10.31.2006
[Sir Yes Sir]
Remember Yossarian (actually now Shake My Hand)? Turns out member Ben Fawkes writes on a blog of his own (Kilroy's Chinos) in his downtime, and it gives preview of some great stuff on his side of the Atlantic as well. So what's my latest find courtesy of Ben? A duo under the name of Sir Yes Sir, of course. Made up of Joseph Logan and Daniel Cowley, Sir Yes Sir hail from Manchester via Runcorn and Reading. Sir Yes Sir carry a subdued energy encased in the repetetive beat of a drum machine and the ongoing slices of a guitar. With only two people, you really can't get more complex than that. At their stage, they're still on the amateur end of things and can only play where ever they can afford to go. Having said that, these guys have yet to leave the British Isles but hopefully that changes sometime soon...Various songs from Sir Yes Sir (all songs are right click - save as):
Bass Hit
Hit Three
OK
Check them out at their site.
Be their friend!
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Otherwheres - A couple of good things are over at IGIF today. Nathaniel did one of his fantastic mixes for Halloween, and it looks like he also caught Bishop Allen recently...
Otherwheres - Just a happy halloween to all of you, and remember the rules. Don't stick anything in your mouth unless it was wrapped, and strangers always have the best things to share with you...
10.30.2006
Klaxons
Formerly dubbed "Klaxons (Not Centaurs)", Klaxons is a kooky trio from New Cross, London. Part of the undisclosed New Rave scene, these boys got their start in 2005 with their release of their debut single, Gravity's Rainbow. Only 500 were released on vinyl that the band decorated themselves. Since then, Klaxons has climbed up a bit on the ladder of mainstream recognition. They've been featured on BBC Radio, has recently signed to Polydor Records, and plan to release their debut album, Myths of the Near Future, this upcoming January.
As for their sound, Klaxons is a mix of punk, funk, art rock, rave, and a million other genres. Over all, they're pretty accessible. Nothing to have to attempt to like. Even so, their music is pretty out there. Kind of makes me want to hail a UFO and go on some galactic mission with synthesizers sometimes. Listen to Gravity for a falsetto Bloc Party-like encounter, listen to Not Over Yet for a friendly but more retro feel.
Yes, they're on tour...
... in Europe, so check out their Myspace for dates.
mp3 Gravity's Rainbow
mp3 Not Over Yet
Klaxons' Official site
Klaxons' Myspace
10.29.2006
[The Chalets]
The Chalets are yet another addition to my set of blogger's remorse posts - ya know, wanting to post on a group past hype simply because I didn't have a blog back then. Usually remorse is fed by some well-timed news from the band in mind, but it was only so long before I got tired of waiting for something new from the Chalets' end. The Chalets are a quintet from Dublin that first formed under drunken cognitive - before any of the members even touched an instrument - or so the story goes. So what are the usual results of drunken, talented, hormonally-active people? Fraternal bands of course! And the Chalets are no exception. Composed of two gals and three guys, the Chalets harmonize and vocalize in a battle of the sexes fashion with the guys sounding off only to be followed by the higher pitches of the ladies. Add in some electric beats coupled by a traditional rock demeanor and you have the Chalets. Simple, catchy, astoundingly simple pop rock tunage. Ready your week with the sounds of the Chalets...Various songs from The Chalets (all songs are right click - save as):
And let's not forget about the rather fun video for Feel The Machine...
Check out their site.
Be their friend!
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Otherwheres - Matt over at YANP did a great writeup on his much beloved Bishop Allen...
Otherwheres - Covert Curiousity not only left blogspot to venture on its own recently, but it also got a nice bloglift - very polished...
10.28.2006
Juana Molina
Unlike Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jennifer Lopez, Hilary Duff, and Ashlee Simpson, Juana Molina is an actress that can sing. Famous in Latin America for her TV shows La Noticia Rebelde and Juana y sus hermanas, Juana began her singing career a decade ago and has since released four albums, the latest of which, Son, being released this year. Juana is a native Argentinian, so all her music is sung in Spanish. It doesn't sound like Spanish to me for some reason though. When she sings it, it sounds more like Portuguese. ... Anyway, her sound is very gentle and folky, with ambient and electronica undertones. Brad says she looks like an abusive single mom, but trust me - she sounds like anything but. Her voice is smooth and innocent -- almost child-like. Catch her on tour with Adem -- tour dates can be found on both her site and her Myspace.
mp3 Micael
mp3 Río Seco
Juana Molina's Official site
Juana Molina's Myspace
10.26.2006
Future Sex/Love Sounds
No, this is not a Justin Timberlake album review. This is actually quite the opposite -- a mix full of SEX SONGS! Here you will find six (which sounds a lot like "sex") songs that have sex as their main themes. Some are sneaky sneaky in their sexual intentions. Yes, "Crash into Me" is all about sex. Dave Matthews is indeed a horny little bastard (i.e. "Hike up your skirt a little more/Show your world to me.") Architecture in Helsinki's sexual puns are also pretty discreet... Frenchy, i'm faking... an orgasm?
Now the other songs are downright crude. Karen O actually has, or pretends to have, an orgasm in "Date with the Night." Conor Oberst sings of his escapades with a prostitute in "Lover I Don't Have to Love." As for The Faint and Son, Ambulance, their titles alone should show their lack of sexual inhibitions.
So enjoy the mix, and practice safe sex everyone!
mp3 Bright Eyes- Lover I Don't Have to Love
mp3 Architecture in Helsinki- Frenchy, I'm Faking
mp3 Dave Matthews Band- Crash into Me
mp3 Son, Ambulance- Sex in C Minor
mp3 Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Date with the Night
mp3 The Faint- Worked Up So Sexual
Buh-buh-baxter
NOTE
It's my turn to have a contest next.
Stay alert.
Watch for it.
Wait for it.
Dream about it.
10.25.2006
[The Lovely Feathers]
[I Got A New Sketchbook, So Sit Tight Till' Friday]Ever since I saw these kids back in June, I've wanted to talk about the Lovely Feathers for quite some time now, and just my luck, they've decided to tour. The Lovely Feathers are a Quebec quintet - Montreal to be exact. Their origin alone probably automatically jumbles them into a group encasing the "Montreal sound" - Wolf Parade and the like. These boys, however, are brilliantly different. While most of the complexities I"m been talking about lately refer to the mixing of contrasts, the Lovely Feathers like to build on only one side of the spectrum resulting in a thick sound of eccentricities and chaos. That's not to say dualities aren't covered; the vocals between Mark Kupfert and Richard Yanofsky, for example, present two sides in a radically different way. They probably sound like they'd be all over the place, and they are. But there truly is a method to their madness, and that's why their sound works. Full of slicing guitars, tambourines and shoutable choruses, the Lovely Feathers can make for a rather good time. The Lovely Feathers are hopping up and around Americanada in November, and I highly suggest you check them out. I caught them sans a feather, but their show was amazing nonetheless. The live experience with the Feathers is highly interactive; it's active period. Grab onto your chair and rock yourself out with the Lovely Feathers...
Various songs from The Lovely Feathers (all songs are right click - save as):
Pope John Paul
In The Valley
Breakfast Cake
Check out their tour dates at the Lovely Feathers site.
Be their friend!
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Otherwheres - Good Weather for Airstrikes has some Bloc Party news...
Otherwheres - Mike over at Nothing But Green Lights is holding a contest for some Sky Larkin goodies...
Otherwheres - YANP Matt has a Halloween-oriented Postmarks song hrm....
10.24.2006
Lily Allen
Seeing as how, since her debut in July, she has taken the world by storm, this post on the delightfully fun and cute Lily Allen seems a couple months overdue. However, she is as fresh now as she was then and still undeniably noteworthy. A London native with a quirky and uninhibited accent, Lily brings a new face to the UK pop scene. Although her voice and melodies may seem as sweet as sugar, her lyrics ironically imply otherwise. References to crackwhores, pimps, pot, and "fucking that girl next door" are scattered throughout her music like iron sprinkles in a pink frosted cupcake. But it's exactly that kind of unapologetic attitude that makes Lily so endearing. She is who she is -- a crude, stylish, accented Brit -- and we all love her for it.Yes, yes, yes, Lily is currently on tour...
...but not in the States. You can catch her throughout Europe, and seeing as how I'm too lazy to post any more tour dates, you can look 'em up on the "Live" section of her official site. H'okay.
mp3 Alfie
mp3 Smile
mp3 Friend of Mine
Lily Allen's Official site
Lily Allen's Myspace
Labels: SXSW '07
10.23.2006
[The Eastern Stars + Bandwidth]
[You Know The Deal With My Sketchbook]So today I dug deep into my library to see if I could remind you of anybody, and so I stumbled onto Brooklyn duo The Eastern Stars. Thanks to their ever knowledgable site - The Eastern Stars took their name from Masonic roots. The Order of the Eastern Star is the largest fraternal organization in the world in which both men and women may belong. So, The Eastern Stars are, clearly, about male/female unity, and unity indeed - this duo take their charm from the use of contrasting male/female vocals. The soft, deep whispers of Rob Corradetti blend smoothly with Kaia Wong's hushed, airy voice, and it was this attribute that qualified them a while back for my Some Are Lovers, Some Are Friends mix. The Eastern Stars' sound definitely carries an air of folk, and their debut LP, July 5th, 1961, progresses from straight-out folk to a more experimental hand in that genre. Overall, they carry a very simplified sound that seems very stripped and bare, but it definitely works. The duo hopes to tour early next year, and is already in plans to open for Of Montreal in early March. Early March hrm, perhaps that means they can stop by for South By. Oh, and as for July 5th, 1961 - nothing seems to have happened that day, in case you were curious.
Various songs from The Eastern Stars (all songs are right click - save as):
Lovely Love
Little Punk
They Know What To Do
Learn more about The Eastern Stars at their site.
Be their friend!
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Otherwheres - First thing's first. As you may have noticed, bandwidth for some of my posts exceeded, but that's all right since Alina has a separate account that I can use for a while until my bandwidth gets reset (hopefully sometime soon). Newer posts will be fine, but any songs posted before this date are down until further notice - sorry guys! Also I've recently done some minor, minor tweaks to the site to make it more accomodating to a 1024x768 resolution that most of you all use to view this site. Anything larger than that, and of course, the main columns and such will seem more stretched. If there's objection to this, let me know and I'll try to come up with a better template over the weekend...
Otherwheres - BBC Magazine interviwed ex-Clash drummer Terry Chimes. He's gone from bangin' drums to chiropractin bones, hrm...
Otherwheres - Skatterbrain Matt has recently been hipped to the sounds of Matt & Kim...
Otherwheres - YANP Matt recently saw De Novo Dahl...
10.22.2006
La Rocca
I wonder, would it be blasphemy to compare these guys to Spoon? I'll do it anyway. La Rocca sounds kind of like Spoon. I can't really place my finger on it. Perhaps a lot of it has to do with the vocals. Lead singer Bjorn Baillie doesn't exactly sound like Brit, but he approaches his singing in the same way -- very in control, with attitude and energy. I can picture Bjorn strutting around stage with his guitar after finishing a verse like Brit often does. Bass lines are pretty Spoon-reminiscent as well... Alright, they're not as Spoon-y as Robbers on High Street, but Spoon is still kind of there.H'okay, well, enough with the unsuccessful Spoon comparison. La Rocca is beautiful. Instrumentally, vocally, rhythmically, lyrically, everything-ally, La Rocca is solid. With a stress on piano and keys (Brad, you'll like them), their music is upbeat, friendly, and mature rock. The sound is very accessible, polished, and presentable. La Rocca= one size fits all and ON TOUR!
Upcoming tour dates:
Oct. 23 Bottleneck 8:00 P.M. Lawrence, KS
Oct. 24 400 Bar 8:00 P.M. Minneapolis, MN
Oct. 26 Schubas Tavern 8:00 P.M. Chicago, IL
Oct. 27 The Shelter 8:00 P.M. Detroit, MI
Oct. 28 Rockstar @ Peabody's 8:00 P.M. Cleveland, OH
Oct. 30 Pianos 8:00 P.M. New York, NY
Nov. 2 CMJ FESTIVAL Pianos 8:00 P.M. New York, NY
Nov. 3 Middle East 8:00 P.M. Cambridge, MA
Nov. 4 Union Hall 8:00 P.M. New York, NY
Nov. 5 Trocadero 8:00 P.M. Philadelphia, PA
Nov. 6 DC9 9:00 P.M. Washington, D.C.
Nov. 8 Cats Cradle 8:00 P.M. Chapel Hill, NC
Nov. 11 Gazellig Bar 9:00 P.M. Dallas, TX
Nov. 15 The Troubador 8:00 P.M. Los Angeles, CA
So listen to the songs (I hope m4a is cool with everyone), check them out if they're swinging by your town, and go out and get their latest, The Truth!
m4a Non Believer
m4a Sing Song Sung
m4a Eyes While Open
La Rocca's Official site
La Rocca's Myspace
10.21.2006
[The Lovely Sparrows + And The Winner Is]
[My Sketchbook Feels Thin, The Frame Will Come Later I'm Afraid]Within the neatly-folded, envelope-like cardboard sleeve are the flightly sounds of The Lovely Sparrows - that's Sparrows, not Feathers. Perhaps it still sounds familiar. Despite the limited distribution of their self-released 7" Take Your Hats Off, You Godless Bastards, The Lovely Sparrows managed to get a rather hefty amount of love from bloggers. Now under San Fracisco-based label Abandoned Love Records, the Austinite quartet released their debut EP, Pulling Up Floors, Pouring On (New) Paint, earlier this month. Ah yes, Austin. The Lovely Sparrows, however, manage a stride of a different step as their songs carry a folk-inflected, pop rock demeanor - a sound not as common in the music mecca that is Austin. The quartet's songs showcase a skill in the use of the simple acoustics of a guitar, and then they go on to craftfully utilize instruments from the age-old piano to bare handclaps. Lush, witty and rather fresh. Enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone...
From Pulling Up Floors, Pouring On (New) Paint (all songs are right click - save as):
Chemicals Change
Your Flowers Will Bloom
Check out their site.
Be their friend!
Otherwheres - And now for the announcement of the winner of The Archie Bronson Outfit Giveaway. Congratulations to Amy P.! I'll get in contact with you soon about your prize and concert tickets!
Otherwheres - Covert Curiousity recently added another installment to his It Came From the UK feature...
Otherwheres - As I end my contest, Connor at IGIF has started his own for an advance of Howie Beck's CD. Plus I hear Nathaniel's in the dumps, so go and wish him well!
Otherwheres - And just a quick mention, but Society Islands' Kiss & Tell is set for release around now...
From Pulling Up Floors, Pouring On (New) Paint (all songs are right click - save as):
Chemicals Change
Your Flowers Will Bloom
Check out their site.
Be their friend!
--------------------------------------------------
Otherwheres - And now for the announcement of the winner of The Archie Bronson Outfit Giveaway. Congratulations to Amy P.! I'll get in contact with you soon about your prize and concert tickets!
Otherwheres - Covert Curiousity recently added another installment to his It Came From the UK feature...
Otherwheres - As I end my contest, Connor at IGIF has started his own for an advance of Howie Beck's CD. Plus I hear Nathaniel's in the dumps, so go and wish him well!
Otherwheres - And just a quick mention, but Society Islands' Kiss & Tell is set for release around now...
10.19.2006
[Adem]
Hrm, posting at nearly 12 in the morning isn't exactly great, but seeing as it's nearly time for people to sleep, on my hemisphere at least, I thought I'd send you all off into Slumberland with something slightly lullabye. Adem Ilhan is a fellow heralding from the UK that heads up the appropriately named solo project Adem. Slow and sure, his mellowed songs have silently climbed their way up my playlist in the past few days, yet despite that, it was today that I really took notice of his music and sound. Adem's demeanor is, in it's roots, contemporary folk with a careful hand that moves towards the experimental genre that is folktronica in the arena of fellow UK artist, Tunng. Now as most folk music goes, Adem pulls off subdued sounds that precipitate strong results. Really, it's the quality of simplified complexity that I find admirable in his music; it's one thing to pull off an innumerable set of layers, but concealing it to result in a simple song that carries just a great effect has got to be a difficult task. Adem is complex, but his ethereal qualities let everything just flow freely. So what does it do? Songs wrap around you, so you get that feeling of comfortable warmth on cold, drizzly mornings. Adem's second full-length release, Love and Other Planets, was released under Domino earlier this year. The soloist is currently touring with Juana Molina, and you can catch both of them in the latter end of their US travels. If you're in my area of Austin, TX and the immediate beyond, you can catch them at the Parish on the 26th of this month.From Adem's Love and Other Planets (all songs are right click - save as):
Check out his tour dates at the Adem site.
Be his friend!
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Otherwheres - You've only got a few more hours to try your hand at winning some Archie Bronson Outfit goodness. I'll be announcing the winner at my next posting date - Saturday.
10.18.2006
9
Damien Rice's new album, 9, brings me to tears. In a good way. Maybe it's just my sensitivity, but certain songs, certain voices, certain melodies can actually make me cry. I get that from Fiona Apple's "Never is a Promise," from that one vocal break of Radiohead's "Fake Plastic Trees," from the first line of Cat Power's "Colors and the Kids," and from the chorus of Damien Rice's "Elephant." The first time I heard this song was when I saw him live this summer with Fiona. I had never heard it before and I was wadded up next to this bellowing drunk guy who smelled like shit, but it still made me cry. It was just so fucking penetrating. And that's basically what the rest of 9 is, too. Touching. The point of view of this album is pretty much consistent with his others -- acoustic guitar, cello, straight up folk. But for some reason or another, the songs just seem much more heartfelt and personal. I think it's all in his voice. He has the greatest control over every inflection and break that comes out of his mouth. Of course, Lisa Hannigan's voice compliments Damien's perfectly. They were perfect together in "Volcano," so think that, just for every song on 9. 9 is set to release on November 6th, so make sure to get yourself a copy.
m4a 9 Crimes
m4a Me, My Yoke and I
Damien Rice's Official site
10.17.2006
[Princeton]
Happy cows come from California, and it wouldn't be too far off to say a lot of happy bands come from that place too. Last time I told you about Land of Ill Earthquakes, and coming from the same playground is a trio under the name of Princeton. Hailing from the Santa Monica area, Princeton gleefully generate charming indie pop tunes with a finger dipped on the folksey side. If you know me though, the only thing that matters there to me are the words "indie pop," and Princeton produces some great tracks under that niche of a genre. Composed of twins Matt and Jesse Kivel and their good friend Ben Usen, the trio's 7-track release, A Case of the Emperor's Clothes, is currently only being distributed at their shows. Why is that? Turns out this triad is roaming without a label, and with the talent these guys have, anyone care to explain why that's so? But back to their music - call it a (crazy/creepy/crazy-creepy) marriage, but I hear a bit of both Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Ben Kweller here and there when it comes to these guys. Chances are I'm crazy and speaking blasphemously, but whatever Princeton is concocting, they sure got something right in the mix. Charming and absolutely playful - lend an ear to Princeton...From Princeton's A Case of the Emperor's Clothes (all songs are right click - save as):
Pick one more song up and learn about any upcoming shows at the Princeton site.
Be their friend!
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Otherwheres - Let's not forget about the Archie Bronson contest! Ends in 3 days and one of the prizes up for grabs are a pair of tickets!
Otherwheres - Last week to pick up my Fourth Vowel mix!
Otherwheres - Cry your eyes out with the Sad Pop Song Mixtape Peter put up at Renaissance Men...
Otherwheres - IGIF recently reviewed The Decemberist's Crane Wife and gave it 9 1/2 stars! Aaand Connor put up some Boy Least Likely To tracks up...
10.16.2006
The Postmarks
Where the hell have The Postmarks been hiding? Music this mature and expertly crafted should've been released years ago. However, this group is a baby to the public music scene. Signed to UnFiltered Records just last year and releasing their self-titled debut album on January 3rd, The Postmarks have been practically unheard of. Once the shit hits the fan though (and by shit, I mean beautiful music), the Postmarks will be everywhere. They're currently playing a few shows (the dates are posted) and will be featured on this week's episode of Grey's Anatomy. OoOoh. Tim Yehezkely (she's a girl) leads the group with her sweet, unforced, delightfully childish voice. Instrumentalists Christopher Moll and Jonathan Wilkins set a cute and complementary backdrop to Tim's voice, resulting in feel-good, warm and fuzzy, pop.
Shows:
Oct. 14 Dada Delray Beach, FL
Oct. 21 The District Miami, FL
Oct. 26 Respectable Street West Palm Beach, FL
Nov. 2 Mo'Pitkins New York City, NY
mp3 Goodbye
The Postmarks' Official site
The Postmarks' Myspace
10.15.2006
[Bishop Allen - September]
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 from Brooklyn that 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 for release, they're going to send out an EP every month for a year - yes, every month. By now Alina is pretty sick of me talking about Bishop Allen on a monthly basis (and perhaps you are too), but that's just what you're gonna get when a band decides to release something on that sort of schedule. The latest to be released from the group, being October, is September, and just from listening to Like Castanets, I can already tell it's going to be one of my favorites. Like Castanets was composed shortly after vocal Justin Rice returned from a trip to Chile. Now I've always assosciated Chile with this substitute teacher; she was from that very country, and she was always sure to inform us that it was not "Chili" but "Chee-leh." Well thanks to BA, I have something totally different to assosciate with that place - Justin Rice's trip to that South American strip of land, coffee and copihues. Complementing Rice's lyrics are the highly complimentary twangs of Spanish guitar and sleepy horn. Bishop Allen just knows how to put things together, and so all in all it can truly be said that these kids just know how to weave tales that produce images, smells and sounds. Be sure to check out their site for tour dates, the guys are planning a tour with The Starlight Mints late Fall.From Bishop Allen's September EP (all songs are right click - save as)
Like Castanets
From July EP:
Click Click Click Click
From May EP:
Butterfly Nets
From February EP:
Queen of the Rummage Sale
You can pick up even more songs and buy these EPs at only $5 each at the BA site.
Be their friend!
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Otherwheres - I missed two days of posting, so I decided to make that up and fill those dates in. Sorry about that guys, but the good news is I started another contest! Try your hand in winning some Archie Bronson Outfit goodness - good luck guys!
Otherwheres - Now's your last chance to pick up my Fourth Vowel From the Left mix seeing as I'll be soon replacing that with a new one sometime this week. So if you haven't picked it up, go and get your OoOo on - I must say, it's one of my favorites...
Otherwheres - Well look at that. It seems the guys over at Two Mirrors decided to start a contest too. So, are you feelin' lucky punk?
Otherwheres - Peter over at Renaissance Men Don't Surf doesn't have a contest, but he DID go see Sufjan not too long ago...
Otherwheres - Finally, pop by Covert Curiousity for just some overall goodness...
10.14.2006
The Slip
Rock has become a very fluid genre. Consequently, so has indie. Bands with trumpets and accordions and flugelhorns and pipes have all become the norm, throwing what we used to know as indie rock in the back of our minds. The Slip takes our nearly forgotten origins out of its recesses, brushes it off, and returns it as good as new. Classic riffs, sing-along choruses, profound lyrics, and steady, driving drum beats take me back to my head-bobbing, foot-stomping days, oh-my-god-this-stuff-is-amazing revelation days. This is indie revisited and refreshed.The Slip is now on the same label as such greats as Yo La Tengo and My Morning Jacket and touring touring touring. Here are some of their next tour dates:
10/20 Nep-tunes St. John, NB
10/21 The Attic Halifax, NS
10/27 Narrows Center Fall River, MA
10/28 Club Helsinki Great Barrington, MA
11/01 Tonic New York City, NY
11/07 Crocodile Cafe Seattle, WA
11/08 TBA Vancouver, BC
11/09 Dante's Portland, OR
11/10 Mobius Ashland, OR
11/12 Knitting Factory Los Angeles, CA
11/15 Fox Theatre Boulder, CO
11/16 Blue Bird Theatre Denver, CO
Try and check them out!
mp3 Even Rats
mp3 Children of December
The Slip's Official site
The Slip's Myspace
10.13.2006
[BSOTM Contest: Archie Bronson Prize Package]
Well guys, today may be Friday the 13th, but consider today a rather lucky unlucky day. Why is that you ask? Well if you remember this and that, then you can probably guess that I'm rather fond of good ole' fashioned rock outs furnished by Domino Record's Archie Bronson Outfit. Now if you know that, then you can also probably guess that Alina and I here lke to host contests, because we love you. Ironically, this appreciation of your mutual love for us on this Friday the 13th celebrates the fact that we've reached 13,000 (going on 14,000) visits since we started counting back in July. Thanks for making our unlucky day a happy one! All right, you probably want to know what you're vying for by now, so I'll cut to the chase. The fine folks over at Domino are kind enough to offer up this set of goodies for the winner - a PAIR of tickets to go see the Archie Bronson Outfit at their choice of one of the dates listed below, a vinyl LP of Derdang, Derdang, and a split 7" of ABO and Benjy Ferree. Having said that, the trio are up for grabs at the following bolded dates:October 16 - Portland, OR (Berbatis)
October 18 - San Francisco, CA (Bottom of the Hill)
October 19 - Sacramento, CA (Premier)
October 20 - Santa Barbara, CA (UCSB)
October 21 - San Diego, CA (Casbah)
October 22 - Los Angeles, CA (The Echo/Arthur Festival)
October 25 - Chicago, IL (Empty Bottle)
October 26 - Detroit, MI (Lager House)
October 27 - Cleveland, OH (Beachland Tavern)
October 28 - Philadelphia, PA (Northstar)
October 30 - Washington, DC (Black Cat Backstage)
October 31 - New York, NY (Sine'/Myspace Showcase/CMJ)
November 1 - Boston, MA (TT The Bears)
November 2 - New York, NY (Mercury Lounge/CMJ)
As you can see, the cutoff for the contest this time is rather soon - the 2oth - so get you entries in by then! You know the drill, just email us your name, mailing address, and which bolded date above you want to see ABO at with the subject "BSOTM Contest". Good luck guys! The contest ends soon so jump to it!
Don't even know who they are? Scroll down or click to check my ABO post.
10.12.2006
The Czars
Their name may be reminiscent of Russian tyrannical rulers with sticks shoved up their behinds, but The Czars are anything but. Denver natives, The Czars are the musical brainchild of John Grant, vocalist and songwriter extraordinaire. Grant's voice has been compared to a "sady-eyed angel," and nothing could be further from the truth. It has the capability of breaking your heart and making you smile with awe all at the same time. Low yet trebly, gentle, smooth, and unforced, Grant's vocals make the songs.
As for their overall sound, the Czars combine country, electronica, and folk. Generally low-tempo and flowing, their music is perfect lullabye material. Think Hem except with more originality, more rock, and better vocals. Insanely eclectic yet sophisticated, the Czars are a group to fall in love with.
mp3 I Am The Man
mp3 Dave's Dream
mp3 Lullabye 6000
The Czars' Official site
The Czars' Myspace
10.11.2006
[Archie Bronson Outfit: On The Album]
Hrm, do you remember these guys? If not, allow me to refresh your mind. Those three, rather shaggy guys waiting to go on transit make up the hip group that is The Archie Bronson Outfit. Ah yes, that Archie Bronson Outfit. Ever since these guys released Derdang, Derdang, I've been hard-pressed to go one day without listening to at least one of their songs. That may be of course because my alarm clock simply plays Dart For My Sweeheart every weekday morning at 7, but even if it didn't do that, I'd probably still be listening to an Archie Bronson song every day. I won't lie, the kids just know how to make me dance and, more specifically, jive. Now, I can go in depth into the concept of jiving, but so that I can talk more about the album, I'll just say that jiving is that thing you do whenever you really like a song.As said in my post past, The Archie Bronson Outfit carry the free-loving sound of some 7o's flower child. In the case of their second album, Derdang, Derdang (released in the US early August), it's a 7os flower child that's rather sexed up and lives in the jungle, but that's the best type of 7os flower child anyway. Derdang, Derdang (released in the US early August), really is something on the wild side. With tribal drums, clawing guitars and let's call the chorusing "ritualistic chanting", The Archie Bronson Outfit is a cannaballistic tribe ready to consume you with their teethy tunage. The album's energy and beats are so rushed and fast-paced at times that you get the idea that lead Sam Windett's vocals are ached and stretched because he's straining to catch up with it all. For anyone that's kept with the trio, the noticable favorite would probably have to be my alarm clock wakeup, Dart For My Sweetheart. Dart simply embodies everything to love about Archie Bronson - the hypnotic drum beats, the stinging guitars, strained vocals against an airy female chorus. Yes, I've said it before in the past - The Archie Bronson Oufit step off the average timeline of Brit Rock and continue to progress on their own macheted path of music. The album does, however, carry a few anchors with a few repetitive lyrics and even some recycled beats; for that, Derdang, Derdang slices out 4 out of 5 stars.
From The Archie Bronson Outfit's Derdang, Derdang (all songs are right click - save as):
Check out their current US tour at their site.
Be their friend!
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Otherwheres - I was stupid and accidentally saved this post as a draft on Wednesday rather than actually publishing it. Maybe you'll forgive me knowing I've started a new contest?
10.10.2006
The Apples in Stereo
So they may have signed under Elijah Wood's new label and their drummer may have divorced the lead singer and left the band, but hey -- the Apples in Stereo are still a damn good band. Fourteen years old with four ex-members, two ex-labels, and one ex-wife, the band is preparing for the future. Their new album, New Magnetic Wonder, is set to release on February 7, 2007, with Elephant 6 buddies from The Olivia Tremor Control. The band may or may not include a new drummer and lead singer Robert Schneider has already snagged himself a new wife.As for their sound, The Apples in Stereo are very comparable to The Beatles and The Beach Boys. The vocals are sometimes so similar to Paul's, it's scary. Very '60s-like, with much high-hat and peppy chorus lines, their music is something to lift your spirits and brighten your day.
How 'bout them apples?
mp3 Go
mp3 What Happened Then
The Apples in Stereo's Official site
The Apples in Stereo's Myspace
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So, remember that one contest Which Side of the Mouth? Yes, well, we have a winner! Congratulations to Johnny! You kind of didn't send us your address, so please do so, and you will be rewarded with the Silversun Pickups' Carnavas!
10.09.2006
[The Decemberists]
When it comes to the indie elite, you know The Decemberists would be one group with a well-deserved position on that panel. Now it can be argued whether the quintet pioneered a new genre or simply modified an existing one, but one sure thing can definitely be said - The Decemberists are like no other. Colin Meloy has a voice unrivaled that caputred a hushed, gentle quality perfect for the group's storybook musical mannerism. Despite being recently signed to a major label, The Decemberists' latest, The Crane Wife (released in the US October 3), restrains the band in no way. Quite in fact their fourth album, if anything, rather pushes their limits and tests new ground. Meloy has been remarked to say that this new, ambitious album is actually the group trying to catch up to the always broadening horizon of the musical expanse that is the Decemberists sound. So is this different? Well sure it is, but worry not for it's still just The Decemberists. The group are embarking on an Americanada tour this fall that ends with two dates in Vancouver, BC at the stately-sounding venue of the Commodore Ballroom, so be sure to check those dates out.From The Decemberists' The Crane Wife (all songs are right click - save as):
On The Crane Wife story: The Crane Wife came from a storybook Colin Meloy found in the children's section of a bookstore in Portland. It is a Japanese folktale of love, promises and betrayal. A sailmaker finds an injured crane upon his doorstep and nurses it back to health before releasing it back into the wild. One day, the crane comes back to the sailmaker disguised as a beautiful young woman. They fall in love and marry. When the couple falls short of food, Yukiko (the crane) tells her husband that she can make a magical sail that he can sell in the village. The sailmaker agrees on the conditions that he never watches her make it and never asks Yukiko to make another one. He breaks both promises and Yukiko returns into a crane and flies away forever. Definitely sounds like something The Decemberists would pick up on...
Check out their tour dates at their site.
Be their friend!
10.08.2006
Cold War Kids
I love this band, and, surprisingly, I'm pretty sure Brad's going to love them, too. If you guys haven't picked up on this already, Brad leans toward the piano and I lean toward the guitar. The first thing I'll notice about a song is whether or not the guitar is any good, while Brad admires any piano cameo. The Cold War Kids have an equal share of both. Piano and guitar perfectly compliment and balance each other in each of their songs (just as Brad and I compliment and balance each other in life in general, wahoo). The Cold War Kids basically represent Both Sides of the Mouth, come to think of it...
Anyway, they're from Fullerton, California and their newest album Robbers and Cowards releases on October 10th. These songs are from the album, and they're all pretty upbeat and wonderful. My favorite is Red Wine, Success! and I think Brad's will be, too... Tell me if I'm right, Bradley...
mp3 Passing the Hat
mp3 Red Wine, Success!
Cold War Kids' Official site
Cold War Kids' Myspace
P.S. Thank you, Christopher.
Labels: SXSW '07
10.06.2006
Paul Brill
I shouldn't like Paul Brill. How can I listen to someone who's been quoted to say, "My goal is to have no guitar... I'd like to do a song without it...?" Yet even though I am a guitar-worshipper, I still find myself respecting, and even enjoying, Paul Brill and his music. If I had to pigeonhole Paul into one genre, I suppose it would be electronic folk. Somehow, he has found a way to take what would be a very typical folk song, strip it of its fundamental acoustic guitar, add electronical instrumentation, and still somehow keep its folk roots. This task, once seemingly impossible, is achieved by Paul Brill with apparent ease.
