Week in Review: More Topless Women Than Non-Topless Women

But seriously, this was a really depressing week. We said goodbye to Teddy Kennedy through song and so did Orrin Hatch. Ellie Greenwich, the woman who wrote "Be My Baby" also passed, as did 29 year old New York DJ Josh Link. Speaking of death, Michael Jackson, it turns out, was murdered by Acute Propofol intoxication.

As always, we listened to a lot of stuff this week. Some of it quelled the summer of death 2009 anxiety: the bonkers track "Forever," featuring Drake, Kanye, Lil Wayne, and Eminem; No Age's "You're a Target"; "Absence & Noise" from MadLove, who're ex-Fantomas/Mr. Bungle. Some of it did not: Bloody Panda's "Pusher"; Elliott Smith song called "Grand Mal"; Nine Inch Nails saying farewell at Terminal 5; Gang Gang Dance getting assaulted at Belgium's Pukkelpop Festival.

Onto some brighter news. We interviewed Richard Lewis, organizer of this weekend's Brooklyn Soul Festival. Zach talked with The Clipse on Till the Casket Drops. Local bands had a big week. Matt and Kim did "Daylight" on Jimmy Kimmel Live! High Places (even though they've relocated to California, we still count them as our own) release new video, mixtape. The new Vivian Girls record Everything Goes Wrong streamed; the Vivs also played Death By Audio.

As for rap news, a major label went after the blog Cocaine Blunts. Slaughterhouse's self-titled record was the top seller at at Fat Beats on Sixth Avenue. The next contestant on that Blueprint 3 screen was Jay-Z and Drake's "Off That," which weirdly sounded way better on Fox News. Madison Square Garden also said hi to Jay-Z, who was not involved in the New York rap crime wave.

Live, we saw Theo Parrish at the Brooklyn Yard, reggae star Serani at S.O.B.'s, and Insound's 10th anniversary at Brooklyn Bowl, with Real Estate, the Drums, and more. We photographed Girl Talk breaking the stage at the Williamsburg Waterfront and that Bikes in the Kitchen show with Team Robespierre, Juiceboxx, Ninjasonik.

Lastly, Whitney's Biennial, a 37-artist exhibition, takes place this weekend in Greenpoint, in honor of Whitney Houston's "Comeback Album." 50 Cent's "40 Day" still happening on Sunday in Queens. Careful!