Weezer is doing this Hootenanny thing where fans (still?) get to play along with the band. Unfortunately, they forgot one thing: There is a reason most fans playing and singing is confined to late night drinking binges in dorm rooms and karaoke bars (Hint: they sound AWFUL.) I mean, it’s very, like, Web 2.0 of Weezer and all, to hang out and sing songs with their fans, and “share the love,” etc. and then have someone post the video to Vimeo, not force them to take it down Prince-style, and then watch more love filter in. BUT SERIOUSLY. Is this really what we want from our performers these days? Not to hear them, but to hear us?

Girl Talk, the brainchild of electronic musician Greg Gillis, is releasing their next album “Radiohead style” sometime later this week via the Illegal Art website. Greg Gillis explains to Pitchfork,

First of all, there’s a lot of current pop and hip-hop sampled on the album, and I wanted to get it out there as soon as possible.

. . .
So for this one, I feel like I’m in a fairly lucky situation to have people who want to hear it already before even hearing it. That much is a rare thing in my career so far. I think what we went for seems like an obvious game plan now, just because as soon as it hits the internet, anyone who reads the internet can get it for free if they want to. So why not tap in and let them actually take a step back and think about it, and maybe offer some money? It seemed to make sense, especially because kids who listen to my music are probably fairly attached to the internet and can get it for free if they actually want to.

*Insert applause here*

Girl Talk YouTubery after the jump

6. Dashboard Confessional, “Vindicated”

There’s something extra sad about getting pumped up by a song from a superhero movie, especially when the movie features a guy swinging around in tights. Still, this is a great pop song. And even though Dashboard Confessional is nowhere near as good as indie rock emo peddlers Death Cab For Cutie, have they ever rocked this hard?

Continue Reading: “Guilty As Charged: 6 Songs I Should Hate, But Don’t”

MTV said today they had pull back on the shot of Seth Rogan and James Franco smoking pot (real or otherwise) at the last minute in yesterday’s MTV Movie Awards because, “It would lead to good times had by all and a further desire to watch music videos and/or put in an old VHS cassette of Beavis and Butthead.” It continues, “It would be a sad day for MTV and a sad day for all the young kids reliant upon MTV for the encouragement of binge drinking and unsafe sex.”

Um, so… They didn’t really say that. And who cares whether they showed Seth Rogan and James Franco smoking weed anyway? Certainly, if I cared, I would have been watching. Here’s the clip if you care to watch it:

The first single off Jessica Simpson’s forthcoming country album, “Come On Over,” has leaked to the internets. As you might expect, it sounds AMAZING. (And by amazing, I mean really generic and slightly less annoying than her previous work.) Shocking, I know. But here’s why it “works”:

Jessica Simpson has always been a country star posing as a pop star. She never had the pipes or big city swagger of Christina or the goofy girl next door kookiness (now craziness) of Britney. No, Simpson is the embodiment of the country music star model: Big boobs, Texas roots, low IQ — like Toby Keith, but with less chest hair.

So what does this have anything to do with saving the good ol’ US-of-A?

Continue Reading: “Why Jessica Simpson’s Country Album Will Save America”

Inspired Bored by Entertainment Weekly’s list of the 25 Funniest People In America, I decided to put together a list of the 25 Least Funny Things in America (And Other Places). These are things so unfunny they make living people roll over in their graves (I have no idea what this means. I’m not a comedian, so I’ll stop trying now.) Anyway, here it is: The 25 Least Funny Things In America (And Other Places). Enjoy.

25. Screech from Saved by the Bell

24. Anyone from Seinfeld, not named Seinfeld or Larry David

And/or anyone still making Seinfeld references.

23. Web site “lists”

Lists are for remembering things, not wiping your ass, licking the paper (or screen), and smiling. </sh*tgrin>

Continue Reading: “25 Least Funny Things In America (And Other Places)”

If you haven’t seen the Weezer video for Pork and Beans yet, essentially, it just puts Weezer (and Rivers’ cool moustache) together with a bunch of YouTube celebs.

Everyone seems to like the new Weezer video. Especially internet people. Not me.

This song/video is exactly what’s wrong with Weezer.

Continue Reading: “Weezer’s Video For ‘Pork And Beans’: Will It Blend?”

When I get bored or stressed out I like to watch old video games on YouTube. I find the simplicity of the gameplay and music makes the world seem small and conquerable. So every Friday, I present you with a different gem from the past.

This week’s game: Bubble Bobble. Enjoy!

Video of people being punched in the face (via Waxy)

Compilation of Steve Carell saying “That’s what she said” (via Kottke)

Photos of TV (via Buzzfeed)

Ten Colbert clips you probably haven’t seen (via TV Squad)

Old guy attempting beer pong slam dunk (via Deadspin)

Michael Showalter is so indie (via Videogum)

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” on the Wii (via Waxy)

What. The. F*ck. Has Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo completely lost it? Rivers has been putting together a song based on fan submissions from YouTube piece by piece. It seems mad. But it’s incredibly funny, and actually a sort-of brilliant idea. It’s likely this song will be better than half the stuff on the last four albums (including the new one). Below is the clip of Rivers putting together the bridge and talking like a chipmunk.

(via Stereogum)