Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Snakes On The Radio / Cover Songs


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Born Ruffians
This Sentence Will Ruin/Save Your Life (Acoustic)
Red Elephant
Red Elephant is from thier upcoming LP
Both tracks are from Aol's The Interface
TV On The Radio
Province (Stripped Down Version)
From Aol's The Interface
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Turn Into (Acoustic)
From Aol's The Interface
Granddaddy
Jeez Louise (Acoustic)
From Aol's The Interface
Cold War Kids
We Used To Vacation (Acoustic)
From Aol's The Interface
Grizzly Bear
Knife (Stripped Down Version)
On a Neck, On A Spit (Stripped Down)
Both From Aol's The Interface
Islands
Volcanoes
Dont Call Me Whitney, Bobby ”Cut and Screwed Version”
Both Tracks from ISLANDS WIUX Indiana sessions
Dr Dog
I Cant Fly
Worst Trip
Both tracks were featured on Daytrotter

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Also From The Radio/Inernet showcases
Cat Power
Ramblin Man (Hank Williams cover)
Satisfaction (Rolling Stones Cover)
Both From Aol's The Interface
Cold War Kids
All I Want (Joni Mitchell cover)
From Aol's The Interface
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
You Should Be With Me (The Rentals cover)
From Aol's The Interface
Jose González
Heartbeats (The Knife cover)
From Aol's The Interface
Islands
Waterloo Sunset (The Kinks cover)
from ISLANDS WIUX Indiana sessions

Handsome Furs Plague Park


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The duo of Handsome Furs began as an idea in the winter of 2006, comprised of Montreal residents Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade) and his fiancée, Alexei Perry. Dark and minimal while noisy and earnest, the point was to be as sparse and repetitive as possible with the help of little more than vocals, guitars, and a new drum machine. Through this, songs of earthbound captains, eggs made of gold and iron, and sleepless bodies were born. Boeckner’s disenchanted vocals thinly resonate while cloaked in a frenzied undertone of fear and uncertainty, all punctuated by bare drum machine beats. Through the course of each track, a deep-seated sense of longing is leveled out by staunch realism as a restless disdain for both urban life and smaller towns collide. Handsome Furs toured Europe before having recorded any songs, and has since opened for the likes of Paavoharju, Islaja, David Cross and Modest Mouse without having released a proper record. Recorded at Wolf Parade’s studio, Mount Zoomer, in the heart of December, Plague Park is their debut. It is a record of melancholic tendency and heartfelt desire; a stripped down symphony relegated between city and country, and made for ears of either side. Plague Park is out on May 22! Here is a song from it...
Handsome Furs Hate This City

Monday, February 26, 2007

Woody Guthrie's - Songs to Grow on for Mother and Child


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This Album is alot of fun... and is one of my favorites so listen to some key tracks from it
Wash-y Wash Wash
I Want My Milk (I Want It Now)
Bling-Blang
I'll Eat You, I'll Drink You

Friday, February 23, 2007

Without Wolf Parade....

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At least there's Sunset Rubdown and Handsome Furs
Apistat Commander (Sunset Rubdown)
From the new Xiu Xiu (Remixes and Covers) album
01 Hearts of Iron (New Demo)
Different from the one I posted before

Monday, February 19, 2007

Think About Life Rarities


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Here are a collection of demos/early mixes/Bsides from Think About Life.
Serious Chords
ancient missles
Classic Bastion
Foul Line Drunk
Snowee Caterpillar
Friendship Cove
Stay In School
sugar gurl (In Her Hands)
Think About Life ft. Subtitle (This Is Not A Love Song)

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Some Pretty Darn Good Songs


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Dishwasher (lead singer of Think Ablout Life side project)
Best Friends
Dr Dog (from We All Belong)
Alaska
Handsome Furs (Live Ottawa)
Hearts of Iron
Frog Eyes (from Tears of the Valedictorian lp)
Caravan Breakers They Prey on the Weak and the Old
Museum Pieces (2007)
Stayed Too Long
Thom Yorke (from Spitting Feathers ep)
A Rat's Nest
Patrick Watson (from Close to Paradise lp)
Giver
Blind Melon (Live from Vancouver)
Car Seat
Socalled (from Ghetto Blaster lp)
You Are Never Alone

