"Tell me why I love the weather, tell my why I love the weather." - Lefty's Deceiver.

Coolfer does some pretty extensive research into what is going on with Fiona Apple's unreleased Extraordinary Machine, which, if you haven't been paying attention, is something of a Yankee Hotel Foxtrot kind of phenomenon at this point. Tons of interesting information at the link. Something we really enjoy about Coolfer's vantage point on things is that it consistently emphasizes the importance of the retail angle, something that is typically ignored in music coverage and has been somewhat more downplayed since the advent of the .MP3. Anyway, Coolfer doesn't disappoint here, and ends with a barrage of provocative questions. (For those who don't recall, we love the title track to "Extraordinary Machine," along with most anything that Jon Brion has had a hand in making.)

Target has some sort of incredibly involved online lifestyler ad campaign that features The Hold Steady, Bloc Party and a bunch of other hip bands. They are running the ad at Pfork -- we wonder if that is their biggest advertiser ever, besides the major labels, of course. Anyway, it looks kind of interesting, it's got a bunch of episodes that go live at weekly intervals. We are sure it is basically just Felicity with a bunch of indie rock in it, but that's better than regular old (or no) Felicity, innit?

Splendid gives Amusement Parks On Fire's self-titled record the feature review treatment. We've heard some of this on the Internets and it is good.

That is all.