The National will rerelease the Cherry Tree EP in June

I first listened to Cherry Tree after hearing the band's Black Sessions. I was listening to it this morning and figured I'd post about the upcoming vinyl 12" reissue of the EP. The original 10" is super rare, I can't seem to find it anywhere. 3000 copies of the reissue will drop on June 28th (500 of them will be red vinyl), you can buy it HERE

Tracklisting:

1. "Wasp Nest"
2. "All the Wine"
3. "All Dolled-Up in Straps"
4. "Cherry Tree"
5. "About Today"
6. "Murder Me Rachael" (Live)
7. "Reasonable Man (I Don't Mind)" (feat. Padma Newsome of Clogs)

in the meantime, the band is giving away "About Today" at bandcamp, head on over or grab the track below.

The National - About Today [mp3]

new music from Arcade Fire - "Speaking in Tongues" and "Culture War"

The music video for "The Suburbs" was taken from a film which Spike Jonze made for Arcade Fire entitled “Scenes From The Suburbs”. It includes these two new songs which very much fit with the general feeling of the band's third record. "Speaking in Tongues" features David Byrne (of Talking Heads). The songs were played for the first time today on Zane Lowe's radio show, listen below:

Arcade Fire - Speaking In Tongues by ListenBeforeYouBuy

Arcade Fire - Culture War by ListenBeforeYouBuy

This should tide fans over until the band releases the deluxe version of their epic album The Suburbs on June 27th.

Explosions in the Sky announce fall tour

09/1 -- Tucson, AZ -- Rialto Theatre

09/2 -- San Diego, CA -- SOMA

09/5 -- Big Sur, CA -- Henry Miller Library

09/8 -- Spokane, WA -- Bing Crosby Theater

09/9 -- Vancouver, BC -- The Vogue Theatre

09/11 -- Boise, ID -- Egyptian Theatre

09/13 -- Denver, CO -- The Fillmore Auditorium

09/14 -- Albuquerque, NM -- Sunshine Theatre

09/16 -- Dallas, TX -- AT&T Performing Arts Center - Strauss Square

09/28 -- New Orleans, LA -- Tipitina's *

09/29 -- Atlanta, GA -- Tabernacle *

09/30 -- Asheville, NC -- Orange Peel *

10/1 -- Baltimore, MD -- Ram's Head Live

10/2 -- Philadelphia, PA -- Tower Theater

10/3 -- Montclair, NJ -- Wellmont Theatre

10/5 -- Boston, MA -- Orpheum Theatre

10/6 -- Montreal, QC -- Metropolis Theatre *

10/7 -- Toronto, ON -- Sound Academy *

10/8 -- Royal Oak, MI -- Royal Oak Music Theatre *

10/10 -- Minneapolis, MN -- First Avenue *

10/11 -- Des Moines, IA -- Val Air Ballroom *

10/12 -- Kansas City, MO -- Uptown Theatre *

10/13 -- Oklahoma City, OK -- Diamond Ballroom *

*Wye Oak supports

PRESALE TIX HERE

Explosions in the Sky - Your Hand in Mine [mp3]

Chain Gang of 1974 will play Rickshaw Stop this Thursday

tix are $10 at the door, the show is 18+ and starts at 10PM

Born in San Jose and raised in Hawaii, Kamtin Mohager is the shape-shifting singer/multi-instrumentalist behind the Chain Gang of 1974. According to Mohager, his first proper release was “all over the place, from a piano ballad to songs that sound like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Primal Scream or Justice.”

Now he sounds like this:

must watch video: The Strokes: "You're So Right" on Jools Holland

sweet goodness this song just keeps getting more badass every time I hear it.

NIKOLAI, YOUSE A BOSS.

must watch video: The Strokes perform "Gratisfaction" at Cannes

I love three things about this video:

-the fact that you can really hear Albert

-Julian's lack of shoes or sleeves (never before exposed on stage tattoos!)

