@LinerNotes

A bold proclamation? Darn skippy it is, but with good reason. Daft Punk's Random Access Memories is without a doubt the Album of the Year, but also Dance Music of the Year, Collaboration of the Year, Comeback of the Year, features the Song of the Year, frankly more Of The Year's than you can shake a gold record at. It even has an element of Disappointment of the Year about it. While every other music writer has issued their OTY lists, in my considered opinions, only one set of music made every category.

Sherman Baker is an artist new to my ears, and thus far what I've heard I am enjoying. The Sacramento, CA-based singer-songwriter's third album drops February 11th, but the lead single and accompanying video is out now. Come take a listen, and if you dig it, download the track for free.

It is that time of year again. A time when the sounds of the season fill literally every public space you find yourself in. Now some people, yours truly included, love Christmas music. Others, not so much. Many more go along blissfully throughout their holidaze unaware they are being followed by... (big dramatic music flourish here) The Boy. Not to get all Matrix/Morpheus on you, but what if I told you that you are playing The Little Drummer Boy Challenge and didn't even know it?

In what is easily the best drumming video you will see this month, The Wikidrummer is a video featuring a three-piece drum kit, recorded in numerous acoustical landscapes and edited together into one amazing and seamless performance, with no artificial reverb added. The man behind the kit is Julien Audigier and the video was created to promote (very effectively I must add) the Wikidrummers website (in French. Google Translated, here ). There was obviously a ton of work put into creating this performance, but perhaps the talented people behind it will see fit to unleash a sequel. Hold up your lighters or your lighter apps if you agree. Also, bonus points to the drummer for not missing a beat when that car rolls past him at the 1:11 mark. Clearly, if you are a drummer or a fan of percussion, you will want to follow The Wikidrummers on Twitter (again, in French). Originally h/t Chris Dlugosz and Danimal/Armcannon . Tweet Follow @LinerNotes    

U2's first new recording in over three years is a welcome return to the band's roots while giving no quarter in its more mature musical endeavors. "Ordinary Love" features in the forthcoming film, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom , about South African President and anti-apartheid revolutionary Nelson Mandela. Upon first listen it is clear this will become a key song in the band's already legendary oeuvre.

This review was originally published at g4tv.com on March 31, 2008 One of the most striking things about the scuba-diving game Endless Ocean for the Nintendo Wii is the music that accompanies it. The lady behind that haunting voice is New Zealander Hayley Westenra . This 20 year-old soprano has a magical set of pipes that fits so well with Endless Ocean you would have thought these songs were written for the game.

Now this is something you don't hear every day. In fact, this musical instrument has never been heard in the 500 years since Renaissance master Leonardo Da Vinci invented it. Until now.

For some musicians, a true measure of success is when and how quickly your hit song is parodied. During the 80's and 90's this was the exclusive domain of the genius of Weird Al Yankovic. Here in the second decade of Web 2.0 and the early years of instant memedom, it is individuals powered by the hive mind of the Internet that are spinning off yrical and often full blown recorded parodies of popular songs at ludicrous speed. Such is the case with "Lorde of the Rings".

Here is a bit of scary fun. London-based musician and game music composer Andy Lemon has decomposed Fred Myrow's theme to the horror cult-classic, Phantasm . Beware the Ball. Beware the Tall Man, but, come in and listen, if you dare. (insert evil laughter, here)

In the words of Bob Dorough, the philosopher, composer and voice of learning to a generation, "3 is a magic number." This humble outpost of music appreciation turns three today, and if you are so inclined, read on for some fun facts about the past year. In an effort to not bury the lead though; thank you, to each and every human out there who clicked, read and listened.

Social Distortion has added a new song to their arsenal of fantastic covers. The Orange County punk stalwarts have taken on Creedence Clearwater Revival's classic, "Up Around the Bend" for the upcoming animated film, Free Birds .

This review was originally published at g4tv.com on June 28, 2008.   It is a rare thing, but some of the best video game soundtracks work equally well if not better when listened to on their own, away from the imagery for which they were composed. Such is the case with the soundtrack album for Alone in the Dark , released by Milan Records. No matter what the reviews of the game say, composer Olivier Deriviere has created an engaging and original soundtrack to go along with the latest iteration of this survival horror game.

