‘Gossip Girl’ Soundtrack

If you’ve ever read this site before, you probably know that Editor-in-Chief Jessica is pretty obsessed with CW‘s “Gossip Girl.” Everything about it. She doesn’t take calls on Monday night between 8 and 9pm. No, really. It is the most talked about show of last year, so she’s not alone.

“Gossip Girl” is set to release its first official soundtrack. Compiled by music supervisor extraordinaire, Alexandra Patsavas (“The O.C,” “Chuck,” “Mad Men”) OMFGG – Original Music Featured on Gossip Girl No. 1, is a compilation of 13 songs that helped bring the Upper East Side to life during the show’s phenomenal debut season.

The soundtrack features The Ting Tings, The Kills, The Virgins (stream their track below!), The Kooks, Crystal Castles, and a host of indie rock’s finest. The album is now available for download on iTunes and CDs will hit stores on October 28th. Here’s a sneak preview… XOXO

The soundtrack’s release also sees the launch of the all-new www.OMFGG.com, a site devoted to the music featured on “Gossip Girl.” Fans of OMFGG can create their own profiles, chat with other fans, stream songs, and more.

Tracklisting:
01. The Kills – “Sour Cherry”
02. The Kooks – Do You Wanna”
03. Phantom Planet – “Do The Panic”
04. The Teenagers – “Feeling Better”
05. The Virgins – “One Week Of Danger (Demo Version)” (stream)
06. Nadia Oh – “Got Your Number”
07. Crystal Castles – “Crimewave”
08. The Republic Tigers – “Fight Song”
09. Junkie XL – “Cities In Dust”
10. The Ting Tings – “We Started Nothing”
11. Oppenheimer – “Breakfast In NYC”
12. The Pierces – “Three Wishes”
13. Albert Hammond Jr. – “Hard To Live In The City”

OMFGG: website | buy on iTunes

Do You Wanna Tour NYC With The Kooks?

During their last US tour, Los Angeles residents were able to catch The Kooks busking in the streets for Sidewalk Sets. Now, New York fans of UK wunderkinds The Kooks will have the opportunity to win a seat on a very special rock and roll tour of New York, and be witness to some outdoor performances of their own.

One day ahead of the band’s show at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park on September 10th, the Kooks are treating a handful of lucky contest winners to a guided tour of the city’s most famous (or infamous) rock and roll sights, and will be taking their guitars along for the ride. It could possibly be the first acoustic show on the top of a double-decker bus New York City has ever seen. The tour will finish up at the Apple Store in Soho, where the band will be playing a free in-store show.

Courtesy of Astralwerks, 101.9 WRXP, VisitBritain, and Time Out New York, the grand prize winner will scoop two round trip flights to NYC, hotel accommodation for three nights, two seats on the double-decker tour bus with tour guide Matt Pinfield (101.9 WRXP morning show DJ, former MTV VJ), two spots at the in-store performance at the Apple Store in Soho, and two tickets to see The Kooks live at Central Park Summerstage on September 10th.

To enter, head to the Kooks’ official website. Contest rules/regulations can be found at Astralwerks.

Keep your eye out for the soon-to-be-released “Gossip Girl” soundtrack, featuring “Do You Wanna,” the second single from KONK. The album hits stores in September.

