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I'd never heard of this band either, but I really liked what I just watched over at Hulu from last night's SNL. I'll definitely have to check out their new album. Excerpts from last night's SNL, including both Phoenix performances

At least you all got half way decent magazines randomly showing up at your house. Just last month Martha Stewart's Living started showing up in my mailbox. I'll trade someone for their Spin magazines!

A pretty good blog from David Wild on the current state of the Pumpkins: Leave that Smashing Pumpkin Alone, Bitches: In Defense of Billy Corgan I think the best thing that came out of all of this was that it made me go back and start listening to Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness again tonight while I did dishes and I rediscovered what a great record that is, even after all these years. God I loved that band when I was in high school!

They sounded great playing the second song (From the Hips) on Letterman last week. Check it out!

I'm with you on Zwan. I think it's the best thing Billy Corgan's done in over a decade. Of course as you pointed out their last really great work (my opinion anyway) was Mellon Collie and that was a LONG time ago.

I don't think anyone would be particularly surprised by this news, but Jimmy Chamberlain has left what is being called these days the "Smashing Pumpkins." That leaves just Billy Corgan in the band. According to the band's website, Corgan plans to continue on as the Smashing Pumpkins. It's all kind of sad. They were a band I really loved when I was in junior high and high school, and I hate to see what has become of them. Jimmy Chamberlain joins James Iha and D'arcy as alums

I don't know if it will ever reach "Fox" status for me, but I really do love it the more I listen to it. The two-song combo of "Magpie to the Morning" into "I'm An Animal" sounds great driving at night on back roads!

New Pornographers with Destroyer opening. We were at a friends having dinner and started watching our school (UVa) play FSU in football. And then the weirdest thing started happening...we were beating FSU. And then we couldn't leave for the show lest the luck change for Virginia. So we finished watching the game (which we won) and had missed the show. I'm still not sure it was a great idea to miss the show, but we got to see the New Pornographers (without Dan or Neko) the next time they came to town with Belle & Sebastian.

That's too bad, because they can be great live. I haven't seen them with Neko yet, but I have really enjoyed the two shows I saw them play (both pre-Challengers).

Has anyone else listened to the new album yet? I picked it up today and so far I dig the first four songs. I'm looking forward to listening to it at work at least a couple of times tomorrow. One of my eight-month-old daughters didn't really dig it as much as her dad, but maybe she will when she's older. Cursive isn't really music for kids I suppose!

Drive-By Truckers Guster The Who emmet swimming (local VA band) Bruce Springsteen

Weezer - They were headlining following the release of The Green Album, played for about 50 minutes, no encore, completely emotionless, no talking to the audience. I'm still a huge fan of the albums (mostly the earlier albums but parts of the later albums), but I will never go out of my way to see them live again. Dar Williams - I've seen good, energetic shows from her, but I've also been bored to tears at others. I probably shouldn't be too surprised with being bored at a Dar Williams show, but there I was all bored and surprised. She opened one show with her boring cover of Pink Floyd's "W

I'm a relatively new fan, but I prefer Happy Hollow to The Ugly Organ. I like The Ugly Organ (especially "Sierra" and "Art Is Hard"), but I really LOVE Happy Hollow.

This was an incredible show. When they broke out "Rockin' in the Free World" during the encore the place went nuts. We knew we were in for a great show when they opened with "Zip City." That sets a high standard for the rest of the night. The thunderous intro for "Homefield Advantage" was also great. Cooley is a great front man.

And here it is... http://www.archive.org/details/dbt2009-02-20.mk4.flac16

The folks who were at the Drive-By Truckers show at the 930 Club got a real treat. Patterson was too ill to play (he had passed out at the previous show in SC) but the band still played. It looked like an amazing set list. My wife and I are going to tonight's show and I am secretly (or not so much anymore) hoping Patterson sits out tonight as well, just so we can get an all Cooley (with a sprinkling of Shonna) show. Here's hoping someone taped last night's show. The set list: Daddy's Cup 3 Dimes Down Panties in your purse Women without Whiskey I'm sorry Huston Checkout time in Vegas Gravity'

Can't go wrong with #1. I agree with others recommendations for #4--Fox Confessor or Blacklisted for starters.

It was the exact same way for me. I heard something off of Boys and Girls in America and couldn't figure out what anyone saw in them. A year or so went by and I listened again and couldn't figure out what I had been thinking a year earlier. I proceeded to buy all the albums in about four weeks.

Hmm...I like Counting Crows albums and love THS, but I'm not sure I would want to see them together.

You can stream the whole album at Spinner: http://www.spinner.com/new-releases#/1

Thanks for the heads up!

That is awesome news. I can't wait to see them in February at the 930 Club and I, too, will be patient and wait until early 2010 for the next record.

I believe it has been posted before, but it is always worth posting again! Thanks for reminding me about this really cool series.

This is fucking great news. I really loved Sirens and I like what I'm hearing so far in the clips of the new 400 Unit album. Here's to many decades of great songwriting from Jason!