Great Big Sounds

This Site Has Moved!!!

2008-07-29T12:32:00.000-07:00

Great Big Sounds and all things T.J. can now be found at Scurds.com

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Forum: Finding Music on MySpace

2008-03-25T15:19:00.000-07:00

I wanted to do a feature on artists that I have discovered through MySpace. The only problem is that I haven't really discovered any solely through the site. MySpace is great for finding out more information about bands you already know. I like that I can hear 4 or 5 songs from an artist that I may have read about elsewhere. It's great for finding out more about my local music scene, but I've usually heard about these bands elsewhere, as well, and looked them up on MySpace to hear more.

However, I wanted to discover a band on the mega-site from scratch. I did a few searches and it's just so damn massive. I get discombobulated. I don't know where to begin or where to stop. Is there a thing as too massive of a selection? I never thought there was before, but I am beginning to wonder.

I think I may try sticking to the networking side of MySpace. Look up a band that I know I like and then see what bands they have on their top friends. But is that cheating? Did I discover that band solely through MySpace or did I find them because a band I already liked recommended them?

I'm gonna keeo trying, dammit. I'm determined to find something on my own with no connection to any band I currently listen to. We'll see how long it takes.

How do you find bands on MySpace or do you run into the same problems as me? I'm anxious to hear your thoughts.

Know Your Comedy: Brad Neely "George Washington"

2008-03-24T13:22:00.000-07:00

There is a shitload of funny music videos out there. Thanks to YouTube, any dude with Garage Band, a digital camera and time on his hands can create a funny video song and become an internet sensation. Every now and then, though, I see one that I think is brilliant.

I like The Comedy and have been wanting to feature Comedy albums as I think they are an often forgotten about art form. Music and comedy go together so well and while I think a lot of people do it poorly, when it's done right it is a hobo kicking good time.

This sort of thing is always showed to you by someone else and this particular video was shown to me by my beer-brewing, burrito-eating friend Chase. It was shown to him by some round dude who broke a chair just by sitting in it. It's bound to be cool, right?

I don't know how long it has been out there. I am really behind on the whole YouTube thing so forgive me if you have seen this before.

Anyway, check it out. It does have some pretty sweet cussing in it so if your kids or grandparents are around-- beware. By the way-- cussing rules!!

You can find more videos created by Brad Neely on the great website superdeluxe.com

You can find other hilariously cool stuff from brad at creasedcomics.com or his myspace page.

Free Legal Downloads: SXSW Edition

2008-03-21T14:20:00.000-07:00

So last week was the massive SXSW festival and for those of us who have issues with crossing the Texas border, (I'm talking to you, Okie McFencejumper), and didn't get to go there are plenty of ways to take a piece for yourself. So gather up enough knowledge and pretend you were there. You saved yourself hundreds of dollars and the frustration of trying to hear your favorite band over a room full of talking industry types and Texan frat boys.

I've got two ways you can experience a small portion of the swollen beast that was SXSW

OPTION 1

sxsw.com lists 6 pages of bands that played, most of which have a free song to download. Just look for the green cassette (oh, cassettes, how I've missed your plasticy smell and hissing sound. The way I use to rewind you by twirling you around a pencil when my tape deck broke) next to the artist to indicate downloads. There's an assload, by the way.

OPTION 2

Visit npr.org/music. The crew from All Songs Considered hosted several shows there and streamed several of them live. They have since offered some of these as podcasts. You can get 30-40 minutes of some kick ass performances at the podcast directory on npr.org or just snag them from iTunes. Again they are all free.

Here is a list of the SXSW shows featured:

Lightspeed Champion
Yeasayer
Bon Iver
Jens Lekman
Shout Out Louds

On iTunes, just search for "Live Concerts from All Songs Considered." Not only do they have great SXSW stuff, but you can find lots complete shows from months past available for download. Once again, totally free and totally legal.

Don't break the law, kids. On top of hurting your ma & pa, you'll have to pay some already rich bastards a shit ton of your hard earned money.

One more thing. There was also a film festival going on at the same time. This featured a cool film shot and made in OKC called Rainbow around the Sun. So keep an eye out for that to come your way soon (It's playing in OKC this summer, I'm told). I hear it's pretty rad.

There was also a cool video made by a guy named Mike Hedge. It follows a goup of filmmakers doing some awesome stuff as well. So keep an eye out for them too. The song they used for this video kicks ass and the video itself is a series of photos used for only 3 frames each.

