Here’s a few pop rock ditties and for some weird coincidence they almost all have album artwork that’s moslty silverish looking. Totally ironic or is there some computer color black and white virus I don’t know about? Did our ageless youth forget about color? The Madison Square Gardeners – Teeth Of Champions
Best album title ever. In the first corner we bring you some alt-country that is as much like Tom Petty as it has some Stones /Black Crowe like impersonators from let it bleed Brooklyn U.S.A. playing on it. I tease as I really like this music being a closet alt-country fan and all. Actually what is really weird is that this music is what I really envision middle america sounding like if it were a island and they just kept reproducing. Classic keyboards and tiddy 3 part vocal harmonies with a track that talks about girls and that true love ain’t always “innocent” do remind me of Mr. Petty tonally and that Alice in Wonderland thing. You’ll see just listen in your ear holes. Download:Innocent MP3
The Owsley Brothers – Separated At Birth
In the next corner actually hailing from Florida are these guys who create minimalistic bad livers acoustic-type black t-shirt rock. BRMC analogy in tack this is a schlitz crowd. To hell with your PBR that’s too high-brow. The Brothers hail from and offer many citrus flavored types of songs but this one is called “Under the Shade of a live Oak” is a very good place to start so long as you have your beverage. Full release coming this April or so we hear. Download:Under The Shade of a Live Oak MP3
Jordan Bolton – Silver Age EP
I like the play on words for the title on this one. Which acknowledges that the golden age of music is way dead and asks you to appreciate the new. Jordan is a 18 year old song writer from Manchester England, and I suspect laptop engineer; who writes some bass driven tunes where he then layers on keys and light guitar work around his melodies. Basic formula that works really because of it’s simplicity and by Cobain’s sake he was born in the 90’s! His singing reminds me of mix between Pete Yorn and Robert Smith. He’s going to be one to watch. Check him out. Download:Black And Grey MP3
The Nico Blues – Blame The Boredom, Blame the Basements Ok if there were a Oscar for one of them talkies with color for best little short indie band video these guys should win. Even if James Franco is a tool. I’m not sure he will never live that performance down but all the rock music on this one is memorable like that first time you got some – here’s the video interweb single and number one hit “Living Proof”. Enjoy a healthy blast of guitar parts, sing along parts and big drum bangin’ parts. This collection of rock guilt will give you a swath of good times and far from that sloppy seconds feeling as this one is totally a FREE album download –dude. Why pay if you get the marketing KY-Jelly for Free? If you like that friendly Tape n’ Tapes vibe, the geeky-ness of weezer and something for the Bros’ who dig the Pixies. Then these songs will play nice in your Prius. Download:Living Proof MP3
SINGLE REVIEW: So here’s The “new” Strokes song “Under Cover of the Darkness”. These jean jacket city boys are back to their quirky guitar play that they ripped-off in 1st place but hey you know the 30 something and milfy chicks are going to follow them right? They are the 2003 Mick Jagger of alt-bands. I mean why mess up a sound they borrowed in the first place -lord knows there is a lot of really pathetic disco out there. Also compared to their 2003 guitar playing this is much much better. Here’s their new single in video form. Still waiting on my mp3 to get to my inbox though but whatever.
Nothing really original. Is This it? Is still a hell of a lot more catchy so far. Full length gets released in March so we’ll give them a chance and lets certainly not blame Justin Beiber on them either ok? i want in on the guest list because it’s gonna be quasi comeback as the boys have been busy touring and doing solo stuff.
I think oh myrockness said it best on Twitter today. “The new Strokes song is totally ripping off The Strokes.” Which is totally their right to put up a follow-up record that’s late to their sound everybody expected them to release on their sophomore release but here it is leading the wave four records later. Or maybe it’s a trick? Releasing this single to remind you of what they once were and then BAM! Something new as a follow-up single. we’ll see. If so these guys are fucking geniuses! So lets see…
Because Julian did his 80’s EMF/New Order disco thing and Albert Hammond Jr kept it real on his solo effort.
Downloads: 11th Dimension MP3 by Julian Casablancas from Phrazes For The Young In Transit MP3 by Albert Hammond Jr. from Yours to Keep by himself somewhat reminds of Britt Daniel’s singing from Spoon.
