figure 1. Wye Oak 2011 - another year of looking back? At first glance it appears that way. Amazing reissues from Archers of Loaf ( Icky Mettle ), Superchunk ( Foolish ), R.E.M. ( Life's Rich Pageant - p.s. their best album) and Dinosaur jr. (the first three records). Despite all the old material out there, there was some fantastic new music. What follows is my top ten. All links to music are free and legal. [...]
God Bless America, it's been a while since I've updated this thing. So for the seven of you out there that actually read this blog, my sincerest apologies. With all due respect to the groups in recent years attempting to take on the torch passed down by The Rondelles and The Supremes (e.g. Vivian Girls, Pipettes, etc), none can touch the Dum Dum Girls. Informed not only by the aforementioned 60's girl groups, there is a touch of shoegaze and a healthy dose of Hope Sandoval-esque (Mazzy Star) vocals. All of these influences come together [...]
In the last ten years Kristin Hersh, the 44-year-old mother of four boys, has released four solo albums, one album with her beloved Throwing Muses, a memoir entitled Rat Girl (Penguin Books) and a whole bunch of material (one LP, four EPs, and a bunch of singles) with her post-punk outfit 50 Foot Wave, which also includes Throwing Muses' bassist, Bernard Georges. To say that she has kept herself busy is an understatement. So busy that filmmaker Jackie Weissman chose Hersh to focus on for her documentary Rock and Roll Mamas (set for a Fall 2011 [...]
Greg Dulli of the Twilight Singers Check out the new Twilight Singers track plus a few other newbies and a 2009 track from Monahans. -mike The Twilight Singers - On The Corner Parts & Labor - Constant Future Papercuts - Do What You Will [...]
the countdown continues fig 1. Marvelous Darlings 10. Marvelous Darlings - I'll Stand By Her fig 2. Against Me! 9. Against Me! - [...]
End of the year list time. My favorite time of year. Yes, there are plenty of the usual suspects, but I'm pushing 40 and that's what we old people do...hang onto the past. So with further ado, Song 20 - 11 of my top 20 tracks of 2010. Enjoy. fig 1. Lissie 20. Lissie - Bad Romance [...]
The Corin Tucker Band Just a few new tracks and an oldie but goodie from Milemarker. Enjoy. The Corin Tucker Band - Doubt (mp3) The Thermals - I Don't Believe You (mp3) Ra Ra Riot - Boy (mp3) [...]
There was a time in my life, say late 1992 to 1998, that Superchunk was my second favorite band in the world (Fugazi holding top billing). In the pre-internet days of Summer 1991, I was obsessed with the music playing in the background of a British Knights shoe commercial. It was punk but catchy as hell. Unable to google "British Knights commercial music", I was left unsatisfied until I read a small piece in SPIN magazine about this band from North Carolina who was behind the BK commercial music. 1991's No Pocky For Kitty [...]
Dateline: Washington, DC 5/31/10 Vaunted performance space and nightclub, the 9:30 Club , celebrated its 30th birthday on Memorial Day with a friends and fans-only concert at the club. Having won a ticket through a lottery for members of its email list-serve, I headed down the BW Parkway to check it out. What follows is one man's account of the 13-artist, five and a hour extravaganza that followed. Call it my running diary of the show. A little background: My first trip to the [...]
fig 1. The Wrens I got a chance to catch The Wrens on their "extensive" East Coast tour (Philly & Baltimore) on Saturday night with Scottie at Sonar. You would think seven years would be enough time between albums but no firm word yet on the new release. After seeing them perform a less than inspired set last December at The Black Cat in DC, I was reinvigorated by their Baltimore set - high energy, small room, fired up audience. Yes, they played The Meadowlands in its [...]
fig. 1 Mark Oliver Everett (Eels) 1. Eels - A Line In The Dirt (m4a) 2. Pearly Gate Music - Big Escape (mp3) 3. Peter Wolf Crier - Crutch & Cane (mp3) 4. Horse Feathers - Thistled Spring (mp3) 5. Quasi - Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez (mp3) 6. Panther - Love Is Sold (mp3) 7. Beach House - Zebra (UK edit) [...]
