D3o, created by d3o Lab in England, is a flexible, rubber-like material sewn into the cap that hardens upon impact -- immediately. There isn't a chance to blink -- it hardens to protect your head that fast. And as soon as the impact is over, the material becomes soft and mushy again. This is one of those concepts that's somewhat hard to grasp -- how can something become hard that fast? -- but once you see it in action, you get it right away. Wearing a Ribcap, which is guaranteed to work down to approximately -10 degrees,  gives you a stylish alternative to wearing a helmet on the slopes. Instead of a cumbersome hard structure, you get a soft and cozy knit cap made of a wool/polyester blend that helps reduce itching.

The first batch of hats, designed by Berlin-based design company Frisch, premiered in 2005 -- six years after Ribcap founder Jürg Ramseier, a former ski instructor in the Swiss Alps, concepted the idea. The latest designs came to life by Basel design duo, Lisa & Tom. All in all, there are 10 styles in various colors and designs. Ribcaps are available at retail throughout Switzerland for about $100 and from a few online shops, which are all written in German.

The beauty of d3o is that is can realistically be woven into nearly anything -- pants, gloves, shoes -- to offer ultimate protection against problems in everyday life, even the impact of (the off-chance of) getting hit by a car can be greatly reduced. There are already a number of sports recreation clothing companies incorporating d3o technology into their products -- and I only imagine this will continue to permeate the fashion industry.
 

Brooklyn's Afrobeat Heroes Spark a Fat One

If Antibalas served as a snapshot for how the world should look, there would be a lot more harmony on our planet. Their diverse world rhythms, described through a blending of jazz, reggae, soul, funk and, of course, Afrobeat made popular by the legendary Fela Kuti, infuse enough light to brighten even the darkest corners of the Earth. The group's eighth studio album (and first for the celebrated indie label) delivers a treasure trove of eclectic beats, energetic sounds, political musings and agreeable voices that come together in a perfect musical statement. Only seven songs long, the nearly hour-deep collection packs a serious punch, delivering enough diversity while remaining consistent and true to the group's rebel roots. While claiming more than 500 shows since their 1998 inception, Antibalas is the larger-than-life Brooklyn orchestra that could – and Security is just another notch in their collective belt.

Apparently I'm not the only one who likes this. Ami over at CoolHunting is diggin on it too. Buy it now.

Bloc Party is the latest band to announce its support of Al Gore's mega-concerts, Live Earth, planned to span 24 hours on July 7 all over the world. The initial lineup of 25 artists was released yesterday (Feb 15) and will reach more than 100 before the concerts take off. Working with the team that produced Live8, Gore hopes to further bring awareness of his Global Warming campaign to the masses. The initial lineup of aritsts shows a mix of genres but is also very mainstream -- likely to attract the mainstream to watch. But the addition of Bloc Party gives hope that this series of worldwide concerts -- being staged in London (Wembley), Sydney, Rio, Shanghai, Kyoto, Johannesburg and a to be determined U.S. city (my guess is either NY or Philly) -- will actually pull in some amazing new talent. Think the Police will show up to this too?

Other artists in addition to Bloc Party already set to perform at Live Earth:

Pharrell, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Snoop Dogg, Lenny Kravitz, Bon Jovi, Paolo Nutini, Sheryl Crow, AFI, Melissa Etheridge, John Mayer, Damien Rice, Corrine Bailey Rae, Duran Duran, Snow Patrol, John Legend, Black Eyed Peas, Akon, Enrique Iglesias, Fall Out Boy, Mana, Keane, Kelly Clarkson, Korn, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, Ray LaMontagne, Robin Thicke and Kenna.

The first episode features Thom Yorke solo on a piano introducing a number of songs from Radiohead's forthcoming album, a set from the White Stripes and an off-the-cuff session between Four Tet's Kieran Hebden and legendary jazz drummer Steve Reid, who has played with everyone from Miles Davis, James Brown and Sun Ra. Episode two features Beck and Jamie Lidell. While future shows have yet to be announced, you can register to stay on top of the news. Godrich told Pitchfork in a recent interview:

"We've got a lot of people that I'd like to see on the show [that] we're talking to. [But] I don't want to mention their names. Obviously, I'm really interested to capture some really iconic, bigger names-- really the whole point is to get people who are having their moment, to try and get a definitive record of what they're doing."