-"they said the soldier is a necessity in light of all the failures of man"

whoa.

and here's Taken for a Fool:

and Under Cover of Darkness

and Reptilia

Sunday Morning Covers

Spoon - Peace Like a River (Paul Simon cover) [mp3]

The Dandy Warhols - The Jean Genie (Bowie cover) [mp3]

Beck - Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime (The Korgis cover, live at Outside Lands) [mp3]

Cat Power - Dreams (Fleetwood Mac cover) [mp3]

Stereophonics - Best Of You (Foo Fighters cover) [mp3]

Josh Ritter - Chelsea Hotel (Leonard Cohen cover) [mp3]

Stephin Merritt - Not One of Us (Peter Gabriel cover) [mp3]

bonus:

Beck - Ballad Of Big Nothing (Elliott Smith Cover) [mp3]

band of the week: The Leafs

Guided by Voices loved to get drunk and go crazy on stage. It sounds like this Melbourne band has similar motives. Crafting a sound between The Magnetic Fields and GBV, The Leafs (Mike Pulsford on vocals and guitar and Gus Kemp on drums and vocals) are driven by a desire for simplicity, cunningly reducing their drum kit to two pieces a la The Velvet Underground.

The Leafs - Space Elevator from Gus Kemp on Vimeo.

The Leafs - Fields and Fences [mp3]

Their album, Space Elevator, emanates the same soft yet blunt sound that makes Bee Thousand so enjoyable and timeless, and this translates to good news for the listener. Download the whole thing at BANDCAMP

listen/download: Best Coast at Daytrotter

I recently looked up the location of my favourite studio, and it happens that Daytrotter is located in Northwestern Illinois. HOWEVER, this recently dug out session was strangely recorded in LA, at Elliott Smith's old studio when the daytrotter guys were out visiting Socal in October of 2009. the recordings are very raw and quite excellent. read more and grab the whole session HERE

Best Coast - Make You Mine (daytrotter) [mp3]

daytrotter

http://www.daytrotter.com/dt/best-coast-concert/20031236-3738209.html

http://www.daytrotter.com/dt/delta-spirit-concert/20054660-110636.html

hear more off the new Arctic Monkeys': Suck it and See

The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala:



Library Pictures:



and here are their performances of Don't Sit Down Cause I've Moved Your Chair and Reckless Serenade

The Strokes bring Angles to Jools Holland

yay!

Zachary Cale - Hello Oblivion

Zachary Cale - Hello Oblivion [mp3]

from Noise of Welcome

songs this gorgeous get me weary that the artist won't be able to follow through at this calibre.

Cale is currently on tour and will hit up Daytrotter this Thursday

visit him on MYSPACE

Houses play Bottom of the Hill this Wednesday

Houses - Soak it Up [mp3]

for fans of: Beach House

The Sundelles - Can't Win

The Sundelles - Can't Win [mp3]

from Georgia Swan

Matty McLoughlin from The Soft Pack plays lead guitar on "Can't Win" as well as few other tracks on the album.

The Sundelles on MYSPACE

new Black Lips- "New Direction"

Black Lips - New Direction [mp3]

I like this a lot better than "Modern Art"

The Lonely Island visit Amoeba Berkeley

nothing this cool ever happened when I lived at that freaking store during college.

BLERG

Sunday Morning Covers

Julian Casablancas - Rave On [mp3]

Spoon - It's Gonna Take an Airplane (Dan Bejar Cover) [mp3]

Elliott Smith - These Days (Nico cover) [mp3]

Beck feat. St. Vincent- Need You Tonight(INXS Cover) [mp3]

Rufus Wainwright - Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen cover) [mp3]

Final Fantasy - No Cars Go (Arcade Fire Cover) [mp3]

The National perform "Baby We'll Be Fine" for SPIN in 2005

The Strokes - Hard to Explain at MSG

BONUS:
I had my music on shuffle the other day and this popped up. I love the variation on the opening lyric

The Strokes - Reptilia (Live, 2006.03.08 - Radio One Session, London, ENGLAND)[mp3]

"they seemed depressed when you walked into the room..."

new Arctic Monkeys: Reckless Serenade

this is wonderful. I have full faith in the new AM lp.

Balkans - Troubled and Done

Balkans - Troubled and Done [mp3]
from Balkans, their s/t debut

listen to the entire album on SPINNER or order the CD or LP from Double Phantom Records.


Tour Dates
May 14 - Atlanta, GA - Drunken Unicorn (LP Release Show)
May 28 - Chicago, IL - 2721 N. Halstead (w/ Mood Rings)
May 30 - Detroit, MI - Lager House (w/ Mood Rings)
June 2 - Brooklyn, NY - Shea Stadium
June 3 - Boston, MA - Problem House (w/ Mood Rings)
June 4 - Brooklyn, NY - Glasslands (w/ Unknown Mortal Orchestra)

new Beirut: Santa Fe + Port of Call + Vagabond + Goshen

beautiful beautiful BEAUTIFUL. "Port of Call" is my favourite.

