3.27.2007
South By Revisited
SXSW has come and gone. *sniff* It might very well have been my last South By for a while too... I'm going to school in Baltimore next fall, and I probably won't be able to come home save for Christmas and summers. But this year the chance was seized, I had a great time, and now that I'm rested and rejuvenated, it's time for my SXSW RECAP!!!
The first band I saw this year was none other than Dirty On Purpose. I only got to catch "Light Pollution" before being whisked away to catch Lily Allen at Waterloo Records, but it was still a great start to the festival. They sound pretty much identical live as they do on their record, which in and of itself was impressive. Seeing as how I only saw them for about five minutes, this is all I'll really say. "Light Pollution" is posted below.
mp3 Light Pollution
mp3 Monument
Theeen I caught a few bands at Emo's. I arrived when The Ponys were finishing their set, then got to hear a glorious 45 minutes or so of RJD2. They are so much better live than they are recorded. Their music's so pumped up and jam-worthy already, that actually being in front of them as they played made the music ten times better. My favorites by far were "The Horror" and "Ghostwriter" which are two must-haves for any musical library. Each band member switched instruments after almost every song, making me wonder... I should start a one woman guitar/violin/trombone/piano band...
mp3 The Horror
mp3 Ghostwriter
After RJD2, Menomena headed onstage. After their set, I heard a couple crowd members saying the band sounded empty. I wouldn't quite say they were empty -- I mean there was a lot going on what with the bass pedals and saxes and three different sets of xylophones and bells, but out of the four bands I saw that day, they were my least favorite. I love them to death, but their music was a lot more enjoyable to me via headphones. Better luck next season!
mp3 Wet and Rusting
Girl Talk was fucking insane. He definitely had a posse, but unlike those of the better known hip hop artists of our time, his kind of just hung out on the sides of the stage, enjoying the show. They really didn't have to contribute much though, 'cause he was all over the place. Diving into the crowd, knocking my face with his palm, stealing people's sunglasses, rubbing people's hair... I guess he needs to do all that to keep us involved. 'Cause I mean, really, all he had to do was do a little clicky clicky on his laptop. All that was onstage was a table, his laptop, and him. But my god, it was like a fucking dance club. People were bumping and grinding all over the place, screaming at the tops of their lungs once they recognized a cut of a favorite song, throwing previously distributed tissue paper circles into the air for theatrical effect... The best was saved for last, and I must say, Girl Talk rocked my socks off.
mp3 Hold Up
mp3 Bounce That
The first band I saw this year was none other than Dirty On Purpose. I only got to catch "Light Pollution" before being whisked away to catch Lily Allen at Waterloo Records, but it was still a great start to the festival. They sound pretty much identical live as they do on their record, which in and of itself was impressive. Seeing as how I only saw them for about five minutes, this is all I'll really say. "Light Pollution" is posted below.mp3 Light Pollution
mp3 Monument
Theeen I caught a few bands at Emo's. I arrived when The Ponys were finishing their set, then got to hear a glorious 45 minutes or so of RJD2. They are so much better live than they are recorded. Their music's so pumped up and jam-worthy already, that actually being in front of them as they played made the music ten times better. My favorites by far were "The Horror" and "Ghostwriter" which are two must-haves for any musical library. Each band member switched instruments after almost every song, making me wonder... I should start a one woman guitar/violin/trombone/piano band...mp3 The Horror
mp3 Ghostwriter
After RJD2, Menomena headed onstage. After their set, I heard a couple crowd members saying the band sounded empty. I wouldn't quite say they were empty -- I mean there was a lot going on what with the bass pedals and saxes and three different sets of xylophones and bells, but out of the four bands I saw that day, they were my least favorite. I love them to death, but their music was a lot more enjoyable to me via headphones. Better luck next season!mp3 Wet and Rusting
Girl Talk was fucking insane. He definitely had a posse, but unlike those of the better known hip hop artists of our time, his kind of just hung out on the sides of the stage, enjoying the show. They really didn't have to contribute much though, 'cause he was all over the place. Diving into the crowd, knocking my face with his palm, stealing people's sunglasses, rubbing people's hair... I guess he needs to do all that to keep us involved. 'Cause I mean, really, all he had to do was do a little clicky clicky on his laptop. All that was onstage was a table, his laptop, and him. But my god, it was like a fucking dance club. People were bumping and grinding all over the place, screaming at the tops of their lungs once they recognized a cut of a favorite song, throwing previously distributed tissue paper circles into the air for theatrical effect... The best was saved for last, and I must say, Girl Talk rocked my socks off.mp3 Hold Up
mp3 Bounce That
3.12.2007
Mika
If I had to compare Mika to any one singer, it would be Queen's late and great frontman, Freddie Mercury. Evidently, Mika agrees and sings about "[trying] a little Freddie" in his song "Grace Kelly." Whether this line further implies anything about a shared sexual orientation with Mr. Mercury, I can't say. Many swear by Mika's homosexuality, but he's been mum about it. But it don't matter -- Mika's so much more than his sexuality. His songs "Grace Kelly" and "Love Today" have graced the waves of MTV many a time and for good reason. Mika's sound is very much accessible and simply enjoyable to listen to. Dancey, fun, and quirky, his falsetto is also a hoot to impersonate. A strong melody is present in every one of his tunes, making his music perfect sing-along songs.
Take a listen and hear for yourself! You'll have him stuck in your head in no time.
Upcoming Shows
(sold out shows not included)
Apr. 4 Trabendo Paris
Apr. 6 Small Vega Denmark
Apr. 7 Berns Stockholm
Apr. 9 Klalkscheune Berlin
Apr. 10 Ampere Munich
Apr. 12 Magazzini Generali Milan
Apr. 13 TV Bremen
Apr. 29 Coachella Indigo, CA
May 11 Concorde 2 Brighton, South
May 13 Leeds University Leeds
May 14 Shepherd's Bush Empire London
May 16 Barrowlands Glasgow
May 17 Birmingham Academy Birmingham
Jul. 7 Oxegen Festival Dublin
Jul. 8 T in the Park Scotland
Aug. 18 V Festival Staffordshire, Midlands
Aug. 19 V Festival Chelmsford, London
mp3 Grace Kelly
mp3 Love Today
mp3 Relax, Take It Easy (the ending bit is really funny)
[Mika's Myspace][Mika's official site]
Video for "Grace Kelly"
Video for "Grace Kelly"
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Soyea today Brad and I attented the Bloggies. Unfortunately, we did not win for Best Teen Blog, but we sincerely thank all of you that voted for us. Next year, next year...
Soyea this will be the last post for this week. Brad and I will be taking some time off for spring break to go to SXSW and such. Have fun guys and tell us if you're also planning on attending South By!
Soyea today Brad and I attented the Bloggies. Unfortunately, we did not win for Best Teen Blog, but we sincerely thank all of you that voted for us. Next year, next year...
Soyea this will be the last post for this week. Brad and I will be taking some time off for spring break to go to SXSW and such. Have fun guys and tell us if you're also planning on attending South By!
3.08.2007
Kristoffer Ragnstam
I was shocked off my ass when I learned that Kristoffer Ragnstam, a potential American poster-musician, was actually not American at all. The bastard's from Sweden! Apart from his name, nothing would ever give me that impression. Remember Brad's Scandinavian mix? Ragnstam would be completely out of place on that list. And I think that's why so many people are into him now. He's different, he's new, and he's not one to fit any predisposed molds. He's Kristoffer Ragnstam. Fuck where he came from, he can sound American if he wants to. His music is pounding piano, rock & roll guitar riffs, some tenor sax, jazzy, swinging beats... a real classic sound. His latest album, Sweet Bills, may be his American debut, but you wouldn't be able to tell from listening to it. As far as his sound goes, he's American born and bred, a musician after his father who was a musician after his father way down the line to an old man who, maybe, possibly, could've stepped off a boat from Sweden.Upcoming Shows
Mar. 14 SXSW Austin, TX
Mar. 15 SXSW Austin, TX
Mar. 17 SXSW Austin, TX
Mar. 17 SXSW Austin, TX
Mar. 21 New Brookland Tavern Columbia, SC
Mar. 23 Bella Festa Wilmington, NC
Mar. 25 Hyperlink Richmond, VA
Mar. 29 The Manhattan Room Philadelphia, PA
Mar. 30 The Pussycat Lounge New York, NY
Apr. 1 IOTA Club & Cafe Arlington, VA
Apr. 2 Middle East Cafe Cambridge, MA
Apr. 3 The Khyber Philadelphia, PA
Apr. 4 Joe's Pub New York, NY
Apr. 5 Union Hall Brooklyn, NY
Apr. 8 Murphy's Memphis, TN
Apr. 10 The End Memphis, TN
Apr. 14 Rhino's Columbus, GA
Apr. 16 The Ole Mug Foley, AL
m4a Lonely Lane
m4a Man Overboard
3.06.2007
[The Fratellis]
"Clean out the bank and bump off your daddy. You can come live with us amongst the has-beens and the addicts. These are crazy times down at Costello Music. You can answer the phone anyway you choose it, come on."Remember these three ruffigans? Well surely, they're no stranger here [post]. The Fratellis are a Glasgow-based trio looking to offend you in the most welcomed way possible. Is there even such a thing as a welcomed pervert? A charming sleazebag? Quirky Quagmire? Giggity-giggity-giggity - these guys really are at heart just a couple of frat boys. Characterizing a mix of all the good things coming out of the British isles these days, the Fratellis managed to grab me with their fast-paced, guitar-driven tunae and overall quirkiness. Last time I talked about htese guys, they were clearly anchored to their berthage, but with plans to release their first full-length Costello Music in the States on March 13, the fellas have plans to make themselves a bit more known with a few, choice US shows. At ease boys, at ease.
Chelsea Dagger Vid
From The Fratellis' Costello Music (all songs are right click - save as):
Henrietta
Flathead
Chelsea Dagger
The boys have quite a few shows, US and European, coming up - learn more at their site.
Be their friend!
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Otherwheres - Filter Magazine is hosting a rather sweet day party for South By, and the Fratellis are among many great bands participating - be sure to get RSVP info at the Filter blog...
