The debut album from Cults ( amazon ) ( itunes ) is the type of sound that makes you nostalgic for an era you never lived through. At times it feels like I'm sitting in a retro 502s throwback diner, spinning singles in a genuine jukebox. A handful of tracks bring me back to the mid seventies (which I never experienced), wistfully slotting wildflowers into rifle barrels. Yet, at the same time, this album is grounded in today; each song is unique, breezy, and easy to listen to multiple times. mp3 : Cults - Go [...]
The Scottish quartet released a rollicking sophomore album this month and it is solid. If you enjoyed their debut in 2009 then this followup, In The Pit of the Stomach ( amazon ) ( itunes ), will fit nicely with your expectations. Although this album is a bit darker in nature it never strays too far from solid riffs and insanely addicting guitar melodies. mp3 : We Were Promised Jetpacks - Circles and Squares mp3 : We Were Promised Jetpacks - Act On Impulse Circles [...]
I haven't been posting much here on TWF because I honestly haven't been listening to very much new music. Lately, in fact, I've been driving through one single album on repeat for the better part of a month. Maybe it has been longer still. Maybe that is all the introduction that this synth driven shoe gaze duo needs. This is the only new band I have listened to in over a full calendar month. mp3 : I Break Horses - Winter Beats mp3 : I Break Horses - Hearts [...]
Finally finishing up the list of music that was played in the background during the cocktail and dinner portion of my wedding. As always, enjoy the music. If you're interested in the rest of the list click here . mp3 : The Ooks of Hazzard - Kids (MGMT Cover) mp3 : Beirut - After the Curtain mp3 : Bon Iver - Skinny Love mp3 : Coldplay - The Scientist + more music @ twf [...]
A few years ago I had the fortunate experience of seeing the Flaming Lips close out a festival. This, of course, was when festivals were awesome and you could spend two days watching amazing bands play back to back and not be completely broke at the end of the weekend. One thing that I will always remember is how crazy the Flaming Lips really are. It's not an act or a gimmick the way they put on their live show. When you see them in concert you are seeing them raw and unfettered as they really are. And they are [...]
A few times a year a random song will jump out of pop culture and insidiously infect your brain. At first it will feel like a simple melody you seem to have felt before, a sense of deja vu, a feeling of comfortable sameness. At first you will ignore the song in the same way that you ignore how comfortable your familiar hoodie has become; you take it for granted. This is how it was, for me, with the standout track from Cinematic Orchestra's 2007 album Ma Fleur ( amazon ) ( itunes ). The remainder [...]
I wrote my first post about Zach Williams on November 13th of 2006 . It was a post written back in my early years as a music blogger, but I still believe what I wrote almost five full years ago. Zach Williams has a certain undeniable charm in his music and from what I have gathered he puts on an intimate and impressive live show where everyone walks away feeling better about their day. That's a quality that we are certainly lacking in the modern music scene. Over the years his music has changed, his life and [...]
I have now passed over my first anniversary and yet I still haven't completed the posts for all of the music we played at our wedding. As is probably typical of the music snob set it took literally countless hours of time to come up with this entire list. If you want to see the rest of these postings just click here . What follows is the continuation of the music that was played quietly in the background of the dinner and cocktail portion of the evening. As I have said before, for this segment of the [...]
At first I was wont to dismiss Adele as a simple, if only slightly more unique, copy of the general trend in popular music. The equation runs like this; take girl, apply makeup, have her sing songs over a orchestrated backdrop of appropriately poppy music, move on, find a new girl. Although this formula often makes money and fills radios with countless forgettable top twenty hits, it does not oft produce good music. And I, well I don't listen to bad music and neither should you. So that brings us, in somewhat ironical fashion, to Adele. You see [...]
Mumford & Sons took the world by storm last year with their debut album Sigh No More . Since the album launched in February the boys have been busy traveling the world, playing various shows, opening for Bob Dylan, dropping a brilliant performance on La Blogotheque , and generally being involved in all manner of music making mischief. Seems as if throughout this process they've also begun penning and performing music for their second album, as of yet untitled, which is set to be made available in the later parts of this year. mp3 : [...]
