Heavy Young Heathens, plus BRMC's new live album

For any of you Black Rebel Rebel Motorcycle Club fans out there who enjoy some gritty, frenzied, bluesy dance rock, you must check out Heavy Young Heathens. If their self-titled album was much faster-paced, it might go into orbit. Of course the most frenzied are my favorite, like “Sha La La La La” and “Jackie Come Lately” But the whole album will no doubt keep you rocking out, headbanging, jumping up and down, screaming your lungs out, or however you best enjoy music.

Oh, and BRMC is coming out with a crazy awesome 2 dvd/cd live album extravaganza on November 10th, which you can pre-order now.

Sha La La La La [mp3] - Heavy Young Heathens (iTunes)

Record Store Day and more

Tomorrow is Record Store Day around the country, where artists will be performing (for FREE)/DJing/selling stuff to support smaller, independent record stores. I'm hitting up SoundFix Records in Williamsburg to see Regina Spektor. And if there's anyone in Lexington, KY reading this, go out to CD Central to see Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and The Duke Spirit. I'm a little bit jealous of that one since the closes BRMC seems to be getting to New York during their tour is rural Pennsylvania and they have spent very little time on the Eastern side of the country in general. Check out the website for the full list of participating artists and stores so go show your support for your local record store (although I have to say their website is really crappily put together - it's not that easy to figure out who's playing where).

On a rather unrelated note, Matt Pond PA is performing a free concert in Central Park tomorrow at 3pm. I'm going to try to get there too after things die down at SoundFix.

One Minnesota band - Tapes 'N' Tapes - that is participating in Record Store day here in New York (at Other Music) is also performing a show tonight at Irving Plaza and a show tomorrow night at Music Hall of Williamsburg with White Denim (from Texas) and Vampire Hands (also from Minneapolis).

Apparently there's a silent rave in Union Square tonight? Bring your headphones and get your groove thing on to the music of your choice. It starts at 6:17pm (not sure why they chose that time). It's on my way home from work so I think I will at least stop by and check it out. I read a (fictional) book where one of the characters tried to do this as an "art installation." In the book it failed miserably. But 6000 some people have RSVPed on facebook, so this event may actually turn out.

One last little side note - I'm sorry I've been rather neglectful in updating as of late. I had to play catch up when I got back from London, and work is getting busier and busier. I'm thinking of adding another writer or two to this blog though, so that I don't have the sole responsibility of updating. More on that later.

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Lists lists lists

This is the time of year when music bloggers compile lists - best albums, best songs, best new artists, etc of 2007. But I'm not going to compile these lists because I didn't start doing this until July. So next year I will compile more extensive lists, but this year I will just rattle off a few albums from 2007 that I really liked in no particular order.

Awesome Albums from 2007
"Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge" - The Pierces (iTunes)
"The Reminder" - Feist (iTunes)
"Balance Between" - Ippazzi (iTunes)
"Marry Me" - St. Vincent (iTunes)
"im on to you - EP" - Ian Axel (iTunes)
"Baby 81" - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (iTunes)
"Kala" - MIA (iTunes)
"Don't Make Me Wait" - Locksley (iTunes)
"Random Spirit Lover" - Sunset Rubdown (iTunes)
"And End Has A Start" - Editors (iTunes)
"Get On With It - EP" - Shoot the Messenger (iTunes)

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Dance Party - 9.7.07

Sorry to be updating so late today. It was the "first day of the rest of my life" as they say (first day of my new job). Also, I apologize for not doing a Theme Thursday yesterday. When I go on vacation, I lose track of time, so I totally didn't realize yesterday was Thursday and thus I did not do a Theme Thursday. Oops. Oh well. Considering that's the one thing I did do while I was on vacation, I don't feel that bad. Leave me theme ideas for next week though!

And now it's dance music time.

First, a song I've been meaning to post for a while now but haven't for one reason or another: Don't Give Up [mp3] - Noisettes - "What's the Time Mr. Wolf?" (iTunes). I'm still kicking myself that I missed them performing at Siren...

