This Blog No Longer Works

URGENT

2008-08-07T00:15:00.000-07:00

URGENT URGENT, UPDATE UPDATE

This blog has malfunctioned significantly, so much so that I had to create a new blog.

NEW URL: http://knowthecitizeninsane.blogspot.com

Go there, re-bookmark me, and re-subscribe!

Sorry for the inconvenience, but it was Blogger's fault, not mine.

See you at the new space,

TJ

It's Name Is Trouble

2008-08-05T01:05:00.000-07:00

So, I'm having massive technical difficulties with Blogger.

It look as though this blog may be moving location.

Stay tuned.

(Sorry to those relying on my site feed. I don't know how many of you are out there, but currently the feed isn't working whatsoever; part of the reason why I might be heading for greener pastures.)

The Sunday Loom

2008-08-03T22:43:00.000-07:00

So, here are a few subjects worth noting...

First, the new (fifth) season of Entourage starts up on September 7th, and the recent teaser trailer has severely heightened my anticipation. Check it out for yourselves below...

Appartently, the synopsis of the first episode of the new seasons is as follows...

55 "Fantasy Island" Doug Ellin/Mark Mylod September 7, 2008
As Medellin gets slammed by the critics, Vince and Turtle resort to Mexico to avoid anything to do with the film. Meanwhile, Eric, Drama, and Ari are in L.A., focused on their careers. Drama begins to get recognized and E gets new clients and also, with Ari's help, tries to get a new movie to dig Vince out of his hole from Medellin. Ari and Eric go to Mexico to tell Vince about a movie that Emile Hirsch dropped out of that he would get top dollar for. After a heart to heart between E and Vince, Vince tries to pick up his career.

Now, it's common knowledge that Entourage gets a bad rap in certain circles due to its popularity for those of the frat-boy persuasion. However, as both a fan and critic of TV, I've got to defend the show; it's no where near as vapid, navel gazing, or self-indulgent as any episode of Sex and the City. Plus, from a technical (direction and screenwriting) perspective, the show pulls off myriad things that other shows don't or won't try. On top of it all, Jeremy Piven and Kevin Dillon are two extremely solid cast members and actors. Outside a "fanboy" perspective, the show has a lot legitimately going for it. No really, it does.

Second, where is a new album from Sufjan Stevens?

Despite the lack of another "state" record (or any other album, really), Sufjan's been putting out some great material in the form a single MP3s, contributions to compilations, etc. I bring this up in specific regard to a conversation I was having with a good friend of mine. He debated that Sufjan's non-album work was of the weaker variety, whereas I strongly disagreed; some of his best, forward-thinking material comes in the form of these one-offs. To satisfy my ego and provide a winning argument, I've posted three examples of "new" (non-album anyways) Sufjan songs below.

Sufjan Stevens - What Goes On
This track is circa 2005 and is a pretty healthy demonstration that Sufjan's still got it (and creatively growing) despite his musical sabbatical. It's off of the compilation record This Bird Has Flown - A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber Soul and shows Sufjan structurally reworking the Beatles' track of the same name.

Sufjan Stevens - In the Words of the Governor
A 2007 track off of The Believer CD compilation from the literature magazine of the same name, this one's worth posting because of the radical approach (read: departure) Sufjan takes; it's more fuzzed-out, over-sustained, and distortion-saturated than anything Sufjan's done so far. And in what could be a bonus for some, Sufjan lyrically abandons his stereotypical storyteller approach for more simplistic, perhaps punk-inspired, lyrics.

Sufjan Stevens - Majesty Snowbird [Live]
So far, this track's only seen light at Sufjan's live shows (click for the Pitchfork-approved photos of the Sufjan show I attended). It's more epic and outstanding than anything Sufjan's attempted thus far, even on Illinois, and despite the mediocre sound quality, it's easy to hear.

So c'mon Sufjan, we know you've got the talent, record a new album already, "state" or otherwise.

Third, I should mention Comic-Con. It was quite radical. I got to hang out with such legends as Paul Pope, Eddie Campbell, John Cassaday, David Lloyd, and more.

That and I got a stack of books rough 15" tall, the complete Tales from the Darkside, a plethora of pictures, and nearly killed my wallet.

Here are a few shots...

See more photos here
Alright, I think that's all I've got until tomorrow. Check back throughout the week for more updates; I've got a brand new mixtape, a slew of MP3s to share, and a variety of videos that are worth checking out.

Updates

2008-07-24T11:39:00.001-07:00

A few quick things to note as I'm sitting at my computer in San Diego, waiting to take a shower...

The Past Few Weeks:

I got to see Ricky Gervais perform live at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood while (luckily) sitting front row center. Ricky was great, with his timing and anecdotes coming off than anything you can find in his YouTube clips. Let's also note that instead of sipping from a bottle or glass of water, like most comedians do during their sets, Ricky nursed a giant can of Foster's Beer. The show was hilarious.

Sometime after the Gervais performance, I scored tickets to a sold-out Ratatat show. The venue was very cool, cool being the crowd wasn't too hipster and the area wasn't too. They played a lot of stuff off their latest record, LP3, which is to be expect, but everything they played from 2006's Classics sounded great. And yes, they eventually played "Seventeen Years." It was the closing song from their encore and the vibrant track sounded even better live.

I didn't get any pictures, but during their perfromance, they projected a whole hunch of strange videos, like the Predator one I posted a few weeks ago. Here's the video backdrop for the song "Flynn." It's entertaining if, y'know, you're a fan of VH1 Classic or Chevy Chase.

This Week:

I'm in San Diego for Comic Con, which is why I haven't touched a computer recently. More updates on this ridiculous event when I get back to L.A. on Monday.

Fin

Listmaking

2008-07-09T19:29:00.000-07:00

So here is something I found rather interesting that has been (or had been over 4th of July weekend) appearing on several blogs recently:

"List your favorite record from every year you’ve been alive.

You can do it based purely on hindsight, or you can do it by listing the answer you would’ve given in that year (assuming you were aware of pop music at the time)."

Wikipedia helps.

Of course, I decided to make my own list.

1987 - Dinosaur Jr., You're Living All Over Me
1988 - Sonic Youth, Daydream Nation
1989 - Pixies, Doolittle
1990 - Fugazi, Repeater
1991 - My Bloody Valentine, Loveless
1992 - Pavement, Slanted & Enchanted
1993 - Nirvana, In Utero
1994 - Weezer, "Blue Album"
1995 - Foo Fighters, Foo Fighters
1996 - Cake, Fashion Nugget
1997 - Built to Spill, Perfect from Now On
1998 - Neutral Milk Hotel, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
1999 - The Flaming Lips, The Soft Bulletin
2000 - Radiohead, Kid A
2001 - Daft Punk, Discovery
2002 - Queens of the Stone Age, Songs for the Deaf
2003 – Sufjan Stevens, Greetings from Michigan
2004 - Eagles of Death Metal, Peace, Love, Death Metal
2005 – The National, Alligator
2006 – the Thermals The Body, The Blood, the Machine
2007 – Battles, Mirrored
2008 – Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend

Obviously, the list culminated in a listing of some of my favourite albums, but it was surprising to see which years garnered records I hold dearest to my heart and which years were lacking records I liked all that much.

1994 was hands down the hardest year for me. So many incredible albums came out that year, albums that are solidified in my personal all-time-favourite-canon, but I ultimately went with a record that influenced me greatly at the time I first received it. In contrast, 1991 and 1998 were quite easy for me to decide upon.

1995, 1997 & 2001 also proved difficult years. Instead of laundry listing the seriously talented or laughably poppy albums that came out in said years, scan Wikipedia. 2008 was pretty hard too, especially since the year is far from over, so I went with the record that's gotten the most spins from me as of today.

What does your list look like and what was the hardest year for you?

MP3 of the Day

2008-07-09T18:33:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed, I skipped a mixtape for this week. I've been busier than expect with work and this past weekend, but no worries, new content will be arriving shortly. Here's today's MP3.

It is what it is, a free, web-hosted MP3 of my choice awaiting your download. Click the link and enjoy.

MSTRKRFT - Vuvuvu
I posted a single of this tune's A-side in an April mixtape, but I found myself coming back to MSTRKRFT's "Vuvuvu" quite a bit recently.

The song itself is a pulsing electro-house jam that sounds self-generating and hypnotic, its prime listening location being someone's dank, oversexed basement. Though it's around two months old now, it still holds up to anything off the recently US released Hercules and Love Affair record or Justice's recent MGMT "Electric Feel" remix. Oh why not, I posted both songs below...

Hercules & Love Affair - Blind

Justice - Electric Feel (Remix)
Enjoy.

MP3 of the Day

2008-07-06T14:00:00.000-07:00

It is what it is, a free, web-hosted MP3 of my choice awaiting your download. Click the link and enjoy. Today's a two-for-one.

Jay Reatard - Nightmares
An stellar example of Jay Reatard's lo-fi branded, punk influenced, guy next door garage rock, "Nightmares" is off his 2006 solo debut, Blood Visions. That being said, "Nightmares" is in the middle of the Reatard spectrum; his songs get harder and, at times, softer (see below).

Jay Reatard - I Know a Place
Whereas "Nightmares" was a demonstration of Reatard's straightforward punk rock, "I Know a Place" offers a more subtle listening experience. It's gentle and doesn't operate at a breakneck speed, differing greatly for Reatard's much more fervent material.

