It's raining here and I'm thoroughly enjoying having the windows open and getting some work done. My soundtrack for this has become Meg Myers . Meg is almost a guilty pleasure, but her deep, smokey voice and dark themes make me feel better about listening to pop. And the fact that this song is dead good. Myers' gut wrenching performance and the strings really make "Monster". Give it a listen and download the entire Daughter In the Choir EP for free at meginthedark.com .
As we near the release of Tape Deck Heart , here is another brand new track from the album. I heard this one live when heading to Los Angeles to see two Turner shows earlier this year. This track was a bit of a theme as I was walking the streets of Hollywood to see these very shows. Turner sweetly sings "Fuck you Mötley Crüe / for charming us with access and with excess / for telling tales that leave out all the dark sides", railing against the institutions of fame and [...]
Five years after falling desperately in love with The Midnight Organ Fight , Frightened Rabbit still make my heart race. I am suddenly 17 again and full of FEELINGS. Every moment of inadequacy, every little rejection, and each failure claw their way to the surface for this band. I spent the night like an exposed nerve- on the verge of crying, and most importantly singing my heart out. It was pretty amazing to walk into an already packed Gothic Theater as The Twilight Sad took the stage. It wasn't just the [...]
We couldn't be more excited for The Revival Tour this year as always. If you're unfamiliar, The Revival Tour is a unique gathering of amazing musicians in a collaborative, acoustic setting. This year's line up features Dave Hause (The Loved Ones), Toh Kay (Streetlight Manifesto), Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music), Rocky Votolato, and last but not least, Jenny Owen Youngs. If you're in New York, we've got something special for you. This Thursday, the tour is hitting Irving Plaza (tickets here ) and if you haven't already got yours, we've got two pairs to [...]
It is pretty well known that I'm wont to pick up and go to a gig across the country. It might be viewed as a challenge to sort out plane tickets, transportation, accommodations, etc... just to see a favorite band one more time. But that is all a walk in the park compared to seeing a favorite band at Keggs and Eggs . Surprising no one, I will tell you that I've never been before. I'm not hugely social. I'm not a fan of huge crowds. Especially huge drunken crowds packed into tiny spaces early in the morning. And [...]
I have a hard time with winter. It seems like a pretty endless hole of darkness and depression, of being exhausted and anxious. Then the days start getting lighter and longer and I wake up one morning feeling hopeful. That is what this mix is about- a bit of being broken and a bit of getting better. Phosphorescent - Song for Zula Niall Connolly - Samurai Jenny Owen Youngs - Keep Me Away Ben Marwood - Tampa International Josh Ritter [...]
I'll be seeing Frank Turner very early Friday morning in Denver which I am genuinely excited about. But, later that night this is happening in Austin. That's right, Texas. There was a time when I never thought I'd see Jim Lockey and the Solemn Sun in the United States, let alone on tour here. That's right, Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls, Jim Lockey and the Solemn Sun, and Glossary will be celebrating ten years of Xtra Mile Recordings (official favorite record label) with a SXSW showcase. [...]
Niall Connolly is hands down one of my favorite artists I've "discovered" since doing this blogging thing. He blew me away with Brother, the Fight Is Fixed which was one of my top ten of 2010 and I continue to listen to fondly almost three years later. "Samurai" possesses the same sing-along, danceable quality that made me fall in love with Niall. It's bright and catchy and perfect for spring. Samurai by Niall Connolly
Hotel Cafe has always been a bit of a legendary venue to me. It's a bit notorious in the indie acoustic scene, so when Frank Turner announced a show there, it kinda sealed the deal for me. I don't want to be that person, but Frank usually plays much bigger venues these days and what I needed in my life was something a bit cozier. A sit down, acoustic set in a tiny room ended up being a lovely variation. It included a couple tracks I'd never heard before including a real heartbreaker called [...]
I recently partook in a whirlwind trip to Southern California to see Frank Turner play a couple of shows ( not the first time , nor do I expect it to be the last). The first of two nights was The Roxy, still a relatively small room for Frank and the Sleeping Souls to play at this point in their career. The room felt super intimate and I had an excellent view of the stage. As always, it was fantastic to see a Frank Turner headlining show again and I was more than ready to do it again [...]
Here's another new track from the upcomming LP from Laura Stevenson and the Cans . I expected "L-DOPA" to be sad before I hit play but still wasn't prepared for how crushing it would be. At the same time that I'm being drawn in by the brilliant beauty of the song, I almost have to turn it off because it is so incredibly emotional. Wheel is out April 23rd and is absolutely one of my most anticipated releases of 2013. Laura and the Cans are doing a great big tour to promote [...]
I've recently gotten my hands on Fort Frances 's new EP, Harbour , and am still working on processing it. Though I can say that I love it and I have a lot of feelings about it- just not semi-coherently yet. As it goes, Fort Frances released "City by the Sea" from the above-mentioned EP today as a free download and I'm thrilled to share it here and have some kindred spirits to discuss it with. From David McMillin: I wrote the lyrics to City by the Sea [...]
I had every intention of reviewing this record in a timely manner but then I got caught up in it. It is pretty much all I've listened to in weeks and I keep finding more with each listen. I've come to the conclusion that Pedestrian Verse is one hell of an album. It's big and just keeps growing. Pedestrian Verse begins with a disarming falsetto piano track, "Acts of Man", cleansing the musical palette for what's to come. Frightened Rabbit couldn't have picked a better ambassador for the album than [...]
For whatever reason, I haven't been able to get this song out of my head all weekend. I couldn't tell you the last time I listened to it or the album it came from, which is a bit of a shame. I would say that The Cure was my first favorite band. The first band I obsessed over, the first band I traveled to see, my first tattoo. But that was a very long time ago. I know a lot of die hard fans didn't care for Wild Mood Swings , but honestly I [...]
Oh hey! It's a new track from our friends Kitten . "Yesterday (What's Love)" is a bit of a surprise. Right out of the gate, Chloe Chaidez's are deep and full; not quite like I've ever heard them before. It treads into more familiar Kitten territory with the chorus, pulling together as a pretty great song. Kitten are going on the road with Paramore, likely to a venue near you. Check out the dates here .
I'm not good at expanding my horizons. I like my punk/folk comfort zone and I'm wont to stick to it. But then every once in awhile I open up and listen to something else. As you may have guessed, this is it. My first draw to "Sugar" was the vocals- they're undeniably lovely. Maria Moreshead's voice is smooth, sweet, and born to sing this song. As a bonus, check out their cover of Ellie Goulding's "Lights". It is sublime. I can't wait to hear what wanderhouse does next.
I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about why I love Tegan and Sara so much. There are a lot of contributing factors, but what I believe it all boils down to is that they write about such simple, obvious emotions but no one else does it so perfectly, or at all. Listening to Heartthrob is like reading through a journal from middle school; it’s raw, it’s passionate, it’s unashamed. Then there is the sound . Heartthrob plays like a pop concept album. The Quin sisters channel Cyndi Lauper and [...]
Every time I swear I'm done with Kickstarter, another project that is just too good to pass up comes along. Here is the latest. I have a huge musical crush on Tristen . Her album, Charlatans at the Garden Gate was amazing. She has this songbird voice that is so unbelievably lovely. And then she writes these songs that are catchy but quirky. Anyway, I could go on like this for awhile, but the point of this post is to let you know about Tristen's Kickstarter project . She's written, recorded, and produced her new album [...]
The Ruckus
Album Review: Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
Song : Phoenix : “Trying To Be Cool” (Silver Swans Remix)
The National
MVSCLES- Sweet n Sour
Watch The Lonely Island rap through mid-life crises in “Diaper Money” video
