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Fun subject for a little shit list debate, and it comes to you via Cracked.com. We've gleaned that there are a couple of stipulations in place, namely 1) your high school band is not eligible (unless you're Brandon Urie) and 2) apparently you're meant to dig deeper than just emo and hair metal bands (too easy), though a few do justly pop up on this list. Of course we have our issues, but first their Cracked out findings...

25. Porno For Pyros
24. Nickelback
23. The Alan Parsons Project
22. Stone Temple Pilots
21. Matchbox 20
20. The Smashing Pumpkins
19. Def Leppard
18. W.A.S.P.
17. Puddle Of Mudd
16. Of Montreal
15. Goo Goo Dolls
14. The The
13. Mr. Mister
12. The Mr. T Experience
11. Panic! At The Disco

Aside from consisting of nearly a dozen bands you don't give a shit about, the mall-punk tribute to the Pumpkins curiously contained one guyliner-free anomaly in cuddly indie troubadour Ben Kweller, who took his turn to tribute Siamese Dream hit "Today." You've heard him do the track by now, sure ... but not in front of the Statue Of Liberty down on the BK waterfront. Polished by no means, but it's got sun and waves and Lady Liberty and we're still hunched over this laptop, so yeah that at least is refreshing. Have a gander over at SPIN.

And there's cool news for Kweller fans: During his upcoming summer tour, Ben's doing a special three-night run of shows at Brooklyn's Southpaw, at which he'll play one of his records in its entirety (Sha Sha on July 30, On My Way on 7/31 and Ben Kweller on 8/1). For those that can't make these LP-entirety specials, take the jump for the rest of his dates (including a stop off at Austin City Limits fest).

Mr. Adams has prepared his first vid from Easy Tiger, now showing at Yahoo. And though it's mostly a bag of cutting snark for Interpol's clip earlier today, at least "The Heinrich Maneuver" consisted of original footage. Ry's offering for "Halloweenhead" comprises nothing but frames taken from a vintage Scandinavian disco dancing instructional video! First thought: Did Yahoo just get Punk'd? And on second thought ... this may be the most perfect Ryan Adams video ever.

And for bonus fun, take the jump for a truly gorgeous take of Ry & the Cards doing Easy Tiger highlight "Off Broadway," from the same string-lit session as "These Girls" and Everybody Knows." Now with wackier color filters!

Never too far gone from our remembrance (just yesterday they turned up in a Winehouse post), Britpop heroes the Verve have called a truce and are launching a new website, spending time in the studio, and planning to reform without Tong (too busy being Good, Bad and/or The Queen), but with McCabe, Jones, Salisbury, and Ashcroft's preternaturally bony face. Here's their message to you...

The Verve ... were back recording together in a London studio last week.

After a summer break, they will return to the studio to complete their next album. The Verve will also return to the live arena in November, playing ... 6 shows in the UK.

Why reunite? 'Tis the season, apparently. And as the Urban legend goes, the Verve never saw a penny from "Bittersweet Symphony" (100% of the royalties go to Mick & Co.), so maybe a little padding for the pockets, then. Last Richard was in NYC (at Webster last year), friends mentioned his banter included some good time god complex confessionals ("I think about Jesus, and I really believe the only two people alive who know what it must have been like for him are Noel Gallagher and myself.") That was said with a straight and narrow face, folks. But Hymns we love, so this is cool news. So be their friend (only 180 so far!) and take the jump for the UK dates.

Our stumble upon rising UK singer-songwriter Eugene McGuinness was ass-backwards: tipped to the vid's charms first, did our due diligence (to the extent possible) later. Though he's officially released nothing yet, stuff's on the way and he's making waves (notably playing the Introducing stage at Glasto this weekend). The track that caught us is "Monsters Under The Bed," McGuinness showing some sonic savvy (lo-fi jangle meets full/warm kick beat) and a school-kid playfulness to the track's paranoid romp-about (cue the flutes, the pseudo-spooky harmonies, the cartoony segues). Of course it's easy to mine that intention after watching the clip, full of Scooby-style specter chasers and a quick nod to The Shining...

