Happy New Year from The Sky Report!

The world is slowly ringing in 2008. Here in Hawaii, there are still over 12 hours left in 2007, so here are some last minute favorite videos from the past year.

Deerhunter - Strange Lights


M.I.A. - Boyz


LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends


Justice - D.A.N.C.E.


Simian Mobile Disco - Hustler


Of Montreal - Gronlandic Edit


Beirut - Elephant Gun


Radiohead - Unravel


See you in 2008!

Merry Christmas from The Sky Report

-photo cred

Although is doesn't at all feel like Christmas where I am, Merry Christmas and happy holidays. Here's to a bigger and better 2008!

The Ramones - Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)

LA GRÈVE GÉNÉRALE - Blog House is Dead mix

That amazing UK DJ duo la grève générale are back with another mindbending mix, perfect for your New Years Eve party. Featuring tracks from an eclectic array of artists like The Knife, Phil Collins, Bangers & Cash, David Bowie, Radiohead, Grizzly Bear, and Trick Daddy, this mix is sure to get any party started. The boys of la grève générale recommend turning up the bass when playing this mix, so let the shit rattle!

DOWNLOAD (Link) La Greve Generale - Blog House is Dead

Blog House is Dead - tracklist:

Intro
Fuck Buttons – Sweet love for planet Earth
Spank Rock and Benny Blanco are Bangers & Cash – Loose
The Knife – Heartbeats
Pharoahe Monch – Simon says
Radiohead – No surprises
Missy Elliot ft Mike Jones – Joy
Enduser – Red meth
Grizzly Bear – Shift
Dead Prez – I have a dream too (LGG's blam-blam edit)
DJ Unk – Walk it out (Remix ft Andre 3000)
Adam Tensta - My cool
Sinden and the Count of Monte Cristal – Beeper
Tepr - Minuit Jacuzzi (DatA remix)
Dizzee Rascal – Flex
Booka Shade – The bird and the beats at the win
The Killers – Somebody told me
Dizzee Rascal – Fix up look sharp
Anavan – Notoriety
Envelopes – Party (Sportsday Megaphone remix)
Lil Mama – Lip gloss (Krazyfiesta remix)
Porcupine Tree – Pure narcotic
Pase rock ft Amanda Blank – Sexy motherfucker
Trick Daddy ft Chamillionaire – Bet that
Ghosts on Tape - Mogadishu Night Life
Modeselektor – Hasir
Cadence Weapon – In search of the youth crew
Teenage BadGirl – Tales from the pigs
Phil Collins – Sussudio
Rex the Dog – Circulate (JBag Radio Edit)
Faltermeyer – Axel F
Grafton Primary – I can cook (Miami Horror remix)
Chromeo – Needy Girl
TTC and Modeselektor – 2000007
High Powered Boys – Hoes Get Down
Partyshank – Penis Vs Vagina (Lies in Disguise remix)
Europe – The Final Countdown (Them Jeans remix LGG "Made A Yacht Disappear" edit)
Like Woah – Oh I Like (Whitenoise remix)
Spank Rock and Benny Blanco are Bangers & Cash – BOOTAY
David Bowie – Ziggy Stardust
Sneaky Sound System – UFO (SebastiAn vs Blaze Tee rerub)
Bloc Party – Hunting for Witches (Villians Electro-Banger Remix)
Kissy Sell Out – Her
LFO – Freak
Dr Dre ft Snoop Dogg – The next episode
Daft Punk – Short Circuit
Ying Yang Twins – The Whisper Song
65Daysofstatic – I swallowed hard, like I understood
Juelz Santana – Dipset (Ghislain Poirier remix)
Stars - Elevator love letter
DJ Khaled – Holla at me
More Fire Crew – Still The Same
Wale – Freaks (Bird Peterson remix)
Daft Punk – Aerodynamic
Shy Child – Summer (South Central remix)

The Sky Report in Hawaii!

In five hours I step onto a flight all the way from bitter cold Brooklyn to the warm beaches of Waikiki. Actually, I'll be staying in Kailua for the most part, with brief stops in Maui, Kona and Hilo.

If anyone reading this lives in Hawaii, please let me know if there is any music to check out. I would love to write something about music in Hawaii while I'm there. At the moment, all I know of is Cyndi Lauper's brief Hawaiian tour, which seems utterly perfect. Big fan. I'll be at the Kona show on January 5th.

In the spirit of the trip, check out Thieves of Kailua (who are actually from Seattle). Their Hawaiian fused sound will help you escape the Christmas chill. They've even got a few great Christmas songs to download here.

I will be blogging lightly from Hawaii until January 7.

DOWNLOAD - Thieves of Kailua - Thieves of Kailua
(via Millpond Records)

DOWNLOAD - Thieves of Kailua - On the Waikiki
(via Millpond Records)

Best of 2007 - Album of the Year

50. Sally Shapiro - Disco Romance (N. American edition)
49. White Williams - Smoke
48. Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
47. Dan Deacon - Spiderman of the Rings
46. Port-Royal - Afraid to Dance
45. Caribou - Andorra
44. Bat For Lashes - Fur and Gold
43. Simian Mobile Disco - Attack Decay Sustain Release
42. Yoko Ono - Yes, I'm A Witch
41. The Fiery Furnaces - Widow City

40. Maps - We Can Create
39. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
38. Jose Gonzalez - In Our Nature
37. Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
36. !!! - Myth Takes
35. Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends
34. Menomena - Friend and Foe
33. White Rabbits - Fort Nightly
32. St. Vincent - Marry Me
31. Justice - †

30. Yeasayer - All Hour Cymbals
29. Black Lips - Good Bad Not Evil
28. Marissa Nadler - Songs III: Bird on the Water
27. Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future
26. Kanye West - Graduation
25. Mark Ronson - Version
24. The Besnard Lakes - ...Are the Dark Horse
23. Glass Candy - Beatbox
22. The White Stripes - Icky Thump
21. Bjork - Volta

20. Blonde Redhead - 23
19. The Field - From Here We Go Sublime
18. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
17. Liars - Liars
16. The National - Boxer
15. Battles - Mirrored
14. Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
13. Panda Bear - Person Pitch
12. Black Lips - Los Valientes Del Mundo Nuevo
11. Burial - Untrue

10. Beirut - The Flying Club Cup



9. PJ Harvey - White Chalk



8. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black



7. Feist - The Reminder



6. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?



5. Radiohead - In Rainbows



4. M.I.A. - Kala



3. Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights



2. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver



1. Deerhunter - Cryptograms

BEST OF 2007 - EP of the Year

5. Black Kids - Wizard of Ahhhs



4. Deerhunter - Fluorescent Grey



3. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Isis



2. Beirut - Lon Gisland



1. White Denim - Let's Talk About It

New M.I.A. Video - 'Paper Planes'

The Sky Report's 'Best of Lists' are almost done and 'Paper Planes' will definitely be among the top songs of the year. The brilliant use of The Clash's 'Straight to Hell' and the memorable shotgun beats made this the poignant dance track of the year.

Check out the new video now.

IKE TURNER (R.I.P.) 1931-2007

"Rocket 88" is a rhythm and blues song that was first recorded at Sam Phillips' recording studio in Memphis, Tennessee, on 3 or 5 March (accounts differ) 1951. It is claimed by some, including Phillips — later to become owner of Sun Records, and pioneer rock and roll record producer — to be the "first rock and roll song". - Wikipedia

"The original version of the 12-bar blues song was credited to "Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats," but that band did not actually exist. The song was put together by Ike Turner and his band in rehearsals at the Riverside Hotel in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and recorded by Turner's Kings of Rhythm. Jackie Brenston (1930-1979) was a saxophonist with Turner who also sang the vocal on "Rocket 88," a hymn of praise to the joys of the Oldsmobile "Rocket 88" automobile (see: Oldsmobile 88), which had just been introduced in 1949. Although Brenston was given author credit rather than Turner, it is now agreed that Brenston's contribution was overstated for financial reasons." - Wikipedia

Ike Turner (retrospective) - Rocket 88


Ike & Tina Turner - Medley

JOSE GONZALEZ Played Webster Hall

Jose Gonzalez turned in a gorgeous performance at Webster Hall on Sunday night. The packed house was thoroughly engaged. When Jose took the stage and played a quiet instrumental intro, the crowd hushed itself, bringing total silence to the hall. The entire performance was deeply stirring, sounding as good, if not better than the records. It was a magical show.

The performance clocked in at just over an hour, but he filled it nicely. Jose touched heavily on his latest album "In Our Nature" with stirring versions of the title track as well as 'Killing For Love' and 'Down the Line'. Definite highlights from the set included his stellar covers of The Knife's 'Heartbeats', Massive Attack's 'Tear Drop', and my personal favorite, Kylie Minogue's 'Hand on My Heart'. Amazingly though, he boldly avoided 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' despite the hungry requests of the crowd.


Jose didn't talk much, but he did manage to sneak in a funny story while tuning his guitar. It went something to the effect of this:

"I was walking down the street and I found a bullet. I put it in my [shirt] pocket. Then later I saw an evangelical and he threw his Bible at me. It almost hit my heart. But the bullet was in the way."




-All photos by Scot Bowman, Tatiana Devere

Reader's Choice - Breakthrough Artist of 2007 - GRIZZLY BEAR / THE TEENAGERS

It's a tie!

A few of you spoke, and the consensus is that Brooklyn-based Grizzly Bear tied with the Parisian hipster band The Teenagers for The Sky Report's Reader's Choice poll for Breakthrough Artist of the Year.

