Afroman Is Clearly Just The Best

Obviously you remember Afroman. The lovable flash-in-the-pan rapper with duh, the afro, was all over the airwaves and Napster in 2001 with GRAMMY-NOMINATED hit "Because I Got High,"and all over every frat party you've ever been to with the follow-up "Colt 45." This guy was basically a better version of certified assclown Asher Roth. I guess somewhere along the line, Afroman was dropped from his record label, probably because he couldn't figure out how to parlay his penchant for smoking marijuana into a third hit. And that's too bad.

But we should have never doubted Afroman, because Afroman has been busy quietly making the same song several times over and self-releasing brand new Afroman albums at an alarming rate rivaling the output of Ryan Adams. Last week, the MC released his twelfth (!) studio album, called Frobama: Head Of State. We haven't heard the joint yet, but if it's anything like the tremendous cover above, we don't need to. Afroman's still got it. (Fist bump to Idolator for dropping this nugget.) 

Welcome President Obama!

Doesn't it feel great to say that this is our new President? 

What a wonderful world.

...Now back to our regularly scheduled blogging.

2009: The Year of the Boss

Photo by Danny Clinch

Bruce Springsteen has got a hell of a year coming up in 2009. Already on cloud nine following the victory of his candidate of choice, President-Elect Barack Obama, and gearing up for a halftime performance on the world's biggest stage in Super Bowl 43, the Boss added another item to his agenda: the release of a brand new album. While already rumored for a few weeks, this morning the folks at Columbia made it official: Working on a Dream has been set for release on Jaunary 27 via the label.

Recorded with Brendan O'Brien and the E-Street band on the heels of last year's superb Magic, the twelve-song set features the rousing title track, a song the band has been playing live for the last month at campaign rallies. Says Springsteen: "All the songs were written quickly, we usually used one of our first few takes, and we all had a blast making this one from beginning to end." Consider us stoked.

We've got the full track list and live video of "Working On A Dream" after the jump.


"Working on a Dream"

1. Outlaw Pete
2. My Lucky Day
3. Working on a Dream
4. Queen of the Supermarket
5. What Love Can Do
6. This Life
7. Good Eye
8. Tomorrow Never Knows
9. Life Itself
10. Kingdom of Days
11. Surprise, Surprise
12. The Last Carnival

Bonus tracks:
The Wrestler
A Night with the Jersey Devil


via YouTube

2009 Presidential Inaguration Ticket Market Thrives

In a story from CNN.com (of all places) it turns out tickets for Obama's inauguration on January 20th are running for around 5 figures online. Entry is free if your congressman or woman or state senator grants your admission, yet you can reserve your own spot in history for this one time only fee of $20,000. Shit, we thought those $1,050 Prince tickets we bought were expensive.

Our question is, will Wilco be there? Either way, we've been guaranteed a view from a friend's roof. Have fun buying scalped tix online you silly bastards.

Obama-nation! Voter Withdrawal...Hungover?

Are you as hungover as we are? Are you suffering from voter withdrawal? The celebration of Barack Hussein Obama's presidential victory was well deserved; beers were consumed, his speech absorbed and history was made. We are glad to see there is some good left in this nation of ours.

This morning however, we find ourselves sympathizing with the Hessians at Trenton circa 1776 -- they were hungover from a premature Christmas celebration and as a result, George Washington plundered them.

Well, we may not get plundered by Washington, but our productivity levels will sure-as-hell decrease.

We have some good stuff coming your way music-wise today though...really. Highlights include the Bella Watt release party tomorrow evening, a recap of the Ponytail Halloween Extravaganza and maybe more...productivity levels remember.

YES WE CAN!

November 4, 2008 - Election Day

We, the Stark writers, intrupt your regular coverage to encourage all of our US readers to vote. For Barack Obama -- especially our Pennsylvania readers. We need all of you Bethlehem, PA folks on our side here.

For our UK friends, we know you're all on our team as well.

When we return, look out for coverage from our recent trip to Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble, the amazing new record from Dent May, and an intimate show with McCarthy Trenching. We also weigh in on some larger records including the new Ryan Adams and Lucinda Williams releases. We'll also take a second look at Ponytail via their most recent Halloween show in Brooklyn. Until then...

Vote hard, vote often.

Love,
Stark.

photo credit: Ashley Herriman

Live Webcast of Radiohead's U.S. Finale TONIGHT

Straight from the lips of Colin Greenwood to your ears via Dead Air Space, Radiohead is set to stream their entire performance live across the world tonight, marking the end of a "brilliant tour" (he said it, and we agree.) The band is capping their highly successful U.S. tour in support of In Rainbows with a set in Santa Barbara, California at The Bowl. From the band's official Web site earlier today:

--------

Hello! To celebrate the end of a brilliant tour, we're going to webcast the last show here in America. We'll be playing live in Santa Barbara, at the Bowl. It's one of our favourite places to play; I think we've ended tours there before, once even playing a cover of ' cinnamon girl '. It's not too big, in fact it's very intimate, a small arena with a dirt floor, set in pretty countryside. It should be a special night, for lots of reasons, and we're going to try and share as much of it as we can on the webcast. Nigel, our producer, will be helping out getting it to you, so if it goes wrong....It's live!

Thank you so much to everyone who's come and seen us this year; it has truly been the most special and exciting tour for all of us.

Webcast details to follow...
x

Colin

-----

So many options tonight. Do we watch Barack Obama's history-making speech in Denver, officially accepting the presidential nomination from the Democratic party? Or do we plunk ourselves down in front of a computer, preparing to be blown away at the sheer spectacle of Radiohead (albeit on a 15 inch screen?) And there's always the option of watching the Phillies hammer the Cubbies (at least in my mind...) Stark reccomends a combination of all three. Find a room with a TV, tune into the DNC, take your laptop with you and watch the concert, and follow along with your baseball game of choice by way of ESPN. Hooray! Details on how to watch this ol' Webcast after the jump.

Might come in handy.
If you've got a mac, download flip4mac for your quicktime player, or download VLC.

If you're on windows, make sure your windows media player is working or download VLC.