I don't even know what the name means.

More Informations

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 18:54:00 +0000

Another odd video by the Informations. Oddly enough not the only music video I've seen recently that uses The Holy Mountain.

The Informations again

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:51:00 +0000

Ok, sorta coming out of retirement for a post. Just feel as if people should listen to this band. Don't really know any info other than what is on their myspace and this video, but I still like what I hear. They've also added a new song to their myspace since I last mentioned them. The version of Strange Habits in the video seems to be a little touched up, there's some harmonies at the end that I'm not sure were there before.

I'm finished.

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:43:00 +0000

I think I'm done with the music blog. I'm not entirely sure what I set out to do when I created it, but I'm generally pleased with what it came out to be. And it's not really that I'm axing the blog, I just don't think you can expect any regular updates for awhile.

I started this blog with the idea that I would post everyday, but I realized that I ended up just spewing a jumble of words onto here. Updating whenever I felt like writing about music didn't really work too well either. You can really see how the number of posts each month has really dwindled. I'm sure part of it is the fact that I'm simply not digesting the amount of music I did at this point last year.

But I think at points this blog got done what I wanted it to. I never really expected a huge reader base, just to introduce a few artists to a few people. And I've done that. I think.

But for now, it's done. Unless the mood strikes, I probably won't post on here. But if you're in need of a recommendation, you can always drop me a line at my email.

I'll tell you what though. If Pitchfork ever enables comments on their album reviews, I'll start posting again.

Thanks for reading.

-Charlie

The Tiny

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:55:00 +0000

The Tiny have seem to have a new album coming out and you should be paying attention. I honestly just got into their last release from hearing the new song they've posted on myspace. But the difference between the two is astounding.

Their new song is simply amazing. I don't think I've been caught off guard by simple, stark emotion like this since seeing Karen O breaking down in her music video (a complete jolt to the then 16 year old me). The first time I listened to The Tiny's song it really dampened my mood. Even the breaths between sentences sound distressed. On the last chorus you can hear her voice strain, that threat of breaking pitch, and it just completely flattens you. You know that feeling when you're going really fast (car, bike, running) and you suddenly wreck? There's that first moment when every thing slides back into place and you're just left sitting there, taking it all in. Wait 'till you're 2/3 of the way through the song and you'll see what I mean.

I don't think any of their songs off Starring; Someone Like You had quite the punch power as this song. But that's excusable when compared to this song. Hell, if emo kids got a hold of this song they would bring back the practice of putting soot on your face when mourning (were the people who did this the equivalent of emo kids in Jesus' day?).

Are there still emo kids (I'll just assume it's still cool to make fun of them)? Or did they all just grow up into hipsters?

As usual, I'm completely off topic.

The Tiny - Dirty Frames

(you can listen to the song I talked about on their myspace)

Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 06:37:00 +0000

I'm back! I know, it's been over a month, but I should be back to posting regularly now. Regular meaning more than two times a week. Ideally five times a week, but I'm making no promises.

The reason I haven't been around isn't because of a summer job, summer classes, vacation, lack of motivation, plummeting torrent share ratios, or anything that might even sound somewhat reasonable. I kinda promised that I would "get" Fuck Buttons before I listened to any more music.

It's likely that I might have never succeeded at that task. In fact, it was my parents telling me to get out of the basement (to get some sun) that brought me out of my music induced stupor. And I still don't get it.

Though I think I can kinda see the appeal now . But I'm telling any of you who like this band that you're completely twisted and sick. They repeat a batch of sound over until that snippet of noise is as close as that conjoined twin that you can't remove because the doctors said you might lose your liver in the operation. But then they just completely axe that snippet. You, of course, are left feeling like someone has just taken big ice cream scooper chunks out of you. You might have found that bit of music annoying(like the conjoined twin), but it served its purpose (liver). The moment they changed (or let die) that bit of music you're left completely off balance (just as if you finally had that twin removed just to find that you still compensate for its weight).

You're all a bunch of weird masochists. I may be weird (see above), but I'm no masochist.

The Informations

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 02:49:00 +0000

Usually when making a post I have some concrete idea why I enjoy a song. Usually I just hope I back up my enjoyment enough that someone will go out and listen to it.

So I might just be going out on a limb by asking you to just take my word for it. Yes, I am turning into that homeless guy who makes a random declaration for you and runs off. It's usually something along the lines of, "The war is here!" but if you're lucky you get a guy babbling about his lucky third shoe.

But not everything the homeless say is a lie (insert politician joke here).I mean, I would take a homeless man's word on where the nearest soup kitchen is.

Essentially what I'm trying to say is that there's a soup kitchen down the block and to the right.

Or something.

The Informations - strange habits

(more tracks up for download on their myspace)

I have nothing against the homeless. They're just an easy minority to exploit. I just dread the day they have access to the internet.

No, I haven't heard it all

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 05:01:00 +0000

There's a fine line between craziness and noise in music. Some of my favorite bands really flirt with that line. They manage to "keep it fresh" as the kids are saying, and at the same time manage to be listenable. Yet the band Ponytail has left me a bit confused. If that fine line was a door they would be playing door bell ditch and answering the door at the same time. The vocals of course* are on the left end of the spectrum (the left end being where Carey Mercer and the like sit). Everything in me wants to say that no, this shouldn't be listenable. But dear lord it is. I definitely wouldn't call it poppy, and yet for all its wildness the music contains numerous hooks.

I realize I'm getting in the bad habit of not mentioning the band I'm talking about 'til the end of my post. Sorry. The band is called Ponytail and the album is named Ice Cream Spiritual. Like the music it shouldn't make sense, but it does. Definitely the most fun I've had listening to an album this year.

Ponytail - 7 Souls
Ponytail - Celebrate the Body Electric (It Came from an Angel)

They'll be in Pittsburgh July 26. I don't see how it could be a boring show.

*You'll realize why the "of course" once you listen

Jonquil

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 05:24:00 +0000

This song caught me at first by the sheer scale of its vocals. These vocals share a podium with Efterklang; a vocal sound that I don't hear enough of. It's hard to imagine this track being recorded in a studio. Everything about it says this is something you need to experience in the flesh. I feel as if the first time you hear this song you shouldn't be on your computer (browsing myspace), but drawn into a tavern by the somewhat drunken chorus. And everyone realizes this song, this chant, is just begging for a beat. Percussion is improvised: feet are stomped, mugs are slammed, hands are slapped against tables. Voices strain to be heard over the clatter, and the clatter likewise seeks to drown out. The only wrong thing with this moment is that there's no good way to end it. Just like a show where the crowd and band are both giving it their all, there's that knowledge that the song has to end. It's a sad moment when it does, but you count yourself lucky just to have taken part.

But taverns like this don't exist where I live (and I'm underage) so I'll just have to settle for YouTube.

Jonquil - Lions

Jonquil is one of those music acts at Glastonbury this year that isn't Jay-Z.

Maybe it's showing, but I wish I was still in Tennessee two weeks ago. While this post really has nothing to do with the festival, I feel as if that week was a string of moments like these just waiting to happen.

Love Rhombus?

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 05:37:00 +0000

There's nothing more frustrating than Googling a band name and finding that Urban Dictionary is in one of the top five results. Even more frustrating when Urban Dictionary is really one of the only relevant results next to the band's myspace. Urban Dictionary defines a love rhombus as an "amorous involvement of two couples- one straight the other gay." Which make little sense to me since the band's myspace says there are three members in the band.

Maybe the key is that they're looking for a fourth member? But then there would be two love rhombuses. Rhombi? Whatever. Would they combine to make a love octagon? Can you even make an octagon out of a rhombus? And what's to keep the two who are gay from running off with each other? Unless they were of opposite genders. But that might open the door for the two who were straight? And that's just assuming each rhombus is a male and female pair.

Is the lesson of this story is that complicated love rhombuses/rhombi have nothing to do with geometry, or even this band? I don't know, they make music I like and that's all that matters, no?

Right?

Love Rhombus - Frostbite Heart
Love Rhombus - Come on in to the Love Rhombus

I think I asked more questions in the last post than I made statements.

Abutting, Dismantling

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 06:19:00 +0000

I'll get minus creativity points for the title of today's post, but the song title was achieving a lot more than anything I was thinking of.

Gregor Samsa's (band not person) album Rest doesn't contain driving melodies or huge sounds but it still manages to knock me off my feet each time. Most groups scream themselves hoarse trying to do what this band has done at the lightest whisper. Where some bands would get you by taking the rug from under your feet, Gregor Samsa switches the carpet in the room without you noticing. Songs change so effortlessly and flow so naturally you don't realize the gears have shifted until you're headed in the complete opposite direction. The actual changes are so minute that you'll be hard pressed to put your finger on what is different, you just know that suddenly this song has turned. These songs may not stick a catchy riff in your head for the rest of the day, but they will project on mood onto you that is hard to shake.

Gregor Samsa - Abutting Dismantling

The album Rest has been out for two months, you should have it already.

Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 04:31:00 +0000

I'm back! Both to post and from Bonnaroo. What a festival. I'm just going to give a "quick" wrap up.

Thursday:

MGMT was a good kick off for the festival. I had heard mixed reviews of their live set before and while I can kinda see where this comes from, it wasn't too much a problem. The crowd favorites were among some of the festival's best performances, and the other songs held their own well. There were points where I thought they were dragging on a little, but in the next moment the song would swing and everything would be well.

Battles followed MGMT and it was one of the best shows I've seen despite some sound problems. Ty's vocals weren't really coming through too well and the band at times looked a little frustrated to me. Despite this they put on an awesome performance. This is one band that you don't want to miss if they're coming to your town.

After that Vampire Weekend was on stage, but I left to see Zach Galifianakis. Some might call me an idiot for this, but I'll stand by my decision. I really wanted to see Zach do some standup, but all his shows conflicted with my schedule. It was between missing Vampire Weekend, The Swell Season, and MSTRKRFT. Swell Season and MSTRKRFT turned out to be among the best shows, so I think I made the right choice. Besides the line was right by This Tent anyhow. Tip: check out Reggie Watts. He's what Danger Mouse would be if he did stand up with a looping station.

Friday:

The Swell Season was a lot better than what I had been expecting. Hansard seems to very comfortable onstage and is pretty charismatic. Highlight of the show was when there was a jam (considering it was Bonnaroo) and they invited people in the crowd to come up and read poetry. This had the potential to fail spectacularly when the drunk idiot behind me (the same one who decided it would be a good idea to stick a lit cigarette into my shoulder) decided he wanted to go on stage. Glen demonstrated foresight here by saying, "You're not a poet." I'm not sure what tipped him off, the fact that the guy was just yelling incoreantly and didn't realize Glen was talking to him, or stench of the guy's breath from 10+ rows back (yes, I'm still pissed about him sticking a cigarette in my back).

I feel as if I should have a lot to say about M.I.A.'s possible "last gig" but I wasn't really in the crowd (I was watching from outside the tent). But the crowd energy was really high and loving every minute, especially when invited up on stage.

MSTRKRFT ended up being one of my favorite shows of the festival. It was pretty much a huge dance party, but that's what I expected. There was a lot of energy up towards the front of the crowd and when they played part's of "D.A.N.C.E " the crowd went nuts. This wouldn't be the last show where the artists seemed surprised (in a positive way) by the crowd's energy.

Saturday:

This was the day that I had been waiting for. Sigur Ros was one of the main reasons I decided to get a ticket and I did not intent to miss that show for anything. However, going to the Gogol Bordello show almost killed me (which would have made making the Sigur Ros show kinda hard). They're a great live band but I wasn't really prepared for the crowd. You're looking at someone who has gone to shows full of hipsters perfectly content with nodding away the show. So when a guy wearing a gas mask almost took my face off with an elbow I was a little surprised.

I showed up to the Sigur Ros tent only five hours early. I say only because I still didn't get front row (second row). I figured showing up during another artist's show before the encore would have been enough, but I was mistaken. I did meet some really cool people though which only made the gig better. Be warned: all of Sigur Ros' new material is jaw droppingly good live. It isn't that their stuff isn't good, but there's something incredibly driving in Gobbledigook's percussion.

Now the part everyone's been waiting for: Kanye. I'll set the stage first. Kanye was originally slated for 8:15-9:45pm. Not sure if it was Bonnaroo that decided to move him or if he had it moved. But he ended up being put at the late night slot starting at 2:45am. Well I figure his show would just be starting by the time I had got to the stage from the Sigur Ros show. This didn't turn out to be true, nor was it true after I had slept in the field for an hour. By then it was around 4:00am so I gave up and went to my tent. He didn't end up going on for at least another half hour, and in the end only played an hour long set. The booing he received was deserved in my opionion. I did hear that people were throwing glowsticks and bottles at Kanye and the stage equipment which isn't deserved. I don't really care what an artist does, unless they're throwing things at you you shouldn't throw things at them.

Sunday:

Other than Broken Social Scene there wasn't a whole lot this day that I was looking forward to. And Broken Social Scene ended up being the only thing worth mentioning. Kevin Drew seemed a bit agitated about a keyboard onstage at one point, but other than that it was a great gig. Best show of the festival next to Sigur Ros and Battles. It also seems that Arcade Fire aren't the only band out there that seem determined to have Obama in office (video proof here).

SoooooOoOooo...

Good things at 'Roo:
Sigur Ros being one of the best live bands I've ever seen
Most of the people
Canadians more worried about our politics than we are
Poetry recitations during The Swell Season

Bad things at 'Roo:
Drunk people with cigarettes in your shoulder
Some of the people
Canadians more worried about our politics than we are
Kanye (two plus hours is pretty lame, especially when no reason is given)
The stage names (they're confusing as a certain Abbott and Costello skit)

BACK

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Sun, 25 May 2008 20:45:00 +0000

Yeah, I was gone longer than expected. I've been done with finals for a bit now but went a few days without internet access. But now it's summer and Bonnaroo is 20ish days away! The schedule has been released and while there are some conflicts, there's no conflicts that really have me worried.

I should have a real post up soon. In the meantime, did anyone else think some of the Son Lux record sounded scarily like Frank from Donnie Darko? Someone else has to of made this comparison, but I saw/listened to the two for the first time within a day so it was pretty unsettling. Ok, it's really only in the first song, but it still freaked me out.

lol brb

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Thu, 01 May 2008 03:20:00 +0000

I'll be back once these last few weeks of class are over.

Guess where

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:52:00 +0000

It isn't even funny anymore. The number of good bands from Brooklyn is become ridiculous. Do they sell instruments in grocery stores? Are you forced to go to rehearsal instead of church on Sundays? Is their population around 2.5 million?

I'm liking this song by Amazing Baby for a lot of the same reasons I fell in love with Yeasayer. This song seems to lack the huge sound of their other songs I've heard (all 3), yet is just as easy to get lost in. The melody doesn't really deviate much once the song starts, yet I can't seem to keep from hitting the back button once it's over.

Amazing Baby - The Narwhal

Split Lips, Winning Hips, a Shiner

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 13:11:00 +0000

Now that the fun of undermining my blog is over, it's back to the normal posts. But first thing's first. To the person who was referred here by the google search "spoon in my butt" perhaps you were looking for this.*

But we move away from inappropriately placed kitchenware to music. They're from Victoria but now transmit out of Montreal (note to self: another band to add to the ever growing list of good Montreal bands). The songs flit between the wild and rambunctious to the soft and sweet but they're great at both. It's easy to find those bands that are good at the fast moving songs, but it seems as if the breaks between those songs are little more than an afterthought. There's a lot of diversity in this music, a bit more to be discovered with each listen.

Shapes and Sizes - Alone/Alive
Shapes and Sizes - The Taste in My Mouth

le myspace

*Let it be known that while I enjoy a good prank way too much, I'm not a complete jerk. I'm a helpful guy.

Future Islands

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 02:06:00 +0000

I love all those quiet voiced poppy singers just as much as the next person. But sometimes I tire of hearing perfect pitch singers capable of making a castrato envious. And all those wavering soft voiced songs seem to lack conviction after a certain point. Don't get me wrong, I still am awed by the likes of Beirut, but a lot of it seems to lack to quality to offend*.