"And also, I've got a lot of friends in smaller bands," continued Godrich, "and there's an element of trying to promote stuff that we think is good."

View the trailer or download the first episode to your iPod.

Cloud Cult has already broken through on college radio and is a favorite in those ranks, but The Meaning of 8 could see big crossover in the vein of Death Cab or Modest Mouse. Their expressive sound is reminiscent of the Arcade Fire, Sufjan Stevens and, to some extent, the Polyphonic Spree, albeit with a more experimental rock edge. Their music is such that it could easily be backed by a full orchestra, the sound building with the addition of rows of strings, heavy artillery in the way of drums and the burning crash of massive cymbals.

Opening song "Chain Reaction," is an odd romantic ditty ("put your face on mine") with twirling blips that turn into relaxed guitar-driven chords while "Take Your Medicine" exhibits the band's natural ability to combine various sounds and musical genres in an experimental package delivering the song in such a way that's so radio ready. And on many tracks, the band plays around with such verve, but connects the progression through seamless transitions. Cloud Cult writes clever lyrics about everyday life but sets them to a progressive sound that makes the story that much more interesting. They definitely have indie leanings but straddle various genres -- folk, psychedelic, electronic -- that give Cloud Cult a unique edge. The band embarks on a national tour in March -- with a stop at SXSW -- and extends through May. You can order the album directly through their site -- that way they make twice as much money ... and isn't that the way it should be?

Listen to Take Your Medicine

Watch the video for Chemicals Collide:

Last year, Josh introduced Paz's vocals on his release Subtitulo where the pair dueted on the beautiful "The Man Who Doesn't Know How to Smile."

On Jan. 30, Josh will release the five-song EP She's Spanish, I'm American, a new side project with Paz, whose breathy voice perfectly complements Josh's gorgeous light singing. The collection is a dreamy, refreshing escape from reality that's ironically seeped in reality. Through poppy keyboard strokes, bouncy drumbeats, kicky cowbell and Jerry Garcia-like electro guitar, the EP is a quick snapshot of a couple in love.

The idea for the project sprouted after Paz toured with Josh to support Subtitulo. He said, "I thought it would be fun to do something with Paz cuz I like her voice, I like female singers with accents and I had some songs I thought she would sound good on."

As soon as Ford died, the media seemingly lost interest in James Brown and focused completely on funeral arrangements for Ford, interviewing anybody and everybody who knew the onetime half-term president who wasn't even elected (he wasn't even chosen as a VP -- he was sworn in under the terms of the 25th Amendment after Spiro Agnew resigned). Sure, troops were withdrawn from Vietnam during his term, but Ford was also heavily criticized for pardoning Richard Nixon. James Brown influenced countless musicians and singers -- gospel, rock, R&B, soul, funk -- during the last 50 years.

So, two questions:

The band posted the the first single, "Intervention," to iTunes, but there was some confusion. Lead singer and band mastermind Win Butler put a note up in his section of the band's website stating that "Intervetion" was to be posted as a charity single on Dec. 28 with proceeds going to benefit Partners in Health. Unfortunately, someone from the band's record label, Merge, posted the wrong song ("Black Wave/Bad Vibrations") two days early and the song leaked onto the web. The band is asking that people make a donation to PIH since many have gotten the song for free.

I just purchased what is labeled as "Intervention" from iTunes, but based on this information, I'm not sure if I'm listening to the correct song. After calling 1-866-NEON BIBLE x 7777, I am somewhat confident that the song I got is "Black Wave." Either way, if both songs are indicative of what's forthcoming from these guys, the album is going to once again put the Arcade Fire at the top.

Go to iTunes and buy it yourself.

The band also recently announced they're going to take up a five-night residency at New York's Judson Memorial Church Feb. 13-17. Tickets for those shows go on sale Jan. 5 at 9 am EST. They're also playing London's St. John's Church Jan. 29-31 and then Porchester Hall Feb 1-2.

It's true. We take advantage of the idea that we can go to any faucet, turn it on and get clean running water. About 80 percent of all illness in the world is attributed to unsafe, unclean water that carries parasites and other water-borne disease. But you can help. charity: water is an organization founded by former New York club promoter Scott Harrison to build clean water wells in Ethiopia, Malawi, Uganda and the Central African Republic.

