All Points West 2009 Photo Journal

I'm sure most of you who weren't there heard about how it rained and everything was as Chris Martin eloquently put it on Sunday night, a "mud jacuzzi". Despite the fact that every time your foot would hit the ground the mud would swallow you up to a little bit above your ankle, and the resulting suction every time you tried to step forward made it incredibly exhausting and near impossible to "hurry" anywhere, it was an overall enjoyable experience. Despite the general awesomeness, one thing that I did not enjoy was the fact that they postponed the festivities for nearly four hours on Sunday, corralling hundreds of festival patrons in a dilapidated train station until the festival promoter's "cleared the area of mud", whatever that was supposed to mean. The delay resulted in me missing out on a number of bands that i would have liked to have seen, but they simply were canceled so as to maintain the predetermined time schedule. Oh well, there's always next year (hopefully).

All Points West

So this will be my last post until, well, I don't want to commit to date, so I'll just say sometime next week. I'll be going off to the All Points West festival in Liberty State Park in good old New Jersey, and I have to say that I am looking forward to it immensely. Despite all of the flak that the organizers of the festival got last year, I remain optimistic that this will be quite the experience. Even though Radiohead was the headliner last year, I have to say that upon comparing this years lineup with last years, this years lineup is much, much stronger overall. Anyway, I'm going to keep it brief and leave you with some mp3s from some of the lesser known bands that will be taking the stage(s) this weekend at All Points West, that should at least be on your radar.

mp3s:
PT Walkley - Somebody
Hey Champ - Cold Dust Girl
Ghostland Observatory - Vibrate
White Rabbits - The Plot
Black Gold - Plans & Reveries
Steel Train - I Feel Weird
Kitty, Daisy & Lewis - Mean Son of a Gun
Lykke Li - Tonight

White Lies

I've been wanting to get my hands on the debut album from West London band White Lies, entitled To Lose my Life..., for quite some time now, but as with anything I don't get my hands on right away, I tend to forget about them, only to rediscover them later. Anyway, I finally snagged a copy, and it is phenomenal. I remember how the band quickly became a critic's darling, hailed as one of those post-punk bands that made it okay for the indie hipsters to dance to, which is partially correct. While the band certainly seems to be greatly influenced by Joy Division (although the band claims they're not big Joy Division fans), and while they seem to fit right at home with contemporary gloomy peers Interpol and Editors, they also fit quite nicely in with the likes of Kings of Leon (whom they have supported in the past), relative newcomers Glasvegas, and even the likes of Snow Patrol (who they have also supported) and Coldplay. While White Lies, at the very surface seem to be gloom obsessed alt rockers fond of their effects pedals (some of their song titles will back up this idea), repeated listens and a familiarity with the lyrics and subject matter of each song will subtly reveal that this band is, in fact, uplifting. The boys of White Lies are not lamenting missed opportunities or dwelling on past regrets, they are, instead, calling for some action, and believe me when I say that these guys get off their asses and just plain rock.

mp3s:
White Lies - To Lose My Life
White Lies - Unfinished Business

Cassette Kids

Cassette Kids are a band hailing from Sydney, Australia that I had only recently discovered. Given the fact that a number of the bands that I enjoy very much come from the land down under (Cut Copy, The Presets, Howling Bells, Van She, etc) I figured I'd give these guys (and gal) a shot as well. I was especially inclined to do so considering the band had won the Unearthed Sydney 2008 Big Day Out competition, and were nominated for a 2008 Unearthed J Award (ed. note: I am not familiar with either one of these awards, however they are still awards so therefore I have to admit that I am impressed). The band released an EP (can seven tracks still be considered an EP? A mini-album perhaps?) in 2008 titled We Are. I've only listened to it all the way through once, but I have to say that i enjoyed it very much. I would have to say that they sound very similar to the Yeah Yeah Yeah's, the most apparent correlation being the vocal similarity of Karen O and Cassette Kids' Katrina Noorbergen. Definitely recommended.

mp3s:
Cassette Kids - Meant to Be
Cassette Kids - Anywhere But Home (BMX remix)

Van She

I was watching Mad Max: Beyond the Thunderdome the other day and I started thinking about all of the Australian bands I have come to enjoy over the past few years and I realized that I had yet to post about what is quite possibly my favorite Australian band, Van She. I have one word to describe this band. Infectious. For those of you who actually read this little blog Van She is a band that hails from the land down under (specifically Sydney), and like most of the bands who hit it big around the globe, they craft electropop tunes that can be described in any combination of adjectives that you choose to use. Their label, Modular, describes them as Their label introduced them as a "new band from Sydney fresh on ideas, fresher than Flavor Flav, fresh like coriander, fresher than the Fresh Prince." While that may seem a bit kitcshy, and perhaps a little contrived, the bottom line is that they have honed their synth-based sound to create luscious, danceable tunes. Do yourself a favor and check them out.

mp3s:

Van She - Kelly
Van She - Changes
Van She - Memory Man
Van She - Cat & The Eye

As Tall As Lions

I'm a little surprised that I haven't written about this band before, but as anyone who frequents this website knows, there are prolonged periods of time when there is nothing but the equivalent of white noise on this site. But I'm trying to turn that around and stop being so lazy. Anyway, As Tall As Lions is a group from Long Island, New York, and before you jump to any conclusions based on the fact that they're from Long Island, believe me when i say that it is worth your while to give them a shot. The band got together in 2001 and have since released two full length albums, Lacfadio and the self titled sophomore album. Their third album is due out August 18th of this year and is titled You Can't Take It With You. I have to admit that I have only had the pleasure of listening to their self titled album (I have to thank Carlos for intorducing them to me as we both worked at a paint store back in 2006), however after hearing it I immediately acquired it and imported it onto my iTunes. Since I've only heard their second album I can't comment on their sound as a whole, but their self-titled second album is a thing of beauty. Haunting lyrics, earnest and humbling vocals that conjure memories of Jeff Buckley and subtle, sweeping piano and guitar guide the listener through the song until the ultimate crescendo of arpeggiating guitar riffs, crashing cymbals and thumping bass. While none of it is exactly groundbreaking or new, this band definitely knows what they are doing and it creates for a worthwhile listening experience that you will find yourself putting on repeat. Do yourself a favor and check out "Ghost of York", at the very least.

mp3s:

As Tall As Lions - A Break, A Pause
As Tall As Lions - Be Here Now
As Tall As Lions - Love, Love, Love (Love, Love)
As Tall As Lions - Ghost of York


http://www.myspace.com/astallaslions

All Points West 2009

So I will be in attendance at this years All Points West Festival, and to tell you the truth, I am pretty excited for it. I wanted to go last year (the main reason being I wanted to see Radiohead), however the plans I had fell through and ultimately I didn't end up going. No Radiohead this year, but the lineup for '09 is considerably stronger over last years. Many people attested to the fact that last years festival was little more than a two-day Radiohead show preceeded by hours and hours of no name opening bands, which to a certain extent, it was. I've been hearing horror stories about how the lines for the bathrooms are ridiculous and because it is being held at a state park, there are some rather strict alcohol limitations (most notably being the fact that folks 21+ get a bracelet with seven tabs, order one drink, one tab is ripped off, meaning a total of seven overpriced beers for something like ten hours). Despite these drawbacks, I think i'm going to have a good time, mainly because having lived on the east coast all my life I've never actually attended a large music festival, so it will be an experience to say the least. Whether it's a good or bad one, well, I'll let you know when I get back. For now, check out the lineup below, you can still get your hands on tickets!

Friday, July 31: Beastie Boys, Yeah Yeah Yeahs (mp3: Zero), Vampire Weekend, The National, Fleet Foxes, MSTRKRFT, Q-Tip, The Pharcyde, Organized Konfusion, The Knux, Ra Ra Riot, Seasick Steve, Telepathe, Shearwater, Heartless Bastards, Flying Lotus, College Humor Live, Arj Barker, Eugene Mirman and Bo Burnham.

Saturday, August 1: Tool, My Bloody Valentine, Gogol Bordello, Arctic Monkeys, Neko Case, The Ting Tings, Yelle, Crystal Castles (mp3: Crimewave), St. Vincent, Tokyo Police Club, The Cool Kids, Kool Keith, Cage the Elephant, Chairlift, White Rabbits, Electric Touch, The Postelles, Black Gold, College Humor Live, Tim & Eric, Judah Friedlander and Jim Jeffries.

Sunday, August 2: Coldplay, Echo & The Bunnymen, MGMT (mp3: Electric Feel), The Black Keys, Elbow, Silversun Pickups, Mogwai, We Are Scientists, Ghostland Observatory, The Gaslight Anthem, Etienne De Crecy, Lykke Li, Akron/Family, Steel Train, Kitty, Daisy & Lewis, College Humor Live, Janeane Garofalo, Michael Showalter and Todd Barry.

I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness

I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness is a band hailing from Austin, Texas. I've had their debut album Fear Is On Our Side, for about two years now (it was released way back in 2006), however I never really paid it all that much attention, and aside from a few choice tracks that i would throw on every now and again, it was always one of those discs that I just kind of kept on the backburner but was always afraid to remove from my iTunes completely because there was just something about it that told me not to. I'm glad I listened. I'm not entirely positive as to how to describe this band. there are a bunch of adjectives and buzz words that I could toss in your direction however, in my humble opinion, you'll probably just head straight for the mp3s anyway. Long story short, the drumplay matches the driving thumps of the bass to foreshadow the vocals that shimmer somewhere off in the distance, as the guitars earnest look upward for something until it all comes crashing together for a payoff that is well worth it. If you could stomach that little summation of their sound then you can probably guess it's soemwhere along the lines of Interpol (or really any band that dresses the part) meets Explosions in the Sky. The sound is sweeping and epic, yet steeped in paranoia and disillusionment. Check out the tracks below for a taste, especially "We Choose Faces".

mp3s:
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness - The Ghost
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness - According to Plan
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness - We Choose Faces

Catpeople

I stumbled upon the band Catpeople only a few days ago, and despite their absolutely horrific name (which may or may not be inpsired by the David Bowie song of the same name that was in turn inspired by the 1982 film, which was in turn a remake of a 1942 film of the same name), they're actually pretty good. The band is from Spain, so what little information there is on these guys, it's all in Spanish, and despite what my job application says, I am less than proficient at Spanish and frankly I'm too lazy to have Firefox translate it for me. Band biography or not, what it comes down to is that these guys craft some damn fine post-punk songs that I have been enjoying very much, with driving bass lines and catchy, emotive hooks. Upon first listen, one's minds eye will immediately conjour up images of Joy Division, or Interpol, and while yes they do sound similar to a lot of the post-punk bands that are out there right now, one can't deny their melodic songwriting capabilities. Check out the videos below (sorry no mp3s!)