Just check it out for yourself (After hitting play, pause and give it a few seconds to load. You don't want it to freeze or you'll miss the full effect):

SXSW 2008 from mikehedge on Vimeo.

Buy This Album: Rafter "Sex Death Cassette"

2008-03-20T12:12:00.000-07:00

Spring is here and I couldn't think of a better album to welcome it with than Sex Death Cassette by Rafter. I'm walking down the streets of downtown Tulsa with this album, smiling at hobos and jumping wet cement. Hell, I'm practically skipping with this shit. School girl skipping-- real girly like. I'm Christopher Walken up in this mother, dancing around the room. I'm a robot. It's a happy robot parade.

Rafter's Influences (According to his own MySpace page): magicians doing magic, sweethearts making eyes, components doing their thing. house anthems, industrial screeches, big bands, sloppy singers, being in love, sweating. sweat. water. fat.

Ergo-- I am an influence of Rafter because I am fat, in love, sweat, and a sloppy singer.

Ergo-- No wonder I love Rafter . . . I created him. . . . Okay, that's a bit much, but Rafter is one of those artists that makes music I think I would like to make. After several failed attempts in high school, I gave up on creating music and now just enjoy enjoying it. But every now and then I hear an artist that is making music that seems to come from my own head. And as stalkerish as this is beginning to sound, I mean it in the most nonthreatening way. I'm just saying I can relate to it-- instantly. It's what girls and beatniks call "emotional connection," but I like to refer to it simply as familiar.

I want to slide. I want to kick shit for fun. I want to throw round shit into make-shift hoops. Ghetto school yard with this album. Eat jolly ranchers, drink whisky lemonade. I would wear a tank top for this shit and strut like a limping elephant. You don't even want to see my in a tank top, but I don't care. Sex Death Cassette is just that good.

ODDS & ENDZZ

Rafter MySpace
Rafter's awesome Asthmatic Kitty Bio

Buy This Album: Darondo "Let My People Go"

2008-03-17T22:55:00.000-07:00

From the schools of Al Green, James Brown and Curtis Mayfield came Darondo. Once a contemporary of these greats, Darondo, a rumoured former pimp, disappeared for a few decades and has recently re-emerged at SXSW in Austin after the release of Let My People Go.

The album is a collection of Darondo's singles from the early 70's and a few recently discovered gems from the same period. I'm anxious to hear what he sounds like today and hope he records soon because what I'm hearing on Let My People Go is "amaaaaaziiiiing" (I say in my best falsetto voice).

It's exciting to hear badaaaaaasssss soul music for the first time. So many of the great hits get replayed over and over again due to radio, advertising, and . . . I dunno . . . Tarantino movies and they can sometimes lose their edge after so many listenings (not just a flaw of soul music, mind you). That's why there is something soul stirring about hearing a great old R&B record for the first time and this is just the way I felt when listening to Darondo.

From the politically motivated title track to the all out sex jam of "Legs," Darondo gives you everything a good soul record should. It makes you want to vote and it makes you horny. He even has a song about his momma and poppa. The dude was probably a pimp which-- I'm sorry-- makes him cool. A pimp from the 70's? I mean, c'mon-- awesome. Even awesomer is a pimp who loves his mom and dad.

It's all in the track names:

Let My People Go
Legs
Didn't I
I Want Your Love So Bad
How I Got Over
My Momma and My Poppa
Sure Know How to Love Me
Listen to My Song
True

Buy This Album: Why?'s "Alopecia"

2008-03-14T13:21:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I got Alopecia from the band Why? and holy shit this album is good! Seriously, internets, you got to check this out. For God's sake, it's got horses walking on clouds and shit. Four open palms, dude, coming out of another cloud. These guys like clouds.

Brilliant lyrics and layers upon layers of terrific sounds weave this album in and out of various genres. It's great for any mood. I've never been so vocal while listening to an album for the first time. "Fuck yea," "Aww shit," and "Yes!" peppered a stream of giggles as I drove down 244 on my way to work. However, later, I listened to it in bed and the album that had me vocalizing dirty sex sounds hours before had me quietly contemplating, reminiscing, and feeling all "dude that's deep."

Simply put, I would say this is music that can move you in all sense of the word, but that sounds too gay so I'm just gonna say this: It's music for awesome listening.