Tour Dates:
Sep 04 – Clinton, NY – The Annex at Hamilton College *
Sep 05 – Montreal, QC – Club Soda *
Sep 06 – Toronto, ON – Virgin Festival
Sep 08 – Washington, DC – 9.30 Club
Sep 09 – New York, NY – Apple Store, Soho
Sep 10 – New York, NY – Rumsey Playfield Central Park *+
Sep 12 – Asbury Park, NJ – Stone Pony #
Sep 13 – Boston, MA – WFNX Disorientation
Sep 14 – Providence, R.I – Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel *
Sep 15 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory *
Sep 27 – Phoenix, AZ – KEDJ-FM Edgefest
Sep 29 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse ^
Sep 30 – Baton Rouge, LA – Varsity Theatre (18+) ^
Oct 02 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues ^
Oct 03 – Houston, TX – Meridian ^
Oct 04 – Austin, TX – Antone’s ^
Oct 05 – Tulsa, OK - Cains Ballroom ^
Oct 07 – St Louis, MO – The Pageant ^
Oct 08 – Des Moines, IA – People’s Court ^
Oct 09 – Madison, WI – Barrymore Theatre ^
Oct 11 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre ^
Oct 12 – Cincinatti, OH – Bogarts ^
Oct 14 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall ^
Oct 21 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo ^
Oct 22 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom ^
Oct 24 – Sacramento, CA – Empire
Oct 25 – San Francisco, CA – Warfield Theatre ^
Oct 27 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues ^
Oct 28 – Hollywood, CA – Hollywood Palladium ^
Oct 31 – Honolulu, HI – Pipeline Café

* w/ Illinois
+ w/ stellastarr*
^ w/ The Whigs
# w/ The Wombats

The Kooks: website | myspace | KONK review | live review | contest rules

Kooks Olympic Shocker!

The title of this post may be a little dramatic, but the news is actually quite silly. Read on and have a chuckle.

With just a week to go before the opening ceremonies for the Bejing Olympics, an innocent little song by The Kooks has somehow led to an international controversy.

Two members of Britain’s Olympic sailing squad have been forced to change the name of their boat after Olympic officials deemed it inappropriate. Sailors Ben Rhodes and Stevie Morrison were informed that their boat, which they dubbed “Jackie Big Tits” (after a song from the Kooks’ first record Inside In/Inside Out), was unsuitable for the games.

The fellas have a long tradition of naming their vessel after various musical inspirations, with past names including “a boat called Britney and another named Sally Cinnamon.” According to Morrison, “It’s not the same if your boat just has a number, is it?”

The Kooks: website | myspace | KONK review | live review

Photo: Tom Sheehan

Buzz Under The Stars – Kansas City

Transforming Kansas City’s 150 year old City Market, into a downtown amphitheater is not always as good of an idea as one would assume. In the past, these events have run into problems: several bands simply didn’t have the pull to sell tickets. Other events, such as Ben Folds and Rufus Wainwright saw struggling numbers due to rain the night of the show. This night however, could not have been a better night to open the “2008 Buzz Under the Stars Concert Series.” And, as a reward Kansas City came out in droves.

The evening’s first band, The Morning Benders found its way to Kansas City by way of the Kooks‘ current national tour, serving as the latter’s support. Nonetheless, they couldn’t have fit into the show’s lineup more flawlessly. Their performance, driven by the flow of dark yet dance pop songs, like “Waiting on a War,” set the tone for what would be an energy fueled event. With a sound as infectious and catchy as The Shins and the ability to grab exposure from such great tour mates, I look for big things to happen to this band. The Kansas City crowd of almost 20,000 who seemed glue to the group’s set seemed to agree. They cheered and supported this band in a manner that would almost seem as if they had come to see only them. That was honestly really nice to see.

Following The Morning Benders, we found The Kooks, fresh off the release of their major label release, Konk. We also found our evening’s most energetic act. Vocalist Luke Pritchard‘s interactions with the crowd, ranging anywhere from intense eye contact all the way to hopping on the amps, were second to none. But, not to be pegged as all show and no sound, The Kooks orchestration was tight. Their set, which was a perfect mix of older tunes and new, was constructed and presented in a concise and efficient manner, supplying Kansas City with a showcase of why The Kooks are quickly climbing to the top of the indie scene’s biggest cult bands. This band does not disappoint. If you haven’t already, you certainly need to check them out.

