New Two Tongues: "Wowee Zowee"

Counting the undisputedly awesome cover artwork above, there are a handful of reasons to be excited about the self-titled Two Tongues album that hits stores Feburary 3 via Vagrant. Chief among them being that the project is a dream collaboration between two of pop-punk's most visible figureheads, Chris Conley of Saves The Day and Max Bemis of Say Anything. The group posted a track from the album, "Wowee Zowee", this morning on MySpace, and it certainly delivers on the unique pairing's promise. While the song unfortunately doesn't take heed to its title and have anything to do with Pavement, it still slays. The bass line that drives the song is vintage Through Being Cool-era Saves The Day, and the shout-and-response chorus between the vocalists is killer. These two tongues have us salivating... ha!

Endless Summer

Let’s acknowledge the elephant in the room, so as to not resort to using it as a crutch any further: The Explorers Club sound like The Beach Boys.

On Freedom Wind, the Charleston, SC band has painstakingly patterned themselves after the California giants, right down to their summer aesthetic and their reverb-soaked drums and harmonies. It would be foolish not to draw parallels between the bands, simply because of how proudly the young sextet wears their influences on their sleeves. Compared to other groups taking recent forays into the past and trying too hard in the process (Panic At The Disco's new Pretty.Odd. blatantly bows at the altar of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, for example), Freedom Wind sounds effortless. It stands as a winning tribute -- and a worthy adversary -- to a seminal work like Pet Sounds. If that sounds blasphemous, don't let it. The Explorers Club pulls it off.

While you wait for the full review coming soon, hear for yourself at the band's Myspace, where the single "Do You Love Me" and album cut "Last Kiss" are both streaming. Freedom Wind is out 5/20 via Dead Oceans.

- Andrew Daniels

Gawker Media to Sell Sites

On Monday, Gawker Media announced the sale of three sites, including Gawker music blog Idolator. The site will join ex-rival Stereogum, at Buzznet, which is a musically-focused social networking site that doesn’t like to adhere to the “social network” label. Buzznet may or may not be trying to orchestrate a mass grab of existing music blogs.

In a widely circulated internal email announcing the sale, Gawker publisher and acting managing editor Nick Denton said simply, “Why these three sites? To be blunt: they each had their editorial successes; but someone else will have better luck selling the advertising than we did.”

Fair enough — Idolator was one of Gawker’s two poorest performers and the sale was first rumored late last year. Denton further noted, “…We've been waiting for the internet bubble to burst. No, really, this time. And even if not, better safe than sorry; and better too early than too late.”

Denton’s reasoning seems sound and his conclusion logical, but it begs all kinds of questions about the future of new media and Internet advertising. According to a New York Times article published last November, ad spending on social networking sites is growing rapidly and expected to continue. These issues are bound to be explored further in the coming weeks as rumors of a Yahoo-AOL deal continue to swirl in the wake of other high-profile acquisitions, like News Corp’s purchase of MySpace. The underlying point seems to be that no one quite has this game figured out yet, and in the face of widespread-financial uncertainty, Denton’s circumspect decision to enter “the bunker” may prove a wise one.

Reference:

CNET

AlleyInsider.com

- Ashley Herriman (guest contributor to Stark)

The Fuck Bands

FUCK BUTTONS - STREET HORRRSING
HOLY FUCK - HOLY FUCK

Both electronic and both use the word fuck in their names. Ok. Cool? Maybe. Ultimately it's hard to deny this music though. Holy Fuck is more accessible, more melodic, and, fuck, catchier. Are they better? Debatable, but Fuck Buttons take chances — they use drones (yes, I hate drone music too) that build (shocking,) to a loud, climax(?) Innuendos aside, Holy Fuck seem content to stick to safer channels as with their unbelievably repeatable “Lovely Allen” single. I can't help but feel that Fuck Buttons are more creative — they dig deeper, and in the end, will eventually win out over Holy Fuck. But, until that day comes, you can find me playing “Lovely Allen” on repeat.

Fuck Buttons Myspace

Holy Fuck Myspace