Ever wonder what would happen if a chiptune outfit covered a classic 1980's movie theme? When that song is ELO and Olivia Newton-John's "Xanadu" and the covering artist is Japan's SEXY-SYNTHESIZER, the result is something which is all kinds of amazing.

This review was originally published at g4tv.com on June 14, 2008. As promised, here's part two of my Grand theft Auto IV soundtrack review! Today we'll be listening in on Vladivostok FM. After playing GTA IV for a month (and doing so intentionally slowly) I am at 50% completion and one thing that has never changed on the in-game stat list is my favorite radio station, Vladivostok FM. From the moment I put in the game I became infatuated with the sounds of Russian and Eastern European pop music. There is something so unique and cool about hearing Russian gangsta rap and Eastern European pop princesses belting out anthems in their native tongue.

This review was originally published at g4tv.com on June 7, 2008. Okay, hands up. (No, this is not a car-jacking, just an informal poll.) Who plunked down the extra bones for the super deluxe, limited edition of Grand Theft Auto IV ? Granted, some of you picked up this version for the replica safety deposit box the game came packed in, but the best reason was because Rockstar, being the rock stars that they are, saw fit to include a CD called “The Music of Grand Theft Auto IV” inside as well.

Welcome to another edition of Boosting the Signal. The world of independently financed creative endeavors has exploded in the past couple years with more and more projects vying for your dollars to get off the ground. Boosting the Signal is meant to cut through the noise and bring your attention to music-based projects which should definitely appeal to your ears. The Tokyo Gaming Showcase Album Bundle is a project which you can feel secure knowing it will deliver what it promises in terms of rewards. It also features an incredible bargain of 10+ albums worth of music for only seven bucks. Get in here and check out the sounds.

The next time someone tries to tell you the album format is dead, I want you to ask that person if they have listened to CHVRCHES' The Bones of What You Believe . If they say no, you can be secure in the knowledge that person has absolutely no idea what they are talking about. That does mean, however, you need to hear this album first. Believe me, you will love what you hear when you do.

The award for the best cover of Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" goes to Russian guitarist/YouTube star Igor Presnyakov. Everyone else can go home. 

Check out the new trailer for Metallica's 3D, hybrid concert/feature film, Through the Never, and ask the question on every Metallica fan's mind: Which of the Four Horseman is that?

In the annals of popular music, countless questions have been asked. Why do fools fall in love? Where have all the cowboys gone? What time is love? Magnets, how do they work? Most remain unanswered to this day. And now, Ylvis, the Norwegian duo currently riding the wave of Internet meme-dom based upon the query, "what does the fox say?" have asked another question. One which dates back to ancient times; hundred of years before the dawn of history.

We are Ylvis. Nice to meet you, Internet. If you will recall it was just about one year ago that "Gangnam Style" went viral and entered the public consciousness with its earworm melody and "can't take your eyes off it" music video. Remember how much fun we had? Trying to imitate PSY's dance, hearing it played literally everywhere from sporting events to talk shows to countless remix videos? Well my friends, this year's answer to "Gangnam Style" has arrived. The good news is, you don't need a translator to understand the lyrics. The bad news: once you hear "The Fox" by Norwegian duo Ylvis, it will never, ever leave your head. What does the fox say?

There are very few people who practice the art of the electric guitar that truly deserve the appellation of virtuoso when describing them. The music fans who packed the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles on August 31st were treated to performances by not one, but two guitar virtuosos in the truest sense of the word.

Joe Satriani kicked off his latest tour this week; supporting his fantastic new album , Unstoppable Momentum . The third night of the tour found Joe and his band playing Los Angeles' Orpheum Theatre. Check out the photo gallery inside!

Prior to Deep Purple embarking on their Fall tour, guitarist Steve Morse has hit the road with his eponymous Steve Morse Band as openers for Joe Satriani's new live tour. Come inside and check out a few photos from Steve's set at Los Angeles' Orpheum Theatre.

Space music is a genre which, much like the æther from which its name is derived, is hard to get into. It many ways, it is both the original and ultimate hipster music scene. One truly has to be an explorer and seek out artists who craft sounds of this praeternatural music style. So it is with a bit of rocket scientist-at-a-press-conference-giddiness, that I find myself writing about a newly discovered piece of space music for the second time this month. And much like the exciting things which those who gaze constantly skyward find, this album is a bit of an anomaly.

