Between celebrating the 10th anniversary of OK Computer and catching up with the Nevermind baby, Hypeful has been all about the nostalgia recently. The latest walk down memory lane comes courtesy of The XYZ Affair and the ace video for their single “All My Friends”. The clip assembles three of Nickleodeon’s most famous gingerkids (Danny Cooksey of Salute Your Shorts, Jason Zimbler of Clarissa Explains It All, and Michael Maronna of The Adventures of Pete & Pete) all growns up, rocking out, and terroririzing Double Dare host Marc Summers. It’s a good thing none of the castmembers of Hey Dude make an appearance - our heads might’ve exploded.

Check out the video and the song. Also, I’ll post the themes from Pete & Pete, Clarissa, and Salute so you can get really reminiscent! Thanks to Pop Candy for the heads up!

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The XYZ Affair - “All My Friends”
Polaris - “Hey Sandy” (Theme for The Adventures of Pete & Pete)
Clarissa Explains It All Theme
Salute Your Shorts Theme

“Let’s take it to the patio!,” is the unlikliest of rock battle cries. If you hear Decemberists frontman Colin Meloy yell this, however, you follow that man and his band to the patio prepared to bask in musical talent. Alas, I’m getting ahead of myself.

Standing outside in the oppressive Texas heat hours before the show started, the far-reaching line of Decemberists fans hoping/waiting to get into The Mohawk made me reflect on two concepts. First, the opportunity to see The Decemberists for free in a venue as intimate as The Mohawk is truly priceless and it’s an experience worth waiting for under any condition or circumstance. Second, MySpace is grossly misappropriating the word “secret” in describing their Secret Show series.

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It’s Friday the 13th - hope everyone avoids black cats, broken mirrors, and dudes wearing hockey masks. Here’s a couple of thirteen-flavored tracks to make your day a little luckier…

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Ben Kweller - Thirteen
¡Forward, Russia! - Thirteen

In putting together this week’s new releases, I regrettably left out Jason Isbell’s Sirens Of The Ditch and I’d be remiss not to mention the former Drive-By Truckers’ first solo album. Filled with heartwrenching and beautiful swamp-rock, it’s a strong debut that upon repeat listenings reveals the depths of those swampy waters and Isbell’s talents as a songwriter and storyteller.

The aching alt-country ballad “Dress Blues” feels so honest it could cut you - and it does. Isbell wrote the song for a friend that was killed in Iraq and it’s difficult to imagine a better or more poigniont living (and dying) with war song this year.

MP3: Jason Isbell - “Dress Blues”

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It’s lunchtime, I’m hungry, and I’m having to update Hypeful from a Panera Bread bakery-cafe. Needless to say, finding inspiration for a quick post was easy.

Earlier this week, Arctic Monkeys released “Fluorescent Adolescent”, the second single from their second album Favourite Worst Nightmare. Included on the single is “The Bakery”, a track that gives the lads a chance to show the softer side of the Monkeys. Leaving behind the dirty dancefloors and dreams of naughtiness, Alex Turner and company showcase a bit of shuffling romanticism. Very refreshing after those haunting clown costumes, fellas.

MP3:
Arctic Monkeys - “The Bakery”

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