THE RACONTEUR HITS A HOME SHOPPING NETWORK NEAR YOU! INNOVATIVE RACONTEUR ACTION PACK AVAILABLE AT FROMOLDTOGOLD.COM NOW FEATURED AT SPECIAL LIST PRICE OF $18.98

Nashville, TN- Leading multimedia retailers and home shopping networks across the globe have unveiled The Raconteur Action Pack, available now where all top products are sold. Listed at the special price of $18.98, The Raconteur Action Pack is the finest sound machine on the market, and finally puts the power of The Raconteur into your very own hands.

Based on an original Raconteur, a sound making machine from the last century, The Raconteur Action Pack provides consumers with the ability to generate their very own melodies using three unique controllers. With multiple settings via easy to push buttons, The Raconteur produces the finest in Rock ‘n’ Roll and Blues sounds.
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Available in egg-shell white for a limited time only, The Raconteur Action Pack is a must-have for budding musicians and music-lovers across the country. Call 877-5-on-the-5 or visit www.fromoldtogold.com while supplies last.

Here’s the very campy infomercial video they put together for it:

Who knows if and when The Raconteurs will actually sell something on the site, but man, if this thing actually existed, I would definitely buy it!!!

Call 877-5-on-the-5 (that’s 877-566-8435) and leave a message for…Old to Gold. If you get put on hold, enjoy a selection of Raconteurs songs which will play until you are transferred to the voicemail.

Full press release below:

THE RACONTEUR HITS A HOME SHOPPING NETWORK NEAR YOU!
INNOVATIVE RACONTEUR ACTION PACK AVAILABLE AT FROMOLDTOGOLD.COM NOW FEATURED AT SPECIAL LIST PRICE OF $18.98

Nashville, TN- Leading multimedia retailers and home shopping networks across the globe have unveiled The Raconteur Action Pack, available now where all top products are sold. Listed at the special price of $18.98, The Raconteur Action Pack is the finest sound machine on the market, and finally puts the power of The Raconteur into your very own hands.

Based on an original Raconteur, a sound making machine from the last century, The Raconteur Action Pack provides consumers with the ability to generate their very own melodies using three unique controllers. With multiple settings via easy to push buttons, The Raconteur produces the finest in Rock ‘n’ Roll and Blues sounds.

“Our customers are our first priority, and to be able to provide them with a product of this quality is something of which we’re proud,” said online retailer Vice President Anna Samson.

“The Raconteur in its original form is rare and hard to find, a real gem of a sound source,” said From Old to Gold host Jim Reynolds, who recently featured an original Raconteur on his acclaimed antiquing show. “To know that a new-and-improved version of this incredible artifact, in the form of The Raconteur Action Pack, is available to home shopping viewers across the globe is truly a thrill.”

Available in egg-shell white for a limited time only, The Raconteur Action Pack is a must-have for budding musicians and music-lovers across the country. Call 877-5-on-the-5 or visit www.fromoldtogold.com while supplies last.

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For more information about The Raconteur Action Pack, please contact:

Flobart Johnson Wright - fromoldtogold@gmail.com

And visit http://www.youtube.com/oldtogold

In honor of the 10th year anniversary (uh… is that POSSIBLE?) of The Greatest Band to Ever Exist–AKA “The Strokes“–NME has put out a very special issue commemorating the little New York band that could. It goes on sale TOMORROW, Wednesday November 19, 2008.

As much as I love being sarcastic and bitter about everything, I’m looking forward to reading this issue–after all, The Strokes, along with the White Stripes, are among my most favorite bands in the entire world. (And if you look closely, I may or may not be quoted somewhere in the piece.) Complain and deny all you want, but The Strokes really put New York back on the musical map in the early 2000s and helped revitalize interest in real rock music.

Right now NME.com is having a poll about your favorite Strokes track of all time. May I suggest you rate a little song called “The Modern Age” as one of your top picks?

And if you needed any more reasons to gush over The Strokes after all this time, just watch the video below… I’m guessing you’ve got a lot of fond memories around this track:

The Strokes - Last Nite from Geraldine Mora on Vimeo.

After all these years, and the long sabbatical, are you still as excited about The Strokes as you once were?

Who wrote the book of love?
I don’t know but, whoever it is, when I find them I’m going to beat that person senseless. Why? Because when they wrote that book, they obviously forgot to put the warning on the front. And now I’ve spent my life having that job. “Warning: real love may come with extraordinary amounts of sadness, depression and self-loathing.” Love can make you a reluctant existentialist.

What’s the frequency, Kenneth?
I mean, seriously, who is Kenneth? The answer should be, “Hey Michael [Stipe] what would happen if you sat down and actually thought this shit out for 10 minutes?” I mean, no offence but there’s a slight difference between Monster and Fables Of The Reconstruction and we all know what that is; it’s a level of giving a fuck. $80m will do that to anyone who has a credit card and access to a Barney’s. I have seen the band since and I say all this as a fan, by the way.

