Again

Stop calling Pete Wentz an "Emogul".

You're all (No, not ALL of you) sadly mistaken for thinking he's "emo". You cannot be "emo". Emo is a form of music. You cannot be "emo". You are a 'musician' or a 'drummer' or a 'bassist' or a 'gutiarist'. Or even a "rocker" or whatever. That's like saying you're "jazz". What the crap does that even mean?

Emo died in somewhere between 2000 and 2004. So I guess when Fugazi broke up. Or when The Promise Ring stopped making records. Fall Out Boy is and never will be an emo band

Seriously. /End rant.

We are now in 2009!

YEAH!

Check it out. Why So Blue, Panda Bear (the radio show which this blog is based off of) is now on Facebook.

Fuck that MySpace jawn, that's 2004 (as I check my MySpace....). Get on your FB and search for 'Why So Blue, Panda Bear'?. Become a fan! The show should be the only one. You'll know if it isn't, I guess. Get updates on show playlists, discuss questions of the week, read our versions of your horoscope, read our facts of the day, contribute to facts of the day, and everything else you want to know about shit we do on air! Also, I'll be submitted my recent favorite records and bands, you can get up on that in between my lax reviews and other rants and shit I waste your time with here.

Sexilicious.

Women. Can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em. Right? Well, Tom Arnold said that, so it must be true (See True Romance. That movie with Arnold Schwartzenegger). Just kidding.

Lemme start over again.

Women. Can't live with them, can't live without them. Certainly the cliché that rules the American social structure. Mostly just my life. Well, it's more like 'Women, can't get them to love me, love every one of them'. Or something like that. Anyways, I digress. The music industry idolizes women in the startlet scene. Brittney, Christina, Janis, Stevie (Nicks, not Wonder, I know the difference, jerks), Grace, Ronnie (Spector), Diana, Janet (Jackson), etc. I don't know about you, but when I hear Diana Ross or Ronnie Spector or any of your various female vocalists of years gone by, I can't help but love everything about their vocal preformances. There's just something beautiful about it. And about them. In fact, the only one of those women I named above I've never been attracted to was Janis Joplin, but that may be because I really don't like her singing voice or her looks, but, this isn't about that. Okay, I lied. I never thought Brittney or Christina where that attractive either; nor Madonna. But whatever.

There's just something so tender about them and that something I can't help but fall in love with. Perhaps it's their natural haunting voice that woos me into submission, or perhaps the eyes they tote with that voice. Pure and beautiful. Maybe. Who knows, I've never met them and most of them I never will. But take someone a bit more contemporary and relevant to my audience (If I even have an audience for this stupid thing). Jenny Lewis. Zooey Deschanell. Natasha Kahn. Laura Marling. Gillian Welch. Lilly Allen. Kate Nash. Florence Welch. The latter of those names is probably lesser known, but, trust me, you'll want to check her out.

Let me begin by saying, I am completely and totally in love with Jenny Lewis. I don't really care if she's almost 10 years older than I. She's gorgeous. And she has one of the best voices in whatever the fuck scene you want to lump her solo work and Rilo Kiley in. I'm also totally in love with Zooey Deschanell. For the same reason. She & Him, her album with indie folk superstar M. Ward, is probably in my top 15 records of all time and one of my favorite of 2008. These two women, in particular, have everything that Ronnie and Diana had. They're gorgeous. They're on the cusp of your favorite fashion. They are your, well, my, pop culture. They are everything I love about music. They have beautifully crafted lyrics and perfectly written melodies. I remember when I saw Jenny Lewis, I had such a mind blowing time I never thought I'd be able to go to another show again (I did. Don't worry). Natasha Kahn, aka Bat For Lashes, is perfect elecro-new-wave brit pop for 2008 plus glitter. Her vocal rage is amazing and the music does nothing but compliment her arrangement. Kate Nash just flat out writes brilliant honest pop songs. I have no shame in admitting that. Lilly Allen to the same effect. Gillian Welch and Laura Marling are two almost unheard of folk singers who have beautiful, angelic voices. Florence Welch (aka Florence and the Machine) company the above in the same new-wave-y brilliance of Bat For Lashes.

I guess the whole point of this is to simply declare that the women of the music industry have won me over. Have they, you?

Livenation: You suck balls.

Dear Livenation,

You just charged me a 5 dollar surcharge on a cash purchase. What the fuck is that shit? Your shows are not nearly good enough to warrant that and your crappy venues are even worse. I'm pretty sure you're why people aren't spending the money on concert tickets and more independent promoters are doing better than you. And that is why you suck balls.

Sincerely,
Mitch.

Warped, Smarped.

Warped Tour is probably one of the most iconic "festivals" in the United States. Probably in the world. It happens every year, without fail, for the last, I think, 15 years now. That's pretty impressive. We have these other mediocre festivals like Lollapalooza and Bonarroo. But.... That shit is for kids who smoke weed and dance around naked to crappy hippy music. Just kidding. Good bands play at both Lollapalooza and Bonarroo, but they're not the same sort of ethos as Warped.

Warped Tour started in 1995, I think (So I would have been right with my 15 year guesstimate) and encompassed the idea of people coming together for one thing: music. Kevin Lyman, Warped founder, got the idea after working on some skate festivals and magazines, so, he took the idea and ran with it as a day for kids who skate and BMX to come, chill in scorching hot weather in the middle of fucking summer, and listen to some hot jamz by their favorite punk rawk bands. 1995 was punk as shit, featuring the Deftones, Guttermouth, Face to Face, and Quicksand. Eventually bands like Rancid, noFX, and Propaghandi joined (And left) the tour due to conflicts of interest between bands play and what have you.

In recent years, we've all heard the drama around noFX's Fat Mike and UnderOATH. Fat Mike called them a bunch of douches because of their stance on gay marriage and something of that douche tastic nature. Eventually they both said they were friends and had civilized discussions about it..... okay? Cool. I guess? Whatever. Anyways, the tour has decreased in "popularity" among the real punk dudes that got their start on the tour. Broadway Calls (A band on Adeline records, you know, that label Billie Jo from Green Day started with his wife, who are strangely enough kind of poppy?) said the following: "When there are 60 bands a day, and a majority of them are made up of either Christian jocks that play REALLY HEAVY MUSIC for Jesus, or pop bands with the only thing separating them from boy bands like Backstreet Boys are their dropped D tuned guitars hanging from their shoulders, it's hard to be comfortable. I look around, and quickly realize that the only difference between this and a huge frat party is that all these idiots play music. Bad music. Unfuckinglistenable music."

(This is where my op-ed starts.)

Those dudes are totally right. I went to Warped Tour last summer because there were some bands I genuinely wanted to see. But instead of it being a bunch of pop punk kids (yeah, I'm one of them. Fuck you, blink-182 and 90's Green Day will ALWAYS fucking rule. so will hit the light's first record. and new found glory. shut it) and aging punks, I had to nagivate a sea of prepubescent little girls in booty shorts with sideways haircuts. Oh. And the little 12 year old boys in girls pants and extra baggy t shirts and new era 51/50's that are a size too large with stupid ass scene haircuts and massive gauges. That's not cool. I mean, granted, yeah, I was there in a white shirt and skinny jeans, but let's face it.... There was never a day where I dressed like that. I never knew any girls in booty shorts either. Whatever, back on topic. It was discouraging to see people flood the stage for bands like All Time Low and The Maine. First off, All Time Low's mini-LP Put Up Or Shut Up was pretty decent in terms of 3rd wave pop punk. And The Maine's first EP The Way We Talk was catchy. I won't deny that. I like pop music, I grew up on doo-wop and motown. I have a soft spot for pop and I listen to it critically like I do all other forms of music. I know when it sucks and when it's not too bad. Whether it's written by some fat fuck in an office or the band themselves, it doesn't really matter. They did something right and it deserves some sort of merit.

But my point is this. There were bands who are really the roots and the bread and butter of Warped Tour, like The Bouncing Souls, Stick To Your Guns [Newer band, but same Boston straight edge punk-ness of some early bands], Pennywise, Bad Religion (Although, I don't think they played the '08 tour), and noFX (Same as Bad Religion, I don't think they played '08). That is the real Warped Tour. The addition of bands like The Academy Is..., Anberlin, Say Anything (I actually really like this band alot, so, I can't trash them), Katy Perry, Paramore, Relient K, and whoever else, is discouraging for kids like me. Who the fuck wants to see Katy Perry to begin with? It's not even like she's good to look at. And Paramore is fine, I mean, sure, cute 19 year old girl listens to hardcore (Every time I see pictures she's in some H20 or Madball shirt. And she married Chad Gilbert of New Found Glory who was in Shai Halud and Burry Your Dead. So). But Relient K? Really? Kids go to Warped Tour now to watch half assed bands play half assed songs that are autotuned. Anthony Ranieri of Bayside said something about this recently that I read on absolutepunk.net I think (lol at that since they rep all these mediocre bands quite frequently, but who am I to talk?). If you go to Warped Tour to see some shit ass band that the label "found" doens't make you punk. Take your gauges out, take off your sisters old jeans, and go back to private school.