Second, in honor of the salsa dancing I did in MN (and would like to continue doing in NY but probably won't because I don't know anyone who will go with me) and one of my best friends who loves this movie a lot: Come Baby Come [mp3] - Elvis Crespo and Gizelle D'Cole - "Center Stage Soundtrack" (iTunes)

Third, in honor of my mom who - even though I've been back in NY less than 48 hours - won't stop calling/emailing me to tell me how much she already misses me. She is one of the biggest indie music snobs I know (and she thinks she's a punk rocker. It's really adorable), and she inadvertently introduced me to this song: Shim Sham [mp3] - Imperial Teen - "The Hair the TV the Baby and the Band" (iTunes)

And finally, because I played this song at a party last night and got a lot of positive reactions: Six Barrel Shotgun [mp3] - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - "Take Them On, On Your Own" (iTunes). This song is a six barrel shotgun's worth of energy, that's for sure. I know I've posted a few other songs by them, but I am just loving me some BRMC, and the more I listen to it the more I like it.

Happy Friday everyone! Tata dahlings.

Sleepy Songs on a Sunday

Ok, Lisa, this one's for you - I'm not doing it as a Theme Thursday since I already did "dreams" as a theme, but my twin Lisa requested I post some good sleepy songs. But so, keep leaving me suggestions for Theme Thursday!Sleepyhead [mp3] - Anni Rossi - from a Perpich music concert in 2002/2003 (iTunes unavailable). I don't actually know if that was the title of the song, but that's what I named it. This one maybe isn't actually the best for nodding off to because the piano gets a little intense - I can see the dissonance and minors causing nightmares, or just waking you back up - but maybe listen to it earlier in the playlist and it will get you set up for listening to the more lullaby-like songs later. Oh and set your iTunes to cut off the song before the clapping starts since it's a live performance.

Rubber & Soul [mp3] - Ane Brun featuring Teitur - "Duets" (iTunes). This song is so simple, just her sweet voice and a guitar. It's both exquisite and melancholy.

Sleep [mp3] - The Dandy Warhols - "Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia" (iTunes). I posted this song a long time ago in my post about The Dandy Warhols, but it is seriously the best sleepy song ever. It's so pretty and calm and steady. I used to listen to it almost every night before I went to sleep. I still do sometimes. The Dandy Warhols are a really good sleepy song band. They have a lot of songs that are basically just them jamming that are really slow and constant (they have a lot of great upbeat songs too though, don't get me wrong). But this one is the best and the prettiest.

Cape Canaveral [mp3] - Astronaut Wife - "Flying Saucer" (iTunes). This song is not necessarily slow, but it relaxes me. It's a perfect song for driving on a sunny day with the windows down. Or for laying in bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking. It's also a little melancholy I suppose. I love the instruments and sounds they use. And Lisa - I think I've played this song for you once a long time ago because I know I always thought it would be a neat song for you and I to sing together.

Sleep [mp3] - Imogen Heap - "i Megapone" (iTunes). Another song I used to listen to before I went to sleep a lot. So calm and slow.

Fault Line [mp3] - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - "Howl" (iTunes). Normally, I like BRMC because of their upbeat rock music and I tend not to like their slower songs, but this song is really pretty. Another simple song. Simplicity works really well sometimes.

Hope everyone has had/continues having a great weekend! I'm off to McCarren Park Pool to see The Thermals, Birds of Avalon, and Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, which will most likely not be a sleepy experience (at least I hope not). And maybe Junior Senior after that? I kind of doubt it though because I work tomorrow morning. And it will be my first week working full time since May. So I should be well rested. Either way though I have a long day of concerts ahead of me. Tata dahlings.

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Rocking your socks off

Short update today (for once... haha). Lots to do before Gladys (my filmmaking partner) leaves the country tomorrow...

I have found myself more and more getting into rock. Like, relatively hard rock (not metal or anything, but like... gritty rock). I used to be all about more poppy rock, but lately I'm just loving me some down-n-dirty, gritty electric guitar with some booming drums and a rocking bass line. Not to say that some of these songs aren't a little poppy deep down... But instead of making me want to get up and dance at a club, they make me want to go to a motorcycle bar and play pool or something (and probably still dance though). Anyway, here are some of the great rock songs I've been listening to lately:

The W.A.N.D. (mp3) - The Flaming Lips ("At War With Mystics") - iTunes

Berlin (mp3) - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club ("Baby 81") - iTunes

Cherry Lips (mp3) - Archie Bronson Outfit ("Derang Derang") - iTunes

Forget Myself (mp3) - Elbow ("Anywhere Anytime: Outdoor Conditioning") - iTunes

Tata dahlings.

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These boots are made for walkin'

On Saturday morning, around 9:30am, I went for a very lovely stroll to the grocery store (which is not close by the way). The sun was shining, it was relatively cool still, and the streets were quiet. As usual, I was listening to my iPod. The song My Moon, My Man by Feist, from her album "The Reminder," (iTunes) came on. Turns out, this is the perfect "going for a walk" song. The tempo is just right so that I walk briskly but without too much effort. I listened to the song a few times over to keep my perfect pace going. If there was no one else on the street I was on, I even sang along. Then I decided to look for other good walking songs. Here are 10 songs (in no particular order) that I think are great walking songs.

Consider This, by Anna Nalick, from her album "Wreck of the Day" (iTunes). Not quite as perfect as the Feist song, but still good. Plus it's beat is kind of funky/jazzy so it puts a little dance in my step.

Le Disko by Shiny Toy Guns, from the album "We Are Pilots" (iTunes) makes you feel like you're walking down a run way. It's a very sexy rock song. It makes you want to stop and pose for the cameras. Luckily, I resisted this urge and kept the fact that I was walking down the streets of Brooklyn in mind.

I am in Love with You by Imogen Heap, from her album "Speak For Yourself" (iTunes) is another sexy walking song. Maybe a little bit slow, but if you're in the mood for a more leisurely walk then that's fine.

Mayan Pilot by Splashdown, from the album "Redshift" (iTunes unavailable). Another kind of jazzy/funky song, it's hard for me to walk to this song without singing along and grooving. When I worked at the Gap years ago, they played this song and it was one of the only ones they played that I didn't get horribly sick of after hearing the same 20 songs looped over and over and over. Although, I must admit, that first half of the summer, they had a pretty good compilation CD going. I had never heard of any of the songs they played, so it actually did take me a while to get sick of them. Other artists I discovered from this compilation include The Magnetic Fields and Elefant (both of whom I started hearing a lot of like 2 years later, so props to The Gap for being ahead of the times with the music).

Beware of the Dog by british pop artist Jamelia from her album "Walk With Me" (iTunes unavailable), which is along the same vein of Rihanna's "SOS." Jamelia samples the music of "Personal Jesus" by Depeche Mode (and covered by greats like Johnny Cash, Marilyn Manson and Tori Amos among others) but then takes the song and basically completely re-writes it and makes it her own. I really like this whole re-invention of 80s songs trend. It's sexy but still has rock flavor, and I am not sure I could take one more straight cover of "Personal Jesus."

And now for some male influence (although there are men in Shiny Toy Guns), Spread Your Love by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, from their self-titled album (iTunes). There's a reason they're called BRMC. This song definitely makes me want to ride a motorcycle. But since I don't have a motorcycle, it's a great song to take a walk to.

Then we have Unconditional by The Bravery, also from their self-titled album (iTunes). The lyrics in this song ring a little too true to me sometimes though, so if I'm not in a really good mood this song can be detrimental to my emotional state. Still a great song with a great beat nonetheless.