July 4th in NYC with Jenny Lewis & Conor Oberst

So I went into the city to check out the free concert in Battery Park, featuring indie-folk-pop-rock heroes Jenny Lewis and Conor Oberst. The show itself wasn't bad, and I did manage to snap some decent shots, however there were a couple of drawbacks to the overall experience, first and foremost, there is no booze allowed in the park (which sucked but we more than made up for it once we left), and the ridiculous time in between sets (which we passed by playing the drinking game Asshole, albeit without the booze). I'm not a huge fan of Jenny Lewis or Conor Oberst, but I have to admit that I had a fairly decent time. I posted a couple of mp3's of some of the songs that they played below for your sampling pleasure, and I hope your fourth was as good as mine.

Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue
Conor Oberst - NYC Gone, Gone
Conor Oberst - Souled Out
Conor Oberst - Sausalito

Mother Mother

Mother Mother is a five piece band from Canada that I don't know all that much about other than the fact that they craft catchy indie rock pop that is incredibly infectious. Apparently after only being around for two years they inked a deal with Last Gang Records (Death From Above 1979, Metric), and have since released two full length albums, neither of which popped up on my musical radar at all. I have to give credit where credit is due, but Rob over at Vanmega brought these guys to my attention, as they were recently featured on one of his monthly mixtapes (to be fair he's from Canada, so he's got one up on me). Anyway, they're pure, unabashed fun, so definitely check them out, as I'm sure it's only a matter of time before we hear this band being blasted through the earphones of hipsters and pumping through the speakers at Urban Outfitters.

mp3's
Mother Mother - Hayloft
Mother Mother - Body of Years
Mother Mother - Ghosting
Mother Mother - Polynesia

La Roux

Being the big fan of electropop that I am, it was only a matter of time before I jumped into English based band La Roux, and in very quick summation, it's all very, very good. La Roux is a synth duo band made up of singer and synth player Elly Jackson, and co-writer and co-producer Ben Langmaid, who, as I understand, prefers to stay behind the scenes, hence the reason why I could only find pictures of the fiery-headed (and possible fire crotch?) Elly Jackson. Their sound very much borrows from 80's electropop staples, so they aren't necessarily breaking any new ground with their work. That being said, their tunes are all catchy, the lyrics are poignant (or at least as poignant as an electropop synth-heavy song will allow), and I was able to sit and listen to the entire album all the way through in one sitting. I recommend, it's good fun summer music.

mp3s:

La Roux - Quicksand
La Roux - Tigerlily

Placebo - Battle for the Sun

Placebo has recently released their sixth studio album, entitled Battle for the Sun, which is the first to feature new drummer Steve Forrest (the guy on the left there), after the departure of previous drummer Steve Hewitt. So it seems kind of strange to be reviewing a Placebo record, namely because Placebo lost a lot of steam in the late ninties and didn't make a record I actually enjoyed until 2006's Meds. I was a little weary about giving this album a spin, and while it's certainly not their best work, in the end I was glad that I decided to take the chance. This new album is definitely heavier than their previous album, and even features some new instruments, most notably being a full out horn section, which for the most part, serve to bolster the songs they are utilized on. The lyrics are somewhat lacking, as frontman Brian Molko tends to forego lyrical cohesion in favor of rhyming every couplet. Other than that, the album isn't all that bad, however there are bands similar to Placebo that are doing it bigger and better. In any case, check out the mp3 below of the first single from Placebo's Battle for the Sun.

Placebo - For What It's Worth

Bloc Party - One More Chance

If there is one thing that I can say that is truly great about Bloc Party is that they never seem to be interested in taking a break. They constantly release material to satiate their clamoring fans hunger for more, and this summer marks a brand new Bloc Party track, entitled "One More Chance", a quick tempoed, somewhat claustrophobic song that showcases the boys lyrical stagnation, something that is blatantly obvious when Kele earnestly sings, "This time things will be different/and you're going to see" one cant' help but think that the boys from the Bloc are singing to their fans, pleading with them to give them another chance, in a possible effort to unite the two camps of Bloc Party fans...those who denounce their newer work in favor of more Silent Alarm-esque material, and those who praise Bloc Party for constantly changing musical directions. I can't really say that the new track is is more in the same vain as Intimacy, it certainly showcases the boys' flair for synths and drum machines, however the track itself really hits its emotional and sonic impact as Russell's crunchy, spastic guitar work accents the second half of the song. While it's true that the rollicking keyboard lead provides the hook, it is the return to the guitars that once crafted (arguably) one of the best debut albums in recent history, that truly carry the song, however subtle they may be. That being said, the song is catchy, and would be equally suited to be playing at a club or at a trendy hipster art gallery or something. Bloc Party is doing what they do best, and that is making quality music that constantly evolves. We have to give them credit for that.

mp3: Bloc Party - One More Chance

Little Boots

The hot blonde featured above is none other than the delightful British electropop artist known as Little Boots. Formerly of the dancepop group Dead Disco, this 25 year old has since gone solo and chosen the moniker Little Boots after watching the movie Caligula (Caligula in Latin translates to "Little Boot"). She is the only artist to have been featured on Later...with Jools Holland twice prior to releasing an album, which is fairly impressive. Being familiar with her work with Dead Disco, I was curious to see if Little Boots (aka Victoria Hesketh) would continue to the same vain of crunchy guitar riffs surrounded by swirling electronic accents, and while I haven't heard a ton of Little Boots' material, I can safetly say that the sound is a little poppier, but still incredibly accessible and fun. One of the coolest things about Little Boots, beside being incredibly talented and sexy, is the fact that she plays the incredibly cool Tenori-on, a new electronic instrument out of Japan that I can't even possibly begin to explain (check the Little Boots YouTube videos below), and the Stylophone, which I think I am going to purchase soon. Anyway, I have a couple of mp3's below from her Dead Disco days, and as far as her new work goes as Little Boots, check out the youTube videos below, you will not be disappointed.

