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2008-09-15T14:22:00.001-05:00

I recommend the sequel

2008-04-12T15:01:00.001-05:00

I've been very high on this album for months and if I redid my top albums from '07 this would be in the top 5. If you haven't already check out The Besnard Lakes. The album is called The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse which is both clever and pretentious. Anyways, they are another band on the label jagjaguwar which has been putting out gold lately. They are definitely worth a listen.

I recommend

2008-04-12T14:57:00.001-05:00

The first quarter of this year has spawned one masterpiece, one near masterpiece and a few other very good records. I will start with by top 2 and then the rest are in no particular order:

1. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
2. Throw Me The Statue - Moonbeams

Black Mountain - In The Future
Ladyhawk - Shots
Colin Meloy - Colin Meloy Sings Live!
This Will Destroy You - S/T
Nine Inch Nails - Ghost I-IV
Hot Chip - Made In The Dark
Nada Surf - Lucky
Chris Walla - Field Manual

Radiohead - Camden - 08-12-08

2008-04-07T10:45:00.005-05:00

Flight of the Denim

2008-04-04T09:12:00.006-05:00

Fresh off of a Grammy win for last years The Distant Future EP, New Zealands pride, Flight of the Conchords are set to release their first LP through Sub Pop. We've been patiently waiting for more info, and we finally have it. April 22nd we will be able to fully enjoy all of our favourite songs from Season 1 of the show. I'm also happy to report that the album will be available for consumption on delicious vinyl for a mere $12 on Sub Pop's website.

Tracks:

Foux du Fafa
Inner City Pressure
Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros
Think About It
Ladies of the World
Mutha'uckas
The Prince of Parties
Leggy Blonde
Robots
Boom
A Kiss Is Not a Contract
The Most Beautiful Girl (In the Room)
Business Time
Bowie
Au Revoir

I cant mother'uckin wait!

Ralph

2008-02-26T23:26:00.001-05:00

Ok, time for a shameless plug.

You have to love Ralph for throwing a wrench in Obama's spokes. Somebody had to do it.

Throw Me The Statue - Moonbeams

2008-02-19T23:21:00.004-05:00

Throw Me The Statue
Moonbeams
Secretly Canadian / SC Dist.

8.6

What is an inspired album?

There are those rare times when you listen to an album for the first time and realize that you are experiencing something special. An inspired album usually isn't one that has to grow on you with repeat listening. It's true that sometimes you just don't realize it. Most often however, it occurs to you that the people who recorded these works had so much more in mind. The see the future of music. The choose the other paths. Change all our directs. Especially your ears. It brings about the moment that you say to yourself "this is exactly what I want to hear, at this exact moment in time".

Thus brings us to Moonbeams, the debut album by Throw Me The Statue. The album is a sweeping effort by Scott Reitherman, a virtually unknown until this point in time. Moonbeams presents a montage of sound. Driving guitar hooks, raw drum beats, synth, horns, bells, full background vocals, and almost everyother sound you can imagine. When broken down track by track, each song almost falls into a different genre. From raw and simple punk sounds, to island vibes, to acoustic guitars and synthesizers. Somehow it all comes together without being overwhelming or confusing. Reitherman's vocals are soft spoken and flow smoothly through each track, never missing a lo-fi beat.

The songs offer mostly a positive feeling of young love. The lyrics are clear and uncomplicated. In some ways, the album offers a perfect experience for the listener in the fact that it takes you on a complete journey. Its a rare gem in a mostly sloppy indie scene. Where most artist are trying too hard to be different, many don't take the time to simply just make something special.

Download it from eMusic.

Review by | Dave Payne | 02.19.08

Bud Light Jackie Moon TV Commercial

2008-02-09T10:15:00.001-05:00

So this was by far my favorite Super Bowl commercial. I love Will Ferrell. I can't wait to see Semi-Pro and I can't wait to see Step Brothers. My favorite line in this is "it refreshes the palate and the loins". I feel the same way about Blue Moon.

Radar Bros. - Auditorium

2008-02-01T21:10:00.001-05:00

So, before about 3 days ago I had never heard of Radar Bros. I wouldn't had really taken a second look but I noticed that they were signed Merge Records. As we all know Merge Records is home to some pretty fantastic bands including Spoon and Arcade Fire. So, with this in mind, I threw 12 emusic downloads in their general direction. I must say, I'm pretty impressed. Apparently these guys have made 5 albums and have been around for a decade. Of course, we all have those bands that we've just never happened to notice before. So anyway, this is a chill little very enjoyable record. It's not mind blowing. I would probably compare it to Wilco's Sky Blue Sky with a little Pink Floyd vibe thrown in there. This is the only video I could find for them and it's kinda odd but the song is good. It's called "When Cold Air Goes To Sleep" and it pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the album. So if you want mellow album that doesn't rock out but doesn't lull you to sleep either then I would definitely recommend Radar Bros. new album Auditorium.

Why?

2008-01-30T22:22:00.000-05:00

So I'm a subscriber to emusic and have been for quite some time. I like it, I've found a lot of great music on there and love that most indie labels are on there. As a matter of fact, if Subpop Records and Barsuk were on there life may be complete. I do have issues with it though. I logged on there today and find that Rambo: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the top download for the day. Why is this? These must be the same people who've made Taylor Swift and an obscure, well past his prime, James Taylor the top downloads for the past few months. I guess these people don't care about the fact that the entire catalogues for Spoon, Sufjan Stevens, Explosions In The Sky, pre-Crane Wife Decemberists, Stars, The New Pornographers, etc. are all on there. If you're looking for something new I recommend Black Mountain or the highly unnoticed Besnard Lakes. Maybe I'm just weird. I think of emusic subscribers as being indie hipster kids or wannabe indie hipster kids like me that don't listen to Taylor Swift or post early 80's James Taylor or T. Pain... What do I know anyways? I just used 8 to get the new Do Make Say Think. Who are they? Obviously not Taylor Swift or The Rambo Soundtrack... I can't miss those...

The Spinto Band at Johnny Brendas

2008-01-28T12:37:00.000-05:00

Delaware's finest, The Spinto Band will be making a local stop on Saturday night. The band has finished recording their 2nd album, which is currently in production and set to be released in the Spring.

The intimate Johnny Brendas in Philly plays host to Spinto, and openers The Whigs and Plants & Animals. I rung in the New Year with The Spinto Band at Johnny Brendas in 2007. It was a fantastic show. The band hardly fits on the tiny stage, but it doesnt seem to bother them one bit. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. With a huge local following, I would most certainly predict a sell-out.

Up until now I have seen The Spinto Band twice. The first time being at The Black Cat in DC. Both times they played every song from their stunning first album Nice and Nicely Done. I expect to hear the majority of the songs on that record, blended "nicely" with a batch of new songs that im sure they are road testing.

See you there!

Ah, the things you find on youtube

2008-01-11T18:59:00.001-05:00

So, one of the best parts of Wes Anderson movies is his soundtracks. Now I unfortunately haven't seen The Darjeeling Limited yet, which will be released via DVD on February 26. Nicely enough though, he did release a nice little short starring Natalie Portman and Jason Schwartzman for free on iTunes called "Hotel Chevalier". There was one song which played throughout the short. Now I've had it for months and was cleaning out my iPod when I caught the short again and forgot how great and enjoyable the song was that was playing in the background. Anyways, it's called "Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)" by Peter Sarstedt and it was released in 1969 and it's fantastic.

Burial - "Untrue"

2008-01-02T21:39:00.000-05:00

So I've been scouring around the internet the past few days and looking at other's top albums lists and most them include a lot of the same stuff. There was the worthy stuff (Arcade Fire, Radiohead, Band Of Horses, Iron & Wine, Of Montreal), there was the overrated (Kanye West, Amy Winehouse, LCD Soundsystem) and the underrated (The National, Bloc Party, Eluvium, The Besnard Lakes, Okkervil River). Aside from this there was also the stuff I missed completely. One of those artists was "Untrue" by Burial. It's actually the best reviewed album of the year on megacritic. I'll admit that I have a guilty pleasure electronic music. I love Daft Punk, Boards Of Canada, and Junior Boys. I'm not overly knowledged in the genre so I've missed a lot. Lucky for me, Burial is available for download on emusic. I must say this is a pleasant surprise. Obviously, this is an album you'll either love or hate. It's very much an album meant to be experienced either in you're vehicle or in headphones. Also, it is slightly creepy. It's not as alien as say something by Sigur Ros or as beautiful but it's definitely more of a soundtrack to some weird story going on you're head. This music requires imagination and an open mind. My friends at work won't get it and most people will complain if I play it aloud and personally I like it that way. "Untrue" is an album impossible to describe song by song, it's very fluid throughout and it supported by lo-fi beats and tribal sounding vocals which take a few listens to absorb and really enjoy. It has the nice crackle of a vinyl playing with I appreciate and it has some very ethereal noises that you here when people are in dark alleys in movies. So if you're ready for something a little different and what to imagine you're music in you're head then I recommend giving "Untrue" a try.

Ripped to Shreds at New York Magazine

2008-01-02T11:38:00.000-05:00

There's an interesting article in New York Magazine about the effects of illegally downloading music. But, unlike most articles, this one focuses on the fact that every day people are the ones who get in the most trouble for swapping illegal files, but the reason that those files get out in the first place is because someone in the industry itself is leaking it. Its something that has been obvious for a long time, but never has been much of a topic.

It also goes into detail about albums that leak early cause more damage to the label and the artists themselves. It mentions Wincing The Night Away and Weekend In The City, which I am guilty of downloading early, BUT i purchased Wincing on vinyl and Weekend on CD...TWICE.

Read it for yourself.

Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T23:56:00.000-05:00

Drink too much and enjoy the overhyped commerce. I don't know what you did but I watched The Bucket List and then turned on NBC just in time to watch Ryan Seacrest and one million idiots, it was a good time. I'm sure my daughter will wake up way too early tomorrow and I'll drink way too much coffee. Oh yeah, Captain Morgan goes well with Dr. Pepper too.

M. Night makes an R-rated film...

2007-12-30T15:37:00.000-05:00

On friday, June 13, 2008, 20th Century Fox will release The Happening. For those of you that were disappointed by The Village and Lady In The Water, I think you should change you're expectations. I believe that M. Night's forte is character development. I find myself very emotionally attached to the characters in his films and felt that Lady In The Water did a fantastic job with that. Anyways, The Happening will be M. Night's first R-rated film and stars Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, and John Leguizamo. It supposedly focuses on the struggles of one family amidst a natural disaster.