Mixy Maxy Mishy Mashy.

The age old art of making someone elses words yours. It's been done since Shakespeare wrote fucking Romeo and Juliet. Alas, what window yonder light breaks? Good Night, Good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be 'morrow. We know the game well. And by we, I mostly mean those of us who are the heart torn, love sick, lovelorn, broken hearted ones. Mostly me. But hey, I know there's more of my contemporaries out there. Rob Gordon (John Cusack) said it the best, "People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss." (High Fidelity) Who knew that it was really the case? Sure as shit wasn't me.

A few months... And I mean like 5 months ago, on Valentines Day, I wrote a similar essay in which I talked about the importance of misery, song writing, and what makes a great song. Not a good song. But a great song. And now, we have a collection of these great songs. And a person who is not only great. But one such person who well read, intelligent, funny, and good looking to ice the proverbial cake. Now... We're fucked. We, the lovelorn, heartsick ones, now cannot proclaim our love/admiration. How can we? The last girl I asked out I somehow managed to choke the words out in between a flurry of deafening heart beats in my head and the radio blasting in the background. Some people write letters. Some people write songs. Others, and I've done this as well, make a mix tape.

Ahhh, yes, the mix tape. The black abyss of love and hurt. The only reason I'm even writing this fucking article is that I'm in the process of making one myself. For a girl (whoa, surprise, who knew!? me, jackass). There are rules. Very important rules. You have to start your tape with a killer, killer track. But if you make it too good, you're done for. Then you have to back it off because you don't want to say all you have to say by 6 minutes into side a of your tape.... Errr.... 6 minutes of your CD-R. Each "side" needs to end on a huge note. Everything needs to be fluid. It can't be thrown together. It's an art. It takes forever. It takes me a week or so to get a great first draft done. And that's even pushing it.

The mix tape defines that moment. That one single, solitary moments of all moments that we never seem to realize pass by until they're long gone. And once they're gone... They're totally gone. You know what I'm talking about, don't you? If you didn't, I'd be shocked, to be honest. I'm entirely entranced by this girl. She's all of the above (I mean like four paragraphs above) and therefore demands a tape made in her honor. I keep them all, as a memoir of love lost and gone. The memories are still there whether or not they ended well or not. Live and learn.

The Smiths were never really a band I believed I truly liked until I received my high school diploma and then it all suddenly made sense. There's something beautifully haunting about Morrissey's voice as he croons you into your sweet wanna-be-veganism/celibacy. Yes, Morrissey was celibate for a short period of time. You can't write songs about heart break, misery, and sex if you're celibate. You have no frame of reference for those things other that in the past and let's face it...... Those memories are always going to be distorted. Or so science says. But fuck science, that shit is for the birds, dudebroski.

I was in love with the Smiths a few months ago (now closer to a year) and I had lost my touch until I heard the recent cover (Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want) that Zooey Deschancel destroys (Because her voice is that of a seraph [Deal with the vocab]). I should also note that M. Ward, her partner in indie-folk stardom/indie-folk star of his own fame, totally destroys Marr's guitar parts. The song is made from being the typical Manchester pop-rock/new-wave-y upbeat jangle to being hauntingly empty; drenched in reverb and delay. To wrap up this little She & Him promo (As I await, along with the legion of fans they have farmed for themselves), Zooey and M. (errr, Matt, but does anyone call him Matt?), have an amazing sense for what they need to do to a cover song to really make it great (See the Vol. 1 covers of Smokey Robinson's 'You Really Got A Hold On Me' and The Beatles' 'I Should Have Known Better').

Now, we all know the Smiths were all over the world for the brief history they had as a band (It would seem that many great bands only last a few years. With the exceptions of "great" [Via context] bands like the Rolling Stones, etc [Don't get me wrong, I appreciate that music, but the style is static and it sounds dated now], great music occurs in short bursts. The Smiths were around from 1982 through 1987 and released a mere 4 albums (Including like some 19 singles and a few random non LP occurances). That's far less than even a band like The Beatles (Who probably a had a greater effect on society due to years active and the state of the music industry then), but still leaves me wondering how a band who released four records would be able to really jump start a scene that would give birth, in my opinion, to the early roots of bands like The Promise Ring. Perhaps not greatly, but, I can see where people, like The Promise Ring's Davey Von Bohlen, would and could pull influence from.

None the less, I guess, The Smiths rule.

Playlist for 7-14-09

banterbanterbantersongbanterbantersongbanterbanter. SNAPE KILLS DUMBLEDORE. banterbanterbantersongbanterbantersongbanterbanter. BURLY DUDES. banterbanterbantersongbanterbantersongbanterbanter. BURLY

Deer Tick	Little White Lies	Born On Flag Day	√
Megafaun	Kaufman's Ballad	Gather, Form & Fly	√
Elvis Perkins	All Night Without Love	Ash Wednesday
Emily Bate	Suits Me Fine	Split with Dave End	√
Conor Oberst & Gillian Welch	Lua	Dark Was The Night
Iron & Wine	Morning	Around The Well	√
Kevin Devine	A Billion Bees	Put Your Ghost To Rest
She & Him	Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want	Internetz
Zee Avi	First Of The Gang To Die	Zee Avi	√
Youth Group	Shadowland	Skeleton Jar
Frightened Rabbit	Good Arms vs Bad Arms	The MIdnight Organ Fight
VAGINA PANTHER	I Bet You There Are Some Burly Dudes On That Ship	Vagina Panther	√
Conor Oberst	Souled Out!!!	Conor Oberst
Those Darlin's	Snaggle Tooth Mama	Those Darlin's	√
Ditty Bops	Bye Bye Love
Megafaun	Worried Mind	Gather, Form & Fly	√
C'est La Vie	Coralie Clement	Toystore	√
La Meme Historie	Elisabeth Anais	Paris, Je T'ame
Neko Case	I'm An Animal	Middle Cyclone
Maria Taylor	Cartoons and Forever Plans	Ladyluck
Bright Eyes	At The Bottom of Everything	I'm Wide Awke It's Morning
Camera Obscura	French Navy	My Maudlin Career
Broken Records	If The News Makes You Sad, Don't Watch It	Until The Earth Begins To Part	√
The Gaslight Anthem	The '59 Sound	The '59 Sound

Playlist for 7-7-09

Dudes, I have no idea why I'm so lazy with these now.

Conor Obes and the Mystic Valley Band	Nikorette	Outer South	√
God Help The Girl	Come Monday Night	God Help The Girl	√
God Help The Girl	The Music Room Window	God Help The Girl	√
Algernon Cadwallader	Casual Discussion In A Dome Between Two Temples	Some Kind Of Cadwallader
Bibio	Jealous Of Roses	Abivilance Avenue	√
Grizzly Bear	Two Weeks	Veckatimest	√
Matt & Kim	Daylight	Grand
Ella Ja Aleksi	Huhuu Kuha Puhuu	Talventorrottajat
Camera Obscura	Carless Love	My Maudlin Career
Sleepercar	A Broken Promise	West Texas
Conor Oberst	Sausilito	Conor Oberst
Conor Oberst	Get-Well-Cards	Conor Oberst
Ben Kweller	Sundress	Ben Kweller
M. Ward	Fisher Of Men	Hold Time
Bon Iver	Beach Baby	Blood Bank EP
Maritime	Guns of Navarone	Heresey And The Hotel Choir
Royksopp	Happy Up Here	Junior
Tom Brosseau	Favorite Color Blue	Postumous Success	√
Asobi Seksu	Sing Tomorrow's Praise	Hush
Bright Eyes	Easy/Lucky/Free	Digital Ash in A Digital Urn
Cursive	I Couldn't Love You	Mama, I'm Swollen
The Faint	Southern Belles In London Sing	Wet From Birth
The Get Up Kids	Close To Me	Eudora
The Beta Band	Dry The Rain	Three EPs
Those Darlin's	DUI Or Die	Those Darlins	√
Peggy Sue	Milk And Blood	Lover Gone EP	√
Tiny Vipers	Slow Motion	Life On Earth	√
Joan of Arc	Fogbow	Flowers	√

Playlist for 6-30-09

Sooo, I forgot to put this up when the show happened. Sorry d00dz.

