Reading Week is here and, as the inevitable finals loom nearer and nearer with every hour wasted, that means this blog goes on its summer vacation so the authors don’t fail their tests. Where will you ever get your music news and witty analysis now? Oh wait, sigh.

But before we all lock ourselves in the library and crack open our notebooks, One-Click Wonders leaves you with a preview of what to scope out sonically this summer. Because even if you put all the bloggers onto a boat and sank said vessel, music would still exist.

Most anticipated album — A lot to choose from for this one, but, since we love them so, my vote is for The Hold Steady’s Stay Positive. Early listens to America’s favorite pack of musically-excellent bar rats reveals an album not nearly as excellent as Boys and Girls in America, but still an awesome affair filled with catchy guitars and sing-a-long choruses. Stay Positive also gets the nod for “album most likely to propel band into the mainstream spotlight.”

Best-bet Festival — The Pitchfork Music Festival captures 2008 best, but that still isn’t enough to knock off the utter insanity that is Lollapalooza this year. Radiohead, Rage and Kanye as headliners? Not to mention Wilco, Gnarls Barkley, Lupe Fiasco, Broken Social Scene and tons of other great acts.

Best concert — Wherever Radiohead is stopping this summer. That was easy!

Best rap album with the worst name — Outkast Big Boi drops a solo album this summer, titled Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty. Uhhhh, who is Chico Dusty and why does his son have such a stupid moniker? I feel he could be a character in Semi-Pro. Oh wait, Andre 3000 covered that one. Anyway, ignore the horrid title, and listen to lead single “Royal Flush.” Now this sounds good.

Best remix album — The Twilight Sad’s Here It Never Snowed Afterwards It Did mini-album. Glasgow’s saddest bunch reworks several of the tunes from their 2007 debut album, cutting the guitar-feedback out in favor of strings and vocal emphasis. None of the reworkings on this bite-sized LP come close to matching the awesomeness of the original tracks (guitar squall is what these lads do best), but they are very listenable, and introduce intriguing opportunities not seen in the band before. Plus, the new title track kills.

Song everyone should be sick of by now, but won’t go away this summer — I’d heard about Leona Lewis and her kinda-gross sounding “Bleeding Love,” but never actually got around to looking it up. When I finally did, I discovered I’ve already heard this song — roughly a billion times pumping out of passing cars, on the radio and inside Best Buy. And I don’t think it’s going anywhere. At least I have a face to associate this song with when I hear it for the trillionth time in August.

Artist due for a re-examination — Today, Liz Phair is best known for helming this Avril-aping piece of pop and a song featured in every WNBA ad back in the day. But she was once every indie boy’s dream girl, the musical mastermind behind the suprisingly not-safe-for-work Exile in Guyville. That seminal album gets a reissue this year, and Phair will tour the country performing that album this summer. Expect the errors of her ways to be ignored as everybody talks about how great “Fuck and Run” is.

Worst album art — Say hello to My Morning Jacket’s Evil Urges, otherwise known as Dream Theater Wants Their Artist Back.

Song of the summer — Probably “Bleeding Love,” but I’m holding out hope for Estelle and Kanye pretending to be British.

Bold prediction that isn’t that bold — Nine Inch Nails will release two more out-of-nowhere online albums.

Band that needs to just go away - Weezer, I’m glad you discovered the Internet. Now just vanish. And take Tay Zonday with you.

If you stayed inside finishing off that handle of vodka during Common’s performance on Dillo Day, you missed his freestyle rap about Northwestern. Some good soul went ahead and filmed the rap, then slapped it up on YouTube.

Pretty neat, and always a good time seeing a celebrity wearing an NU sweatshirt. Some of it seems a bit weird (why a shout-out to Bobb? Flat Top? Can’t find a word that rhymes with Chipotle?), but cute all the same. Also, does anyone jump in the lake at midnight? Further more, did the people who cheered for the Smokin’ Aces line actually see that movie? It sucked.

And hey, Common hates Bush! So do I! It’s a shame Obama isn’t running against Bush!