"oh you, you have hope for me now"

Sunday Morning Covers

Ben Lee - Kids (MGMT cover) [mp3]

Death Cab for Cutie - Timeless Melody w/Eddie Vedder (The La's cover) [mp3]

Girls - End of the World (Skeeter Davis cover) [mp3]

Beck - Your Cheatin' Heart (Hank Williams Cover) [mp3]

Wilco - Love and Mercy (Brian Wilson Cover) [mp3]

My Morning Jacket - Head Held High (Lou Reed cover) [mp3]

CSS - Rat Is Dead (Rage cover) [mp3]

Classic Track Thursday

new song: Black Lips - Modern Art

this sounds exactly like The Hives.

Black Lips - Modern Art [mp3]

from the forthcoming Arabia Mountain (7th June)

Sunday Morning Covers

Rufus Wainwright -Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Wizard of Oz cover) [mp3]

I hear this song every day when my kids practice their spring program. I like Rufus's version better ; )

Elvis Costello - Egypt (Nick Lowe cover) [mp3]

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

Elliott Smith - Long Long Long (Beatles cover) [mp3]

Nouvelle Vague - The Guns Of Brixton (Clash cover) [mp3]

The Botticellis - Here I Go Again (Whitesnake cover) [mp3]

video: Grand Lake - Christmas, California

Grand Lake - Christmas, California from Ryan Terzian on Vimeo.

from Leaves Ellipse

frontman Caleb Nichols said about the video: "We shot the video in our new hometown of San Luis Obispo, CA. We made costumes for the dancers (the same wonderful duo from the ';Louise' video) out of bed sheets found at thrift stores. Then we wandered around town with a boombox and invaded public spaces and stores (we hit our local record store, Boo Boo records, as well as Urban Outfitters to name a couple) and let the dancers do their thing."

Ennui - Coconino

Ennui - Coconino [mp3]

this is absolutely beautiful and European-esque in the same way that Zach Condon's music is, minus the horn sections. it also reminds me of Amelie.

stream Ennui's entire second album, Formation of Tides, at their BANDCAMP, where you can buy the digital album for $5 or the cd for $7, plus download a couple more tracks for free.

Noisepop presents: Brian Eno Documentary at The Roxie Theatre

Brian Eno 1971–77:
The Man Who Fell To Earth
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
ROXIE THEATER
3117 16th Street, San Francisco
7PM

tickets are $10 and can be purchased HERE

Saturday Music Definitions: Destino

I just came across the most spectacular short film, created by Salvador Dali and Walt Disney in 1946

and here is a beautiful jazz track with the same name:

Billy Cobham And Asere - Destinos [mp3]

new Britpop band on the rise: Brother

can you say OASIS?

two new songs from The Morning Benders- "Oh Annie" and "Grain of Salt"

Oh Annie by The Morning Benders

“My only regret with Big Echo is that this wasn’t on it. I wrote it after watching Annie Hall for the 100th time.”
-Chris Chu

Grain Of Salt (Big Echo Version) by The Morning Benders

Man/Miracle - Don't Waste It

from: Oakland, CA

Man/Miracle - Don't Waste It [mp3, highly recommended!]

next Wednesday: The Rumble SF presents Mister Loveless and more

as always, RSVP for free admission, or chalk up 5 bucks at the door.

The Strokes - You're So Right on Fallon

I know we've all seen this but Francisco requested that I reupload it, I think it's disappeared off of youtube.

The Strokes - You're So Right (live, Jimmy Fallon) from hanan erikat on Vimeo.

enjoy!

BONUS: Julian recorded a track to an upcoming tribute album to one of the greats...

Classic Track Thursday

concert review: Superhumanoids at Rickshaw Stop (27 April 2011)

What's it like having ET as your best friend? Floating along in the clouds without a care in the world, concerned with nothing else but the sweet reverb of dreamy synths and mesmerizing boy/girl harmonies? It's exactly what it sounds like. Superhumanoids. Hailing from LA, this band-on-the-rise hit up Rickshaw Stop last night and gave San Francisco the perfect lightshow and accompanying soundtrack. Cameron Perkin's voice climbed high and hit all the right buttons as it echoed down spines, like Matt Bellamy in reverse.

However, it was Sarah Chernoff who really stole the show, dazzling the crowd with her effortlessly angelic croons. The electronic dubs would fit in perfectly to some cheesy sci-fi flick from the 80s, sentimental as hell and thoroughly enjoyable, although for no discernible reason. At times, the band comes off as pseudo-Français, as their ethereal music is very reminiscent of Air. Other times, good old American indie rock kicks in and the band channels Nada Surf. Regardless of what facade they don, Superhumanoids are super interesting. Catch them when they swing by your town.