Dead Disco - Automatic
Dead Disco - The Treatment


Little Boots - Meddle (1st single) on Later...with Jools Holland



Little Boots - Ready for the Floor (Hot Chip cover, awesome use of the Tenori-on)

The Axis of Awesome

Hysterical. Those of you who play an instrument will appreciate this even more. Especially if you've looked up tabs for Oasis songs.

Metric - Fantasies

Metric is a new wave/indie rock band that was formed in 1998. The band is fronted by the synthesizer player/vocalist Emily Haines, who you might be familiar with through her work with Broken Social Scene and/or her solo effort under the moniker of Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton. For those of you who are not familiar with Haines' main vehicle for musical output, I highly suggest you check it out. Haines' strong lyrics and fragile voice offer an interesting and often captivating juxtaposition against the swirling synths and crunchy guitar riffs. Their fourth album Fantasies, has recently been released, and is definitely worth taking a look at.

Metric - Collect Call
Metric - Satellite Mind
Metric - Sick Muse

James Yuill

James Yuill is a singer-songwriter from England who deftly blends folk acoustic guitar playing with low frequency bass lines and bleeps and bloops aplenty. He is an artist that epitomizes the sub-genre of "folktronica", and even though not every one of his tunes are instantly accessible, the thumping basslines and masterful finger-plucking is hypnotic and will have you tapping your foot sooner than later. Anyway, I highly recommend you check out the video and mp3 below.

James Yuill - This Sweet Love

James Yuill - No Surprise

Soundtrack to a movie that doesn't exist

With increasing regularity, the television shows and films that I watch often use songs that I have in my own personal library, leading me to believe that i should have really pursued a career as a music supervisor for a television show. granted I don't watch a whole lot of television, but the shows I do (and have watched int he past) have all used a plethora of songs that I personally enjoy...case in point, last night's epiosde of CSI: Miami had a TV on the Radio song while they were going through one of those we're collecting evidence that can implicate the guilty party in the crime we are trying to solve montages. Anyway, I was inspired to compile a mixtape of sorts, one that if licensing and distribution rights were not an issue, I would include the following songs on the soundtrack for a movie. I am drawing inspiration from the John Hughes productions form the 80's...those teen comedies are almost remember more so for their iconic music, an element that I feel is sorely missing from today's features (amongst other things of course, like a decent script). Anyway, regardless of why I decide to do this, the tunes are pretty good so check them out (by the way I am writing this before I go to work so I'm in a bit of a rush so i don't have time to put them in any discernable order, enjoy).

1. Interpol - Untitled
2. Van She - Kelly
3. Mystery Jets - Two Doors Down
4. People Press Play - These Days
5. Smashing Pumpkins - Thirty-three
6. We Are Scientists - Lethal Enforcer
7. Stars - Undertow
8. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - A Teenager In Love
9. M83 - Graveyard Girl
10. Ladyhawke - My Delirium
11. The Virgins - Rich Girls
12. The Postal Service - Sleeping In
13. The Notwist - Consequence

The Boxer Rebellion

The Boxer Rebellion is a band (wait what?! I know what you were thinking, surely the Boxer Rebellion, or more accurately the Boxer Uprising was the violent anti-foreign, anti-Christian movement by the "Righteous Fists of Harmony,” Yihe tuan or Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists in China, in response to imperialist expansion, growth of cosmopolitan influences, and missionary evangelism and against the backdrop of state fiscal crisis and natural disasters, local organizations began to emerge in Shandong in 1898), well no my friends, The Boxer Rebellion is a band out of London but their singer is from the U.S. somewhere. Anyway long story short, they gained some attention and they were going to support the Killers on tour a few years back but the lead singer ended up having some sort of medical anomaly worthy of the show House occur to him and it seemed as though the band would never get to fully realize their cocaine indulging, groupie whore-mongering dreams, however all was not lost. the singer got better, and recently they released their "second" full length album which recently debuted on the Billboard 100 at #84, not a big deal until you hear the kicker...they're a 100% unsigned band. their music isn't all that original but it grows on you and the simple fact that they've managed to develop a loyal following that actually is willing to buy their releases solely through the marketing power of social networking sites is quite the feat. Anyway, I have to admit I haven't listened to the disc all the way through but it seems pretty good...if you like Interpol or one of those other post-punk revival bands like I do I suggest you check out The Boxer Rebellion's new release, exclusively on iTunes entitled "Union".

mp3: The Boxer Rebellion - Never Knowing How or Why

video: Evacuate

Single's Awareness Day Megamixtape '09

So Blogger keeps removing my posts, it seems like every time I focus on a particular artist (recent cases in point: Ladyhawke, Shiny Toy Guns), they get their panties all in a bunch and forcibly remove the post. I guess I'm going to have to try and shy away from focusing on specific artists (at least when I post accompanying mp3s). Anyway, sorry for the lack of updates, I've been really busy writing, painting, drawing, preparing for my move overseas, etc, etc that I tend to forget all about this little piece of the internet and subsequently put it on the back burner. Anyway, Valentine's Day is coming up and seeing as how I am single, I could really care less, although I suppose if I was in a relationship I wouldn't really care either, I would just have to make sure that I was conscious of the "holiday" (I use that term loosely), and chalk up a boatload of cash to make my lady happy. Not my idea of the greatest time, so maybe I'm better off. Anyway, as per tradition, here it is the Valentines/Single's Awareness Day mixtape '09, I like to think that there is a little bit of something for everyone in this collection of songs, whether you're hopelessly in love, completely jaded, or crushingly depressed, you should be able to find something you like. Enjoy.

