ChordStrike

New Music Tuesday: Dead Kenny Gs’ Operation Long Leash

 

What happens when you take three forward-thinking individuals fluent in jazz and punk and give them free reign to create an album garnished with afrobeat rhythms, Eastern melodies, atmospheric electronics, and equal parts cojones and subversion? You get the most recent recording from the Dead Kenny Gs, titled Operation Long Leash, released today on Royal Potato Family.

Keenly aware of jazz’s great past and the decline into the present’s smooth jazz, the trio – Mike Dillon (drums, vibraphone, timbales, tablas), Skerik (saxophone and electronics), Brad Houser (bass, baritone sax) – has diligently worked to preserve the best parts of the genre. The Dead Kenny Gs whip-smart jazz fusion is literally the antithesis of easy listening.

Alternately jaunty and scathing, the ten tracks on Operation Long Leash are up-tempo, more melodic and accessible than 2010’s Bewildered Herd. Epic riffs in a three and a half minute song makes opener “Devil’s Playground” damned near pop, were it not for underlying political statements across the album.

The title, Operation Long Leash, comes from the clandestine CIA operation in the late ‘40s to fund Abstract Expressionism as a means for Western culture to undermine the conformist ideals of the Soviet Union during the early years of the Cold War.

Fueling the fire is Jazz guitarist and co-conspirator Charlie Hunter sitting in on “Black Truman (Harry the Hottentot)” for some syncopated go-go space funk, while the dark “Black Death” features Dillon on a vocal diatribe turning his past heroin addiction into a metaphor for America’s addiction to oil.

The album is being supported by a 23-date tour and you can view the dates here, and you can purchase it over at Amazon.

-Court

SoundUnwound's editorial team write about the latest big music news and quirky stories which catch the eye. We also post a selection of these news stories on Chordstrike; for much, much more, visit SoundUnwound.com, the new music site from IMDb and Amazon. Follow us at twitter.com/soundunwound.

Stranger Than Fiction Friday: Paradise City Retirement Fund

Somehow, between recording and prepping a new album, writing weekly advice columns and an autobiography, being a father and husband, former Guns N’ Roses bassist, Duff McKagan has founded a financial management firm for fellow musicians.

While recovering from a ruptured pancreas, brought on by years of hard partying, McKagan found himself thumbing through Gn’R financial statements and realized he had not a clue what the numbers meant. He enrolled in basic finance courses and later enrolled at Seattle University’s Albers School of Business.

"I'm not a financial planner -- I was just trying to figure this out for myself," he told Fortune. "I didn't want to be 60 years old and broke, having made all this money in my twenties...that was my simple goal.”

Now, 17 years later, McKagan has founded Meridian Rock, with the goal of informing other rockers about sound financial planning. He’s partnered with British investor, Andy Bottomley, and the two are currently interviewing financial planners.

McKagan hopes to demystify the finances of rockstars; those who are too embarrassed or uncomfortable talking to “suits,” but who will feel comfortable with McKagan. What makes Meridian Rock different, McKagan says, is its understanding of the industry; Meridian Rock's advisors will talk directly to the talent, in plain and simple terms. The company's three tenets, McKagan notes, are righteousness (i.e., not screwing people over), transparency, and education.

McKagan writes weekly columns for ESPN.com, and the Seattle Weekly, and pens “Duffonomics” for Playboy.com.

His book is titled It’s So Easy and Other Lies and his band, Duff McKagan’s Loaded, is set to release their latest album, The Taking, in mid-April. You can pre-order it here.

-[[I:Court]]

SoundUnwound's editorial team write about the latest big music news and quirky stories which catch the eye. We also post a selection of these news stories on Chordstrike; for much, much more, visit SoundUnwound.com, the new music site from IMDb and Amazon. Follow us at twitter.com/soundunwound.

Summer Camp

 

May 27-29, 2011

Chillicothe, Illinois

Now in its tenth year, Summer Camp has become the premier Midwestern festival for the aficionados of “jambands” and other staples of the American music scene as well as bands pushing the boundaries of their respective genres. Festival attendees virtually double the population of Chillicothe over the course of the three-day event, which is held at Three Sisters Park and features on-site camping and over 65 bands on five stages.

