This is probably the last album I would have expected to listen to in South America- a dark black album in a continent of colors; a cold gust of twisted vocal distortions and synthetic, pagan beats; the polar opposite of the silly, sun-loving Colombian Akon/T Pain imitators playing on every radio - but as my 10 hour, Medellin-bound bus hurdled itself into the abyss late last night, it was absolutely perfect...

Fever Ray by Fever Ray

It is said that there are two kinds of people - those who do, and those who talk about doing. When it comes to making and playing music, I think it might actually be true. As much as I have always wanted to learn an instrument, mostly I have just talked about it. I tried to teach myself the bass. I wish I could rock the drums. Well, I played the sax when I was a kid. The reality is, I'm just a dude with a couple dusty cases.

My homeboy MA, on the other hand, has been quietly going about the business of making himself a musician. So quietly in fact, that I didn't really even know what he was up to until he surfaced with a couple full-on home recordings at a reunion a couple years ago. He played the drums growing up, but I thought that ship had sailed. But when I paid a visit recently, I find out he's become a pretty nifty little guitar player, just plucking away in his living room, and he's the lead singer of a band. Well, then.

So, I show up for his band practice, expecting a few dudes hanging out in the garage, hacking away at some half-baked ideas and doing more talking than actual playing - y'know, like you see in the movies. And honestly, I would have thought that was awesome. But I walk into this little one bedroom apartment, and it's covered wall to wall in equipment. It's fuckin hot in there, but these guys look like they just want to get on with it! Sure enough, I'm the one doing all the talking.

Finally, I settle into the couch, they tune up, and BAM! My first thought was, wow, they are a band. The second was that they're actually a pretty legit band; not unlike others I've seen on the LA nightclub circuit, having a go. And finally, I thought, wow, he just up and did it.

Seeing a good friend casually go about his music felt like everyone that talks about it is just making excuses.

Granted, he's always been an artist, and everyone in his band is seriously talented. And maybe that's what separates the men from the boys (so to speak). Probably.

But it was just as enjoyable to sit around his living room, with him throwing out various familiar chords, and me trying in vain to sing along, no ambition other than to have a little musical connection. And that's a place I think anyone can get to with just a little elbow grease. A few guitar chords, some bass, a serviceable bongo. Just enough to entertain ourselves, to tap into that shared sixth sense. Sounds so much better than an hour of sitcoms or debating local politics every night, right!?

I think MA would agree. It's just a matter of doing.

Check out Canyon Sets here, and if you´re ever in SD, treat yourselves. They´re so good, the kind of music you can get lost in.

PS at this moment, I´m listening to one guy with an acoustic gee-tar and about 5 Brazilians with bad voices singing Os Mutantes. That's what I´m talkin bout!

On a whim, I threw Versus in the car for my recent drive to San Diego... and I got surprised.

Song 1: 'Go,' A fast, fearsome, post-punk rant that immediately made me rethink the lethargic, crunchy connotations of the grunge era. Eddie Vedder at his head-bangingest and the rest of the band egging him on.

And the last song: 'Indifference,' a soulful, semi-political ballad that practically bleeds. I definitely got my soundproofed EV impersonation going on full blast. What a jam.

Consider me a fan, all over again. Time to dig through the catalog!





(And for good measure, their first SNL appearance, a triumphant showcase for everyone in the band... and a shocking window into early '90s Seattle style.)

On repeat through my entire DC trip...

Deerhunter: "He Would Have Laughed" by Speaker Snacks

More thoughts on Deerhunter and Bradley Cox here.

Ooo-we. Boom boom. Turn it up.

The Hundred In The Hands - Ghosts by charmfactory

My new fixation.

Not all their songs are this long and windy, but all their best qualities are on display here.

Avi Buffalo - Remember Last Time by subpop

Little something to get your Friday night going and your body moving...

Holidays by Miami Horror

Once again a lock for year-end Best Of lists, The Walkmen put together something special in Lisbon, the sound of a band hitting its stride and flexing its muscles. They've always been raw and fierce, but now they sound stronnng too.

Lisbon is a kitchen sink album that builds on the fruits of their most successful experiments, rather than simply taking inventory. Most noticeable to me, they retained some of that cavernous sound that made the last album so delightfully dark and unsettling, but they also managed to shine a lot of light into the cave.

I really can't pick out a clear-cut winner at this point, but I do love this song, bringing back those languid 'Lousiana' horns...

The Walkmen - Stranded by statemagazine

If you want to hear more and/or get a glimpse of the band at work, I really enjoy this session.

I kinda think of this cat as the French Jack Peñate - a vibrant singer-songwriter with a high pop IQ who aims for richness and eclecticism rather than, well, heart-on-sleevedness. His range is wide, his arrangements creative, and his instrumentation diverse. In other words, he's all over the place. And he's French! Which is funny.

And oh dear, is this one smooth ass jam.

Thanks to JP for the insightful recommendation!


M - Sous ta peau
Uploaded by Dakub. - Explore more music videos.

