music induced euphoria: 2010-08-22

Saturday, August 28, 2010

The Strokes Post #547

I've had a rough week. this makes me happy.

Friday, August 27, 2010

When She & Him released their debut, Volume I, I wasn't too thrilled with it. Theoretically, the combination of Zooey's damn-near-perfect vox and M.Ward's double whammy guitar/production proficiencies would be an indie equivalent to the wetdream that is Them Crooked Vultures, but the songs on the album were too...whiny for my taste. Whiny isn't even a good word here. But anyways.

I love Volume II. It was released in March and kicks off with "Thieves"--a summery, Rilo Kiley inspired track that sets the bar for the rest of the album, which is much more positive than its predecessor. It's absolutely darling, there are no two ways about it. The cuteness gets close to being annoying, but not really. It makes me want to spend the rest of my days clad in a breezy dress twirling around in a sunny field. And I say this whilst wearing black jeans and a black Led Zeppelin shirt.

Regardless of where your music inclinations lie, She & Him will melt your heart. It took two albums, but they've definitely won me over.

Now pass me that tambourine.

She & Him - In The Sun [mp3]

visit them on MYSPACE

The Strokes Post #546

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Classic Track Thursday

The Magnetic Fields - The Book of Love [mp3]
from 69 Love Songs (1999)

"it's full of flowers and heart shaped boxes and things we're too young to know"

The Strokes Post #545

this is really funny and really short. watch it!

cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeers to Lulu! when I was a wee lass my cousin Lina and I were BFFs. I called her Lulu. then we grew up and she turned into a bitch. so yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

The Strokes Post #544

cheers, JD!

on October 6th, THE STROKES ARE PLAYING A PRE-ACL GIG AT STUBBS.
I can't go. kill me now.

get tickets FRIDAY MORNING AT 10 here.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

record review: Dead Confederate - Sugar

When Dead Confederate released Wrecking Ball—their dense yet rollicking debut—in 2008, there were abundant comparisons to Nirvana and critics championed them as revivers of the grunge form. With this new album, however, Dead Confederate are taking a different approach. Less shaky, more self assured, Sugar channels Audioslave guitar wails via the raw power of The Stooges, dousing the songs with copious amounts of distortion. The album bounces back and forth from delicately pensive tracks (“Run from the Gun”) and bread and butter 90’s alt rock (“Quiet Kid” is equal parts Sonic Youth and Smashing Pumpkins). The album is loud, we’re talking My Bloody Valentine status, so it might serve as better company to a night of whiskey and mischief than it would, to, say, the resulting hangover. Regardless, the band has managed to step up the game and have crafted a stunningly vigourous album containing ten songs that will surely translate to deafening bliss in concert.
3.8/5

Dead Confederate - Run from the Gun [mp3]

Sugar drops today. Dead Confederate are currently on tour and will visit SF's Great American Music Hall on Wednesday 8 September with Alberta Cross

visit them on MYSPACE for more tour dates

The Strokes Post #543

to my knowledge, Fab is the only musician she's dated. subtle, much, SPIN?

record review: Sufjan Stevens - All Delighted People (EP)

Last year, Sufjan Stevens released the BQE, a musical ode to the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. I enjoyed the album thoroughly, but it threw me off a little, being instrumental and all. A couple of the tracks reminded me strongly of Christmas, but, like my fellow music bloggers, I happened to forget to post about the album.

As of last week, however, Sufjan is back, and he has once again taken the world by storm. His new self-produced EP, All Delighted People, seems to have risen out of nowhere, but how can anybody complain when it sounds like Simon & Garfunkel through a brass section lens? I don’t understand how he has released it under the guise of an EP; the eight track album is just shy of an hour, and includes an LP worthy 17 minute closer ("Djohariah") which would have Pink Floyd reeling. This time around, Sufjan’s gorgeous vocals continue to relay his commitment to spirituality, but also incorporate Flaming Lips-esque weirdness before they plunge back into softly plucked banjo interludes. It’s simple, it’s beautiful, it’s eccentric and even borders freakish. But in the end, we need guys like Sufjan to remind us of the simple joys of looking through a kaleidoscope. It sure beats watching Rivers Cuomo go through a mid-life crisis.
4.2/5

Sufjan Stevens - Enchanting Ghost [mp3]