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As our favorite Hansen confesses to Rolling Stone: It's because there's no sense to be made. Via NME:

The star admits that many songs ... featured ... lines the star recorded during initial recordings of the songs to fill in blanks, that theoretically should have been replaced later on...

"Most of the vocals on the record were scratch vocals," he said. "We just grew attached to them."Beck says most of the scratch is to be found on Odelay. Now to go back to the '90s and tell ourselves to let it go; no matter how much herb we smoke, there will be no understanding "Devil's Haircut." A few of Becks' confessed nonsenicals:

Every time we think Maritime we think "Promise Ring." Which isn't bad. Vocalist/guitarist Davey von Bohlen's distinctive, slightly lisped intonations have piloted the choruses (and bridges) of some really great songs ("Red & Blue Jeans," anyone?). Well, Maritime's back with a cut-n-paste, kaleidoscopic video to the previously mentioned "Guns Of Navarone." No, not this one.

"Sticks and stones / might break my skin and bones." That Davey. He's always had a way of inserting extra syllables into well-remembered phrases, making them new again. Maybe that's what made Milwaukee famous. For you:

Maritime - "Guns Of Navarone" (MP3)

Heresy And The Hotel Choir is out via Flameshovel.

It's been a long and indecisive season, but the endorsement you've been waiting for is finally in: Kirk Hammett supports Rockabye Baby!'s Lullaby Renditions Of Metallica. In this interview he makes public his love for the reworking of his music. Round up your young'n and watch! You and yours will literally spend hours debating whether the sampled version of "Enter Sandman" or Kirk's on-cam sniveling demeanor is more creepy.

A while ago I posted "In The Night" by Basia Bulat and told you to see its ridiculous video, which features bears playing drums, dancing skeletons, and more masks than Eyes Wide Shut. Did you do it? You didn't?! Do it now!

Bulat will be at the 7th St. Entry in Minneapolis Saturday night, and I'll be there. I'm sure it'll be a fun show - she's a great singer, she has a great band, and besides, she's adorable. If you're in the area, why not stop by?

"In The Night" comes from Bulat's record Oh My Darling, which you should pick up from Insound.

As you may have heard, the White Stripes have decided to release a Spanish version of their Patti Page cover -- so now, instead of "Conquest," we also have "Conquista." Jack, you are the king of method singing. Along with a 7" of the tune -- on which the band's called Las Rayas Blancas -- there's a new video. Well, sort of. Something about this is really familiar.

Remember Gus Van Sant's Psycho? This is Jack's. Meg's still cute in Spanish. The single's out 2/19 on Warner Bros.

Amy Winehouse's Visa was denied. Again. So no Grammys for her this Sunday. Is anyone beginning to think that maybe Amy Winehouse is not very dependable? The singer cancelled shows (including gigs with the Rolling Stones, and a headline spot at the V Festival) in August. She cancelled apperances at the VMAs in September and the Woodie Awards in November. She scrapped a European tour in December. How about promoters stop booking her? She's just gonna cancel, and then you'll have to replace her with Rilo Kiley. Psst, Mark Ronson: it was gonna be boring anyway. (UPDATE: Hallejulah, etc.)

No, not the British techno band. We're talking Lyte Funky Ones. Last night Angela Ad Sales passed along a voicemail that showed up on her brother-in-law's answering machine. Yeah, we get messages from telemarketers all the time, but rarely do they break into their own renditions of "Summer Girls" after they think they've hung up the line. Not wanting to publicly out the LFO fan, we protected her identity with the DLR "Runnin' With The Devil" audio (the most creative use of that vocal track since the Hood Internet this morning). Doesn't the boss ever let those telemarketers off work to discover new music? Compare her version to the original. You know she was wearing Abercrombie & Fitch.

Hers:

Silly us for celebrating the MJ pop-opus's 25th Anniversary on its actual 25th Anniversary. As the months since have demonstrated, Michael (or at least, Epic) was thinking of commemorating the more round and wholesome 25-and-one-quarter-or-so anniversary of the classic LP, by giving it a deluxe reissue jam-packed with terrible remakes. Hit the KISS FM site for a full stream of the album, including the reworkings from Fergie, Akon, and Kanye West. And if you're wondering if we can simultaneously trash will.i.am's "The Girl Is Mine '08" and make a timely political reference ... yes we can.

Thriller - 25th Anniversary Edition is out 2/12/08. Don't even think about giving it for Valentine's Day.

If our Heavy Rotation's to be believed (and yes, it is), we literally can't get enough of New York clusterfucking, pop-is-eating-itself crew Apes & Androids. When a band goes so many directions at once, it's hard not to head back for seconds. One of our many favorite tracks from the excellent new Blood Moon is the after-hours new-wave anthem "Nights Of the Week," which chops up "Message In A Bottle" in the service of some campy fun that feels very much like The Ziggy Stardust Picture Show. The message in this bottle: Get out and d.a.n.c.e.

[A&A pic from the band's album release show @ Mercury Lounge, NYC 1/19/08]

Since it's LOST Thursday (yes, we forgot about the change from Wednesday until last night, too), here's a bit that came to the inbox a few days back: Thanks to Adam Schatz and Jeff Curtin for tipping us off to the the worst -- but funniest -- way to catch up with each week's bygone LOST chapter. Previously On LOST will write, record, and post to MySpace a song after each episode, offering a recap and handy reminder of the madness that went down. The first song's called "We're Going Home." Kitschy, but cute (and a fun link to forward to similarly LOST souls). Plus it's really fun to sing along to! C'mon, everybody: "We are the Oceanic Six ... we are the Oceanic Six ... I think I'm gonna grow a beard..."