2.29.2008
[MGMT]
"I'm feelin' rough; I'm feelin' raw; I'm in the prime of my life."

As SXSW as these posts should be, my posts this week inadvertently ended up being kinda Fun Fun Fun Fest in nature. Like the other two groups I posted this week, I first caught MGMT in that small park in November, and since then, these guys have been heavy on my playlists. I think it's just pronounced "management" but nothing's gonna break my habit of individually enunciating each letter at this point. Based in the ever-popular artist mecca that is Brooklyn, MGMT has gone from a duo playing covers under a student-run college label to a touring quintet under big boy label Columbia Records. To me, MGMT's music represents the product of scoring the lives and dreams of Mario and other pixelated heroes of old. All right, so maybe not - especially since I don't really see Mario moving to Paris and marrying models while Luigi mans "the island and the cocaine and the elegant cars." I still see some justification in my opinion though. The electronic aspect of their tunage is enough to keep me entertaining the idea of them scoring a Mario biopic. MGMT's sound, progressively unique and impressively mature, tends to hold a certain fantasy-realm aura to it all - fans of Of Montreal ought to like these guys. SXSW-bound, be sure to catch one of their events...

Various Songs from MGMT (all songs are right click - save as):
Kids
Time To Pretend

Get more info over at the MGMT site.
Be their friend!

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Otherwheres - Taco stand! Bounce House! The party always starts with Party Ends!, head on over and join them under their big top on the 13th...

Otherwheres - Because no one can do it better, Nothing But Green Lights gives a run-down of the goodage coming over from his side of the Atlantic. And for clarification, we're quite green and not very deserty at all...

Otherwheres - It's leap day! Granting those who are officially 84 the ability to drink under the technicality of finally being 21...

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Published at 12:28 PM by Brad aka Penguin.
2 comments
2.27.2008
[Small Sins]
"You don't need another vice. Let's sleep alone and meet some other night."

As evidenced by the hard indentation of numbers in the frame, I've kind of had this post in queue ever since my Number Mix way back in November. With that in mind, I thought it'd be okay to break all this SXSW postage and finally, finally talk about the Small Sins. Based out of Toronto, Small Sins is a quintet that's anything but small in character and gives me even more reasons to love Canada. I first caught these guys at Fun Fun Fun Fest and praised them for picking up and dusting off my day so that I could go and play again. Headed up by Thomas D'Arcy, the band's latest album, apparently, carries a gun reference in nearly every track. D'Arcy's no enthusiast of the shiny, metal things that go "Bang! Ratatat! Bang!", but his propensity to allude to them is still pretty understandable - a loaded gun does carry a sense of antici...pation that just drowns you in anxiety. It's this edge-walking that characterizes many of their songs. Teetering and tottering on a crooked, shaky line of glittery electronics and pop goodness, you're bound to fall for these guys.

From Small Sins' Mood Swings (all songs are right click - save as):
It Keeps Me On My Toes
What Your Baby's Been Doin'

Check out more at the Small Sins site.
Be their friend!

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Otherwheres - Austinist announces that they're going official with their SXSW going-ons this year...

Otherwheres - Covert Curiosity reminds you to start planning if you're headed 'round these parts mmhrmm...

Otherwheres - Try to not to mess with Texas at Mess With Texas 2 at Waterloo Park - laughter and tunage abound...

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Published at 12:12 PM by Brad aka Penguin.
1 comments
2.25.2008
[White Denim]
"Hey! Say What! What?! I wanna do it!"

You may already know about the goofy kids above. These boys have stirred up quite a bit of excitement over the past few months, and I kick myself knowing I'm one that's yet to chatter about White Denim, especially since they're local. Yes, yes - these guys hail from Austin, or as they like to call, "Daustin." That alone really shows this group's demeanor. They're just a rambunctious set of kiddos and reflect this on what they do by ravaging their tunage with said rambunctiousness. It's loud, vigorous, and anything but static - it's downright ruckus music. February might place my post late, but there's some appropriateness in it. This month officially marks them as two years old - happy birthday! Hard to believe they've only played together for that short a span; these guys have the dynamics of a band that's played together for years. At the end of it all, these guys' synergy can probably be attributed to the fact that, in essence, White Denim is just three friends having a hell of a time. They're SXSW bound - be sure to catch whatever the hell they do...

