Band of the Week: The Takeover UK

for fans of: Mando Diao

this is a weird coincidence: in posting The Takeover UK as Band of the Week following Bombay Bicycle Club last week, I have effectively posted about 50% of the bands featured in this SPIN article

it wasn't intentional, I've just been listening to their debut album, Running with the Wasters, a lot lately.

anyhow, even though this band is from Pennsylvania, they do sound like a UK indie band in a lot of ways. they're vibrant without being cheery, they're catchiness is directly proportional to the amount of repetition in their choruses, and they have energy up the wazoo

this song kind of reminds me of Jimmy Eat World--listen, and deliberate:

The Takeover UK - Running with the Wasters [mp3]

really solid debut, can't wait to catch their live show. I can just feel a cult following forming already.


so perverse, I love it.

visit them on MYSPACE

new Spoon LP on the way

I still haven't listened to the Got Nuffin EP. I am bad. I love this band, just never got around to listening to their latest offering.

in any case, I am super stoked about this news, that they are planning to release their seventh full length album in January. it shall be called Transference. Spoon makes perfect albums. seriously, it's insane how cohesive and listenable their studio albums are. I'm not familiar with their EPs as much so I can't make any claims in that department.

here is a track listing:

'Before Destruction'
'Is Love Forever?'
'The Mystery Zone'
'Who Makes Your Money'
'Written in Reverse'
'I Saw the Light'
'Trouble Comes Running'
'Goodnight Laura'
'Out Go the Lights'
'Got Nuffin'
'Nobody Gets Me But You'

and this means new tour dates. thank your lucky stars.

Spoon - Everything Hits at Once [mp3]

The Strokes Post #250

[from my MOJO newsletter]:


this makes me wish I were a proper music journalist. le sigh.

Classic Track Thursday

Rancid - Time Bomb [mp3]
from ...And Out Come the Wolves (1995)

Rancid come from Albany, which is where a lot of my professors at Berkeley lived. the band recorded their stuff at a studio in Berkeley and I'm sure played loads of shows at 924 Gilman (the club of Green Day fame)

this band adores the Replacements, you can just hear it in their music.

there really is nothing better for everyone's inner child than 90's punk rock from the East Bay. listening early Rancid and Green Day proves this. it's perfect for every adolescent in existence, seeing as how there is just the right combination of angst and punchiness (the songs usually averaging at 2 and a half minutes)

The Strokes Post #249

you know how everyone freaks out about turning thirty? I don't think Jules is one of those people.
he's so beautiful, it's insane.

artist to watch: The Potentials

I get emails all of the time of bands claiming that they have a "unique" sound, and usually it's not true. but sometimes, that's not entirely a bad thing.

The Potentials are a three-some from Fairfax, VA. they aren't unique, because their music sounds like what Chester French would be in an alternate universe where they hung out in their garage instead of going to an Ivy league school.

regardless, I'm grateful that it's electronica that doesn't leave me with a horrible headache. so go ahead and indulge in something one part derivative, two parts catchy.

The Potentials - Mayday Baby [mp3]

The Potentials - The Next Attraction [mp3]

visit them on MYSPACE

The Strokes Post #248

yeah, the sound mixing was sounding a bit funky (especially at the beginning), but seriously, I was so glad when I heard the imperfections.



it means that Julian, who's ears are infinitely more musically inclined than mine, will DEFINITELY pick up on this during his shows and compare it nostalgically to the glory days of The Strokes, and he will never ever allow the band to break up.

but anyhow, 3:08 and on, is just glorious. I couldn't move last night when I was watching this, I was just gaping in awe of his excellence. he sounds so good.

does he have any idea how sexy that wide legged stance thing he does is?

