AM Music Blog

THE WRITING ON THE WALLS // Fall 2010 Mix

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 06:55:00 +0000

Despite the heat wave we're experiencing here in California, it is indeed fall, which means that it's about time I put some new music up. I have to say that I'm slightly disappointed in the selection of music out this year, but the albums that do stand out are rather fantastic. Arcade Fire, Spoon, and Tyler James being a handful of those. Those guys and others have made it into the mix.

Tracklist:
01. Motion City Soundtrack - Stand Too Close
02. Spoon - Out Go The Lights
03. Frightened Rabbit - Foot Shooter
04. Lucky Soul - Warm Water
05. Arcade Fire - Modern Man
06. Tyler James - Stay Humble
07. Beach House - Lover of Mine
08. David Sinclair Robison - Free Radical
09. Belle & Sebastian - Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John
10. Vampire Weekend - I Think UR A Contra
11. Dan Black - Life Slash Dreams
12. Jimmy Eat World - Mixtape

Download 'The Writing On The Walls'

AM MUSIC BLOG VALENTINE'S DAY MIXTAPE: It's Okay With Me

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 18:45:00 +0000

I could go on about the problems I have with Valentine's Day, but I decided to put together a mix instead. For those without a love to call their own, this is a somewhat melancholic compilation with some new artists I've been diggin' the hell out of these past few weeks (and some older ones as well).

Tracklist:
01. Lightspeed Champion - Dead Head Blues
02. Dashboard Confessional - No News Is Bad News
03. Maximo Park - Calm
04. Dan Black - Cocoon
05. Beirut - Venice
06. Blind Pilot - 3 Rounds & A Sound
07. The Twilight Sad - Seven Years Of Letters
08. Manchester Orchestra - It's OK With Me
09. The xx - Stars
10. Howling Bells - Nightingale
11. Frightened Rabbit - My Backwards Walk

(ZIP File)

AM MUSIC BLOG FALL/WINTER MIXTAPE: Fall's Hope

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0000

I know this is a bit later than usual, but Southern California doesn't really experience fall until around November. In any case, better late than never I suppose.

Fall's Hope is a mix of heartbreaking songs that I think capture the season rather beautifully. There are some new artists on here, along with some blog favorites, and I hope you enjoy the hell out of every last song. If you do, please consider supporting the artist by buying their album or at least the song!

Edit: from now on, I won't be posting individual links to the songs (for mixes) as the DMCA seems to be pretty retarded at figuring out the difference between live links and dead ones.

01. Travis Oberg - Bloodlines
02. Greg Laswell - This Woman's Work
03. Imogen Heap - Half Life
04. The Veils - It Hits Deep
05. The Swell Season - I Have Loved You Wrong
06. Snow Patrol - The Planets Bend Between Us
07. Jack's Mannequin - Lullaby
08. Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson - Someday
09. The Temper Trap - Soldier On
10. Jon Foreman - Somebody's Baby
11. Robert Francis - Do What I Can
12. Eef Barzelay - True Freedom
13. Dear Reader - Great White Bear
14. Piano Magic - A Fond Farewell
15. Mew - Start

(Zip File)

Mute Math & As Tall As Lions / Club Nokia / 10.10.09

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:30:00 +0000

Last weekend, I saw a couple of the best musical acts around share the stage over at Club Nokia in L.A. I'd seen both bands previously, but this happened to both bands' best show to date... at least in my opinion.

As Tall As Lions took the stage first. If you've never heard these guys before, let me tell you that they are the kings of discordancy (I'm quite possibly making up that word). The ability these guys have to stitch together melodies with discordant harmonies isn't simply incredible, but inspiring to anyone that's musically inclined. Even though I was there to see Mute Math, the 45 minute set played by these guys was the perfect precursor in talent as well as energy. They have a new album out, and if you're interested in checking it out, there's a link below.

