Grey Day In The Hood.

To Coachella, or Not to Coachella.

.Coachella's 2011 lineup was announced this week, and I see the reunited Death From Above 1979 (omg) is on the bill for Sunday. I also see Arcade Fire headlining Saturday(the weakest day admit it). These two bands alone makes me consider the $269 price tag. Then again, the other artists I'm excited about - Cut Copy, Sleigh Bells, The Presets, and Yelle - I'd much rather see in a club. The desert sun is discouraging. I feel parched already just thinking about it. In years past, the annual Coachella weekend in April has proved to be a great time to catch headliners and others here in the Bay, albeit in more comfortable and less expensive fashion.  Alas, I'm catching Cut Copy April 16th at SF's Regency Ballroom, the Saturday of the festival. Which btw, I'm extremely excited about, since their leaked new album Zonoscope (out February 8th) is sooo doin' it for me. Listen to the opening track "Need You Now" on the tube. There's a rumor Daft Punk may storm Kanye's Sunday night headlining slot. Although nothing will compete with their Alive 2007 stop at the Berkeley Greek Theater (MOST AMAZING SHOW EXPERIENCE EVER) it may be the icing on the cake for what could be a musically fantastic weekend. I brought up Daft Punk in the first place because a couple ladies who call themselves Pink Is Punk remixed "Derezzed" and it's really effing good. It's better and more satisfying than the original and that's what we like to hear. Ladies outdoin' robots.  Ok ok, perhaps persuasion and some high SPF will coax me into a trip to Indio. We'll see.

In other news: Beth Ditto, singer of The Gossip just released a four song EP, teaming up with Simian Mobile Disco for a sassy dance floor jaunt that doesn't sound unlike the dancier moments of The Gossip's recent record Music For Men, which despite being produced by Rick Rubin, was actually pretty dancey. Simian's presence is obvious, with their vintage sounding, yet super clean synths. Lovin' the lead track "Open Heart Surgery." She won't be at Coachella this year. Oh snap!

p.s. i like this. A LOT: The Drums - Me & the Moon (Clock Opera Mix)

lightning strikes, maybe once, maybe twice. 

obviously you know which one would be me.

You know when you've been listening to a highly agreeable song for a while, and one day it hits you like a ton a bricks? And you're like, it's so obvious. 

Oh Arcade Fire. They deserve every accolade for The Suburbs. The record can mean exactly what you want it to, for anyone, from here to Montreal. It's that good. You just have to listen. 

This song is yours and mine.

currently. bedroom dancing. 

Michael Chase

Too Short came into my restaurant in Oakland last night. He was accompanied by a fine-ass young lady who hell yeah wanted steak sauce in a Pan-American restaurant. 

Cat Power's unequaled Jukebox version of her own track "Metal Heart" from 2008.

Layering the sweet, and infectious vocals of Whitney Houston's early smash "How Will I Know?" onto Robyn's likewise sweet and stellar floor filler, "Dancing On My Own," some guy who calls himself Zooash made an entirely appropriate tribute and ended up creating the best mash-up in ages. 

"Dancing In Houston" bridges generations of truly great pop music together in such a simple and beautiful way, it's disarming. You may just tear up out on that dance floor.