Since it's Christmas Eve, I thought I'd be ironic and report a display of massive giving on the part of the NFL Atlanta Falcons: quarterback Michael Vick has been given a ten-year contract for - hold onto something solid here - one hundred and thirty million dollars(all terms USD) with a record thirty-seven million dollars in bonuses.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Vick's suburban household, awright. Geeeez.
Anyway. Some news to tide you over the Christmas break.
U2's How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb sold almost 850,000 copies its first week out. Nice. [cmcentral]
Upon the release of their third album, Denison Marrs are featured in interview format right over here. What a great band. The new self-titled album smokes! [buzzgrinder]
Remember Bloodshed?? Waaaay back in the day? Check this out!!
Mars Ill's new album Pro-Pain has now been delayed til, um, June 2005. I'm super-ultra-mega pissed now, but not nearly as much so as I bet Manchild and Dust are. I feel bad for our boys. Watch for an interview we did with them a couple months ago to appear in this space at some point. [sphereofhiphop]
One of Tooth & Nail's biggest successes already, Anberlin are set to drop Never Take Friendship Personal in February, and apparently they're putting out one new track a week from the new album, beginning with a song called 'Paperthin Hymn', right over here. Enjoy! Lousy 'internet sound' on the track, but you get the idea. Catchy vocals? Check. Pummeling yet fragile guitar tone? Check. Sounds a lot like 'Change The World' from the band's last album, as put by sweetdisaster correspondent Andrew Jensen? Check. Good tune.
In related T&N news, the label's signed California band Waking Ashland. They toured with labelmates Mae this year(great band!) and did some Warped stuff. I like 'em. Reminds me of a less-dramatic, poppier Copeland. Thumbs up.
So Hot Topic(excuse me while I suppress an involuntary shudder) are giving away a Gibson guitar signed by one of my absolute favourite bands, Further Seems Forever, and to win it, you gotta sign up over here. Happy scavenging.
There's this band Mutemath, right, and I dig 'em, they're pretty sick, but there USED to be this band Earthsuit who were very very rad, didn't last a long time, but when they were on they were on, kids. Read this and be educated.
Good news: the man who wrote my favourite song ever(Five Iron Frenzy's 'Every New Day') almost ten years ago, has now had his band signed with Floodgate Records(Denison Marrs, Cool Hand Luke, Mourning September, etc). Scott Kerr and Yellow Second(also featuring another FIF alum in drummer Andy Verdecchio) are gonna drop their power-pop-goodness-filled debut, Altitude, next March. I'm stoked. [Renown]
Ex-dc Talk member Kevin Max has signed with another California label, Northern Records, and we'll see if his label debut with them equals or exceeds his solo debut, 2002's Stereotype Be. I bet it will.
Merry Christmas, kids.
Posted by mike at December 24, 2004 12:32 PM