SpinAMP Returns!
Posted on July 22, 2004 at 9:10 am | No Comments
Finally, it’s back.
As promised, the programmers at MusicLivesOnline have just delivered the fully-functional (and still completely free) version 3.0 of my favorite WinAMP plug-in, SpinAMP.
Download it, make sure you have WinAMP version 5.0 or higher (earlier versions will work, but with a new .dll that SpinAMP provides), and install away. Instant access to about 200 channels of streaming radio. Choose your favorite stations, and with a couple clicks you can find out what’s playing on each one, with another click you can see what’s coming up, one more and you’re listening to whatever you’re in the mood for. Hear something new you like? One click adds the song info to a notepad file that you can check out later. It just plain rocks.
It basically jacks into Radio@Netscape’s music streams, which were lamely locked down a couple months ago and made available only to AOL subscribers, and with a horrible user interface. Now, I love their content, but not enough to join AOHell and use a crappy, memory-hogging, unintuitive player to hear it.
SpinAMP makes it easy. All you need is the free WinAMP player, the latest version of SpinAMP, and you’re set. Couldn’t be simpler.
As I type this, here’s what’s playing on my faves …
and here’s what’s up next …
That’s just the tip of the aural iceberg. I’ve found so much great new stuff (and old stuff I’d missed), and randomly heard relatively obscure bands I never thought I’d find on there. Hell, I’ve even heard my own bands on there. Almost fell out of my chair. I don’t know who programs R@N’s indie stations, but I owe them a beer.
When SpinAMP programmer HJ was asked about the difference in audio quality of the streams, and about AOL’s knowledge of SpinAMP, here’s what he had to say…
“The audio format is now AAC (they use the LC [low complexity] streams because those can be used without licensing fees), and it is at the same bitrate as the previous Real Audio streams. It sounds about the same to me, but I’m not too picky.
There never has been any agreement with AOL/TW/Spinner/Nullsoft, but they know about SpinAmp… @5 years ago when I sent them a copy of SpinAmp they loved it (put it as the featured plugin on Winamp.com) and were going to buy it (but of course, they never did).”
Well, hopefully they won’t block access from this new version like they did with the last one. Fingers are crossed and headphones are on.
Hey, Ted Leo just came on the Indie Rock Mix channel. Convinced yet? Go get it.
On The New Year & New Stuff
Posted on July 21, 2004 at 2:28 pm | No Comments
A couple weeks ago I dragged my severely jetlagged self out to catch The New Year‘s return to Boston. I actually made sure I’d be back for it when my flights got scheduled… there was no way I was going to miss the Brothers Kadane & Co.
I’m a Bedhead fan from way back, and in my book these two guys can write no wrong… they’ve never released a record I haven’t loved. The latest New Year record is no exception, and I was very psyched to see the new songs live…
The New Year’s setlist, from Friday, July 9th, at TT the Bears…
The End’s Not Near
Half a Day
Reconstruction
Chinese Handcuffs
Plan B
Age of Conceit
Gasoline
Simple Life
One Plus One Minus One Equals One
18
Strangers to Kindness
–
Block That Doesn’t Exist
Carne Levare
Bedside Table
Yes, that’s right. They closed with Bedhead’s very first single, Bedside freakin’ Table. Matt Kadane introduced it, saying something like “We just worked this song out, so it’s not our fault if it falls apart. This one goes out to that fuck in Modest Mouse.” (pardon his french). Awwww, snap!
Got some pretty intense chills during their set, but none moreso than when those first few notes of Bedside Table hit me. They totally held it together, too. What an absolute gift. If you get a chance to see ’em, request it. Trust me.
Despite the fact that I’m not really in a financial position to blow seventy bucks at the record store, I just did that very thing. Curse you, lack of self-control!
As predicted, I picked up the new Low box set (killer design, btw) along with the first season of Sealab 2021 on DVD. Didn’t end there, though… on my way out I noticed that someone at Newbury Comics had put the new Album Leaf disc on the ’employee picks’ board. I totally missed it’s release when I was away, so back to the counter I went. Can’t wait to put it on.
Oh, and another naughty Newbury employee put the not-even-out-yet Interpol disc ‘Antics‘ as their pick. You file-thieving tease! Ah, I kid because I did the same damn thing. But I’ll still be buying it, because it’s f’in brilliant. So there.
Since I haven’t seen a complete online list of the episodes that the Sealab Season One DVD set contains, I’ll post ’em here…
1. I, Robot
2. Happycake
3. Radio Free Sealab
4. Chickmate
5. Lost in Time
6. Predator
7. Little Orphan Angry
8. Waking Quinn
9. All That Jazz (the hilarious ‘stuck-under-the-soda-machine’ one)
10. Murphy Murph and the Feng Shui Bunch
11. In the Closet
12. Stimutacs
13. Swimming in Oblivion
bonus features include…
The Pitch Pilot
I, Robot: Alternate Endings
Radio Free Sealab: Uncensored
Little Orphan Angry: Deleted Scenes
I am so watching this tonight.
I just took a look at the latest tracklisting for the Twilight Singers upcoming covers disc, titled ‘She Loves You’, and I’m totally bummed. They’ve removed the song I was most excited about, a cover of Kate Bush‘s ‘Cloudbusting’. I saw ’em play it live and it blew me away, then found a live version that didn’t quite do it justice, but was still awfully good. It’s been recorded for sure, but has been yanked from the cd. I’ll still be buying the sucker, but damn if I’m not disappointed. According to Lee, the hard-workin’ webmaster over at Summer’s Kiss, it was most likely a creative decision and not a legal one, so perhaps someday it’ll be unearthed. Do it, Mr. Dulli, do it.
So, it’s a much better day here in Boston… still kinda hot, but felt a lot less humid on my walk down Newbury Street when I went to grab my loot. The Sox are back in town tonight, Pedro’s on the mound, and tomorrow’s my last day in the office for awhile. Summertime rolls.
Oh, I’m trying something new with my links on the right… since I seem to have so little surfing time lately, I’ve separated my blog links depending on how often they get updated. Basically, the slackers got weeded out into the ‘semi’ section. It’s ok, you can use the guilt as a motivator. Feel free. I’m one to talk, though.
Hey, speaking of my blog links, what the hell happened to Miss Elaine’s site? I do so miss her british babblings.
I’ll leave you with what is probably the cutest photo of all time, and guaranteed temporary relief for anyone’s bad day. Seriously, if your heart doesn’t flat-out melt at the sight of this, then you’re missing a heart.
My friend Jen’s mom’s co-worker’s friend (or something like that, whew) found a baby fawn in their backyard, and their ridgeback dog, Hogan, instantly adopted it. He’s taken to it like a doggy daddy, like a deer’s best friend. They sleep side by side. I mean, just look at this…
See, I toldja. They’ve named her Bella. Apparantly Hogan has become her guardian, at least until they get her to a friend who raises abandoned baby deer so they can be released into the wild. Take that, cynics everywhere!
Hey, I’ve still got a few more GMail invites left, so drop me an email or a comment. Get ’em while they’re lukewarm.
Wait, did I actually just post on two days in a row? So freaky. Just don’t get used to it.