As if this year’s Dillo Day needed to get any hipper, Mayfest just announced that they’ve signed the Chicago DJ duo known as Flosstradamus to play tracks before and after Broken Social Scene takes the stage on Saturday. This is exciting. Why? Well…

Reason 1:

Reason 2:

Reason 3:

In other words, they’ve got the tunes to turn the Lakefill into a part-rave, part-mosh-pit, part-juke-hall dance party. Sure, the “indie rock meets ultra-thumping dance/hip hop track” formula isn’t exactly fresh anymore, and Northwestern got to experience its most innovative form when Girl Talk came to campus. But the two DJs in Flosstradamus are among the best mash-up artists because of their pop instincts: Your first reaction to most of their tracks will be to grin, your next will be to dance, and then you might get a little flustered that you can’t get what you just heard out of your head. Ask anyone who’s seen the them at their countless number of shows in Chicago over the past few years — it’s gonna be fun out there.

A lot of great music exists out there. But NBN can’t devote a slot to every CD that hits shelves, especially for bands you may have never heard of. So, that’s where we come in. Chicago electro-pop duo Walter Meego and their Daft Punky sounds get the neon spotlight today.

As Daft Punk-mania slowly fades after a manic 2007, the fallout from the robotic duo’s rise to prominence can begin to be assessed. Tons of good was done (an awesome live show, Justice, “Stronger”), but Daft Punk’s success also led to plenty of half-assed imitations slowly becoming more prominent. See the likes of Does It Offend You, Yeah? and Ghostland Observatory. Chicago electro-pop duo Walter Meego also sound similar to a certain mechanical pair of Parisians, but on their debut album Voyager, prove to be a band simply taking stellar notes from Daft Punk, not cheating off their homework.

Voyager squares rockin’ guitars against bright synth waves, a neon-lit combination recalling the interstellar sounds of Daft Punk circa Discovery. But Walter Meego don’t make music for the dance floor; you can move to Voyager, but more because it’s excellent pop music buried under guitar, electronics and melencholy lyrics. Lead track “Forever” sees the duo at their most poppy and most catchy, electro-squiggles and keyboards leading up to the album’s most irresistible chorus (punctuated with guitar squeals, nonetheless). Other standouts find the duo getting slightly darker while retaining some shine, such as on the heavy-hitting “Lost” and frantic twirl of “Letting Go.” Walter Meego does downtrodden best on the previously-released “Keyhole,” where the lead vocals undergo some ghostly, screechy transformation all while being joined by a very un-Daft piano.

Walter Meego never rip-off Daft Punk wholesale, but the album’s weakest tracks overindulge in some of the French duo’s tricks. The vocoder-heavy “Girls” and “Tommorrowland” move a bit too slowly and stick out amongst all the faster, more catchy songs on Voyager. “More Than I Can Say” is the album’s one moment of pure boredom, a guitar-heavy ditty that is never that enjoyable. The only other Daft Punk-heavy flashback conjured on this album comes on the very danceable “Baby Please,” where a watery guitar sounds straight out of “Something About Us.” Not that their is anything wrong with that.

Voyager shares its title with a Daft Punk song . Whether or not that’s intentional, Walter Meego simply hint at the sound of those robots, and never try to bite their moves, opting instead to apply them in new ways. And they succeed, as Voyager is a bright debut album and an exciting collection of heart-heavy electro-pop. Plus, it’s nice to know two other guys in Chicago know how to honor Daft Punk in interesting ways.

Bonus video for “Wanna Be A Star” below. It’s an older version, but still pretty good.

Sorry to break from the script, but this is a pretty shabby week for concerts, unless you are over 21. If you can actually buy alcohol legally (or have, cough, other means), then go out and see M83, Los Campesinos!, Bottomless Pit and Maritime. But if, like me, you still can’t see all the cool concerts, your best option this week is Jeremy Enigk, former lead singer of Sunny Day Real Estate performing a solo set at Abbey Pub on Wednesday. Fine enough, but nothing amazing.

Besides, save up your concert-going energy for Saturday, when Mayfest puts on one of the best Dillo Days in recent years. You’ve heard all about it by now, but seriously, don’t hole yourself up inside all day drinking. Or, just go crazy in the morning. Just find someway to get to where the concerts are happening, because they should be great.

Yes, even Third Eye Blind.

Few musical outfits have the genre-jumping appeal of Chicago rap duo The Cool Kids. Their clever rhymes and retro beats recall old-school rap (as they sing, they are “bringin’ ‘88 back”), a great way to grab the hip-hop audience. But “Mikey Rocks” and “Chuck Inglish’s” thrift-store wardrobe and silly subject matter (not to mention Pitchfork praise) also catch the eyes of the indie crowd. And their great music should entertain even the staunchest Third Eye Blind lover. On a Dillo Day where the musical acts cater to specific scenes, The Cool Kids stand as the act most likely to bring the boozed masses together.

