The Element of Chaos

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Sometimes you can’t help but just go with the band’s own description…and/or the wiki description… when you want to share some tunes you just discovered. The Go! Team is described as combining “indie rock and garage rock with a mixture of blaxploitation and Bollywood soundtracks, double dutch chants, Charlie Brown piano, car chase horns, old school hip hop and distorted guitars…” Seriously! They don’t even know how to describe their own music to their mums. My iTunes describes them as Electronic, and even though a lot of my favorite bands are also described as Electronic, normally it won’t be the genre I will be clicking first when it hits my library.

But this is the shit. The album Rolling Blackouts starts off sounding like a group of serious-ass female Beastie Boys, moves into that double-dutch sound I mentioned earlier, then morphs into some “Jackie Brown” or “Shaft” -esque movie soundtrack serious hardassedness.

Track 5, “Bust-Out Brigade”, combines all of this plus makes me wish I was watching my alma mater march down main street for our 4th of July parade. I LOVE this!

Click to Enjoy The Go! Team – Bust-Out Brigade

There are a few instrumental-only tracks on this album and they are just as badass as the ones that include catchy or snotty lyrics.

There are six of them. They play instruments. They use samples. They throw sample buttons on their instruments. They just “keep the element of chaos.”

I am defined by my failures.

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I need you to remind me to relax. I’m a work-aholic by nature. That’s not quite right. I’m super fucking lazy, but there is a guilt inside me that keeps me working. Working quiets the voices that tell me I am a failure, that I never reached my potential.

I need someone to tell me to take a vacation. That it’s time to kick back. Otherwise, I burn my vacation days working from home, or perhaps staying home sick because I burned that candle too long at both ends.

I probably just gave you some anxiety. It’s gonna be ok. I am going to give us a bit of aural vacationing in this post. Get your sunblock…

There are certain tracks that remind me of being poolside with my lady. Head full of alcohol and some great tunes isn’t a vacation, but it can help you get some sanity back. I have an album to throw on your device of choice to provide a Gretzky to your pool day. Los Angeles band, Foster the People, has a new LP out out entitled Torches that is full of perfect summer tunes. It makes sense, where everyday is like a beach day in LA. You may have heard the song I’m sharing, it trended on radio quite a bit. I don’t listen to much radio these days, so you tell me.

Click to play Foster The People – Pumped Up Kicks

All the above was written a week ago. I was so busy that I couldn’t even finish my post. Here I am a week later trying to finish it. This last week has been especially tiring. Besides all my workouts and running around town to get things done, I’ve been using my brain way too much. When your body and mind are both completely spent at the end of the day, it’s important to just take one day to recharge. I decided to come to my local coffee shop to finish the post. The coffee is excellent here, the staff friendly and competent, and the vibe is good. I’m sitting here, feeling the lift of my Nutty Cow Latte and listening to song playing over the speakers. I look it up with Shazaam and find that it’s the song “Little Hell” by the band City and Colour. Loving the vibe of this song. It’s putting my mind at ease. Which is good, because while I’m at the coffee shop I’m getting phone calls that almost allow the anxiety of all the things I should/need to do. Breathe. Listen.

Click to play City and Colour – Little Hell

City and Colour is the side project of Dallas Green (Get it?) who is the singer and guitarist for a post-hardcore band that I like, Alexisonfire.

Take it from the band The Young Veins, it’s time to “Take A Vacation!” Until then, I’ll still be here hustling…

The Head and the Heart

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I have to say… my head and my heart have been at war before, but when it comes to the band “The Head and the Heart”, there’s no struggle between what’s going on in my noggin’ and what I feel in my chest. They are in agreeance on this one and I may be in love.

The Seattle-based band’s self-titled debut album is flooded with passion and vocal harmonics that make my heart go pitter patter along with poetic lyrics that make my head spin. Formed in 2009, the sextet took to the Seattle Public Library’s piano practice room before self releasing “The Head and the Heart”. In 2011 the album was remastered and re-released on Sub Pop Records. According to Sup Pop’s website, “the songs resulting from those first inspired months pick at the multicolored threads of leaving home, finding home, and through that process of deconstruction, finding yourself. These are songs about crossing rivers and roads to get to the one you love, about family far away, and the desire to chase technicolor dreams down foreign horizons.” Following a 2 year journey on the road and living out of a suitcase myself, like an old friend who has been down the same path, the music speaks deeply to me and comforts me with an understanding. Their latest single takes me to a place where I can just be and get “Lost in My Mind” (pun intended),

Click To Enjoy The Head and the Heart – Lost In My Mind

while “Rivers and Roads” creates that aching and longing in your soul for loved ones who are not near.

They do have a more upbeat sound as well, but I’ve chosen to share the ones that make me weepy. Cut me some slack and grab me a kleenex… my niece just graduated from high school today.

Click To Enjoy The Head and the Heart – Down In The Valley

Currently on tour with Iron and Wine, I’d say they’re in excellent company. Tour dates can be found at

http://www.facebook.com/theheadandtheheart?sk=events

So get out from behind your computer and take in a show!

the sound of fighting

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In 2007 Battles blew a lot of people away with the release of Mirrored. They had released a few EPs prior to that but Mirrored was a new introduction for most folks, and an amazing one at that.

I went in thinking, members of Helmet and Don Caballero working together? This should be interesting. I had no idea how groundbreaking it would actually be. It took one listen to the single “Atlas” to make me realize. Take a listen now if you haven’t heard it. In fact, listen again if you have. I’m setting a mood here.

It’s bizarre but completely hypnotic and unique. The instruments are all on synced looping pedals so the band can build theme upon theme. It’s a simple idea but one that hadn’t really been examined so in-depth before. It works and it’s very compelling. The rest of the album has the same appeal. You put it on and you’re virtually guaranteed to sink into the pattern-based brilliance for an hour.
So here we are four years later and the band has been pretty quiet for a while. Late last year vocalist/instrumentalist Tyondai Braxton announced he was leaving the group to focus on his solo career. That left a lot of us wondering what would happen with the rest of the band. It turns out they continued forward with a somewhat modified sound and are releasing their second full-length Gloss Drop this week. Here’s the opening track, “Africastle.”

Click to play Battles – Africastle

This album looks back to Battles’ EP roots, with a mostly instrumental approach. There are a few songs with guest vocals but the focus here is on the music. That’s not to say the vocals are incidental. For example, here’s a track with Gary Numan (yes, THAT Gary Numan) covering those duties:

Click to play Battles – My Machines (Featuring Gary Numan)

It works. The rest of the album ventures into something I wouldn’t expect: world music. There are hints of Caribbean beats all over the place and the heavier mood of previous works is less present. This isn’t a bad thing, it’s just an interesting change. Perhaps it’s because of Braxton’s departure, perhaps this is where the band’s next evolution was headed anyway. Regardless, it makes for a good album in a completely different way from anything else in the band’s catalog.

If you were a huge fan of Battles’ previous work and don’t cope well with change, I’d leave this one alone. If, however, you want to see how a band can develop and adapt to change over time, this is a great example. I’ll leave you with one more track because, um, why not?

Click to play Battles – Inchworm

Too Pretty To Say Please

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It’s time again for summer memories.  The kind that forever take on a sepia hue in your mind.  Or on your iPhone, since it has that fancy tool.  Have any made it to your wall? (I mean your physical wall. Inside your home.)

I want some sepia-toned videos.  Can you make that happen?

Sorry.  It’s this album.  It immediately conjures this kind of feeling, right from track one.  Like it’s the soundtrack to your slightly clouded memories.  Or a fondly-remembered road trip.

You might have heard The Wooden Birds on NPR, since a song off their first album was featured as the song of the day…even if it was two years ago.  Maybe the memory of that takes on the same tinted hue for Andrew Kenny and crew.

Click to Enjoy The Wooden Birds – Folly Cub

Andrew Kenny was the main singer and songwriter from American Analog Set before helping to get Broken Social Scene going with a contribution to their album and tour. Then he settled back in his home state of Texas to start The Wooden Birds, a band which has had various members in its two year existence so far. Oh, and apparently he makes a lot of music writers swoon. Sometime last year, Buzzfeed called him one of the hottest guys of indie rock. As in, a hot guy, not as in, oh, watch these up-and-comers. As for Andrew himself, his age confounds me. Look how young he looks… Yet, as for his own original musical crushes, he can remember having a Linda Ronstadt poster so that would definitely take him out of the twentysomething generation.

But the songs are gorgeous and upbeat while staying folksy. And this album, Two Matchsticks, just sounds like how good memories feel. It comes out this Tuesday, and their tour kicks off in Phoenix on June 16.

Click to Enjoy The Wooden Birds – Too Pretty To Say Please

Just because you know it’s a zinger that she likes,
the name a younger her gave to a three-speed bike,
don’t think for a second that you’re ever in the words that she writes

I’m loving this album, and re-playing the shit out of it, and hoping I have a few spare hours this summer to make some memories. But for now this album goes with me everywhere.

Say Goodbye To Tomorrow

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Do you have Ben Harper’s new album yet? It’s been out for two weeks. And he’s going on tour. So get the album. Here – just download it now. Then come back here and let’s talk about it.

Seriously. I’ll wait.

So, he opens the album Give Til It’s Gone with the phrase “Don’t give up on me now,” which haunts me since I know that in the last six months or so, he and Laura Dern have been going through a divorce. He admits in the song, “And I don’t even know, myself, what it would take to know myself. I need to change – I don’t know how. Don’t give up on me now.”

And I’m sorry, I can’t stop being distracted by this. When did he write this song? Whose voice is he using? HE filed for the divorce from Dern in October. In the documents, he claimed they had been separated all year. So when did he write this song? I’m sorry, sometimes I turn into a nosy teenager when I listen to personal music. Oh, don’t worry; I am all up in these details. In September of last year, Dern and Harper and their kids flew to Hawaii to watch Eddie Vedder get married. So everyone’s jaw dropped when he filed. So if you’re still reeling from this news six months later when the album drops, sorry… You wonder.

Then again, by track 3 Ben is gleefully singing about how Rock and Roll is free… So maybe this album represents just how disjointed his life has felt for the last year. Unlike past Harper albums, this one really is all over the place.

Click to Enjoy Ben Harper – Rock N Roll Is Free

I think Harper fans are a bit divided… I know I loved his efforts with the Relentless 7. But I definitely read reviews that picked the hell out of the White Lies for Dark Times album he recorded with that band. And I will give you that Harper’s older albums, like Fight For Your Mind are probably much stronger than this year’s Give.

All I want to know is whether he and Laura Dern are getting back together. ~shrug~

Click to Enjoy Ben Harper – Pray That Our Love Sees The Dawn

I try to be myself, but I forget how. Jackson Browne gives him some vocal assistance on this track. Any love advice, JB?

Joey’s Song

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While sitting here wondering what to talk about for my next post, the news was on in the background and the very touching story of “Joey’s Song” came on, making the decision what to write about much easier.

Just shy of his 5th birthday, Joseph Gomoll, who was afflicted with Dravet’s Syndrome (a rare form of Epilepsy), passed away unexpectedly in March 2010. Shorty after, a foundation was set up by his family in his honor to raise money for the Epilepsy Foundation. Their goal, is to raise money that can be used for research, treatment and support of those affected by this terrible disease.

According to the website (www.joeyssong.org), because music was the centerpiece of Joey’s world, there is no better way to raise money in his name than through music. The Foundation is releasing a series of CDs called “Joey’s Song”. The CDs feature rare and unreleased songs by major recording acts from around the world. In addition, Joey’s Song for Kids features children’s music, most recorded specifically for Joey’s Song.

Click to Enjoy Robbie Fulks covering Dylan’s “I Believe In You”

Click to Enjoy A.A. Bondy’s “Still I Dream”

With the exception of production costs, every penny raised by Joey’s Song will go directly to find a cure and help those affected by epilepsy. With 85% of the music not available anywhere else, this is your chance to hear some great, heartfelt songs for the mere cost of 2 gallons of gas. So reach into your pockets, bike to work a day and please spread the word. CDs in a physical or digital format as well as Joey’s Song T-Shirts are available for you to purchase online. Some of my faves from the CD… “Still I Dream” by A.A. Bondy, “14th Street and Mars” by Michelle Malone and of course, Robbie Fulks cover of Dylan’s “I Believe In You”.

“Music speaks what cannot be expressed, soothes the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul.” The power of music never ceases to amaze me!! On this Memorial Day, remember your loved ones who have passed and hold the ones that are still here, a little tighter.


moose and squirrel?

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This week we got a nice little present from one of my favorite bands, Boris. That present came in the form of two albums, released in tandem on Tuesday.

Boris, for those of you unfamiliar, is a Japanese three-piece. They started out as a drone-y metal band and still work with that idea a lot, but they are equally adept at crossing genres like punk, post-rock, psychedelic rock, and more. Every album they’ve released, and they have 17 full-lengths at last count, has been an opportunity for experimentation and growth. No two albums sound a whole lot alike, but I can’t say there’s a bad one in the bunch. A few releases, such as 2006’s Pink, have made big waves in the critical community as well. Don’t take that as a bad thing. This is one time the critics are right on.

The new releases are named Attention Please and Heavy Rocks. The latter is also the title of a 2002 release by the band, so be aware which album you’re getting. If you’re interested in the band’s earlier sound the 2002 album is a good place to start. If you already know the group or want to see where they are now, pick up the newer one.

Heavy Rocks sounds a lot like the title implies. It’s a brutal, heavy album more along the lines of previous Boris releases. This is the sound of a band that took their name from a Melvins song title and pushed the idea forward into psychedelic punk. Here’s a track from the album to explain what I mean:

Click to play Boris – Galaxians

In stark contrast, Attention Please is a restrained album that focuses more on songwriting and textures. This is the first time female band member Wata has carried the vocals for a full record, and it creates a striking effect. It’s amazing to hear this alongside Heavy Rocks and think it’s the same band. That’s part of the beauty of Boris. Here’s the title track from the album:

Click to play Boris – Attention Please

For what it’s worth, my favorite Boris moments are the times when they play in the punk/thrash realm. As an example, here’s the track “Statement” from the 2008 album Smile:

I don’t say this kind of thing often, but that song rocks my ass off.

Even if you’re not a fan of heavier music, give Boris a listen. You may just find an album you like in their extensive catalog. Oh, and I hear their live show is something to behold. I haven’t had a chance to catch them in person but it’s high on the list.

Safety In Numbers [3fer Edition]

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Rafter

Rafter has a new album out entitled Animal Feelings. It’s a pop album that you don’t have to feel dirty for liking. There will never be anyone lashing out at you for liking this album. It’s the kind of Pop album that gets you “street cred” with the hipsters. If you would rather stick a pitchfork into the lower orifice of a hipster, then at least you will seem super cutting edge to your normal friends.

Rafter Roberts grew up in Sebastopol, California, where his parents raised him in a decidedly nontraditional setting. “My parents named me Rafter,” he told LAS magazine. “I don’t know if I want to call them ‘hippies’ but they were definitely counterculture and outside the norm. When my mom was pregnant with me one of the people they lived with in this semi-commune made a joke that they should name the baby Rafter because he was conceived in a loft. And it just sorta stuck.”

There are so many great songs on this album, I’ve had a hard time picking one to share on this post. In the end I decided on “A Frame” because I think the first verse speaks to me. An A-frame is the most basic of structures to support load. I prefer to roll the opposite of deep. I roll sparse. I roll super sparse homie.

I’m doing counting but the numbers are against me
I ran out of fingers, ran out of toes
I’m doing counting cause there’s safety in numbers
Ha!Safety in numbers, we’ll see how that goes 

Click to play Rafter – A Frame

Bombay Bicycle Club

If you love this image, go buy the t-shirt from Bustedtees.com

I’m constantly battling my gianormous music libraries. Yes. Plural. Across four different computers, I struggle to consolidate to just one. Well two. One library is EVERYTHING except what’s in the smaller one. The smaller one is just dance music, mashups, and remixes. It’s the library Serato pulls from that I DJ with. It’s a messy sitch. While moving music around my home network, I come across some old gems. The gem was the album I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose by Bombay Bicycle Club from 2009.  A real oldie…I know. It’s probably something that I haven’t really listened to since 2009, and I regret that. This is a fantastic album that I hope you pick up and love. It’s going on my iPhone right now. Check out the track “Always Like This” to get a real feel for the whole album. If you like that track you will love the whole record.