Which is why Future Islands is my new best friend (Myspace friend request still pending). At points it sounds like a more erratic Elvis skipped a few steps in the progression of music and started playing synth pop. However, it isn't all throaty sing-yourself-hoarse vocals. Just compare the two tracks:

Future Islands - Follow You
Future Islands - Little Dreamer

Check out their Myspace for album ordering details and dates with Dan Deacon.

*Turns out this is a good way to establish a fan base. Don't alienate.**

**A fact usually learned well after high school.

Easily Amused?

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:33:00 +0000

Watch this video and tell me whether I'm easily amused or if it really is as hilarious as I thought.

I'm more familiar with Metronomy through remixes (namely the AIH remix) but I've really got hooked onto the song above and "My Heart Rate Rapid." They have a very poppy and retro feel, which tie well into the recent phase I'm going through (seriously can't get enough of Ghosthustler either). I can practically hear people wondering what they've heard when I drive by in my car.

"Honey, what just happened?"
"I think another decade just drove by us."

If only my car were a few years older and the image would be complete.

Metronomy -My Heart Rate Rapid

If my tastes keep moving backwards I'll just resort to blasting Kingsley's "Popcorn" out my windows at full blast (this isn't a bad thing).

Show me your heart.

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:06:00 +0000

This song (by Need New Body) has blown my mind. First impressions:

Dan Deacon and Man Man are hanging out at the place music artists hang out (tattoo parlors?) and decide to make some music on spot. So they start laying some stuff down. Before they're even a minute in Deacon wanders off to go buy some stuff at Radio Shack or whatever it is he does in his free time. But what ensues is a banjo filled song that's impossible not to move to.

Now the Dan Deacon part is really unfounded, along with the whole story. The little part in the beginning reminded me a little of Deacon, but it fades quickly. However the whole Man Man part is somewhat accurate, since Pow Pow (of Man Man) is a part of this band. Maybe when Man Man stops touring (if ever) Need New Body can put out some more music.

Need New Body - Show Me Your Heart

I average one set of parenthesis per every four sentences or so. Just thought you should know.

Whiskers

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 22:14:00 +0000

You know that band back home that broke up because they all left for different schools? Well that's no longer an excuse. This post could easily become a preachy post about the wonderful communicative powers of the internet, so I'll get to the music part.

The Whiskers are a band from Connecticut, Illinois, New York, and Massachusetts. And before you make the assumption, they didn't all meet in Brooklyn and start playing there. They formed on a message board ( the only Frog Eyes message board to be exact). All their ideas and music was exchanged via internet.

Their second release, The Distorted Historian, came out earlier this week. While it might seem that a band formed on a fan forum for another band might come too close to sounding like a tribute band, this isn't the case. While I can hear some Mercer in there, I still think it could be impossible for someone to come off as rabid as Mercer in song*. Instead, I find that it is hard to pinpoint all the places the band has drawn from.Sure, I could point out that there's plenty of places where the vocal style reminds me much of Krug, or that "Traitor Hater" reminds me a good bit of Yorke, but I just did. Even in these places, the full picture is nothing like the compared artists. There's simply too much going on, blended in careful proportions to point and say what it sounds like. In other words, it sounds like The Whiskers, not something else.

I mentioned it on the message boards, but there aren't a lot of albums that I listen to all the way through. I'm a track skipper. Yet The Whiskers have put out an album that I've been listening to all the way through. You can buy it or download it for free here. Also should check out their music videos on youtube.

The Whiskers - Autopia
The Whiskers - Ziggurats

*I mean this in the best way possible. Seriously, I find myself at a lack of words when it comes to describing that guy.

[Insert Joke here]

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:28:00 +0000

Honestly, No April Fool's joke. Everyone knows it's coming. No interview with Jeff Mangum, no scoop on Arcade Fire tour, no release of Chinese Democracy, nothing. Just be content in knowing that someday in the middle of June or some other month I will strike. David Bowie will tour your hometown with David Byrne, Radiohead will release another album, Feist will pose for Playboy, Billy Corgan think before he speaks, you get the idea.

Of course no one would believe the Billy Corgan thing.

Gig Review: Sunset Rubdown at Soundlab

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 16:59:00 +0000

What a great show. Sure there were a few hiccups, but I think the band seemed to mind much more than the crowd. Plus, the face Camilla made when Spencer launched back into the song after a technical pause was priceless. You know that face we've all made before, the I've got a beer in my mouth and Spencer is playing which means I'm supposed to be playing one of these ten keyboards or xylophones face.

Three "new-ish" songs were played. Couldn't tell you any of the lyrics though. One, because I have a bad memory. Two, because trying to tell someone the lyrics of a Sunset Rubdown song is like asking them to quote a chapter from the Bible. There's fanciful language, considerable length, and a nagging suspicion that there's a lot going over your head.

Left the show somewhat confused. For as much as the band apologized, it was an awesome show. Definitely one of the better shows I've seen. And yet they seemed surprised that we wanted an encore. I haven't seen them before, so I can't really compare this show to another, but if this was what they consider a bad show, then I need to go see them again.

Europe you're in for a treat.

Sunset Rubdown

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:15:00 +0000

I know I've mentioned Sunset Rubdown before, but if you're anywhere near Buffalo this Saturday you should catch them at the Tralf (or in Toronto on Sunday).

It always surprises me how many people haven't listened to Sunset Rubdown, especially when you consider the popularity of Wolf Parade. Which confuses me because I'm slowly beginning to like Sunset Rubdown more than Wolf Parade (matter of personal choice, let's not start a war here). Sure, some Sunset Rubdown song titles could be titles to Post Rock songs, but that doesn't really matter.

Another thing that blew my mind was how confused people get over who is in what band. I've had people think that Carey Mercer was in Sunset Rubdown, Krug in New Pornographers, and Boeckner in Swan Lake. It really isn't that hard! I feel like a high school teacher, but I've made a little visual aid to sort out any confusion.

The bands of course are in boxes, artists in ovals (NOT circles). Of course a name enclosed in both designates a person with a solo project. Lines show a present connection, squigglies show a previous connection. For simplicity's sake, I haven't added everything to this chart (many of the people have a few bands not shown), since the members of The New Pornographers alone would add sixty bands to the chart. But hopefully that sorts out any confusion.

Sunset Rubdown - Courtesan Has Sung

While this song starts off very minimalistic (I don't mean the genre), the build is great. Give this one a listen all the way through, even if it doesn't grab you first.

Sunset Rubdown - The Taming of the Hands that Came Back to Life *

Don't think a lot needs to be said for this song, I've had it on repeat for some time now.

*Could totally be the title to a post rock song.

And in case my family still occasionally still checks this blog, don't worry my room is neater than that chart.

Brief leave

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 18:01:00 +0000

Computer's fan has finally ate it. It's just a fan, but it's a laptop fan so that means I won't even think of trying to fix that for myself. So that means that my computer is headed for a computer repair shop for probably a week. Which in turn means that I won't have a chance to update.

Oh Snap

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 03:50:00 +0000

Due to union pressure, I can't continue the whole Myspace browsing idea. Maybe you'll figure it out yourself.

Anyhow, this band is the result of exhaustive Myspace browsing. 17 hours to be exact. This also explains why I haven't posting as much as I should be (that and commutes between Pittsburgh and Rochester).

Eagle Seagull's EP is available TODAY (er, yesterday as of posting). It's on vinyl or iTunes. Unfortunately I cannot seem to find a link to buy the actual vinyl, but no worries 'cause you now have a reason to go see them on tour.

That's right, they're on tour with Tokyo Police club right now, followed by some shows with the B-52's. So you now have plenty of reasons to go see them live.

Oh! I almost forgot to mention that they're darn good too. Their song, "I'm Sorry But I'm Beginning To Hate Your Face," has this bass line that's like crack. Not that I've done crack. And couple that with a catchy guitar riff and it is akin to crystal meth. Not that I've done crystal meth.

So let's sum it all up. You go see them live and you get this package: chance to buy sweet EP on vinyl, chance to see awesome bands, experiencing something like taking crack and crystal meth at the the same time. Not that I've done both at the same time.

Also, note that the band fits many of the Myspace browsing guidelines I mentioned. Most are not making scary eye contact through the lens, band name doesn't represent just the name of one band member (I think), and while they all seem attractive they aren't threateningly attractive.

Eagle Seagull - I'm Sorry But I'm Beginning to Hate Your Face

How's that for a post with lots of small paragraphs.

The Paranoid Blogger

noreply@blogger.com (Charlie.) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 02:38:00 +0000

Since I've started this blog, a certain element of fear has entered my life that wasn't there before. And it wasn't something I really expected. I was ready for angry emails from bands wanting me to remove mp3s, frustrated hipsters, and people thinking I was crazy. But I didn't have to worry about any of that. First, it was kind of silly to think that this blog would generate enough traffic from the start for bands to be worried about people getting their music for free. I have yet to get any really angry flaming comments from people. Last, shortly after starting this blog I found that most people already thought I was crazy. Needless to say, all my fears were unfounded (so far).

But I wasn't ready for the paranoia of accidentally copying someone else's material. When you write something about an artist, you try and find out some information about them. But you're going to stumble across countless reviews in that process, which could possibly taint your opinion (that's what a review is supposed to do). On top of this there is a constant search for new music that hasn't yet been caught by the majority of the blogging world, or at the very least forgotten by them.

This of course pressures me on to Myspace. While it has utterly failed at socially networking me to anyone, it still serves its original purpose of introducing people to music. I would even like to think that I've become the ultimate artist at finding new music just by browsing artist's top friends. So I've created a guide for you to find your own music on Myspace. That way you'll never have to read this blog again. Or at the very least you'll be self sufficient when I collapse into a state where I'm too scared to post for fear of inadvertently copying someone else's material.

First I would like to make sure you're aware of the fact that you will be finding bands based solely on band name and profile picture. Right away you see this process is all about efficiency and content.

Band Name Rules:
-Avoid any pages with the word 'the' in them. Chances are this isn't a band, but is exactly as the name describes. See a profile for The Chips? It probably isn't a band, just a bunch of snack enthusiasts (or a new form of artificial intelligence). This format for band names has been around forever, so all the names were taken back in the '60s. Anything on Myspace is too new, and thus not music.

-Don't seek out artists that just go by their birth name. If they aren't original enough to create a cool name, they aren't likely creating original music (though there are plenty exceptions to this rule). Note that I am talking about solo artists only. Don't avoid these artists, but try to click on other pages first.

-While solo artists who just go by their name are somewhat frowned upon, bands that have just one member's name shouldn't get your attention. It's a band, not John Smith and his three faceless childhood friends. Honestly, it took me years before I ever gave Ted Leo and the Pharmacists a shot.

-The odder sounding the better. Usually. If it is too weird, you risk getting stuck on an infinite ambient loop. But more on this later*.

-Length is only an issue when your name is too big. A band has four words to make their point before you consider them a public service announcement.

Those are the basic guidelines. I'm obviously not going to give out trade secrets here. Otherwise everyone would have a blog (too late?).

Profile Picture Rules:

-Minus points for including a guitar or drum. This ties in with the originality concept.

-If they get minus points for guitars and drums it only makes sense that they get bonus points for other instruments. You should always click on the profile picture with the obscure instruments before you click on the guy with his Flying V.

-Gear. This is especially important with electronic bands. If they are an electronic band, they only thing that should be in that picture is their gear. Them playing it is okay, but not ideal. Also, the more the better. If the band had to take 8 pictures to get it all in, you should go as far as friending them.

-You'll soon find that 3/5 bands have a picture of their singer making out with a microphone. Click on other profiles before these slobbering fools.

-Nature is usually a good thing. By having nature in their profile picture you eliminate any chance of them being a crappy metal band. Note however that it still could be a crappy Christian metal band.

-Don't trust any band that is looking directly into the camera. Avoid eye contact whenever possible. They should be staring off into the middle distance. We're looking for thinkers here, not models. Which leads to the next rule...

-Overly attractive profile pictures are not to be trusted. While there are plenty of good looking musicians out there, I refuse to believe that there are that many good looking people graced with talent at the same time.

That should be enough to get you started. Tomorrow I'll have general browsing rules. And despite what you think, I am NOT at all bored.

*As I said, tomorrow. I realized this post was way too long, way too late. In fact, if you've made it this far, kudos to you. Go grab yourself a bottle of water.