Jay Reatard's musical output is incredible. Since 1998, he's released nearly seventeen albums and thirty four 45s/EPs. He's definitely worth checking out.

YouTube Fridays

2008-07-04T15:22:00.000-07:00

Here's your weekly update of videos I've flagged on YouTube. This week I've listed three clips: new, recent, and old.

First is the new Ratatat video for "Mirando." The song is pretty solid, but the video, which samples from one of my favourite John McTiernan films, is very cool. Thanks to Megan for the heads up.

Second is the "viral video" for the upcoming Tropic Thunder film, which aired during the most recent MTV Movie Awards. There's a chance you may have already seen this clip, however, its too entertaining not to mention.

Last is a 2006 a capella Grizzly Bear performance of "The Knife" on the streets of Paris direct from La Blogotheque. The clip is self-explanatory, but an interesting watch.

Don't forget to check out the Artist Spotlight on Pavement posted below.

Artist Spotlight

2008-07-03T23:36:00.000-07:00

This feature exists for three reasons: to give my fingers a break, to give your ears some homework, and to expose you to fantastic bands that you may or may not have heard of.

Pavement
A band as heavily accoladed as Pavement requires almost no introduction. They're staple members of the indie rock community, being one of the first bands ever to obtain significant success sans a major record label. To put it plainly, the band is the first prominent "indie band."

Not only is Pavement one of my favourite bands, but it surprises me how few people I know listen to them. So, for your listening pleasure, I've selected 15 tracks that I feel make an excellent primer to the music that is Pavement's.

I did make some rules for myself when selecting the curated songs. First, no more than three songs from any given album; a crucial restriction seeing as how the band's first two albums, Slanted and Enchanted and Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, are masterpieces. Second, include one song from each album; an obvious choice for a rounded listening experience. And finally, include more than one track outside of the band's LP discography.

Enjoy.

Shady Lane off Brighten the Corners
Trigger Cut off Slanted and Enchanted
Shoot the Singer (1 Sick Verse) off Watery Domestic EP
Stereo off Brighten the Corners
Zürich Is Stained off Slanted and Enchanted
Grave Architecture off Wowee Zowee
Silence Kit off Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
I Love Perth off Pacific Trim EP
Strings of Nashville b-side off the Gold Soundz Single
Frontwards off Watery Domestic EP
In the Mouth a Desert off Slanted and Enchanted
Gold Soundz off Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
At&T off Wowee Zowee
Grounded off Wowee Zowee
Spit on a Stranger off Terror Twilight

MP3 of the Day

2008-07-01T11:57:00.000-07:00

In an effort to update the blog daily (or, at best, every other day), here's my newest feature - MP3 of the Day. It is what it is, a free, web-hosted MP3 of my choice awaiting your download. Click the link and enjoy.

Girl Talk - Play Your Part (Pt. 1)
The first track from Girl Talk's stellar new album, Feed the Animals. The record was made available June 19th on the Illegal Art website in a pay-what-you-want format, very similar to Radiohead's release of In Rainbows.

Although the LP is almost two weeks old now, my Californian travels didn't allow me to get my hands on a copy until earlier last week. That being said, "Play Your Part (Pt. 1)" is one of my favourite songs on the record and certainly one of the strongest. Everything from the opening salvo of "Gimme Some Lovin'" to the mash-up of Lil' Wanye with Sinead O'Connor's "Nothing Compares 2 U" at the 3:41 mark equals syrupy Girl Talk goodness.

The Monday Mixtape

2008-06-30T23:42:00.000-07:00

Summer is in full swing...
As part of the rejuvenation of this blog, I present the newest, latest mixtape.

Gobbledigook – Sigur Rós
Released exactly one week ago, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust is an exercise in a more organic Sigur Rós. A huge departure from the operatic, grand schemes of Sigur Rós’s previous efforts, their latest LP, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust, and first track, "Gobbledigook" is chalk full of acoustic guitars, and pulsing percussion. Released in the advent of (my) summer, “Gobbledigook,” is an excellent June confection. Have a listen.

Agoraphobia – Deerhunter
A smooth, almost Beach Boys-esque song from the yet-to-be-released Atlanta five-some’s forthcoming third record, Microcastle, “Agoraphobia” abandons the shoegaze of Deerhunter’s second record, Cryptograms, in favor of a brighter, summery sound. Although the band has departed from their reverb soaked songs, the pleasant, soft melody of “Agoraphobia” leaves little to complain about.

Inside a Boy – My Brightest Diamond
“Inside a Boy” is My Brightest Diamond’s Shara Worden at her finest. Crushing guitars armed with Worden’s soulful, sultry voice represents My Brightest Diamond’s epic, classical sound at its pinnacle. “Inside a Boy” is the first track off Worden’s latest (second) LP, A Thousand Shark’s Teeth. Although much of the material on Shark’s Teeth differs greatly from her debut album, “Inside a Boy” is an amalgamation of the sonic landscape Worden carved out in 2006’s Bring Me the Workhorse and perhaps one of the strongest songs to come from the indie outfit.

The E Street Shuffle – Bruce Springsteen
What can be said about Bruce Springsteen in a singular paragraph that can’t be better garnered from a five minute Google/Wikipedia search? Assuming everyone has heard of Bruce Springsteen, “The E Street Shuffle” is the opening track off Springsteen’s second album, The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle. Released in 1973, “The E Street Shuffle” and the majority of The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle is a showcase for Springsteen’s more full-bodied, almost orchestral sound. When listening to “The E Street Shuffle,” it’s possible to hear inklings of Illinois-era Sufjan Stevens or any other artist that’s embraced a variety of instrumentation and bombastic musicality.

The Shape Is in a Trace – Thurston Moore
Foregoing waves of distortion and the noise of nothingness, Thurston Moore’s 2007 solo release, Trees Outside the Academy was a pleasant surprise of acoustic guitars and verse-chorus-verse structure. “The Shape Is in a Trace” is an exemplary track from the aforementioned album and displays Moore’s acoustic guitar talent coupled with a weighted string arrangement. With Sonic Youth’s 2006 LP Rather Ripped showing the band downplaying their avant garde tendencies, Trees Outside the Academy and “The Shape Is in a Trace” demonstrates Moore’s continuation of this welcomed new trend.

Hurly / Burly – Man Man
Blazing, schizophrenic, boisterous, bludgeoning, percussion, pop, and perfunctory are just a few of the adjectives that come to mind when listening to Man Man’s “Hurly / Burly,” the second track off their third record, Rabbit Habits (2008). Bursting with a wide variety of instrumental ornamentation and a plethora of different instruments, “Hurly / Burly” is sonically all over the map. However, the track retains momentum, never operates at too breakneck of a speed and never loses its listener, which will be entertained by the almost incoherent nature of “Hurly / Burly.”

Light of Love – Music Go Music
What begins as a Jens Lekman-infused pop song, transforms into a Queen-influenced ballad in “Light of Love,” a track from California’s Music Go Music. “Light of Love” sounds like it comes from eras past. More than anything, the band plays off Abba templates, but the up-tempo and optimistic song is littered with nostalgia, which makes for an ideal summertime listen.

Post-Paint Boy – Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks
Much like all of Stephen Malkmus’ finest post-Pavement material, “Post-Paint Boy” retains all the quirky, catchy sentiments that helped define the 90’s indie staple. The track is the third to last from Malkmus’ 2005 album, Face the Truth. “Post-Paint Boy” is made up of forward moving rhythm guitar, chirping percussion, and a lead guitar melody that matches Malkmus’ soft, sing-a-long lyrics, all of which culminate into a pleasant, easy-going sonic digestion.

California – Joni Mitchell
Well, as previously stated, I’m in California. How could that theme not creep up in an issue or two of the mixtape? “California” is off Joni Mitchell’s beautifully sparse, emotionally excellent third record, Blue. Not only is the album a brutally fantastic piece of folk music, “California” is the definition of early, bright Mitchell. The track is pleasant and warm. Try to imagine the sun high above the Pacific, with sand tangling your feet. “Oh will you take me as I am?/ Will you take me as I am?,” sings Mitchell, and ultimately smilingly encourages, “Take me as I am.” Take me as I am.

Updates Arriving Shortly

2008-06-26T16:50:00.000-07:00

To date, it's been twenty-three days since my last entry. Before that I was only sparsely posting mixtapes. Well, that's what finishing up a tense academic year, packing your life up, and driving/moving to Los Angeles will do to you.

However, in case any of you are waiting with bated breath, I'm happy to announce that regular blogging (more than just mixtapes) will resume starting Monday (with, yes, a new mixtape).

This past Saturday, I completed my four-day trek from Kalamazoo to L.A. (which included some entertaining/interesting stops along the way) to prepare for my summer internship with the Los Angeles Times. As of now, I'm working periodically throughout the week, but have ample free time. When I'm not exploring the completely foreign California, I plan on getting back to a regular blogging schedule.

I'm going to include a few more features that just The Monday Mixtape, as well as being more regular about writing up albums of the week and artist spotlights. Overall, I like the layout, so not much will change there, but I'm adding on a few new things on the column to the right, such as an easy way to navigate subscription (both feed and e-mail) and a list of links to what I read most frequently.

In general, things are going to be slightly more brief. By putting less focus on lengthy pieces, I'll be able to get out more material at a much more frequent rate, so when you check more than once a week, there'll be something new to read.

Alas, I'm blathering on. The title of this entry says it all.

Stay tuned.

The Monday Mixtape

2008-06-04T18:04:00.000-07:00

Fifteen Tracks
Welcome to this week’s edition of The Monday Mixtape, a weekly update of songs, both old and new, that have been on my personal heavy rotation.

This week’s mixtape is a summer-time extravaganza. Twelve new tracks supplicated by three gems make up today’s mix. That’s right, fifteen songs that either reflect the ambiance of late-May daytime sun or the orange glow in the skies of summer nights and should more than make up for my recent mixtape absence.

52 Girls – The B-52’s
An all time summer classic, “52 Girls” represents the early era of the B-52’s at their best. Minimalist drums and guitar provide the toe-tapping background to the sultry and melodic dual vocals of Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson from the second track off the band’s eponymous debut album. Although “52 Girls” isn’t as new wave as some of the band’s other material, its upbeat, kitschy nature grabs the listener’s attention and is a fundamental exercise in pop.

Water Curses – Animal Collective
“Water Curses” is the first track off of Animal Collective’s recently released EP of the same name. Recorded during the Strawberry Jam sessions in 2007, “Water Curses” is as bubbling and bright as any of the catchy pop found on last year’s Strawberry Jam; It’s a carousel of airy melody and optimistic fervent instrumental orchestration. Despite being busy with a variety of seemingly random samples, Animal Collective condenses the hyper sonic cornucopia into an experience that is easy, satisfying, and unique. After listening, it’s easy to see that “Water Curses” is the type of song that no other band is producing right now, which is a theme prominent in Animal Collective history.

Yesterday’s Garden – Tim Fite
A cheerful, lackadaisical attempt at pop music off of Tim Fite’s latest LP, Fair Ain’t Fair, “Yesterday’s Garden” contains several recognizable elements borrowed from Randy Newman and The Beatles. The song begins pleasantly enough, with lazy piano accompanied only by Fite’s bold voice, but soon banjos, penny whistles, and boisterous vocal accompaniment enter and the song transforms into a sing-a-long that is reminiscent of forgotten Disney VHS tapes or Kermit the Frog musical performances. The uniqueness of Fite’s voice and musical style make “Yesterday’s Garden” an interesting listen.

Mean God – Times New Viking
Clocking in right over 1:30, the album version of Times New Viking’s “Mean God” is an example of the band’s loud, discordant mess of a sound (see “Faces on Fire” in the first mixtape issue). However, underneath almost all of their songs’ piercing roughness exists an understanding of pop mechanics and the version of “Mean God” posted today (off of the band’s recent Daytrotter session) is an example of just that. For reasons unknown, Times New Viking toned down their harsh dissonance, opting to keep their vocals and guitars clean in their Daytrotter session. The result is a take of “Mean God” that is just as up-tempo as its counterpart, as the band hardly abandons their energy in this forward moving, punk-influenced track.

Rooks – Shearwater
Having earned an album of the week feature, Shearwater is no stranger to this blog. “Rooks” is the brand new single off the band’s forthcoming LP, simply titled Rook. Numerous sonic elements explored in the aft mentioned album review are seen throughout “Rooks,” although the band certainly shows growth. The powerful bridge made up of trumpet and the eerie woos of supplemental vocalists, as well as the straightforward marching pulse of the song itself, is new territory for Shearwater. As well as musical evolution, Shearwater demonstrates expansion in the form of front man Jonathan Meiburg’s vocals. Forgoing the edge-of-your-seat dramatics displayed on 2006’s Palo Santo, Meiburg chooses to remain discreet and ominous, which signals growth, promise, and interest for the Rook’s June 3rd release.

Van Tan – DD/MM/YYYY
A five-piece out of Toronto, Canada, DD/MM/YYYY has an experimental punk sound that is part Fugazi and part Blood Brothers with the rhythmical influence of Liars thrown in. Having two drummers, “Van Tan” strongest aural point is its rhythm; at the three minute mark, the rhythm section practically takes over the track. Melodically riffed guitars, Guy Picciotto-like vocal shouts, and shifting musical theatrics add distinct layers to the drum-heavy track all of which helps maintain the song’s sonic momentum.

Royal Gregory – Holy Fuck
Holy Fuck is Toronto, Canada’s analog answer to electronic music. Made up of a drummer, bass player, and two unique effects men, Holy Fuck’s sound is pure electronica, but created without the genre staples, laptops or programming; the electronics heard on their output are created live with the use of various keyboards, children’s toys, and even a film sequencer. By ad-libbing their own material both live and in the studio, their songs take on a very fluid dynamic structure. “Royal Gregory,” off the band’s 2007 LP, is an stellar example of Holy Fuck’s dance-oriented electronic material, combing a thick bass groove with steady, heavy, drumming and myriad digital noises, including muffled, sampled vocals. Constant tonal and rhythm shifts in “Royal Gregory” not only keep the track from boring the listener, but are also evidence of the band’s organic sound. Armed with their unique sound, Holy Fuck crafts a song that holds up to whatever electronic-dance music is currently flooding the market.

Sleeper Hold – No Age
2008 has brought several great albums so far, but one of the strongest has been No Age’s debut record, Nouns. “Sleeper Hold” makes for the fourth No Age track I’ve posted on the mixtape. However, “Sleeper Hold,” is as different from the previously posted songs as those songs were to one another. “Sleeper Hold” finds the band reveling in their experimental noise-rock distortion and pulsing drums. Elements of shoegaze and punk run rampant over the quick-hitting 2:26 track as No Age finds themselves creating a near-perfect basement-rock anthem. The most disappointing thing about the fervent song is its running time; just when you find yourself moving your body and singing along, the song abruptly ends. Fortunately, “Sleeper Hold” is followed by several other tracks on the great Nouns LP that share the same musical and emotional tenor.

Morning Light – Girls
Sunny enough to reflect the musical ornamentation of recent Caribou, but grungy enough to earn comparisons to Jesus and Mary Chain, San Francisco’s Girls play in worn melancholy, shoegaze ground. “Morning Light” is off the band’s soon-to-be-released 7”. Vigorous melody and lo-fi noise make up the power-pop a-side and although the song feels a little long due to its near constant repetition, “Morning Light” has enough of a hook to draw in fans of the aforementioned genres.

Hazel St. – Deerhunter
Though Deerhunter front man, Bradford Cox and his side-project Atlas Sound have been mentioned on an issue or two of the mixtape before, Deerhunter, arguably the better musical act, have yet to make an appearance until today. “Hazel St.” exemplifies the band’s hushed shoegaze sound. Building various gentle pop harmonies upon layers of delicate, muted sonic soundscapes, Deerhunter exemplifies ethereal psychedelia and “Hazel St.” is an exercise in just that. Not only does the song burst with lush harmony, it manages to be catchy and friendly, cultivating a mellowed listening experience.

Warning – Wye Oak
An indie-folk outfit out of Baltimore, Wye Oak just released their debut album on Merge records, If Children. “Warning” is track two on the debut LP from the duo, who gained notoriety because of multi-instrumentalist Andy Stack unique performance style – whereas singer Jenn Wasner handles vocals and guitar, Stack plays drums and keyboard at the same time, drumming with his two feet and right hand while handling keys with his left. “Warning” starts off much similarly to the polite musings of Death Cab for Cutie, but as the tempo picks up, the song elevates into territory familiar to Foo Fighters’ softer material. There’s plenty of guitar feedback and charged drumming to give the song needed dirt, preventing anything too gentle from overpowering the breezy track.

Glitter & Gold – Cheap Time
Two minutes of glam-rock based pop-punk. That’s what Cheap Time delivers on “Glitter & Gold,” the second track off the band’s 2008 self-titled debut record. The three-piece hails from Tennessee and lists The Runaways, T. Rex, Red Cross, and Pussy Galore as influences on their Myspace. Though treading almost no new territory, Cheap Time packs “Glitter & Gold” with quick-draw tempo and crunching, riffing, guitar that demonstrate garage rock at its finest, which is hardly a bad thing.

Going to Georgia – The Mountain Goats
Without question, The Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle is a fantastic songwriter. “Going to Georgia” is musically simple enough, made up of only three chords, but it’s Darnielle’s lyrics and voice that give the song its life. Released in 1994 as the second to last track of the Zopilote Machine album, “Going to Georgia” is best summed up as honest, harsh, fragility converted to song. “The most remarkable thing about you standing in the doorway/ Is that it’s you/ And you’re standing in the doorway” is one of the most crushingly beautiful, shiver inducing, lyrical lines I’ve ever heard. The song’s heavy lyrics juxtaposed against its uncomplicated structure speak volumes on its own, but Darnielle’s out of tune vocal delivery is the third piece of this delicate sonic puzzle, which earns more than one listen.

You’ve Done It Again, Virginia – The National
On May 20th, The National released their DVD/CD set A Skin, A Night & The Virginia EP. “You’ve Done It Again, Virginia” is the first track of the EP and it’s a re-recording of a song of the same name, found on 2005’s Lit Up EP. Their second time around, The National adds several Sufjan Stevens-helmed flourishes to the simple, brooding acoustic song. “You’ve Done It Again, Virginia,” particularly with Sufjan’s accompaniment, sounds as if it would fit perfectly within the stark musical landscape of 2007’s critically acclaimed Boxer, complete with lead singer Matt Berninger’s soulful croak which tells of bleak American life. If anything, “You’ve Done It Again, Virginia,” along with the entirety of the Virginia EP, acts as a bookend for the excellent Boxer, delivering familiar sounds and themes to familiar audiences and ears.

Fear and Loathing in Mahwah, NJ – Titus Andronicus
Hailing from Glen Rock, New Jersey and delivering bombastic punk, Titus Andronicus’ “Fear and Loathing in Mahwah, NJ” begins humbly, only to violently erupt into urgent, epic noise akin to both Neutral Milk Hotel and Nirvana. A band-led “Fuck you!” kicks off the overdriven guitars, drums, keys, and singer Liam Betson’s “Conor Oberst-inspired” vocals. Once the five-piece hits this rapid-fire momentum at the 1:17 mark, it’s never lost. Though the music briefly slows down during a guitar lead bridge, Titus Andronicus immediately re-ignites as ferocious drums are reintroduced along with keyboard and a brass section, all of which aurally pummels its audience for the song’s remaining minutes. Outside of their sound, the band is constantly referencing other elements of literature and pop culture in their lyrics, song titles, etc. – Along with their band name taken from Shakespeare’s earliest play, the title of their 2008 debut record, The Airing of Grievances, references a particular Festivus ritual of Seinfeld fame. The band is receiving attention from a variety of blogs and media outlets, most notably Pitchfork Media, and their new record is worth experiencing.

Enjoy.

The Monday Mixtape

2008-05-05T22:52:00.000-07:00

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Monday Mixtape, a weekly update of songs, both old and new, that have been on my personal heavy rotation.

This week’s mixtape is filled with a whole slew of brand new tracks.
I'd like to apologize for the week-long delay, but a debilitating case of strep throat combined with my current rigorous scholastic curriculum forced me to put the blog on the back-burner for more days than I would have liked. However, I'm finally healthy, so things will be back to normal immediately.

Hercules’ Theme – Hercules and Love Affair
Hercules and Love Affair is the electronic brainchild of New York-based DJ, Andy Butler. Released earlier this year in March, Hercules and Love Affair’s self-titled debut (Released on DFA records) is filled with the noise of disco. Thumbing bass, artificial twinkling brass, and inorganic strings are all here and the electronic musician does his best to usher in a revival of 70’s dance music. Despite its heavily vintage sound, Butler manages to bring something unique to dance music in 2008.

Bright Side – The Muslims
Coming out of San Diego, California, The Muslims are a four-piece pop-rock outfit. “Bright Side” has its share of familiar sounds, especially in an indie-music scene that was stormed by Vampire Weekend earlier this year. However, the Californians manage to bring some regionalism to their musical disposition and the result is west coast up-tempo rock with flairs of punk, all of which makes for a solid early summertime listen.

Feast on My Heart – Pylon
Released in 1980, Pylon’s first album Gyrate was an landmark new wave, dance music, and art rock LP. A great influence to such acts as the B-52’s and R.E.M., Pylon pioneered the combination of dance and punk, created music that is brash and rigid, while maintained a strong sense of rhythm and “dance-ability.” “Feast on My Heart” is an exemplary track from the Atlanta foursome as all of the group’s staples are present: Vanessa Briscoe Hay’s cruel moans, Curtis Crowe’s steady, up-beat rhythms, and Randall Bewley’s dry, melodic guitar riffs.

Pork and Beans – Weezer
On June 24th, 2008, Weezer will release their sixth studio album (self-titled, but coloured Red). “Pork and Beans” is the album’s first single and it came out mid-April. Having been a great of fan of Weezer’s earlier material and quite disappointed by their more recent output, “Pork and Beans” celebrates a return of form of sorts for the veteran group: it’s catchy, self-reflexive, nerdy, and it’s an amalgamation of sorts of the group’s Pinkerton and Blue-era sounds. With the release of this single, their forthcoming album promises some interesting listens.

Ants – Blank Dogs
What begins as an exercise in Joy Division inspired no-wave, Casio keyboards, muted vocals, and all, quickly shifts into sun-kissed surf rock and then back again in “Ants,” a track off of Blank Dogs 2008 LP, On Two Sides. Amidst the buzzing keyboards and fuzzed guitars is melody, and the group manages to create a unique sonic experience, which may be best described as dystopian, post-apocalyptic dance music.

Discipline – Nine Inch Nails
Earlier today, that is May 5th, 2008, Trent Reznor digitally released Nine Inch Nails’ seventh studio album, The Slip. Explaining that “this one’s on me,” Reznor has made The Slip available for free from the Nine Inch Nails website in a variety of audio formats. Before today, “Discipline” was released digitally and is considered the record’s first single. The sound of “Discipline” displays the aural elements Reznor employs on the majority of the new album. Unlike the solely instrumental, and often somber, Ghosts I-IV (also released this year), The Slip contains tracks that are reflections of both Broken-era Nine Inch Nails and, more notably, With Teeth-era NIN, all of which can be characterized as power pop plastered by the fervor of industrial rock.

A Thousand Eyes – Crystal Antlers
Fresh of the band’s 2008 self-titled EP, “A Thousand Eyes” embodies the psychedelic, soulful sound of the Long Beach, California five-piece. Comprised of a drummer, a second percussionist, an organist, as well as a guitar player and bass player/blues-tinged vocalist, Crystal Antlers successfully weave an anthemic, blues-tinged track that manages to be both catchy and challenging to the ears.

Sipping on the Sweet Nectar – Jens Lekman
Jens Lekman, the certainly unique Swedish-pop musician, released Night Falls Over Kortedala in 2007 and it was filled with his infectious, affectionate musical style. Combining samples of twinkling 70’s pop with dance-oriented percussion, Lekman procures a heavily original sound which comes off as Belle & Sebastian guitar-oriented pop with an assortment of bells, whistles, samples, and strings.

I Want Wind to Blow – The Microphones
In 2001, Phil Elvrum (under the Microphones moniker) released what many consider to be his seminal work. The Glow Pt. 2 is low-fi indie acoustic rock at its pinnacle. “I Want Wind to Blow,” the albums opener, is definitive of the emotionally heavy sound Elvrum crafts on his seventh musical release. Using cheap, slightly out of tune guitars, random elements of percussion, and his soft fragile voice, Elvrum creates “I Want Wind to Blow,” an exercise in solo songwriting that is brooding, yet musically uplifting. Although the song begins soberly, Elvrum erupts into optimism at the 2:30 mark with a simplistic guitar melody. Eventually, this snowballs into the noise of overdriven drums and a variety of instruments all proclaiming the same, sweet melody.

Inside the Cinema – Culture Reject
Staccato horns, handclaps, gentle double-tracked vocals, acoustic guitars, and a lead guitar melody make up the charming Culture Reject tune, “Inside the Cinema” off of the band’s recent self-titled debut album. Mixing in a handful of other instruments, Culture Reject’s Michael O’Connell crafts a soft indie-folk song peppered with pop ornamentation and Sufjan Stevens-esque instrumental accompaniment, which creates a bright, swirling listening experience.

Enjoy.

Illness

2008-04-28T19:40:00.001-07:00

Unfortunately, due to feeling overwhelmingly sick the entirety of today, I'm postponing The Monday Mixtape. I try to be as on time with updating as possible, but tonight I can barely function, let alone blog.

I'll do my best to get it up sometime tomorrow, so check back then.

Sorry all.

The Monday Mixtape

2008-04-21T14:02:00.000-07:00

Welcome to this week's edition of The Monday Mixtape, a weekly update of songs, both old and new, that have been on my personal heavy rotation.

This week's mixtape is split between older and new track and the songs reflect the gorgeous Spring weather I've been experiencing the past few days.

The Plot – White Rabbits
Released in 2007, White Rabbits’ debut album, Fort Nightly, is made up of pop-sensible, rhythm driven (the band has two drummers) songs and “The Plot” exemplifies the six-piece’s up-tempo sound. Breaking open with firm percussion and pin-like distorted guitar, the music sets a broad stage for lead singer, Gregory Roberts' rough vocals, the tender twinkling of piano, and synthesizer strings. The song is a sonic assault throughout, not shifting tempo or sound until the 2:25 mark, where there’s a short piano centered breakdown, though the song loses no steam whatsoever, and ultimately culminates with the combination of every aural trick the band practiced throughout the three and a half minute song.

Ring Finger – RJD2
“1, 2, 1 – 2 – 3 – 4” opens the soulful RJD2 cut off of the hip-hop producer/musician’s 2004 record, Since We Last Spoke. After establishing a thick groove in the song’s opening seconds, “Ring Finger” quickly shifts gears into a soft female vocal track accompanied by a Spanish guitar and lofty bass hits. “Ring Finger” fits nicely into the indie hip-hop sampling style that defines RJD2. The aforementioned cinematic breakdown gives way to more dance-oriented beat and instrumentation at the 1:57 minute mark, as the song erupts back into the groove “Ring Finger” opens with, this time with various guitar solos and the re-introduction of the female vocal lead.

Bang! – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Though I felt the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' 2006 LP, Show Your Bones, was severely disappointing, their earlier material still makes for a solid listen. “Bang!” is the first track on the band’s first EP, released back in 2001. The song contains most all of the stereotypical tropes of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, such as a punching, dirty, lead guitar melody and lead singer, Karen O’s sexually-tinged moan of a singing style that has more passion than thought behind it.

Man’s Heart Complaint – {{{ SUNSET }}}
This year Bill Baird, of Sound Team fame, released his new band’s first album. The band is {{{ SUNSET }}} and the record is Bright Blue Dream. Perhaps unsurprisingly, “Man’s Heart Complaint” contains dream-like, delayed guitars, steady and heavy drumming, and a large amount of reverb, much like Baird's output seen with Sound Team. What “Man’s Heart Complaint” lacks however, is the pop undertones that seeped into the music of Sound Team. {{{ SUNSET }}} sounds more somber and serious, and while it certainly contains melodic ornamentation, “Man’s Heart Complaint” doesn’t fall into stereotypical shiny-pop limbo.

Kim & Jesse – M83
I’d like to believe that while recording his latest record, Anthony Gonzalez’s M83 watched a slew of John Hughes movies, because that’s what the recently released Saturdays = Youth LP sounds like. Having not lived though the 80’s, it would be bold for me to claim that M83’s new album captures the pop sound of the era. However, popular culture has made many familiar with the stereotypes of 80’s pop music and M83 does a wonderful job harkening back to the sounds of The Human League or The Cocteau Twins and it’s obvious from the opening seconds of “Kim & Jesse.” Again, the material on the record, “Kim & Jesse” being a perfect example, sounds like it would fit right into a coming-of-age John Hughes film, complete with tested friendships and first loves.

Dark Leaves Form a Thread – Destroyer
Throughout his musical career, not including his performance in side projects like The New Pornographers, Destroyer (aka Daniel Bejar) has released nine albums. “Dark Leaves Form a Thread,” off of 2008’s Trouble in Dreams, is filled with the Bowie-inspired ground Destroyer has covered before, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Although the album itself isn’t too musically refreshing, as it sticks closely to the sound Destroyer furnished with 2006’s Destroyer’s Rubies. “Dark Leaves Form a Thread” demonstrates Destroyer’s ability to write a solid song with pop hook and witty lyrics that deserves repeated listens on a day infected by summer’s sun.

Doubt/Hope – Wildbirds & Peacedrums
The first striking thing about Sweden’s Wildbirds & Peacedrums’ “Doubt/Hope” is that it’s made up entirely of vocals and percussion, which makes the song an interesting, and successful, listen. Singer Mariam Wallentin’s broad voice, which accompanies itself once, and sometime twice, over is emotionally weighted. At one point, it becomes percussion itself and works wonderfully amongst the stark space of only handclaps. Because the song is so minimalist, it’s clear that both instruments, voice and drums, must be highly accomplished in order for the song to work. While Wallentin’s vocals are wonderfully done, Andreas Werliin’s drumming is also worth noting, if not only for his ability to gives his drums guitar-like qualities; they shape the song entirely. Volume, tempo, and beat constantly shift and Werliin’s drumming creates a listening experience that is anything but boring.

Jakov's Suite – Tapes ‘n Tapes
Listening to Tapes ‘n Tapes 2005 debut, The Loon, was great, if not only for the nostalgia that run rampant throughout the record; The Pixies and Pavement are clear influences of the band. “Jakov's Suite” bursts opens with a quick-fire drum beat, pulsing bass, and crunching, harmonious guitar riffs. After jamming for a little more than two minutes, the band transitions into slowed, Modest Mouse-tinged territory which builds into a mess of distortion before ending on sweets notes peeped from a piano.

White Winter Hymnal – Fleet Foxes
This take of “White Winter Hymnal” is from the group’s recent Daytrotter Session (the song itself will appear on the band’s forthcoming LP). It contains numerous folk and rustic allusions that I discussed about the band in a previous issue of the mixtape. Like the previously posted “Sun Giant,” “White Winter Hymnal” “sweetly defines the sound of this Seattle five-some’s ‘baroque harmonic pop jams’.”

Hearts on Fire – Cut Copy
Cut Copy’s latest album, In Ghost Colours, is as schizophrenic as anything I’ve listened to this year. There’s Flaming Lips-sounding pop (“Feel the Love”), there’s the VHS or Beta-sounding 80’s rock (“Light & Music”), and then there’s the dance-club sounds of “Hearts on Fire.” The band certainly has an 80’s pop retro sound. The vocal track and waves of synthesizer buried in the band’s dance oriented electronics show homage of sorts to the robotic pop of the era. “Hearts on Fire” is an exercise linear dance music; it’s constantly shifting, strays from over-indulgent repetition, and features a variety of instrumentation, both analog and digital.

More Like the Moon – Wilco
Though I’m not sure what can be said about bands like Wilco, who audiences are widely familiar with. The band evolves into something different with each record they release and there’s not much I could include within this paragraph that Wikipedia couldn’t inform in greater detail. Regardless, “More Like the Moon,” off of the 2003 EP of the same name, is a demonstrative, somber, acoustically driven number from Jeff Tweedy and company. The song’s gentle ambience is punctuated by a stellar acoustic guitar solo and sobering lyrics of untimely longing.

Enjoy.

Artist Spotlight: The Dodos

2008-04-18T17:39:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the first feature for Artist Spotlight. I decided that with my mixtape feature, I've got individual songs covered, and with my album of the week feature, I've got albums covered, but what about artists? Realizing I didn't have a feature where I could talk about artist that are worth highlighting, I've decided to do a weekly "artist spotlight" where I discuss a musician or band that I enjoy, recently or otherwise.

In this feature, I'll post a quick written summary of the artist's work as well as a sampling of some of their best tunes, put into playlist form.

This week, we have The Dodos, the acoustic rock duo out of San Fransisco.

I've talked about the band on the blog before, so rather then throw more words onto the page, I'm just going to post some pictures from their amazing show I saw live this past Wednesday night.

Note: I took a lot more than seven pictures at the show. Instead of swamping this entry with photos, I implore everyone who'd like to see more to check out the Flickr folder I created for the rest of my concert photography...

More Dodos Photos

More Dodos Photos

The Monday Mixtape

2008-04-15T19:30:00.001-07:00

"A day late, but still great!"

Welcome to this week's edition of The Monday Mixtape, a weekly update of songs, both old and new, that have been on my own personal heavy rotation.

This week is filled with a few things new, but its heavy on the older tracks.

Something to note: If there's anyone who can't get the IMEEM player to play, or certain songs only play for 30 seconds or less, try disabling your internet protection software (i.e. Norton) when attempting to listen to the mixtape. It's possible that IMEEM is being viewed as a pop-up by your protection software, so adjusting your security settings should clear that problem up.

Roadrunner – The Modern Lovers
The Modern Lovers, one of the godfathers of indie rock. In 1972, Jonathan Richman, along with session musicians such as Jerry Harrison (of Talking Heads fame) recorded demos for what would be their first label release. However, the band never produced an LP for Warner Bros. and the label soon withdrew their support for the band, leading to the group’s division. In 1976, Beserkley Records released the band’s posthumous demos, on which “Roadrunner” is the opening track. Based around two chords, a pulsing rhythm, Richman’s croon, and a “1-2-3-4-5-6” count-off, “Roadrunner” is Richman’s ode to The Velvet Underground. “I'm in love with the radio on/It helps me from being alone late at night.”

Eraser – No Age
Whereas No Age’s previous output could be easily be defined as experimental noise-rock, with elements of shoegaze and punk. With “Eraser,” the band isn’t necessarily exploring new sounds, so much as they’re pushing new elements into the sonic forefront. “Eraser” begins with a breezy and sunny melody as the sounds of an acoustic guitar and swells of distortion compete for the attention of your ears. It’s certainly one of the band’s most accessible tracks with its pop-sensibility and is a demonstration of the band will put out on May 6th with their album Nouns is released.

Grease 2 – Thee Oh Sees
“Grease 2” off of The Oh Sees new record released last week, The Master’s Bedroom Is Worth Spending a Night In, is a straightforward garage-punk anthem, though there are several elements that make it a worthwhile listen. There are traces of both The Cramps and The White Stripes, while the psychobilly guitar is complimented well with throbbing drums and dual female/male vocals.

Bounce (feat. N.O.R.E.) – MSTRKRFT
Sometime this September, MSTRKRFT will release a follow-up to their 2006 LP, The Looks, and “Bounce” is the upcoming record’s first single. MSTRKRFT, the electronic duo made up of Jesse Keeler (of Death from Above 1979) and Al-P, make pretty straightforward electro music and their debut LP was heavy on repetition and vocoders, but “Bounce” sees the duo aim for a more club-oriented dance tune. The song is certainly a grower, but it’s as good a dance track as anything else I’ve heard in 2008.

My Night with the Prostitute from Marseille – Beirut
Taken from a charity compilation disc, “My Night with the Prostitute from Marseille” fits in with the aural structure of Beirut’s 2007 LP, The Flying Club Cup. That is, the bourgeoisie, European, classical-pop sound that makes up the aforementioned album. Unlike the heavy brass and string arrangements of Flying Club Cup, “My Night with the Prostitute from Marseille” uses electronics as the basis for its sonic arrangement. Much in the way that “Scenic World” stood somewhat apart from Beirut’s 2006’s record, Gulag Orkestar, because of its use of electronic elements, “My Night with the Prostitute from Marseille” offers a refreshing adaptation of Beirut’s solidified dramatic sound.

Tongues That Possess the Earth Instead – Half-Handed Cloud
John Ringhofer is the one man band that makes up Half-Handed Cloud. Named after an occurrence in the Old Testament, Half-Handed Cloud’s music is full of religious overtones, however, Ringhofer is never overtly preachy; he masks his subject matter with lo-fi drum patterns, poppy hooks, and pleasant melody. This track clocks in right under a minute and is off of the band’s 2006 record, Halos & Lassos which was released by Asthmatic Kitty, Sufjan Stevens’ record label. The song also happens to be extremely catchy.

The Gospel According to Effice – 31Knots
Off of the band’s third record, It Was High Time to Escape, “The Gospel According to Effice” is track from Portland’s 31Knots. The song mixes a myriad genres, where indie, prog, and The Police meet. The song strongest hook comes in at the 47 second mark; a simple guitar chord set punctuated by minimalist drums. “The Gospel According to Effice” also changes itself constantly, as the drummer, bassist, and guitar player frequently shift both what they’re playing and how they’re playing it, never letting their listen get bored or indulging in their own hooks, all of which make the song a solid listen.

Raised by Wolves – Voxtrot
“Raised by Wolves” is off of the Texas quintet’s first EP of the same name. Though their 2007 full-length was a disappointment, Raised by Wolves, both the EP and the song, offers up some of the band’s strongest material. Filled with sounds reminiscent of Belle & Sebastian and early Smiths, the EPs title track exemplifies the band’s knack for toe-tapping melody that’s certainly twee throughout, though its twee perfected; a pleasant, well-put-together confection best enjoyed while one’s in a bright mood.

Hanasakajijii (Four: A Great Wind, More Ash) – Anathallo
Take the dramatics of Illinoise-era Sufjan Stevens, add in tremendous percussion, sprinkle in group vocal harmony, and top of with xylophone and there you’ll have Anathallo’s “Hanasakajijii (Four: A Great Wind, More Ash)” pretty well defined. The seven piece band, which originated out of Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, all play a variety of instruments ranging from guitar to the flugelhorn, many of which are on display in “Hanasakajijii (Four: A Great Wind, More Ash).” The song breaks open with sonic brashness, but ends on a beautifully soft and mellow note. Having an ear for the epic, the song has a few radical musical shifts, but ultimately forms a somber piece of audio art.

Divine – Sébastien Tellier
Even though I placed the video for this Sébastien Tellier track on my latest post of YouTube Fridays, I felt the song needed to be present in a higher quality mp3 format. “Divine” is the fourth track of the French electro artist’s latest album, which was released earlier this year. It’s full lush synthesizers, sparkling vocal samples, and the twinkle of all things pop. The hilarious video adds a lot to the already catchy dance song, check it out if you haven’t already, but the track is still fun without the absurd visuals provided by Sébastien Tellier himself.

Enjoy.

Coming up later this week: Album of the Week, an Artists Spotlight, and photos of the upcoming Dodos show.

YouTube Fridays

2008-04-11T23:36:00.000-07:00

This YouTube Friday feature needs no introduction whatsoever, though I will say it's the new Sébastien Tellier video for the single "Divine" off of his new record Sexuality.

Just press play and enjoy smooth dance-pop synthesizer magic...

The Monday Mixtape

2008-04-09T18:28:00.000-07:00

Welcome to this week's edition of The ~~Monday~~ Wednesday Mixtape, a weekly update of songs, both old and new, that have been on my own personal heavy rotation.

This week’s is a mega mixtape of sorts, as I added an extra six songs or so to the usual amount of tunes.

As far as the delays are concerned, I’m sorry for my lack of blog attendance and maintenance as of late. Spring Break, combined with new classes starting and a new roommate moving in have made things a little hectic, but this issue signals a return to the norm and the blog will now be updated regularly and more frequently.

I should say that this mixtape was made upon my return from Florida, which probably affected a slew of my selections. This week, there’s a pretty big divide in the types of music present: Bright indie rock and all sorts of electro, with some avant-noise thrown in for good measure. Onto the list...

Cold Hands – Black Lips
The first mixtape track on this week’s issue is off of the Black Lips’ 2007 LP, Good Bad Not Evil. On their fourth album, the Black Lips continued to perform what they know best and retained their dingy garage rock sound. “Cold Hands” has obvious surf-rock overtones, of which Dick Dale would surely approve.

The Hounds of War – The Subjects
The Subjects are a band that completely flew under my radar last year when their first album, titled With the Ease Grace Precision and Cleverness of Human Beings, was released. Made up of two graduated high school students and two of their teachers, The Subjects owe a lot of their sound to the pseudo-recent rave of New York indie rockers (such as, yes, The Strokes). However, something about their songs, whether it be the melodies they weave into their harsh, minimalist songs or the stark rawness of the album’s production, have had me listening to this record quite a bit.

Altibzz– Autechre
Autechre is a band that’s been around for awhile now. Having made nine albums, the first being released in 1993, and a variety of EPs, the electronic duo set the standard for the IDM (Intelligent Dance Music) genre. “Altibzz” is off of the recently releases Quaristice album. Though not as dance-oriented or up-tempo as other tracks off the record, “Altibzz” is filled with lush waves of sullen synthesizers and electronic ambience that presents itself as strikingly beautiful.

Ladies of Cambridge – Vampire Weekend
After months of hype and the following backlash, Vampire Weekend is still one of the best new acts of 2008. “Ladies of Cambridge,” a b-side off of the “Mansard Roof” single, sounds like it could fit anywhere on the band’s self-titled debut from earlier this year, boat shoes and warm, indie-pop included.

Crimewave - HEALTH
Part Killing Joke, part Liars, HEALTH is a noise-rock band out of Los Angeles. Their self-titled debut album was released last year and “Crimewave” is a highlight track. Two minutes of tribal drums and feedbacked guitars make up the powerful song and even if you don’t have a taste for the avant-garde, anyone can appreciate the drumming from the 1:31 mark and on.

Torn Blue Foam Couch – Grand Archives
“Torn Blue Foam Couch” can be most simply described as indie-pop. The track, off of the Grand Archives' 2008 LP, reminds me of Summerteeth-era Wilco. There’s a great emphasis on hook and sugar-coated production, but it’s clear that’s Mat Brooke’s (formerly of Band of Horses) intention; the entire album is sunny and upbeat, with the record’s songs rarely lingering longer than they should.

A New Chance – The Tough Alliance
“A New Chance” is the definition of The Tough Alliance’s patented Swedish-dance-pop. With dance music, it’s really hard to explain exactly why it’s so catchy or fun, so just press play and enjoy the electronic duo weave summery confections of sampled beats, synthesizers, and harmonious vocals.

African Rhythms – Mi Ami
Mi Ami is a band made up of a post-punk dub-dance band made up of ex-members of the Black Eyes. They just recently released an EP and the title track is “African Rhythms.” The song can best be described as tribal electronics heavy on the beat and dub influences, a sonic experiment that runs all over the music of M.I.A. However, Mi Ami doesn’t rap or rhyme, but rather rhythm is at the song’s forefront and it’s backed by schizophrenic guitar work and high pitched, yet nondescript, vocals. An interesting listen, even if the track wears a little thin due to its nearly seven minute length.

Horny Hippies – The Dodos
I placed The Dodos’ track “Jody” on my first issue of the mixtape. Since then, their second record, Visiter, has been released and that album is pretty amazing. “Horny Hippies” is not a track off of Visiter, but the band’s debut LP, Beware of the Maniacs, (released not even a year ago) which is a solid record itself. The previously mentioned (and posted) “Jody” does a great job capturing the duo’s acoustic guitar/drum sound, but “Horny Hippies” is an example of the band doing something a little different; it’s simpler and less dynamic or thematic than “Jody,” yet its quaint and honest. And of course, like most Dodos tunes, it’s catchy.

Running Down the Hills – Glass Candy
Glass Candy is a throwback to Blondie and the popular image of synth-oriented pop music of the 80’s. “Running Down the Hills” is heavy on the beat and wears its influences on its sleeve, though there’s nothing wrong with that, or a band that wants to you d.a.n.c.e. The track is chalk full of diminished sampled waves of synthesizers, guitar, and rhythms.

Fucked for Life – Dirty Projectors
Since picking up Dirty Projectors’ 2007 Rise Above, I’ve really been into the band’s distinct sound. There are numerous sonic elements the band frequently takes advantage of, such as the innumerable guitar arpeggios, the vocal orchestration of the band’s three vocalists, and their ability to produce such tight, charged, and up-tempo music. This cut of “Fucked for Life,” originally off of their New Attitude EP, is actually from the Dirty Projectors’ semi-recent Daytrotter Session.

Archangel – Burial
Burial is an tremendously talented and anonymous dubstep producer out of the UK. In 2007, he released his second record, Untrue. “Archangel” is the second track off of that album and it’s filled with grimy beats, low-fi sampling, and a pitch-fluctuating, cryptic vocal track. Burial creates all of his music from a low-tech setup in his home, but despite the ability for overproduction, the music his creates benefits greatly from the crackle and pop of such amateur equipment, and speaks volumes about his ability to create successful material. Something about each song on the record, most notably “Archangel,” has a mysterious infectious quality which draws its listener in.

You Made Me Realize - My Bloody Valentine
In 1988, My Bloody Valentine released their You Made Me Realize EP and it was the first output of theirs that consistently demonstrated the “shoegaze” sound the band championed with later material (and perfected with 1991’s Loveless). “You Made Me Realize,” starts out tough, with a hard, almost grunge, opening riff, then transcends into shoegaze bliss, as the dual vocals of Kevin Sheilds and Bilinda Butcher create an ethereal atmosphere amongst the swell of feedback and distortion – a classic example of earlier My Bloody Valentine.

Machine Gun – Portishead
On April 28th, Portishead will release their greatly anticipated third record (the band’s been on an eleven year hiatus), titled Third. “Machine Gun” is a raw, industrial sounding track, yet trip-hop elements are obviously present throughout the track. Vocalist Beth Gibbons provides eerie, wailing vocals and, combined with the sludge-like electronics, “Machine Gun” sounds like a ghost haunting a machine.

Stay Don’t Go – Spoon
Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga was one of my favourite records of 2007. It had all the right touches of mid-fi production and Beatlesesque-pop perfection. However, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, is far from the only good Spoon record. “Stay Don’t Go” is a cut from 2002’s Kill the Moonlight, and might even be the better record. The song opens with a loop of lead singer Britt Daniel beat-boxing and the minimalism remains for the duration of the track. There’s the addition of like tambourine, power chords strummed on a guitar, and light touches of bass, but Daniel’s vocals are what sell the song. Despite being incredibly simple, the song still grabs your attention and gets a toe or two tapping.

You! Me! Dancing! – Los Campesinos!
With the band’s first LP release on April 1st in the States, I’m adding a Los Campesinos! track to the mixtape. The song contains everything the seven piece band out of Wales is all about; there’s twee-pop, multiple instruments, multiple singers, and, perhaps of course, dancing. However, I was always partial to the band’s early demos that first surfaced on their Myspace. Sure, the take of You! Me! Dancing! is the exact same song that appears on their album appears on their album, but it’s the little flourishes and small touches which make this take better: there’s the difference in guitar tone, the more playful (and amateurish) singing, and a just more energy involved, which makes all the difference, surely.

Sweet Love for Planet Earth – Fuck Buttons
Alas, this week’s Mega Monday Mixtape closes out with a track off of the new Fuck Buttons album, Street Horrrsing. It’s a prime example of the English duo’s experimental, noise-based music. Opting to loop different electronics, guitars, and rhythm pieces, “Sweet Love for Planet Earth” begins as a morning would, with the sun slowly rising. However, as time progresses and loops are built upon other loops (and the addition of crudely-mechanized vocals), the morning sun explodes in your ears. Fuck Buttons are loud and “Sweet Love for Planet Earth” certainly constitutes noise, but there’s beauty in the breakdown. Much like the gentle chimes that twinkle throughout the track, Fuck Buttons never lose sight of that beauty.

Enjoy.

Spring Break

2008-03-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a short sabbatical from the blog as I travel to Florida for a Spring Break vacation. That means no updates until my return in about a week. My bad.

Au revoir.

The Monday Mixtape

2008-03-17T16:03:00.000-07:00

Welcome to this week's edition of The Monday Mixtape, a weekly update of songs, both old and new, that have been on my own personal heavy rotation.

This week I’ve got finals, I’m heavily under the weather and my selections are definitely an effect of that.

Bela Lugosi’s Dead – Bauhaus
Though I’m pretty certain this tune doesn’t need an introduction, here’s the first single, recorded in one take, from the goth-rock band Bauhaus. The song’s minimalist and drones – perfect for those grey days intermitting spring.

Don’t Talk (Redux) – ADULT.
Here’s a take from Detroit-bred ADULT. The band is made up a husband/wife duo and they’ve got a very much electro-punk sound to them: heavy on the analog synths, drum machines and lead singer, Nicola Kuperus’ scowl of a voice.

Little Garçon – Born Ruffians
Everything I had to say about Born Ruffians’ latest record on last week’s Monday Mixtape, still applies here and I’ve found myself digging the band’s latest LP, Red, Yellow and Blue quite a bit, especially in the sun, particularly in the car. This track’s rather different from last week’s “Kurt Vonnegut.” It’s much more sweet and subtle with a sunny disposition; it’s has a quaint, little sound and is a relaxing track if nothing else.

Left Bank – Air
Air’s Pocket Symphony from last year was a record that marked a change in their sound. They dropped a lot of their up-tempo electro and focused much greater attention on somber, ballad-esque tunes. “Left Bank” is a great example of their new direction and it sounds like a rainy day.

The Lord God Bird – Sufjan Stevens
Is there anything I can’t say about Sufjan Stevens? Here’s a track about an ivory-billed woodpecker of the same name. It was recorded in conjunction with a NPR segment about Sufjan’s songwriting. It’s got all of the standard Sufjan-accoutrements including banjo, a catchy lead-guitar melody, and a gentle, harmonious vocal track from Stevens himself.

Modern Love - Syme
Marking an up-tempo note on this week’s playlist is Syme’s “Modern Love,” which is off their 2006 remix EP, simply called Modern Love EP. Yes, it is a David Bowie cover and the song is heavy on the synthesizers and barbershop harmonies. There does seem to be a bit of Radiohead somewhere in there too, but this song is a sugary convection, like “Electioneering” chalk full of candy. It’s rainbow bright. Dig it.

Sun Spots – No Age
I’m still enjoying No Age’s compilation LP, Weirdo Rippers, quite a bit. This is just a quick instrumental cut. It’s straightforward with looped guitar feedback and reverbed synthesizer, but the bass-line is what sells me every time. Simple, yet lush, the song sounds like an dream ending.

Got It – Sebadoh
One of the pioneer bands of lo-fi indie rock music, Sebadoh’s been around for quite a while now. This track is off of 1994’s Bakesale. The tune’s melancholy guitars combine beautifully with lead singer, Lou Barlow’s soft vocals. Less noisy and more melodic than previous efforts, “Got It” is an exemplary Sebadoh song none the less.

Bem, Please Come Home – Pas/Cal
Well, what do you know, another Detroit band on this week’s mixtape. This is an intricately webbed together track from the Detroit six piece’s second EP, Oh Honey, We're Ridiculous. It’s a short instrumental take delivered sunny-side up.

Hospital Rooms Aren't for Lovers – Bear Colony
Bear Colony’s lead vocalist is Vince Griffin and his role as such includes acting as the band’s primary songwriter. In 2005, Griffin was misdiagnosed with Crohns Disease. He spent a whole lot of time in the hospital as a result and wrote nearly all of 2007’s We Came Here to Die while bedridden; the experience comes through in almost all of the album’s tracks. Most of the record is positive or optimistic and the music itself is relatively solid, heavy on the electronics and takes a few cues from bands like Minus the Bear.

Waltze of the Tennis Players – Meg Baird
Last year, Espers’ Meg Baird released Dear Companion, a traditional folk album. With "Waltze of the Tennis Players," (a cover of Fraser & DeBolt, a Canadian folk-duo) that’s exactly what you get. The song is humbly straightforward, but romantically so and the gently strummed guitar chords accompany Baird’s ethereal and delicate vocals in a way that is both natural and eternal.

YouTube Friday

2008-03-16T10:43:00.000-07:00

This week's YouTube Friday is all over the place (and a couple of days late).

First up is a very cool bluegrass cover of Radiohead's "Morning Bell" by mandolin virtuoso Chris Thile and his band. Certainly an interesting rendition.

Second up is the scandalous video for Add (N) to X's "Plug Me In," which I'm sure will be taken down in the next few days.

Next up is the Bat for Lashes video for "What's a Girl to Do?" The Bat for Lashes tune is good, but the video makes it much, much cooler. There's definitely a Donnie Darko vibe to this one, which doesn't hurt.

Here's the awesome video for "Rabbit in Your Headlights" by Unkle featuring Thom Yorke on vocals. Be sure to stick around for the video's tremendous ending.

For those of you who haven't heard a bootleg copy of Sufjan Steven's "Majesty Snowbird" (or heard it live, nooch), here's a decent video of the spectacle that's involved. The sound quality could be better, but then again, this is one of the best videos of the song I've been able to find. Oh yeah, the song's a nine minute gorgeous epic.

And as a quick bonus (and reference to Ghost World), there's this, which is pure rock 'n roll.

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend.

Album of the Week

2008-03-13T23:58:00.000-07:00

Shearwater's Palo Santo

Formed in 1999 as a side project for two members of Okkervil River, Will Sheff and Jonathan Meiburg, that could act as a showcase for the two’s quieter songs, Shearwater is a band with humble beginnings. Will Sheff is Okkervil River’s singer, primary songwriter, and guitarist, whereas Meiburg acts as the band’s pianist/organist. Originally, Shearwater’s focus as a band paralleled Sheff and Meiburg’s original intentions for the group, and Shearwater’s first three albums, along with one EP, consisted of softer material, with instrumentation and vocals split between the two Okkervil River musicians. That is, until 2006’s Palo Santo.

Originally released on Misra Records in 2006, the album led Shearwater to be signed to Matador Records, where the album was then re-packaged, partially re-recorded, re-mastered, and then re-released in 2007. It is that final product which is this week’s album of the week.

Shearwater’s fourth album is notable primarily because Sheff is no longer present in the same way he had been on previous Shearwater releases. No longer having to split vocal (or songwriting) duties, the band became primarily helmed by Meiburg (although Sheff does play some instruments on the album). The results of Meiburg’s lead are astounding, and the glimmers of promise seen on previous Shearwater records is pushed into the spotlight; Meiburg is a tremendous song writer.

With the background information out of the way, let’s talk the music. It’s somber, sober, and striking. All of the pop melody of Okkervil River is practically absent. The music isn’t lush or overly produced, but stark and straightforward. The songs do have rings of epic quality to them, however, they are soft and mostly meek. The songs themselves are mostly piano driven, as Meiburg relies on the instrument to set up almost every melody to each song. It leads the way amongst guitars, both distorted and crisp, pounding drums, and most important of all, Meiburg’s vocals.

For me, that is one of the most poignant elements of Shearwater. Meiburg’s voice is trained, beautiful, but also very expressive. When the man shouts, he shouts and you can feel the emotion. However, songs like opener “La Dame Et La Licorne,” act as a platform for Meiburg’s powerful, trained voice.

For the majority of this entry, I’ve said a lot about Palo Santo’s songs being piano driven, grave, and emotionally sobering, but I attest that I’m not describing some love-sick Coldplay rehash. No, this band is nothing of the sort. Combining a variety of instruments and elements, the record can be summed up in one word: beautiful. It has a “rocker” or two, but isn’t designed for blasting in your car. It’s to be saved for a night in and a bottle of red.

I’ve posted maybe one too many songs from the record for my album preview segment of this entry.

First off is “Red Sea, Black Sea,” the album’s second track. Perhaps the most uptempo, straightforward rock song on the record, the song does contain numerous Shearwater staples, including a great vocal track by Meiburg and an foot-tapping banjo lead.

Next is “White Waves,” which follows “Red Sea, Black Sea” as the album’s third track. It begins with a soft guitar melody and meek vocals from Meiburg, but bursts into a Wilco-inspired guitar-driven jam, complete with a steady drum beat.

Third is “Nobody,” an example of the record’s few minimalist, acoustic tracts. Made up of primarily Meiburg’s vocals and a muted acoustic guitar, the song is slow and soft, and Meiburg’s singing and guitar playing is a delicate as anywhere else on the album. What I love most about this song is the My Bloody Valentine inspired keyboard melody that hits around 1:43. For whatever reason, the dissonant noise sounds perfect for the album’s subtle sixth track.

Fourth is the piano driven “Seventy-Four, Seventy-Five.” The song explodes with blaring piano as Meiburg’s near-shouted vocals, upright bass, and winding trumpet join in. Once the heavy drums kick in, the song hits a stride that it doesn’t abandon until a soft bridge at the 2:22 mark. However, the song re-remerges soon thereafter, gaining back whatever steam the bridge may have abandoned.

Fifth is the aforementioned track, “La Dame Et La Licorne.” It’s easy to see how the bare-bones nature of this song could create dissonance for any listener, but for me, this song’s simple piano and woeful, powerful vocal track is brilliant. It’s the album opener and really sets the stage for what is to follow. The song begins with Meiburg’s vocals working against the rhythm set by his piano. By the time the song finds its footing, it becomes a striking, falsetto equipped ballad.

Last is the absolutely amazing “Hail, Mary.” Easily my favourite song of the entire record, any comment I’ve made here previously can be applied to this one song; each mentioned element of Shearwater’s music is present here and pulled off perfectly. If there’s one song on this preview mix that one would listen to, this is it. Techniques pulled off perfectly with excellent results. It's almost a disservice to the song by continuing to try to capture its sound. Like I’ve said, it’s everything I've previously said in this post about Shearwater, rolled into one song.

Just press play.

The Monday Mixtape

2008-03-10T23:38:00.000-07:00

Welcome to this week's edition of The Monday Mixtape, a weekly update of songs, both old and new, that have been on my own personal heavy rotation.

This week’s has an overall hushed theme: It’s polite and reverent (save a song or two). It’s winter waiting for spring to knock down its door.

Sun Giant – Fleet Foxes
The opening track off of their 2008-current-tour EP, “Sun Giant” sweetly defines the sound of this Seattle five-some’s “baroque harmonic pop jams.” The closest band of the status quo that I can compare the Fleet Foxes to is probably Grizzly Bear, however, those similarities are primarily superficial; both bands do share a rustic, folk sound, though Fleet Foxes are not nearly a psychedelic, but much more grounded. It also serves to note that the mandolin at 1:30 is sublime.

Melody Day – Caribou
Harmony. This song has it in spades. Obviously taking multiple cues from sun-kissed California pop of the 1960s (the album and this track owe much to Brian Wilson), Daniel Snaith packs 2007’s Andorra with sugary percussion, twinkling guitars, dreamy vocals, and, as one could assume, melody. If this track doesn’t resonate amidst the winter months, save it for the first day of spring.

Running Up That Hill – Chromatics
Last year’s Night Drive was an album that I couldn’t quite dive into. I liked what I heard, but the record only seemed to make sense past 2 o’clock in the morning. I soon found, as the title of the record perhaps suggests, that the best way to digest the album is allowing the simple, synthesizer-heavy songs wash over you while stealing a night drive. Not everyone make take-in the record this way, but without doubt, this is music for romantic, lonely nights.

Young Bride – Midlake
I love nearly every aspect of Midlake’s 2006 effort, The Trials of Van Occupanther. Each song on the album contains subtle melodies that are infectious. Midlake are upfront about the influence CSN&Y and Fleetwood Mac have on their music, and it’s easy to see the band’s resemblance to acoustically driven bands of the 1970’s. The songs are long and winding, but never dull or dragging and almost always accompanied with rich, thick textures of guitars, pianos, and drums, all laced together with breezy vocals. Winter may be here, but Midlake revel in the imagery of fall.

Kurt Vonnegut – Born Ruffians
Here’s a fresh (and highlight) track off of last week’s Red, Yellow and Blue. The bands self-titled 2006 EP owed a lot to acts like The Pixies, but on their latest effort, the band is growing up. Vocals aren’t as spastic and there’s a greater focus on the songs a whole; they’re no longer just rocking out with their cocks out in the fashion they find suits them best. There’s certainly elements of the album that savor the brashness the band has previously displayed, but Red, Yellow and Blue is a much more concentrated effort and the band’s concentration has paid off in dividends. The backing vocals at 2:45 are brilliant accompaniment and the constant shifting nature of the song can keep any listener's attention, even if some of the song’s sounds are familiar.

Lost and Found – Atlas Sound
Almost every comment I made about Atlas Sound in the first issue of the Monday Mixtape can be cross-applied here. I’m still enamored by Bradford Cox’s lush soundscapes.

My Head In Front of Your Head – Best Friends Forever
There’s perhaps no explanation I can provide in a paragraph that can explain why I enjoy this song and its ridiculous subject matter, though letting someone read all the good lines when reading Shakespeare sounds like romance to me. Made up of primarily Bri Smith and Jes Seamans, Best Friends Forever are the only band that I know of that find Abraham Lincoln charming/hot shit and sing about it.

English House – Fleet Foxes
Because I’m really getting into their new EP, I’ve posting another Fleet Foxes track on this issue of the mixtape. “English House” is much more full-sounding than the sparse “Sun Giant” track posted above. However, all the previously mentioned sonic elements are still here and on this track the band gets to flex more of its instrumental potential. Their debut album comes out June 8th, so keep an eye out.

Going Away – The Innocence Mission
“Going Away” is a track that casts a spotlight on the crushing minimalism of The Innocence Mission. A track off of 1999’s Birds of My Neighborhood, “Going Away” is doused in unrequited love. Karen Peris’ vocals are fragile and haunting and swoon with each listen. The band’s stark simplicity works well in giving their songs hefty emotional weight and the acoustically-driven tracks almost always leave behind a sincere resonance.

Second Chance – Liam Finn
The second track off of this year’s debut, I’ll Be Lightning, Liam Finn’s “Second Chance” is, to me, Beatlesesque. That’s not to say it’s a bad thing, just that Finn wears his influences on his sleeve more often than not. What I really enjoyed about the record was that Finn played the majority of instruments on his own, a practice that I’ll always champion. The song’s certainly straightforward and isn’t necessarily bringing anything hugely new to the table, but it’s solid nonetheless.

Super Inuit – Holy Fuck
Ever since I saw them open for Do Make Say Think (the very band posed below), I’ve been digging Holy Fuck. The band’s focus is on making electronic music that’s played live, meaning they have live bass, live drums, and create all the electro/keyboard/synth loops live. “Super Inuit” is the first tract off of their self-titled LP from last year and I should mention that it’s actually a live take, recorded at one of their shows and it encapsulates many of the practices and sounds the band explores in their material. Plus, it’s a straight-up jam.

Auberge Le Mouton Noir – Do Make Say Think
Do Make Say Think is an instrumental “post-rock” band out of Toronto, Canada. Their music is very much slow-burning, even epic. It’s very rare that their songs dip below the five minute mark and, in some cases, it can take some work to listen to the highly repetitive instrumental tracks. However, if one has the patience, it’s wonderful to hear the tiny additions the band adds to the motifs established at each song’s beginning: an added guitar riff here, flashes of percussion there. The songs evolve into marathons of momentum, building up and then exploding out of themselves, radically altering any previously established instrumentation and this track is a perfect illustration. If you get the chance, check this band out or see them live.