P.S. Thanks to SubPop Records for hosting a bunch of these mp3s, you made me life a lot easier.

1. Band of Horses - No One's Gonna Love You More Than I Do
2. Iron & Wine - Naked As We Came
3. The Postal Service - Such Great Heights
4. Handsome Furs - What We Had
5. The Album Leaf - Always For You
6. The Bird and the Bee - Fucking Boyfriend
7. Blur - Good Song
8. The Dandy Warhols - The Last High
9. Coldplay - Sparks
10. Muse - Endlessly
11. Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Follow You Into the Dark
12. Bloc Party - I Still Remember
13. Radiohead - Thinking About You
14. Jose Gonzalez - Hand On Your Heart
15. Dark Room Notes - Love Like Nicotine
16. The Raveonettes - That Great Love Sound
17. Rock Kills Kid - Hideaway
18. Rogue Wave - Eyes
19. Smashing Pumpkins - (That's the Way) My Love Is
20. The Smiths - How Soon Is Now
21. Stars - Your Ex-Lover Is Dead
22. Throw Me The Statue - Lolita
23. The Virgins - Teen Lovers
24. New Order - Temptation
25. We Are Scientists - Spoken For
26. Wilco - Heavy Metal Drummer
27. Bloc Party - So Here We Are
28. Damien Rice - Delicate
29. David Gray - This Years Love
30. Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism

Happy New Year

So another year has come and past. At twenty-four I feel very old and I'm not sure why, which is somewhat alarming. Anyway, there was one thing I wished for to come true in the New Year and as of yet it hasn't happened, so maybe in the next three-hundred and sixty-five days something good will happen to me. Anyway, there has been so much music to cover the entire year so I'm just going to focus on three of my favorite releases of 2008.

Kings of Leon - Only by the Night

Kings of Leon - Closer
Kings of Leon - Revelry
Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire
Kings of Leon - Use Somebody

Bloc Party - Intimacy

Bloc Party - Ares
Bloc Party - Halo
Bloc Party - Trojan Horse
Bloc Party - Signs
Bloc Party - Talons
Bloc Party - Ion Square

TV on the Radio - Dear Science

TV on the Radio - Dancing Choose
TV on the Radio - Love Dog
TV on the Radio - Golden Age

Holiday Mixtape #4

I'll admit it. I watch the Maury show when I get home from school in the afternoon. I don't watch it intently, however I do always have it on, sort of like a hilarious trailer trash soundtrack that accompanies whatever it is happen to be doing on any given day. The best episodes are the paternity test ones, which apparently, are all they ever have. They even sell cute little onesies that your baby can wear that read "I met my Daddy on Maury!" I really wish they sold adult size t-shirts. I'd totally buy one, or give them as gag gifts for the holidays and birthdays. Anyway, when I saw the above picture I couldn't help but laugh. With Hanukkah starting on the 22nd and Christmas a mere three days after that, the joyousness of the holidays are almost upon us. So, here is the last of this years holiday mixtapes, and I hope that this one, coupled with the previous three, have made your holiday season that much better.

1. Low - Just Like Christmas
2. Sufjan Stevens - Come On! Lets Boogie to the Elf Dance!
3. Yo La Tengo - It's Christmas Time
4. Pearl Jam - Let Me Sleep
5. The Knife - Christmas Reindeer
6. Pas/Cal - Last Christmas
7. eric Metronome - Hanukkah Girl
8. The Kinks - Father Christmas
9. The Raveonettes - The Christmas Song
10. Sufjan Stevens - Sister Winter

Have a great holiday everyone, and if I forgot to include one of your favorites, I'm terribly sorry. It is very difficult to keep track of all of these tunes.

Holiday Mixtape #3: Kickass Covers

So we're all familiar with all of the holiday classics, and I think it's safe to assume that most of you share the same sentiments as I do, in the sense that they are all extremely dull and boring. The fact that we hear the same versions year after year doesn't help matters. While all the sixty-plus crowd is huddled around the fire, eyes closed, gently swaying back and forth to the sound of old Bing's voice like they were hippies at a Phish concert, the rest of us roll our eyes and wish the Holiday's didn't bring out such dullness. Well, fret not, this year will be jammed packed with classic tunes that your grandmother will recognize, but appease you as it will totally rock your socks off. Enjoy.

1. The Pretenders - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
2. Jimmy Eat World - Last Christmas
3. The Dandy Warhols - Little Drummer Boy
4. Jack Johnson - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
5. REM - Merry Xmas Everybody
6. Asobi Seksu - Merry Christmas (I Don't Wanna Fight Tonight)
7. Phantom Planet - Winter Wonderland
8. Stars - Fairytale of New York
9. Pearl Jam - Someday At Christmas
10. Death Cab For Cutie - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
11. The Fray - Happy X-mas (War Is Over)

The following songs are repeats of the ones above, but they are certianly different versions, so I didn't want to deprive you of expanding your Holiday music collection, call it an alternate collection.

Grandaddy - Alan Parsons in a Winter Wonderland
Snowden - Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
Montt Mardie, Le Sport & Mr. Suitcase - Last Christmas

Simply Having a Cringeworthy Christmas Time...

So, while some of you may not enjoy my musical taste and my choices of Holiday related tunes, I decided to dedicate the next installment of the Holiday Mega Mix to the songs that I personally can't stand to hear. It seems as though it is the following collection of songs that plague the airwaves starting the day after Thanksgiving. Whether it's Paul McCartney's incessant synthesizer drone, the incredibly creepy sounding Billy Corgan singing about the rather, ahem, ambiguous, things he does on Christmas to make children happy, the incredibly lounge cheese that is Coldplay's version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", or the "punk rock" stylings of Fall Out Boy, these songs are likely to be mood killers. I swear if I hear Bing and Bowie sing "Little Drummer Boy" for the umpteenth year in a row, I am going to stick freshly sharpened #2 pencils directly into my ear canals.

