7.28.2007
[Gogol Bordello + And The Winner Is]
"First I might have read the Bible, it had struck me as unwitty. I think it may have started rumor that the Lord ain't got no humor."It occurred to me the other day that I ask if I'm crazy for liking a certain artist or group a lot on this blog, but I don't think I've ever meant it as much as I do now when I ask that question again for Gogol Bordello. If you haven't already assumed it from the picture above, Gogol Bordello is a group far from average, far from normal. Made up of a great deal of immigrants, Gogol Bordello embraces all aspects of the word "foreign".
With an array of instrumentation, most notably the use of the accordion and fiddle, the sound of Gogol Bordello is likened to one hell of a party going down at some secluded gypsy camp somewhere. In fact, their sound is so amazingly keen to that description that I have absolutely no reservations in calling this unhinged group "modern gypsies". Crazy antics, wildly paced rhythms, foreigners flying all over the place! Gogol Bordello is Fiddler on the Roof slapped silly while drunk on Main Street. I can't even begin to imagine this group's stage presence. The pictures alone of Gogol Bordello's live events pretty much melts my face off. I feel like these guys would be the ones entertaining me had I lived behind the Iron Curtain in some Commie Russian satellite state.
Now here's where I come down a little. I'm gonna be honest, when I was first introduced to this group, I just absolutely knew I would never listen to them again. About 30 seconds into the video for Start Wearing Purple, I closed the window and had no intentions to come back to it or anything else in his discography. No more than 15 minutes later the chorus from Start Wearing Purple danced around in my brain, and I was hooked. So I'm gonna admit, you may not be keen on to this group at first, but if you're not back in less than 15 minutes downloading these tracks, you're just as crazy as these guys are...
From Super Taranta! (all songs are right click - save as):
From Gypsy Punks:
Gogol Bordello is currently touring the homeland, check out their site for more info.
Be their friend!
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Otherwheres - Congratulations to the winner of Monthstravaganza! Anna Ferrero, look to your mailbox...Otherwheres - Never one to hold back from throwing a good party, Party Ends teamed up with the Austinist to throw a Summer Extrav-o-ganza...
Otherwheres - We've only got about a week left of peskering you about our own event at Emo's on August 2nd, so I'm gonna keep going with it. Go!
7.26.2007
The National
"'Cause they're gonna be cool happy genius heroes. I'm gonna miss them so much."The National! Why, oh why, did it take me so long to get turned on to the National. Maybe I overlooked them because I was already a listener of Grand National. I'm prone to doing things like that -- I thought Rise Against was a watered-down version of Rage Against the Machine with less members or something. Fuck, bands should make distinctive names. Like have you realized how many bands have days of the week in them? Taking Back Sunday, Thursday, Sunday's Best (whoot)... Hmm... I'm sure there's more...
Anyway, none of that really matters because, in the end, The National and I are now bosom buddies in my head. The first thing that got me was the almost Grandpa Cash-mature voice. Like that one song Johnny came out with right before he died... the one that got nominated for a Grammy... The second thing that got me was the lyrics. I'll admit that a lot of the time it's hard to decipher what the lyrics really are, 'cause sometimes Grandpa Cash doesn't enunciate all too well, but the words I could pull out of the song are really poignant. Case in point: "Don't make me cry/Everything you say has water under it." Sung in that deep, Mr. Man voice, all the lyrics sound almost Shakespearean.
Well The National's touring a lot this year. Check their Myspace and official site for more info. Also, their newest album Boxer is out now, and I highly recommend it. Listen to the posted mp3s ("Green Gloves" and "Squalor Victoria" are off of Boxer; the others are B-sides/demos) and get turned on to another great "national" band.
Haven't posted four songs in a while...
mp3 Squalor Victoria
mp3 Santa Clara
mp3 Blank Slate
mp3 Green Gloves
[The National's Myspace][The National's Official site]
Extensive tour listing on both sites. Too long to put up here.
Extensive tour listing on both sites. Too long to put up here.
--
Soyea August 2nd. Emo's. Great Northern & The Comas. Be there. We will be.
Soyea Animal Collective's recent performance at London's Coronet Theatre is sitting in its entirety in a convenient little zip file at IGIF.
Soyea August 2nd. Emo's. Great Northern & The Comas. Be there. We will be.
Soyea Animal Collective's recent performance at London's Coronet Theatre is sitting in its entirety in a convenient little zip file at IGIF.
