Justice Gets Logo-Tastic

After introducing the world to So Me's t-shirt animating skills in their acclaimed video for "D.A.N.C.E.", Gaspard and Xavier have gone back to the well for their new clip for the equally infectious "DVNO." In keeping with the song's deconstruction of hipper-than-thou scenester elites, we're treated to a menagerie of slick, slightly altered consumer brand logos. I spotted re-creations of the old-school HBO logo, the neon Universal Studios Hollywood (or Florida) sign, and the little AMC "Silence is Golden" bumper, among others. And stick around for the brilliant tribute to the Steven J. Cannell production logo at the end. It's also nice to see that Justice's penchant for little tangential cameos during performances of their own music is alive and well. Not everyone looks good in an LED robot suit, after all.

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Mr. West "Gots ta Shine" at the Nokia

At the risk of making this page look like an 'I HEART KANYE' lovefest, we got some good news for all y'all Ye fans. Looks like the graduate will be bringing his good life and the "Glow in the Dark" tour to L.A. Here's the list of places where he'll show up for some fake sh*t. Yeah, you saw the sign right. We also like umbrella-ella-ellas, skaterboys, and superstars. YO! What if... nah... but... they were at that award show... YO! DAFT PUNK WILL BE THERE!!! Of course I'm kidding, but I'm also praying, wishing and dreaming. We might like Kanye (not as much as Kanye likes Kanye), but we love Daft Punk. Tickets go on sale Friday 2/15 at 10 am on ticketmaster. Here's the new (READ: creepy) "Flashing Lights" video while you wait to get your money right or, you know, wait for the tix to go on sale.

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Major Record Labels Hand Out Well-Deserved Awards, Or Something

I hesitate to blog about the Grammys for a couple reasons: 1) Saying the mainstream music industry is in deep trouble is kind of like beating a dead horse with a baby seal. This situation is never more obvious than during the annual Grammy telecast. Eventually they're gonna run out of ways to repackage the Beatles' back catalogue and then all you'll be left with is Herbie Hancock albums. Which brings me to... 2) It's doubtful that KSCR and associates really care about who wins these damn things. As a product of Strip Mall America, I'm probably one of the few who has a lingering emotional investment in the whole process. And despite their relatively unpredictability, major Grammy award winners are usually divided into two camps: the most broad, middle-of-the-road commercial successes (Foo Fighters, Alicia Keys) and the aging stars who are really being awarded for a whole body of work (Steely Dan over Beck, Radiohead, and Eminem for 2001 Album of the Year? Really?). So where can timeliness and relevance be found in an institution that allows "Professor" will.i.am to rhyme "Grammys" with "jammies" and "slammies" while placating the indie crowd with Bright Eyes' award for, um, album packaging? The performances, obviously. The Time and Rihanna complemented each other unusually well and the Beyonce/Tina Turner diva-off was one for the ages, but the night belonged to Kanye West. The RIAA clearly wasn't honored by his lateness enough to give him the big prize (for the third time in a row) but at least hooked him up with a few rap awards and some airtime in front of the old Aggro Crag set from GUTS. Oh, and they also let us enjoy Daft Punk's first. TV appearance. EVER. Take six and take this, haters.

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Yacht Rock Lives!

As KSCR's resident soft rock connoisseur, I enjoyed every smooth minute of the Channel101.com "series" Yacht Rock during its 10-episode run from 2005-2006. Each month J.D. Ryznar and Hunter Stair (of VH1's short-lived Acceptable TV), along with a talented supporting cast, re-enacted the creative inspiration for the gentlest grooves of the late '70s and early '80s, lampooning everyone from Kenny Loggins to Michael Jackson to Warren G. Since then, Yacht Rock has become a cultural mini-phenomenon (mostly amongst people who own a Michael McDonald solo album). Due to popular demand, the YR crew got together to make one last episode detailing the exegesis of "Footloose," a story which may or may not involve a deranged Jimmy Buffet holding Loggins hostage and a climatic massacre of Parrotheads. Yah mo check it out. (NSFW dialogue)

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