Cotton Jones is, in my humble opinion, a fantastic addition to lo-fi Americana, and, as a soundtrack for my favorite things – road trips, stargazing, sailboats, fireplaces, and bedrooms – a valuable commodity. Understated, drifting songs, all echo-y and narcotic and intimate; of a prior era. Worthy of a jukebox, but mysterious enough to elude many clichés. More importantly, it’s just straight addictive.

As a huge fan of 2009’s ‘Paranoid Cocoon’ (and the earlier ‘The River Strumming’), this year’s offering, ‘Tall Hours in the Glowstream’ is an interesting one. On one hand, the distinctiveness and consistency of their vibe suggests a guy that knows exactly what he’s doing. On the other, this album feels not entirely comfortable with the niche they’ve carved out for themselves, and they’re throwing a few new things against the wall to see what sticks. (Apparently, dropping the heavy-handed surname Basket Ride was step one).

The guy spends a peculiar amount of time in a higher octave than seems comfortable for him, and the gal is given a little added airtime (Matthew Nau and Whitney McGraw, respectively). They’ve also thickened their voices with some country heartache. Between the two, I think I smell a Patsy Cline phase.

More than that, they’ve replaced a formula – essentially just a Hammond organ and verby guitar – with a multi-instrument operation propped up by some electronic wash and a little studio treatment. Maybe not a JV to varsity move, because that would diminish the exceeding charm of their old stuff, but… they definitely have slicker uniforms. I’m down. If nothing else, they got someone nice behind the skins and tried harder.

I hear the Doors in one song, Mazzy Star in another, and in the boom-boom-pshhh intro to this haunter, something out of a Vietnam film…

Cotton Jones - Somehow to Keep it Going by virgil p colon

New Zealand is on the come-up, at least in my little bubble. A solid World Cup appearance, a perfect TV show, and a string of really great releases (Cut Off Your Hands in '08, Fat Freddy's Drop in '09, and now Stornoway). Not to mention them Ring Lord movies. Modest, maybe, but there's a positivity about all of the above that I find charming.

I woke up with this feelgood little foot-stomper in my head, which I think guarantees me a good day.

Here Comes The Blackout...! by wtbroome

Don't miss "Zorbing" either. Horns!

Ha. I have been holding off on posting because I wanted to commemorate my 100th with an epic 4-mix release party extravaganza. Turns out, I had a bunch of drafts lying around, which Blogger counts as posts, falsely inflating my total to that tantalizing #99. I just realized this and find it comically appropriate. Nine months later, I am still running a shoddy operation.

So, instead, I bring you... Post Number Ninety-Four!!!

Fortunately, my value as a collector of music and mix-maker exceeds my talents as a member of the digital community. Until I can figure out how to make these available online (like I said... but soon!), have a look, and track down something new. It's been another fine year so far...

Volume 1

Flying Lotus - Auntie's Lock / Infinitum (Feat. Laura Darlington)
Baths - Lovely Bloodflow
Foxes in Fiction - 15 Ativan (Song for Erika)
Tanlines - Z
Teen Daze - No Regrets
Delorean - Grow
Atlas Sound - Washington School
Twin Sister - Phenomenons
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Falling Over
Autolux - Spots
Caribou - Leave House
Black to Comm - Hotel Freund
White Hinterland - Icarus
Holly Miranda - Waves
Nosaj Thing - Lords
Thom Yorke - FeelingPulledApartByHorses

Volume 2 (aka Yosemite Sam's Jammy Jamz: Urban Influences)

Gil Scott-Heron - New York Is Killing Me
Gonjasufi – Change
Wavves - Baseball Cards
Big Boi - The Train Part II (Sir Lucious Left Foot Save The Day) [Ft. Sam Chris]
Kid Cudi - Make Her Say (feat. Kanye West & Common)
Janelle Monáe - Neon Valley Street
Gorillaz - Plastic Beach (feat. Mick Jones and Paul Simonon)
Major Lazer & La Roux - Colourless Artibella
Raekwon - The New Wu (feat. Ghostface Killah & Method Man)
Erykah Badu - Turn Me Away (Get Munny)
Fat Freddy’s Drop - This Room
Caetano Veloso - Base De Guantanamo
Zinja Hlungwani - N'wagezani My Love
LCD Soundsystem - Dance Yrself Clean
Ludacris & Shawnna - How Low Can You Go?
Sleigh Bells - Rill Rill
Panda Bear - Slow Motion

Volume 3

Spoon - Trouble Comes Running
Stricken City - Tak O Tak
Arcade Fire - Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
Local Natives - Who Knows Who Cares
Dr. Dog - Shadow People
Harlem - Tila And I
Male Bonding - Year's Not Long
Islands – Vapours
Dirty Projectors + Björk - On and Ever Onward
Au - Ida Walked Away
The Soft Pack - Move Along
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Bright Lit Blue Skies
The National - Anyone's Ghost
Beach House - 10 Mile Stereo
MGMT - Siberian Breaks
Vampire Weekend - Diplomat's Son
FanFarlo - Ghosts

