Band of the Week: The Strokes

The Strokes met together on Wednesday to start writing new songs. I was going to post a mini-essay about why I love The Strokes that day as something to commemorate the day, but the incredibly odd and oftentimes frustrating phenomenon of time got the best of me. So I'm posting them as band of the week, just because I can.

Why I love The Strokes

It’s no secret that The Strokes are my favourite band. Not to people who read this blog, not to my friends, not even to strangers whom I meet on the bus (I bombarded this guy last week when I heard that he had “You Only Live Once” as his ringtone). I listen to them every day, without fail. Is This It is ingrained in my soul and I’m going to get a tattoo on my right forearm over my vein that says “in the sun sun having fun, it’s in my blood, I just can’t help it”, because that just sums it all up perfectly.

I own all of their albums, all of their singles. I have more pictures of them on my computer than I do of my family, or my friends. As a matter of fact, I'm actually wearing my Strokes shirt right now (I wore it yesterday and slept in it)



I've acquired every mp3 possible of their live stuff (thanks to amazing sites like She's Fixing Her Hair, check it out!) Here is what my wall looks like:





if you look closely, you can see that I have little Strokes photos everywhere:



creepy, I know.



The thing that most people don’t know, though, is how I got into The Strokes. I hate it when people give me that look when I say that The Strokes are my favourite band, usually followed by “oh, so you like mainstream stuff”.

The Strokes were never mainstream to me.

I had never heard them on the radio before I heard Is This It in its entirety. Even now, I think I’ve only ever heard like "Juicebox" twice and "Hard to Explain" once on the radio. I don’t really listen to the radio very much either, unless you count last.fm. I had never differentiated between the singles and the rest of the songs except in the respect that the latter didn’t have music videos. All Strokes songs were, and still are, equal to me.

I’m going to repost part of a mini essay I wrote a while ago, to help you all understand how my love affair with The Strokes began

__

The summer after junior year, my friend Rania and I went to our first rock concert, BFD 2006. It was a life changing experience for me. I was surrounded by the reverberations of the deafening music, by great fashion, by marijuana smoke. It was heaven, I knew I was home. That summer, I discovered how much I could accomplish with Wikipedia, Limewire and blank cd-rs. I’d find one band I liked, search similar artists, listen to them, and if I liked them, the cycle would start again. I made lists of bands I’d heard of, of bands that intrigued me. I spent hours hunting for music. It came to the point where I downloaded a lot of cds and they started piling up without me truly listening to them. After my downloading frenzy, I started to listen to each record thoroughly. I discovered how much I adore The Strokes. In my eyes, they were perfection, I couldn’t describe how or why I felt the way I did when I listened to them. Now I know it was because they were my first exposure to true rock n roll, the stripped down sound that was simultaneously rough and refined. I listened to Is This It over and over, never tiring of it. "Someday" became my anthem. I soon thereafter acquired Room on Fire and First Impressions of Earth (this was during the Fall of 2006, when FIOE had been released nine months prior). Albert Hammond Jr’s solo album was a pleasure to listen to as well, and I soon discovered The Strokes’ b sides and unreleased stuff. I was hooked, and still am.

__

For me, The Strokes were perfect not only because their sound is pure and orgasmic in every sense of the word, but because I discovered them on my own. The radio didn’t help me, neither did MTv or the advice of my friends. I happened across them by chance, because I had downloaded Is This It, and my love for them was completely unadulterated, because I know it was never influenced by anything. I know I love them for their music, for their genius, and not because someone else told me that they were great. But now, you all need to heed my advice and start worshiping this band, if you don't already.

The Strokes - New York City Cops [mp3]
from Is This It

The Strokes - I Can't Win [mp3]
from Room On Fire

The Strokes - Electricityscape [mp3]
from First Impressions of Earth

here is the hilarious mockumentary that they made, called In Transit:


here is my all time favourite live performance:



and here is the runner up:


When he sings "morning" at 1:48, I get a little taste of heaven. Speaking of which, if they aren't going to be there, I sure as hell won't want to go either.

Grand Lake: video for "Nevermint"

according to their bassist Caleb Nichols, the video was inspired by a dream of his in which he was being buried alive

watch it below:


Nevermint from californiabobby on Vimeo.

visit the Oakland-based band on MYSPACE

even the French love Andrew Bird

I stumbled upon this French post about Noble Beast on hype machine today.

now, as language fascinates me, and as I love Andrew Bird's new record, I just had to post this. I went to dictionary.com to get a rough translation of the post. it's beautiful.

I hope you all enjoy it, and go out and buy the damn record if you haven't already!

(I'm just sad that I'm on my work computer and thus can't scan/post the album art from the new album which has very Mr.Darcy-esque pictures of Mr. Bird. ladies, you know what I mean)
___


I know, it is the first time that I write to you, or almost, since our first one evening meets when you opened for Lambchop in Bataclan. I was on the right-sided of the room, inserted in my armchair. I had come only but very quickly you had leaped of loop in loop, and you had whistled all that you had to whistle and I immediately had felt less lost, less solitary.

Good. But if I write to you today, it is at all to speak to you about the good old day. " Oh No". It is because of your small last there. Noble Beast (first time that the title of one of your discs did not plait me, moreover). It is that, you see, on this disc, you even make me things that you had never yet done me and that returns any thing to me, a little perplexed.

Songs to coil me in leather armchairs with half smashed, you have some make to me. Songs for siffloter outside while playing with my shade, too. Songs which are like the small transitory clouds that makes my breath in the cold, very beautiful, holding upright by mere chance and disappearing in a blow from wind, you me refilé a package of it. Songs to claim that I am a funambulist of the pavements, an equilibrist of the bitumen and that blow, nothing nor nobody will never be able to me foutre by ground, you me fourgué some of them.

But there, this “Fitz & The Dizzy Spells”, it is completely other thing.

Andrew, my friend, I do not know what arrives to us but it is the first time that you give me desire for dancing. Not to shake nicely the head or dodeliner in rate. Not to tap panes while looking at outside. Not, really, to dance.

To dance with all my toes and all my fingers, to dance with the shoulders, the elbows and the knees. To dance like a capuchin, to dance as a balloon which deflates, to dance like goutes of rain evenings of high wind, to dance like an initial skater.

I could film that very well and put it on youtube, and one would type the million sights in two times three movements. Or to sell my services with HBO. But makes some, not. I' D rather not. I will like that remains intimate. I will not dance so that one sees me, not so that one look at me, not in Britney. I would only dance because I could not prevent me, in the living room. Just me and this violin. Hidden, withdrawn, intertwined.

Good, so with 1:45, when you start to whistle, brown with the incredible eyes unloads, dance with its hair and that I can type in his hands rather than in mine, that is negotiated. Since one does not leave and that one remains there, hidden, withdrawn, intertwined - a little as that but in less maniéré - that suits me.

After one will pass to the remainder of the disc. One will also stop on “Souverian”, undoubtedly. You and your taste for assonance, you sing sometimes " so very young" and sometimes “Souverian”. It is as for that as you are loved: with you, with this way which you have to launch of the words in the air to see what falls down, one finds with chantonner words like " sociopath" or " translucent alabaster".

From there, words in words, one will still set out again and when it is finished this disc, when it is exhausted, it is that one will be already quite old. And then, promised, one will remember merrily Andrew Bird, Noble Beast and time when we danced.

---

Danser comme un capucin, danser comme un ballon qui se dégonfle, danser comme des goutes de pluie les soirs de grand vent, danser comme un patineur débutant.

Je pourrais très bien filmer ça et le mettre sur youtube, et on taperait le million de vues en deux temps trois mouvements. Ou vendre mes services à HBO. Mais en fait, non. I’d rather not. J’aimerai que ça reste intime. Je ne danserai pas pour qu’on me voit, pas pour qu’on me regarde, pas à la Britney. Je danserais parce que je ne pourrais pas m’en empêcher, seul dans le salon. Juste moi et ce violon. Cachés, soustraits, enlacés.

Bon, si à 1:45, quand tu commences à siffler, une brune aux yeux invraisemblables débarque, danse avec ses cheveux et que je peux taper dans ses mains plutôt que dans les miennes, ça se négocie. Du moment qu’on ne sort pas et qu’on reste là, cachés, soustraits, enlacés - un peu comme ça mais en moins maniéré - ça me va.

Après on passera au reste du disque. On s’arrêtera aussi sur “Souverian”, sans doute. Toi et ton goût pour l’assonance, tu chantes tantôt "so very young" et tantôt “Souverian”. C’est aussi pour ça qu’on t’aime : avec toi, avec cette façon que tu as de lancer des mots en l’air pour voir ce qui retombe, on se retrouve à chantonner des mots comme "sociopath" ou "translucent alabaster".

De là, de mots en mots, on repartira encore et quand on l’aura fini ce disque, quand on l’aura épuisé, c’est qu’on sera déjà bien vieux. Et alors, promis, on se souviendra gaiement d’Andrew Bird, de Noble Beast et du temps où nous dansions.

videos from the Delta Spirit show

I took these videos, but forgot to post them until now

enjoy!

"Streetwalker":



"Parade":



...and a couple of new songs...

"Bushwick Blues:



"The Best":

Nickel Eye on Daytrotter

to be completely honest, The Time of the Assassins is losing its charm for me. I mean I still think it's a decent record but I don't like it as much as Little Joy, or even Albert's stuff. maybe it's just too ominous sounding for my taste. regardless, Daytrotter has a great article and some exclusive mp3s, head on over!

Decemberists announce North American tour dates

Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Palladium (May 19)
Oakland, CA Fox Theatre (20)
Eugene, OR McDonald Theater (21)
Missoula, MT Wilma Theatre (24)
Denver, CO Fillmore Auditorium (26)
Kansas City, MO Uptown Theater (27)
Milwaukee, WI Riverside Theater (29)
St. Louis, MO The Pageant (30)
Columbus, OH Lifestyle Communities Pavilion (June 1)
Atlanta, GA Tabernacle (3)
Raleigh, NC Memorial Auditorium (4)
Richmond, VA The National (5)
Upper Darby, PA Tower Theatre (6)
Boston, MA Bank of America Pavillion (9)
New York, NY Radio City Music Hall (10)
Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival (June 11-14)

I'm excited about all these shows at Fox Theatre. it was just recently renovated, and I've never been there but it looks like a great venue. and hellooooooooo, open dance floor. plus, it's closer to me than SF. as Michael Scott would say, win-win-win.

The Decemberists - Sons & Daughters [mp3]

The Soft Pack: Euro tour dates (opening for Franz Ferdinand)

according to NME,

the band will play:

London Carling Academy Islington (Shockwaves NME Awards Show supporting Black Lips) (February 15)
London Madame Jo Jo's (17)
London Rough Trade East (19)
London Old Blue Last (19)
London Hoxton Bar & Grill (26)
Minehead All Tomorrow's Parties (May 17)

The Soft Pack support Franz Ferdinand on the following dates:

Glasgow Barrowlands (March 4, 5)
Manchester Academy (6)
Birmingham Academy (8)
London Hammersmith Apollo (9)
Southampton Guildhall (10)

The Soft Pack - Walking with Jesus [mp3]

The Red Rhythm drops today + Interview with Winston Audio

the debut album by Winston Audio rocks my socks off.

read a review (and snag some mp3s) HERE

anyhow, to commemorate the occasion, I'm going to post an interview I did with their very own Dan Gleason (keys, vox, guitar)

enjoy!

When you guys just started out, did you guys play live shows with a couple of original songs and just covered some classics, or did you wait until you had a handful of your own songs before you started trying to get booked?

I don't think we've ever done a cover live. We learned "magazine" by Pedro the Lion at one point, but it just never sounded that good so we gave up on that idea pretty quickly. We've talked about doing "Tired of Sex" by Weezer cause its such a fun song, but it probably wont happen unfortunately. I would love to do a cover, but for right now we're still trying to establish our own songs

What was the first show you guys played (with the current lineup)? how did it go? how receptive was the audience?

Our current lineup played its first show together back in October in Atlanta. It was Shane's (drummer) first show and for being a first show we couldn't ask for much more, though. we've grown much more comfortable with each other since then. The rest of us had been together for over a year at that point, and he's a pro so it wasn't a tough transition to add him into the band at all. We're very lucky to have him around

Is there any direction that the band hopes to go in the future? a lot of bands now are rediscovering the 80's, some others are looking to European folk music. your sound is very raw, pure, and true to what can only be deemed American rock music. are you guys planning to stick to that formula?

Sounding "American" was a very conscious decision. We used to add more ambiance to our songs when we first started in 2006, and somewhere in the middle of writing for The Red Rhythm we decided to go in the other direction and include very few effects and not rely on those sorts of things too heavily. It really started out as Michael's vision, he was listening to a lot of Bob Dylan and Tom Petty at the time and he wanted to have some of the same textures as them, or American sounding artists/groups like them. When we all got on board with this idea, Daniel went to work and the album started to take shape. I think there were 35-40 songs written for the album and a lot of the material we didn't end up using is more atmospheric. There are a lot of really great songs that we didn't record because it wasn't what we were going for with this album. We're hoping to record them properly at some point.

At the last minute we almost decided to take off Martyr and re-record Come On, Hibernate from the EP, which I think would have drastically shifted the overall sound of the album. I think we're all glad we decided against that, as Martyr has turned out to be one of the favorites off the album. To directly answer your question, we're always looking to expand what we do in order to keep the process inspired

You guys are from Georgia. Athens puts out a bunch of great bands (REM, Widespread Panic, of Montreal) , really some of the staples of alternative rock. how has the music scene affected your music? what about older Southern bands? are the boys of Winston Audio a fan of Lynard Skynard? The Allman Brothers band?

REM is a huge influence on us as well as The Allman Brothers, I mean who doesn't love the live version of "Whipping Post"? I think the blues influence on our band is a product
of the other guys growing up here in the south. Its something I'm trying to play catch-up on, but I love it....I've always had great respect for people like Ledbelly and Muddy Waters so its nice to turn to them and their peers to learn and try to understand what makes their music so great


That being said, there are some great modern bands coming out of Georgia right now. Manchester Orchestra is an incredible band who challenge us to be on top of our game in many ways. The Whigs are great, so are Dead Confederate, The Glass Ocean, Death on Two Wheels, O'Brother, and a whole lot more.


What does your band name mean? what about the lyric that the LP title is derived from, "our blood is moving to the red rhythm of time", is there a story behind that?

I didn't know how to answer this one, so I asked Daniel and here's what he said:


"the whole first verse of that song is saying that we are constantly reassessing our lives, and changing them accordingly, based on our surroundings, what others tell us, etc. To the point that it becomes rhythmic; that for every heartbeat we are recreating ourselves. As far as naming the record after that particular line, it doubles as an image that I equate with internalizing music. Plus it just has a nice ring to it."


I know most bands have members who listen to a wide variety of stuff, but almost always can agree on one artist, album, or even song. what would that be for you guys?


We actually agree on most music, though some of us like certain bands/artists more than others. We all love Bob Dylan, Radiohead, Nirvana, The Beatles, Pearl Jam, etc......We constantly reference other bands when writing, so it helps when you are all aware of the same songs and records.

Do you think that bands have an expiration date? a lot of people look to the Rolling Stones or even Oasis (those guys are well into their 40's) for evidence otherwise. do you guys think you have it in you to make music after you're all old and wrinkled?

No I don't think so at all, I would hope that I never lose my passion for playing music. The Rolling Stones are a great band and people obviously still pay attention to them and pay to see them, if they still love it then why stop?

Plus, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen have been doing some of their greatest work in the past few years. If Johnny Cash didn't keep playing, we never would have had his "American" records.

Do you have a cover song that you like more than the original?

Hmmm...I think Hendrix's version of "All Along the Watchtower" is the definitive one. I prefer Johnny Cash's version of "Hurt". Also I think Jeff Buckley does the best "Hallelujah" by far

hear Julian Casablancas' new song!

oh his voice is glorious

do you guys remember when I told you that he'd appear on a comedy album?

anyhow, listen to the song in full at Stereogum. it's called "Boombox"

I like the song, but am super excited as THEY'RE GOING TO BE BACK TOGETHER TOMORROW!

Franz Ferdinand on tour!

yeah, ok so it's official.
my vinyl addiction is out of control
I spent 260+ dollars on records yesterday

I also accidentally bought something I already owned, so I'm going back down today to exchange it for something else (perhaps the LSP on vinyl...mmm)

but! I did get my two favourite records of the year so far on vinyl (Noble Beast and Tonight: Franz Ferdinand) which segues us into...

TOUR DATES, BITCHES!

I bought my tickets to the Oakland show yesterday (in the library as I never have time to go online anymore...I'm only online right now because Melville drove me here)
get yours while they're hot! these guys are my favourite Scottish rockers, ever.

Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre (April 13)
Oakland, CA Fox Theater (15)
Indio, CA Coachella (17)
Phoenix, AZ Marquis Theatre (18)
Tucson, AZ Rialto Theatre (19)
Magna, UT Saltair (21)
Denver, CO Ogden Theatre (22)
Dallas, TX House of Blues (24)
Austin, TX La Zona Rosa (25)
Kansas City, MO The Beaumont Club (27)
Minneapolis, MN First Avenue (28)
Milwaukee, WI Eagles Ballroom (29)
Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre (30)
Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall (May 2)
Pontiac, MI Clutch Cargo's (3)
Toronto, ON Kool Haus (4)
Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory (6)
New York, NY Roseland Ballroom (7)
Providence, RI Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (8)

Franz Ferdinand - What She Came For (live) [mp3]

Sunday Morning Covers (belated 24 hours)

sorry guys! I had a crazy day yesterday and no time to post. well, I have a crazy day today too, but I'm being a slacker at work and blogging instead.

here you go!

Albert Hammond Jr - Well...All Right (Buddy Holly cover) [mp3]
this song is a lot of fun. it's a bonus song from yours to Keep

Green Day - Working Class Hero (John Lennon cover) [mp3]
classic song, solid cover.

Iron & Wine and Calexico - Wild Horses (Rolling Stones cover) [mp3]
totally unexpected and totally surprising. this has given me a whole new appreciation for Iron & Wine.

We Are Scientists - Hoppipolla (Sigur Ros cover) [mp3, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]
this is amazing. I would never have imagined that anyone would attempt or could pull off a cover of Sigur Ros, let alone a band like We Are Scientists. nicely done, boys.

The Kooks - Kids (MGMT cover) [mp3]
I la la love this one. a great cover of my absolute favourite song of 2008.

of Montreal - Take Me Out (Franz Ferdinand cover) [mp3]
g-d bless you, Kevon Barnes.

Petra Hayden - Thriller (Michael Jackson cover) [mp3]
this is a woman singing, and of course, it works perfectly for a MJ song.

Ruby Isle - My Girls (Animal Collective cover) [mp3 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]
awesome. I do love it when month old songs by indie bands are so popular that they get covered by (lesser known) indie bands.

BONUS:
The Beatles- Everybody's Trying to be My Baby (Carl Perkins cover) [mp3]

Band of the Week + concert review: Delta Spirit

ok, I know this is cheating as I have already posted about Delta Spirit as Band of the Week, but I don't care

this band is GENIUS. I thought their live show was excellent when they opened for Matt Costa, their headlining show surpassed even that. Best. Live. Act. Ever.

Seriously, one of the BEST BANDS OUT THERE TODAY. Their drummer Brandon Young has excellent rhythm (and is super friendly!), their bass player Jon Jameson is glorious, their lead guitarist Sean Walker busts out riffs that may make you convulse euphorically, their lead singer Matthew Vasquez will shock you with his ability to screech in perfect tune and then revert to singing softly, and finally, their keyboardist Kelly Winrich will surprise you by picking up various other instruments throughout the set, in addition to providing a great backbone to the music.

Delta Spirit - Gimme Some Motivation [mp3, HIGHLY FUCKING RECOMMENDED!]
this song is the closest they've come to capturing how awesome their live sound is.

Delta Spirit - People C'mon [mp3]

CONCERT REVIEW (Wednesday 04 February 2009 @ Bottom of the Hill, SF):


Opening band Dawes faltered on the first couple of songs, not grabbing my attention until the lead singer Taylor Goldsmith started actually engaging with his guitar. Midway through the set, I was sold, and thought "hey, this band is decent, I'll buy their CD on the way out". I had spoken to Taylor before the show and he had described the band as sounding like Bob Dylan and The Band. I definitely heard the latter in their set, especially with Tay Strathairn's solid effort on the piano. What is it with Southern California bands rediscovering more Americana roots (Dawes are from LA, Delta Spirit are from San Diego). I'm not complaining though.
3/5


The second set was rendered by Other Lives, a band from Oklahoma. Now I'll keep this simple: this band was boring as hell. I actually got SLEEPY by the end of their set. Yes, SLEEPY at a rock concert. I didn't like that they had a cellist and a violinist because in my opinion, if you're going to incorporate those instruments in your music, you better as hell make them sound stupendous (see Ra Ra Riot for further instructions). The violin was as flat as the lead singer's voice, which was like a less interesting Colin Meloy. The cellist was basically just their second bass player, which I wouldn't mind, if either of them actually were any good. Bass guitar is my favourite instrument but the problem with most bass players is that they only play a couple of notes and that doesn't even really matter, because you can't even really hear them.
1.5/5

Now, from the first verse of Delta Spirit's "Strange Vine", I decided that I didn't want to buy Dawes' record after all. I remembered how good Delta Spirit were when they were an opening band and that's ruined mediocre opening bands for me forever. They played a handful of new songs, and a lot off of their debut EP I Think I've Found It (2006), which I didn't own until after the show, because I couldn't find it anywhere. I am SO glad they had it at the merch table, it's genius. I took a video of their song "Streetwalker", as well as a couple of their new songs, I'll upload them to youtube soon and post them here too. "Streetwalker" also showed up on their re-release of Ode to Sunshine, which they originally self-produced in a cabin. I have the original from last year, it's one of my most prized possessions.







Matt sang a song about his grandmother ("Vivian"), which was slower the rest of the songs. For most of the set, everyone was dancing and having a great time. The band really went all out on their last song (before the encore), "People, Turn Around". At certain points in the set, Kelly and Sean joined Brandon on drums, and the result was explosive. I found the band after the show, and they were all way too drunk to be able to answer any of my pre-prepared questions, but I didn't even care, they were a lot of fun regardless. In short, it was a perfect set and if you miss seeing this band live you will kick yourself later. Do not be fooled by their albums, while both I Think I've Found It and Ode to Sunshine are genius, they don't come close to measuring up to their live sound. This is a band to fall in love and then spend a lifetime of awesomeness with.
5+/5



SET LIST:

Pete Doherty to give lecture to Uni students tomorrow night

reason # 734293230248204 that I wish I lived in Ireland.

Pete Doherty - Kilamangiro (acoustic) [mp3]

record review: Adam Green- Sixes and Sevens

In perpetuating the genre of "anti-folk" (read: a combination of folk music with hilariously inane lyrics), has Adam Green become anti-anti-folk?

Sixes and Sevens is Adam's fifth solo record (he used to be in the Moldy Peaches with Kimya Dawson [of Juno fame]) and it's nowhere near as snarky as any of Adam's old stuff. Instead, it treads into weird ground, at times sounding simultaneously like Interpol and Jack Johnson ("Cannot Get Sicker").

"That Sounds like a Pony" sounds like something that would be deemed anti-techno, if there were such a thing. The crazy drumming in that song also brings attention to a unifying factor of the record: the incredibly short nature of the song lengths. The longest song is 3:12, but most of the 20 songs on Sixes and Sevens end at the 2 minute mark.

A horn section is introduced in "Morning After Midnight", in case you weren't thoroughly confused already. The two redeeming songs on the record are "You Only Get Lucky" (truer to old Adam) and the closer, "Rich Kids".

Looks like this is one of those things that only die hard fans can love. The rest of us have to just grin and bear it.

3/5
(after all, I do love Adam's voice)

Adam Green - Cannot Get Sicker [mp3]

Adam Green - You Get So Lucky [mp3]

Adam Green - Rich Kids [mp3]

don't believe the hype: M83

there has been a lot of buzz about M83 (Anthony Gonzalez's electronica project) lately. All I have to say is: don't waste your time. Saturdays = Youth is dull, tedious and unoriginal. You'll be bored out of your brains midway through, and if you stick it out you might have to purge your ears.

don't believe me? give yourself a listen below, and make your own decision:

M83- Too Late [mp3]

Sunday Morning Covers

Kevin Barnes (of Montreal) - Shakedown Street (Grateful Dead cover) [mp3]
really quite sweet (in the endearing sense of the word)

Elliott Smith - Here Comes Flash (Kinks cover) [mp3]
this one is strange. not Elliott Smith-y at all. from a concert two months before he passed away.

Fall Out Boy - Love Lockdown (Kanye West cover) [mp3]
it's no secret how much Patrick Stump loves Kanye.

Spoon - Panic (The Smiths cover) [mp3]
I never would have guessed that Spoon would cover The Smiths. The Rolling Stones, yeah. regardless, it works beautifully.

The Postal Service - Grow Old With Me (John Lennon cover) [mp3]
seeing as how the band has been on hiatus since 2005 and seeing as how Death Cab garners everyone's attention (with good reason), it's easy to forget that The Postal Service exists. well, they do, and they're awesome.

BONUS:
The Beatles - Dizzy Miss Lizzy (Larry Williams cover) [mp3]
I remember a time when I didn't know that Beatles covers (of other bands that is) existed. I just always assumed that The Beatles were this untouchable entity whom OTHER bands covered. But I soon understood otherwise as I worked my way through their discography and thought "wait, that guitar riff sounds DISTINCTLY American. let me look this up", and realized that The Beatles had covered LOADS of songs. Anyhow, I will try to post a song a week until my library is exhausted. enjoy.

Saturday Music Definitions: Arab

I've been working with classic and medieval erotic Arabic poetry for the last few days, and thought I might as well post some appropriate music.

sadly, my itunes didn't respond all that well to the search of "Arab", it gave me a mere 34 songs: the Belle & Sebastian album (The Boy with the Arab Strap), a song by the band Arab Strap, a handful of actual Arabic songs, and the following,

The Cure - Killing an Arab [mp3]
this song is based on that Camus novel, The Stranger. that book was such a strange and marvelous experience for my then fourteen year old mind.

Bruce Adler - Arabian Nights [mp3]
yes, that's from Aladdin. yes, I have all of the Disney soundtracks.

Tchaikovsky - Arabian Dance [mp3]
from the Nutcracker ballet

BONUS:

Belle & Sebastian - The Boy with the Arab Strap [mp3]

Arab Strap - Blood [mp3]

Band of the Week: Winston Audio (+record review)

I love indie rock as much as the next guy. Come on, we all love to love bands that nobody knows about except for our little elite group of music fanatics, swapping Beirut EPs and exchanging stories about seeing Spoon live. It’s a fun little club, it always has been.

But when did indie music become synonymous with bands-who-put-out-such-strange-music-that-should-come-off-as-artsy-but-just-ends-up-sounding-bland? Fleet Foxes anyone?

What ever happened to good bands that are indie and rock hard?

Or even mainstream bands that rock hard?

Kings of Leon have gone U2 on everyone’s ass. Foo Fighters are rumoured to have called it quits. What about fucking Audioslave? They disbanded back in 2007. But fear not friends. The glorious hard rock that defined these bands has not been in vain.

Enter Winston Audio.

“Don't you know I'm not a martyr but you're making me bleed?
Is this all you ever needed, is this all you'll ever want?”

The Atlanta based band has a lead singer who sounds unmistakably like Chris Cornell, only better.

They’ve been around since 2003, but their current lineup (Daniel Dewitt, Dan Gleason, Zach Brown and Michael Adkins) formed in 2006. They released their first EP (Come on, Hibernate) in July of that year.

The guitar licks will get stuck in your head. I first listened to The Red Rhythm at night (twice through), then I went to bed. The next morning I was REALLY angry that I didn’t put the songs on my mp3 player because I had such an urge to listen to the entire record again and again and again. And that’s precisely what I’ve been doing ever since.

The mark of the majority of my favourite albums is that they get better with each listen. (If I'm going to be completely honest, I'm liking The Time of the Assassins less each time I listen to it.) When I first listened to The Red Rhythm, I thought it was good, but fairly unoriginal. The more I got into it, I couldn’t separate myself from the genius lyrics of “Devil’s Bed”, the soaring (and delightfully unexpected) trumpet in “Hey Ann”, and the speed-of-light cadence in “Smoke Signal” that makes it sound like those rare good bands on Warped Tour, not just the Rise Against clones.

“Keeping It Down” has background vocals that are remarkably similar to Anthony Kiedis (of RHCP duh), which makes me wonder why that guy didn’t do more vocals on the record.

This album might sound familiar, but at this point, musical overlap is bound to occur. Everything has already been done. Well, for the most part. I swear I’ve heard the bridge in “Devil’s Bed” before in a Fall Out Boy song (“Fame < Infamy” I think) but I really doubt these guys listen to Fall out Boy. Boys will be boys, music will be music, you might as well get an ass-kicking experience out of it.

The song “Action/Reaction” sums it up best: “If you push, we'll push back/violence is the only way we react.” The music here is oozing with restlessness about the state of music right now, so Winston Audio have retaliated with a brilliant debut LP featuring 10 proper rock songs and a final slow ballad, “Troubles,” which isn’t quite their forte, but I do respect them for dabbling in a different sound. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful song, but I’d much rather listen to “All This Time.”

In case you're incredibly dense, I'll state it outright: I fucking love this record. I need you to check out the following mp3s and buy the album in two weeks. Let's make Winston Audio the next big thing. Their music is already there, all they need now is a devoted fan base.

4/5

Winston Audio - On My Trail [mp3, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]
start with this one. great opener. you may just have met your new favourite band.

Winston Audio - Smoke Signal [mp3]
this one makes me nostalgic for summer rock festivals and The Whigs. the drums and bass are wicked, and the guitars kick in full blast about a minute in.

Winston Audio - All This Time [mp3]
this one reminds me of Audrye Sessions, another favourite band of mine.

The Red Rhythm drops on February 10th, look for it at your local record shop.

Visit the band on MYSPACE.

And you lucky folks living in the South (Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, and Mississippi) get some live shows!

Feb 7 The Smoking Moose - 21+ w. The Bridges, DOTW, Ponderosa Oxford, Alabama
Feb 9 Caledonia Lounge w/ Death On Two Wheels Athens, Georgia
Feb 13 The Drunken Unicorn - THE RED RHYTHM ALBUM RELEASE SHOW w/ O’Brother & The Weeks Atlanta, Georgia
Feb 15 New Brookland Tavern w/ Marry a Thief & the Devil and the Lion & Kill Anties West Columbia, South Carolina
Feb 16 Tin Roof w/ Marry a Thief Charleston, South Carolina
Feb 17 Hummingbird Macon, Georgia
Feb 18 Alabama Music Box Mobile, Alabama
Feb 19 Sluggo’s Pensacola, Florida
Feb 20 Coasters w/ These Words Are Water Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Feb 21 Swell-O-Venue w/ The Weeks Jackson, Mississippi
Feb 22 Nick Birmingham, Alabama
Mar 4 Bread Coffehouse - FREE SHOW Atlanta, Georgia
Apr 4 K Street Tullahoma, Tennessee

Flight of the Concords on tour!

I missed them last year, but they're having another full on North American tour. brace yourselves!

I HIGHLY recommend that you watch the below video (if you like to laugh, that is).


Bret's face at 1:06 onward. hahahahhahaha <3

Flight of the Concords - Ladies of the World [mp3]

4/6/09 Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center* Tampa, FL
4/7/09 University of Miami BankUnited Center* Coral Gables, FL
4/8/09 UCF Arena* Orlando, FL
4/10/09 Ryman Auditorium* Nashville, TN
4/11/09 Fox Theatre* Atlanta, GA
4/13/09 Constitution Hall* Washington, D.C.
4/14/09 Radio City Music Hall* New York, NY
4/17/09 Agganis Arena* Boston, MA
4/18/09 Tower Theatre (2 shows)* Philadelphia, PA
4/19/09 Kent State University* Kent, OH
4/21/09 Massey Hall** Toronto, ON
4/22/09 Massey Hall** Toronto, ON
4/24/09 Fox Theatre** Detroit, MI
4/25/09 IU Auditorium** Bloomington, IN
4/26/09 Overture Center for the Arts** Madison, WI
4/28/09 Aerie Crown** Chicago, IL
4/30/09 Fox Theatre** St. Louis, MO
5/2/09 Riverside Theatre (2 shows)** Milwaukee, WI
5/3/09 Northrop Auditorium** Minneapolis, MN
5/5/09 Nokia Theatre** Dallas, TX
5/6/09 Jones Hall** Houston, TX
5/7/09 Bass Concert Hall** Austin, TX
5/10/09 Center in Vancouver for the Performing Arts*** Vancouver, BC
5/11/09 Paramount Theatre*** Seattle, WA
5/12/09 Paramount Theatre*** Seattle, WA
5/14/09 Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall*** Portland, OR
5/16/09 Red Rocks Amphitheatre**** Denver, CO
5/17/09 Abravanel Hall*** Salt Lake City, UT
5/19/09 Dodge Theatre*** Phoenix, AZ
5/20/09 RIMAC Arena*** San Diego, CA
5/22/09 County Bowl*** Santa Barbara, CA
5/23/09 The Joint*** Las Vegas, NV
5/24/09 Greek Theatre*** Los Angeles, CA
5/25/09 Berkeley Community Theatre (2 shows)*** Berkeley, CA

Supporting:
* = Kristen Schaal
** = Eugene Mirman
*** = Arj Barker
**** = 1st Support: Iron & Wine, 2nd Support: Arj Barker

I can't imagine seeing Iron & Wine open for these guys.

Franz perform "Ulysses" on Leno: video + mp3

sexy.

The Killers and Coldplay to play a show together

I think I just threw up a little in my mouth.

did you catch Andrew Bird on Letterman?

incredible show. well worth watching.

Andrew Bird - Fiery Crash (live at millennium park)[mp3]

Modest Mouse on tour!

They're back! I know, I know, I am light years (a couple of days) late compared to the rest of the blogosphere, but I HAVE A VALID EXCUSE. That text has become an inextricable part of my identity. I should have stuck with something simpler to study, like math. Everyone else has their study time and their leisure time, but mine are interlinked. The result? No free time and a flooded inbox. *SIGH*

Modest Mouse Spring 2009 Tour:
02/22/2009 Oakland CA Fox Theater
02/23/2009 Visalia CA The Fox Theatre
02/24/2009 Hollywood CA HOLLYWOOD PALLADIUM
02/25/2009 Tempe AZ The Marquee
02/26/2009 Albuquerque NM Albuquerque Convention Center, Hall
02/28/2009 Boulder CO Balch Fieldhouse/C.U. Boulder
03/02/2009 Kansas City MO
03/03/2009 Oklahoma City OK Diamond Ballroom
03/04/2009 AUSTIN TX STUBB'S BBQ
03/06/2009 OXFORD MS THE LYRIC OXFORD
03/07/2009 Atlanta GA THE TABERNACLE
03/08/2009 Miami FL Langerado Music Festival

Modest Mouse - Never Ending Math Equation [mp3]

Les Savy Fav to play Noisepop

catch those crazy rockers on Sunday March 1st, @ the Mezzanine (21+ erg), 8:00 PM for $20

buy tix here

for the full current lineup head HERE

Les Savy Fav - The French Kicks (live) [mp3]

record review: Nickel Eye - The Time of the Assassins

The Time of the Assassins was released today.

I actually reviewed this back on December 31st in my notebook, after hearing the album for the first (and third, and seventh) times.

It's hard to ignore The Strokes, even when they are each working on their own projects, not as a united force of awesome. As frustrating as it is that the boys aren't producing new material collectively (they will be in a couple of weeks though!), their individual creativity really shines on these solo projects.

While Little Joy's melodies are irresistible, it doesn't come close to the dynamite combination of Nikolai's voice (which is deep like Julian's, but less scratchy) and the pounding precision of Nick's guitars (Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Nick Zinner, not Valensi)

Each song on this record is a unique gem: Nikolai jumps form the brooding darkness of "Back from Exile" to "Fountain Avenue", a song which combines Euro-folksy harmonicas and a surprisingly upbeat guitar riff. What is it with new music sounding like European folk music?

The rhythm guitars throughout have an unmistakably country feel. Only a Stroke could combine ethnic folk and American Country and pull it off.

"Brandy of the Damned", the debut single which shocked devoted Strokes fans (a lot of whom were convinced that it was Julian singing) combines Spoon-like rhythm and old Franz Ferdinand guitar work. Ironic, of course, seeing as how Franz were influenced by The Strokes.

"Where The Cold Wind Blows" captures that same tragic feel which Led Zeppelin perfected in "Stairway to Heaven", but is followed by "Another Sunny Afternoon", a song which manages to make a harmonica sound cheerful.

I have a feeling that these songs sound better live.

3/5

Nickel Eye - Where The Cold Wind Blows [mp3]
Nickel Eye - Brandy of the Damned [mp3]

record review: Beirut- March of the Zapotec/Holland (double EP)

to be released on February 16, 2009

if you aren't familiar with Beirut, buy Gulag Orkestrar IMMEDIATELY.
it is one of the greatest works of art of our time.

anyhow, unlike Sufjan Stevens, who initiated but later abandoned a themed musical project (he wanted to have an album for each of the 50 states but only succeeded in finishing two in that vein, Michigan and Illinois-both excellent albums, especially the latter), Beirut are actually following through with their musical journey through the globe.

Gulag Orkestar was Balkan.
The Flying Club Cup was French.
March of the Zapotec is very very folksy Mexican.

I think the Dutch might be a little confused (and/or offended) by their album though. Whereas Zach continues to use an accordion in March of the Zapotec (and a bit more conventionally, might I add), Holland is a lot more like a cool techno dance party in Germany than a trip through the Netherlands. Then again, I have no idea what Dutch culture constitutes, other than Van Gogh (who was more French anyways) and flat lands. Oh, and they were religiously tolerant, right? This EP is credited to "Realpeople", which is one of the names which Condon went by before assuimg "Beirut" permanently.I'm interpreting that as a break from "Beirut", as he is exploring new territory in a novel way. And maybe this is really an accurate portrayal of the low countries, and we Americans are just miserably uninformed.

The verdict?
If you're already a Beirut fan, go ahead, buy away. You'll be pleased by the new direction Zach is taking. On Holland he's like a more refined Kevin Barnes, lost in a dream world and not wanting to be found.

If you're unfamiliar with Beirut, try out their first two LPs first, and definitely give March of the Zapotec a listen. It's much more true to what Zach Condon's music really is. Holland is the family's black sheep, but the one who will inevitably get the most attention. I like it, but think that Zach should stick with what he knows. Soaring music which transcends, not just another band making dance music.

Beirut - On a Bayonet [mp3]
(from March of the Zapotec)
this song makes me want to take up smoking cigars, just so I can keep up with how incredibly cultured Condon is. trumpets galore, no vocals. a stunning masterpiece, perhaps the one least in the theme of Mexico, but my favourite of the bunch.

Beirut - The Concubine [mp3]
(from Holland)
if you ever wondered if electronica could be beautiful, look no further.

[[opening track "My Night With the Prostitute from Marseille" remains to be my favourite from Holland, mostly because Zach's vocals are a lot more faithful to old Beirut)
March of the Zapotec: 3.5/5
Holland: 3/5

on repeat: "Susan in a Hundred Words"

this track is breathtaking.

it makes me wonder how pure music would be if no bands ever got signed and musicians remained being what they started out as: artists. not caterers to mainstream bullshit.

The No'S - Susan in a Hundred Words [mp3, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]

my first listen, it didn't strike me right away. after the second time through I was hooked. pay attention to the lyrics and the simple piano chord progression. Voxtrot better watch out, this is going to give "The Start of Something" a run for its money as the top played track in my library.

The No'S are Ryan Parks and Erika Pipkin and are currently based in Oakland.

visit them on MYSPACE

interview: Solarcade

this Las Vegas based band is composed of Paul Van (vox) and Tony Pomilla (guitars)

they have 2 full albums and a new EP coming out on Feb 24th.

influences range from Johnny Cash to Muse to U2, their latest single (RISE) would strike any Keane fan's fancy.

they aren't exactly my cup of tea, but Tony assured me they have a rockin' live show.

for fans of U2, Depeche Mode

Solarcade- How Do You Remember [mp3]

visit them on MYSPACE

if you like what you hear, read an exclusive interview with him below.

When did the band form?
I met my singer Paul way back in 2001 and we starting playing and writing and released a demo EP in 2003

Where? We met in Los Angeles. I moved there from Houston and Paul is from Johannesburg, South Africa.

Were you guys friends before? We had never met before. Paul came down to see me and hear some stuff I was doing with a bassist and drummer and we hit it off from there.

Are you friends now? It’s kinda like I look up to him like a big brother and the guy that plays drums with us I look at him like a little brother. The drummer Adam Holt and I used to play in our first band and our recent new bassist Adam Chamberlain is a dear friend from England. We just talk about Little Britain all day. It feels pretty brotherly...

I know some bands despise each other. Wasn't it Noel Gallagher who said that his marriage to Liam was a disaster but they stick it out for the "kids" (the band)? I am probably one of the few musicians that loves and respects when Liam talks crap on other bands. Most of the time it needs to be said. I was a bit offended when he didn’t like one of my favorite bands but he is entitled to his opinion.

Do you guys hang out when you're not making music? Oh Yeah. We get along great. We have been doing this for years so some girlfriends have come and gone, the good ones stayed and we have actually like hanging out and having a good time together. We all love just talking about movies and trying to predict the new Tarantino dialogue of Inglorious Basterds thats coming out

At what moment did music become an all-defining aspect of your life?
Pretty much as a kid watching Mtv when it was ACTUALLY music. As a young kid I got turned on to the whole Seattle scene and I just knew I couldn’t be more interested in anything else.

What inspired you to go from a listener to a creator? I guess just playing guitar until I was satisfied in learning how to play along with albums and that exposed me into creating my own compositions. It is a very fun time when I can show my singer things I have written and he really hears a melody to put to it. That is why we do it. It’s why your favorite band [insert here] was doing it too!

Top lyric of all time?
“I'll swallow poison, until I grow immune/I will scream my lungs out till it fills this room” -Eddie Vedder, Pearl Jam's "Indifference"
The guy just writes masterful and illustrative words that seem like a cinematic scene in a Martin Scorsese film.

Your band has a very varied sound, dabbling in many different genres. Is this deliberate? I think our 3 releases each as a full piece have specific sounds. Your sound can drastically change when you work with different producers and we are ok with that. Some bands stick to one genre because they may only know how to write or sing in a particular fashion and some like to forge into new musical territory. Wow, there was this one indie band that did that and it worked for them, I think they were called....The Beatles

If you could describe Solarcade in one word, what would it be?
Enduring

What was the first rock concert you ever went to? Metallica
The best? Depeche Mode
The worst? Aerosmith

Would you rather make good music and not be heard by many people or make really shitty music and sell millions of records?
Solarcade would rather be an indie band and make music that is deemed great by their fans than sell millions of records because some producer "glossed it over into bubblegum pre-fabricated pop icon" bullshit.

Do you have any pre-show rituals?</span> Recently by force and not choice fans giving me Grey Goose shots but my only ritual is making sure my guitars are in tune...

Do drugs or alcohol help with the song writing? No pretty much we don’t touch the stuff. It may help with some other artist but that rule never applies to all
What about when performing? For me 2 shots can make you a little more loosey goosey but either way it’s a fun time!

What is your stance on groupies? Never had groupies but we have some hardcore Solarcade fans.

What is your favourite song? I run a lot and marathon train so I love heavy stuff but there are some gut wrenching love ballads that can be just as potent. Me personally, songs that make me pick up the pace are "You Can Do Better Than Me"-Death Cab For Cutie, "I Feel You"-Depeche Mode, "Moneymaker"-Rilo Kiley

Which song of Solarcade's do you think is the best. Not necessarily the one that's gotten the best reception, but, from a musician's standpoint, the one truest to the band. My singer and I both really think that our 2nd single follow up "Oceans to Oceans" sums up the band nicely. It as a cool message and interpretation which is to me Eddie Vedder like.

Who writes the songs? Paul and I work out chords and melodies and then work out riffs over those chords and then drop the chords. I rarely strum guitar and I play in 3 different tunings. I hate standard E tuning. So predictable and boring.

Do you guys collaborate or perhaps each write songs separately? Paul lives in Las Vegas and we wrote the whole album thru Mp3s and emails until we would then get together to flesh out the song. Another band I really like called The Kills did the same thing when they were living in New York and London. I can practice and write my parts instead of the pressure of my bandmates waiting....

What has been the best combined effort between you and Paul? Making Solarcade a reality and successful band. When you are standing in a circle of friends Brandon Flowers and Martin Gore and between them 90 million records have been sold and they compliment you on your live show and songwriting you know you are doing something meaningful in your life.

People say the music industry is dying. What are you doing to keep it alive? It is not dying. I know because I’m in it. It is evolving. Darwinism at its best!!! You must learn to adapt to the new technologies and adjust or watch the parade go by. You can be a performer or a spectator. Either way there are people lined up to do both.....

watch Andrew Bird on the Late Show tomorrow night (TUESDAY)

Andrew will be playing the Late Show with David Letterman at 11:30pm ET/PT on CBS.

Andrew Bird - Waiting for Contentment [mp3]
from 1999 album "Oh! the Grandeur". helloooo good 50's music.

new Death Cab for Cutie tour dates

supporting artists include three of my favourites:
Cold War Kids,
Ra Ra Riot,
& Matt Costa

(but it varies from show to show)

4/7 Philadelphia, PA/Upper Darby, PA @ Tower Theatre
4/8 Washington, DC @ DAR Constitution Hall
4/10 Louisville, KY @ Louisville Place
4/11 Memphis, TN @ Orpheum Theatre
4/12 Tulsa, OK @ Brady Theatre
4/13 Omaha, NE @ Holland Theatre
4/15 St Paul, MN @ Roy Wilkins Auditorium
4/18/09 East Lansing, MI @ Breslin Events Center
4/25 Boise, ID @ Morrison Center
5/4 Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
5/5 Birmingham, AL @ BJCC Concert Hall
5/6 Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre

buy your tickets HERE

Death Cab for Cutie - Love Song (Cure cover) [mp3, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]
don't let my crass exterior fool you, I am a total sucker for this song. The Cure, Joy Division, The Smiths, gotta love that self indulgent depressing music. not that shit that they call emo/screamo these days. I don't consider that music.

also, watch this performance. it's pretty incredible:

Silver Jews = no more

what a sad day for music. I never even got to see these guys live.

lead singer David Bergman said, "I always said we would stop before we got bad. If I continue to record I might accidentally write the answer song to 'Shiny Happy People'."

read more at NME

here are some mp3s from the good old days, before the band it quits. well, at least we have 6 albums to keep us company. but nothing will ever really replace that wonderfully scratchy voice of yours, David.

Silver Jews - Strange Victory, Strange Defeat [mp3]

Silver Jews - Suffering Jukebox [mp3]

we'll miss you guys!

Sunday Morning Covers

of Montreal - Superman (R.E.M cover) [mp3]

Division Day - Ghosts (Japan cover) [mp3, highly recommended!]
whoa.

Counting Crows - Friday, I'm In Love (The Cure cover) [mp3]

KT Tunstall - I Want You Back (Jackson 5 cover) [mp3]
I miss what KT Tunstall used to be. her second album was horrid.

Vampire Weekend - Everywhere (Fleetwood Mac cover) [mp3]

Bon Iver - Your Love (The Outfield cover) [mp3]

David Bowie - White Light White Heat (Velvet Underground Cover) [mp3]

BONUS:

The Strokes - Walk on the Wild Side (Lou Reed cover) [mp3]