Hopelessly, endlessly...kicking myself in the ass.

You know, when Muse came to the US to play Madison Square Garden, I remember saying to my friend Geoff, "hey, let's go see them". This amassed into a whirlwind of excitement followed by scouring the web for tickets inbetween running to the fridge to get more beer. Tragically, I was drunk when I said this, therefore when it actually came around to getting tickets and having to take off work etc, etc. I bowed out, not nearly as gracefully as someone of my stature would have liked. Granted I was late in jumping on the Muse fanwagon, having cited my initial run in with them years ago as "eh, I don't really like the guy's voice, what's with all the breaths he takes in between lines? Can't they like, edit that out?" How foolish was I? I know I know, i disregarded them without giving them much of a chance, but I stand here bfore you today as someone who loves Muse, as I think that they are one of the most original, awe-inspiring bands out there. Really there is no point to this post other than to share with you some mp3s, so if you're not familiar with Muse, or if you jumped the gun and quickly wrote them off (like I did), give them another shot. I promise you you won't be disappointed. As for me, I'm regretting not going to the show, but I suppose there is always next year.

Muse - Time is Running Out
Muse - Stockholm Syndrome
Muse - Falling Down
Muse - New Born
Muse - Bliss
Muse - Endlessly

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ Toads 8/9/07

Sorry for the lack of posts, it has been a fairly hectic summer in terms of my own personal life and the fact that I have just started a new internship as well as grad school. Needless to say, I'm a fairly busy guy. However, I will try my best to grace this little website as much as possible, and today I have some pictures I took at the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club show at Toad's Place on August 9th (I know almost two months ago, what can I say?). Since it was so long ago and there was a lot of heavy drinking involved, I'm not going to even try to describe the show, just trust me when I say that it was damn good. if you're not familiar with BRMC, you should be, so here are some mp3s.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Lien on your Dreams

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Berlin

New Order

So according to Peter Hook, bassist for the iconic band, New Order, the band has officially split. According to Sumner and Morris however, the band is still alive and well. I'm not really sure who to believe here, as New Order took a sebaticle after their 1993 album, Republic, and didn't return for almost a decade. If they have gone their seperate ways I can't say that I'm happy about it. Granted New Order hasn't really released anything in about three years, but being a fan of Joy Division and New Order (yeah, I'll admit it, even though some might classify them as a "guilty pleasure"), I am certainly going to miss their expertly crafted songs. There is, however, that new movie, Control, about Joy Division and Ian Curtis, the former frontman of Joy Division (reminaing members forming New Order after his death for those of you who didn't know) and his suicide at age 23. it's been getting rave reviews and personally I'm quite excited about it. In fact I've already told my girlfriend that I am making her see it with me even though she is neither a Joy Division or New Order fan (although she does claim that she enjoyed Orgy's version of Blue Monday, I'll admit that it makes me cringe, but I'll keep my mouth shut). the movie however has no release date here in the States, so it might be awhile before I actually get to see it, but I'll keep my fingers crossed. Anyway, if the rumors are true, I'll be one of the many grieving fans across the world lamenting their break-up, but I do have some mp3s for you, their live recordings of some New Order tunes, but they are quality, so enjoy.

(I know I have been away for a while, but the fast-paced lifestyle that I lead makes it very difficult for me to find the time to post with any sort of regularity, however I will be trying my hardest to post as much as I possibly can.)

New Order - Crystal (live Canal+ 2005)
New Order - Love Will Tear Us Apart (live Canal+ 2005)
New Order - Jetstream (live Canal+ 2005)
New Order - Krafty (live Canal+ 2005)
New Order - Waiting for the Sirens Call (live Canal+ 2005)
New Order - Hey Now What You Doing (live Canal+ 2005)
New Order - Blue Monday (live Rock Werchter 2005)
New Order - Everything's Gone Green (live Torino, Italy 2005)

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel...

So I am almost completely done with school. It only took me five years but I will finally be graduating and obtaining that ever elusive bachelors degree. Then its a good solid two months before starting graduate school in August. Since the Spoon concert a few weeks back I have acquired some new albums, which I will mention a little later, and I also received my highly anticipated and very expensive ($1800!) Macbook (pictured above, actually, thats not mine, thats from some website, but its the same one). its everything I hoped it would be and more, but my wireless network is being difficult and not allowing me to connect to the internet. Kozma just got back from Japan, so even though hes all jet lagged and what not hopefully he'll pop in to give us a summary of his experience as well as post a few pictures (lucky bastard...). I'm also going to see 28 Weeks Later tomorrow, it's supposed to be pretty good, at least the reviews I've read were pretty positive. I went to the package store today and bought this beer called Moonshot, apparently its brewed in Utica, New York, I had never heard of it, but they gave me three cases (thats 72 bottles of beer for all you math majors out there) for $18 (again, thats $6 per case). I haven't had any yet (it is currently chilling in the fridge waiting for the appropriate temperature), but even if it tastes like rabid monkey piss mixed with my brothers vomit from last night (he was found passed out on the toilet), I would still consider it a great deal. With that being said, I got some new music recently, so here a little sampling for you.

The Delays - Nearer Than Heaven
Tokyo Police Club - Be Good
Film School - Harmed
DJ Shadow - Napalm Brain Scatter Brain
The Subways - Staring at the Sun
Arctic Monkeys - No Buses
Maximo Park - Our Velocity
The Klaxons - Totem on the Timeline