From hip-hop to bluegrass and everything in between, Summer Camp has it all. Daytime shows run into the night and for those who wish to keep the party going, late-night shows push into the early morning hours.

moe., Umphrey’s McGee, Widespread Panic, STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector Nine), Bassnectar, Cypress Hill, The Avett Brothers, Girl Talk, Yonder Mountain String Band, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Slightly Stoopid, Lotus, Wiz Khalifa, Skrillex, EOTA, Conrmeal, Punch Brothers, Daedelus, The Pimps of Joytime, Ryan Montbleau Band, Paper Diamond, and dozens more…

Summer Camp Official site

Summer Camp Twitter

Summer Camp Facebook page

SoundUnwound's editorial team write about the latest big music news and quirky stories which catch the eye. We also post a selection of these news stories on Chordstrike; for much, much more, visit SoundUnwound.com, the new music site from IMDb and Amazon. Follow us at twitter.com/soundunwound.

Nateva Music & Camping Festival

 

August 4-7, 2011

Oxford, ME

Rolling Stone described the Maine Festival as “intimate, family-friendly, jammy paradise.” Though 2011 will only be the festival’s second year, they gained attention by bringing in bands that play much larger festivals and venues, but capping ticket sales at 15K folks. The event draws musicians from multiple genres, including indie rock, electronica, alt-country, bluegrass, funk and folk.

The event is held at the Oxford Fairgrounds, which is about three hours from Boston. Camping is encouraged.  

Thievery Corporation, STS9, Gregg Allman Band, Bob Weir (solo acoustic), Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Guster, Ghostland Observatory, Chris Robinson & Jackie Greene (acoustic duo), Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Big Head Todd & The Monsters, 7 Walkers, Keller Williams, Martin Sexton, The New Deal Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Dave Mason, Peter Wolf, EOTO, Donna the Buffalo, Max Creek, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Tim Reynolds and TR3, Moonalice, McLovins, Gypsy Tailwind, Eskmo, Zach Deputy, Strangefolk, Ryan Montbleau Band, Session Americana, Sister Sparrow, Dopapod, Indobox, Roots of Creation, The Mallett Brother Band, Nutritious, Billy Keane and the Misdemeanor Outlaws, Ghost of Jupiter, featuring Nate Wilson, Otis Groove, Nephrok! Allstars, The Ron Noyes Band

Nateva Official site

Nateva Twitter

Nateva Facebook page

SoundUnwound's editorial team write about the latest big music news and quirky stories which catch the eye. We also post a selection of these news stories on Chordstrike; for much, much more, visit SoundUnwound.com, the new music site from IMDb and Amazon. Follow us at twitter.com/soundunwound.

Artists on the Rise: Scars on 45

 

We love it when bands come to play for us. Today, our new friends Scars on 45 stopped by our offices to perform a couple of acoustic songs for us. Their EP, Give Me Something, is out now on Chop Shop Records.

Some things we learned about the band during their visit:

1. Nova, the keyboardist, snores so loud that Danny exclaimed “I’ve even been on Safari and never heard anything as loud as his snoring.”
2. Aimee’s family had no idea she could sing until one day she up and joined a band. (And boy, are we glad she did.)
3. Danny, lead singer, played professional soccer (well, football) in the U.K. until he broke his foot and decided to pick up a guitar.Chris, the drummer, looks like Charlie from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and he has no problem being called Charlie.

They harmonized beautifully and entertained like pros, even though they haven’t been at this too long. Last year, the band toured in support of One Eskimo around the east coast, and hopefully they will be coming soon to a city near you.

Check out a recent acoustic performance of “Beauty’s Running Wild” and be on the lookout for their upcoming full-length record, due out in May.

-Erin O.