1. Paul McCartney - Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time
2. Smashing Pumpkins - Christmastime
3. Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas?
4. Coldplay - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
5. Fall Out Boy - Yule Shoot Your Eye Out
6. Cascada - Last Christmas
7. The Ramones - Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)
8. Bruce Springsteen - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
9. David Bowie & Bing Crosby - Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy

UGHHH...all I want for Christmas is for someone to make it stop...

Have Yourself a Depressing Little Christmas

So it's that time fo the year again, and as early as a few weeks before Thaknsgiving, I have been compiling some of my favorite Christmas/holiday tunes of yesteryear and today, as my friends and family tend to look forward to my annual Holiday mixes. Last year the mix was only one disc long, as I overdid it in 2006 with a four-disc monstrosity that I just couldn't seem to reproduce fast enough. Anyway, I was commissioned to play a little Holiday themed acoustic set at a private party, and while I was learning some of my favorite holiday songs, I noticed that a large number of them were sad songs, depressing really. This revelation, in turn, made me remember an article I had read a few years back that talked about how while the holiday season brought feelings of joy and sentimentality for some, others felt an increased sense of isolation and despair for a number of different reasons that I'm sure we're all familiar with. On top of that, the increased frenetic activity, namely juggling shopping, work, social obligations, etc, all lead to a rise in physical and emotional stress. So I figured that this year, instead of just making random mixes, I would make themed Holiday mixes, so to coincide with the stress and sadness we're all bound to feel at some point, here's the first holiday mixtape installment, the sad songs. Now, just because thy're melancholy doesn't mean they're bad, in fact a lot of my favorites are classified as "sad songs" so don't discriminate.

1. Coldplay - 2000 Miles
2. Feist - Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming
3. Bright Eyes - Blue Christmas
4. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Cold White Christmas
5. Ben Folds Five - Brick
6. Tiger Baby - This Christmas
7. Snow Patrol - When I Get Home For Christmas
8. Ryan Adams - Hey Parker, It's Christmas
9. Mogwai - Christmas Song
10. The Pogues - Fairytale of New York
11. Sufjan Stevens - That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!
12. Snowden - White Christmas
13. The Walkmen - The Christmas Party

So there it is folks, keep your eyes peeled for more Holiday mixtapes coming soon. And cheer up would you? Jeez.

Death Cab For Cutie @ The Oakdale 10/4/08

I've been meaning to post something about this show for months now, and I apologize that I haven't done so. I have to say that this show was absolutely incredible. Even though the venue (formerly known as the Oakdale) is called the Chevrolet Music Theatre (blah). Anyway, Ben Gibbard and company played an amzing set...definitely by all means an extremely early Christmas present. Each note played and and every word sung was bliss...you guys ever get the chance to check them out do so. Anyway I forgot my camera like an idiot, so check out some video from the show below. (Sorry for shitty quality)



Clips from The New Year, Title and Registration, We Looked like Giants, Expo 86


I Will Follow You Into the Dark (full)

I Will Possess Your Heart


Summer Skin, Where Soul Meets Body

Transatlanticism

Friendly Fires

So the band called Friendly Fires, that made somewhat of a splash in the blogosphere last year, has come out with their first full length disc. When I first heard the super sexy (but not as sexy as me) song "Paris", and saw the ridiculously absurd video for "On Board", i thought that these guys might have something and i began to eagerly await something a little more substantial than an EP release. Well, I now have something a little more substantial, and what can I say? Well, all of the songs are cut from the same mold, however, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Friendly Fires craft fun songs. They're kind of like The Kooks or The Bravery, mixed with the inane flavors of MGMT. A disco-infused band that can be reminiscent of the Klaxons at times, only less serious. You might want to look ito acquiring their debut disc if you're really into their sound, which unfortunately is one we've all heard many, many times before.

Friendly Fires - Jump In The Pool
Friendly Fires - On Board
Friendly Fires - Skeleton Boy
Friendly Fires - Paris

On Board Video

Intimacy

So, Bloc Party finally graced their highly anticipated third album with some halfway decent cover art. I know I already posted some thoughts on the new album (summarization: I said it sucked), however it seems as though I was a little too harsh the first time around. As it turns out, after a few listens, the album has grown on me. That being said it does not hold a special place in my heart like Silent Alarm or A Weekend in the City do, however Intimacy does have its moments. It lacks the cohesiveness of the previous two albums, and the fact that the songs weren't really tested out and played live, means that sometimes the songs sound mroe like demos than the finished product. You can definitely tell that Kele and the boys are trying, and sometimes they are trying way too hard. "Zephyrus" is just a complete mess, and the opener "Ares" gets lost in it's own overlays. The only reason "Mercury" (a song that is just god awful terrible) was chosen as the first single is because of the sheer repition of it's one line hook of a chorus. Intimacy is not a perfect album. It is a combination of the raw sound of Silent Alarm and the smooth production of A Weekend in the City with a little bit of "Flux" sprinkled throughout.

The physical release of the album is actually the reason why I chose to do a second review on the album because it now includes the awesome song "Talons" as the ninth track in between "Zephyrus" and "Better than Heaven", and if you get the limited edition of the disc you will get an extra two tracks "Letter to my Son" and "Your Visits Are Getting Shorter", and if you live in the U.S. like I do, you get "Flux" tacked on to the end for some reason. I read somewhere that since Bloc Party signed a four album deal with their label, each one of the albums is going to be influenced by one band member in particular. Apparently this one is the Drummer Matt Tong's baby, whatever. It's decent, but not as good as the others. There are times when Bloc Party exhibit their ability to be potentially one of the most exciting bands in the world, however they are packed in between songs that just sort of last their way. Below is the closing track off of the album (if you don't count "Flux"), and it is one of the truly great songs off of Intimacy.