Spoon @ Toads 4/26/07

What can I possibly say that you don't already know? Spoon was, in a word, incredible. The show lasted a little over two hours and every minute of it was jammed packed with Spoony goodness. Koz and I actually had a brush with Britt in the mens bathroom, as we all felt the need to urinate at approximately the same time. Apparently it was the first time they had ever played in New Haven, and I can assure you that they left a pretty good impression on us humble Nutmeggers(?). All of their songs transferred nicely into the live set, and the sheer energy that Daniel and the boys exhibited was impressive. From the get go they had the audience tapping their feet and bouncing around in a pop-fueled bliss that rivaled whatever drug it was that kid with the goggles on had taken earlier that evening. They played a few new songs which are slated to appear on their upcoming album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (out July 10th), but mainly stuck to crowd pleasing favorites off of Gimme Fiction ("The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine", "They Never Got You" "Beast and Dragon, Adored", to name a few)as well as some of their older material (including "The Way We Get By", and the set closing "Fitted Shirt"). I would highly recommend seeing Spoon if ever presented with the chance to do so, it was a phenomenal show. The only downside to the evening was the fact that cans, thats right cans, of beer were going for four bucks. Needless to say, I didn't splurge on the bottles, god knows how much those were going for. And on a completely unrelated note, we saw one of those R2D2 mailboxes near the Yale bookstore as we were walking to the show, completely unnecessary, but we still took pictures with it. Frankly, I was surprised some Star Wars fanatic hadn't tried to steal it. Anyway, sorry about the qaulity of the pictures from the show, I had my brothers digi with me and unfortunately it just didn't cut it. Oh well. Here are some Spoon mp3s (even though most of you probably have them already, if not, enjoy).

Spoon - The Way We Get By
Spoon - Jonathan Fisk
Spoon - Lines In The Suit
Spoon - Sister Jack
Spoon - Believing is Art
Spoon - Back to the Life
Spoon - Paper Tiger
Spoon - They Never Got You

Nonsensical post about nothing in particular

Well, since its been a while since I last posted I figured it was about time for a new one. That and I was getting bored waiting for my buddy Koz to get here so we could start this night off on the right foot. Anyway, with my final semester as an undergraduate rapidly approaching, and my still pending application to graduate school floating in space somewhere, and the deadlines for final research papers and my thesis coming up, I am finally going to divulge senesitive information to someone I should've told a long time ago but never did, oh and I have to attending a funeral tomorrow at 7:30am, you can imagine that I have a lot on my plate right now and I don't really have the motivation to do any of them. it's friday and all I want to do is relax. this funeral is really screwing me up to because Kelleher, my best friend since as far back as I can remember, well its his birthday today, and I'm not going to be able to get shitfaced with him so this whole Friday night is well on its way to becoming a downer. the whole funeral thing sucks too because its just this rmeinder that someone just died. I don't know what I'm rambling about other than the fact that I have a lot of work to do and I'm extremely stressed out. with all of this being said, I'm going to try and post a few songs, hopefully paralleling the wide variety of moods I seem to be experiencing at this moment in time. Enjoy.

Oasis - Stop Crying Your Heart Out
Lily Allen - Everythings Just Wonderful
Arctic Monkeys - Brianstorm
The Fratellis - Chelsea Dagger
Placebo - Every You Every Me
The Libertines - The Delaney
The Killers - (Glamorous) Indie Rock & Roll
Ted Leo - Me & Mia
Stellastarr* - Untitled
Rogue Wave - Eyes
Sufjan Stevens - Chicago

Your (Musical) Study Buddy

It is Friday. Normally, I would go to the package store, buy a 30 pack of inexpensive beer and head to one of my friends houses to set the evening off in the right direction. Not tonight my friends. While I would much rather drink until I blacked out, I have way too much work in front of me to afford yet another Saturday of doing nothing because I got hammered the night before. So tonight I'm going to take it easy. have a few like minded people over, maybe have a few beers and if I get the right amount of work done maybe we'll head out somewhere for a short while. Fear not though, I am not becoming "soft" or a "lightweight" by any means. hopefully by getting this work done I will be free tomorrow night to get absolutely fall on the floor drunk (which I plan on doing regardless). Anyway, I figured since tonight will be full of reading literary criticism's of Herman Melville's Benito Cereno and (hopefully) finishing whats left of my graduate school application, I will treat all of you readers to some of the music that I tend to listen to while I'm studying or writing a paper or whatever, so enjoy.

Explosions in the Sky - First Breath After Coma
Radiohead - Fog
Sigur Ros - Olsen Olsen
Interpol - NYC
Mogwai - I Chose Horses
Sparklehorse - Getting It Wrong
The Album Leaf - On Your Way
King of Convenience - Homesick
Jose Gonzalez - Heartbeats
Efterklang - Monopolist
The Postal Service - The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
Grandaddy - The Crystal Lake
Mogwai - Helicon 1
Sigur Ros - Untitled #4 (a.k.a. njosnavelin/the nothing song)
Explosions in the Sky - Your Hand in Mine (Goodbye)

Decadence

While searching the internet I came across the above picture and immediately I thought to myself, "I have to see this movie". Not only is the cover so incredibly random, as a lone, confused Rob Schnieder-esque looking dude is at the mercy of an orgy of freshly shaven legs, hands, and what seems to be a blown up condom, but the tagline is classic, "A chemical reaction got him some action!", just absolute gold. If that doesn't sell you on this flick then you must be a Mormon or something. I mean the plot summary on IMDB.com just sums up how totally awesome this movie must be, "Pondo Sinatra is a college boy with a problem: women will have nothing to do with him. It's not that he was raised on a chicken farm and, literally, came to school on the back of a turnip truck. It's not that he is a virgin and jinxed, and every move he makes around a woman backfires. The problem is that god and heaven have set themselves against Pondo loosing his virginity. That is until Pondo discovers the secret formula to the most powerful aphrodisiac in the world and becomes....... "The Party Animal"!" The main characters name is PONDO SINATRA. This movie must be absolutely abysmally awful. But you have to admit that it sounds so bad, that it would be hysterical. Anyway, the movie got me thinking, and I said to myself, how would I score this movie, had all the music that is available today, been around in 1985. Then I said to myself, just throw a bunch of mp3s up that sort of evoke that inner "party animal" in all of us. Enjoy.

The Knife - We Share Our Mothers Health
Prodigy - Girls
The Whip - Trash
Daft Punk - Robot Rock
New Order - Crystal
Muse - Supermassive Black Hole
Interpol - Slow Hands
Cansei de ser Sexy - I Wanna be Your J.Lo
Ratatat - Seventeen Years
Turbulence - Notorious
The Streets - Fit But You Know It
LCD Soundsystem - On Repeat

Montreal

So, after about six hours of driving, Kozma and I have returned from Montreal. It was a really fun trip and I would definitely recommend visiting, however I would only stay for 3-4 days due to the fact that you can pretty much see everything the city has to offer in that time frame. The people are very nice and pretty much everyone speaks English (however I'm pretty sure that some crack little jokes about "Americans" in French) Needless to say we got really drunk, and we met some interesting folks (hello female Torontonians, drunk girls from Maine, French girl I was attempting to have a conversation with, the sad looking strippers from Chez Paree, waiter at Les Brasseurs, relatively helpful girl at the front desk of the hotel, Ziggy, Absinthe drinking Party Boy from New York who was dancing on the roof of the hotel, and the various other animated characters we came across during our stay). Oh and on our way back we were stopped by the border patrol and searched, drug sniffing dog and all. I think Koz and I were stereotyped as stoner college kids trying to smuggle drugs into the U.S., excuse me but does it look like I swallowed any balloons today? After all that I can't say that I'm enthusiastic about returning to reality, in fact I'm depressed just thinking about it. Anyway, here are some of the tunes that were played constantly while we were up there, including songs that were played in bars, stores, and the top 20 countdown on MusiquePlus!, I have to admit that the music played was relatively good, most of it ranging from mid to late 90s pop rock to the indie hipster stuff I listen to today. of course there was your Nelly Furtados and Celine Dions (Canada has a Nelly Furtado day, for Christ sake), but for the most part the auditory experience of Montreal was a plus, so enjoy.

Mika - Grace Kelly
Nelly Furtado - Say It Right (iTunes Session)
Peter, Bjorn & John - Young Folks
Gary Jules - Mad World (this song was like #7 on the top 20, I found this to be odd since the song is like 6 years old)
Malajube - Montreal -40C
Garbage - Only Happy When It Rains
Avril Lavigne - Girlfriend (She's just like so, WHATEVER)

Guilty Pleasures

You must be wondering to yourself just why, exactly, Barry Gibb and Barbara Streisand are staring at you with their icy, vapid, soulless eyes. Don't worry, I'm not subjecting you to anything objectionable, but rather presenting you with a collection of "guilty pleasures" (note the title of the above album and make the connection!) I've been searching for an excuse to post for the past few days and while nothing incredibly amazing jumped out at me, I did have this idea for a post revolving around those songs that you secretly like, and you're too embarassed to admit it. This all stems from a girl who shall remain nameless, who repeatedly claims that she doesn't like "emo-shit", yet still loves hellogoodbye, which is a band that I would file under "emo-synth pop". Either way, here's to all the songs that you tap your foot along with in the privacy of your own home, but denounce it quicker than a white supremacist rally in public.

Hellogoodbye - Here (In Your Arms) - for a band that reportedly derived its name from a line that Screech delivered in the episode of Saved by the Bell when the gang heads to Hawaii, they're not all that bad. This song is downright infectious and the video features a Pog tournament rather prominently.

Soul Decision - Faded - remember this pop gem from '98? Didn't think so. Soul Decision was one of those boy bands that actually played their instruments, not that it really made any difference, but I'll sadly admit that I still know most of the lyrics to this song.

Frou Frou - Let Go - now I understand that Zach Braff included this tune in his flick Garden State, and that Imogen Heap is getting all sorts of crazy indie-hipster street-cred, but I mean, come on, this song is pretty queer.

Annie - Chewing Gum - I'll admit it, I find Annie to be light-hearted, breezy, fun, unabashed pop, but there is a little side of me that is afraid to confess it.

Sia - Breathe Me - I almost considered not putting this song up, mainly because one would find it easy to question my sexuality after listening to it. With that said I decided to include it because the simplicity of this song coupled with an amazing voice is a genuinely hard thing to find these days.

The Postal Service - Such Great Heights - granted they're a poor mans Notwist, and I'm really not a huge fan of their generic emo-ish vocals, but still, a bunch of nicely done bleeps and bloops.

Stars - Fairytale of New York - yes, I have one of their albums, I'll admit it, but you also have to admit that some of their catalog is downright corny.

Mates of State - Fraud in the 80s - now don't get me wrong, I like Mates of State a lot, and they call the town over from mine home so they're kind of like my distant neighbors, but as catchy as their songs are, lyrically theres not much there but bubblegum gushings about how much they're in love. We get it.

Sufjan Stevens - The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is Out to Get Us - personally, I really like Sufjan. I even have his Christmas boxset. However there are a lot Sufjan haters out there, my rarely heard from writing partner being one fo them, who think he sucks, so I figured that earned Mr. Stevens a spot on the list.

Asobi Seksu - Thursday - I was rocking this track on my Ipod the other day and a friend of mine asked me what the hell I was listening to. After I informed her, she told me that it was "kinda queer".

Thats all for now, feel free to mention any "guilty pleasures" I might have left out in the comment field. Hopefully after my trip to Montreal I'll find some time to post some pictures and some music, so check back on Monday.

The Wombats. Dig It.

What's in a name? Apparently not much, considering the fact that a lot of the bands that are emerging today have absolutely ridiculous names. Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah!, anyone? How about Panic at the Disco (which I will admit would be a cool name for an album or a song)? Either way it seems as though bands are exerting themselves to exhaustion trying to come up with a name that oozes coolness, the kind of coolness that will make the indie-hipster kids salivate. The Wombats, are one of those bands you can't really put your finger on, were they trying to come up with a name totally abstract and nonsensical, or do they just not care? Whatever the case may be, this three-piece from Liverpool, England will most definitely have the indie-hipster kids clamoring for more. Their brand of catchy, bliss-induced pop is certainly difficult to not like, and I can almost guarantee that your toes will be tapping in no time. Don't believe me? Well, let your ears feast on the following mp3 nuggets of poppy joy.