SoundUnwound's editorial team write about the latest big music news and quirky stories which catch the eye. We also post a selection of these news stories on Chordstrike; for much, much more, visit SoundUnwound.com, the new music site from IMDb and Amazon. Follow us at twitter.com/soundunwound.

Have the Grammys Lost Their Credibility?

The Grammy Awards are out of touch, contradictory and hypocritical a longtime music marketing executive asserted in this past Sunday’s New York Times. The charges were printed in a full page letter written by Steve Stoute wherein he criticized The National Academy of Arts and Sciences (NARAS), who presents the Grammy Awards.

"Over the course of my 20-year history as an executive in the music business and as the owner of a firm that specializes in in-culture advertising, I have come to the conclusion that the Grammy Awards have clearly lost touch with contemporary popular culture… Where I think that the Grammys fail stems from two key sources: (1) over-zealousness to produce a popular show that is at odds with its own system of voting and (2) fundamental disrespect of cultural shifts as being viable and artistic."

Of particular contention to Mr. Stoute are the Academy’s snubs of hip-hop artists and cultural phenomenons. Wrote Stoute, "We must acknowledge the massive cultural impact of Eminem and Kanye West and how their music is shaping, influencing and defining the voice of a generation." Further querying, "How is it that Justin Bieber, an artist that defines what it means to be a modern artist, did not win Best New Artist?"

Anyone who watched CBS leading up to the Grammys saw these artists in commercials, and Stoute condemns the Awards for understanding “cultural relevance when it comes to using Eminem's, Kanye West's or Justin Bieber's name in the billing to ensure viewership and to deliver the all-too-important ratings for its advertisers,” but not acknowledging their critical or commercial successes.

Lastly, Stoute challenges artists to refuse to be used for ratings, and to stop accepting invitations to perform until the Academy begins to uphold “its mission for advocacy and support of artistry as culture evolves.”

-Court @ SoundUnwound

SoundUnwound's editorial team write about the latest big music news and quirky stories which catch the eye. We also post a selection of these news stories on Chordstrike; for much, much more, visit SoundUnwound.com, the new music site from IMDb and Amazon. Follow us at twitter.com/soundunwound.

53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards: Performers, Quiz, and Store!

 

In preparation for the 53rd Annual GRAMMY® Awards on February 13th, SoundUnwound has created a Grammy-nominee quiz. Here’s your chance to test your knowledge of the music before the show and challenge your friends. Click here to give it a try!

As reported back in December, this year Eminem leads the pack with ten nominations, followed by seven nominations for Bruno Mars, and six nominations for both Lady Gaga and Lady Antebellum.Last week, the performers for the telecast were announced. Country darling Miranda Lambert and Indie heroes Arcade Fire will take the GRAMMY® stage for the first time ever this year while Cee-Lo Green, Katy Perry, and Eminem return for encore performances on the show.

Need to brush up on your nominees knowledge? Head over to Amazon.com’s GRAMMY® store to shop for all of the year’s best music and add to your collection.

**UPDATE: Rolling Stone and The GRAMMY's twitter account are reporting more performers including: Bruno Mars, B.o.B, Janelle Monae, Muse, Usher, and Bieber!

-Erin O. @ SoundUnwound

SoundUnwound's editorial team write about the latest big music news and quirky stories which catch the eye. We also post a selection of these news stories on Chordstrike; for much, much more, visit SoundUnwound.com, the new music site from IMDb and Amazon. Follow us at twitter.com/soundunwound.

The Class of 98 Returns and It Is Heaven

After a four year hiatus to pursue other interests including marriages, starting companies, and having a few babies, melodic rockers The Class of 98 are back with a new full length record, Heaven. The band put out a teaser E.P. on Bandcamp in the spring of 2010 called Eye of the Needle and quickly discovered that their fan base was itching for more. Fans flooded the AbsolutePunk message boards with posts like “…their record is a great makeout record…” and “Yes they're back!”

 

In case you don’t remember them, The Class of 98 is the band behind the catchy song Hundreds and Thousands of Stars featured on a plethora of MTV shows in 2006. (Just try to not hum that one for the rest of the day.)