As for the sound itself, Why? really is a melting pot of hip-hop/electronic-pop/post-punk/art-rock and probably any other hyphenated sub-genre you can think of. Some people will hate it because they can't categorize it, others will hate it because it's not innovative enough. I say those people need to get laid.

These dudes are from the Oakland Bay area and they don't fuck around.

"The Vowels Pt.2" is the first song that won me over. It mentions a Chevy Cavalier, which immediately makes you kick ass.

"The Hollows" is pure brilliance. The lyrics to this song invoked the "Fuck Yea" mentioned earlier. I'm looking for the lyrics online so I can post them here. They are too brilliant for me to try and listen and copy them down. I'm known for seriously botching up lyrics-- just ask my wife. You know what . . . just listen to this awesome stuff yerself . . .

Watch Video:

The Hollows (WHY)

Video Code provided by MusicRemedy.Com

Playlist: The Sickness

2008-03-05T21:11:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of posts, but sickness abounds in my family and dear old dad is needed to wipe noses and provide breathing treatments rather than dicking around on the computer. I know that sickness has plagued lots of folks this year so how about a nice playlist for the sick or those surrounded by the sick. WARNING: This list is not meant to uplift you, but only capture what you may be feeling. Consider it a musical sympathy.

My baby shares your pain.

(One day I'll be smart enough to find a way to actually stream these on the site for listening. Until then, have fun searching for them or use your imagination.)

"Here" - Pavement
"Drugs" - Adam Green
"A Stone" - Okkervil River
"Irene" - Caribou
"Ocean of Noise" - Arcade Fire
"O Death" - Samamidon
"Quarantined" - Atlas Sound
"All I Need" - Radiohead
"Pay No Mind" - Beck
"California Stars" - Wilco
"Deathly" - Aimee Man
"Bird On Your Grave" - Marissa Nadler
"Drippy Eye" - Black Moth Super Rainbow
"Cold Shoulder" - Casiotone for the Painfully Alone
"The Way" - Bonnie "Prince" Billy
"The Absentee" - Spokane
"Biological" - Air
"You Can Never Hold Back Spring" - Tom Waits
"Creature Fear" - Bon Iver
"My Dove, My Lamb" - Phosphorescent
"Down in a Rabbit Hole" - Bright Eyes
"Scratch" - Morphine
"Heart of Chambers" - Beach House
"Living Life" - Daniel Johnston

Playlist: Soundtrack of My Day

2008-02-28T22:30:00.000-08:00

I went to a screening of our film tonight and it's been a crazy day all around. So here's just a quick post that reveals my 10 most recently played songs on my iPod. Consider it a soundtrack of my day.

Flobots- "Handlebars"
Headlights- "Skeleton Man"
Foals- "Balloons"
Bon Iver- "Skinny Love"
Kenna- "Out of Control (State of Emotion)"
Brian Eno- "Everything Merges with the Night"
MGMT - "Kids"
K'Naan- "Rap Gets Jealous"
Gingerbread Patriots- "One Idea for Two Friends"
The Books- "Take Time"

Sorry, I know it's a hurried post, but it's been a crazy day. I plan on posting larger reviews on several of these artists, but check them all out. Some are newer than others, but all equally Heavy.

Let me know what you've been listening to recently. I'd love to hear some suggestions. Speaking of, thanks to Robert for Kenna and Mike P for Flobots. I love suggesting music to others, but I love it when a word of mouth suggestion comes my way as well.

Best of Radio: MPR's The Current

2008-02-27T21:03:00.000-08:00

Imagine a musically relevant radio station, one where the D.J. actually hand selects his/her own playlist. It's a station where you can hear classic Bob Dylan, Beach Boys, and The Clash played next to M.I.A., Bon Iver, Built to Spill, Radiohead and others.

On this station they would have 30 minute shows dedicated to serious and intelligent discussions about the latest trends. They might even devote the whole 30 minutes to a one sub-genre, say Grime, and dissect it's importance and place in today's music. There could be in-studio performances with not only established artists but emerging ones too. Imagine this station not being on a pay service like satellite, but completely free public radio.

Now, imagine I shut the hell up and say, "dude, it's fer real."

Dude, it's fer real.

It's called The Current and it can be heard on 89.3 on MPR, Minneapolis Public Radio. Yea, first the twin cities give us Prince and now sweet as radio. Minneapolis is on the musical forefront.