Those Darlin's	Mama's Heart	Those Darlin's	√
The Terrible Two's	Caroline	If You Ever See An Owl...	√
God Help The Girl	Funny Little Frog	God Help The Girl	√
Deer Tick	Little White Lies	Born On Flag Day	√
Bright Eyes	At The Bottom Of Everything	I'm Wide Awake It's Morning
Curisve	From The Hips	Mama I'm Swollen
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band	Ten Women	Outer South	√
The Rural Alberta Advantage	Rush Apart	Hometowns	√
Neko Case	This Little Light	The Tigers Have Spoken
The Tallest Man On Earth	The Gardner	Shallow Graves
She & Him	I Thought I Saw Your Face Today	Volume 1
God Help The Girl	God Help The Girl	God Help The Girl	√
DM Stith	Be My Baby	BMB EP	√
The Extraordinaires	Ellis Island	Electric and Benevolent	√
Jenny Lewis	Carpetbaggers	Acid Tongue
M. Ward	Sangri-La	Hold Time
The Smiths	There Is A Light That Will Never Go Out	The Queen Is Dead
Maritime	Tearing Up The Oxygen	We, The Vehicles
Ben Gibbard	Thriller	Unknown
Elisabeth Anais	La Mem Historie	Paris Je T'Aime
Coralie Clement	L'Effet Jokari	Toystore	√
Elliott Smith	Bottle Up and Explode	XO
Eluvium	Prelude For Time Feelers	Copia
Deer Tick	Friday XIII	Born On Flag Day	√
Tiny Vipers	Dreamer	Life On Earth	√
Owen	Bad News	At Home With
American Football	Never Meant	American Football
Iron & Wine	Morning	Around The Well	√
It Hugs Back	Back Down	Inside Your Guitar	√
Great Northern	Houses	Remind Me Where The Light Is	√

Tiny Vipers + Balmorhea

Now. Balmorhea is probably the pinnacle of all orchestra post rock. Now, imagine seeing that in a church. With about.... 50 people. That's what it was like Tuesday the 23rd. Philadelphia. Hot as balls. First Unitarian Church's Chapel. It was brilliant. The band played a great set that lulled me like a little baby. Music has an innate ability to get me to close my eyes and just listen. I did just that and it was amazing. The band was simply an electric guitar, paino, violin, cello, and bass. Drums were not present sans the backing drum track. I don't know what happened to their drummer, but none the less, they were fantastic and totally moving as a post rock preformance should be. It was silent, haunting, and the dudes were so nice.

Tiny Vipers is Jesey Fortino of Seattle and she's super soft spoken. She appeared on air at WKDU earlier that day and I had the very fortunate pleasure of meeting here. Her music is that of very sparring, minimalism. It's lyrically focused and thus mostly moving. quite moving, actually. Her voice is perfect for the music and the music is the perfect sort of thing for a church. Let a lone a church at 10PM on a Tuesday night in the midst of summer. Her preformance was no bullshit, straight through, the kind of 'i'm playing music, so get over yourselves' preformance that makes me feel the music. Granted, it's nice to hear the band talk to you, but that's not for every one and every band, I suppose. She, did, however, play 'Dreamer' from the new record Life On Earth which was so beautiful, I can't even tell you.

I highly reccomend everyone see this tour. It's small, intimate, and amazing.

Acid Tongue

So.  Everyone knows that I am literally in love with Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley/solo fame.  She's probably the coolest fucking girl ever.  

Anyways.  

So R5 booked the show to the Troc (I rarely seem them book shows for the Troc's main room.  Anyways.) and I was really excited about that since that's one of my favorite places to see shows (Next to the First Unitarian Church [Except the basement.  I fucking hate the basement]).  I went out and bought a ticket the minute they were available and it was totally worth it.  The show was phenomenal.  Farmer Dave and Deer Tick opened which was was a great way to start the night. Farmer Dave's band consisted of, strangely enough, two members of Obi Best (Who also played with Jenny) and they were sort of a noisy-surfy band, I suppose?  I don't even know.

Deer Tick is working their way up on my list of bands I love.  They sound like Tallest Man On Earth, but with Bob Dylan's electric age mixed with country pop like John Mellanchamp.  Or whatever the fuck his name is these days.  They played a bunch of songs from their new record, Born on Flag Day (Which is great, everyone go get it when it's widely available) and also a bunch of really awesome songs from their first record like Art Is Real (City Of Sin).  They eventually ended up playing a bunch of cover songs, finishing with La Bamba.  I laughed.

Anyways.  Jenny Lewis takes the stage and blows my fucking mind.  For real.  The girl is not only amazingly gorgeous, but she can sing like no other.  The band was super tight, and they played an awesome selection of songs from both solo records.  And she did Silver Lining from Rilo Kiley's last record solo acoustic which was awesome, because that song rules, even if people hated Under The Blacklight.

Go see the show.  Just fucking do it.

I'm Alive

And kicking some hardcore jams. Granted, this isn't any PMA or Hype Machine.... But.... I've been meaning to write about one of my new favorite musical acts. They're a band... but not. But they rule.

If anyone hasn't heard of Chiddy Bang.... You're a fucking fool. Four Drexel University freshman (Yeah, fucking FRESHMAN) formed one of the best collaborations of rock and hip hop. I'm no wordsmith with hip hop and rap music, but I certainly appreciate it (What? A folksy pop punk kid likes hip hop? WHUT!?). None the less, I met Noah and Zach when they came to WKDU to join and be a part of our radio station. They told me about their band, Chiddy Bang, and I had to check that shit out. Their first single, On Our Way, featured a Weezer sample. Yeah. Weezer. Hip hop and Weezer doesn't end well, USUALLY (ex: Jay Zeezer. God that was depressing). But this.... This was fucking brilliant. Since, they added Pat Braz on the guitar and the songs have gotten so much better. Featuring samples from blog hipster favorites MGMT and Passion Pit to a legit ass remix of a Kid Cudi song (granted, I hate the original. So... Anything is better. But this track is DAMN good) to Radiohead. I know what you're thinking. Radiohead is fucking absurd! Why Radiohead!? THE INJUSTICE! Cue dramatic lightning bolts and rain and dramatic music. Shut it. The sample is nothing more then the string parts and chorus of Reckoner (Which is sung by guitarist Pat Braz, so... I don't think it counts quite the same.

None the less, this is probably the hottest band of 2009 and if they don't wind up signed to a major lable and touring with some sweet jams (They've already opened for Mr. Lif and are opening for Wale at the Roots Pre Picnic Show here in Philly [At the TLA]). Now. Everyone do yourself a favor and go to WWW.MYSPACE.COM/CHIDDYBANGPHILLY and rock the fuck out.

You won't be dissapointed. Good dudes making amazing music that will shatter your preconcieved notions. Do it. Right the fuck now.

Playlist for 6-2-09

Black in blue. + Morrissey covers.

Death Vessel	Jitterkadie	Nothing is Precious Enough For Us
Tallest Man On Earth	Pistol Dreams	Shallow Grave
The New Amsterdams	Mayble I'm A Fool	Killed or Cured
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band	Bloodline	Outer South	√
Headless Heroes	Just Like Honey	The Silence Of Love	√
Neko Case	People Got A Lotta Nerve	Middle Cyclone
Deer Tick	Art Isn't Real (City of Sin)	War Elephant
Zee Avi	First Of The Gang To Die	Zee Avi	√
Telekinesis!	Rust	Telekinesis!	√
When I Was 12	You, Me, & Symmetry	Dear Eskimo	√
It Hugs Back	Don't Know	Inside Your Guitar	√
The Weakerthans	A New Name For Everything	Reconstruction Site
The Explorers Club	Last Kiss	The Explorers Club EP
Asobi Seksu	Sing Tomorrow's Praise	Hush
Grizzly Bear	Two Weeks	Veckimest	√
Au Revoire Simone	Anywhere You Looked	Still Night, Still Light	√
Bat For Lashes	Moon and Moon	Two Suns	√
Balmorhea	Night In The Dew	All Is Wild, All Is Silent
Iron & Wine	Swans And The Swimming	Around The Well	√
Alela Diane	White As Diamonds	To Be Still
American Football	But The Regrets Are Killing Me	American Football
Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner	Big Red Machine	Dark Was The Night
The Low Anthem	(Don't) Tremble	Oh My God, Charlie Darwin
M. Ward	Oh Lonesome Me	Hold Time
Marianne Dissard	Track 1	Live at WKDU
Maritime	Tearing Up The Oxygen	We, The Vechicles

Playlist for Folkadelphia ala Mitchadelphia, 5-20-09

Mitch is covering for Fred! YEAH. Sabrina DJed for a little. Played some RPM and stuff. Ticket give aways, on air love, love all around, it's a beautiful night. Let's be friends.



This was also the best show I've ever done.

Black Moth Super Rainbow	Born On A Day The Sun Didn't Rise	Eating Us	√
Elliott Smith	Trouble	Thumbsucker
Fleet Foxes	Blue Ridge Mountain	Live on the BBC
The Tallest Man On Earth	Honey Won't You Let Me In	Shallow Graves
Sufjan Stevens	Holland	Greetings From Michigan
Bonnie "Prince" Billy	You Can't Hurt Me Now	Beware	√
Telekinesis!	Rust	Telekinesis!	√
Au Revoire Simone	The Last One	Au Revoire	√
Bon Iver	Re Stacks	Live at Daytrotter
Camera Obscura	The Sweetest Thing	My Maudlin Career	√
Conor Oberst And the Mystic Valley Band	Big Black Nothing	Outer South	√
Kurt Vile	Freeway	Constant Hitmaker
Nik Freitas	What You Became	Sun Down
Sonni Shine	When We Woke	Underwater Sounds	√
Laura Marling	Ghosts	Verses from The Union Chapel
Bat For Lashes	Moon and Moon	Two Suns	√
My Brightest Diamond	Feelin Good	Dark Was The Night	√
Neutral Milk Hotel	In The Aeroplane Over The Sea	In The Aeroplane Over The Sea
Beirut	My Wife	March of the Zapotec
Plushgun	Without a Light	Pins & Paniers	√
Boy in Static	Starlit	Candy Cigarettes	√
Iron & Wine	Morning	Around The Well	√
The Kingsbury Manx	Well, Whatever	Asensuer Ouvert!	√
Neko Case	This Tornado Loves You	Middle Cyclone
Gregory + The Hawk	Oats We Sow	Moeni And Kitchi
Zee Avi	Bitter Heart	Zee Avi	√
Youth Group	Shadowland	Skeleton Jar
When I Was 12	You, Me, & Symmetry	Dear Eskimo	√

Playlist for 5-12-09

TUESDAYYYYYYY. I played some music, it was cool. It's a nice day outside. I have bad alergies. I want to give you tickets. Then I played a tango song. randomly. Cool, right? Totally.

