Hummer

New Releases: June 6th, 2006

2006-06-06T11:27:00.000-04:00

Ah the day every nordic death metal band has been waiting for: 6.6.6!!!!!!!! I'm scared. My favorite non-evil releases for today, Paper Chase will scare the hell out of you, Sound Team will rock you in your indie socks, & Bardo Pond will rest your bones. Newcomers Ladyhawk, The Hush Sound, & Oppenhemier are where my moneys at.

The Paper Chase - Now You Are One Of Us
Ladyhawk - s/t
Sound Team - Movie Monster
Bardo Pond - Ticket Crystals
Robot Ate Me - Good World

The Hush Sound - Like Vines
Amps For Christ - Every Eleven Seconds
Be Your Own Pet - s/t
Conner - Hello Graphic Missile
Psapp - The Only Thing I Ever Wanted

Oakley Hall - Gypsum Strings
Portastatic - Who Loves The Sun
Micah P. Hinson - Baby & The Satellite Ep
Scott Walker - Drift
Alexi Murdoch - Time Without Consequence

Oppenheimer - s/t
Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint - The River In Reverse
Donovan Frankenreiter - Move By Yourself
Zero 7 - The Garden
Au Pairs - Stepping Out Of Line

Now that I take a look at it, there's a lot more great stuff coming out today. I wish I was within 100 miles of a record store.
rte

Post #039: Girl Friday's Song Of The Week #5

2006-06-02T11:26:00.000-04:00

"Soo I want you to know that I did ALOT of driving this week, and Atlanta traffic sucks so I get alot of time to listen music in the car, in traffic, and this is the ultimate stuck-in-traffic-frustration song, therefore an easy choice for my song of the week. It just embodies what it feels like to be sitting there, stuck in the heat, in the sun, but given it's playful nature, it kinda makes it feel like it may be ok to just be sitting there, yeah not so bad now. Outside of the car the song also makes for a kick-ass accompaniment to playing a little detective, no?" -g.f.

The Starlight Mints - Rhino Stomp

Past Songs Of The Week: #1 / #2 / #3 / #4

Ah you're first instrumental pick, you're growing Girl Friday.
rte

New Releases: May 30th, 2006

2006-05-30T11:25:00.000-04:00

Ooooh just a handful of things today, most notably the debut release from Stars Amy Millan & a followup to The Sound Of Animals Fighting (a personal favorite). Don't overlook an intriguing Ep from The 1900s and the Japanese tour only Ep from Sigur Ros. Good luck finding that one.

Drowsy - Snow On Moss On Stone
The Sound Of Animals Fighting - Lover, The Lord Has Left Us
Amy Millan - Honey From The Tombs
Sigur Ros - Japan Tour Ep
The 1900s - Plume Delivery Ep

Boards Of Canada - Trans Canada Highway
Mikaela's Fiend - We Can Driving Machine
Hawnay Troof - Community Ep
YouInSeries - Outside We Are Fine

Remember, I'm out of town.
rte

Post #038: Girl Friday's Song Of The Week #4

2006-05-26T11:24:00.000-04:00

"I love them (The Fiery Furnaces) because you never know where they're gonna go. I love the element of surprise, "What's gonna happen next?", it's like a field trip. It's like a music collage of all these other great songs, put together, to make one super-song! It's got a buncha different moods to it, so it's versatile, a quality that I find redeeming. I love how it kinda goes away and then comes back, ya know? And all the crazy sound effects, Ugh so good!" -g.f.

The Fiery Furnaces - Benton Harbor Blues

Past Songs Of The Week: #1 / #2 / #3

Excellent choice Girl Friday, showing you too are versatile.
rte

New Releases: May 23rd, 2006

2006-05-23T11:24:00.000-04:00

Long awaited releases from The Walkmen, Tilly & The Wall, & Vetiver and not so long awaited albums from Tunng & Kid 606. Honorable mentions: Gotye, Blood Brothers, & VCR.

Tunng - Comments Of The Inner Chorus
The Walkmen - A Hundred Miles Off
Vetiver - To Find Me Gone
VCR - Power Destiny
Tilly & The Wall - Bottoms Of Barrels

Gotye - Like Drawing Blood
Red Sparrowes & Gregor Samsa split
Loscil - Plume
Blood Brothers - Love Rhymes With Hideous Car Wreck Ep
Kid 606 - Pretty Girls Make Raves

Bedroom Walls - All Good Dreamers Pass This Way
Coachwhips - Double Death
Murder By Death - In Bocca Al Lupo
Mike Andrews - Hand On String
Knut - Alter

Alias & Tarsier - Brookland/Oaklyn
Danko Jones - Sleep Is The Enemy
Mission Of Burma - The Obliterati
Ocrilim - Anoint
Phoenix - It's Never Been Like That

One Ring Zero - As Smart As We Are
Angels & Airwaves - We Don't Need To Whisper
Less Than Jakes - In With The Out Crowd
The Ditty Bops - Moon Over The Freeway
Shooting At Unarmed Men - Yes, Tinnitus

I'm not adding the links to the bands sites anymore, or for now (too much work). If ya can't find 'em, ask me and I will tell you were to find them. Other wise, the hunt is on.
rte

Post #037: Girl Friday's Song Of The Week #3

2006-05-19T11:23:00.000-04:00

"I'll start by saying that I LOVE Architecture in Helsinki and every song they sing. I hadn't listened to their newer album in a few months, but I got the urge for a fix the other day and couldn't get passed track 3, kept playing it over and over again. I don't know what kind of instruments they're playing in this song but I love them, and I want one. I love the singing mostly, it's just so cute! I don't know I'm not good at this, I just like it" -g.f.

Architecture In Helsinki - Tiny Paintings

Past Songs Of The Week: #1 / #2

Once again you surprise me Girl Friday.
rte

A Brief Hiatus

2006-05-18T00:44:00.000-04:00

Hummer's gonna be on hiatus for a few weeks here now, as I have to go away, apparently to carry a large branch up and down the shoreline, but nonetheless, or moretheless, the posting will be infrequent, so I hope you can hang in. Go back over the last few months if you're new to the blog and check out some of the earlier posts if you will. I'll be back in the beginning of June and I swear I'll hit ya with tons of stuff.
The site won't be dormant. I'll probably throw up the new releases on Tuesdays, though they may not be quite as thorough as I won't have my usual resources to pull from, plus I won't have my own computer with me. Makes it tough. Girl Friday may make the occasional apperance from time to time. Who knows.
But for now, I am off.

A little travelling music:
Bound Stems - Crimes + Follies
Think About Life - Bastian And The Boar
Minus Story - Joyless, Joyless
Voices And Organs - Reaching For The Trees
Gnarls Barkley - Smiley Faces
Deerhoof - Wrong Time Capsule
United States Of America - The American Metaphysical Circus
De La Soul - Tread Water
Gang Gang Dance - Before My Voice Fails
B.C. Camplight - Blood And Peanut Butter
Sunset Rubdown - I'll Believe In Anything, You'll Believe In Anything
Chin Up Chin Up - Why Is My Sleeping Bag A Ghetto Muppet?
The Starlight Mints - Seventeen Devils
The Most Serene Republic - Stay Ups

Full posting should resume June 8th. Stay tuned folks.
rte

Tunng

2006-05-17T18:34:00.000-04:00

I've been pretty stoked about what I thought was the new Tunng album lately, only to find out that next Tuesday they're putting out their newer album called Comments Of The Inner Chorus. You better believe I pre-ordered that shit. But even with just the one ingeniously entitled album I do own already, Mother's Daughter & Other Songs, I've fallen hard and fast for these British folk music experimentalists. Just the songs, in their barest, simplest form are amazing enough to catch my interest, but then they carefully layer the electronics and the beats and the drones over top for an effect that is pure genius. It's a perfect & complete melding of all that is atop the music world these days; the freak-folk & the electronic music coming together, none outweighing the other, just beautifully coexisting in each others' worlds, in Tunng's world.

This is Tunng:
Tunng - Surprise Me 44
Tunng - Kinky Vans
Tunng - People Folk
Tunng - Pioneers (Bloc Party cover)

Now I wanna hear Tunng cover every song by Bloc Party.
rte

Features On Hummer

2006-05-17T14:27:00.000-04:00

I've started up a buncha series lately, to either make Hummer more interesting or more frustrating, whichever. But I thought I'd give a quick rundown of what each one was about (as if it weren't easy enough to figure out) and what I've covered on them so far. Just in cased ya missed anything.

New Releases: Every Tuesday I post the week's newly released albums that interest me (not too many imports or singles), more to keep myself up on what's coming out, because it can get confusing with 8,362,104 different record labels each with 457,146,291 bands, I do the best I can.
April 11th, 2006
May 2nd, 2006

Favorite Songs Ever: This one is, well, my favorite songs, gathered together on display in triads for you to enjoy. This will be a fine collection once it's finished.
Vol. I - Version 1.0
Vol. II - Upping The Ante
Vol. III - Under An Influence
Vol. IV - Making Progress

The Sunday Morning: One of my favorite series, where most every Sunday morning I will post songs that I like to hear on a nice relaxing Sunday morning, therefore giving you the vehicle for a nice relaxing Sunday morning, thus doing my part in acquiring world peace.
4/23/06
5/7/06
5/14/06

Random In Tandem: Mainly a reason to post more songs without having to write about them. Will be a mix of well known artists with the more obscure, old with new, good with bad, and named after the first line in one of the songs (makes it fun). Also doubles as a way to maximize my EZArchive space.
Ch. 1 - There Was Plenty Of Room For Experiment
Ch. 2 - Just In Case We Were Mistaken
Ch. 3 - You're An Empty Promise, You're An Easy Chair

Girl Friday's Song Of The Week: After feeling left out of the whole blogging experience, Girl Friday wanted to get involved by choosing her favorite song of the week and including a brief write-up as to why it's her choice for Song Of The Week.
#1 - Islands - Swans (Life After Death)
#2 - DeVotchka - How It Ends

Relatively Unknowns: An alphabetized way to get some lesser known artists out there, as I've collected alot of random tracks from random bands that I never hear from again. Mostly unreleased material collected over years of searching the internet, and most I can't even find again to get more info, so get 'em while ya can.
A / B / C / D / E / F

Under The Covers: A series where I choose a song that is oft-covered and post as many versions as I feel are necessary for a non-confrontational compare and contrast session.
#1 - Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want
#2 - Across The Universe

Record Label Showcases: Passing the word on some possibly lesser known record labels that I've come to enjoy greatly, because it's always better to buy music directly from them.
Goodnight Records
JagJaguwar
80H Records

Concert Review: I don't fancy myself a rock critic or a concert reporter, but I can and have on occasion felt the need to write about certain shows I attend, whether they affected me positively or not, expect a few more of these coming soon.
Dirty Projectors at The Eydrum, 3/13/06
Animal Collective at Variety Playhouse, 3/19/06

The Hummer Quarterly Report: A post that will show up every 3 months, or 4 times a year, to attempt to discuss those past three months in music, separating the good from the bad, mentioning important happenings, and making it easier to take in a whole years worth of music come December.
1st Quarter: January - March '06

Holiday Posts: I do my best to try and find songs that represent our beloved holidays, or at least represent them to me, and post a handful (12-20) of them for the masses.
An Easter Mixture
A Mother's Day Extravaganza

Other, random & non-reoccurrring posts like, Please Please Please, What's In A Name? & A Cap'n Jazz Chronicle, will also continue to appear from time to time, when the time is right, as time goes by.
rte

Kubrick

2006-05-17T06:28:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I feel like the continent of Australia has their own little treasure chest of musical acts that they keep locked away in their room and don't tell anyone about. You don't hear about bands from there all that often, I think the last famous group from down under was Midnight Oil. And look at them now. Maybe that's why they don't tell us about any of their bands. Well Kubrick is nothing like Midnight Oil.
Kubrick is a free jazz trio from Adelaide, Australia, a music scene that much like the Canadian scene we've become accustomed to the past few years, is a scene of numerous musicians alternating between various collectives and outfits, recording here, gigging there, late night jamming over there. But I've come to appreciate Kubrick more for their take on the genre, working more within an atmospheric kinda of plane rather than the typical straight jazz effects. Why be dull? Interweaving these smooth grooves with some complex guitar noodling and the easy-does-it percussion makes for quite the fluid and soothing listen, not one that's gonna make them an immediate hit in America like Midnight Oil, but with a beloved name like Kubrick, we're not gonna ignore them for long.

How 'bout a little Wednesday morning jazz?:
Kubrick - Dead Arm
Kubrick - Aldershot
Kubrick - Winton

rte

The Boats

2006-05-16T16:07:00.000-04:00

Everybody here likes The Books right?! Good, me too. So, now that you're three albums into your relationship with your beloved sound collageers, thinking "there is no one like this band", and "you're so different from everyone else", or worrying that "I'll never find another band like The Books", be ready to be introduced to The Boats. Now, yes, suspicion that the Books & The Boats are in fact the very same duo of collaborators runs rampant, but the investigation is yet to turn up any hard evidence. So for time being, we will refer to The Boats as the softer side of The Books, less click & bang, more ebb & flow, and a complete lack of vocals. Which confuses, because each song on The Boats second Lp, We Made It For You, is titled with only names. Sometimes one name, others two, occassionally three names, which presents the idea that these songs are about or dedicated to these people, but given the wordless recording, we'll never know how important (or detrimental) these folks were to The Boats.
The record label, Moteer, has announced that they have another album in the works for release relatively soon, or "will see the light of day as soon as the dark nights approach once more". We talking daylight savings here? Either way, they promise a more "robust" sound and even the presence of "male vox". Hmmm, we could have a chameleon here. That, too, is exciting.

Listen closely:
The Boats - Bob, Ben And Kipper
The Boats - Mum And Dad
The Boats - Jonathan And Rob

rte

New Releases: May 16th, 2006

2006-05-16T00:01:00.000-04:00

Everyone's been waiting for today to pick up the Raconteurs debut. I'll probably check that out soon, but for me, the new Espers album comes out, Frog Eyes new Ep, Sam Roberts, the Whirlwind Heat, plus, the first new release from Don Caballero in five years is a lot more exciting.