What I Missed in '06

2007-12-28T15:59:00.000-05:00

So Cheesy yet so good

2007-12-27T22:17:00.001-05:00

So I'm watching Three Men And A Little Lady when this song comes on. I scoured the web looking for this song. If only popular music sounded like this. How could you not like this song? Seriously... (I do admit, music videos have come a long way)

Always Free at Daytrotter

2007-12-27T11:27:00.000-05:00

Last week I noticed that the Daytrotter Sessions Volume 2 was a Top 10 download on eMusic. The main reason for that being that the album was a free download. Seeing that reminded me that there is much more to be downloaded for FREE from Daytrotter, so I headed over to their site and had a field day.

I surfed through 767 songs and downloaded everything I could from my favorite artists, and artists I have been curious about. At least 4 mp3s from each band, all Daytrotter Acoustic sessions. I downloaded 141 songs total...for FREE!

Here is a list of the bands I downloaded...

Aloha, Andrew Bird, AuRevior Simone, Broken West, Cold War Kids, David Bazan, Deerhunter, Dr. Dog, Elvis Perkins, French Kicks, Get Him Eat Him, Grizzly Bear, Honorary Title, Limbeck, Mates of State, Menomena, My Brightest Diamond, Of Montreal, Okkervil River, Owen, Page France, The Rentals, Robbers On High Street, Sea Wolf, Shearwater, Spinto Band, Sunset Rubdown, The Elected, The National, The Ponys, The Slip, Tilly & The Wall, Vampire Weekend, Voxtrot, William Elliott Whitmore, Yeasayer

Yes, all of this and more can be your for FREE. So do your ears a favor and head over to Daytrotter.

Because I Hate You, Tony Romo

2007-12-27T11:21:00.000-05:00

I hope the Cowboys make it to the big game and are smacked around by the Patriots. And I don't even like the Patriots. Then I hope the demon seed of Jessica Simpson rises from the ashes of Tony Romo and lives a life of suffering.

Happy Thursday!

2007-12-25T14:35:00.001-05:00

2007-12-25T10:03:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas!!!

Non-Music Post

2007-12-23T14:31:00.001-05:00

So Jack Nicholson played The Joker and is fantastic at everything but Mr. Brokeback himself, Heath Ledger, is The Joker. I cannot wait to see this. Batman Begins is my favorite comic book movie to this point.

2007-12-08T14:12:00.000-05:00

When hence you are surfing the interweb, spend some time over at the website for Arcade Fire (not The Arcade Fire). It's quite splendid.

http://www.arcadefire.com/flash.html

Menomena - Rotten Hell

2007-12-06T10:15:00.002-05:00

I realize it's not Tuesday, but really, who cares?

This is the video for the song Rotten Hell, a solid stand-out from this years wonderful album Friend And Foe by Menomena.

Enjoy.

Top Albums of 2007

2007-12-04T11:03:00.000-05:00

The National on Brothers & Sisters

2007-12-02T23:24:00.000-05:00

As men we are often subject to watching television shows that well....we really would rather not watch.

I found myself in that situation tonight, as I often do on Sunday nights (and 6 other nights a week), watching Brothers & Sisters on ABC. Now, I'm a realistic person. I understand that different shows attempt to go for different audiences. This show has done a wonderful job reeling in the audience of the women kind. Its a prime time soap opera. Every scene pushes the drama to a full climax. In one family someone is going to war, someone is on drugs, someone is cheating on their spouse, someone is gay, someone is running for President, someone is a long lost sister, a father is dead, and someone is Sally Field, just trying to keep the whole thing glued together. Good luck Sally.

Well, as I was sipping my beer and playing with my cell phone, keeping the program fully tuned out, I sadly noticed the song "Start A War" by The National, begin to play in the background of a scene in the show. Gay guy #1 was sad that gay guy #2 wasnt over gay guy #3 and so gay guy number #2 said he was almost ready to be one with gay guy #1 but then gay guy #1 turned the tables and walked out on gay guy #2 because they cant be together as long as he still pines for gay guy #3.

For some reason somebody at ABC thought "Start A War" was the perfect song for these fabulous fellas to share their feelings to. The song carried over into the next scene in which some girl confessed to some other girl that she told on her for cheating. The song probably carried into the next scene in which terrorists took the entire family hostage...but I wouldnt know. I left the room to come and report this news to the world.

I have no problem with The National being on the show, nor do I care what scenes it was in. The majority of the audience watching probably didnt notice or care about what song was playing in the background. They were too busy putting the pieces of drama together. Trying to add it up and make something meaningful of it all.

I do find it amusing however that The National have taken prime time television by storm. First NBC's "Chuck" and now this. Whats next for these guys? I know, Deal Or No Deal.

The one good highlight of Brothers & Sisters tonight was the spectacluar Chevy Chase. His cameo ended tonight, but he ruined the wedding by smoking pot and getting detained by secret service.

Oh, and he dumped Sally Field!!! Bueno!!

Next week she will start putting back the pieces to the family Post-Chevy. Maybe Menomena will provide the soundtrack.

Final Fantasy // First Unitarian Church // 11.09.07

2007-11-28T09:20:00.000-05:00

I mentioned in a recent post that Final Fantasy was warming up in the basement of the First Unitarian Church, and that it delayed the set of Jonah Matranga. So here's more about that.

I was aware going into the Jonah Matranga show that Final Fantasy would be playing at the church at almost exactly the same time as Jonah. As I sat and waited for Jonah's show to start, he told the audience that he was going to get a late start because Final Fantasy was doing their soundcheck just underneath our feet. Being a fan, I obviously had to go investigate.

As I walked towards the steps of the basement I could clearly make out the song "The Arctic Circle" the first track from the 2006 album He Poos Clouds. My walk turned into a sprint. I got down to the empty basement just in time to watch Owen play through the song. The lights were up and the only other people in the basement were the sound techs and a roadie or two. I knew that Jonah wasnt going to start his show until Owen was done, so I just decided to park it and watch.

Owen played a number of songs, none all the way through, but he did play them exactly how he would play them live, with all the instruments and the looping. It was really neat to watch him tinker with his equipment to get the sound he wanted. Its a side of most musicians that you dont typically get to see and most people dont realize exists before every show. And a guy like Owen Pallett doesnt just plug in and hope for the best. He obviously cared about providing a perfect sound.

After standing there for about 20 minutes some way too indie kid came up to me and told me I had to wait outside. I was ready to go back upstairs anyway but I still wonder what he would have done if I had said "no, I'm ok".

Final Fantasy has a new album coming out in 2008 called Heartland, the follow-up to 2006's He Poos Clouds. Until then his contributions are all over two stunners this year Neon Bible by Arcade Fire and The Flying Club Cup by Beirut on which you can here his string and vocal contributions.

PASTE Your Own Price

2007-11-21T14:04:00.000-05:00

For the past few weeks Paste Magazine has been running an In Rainbows type of promotion to subscribe to their magazine. I've always been a fan of Paste, but at $6 a pop, i usually don't buy it. However it's a quality printed magazine, with relevant info and each issue comes with a CD sampler, which is always a great way to hear a new band.

So got to PASTE and name your own price for a 1 year subscription. I paid a whopping $2 for mine, which is $81 less dollars I paid for In Rainbows.

Jonah Matranga // First Unitarian Church // 11.09.07

2007-11-21T09:26:00.000-05:00

Last week I was fortunate enough to see Jonah Matranga play an intimate show at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia. Only 50 tickets were made available for the concert and it was held upstairs in the chapel of the church. Jonah is such a laid back guy. He was just walking around before the show, talking to fans, selling his own merch and just enjoying himself. He had only one guitar, and didnt play on a stage. The entire thing was set up on the floor in the back of the chapel, and the audience was to sit on the floor just in front of him, though my old self was lucky enough to snag a chair.

He got off to a late start because Final Fantasy was doing soundcheck downstairs in the basement, which I will discuss later. Jonah sang into 2 microphones, but never really sang into them at all. He stood at least 3 feet away from them the entire show, and sang sometimes as far as 15 feet way from them. He played for 2 hours, and ran through almost everything on his new album "And", and played tunes from his EP's, OneLineDrawing, New End Original and Far, but he never touched Gratitude. All of the songs sounded great live. Since "And" is still pretty new, its his material I'm least familiar with, but after the show I determined that I need to spend a lot more time with it.

One of the most impressive parts of the show was when Jonah walked away from his microphones and sang loudly straight up into the chapel ceiling. It created a haunting echo, and everyone in the crowd was blown away. He did something in his performance that I had never seen anyone do, but I think was really smart. He had his iPod hooked up to the soundboard, on which he had recorded the instrumental parts to some of his songs. He only used this effect a few times, but it added a full band sound to which Jonah was able to rock out a bit and sing and play along to.

Jonah even provided some comic relief with a few covers. He sang Irreplaceable by Beyonce, which he said was a song that he genuinly thought was a good song and that he had grown to like it because of his daughter listening to it all the time in the car. He also played the into to Don't Stop Believin' by Journey because he said that the chord progression sounded exactly like one of his songs.

All in all the show was amazing. Jonah did a lot of speaking out against the music industry. He seems to be worn out by it all. He stressed many times that so many things that major labels do for artist, artists are able to do by themselves. He even stressed that the best way to communicate with him is through his personal website and not through MySpace. The reason for that being that MySpace is controlled by much higher powers, and can be changed at anytime. Unlike communication through his website, which is obvioulsy controlled by him. I have to personally say that I agreed with him on every point he made. He is a true supporter of music as art, not a business. He even stated that he was going to continue to play music as long as it keeps making him feel good, and that events like the intimate show that night really kept him believing.

Anyway please check out Jonah Matranga. Support the man and buy his record. And the next time you read an article about how radiohead was the first band to allow fans to name their own price for a record...know this...for years Jonah has been selling his abums and his merchandise on a slide scale "pay what you can" at his shows and online. It just goes to show how important music is to him.

Why?