Paul is also a composer, creating scores for films such as The Trial of Darryl Hunt, The Devil Came on Horseback, and Darfur Pindemonium. His newest album, Harpooner, drops this November with a release party on the October 26th. So if you're in New York City and you want to check him out, head to Joe's Pub at 7:00 P.M. for a party and a performance with special guest, Essie Jain.
mp3 Paris is On
mp3 Paris is On (Jason Forrest mix)
mp3 Paris is On (Pinto remix)
mp3 Summer Cold
Paul Brill's Official site
Paul Brill's Myspace
10.05.2006
[Ben Kweller]
While Alina may be smitten with the likes of Andrew Bird, I've been particularly fond of a young fellow named Ben Kweller. Had I posted on Friday, it would have been over this guy. I remember the first time I saw a picture of Kweller - I thought that he must have been one of those gimmicky kid bands. Tha man, yes the man, barely looks a day over 18, yet Kweller, holding an ID verifying his actual mid-2os status, has been churning out his pop melodies for quite a bit of time. Adhering to the requirement that all lives be laced with a string of irony, Kweller shows a very mature prose and point of view in much of his work despite his youthful appearance and rather young age. Now I think it can be said that Kweller just gets better with age. I know I just said that about a guy only in his twenties, but when you stop to take a gander at his discography, Kweller's just increased in musical maturity and anchored his identity as a young musician in the progress from Sha Sha to On My Way to his latest, Ben Kweller. Ben Kweller follows his usual paradoxical complex, simplistic style, though this time he's a bit heavier set on the use of keys. I've only heard a few songs, but it seems to be a very good album.From Ben Kweller's Self Titled Album (all songs are right click - save as):
Magic
Penny On The Train Track
Thirteen
Various Ben Kweller Songs:
Wasted & Ready
Check out more info on this guy at the Ben Kweller site.
Be his friend!
10.04.2006
The Inner Banks
What do The Inner Banks look like? My searches have been futile, and this is the only picture I could get representing the band. But just in case you were wondering, The Inner Banks is composed of a married couple which is itself composed of multi-instrumentalist David Gould and singer/songwriter Caroline Schutz. The two have been on the music scene for years before The Inner Banks, in bands such as The Bootleg Remedy and Folk Songs For The Afterlife, the latter in which they met and fell in loooove. They're looking to drop their self-titled debut album on December 5 which showcases a shitload of other debuting artists and past members of The Bootleg Remedy. So yes, keep your eyes and ears out.Their sound reminds me a bit of Tunng and the soundtrack for The Secret Garden, the movie. It's basically slowmotion karate in the fields again. Really pretty with acoustic guitars and slides and gentle echoey voices. All in all, the sound is mature, a bit eery, delicate, and painstakingly crafted.
mp3 Acoustic
mp3 Glittering Sky
The Inner Banks' Myspace
10.02.2006
Andrew Bird
I am in love with Andrew Bird. He has such an endearing witty quality about him, a propensity for quirky pictures, a knack for knowing just the right thing to say. And I haven't even started talking about his music yet. His music is simple and delicate. Soft violins, even softer guitars, and a tattoo of drum beats comprise the instrumental segment of his music. Andrew's gentle, unassuming tenor voice provides the perfect vocal match. Once again, I am in love with Andrew Bird.His latest album is Andrew Bird & The Mysterious Production of Eggs. Its songs are much like stories, with heartfelt narratives and instrumentals reminiscent of a gypsy-infested countryside. All minor harmonies and wavering melodies and slowly strummed chords and sliding strokes of violin. His sound is broadening with this record, and consequently my affection for him is growing.
mp3 A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head
mp3 Measuring Cups
Andrew Bird's Offical site
Note: Goodness gracious, there is a general lack of contest entries. Fine, fine, fine, you don't have to answer the questions. Simply send us your address in an e-mail with CONTEST as the subject, and hopefully you will be rewarded with Carnavas.
*disgruntled muttering*
10.01.2006
[Everything Absent Or Distorted]
Well guys, I get to herald a new week for you, and since ending a week is always better than starting one, I thought I'd add a few more rays to your Sunday sunshine with Everything Absent or Distorted and start your week with a little bit more happy. Now a few of you by now can probably name off my sucker points - handclaps, chorusing...ya' know the lot. Well nestled in all that happy are large and/or multi-instrumental groups - AiH, I'm From Barcelona, Anathallo. Once you get past four members and yield more than 6 instruments, you're no longer a band; you're a parade. Everything Absent or Distorted are a septet from Denver, Colorado, and they, my friends, are your Sunday parade. Like a parade, Everything Absent or Distorted start off distant down the Main Street of your mind and slowly build their way to full force only to dwindle back down as they touch the horizon - oh well, it has to stop sometime. Bubbling away with their pop rock charm, Everything Absent or Distorted hopefully tips your balance towards a good week. That's it for now - see ya again on Tuesday...From Everything Absent or Distorted's The Soft Civil War (all songs are right click - save as):
Still Life With Machine Gun
Yards and Docks
The Exit Parade
Check out more from these guys at the EAOD site.
Be their friend!
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Otherwheres - Just a general question to all of you, but does the blog load sorta screwy for you? Images are where they should be, size they should be, fit the column - things of that sort. I checked the blog out on a different computer using internet explorer and the site looked lousy. Comments appreciated as always...
Otherwheres - Nathaniel over at IGIF questions the promiscuity of Sexyback and questions if it's his temporary estrogen high...
Otherwheres - Well hey now, Dodge has been recently tipped to The Archie Bronson Outfit...
Otherwheres - Matt at YANP proclaims a new Sufjan with his new tunage Majesty Snowbird...
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