Superhumanoids on MYSPACE

4/28 - Sophie's Thai Bar, Davis, CA

4/29 - Echo Bar, Los Angeles, CA

4/30 - Soda Bar, San Diego, CA

5/1 - Rhythm Room, Phoenix, AZ

5/2 - Club Congress, Tuscon, AZ

01 Malta by NYLONmag

Superhmanoids play Rickshaw tomorrow night

record review: Foo Fighters - Wasting Light

When Nirvana’s career reached its untimely end in 1994, nobody could have imagined what would spur forth from their shaggy haired drummer, Dave Grohl. But not only did Grohl end up being the Nirvana member with the most longevity, he has been and remains to be one of the most consistent musicians of the last two decades. Dave Grohl started Foo Fighters as a way to play the music he wrote six months after Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain took his own life; Foo Fighters have since evolved from their grungy roots on their eponymous album to the mostly rollicking, (albeit oftentimes sentimental) and ever so recognizable brand of rock they’ve been producing since 2002's One By One. Since releasing 2007’s Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace, Grohl had collaborated with Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones and QOTSA’s Josh Homme as the melt-your-face bona fide wetdream of a supergroup Them Crooked Vultures. However, on Wasting Light, Grohl abandons the hard rock vibes of the side project (with the sore thumb exception of “White Limo”) and returns to the alternative roots which he found and became comfortable with in the early middle stages of his band’s career. “I never wanna die”, he screams on “Walk”, a song whose chorus is reminiscent of “Learn to Fly” and other early Foo songs. The album’s first song, “Bridge Burning”, opens with “These are my famous last words!” the first of many clichéd lyrical themes found on the album. The song, however, is just as energizing as its predecessor, “The Pretender”, filled with all of the right kinds of rock’n’roll anger; overall, “Bridges Burning” and the songs which follow it are musically superb, especially when judged by the applicability of their on(festival)stage badassery. Wasting Light was recorded using analog equipment in Grohl’s garage, which serves as an obvious statement to how Grohl feels about the industry itself and his eternal loyalties to his roots. Regardless, the album just begs to be amplified to thousands of eager fans in a huge setting. Lead single “Rope” sounds exactly like what you would expect a Foo Fighters single would sound like. Throughout the album, the drumming is tight, the guitar riffs go BANG-BANG-BANG like lightning bolts of alt-rock glory, and most importantly, Grohl’s songwriting and delivery are nothing short of excellent. Foo Fighters’ essence and appeal lie in their consistency of sound throughout the years, and Wasting Light only falters when Grohl defiantly departs from their tried and true sound, like in the metal-esque “White Limo”. Some people write Foo Fighters off as a band who writes the same album over and over, however this assertion is misguided and reductive. Foo Fighters have perfected a certain post-grunge sound and continue to reinvent it in every album they release, providing rock-lovers with triathalon-training music that always manages to sound comfortably familiar yet electrifyingly ground-breaking.

4/5

Foo Fighters - Bridge Burning [mp3]

Sunday Morning Covers

Robin Pecknold, of Fleet Foxes, is currently on the cover of SPIN magazine. here's a video of his teenaged self doting on Radiohead's "Let Down". it's beautiful.

The Morning Benders - Dreams (Fleetwood Mac cover) [mp3]

Beck - Ballad Of Big Nothing (Elliott Smith Cover) [mp3]

Spoon - Lowdown (Wire Cover) [mp3]

Los Lobos - Jockey Full Of Bourbon (Tom Waits cover) [mp3]

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (Ramones cover) [mp3]

Sonic Youth - I Know Theres An Answer (Beach Boys cover) [mp3]

The Strokes goofing off at T Mobile Launch Party

hahaha this is great. also, UCOD sounds nice =)

record review: The Vaccines - What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?

