I saw this band in 2009 in the back room of a Bushwick bar with my pal EE. EE remembers:
"Early spring 2009, back room of that bar on Bushwick Ave. I remember cold weather, dirty carpeting, and a weird opening band."
Now, they've got Maeby in a music video where NY looks like LA and LA like NY. Movin' on up.
I post this track with some reservation, as it tends to get painfully stuck in my head and then I have to sing anything I can think of to get it out (most recently “Dignified and Old” by The Modern Lovers and “Billie Jean” by M.J.).
Actually, it's for the same reason that I hestitate, that I post—this track is insanely catchy. The bass is great, the horns are great and the singer's got a good 90s sound going on, a little like The Innocence Mission, yes? And of course, there's the idea of friends, friends and new friends, friends, friends that are old friends...well, we can all relate, can't we?
What else has been happening? Well, I don't know. Reading, writing, making music at home and applying to lots of jobs. Getting better at living here. Not driving to LA. Making new friends and keeping the old, one is silver and the other's gold.
Oh, somewhat related, are you as excited about this as I am?
Friends of Friends.mp3 [Thanks]
When I call,
you don't pick up anymore.
But I've got friends that are new friends,
And friends that are old friends,
And friends are enough.
Showing posts with label 2010s. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2010s. Show all posts
February 8, 2012
November 1, 2011
The War on Drugs//Best Night
An album I've been really loving lately is the new one by The War on Drugs. Although it sounds more like a Kurt Vile album than any previous release from the band (despite the absence of actual Kurt Vile from the band). I've still found a different, amorous spot in my heart for it. Half Dylan, half Springsteen: the vocal sound and lyrical themes are familiar, set against music that's more modern.
There are a lot of standout tracks on Slave Ambient, but the first one continues to pull at me extra hard. It's so sad and lonely, outcast and downtrodden. I imagine Adam Granduciel singing the song directly to his own feet. At this moment, there's something I can really identify with about that.
I drive by the behemoth factories and oil rigs on the beaches of Southern California, and there's something not so different from that old "New Jersey Turnpike/riding on a wet night/'neath the refinery's glow" vibe. It's all America after all, isn't it?
Best Night.mp3 [Thanks]
I believe that I've been cursed,
Been drowned and reimbursed,
Got the feeling I can't move without sliding.
There are a lot of standout tracks on Slave Ambient, but the first one continues to pull at me extra hard. It's so sad and lonely, outcast and downtrodden. I imagine Adam Granduciel singing the song directly to his own feet. At this moment, there's something I can really identify with about that.
I drive by the behemoth factories and oil rigs on the beaches of Southern California, and there's something not so different from that old "New Jersey Turnpike/riding on a wet night/'neath the refinery's glow" vibe. It's all America after all, isn't it?
Best Night.mp3 [Thanks]
I believe that I've been cursed,
Been drowned and reimbursed,
Got the feeling I can't move without sliding.
October 5, 2011
Zoo Kid//Out Getting Ribs
Have you heard of Brit School, the Croydon arts & tech. high school that's churning out many of today's most talented musicians? I stumbled upon it last night, after a pal posted the following song on FB. I have decided to go back in time and redo high school there. Is that something we can make happen?
Already having gone through two band names (he now performs as Kid Krule), Archy Marshall aka Zoo Kid was born in, get this, 1994! Can you believe that small teenager is coming at us with this voice and these lyrics and that guitar tone? "16 is the new 21," someone on the FB comment chain posted. Someone else chimed in with, "He sounds like he's been married 4 times..." Maybe the kids aren't actually getting younger after all.
The song is stunning, the video seductively simple:
Out Getting Ribs.mp3 [Thanks]
Hear more here.
Already having gone through two band names (he now performs as Kid Krule), Archy Marshall aka Zoo Kid was born in, get this, 1994! Can you believe that small teenager is coming at us with this voice and these lyrics and that guitar tone? "16 is the new 21," someone on the FB comment chain posted. Someone else chimed in with, "He sounds like he's been married 4 times..." Maybe the kids aren't actually getting younger after all.
The song is stunning, the video seductively simple:
Out Getting Ribs.mp3 [Thanks]
Hear more here.
August 4, 2011
Fool's Gold//The Dive
I am getting married in one month minus one day. At this moment, my life roughly breaks down into these percentages:
30%: Doing Wedding Shit/Obsessing About Doing Wedding Shit/Not Sleeping While Thinking About Wedding
29%: Sleeping
26%: Day Job
6%: Eating
4%: Playing Music
3%: Obsessing in a Debilitating Way About Everything Else I Need to Get Done
2%: Exercising
Not that I'm losing it or anything. Not losing it. I am not losing it.
On another note, those glorious days of summer have reached their peak and are now descending, as they do each year, into earlier and earlier darkness. It's not over yet, but the time has come where we remember that the end is near. Not that that means anything here in California, where I see girls walking city streets in bikinis and cover-ups at all times, regardless of temperature or season (on cooler days, these outfits are often, curiously, paired with Uggs).
This song has been on heavy rotation on KCRW. I think it serves as a good reminder to capture as much of that late summer light as possible.
From what I can tell, LA's own Fool's Gold sound like what Vampire Weekend would sound like if they were a little less lame and a little more experimental from time to time. African-inspired guitar licks paired with indie rock guitar tone. Big hooks and muddy vocals. Feeling weird and confused on a bright, sunny day.
Apologies for the fact that this track cuts off. This album isn't out yet. But I'm sure you'll want to buy it when it comes out, which you can do here. Coincidentally, these guys play LA for FYF Fest, which just happens to be…you guessed it…the day of my wedding.
The Dive.mp3
Is motion the only thing real?
30%: Doing Wedding Shit/Obsessing About Doing Wedding Shit/Not Sleeping While Thinking About Wedding
29%: Sleeping
26%: Day Job
6%: Eating
4%: Playing Music
3%: Obsessing in a Debilitating Way About Everything Else I Need to Get Done
2%: Exercising
Not that I'm losing it or anything. Not losing it. I am not losing it.
On another note, those glorious days of summer have reached their peak and are now descending, as they do each year, into earlier and earlier darkness. It's not over yet, but the time has come where we remember that the end is near. Not that that means anything here in California, where I see girls walking city streets in bikinis and cover-ups at all times, regardless of temperature or season (on cooler days, these outfits are often, curiously, paired with Uggs).
This song has been on heavy rotation on KCRW. I think it serves as a good reminder to capture as much of that late summer light as possible.
From what I can tell, LA's own Fool's Gold sound like what Vampire Weekend would sound like if they were a little less lame and a little more experimental from time to time. African-inspired guitar licks paired with indie rock guitar tone. Big hooks and muddy vocals. Feeling weird and confused on a bright, sunny day.
Apologies for the fact that this track cuts off. This album isn't out yet. But I'm sure you'll want to buy it when it comes out, which you can do here. Coincidentally, these guys play LA for FYF Fest, which just happens to be…you guessed it…the day of my wedding.
The Dive.mp3
Is motion the only thing real?
July 19, 2011
tUnE-YarDs//Bizness
Hello and good Tuesday to you. It seems like we all survived the great 405 shutdown of 2011. I spent the weekend mixing bizness with wedding planning, as I so often do these days. Six weeks and counting…wish me luck.
Ethan was playing me this new tUnE-YarDs record when he was here visiting a few months ago. I was liking it, but didn't get hooked in a way that made me want to seek it out immediately. In these situations, I usually add the band name to the list of band names I keep in my actual day planner book (because I am an actual dinosaur).
FF to now. This video's been popping up on various feeds (the face, the plus). And honestly, it's amazing. It's a really beautiful video that adds a lot to the song. It's almost like I couldn't fully listen to tUnE-YarDs until I saw this video, which is a weird thing to say, I know, because shouldn't the music stand on its own? The thing is, it totally does. It's just that, in this case, for me, it needed a little kickstart or something.
The sound sets are good. The bass line delivers. The build is a well-crafted mix of Animal Collective and Afrobeat. The lyrics are great. But what's the best? Merrill Garbus's voice, which is sometimes growling (ala Yaz's Alison Moyet), sometimes howling, sometimes pretty and always SO for real. Girl means it. We feel it. And isn't that the point?
tYs hits LA on 11/2. I will be there.
Here are two videos of the song, one official, one live:
Bizness.mp3
What's the business, yeah?
Don't take my life away.
Don't take my life away.
Ethan was playing me this new tUnE-YarDs record when he was here visiting a few months ago. I was liking it, but didn't get hooked in a way that made me want to seek it out immediately. In these situations, I usually add the band name to the list of band names I keep in my actual day planner book (because I am an actual dinosaur).
FF to now. This video's been popping up on various feeds (the face, the plus). And honestly, it's amazing. It's a really beautiful video that adds a lot to the song. It's almost like I couldn't fully listen to tUnE-YarDs until I saw this video, which is a weird thing to say, I know, because shouldn't the music stand on its own? The thing is, it totally does. It's just that, in this case, for me, it needed a little kickstart or something.
The sound sets are good. The bass line delivers. The build is a well-crafted mix of Animal Collective and Afrobeat. The lyrics are great. But what's the best? Merrill Garbus's voice, which is sometimes growling (ala Yaz's Alison Moyet), sometimes howling, sometimes pretty and always SO for real. Girl means it. We feel it. And isn't that the point?
tYs hits LA on 11/2. I will be there.
Here are two videos of the song, one official, one live:
Bizness.mp3
What's the business, yeah?
Don't take my life away.
Don't take my life away.
July 12, 2011
Iron & Wine//Sodom, S. Georgia; Naked As We Came; Walking Far From Home
Have you ever noticed how many Iron & Wine songs are about death? I mean, honestly guys, it's a lot. Here are three of my favorites. The first two are from the fantastic album Our Endless Numbered Days (even the title is about death) and the last one (which is maybe only about death in the abstract) is from the new(ish) Walking Far From Home single (thanks, Tash).
Some artists just write songs that are so inherently emotional. The drama of the music and the sentimental nature of the lyrics in all three of these songs can bring me to tears. And I'm not always sure why it is that I'm crying. Maybe it's just because even though our days can feel endless, we know deep down that they are numbered. We are mortal. We are fragile. We are vulnerable. Samuel Beam is just reminding us.
Sodom, South Georgia.mp3
Naked As We Came.mp3
Walking Far From Home.mp3
She says, if I leave before you, darlin,
Don't you waste me in the ground.
I'll lay smiling like our sleeping children.
One of us will die inside these arms,
Eyes wide open,
Naked as we came.
One will spread our ashes round the yard.
Some artists just write songs that are so inherently emotional. The drama of the music and the sentimental nature of the lyrics in all three of these songs can bring me to tears. And I'm not always sure why it is that I'm crying. Maybe it's just because even though our days can feel endless, we know deep down that they are numbered. We are mortal. We are fragile. We are vulnerable. Samuel Beam is just reminding us.
Sodom, South Georgia.mp3
Naked As We Came.mp3
Walking Far From Home.mp3
She says, if I leave before you, darlin,
Don't you waste me in the ground.
I'll lay smiling like our sleeping children.
One of us will die inside these arms,
Eyes wide open,
Naked as we came.
One will spread our ashes round the yard.
June 24, 2011
Red Tail Ring//Talk About Suffering/Going To Cairo/The Road Is My Skyway
Friday Shout/Chant: Local Music Friday
What's up with Local Music Fridays?
Dear old friend and general mountain-of-a-man Michael Beauchamp's new(est) band Red Tail Ring (you may remember their introduction here) recently released a two-disc set of songs, Middlewest Chant (mostly originals) and Mountain Shout (hardcore trad). You probably just realized that I was looking for an excuse to actually pair the word "hardcore" with "trad." Ok, you're right.
I'm really enjoying both discs for different reasons.
The highlights of Mountain Shout are the incredible arrangements, dark takes on the classics and insanely amazing feats of performance by both Michael and his partner in crime, Laurel Premo. Speaking of excellent driving music (see: yesterday), "Talk About Suffering/Going to Cairo" is the absolute perfect jam for that moment when you break out of traffic and start speeding at a rate that your mother would probably...ahem...not care to hear about on this blog. There's an outlaw feeling to the songs on Mountain Shout and, despite the concrete futuristic dystopia-ness of the the southbound 405, I can almost imagine that I am a gold prospector, out to seek my fortune...or at very least, part of a maniacal Bonnie and Clyde-type duo, on my way to rob a bank.
Middlewest Chant has some beautiful original tunes. The ones I find most resonance with are the solem, slow ones. "Skyway" is a classic Beauchamp tune, one that reminds me of more innocent times with my old friend and songwriting partner. It's sad and poetic and resigned and it makes your heart ache in a way that only he can.
Go pick both these up here.
Talk About Suffering/Going To Cairo.mp3
The Road Is My Skyway.mp3
Well, I am what I am.
Are you surprised?
What's up with Local Music Fridays?
Dear old friend and general mountain-of-a-man Michael Beauchamp's new(est) band Red Tail Ring (you may remember their introduction here) recently released a two-disc set of songs, Middlewest Chant (mostly originals) and Mountain Shout (hardcore trad). You probably just realized that I was looking for an excuse to actually pair the word "hardcore" with "trad." Ok, you're right.
I'm really enjoying both discs for different reasons.
The highlights of Mountain Shout are the incredible arrangements, dark takes on the classics and insanely amazing feats of performance by both Michael and his partner in crime, Laurel Premo. Speaking of excellent driving music (see: yesterday), "Talk About Suffering/Going to Cairo" is the absolute perfect jam for that moment when you break out of traffic and start speeding at a rate that your mother would probably...ahem...not care to hear about on this blog. There's an outlaw feeling to the songs on Mountain Shout and, despite the concrete futuristic dystopia-ness of the the southbound 405, I can almost imagine that I am a gold prospector, out to seek my fortune...or at very least, part of a maniacal Bonnie and Clyde-type duo, on my way to rob a bank.
Middlewest Chant has some beautiful original tunes. The ones I find most resonance with are the solem, slow ones. "Skyway" is a classic Beauchamp tune, one that reminds me of more innocent times with my old friend and songwriting partner. It's sad and poetic and resigned and it makes your heart ache in a way that only he can.
Go pick both these up here.
Talk About Suffering/Going To Cairo.mp3
The Road Is My Skyway.mp3
Well, I am what I am.
Are you surprised?