Monroe, Greg It's a big week coming up with the NCAA tournament, SXSW and my last night shifts of fellowship. So to celebrate my current bout of insomnia, check out these ten tracks - they are all over the place. fig. 1 - Surfer Blood [...]
Rocky Votolato Phantogram "When I'm Small" Happy Birthday "Girls FM" Ted Leo/Pharmacists "The Mighty Sparrow" Rocky Votolato "Red River" The New Pornographers "Your Hands (Together)" The Besnard Lakes "Albatross" Golden Triangle "Jinx" Bonnie "Prince" Billy & The Cairo Gang "Play, Guitar, Play" [...]
With all the hoopla surrounding the various reunions over the last several months - Sunny Day Real Estate, The Murder City Devils, Jawbox (if for just one show) - Versus completely slipped past my radar. I had heard that they were playing the occasional show but now comes word that not only are they playing shows, but recording a new album. OK, so here's where the hilarity ensues. Check out this clip of ABC news correspondent and Versus super fan, Dan Harris, spending some time in the studio with [...]
Pretty Girls Make Graves Happy New Year. One last list for the last decade. Enjoy. 1. Pretty Girls Make Graves - Good Health - April 9, 2002 "Speakers Push The Air" (mp3) 2. The Wrens - The Meadowlands - September 9, 2003 "Everyone Chose Sides" (mp3) [...]
Fifteen years after the completion of college I often get nostalgic for the times my high school friends and I would get together during the winter holidays. Often my friend Dave, a student at the University of Georgia, would mention some new band he'd seen or met in Athens. Now Dave knew of what he spoke - he roomed with Elf Power's Anderw Reiger his freshman year and ended up as a close friend and collaborator with many of the Elephant 6 crew. Dave also introduced me to the music of fellow Athens resident, Vic Chesnutt. [...]
Spoon 100. Cursive "The Radiator Hums" (2000) 99. Gallows "In The Belly Of A Shark" (2006) 98. The (International) Noise Conspiracy "The Reproduction of Death" (2000) 97. Interpol "Obstacle 1" (2002) 96. Antony and the Johnsons "Hope There's Someone" (2005) 95. Death Cab for Cutie "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" (2005) 94. Channels "Chivaree" (2006) 93. Rise Against "Give It All" [...]
Polvo Alright, here's my annual attempt at ranking my favorite tracks of the year. I'm sure the list will be completely different in a month after I've had a chance to read all the different lists the interweb provides. Enjoy. Honorable Mention: Screaming Females – "Bell"; Flight Of The Conchords – " Sugalumps "; Morrissey – "It's Not Your Birthday Anymore"; Phoenix – "1901"; Sonic Youth – " Sacred Trickster "; Black Moth Super Rainbow – "Born On A Day The Sun Didn't Shine" 20. [...]
Flight of The Conchords I'm keeping up my glacial pace of one post per month, so here's some songs to keep you sated. I'm going to see The Wrens and The Pixies over the next couple of weeks so hope to get some good posts up. thanks, mike Denali - Gunner (mp3) Beach House - Norway (mp3) Volcano Choir - Island, IS (mp3) The Promise Ring - Red Paint (mp3) Flight of the Conchords - Sugarlumps (mp3) [...]
I recently jotted down a list of the 15 bands that I regretted never getting the chance to see live and SDRE was unquestionably on that list. Their first album, Diary , remains one of my top 10 albums of the 1990's and holds up well. Last month Subpop reissued the first two SDRE albums on vinyl and the boys and I have been listening to them down in the basement. My wish came true this past Wednesday as the original Sunny Day line up came through DC to play the 9:30 Club. They [...]
Despite the Times
Childish Gambino - "Heartbeat" (Official Music Video)
James Blake – Live Album
Mux Mool
Circo Voador anuncia shows de The Kooks, Foster The People, Friendly Fires, Gogol Bordello e mais
