Passion Pit "The Reeling" Video

So, I used to kind of think Passion Pit was a little over-hyped. But the more I listen and especially the more I watch, the more I like them and see why everyone else is so obsessed. Plus their music videos are just so cool! Gotta love a band who's actually coming out with original video content these days. Check out this one for their song "The Reeling" (which is a great dance song by the way). Since mtvU's embed feature is being lame, here is the link to the video.

Moth Wings [mp3] - (iTunes)

And just a reminder that our Beast CD giveaway ends on Sunday at 11:59pm EST. Don't miss out on your chance to win this awesome funky dance album. To enter, send us an email with "Beast CD Giveaway!" in the subject.

DeVotchKa

DeVotchKa is a group consisting of 4 individuals that play a LOT of fun instruments, including the bouzouki, sousaphone, and one of my personal favorites, the theremin. DeVotchKa meshes all sorts of Eastern European music roots with American punk and folk and make it work, often generating intriguing melodies with rhythms that have a life of their own. You may recognize them from their song "How It Ends" which was featured on the trailer for the film "Everything Is Illuminated," or their work on scoring part of the film "Little Miss Sunshine," which went on to be nominated for a Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack. They released their last album A Mad & Faithful Telling more than a year ago and are currently touring the world (they hit the USA later this May), but it still surprises me how many people don't know about them, especially those that like Andrew Bird and Sufjan Stevens. Give them a listen if you're unfamiliar.

The Clockwise Witness [mp3] (iTunes)

LA Love: Avi Buffalo Music

Hello Hello! Consider this a last-minute reminder for the Castledoor/Parson Red Heads/Princeton partay tonight. The 3 bands are throwin' down at the Echoplex for Castledoor's record release Shouting At Mountains and the Parson Red Heads' new 7" release Orangufang. Tickets are $7 at the door. Don't miss this one.

Today we're talking about young folks. No, not those young folks. I'm talking about a group of high school kids out of Long Beach, CA (that's just a little bit south of LA, still eligible for LA Love!), whose average age is about 18, and they spend their nights playing indie rock shows instead of doing their math homework and studying for AP tests.

They're called Avi Buffalo Music, and they're cooler than you were when you were 17. Unless you're Zac Efron or something. (Disclaimer: GFP does not necessarily think Zac Efron is cool. But the rest of America seems to.) Lead singer/guitarist Avi shares vocal duties with keyboard player Rebecca Coleman, and wields his instrument as well as (or better than) some guys who are much older than him. I know people who are turned off by his singing, which is somewhere in between actual singing and a Frank Black howl, a high-pitched yelp over quiet fingerpicking and classic guitar riffs -- but I think it's just awesome. Avi and Rebecca are joined by Sheridan Riley on drums, Arin Fazio on bass, and a mysterious new guitar player whose identity they'll be unveiling next month. And they have songs with titles like "Summer Cum" and "Where's Your Dirty Mind"...but don't be fooled, these kids are wise beyond their years

You have 4 chances to see Avi Buffalo Music for FREE in May. They've scored a residency spot at the Echo (just upstairs from where you'll be seeing Castledoor tonight!), and the shows are all-ages, so there's no excuses. And hey - if they're not working, you don't have to either.

"Where's Your Dirty Mind"
"What's In It For"

An exciting week for The Hard Lessons

This week is an exciting one for one of my favorite bands, The Hard Lessons. Apparently one of their new songs ("Wedding Ring") from their upcoming album, Arms Forest, is going to be featured on Grey's Anatomy this Thursday. I was going to do a Grey's Predictions post for it, but I thought that would be cheating since I read about it ;-) Check out the song and some more of their new stuff on their myspace.

They're also doing a residence at Union Hall this week, here in Brooklyn. Their first show was Monday, but there are two more to catch if you missed it: Wednesday and Friday.

New Lowry music video!

Here is a new music video from Lowry. It's nice and simple, and it was made for $99. While, on the one hand I like the premise of low-budget music videos, I do have to say that I do get a little defensive about things like this as an aspiring filmmaker - I think everyone, no matter that they have less experience than the big-time music video makers, deserves to be paid appropriately for their work, and that can't really be done for $99. It's so hard to make a living in this field and it seems like more and more people expect you to work for free. But political opinions aside, I do like the way this video turned out. It looks quite nice.



I also happened to be walking through Brooklyn today on this beautiful day listening to Lowry's album, "Love Is Dead," and despite the slightly emo sounding title, it's a really pleasant album to listen to on a sunny, contemplative walk. It's laid back and kind of nostalgic. Their music has this floating quality that relaxes me.

Whiskey [mp3] - (iTunes)

Wes Tucker Giveaway results and NEW Beast Giveaway!

Congrats to Liza and Paige, our Wes Tucker CD contest winners! And thanks to all who participated. For those of you who didn't win this round, don't despair. Starting today, we are giving away 2 copies of the new Beast album. To enter the contest, simply email us with the subject line "Beast CD Giveaway!" by 11:59pm (EST) Sunday, May 3rd, and we will pick 2 winners at random.

"When It's Raining, And It's Pouring"

This morning I woke up to one of my favorite sounds: rain. I *love* rainy grey mornings, especially when its a weekend morning so you can lay in bed for a while if you want to (read: me right now). The world almost seems to say, "go ahead, take it easy while we're making ourselves all nice and shiny, listen to our rumbles." And then if it so happens, you throw on some music that just make the moment the moments. You know what I mean? Like sometimes in life things come together and they magically make a moment that is simple and completely unto itself and you feel...entirely at ease with the the world.

Or maybe that's just me. Either way, here's some of my favorite songs for the rain, and feel free to shout out yours in the comments section!

Wake Up Wake Up [mp3] - Lullatone Note: this is also the song I use for my alarm in the morning. Lullatone also has a really fun raindrop melody maker that you should check out.
Rain [mp3] - Priscilla Ahn
Limbs [mp3] - Emma Pollock (iTunes)
Let In Rain [mp3] - Living Things (iTunes)
Sideways [mp3] - Let's Go Sailing (iTunes)
Rainy Night House [mp3] - Joni Mitchell (iTunes)
The Rain [mp3] - Larissa and the Wild Grey
The Beauty Of The Rain [mp3] - Dar Williams (iTunes)

Fire and Rain (James Taylor Cover) [mp3] - Dido

Antony and the Johnsons

I was all set to post about Dean Fields (more about him later), when I realized that I hadn't share the awesomeness of Antony and the Johnsons with you fine people.  A friend of mine sent me a video of an exponentially awkward appearance on Dutch TV, and I just thought that I had to expound to you the incredible-ness of Antony and his wonderful Johnsons (that sounds dirty, but I didn't mean it to be).  

Whenever I talk about Antony, I always feel the need to convince people that he's incredible.  Before I saw them live, I was not the biggest fan, but now, I continually get swept into reveries of nostalgia.  If you've never seen them perform live, you. just. have. to.

Antony and the Johnsons released their newest album, "The Crying Light," earlier this year, and I'm just in love.  Antony's vocals are incredibly emotive, and in terms of timbre, there's no one in the indie landscape that even begins to compare.  If you've never heard him, take a listen and I think you'll understand.  It's not just his distinctive vocals that bring me to my knees.  The musical arrangements, utilizing such instruments as the piano, bass guitar, the string bass, the saxophone, violins, acoustic guitar and more, are complex and arresting.  The Johnsons do a wonderful job at perfectly reflecting and highlighting Antony's trembling voice, as well as the meaning of the lyrics he sings.  Incredible!

[As a side note about Antony's Johnsons, Maxim (one of the violinists) is just about the most drop dead gorgeous man I have ever seen (and I fully intend to go down to my grave swearing that at one the shows I've been to I caught his eye and we had a mid-"Bird Guhl" moment a la any cheesy Lifetime movie).]

Another World [mp3] "The Crying Light" (iTunes)

DC Show Alert: Bowerbirds with Bell

In the dreary work world in which I reside, I find myself adrift in memos, drab watercooler talk, and *gasp* interoffice meetings.  Kill me.

My only redress is the fantastical world of indie rock.  These days, Bell has been keeping me afloat with her raw, if not slightly anarchical, vocals.  When I feel like I can't take it any more, I pop on my iPod (albeit uber secretively, as they are strictly verboten) and play Echinacea, and suddenly, the grey-beige walls of my office seem just a bit less maddening.

If you're fans of Bell (or Bowerbirds for that matter), there's a show in DC this Saturday!  If you're not in the District, check out the show list below to see if they're coming to a town near you any time soon.

*Sigh*  I'm off to watch The Office.

April 25 - Rock & Roll Hotel - Washington, DC

April 26 - First Unitarian Chapel - Philadelphia, PA (2 sets!)

April 27 - Mercury Lounge - New York, NY 

April 28 - Monkeytown - Brooklyn, NY (2 sets)

April 30 - TT The Bear's - Cambridge, MA

Echinacea [mp3] - "Bell EP" (iTunes)

Currently on Repeat - 4.23.09

Short post for today. Here are some songs that have been getting heavy play on my playlist this week.

New Age [mp3] - Sleepy Sun - "Embrace" (iTunes)

Things People Say [mp3] - The Voyeurs - "Well Known Drag" (iTunes)

Standing On The Shore (mp3 removed by request) - Empire Of The Sun - "Walking on a Dream" (iTunes)

Rant: Audience Etiquette

This is going to be a rant. A rant with no mp3s, so feel free to skip on to another post, if you'd like. But if you're somebody who has gone to a concert and had it ruined by some idiot audience member(s), then perhaps you'll understand the bit of rage that's fueling this spiel right now and why I need to share.

Last night I went to a show that I wouldn't normally attend, simply because it was hosted by a radio station I never really listen to, but my friend had won tickets and invited me to go along. Plus, it was at the Varsity, and I quite like that place. Last night's headliner was Hoobastank with guests Saving Jane, Brett Dennen, Parachute, Carolina Liar, and Francesca Battistelli. Take from that lineup what you will.

Now, my friend and I were standing in the very front, just off center, and even though I knew lots of people were busy getting their drink on and there was nary a Converse shoe in sight (save for a few musicians), I thought this audience was going to be a bit obnoxiously rowdy but otherwise decent. And for the most part, that was the case. But last night I did something that I have NEVER, EVER done in my whole concert-going career...

I had to tell someone to be quiet, and I did it with my angry face.

Now, I'm not saying that any of you readers are the type of people to act like this at a concert, but due to my experience last night, I feel like its my duty just to throw Audience Etiquette tidbits out there, just in case you were unawares. So, in the future, please adhere to the following:

1. In general, if you want to talk at a concert, and I mean definite carrying-on-a-conversation type talking where you need to shout to be heard, be as far away from the stage as possible. So, that means if you are in the front row, especially center, don't talk. Listen to the performers that you came to hear.

2. If you are two girls that desperately want to be the living-but-trampier versions of Louise and Madeline from Gilmore Girls and are busy getting drunk, don't shout over the musicians in effort to tell your names to those two guys that just came over to hit on you, especially if you are front and center. Likewise, be weary of what you are shouting, if only because most people around you probably don't want to know your sad life story, Becky (the ex-Magician's assistant) and Liz (who answered the question "so tell me an interesting fact about yourself" by stating her birthday), especially when you make an episode of The Hills seem actually substantive and intellectual.

3. When a musician is performing and you are front row and center, do NOT have your backs to them during most of their set in order to drunkingly shout/talk to the guys hitting on you and to share your baby photos with them on your blackberry for 5 minutes. FOR REALS.

4. When the guys who are hitting on you inform you that they are married and can't wait to get you totally drunk and THEN start hitting on the drunk asian chick that was standing behind you, do womankind a favor and drop their sorry asses.

5. Keep your texting to a minimum. Don't be chatting with multiple people online and trying to include you friends in your chat-happenings with "OMG look what he said! Can you believe that? What should I say back?!?!" and then prop your elbows up on the stage in order to hold your device better for texting so that its practically in between the legs of the musician while your pals gather round to gab about what you should do next. Especially when you're front and center.

6. When any act is on, do not shout for a different act to come on stage repeatedly (for example, do not shout "Hoobastank!" when Brett Denner is in the middle of a song).

7. When the act you've shouted for all night finally comes on, don't start shouting for the one famous song you know by them (for example, when Hoobastank arrives, don't keep shouting "The Reason!" They're Hoobastank. They WILL play that song eventually.)

8. If people are constantly turning towards you and giving you this look , stop whatever it is you are doing and never do it again. (this rule is also applicable for daily life)


In case you couldn't guess, last night at the concert there were a couple of very annoying drunk people that were standing front and center, inappropriately shouting to one another for most of the entire concert. This was an acoustic set, so it wasn't like electric guitars buzzing and creating lots of loud noise, so when they shouted, sometimes they were louder than the performers themselves. And they JUST KEPT TALKING. I finally got so completely livid that I stared them down until we made eye contact and simply went, "Can you keep it down? There's people behind you trying to PERFORM. Maybe you should LISTEN." One girl scoffed back, "Maybe if they were more exciting, I would pay attention", to which I replied with, "well then, don't stand front and center." I was met with rolled eyes, and it took all I had in me not to punch them all in the throat.

So. insanely. disrespectful. I hope I never come across those people or people like them ever again. Anyone else with me on this? Surely I am not alone. Feel free to share your horrible audience moments in the comments section.

Beast

Yet another example of all the amazing things that come out of Canada: Beast is a duo from Montreal consisting of Betty Bonifassi and Jean-Phi Goncalves and I'm pretty sure that they made their self-titled debut album just for me. It has everything I could ever want in an album - dark but sexy electronic rock 'n' roll that's great to dance to with a taste of funk, a lot of drama, tantalizing vocals, and enough variety in their sound to keep me listening through the whole album. There's electronica, rock, rap, gospel, funk, r&b... They utilize many genres, and still manage to create a very cohesive sound. To sum it up: the album is bad ass. I can totally see it as the soundtrack for a sexy action movie.

Tracklisting:
1. Devil
2. Finger Prints
3. Microcyte
4. Interlude 1
5. Mr. Hurricane [mp3]
6. Out of Control
7. Ashtray
8. Dark Eyes
9. City
10. Arrow
11. Interlude 2
12. Satan

Purchase "Beast" on iTunes

LA Love: Castledoor

Hello hello!

Consider today's installment of LA Love a 3rd reminder to our LA readers about the Castledoor/Parson Red Heads/Princeton show at the Echoplex next Tuesday night (April 28th -- that's a week from today!) You can read about the Parson Red Heads and Princeton in previous LA Love entries here and here.

But today I'm excited to talk to you about Castledoor, a band I've been a fan of since 2007 and who just keeps getting better and better and better. They're a 6-piece band consisting of Nate Combs (lead vox), Gabe Cole (guitar), Coury Jane Combs (vocals, synth), Liska Cole (vocals, keys), Brando Schwartzel (bass), and Joel Plotkin (drums) -- not that it's terribly important but in case you're wondering, there's no White Stripes ambiguity here, the Combs and the Coles are married couples.

The Castledoor sound is a generous mix of indie pop, rock, and soul. Nate Combs is a fantastic frontman, and the talent in the rest of the band can't be overlooked. I've seen them play a handful of times in various clubs both big and small, and they always look sharp and sound even better. But what's really gotten me excited is that their first full-length album, Shouting At Mountains, comes out today (!) with a record release party next Tuesday night. They've previously released an EP and a 7", and this new record was produced by Rooney's own Robert Carmine. I saw them play back in the middle of March, and it was my first time hearing some of the new tunes -- put simply, it's gonna be awesome. The soul influences are way more apparent now, especially in the vocals, and the music has gotten a little heavier while retaining a pop sound.

Back in 2007, the day before I first saw Castledoor live, a co-worker told me that he hadn't seen them either but they were supposedly a must-see.... after that show I was hooked. Take a listen to the tunes below, and let me know if I've convinced you--

Dumpster Diving [mp3] - (iTunes)
Magnetic Forces [mp3] - (iTunes)

Note: if you want to check out Castledoor's new tunes, they're posting a new song per day on their Myspace. They're also playing a set at UCLA's Bruin Plaza at noon, Wednesday afternoon!

It's A Musical!

It's A Musical! is Ella Blixt and Robert Kretzschmar, a duo that makes sparkling indie pop music with organs, synths, pianos and drums.No guitars allowed here, ladies and gents. The Swedish/German band has an untouchable element to their music that is both seemingly full of child-like imagination and a dreamy sugar glaze, probably because most of the time the synths feel like they're straight from those awesome 8-bit Nintendo games. Sounding like an early Mates of States on songs like "Lazy" and a stripped aesthetic version of Georgie James, It's A Musical! have much going for them. They are currently taking a European tour with two other bands, Sin Fang Bous and Borko.

The Music Makes Me Sick [mp3] (iTunes)

Regina Spektor Update!

Just in case you guys were unawares, Regina Spektor is coming out with a new album entitled Far on June 23th. I can't even begin to describe how excited I am about this, save for two reasons...

1. I am a snobby and obsessed Regina Spektor Fan. For reals. Not counting doubles, I have 183 songs of hers in my iTunes collection, because I download live concert mp3s and keep the unreleased songs she's created (and just assume that Regina writes like 2 new songs every day). Also, if you can't list the two songs Regina plays on guitar and what color guitar she plays, you are NOT allowed to stand in front of me at one of her concerts. Priority seating, people. Fans up front.

2. With this album, people who have only accustomed themselves to Fidelity and a few select songs from Begin to Hope will realize what Regina REALLY sounds like, because if you don't immediately think "anti-folk" when you think of Regina, you're in trouble. She's not a pop musician, she's anti-folk. And if you don't know that yet, Far will certainly let you know (I hope). The tracklist hasn't been released yet, but we do know that these songs will be included:

Blue Lips (I absolutely freaked out in public when I read this - I LOVE this song)
The Calculation
Folding Chair
The Genius Next Door
Eet
The Wallet
Laughing With


So here's a question for all you die-hard Regina Spektor fans: what song do you hope will be on the upcoming album? I'm guessing "One More Time With Feeling" with be on there, but my current superwish is "Loveology." Give it a listen, and tell me you agree.

Loveology [mp3]
Recorded 10-17-2004 at Tonic in NYC

ambeR rubarth

"i want to be great. i want to write great songs. i want to have a repertoire that can evoke emotion from a room and take them on a journey that stays with them years later, that they can lock that moment into their memory and bring it up when they want to feel something. i want to add to the world in a way that lasts, and i want to do it through music. i want to have songs that people listen to quiet in their rooms at night when they are trying to get through hardships, and i want to have songs that you can turn up loud in the mornings and feel like it is a great day to be alive."
~ ambeR rubarth

Rough Cut [mp3] (iTunes)

Wes Tucker @ IOTA (PLUS A GIVEAWAY!)

Last night, I saw Wes Tucker and the Skillets at IOTA Club and Cafe in Arlington, VA.  The show was one of the best I've been to all year.  

Wes' music is a bit of a departure for me, as it is much more mellow and bluegrass-y than I usually gravitate toward, but the music was a revelation, and I anticipate having his CD playing on repeat in my car for quite some time.  When Wes plays, it is clear that he feels the truth of his music through and through, as if the world only makes sense to him when he's holding his guitar and belting out lyrics like "You learn to leave a little space for the knife in your heart / You swear that when we get face to face you'll pull it out."  As the show went on, I found the world making a little more sense to me as well.

The show was the CD release party for his new album, "The Scorpion and the Dove."  After having listened to it in its entirety twice between last night and now, I give the album a resounding yes, with hopes that this will not be the last for Wes and his skillets.

I was able to get two signed copies of the new album from Wes as an exclusive giveaway for Guilt Free Pleasures readers.  How to win?  Send an email to us at guiltfreepleasure@gmail.com with 'I love Wes Tucker!' in the subject line.  The giveaway will close on Sunday, April 26th, and we'll send CDs to two lucky readers on Monday. 

In the meantime, happy listening!

Sad and Proud [mp3] (See Wes' website for purchasing.)

Emilie Mover

Ok, I'm a bit behind on this one, and when I say late, I mean it - I found this one via a Bounce commercial...but I'd rather mention it late than not at all, cause the girl's got serious potential. Emilie Mover is an unsigned acoustic/folk/jazz artist who was going to be a candidate for the next installment of our Predictions segment for Grey's Anatomy Music, but upon checking my running list of music featured on GA (and yes, I do keep an updated list), discovered she'd already been played on one of this season's episodes (well played, Patsavas, well played.) At any rate, today's song comes from Mover's debut album Good Shake, Nice Gloves and features a ukulele playing Jason Mraz chords (listen, and you'll understand), upbeat claps and vocals "oohs," perfect for those happy spring walks you're taking nowadays.

Enjoy!

Ordinary Day [mp3] (iTunes)

These United States on East Coast tour with some of our fave bands

These United States are launching on an East coast tour soon, and they're playing with some of GFP's favorite acts such as Jukebox the Ghost, Jenny Owen Youngs and the Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Dates below:

Thu, Apr. 23 - Scranton, PA -the Bog
Fri, Apr. 24 - Poughkeepsie, NY - Vassar College - w/ Horse Feathers, Small Sur + more!
Sat, Apr. 25 - Middletown, CT - Wesleyan Univ. - w/ Horse Feathers, Small Sur + more!
Sun, Apr. 26 - Waterbury, CT - Brooklyn Cafe
Mon, Apr. 27 - Rochester, NY - Bug Jar - w/ the Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Tue, Apr. 28 - Ithaca, NY - The 9's
Wed, Apr. 29 - Albany, NY - Valentine's
Thu, Apr. 30 - Burlington, VT - U. VT - college radio show
Burlington, VT - U. VT - early show
Burlington, VT - Monkey Bars - late - w/ Area C, Cannon Fodder + more
Fri, May 01 - Lewiston, ME - Guthrie's
Sat, May 02 - Providence, RI - Firehouse 13 - w/ the Cobra-Matics, Johnny Carlevale @ the Rolling Pins
Wed, May 06 - Allston, MA - Harper's Ferry - w/ Vetiver, PapercutsThu,
May 07 - Brooklyn, NY - Bell House - w/ Vetiver, Papercuts
Fri, May 08 - Washington, DC - Black Cat - w/ the Spinto Band
Tue, May 26 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's - w/ Jenny Owen Youngs, Jukebox The Ghost
Wed, May 27 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom - w/ Jenny Owen Youngs, Jukebox The Ghost
Thu, May 28 - Boston, MA - Café 939: Berklee School of Music - w/ Jenny Owen Youngs, Jukebox The Ghost
Fri, May 29 - Portland, ME - ME Empire Dine & Dance - w/ Jenny Owen Youngs, Jukebox The Ghost
Sat, May 30 - Westport, CT - Toquet Hall - w/ Jenny Owen Youngs, Jukebox The Ghost

Honor Amongst Thieves [mp3] - (iTunes)

Theme Thursday: Covers

I'm officially bringing back Theme Thursday (I'm not sure if it was ever 'out,' but I'd like to think that I'm a trendsetter). This Thursday's theme is covers. From time to time, I crave the familiarity of the oldies but goodies. I have to say, it's a pretty unsatisfying experience...Inevitably, I find myself wishing, yearning, that these songs were imbued with the soul-searching angst of indie rock. And thus, I was determined to find some indie-awesome covers that had the best of both worlds: familiarity and soulful inflection. Here are my findings:

Can't Help Falling in Love [mp3] Ingrid Michaelson - "Be OK" (iTunes). I love Ingrid Michaelson with the fiery passion of a thousand suns. She's so phenomenal, and she lends her glister to this awesome cover of The King's old hit.

In My Life [mp3] Leah Siegel - "Beatles Complete on Ukulele, Vol. 1" (iTunes). This isn't the last you'll hear of Leah Siegal from me. I have fallen into a deep infatuation with her lyrical perspective, and find myself queueing her up over and over again. In My Life has just the right balance of old and new to make me swoon.

Make You Feel My Love [mp3] ADELE - "19" (iTunes). This British crooner helps me to love unrequited love (story of my life) with this cover of Bob Dylan's original. Make You Feel My Love lives in the land of covers, having been refab'd by such as Trisha Yearwood, Neil Diamond, Billy Joel and more...and so it's all the more incredible that ADELE's version is by far my favorite.

Sea of Love [mp3] Cat Power - "Juno" (iTunes). By far my favorite track off of the Juno soundtrack, which is saying a lot existing as it does in the sea of indie-awesomeness. The detached, old-time radio feel of Sea of Love makes waves of happiness swell somewhere deep down inside.

Handle Me With Care [mp3] Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins - "Rabbit Fur Coat" (iTunes). I have long held that I will know when I have found my soul mate when I find someone who has a deep and abiding love for The Traveling Wilburys. When I found Jenny Lewis' rendition of Handle Me With Care, my standards tightened quite a bit...now Mr. Right has to know both The Traveling Wilburys and Jenny Lewis.

Such Great Heights [mp3] Iron & Wine - "Such Great Heights EP" (iTunes). This song is just the best I'm-irrationally-in-love song ever. And so, when I found this ridiculously mellow version of the song, I found myself plunged into a reverie where both I and he have freckles in our eyes.

Everybody Wants to Rule the World [mp3] Clare & The Reasons (iTunes). By far my favorite on this list, Clare Muldaur could woo me all day, everyday. *Sigh*

What a Wonderful World [mp3] The Innocence Mission - "Now the Day is Over" (iTunes). The perfect ending to a near-perfect list! What a Wonderful World makes me see the world through wonderfully hazy glasses, and makes me feel that all is right in life!

New music video from Tori Amos

In the past few months, I've started listening to my iPod on shuffle (normally I just listen to one or two playlists) and I've been rediscovering all these great artists that I used to love but hadn't listened to in a long time. Tori Amos is one of those artists who I was totally obsessed with in high school (I am so jealous of her piano skills) and I started listening to her again recently just in time to find out she is coming out with a new album on May 19th called Abnormally Attracted to Sin (it's a line from Guys and Dolls). You can pre-order it on iTunes now, and in the meantime, check out the video for "Welcome to England" here.

new Metric album: Fantasies

The new Metric album, Fantasies, is out today. I've been listening to it on repeat for the last couple days and watching the videos (see below). Emily Haines is my new girl talent crush I think. She has this ability to write songs that are all at once dark rock 'n' roll, catchy pop and meaningful ballad. It's upbeat music with kind of nostalgic/melancholy undertones that tug at your heart strings. She is one of the rare people with the ability to really affect me emotionally while simultaneously causing the urge for me to dance, and I always feel as if she wrote her songs specifically for me because they are very relatable. The best part is that acoustic versions of the songs (see the videos in the widget below) sound just as good as the upbeat versions because the core of the songs are that well written. So far my favorite album of the year I think.

Tracklist:
1. Help I’m Alive
2. Sick Muse
3. Satellite Mind
4. Twilight Galaxy
5. Gold Guns Girls
6. Gimme Sympathy
7. Collect Call
8. Front Row
9. Blindness
10. Stadium Love

Stream the entire album (and watch cool videos) here:

Help I'm Alive (The Twelves Remix) [mp3] - (iTunes)

Fastball - Where are they now?

Remember Fastball? Yeah, the band made infamous by "The Way" and who managed to squeeze out one more hit ("Out Of My Head") before they kind of faded out of the limelight. Well, guess what! They still exist! In fact, a friend of mine hung out with them at SXSW and mentioned to me that they were coming out with a new album on April 14th, so I knew I had to get my hands on it. The album is called Little White Lies, and it is actually their 5th album (All The Pain Money Can Buy, their big hit album, was their 2nd album). So despite being a little less in the spotlight, they've been chugging away steadily ever since.

I have to say, listening to Little White Lies, Fastball hasn't really changed much. Their guitars still sound like they came out of the soundtrack to a '70s country western/crime movie. They've got that poppy '90s beat. Plus their sound also kind of reminds me of one of my favorite local Minnesota bands, The Honeydogs. So of course, the second the album started playing, I was immediately transported back to 7th grade in Minneapolis and I am suddenly very nostalgic for the '90s. Little White Lies is a solid, pleasant album to listen to, and the title track and first single from the album is pretty catchy, but I don't think there are any stand out hits like "The Way." However, it's nice to know that the band has stuck around and hasn't become a VH1 Behind-the-Music cliche that has a couple big hits and then explodes in the brightness of their own fame to a tragic and very public downfall.

Little White Lies [mp3] (iTunes)

LA Love: The Parson Red Heads

Hello hello!

This is the first of a few reminders to our LA readers that, come Tuesday, April 28th, your feet need to be firmly planted on the floor of the Echoplex. Why is that, you ask? Well, simply put -- it's gonna be one of the coolest local line-ups of the year, and you don't want to miss it. To promote this show, the next 2 installments of LA Love come as a package deal alongside last week's post about Princeton, who will be at the Echoplex on the 28th in support of The Parson Red Heads and Castledoor. It should be an exciting night, as it's the Parsons' 7" release party for Orangufang, and Castledoor's debut album release for Shouting At Mountains. More on Castledoor next week, but for now...

The Parson Red Heads are a 6-piece psych-pop band that I've often and rightfully described as angelic, awesome 60s music...being written in the 00s. It's like Crosby Stills & Nash meets Simon & Garfunkel, with a bit of the Byrds thrown in. They're not LA natives, having come down here from Portland a few years ago, but you'd never know it judging from the way they've been embraced by the locals. They wear all white clothing at their shows (angels, get it?), employ 5-part vocal harmonies, and are prone to long, psychedelic guitar jams. They also have a really enthusiastic tambourine player named Jason, who is fun to watch during the rare times when you're not totally entranced by the guitar work of Evan Way and Sam Fowles. Their recordings don't come close to conveying their super dynamic onstage presence, but that's all the more reason to check out their live set (April 28th!  The Echoplex!). But don't take my word for it -- Check out the 2 songs below and make your own decision...

Out to Sea [mp3]
Don't Hold Back [mp3]
(iTunes)

**Bonus Round: If I've converted you to Parson Red Heads fandom, check out The World Record -- a sort-of side project that features 4 of the Parsons along with singer Aaron Ballard.

Black Kids with Mates of State @ The Varsity

Last night the Black Kids and Mates of State performed at Minneapolis' Varsity Theater, with an odd opener of metal-orchestral group Judgement Day (and yes, that's how they spell it.)

I must admit, before the Black Kids took the stage, I was skeptical about the band that generated one of Pitchfork's most famous and controversial reviews since that of Travis Morrison's album, but was also intrigued to see if what made Pitchfork exclaim to the world two years ago that the Black Kids were the next sliced bread still existed in any shape or form. In regards to the album that made Pitchfork initially give it a 0.0 before raising it to 3.3, the Black Kids have been on record stating that allowing the producers to take care much of the album work while they were on the road was probably not the best idea. Lead singer Reggie Youngblood stated, "I don't think I ever want to make a record like that again...ever."

While a pre-recorded special entrance music selection played, Reggie took the stage in a mustache-print t-shirt (I asked him later, he said he found it in Chicago) and a ready-to-rock-it-out afro. The Kids got right to it, playing the Moog-keyboard sprinkled twee-pop "Listen To Your Body Tonight" before sliding into the fizzing "Partie Traumatic." The concert was entertaining and borderline drunk-crazy, perhaps due to the fact that they took tequilla shots beforehand, or perhaps just because they were running off the pure energy of the music they were making. At the end of one song, keyboardist/singer Dawn Watley threw down her tambourine with such gusto that it flew right off behind the stage. Reggie was spinning so much that he literally shook off his sweat.

There were plenty of fans in the crowd that seemed to know the drill - they sang the audience chants when the lights went up to highlight all the hands in the air, and quickly took to clapping along to the beat and stopping at the correct times (something I was honestly impressed by, as group clapping isn't always that clean-cut).

Seeing the Black Kids live has its ups and downs. Although they radiate all sorts of hip and cool, when parts of the neo-wave indie-rock songs seem to sound like parts of other neo-wave indie-rock songs they've just played, your mind can smush multiple songs in one lump memory buzzing with electric guitars, thumping drums, and thick bass lines. That said, the Black Kids are still good, ladies and gents, Pitchfork be damned. In part, seeing how the crowd reacted to the Black Kids was enough to convince me that the Black Kids aren't going anywhere with fans like that. The magic spark that can be heard on The Black Kid's highly acclaimed EP The Wizard of Ahhhs is reignited in live setting, perhaps just because you can see the Black Kids in their pure, unadulterated form. Back up singers/keyboardists Dawn and Ali bring spunky to the show, bassist Owen has a quiet rocker genius way about him, and drummer Kevin kept things at a high movable pace. Reggie's voice and personality is well-placed in this indie-synth pop genre and the overall sound of the band was much like Reggies pants - tight and rockin'.


Mates of State, consisting of husband and wife duo Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel, had tons of fans and family in the theater, as Jason is from Stewartville, Minnesota. Mates of State opened with "My Only Offer," and it hadn't really hit me until that moment how much sound a synth coupled with drum set could make. The drums were brought forward to the stage so Jason could be closer to Kori for proper harmonizing and general getting lost in each other's eyes (seriously folks, the chemistry between these two while they make music is almost too cute).


Mates of State know that one of the the greatest elements that a band can add to a concert is outside participation. After following the Black Kids, Kori knew that she had to keep the energy up just as high, and asked the audience (by a show of hands) which song they'd rather listen to. They had two of the guys from Judgement Day play backup strings and various percussion and also tried to match up people in the audience and bring them on stage for a "slower" song to dance to.

Mates of State played 14 songs and 3 closing numbers, the highlights being their most well-known songs like "Get Better," "Goods," and their final "Re-Arranger." A cover of Tom Wait's "Long Way Home" to start off the encore brought Jason up next to Kori to sing a marvelous and moving duet, and they brought up the violinist for Judgement Day and the drummer for Black Kids up to bang on their own drum (literally), which made for great fun as the violoinist was simply reminiscent of a sugar-uped five year old with his drum sticks.

Conclusion: Black Kids still got it and there's still much hope and talent there for future and better albums, which Reggie tells me they are working on. Their last album may not be not great, but it is in no way reflective of what the Black Kids actually sound like in a realist setting, so I greatly urge you to see them for yourself before you decide. Mates of State, as always, delievered with a fun indie-pop/rock show and made sure that everyone danced a bit.

Black Kids vs. Mates of State (DJA of Mash Decent Mix) [mp3]

I'm Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You - The Black Kids [mp3] (iTunes)

My Only Offer- Mates of State [mp3] (iTunes)

Black Kids with Mates of State @ The Varsity

A Camp - Stronger Than Jesus

I can't stop playing this song, and I daresay it's somewhat seasonally appropriate. Plus, if you're not familiar with A Camp, you should be.

A Camp is the Swedish indie-pop solo project of Nina Persson (The Cardigans, anyone?), although Nina doesn't like to consider it a solo-project, as it is "too lonely sounding." In 2001, Persson teamed up with Niclas Frisk (Atomic Swing) and they released a self-titled debut album before Persson met with Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse) to re-recored the album and add a few things, including some of Linkous' compositions. Now, eight years later and joined by Frisk, Persson's husband Nathan Larson and a few guest musicians, A Camp is releasing its second album, Colonia, on April 28th. Persson says her influences for the album are "Girl-pop from the 60's, 80's punk, and David Bowie," (one can only hope that its Labyrinth David Bowie), and the album's inspirations draw on historical imagery, "from the opium den to the Belgian Congo, from the Namibian desert by starlight to the Victorian New York by gaslight, and the Bowery of the '70s by neon." As a nice synergistic nod, they will be starting their US tour May 26 at the Bowery Ballroom. Tour dates under the mp3s.

Stronger than Jesus (Harlem Session) [mp3]
Stronger than Jesus [mp3] (iTunes)

May 26 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY
May 27 - Middle East - Cambridge
May 28 - 9:30 Club - Washington, DC
May 30 - Johnny Brenda's - Philadelphia, PA
Mat 31 - Les Saints - Montreal, QC
Jun 1 - Mod Club - Toronto, ON
Jun 3 - Double Door - Chicago, IL
Jun 4 - Fine Line Music Cafe - Minneapolis, MN
Jun 5 - Record Bar - Kansas City, MO
Jun 6 - Bluebird Theatre - Denver, CO
Jun 8 - Kilby Court - Salt Lake City, UT
Jun 10 - Richard's On Richards - Vancouver, BC
Jun 11 - The Crocodile - Seattle, WA
Jun 12 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR
Jun 14 - Independent - San Francisco, CA
Jun 15 - Troubadour - Los Angeles, CA

Baby Darling Doll Face Honey by Band of Skulls

I have found a new love!

The iTunes free download of the week is a song off of Band of Skulls' debut album, "Baby Darling Doll Face Honey."  I was nervous to download at first, because the band name does not exactly bode well--and if there's anything I am not, it's a heavy metal fan.  So, here I was, about to move on, and then I thought, "What am I thinking?!  This is free!" 

And so, exactly 34.2 seconds later, I had in the palm of my hand (errrr...my MacBook), a perfect little treasure in I Know What I Am.  It definitely has an edge to it, but I find it incredibly infectious.  I anticipate it becoming a great running song now that the weather is finally getting warmer outside.

I have perused the rest of the album (albeit briefly--the album only dropped two days ago), and definitely recommend downloading the whole thing.  Gone are the days that people listened to an album as a whole instead of piecemeal, but I have the feeling that "Baby Darling Doll Face Honey" is one that we would be remiss to just listen to bits and pieces.

I Know What I Am [mp3] (iTunes - full album, free download)

In A Dream opens TODAY!

I am very pleased to announce that a film that is very dear to my heart is being theatrically released today. It's called In A Dream, produced by Jeremy Yaches and directed by Jeremiah Zagar. It's a beautiful, touching film about Philadelphia mosaic artist Isaiah Zagar and his family. I saw the film at Rooftop Films here in Brooklyn. Since then, it has done exceptionally well at festivals, winning many awards. Here's the trailer:


IN A DREAM: Theatrical Trailer from Herzliya Films on Vimeo.

Pre-Purchase Tickets for the New York Engagement at the Cinema Village Here:
http://tinyurl.com/InADeamTixNY

Showtimes (daily 4/10-4/16):
12:50p, 2:30p, 4:20p, 6:15p, 8:00p, 10:00p

Special appearance by director Jeremiah Zagar and subjects Isaiah & Julia Zagar @ 8:00pm & 10:00pm showings on Friday, 4/10.
Special appearance by director Jeremiah Zagar @ 8:00pm & 10:00pm showings on Saturday, 4/11.

And here's a message from the filmmakers:

After seven years of production and a year on the festival circuit, In A Dream is finally coming to theaters this Friday, April 10th. It opens at the Cinema Village in New York and engagements in Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Santa Fe, Salt Lake City and numerous other cities will follow. Full schedule is below.

See the Film / Spread the Word:
It's tough out there for independent documentaries. Thousands are produced every year and only a handful do well in the theatrical marketplace. In order for In A Dream to have a shot, we need your help.

1) Opening weekend is incredibly important. The film's performance Friday through Sunday will determine if the theater will extend In A Dream's run another week. See the film on opening weekend and bring a friend or five.

Buy tickets now: http://tinyurl.com/InADeamTixNY

2) Prime time screenings may sell out fast. If tickets are sold out for the Friday and Saturday night screenings, don't give up. See the film in the afternoon or sometime during the middle of the week.

3) If you like the film, spread the word. Tell your friends the movie is good. Make sure they know that In A Dream may not be in theaters much longer so now is the time to see it. Forward this email to friends, loved ones, co-workers and mere acquaintances. If you have a blog, write about the movie and encourage your readers to see it. (Ha, done and done)

Theatrical Schedule (distributed by IndiePix & International Film Circuit in association with HBO Documentary Films):

New York, NY
The Cinema Village
Starting Friday, April 10th
RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=62605684140

Philadelphia, PA
Landmark Ritz at the Bourse
Starting Friday, April 17th
RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=87879051792

San Francisco, CA
The Roxie
Starting Friday, April 17th
RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=87879051792

Athens, GA
Ciné
Starting Friday, April 17th
RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=87879051792

Bozeman, MT
The Procrastinator Theater
Thursday, April 23rd - Tuesday, April 28th

Los Angeles, CA
Laemmle's Music Hall
Starting Friday, April 24th

Santa Fe, NM
Center for Contemporary Art
Starting Friday, May 1st

Salt Lake City, UT
The Tower Theatre
Starting Friday, May 8th

More cities and dates will be announced in the coming weeks. For up-to-date screening info, you may visit the In A Dream blog @ http://www.inadreammovie.com/blog/

Here We Go Magic @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Tuesday night I trekked over to Music Hall of Williamsburg to catch The Hymns, The Antlers and Here We Go Magic. I have to say, for me Hymns kind of stole the show and it's a shame more people weren't there early enough to see them. They're a New York band (by way of North Carolina and Texas), who play country-style rock. While they didn't always look 100% sure of themselves (maybe it was the fact that the bass player had joined them 2 days prior and they didn't have their whole band with them), I think they are definitely a band to watch over the next few years. Their music is solid and highly enjoyable. Considering the small audience they had, they did a good job of keeping us engaged and keeping their own energy up. I don't think I've ever seen someone jump around on stage as much as guitarist Jason Roberts, who accidentall spit his gum into his hair at one point (hot! haha). Definitely check them out if you have a chance. I bet they're even better with their full band.

St. Sebastian [mp3] - (iTunes)

Next up was The Antlers. While I really enjoy their music ("Hospice" is one of my favorite albums this year) and think they are incredibly talented, I have to say that I didn't think MHOW was a good venue to see them perform. I want to be sitting down with a glass of wine or something when I listen to The Antlers. Not standing up in a poorly mixed music hall with drunk people bumping into me as they try to dance to music that isn't danceable. Their wall-of-sound thing that they have going on would be great in a sit-down venue with a really stellar sound system where we could relax calmly and just absorb the beautiful music. Their music has an intense drama to it that I absolutely love. But I would prefer to see them in a different venue next time.

Two [mp3] - (iTunes)

Headlining was Here We Go Magic, a band that I'm not sure what size they are, as new members seemed to appear out of thin air at times and then disappear again. I believe it's spear-headed by Luke Temple (see right). Here We Go Magic tied together the first two bands well, as they were a little more upbeat than The Antlers, but still had a wall-of-sound, semi-experimental thing going on. Listening to their self-titled album, I have to say I love the music. It's different enough to stand out, but catchy enough to be pallatable to many different people. Unfortunately, the sound mixing got even worse when they went on and so I can't say I enjoyed the show as much as I thought I would. First, I couldn't hear the vocals at all. Then the vocals were all too loud and unevenly mixed amongst all the singers. So once again, we have a venue problem (although I think the venue size/setting was appropriate for Here We Go Magic). But I would say that they're definitely worth seeing again, hopefully in a venue with better sound mixing.

Tunnelvision [mp3] - (iTunes)

More pictures HERE.

LA Love: Princeton

Hello Hello - !

This week on LA Love, we're visiting Princeton -- no, not the New Jersey town, nor the Ivy League university that resides there.

We're talking LA indie-poppers Princeton, a Beatles-meets-Belle-and-Sebastian trio who released the Bloomsbury EP last summer and have been on constant repeat in my car on those long LA commutes as of late.

First time I saw them live was at the Echo for a Thanksgiving Eve extravaganza with fellow locals the Flying Tourbillon Orchestra (stay tuned for more on them). It was like watching a band play on a tropical island, not a care in the world. They pretty much sealed the deal when they donned those hand-made construction paper headdresses we all used to make in 5th grade, and sang a tune about giving thanks to your friends and neighbors.

Bloomsbury is a 4-song EP about a group of intellectuals who lived in London in the early 1900s, but don't let that trick you into thinking this is some pretentious Oxford Comma-Columbia University tomfoolery (ok fine, I do like "Oxford Comma"...). Sure, the boys wear boat shoes and sweaters at their shows, but they also come up with awesome pop songs like "Eminent Victorians" -- have a listen below:

Eminent Victorians [mp3] - (iTunes)

(Photo credit: Laura Heffington via Myspace)

Heartless Bastards @ the Varsity

This weekend I headed over to dinkytown's quirky Varsity Theater to catch Heartless Bastards and Good Old War. The headlining act was supposed to be Gaslight Anthem, but due to a medical emergency (apparently someone had a serious abscessed tooth), they had to cancel, so Heartless Bastards took over as the headliner.

Good Old War is a band I've written about before and thus was quite excited to see how they translated in a live setting. I was mainly interested in finding out how much of their sound was cleaned up by production magic, because as someone who has been to many a concert where vocals have failed the perfection of album work (I'm looking at you, Imogen Heap), I'm always a tad weary of what a band actually sounds like live. Turns out I had nothing the worry about, for these boys can sing - GOW can harmonize beautifully, certainly earning their common comparisons to Crosby, Stills and Nash and Dispatch. Their perfectly pitched and clear voices blend in a effortless and natural manner, sailing off the winds of remarkably fresh acoustic folk-rock that strolls along. "Coney Island" was their most well-known number, as the audience whooped the loudest when those opening chords were strummed and folks really started to get up and moving.

Throughout the concert, guitarist Dan was always happy and almost danced while playing, and won mega points with the audience when he went up to the propped guitar to do some extra solo work. Heartless Bastards' Jesse Ebaugh was borrowed to add some pedal steel guitar for a song (Tim and Dan both got on their knees and bowed, I'm-not-worthy style to Jesse after), Keith manned the lead vocals and a synth bass for the evening, and drummer Tim came up front with an accordion for a few numbers. You may be wondering how the band sounds sans-drums when Tim is up front, and I got to tell you, when three men like that stand up on the very front of a stage and sing in perfect 3-part harmony, it's a beautiful thing. A beautiful thing.

Good Old War's set was sweet and too short (my friend turned to me and said, "aw, they're done already?") but it was time for the Heartless Bastards to rock out. Heartless Bastards are a rock-alt-garage-y band with a bluesy kick that formed in 2003 and recently released their third album The Mountain in February. They opened up with "Into the Open," an excellent choice to start things off relatively soft and to introduce all who were not previously familiar to frontwoman Erika Wennerstrom's distinctive deep and husky rock voice. Its an odd thing to finally hear it live and up close - if anyone were to call it similar to Adele's (in an alto-way), I would now agree, although that's not something I picked up listening to recorded album tracks.

Things you should know when attending a Heartless Bastards concert: one, if you stand in the front, prepare to have your soul blown away by the intense drumming and gut-wrenching bass lines and two, if you like end-of-song jams that make you rock your body and your mind scream "YES," then you're where you're supposed to be.


Drummer Dave Colvin nearly steals the show at points - his drumming spot-on, down-right ingenious and his rhythmic rampages are one of the main attractions of seeing this band live. Not to say any of the other members are any lesser at their respective crafts- Erika knows how to work the guitar in fine touch with her powerful vocals while making all the rocker-chick goddesses out there proud, Jesse has the extraordinary skill that one requires to work a pedal steel guitar (as he studied under Neil Flanz), and Mark and Jesse both can jam with the best of them. The highlights of the concert included the songs that Heartless Bastards know how to build up well - "Sway" starts off almost poppy and simple, but swells with each added rock-induced melody until it finally resounds with crashing and triumphant guitar jams and the nodding heads of the crowd. "The Mountain" is an instant pleaser, starting off with grainy electric guitar powerchords and classic rock drums only to end with an awesome trippy pedal guitar jam. Things were brought down a touch in the encore with the acoustic number "So Quiet" before hitting up "Runnin" and "Grey" to close the alternative-rock lovefest that was the evening at the Varsity.

Coney Island by Good Old War [mp3] (iTunes)

The Mountain by Heartless Bastards [mp3] (iTunes)