Damn Jackals Release Myspace-premiered "Freezing Blues" & Punk/Glam Rock-inspired That's It EP Ahead of Crooked Castle, Vol. I-II Full-length (self-released)

Damn Jackals frontman and guitarist Beau Croxton explained that Myspace-premiered "Freezing Blues" is about "the type of cold, loneliness that reduces the heart to burning carnage and leaves the subject so crippled with emptiness and anger that he is rendered utterly unrecognizable." Croxton formed Punk/Glam Rock-inspired Damn Jackals along with friend and producer Mike Goehler over the summer of 2014 and before long, the two aspiring musicians converted his upstate New York home into a no-frills DIY recording studio soon dubbed "The Crooked Castle;" by 2015, Beau Croxton & Mike Goehler had already recruited guitarist Willie Mosto, keyboard and guitar player Paul Truitt, bassist Forrest Hackenbrock, and drummer James Esposito—effectively transforming the 2-piece collaboration into a fully-formed 5-piece band, plus an in-house producer, based out of Brooklyn. Damn Jackals additionally includes a 3-piece horn section made up of touring trumpet player Carter Yasutake (David Byrne & St. Vincent, Charles Bradley), trombonist Jason Disu (David Byrne & St. Vincent, LCD Soundsystem), and sax player Noah Dreiblatt (Blitz The Ambassador.) Damn Jackals and their three hornsmen wrote and recorded their just-released debut, That's It EP at Croxton's home-studio, as well as their appropriately-titled forthcoming double-LP, Crooked Castle (Vol. I & II.)

Damn Jackals readily list their greatest sources of inspiration and influence as "early 70's Bowie/T. Rex Glam Rock and Classic Punk styles of Johnny Thunders, Iggy & The Stooges, and Television, punctuated by distorted, wailing synth, guitar lines, and Croxton's fuzzed out vocals," as well as Captain Beefheart, coffee, Patti Smith, leather, The Dead Weather frontwoman Alison Mosshart, New York City, and "Cars" hit-maker Gary Numan. Upon my first listen to "Freezing Blues" and Tell All Your Friends PR-sent That's It EP, I was almost instantly reminded of the stylings of This Is It and Room On Fire-era The Strokes, The Black Keys, Foo Fighters, recently re-formed Jet, and The Witzard mainstays Peanut Butter Lovesicle. Damn Jackals' 5-track That's It EP is currently available to purchase from Apple Music, Soundcloud, Spotify, and similar-minded digital streaming platforms with full-length Crooked Castle (Vol. I & II) coming soon after. Damn Jackals have two upcoming shows scheduled: an Indie Shuffle-presented gig at Brooklyn's Our Wicked Lady on 7/15 and a gig with Crushed Out at New York venue Mercury Lounge on 7/28 and assure that there will be a "handful of Manhattan and Brooklyn shows in support of their release."

"Let Me Shine for You:" Lindsay Lohan for Playboy (Winter 2011-12 Leak)

Lindsay Lohan essentially embodies exactly "What NOT to Do In Hollywood :" Fame, fortune, success... sex, drugs & Rock "N" Roll . Within a fairly short period of time, Lohan somehow managed to obtain a plentiful helping of POWER @ a very young age. This gradual rise-downfall was captured on film; Between 1998-2010, she portrayed a wide array of roles across the silver screen in movies including: Mean Girls, Bobby , Herbie Fully Loaded , Georgia Rule, Machete , and Freaky Friday . Between rapid-paced film shoots, Lindsay Lohan also found time to record 2 Pop Rock albums for Casablanca , Speak (2004) and A Litter More Personal-Raw (2005). Needless to say, Lindsay Lohan has gotten roped up in a lot of troubles and woes with the law over the last 3-5 years... a vicious cycle of drugs, arrest, court, rehab, "daddy issues," jail time [Repeat]. That's the pure basics of it - But Google that shit for additional info, if necessary. Towards the end of...

[W]reckless, Topless American Youth: Lana del Rey - "Born 2 Die" (Britney Spears Birthday 30)

Lana del Rey [Lizzy Grant] effectively became 2011's "It Girl" with the release of her phenomenal debut single, "Video Games" (Stranger) . Like many struggling singer-songwriters, Grant has been signed, dropped, and significantly changed her public image since bursting onto the scene (2009). With that said, it can be assumed that Lana del Rey has collected just as many "haters" as she has avid supporters. To be perfectly honest, the only other artist I can think of that made this much commotion... garnered so much wide-spread buzz/hate and critical acclaim -- right out of the gates -- with just one track is Britney Spears . And maybe in this post- Mike musical era, that's the true synthesis of Pop Culture: Britney Lynn Spears . After months of repeated teasing and speculation, Lana del Rey 's major label debut, Born 2 Die will [finally] be released this coming Jan. 30-31, 2012. Pitchfork reports that it will feature "Off to The Ra...

Liberty Bell Cracked In 1/2: Ween - "Freedom of '76" (Gene Ween's Final Send-Off)

Chocolate & Cheese (1994) was one of the first albums I bought with my own money. I was in some sort of BMG Music Club , where you'd buy 5 CD's and then get 10 for "FREE." It was all sent through mail order and you picked the titles from some special booklet. I'm almost positive that Chocolate & Cheese's side boob-baring album cover was what initially drew me in... mind you, I was 12-15 and the zany Ween logo/middle finger CD graphic really didn't hurt either. Honestly, I forget how I really felt about it @ the time, but a few years later, my older cousin Josh told me that Ween were this BIG college "jam band." CKY did some sort pf 93.3 radio takeover to promote their new album and played "Freedom of '76" late that night on air. Needless to say, I re-visited Chocolate & Cheese @ about 20-something this go 'round and I fucking loved it! Ween were really weird, yet talented... almost too talented. I can vaguel...

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