Monthly Archives: December 2008

You blew it!

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Well. We are here to help. Hopefully if you read us regularly this won’t happen again. I won’t tell anyone, but you really gotta step up too.

Ok?

THREE BANDS THAT YOU COULDA BEEN A HUGE FAN OF BUT BROKE UP BEFORE YOU EVEN GOT TO LISTEN TO THEM!

1. SPARTA
Sparta is an American alternative rock band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 2001. Jim Ward (vocalist/guitarist) and Tony Hajjar (drummer) are former members of At the Drive-In. Keeley Davis (guitarist) is the former frontman of Engine Down.

In June 2008, Ward stated that Sparta is “currently on hiatus and label-less”, and that he will be focusing on his project, Sleepercar.

Oops. Missed the opportunity to see this band live? Bummer for you. They were amazing. I got to see them twice. Blown away. I just stood there being pummeled by the awesomeness that was Sparta. Too bad you never heard of them…

[Sparta – Red.Right.Return. (Straight In Our Hands)]

2. PISTOLITA
Pistolita is an indie rock band from San Diego, California that has a real catchy pop feel underneath the punk rock grittiness.

They have previously toured as an opening act for bands such as Brand New, but it was when they toured with Saves the Day that I finally got to see them. I became a fan that night. Bought the album the next day. A few months later they broke up. Although part of this band went on to become Weatherbox, the magic that was Pistolita is gone forever. Shouldn’t stop you from picking up the album Oliver Under The Moon. It’s a great piano/rock album.

[Pistolita – Killjoy]

3. NEUTRAL MILK HOTEL
Damn. It’s ok. I missed this one too. It breaks my heart, but as this band reminds me, you can turn pain into something beautiful. Jeff Magnum is really the catalyst for this band, and the critcally aclaimed In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. Critically aclaimed in the very underground kinda way.

Don’t worry.

All your favorite bands have had this album in their CD players for the last 10 years (tape players maybe….how long have we had CDs anyways?), so you have been a fan at least through some sort of weird trickle down effect. Right?

[Neutral Milk Hotel – Oh Comely]



At least that means I have a soul left to lose

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“‘Bears don’t want to eat people. We don’t taste that good.’ He grinned at me in the dark cab. ‘Of course, you might be an exception. I bet you’d taste good.’
‘Thanks so much,’ I said, looking away. He wasn’t the first person to tell me that.”

Have you read New Moon yet? It’s the second book in the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer. I read the whole series and it was a good experience; it touched me in a lot of ways… But I just kept hoping for better. More eloquent writing. Prose that would stick with me and paint a better picture. It was, alas, a Young Readers series. I shouldn’t have expected so much.

[Senses Fail – Wolves At the Door]

Like Senses Fail. I keep trying to like them.

I don’t know what it is. They make use of the double bass pedal. They scream a little but not too much. They layer their guitars. But Senses Fail just refuses to grab me and either rock my face off or move me with really strong lyrics.

Their lyrics are better than many others. Better than most that get airplay, that’s for sure. And the sound has gotten better over the last few years. Maybe I just expect more. They don’t sound better than most bands that have been formed this decade. They’re definitely not better than Four Year Strong.

“Life Is Not A Waiting Room” is the fourth album put out by this quartet lead by Buddy Nielsen, who is actually the son of some of my mom’s favorite soap stars. Remember Iva Snyder from As The World Turns? I digress. The songs Senses Fail has recorded over the years have always been inspired by deep writings and works of art, and even their name comes from a eastern spiritual beliefs. But they just don’t go far enough with it. If I was writing their report card I would say “you need to apply yourself more.” Just because it’s not pop-punk about a girl who left you doesn’t mean you can’t get deeper than you already are. You can do it.

I did find Blackout to be one of the stronger tracks. Check it out:

[Senses Fail – Blackout]

I will keep watching and waiting. I know they have something to say. But they can say it louder, I am sure of it. But hey, I know one music snob in particular who just LOVES them. You might find what I can’t. Check them out:


That French sound still sounds good!

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So the French sound seems to have permeated the airwaves again! Justice came practically out of nowhere to become the new French electronica darlings, a la Daft Punk. Well, the sound isn’t limited to people born in France. You can ask our wonderful blog owner himself how much of the stuff I used to play while DJing! And I actually still have quite a bit of it lying around, too! May have to update you all with some slick French house one of these weeks!

Well, today, the post is dedicated to that heavily filtered sound and a band that’s beginning to make a few waves. They’re Thieves Like Us, and they just recently released their first full-length album, called Play Music. The best way to describe the sound will need some explanation. The band’s name is the title of an old New Order track. So it’s no real surprise that the sound seems to meld some elements of New Order with the French House sound – albeit at a lower BPM, many times.

The result is a sound that just sounds calming, yet makes you want to dance a bit. The single making a lot of noise right now is the second cut off of Play Music, titled “Drugs In My Body”. Along with the original, I’ve also included a remix done by a a duo of…well….sort of strange dudes that go by the name of Designer Drugs. I can’t knock strange. I am, also. It’s more fun that way, anyhow.

Thieves Like Us – Drugs In My Body

Thieves Like Us – Drugs In My Body (Designer Drugs remix)

And there’s even a video for such a wonderful tune! Check it out!

And for those who – for some reason unknown – haven’t been exposed to the Daft Punk I knew and loved back in 1996? Here are two tunes. It was off of their landmark album Homework, which still gets love from many out there, and rightfully so!

And if you are also up for a little house music on the deeper and more soulful edge? A friend of mine who I’ve known for right around 12 years now here in Boston has a site that’s dedicated to house music in it’s most pure form. DJ Bruno has been doing his thing here in Boston for twenty years, and I owe a lot to him, to be honest! So if you get a second, please make a visit to Utopia Boston Radio! If you’re ever in Boston? Please do send me an e-mail. As you can see from all of us, music is our lifeblood, and we love to share!

One final note! I am still digging through some contributions. I will be doing many of these in the final two blogs this months, as a sort of round-up of what to look for in 2009! So thank you for your patience!

And please, shell out those duckets! Buy a little of the aforementioned music, so these guys can keep bringing you more of the good stuff!

A passion ending so the world ceases turning

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BFMV is easier to type than Bullet For My Valentine, and as you know I am lazy.

Which is ironic, since this post is about my Friday after Thanksgiving. Feeling guilty for my gluttony, I woke up on Black Friday, and instead of shopping, I sweated out all the turkey and booze over a stationary bicycle.
The soundtrack to my self punishment was BFMV…So loud the old lady on the bike next to me was cringing. 

BFMV is a screamo band from Bridgend, Wales. I didn’t pay special attenttion to the lyrics until I got home from my workout, but they are really good, especially if you are into self-mutilation (exercise is practically self-mutilation, isn’t it?  It’s painful, I know that…) 

The music is the stand-out winner for me.

Aggressive is a good word to describe the music. Another good word might be FAST. The drum and guitar work is so great, that the lead singer could be talking about how he likes mayo on his hamburgers, and I would still love it.
I haven’t listened to the band’s first album, The Poison, but it’s now on my xmas list. Do yourself a favor and pick up Scream, Aim, Fire for xmas. One for you, and one for the friend that could use a little work in the gym. They will thank you for it.



[Bullet For My Valentine – End of Days]