Candy for the Eyes: The Avett Brothers

HANK ALTOGETHER:

The Avett Brothers have been dominating my ears since the summer. It's about time I gave them some due on this blog. Here's a couple vids for some of my favorite songs of theirs. More on the brothers later...



"November Blue"




"Paranoia in B-flat Major"




"Will You Return"




"Die Die Die"




"Murder in the City"




"November Blue" (Scott Solo)

What is Pepsi saying????

ZACH THAT:

Right below this post you will find an article about Dylan and Will.I.Am in their own Pepsi commercial for the Super Bowl. After watching this doozy, I think the message is clear: our generation is horrible. It's comparing the past to present...and well, everything in the past is so much better. I broke down the whole commercial for you:

Dylan + will.i.am = Pepsi Scholck

HANK ALTOGETHER:

I'd love to get into the long ranging debate...what the fuck is Dylan thinking, but I just don't have the energy. And increasingly I've become tired of the whole thing. I mean, really, you're just going to go to the show to go to the show and be disappointed. And he's going to keep doing commercials and someone's going to try to say something profound about him selling out or keeping moving on, but let's face it, Dylan's playing Dylan playing Dylan these days. And, ugh, who has the time. If you wanna see the commercial go here. If not, just wait for the Super Bowl. Oh, by the way, Steelers 20 'Zona 9.

Coachella Official Lineup

ZACH THAT:

HERE

Wilco - "Wishful Thinking" Fan Video

HANK ALTOGETHER:

Me and Wilco used to make out all the time, now, I rarely call anymore. Videos like this may make me want to reconsider.



Thanks to Don't Think Twice, It's Alright for the tip.

Lambchop - "You're a Big Girl Now" (Dylan)

HANK ALTOGETHER:

Lambchop played Louisville last week and totally blew me away. This cover has been sticking with me ever since.

Andrew Bird - "Fitz and Dizzyspells"

HANK ALTOGETHER:

I'm not sure I like Andrew Bird's Noble Beast as much as his previous albums, but it's definitely growing on me, in particular the second disc Useless Creatures (which crawled up my head during a nap today). My short review is here. And here's a great vid of Bird on Letterman:

Coachella 2009 Lineup

ZACH THAT:

*UPDATE: This list might be fake. It comes from the office of Ryan Seacrest and the LA times is claiming that it is fake. More to come later.

Thanks to the Music Slut for the breaking news:

FRIDAY

Nine Inch Nails
Morrissey
Orbital
Franz Ferdinand
Puscifer
Katy Perry
Digitalism
The Presets
K’s Choice
Conor Oberst
X
Metric
The Black Keys
Shpongle
Turbonegro
Bassnectar
Fair To Midland
Ladytron
Cage
Brian Jonestown Massacre
Hercules & Love Affair
Mickey Avalon
The Gaslight Anthem
Laura Marling
The Whip
The Bloody Beetroots
Kristina Sky
The Airborne Toxic Event
Friendly Fires
Straight Line Stitch
Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly.
Shadrach Kabango
Los Campesinos!
O’Death

The Wishing Tree
Floater
Alias Westlord
Snailhouse
Asteroids Galaxy Tour
Miyavi
Kevin Rudolf
TINARIWEN
Heartless Bastards
Drop The Lime
Lucent Dossier

SATURDAY

The Killers
Neil Young
Primus
Basement Jaxx
TV On The Radio
Mike Patton Rahzel
Adele
Immortal Technique
Atmosphere
One Day As A Lion
Girl Talk
Primal Scream
Coolof (The Knife)
KT Tunstall
Crystal Castles
Amon Tobin
M.A.N.D.Y.
She & Him
Roni Size
Kimya Dawson
Glasvegas
The Black Marquee
Jade Everett
Jamie T
Foals
Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
No Age
Late Of The Pier
Sebastian Tellier
Peanut Butter Wolf
The Flobots
Radio Luxembourg
Ice Cream Floats
Flying Lotus
Kitty, Daisy & Lewis
The Bug
White Lies
The Knux
The Captains Intangible
Mad Marge & The Stonecutters
N.A.S.A.
Mexican Institute Of Sound
Eric Mcfadden Trio
Soniko
Kira Willey
Lucent Dossier
Kim H & Danny R

SUNDAY

Paul McCartney
Foo Fighters
Public Enemy
Chemical Brothers
Keane
Poe
MSTRKRFT
Fleet Foxes
Band Of Horses
Lupe Fiasco
Skunk Anansie
Planet Of The Drums
Jenny Lewis
Imogen Heap
The Heavy
The Shins
Black Mountain
Asobi Seksu
Gus Black
Alabama 3
The Faint
The Sounds
The Ting Tings
Yeasayer
Conjure One
The Bees
Bizarre
Surkin
The Greencards
The Hold Steady
Uh Huh Her
Christopher Lawrence
A Place To Bury Strangers
Carolina Chocolate Drops
The Death Set
Florence & The Machine
Anna Ternheim
Weston Boys
Tommy Mills & The Jade Amenity
Gutevolk
Buraka Som Sistema
Lucent Dossier

Sara Lov - "My Body is a Cage"

HANK ALTOGETHER:

In more female vocalist, less hater-rific news, have you heard of Sara Lov? She's got a fantastic voice and does a damn fine, stripped down, elegant, less-bombastic cover of Arcade Fire's "My Body is a Cage."

Listen here:

My Body is A Cage - Sara Lov


Oh, and she's wrapping up a Tuesdays in Jan. stint at Spaceland in LA on the 27th.

She's Baaaaacccckkkk! (again)

HANK ALTOGETHER:

Zach had a shitty couple days last week, but no matter what he's sippin mojitos in sunny southern CA while I'm freezing my ass off in ice and snow, so you'll forgive me if I pile it on. My Old Kentucky Blog reports that Scar Jo is covering Jeff Buckley. Sorry Zach.

Go here.

Amazon Giving out Free mp3s!

HANK ALTOGETHER:

Click it up here. There's over 500 songs to dig thru, including Apples in Stereo, The Streets, Black Lips, Loudon Wainwright III, and many many more. So, like your local Chinese buffet, come once, come back, just don't crush your plate.

Fleet Foxes Heart Animal Collective

ZACH THAT:

From Fleet Foxes myspace blog:

Merriweather Post Pavilion Worship

What a beautiful thing. This record makes me want to cry. Seriously special human beings... sigh. I saw Noah Lennox backstage at the Pitchfork festival and could hardly contain myself, like meeting Elvis. I bumbled a couple dumb words and cursed myself for looking like a Black Crowes monster.

Blah.

Anyway, I really admire this band. It filled my heart with pride to see that for a few days the top iTunes record sales were Bon Iver, Animal Collective, and us dudes. That is awesome, legitimately individual music makers doing their own thing and lots of folks being receptive and not requiring those musicians to concede anything to find success. Life is rad and weird. Our record has since fallen off the chart but Bon Iver and AC hold strong - even radder. How amazing would it be if this could be the new popular stuff for real? What if SNL had Animal Collective, Grizzly Bear, Bon Iver, Department of Eagles, Panda Bear, Joanna Newsom (gimme new songs plz), Vetiver, Cave Singers, etc etc etc etc etc etc on the show and that was the new paradigm? That would be so amazing. So much great music exists. A humbling and terrifying amount of amazing music. Yeah.

Me and olivia watched My Kid Could Paint That last night and it resulted in one of those clumsy conversations about what's art and what's not art (I was trying to argue that dancing is athletics more than art but she vehemently disagreed and is right, in hindsight). All I could really come up with as a personal definition for what makes something "artistic" in my eyes is when that thing gives you some new and clearer insight into the creator. I can listen to Bob Dylan sing "Buckets of Rain" and feel like I know Bob as a person better in a way I couldn't ever get from a conversation with the guy. I feel like Dan Rossen of Grizzly Bear's guitar playing is a weird window into his soul, it's so unique and expressive (probably wrong about this but that's just the feeling it gives me). Every choice made on Merriweather Post Pavilion is an insight into that band. It's like a weird avenue of really refined personal communication that you could never achieve with just words.

I love MPP.

Animal Collective Karaoke

ZACH THAT:

Thanks to hipster runoff for finding this priceless video of a guy in his room singing "My Girls" off the new Animal Collective. Just watch for yourself:

I want this guy to be the new spokesman/president of We Listen For You.

Across the Web

So, we're all over the Internet social networks and would like to be your friend. Here are the links:

Twitter

Myspace

Facebook

Oxford Collapse - Young Love Delivers (Music Video)

ZACH THAT:

Animal Collective Cancels LA Show

ZACH THAT:

Thanks to Jex from Rock Insider for the breaking news on this one. It seems that Avey Tare threw out his voice in their Chicago performance and the show tonight at The Henry Fonda is cancelled. This sucks for me and other LA residents because we had the option of this one or tomorrow and well, money aside (which we'll get back) there goes our chance to see the creators of one of the most exciting albums in a long while.

Heads up fellow fans...they will be back in LA May 29th at the Wiltern.

*UPDATE: They're trying to reschedule the show for Sunday or Monday.

Franz Ferdinand Free Show @ Amoeba

ZACH THAT:

Fresh from the news wire:

Franz will bring their new tunes live at Amoeba records in Los Angeles, Jan 30th at 7PM. Get there early because it will be crowded, very, very crowded. If you don't want to rub elbows with the normal folk, then Amoeba will be streaming the show live on their website. Oh, and like most Amoeba in-stores...it's free.

Franz Ferdinand - Ulysses (Music Video)

ZACH THAT:

The Silver Jews Are Done

ZACH THAT:

I'm writing with tears falling on my keyboard. I don't have much to say other than I'm very very depressed. Here is what happened:

Silver Jews End-Lead Singer Bids his Well-Wishers Adieu
Hello, my friend.
Cassie and I went to the cave and it looks great. 58 degrees but the humidity makes it feel like 72.

I'm just going to play fifteen songs. My fifteen favorite ones.

A dollar per song. Plus Arnett Hollow. I don't

want to keep you underground for too long. Fall Creek Falls State Park State Lodge is great by the way.

Yes I cancelled the South American shows. I'll have to see the ABC Countries another way.

I guess I am moving over to another category. Screenwriting or Muckraking.

I've got to move on. Can't be like all the careerists doncha know.

I'm forty two and I know what to do.

I'm a writer, see?

Cassie is taking it the hardest. She's a fan and a player but she sees how happy i am with the decision.

I always said we would stop before we got bad. If I continue to record I might accidentally write the answer song to Shiny Happy People.

What, you thought I was going to hang on to the bitter end like Marybeth Hamilton?

love david

This was posted a few hours later:

My Father, My Attack Dog
Now that the Joos are over I can tell you my gravest secret. Worse than suicide, worse than crack addiction:
My father.

You might be surprised to know he is famous, for terrible reasons.

My father is a despicable man. My father is a sort of human molestor.

An exploiter. A scoundrel. A world historical motherfucking son of a bitch. (sorry grandma)

You can read about him here.

www.bermanexposed.org

My life is so wierd. It's allegorical to the nth. My father went to college at Transylvania University.

You see what I'm saying.

A couple of years ago I demanded he stop his work. Close down his company or I would sever our relationship.

He refused. He has just gotten worse. More evil. More powerful. We've been "estranged" for over three years.

Even as a child I disliked him. We were opposites. I wanted to read. He wanted to play games.

He is a union buster.

When I got out of college I joined the Teamsters (the guards were union organized at the Whitney).

I went off to hide in art and academia.

I fled through this art portal for twenty years. In the mean time my Dad started a very very bad

company called Berman and Company.

He props up fast food/soda/factory farming/childhood obesity and diabetes/drunk driving/secondhand smoke.

He attacks animal lovers, ecologists, civil action attorneys, scientists, dieticians, doctors, teachers.

His clients include everyone from the makers of Agent Orange to the Tanning Salon Owners of America.

He helped ensure the minimum wage did not move a penny from 1997-2007!

The worst part for me as a writer is what he does with the english language.

Though vicious he is a doltish thinker

and his spurious editorials rely on doublethink and always with the Lashon Hara.

As I studied Judaism over the years, the shame and the shanda,

grew almost too much. my heart was constantly on fire for justice. I could find no relief.

This winter I decided that the SJs were too small of a force to ever come close to

undoing a millionth of all the harm he has caused. To you and everyone you know.

Literally, if you eat food or have a job, he is reaching you.

I've always hid this terrible shame from you, the fan. The SJs have always stood autonomous and clear.

Hopefully it won't contaminate your feelings about the work.

My life has been riddled with Ibsenism. In a way I am the son of a demon come to make good the damage.

Previously I thought, through songs and poems and drawings I could find and build a refuge away from his world.

But there is the matter of Justice.

And i'll tell you it's not just a metaphor. The desire for it actually burns.

It hurts.

There needs to be something more. I'll see what that might be.


DCB

Animal Collective Hearts The Killers?

HANK ALTOGETHER:

God knows what The Killers were thinking when they asked, "are we human or are we dancer / denser?" Well, it seems that Animal Collective may have an idea. Listen to "In the Flowers" around 3:02.

In The Flowers - Animal Collective

Okay, obviously he says "dancing" but doesn't it sound like, oh, I don't know, a certain bullshit band that your younger sister has posters of?

The Killers - Human - The Killers

Is there just a rash of slurring the word "Dance" (and all derivations thereof: "dancing," "dancer," "denser," etc) going around or is Animal Collective winking at The Killers or is there something about slurring words that we should know...

NOT ONLY THAT. But, you may have met BRANDON FLOWERS, lead singer of The Killers. And the Animal Collective track is called, hmm, let me see...IN THE FLOWERS. Man crushes all over in this track...
...or am I high?

Animal Collective - "My Girls" (Music Video)

ZACH THAT:

I don't mean...to seem like I care about material things...like a social status...I just want...more Animal Collective. This will do:

Nick Drake Tribute Album

ZACH THAT:

I'm writing this post with slumped shoulders and an urgency to drink an entire bottle of whisky to get this news out of my mind.

It appears Eddie Vedder, Dave Grohl, Jack Johnson, and Norah Jones will be some of the "artists" teaming up to make a Nick Drake tribute album. Trying to push the tribute to two, the album will also feature the music video for Drake's song "Black-Eyed Dog", shot in 2007 with Heath Ledger who was a fan of Drake.

The tribute will be released through Jack Johnson's record label, Brushfire Records in what is now the front runner for worst album/idea of 2009. If you want to give Drake a tribute, repress his albums individually on vinyl, listen to his brilliant songs, and leave his songs un-touched by Jack Johnson.

Of Montreal - An Eluardian Instance EP

Of Montreal - An Eluardian Instance EP
Release Date – Jan 27th, 2009
Label – Polyvinyl

8.2









ZACH THAT:

Jon Brion, famous for crafting emotionally driven soundtracks for such films as Magnolia and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, takes a crack at reinterpreting, redefining, and remixing two tracks from Of Montreal’s latest LP, Skeletal Lamping. The EP is basically a three track offering disguised as five tracks created from two very different camps of musical genius.

The first two tracks are remixes of the track An Eluardian Instance. The song lends itself well to the concept of being remixed but the first track on the EP doesn’t offer that much in the interpretation category. Brion adds a bit more step in the songs bounce but it took me one or two listens to really notice a huge difference from the original. Then Brion offers up an acoustic remix of the same song and this track alone makes the EP well worth buying. Called First Time High (Of Chicago Acoustic Version), Brion teamed up with Nickel Creek vocalist and mandolin-player Chris Thile, who finger plucks his heart out to make this track something special. What the first track lacks in creativity, this version makes up ten fold. In fact, I find this version to be more successful than the original (which I still highly enjoy). With the spotlight solely on the vocals and acoustic guitar, I’m transported back into the Cherry Peel days long before Of Montreal found synths and bought a disco soul. When it comes to Of Montreal, I feel they can’t, and hardly do any wrong…love the new and old sound…it’s just nice to remember where they came from every once in a while and this song captures that emotion.

On tracks three through five, Brion remixes my favorite track on Skeletal Lamping: Gallery Piece. Brion’s version is the dance club take on a jam that already makes me move around like crazy. It’s a bonfire of electronic sounds, each noise popping up and randomly fighting for attention…trying to make the loudest crack. Guess what, it works. I wouldn’t say it’s the masterpiece that track two on the EP is, but unlike 90% of the remixes out there today, this one has a reason for existing. The last two tracks are throwaways featuring an extended remix and instrumental version of Gallery Piece. My problem with offering up the instrumental version is it encourages thousands of lousy remixes and mashups from far less talents than Brion. Let them have their remixes I suppose, keep everyone happy.

In the end, tracks two and three demand a listen from anyone who enjoys Of Montreal or Jon Brion. There is some wasted space on this EP, but hey, that’s what EP’s are for. If it was an album I would be critical, but this spin was incredibly fun and Brion/Of Montreal offer up one of the best tracks of ’09 so far with the acoustic version of An Eluardian Instance.

PRE-ORDER HERE

1st Time High (Of Chicago Acoustic Version Of An Eluardian Instance) - Of Montreal

Candy For The Eyes - M. Ward

ZACH THAT:

Chinese Translations

Fuel For Fire



W/ Jim James (Great Video)



Requiem (Music Video)

New Music/ Handsome Furs

PIERCE HOWEVER.

Though I have the damnedest time trying not to think about Wolf Parade while hearing anything Dan Boeckners voice sings sans Spencer Krug and the other guys, I still manage to enjoy his other projects, whatever they may be named.

Face Control will be Boeckner and his wifes' first album since 07's very excellent if not somewhat light Plague Park. I'm Confused is available now for download along with two other tracks via SubPop

Handsome Furs-I'm Confused

itunes podcast *Test*

HERE

Animal Collective in the NY Times

HANK ALTOGETHER:

I've been wavering a bit in my Merriweather Post Pavilion love recently. Can I say that it's better than Feels or Sung Tongs? Is more accesibility a band thing for such a cult band? Thankfully, the NY Times is here to do some real reporting and help out my inner dilemma.

But approaching “Merriweather” still requires a healthy imagination. Part of the band’s somewhat esoteric, in-joke sensibility comes from the members’ intense closeness. Noah Lennox, 30, known as Panda Bear, and Josh Dibb, or Deakin, 31, have known each other since elementary school in the Baltimore suburbs, and they became friends with Mr. Weitz and Dave Portner, 29, known as Avey Tare, in high school. Their songs seem to communicate in a private language, and “Merriweather” was inspired by an eccentric collective vision.

“We had this idea of it being, like, a lagoon,” Mr. Weitz said in a restaurant in this upstate New York town, where the band was working on a collaborative project with the filmmaker Danny Perez. “And there’s this concert, and we’re playing underwater in the Merriweather Post Pavilion of that lagoon,” referring to an amphitheater in Columbia, a Baltimore suburb.

Mr. Lennox added: “Not deep water, though. Shallow water. Submerged. Like a coral reef.” Mr. Weitz and Mr. Portner nodded sheepishly. (Mr. Dibb, who had taken a sabbatical from the “Merriweather” recording sessions, was not present.)

In practical terms, the lagoon-ready album that Animal Collective imagined called for more emphasis on heavier, low-end sounds: swampy atmospheres, thudding percussion lines and sweltering, hypnotic textures. The band’s earlier, more electronic material had dabbled in dub-influenced bass sounds, but for “Merriweather” the members, while still producing their own work, sought an engineer with experience in hip-hop and R&B.

Read the rest here.

Be Brian Eno...On your cellphone!

PIERCE HOWEVER.

 

Did Brian Eno just one-up Guitar Hero in creating a whole other brand of faux musicianship?

In an oddly homogenizing move, Brian Eno and tech musician Peter Chilvers have just released a newly developed bit of software that let's you easily emulate Eno's sound. By randomly touching around on an iphone screen you can create a series a synch blips which then self loop and bring on a signature Eno-esque low end ambient harmony. Users don't have to worry even about being musically inclined, because the notes are always in the correct key. The Bloom app comes at a cool 2.99 at itunes so you can go ahead and kill that Adobe Audition torrent you've had downloading for the last week.

(and why can't they be more like those zany Pocket Guitar kids who play the real instruments?)

Winter Albums

HANK ALTOGETHER:

It's been in the single digits, teens, and twenties in Louisville for the past couple of days which has been infuriating, but also reminded me that it's high time to praise albums that sound the best in the cold. I'm a pretty firm believer in listening being determined by weather and emotional state (or desired emotional state). So, now that I'm not in sunny Southern California, I've had a chance to relisten to some of my favorite cold weather albums.

1. Sufjan Stevens - Greetings from Michigan the Great Lake State

Steven's first masterpiece is fine for cold mornings going to work or driving around on a sunny clear cold day with nothing to do. It's the instrumentation that makes this one work for me. The xylophone crackles when it's cold. Since it's not as spare as Seven Swans, there are times when you may feel that the winter is playing along with you. And just by the time you've made it thru "Oh God Where Are You Now?" into "Vito's Ordination Song" it feels like the weather's about to turn and spring is on its way.

2. Sparklehorse - It's a Wonderful Life

"Little Fat Baby" now there's some good winter listening. Put it together with "Gold Day" and the warm strums on "Piano Fire" and you've got not only a great album, but one that makes the best of days where you're bleary eyed going to work and it's not even light out. This record is totally intoxicating from beginning to end, including the Tom Waits' guested "Dog Door." It won't start a dance party, but it'll get you home from one.

3. Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One

So, it's freezing balls, you wanna meet up with some people but you don't know where they are. That's cool, Yo La Tengo's got your back. For folks who don't know about Hoboken, NJ's own, this is where that I tell them to start. It helps if they start on a brisk Feb. night after meeting a girl they like and trying to run into her without seeming creepy. Then, you'll get the hang of it, friend.

Built By Snow

ZACH THAT:

Austin, Texas is the new BRKLYN and the old LA when it comes to indie rock. Joking, throw a dart at the United States and that location is spitting out new indie groups by the second. With this it's really hard to keep up with the great up-in-comers. I've really been enjoying the sounds of Built By Snow, an electronic/kinda 8bit four piece that has one goal: to make you dance. Check them out:

MYSPACE

Late of the Pier - Fantasy Black Channel

Late of the Pier - Fantasy Black Channel
Release Date - Jan 13th (US)
Label - Astralwerks

9.4









ZACH THAT:

I reviewed this album track by track back in septemeber, so I shall re-post in honor of their US release.

HOT TENT BLUES

A blazing intro instrumental to kick start the album. There is not much to say about this track since it’s one building riff over and over with about twenty seconds of breakdown at the end. With that said, it gets my heart pumping and my ears waiting for a synth explosion.

BROKEN

Working like an assist from John Stockton, Broken takes off from Hot Tent Blues and hits us with the first of many catchy hooks. It’s a pure jam with some sort of fax machine synth sound lurking underneath. It takes fifty seconds for the music to cut out and that fax machine sound to take over with the first lyrics of the album: “I didn’t sleep last night, I couldn’t come down.” What follows is a perfect wandering drum beat and guitar riff. With the stroke of a synth key the song blasts back into it’s original melody and taps your toes for you. This beautiful song is a hit ladies and gentleman.

SPACE AND THE WOODS

Probably their biggest song to date and one of my least favorites (still like it, just not my favorite of theirs). The bass line drudges along like a DIVO b-side and just feels way to dated to be a product of these dance music innovators. On the plus side, we have another very catchy chorus that hits you in all the right places.

THE BEARS ARE COMING

Just when we’re leaving the woods…the bears come and start a dance off in your head. This track “kills” as the kids say. A perfect drum beat with blazing synths are impressive, but this is the first song that shows off the band’s use of lyrics. The music is great as always but the singer has a swagger that makes you want to be his friend and borrow his cool sunglasses. This song, only four tracks in, moved me to start thinking about going over an 8.5.

RANDOM FIRL

This is my song…I claim it. A rusted guitar riff springs forth and is interrupted by a bouncy synth that leads to a pristine synth line. It’s a competition of sound and I want everyone to win. Just when things can’t possibly get any better, the lyrics pop in with: “Lately, I’ve been thinking this whole world seems to hard…” Yes, this world is a hard place, it has it’s ups and downs, but Late of the Pier, you’re an up. This is a 9.0 album.

HEARTBEAT

I’m a little scared of this simple synth line…oh, wait, the bass and drums kick in just right and I’m off in dance land again. The first set of lyrics are simple and a little predictable…but, wait…THE BEST CHOURS YET! It’s a hat trick, three brilliant sons in a row. I’ve said synth and exploding a lot this review, but man does it ever again on this track. It goes back into the simple lyrics, but just when I was starting to get tired, yes, the chours is back. Another amazing track. 9.1???? Is this going to be my album of the year?

WHITE SNAKE

Dance music becomes a little more edgy. A little bit of punk can be found in these lyrics and the change is nice. Just as the music feels a bit stale, they do their best Queen impression and change up to a classic piano sound. And then…back to the dance.

VW

This is the song the band should open with on tour. It’s an instrumental track that rolls all the sounds presented on the album into one 2 min 27 sec head roller.

FOCKER

If I had to describe this band to a friend with just one of their songs it would be this one. It’s aggressive, catchy, and just has a bravado that can’t be denied.

THE ENEMY ARE THE FUTURE

I think this track is the band’s one misstep. A really bizarre carnival sounding synth plays over the title of the song as lyrics…over and over. The song builds momentum, but it just seems like getting on that lesser ride after doing the four you came to the amusement park to ride…anti-climatic.

MAD DOGS AND ENGLISHMEN

Doing their best Bloc Party impression, this song has a ripping guitar and very matter of fact lyrics. They get back into their groove with this song and build nicely to the last track.

BATHROOM GURGLE

A perfect ending. The crème brulee of the album. Running at 7:14, the song never gets tired and expands rather than repeating. “Put your hands on your waistline and dance to the bassline.” Yep, that’s what I’ve been doing the whole album guys. Just when the album is about to end, a twist is presented…NO TIME (hidden track) Acting as a separate bassline after the traditional silence, an acoustic guitar strums in with eerie synth sounds behind it. They strip away everything and just speak to us for the first time: “You don’t have the time for me, I don’t have the time for you.” It’s almost a mocking cry to those who will never stay around long enough to enjoy this bonus treat. With listeners just overplaying that one dance song they like, this makes the comment, hey, even dance bands deserve the respect to have their album played fully. I agree…and all those who do will be rewarded.

Beirut - La Llorona Video

In Spanish-speaking cultures of the Americas, La Llorona is "the weeping woman" who kills her children after being rejected by the man she loved. In Zach Condon world, there's an animated dog and a graveyard and such.



Thanks Stereogum!

Neko Case. Kittens. New Song.

We're doing this...for kittens.

People Got A Lotta Nerve - Neko Case

Silverlake Steps - The Voyeurs

The Voyeurs are an excellent Los Angeles two piece that pumps out songs that show an unabashed love for the art of melodies, beats, and lyrics. The world will get a look at their first offspring this month, January 27th, when they put out their debut album, “Well Known Drag”. There will be a record release party on the same day to celebrate the 12 inch release from Jax/Art (you can also buy it digitally…but vinyl is better so do that). Check out one of the upcoming tracks, "Daisy", from this great band, live, on our steps:

The Voyeurs - Daisy from bloodfordracula on Vimeo.

Microsoft Murders Music

ZACH THAT:

Thanks to Ryan for the heads up on this one. Microsoft is rolling out their crappy version of Garage Band...and they have a crappy infomercial to show how bad it truly is:

BLACK LIPS / NEW MOVIE AND MUSIC

PIERCE HOWEVER.

After living  in Savannah you learn that more or less, it's three feet wide. Visiting any of the four respectable (using the term loosely here) bars there guarantees an encounter with someone who still owes you money, a few drunk professors and at least one ex. 

So, it shouldn't have been surprising running into Cole Alexander and the other Black Lips  on Congress street last Summer.  It was though, and probably being because Savannah in large part has almost no music scene( Damn you Dan Deacon for taking so long to record) and that they smelled like they all had just committed arson. Turns out it wasn't gas or lighter fluid; they'd been sampling Tybee Islands' finest moonshine before cutting loose on The Historic district.

Skipping asking why his hand was in a bandage and asking him what he was up to he said ,quote "We're here to work." which is a great thing to hear from anyone with fumes on their breath. 

He was telling no lie, Let it Be is, for all I can tell is a movie about a faux show doing a faux documentary on a fake band called The Renegades played by all the Black Lips here in Savannah and will somehow resemble 24 Hour Party People. 

 The only woe I have in the case of the Black Lips is that in a world of Wolf Mother's and other label concocted trend chasing acts,is that most people will never get to realize how, almost horrifyingly unfake this band is. Maybe something like this movie would fix that, but in typical BL fashion Let it Be will probably refuse to clarify any of it and further confusion; Here, they purposely fuck themselves by making a tongue in cheek doc of The Black Lips except the band, and everyone involved has either switched or made up their names.

http://www.letitbethemovie.net/

 

200 Million Thousand will soon also be on its way out the door, and the first single from it was actually a surprise. It seems they discovered the upper three strings of their guitars; Starting Over replaces their familiar doom blues riff with a sunny falsetto melody, followed by the hilariously insincere promise "I'm starting over." sung by Cole's tobacco destroyed vocal pipes, he sings like a post intervention wannabe turnaround.

Starting Over - Black Lips