Emily Bate	Suits Me Fine	Dave End & Emily Bate	√
Iron & Wine	Waitin' For Superman	Around The Well	√
Missippi John Hurt	Avalon Blues	Avalon Blues
Tallest Man On Earth	I Won't Be Found	Shallow Graves
Sufjan Stevens	John Wayne Gacy, Jr.	Illinoise
Bon Iver	Brackett, WI	Dark Was The Night	√
The Everyday Visuals	Foster Florence Jenkins	The Everyday Visuals	√
Neko Case	Magpie To The Morning	Middle Cyclone	√
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band	Ten Women	Outer South	√
Dr. Dog	From	Fate
Horse Feathers	Albina	House With No Home
Vetiver	Another Reason To Go	Tight Knit
Maritime	Peril	Heresey and the Hotel Choir
Punchline	Castaway	Just Say Yes
Plastic Operator	Peppermint	Different Places
Bat For Lashes	Siren Song	Two Suns	√
It Hugs Back	Back Down	Inside Your Guitar	√
Iron & Wine	Morning	Around The Well	√
Elvis Perkins In Deerland	Hey	In Deerland	√
Asobi Seksu	Gliss	Live at WKDU
Ramblin' Jack Elliott	Death Don't Have No Mercy	A Stranger Here	√
The Tango Project	Retintin	The Tango Project
William Elliott Whitmore	The Chariot	Song of the Blackbird

5-5-09 Playlist

YEAH

Paco de Lucía	Mi Niño Curro	Siroco
Paco De Lucía	Casilda	Siroco
The Tango Project	Caminito	The Tango Project
The Tango Project	El Esquinazo	The Tango Project
Tallest Man On Earth	Honey Won't You Let Me In	Shallow Grave
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band	Ten Women	Outer South	√
Hoots & Hellmouth	You And All Of Us	The Holy Open Secret	√
M. Ward	Shagri-La	Hold Time	√
The Seatbelts	Talk!	Cowboy Bebop
Cortijo y Su Combo	Gumbo	Time Machine
Paco De Lucía	El Pañuelo	Siroco
The Tango Project	Por Una Cabeza	The Tango Project
Camera Obscura	The Sweetest Thing	My Maudlin Career	√
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band	Big Black Nothing	Outer South	√
Nik Freitas	Sun Down	Sun Down
Sufjan Stevens	Sofia's Song	Interwebz?
The Appleseed Cast	The Summer Before	Sagarmatha	√
The Felice Brothers	Chicken Wire	Yonder Is The Clock	√
Missippi John Hurt	Richland Woman Blues	Avalon Blues
Sonni Shine	When We Wake	Underwater Sounds	√
Beirut	My Wife	March of the Zapotec	√
Neko Case	This Tornado Loves You	Middle Cyclone	√

Bat For Lashes (Live)

So I was most fortunate to be able to see London's own Natasha Kahn, aka Bat For Lashes, on Friday the 1st here in Philadelphia at the First Unitarian Church's sanctuary. Not only is that my favorite venue in the entire world (Considering I've only been to a few outside Pittsburgh [Platform 8 in NYC and Rams Head in Baltimore]) and it was probably the best place to see her/them (Depending on which way you look at it).

The band opened up with 'Glass', from Two Suns, clearly a great choice. They played mostly a collection of songs from Two Suns which was fine with me. I love that record. None the less, Natasha's voice is just as beautifully haunting live as it is on the record. Her vocal range is incredible. The atmosphere is also incredible. The acoustics of the church added so much to the show too.

Strangely enough they played a very stripped down version of Daniel and then finished the evening with the record version, which amused me. The band was incredibly tight, it felt very similar to the record which is always comforting, knowing that a band actually can play the things they write/supposedly preformed. There was a drummer/percussionist if you will, a guitarist/bassist and a keyboard player, with Natasha playing a piano when necessary. Over all, it was totally worth the trip, I'm glad that I went, despite being totally drenched on the bike ride to my house to get tickets, but that's okay, I suppose.

I highly recommened everyone goes see this show if they can.

Playlist for 4-28-09

My jams my jams. It's beautiful outside, I wish we could broadcast from outside.

Also, this dude rules:
http://gizmodo.com/5230408/diy-batmobile-is-meticulously-handcrafted-wit...

Hoots & Hellmouth	You And All Of Us	The Holy Open Secret	√
Montezumas	Dan Dylan	Montezumas
The Bicycles	I'll Wait For You	Oh No It's Love	√
Morrissey	I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris	Years Of Refusal
Phosphorescent	I Am A Full Grown Man (I Will Lay In The Grass All Day)	Live At WKDU
The Peekers	Meet You In Produce	Life In The Air	√
The Everyday Visuals	I Can't Stop You	The Everyday Visuals	√
Bat For Lashes	Daniel	Two Suns	√
Right Away, Great Captain!	What A Pitty	The Eventually Home
Ramblin' Jack Elliott	Rising High Water Blues	A Stranger Here	√
Mae	A Memory, A Melody	(M)orning EP
Maritime	We Think We Don't Know	Live at WKDU
Asobi Seksu	New Years	Live at WKDU	√
Françoise Hardy	Le Temps de L'amour	The Yeh-Yeh Girl From Paris
Bishop Allen	Dirt On Your New Shoes	Grr..	√
Fionn Regan	Be Good Or Be Gone	The End of History
Darwin Deez	The Bomb Song	Darwin Deez
Britt Daniel	Let The Distance Keep Us Together	Home IV
Conor Oberst	Danny Callahan	Conor Oberst
Camera Obsurca	French Navy	My Maudlin Career	√
Other Girls	Twin Birds	Perfect Cities	√
City and Colour	Body In A Box	Bring Me Your Love
Obi Best	Who Loves You Now?	Live at WKDU
David Byrne And Brian Eno	Strange Overtones	Everything That Happens Will Happen Today

4-21-09

The Shins	Plenty Is Never Enough	Score! 20 Years Of Merge Records	√
Conor Oberst	Get-Well-Cards	Conor Oberst
The Everyday Visuals	Florence Foster Jenkins	The Everyday Visuals	√
Horse Feathers	Curs In The Weeds	House With No Name
Bon Iver	Brackett, WI	Dark Was The Night	√
The Kingsbury Manx	Well, Whatever	Asencseur Ouvert!	√
Bright Eyes	Papa Was A Rodeo	Score! 20 Years of Merge Records	√
Emily Bate	Limos	Fever In The Feast
The Low Anthem	(Don't) Tremble	Oh My God, Charlie Darwin
The Apathy Eulogy	We Did This To Myself	Introduction: Walk North When Winter Hits
Valentiger	Aboveboard	Power Lines To Electric Times
American Football	But The Regrets Are Killing Me	American Football
Justin Vernon and Bryce Dessner	Big Red Machine	Dark Was The Night	√
Owen	Declartation Of Incompetence	Owen
Kevin Devine	Just Stay	Put Your Ghost To Rest
Neko Case	This Tornado Loves You	Middle Cyclone	√
When I Was 12	Matt's Song	Dear Eskimo	√
Asobi Seksu	Sing Tomorrow's Praise	Hush	√

New Found Glory

I am one who's certainly never forgotten what pop punk did for me in middle school/elementary school. New Found Glory has always been a band that I've loved and somehow never gotten to see. Which is strange seeing is that I've seen Green Day and blink 182, the latter being my probably favorite band of all time for various reasons.

Now, I got word that NFG was dropping a new record. And that would mean a tour. Which meant I had to see it. And I'm fucking glad I did. It was an awesome tour. Fireworks, Set Your Goals (I affectionately call them Shit In Bowls), Bayside, and New Found Glory. Pop punk to the max. And good pop punk at that. So the show rolls around and Bayside is, as usual, great. Set Your Goals is absurd as usual (Good though), and I sadly missed Fireworks, which is a great band. And then it was time for New Found Glory.

They played an AWESOME assortment of songs, from pretty much all their records, and part of a Dasboard song which was badass. All I wanted to hear was Something I Call Personality and they played it. And I freaked, as expected.

Basically, pop punks not dead, New Found Glory Rules.

More reviews next week.

Playlist for 4-14-09

This took forever because my computer had a shit fest on my life. My keyboard, trackpad, and screen died. But here it is.

Neko Case	Magpie To The Morning	Middle Cyclone	√
Youth Group	See-Saw	Skeleton Jar
Yves Montand	Rue St. Vincent	Rushmore
Ramblin' Jack Elliott	Richland Woman Blues	A Stranger Here	√
Youth Group	Track 2	Live at WKDU	√
Conor Oberst	Danny Callahan	Conor Oberst	√
The Peekers	Meet Me In Produce	Life In The Air
Sharon Jones and the Dap=Kings	Inspiration Information	Dark Was The Night	√
Sufjan Stevens	Say Yes! To Michigan!	Greetings From Michigan
The Terrible Twos	Grumpy Bug	If I See An Owl...
Mark Mothersbaugh	Let Me Tell You About My Boat	The Life Aquatic
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart	Young Adult Friction	The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart	√
The New Amsterdams	Huges	At The Foot Of My Rival
The Felice Brothers	Penn Station	Yonder Is The Clock	√
The Weakerthans	Pampheteer	Left and Leaving
She & Hime	I Thought I Saw Your Face Today	Vol. 1
M. Ward	Shangri-La	Hold Time	√
Austin Lucas	Precious Little Heart	Somebody Loves You	√
Maria Taylor	Cartoons and Forever Plans	Ladyluck	√
Ben Kweller	Hurtin' You	Changing Horses	√
Bonnie "Price" Billy	My Life's Work	Beware	√
Vetiver	Another Reason To Go	Tight Knit	√
Bat For Lashes	Daniel	Two Suns	√
It Hugs Back	Don't Know	Inside Your Guitar	√
Balmorhea	Elegy	All Is Silent, All Is Wild	√
O+S	Permanent Scar	O+S	√

Life In The Air

The Peekers. I had no idea who they were until my good friend Fred told me to listen to it the other day when I was at the station. Turns out this band is pretty cool. The record is seeping with awesome pop-ness and male/female vocals. They're a sunny little band from Shriverport, LA and they're definitely toting the indie-cuteness that everyone loves.

The record, Life In The Air, opens with a interesting little track, 'Your Morning Toast' and it's almost vaudville feeling, with little guitar licks thrown in here and there. The second track, 'Sweet Singin' Birds' is a great track with those perfect indie girl vocals. The third track, 'Gather It All' plays off both the vocalists strengths and certainly makes me dance around.... And I don't dance, if I haven't told you before. 'Sinking In' reminds me almost of a New Pornographers track (When Neko Case was in the band), except, a little more on the twee side (For those who don't know what Twee is.... Go listen to Los Campesinos or Johnny Forigner). 'Close My Eyes' features a great olde-tymey piano line and makes feel like I'm watching one of those reinactment movies in a Saloon, except with some gang vocals and fuzzy electric guitar lines. 'Meet You In Produce' has a very.... Contradictory name. The track is so blusey or soulful, depends on which perspective you look at it from. The track is great, with the girl vocals popping up here and there like backup vocalists. And the guitar riffs are pretty good. And I'm not big on guitar solos, save them for Led Zeppelin records.

The second half of the record opens with 'My First Surprise', something rather slow that reminds me of another song that I can quite put my finger on. Never the less, the track is seeping with snare brushes and awesome 'Aahs' provided by the rest of the band. 'Concrete Feet' is the lowest point on the record, although it isn't that bad of a song. 'Favorite Love' is another great female led track. 'Instructions' is again, another low point, probably my least favorite track. 'Canoe Trip' is another dissapointment track, it's not bad but it's not memorable. 'Sweet Potatoes', again, nothing memorable. 'Natural Boy' is a good end to the record, although, the track feels like it's lacking. Mostly lead by bass and piano, but the vocals are well suited and everything blends together.


Over all, this is a solid record by a fun band. I'm looking forward to their next release to see where they take their music.

Outter South

Let me tell you right now... I love Conor Oberst. He is probably one of my favorite song writers of all time, if not number 1. I have loved more or less everything he's put out except for Lifted.... Because that record was really half assed, except for 'Lover I Don't Have To Love'. So none the less, I was bummed when I found out he was leaving the rest of his rotating gang of pals in Bright Eyes for a solo record and the "Mystic Valley Band". Turns out, I shouldn't have been bumed at all.... Conor Oberst's solo record was so good. So good. And I got wind there was a new recording coming soon, Outter South, and REAL soon. So naturally, there was a web rip available in my various manners of acuqiring music..... And I'm going to review it because I do that on this blog.


The record opens with 'Slowly (Oh So Slowly)' and it's the first track that was available, also I had been introduced to said song on their last tour. And I can safely say it picks up on the more Americana traits the Mystic Valley Band have. 'To All the Lights In the Wind' is a track that feels like it could have been on the Four Winds EP, it feels Americana, but, more 3rd wave Bright Eyes (And you know what I mean). One thing I notice about this record is that Conor goes back to having more longer songs, the second track being on the 5+ minute side and also making a stupidly long record, at like 16 tracks, it's one of the longer records Conor's put out. I am personally not a fan of long records, I feel like they're B-Side compliations or rap mix tapes. Nothing wrong with either, but, if you're Conor Oberst, I think you could have done what they did with Gentleman's Pact and release a tour only EP with 4 tracks on it instead of a 16 track record.

Something else I have not noticed before on C.O. and co. records, is vocal tracks by other members of the band. 'Big Black Nothing' features just that. And.... I actually really like it. The track is really good, I think it fits their whole Americana, midwest sound well and compliments Conor's croon. The track has one of those sweet marching snare drums and the high-hat opening at the end of phrases makes an awesome sound. 'Air Mattress' also doesn't feature Conor vocals (As well as 'Difference is Time', 'Bloodline', 'Worldwide', 'Eagle on a Pole', and 'Snake Hill'), and feels strangly like a Fountains Of Wayne song, with synthesizers in the background. The chors to 'Air Mattress' also does not feel like a Conor Oberst song, perhaps there was more collaborative writing on this record, or they just experimented with having other members take the lead for a little. 'Air Mattress' does however feature a cool guitar solo.

'Cabbage Town' goes back to the Conor Oberst blanket of familiarity, although the song lacks any memorability to it. 'Ten Women' is also another track I had heard before from the show I saw in NYC and I love this track especially. It feels very much like a blues track but still slightly soulful and longing. 'Nikorette' brings back Conor's vocals and the awesome American sound that he's been rocking. And this may or may not be the best track on the record, it definitely feels like it would have fit on the first CO&MVB record. 'White Shoes', 'Bloodline' (Sans Conor vocals), and 'I Got The Reason' (The longest track on the record, 7+ minutes) are also note worthy tracks. However, the re-recording of 'Eagle On A Pole' from the first record, throws me for a loop. I don't think I like the extra instrumentation or not. If they would have kept those chugging tom drums and left Conor's vocals there, it would have been great. But.... I dunno. I'm definitely feeling the original version more, it was more passionate.

Overall, I'm rather pleased with the second MVB record, it's a good sophomore record, not as good as the first, but definitely NOT displeasing.

Nothing Important

Youth Group played at WKDU today and it RULED, except for that really awkward 15 minutes where we realized it wasn't trasmitting into the MCR because some fuckass flipped a switch he shouldn't have. But that's besides the point. Youth Group were so Aussie and super nice, plus their stripped down set was incredibly awesome.

They're playing a residency here in Philly, and as well in NYC and Boston for this entire month and that's the coolest thing ever. They're playing here in Philly every Wednsday this month, at the M Room (Fuck that place for only putting on 21+ shows and my fake not working there).

None the less THERE IS A NEW CONOR OBERST AND THE MYSTIC VALLEY BAND RECORD AND I HAVE IT AND I AM SO FUCKING EXCITED. EXPECT REVIEWS.

Playlist for 4-8-09

Stuff happened...?

Sigur Ros	Inní Mér Syngur Vitleysingur	Með Suð Í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust
Orenda Fink	Invisible Ones Guard The Gate	Invisible Ones
Bat For Lashes	Siren Song	Two Suns	√
The Felice Brothers	The Big Surprise	Yonder Is The Clock	√
Fionn Regan	Put A Penny In The Slot	The End of History
Elliott Smith	Thirteen	Thumbsucker OST
Booker T Jones	She Breaks	Potato Hole	√
Bat For Lashes	Moon and Moon	Two Suns	√
Balmorhea	Elegy	All is Wild, All is Silent	√
Great Lake Swimmers	Pulling On A Line	Lost Channels	√
Jenny Lewis	Next Messiah	Acid Tongue
Isobel Campbell and Mark Lannegan	Revolver	Ballad Of Broken Seas
Britt Daniel	Let The Distance Keep Us Together	Home IV
Neko Case	Don't Forget Me	Middle Cyclone	√
Coconut Records	Saint Jerome	Davy	√
Ace Enders And A Million Different People	Reaction	When I Hit The Ground	√
Darwin Deez	My DNA	Darwin Deez
The National	Green Gloves	Boxer
The Appleseed Cast	Losing Touching Searching	Two Conversations
Bill Callahan	Jim Cain	Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle
Phosphorescent	The Last Thing I Needed (First Thing This Morning)	To Willie	√