The Wombats - My First Wedding
The Wombats - Lost in the Post
The Wombats - Backfire @ the Disco (mp3)
The Wombats - Patricia the Stripper (mp3)

Singles Awareness (Valentine's) Day Mixtape

So here it is, the Valen-I mean, Singles Awareness Day Mixtape. Now I know what you're thinking, that there are tons of songs written about love, the loss of love, the pain caused by being in love, etcetera. How could I possibly narrow it down to a single mix? Well, for one, I'm not confining myself to a certain number of songs in order to fit it on a CD, if it happens to run over the allotted 80 minutes, so be it, it will be a double disc mix and you loyal readers can divvy the tracks as you see fit. And while this disc certainly has a theme, I'm just going to pick songs that hopefully aren't the painfully obvious, but rather ones that I enjoy. Deviating a bit, I'd like to point out the above picture that I have chosen to represent this mix, I thoroughly enjoy the image, but what struck me as relating specifically to this mix was the fact that in the foreground there are two (presumably) happy couples, yet in the background one can clearly see two lonely souls, including one that is nothing but a silhouette, shourded in the shadows. Interesting, huh? The pain of a holiday that is excludes the inept persons who are unable to find someone to send it with is equally depressing, take my friend Matt for example, who, just last night expressed this when recalling a recent romantic folly: (Keith Urban song begins to play in the bar) Matt: "Keith Urban! (the rest of us look at him quizzically) The last time I heard this song it was four in the morning and I was trying to kill myself!" YEA, THANKS FOR THE GOOD TIMES, LADIES.

1. Muse - Can't Take My Eyes Off You
2. Daft Punk - Digital Love
3. Head Automatica - Beating Heart Baby
4. Annie - Heartbeat
5. Bloc Party - This Modern Love
6. Finley Quaye - Dice
7. Nada Surf - If You Leave
8. Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
9. Spoon - I Summon You (Demo, sorry!)
10. Placebo - Sleeping With Ghosts
11. The Church - Under the Milky Way Tonight
12. The Cardigans - I Need Some Fine Wine And You, You Need to be Nicer
13. Teddybears (feat. Annie) - Yours to Keep
14. Goldfrapp - Number 1
15. Oh No! Oh My! - I Love You All the Time
16. Muse - Endlessly
17. Blur - Tender
18. Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
19. Cat Power - The Greatest
20. Nine Black Alps - Cosmopolitan
21. Oasis - Wonderwall (come on, you knew this was coming)
22. Sufjan Stevens - To Be Alone With You
23. Radiohead - Exit Music (For a Film)
24. Blur - This Is A Low
25. Placebo - Song To Say Goodbye
26. Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen, We Are Floating In Space

Bonus: Justin Timberlake & Andy Samberg - Dick In A Box (for that special someone)

A Weekend In The City

So I just got the new Bloc Party disc and I have to say that it is really good, I may be biased a bit just because the opening track is based upon Less Than Zero, which just happens to be penned by my favorite author Bret Easton Ellis. But before you condemn me, let me just say that this is a worthy successor to Silent Alarm. Now granted they have moved a bit away from the sound of Silent Alarm, but this album is by no means a "sophomore slump". They have added guitars beyond your wildest dreams, let me tell you that this album rocks on every track, granted it will take you a bit to get to used to the new sound sound, but it is well worth it in the end. Bloc Party is probably one of the greatest bands to emerge in this decade, and you would be a fool to pass them up.

Lack of a title doesn't necessarily mean a lack of quality tunes

The above photo doesn't really have anything to do with anything, but I like posting pictures and I kind of like the little guy, what with his buggy eyes and bizarre black and white pigmentation. Anyway, I'm going to keep this post relatively short, seeing as how I am barely home anymore, what with the Spring semester starting last week and my mind-numbing sales job draining the life out of me. For the past few days I've been trying to think of a mixtape or something even borderline creative, but I'm completely fried, so I figured I'd just take the easy way out and offer up some mp3s of the albums that have been placed on heavy rotation in the last month or so. Given the fact that my Ipod is my saving grace at school, you know that these tracks are quality, so enjoy.

Maximo Park A Certain Trigger buy
Maximo Park - Apply Some Pressure
Maximo Park - The Coast Is Always Changing

Rogue Wave Descended Like Vultures buy
Rogue Wave - California
Rogue Wave - Publish My Love

Snowden Anti Anti buy
Snowden - Black Eyes
Snowden - Victim Card
Snowden - Stop Your Bleeding
Snowden - Anti Anti

Guillemots Through the Windowpane buy
Guillemots - Trains to Brazil
Guillemots - Made Up Lovesong #43
Guillemots - Through the Windowpane

The Good, The Bad and The Queen The Good, The Bad and The Queen buy
The Good, The Bad and the Queen - Hurculean

The Album Leaf Into the Blue Again buy
The Album Leaf - Always For You
The Album Leaf - Shine
The Album Leaf - Into the Sea

The Stone Roses The Stone Roses buy
The Stone Roses - I Wanna Be Adored
The Stone Roses - Made of Stone
The Stone Roses - Elephant Stone

Muse Black Holes & Revelations buy
Muse - Invincible
Muse - Assassin
Muse - Starlight
Muse - Knights of Cydonia - the best video of the year by far

That's all for now, I have a lot of homework ahead of me, hope you enjoyed the post. Until next time.

Children of Men

So Koz and I went to go see Children of Men this past weekend which, we both concluded, was a hands down fantastic film. We also saw Pan's Labrinyth, which, unfortunately was kind of a let down. We both had high hopes for Pan's Labrinyth, but we both felt that while it was a very good film, it just left us wanting more, and it unfortunately didn't live up to all the hype it had been receiving. But Children of Men was awesome! Seriously, you should go see this film as soon as humanly possible. Beautifully shot, engaging story, all in all, just a really, really good flick. While John Tavener's score certainly set the mood for the film, the "oldies" strewn throughout the movie were equally intrical to the overall feel of the film, given to the fact that they've stuck to mostly classic British rock in terms of both what we today would consider classic rock (i.e. The Rolling Stones) and music that would be considered "classic" in the year 2027 (i.e. The Libertines, Radiohead). Below are some of the songs from the movie, enjoy, and go see Children of Men. Seriously, I promise you you will not be disappointed (oh and for all of those modern sci-fi fans who were forever turned off by the nonsensical Matrix series, this is far from Keanu Reeves / Jesus Christ yelling "Whoa!" while dodging bullets in slow motion, this movie is a breathtaking realistic look at a dystopian future, with a pretty kick-ass soundtrack).