My friends at Flavorpill are helping by asking readers to donate money to help build a well in Ethiopia. By purchasing a virtual bottle of water for $20, you can help build a well that will provide clean drinking water for a village for 15 years. Flavorpill is donating half the cost of a $4,000 well and ask that we pitch in the other half. And if they get more than $2,000, they're going to build more wells. Best thing is that 100 percent of the proceeds go to the project.

So donate now.

There were other albums that I toyed with but for one reason or another, they got pushed down (EP? too young? not released in the US?). For those, I added an "honorary mentions" list. So, without further ado and in no particular order, the SomethingGlorious Top 10 Albums of 2006 (click the band name to buy the CD):

ARCTIC MONKEYS: WHATEVER PEOPLE SAY I AM THAT'S WHAT I'M NOT
The Arctic Monkeys came out of nowhere. By the time anyone had any idea what was going on, they'd already broken the all-time first-week debut sales record in the UK. Then they hit America and their shows sold out faster than you could sneeze and say "bless you." Any band that could cause this big of a frenzy deserves to be mentioned. But on top of it, they're talented. When I interviewed Alex Turner in January (he had just turned 20), I expected to talk to a young, cocky kid. But he was smart and directed. The Monkeys music is fast, tight, thrilling and smart. WPSIATWIN is a solid debut from any band, but this is just the beginning for these guys. I expect bigger and better things -- especially now that the hype has died down. Look for release No. 2 in April.

RACONTEURS: BROKEN BOY SOLDIERS
When the White Stripes came up at the same time as the Strokes, I always leaned toward the Strokes. I appreciated what Jack and Meg did, but never really got into the band. But as soon as I first heard BBS -- Jack with Brendan Benson and the Greenhornes -- I was hooked. The sexy, sultry, engaging first chords of "Steady As She Goes" are as good as those of any great rock song ever written. Then seeing them perform at Lollapalooza solidified it. This is one of the tighest five-pieces around (yes, five -- Dean Fertita was a tour-only member). BBS is a witty collection of rhythmic, thinking-man's rock. The countryfied "Yellow Sun." Rubber Soul-era "Hands." The spooky "Level." Pure brilliance. When I ran into them at ACL, even Jack smiled. Something must be going right.

WOLFMOTHER: s/t
Plant. Ozzy. Andrew Stockdale. Anyone who graced the presence of Wolfmother in 2006 knows there are few live acts to hold a candle to this Australian trio, who re-ignited the classic '70s arena rock flame. Wolfmother's grandiose stage posturing combined with just the right amount of fantasy once again made it acceptable to hang psychedelic felt posters on your wall. Their music is a rolling thunder of stampeding elephants coming to knock you over -- and if you didn't get out of the way, you likely got swept up. It'll be interesing to see what else Wolfmother is capable of; but if this is it, they made an indelible mark.

The oft-outspoken critic of the music biz has one of the most well-regarded catalogs of any singer songwriter of the last 40 years. It's for that reason that some of the other best singer-songwriters have come out to pay homage to the smoky-voiced chanteuse. More details will come in the new year, but for now, here's a track listing for A Tribute to Joni Mitchell:

Free Man in Paris -- Sufjan Stevens
Boho Dance -- Björk
Dreamland -- Caetano Veloso
Don't Interrupt The Sorrow -- Brad Mehldau
For The Roses -- Cassandra Wilson
A Case Of U -- Prince
Blue -- Sarah McLachlan
Ladies Of The Canyon -- Annie Lennox
Magdalena Laundries -- Emmylou Harris
Edith And The Kingpin -- Elvis Costello
Help Me -- k.d. Lang
River -- James Taylor

When I was in London, I noticed a poster in a bathroom at a pub for ScooterMan, a service that, if you drink too much and you drove to your destination, they'll get you home ... safely. ScooterMan, like LA-based Home James, is a service that utilizes collapsable scooters that fit in the trunk of your car. The idea is that when you're too wasted to drive (which is pretty much whenever you've had 2-3 drinks -- according to a recent billboard I saw that read: "driving buzzed is driving drunk" -- apparently someone dies every 30 minutes as a result of drunk driving) you call this service, which then dispatches one of its drivers to fetch you, who puts the scooter in the back and drives you home. This way, you and your car arrive home in one piece. Sure, it's going to cost you -- but the price of getting home in one piece is seemingly worth it. Just think of all the money you'll save on legal fees when you don't get pulled for a DUI.