2007-11-13T12:47:00.000-05:00

Why are so many bands releasing b-sides albums after only having released one or two albums? Why release a b-sides album at all? Why not do what bands like Radiohead and Bloc Party do and release multiple singles or e.p.'s with b-sides? It's something that can satisfy you're appetite for stuff by the band. When a band releases a b-sides album, you take it as an album most of the time and it's really disappointing cause the songs are all from different recording sessions and there is no cohesion.

Not at a drive-in. Not a spartan. Just Jim.

2007-11-12T13:03:00.000-05:00

Jim Ward, the former guitarist and co-founder of At The Drive-In, and the current singer/guitarist behind Sparta, has quietly released a solo album. The five-track EP is called Quiet.

It's clearly a different direction for Jim Ward. Maybe he's tired of screaming and rocking. The songs are laced with acoustic guitars and piano. After the loud sounds of Sparta are taken away, you realize that Jim Ward has more than just a great screaming voice, he has a great singing voice.

As always, eMusic comes in handy. Download it.

...Is A Real Vinyl

2007-11-12T12:35:00.000-05:00

On October 23, Doghouse Records released the Say Anything "...is/was A Real Boy" on VINYL. It's a 2xLP, 1 black and 1 green. Featuring the original album "...is a Real Boy" and the later released bonus "...was a Real Boy" and includes the freshly re-recorded version of the classic "Walk Through Hell", which was recently posted on their MySpace.

Buy it here. $12 is pretty much a steal.

It's a shame they didnt drop this one on us 3 years ago. At that point in time I probably would have bought 2 copies. One to open and listen to, and one to enshrine in a glass case.

The Honorary Title - Scream And Light Up The Sky

2007-11-12T12:11:00.000-05:00

I apologize for using a very cliched term but I have to. This band is really freakin "under the radar". I check many music websites almost on a daily basis and never a mention regarding The Honorary Title. I can't figure out why. Not to mention, when I check every critic's Top 10, Top 15, or whathaveyou I will not see them mentioned. This is a travesty. They've made 2 albums sans a skip-over track. Their sophomore album "Scream And Light Up The Sky" is wonderful. This is more just a promotion than a review but I needed to mention them.

Song Recommendations: Stay Away, Along The Way, Apologize, The City's Summer, Untouched And Intact

The Avett Brothers

2007-11-12T09:20:00.000-05:00

The new album from The Avett Brothers, "Emotionalism" is a heart-on-sleeve banjo loving sing along. The songs are easy to enjoy, catchy and touching. "Die, Die, Die" is the album opener, and right from the start of that song, you can tell that you are in for an enjoyable listen. The band sounds like a mixture of Johnny Cash and The Beatles and also a touch of Whiskeytown. Cash for the lyrics and song structure, and The Beatles for the hooks and harmonizing. Whiskeytown obviously for the twang, though The Avett Brothers are banjo heavy.

So take a listen. You can download the album from eMusic. And I dare you to try and listen to "The Ballad Of Love And Hate" without getting emotional. This song is such a reminder about how precious and forgiving women are, and how we take them for granted.

Also, if you happen to be a Delaware resident, or at least are in the vicinity, you may want to check out their show at the Grand Opera House in Wilmington on November 20th. Tickets are still on sale and are only $22. Im sure it will be a great show.

Song Recommendations

2007-11-10T21:56:00.000-05:00

Here are some current tracks that I can't get away from:

The National - All The Wine (I love this lyric: I'm a birthday candle in a circle of black girls God is on my side Cuz I'm the child bride)
Sigur Ros - Hljomalind
Band Of Horses - No One's Gonna Love You
Arcade Fire - Ocean Of Noise (I keep wanting to not like them because of all the hype but they truly are a unique band)
Iron & Wine - White Tooth Man
Jens Lekman - Rocky Dennis' Farewell Song (I'd love to sit at lounge preferably with a 70's vibe with him as the performer)
Okkervil River - Savannah Smiles (my favorite song on this record after I got over how good Track 1 is, this song is really intense and it makes me wonder if this was a personal experience or not)
Radiohead - Reckoner (this record is stellar and this song just amazing)
Ryan Adams - Oh My God, Whatever, Etc.
Spoon - Finer Feelings (this album get's better with every listen and it sounds nothing like Spoon and exactly like Spoon if that makes any sense)
The National - Squalor Victoria (it's hard to pick a favorite on this record but this song stands out to me)

I felt the need to add an eleventh and I've been listening to The National's "Alligator" and "Boxer" back-to-back constantly on the iPod lately.

The National

2007-11-10T21:55:00.001-05:00

I wish this band had more videos. This song is great though. I highly recommend their new album "Boxer", it's extremely could and a more cohesive album the their previous "Alligator" which is also a must own.

God Bless Bloc Party

2007-11-10T21:46:00.001-05:00

You gotta love when a band releases a song or an ep in between albums. This song is called "Flux" and as usual it's pretty good.

This is everything I dispise about popular music

2007-11-06T20:32:00.000-05:00

How could one not find something completely wrong with this. I'm sorry if I'm a snob and he makes good music. If you think he makes good music then you have no idea what good music is. The sad part is that I don't have to even go past this album cover to know how much he sucks. How pretentious do you have to be to A: create something that's already been done (this is not like using a song title someone already used, this is an album cover) and B: use 1,000 pictures of yourself? Dude, Radiohead isn't even that good to be this pompous.

PLUG 2008

2007-10-29T10:51:00.000-05:00

On November 13th, the PLUG Independent Music Awards will announce the nominees for the their glorious indie awards.

Band of Horses cleaned up last year. Who do we think will clean up this year.

Im putting my money on The National and their listen, Boxer.

Cheers

In Case You Missed It - Take Flight

2007-10-25T12:15:00.000-05:00

This year I have not been able to get enough of Bret and Jemaine. Ok, and Murray too. And Dave. Leggy blonde. Mel and her sidekick slash husband Doug. Sally, Coco Ono, Greg, Eugene who knows what he's doing. And the one and only David Bowie, appearing in three persons.

The shows have been gone from Comcast OnDemand for months now, and I think we've all been hurting because of it. But don't fret. Our favourite New Zealanders are back on November 6th. The 2 disc DVD of the complete first season will be available in stores everywhere. All you need to do is choke up $20. That won't be difficult. Im sure its packed with extras and videos galore. Probably some of their stand-up too, which is also great, and not a far cry from what they do on the actual show.

Buy the funky DVD, Bret, buy the funky funky DVD.

Sigur Ros Part 2

2007-10-24T21:04:00.000-05:00

I'd also like to point out that both the DVD, "Heima", and the CD, "Hvarf-Heim", will be a double DVD and double disc respectively. The CD will be released on November 6 and the DVD on November 20.

Sigur Ros

2007-10-24T20:56:00.001-05:00

So Sigur Ros in the midst of recording a new album have decided to release both a live DVD and a b-sides CD in the month of November. On a personal level I feel the autumn/winter season is the only time for Sigur Ros to release anything, their music fits the season, albeit I do listen to them year round. Judging by the song (with apparent accompanying slideshow created by fan) I've posted here, which is called Hljomalind (I don't know and don't care what it means), I'm quite excited to hear the songs on the CD. I also have no doubts that the DVD will nothing short of amazing as seeing Sigur Ros live is akin to a deeply religious experience. If you have never had the pleasure of listening to Sigur Ros then shame on you. Some people consider bands like Radiohead (which I heartily recommend partaking a listen to their new album) or U2 to be the best band on the planet but I will be the one to audaciously say that Sigur Ros is without a doubt the best band currently on the planet. Please enjoy, I know I will.

First Listen - Say Anything - In Defense Of The Genre

2007-10-24T11:17:00.000-05:00

Driving up to work today I threw in Disc 1 of the new Say Anything album, In Defense Of The Genre. Before I put it on, part of me was looking forward to hearing it, and the other part of me almost had no desire. I feel like I'm just noth "there" anymore. When ...Is A Real Boy came out, i wasnt really "there" either, but I fell in love with the album. Now a little older, and even farther away from the young rock MTV scene, i wonder if Say Anything is even for me.

After hearing the entire album once all the way through, I am ready to offer an opinion. The songs are good. They're tight. Polished. But they're not cohesive. Its just a bunch of songs on 2 cds. 27 songs to be exact. I got lost in it all. I think both discs play like an individul album, but there was so much music to absorb that the disc kept playing and before I knew it, I was on track 8. Is it possible that nothing between 1 and 8 caught my attention?

The guest appearances frustrate me. What is this, Santana? Seriously. I want to hear the band. I like the sound the band makes. I don't recognize 99% of the people anyway, because there is really nothing distinct about their voices. And shouldnt that be the point of a guest vocalist? To hear the song and say "hey, thats _____" and be excited about it. Every 10 minutes on the album there is a nobody emo rocker singing the verse of a song. Why? Whats the point?

There were some positive notes. A few songs did stand out and were a good growth in the sound of the band. I think if the 27 songs had been cut down to 12, there would probably be a well crafted piece of work here. The lyrics meet up to the expectations that Max has created for himself, though some of it is pretty unusual. Screaming obsenities just for the sake of it. And at the same time, there are more religious lyrics on the album then most religious bands even care to sing.

I dont like the artwork, or the album title. The liner notes are packed with all the lyrics, but nothing more. I love getting the lyrics, but I like some interesting artwork too.

So, thats my first impression. I may prove to be wrong. I think I will probably end up picking the best songs out of the 27 and just making one highly enjoyable disc.

But if you want to re-live Alive With The Glory of Love or Admit It, i would just forget it.

YouTubeTuesday

2007-10-16T13:53:00.000-05:00

Final Fantasy aka Owen Pallett does a lot of covers live. One of which is This Modern Love by Bloc Party. It's just so dang enjoyable. I cant wait until his new album comes out!

Sufjan

2007-10-16T11:55:00.000-05:00

There is a pretty good article about Sufjan Stevens on New York Magazine.

Check it out here.

Ted Leo /Rx. Taco

2007-10-12T15:30:00.000-05:00

Ted vs. Taco

So, it would seem that somebody entered Ted Leo into a contest that its pretty obvious why he wouldnt want to be associated with. Funny. But not funny. What I don't understand is why the other bands entered the contest. Have they no shame?