Bloc Party - Ion Square

Halloween Mixtape

So, clowns are creepy. Moving on, I have assembled a pretty sweet mix of tunes for this years Halloween mixtape. And while I say it is a Halloween mixtape, do not get the impression that the songs included in this collection are solely there because they are scary. in fact, some of them aren't scary at all. The loose thread that ties them all together is that they at least have something that remotely relates to the holiday of Halloween. Anyway, hope you enjoy and Happy Halloween!

Halloween Mixtape '08

1. Bloc Party - Skeleton
2. British Sea Power - No Lucifer
3. Cat Power - Werewolf
4. Cut Copy - So Haunted
5. Bloc Party - Hunting for Witches
6. Band of Horses - Is There a Ghost?
7. Interpol - Evil
8. Wintersleep - Weighty Ghost
9. Explosions in the Sky - Greet Death
10. Muse - Dark Shines
11. Band of Horses - The Funeral
12. Spoon - The Ghost of You Lingers
13. Q Lazzarus - Goodbye Horses
14. TV on the Radio - Wolf Like Me
15. Radiohead - Climbing Up the Walls
16. Mogwai - I Know What You Are But What Am I?
17. M83 - Car Chase Terror

So...Keane has a new album out...

So this past Tuesday, I decided to give the new Keane disc, Perfect Symmetry, a spin. I'll be the first person to say that I never really went for Keane's brand of what I always perceived to be, adult contemporary radio-friendly piano ballads. That and the fact that they have totally shunned the guitar, well let's just say I was never very interested *yawn*. But I decided, with nothing else really coming out this month besides the new Oasis disc (which is, as I expected, pretty amazing), I'd give Keane a shot. Besides, this is their third album, they have to be doing something right...right? Upon the first listen of the first track/single "Spiralling", I was hooked. The absence of guitar is cleverly and beautifully unnoticable. There are some moments where the boys seem to be reaching a little much...trying to evoke that sense of grandiose melancholic acceptance on an epic, deep space stage light years away, however it all pulls together and most importantly, it all comes back to Earth for an extremely pleasurable listen. And the video is the sort of 80's cheese I love. Sometimes. In moderation. Kind of reminds me of that Dire Straights song...the video I mean...I have to say that I wrote off Keane far too soon. I should've given them a shot. Oh well. I'm somewhat of a late bloomer in a lot of things. Puberty was not fun. Anyway, I highly recommend you check this out.

Keane - Spiralling Video


Keane - Spiralling mp3

Bonus Stuff!
Keane - Bend and Break
Keane - Everybody's Changing

It's been a while...

Sorry for the delay, I realize it's been well over a month and I totally agree with you, it's been too long. I do have a valid excuse however, student teaching is officially eating up all of my free time. Those little bastards are running me ragged, all the papers and lesson plans I have to correct and prepare are very time consuming. But, in my absence, my birthday has come and gone (notice the sweet telecaster above that is now in my possession), and I have a couple of things to say about two bands that are arguably the biggest in the world.

First up...Bloc Party. Intimacy sucks. I want Silent Alarm back. Hell, even A Weekend in the City (which, may I add, the b-sides to that record are better than the actual album itself) is better than this garbage. I know some of you out there are going to rip me apart, and I understand and appreciate artists trying different things and going in "new directions" to keep things fresh and interesting, but when it sucks, it sucks. And boy does Intimacy suck. Let's just say that it's rather disheartening when your band's "second" single is a song that isn't even on the album (apparently it will be released on the physical album and I frankly don't blame them, they need some sort of selling point after the disappointment of virtually every track off the digital release). I will admit, "Talons", is a kick-ass song that I absolutely love. I want this Bloc Party back. Hopefully they're not that far off.

Bloc Party - Talons


Next up...The Killers. Everything they have done sicne their debut album has been a giant misstep. I don't even know if it is possible for me to like them anymore, and a huge part of the reason is the fatc that I think Brandon Flowers is a giant, pompous toolbag. Hey Flowers, fyi...Sam's Town blew. I read in Rolling Stone that their next album was going to be more "stripped down" whatever the fuck that means. Here's a tip for the Killers boys, bring back the synths. You aren't Bruce Springsteen. You didn't make some magnificent rock opus...no you made silly songs about my bones and your bones and his bones and her bones and everybody's bones or something equally retarded. Get back to the basics. Anyway, they have a new single out called "Human" (human...bones...humans have bones...oh my god...this...can't...be...good...), and I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. Have a listen for yourself (and I apologize in advance for the crappy video that goes along with the song...I wasn't about to troll youtube for some sort of official video, sorry)

The Killers - Human

Labor Day

When I conducted a Google image search of "labor day sexy", this was the first result. I thought it was mildly amusing so I decided to put it up for your viewing pleasure. Anyway, Labor Day is tomorrow, which means a whole bunch of Americans are getting drunk and consuming foods incredibly high in calories while persumably playing volleyball or swimming or whatever it is people do. We, as Americans need Labor Day because we tend to overwork ourselves, and while other countires have mid-day nap breaks and mandatory five week vacations, here in America we run on four hours of sleep, lots of caffeine and a false sense of accomplishment when we complete some arbitrary and mundane task for our employers. For me, Labor Day marks the very end of summer, as my student teaching begins the very next day. Anyway, have fun, and to celebrate Labor Day, I was able to track down the hilarious song from Team America: World Police. Enjoy and happy Labor Day and remember to do your own thing, baby.