Mute Math took the stage next, and though there were people in there that had seen them before, I don't think most of the crowd knew what to expect. Starting off with 'The Nerve' and 'Backfire', it seemed as though they were going to run through Armistice in its entirety, but they quickly threw a wrench in that idea by jumping over to 'Chaos' from their self-titled debut. The set was a replica of the album cover, which made for the perfect electric drum-kit for 'No Response'. I have to say that of the 4 Mute Math shows I've seen to date, this one had the best lighting by far!

Following that, the guys jumped into 'Plan B' all the way from the Reset EP, and this is when the fun started. Jumping off and over the keyboard, rocking the keytar, and Paul's dancing that I would love to learn someday, dispersed throughout the rest of the set. 'Stare At The Sun' was greeted by cheer at the familiar bass line, and featured an extended instrumentation with Roy, Paul and Darren doing some crazy stuff with the percussion.

'Electrify' and 'Armistice made for some energy-filled songs, and 'Burden' was where the guys made their pre-encore stand. With Greg rocking an amazing solo and then getting on the xylophone, and Paul's haunting yet playful yelps filling the vocal emptiness, there wasn't a better way for them to exit the stage... just to make it back a few minutes later. A couple more songs later, Mute Math decided to end the night with 'Break the Same', one of my favorite songs of theirs, and one where they went all out. Paul was somersaulting back and forth over the keys and while the other guys were holding down the rhythm, Darren grabs the bass drum into the audience, gets on top of it, and jumps backwards into the crowd to surf. By far one of the most memorable moments in my Mute Math live experience.

As I was exiting the venue, I lost track of the number of people I heard talking about how they were entirely blown away. So if you haven't seen them yet, and they're coming out to a venue near you, grab some tickets and some friends, and go check them out. You won't regret it.

Setlist:
The Nerve
Backfire
Chaos
Clipping
No Response
Plan B
Stare At The Sun
Electrify
Armistice
You Are Mine
Odds
Notice
Typical
Burden

Encore:
Pins And Needles
Spotlight
Reset
Break The Same

Mute Math - Armistice (2nd Line Version) feat. Rebirth Brass Band

As Tall As Lions Website | MySpace Page | Buy You Can't Take It With You on iTunes

Mute Math Website | MySpace Page | Buy Armistice on iTunes

Mute Math Armistice Lithos Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 08:15:00 +0000

Well, Mute Math are on their headlining tour, on the way to L.A., and in celebration of the tour and the new album, the folks over at Warner Music Group sent over a handful of Armistice lithos to pass out to the readers here at AM Music Blog.

So to get your hands on one of these, send an e-mail over with the title of your favorite track on Armistice as well as the address to mail it out to. In the meanwhile, enjoy this version of Armistice... I've been diggin' it.

Mute Math - Armistice (2nd Line Version) feat. Rebirth Brass Band

Official Site | MySpace Page | Buy Armistice

Warped Tour 2009 / Pomona Fairplex / 06.26.09

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 06:30:00 +0000

Another year, another Warped Tour. But unlike the past couple years, instead of just giving you a visual overview, I wanted to get you guys a first hand account of the show, so I got my good friend, Dan (over at mynameisfoxtrot), to come along and put words to the combination of crazy and awesome that is the Warped Tour:

It hasn't hit noon yet and the unforgiving sun is scorching the Pomona Fairplex. This is my first time at Warped tour, and I am amazed by the atmosphere. My fellow concert goers are covered in tattoos, sport punk rock hair, and wear a concoction of skinny jeans or shorts and no shirt or a bikini top. The Punk rebellion is in full force and I’m about to enter the gates.

I sit behind the steel fencing waiting for Underoath to come on stage. Lining the “moat” between the stage and fence was thick line of security. The head honcho, a Pacific Islander whose forearms were the size of large fire extinguishers, has no neck and is covered in tribal tattoos. I look out across the sea of people and see scores of rebellious high school kids. Thick clouds of THC rise above the crowd and the pungent smell of marijuana hangs in the air. Underoath isn’t up for another five minutes and the crowd is starting to get restless. A few fans offer up chants of “UNDER OATH, UNDER OATH” which quickly fades away.

