THE WEEKEND STARTS HERE:

... with POWER POP (REDUX)! For whatever reason, I have considered Summer the ideal season for gems like the Raspberries' "Go All The Way" and "I Wanna Be With You", Badfinger's "No Matter What" (which Pate covered on occasion and "Baby Blue"), and even Todd Rundgren's "I Saw the Light" and Cheap Trick's "I Want You to Want Me."  Ditto for more obscure tracks like The Rubinoos "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" (see also their vintage cover of "Please Please Me") and Pezband's "Baby It's Cold Outside" and "Close Your Eyes."

PRIMAVERA SOUND FESTIVAL is streaming two channels of live music, including the Pixies, The National, !!!, Drive-By Truckers, Dr. John and The Nite Trippers, Sharon Van Etten, and more. Check the link for times.

THE BOTH: Aimee Mann and Ted Leo play a set at the Rockwood Music Hall for WFUV.

THE OLD 97s stopped by World Cafe for a chat and mini-set.

GABRIEL KAHANE is advance streaming The Ambassador.

PRIESTS advance stream Bodies and Control and Money and Power.

THE DECEMBERISTS debut two new songs live.

THE POSIES do a little bit of "Black Night" before covering Chris Bell's "I Am the Cosmos."

OWEN PALLETT talks to PopMatters about how he created some of the most affecting songs in In Conflict, discussed the “affectation” he uses to be a more efficient producer and talked about why the Oscars should take note from the spirit of Canadian award shows.

ANNA CALVI talks to The Guardian about learning from touring with Nick Cave and more...

TUNE-YARDS: Merrill Garbus talks to Reverb about inspirations and more. (Thx, LHB.)

17 LEGACY-DEFINING POSTHUMOUS ALBUMS, according to NME.

THE CUTOUT BIN: From Led Zeppelin to Chris isaak, from the Bangles to Steely Dan, from Bill Joel to Billy Idol, plus Love, Guided by Voices, Smashing Pumpkins, CreamMaleficient, which is currently scoring  and more -- this Friday's fortuitous finds are streaming from the Pate page at the ol' HM.

NOW SHOWING: This weekend's wide releases are: Maleficient, which is currently scoring 44 percent on the ol' Tomatometer; and A Million Ways to Die in the West, currently scoring 34 percent.

BRAD PITT was allegedly struck by a Ukrainian prankster on the Maleficent red carpet.

THE KIMYE WEDDING featured a Golden Toilet Tower, last-minute marble statuary, a 45-minute toast from the groom, and more...

CHRIS EVANS & SANDRA BULLOCK "are in the early getting-to-know-each-other phase."

GWYNETH PALTROW declares getting insulted on the internet is like going to war, gets insulted on the internet.

SELENA GOMEZ has lupus?

QUENTIN TARANTINO & UMA THURMAN, together at last.

UKRAINE: At least 14 people, including a general, were killed Thursday when a Ukrainian military helicopter was shot down by "terrorists" near Slovyansk, acting President Oleksandr Turchynov told Parliament.

VENEZUELA: Russia opposes any foreign interference in the affairs of Venezuela, including the imposition of sanctions.

NIGERIA: President Jonathan said Nigerian forces will engage in a "full-scale" operation against Boko Haram. He also offered dialogue and reconciliation to those Nigerians who "joined hands with Al Qaeda and international terrorists" but wish to renounce violence and embrace peace. Boko Haram fighters attacked three villages in Borno state, killing at least 51 people and torching houses with petrol bombs.

LIBYA  is edging closer to chaos as two prime ministers are now competing for legitimacy.

EGYPT:  Former Egyptian army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi won a landslide victory in a presidential election on Thursday but a low turnout threatened to deprive him of the strong mandate he needs to fix the economy and face down an Islamist insurgency.

A GOAT AND A BURRO, living together.... mass hysteria!

THE PYTHON snuck into the woman's bed...twice.

A BEAR napped atop a power pole in Saskatchewan.

BARK BUDDY: A hook-up app for Dogs.