Their first full-length release Touch This and Die was released by The Militia Group, however their sophomore effort will be released on founder and lead singer Steve Wilson’s new label, Legion of Boom. Check out Heaven on Bandcamp here.

Fun fact: not one member of the band graduated in 1998. The band was named for the year that Wilson arrived in Nashville.

- Erin O. @ SoundUnwound

SoundUnwound's editorial team write about the latest big music news and quirky stories which catch the eye. We also post a selection of these news stories on Chordstrike; for much, much more, visit SoundUnwound.com, the new music site from IMDb and Amazon. Follow us at twitter.com/soundunwound.

Pixies Honor Rescued Chilean Miners

(Above: Pixies perform "Vamos" at Eurockeenes festival, Belfort, France, in 2007)

In honor of the dramatic rescue of 33 trapped Chilean miners on October 13, the Pixies concocted a special 33-song set for their concert at Santiago’s Teatro la Cupla. Front man Black Francis  greeted the enthusiastic 1100 person crowd, introducing the set in Spanish. In a subsequent statement released he said, "We wanted to do something to show how affected we were by this, so we played a special set at tonight's show; 33 songs for the 33 miners."

Spanning their 25-year career, the epic show was the band’s first-ever headlining concert in Chile, and their longest ever set. The 33 songs and two encores included “Wave of Mutilation,” “Monkey Gone to Heaven,” and “Here Comes Your Man.” The main set’s closer was “Vamos,” whose chorus “Vamos a jugar por la playa,” ("Let’s go play by the beach") one can only imagine, must’ve been enthusiastically embraced.

The miners had been trapped 2300 feet below ground -- nearly half a mile -- for 69 days after the San Jose gold and copper mine in which they worked collapsed. It took two months of planning and careful drilling of a relief tunnel to get to them, and then a 22-hour rescue mission for each man to be lifted to safety.

"We found out five minutes before we went on stage that all of the miners had safely reached the surface," Francis continued. "This was definitely one of the most meaningful shows we've ever played."

--Court @ SoundUnwound

SoundUnwound's editorial team write about the latest big music news and quirky stories which catch the eye. We also post a selection of these news stories on Chordstrike; for much, much more, visit SoundUnwound.com, the new music site from IMDb and Amazon. Follow us at twitter.com/soundunwound.

New Stones DVD Shines a Light on 'Exile...' Tour

 

2010 has thus far been a great year for The Rolling Stones. According to Billboard.com, the re-release of Exile on Main Street, bolstered by unreleased tracks, has generated sales upward of 197,000 since May. This week sees the release of the live concert DVD/Blu-ray disc, Ladies and Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones.

Filmed over four nights in Texas in 1972 in support of Exile, the 83-minute film was theatrically released in 1974. Ladies and Gentlemen was presented in limited engagements to showcase unique “quadraphonic” sound reproduction rather than standard-at-the-time monaural playback. The auditory experience was overwhelming; advertisements for screenings of the film were canceled because fans’ word-of-mouth excitement caused sell-out crowds.

In the 36 years since its initial release, Ladies and Gentlemen has been widely bootlegged. The film provides a before unseen balance; the professionalism of The Stones stage show in contrast to the rumors of hedonism and recklessness that surrounded the recording of Exlie. A small horn section augmented the material from Exile, although the film features tracks from Beggar's Banquet, Let It Bleed and Sticky Fingers as well.

Additional DVD/Blu-ray features include rehearsal footage from Montreux, the 1972 TV show, Old Grey Whistle Test, and 2010 interviews with Mick Jagger.

--Court @ SoundUnwound

SoundUnwound's editorial team write about the latest big music news and quirky stories which catch the eye. We also post a selection of these news stories on Chordstrike; for much, much more, visit SoundUnwound.com, the new music site from IMDb and Amazon. Follow us at twitter.com/soundunwound.

