9.30.2006
Grand National
Rupert Lyddon and Lawrence "La" Rudd are Grand National. Originally a Police cover band, Grand National has recently made their debut in America after releasing their first LP, Kicking the National Habit, in their home, the UK, in late 2004. Their sound is dance, rock, new wave, postpunk, and Britpop, all rolled into one accessible package. Although their "dance-rock" label may bring warranted comparisons to bands like The Bravery or The Killers, Grand National is far more musically mature. Incorporating reggae beats, brass, and other organic sounds along with the synthesizers of their contemporaries, the duo stays true to their original musical muse, The Police. All comparisons aside, Grand National is a fresh, complex, and spirited band, eager to deliver expertly crafted music you can rock to on an international dance floor.mp3 Drink to Moving On
mp3 Talk Amongst Yourselves
mp3 Cherry Tree
Grand National's Myspace
Reminder! Enter Which Side of the Mouth for the fabulous Silversun Pickups' Carnavas album!
9.28.2006
My Mathematical Mind
Math rock. Ooh, what a high strung genre. Crazy rhythms, driving verses, clashing guitars, energetic vocals. Music to get your heart pumping and adrenaline rushing. While "normal" rock bands make freqent use of 4/4 time, math rockers keep their songs in 3/8, 7/8, and 11/8, or choose to sporadically switch times and tempos midverse. This results in peculiar, unpredictable music which, while completely unnerving, is strangely beautiful nonetheless. How daringly mathematical, no?
I have some math rock faves below. Check out Thumbnail, 1.6 Band, and Shake Ray Turbine, too.
mp3 Death of Marat- Gemini
mp3 Braid- New Nathan Detroits
mp3 Owls- Everyone
mp3 Polvo- Tragic Carpet Ride
mp3 Drive Like Jehu- Bullet Train to Vegas
Hey guys, remember to enter the Which Side of the Mouth contest. Silversun Pickups' Carnavas, yea! Just e-mail us with "Which Side of the Mouth" as the subject, your address, and your answers. Yay!
9.27.2006
[The Fratellis]
All right kiddos, sit down 'cause The Fratellis are here to offend you in the most welcomed way you ever thought was possible. That's right - don't expect any epiphanic moments with this trio. No, these boys are just singin' about how they're looking for a bit of fun here and there...in bed - most likely. This Glasgow trio is composed of John, Barry, and Mince Fratelli. Brothers? Not really. Barry's the only Fratelli here, and it doesn't take a DNA test to verify that the fellow isn't related to the two other guys. It only took a few well-placed record shop ads before the triumvirate began funneling their unchaste tunage through pub speakers in 2005. Fast-paced and rather friendly with the strings of the guitar, The Fratellis exhibit a mix of sounds from the various UK acts streaming out of those isles. Flathead in particular shows a rather keen marriage between The Archie Bronson Outfit and The Arctic Monkeys - oh shush, you know you like them even just a little bit. As always though, it's the tambourining, handclaps and the "why of course I'd be happy to sing along!" choruses that grabbed me...in bed. The Fratellis' debut album Costello Music was released in the UK September 11, but US release plans are rather unknown...From The Fratellis' Costello Music (all songs are right click - save as):
Henrietta
Flathead
Chelsea Dagger
Check more out from them at their site.
Be their friend!
Oh and just fair warning, chances are I won't be able to post on Friday...
9.26.2006
Which Side of the Mouth?
Yay! It's my first contest -- all the others have been Brad's doings. Mine will prove to be tougher than Brad's -- you guys will actually have to work.Listed below are ten facts; five about Brad, five about me. It's your job to say which fact matches up with... Which Side of the Mouth! (There's a bonus eleventh question, by the way.)
Now to the prize. Being that my favorite album right now is the Silversun Pickups' Carnavas, that is exactly what we're giving away! (Watch out for an album review coming up soon.) So yes, tell me which side of the mouth (e-mail me the answers please, no comments) by October 10th, and whoever gets the most answers right will be rewarded with Carnavas! Yay!
1. Which side of the mouth plays the guitar?
2. Which side of the mouth played the piano?
3. Which side of the mouth listens to Twee?
4. Which side of the mouth's favorite band is Spoon?
5. Which side of the mouth's favorite band is Jimmy Eat World?
6. Which side of the mouth has been involved in a suburban car chase?
7. Which side of the mouth has laughed at a funeral?
8. Which side of the mouth enjoys Three 6 Mafia?
9. Which side of the mouth drives a Volvo station wagon?
10. Which side of the mouth wears glasses?
11. Which side of the mouth is the better side of the mouth?
Alright guys. Good night and good luck.
A couple of songs off of Carnavas:
m4a Melatonin
m4a Common Reactor
Silversun Pickups' Official site
I love Baxter
9.25.2006
[The Grates: Album Review]
If a list were ever to be compiled of bands I can easily speak fondly of, you can bet your bippy that The Grates would be nestled somewhere in there. This Australian trio carries the typical frenzied glee that laces much of the countrinent's musical exports. I've said it before, and yes, I'll say it again - The Grates are just one variation of the condensed euphoria exported by Australia on a bimonthly basis. So what's the latest product being offered by The Grates to bounce your days into delight? Hrm, why I believe that would be the trio's first full-length - Gravity Won't Get You High. Gravity manages to capture the frolicky aura that is The Grates, and I was expecting nothing less from the band that treats their concerts like birthday parties. After all, taking all those birthdays in mind, you'd expect a band that's turned oh say 200 years old to know what they're doing. Gravity will be no stranger to the Grates fan; it carries the typical favorites like Lies and 19 20 20 while sprinkling in some newer surprises to embrace with tracks such as Science Is Golden. Yes, the apple never falls far from the tree indeed, and Gravity still holds well in the natural environment of balloons, ball pits, and birthday cake. Overall, Gravity never strays from the box of fun that is The Grates and garners from this child four out of five trampoline jumps for all its fun and streamers.
From The Grates' Gravity Won't Get You High (all songs are right click - save as):
Lies
19 20 20
Little People
The Grates are holding a contest till mid-October for a DS Lite, and all you have to do is sign up for their mailing list. Do that and maybe learn another thing or two at The Grates site.
Be their friend!
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Otherwheres - For anyone that has the new crap iTunes, do you know when they're sending out the fix for all the bugs on this version? Are you even experiencing problems on it?
Otherwheres - Today Dodge at MOKB shows some love for the Beatles with his ongoing covers posts by pondering about Yesterday.
Otherwheres - Sean at Said the Gramophone gives you his take on one of my favorites, The Wombats.
Otherwheres - Pete over at Renaissance Men just saw Kite Flying Society and thought that hosting it outdoors made it juuusst right.
9.23.2006
The Black Heart Procession
The Black Heart Procession. The band would be fitting in a Bond, Moulin Rouge, or Kill Bill soundtrack. James completely flooring a bimbo at some lavish ball, dancing prostitutes being serenaded by buff men wearing eyeliner, Uma Thurman driving her convertible through a winding canyon... Yes, The Black Heart Procession would be appropriate in any of these movies. Their sound is dramatic, with a slew of instruments, including, but not exclusive to, the standard drum kit, guitar, bass, and keyboard, in addition to electronic samplers, the violin, the standup bass, and the saw (oh yes, the saw can indeed be played). As for vocals, BHP has a chorus-like feel. Vocal layering is evident and prominent in all their songs. For one lone voice to dominate a song is for The Black Heart Procession not to be The Black Heart Procession. The band has recently wrapped up a huge American tour after the release of their newest album The Spell. Yea, aw, we missed them. But do not fret, they'll be back... maybe... sometime... later... check out their songs...From The Spell
mp3 Not Just Words
From Amore Del Tropico
mp3 Tropics of Love
The Black Heart Procession's Official site
The Black Heart Procession's Myspace
[BSOTM: And The Winner Is... + August]
Ah it's that (and if you're a gal, that other) time of the month again, if you're not familiar with Bishop Allen's plans for this year, it goes like this - Bishop Allen is a band that hails from Brooklyn, and took a nice hiatus shortly after their debut hit Charm School in order to write their (currently) label-less album Clementines. As that album strolls about waiting for release, they're going to distribute an EP every month for a year - yes, every month. I know August was released how many days ago, but I thought it'd be better to hold off on the August announcement here at Both Sides since we had that Monthstravaganza Contest goin' on. Well before I make the winner known, let me announce something else - August. Now August was delayed some, because August takes a bit of step off the usual Bishop Allen monthly EP plan. In what way you ask? Well it just so happens that August is longer than your usual EP, and with 13 tracks, it's rather much of an album of live tracks. Yes, live tracks. You see, the actual month of August was spent by Bishop Allen either on the road or off it playing gigs. The August EP is their way of sharing that month of road trekkin' with you. The tracklisting for the month includes "a coupla chestnuts from Charm School", Bishop Allen's favorites from EPs already released, plus two unreleased tracks. Oh yeah, it's still only $5! So what are you waiting for? Get yourself to Bishop Allen's site, your cart's getting lonely...From August (all songs are right click - save as):
That Summer
From July:
Click Click Click Click
From May:
Butterfly Nets
From February:
Vain
All right, enough of a delay, so who's the winner of Both Sides' Bishop Allen Monthstravaganza Contest? Well I don't want to shrink your skivvies any more than I already have; the second prize winner, who gets any Bishop Allen EP of their choice, is Hillary Chan! The rather grand prize consisting of seven Bishop Allen EPs goes to Kerry Into - congratulations to the both of yas! Now if you two would email us which EP(s) you would like, we'll send it right off to you...
Didn't win? Don't worry, you know how we are. We're rather contest happy so another one is coming very, very soon...
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Otherwheres - Matt over at YANP, has a great euologic article on the life and death of WOXY.
9.22.2006
CocoRosie
Wrong! They are not lesbian lovers; CoCoRosie is, in fact, a sisterly duo, consisting of Bianca and Sierra Casady. (The picture doesn't display that fact all that well, I am aware, but it shall be explained later on.) Growing up, Bianca was nicknamed "Coco" by their mother; Sierra was "Rosie." Alas, CocoRosie! Although they may seem extremely comfortable with each other above, Bianca and Sierra were not always bosom buddies. Growing up in an extremely estranged, fleeting household, the sisters found themselves moving from reservation to reservation (they're half-Cherokee), state to state, country to country. When Sierra was kicked out of the house at age 14, she and her sister lost contact. They did not reunite until almost a decade later, in Sierra's tiny apartment in Paris. Once together, they decided to experiment musically in the bathroom, the most acoustic room in the place. After a month of musical mixing in the bathtub (get the picture, now?), their debut album La Maison de Rêve was born. Featuring toys, beatboxing (done by Bianca), bleeps, bloops, tape hisses, flutes, and of course, their striking voices (completely different from each other, by the way), CocoRosie has an undeniably trippy sound. Psychedelic, yet folkish, with hip hop influences, the pair can be classified as anything but normal. Their latest album release was in 2005, with Noah's Ark, which is undeniably the most ambitious of their works. They plan to release another album in the spring of 2007, with a consequent Brazilian and American tour. Needless to say, CocoRosie has cemented the girls' sisterhood.From La Maison de Rêve
mp3 Good Friday
From Noah's Ark
mp3 Noah's Ark
CocoRosie's Official site
CocoRosie's Myspace
(In the Myspace world, they classify themselves as Christian Rap/Black Metal. Guffaw, guffaw.)
9.21.2006
[Beach House]
I don't know how it is where you are, but here in From Beach House's self-titled album (all songs are right click - save as):
Learn more about them or check out their tour dates at the Beach House site, where you can also...
Be their friend!
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Otherwheres - Well I have to celebrate the rebirth of The Office, so here's a tune from me to you to celebrate the fact that Michael gets to once again make a bum of himself and Dwight's gonna be all...Dwight-y.
Bonus MP3: Office - Oh My
Otherwherse - Covert Curiousity has a great It Came from the
Otherwheres - I think Dodge is like the master of covers now or something...
9.20.2006
Cat Power
You heard Chan (pronounced "Shawn"). Spay and neuter your loved ones.Chan Marshall is Cat Power. Vocalist, pianist, and guitarist; Chan does it all. Musically, she is a songbird. Guitar and piano are sparse and minimal; her voice is the main focus of her sound. She croons with almost heavy feeling, actually drawing tears from my eyes when I'm in the mood (Colors and the Kids is a personal tearjerker). Lyrically, she is a dark poet, quite comparable to Kurt Cobain (i.e. "I hate myself and want to die"). Although the last line may seem a bit crude, her words can also be damn poignant. Example from The Greatest: "Once I wanted to be the greatest/Two fists of solid rock/With brains that could explain any feeling..." How fucking simple yet how fucking true. Performance-wise, Chan is a crazy bitch... in a good way... Word is she gets throwed before the show, then proceeds to act thoroughly throwed throughout her set, abruptly stopping songs in order to apologize for a personal flaw, chattering away between numbers, then cutting everything short and leaving. She says she suffers from extreme stage fright. Well, I guess that could explain it. Her newest album, The Greatest, dropped earlier this year, and it is extremely check-out-worthy. '70s inspired (Mabon Hodges and Steve Potts both shared a hand in its making), its not my favorite from her (I really like You Are Free), but it's still damn good, damn personal, and damn eclectic, combining soul and folk and country and rock all into one masterpiece. If you love her, stay and listen to her.
From The Greatest
mp3 The Greatest
From You Are Free
mp3 He War
From Moon Pix
mp3 Colors and the Kids
Cat Power's Official site
Cat Power's Myspace
9.19.2006
[What Made Milwaukee Famous]
So what does make Milwaukee famous? It's rich German history? The fact that despite being of the Great Lakes region, Milwaukeeans are more likely to refer to soft drinks as "soda" rather than "pop"? Perhaps they're famous because of this band? Well maybe the first two, but this band is actually a quartet that formed in Austin, and the only ties they have with that Wisconsin city lies in their name. What Made Milwaukee Famous compose tunes of a rather sporadic nature, and if you've listened to their debut album Trying To Never Catch Up, I think you'd agree. Now usually a band that can't keep to one musical manner in a debut album just have no idea who their band character is. WMMF, however, are meant to hopskotch the squares between happy-go-lucky and darky-go-broody. Overall though, if there's anything to love, it's their melodic pop gems laced with twangy jangles; pop in some tambourining, a bit o' clapping and group chorusing and I got me a new iPod buddy. What Made Milwaukee Famous rummaged about label-less during their climb to popularity - they were unsigned when they first played ACL and began to really prick up some ears during SXSW in 2005. To celebrate their sign with Barsuk Records, home of Starlight Mints and John Vanderslice to name a few, Trying To Never Catch Up was rereleased last month with four new songs that had the pleasure to be recorded in Spoon drummer Jim Eno's Public Hi-Fi Studio. As always, What Made Milwaukee Famous, yet another Austin gem.From What Made Milwaukee Famous' Trying To Never Catch Up (all songs are right click - save as):
Hellodrama
Almost Always Never
Sweet Lady
Check out the What Made Milwaukee Famous site for info on their tour.
Be their friend!
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Otherwheres - Let's not forget about our Bishop Allen Monthstravaganza Contest for 7 of their EPs, a winner will be chosen Friday and announced this Saturday. A recently added second prize winner gets one EP of their choice too...
Otherwheres - Pop by the Austinist to check out this week's New Release Tuesday...
Otherwheres - Dodge posted on one of my mix add-in favorites, San Francisans(?) Scissors for Lefty...
9.18.2006
Mates of State
Aww... they're such cute little lovebirds... Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel, the indie world's happiest married couple, has been proclaiming their love to the world through sweet, melodic power pop for five years now. They sing together, play their respective organ and drums together, and come up with extremely cheesy song titles together (i.e. "Like U Crazy"). Their complete infatuation with each other may be a bit sickening, but the catchiness of their music is undeniable. Their latest album, Bring It Back, is chock-full of tunes you'll be singing in your head after only one listen. Mates of State is just one happy duo. Happy bass, happy organ, happy drums, happy voices. Here's to hoping they never split!From All Day
mp3 Goods (my personal favorite)
From Bring It Back
mp3 Like U Crazy
mp3 Nature and the Wreck
Mates of State's Official site
Mates of State's Myspace
9.16.2006
Grizzly Bear
I personally have a fond association with the grizzly bear. It was my state mammal (California, whoot), my first teddy bear (Mr. Bear, whoot, I'm original, whoot), and is now a great four-piece band from Brooklyn (I don't mean to make it sound like Grizzly Bear is brand-new; they were actually birthed in 2004, but they're relatively new, nevertheless). If I had to describe Grizzly Bear with one word, it would be "melancholy," except completely void of any negative connotations that one might have with that word. Extremely low-key, eery, and slow, Grizzly Bear is another one of those bands that makes me want to do karate in slow motion (please don't scoff; that's honestly how I feel). Unlike a lot of their heart-pumping, drum-smashing, guitar-licking peers, Grizzly Bear plays with so much pressing feeling. The sound just seems to be expertly shaped and crafted in such a way that the most meaning spills out. Whether their songs are about deep sea diving or piercing heartbreak, you just know that whatever they're singing, they mean it with all of their heart. Incredibly intense, I know. Grizzly Bear is currently on tour right now, hopping the U.S./Canada border every once in a while so check out the tour date list I've posted and try to catch them! (all off their latest album, Yellow House, released on Warp Records)
mp3 Easier
mp3 Lullabye
mp3 Central and Remote
mp3 Marla
(all shows begin at 8:00 PM)
Sept. 26 Bowery Ballroom New York, NY
Sept. 28 Spaceland Los Angeles, CA
Sept. 29 The Independent San Francisco, CA
Oct. 1 WOW Hall Eugene, OR
Oct. 2 Wonder Ballroom Portland, OR
Oct. 3 Commodore Ballroom Vancouver, BC
Oct. 4 Showbox Seattle, WA
Oct. 7 Playmakers Fargo, ND
Oct. 8 First Avenue Minneapolis, MN
Oct. 9 Smart Bar Chicago, IL
Oct. 10 St. Andrew Detroit, MI
Oct. 12 Opera House Toronto, ON
Oct. 13 Le National Montreal, QC
Oct. 14 Paradise Rock Club Boston, MA
Oct. 15 Nightclub 9:30 Washington, DC
Oct. 20 Sonar Baltimore, MD
Oct. 21 Starlight Ballroom Philadelphia, PA
Grizzly Bear's Official site
Grizzly Bear's Myspace
9.14.2006
Joanna Newsom
All hail, Joanna Newsom, harpist-pianisit-harpsichordist-singer-songwriter extraordinaire. A mere 24 years old, Newsom's mature voice and sound rivals that of the more seasoned Fiona Apple and Christine Fellows. A raspy, weathered, and quirky San Franciscan, her music combines indie-pop, Appalachian mountain-girl, and classical sound. Her harp-playing is beautiful and delicate, her harmonies equally so, and it is just our luck that she is touring:October 4 The Mod Club Toronto, Canada
October 5 The Ukranian Federation Montreal, Canada
October 6 Bennington College Bennington, VT
October 7 Barge Music Brooklyn, NY
Her sophomore album, Ys, drops this November, and I strongly recommend it.
Here's an EXTREMELY long (12:08) song from it. It would make up 4 regularly-lengthed songs, so I think just this one will do.
UPDATE: Unfortunately I've been informed that Ms. Newsom doesn't wish for any of her songs to be posted on blogs. We may not have gotten the memo ourselves, but we here at Both Sides will respect her wishes and take this mp3 off the site. Thanks Dan for the heads up! Oh and as a quick and very late note, thanks to the folks at the Austinist, we've gotten wind of a last-minute booking for a show by this artist at the Parish. It's at 9 tonight so hurry, hurry. - Brad aka Penguin
9.12.2006
I'm not wearing any pants right now.
Well I've decided to be deliciously random today.Random Facts About This Side of the Mouth
1. My favorite color is green.
2. Brad is my good friend.
3. I am on my third iPod.
4. I like to read.
5. I'm really not wearing any pants right now.
Random Facts About the Other Side of the Mouth
1. His shoes kind of all look the same.
2. He wears glasses.
3. He's left-handed.
4. His middle name is Benedict.
5. I'm pretty sure he's probably wearing pants right now.
Aw, well that was pretty fun. I'd like to know some random facts about you readers, too... If you'd like to share... If not, that's cool... Anyway...
... Here is a completely random mix of completely random songs from completely random artists and bands. Enjoy!
mp3 Lily Allen- Smile
mp3 Sufjan Stevens- A Sun Came
mp3 The Shins- A Call to Apathy
mp3 Of Montreal- Hang Onto Yourself (David Bowie, live)
mp3 Ooberman- Blossoms Falling
mp3 The Breeders- Cannonball
mp3 Alexi Murdoch- Blue Mind
mp3 Ben Folds- The Luckiest
mp3 Three Six Mafia- Stay Fly
... and yet another wondrous Baxter photo.
9.11.2006
[We Are Scientists]
Remember what I said about blogger's remorse? Posting on a band now past their hype just because I liked them before this blog started? Well I don't know about you but We Are Scientists are always in season, so even though they sort of fall into that blogger's remorse bit, I'd like to think that they don't. I think it was Skatterbrain Matt that mentioned how the bands you love most are hardest to blog about, and surprisingly enough, it's true so bear with me on this one. We Are Scientists is composed of three rather crazy guys from Brooklyn, and their concert blanter, I must say, is highly entertaining. Quite in fact, everything about them is entertaining, and if anything contributes to that its their drive. Their energy just about formulates and explodes right in front of your eyes. No one person is special; they each contribute to the entity that is We Are Scientists. Yes, these three guys were just meant to make music together, and they make their symbiotic stylings known through highly infectious, high-energy music. So how about off the stage and through your speakers? Well, the energy carries on and the tunes are just as infectious. The band have a some tours set for the future, the soonest of which is their The Also-Ran Buzz Bands Tour where they hop cities with Art Brut and Spinto Band all across Americanada. Whats that? You're over the Atlantic? Well don't fret, they're also planning on the British Isles, but (and this makes their source of popularity known) just about 3/4s of that tour is already sold out. So pop a squat and give an ear to We Are Scientists...Various Songs from We Are Scientists (all songs are right click - save as):
The Great Escape
Selective Memory
Check out their concert dates at the Sci-Cave.
Be their friend!
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Otherwheres - If you didn't notice, Skatterbrain took a bit of a hiatus recently, but that's all right because Matt's back and posting!
Otherwheres - Mike over at Nothing But Green Lights did a rather extensive feature - the A to Z of finding new British music online.
9.10.2006
Mogwai
Yes, yes, yes, this band is indeed named after the creepy yet lovable creatures from The Gremlins. Needless to say, Mogwai's always had a name change on the back burner, but "like a lot of things we never got 'round to it." Formed in Scotland back in '95, Mogwai is centered around incredibly long and reflective instrumental guitar breaks. Listen to Small Children in the Background, and you'll see what I mean. Distortion and other sound effects are also prevalent in their music, with a bounty of echoes and fuzzy feedback. But if one thing is essential to Mogwai's sound, it is most definitely melody. The bass in Mogwai serves more as another melodic guitar, rather than part of the rhythm. Mogwai is chill, relaxed, play-in-the-background-while-you're-thinking-about-life music. With a new album out last March, Mr Beast, and a European tour in the works as we speak, you should definitely check them out.mp3 Small Children in the Background
mp3 Summer
mp3 Tracy
Mogwai's Official site
(European tour dates above)
9.09.2006
[The Bridge Gang]
Way back when, while Nothing But Green Lights was still Take Your Medicine (now his podcast site), Mike posted on the London-based trio The Bridge Gang. Describing themselves as sounding like a lion eating a hyena, The Bridge Gang, I prefer to think, carry a sound that's just hard, loud rock. The trio - Jose, Lucy and Bret - came together in 2004, I'm guessing, out of necessity; Jose and Bret say no one would dare hire them, and Lucy held a day job that outlined the sale of miniature people to model builders. Off of that, they could have just come together on the basis that they like to make loud noises. Being a threesome, a triad, a crowd, they're limited in the layers they can put out. So what do they do to counteract this limitation? They make LOUD music. Standing in front of a tower of speakers at one of their shows could probably coax an asthma attack. My favorite from these kids and the hook that brought me to them is a little ditty called Sarah's Brother - a grown up nursery rhyme of sorts. Nestled in a commanding drum and guitar beat are lyrics describing the fate of Sarah's brother, but what exactly happened to him is up to you and your imagination. Heads up, listen up to The Bridge Gang and enjoy the rest of your weekend guys...Various songs from The Bridge Gang (all songs are right click - save as):
Blue Sky Grey
The Gallery
Learn more about them at their site.
Be their friend!
9.07.2006
[BSTOM: The Bishop Allen Monthstravaganza Contest]
Though it isn't that time of the month when Bishop Allen release a new four-track wonder, it is time for the two of us here at Both Sides of the Mouth to hold another (our second) contest. If you don't remember what the kids of Bishop Allen are up to, let me take this time to bring you up to speed. Bishop Allen is a band that hails from the bowels of Brooklyn, and decided to take a bit of a break after releasing their debut hit and highly-acclaimed/blogged about album Charm School. During their break, they brewed about and composed tons upon tons of songs for the track list of their next claimant, Clementines. Well, Bishop Allen are (currently) label-less, so what are they gonna do as their second full-length waits for release? Why they're going to a pop out an EP every month of course! The guys are currently seven months in, and not one disc comes to disappoint. Each and every month showcases Bishop Allen's flair for creativity and individual style on top of the plain and simple fact that these kids are just great storytellers.So, the contest. Alina and I have decided to be awfully generous this time and have decided to put out not one, not two, not even three, but ALL SEVEN of the currently available EPs put out by Bishop Allen. Seven. Yeah, we're in shock too, especially since this is coming out of our pockets - but we love you all that much. To enter just send us an email with your mailing address and the subject "BSOTM Contest". Could it really be that easy? Actually, yes - we're too lazy to do anything beyond the idea of just randomly picking a winner out (but if you leave us a comment we'd love you even more). The winner will be announced on Friday, September 22nd. Good luck guys!
From July (all songs are right click - save as):
Click Click Click Click
From May:
Butterfly Nets
From March:
The Monitor
From February:
Queen of the Rummage Sale
Check out their future concert dates at the Bishop Allen site.
Be their friend!
UPDATE - Shoot me if you have to for forgetting to mention this, but THIS CONTEST IS INTERNATIONAL. So no matter where you are, if you can recieve mail, you can feel free to enter. Good luck guys!
9.06.2006
Enon
Yes, yes; another band with a Japanese chick. What can I say; Japan is mad everywhere. I was in Spain for spring break, and you wouldn't believe how many Japanese chicks I saw there. Yeah, in Spain.Anyway! Named after a village in Ohio, Enon comes to us from New York City, although its founder, John Schmersal, hails from Philadelphia. After the frontman of his original band, Brainiac, suffered a premature death, John decided to hide out in Kentucky for a while. After he realized he didn't want to be in Kentucky, he made his way to New York where he recruited two members, dropped those two members, then picked up Matt Shultz and Toko Yasuda, the Japanese chick.
Enon is crazy eclectic. Pulling from the likes of the Flaming Lips and '80s New Wave, Enon can swing toward dancey pop to cutesy koto to fractured rumbling rock. Listen to Natural Disasters and Window Display; you won't believe the songs are by the same band.