Home & Garden - History & Geography
Whirlwind Heat - Types Of Wood
Frog Eyes - The Future Is Inter-Disciplinary Or Not At All Ep
The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldier
The Twilight Singers - Powder Burns

Don Caballero - World Class Listening Problem
Espers - II
The Wedding Present - Search For Paradise
Sam Roberts - Chemical City
The Mae Shi / Rapider Than Horsepower - Do Not Ignore The Potential

Honeyhander - Wooly Mannerisms
Faun Fables - The Transit Rider
Russian Circles - Enter
The Colour - Devils Got A Holda Me Ep
Jarvis Cocker & Steve Mackey - The Trip

Radio 4 - Enemies Like This
Controlling The Famous - Automatic City
Yellow Swans - Drift Ep
Tosca - Chocolate Elvis
T-Tauri - Infinite Motion

Adem - Love & Other Planets
Carla Bozulich - Evangelista
Eclat - Monochrome
Rock Kills Kid - Are You Nervous?
The Wonder Stuff - Suspended By Stars

rte

Starlight Mints

2006-05-15T16:51:00.000-04:00

The past month has had a ton of good releases, but none quite as wonderfully odd & weirdly entertaining as Drowaton the new Starlight Mints album released back on April 25th. This isn't exactly a new direction for the band, but a fresh sound and a refreshing take on songwriting is what I've been getting from it. And on top of the wild creativity and spot on pop gems, the album has got such an enjoyable vibe to it, with choruses you can sing along to after just one listen, or the playful, almost cartoonish instrumental track thrown down in the middle of the whole affair, the Starlight Mints have thrown out an album that could easily become one of the year's best, just by likeability factor.

Here's the first few tracks:
The Starlight Mints - Pumpkin
The Starlight Mints - Torts
The Starlight Mints - What's Inside Of Me

rte

Ghosty

2006-05-15T10:30:00.000-04:00

I picked up this curious little album end of last summer, not knowing anything about it but the rumors that Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips had made a vocal contribution to one of the tracks after stumbling across Ghosty's recording session and being so impressed. Needless to say, Ghosty in no way reflects the music of the Lips (as if any band could) but instead floats on that cloud of pop/rock loveliness inhabitted by so many of our beloved musicians.
Upon first listen I wasn't taken aback, but more drawn in by the subtly of the hooks being sunken into my brain, and the voice, which on rare occasion approached a Jim James/Ben Bridwell timbre, but the actual lyrical arrangement gave the album such a flow, it is one of those albums you have to hear straight thru.
Anyhow, I heard they have a new album in the works, in fact true, and very near completion. The new record, entitled No Nothing, and having no definite scheduled release date ("sometime soon"), is one that I'm definitely looking forward too, as it was made in significantly less time than the six years it took frontman Andrew Connor to release Grow Up Or Sleep In, which has had a hold over me, for the time being.

Take a breather:
Ghosty - Henry Greene
Ghosty - Hey! Somebody
Ghosty - Big Surrender
Ghosty - Clouds Solve It

And yes, that is Coyne adding a guest vocal on Clouds Solve It.
rte

Post #035: A Mother's Day Extravaganza

2006-05-14T23:43:00.000-04:00

Ok so maybe it's not quite an extravanganza but it's a mother's day mix nonetheless. Just a few songs to celebrate our mothers, expectant mothers, potential mothers, or mention mothers by people who probably have mothers or know someone's mother or are mothers themselves. Really just something to remind you, the reader, to call your mother and wish her a Happy Mother's Day, if you haven't done so already. Be a good son/daughter like me, see that's my mom up there. She's gonna be so happy!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY MOM!!
John Lennon - Mother
Beulah - Your Mother Loves You, Son
The Heavy Blinkers - Mother Dear
Tori Amos - Mother
P.J. Harvey - I Think I'm A Mother
B.B. King - Nobody Loves Me But My Mother (live)
The Decemberists - My Mother Was A Chinese Trapeze Artist
The Knife - We Share Our Mothers Health
Yann Tiersen - Mother
Julie Doiron - Mother
The Beatles - Your Mother Should Know
Little Richard - Thinkin' 'Bout My Mother
Blonde Redhead - Mother
Casiotone For The Painfully Alone - Happy Mother's Day

Past Holiday Mixes: An Easter Mixture

rte

Post #034: The Sunday Morning, 5/14/06

2006-05-14T01:05:00.000-04:00

Good Thing To Do On A Sunday Morning: Lie On The Beach

Jim O'Rourke - Prelude To 110 or 220/Women Of The World
Dreamend - Can't Take You
Band Of Horses - St. Augustine
Lazarus - The Walking Sonnet
South San Gabriel - Charred Resentment The Same

Past Sunday Mornings: 4/23/06 - 5/7/06

rte

Post #033: Under The Covers #2

2006-05-13T14:29:00.000-04:00

A classic today, to be remade and covered for years to come I'm sure. "Across the Universe" written by John Lennon & recorded by The Beatles toward the end of their existence. Today we have fine renditions put forth by such acclaimed artists as Rufus Wainwright & David Bowie and the classic cover by Fiona Apple, but also lesser knowns such as Torinho Horta with his endearing interpretation, The Curtain Society lends it's shoegaze version, and even an instrumental version by Jason Falkner.

The Original
The Beatles - Across The Universe

The Covers
Fiona Apple - Across The Universe
Rufus Wainwright - Across The Universe
Torinho Horta - Across The Universe
David Bowie - Across The Universe
The Curtain Society - Across The Universe
Jason Falkner - Across The Universe
Laibach - Across The Universe
Rufus Wainwright - Across The Universe (live)

Past Under The Covers:
The Smiths "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want"

rte

Ozma

2006-05-13T10:16:00.000-04:00

Seems like bands are regrouping a lot lately, and after only a few years, sometimes months, of calling it "quits" we see them drawn back together, as if some irresistible force was calling to them, for their work has not yet been completed. Well, I'm not gonna list 'em all here, just gonna talk about one: Ozma.
Mysteriously calling it quits sometime after the release of their last & most expansive album, Spending Time On The Borderline three years ago, I'm sure broke more than just a few hearts, as Ozma seemed to be fast becoming darlings of their Pasadena scene and had a huge following on the west coast. The few years of hiatus brought on quite a few side projects, from both frontmen Daniel Brummel & Ryen Slegr comes the computer pop improv of Commuter Music, Ryen Slegr did some work with The Elected, as well as Yes, Dear, his band with Ozma guitarist Jose Galvez. Daniel Brummel also put out a solo album & joined forces with psych-rock outfit Gone With The Ghosts. Phew, you got all that.

A refresher course:
Ozma - Natalie Portman
Ozma - Battlescars
Ozma - Eponine

Ozma took big steps away from the Weezer comparisons on their last album. Let's see where they go now.
rte

Parts & Labor

2006-05-12T18:32:00.000-04:00

Oh boy, here's something. Parts & Labor everyone. A further testament to why I love everything that comes off JagJaguwar. But this is an entirely different beast altogether. P&L admit to being big fans of the folk music, recorded a split album with the soon-to-be-legendary Tyondai Braxton, and their noisy debut Groundswell, is an instrumental album. They are hard to pin down and with the lack of a proper genre to place them in, critics were forced to call them "the pop version of Lightning Bolt" or "Animal Collective gone rockNroll". The music is pummeling (drummer Chris Weingarten is often found standing at his kit, best positioning himslef for the most brutal attack) but also gorgeous and melodic (Dan Friel creates a bagpipe-like effect from his guitar that creates lush and drawn-out tones, & singer/bass player BJ Warshaw usually bellows & howls his oft-political lyrics), sounding like an electro-rock version of chorale hymns. Amazing. And they're just getting things started.

I suggest you turn your speakers down:
Parts & Labor - A Great Divide

rte

Post #032: Girl Friday's Song Of The Week #2

2006-05-12T00:20:00.000-04:00

"So I got dragged off to the record store, which I don't mind all that much, cuz I like good music too, just don't know what to look for (he does). This time tho, I found a little television where you can choose different movie trailers to watch, and I've (kinda) been reading this book Everything Is Illuminated, and they made it into a movie, so I chose that. The movie looks really good & all, but toward the end they play this song that immediately took my attention away from Elijah Wood. I yelled across the store to rte to immediately come and identify the song and from whence it came. He could not. For shame. But he did find out who it was! And this is it. Song of the week. Now I love Everything Is Illuminated, and I've never even seen it. " -g.f.

DeVotchka - How It Ends

Another fine pick from Girl Friday.
rte

Post #031: Favorite Songs Ever, Vol. IV

2006-05-11T16:29:00.000-04:00

Making Progress
Supergrass - Moving
I dunno, something about this song, gives me chills everytime it starts. Setting a mood right off with the acoustic strumming & a perfect vocal delivery is an immaculate intro, leading to the entrance of the bass and drums, which is really the meat & potatoes of the song. After the funky chorus kicks in and the song changes feel, it settles back down into the verse, only this time with full band treatment and swirling orchestral strings, making me dance uncontrollably, and quite ungracefully. Then the wood block takes it over the edge. Bravo Supergrass.

Toto - Africa
I was just a wee boy when I first heard this tune, amongst my parents seemingly vast record collection, so we may be able to chalk this one up to childhood nostalgia, too. Ha ha, this may be the lamest song to ever be posted on any blog anywhere, but for some reason, all these years later, something about the lyrics in the chorus that makes me feel the need to shout them out everytime I hear it. Plus David Paich's delivery of "above the Serengeti" is a classic.
P.S. Toto just released a new album, Falling In Between.

Pixies - Alec Eiffel
The Get Up Kids - Alec Eiffel
Man, I love the Pixies. Everything about them is amazing. I used to live down the street from one of the bars they got their start (well after they were gone of course). While this may be an odd choice for (one of) my favorite song(s) by them, it demonstrates how Black Francis reached outside the normal range for original material, singing about 19th century French engineers and such. I threw in the Get Up Kids version, which is great on it's own merits, as a bonus.

Past FSE!: Vol. I / Vol. II / Vol. III

Yes, it may be ugly, it may be humiliating, but I cannot deny who I am. I cannot repudiate my Favorite Songs Ever!
rte

The Out_Circuit

2006-05-11T10:13:00.000-04:00

The Out_Circuit. A band from D.C., whose music could not be further from that of stigma that encapsulates their surroundings, no hard core or freak rock here. Just smooth, mood-setting atmospherics that come as close to Radiohead territory as any comparison I've heard (of course without the immense creative output, that's why Radiohead is Radiohead), which makes for a dead end comparison. But the Out_Circuit is a special band on it's own, the rotating lineup adding a jazzy touch and gentleness to its ethereal explorations, sounding all at once gloriously lo-fi with tunes of seasoned musicians & songwriters. I've been playing their debut off Lujo Records, Burn Your Scripts Boys on and off since late 2004, and thought I'd send up a post on them, considering that a release for mid-2006 is in the works as we speak. I'll be waiting.

The Out_Circuit - The City Is Ours
The Out_Circuit - The Boy With The Durutti Column
The Out_Circuit - Glasgow

rte

Tim Fite

2006-05-10T19:01:00.000-04:00

It was bound to happen. First came the rap-metal & rap-rock, so it seems the only natural progression would lead to Tim Fite's form of rap-blues or rap-country. And after hearing bad review after bad review for his latest album Gone Ain't Gone, I still went out and bought it, just to satisfy my curiosity. So why am I so surprised that I actually enjoy this album? I, more often than not, disagree with such terrible reviews, whether it's because I appreciate most music just for what it is, or I'm not jaded perhaps by the profound ethos that drives most critics, or I just have that bad a taste in music.
Either way, what you'll find in Tim Fite's music is not ground-breaking; in fact it's quite the opposite. Instead he's rearranged discarded ground and turned it into a completely new and different landscape altogether using samples and sounds from previously recorded and relatively unknown artists. But somehow that doesn't make it any less original, or enjoyable.
Alot about Fite's music is uber-quirky and even impossible to take too seriously, going from earnest country/blues directly into an f-bomb dropping legitimate rap sequence, or even the claim and subsequent obsession with being born without blood, all makes for a rather adventurous & interesting package, and in my opinion, one worth owning.

Tim Fite - Forty-Five Remedies
Tim Fite - A Little Bit
Tim Fite - Away From The Snakes

rte

The Most Serene Republic/The Strokes

2006-05-09T19:06:00.000-04:00

First off, I'd like to apologize for seeming so obsessed with this band. I like them, as more than a friend, but I'm not stalking them or anything (yet).
So the latest development on The Most Serene Republic homebase is an exciting, yet odd one. As you may or may not have heard, our boys (and girl) over at TMSR have been hand selected to open for The Strokes on the Canadian leg of their tour. Seems like an odd coupling but, hey, first Black Mountain opens for Coldplay, now this. Big brother looking out for the little guy. So now, for the last time, get on board with these guys before they completely explode.
Unfortunately, they won't be bringing along their bassist, Andrew MacArthur. He's left the band in pursuit of a further education, and we can only wish him the best. This is sad news, as Andrew was a huge part of that amazing rhythm section that made everyone's head swirl and an absolute joy to watch live, so here's to finding another incredible bass player.

The Strokes in Canadia, featuring The Most Serene Republic:
5/9 Ottawa, ON @ Ottawa Civic Centre
5/10 London, ON @ John Labatt Centre
5/12 Winnipeg, MB @ Burton Cummings Theatre
5/14 Calgary, AB @ Stampede Carral
5/15 Edmonton, AB @ Shaw Conference Centre
5/17 Vancouver, BC @ Plaza Of Nations
5/24 Barrie, ON @ The Foundation Nightclub
5/25 St. Catherines, ON @ Level Three
5/26 Windsor, ON @ The Avalon
5/27 Hamilton, ON @ Casbah
5/31 Waterloo, ON @ Starlight Ballroom
6/1 Ottawa, ON @ Zaphods
6/2 Montreal, QC @ Main Hall

The Most Serene Republic - Jazz Ordinaire
The Strokes - Ize Of The World

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New Releases: May 9th, 2006

2006-05-09T00:32:00.000-04:00

For some reason, there's just tons of stuff coming out today that's worth mentioning. Top of the list, without a doubt, is the swansong from Grandaddy. Then we got Shearwater, The Stills, Gnarls Barkley, Snow Patrol, I'm looking forward to checking out debuts from Beirut & Violins, and don't even pretend like you're not gonna check out the new RHCP. That, with a whole handful of great Ep's and we may have the biggest release day of the year.

Grandaddy - Just Like The Fambly Cat
Shearwater - Palo Santo
Matmos - The Rose Has Teeth In The Mouth Of The Beast
Beirut - Gulag Orkestar
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Stadium Arcadium

Danielson - Ships
Home - Sexteen
Lansing-Dreiden - Divinding Island
Neil Young - Living With War
Baron Samedi Ecstatic Soul Quintet - Feed A Fever

Pony Up - Make Love To The Judges With Your Eyes
Jolie Holland - Springtime Can Kill You
The Black Heart Procession - The Spell
Violins - Pink Water
Minmae - Le Grand Essor de la Maison du Monstre

Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
The Stills - Without Feathers
Plain White T's - Hey There Delilah
Zach Hill & Mick Barr - Shred Earthship
The Instruments - Cast A Half Shadow

Snow Patrol - Eyes Open
Paul Simon - Surprise
Oh Astro - Hello World Ep
Kimya Dawson - Remember That I Love You
Mark Pickerel & His Praying Hands - Snake In The Radio

Grizzly Bear - Sorry For The Delay
Nomo - New Tones
The Electric Soft Parade - The Human Body Ep
Paik - Monster Of The Absolute
The Everyothers - Pink Sticky Lies Ep

The Velvet Teen - Gyzmkid Ep
Mystery Jets - Flotsam & Jetsom Ep
The Like Young - Last Secrets
Ingenting - Sommardagboken Ep
Model/Actress - s/t Ep

Thee More Shallows - Monkey Vs. Shark Ep
Sound The Hare Heard: Kill Rock Stars Compilation
The Old Haunts - Fuel On Fire
I See Hawks In L.A. - s/t
KMFDM - Ruck Zuck

have fun, stay calm.
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The Kingdom

2006-05-08T03:59:00.000-04:00

Imagine this: Legendary Baltimore Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas as a mythical deity, hurling the sun across the sky to the locomotive horse with dove wings. A hero, in love and covered in horses blood, playing a cosmic game of football in the heavens. Throw in some talk of razors and flesh fields and you've got the debut release from The Kingdom, Unitas. A distinct release indeed, while most bands don't have the imagination to create a concept album, these cats do it with just a four song Ep. Their brand of jangly, tender pop found on said Ep is adorable without being abrasive & infectious to say the least. Released late last year, these songs have kept me eagerly awaiting their full length, untitled as of yet but scheduled for release in July sometime. I'm hoping for the 4th; a celebration of that magnitude would be fitting.

The Kingdom - I Am Constellation
The Kingdom - Arcadia Of My Youth

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Post #030: The Sunday Morning, 5/7/06

2006-05-07T08:16:00.000-04:00

I missed last Sunday. I must've slept in. Won't happen again, unless it does.

Good things to do on a Sunday Morning: Go For A Walk In The Woods.

Innaway - George Walker On Water
Smashing Pumpkins - Luna
The Shins - Pink Bullets
Nada Surf - Blonde On Blonde
Phantom Planet - One Ray Of Sunlight

Past Sunday Mornings: 4/23/06

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Field Music

2006-05-06T09:41:00.000-04:00

Field Music are from England. Field Music are Andrew Moore and brothers Peter & David Brewis. Field Music like Fleetwood Mac. Field Music make gloriously bizarre pop music, the likes of High Llamas or a slightly twisted Beach Boys, not to mention having one of the best album covers I've ever seen. Their self-titled debut made it's way into my hands upon it's release in August last year, and since then has not been far from my ears. Each track is chock full of insanely catchy rhythms and melodies, it was just too hard to let this one get away. I highly recommend you picking it up, lest you forget what good music's all about.

Field Music - It's Not The Only Way To Feel Happy
Field Music - You Can Decide
Field Music - If Only The Moon Were Up

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Saves The Day

2006-05-06T08:41:00.000-04:00

Oh Saves the Day.....what to do, what...to...do?
I hate to say it but I was disappointed by the new album. I loved artistic leaps you took on every album, especially In Reverie, but this seems like a big step sideways. I make it sound bad, but the music is good, great at times even, I just expected to hear it moving more in the direction of the last two releases, that ever-growing expansive sound, but gone are singer/songwriter moments, gone are the personal poetic meanderings, gone are the wickedly clever guitar & bass riffs. Sound The Alarm is just another punk record, like many other bands out there have been making for awhile now, full of 2 and a half minute half-realized ditties, at least by past StD release standards. I know you been losing members left an right the past few years, for whatever reasons....I guess what I'm saying basically is, this is the first Saves the Day album that doesn't stand out on it's own. Back to In Reverie & Stay What You Are.

off 1999's Through Being Cool:
Saves The Day - My Sweet Fracture

off 2001's Stay What You Are:
Saves The Day - Jukebox Breakdown

off 2003's In Reverie:
Saves The Day - In Reverie

off 2006's Sound The Alarm:
Saves The Day - Head For The Hills

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Post #029: Girl Friday's Song Of The Week #1

2006-05-05T14:21:00.000-04:00

The newest featurette here on Hummer comes from the mind of none other than my Girl Friday. She would like to bestow upon you, the public, her pick for song of the week, and since Girl Friday is the foremost authority on good music, well, said track shall become the song of that particular week. So, without wasting anymore of your time and carrying this ridiculousness any further, Girl Friday's 1st pick for song of the week. Take it away GF.

"My pick for song of the week, is by Islands, number one off the Cd. I like the band - they took a risk...put a 10 minute song for number one, brave. To start with, the song's got the piano all over it and I love the piano. And the song changes so much, it's so different from beginning to end. Its the kind of song that just immediately puts you in a great mood, no matter what, & you can just let loose to...let your hair down roll the windows down turn the music up and shake. Needless to say I love this song." -g.f.

Islands - Swans (Life After Death)

Well put Girl Friday.
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Blonde Redhead

2006-05-03T06:52:00.000-04:00

I've been a pretty big fan of Blonde Redhead for quite sometime. Before I should've really liked them honestly. I had no idea what I was listening to but back in highschool, no one else dug them, so they were my band. You know how that goes.
Kazu Makino & twin brothers Simone & Amadeo Pace are such a special trio of musicians, constantly changing focus and alternating in the forefront, and reinventing their sound with every release that I can barely wait to see what they put out next. Over the course of releasing their six full length albums, their sound has become so refined and incredibly personalized that they've practically created their own sound that no one else can imitate. But for this post I'm going to focus on their "breakout", Misery Is A Butterfly. This is such a great album, full of infectious dark melodies, probably one of my favorite of 2004.

Blonde Redhead - Elephant Woman
Blonde Redhead - Falling Man
Blonde Redhead - Messenger
Blonde Redhead - Misery Is A Butterfly

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New Releases: May 2nd, 2006

2006-05-02T12:01:00.000-04:00

I've had a rough weekend. Thank god todays releases are so exciting or I would not have even gotten up today. A followup from cult hero Final Fantasy, debut from new dance band craze Think About Life, Wolf Parade side project Sunset Rubdown, and the returns of old classics like Pearl Jam and Tool.

Sunset Rubdown - Shut Up I Am Dreaming
Wolfmother - s/t
Final Fantasy - He Poos Clouds
Pearl Jam - s/t
Think About Life - s/t

Alejandro Escovedo - The Bowing Mirror
Love Of Everything - Superior Mold & Die
Tool - 10,000 Days
The Court & Spark - Hearts
Gomez - How We Operate

The Black Keys - Chulahoma
Human Television - Look At Who You're Talking To
Black Ox Orkestar - Nisht Azoy
The Charlatans UK - Simpatico
Jon Auer - Songs From The Year Of Our Demise

Zombi - Surface To Air
Thursday - A City By The Light Divided
Brandtson - Hello, Control
13ghosts - Cicada
Bump - Incredible Consequence

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Lateduster

2006-05-01T09:53:00.000-04:00

Oooh, you're in for a treat today.

This here is Lateduster, one of my very favorite musical extravaganzas. I have a thing for instrumental music ya see, maybe it's because the focus is on the actual music and not some kind of message or lyrics passed off as poetry, I dunno, but I came across their album Easy Pieces a couple years back and still haven't gotten over it. The music, unlike most instrumental forays, are hopeful and melodic, not repetitive drones, and surprise me everytime I hear them with new sounds or another nuance I hadn't noticed before.
Lateduster are a four piece (2 not pictured), two guitars, a drummer, and a guy manning the turntables out of Minneapolis. They've self released three Ep's, one album, a DVD, and are hard at work on composing the soundtrack to a 1925 German expressionist film entitled Variete, with hopes for a 2006 release.

Lateduster - Shaker/Flicker
Lateduster - Keno
Lateduster - Hospital No. 32

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Post #028: Random In Tandem, Ch. 2

2006-04-28T12:43:00.000-04:00

"Just In Case We Were Mistaken"

More of a recap of the last few weeks (again), but with some new stuff thrown in.

And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - The Best
Rjd2 - Making Days Longer
Love Is All - Felt Tip
Grails - Space Prophet Dogon
Deerhoof - Frenzied Handsome, Hello!
The Books - Smells Like Content
Dreamend - The Old House: Its Occupants
Band Of Horses - St. Augustine
31 Knots - City Of Dust
The Coach & Four - In Transit
Dirty Projectors - Darkened Car
Sleater-Kinney - Wilderness

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Wolfmother

2006-04-27T23:58:00.000-04:00

There's a few albums I'm excited about in May; Final Fantasy, Sunset Rubdown, especially Grandaddy's swansong, but I've really been enjoying the Wolfmother Ep's and it's gotten me all excited about their self-titled debut on the 2nd. They got a great 70's throwback sound going on and aren't afraid to sing about mythical creatures. I know they're all over every magazine so it's not like this is breaking news. Just thought I'd mention that I agree with this hype.
That's it.

Wolfmother - Mind's Eye
Wolfmother - The White Unicorn

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The Most Serene Republic: Update

2006-04-27T10:37:00.000-04:00

One of the most smashingest collectives out there today are The Most Serene Republic, and those sneaky buggers have been busy the past few months. We can start with how they rocked SXSW, during which they dropped a stunning 'tour-only' Ep. Well, said 'tour-only' Ep is no longer 'tour-only' and available thru the Arts & Crafts website (home of Broken Social Scene, Stars, Feist) so that's one down. Now they're releasing a 7" for Content Was Always My Favourite Colour overseas (which is relatively cheap for an import) & a vinyl split with Headlights off Polyvinyl featuring their unreleased track Tragedy Of The Commons (so worth it), all the while heading off to tour Europe with the addition of a new, seventh member. Busy busy busy.

Last scheduled show tonite:
4/27 - Belfast, Ireland @ Club Radar/Speakeasy

...which will hopefully be followed by a summer tour cross the US. I need another fix.

The Most Serene Republic - Shopping Cart People
The Most Sereen Republic - Anhoi Polloi
The Most Serene Republic - Phages

If you don't love them now, there's no helping you.
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Post #027: Relatively Unknowns>F

2006-04-26T22:17:00.000-04:00

Hello. Today's music will be brought to you by the letter F. F as in finding a new band you had never heard of. F as in, share them with your friends. F as in freeloader.

Fablefactory: relatively unknown member of the esteemed Elephant 6
Chemicals Of Delaware by Fablefactory

Familia Wanderstaff: collection of Pacific NW indie all-stars
Love by Familia Wanderstaff

Fangs: the now inactive art-rock that became New Brutalism
Pentagramme Lollipoppe by Fangs

FCS North: exciting instrumental work, with delicious electronic frosting
All MVMNT Brings by FCS North

500 Won: Korean drone artist often confused for Sigur Ros & Mogwai
Merong by 500 Won

Fires Were Shot: slow drones + acoustic guitar = I like, maybe you will
Hiroshima by Fires Were Shot

Foibles: an inspired & intelligent walk thru the pop zoo
Shoe People Unite! Shoe People Destroy! by Foibles

For Stars: heartfelt and tender relaxation through good music
Back In France by For Stars

Freezepop: knob twiddlers write catchy, cutesy, crazy songs
T DJ by Freezepop

Fursaxa: female voiced folk that wanders more than it sets up camp
Moonlight Sonata by Fursaxa

Finito! The fantasmagorical letter F!

Previously on Relatively Unknowns: A/B/C/D/E

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Rahim

2006-04-26T00:06:00.000-04:00

Starting off as a heavier, more D.C. influenced, Long Island basement trio called Radio Raheem, these fellows quickly garnered enough attention to catch the eye of French Kiss Records label heads, get signed, and release both an Ep and full length in under a year. Jungles, the Ep, was a surprise hit with me all last fall, so much so that I immediately snatched up the full length, Ideal Lives, when it came out back on April 4th. Rahim has taken their Q And Not U meets Sonic Youth brand of funky pop-rock out on numerous live performances, mostly through the greater northeast, but when May hits, looks like they'll step out on their first cross country tour, arriving in mostly the midwest, hitting the west coast, dropping back through Texas, and ending up in Ohio at the end of the month. Catch 'em if you can.

Rahim - One At A Time
Rahim - KlangKlangKlang
Rahim - Gasoline

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Post #026: Today's My Birthday

2006-04-25T14:26:00.000-04:00

The day I was born:

beat that!
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New Releases: April 25th, 2006

2006-04-25T00:18:00.000-04:00

Lotsa stuff today, but not too many heavy hitters. Starlight Mints, Secret Machines, for you hip-hoppers we got the new Streets album, couple lesser known artists like Elf Power, Et Ret, and Voices & Organs. Everyone should be able to find something.

Starlight Mints - Drowaton
Secret Machines - Ten Silver Drops
Et Ret - Gasworks
Chas. Mtn. - Hugs
Elf Power - Back To The Web

Voices & Organs - Orphanage
The Streets - Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living
The Selmanaires - Here Come The Selmanaires
The Rakes - Capture/Release
Feist - Open Season

Lambchop - Thriller/Hank Ep (reissue)
Cougars - Pillow Talk
Life At These Speeds - s/t (reissue)
Push To Talk - s/t
Pilate - Sell Control For Life's Speed

Eleventh Day Dream - Zeroes And Ones
Jets Overhead - Bridges
Robyn Hitchcock - This Is The BBC
Casper & The Cookies - The Optimist's Club
The Death Set - To Ep

Tom Verlaine - Around
Tom Verlaine - Songs And Other Things
The Coup - Pick A Bigger Weapon
Arctic Monkeys - Who The Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys? Ep
Robot Whales - Vehicle

The Fever - In The City Of Sleep
White - s/t
Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris - All The Roadrunning
Black Tie Dynasty - Movements
The Goo Goo Dolls - Let Love In

I thought the Goo Goo Dolls had died.
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Ticonderoga

2006-04-24T04:31:00.000-04:00

Ticonderoga. Three men who grew up together in Grinnell Iowa, make their way towards the indie Mecca of Chapel Hill, fall asleep at the wheel, and end up in Raleigh, and maybe for the better. The trio has been flaunting their adorned chops around the states capital and making the warm and subtle music found on their 2005 self-titled debut off Fifty-Four Forty Or Fight. Working together as longtime friends, onstage & off, as well as recording in their own personal home studio has benefited multi-instrumentalists Mark Paulson, Wes Phillips, & Phil Moore. The raspy acoustic guitars, layered harmonies, & intricate bass lines don't come by rushing through recording sessions. Time was taken, songs were carefully constructed, and the result is flawless. And you musician types may just get a little something more out of it than most.