Formed in 2005, the duo has received high praise. The Los Angeles Times say they are “one of the more promising new groups to emerge in recent years.” The Cool Kids have opened for M.I.A., and were also featured in an ad for music provider Rhapsody. The Cool Kid’s latest EP, The Bake Sale, was released on iTunes on May 20, and has been met with positive reviews, including being slapped with the “Recommended” tag on Pitchfork. The duo’s first full-length album When Fish Ride Bicycles comes out this fall.

Videos to watch

“Black Mags” — One of The Cool Kid’s best raps, about tricked-out bikes.

Interview — A nice interview with the duo that serves as a great introduction to the band.

The Cool Kids live at the Pitchfork Music Festival — A preview of what you can see on Dillo Day.

“I’m Mikey (I Rock)” - One more song for good measure.

What do Bruce Springsteen, Good Charlotte, and Guitar Hero III have in common? They are all fans of Mike Ness, singer and songwriter of seminal punk band Social Distortion. Ness just finished a two-night stay at Lincoln Park’s Park West, where he played songs ranging from his own solo material to traditional folk and country covers, and all the way to acoustic renditions of Social D’s classic songs. Last week, Bruce Springsteen joined him onstage in The Boss’ hometown of Asbury Park, N.J., for several songs. While nothing of that caliber happened at Wednesday’s show, Mike Ness did put on a solid rock and roll show aided by one of the better sound systems in the city.

After opening act Jesse Dayton, which Ness described as “Texas Honky Tonk”, Ness and his backing band stormed the stage in a blaze of Stetson hats, tattoos and sideburns. I hadn’t seen his solo act before, and although I do own both his solo albums, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Social Distortion has a very distinctive sound — put on any song by them and most fans of the genre will be able to tell you who it is. The only problem is that often they won’t be able to tell you what song it is… Social Distortion songs are notorious for all being written in one of three rhythms and using the same four chords. This translates into Ness’ solo work a bit as well. That being said, a big part of his solo albums are his own renditions of classic country and rockabilly songs, which are decidedly distinct.

For their parts, Mike Ness and Co. seemed to be having a great time. At 45 years old, he’s at a stage in his career to just relax and play for the hell of it. And he certainly was doing just that. Strutting about the stage, it was clear that this was someone who has been around for a while, Interestingly enough, he brought out an older crowd as well — I was definitely in the generational minority. Ness spoke about playing songs that have always been influential to him, as he was growing up and later as a musician, and it was clear that a lot the crowd connected to these songs. To be honest, I wouldn’t have known a fair amount of these songs had it not been for his cover album “Under the Influences”, but when he started that signature SoCal croon and the steel guitar was singing, some of these old greasers started jiving so hard that even the toughest pomade couldn’t keep their pompadours slicked back.

He wasn’t just arbitrarily singing these songs either — he chose songs that clearly have personal meaning to him. In and out of rehab for heroin in the 80’s, Ness has lived through the life he sings about. Ending with a cover of “I Fought the Law”, Ness rounded out the night with a nice mix of songs about love (the good and the bad), life lessons learned, and good ole’ outlaw anthems- the “Story of [his] life” so to speak… and what a hell of a story it is.

Islands is growing up.

After break-ups and fall-outs, front man Nick Thorburn seems ready to embrace maturity, just in time for the release of the band’s second album, which came out on Tuesday.

Released on ANTI- records, Arm’s Way is a heavier, darker effort. Even with violin swinging about, opening track “The Arm” is anchored by pounding, rhythmic drumming and a simple, foreboding bass line.

In a phone interview with North by Northwestern, Thorburn said the new album has more prog-rock elements than his previous work. On the 11 minute “Vertigo,” themes fall away, are replaced and eventually reoccur, though in slightly different form. The music jockeys between melancholy and chipper. It’s the ironic, up-beat parts that give away Islands’ pedigree.

