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Tuesday, June 30

Echo Chamber: The Roots' ?uestlove

"damn. i dont know how to react to this vibe thing being over. i purchased every issue since its inception. i was proud of it actually. it wasn't like rolling stone was going to put wesley snipes or d'angelo on the cover."

-- The Roots' ?uestlove on Vibe magazine, R.I.P. (via @questlove / Twitlonger)

Posted by Tom Breihan on June 30, 2009 at 4:10 p.m.

Tags: ?uestlove, Echo Chamber, The Roots, Vibe

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R.E.M. to Release Live Double Album

As far as self-explanatory titles go, it's tough to beat R.E.M.'s new one: Reckoning Songs From the Olympia. On July 7, the jangle-pop greats will release four songs from 1984's Reckoning recorded at live gigs at Dublin, Ireland's Olympia Theatre in July 2007.

The digital EP is tied into the release of two other 2009 R.E.M. projects: the recent 2CD reissue of Reckoning, which came out last week, and a forthcoming live album. R.E.M. Live at the Olympia, a double-disc set due out this fall, chronicles the band's summer 2007 "working rehearsals" in Dublin, during which the band tested out material for last year's Accelerate.

And, according to a recent Pitchfork interview with guitarist Peter Buck, the band are currently hard at work on their follow-up to Accelerate.

EP tracklist below:

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Jarvis Cocker Guests on Political TV Show

"Bluntly put, in the fewest of words: Cunts are still running the world." Jarvis Cocker Guests on Political TV Show

"Question Time" is a television program on the BBC where politicians and pundits are forced to answer questions from the unwashed masses.

And even if you can't tell the difference between a Labour leader and a Conservative firebrand, you may want to tune into this week's edition on Thursday, July 2, at 10:35 BST. Because that's when outspoken rock'n'roll genius Jarvis Cocker is scheduled to join the panel, according to NME. He'll appear along with Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the House of Commons Harriet Harman, former Conservative party leader Iain Duncan Smith MP, Liberal Democrat MP David Laws, and journalist Peter Hitchens.

Perhaps he will serenade the panel with a live rendition of "Running the World".

Posted by Ryan Dombal on June 30, 2009 at 2:20 p.m.

Tags: Jarvis Cocker, TV

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Vibe Magazine R.I.P.

DailyFinance reports that VIBE magazine has ceased publication. Though no official statements have been made yet, RapRadar has obtained a letter sent to the magazine's staff by Vibe Media Group CEO Steve Aaron confirming that the magazine's operations are shut down, effective today.

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New Release: Slaraffenland: We're on Your Side

New Release: Slaraffenland: <i>We're on Your Side</i>

Artist: Slaraffenland
Album: We're on Your Side
Release Date: September 15
Label: Hometapes

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Kanye Unveils Amazing New Stage

So much bright it'll hurt your eyes. Kanye Unveils Amazing New Stage

Kanye West needs to top himself, always. So after going on the road with a mega sci-fi stage for his Glow in the Dark tour, he's cooked up something even shinier for his upcoming fall tour. So, yes: that pic up there (with our own embellishments) is a model of the set (which may or may not be sponsored by Cash4Gold.com) straight from the man's website.

A couple things. As P4k Managing Editor Mark Richardson notes, this thing is a broken ankle waiting to happen. It also once again proves that the Aggro Crag from the Nickelodeon show "Guts" is probably the most influential architectural touchstone of the last couple decades. And we have no doubt this setup will allow for maximum continuity with whatever co-headliner Lady Gaga decides to wear that day.

Kanye is scheduled to hit a few European fests this summer before bringing his newest megatour to the States this fall. Dates forthcoming.

Click below for more photos of the set, courtesy of Kanye's Blog:

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Matt and Kim Tour North America

The yelpy Brooklyn pop duo Matt and Kim rank as one of the most euphorically fun live bands working. Unless you've seen it with your own two eyes, it's impossible to describe how these two perma-grinning sweethearts can turn a room full of kids into a sweat-drenched mosh orgy. They're like the twee Sick of It All, and you owe it to yourself to go see them.

And since Matt and Kim will spend the rest of the warm-weather months on the road, you may well get a chance. The group's itinerary includes a few stops on the Bacardi B-Live tour, a free outdoor show on New York's Pier 54, and a set at something called the Pitchfork Music Festival. Sassy Philly sex-rapper Amanda Blank will open a bunch of shows. Go. Sing along. Stage-dive. You'll thank us.

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The Pirate Bay Sells Out

In April, the four heads of Swedish BitTorrent search site the Pirate Bay were found guilty of copyright violation and subsequently sentenced to a year in jail and fined $3.6 million. That's a lot of money and a lot of jail time for a bunch of internet nerds.

But they may have figured out a solution to half of their troubles, at least. The Pirate Bay has been sold to the Swedish company Global Gaming Factory for $7.7 million, according to Reuters. Not a bad deal for a bunch of court-ordered criminals.

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Beck Launches DJ Series

Spins Michael Jackson, Kraftwerk, Pink Mountaintops. Beck Launches DJ Series

Right now, Beck is in the midst of overhauling his website, and he's using it to post all manner of cool stuff.

We told you about Record Club, Beck's ongoing project to get together with friends and cover entire albums over the course of one day. He's already two songs deep into the first Record Club full-length, the first Velvet Underground album. And now he's announced another ongoing project: the cheekily titled Planned Obsolescence, a weekly DJ set from Beck himself or from as-yet-unnamed friends.

Here's how Beck himself describes the project: "We are putting up a new section, a weekly DJ set, called Planned Obsolescence. These are mixes of what we're listening to, put together by myself or guest DJs. Please enjoy." Click below for the stream of the first mix.

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Video: Dirty Projectors: "Stillness Is the Move"

The recently Best New Music'd track mixes Mariah-style vocals with submerged funk, and the video follows through with this pop/weird conceit.

We get some choreographed moves that won't make Beyoncé sweat anytime soon, along with Dave Longstreth inexplicably leading a llama through the mountains.

It's odd, it's fun, it's Dirty Projectors.

Posted by Ryan Dombal on June 30, 2009 at 10:45 a.m.

Tags: Dirty Projectors, video

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