Other artists ranking high in the poll were Panda Bear, Deerhunter, Glass Candy, and Battles.

New Video - THE KILLS - 'URA Fever'

The Kills' third LP is due on Domino Records, March 2008. Here is the new video for the first single 'URA Fever'.

MADONNA (Doesn't) Name New Album "Licorice"

I have to confess...I am a huge Madonna fan. There, I said it. You know me a little better now. That said, it was announced today that the queen of pop has titled her new album "Licorice". The disc is expected to be released in April and will feature collaborations with Kanye West and Pharrell. No word yet on whether or not previously reported collaborators Justin Timberlake, Mika, and Timbaland will make the cut.

Tracks to be included on the new album are 'The Beat Goes On', 'Candy Shop', and 'The Devil Wouldn't Recognize You'.

[EDIT: Today NME reports that "in an email to Reuters today, Madonna's publicist Liz Rosenberg said "Sirius does not know what they are talking about, "Wrong title. Release date wrong etc.""

Oh well, the new album will be called something and will be released someday, most likely in 2008. I guess we don't really know much yet at all.]

BJORK - 'Declare Independence'

The anticipation for this video has been intense. This marks the seventh Bjork video to be helmed by acclaimed director Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Science of Sleep). All I can really say is that it stays true to Bjork's nature of being the queen of all things bizarre.

'Declare Independence' is the third single from Bjork's "Volta" album.

Bjork - Declare Independence (music video)


Watch Michel Gondry talk about his collaborative relationship with Bjork:

The Making of 'Declare Independence'

THE PRESETS - 'My People' Music Video

The music video has arrived for the new single from The Presets, 'My People'. I'm not sure why, but the video really lifts the song for me. It's very simple, yet quite effective. The new album is expected early 2008.

The Presets - My People (music video)

THE BREEDERS Confirm Coachella; New Album in April

The Breeders, known by most for their 90's hit 'Cannonball', have announced that they will be releasing "Mountain Battles" on April 8, 2008. The album is their first since 2002 and the enormously successful Pixies reunion that followed shortly after. For those not in the know, The Breeders are Kelley Deal, Kim Deal, Jose Medeles and Mando Lopez.

In a recent press release it was stated that "The Breeders will be playing live all over the world in 2008. Their schedule includes performances at Canadian Music Week and SxSW and Coachella, plus full tours in the USA and in Europe."

STREAM - The Breeders - We're Gonna Rise

The Breeders - Cannonball (music video)


"Mountain Battles" tracklisting:

1. Overglazed
2. Bang On
3. Night Of Joy
4. We're Gonna Rise
5. German Studies
6. Spark
7. Istanbul
8. Walk It Off
9. Regalame Esta Noche
10. Here No More
11. No Way
12. It's The Love
13. Mountain Battles

THE PIPETTES - 'Because It's Not Love (But It's Still A Feeling)'

The Pipettes finally saw the U.S. release of their super fun debut "We Are The Pipettes" back in October. Now they have an equally fun new video for the single 'Because It's Not Love (But It's Still A Feeling)'. Exploding with color, the video showcases The Pipettes' playful dance moves that they taught us all how to do not long ago. Try it for yourself here. Don't be shy, I'm sure there is an inner Pipette in you somewhere.

The Pipettes - Because It's Not Love (But It's Still A Feeling) (music video)

HOT CHIP - 'Ready for the Floor'

'Ready for the Floor' is the first single from Hot Chip's forthcoming album "Made in the Dark", due February 5 from DFA/Astralwerks. The video has arrived for the bouncy synth jam, featuring singer Alexis Taylor dancing around as The Joker, as well as many other silly activities involving color. It's total nonsense, but a fun video nonetheless.

As far as the track goes, it really grows on you after a couple listens. The single drops on January 29th.

Hot Chip - Ready for the Floor (music video)

MGMT - 'Electric Feel'

MGMT have a new video for the track 'Electric Feel' from their impressive new album "Oracular Spectacular". The disc comes out January 22, but it is available on iTunes now. MGMT also have some dates with The Fiery Furnaces starting this weekend in Brooklyn at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. See ya there.

SKELETONS & THE KINGS OF ALL CITIES

Skeletons & the Kings of All Cities are an overlooked highlight of 2007. Based in Queens, New York, Skeletons are a revolving musical collective fearlessly captained by a man named Matt Mehlan. The album, simply titled "Lucas", is a wildly experimental journey through haunting sounds and atmospherics. The video below is amazing, albeit creepy and altogether unsettling. Not for those who are sensitive to depictions of violence. View at your own risk.

DOWNLOAD - Skeletons & the Kings of All Cities - What They Said

Skeletons & the Kings of All Cities - Sickness (music video)