Like 2006’s Return to the Sea, it’s a compilation of new and old songs, dating as far back as 2003, during Thorburn’s time with Montreal-based band, The Unicorns. The album is assuredly gloomier than previous Thorburn releases but any cohesion wasn’t created during the songwriting process. “I never write songs specifically for an album,” Thorburn said. What he does do is collect songs and put together a mix that is “consistent,” share a “conceptual quality” and a compatible “general sonic landscape” (the last said facetiously).

Thorburn has long been known for his cryptic lyrics, and Arm’s Way makes death even more prevalent than before. Though he penned “Ready to Die” for The Unicorns’ 2003 Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone?, the songs on Arm’s Way deal with death, especially homicide, in a more serious, less cheeky way. “I’m getting older,” Thorburn said. “I think about [death]. It’s only going to get worse as time goes by.”

Time may influence thoughts of death but it doesn’t have a thing to do with maturity. Islands’ ever changing line-up is young, with drummer Aaron Harris and violinist Kate Perkins leaving McGill University for the band.

“Maturity is a state of mind,” said Thorburn, 26. “It has to do with experience and mental capacity.”

Touring has been difficult for Thorburn-led projects. Alden Penner, guitarist and founding member of The Unicorns, left shortly after the band’s Australian tour while Jamie Thompson, ex-Unicorn and ex-drummer of Islands, left after a two-month European tour.

Though difficult, Thorburn said touring is a necessary counterpart to the studio, allowing the musician to escape the bubble of songwriting. “You’re getting immediate reaction,” he said, “whether you’re getting validation or rejection.”

However, it is also often a more trying time. “When I was in The Unicorns, I was more of a kid and not really responsive to people’s wants and needs,” Thorburn admitted. “Just being a grown-up goes a long way in making [the band] experience tolerable.”

The band’s newfound cohesion might have something to do with his optimism. “We’re really a group now as opposed to before when it was just a little more haphazard, an afterthought.”

With Return to the Sea, Islands felt more like a personal project rather than a unit. Gone are the days of lying around Canadian bedrooms working out songs. Islands has a “unified voice” now. “It’s all really melded into one.”

That unification, he said, has contributed to the heavier sound of Arm’s Way. “We’re an entire band, turning it up,” he said.

One factor is the change in drummers. Unlike Thompson’s “certain touch,” new drummer Harris has “really mastered simple.”

“We were able to go into that rock and roll standard rhythm that’s sometimes really essential.”

Thorburn insists he’s grown past his immature ways. There’s proof is in his name change back from “Nick Diamonds,” a stage name he first adopted while with The Unicorns, to his birth name “Nick Thorburn.”

“[The stage name] was kind of a way to hide behind the songs,” he said, “I feel comfortable enough about [the songs] now that I don’t need to have a fake name.”

One thing that has remained unchanged is the catchphrase “Islands Are Forever.” Adopted and made famous after a press release announcing Thompson’s departure, it has become a symbol for the band’s sheer ability to still exist. Whether the play on Thorburn’s stage name and De Beer’s “Diamonds Are Forever” campaign remains accurate isn’t the important part. “I like the sound of it, whether it’s true or not doesn’t matter.”

Perhaps it has something to do with Thorburn’s view on life these days. “I’m trying to remain in the present as long possible,” he said.

A lot of great music exists out there. But NBN can’t devote a slot to every CD that hits shelves, especially for bands you may have never heard of. So, that’s where we come in. British band Cajun Dance Party serves up a debut album and an excuse to talk about the state of music across the pond today.

This decade hasn’t been kind to English rock. While the scene in America has grown into a diverse collection of bands pushing music in new directions from coast to coast, the British basically have settled for slapping the “next big band” tag on whatever rock outfit that sorta sounds like The Libertines, and calling it a day. As a result, the country finds itself in a sort of musical rut where bands come and go in the span of a single. British bands used to be great exports, with Americans clamoring to get their paws on the latest Smiths or Blur CD. But now, with the exception of Radiohead and Amy Winehouse, the only people who go beserk for new British rock bands are the British; while the English debated Arctic Monkey’s place in musical history, us Yanks just tried to figure out what was so great about them.

British rock may need to get itself together, but that doesn’t mean the latest NME darling should just be ignored. Enter Cajun Dance Party, the next band stepping into the flickering spotlight once occupied by The Kooks and Maximo Park. This London five-piece grabbed attention with their debut single “The Next Untouchable,” and now present their debut LP The Colourful Life. They certainly don’t signal any sea change in British rock but, like the bands before them, Cajun Dance Party does offer plenty of enjoyable songs with great hooks and choruses. Just don’t expect anything new.