Volume 4 (my fave at the moment)

Cotton Jones Basket Ride - I Was Stoned By The Choir
Jolie Holland - Fox In It's Hole
Laura Marling - Made By Maid
Stornoway - Here Comes The Blackout...!
Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore - Try
Kings of Convenience - Mrs. Cold
The Tallest Man on Earth - The Drying of the Lawns
Julian Lynch - Ruth, My Sister
Christian Scott - The Last Broken Heart (Prop 8)
Grizzly Bear - A Leader Always Carries a Stick
Sleeping States - Gardens Of The South
Broken Social Scene - Highway Slipper Jam
Broken Bells - The Mall & Misery
Monsters of Folk - Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.)
The Morning Benders – Excuses
Medications - Brasil '07
Joanna Newsom - Baby Birch

The biggest surprise from the Outside Lands festival this weekend, Mr. Hawthorne had me dancing, laughing, and singing even before I sank my first Heineken. I loved every minute.

Motown-bred and Motown-styled but always with a wink and a smile. Which, as a white guy with a less-than-perfect voice, is really his only option. Somehow, he makes it work. Sheer force of personality, I suppose.

He finished with this jam, my favorite, and had everybody within 100 yards testing out their falsetto. In fact, I was singing it in line for the port-o-potty, and the kid in front of me turned around to finish the verse. Two guys, waiting for a portable toilet, trading falsettos. Doesn't happen every day.

Just Ain't Gonna Work Out by mecarro

"The next thing I remember, I'm walking down a street
I'm feeling alright I'm with my boys, I'm with my troops, yeah
And down along the avenue some guys are shootin' pool
And I heard the sound of acapella groups, yeah

Singin' late in the evening, and all the girls out on the stoops, yeah

Then I learned to play some lead guitar, I was underage in this funky bar
And I stepped outside to smoke myself a J-eeeee
When I come back to the room, everybody just seemed to move
And I turned my amp up loud and I began to play

It was late in the evening, and I blew that room away"

- 'Late in the Evening'

The next time you have an opportunity to celebrate, I recommend this song. It was my post-bar exam victory jam, and frankly, it slayed. The rumba beat, the joyful horns, the triumphant lyrics - you really couldn't put together a better vibe.

Paul Simon is such a character, huh?

By the way, everybody loves the sound of the train in the distance. Everybody thinks it's true...

Sick.

Sir Lucious Left Foot.

This song is stalking me. I wake up in the morning, there it is. I go for a run, and somehow it's the only song on my iPod. I try to study, and I can hear it thumping loudly over my thoughts. It gets lodged in my head when I need to be using those brain cells for other things, thank you very little. And it's always trying to talk me into "just one quick dance" when I need to be firmly planted in my seat. I literally can't deal with it. If I don't pass the bar, I'm blaming it on YOU, Big Boi, ya sweet, sweet music-making bastard.

Listen. I am diving deeper and deeper down into the abyss that is bar review, and I don't really have much time to stop and chat these days. So allow me a little straight talk before I disappear for a while.

This is the sh!% I’m on right now:

Major Lazer & La Roux - Lazerproof. One of my favorite voices in pop, but instead of the gaudy, overly slick club tracks, you get Major Lazer's crazy combination of dancehall, dub, and hip-hop backing her up. Loving this right now. And you can get it here for free!

The Jam:


Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti – Before Today. Not for everyone, but if you like a little weirdness in your musical diet, you might love it. Lo-fi project from a dude fixated on that crazy musical transition from the 70s to the 80s, except it's all scuzzy and sloppy and sleezy and, well, haunted grafitti is an oddly appropriate name. LA hears the Bee Gees, DB referenced MJ, and I'm picking up little bits of early punk/no wave. Only in 2010.

The Jam (better off closing your eyes for this atrocity of a video):


Caetano Veloso – Zii E Zie. Tropicalia icon still going strong, released a breezy album of perfect little oddball gems with customary eeeease. The Jam: ‘Base de Guantanamo’

Christian Scott – Yesterday You Said Tomorrow. Super cool jazz trumpet prodigy steeped in hip-hop and rock. The Jam: swell cover of Thom Yorke’s ‘The Eraser’

Foxes in Fiction – Swung from the Branches. Side A super dreamy ambient, Side B poor man’s Atlas Sound. A smattering of A Sunny Day in Glasgow, maybe a small dose of Post-era Bjork. Like drifting in and out of sleep.

The Jam:

I got to do a little driving the past couple days, and I been snappin my neck to this right here. Its density fills up the car, and the beat is so heavy, it makes me want to just... slow my roll and let the windows down.

If you like it, the rest of the album is pretty great too. I secretly think dubstep can be a little (a lot) monotonous, but this dude is a real hard worker. He mixes tempos and moods wisely and layers every song with so many ideas that they kinda sound different every time you hear them. There's also a jazzy undercurrent to his music that gives it a little soul and balances an otherwise abrasive, unnatural sound.

