist were soon accompanied by an orchestral section as they made their way through the set heavy in Re-Arrange Us’ material. Though Mates of State seemed a bit too small for the stage, their innocent grace brought memories of Broken Social Scene’s epic 2006 Lollapalooza performance.

If lucky enough to evade the sun, Radiohead fans camping out, and girls wearing headbands, Bloc Party provided one of the more solid crowd pleasing sets of Friday. The crowd for Bloc Party was different, containing many casual music fans and college radio fans. It was definitely a show for the tried and true Bloc Party fan, the set list seemed to contain more tracks off Weekend in the City and earlier songs by the band were done with some new live twists. Parts in the middle of the set allowed Kele and the rest of the band to play some of their slower and more calming tracks, which surely had to be appreciated by thousands showing up for Radiohead in a few shorts hours. “Helicopter” and “Waiting for the 7.18″ stood out as the best tracks of the performance and had the crowd loving their choice to stick it out with Bloc Party.

As Jack White led his bandmates on stage for their Friday night performance on the Bud Light stage and the first sounds of Lollapalooza’s most notable rock and roll band overcame the packed crowed gathered to see the Raconteurs, the collective feeling was one of awe. Between the guitar solos, extended jamming, and dueling vocals between White and Brendan Benson, the four-piece outfit reaffirmed why that with only two albums under their belt, The Raconteurs are already widely considered one of today’s best rock bands. Though the performance was largely affected by sound problems, renditions of “Conolers of the Lonely”, “Level”, and “Keep It Clean” still provided enough captivating sounds that the delayed echos circulating the crowd were easily forgiven.

While most gathering in Grant Park’s south side as the sun began to set below Chicago’s famous skyline were focused on the long-awaited headlining performance to come, Stephen Malkmus led his Jicks in a 45 minute se that best can be described as fun. Heavy in material from his recently released album Real Emotional Trash, Malkmus not only offered a taste of his vast talents and decades of live experience, but also presented himself as someone full of innocence and modesty, reflecting a pleasant down-to-earth persona.

But by the time 8:00 p.m. came around, most of the day’s more noteworthy memories were, at least temporarily, forgotten as Lolla-goers got their first sites of Radiohead.

Lollapalooza 2008: Day One by the Numbers:

Black Lips t-shirts: 0

Kanye West name drops: 0

Beverages left at the media tent at 3:00 p.m.: 0

Myspace stickers using pasties sightings: 1

Perry Farrell Sightings: 1

Radiohead t-shirts: 5

Attendees: 75,000