Pretty much any song by Teddybears, but I particularly like Different Sound (iTunes) or Little Stereo (iTunes), from their album "Soft Machine" and I think they have great rhythm for walking. The other great thing about Teddybears is that all their songs sound so different so you can listen to their whole album on a walk and feel like you were listening to all different genres of music. The only thing all their songs really have in common is a great upbeat rhythm.

This is song #11, but it's a song I have already posted and I posted two songs by Teddybears, so I'm not counting it: Get Off by The Dandy Warhols, from their album "Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia" (iTunes). This song is so... bouncy. I don't know if that makes any sense to anyone but me, but that's just the word that comes to my mind when I hear this song. It makes me bob my head up and down and puts a little bounce in my step. Bouncy. I don't mean it in a negative way. This is one of my favorite songs of all time.

Man, there are so many more that I want to post... But I will stop here. Enjoy. Stay out of the rain. Tata dahlings.

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Lucky number Thirteen

Happy Friday the 13th everyone. I didn't end up making it to Ron Sexsmith last night (which is too bad because it was the perfect night for an outdoor concert, but I got busy... what can you do?). So I am not going to post about him. Instead, since it is Friday the 13th, I am going to post about one of my favorite albums of all time by one of my favorite bands of all time: "Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia" by The Dandy Warhols. (I was also going to post about The Pierces' "Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge" but since they had that concert yesterday I posted about it on Wednesday instead, so check out two posts ago if you haven't already done so because The Pierces rock).

If you don't know The Dandy Warhols, then you make me a little sad inside. In my opinion, they are one of the best bands of all time. I don't think there's a single song on all of their albums that I dislike (granted there are songs I don't particularly like, but I don't dislike them). "Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia" is my favorite because it just happens to have the highest number of songs on it that I love from all of their albums.

The Dandy Warhols are from Portland, Oregon. Courtney Taylor (or Courtney Taylor-Taylor as he goes by now...) is the infamous lead singer/founder of the band. He has caused quite a bit of controversy at times by taking more credit for their music than he probably should. Definitely an egomaniac, but also a musical genius. Check out the documentary Dig! about The Dandy Warhols friendship turned feud with the Bryan Jonestown Massacre. It's really interesting and also kind of sad. The crazy antics of Courtney Taylor and BJM frontman Anton Newcombe make for a very entertaining movie. Well, all the band members of both bands are pretty entertaining characters actually and they're all extremely talented. I think my favorite person in the band was actually BJM's Joel Gion, who apparently (just found this out on IMDB) was on Gilmore Girls for an episode or two.

A third band worth mentioning, started by Peter Hayes who left BJM in the late 1990s, is Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. They play a lot of high energy rock music, with a little country/folk flavor thrown in. They are quickly becoming one of my favorite bands.

But getting back to The Dandy Warhols, the album "Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia," the third of six albums they've released since 1995, came out in 2000. It has their popular single on it: "Bohemian Like You." I totally love this song and it is so sing-a-long-able but I swear if I see it in another commercial (especially car commercials) or film, I might kill someone. As I know I've said before, I love albums/artists where every song sounds different. The Dandy Warhols are a great example of this and have many different sounds in their repertoire.

A lot of the album is great to just sit back, relax and daydream. It's total stoner music, which is kind of funny because I don't do drugs. "Neitzsche" is a great example of this kind of trippy, relaxed, jamming out sound. "Solid" and "Horse Pills" are more upbeat rock songs. "Get Off," my favorite track on the album, is also really upbeat, but in a different way. I don't know if I can explain what makes "Get Off" different. It's kind of... bouncy...? It's another great driving song like "Bohemian Like You." My second favorite song on the album is actually "Sleep." It's one of the most calming songs I've ever heard. It really is like a lullaby. I went through a phase where I listened to it every night before bed. Sometimes I still do. Everyone I've played it for will start to do the same. It's so beautiful and harmonious. I love how the instruments slowly fade out and are replaced by human voices singing the instrumental parts. It's really just such a pretty, calming song.

Buy the album on iTunes.

And just for fun, the "Bohemian Like You" video:

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