music induced euphoria

Friday, October 23, 2009

The Rakes break up

a while ago, I found this picture online, and it made me so happy (I'm the one grinning like a son-of-a-gun on the left, with the pale arms). I'm super bummed out that the band has broken up; they had three good records and one hell of a live show.

...and in the process, they also have deprived me of seeing Free Energy : (

here's what Free Energy's people had to say:

"a new country-wide tour is in the works for the early part of the new year, so it won't be long. Luckily, we have been able to hold on to the Boston date (which will now be a Free Energy show) and keep in the dates from Dallas-Philly in late November. There is a new NYC date announced as well below.

To sum it up:

The following dates (with the Rakes) have been cancelled:

10/31: Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy*
11/01: San Francisco, CA @ Slims*
11/03: Salt Lake City, UT @ The Urban Lounge*
11/04: Denver, CO @ The Bluebird*
11/06: Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock*
11/07: Chicago, IL @ Double Door*
11/09: Toronto, ON @ Mod Club*
11/10: Montreal, QC @ Petit Campus*
11/12: New York, NY @ Highline Ballroom*

The new Free Energy touring tinerary looks like this:

FREE ENERGY TOUR DATES:

10/24: London, UK @ Cargo (DFA Night)
10/26: London, UK @ Barfly
10/27: London, UK @ Rough Trade Records (Hoxton) In-Store
(Early Show)/Waterats (Late Show)
10/28: London, UK @ Windmill
11/11: Boston, MA @ Great Scott
11/19: Dallas, TX @ The Cavern
11/20: Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
11/21: Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon
11/22: Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
11/23: Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
11/24: Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
11/25: Washington, DC @ DC9, set TBA
11/27: Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie
11/28: New York, NY @ Santos Party House"

RIP, Rakes.

Classic Track Thursday

Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK [mp3]
I think this was my first Pistols song-- long before I became fascinated with Sid Vicious, punk music, and/or mohawks. haha no, I'm kidding, I never liked mohawks, although Robert De Niro looked pretty bitchin' when he sported one in Taxi Driver (especially in that ending scene, when there's blood everywhere and he does that gun thing to his own head...genius.)
oh, and Joe Strummer looked good all of the time anyways.

...but then there's this.
we can sigh, we can laugh or we can choose to turn our heads and concentrate on the bassline in "NYC Cops", "Juicebox", or "Is This It". yeah, I think I know which one I'm doing.

I don't feel like I really need to talk about the Sex Pistols, I mean, come on, they're the fucking SEX PISTOLS. in short, they were a great UK punk band with one really great LP to their name (it actually was in the first pile of vinyl that I bought when I first started collecting...I had heard the album before, of course). for the Pistols, like all great bands, I feel like the music speaks for itself. listening to Never Mind the Bollocks really serves as a forceful reminder of what an insanely explosive year for music 1977 was.
the Sex Pistols will always be the greatest "fuck you" band. no pun intended.

The Strokes Post #242

I tried posting yesterday but blogger was being a biatch. so it's not my fault, blame the internet for the lack of posts yesterday. here I go play catch up.

of course we know which indie bassist said that XD

I love love LOVE that The Strokes and/or Jules are popping up all over the media. I just got my issue of SPIN and there's a fantastic interview with Jules in it. Katie (Katzen) was nice enough to email me the scans, but I wanted to wait (I have no idea why)

here are the scans if you're not subscribed to SPIN (which you should be)

http://i747.photobucket.com/albums/xx116/kmkane23/sc003ba253.jpg
http://i747.photobucket.com/albums/xx116/kmkane23/setsfysf.jpg
http://i747.photobucket.com/albums/xx116/kmkane23/gfutryurtyu.jpg (I love that picture on the couch...for some reason it now reminds me of Tobias Funke saying to his wife Lindsey "there's the woman I'm sexually attracted to!")
http://i747.photobucket.com/albums/xx116/kmkane23/dgydtyetuy.jpg (the wiped out bit says "do you have to grow up in a ghetto RoboCop war zone to make rock music?")

by the way, Katie, was it you whom I convinced of SPIN's greatness? or did you get the magazine all along?

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Julian Casablancas to play SF in November!!

ok, so I'm a shameless, bloody liar. I promised to stop posting every little Jules thing I came across but I JUST CAN'T HELP MYSELF. 7/8 of this website has become devoted to the damn solo album and I am very comfortable with that.

Julian is playing the Regency Ballroom on NOVEMBER 17th! tickets go on sale Sunday! SEE YOU THERE!!

I am sososoosososoososos happy...that is LESS THAN ONE MONTH AWAY.

thanks Katie aka Katzen!!! you > Orson Welles, anyday.

new video: Arctic Monkeys - Cornerstone

I love it when people make mockeries of highly-sensitive works of art. so when I watched this video, the band's rendition of my favourite song from Humbug (and definitely its most heartfelt), I convulsed with laughter. seriously, genius.
my favourite bit was 1:14.
well done, Alex. this is the band that I fell in love with. I completely forgive him for his subpar energy at this year's concert.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

The Strokes Post #241

I know I usually do belated posts, but in the spirit of keeping things fresh, I'm going the opposite route and posting tomorrow's post today. take THAT, predictability.

I just realized that I never scrambled to find an mp3 of "River of Brakelights" and then I realized that I hadn't checked my RSS feed (or the included subscription to hype machine either) or NME or anything else since Friday. so here is me being a responsible music blogger:

Julian Casablancas - River of Brakelights [mp3] (SOURCE)
I can't believe that I didn't like this when I first heard it. it must have been the fact that it was morning, I was tired and listening through on my brother's computer with his shitty speakers.
I love the countdown thing he has on his website.

The Strokes Post #240

there's a short but nice interview with Jules from GQ, nothing new or anything, although he does talk about drinking a bit.

I like the photo, though, it's my new desktop background

I've been listening to "River of Brakelights" on repeat, and I'm getting a tad addicted to it

I'm kind of ticked off because I just NOW realized that the tattoo artist who did my second baby on Sunday fucked up and I now have a grammatically incorrect tattoo. it's supposed to be ";" then "," then "."
that's how it was in Shelley's original manuscript, and that's how the obsessive English major/grammar freak in me wanted it. semi colons are my favourite punctuation marks, and now my tattoo makes me look like a daft person who can't use them properly. oh well. I guess that's what I get for trusting tattoo shops that reek of cannabis.

I only realized it because I took a photo of the thing for a friend of mine. if I were more vane and spent more time in front of mirrors, maybe it wouldn't have taken me 2 days to figure out. oh well, I still think that it looks badass.

Monday, October 19, 2009

The Strokes Post #239

there's a new song on Julian's website, "River of Brakelights"

it's interesting, I'll give him that. I liked 11th dimension a lot more but I'm happy just to hear him sing. it's almost like Nickel Eye meets Muse. what do you think?

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Sunday Morning Covers

ZIP FILE

Calexico - Fourth Time Around (Bob Dylan cover) [mp3]

The Flaming Lips - Borderline (Madonna cover) [mp3]
she's on the cover of RS right now. you wanna know something funny? I never heard any of Madonna's songs until I heard Ryan Adams cover "Like a Virgin". I still haven't heard HER sing anything, I'm just familiar with a few covers of her songs. that goes to show you how vehemently I avoid pop music.

The Violent Femmes - Crazy (Gnarls Barkley cover) [mp3, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]

Arcade Fire - Guns of Brixton (The Clash cover) [mp3, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]
they just got this one right. I especially love the mandolins and Win Butler's "ohh"s

The Soft Pack - Fences (Phoenix cover) [mp3]

Dashboard Confessional - El Scorcho (Weezer cover) [mp3]

Jim James (of MMJ) - Rocket Man (Elton John cover) [mp3]

Arctic Monkeys - Diamonds are Forever (Shirley Bassey cover) [mp3]
this is very, very sexy (even though I hate diamonds)

The Magnetic Fields - Heroes (David Bowie cover) [mp3]

The Dead Weather - New Pony (Bob Dylan cover) [mp3]

Franz Ferdinand - Heisa-Ho (De Kift cover) [mp3]

The Strokes Post #238

this song is high on my fabricated-Strokes-set-list. it is so...stimulating.

Saturday Music Definitions: Nothing

this post is dedicated to Mr. Shakespeare, and his fabulous play Much Ado About Nothing, which I watched tonight. at this point, I am more or less acquainted with 80% of his plays, but I've still gotta tackle those histories.

I was surprised at how many songs turned up in my itunes search for "nothing" (tells you a lot about the optimism of musicians, eh?), so I limited the ones I posted to contemporary songs that I really liked.

The Wallflowers - God Says Nothing Back [mp3]

Maroon 5 - Nothing Lasts Forever [mp3]

Jimmy Eat World - Nothing Wrong [mp3]
Futures is so incredibly delectable.

Harlem Shakes - Nothing But Change Part II [mp3]
I really like this track, it's the opener to the now defunct band's debut LP, Technicolor Health.

Elliott Smith - Ballad of Big Nothing [mp3]

Audrye Sessions - Nothing Pure Can Stay [mp3]

Winston Audio - Nothing To Hide [mp3]
strange coincidence: when I went to see Winston Audio, they were opening for Audrye Sessions, a local band with a "nothing" song in their discography which I've posted above.

The Strokes Post #237

Friday, October 16, 2009

Band of the Week: The Raconteurs

Jack White is an incredibly talented man, I doubt anyone could argue otherwise. however, I do feel that his talents are not fully tapped in The White Stripes. for this reason, I regularly turn to The Raconteurs for a nice dose of Jack. even in his new project The Dead Weather, I feel like he is more of a behind-the-curtain voice of (sinister) reason rather than the heart and soul of the band. The Dead Weather will always sound more like what it is: a collaboration. The Raconteurs, on the other hand, is Jack's proper music baby. the one with the trust fund and well documented progression a la photo albums and/or banjo fascinations.

with two well rounded and highly listenable albums under their belt, The Raconteurs combine the very best elements of blues, folk, and good ol' rock, best expressed through Jack's unmistakably memorable vocal deliveries. the live shows are killer too.

here are a couple of their mellow tracks (which also happen to be two of my favourites)

The Raconteurs - Together [mp3]

from Broken Boy Soldiers

The Raconteurs - You Don't Understand Me [mp3]
from Consolers of the Lonely

and a crazier one, just for good measure:

PS Brendan Benson is incredibly attractive.

The Strokes Post #236

thanks to Allie for bringing this excellent photo to my attention!
happy weekend everyone.

Classic Track Thursday

I really like the Violent Femmes. if I listened to them more, I could claim that I loved them, but alas, they are one of those great bands that have (up until now) eluded my focus. one of those bands that really makes me wish that I worked in a record store and could spend all of my time listening to new music. because itunes will never replace that amazing feeling of coming across gems like this album in the clearance rack of your favourite record store, and that glorious feeling of recognition of being in the presence of greatness, in musical pioneer form. because all of that will make me listen to this band more, and I will inevitably become a better person in doing so.

this is the first track from their self titled 1983 debut, and it makes me smile just to imagine all of those alternative kids listening to this album while everyone else gushed over Duran Duran.

Violent Femmes - Blister in the Sun [mp3]

The Strokes Post #235

thanks to everyone who emailed me about this,

you can now sample each and every track from Phrazes for the Young a la the Deutsch Amazon.

if I am going to be completely honest, I was actually really surprised to find out that the critics are spot fucking on: it sounds NOTHING like The Strokes. this troubles me a bit. tracks 1, 4 and 7 really intrigued me, but, I dunno, I had different things in mind. is it so bad that I really don't fare well with super experimental stuff? I'd much rather listen to Never Mind the Bollocks any day of the week.

I think at this point, I am just going to wait for the proper album release. what do you think?

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

White Denim - I Start to Run

this is track of the day from RCRD LBL (the website which first exposed me to the band!) and it commemorates the long-awaited US release of the band's sophomore album, Fits, next Tuesday

the song sounds like it's on drugs, which is a great thing. I will definitely be picking this album up.

head on over to download the song and read a review of the album, or you can download it below:

White Denim - I Start to Run [mp3]

visit the Texan boys on MYSPACE

The Strokes Post #234

y'all must have noticed that I repost things every now and then, especially things that I love.

today is no exception.

this post was came into existence because I watched this last night and it got me really excited about her concert at the Fox in a couple of weeks. I'm pretty sure Little Joy are opening. I love everything about Regina, down to the fact that she was "discovered" by my favourite band and then proceeded to make sexy videos with them (see above). and I mean "sexy" in the Holden Caulfield sense.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

The Strokes Post #233

Connor from the UK was nice enough to send me a bootleg called Triple J and I was about to publish a post with all of the tracks until I realized that it was a bootleg I already had...labelled as "live at the wireless". the moment of realization was when I heard Jules call NYC Cops a love song. oh well, y'all might as well give the bootleg another listen, it's gold!

thanks anyways Connor! and if any of you ever stumble upon a live version of "Fear of Sleep", send it to me, because Connor is dying to hear it.

I am such a shameless Is This It junkie, these bootlegs make me salivate. the band clearly sounds young here (and in other similar 2001 performances): the cadence is faster, yet more deliberate. I love it.

Monday, October 12, 2009

The Strokes Post #232

I miss this Jules. the one who didn't let his record label fuck his fans over. I really am quite pissed over Phrazes, but I know for a fact that my anger will dissipate when I hear the album. alas, I am terrible at being patient.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

The Strokes Post #231

I'm in a concert mood today.

The Strokes - Wireless Festival, 21 June 2006 [ZIP FILE, ENTIRE CONCERT]

I think I actually have all of the videos to this concert somewhere on my external harddrive. I'll upload them to youtube soon.

1. Heart in a Cage [mp3]
2. You Only Live Once [mp3]
Julian adds some interesting lyrics near the end =)
3. The End Has No End [mp3]
I was singing this song really loudly (alongside Jules in my headphones) after my run yesterday, and scared a couple of my elderly neighbors who were in their front yard
4. Red Light [mp3]
5. Juicebox [mp3]
6. Someday [mp3]
7. Electricityscape [mp3]
8. Hard to Explain [mp3]
introduced with Julian singing a snippet of a very famous Franz Ferdinand song...as if the song weren't epic enough already XD
9. Last Nite [mp3]
I thank the universe every day for The Strokes.
10. Ize of the World [mp3]
hear that crowd go. I am so very green with envy.
11. Reptilia [mp3]
12. Ask Me Anything [mp3]
13. Vision of Division
14. Barely Legal [mp3]
15. New York City Cops [mp3]
16. Walk on the Wildside (Lou Reed cover) [mp3]
17. Take It Or Leave It [mp3]

what a masterfully created setlist. I love that they played "Ask Me Anything" at a festival. personally, I think the song is genius, but I could see how a person not familiar with The Strokes might be put off by it. yet they have the audacity to play it in front of such a large crowd, despite Julian claiming "it's pretty much a guaranteed bad idea". I love that.

unfortunately, like most of their 2006 concerts, their are almost no songs from Room on Fire.

Sunday Morning Covers

ZIP FILE

1. metric - the end has no end (the strokes)
2. arcade fire - i'm so bored with the use (the clash)
3. john mayer - kid a (radiohead)
4. death cab - love song (the cure)
5. rufus wainwright - somewhere over the rainbow (judy garland)
6. nirvana - my sharona (the knack)
7. no age - it's so quiet (bjork)
8. the wombats - patience (nick lachey)
9. eels - i'm a loser (the beatles)

The Strokes Post #230

I just realized that I forgot to do a Strokes post yesterday. I had a chance to go online, but erm it must have slipped my mind.

Band of the Week: Arcade Fire

I love Arcade Fire, and their orchestral sound is especially electrifying while one is under the influence of mind altering substances. They have produced two perfect albums, and their live shows are said to be unparalleled. The band is currently working on their third album (which I am eagerly awaiting, especially because of the subsequent tour), while enjoying being featured on the trailer to Where The Wild Things Are

The thing I really like about Arcade Fire is that they don't try to be quirky or deliberately unique and nothing ever seems forced from them. Their perfectly balanced sound is a result of their naturalness; the smart way with which they approach music lets their craft speak for itself. They are dedicated to their musicianship, and leave the silliness to other bands.

Their music includes baroque elements without sounding sleepy, on the contrary, it's quite stimulating. They are one of a handful of bands that I am dying to see in concert. Arcade Fire consists of Win Butler, his wife Regine Chassagne, Richard Reed Perry, William Butler, Tim Kingsbury, Sarah Neufeld, Jeremy Gara and Owen Pallett, who play various instruments that get your blood tingling. They even did a cover of a Clash song, check it out in this week's Sunday Morning Covers.

Arcade Fire - Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) [mp3]
from Funeral

Arcade Fire - No Cars Go [mp3]
from Neon Bible

this is one of my favourite videos on youtube:

visit the band on MYSPACE

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Saturday Music Definitions: Stoned

s
o

s
t
o
n

e
d

Bob Dylan - Everybody must be stoned [mp3]

Kaki King - Lovestoned (JT cover) [mp3]

Sublime - Let's Go Get Stoned [mp3]

Van Morrisson - And it Stoned me [mp3]

this post was a lot of fun to tyype!#!

oh Radiohead.

what silly boys they are.

this news makes me very very happy.

Friday, October 9, 2009

The Strokes Post #229

Nikolai has always been a superhero to me, even before this recent bout of awesomeness-embodied-in-marathon training. his bass playing in Is This It was actually the thing that got me to separate the different instruments in music for the first time. before that, music was all just one sound to me, if that makes sense. after I heard Nikolai's part in the title song, everything changed. I really began to listen to music.

Nikolai has always been a huge source of inspiration to me. bass guitar is my favourite instrument, a claim I have began to make since I started listening to the band. he really PLAYS the bass. I love it. he was on my mind while I was running today (as I was listening to The Strokes of course). it was Room on Fire, and as I was listening, I realized something that makes The Strokes so unlike every other band:

even though they only have three albums, (almost) everyone who really LISTENS to them beyond the first handful of singles really becomes a full on fan, and these fans begin to cite The Strokes as their favourite band. the great thing about the singles is that they make you want to hear more, and, of course, that almost every Strokes song could easily be a single.

most bands with three albums are considered too "young" to matter, but The Strokes have always made every song count. the fact that there are only three albums makes them accessible...it's quite easy to completely absorb everything in a couple of weeks or months. they don't have any superfluous or filler albums or songs. everything is an important piece of the puzzle. you don't have to worry about accidentally buying one of their boring albums. their music is so listenable that it compels repeated listens.

I think about bands like Wilco, whom a lot of my friends at Berkeley (mainly stoner co-op folk) cite as their favourite band...and I think of their reaction to my lack of enthusiasm for the band, and they say "well yeah, they have some lulls but Being There is incredible" or "I adore everything before _____ album". the same thing goes for other bands.

not The Strokes.

I love them so much it's insane, but at this point, it is the only think that makes any sense in my life...everything else is inane. just for the record, that wasn't a typo, I specifically left out the "s".

The Swing Movement: new site + free songs

The Swing Movement are a great band from the UK that I really quite dig and hope with all of my heart will strike gold and gain recognition for their darkly catchy dance numbers.

they have a nifty NEW WEBSITE and are hosting free downloads of the three following songs: "To The Bone" and "Tarantula" and "Jigsaw"
head on over and check it out!

visit the band on MYSPACE for more tunes and/or info

Magnet: over/underrated Dead Kennedys songs

The Dead Kennedys are a band that I got into after starting this music blog. the more I learned about/listened to punk music, the more I heard about the band until I finally checked their music out. needless to say, they lived up to my wildest expectations and their music blew me to pieces. it still does.

here's what Magnet thinks about their short but solid discography (4 studio albums and a handful of miscellanea):

overrated:

1. When You Get Drafted
2. Riot
3. Chickenshit Conformist
4. Too Drunk to Fuck
5. Terminal Hippie

underrated:
1. Funland at the Beach
2. Halloween
3. Where Do Ya Draw the Line?
4. We’ve Got a Bigger Problem Now
5. Night of the Living Rednecks

read more HERE

Thursday, October 8, 2009

The Strokes Post #228

I've never been one for drama and I am quite sick of the whole Jules debacle, so I am not going to post regularly about Phrazes for the Young anymore. in all actuality, I'll probably only post about the album when it leaks.

instead, I'm returning to the basics...that is, the greatest music ever, from the band that somehow manages to be simple and incredibly intricate...

here's a short but sweet boot--the band doing a radio session at the Beeb in 2006, including the ever-so-tasty cover of Ramones' "Life is a Gas"

1. Heart in a Cage [mp3]
it's a tad annoying that they bleep out "fucking around" but oh well
2. Life is a Gas (Ramones cover) [mp3] awesome. highly listenable. a great tribute to a phenomenal band.
3. Reptilia [mp3, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED] holy fuck this is insane(ly excellent)
4. You Only Live Once [mp3]
this is the version with lyrics from "I'll Try Anything Once", quite popular among Strokes fans

ZIP FILE (entire set)

enjoy!

Classic Track Thursday

"despite all my rage I am still just a rat in its cage"
this particular lyric reminds me of a literary-minded friend of mine who simply adores the following song. or at least he did a few years ago...

The Smashing Pumpkins - Bullet with Butterfly Wings [mp3]
from Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995)

ever since I can remember, The Smashing Pumpkins have been a refuge from the mundane for me. this particular song really resonates with me, partly because of the repetitious chorus-- which is indeed an element of a genre I don't usually appreciate--but Klosterman is right, the Pumpkins are definitely a metal band at heart. to me, though, they'll always sound more prog rock than Sigur Ros. and that's saying something.

and, of course, the song title itself is incredible. effortlessly cool, unlike some other bands' obviously less successful endeavours in the same department

BONUS:

The Smashing Pumpkins - Today
just because this song always reeked of optimism to me (not the lyrics but the guitars in particular), and that is something so incredibly intrinsic to my own sunny personality. lately, I've had loads of spats with my narrow-minded employer--the epitome of private school squareness-- but every time I meet/talk to parents of my students, they always gush about how their kids love me, and always talk about me, and I don't think I have to worry about being fired any time soon. people would probably withdraw their kids in protest...a sixth grader told me I was her favourite teacher today and I'm not even her teacher =)

viva la revolucion!

The Strokes Post #227

I'm starting to think that the "LA residency" thing was a rumour...the Tokyo gig was widely publicized, but I haven't found any info pertaining to Jules' supposed shows in LA. it doesn't make sense for him to play four nights in LA anyhow...it's not fair, methinks.

really, the only residency around here relating to Mr Casablancas is my desktop background.

what do y'all think?

(also, is anyone else pissed off that Phrazes hasn't leaked yet? at this point, I might just wait until the 20th for the proper release)

Band of the Week: Beck (belated)

oh look at that, a lovely alliteration.

I've been in a semi-nostalgic mood lately, and when I get like this, I don't look through photos or cry over past lovers...I watch my favourite movies and dust off records I haven't heard in a while.
I get nostalgic for my past, not necessarily for people in my past.

but anyhow, I was rewatching Eternal Sunshine for the goodness-knows-how-many-th time, and found myself, once again, in awe of Beck.

one day, Beck will go down in history as the poster boy for alternative rock. he has established himself as a force to be reckoned with, the very epitome of an entire genre, much like Bowie and Cobain did before him in glam and grunge.

how can I make the claim that he stands for Alternative rock?

Beck is versatile. he's fresh. he has a cool voice that can lull or invigorate. it's up to him. he keeps good company whom he ends up making impromptu cover albums with.

he doesn't have a "sound". he changes constantly, dabbles into so many genres that it's hard to keep track of sometimes, and ends up being channeled in the most unlikely of places.

for some reason, he always reminds me of a musical Aldous Huxley. I don't know much about his personal life other than he's a Scientologist, but, like Huxley, he seems like the kind of guy who would write tracts about the benefits of LSD. or, in his case, express these slightly erratic views musically, which I think he does.

to put it simply, he is an incredibly interesting musician. I think it's quite impossible for anyone to say "I know everything about Beck, and know all of his songs by heart, let me hum out his fourth album for you"

his latest studio album, Modern Guilt (2008), is a heavy dose of aural happiness, and was produced by Danger Mouse (of Gnarls Barkley and Dark Night of the Soul)

oh, and, of course, Alt Rock wouldn't be what it is if it didn't break into the mainstream just a little bit.

I really love Beck, and think you should listen to him too. I'd go to a local record store and pick up which ever cd of his that is cheapest...it's all guaranteed to please. his albums are so eclectic that it doesn't matter where you start--the journey through Beck's discography is always intriguing, captivating, and often strange in a lo-fi way which would put Black Lips to shame.

his website is plenty of fun and is updated regularly, so check it out! he's currently covering Leonard Cohen's debut.

Beck - Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime (The Korgis cover) [mp3]
from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind's soundtrack

Beck - Modern Guilt [mp3]
from Modern Guilt

Beck - Nicotine & Gravy [mp3]
from Midnite Vultures

I have 135 of his songs and STILL can't wrap my mind around it all. it's great though, Beck makes the kind of music that you can just enjoy, and not have to worry about knowing every little detail about (or being obsessively faithful to).

he's like a musical fuck buddy.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

The Strokes Post #226 (belated)

you know you guys, I'm getting quite sick of myself skipping posts like this. I still haven't posted band of the week, which should have been on Friday. here's an interview from Julian that kind of sums up my general out-of-it-ness to hold you over until this evening, when I'll do some proper posting:

I'm sorry, my time management skills have just all but disappeared. I love Music Induced Euphoria, I don't want it to become a chore. I just need to manage my time better.

Monday, October 5, 2009

The Strokes Post #225

if this picture tells us anything, it's that Julian has replaced JP as the band's "guru".

Vampire Weekend announce new single + dates [California bonus!]

the new single is a bit too mellow and has a tad too much xylophone for my taste, but it's not awful. the redeeming quality of today's update email from VW? they're playing the Catalyst in Santa Cruz-- a super intimate venue (read on below, the band seems to be favouring California...yay!), andandand it's 16+ so I can take my baby brother! he really likes the band so it works out perfectly

Vampire Weekend - Horchata [mp3]
what do you think of the song? I like "White Sky" better...it's a lot more...Vampire Weekend.

"Vampire Weekend are also pleased to announce several shows, including a very special set of intimate tour dates in California. Fans are asked to pay close attention to the band's website, as there will be daily announcements about impromptu events taking place during the California tour.

10/6 - Montreal, QC Le National
10/8 - Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
10/15 - London, UK King's College (Mailing List Exclusive Pre-Sale)
10/22 - Paris, FR Nouveau Casino
11/02 - Long Beach, CA The Art Theater
11/05 - Pioneertown, CA Pappy and Harriet's
11/07 - Lafayette, CA Town Hall Theatre
11/08 - Santa Cruz, CA Catalyst
11/09 - Visalia, CA The Cellar Door
11/10 - San Luis Obispo, CA Downtown Brew
11/12 - Bakersfield, CA Chencho's
11/14 - Lomita, CA VFW Hall
11/17 - Tokyo, JAP Tokyo Unit (Mailing List Exclusive Pre-Sale)
11/21 - Sydney, AUS Oxford Art Factory (Mailing List Exclusive Pre-Sale)

The California tour dates go on sale Friday October 9."

Sunday, October 4, 2009

The Strokes Post #224

I spent the day in San Francisco yesterday, and had to keep shaking my head at all of the hipsters. they really are everywhere, but it doesn't make me love the city any less.

here's a great review of Julian's "11th Dimension" from hipster central itself.
enjoy.

The Strokes Post #223 (belated)

so, everyone is super excited about THIS GREAT NEW INTERVIEW WITH JULIAN via the Guardian's Observer (a UK publication), mostly because it says that Juliet is pregnant (hello Julian Jr!)

my favourite bit, however, was this:

"it's about everyone being happy. If we can get to that point, I think the rest will fall into place."

I think that all Strokes fans can agree that Julian seems a LOT more happy lately, probably because his wifey is pregnant, but other stuff too

is it bad that I'm a tad disappointed that he is completely sober now?

Sunday Morning Covers

ZIP FILE

Ben Folds - Say Yes (Elliott Smith cover) [mp3]
just snagged this one, it's fantastic.

Lissy Trullie - Ready for the Floor (Hot Chip cover) [mp3]

Rogue Wave - On a Plain (Nirvana cover) [mp3]

Graham Coxon - Shipbuilding (Elvis Costello cover) [mp3]
I was just thinking this morning that I really never liked Blur; Pulp has always been my monosyllabic-with-the letter-"u"-Britpop-band-of-choice. (Jarvis' solo work is also > Graham's)

CSS - Cannonball (The Breeders cover) [mp3]

The Strokes - Life's a Gas (Ramones cover) [mp3]
oh how I love this.

Beirut - Shiki Shiki Baba (Kocani Orchestra cover) [mp3]

Foo Fighters - Baker Street (Gerry Rafferty cover) [mp3]

Glen Campbell - Times like These (Foo Fighters cover) [mp3]
this is actually hilarious in an ironic, Napoleon Dynamite musical score kind of way.

Lightspeed Champion - Heart in a Cage (The Strokes cover) [mp3]

Jamie Cullum - Frontin (Pharrell cover) [mp3]

Band of Horses - Your Love Is Forever (George Harrison cover) [mp3]
this is incredible. Band of Horses is the perfect band to cover my favourite Beatle's trippy solo work, methinks.

Saturday Music Definitions: Children (belated)

congratulations, Julian and Juliet!

Oasis - Married with Children [mp3]

The Smiths - Suffer Little Children (Troy Tate Sessions) [mp3]

The Henry Clay People - Children of Chin [mp3, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]

Margot and the Nuclear So & So's - A Children's Crusade On Acid [mp3]

Delta Spirit - Children [mp3]

Friday, October 2, 2009

The Strokes Post #222

thanks a million, klein! I've made a youtube video to ease the sharing of this gem.

so, Jules sounds great, he even says what his favourite Strokes album is--Room on Fire (!) I love what he says about Is This It =)

and mentions three of his favourite Strokes songs--Red Light, I'll Try Anything Once and You Only Live Once...the last one, I think is his absolute favourite. he started saying something about it being super profound, and then stopped himself short, knowing the repercussions which inevitably would have ensued if he had continued.

all brilliant, of course, any song he would have chosen would have been a great choice BECAUSE THE STROKES ARE INCAPABLE OF WRITING A BAD SONG.

I love when he talks about not listening to his own music...he is so humble, and it really comes through in this interview.

The Strokes Post #221

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Classic Track Thursday

I've written on this blog before that I really don't like discussing Elliott Smith with music lovers, because so many people seem to hate his music, and I can't deal with that.

but I really do love Good Will Hunting, and "Miss Misery" will always be a special song, because a. it is gorgeous and b. it helped Elliott gain the recognition which he deserved.

so put on some headphones, and take a trip down memory lane back to 1997--or the last time you watched the film.

Elliott Smith - Miss Misery [mp3]

BONUS:

Elliott Smith - Miss Misery (early version) [mp3]
from New Moon, the posthumous album from Elliott, and the source art of one of my most-worn shirts.

PS "Between the Bars" ALWAYS makes me cry, especially during the film.

record review: Putumayo Presents: Espana

World music.
Sometimes, the phrase makes me gag, especially when I think of that prick from High Fidelity.

Just the thought of some music from another country playing softly in the background brings up really disturbing images of dinner parties and other particulars of a respectable lifestyle I want nothing to do with.

But Putumayo changes all of that. I became acquainted with Putumayo via my public library’s offerings of compilations called “music from the tea lands” and “music from the chocolate lands”. Basically, Putumayo World Music is a label which is based in NY and likes to bring together lots of great music from all around the world, with one uniting theme. This time around, they have released a collection of songs exclusively from Spain, and the results are fantastic.

Instead of slipping into some non-descript coffeehouse soundtrack, the collection is fresh and vibrant, and ranges from extraordinarily danceable (the opening track) to more mellow music that is a nice reminder of how even The Clash liked reggae.

Put on this album and don’t worry about being pretentious. It is sure to please a wide audience, as the music comes from such a diverse group of artists.

The album was released on Tuesday, and here’s a fun fact: a portion of the proceeds of this album go to the Spanish branch of OXFAM, so go ahead, indulge yourself with a solid collection that will surely deviate from the ever so glamourous indie rock n roll.

Recommended.
3.5/5

here's the first track, I really quite love it and find myself moving involuntarily to the addictive beats (as well as most of the songs on here):

Peret - Para Poder Olvidarla [mp3]

buy the album on AMAZON

visit Putumayo World Music on the interwebs

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

The Strokes Post #220

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Magnet: over/underrated Ramones songs

read the article HERE

most overrated:
1. We’re a Happy Family
2. Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue
3. Rock N Roll High School
4. I Wanna Be Sedated
5. Pinhead

most underrated:
1. Listen to My Heart
2. I Can’t Make it on Time
3. Pleasant Dreams (album)
4. Subterranean Jungle (album)
5. Questioningly

You know the magazine is a fan of the band when they place two albums in the underrated song category. To be honest, I've always considered the Ramones catalogue a tad expansive. not as straightforward and easy to recount as that of, say, Sex Pistols.

but who am I to question Magnet? I fucking love the following song (it's one of my all time favourites):

now excuse me, I've gotta bust out my copy of Pleasant Dreams and give it a spin.

new song: Free Energy -Something in Common

Free Energy has debuted a new song on RCRD LBL and even though I've heard a live version of this track, I'm still quite stoked! I'm so ready for a full length release from this band

it's so surreal how some bands release many, many albums before they gain recognition, some bands break out after a great debut, and others, like Free Energy (and The Strokes) get booked and signed and go on full on tours with just a demo under their belts.

in any case, thank goodness for good music and a nice cup of tea.

Free Energy -Something in Common [mp3]
even though it's more synth driven, and has a lot more club-friendly beats, this song is much more subdued than their previous dance-y tracks.

visit Free Energy on MYSPACE

The Strokes Post #219

ok, so um I was gonna continue posting spank-bank photos as Strokes posts but I just got an email from my reader Klein and this is much more important:

Casablancas will perform a special series of shows every Wednesday night in October at Los Angeles’ Downtown Palace Theatre. Additional dates will be announced shortly.

WHAT?! why Wednesdays, Jules, WHY?!

he had better make an SF appearance soon. I really don't like LA.

Monday, September 28, 2009

record review: Girls - Album

When you study literature, you learn about something called New Criticism. It emerged in the ‘20’s and was essentially the idea that one should be able to read a piece of poetry or prose without any information about the author or even know who the author is. In this way, they could judge the piece on its quality rather than with preconceived ideas of whether or not it should be great.

When I embarked on my journey to Album, I unknowingly took the opposite route. I first read multiple articles( in magazines like SPIN and all over the blogosphere) about how singer/songwriter Christopher Owens was raised in a cult, had a tumultuous childhood that lacked proper nurturing, and then proceeded to write an album to help himself move on and leave his dark past behind.

There were two things that really got me to want to hear the music. The first one was a quote in his SPIN interview, where he said that he wanted to be a great songwriter like John Lennon. This really struck me strongly, because he was obviously serious about music and actually wanted to create a legacy. I really respected that. The second thing that got me to listen to the much-buzzed about album was the ever-quoted set of lyrics from “Lust for Life”: “I wish I had a father, maybe then I would have turned out right…I wish I had a suntan, I wish I had a pizza and a bottle of wine”. The careless juxtaposition of the two desires was strikingly honest and refreshing. It really proved that Owens no longer dwelt on the past, but looked to the present and future for brighter prospects. Or at least the ever comforting distraction provided by alcohol and an interesting group of friends.

Girls are from San Francisco, and their debut LP Album is one of the most eclectic offerings of the year. The album is obviously derivative, but not boring or unoriginal. It does really interesting things with music that already been perfected, and adds in the occasional clap or tambourine shake every now and then just for good measure.

Owens sings like a scratchier but noticeably less bitter Elvis Costello who was raised in the California sun. Album opener “Lust for Life” is clearly the best song of the bunch, and simultaneously more cheerful and heartbreaking than Costello’s “Alison”. The short song (just under 2:30) sounds like a day spent being intoxicated at the beach, with the wind in your hair and being liberated by the ocean. It’s a good thing it was placed first, because it makes way for the rest of the songs, which flow together like a Pacific Ocean filled with heartache and hangovers.

“Big Bad Mean Mother Fucker” is a fun song because it’s like a Beach Boys song for a slightly cynical adolescent audience. “Headache” screams of the sexy depressed music which Jarvis Cocker perfected in Pulp, and “Morning Light” evidently looks to My Bloody Valentine for inspiration.

The one uniting theme is the feeling of partial nostalgia evoked in the songs. I say partial nostalgia because—background information or not—it is obvious that Christopher Owens is ready to move on. The songs are like a final goodbye—to the past, to our demons, to the summer.

Try not to let this album break your heart, because it probably will. Just remember, Owens has created a soundtrack to a renewal, and wants to reconcile—not dwell on what could have been.

Highly recommended.
4.5/5

Album was released today, buy it HERE

The Strokes Post #218

Sunday, September 27, 2009

band of the week: Mando Diao

[sorry for the late post guys, but I'm making up for it in subject matter.]

Mando Diao is the best band I’ve never heard anything about.

What is wrong with the society that I live in that it forces me to go so long without hearing a thing about this amazing band? Thankfully, wikipedia can fill in the gaps of my ignorance.

I was exposed to them via last.fm and subsequently youtube, but I didn’t want to buy any of their albums online because I know that I always lose control when I buy music online. I went to three or four different record stores, none had any of their albums.

I went to Amoeba Berkeley yesterday and snagged their first three albums, their debut was on clearance for 1.99. I’m glad I waited. My Sunday is now filled with goodness.

Kicking off with a debut album in 2002, the Swedish band continues to release delectable garage rock till this day. Their fifth album was released this February, and even though I haven’t heard it yet I’m sure it’s just as good as what I’ve heard so far.

You know how The Hives are always hailed as the Swedish Strokes? I never thought that; if anything, The Hives remind me of The Vines. This band, however, sounds like The Swedish Libertines, especially because they have two front men.

Mando Diao has two lead singers, Björn Dixgård and Gustaf Norén. Gustaf sounds like Britt Daniel of Spoon, especially on “Paralyzed”. Bjorn sings in a more urgent manner, and sounds more like Pelle Almquvist of The Hives. Both singers reek of excellence.

On the band’s second and third albums, they really do start to sound like The Libertines, especially on Ode to Ochrasy. This is not to say that they copied the Libs, just that they write songs in the same vein, which of course, is good for us!

I really love bands who write songs in English even though it isn’t their native language, because they always manage to sing about overlooked concepts. Mando Diao even sing about the unibomber. Now that’s what I call innovative.

Get listening!

Mando Diao – Sheepdog [mp3]
from their debut, Bring ‘Em In (2002)

Mando Diao – G-d Knows [mp3, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]
from their second full length, Hurricane Bar (2004)
this is probably my favourite album of theirs so far. it's so LISTENABLE.

Mando Diao – Long Before Rock n Roll [mp3]
from Ode to Ochrasy, the band’s third LP (2006)
"so play me a song from 1954"...I think this is a homage to The Beatles, the band that inspired Mando Diao to make music

[I’ll move on to their fourth and fifth albums soon!]

visit the band on MYSPACE, they're currently on tour in Europe

new song: John Mayer - Who Says

just heard the latest from John Mayer...it's a very, very laid back song backed with a simple and pleasant addition from his acoustic guitar

"who says I can't get stoned....who says I can't be free?" he sings softly

this song is so simple and genuine, it reminds me a bit of Toy Story. I love it. this might be my favourite thing he's ever written, even though a lot of his work is better than this.

I never would have expected this from John Mayer. Ryan Adams, maybe, but not Mayer. this makes me like him a whole lot more. my respect for him has also gone up, past the fact that he attended Berklee. I will definitely be on board for his new album, Battle Studies, which will see a November release

John Mayer - Who Says [mp3, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!]

Girls to play an ALL AGES show in SF!

I love my Cafe Du Nord email subscription, even though it usually mocks me with 21+ shows.

Girls, a band I've had a recent fling with, will be playing an all ages show at the Swedish American Hall (located above Cafe Du Nord) on Friday, November 20th. buy tickets HERE

incidentally, I love the following video (just saw it yesterday or perhaps the day before):

I was really mad because I missed the free Amoeba SF show they played last week (they released their record early in their hometown's best record store) but this makes me quite happy because it's gonna be a full night of music, not just a short set!

see you there!

The Strokes Post #217