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

The Arcade Fire descend on nyc



last night was the first of 5 shows at judson memorial church...

the inside of the church is huge...the walls are this pale blue and the stained glass windows are beautiful..there was a balcony at the way back where i assume the choir sings from....there is also a huge pipe organ up there that i really wish could be used during the show...here is the setlist:

Keep the Car Running
Antichrist Television Blues!
Black Mirror
Poupee De Cire
No Cars Go
Haiti
Black Wave
My Body is a Cage
Neon Bible
Power Out
Rebellion
Intervention
The Well and the Lighthouse

before i do my review...the sentence for ATB was not written on the setlist, but win did say it aloud...it was:

[b]Father's don't grow up to manage their daughters[/b]

there was a barrier in the front, about a foot from the stage...it was just a bicycle rack, not the regular black barriers...there were a lot of photographers and i spoke to one of them who said that most photographers would not be there for the rest of the 4 shows since that would be repetitive...so check wire image and pitchfork for professional pics today..

we saw fab moretti from the strokes hanging in the VIP balcony section before the show...

during the show there were a lot of really painful silences between the songs...luckily some of these awkward silences were broken up by little convos with audience members who screamed things out...one guy said 'why a church' and win responded 'well aren't we all lapsed catholics?'...he was really all smiles and it was shocking...

i was silly and yelled out during one of the awkward silences 'the new album is fucking incredible'...and richard smiled at me and quickly replied into the mic "you know it's not out yet'...and i quickly said 'bootlegs' to which he replied 'that's still stealing' (he was still smiling) and then i said 'not from you, plus i pre ordered from insound'...it was so weird and i felt so bad for saying anything...but he seemed to not be angry...

this show was the first of 5 so i think the band was really just warming up...the part of the show that totally blew me away was when will was ripping up pieces of paper into the mic during 'neon bible'...i love little things like that...also will was out of control during one of the later songs pounding a drum with his shoes...

you can see the rest of my pictures here

i also took a video of 'windowsill' and it's on youtube here

Monday, February 12, 2007

CWK take it to the street


The Arcade Fire North American Tour



The Arcade Fire have released their full north american tour list...including 3 nights in New York City...the venue for those dates hasn't been announced yet...but since most of the venues listed are seated theaters, it appears AF will probably play a similar space in NYC...I'm thinking Beacon, MSG, or Nokia...we will know soon enough..

04-26 San Diego, CA - Spreckels Theatre
04-28 Indio, CA - Empire Polo Field (Coachella)
05-01 Atlanta, GA - Civic Center
05-02 Asheville, NC - Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
05-04 Washington, DC - DAR Constitution Hall
05-05 Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theatre
05-07 New York, NY - TBA
05-08 New York, NY - TBA
05-09 New York, NY - TBA
05-10 Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
05-12 Montreal, Quebec - Arena Maurice Richard
05-13 Montreal, Quebec - Arena Maurice Richard
05-15 Toronto, Ontario - Massey Hall
05-16 Toronto, Ontario - Massey Hall
05-18 Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre
05-19 Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre
05-20 Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre
05-27 Portland, OR - Schnitzer Concert Hall
06-01 Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre
06-02 Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre

tickets are said to possibly go on sale March 1st...

Sunday, February 11, 2007

and the winner is...

the winners of the plug awards have been announced...and the winner for best video of the year (in the music catagory-obsessive) is Wolf Parade for "I'll Believe In Anything". The video was directed by Matt Moroz and features Hadji, Arlen, and Dante from the band...



the rest of the plug awards winners can be read Here

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

New Cold War Kids


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From the Hang Me Up To Dry Single...
Well Well Well
Heavy Boots
Every Valley is Not A Lake
Buy It Now on...Amazon

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Cocorosie


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Official Website
Interview
For some more info on Cocorosie wikipedia - CR
From "Noah's Ark":
South 2nd
Noah's Ark
From"La Maison De Mon Rêve":
Good Friday

Monday, February 05, 2007

Bishop Allen Tour

From : you aint no picasso
Having just completed 12 EPs in 12 months, Bishop Allen are setting out on the road again. They’ll be traveling as a six-piece, so expect their live show to be fleshed out even more.