It is my opinion that Rogue Wave, the lineup’s third performer, had the weakest set of the evening, but that might not be their fault. Based on the extreme showmanship of the bands they were following, and the acoustic setting in which they were playing, I feel that this show was not a great fit for them. I honestly think Rogue Wave would be an amazing band to see in a more intimate setting, like an indoor music theater, something that would enhance their somewhat detailed and atmospheric sound. While I was not impressed with their City Market performance, I really do look forward to catching this band again in a different venue. I’m sure they won’t let me down.

Death Cab for Cutie, the evening’s headlining act, certainly made an effort to not let anyone down. Their set included as many old favorites, like “The Facts Are In and We’re Voting Yes” and “Styrofoam Plates” as well as new radio tracks from Plans and Narrow Stairs. Ben Gibbard‘s uncanny ability to create an environment of happiness and enjoyment through detailed and documented songs of sadness and disappointment is almost amusing. It’s as though the catchy nature of the group’s music overshadows the depressing content of their lyrics. Nonetheless, the set was beautiful and catching, capturing the attention of an audience and generating a unified buzz throughout the Market. Few left following the short intermission, waiting for what would become a fairly long and impressive encore. I was very pleased with the selection of the set and came away from the City Market happy with Death Cab for Cutie’s attention to both its old fans and new.

Overall, I must confess that the night was a success.

The Morning Benders: website | myspace
The Kooks: website | myspace | KONK review
Rogue Wave: website | myspace |
Death Cab for Cutie: website | myspace | Narrow Stairs review

*Photos by Nick Davis and Joshua Hammond

The Kooks Acoustic MySpace Secret Show

The Kooks have hit #1 with their latest release KONK and are celebrating that, in addition to a sold out national tour, with an acoustic performance in Portland, Or. as part of the MySpace Secret Show franchise. The show will take place at the intimate Backspace on May 27, 2008. Both the small venue (Backspace has a 250 capacity) and playing acoustic are rare for the Kooks and the show guarantees to be a special one for those in attendence.

The Secret Show is a free, exclusive performance for the MySpace community. You need to be a friend of MySpace Secret Shows on the social network in order for eligibility to attend the show. So if you haven’t, get to friending and see the Kooks in a special acoustic performance!

The Kooks: website | myspace | KONK review | behind the scenes

Meet The Kooks!

The Kooks, fresh off a #1 chart debut for KONK in the UK, and #41 entry on the US Billboard Top 200, are heading to the States for their largest US tour to date (dates below). Be one of the first 200 people at each upcoming Kooks‘ gig and receive exclusive live tracks and a chance to meet the band!

In addition to their sold out US tour, starting this weekend (5/18) in San Diego, Kooks fans will have a chance to see the band play on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” in a special outdoor performance on Wednesday 21st, on ABC at 9pm PST/12am EST. A performance by the band can also be seen on Fuel TV’s ‘The Daily Habit’ from Monday June 2nd, at 6pm PST/9pm EST, and again at 9pm PST/12am EST.

Tour Dates:
May 18 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
May 19 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
May 24 - Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
May 25 - George, WA @ Sasquatch Festival
May 26 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
May 29 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
May 30 - Kansas City, MO @ The City Market
May 31 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Caf
June 01 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom
June 02 - Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
June 04 - Toronto, ON @ Kool Haus
June 05 - Philadelphia, PA @ the TLA
June 07 - San Francisco, CA @ Live 105s BFD Festival 2008
June 09 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
June 10 - New York, NY @ Terminal 5
June 11 - New York, NY @ Terminal 5

The Kooks: website | myspace | buy KONK special edition | download “Always Where I Need To Be” (Live) | watch the making of KONK |

The Kooks Behind the Scenes

Check out some behind-the-scenes footage of The Kooks while they were in Brooklyn shooting the video for “Always Where I Need to Be”, the first single off their Astralwerks album KONK, out in stores now:

The Kooks: website | myspace

The Kooks Album Stream, Acoustic Performance

The Kooks‘ sophomore album KONK, out yesterday on Astralwerks, is streaming online in its entirty at AOL’s Spinner.com here. You can download the album’s first single “Always Where I Need To Be” here.

