Music: This Week's New Releases

Final Fantasy- Play EP
Of Montreal- Skeletal Lamping
The Raveonettes- EP [digital release]
Sebastien Grainger- Sebastien Grainger and the Mountains
Times New Viking- Stay Awake 7"

Final Fantasy is the, mostly, solo project from Owen Pallett who is probably most known for composing the string parts on the two Arcade Fire full length album. He writes music that feels like fairytale dream sequences and/or the best hallucination of your life.

You can get the Of Montreal album as a paper lantern or a tote bag. Each of those releases come with an MP3 download code. If you don't have the proper lighting for a paper lantern then you can also get it on CD or vinyl, but where's the fun in that?

Sebastien Grainger, formerly of dance-punk group Death From Above 1979, releases his Saddle Creek debut. He plays almost every instrument on the recording.

Music: This Week's New Releases

The Decemberists- Always the Bridesmaid: A Singles Series - Volume 1 This is the first in a vinyl single series from the band. You can order it from their website. I did, but I only paid for one shipment, so I have to wait for them all to come out to listen them. But it's going to come on colored vinyl! Who gives a damn what color a CD is?

I'm From Barcelona- Who Killed Harry Houdini?
Kaiser Chiefs- Off With Their Heads
Keane: Perfect Symmetry
Ray LaMontagne- Gossip in the Grain

The strangest album this week is probably this one,
Various Artists: Johnny Cash Remixed. I had the opportunity to listen to this one earlier this week. It is very hit or miss. If you have been wondering how to play Johnny Cash at your dance party then this album is for you!

Music: This Week's New Releases

Crooked Fingers: Forfeit/Fortune which you can only get in independent record stores and from the band's website. Crooked Fingers is one of the recording projects of Eric Bachman who is also in Archers of Loaf. There is a deluxe CD version of this album that also comes with a DVD. I really like getting a DVD with my CDs, seriously.

Margot and the Nuclear So and So's have two releases this week : Animal! is the version of the album that the band wanted to put out. Not Animal! is the version of the album that their record label wanted to put out. The band's version is only available on vinyl and in digital form. The band has requested on their website that you listen to their version first. It has a different track sequence and a few different songs then Not Animal!

Annuals: Such Fun
I like Annuals quite a bit, and I am excited that they are finally putting out a on-digital exclusive album. I like physical music products whenever possible.

Tonight at the STARS show I am planning to pick up their Lonely Robot EP at the merch table. Color me awesome.

MMA: EliteXC is Dead!

Ken Shamrock did not fight Kimbo Slice last night in the main event. Yesterday Kenny was practicing and he took an accidental headbutt to the head which opened up his head along the eyebrow. He had to have 6 or 7 sutures to close the wound. He visited three different doctors after the injury and none of them would clear him to fight last night due to the wound.

I have not seen the overnight rating for the show, but it opened with Ken Shamrock cutting a promo in which he told the crowd that he was injured and not allowed to fight. At that point you could hear channels changing across the country.

The last second replacement for the oft-injured Shamrock was Seth Petruzelli. Petruzelli is a relatively unknown fighter who is best known for his appearance on the second season of UFC's The Ultimate Fighter.

The hope was for Kimbo to make quick work of a way past his prime Ken Shamrock. A dominant win for Kimbo would have further made him star. Going into last night's show Kimbo Slice was EliteXC's only legitimate big money draw. This is probably no longer the case.

Petruzelli is a much younger and stronger fighter than Ken Shamrock.
The fight begins with Kimbo Slice immediately taking the center of the ring and closes in on Petruzelli with punches. In the exchange Kimbo gets hit on the chin and he collapses. Petruzelli pummels his opponent with 10 or so unprotected head shots and the referee has seen enough.

Kimbo Slice was defeated in 14 seconds. Seth Petruzelli delivered the knockout that destroyed an entire MMA company.

I for one welcome our UFC overlords. Somewhere Dana White danced a jig.

MMA: One of the biggest nights in MMA history is tonight! EliteXC Heat

EliteXC is running a show tonight live on CBS. The main event is Kimbo Slice vs Ken Shamrock which is an intriguing matchup to say the least. If Kimbo can make quick work of Kenny then it will propel Kimbo into the type of top flight MMA money making draw that EliteXC needs in order to exist as a company going forward.

If this show does a poor rating then CBS is likely to drop EliteXC which would mean that it is just a matter of time before the company goes under. If the show does a good rating then CBS and Showtime will be in line to purchase the group and give the upcoming shows the publicity and money backing that one needs to run an MMA company in the modern landscape. This is one of the most important MMA shows in recent memory.

In other MMA companies possibly going under news: After Affliction canceled their October show they made an agreement with EliteXC to add an Affliction promoted fight to tonight's CBS show. It is the Andrei Arlovski vs Roy Nelson fight which will supposedly decide who gets the next shot at Fedor Emelianenko's WAMMA Heavyweight Championship sometime early next in 2009.

On the other EliteXC shows this year the fighters were not allowed to wear Affliction brand clothing. I imagine this will no longer me the case beginning with tonight.

EliteXC needs a big rating tonight to survive the weekend. As for Affliction? I think that Obi Wan is their only hope.

Music: This Week's New Releases

Again with the lateness!

Black Keys- self titled: This is a vinyl reissue on purple(!) vinyl.

Mercury Rev- Snowflake Midnight

I highly recommend saving your money for next week's batch of new releases which are many.