What's the idiom? A day late and a dollar short. That's what I fear my blog has become. To be fair it's a simple cause and effect. I no longer walk across the street to work; I commute alone in a car for about one hour every day. I am also married, ergo I don't sit around and just listen to music while playing video games whenever I get home from work. But who really cares, there is music to be had. Helplessness Blues ( amazon ) ( itunes ) is the latest effort by [...]
I have been married almost a full year now (almost) and yet I'm only half way through the reception portion of my wedding music. In lieu of that, and an impending anniversary, I thought it would be best to dump a lot more on you in one batch instead of doling out four measly tracks at a time. For those just joining these fair proceedings this is the list of songs that I played at my wedding. If you'd like to see all the posts with all of the songs posted so far simply follow the link [...]
The Foo Fighters seventh studio album Wasting Light ( amazon ) ( itunes ) is another classic example of how consistent they are as a band. Most other acts wash out, break up, fight, die, or lose their artistic vision over 15 years. Not so with the Foo Fighters. Their latest effort finds them again in comfortable territory; somehow straddling the line between acoustic feel good vibes and slashing mad pure rock. Whichever side of the FF coin you prefer you'll find plenty of both to satisfy your craving on Wasting Light. mp3 : Foo [...]
Local Natives is a band that has been quietly gaining steam for over a year now. Although their debut album launched in 2006 it wasn't until 20092s album Gorilla Manor ( amazon ) (itunes) and more appropriately the breakout song Airplanes that the world began to take notice. I'm writing about this album today because it's the perfect mix of lazy melodies and delicate harmony to listen to as you drive to the lake for the weekend this summer. It really is a solid album and it deserves a full listen. mp3 : Local Natives [...]
Short and sweet this time around. Best of the Remix (BOTR) volume 17. I'm off on a holiday next week so enjoy the music in my absence. Cheers. Also, I have no idea why I randomly fell in love with dubstep for this volume. Get over it. mp3 : Breakage (feat Donaeyo) - Speechless mp3 : Deadmau5 - Sofi Needs A Ladder (At Dawn We Rage Remix) mp3 : DJ Sneak - Southern Boy (12th Planet & Flinch Remix) mp3 : Ellie Goulding - Lights [...]
The brooding boys from Brooklyn have pushed out another solid track in the form of Exile Vilify. Oddly enough it appears on the soundtrack to the latest blockbuster video game Portal 2. Although the track probably won't be called for during an encore it's a simple look at how great The National really are. mp3 : The National - Exile Vilify + more The National @ twf hype elbows site last.fm amazonmp3 itunes add [...]
Another day and another glimpse into my insanely controlled wedding music playlist. I don't mean to brag, but I did just receive compliments on my wedding playlist this past weekend. It's always good to know that random people appreciate good music as well. All of these songs were played as background music during the cocktails and dinner. mp3 : Louis Armstrong - Sittin In The Sun mp3 : Gary Jules - Mad World (Tears for Fears Cover) mp3 : Johnny Cash - Hurt mp3 : [...]
A few weeks back I stumbled upon this cover of the now ubiquitous standout track by Adele. John Legend's take is a bit more spiritual in nature. It works well and serves as a great compliment to the quality of the original song. mp3 : John Legend - Rolling in the Deep (Adele Cover) + more John Legend @ twf hype elbows site last.fm amazonmp3 itunes add this post to del.icio.us / [...]
Well it turns out The Strokes didn't crash, burn, and break up permanently after all. After a five year wait they finally settled out their differences (maybe) and got back together to record an album together (kinda). In the interim there has been four solo projects, multiple solo tours, and not a lot of communication between the five boys from New York City. And all of this tension shows through on their latest studio effort Angles ( amazon ) ( itunes ). The story behind the new album name is that each member of the band [...]
Over the last two weeks an innocent music video by a teenage Rebecca Black has blown up across the internets. What started as a simple song by a teenage girl has morphed into a viral sensation. Admittedly the song, the lyrics, and the music video are pretty much terrible, but that's part of the appeal. mp3 : Rebecca Black - Friday So it was only a matter of time before an artist came along and made a (mock?) cover of the track with their own music video (brilliant). I [...]
The World Forgot
Bison - Quill
Neutral Milk Hotel- Aeroplane Over the Sea
Shinichi Osawa – Big Beach Mix 2012