Otherwheres - I don't know how the hell Matt got to it before I did, but Spoon's got plans to do some shows in the spring. Check it out over at You Ain't No Picasso...
Otherwheres - Dodge over at MOKB is kind to point out that Neko Case booked some dates too...
Labels: SXSW '07
3.04.2007
Eleni Mandell
According to The New Yorker, Eleni Mandell is "perhaps the best unsigned artist in the business." Whuh-hoa. I wouldn't go that far, but she is undoubtedly a beautiful singer-songwriter. Each one of the dozen songs off her newest album, Miracle of Five, is poetically written and sung. Eleni's a crooner -- I'm a firm believer that she could cover most of Sinatra's songs convincingly if the opportunity presented itself (hint, hint to anyone this could possibly be a proactive hint to). With that said, her music is soft and slow, with a definite jazzy feel. With her person on acoustic guitar, a handful of other musicians are present both in the studio and onstage to complement her "smooth like honey" voice (pardon my Fiona). This includes a soft snare, delicate keys, and oftentimes an easy sax. Her voice, her guitar, and her musicians combine in an effortlessly charming sound that help anyone and everyone unwind at the end of the day.
Upcoming Shows (none in the States -- so sorry to my fellow Americans)
Mar. 7 Rote Sonne Munich
Mar. 8 WUK Vienna
Mar. 9 Kino Ebensee
Mar. 10 Rätschenmühle Geislingen
Mar. 11 Tap Tab Schaffhausen
Mar. 12 Palace St. Gallen
Mar. 13 Ziegel au Lac Zürich
Mar. 14 Belu Lézard Lausanne
Mar. 15 ISC Club Bern
Mar. 16 Jegelscheune Wendelstein
Mar. 17 Schlachthof Wels
Mar. 18 Brotfabrik Frankfurt
Mar. 20 Forum Bielefeld
Mar. 21 Quasimodo Berlin
Mar. 22 Star-Club Dresden
Mar. 23 Objekt 5 Halle
Mar. 25 Knust Hamburg
Mar. 26 Voxhall Aarhus
Mar. 27 Barns Stockholm
Mar. 28 Pumpenwerk Munster
Mar. 29 Kulturfabrik Krefeld
Mar. 30 Ekko Utrecht
Mar. 31 Roepaen Ottersum
Apr. 1 Botanique Bruxelles
Apr. 2 Paradiso Amsterdam
Apr. 3 The Troubador in London London
m4a Wings in His Eyes
m4a Make-Out King
[Eleni Mandell's Myspace][Eleni Mandell's official site]
Double the videos, double the fun!
Video for "Girls."
Video for "Make-Out King."
Video for "Girls."
Video for "Make-Out King."
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Soyea I did not know that Mentos + Coke= EXPLOSION!!! My friend, Harry (hi Harry), sent me a pretty intense video documenting many, many Mentos/Coke explosions. Yes, this is music-related -- the song in the background is pretty catchy. =) Here it is.
Soyea SXSW is so close I can taste it. Head here for an updated list of bands as of March 2 coming down to our humble little city, if you haven't already.
Soyea I did not know that Mentos + Coke= EXPLOSION!!! My friend, Harry (hi Harry), sent me a pretty intense video documenting many, many Mentos/Coke explosions. Yes, this is music-related -- the song in the background is pretty catchy. =) Here it is.
Soyea SXSW is so close I can taste it. Head here for an updated list of bands as of March 2 coming down to our humble little city, if you haven't already.
3.02.2007
[Sneaky Sound System]
"I've got lots of pictures in my head, you better not turn off the projector."Coming out of Sydney, Australia, Sneaky Sound System is a trio creating some highly-danceable tunage. How danceable? Think Cansei De Ser Sexy but more elecronic and equally sexy only they're not tired of it nor do I think they'll ever be. Before I go on, I'm gonna go ahead and admit it - Sneaky Sound System is club music. They've got too much semi-cheesy synth beats to not be used in clubs, but hell, I did say that they're highly danceable. On top of that, who the hell cares what they are if it's just goood? I'd listen to them in a box, with fox, in a house, with a mouse, here or there, and yes, anywhere for Brad I am and I just so happen to like...thaaam. When it comes to Sneaky Sound System's sound, it's just hard to resist moving to; it's spasms in sound waves, and I've been able to utilize 40 of 50 published chair dancing moves within their discography - highly impressive. While I'm in the habit of confessing things, Sneaky Sound System's choice vocals is one foxy lady. Sneaky released their self-titled debut album in Australia way back in August, plan to find this on American shores? Remember kids, we support local business for a reason...
From Sneaky Sound System (all songs are right click save as):
UFO
I Love It
Pictures
Smugly send thyself to the Sneaky Sound System site.
Be their friend!
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Otherwheres - Live track of a new Lovely Feathers song over at You Ain't No Picasso...
Otherwheres - It's a bit late for this now, but I can't go on without mentioning Covert Curiosity's latest installment to It Came From the UK...
Otherwheres - Skatterbrain Matt has some YouTubage of Maya Bond's "Cute Papa"...
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