Minus the Bear - When We Escape

Minus the Bear - When We Escape [mp3]

I don't know much about this band (other than that they are epic live), but this song is gorgeous. the reason that I'm posting it is because, yesterday, when I was sorting through my things, I came across a post-it with the song title written on it.

when I used to work in tech services at my school's library, post-its were everywhere (we had to flag things etc etc) I ended up using them to write song titles of things I liked from last.fm. I had listened to Minus the Bear before, just not regularly. this guy I was sort of interested in at one time gave me some of their music and I ended up going to a show of theirs with one of my friends, who was a big fan of the band. but anyhow, it's a great track, enjoy.

The Strokes Post #247

I think it's very cute that this showed up a few hours after the album leaked. it reminded me strongly of what The Dodos did for Time to Die (great album, btw)

Arcade Fire - Wake Up

this song came on the radio today as I was picking my younger brother up from school, and I put it on FULL BLAST. it's such an epic song, and I love it. it makes me want to see the band live so much, just hearing their music. the echos, the buildups, the layers, everything is just perfect. then it got me thinking to the days when my older brother would pick me up from school with Mac Dre playing really loudly. oh how very different we are.

Julian Casablancas: European tour dates

Copenhagen Vega (November 30)
Stockholm Gota Kallare (December 1)
Berlin Maria Am Ostbahnof (3)
Amsterdam Paradiso (5)
Paris Le Bataclan (8)
Manchester Ritz (11)
Glasgow ABC (12)
Dublin Academy (14)
London Forum (16)

yay! I'm so happy for my Euro-trash Strokes fan counterparts. haha, I'm only joking, I wish I were Euro-trash

he really looks so much better with dark hair. it's making me seriously contemplate dying my hair black, an idea I've been toying with for ages. but if I did that, I would want my hair straightened and I would miss my curls aka mane.

The Strokes Post #246

I've been singing this song all day, disappointing myself when I hear my voice isn't Jules'.

"on ludlow streeeeeeet"

I love the line about Puerto Ricans. it reminds me of West Side Story.

Sunday Morning Covers

ZIP FILE

Vampire Weekend - Exit Music (for a film) (Radiohead cover) [mp3]
I don't think I've ever posted this one, even though I've listened it to bits.

Ben Folds - Lost in the Supermarket (The Clash cover) [mp3]
I love this one. it made me get up and make a cup of tea, though =)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Sheena is a Punk Rocker (Ramones cover) [mp3]
solid.

Beck - Hot In Herre (Nelly cover) [mp3]
of course, Beck reinvents a classic into something barely recognizable, but totally psychedelic and awesome. the original was one of my favourite songs as a pre-teen. haha. preteen.

Conor Oberst - Kodachrome (Paul Simon cover) [mp3]
I tried to give his solo album another go this week, but it just wasn't cutting it for me. oh well.

Delta Spirit - I'm Waiting (Bill Bush cover) [mp3]
I am itching to see these guys again.

Rogue Wave - Birds (Neil Young cover) [mp3]

CSS - Rat (Rage cover) [mp3]

of Montreal - Computer Blue (Prince cover) [mp3]
I wish I had the attention span to get through this band's entire discography, but, then again, like The Flaming Lips, of Montreal is a fun band to turn to for a musical trip rather than obsessive listening rampages.

The Black Keys - Summertime Blues (Eddie Cochran cover) [mp3]

Arctic Monkeys - Baby I'm Yours (Van McCoy cover) [mp3]
I think this is the fourth or fifth time I'm posting this song, but it's just so good.

The Strokes Post #245

seeing as how everyone is equipped with Phrazes at this point, I think I'll post some pictures instead

here's the Valensi family + Fab







his wife is a really good photographer. I quite like the selection on her blog

Morrissey collapses, is hospitalized, but is currently "stable"

our main man Moz wasn't feeling too good last night and collapsed during a performance. you can read more on NME

here are my wishes for a speedy recovery!

The Smiths - Asleep [mp3]

I know this is a bit inappropriate to post, because it's about death, but it's my favourite Smiths song, and it's just so beautiful.