James Iha starts middle-aged teen rock band (aka "huh?")

How's this for truly bizarre career decisions:

James Iha (late of A Perfect Circle and The Smashing Pumpkins) has started a band called Tinted Windows that apparently consists of himself and several other 30/40-somethings dressing like they raided the Jonas Brothers' dressing room and slamming out power pop of a style so aggregious that it might make Miley Cyrus blush (Hannah Montana, on the other hand, would remain quite composed.)

Seriously though, Tinted Windows sounds an awful lot like something you'd hear on Radio Disney.

OBVIOUS PRESCIENT QUESTION FOR THIS BLOG POST:
Is this an actual band or some kind of bizarre meta-joke?

ANSWER:
No one seems to know, but given the group's presentation it seems like this one is for real.

Whether that is the case or not, you can be sure as shit that I'll be lip-synching these hypnotically catchy tunes into a shampoo bottle for at least the next few months.

Seriously, what the frak is going on here?

What is Matthew McConaughey doing...

...in this photo?

Why does he look so confused (even more so than usual)? And what in god's name is that stuff on his abs? Toothpaste? Silly string? House paint?

WTF Matt? W. T. F.

Ra Ra Riot does Portland

Barsuk Records is notoriously picky about which acts they'll let into their miniscule stable so it's fair to assume that if a band can get into that most exclusive of clubs they've probably got something going for them.

Although Ra Ra Riot at first seemed to defy this trend (they're good but they're not great) the group has been steadily growing on me. They manage to make a string section sound chipper rather than melodramatic and it is hard to argue with those hooks once they really sink in.

Check them out at the Doug Fir tomorrow night for a more thorough investigation.