MattPod

Playlist 2014

2014-11-18T18:13:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in 2.5 years.

So I made a cool playlist.

Who knows if you can even open the links.

Good luck.

Spotify

Google Music

Bon Iver Concert 05/29/2012

2012-06-29T02:42:00.000-06:00

Back in high school, it was my dream to go to a Taking Back Sunday concert. TBS was my favorite band and I couldn't think of anything cooler than to see Adam Lazzara swing his mic live.

Now I pretend to be older and my music taste has changed quite a bit. No longer do I plan to see TBS in concert, but I still go. Almost as much as I did when I was 17. I don't look for the swinging mic, hanging-from-the-rafter type concerts anymore. For some reason I would rather sprawl myself onto a lawn and listen to a balding man's falsetto. And this concert can now be called one of my favorites.

I didn't steal the set-list off the stage or gingerly place in my pocket the bassist's yellow pick, but I did sit comfortably in my REI lawn chair, a few inches off the ground, picking at my Whole Foods caesar salad and cup of fruit, while my ears frequented crises throughout the night.

I was lucky to get tickets. They sold out the first day. I decided to take a friend Jerika who first introduced me to Bon Iver and Take Away Shows quite a while ago. The concert was held at the Red Butte Gardens in Salt Lake and it was a beautiful day for a concert. Justin started playing at sunset and I would like to say it blew me away, but there were no surprises. He was able to recreate the sounds from his album live so well that I still felt the same emotions I felt in my room the first time I heard Holocene. It was absolutely fantastic!

When he played Beth/Rest, I couldn't have been happier. That song live is sublime. Really, the whole concert was spine-tingling. Talent like that is rare and just being in the same vicinity is hard to describe. Can you tell that I have a man-crush? Honestly, do I talk about Bon Iver too much? Nah...

I took some videos but the quality was terrible, so I found some youtube videos that capture that live sound pretty well. Also, if you get the chance, Bon Iver recorded some live sessions with iTunes and it was released a few days ago. I just bought it, and it is amazing to listen to.

relax and enjoy bon iver

(can you spot the hippy cross-dresser?)

Passion Pit - I'll Be Alright single and Take A Walk video

2012-06-27T01:53:00.002-06:00

Wow.

Passion Pit has released another single to provoke excitement and anticipation for their upcoming album Gossamer. "I'll Be Alright" is quirky, original, and full of fun microcut beats. The lyrics are untidy, but to make up for it, I included the "Take A Walk" video.

Yay.

Wolf Gang - Suego Faults Album

2012-06-27T01:04:00.000-06:00

I can't stress how much I love this band. Wolf Gang has been my non-stop go-to choice every time I decide to listen to music and get me excited... for anything. They are my number one favorite find of the year so far.

The first time I heard "Lions in Cages" I was on vacation in California. I hadn't had much sleep and for various reasons, Britton and I were getting frustrated with the events occurring at the time. It was late and we needed to get out of the house. To blow off some steam, we decided to race an oven. I know, sounds weird. We were making pizzookies (pizza-cookies) for a group of people and we needed more cookie dough, so we decided to see if we could make it to a nearby grocery store, grab the dough, and then make it back before the oven had pre-heated. Four of us hopped into Britton's Infinite G35 and we took off at an irresponsible speed through winding streets, up and down sloping hills and into town. Peeling around every corner, we blasted music with the loudest bass and infectious melodies that we knew. It was exhilarating. Once we spotted the nearest open grocery store, the car screamed to a halt at the entrance... sadly at the opposite end to where the cookie dough would be found. I jumped out of the car, ran across the store, grabbed what I came for, and then ran back ignoring the puzzled looks of the other late-night shoppers. I chose the self-check out section eager to not talk to anyone staring at me and then I ran out the door. Britton was waiting near the door, lights off, and in the perfect get-away-car position... with a cop right behind him. Luckily, he must not have found our suspicious behavior... suspicious. Peeling out, we left the parking lot listening to "Lions in Cages" and we cruised through town and back to the house. I don't know if we beat the oven or not, but all I know is that I fell in love with Wolf Gang right then and there. That song combined with our epic race with time was the most exciting cookie dough run I think I will ever have in my entire life. And that is saying something.

The following songs are my favorite of the album, but if you get the chance, listen to them all. This band has talent and I am excited to hear more.