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Bishop Allen Tour Dates
01-Mar Brunswick @ Jack McGee’s Pub
02-Mar Hanover @ Rocket Club
07-Mar Lexington, KY @ Mecca
08-Mar Chicago, IL @ Schubas
09-Mar Madison, WI @ Club 770
10-Mar Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club
11-Mar Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews
12-Mar Columbia, Missouri @ Mojo’s
13-Mar Dallas, TX @ Ellum (Indoors)
14-Mar Austin, TX @ SXSW Day Stage Café
15-Mar Austin, TX @ Schubas Party
16-Mar Austin, TX @ Showcase
17-Mar Austin, TX @ SXSW
19-Mar Norman, OK @ Opolis
20-Mar Houston, TX @ Proletariat
21-Mar Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon
22-Mar Memphis, TN @ Hi-Tone
23-Mar Gainesville @ Reitz Union
24-Mar Atlanta, GA@ The Earl
25-Mar Chapell Hill, NC @ Local 506
26-Mar Charlottesville, VA @ Satellite Ballroom
27-Mar Washington DC @ The Rock & Roll Hotel
28-Mar Philly, PN@ Northstar Bar
29-Mar Brooklyn, NY @ Union Hall
30-Mar New York, NY@ Mercury Lounge
31-Mar Bennington, VT College

i love supergroups!

Seems that Dan and Hadji of Wolf Parade are involved in a supergroup that includes Nick Diamonds of Islands and Syd Butler of Les Savvy Fav. This supergroup is called ‘Internet’ and they’ll be performing at a charity event in New York City on March 15th…Here’s thr info:

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Tickets: $21; Members $18; Day of show $26
Purchase Tickets Here
Venue: Peter Jay Sharp Theatre

Showtimes:
Mar 15, 2007, 8:00pm

Friday, February 02, 2007

Snake on the Radio


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Born Ruffians KEXP (Full Show runtime 18:02)
Born Ruffians
Jason Lytle of Grandaddy KEXP (full Show Runtime 24:11)
Jason Lytle
Wolf Parade (CBC)
Same Ghost Every Night
Arcade Fire (KCRW)
Vampire Forest Fire
Dr Dog (XFM)
Livin A Dream
Railroad Jerk (Left of the Radio Show)
All Down Hill

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Frog Eyes New Album and Tour and Interview


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From Pitchfork:
Canadas own Frog Eyes have Tears of the Valedictorian, the quartet's previously mentioned fourth full-length, set for May 1 release via Absolutely Kosher. Our European brethren get Tears via Acuarela on April 30, while Frog Eyes' fellow Canadians can scoop it up May 1 via Scratch.
Tears of the Valedictorian collects nine new tracks from Carey Mercer (also of Swan Lake) and company, featuring typically zany titles and copious punctuation. The LP follows up last July's Acuarela EP The Future Is Inter-Disciplinary or Not at All, and guess what? Frog Eyes hit the road this spring to support their latest creation, yapping and yelping down to SXSW for a one-off showcase spot, then circumnavigating the continent in May.

Pitchfork: Tears of the Valedictorian-- in 100 words or less, what's it all about?

Carey Mercer: Well, there are a few 'down with people' songs and a few 'up with people' songs, and a few songs that suggest an affinity for stock/archetypal tragic images. Two songs are quite long.

Dan Bejar once suggested to me that all of my art is crumbling into that most classic and vaunted of forms: the drunken speech of the deposed dictator. Tears was mastered a little quieter than Californication, and therefore will not get as much radio play.

Pitchfork: The titles of the previous Frog Eyes albums proper have all followed the pattern: [definite article] [adjective] [noun]. This one is noticeably different. Any particular reason? Why not name it, say, The Valedictory Tear?

Carey: I had the feeling that I was leaving all the nonsense of the last three records behind, and then the pompous absurdity of such a feeling made me remember, with a love in my heart, that my oldest friend Peter cried while delivering his Valedictorian speech. My favorite art combines humor and crushing Pathos, human squalor and immutable, natural beauty. That is why it is called Tears of the Valedictorian.

Pitchfork: The Frog Eyes live show is a very physical experience-- what do you do to prepare for a show?

