
And the parade continues... I forget how much fun I had making these. Blogophilia 11 was released in September 2009. If you've been following along, you should have noticed that I am deep in my "Intro" phase for mixes. I am not sure why I stopped that. Maybe that's something to consider for next mix. The highlights for #11 are All the Kings Men by Wild Beasts and Sleep All Summer by The National and Saint Vincent . I apologize for putting the Pete Yorn tune on [...]

It's back! Blogophilia 12 Songs posted to Blogs September 7 - October 15, 2009 Ripped @ 256k VBR Runtime: 77:03 Tracklist 01 Intro 02 Secondstar - Ravens 03 Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes - Home 04 Sing Fang Bous - Catch the Light 05 Young Buffalo - Catapilah 06 Electric Tickle Machine - Gimme Money 07 The Danks - Treaty Connector [...]

Happy Sunday, everybody! The weather in eastern North Carolina has been fantastic as of late. I hope it's great at your location too. This week's Ramblings is a bit lazy on my part with no reviews, but plenty of rambles and a bit of good news. So let's get to it! Thao Nguyen with the Get Down Stay Down Some great news from Thao Nguyen and Laura Veirs: each has new albums coming soon! For Thao Nguyen , it will be a formal recording with her band, The [...]

10. the ting tings - that's not my name (mp3) how embarrassing is it to like the ting tings? very, but it's even more embarrassing to be caught liking them without admitting to it, so i might as well settle for the lesser of the evils. this has got to be the year's catchiest tune, even brinking on being the most annoying one as well in its petulance, saved only by its laudable lack of pretensions. "we started nothing", the album title reads, reminding [...]
An awesome reader of this humble blog contacted me and gave me a track that Thao Nguyen recorded like 6 months ago. Long-time readers know that Thao Nguyen holds a special place in my heart , so for me to have missed out on this is peculiar, but it provides the opportunity to still have that sense of wonder that one gets when they find old stuff they didn't know about. So, I'd like to thank Alex for helpin a brother out and hooking me up with this cover of Aretha Franklin's song Baby, I Love You [...]

For those of you who aren't somewhere taking in the first game of the NBA Playoffs, you might want to go to one of the many awesome shows tonight. I told you that the beginning of the week was light on good events, but now begins the craziness. In DC there is White Rabbits at the Black Cat and These New Puritans at DC9. In Philly, the Kooks and The Morning Benders play the Fillmore while Rilo Kiley, Benji Hughes and Thao With The Get Down Stay Down are up at the Electric Factory. Or if you want a bigger [...]

If you have a ton of energy and are looking to vent it somewhere, might I suggest the Lo-Fi Social Club in Baltimore. There you'll find the high octane performances of Matt & Kim, The Death Set, The Pharmacy, Naked on the Vague, and Soiled Mattress & The Springs. If you look for a much calmer, yet still entertaining evening perhaps mosey your way down to the Black Cat in DC to see Xiu Xiu, Thao With The Get Down Stay Down, and Chris Garneau. mp3: Thao With The Get Down [...]

The last day of January has some quality shows for you. Here in Baltimore the Ottobar is hosting Judd & Maggie's CD release party with performances by Steve Hefter and Friends of Friends, Carousel Rogues, and Harrison Hudson. In Philly you can catch Lupe Fiasco at the Fillmore or head on over to the Khyber to see C Rayz Walz, Reef The Lost Cauze, Viro the Virus, and more. In VA, Thao with The Get Down Stay Down is having their CD release at IOTA with David Shultz and [...]

Upon first hearing Thao Nguyen you will likely perceive a striking vocal similarity to Cat Power, but something won't sit right. You'll wonder where's that leisurely bluesy ache which is Cat Power? Under Thao's control, this shared vocal gift sits in the sun streaming through the windows, it's not stretched out in the shadows with Ms Marshall. These songs are having fun they've shaken off the weight of the world which imbues much of Cat Power's material. Just give one song of Thao's a chance, give "Beat (Health, Life, and Fire)" a [...]