Objects are now hurtling through the air aimed for the stage. Half empty water bottles spew what I hope is water across the crowd. An empty wallet, then a shoe, and a hat all land about a foot from me. Out of the corner of my eye I see a water bottle cutting through the air. It pelts a young man in the shoulder who is standing about three feet away. The bottle falls over the fence and hits the ground with a thud. The bottle is frozen solid and I’m starting to question my own safety.

Underoath erupts on stage and I watch the steel fence behind me slide forward a few inches as the audience surges. Crowd surfers are popping up along the tops of the crowd which is now a borderline angry mob. Security takes point and catches the teenagers as they topple over the rail head first. I'm amazed that most of this behavior is fun and remarkably no one walks away hurt. Underoath put on a great show, and now I’m looking forward to check out what the rest of the Warped tour has to offer.

Next, we meet the guys from White Tie Affair who are all donning ear to ear grins. They all look very excited to be at the Warped Tour as this is one of their first big West Coast shows. I asked them about what we can expect from them in the near future. “We just shot a new video for a song called ‘Take It Home’ and we’re actually finishing it at the Ventura date [of the Warped Tour] so some of the fans can get in on that.” They are also working on a future album now, but there is no official date as to when we can expect to see that.

After catching a couple other bands' sets, like A Skylit Drive and The Ataris, we made our way up to the main stage to see Thrice. Dustin was walking around the back of the stage handing his roadie a full set of guitar pedals. As soon he was visible to the audience the crowd let loose with cheers and shouts of “Dustin, we love you!” Dustin flashed a big smile to the crowd. The full band took the stage a few minutes later and the crowd damn near exploded. Despite a small technical hiccup (Dustin had a bad cable), the set went off without a hitch. Their set included a good collection of songs off of some of their older albums as well as a sample from one of their new tracks off the much anticipated “Beggars” album.

After the set we had the privilege of speaking with Dustin and Teppei. I asked Teppei about the new album: “We just finished tracking it not long ago, and it is just being mixed right now. Hopefully it will be out in the fall.” I proceed to ask Dustin how he felt Beggars compared Thrice’s previous works: “I feel like the Alchemy Index is this sideways movement to something else and this [Beggars] is coming back to what maybe Vheissu would be without that [Alchemy]. But, I don’t think we get to that point without having taken this detour in a sense.” They both commented on how the new album is very driven and “raw” and there is no doubt in my mind this will be the answer to the awesomeness that was Vheissu.

All in all Warped Tour really was a lot of fun, and despite the rebellious atmosphere the fans had a blast and didn’t cause too much trouble. It has been awhile since I ventured into the Punk scene and it was really encouraging to see lots of fans and music that had all sprouted organically without any help from the “top 40 hits” radio stations. If the Warped tour is going to be in your area, be sure to pick up a ticket and hit the pit.

Thrice - Digital Sea
The White Tie Affair - Candle (Sick And Tired)

Official Site | More photos on Flickr

NIN/JA Tour / Verizon Wireless Amphitheater / 05.20.09

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Fri, 29 May 2009 22:15:00 +0000

Two words: fucking brilliant.

My only quip with Nine Inch Nails was that they didn't play 'Hurt' which is one of my favorite songs. But other than that, seeing two legendary acts in one night couldn't be described any other way. Check out some of the shots from the show below:

Nine Inch Nails (Tribute) - Hurt (Piano)

Official Site

Strangelight Glow

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 04:15:00 +0000

Time for another mix, friends. I was aiming for a spring mix, and I think this accomplishes it, but it's not all flowery and laid back, but has a good amount of energy to it that I'm hoping will shape my spring.