Ticonderoga - Kim & Kelly
Ticonderoga - North Shore
Ticonderoga - Over The Hill
Ticonderoga - All The Proud Dead

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Post #025: The Sunday Morning, 4/23/06

2006-04-23T07:08:00.000-04:00

Another new series starts this morning, simply entitled The Sunday Morning, in which I will, every Sunday morning, post a handful of tracks that I like to hear on a relaxing Sunday. These songs will most likely be on the quieter side & of the gentle persuasion, as Sunday is the day in which I like to feel at ease and rest my bones.
For this Sunday's amalgamation I will reach back to my very first post (which also occured on a Sunday), plus one or two more tracks added for posterity. Do enjoy. Do enjoy.

Good things to do on a Sunday: Sleep In.

Emiliana Torrini - Heartstopper
Akron Family - I'll Be On The Water
The Commodores - Easy Like Sunday Morning
Sparklehorse - It's A Wonderful Life
Archer Prewitt - Way Of The Sun
American Football - Never Meant

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Post #024: Under The Covers #1

2006-04-22T13:46:00.000-04:00

Now let's just say, right off the top, that this is not a competition. I know how many people treat the art of covering other's songs as a very serious business (hate to be the wrong band in the wrong place covering an Elliott Smith song; gets ugly). Me, on the other hand, simply enjoy good tune and am intrigued by the influence of artists on each others music.
So, without further adieu, I begin yet another series, this time focusing on great songs, and the people who are brave (or dumb) enough to cover them.

To start us off we have none other than, The Smiths and their oft-covered, oft-soundtracked "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want", a classic anthem amongst many'a kids coming of age in the 80's. But there's nothing too outrageous here. I guess when they get it so right first time around writing it, there's not too many improvements you can apply to your cover. A few straight interpretations from Ed Harcourt & Josh Rouse, couple heavy versions from Muse & Deftones, and a little Latin influence with the Damills. Choose your favorite.

The Original
The Smiths - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want

The Covers
Damills - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
Ed Harcourt - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
Muse - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
Elefant - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
Doves - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want (live)
The String Quartet - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
Deftones - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
Josh Rouse - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
The Caulfield Sisters - Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want

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The Glands

2006-04-22T09:08:00.000-04:00

Athens Georgia has a real knack for spitting out those impossibly creative, sometimes silly, always eccentric perfect-pop artists like Neutral Milk Hotel, Of Montreal, and...well yeah...R.E.M.. The Glands too are of this breed.
Born & bred in the city named after the city named after the Greek goddess of wisdom, The Glands began as did most bands in Athens; by getting together with friends and having a free-for-all rock out good-time party, which turned into them pulling all night recording sessions which ultimately led to their debut release, Double Thriller in 1997 off Bar/None. Stepping it upward & outward for their self-titled followup, The Glands found themselves front and center of the music-minded college-town scene, and rightfully so. Bringing their unforgiving 70's rock that oozes of Big Star & The Beatles, their 3 part harmonies and undeniably catchy riffs, we had no choice but concede.

The Glands - When I Laugh
The Glands - Swim
The Glands - Livin' Was Easy
The Glands - Straight Down

The Glands have since disappeared off the face of the Earth, another thing artists from Athens are famous for doing. Jeff Magnum sightings are just one step from a full hour long episode on Histories Mysteries. Of Montreal better watch their back.

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Post #023: Favorite Songs Ever, Vol. III

2006-04-21T18:00:00.000-04:00

Whew! I'm just moving right along on this one huh?
Yeah I am I know. I enjoy the FSE series, what can I say, other than...
Hey guys, here's the third installment of my Favorite Songs Ever!

Under An Influence

Travis - Why Does It Always Rain On Me?
The discovery of one of my favorite UK band, Travis was like clouds parting and angels singing, giving way to a new chapter in my musical appreciation. One that wasn't limited to the loud alterna-rock of the early nineties that had me in it's grasp (or the lesbian folk that was infused into my skull (like bad blood) from all those nights hanging out with my older sister and her friends (which I now kind of respect a little more)). Anyhow, this song is so amazing, even with its somewhat depressing lyrics, it can instantly satisfy my thirst for pop perfection. That's why I keep it handy, in a small glass case mounted on the wall in my apartment next to a small hammer hanging from a chain. Silly.

The Skatalites - If You Wanna Be Happy For The Rest Of Your Life
Gosh when did this come out? the 50's maybe. If the lyrics are this funny now I can only imagine how people reacted to it back then. This is one of those songs that vividly remind me of my childhood, and yes, it is on my current playlist and probably will be til the day I die. You should try it, and don't fight that smile you'll be wearing when it pops up on random play. Perfect to play at weddings if you're a DJ.

Wilco - Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway(again)
The story behind this one starts at the turn of the century....oh how profound, but really it was just back in 1999 when I was living in Allston, MA, not too happy with myself at the time, and nothing could seem to cheer me up. I decided to change a few things and made this my little theme song for a couple weeks, to kinda give me that edge, that extra something something I would need to better myself. So finally, I overcame that which was to be overcome and to this day, I can eat oysters without any repercussions.

Past FSE!: Vol. I / Vol. II

Yes, it may be ugly, it may be humiliating, but I cannot deny who I am. I cannot repudiate my Favorite Songs Ever!
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Quasar Wut-Wut

2006-04-21T08:41:00.000-04:00

Quasar Wut-Wut have been around and making music since '95, but I only got on board with them upon the release of their latest (and possibly greatest) release Taro Sound. The self-proclaimed third best band in Chicago have a bit of a sense of humor about their musical careers, from coordinating silly outfits for live performaces to their lyrics and write-ups on their website. As far as the music, well I like it. Quite a bit. My favorite comparisons include Tom Waits on crystal meth, Frank Zappa hosting the Muppet Show, compelling & strange like an onion loaf. Mostly QW-W get extra credit for their odd instrumentation & crunchy art pop, the obvious draw for the local scene obsessed with all that is Jeff Tweedy.
Quasar Wut-Wut has taken the spoils of their latest release to build themselves their own recording studio and get back to work, this time scoring a comedy film called The General. My advice is to take this with a grain of salt til we can actually get some kind of outside verification. Jokesters.

Quasar Wut-Wut - Stiletto
Quasar Wut-Wut - March Of The Zug
Quasar Wut-Wut - Oh My Dear
Quasar Wut-Wut - China Fibberous

Earlier work:
2001's Songs Of The Guzzard
1998's Jalopy
1995's Fizzle Out And Fly Right

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Post #022: Random In Tandem, Ch. 1

2006-04-20T17:58:00.000-04:00

Tonight I start a new series; a book....with chapters....of music. A collection if you will...of tunes...collected together. So if you want to follow along, that'd be great.
It's called Random In Tandem. Who doesn't love a good rhyme? It's really just a glorified way to say, "I made a mix". Another reason to throw more music up here is all, and most of these are straight from playlists of actual mixes I made for friends, so it's kind of an exclusive. And I'll even throw in a random picture for ya.

"There Was Plenty Of Room For Experiment"

This first one tho, is going to be more of a compilation of tracks from the past few weeks I've been running this here blog. So if ya missed anything, and are too lazy to go back and check it out, well, here's a few highlights.

Bravo Silva - I Can't Say Goodbye
The Joggers - Neon Undercarriage
Crystal Skulls - The Cosmic Door
The Teeth - Oh Bessie!
Young Vulgarians - Requiem For Ingeborg Bachmann
Amps For Christ - Branches
Frog Eyes - Russian Berries But You're Quiet Tonight
Thee More Shallows - Ave Grave
Kyle Andrews - Sushi
Dr. Dog - Say Something
Flotation Toy Warning - Losing Carolina; For Drusky
Itch - Table Turned
The Coach And Four - In Transit
Page France - No One Likes A Bleeder
Augie March - Addle Brains
The Ladies - Non-Threatening
Gotye - Out Of My Mind
P:ano - Sweet Sweets
Lazarus - Singing To The Thieves

...rip 'em, burn 'em, insta-mix
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NormanOak

2006-04-20T10:16:00.000-04:00

"NormanOak was once a glacier that came crushing and cutting its way from the north for many years, and then stopped suddenly for some mysterious reason, and melted into cool, clear water for coyote to drink. As coyote, NormanOak crept through caves, roamed the wild hills, and was eventually killed by a car in the darkness, left for bugs and birds. One of these birds was woodpecker, and woodpecker peacked on NormanOak's trunk so hard that he woke up again - one last time..."
But really, NormanOak is a musician. A folk artist, if you will. I like to think of him as the Bizarro World version of Boy Least Likely To, perfectly capturing 60's-ish psychedelia and transporting it, unfettered to the present music scene for intense dissection and thorough examination. Further studies will prove NormanOak to be of the highest caliber of music, and you will kick yourself for not listening.

off his debut Born A Black Diamond:
NormanOak - It Is Impossible

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Post #021: An 80H Records Showcase

2006-04-19T14:03:00.000-04:00

80H is a web-only record label, meaning that most of their releases are (or were) available for free download from their site, along with cover art. While claiming no real loyalty to one band or another, they seem to release mostly music by bands that can't seem to stay in the middle of the road, but are sometimes to the left, rarely to the right.
The sound found on 80H varies a bit, from the lo-fi country twinge of Between The Pine & Tunnel Motor, to the sparse & disparate strummings of Saw & T.D. Reisert, to the upbeat art-rock of Coconot & USS Monitor, most music lovers should be able to find quite a few new artists they'd like.

Their newest releases include T.D Reisert's lovely Alahee, Tunnel Motors first full length With Fins, and Takes Two To Do It, the debut from Tally Ho, an odd little release made up of five 3-6 second snippets meant to be played on shuffle and repeat. Intersting, to say the least.

Between The Pine - Please Sit Down
T.D. Reisert - Threshing
Coconot - Pescado Crudo
Saw - Controlling My Fear
Tunnel Motor - Altoona
USS Monitor - Snow Reflecting Sun
Deth McCoy - Pure Power Part II

Labels I've showcased in the past:
Goodnight Records
JagJaguwar

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Whirlwind Heat

2006-04-19T11:29:00.000-04:00

Whirlwind Heat first got tossed on the scene by the grace of one Jack White, but he didn't beat up this lead singer, & with their color-themed debut Do Rabbits Wonder? back in 2003 just to disappear again with Flamingo Honey.
Well next week (April 24th) they put out their third album, Types Of Wood, (in the UK anyway) and I for one am interested in seeing where it'll take them. I really got into DRW? but their follow-up didn't thrill me as much. It comes out May 16th here in the US so I guess I can wait til then but this could either end up on the top of my year end lists or the bottom of my shelf.
The tension is killing me.

Here's some spastic garage rock off Do Rabbits Wonder?:
Whirlwind Heat - Black
Whirlwind Heat - Green
Whirlwind Heat - Purple
Whirlwind Heat - Blue

The new album claims to be "inspired by the crisp drum sounds of Cake's Fashion Nugget". Hmm?
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Maritime

2006-04-18T21:18:00.000-04:00

I'd like to be the first to welcome, with open arms, Mr. Davey VonBohlen back to the wonderful world of amazing songwriting: Davey, we missed thee, OH! how...we...missed...thee...
I say this because I could not be more ecstatic about Maritime's new album We, The Vehicles. I must admit, after not being stoked about how Glass Floor (their last album from 2004) turned out, I didn't really get my hopes up for this puppy, but sometimes you just hafta have a little more faith and not turn your back so quickly on those that gave you so much. Man, I'm a bastard.
Quickly; See Davey was in amazing bands like Cap'n Jazz writing freaked out indie rock, & The Promise Ring, playing some of my, and many others favorite songs of the 90's. At the height of TPR popularity & after a (benign) brain tumor threatened his very existence, Davey changed his outlook and his music, recorded the magnificent departure album Wood/Water, and lost his audience. Only to regroup with fellow ex-Promise Ringer Dan Didier and former Dismemberment Plan bassist Eric Axelson to form Maritime, whose debut Glass Floor was released mostly to yawns & continued disappointment.
Which leads us to Tuesday, April 18th, 2006. The day Davey VonBohlen reclaims his rightful place, amongst the top of the heap of spectacular songwriters, along with a whole shitload of other people. Hey, it's good company.

Maritime - German Engineering
Maritime - Tearing Up The Oxygen
Maritime - Don't Say You Don't
Maritime - Twins

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Shannon Wright

2006-04-18T15:19:00.000-04:00

Bout time I get some ladies up on here. Where better to start than with the raw intensity and power of one, Shannon Wright, right? Don't let the fact that she's cute as a button fool you. She is a powerhouse singer-songwriter from Atlanta, Georgia. She’s no coffee shop strummer, singing sad pretty lyrics over her favorite C and G chords. No, not that. She’s feeling something. She’s burning. There’s an intensity to her music that can move you to joy, tears, or terror. Such an honest portrayal of emotion leaves you wondering if you are actually meant to hear it, almost as if you stumbled upon a sibling’s diary and can’t help but read it--even though you know you shouldn’t.

from 2004's Over The Sun:
Shannon Wright - With Closed Eyes
Shannon Wright - Avalanche (my favorite)
Shannon Wright - Black Little Stray

...pick up one of her other four releases:
1999's Flightsafety
2000's Maps Of Tacit
2001's Perishable Goods
2001's Dyed In The Wool

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New Releases: April 18th, 2006

2006-04-18T00:01:00.000-04:00

Oh boy Oh boy! Who hasn't been waiting oh so eagerly for the new Fiery Furnaces? I know I have. Along with The Lovely Feathers debut (finally) that I've been dying to hear since I caught them live last fall (amazing, if you get the chance) today is, yet again, full of great stuff.

The Fiery Furnaces - Bitter Tea
The Lovely Feathers - Hind Hind Legs
Maritime - We, The Vehicles
The Zutons - Tired Of Hangin' Around
Daniel Johnston - Welcome To My World
Russian Spy Camera - You Are A Vulture

Boy Omega - The Black Tango
Feu Therese - s/t
Elefant - The Black Magic Show
John Ralston - Needle Bed
The Presets - Beams
The Dresden Dolls - Yes, Virginia

Frog Eyes - The Golden River (reissue)
Frog Eyes - The Bloody Hand (reissue)
The Church - Uninvited, Like The Clouds
Just A Fire - Spanish Time
Roommate - Songs The Animals Taught Us
NOFX - Wolves In Wolves Clothing

Today's winning album is...... WE, THE VEHICLES by MARITIME!
Congratulations Maritime & thank you everyone else for participating.
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Greentrials

2006-04-17T12:20:00.000-04:00

Ah the ghostly beauty of Greentrials, as far as I can tell, is just one dude, whose identity remains a mystery to me. I remember being caught off guard by his album back in 2002, and tho I haven't heard a damn thing as far as a follow-up is concerned, I've still kept Greentrials on the list of my favorite artists.
Something about this album and this music. It's timeless in a way. I know that's a horrible word to use but you can't put songs that sound like sweet 60's pop tunes next to weird and sometimes dark electronic wizardry next to heavier 90's alternative rock sound, next to soft computerized synths next to drum machine punk beats next to....you get the idea. The songs sometimes seem sparse and then a few seconds later you're listening to a choir and symphony. Turning on a dime seems to be his specialty and he did alot of stuff five years ago that bands are being heralded and put on pedestals for nowadays.
I think if Where Eaglets Dare were released today it would be lauded as a great achievement.