Enon is currently on tour. Here are the next few dates:
Sep. 6 (today!) 10:00 PM Magic Stick Detroit, MI
Sep. 10 2:00 PM The Hideout Chicago, IL
Sep. 11 10:00 PM Jackpot Lawrence, KS
Sep. 12 8:00 PM Creepy Crawl St Louis, MO
Sep. 13 10:00 PM Opolis Norman, OK
Sep. 14 8:00 PM Emo's Austin, TX
Try and catch them!
mp3 Natural Disasters
mp3 Window Display
mp3 In This City
Enon's Official site
Enon's Myspace
9.05.2006
[The Submarines]
Yeah, I know no frame on this post for me - you'll know why laterI remember reading about this duet some months ago, but, sadly, I never really paid attention to them. All that was offered on the post for The Submarines was "Peace & Hate", and, like you guys, I thought, "Only one song to offer? I'll pass this post entirely..." Well that was a stupid reason to skip past, and I finally gave them a listen when a very good friend of mine resuggested them to me a few days ago. I'm currently not on my usual computer and have to put this post up on a friend's about 500 miles from my usual base of operations, so I'll keep this post short(er) so that I can enjoy my bit o' vacation. Sounding more like a super hero duo with Blake Hazard as the great granddaughter of F. Scott Fitzgerald growing up on the rurals of Vermont and John Dragonetti being raised in the desert wastelands of Arabia, this pair of star-crossed lovers came back together to, ironically, make airy, love music together. The Submarines are going on tour with rock-turned-bossa-nova act Nouvelle Vague in September.
Various Songs From The Submarines (all songs are right click - save as):
Vote
Brighter Discontent
Check out The Submarines' tour dates at their site.
Be their friend!
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Yes, yes - sorry I missed posting the other day. Unlike my posting partner, however, I have no crappy computer to blame. I was off enjoying my labor day weekend, and couldn't get a post up around then. Now? Well I've just been stricken with the bad, bad side effects of procrastination, so sorry if my posts for this week end up being a little shoddy...
9.04.2006
14 Iced Bears
Veering away from, but undoubtedly affected by the punk era that was the '70s, 14 Iced Bears were the original pop-punk gods. Think not of the lame pop-punk you hear on the radio and MTV; think instead of fuzzy, melodic, catchy tunes, all infused with punk attitude and feel. Although it has been over twenty years since their birth and fourteen since their demise, 14 Iced Bears still deserve to be commemorated for the great psych music they created in the '80s. No band since has been able to connect pop and punk in the same way. Don't forget 14 Iced Bears!mp3 Sure to See
mp3 Like a Dolphin
mp3 Inside
9.02.2006
Songs of September
I sincerely apologize for the lack of post yesterday. My internet connection was going haywire. But alas, it is fine now and so am I, so here is my post that is now overdue.I haven't done a mix in a while, so I decided that the birth of September 2006 would be a suitable reason for celebration. So I bring to you my Songs of September. Although it may have been cooling down for the rest of the world, here in Texas, it's still in the mid '90's. It will probably stay as such until, say, November? Thus, fall is dead to me. But, I still adore the unwitnessed season, and feel need to commemorate its momentous occassion with songs that sound fall-sy and autumn-sy. Listen and enjoy!
mp3 Joanna Newsom- Emily
mp3 The Mountain Goats- New Monster Avenue
mp3 Aloha- All the Wars
mp3 Midlake- Marion
mp3 Architecture in Helsinki- Maybe You Can Owe Me
mp3 Bloc Party- So Here We Are
mp3 Jimmy Eat World- Lucky Denver Mint
mp3 Pixies- Is She Weird
Baxter Photo
Both Sides of the Mouth is a dual-authored mp3 blog based in Austin, Texas. All audio posted on this site is meant for sampling purposes only. If you really like what you hear, show it and support the artist - buy an album, buy some merch. If you represent or own any media on this site and would like something taken down please email us, and we will take the neccessary action of removing the file(s).
Notable Mixes - Brad