I’m getting ready to leave my hotel and go wait all day to see the Black Keys on my last day of SXSW. To celebrate, I get a quick peak at their upcoming record Brothers right before I run out the door. I’ve only been able to spin it once (gotta run!) but it sounds [...]

MP3: Oh No Ono – Internet Warrior Oh No Ono were the smallest band on my “gotta see” list, but their new album Eggs combined with the fact that I didn’t know when they’d tour the states again to earn them a spot on it. And though I’m sure they had a hell of a time [...]

MP3: Japandroids – Art Czars I had been really talking up Japandroids’ live show to my friend all day Wednesday. When I saw them at Pitchfork, they practically tore the stage down with their energy. But I gotta say, I was pretty let down with the 15 or so minutes of their Emo’s set. Their guitar [...]

MP3: The Morning Benders – Promises The award for Most Improved (and I mean that in a good way) goes to the Morning Benders! When I saw them in 2008 they were a fun pop group that put on a good show. Now in 2010 they’re rocking out with the big boys and putting on a [...]

Rural Alberta Advantage were one of my big take aways from last year’s SXSW. I caught them at a show in a church and was really blown away. Since then they’ve secured a wide release for their record and only managed to get better at performing live. And I guess it helps that they were [...]

Jonsi just posted his solo tour dates to his web site. Chances are good that you live within reasonable driving distance from one of these shows, so go check ‘em out! Check out Jonsi’s world tour at his web site

Yesterday at dinner a friend told me she didn’t care who she saw at SXSW as long as she was there for Big Star on Saturday. Five minutes later I checked my twitter feed and saw the jaw-dropping news that Alex Chilton had died of a heart attack. There’s no convenient time to lose a [...]

My SXSW 2010 started off with a set by a band I’d never heard before landing in Austin, YellowFever. Since this seems to be the year I spend my time checking out smaller bands rather than seeing old favorites for the 6th time, I guess that’s an appropriate way to begin. YellowFever are a two-piece from [...]

Life’s unpredictable. Sometimes you wake up in the middle of the night only to find that Jack White and Jay-Z have recorded a song together. “I just did a record with Jay-Z,” White told GQ. “We did a song together a few weeks ago. It was incredible. I played him something that I’ve been kicking around [...]

OK, if I’m posting on Ariel Pink then you know he’s really got something worth talking about. This is, after all, the guy who put on one of the least enjoyable shows I’ve ever seen opening for Animal Collective in 2005. But even though I dragged my feet checking this one out, it’s still something [...]

The Black Keys tore it up at last year’s Forecastle Festival Louisville’s Forecastle festival decided to pull a Bonnaroo this year and post some clues as to what their summer lineup will be. The only difference is that if you’re the best guesser, you’ll take home two VIP passes to see the show. The clues are [...]

While out on tour with the Stockholm Syndrome, two of the guys from These United States jumped in on this great cover of Bob Dylan’s “Where Are You Tonight?” After having seen Bob Dylan live, I wish he could get a backing band that could muster this kind of energy for his songs. I know [...]

I spent a fair amount of time making up a loose schedule for my SXSW activities and was pleased to discover that Sharon Van Etten will be playing a show with FREE PANCAKES on that Saturday. How cool is that? To celebrate, here’s her newest track, which I somehow managed to miss when it hit [...]

Good stuff always happens when I put on DJ Kool’s “Let Me Clear My Throat.” Normally it’s just a dance party or internal happiness, but this time it was an email in my inbox with a link to the new Holy Fuck song “Latin America.” So that begs the question: should I be playing this [...]

I leave for SXSW tomorrow, so I’m doing all my last minute planning and preparations tonight. And while I might arrive in Austin without my camera battery charger (God forbid) or any clean socks, I can at least know that I’ll be prepared to watch She & Him now that I can check out their [...]

First of all, just want to say a big thanks to Lexington’s Cricket Press for the great design and printing work on these new You Ain’t No Picasso tshirts. I’m super thrilled to have them do the art for it. So I finally have a batch of new YANP tshirts ready for anyone who wants [...]

I took turns sharing some new music with a couple friends while in LA and came back with some good discoveries. One of my favorites is this cover of the Harry Nilsson classic “I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City” by Makeout Videotape. MP3: Makeout Videotape – I Guess The Lord Must [...]

I found this new cover by the Bird and the Bee over at PopCandy while in LA, but forgot to share it once I got home. Oh well, plenty of time to enjoy it! MP3: Bird and the Bee – Private Eyes (Hall & Oates) The Bird and the Bee turn this classic into such a sweet [...]

I’ve never made it up to Louisville for Thunder Over Louisville, but I’ll be trying my hardest to do so this year. Why? Because Wax Fang will be playing Prince’s super-classic Purple Rain in its entirety just after the fireworks end. Now, hopefully they’ll start into “Let’s Go Crazy” during the climax of the fireworks, [...]

Galaxie 500’s six records are getting the deluxe reissue treatment and one lucky YANP reader gets to take home their choice! The winner of this contest gets to pick their choice of one vinyl Galaxie 500 reissue. Personally, I’d go with This Is Our Music, but you’re welcome to go with whatever gets you [...]