When will I be famous?
My God: if you’re lucky, never! Fame is an unnatural construct and those who go in search of it are the least likely to find it. I mean, really, does anyone want to sit through a show by the Killers? What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, unfortunately with the exception of the Killers.

More ovah at the source.

The band plays solid, catchy music that’s charming and full of… well… joy. I have to say, out of all the Strokes’ members side projects (Albert Hammond Jr’s solo ventures, Nikolai Fraiture’s band Nickel Eye), Little Joy is perhaps the most refined and eclectic. It’s no doubt that Rodrigo Amarante’s notable career as an accomplished singer songwriter has had a dynamic and positive effect on the band’s mature sound.

Drawing band support from long-time Strokes compadre Matt Romano (drums) along with guitar power from Michael Ian Cummings and Matthew Borg from opener The Dead Trees, the band had an impressive, complete sound. Perhaps it’s testament to the individual experience of each of the band members, but was hard to believe that this band is on it’s first live tour–although there were some starts and stops, for the most part the performance was a well-oiled machine, where the music flowed freely and easily from their instruments and mouths.

They also dished out a new untitled song. Check it out in the video of the song below. Try to ignore the girl with the camcorder… she was up there the whole time w/ her video cam:

Little Joy @ Mercury Lounge, NYC from l on Vimeo.

Fellow NYC musicians Albert Hammond Jr. and Steve Schiltz of Longwave were on hand to cheer their buddy on.

Definitely a charming debut for this fun new little band.

Boston pop-rockers The Dead Trees were also on the bill. Their sound at times is reminiscent of Wilco and Ben Kweller. Knowing nothing of this band prior to seeing them live, I was simultaneously impressed and confused by them. Their songs are polished–they feel catchy and upbeat when the tunes are being played live, however I think some of the songs lack a really big hook payoff that would really make them shine.

I do think they are a band who you can grow to love if you sit down and become familiar with their music. I think this band definitely has the potential to get big… their music and showmenship completely lends itself to gaining a grassroots fan following. They will surely benefit from extensive touring over the next few years.

Young Brooklyn-based upstart Luke Rathborne also opened the night with a soothing start, with his blend of atmospheric, Jeff Buckley-meets-Bob Dylan crooning and strumming. The singer, who only turned 21 last month, is currently working on his debut album with members of The Johnsons–as in Antony and the Johnsons.

There was one “I can’t believe this is happening” moment occurred during Luke’s set. A photographer dude, who was all up in Luke’s grill for a good majority of the set–despite the fact that no one else was standing up front–must have had his phone on vibrate, which is good.

But the unfortunate part came when his phone vibrated, he picked it up, and proceeded respond to the other person on the line (”YEAH, I’M AT THE MERCURY LOUNGE AT A SHOW…”) in a loud voice during a quiet and delicate song. Other audience members were shocked and appalled–vocally gasping as their mouths hung agape. Fabrizio himself expedited the disruption by escorting the uncouth photographer to the door outside.

Sad you were shut out of the Little Joy show last night? There are a few more chances in the NYC area: Friday 11/14 - Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell’s, Saturday 11/15 - Asbury Park, NJ - Wonder Bar. Little Joy will also play a free gig at Virgin Megatore Union Square on Monday around 7pm. Bring your copies of their new album (who’s haunting girl in swimming pool cover picture was shot by Devendra Bernhardt’s mother) for the band to sign.

SETLIST: Evaporar, Unattainable, Play the Part, Shoulder to Shoulder, Brand New Start, Next Time Around, Happiness, With Strangers, Don’t Watch Me Dancing, How to Hang a Warhol, No One’s Better Sake, Untitled new song, Keep Me In Mind

RELATED: Read a recent interview w/ the band from the Boston Globe. More reviews at Look at me, I made a blog, Vicarious Music, Brooklyn Vegan, Check out the Dead Trees’ Daytrotter Session and on Local Cut

A Natural Ghost from Wilson Wolf on Vimeo.

Anyone happen to know him?

The video, which was shot by artistAmy Jo Diaz , and Strokes guitarist Nick Valensi makes a cameo as a thrashing guitar hero.

Out of all the Strokes members’ side projects, I gotta say, this is my least favorite. As you may recall, Fabrizio is also in another band with Binki Shapiro and Rodrigo Amarante, Little Joy, which also dropped their album this week. Where Megapuss is all about ridiculous dalliance, Little Joy is a celebration of charmingly sweet melodies and sing-a-long style anthems.

More over at The Music Journal.

Some voting-related stories:

Rock the Vote Leaves Voters in Limbo
Sondre Lerche’s tips for Election Day

FREE THINGS YOU CAN GET FOR VOTING:
Vibrator or “Maverick” Sleeve at Toys in Babeland
Starbucks is giving free coffee
Free ice cream at Ben & Jerry’s
Free Krispy Kreme donuts