Get 'em while they're hot.
Greentrials - Tin Gloves
Greentrials - Sweet Intentions
Greentrials - Rented Clothes
Greentrials - Get Together

I couldn't even find a picture to put on here. Had to take a picture of a poster that I got when I ordered the album from Ghostweed, which has lots of other cool stuff to check out.
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Chin Up Chin Up

2006-04-17T00:39:00.000-04:00

I really like Chin Up Chin Up. I know their album came out way back in 2004, but I still listen to We Should Have Never Lived Like We Were Skyscrpaers quite a bit and am really looking forward to the follow-up and debut off Suicide Squeeze, even tho it's not due til October 10th. That's quite a wait. I'm sure I'll find other releases to divert my attention throughout the summer.
Most people know the story of CUCU. The death of their bass player during the final stages of recording this album back in 2004 left the band in a shambles & the album in limbo. They decided Chris would have wanted them to finish it off, so with the help of The Paper Chase's John Congleton they were able to release it, and it's a gem that should be part of every record collection.

Chin Up Chin Up - Why Is My Sleeping Bag A Ghetto Muppet?
Chin Up Chin Up - Virginia, Don't Drown
Chin Up Chin Up - Collide The Tide

Anyhow, I thought I'd just post a few tracks to remind everyone of this great band and to mark your calendars.
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Post #019: Favorite Songs Ever, Vol. II

2006-04-15T16:14:00.000-04:00

The series continues tonight at...or right now rather.

Upping the Ante

Modest Mouse - Teeth Like God's Shoeshine
Back when Modest Mouse was the modest mouse it was, they released The Lonesome Crowded West, my first MM related possesion. I hated it, at first, but the taurus in me was stubborn about it and insisted upon repeatedly playing the album til I liked it or died of some awful disease you can die from as a result of listening to bad music. Fortunately, the former occurred and I began to love this album, especially it's lead-off track. It became an anthem for me. Amazing energy, guitar work, & lyrics, maybe their best to date, and if this ain't the most kick-ass MM has ever been well then....

Stevie Wonder - I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)
Obviously I'm a late-comer to the wonderful world of Stevie Wonder, constantly playing catch-up. To get me started I bought Talking Book a buncha years back and really liked it, especially this song. Then I lost the album in a move or something and kinda forgot about it, until the closing credits of High Fidelity. Such a great movie (better book) and to top it off with this song was pure genius. I went out the next day and picked up Talking Book again along with Innervisions & Songs in the Key of Life. I'll never let them go!

Ani DiFranco - You Had Time
So I'm a closet Ani DiFranco fan. I've seen her stellar live performances quite a few times and pretty much own every album. Her earlier work holds a special place for me as there was time she's all I would listen to. A very short time, but a time nonetheless. This first submission of hers (there will be more) into my favorite songs ever collection is one that kinda talks to me a little bit more than others (it's probably a good thing that I can't really relate to too many of her lyrics). It was a time/place thing & yes, you had to be there but just take my word for it.

Past FSE!: Vol. I

Yes, it may be ugly, it may be humiliating, but I cannot deny who I am. I cannot repudiate my Favorite Songs Ever!
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Gay Dad

2006-04-14T19:39:00.000-04:00

Rip on me all you want for this one. My newfound interest in being completely open in every aspect of my life has carried over to my blog and I feel the need to say it; I like Gay Dad. Yeah, that's right. I'm not toting them as the next big thing like the press did back in the late nineties (especially since they've broken up since then). Recent events have shown the UK hype is not what it used to be. But they did make some good music and I do enjoy listening to them; in moderation of course.
Starting back in 1998/99 they recorded and released Leisure Noise, to rave reviews, and then became the media's punching bag with their follow-up Transmission. Poor Gay Dad didn't know that England eats its young. Turmoil ensued, feelings were sacrificed, artistics differed, and the band parted ways. Ex-frontman Cliff Jones can be found shopping for real estate here in the US and recording his solo album, inspired by Bowie's Scary Monsters. The jury is still out on that one.

Gay Dad - Joy!
Gay Dad - Oh Jim
Gay Dad - To Earth With Love

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Post #018: Relatively Unknowns>E

2006-04-14T06:52:00.000-04:00

Onto E. The Fifth letter. The second vowel. First letter of my last name. Good letter, that E is.

Eagle & Talon: delicately sparse & wonderfully raw rock from these two girls
Dropped Down by Eagle & Talon

The Eaves: trio plays pop that's semi-danceable, semi-experimental
The Good Fear by The Eaves

Echo Ave: a mysterious & gentle ruckus from Moscow, with love
Evil Triste by Echo Ave

The '89 Cubs: Saddle Creek rejects do Superchunk impersonation
Unpopular Meals by The '89 Cubs

Elekibass: Japanese twee-pop meets Elephant 6, sing along
Almanack by Elekibass

El Gato: Denton TX natives make sleeper-hit indie album of 2002
Pianos On Crutches by El Gato

The Empty: intriguing indie rock that sounds from Portland, and is
Collision Magnet by The Empty

Epic45: simple yet lovely instrumentals from Canada, where else
Where To Now, Captain? by Epic45

Andre Ethier: Deadly Snakes frontman goes all Dylan on solo
Let Me Put My Suitcase Down by Andre Ethier

Eyes Of Autumn: youngens take on a charming progressive rock career
As A Child by Eyes of Autumn

...done & done. The encourageable letter E!

Previously on Relatively Unknowns: A/B/C/D

Oh you know F is gonna rule!
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Cansecos

2006-04-13T10:26:00.000-04:00

Can I make a prediction?
Lemme try: I predict that the release of Juices will make Cansecos a favorite for the spring/summer lineup (at least for me). If you're not yet aware of the sweetness that is Cansecos, well you're doing yourself a grave injustice dear friend, so let me get you started here. Best summed up using words like 'electronic' & 'pop' & 'beats' & 'MacGyver', Cansecos make some sweetly danceable melodies into tunes that are almost too irresistible to accept at first. Their self-titled debut is one of the albums I got at the start of 2005 and am still playing on a regular basis over a year later, and the damage will only double when they drop the follow-up sometime this spring. Details apparently are of the highest level of secrecy.

Cansecos - This Small Disaster
Cansecos - Faster Than You Go
Cansecos - In Bloom (not a Nirvana cover)

Oh & I'm sorry if you thought this may be a post about the whistle-blower & his wife. But it is an odd coincidence that Cansecos new album is called Juices and Jose's book was called Juiced.
Odd...
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Fun with Birthdays!

2006-04-13T10:00:00.000-04:00

I Googled my birthday & this is what came up. I just thought I'd share that awesome-ness with everyone.
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Post #017: Favorite Songs Ever, Vol. I

2006-04-12T06:47:00.000-04:00

On a whim, I've decided to take Hummer up/out/over a notch, give it more of a personal flare, give you, the reader (tho you may be few) a rare glimpse into that which makes me tick. Thus, I give to you, a new series which I have aptly named Favorite Songs Ever!
Two guesses what it's all about. No! One guess.

Version 1.0
Love - Alone Again Or
This is one of those songs you feel like you were born knowing the words to. I don't know the first time I heard it. It could've been on the radio when I was a child, or one of my parents records back in Toms River, or it could've been some Wes Anderson film. Any way, this is a perfect song to me and good for any mood, the song that is the perfect addition to any mixtape, a song you can wake up to, drive to, relax with, or just help you "be in love with everyone".

Aphex Twin - Girl/Boy Song
For the first few years of my musical exploration electronic music had more or less eluded me, til a gathering at a friends house went sour and I found myself in her parents room seeking solitude & watching some late night MTV (back when MTV played videos), when I came a cross the most disturbing thing I'd ever seen; the video for Come to Daddy. These sounds! These images! It must be the work of the devil & I must have it. The next day I went out in search of anything Aphex. Girl/Boy Song immediately attracted me, as it has so many others, to the point where four or five years later I actually designed an entire staged production of mine around it, and it was awesome.

Smashing Pumpkins - Hummer
So Siamese Dream has got to be my favorite album. It's a child nostalgy thing. I was like 14. They were the cool band that no one really knew. I remember the only way my mother could bribe me to do schoolwork was by threatening to "...take away your Pumpkin Smashers..." music. I don't know why it isn't the majestic and triumphant suicide threat of Today that made my first favorite list, or the still-to-this-day-gorgeous Disarm. There's something about Hummer that just made it special to me. Different than the rest. From it's mysterious intro to it's subtle finale, I just love it. Enough to make it my blog's namesake.

Yes, it may be ugly, it may be humiliating, but I cannot deny who I am. I cannot repudiate my Favorite Songs Ever!
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Engineers

2006-04-11T12:51:00.000-04:00

On my journey to discover music under the letter E for my upcoming Relatively Unknowns episode I came across Engineers, whose album I've heard multiple times going back a few months into 2005, but decided, rather than limit their ecposure to just one track, I'd much rather do an entire write-up on them and dish out a couple more songs. I just like them that much.
So...Engineers; London based foursome creating pop-symphonic masterpieces and doing it well. Their self-titled debut album kinda snuck up on me. With waftings of Elbow, it's one of those albums where you didn't know you liked it so much til it was over and you heard it in contrast to silence, ya know?
Anyhow, they've also got a mini-album by the name of Folly I recommend as well. Check them out, if you know what's good for you.

Engineers - One In Seven
Engineers - Let's Just See
Engineers - Home

I'll leave you with a quote from their website:
"We want to turn the lights down, get stoned and then blow our heads off. We just want to please ourselves."
How could that be bad?
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New Releases: April 11th, 2006

2006-04-11T00:01:00.000-04:00

Oh baby today is a big day for new music. Old friends Built To Spill & Calexico are in today, a few follow-ups to awesome debuts from the likes of Wilderness & Crystal Skulls, along with a few newbies to be excited about like Imaad Wasif & Birdmonster. Just get in there and get everything!

Built To Spill - You In Reverse
Crystal Skulls - Outgoing Behavior
Boris - Pink
Mono - You Are There
Wilderness - Vessel States
Calexico - Garden Ruin

Imaad Wasif - s/t
Birdmonster - No Midnight
Saves The Day - Sound The Alarm
Jesu - Silver Ep
Parts & Labor - Stay Afraid
Norfolk & Western - A Gilded Age

Analord - Chosen Lords
Eagles Of Death Metal - Death By Sexy
The Black Angels - Passover
Grumpy Bear - Songs From The Abattoir
Aloha - Some Echoes
Mecca Normal - The Observer

Prety Girls Make Graves - Elan Vital
Saturday Looks Good To Me - Sound On Sound
The Arm - Call You Out
The Radio Dept. - Pet Grief
Josephine Foster - A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing

...I recommend that Analord album too.
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B.C. Camplight

2006-04-10T11:12:00.000-04:00

It's getting sunnier out, so goes the music.

B.C. Camplight is Brian Christinzio. He set out to record a "perfect pop record". He is, to me, the modern equivalent of Burt Bacharach. He did what so many others have, written and recorded everything on his debut Hide, Run Away, and it's pretty much a flawless little album, which was his goal to begin with.
After reading a few articles on him, Christinzio is quite an interesting character. He was captain of his football team, sang tenor in choir, dabbled in amateur boxing, & battled mental illness in his early twenties, which led him to focus on his music career. Think a sunnier Elliot Smith or poppy version of Daniel Johnston.
I hope there's lots more music on the way.

B.C. Camplight - Blood & Peanut Butter
B.C. Camplight - Parapaleejo
B.C. Camplight - Hide, Run Away

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Islands

2006-04-06T20:17:00.000-04:00

I gotta admit, even I was a touch skeptic. I thought.....

"How could two-thirds of the Unicorns be better than the Unicorns?"
"That silly-willy shit won't work twice, will it?"

Well, I have been proven dead wrong, because I am loving the Islands Return To The Sea. What can I say? Every track packs such tremendous surprise, I find myself laughing thru the thing. A nine minute plus opener, c'mon I thought only Destroyer was brave enough to pull that one off. Absolutely perfect pop sensibilities, flawless musical bridges, songs turn instrumental behind your back, and then they rap! And it works. This ain't like the Linkin Park rap-metal crap people were convinced was so good for way too long. This is actually a terrific song. The whole album works. It's more fun than WWCOHWWG & seriously just good music.
So, Islands, congratulations for proving that a Unicorn without a horn is still a kick ass horse!! Whatcha got Alden?

Islands - Rough Gem
Islands - If
Islands - Where There's A Will There's A Whalebone

They even got out the bass clarinet, played without the scent of irony. Admirable.
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Rosemont Family Reunion

2006-04-05T11:42:00.000-04:00

The Rosemont Family Reunion is a little band that unfortunately I don't know all that much about, other than I believe they're from somewhere on the eastern seaboard, possibly the District of Columbia? I came across their (under construction?) website almost two years ago, listened to a few sample tracks they had, loved them, signed up for the mailing list, but heard nothing for a very long time. Those two songs stuck with me tho, and every few months I'd check back in to see how the debut, Forever Ruth, was coming, but nothing.
That is fine. I have patience. Good things come blah blah blah blah. But yesterday I received an email with a link (who'd'a thunk it) sending me to a completely new site they've apparently constructed along with faint news of a release of their debut.
All I could muster was that there is to be a release party on April 29th. This could mean many things however and won't get my hopes all up. I emailed the powers that be and they were nice enough not to answer any of my questions, but just send me the album, mp3 format, and ask me my opinion. Aww how endearing.
It is great tho. Think folky + bluesy + country. Think whatever you want, just listen.

Highly Recommended:
Rosemont Family Reunion - Leave Here Tomorrow (demo)
Rosemont Family Reunion - Forever Ruth
Rosemont Family Reunion - Julia

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Contrast Podcast 002

2006-04-04T10:45:00.000-04:00

Before we even get done listening to the first one, Tim's back with episode two of everyone's favorite podcast, it's the Contrast Podcast. Tune in for great songs by even greater bloggers.

Contrast Podcast: 002 Me & You

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New Releases: April 4th, 2006

2006-04-04T00:01:00.000-04:00

Oooh good stuff today. May I recommend? I would start the week off with something we've all been waiting for, the debut by Islands, complimented by a good dose of Rahim, followed by a little Voxtrot Ep, sprinkle on some Envelopes and cap the whole week off with none other than At War with the Mystics. Should do ya just fine.

Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics
Islands - Return To The Sea
Morrissey - Ringleader Of The Tormentors
Rahim - Ideal Lives
Envelopes - Demon
Irving - Death in the Garden, Blood on the Flowers

Gregor Samsa - 55:12
Rainer Maria - Catastrophe Keeps Us Together
South - Adventures in the Underground Journey to the Stars
Tom Brosseau - Empty Houses Are Lonely
Massive Attack - Collected
Pants Yell - Recent Drama

Land Of Talk - Applause, Cheer, Boo, Hiss
Voxtrot - Mothers, Sisters, Daughters, & Wives Ep
The DFA Remixes: Chapter 1
Aereogramme - Seclusion
The Vines - Vision Valley
Magneta Lane - Dancing With Daggers

..don't fall behind, lots more next week. LOTS!
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Post #016: A Quarterly Report (1/4)

2006-04-01T13:20:00.000-05:00

I find it hard to summarize an entire years worth of music. So much to wrap my head around all at once, it's almost unfair. So rather than waiting and killing myself come December as to what my favorites are I'm going to break it up into four quarterly reports. It's just how I'm doing things these days.

2006 QUARTERLY REPORT: January-March

The year started off strong with a great release from the indie pop world from the darling We Are Scientists & what I thought was a great album by NYC indie-hipster heroes The Strokes, both of which kept me satisfied for the better part of two weeks, until a couple ladies released their beautiful albums upon the masses. Cat Power & Jenny Lewis added a nice touch to that first month, balancing the rock with their lulls. Love Is All

finally made their album Nine Times That Same Song available over here and I've been bouncing around my apartment ever since. Love it!
Portugal. the Man released Waiter: You Vultures! which was the first welcome surprise of the year, doing their musical backbends and high-jumps for the pleasure of their listeners. The Electeds' new album Sun, Sun, Sun took a bit longer to catch on for me, but since has become more of a mainstay in my everyday playlist, as fellow Rilo Kiley-er Lewis' album has faded a bit. Might have been a case of overkill.
Releases from brash-punk act Test Icicles (may they rest in peace), beauty purveyors Clearlake, hard-core rockers Plastic Constellations, & the oddly contagious Ariel Pink rounded out the first month nicely.
Oh and the January Bishop Allen Ep.

FEBRUARY had everything going for it. Releases from heavyweights Belle & Sebastian, Prefuse 73, & Ray Davies were on the list, but were over-shadowed by an unexpected infatuation with the Rob Crow (Pinback) & Zach Hill (Hella) collaboration, The Ladies, and interestingly diverse listen called Modern Plays by The Young Republic, & the oh-so-spacey Dins by Psychic Ills. But little did I know, that on the horizon, the masterpiece that has come to be known as Destroyer's Rubies was just waiting in the wings, ready to unleash itself to all the praise and claims of "best album" that one recording can stand. To this day Destroyer has the top album of the year for me, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. There was still the British import and smash sensation, Arctic Monkeys to deal with. I heard it. I liked it. I put it on the shelf. Destroyer lives up to it's name.
They Shoot Horses Don't Theys' Boo Hoo Hoo Boo is an album I was really lookng forward to for quite awhile, since I got their Ep late last year, and they did not disappoint. Also will rank high come the end of the year. Wooden Wand & the Vanishing Voice freak-folked me out but good & Two Gallants got under my skin for a few days but Man Man didn't really do for me what they did with their debut. I'm really into the two Wolfmother Eps. Just waiting for the US release date. Jason Collett showed that he is pulling his own wait over there in the Broken Social scene with Idols of Exile, I was introduced to Head Like A Kite and liked what I heard, National Eye had a release that will keep me listening for the time being.
Oh and the February Bishop Allen Ep.

MARCH, as it does, came in like a lion with amazing releases from Mogwai, Neko Case, & Pink Mountaintops, a double Ep from Page France & imports The Duke Spirit & Figurines as the perfect accessories. Augie March released a follow-up to one of my favorite albums of 2004 with Moo, You Bloody Choir, which I felt compelled to pay import prices for, and don't regret it, & I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness' Fear Is On Our Side was an album that I didn not expect would hold my attention for as long as it did, but good for them, sneaky buggers.
The third month got even better with amazing releases from Band Of Horses & Mates Of State, the former a definite contender for my top ten, the latter will definitely be up there somewhere, while Liars made one helluva triumphant comeback album & Editors finally got a US release. I don't see myself getting over that one anytime soon. Now this race was getting interesting. I got to pick up the new Dirty Projectors astounding Ep at a show, which was equally astounding.
March, as it also does, went out like a lamb with the great-just-different follow-up from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs & the final installation of a trilogy of 7" leading up to Danielson's Ships in the beginning of May. Albums by Glissandro 70, Half Handed Cloud, The Sounds (who could win cover of the year), Jeniferever, & Centro-Matic filled in the empty spaces well enough & I'm yet to listen to the latest from Loose Fur, Appleseed Cast, & TV Personalities, but all in good time. But no sign of the Bishop Allen March Ep. I also got my name in the new Santa Dog Ep. Fun!

Oh and Of Montreal released a limited 7" on every day ending in the letter 'Y'.

All in all in all, the year has had a fairly strong start to it.What have we learned? Well, going solo is a good idea (if you're a lady), Bishop Allen & Voxtrot love the Ep format, the UK loves the hype, the US loves to hate the UK hype, follow-ups are a bitch, & Horses are the new Wolf.

NOTEWORTHY:
-Bound Stems hypnotized me with only an Ep. I'm scared for my well being come time for their full length.
-I cannot function if I haven't had my daily dose of the Akron/Family.
-The Joggers are out of control good. Unbelievable.
-I'm a sucker for the Work Ep by Sound Team.
-Tapes 'N Tapes The Loon is a constant reminder of great new & exciting music.
-Thee More Shallows are an addiction I wish on no one. But you should listen.
-Wanna be scared to sleep? Listen to Boduf Songs.
-Seu Jorge creates a new genre. Portuguese covers are the new DJ remix.
-Couple gets it right with "frankensteinian chamber-jazz" of Celebration.
-Bravo Silva will be in your stereo someday.

COMING SOON:
4/4 - Flaming Lips, Islands, Rahim, Morrissey, Gregor Samsa, Envelopes, Rainer Maria, Pants Yell
4/11 - Crystal Skulls, Built To Spill, Wilderness, Whirlwind Heat, Birdmonster, Calexico, Mono, Saves The Day, Eagles Of Death Metal, Imaad Wasif, Parts & Labor, Tortoise, Norfolk & Western, Analord
4/18 - Fiery Furnaces, Secret Machines, Lovely Feathers, Presets
4/25 - Starlight Mints, Elf Power
5/2 - Sunset Rubdown, Final Fantasy, Wolfmother, Pearl Jam
5/9 - Grandaddy, Danielson, The Stills, Shearwater, Lansing/Dreiden
5/16 - Raconteurs, Home & Garden
5/23 - The Walkmen, Futureheads
5/30 - Drowsy, Amy Millan
6/6 - The Paper Chase, Boards Of Canada, Ladyhawk, Oakley Hall
6/13 - Sonic Youth, T-Tauri
6/20 - Frank Black
6/27 - Fielding, N. Lannon

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Swan Lake

2006-03-28T14:31:00.000-05:00

So, I'm not really one to jump on breaking news in the music world, but this is just too amazing to be true.
Dan Bejar (Destroyer/New Pornographers), Carey Mercer (Frog Eyes/Blackout Beach), & Spencer Krug (Wolf Parade/Sunset Rubdown) have secretly joined up forces, each written some songs, with each other in mind, and recorded an album (tentatively entitled Thunder Cloud Reverberates Off Port). And it's being released on JagJaguwar (who oddly enough I just wrote a post about) sometime this year. They'll be releasing it under the name Swan Lake. Fantastic!
I can hardly wait to hear what influences these three have on each others already amazing work. For now I'll have to stick to playing Destroyer's Rubies, The Golden River, & Apologies To the Queen Mary a la Zaireeka.

That would sound a little like this:
I'll Believe Your Blood Will Flee In Boats

Yikes! I'm sure it'll be better than that.
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Post #015: A JagJaguwar Showcase

2006-03-28T12:40:00.000-05:00

Trust is important. If you trust a label, then you can just sit back and let them release the albums for you. No searching for great new music. Just go to their site, fill up your cart with whatever they got, and sit eagerly at your mailbox for the package.
This is the relationship I have with JagJaguwar. I trust that whatever they put out, not only will I like, but will love, to the point of maybe separating my JagJaguwar releases from the rest of those other (al)bums, carrying them around with me wherever I go, in a gold briefcase.
No doubt you own something from this label, possibly without knowing it, but nonetheless, peruse the bindings of your albums and you're bound to see a little JAGJAGUWAR running down some of them. And if not, for shame. JagJaguwar caught my attention right about the time I started paying attention to what labels music actually came off of. I wasn't always so observant. They've got releases from indie heroes Okkervil River, icon & manic depression poster-boy Daniel Johnston, and composers of beautiful disasters Minus Story. But the list only starts there. They're also currently housing recordings by Black Mountain, Oneida, Julie Doiron, Wilderness, The Skygreen Leopards, Odawas, Bevel, Pink Mountaintops, Jad Fair, Monroe Mustang, Spokane, Richard Youngs, Manishevitz, Drunk, Patrick Phelan, Nagisa Ni Te, as well as relative newcomers Ladyhawk and Parts & Labor, creating one of the most creative and expansive ensembles any label could hope for.
Do support them.

Word of mouth. They depend on it.

Okkervil River - For Real
Wilderness - Arkless

Upcoming Releases from JagJaguwar:
4/11 - Wilderness Vessel States
4/11 - Parts & Labor Stay Afraid
5/9 - Home Sexteen
6/6 - Oakley Hall Gypsum Strings
6/6 - Ladyhawk s/t

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Contrast Podcast 001

2006-03-28T12:31:00.000-05:00

My friend Tim from The Face of Today has set forth yet another challenge unto the blogging world. He has started up a podcast of bloggers, suggesting a theme, and then letting us all loose to see what we can come up with. Brilliant.
His first episode is up now; stellar.

Contrast Podcast: 001 One

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New Releases: March 28th, 2006

2006-03-28T00:01:00.000-05:00

Weekly Update
Yeah Yeah Yeahs seem to own the day, but other treasures like Create!, Chad King, & another Danielson 7" are coming out today as well. Don't miss 'em.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones
Lokbra - Army Of Soundwaves
Chad King - Well, Hell
Daniel Johnston & Jack Medicine - The Electric Ghosts
Margot & the Nuclar So & So's - The Dust Of Retreat

Create! - A Prospect Of Freedom
Danielson - Slow But Sloppy 7"
Ghostface Killah - FishScale
Major Stars - Synoptikon
Sun Ra - Heliocentric Worlds Vol. 1 & 2

People In Planes - As Far As the Eye Can See
Piano Magic - Incurable Ep
Watson Twins - Southern Manners
Orthrelm/Behold, The Arctopus - split Ep
Rob Zombie - Educated Horses

...that about does it.
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Grails

2006-03-27T11:30:00.000-05:00

First heard Grails bout 2 years back, and just this morning, randomly pulled this puppy off the shelf for another spin, and it's gotten better somehow. It's instrumental yes, in the vein of Godspeed You Black Emperor (the strings are almost a dead giveaway) but there most guitar noodling and less political bombast. Hey sometimes you're just not in the mood for that.
These are some of the most powerful and gorgeous instrumental tracks I have ever heard & I strongly urge you, if you're into bands like Explosions in the Sky, Mono, Mogwai, etc., Grails needs to be part of your collection. You can thank me later.

Grails - Space Prophet Dogon
Grails - Lord I Hate Your Day
Grails - The Deed

They've got just a few recordings under their belts, including a split with Red Sparrowes, and they've never disappointed.
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Editors

2006-03-27T10:18:00.001-05:00

In attempts to curtail these extensive posts that I've been making I'm giving myself a time limit. I need to write this and have it posted in the next five minutes.
And........Go!
I'm just lovin' Editors 'The Back Room'. Just got this in the mail last week (no way I was paying anymore import prices, I'm patient) and it's just great. Compared quite a bit to Interpol, I can see that, but where the NYC boys in black are more contained and exacting, the boys in Editors let's it all hang out, and goes for a bigger, broader sound. It's actually like a perfect melding of Interpol and U2, or everyone's favorite nice guy band Coldplay.
Whatever I like it. Just good simple and easy to sing along with and sometimes that's all it takes. Got a nice Planet Claire Session of 'Fingers in the Factories' for ya.

Editors - Blood
Editors - Bullets
Editors - Fingers in the Factories (Planet Claire session)

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Post #014: Relatively Unknowns>D

2006-03-24T09:25:00.000-05:00

Ah the letter D. D for those damn roofers that woke me up at 6am. D for dropping off the application papers for my new job. D for didn't go to the show last night. D for diverse collection of R.U.s today.
Anyhow, the Ds...
Dalnovod: fresh sound from Macedonian glitchy electronic artist
Momichka by Dalnovod

Dark Forest: dark theater rock with an imbedded classic feel
Scene 5 by Dark Forest

The Desert Fathers: weird rockers that span the musical globe, utterly
The Art Of Reason by The Desert Fathers

Detachment Kit: great anthemic indie power pop rock-ness, with a twist
Skyscrapers by Detachment Kit

The Divorce: fully formed rock music with a fundamentally danceable core
Redcoats by The Divorce

Dmonstrations: hyperactive freak punk from Japanese fronted trio
Flying Saucer by Dmonstrations

D+: Pacific North West & K Records supergroup
Skin Me by D+

Dragging An Ox Through Water: odd folk-ish music in bits and pieces
Peaceful Protest by Dragging An Ox Through Water

Dreamend: atmospheric sound & melody intertwine w/ gorgeous results
The Old House: Its Occupants, A Sunny Holiday, A Shadow Ship by them

The Dylan Group: vibe & bell driven instrumentals with a cutesy prog charm
Avila by The Dylan Group

...there ya go folks. Hope you found it Delectable.

Previously on Relatively Unknowns - A/B/C

Join us next time for our ever-enticing, letter E!!
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Young Canadian Mothers 7"

2006-03-23T13:40:00.000-05:00

Anyone else order this puppy way back in the beginning of the year?
After much patience and pretty much total concedence, guess who showed up in my mail box yesterday. I was so over the thing I haven't even listened to it yet.
Limited to 500 copies, the vinyl claims to have the ability to catch a hefty enough price over at ebay a few years from now to buy you multiple helicopters.
Check it out, if they have any left. It's still up for (pre?) order.
Besides Final Fantasy is an incredible band/man/playstation game.
And...cuz it took you two months to get in my mailbox...