Sonically, the group sounds like a slightly-more-dancey version of every band post-Arctic Monkeys (that is to say, catchy Britpop-evoking sounds combined with Libertines-esque vocals and shifts). Separating the best cuts from the weaker ones is surprisingly simple: The best tracks are the fast ones with singable choruses, while the rubbish songs are the slow ones that remove all the elements that make Cajun Dance Party enjoyable. Lets focus on the positive. The title track and “The Firework” skip along to sunny guitars and laid-back choruses that work great as AIM away messages. “The Next Untouchable” whirls all over the place, jumping from segment-to-segment all while staying consistently catchy. The group indulges in some American indie hallmarks on “Amylase,” including a sing-along worthy conclusion (”You are the catalyst that makes things faster/Amylase will dry out the plaster”) that become a whole lot pretentious when you hit up Wiki. The album’s best moment comes with “The Race,” a song combining surf rock aping verses with a classic Britpop chorus (”The sun will rise, even if you don’t happen to be there”) and an equally memorable outro. One of the catchiest songs of the year on any continent.

Britain still needs to find their musical innovators akin to Animal Collective or No Age, but until then, stuff like Cajun Dance Party serve as enjoyable and fun filler. Just because they don’t change anything in the English sonic landscape doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them. Listen to them now before the next Futureheads album drops next week.

Bonus video for “The Race.”

The fact that the yuppie-tastic realm of Evanston only has one “American-style” chain restaurant in town comes as a big shock. Since no one has sprung for a Ruby Tuesday anywhere in town, the one source us hungry students have for obnoxiously sized burgers and things coated in exotic “buffalo” sauce is Chili’s. One of the eatery’s defining characteristics, besides gaudy decor and bottomless chips, is the music, a mix of contemporary soft rock and feel-good hits from approximately before 2002. Most people fixate on the fajitas (”oh my god, are they sizzling?”) and ignore the tunes, but if you ever spare a second to actually listen, you may burst out laughing at how bad the selection is, unless you fancy The Fray. Calling this stuff good is like calling Bennigan’s “Irish.”

So, of course, the restaurant now offers Chili’s Radio online. No, seriously. You can now experience the wonders of waiting 20 minutes for a table and a Big Mouth Burger without leaving your computer (minus the food). I’m currently listening to the station while I write this up, and I feel like I’m waiting anxiously for the server to bring me my quesadilla. It’s basically a mix of generic-sounding rock and pop with an emphasis on the innocuous (hey, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones!) with a few surprises thrown in for good measure (Arcade Fire?).

About 98 percent of the time, listening to Chili’s Radio in any setting or circumstance offers more than enough grounds for one to be declared legally unstable, but there are a few scenarios where turning the player on and listening to some Jesus Jones may not be a criminal offense.

- When you’ve ordered Chili’s To Go but can’t dig into those baby back ribs in your dimly lit dorm room without having Jack Johnson wax about his “bubble toes” in the background.

- When you really want to go to Chilis but your friends are in that phase where they don’t want to spend money on eating out. Works as either a way of replicating the in-restaurant experience or revenge on your chums who attend a $40,000 a year college but think spending $5 on egg-rolls will bankrupt them.

- When you want to revisit the year 2004.

- When you and your pals want to throw an ironic “Chili’s Party” where everyone eats mozarella sticks and chats, except you can drink freely without fear of being carded.

- When you want to see which once-hip acts have officially become lame because they are featured on Chili’s Radio. So far, I’ve witnessed the demise of Gnarls Barkley, Ryan Adams and DJ Shadow.

- When you and your sorority sisters need to get pumped for “Margarita Monday.” Nothing says juicy gossip and cheap drinks more than “The Reason.”

- When you are writing about situations where Chili’s Radio is appropriate to listen to.

Masculine men of the world brace yourselves: tomorrow, A&O Productions presents a Lion King sing-along on the Norris lawn. Barring some sort of act of God, lots of folk (mostly of the female persuasion) will gather outside and belt out songs from one of the most popular animated films of the ’90s. It’s like watching The Wizard of Oz with Pink Floyd playing over it, but with fewer drugs and more sorority tote bags.

