You may be aware that Record Store Day is just around the corner – and with it comes a cornucopia of special events, prizes and limited edition releases from some of the industries biggest and best!

You may also be aware of (and judging from the amount of inquiries we’ve been getting, you are) a limited edition release from a local college rock n roll band… Phish (pronounced Puh-hish.) If you’re one of these self professed “Phish heads” here’s the info straight from the fish’s gill:

On Record Store Day, Phish will release TWO SOUNDCHECKS, a Limited Edition 7-inch vinyl record that will be available exclusively at participating independently owned record stores across the country. ‘Two Soundchecks’ marks the band’s first ever live vinyl release and their first release in conjunction with Record Store Day.

This 7-inch is limited to 2,000 hand-numbered copies, and once they are gone they are gone. The A-Side is an instrumental jam culled from the soundcheck of Phish’s third show of a sold out three-night stand at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, CA. The B-Side is an especially exotic soundcheck from Hartford, CT in 2009, featuring Trey on Bass, and Fish on drums. This Limited Edition 7-inch was created exclusively for Record Store Day.

Pure Pop will be opening at 10AM record store day, and because we’ll only have TWENTY of those copies, we’ve decided to institute some kind of raffle to give everyone who wants a copy a fighting chance. Namely because we’re going to make people fight for them. Just kidding.

Keep your eyes on our facebook page and this blog for more info on on the raffle and for more info on our record store day exclusives.

There are as many opinions about Health Care Reform as there are strains of the flu. Like it or lump it, the legislators have legislated. Here at Pure Pop we only see one course of action when vastly complicated and controversial bills dominate the headlines; we listen to songs that are superficially connected to them. In that spirit, we proudly present 10 songs to Celebrate or Lament Health Care Reform By.

1. Gregory Isaacs “Night Nurse”

A classy start.

2. Phish “Down With Disease”

The local heroes take a stand against disease.

3. Alien Sex Fiend “Here Cum Germs”

Is being a sex fiend covered under the new plan?

4. Deltron 3030 “Virus”

Animated persons are low-risk for skin disease.

Read the rest of this entry »

A lot of us at Pure Pop have been in this music game for a while. When you spend as much time following the news and watching the trends as we do, you develop a sixth sense for what’s coming next. Don’t believe us? Bookmark this page and look at it again in one years’ time. You will be shocked by how accurate these predictions turn our to be. (Note: The following is strictly a piece of comedy. Don’t get your panties in a bunch.)

5. Kanye West Mauled by Bear

During a visit to the San Diego Zoo, the contentious Kanye West will misinterpret a grizzly bear’s scratching of an itch as a personal affront. In retaliation, West will enter the cage and confront said bear, only to be mauled and disfigured. Surviving the incident, West will post a poorly-written and insincerely-self-deprecating post on his blog acknowledging that his hubris has once again left him with egg on his face.

4. Tom Waits Experiences Career Renaissance Due to Tonsillectomy

Gravel-voiced icon Tom Waits will undergo a necessary tonsillectomy this spring. Consequently, Waits’ gruff, growling vocal delivery will be forever changed. His growling tenor will transform into a smooth alto croon. Invigorated and inspired by his new Rick-Astley-esque voice, Waits will release a series of lively big-band arrangements of his most beloved songs. His initially skeptical fan base will embrace Waits 2.0 as will mainstream audiences as never before.

3. Phish Break Up and Get Back Together

During their spring tour, Trey Anastasio will tearfully announce that Phish have once again reached an impasse and decided to go their separate ways. During the summer, each former member of the band will embark on various unsuccessful projects, including six instrumental solo albums by Trey, a collaborative album between Mike Gordon and Living Colour’s drummer, an anthology of limericks by Page Mcconell and a new album from Jon Fishman‘s Pork Tornado. This fall, on Phish’s website, the band will issue a statement saying they’ve realized they are at their happiest and most creative when working together. The subsequent early winter tour will be their most well-attended since the previous reunion tour.

2. Scarlett Johansson Records 2pac Tribute Album

Undaunted by the universal scorn that greeted her album of Tom Waits covers, Scarlett Johansson will continue to pursue her musical ambitions. Setting her sights on martyred hip-hop legend 2pac, Johansson and producer Daniel Lanois will release an album of down-tempo  interpretations of 2pac’s songs. The album sells poorly, becoming a a synonym for celebrity excess and pop-culture vapidity. It’s greatest condemnation will come from 2pac’s mother, Afeni Shakur, who says of the album, “It’s the worst thing to happen to my son since he got shot.”

1. Bono Reveals Indifference To Injustice and Suffering

In a candid interview with Playboy, U2′s Bono will confess his various altruistic endeavors are part of a series of publicity stunts that, as the singer will put it, “…have paid off handsomely.” The Irishman will go onto admit that he “couldn’t really care less about other people’s problems. Have you seen my massive house? It’s bigger than most high schools. I’m not going to mope around over some starving people I’ll never meet when I’m living like an Egyptian emperor, am I?” When pressed for anything that does bother him, Bono will admit that, “Sometimes my personal chef will behave a little informally around me. That irks me to no end.”

This weeks pop list asks and answers the question : Who are some of the greatest bands and artists and why do you hate them so much?

	10. Ani Difranco pros- uncompromising and empowering lyrics, prolific output, aggressive yet highly listenable music. cons- Angst-ridden and overwrought, Albums that sound the same, lyrics that seem to be inspired by a hormonally challenged teenager’s journal entries. see also: any artist with an acoustic guitar and a “‘Poetry for Dummies” book on their tour bus
	9. Ween pros- a chameleon-like ability to mimic countless genres and eras, Gene and Dean’s dynamic, hilarity. cons- silliness, novelty music isn’t music, a lack of earnestness. see also: They Might Be Giants, Dead Milkmen
	8. The Doors pros- Jim Morrison cons- Jim Morrison
	7. Morrissey pros- witty and intelligent lyrics, that indelible Morrissey croon, he was in The god-damn Smiths cons- overwrought lyrics, repeated focus on morbid or bleak themes, that excruciating Morrissey croon see also: The Cure, Joy Division etc
	6. Kimya Dawson pros- adorably sweet persona, personal and honest songwriting devoid of hubris, classic melodies and chord structures under-produced in contrast with modern overcooked production cons- a grating childlike affectation, half-baked songwriting, an apparent lack of any real talent
	5. John Cage pros- advanced conceptual and avant-garde music greatly, epitomized the “think outside the box” mentality cons- behind his concepts there’s little of substance, more interested in his legacy than his music see also: anything that sounds like a three year old playing a piano that your friend tells you is genius
	4. Yes pros- sophisticated compositions as influenced by classical music as rock, virtuosic musicianship cons- esoteric songwriting, overindulgence, pretentiousness, silly lyrics see also: any given prog rock band
	3. Kanye West pros- he’s produced dozens of great tracks for other artists, charismatic delivery, a gift for composing infectious songs that transcend the genre cons- a repulsively massive ego, vacuous lyrical content, 808′s & Heartbreaks see also: any MC with delusions of grandeur
	2. Metallica pros- Kill ‘Em All, Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, …and Justice for All cons- The Black Album, Load, Reload, St. Anger, Death Magnetic see also: any metal band that’s ever gone mainstream
	1. Phish pros- virtuosic musicianship, first-rate improvisation, an ability to bring something new to a song each time it is performed, a playfulness bands often lack cons- over-indulgent performances, tediousness, mediocre songwriting, annoying fans, interminably long songs, they’ve never put out a good studio album see also: Grateful Dead, every Jam band ever