SINGLE REVIEWS: The inbox has been flooding with music on a daily basis so the listening queue is getting longer and longer. So if I don’t get right back to you please don’t take it personally. When my ears perk-up like a dog that hears a sound with that sound is when I get excited and reminded why I do this for ya’ll. To be fair though and as a general FYI I grab everything and put it in a For Review playlist and do the due dilligence and drop the needle in there and listen. Here’s a bunch of tracks and bands that have stood out recently in said playlist. We might do this monthly to give everybody a chance. Not sure what I’m going to call it but it will definitely not feature well known groups but it will be the farm team and it will always be good. No point in writing about stuff that sucks.
Here’s a Tacoma, Washington band called SLOWWAVE via the kind folks Savings n Loan Records with a track called “Pour” from their new EP Drag Lake Sin this week. The mellow like garfunkel vocals and found folky zipher sound builds on this track. After bridges you might find yourself in a dream sequence sounscape that reminds me of something in-between In Rainbows & Misery Is A Butterfly. Stalk them for sure. Download:Pour MP3 by SLOWWAVE
Kraftwerk inspired keyboard thonking with a Of Montreal Depeche mode-ish vocal delivery is what you get from James Curd Presents Ziggy Franklin’s disco. This track is as much song as you could squeeze out of one 80’s underground dance beat but when “Shelter” plays it reminds me that alternative dance music scene was cool and you’d listen because you got to wear black a lot. Download:Shelter MP3 from No Need To Fight About It [Buy it from Smash Hit Music Co]
San Francisco’s Shuteye Unison have come a long way from their post-punk daze. Here’s the title track from Our Future Selves that can best be described as a enigmatic dose of rock. Big word we know but it is what happens when music is distilled this well. You’ll be a fan if you like Silver Pick-ups or that Canadian Broken Social Scene. Awesome record. Download:Our Future Selves MP3 by Shuteye Unison s/t [Buy]
One of the weirder set of folks I follow on twitter are these wacky librarians who have anonymously aggregated themselves and who let you inside their very bizarre lives. Follow them on my librarians and collectors list if you want to see what I am talking about. Be warned they tweet and curse more than you average sailor so be warned in advance. Their minds are fascinating.
What is interesting to me about twitter culture is you get to be in the nitty-gritty of people’s lives as much or as little you want. You follow(stalk) every random thought without the depth of a blog (yuk-yuk) unless your desire tells you to do otherwise. I love lists and librarians whole existence is about knowing where to file stuff so it can be found later. So from a social graph perspective this tickles my right brain. Sure, I am simplifying their job which from what I gather is mostly an exercise in managing people of all ages and getting lost in the stacks of books. They dread the reference . So in thinking about this list for folks who make lists I’m going to keep it simple and focus on a couple themes that come up the most. They work a lot of hours, hate most folks, drink a lot of alcohol and are also experts in the art of relaxing. This may be too easy or maybe just an excuse to make a list but it is not where I am going. The there is the whole obvious eyeglasses and plaid skirt thing to consider too but that is also too easy since some librarians are male. The good thing is they really take it to a whole other level and have these amazing minds. So what I came up with is more of is a list for music for the mind. Here is a some dreamy music to escape to which is what reading and listening to music is all about.
Sleepless in Silver Lake (mp3) by Less Savy Fav from their new record Root for Ruin (2010). I like this song because it’s a destination. Makes you want to hang out and escape in LA as it captures a vapid culture of late nights and growing up hipster which could have easily been titled Sleepless in Brooklyn. Obvious chick-flick reference but allas the record is spacey and rockin at times and far from uni-dimensional. Certainly a candidate for the top 10 for this year. [ Buy ]
Candy Season (mp3) by the Librarians from Present Passed (2010). I really like this record a lot when it pops-up on the random play. this band takes you places. I always have to see who it is. Sounds sort 80’s with synthes and percussive guitars. You can’t pigeon hole them but it’s like jazzy rock and is pretty ethereal and they hail from West Virginia. [ Buy ]
Champ (mp3) from Last Days of Summer (2010) by White Denim. A collection of b-sides and unreleased stuff available for free from the band. Some of these tracks they reworked and recorded for this while they work on their next LP. Lots of great jams on this record. Total Americana menu of acoustic and electric songs with quirky rhythms that reminds me of Captain Beefheart. If you dig it they ask that you donate so [ Download ]
Zig Zag Wanderer from Safe as Milk(1967) by Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band. I admit the only 60’s band I paid any attention to were Hendrix and Pink Floyd in Highschool. A class mate was always going on and on about Captain Beefheart and I always shelved them in my mind with the Greatful Dead. I had a visions of tie-dy t-shirts and really long boring jams that I could not stomach for lack of melody or lyrics I could relate to. Regardless this album is amazing; as nutty as it gets I hear influence in all the bands in this post whether they realize it or not. Safe as Milk is one of the quintisential “jam” bands executed to a whole different orchestration level. After this release Trout Mask Replica (1969) would bring them onto musical map thanks to Frank Zappa. Both great introductions to the band and Don Van Vliet (AKA Captain Beefheart).