Balmorhea	Night in The Draw	All Is Wild, All Is Sient	√
Bonne "Prince Billy"	I Won't Ask Again	Beware	√
When I Was 12	Knick Knacks And Heart Attacks	Dear Eskimo	√
The Terrible Twos	When I Get To 11	If You Ever See An Owl...
The Bad Plus	Comfortably Numb	For All I Care	√
The New Amsterdams	Without A Sound (Elanore)	At The Foot Of My Rival
Morrissey	It's Not Your Birthday Anymore	Years Of Refusal
Metric	Satellite Fantasy	Fantasies	√
Animal Collective	My Girls	Merriweather Post Pavillion
Jukebox The Ghost	Good Day	Let Live & Let Ghost
Royksopp	Happy Up Here	Junior	√
Dan Deacon	Paddling Ghost	Broomst	√

Playlist for 4-1-09

Cineplexx	A Mi Lado	Picnic
Marie Laforet	Detre a vous	Pop A Paris 2
Beirut	La Llorna	March of the Zapotec		√
Marianne Dissard	Cayenne	L'entrendux
Maria Taylor	Cartoons and Forever Plans	Ladyluck		√
Bright Eyes	At The Bottom of Everything	I'm Wide Awake It's Morning
Dr. Dogg	Army of Ancients	Fate
Laughing Owls	in our earlier years	Bad Knees
Raphael Saadiq	Sure Hope You Mean It	The Way I See It
Sigur Ros	Straumnes	Með Suð Í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust
The Smiths	This Charming Man	The Smiths
Gliss	Morning Light	Devotion Implosion		√
Vetiver	Another Reason To Go	Tight Knit		√
The Welcome Wagon	Sold! To The Nice Rich Man	Welcome To The Welcome Wagon
Phosphorescent	Reasons to Quit	To Willie		√
Neko Case	This Tornado Loves You	Middle Cyclone		√
The New Amsterdams	Losing You	Para Toda Vida
M. Ward	Fisher Of Men	Hold Time		√
Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner	Big Red Machine	Dark Was The Night		√
William Elliott Whitmore	Hard Times	Animals In The Dark		√
Andrew Jackson Jihad	Two Headed Boy	Under The Influence	www.wkdu.org
Cursive	I Couldn't Love You	Mama I'm Swollen		√
Fourth of July	Purple Heart	MySpace Music Is Cool.

Two Suns

Natasha Kahn, aka Bat For Lashes, is undoubtedly gorgeous. Right up there with Jenny Lewis (Swoon), Zoey Deschancel (Swoon), Kate Nash (Swoon), Charlotte Gainsbourg (I'm Not There Swoon), and your other various who have you's of the music industry *ahem*EmilyHanes*ahem*. The first Bat For Lashes record, Fur and Gold, was critically acclaimed and I think I missed the boat on it. But, hey, I mena it happens and it was totally cool, I suppose. I wasn't "ready" for it, like I wasn't "ready" for the Smiths when I was in middle school. And I basically mean I was a stupid little shit who thought punk was the greatest and only form of music (Next to Motown. I had a awkward childhood).

None the less the second BFL record is released sometime soon....? And it again sites the same Bjork, Souixie, and all those other crazy, out there folks. The record opens with a pretty cool track, 'Glass'. The whole record oozes new-wave and does it better then I think new-wave bands did it when new-wave was trendy. 'Glass' is perfectly etheral and cool. The second track, 'Sleep Alone' dips, it lost my interest very quickily, and i don't think I even remember what I heard. 'Moon And Moon' and the single, 'Daniel', are again perfect examples of Kahn's song writing excellence, letting me be totally relaxed and giving my brain a perfect mind fucking. Followed by the bland in comparison 'Peace Of Mind'. Until 'Siren Song'. That song is like.... Perfect. I can't even tell you.

The second half of the record contains 'Pearl's Dream' (Feels oddly like an O+S track, actually, I dug it), 'Good Love' (Also sounds like O+S, very cool), 'Two Planets' (Meh, least favorite track on the record, too repetative and not captivating. But it's okay), 'Travelling Woman' (Just okay), and 'The Big Sleep' (The second vocal track is so awkward.)

Over all, this is a pretty cool record. Definitely a little out there, definitely a little new-wave, definitely a little pyschadelic. I definitely have a new found appreciate for alternative kinds of music, especially this kind and I'm looking forward to the next effort Natasha Kahn puts out.

Playlist for 3-10-09

Bright Eyes	Another Travelin' Song	I'm Wide Awake It's Morning
Bonnie "Prince" Billy	You Can't Hurt Me Now	Beware	√
Ben Kweller	Hurtin' You	Changing Horses	√
Great Lake Swimmers	Pulling On A Line	Lost Channels	√
The Tallest Man On Earth	I Won't Be Found	Shallow Grave
Great Lake Swimmers	Palmistry	Lost Channels	√
Françoise Hardy	Ça a Raté	The Yeh-Yeh Girl From Paris
Elvis Perkins in Dearland	Send My Fond Regards To Lonelyville	Send My Fond Regards To Lonelyville	√
O+S	Permanent Scar	O+S	√
O+S	New Life	O+S	√
The Explorers Club	Forever	The Explorers Club EP
Cursive	I Couldn't Love You	Mama, I'm Swollen	√
Austin Lucas	Fountain Of Youth	Somebody Loves Yo	√
Fionn Regan	Be Good Or Be Gone	The End of History
Fleet Foxes	Oliver James	Fleet Foxes
Vetiver	Down From Above	Tight Knit	√
She&Him	I Should Have Known Better	Vol. 1
Jenny Lewis And the Watson Twins	The Big Guns	Rabbit Fur Coat

Thoughts

So.
I was listening to The Juliana Theory today, and I was just remembering how much the rule and how much Emotion Is Dead ruled and how shitty is they had to break up. And that Brett is in California working on some lame TV thing. At least Kosker and Feilder are in a band together. Chad Allen is probably a lone somewhere, wishing TJT were still together with Chip Walters. But I think Chip is drumming for some lame post-hardcore band that's a Zao wanna-be.

But hey, whatever.

LISTEN TO THE JULIANA THEORY.

I'm going to go to sleep since I'm ungodly tired right now. Stay tuned for my playlist and another review (Probably Great Lake Swimmers)

Mamma, I'm Swollen

I should note that prior to this review, I had not really listened to Cursive. Which is weird because I love Saddle Creek. I tried to listen to Happy Hollow and The Ugly Organ but it never clicked with me. I think that I'm older and now haev a greater appreciation for music and definitely other Saddle Creek records. So I was stoked when we got the new Cursive record in the radio station.

The record starts off with a hook-y 'In The Now'. The track is way up tempo and definitely made me tap my feet and get into it. It's a great way to start off the record. I had usually equated Cursive to a band that was extremely spastic and "out there". But I can see that they clearly aren't, even though long time fans will say that this record sucks. The second track, 'From The Hips, rolls in and I reallllllly like this track. I'm not sure why, but it's probably because half way through the song, it suddenly picks up and makes me move in my seat. The song starts off great, slow and melodic, with the vocals almost crooning 'I'm at my best when I'm at my worst'. The third track, 'I Couldn't Love You' is pretty rad, it starts out the same way as the prior track, and Tim Kasher sounds sort of like a Robert Smith, if Robert Smith didn't have a creepy voice and was from Ohmaha. Especially towards the end of the song, it might just be the horns behind his voice, but it's pretty close, at least to my ears.

One thing I like about this record is that it really flows well, there isn't a cross fade between songs. 'I Couldn't Love You Anymore' ends the same way 'Donkeys' starts and it's almost a flawless transition (Even in iTunes which sucks for records that are supposed to be gapless. Everyone knows what I'm talking about). So, here's were I lose my attention. 'Donkeys' is a track that I'm definitely not enjoying. I sort of was digging it then it goes out the window. The next track 'Caveman' isn't bad, it sort of is just a song, I dunno, I can't say that there was anything truly memorable about it. 'We're Going To Hell' has an awesome organ part, but, I don't know that Tim has a suitable voice for singing, especially in a faux-falsetto. Over all, this song starts out slow and starts to get more interestet as it goes, half way through there are some mirrored vocals and it definitely makes it a cool track. The record finishes off with 'Mama, I'm Satan' (Just okay, again, nothing memorable), 'Let Me Up' (Ends pretty cool, but otherwise unmemorable), 'Mama, I'm Swollen' (This track is pretty awesome, I liked it a lot), and 'What Have I Done?' (Opus grandes at 6:11. This track slips by and totally does not feel like 6 minutes. I love this track, a lot.)

Over all, for someone who had never really listened to Cursive, this is a good record. I have actually just finished downlaoding Happy Hollows and I'm excited to hear what the back catalogue is considering this band as a huge legacy behind them for being one of the best bands Saddle Creek has and one band that's got an extreme following.

Ladyluck

Saddle Creek Saddle Creek Saddle Creek.