Team America - America, Fuck Yeah!

The Smashing Pumpkins

Earlier today I was doing some writing and I was listening to my ipod...it was set to shuffle because I like being pleasantly surprised when a hidden little gem works itself through my stereo speakers, a song that I might not have heard in a while or totally forgot I had, which is why when "That's the Way (My Love Is)", a track off of the newest Smashing Pumpkins disc, Zeitgeist, I decided to give the whole album a listen. I initally wrote the album off as being a sort of over-produced, self-indulgence that we ahve co0me to expect from Billy Corgan, and with only Jimmy Chamberlin coming back, it truly sounds and feels like a Billy Corgan project. So, with the absence of Iha and D'Arcy, it kind of feels as though Corgan was releasing this disc under the Smashing Pumpkins moniker in order to seel albums, since his previous projects came and went relatively ignored. So Zeitgeist isn't a compelling listen like Mellon Collie and Infinite Sadness or Siamese Dream, and it is much heavier than the Pumpkins' previous albums, absent are the dream-pop songs like 1979 and Thirty-three, but it shouldn't be ignored completely, granted it's not in the same league as their previous work, but the album itself is worth a listen, so if you passed it up when it came out last year, you should check it out, or at least download some of the mp3s below.

from Siamese Dream:
The Smashing Pumpkins - Disarm
The Smashing Pumpkins - Cherub Rock
The Smashing Pumpkins - Today

from Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness:
The Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight, Tonight
The Smashing Pumpkins - Zero
The Smashing Pumpkins - Here Is No Why
The Smashing Pumpkins - Bullet with Butterfly Wings
The Smashing Pumpkins - 1979
The Smashing Pumpkins - Thirty-three

from Zeitgeist:
The Smashing Pumpkins - Doomsday Clock
The Smashing Pumpkins - Tarantula
The Smashing Pumpkins - That's the Way (My Love Is)

Leroi Moore died

So if you haven't already heard, Leroi Moore, the saxophonist for Dave Matthews Band passed away a few days ago, apparently due to complications arising from an earlier ATV accident. That sucks. The guy was only 46 years years old, had a boatload of cash, was talented, and I mean just look at the fucker...you know he's heard that Corey Hart song "Sunglasses at Night", but you can tell he just doesn't give a fuck. Anyway, I think its safe to say that we've all liked DMB at one point or another, and even if you didn't I'm pretty sure you never wished ill or bodily harm on any of its members (I hope not you sick bastards), but whichever side of the fence you guys happen to fall on, I'm 100% sure that all of you would agree with me when I say that it sure does suck dying from a hobby that ten year olds take part in. In conclusion, here's an old (1992, wah?!), live version of one of DMB's oldest tunes, so enjoy.

Dave Matthews Band - Minarets (live)

New Bloc Party

So the song is called "Mercury", and apparently Bloc Party released it on the Zane Lowe radio show a few days ago. After listening to it once or twice, I have found myself asking what in the world has happened to Bloc Party? This is definitely not the Bloc Party of the Silent Alarm days or even the Bloc Party of A Weekend in the City, rather this is a rather jarring listening experience, and because it is Bloc Party I'm not sure how I should react to it. I really don't want to voice any sort of opinion at all, mainly because I'm somewhat flabbergasted. Bloc Party has been a consistently interesting and progressive band, constantly changing and evolving their sound, maybe this is an indication of where the new reocrd is going, maybe it's just a product of creative imagination. One thing is for sure, don't listen to anyone else's opinion, listen to the song and decide for yourself.

Radiohead (again)

So since I've been on a bit of a Radiohead kick recently, and I have been looking for something to post about (I don't know if you were able to discern that based upon my last post which, I will admit, involved very little effort on my part), I'm devoting yet another post to Radiohead. Looking back on my rather extensive previous post, I noticed that I left out quite a few b-sides that I particularly love, and if you're a Radiohead fan who doesn't have them, well then I guess you're in luck. First I'm going to post a rather awesome video of one of my favorite Radiohead songs, along with a link to grab the mp3s from that show. Enjoy.

How to Disappear Completely

Radiohead Live @ Canal+ mp3s

Radiohead B-sides, etc

Radiohead - Lovesick Punchdrunk Singalong
Radiohead - Permanent Daylight
Radiohead - Lozenge of Love
Radiohead - Palo Alto
Radiohead - How I Made My Millions
Radiohead - You Never Wash Up After Yourself

Flight of the Conchords

Flight of the Conchords is a Grammy Award-winning New Zealand comedy duo composed of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. Billing themselves as "Formerly New Zealand's fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo", the group uses a combination of witty observation, characterisation and acoustic folk guitars to work the audience. The duo's comedy and music became first the basis of a BBC radio series and then an American television series, which premiered in 2007, also called Flight of the Conchords (yea, I stole that from Wikipedia, I'm lazy and it's accurate enough so deal with it). Anyway, check out the show on HBO it's pretty hilarious, and I just recently snagged a copy of their album thanks to my brother, who insists "Businesstime" is the greatest song ever written (he lacks what most would refer to as maturity, although it is pretty funny I have to admit). So check out the video below for "The Most Beautiful Girl in the Room". and maybe when you're plastered enough you'll remember one of the lines he spits out and actually use it on a real life girl (also enjoy the mp3s posted below the video)!

The Most Beautiful Girl in the Room:


mp3s:
Flight of the Conchords - Business Time
Flight of the Conchords - Ladies of the World