Final Fantasy - Took You Two Years To Win My Heart

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Band Of Horses

2006-03-22T09:19:00.001-05:00

An easy one today.
I'm really loving the new Band Of Horses 'Everything All The Time'. They've been on the radar for awhile but never managed to release anything after breaking up Carissa's Wierd. And just when you start to forget about them....WHAM! they release this mother. It's been getting great reviews, and deservedly so. I highly recommend going out and buying yourself a copy. I can already tell it's gonna be on my best of 2006 list.
A deadringer for Jim James & the power of his Morning Jacket, but they bring a sense of lightness with their spot-on songwriting, a la Red House Painters. Not trying to be too compicated or involved makes this just the shot in the arm I was looking for after a few months of trumped up & high maintainance acts, that I have enjoyed, but can be exhausting keeping up with. BoH lays it out there, heart-on-sleeve, and doesn't stick around to find out what you think about it.
Just a splendidly straight forward album from a no frills band.
Horses are the new Wolf.

Band Of Horses - Funeral
Band Of Horses - St. Augustine

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Post #013: What's In A Name?

2006-03-21T12:55:00.000-05:00

My friend across the pond at The Face Of Today thought it may be interesting to post on a few bands who (possibly) acquired the names they go by through songs titles or lyrics of other bands. I thought I'd give it a shot, thought about it for a day or so and actually came up with more than I thought I could, too many to post all at once, so maybe this will turn into a little (mini)series sort of thing. Probably not tho.
Some are that of rock & roll lore, some are tall tales made up by bored artists or crazed fans. Some are fact, some are rumor, but either way, who really cares.

Oh & here's a picture of a pig-

Disclaimer: It is very possible that these may or may not be 100% completely inaccurate.

Pretty Girls Make Graves got their name from the Smiths track, 'Pretty Girls Make Graves'.

Radiohead got their now infamous moniker from the Talking Heads song 'Radio Head'.

Flock of Seagulls got their name out the song 'Toiler On The Sea' by the Stranglers.

The band We Are Scientists may or may not have gotten their name from the Cap'n Jazz song of the same name.

Death Cab For Cutie got their name while watching The Magical Mystery Tour. In the movie the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band plays the song 'Death Cab For Cutie'.

I'm pretty sure At The Drive-In got their name from the chorus of this Poison classic.

Simple Minds got their name from the lyrics of the David Bowie song 'The Jean Genie'.

And then The Cocteau Twins got their name from this relatively obscure Simple Minds song.

A member of Deep Purples' grandmother gave them their name. Her favorite song was 'Deep Purple' by Nino Tempo & April Stevens.

The Rolling Stones added a 'g' to the Muddy Waters song 'Rollin' Stone'.

Eric's Trip is originally a Sonic Youth song off Daydream Nation.

The Lovin' Spoonful got their name out of the song by Mississippi John Hurt called 'Coffee Blues'.

Judas Priest got their name from the Bob Dylan song 'The Ballad of Frankie Lee & Judas Priest'.

Neil Young wrote a song called Powderfinger, and then Powderfinger named themselves after it.

interesting...
you got some more? lemme know.
rte

New Releases: March 21st, 2006

2006-03-21T00:05:00.000-05:00

Weekly Update
It's days like this that make me wanna have a better paying job. Picking up the slack from last week....

Mates Of State - Bring It Back
Dirty Projectors - New Attitude Ep
Editors - The Back Room
Liars - Drum's Not Dead
Band Of Horses - Everything All The Time
Tunng - Mother's Daughter & Other Songs

Storsveit Nix Noltes - Orkideur Hawai
The Sounds - Dying To Say This To You
The Appleseed Cast - Peregrine
Glissandro 70 - s/t
The Concretes - In Colour
The Knife - Silent Shout

Talkdemonic - Beat Romantic
Of Montreal - Voltaic Crusher 7"
Essex Green - Cannibal Sea
Quasi - When The Going Gets Dark
Seconds - Kratitude
The Television Personalities - My Dark Places

Geoff Farina - Already Told You Ep
Ben Harper - Both Sides Of The Gun
Young People - All At Once
Loose Fur - Born Again In The USA
Wizzardz - Hidden City Of Taurmond
Sondre Lerche - Duper Sessions

Graham Coxon - Love Travels At Illegal Speeds
Amandine - Leave Out The Sad Parts Ep
Josh Rouse - Subtitulo
Madlib - The Beat Konducta Vol 1-2
Eastern Youth - 365 Step Blues
Moth - Immune To Gravity (reissue)

Ms. John Soda - Notes & The Like
Stereo Total - My Melody
Further Seems Forever - Hope This Finds You Well
Prince - 3121
McLusky - McLuskyism
Ambulette - The Lottery Ep

....phew, I know where you're heading today
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The Coach & Four

2006-03-20T22:46:00.000-05:00

The Coach & Four split their time between rare & upbeat, yet complex instrumentals and vocal tracks that range from typical indie smattering to 70's glam. All this and only one release under their belts. The Memphis fivesome delivers on this debut that's been on consistent rotation here at hummer headquarters playlist the past year. They can kind of fit in any mood, laying about, cleaning, cooking, fill in the background, or take center stage to rock along to, this is a great album by apparently a fantastic band that unfortunately I can't find much information about. I hope they keep it going.

The Coach & Four - In Transit
The Coach & Four - 1st First Then Reverse
The Coach & Four - Unlimited Symmetry
The Coach & Four - Girl Arms

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Animal Collective @ Variety Playhouse

2006-03-20T16:36:00.000-05:00

Never really know what to expect when ya see the AC. From the setlist to the people in attendance, everything's up in the air. But that's half the fun of it now isn't it. The place was pretty packed. Lots of eager teen fans, which is to be expected at this point. Got up close and prepared for what I hoped would be a great show.
The real surprise of the night was the opening act, Storsveit Nix Noltes. Imagine, if you will, the Fraggle Rock version of Jaga Jazzist, playing what looked like junkyard instruments, and making it sound like a million bucks.
Of the nine musicians none could've been over 5'6". They were many, but they were tiny. Three guitars, two horn players, upright bass, cello, accordion, & drummer whirled thru 7 or 8 eastern european gypsy carnival tunes with barely a word spoken, or sung, and with their midsong drastic mood changes, managed to get this jaded indie crowd to squeal in delight. I think both the audience and the band were surprised by the performance, as they could barely make it thru the last fews songs because they were laughing so hard at the crowd's reaction to them. Charming band. Great performance. Expect a post on them as soon as I absorb their album.
Animal Collective set up their own stage (the ultimate act of indie-dom) and got right into it (that's what I like to see). They tore right into their setlist, in all their noise making glory. And they were noisy. I have a feeling that you have to be fairly open-minded or pretty familiar with the groups catalog if you wanna enjoy their shows, because what they play is just renditions of each track, hinting at chord changes and vocal lines, which is amazing, if you're into that. My girl Friday was a little down because "I see his mouth moving but I don't hear anything coming out". Luckily we were close enough to feel the energy bouncing off the stage, and boys can these cats bounce. They played lots of new stuff, which was exciting to hear. I predict a hit with the dance-your-ass-off 'Peace Bone'. Crowd reacted to new favorites like 'The Purple Bottle', 'Grass', & especially the finale, a fast-forward version of 'We Tigers' which really tore the roof off. I enjoyed myself.
All in all in all, Animal Collective put on a pretty fan-pleasing show, high on energy, but the place really dug Storsveit Nix Noltes & on my way out after the show I caught more people picking up their one debut (coming out tomorrow) over the 10 or so releases the Collective had available.

Animal Collective - Peace Bone (live)
Storsveit Nix Noltes - Kreptatka

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Phages

2006-03-19T13:03:00.006-05:00

As you may or may not have been aware, The Most Serene Republic are one of the finest music ensembles out there today, and a personal favorite of mine, and just recently our heroes have made available at their shows the tour only Ep entitled 'Phages'.
Now normally I am not an envious person, trying to live vicariously through other people, but I've been itching for any news about this release since I saw them at the Loft here and asked when they would be releasing something new, so those bastards at SXSW better bring some copies home before TMSR heads off to Europe for the next month.
I've contacted the band and tried to find out the scoop on an actual release here in the US and as soon as I know, you'll know.
Til then, this...

The Most Serene Republic - You're Not An Astronaut

I remember them playing this song at the show and being completely blown away, confirming my love for this band and ensuring their inclusion in my best shows ever list.
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Post #012: A Myriad

2006-03-18T11:32:00.000-05:00

So I got another collection of great stuff to listen to. Quick write-ups, few tracks and you're off. I got a pretty good mix of stuff today so there should be a little something for everyone. Plus, third time's a charm, right?

Figurines
I just got this but I'm really enjoying this band. Kind of a Doug Martsch leading the Danish Strokes feel to it. I dunno, it's fun times, cool rhythms, nothing spectacularly original, but it's instantly catchy. Had my girl Friday singing along by the second chorus. Just good music, and sometime you just need some good music.

Figurines - All Night
Figurines - Continuous Songs

Lazarus
After spending some time in the revolving door of epic instrumentalsits Tarentel, Trevor Montgomery found his voice and started making Lazarus records, wll the while building up his band and his sound, and now we have this.

Lazarus - Fashion/Murder
Lazarus - Singing To The Thieves

Aqueduct
Barsuk goofballs play keyboard & drum machine motivated bedroom power pop about 80's metal bands, hating hometowns, and living outta laundry baskets that is impossible not to wanna sing along to. Aqueduct is good music.

Aqueduct - The Tulsa Trap
Aqueduct - The Suggestion Box

Wooden Wand & The Vanishing Voice
Ryan Adams who? Oh the guy who only released 3 albums in 2005? Well gosh WW&VV released five and another one already this year. C'mon Adams keep up. Wooden Wand is basically James Jackson Toth and he collaborates with different musicians, changing the tag to 'WW & the Vanishing Voice' or 'WW & the Omen Bones Band' or simply just Wooden Wand. He plays folk of the freak persuasion that must be heard....well to be heard.

Wooden Wand & The Vanishing Voice - Dread Effigy
Wooden Wand & The Vanishing Voice - Don't Love The Liar

Tiger Bear Wolf
Hailed as the saviors of rock (who isn't nowadays) these Greensboro NC natives shred and squelch through their ten track debut, leaving you wonder, does rock even need to be saved?

Tiger Bear Wolf - Something Worth Saving
Tiger Bear Wolf - The Rats

.....d'ya make it?
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World Leader Pretend

2006-03-17T20:36:00.000-05:00

There is a pretty heavy flow of new music into my apartment week to week. Thru the mail, scheduled stops at local record stores, random mp3 downloads, however they get in, they don't seem to meet any resistance. It prompts me every week or so, to take a look at my current playlist and make some replacements. Things coming, going, staying strong (Blonde Redhead & The Shins are going for the record), it's out with the old, in with the new. I can't have these songs taking ove my computer now can I? But I've noticed this this album "Punches" by World Leader Pretend has managed to elude deletion for quite some time, and I'm not quite sure how this happened. I mean it's been months, almost a year, and there they sit, still coming up every 9 days or so, letting me know they're still there, just daring me to clear them from the hard drive.
I came to the conclusion that I must really be liking them, if I'm constantly passing them up for removal, there's no other explanation. How did this happen?
Pretty sure these guys hit the streets proclaiming that they were the next U2/R.E.M./Coldplay and I would have to say, they're not all that far off. The big expansive, stadium rock sound is there. It's a bit of an overkill, I'd like to convince myself, but months after having first heard this album....well, like I said, there it still sits. As ambitious as this band is, I think they got some more work to be getting done before they even start calling themselves the next Keane. They do great imitations of their muses mentioned above, but are yet to really bring anything of their own to the table (besides sleigh bells).
Don't get me wrong, they are definitely a band to keep an eye on or I wouldn't be writing about them. They play their cards right with follow ups and they just may see themselves becoming a front runner for the 'next big thing' crown. If not them, who? I implore you.

World Leader Pretend - Bang Theory
World Leader Pretend - A Grammarian Stuck In A Medical Drama
World Leader Pretend - Horse Of A Different
World Leader Pretend - Punches

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Post #011: Please, Please, Please

2006-03-16T23:58:00.000-05:00

I've noticed a popular trend as of late, that a lot of artists seem to be begging, begging for something, it doesn't matter what, they're down on their hands and knees pleading for it.
Here are some of my favorites.

Final Fantasy - Please, Please, Please
Shout Out Louds - Please, Please, Please
Fiona Apple - Please, Please, Please
The Lashes - Please, Please, Please
James Brown - Please, Please, Please
Vibrators - Please, Please, Please
The Residents - Please, Please, Please
Hi Standard - Please, Please, Please

...and to class it up a little,
The Smiths - Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want

There's alternate takes on this begging fad by bands like Fast Cars, Phantom Vision, Tina Turner, The Isley Brothers, Head Automatica, Merle Kilgore, Frank Sinatra, & the Sex Mob but I didn't wanna overdo it.

rte

Flotation Toy Warning

2006-03-15T00:15:00.000-05:00

It hasn't sunk in yet, but in a couple months we will all mourn the loss of our dear sweet Grandaddy. Coinciding with their final release on May 9th we will be forced to accept the inevitable; that we can never look forward to another Grandaddy album. But if ever there was a pinch hitter, a last second stand-in, an understudy, a plan B, a robot voice in shining armor,......it would be their UK counterpart, Flotation Toy Warning.
Don't get me wrong, there will never be another band like Jason Lytle and his merry band of men, but Flotation Toy Warning definitely throws their hat into the ring as the next big atmospheric pop act.
But not much is known about them. They claim to be explorer's from the 1760's, and claim to have photographic proof of said expeditions. But then they go on to say that two of the band members met the in Venice while at an innovation institute unveiling an instrument one of them invented called the Stair Horn. Their bio goes on to talk about studying Chinese wind shapes, discussions of rare butterflies, & flying machine test pilots. Mysterious.
But the best idea is just let the music speak for itself:

Flotation Toy Warning - Even Fantastica
Flotation Toy Warning - Losing Carolina; For Drusky
Flotation Toy Warning - Happy13

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Dirty Projectors @ Eyedrum

2006-03-14T20:01:00.000-05:00

I had the distinct pleasure last night to attend the Dirty Projectors show down at Eyedrum. It was a evening full of auditory & visual sensory extravagance that I nor my girl Friday will soon forget.
I got there early and was able to watch Dave Longstreth rehearse his band for about a half an hour, which was a treat all itself. See the inner workings and all. These are real musicians, throwing out key changes and altering chords and harmonies on the spot. Let's see Fall Out Boy do that.
The show began with an acoustic set by Marissa Nadler, which I quite enjoyed, and the showing of the Dirty Projectors opera, 'The Getty Address' in it's entirety, which was pretty frigin awesome. It was illustrated by James Sumner, who was authenticating each copy of the movie with his drawings of Aztec gods, so of course I picked one up. It'll be useful one day. Check out some clips at Vs. Anna Films.
The Projectors began their set with two of the most astonishingly gorgeous and hushed, truly-acoustic songs, just two guitars, upright bass, cabasa, and three part vocal harmony. They were off the stage, practically on top of us, but they had to be or you would not have heard them. My favorite part of the night. Then the took the stage & invited us up.
The music of Dirty Projectors is complicated. Mostly made of short, syncopated rhythms, juxtaposed and intermingled with other short, jagged chords and notes, I really have no idea how these guys hold it together, outside of the immense levels of concentration shown in the expressions on their faces and the occasional stamp of Longstreth's clunky shoe. They were extremely tight thru some of the most intricate and sprawling and astonishing music I have ever heard. The main focus of the band has to be Longstreth's voice however. Warbling and ever-changing, never quite settling on a pitch long eneough for you to identify it, it is an otherworldly instrument that only he can operate. That, plus the two, sometimes three other vocal harmonies worked really well & made for quite an original sound, as if this music needed anything more to set itself apart.
So I expected to be impressed, but I did not expect them to rock like that! I think they surprised everyone when the volume went up and, yeah, the Dirty Projectors were rocking the house. They travelled into Deerhoof & Make Believe territory, all the while keeping that sound specific to them. I didn't recognize any of the songs they played, all new I'm guessing, but I'm in the process of getting the concert recording sent over to me and I'll post a few tracks then.
All you need to know is that it was an amazing performance from an amazing group of musicians, and humble at that. They seemed surprised that we were so into it so they even lengthened the set a bit. Thanks guys!
Anyhow, check out the remaining dates on their tour cuz you'll be sorry you missed it. And it gives you a chance to pick up the new Ep, 'New Attitude' off Marriage Records before it hits the street March 24th.