After nearly giving up on the music industry, founder Nick Peill met up with Icelandic singer Thorunn Antonia. Following a few months of hanging out, drinking in pubs and general carousing, the duo rounded out a band with Henry Spenner, Matty Derham and Jamie Putnam and something clicked. Instead of saying fuck it, the fivesome decided to fast-track themselves to a gig, which lead to them pressing 1000 copies of a single, which got played on the radio which eventually sold out in two hours.

Not bad for almost walking away.

This sparked a frenzy, but it's a fire that's being contained. Why? Fields don't want it to get out of control. Instead they want people to organically discover their music. And speaking of the music, it's virtually unable to peg Fields into a genre; they come to the game with a smattering of influences. From Radiohead, My Bloody Valentine and the shoegazing bands of the '90s to '60s psychedelic pop and '70s folk rock, the music is accessible, energetic, gorgeous, intense and, dare I say, fun-loving. For even the biggest music snob, Fields is hard to dislike. And while their music comes across on the softer side, the band recently held their own on a pan-European tour for MTV2 with hard rockers Wolfmother and Forward Russia.

Fields is currently working on a full-length album with producer Michael Beinhorn (Korn, Red Hot Chili Peppers) and will likely release that CD in 2007. Look for the band during their first-ever US tour, which will include a stop at SXSW.

Before heading into the interview, check out some songs:

Song for the Fields

Brittlesticks

Ok, now read the entire interview or just listen to it now (you may have to turn up the volume -- the connection made the chat slightly soft).

Q&A with Nick Peill of Fields:

SomethingGlorious: You were the ever-missing man this week!
Nick Peill: Yesterday, I totally forgot. I went into a recording studio with another band to do backing vocals on their album and my phone was off.

SG: Who were you in the studio with?
NP: They're called Good Book; they're a fairly up and coming band over here. We basically went down with a guy from Mystery Jets and some other people in bands who sang backing vocals – it was like Live Aid. Cajun Dance Party, a young London band, and some other people I don't remember were there.

SG: Where are you right now?
NP: I'm at home – it's my only day off in like three or four months. It's nice to be not in a venue or not on a tour bus.

SG: Where is home:
NP: Home for this week is just outside of London near Reading. I'm moving into London before Christmas.

After nearly seven long years, the singer with one of the most recognizable voices from the '90s has collaborated with a a variety of musicians and producers to create Out  of The Woods, a collection that should prove to be an amalgam of Tracey's disparate influences -- techno, downtempo, early '80s dance pop and more.

Her main partner-in-crime on the album is Ewan Pearson, known for his production/remix skills on the UK dance music scene and work with Nelly Furtado and Goldfrapp. The two worked on seven tracks, including a cover of Arthur Russell's "Get Around To It," which features the Rapture's Gabe Andruzzi on sax. There's also a cover of Pet Shop Boys' "King's Cross" backed by a brass band. Not one to mince words, Tracey wrote a downtempo ballad called "A-Z" about the bullying of gay teens in school. Another track, "Raise the Roof," Tracey describes as a  "shimmery piece of Scritti Politti-style pop."

Hailing from Austin, The Lemurs have enough rock gumption to say they're from that classic music town and enough musical girth to stand up against many of their post-punk contemporaries. At first listen, Franz Ferdinand, Violent Femmes, the Strokes ("They Do What They Like" reminds me of "Juicebox") and Bloc Party (the angular, chunky guitars of Lemurs "The Lemon Tree" in particular) come to mind -- even a little bit of Morrissey vocals. It's great that a band like this hails from Texas and not Brooklyn, the LES or England -- it's refreshing. There's something about Lemurs' music that's immediately infectious, that grabs you and makes you want to listen more. There's a lot of power and construction behind the music and I can only imagine how well it translates to a live setting. If anyone has seen these guys, I'd love to hear your feedback.