7.21.2007
Rilo Kiley
"And if I get pregnant, I guess I'll just have the baby. Let it be loved, let me be loved."If I give the upcoming statement more thought, it may or may not still reveal itself as true, but, right now, I can confidently say that I have never heard a more versatile voice than that of Jenny Lewis. You know her from The Postal Service, Cursive, and her widely acclaimed solo album with the Watson Twins, but her work with Rilo Kiley is most important -- Jenny's work outside the band lacks the dexterity she so cunningly showcases within the band. You have to listen to the three posted songs to get what I'm talking about. She's almost saccharine in "Does He Love You?," as she croons about a forbidden affair with a married man as the homewrecker, directed at the homewreckee. Sweet and soulful, you wouldn't guess that the same voice could crank out "The Moneymaker." Hushed, sultry, and with definite sex appeal, Jenny takes a pre-Danny Zuko/post-Danny Zuko transformation with this song off Rilo Kiley's soon-to-be-released album, Under the Blacklight. And then there's the Emmy Lou Harris side of Jenny who makes a frequent appearance with songs like "More Adventurous." With an audible twang and lilt to her voice, she rivals today's country divas for the title of Prettiest Voice. So are the different voices of the multi-faceted Jenny Lewis.
But of course, of course, of course, a huge share of credit is due to Blake Sennett, Pierre de Reeder (what a good name), and Jason Boesel, or The Rest of the Band. I'll admit that many a time, it's as if the music they create is meant only as a simple background for Jenny's voice, but songs like "The Moneymaker" make me eat my own words. Although they can be simple and subdued, the band can also create the catchiest of riffs and beats and licks that awe and inspire. Under the Blacklight drops next month, and I'm looking forward to hearing more of the attitude and skill they display in their first single (which is, um, "The Moneymaker").
But of course, of course, of course, a huge share of credit is due to Blake Sennett, Pierre de Reeder (what a good name), and Jason Boesel, or The Rest of the Band. I'll admit that many a time, it's as if the music they create is meant only as a simple background for Jenny's voice, but songs like "The Moneymaker" make me eat my own words. Although they can be simple and subdued, the band can also create the catchiest of riffs and beats and licks that awe and inspire. Under the Blacklight drops next month, and I'm looking forward to hearing more of the attitude and skill they display in their first single (which is, um, "The Moneymaker").
Upcoming Shows
Aug 15 Venue TBA Hamburg
Aug 16 Pukkelpop Music Festival Hasselt
Aug 18 V Festival Stafford
Aug 19 V Festival Chelmsford
Aug 20 Islington Academy London
Aug 21 Academy 3 Manchester
Aug 22 Rescue Rooms Nottingham
Aug 24 Tivoli Utrecht
Aug 26 Prime Club Koln
Aug 27 Lido Berlin
Aug 28 Ampere Munich
Aug 30 Noveau Casino Paris
Aug 31 Academy 2 Birmingham
Sep 1 Connect Festival Argyll, Scotland
Sep 2 Electric Picnic Stradbally
mp3 Does He Love You?
mp3 The Moneymaker
mp3 More Adventurous
Very risqué video for "The Moneymaker"
[Rilo Kiley's Myspace][Rilo Kiley's Official site]
--
Soyea I know we've been harping about it for a while now, but make sure to come out to Emo's on Aug. 2nd for the show we're throwing featuring Great Northern and The Comas.
Soyea I know we've been harping about it for a while now, but make sure to come out to Emo's on Aug. 2nd for the show we're throwing featuring Great Northern and The Comas.
7.18.2007
[Fujiya & Miyagi]
"Got to get a new pair of shoes to kick it with her, not kick it with you."Whether it comes to you as disappointment or not, Fujiya & Miyagi isn't actually Japanese. In fact, Fujiya & Miyagi isn't even a duo (unless you always count the ampersand). Deception aside, Fujiya & Miyagi actually take to stage as three track jacket-clad, reebok-wearing guys from Brighton, UK, and together, they provide infectiously good tunage. Forming under a moniker inspired by a Japanese record player brand and the all-knowing Mr. Miyagi, Fujiya & Miyagi produces a sound that showcases a merging of genres - electronic, hip-hop, rock. At it's heart, Fujiya & Miyagi is dance music. Granted, you won't be raving to them or anything, but you'll undoubtedly find yourself moving to their sound. The vocals dance along to the beat in an effortless whisper; the synths makes sure things are flowing while the bass line keeps the sound rigid. Fujiya & Miyagi packages a sound that's geometric, funky and sleek. The trio just about wrapped up workings in the US and have scattered dates around Europe this fall.