Guitarist and keyboardist Allen Lanier, one of the founding members of Blue Öyster Cult, passed away yesterday from complications from C.O.P.D. He leaves behind a legacy of music which is vastly more rich and varied than many people can appreciate.

In what is undoubtedly the finest example of pathos as defined by the world of Internet pop culture collisions, a new Tumblr features the lyrics of Morrissey combined with the legendary Peanuts comic strips of Charles M. Schulz.  If you've ever paid even the smallest amount of attention to either of these seemingly opposite ends of the cultural spectrum, you may be stunned by the results.

August 10th, 2013... a day which should forever be remembered in movie lore as K-Day. The day the first kaiju came. Trespasser . Emerging from San Francisco Bay and wreaking havoc in its path. Six days and three cities later, it was finally taken down. But it was only the first of many kaiju. Thus began the Human-Kaiju War, detailed in the utterly fantastic movie, Pacific Rim . If you haven't seen it, I can not recommend highly enough that you step away from the Internet and go see it, right now. If you have seen it, click through and enjoy an original song inspired by the film, written and recorded by the artist known as Miracle of Sound.

When it comes to electronic music, there are few things better than the warmth and beauty of the sounds created by analog synthesizers. While legends like Tangerine Dream, Wendy Carlos and Michael Garrison immediately come to mind when discussing these particular instruments, it is becoming less common to come across contemporary players embracing the sonic palette of analog. Thank goodness then for Steve Moore, and his new album, Positronic Neural Pathways .

Album August is all about discovering new music; opening your ears to artists, genres and sounds you have never heard before or considered listening to. If you are a more recent or brand new follower of mine on Twitter, here is how Album August works.

In an alternate reality to this one, there was a video game adaptation of The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension . Much like the movie, it was a cult classic; a 2D side scrolling platformer beat 'em up with early examples of extremely advanced graphics. This imaginary game's theme music was lovingly crafted in 8-bit glory by game composer Andrew Lemon. The sad news; this game doesn't exist * . The rad news; the theme music does.

Mashups were incredibly fun when they first appeared on the music scene a few years ago. The ease of making a mashup did lead to an over abundance of slap dashed creations of dubious quality. However, every so often a truly wonderful example of the genre bubbles up to find our ears. Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" x "Gerudo Valley" from The Legend of Zelda game series, is exactly that.

The official website of DEVO reported sad news this morning that drummer, Alan Myers passed away following his battle with cancer.

Six years ago today, I hopped a Red Eye from Los Angeles to Kansas City, MO, and then drove across the border into Kansas City, KS for a live music performance. Only I wouldn't be in the audience; I would be on the stage, or out in left field as it were.

And from the "What Is This All About But It Doesn't Matter Because It's Amazing" Department... David Lee Roth is starring in a new short film. As a hitman. In Japan. With all the trappings, soundtrack panache and sanguine tension of a Tarantino film. Yes, really.

Violinist Lindsey Stirling has done it again. By pairing her talents with pianist William Joseph, Stirling has brought her signature sound to a very familiar video game theme, one which I am actually surprised she hadn't taken on sooner; Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori's "Opening Suite" from Halo .

Reprinted from the December 2006 edition of Music Street Journal "Who so pulleth out the sword from the stone is the true-born king of all of Britain."  While this greatest of tales of heroism and chivalry has been told numerous times in written and filmed form, only a handful of music based tellings have been done. One of the best known is this version, The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table , composed by Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman.

Ray Manzarek has passed through the doors of perception to join his Doors co-founder, Jim Morrison in the infinite. Manzarek passed away today following a battle with bile duct cancer at the age of 74. From The Doors to his solo work, he leaves behind a oeuvre of music which sounds unlike anything else ever committed to tape.

Words. I has none. Random Access Memories drops on May 17th, which can not arrive soon enough.

It has been a while since a new album has grabbed my ears in such a way that I literally can't stop listening to it after the first listen. Such is the sonic momentum of the veraciously named Unstoppable Momentum , the latest solo album from guitar legend Joe Satriani. After numerous listens this week, it is clear this album deserves accolades including "album of the Summer" and "instrumental rock album of the year". There is one further distinction which sets this album apart from Satriani's oeuvre; one specific to those whose ears are unfamiliar with his music.

Valora, on stage at 118 West Studios Southern California alt-rockers Valora recently played a gig at 118 West Studios in Ventura County; a professional recording studio facility with a performance space bigger than many clubs in LA/OC. Check out the pictures of Valora after the jump.

Record Store Day Morning Outside Salzer's Records This year's celebration of Record Store Day was an excellent example of a rule I learned from friends when I was in high school. Perhaps "rule" is a bit pedantic, since it is something they did which was meant to enhance an already fun thing. Either way, it is something I've tried to do each year on the holiday for music lovers, the artists who create music and the people who run the stores some us still dare to haunt.

Happy Star Wars Day! And May the Fourth be with you! To celebrate this year, lets take a journey back in time, to the music revolutionnshared by Star Wars; the Disco era. The collision of these two pop culture phenomenons occurring near simultaneously resulted in some awesome and dubious mash ups, before the term mash up was even a thing. Start with the above video featuring James Last and his Orchestra, performing a live rendition of Meco's discofied Star Wars theme, then come inside Chalmun's discotheque for some other galactic funk.

The heavy metal community has lost one of its most important guitar players. Jeff Hanneman, founding member of Slayer, passed away yesterday at the age of 49. While the music he helped create may not appeal to all, or even most, listening tastes, his impact as a composer, lyricist, guitarist and especially as a progenitor of the thrash metal genre, is undisputed.

In the not too distant past, hearing a quality cover version of a popular song was an exceedingly rare thing. With the proliferation of creative and legitimately talented individuals in the YouTube-era however, we get to hear interesting re-imaginings of songs almost as soon as they gain a modicum of popularity. Such is the case with a stellar, acoustic guitar cover of Daft Punk's hot new single, "Get Lucky," as performed by Russian guitarist and YouTube sensation, Igor Presnyakov.

A very happy Record Store Day to you! Today, we celebrate music, the artists who create it and the people who run our favorite record shops. When you tweet about your day's adventures, include #RSD13 to be a part of this live blog. Even if you aren't on Twitter, please enjoy the Record Store Day conversation in real time, right here! Tweets about "#RSD13" No matter where you choose to celebrate today, be it in a store, at a concert or kicking back with your favorite sounds, turn it up, for the holiday that truly goes to 11. Tweet Follow @LinerNotes    

The annual celebration of Record Store Day is just a few hours away. For the sixth straight year, the organizers of the holiday for music lovers have outdone themselves with their traditional list of exclusive releases. Not only the sheer number of them, but the variety of the artists featured as well as the unusual formats the exclusives are available on. Narrowing down the nearly 200 exclusives to a list of the Top 11 was no easy feat, especially when you factor in glowing vinyl, picture discs and cassettes. Yes, cassette tapes are back.

This year marks the sixth annual celebration of music, music fans and independent record shops known as Record Store Day. In just a few short years, the day has evolved from a clever idea to reacquaint people with independent music stores into a legitimate holiday which those who choose to celebrate it, carefully plan their festivities. This new rite of Spring may be unfamiliar to those whose sole music experience is via digital outlets or even to former brick and mortar store goers who didn't know such a thing existed. If you are among the uninitiated, here is a primer consisting of 11 Things You Need to Know About Record Store Day, to help you get into the spirit of celebrating.

If you are reading this, you fall into one of two groups of people: Those who celebrate Rex Manning Day and those who don’t know what we are talking about when we cheerfully declare, either in the real world or in all caps on social media and usually with more feeling than we do for other holidays, Happy Rex Manning Day!

Are you a human (after all) who enjoys the sounds programmed by the musical robot duo known as Daft Punk? Then your ears will be happy to hear the news that the long-awaited return of Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter is nearly over. Their highly anticipated new album, Random Access Memories , is available to pre-order.

Welcome to a fresh installment of Boosting the Signal , where we talk about independent musicians and their crowd funding efforts to record their music for the world to hear. Let's talk ukulele, shall we? If memory serves correctly, Amy Kucharik, she with the four-string above, came to my attention a couple of years ago, following a Twitter conversation regarding her instrument of choice and the music to be made with it. It was one of those unique connections with an artist that couldn't have happened in the pre-Twitter era.

Run to the Pub, 2 Minutes to Last Call, The Hops of the Ancient Bartender. Let the beer-lyric puns (would that be byrics?) begin, because Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson, not content with being an active airline pilot, avid fencer and, oh yeah, singer in the biggest Heavy Metal band in the world, is fronting a new project: Trooper Ale.