Thurston's Lesson For Sonic Youth

If your kids aren’t already noisy enough, why not take them to a lecture explaining the artfulness of white noise? This Sunday, April 11, precocious young music lovers can make their way to Partners & Spade Gallery in New York City for a very special hour-long event featuring Sonic Youth guitarist Thurston Moore. For a mere $30 attendees will be able to listen to Moore presenting “A Dissertation on White Noise,” though quite what the eight-to-twelve year-old target audience will make of the subject matter is anyone’s guess.

The event forms part of the gallery’s Avant Garde Preschool series, which aims to nurture the interests of the upcoming generation in art, though it seems likely that the event might be anticipated rather more eagerly by the parental chaperons. The preschool series of events is the brainchild of Andy Spade, a co-owner of the gallery who is also the father of a – probably achingly art-aware – 4 year-old.

As for Moore, he is due back on the road with Sonic Youth on April 16, when his grown-up fans in Barcelona will surely honor him with a more ecstatic reception than the bewildered eight year-olds of New York.

--Hazel @ SoundUnwound

SoundUnwound's editorial team write about the latest big music news and quirky stories which catch the eye. We also post a selection of these news stories on Chordstrike; for much, much more, visit SoundUnwound.com, the new music site from IMDb and Amazon. Follow us at twitter.com/soundunwound.

Can You Master The SoundUnwound Genre Quiz?

Hi there!

SoundUnwound is the new music website from IMDb and Amazon. We are primarily a music database, which is editable by all users, but moderated to help keep data quality high. Recently we’ve been adding a few extra features for a bit more fun. We know some of the Chordstrike team have been enjoying them, so we thought we’d let you know too.

We’ve made use of Amazon's vast library of 30-second song samples to put together five genre quizzes which test your musical knowledge, and your reaction times. Do you think you know about pop, rock, indie, country or hip-hop? Can you tell the difference between Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato? Pearl Jam and Soundgarden? Modest Mouse and the Manic Street Preachers? Toby Keith and Brad Paisley? Jay-Z and Ludacris?

 

Yeah, of course you can! But can you make your choice within a few short seconds, before you've heard their voices? The longer the clock ticks, the less points you win for answering correctly. We’ve already seen some users rack up impressive scores. Can you join them on the individual genre leader boards, or on the overall board?

And once you’ve mastered your own specialist subject, why not try the quiz of a genre you know less about? Everything you hear is shown with links to the main SoundUnwound site, so you can find out more about any new discoveries, or add them to your SoundUnwound library.

We have to warn you: please make sure you’ve already done your homework, washed the dishes and put the cat out, because these quizzes can be addictive!

We’d love you to try them out and, if you’ve got any comments on the quizzes or on the rest of the site, please let us know in the comments here, or by sending us feedback.

Ed @ SoundUnwound

Pink Floyd and Seattle: Another Decade in The Wall

Seems hard to believe, but The Wall by Pink Floyd was released 30 years ago today, November 30, 1979.

And, even harder to believe, the WTO protests in Seattle, also known fondly as The Battle in Seattle or N30, started 10 years ago today, November 30, 1999.

Both of these N30 anti-establishment zeitgeists featured elements of rioting, burning rubbish, and gas masks. Coincidence? I think not.

Pink Floyd, 1979:

Seattle, 1999:

--Lucas Hilbert

The Worst Lyric of 2009

For my money, this dubious honor belongs to Five For Fighting for the first song on their new album Slice (also called "Slice"). Behold:

"Have you ready my blog today/300 million little USAs"

Honestly, I've never really liked this band, but, BARF! Really? Really?? You're going there?

Everything about this lyric makes me cringe. I dare you to tell me I'm wrong--I'd love to hear what you think is the worst lyric of 2009. Please share the not-so-poetic lines that made you hate music this year in the comments.

--Alan Wiley

The Best Music of 2009

It may feel a little early for this sort of thing, but we on the Amazon music team have pooled our collective knowledge and taste to determine the best music of 2009.

We spent 2009 soothed by Neko Case's wail, moved to dance by Yeah Yeah Yeahs' turn towards big beats, intrigued by Somali hip-hop Troubadour K'naan, and ready to hear three key words from neo-twangsters the Avett Brothers.