They always have good releases, or, at least I think so. But this one, I'm sort of iffy on. Maria Taylor is a Saddle Creek girl. She's the singer songwriter behind Azure Ray with Orenda Fink and when Azure Ray broke up, she released two solo records on Saddle Creek. Except for this one. She split with Saddle Creek and her new record Ladyluck is a singer songwriter, NPR sort of record. I can't say anything really grabbed my attention instantly and none of the songs seemed to feel memorable.

The record starts off with the title track, 'Ladyluck'. The record just seems like it should get better and the second track, 'Time Lapse Lifetime', some more promise, but that track doesn't seem to deliver either. The rest of the record falls short of all my expectations and the record really finds it's spot on the last two tracks. The last two tracks, 'Orchids' and 'Cartoons and Forever Plans' are the best songs on the record, honestly. 'Orchids' is the slow, beautiful ballad-y like song that just makes me want to have a slow montion make out scene with some hot indie artsy girl (Jenny Lewis. Or Zoey Deschanel. Yesssssss). The soft drum tracks that highlight the simplicity of the song are well tracked and well mixed, the guitars perfectly suit the song and everything seems to be right here. The last track, 'Cartoons and Forever Plans' is a up tempo folky singer songwriter song that features full band vocals echoing Maria and every other line. It's just perfect. The bass is bouncy and the guitar makes me sway my head in my seat. That's song song writing right there.

But like I said there isn't anything really memorable about the record except for the last two tracks... Which is seriously dissapointing. I had more hope for this Maria Taylor record then delivered.


Tomorrow: Cursive's Mamma, I'm Swollen. Stay tuned.

It was inevitable

I'm going to talk about Watchmen.
But wait, you write a music blog! You can't talk about movies! Let someone more qualified talk about movies.

Shut it.

ANYWAYS.
Watchmen is probably the greatest graphic novel I've ever read and in my top 10 books. Sooo, at the sheer mention of this being a movie I was half frightened half extremely excited I was pissing in my pants. But. I had to wait. Then trailers came and the cast was listed and I was thinking 'Hey, this could be pretty good!' and then I started to relax. And then it was Thursday night 11PM and I'm walking with my friend Scott Leaf and I got piss ass scared. I had attempted to shy away from reviews and things but I had to read reviews. I read a few iffy and a few downers. But I assumed it was because everyone is stupid and didn't read the book or watch the motion comic. Which, consequently, that's the case, or I think I guess.

So that brings me to the point. The movie started out awesome. The entire opening scene with the history transitions and the apartment scene with the Comedian was so epic. My only complaint was.... YOU ALMOST SEE THE ASSASSINS FACE. What the fuck is that? It's supposed to be a mystery and he's supposed to be unknown. I'm trying really hard to not ruin it for anyone who hasn't seen it or read it (yet). None the less the movie gets awesome-er as it goes by. But around the middle it sort of plateus out and then just gets stiff. Rorsrach is hands down my favorite character in the movie and Jackie Earl Haley is spot on. Seriously spot on. Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan was epic. People I've talked too were not so hot on him, but, I felt that sicne Dr. Manhattan is so emotionally empty and detached, Billy's monotone voice really suited it perfectly. Matthew Goode as Adrian Veidt was acceptable, but, I felt he was way too pompus and too douche-y compared to the Veidt in the book until the end, I think. Patrick Wilson as Dan Dreidberg was good, I always felt that Driedberg was sort of a social outcast, never really the one anyone listened to and the one who always seemed to get ignored by the ladies (Oh wow.. That's me, fml). As as for Malin Akerman as Laurie Jupiter.... Totally hot, zero emotion until the end and it was sort of odd (Except for all the boobie shots. I definitely liked that, but that's because I'm crusining along on a super long dry spell.... I shouldn't have told you that). Bringing me finally to Jeffery Dean Morgan as the Comedian who did a pretty good job being the American douche bag stereotype.

But, I'm rather void of any real opinion on the movie. What I watched for two and a half hours almost wasn't what I wanted, I don't think. However, I don't want to say that the movie wasn't well done, because it really was beautifully shot and Zack Snyder did a pretty good job I think. They kept all the swearing and all the violence and didn't really bitch out on anything that would have really turned the movie to poop on film. But they did however change the ending, taking out the subplot (If you read the book you'll know what I mean) but I don't think it's really effected much as I felt it would.

But over all, I felt it was a pretty good movie and GREAT attempt at capturing something that was extremely difficult to capture. It's definitely not on par with the last Moore adaptation, but, it definitely wasn't bad.



If you check back I'll have another music review. Since, well, I write a music blog.

Brother's Blood

Jesus Christ, how many reviews am I going to write this week!? A lot, so shut it. Only two more after this. (For now)

SO. That brings me to this: Kevin Devine. We all know KD. Right? Right. Well, his new record just leaked the other day and I've spent some time milling it over.

So we all know and love Kevin Devine for being the Brooklyn singer-songwriter that he is as he half rides the coat tails of his good friends in Brand New every time Jesse Lacey goes on a solo acoustic tour (I recommend that tour. It's awesome. Jesse and Kevin did a Beatles cover when I saw them back home in Pittsburgh). So here's what we got: 11 tracks of a great 5th record (Sans the two or 3 7"'s).

The record starts off (At least on my version, I don't know if this is the official track listing, so don't hold it against me if I'm wrong.) with a GREAT start. 'All Of Everything, Erased' is a great all acoustic entry to the record, that reminds me a lot of the start to Put Your Ghost To Rest (A personal favorite of mine). Then KD hits us with 'Carnival'. A 6 and a half minute opus with aweomse synth pads and spot on production. It starts out with this awesome synth pad and then the guitar comes in with a swell. Not to mention the awesome reverse snare drums tha kick in around half way through the song and the epic repeated vocals with Kevin screaming in the last two minutes or so. Kevin's vocals are as always good, really complimenting the music he writes very well. Then we get the single he released on a 7" with 'Love Me I'm A Liberal' (If you preordered it like I did... I'm sorry. I had to wait forever for my blue one', 'Time To Burn (Another Bag Of Bones)'. I think I'm the only person who doesn't love 'Another Bag Of Bones' more then his own life. I mean, it's a good song, I just don't like it that much. I didn't realize it was a crime. I'm usually not a big fan of protest like songs, and, well, it's a very vivid image of someone who really hates what's going on now. I certainly love the similies that he uses as a song writer.... but I'm also not into protest songs.

We pick up suddenly with 'Hand Of God (When You Breathe.... Breathe)'. It's a bit of a weird transition, it starts off with harmonized 'Oohs'. A little weird after a very minor, dark sounding 'Another Bag...'. But 'Hand Of God' is exactly the kind of Kevin Devine I love. Toe taping singer songwriter. It definitely comes across to me as a protest-type song (another one) but I'm willing to put that aside. And it has tambourine. Tambourine rules. Then.... We have the first low point on the record, the title track, 'Brother's Blood'. Don't get me wrong, the song is good. Just not 8 minutes good. It's always been my philosophy that if you're recording a song more then 5 minutes in length... You need to change it up. There's no change up, so I get bored and just fast forward. The intro is also over a minute long. That's a little overkill, KD. Then the noisy angry last half of the song also throws me off too. We pick up a little bit with 'Fever Moon', a slower, more soulful song, it almost reminds me of latin music for a few seconds when the track begins. Maybe it's the horns that are real quiet in the back, behind the nylon classical guitar and finger snaps. 'It's Only Your Life' is probably my second favorite track on the record. The track could be on Put Your Ghost To Rest easily, actually. It's one of those melody KD songs that is him just speaking to you, and it really hits home. It's what he does best, I think. We round out the record with 'Murphy's Song', 'I Could Be With Anyone' (From the EP he released right after the 'Another Bag Of Bones' 7". This song is actually pretty cool, with it's sampled drums that give away to a pretty up tempo rock track), 'Yr Husband' (Just okay, really), and finally 'Tomorrow's Just Too Late'. 'Tomorrow's...' actually my favorite track on the record. It's another one of those songs KD just does well. It's him, his guitar, and a second vocal track singing in that signature soft voice about a scorned and jaded woman (I think, at least.) who wants out. He's telling her to move on and get out and be who you want to be. I could listen to this track for an hour on repeat and I think I wouldn't dislike it at all. It's just one of those songs.

Overall, this is a great record. It isn't as great as the last, but, still, pretty good. I enjoyed it and it was worth the wait, I think.

Is this guy serious?

http://torrentfreak.com/metallica-frontman-pirates-his-own-album-090305/

Lars Ulrich: the worlds biggest douchebag. The worlds number one internet piracy fighter. Downloaded his own fucking album.

Wow. Read it and take a look. I have no commentary here, the douchebaggery speaks for itself.

O+S

Saddle Creek is probably one of my favorite record labels of all time, if not my favorite. They put out the best records ever.... Well, Bright Eyes records, and therefore ascends them to the greatest ever. They've also been home to the synth new wave destruction group The Faint (Fuckin' Todd Fink), Maria Taylor's former mainstay Azure Ray, the ever awesome Rilo Kiley, and Conor Oberst side projects galore like Park Ave. They don't have that much going for them now, really, other then Cursive (Does anyone care anymore? Probably, they just put out a new record), Maria Taylor (Also just released her 3rd solo record), and other acts like Neva Dinova, Sebastian Grainger, and Tokyo Police Club. Granted, they have other acts, but, I haven't really seen anything from them recently that I've enjoyed or even been interested in since Bright Eyes' Casscadaga. Until I got this.

O+S. Orenda Fink and Cedric Lemoyne. Post-rock, atmospheric, mellow fantastic-ness. Orenda has by nature a beautifully haunting voice and the beautiful textures behind it simply add to it's calming effect. I mean, I felt calm, probably the calmest I've been in a long time listening to this record, and right now as I write this review. It's pretty awesome when music has a physical effect on me and I'm deeply impressed.... Considering I didn't know anything about this band as I ripped the advance copy from WKDU.

The record opens with a statement, the track 'New Life' certainly does what it says.... Gives new life. Fink and Lemoyne certainly have slipped across something awesome and make it work through the whole track. It's totally soul-slow-jam. And totally bad ass. The synth pads behind Orenda's ethereal vocals just makes me want to make sweet and tender love to some hot indie-folk girl in a plaid western shirt. Right after that masterpiece slow jam is the more up tempo dancier feeling 'Permanent Scar'. This track is way bass heavier and definitely makes me bounce my head. Orenda starts the song by going 'What kind of woman leaves a permanent scar/on such a beautiful heart?' and I just wanna grove. For real. I'm from the suburbs in a black american apparel hoodie with fire truck red Vans authetic's. I don't dance. And unless you're Men, Women, & Children, I probably won't dance to your band (Except Daft Punk and Justice. I have a little hipster in me, I won't lie). None the less, 'Permanent Scar' is totally hot'n'sweaty grind track with the fuzzed out bass leading the way.

Up next is 'The Fox'. Which is very Orenda Fink. The song has some synth-like 'Ooooh's' that are harmonized and ran behind Orenda and her solo acoustic guitar. The track is full of lo-fi goodness that resonates in my headphones like a wave of.... Uh.... Sonic... goodness...? However... track 4 is where I start to feel some questions raise. The record has two very complimenting aspects... Orenda Fink and her voice and the synth textures. But 'Toreador' is a track that some how doesn't quite blend for me. The accompaniment is a piano, but the sampled drums for the first two minutes-ish clash with everything. After 2 minutes the track totally picks up and feels pretty solid. I have the same sentiments about the next track 'We Do What We Want' (Well.... Actually this track is way cooler then the previous. With a awesome pedaling bass over some sampled drums and then a pedaling guitar sounds awesome) and if this were a record, this would be where I put the needle back at the beginning. The second half of the record all sort of blends into the same lo-fi synth pad rich goodness, but, nothing memorable. Which really let's me down.

Over all this is one hell of a debut. I expect nothing less then the best from Saddle Creek and this does pretty well to deliver on the first time around. Granted, this is totally something that could fit right into a slow montage in a Zach Braff movie (Well... Garden State, really.) I really would love to see another Fink/Lemoyne collaboration. If not.... I'd be dissapointed, but we'd always have O+S' debut to jam too.

Punk Goes Punk, Vol.2

Everyone loves pop punk bands doing top 200 hits right? Uhhhh? Maybe? In like 2003 maybe? Except for the A Day To Remember cover of Kelly Clarkson's 'Since U Been Gone'. That was a catchy jam. The bass and chugging rolls were really awesome. BUT.

This Fearless record compilation gets my vote for the WORST mixed album ever. Whoever did each bands session is the biggest tool ever. Mind you, I try and approach Fearless records with an open mind (Close friends, The Morning Light, are on it, as well as cool bands like Eye Alaska), but, their penchant for releasing awkward compliations like this is.... Well, weird. I mean Punk Goes Acoustic are usually pretty good, but Punk Goes Metal and Punk Goes 80's were.... Awkward. And this follows suit as those with being extremely weirdly mixed and artists picking the wrong track.

Here's a laundry list of the pop songs on it: Beautiful Girls (Sean Kingston), Love Song (Sara Bariellies [However you spell her name]), Apologize (OneRepublic/Timbaland), Baby One More Time (Brittney), and Over My Head (The Fray). Granted some (And I use the word SOME very generously) of these terrible excuses for songs aren't half band (Timbaland remix of OneRepublic was way too good, seriously, way too good). Which brings me to the laundry list of bands making this compilation awkward: Bayside, Four Year Strong, Alesana, August Burns Red, Silverstien, Mayday Parade. Erggh.....

So. Silverstien's cover of OneRepublic's 'Apologize' is the ONLY song on this record worth listening too. Every other song is just.... Odd. I can't find myself singing along. The A Day To Remember cover of The Fray's 'Over My Head (Cable Car)' starts out good, then it kicks in and just gets odd. This records downfall is the horridly shoddy mixing of the drums. Whoever mixed every single one of these drums tracks, at whatever studio, in whatever city, should be shot. They took out every frequency BUT the treble. There are literally no bass frequencies what so ever. EVEN ON THE BASS CHANNEL. What the hell is that? Seriously. What the fuck, guys. All I wanted was some pop-punk/happy hardcore breakdowns on some pop 100 songs. Instead, I got pop-punk/happy hardcore cover songs without any bass or drums. Everything sounds it was recorded through a radio, inside a 1995 Dodge Neon.

Two thumbs down.

Playlist for 3-3-09

Rocky start. Apollo Creed. Movies from the 90's. WOAH.

The Appleseed Cast	The Summer Before	Sagarmatha	√
Owen	Bad News	At Home With
My Brightest Diamond	Feeling Good	Dark Was The Night	√
The Tallest Man On Earth	Shallow Grave	Shallow Grave	√
The New Amsterdams	Stay On The Phone	Para Toda Vida
Matt Pryor	Lorelai	Confidence Man
Kevin Devine	A Billion Bees	Put Your Ghost To Rest
Neko Case	I'm An Animal	Middle Cyclone	√
Neko Case	This Tornado Loves	Middle Cyclone	√
Elisabeth Anaïs	La Même Histoire	Paris Je T'Aime
Marie Laforet	D'être à vous	Pop A Paris
Marianne Dissard	Sans-Façon	L'entredeux
Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins	Happy	Rabbit Fur Coat
She & Him	This Is Not A Test	Vol. 1
M . Ward	Jailbird	Hold Time	√
Raphael Saadiq	Calling	The Way I See It
Dave Sitek	With A Girl Like You	Dark Was The Night	√
Owen	Femme Fatal	At Home With
Justin Vernon	Return To You	Justin Vernon
The Juliana Theory	Something Isn't Right Here	Emotion Is Dead

Distances

There seems to be this big underground thing with split 7" these days. And it's awesome. That brings me to this weeks review. Philadelphia pop punk, The Wonder Years meets UK pop punk, All Or Nothing. Pretty fucking rad.

The Wonder Years are now a full length and two 7"'s deep into their career, dividing time between being students and touring. They do a pretty bad ass job. The Wonder Years's side of Directions is too short for my liking, only two songs. However, in true TWY fashion, the songs are awesome and funny. The first of two, 'An Elegy For Baby Blue' is just a good, old fashioned pop punk song. Their second song feels like a track two on a split, good, but, could be better.

The All Or Nothing side is 3 tracks and not too bad. They always came across on the poppier side of pop punk, but these three tracks give me some hope that they aren't just another version of We The Kings or Sing It Loud (I hate them both, just so you know). Lots of hooks and bouncy guitar riffs are always a plus, considering I make my business listening, playing, and writing and writing about pop music. The first All Or Nothing track is really the best one, the other two aren't bad, the last, 'This Is Very Impossible', is the better of the two, with a pretty cool solo at the end that isn't overbearing and stupid, like 99.9% of solos that I hear.

Over all, pop punk is still alive and still breathing in the underground. Bands like The Wonder Years and All Or Nothing are still keeping the slightly juvenile yet poignant pop punk music breathing well as veterans like New Found Glory sort of get a little mature and don't have the same infectious quality on first listen.

Playlist for 2-24-09

It was just another Tuesday. It was cold as shit.

Bright Eyes	Reinvent The Wheel	Four Winds EP
Ben Kweller	Gypsy Rose	Changing Horses	√
Neko Case	People Got A Lotta Nerve	Middle Cyclone	√
Morrissey	It's Not Your Birthday Anymore	Years of Refusal	√
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Vallet Band	Corina Corina	Gentleman's Pact
Ben Kweller	Hurtin' You	Changing Horses	√
Jenny Lewis	Acid Tongue	Acid Tongue
Neko Case	Fever	Middle Cyclone	√
William Elliott Whitmore	Rest His Soul	Song of the Blackbird
Justin Vernon	Easy	Hazeltons
Marissa Nadler	Little Hells	Little Hells	√
Bon Iver	Brackett, WI	Dark Was the Night	√
Sufjan Stevens	John Wayne Gacey, Jr.	Come On, Feel The Illinoise
Ferris Wheel	Lay Down	Goody Twos
The Hood Internet	Single Foxes (Put A Wood On It)	Beyonce vs Fleet Foxes
Creaky Boards	Lie To Me	Brooklyn is Love
Bishop Allen	The Lion and the Teacup	Grr...