Carey: I don't prepare for a show, I just wander out towards the stage and hope I can come across something good and pure in the next 45 minutes.

Pitchfork: Have you ever seriously hurt yourself singing and playing as you do?

Carey: Sometimes I cut my lip up. Sometimes I sweat a lot; I look like a man that has just emerged from a lake fully clothed.

Pitchfork: Tears of the Valedictorian is the fourth Frog Eyes full-length. Has making these things gotten any easier?

Carey: It is always very difficult.

Pitchfork: Who's presently in Frog Eyes?

Carey: On the record we have Melanie [Campbell] on drums, [Spencer] Krug on piano, [Michael] Rak on bass, I play guitar and a fellow named Mccloud Zicmuse [of the band Le Ton Mité] plays guitar on half of the songs.

Our live show is a little different, and I am not totally sure who will be there, but I can say that we will be touring with a fellow from Victoria named Ryan Beattie who plays guitar.

Pitchfork: Who produced the record?

Carey: Daryl Smith was the engineer/mixer, this fellow who ran a great studio in Toronto. He is great. He moved to Victoria, where we live, to raise sheep. It's all very British. I want to make another one with him pronto. I think we co-produced the record.

Pitchfork: Listening to Frog Eyes, I sometimes can't help but think of Mr. David Bowie. Are you fans?

Carey: Before late 2006, whenever someone said Bowie, I thought of the camera-man in Labyrinth having to focus, but not focus, on those purple leotards. Now I think it is odd that I loved Eno/Ferry but never really bothered to listen to Bowie, due to laziness or contentedness. That music rules. I love it.

When I first started Blue Pine, the embryo for Frog Eyes, I listened to this band called Long Hind Legs that my friend lent me. I think they were really influenced by Bowie, so I should just say 'yes, I am influenced by David Bowie.'

Pitchfork: So people like my mom think your lyrics and song titles are a little, um, 'out there.' What inspires them?

Carey: Just tell your mom that most of this stuff is about Shakespeare. It's at least a half-truth.

Pitchfork: Where did the Frog Eyes name come from? Do you ever regret the name?

Carey: The name came from some packaged ceramic frog eyes that Mel bought in a thrift store. We liked the font. One thousand frog gifts later, I do regret the name, although it has lived long enough to become meaningless, just a symbol for how I'd like to spend my days.

Pitchfork: What's the story with Prancing Cat?

Carey: It is a punk-ish band with friends. It was short-lived, but maybe has resurrection/ transfiguration potential.

Pitchfork: Has Swan Lake been cooking up anything of late? Perhaps a tour??

Carey: I think we almost played a Volkswagen party at the New York Auto-show, even though Spencer has never heard of this, this being Bejar's big $ idea, and we would have had to slip him a big glass of milk and roofies to get him anywhere near this gathering.

Pitchfork: Which contemporary musicians and recent records do you especially admire?

Carey: I admire lots of people. Just off the top of my head though: I love that new Silver Jews record. And the last Smog record. And Junior Boys, my woman loves that future/past music. Me mates too, of course, I like their ditties. I love this reissued Elyse Weinberg record, she sounds like Rod Stewart. And Deerhoof, like most people, I admire them. I don't really like Wolfmother though.



Tears of the Valedictorian:

01 Idle Songs
02 Caravan Breakers, They Prey on the Weak and the Old
03 "Stockades"
04 Reform the Countryside
05 The Policy Merchant, the Silver Bay
06 Evil Energy, the Ill Twin of...
07 ...Eagle Energy
08 Bushels
09 My Boats They Go


Frog tracks:
03-17 Austin, TX - SXSW (Absolutely Kosher Showcase)
04-14 Victoria, British Columbia - Logan's Pub
05-01 Seattle, WA - Crocodile
05-04 San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill
05-05 Los Angeles, CA - The Echo
05-10 Denton, TX - Rubber Gloves
05-11 Austin, TX - Emo's
05-12 Houston, TX - Proletariat
05-15 Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506
05-16 Washington, DC - Rock & Roll Hotel
05-17 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's
05-18 New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
05-22 Montreal, Quebec - La Sala Rossa
05-24 Toronto, Ontario - Sneaky Dee's
05-25 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
05-27 Chicago, IL - Schubas