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Comedians and Guitar Hero go together like peanut butter and applesauce (try it, it's delicious); remember the Aziz/Armisen GH duel off the Times Square jumbotron? So, no surprise that this clip sees real life guitar hero J Mascis get spanked by David Cross (who starts the bit by mouthing the host's lines off her cue cards, like a less hammered John Stamos). Best part comes via David's post-game interview, and his later explanation of why "AOL rules!" (priceless look at poor Sara's face). Watch it below, and head to AOL for a 'David Explains AOL Lingo' clip which will be entertaining to anyone who ever worked at a dotcom with a whiteboard. Do it for the love of Ronnie Dobbs.

Ryan continues to be a role model and influence for greater internet utilization. If you missed the Hiro set, check this vid from Letterman last night; the Cards are set up just like they were on Tuesday (no Ray Bans for Ry, alas), and when offered up live, this track has more character (i.e. sounds less like "Harder Not That It's Over 2.0" and more like just plain ol' "Two"). More impressively, though, at the top of the show Letterman mentioned that the Cardinals would do a second tune after the telecast, available for live streaming on CBS.com. We didn't watch 'til 3AM so we have no idea what they played (anyone?), but it's the first time we noticed Dave get into the sphere of prominent web bonus stuff. Wouldn't be surprised if it was ryan hyphen adams dot com's idea.

UPDATE: It was "I Taught Myself How To Grow Old," which you can watch at CBS. (Thx, Rob)

While we were out with Ryan, the BET Awards presented an evening of memorable performances, though none quite as captivating as 50 Cent's take on his hit "Amusement Park." Really, Fid's an awesome rapper when his DJ doesn't cue up the instrumental track instead of the proper lip-syncable jam. Check the embarrassment, edited together with love by Media Take Out. Ladies and gentlemen ... Vitamin Water. (via PopWatch)

Welcome to the resurfacing of Orenda Fink, one-half of now defunct dream-pop duo Azure Ray. Since Ray's '04 disbanding, Ms. Fink soldiered on with her Saddle Creek solo release Invisible Ones the next year, later forming Art Belle (essentially constituents of her touring band, including members of the Anniversary, Bright Eyes, etc.) ... then renaming the project Art In Manila.

The Art poppers forthcoming Set The Woods On Fire puts Orenda's vox in familiar settings, though twisted at the corners: still plenty of stargazing balladry, occasionally turning up the amps and BPM for something more urgent and crunchy. The shining moments still sit Orenda under the night sky, though, as in the heartfelt jangle confessional "The Abomination"...

Art In Manila - "The Abomination" (MP3)

Another we're loving is "I Thought I Was Free," but a must download comes via Orenda's campfire rearrangement of Les Savy Fav's manic anthem "The Sweat Descends." Compare Art In Manila's take with Harrington's hysterics at Stereogum's inaugural McCarren Pool free show last year, or at Les Savy's NYU scorcher a few months later. Less crazed guitars and props here, but a lovely take...

Art In Manila - "The Sweat Descends" (MP3)

Set The Woods On Fire is out 8/28 on Saddle Creek. More to hear at MySpace.

Earlier this week we got a listen of Feist's take on the Jesse Harris-penned "Somewhere Down The Road," part of the Harris-in-covers project hatched by Ethan Hawke for his upcoming big screen novel adaptation The Hottest State. Now you can head to myspace.com/thehotteststate for more listens, including M. Ward and Conor Oberst's takes on Jesse tunes "Crooked Lines" and "Big Old House," respectively. Really feeling the Bright Eyes cut, one of the soundtrack's absolute highlights -- no small feat considering the artist list (Willie, Emmylou, Mehldau, and Chan). Plus, you can hear Harris's interpretation of his own tune ("One Day"), how quaint. They guy's looking better by the second. Haven't given his new one Feel a spin yet, but that'll change soon. (Ethan, Jesse ... your plan is working.)

The Hottest State Soundtrack is out 8/7 via Hickory. Tracklist below.

Not sure about the rest of Ry's tour, but last night's cozy show at Hiro Ballroom saw Adams taking his new, blue Easy Tiger mantra to heart: seats for Cardinals and the crowd alike; acoustics, pedal steel and brush sticks; low lights and Risky Business shades. "We're gonna play some music up in this piece," DJ Reggie offered as he took his stool, but aside from his banter and band intros ("playin' the percussion like it was nothin' right now, in NYC, right now ... on the bass from outer space," oh my god, whatever, etc.) it was a night of chilled out rustic rootsy fare on a blazing hot, sticky NYC summer night.

Bryan Cox and Ruff Club’s Denny Le Nimh bring us a rework of the Neu Rave anthem “Rave Dave” by Trash Fashion. Like the original, I’m not sure if it’s complimenting or making fun of the scene… but either way it works. Trash Fashion (and Bryan Cox and Denny Le Nimh) takes it to a place where it is almost too much. But whatever, as long as you don’t take yourself too serious it is all fun. Throw your hands up…

Trash Fashion - “Rave Dave” (Bryan Cox & Denny Le Nimh Remix) (mp3)

This remix has everything going for it that is insanely popular right now… right down to the stutter vox and rave horns. Love it so haters in the comments section… I am sure.

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Our Love To Admire isn't out for a couple of weeks, but the chatter about the Cure, extra creepiness, and added accents/atmospherics -- while basically true -- is already tired. At least it's more interesting than discussing Interpol's suits and drink hangouts, or rehashing New York's post-punk renaissance. Three years have passed since Antics and a lot's changed -- the same can't be said for the NY quartet's third album. These older, hairier, dog-owning dudes basically sound the same except when they opt to take their sweet, melancholic time, allowing things to unfurl unhurriedly.

Major label deals can result in chancier recordings: Something to prove? Bigger budget? More time? Our Love's occasional new-romantic expansiveness and molasses pacing is likely the result of group maturity/chemistry mixed with all of the above (one also wonders the effects of Carlo D's stache). Whatever the case, Our Love's longest, languorous songs -- those given space to build (i.e. the ones folks may consider boring) -- are the record's truly captivating hooks. On the other hand, the quick, jagged numbers/mid-tempo tracks can be ear candy (a restless Joy Division haunts old timey, strong first single "The Heinrich Maneuver") or occasionally compelling (would someone with better math skills please chart the woozy energy of "Mammoth" or, bad title and all, the lovely non-arc of "No I in Threesome"?), but quite a few of the pithier tracks pass without much impact (see "Who Do You Think?," "Scale").

The cool thing to do with vids these days is drive your viewers to seizure (see: M.I.A.), so pop your anticonvulsant drugs and press play on Portland genre-bending outfit Blitzen Trapper's clip for the spastic stop/start pop rocker "Devil's A-Go-Go."

Yeah we didn't really like it either. But we do love Blitzen, so if you missed 'em last time, take these samples of their sonic smorgasboard for tomorrow's iPhone purchase.

Blitzen Trapper - "Wild Mountain Nation" (MP3)
Blitzen Trapper - "Futures & Folly" (MP3)

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Tip #1 for speaking to any member of the Fab Four: Remember which ones have passed away, and which ones are sitting right in front of you. Larry King orchestrated an impressive interview lineup last night, the first to get the surviving Beatles and the deceased members' widows to sit together for a Q&A. Then he fucked it up by referring to Ringo as "George." Don't worry, Sir Macca set him straight. YouTube's got the show in 100 annoying, edited one-minute snippets, so for now you'll have to jump for the transcript.