Blog: Stop Okay Go

"Why are you here all alone? Drinking away the night? 4am, last call again, and no one on my side." Ooh yes. Here's another classic, boozy end of the night bar song... There's an instantly familiar quality to Matthew Pop's Drop the Highline, kind of blustery, cockeyed, heartfelt and wobbly (especially during the instrumental interlude) all at once, like the song itself has had too much to drink. Definitely give it a listen, I sorta love it.:

From the 'box: Silver Swans release their new album Forever tomorrow, February 7th . The single below, Let It Happen , is a whispery slow burn of a song similar to Seapony's Sailing , with just enough oomph to keep it interesting.:

Yo, I've updated the Stop Okay Go You Tube page with my fave songs of this week: Summer Twins The More I Think of You , Benjamin Francis Leftwich Pictures , Zoot Woman It's Automatic , Big in Japan Suicide A Go Go , Sound of Arrows Conquest and Django Django Default .

Aww yeah, here's the one for today. The new Sound of Arrows was produced by Richard X who did one of my fave songs ever Annie's Girlfriend . I love the singer's mocking attitude and how he drags out the syllables in the word connnggg-quessst. You can almost see the crowds clapping in time in concert.

++I freakin' love that Summer Twins song. ++Should I play this song while I hand out samples at Costco? "Try me! Try me! Fantasy!" Probably not.* 70s punk band Big in Japan put a twist on the notion of a supergroup, says the Liverpool Echo, the members " only became famous after they left ." *Guess that's why Costco has [...]

Edinbronian bros Django Django have enough self awareness to know that when they pull out the coconut halves in concert, it can look a little " Monty Python ." It's all part of a sound that blends Advisory Circle, Animal Collective and The Age of Aquarius (and while amazing, I'd love if it was all sitting atop a platter of some deep, heavy, shaky bass; can't wait to hear some remixes). On this song , they get kind of Beck - y and aboriginal. [...]

Wikipedia is great and I rely on it extensively. It does however, have some awkwardly phrased sentences : The duo was noted for early use of the Roland TR- 808 drum machine in English-language popular music, which was used in most of its productions. Alls y'all's non English language cultures get no drum machine!! Here's a clip from a documentary about Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis' career called Flyte Tyme in which a post [...]

Riverside's own Chelsea and Justine Brown aka The Summer Twins play The Smell on February 11th. Please to enjoy this playful, very L.A. video where their friends re-enact some of the lyrics. Summer Twins say that they specialize in dream pop but there's an edge to her voice that cuts through all the softness nicely. It brings to mind traces of The Go Gos, Dirty Dancing and polka and where do you get those things these days?

Was cruising around the bottom of the Elbo.ws hotlist and came across the name Benjamin Francis Leftwich whose single Pictures , below, comes out on February 20th. In this market, where everyone's got a Bandcamp page, it's difficult for someone with just a song and guitar to stand out from the crowd. BFL manages to do this, dispensing advice in hushed tones that sound as though he's letting you in on a little secret. RIYL : Sufie Steves and Damien Rice. (It's a Damien Rice kind of day.)

++ Beginners star and Kate Capshaw-when-she-was-younger lookalike Melanie Laurent duetted with Damien Rice last year . Her voice is deeper than what I was expecting somehow, but it's nice to hear some variety in women's voices in music and not the usual chirpy twee-ness. ++Picture of Robbie Williams and Trey Parker yukking it up with fans at last year's DeLuna Fest , talking like "we're #1!" (Note: not actually Robbie Williams and Trey Parker.) ++Former American Idol singer Kellie Pickler has a new album [...]

The women from two years ago (and their fashions) are killing it on Stop Okay Go this week! Accomplished paper wadder Sara Lov's plaintive wails keep on expanding until they just can't expand no mo'. Wonderful.

Here's a smoothie from Zoot Woman that'll probably appeal to fans of the buttoned down work of Ace or Whitest Boy Alive. I love the girl's dress and the playing out of the courtship ritual by this hip, mute couple. Dance in video is the best, especially mime used to communicate ideas... but on some level I always want them to break and do the I'm-a-little teapot (a crowd pleaser for those tired of the Robot, you heard it here*) and as always the Ross and Monica. *Stop Okay Go accepts no [...]

++I feel like the Internet is forcing me to click around and form an opinion on Karmin who I know nothing about thus far, but I refuse and what's more I give you a High Flying Bird, Internet. ++Continuing on with what seems to be a cigarette theme this week, here's a song from last year by The Sweet Serenades' album Balcony Cigarettes. Nice contrast between the pulsing classic rock mojo and the lead singer's falsetto that reminds me of a less-bananas Josh [...]

Oof, it's taken forever to come up with a song that's finally worth my time and it's a frivolous tune from 2 years ago! Lastfm characterizes the Norwegian trio Flunk as "summer pop" which fits I think: So much to love/latch on to here: the oversized buttons on her cool retro dress (like they pulled a secretary from a Hitchcock movie through time to jam with Joel McHale), the extended pause, the dark lyrics sung in happy tones with a slight accent: [...]

++I've written this before...there are certain songs that I picture being used in movies when the 'crew' is getting ready for the big heist. That's the best part anyway. Maybe I'll be like Skrillex and do a whole movie where it's just one long heist prep and the heist never actually happens. ++A new batch of John Mulaney's skewed views comes out on the 31st .

Kristian Matsson aka The Tallest Man on Earth has the kind of unique delivery that often gets him compared to some greats. There's a certain heatedness to his style that at times sounds like contempt, but if you're going to get almost-yelled at, at least his voice, lyrics and music are beautiful..

Yup, this is the one for today. The last half of the song hits that sweet groove and doesn't let go til the end. I'll be listening without watching the video though because I'm pretty sure that seeing a few seconds of it already gave me Mono. Don't know where Kakkmaddafakka got its name, but I *will* put it into the name anagram generator for kicks and giggles, via the AndyRichterz . They kind of sound like if the Klaxtons decided to get jammier...

News from the inbox: ++Style maven overlords Kitsune come out with the CCCrash Mixxx of Punk Jump Up's Get Down on January 30th and in the process find new and innovative ways to use taxidermy. ++ Monica will reunite with fellow firstnamer-only Brandy on a single on her new album titled New Life due March 6th. ++ Ani DiFranco calls herself promiscuity's Columbus on her latest album. Would like to see [...]

I was searching for the song Iko Iko yesterday, and was amazed to find that I've operated under the false assumption all these years that Paul Simon did a version. Was *so* convinced that I considered seeking out a Brady's Bits-type column where I could ask a "Settle this bet" question, like the true codger I've become. Turns out I was probably wrong and that my brain automatically files everything Graceland- sounding into one giant mush pile. [...]

Call me craaazy, but I *think* there might be some product placement going on here. You Tube disappoints me, no clip of Keanu from Speed saying " Cans ?"