Yep, that’s right! You can download Nine Inch Nails new album, The Slip for FREE!

Just click this link.

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Gonzo, a movie on the legacy of Louisville’s most infamous writer, Hunter S. Thompson, was released Friday July 4th. It’s set to make its Louisville debut, finally, on Friday July 18th at Baxter Avenue Theaters. A must see for all writers. For anyone actually.

Again, buy the ticket, take the ride.

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If patience is a virtue, then Heaven Hill’s new album Somewhat Civil, which was originally set to be released Fall 2007, will be worth the wait. Although it’s not due out in stores nationwide until August 26, all will be forgiven once you get your hands on a copy of this album.

Somewhat Civil, produced by Ryan Williams at Europa Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, is Teague Ridge, Chuck Willis and Chris Evans’s (Louisville music scene veterans) most well-polished recording effort, going back to the days of Breckinridge/Element H (Willis & Ridge) and The Constant (Evans).

The most impressive aspect of Heaven Hill’s efforts to perfect their sound on Somewhat Civil was their choice to head up the mastering process. Recording mastering icon Eddie Schreyer of Oasis Studios in L.A. has a laundry list of hit makers from almost every genre of music including Prince, Chevelle, Alice In Chains, Johnny Cash, Ben Harper and Queen, just to name a few.

Schreyer even went so far as to say that he thought Heaven Hill’s Somewhat Civil was going to “put another album on his wall.” I think it’s safe to say the album is loaded with quite a few potential radio hit singles, each consistently delivering Heaven Hill’s classic hard Southern rock.

Every time I listen to this album, I come away with a different song that I think is the dominant song. I’ve gone back and forth between “When It’s Sold,” “Top Of The South,” “I’ve Done It” and “Going Down.” I anticipate that a few of these songs will be the singles that pave the way for this album’s likely success.

“When It’s Sold” opens with an acoustic rhythm reminiscent of Evan’s former band The Constant and illustrates his songwriting stamp on Heaven Hill’s music. The song quickly builds on Willis’ grungy vocals and Kerr’s Southern-fried and hard-rockin’ dirty guitars. It’s hard to get the songs fervent chorus out of your head after it’s over.

“Top Of The South,” Heaven Hill’s geographic slang for Louisville, is the album’s most patriotic dub on our hometown. It opens up with an AM radio sound, with Willis’s vocals slightly predominating over O’Reilly’s drums. Like most of the songs on the album, it quickly gets to the chorus: “Southern by the grace of God…..” This song declares Heaven Hill’s pride at being “country ‘til the time I die” and solidifies their Southern roots. This is probably my overall favorite song on the album, at least for today. Tomorrow, or even in the next paragraph, it will be something else.

“I’ve Done It” flirts with pop rock, but still delivers that classic dirty-Southern sound that Heaven Hill has come to be known for. With a “rock the stadium” harmonized chorus, this song may just be the single that lands them airplay outside the mainstream rock stations.

“Going Down” is lyrically slightly raunchy but is consistent with style. Look for this song to be the probable favorite as the first single from the album.

Although most of the songs follow a standard verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus order, Somewhat Civil will be music to the ears of all Southern rock lovers across the country. I say so and so does Eddie Schreyer, so go buy it. If I’m wrong, then so is Eddie. That being said, I won’t lose sleep at night.

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Horseshoe Southern Indiana, (formerly Caesar’s), across the river in Elizabeth, Indiana, is producing a summer-long outdoor concert series with a really impressive lineup. Here are my top three picks:

The Black Crowes (July 26)

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The Black Crowes, a traditional American blues-based jam-rock band, is arguably one of the best acts featured in the series. Led by original members and brothers Chris (vocals, guitar) and Rich Robinson (guitar), along with Steve Gorman (drums), plus a rotating lineup, now composed of Adam MacDougall (keyboard), Sven Pipien (bass) and Luther Dickinson (guitar), The Black Crowes have toured the globe over the years and have gone on to sell over 20 million albums worldwide.

Forming in 1984 as Mr. Crowes Garden, they would eventually rename themselves in 1990 to The Black Crowes after signing to Rick Rubin’s Def American Records. Almost immediately, they burst onto the national music scene after releasing Shake Your Money Maker, an album loaded with hit singles like “Hard To Handle,” “She Talks To Angels” and “Jealous Again.” The album went on to sell over three million copies and launched them into the international music scene.

The Black Crowes second release, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, was released in 1992, again on Rubin’s Def American Records. The first single, “Remedy,” instantly pushed both the song and the album to #1 on the Billboard charts. The album would eventually sell almost 2 million copies. Ironically, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion’s title track is named after a certain musical tradition dating back to 1884 in Benton, Kentucky (Research for yourself).

The Black Crowes have since released five studio albums on a variety of labels, including Def American, American Recordings, Sony Music, V2 and currently, Silver Arrow Records. They have sold over 20 million copies of their albums to date and have toured relentlessly, other than for a short period from 2002 to 2005, when Chris Robinson experimented with a solo career. The Black Crowes will be playing live at on July 26 at Horseshoe Southern Indiana in support of their recent release Warpaint, on Silver Arrow Records.

Stone Temple Pilots (August 16)

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There is no arguing that the Stone Temple Pilots don’t have a plethora of great songs, but, like many other great bands, their singer, Scott Weiland, is as unpredictable on stage as he is off. The only way I’m burning $4 per gallon gas to see STP is if their publicist releases a press release on August 16 – the day of the show – announcing that Scott Weiland is clean and sober, willing and able to perform a coherent STP set. I don’t want to hear live STP songs murdered by Weiland, post intake of a multitude of substances. Really. Maybe if it was Velvet Revolver.

On the other hand, maybe a combination of the law of averages mixed with a little luck, will allow us to catch Weiland on a sober night where he delivers a stellar set of STP cuts that smack you right back into 1995. Hmm. On second thought, I think I’ll risk wasting some $4 per gallon gas. See you there.

Bob Dylan (August 23)

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Folksinger and songwriting legend Robert Zimmerman (Bob Dylan) is a big piece of American rock ‘n’ roll history and he is rolling into town, yet being another musical powerhouse set to take the stage at Caesars on August 23.

Dylan, who released his first album way back in 1962 and who is now 67 years old, still tours relentlessly as a solo artist. Essentially he is still on his “Neverending Tour,” which started sometime back in the late Eighties. Over the years, Dylan has been the recipient of countless iconic musical awards including several Grammys, induction into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame and, more recently, a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation in 2008. Dylan’s music was the soundtrack to the birth to America’s counter culture.

This is another must-see show and worth burning $4 per gallon on. Or is it $4.30 now?

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Jefferson TARC Bus’s usual drunken chaotic musical sets were a bit tame for the Youth Professional Association of Louisville (YPAL)’s annual YParty, which happened on Friday the 13th of June at the Mellwod Arts and Entertainment Center. Playing with the Jefferson TARC Bus that night was Kevin McCreary (Ugly, Tantric, Outspoken) taking up some guitar/vocal duties.

YPAL, an organization of different young talents, was celebrating the transition of the old board to the newly elected Board of Directors. For a full listing of the positions and newly elected officers, head on over to www.YPAL.org.

Having attended several YPAL functions since its inception, this was the first time that it seemed very loose and casual. The focus was actually more on the entertainment than a sponsor, set agenda of speakers, etc. that usually come with professional boards. 102.3 The Max’s Aaron Miller emceed the event and brought with him some interesting crowd participation routines, including a ‘crack-berry contest,’ where everyone had to be the first to email in answer to a trivia question. Wouldn’t you know it? Mine did not work and I had the answer immediately.

YPAL does have a more interesting approach to gaining members than what has previously been done. Some music folks need to be a part of this organization, given the number of bands and other Louisville music community folks that are working at a national level. There are plenty of people in YPAL interested in what we have going on right now, thus they hired Jefferson TARC Bus for their largest party.

So I say to all you Louisville music industry dudes and dudettes, log onto www.YPAL.org, send some emails to various board members and ask them the questions that you want answers to and how Louisville’s music community can be a part of their organization.

I can be your voice if you need one, so maybe you just email me: scuttlebuttpress@yahoo.com