As annoying as the concept comes off, it’s actually pretty smart. For kids in college right now, The Lion King is THE movie of the ’90s, probably one of the first films most students saw in theaters. Sorry, the six-year-old you didn’t see Pulp Fiction in theaters, but you certainly teared up after Mufasa gets trampled. The Lion King is a cultural touchstone for a lot of us, a film that transcends typical nostalgia featuring a flatulent warthog. I know people from other countries who don’t know John Edwards from Tila Tequila, but know every word to “I Just Can’t Wait To Be King.” Why not gather excited young people around to sing Swahili words?

To pump you up for your date with Simba, Scar and a hyena voiced by Cheech Marin, let’s take a look at the five feature songs from the film, with added nostalgic commentary. At the very least, I’ll include a video for each song, so you can go over the words once again before the showing.

“The Circle of Life”

Lookin’ Back - That opening chant thingy is definitely the film’s most memorable musical moment; I don’t know any 20-something who couldn’t recognize that sound. The song itself is most memorable for its chorus (”the circle of life!”) and the fact it taught a lot of us that one day, we shall die. Yay! Also includes some of the lamest verse lyrics ever penned in a Disney film.

“I Just Can’t Wait To Be King”

Lookin’ Back - If you Africanized “Under the Sea,” you get this song. As a cynical adult, “I Just Can’t Wait To Be King” becomes the most annoying and hateable song. But as a kid who just wants something catchy to scream during recess, you can’t do much better than this. For the record, though, this will be the most annoying moment of the sing-along for sure. Don’t go to Sbarro during this number.

“Be Prepared”

Lookin’ Back - The best song from the movie, by far, though as a kid you hate Scar so much you don’t notice the poppy-pre-chorus or kick-ass backing vocals from those menacing hyenas. Scary stuff as a youngling, but I wouldn’t mind seeing a cover of this today. Maybe by Hercules and Love Affair, with Antony on vocals.

Hakuna Matata

Lookin’ Back - The Lion King’s best moment, for the young and old. Definitely the film’s funniest segment (with fart jokes!), and the catchiest song. Who didn’t experience this song being a sixth-grade carpool staple? Bonus points for introducing me to bad humor (”what’s a motto? What’s a motto with you!?”), but it loses a little luster when you realize this was a lot of kids first brush with Broadway-style numbers. Consider “Hakuna Matata” the gateway showtune to more dangerous stuff like “Seasons of Love” and everything from Wicked.

“Can You Feel the Love Tonight?”

Lookin’ Back - The mandatory “girl song” in an otherwise very masculine Disney movie. No eight-year-old boy enjoyed this song unless they secretly enjoyed watching mommy’s soap opera’s on days off from school. Not to mention, if Timon and Pumba got sad over this, no little dude was gonna side with the sap. But if you were a girl, this was one of the film’s highlights, as it featured the hallmarks of other Disney songs that would lead said girls into joining the “Disney Gave Me Unrealistic Expectations About Love” Facebook group. The same hallmarks that will one day land said girls into therapy. Should be noted that the Elton John version is a lot better than the film version.

Want further reading? Go here for a neat look at the film’s soundtrack. Hakuna matata!

Coldplay has a new album coming out June 12, and a video for lead single “Violet Hill” has found its way to the Internet. Well, it isn’t the official video for the song, but an “alternate” clip loaded with shots of George W. Bush, Tony Blair and all sorts of other politicians dancing around and doing similarly wacky things.

Putting any talk of the actual song aside (it’s better than “Fix You,” but still uber-Coldplay), this video shows the same problems that most modern-day, anti-war music videos suffer from. Mostly, they lack an actual message. The opening bit where chimp noises are dubbed over Dubya (when Family Guy beats you to a joke…) previews the meaningless-ness to come. Mixing in shots of explosions and soldiers with shots of Boris Yeltsin dancing doesn’t result in any sort of protest. It’s just political imagery being displayed, with no commentary being added (unless Obama Girl’s rump means something). This video is very similar to another wannabe-important political video, the clip for Linkin Park’s “What I’ve Done.”

Shots of Sept. 11 are just that, shots of Sept. 11. If the video doesn’t have some sort of deeper commentary, these are just historic videos. It’s up to the artist to offer deeper insight. Both Coldplay and Linkin Park fail greatly, as they just show funny or shocking images without any commentary whatsoever. A more ambitious attempt at political commentary in the 21st century comes courtesy of Green Day’s “Wake Me Up When September Ends” video.