"BP, Big Pimpin, Big Problem, Bad President, Billionaire Pirate, Boiling Point..."



Thx to future New Orleanian JP for the tip!

Music to my ears. Sweet, sweet music.

It worked on Tuesday, so I'm bringin it back. I don't want to jinx anything, but I think we're gonna be chanting "We Love It!" in a few hours.

In case you haven't had the distinct pleasure, they play this after Laker (and Dodger) wins, and everyone joins in on the chorus. Tell ya what, there's nothing more fun than yelling "We Love It!" at the top of your cerveza-soaked lungs.

By the way, I'd never seen this video, and frankly, I couldn't love it more. Say what you will about LA, but the place bleeds personality. I really do love it.

Now let's go get a trophy.



And at the risk of single-handedly causing us to lose, I had to share this:

"LA Lakers! Fast break makers!
Kings of the court shake and bake all takers!
Back to back is a bad ass fact,
a claim that remains in-tact!"

I'm trying to muster up as much positive energy for the game tonight as I possibly can. I thought this might help.

Let's go boys!!!

"I live by the ocean.

And during the night,
I dive into it,
down to the bottom,
underneath all currents,
and drop my anchor.

And this is where i'm staying.

This is my home."

- 'The Anchor Song'

As a sort of follow-up to my Lady Gaga-Madonna post, I offer you a different kind of pop star, Ms. Janelle Monáe.

I don't really know where to start, so I'll let the videos speak for themselves. You'll see the moves, the ambition, the style, the looks, and yes, the completely ridiculous story lines. She just released The Archandroid, part two in a sci-fi concept album trifecta about a kind of droid messiah from the future. And with a perfectly straight face. Do you really need to know more!?

Well, there's more than meets the eye - the album itself is wildly ambitious and mostly successful. 'Tis nary a music genre that can't be found somewhere in its 18-song arc. The obvious comparison, in a lot of ways really, is Andre 3000, although I wouldn't dare put her in that category yet. Regardless, she's obviously a student of music, and that's what I think separates her most. That, or the shoes.

From her debut, Metropolis: The Chase Suite...



And the new single...



Other miscellaneous thoughts:

1) Ahhhh! She gives me the goosebumps.
2) $20 for the first person that shows me a serviceable Tightrope.
3) A couple years ago, I was flying in the seat next to a guy who is something like a co-manager of the arts collective (Wondaland) with which Monáe has been running. And not only did he wax poetic about her talent, but he insisted she's exceptionally nice and humble. There's really nothing not to love.

No need for introductions at this point, so just FYI, Grizzly Bear re-released a 7-song EP called Sorry for the Delay. I think it was their first release - just Ed Droste (the big-nosed, heavenly-voiced one) - and contrary to what you might assume about a re-released, home recorded, limited-edition, vinyl mini-debut... it's pretty dope. Same concept as Horn of Plenty, but even more stripped down.

MGMT's story is all backwards. Usually, Band puts out pretty good debut, works the hype machine into a frenzy, and then drops a creatively compromised sophomore effort because Band members either want to capitalize on the moment or just can't hear themselves thinking over all the buzz. Widespread criticism ensues, and everyone pretends they never liked 'em in the first place.

These dudes were buzzing before they even did anything and debuted with a weak, trendy album that randomly had two (admittedly irresistible) dance floor hits, sending the long-haired, teen-aged masses into fever pitch. Except they returned with a left field, psychedelic experiment with an alarmingly uncool cover and without a single radio-friendly song. And it's actually pretty good! Ummmm.

My favorite track, a 12-minute spaceship ride with all kinds of twists and turns... (in 2 parts)...

"All I want... is your pity"

DB and I listened this album about 200 times today. It gets better with every listen. Do whatever you have to do to get it immediately. And treat yourself to some nice speakers or headphones. Just trust me. Or really, just trust James Murphy. At this point, you can pretty much give him the keys to the car. Dude knows exactly how to make music.

In reference to Dear Companion, a nice checklist of contemporary acoustic Americana by [cellist] Ben Sollee & [guitarist] Daniel Martin Moore, DB emailed me:

"Also kinda like the ben sollee album...in a fresh laundry w eeextra downy kind a way...."

Ha! Listening to it right now, and I feel like I'm in a commercial, hanging white sheets from a clothesline with a big smile on my face. Not that that's a bad thing. Seems to me these Kentuckians (produced by fellow Kentuckian Jim James from My Morning Jacket) write pretty thoughtful songs. And they kick it into gear just enough to remind me that the breeziness is not for the sake of being inoffensive, but because it comes from their specific musicultural (I think I just made that word up?) background.

Bonus points for Mr. Sollee's political activism. Among other things, Wikipedia tells me he did a summer tour last year on his bicycle... WITH HIS CELLO ON HIS BACK... to encourage greener living. Like whoa.

Ben Sollee & Daniel Martin Moore - 'Try'

I vowed not to criticize artists in this space, so I will let an artist take the reins on this one. I also have to concede a healthy dose of ignorance to the fashion world that might prevent me from fully appreciating what others see as a brilliant melding of two art forms. But musically, I can't say I disagree.

Except when it comes to Madonna. Actually, JP and I had a conversation a while back in which I made the Gaga-Madonna comparison, and we vehemently disagreed on the latter's artistic merit. Doubtless you have an opinion on the subject. Personally, one look at the Immaculate Collection tracklist is all I need, but I can definitely understand the criticism. Sometimes, it's impossible to distinguish between the impact a song/album/artist has on you and its musical value. Was she brilliant, or am I simply a product of those impressionable '80s?? If I was my current age then, would I have felt the same way I do about contemporary pop stars?

Fair point, by the way, by the article's author that the Gaga debate is exactly what she's trying to accomplish.

I'm still wrapping my mind and ears around this new Broken Social Scene album, but I realized that I always tend to gravitate towards their smooth jamz. The soft, whispery, eyes-closed ones that tuck you into a groove and take the edge off your day. Songs like "Looks Just Like the Sun," "Swimmers," "I'm Still Your Fag," and now "Sentimental X's." Which is ironic for a band more visible for its massive membership, huge sound, and life-affirming anthems. But that's what's so great about them - they cover the entire spectrum, and each album has pretty much everything I want in contemporary music.

This one is basically just a vehicle for Emily Haines' uber-cool croon and would fit in perfectly with her (much more popular but creatively less... ambitious) side project Metric.

Sorry it's been a while, folks. I was caught up with finals for a bit, and then, well, it turns out all that stuff you say you're gonna do when vacation arrives doesn't actually get done because you're too busy doing all the other things you didn't do when you had too much to do. Know what I mean? I suppose waking up at 11:00 every day doesn't help either.

But I've also been waiting until I found a replacement for LaLa, the service I have used to embed songs in my posts. Still empty-handed, I am just going to use YouTube as a band-aid until I figure out a fix. It's not ideal, but it'll do the trick.

Hopefully you'll be hearing more from me. You can breathe now.

This one's really doing it for me right now, keeping the blood flowing and the mind focused as I fight through my last day ever studying for exams...

http://lala.com/zFNF

This one's for Babs...

Because I'm feeling generous today, and because I feel the need to provide some counteractive positive karma for these fellas, 2 bonus tracks. The first: probably my favorite Dr. Dog jam. And of course, the second: my 2008 song of the year, which would be my favorite, except that it's a cover.

"It's all in how you look at it."

- 'It'

Confronted with times of transition and change, one inevitably engages in all varieties of retrospect: nostalgia, regret, pride, longing, riddance. It's hard to put it all in its proper context. So as I mentally prepare for my imminent departure from DC, I am taking this idea to heart. It's all in how you look at it. Love that.

The song isn't much, musically, so I'm throwing in another one from the new Dr. Dog. These guys catch a surprising amount of flak, in my opinion. Charged with overreliance on 60s influences, I wonder, what's inherently bad about that? If you're gonna draw from anyone - and it's no secret every musician does - why not the Beatles? What matters is that they do it well. The Dog writes excellent songs that feel immediately familiar and are guaranteed to stick in your head. They remind me of the jukebox at the back of my favorite neighborhood dive bar. That's a good thing.

... on NYT website. The quality of the stream is not great, but the quality of the music is.

BTW, always interesting to see new promotional tools - in this case: advance, low quality streaming to build album buzz among New York Times demographic.

Thx to LA for the tip!

"I want you back... back... back... you baaaack
I love it all"

Young group of Silver Lakers with a semi-hyped debut. I wasn't crazy about it at first, but it's slowly growing on me. Listened to this song about 5 times yesterday. There's just something about the energy, the audacious, rangy vocals, and the hard-hitting choruses that are doing it for me right now.

Does anybody in the game have a more chill voice or style than Guru? And that attitude is contagious; I mean, when you listen to Gang Starr, you just wanna lay back in the CUT. Right!?

So much of hip-hop is posturing, and although Guru was as self-aggrandizing as anybody, he was never over-eager to prove himself. All he had to say was, "you know my steez." And you nodded along. He was just a cool cat.

I also think the Jazzmatazz entries were worthy attempts to infuse hip-hop with a variety of musical styles, something the genre could use a little more of. He dropped "Le Bien, Le Mal" with a jazz trumpet and a French MC way back in '93! I didn't discover him until years later, but he still expanded my horizons.

Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal. Another sad loss.

This Saturday is the 3rd annual Record Store Day, a celebration of music and the mom & pops that have helped carry the torch through the years. You don't need me to sermonize about the importance of independent record stores, but I just wanted to send out a friendly reminder to take the opportunity to show a little love.

Not only is it a good cause, but there are tons of great releases out these days. AND you might just catch a special offer, a cookout, or an in-store. Factor in a nice stroll or windows-down drive on a sunny day and a potential Saturday night soundtrack, and really, you're just supporting yourself. Go ahead, you deserve it.

Participating venues here: http://www.recordstoreday.com/Venues

"What’s the going rate on industrial slavery these days?
(Who cares!? It pays!)"

- 'Blackjaw’

I’m a few days late, but I thought of this song when I heard the deeply saddening news about the West Virginia miners and the outrageous, unforgivable, just... infuriating behavior by their employers, the Massey Energy Co.

HWM wrote more than a couple songs about, or invoking, the plight of labor workers and opened my eyes in the process. People, of course, learn in different ways - music has always been a particularly potent medium for me. "And I know because of KRS-ONE..."

Not to jump the gun, but this one's already a contender for album of the year in my book. Nothing revolutionary, but just 10 really great songs by an unassuming band. Hints of all kinds of familiar sounds but completely impressive on its own merits - not just a band piecing together influences but taking them to another level.

Just take my word for it. I've been resorting to seasonal allusions a bit much, but this one's really well timed for the summer. Even the cover, with its inviting watercolor ocean scene, wants you to be out in the sun.

This smooth little number has been ALL up in my dome this week.

"You tell me that nothing matters
You're just f@#%ing scared!

You tell me that i'm better
You just hate yourself!

You tell me that you like her
You just wish you did!

You tell me that i make no difference
Well at least i'm f@#%ing tryinnnnng
What the f@#% have you done!?"

- 'In My Eyes'

I passed Ian MacKaye - lead singer of Teen Idles, Minor Threat, Fugazi, Embrace, & currently The Evens, founder of the legendary Dischord Records, and general punk rock icon / sage - on my way to school yesterday. It's not everyday you share the crosswalk with an idol of your youth. He had a little boy on his shoulders, presumably walking him to school, like a good dad. I would expect nothing less from such a fiercely moral, dedicated man. That guy is truly a role model - always speaking the truth and living up to the principles and expectations he set in his music.

Free download of Twin Sister's debut, Color Your Life, for a limited time. Heard good things about this one.

Courtesy of the allmusic blog.

For some reason, I see a connection between these 2 groups, even though they're 25 years apart and steeped in very different styles. They've both appropriated distinctive musical genres from black cultures (Jamaican ska and Afropop, respectively), which are driven by fast-moving, syncopated beats and share a love for the almighty trumpet. And both of which make me feel like I'm at some kind of concert in the park, sipping coldies with my friends. Perfect for this spicy spring DC afternoon.

For my drive up to Princeton y'day, I burned a bunch of new cds, all of which ended up failing. Good thing I had DB's mix from the Gary party in there too. Bless his soul, the man included not one, but two bangers from the now world-famous Daft Punk set at Coachella 2006 that we had the great fortune of attending. Probably my #1 show, honestly.

The sound quality of the recording is not great, but it doesn't matter. I was immediately transported to that big white tent - thousands of people, friends at my side, dancing, sweating, singing, laughing, fist pumping... getting my mind blown and my bones rattled and being a part of something transcendent. Got-damn it was good!!! I kinda wish I could do it all over again, but if we had expected it, it wouldn't have been the same. It was the definition of right place, right time.

This recording is not from that show, but they put out a live album shortly after that tour, and it's basically the same. Needless to say, I was rocking the truck out! And what's more fun than that??

Because I think everybody has a place somewhere in their week for these cats. The music is exceedingly simple: just two dudes with acoustic guitars. Two suuuper mellow Norwegians that sound lovely together and probably share a love for Nick Drake, parks, and monogamy. One album cover has them sitting on a carpet floor, politely playing chess. Kinda silly, but sometimes, that's what the doctor ordered, right?

Their new album, Declaration of Dependence (remember that monogamy joke?), is more of the consistent same. Pretty little acoustic ditties embellished only by the occasional string instrument and the sound of their own finger work.

On a side note, DB and I saw them a few years back at Spaceland, an intimate venue in Silver Lake known for its tastemaker prowess. And they had this crowd absolutely mesmerized, silenced. You could hear an ironic messenger bag pin drop. Very impressive.

I was just told that you have to log in to LaLa in order to listen to the songs embedded on my page. I did a little experimenting, and I think what you have to do is: create a LaLa account and log in - annoying but free and easy - and then you should be able to stay logged in even after you close your browser, restart your computer, etc. Worst case scenario, you have to sign in occasionally from my site. It's an imperfect solution, but I figure it's not the end of the world. I will be looking for a more conducive option.

Oh, and you can only listen to a full song once; after that, you're limited to :30 samples.

I would love any feedback from the folks I am pretending actually read this. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Thx to JN for the heads up.

“She moved from Long Beach down to LA
Right now she’s sellin oranges by the freeway

I wanna know:
Ramona, am I the only one? Tell me

And she said
You’re not the only one, but you’re the best, Bradley
Boh! Boh!”

'Waiting for my Ruca'

When spring arrives on the East Coast, my first thought, always, is sitting in the back of DB's truck with a Bud Light and a chicken cypriana, shredding his speakers with 40 Oz to Freedom. This jam, the first on the album, just puts me in that happy place. It is the sound of anticipating good times ahead.

Deerhunter opened for Spoon at the 9:30 Club twice this week, and I wasn't able to go to either. I've never seen Deerhunter, so as a consolation to myself, I went through most of the Bradford Cox catalog. (Cox is the formidable lead singer / mastermind of Deerhunter and authors the solo side project Atlas Sound, which is probably even better. He is one of the golden boys of the indie rock world right now.)

When their debut, Cryptograms, came out, I liked it ok. I thought it was a little monotonous and dissonant, not a great combination. But it's been on the shelf for a while, and having fallen in love with everything since, I figured I was probably missing something the first time around. And for once, I was right.

It's amazing how you acclimate to new sounds - how your ears are trained to hear different things upon repeated listens or a couple years of continually redefining your tastes. The dreaminess of Cox' voice, the inventiveness of the layers of liquid, digital wash. It's so obvious to me now, while the pulsating beats and simple Sonic Youth guitar riffs that distracted me before are just a framework, a canvas, for the artist to do his work.

If you're not tuned in yet, I'd recommend working backward, starting with the Atlas Sound Logos album, Deerhunter's Microcastle, Atlas Sound's Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Not Feel, and then this one. The DH Rainwater Cassette Exchange EP is outstanding, too.

Ohhh, yeah. This lovely young lady put out a gem 2 years ago, called 'Phylactory Factory,' with quirky, jazzy little singer-songwriter numbers best suited for carefree spring afternoons.

Improbably, she's come back with a beat-driven stunner that's perfectly timed to fill in the newfound void of xx-like, minimalist cool. This one's more synth-y than The xx, and she’s retained the expressiveness of her prior vocal work, but the form and feel are very similar. For me, it’s a winning formula: icy, bass heavy, hip-hop inspired electronic beats, with dreamy, echoing female vox on top. Yes, please.

Definitely cold weather music, but with the sun making a sudden entrance here in DC, it’ll work almost as well lying on a blanket in the shade.

I really didn't see this coming, but the new Gorillaz is legit. Super fun, eclectic, well-produced, and laced with A-list cameos (Lou Reed singing with a cartoon band!?!?). Rarely does cheeky music sound this good. The lesson, as always: never doubt Damon Albarn.

This one put a little bounce in my step this a.m.

Courtesy of Babs. Mmm. Not bad, not great, a little lighter than their last two albums. Black Thought breaks out a serviceable (yet hilarious) croon. Let's hope they have something else to prop this one up a bit.

Dark industrial-ish/post-punk band that KCRW pimped all summer but took me a while to acclimate to. Reminds me of the feeling I got when I first started listening to Turn on the Bright Lights. Different sound, but similar effect.

Everybody knows the Shins, but I dug this gorgeous, haunting little number out of the So Says I 7” for your listening pleasure (there’s also a nice acoustic version of ‘Gone for Good’ on the release). Perfect for another pensive, conflicted day of planes, trains, and automobiles.

"Will you lose a bit of yourself?"

'Written in Reverse'

For some reason, I've always thought of these guys as a modern, indie incarnation of those young Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (seriously, go listen to 'American Girl' or imagine Petty singing 'Don't You Evah'). Deliberate, unmistakably American, summer afternoon rock n roll, with a twist of mystery.

But where the latter never shied away from a hook, Spoon have always kept themselves at a distance. For me, they were too cool, impenetrable. While writing one flawless song after another and sounding just right on record and in person, they somehow never let me have exactly what I wanted (two arguable exceptions being 'I Turn My Camera On' and 'You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb,' which in related news, were legit summer bangers). Britt Daniel's voice sounded too affected for me to believe it was genuine (until I saw them live and realized - sigh - it is), and their musical precision conveyed pure professionalism. Almost elitism. Don't get me wrong; these backhanded compliments are definitely compliments, and I wore the hell out of the last two albums.

But the new album, Transference, shows me some cracks in the armor. And I like it! Taking some queues from the last LP, it is decidedly darker and weirder. It feels more personal and raw. For once, Daniel openly questions himself. They took some missteps, but I think that's because they got out of their comfort zone.

Case in point: although occasionally stretching his voice in the past, you never before heard Daniel rip a yell like the one at the 2:10 minute mark of this jam. It almost sounds angry, like the guy actually lost his cool for a minute. Probably my favorite Spoon moment yet.

Ooo-we. Just picked up 6 albums - a whopping 82 songs - for my weekend listening pleasure.

Local Natives - Gorilla Manor
Pantha du Prince - Black Noise
Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here
Stricken City - Songs About People I Know

...and to scratch today's hip-hop itch...

Strong Arm Steady - In Search of Stoney Jackson
Elzhi - The Preface

Even though I'm a student, and the week/weekend divide is an illusion, there's still something special about Friday. And Friday mostly certainly calls for good music.

DB and I used to take our paychecks directly to the record store on Friday night every other week. Y'know, back when those existed, when you could get CDs for under $18, and when it was actually our goal to burn through every dollar we made (oh, yeah, and when I actually made money). Then we'd get a burrito, go home to Babs, and spend the evening throwing ourselves a little party - loud music, beers, video games, and general merriment. Some of my favorite times ever.

Today, I did it all online, but I'm still excited. Maybe it's time to bring back the tradition. Amoeba Friday's, anyone?

Anyway, I'll letcha know what's worth your while.

Out of S. Africa. There are no words...

This jam's taking a life of its own in my house today... My roommate PA pulled up the video, a forgotten classic...

This one took me BACK...

(Unfortunately, LaLa only had the clean version)

"And i'm reminded
of the time that i was blinded
by the sun
It was a welcome change
from the sight of you hanging
like a willow
off the arm of yet another
visionary prophetess
east...
Van...
punk

I didn't stand a chance
I couldn't stand at all
You looked ok with the others
You looked great on your own
It was 2002 and you couldn't be bothered"

'Painter in Your Pocket'

Some days are Destroyer days.

Dan Bejar & Co. have a monopoly on a certain mood that I wake up in from time to time. A little bit melancholy, a little vulnerable, a little defiant, a little contemplative, maybe a little blurry.

Bejar is an artiste. His music is painting, his lyrics poetry. All vivid colors and surreal landscapes, occupied by characters that all seem to be tragic, or at least tortured. And you can tell from his one-of-a-kind voice and spoken word panache that he really lives all this beauty and pain.

This song is the one that first hooked me. For those of you that aren't hip to Destroyer yet, I would start right here. 'Destroyer's Rubies' is where it's AT.

Bejar also moonlights in The New Pornographers and Swan Lake, but for me, those projects just weigh him down.

On last year's 'Versions' EP, these sleeper Oregonians reimagined six of their previously recorded tracks, carving out the souls of the songs and lighting a fire under 'em, a la Grizzly Bear's 'Friend.' But the clear standout is the opener, 'Ida Walked Away' - the one new addition to the cause. A breakthrough of sorts!? We'll see...

Frequent comparisons to Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear are simplistic, but I think it's fair to say they are somewhere between the two. Way more manic than GB, but more orchestral and gracefully melodic than AC.

New Epic Broken Social Scene Song!

I'm not quite sure what makes some garage rock exciting and the rest of it... not. What separates The Black Lips and The Kills from the pack? Hard to say - I don't think it's as simple as good songwriting or perceived "authenticity." You just kinda know it when you hear it.

Though not exactly garage rock - they're part pop, part punk, part middle-of-the-plate indie - the Soft Pack also has that irresistible je ne sais quoi despite doing absolutely nothing new. Good for today's ride home from work...

Because I said so.

In all honesty, these Aussies were not really on my radar until they landed in Pitchfork's top 10 of the decade. But apparently, this album came out in 2000 and was never followed up. And as my roommate JL explained, this kind of sampling had gone outta style with DJs at the time, contributing to its low profile. Well, ten years later, it's... awesome.

Snatched up another winner from Jolie Holland, 'The Living & The Dead.' This song's got a really similar vibe to 'Sister Rosetta' from that Robert Plant & Alison Krauss affair - smoky, mysterious, longing. Born somewhere on the border between Texas and Mexico, but influenced by the sounds of traveler's from every direction.

This absolutely slays me. Great remedy for a Tuesday.

"Mamaaaa. Mama?"

Perfect song.

So wrong and yet so right.

Thx to MA for the link!

I love traveling. I mean the actual, physical, transportation side of it. I feel like I’m moving forward, and at the same time, it’s an excuse to sit still (something I’m otherwise miserable at) and bang out a bunch of different stuffs. Best of all is the sheer volume of tuneage I can pack into my ears. Albums! Full-length, start-to-finish, epic long-players – my favorite way to listen to music. Mix in the romance of traveling, and the emotions of seeing and leaving people, and they tend to take on an added layer of significance. Between the ride to the airport, the lines, the gate wait, the flight, the baggage claim, and the ride home, there’s just no better time to indulge.

Yesterday’s line-up, start to finish, from DC to VA to NY to SF:

Cotton Jones Basket Ride – Paranoid Cocoon (perfect for that cold, pre-coffee dawn)
Wilco – A Ghost is Born (which I listen to almost every time I travel; more on this album later)
Wild Beasts – Two Dancers (more on this after Thursday’s show!!!)
Willie Nelson & Wynston Marsalis – Two Men with the Blues
President – Take Music
Panda Bear – Person Pitch
Lindstrom & Christabelle – Real Life is No Cool
Liars – Liars (so much better than I remembered!)
Mount Eerie, Julie Doiron, Fred Squire – Lost Wisdom
Scotland Yardstick (LA’s latest mix-up)
The Roots – Phrenology
…and for the final stretch into the city…
Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane

I could have gone all the way to China at that rate.

As much as I sweat ‘West Coast,’ I was a little surprised how excited my roommates were when I slipped it on the speakers the other day. But the feelin was definitely right – a long afternoon, sitting in the sun at the kitchen table, all drinking coffee and trying to do work, in need of some positive energy.

The fact that they’re fiercely proud West Coasters didn’t hurt either.