A friend of mine once said that "Austin is like the person you fall for on your first date... y'know, the love at first sight sort of thing. But Houston is like the best friend that you only realize you're in love with years later." And as a life long Houstonian I couldn't agree more. [...]

We are almost a quarter of the way through 2011, so it's time for us to announce the front runners for top albums of 2011 (so far). I have to say, it has been a pretty great year already and there are plenty of exciting albums in the pipeline (MMJ, Cults, more Matthew Friedberger solos...!!). I'm especially stoked that three local albums are on the list. Anyway, here we go: TOP ALBUMS OF 2011 (so far...) Braids - Native Speaker Lemonade [...]

Soft Landing is a project from Beirut members Paul Collins and Perrin Cloutier (with Mike Lawless playing guitar, bass, Farfisa, and of course Moog). They worked with producer Griffin Rodriguez of Icy Demons fame for their upcoming self-titled release. The album drops on October 12th in digital and vinyl formats. Did you perchance check out the Soft Landing demo we posted a while back? Well, now we have the non-demo mastered version. Listen. Downloadable: Baptism (mp3) You can preorder their self-titled album @ Ba Da [...]

Soft Landing is a project from Beirut members Paul Collins and Perrin Cloutier (with Mike Lawless playing guitar, bass, Farfisa, and of course Moog). They worked with producer Griffin Rodriguez of Icy Demons fame for their upcoming self-titled release. The album drops on October 12th in digital and vinyl formats. Did you perchance check out the Soft Landing demo we posted a while back? Well, now we have the non-demo mastered version. Listen. Downloadable: Baptism (mp3) You can preorder their self-titled album @ Ba Da [...]
By Matt Jarrard Formerly of Athens GA, Great Lakes now reside in Brooklyn and have given us a taste of their October 12th release. Great Lakes is Ben Crum (Ladybug Transistor) and lyricist Dan Donahue, with multi-instrumentalist Jamey Huggins (Of Montreal), the sound of the this first single gives an indication of a departure from [...]

So where was I? Over the past year I've heard lots of really incredible things. Most of it not music, I have to admit, but some of it. A year is enough, though. My palate is clean. My head is clear. Time to get back in the game. In honor of the radio tuning of choice during my great music hiatus ( NPR ), this week's theme is "Wait, Wait" after the weekend news quiz show. Turns out a lot of news went down this year. Hope you didn't miss it while [...]

- Download some awesome These Are Powers EPs and such over @ Pukekos ... here . - Read the I Rock Cleveland Rock-O-Meter review of the new Bob Pollard band Boston Spaceships ... here . NOTE: They do not sound like Boston meets Spaceship covering Starship. - The Promomp3 Corner: Magic Tape (two syllable mp3) by BELL Turn U Over (slumberland mp3) by Bricolage - SoCal grimers [...]

- Download some awesome These Are Powers EPs and such over @ Pukekos ... here . - Read the I Rock Cleveland Rock-O-Meter review of the new Bob Pollard band Boston Spaceships ... here . NOTE: They do not sound like Boston meets Spaceship. - The Promomp3 Corner: Magic Tape by BELL Turn U Over by Bricolage - SoCal grimers Crocodiles are EVERYWHERE! (maybe I exaggerate). Get some [...]

I'm off to Brazil for 3 weeks ! sao paulo, rio, iguaçu falls, salvador da bahia, ... See you soon... jazz Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto - Girl from Ipanema Django Reinhardt - Brazil Gilberto Gil - o canto da ema rock Foals - Brazil is here [...]

Slack posting again. Very poor show indeed. After a quick run through the major music web sites I can't seem to find anything about Kazi who made the track below which has got to be worth a mention in itself. He keeps popping up on various Stones Throw stuff and some of the smaller LA labels and he's well worth a listen. I'm a sucker for that slow, soul sample and this track is no exception. Plus, a Giles Peterson favourite from the multi talented instrumentalist Bonobo, from his 'Days to Come' album (again definitely [...]

Beirut was undoubtedly one of the few breakthrough artist of 2006. I really look forward to the follow-up to Gulag Orkestar. In the meantime, here is Postcards from Italy. MP3: Postcards from Italy (Live in Portand 2006) Buy: Gulag Orkestar
i have to admit something to you people. my tastes in movies is not nearly refined as my musical palette. i love shitty movies, and the one i am currently watching is doom . i was not a huge fan of the game. i have never been much of a first person shooter type of gamer. i always find the the perspective a bit disorientating, which i guess is the point. although, my favorite game happens to be a first shooter, deus ex . anyway, enough about my geeky gaming tendencies. [...]