In the meantime, check out a couple of MP3s from their EP, which you can buy at CDBaby or through the band's MySpace page.

the Lemon Tree

My Definition

via Tripwire

It debuted on BBC's Radio 1 online and is set in a half-full dance club. The Bloc Party boys are sitting around on a couch, looking rather dour when mid-song, random distortions start burning through the screen. That quickly moves into what can only be described as the outward perspective of someone on ecstasy to finally seeing all the boys (minus Kele) passed out on the couch. Interesting video for a cool song. It was shot in London's East End by director Walter Stern, who also brought us Prodigy's "Firestarter," the Verve's "Bitter Sweet Symphony" and Massive Attack's "Teardrop."

Watch it here.

Don't bother consulting your closest confidant -- now you need look no further than Unazukin Dolls -- little fairies that are said to live under giant mushrooms in the woods. These diminutive Japanese figures will help you out of any situation -- big or small. Ask the dolls a question and they'll either nod or shake their heads. One nod or shake is a simple yes or no. Two in either direction: absolutely do it -- or don't.

While I'm not necessarily advocating seriously leaning on the Unazukin Dolls to guide your life, they're a fun little addition to any desk or kitchen counter.

Buy them from Firebox for $8.95 each. Look for future dolls' release to add to your collection.

A Belgian white ale ... from Japan? Oh yes, and it's really good. Today at lunch at Shaw's Crab House in Chicago (where I had some of the freshest crab cakes, a hearty lobster roll and rich New England clam chowder), I felt myself craving a beer. Looking through the list, nothing really tempted me until I landed on the Hitachino Nest White Ale. What's this? The waitress had never seen it before and quickly left for the bar. Returning with three glasses, she poured a little in each for us all to taste -- including herself. Apparently it's a new beer for the restaurant -- and as far as I know for the U.S. I'm a big fan of Hoegaarden so I wasn't expecting much from this, despite the great label with the little owl. But as soon as the beer hit my lips, I tasted the sweet, orange and lemon flavor typical of a white beer and was immediately pleased. Hitachino is brewed at the Kiuchi Brewery (about 1.5 hours outside of Tokyo via bullet train) and is distributed in the States by B.United International. The brewery has nine other Hitachino Nest beers, including Weizen, Sweet Stout, Pale Ale and Japanese Classic Ale, as well a line of Sake  (Kikusakari) and  Shouchu (traditional Japanese distilled spirit with high alcohol content). Kiuchi Brewery was founded in 1823, has won numerous international awards and will soon launch a wine segment.

I love bags. Honestly, it's a good thing I'm not a woman because I think I would spend all my money on bags and purses. Fortunately I have limited need to have a bag with me at all times but when I do find a good one, I usually go for it -- be it a man-bag (aka the "murse"), laptop bag or a perfect beach bag (whenever I'm lucky enough to go on a warm-weather vacation). So the other day when I discovered Passchal's Dad's Baby Bag, made from recycled truck and tractor tire inner tubes, I flipped. I should come clean that I don't have any kids (and don't have plans to have them any time soon) so fortunately this fantastic bag has multiple uses.

First off, the bag is deep and super wide -- wide enough for a laptop and many other things. It has a waterproof lining (which would be great for today's abysmal snow storm that hit Chicago), spots for a cell phone and iPod (with holes for your headphones to snake through), mesh water bottle holder (see how I'm adapting it from "baby bottle holder" -- pretty clever, no?) and loads of little pockets. It's stylish, durable and uber efficient. It has an adjustable shoulder strap and is lined with black hemp for extra strength.

It normally retails for $175, but Passchal is currently offering a special holiday price of $119.

But what finally helped them move from a band with a fervent fan base to one with a little more popular acclaim? "Grey's Anatomy." After the song, "How We Operate," appeared on the show earlier this year, sales of their most-recent release of the same name soared.

I sat down with Tom Gray – the second time I've talked to him – to discuss their failed relationship with Virgin Records, how being in a band got him ready for marriage and his favorite places to eat and drink in Brighton.

Read the Q&A below or just stream the interview, which is pretty damn funny at points.

SomethingGlorious: It's hot as hell out here.
Tom Gray: It's stinking hot, innit?

SG: Looking through your website, I noticed that you do a lot of blog diary postings. One was about your rules – don't shit on the bus, don't take life too seriously … is there one rule that you live by?
TG: Um, well, that's a funny situation. I was asked to write that for a magazine … one of the many in the UK. It was a section called Rock Rules and you had to write your life rules. It's a bit of a difficult thing to do. When I was writing it, I thought that in this industry you have to understand it.

