Vice Records

A couple weeks ago, those kings of funky dance music, Chromeo, came out of hiding to play a killer show in New York. Not only was it the type of dance party only Chromeo can get started, but they played a couple tracks from the new album they've been finishing. The new tracks were good--get on the dancefloor and shake-your-ass kind of good. You won't get to hear them for awhile, but to help you deal with the pain of waiting, Chromeo has come out with a new installment to their mix CD series, Ce Soir On Danse. 25 obscure 80s romantic synth funk gems dripping with Jheri curl juice and mixed for the pleasure of you and yours by your favorite gangstas of love. Find it here.

As we've said before, Favourite Sons broke hearts all over the west coast. But you don't have to take our word for it.

"Anchored by booming rhythms and Griffin's contained but convincing vocals, "Your Beauty" is as remarkable for what it isn't (fashion-conscious or gimmicky) as what it is (straight-up rock with lyrical stylings as likely to snap your neck as the music)" - LA Times Online

"Rabid blogerati have already anointed them serious contenders for the Next Big Thing of 2006 for songs like the hard-charging 'Hang on Girl'" - LA Weekly

Too soon to call them home-town heroes? The Village Voice went so far as to pat the Favourite Sons on the back as “just releasing one of 2006's best rock records, Down Beside Your Beauty, bursting with catchy-as-an-STD Iggy/Lou Reed-flavored full-bodied nuggets."

Maybe too soon for the "heroes" bit, but we'll take a STD compliment wherever we can get one. To build up their touring legs, the fellas are going right back out on the road. First up: POP Montreal on October 8. Then the Sons get their passports stamped and head to the UK and Ireland to play some dates with the Dears. And please Hammer, don't hurt 'em, they return to the US to do some dates on their own before joining up with the Drones and Devastations. Rest up now cause the Favourite Sons are coming for you.

Photo by Wes Gott

Our boys are all growns up. The Favourite Sons make their triumphant return to NYC tomorrow at the Mercury Lounge as the gun slinging men we've grown to love. And they come back after breaking hearts all over that other coast. Grab that cute guy/girl you've been eyeing and see the Favourite Sons tomorrow night. Here's a fool-proof way to impress. Watch these videos and be that kid who knowingly whispers about the heart break and depth of emotion that only a person with a true appreciation of music can understand. C'mon. Be that guy. We'll see you tomorrow slinging our flagon of whiskey and knowingly nodding to all the jams.

The "We! Are! Your Friends! You'll! Never! Be Alone Again! C'mon!" refrain has been going around VICE HQ for weeks, months even. Don't know what we're referencing? Well, come on aboard kids. Meet Justice vs. Simian. This is no typical mash-up/remix/party-in-your-pants. Historically the French and the British haven't always gotten along, but through music, the peace pipe is passed. Perchance, if Justice were around in 1793, instead of declaring war, France would have instead declared a dance off. The world may never know, but in the meantime, watch what Parisian Justice does with Brits Simian in the remix video for "We Are Your Friends" which PC users can check out featured on MySpace this week and which everyone in the whole world can check out beginning next week on the Vice A/V page.

Mike's SkinnerBlog is in the running to win the Best Music Blog
at this year's Digital Music Awards. If you've enjoyed his regular musings
on such things as stealing tigers from gas stations, then go on and click the
button below to vote for him. The Streets main site is also
up for Best Music Site. It only takes a couple of seconds to vote (and if
you click the 'no' button, they won't plague you with any junk mail). YOU
CAN VOTE ONCE A DAY, SO KEEP COMING BACK!

Best Music Blog -
SkinnerBlog

Best Music Site - The Streets Blog

We sat them down. We made them talk. We recorded it. We partnered with Tripwire. We made magic.**

If you haven't checked out the Favourite Sons "Watch, Listen & Learn: The Favourite Sons Go Behind the Scenes of their Debut Album" feature at Tripwire, what are you waiting for? All on one page you get MP3s. You get video. You get knowledge. You get truth. Brings a tear to your eye, doesn't it? Check it out at the Tripwire now, and tune in next week, when all the glory will be up on our video page.

**By "We" I mean Mark Cassar. He's a brilliant film maker and closer to the band than Kate Moss is to Pete Doherty. We owe him a big round of applause for giving us such lovely film-lets. Let's hear it for Mark.

BBQ and bands pretty much sums up Austin Festivals. And who wouldn't want to go play somewhere where saucy meat abounds? Last year VICE Records' Bloc Party rocked Austin City Limits and this year The Stills will be stopping by Austin for the end of the festival season. Bloc Party's performance was caught on tape, and is featured on the ACL DVD. To celebrate all this Austin love, we're giving away a copy of the DVD. To win it, send us an email with "DVD's make me excited" in the subject line by September 20 and maybe we'll randomly pick you.

While you're at it, you should probably sign up for the text list for another chance to win the DVD or a pair of tickets to each of the Stills' fall tour dates.

It seems the drug afflicted master of mayhem himself just can't seem to leave VICE Records artists alone (or his stash). Not that we mind, mind you. Especially when he 'cooks up' a remix of the Streets' latest single Pranging Out. You can 'shoot' over and listen to it on Mike's myspace page. Not bad for a guy who has a hard time making duets with his own band.