The Whitest Boy Alive//Burning

Once, I played this song for Sean and Jon (the fraternal jazz-inclined rhythm section of my band) and asked them what they thought the name of the band was.
Sean thought for a second and then replied, "We're Really White."
"Close!" I said.

Racial stereotyping aside, Sean answered this way because The Whitest Boy Alive is really "white," in that they play things that could be funk in a really uptight staccato way. The band obviously understands this because they chose a particularly self-deprecating name.

The group started as a Berlin electronic outfit but has since become one comprised of all live instruments. There's also a familiar and much-loved face handling guitar and vox duties. That guy really keeps busy, huh?

This song is insanely catchy and good.

On another note, burning is also what I'm going to be if the bill in the NJ State Senate to legalize gay marriage fails. People think it will. Please direct your rage here.



Burning.mp3

So many people telling me one way.
So many people telling me to stay.
Never had time to have my mind made up,
Caught in a motion that I don't wanna stop.

Finest Dearest//Pendulum

Yeah, the Bay Area is pretty far from here, but it's Local Music Friday!
Tell me...what is this Local Music Fridays?

We played a seriously fun show with Finest Dearest at IM Automata Chino in Jersey City a few months back. They are sweet people who play quality rock and roll outta SF.

Sonically, it's hard to avoid the Sleater Kinney comparison on many tracks, but this one highlights the elements in their sound that make them distinct and original. I hear lots of stuff going on, including Death Cabby melodies and maybe even something that harkens back to the Nilsson in those poppy "la las." Of course, there's more than a touch of lo-fi-ish indie rock that runs though the whole album.



Pendulum.mp3

Find out more about them here.

The Tallest Man on Earth//The Gardener

When we went to see John Vanderslice play on Friday night at The Music Hall of Williamsburg, I was genuinely pretty disappointed with how he sounded. I had been super excited to hear his big five-piece rock band setup. Unfortunately, unlike some of his outstanding live shows I had seen previously, this band seemed to just flatten his songs, making them all sound kind of the same and well, kind of boring. Also, am I the only one who felt like JV was a bit cracked out? He seemed manic onstage. Maybe he’s just not used to THE ROCK.

REGARDLESS, one great thing about going to see JV on Friday was getting to see his opener, The Tallest Man On Earth. I’ve been reading some interesting things about him lately and the fact that he’s out with one of my idols speaks volumes in his favor.

We caught the tale-end of this Swede’s set (man—lots of Swedes here lately) and Karl remarked, on the money as usual, that he had seemingly captured the essence of Bob Dylan, without stealing too much or sacrificing his originality. Indeed, TTMOE was just Kristian Matsson and his guitar, a strangely charismatic combination. Matsson, who sports a thin mustache and an old timey James Dean-like look, belted his heart out throughout his rousing folk songs.

Perhaps this song is simply about hiding your dark secrets or your past so you can stay perfect in the eyes of the one who loves you. But I like to take the more literal interpretation in this case—that it’s literally about killing the competition…and then burying the competition in a garden and watching the competition grow into beautiful flowers. That’s way more jaunty.



The Gardener.mp3

I sense a runner in the garden,
Although my judgement’s known to fail
Once built a steamboat in a meadow,
Cuz I'd forgotten how to sail.

I know the runner's going to tell you
There ain't no cowboy in my hair,
So now he's buried by the daisies
So I could stay the tallest man in your eyes, babe.