SG: What's the key point of understanding it?
TG: To understand other people's interests.

SG: You're talking from the business side.
TG: Yeah, but people are kind of surprised when they discover things like that.

SG: Well you seem to have learned how to deal with all of that and to manipulate the system in a way…
TG: [laughs] Yeah, a little bit.

SG: So when your relationship with Virgin ended – and I'm putting that nicely – was it more of a mutual thing?
TG: Yeah, we asked them to let us go. It's funny when people say oh Virgin dropped you … insomuch as we asked them to let us go. We clawed their fingers away from us. We were on a little label called Hut Recordings. It had Verve, Placebo, Embrace, Neneh Cherry. It had loads of interesting things. David Gray was on there. It just existed under the Branson version of Virgin. Under the EMI version, they got shut down. But they put out 10 million albums. It's not bad for a small label. They got shut down two weeks we were going to put out our fourth record, Split the Difference. You've worked for six months for the new record … worked to the bone … getting ready to put it out and they shut down the label. And it's everyone who worked on your record.

SG: So what did you do?
TG: Then we were made into a Virgin band. And we worked with people we didn't know and didn't give a fuck about us. After about two months we were like "you know, let's not wait until you have an option on this contract. We don't want to work with you and you don't want to work with us. Let's work this record until the bitter end and then let's move on." It was over two months before the record even came out.

SG: Do you feel, going back to the idea of pleasing other people do you think the relationship with ATO Records now, do you have the freedom and creative ability to do what you want, do you have the support from the label?
TG: Yes, absolutely. What's complicated is when you're in a band you're not just a solo artist. You're constantly having to think of ways to compromise and create in a consensual situation. I don't like to think of it in the terms of freedom, but in space. They give you your space in order to do the thing you need to do.

SG: From an artist perspective, that must be refreshing. There's no pressure. One of the things I read was you were saying with the major labels your creativity is based on a fiscal year.
TG: Yeah, it blows me away. One of the reasons Hut got shut down was because Coldplay delayed their record. It didn't go into that fiscal year so EMI was forced to make cuts. It shouldn't be Coldplay's responsibility. If you start making a record, finish the record and then sell the record.

SG: Instead of saying you have three months to make it … go.
TG: And maybe we will sell it or we won't. Maybe we will back it or we won't, which they're contractually obliged to do but they don't. They'll spend $10,000 on you and then $3 million on Janet Jackson's makeup. And it's like, "great, this is so fucking stupid." You have businesses that are worried about market share and not actually about making money. There has to be a natural down point on that. That's what's happening to major labels.

SG: In terms of market share. I feel like How We Operate is the most successful and commercially viable. Next to Bring it On it probably is the best album you've put out. Sonically, it's not that different from everything else you've done. Why all of a sudden do you think all of a sudden .. what caught on.
TG: We just cleared up the sound a little bit. We didn't do our usual lo-fi rumblings. We put that to bed a little ways so the people on the radio hear clarity and drums. They want to hear drums and bass – very clear and precise. They don't want to hear 20 shakers and some filthy loop. We know that but they don't know that.

SG: So you think it's the clarity.
TG: I think it was Gil [Norton] going "I know how to make a Gomez song sound like a radio song but still keep it as a Gomez song."

SG: Tchad Blake did the last one and I don't want to have you pick sides, but do you think the way Gil worked with you on this record was more ideal or beneficial?
TG: Of course it was more beneficial, but it would be wrong to say that [Tchad] produced the last record. He's not credited with producing the last record. It says "made by Gomez and Tchad Blake." He was more a partner in crime. He wasn't setting the agenda. If Tchad was producing the record, that would be a different story. Seventy percent of those recordings, we did ourselves in our shit hole studio in Brighton. Most of those were done before they went anywhere near Tchad.

SG: So it's all your fault?
TG: Basically yeah. Everything is our fault. We chose Gil for this record because we felt it was something we needed to do. We were starting a new relationship with a new label and we wanted to give them all the artillery that we possibly could to get off on the best foot possible. We're perfectly capable of making a pop album, but we kind of don't want to.