On their debut album’s first track, “Wrecking Bar: Ra Ra Ra”, The Vaccines achieve an admirable although not altogether original feat —a forget me not neo-punk track with an indie twist, like the Ramones through a lo-fi filter. The rest of the album crests and wanes with a lovely British voice either rhapsodizing excitedly or moping about “how you won’t understand” with the comforting sounds of powerhouse bands in the background music, which wears its influences on its sleeves. Spanning post-punk, noise-pop, and straight up garage, What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? seems to poke fun at itself and its lack of new-sounding-sounds, instead finding its niche in emulating The Jesus and Mary Chain. The album isn’t derivative in a bad way, it just lacks depth. But somehow, I feel that a band that sings about “Post Break Up Sex” are a tad too young and blasé to be concerned with musical integrity at this point in their career. Over all, I would say that The Vaccines are a very promising band who will probably release their a-ha record as a third or fourth lp. In the meantime, they’ve crafted an album full of short, sweet songs which hipsters will inevitably play at house parties.
3.4/5

The Vaccines - Norgaard

Foo Fighters - Rope

I'm planning on reviewing Wasting Light very very soon.

Nick Valensi sings for "Real Men Don't Buy Girls" campaign

for all the haters who said Nick can't sing...

sex trafficking is bad, folks. just ask Delta Spirit.

record store day exclusive: Radiohead -Supercollider/The Butcher

sure, vinyl is esoteric, but mp3 rips are for everyone.

these songs come from the King of Limbs sessions and were released in the UK on a 12" on Saturday. enjoy.

Radiohead -Supercollider [mp3]

Radiohead -The Butcher [mp3]

new music: The National - Exile Vilify

The National - Exile Vilify [mp3]

videos + setlist+ download link: The Strokes at Coachella (+The Strokes to play BFD!!)

The Strokes played Coachella last night and it was awesome. I couldn't make it this year but I watched (and greatly enjoyed) the stream. If you didn't manage to catch it, here are some videos and a DOWNLOAD LINK for an HD rip of the entire gig (I highly recommend downloading that...the videos I've embedded are okay quality and don't cover all of the songs played last night)

Setlist:
I Can’t Win
Hard To Explain
Under Cover of Darkness
New York City Cops
Games
Someday
You’re So Right
The Modern Age
You Only Live Once
Taken For A Fool
Juicebox
Under Control
Gratisfaction
Reptilia
Last Nite
Take It Or Leave It

also, The Strokes will play the Bay Area's very own BFD on Sunday June 5th. The band has previously played the festival in 2004 and 2006. cheap tickets will be available at the Shoreline box office next Saturday. more info HERE

new thcp ep

Our time is for wasting, so let’s get wasted away

band of the week: James Blake

What do you get when you take a talented British musician with a deep, soulful voice and dub beats all over his croons? You get James Blake. Blake has been well versed and educated in all things pertaining music for years now and currently is making his living as an electronic composer. How exceptionally convenient for us, that an extremely talented electronic artist gains attention right around the same time that James Murphey decided to retire. Blake’s music is less danceable than LCD Soundsystem, and by less danceable, I mean it’s a lot more like listen-to-indoors-while-it-rains-outside r&b music than it is dance-floor appropriate. Blake's songs are slow and powerful, and they strongly remind me of Antony and the Johnsons. Blake's music is extraordinarily beautiful, and it deserves your time.

Coachella streaming live videos on Youtube

via TSN

Watch HERE

Friday
Channel 1
04:10PM – The Drums
04:55PM – Cee Lo Green
05:45PM – Moving Units
06:30PM – Ozomatli
07:25PM – Interpol
08:35PM – Ms. Lauryn Hill
09:55PM – Kings of Leon
11:15PM – The Black Keys
12:05AM – Gayngs

Channel 2
04:00PM – !!!
04:50PM – Warpaint
05:35PM – Cold Cave
06:25PM – YACHT
07:10PM – Cold War Kids
08:00PM – Titus Andronicus
09:00PM – The Pains Of Being Pure at Heart
10:00PM – Tame Impala
10:55PM – Monarchy
12:00AM – Flogging Molly

Channel 3
04:30PM – The Morning Benders
05:45PM – Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti
07:25PM – Interpol – surveillance
08:20PM – Omar Rodriguez-Lopez

Saturday
Channel 1
04:00PM – Freelance Whales
04:50PM – Erykah Badu
06:05PM – Broken Social Scene
06:55PM – Here We Go Magic
07:40PM – Gogol Bordello
08:30PM – Mumford & Sons
09:25PM – The Swell Season
10:20PM – Bright Eyes

Channel 2
04:30PM – Two Door Cinema Club
05:20PM – Cage The Elephant
07:00PM – The New Pornographers
07:55PM – The Kills
09:05PM – Big Audio Dynamite
10:05PM – Elbow
11:00PM – Raphael Saadiq
11:55PM – Scissor Sisters