On the songs side, French popsters Phoenix went nutty for a composer and we went nutty for Phoenix. La Roux made us feel invincible, Jay-Z officially crushed an awful trend, and Passion Pit sent us reeling.

Voting with their wallets, our customers told us they really like U2, as it was both our bestselling CD and MP3 album of 2009. Black Eyed Peas also popped up in plenty of playlists, as they locked down the top two slots on our songs chart.

Every year, great albums slip through the cracks. This year, our editors wanted to save some from that unfair fate. We shine a spotlight on excellent underheard CD and MP3 albums across all genres, and we've even made a playlist featuring a single song from each record, so you can sample 'til you find something you like.

Dig into the lists and see which lists line up most closely with your personal tastes:

Best Albums of 2009

1. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
2. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
3. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
4. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
5. the Avett Brothers - I and Love and You
6. Girls - Album
7. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
8. K'naan - Troubadour
9. Jay-Z - Blueprint 3
10. Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career

> See all top 100 best albums of 2009
> See the list at Amazon MP3

Best Songs of 2009

1. Phoenix - "Lisztomania"
2. La Roux - "Bulletproof"
3. Jay-Z - "D.O.A. (Death of Autotune)"
4. Animal Collective - "My Girls"
5. Neko Case - "People Got a Lotta Nerve"
6. Passion Pit - "The Reeling"
7. Girls - "Lust for Life"
8. Grizzly Bear - "Two Weeks"
9. The Avett Brothers - "I and Love and You"
10. Lily Allen - "The Fear"

> See all top 100 best songs of 2009
> Sample songs 1-50
> Sample songs 51-100

Bestselling CDs of 2009 (through October, including pre-orders)

1. U2 - No Line on the Horizon
2. Susan Boyle - I Dreamed a Dream
3. Diana Krall - Quiet Nights
4. Bruce Springsteen - Working on a Dream
5. Bob Dylan - Together through Life

> See all 100 bestselling CDs of 2009

Bestselling MP3 Albums of 2009 (through October)

1. U2 - No Line on the Horizon
2. Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown
3. Jay-Z - Blueprint 3
4. Paramore - Brand New Eyes
5. Lily Allen - The Fear

> See all 100 bestselling MP3 albums of 2009

Bestselling Songs of 2009 (through October)

1. Black Eyed Peas - "Boom Boom Pow"
2. Black Eyed Peas - "I Gotta Feeling"
3. Flo Rida - "Right Round"
4. Miley Cyrus - "The Climb"
5. Pitbull - "I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho"

> See all 100 bestselling songs of 2009
> Sample songs 1-50
> Sample songs 51-100

Outstanding 2009 Albums You Might Have Missed

1. Throw Me the Statue - Creaturesque
2. Mt. St. Helen's Vietnam Band
3. The Legends - Over and Over
4. Lushlife - Cassette City
5. Point Juncture, Wa - Heart to Elk

> See all 100 2009 albums you might have missed at Amazon MP3
> Sample songs from albums 1-50
> Sample songs from albums 51-100

Head over to our best music of 2009 store to find complete lists, plus the best in everything from Latin music to Gospel to comedy and all points between.

We're aware there's still a decent chunk of the year left. We'll be adding a latecomers and honorable mentions feature over the next few weeks. Hit the comments, let us know what we missed, and perhaps it'll make an appearance.

-- Jeff Reguilon

New Band with Thom Yorke and Flea

News from the Department of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot...

In case you haven't heard, Radiohead's Thom Yorke just launched a new band with Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Joey Waronker, Mauro Refosco, and longtime Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich. Apparently without a name, they played a few shows in LA recently. So who made it out to see this group? Please regale ChordStrike with a review of the show.

     --Jason Kirk

An Interview with Alice in Chains

I have to admit, I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I got on the phone with Jerry Cantrell, Mike Inez, and Sean Kinney of Alice in Chains (William DuVall was unfortunately unable to make it, but the guys had plenty of good things to say about their friend and fellow band member.) 