SG: You shouldn't have to. It's not what you're all about.
TG: Precisely. It's a confusing situation. It's like "You guys could write a great pop album if you want to?" Sure, but not today [laughs]. It's been the constant problem with Gomez and this may sound arrogant. There's a great burden in potential. Everyone can see it. It's like "these boys can all write songs and they can sing and it's all there, but …" We just stay at our own pace. A few years ago, Peter [Buck] from R.E.M. said to me, "Don't make the album they want yet."

SG: Right because what comes after?
TG: Right, what comes after?  We're an unusual band in so much as we've had a genuine career. I think our eighth album release is coming out, with our As and Bs record coming out. That's a symbol of how good I kept relationships with Virgin. The day after I went back to them and said don't sit on our catalog but don't release a "best of" either. I want you to release a B-sides album because none of them have been released in America. This new album, Five Men in a Hut has 24 unreleased tracks on it. It comes out in October. That's been fun putting that together. It's been my baby for a few weeks. It's completely fucking nuts.

SG: It's like having an album of basically all new material.
TG: There's some great stuff on there too, stuff that should've been on albums but we were too stupid to see it at the time … and some awful shit that should've never have been on albums, for a good reason! It amazes me that we're still going…

Read the rest of the interview at SomethingGlorious.com.

The Kooks are just another group in a long line of British bands that have caused a frenzy across the pond. Earlier this year it was the Arctic Monkeys. Before that, Bloc Party and Franz Ferdinand. Go back a little farther and you have Blur and Oasis. What is it about the Brits and their love for young, raucous rock bands?

But there's something different about the Kooks. Their music screams tough guy, lad rock but when you get down into their lyrics, into the soul of the music, you understand that there's passion – even some romance – behind it. Twenty one-year-old singer Luke Pritchard leads this four-piece collective from Brighton and after talking to him, it's obvious he's more than tabloid fodder for shagging pop starlets like Lily Allen and Katie Melua.

While the band has already gone platinum in England for their debut Inside In/Inside Out, which sees them genre hopping across rock, reggae, jazz, pop and more, they've hardly cracked the surface in America. Whether they break over here will depend on what sort of impact they have when they launch a proper tour in 2007. Regardless, the band will push on and likely enter the studio in the early part of next year. In fact, they're now trying to book Abbey Road to record an interim EP with other young bands, including the Mystery Jets.

Can they keep up the momentum? According to Luke, they'll just get on trying.

Read the full interview below or just stream it  here.

Q&A with Luke Pritchard of the Kooks

SomethingGlorious: You already achieved massive success in the UK and have drawn comparisons to Arctic Monkeys, in terms of the rise in popularity. But the difference is that you're virtually unknown in the US – do you think that's to your advantage? 
Luke Pritchard: I don't see that. We're just doing what we do. Hopefully it works for us. What happened in England, the Arctic Monkeys blew up and were everywhere. And we weren't. Then our songs started getting played. I like the idea of being more popular here and it allows people to get into you for the music – and not because people tell them to. I think they have had a hard time with it. They've had a good year and it's hard to deal with all that pressure.

SG: How different is that from what [bassist] Max [Rafferty] is going through – is he just exhausted or could he not deal with the sudden fame [Max is taking a break from the band]?
LP: It wasn't the fame. When we got on tour he didn't enjoy touring. Some people can't tour.

SG: Do you think he'll tour again – how did it affect you as a unit, when one of your best friends who's an original member of the band has someone step in and take his role on the road?
LP: We haven't really dalt with the situation yet. Max is at home and once we have a time to have a bit of perspective, we'll figure out what to do. I don't see why he can't tour again. He just had a hard time. It's not resolved yet.

SG: Do you think it had to do with the five-day ecstasy bender – is that what put him over the edge?
LP: [laughs] I mean, I think when we first started touring, we went a little bit crazy. On tour, it's quite hard sometimes – especially when you are taking drugs.

SG: Have you kept up that partying pace or slowed down a bit?
LP: You know the shows get bigger and you're playing longer sets. The shows become more important so you have to have some kind of balance.

SG: So you still party but don't go over the top then?
LP: It depends. On this tour I've been really chilled out. I got really sick – I had tonsillitis and have this recurring throat infection. I'm trying to keep it from getting out of hand. Whatever, we're young guys.

SG: You were just named Best British Band at the MTV Europe Awards – what does that mean to you?
LP: You know, it's voted for in the whole of Europe and that means a lot to us. We weren't really championed by a lot of people until now. It felt good because we hadn't been hyped. People in Europe got into us by word of mouth – and they voted for us. Because it was voted for, it made it much more important for us. We're kind of in this little bubble. I think people really fuckin love the album and like seeing us play.