Read it from Ted, not from me.

www.tedleo.com

Digital Vinyl

2007-10-12T11:33:00.000-05:00

Vinyl LP's available with a digital download ticket:

In Rainbows

2007-10-10T11:49:00.001-05:00

So, its finally 10/10. The ten days we had to wait for the new Radiohead album have finally passed. I woke up at 6:30am to find the download link in my inbox, exactly as they said it would be. I wasted no time to burn it and throw it on my stereo and rock on my way to work. I must say that i am greatly impressed with it. I didnt really have any expectations, there wasnt enough time to build any expectations anyway. The only thing i hoped is that the band would get back on track after what I though was a very sub par effort, and poorly named, Hail To The Thief.

In Rainbows flows along the lines of Kid A. Ten tracks, which seems to be the perfect number for an album. I almost wish more bands would cut the fat from their 14 track efforts and just give me something solid to enjoy. I would compare the feel of the album to Kid A also. Its a little dark, but very optimistic. Its clear this time around that Radiohead have recorded with real instruments. Acoustic guitars are strumming, and the drum beats are real. Its refreshing to hear them apply some of the basics to their sound, which in recent years became a lot more electronic based. There are also several brief but moving orchestral arrangements. Again, not enough to overwhelm the listener. Just enough to catch your attention.

Well, Im going to keep listening. And feel free to snag my art for your iTunes.

I'm a reasonable man.

RADIO/HEAD IN/RAIN_BOW/S

2007-10-01T08:52:00.000-05:00

It was made known to the world yesterday that Radiohead will self-release their 7th LP titled In Rainbows, on October 10th. My excitement has drifted a bit over the past few years. Hail to the Thief never really did it for me, though at one point in time in the late 1990's and early 2000's, I declaired that Radiohead was my favorite band.

I do have to say that the sudden drop of the release date really excites me. Up until a day ago, the release date seemed to be a year away. But there it is. You can even order the vinyl and cd package for $81 from inrainbows.com. I will consider.

Seriously, why?

2007-09-28T14:39:00.000-05:00

So, I enjoyed Dashboard Confessional back in the day when it was JUST Chris Carrabba going at it alone. It was interesting at first when the full band sound came into play. Back when he re-recorded a few old songs with a full band for the "The Places.." LP and the very enjoyable "Summers Kiss" EP.

I have since given up on the band. I don't hate them, they just no longer appeal to me. The full band sound just takes away from what made Dashboard a stunner in the first place.

Minutes ago I became aware that they have a new album coming out next week, which shocks me a bit since they just released an album last year. I never gave the last one a chance. I did download it from eMusic, and i will probably download this one from eMusic. At leat the cover art catchs my attention.

Sigur Ros Hlemmur Limited Edition

2007-09-28T08:10:00.000-05:00

Sigur Ros have a few releases on the horizon. A double ep entitled "Hvarf/Heim" on November 6th which will be great im sure. It contains new tracks as well as new recordings of old songs from Von. On another note, in August Sigur Ros released an ep/dvd called Hlemmur. It was limited to 3000 copies, all of which are numbered. Its bound in a nice book and contains 48 pages of sketches by the band. The only downside is that it will cost you $80 and that is not including shipping. However, can you really put a price on such a rare piece from such an amazing band? I know this release is one of those items that will be selling on eBay for $300 next year.

You can buy the regular edition of the same set for $20.

Check it out if you get a chance.

http://shop.sandbag.uk.com/SigurRos/Store/DisplayIndividualItem.html?ID=1495&CatID=3&ShopID=0

Digital Vinyl

2007-09-27T12:28:00.000-05:00

For years the enjoyment of buying the vinyl format of your favorite new album was always burdened by having to purchase a copy of that same album in the boring and worthless compact disc format as well. Over the past year or so, record companies have begun to realize the popularity that the vinyl format still holds for many fans and collectors. As you may know, some of these companies have started to package a free mp3 album download code with the purchase of the vinyl. Some have even gone as far as to include an actual cd in a paper sleeve, tucked inside the vinyl sleeve, as was the case this year with the Wilco release "Blue Sky Blue". In most cases, these vinyl albums that include a download ticket usually cost the same as the cd format alone would cost you, but possibly $2-$3 more than the cd.

In this digital age, most of us no longer care to own a cd. We're content with files. On our computer and in our cars. If you buy a new cd, you are almost sure to watch it drop in value from the day you purchase it for $12, until the day you cant get rid of it for $2. Vinyl records on the other hand almost never loose their value. Most increase in value over the years due to small quantities and limited runs.

So Ive decided to try and keep track of as many indie albums as I can that are released on vinyl and include a free digital album download ticket. People should know.

First up:

Matt Pond PA - Last Light 2xLP with FREE digital download - $15.99 at insound.com. The CD is $13.99.

A few others so far this year...

Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
The New Pornographers - Challengers
The Shins - Wincing The Night Away

...Defense

2007-09-25T19:11:00.000-05:00

The new single from Say Anything entitled "Skinny Mean Man" was just posted online the other day. I was really looking forward to taking a listen, and today I did just that. It left me very unimpressed, which was honestly what I had already braced myself for.

Coming off of 2004's "...Is A Real Boy", Say Anything are about to drop "In Defense of The Genre" on October 23rd. A highly anticipated double album. "...Is A Real Boy" is nothing short of a classic. Its one of the most interesting and unique albums you will ever hear. "...Defense" was for some reason dragged out into a double album. Perhaps due to the many years that have gone by while the band has slowly broken into stardom. Personally I feel like double albums are a great risk for any band. Even a good double album can be broken down in to one polished record. Spanning 27 tracks, "...Defense" is up against many great challenges.

1. It's a double album. I already stated my reasons.
2. It's a sophomore album. Not to mention the follow up to the outstanding "...Is A Real Boy". No matter how good "...Defense" is, it's going to be compared to Boy, which is impossible to top.
3. It was written and recorded by a full band, as oppose to ...Is A Real Boy, which ran on only the fuel of Max Bemis. And not that his band is bad, the band is great. I just wonder how this will change the sound. Dash(cough)board.
4. Major label publicity. This band is no longer the secret they were back in August of 2004.

So, all in all, I can't wait to hear the new album. I have no doubt that its going to be great. "Skinny Mean Man" let me down a bit, but hopefully it will grow on me. Obviously I will give it another chance.

Top Albums Through September

2007-09-25T08:07:00.000-05:00

01..The Stage Names - Okkervil River
02..Easy Tiger - Ryan Adams
03..Yours To Keep - Albert Hammond, Jr
04..Boxer - The National
05..Ga, Ga, Ga, Ga, Ga - Spoon

06..Wincing The Night Away - The Shins
07..Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer - Of Montreal
08..Young Modern - Silverchair
09..Neon Bible - The Arcade Fire
10..Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters - The Twilight Sad

11..Nighttiming - Coconut Records
12..New Magnetic Wonder - Apples In Stereo
13..A Weekend In The City - Bloc Party
14..Because Of The Times - Kings Of Leon
15..Scream & Light Up The Sky - The Honorary Title

The Distant Future

2007-08-06T10:19:00.000-05:00

Hooked on Flight?

During the Bowie episode I began to notice that there was a Sub Pop records sticker on Bret's guitar case. That logo has appeared in every episode since. A bit of a subliminal promotion for the bands first release with Sub Pop.

The Distant Future EP features a few songs from the show that have become instant classics. Word at Sub Pop is that there will be a full length album coming out this fall from the band, which will feature most if not all of the songs from the EP. But seriously, how can you possibly wait for the full length?

The Distant Future EP by Flight of the Conchords comes out tomorrow, August 7th.

1. Business Time
2. If You're Into It
3. Not Crying
4. The Most Beautiful Girl In The Room (live)
5. Banter (live)
6. Robots (live)

Im off to a party in space!

The Pond Is Calling!

2007-08-05T22:18:00.001-05:00

matt pond PA releases a new album on September 25 called Last Light. They are easily one of the best bands out there and vastly underappreciated. In light of the coming album I felt the need to post a video off their previous album "Several Arrows Later". This song is called "So Much Trouble".

Kings Of Leon - Fans

2007-08-05T22:12:00.001-05:00

I just love these guys!

White Stripes - Wilmington, DE - 07.27.07

2007-07-28T14:13:00.000-05:00

Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground / You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told) / Cannon \\ John the Revelator / Catch Hell Blues / Hotel Yorba / I'm Finding it Harder to be a Gentleman / Truth Doesn't Make a Noise / I Think I Smell a Rat \\ Screwdriver / I Fought Piranhas / Icky Thump / In the Cold, Cold Night / Same Boy You've Always Known / Hardest Button to Button / Slowing Turning Into You / Black Math / Wasting My Time / We're Going to be Friends / 300 MPH Torrential Outpour Blues / Seven Nation Army / Apple Blossom / Ugly as I Seem / I Just Don't Know What to do with Myself / Boll Weevil

Recommendations

2007-07-28T08:03:00.000-05:00

It's been halfway through the year so far and I haven't really posted much at all recently and I felt like it was time to post something so I'm going to give a mid-year top ten.

1. Kings Of Leon - Because Of The Times
2. Silverchair - Young Modern
3. The White Stripes - Icky Thump
4. Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City
5. Explosions In The Sky - All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone
6. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
7. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
8. Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger
9. Lovedrug - Everything Starts Where It Ends
10. Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?

This is subject to change, I have a list of other bands that I need to spend more time with and they are as follows:
The Radio Dept., The Twilight Sad, Eluvium, The National, Arctic Monkeys, Caspian, The Besnard Lakes,The Six Parts Seven, and Andrew Bird.

Family Guy - Sesame Street

2007-07-27T17:08:00.001-05:00

So I felt the need post this because I haven't stopped laughing for a half an hour. It's just so funny.

Flashback Friday

2007-07-13T16:08:00.001-05:00

I just heard a Live song the other day and it sparked me to go back in time to the late 90's and give them another spin. I've always been a fan of Live. I sadly admit that I have not purchased their two most recent albums. I would like to give them a chance at some point. I think my musical tastes have evolved since the late 90's.

However, my favorite Live album has always been Secret Samadhi. This album was released on February 18, 1997. It the only Live album that I still long to hear. It's just so dark. I think probably one of the best albums I had ever heard at that point in time. At least of of the most experimental mainstream albums of the time.

I decided just tonight that I'm going to officially place Secret Samadhi in at least my Top 50 Albums of All Time.

If you missed out on it, go to amazon or half.com right now and buy it used. You can probably get it for $3. And thats WITH shipping.

Pitchfork Smashes Pumpkins

2007-07-09T16:38:00.000-05:00

So, I was a bit shocked that Pitchfork decided to slam the new Smashing Pumpkins album, Zeitgeist. I have yet to hear it, but something tells me that it's worth more than a 4.9 out of 10. I think it just proves even further that we are living in an age where critics are almost always negative. The entire review simply talks about how the new album actually captures the sound of what the Smashing Pumpkins once were...but then it turns around to say that the album fails to reach the heights of some of their past material. Of course it does. You can't compare this new album to the feeling that hearing "1979" gave you, or how "Tonight, Tonight" once swept you away. These are new songs for a new generation. As an artist, Corgan is obviously in a different place. I think its possible for him to recapture that sound, but forgive him if he doesnt nail it right out of the gate.

The Pitchfork review for the new Spoon album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga will be up on their site tomorrow. The album is really close to perfect in every way (This Record is a HIT), and ive had it on repeat for months. But Im sure just given the indie status of the band, and the nature of Pitchfork reviews, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga will probably clock in close to a 10.0.

It's cool to like Spoon, and probably not as cool to like the Pumpkins. Gotta keep that indie cred!

Spoon Limited Edition Vinyl

2007-07-07T15:48:00.000-05:00

The luck of 7-7-07 has found me today, but I won't brag because the day isn't over yet.

A few months back Merge announced the pre-order promotion for the new Spoon album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. The first 200 people to pre-order the album would get a limited edition 7" vinyl, autographed by the band. Of course I raced to the website to put in my pre-order, and after I got the order in, the site was still advertising the promotion. I kept my fingers crossed in hopes that I got mine in on time. I clicked over to Spoon's site, and the promotion had already been removed.

I figured that I probably didn't make the cut, but it really didn't matter. I got my order in for the album anyway, which I obviously planned on buying, so no loss if I didn't.

So here we are, 4 days before the release of Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, and in the mail today was a package from Merge. I got excited about opening it up, just due to the fact that I have it before the actual release. I completely forgot about the promotion of the autographed 7". I opened the package and dug right into the CD. I was pretty excited about the bonus disc. Stumbled around the extras that i got with it, a poster and a button, and then i eyed up the 12" of the album. I wasn't until I picked it up that i found tucked underneath of it was the 7" bonus...AUTOGRAPHED BY THE BAND!!!!

So being a huge fan of the band, I am thrilled. Im a firm believer that an autograph really doesn't mean much unless you obtain it yourself. Its fun just to meet the band, get a picture and maybe an autograph to show off later. But with that said, I am always willing to snatch up a freebie like this.

I've taken a snapshot of the entire package. And in case you were wondering, Britt's autograph is on the back of the sleeve, so you cant see it in the photo.

Smashing Paris

2007-07-06T11:03:00.001-05:00

Having been a fan of The Smashing Pumpkins for quite some time, and really not much of one for the past few years, I'm obviously intrigued by the release of their first album in 7 years, Zeitgeist. I'm not going to dwell on the fact that we are only dealing with 1/2 of the original lineup. Its aways been about Billy anyway.

The first single from the album, Tarantula, is pretty great. It honestly brings to mind that old familiar sound that only the Pumpkins could make, without a hint of The Future Embrace or even Zwan. As much as I wanted to shrug the album off, and declare that using the name Smashing Pumpkins again was just a way to bring back a brand...I really dont feel like it is. And best of all, its not Machina III.

Shockingly, the album artwork for the UK single for Tarantula features none other than Paris Hilton. The single was released on Monday July 2nd (why do we release albums on Tuesday?). I think just based on the fact that is so funny, I have to order it.

UPDATE: I just ordered the CD single from amazon.co.uk. Pretty cheap too. I can't wait to get it!

Adams Eve

2007-06-25T19:09:00.001-05:00

So, here we are on the eve of the release of Easy Tiger, the latest installment to a collection of crap records you can buy with your overpriced but wonderful Starbucks coffee.
Ryan Adams is my favorite artist, but I am really not looking forward to giving Easy Tiger its first spin. Ive managed to avoid the leak for my own reasons. I didnt want to spoil it...for better or for worse. There has been nothing but a sea of what I would consider negative press. Early reviews on the record called it a return to form...a return to the magic of Heartbreaker, Ryan's first solo push. Ive never been one to buy the "return to form" garbage. I honestly dont believe that its ever possible for an artist to ever return to the place in time in which they were at their best. Like the Rolling Stones for example. They still put out records, but no matter how hard they try they will never be able to capture Gimme Shelter and put it into a solid new radio hit.

Back to the subject at hand. Yes, I will go out and buy the record tomorrow. Yes, I will buy the Vinyl. But will I ever care? Will this album ever mean anything to me or will it be just another book up on the shelf? Who knows. Who cares for that matter.

And while Im at it, I have to say that the best and most complete album Ryan has put out was Cold Roses. And as many times as you will hear that Rock N Roll was garbage, I have to say that it happens to be a classic in my book. Its brilliant. It rocks...and it rolls.

Don't let me down Easy Tiger.
Please.

Pet Grief

2007-05-18T12:01:00.000-05:00

It's really not often that a friend of mine turns me on to a band that I have both A: Never heard of, and B: Never heard their music. Usually I can claim one or both and sometimes have claimed one or both just to hide the fact that I had no clue. However in the case of Swedish band The Radio Dept., I will honestly admit that I was in the dark....and was I ever missing out on something great.

After being clued in by my new friend Chris, I picked up their 2006, Labrador Records release, Pet Grief. Its the second long player from The Radio Dept. and it's a stunning piece of work. Lo-fi, sweeping melodies of acoustic guitar and piano and electronic percussion, mixed with lush quiet spoken vocals. Mixed together it creates a swelling sound that just works.

I have been playing Pet Grief on repeat for nearly a month now. Just when I was ready to rewind into their back catalog I discovered that they have a slated October release for a new full length album.

Best of all, you can get it all on emusic!

Take a listen...

Wilco - Sky Blue Sky - Review

2007-05-17T10:23:00.000-05:00

Wilco
Sky Blue Sky
Nonesuch, 2007

5.0

The first track on every Wilco album is something special. Its a song that prepares the listener for the adventure they are about to go on. Usually slow in tempo, sometimes dragging out past the 6 minute range. Its a song that lets you know that something special is about to happen. A solid opener is something that Wilco fans expect.

On Either Way, the opening track from Sky Blue Sky, that special something never comes. Which sadly does help fit the requirement of the Wilco album opener to be a song that sets the pace. Because throughout the entire duration of Sky Blue Sky, that something special never appears.

I hate to compare a bands past albums to their current album, but in this case I feel its necessary to make exception. Progress through the first 5 albums of Wilco's catalog should not lead us to Sky Blue Sky. From setting the standard for the sound of a genre, to pushing that sound to great heights, Wilco has taken a step back here. Sky Blue Sky is the sound of a band no longer willing to take risks.

The album comes across as one long song. Never building up, and almost never changing tempo. Its not until half-way through track 5, "Side With The Seeds", that we hear anything that sounds even close to the sound they are capable of producing. The static of seemingly improvised guitar solos finally washes over. But it comes and goes, taking us right back to where we were....which was in a coma.

After two risky and ambitious albums Wilco have stripped it back down to basics. Every Wilco album is different and special in their own way. They can almost all be summed up with one word. And I suppose that Sky Blue Sky is the same.

Safe.

Easy Sheryl

2007-05-16T12:17:00.000-05:00

So, for the past few days I have been crying myself to sleep. I just cant deal with the Crowvirus Ryan Adams is injecting into my ears. After finally hearing the song "Two" on Ryan's MySpace site, i am slightly relieved. You almost can't even hear her. Which brings the question...Why is her presence necessary in the first place?

On 2005's Jacksonville City Nights, Norah Jones appeared for a little background help on the song "Dear John". Upon hearing the news of that collaboration I was a bit shocked, but the difference with that is that I actually have R E S P E C T for Norah Jones as a musician, and more importantly as a human being! Sheryl Crow is terrible. When she first broke onto the music scene she was respectable...but after she decided to start soaking up sun, all respect was lost. Even worse is the fact that she is a homewrecker with yellow wrist band man himself, Lance Armstrong. "Come on Lance, leave your wife and kids for me, all I wanna do is have some fun!"

She sucks.

The only positive note is that when i did a Google image search for her picture, about half of the images I found involved toilet paper!

If Ryan decides to rock out with Macy Gray on his next album, I believe that will be the end of the road for me.

Return

2007-05-16T12:04:00.000-05:00

Well, ive been lost at sea for a while. Life has been busy and I needed a break from the blog. However, today I return.

Rock.

Dave

After Hours with Of Montreal

2007-03-22T14:30:00.000-05:00

Thursday, April 12th Of Montreal will perform on Late Night With Conan O'Brien. Should be interesting. Since its network television and not Las Vegas, Kevin Barnes will probably be forced to keep his artistic expression in his pants.

Should be worth staying up to watch so save the date.

The Orange Peels

2007-03-21T12:10:00.000-05:00

Last week I clicked my way through about 10 eMusic "Sounds Like" links until I came to a band called The Orange Peels. I think I happened upon them before because I recognized the name. I glanced at a few listener reviews and with that my curiosity got the best of me. I decided to take the plunge.

The music is very catchy. Sometimes a little too predictable as far as the lyrics go. But the sound is very full of life. It probably helped that I started listening to the album on a rare 70 degree winter day.

I don't know what the band is currently up to but take a listen for yourself.

My favorite track is California Blue.

myspace.com/opeels

Easy Pill

2007-03-20T19:13:00.000-05:00

Just over a year ago I had the good fortune of seeing Ted Leo/Pharmacists open up for Ryan Adams at Irving Plaza in New York. There were about a dozen bands on the bill that night since it was a benefit show with proceeds going to hurricane Katrina. The whole show was put together by Jesse Malin, a sidekick of Mr. Adams. Anyway, there were a lot of bands on the bill that I had never seen, and some that had never heard of. The likes of Marah, Jesse Malin, Ted Leo/Rx, Butch Walker, Debbie Harry and others...obviously Ryan Adams & The Cardinals.

Of all those bands Ted Leo and the Pharmacists stole the show for me. I was blown away by their explosiveness on the stage. The band ripped through their set and hooked us all. I personally went home and wasted no time in snatching up 2 of their albums...then later the rest. Shake The Sheets is stunning. Perfect punk infected rock music with hook after hook. It gets a little political, but thats what Ted likes to do. Its not overbearing or preachy though, thats something I can't deal with. Leave your politics at home. But with Ted Leo it just comes across perfectly.

Their first release with Touch and Go records is out today "Living With The Living". I will review it when I have heard it. I plan on buying the vinyl which comes with free mp3 downloads of the entire album. Otherwise, you can find it on eMusic.

And honestly, if you don't already have the album "Shake The Sheets" you don't realize the void in your life. Get it first!

www.tedleo.com

Enjoy.

Spooning

2007-03-06T21:39:00.000-05:00

Ever have a desire to see a room full of 200 white boys stand in place and dance their faces off without a care?

Ever have a desire to be a part of such an event?

As luck would have it Spoon are heading out on a short tour. What is lucky about this you ask? The very short tour will be making a stop in both Baltimore and Philadelphia!!!!! AND both shows are in small venues. AND both shows are on the weekend!!!!

My only Spoon experience was an eventful evening. Kozy and I hit up the TLA on South to watch Spoon rock right after their latest release Gimme Fiction. The show was amazing. They were one of the tightest rock bands i have ever seen. The entire room was gripped by the performance, and all the while our feet could not stop dancing and tapping.

This time around Spoon are probably going to be warming up a few new songs that will come on their next album, which is speculated to be released sometime this year. As soon as the current flames being put off by the "Fire" start to die down im sure.

04-21 Baltimore, MD - Sonar
04-22 Philadelphia, PA - Starlight Ballroom

I hope to see you there. Hmmmm, perhaps it will be a full on Spoon weekend!

Wincing The Vinyl Away

2007-02-27T02:06:00.000-05:00

Alright. I recently admitted that I did not go out and buy The Shins new album Wincing The Night Away, when it was released officially a few weeks ago. Three reasons really came into play. First, I was broke. Second, I have had a perfect copy of the album for several months. And Third, I honestly played it out so bad, that I didn't even have a desire to listen to it in its true form.

So for the first time in years, I broke my own rule. A personal rule that states the following....

It is only ok to illegally download an anticipated album if I commit myself to an "eventual purchase".

Now obviously if the supposed anticipated album that has leaked turns out to be terrible, then the commitment to slap down money to buy it does not exist. It ends there.

But with an album such as Wincing The Night Away, which I am crazy about, there is no doubt that I have to own the real thing. I feel good about supporting the artist, not so much financially, but just to get out there and contribute to the number of albums they sell. To show them and the label that I want this band to be able to continue to make music. It's also important to me to keep my own collection of cd's and each bands catalog up to date.

Feeling my regret over the past few weeks, I ended up wandering into Bert's on Saturday. I wasn't really concerned at that point about catching up on my Shins collection. I just wanted to wander in, and buy a random cd (Writers Block) that I can't download from eMusic. Plus, I like Bert's and I like Bert. It's important to support my local music shop.

While scanning the walls that are covered in new vinyl records, I noticed that he had Wincing The Night Away. My chance to redeem myself perhaps. Though I am a serious vinyl collector, I have never bypassed a CD purchase and moved straight into vinyl. Until this day. I noticed the sticker on front of the record. It stated that inside the package of this vinyl album there was a code that would allow me to download mp3's of each song.

Now, this is nothing new. I have seen this concept appear from time to time on other vinyl albums. Personally I think its a great idea. Many people consider vinyl to be the "true format". So If i can buy a copy of an album in its true vinyl form and be able to download the album on its dreaded low quality file format...then Im all in!

So now I own Wincing The Night Away. Giant 12"x12" artwork, bonus poster, free mp3 downloads from Sub Pop....and my own copy of the album....in its true format. All for only $13.99.

And future anticipated vinyl releases that will include free mp3 downloads are the new Ted Leo/Rx album and the new Arcade Fire album.

Very exciting.

Silverchair. Webster Hall. 02.13.07

2007-02-14T13:00:00.000-05:00

I don't believe I have ever gone to such great lengths to see a band. First, I was unable to get tickets to either NYC show because they sold out before I could blink. I found a good deal on a Buy It Now eBay auction for 2 tickets to the Webster Hall show and was beyond satisfied with that.

Fast forward to the day of the show. The entire eastern seaboard is experiencing severe winter weather for the first time this entire winter. Snow, freezing rain, ice, sleet, high winds, below freezing temperatures....all of which offer ideal driving conditions for a 150 mile drive to New York City....especially when half of that trip will be traveled in the middle of the night.

And you ask why? How could this band Silverchair offer an experience worth braving all of this?

On May 20, 2003 I was one of the few lucky people in this country to see Silverchair play one of only 4 shows in the US....their first in nearly 4 years....and their last for nearly 4 years. It was one of the most stunning, jaw dropping and eclectic sets I have ever seen. The band played songs from every album but their debut. The rocked hard, softened it with Daniel playing songs on the keyboard, entertained us with antics of all sorts. Daniel was all about theatrics at the time. From his attire, to the way he danced around the stage in circles and went crazy. I even remember him yelling out a drink order to the back bar, and having the crowd pass the drink all the way to the front. He said we dare not spill a drop. We didn't.

Last night I witnessed the return of Silverchair to the great city of New York. Webster Hall, February 13, 2007. The band has changed a lot since they last played this city. Four years older, and much more straight forward and professional in their delivery. This time, they were strictly business. Daniel kept his antics to a minimum, but when he did take on the role of the front man you could see Ben and Chris exchange smiles with each other. Daniel was clean cut, dressed in a full suit, which of course with Daniel being Daniel, the suit disappeared throughout the show, one layer at a time. It's always refreshing to see that Daniel still plays the same guitars at every show. It really preserves that lasting impression and familiarity when you see them live. Chris also played many of the same bass guitars, and Ben was rocking on the same drum kit that he used at the Bowery in 2003.

The songs were the same, but different. In 2003, the band tried hard to make every one of their old songs fit into the Diorama mold. They had no choice really. The songs on Diorama were massive, they were whimsical and rocked all at the same time. In 2003 they adjusted many of the old songs to fit right alongside the new ones. They added longer and cleaner guitar solos to songs such as Ana's Song (Open Fire), and made songs like Anthem For The Year 2000 even larger than life.

Last night they just put it out there. They played the songs straight through, altered them just a bit, whether it was Daniel singing in a different key from time to time, or drifting into different guitar solos. I felt like it was truly a live performance. Just a band being themselves. Not as rehearsed sounding as the Diorama tour. This I'm sure was due to the very straight forward rocking sound of the new songs from the upcoming release Young Modern. The songs sounded great live and I can't wait to hear the recorded versions. It's nearly impossible to follow up an album like Diorama and make everybody happy, but I know that if anyone can do it, its Silverchair.

The show completely lacked intimacy. A solo performance from Daniel on the keyboard, sweeping us away with After All These Years or Miss You Love or Asylum, simply never came. I was however pleased that they didn't even attempt to touch anything from Frogstomp. As much as I still love those songs, there really are just so many more songs they have recorded since then that I would rather hear. It was also difficult to realize that some of the older staple songs in the bands live set list have been cut to make way for the new songs. Paint Pastel Princess, Black Tangled Heart, Anthem, and many others, mostly from Neon Ballroom went missing.

All in all, the show was brilliant. If Silverchair never come to Philadelphia again, and I have to drive to NY, NY every 4 years to see them, then I am more than willing to make that commitment.

Rock.

The SETLIST:
Without You / Emotion Sickness / Greatest View / World Upon Your Shoulders / Across the Night / Young Modern / Ana's Song / Straight Lines / Tuna In The Brine / Luv Your Life / The Door / Don't Wanna Be The One / Mindreader / Freak
ENCORE
If You Keep Losing Sleep / Lever

2007 PLUG: Independent Music Awards

2007-02-12T13:22:00.000-05:00

So while the spectacular musical talents of Mary J. Blige were being awarded by the Grammys last night, there was another, less credible portion of the music industry handing out its awards. I of course am joking. I hate MJB with a passion, but was happier to see the Dixie Chicks win Album of the Year over the others.

The winners of the 2007 Plug: Independent Music awards:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR- Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR- Arctic Monkeys
FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR- Neko Case
MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR- Sufjan Stevens
INDIE ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR- Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid Of You...
AMERICANA ALBUM OF THE YEAR- Band of Horses - Everything All The Time
ELECTRONIC/DANCE ALBUM OF THE YEAR- Thom York - The Eraser
LIVE ACT OF THE YEAR- Broken Social Scene
SONG OF THE YEAR- Band of Horses - The Funeral
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR- Wolf Parade - I'll Believe In Anything
ALBUM ART/PACKAGING OF THE YEAR- Hot Chip - The Warning
RECORD LABEL OF THE YEAR- Sub Pop
LIVE MUSIC VENUE OF THE YEAR- Bowery Ballroom - NY, NY
MUSIC WEBSITE OF THE YEAR- pitchforkmedia.com
MUSIC BLOG OF THE YEAR- brooklynvegan.com
MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR- Paste
ONLINE RECORD STORE OF THE YEAR- Amazon.com

For more winners and all to see all of the nominees visit www.plugawards.com.

These Friends of Mine

2007-02-07T01:56:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to say that tonight I decided to see what Rosie Thomas was all about. I really only remembered hearing her name in connection to Sufjan and the "scandal" of Sufjan and Rosie making babies together. Which wasn't true at all, it was just a buzz revolving around the fact that they were working on an album together.

Well, that album, These Friends of Mine by Rosie Thomas is to be released on compact disc March 13, 2007(what a day) but eMusic has been offering it for a few weeks now. Tonight I sucked it up and downloaded a free track, and discovered in doing so, that I had already downloaded the title track a few weeks ago(January 6th).

Anyway, I never bothered to listen to any of it until tonight but I have to say that its SPECTACULAR. Its 2am right now and this album is sweeping me off of my feet. I was soooooo ready for bed after Conan was over, but this Rosie experience came out of nowhere.

Its very beautiful acoustic/folk. A lot of harmonizing with Sufjan Stevens and Denison Witmer. Honestly some of the songs sound like Seven Swans era Sufjan songs, except make Sufjan singing the background vocals and on the lead vocals put an amazingly soft and soothing female voice. Slow acoustic guitars, orchestra arrangements and from time to time, Sufjans favorite weapon...the banjo.

I should also add that I have had my 90 download per month eMusic subscription for almost a year now, and until this day I have NEVER until this evening purchased a download booster. I only had enough downloads remaining until February 22 to download 3 songs from the album. After about 2 minutes of debate I went for it.

No regrets.

Silverchair at the Bowery // 2003

2007-02-02T12:31:00.000-05:00

Everything you have heard is true. Silverchair are amazing. Here are three pics take by John and I at their show at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC on May 20, 2003 on tour for Diorama. And the answer to your question is....YES....we were front and center stage!

The Video

2007-02-01T16:32:00.000-05:00

Mini Kozy

2007-02-01T14:12:00.000-05:00

Welcome into the world Tatiyana Rebecca!

Straight Lines

2007-01-30T17:42:00.000-05:00

So, according to chairpage.com Silverchair will release the single for Straight Lines on March 10th. So that either means that you can order it and hope that it arrives before the album is released, or wait 3 weeks until Young Modern comes out and have them shipped together. Either way, Silverchair singles are always a must have. This is the word from chairpage...

In other Silverchair news it has been announced that a CD single of “Straight Lines” will be released in Australia on Saturday March 10 with Young Modern to follow on March 31.

The CD single will feature 3 bonus tracks - two more original songs plus a live version of the Midnight Oil classic “I Don’t Wanna Be The One” which Silverchair performed at last year’s ARIA Awards to induct the Oils into the Hall Of Fame.

Sounds good to me!

New Music

2007-01-27T07:54:00.000-05:00

Current anticipated, or unanticipated but I tried to include a broad spectrum of albums, future releases:

01/30/07 - Youth Group Casino Twilight Dogs
01/30/07 - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Some Loud Thunder
02/06/07 - Bloc Party A Weekend In The City
02/06/07 - Sondre Lerche Phantom Punch
02/20/07 - Cool Hand Luke The Balancing Act
02/20/07 - Explosions In The Sky All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone
02/20/07 - Anberlin Cities
03/06/07 - Lovedrug Everything Starts Where It Ends
03/06/07 - Relient K Five Score And Seven Years Ago
03/06/07 - The Arcade Fire Neon Bible
03/06/07 - My Brightest Diamond Tear It Down
03/20/07 - The Snake The Cross The Crown Cotton Teeth
03/20/07 - Ted Leo & The Pharmacists Living With The Living
03/29/07 - Silverchair Young Modern (Australian Release, will buy on eBay)
04/02/07 - Maximo Park Our Earthly Pleasures (U.K.)
04/03/07 - Kings Of Leon Because Of The Times
04/10/07 - Bright Eyes Cassadaga
04/17/07 - Waking Ashland The Well
05/15/07 - Wilco Sky Blue Sky

Mae is releasing an album titled Singularity which is slated for an April 2007 release.

matt pond PA is releasing an album titled Last Light late spring.

Say Anything's new album will be entitled In Defense Of The Genre.

God Bless Bloc Party Part 2

2007-01-25T21:20:00.001-05:00

Sorry, I can't get enough.

God Bless Bloc Party

2007-01-25T21:12:00.001-05:00

Kozy's Top 15 Albums

2007-01-18T05:37:00.000-05:00

Sorry, I have no album pix yet but I will re-post this soon with the album art.

Top 15 Albums

01. Regina Spektor - Begin To Hope

02. The Decemberists - The Crane Wife

03. Badly Drawn Boy - Born In The U.K.

04. Calexico - Garden Ruin

05. Beck - The Information

06. Belle & Sebastian - The Life Pursuit

07. The Hold Steady - Boys And Girls In America

08. The Strokes - First Impressions Of Earth

09. Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That

10. The Format - Dog Problems

11. Brand New - The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me

12. This Will Destroy You - Young Mountain

13. Yeahs Yeah Yeah - Show Your Bones

14. The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers

15. Pete Yorn - Nightcrawler

2007-01-13T18:43:00.000-05:00

Limbeck - Julia

Friendly Reminder

2007-01-13T09:54:00.000-05:00

Jake: I just can't quit you, James...I'm fond of Y-O-U.

James: It's because my songs are so damn catchy, what can I say.

Don't forget to tune in to NBC tonight at 11:30 for Saturday Night Live. Hosted by Jake Gyllenhaal with musical guests none other than The Shins. So....Phantom Limb....and....I guess we'll have to find out.

Here's hoping for a James Mercer / Jake Gyllenhaal Brokeback Mountain skit.

Not.

2007-01-10T13:46:00.000-05:00

The Shins - Phantom Limb

It's a day to celebrate ignorance.

Hate To Say I Told You So...

2007-01-08T13:26:00.000-05:00

So, I just wandered over to eMusic only to find that the currently the #1 Album on their Power Charts is none other than the Photographs EP by Lakes. Go figure. So do yourself a favor today if you have not already downloaded it, and go do it. And if you have doubts, download the first track Indian Lover and let that run through your head a few times. I can't wait to get a full length album out of these guys. Hopefully this year.

You Should Be Listening

2007-01-08T12:34:00.000-05:00

Todays forecast on the Eastern Seaboard...RAIN. My solution to your rainy day case of the Monday's is to take a listen to 2005's Oh You're So Silent Jens, by Jens Lekman. Jens' deep voice combined with his sweeping melodies are at first difficult to care for, but quickly get caught in your head. This album contains tracks that sound like they were recorded on a rainy day, but then comes back with songs that will bring the sun out from behind the clouds.

Listen for: Maple Leaves, Black Cab, Rocky Dennis' Farewell Song, A Sweet Summers Night On Hammer Hill

Perfect if you like: Sufjan Stevens, The Magnetic Fields, Neutral Milk Hotel

New Music

2007-01-07T20:15:00.000-05:00

Current anticipated future releases:

01/23/07 - The Shins Wincing The Night Away
01/23/07 - Youth Group Casino Twilight Dogs
01/30/07 - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Some Loud Thunder
02/06/07 - Bloc Party A Weekend In The City
02/20/07 - Cool Hand Luke The Balancing Act
02/20/07 - Explosions In The Sky All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone
03/06/07 - Lovedrug Everything Starts Where It Ends
03/06/07 - Relient K Five Score And Seven Years Ago
03/06/07 - The Arcade Fire Neon Bible
03/06/07 - My Brightest Diamond Tear It Down
03/20/07 - Ted Leo & The Pharmacists Living With The Living
03/29/07 - Silverchair Young Modern (Australian Release, will buy on eBay)
04/10/07 - Bright Eyes Cassadaga

Kings Of Leon is releasing an album called Because Of The Times in spring of 2007 with no official release date. I just thought I'd point that out because I love them.

Mae is releasing an album titled Singularity which is slated for an April 2007 release.

matt pond PA is releasing an album titled Last Light late spring.

Top 15 Albums of 2006

2006-12-29T12:07:00.000-05:00

01 // Dog Problems
by The Format

02 // The Life Pursuit
by Belle & Sebastian

03 // It's Never Been Like That
by Phoenix

04 // The Avalanche
by Sufjan Stevens

05 // Rabbit Fur Coat
by Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins

06 // Nightcrawler
by Pete Yorn

07 // Everything All The Time
by Band Of Horses

08 // First Impressions of Earth
by The Strokes

09 // The Crane Wife
by The Decemberists

10 // The Greatest
by Cat Power

11 // Bring It Back
by Mates Of State

12 // Westerns EP
by Pete Yorn

13 // Into The Blue Again
by The Album Leaf

14 // At Home With Owen
by Owen

15 // Show Your Bones
by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Top 15 Albums Of 2006

2006-12-21T23:52:00.000-05:00

1. Belle & Sebastian- The Life Pursuit
favorite tracks: Another Sunny Day, White Collar Boy, Funny Little Frog

2. The Strokes- First Impressions Of Earth
favorite tracks: Heart In A Cage, Ask Me Anything, Electricityscape

3. Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins- Rabbit Fur Coat
favorite tracks: Rise Up With Fists!!!, The Charging Sky, You Are What You Love

4. Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Show Your Bones
favorite tracks: Mysteries, Warrior, Turn Into

5. Phoenix- It's Never Been Like That
favorite tracks: Consolation Prizes, Long Distance Call, One Time Too Many

6. Cat Power- The Greatest
favorite tracks: The Greatest, Could We, Willie

7. Beck- The Information
favorite tracks: Elevator Music, Think I'm In Love, Strange Apparition

8. Pete Yorn- Nightcrawler
favorite tracks: Vampyre, For Us, Bandstand In The Sky

9. Band Of Horses- Everything All The Time
favorite tracks: Wicked Gil, The Funeral, Weed Party

10. The Hold Steady- Boys And Girls In America
favorite tracks: Stuck Between Stations, Chips Ahoy, Hot Soft Light

11. Jarvis Cocker- Jarvis
favorite tracks: Black Magic, Heavy Weather, I Will Kill Again

12. My Morning Jacket- Okonokos
favorite tracks: Gideon, One Big Holiday, Run Thru

13. The Decemberists- The Crane Wife
favorite tracks: The Crane Wife 3, Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then), O Valencia

14. Pete Yorn- Westerns EP
favorite tracks: The Man, Never My Love, Don't Mean Nothing

15. The Gothic Archies- The Tragic Treasury
favorite tracks: Scream And Run Away, Crows, Walking My Gargoyle

Photographs EP

2006-12-10T18:23:00.000-05:00

Lakes
Photographs EP
The Militia Group, 2006

9.0

I'm a little upset that here we are in December, and I am just discovering Photographs by Lakes, which was released in September. Thats almost 4 months of musical enjoyment my ears have missed out on. But I suppose there is no such thing as too late.

These songs are uplifting. They are full of hope that love will last forever, and that full of memories and reflection. I think the word "love" is probably used 1000 times. The opening track, Indian Lover, grips you from the start. Its one of the best songs I have heard this year. The lyrics are nostalgic and the melodies are sweeping. The songs contain such subtle transitions from its quiet moments to the greatest points of build-up. The album grows with each song, until it ends with the brilliant White Flag....which fades out leaving you wanting more.

