The Distant Future

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!

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

I just love these guys!

White Stripes - Wilmington, DE - 07.27.07

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.