May 26, 2011
Fabolous//You Be Killin' Em
I'm not sure how this one slipped through the OSS cracks, but this song was IT right around when I was leaving NYC. I first heard it while driving to a gig at Party Xpo in Bushwick with Karl and Patrice. Everyone knows that the only station to listen to when driving to shows is Hot 97. I suppose I'll have to find a West Coast replacement soon.
The second the song came on we were fucking entranced. Oh, that glorious synth line. Oh, that incredible flow. Oh, that hilarious line about shoe-i-cide. Oh, Fabolous, be still my heart. You truly are fabolous.
From that tender moment, this song became a staple at basement dance parties and divey bars with those shitty digital jukeboxes. People flocked to dance to it at the final 50/50 show. I also unabashedly still listen to it when I get homesick for NYC.
Let me note here that even a cursory read of the lyrics reveals a number of things I find generally deplorable ie. this is not a feminist-friendly anti-capitalist rhyme, if you know what I'm saying. Still, let's just try to let that be what it is and love it for how catchy and clever certain lines are. OK?
Fabolous aka John David Jackson was born in the late 70s in Brooklyn. In addition to being a rapper, he now also has his own clothing like called Rich Yung Society. In case you're wondering where you can score some Fabolous swag... I mean, hey, who wouldn't want that necklace?
You Be Killin' Em.mp3
Looking good has its sacrifices:
Chilly weather bring four figure jacket prices.
Her body nice, face dime.
Give me that iPhone 4, Face Time.
The second the song came on we were fucking entranced. Oh, that glorious synth line. Oh, that incredible flow. Oh, that hilarious line about shoe-i-cide. Oh, Fabolous, be still my heart. You truly are fabolous.
From that tender moment, this song became a staple at basement dance parties and divey bars with those shitty digital jukeboxes. People flocked to dance to it at the final 50/50 show. I also unabashedly still listen to it when I get homesick for NYC.
Let me note here that even a cursory read of the lyrics reveals a number of things I find generally deplorable ie. this is not a feminist-friendly anti-capitalist rhyme, if you know what I'm saying. Still, let's just try to let that be what it is and love it for how catchy and clever certain lines are. OK?
Fabolous aka John David Jackson was born in the late 70s in Brooklyn. In addition to being a rapper, he now also has his own clothing like called Rich Yung Society. In case you're wondering where you can score some Fabolous swag... I mean, hey, who wouldn't want that necklace?
You Be Killin' Em.mp3
Looking good has its sacrifices:
Chilly weather bring four figure jacket prices.
Her body nice, face dime.
Give me that iPhone 4, Face Time.
May 24, 2011
Kreayshawn//Gucci Gucci
OK, dudes--you have to forgive me. This is a TOTAL guilty pleasure situation, but I just can't get the sample from this song out of my head. One big room! Full of bad bitches!
I will freely admit that I am having some difficultly fully getting my head around Oakland rapper/phenomenon/thing Kreayshawn, although I do have plenty of speculative hypotheses. One thing I know for sure is that there's almost nothing I could say that this video couldn't. Thus:
Gucci Gucci.mp3
Gucci Gucci, Louis Louis, Fendi Fendi, Prada:
Basic bitches wear that shit, so I don't even bother.
I will freely admit that I am having some difficultly fully getting my head around Oakland rapper/phenomenon/thing Kreayshawn, although I do have plenty of speculative hypotheses. One thing I know for sure is that there's almost nothing I could say that this video couldn't. Thus:
Gucci Gucci.mp3
Gucci Gucci, Louis Louis, Fendi Fendi, Prada:
Basic bitches wear that shit, so I don't even bother.
May 2, 2011
Eureka Birds//That Mountain is a Volcano
This is not a Monday, it's a volcano: Monday Mail
What is Monday Mail?
Yesterday's news provided one of those moments. You know, the kind where you used to call up your friends, but now you just watch your FB/Twitter feeds for clever things people are posting online? There were links to Al-Jazeera live feeds, NYT articles, Family Guy clips, Star Wars references, declarations of general anxiety about killing anyone for any reason, even an Obama macro that featured the kind of badassness that we haven't seen since the 2008 Election. I, myself, posted this:
"So this is like that part in Lost when the alternate reality rejoins the actual reality?"
Nobody liked it. Actually, one severely awesome Sarah G. liked it. But nobody else. Thanks, Sarah, for saving my FB pride.
I'm not going to go into the cliche that is, "let's think back to 10 years ago and reprocess," because the fact of the matter is, just cause we killed some guy doesn't mean we can close the Pandora's box that is terrorism. It also doesn't mean we can undue the mortgage crisis or the credit crisis or the Iraq War or the Afghanistan War or the Japanese nuclear disaster or Katrina or any of the other dozens of truly shitty things that have happened between 2001 and 2000now. There are still people signing up to be Scientologists and dedicating their lives to actualizing The Singularity. What's done is done and the world is weird. I still feel like we're in a particularly precarious place both culturally and environmentally.
A few months ago, Justin, a member of Eureka Birds, sent me a new EP along with a shoutout:
Even though we're from Baltimore, we recorded the whole thing with production help from Tyler of Margot and the Nuclear so and so's out in Indiana.
This particular song, which describes various ways the world might end (volcanoes, rogue waves, earthquakes, tornadoes, environmental disaster) reminds us that we probably won't know what's going on when the big one blows. So let's all celebrate that we managed to find and kill OBL before the 10 year anniversary of 9-11 (though we still haven't managed to rebuild WTC)...then, let's not forget that some guy hiding out in a million dollar house in the suburbs of Islamabad isn't our only problem.
That Mountain is a Volcano.mp3
Maybe we'll never see it coming.
What is Monday Mail?
Yesterday's news provided one of those moments. You know, the kind where you used to call up your friends, but now you just watch your FB/Twitter feeds for clever things people are posting online? There were links to Al-Jazeera live feeds, NYT articles, Family Guy clips, Star Wars references, declarations of general anxiety about killing anyone for any reason, even an Obama macro that featured the kind of badassness that we haven't seen since the 2008 Election. I, myself, posted this:
"So this is like that part in Lost when the alternate reality rejoins the actual reality?"
Nobody liked it. Actually, one severely awesome Sarah G. liked it. But nobody else. Thanks, Sarah, for saving my FB pride.
I'm not going to go into the cliche that is, "let's think back to 10 years ago and reprocess," because the fact of the matter is, just cause we killed some guy doesn't mean we can close the Pandora's box that is terrorism. It also doesn't mean we can undue the mortgage crisis or the credit crisis or the Iraq War or the Afghanistan War or the Japanese nuclear disaster or Katrina or any of the other dozens of truly shitty things that have happened between 2001 and 2000now. There are still people signing up to be Scientologists and dedicating their lives to actualizing The Singularity. What's done is done and the world is weird. I still feel like we're in a particularly precarious place both culturally and environmentally.
A few months ago, Justin, a member of Eureka Birds, sent me a new EP along with a shoutout:
Even though we're from Baltimore, we recorded the whole thing with production help from Tyler of Margot and the Nuclear so and so's out in Indiana.
This particular song, which describes various ways the world might end (volcanoes, rogue waves, earthquakes, tornadoes, environmental disaster) reminds us that we probably won't know what's going on when the big one blows. So let's all celebrate that we managed to find and kill OBL before the 10 year anniversary of 9-11 (though we still haven't managed to rebuild WTC)...then, let's not forget that some guy hiding out in a million dollar house in the suburbs of Islamabad isn't our only problem.
That Mountain is a Volcano.mp3
Maybe we'll never see it coming.
March 25, 2011
Bryan Master//Let Me Come In
Return to the Local: Local Music Friday
What's up with Local Music Fridays?
Wow, where does the time go? Mine went to New York for the week to hang out with good friends, take care of wedding loose-ends and eat/drink my way through the city.
Just before I left, I had the pleasure of attending a new friend's album release show at the lovely Hotel Cafe in Hollywood.
You guys know that I have the tendency to get down on LA. More and more, I'm feeling like my fate is sealed. I may just not be a "Southern California person," whatever that means. And yet, I've really met some amazing, smart, talented people in the two short months I've been here. Bryan Master is, without a doubt, one of them.
Bryan just released a beautiful, sometimes twangy, sometimes a little ambient record. The songs have big, strong hooks that pull you right along. The production is immaculate--at times a little cleaner than my ideal--but it really works with the way the songs build and disintegrate.
Here, harmonies fall right in over the perfect crackle of heavy tremolo, which at first makes me wonder if I'm about to hear the voice of Lucinda Williams. Instead Master is joined by an old favorite, Liz Phair, sounding weirdly...is that sweet? Yes, I think it's sweet.
The whole album is worth checking out. Get more info here.
Let Me Come In.mp3
I've been out too long.
Let me come in.
What's up with Local Music Fridays?
Wow, where does the time go? Mine went to New York for the week to hang out with good friends, take care of wedding loose-ends and eat/drink my way through the city.
Just before I left, I had the pleasure of attending a new friend's album release show at the lovely Hotel Cafe in Hollywood.
You guys know that I have the tendency to get down on LA. More and more, I'm feeling like my fate is sealed. I may just not be a "Southern California person," whatever that means. And yet, I've really met some amazing, smart, talented people in the two short months I've been here. Bryan Master is, without a doubt, one of them.
Bryan just released a beautiful, sometimes twangy, sometimes a little ambient record. The songs have big, strong hooks that pull you right along. The production is immaculate--at times a little cleaner than my ideal--but it really works with the way the songs build and disintegrate.
Here, harmonies fall right in over the perfect crackle of heavy tremolo, which at first makes me wonder if I'm about to hear the voice of Lucinda Williams. Instead Master is joined by an old favorite, Liz Phair, sounding weirdly...is that sweet? Yes, I think it's sweet.
The whole album is worth checking out. Get more info here.
I've been out too long.
Let me come in.
March 4, 2011
Will Yates//Lazybones (Jeremy Messersmith Remix)
Working So Hard: Local Music Friday
What's up with Local Music Fridays?
A LMF?! HOLY SHIT! DOES THIS MEAN OSS IS BACK ON TRACK?!?
Well, I'm not sure about that, but I am sure this is a great remix...and that's not something I say everyday.
For some reason, I couldn't quite click with Jeremy Messersmith until Michigan acquaintance Will (who you might remember from his keyboard work with Zoos of Berlin) sent me this remix that he did. This is slightly-tweaked power pop at its finest, complete with catchy riffs, harmonized background vox and waves of guitar glory breaking, then retreating.
I should probably also mention that this remix is for charity, so don't download it here. Instead go over to Messersmith's bandcamp and name your own price for a good cause.
Also, please, please, please go check out more of Will's remixes here, because they are all really, really awesome.
Lazy Bones.mp3
He's at the end of misspent youth,
Just a blur in a dream,
Too quick to be seen.
What's up with Local Music Fridays?
A LMF?! HOLY SHIT! DOES THIS MEAN OSS IS BACK ON TRACK?!?
Well, I'm not sure about that, but I am sure this is a great remix...and that's not something I say everyday.
For some reason, I couldn't quite click with Jeremy Messersmith until Michigan acquaintance Will (who you might remember from his keyboard work with Zoos of Berlin) sent me this remix that he did. This is slightly-tweaked power pop at its finest, complete with catchy riffs, harmonized background vox and waves of guitar glory breaking, then retreating.
I should probably also mention that this remix is for charity, so don't download it here. Instead go over to Messersmith's bandcamp and name your own price for a good cause.
Also, please, please, please go check out more of Will's remixes here, because they are all really, really awesome.
Lazy Bones.mp3
He's at the end of misspent youth,
Just a blur in a dream,
Too quick to be seen.
February 14, 2011
Mark Ronson And The Business International//Somebody To Love Me
Valentines Day is dumb, but love is awesome.
To that end, check out this super list of the year's best love songs by Nerve (and a dozen or so notable music types). I thought it would be nice to feature the song OSS contributed to the article today. So, without further ado, a popular song about the sometimes painful but distinctly human need for love.
Somebody to Love Me.mp3
I want somebody to love me.
To that end, check out this super list of the year's best love songs by Nerve (and a dozen or so notable music types). I thought it would be nice to feature the song OSS contributed to the article today. So, without further ado, a popular song about the sometimes painful but distinctly human need for love.
Somebody to Love Me.mp3
I want somebody to love me.
February 7, 2011
Pascal Pinon//New Beginning
CoCoRosie Jr. : Monday Mail
What is Monday Mail?
This sweet, simple song kinda stole my heart. It seems particularly appropriate for me as I stumble around trying to find my footing in this new, weird world that is Southern California.
Brooke from Big Hassle says:
Age is just a number? Well, not in this case: listening to Pascal Pinon, the band's eponymous debut album, the fact that you're dealing with a bunch of 16-year-old teenage girls is way too evident. Yet, the songs presented by Icelandic twin sisters Jófrídur and Ásthildur and their band mates Halla and Kristín are certainly not limited to the natural parameters of adolescence.
Instead, Pascal Pinon manage to turn such limitations (not enough money for better mics; lack of experience) into their very advantage, keeping their tracks short and crisp, and avoiding both the cheap slickness of campfire romanticism and the supposedly fresh edge of the next teenage hype. Pascal Pinon are all about creating a connection, the smallest possible distance between their own feelings (they're teenagers after all) and the listeners. On their MySpace, it says"Sounds like: a whisper in your ear" for a reason.
Their s/t debut both in English and Icelandic, was independently released in Iceland and earned them a nomination for "Newcomer of the Year" at last year's Icelandic Music Awards. It is set to be released by Morr Music on December 3rd (naturally it was their parents who signed the contract) and the girls are already busy learning new instruments and working on their sophomore LP.
Call it Nude Folk, New Romanticism or The New Shy - what matters is that Pascal Pinon, though no longer the "gang of 14-year-olds" they were when they recorded this album, are just getting started.
Maybe it's because Pascal Pinon reminds me of the kind of stuff I liked to do when I was 16. Maybe it's because being catapulted into a new life with very little grounding makes me feel like a confused youth. Maybe it's just because it's a touching sentiment. Whatever the case may be, from Iceland to another sunny day in LA to you, consider a fresh start:
New Beginning.mp3
Things I may not understand
Are slightly getting out of hand.
I don't know anything at all.
It seems that I'm about to make
An overwhelming huge mistake,
With everyone disagreeing.
What is Monday Mail?
This sweet, simple song kinda stole my heart. It seems particularly appropriate for me as I stumble around trying to find my footing in this new, weird world that is Southern California.
Brooke from Big Hassle says:
Age is just a number? Well, not in this case: listening to Pascal Pinon, the band's eponymous debut album, the fact that you're dealing with a bunch of 16-year-old teenage girls is way too evident. Yet, the songs presented by Icelandic twin sisters Jófrídur and Ásthildur and their band mates Halla and Kristín are certainly not limited to the natural parameters of adolescence.
Instead, Pascal Pinon manage to turn such limitations (not enough money for better mics; lack of experience) into their very advantage, keeping their tracks short and crisp, and avoiding both the cheap slickness of campfire romanticism and the supposedly fresh edge of the next teenage hype. Pascal Pinon are all about creating a connection, the smallest possible distance between their own feelings (they're teenagers after all) and the listeners. On their MySpace, it says"Sounds like: a whisper in your ear" for a reason.
Their s/t debut both in English and Icelandic, was independently released in Iceland and earned them a nomination for "Newcomer of the Year" at last year's Icelandic Music Awards. It is set to be released by Morr Music on December 3rd (naturally it was their parents who signed the contract) and the girls are already busy learning new instruments and working on their sophomore LP.
Call it Nude Folk, New Romanticism or The New Shy - what matters is that Pascal Pinon, though no longer the "gang of 14-year-olds" they were when they recorded this album, are just getting started.
Maybe it's because Pascal Pinon reminds me of the kind of stuff I liked to do when I was 16. Maybe it's because being catapulted into a new life with very little grounding makes me feel like a confused youth. Maybe it's just because it's a touching sentiment. Whatever the case may be, from Iceland to another sunny day in LA to you, consider a fresh start:
New Beginning.mp3
Things I may not understand
Are slightly getting out of hand.
I don't know anything at all.
It seems that I'm about to make
An overwhelming huge mistake,
With everyone disagreeing.
January 27, 2011
Nicki Minaj//Did It On'em
A big weird hello from Los Angeles! I can't even begin to tell you how strange this city is. I've spent the last two days driving around checking out apartments with various levels of awesome and odd in differing combinations. The highlight was definitely the one that contained the mixing board that was used to do "We Are the World." I shit you not.
Yesterday I hit kind of a breaking point in my searching, feeling like a beat up, busted car blocking miles of traffic on the 405. I did not understand how I could go on...how I could continue to drive from the Eastside to the Westside down Santa Monica Blvd and on various numbered highways and byways. I am pleased to say that Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday got me through it.
Loving Nicki Minaj puts me in a slightly awkward position as a die-hard Lil Kim fan. That said, you really have to give it to her. Her rhymes are so clever and so hilarious. The things she can do with her voice are totally amazing. Even if I actually do have to "skip a track..." or many tracks (the cheesy sincere ones, as it turns out), the bangers on this album are just unreal. Last night, I'm pretty sure "Massive Attack" over and over was what got me from Echo Park back to Santa Monica. Looking forward to going back into the mixtapes for more awesome jams.
Basically what I'm trying to say is if you're finding your life troublesome, difficult,, etc., I would suggest listening to this song on repeat starting now:
Did It On'em.mp3
She ain't a Nicki fan,
Then the bitch deaf, dumb.
You ain't my son,
You my mfn stepson.
Yesterday I hit kind of a breaking point in my searching, feeling like a beat up, busted car blocking miles of traffic on the 405. I did not understand how I could go on...how I could continue to drive from the Eastside to the Westside down Santa Monica Blvd and on various numbered highways and byways. I am pleased to say that Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday got me through it.
Loving Nicki Minaj puts me in a slightly awkward position as a die-hard Lil Kim fan. That said, you really have to give it to her. Her rhymes are so clever and so hilarious. The things she can do with her voice are totally amazing. Even if I actually do have to "skip a track..." or many tracks (the cheesy sincere ones, as it turns out), the bangers on this album are just unreal. Last night, I'm pretty sure "Massive Attack" over and over was what got me from Echo Park back to Santa Monica. Looking forward to going back into the mixtapes for more awesome jams.
Basically what I'm trying to say is if you're finding your life troublesome, difficult,, etc., I would suggest listening to this song on repeat starting now:
Did It On'em.mp3
She ain't a Nicki fan,
Then the bitch deaf, dumb.
You ain't my son,
You my mfn stepson.
January 11, 2011
The So So Glos//My Block
Hi friends. Sorry it's been more radio silence here than radio OSS. To be fair, I have good excuses. I always do, don't I? Last shows. Holidays. Moving out. Moving away from NYC, which I am doing in a few mere hours (ACT QUICK!).
But, I wanted to remind you that I'm still here and still checking out new music/compiling an awesome list of jams to share with you once I actually have the time to share them again.
For now, I'll leave you with a band I recently felling in love with, Brooklyn's own So So Glos.
I think it's an appropriate song to go out on and features tons of proper NYC love and pride. Please enjoy this (mostly) one take video:
But, I wanted to remind you that I'm still here and still checking out new music/compiling an awesome list of jams to share with you once I actually have the time to share them again.
For now, I'll leave you with a band I recently felling in love with, Brooklyn's own So So Glos.
I think it's an appropriate song to go out on and features tons of proper NYC love and pride. Please enjoy this (mostly) one take video:
My Block.mp3
But it's the same routine.
It's been the same since 19AD (80?).
The rich kids in the hungry neighborhoods
Are looking for something to eat.
December 13, 2010
Summer Fiction//Chandeliers
The start of a new week. Monday Mail.
What is Monday Mail?
This year has been a year of changes for me. I quit my job to start freelancing. I got engaged. I decided to move to California. All this change has been, for the most part, massively improving my life. I hope that it's also been improving this blog slightly as well.
Up until recently, I was pretty married to the format of OSS. One song per business day, nothing more, nothing less. And while I still generally believe that it's a great way to go, I want the freedom to be able to switch it up from time to time. I want to be able to do more than theme weeks. I want to be able to give you my favorite songs of the year, to let you know about a show we're curating or just to do something completely random and off the wall. Essentially, I want to be able to change what goes on here, just as life changes. Deep, huh? Anyway that's what I'm doing this week.
So, behold, the first ever OSS Holiday Shopping Guide. We're going to split this puppy up into two sections, the first of which is today's OSS Holiday Shopping Guide for People Who Love Music. This will be in lieu of a best songs or albums of the year kind of list. It also happens to be a Monday Mail.
Stay tuned for the second installment of the guide, OSS Holiday Shopping Guide for People Who Think Music is Just OK.
It's rare that I fall quite as head over heels with a submission as I have with Philly-based Summer Fiction's “Chandeliers.” My love for the song prompted me to immediately seek out and obsess over the whole album.
Bill Ricchini, who essentially is Summer Fiction, says:
I really enjoy your blog and wanted to tell you about my band SUMMER FICTION. It is the moniker/bandname for me-- Bill Ricchini.
Check out our video for free single “Chandeliers” by artist Kevin Chia known for his "The Sun Was High" clip for indie band Best Coast.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PObMPR6TG0
Sounds like: baroque pop, chamber torch songs, freewheelin’ folk, and the golden days of missing you. Think Beach Boys, Smiths, Nilsson, Catholic School
Sometimes a band just has that THING that makes you want to tell everyone you know about them. The production is beautiful and lush. The songs are interesting and well-written, many of them perfect pop gems. At times, the compositions and arrangements are reminescient of Nilsson, at other times Vampire Weekend (but not in a bad way).
Getting excited about a new album made me think about how fun it is to share new music that's awesome with people you love. So, without further ado, here's a list of the albums music-lovers should get to hear from this year. If you know someone who loves new songs, consider buying them one of these. Support the artists so they can continue to produce great work:
Toro Y Moi's Causers of This
Who will love it: Seasoned chill-wavers and tip-toe'rs into the genre alike. People who are calm and also like to dance. Those who find solace in OCD production and sampling.
Where to get it: http://toroymoi.blogspot.com/p/store.html
The Green Door Kids' Musical Yooth
Who will love it: Jaded post-punkers looking for a reason to keep going. Anyone interested in children covering post-punk classics, Scottish non-profits or Scottish children covering post-punk classics thanks to the help of non-profits.
Where to get it: http://www.optimomusic.com/releases.php
Red Tail Ring's August Roads EP and forthcoming full-length
Who will love it: Folkies. Michiganders. Ex-Michiganders who miss Michigan. Lovers of recontextulized old-timey things and sick banjo riffs.
Where to get it: http://www.redtailring.com/
The Corin Tucker Band's 1,000 Years
Who will love it: Despondent Sleater-Kinney fans. Riot grrls who've settled down. Indie rock stalwarts.
Where to get it: http://www.killrockstars.com/artists/viewartist.php?id=2631
Grass Widow's Past Time
Who will love it: Despondent Sleater-Kinney fans. Riot grrls who haven't settled down. Indie rock youth.
Where to get it: http://killrockstars.com/artists/viewartist.php?aname=widow
Ribbons' Love is Mysterious EP
Who will love it: People who love Joy Division, The Smiths and The Organ, equally. People who wear black. The smart. The shy.
Where to get it: Other Music
Real Estate's Real Estate
Who will love it: Chill, suburban burn-outs. Dudes with long hair. Dreamy girls. Wiliamsburg hipsters.
Where to get it: http://www.woodsist.com/ordercontact.htm
Swimsuit's Dolphins 7”
Who will love it: Surfers trapped in the midwest. People in cold climates yearning for summer.
Where to get it: http://friendswitheveryone.blogspot.com/2010/11/swimsuit-dolphins-bw-heart-love-7.html
The Tallest Man on Earth's The Wild Hunt
Who will love it: Those searching desparately for the second coming of Bob Dylan. Swedephiles. The depressed.
Where to get it: http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Hunt-Tallest-Man-Earth/dp/B0038QMREA
In Tall Buildings' In Tall Buildings
Who will love it: Senstive, quiet types who wear layers. Gear nerds.
Where to get it: http://www.intallbuildings.com/
Deerhunter's Halycon Digest
Who will love it: People who love Deerhunter.
Where to get it: http://halcyondigest.com/
Best Coast's Crazy for You
Who will love it: Stoners. Slackers. West Coasters with a mellow sense of pride. Members of the surf fuzz brigade hungry for something female-fronted.
Where to get it: http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-You-Best-Coast/dp/B003OJBWGK
John Vanderslice's Green Grow the Rushes EP
Who will love it: JV fans who were diappointed with Romanian Names. Contemplative types. Recording geeks. Everyone.
Where to get it: http://www.johnvanderslice.com/green-grow-the-rushes
Summer Fiction's Summer Fiction
Who will love it: Vintage pop people. Background vox lovers. Appreciaters of high producion values and solid writing. Twee, sensitive, literate boys and girls.
Where to get it: http://www.summerfiction.com/shop/
Chandeliers.mp3
Catch a plane
To the Sahara
And pray for rain,
Running mascara.
What is Monday Mail?
This year has been a year of changes for me. I quit my job to start freelancing. I got engaged. I decided to move to California. All this change has been, for the most part, massively improving my life. I hope that it's also been improving this blog slightly as well.
Up until recently, I was pretty married to the format of OSS. One song per business day, nothing more, nothing less. And while I still generally believe that it's a great way to go, I want the freedom to be able to switch it up from time to time. I want to be able to do more than theme weeks. I want to be able to give you my favorite songs of the year, to let you know about a show we're curating or just to do something completely random and off the wall. Essentially, I want to be able to change what goes on here, just as life changes. Deep, huh? Anyway that's what I'm doing this week.
So, behold, the first ever OSS Holiday Shopping Guide. We're going to split this puppy up into two sections, the first of which is today's OSS Holiday Shopping Guide for People Who Love Music. This will be in lieu of a best songs or albums of the year kind of list. It also happens to be a Monday Mail.
Stay tuned for the second installment of the guide, OSS Holiday Shopping Guide for People Who Think Music is Just OK.
It's rare that I fall quite as head over heels with a submission as I have with Philly-based Summer Fiction's “Chandeliers.” My love for the song prompted me to immediately seek out and obsess over the whole album.
Bill Ricchini, who essentially is Summer Fiction, says:
I really enjoy your blog and wanted to tell you about my band SUMMER FICTION. It is the moniker/bandname for me-- Bill Ricchini.
Check out our video for free single “Chandeliers” by artist Kevin Chia known for his "The Sun Was High" clip for indie band Best Coast.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PObMPR6TG0
Sounds like: baroque pop, chamber torch songs, freewheelin’ folk, and the golden days of missing you. Think Beach Boys, Smiths, Nilsson, Catholic School
Sometimes a band just has that THING that makes you want to tell everyone you know about them. The production is beautiful and lush. The songs are interesting and well-written, many of them perfect pop gems. At times, the compositions and arrangements are reminescient of Nilsson, at other times Vampire Weekend (but not in a bad way).
Getting excited about a new album made me think about how fun it is to share new music that's awesome with people you love. So, without further ado, here's a list of the albums music-lovers should get to hear from this year. If you know someone who loves new songs, consider buying them one of these. Support the artists so they can continue to produce great work:
Toro Y Moi's Causers of This
Who will love it: Seasoned chill-wavers and tip-toe'rs into the genre alike. People who are calm and also like to dance. Those who find solace in OCD production and sampling.
Where to get it: http://toroymoi.blogspot.com/p/store.html
The Green Door Kids' Musical Yooth
Who will love it: Jaded post-punkers looking for a reason to keep going. Anyone interested in children covering post-punk classics, Scottish non-profits or Scottish children covering post-punk classics thanks to the help of non-profits.
Where to get it: http://www.optimomusic.com/releases.php
Red Tail Ring's August Roads EP and forthcoming full-length
Who will love it: Folkies. Michiganders. Ex-Michiganders who miss Michigan. Lovers of recontextulized old-timey things and sick banjo riffs.
Where to get it: http://www.redtailring.com/
The Corin Tucker Band's 1,000 Years
Who will love it: Despondent Sleater-Kinney fans. Riot grrls who've settled down. Indie rock stalwarts.
Where to get it: http://www.killrockstars.com/artists/viewartist.php?id=2631
Grass Widow's Past Time
Who will love it: Despondent Sleater-Kinney fans. Riot grrls who haven't settled down. Indie rock youth.
Where to get it: http://killrockstars.com/artists/viewartist.php?aname=widow
Ribbons' Love is Mysterious EP
Who will love it: People who love Joy Division, The Smiths and The Organ, equally. People who wear black. The smart. The shy.
Where to get it: Other Music
Real Estate's Real Estate
Who will love it: Chill, suburban burn-outs. Dudes with long hair. Dreamy girls. Wiliamsburg hipsters.
Where to get it: http://www.woodsist.com/ordercontact.htm
Swimsuit's Dolphins 7”
Who will love it: Surfers trapped in the midwest. People in cold climates yearning for summer.
Where to get it: http://friendswitheveryone.blogspot.com/2010/11/swimsuit-dolphins-bw-heart-love-7.html
The Tallest Man on Earth's The Wild Hunt
Who will love it: Those searching desparately for the second coming of Bob Dylan. Swedephiles. The depressed.
Where to get it: http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Hunt-Tallest-Man-Earth/dp/B0038QMREA
In Tall Buildings' In Tall Buildings
Who will love it: Senstive, quiet types who wear layers. Gear nerds.
Where to get it: http://www.intallbuildings.com/
Deerhunter's Halycon Digest
Who will love it: People who love Deerhunter.
Where to get it: http://halcyondigest.com/
Best Coast's Crazy for You
Who will love it: Stoners. Slackers. West Coasters with a mellow sense of pride. Members of the surf fuzz brigade hungry for something female-fronted.
Where to get it: http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-You-Best-Coast/dp/B003OJBWGK
John Vanderslice's Green Grow the Rushes EP
Who will love it: JV fans who were diappointed with Romanian Names. Contemplative types. Recording geeks. Everyone.
Where to get it: http://www.johnvanderslice.com/green-grow-the-rushes
Summer Fiction's Summer Fiction
Who will love it: Vintage pop people. Background vox lovers. Appreciaters of high producion values and solid writing. Twee, sensitive, literate boys and girls.
Where to get it: http://www.summerfiction.com/shop/
Chandeliers.mp3
Catch a plane
To the Sahara
And pray for rain,
Running mascara.
November 22, 2010
The Green Door Kids//Moody
Feelin' Moody: Monday Mail
What is Monday Mail?
I know, I know. MIA again. What can I say? WHIRLWIND!
Last week, I went upstate to the town where we're getting married to do some wedding stuff. Over the weekend, E. and I drove out to Pennsylvania to visit some dear friends. I've been working a lot, taking care of move logistics (at a two-steps-forward-one-step-back pace), gearing up for a big/awesome/involved cross-country art project, working on getting the last Palmyra EP together, doing my best to hang out with EVERYONE and starting to brace for the holidays. AHHHHH!
But lest you think all I do is bitch, I want to say that life is pretty rad, even if it's moving a little too fast and I'm feeling a little...well...moody about it. I wanted to choose a song that kind of embodies that feeling for today.
You probably know that I generally shy away from covers here, unless it's something really special and unique. Well, this is a great candidate. Of course, the original (by ESG) is phenomenal, but this is also pretty awesome. Andy at Optimo Music says:
Ever wanted to hear a bunch of kids tearing into the Stooges “I Wanna be
your Dog” and the sublime garage classic “Louie Louie”? Ever wondered what
it would sound like if you let an assortment of talented young musicians
from some of Glasgow finest new bands let loose in a studio to record
whatever they liked? And how about two 10 year old twins from Possil (via
Ghana) covering the infectious minimal dance grooves of New York's finest,
ESG?
Hells bells… your wait is over!
The Green Door Studio opened its (confusingly black) doors to Glasgow's
vibrant music community at the end of 2007. Set up by three Glasgow-based
musicians Emily MacLaren (Michael Dracula/The Lady Vanishes), Sam Smith
(Mother & The Addicts) and Jamie Greer (Park Attack), who, sick of using
other people’s clinical digital studios and being told by engineers “You
can't do that..”, decided to create a musician-friendly space where
“Actually you can...”.
Having filled the studio with the creakiest and crankiest analogue gear,
the studio splits its time between recording commercial clients...and free music production workshops and recording opportunities for young people and unsigned musicians sponsored by The
Scottish Arts Council.
The recordings on this album are the results of these workshops and are
split between the Green Door Kids (aged 10-16) involved in the Youth Music
Summer School and their slightly more grown up counterparts (aged 18-25)
enrolled on the Song-Crafters Production Course. The young musicians
involved helped to engineer their own sessions and were all involved in
the mixing and production - the results are staggering.
Optimo Music will be releasing a vinyl of these recordings - 'Muzikal
Yooth' on the 23rd November.
This song is upbeat, a little out of control...also, well, moody. Feeling moody, yeah yeah. Very moody, yeah yeah. Trust me. This is worth it. More info here.
Moody.mp3
Can make you feel high, feel low ,
Feeling, feel like, like this... Moody.
What is Monday Mail?
I know, I know. MIA again. What can I say? WHIRLWIND!
Last week, I went upstate to the town where we're getting married to do some wedding stuff. Over the weekend, E. and I drove out to Pennsylvania to visit some dear friends. I've been working a lot, taking care of move logistics (at a two-steps-forward-one-step-back pace), gearing up for a big/awesome/involved cross-country art project, working on getting the last Palmyra EP together, doing my best to hang out with EVERYONE and starting to brace for the holidays. AHHHHH!
But lest you think all I do is bitch, I want to say that life is pretty rad, even if it's moving a little too fast and I'm feeling a little...well...moody about it. I wanted to choose a song that kind of embodies that feeling for today.
You probably know that I generally shy away from covers here, unless it's something really special and unique. Well, this is a great candidate. Of course, the original (by ESG) is phenomenal, but this is also pretty awesome. Andy at Optimo Music says:
Ever wanted to hear a bunch of kids tearing into the Stooges “I Wanna be
your Dog” and the sublime garage classic “Louie Louie”? Ever wondered what
it would sound like if you let an assortment of talented young musicians
from some of Glasgow finest new bands let loose in a studio to record
whatever they liked? And how about two 10 year old twins from Possil (via
Ghana) covering the infectious minimal dance grooves of New York's finest,
ESG?
Hells bells… your wait is over!
The Green Door Studio opened its (confusingly black) doors to Glasgow's
vibrant music community at the end of 2007. Set up by three Glasgow-based
musicians Emily MacLaren (Michael Dracula/The Lady Vanishes), Sam Smith
(Mother & The Addicts) and Jamie Greer (Park Attack), who, sick of using
other people’s clinical digital studios and being told by engineers “You
can't do that..”, decided to create a musician-friendly space where
“Actually you can...”.
Having filled the studio with the creakiest and crankiest analogue gear,
the studio splits its time between recording commercial clients...and free music production workshops and recording opportunities for young people and unsigned musicians sponsored by The
Scottish Arts Council.
The recordings on this album are the results of these workshops and are
split between the Green Door Kids (aged 10-16) involved in the Youth Music
Summer School and their slightly more grown up counterparts (aged 18-25)
enrolled on the Song-Crafters Production Course. The young musicians
involved helped to engineer their own sessions and were all involved in
the mixing and production - the results are staggering.
Optimo Music will be releasing a vinyl of these recordings - 'Muzikal
Yooth' on the 23rd November.
This song is upbeat, a little out of control...also, well, moody. Feeling moody, yeah yeah. Very moody, yeah yeah. Trust me. This is worth it. More info here.
Moody.mp3
Can make you feel high, feel low ,
Feeling, feel like, like this... Moody.
November 5, 2010
Red Tail Ring//Woods That I Know
Northern Music for a SoCal Friday: Local Music Friday
What's up with Local Music Fridays?