Wolf Gang by Matthew Showalter on Grooveshark

Good Time - Carly Rae Jepsen and Owl City

2012-06-27T00:37:00.000-06:00

Looking for a hit song for the summer?

You won't find it here. Unfortunately, the "Call Me Maybe" star has teamed up with the quiet insomniac Adam Young to produce a summer hit reminiscent of Katy Perry's "California Gurls" but has fallen short. Even with an infectious beat, I don't see this one hitting Billboard's top 100. The duo should make a few bucks from their combined popularity but you won't hear this tune playing in topless convertibles across America.

Carly Rae Jepsen by Matthew Showalter on Grooveshark

Sail (Unlimited Gravity Remix) - AWOLNATION

2012-06-05T00:46:00.002-06:00

Road trips are great. It is an excellent excuse to make permanent friends and listen to eleven hours of stunning music. I learned that I can sing at the top of my lungs for hours and that as long as everyone joins in, it is extremely OK.

This remix, among others, topped my charts for this California road trip. Crank up the bass for this song. It will both puncture your ear drums and will render your mind into a state of euphoria.

AWOLNATION by Matthew Showalter on Grooveshark

Kimbra, Mark Foster, DJ A-Trak - Warrior

2012-05-16T20:23:00.000-06:00

A sick new song/video came out recently featuring rising star Kimbra with Mark from Foster the People and DJ A-Trak.

The song is crazy catchy, loud, and jump-up-and-down-alone-in-your-room fantastic!

The video is a mix of Scott Pilgrim and Nacho Libre. What could be better? Oh yeah, Kimra in a leotard.

So it may be a shameless ad for Converse... but who can argue over a good song?

Passion Pit - Take A Walk (single)

2012-05-08T23:03:00.000-06:00

Finally! A new Passion Pit single hits iTunes and has broken the internet with catchy synth-pop to fill your ears. Never heard of Passion Pit? Well "take a walk" with them by listening to this!

Don't you love them? Want some more? Check out more of their music here!

Coldplay Concert - Mylo Xyloto Tour 5/1/2012 Hollywood Bowl, CA

2012-05-03T15:22:00.001-06:00

I don't know how to sum this up. The concert was just so epic. The venue (the Hollywood Bowl) was perfect. The sound was pristine. The experience was unforgettable.

This was the best concert I have ever been to. Ever.

(Thanks to Tyler for taking this great video)

Sorry the quality of the pictures and video aren't excellent, but that's what you get when you only can take your phone into the concert (and you forgot to turn on 720p video).

Oh by the way, Coldplay rocks!

St. Lucia - St. Lucia EP

2012-05-03T14:56:00.000-06:00

Last night I just got back from an incredibly fun trip with 14 awesome people to Los Angeles where we went to the beach, Magic Mountain, and finished spectacularly at a Coldplay concert at the Hollywood Bowl. Such an incredible experience. I don't know if I can really capture that concert. It was the best thing I have ever seen and I have never had so much fun in my life. Coldplay can really put together one stunning performance.

As we drove around and took in the sites, I was able to try some new music on the people riding in my car. St. Lucia was a hit. This EP is really fun and its 80s feel still has a fresh sound that has caught my attention and entertained my last few weeks.

Here is the entire album. Pay attention to All Eyes On You and We Got It Wrong:

Wildcat! Wildcat! - Mr. Quiche (video)

2012-05-03T14:31:00.001-06:00

Awesome song with a dancing cat video. What could be better?

Wildcat! Wildcat! - Mr. Quiche (Official Video) Shot on Scarlet-X from Tyler Rumph on Vimeo.

The Knocks Ft. Mandy Lee - Midnight City (M83 cover)

2012-05-03T14:26:00.001-06:00

I seriously love Midnight City and have been looking for more music like it. I listen to M83 now almost every day. So great.

I think you will enjoy this sweet cover:

Madeon

2012-04-18T16:29:00.001-06:00

Why haven't I seen his video before?! This kid has some talent to be the future of electronic music. He is already being compared to Daft Punk and he is a 17 year French Kid!

You just have to watch to understand.

I also included another song he posted to Soundhound:

Walk The Moon - Anna Sun EP

2012-04-18T16:10:00.001-06:00

"We've got no money, but we got heart"

One of the best bands of the year, Walk the Moon have been foreseen to pull a Foster the People for 2012. Walk the Moon have crafted massive pieces in their Anna Sun EP and they are already gaining a huge fan base.

Walk the Moon have already made their mark from SXSW to most recently on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Buy their EP. It is epic.

Listen Here:

Strange Talk

2012-04-11T09:06:00.000-06:00

Taking a trip to the beach soon? Need some fun road-trip music?

Look no further

Mattpod has got what you need.

dance dance dance

OK, I just couldn't help myself. Strange Talk is GREAT music! It is definitely something I am going to have on repeat this week. It is a Phoenix/Passion Pit/80s-synthpop upbeat mix of sounds that will definitely get you dancing, like a headphone wielding hipster in tight, brightly colored jeans.

So listen, if this animation of Thom Yorke with a bear doesn't get excited, you have no friends. Play this music with your huge headphones on and dance around like you can't control your limbs. Just do it.

It'll be fun.

Strange Talk by Matthew Showalter on Grooveshark

Capital Cities - "Safe and Sound"

2012-04-09T11:52:00.001-06:00

Do you like beards? Do you like large glasses? That's great.

I know you may not have been reading every word in my posts (you jerks) but I mentioned that I have been trying to find music that will get you moving. Well, thanks to Britton (1 of 3 people that read this) Safe and Sound has been on repeat on my phone, computer, iPod, and consequently my mind all this week. After one play, it will be on repeat for you as well. Enjoy.

Safe and Sound by Capital Cities on Grooveshark

Of Monsters and Men

2012-04-09T11:39:00.000-06:00

So last night I was trying to study for a test I had this morning. My mind was definitely looking for a distraction and instead I went on a music kick and made a list of all the new music I have heard recently. Then I found more and more and more music that have gripped me. I feel like I am a picky person in many aspects of life including music, and maybe my opinions are easily swayed by my emotions, but you can see that my taste for music is quite random. There is so much music out there for my picky/changing taste!

I don't think that I am a music expert, but I am captivated by it. It is my addiction. I have a passion for it, but it doesn't make me an expert/professional/genius. I love playing music on either the piano or guitar, but I have no talent for it. Though, there is one thing that I am good at when it comes to music: listening. I love it almost more than anything.

Since I was young and mailed away cash for cheap CD's, I have rewarded every goal with music. Once I have accomplished a goal of running or jogging (ok, just jogging), I reward myself with an armband to hold my iPod/phone, new headphones, a new album, etc... Then I will go running again so I can listen to the album in its entirety without distraction. Yes, I won't stop until that album has finished. Another goal with a reward. When I do well in school or at work, I end up buying an album or a song on iTunes. It is one of the greatest motivations for me.

The greatest reward for my addiction to music is the moment when I click on a new song, curiosity the only motivation for my actions, and something inside me stirs as the song begins and then the feeling grows and swells to fill my entire frame as the song hits its apex. That feeling can motivate me to do anything.

Lately I have been trying to find more music that moves me, literally. Something that makes me want to jump up and down and sing in my car while everyone stares and laughs at my idiotic and erratic movements. Something like Midnight City by M83 or Little Secrets by Passion Pit. Just to wet your appetite, I think I have stumbled upon a few. So get excited.

Today I want to talk about a relatively new band gaining popularity called Of Monsters and Men. This indie/folk/pop band is another talented gem to escape the borders of Iceland and has recently played at South by Southwest in Austin, TX.

I say they are this years Mumford & Sons. My Head is an Animal is their debut album and it is a must have in your personal collection.

Of Monsters and Men by Matthew Showalter on Grooveshark

The Shins - Port of Morrow

2012-04-09T10:55:00.001-06:00

Are you ready for a healthy dose of the Shins? This is the album to get. It has been highly anticipated since they haven't shelled out a new album for 5 years. James Mercer's side project Broken Bells was a modest success but probably wasn't enough to satisfy your thirst for something that has been promised by Natalie Portman to "change your life."

Port of Morrow has taken The Shins in a whole different direction. It HAS been 5 years since their last album and not only have we all changed, but so have they. I no longer am in high school, screaming the day away to Taking Back Sunday and dreaming of playing fire-engulfed pianos at a Something Corporate concert.

The album is great. The vocals are perfect and hints of an inverted world are carefully placed in corners of the tracks that won't leave you wincing the night away. (Ugh, that was a terrible pun).

Just listen:

The Shins - Port of Morrow by Matthew Showalter on Grooveshark

The Hunger Games - Songs From District 12 and Beyond

2012-03-20T11:33:00.002-06:00

The Hunger Games Soundtrack has finally been released this morning. The haunting melody of "Safe & Sound" by Taylor Swift and The Civil Wars has been complimented by many other folk and indie artists such as Arcade Fire, The Secret Sisters, The Decemberists, and The Punch Brothers.

This soundtrack isn't your run-of-the-mill teen movie soundtrack. It isn't full of pop and hip-hop to appeal to the masses. It is actually quite beautiful and has an eerie folk sound that defies any other soundtrack from a big movie blockbuster. Every track compliments the mood of the movie/book and many have been directly written for the movie. One track by Kid Cudi does seem out of place, but he has altered his style to match the theme of sadness, despair, and determination.

A few of my favorite tracks include Abraham's Daughter by Arcade Fire, Dark Days by Punch Brothers, Kingdom Come by The Civil Wars, Nothing to Remember by Neko Case, Eyes Open by Taylor Swift, and Come Away to the Water by Maroon 5. Adam Levine really stepped out of his element with this track but produced such an incredible dedication to the idea of bringing a "lamb" to the "slaughter." The last track by Birdy is a stunning anthem to the Hunger Games posing the question if the games are really "just a game."

Here are my favorites now found on GrooveShark:

Hunger Games by Matthew Showalter on Grooveshark

Fun - Some Nights Album

2012-03-18T20:10:00.000-06:00

I should be studying right now, but I have been trying to get myself to do that exact thing for the past 3 hours. Instead I cleaned out my Google Reader, stalked 70 people on Facebook, took a drive, avidly watched my fantasy basketball team slowly add numbers to my overall stats thinking if I watch vigilantly they will do better and improve my standing in my league, not even thinking until now that it would be much more fun to watch the games live or even drop the NBA all together and focus on the even more entertaining March Madness going on... and all the while I have had the new FUN. album stuck in my head.

The radio in my head has been playing the same two songs over and over and over and over... and it has been highly entertaining. It only makes me want to listen to them more. This album is that good! So good! You must listen to it. And then go to their concert in Salt Lake on March 31st. Only to go online to buy tickets and find it is sold out. Yeah, sorry, I just ruined your night. HAHAHAHAHA!

To make up for it, here are some FUN. songs to listen to:

FUN by Matthew Showalter on Grooveshark

Also, who has been reading my blog? I haven't even updated it in... a month? Month and a half? I mean, I am flattered, but my mom doesn't even read my blog. I wish Google Analytics would tell me more interesting stuff about the people that read my blog. Like how many of them are currently wearing a red sweater, or if they are eating cereal and watching America's Top Model, or if they liked E.T. as a kid or were afraid of it. I swear, just by having a blog, I get 50 or 60 page views (according to the ticker on my blogger main page) even if no one is reading it. Maybe Google has a room full of web surfers dedicated to clicking on every Blogger blog to keep up morale, to make us bloggers feel like someone is actually reading our stuff. Honestly, when I click "Top Viewed Posts" it says I have MUCH LESS than 50 or 60 site visits a day. My average view per post is about... 25? I don't want to do the math, but probably not even that.

Well, thanks to those that do read/listen. Especially those Google employees. Morale improved.

Super Bowl Commercials Are Cool

2012-02-05T20:12:00.001-07:00

What can be better than cars, music, and football?

Krewella - "Killin It"

2012-02-03T15:18:00.000-07:00

Are you in the mood for music to melt your face off? This will do it for you. Put on your Beats Audio headphones, turn up the volume, and then jump around like an orangutan high on Tang.

D.L.I.D. - Colour In Your Hands (ft. Fink)

2012-02-03T15:00:00.000-07:00

Here is some experimental electronic that took me by surprise. I thought it was really catch and I usually don't post stuff like this, but I ended up really liking it. It builds nicely and fades as electronic music should but isn't overly boisterous.

Jack White - "Love Interruption"

2012-02-01T23:18:00.000-07:00

Jack White is going solo and has teased us with this new song from his solo album called Blunderbuss. The new album comes out April 24th on Third Man Records/Columbia.

Shwayze feat. Adele - I Won't Go

2012-01-30T15:32:00.001-07:00

Ok, I am not a big fan of hip-hop, but Shwayze reminds me of hot days on Lake Powell with all my pals and wake boarding until our legs fall off. Also, I will almost always post anything that has to do with Adele. She rocks.