Various Songs From White Denim (all songs are right click - save as):
Mess Your Hair Up
ShakeShakeShake
Let's Talk About It

Learn more at the White Denim site.
Be their friend!

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Otherwheres - Just have to give a big thanks to Aubrey Edwards for letting me use her always-wonderful photography - the gal does wonders with film and a lens...

Otherwheres - The Hot Freaks party for SXSW has been officially announced...

Otherwheres - Spoon's Britt Daniel dabbles in some remixing with Feist, look to IGIF...

Otherwheres - Lots at Party Ends!...

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Published at 11:58 AM by Brad aka Penguin.
4 comments
2.08.2008
[The Blue Van]
"I have love. Oh, I will travel."

I really have to cut down on saying how surprised I am by certain aspects of some band. It may have gotten to the point where some of you out there might think I have a constant look of shock on my face. Honestly though, these guys just aren't something I would stamp "Danish" all over. On the other hand, I have no idea what I would stamp "Danish" all over, save for maybe...a viking? Based out of Copenhagen, however, The Blue Van is a quartet that most certainly is Danish all over - well, save for maybe their sound. That aspect, I believe, is quite a bit more Americana. Akin to the sound of The Early Tapes [post], The Blue Van play with the inspiration of the bygone era of incense and peppermints. And why wouldn't they? Given their start in the ruralities of Denmark, these boys only had each other and some old vinyl to be inspired by. These guys have been together since they were 12 - talk about BFF power. Or maybe it's some other power? They proclaim a lot of love for their individual instruments, one of which is an organ they found gathering dust and chicken feathers in some barn. It almost gets me thinkin' maybe this band takes power from their instruments the way He-Man would get all manly-man upon grabbing his sword. Whatever it is, The Blue Van is gritty and raw, at times sounding like a live recording. Open this time capsule up and groove a bit to The Blue Van...

Various Songs From The Blue Van (all songs are right click - save as):
Revelation of Love
Have Love, Will Travel

These guys are playing SXSW, check out more info at The Blue Van site.
Be their friend!

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Otherwheres - It's too bad this diagram of Northern Europe doesn't give me much explanation on what to stamp "Danish"...

Otherwheres - Tag! Thanks to that handy, handy list, we can start tagging bands with a SXSW '08 label...

Otherwheres - Looks like everyone's a bit list happy, IGIF's got your run-down on the 2008 Bonnaroo lineup...

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Published at 12:12 PM by Brad aka Penguin.
2 comments
2.07.2008
[The List]
The list....it's here.

2008 SXSW Music Lineup

Thanks to the Austinist for the heads up. More on all this later. I've got some studying to do...

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No Otherwheres For This Post Guys

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Published at 8:28 PM by Brad aka Penguin.
1 comments
2.05.2008
[The Battle Royale]
"I never knew where you were from, but I loved you, loved you like I never loved anyone."

Both sans the cheese and otherwise known as "The Battle Quarter-Pounder" here in the States, The Battle Royale add on to the already spectacular roster of Afternoon Records. This playful quartet, based out of Minneapolis, is not all too far off in demeanor from the last band I featured, We All Have Hooks For Hands. Not entirely sure if I'm surprised by that, they share the same label. A label whose logo sports a big, Loco Roco-esque happy sun. Yes, my friends, The Battle Royale is more happy music - happy music with a great sense of uncertainty almost. The Battle Royale pull familiar aspects of their genre and place it all back in such a refreshing order. At any casual listen, it sounds like any other track, but I get this underlying feeling of how I felt when I first listened to this kind of stuff. It's familiar, playful, sweet - music you just want to be friends with...

Various Songs From The Battle Royale (all songs are right click - save as):
Oh Martha
Scream Scream

Learn more at the Battle Royale site.
Be their friend!

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Otherwheres - It occurred to me the other day that SXSW is not as far away as it seems anymore. With that in mind, I'm gonna try to cover more SXSW bands these days and work up anything I hear about that always amazing fest (tip me on anything you hear too!)...

Otherwheres - It seems Daft Punk has gotten into the bank robbery business...

Otherwheres - It's Hot Chip Tuesday over at Party Ends!, head on over for a chance to win some Hot Chip goodness...
Published at 1:28 PM by Brad aka Penguin.
3 comments