Thou Release Blessings of The Highest Order Digital Compilation Full of 16 Sludge/Doom Metal Nirvana Covers (Robotic Empire)

Thou are a Sludge/Doom Metal band hailing from Baton Rouge, Louisiana formed in 2005. Their current line-up consists of guitarists Matthew Thudium, Andy Gibbs & K.C. Stafford, bassist Mitch Wells, drummer Tyler Coburn, and vocalist Bryan Funck. Thou have previously released music in conjunction with a wide variety of labels, such as Deathwish, [adult swim], Vendetta Records, Gilead Media, Thrill Jockey, Sacred Bones Records, and Get Better Records. Although, Thou's latest effort was surprise-released this past Friday on Bandcamp Friday with Olympia, Washington-based imprint Robotic Empire. Blessings of The Highest Order consists entirely of Nirvana covers; featuring everything from Incesticide B-side "Aneurysm" to "In Bloom" from Nevermind all rendered in a Sludge Metal/Grunge style. In fact, most of the compositions from Blessings of The Highest Order have been previously released on past Thou recordings, aside from "Dive."

Said tracks have previously appeared on compilations, splits, and EP's, such as Peasant/To Carry A Stone/Malfeasance/Retribution, I Have Become Your Pupil with The HIRS Collective, Baton Rouge, You Have Much to Answer For, "Doused In Mud, Soaked In Bleach," In Utero: In Tribute, The Sacrifice, Whatever Nevermind, The Archer & The Owle, and most recently, Riffs for Reproductive Justice. Thou write on Bandcamp that Blessings of The Highest Order is "a compilation of all of the Nirvana covers we've released over the years. Thanks always to Kurdt, Kirst, Dave, Pat, and even Courtney." It features an eerily awesome album cover that looks to be some sort of black-and-white religious drawing/etching, much like what's shown across Thou's Bandcamp page. Though, most of these were lesser-known, hard-to-find, 12-inch vinyl comps. etc. so, it's nice to finally have them re-collected all in one place digitally.

Personally, I've never really been much of a Nirvana fan (I'm more of a Foo Fighters kinda guy!) but I can respect and appreciate Nirvana's necessary contributions to music as a whole... but, man, Thou really twist, contort, beef up, and Sludge/Doom-ify these well-known Nirvana records to a state of near-unrecognizability! With that said, not being a huge Nirvana fan, some of my favorites from this batch of 16 mind-numbing covers include the more "recognizable" songs, like "In Bloom" and "My Girl" AKA "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" or "In The Pines," originally, popularized by Leadbelly around 1944-48. Even though June's Bandcamp Friday event has passed, Thou "are planning on donating money to various causes over the next few weeks," according to Robotic Empire. Thou's Blessings of The Highest Order is now available on digital streaming platforms, via Robotic Empire.

"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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