An exclusive 4-song acoustic set and interview on Spinner’s Interface with frontman Luke Pritchard can now be watched here.

Tour Dates:
May 18 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
May 19 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
May 24 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
May 25 – George, WA @ Sasquatch! Festival (all ages)
May 26 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
May 29 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
May 30 – Kansas City, MO @ KRBZ’s ‘Buzz Under The Stars’ Series at The City Market
May 31 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Café
June 01 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom
June 02 – Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
June 04 – Toronto, ON @ Kool Haus
June 05 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore at TLA
June 06 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
June 10 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
June 11 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5

The Kooks: website | myspace |  watch a 4-song acoustic set

The Kooks New Single, Tour Dates

The Kooks are headed out on a North American tour mid-May (dates below) to promote new album KONK due out next week. To get your fix before then, download a live version of their new single “Always Where I Need To Be” performed at London’s Astoria.

Rolling Stone recently featured The Kooks in a video piece that has them talking about one of eighty demos that didn’t make the new album, as well as some insights as to what went on behind the scenes when they toured with the Rolling Stones. Check out the video here.

Tour Dates:
May 18 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
May 19 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
May 24 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
May 25 – George, WA @ Sasquatch! Festival – all ages
May 26 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
May 29 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
May 30 – Kansas City, MO @ KRBZ’s ‘Buzz Under The Stars’ Series at The City Market
May 31 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Café
June 01 – Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom
June 02 – Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
June 04 – Toronto, ON @ Kool Haus
June 05 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore at TLA
June 06 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
June 10 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
June 11 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5

The Kooks: website | myspace | download “Always Where I Need To Be”

The Kooks – Konk

If you were impressed with The Kooks‘ stellar debut Inside In/Inside Out, be prepared to be pleased once again with their sophomore album Konk, set to be released April 14, 2008. Singer Luke Pritchard said in an interview, “I want this album to be big. I’ve got an ego, I want the album to do well. I want our singles to come on the radio and for people to literally have their heads blown off by them.” this album is aiming to accomplish just that. The indie rock band from Brighton still maintains their catchiness, but now with a little more heart and soul.

After working on what was said to be eighty or ninety songs for the album, it was whittled down to twelve tracks. Kicking off the album is “See The Sun,” which starts off with a tease of bluesy guitar riffs and Pitchard sweetly crooning the first verse before switching things up to their signature upbeat tempo. Followed by their first single “Always Where I Need To Be,” which is one of quite a few stand out tracks on the album. The line “I always thought I would end up with you eventually” captures the hopeful and bittersweet tone of the song and most of the album. The heartfelt track “Gap” spites Pritchard’s claim on his ego; in a striking chorus he sings, “Don’t heed this praise on me / I know I don’t deserve it.” “Sway” emerges as the most powerful track from the devastatingly earnest lyrics to the music that backs it.

Even with the added depth of this album they still manage to capture the feel good essence of their previous album with “Mr. Maker,” “Love It All,” and “Down The Market.” Then club worthy tracks “Do You Wanna” and “Stormy Weather” produce irresistible hooks and melodies. They slow down with “Shine On,” which in the opening verse the line, “You look beautiful all of the time” can’t help but win you over with its sweetness. “One Last Time” continues to slow things with it’s sad and reminiscent focus on a failed relationship. The album ends perfectly with “Tick Of Time,” an acoustic, reggae-tinged track which will, if nothing else, leave you tapping your feet to it’s light and peppy beat.

The Kooks have defied the greatly feared sophomore slump with this album and proven themselves to be a strong and solid band even with the recent departure of their former bassist Max Rafferty. If you want to hear even more from them, a special edition version of Konk will be released with a second disc named RAK including seven songs that didn’t make it onto the album, an alternate version of “See The Sun,” and the home demo “Brooklyn”.

The Kooks website
The Kooks myspace

-Carina-