Full Q&A: Crocodiles

Crocodiles singer Brandon Welchez sits down with Tapedek to discuss his criminal record, why he despises Pitchfork and why his band’s third album is “the best one yet.”

“if you intentionally make a shitty record even though you have the money to make something more decent, it’s going to come across as fake.”

Q&A: Crocodiles Call Pearl Jam “Fuckin’ Cheesy”

Crocodiles singer Brandon Welchez on Pearl Jam’s cheesiness, why he would choose Cocaine over Heroin and plans to start a new group with wife Dee Dee (from Dum Dum Girls)

CONTEST – Don’t Forget To Vote

All the submissions are in. Don’t forget to vote people. Also, you can check out what myself and the other blogger panel are sayin’ right here

CONTEST: Whisky Rocks Concert feat Big Sugar

Big Sugar cemented their place in the Can Rock pantheon with their first single, the pumpin’ “Diggin’ A Hole.” Later, they rocked some slick reggae jams while lead singer/double-necked guitarist Gordie Johnson fuzzed out some mad solos. After a seemingly endless hiatus (which saw Johnson move to Austin,TX to rock out with Stevie Ray Vaughen’s [...]

CONTEST: Whisky Rocks!!

Tapedek has teamed up with Aux and the LCBO (the people that you buy alcohol from) to bring you the Whisky Rocks Contest. By executing a great cover version of the song “Fade Away,” you could just, er, walk away with the big prize (and booze?).

As part of a team of blogger judges, I’ll be discussing my favourite entries on the site. Basically, I’ll be Simon, Indie Music Filter’s Chris Budd will be Randy, Nicole Villeneuve will be Paula and Anne Donahue will be William Hung, natch.

For more info and to enter the contest head here. Note, the contest closes for submissions on October 21st.

Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, Arcade Fire’s Regine Chassagne and Owen Pallett cover Springsteen’s “My City of Ruins”

Add Michael Cooper of 77 Admiral Rd as a person you should get to know. A TIFF event organized by Paul Haggis’ Artists for Peace and Justice at Mr. Cooper’s (very lovely) home this week featured performances by Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder (in town for his band’s Cameron Crowe directed doc ‘Pearl Jam 20′ as well as two Neil Young-guesting shows at the ACC) and Arcade Fire’s Régine Chassagne (in town because…she loves her some glam?). At some point, the duo, along with AF buddy and man-about-town Owen Pallett, turned their tuneful attention to Bruce Springsteen’s poignant ‘My City in Ruins.’

Apropos of 9/11′s 10 year anniversary, here’s Springsteen and friends performing the same song nearly a decade ago at a WTC Benefit.

Aloe Blacc w/ Orchestra “I Need A Dollar”

This is straight up classy as fuck. Building on the pounding soul fever of the original track, this version of Blacc’s How To Make It In America theme counterbalances the lyrical and vocal delivery of the plight of the common man with the high-brow orchestration. Kind of like taking a class at Yale about social injustice, but, y’know, better.

from MADE Blog on Vimeo.

Download The Weeknd’s Thursday!

After months of tense anticipation, Toronto’s The Weeknd (AKA Abel Tesfaye) released his sophomore album, Thursday, to the world with only 4 minutes left in it’s title day. Like it’s much dissertated predecessor, House of Balloons, Thursday is a free download and marks The Weeknd’s first major release since being thrust anonymously into the spotlight by soul brother Drake.

Check it out for yourself here (if link isn’t working, please click on the picture for alternative DL link)

Kurt Vile: A Ragged Rock Star for the Bleakest of Times

Rock Journalist Rob Duffy wonders, “Is Kurt Vile the perfect post-apocalyptic rock star?”

“Mercy Mercy Me” – Julian Casablancas (& The Strokes), Eddie Vedder & Josh Homme (Marvin Gaye cover)

This track, originally a Strokes B-Side, recently made a return to the spotlight as one of the tracks available on the upcoming 3-CD charity album entitled Live From Nowhere Near You, Vol II, (which arrives on July 19). Also featured on this bad boy will be new, unreleased and rare tracks from Modest Mouse, Daniel Johnston, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, Stone Gossard and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, Bright Eyes, Corin Tucker, Elliott Smith, Joe Purdy, Woodie Guthrie, James Mercer of The Shins and many more.

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