THE COCKTAIL SLIPPERS COVER ELLIE GREENWICH

This is the third video from one of my favorite albums of 2009, The Cocktail Slippers' Saint Valentine's Day Massacre. It's my job to expose more people to this awesome, awesome band. Not my job, but my responsibility. This is a song written by the late Ellie Greenwich, one of the greats of the Brill Building era. She is getting into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year in the "non-performer" category. Little Steven will be at the ceremony, to present The Hollies. Maybe he can hook it up so that the Slippers can perform a tribute to Ellie.

BEST OF '09: THE COCKTAIL SLIPPERS

It happens maybe once a year, and maybe even less. I find out about an artist who I just have to tell everyone about. This year, hands down, that artist is The Cocktail Slippers. Their album, the Little Steven-produced Saint Valentine Day's Massacre, is either my favorite album of the year or my second favorite only to Bob Dylan's Together Through Life, depending on my mood.

They get nearly no press, and haven't done very many U.S. shows - they are from Oslo, Norway - but who cares. Forget what all the blogs are talking about - those bands will be gone soon anyway. They don't need hype. This album is FUN. It's like The Go-Go's or The Bangles or The Shanri-La's. If you trust anything I've written on No Expiration, do yourself a favor and buy this record.

Other Best of '09 albums: Bob Dylan's Together Through Life

TOMORROW ON OUTQ: ROCK AND ROLL!

Tomorrow on OutQ, I'll be talking about my two favorite albums by rock bands that I've heard this year: Rancid's Let The Dominoes Fall and The Cocktail Slippers' Saint Valentine's Day Massacre. Also, Care Bears On Fire 's debut Get Over It! They're in 9th grade... they've been together since they were in 5th grade. It sounds like a novelty, but they're quite good. I'll also be talking about Brendan Benson (of The Raconteurs)'s new album My Old Familiar Friend.

TOMORROW ON OUTQ: THE COCKTAIL SLIPPERS, IGGY, ELVIS AND CORNELL

Tomorrow on OutQ, I'll

be talking about the new album from a great Nordic band, The Cocktail Slippers - Saint Valentine's Day Massacre (on Little Steven's Wicked Cool Records; Steven produced the album). Listening to the new one, which is a lot of fun, prompted me to go back another album that I have by them, 2004's Mastermind. I really dig this band, more people should know about them, so it is actually a pleasure to be able to talk about them on the radio.

I'll also be playing Iggy Pop's "King Of The Dogs" from his upcoming New Orleans jazz album Preliminaires. And Elvis Costello's "Complicated Shadows" from his upcoming bluegrass album, Secret, Profane & Sugarcane. And a new rock "remix" of Chris Cornell's "Long Gone," from his Timbaland-produced album Scream. I have to say I like Timbaland's version better: this is rock in the sense of Maroon5, very clean and shiny rock. I'm not hating on M5, I'm just saying. I guess this show is The Cocktail Slippers + "we hope you like our new direction." But I'll refrain from Lil Wayne's rock album.