"Secret Eyes" by Cloetta Paris on Skywriting Records gets my Number 1 for 2008. I can't tell you the countless times I've played this album (and on repeat even) since it was released back in April. I wouldn't say I'm a big Italo disco fan (okay, I do love Sally Shapiro as well, so maybe that automatically qualifies me?). I'd be more apt to say I'm a Roger Gunnarsson fan (aka Clive Reynolds, Free Loan Investments, Nixon, etc). I can hear his influence all over this record. Genius! [...]
It was a lot more work than we anticipated getting this list together, but fortunately we've been hammering away at it for about a month. Even so we didn't finalize our picks until Friday, which led to some extra writing, but so it goes. Along the way we deepened our relationship with and appreciation for these 10 records, which in our humble opinion represent the best that 2008 had to offer. We hope you'll find some things here that had escaped your attention heretofore, and that you derive as much enjoyment from listening to them as we do. For those [...]
>> In our opinion there is a classic Slumberland sound. It relies on big guitars, upbeat rhythms and twee-leaning lyrics. Leading examples include Lilys ' terrifyingly good "Claire Hates Me," from the landmark record In The Presence Of Nothing , and just about any track from Rocketship 's similarly amazing A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness . You may now add to that list New York-based quartet The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart 's delightful new single "Everything With You" b/w "The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart," which Slumberland released -- [...]
Another weekend, another set of great shows. Here's the lineup. Parts of Swervedriver, Interpol and The Album Leaf join to create Magnetic Morning . Lead singer Adam Franklin seems to be everywhere, doing solo work, reuniting with Swervedriver and working with MM. They will be performing in DC at the Rock & Roll Hotel Friday night and Johnny Brenda's in Philly Saturday. Joining them is Springhouse . Also on board for the DC how is Julie Ocean and The Jet [...]
Before " Power Pop Day " is officially over, we thought it might be cool to point you in the direction of some new kids on the block, who not only swipe moves and give nods to the power pop greats of yesteryear, but are also paving the road to the genre's bright future. Also, we know that p-pop kind of gets a bad rap, mostly for being a little bit lame, and a lot bit cheesy. What we tried to bring you here are people doing something a little different with the formula than just ripping off the Knack [...]
Last weekends These United States and Apparitions shows were a hit. Thanks for all that came out. Not to be outdone, we here at IA have our name on another show, this time at the Rock & Roll Hotel in DC featuring The Dance Party and Via Audio and showcasing new talent from the area with Feral Kids . Also on the bill is a DJ set by our friends from Middle Distance Runner. Check out the prior post for some tunes. Now I know everyone can't make it to our [...]
Fucked Up Year of the Pig (2008 Matador EP) Matador Records Over the course of a year, Fucked Up's more epic than epic, 18 minute, political, progressive punk statement, "Year of the Pig" has gone from a give 'em credit for their ambition type of song to one of the essential songs of this decade, worthy of the expanded reissue treatment provided by Matador's recent Year of the Pig EP. Here, all 18 minutes of the original "Year of the Pig" are included along with three 7" edits and four b-sides. With [...]
"Uh, maybe you've heard of The Battle of Shaker Heights ? Anyone? Hello?" - Tom, refreshing Spike's memory on the early Shia LaBoof classic [More to come.] "I want you to think about Dogmo before you say anything else you might regret at some point, okay?" -- Dr. Fred Meyers, urging caution as Tom enters his Joyspace "And this Gabby from Winnipeg? You just let her go like the instant she didn't fit your needs. This is terrible." -- Dr. Meyers, discovering that Tom is not [...]
Tonight in DC the Rock and Roll Hotel has Half Japanese, Julie Ocean, and Aliens. In Phill The Fire has The Redwalls, Ezra Furman and the Harpoons, and Grammar Debate. Finally in Philly the Starlight Ballroom has the Fuck Yeah Festival stopping by with Matt & Kim, Team Robespierre, Monotonix, Paint It Black, Dillinger Four, and Circle Jerks. Photo By NR mp3: Julie Ocean - At The Appointed Hour mp3: The Redwalls - Summer Romance mp3: Grammar Debate [...]
Did powerpop ever really go out of style, or come to think of it, was it ever in style? It seems like music history is littered with great bands and songwriters too numerous to mention, that wrote short catchy juiced-up songs that should have been hits. The two bands with killer [...]
Empezamos la semana con una inusitada alegría, y es que no es muy habitual ver a nuestra selección española colarse en semifinales de la eurocopa, de hecho, tenemos que remontarnos hasta el año 1984 para encontrarnos con un precedente a esta circunstancia. Además, la dicha es aún mayor, al haber alcanzado el objetivo a costa de Italia, uno de nuestros habituales verdugos. Dicho lo cual, vamos a decantarnos hoy por música animada, y lo vamos a hacer con el grupo norteamericano Julie Ocean. El 27 de mayo salía a la venta "Long gone and nearly there", álbum de [...]
Photo via Austin Chronicle If it were still the '90s and Low were still kings (and queen) of slowcore, then the need for a Retribution Gospel Choir would be completely understandable. There is a time and place for extended rock guitar jams, and that incarnation of Low was not it. But since 2000's Things We Lost In The Fire , the band's aesthetic has become far more malleable and if they were willing to release 2005's hard rocking The Great Destroyer [...]
This power pop quartet's debut is tasty enough, but suffers slightly from a song-to-song sameness.
Today I want to discuss about the simple-but-sweet 3 minute pop song. As a talking point, here's the DC-based Julie Ocean , with a track from their just-released Long Gone and Nearly There . #1 Song - Julie Ocean I have absolutely no problem believing that contemporary popular music is every bit as meaningful as classical music. Sure, the more people out there producing songs the more dreck you are going to get, but at its pinnacle, any form of music which inspires people, gets them dancing, or gives [...]
Washington, DC Sharing the stage at IOTA tonight with Yell County and The City Veins in honor of CD releases for all three area bands. "Complications" Julie Ocean on MySpace Julie Ocean on The Hype Machine
A ridiculous amount of regional bands are releasing CDs this weekend and they are all having parties to celebrate. With one Saturday exception, they mostly go down tonight. The Brakes are unleashing the bluesy-roots rock Tale of Two Cities upon the populace at Johnny Brendas in Philly. Not to worry DC. You can catch them Monday at IOTA. mp3: Big Money (live) Also in Philly, House of Fire and Bells Bells Bells [...]
Holy crap there's a bazillion shows tonight! Here in Baltimore, the Ottobar has Cool Kids and Sonar has Arden, Bravo Romeo Bravo, Some Like It Hot, Landsdowne, and Love & Reverie. In DC, The 9:30 Club has Rilo kiley, Benji Hughes, and Thao With the Get Down Stay Down. In Philly, The First Unitarian Church has M83 and A Sunny Day In Glasgow. Also in Philly, Johnny Brenda's plays host to The Presets and Walter Meego while the Fire has Spanish Prisoners, The Rebel Country, and Food Will Win The War. Continuing the Philly explosion is The Khyber with The [...]
TOP ALBUM RELEASES: MAY 2008 Nick's Top May Releases: Matmos: Supreme Balloon (Sample) Bonnie "Prince" Billy: Lie Down In the Light (Sample) Death Cab For Cutie: Narrow Stairs (Sample) Mates of State: Re-Arrange Us (Sample) Islands: Arm's Way (Sample) No Age: Nouns (Sample) Ting Tings: We Started Nothing (Sample) Lykke Li: Little Bit EP (sample) Most Interesting: Scarlett Johansson: Anywhere I Lay My Head (sample) Cory's [...]
This week Drake takes on the OST for a recent Sundance Film Festival darling as well as the latest release from a lady who made her biggest splash with the soundtrack music for PT Anderson , Magnolia . -ed. Drake's Take: New Relases 05.27.08 The day after a national holiday is never kind to new releases, so I'm going to keep it short and keep it in my wheelhouse, with the soundtrack to Son of Rambow . Straight up admission: I'm [...]
I seem to go out of my way annually to crown a power-pop champion for the year. Someone whose subversion or reverential recreation of the genre is so willfully brilliant and fun that I have to listen to the record over and over. In 2006 it was Devin Davis, last year it was [...]
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