SG: Obviously people like the album and I read that you think that what you're doing is the best thing happening in British music. You said what you're doing is so fresh and new – how is it so different than other thing that have come out?
LP: I think we're not like those bands at all. I think that we try and make great songs and the album is an album of songs. That's kind of different. We haven't really got one formula. We don’t stick to one way of doing things. We're pretty open-minded guys. It's hard to talk about what you are … I don't really want to know what we are. It's more spontaneous than that. WE change with the time. We're a different band than we were even the other day. That's what makes us different. We chose to be eclectic and open-minded.

SG: So you think it's more the attitude than the sound?
LP: Yeah, I do think we have a particular sound of our own – that's what I'm talking about. We're following the lineage of bands where each song was it's own entity rather than finding a formula and sticking to it and making money off of it.

SG: What are some bands you try to emulate that have done that same thing?
LP: I think bands like the Clash who started as a punk band and they evolved and changed into a multi-faceted pop group really. I mean the Beatles are a quite good example or the Kinks. I think they're just like pop music in the best sense of the word. It's different now anyway. In our generation there's so much music. You don't have to have foot in one place. We're just trying to play music – any kind of music.

The idea of a cracklin moth conjures images of friends huddled around a campfire, kickin' back on a warm summer night. Beers strewn about, constant laughter fills the air. Someone pulls out a guitar and starts strumming, laughter subsides and attention is focused. People huddle closer, smile, faces burning from the fire's warm glow. Eyes sparkle. Singing gets louder, chills spread up your body. Friends huddle around a campfire, loving life on warm summer night.

This is what Chicago's Cracklin Moth sounds like ... to me. Five guys from disparate backgrounds who all share the love of good storytelling and great music and create a warm, welcome environment when they play. Whether they were raised on Dylan, the Dead and Johnny Cash makes no difference. Their music says otherwise. Lead singer Matt Ammerman's songwriting has the depth of character not found by many emerging artists today. From start to finish, he weaves a story that pulls you in. But it's the music that holds your focus.

With tight-as-hell gorgeously flowing pedal steel, Rocco Labriola guides the band through each track, holding the candle to lead their path while Shawn Rios' drums create the heartbeat that allows the band to breathe. You're hard pressed to find Cracklin Moth's progressive Americana in a city like Chicago, which is so rock and pop focused these days, but it's refreshing -- and welcome -- that someone is doing it, and doing it as well as they are. It's exciting that Wilco's Illinois roots are once again moving outward and producing young bands like this. There's a similarity between Cracklin Moth and other alt-country acts like Tweedy's and the Jayhawks -- maybe it's the down-home country feel or perhaps the incredible harmony. The music has that feel-good edge that, midway through any song, you find yourself tapping your feet -- and you just can't stop. And why? Sure, it sounds good -- but you can relate to every single song.

It always amazes me when I hear bands like this that aren't signed to a label. Seeing them tonight at Schubas in the opening slot before Kunek and the Bon Savants, they not only held their own, but pretty much took top prize. Their music is what drives their set -- not gimmicks or antics. Just pure, straightforward musicianship. And I thank god for that.

The band is currently recording a new batch of songs for an EP to be released sometime in early '07, but their last, Redbird, is available. However, after hearing a batch of new songs tonight, I feel like the song that best reps their sound is "Special." And I was just emailed a couple new tracks, which Ammerman demoed at home.

Listen to Cracklin Moth:

Special

Forever Song

Other Life Forms

Building off the popularity of the Nike+ system, Nike has just released its Hatphones: a Therma-Fit soft fleece skull cap that has earbuds stitched into the hat and pull down right over your ears. There's also a slot inside the hat for an iPod Nano that when faced outwards gives you touch-panel control over what you're listening to. If you want to have more visaul control over the music, you can go "corded" and have your iPod extend downward outside the cap. This is just another great example of an iconic brand answering the need of the masses. Just because it's getting cold outside doesn't mean that your outdoor activities -- snowboarding, jogging, walking to work -- have to be as numbing as the frigid winter air.

Hatphones come in four colors -- black, grey, navy and red -- and are available for $60 at Nike.com.