I wanted to ask them about Layne Staley, and reforming as a band, and adding a new member (William), and their new album (Black Gives Way to Blue), but I thought they might be tired of answering the same old interview questions.  Fortunately, however, conversation flowed freely, and the guys were a lot of fun to chat with.  They were genuine, honest, and engaging, and it shows.

What I found most eye-opening was their story of how Black Gives Way to Blue came into being (it wasn't planned!).  Listen to this story and more in the 17-minute interview, and check out song samples from the new album below. 

--Bri Nguyen

The 100 Greatest Live Albums of All Time

There are plenty of live albums issued solely as afterthoughts or contract fulfillments, but there are plenty that are as transcendent as the best in-person concert experiences, only with zero lines at the bathroom. For this particular list we came up with the following criteria:

• Only one album per artist.
• Albums were been performed live in front of an audience, but don't necessarily have to be culled from a single performance.
• No EPs or singles—this list is about albums
• We decided to limit this list to music, which means no comedy. We wanted to save those records for a separate list for laffers.

Of course, we exercise their judgment regarding quality and/or historical significance. If you disagree with our choices (and there's a good chance you will), let us know in the comments.

Here goes:

1. James Brown - Live At The Apollo, 1962
2. Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison
3. Frank Sinatra - Sinatra at the Sands
4. Bill Withers - Live at Carnegie Hall
5. Judy Garland - Judy At Carnegie Hall
6. Bob Dylan - The Bootleg Series, Vol. 4: Live, 1966: The Royal Albert Hall Concert
7. Ella Fitzgerald - Ella in Rome: The Birthday Concert
8. Led Zeppelin - How The West Was Won
9. MC5 - Kick Out the Jams
10. Keith Jarrett - The Koln Concert
11. Neil Young - Live Rust
12. Otis Redding - Live in Europe
13. Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense
14. Nirvana - MTV Unplugged In New York
15. Bob Marley - Live
16. The Rolling Stones - Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out
17. Roy Orbison - Black and White Night
18. The Who - Live at Leeds
19. Simon and Garfunkel - The Concert in Central Park
20. Jimi Hendrix - Live at Monterey
21. Cheap Trick - At Budokan
22. John Coltrane & Thelonious Monk - At Carnegie Hall
23. Paco de Lucia, Rodrigo, and Orchestra De Cadaques - Concierto de Aranjuez
24. Maceo Parker - Life On Planet Groove
25. Portishead - Live: Roseland NYC
26. Elvis Presley - From Elvis in Memphis
27. Leonard Cohen - Live in London
28. Kiss - Alive!
29. Eric Clapton - Unplugged
30. Queen - Live Killers
31. Nina Simone - Nina Simone at Town Hall
32. Gram Parsons - Live 1973
33. Jeff Buckley - Live at Sin-é
34. U2 - Under a Blood Red Sky
35. Lucinda Williams - Live at the Fillmore
36. Thin Lizzy - Live and Dangerous
37. Dead Can Dance - Toward the Within
38. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - Live in New York City
39. BB King - Live at the Regal
40. Aretha Franklin - Live at Fillmore West
41. David Bowie - Stage
42. Miles Davis - Miles Davis at Fillmore: Live At The Fillmore East
43. Art Blakey - A Night At Birdland, Vol. 1
44. Ani Difranco - Living in Clip
45. Mavis Staples - Live: Hope at the Hideout
46. Muddy Waters - At Newport 1960
47. Depeche Mode - 101
48. Deep Purple - Made in Japan
49. Isaac Hayes - Live at Wattstax
50. Sam Cooke - At the Copa
51. Parliament - Live: P-funk Earth Tour
52. Grateful Dead - Europe '72
53. Laurie Anderson - United States Live
54. Alison Krauss and Union Station - Live
55. Velvet Underground - 1969
56. Pink Floyd - Pulse
57. The Roots - Come Alive
58. Bill Evans Trio - Sunday at the Village Vanguard
59. Sarah Vaughn - Live At The 1971 Monterey Jazz Festival
60. George Harrison - Live in Japan
61. Peter Gabriel - Plays Live
62. Erroll Garner - Concert by the Sea
63. Thelonius Monk - Thelonious in Action: Live at the Five Spot Cafe
64. Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds - Live at Luther College
65. Janis Joplin - Janis in Concert
66. Peter Frampton - Frampton Comes Alive
67. Willie Nelson - Stars and Guitars
68. John Coltrane - Live at the Village Vanguard
69. The Clash - From Here To Eternity Live
70. Eartha Kitt - Live from the Café Carlyle
71. Ravi Shankar - Live: Ravi Shankar at the Monteray International Pop Festival
72. Wilco - Kicking Television: Live In Chicago
73. Neko Case - The Tigers Have Spoken
74. Judas Priest - Unleashed in the East
75. Jay-Z - Unplugged
76. The Orb - Live '93
77. The Ramones - It's Alive
78. Etta James - Rocks the House
79. Soweto Gospel Choir - Live at Nelson Mandela Theatre
80. Pearl Jam - Live on Two Legs
81. Björk - Live Box Set
82. Kraftwerk - Minimum-Maximum
83. Radiohead - I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings
84. Lou Reed - Rock 'n' Roll Animal
85. Jill Scott - Live in Paris
86. Carole King - Carole King The Carnegie Hall Concert June 18, 1971
87. Alice in Chains - Live
88. John Denver - The Wildlife Concert
89. Eva Cassidy - Live at Blues Alley
90. Stevie Ray Vaughan - Live at Carnegie Hall
91. Rush - Rush in Rio
92. Police - Live!
93. Daft Punk - Alive 2007
94. James Taylor - James Taylor Live
95. Neil Diamond - Hot August Night
96. Guns N' Roses - Live Era '87-'93
97. Lyle Lovett - Lyle Lovett Live In Texas
98. Blue Oyster Cult - Extraterrestrial Live
99. Aerosmith - Live! Bootleg
100. J. Geils Band - Live: Blow Your Face Out