Strangelight Glow is what I call this mix, and here is the tracklist:

01. Death Cab For Cutie - My Mirror Speaks
02. Arcade Fire - Lenin
03. The Steelwells - Boxes
04. Harlem Shakes - Sunlight
05. The Sleepover Disaster - Funnel Cloud
06. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Dull Life
07. The Boy Least Likely To - I Box Up All The Butterflies
08. Patrick Pleau - Valérie
09. White Lies - To Lose My Life
10. Plushgun - A Crush To Pass The Time
11. Silversun Pickups - Sort Of
12. Nous Non Plus - Catastrophe
13. Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears - Madame On The Moon
14. Frightened Rabbit - The Twist
15. Years - A Thousand Times A Day (Someone Is Flying)

Strangelight Glow (Zip)

GigMaven Kick-off

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 23:29:00 +0000

Tomorrow night, April 2nd, GigMaven kicks off their services in LA by putting on a pretty decent lineup at the Roxy. Gigmaven connects artists with live music venues to make it easier for artists to book gigs in the given locale.

As the music industry continues going through drastic changes, more and more artists are finding that they need to become their own label. Booking gigs is no easy task, and so to have a service that makes the process easier gets two thumbs up.

So come and check them out tomorrow night at the Roxy. The line-up includes:

7:45 - Jalopy (http://www.myspace.com/jalopymusic)
8:25 - Tim Bader (http://www.myspace.com/songandwager)
9:05 - Hello Vegas (http://www.myspace.com/hellovegas)
9:50 - Sierra Swan & Carina Round (http://www.myspace.com/sierraswan)
10:40 - TBD GigMaven artist

Doors open 7:00pm, so be there.

Official Site

The Adventures Of Space Captain Francis

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:30:00 +0000

Tidings to everyone. Still trying to figure things out with this blog as I've been increasingly swamped. However, here's a little mixtape to hold you over for the time being.

It's a bit of a journey through life, love, and more from the perspective of Francis, an outsider sent to observe human interaction in order to better understand the human experience. Yes.

Zip File
01. Tyler James - Don't Leave
02. Air Traffic - Shooting Star
03. The Orange Lights - Let The Love Back In
04. Greg Laswell - Salvation Dear
05. Coldplay - Lost?
06. Tremolo - Wait Up For Me
07. The Decemberists - O New England
08. Eskju Divine - Hold On
09. This Beautiful Mess - Up The Barricades
10. Shiny Toy Guns - I Owe You A Love Song
11. Playradioplay! - Without Gravity
12. Pete Yorn - On Your Side
13. The Early November - Ever So Sweet
14. Polydream - Everything Else Comes To Life
15. Sanders Bohlke - Rockets
16. Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts II

I will have a spring mix up in a couple weeks. Stay tuned for that!

Post-Annual Musings

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 10:40:00 +0000

Happy New Year everyone!

Just wanted to give a heads up to the regular readers - I'm in the process of figuring out where this blog is going, but one thing that's definitely going to keep happening is I'll be putting together regular mixtapes. I don't know if that's all it's going to be, but I know that regular posts on new artists is not in the future of this blog.

In any case, here's one to help you start off this new year. Post-Annual Musings (artwork by yours truly) is an electronica mixtape to be enjoyed on Saturday afternoons while pondering, driving, or just relaxing. Enjoy!

01. The Abbassi Brothers - Clouds Are Sleeping
02. Passion Pit - Live To Tell The Tale
03. Canon Blue - Rum Diary
04. Aereogramme - A Simple Process Of Elimination
05. Air - One Hell Of A Party
06. Ladytron - Runaway
07. Cut Copy - Saturdays
08. Antarctica - Ultra Nørsk
09. Beach House - Holy Dances
10. Bent - As You Fall
11. M83 - We Own The Sky
12. Bloc Party - Signs
13. Swimming With Dolphins - Everything's A Miracle
14. Ulrich Schnauss - Shine
15. Antennas To Heaven - My Robot Lets Me Watch The Cricket

Post-Annual Musings (ZIP file)

Breathe Electric // Honestly

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 01:00:00 +0000

Illinois-based Breathe Electric is one of my newest finds that's keeping my headphones occupied. In the growing genre of homegrown electropop bands, Breathe Electric seems to have grown in fame out of their myspace popularity and their touring with bigger acts in the same genre.