From Transparent Things (all songs are right click - save as):
From Uh Single:
Learn more about upcoming tour dates at the Fujiya & Miyagi site.
Be their friend!
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Otherwheres - IGIF Connor put up a slurry of rarities, b-sides and demos in The Ones That Got Away, Vol 2...
Otherwheres - Matt over at YANP just got back from Pitchfork, can you guess what's on his blog?
Otherwheres - Those kids at Party Ends sure know how to throw things. If you're in my area of Austin and the immediate beyond, join them over at Electrorama this Tuesday - it's freeee...
Otherwheres - Speaking of shindigs, let's not forget about the one the two of us here at Both Sides are throwing on August 2nd at Emo's. It's a Thursday and the Office is off-season - so join us cause we know you've got nothing better to do...
7.16.2007
Low Line Caller
Last Thursday, Brad and a few friends and I headed down to Mohawk to celebrate Brad's birthday by watching one of our favorite bands, Starlight Mints. The two opening bands were The Separation and Low Line Caller. Neither Brad nor I enjoyed The Separation at all. In the middle of their set, we looked at each other and both of us had screwed-up faces of unenjoyment. Low Line Caller, however, was a different story entirely. I kept on freaking out while they were playing, going, "Ohmigod, Brad, I love this band," "Holy shit, Brad, they have two drummers, look," "Ohmigod, Brad, I have to post on this band," "Holy fuck, Brad, what are they even called." In the noisy environment we were in, I first thought they were called Moonlight Colors. Seventy million tries later, I finally got it. Low Line Collar! Then Brad had to mime talking on a phone instead of grasping at his neckline, and yea, then I really got it. Low Line Caller!
Well, like I said, they blew my mind. I have to say I like them a whole lot more live, and I must admit I was slightly disappointed upon hearing their recorded tracks. They're like The Noisettes in that way. When I saw them with TV On the Radio, I thought the Noisettes were the shit. But upon arriving home and downloading their music, it was just, "Oh..." I'll always love Low Line Caller for lifting me out of my lack of bliss after The Separation's set though. The drumming hit me first. From where I was sitting on the second floor, I could only see one drummer. But the beats I heard were so crazy, I was kind of tripped out. But alas, upon leaning a little over the railing, I found yet another drummer! I thought that was so cool. Both drummers lay down different beats, but they have a way of complementing each other perfectly to create a whole 'nother rhythm that's simply hypnotic. The lead guitar is also really hypnotic. The riffs are repetitive to say the least, but I guess that's one of the key elements of an instrumental band. A vocalist would step out for a couple songs, and I thought he was amazing. Once again, once I heard him via computer, I was not so impressed, but the stage quality he had that night was fabulous. They're not even two years old yet, so they've got a lot ahead of them. Hopefully, they'll stay an Austin band and not leave us for any amount of time (ahem, Spoon). But either way, I'm really excited to see what they crank out for us in the future.
mp3 Over the Counter Kids
mp3 It's Like I Think We're About to Leave
7.13.2007
[BSOTM Contest: Bishop Allen Monthstravaganza Contest Redux]
"Page after page that measured the months and marshaled the days..."It occurred to me the other day that it's been quite a long while since the two of us here at Both Sides showed some lovin' for our readers. So, without further ado, behold our lovin'. If you've been reading our blog for a while, you'll remember that way back in September we held a contest for 7 EPs from Bishop Allen's EP-A-Month project. Well, that's all they had released back then, so we were quite content with giving away those seven. Nowadays, they have all 12 - one for each calendar month of the year. Oh yes, you know what we're giving away. We're putting up for grabs not one, not two, not even seven but ALL TWELVE of the EPs put out by Bishop Allen. Holy kabloomers, and we thought we were being generous back then with seven.
Contest Over - Congratulations Anna Ferrero!
So what's the reason behind this altruistic charitableness? Do we really love you that much? Sure, that can be one reason, but this contest really comes in as a form of celebration. During our hiatus, Both Sides of the Mouth silently celebrated it's one year birthday. One year? 12 months? 12 EPs? Ah, it all ties together, but yeah, we're one year old! I don't think either of us here at Both Sides would have figured to keep up this long, but how time flies. As always, thanks for reading guys, and we hope this contest shows that appreciation.
From February (all songs are right click - save as):
From March:
From May:
From July:
Bishop Allen are actually going on tour soon, so be sure to check out their site for more info.
Be their friend!