SINGLE REVIEW: Superchunk’s Digging for Something off of Majesty Shredding. Love this song it’s like a long lost friend who got drunk at the bar and then found their way back wearing the same cloths you saw them in the night before. ok maybe the label says reinvented by american apparel on it but they smell the same. Has the elements you’d expect from years gone by from portastatic to now from Mac and company. Never trying to be something they are not but except a indie rock band from North Carolina. No please all fucking hipsters please go die and then buy this record and all their old stuff on Merge Records. You are being made fun of by the old folks. WATCH VIDEO >>
OK, OK OK. I’ve been absent. There was a tornado of work that has overtaken my soul and a couple months in I am none the wiser but i do no when The Young Leaves are on my car stereo I’m quickly reminded about the influences they wear on their sleeve and proud of it. They have a few recent tracks that just crank unforgivably and the volume goes up and time stops. This is what you want from quality rocknroll from North Dartmouth, Mass; to hell with all that poser hairspray weak electronic crap. This is the real deal. Buy their shit. Check out “Hey Man (Backup Plan)”, “Boot to the Face” and “Life Underneath” that will remind you of Husker Du, Dino Jr, mats, and a more distorted Archers of Loaf all pack in one bombastic set alla sorry ma forgot to take out the trash. Easy as that.
Damn this track is great in so many ways and in particular if the dark parts of neurosis are you thing or basic space travel. If I had to explain to aliens what i thought their music sounded like i would send them this song. Get your free mp3 of “primer” by Prosolar Mechanic’s last song of the month series and other nuggets over at last.fm and see for yourself. Heavily influenced by radiohead and an overdose of bleeding layers of guitar music, distorted drums and alla sonic youth.
We would be remiss if we didn’t review this bit of pop culture. Musician’s are literally the biggest whores and in this instance “Kristen” Ashley Alexandra Dupre with her singleWhat We Want” literally is the queen with over 2 Million downloads in just 24 hours! Janet/Britney compete with that. This girl has got bling now and does not ever have to work mo’ for her money. You were wondering when the next pop sensation was going to come on the scene? The cliche singer/prostitute, you know, is having the last larf entertaining offers from Hustler, Playboy and book deals according to the papers. Cashing-in becuz she knows what we need and “the body to beat”, is full of hip-hop chimes we’ve all heard before but will surely to be cranked at a club near you or booty shaker video on youtube. I wonder if a remix would even be possible at this point for the Spitzer girl? Anyway, save your money but if your curiosity has go the best of you do search on Hype non-standard and impress your friends with how cool you are but I am sorry to say there is nothing redeeming about this track except for the story. Which is what sells records anyway these days. Enjoy.
Ps young ladies this is a bad example on how to “make it” because the boys don’t care and they just want to see your underwear.
Like all good nada Surf Songs, they are full of great pop-layers and not so moldy love themes. “See these bones” is no exception, as it’s harmonies weave and lift the spirit, this suckers got basketball legs down the court. I’ll put it up there with something off of Weight is a gift or Let Go. I’m sure I can’t wait till Feb 08 for the release of LUCKY but we’ll have to see what additional music stalking will net in the coming months. Catch them on tour this month. Barsuk record | mp3 on fuelfriends
The Owsley Brothers – Separated At Birth
Jordan Bolton – Silver Age EP
The Nico Blues – Blame The Boredom, Blame the Basements Ok if there were a Oscar for one of them talkies with color for best little short indie band video these guys should win. Even if James Franco is a tool. I’m not sure he will never live that performance down but all the rock music on this one is memorable like that first time you got some – here’s the video interweb single and number one hit “Living Proof”. Enjoy a healthy blast of guitar parts, sing along parts and big drum bangin’ parts. This collection of rock guilt will give you a swath of good times and far from that sloppy seconds feeling as this one is totally a FREE album download –dude. Why pay if you get the marketing KY-Jelly for Free? If you like that friendly Tape n’ Tapes vibe, the geeky-ness of weezer and something for the Bros’ who dig the Pixies. Then these songs will play nice in your Prius.
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