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*

To tide you over, here’s some Girl Talk YouTubery:

More Girl Talk videos

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?

5. Coldplay “Fix You”

Capturing Chris Martin at his stoned-helium-voice-worst, Coldplay’s “Fix You,” is everything that’s wrong with Coldplay: It’s bland, vaguely optimistic, cheesy, dopey, bashful, sleepy, happy (see what I did there?), but it’s hard not to like the chord progression and message of the song, as dumb as it may be.

There is something genuinely charming about “Fix You.” It’s a bit like watching a dopey (there it is again) Adam Sandler comedy hungover on a Sunday morning; You always know he’ll get the way-out-of-his-league-girl at the end of the movie, but it’s still kinda/sorta fun watching him stumble around trying to get there.

I’m going to go puke now.

4. Avril Lavigne “Girlfriend”

Avril Lavigne’s “Girlfriend” may have the worst lyric in the history of western music with — and I quote — “Hell yeah, I’m the muthafuckin’ princess” (though, I’m sure Toby Keith has equally bad). But something about the crunchy over compressed guitar and vocals along with the handclaps just works for me. Plus, for some reason I will never understand — NEVER — I find Avril attractive and dream about her singing this song to me. Ugh.

3. New Radicals “You Get What You Give”

The New Radical’s one and only hit “You Get What You Give” should be hated if for no other reason then it was cribbed right from the U2 songbook. It also features incredibly annoying front man Gregg Alexander.

Blech. I feel terrible about this one. But, hey, it’s better than secretly liking Smash Mouth’s “All Star” or Sugar Ray’s “Fly.”

2. Tom Petty “Free Fallin’”

Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’” has been played a bagillionzillion times, and that alone is enough to hate it. Seriously. Bagillionzillion. I think he got a plaque or something for it.

But I can’t hate it. It’s THE perfect pop song. Plus, I love Tom Petty unconditionally, clunky lyrics and all.

1. Toby Keith “Beer For My Horses”

I’m not sure what hurts more: Willie Nelson singing with Toby Keith in “Beer for My Horses” or appearing with Jessica Simpson in Dukes of Hazzard. At least with “Beer for My Horses,” I get to hear Willie sing “Grandpappy told my pappy.” I think that almost makes up for singing with Toby Keith. Almost.

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: