double bonus:
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
East Bay Express's Best of the East Bay Party this Friday in Oakland
I am considering going to this.
double bonus:
double bonus:
The Strokes Post #523
via.I remember, very clearly, the night I met Binki Shapiro. it took all of two seconds for me to go from loathing her on principle to adoring her. she's so freaking sweet...and talented too.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
The Strokes Post #522
The Strokes will play OUTSIDE LANDS' TWIN PEAKS STAGE from 8:45-9:55PM on Saturday August 14th.
see you guys at the front!
see you guys at the front!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Sunday Morning Covers
Ray LaMontagne - Vigilante Man (Woody Guthrie cover) [mp3]
Beck feat. Wilco, Feist & Jamie Lidell - Diana (Skip Spence Cover) [mp3]
The Morning Benders - Lovefool (Cardigans cover) [mp3]
The Last Shadow Puppets - S.O.S. (Rihanna cover) [mp3]
Elliott Smith - Yer Blues (Beatles cover ) [mp3]
Rogue Wave - Debaser (Pixies cover) [mp3]
Franz Ferdinand - Sound And Vision (Bowie cover) [mp3]
Ron Sexsmith - Give Me Peace (George Harrison cover) [mp3]
Razorlight - Boys Don't Cry (The Cure cover) [mp3]
Mumford & Sons - Cousins (Vampire Weekend Cover) [mp3]
ZIP FILE
The Strokes Post #520
this INTERVIEW is crazy good. I love it when Julian's interviewers are fans. which they usually are, 'cause he's awesome
I feel like I learned a lot, the guy asked good questions. Crime and Punishment is easily in my top ten books of all time. I almost started crying when I read this part:
"Rumi’s my favorite kind of poet...That stuff is bonkers out of this world cool. And out there crazy and yeah, that’s always the dream; that the lyrics can still work like that. Cause I think he was a musician, you know? So it can feel like those poems he sang, that’s like ideal."
Rumi has always been a favourite of mine and it makes so much sense that Julian appreciates his art. The Strokes and his solo work always had a dreamy undertone to me. not dreamy like dream-pop, MBV status, but obviously coming from a brain that does not function in a linear way.
cheers to Eric for posting it first
Saturday Music Definitions: Killing
this post is dedicated to a certain Strokes song (found below) that totally struck me like a ton of bricks this morning.
The Strokes - Killing Lies [mp3]
Echo and the Bunnymen - The Killing Moon [mp3]
Liam Finn - This Place is Killing Me [mp3]
Modest Mouse - The Good Times Are Killing Me [mp3]
Pavement - You're Killing Me [mp3]
The Cure - Killing an Arab [mp3]
Friday, July 30, 2010
The Rumble SF: Rumspringa, The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt!, Billy & Dolly
the show is at CDN on Wednesday night, as always, RSVP to get in for free ($5 door)
from the EPK-
"This month we're lucky enough to have LA based blues soaked rock act, RUMSPRINGA traveling the entire leg of the tour. This newly expanded quartet are in the vein of the Black Keys and known for their live shows with MTV calling them "one of the best LA bands I've seen in a long time."
Another act we're super excited about it is, THE TERROR PIGEON DANCE REVOLT! This art collective out of SUNY Purchase are making anthemic, original and danceworthy music that's already caught the attention of Pitchfork and NPR. Known for their crazy live shows, you aren't going to want to miss this one.
Rounding out the bill are, SF based alt-rock folk act, BILLY & DOLLY. Comprised of ex members of The Monolith, BILLY & DOLLY are making heartfelt and memorable indie pop gems that have our friends at Noise Pop loving their "multi-part harmonies that won't soon be forgotten."
As usual, we'll have resident DJ Bagel Ted on the decks and Trumer Pils specials all night!"
Rumspringa - Shake Em Loose Tonight [mp3]
The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt! - Ride Friendship [mp3]
Billy & Dolly -You Always Win [mp3]
The Strokes Post #518
this is from Julian's deluxe set thing (I posted some poor quality videos of it months ago). it's been officially posted on his YT account, so enjoy Julian's acoustic glory in HD
happy weekend!
Classic Track Thursday
can you imagine if the Ramones were British, and more subversive? like, a fantastic lovechild of Sex Pistols and Ramones, only largely underrated in people's conception of essential punk music?
Wire - Mr Suit [mp3]
from Pink Flag (1977)
21 tracks. 35 minutes. yessssssss.
PLUS they are Rob Pollard's favourite band
Thursday, July 29, 2010
NEW TOUR DATES: Free Energy + Titus Andronicus
if that isn't the best double bill I've seen since peanut butter met chocolate, I don't know what it
08/19: Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwells
08/21: Boston, MA @ Royale
08/22: Montreal, QB @ Il Motore
08/23: Ottowa, ON @ Mavericks
08/25: Ithaca, NY @ Castaways
08/28: Leeds, UK @ Leeds Festival
08/29: Reading, UK @ Reading Festival
09/05: San Diego, CA @ Belly Up Tavern
09/07: Los Angeles, CA @ Viper Room *
09/08: San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
09/10: Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret
09/11: Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge/Music Fest Northwest
09/12: Seattle, WA @ The Tractor Tavern
09/13: Boise, ID @ Neurolux
09/14: Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
09/15: Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
09/16: Omaha, NE @ Waiting Room
09/17: Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club
09/18: Chicago, IL @ Metro
09/19: Newport, KY @ Southgate House
09/20: Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
09/21: Durham, NC @ Duke Coffeehouse
09/22: Charlottesville, VA @ Jefferson Theatre
09/23: Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
09/24: Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel
09/25: New York, NY @ Webster Hall
* = Free Energy solo show
see you in San Francisco!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
The Strokes Post #516
Going the Distance OST (24 Aug)
01. Generationals - "Either Way"
02. George James - "Places"
03. Katie Herzig - "Hey Na Na"
04. Albert Hammond, Jr. - "In Transit"
05. The Cure - "Just Like Heaven"
06. The Pretenders - "Don't Get Me Wrong"
07. The Boxer Rebellion - "Spitting Fire"
08. Cat Power - "Could We"
09. Band Of Skulls - "Cold Flame"
10. Eels - "Prizefighter"
11. Passion Pit - "The Reeling" (Groove Police Remix)
12. Fanfarlo - "Harold T. Wilkins, Or How To Wait For
A Very Long Time"
13. The Replacements - "Here Comes A Regular"
14. The Boxer Rebellion - "If You Run"
15. Gotye - "Learnalilgivinanlovin"
16. The Airborne Toxic Event - "Half Of Something Else"
hahah it's Charlie!
01. Generationals - "Either Way"
02. George James - "Places"
03. Katie Herzig - "Hey Na Na"
04. Albert Hammond, Jr. - "In Transit"
05. The Cure - "Just Like Heaven"
06. The Pretenders - "Don't Get Me Wrong"
07. The Boxer Rebellion - "Spitting Fire"
08. Cat Power - "Could We"
09. Band Of Skulls - "Cold Flame"
10. Eels - "Prizefighter"
11. Passion Pit - "The Reeling" (Groove Police Remix)
12. Fanfarlo - "Harold T. Wilkins, Or How To Wait For
A Very Long Time"
13. The Replacements - "Here Comes A Regular"
14. The Boxer Rebellion - "If You Run"
15. Gotye - "Learnalilgivinanlovin"
16. The Airborne Toxic Event - "Half Of Something Else"
hahah it's Charlie!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
record review: Best Coast - Crazy For You
“my highs are high, my lows are low, and I don’t know which way to go”
When it comes to dreamy, sun-drenched nostalgia, LA’s Best Coast have bested SF’s Girls. The irony, of course, lies in the fact that Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino is actually a girl whereas Christopher Owens is gay at most. And whereas Owens' channels Costello, Cosentino's vocal style is much more comforting, like a friend's whisper delivered with perfect clarity.
Crazy For You is the musical equivalent of reading a teenage girl’s diary, swimming with the nonsensical derision, the fogginess of self-medicating, the stubborn insistence on apathy when in reality, you’re emotionally attached.
It’s striking in the sense that teenage girls have as much emotional turmoil as there is water in the ocean. Theoretically, herein would lie its weakness—how interesting can this actually be? Surprisingly enough, though, the magic of the summer, which best summed up by the straightforward lyric “there’s something about the summer” (“Summer Mood”) gives the album more layers than it could ever have had if it relied on lyrics alone. Whether it’s the jangly tambourines in “Our Deal” or the ever-so-relatable desperate pleas in “Bratty B”, Cosentino’s songs don’t represent adolescent females as much as they reflect the general unpleasantness of being alone. The interplay of her lazy vocals and surprisingly advanced musicianship (aided by partner in crime Bobb Bruno) is reminiscent of early Sonic Youth albums. "I Want To" begins with two minutes of hazy wistfulness before an invigorating set of aggressive guitars changes the tempo of the song, and with it, the self-pitying perspectives that preceded it.
The songs are painstakingly genuine; on the closing track, Cosentino croons "my mama always told me there'd boys like you" before she concludes "I hate sleeping alone". Lo-fi indie doesn't get this honest. Ever. Put on Crazy for You and be comforted by the fact that misery makes for the best art, if not always the warmest sleeping companion.
4.3/5
Crazy for You dropped today. Pick it up at your local indie record shop.
Visit Best Coast on MYSPACE
record review: Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
Imagine spending hours constructing an elaborate path of dominos, winding yard upon yard in various loops and shapes. Now imagine a small crack in your window—letting in just the slightest breeze from the clear skies above. It’s May. The silence of the sunny afternoon spent in solitude has enveloped your being and you have become content with the inactivity of your surroundings.
Out of nowhere, a lightning bolt strikes. There is no storm. Just a single, vicious jolt of electricity directed exactly at the tiny fenestration in your wall.
There go your dominos. There goes your silence. There goes your ease.
Now let’s give this lightning a name.
The Suburbs.
There are a lot of words that my mind associates with Arcade Fire. Full, orchestral, baroque, warm, communal. On their third album, however, the band reinvents itself into a fascinating combination of apocalyptic and gothic. I hear “Ready to Start” and I think of Robert Smith. “Rococo” sounds exactly like its title: creepy, Romantic-era horror story, complete with spine tingling violins and layers of echos and repetition. The band falters when it emulates U2 (“City With No Children”; “Half Light II”) but quickly redeems itself with the snarkiness of “Month of May”, a song that cleverly juxtaposes urgent guitars with lyrics lamenting the prolonged difficulty of the songwriting process. But nothing compares with the menacing rawness of “Deep Blue”, a song that captures the band’s warnings about suburban complacency with frightening precision.
Highly recommended.
4.7/5
The Suburbs drops next Tuesday, 3 August
SPIN celebrates 25 years by streaming live concerts (The National, The Black Keys, The Flaming Lips)
watch the live stream HERE
July 27
Fang Island - 8PM EST
The Flaming Lips - 9:15PM EST
July 28
The Whigs & Lee Fields and the Expressions - 10PM EST
The Black Keys - 12AM EST
July 29
Kurt Vile & Suckers - 8PM EST
The National - 10:30PM EST
July 30
Spiritualized - 8:30PM EST
Monday, July 26, 2010
Goodnight Lights - Deeper Down
for fans of: Guided By Voices
Goodnight Lights - Deeper Down [mp3]
This Philadelphia band has a very vintage sound. At times they bust out Stooges-inspired guitars or Bowie-esque keys but they mostly have that 90's metronome feel going on.
download the album for free HERE
Goodnight Lights on MYSPACE
Sunday, July 25, 2010
The Henry Clay People featured in SPIN
The Henry Clay People - Slow Burn [mp3]
the band is currently on tour with Silversun Pickups and Against Me!
The Strokes Post #513
"Dude, my life is like any other cheesy hipster living on the lower east side"
-Nick Valensi
via the new issue of SPIN
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Saturday Music Definitions: Wait
Arcade Fire - We Used to Wait [mp3]
from The Suburbs
Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire - Wait [mp3]
David Bowie - Waiting for You [mp3]
The Hives - Waits Too Long [mp3]
Tokyo Police Club - Wait Up (Boots of Danger) [mp3]
The White Stripes - I Can't Wait [mp3]
Death Cab for Cutie- Wait [mp3]
The Velvet Underground - I'm Waiting for the Man [mp3]
The Strokes Post #512
"We're working hard, man. And the harder you work, the more your qualities are focused. Right now our qualities are squeezing out of us like…like juice."
band of the week: Superhumanoids
I never remember anything. I seriously have the worst memory ever. Thankfully, as a writer, I have long since developed the habit of writing reminder notes to myself about things that I should follow up on.Last night, I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't get back to sleep, so I cleaned my room. As I picked up some mugs from my dresser, I saw a cd atop a stack of promo things etc that I hadn't gotten around to yet.
And the name, it was familiar. I looked through a pile of notes (also on my dresser-- I really need to be more organized), I saw the name:
Superhumanoids. Written down a few days ago after hearing them on the internets from a music blog. The cd, however, had lain in my possession since I saw The Franks open up for Shout Out Louds. After the gig, I was talking to their lead singer about doing an interview and before I left, he insisted that I take a demo cd, of his two bandmates' other band.
Just goes to show you, you really should trust talented musicians when they tell you about something. Lest you be a few months off the radar.
LA's Superhumanoids are like a dreamy, destination-free joy ride through a clear summer night. They remind me a little bit of Beach House, but the male vocals are a dead ringer for Meric Long from SF psych-folk trio The Dodos, but softer, like he's singing underneath his breath. Their Urgency EP lies somewhere between LCD Soundsystem and Pulp. The band has a dynamic similar to The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, but the music is less jangly, more casually cool, like Phantogram.So grab a partner and glide onto the dance floor, these beats have a shelf life of three hours.
Superhumanoids - Persona [mp3]
Superhumanoids - Dangerous Strangers [mp3]
visit them on MYSPACE
Friday, July 23, 2010
Classic Track Thursday
every time I hear "Empire State of Mind", I cringe and hum this song instead:
2Pac - California Love [mp3]
from California Love (1995)
Thursday, July 22, 2010
record review: Rodrigo Y Gabriela -11:11
Rodrigo Y Gabriela’s 2009 album, 11:11, is smashing. Drawing influences all across the board, the duo redefine what the acoustic guitar can do, nodding heavily to Carlos Santana (whom their opener, “Hanuman”, is dedicated to). With an astounding flourish and impeccable tempo, the band pays tribute to 11 different guitarists who have inspired them, while tactfully paralleling them stylistically. The aggressive and blunt arrangements in “Buster Voodoo” showcase the band’s underlying love for the thrash of metal music. The album is electrically charged and brazen, even in its subtler tracks (“Santo Domingo”, “Chac Mool”). It races back and forth between Mexican folk and psychedelia, even showing some Middle Eastern influence on the Moorish track “Atman”. 11:11 is an ode to triumph; to sexual conquest; to spontaneous scuba diving adventures. It’s a spectacular simple-yet-layered instrumental album which you can turn to when you’re feeling down to pick you right back up and remind you that this world is overflowing with beauty and boundless potential. Carpe Diem.
4.3/5
the band is currently ON TOUR
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Jeff Buckley - Lover You Should Have Come Over
I've been binging on good ol' Grace basically nonstop for the last few days. and I think that this will always be my favourite JB track.
Jeff Buckley - Lover You Should Have Come Over [mp3]
Ryan Adams' one-two punch
"Tomorrow starts the first day of two weeks of recording a new solo album. The songs are based around my acoustic with some stark drums/bass/piano in there. anI'm keeping these recordings simple......THEN in two weeks I am off to NYC to record part two of the crazy NYC sessions I started last month by accident. What started as a weekend studio hang with Johnny and Tom Schick turned into some kind of Smiths/Simple Minds/Love Is Hell throw-back and just way too much fun to not finish. So two coasts, two sessions happening. The new daze are here... fingers crossed these things turn out! I'll check in again from the studio this week. Meanwhile enjoy a few more photo's from the last studio sessions. DRA"
via
The Strokes Post #508
this is pretty sweet but those guys don't have shit on The Strokes.
[[ITALILIANS/FABRIZIO DO/ES IT BETTER.]]
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell by Dave Thompson
this book gives excellent insight into the inner workings of three of my musical heroes, and exactly what was going on during the recording of various songs/albums.it also made me curious about a Lou Reed album called Metal Machine Music, which critics unanimously agreed was a flop but I have a feeling it's one of those stroke of genius things.
and I still hate Nico.
Sunday Morning Covers
Bright Eyes - Devil Town (Daniel Johnston cover) [mp3]
Jeff Buckley - Satisfied Mind (Hayes/Rhodes cover) [mp3]
John West - Umbrella (Rihanna cover) [mp3]
Jeff Tweedy - Fake Plastic Trees (Radiohead cover) [mp3]
The Last Shadow Puppets - I Want You (She's So Heavy) (Beatles cover) [mp3]
M. Ward - Let's Dance (Bowie cover) [mp3]
The Morning Benders - I Wanna Be Like You (Jungle Book cover) [mp3]
Pavement - The Killing Moon (Echo & the Bunnymen cover) [mp3]
ZIP FILE
BONUS:
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Arcade Fire - Month of May + The Suburbs
so I have not listened to any Arcade Fire tracks from The Suburbs on principle, as I wanted to hear the whole album all at once, but I accidentally listened to the track below, because it showed up on a podcast I subscribe to
Arcade Fire - Month of May [mp3]
holy moley can I say I freaking love this? it's crazy like Violent Femmes, only darker. I never would have expected this, I thought the band was gonna stick to the Baroque-pop thing through and through
Arcade Fire - The Suburbs [mp3]
this one is slower, more airy and Win really pushes the limits vocally as a haunting piano chimes in the background. well done.
I am half angry, half thrilled at The Needle Drop for using these songs in their June 5th podcast.
The Suburbs will be force to be reckoned with, indeed
Saturday Music Definitions: Worry
Green Day - Worry Rock [mp3]
Talking Heads - Don't Worry About the Government [mp3]
Morrissey - Do Your Best And Don't Worry [mp3]
Frank Sinatra - Don't Worry Bout Me [mp3]
Albert Hammond Jr - Feed Me Jack Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Peter Sellers [mp3]
Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry, Be Happy [mp3]
Music For Animals - Worry [mp3]
Friday, July 16, 2010
Band of the Week: Monuments
Monuments are from Brooklyn. They make music that sounds like the rain. Steady but mysterious. Their slower, acoustic driven tracks (“I’m Here Now”) are like One by One era Foo Fighters whereas the rest of their songs are guitar heavy and experimental, like Pink Floyd. The chord progression in “Expectations” sounds suspiciously like “Paranoid Android” but they make it their own by building the suspense into a ferocious frenzy of an ending. I’d be more concerned if they weren’t drawing inspiration from Radiohead. The songs are dizzying yet satisfying, like Explosions in the Sky through the rock’n’roll looking glass. Their self titled album does not deliver any specific musical agenda: the band doesn’t sound like anything in particular, neither band nor genre. They seek refuge in their own brand of creativity, stubbornly independent like a sailor at sea.
Check it out:
Monuments – Ice Pick Lobotomy [mp3]
Monuments on MYSPACE
The Strokes Post #504
I think we should sign a petition declaring"Albert should always wear glasses"
the world would be a better place.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Classic Track Thursday
Los Saicos -Intensamente [mp3]this is a Peruvian band
called Los Saicos.
they were around between 1964 and 1966. they never released a proper album--decades later, their singles would be compiled into one album
I heard them at Amoeba and was all "whoa this sounds like a Spanish Black Lips" but when I saw the date on the cd I realized that this band came waaaaaaaay before my beloved Athens band. they were one of the forerunners of the garage rock scene and have become an instant favourite of mine. they even have a song in English, "Lonely Star". if you like horror punk and grittiness in the vein of an edgy Beach Boys, look no further
GUIDED BY VOICES REUNION TOUR!
first I was ecstatic to find out that I didn't have to go to Chicago to see The Strokes and now I DON'T HAVE TO GO TO VEGAS TO SEE GBV BECAUSE THEY'RE PLAYING THE WARFIELD! la vita è dolce, no?
tickets on sale TOMORROW Friday, July 16th via Ticketmaster
09/30 – Austin, TX @ East Side Drive *
10/03 – Las Vegas, NV @ Matador at 21
10/04 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern *
10/05 – San Francisco, CA @ Warfield *
10/07 – Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom *
10/09 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo *
10/12 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue *
10/13 – Chicago, IL @ The Vic *
10/15 – Newport, KY @ Southgate House
10/16 – Columbus, OH @ Outlands Live
10/21 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
10/22 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
10/23 – Atlanta, GA @ The Buckhead Theatre
11/05 – Boston, MA @ Paradise #
11/06 – Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero #
11/07 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5 #
* = w/ Times New Viking
# = w/ Blitzen Trapper
Guided By Voices - Twilight Campfighter [mp3]
The Walkmen announce new album, tour, free single
The Walkmen - Stranded [mp3]from Lisbon (out on Sept 14th in the US on Fat Possum Records and on Oct 11th in the UK on Bella Union Records)
it kind of sounds like an ol' time band tribute to a military officer. really really uncharacteristic of the NY band, but a solid track nonetheless
DATES:
7/17: XPN Music Festival, Philadelphia, PA
7/31: Osheaga Festival, Montreal
8/6: Lollapalooza Festival, Chicago, Illinois
8/6: Official Lollapalooza After Party w/ Warpaint, Double Door, Chicago, Illinois (Sold Out)
8/12: Governors Island, New York, NY w/ Grizzly Bear
8/25: Islington Academy, London, UK
8/27: Leeds Festival, Leeds, England
8/28: Reading Festival, Reading, England
9/8: The Showbox w/ Helio Sequence, Seattle, WA
9/9: Malkin Bowl, Vancouver, BC w/ The National
9/10: Malkin Bowl, Vancouver, BC w/The National
9/11: WOW Hall w/ Helio Sequence, Eugene, OR
9/12: Music Fest NW, Portland, OR
9/14: The Fillmore w/ Japandroids, San Francisco, CA
9/15: The Music Box w/ Japandroids, Los Angeles, CA
9/17: Clubhouse Music Venue w/ Japandroids, Tempe, AZ
9/18: Belly Up Tavern w/ Japandroids, Solana Beach, CA
9/19: Neon Reverb Festival at Beauty Bar, Las Vegas, NV
9/25: Nor'easter Festival, Lincoln, NH
10/07: Royale Night Club w/ AA Bondy, Boston, MA
10/09: The Phoenix Concert Theatre w/ AA Bondy, Toronto, ONT
10/10: Magic Stick w/ AA Bondy, Detroit, MI
10/12: The Vogue w/ AA Bondy, Indianapolis, IN
10/14: Barrymore Theatre w/ Japandroids, Madison, WI
10/15: Cabooze w/ Japandroids, Minneapolis, MN
10/16: The Waiting Room w/ Japandroids, Omaha, NE
10/17: Fox Theatre Cafe w/ Japandroids, Boulder, CO
10/19: The Bottleneck w/ Japandroids, Lawrence, KS
10/20: Off Broadway w/ Japandroids, St. Louis, MO
10/21: Zanzabar w/ Japandroids, Louisville, KY
10/22: Mr. Smalls Theatre w/ Japandroids, Pittsburgh, PA
10/23: The Trocadero w/ Japandroids, Philadelphia, PA
10/28: 02 Academy, Glasgow, UK w/ The Black Keys
10/30: 02 Academy, Newcastle, UK w/ The Black Keys
10/31: 02 Academy, Leeds, UK w/ The Black Keys
11/2: 02 Academy, Brixton, London, UK w/ The Black Keys
11/4: Rock City, Nottingham, UK w/ The Black Keys
11/6: 02 Academy, Liverpool, UK w/ The Black Keys
11/7: 02 Academy, Bournemouth, UK w/ The Black Keys
The Walkmen on MYSPACE
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
record review: Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti- Before Today
Ariel Pink’s 2010 release Before Today is a lot of things, but boring is not one of them. The psych-electronica LP is like an uncooked shake-and-bake concoction of Michael Jackson and 1960’s Warholian aesthetic—it draws you in with its enticing aromas but is not fit for consumption in its raw state. “Beverly Kills” is a dazzling dance floor number, but, like its siblings on Before Today, cannot be seriously considered as a self-sustaining musical entity. There is something missing here, or rather, too much all of the time—the over-stimulated Hollywood frontman bears all of his influences simultaneously. “Little Wig” represents a high point on the record, as it draws sensational power by combining horror-punk vocals over surfer-inspired nouveau-new-wave music. Before Today will no doubt find its strength in the arms of knowledgeable djs and subsequent plays on dance floors, but fails to strike a chord for the personal realm of headphone use.
3/5
Ariel Pink on MYSPACE
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
record review: Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be
“We're a generation of men raised by women. I'm wondering if another woman is really the answer we need.” – Tyler Durden
If Fight Club heralded the superiority of male company over the heteronormative status quo, creating a thwarted utopia of knuckles and sweat, Dum Dum Girls have presented the world with an equally magnanimous contestation to the battle of the sexes. I Will Be is dark, twisted and reeks of girl-power conniving, but there are moments when the drugs kick in and all that you’re left with is the soundtrack to a alternate-reality story of Jonah, a whale lost upon some shore, but content in its comatose inebriation (“Jail La La”). Like a toned down Siouxie and the Banshees, the LA band manages to carry fanciful beats over stifled yet powerful Pixies-inspired guitars on their debut LP. A modern-day hipster version of the Ramones, the girls' anthems are often playful and fun (the repetition of gun shot sounds rendered in whispers in "Bhang Bhang, I'm a Burnout" will slowly but surely draw out grins).The record as a whole, though, epitomizes the rare high points of the oft-laughable subgenre of “angry grrrl music of the indie rock persuasion” (so fittingly labeled in 10 Things I Hate About You). But this anger is sublimated in the dreamy tones which fit in with their label-mates at Sub Pop Records—less screaming, more subtle deviousness. Dum Dum Girls know something you don’t, and no, you’re not allowed to join the club. You just have to content yourself with watching from the sidelines.
4.2/5
Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be [mp3]
Dum Dum Girls on MYSPACE
SF's Treasure Island 2010 Lineup Announced (electronica Saturday vs indie rock Sunday)
Early Bird 2-Day and VIP tickets go on sale tomorrow, July 13th at 10am PST.
Single day tickets go on sale on Friday, July 16th at 10am PST.
more info on tickets HERE
The Strokes Post #500
I think that the musical chaos of this song adequately represents the state of affairs in my life right now. why does everything seem to fall apart all at once?
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Sunday Morning Covers
Band of Horses - The End's Not Near (The New Year cover) [mp3]
Ben Gibbard - All Apologies (Nirvana cover) [mp3]
Built to Spill - While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Beatles cover) [mp3]
Cold War Kids - Fast As You Can (Fiona Apple Cover) [mp3]
Elliott Smith - Waterloo Sunset (Kinks cover) [mp3]
Jay Reatard - Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle (Nirvana cover) [mp3]
John Cale - Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen cover) [mp3]
Maroon 5 - If I Fell (Beatles cover) [mp3]
Ryan Adams - Hickory Wind (Byrds cover) [mp3]
Sondre Lerche - Bluish (Animal Collective cover) [mp3]
Stereophonics - Best Of You (Foo Fighters cover) [mp3, highly recommended!]
zip file.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)