From the Children of Men trailer(s):
Sigur Ros - Hoppipolla
Muse - Map of the Problematique

From the film:
King Crimson - The Court of the Crimson King
Franco Battiato - Ruby Tuesday
Jarvis Cocker - Running the World

Artist Spotlight: The Klaxons

Okay, so I admit that I'm a bit late jumping on The Klaxons bandwagon, but you know what they say, better late than never you know? Anyway, I have to say that these guys are really really cool. Their brand of catchy riffs quipped with great hooks never ceases to amaze me. Let me say this, if you're not listening to them already, you should be. They hail from London, England, and have amassed a large underground following (you probably won't be able to use the term "underground" for long though). HMV describes The Klaxons sound as "acid-rave sci-fi punk-funk", and on their Myspace page they proudly proclaim themselves as "Screamo / Happy Hardcore / Pop". Along with Shitdisco, The Klaxons have been branded as part of the "New Rave" movement, what that means, exactly, I'm not entirely sure, so interpretation is up to you. Their unique brand of art-rock spliced with post-modernism rave music will undoubtedly titilate your earsdrums. I promise you that you will be shimmying in your seat in no time. Trust me when i say download all of these tracks, they all come to you with the seal of awesomeness approval.

The Klaxons - Gravity's Rainbow
The Klaxons - Not Over Yet
The Klaxons - Atlantis to Interzone (Crystal Castles Remix)
The Klaxons - Golden Skans (my personal favorite)

Now that you're done here, do yourself a favor and check out the incredibly exhaustive, intense, hands-on, best of '06 list on web at Good Weather for Airstrikes

Given the fact that I had no idea what my next post was going to be, but feeling the pressures of posting regardless, I set up to just coming up with a little playlist of some random tracks to see if any of them sparked something in my noggin. Unfortunately, doing this probably left me more confused and clueless then I was before. So with that being said, I am going to present to you what did come to mind, a sort of badass, revenge-ish, now that I'm drunk I can kick your ass kind of mix. I just sort of put together some of those songs that tend to sum up the hatred that we feel for another human being at any given point in our lives, whether it be the douchebag living across the hall, that unsympathetic bitch of a girlfriend, or the few folks who make all of the decisions for the rest of us. No matter how you look at it, the songs included are all of top notch caliber, so enjoy.

1. Spoon - Revenge! - can't get much more obvious than this quality track.
2. Muse - Time is Running Out - nothing like a song that gives the government a swift kick in the ass to spark a conversation about politics and the declining faith in said institutions.
3. The Libertines - What a Waster - the agressive, almost sloppy style of play employed by Doherty and co. allow their songs to have a very dirty, unpolished sound to them, and this song about a friend who's "pissed it all up the wall", is a perfect example.
4. Blur - Crazy Beat - Donald Duck on ecstasy.
5. Joy Division - Digital - this song takes you by surprise right from the opening chords and it doesn't let up throughout the entire song. it reminds me of just being sloppy drunk, with an overwhelming feeling of self-imposed superiority over everyone in my general vicinity.
6. Smashing Pumpkins - Fuck You (An Ode to No One) - pretty self-explanatory, don't you think?
7. Nirvana - Rape Me - this song is about as self-loathing as it gets, and television and movie industries have taught me that there is nothing scarier than the man who has nothing to lose.
8. Rage Against the Machine - Killing In the Name Of - you had to have known that Rage was going to show up somewhere.
9. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Suck My Kiss - this track is just oozing with energy (as most of the Chili Peppers older work is), the bassline is killer, and the lyrics are energetic and lots of fun.
10. Jimi Hendrix - The Killing Floor
11. She Wants Revenge - Tear You Apart - simply put, a great track from a band that I can't get enough of, infectious, to say the least.
12. The Rolling Stones - Paint It Black - it's the perfect song to cap off the mix, unnerving, chilling and it just plain kicks ass.

Bonus:
Rage Against the Machine - Down Rodeo

I drove through ghosts to get here...

So now that my finals are over and I don't have to worry about school for another four weeks or so, I can finally post more often (that is as long as I'm not hung over). Today's post is going to be a calm one. After the hectic week of finals and whatnot, I figured that a nice, soothing night driving mix was in order. I came to the conclusion of making the mix because as I was sitting in traffic on my way home from work this evening, I was overwhelmed by how the music pumping through my factory direct standard stereo system in my car was keeping me from scooping my own eyeballs out with a spoon. So I figured it would be a good idea to do a nice soothing mix, with the occasional up-tempo song to keep things interesting, and since it doesn't necessary include songs specifically related to driving, I suppose you could call it a "chill" mix, or a "post-hangover" one, or even a "sleepy time lullaby" mix. Whatever you call it, I hope you enjoy (along with all of these really rad night driving pics).

1. DeVotchKa - How It Ends
2. The Album Leaf - Over the Pond
3. Thom Yorke - Atoms for Peace
4. Greg Weeks - Made - somewhat creepy, especially after you watch this commercial.
5. Notwist - Consequence - the album is amazing. Pick it up, I command you!
6. The Smiths - How Soon Is Now
7. Mogwai - Helicon 1
8. Sigur Ros - Olsen Olsen
9. Sparrow House - When I Am Gone
10. Belle & Sebastian - Sleep Around the Clock
11. The Album Leaf - Into the Sea
12. Spoon - Everything Disco
13. Radiohead - Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box
14. 65 Days of Static - Drive Through Ghosts to Get Here
15. Explosions in the Sky - Welcome, Ghosts

The name is Seamus O'Toole and I'm here to get drunk

Thank god this semester is over and done with. After a string of long and arduous assignments, grueling papers, mind-numbing lectures and just being a plain old pain in my ass, I am done. I don't even care what my grades are at this point, I'm just happy that I can kick up my feet and relax for a good five weeks. And I cannot wait to throw every caution to the wind and indulge in every whim. Drinking heavily will play a major part during my Christmas break. I am a little worried however, that my nights bar hopping will be populated with extras from Growing Up Gotti, waving their Nextels high above their heads while chanting along to some redundant raggaeton (wtf is that?) club hit. "Gasolina" is already throbbing in my head and making my eyes hurt. Anyway, here are some of my personal favorite jams to get into the partying mood, so while not officially a mix (the tracks are listed in no discernable order, make your own damn mixtape if you want!), it is filled to the brim with some classic, catchy, upbeat tunes. Enjoy, and, if you ever see me out, remind me to remind you that you should buy me a drink.

