The week began with another big festival, Bamboozle, which took place outside Giants Stadium's parking lot in New Jersey. My sister-in-law's brother, Ben, and his friend, Paul, were in town for the concert festivities, so on Friday night I picked their brains. I was glad to get the Bamboozle update, surprised to find out that Snoop Dogg would be headlining one of the nights, but honestly, I don't think I could have swung the festival. Two days of predominantly emo-driven music in a football stadium parking lot is an endurance test that I don't think I'm in shape for at this point in time (although I would have loved to catch the Bouncing Souls in action).

(left to right: My wife, Paul, and Ben reluctantly posing for an artsy picture I wanted to take of them during a late night tour of NYC.)

On Monday, Trent Reznor treated the internet world with another surprise as he released a brand new NIN's album, The Slip, for free! It was only a couple months ago that he released a 36-track online instrumental album for $5. Wow! Back in the day we had to wait six years to get a new NIN album--and we had to pay for it. Thanks Trent!

On Tuesday we were greeted by new albums from The Last Shadow Puppets (Arctic Monekys' Alex Turner's side project which sounds half inspired by James Bond scores and half inspired by Love Boat music), and music vets Elvis Costello and Neil Diamond. Everest and Morning Benders also delivered us nice efforts.

On Thursday I shared the same television screen as Fuse's Steven Smith, when I appeared on an episode of The Sauce. Hopefully the sight of a former MTV2 and current Fuse VJ embracing on air can inspire the rest of the world to drop their respective beefs with one another.

Late this week in Philadelphia, a plot was un-hatched by a local radio station, claiming that Pittsburgh Penguins fans were planning on desecrating the Rocky Balboa statue by adorning it with a Penguins jersey. Philadelphia Flyers fans were told to stand watch by the statue until the playoff series between the two teams ended. Since I am a Penguins fan, let me say this, we love Rocky Balboa in Pittsburgh (as well as Apollo Creed)--there's probably a better chance of a Ben Franklin statue getting the jersey treatment than that of the "Italian Stallion."

(left: The only person who has the right to deface this statue is Rocky Balboa, who actually did, when he threw his motorcycle helmet against it in Rocky III).

This weekend, Adam Green and Tim Fite are playing a show in Brooklyn. If you have a chance to catch this tour, should be an interesting one.

On Saturday night, don't forget that My Morning Jacket will be playing on Saturday Night Live.

Video Pick:

Santogold, "L.E.S. Artistes"

Note: I'm lovin' Santogold, but I'm also making this my video pick of the week, because it has a horse in it, and I wanted to pay tribute to Eight Belles, the horse that finished second in the Kentucky Derby, then had to be "put down" on the track because it broke its two front legs. This goes out to anyone who's had a bad week: