Author Archives: admin

It’s Seu good

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Like that play on words? Har har. “Seu” good. It’s for Brazilian singer Seu Jorge, who will be coming back to the States quite soon! He will be touring with Almaz. For info on the workings, please read here.

However, many people are like myself, in that they first heard of Seu Jorge when watching the Wes Anderson flick The Life Aquatic. Anyone that knows me knows what a massive David Bowie fan I am. The fact that randomly in spots we found Jorge singing old Bowie tunes while playing an acoustic guitar just made it that much better a film to me. Seriously. Who really can do justice to a lot of Bowie’s classics? Especially in Portugese? Well, Jorge did it brilliantly. And that’s not to say that his solo works outside of this are any sort of slouch. He’s a huge star in his native Brazil, and as some folks I know put it? They’ll gladly pay 40 dollars here to see him, as it’s likely a lot more back home. So this makes me pretty giddy. Will he play any Bowie songs? Most likely no. Does that bother me much? Again, no. While his music takes a bit of time to get used to, there is a sort of beauty to it that transcends genres. It just sounds natural. If you don’t believe me, take a listen for yourself. I’ve posted a handful of his tracks, including one of his Bowie covers, and a personal favorite of mine. Enjoy!


Download Seu Jorge – Bem Querer


Download Seu Jorge – Tive Razao


Download Seu Jorge – Queen Bitch

Arcade Fire sucks

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Yes, I said it. They suck. Have you heard this poor excuse for a new single? I mean, it’s like their record label held them at gunpoint and said, “Listen, we need a hit, not for you all to do your best Bruce Springsteen impression and fail miserably.” This new song “Ready To Start” off of their upcoming The Suburbs is pretty accurately titled. They’re ready to start pissing me off and force me to kick a puppy or a homeless guy. It’s seriously godawful and lacking of any real creativity. The beginning riff is a ripoff of something that I just can’t think of right away. And that makes me even more pissed off.

So how about this? I write a faux letter of sorts to the Arcade Fire.

Dear Arcade Fire,

Please stop making this music. As I write this, my ears are bleeding and I’m taking four different prescriptions to keep the seizures your music causes at bay. You are not a gay clone of Bruce Springsteen. Enclosed, please find the picture of a dead bird. This bird did not die by being hit by a car. No, I happened to have my windows open playing your atrocious new single, “Ready To Start”, and it simply fell from the sky. If I believed in a God, I would take this as a sign to stop playing your music. Please go back to the days of Funeral and make me feel as though you care about what you make. Thank you.

Regards,
Walt Zink

Now, unfortunately I will be posting this poor excuse for a song.


Download The Arcade Fire – Ready To Start

Are we on our way?

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You can totally hear how they were inspired by Scott Stapp. And that’s a beautiful thing.

…Wait, WAIT! I kid, I kid. My steel trap brain search engine on the blog brings me to recall the 2008 interview we did with Detox Retox where the smarmy chaps were generous enough to share with us their musical inspirations. So how about if we show some love in return and tell you about their new EP which comes out on Tuesday?

The EP Movement is a collection of six songs recorded with the help of Ra Ra Riot’s Andrew Maury. Every song is like a feel-good jumpstart. I have no better words for it. In case you haven’t noticed, summer is basically here. I know. It’s annoying to be reminded of it on every magazine cover and on every one of your goddamn friends’ FaceBook status updates, but look. You have a lot of baloney you’ve got to deal with in life, so you need to decide there is a time each year that you are going to grab by the balls and declare as yours. It just has to be that way. So make it summer, and you won’t have to make excuses for it. Just say, “It’s summertime, dude,” and you’re off the hook.

That’s the mood I get in listening to Movement. It’s summertime, dude. And if I want to take off for this weekend without clearing it with anyone, oh, a-guess a-what? See ya bitches!

Check out “Caroline”, probably my favorite out of the six. But they’ve all got something that makes me boogie in my seat while I type this. I may have even busted out a makeshift “sprinkler” move. Shh. Don’t tell anyone.


Download Detox Retox – Caroline

..And it’s just an EP! But seriously, it gives me hope in the freedom summer can give. I don’t know what it is. The damn thing isn’t even about summer.

This is my favorite of the few pics you can find anywhere of the group. Colonel K, on his blog, describes the sound: “Detox play punk-pop that sounds like a mix between Silent Alarm-era Bloc Party meets the Police before everyone’s egos went out of control. Toss in a few flourishes of power-pop and the occasional gang vocal breakdowns and you get the kind of musical tension that guarantees that no two songs sound alike.” Hmm. I guess I need to see them live.

So, seriously boys. Where’s the love? Pretty sure you’ve never toured west of the Erie Canal. How many Warped dates did you do? Boys, boys, long time no text.

For the rest of you, here you go. It’s time to get in the mood.

Imagine

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So after a long few weeks I’ve finally come to the conclusion that most people just don’t get it. We live in a country right now that holds idiots like Glenn Beck up as a hero. A man that got booted off of more than a few radio stations for making incendiary remarks lacking any intellect is hardly a hero. And save me the tea party crap. A party formed out of misguided anger will eventually eat itself and its metaphorical young, to boot.

Well, I’d rather bring you all someone that actually is a hero. Well, at least to me. I get sort of tired of the aforementioned Beck and his ilk claiming there’s some left-wing bias in the media when anyone with the smarts of a toaster oven can readily tell you that eight out of ten – if not more – radio programs are right-wing run. Same goes for print media. The reasons why are a completely different reason.

Well, these people tend to act as though they’re getting bullied. That they’re the minority. Bullshit. The minority are actually the ones that have a conscience. That despise war. That have reason. All you have to do is look at major polls done by people like those at Rasmussen to understand what sort of a country we live in. When a full two-thirds of our country supports the immigration law passed in Arizona, then people like myself are the minority. And I like to be loud and push back.

The guy that I claim as a hero here is none other than John Lennon. His song “Imagine” is pretty easily one of the top five songs all-time. Seriously. Try arguing with that. Anyhow, I’ve got the original up here today for your listening pleasure, as well as a couple of covers. One is by David Bowie, with the other done by A Perfect Circle. For anyone that doesn’t know, Lennon did the background vocals on Bowie’s “Fame”. Nice tidbit of information. So here you go. Go nuts, people. And if you’re a Glenn Beck fan? I’m laughing at you on the inside. And outside, actually. Why hide how I feel?


Download John Lennon – Imagine


Download David Bowie – Imagine


Download A Perfect Circle – Imagine

More LCD Soundsystem

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So I have to be honest in that I have been a bit lazy with trying to find new music. I’ve been listening to the new LCD Soundsystem as of late to see how I feel about it. Well, “Drunk Girls” and “Pow Pow” did little to really make me want this new one, but I did take a pretty good, long listen, and have to be honest in that those two tracks were probably the weakest off of This Is Happening. That should say something, to be quite honest.

Here is what I consider to be the strongest track off of the album. Well, there are a couple other stellar ones. “One Touch” and “Home” are well up there, too. The former really smacks of their last album Sound of Silver in a lot of ways. Pretty DJ friendly track, to boot. This one sounds more like a sad country song if you listen to the lyrics. “All I Want” is, to me, the best of the lot on this new album. Think of a serious dosage of Joy Division invading the skull of James Murphy and you’ve got a pretty good idea of the sound, here.

Take a listen and decide for yourself. I’ve also included a live video that someone was good enough to take.


Download LCD Soundsystem – All I Want

The plot sucks but the killings are gorgeous

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I still love him. LIKE CRAY-ZAY.

I didn’t know it was hot in the middle
I touched it once then I touched it a second time
‘Cause I am that naive, a myriad of bright ideas

He is from Mahtomedi. I know that means nothing to 98% of you. But it just makes me feel like kin to him even more. Well, not kin, because maybe one day he’ll marry me. It could happen. But innt he CUTE?!

This post isn’t all about Justin Pierre. He is the main lyricist and rhythm guitarist for Motion City Soundtrack. To me it always feels like MCS is pretty mainstream and everyone knows about them, but more and more I am realizing – Why Doesn’t Everyone Know About Them?

It just does something to me the way Justin is able to cram approximately 400 words into every song. And of course he’s the guy who sticks out in the band pics, and he is there effortlessly delivering all of his fun, funky, and flabbergasting lyrics in the music videos, so he is the one who gets mentioned.

Motion City Soundtrack formed in 1997 with Justin and buddy Joshua Cain. The full band lineup has changed since the band formed, and meanwhile, they’ve released four full-length albums.

You had to have at least caught one of their videos on MTV. Being that the band creators fancy themselves as fledgling filmmakers, you know their videos are going to be good. Hell, the name of the band is no mistake, what did you think?

I used to rely on self-medication,
I guess I still do that from time to time.

So if somehow you’ve been oblivious to this band throughout the last decade, and you missed the video above from ’05, I want you to check out their latest album and tell me you don’t become an instant fan. It is absolutely the perfect mix of upbeat fuck-youness that we all love and appreciate. My Dinosaur Life is the name of the album, and it’s been out since January. So get on it, pally. Check their touring schedule – there are still a few heartland dates before they get on Warped Tour. And you know Warped is coming somewhere near you.

I’m going to share Track 6, “History Lesson”, because I think it best showcases the strength in Pierre’s voice. You get just a hint of the underlying snark on the album and the musical talents of the rest of the band.


Download Motion City Soundtrack – History Lesson

Stock up and create your summer soundtrack now.

OK, fine. Here’s one more track for the kids. Now you need to go buy ALL the albums.


Download Motion City Soundtrack – @!#?@!

House of 9’s Where I Belong

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I bought this album last week and meant to review it on Friday. Then I sprained two fingers and shit got real. I’m just kidding. It didn’t get real. I just like that phrase. But I did mangle my fingers pretty bad and typing just wasn’t in the cards.

I heard of this band, Everest, because an old pal from childhood actually did the album art. Yeah dude! Give some props to the wildly attractive and popular Desi Moore. Thankya.

This isn’t Everest’s first album or rodeo, but really, let’s pretend it is. They recorded Ghost Notes in 2007 when they had barely been a band for two weeks. They jumped on tour (with acts as notable as Neil Young, huzzah, and My Morning Jacket, of course) and got all set to record their second album. But a little something called SXSW happened, and before you know it, they sign with Warner Brothers instead. Mental note, prepare for an e-mail from the Web Sheriff du-du-doooo…

So May 11, On Approach was released and even though the band likes to say they don’t actually sound like other bands, well. Look. We’ve all accepted it by now. We are a product of our influences; we just are. I realize I am probably the only one who hears Exile in Track One, “Let Go” -and yes I mean Exile as in 1978, long hair and synthesizers – but then I doubt many other people grew up with the fully stocked juke box that I did. I hear “I Wanna Kiss You All Over” every time I hear this track:


Download Everest – Let Go

After that, I really don’t mean to make any other comparisons and I just want to get in to this chill album. But by the time I get to Track 8, “House of 9’s”, I am hearing Thrice – or at least Dustin Kensrue – through and through. Another listen through the album proves that if you like Thrice, you will really love Everest. They’re on a heavy-duty tour right now. I hope their van is holding up – go see them and buy some merch! Help them out! This is a solid, solid sound.

The band asks that you support your local record store, so why don’t you go ahead and do so. Browse around for Exile while you’re there too. Compare and appreciate the funky guitar sounds.

If you don’t have a local record store, try buying online here.

Is summer here? Really?

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So here in Boston, the weather just won’t stay the same. I spent all of last week sick as a dog, and eventually even lost my voice. Imagine trying to work tending bar without much of a voice. It didn’t really bother me much, to be honest. But this weather? Needs to get a bit stable. Seriously. Anyhow, this post has a bit of summer in it. The rest? Is a newer track that’s been getting a bit of play as of late.

So for those that don’t know about Broken Social Scene yet, you’re missing out. They’re a strange group in that they never keep a steady set of band members. When I saw them live a few years back, I think they had about 15 people on stage at any one time. It’s crazy but awesome at the same time. I believe I’ve said it before, but they do remind me of a jam band, but in much better a way. These guys have this strange cohesiveness to their music. Which made me a bit surprised when I heard this song. It’s off of their latest album, Forgiveness Rock Record. The track is “All To All” and is a departure of sorts from their typical indie-rock sound, as they steer more towards a light electronic route. It’s a refreshing change, and smacks of what you would hear during summer. Enjoy!


Download Broken Social Scene – All To All

Next is the latest release from LCD Soundsystem. Now, “Drunk Girls” I found rather unimpressive, and so far, this new track “Pow Pow” – off of their just released album This is Happening – doesn’t really hit me as all too wonderful. Although, some of the lyrics are subtly hinting at people just shutting the fuck up (I’m looking at you, Obama-haters), which I enjoy. This is the typical LCD Soundsystem sound we’ve grown accustomed to, however, so I am sure this is one that will grow on me.


Download LCD Soundsystem – Pow Pow

As usual, go buy some stuff. You don’t wanna be “that guy”, now do you?

We really are quite small when you think about it

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This is not going to be your average post from me. Now, some of you may have read this blog for a while and know I bounce all over the place with the music I post. This is one that really I don’t have a lot of words for, as it expresses a lot of beauty. This song I’m posting today was used in the now classic “Cosmos” series by Carl Sagan by Vangelis. I’ve gotten my nerd on lately and have been watching it and this song in particular just smacked of all the old synth legends of the 1970’s, including Brian Eno, Giorgio Moroder, and Jean-Jacques Perrey. I’ve taken the liberty of including the full-length original of Vangelis’ “Heaven and Hell (Part 1)” as well as just the part entitled “Movement 3” that is just one of four parts to this raucous legend. Beware! This isn’t your typical song! However, this piece is just sheer brilliance, and I’ve also posted a little video I saw online that included this that used parts from the “Cosmos” series.

Seriously, a brilliant song that pretty much transcends time. Enjoy it.


Download Vangelis – Heaven and Hell (Part 1) (Movement 3)


Download Vangelis – Heaven and Hell (Part 1)

Yep. Go buy it.

The Gasoline That I’ve Been Drinkin’ Like It’s Water

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He’s quite a talented young guy, this Robert McDowell. He has been the lead guitarist for the band Manchester Orchestra since 2005, and this year released his solo project called Gobotron. I remember when the kid started his own MySpace page with this same name in ’08, and I wondered for a little while. But he didn’t tell anyone about it until he finished the album.

So of course Jeremiah Edmond, whom up until recently was the amazing drummer for Manchester Orchestra but gave that up in order to stay in one place with his wife and run the label Favorite Gentlemen, happily pressed and marketed the music for him.
And when I say happily… I mean, he hand packaged these suckers and numbered them individually. And wrote a thank you note to go along with every order.

The project to him is the opportunity to “do exactly the opposite of” what he truly does enjoy – the working with a team. The sound, though, still comes off as if it was created by a group of happy pop rockers… Silversun Pickups. The Beach Boys. The Lemonheads. Something in there somewhere.

That’s the magic of software: “This is a computer album that could have never been done if it were on tape. It became a science project rather than a band.” The album name is On Your Mark, Get Set and I’m not sure how serious I need to be with you when I tell you – it’s obviously just the beginning and you should really pay attention.

Now, despite the fact that Track One is :49 of Gobotron repeating the word “Nothing” and maybe shouldn’t qualify as a track, somehow the “formula” has prevailed and it is Track Four which really gives what I think is the best representation. Enjoy “Never Turn Around”:


Download Gobotron – Never Turn Around

It’s good stuff, and this kid is going to make more and more amazing art so get in on it before your friends do. Order everything you need here. Get on that now!