Shiny Toy Guns - Le Disko / We Are Scientists - Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt / Dead Disco - The Treatment / Bloc Party - Banquet / MSTRKRFT - The Looks / Fujiya & Miyagi - Ankle Injuries / The Strokes - Someday / The Clash - London Calling / Kasabian - Club Foot / Prodigy - Firestarter / Le Tigre - Deceptacon / Mystery Jets - You Can't Fool Me Dennis / Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Gold Lion / The Von Bondies - C'mon C'mon / The Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now / Arctic Monkeys - I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor / Muse - Stockholme Syndrome / Prototypes - Je Ne Te Connais Pas / The Killers - Bling (Confessions of a King) / Interpol - Slow Hands / Joy Division - Ceremony / New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle / The Spinto Band - Oh Mandy / The Cloud Room - Hey Now Now / The Strokes - New York City Cops / The Libertines - Up the Bracket / Babyshambles - Janie Jones / Cansei de ser Sexy - Lets Make Love and Listen Death From Above

The Holiday Mixtape Project, Vol. 4

I was going to post a funny picture to go along with this mix, but something about that little big-headed mongloid struck a chord with me. Anyway, I'm going to have to say that this will be the final installment of this years Christmas mix, mainly because I am currently inundated with exams and final papers and I just cant put forth the time and effort trying to dig up Holiday themed songs. Anyway, there are some really good tunes on this mix, so I hope you enjoy and i hope you all have a wonderful Holiday season.

1. Steve Martin - Five Wishes for Christmas
2. Sufjan Stevens - Come On! Lets Boogie to the Elf Dance!
3. Pas/Cal - Last Christmas ( I stole this from Shane so go show some love at The Torture Garden)
4. Pearl Jam - Let Me Sleep
5. The Knife - Christmas Reindeer
6. Maps - Sparks In The Snow (just go visit Derek at GWFAS)
7. The Killers - A Great Big Sled
8. Pearl Jam - Someday at Christmas
9. The Format - Holly Jolly Christmas
10. David Gray - (Christmas) Babylon

That's all for today. Merry Christmas or whatever. Thanks to Fuel Friends.

The Holiday Mixtape Project, Vol. 3

Hello again. I like Christmas, or rather the holiday season in general, particularly when the retarded bag boy at JCPenny's doesn't casually smash the box that is clearly marked FRAGILE while carelessly tossing it into my bag. I especially like it when I'm not subjected to watching a movie with Kirsten Dunst in it because she's a hideous mutant who, upon the very sight of her, causes temporary blindness. And I also enjoy it because I get to post some Holiday music that isn't the same Bing Crosby/David Bowie duet we've all heard a million times. Oh and I get to post weird pictures like the one above. Oh O.J., I wish you all the luck with your money grubbing exploitative ventures. Anyway, moving right along, I've got a ton of Sufjan for you on this disc, which I'm sure Kozma will appreciate. Aside from all the Sufjany Holiday goodness, I've collected quite a few songs that I think you'll enjoy, as I consider this my "you've drank too much so just sit on the couch and relax" chillout Holiday disc. So, I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do.

1. Seasick Crocodiles - Snowflake
2. The Trekky Yuletide Orchestra - Baby It's Cold Outside
3. Sufjan Stevens - What Child Is This Anyway?
4. Traditional - Greensleeves
5. The Walkmen - The Christmas Party
6. Sufjan Stevens - That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!
7. Snowden - Christmas Time Is Here
8. The Eels - Christmas is Going to the Dogs
9. eric Metronome - Hannuka Girl
10. Explosions in the Sky - Day 7 (technically not a Holiday song, but I think it has a very festive sound)

The Holiday Mixtape Project, Vol. 2

Okay, so here it is, the second installment of the Holiday Mixtape. I decided to call it the "Holiday" mixtape rather than just a "Christmas" mixtape because "Christmas" just sounded too exclusive, and the track by Princeton on this volume has a more, well, lets just say broader appeal. I think you guys will appreciate this mix, as it has some really solid tunes. Some of you may recognize a few of the tracks from last years mix, but as I said before they're are the cream of the crop, no filler this Christmas...well, at least I'm trying to weed out all of the filler. And you Sufjan fans will be pleased to know that he makes an appearance on this mix as well, which caused Kozma to quietly roll his eyes in disgust. Whether you're a Sufjan fan or not, there's a little something for everyone on this mix, in fact, it may be the strongest Holiday mix yet, as every song is of top-notch quality, it even has possibly my favorite Christmas jam of all time, The Christmas Song by the Raveonettes, so, if anything, grab that.

1. Sufjan Stevens - Put the Lights on the Tree
2. Princeton - Where's My Christmas Morning?
3. Ron Sexsmith - Maybe This Christmas
4. Jack Johnson - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
5. Kevin Devine - Splitting Up Christmas
6. Snow Patrol - When I Get Home for Christmas
7. Low - Just Like Christmas
8. Rilo Kiley - Christmas Cake
9. Okkervil River - Listening to Otis Redding at Home During Christmas
10. The Raveonettes - The Christmas Song
11. Sufjan Stevens - Hey Guys! It's Christmas Time!

Special thanks to The Duke of Straw at The Late Greats!