I liken these guys to Hellogoodbye primarily, but with a delivery similar to a lot of pop-punk bands, which makes it a pretty decent auditory experience. I find myself tapping my feet along, and enjoying the simple and straightforward lyrics of songs like 'Life on an Airplane':

I wish I lived on an airplane
Where we could go so high
And we could sever ties with everybody else
And when you looked down
You could see just clouds
You said hold my hand
We're gonna be just fine

Their album, Honestly, made its debut last month, and is available on iTunes (link below). I dig the whole thing - check it out for yourself, though.

Breathe Electric - Life On An Airplane
Breathe Electric - Between Want And Need

MySpace Page | Buy Honestly on iTunes

Warped Tour 2008 / Home Depot Center / 08.17.08

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:00:00 +0000

This year, like last, I was able to catch the Warped Tour on their final day out in Carson, CA. However, unlike last year, I enjoyed the lineup a lot more. The bands were better, the energy was higher, and well, it made the entire day a lot more enjoyable. You'll find photos below of the bands that I really enjoyed. I am definitely looking forward to next year with excitement.

(All images are copyright Arpit Mehta. Please do not use without permission)

The Academy Is...

We The Kings

Anberlin

Cobra Starship

Motion City Soundtrack

The Color Fred

The Vandals

MC Chris

Family Force 5

Fear Nuttin' Band

Relient K

Between The Trees

Katy Perry

Angels & Airwaves

Official Site

The Hub: 3-Hour Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Thu, 22 May 2008 03:00:00 +0000

I've been to plenty of concerts, but all of them have had one thing in common. They've been on solid ground. So when I first heard about The Hub's 3-Hour Tour on 'The Endeavor' around the marina, it was a little hard to pass up on the unique opportunity.

Packing in a crowd ranging from half of California, and an artist set from really all over the country, The Hub put on a great afternoon and evening of eclectic music in a pretty amazing setting. I enjoyed wonderful sets from 14 different artists, and left with the need to get the music for at least half of them. You'll find photos of each of the artists in chronological order (based on their set times) below. I won't be talking about all of them, but I will mention some of the highlights of the show.

The one artist that I wanted to see was Tyrone Wells, whose music I fell in love with when I'd seen him with Jon Foreman a couple months ago. Pretty similar to his acoustic set that night, Wells had a great set filled with stories, some yodeling, and an enticing set. Other than Wells, however, I was fairly unfamiliar with the rest of the artists. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the talent aboard that boat.

One artist that absolutely blew me away was Josh Hoge. Having driven to the show all the way from Nashville with little time to spare, Hoge delivered as amazing set, with some of the most powerful vocals I heard all night. With a pretty incredible list of artists he's already worked with (Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic amongst others), Hoge is working on putting out his first album later this year, which I'm looking forward to.

Another artist that drew my attention was Shane Alexander. Reminding me a little of Cary Brothers and Joshua Radin, I fell in love with the song 'Coffee Kiss' (below). Other artists that I'd definitely mention checking out (I'd recommend all, but these are a must) include Sonia Leigh, Jay Nash, and Aaron Beaumont. I definitely look forward to hearing more from each of these artists, and so should you.

Aaron Beaumont - Traffic
Shane Alexander - Coffee Kiss

Ehren Ebbage

Sonia Leigh

Aaron Beaumont

Dawn Thomas

Joey Ryan

Amber Rubarth

Shane Alexander

Chris Pierce

Jay Nash

Tyrone Wells

Ernie Halter

Josh Hoge

Group Song

MySpace Page

Cut Copy // In Ghost Colours

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Wed, 07 May 2008 21:00:00 +0000

I've been finding myself increasingly listening to a new breed of music. It's been around, but it's failed to grasp my attention until recently. It's an infusion of pop music with electronica. There's various sounds that fall under those premises, which means a variety of bands, but there's one that I've really enjoyed as of late.