-- Jeff Reguilon

30 Second To Mars LP Will Feature 2000 Fans on 2000 Covers

Determined to give a little back to their fans, 30 Seconds To Mars invited willing travelers to mass recording sessions in April so that fans could sing on their forthcoming release, This Is War. For those fans who couldn’t make it, or who know they can’t carry a tune, the band has created another opportunity to be on the album. Fans are invited to take mugshots of themselves and upload them to the official 30 Seconds To Mars website; the first two thousand who do so will have their picture featured on one of two thousand different album covers. In an interview with AOL Spinner, frontman Jared Leto said “I thought that the ‘Faces of Mars’ campaign would be a way to acknowledge all the people who have supported us throughout the years.”

The album itself has already caused a great deal of controversy, with their record label Virgin filing a $30m lawsuit against the band last year because the lateness of the record allowed the band to terminate their contract. The lawsuit was eventually halted, resulting in renewed expectations for an imminent release: it was initially expected in April, then September, then October; now it’s been put back to the end of November. Is that enough time to design and manufacture an album with two thousand different covers? Eager fans may have to wait quite a while before they get their fractional moments of fame.

--Hazel @ SoundUnwound

SoundUnwound's editorial team write about the latest big music news and quirky stories which catch the eye. We'll be posting a selection of these news stories on Chordstrike every week; for much, much more, visit SoundUnwound.com, the new music site from IMDb and Amazon. Follow us at twitter.com/soundunwound.

Best Black and White Album Covers

As an incidental result of listening to a lot of Brother Ali's Us, R.E.M.'s Accelerate, and the Beatles' Revolver this week, my coffee table happened to be strewn with these three great black-and-white albums covers.

There must thousands more out there, but what are the best?

I've already got a graphic artist interested in putting together a collage of these, which is where you come in. Leave comments with your suggestions for great black-and-white album covers. I'll collect them and--eventually--post the artist's finished collage.

     --Jason Kirk