The Christmas Mixtape Project, Vol. 1

Okay, so I was sitting in class today debating on whether or not I should make my next post be the beginning of the 2006 Insert Brand Name Here Christmas Mixtape, since I didn't have all that much to post about (besides the new Spoon tune that is featured in the new Will Ferrell movie, Stanger than Fiction), I figured I'd go with the Holiday tunes. I was told last year that some of my song choices were "depressing". I defended my choices by stating that Christmas (or whatever holiday you happen to celebrate) is not always happy, and the songs should reflect differentiating moods. Hopefully you'll feel the same because there are some real gems that I'm planning to include this year. those of you familiar with last years mix will probably recognize some of the songs, as I just couldn't resist including them in this years mix as well because, well, they're just so damn good. I'm hoping to make a good four disc set for this Holiday season, but we'll see how these lofty ambitions play out. So here it is, the first installment of the Christmas/Holiday Mixtape '06.

1. Coldplay - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
2. The Trekky Yuletide Orchestra - All I Want for Christmas is You
3. Grandaddy - Alan Parsons in a Winter Wonderland
4. Jimmy Eat World - Last Christmas
5. Aimee Mann - I Was Thinking I Could Clean Up for Christmas
6. The Long Blondes - Christmas is Cancelled
7. Bright Eyes - Blue Christmas
8. Neko Case - Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis
9. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Cold White Christmas
10. Snowden - White Christmas
11. Feist - Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming
12. Sufjan Stevens - Sister Winter

That's all I have for you today, hopefully you'll enjoy it as much as I am right now. Check back in the following weeks to acquire the rest of the Christmas/Holiday Mixtape Project. Until then, I look forward to reading some of your COMMENTS!

Babyshambles

Babyshambles, for those of you who don't know, is the band fronted by ex-Libertine Pete Doherty. They're debut album, Down in Albion, was impressive, and now that Pete's clean and about to marry Kate Moss, they've been hitting the studio and have recorded some brand new tracks for the upcoming Blinding EP. Most recently, they've teamed up with twenty-one other musicians including We Are Scientists, fellow ex-Libertine Carl Barat, The Kooks, and the Guillemots (seems a bit excessive doesn't it?) to record a benefit single of The Clash classic Janie Jones for Strummerville (The Joe Strummer Foundation for New Music). How Pete managed to find time in between staying sober, beating the shit out of papparazzi, and wandering around a hospital is beyond me. You can pre-order the benefit single here. Moving along, here are some mp3s for you to enjoy.

Babyshambles - Janie Jones

From Down In Albion:
Babyshambles - Fuck Forever

From The Blinding EP:
Babyshambles - The Blinding
Babyshambles - Sedative (Live on C4 Transmission)

B-Sides:
Babyshambles - The Man Who Came to Stay
Babyshambles - Do You Know Me

The Under the Covers Mixtape...and Sean Lennon

So I was watching the season premiere of The O.C. (I stopped watching after season one, but what with Marissa's death last season and Ryan taking a turn as a crazy revenge fueled Fight Club-esque cage fighter, I couldn't help myself but watch at how this show had jumped the shark long ago. I was pleasantly surprised when it wasn't as bad as I had thought it would be, mostly because of the inclusion of Placebo's stunning cover of Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill. All of this prompted me to review my immense collection of music in search for other covers that either hold up to the original or surpass it (or at least ones that you're not so familiar with), so here it is, the cover song mixtape.

1. Gypsy Kings - Hotel California - I absolutely hate the original version of this song, and I hate Spanish (it's currently killing my GPA), but this cover is undeniably awesome, and it was used rather effectively in one of my favorite movies, The Big Lebowski. (Original Artist - The Eagles)
2. The Kooks - Crazy - I know that we're all sick and tired of this song. It's been overplayed now for the better part of a year, but The Kooks are able to turn this blend their quirky sense of musical playfulness into this song and make it fun in a whole new acoustic way. (Original Artist - Gnarls Barkley)
3. Jose Gonzalez - Love Will Tear Us Apart - he is the Swedish super cover song champion, and this is one of my personal favorite songs of all time. (Original Artist - Joy Division)
4. Damien Rice - Seven Nation Army - this song is so simple, even I can play it. In all seriousness, Lisa Hannigan's voice is captivating as always, and the string arrangement adds a nice touch. (Original Artist - The White Stripes)
5. The Sex Pistols - I Did It My Way - this ode to death is just so completely ridiculous and over the top, I couldn't help myself. Whether you think they're butchering a classic or creating something entirely their own, it's a good one. (Original Artist - Frank Sinatra)
6. Johnny Cash - Personal Jesus - taking the slick, dark, goth synths of the original and replacing them with a twangy guitar and Cash's weathered voice works surprisingly well in this cover. (Original Artist - Depeche Mode)
7. Placebo - Running Up That Hill - utterly haunting. I cannot descibe to you the sheer brilliance that this song displays. In my opinion, much, much better than the original, totally jaw dropping. (Original Artist - Kate Bush)
8. Nirvana - Where Did You Sleep Last Night? - Kurt Cobain's voice is the highlight of this track, it cracks with the ache of the realization that we would all dread, and it resonates for a long time after hearing it. (Original Artist - Leadbelly)
Honorable Mentions:
Snow Patrol - Crazy In Love (Original Artist - Beyonce)
David Gray - Smile Like You Mean It (Original Artist - The Killers)
Damien Rice - Creep (Original Artist - Radiohead)

...and finally, to top it off, Sean Lennon.

So Sean Lennon finally released a new album, Friendly Fire, and it's pretty good. I have to give Sean some credit. Since he inherited his fathers fortune he doesn't really have to do much of anything, and because of that he isn't worried about success, so it allows him to craft pretty catchy pop songs. And the songs are good, even though Sean doesn't have the vocal range of his father, the songs are fun and the lyrics are heartfelt and memorable. And included with the album is a DVD that features interconnecting short films that correspond to all the songs that feature a bunch of Hollywood types from Lindsey Lohan and Bijou Phillips, and they're pretty cool. Anyway, heres some mp3s and some YouTube links for the films.

