Deaf Indie Elephants recorded this great cover of Devendra Banhart throwing some love to perhaps the greatest summer song ever, Mungo Jerry’s “In the Summertime.” 

He doesn’t deviate much from the song and I never thought I’d miss the washboard in this lazy, ramshackle of a song, but it’s a good cover and a great way to start the morning.

Mp3: Devendra Banhart - “In the Summertime”

It cracks me up everytime he sings the line “When the weather’s fine you got women on your mind.  Have a drink have a drive go out and see what you can find.  If her daddy’s rich take her out for a meal, if her daddy’s poor just do what you feel.”  Just puts a big ole shit-eating grin on my face.

M4a: Mungo Jerry - “In the Summertime”

Also, I just learned that Mungo Jerry was an English folk group and not some Appalachian American musician.  If you could see my face it would be the look of extreme disappointment mixed with utter happiness. Because the song and the video below is just that awesome.

A while ago we linked to a story about Paul Mawhanney and his very large record collection.  He was selling it for about $3 million and change, though at the time there were no takers for his 2.5 million records.  Very Ape Productions put together a video of Paul going through his collection.  Because of the digital music frenzy and the dwindling interest in physical music formats, Paul was forced to close his record shop. Now facing diabetes and rising health costs, he’s put up his entire collection for sale.

[Bassist Mike] Gordon says he and his former bandmates plan to meet soon to discuss getting back together. The guys have spent the past few years working on individual music projects. Gordon recently released a new CD. He says, “I am definitely focusing on my own thing, but in my opinion the Phish thing is pretty likely at this point, because people are so healthy and enthusiastic about it among the band members. The vibe is really good.”

The vibe is good. Sounds good doesn’t it? The one thing that was missing from their last few tours, when it just wasn’t there - the quality, the love for each other, the thing that Phish always had. The good vibes.

Still, it’s all rumors at this point and I won’t be holding my breath until the four walk out onto the stage together and rip up the joint. Preferably on trampolines.

I know he passed on Tuesday night, but it’s still hard to believe that he’s gone.  Everyone went through a DMB phase at least for a few years in high school and then in college.  I can’t say I’ve listened to them much since the album after Crash, but they are consummate musicians.  Leroi Moore, the saxophone player, was one of the most enjoyable parts of the band.

Here’s the band performing Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” in what would be Leroi’s final concert. Listen to the way the saxophone on the song just hits all the right moments.

M4a: Dave Matthews Band - “Bartender (Lillywhite Sessions)”

Everyone’s favorite music sharing mixtape for the digital era finally runs into problems with the Recording Industry Association of America.

CNET:

Presumably the RIAA had gotten wise to the considerable amount of music that was being hosted and played on the service, bringing it into the same tier as some of the streaming radio services that have had to pay considerable licensing fees just to stream tracks to its users.

It was thought that a site like Muxtape could only survive if it didn’t reach critical mass.  Unfortunately, that didn’t really happen as the site blew up.  It really became one of the web’s most popular new sites.

On their blog, Muxtape insists this is just a temporary downturn.  “No artists or labels have complained. The site is not closed indefinitely. Stay tuned.  Beta users of Muxtape For Bands: you are unaffected by this outage.”

Former Talking Heads guru David Byrne has a new album out with producer Brian Eno.  You can buy it now or stream the entire shebang.  If the first single, “Strange Overtures” is any indication then fans of Byrne, Eno and Talking Heads are going to be in for a special treat from Everything that Happens Will Happen Today. The album is available in three formats: digital only ($8.99), CD + digital ($11.99) and the bomb Deluxe Package ($69.99), which includes a custom package, four bonus tracks, screensavers and a slew of other goodies. [Listen or Buy]

It’s been an interesting ride for Travis over the last decade.  When I saw live for the first time back in 2000 my first thought at the end of the show was, “damn I wonder how long it’ll be until Fran Healy goes solo.”  And yet, that hasn’t happened.

There is something admirable about a band that sticks together through the mucky muck.  Their first few albums were all great Britpop-rock albums, but the problem with Travis is that everything after The Invisible Band has sounded like a cookie cutter Travis album.  That doesn’t mean they weren’t pleasurable records, it’s just at a certain point I’ve had to accept that Travis made a particular type of record and they weren’t going to deviate much from that template.

To be honest, I was just happy they were making records at all, after almost calling it quites in the wake of drummer Neil Primrose breaking his back in a swimming accident. Since then they’ve taken their time getting back together as a band and last year’sThe Boy With No Name served as a reintroduction.  But there was always something missing from their last few records.

It sounded like they were okay with making Travis records.  They weren’t hungry to make a great record.  They’ve severed ties with Independiente and started their own label Red Telephone Box. 

Travis knocked out a follow-up album to The Boy With No Name in a two week session and are set to put out Ode To J. Smith, so named after a song on the forthcoming record, “J. Smith” on Sept. 29 (tracklist here).

From the sounds of the first single “Something Anything” and the leaked “J. Smith” it sounds like they might have found that hunger. The songs sound edgier, more adventurous, willing to take chances and let the guitars rip it.

This Kanye West as puppet video is about a day old, which makes it McCainian by internet standards, but I figured it would go well with the news that Kanye plans to open 10 Chicago-area Fat Burgers.