Dirty Projectors - I Will Truck
Dirty Projectors - Time Birthed Spill Blood
Dirty Projectors - Darkened Car
Dirty Projectors - At The Mall, pts 1 & 2
Dirty Projectors - This Weather

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Gotye

2006-03-14T15:50:00.000-05:00

I know it seems like I got a thing for Australia, but it is pure coincidence that this band is from the same great continent as Hummer favorites like Augie March & Because of Ghosts.
Gotye (pronounce it how you like) is hard to pin down. Scan their reviews and you'll see words like feel-good noir jazz, joyous french pop, majesitc orchestras, & scary lounge soundscapes, along with proclamations like 5 stars, superb debut effort, & CD of the year. So why don't you own this?
I've been listening to 'Boardface', their 2004 debut on and off since it came out. At first I wasn't blown away. But that's just it. Gotye (basically just one man, Wally De Backer) doesn't intend to knock you out of your socks. They intend to creep up on you, get inside you, so that it's rattling around inside your head months after having last listened to it. They make you get their album off the shelf and listen to a particular track just cuz you need to hear in unravel. It's like a drug. For me anyhow.
'Nough said.
They're in the process of releasing thier follow up, but apparently have run into some issues leaving the album in limbo. I'll try and keep ya updated with that. But for now they have some new tracks up for downloading on their website.

These are all of the highest recommendation.

Gotye - Out Of My Mind
Gotye - The Only Thing I Know
Gotye - A Distinctive Sound
Gotye - Thanks For Your Time

rte

Post #010: Relatively Unknowns>C

2006-03-14T12:43:00.000-05:00

Pushing forward to the letter C. A nice, strong letter, with some nice strong bands representing it.
Enjoy the letter C, shall we?
Canyon: appropriately named folk played with a gentle hand
Wheat Penny by Canyon

The Capricorns: Chicago girls play casio infused dance-tunes for fun
Sunset Over Malibu by The Capricorns

Car Bombs And Allah: acoustic guitar/strings/drums/banjo make upbeat moody music
North American Suntan by Car Bombs And Allah

Charlottesville: dreary throwback to early 80's slow synth-pop
Lost All this Time by Charlottesville

Christmas Decorations: odd & moody trance wrapped in intricate melodies
A Random Hill by Christmas Decorations

Cinematic Orchestra: an epic mixture of vast ambience & rollicking jazz
Drunken Tune by Cinematic Orchestra

Clikatat Ikatowi: noisy & twisted San Diego art-punk
Rise And Shine by Clikata Ikatowi

Consonant: Beantown dream team makes playful side project
Blissful by Consonant

Condor: lo-fi experimental electro-clash techno-pop
A Big One by Condor

Curse Ov Dialect: freaky & diverse group of hip-hop nutjobs
Baby How? by Curse Of Dialect

Previously on Relatively Unknowns - A / B

...tune in next time for the letter d-d-d-D!
rte

New Releases: March 14th, 2006

2006-03-14T01:25:00.000-05:00

Weekly Update
Not too many heavy hitters today, but some great stuff nonetheless. I'm looking forward to hearing the new Jeniferever, Stephin Merritt, & of course, Augie March. Now you choose...

Jeniferever - Choose A Bright Morning
Babyshambles - Down In Albion
Augie March - Moo, You Bloody Choir
Lanterna - Desert Ocean
Ambulance LTD - New English Ep
Roy - Roy Killed John Train

Stephin Merritt - Showtunes
Hanalei - Parts & Accessories
Zelienople - Ink
Archie Bronson Outfit - Derdang Derdang
Adam Arcuragi - s/t
The Eames Era - Double Dutch (reissue)

FCS North - Say Go
Nicolai Dunger - Here's My Song, You Can Have It...
The Blow - The Love That I Crave (remix)
Casey Dienel - Wind-Up Canary
Afterhours - Ballads For Little Hyenas
Adam Green - Jacket Full Of Danger

Thurston Moore - Psychic Hearts (reissue)
Ultra Dolphins - Why Am You Laugh?
Placebo - Meds
Guillemots - From The Cliffs Ep
Leaving Rouge - Elsewhere
Soledad Brothers - The Hardest Walk

find anything that tickles your fancy?
rte

Frog Eyes

2006-03-13T22:25:00.000-05:00

Carey Mercer of Frog Eyes has got to be one of my favortie frontmen. Ever. Some of the best singers are those that can't quite keep the pitch they're shooting for. They're imperfect, they know it, and they could really care less. Wayne Coyne, David Byrne, Isaac Brock, Alec Ounsworth, all fall into this category, but none of them pull it off as convincingly as Carey Mercer of Frog Eyes.
Giving a verbal explanation of their albums and making comparisons to the music of Bowie or Captain Beefheart are all superfluous statements. Drawing from influences as 'un-rock' as classical literature, medieval painters, & Russian filmakers and professing that they tie these ideals to their songs "just for the kick of it" makes trying to explain such incidental music quite insignificant. Their titles alone are puzzling phrases of almost incomprehensible scenarios, the more you attempt to decipher, the further from the actual intent you'll find yourself. And I don't know the reasoning behind Mercer writing a song for his wife & calling it 'A Latex Ice Age'. What's up with that relationship? It seems they do these things, just cuz, and who's to argue with them.
Frog Eyes deal with concordance versus discordance. They deliver unbelievable amounts of emotion without becoming obstrusive. They are a band on the verge of falling to pieces while simultaneously fusing into a frenzied hoard of melody & rhythm, with Mercer at it's core.They are hard to describe.
I can however give you facts:
Frog Eyes reside in Victoria, British Columbia. The four members include Carey Mercer (growling vocalist & guitarist), his wife & drummer Melanie Campbell, and multi-instrumentalists Michael Rak & Grayson Walker. They've released four albums, the debut 'The Bloody Hand', the critically lauded 'The Golden River', the mistakenly political 'The Folded Palm', and 'Ego Scriptor' full of acoustic versions of chosen tracks from the other three albums. Frog Eyes has also reworked some Destroyer songs with Dan Bejar and relesed them on the Ep 'Notorious Lightning & Other Works', released a 7" entitled 'Emboldened Navigator' and a split 7" with Jerk With A Bomb.
All of these releases are amazing and come highly recommended.

Frog Eyes - One In Six Children Will Flee In Boats
Frog Eyes - Time Reveals Its Plan At Poisoned Falls
Frog Eyes - Masticated Outboard Motors
Frog Eyes - The Fence Feels Its Post
Frog Eyes - Russian Berries But You're Quiet Tonight

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Thee More Shallows

2006-03-13T02:22:00.000-05:00

Sounding simultaneously like Grandaddy's darker moments with Godspeed You! Black Emperors haunting strings and Phil Elverum's surprise twists, which are probably the best aspects of those three groups, Thee More Shallows is a suprisingly catchy quartet out of San Francisco. That's in California.
Their latest, 'More Deep Cuts', is an eerie album, lyrically & musically, that acts like it wants to be your friend, plays all nice, and then hits you in the back of the head with the candlestick and when you're passed out, re-arranges all your furniture, drinks all your orange juice, and does your laundry. Yeah it's weird, I dunno.
'More Deep Cuts' seems more vocal-driven than their debut 'A History of Sport Fishing', which is equally as curious, but more instrumental panderings than suspicious songwriting, possibly due to the departure of ex-co-writer Tadas Kisielius, but the current members Dee Kesler, Odessa Chen, Chavo Fraser, & Jose Gonzalez don't hesitate and release this magnificent orchestral triumph over all that is indie music.
All in all in all, two great albums that you could look into, and probably should, if you know what's good for you.

Thee More Shallows - 2am
Thee More Shallows - Ave Grave
Thee More Shallows - Pulchritude
Thee More Shallows - Freshman Thesis

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31 Knots

2006-03-13T00:49:00.000-05:00

Ok, let's see. Bowline, anchor bend, clove hitch, square knot, figure eight, blood knot, tugboat hitch, bight & loop, belaying knot, hangman's knot, single sheet bend, thumb knot, buntline hitch, rolling hitch, carrick bend, scaffold knot, clinch knot, palomar knot, surgeon's knot, hook snell, centauri, flemish eye, spider hitch, dropper loop, blood bight knot, hook snood, uhm...cat's paw, offshore swivel,.....uhhhh....turle.........double turle.....oh man. Couldn't they have been 30 Knots?Anyhow, I'm very surprised I didn't see these guys on more 'best of 2005' listings, cuz it was on mine. 31 Knots is big in Japan. And on the west coast. And in my living room. Known mostly for their tehcnically gifted rhythm section and frenzied guitar workings, the band has been slowly creeping into our subconscious, and it's a bit scary really. Some of these tunes are downright horrifying. The layers of sampling that any hip-hop producer would kill for, with thundering drums and bass, & dissonant guitar meandering & vocal harmonizing, it could be the soundtrack for your nightmares. But a damn good one. You'd have a hard time deciding whether or not you should wake up from it.
I believe they've released two Eps and four full lengths, their latest 'Talk Like Blood' which these songs are from. Do enjoy.

31 Knots - Intuition Imperfected
31 Knots - City Of Dust
31 Knots - Busy Is Bold

JANSIK SPECIAL!!! 31!! Yes.

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The Teeth

2006-03-12T23:35:00.000-05:00

So, The Teeth.
All I got is an Ep from these guys, 'Carry the Wood', but I'm sold. Fun, raw, and emotional music, from two brothers who decided to start a band 4 years ago and are now being compared to the likes David Bowie, Talking Heads, & the movie Punch Drunk Love. I can see that, yeah. If you're familiar with Dr. Dog at all (the band currently opening for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah), well The Teeth could be their hyper little brothers. And both bands are from Philadelphia. Actually all three of those bands I just mentioned are from Philadelphia. "City of Brotherly Love" indeed.
I just adore these nuggets of golden goodness and look forward to finding their three other releases that are mentioned on their website, which may not even exist cuz I can't find 'em anywhere, but it may also be too late to be searching the far corners of the web after I've had a long weekend. Hopefully in a few days I can track 'em down. I've heard of one other full length, released almost 4 years ago called 'Send My Regards To Sunshine', that's on iTunes.
Their Myspace page says their recording a new album, as we speak/read/write/live & breathe, and has some interesting technical info posted about it. Sample lyrics, ratio of rock songs to "weirder" songs, and instruments you're most likely to hear on the album are all included. Very important information if you ask me.

The Teeth - Oh, Bessie!
The Teeth - So Long
The Teeth - Mercy Mercy Pudding Pie

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Moo, You Bloody Choir

2006-03-12T18:18:00.000-05:00

Be the first kid on your block to have the new Augie March album!!

Comes out tomorrow (3/13) in Austrailia. Pick it up here.
Only place I've found it outside of the Augie March shows, but unfortunately I don't live in Melbourne.
Do you?
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Post #009: A Goodnight Records Showcase

2006-03-10T14:48:00.000-05:00

Record labels are a dime a dozen, but good record labels are hard to come by. Ones that actually put out great music, have the best intereset of their artists in mind, and most importantly, sell their merchandise at affordable prices, rare indeed.

But, Goodnight Records is such a label.

Friends Keith Vogelsong & Nathan Jones decided to start the label back in 2004 out of the idea that they had so many talented friends making music and no way to tell everyone about them. So what better way than to start up their own label and distribute their albums across the globe themselves. Friends helping friends. It's that aesthetic that makes Goodnight so appealing to a simple music lover like myself. People making music for music's sake.
Their impressive roster is varied, from pop loveliness acts like the Rosebuds & Askeleton, to the darker, heavier, dancier sound of bands like The Press, Young Vulgarians, & The Orphins, to the electronic chillout of Music For People, there's something for everyone. We're waiting for releases from the likes of The Blue Hour, SIDS, The Close, the other bands that round out the lineup of bands that call Goodnight home.
The Press - Señor Rodriguez
Young Vulgarians - Requiem For Ingeborg Bachmann
The Rosebuds - Shake Our Tree
Music For People - Sex 808
Askeleton - The Future
The Orphins - Devilduck

Keith at Goodnight is so cool, when they accidentally sent me the Rosebuds LP, they let me keep it for free. Very nice man.

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Itch

2006-03-10T00:11:00.000-05:00

I was gonna wait til my 'Relatively Unknowns' series got around to letter I to post anything by them, but I just couldn't keep quiet any longer.
Start here by playing this song:
Itch - Table Turned

Ok, while you listen to that, I'll give you a little background.
Itch is four boys from Yorkshire who seem to live album to album and don't receive half the praise they deserve. Beautifully plucked guitar licks, stop-start rhythms changing constantly, & raspy lyrics delivered with such gusto I can feel it in my gut.
They've released the full length 'Well, Well, Well, Three Holes in The Ground' (which is a ten) and the Ep 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf'. Find them on their website and support these guys so they can make some more music for us.
Itch - Do You Know What Fear Is?
Itch - But Simon Said

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