It seems Filipino inmates dancing to “Thriller” for exercise isn’t the only entertaining example of how American music is exported to Asian countries. Daryl Caesar, an ESL teacher in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, shot this video of children learning to speak and spell in English using (you guessed it) - MC Hammer’s “Hammer Time”. Sadly, there are no parachute pants to be seen.

VIDEO:

With assistance from Dirty Projectors and Beirut, Grizzly Bear have remade “Alligator” from their 2004 debut Horn of Plenty. The band has transformed the original minute-and-a-half sketch of a song into a fully realized and beautiful tune that clocks in at five minutes. The track will be included on Friend (out on November 11), a new 10-track collection of new material, covers, collaborations, and “reworked & re-recorded” material. To better appreciate the scope of the new “Alligator”, I’ll post both versions for your comparative enjoyment. (via Stereogum).

MP3s:
Grizzly Bear (Feat. Dirty Projectors & Beirut) - “Alligator (Choir Version)”
Grizzly Bear - “Alligator”

After reviewing suggestions from ACL organizers on how to make the best of your festival experience in 2007, Hypeful (as a seasoned ACL veteran) would like to add to their list and offer you some more tips on how to survive ACL.

1. Make & Know A Schedule - With Reasonable Expectations
If you haven’t already, you should create and print your schedule online. You can also get a complete electronic ACL guide for your iPod, PDA or cell phone featuring the schedule, artist bios, song clips, and more. Also, check out the autograph signing schedule for the opportunity to capture the mark of dozens of ACL artists. However, set reasonable expectations. With a lineup packed full of amazing artists, you have to resign yourself to the fact that you simply cannot see them all. Sacrifices must be made and you should abandon “grass is greener” ideology. Leaving in the middle of an artist’s set to catch another is not always a great idea - if you have a primo spot in the crowd, you may want to stay.

Read the rest of this entry »

The National have just released their new video for “Apartment Story,” which recreates the cover of Boxer and chronicles the band performing at a wedding-like social function. Singer Matt Berninger said, “We wanted to capture the sweet but awkward vibe of a wedding reception or singles mixer…something between John Hughes and Krzysztof Kieslowski.” Thanks to Salad Days Music for the heads up!

VIDEO:

Following fellow SNL alum Will Ferrell’s FunnyorDie sensation The Landlord, Bill Murray stars in this funny short film that is likely to be just as big.

VIDEO: