Sunday, November 18, 2007

I married Her At Once

I'm aware this is very old news, but honestly, this song is so good it warrants being posted about, even if it will be a brief post.

The song is "Window Display", by Enon. Enon was formed out of the ashes of Braniac, when the lead singer died in a car crash. The song is off Enon's second album, and is rooted in Braniac/Enon's electroclash, while being much more accessible than a lot out of either band's catalogue.

If you like this, go pick up High Society, or even Enon's new album, "Grass Geysers...Carbon Clouds", which is also quite good.



Enon - Window Display

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Stupid Thing I Rigged Back When I Had a Thing for Lead

After an extended absence (I'm lazy, so sue me), I return to post a song I've been listening to a lot lately. Since I don't feel like typing much, I'll go straight into it. The song is Prism Me by Warren Hixson. The song is an intimate little acoustic ditty. Warren Hixson was a member of the now defunct band Tadpole Fad, and currently makes music that sometimes sounds like Elliott Smith, and sometimes sounds like...a wussier Tadpole Fad. This song is more Elliott Smith-y, and included are the studio version (off Moose), and a live performance for an Arkain Records podcast.

Warren Hixson - Prism Me

Warren Hixson - Prism Me (Live)

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Who Was Your Friend

Daniel Johnston is a magnificent songwriter. While his voice may be off-putting for some, his genious is almost unparalleled. The perfect remedy to this may very well be the final track off Matthew Good's newest album, 'Hospital Music'. Performing a cover of Johnston's Iconic track, 'True Love Will Find You In The End', Matthew Good's smooth, reverb drenched vocals cascade over a calculated strumming guitar, adding a coat of polish and a personal touch to the decade-plus old 'classic'. While it may not be quite as good as the original, it may very well introduce fans of mainstream radio to the works of Daniel Johnston, or, at the very least, give people an appreciation of Daniel Johnston's work, even if they don't know it.

Posted is the original Johnston track, as well as the updated Matthew Good track. Decide for yourself which is better. And while you're at it, pick up Hospital Music. It's definitely a welcome surprise, and features an amazing first single, in Born Losers. Also, for good measure, the Beck cover of True Love, from 'The Late Great Daniel Johnston'. Just for the hell of it.

Maybe you should also buy some of Daniel Johnston's back catalog. If you can find it...











Daniel Johnston - True Love Will Find You In The End
Matthew Good - True Love Will Find You In The End
Beck - True Love Will Find You In The End

Friday, July 20, 2007

I Shall Keep With Thee

Here Marshall, this is the song I was telling you about.

Yeah, it's a good, americana song. Listen to it. Love it.

I'm not going to make a long post.

Royal City - I Am A Raw Youth

Friday, July 6, 2007

Keep the losers feeling lucky

I heard this song a few nights ago on the Arkain Indie Podcast, and it absolutely blew me away. It's by Unbunny, and it's called In A Way. The album is called Black Strawberries. That's about all I could figure out. All I know is that the song is amazing. The lyrics paint such a wonderful picture, the vocals are wonderful (and double-tracked, for those who like that, ie. me), and the song has a nice pop feel. I really don't know how much more I can push this, it's just an amazing song.



Unbunny - In A Way

Monday, June 25, 2007

Let Your Long Rope Down

I can't believe it's taken me this long to post this song, but late is better than never. M Ward's music makes me feel really melty inside. Not only is he a great lyricist and vocalist, but his guitar work is just amazing. The layered vocals add a fuller effect to the song, and when he reaches that high note in the chorus, you just can't understand how anybody could do something like that, but you wish more people would.

This post if I were "Said the Gramaphone":

M Ward's music flows through your heart like a river of mercury. It poisons your veins with it's melody and lodges its death into your head. It's a death that seems so very worth it. If this is how beautiful death is, one must wonder why they lived for so long. The vocals intertwine upon each other like newborn birds awaiting food from their mother, climbing over each other and trying to reach the top of the pile. The guitar plinks along with the song, never exactly conforming to it, yet never pulling too far away, like if the Tiananmen Square fiasco had merely been a shouting match, as opposed to a massacre. The song shows that beauty can exist in the world, even if one wishes to escape from it.


This is what happens when you read all the posts on the front page of Said the Gramaphone.

Translation: This song= awesome.


M Ward - Helicopter

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Best. Music Video. Ever.

Just so everyone knows, this was all in one take, and there was no editing save for the text at the beginning.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Maybe You'll Make the Evening News

I saw his video on Muchmusic's The Wedge a week back or so, and now that I got my internet back I had to post this track.

Just Jack's Starz in Their Eyes is not flawless, but damn is it catchy. His style reminds me a bit of Mike Skinner (of The Streets), and that's not just because he's British. It's less grimy, and a little bit more electronic and glammy, but it's such a fun song. If British rap does anything for you, check this out.


Just Jack - Starz in Their Eyes

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Drums, Guns and bears, oh my!

This post is half for a friend, and half for anybody out there in internet land. The song is Belarus, by Low, off the new album "Drums and Guns". I hope you like it. Very droney, very beautiful.

Low - Belarus

Stupid Computer

Finally got my internet to work again (by the way, tech support sucks. Reinstall your OS my ass...), and can get back on here more.

Since I had no internet, not as much new stuff I've found, but the new Bjork album caught my ear. Her new album, Volta, is a stunningly weird outing, with a few other artists chipping in to help occasionally (most notably Antony from Antony and the Johnsons on My Juvenile). The Standout track for me is still the first single, Earth Intruders.

Warning: The files are .m4a, so unless you use iTunes (or something else that uses mp4s) or have a converter, you're SOL, sorry for the inconvenience.


Bjork - Earth Intruders Video (youtube link)
Bjork - Earth Intruders
Bjork - My Juvenile

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Adam Youth Will Eat Your Babies

Is it just me, or does Of Montreal need to be mixed with a rap song? No... Well, it's been done anyway. Adam Youth! Thunder Shark has mashed up Of Montreal's Gronlandic Edit with Nas' Hope, creating a rap with a rolling bassline and beat, and the occasional input of Of Montreal's crooning lead vocalist, Kevin Barnes.
Adam Youth! Thunder Shark - Gronlandic Hope (Of Montreal vs. Nas)

Monday, May 7, 2007

Remixing a Remix

Fine, so it's not so much a remix as a mash up. Basically, it's We Takin' Over by Lil' Wayne, mashed up with We Takin' Over Remix (which is actually just a few extra Lil' Wayne verses), with a few little things thrown in. But frankly, who doesn't want more Lil' Wayne in that song. In the end it turns out just being about 7 minutes of Lil' Wayne goodness, which, really, isn't that all we want?


Lil' Wayne - We Takin' Over (Adam Youth Thunder Shark Remix)

Saturday, May 5, 2007

The Perks of Being Rejected by Hype Machine....

Well, apparently, a bunch of blogs have been attacked by Web Sheriff for posting Icky Thump. They are caught sharing the track by Web Sheriff checking Hype Machine for the song, so the fact that I haven't been around long enough or something to be accepted by The Hype Machine lets me do illegal things, like post this magnificent track!

The White Stripes return with a vengeance, attacking the attackers of Immigration apparently. All I know is this track is fueled by such a blistering riff that I had no choice but to listen again. It was out of my hands. Jack White, in my opinion, can do no wrong.

The White Stripes - Icky Thump

Friday, April 27, 2007

Stupid computer....

Sorry for a lack of updates, but my sound card went kaplowee during an intense recording session (and by intense, I mean I tried to record disjointed guitar noodlings) , and now sound is terrible on here. As such, I haven't been listening to much new music, and have mainly been catching up with my CD collection. Once a new sound card is installed, updates will continue.

Thanks to my reader (if that) for sticking with me.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Sing! Until Your Lungs Give Out...

I've changed my mind, Fall Out Boy are the best band recording today. No question.

KIDDING!

The real band that's been wafting through my speakers lately is the 42nd (oh emm gee! One of the numbers...) side project to emerge from the Wolf Parade camp. No, Spencer Krug hasn't started yet another band, this one is the new project featuring Dan Boekner and his wife Alexei Perry. Granted it sounds a hell of a lot like Wolf Parade, but since it's been almost 2 years since the magnificent Apologies to the Queen Mary, I'll take what I can get. Alternately Lo-Fi and well produced, sparse and dense, crackling and clear. Frankly, I think this could be almost as good as Spencer Krug's work, and I ranked Shut Up I Am Dreaming the number one album of 2006.

Handsome Furs - Sing! Captain

Now, on another note, Lost anyone?

Monday, April 16, 2007

And the Award for Most Costume Changes During One Song on Network Tv Goes To...

For anyone who didn't see Of Montreal's insane performance on Conan O'Brien (including me), here's the video, in all its crazy, network TV glory.

And dig the obscene amounts of costume changes. Why aren't more bands this showy?

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Walk Away Now

The National's new album, Boxer, leaked a while ago, and I have to say I am absolutely enthralled with it. Their 2005 album, Alligator, was a very good release, with a few stand out tracks, but Boxer easily trumps it. With many a guest star (including Mr. Indie Rock, Sufjan Stevens), and Matt Berninger's distinctive baritone vocals. The music flows along well, connecting the songs and sending the whole album into a wave of sonic energy. While each song may flow into the next so that it's easy to mistake one song for another, there are still a few standouts. Fake Empire, the album opener is a wonderfully sleepy track, but one that builds to such a climax that when the next track, Mistaken for Strangers, hits, you have no idea how they will tops such a promise. But alas, they do. Mistaken for Strangers, is in my opinion, the best track on the album. Such a great 1-2 punch. Start a War is another on of my favourites, as it has such a mellow feel. Here are the first two tracks, and Start a War. and I sincerely hope you buy the CD. It's my favourite album of the year so far.

The National - Fake Empire

The National - Mistaken for Strangers

The National - Start a War

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Conor Oberst, You've Done it Again

I just got the new Bright Eyes disk, "Cassadaga", and I'm very impressed. He's thrown off the shackles of his emo/singer-songwriter roots and expanded his sound, adding a full band for all the tracks, strings, and extra studio polish so lacking on most of his back catalogue. He's even managed to learn how to sing! While his voice still has the trademark quaver, it's less prevalent, and overall it works much better in my opinion (although some emo kids may be upset over it. But let's face it, they're always upset.). An overarching tone I've noticed seems to be the fact that the album sounds sort of 'alt-country'. I don't know what Conor Oberst was thinking of, but it seems to work, and so far this has been my favourite work of his.

Here's a few tracks. Four Winds, which seems like it's going to be the first single, and If The Brakeman Turns My Way, because it seems to exemplify everything I like about the album. For all of those that feel like being all legal and shit, the disc drops Tuesday, April 10th. I will likely buy it when it hits, provided I find it for cheap.

Bright Eyes - Four Winds

Bright Eyes - If the Brakeman Turns My Way

Thursday, March 22, 2007

What!? Again With the Plugging?

Alright, new song, new pseudonym (Mankind, Take Flight!), same comm tech assignment. This time I was going for a more Ambient/Minimalist/Post-Rock feel, and I think for the most part I succeeded (except possibly the minimalist). I'm really digging the strings, even if there were a few mistakes during it.

On a final note, all of this was done with my sister's keyboard. Woo.

Mankind, Take Flight! - Let Thy Banners Fly, Our Enemies Are At the Gate

Edit: Here's another one, recently recorded.

Mankind, Take Flight! - Revolutionary Acts Breed Revolutionary Acts, Ad Infinitum

This one has been described as: "It Scared the shit out of me"
"What the hell is that voice?" and "Holy Shit that is scary". So watch out.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

It's not worth dying alone


Sorry for being away so long! I'm sure all two of my readers were disappointed. A combination of not finding any new music and not feeling like writing contributed to my inactivity.

On a different, more music oriented, note, Wonderful! No, not the exclamation, the band! This Seattle based five-piece make happy, poppy music that evokes The Flaming Lips, The Beach Boys, and a little bit of The Beatles. Use of synthesizers, shakers, horns, guitars, bass, drums, a wonderfully poppy voice and more combine to drive these fun songs forward in a way that will hopefully break them into the mainstream (or at least just under the mainstream). These songs are from their last release "God Bless Our Pad" (which can be found here, and is available for free on their website. Just follow the links, and download either all the mp3s, or the .zip file), and show some of the strengths, though there are some longer and different tracks on the album. Pagoda is by far the strongest track, but Golden Rays is a strong showing as well.

Wonderful are currently recording their next album, which is yet unnamed. Until this drops, be prepared to want to visit the beach, because that's what you will want to do after hearing this album.



Wonderful - Pagoda
Wonderful - Golden Rays

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

No Direction, Period

So Bob Dylan wrote a bunch of songs. Mr. Tambourine Man, Like A Rolling Stone, My Humps?

Apparently he wrote every popular song of the past 35 years...

This is new information to me.



That WAS me? ooph, My bad...

Monday, February 5, 2007

Shameless Advertisement? No Way

So, since this is my blog and everything, I figured why not shamelessly promote myself.

Anyway, I made this mash-up that's pretty cool, if I do say so myself, so I'm going to post it as soon as garage band uploads it. It is a mash-up between ROYGBIV by Boards of Canada, and Triple Trouple by The Beastie Boys. I called it Rainbow Trouble, and I hope you like it.

Adam Youth! Thunder Shark - Rainbow Trouble (Beastie Boys vs. Boards of Canada)

Monday, January 29, 2007

A Good Local Band? Do Those Exist?

These guys are actually from here in Ottawa, and have such a neat sound. They do have an EP (located here), but are currently recording their debut full length, which should feature the superb song Ghoul Pounds. And, I've been told Quarter Past Humans is a good song as well (actually, I know so, nobody told me). Enjoy 'em, and if you're over 18, check them out at Barrymore's on February 5th. They're opening for Grizzly Bear with As The Poets Affirm and The Dirty Projectors. Damn I wish I could see that...
Their Website


Crush Buildings - Ghoul Pounds

Crush Buildings - Quarter Past Humans

Saturday, January 20, 2007

But Everybody Looks Like Zombies...

These guys are a solid semi-local band, who grew up around here (and the lead singer's family still does, not sure about the others though), and are based out of Peterborough. They've got sort of an indie feel, but are still true rock revivalists, with simple guitar-bass-drum song structures, and a somewhat lo-fi feel. They're recording songs for their new album, but here's a little ditty from their old one, Burning on Fumes.
James McKenty and the Spades - Apple of My Eye

Friday, January 19, 2007

You Know I'm Up To No Good

I caught these guys opening for Emily Haines a bit back, and was very impressed. They manage to create sonic textures with two guitarists and a drummer. They did a great job, and the album I bought there is definitely a solid purchase. This song, called The Woods was easily the high point of both their set and the album.
Tall Firs - The Woods

Thursday, January 18, 2007

An Obscure Way to Start, I Guess

I've been listening to this band called Winston a lot lately. They're from Vancouver, and are just about to release their debut album called Passengers in February. They sound very poppy, with an abundance of hooks and pianos. Overall its a very entertaining, fun listen. Though they aren't exactly very original, they do what they do, and they do it well.



Winston - Lonely

Winston - War I Can't Lose

Their Website