"But, wait," you say. "I don't friggin' live in friggin' Minneapolis or friggin' St. Paul." Fear not, my little frigger. It's on the web, dude, as in world wide.

Along with a live on air stream, the website offers a song of the day podcast, along with one of an awesome show called Musicheads in which music is played and intelligently discussed. Playlists of the days played tunes can also be found along with blogs, polls, and all sorts of other musical goodness.

The podcasts can also be found on iTunes for free, of course. Just search for The Current.

So check out the website at mpr.org/thecurrent. Then you should contact your own public radio station and tell them you want the same thing in your area. Radio can still be relevant. Good music should still be available for free right over the radio waves. (with HD radio this is even more possible.) Every metropolitan area should have their own, highlighting not only great music nationally and world wide, but local as well. The Current is solid proof how good it can be.

ODDS & ENDS

The Current on Wikipedia
There's a great article on The Current in the latest issue of Utne, but you can also find it here.
MPR was also the birthplace of Prairie Home Companion and owns its own theatre.

Free Legal Downloads: Sub Pop Records

2008-02-26T20:55:00.000-08:00

First off, if you don't know about Sub Pop Records, where the hell have you been. The record label has been around for over 22 years. It started as a fanzine that offered mixtapes and then developed into a small label based in Seattle. It has since become one of the best and most consistent indie labels of our time.

Take a look at some of the artists Sub Pop helped launch into awesomeness. These are all bands currently or previously on the label:

The Shins
Nirvana
Low
Soundgarden
The Postal Service
Sunny Day Real Estate
Mudhoney
Sebadoh
Patton Oswalt
Hot Hot Heat
Iron & Wine
David Cross
The Rapture
The Thermals
Rogue Wave
Wolf Parade
Band of Horses
CSS
Flight of the Conchords
Go! Team
Red House Painters
The Reverend Horton Heat
Sleater-Kinney

. . . Just to name a few. Seriously, there are way more.

But what's even cooler than their artist roster is their website where they offer free legal downloads of several of the aforementioned artists. It's not crap downloads either, but often it's the band's big single that they are giving away. You can also find interviews, music videos, blogs, and just a wealth of knowledge about the label and it's many great artists.

The best way to find the downloads is to just explore the artists section. Click on an artist you are interested in and it'll take you to a separate page where they will offer all sorts of tidbits, often free songs.

If you aren't familiar with some of these artists and you want to try them out blindly just go to the media section where they group available downloads together. You can just "right click/save as..." away. (Or the Mac equivalent to that).

So go explore and then come back and here and leave your comments. Let me know what you downloaded and who you like. There are so many great artists on Sub Pop, you are bound to find a new band to dig.

Great Big Singles: "Starlett Johansson"

2008-02-25T20:42:00.000-08:00

The Oscars were Sunday, but one glamour queen missing from the red carpet was husky-voiced, large-lipped, fan-boy fantasy girl Scarlett Johansson. How could one ever get their Scarlett fix (barring watching Lost in Translation for the umpteenth time)?

Even Woody loves Scarlett:

How about loving Scarlett in song. No, I'm not talking about the rumoured recordings of Scarlett singing Tom Waits tunes, I'm talking about the amazingly awesome new single by The Teenagers, "Starlett Johansson." I think this song's been floating around for awhile now, but I honestly heard it for the first time this weekend-- and it made me giddy.

Apart from having really sweet lyrics, the Krautrockish throwback tune is actually really kick ass. With a lot of kitchy pop-culture referenced songs, it's the lyrics that stand out, but the Teenagers made sure they had the hot beats to back it up.

It will have you moving. It will have you grooving. "Starlett Johansson" is bound to leave you feeling sexy, sensually indifferent, and likely crushing on awesome old dudes.

The video is pretty cool as well.

Band of the Day: Built to Spill

2008-02-24T01:07:00.000-08:00

There are bands who have a few good songs and there are bands who can have a great album. Rarely do you get a band who can release album after album of ass rockin' solid material. Built to Spill has proved to be one of those bands.

Doug Marsch and Co. had a three album run of staggering genius that has not been matched in recent years. The holy trinity is as follows:

There's Nothing Wrong With Love
Perfect From Now On
Keep it Like a Secret

Buy these three albums and listen to them non-stop. For like 6 or 7 days play nothing but these 3 albums. Learn them. Know them. Become them. Because I promise you, no matter what mood you are currently in, any time is the right time for Built to Spill. You can play them soft and you better damn well play them loud, but for God's sake just play them.

While the band has released several albums after this triple threat, nothing has compared to what they did before. But you really can't compare. It's just not fair. The albums that came before and the albums that came after are each awesome in their own right, but this trio of albums will always stand apart.
Check it if you like . . .

Neil Young
Band of Horses
Rockin your pants off
music that speaks to how you feel
Awesomeness

ODDS & ENDS

builttospill.com
Click here to play against BTS in a game of old school video game basketball
See Built to Spill with the Meat Puppets in Oklahoma City on Leap Year Day.

Know Your Jazz: Oscar Peterson

2008-02-21T14:51:00.000-08:00

My favorite Jazz instrument is the piano by far. Piano is used in just about all types of music, but there is something about a piano playing jazz that just blows me away. The way it can carry both rhythm and melody, so much can be expressed with the sounds and nuances of jazz piano. It is, I believe, one instrument that truly bares the character of the person playing it.

Look at pictures of Oscar Peterson and he is usually smiling. Then listen to his music-- even when he plays a ballad-- you can't help but smile. His music is infectious. You hear the phrase "tickling the ivories," but when you hear Oscar Peterson play-- that phrase comes alive.

It sounds so effortless and yet you can instantly recognize the skill that it takes to pull it off. Completely accessible and just plain fun to listen to, Oscar Peterson is perfect for people new to Jazz as well as the seasoned jazz fan.

While he does have several great studio and live albums, I can't sum up his work with one album. I don't normally condone or recommend collections or "best of" albums, but I'll make an exception this time. The couple collections I've heard from O.P. are amazing and a great intro to not only this artist, but Jazz in general.

You really can't go wrong with anything you pick up and that is the sign of a true Master.

Buy This Album: Bon Iver "For Emma, Forever Ago"

2008-02-20T13:03:00.000-08:00

The weather in Tulsa is cold and getting colder. A big sleet & ice storm quickly approaches and even though I'm itching for Spring, the sounds of Bon Iver soundtrack the closing moments of winter so perfectly that I'm okay with these gray and bitter days.

Not to say that For Emma, Forever Ago is a dark or sad album. Actually, it's beautiful and ghostly sounds are more peaceful than sad. There is a haunting tone that creeps behind the acoustic guitar and the outstanding vocals that gives them an uplifting airiness. This is music of the winds and skies, songs best heard in coats and hats, or melodies to enjoy alone indoors looking out at the bare trees, beaten by the season's weather, waiting for life to blow through again.

Bon Iver, whose real name is Justin Vernon, first released this album last year via the web only, but it got a wider release yesterday. For me, it couldn't have come at a better time. I'm at peace with the winter and while I'll welcome Spring when it's time comes, today I'm fine with just bundling up and holding on.

Check it if you like:

The vocal work of T.V. on the Radio
Ray LaMontagne, but are embarrassed to admit it
Wearing big coats or at least a hat and a scarf
quiet late nights

Odds and Ends

MySpace
Dude, he's got a Virb
Stereogum Interview

Buy This Album: Northern State "Can I Keep This Pen?"

2008-02-18T22:18:00.000-08:00

Even I am a little behind sometimes. Can I Keep This Pen? by the New York trio Northern State came out about 6 months ago, but I just heard it for the first time about 2 weeks ago. It grew on me-- a lot. At first, I found it simple, if not shallow, and yet I kept returning to it over and over again. It's now a favorite-- one I think that many people would enjoy.

The first comparison I always hear about this group has something to do with being the "female Beastie Boys." While that is a fair comparison, I think it sells the group short. While they do have a flavor reminiscent of the Beastie's label-mates Luscious Jackson, Northern State's Hesta Prynn (my new favorite MC name), Spero and Sprout offer a variety and a wackiness that the Grand Royal girls never had.

It would help to note that this album is on Ipecac, a label started by one of the crown princes of Freak Rock-- Mike Patton. Those familiar with Patton's wide range of influence will appreciate the diversity showed by Northern State. The label is an obvious fit for them.

Sample "Oooh Girl" and "Mother May I" for a good sample of their hip-hop stuff, but move on to "Good Distance," "Fall Apart," and "Cold War" for proof of their diversity (read "longevity"). Most of all, this is just an unpretentious album that is a lot of fun and great to share. Play it with friends and co-workers. Have a good time.