Sean Lennon - Dead Meat (highly recommended)
Sean Lennon - Wait For Me
Sean Lennon - Friendly Fire
Sean Lennon - Spectacle

Friendly Fire Trailer
Short Film #1: Dead Meat

Chilly Fall Mixtape '06

Now, I fully realize that it is already well into the Fall season, due to the fact that we're now in November, but I think you'll forgive me when your ears are molested by the sweet tunes I've comprised on this mixtape. While there really was no criteria that had to be met in order to be included on the mix, I tried to narrow it down to songs that exhibited a soothing, or calming feel, something to usher in the colder months ahead gradually, as we offically say goodbye to sunny skies and warm weather. With that being said, let's move right along to the mp3's.

1. Peter, Bjorn & John - Young Folks - this song is pure pop bliss, and with Victoria Bergsman sharing vocal duties, it's simply incredible. I am compelled to tell you that you must download, or die.
2. The Rapture - Pieces of the People We Love - this is one of those songs, that upon hearing it, you wonder where you've heard it before. unfortunately I don't have the answer, but it's a pretty kick ass song.
3. Benoit Pioulard - Palimend - this electro-folk song is a autumnal smash complete with an ominous strumming guitar, low vocal moaning, and an ever present ghostly marching snare. Oh yea, his real name is Thomas Meluch, a 21 year old from Michigan who happened to adopt a faux-French nickname. Or whatever.
4. Damien Rice - 9 Crimes - yes, I included the new single from Damien Rice, and yes, it is more of the same old Damien Rice. But its simplistic elegance is unparalleled.
5. Albert Hammond, Jr. - In Transit - surprise! Albert Hammond, Jr.'s (guitarist from The Strokes) solo debut is actually pretty good. And this track is perfect to pull you out of that depressing coma Damien Rice just put you in. So have fun!
6. Frida Hyvonen - I Drive My Friend - this Swedish singer/songwriter is generating a lot of buzz right now and she's currently on tour with Jose Gonzalez. This song is just incredible in its simplicity, and the heartbreaking ode to loss and ultimate sorrow.
7. Bloc Party - Helicopter (Santa Monica Mix) - this is probably one of the cooler Bloc Party remixes floating around (we all know how pointless most of the remixes on Silent Alarm Remixed were), and if anything, it's an interesting listen.
8. Mew - The Zookeeper's Boy - the winners of album and band of the year in 2003, at the ingneiously named Danish Music Critics Award Show, Mew has "indie hipster" written all over them. Which is a good thing, I think.
9. The Scissor Sisters - The Other Side - while I'm not the biggest fan of the Scissor Sisters, I find this song to be really, really good.
10. Fujiya & Miyagi - Collarbone - while I'm on this funktastic kick, here's a really cool song that amazingly is able to incorprate that childhood song where you name a bunch of bones in your body with the segue being "connected to..." into the final chorus of the song. It just oozes coolness.
11. Christopher Willits - Colors Shifting - here's an appropriately titled song (due to the colors of the leaves changing, dumbass), that is brimming with warm fuzzy electronic bleeps and bloops.
12. Sigur Ros - Hoppipolla - just an amazing, jaw dropping song. You are foolish to let this one sneak by you, so please, I am begging you to do yourself a favor, and download this track.
13. Jose Gonzalez - Stay In The Shade - ask me to name a song by Jose Gonzalez that isn't utterly beautiful and I wouldn't be surprised at the possibility of my head exploding in failure.
14. Beirut - Postcards From Italy - I can't explain why i love this song so much. All i can really say about it is that it is captivating, it wisks you away to some remote place, and it pleads with you to reflect (now I'm really talking out of my ass, but trust me it's a good tune).
15. Mute Math - Stare At The Sun - to conclude this mix I chose this song, due to the fact that it's got a nice "end credits" feel to it. Take it for what you will, I'm done.

Bonus fun: We Are Scientists - Hoppipolla (Sigur Ros cover) - not only does We Are Scientists stay true to the original, they actually learned the Icelandic lyrics. If that's not fan dedication I don't know what is.

The IBNH Halloween Mixtape, Vol. 4...The Final Chapter

So here it is. The final installment of the Halloween mixtape. I have to say that I had a good time putting these songs together. Hopefully they've offered a somewhat different Halloween listening experience, I don't know about you but "Monster Mash" and all that other hokey stuff that tends to get played on Halloween was wearing a little thin. Anyway, I don't want to ramble, so on to the tracks.

1. Muse - New Born - I felt that this song needed to lead this collection off because, well, it just grabs you immediately and violently shakes your entire body throughout its entire length. The vocals emit this sense of urgency, and the pounding bass and edgy synths will have the hair on the back of your neck standing up. Oh, and you might want to prepare for an anxiety attack.
2. Mogwai - Auto Rock - the gradual build-up to this multi-faceted song is the hook here, the soft piano melody slowly shifts into this full out, in your face electronic rock opera, with this ever looming around the corner drum beats, giving the song a nice ambient, yet ominous, feel to it.
3. Efterklang - Monopolist - a very ethereal track, one that melds a beautiful string arrangement with the little beeps and boops one might here in a Radiohead track or something. What works here is the sense that there is no hope, the lyrics convey a deep sense of loathing, "save me from myself, leave my body broken", I can picture this song playing over the ending credits of some deeply disturbing film.
4. U.N.K.L.E. - Rabbit In Your Headlights - I'm a bit biased when it comes to this song due to the fact that it features Thom Yorke on vocal duty. The song itself is purely chilling, with Thom's voice accompanied by the creepy piano and various electronic ambiance.

To conclude the Halloween mixtape I decided to throw some songs together that are a little more well known. Some of them are kind of corny and silly, but we all know them, others are just fun Halloween tunes. So as you enjoy the Halloween Mixtape, grab these more or less "hokey" songs as well. Enjoy and Happy Halloween.

Michael Jackson - Thriller
REM - I Walked With a Zombie
Boris "Bobby" Pickett - Monster Mash
The Cramps - I Was a Teenage Werewolf
Ray Parker Jr. - Ghostbusters
Car Stereo (Wars) - Hip Hop Halloween Monster Mash-up - this is actually pretty cool, it's based upon john Carpenter's The Fog, and includes songs like "Dare" and "Push It". Check it out, it doesn't disappoint.