Click to play Bombay Bicycle Club – Always Like This

The Devil Whale

The other thing I struggle to keep organized, besides my music library, is the blog inbox. Fucking overwhelmed. I need an intern. Or two. Not the Monica Lewinsky type either…I can barely keep up with my girlfriend as it is.

This last track will have to be from the digital mail piles. It’s from the Salt Lake City garage pop band The Devil’s Whale upcoming album Teeth. Check out the single “Standing Stones” and then head to the bands bandcamp site to order the album for $8.99. I think you will dig the surf sounds that must be inspired by some nearby saltwater source…

Click to play The Devil Whale – Standing Stones

  

ME and SJDK

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Recently, I was graciously invited to contribute to this wonderful blog and could not have been more excited. A self-proclaimed music junkie who has failed at playing the guitar and has a voice that only a mother could love, my voice now is sharing thoughts on music that moves me and hopefully moves you as well. My taste varies and through my posts I hope to introduce you to some great new music or maybe take you on a trip down memory lane.

My recent adventure in music was much more successful than the guitar lessons and came when I was the music supervisor on the indie film NONAMES. There’s nothing more satisfying than pairing great music with a great film to complete the total package. With a small budget I was forced to find artists who were perhaps not well known, but fit the tone of the film. What you get after countless hours of scouring the internet until your ears are bleeding, is a damn good soundtrack that can be heard at www.nonamesthefilm.com.

So that’s a little bit about me. And now, on with the show….


So, what do you get when you cross Tina Turner and James Brown? The answer… Ms. Sharon Jones. Early last week I saw Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings for the first time in Madison, WI and was transformed into a dancing machine. That’s saying a lot coming from the girl who took tap lessons (kinda like the guitar lessons) for one day. However, Jones’ energy and storytelling paired with some awesome music, made it impossible to sit still and not shake what your mama gave ya. Well, there were those couple people who complained multiple times to my friend that he was blocking their view. It’s a concert, if you want to sit, buy the DVD and watch it at home!

Backed by the 8-piece Dap-Kings (including guitarist and emcee for the evening, Binky Griptite who hails from Milwaukee, WI) and 2 Dapettes, the nearly 2 hour show did not lack entertainment, fine musicianship or amazing vocals. Wearing a fringe covered mini-dress (which had the men hooting and hollering and the women hoping they look that good at 55 or wondering why they don’t look that good now), Jones created her own version of “Soul Train” when she invited a group of women on stage with her to showcase their own moves. (I didn’t make the cut) She also pulled 2 young men on stage who are probably still asking themselves what happened, after she seduced them with her vocals and sultry moves. One of the greatest songs she performed was “This Land is Your Land”, a Woody Guthrie cover from the film “Up In The Air.” You may have also heard this song featured on NPR.



Click to play Sharon Jones – This Land Is Your Land (Woody Guthrie cover)



Jones has been on the music scene since 1996, but that song gained she and the Dap-Kings more popularity since the release of the film. Some of my favorites from the Madison show include…“100 Days, 100 Nights”, “Better Things”, “I Learned the Hard Way”, and “Mama Don’t Like My Man”. However, I do have to say there was not one song I didn’t enjoy. On tour through August in a city near you, SJDK is a must see show. Their old school soul sound and look created one of the best live shows I have seen in a long time, with never a dull moment. As a matter of fact, I woke up at 4:45 the next morning with the songs replaying in my head and anybody who knows me, knows there’s not much that gets me up at that hour. Warning, if you do attend a show, wear comfortable shoes. Unless you plan on being a stick in the mud and sitting the whole time. Then bring your seat cushion.



Nonames