The Toronto Star talks to jingle-machine Jim Guthrie and Zoilus offers his thoughts on Guthrie – and musicians in general – writing 30-second soundtracks. Alas, the link to the downloadable MP3 on Jim’s site seem to be broken, hopefully just temporarily. Probably indundated with people downloading his infectious little ditty. I personally have no problem with bands writing songs for, or using existing songs, in commercials. The payday can be pretty damn significant and if it gives them the financial freedom to make more proper music, more power to them. I remember getting pretty excited when I heard Galaxie 500’s “Instrumental” in an Acura commercial a few years back. And if you’re one of those who moan that hearing “How Soon Is Now?” soundtracking Julian Sands extolling the virtues of ice-filtered beer cheapens the memory of that song for you… well, tough noogies. Your emotional connections to songs should be a little less fragile.

And jingle talk is always a good excuse to pull Ween’s inexplicably rejected Pizza Hut jingles out of the cupboard for airing. And Yo La Tengo also has some interesting stories about being commissioned to do write (or rewrite) music for commerical purposes. Always fascinating reading.

MP3: Ween – “Where’d The Cheese Go?”
MP3: Yo La Tengo – “Coke jingle”
MP3: Yo La Tengo – “Don’t Smoke PSA jingle”
MP3: Yo La Tengo – “Orange cellphones jingle”

And speaking of YLT, go channel surfing James McNew. Hey James, instead of keeping tabs on Buffy and Freaks & Geeks alumnus, how about rounding up Ira and Georgia and recording a new album? And make this one a pop record, would ya? Thanks.

Jason Isbell of Drive-By Truckers tells The Macon Telegraph about his solo album, Sirens of the Ditch, and frogs. Via LHB.

The February 23 Animal Collective show has been moved from Lee’s Palace to the Opera House. Cue outrage… now. And note that I’ve got a Walkmen contest up – a pair of passes for their January 28 show at Lee’s Palace could be yours… if you dare.

Though 2005 is now but a distant memory, I can forgive Jack Rabid of The Big Takeover for only getting around to running down his best albums of 2005 now… and for dragging it out for who knows how long. I mean, they only publish the magazine twice a year. Time moves differently in Big Takeover land.

Thanks to Largehearted Boy for giving me a shout-out in this interview with the Miwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

The AV Club blog debates the relative merits of both The Simpsons and Family Guy. No matter which side of the fence you fall on, I think everyone can agree on one thing – American Dad sucks ass. Meanwhile, the AV Club mothership rattles off the best of the worst of everything… a list which doesn’t include American Dad because it, you see, is the WORST of the worst.

Well this was my most ellipsis-abusing post in some time…

np – Superchunk / Cup Of Sand