Melbourne, Australia natives, Cut Copy have a synth driven pop sound to them that is rather enjoyable. It makes me want to dance, it really does. Take for example 'Lights and Music' off their latest album In Ghosts Colour. Melodious instrumentations with catchy lyrics - that's what a good song is all about:

Lights and music
Are on my mind
Be my baby
One more time...

There's nothing out of the world about them, yes, but they're the sort of lyrics you want coming on when you're out dancing. Something you can just enjoy and dance to. Another track that I've really been enjoying is 'Hearts on Fire', which has a similar feel to it, albeit somewhat slower. What's really cool about the entire album is that it plays off as a single entity - each song is connected to the next, and makes for a great listening experience.

So if you like what you hear, don't shy away from picking up the whole album - I highly recommend it. It might not be 'tap your feet' all the way through, but it's well done nonetheless!

Cut Copy - Lights and Music
Cut Copy - Hearts on Fire

Official Site | MySpace Page | Buy In Ghost Colours on iTunes

Fishfest 2008 / Verizon Wireless Amphitheater / 04.27.08

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Tue, 06 May 2008 21:00:00 +0000

I had a chance to check out Fishfest this year, and was fortunate enough to get a photo pass to cover it. So here's a handful of the shots that summarize my experience there:

Lemongrass' "Pour L'Amour" = Baby-Making Music

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:30:00 +0000

I seriously might have to categorize Lemongrass' new album Pour L'Amour under 'baby-making music' in my library, cuz I can't think of any other description really.

An interesting mix of house, jazz, and lounge music, Pour L'Amour, is the perfect album to throw in and enjoy anywhere you're with your girl or guy, and enjoy the ambiance. Think long car drive at night, or romantic dinner or maybe even overlooking the city from a hill. Take your pick, you can't go wrong.

Check out the couple tracks posted below, and if you dig it, feel free to support this blog by clicking on the iTunes link and buying the album.

Lemongrass - Cafe De Paris
Lemongrass - Running Away

Official Site | MySpace Page | Buy Pour L'Amour on iTunes

Her Space Holiday vs. MGMT

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 02:25:00 +0000

What the hell? I've tried looking this up, but I've found no mention of it so far. But maybe I missed it. Whatever. I feel like I must bring this up nonetheless.

MGMT, who's been getting a lot of attention lately from indie music mags & blogs, and will be playing Coachella, apparently "borrowed" a song from Her Space Holiday, repackaged it, and decided to sell it as their own. MGMT's song 'Time To Pretend' is ripped off of Her Space Holiday's 'Sleepy California'. It pisses me off that those so called music critics, sitting on their high horses, talking about the next best thing, lack the capacity to call a band out for that. I would like to see MGMT pay Her Space Holiday a portion of every cent they make off of 'Time To Pretend', and publicly apologize for stealing someone else's work. We'll see if that happens.

In the meanwhile, check out the 2 songs, and see for yourself!

Her Space Holiday - Sleepy California (2003)
MGMT - Time To Pretend (2007)

Air Traffic

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 22:35:00 +0000

I came upon these guys not too long ago while going through my Tuesday morning iTunes routine. I heard a couple songs, and downloaded the album based on what I heard. What I wasn't expecting was for a band that's been likened to Coldplay, Keane and Muse. Maybe it's just the whole British thing, but one can't help what they enjoy.

Though I have enjoyed the album as a whole, one song stands out above the rest. 'Shooting Star' has been pretty much stuck in my head since I first listened to it. I have probably listened to it over 50 times now, and have yet to grow tired of it. Now, I have to be careful to talk up a song this much, because you might listen to it, and if you don't like it as much as I do, you're going to be disappointed. So I'll say the song is just okay ;)

What I do love about the music is that it combines solid and volumetric instrumentation, with some great vocals. I absolutely adore singer, Chris Wall's falsetto. That's where the comparisons to Chris Martin come in, and I think it's something that adds to the music, rather than takes away from it.

So yeah, check it out.

Air Traffic - Just Abuse Me
Air Traffic - Shooting Star

Official Site | MySpace Page | Buy Album

Pocket Full Of The Dimes

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 20:35:00 +0000

Happy New Year everyone! Hope everyone's starting off '08 with some great music. I know I am! For example, I came across this band that I overlooked a month or so ago, and so wanted to talk about them: The Dimes.

Imagine Death Cab For Cutie a la The Photo Album with a tad bit more of an acoustic edge and a little less reverb. That's the best way I can describe The Dimes' full-length debut, The Silent Generation. All the elements of a great pop album line each track of this album from the dominating acoustic guitar to the warm and welcoming vocals. I have to say that though they remind me of The Decemberists at times, I prefer this album over any of The Decemberists'.

They're doing a short tour up in Northern Cal, Washington, and Oregon (which is where they're from) in February and March. Hopefully they make it down to SoCal in the near future. I think it'd be a fun show, maybe along the lines of Oh No! Oh My! I don't know why I get the feeling, but I do. In any case, catch em if you get a chance!

The Dimes - Catch Me Jumping
The Dimes - Up For Air

Official Site | MySpace Page | Buy The Silent Generation

Jon Foreman Presents 'Fall EP'

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 21:30:00 +0000

Since the moment I heard of it being in the works, I have been adrenalized with anticipation, looking forward to its release. And it's finally here. Jon Foreman, frontman for Switchfoot, has put out the first of his 4 EP solo venture. Conveniently titled Fall, it does an excellent job of capturing the essence of the season.

The album features 6 tracks that take you on a ride, one that you want to get back on the moment it's over. The one word that came to mind as I was listening to this album was 'melancholy'. The word itself has a negative connotation in most cases, but when using it in reference to this album, there is a poetic beauty to it that Jon Foreman has laced each track with. Listening to the album is likely to help you conclude that melancholy is the new black!

From the reverbed guitar that echoes through 'The Cure For Pain' to the haunting keys that line 'My Love Goes Free', this album is filled with little nuggets of brilliance from the mind of Mr. Foreman. While the music sets up a beautiful environ for the listener, the lyrics are drenched in sweet honesty. What I love about them is that though they echo the brokenness that fall brings to one's heart, they provide an answer (of sorts) to this human condition: hope.

Perhaps it's that as time winds down in this year and the next peeks its head over the horizon, or simply a result of absolute immersion into the album, but every note of this album sings to me to just hold on a little longer; that the answers I seek are just around the corner. Despite the brokenness and emptiness that each and every one of us feels at some point, holding on to hope will bring us through. And though melancholy pumps through my veins, hope is what will balance it out at the end of the day. It is all that we have left when stripped bare to our core.

I could go on, but I won't. Experience the album for yourself as this year winds down, and as you start making your resolutions for this next year. Sit by the fireplace or peer through the fogged-up window, and let hope be your guide to the next year.

Jon Foreman - The Cure For Pain

Official Site | MySpace Page | Buy Fall EP

Y34RZ3r0r3mix3d

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 23:45:00 +0000

One of my favorite albums from this year got even better. Trent Reznor just put out Y34RZ3r0r3mix3d, the remix album of his first of 2 concept albums, Year Zero.

Though the album features remixes by various artists (including Saul Williams, whose latest album was produced by Reznor), it comes together as a surprisingly cohesive piece. Even so, my favorite from Year Zero is still my favorite on Y34RZ3r0r3mix3d - 'In This Twilight'. Even with it's grungy underbelly, the song is just so soothing that it just stands out above the rest.

I'd also highlight 'Survivalism', remixed by Williams, as well as 'God Given' by Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert. If you're a fan of remixes, give it a whirl. If you want to remix these songs yourself, go grab the CD/DVD combo and have a blast!

Nine Inch Nails - In This Twilight (Fennesz)
Nine Inch Nails - God Given (Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert)

Official Site | MySpace Page | Buy Y34RZ3r0r3mix3d

The Brother Kite

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 03:55:00 +0000

Rhode Island brings us the fine band we'll be exploring today: The Brother Kite. After sampling their Moonlit Race EP the other day, I ended up downloading it as well as their previous LP, Waiting For The Time To Be Right. Suffice it to say, they're good.

The biggest draw by far has to be the big sound they create coupled with the beautiful harmonies pumped out by guitarists Patrick Boutwell and Jon Downs. The sound itself reminds me of Beatles-esque pop and the closest I come to comparing them to an artist is a mix between Kite Flying Society and British Sea Power with a hint of Siberian. Imagine indie pop meets shoegazer... kinda. In any case, the overall sound was the factor that drew me in, but what got me to stay were, as always, the lyrics:

I'm afraid that I will fall in
With the people that trip me up
And find too late that I've
Thrown away the only thing I love...

'Hopeless and Unsung' is where those lyrics come from, and lately, I've been digging the self-doubting lyrics for some reason (case in point: January by Ravens & Chimes). Not sure why, but that's a good enough reason for me. So give these guys a listen, and check out both the LP and EP (which features a handful of live and alternate versions from the LP), and check them out if you're on the east coast.

The Brother Kite - Hopeless and Unsung
The Brother Kite - I'm Not The Only One

Official Site | MySpace Page | Buy Album

Ravens & Chimes: Reichenbach Falls

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 18:55:00 +0000

NY indie-rockers, Ravens & Chimes, deliver a debut album that most artists dream about, but very few see it realized. Reichenbach Falls is an incredible album, that from start to finish, does not fail to deliver the raw passion that these five twenty-somethings have to offer.

When you have a group of trained musicians come together, especially one where all of them have graced the stage at Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center, you would expect an album that is considered 'safe' in some senses. There is a fear that it might come across as unoriginal, but you need not worry when listening to Reichenbach Falls. It is packed with lush soundscapes of winter and holds a certain melancholy about the album that invites you to lay by an open fire and reminisce about the year winding down. At the same time, it gives you hope for what's right around the corner... something will be different.

From the droning guitars to the marching drums to the fluid vocals, these songs feature a rich palette of sounds that remind you of the stylings of Arcade Fire. It definitely does not hurt that Howard Bilerman, who's produced records for AF as well as British Sea Power and Godspeed! You Black Emperor (all favorites of mine), has in fact produced their album as well. The combination of R&C's music and Bilerman's production go a long way to set this album up for great things. I'm definitely keeping my eye on these guys and gals.

Having listened to this album over and over for weeks now, I have to say that it is by far my favorite indie debut this year, and one of my favorites released thus far. The cooling weather is welcomed with this release in hand, and it's a must purchase in my book. So grab yourself a warm drink and enjoy this album to your heart's content. Don't forget to check them out at CMJ if you get a chance and check their Myspace page for tourdates coming soon!

Ravens & Chimes - January
Ravens & Chimes - General Lafayette, You Are Not Alone
Ravens & Chimes - Marianne (Leonard Cohen Cover)

Official Site | MySpace Page | Buy Reichenbach Falls

Siberian Debuts 'With Me'

noreply@blogger.com (Arpit Mehta) — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 01:00:00 +0000

It's official: Seattle provides the world with more than just good coffee and sucky weather to drink it in. If Siberian is any indication of the indie music scene in Seattle, then I must say I'm impressed. This quartet brings accents of melodic pop vocals to a solid indie rock sound and they do so rather beautifully.

Though one could argue that most of the songs on With Me are chorus heavy, Siberian has developed a lyrical style they can call their own, and they run with it. Additionally, their guitarwork is simply superb. Two guitars panning left and right individually creates a volumetric environment, that in stereo enhances your listening pleasure.

A great up and coming band to check out - the album will be out October 23rd, so choose your favorite music retailer to grab it, and enjoy yourself!

Siberian - Belgian Beer & Catholic Girls
Siberian - Islands Forever

Official Site | MySpace Page