Today's Hotness: Up Up Down Down, Bad Brains, The Monkees

>> Aloha readers. Please be advised that we're going to be off-line for the rest of June, as we've got a bit of sun and fun lined up. Don't worry, we won't be totally rock free, as we've got biographies of John Lydon and Frank Zappa already thrown in the suitcase. Expect your :: clicky clicky :: service to resume July 1.

>> We've been spinning Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Start's new long player Worst Band Name Ever trying to come up with an angle for a review since it came in the mail. In the meantime, the band has posted two MP3s from the set at its MySpace carport and at the sorta new, sorta not web site for the record here. One of the posted tunes is "I'll Thank You Later," the video of which we already posted here last month. We're more excited that the band has posted "The Red Loop," however, because it is one of our two favorite tracks from the hilariously titled new collection. Murmered, harmonized vocals drift over a bed of pounding toms and hard-panned, dueling acoustic guitars, and as always songwriter Steve Poponi's structurally beautiful simplicity. Two verses, two choruses, two minutes and twenty four seconds. Download both tracks below.

Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Start -- "I'll Thank You Later" -- Worst Band Name Ever
Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Start -- "The Red Loop" -- Worst Band Name Ever
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[for a boat-load more free MP3s and to order UUDD records, hit this link]

>> Pun Canoes is streaming the title track to hardcore progenitors Bad Brain's forthcoming reunion album Build A Nation. It's pretty one dimensional, but that one dimension is heavy. Stream "Build A Nation" here. Build A Nation was produced by Beastie Boy Adam Yauch and will be released June 26.

>> Things we didn't know or already forgot: Rhino is reissuing double-disc, deluxe editions of The Monkees' Headquarters and Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. If you order them both directly from Rhino you will receive two unreleased tracks from 1967 on a limited edition vinyl single with a picture sleeve. More details here. If you click around you will see that Rhino previously issued similar deluxe editions of The Monkees and More Of The Monkees at some point along the way. Is it true The Monkees outsold The Beatles and The Rolling Stones between 1966 and 1968? Did we read that right?

>> Since we've opened the door on our musical past by mentioning The Monkees above, we may as well also note something else we found very interesting. Fifteen years after releasing the first two parts of its From The Vault series, the Grateful Dead organization has finally seen fit to release the third volume. Three From The Vault streets June 26, and we are sure all of you will throw it right in your shopping carts next to that Bad Brains joint. More information right here. Mrs. Clicky Clicky actually got us a cool DVD featuring the Grateful Dead performing on Tom Snyder's talk show in 1980. The performances were to promote the release of the excellent Dead set Reckoning. The interview portion, which pairs Jerry Garcia with Ken Kesey, was really, really amusing.