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Otherwheres - Thanks to *sixeyes for this find - Britt Daniel talks about Ga Ga on eMusic...
Otherwheres - Party Ends is teaming up with, among others, the Austinist to throw one heck of a shindig. Party barge, eh?
Otherwheres - Speaking of shindigs, notice that new banner on our side? That's right, Both Sides is throwing one too! If you're in Austin August 2nd, feel free to pop by for some music from Great Northern and the Comas. More details, eh later...
Otherwheres - As an advocate of hand clapping, I really have to point out Covert Curiosity's hand clapping mix...
7.08.2007
[Spoon: Album Review]
"Betcha' got it all planned right. Betcha' never worry, never even feel a fright."For anyone that's been reading this blog a while, it should come as no surprise that I'm quite fond of the Austin quartet that is Spoon - a band that, I feel, needs no introduction. At that, let's just jump right into Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. Now when it comes to Spoon's discography, one of the things I've come to love is the lasting quality of each album. Call it bias, but I honestly think it's impossible to wear out any of their albums. Every listen evokes the same things you experienced when you first listened to the song, and on the occasion a song does get old, it doesn't just get old; it goes classic. To me, Gimme Fiction feels like it was released just a couple months ago let alone two years, so when news of Ga Ga hit my ears, I was honestly surprised. Additionally, when I heard the band's sixth album would go under a title like Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, I was a little bit worried. After giving the album a thorough listen though, I see that there's nothing to worry about and that Spoon has once again topped themselves when it comes to their craft.
Ironically, for an album that's titled with such a babying sound, Ga Ga has become what I've affectionately come to call, "Spoon for grownups." Now, don't worry. When I use the term "grownups" my dear children, I'm not referring to it as something your parents ought to start listening to and, you know, turning uncool. No, no - what I'm saying is Ga Ga is matured. It's an album that definitely shows how Spoon's grown over the years, and the most astonishing part about Ga Ga is that it shows how Spoon's managed to reinvent themselves in a way that takes all the parts of their past and bundles it into a new package. Ga Ga definitely has a sense of the previous albums. By taking their past into their present, Spoon's molded an impressive sound and in turn, created some great tunage. Don't hesitate to pick this up when it hits shelves this Tuesday.
From Spoon's Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (All Songs Are Right Click - Save As):
And A Little Something I Picked Up At South By A Few Years Ago:
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Otherwheres - This is a rather quiet way to mention it, but a few days ago Both Sides of the Mouth turned a whole year old!
Otherwheres - Going on with blog news, we have a host and stuff now! Feel free to download to your heart's content because we've got a shitload of bandwidth now. At that, all of the old posts are just gonna lose their mp3s, we're gonna go ahead and let our old Fileden accounts just slowly wither away into cancellation.
Otherwheres - Covert Curiosity has some Octopus Project news...
Otherwheres - And with even more news, Matt over at YANP has some great news for you Bishop Allen fans...
7.06.2007
Animal Collective
So sorry about the wait. Brad and I have finally managed a way to keep our songs up for more than four days! I know it must've been frustrating for you guys, and believe me, it was frustrating on our end as well, but thankfully the "bandwidth exceeded" days are over!
Now. Onto Animal Collective. So our friend Shadid turned me on... to the band, saying they sounded like "Mew on speed." Honestly, I think they sound nothing like Mew, but I do get the drug reference-- Animal Collective produces some of the trippiest music I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. The first song I heard was "Who Could Win a Rabbit?" off of their fifth album, Sung Tongs, and I literally laughed out loud upon hearing it, not because it was "haha" funny or anything, but because it was so weird yet so good at the same time. I guess that's the simplest way I could explain the band: weird yet good.
Ridiculously experimental, incorporating exotic themes and environmental noises in their music, Animal Collective's four members all come with two names. David Portner (Avey Tare), Noah Lennox (Panda Bear), Josh Dibb (Deakin), and Brian Weitz (Geologist) were all schoolmates and friends in Baltimore, Maryland when they started recording material together. Although eventually splitting up to attend college, they kept their music alive by fusing their own homemade recordings together and releasing the tracks off their own labels. Now, seven years after their start, Animal Collective runs the label Paw Tracks, a conglomeration of their previous home labels, which releases their material along with that of bands such as The Peppermints and Terrestrial Tones.
Animal Collective will be touring extensively for the remainder of the year. Check their Myspace for the dates!
mp3 Grass
mp3 Who Could Win a Rabbit?
mp3 Prospect Hummer
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