The Campaign to Save Paste

Father Scott

My love affair with Paste Magazine is well-publicized around these parts, so it saddens me to see that they’re having serious (but not unexpected) financial trouble.

Via their Twitter feed (@pastemagazine and @joshjackson), Paste has launched the Campaign to Save Paste, in which they basically ask you to donate to a privately-held company. Which at first sounds like some dumb desperate idea a newspaper would come up with, but can actually benefit you.

In a letter to readers on the site:

As the global recession has continued, many of you have written us (especially as ad pages shrunk) to say, “If you ever need help, let us know.” That day has come.

Today, we are launching the “Campaign to Save Paste” to raise money to keep Paste coming to your mailboxes and computer screens. If you are in a position to give even a little, please consider donating. As thanks for your generosity, over 70 amazing artists (including The Decemberists, Neko Case, Bob Mould, Cowboy Junkies, Indigo Girls, Jayhawks, Brandi Carlile, John Roderick of The Long Winters, Patterson Hood, Avett Brothers and Josh Ritter—with more to come) have gathered and donated rare and exclusive MP3s for all who join us in the campaign.

OK, so donating to a private, for-profit company sounds awful. But 70 songs for whatever amount of cash you want to give them is pretty sweet. And if you’re really, really confident about their long-term business plan, any donation of $350 or more gets you lifetime access to everything as well as a lifetime subscription. Note: I love Paste, but I can’t in good conscience recommend you do that.

Anyway, if you love Paste like I do and want more awesome music, or you just don’t want to see Father Scott be a sad panda, here’s the link.

Paste is in love with Zooey, too

Father Scott

Paste released its top 50 albums of the year list, and the Padre would like to commend them for their fine choice at no. 1:

1. She & Him – Volume One [Merge]
Maybe it’s just a sweet little folk record—a tiny, flawless diamond. Or maybe it’s a pristine distillation of harmony and craft; 50 years of songwriting experience served up on a spinning silver platter. Either way, it’s our album of the year. Produced with touches of girl-group splendor and arranged with a dreamy, old-fashioned vibe, She & Him’s debut couldn’t be more adorable.

They’ve got a relatively mundane piece about the band as well, which at least notes that Zooey wrote many of the songs.

After the jump, the full list, courtesy of Stereogum.

Succumb to your Evil Urges

Father Scott

Bastion of all that is good Paste Magazine reports My Morning Jacket has announced the name of its upcoming album: Evil Urges. The album is due June 10, but unfortunately Paste has no more information about song titles or any quotes from the band about sonic path they’ve gone down. (The band’s site provides nothing at all. Lame.)

Sounds like a pretty righteous album name, certainly better than the predictable and dull title Z from 2006. Musically who knows if Evil Urges and compare; Z was one of my two favorite albums of that year (along with Fiona Apple’s Extraordinary Machine). 

Paste also passes along that MMJ sold out their upcoming Radio City Music Hall show in 22 minutes. With good reason: MMJ is awesome live. Their sound is big on CD, but it’s huge live. I was front row when they played the Avalon in Boston last year, and I think my knees are still shaking from the bass in “Wordless Chorus.”

And since there’s no other information available to comment on, suffice it to say that Father Scott expects this to be the best album of 2008. No pressure, boys.

Now check this clip of them performing Letterman with the Boston Pops: