STREAM MARNIE STERN'S NEW ALBUM!

ZACH THAT:

!!!!!!:
Listen Here

Javelin - "We Ah Wi" (MUSIC VIDEO)

ZACH THAT:

Track Of The Day: SOARS - "Figurehead"

ZACH THAT:

About a month ago I gave the beautifully ambient band SOARS our Required Listen stamp.  Their self-titled release has been in constant rotation here at WLFY and I've always said one song stands out as one of the top tracks of 2010.  That song is "Figurehead" and has a relentlessly sharp guitar part that builds and builds...never letting go until the last second.  I can't recommend this song enough, do your ears justice, put on the headphones and give it a go.

SOARS - "Figurehead"

The band is touring:

TOUR DATES
Thursday, 9/30 - Bethlehem, PA @ St. Bernards
Friday, 10/1 - Brooklyn, NY @ Glasslands (Record release with Columboid, Arc In Round, Flower Of Flesh And Blood)
Friday, 10/22 - Brooklyn, NY @ Bar Matchless (CMJ)
Saturday, 10/23 - New York, NY @ Cake Shop (CMJ - Day Party)
Wednesday, 11/3 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Garfield Artworks (with Masaki Batoh of Ghost)
Saturday, 11/27 - Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brendas (with Sore Eros, Amen Dunes, Aunt Dracula

The album comes out Oct 5th and they have limited edition colored vinyl...will definitely be purchasing a copy.

PREVIEW: Lohio - "Family Tree" EP

HANK ALTOGETHER:

Generally at WLFY, we focus on reviews. But, honestly, I've kinda been waiting for this one. And by this one I mean the Family Tree from Pittsburgh-based Lohio. It's my first time around with this band, but back in Louisville in the first part of last decade, I knew Lohio member Liz Adams as the bass player for The Commonwealth. Since then, Liz has moved on to my current state of PA and joined up with Lohio who are currently out on a tour in support of the aforementioned Family Tree EP.

It's a pretty no-brainer name considering the beautifully homespun quality of this recording. At times it hearkens to the bombast of Arcade Fire or the storytelling of The National or the instrumentation of States-ear Sufjan, but let's leave comparisons to the side. There's an undeniable whimsy in Lohio's recording that draws from unbelievable musicianship and an exuberance that is pretty unmatched by most groups. There's something magical going on Lohio's sound. It's always shifting and transforming, full of the promise of a kid wanting to get out of the suburbs, which is what the free download on their bandcamp page "Leave the City, Leave Your Room" is all about. You won't meet a group with such intricate instrumentation and wonderlust on this side of the Atlantic. Perhaps Stuart Murdoch and Belle & Sebastian might be able to match the orchestral flair of Lohio, but I doubt it.

You can check out and buy the Family Tree EP here.

Catch the end of their tour:

Sep 28 2010

8:00P

SavoyYpsilanti, MI

Sep 30 2010

7:00P

Northland CollegeAshland, WI

Oct 1 2010

9:00P

The BishopBloomington, IN

Oct 2 2010

10:00A

w/ DONORAIndianapolis, IN

Oct 3 2010

10:00P

The BrilloboxPittsburgh, Pennsylvan

Nov 13 2010

10:00P

The Thunderbird w/ SHEARWATER and DAMIEN JURADOPittsburgh, PA

REVIEW: Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz

Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz

Label: Asthmatic Kitty

Release Date: Oct. 12, 2010

8.7

HANK ALTOGETHER:

I've just put the finishing touches on listening to the full stream of Sufjan Steven's out-of-nowhere-non-USA-related-release The Age of Adz. And I have to tell you, I was fully prepared to put the kibosh on this one. I was pretty non-plussed by the "All Delighted People" EP and such a big fan of the States project that even though I knew he wasn't actually going to do it (50 states? Who is this guy? Elvin Bishop?) I was pretty sure I'd listen and love all of them. So you throw this mess of synths and rambling 25 min tracks with--what was that? Auto-tune?--without a state bird and that makes for one grimacing blogger.

Hold up. Where'd that grimace go?

Yeah. Totally. I've bought The Age of Adz hook, line, and sinker. No. I'm not being ironic. This album is really, really good. So, give a sec, hater, and I'll tell you why.

1. Sufjan reinvents his sound without losing it. What was genius about what was going on? The sheer effortlessness, the heart ache, that boy-with-a-baseball cap sentimentality. It's just happening with machines now. Which, in my book, is pretty unbelievable considering that, you know, machines can't bleed. But, it's not that much of a leap to jump from say "Holland" to moments in "Futile Devices."

2. This album isn't trying to be anything that it's not. Or, just cuz there are beats doesn't mean you should dance to it. The Talking Heads once wondered if factories were music to aliens. Now, I'm not suggesting that Sufjan is...ya know...but, I will totally give him credit for this. He is re-imagining what synths and drum machines can do. There's parts that are reminiscent of Beirut's work with synths on "Scenic World" or "Fountains and Tramways." The usage is almost as orchestral as the orchestra in the BQE, only this time the structure's different and the orchestral has a robotic sounding counterpart which makes the orchestra sound better.

3. When was the last time you sprawled out and let an album just take you some place? Odds are it was probably Illinoise or Michigan. Hey look! Same guy! Yeah, and, just because it sounds different doesn't mean it isn't as lovable. It just means its different, ok? The free association of lyrics and sound are unlike anything else you're going to hear this year. Stevens has managed to be utterly surprising and, frankly, it shouldn't be. I mean, the man does what he wants. And there should be more people who are willing to take that risk and in this case, reap the reward.

Tom Waits/Patti Smith To Give Live Tribute To Lawrence Ferlinghetti

ZACH THAT:

From Tom Waits' official website:

Singer, songwriter, composer and actor Tom Waits joins the lineup of artists and authors who will pay tribute to the original paperback bohemian Lawrence Ferlinghetti when he and City Lights Booksellers and Publishers receive Litquake’s 2010 Barbary Coast Award for their contribution to Bay Area letters on Saturday October 2 at the Herbst Theater. Others to appear include Patti Smith, Lenny Kaye, Winona Ryder, Michael McLure, New Yorker cartoonist Eric Drooker and others.
The material Waits has produced over the years has a direct connection to the bohemian nature espoused not only be Ferlinghetti himself, but also the literature to be found via City Lights Booksellers and Publishers.
In an era where a show like Mad Men has become so popular all across the board, it is easy to forget that for many, its nostalgic take gilds the era in a way that seems to be not quite complete or accurate. In the shadow of these Madison Avenue Mad Men types, a new kind of American was emerging—one typified by Ferlinghetti—that was looser, that put a paper back book in his or her pocket and mulled the post World War 2 American dream/landscape and said “no thanks.”
Whether it be Frank’s Wild Years, the soundtrack to One From the Heart with an image of an “old broken bicycle out in the rain with playing cards pinned to its spokes,” or even the channeling of a Richard Burton-sounding stevedore type in Singapore from the Swordfish Trombones album, Waits’ songs epitomize the idiosyncratic man or woman who looks at life with the eye of a poet despite what their circumstances seem to dictate. And then for better or worse, acts accordingly.
Litquake 2010 Barbary Coast Awards
Herbst Theater
Saturday October 2 at 8pm
Tickets: $25.00 in advance, $30.00 at door, $100.00 VIP

Track Of The Day: For Every Story Untold - "Hideout"

ZACH THAT:

Dreamy sounds spun around emotional builds makes up our track of the day.

Cheyenne Marie Mize - "Friend" (MUSIC VIDEO)

ZACH THAT:

You remember a few years ago when Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes were all the buzz?  Then everything went lo-fi psychedelia.  It's not that I'm against this hazy trend...I just prefer to get down to some real emotional music that seems like it's from Earth every once in a while.  Well, if you're like me, than things are looking up.  This year we've heard amazing music from Sharon Van Etten, Hip Hatchet, Mountain Man, and Megafaun.  Continuing with the comeback is the stunning Cheyenne Marie Mize.  Her music reflects an overall sense of the Kentucky area...picture bluegrass and folk but with a darker perspective a la Elliott Smith. Mize weaves her enchanting vocals with sharp melodies that cut deep into the listeners emotional state.  Here is the music video for "Friend" off her debut LP "Before Lately" which will be out October 12th, 2010.

El Guincho - "Bombay" (Music Video)

Okay, so us bloggers are given to flights of fancy, to acts of total revulsion and revelation. And we do it for you and for us -- to get attention. But it's hard to one up this astonishing video by Spanish musician El Guincho...

Holy fucking shit. Video is NSFW.

EL GUINCHO | Bombay from MGdM | Marc Gómez del Moral on Vimeo.

Sleigh Bells - "Infinity Guitars" (Video)

Sleigh Bells "Infinity Guitars" from Phil Pinto on Vimeo.

This vid just goes to prove what I've been saying about Sleigh Bells all along: don't buy into all the hype, but def. pay attention. They've got a pretty damn good thing going.

MIDPOINT MUISC FEST (SAT PREVIEW)

ZACH THAT:

I'm a bit rushed with this post because I'm getting ready to drive up to Midpoint Fest to enjoy the shows of the night.  Here are the bands I'm looking forward to on Saturday.

Phantogram 

 

 Pomegranates

 

Cults

 

Bella Ruse

 

The Sundresses

 

The Grand Taxonomy of Rap Names:

MIDPOINT MUISC FEST (FRIDAY PREVIEW)

ZACH THAT:

I like to refer to Friday at MPMF as the battle of amazing 11:30 bands.  Who do you pick between Surfer Blood, Fang Island, or Royal Bangs???  My decision is easy, Fang Island, simply because I've seen the other two before.  But, if you haven't seen any of these bands, then you have a tough decision...all I can say to make things easier is there is no wrong decision to be made, they're all amazing.

Fang Island

Royal Bangs

Surfer Blood

I'm also really excited to spend some time at the Topic Design Tent with The Seedy Seeds playing followed by Caribou.  I've seen The Seedy Seeds a dozen times and it never gets old...I actually wander the streets trying to get my Seeds fix.  If you haven't seen them live it's a can't miss.  Adding to that, you don't have to move because Caribou hits the stage after the Seeds adding to the nights best back to back show.  

The Seedy Seeds

Caribou

There is also a secret show at Midpoint on Friday.  Rumor says it's Spacehog, which will be a great get for MPMF.

Spacehog

And last but not least, the king himself TED LEO.  You can't...I repeat...you CAN NOT miss Ted Leo.

Ted Leo

 

  

Sleepers

Lower Dens

 

Chain Gang Of 1974

Don't be dumb, be safe... 

BUY MIDPOINT TICKETS

Wild Flag?

HANK ALTOGETHER:

What do you have to do to get signed to Merge? Have a Twitter feed and Facebook page. Oh, and be the second coming of Sleater Kinney. At least that's the case with Wild Flag the brand-spanking new outfit composed of Janet Weis (Sleater Kinner, Quasi), Carrie Brownstein (Sleater Kinney, NPR, Portlandia), Mary Timony, Rebecca Cole. Sorry, Mary and Rebecca, I'm not as familiar with what you've done previously.

Stay tuned for tracks and more news...

MIDPOINT MUSIC FEST 2010 - THUR PREVIEW

ZACH THAT:

Cincinnati’s Midpoint Music Festival is this weekend and there is one big problem with the festival…they have too many amazing bands/artists.  It’s a great problem to have, but I’ve stressed out over the schedule for a month now.  Here is a breakdown of the opening day, Thursday:

Highly Recommended:

Van Dyke Parks

Parks is a can’t miss.  His album “Song Cycle” might be one of the most daring releases of its time and is a frequent player on my turntable.  Simply put, the man is a music genius and it’s very rare to see him live.  Not only is his own music amazing, but he’s worked with Grace Kelly, Delaney Bramlett, The Beach Boys, The Byrds, Loudon Wainwright III, Silverchair, Ry Cooder, Joanna Newsom, Inara George and Ringo Starr.  For me this is the highlight of the festival.



Holy Fuck

Canada has pumped out a bunch of amazing acts in the 2000s and HF does the maple leaf right.  There is a lot of improvisation with their performances, but the result is the same show after show…it’s infectious.  The most interesting things about HF is the interesting sounds and the way they manipulate something that seems familiar.  I can’t think of a better way to close out the night with a few drinks in you than catching a high energy set from HF.



Male Bonding

Their album “Nothing Hurts” is one of my favorites from 2010 and I can’t scratch them off my must see bands of 2010 list.



The Pass
Fresh off their debut LP (BURST) release this week, the electro pop band will be both opening and closing Midpoint’s Thursday night.  Two chances to see them…wouldn’t skip over this up and coming group.

Sleepers

The Lonely Forest


Indian Jewelry


You, You’re Awesome


Light Pollution


Skip

Best Coast
I’m sure a lot of you are excited to see Best Coast…and if so…you have your chance.  For those on the fence, I recommend skipping BC for something more substantial.  The music is lifted from a girls seventh grade diary and with sloppy live shows it might be smart to take a chance on something else.

Justin Townes Earle

Earle is great, but he’s been losing his mind lately…yelling at fans and trashing green rooms.  Check him out if you’re a fan, just prepare for him to play an angry short set.

MY SCHEDULE

7:00 – The Pass

8:30 Male Bonding

9:30 – Indian Jewelry

10:30 – Van Dyke Parks

11:30 – Holy Fuck

To see those five bands/artists in less than five hours is mind blowing…and this is just the first day.  If you live anywhere in driving distance of Cincinnati, get down to Mid Point.  Single day tickets are only $20…a three day pass only $39…which is nuts for the amount of quality acts the festival is featuring.

  BUY YOUR PASSES HERE.

Track Of The Day: The Pass - "Criminal"

ZACH THAT:

We've been raving about Louisville's The Pass for over a year now and it has finally been released for you to judge for yourself.  The track of the day is my favorite Pass cut off their debut LP, BURST.  It's called "Criminal" and makes me want to rob a bank while dancing.  It's infectious electro pop but with a different angle.  You can buy the debut LP HERE.

Blackbird Blackbird - "Pure" (MUSIC VIDEO)

ZACH THAT:

Track Of The Day: The Henry Clay People - "Switch Kids"

ZACH THAT:

The Henry Clay People - "Switch Kids"

Sacha Baron Cohen = Freddie Mercury!

ZACH THAT:

I can actually see this as a good decision:


FROM /FILM

Here’s some news that could be eerily on point: Peter Morgan, the guy who wrote The Queen, is now going to write about the band Queen. (That’s not the on-point part, but it is a good factor.) More specifically, he’s writing an as yet unnamed biopic of Queen singer Freddie Mercury. Even better: to play Mercury, the production has just signed Sacha Baron Cohen. Raise those lighters and sing along with Sacha.

Deadline confirmed the project and casting with financiers GK Films. The general time period covered will be ” the band’s formative years, leading up to Queen’s appearance at Live Aid in 1985.” Mercury’s death in 1991 won’t be addressed, though the film could possibly be finished in time to release not too long after the 20th anniversary of his passing.

GK Films has also cleared the rights to some of Queen’s classic tracks, including ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, ‘We Will Rock You’, ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ and ‘You’re My Best Friend.’ ‘Fat Bottom Girls’ better be in there, too. One obvious question: will Cohen sing, or will he mime to Mercury’s tracks? We don’t know. That’ll be worked out between the producers, Cohen and whoever gets the job to direct.

We do know that the remaining members of Queen (Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon) are behind the film and formed a company to be part of the production team. That’s quite significant.

Expect there to be some real attention paid to Mercury’s sexuality, and the fact that he became one of the most famous early victims of AIDS. Mercury’s status as a long-standing rock icon helped change the public perception of AIDS, so you can bet that Morgan will address that in some manner in the script.

Track Of The Day: SUUNS - "Arena"

ZACH THAT:

SUUNS - "Arena"

Badly Drawn Boy - "Too Many Miracles"

ZACH THAT:

It's about time:

NPR is streaming Sharon Van Etten's "epic"

Listen to her rock. Here.

Free John Vanderslice EP!

HANK ALTOGETHER:

Indie producer to the stars John Vanderslice's Romanian Names LP from last year was a revelation, the best headphone record of the year, and has now been followed up with a free EP. Check it out over here. It's called Green Grow the Rushes.

Track Of The Day: Abby Gogo - "Louder Than Dreams"

ZACH THAT:

Go 60's insprired pop!

Abby Gogo - "Louder Than Dreams"

Radical Dads - "Recklessness" (MUSIC VIDEO)

ZACH THAT:

The Radical Dads are definitely in my top ten favorite new bands of 2010.  The music doesn't need any description, it just needs to be heard.  They have a debut LP dropping later this year, details I'm sure to be released as the date comes closer.  For now, we can enjoy the infectious and smart "Recklessness" and a super 8mm music video that calls on the early styles of Michelangelo Antonioni.  Open your ears, they're about to be very happy:

a little reminder from the Talking Heads...

(via)

Kanye West [ft. Biz Markie, Kid Cudi, Common, Pusha T, Big Sean & Charlie Wilson] - "G.O.O.D. Friday (Baby Armie's Just a Blend)"

Check out this pretty damn awesome mashup of Kanye's Newest and Biz's greatest.

It's over at Ants in my Trance.

Sharon Van Etten - "Don't Do It" (New Track!)

HANK ALTOGETHER:

Sharon Van Etten won her way into our hearts with that wonderfully troubled voice haunting a picked guitar line. The other instrumentation was almost invisible--ghosting up from the ether. "Don't Do It" from Van Etten's next LP epic -- out Sept. 21 shows Van Etten's not treading water. Full sonic walls push forward and her voice, once a whisper becomes a condemnation, a caution, a call into the music -- pushing this time, not haunting.

Sharon Van Etten - "Don't Do It"

Track Of The Day: Children's Children - "Here My Steady Eyes Are"

ZACH THAT:

Cloud Nothings Announce Tour Dates/MP3

ZACH THAT:

Cloud Nothings - "Hey Cool Kid"

Tour Dates

Fri-Oct-01 Chicago, IL Ronny's
Sat-Oct-02 Lawrence, KS Scion Garage Fest
Tue-Oct-05 Seattle, WA Funhouse
Wed-Oct-06 Portland, OR TBA
Fri-Oct-08 San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill
Sat-Oct-09 Los Angeles, CA TBA
Sun-Oct-10 San Diego, CA Soda Bar *
Mon-Oct-11 Phoenix, AZ The Trunk Space #

* = w/ Glass Candy, Chromatics
# = w/ with Zola Jesus

Cloud Nothings
Turning On
(Carpark)
Street Date: Oct. 12, 2010

1. Cant Stay Awake
2. Old Street
3. You Are Opening
4. Turning On
5. Hey Cool Kid
6. Water Turns Back
7. Whaddya Wanna Know
8. Real Thing
9. Strummin
10. My Little Raygun
11. I Am Rooftop
12. Morgan
13. Another Man

RECAP: WLFY 3rd Birthday Show @ Pianos

It was a perfect storm on Saturday for one the best nights of my life. WLFY threw our third birthday and it was amazing on top of awesome. First off, I’ve been to venues all over the country, from Los Angeles to New York, and Pianos is now one of my favorites. From the staff, bartenders, sound guy, the venue delivered an intimate room, amazing sound, and a vibe that is often times unmatched. The there was the music. Brainbheats, The Pass, Radical Dads, and ARMS all brought high energy sets that cemented why WLFY loves these five in the first place. We were also graced with BRAHMS doing DJ sets and keeping the party rolling all night. All five bands are rather new with LP’s/EPs/etc coming out this year/early 2011, so keep an eye out for them. Then the icing on the cake was the crowd. We went double capacity with blogger friends Knox Road, Consequence of Sound, and Rock It Out Blog! hanging out all night. Two WLFY artists favorites, Hip Hatchet and Sophie Madeleine, made appearances. The whole crowd was family that night and with a head full of booze WLFY made some new friends. The night was a blast and we want to thank everyone who was a part of the show from bands to the crowd. Let's do it again next year. Check out the photos:

photos by @corygreenwell

FUCK YES! THE PLAN IS BACK!

HANK ALTOGETHER:

My favorite band of all time, The Dismemberment Plan is REUNITING! I just jumped in my office and threw my hands in the air, in case you're wondering. The Plan (as they're affectionately known) broke up in 03 and I remember running into my buddy Sam King and mournfully telling him the news. That summer on their farewell tour, the Plan played 2 hours of requests. A feat worthy of Springsteen. Now, you kids who may not have ever heard them can get to see them live and get a reissue of (possibly) my favorite album of all time: Emergency & I. The album comes out Jan. 11 as a double LP on Barsuk. The Plan may be coming near you, east coasters:

01-21 Washington, DC - Black Cat
01-22 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
01-27 Philadelphia, PA - Starlight Ballroom
01-28 Boston, MA - Paradise
01-29 New York, NY - Webster Hall

Megafaun - "Carolina Days"

HANK ALTOGETHER:

Lookit, people, I ain't gonna lie to you. After getting back to PA from our swinging 3rd Birthday Party in NYC, I'm a little down to earth. That's why Robert Plant created music! Today's helping is Megafaun who you may remember us talking about play with WLFY-shorty The Tallest Man on Earth. Well, to be honest, that was the first time I had ever heard of Megafaun. Which is cool, b/c they were rocking out Gillian Welch, which is great, while sporting some serious facial hair, which is even better. So I'm stoked to pass along this track which is a pretty damn nice way to start your week.

Megafaun - "Carolina Days"

New Sufjan Stevens Track Sounds Like Owl City

ZACH THAT:

I'm not claiming that Sufjan ripped off Owl City...but the background melody and vocal cadence of his new track Too Much sounds hilariously similar to Owl City "Fireflies".  Listen and tell me if I'm crazy.

Deerhunter - "Helicopter" (MUSIC VIDEO)

ZACH THAT:

Bradford Cox does something amazing, again.  Surprise, surprise.  Check out this understated and stunning video.

Watch Leonard Cohen's "Songs From The Road" On The Big Screen

ZACH THAT:

This year I crossed seeing Leonard Coehn live off my bucket list.  Now, on my birthday, Sept 14th, you can see his live tour on the big screen.

Leonard Cohen Songs From The Road (trailer) from Emerging Cinema on Vimeo.


It was The Grateful Dead in April, then Bruce Springsteen in June.  Now Emerging brings you Leonard Cohen’s live show to movie theatres nationwide this September with Songs From The Road.

In 2008, following the celebration of his 40th year as a Columbia recording artist and coinciding with his induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, songwriting legend Leonard Cohen thrilled his fans by announcing his first tour dates in 15 years. Going on to play the most prestigious and beautiful venues around the world, Cohen mesmerized audiences with performances that were hailed as some of the best of his career.  A dozen of his most famous songs from those recent world tour performances have been collected on Songs From The Road a forthcoming BluRay/DVD from Sony Music and Legacy Recordings. But before it hits stores, Emerging Pictures is proud to bring Songs From The Road to screens across the country, exclusively at participating Emerging Cinemas.

“When legend Cohen takes to the stage, it’s no less than a cultural event of Biblical dimensions.” – The Independent

This promotional run is the chance to experience for yourself Cohen’s performances at auditoriums, festivals, and stadiums from Tel Aviv to London to the California desert, filmed in HD, projected in HD — It’s the closest thing  to having been at the concerts yourself.

SET LIST for Songs From The Road:

1.  Lover, Lover, Lover (Ramat Gan Stadium, Tel Aviv, Israel, September 24, 2009)
2.  Bird On the Wire (Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow, Scotland, November 6, 2008)
3.  Chelsea Hotel (Royal Albert Hall, London, England, November 17, 2008)
4.  Heart With No Companion (Oberhausen King Pilsener Arena, Oberhausen, Germany, November 2, 2008)
5.  That Don’t Make it Junk (O2 Arena, London, England, November 13, 2008)
6.  Waiting for the Miracle (HP Pavilion, San Jose, California, November 13, 2009)
7.  Avalanche (Gothenburg Scandinavium, Gothenburg, Sweden, October 12, 2008)
8.  Suzanne (MENA Arena, Manchester, England, November 30, 2008)
9.  The Partisan (Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland, October 10, 2008)
10. Famous Blue Raincoat (O2 Arena, London, England, November 13, 2008)
11. Hallelujah (Coachella Music Festival, Indio, California, April 17, 2009)
12. Closing Time (John Labatt Centre, London, Ontario, May 24, 2009)

Click to see Cities/Dates

The Pass - "Vultures" (Guess The Blogs Contest Results)

And the winner is... Quentin Kenny with a score of 30.  Quentin named 35 of the 39, but missed five.  It was close with Brian Abbott getting a 29, Dev 27, Tiana Feng 27.  Over 150 people submitted.  Thanks for playing and below is the full list of the 39 blog references.

 

1.) The Needle Drop (Record player needle is put on record)
2.) Altered Zones (Logo painted on canvas)
3.) You Ain't No Picasso (Guy paints, another guy shakes his head in disapproval)
4.) Pop Tarts Suck Toasted (Guy makes a pop tart, gets angry at how it tastes)
5.) Pasta Primavera (Bowl of pasta primavera)
6.) Everybody Taste (Everybody tastes the pasta)
7.) Elbo.ws (Everyone holds up their elbows)
8.) Brooklyn Vegan (girl eats salad, drinks Brooklyn beer, reads vegan book)
9.) Bandcamp (The Pass play in a tent with a lantern)
10.) Music For Kids Who Can’t Read Good (Guy can't read his book)
11.) Indie Music Filter (Someone sifts water through tapes and cds)
12.) Tiny Mix Tapes (Tiny tapes are in the pasta strainer)
13.) Daily Beatz (Month calender has BEATZ written on each day)
14.) Pretty Much Amazing (An arrow sits between good and amazing)
15.) Flux Blog (Picture of the flux capacitor from Back To The Future)
16.) Tsururadio (Name spelled wrong with magnetic letters)
17.) Chrome Waves (Chromewaves logo)
18.) Polaroids Of Androids (Picture from I Robot, pictures of androids)
19.) Stereogum (Guy puts gum on a stereo speaker)
20.) Vinyl and Vodka (Vodka in martini glass placed in front of record player with vinyl spinning)
21.) Slowcoustic (Guy plays acoustic guitar in slow motion)
22.) My Old Kentucky Blog (Guy wears KFC bucket on his head)
23.) Music Ninja (Ninja sneaks into the house via the roof)
24.) Aquarium Drunkard (Guy has aquarium full of beer...drinks it)
25.) Decibel Tolls (Guy asks for DB pieces of paper and allows them to enter the party)
26.) Each Note Secure (Girl takes notes and puts them securely into a chest)
27.) Music Slut (Girl crawls into bed wearing short shirt/top)
28.) Pitchfork (Pitchfork with Music Slut...gives her a 6.5)
29.) MFR (Girl rocks out with a Minnesota Twins shirt)
30.) Winnie Cooper (Strobe light on girl who looks like Winnie Cooper holding a school folder)
31.) Pigeons and Planes (Girl with pigeon on her shoulder, American Airlines captains hat, aviator glasses)
32.) 100X Yes (Yes written over and over)
33.) Muzzle Of Bees (Honey poured into mouth of guy wearing a muzzle)
34.) Buzzgrinder (Girl in a bee costume grinds on another girl)
35.) Gorilla Vs Bear (Gorilla mask fights guy in Panda Bear outfit)
36.) Hipster Runoff (Two hipsters, drinking PBR and smoking American Spirits race)
37.) Songs By Toad (A girl in a toad costume sings)
38.) Hype Machine (Robot/machine enters, hyping people up and giving a heart to The Pass)
39.) Largehearted Boy (Guy with a large heart)

The video was 90% a contest and 10% trying to do a visual representation of how a song (from the needle drop) travels over the Internet through various music blogs, onto hype machine, and off to the listener.  I hope you had as much fun watching/playing the contest as I did making the video.  Thanks to The Pass for letting me do this experiment.  Their music is amazing, make sure to keep an eye out for their debut LP BURST, out Sept 21st.

New Marnie Stern

HANK ALTOGETHER:

Sounds from the new Marnie Stern keep dripping out with regularity. Now we get our second listen from the self-titled LP (coming out Oct. 5 on Kill Rock Stars).

Marnie Stern - "Transparency is the New Mystery"

There's something more proggy and less jagged that Stern's previous effort This is It... you want that melody to creep out for a little bit longer, and when it doesn't you're waiting for more.

Oh, and Stern dissed Best Coast which WLFY likes.

Bitte Orca Gets an Expanded Release

HANK ALTOGETHER:

My second fav. album of last year, the Dirty Projector's Bitte Orca is getting an expanded release. The tracklist features everything from the album as well as the Temecula Sunrise EP, the Projector's recent cover of Bob Dylan's "As I Went Out One Morning" and a couple other odds and ends. If you dropped cash for the Temecula Sunrise EP, I don't know if it's going to be worth it to get the expanded release. That is unless you like want to own everything with Amber Coffman's face on it. Like, I don't know, me.

Disc 1
1. Resource Cannibal
2. Temecula Sunrise
3. The Bride
4. Stillness Is The Move
5. Two Doves
6. Useful Chamber
7. No Intention
8. Horizon Remade
9. Fluorescent Half Dome

Disc 2
1. Fluorescent Half Dome (Live at Other Music)
2. Temecula Sunrise (Live at Other Music) [mp3]
3. Two Doves (Live at Other Music)
4. Resource Cannibal (Live at Other Music)
5. No Intention (Live at Other Music)
6. Ascending Melody
7. Emblem of the World
8. Wave the Bloody Shirt
9. Bitte Bitte Orca
10. Stillness is the Move (Lucky Dragons Remix)
11. As I Went Out One Morning

Free Elliott Smith Live Tracks

And to keep the singer songwriter thing going, from Largehearted Boy, a treasure trove of Elliott Smith live tracks including his amazing cover of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy" and the heartbreaking "Thirteen" which was found on the fair-to-middlin' sound track toThumbsucker (Anyone remember 2005?):

Elliott Smith: 2000-04-21, New York (Virgin in-store) [mp3,ogg,flac]
Elliott Smith: "Independence Day" [mp3]
Elliott Smith: 1999-12-30, Hoboken [mp3]
Elliott Smith: "Jealous Guy (John Lennon cover)" [mp3]
Elliott Smith: 1998-08-12, Hoboken [mp3,ogg,flac]
Elliott Smith: "Thirteen (Big Star cover)" [mp3]
Elliott Smith: 1994-09-17, Portland [mp3,ogg,flac]
Elliott Smith: "No Name #4" [mp3]

Dylan's Vol. 9 of the Bootleg Series

HANK ALTOGETHER:

My birthday was yesterday, but if you're looking for a present you can get me this groundbreaking series of mono demos that Dylan made between 1962 and 1964. Or you could just splurge and grab me The Complete Mono recordings. Both are out Oct. 19.

For good measure, here's one of the best videos of Dylan ever from "Don't Look Back". Just look how pissed Donovan gets and how somber everyone becomes when they realize true genius is in the room:

Tallest Man on Earth & Megafaun cover Gillian Welch

While we're on the subject, how about this beautiful cover of the sublime Gillian Welch's "Everything is Free" with Tallest Man on Earth and Megafaun, which in my mind should be renamed Megabeard.

New Tallest Man on Earth EP!

HANK ALTOGETHER:

The Tallest Man on Earth isn't all that tall. It's called irony, ok? But that could be why the release of his new EP snuck up on everyone. Crafty, very crafty. The first listen to "Like the Wheel" falls on the more sentimental side -- not as brash as "Kids on the Run" the stunner that closes this year's The Wild Hunt. Ponderous, yes. Lovely, as well.

You can get the new EP titled Sometimes the Blues is Just a Passing Bird on iTunes. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you about a physical release soon.

Tallest Man on Earth - "Like the Wheel"

Black Mountain - "The Hair Song" (Music Video)

Okay, so it's pretty much your kid-on-a-skateboard while band-plays-in-a-field with shots of band-members in ruins, but who cares? It's looking like this Black Mountain album is going to be EPIC.

FREE SAMPLERS!

Over at Largehearted Boy, they've got a great list of free samplers offered up by Amazon including Far Out Recordings -- Brazilian Music Sampler and Frenchkiss Records. Check out the rest here.

Get a Taste of the New Belle & Sebastian

Deerhunter - "Helicopter" (Music Video)

Check it out here.

The Pass - "Vultures" (Music Blogger House Party Contest)

ZACH THAT:

A few weeks ago the up and coming Louisville electro pop band The Pass told me their idea to create a found footage or unofficial video for each of their songs to act as way for people to stream their new album BURST (out Sept 21st).  Instead of going on myspace and streaming the album, you would go to youtube and be able to watch eleven videos and hear the entire album (see the first track video stream HERE). 

I immediately told them I wanted to take a crazy dream I had and put it into moving images.  The dream consisted of me showing up at a crazy party to find that all the people are life like takes on the names of music blogs.  As you know, there are a lot of clever names for music blogs and the goal of the video was to transform the name of music blogs into human/prop representations.  An example of this would be the music blog “I Guess I’m Floating”…you would see a guy floating and then shrug with indifference.

To make this even more fun, I’m holding a contest to see who can identify the most music blog/music site references.  We managed to reference over thirty sites.  To prevent people from listing every blog they know, if you guess a blog that isn’t featured in the video you get –1 points….one right you get +1.  The person with the most points win.  E-mail to answers to guesstheblogs@gmail.com.  Please don’t use the comment box to guess…they will not count.

The winner will receive a 50 dollar gift certificate to Insound and a cd copy of The Pass debut BURST.  If someone manages to get a perfect score, I might throw in something extra.  This was a lot of fun to make and I hope you have as much fun watching what has to be one of the craziest house parties ever.