Though this clip uses an actual story (with, gasp, original footage), the message still isn’t all that clear. As a story, it’s fine, but politically, it’s no better than any of the above videos in terms of saying something. Even the staunchest pro-war supporter acknowledges watching a loved one go off to fight overseas isn’t easy, so Green Day’s message is more human-interest than anti-war. Doesn’t help that the song itself isn’t about war, but Billy Joel Armstrong’s dad dying.

But some music videos made this decade actually pack a political punch. See rapper Juvenile’s Hurricane Katrina-focused video for “Get Ya Hustle On.”

Here, images of post-Katrina life actually end up serving as a critique of how the government handled everything in New Orleans, a reminder of just how bad things got (and still are) in the Big Easy. Chris Martin, take notes.

Show of the Week

White Rabbits, May 20, 9 p.m. at Schubas

Fresh off an opening slot on Spoon’s latest tour, White Rabbits get their turn in the spotlight this week at Schubas. Deploying a wide range of instruments ranging from two drum kits to guitars to old-timey piano, this New York City six-piece plunges forward sonically, never relenting with their brand of bouncy rock song. I’m also told opener Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson is swell, so check him out to. Tickets cost $12.

Best of the Rest

65daysofstatic, May 17, 9:30 p.m. at Subterranean

Think all post-rock sounds the same? Nothing but a quiet opening followed by some sort of build-up that hints at an explosion, but that explosion never comes, until the last two minutes of the song? 65daysofstatic aren’t like that post-rock. They have guitars that, at times, can sound “epic,” but they also integrate pianos and electronic noises. If that last Explosions in the Sky album made you lose hope in the genre, these guys will bring it back. Tickets cost $10.

Headlights, May 22, 9 p.m. at Schubas

Just in case you miss them when they come to Norris. Tickets cost $10 at the door.

Sonic Celluloid, May 22, 8 p.m. at Block Cinema

Music meets the movies at this NU event. Read about it here, but the gist is live bands play music over silent films. Coolness ensues. Tickets cost $7 if you go to Northwestern, $10 otherwise.

Avoid at all Costs

Panic at the Disco, May 23, 6 p.m. at Congress Theatre

Heh, never get sick of that. Tickets cost $32.50.

A&O and Niteskool keep bringing great acts blah blah blah… true, but sometimes your conventional concert can get stale, and you start craving something different. Enter WNUR and Block Cinema’s Sonic Celluloid, an event where musical artists perform live music accompanying silent films. The show goes down May 22, 8 p.m. at Block.

This year’s line-up has come to light, and looks intriguing. The headlining act this year is noise-rockers Hair Police, joined by Blues Control, Fred Lonberg-Holm and Treetops. I don’t know much about these groups (Hair Police is like Wolf Eyes, if that helps), but any musician up for this event has a good head on their shoulders.

Last year, Phil Elverum (better known as the man behind Mt. Eerie and The Microphones) headlined, scoring two short films featuring extended shots of forests and boats. Sounds weird, but it’s pretty sweet. Though I’m sure some sort of chemical pre-game would make the affair even better. Regardless, if you’ve been burnt out by Counting Crows and Headlights, experience something unique next week.

Cee-Lo, beloved Southern rapper and the voice of Gnarls Barkley, rarely makes mistakes. But one aspect of his life he needs to work on big time is what soundtracks he contributes to. Tuesday, it was revealed the soulful-singer would be covering “Kung Fu Fighting” for the upcoming Dreamworks-animated film Kung Fu Panda, starring Jack Black as the voice of a panda. Worse yet, Jack Black (in character, nonetheless) will collaborate on the song. Danger Mouse he’s certainly not. This comes after another recent announcement that Cee-Lo co-write a song for Jennifer Hudson for the upcoming girl-tastic Sex and the City movie.

Clearly, Cee-Lo’s taste in film isn’t so hot. His problems can be traced back to the seminal 2006 film Snakes on a Plane, to which he contributed the song “Ophidiophobia.” Maybe he just believed the Internet hype, but something about that experience clearly left Cee-Lo unable to tell the difference between a decent movie and… well, the above (though I have hope for Kung Fu Panda).

As long as he doesn’t contribute to this, he’s probably fine.