Check it if you Like:

Old School Rap
Hot New York Ladies
Playing Music with Your Windows Down
Scarlet Letter Empowerment

ODDS & ENDs

Northern State's MySpace
Sample Music From their Official Page
Ipecac Recordings

Best of Radio: Thom York

2008-02-14T20:35:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post to let everyone know about a sweet radio program produced by NPR called All Songs Considered. Host Bob Boilen always shares great music and occasionally has a great guest DJs as well. It's a great way to learn about and sample new music. The best part is-- it's free. On top of that, you don't even have to worry about a radio schedule to catch it. You can stream each show on your computer, or you can also subscribe to the free podcast on iTunes. So there's no excuse to miss this great show, one of the best on radio.

This week Bob Boilen hosts Radiohead frontman and all-around bad-ass Thom York as the guest DJ. Thom shares some of the stuff that he is currently listening to as well as some of his own work. Even if you are not a Radiohead fan (and if not, what the hell for?) keep checking back with All Songs Considered. They play a great variety of music and you are going to discover something you like eventually, I guarantee it.

The new NPR music website in general is wonderful and has quickly established itself as one of my favorite go-to music sources. So peruse that as well. You can spend hours sampling all the music that they stream for free.

Forum: Valentine's Day Music

2008-02-13T21:20:00.000-08:00

I could go on and on about love songs. Even though I'm happily married now and enjoy a nice happy upbeat love anthem, I spent a good portion of my high-school and college days alone in a candlelit room listening to The Cure, so I'm well versed in the other kind of "Love" song as well.

While I would love to hear from you about your like or dislike for "Love Songs," I really just want to suggest the perfect music for Valentine's day. Whether you are recently betrothed or longtime lovers, lonely-and-looking or broken beyond repair, there is one type of music that covers all angles of love. That, my friends, is sweet soul music.

I suggest you invest in the wonderful box set Beg, Scream, and Shout: The Great Big Box of 60's Soul (but good luck because I just found out that it's out of print). This 6 CD testament of Soul is perfect for lovers and loners alike. Soul music runs the gamut of love songs and you are bound to find at least 5 or 6 songs that describe to near perfection how you feel about love at any given moment.

Here's an embarrassing small sample of the great many you'll find on the set:

"I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)" - Otis Redding
"I'm Your Puppet" - James & Bobby Purify
"La La Means I Love You" - Delfonics
"Who's Lovin' You"- Jackson 5
"7 Rooms of Gloom"- The Four Tops
"Lipstick Traces on a Cigarette"- The O'Jays
"A Fool in Love"- Ike & Tina Turner
"I Was Made to Love Her"- Stevie Wonder
"The Cheater"- Bob Kuban and the In-Men
"Yes, I'm Ready" - Barbara Mason
"When Somethings Wrong with My Baby"- Sam & Dave
"It Tears Me Up"- Percy Sledge
"Girl Watcher"- The O'Kaysons
"I'm in Love"- Wilson Pickett

So whether you are with a loved one or alone, put some soul music on this Valentine's Day and let the music help you through the day, no matter of you may feel about it.

Playlists: An Itching for Spring

2008-02-12T22:16:00.000-08:00

I am, without a doubt, a Winter Person, but even I know when enough is enough. It's always around this time every year that I begin getting sick of my friend Old Man Winter and wish the sad bastard to go. We are on the crease. Spring is nigh. The pic above is of my son, last Easter, doing his bad-ass Springtime Walk. It's how I walk when I listen to this little soundtrack I put together to help me through the fold. Hopefully, it comes soon and we all come out alright.

MGMT - "Time to Pretend"
The Thermals- "Returning to the Fold"
Panther- "Puerto Rican Jukebox"
Hot Chip- "Bubbles They Bounce"
Andy Palacio- "(In Times to Come)"
K'Naan- "What's Hardcore?"
Times New Viking- "Drop-Out"
Lightspeed Champion- "Everyone I Know is Listening to Crunk"
Wire- "Three Girl Rhumba"
George Pringle- "I'm Very Scared Buster, Yes at Last"
YACHT- "Platinum"
Vampire Weekend- "Oxford Comma"
Sufjan Stevens- "Chicago"
No Kids- "The Beaches All Closed"
Throw Me the Statue- "Lolita"
Black Mountain- "Angels"
Talking Heads- "Psycho Killer"
Gingerbread Patriots- "The Day I Dies"
Liam Finn - "Second Chance"
Black Kids- "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance"
Wolf Parade- "Shine a Light"
The Velvet Underground- "Who Loves the Sun?"
Ted Leo & The Pharmacists- "Timorous Me"
The Strokes- "Whatever Happened?"