It's been a while since I was able to deliver a proper Local Music Friday and I don't want to keep you waiting any longer.
It seems a little wrong to be posting this from where I'm sitting in this Orange County 90 degree heat, since this music is so, well, northern. It's right for tbe cold-weather, perfect for cozying up in a cabin in the woods.
Dear friend Michael Beauchamp and his lady Laurel Premo have conceived of a project that provides some updates on the content of old timey folk songs, while keeping the feeling of the music perfectly intact. Indeed, the project is so dead on in execution that if not for the high recording quality, you might wonder if Michael and Laurel were singing to us directly from some remote appalachian hill in the 1930s. Keep on the sunny side. Or, maybe not. A lot of these songs are deliciously dark or at very least recontextualized in a thought-provoking way.
The song included here is actually a Premo-original, the only one on their first (and recently released) EP, August Roads. Picking a song was hard, as many of the tracks have a lot going for them. This one was selected because it's one of those songs that I cannot get out of my head once it's there. It's just there forever and ever and there's a reason for that. It's a well constructed song with a infectious banjo hook that's mirrored by the vocal melody. Laurel's banjo work constantly stands out as a highlight in the band. It's totally amazing to listen to (and watch live). I'm going to stop typing about it now. I will give you fair warning though. If you listen to it, you're going to want to listen to it again. And then you're going to be listening to it in your head for the rest of the day.
Red Tail Ring tours ferociously all over their home state of Michigan, so if you're lucky enough to live there, check 'em out. They occasionally make it out of the midwest too. You can get updates on their dates here.
Woods That I Know.mp3
I'll take my hand,
Lead myself to places only I know.
What's up with Local Music Fridays?
It's been a while since I was able to deliver a proper Local Music Friday and I don't want to keep you waiting any longer.
It seems a little wrong to be posting this from where I'm sitting in this Orange County 90 degree heat, since this music is so, well, northern. It's right for tbe cold-weather, perfect for cozying up in a cabin in the woods.
Dear friend Michael Beauchamp and his lady Laurel Premo have conceived of a project that provides some updates on the content of old timey folk songs, while keeping the feeling of the music perfectly intact. Indeed, the project is so dead on in execution that if not for the high recording quality, you might wonder if Michael and Laurel were singing to us directly from some remote appalachian hill in the 1930s. Keep on the sunny side. Or, maybe not. A lot of these songs are deliciously dark or at very least recontextualized in a thought-provoking way.
The song included here is actually a Premo-original, the only one on their first (and recently released) EP, August Roads. Picking a song was hard, as many of the tracks have a lot going for them. This one was selected because it's one of those songs that I cannot get out of my head once it's there. It's just there forever and ever and there's a reason for that. It's a well constructed song with a infectious banjo hook that's mirrored by the vocal melody. Laurel's banjo work constantly stands out as a highlight in the band. It's totally amazing to listen to (and watch live). I'm going to stop typing about it now. I will give you fair warning though. If you listen to it, you're going to want to listen to it again. And then you're going to be listening to it in your head for the rest of the day.
Red Tail Ring tours ferociously all over their home state of Michigan, so if you're lucky enough to live there, check 'em out. They occasionally make it out of the midwest too. You can get updates on their dates here.
Woods That I Know.mp3
I'll take my hand,
Lead myself to places only I know.
October 25, 2010
Doug Hoyer//Lake of Mars
Lost in Space: Monday Mail
What is Monday Mail?
Hey guys. Sorry I've been so MIA. How was your CMJ? BBQLOL.
Mine was cool. I mostly stuck with bands of friends, including Drunken Barn Dance, Chris Bathgate, Matt Jones, In Tall Buildings and NOMO. Even with a relatively modest schedule, I still felt burnt or dead by the end. This old lady can't take the benders like she used to.
I wanted to chill out today, maybe listen to some recent submissions to the blog. You guys write me a lot of emails and send me a lot of songs and that is really, really cool. The only not cool thing about it is how crazy and poorly written some of those emails are. I chalk that up to inexperienced management companies who use spam to get their artists out there and bands who probably shouldn't be sending their own emails. I know it's not YOU guys. With that in mind, I want to give a shout out to the writer of today's Monday Mail, Doug Hoyer. Bands looking to promote themselves should take a lesson from him.
Doug says:
My name is Doug Hoyer, and I'm a ukulele strummin' musician from Canada, and am often compared to Jens Lekman, Jonathan Richman & Suburban Kids with Biblical Names. A Canadian label, Old Ugly is putting out my upcoming 7", and I've love to share the tracks with you.
I realize that you probably get a TON of emails, so I want to thank you for your time!
- Doug
Seriously, Doug, consider teaching a seminar, because your email was awesome. It was simple. It was polite. It featured correct spellings. It delivered the music in the way I asked.
It didn't hurt that your songs were also awesome. You do sound a lot like if Jens and Suburban Kids had a cute but slightly derivative lovechild, but that's generally a good thing in my opinion. Combine this with the fact that you wrote a song about space travel to mars and you got yourself a post here. You probably didn't know I have a soft spot for sci-fi inspired pop songs...but that was just a lucky shot for you.
Lake of Mars.mp3
I'd bring Trotsky, Trudeau, and even Trebek,
And you would act as the honored poet laureate
To romanticize every gesture suggested.
But they'd all run out of things to say
Cause they don't have much in common anyways.
What is Monday Mail?
Hey guys. Sorry I've been so MIA. How was your CMJ? BBQLOL.
Mine was cool. I mostly stuck with bands of friends, including Drunken Barn Dance, Chris Bathgate, Matt Jones, In Tall Buildings and NOMO. Even with a relatively modest schedule, I still felt burnt or dead by the end. This old lady can't take the benders like she used to.
I wanted to chill out today, maybe listen to some recent submissions to the blog. You guys write me a lot of emails and send me a lot of songs and that is really, really cool. The only not cool thing about it is how crazy and poorly written some of those emails are. I chalk that up to inexperienced management companies who use spam to get their artists out there and bands who probably shouldn't be sending their own emails. I know it's not YOU guys. With that in mind, I want to give a shout out to the writer of today's Monday Mail, Doug Hoyer. Bands looking to promote themselves should take a lesson from him.
Doug says:
My name is Doug Hoyer, and I'm a ukulele strummin' musician from Canada, and am often compared to Jens Lekman, Jonathan Richman & Suburban Kids with Biblical Names. A Canadian label, Old Ugly is putting out my upcoming 7", and I've love to share the tracks with you.
I realize that you probably get a TON of emails, so I want to thank you for your time!
- Doug
Seriously, Doug, consider teaching a seminar, because your email was awesome. It was simple. It was polite. It featured correct spellings. It delivered the music in the way I asked.
It didn't hurt that your songs were also awesome. You do sound a lot like if Jens and Suburban Kids had a cute but slightly derivative lovechild, but that's generally a good thing in my opinion. Combine this with the fact that you wrote a song about space travel to mars and you got yourself a post here. You probably didn't know I have a soft spot for sci-fi inspired pop songs...but that was just a lucky shot for you.
Lake of Mars.mp3
I'd bring Trotsky, Trudeau, and even Trebek,
And you would act as the honored poet laureate
To romanticize every gesture suggested.
But they'd all run out of things to say
Cause they don't have much in common anyways.
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