Hip-hop artist Kanye West’s KW Foods LLC, which has rights to develop 10 Fatburgers in the Chicago area, plans to open another one in January at 95th and Western Avenue in the Beverly neighborhood, according to a spokeswoman for Santa Monica, Calif.-based burger chain Fatburger Corp.

The Orland Park outlet doesn’t have a firm opening date in September, the spokeswoman said.

I’ve never eaten at a Fat Burger, but if it gets the ‘Ye seal of approval, I’ll gladly check one out.  <deadpan sarcasm>Apparently, it’s the last great hamburger stand, or so they tell me.</deadpan sarcasm>

Also, that’s one of the strongest tracks off his latest record.

Cliff Bolling has been on a five-year quest to digitize and make available his entire record collection, turning old 78 RPM records into digital age Mp3s complete with all the pops and hisses.

The 57-year-old Portland, Ore. native has uploaded close to 4, 000 songs from his collection to his website.

“I really didn’t know there were so many people in the world interested in this music,” Bolling told wired.com. “A lot of younger people go to the site, and it’s amazing that they hear songs today that originally were recorded 75 years ago. It’s pretty cool that people get to listen to this stuff. As far as copyrights, apparently I’m okay, because nobody’s come to shut me down or anything.”

He has plans to upload another 150 or so songs and then start going through another 2,500 records.  He estimates that it will take him another 10 to 15 years to finish his entire collection.  Perhaps the most interesting aspect of his story is the technology in which he transfers the records to Mp3s.

“I have an old 1950s Gerard turntable that I bought at an estate sale for two and a half bucks, and it’s got a GE (General Electric) VR cartridge in it, which is just excellent for playing 78s,” he said.

Still you’ve got to wonder about copyright infringement and the legality of his project, especially given the climate these days surrounding Mp3 websites, The Web Sheriff and other such issues.

The copyright situation surrounding some of these songs is as murky as their sound quality. But as with the music’s political content, Bolling said he has yet to receive a copyright-related complaint about the recordings being online. Everyone who has come across the recordings seems happy that they’ve reappeared, or at the very least, doesn’t care one way or the other — somewhat refreshing, in these times of copyright lawsuits and name calling.

“I get dozens of emails every day from people telling me how wonderful it is to hear this music, and people post links to my webpage on websites all over the world,” Bolling told us. “It’s truly amazing.”

Let’s hope Cliff can continue doing what he does for music lovers everywhere.  At this time his website was down, so there’s no telling if he’s swamped with traffic or if his site has been taken down.  Hopefully, it’s the former and not the latter.  I can’t wait to dig into his collection.

It would take a lot to get me to go on a cruise.  I just don’t see the inherent joy in spending a week on a floating mall.  Like other modes of travel, cruises have lost the sophisticated luxury of their heyday.  Sorry, but if I want to go eat at Ruby Tuesday’s I’ll do so without the ocean beneath me.

Concert cruises, like Jam Cruise, could potentially swing me in the other direction.  Meaning, if I’m going to spend a week on a ginormous boat in the middle of the ocean I’d rather do so getting sloppy drunk and listening to some rad tunes and then chill on some awesome beach for a few days at a time.

The appeal of hitting golf balls and climbing a rock wall aren’t there for me, but neither is hunkering down in a private beach on some third world country (there is a distinction between a this type of beach and other beaches.  Somehow private beaches owned by a Cruise Line seems oppressively colonial.).

Would I pay to spend a week on a Pink Floyd-themed cruise? I dunno.  Pink Floyd in general sorta scare me.  I love their music, but it’s scary sci fi shit that I have to be in a particular mood to listen to.  i.e. not floating around the ocean.  What about a Bob Marley-themed cruise?  Or perhaps something a bit more upbeat.

Kiqstart Music, an entertainment company based in New York, and Think Floyd USA, touted as the number one touring production of Pink Floyd in the country (in other words, a cover band), are hosting the three-night voyage on the Carnival Imagination in May 2009.

Dubbed the “Great Gig in the Sea,” the outing will include elaborate performances by the Pink Floyd mimickers (who claim that they have received personal acclaim from Pink Floyd star David Gilmour himself) — including a complete rendition of the album Dark Side of the Moon. Pink Floyd trivia contests, parties and games also are planned. Cabins for the cruise, which leaves out of Miami on May 1, 2009 and includes a stop in Nassau in the Bahamas, start at $379 per person, based on double occupancy.

Head to Greatgiginthesea.com to book your cabin.  It should be noted that the real Pink Floyd is nowhere to be seen on this cruise and that it’s Think Floyd USA, the cover band, that will be supply the good times.

Only recently have I started to come around to The National. It’s not that I didn’t like them, but I just never felt them in the way that so many people seem so feverish towards them. You wouldn’t get an argument from me if you told me you loved The National, it’s just well, that’s where you and I would differ.

They always came across as calculated for maximum critical adulation. The baritone voice, the tight song arrangements, the cryptic yet poetic lyrics, the fluttering of horns, the way songs would crescendo at just the right moment.

Last night in Copenhagen, Denmark, the band debuted the song “A Thousand Black Cities.” No indication if this is the start of the band prepping new material for a follow-up to Boxer. The new song has all the trademarks you would expect from the band, but it has a little more slink to it. It’s a sexy song, with great horn arrangements and a wonderful outro.

[via IGIF]