The "Monsters Under The Bed" single gets a proper release on 7/2 in the UK on Double Six (a division of Domino Publishing), with a full album entitled The Early Learnings of Eugene McGuinness out 8/6. Also loving the '60s-kissed foreboding waltz "Myrtle Parade," which you can hear with another ("Bold Street") at MySpace. Promising as it is, that's all we've got so far. Well, those two tunes and cartoon Eugene's uncanny likeness to that of animated Demetri Martin.

Catherine Ferroyer-Blanchard - “Chason d’amour” (YouTube)

Here’s a video for Catherine Ferroyer-Blanchard’s “Chason d’Amour.” Her new cassette tape is now scattered throughout stores in Paris… if you spot it make sure you pick up three copies. One for you, one for me and one to sell on ebay in six months. Just sayin…

There’s a bunch of mp3 for grab on her website… including this excellent cover of Black Strobe’s “Me and Madonna.”

Catherine Ferroyer-Blanchard - “Me And Madonna” (Comité Central Clap-Clap Laz-Laz Remix) (mp3)

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The band Arizona is just weird, in the best sense of the word. They're weird in an Of Montreal/Flaming Lips kind of way, with songs that sound strange at first but immediately provide their own context.

Arizona - Thimble.

Right? I guess I'm overplaying the strangeness a bit, but really, when was the last time you heard .... whatever instrument that is near the end? Recorder? See, it's strange enough that you can't identify the instrument. Crazy!

Arizona is actually from New York, and the band consists of Alex Hornbake, Andrew Dunn, Benjamin Morris Wigler, James DeDakis, and Nick Campbell. Their songs kind of burrow their way into your head, and you find yourself singing them when you least expect it. I love that kind of song, and "Thimble" is a great example of how catchy melodies can sneak up on you.

This track comes from their record Fameseeker And The Mono, out Sept. 11. The band would like me to mention that the great artwork for the record is by the New York-based artist Deems.

Essential Logic was a post-punk band formed in 1978. The group was fronted & created by then 16 year old Lora Logic (real name Susan Whitby) who previously played saxophone in the X-Ray Spex. The Spex and Poly Styrene played a seminal part of the punk/new wave movement.

Essential Logic recorded & self released their first 7″ before signing to Virgin records in 1979 and later to Rough Trade. The act disbanded in 1980 but Lora was still musically active, lending her shrieking sax skills on studio recordings for the The Swell Maps and The Raincoats. Lora also released two solo albums and soon after quit recording and joined the Hare Krishna movement as her friend and former bandmate Poly Styrene had done earlier.

In 1995 Lora took part in a short lived reincarnation of X-Ray Spex, sans Poly & in 2001 released an EP of new material with Gary Valentine of Blondie on her roster.

Essential Logic - Wonderful Offer (mp3)

Wonderful Offer - Aerosol Burns (mp3)

Essential Logic - Wake Up (mp3)

Lora’s part in the X-Ray Spex ‘Oh Bondage Up yours’ & Essential Logic’s feminist forward lyrics made her well known amongst the feminist movement & in 2003 riot grrl heavy record label Kill Rock Stars released a collection of Essential Logic songs entitled ‘Fanfare in the Garden’ which can be picked up from here.

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The Go! Team - “Grip Like A Vice” (YouTube)

Last we heard from Ninja she was teaming up with Simian Mobile Disco. “Grip Like A Vice” has been traveling around the interwebs for a few weeks now… finally took the minutes to sit down and listen/watch it. Oh man, if there is one album I am looking forward to it’s the new Go! Team. What is more exciting than that? Potential fall tour for the best live band ever.

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Mark your calendars guys - David and myself, in conjunction with the Rocks Off Concert Cruise series, are doing a late-nite disco cruise with our friends Jacques Renault & My Cousin Roy, aka the Wurst Edit DJs. July 13th, midnight to three, on the HMS Half Moon.

Advance tix are available now for $15, so if you want to come you'd best get 'em early so you definitely get on board. It will be awesome. Awesome.

BUT FIRST, hit the basement with us again, Friday July 6th, when People Don't Dance No More returns to the Vault at Element

With special guest DJ Justin Miller (DFA Records)

and residents David Bruno (Slap You in Public) and Robot Blair (Music For Robots)

$5 advance tix // 10pm to 4am // Disco-Techno-Acid-Radness all night!

VAULT at element
225 East Houston Street
@ Essex St / Avenue A (Entrance on Essex Street)
Directions: F and V Trains to Second Avenue