Channel 3
04:00PM – Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears
05:45PM – Jenny and Johnny
06:35PM – Yelle
08:00PM – Brandt Brauer Frick
10:25PM – Empire Of The Sun

Sunday
Channel 1
04:00PM – Wiz Khalifa
05:00PM – Nas & Damian Marley
06:10PM – Death from Above 1979
07:25PM – The National
08:30PM – Ratatat
08:55PM – The Strokes

Channel 2
04:00PM – Fun.
05:55PM – Fistful of Mercy
07:25PM – Duran Duran
08:35PM – Chromeo
09:45PM – PJ Harvey
11:10PM – She Wants Revenge

Channel 3
02:20PM – MEN
03:50PM – Angus & Julia Stone
04:45PM – HEALTH
06:05PM – Best Coast
06:55PM – Foster the People

in other news, Jesus hates Coachella. HAHAHAHA

Jingle Punks Hipster Orchestra - Under Cover of Darkness (Strokes cover)

can this wait until Sunday?
I think not.

Jingle Punks Hipster Orchestra-Under Cover of Darkness from Jingle Punks on Vimeo.

Classic Track Thursday

Chain Gang of 1974 - Undercover

electro-pop done right.

Slash at Amoeba

California Wives - Tokyo

springtime is here, the sun's out and music seems light and airy again.
here's a great track from an up and coming Chicago band called California Wives

California Wives - Tokyo [mp3]
I love that they're from Chicago, they named themselves after the sunshine state, and they write dreamy, new wave-y music about buildings, houses, and lights in...Japan.

MGMT - Metanoia

MGMT - Metanoia [mp3]
you haven't heard MGMT if you haven't heard this song.
the song consists of 14 glorious minutes of dazzling glimmer, and it sounds like Queen on acid.

The Heavenly States - Model Son (+record store day exclusive)

The Heavenly States - Model Son [mp3]

from Oui Camera Oui (Hippies are Dead records)

If you preorder Oui Camera Oui, purchase the vinyl on April 16 or spend $10 or more at their favorite record store on Record Store Day, you will receive a free ticket to see the band that very same night in San Francisco, CA, at The Red Devil Lounge.

record review: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Belong

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart have, since their inception, been a band that channels older music really well and efficiently, warming your cold hipster heart with comforting shoegaze sounds of the My Bloody Valentine variety. On their sophomore effort, the NY band continues with this trend, although they look to slightly different places for inspiration. I hear more upbeat post-punk music all over Belong, and The Cure being their focal point. Robert Smith could have written “My Terrible Friend” or “Heaven’s Gonna Happen Now”, which features the most memorable guitar solo I’ve ever heard from TPoBPaH. The song, which is clearly the strongest on the album, winds round and round, like two young lovers on a merry go round. “Heart in Your Heartbreak” is driven by a delightfully cheesy 80’s guitar line while “Anne with an E” is wistfully delicate and slightly reminiscent of Simon & Garfunkel. The band dips into more modern sounds with “Girl of 1000 Dreams”, a song vying to be the indie version of Blink 182 and the final two tracks, which are softspoken and begging to be beat up in a way that I used to think were reserved for Keane.

All in all, although it's neither groundbreaking nor absolutely vital, it's a decent (albeit often times too sweet) album, definitely worth a listen or two.

3.6/5

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Heaven's Gonna Happen Now

TPoBPaH will play a free in-store gig at Amoeba San Francisco on April 19th at 6:30 PM.

stream: The Henry Clay People - This Is A Desert EP

listen to the whole shebang at SPINNER.com
THCP will play Coachella this year. check them out if you're going.

The Henry Clay People - California Wildfire [mp3]

new Arctic Monkeys: "Don't Sit Down Cause I've Moved Your Chair"

Arctic Monkeys - Don't Sit Down Cause I've Moved Your Chair
from their forthcoming fourth LP Suck It and See

when I reviewed Humbug, I alluded to my feelings that our favourite Sheffield boys were experimenting with the sound of grimy American bands like Queens of the Stone Age and The Doors. this track affirms my suspicions and I absolutely love it. Alex Turner channeling Jim Morrison is perfect. "do the Macarena in the devil's lair". oh la la.

Outside Lands 2011 lineup (Muse, Arcade Fire, The Black Keys, Arctic Monkeys, Beirut and much more)

I've been really bad at posting these last couple of weeks but I'll try to be better from now on. for now, here is the OL lineup for this August, which unfortunately, I will have to miss. I'm leaving California this summer! yaaaaaaaaaaay.