Posted without comment, this photo:

I’ll let you make up your own caption.

(via Carrie Brownstein’s NPR Blog)

I think [Gerard] Cosloy hit the nail on the head when he sort of politely scoffed at blogs by saying they reminded him of ‘zines from 10 years ago. Only difference is, zines– at least a lot of the ones I remember reading– never took themselves quite so seriously.

- Mother Jones Riff Blog

I like this quote because sometimes I feel like I’m the only one who believes that signing up for a blogspot address does not suddenly make one a “serious journalist” any more than going out and buying a stethoscope suddenly makes one a doctor.

I few years back, I told you about a band from Richmond, VA called The Great White Jenkins. I described them as a “Jake-Legged, Brokedown, Marching Symphony.” I’ve just recently heard their new EP, Mussel Souls (order here), and I need to update that description. I’ve decided it’s more accurate to describe TGWJ as a “Jake-Legged, Brokedown, Spiritual Soul Revue.”

Stream some of the new tracks from Mussels Souls over at the TGWJ Myspace, and while you’re there, be sure to listen to their splendid collab with Karl Blau, “Look Out World.”

The Great White Jenkins plays Virginia’s venerated Macrock fest on April 5th.

Paul Ford, who surely must have a masochistic streak, writes six-word song reviews for all the SXSW mp3s. Hell, I can summarize THE ENTIRETY of 2008 indie rock in six words…

Blog hyped music? Bearded hipster dances.

Welcome to 2008, where oil is $111 a barrel, gold tops $1000 an ounce, and tickets to see Vampire Weekend will cost you $300 a pair.

…if you pre-order Pershing from Polyvinyl, that is. They’ve just started taking pre-orders, and for $12, you get:

• Pershing CD or LP
• Digital Download Card featuring 3 exclusive SSLYBY tracks
• 1.25″ SSLYBY Button on Silver Acetate
• 11″ x 17″ Band Poster (a somewhat cropped version of the portrait I pointed out a few weeks back)
• SSLYBY Sticker

and in case you’re wondering about SSLYBY at SXSW: they’re at the Hole in The Wall tonight @ 8:00, tomorrow they’re at the Paste/Stereogum party @ Volume @ 3:00, the Polyvinyl/Team Love showcase at Habana Calle @ 8:00, and Saturday they’re at the Salvage Vanguard Theater @ 8:00.

Fluxblog is hosting “The State,” an as-yet-unreleased mp3 from Destroyer’s Trouble In Dreams. Matthew needn’t expect a C & D since the entire Merge staff is in Austin, totally drunk.

(Previously: Destroyer - Foam Hands, Destroyer - Dark Leaves Form A Thread)

We are not at SXSW this week, but most of the rest of the music blogosphere is. Here’s what the most-frequently used terms on the internet will be by next week:

• Austin
• crazy
• tired
• hungover
• breakfast tacos
• Red Stripe
• FADER tent

What else is new? People seem pretty excited that those new Man Man and Animal Collective albums have leaked.

Dan Bejar talks about his failed attempt at a sax album.

Join in the comments discussion over at Pretty Goes With Pretty regarding the recent Jim Derogatis interview of Ryan Schreiber (in which he suggests that Pitchfork may be starting to have “the appearance of a conflict of interest”). I’m still waiting for Plagenhoef to swoop into the discussion, angry veins bulging out of his forehead.

“I need more marketing and promotion on the internet like I need a root canal without anesthetic.” - Ted Mico of Interscope at a SXSW “Ad Supported Music” panel that apparently got pretty rowdy.

I only recently noticed just how many new signings our friends over at Absoutely Kosher have coming out this year. Here’s a quick sampling:

Sybris, from Chicago, has an old 4AD/Alternabrit vibe. [streaming tracks @ Myspace]

The Gang, who come from that little-known place just across the East River, sound to me by turns like: The Go Team covering the Polyphonic Spree, Eric Bachmann covering U2, and Mike Ness covering Drive Like Jehu. [streaming tracks @ Myspace]

From San Francisco, there’s Little Teeth, who sound like a kind of spastic circus-rock musical.

And lastly, ye get those old vets of internet music blog love, Victoria BC’s Chet, purveyors of the finest Canadian White Soul music.

The Absolutely Kosher Showcase @ SXSW is Friday, March 14th at Maggie Mae’s.

Don’t know how I missed this one: Stereogum To Spawn Video-centric Blog, Videogum.

Ezra Koenig, Rostam Batman-Gigli, and the other 2 guys in Vampire Weekend appeared on Saturday Night Live last night. Here are the videos:

Video: Vampire Weekend - “M79″ on SNL
Video: Vampire Weekend - “A-Punk” on SNL

Stereogum also pointed out yesterday that you can learn how to dress just like Vampire Weekend* if you consult that infernal, maddeningly-frustrating, totally unnavigable NY Times Style Flash site.

(*Spoiler: shop Marc by Marc Jacobs!)