The Raconteurs are made up of Jack White from The White Stripes (guitar/vox), Brendan Benson (guitar/vox) and the rhythm section from The Green Horns. Finally John Gillis started a real band! I thought The White Stripes made good records and they were cool the couple times I saw them play Spaceland. But when I saw them headline The Greek and Jack White started playing songs on the piano, it seemed to me like it was time for homeboy to get a real drummer and maybe even a bass player. "Broken boy Solider" has got little bits of Zeppelin, Beatles (Rubber Soul era), Kinks as well as some "Nuggets" psychedelic pop goodness. This is easily one of the best albums I’ve heard so far in 2006. The single "Steady As She Goes" is actually my least favorite songs on it but the video that Jim Jarmusch made for it ain’t bad, watch it here. Another thing I dig about this record is that it’s only 10 songs long, clocking in under 34 minutes! That’s the kinda smart shit you figure out when you know about "Funhouse". Trim the fat bitches.

(Download - "Broken Boy Soldier")

(Download - "Store Bought Bones")

It took me a while to warm up to these guys, but I think Kasabian are one of the better new bands around now. Don’t let the singer who kinda raps with his shirt tucked in scare you, these Brits are the real deal. One part Primal Scream, one part The Stone Roses and a dab of The Rolling Stones thrown in for good measure. This is their debut record that came out back in 2004, I’d be surprised if most of you haven’t already heard this. The word on the street is that they are gonna record their second full length at the end of the summer when they’re done playing a whole bunch of festivals. Check out the videos for "Reason Is Treason" & "L.S.F (Lost Souls Forever)" as well as "Club Foot" on Letterman.

(Download - "L.S.F (Lost Souls Forever)")

(Download - "Club Foot")

I bought this Oasis "Unplugged 2" bootleg via the used bin last week, it was a total score for only $4.00. Aside from the harsh cover photo of Noel’s head, it’s pretty killer. I never heard (of) "Unplugged 1", but part 2 has some killer jams on it. Oasis rules, they’re pretty much everything a rock band should be. They write great songs about cool shit, they say cool shit in interviews, hang out with hot chicks, make sure to give nods to the right old bands and bitch slap all the shitty new bands that suck. If you don’t already know why Oasis rules, you’ve got some problems and I’m not gonna convince you. Here are five songs from this unofficial cd and five rad quotes from the mouths of Liam and Noel.

"All I ever wanted to do was make a record. Here’s what you do: you
pick up your guitar, you rip a few people’s tunes off, you swap them
round a bit, get your brother in the band, punch his head in every now
and again, and it sells. I’m a lucky bastard. I’m probably the single
most lucky man in the world — apart from our Liam." - Noel

"There’s Elvis and me. I couldn’t say which of the two is best." - Liam Gallagher

"Morning Glory? It’s when you wake up with a large one on. You know what I mean?" - Liam Gallagher

Noel: "I will say that drugs do work."

Liam: "It’s the truth. Either that or he’s got a shit dealer. Drugs do bloody work, Richard."

- Liam and Noel on The Verve’s song, "’The Drugs Don’t Work".

"I only know five people who haven’t taken drugs and that’s me mam, me
gran, me father-in-law, and me new-born baby. Nothing wrong with it,
all part of growing up." - Noel Gallagher

(Download - "Whatever")

(Download - "Don’t Look Back In Anger")

(Download - "Live Forever")

(Download - "Whatever/Octopus Garden")

(Download - "Slide Away")

Here are two of my favorite bands covering each others songs, I included the original version as well in case you haven’t heard them. Mudhoney wrote "When Tomorrow Hits" and put it out on their first record called "Mudhoney" (which also features such killer jams as "You Got It" and "Here Comes Sickness", you gotta get that if you don’t own it). Spacemen 3 wrote "Revolution" and put it out on their record called "Play With Fire" (which is actually my least favorite album they made, if you’re gonna check them out for the first time pick up "Taking Drugs To Make Music To Take Drugs To"). The cover songs were originally recorded with the idea of a split 7 inch by the bands being released. But as soon as the blokes in Spacemen 3 heard Mudhoney’s tongue in cheek version of their song, the project was scrapped. Always ones to never "give a fuck" as well as have a good laugh, Mudhoney changed the lyrics to poke fun at Spacemen 3’s druggy image with lines like "I’m tired/So tired/Of getting up in the morning/For that long uphill walk/To the methadone clinic/There’s gotta be an easier way." I love both bands, but Mudhoney comes out on top in this one. If you can’t laugh at yourself, you’ve got a problem man. It’s only rock n’ roll kids. Oh, Spacemen 3’s version of "When Tomorrow Hits" kicks ass too (that came out on their record "Recurring"). Oh and in case you were curious, Mark Arm was in Green River with Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard from Pearl Jam. I just wanted to keep my P-Jam mentioning theme going because everyone that reads this page seems to get excited by it. I like excitement.

(Mudhoney - "When Tomorrow Hits")

(Spacemen 3 - "When Tomorrow Hits")

(Spacemen 3 - "Revolution")

(Mudhoney - "Revolution")