Defest, a music conference and festival in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is once again upon us, and Shockhound.com is teaming up with the festival to give away the prize package of the summer. The grand prize will include two American Airlines tickets to Tulsa, a double hotel room for three nights, and a VIP registration package for two that contains invitations to the conference, the festival and VIP invites for the opening-night party.

The contest runs through July 13, so don't delay, click here to sign up today!

The European industrial/electronica artists, VNV Nation , celebrated the North American release of their album "Of Faith, Power, and Glory" today (June 23rd) to thunderous applause throughout the continent, including Fangoria. The horror entertainment website posted a review of the album, claiming that "Green may perhaps be the new black..." To find out more check out the article here.

The Village Voice has seen the light, and the light looks like a giant Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, and Das Racist are inside. The Voice recently sat down with the Brooklyn duo and talked about everything from fast food restaurants to stereotypes to their street cred. Read the full interview here.

Cubic Zirconia's track "Fuck Work (Proper Villians & Jubilee Remix)" that was featured as RCRD LBL's MP3 of the Day. The track is a part of an EP consisting eight remixes of the song along with the original and a clean version. Check out the RCRD LBL post here, be sure to sign up for the MP3 of the Day newletter.

City Sonic steps onto the scene at this year's NXNE with a big showcase at the Drake Hotel that has The MuseBox VERY excited. With bands like Woodhands
Lioness, The D'Urbervilles and more, next Wednesday, June 17th is sure to be a party that you won't want to miss.

In case you're unfamiliar, City Sonic is a series of short films about extraordinary artists shot in places where their musical lives were transformed - the creative reverberations that make Toronto's music scene.

Click the link for all the show info you need to start North by Northeast the right way.

“Pitchfork.com? I don’t even read thaaat....” This biting claim of indifference from Das Racist hasn’t prevented them from impressing the folks at Pitchfork. Their catchy stoner anthem “Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell” appeared in Pitchfork Media's Best New Tracks section yesterday with an 8 out of 10 rating. Editor-in-Chief Scott Plagenhoef called the track "a critique of commercialism/lack of a leisure culture" and “a funny, stupid, silly, brainy, knowing song all at once.” Perez Hilton also chimed in about the Brooklyn duo exclaiming, "This song is so stupid, but we kinda love it! and went on to joke that, "It will clobber you over the head and beat you into submission until you like it too! Check out the full Pitchfork post and Perez post and while you're at it, give the addictive track yet another listen... You know you can’t resist.

The MuseBox is excited to announce the lineup for their 2009 NXNE showcase at Toronto’s El Mocambo, 464 Spadina Avenue, Thursday June 18th. Headlining the show with Seattle’s Natalie Portman's Shaved Head and Canada’s own Green Go and You Say Party! We Say Die!, this year’s event is sure to follow in the raucous, jam-packed footsteps of many infamous MuseBox showcases past.

On the blog "This Is Jack", the legendary Alan McGee chimes in on the importance of Echo & the Bunnymen’s classic album Ocean Rain as NASA astronaut Tim Kopra prepares to take it into outer space...

Read the full article here.

Last week at the Drake Underground, the MuseBox put together a leading-lady themed night, including locals Katie DuTemple & The Staytoughs, Carmen Elle and west-coast songstress Adaline

With all the recent attention Adaline has been getting, it's easy to see why MuchNews wanted to sit her down for a bit to figure out how she's dealing with the extra-bright spotlight as of late. Flip to Much Music this Monday, June 1st @ 10PM to get the full scoop.

The colorful twosome that makes up Das Racist has received some well deserved acclaim from Playboy Magazine of all places. The Brooklyn based hip hop duo are best known for the so catchy it’s contagious stoner jam, “Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell”. Playboy compares them to Harold and Kumar and with lyrics that will make you laugh out loud, it isn’t hard to see why. Read the full article
here and download the free song while you’re at it.