Lakes are off to a great start. I can't wait to see what they can deliver on their first full length album.
And if you're curious, check them out at myspace.com/lakes

Saturday Night Wrist

2006-12-09T11:51:00.000-05:00

Deftones
Saturday Night Wrist
2006, Maverick

7.2

It wasn't until one minute and five seconds into track 3 of the album Saturday Night Wrist that I realized what exactly the Deftones 2003 self-titled release was missing.

Heart.

It is at that moment of the song Beware, and then later moments when the same chorus resurfaces in full, that you come to a true understanding of what you remember the Deftones to have always been about. They have always rocked your face off. But there was always so much emotion involved in every aspect of their sound. Whether its the loud/quiet melodies, the lyrics that not only scream something but mean something, or Chino's ability to do what most "metal" artists cant do...which is SING...and hit real notes; the Deftones have always been able to keep even the people who are least likely to listen to music in their genre entertained.

All of those points were way off target in their 2003's Deftones, the follow-up to the peak album of their career, White Pony. Deftones managed to rock hard, but there was never a point on the album where you actually felt it. Just a lot of noise...good noise in my opinion...but still just noise. I guess this would make Saturday Night Wrist a return to form. It probably would have been more suitable as a follow-up to White Pony.

The album at first seems top heavy, which makes it difficult to focus on the second half. The first few songs are so strong, they command your constant attention. Hole In The Earth, the first single, seemed empty to me at first, but it turns out to be a perfect opener. Each song gets better and stands out more and more with every listen. I feel like this album has to grow on you track by track, but by the time you get to the end, you realize that you got a taste of everything you wanted, and at some point heard echoes of this bands past...along with samples of what may lie ahead.

Peel Dave and See

2006-12-03T10:43:00.000-05:00

So for some reason I decided to bid on the Velvet Underground vinyl that is currently on ebay. Its a good thing I got outbid, but for about a half hour of my life I had $39,100 on the line. It made me a little bit ill. In the end, I am cemented for all time as bidder number 123, at a cool $39,100. So someday when Im out at a record store and I overhear a few music snobs talking about that rare Velvet Underground Acetate I can interject and say.... "yeah, I bid on that".

Just about 12 hours from when I bid $39,100, the auction now has 142 bids and is up to $50,856. WOW!

Songs for Christmas

2006-11-23T03:05:00.000-05:00

Sufjan Stevens
presents Songs For Christmas
2006, Asthmatic Kitty

10.0

Sufjan Stevens is without a doubt over the top in everything he does. While some artists tend to destroy their sound and ultimately their career by attempting to over do it, Sufjan seems to have settled into his comfort zone. At this point in time, everything he touches turns to gold. The man can do no wrong.

Songs for Christmas takes us on a journey that was never intended for us. Over the past 6 years Sufjan has been giving the ultimate cheapskate Christmas gifts to his family and friends. Of all the ways to save a buck. An EP every year of holiday classics, and fresh new holiday songs written by Sufjan himself. Quite honestly, the recipients of these albums must have been sprinting to their mailboxes every day from Thanksgiving to Christmas, desperately awaiting the arrival of their much privileged package.

For them, it was a CD-R decorated in stickers...for us it's a spectacular box set. The packaging of this collection is perfect, and no detail has been overlooked. Each of the 5 albums is in their own separate sleeve, all of which are covered in appropriate holiday symbolicness. The face of each disc resembles a classic vinyl album, each with a different color in the center, and each containing the track listing. There is a page of stickers, a poster size family portrait, comic strip, and massive Songbook. The Songbook contains more pictures and illustrations, detailed song credits, lyrics and chord charts for each song. All of this is packaged in a sturdy gatefold cardboard box. You couldn't ask for more than this for you $20 could you!

And then there is the music. I was quite hesitant to think that i was going to enjoy such a large collection of Christmas music. Music like this usually has such a temporary run in our CD players. As soon as those presents are all unwrapped, and you've finished making your rounds to all of your grandparents houses on Christmas morning, the music stops...and then collects dust until Thanksgiving. However, with this collection, I really feel like there is enough substance to make me want to listen throughout the entire year.

For the most part, all of the more traditional Christmas Carols are done as very short instrumental pieces. It is without a doubt something that i find refreshing. It gives you a brief hint of a classic melody. Something that you recognize and enjoy, but certainly not something that you want to hear over and over again. Nearly half of the songs were actually written by Sufjan (17 of 42), and all range from silly to serious lyrically, but have a very Illinoisesque quality to them in their sounds. Some of them you would swear were recorded for the album Illinois, but then at the last minute Sufjan substituted the words....."we drove to New York, with my friend, in a van"...scratch that out...."we flew to The North Pole, with Santa Claus, in his Sleigh"...eureka!, it's a Christmas song!

The brilliance of this album is the selection of songs that are not as traditional in the aspect of what is expected to be found by a popular artist on a Christmas album. There are many songs that I had never heard before, or could recall, but had never obtained. Several songs are traditional Christmas Hymns, including the song "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing", which is by far my favorite on the album. Not only for the warm quality of the recording, but also for the childhood memories in church on Christmas Eve that song sparks.

Sufjan Stevens presents Songs for Chrismas is for EVERYBODY. I think it deserves a perfect rating, because in all honesty, I can't find anything I don't like about it. Nothing. Period.

So don't even think about downloading it from eMusic. Don't consider sporting a burned copy from your buddy. Drive yourself the store, and go give Santa Sufjan and Jesus your hard earned $20.

And don't forget to sing along!

The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me

2006-11-23T01:40:00.000-05:00

Brand New
The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
2006, Interscope

8.5

Pacing, it’s kind of a dirty word used to describe the music of post rock bands and indie cinema. It’s rarely used in the same context of that other dirty word…emo. Usually, with this type of music, one expects spider-webbed guitars and sung-scream vocals, emoting about girls and graduation.

Surprise, Brand New is emo…or they use to be. Their new album is something completely different. They pretty much ditched the blitzkrieg punk of Your Favorite Weapon when they stunned us with the absurdly fine Deja Entendu. But that had “The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows” a firecracker of an anthem. You won’t find anything like that on The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me. The closest thing to a hook doesn’t show up until near the end. It matters not.

The disc is full of forest fires. They just take a little while to get there. That and a lot of fuel, which the band pours onto the flames with gusto. Take the tense starter “Sowing Season (Yeah)” which is clean and cold at first, a bout of frostbite, until a swath of guitar severs the song at the one-minute mark. The song continues, reminiscent of The Arcade Fire in the build up and more like Cursive in the crackling moments. “Millstone” maintains the atmosphere and is likewise a nail-biter. The disc is full of these instances. Pent up energy then piss and vinegar. It’s not soothing in the least, but man is it satisfying.

It’s just too expansive to talk about each highlight because the disc is brimming with them. However, “Jesus Christ” is a nearly pitch-perfect ballad. The only slack is at the end when it seems to begin again. Why not leave us with the brilliant lyric “We all got wood and nails and we sleep inside of this machine” and the fade out? “Degausser” is shattered and slick, the best track bar friggin’ none. When the mini-choir enters, it’s like a Sufjans Stevens song hopped up and laying in the wreckage of a car. “Limousine” also a stunner, pulses and stutters until it bursts and blooms. “Welcome to Bangkok” feels like filler but is actually quite fulfilling when digested with the rest of the album. “Archers” and “Handcuffs” round out the disc nicely, “Archers” crisp and urgent, even poppy, and the string-flecked “Handcuffs” playing the quiet card again, albeit with aplomb.

Is it even necessary to mention the lyrics. Is the band really talking spiritual warfare? Probably not. Who cares? Lacey strings together some astounding lines. And in the end, the words sync with the music and, well, it’s just gripping stuff. Another vocabulary word that Brand New has learned and practices, gripping. Absolutely gripping.

Boys And Girls In America

2006-11-08T20:16:00.000-05:00

The Hold Steady
Boys And Girls In America
2006, Vagrant

6.3

I really had a lot reservations about reviewing this album. I listened to the album 4 times in row before writing the review. I have to say that I don't like anything else that they've made. Craig Finn's voice really is an aquired taste and at times seems to lack emotion. There is also something really fun about it at the same time and I can't quite pinpoint what it is. His lyrics are nostalgic, witty, and sometimes just downright goofy. There times when you feel like drinking on a hot summers night among friends and other times when you feel driving along America's heartland. That feeling is both in the lyrics and the music, which I must say is the albums saving grace. Boys And Girls In America sounds like the lovechild of Bachman Turner Overdrive and Bruce Springsteen. It's both poetic and senseless, meaningless and relevant.

I should point out that what initially got me interested in checking this album out was a free track that eMusic.com had available aptly named "Boys And Girls In America" which happens to not be on the album. It is a very good song and a definite attention grabber and it has some of Finn's best singing on it. Most of the songs relate to past times that involve partying, drinking, one night stands, and rejection. The album starts with "Stuck Between The Stations" which instrumentally is a fantastic song but Finn's voice doesn't really seem fit this song but somehow his storytelling style makes it tolerable. A lot of this album follows the same pattern but one of the things about this album is that THS always seem to throw in that one thing into each song that makes you remember it and want to listen to it again. Even the hapless ballad "First Night" which seems to have multiple meanings (which isn't always a bad things), doesn't fit Finn's voice at all, and seems to lack emotion finds a way to pull in about halfway through the song when it breaks down into this amazing orchestral bridge and goes into a rockin chorus that leads quite into the second part of the album. Every song seems to have at least a few good hooks and some stellar piano parts but they sometimes try to do too much like in "Chill Out" where the additional vocalists in the song actually make it worse. Songs where THS don't try to do to much and just rock out and sing about drinking is when they are at their best. Craig Finn definitely isn't for everyone but if you want a fun album that doesn't require too much concentration or emotion than this is it for you. The hype surrounding this album is undeserving, it's a good album but not life-changing. I must also point out that there are 2 additional tracks, "Girls Like Status" and "Arms And Hearts", which are available on iTunes which definitely worth the $1.98 to download.

Key Tracks: Party Pit, Southtown Girls, Citrus, Hot Soft Light, You Can Make Like You