I know it's no fun if you don't actually have these songs to stack yourself. Maybe if you are lucky enough to know some pasty, hairy, chubby white guy who does, he'll make you an old fashioned mix-tape. Maybe one day I'll get fancy enough to post some kind of player where you can all listen here. I tried imeem, but I couldn't get it to work right. I'll take any suggestions.

Rapid Fire: New Album Reviews

2008-02-10T21:32:00.000-08:00

Hot Chip - Made in the Dark

London's Hot Chip is back with their first set of all new material since the amazing Warning album of 2006. While, song for song, it doesn't hold up to it's predecessor, Made in the Dark has many moments of electro pop goodness. Check out "Bubbles they Bounce" and "Touch too Much" for proof.

Check it out of you like:

Either of their first 2 albums
LCD Soundsytem
Junior Boys
"Gay Party Music"
Chicks who love "Gay Party Music"

Lightspeed Champion - Falling Off the Lavender Bridge

Lightspeed Champion released a great album last year that I just recently got around to hearing. Apart from having the best album cover I've seen in a while, along with some great (albeit deceiving) song titles like "Devil Tricks for a Bitch," "Everyone I Know is Listening to Crunk," and "Let the Bitches Die," the album also brings a solid collection of simple indie pop rock that doesn't shine in the innovation department, but doesn't have to. It simply delivers music that is accessible, catchy, and all-around solid.

Check it out if you like:

Morrissey
Elvis Costello
The Stars
Dudes with Mr. Rogers sweaters and yellow bowties.

Times New Viking - Rip It Off

Rip It Off brings you short catchy songs marinated with that great flavor of rock-- distortion. From Sonic Youth and The Pixies to Deerhoof and Love is All, Times New Viking have taken note from their Ragged Rock forefathers to bring one of those albums that grows on you with each listen. . . .Warning: listening at full volume will make your ears bleed. (And that's Awesome).

Check it if you like:

Any of the bands listed in the above paragraph
Treble
Feedback
Cassette recordings of your college garage jam sessions

Know Your Jazz: Cannonball Adderley

2008-02-07T22:09:00.000-08:00

Jazz music is not for everyone, I'll give you that. Although, I do believe if you delve far enough into music exploration, you are bound to enjoy it, or at least appreciate it, eventually.

Most people who only dabble in Jazz will pick up a copy of Miles Davis' seminal work Kind of Blue, or John Coltrane's Blue Train, but there is another album that is equally amazing and mass appealing-- Cannonball Adderley's Somethin' Else.

Recorded in 1958, Somethin' Else includes the amazing lineup of Miles Davis (as a sideman, mind you) on trumpet, Hank Jones on piano, Sam Jones on bass, Art Blakey on the drums, and Cannonball. of course, on alto sax. They are the kind of musicians that make it sound so easy, yet you never deny their brilliance.

Somethin' Else is ever bit as cool as Kind of Blue (which Adderley also played on) and is musically very similar, but there is a certain freshness to it. Maybe it's just because you hear it less, but I think it just happened to capture a perfect moment in time where jazz ruled and King Miles stepped aside and let one of his knights take the glory.

Band of the Week: Chromeo

2008-02-06T22:46:00.000-08:00

So I've created a monster. I work with this young dude named Steenveld who had an unhealthy obsession with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He just couldn't get enough of their shit. Then one day I was forcing my music upon others, as I often do, and I opened Young Steenveld's ears to Chromeo-- Canada's own and only Sexx Jams duo. The guy's been hooked ever since. He can't get enough. He's looking them up on the internet, watching videos, blaring it in his car. He's even playing it for his younger cousins, trying to spread the gospel of Chromeo. Young Steenveld has indeed become a fan.

But he's not the only one. The jams of this "thugged out Hall & Oats" (their words) have traveled into the newsroom and brought several hip-swaying, perfume-spraying, rump-shaking, baby-making ladies into our dark control room of funk to inquire or simply dance to these soulful jams. It seems everyone loves the Chromeo and for good reason, too.

Chromeo, who are the self-proclaimed "only successful Arab/Jew partnership," have 2 great albums out-- 2004's She's in Control and 2007's Fancy Footwork. You should start with Fancy Footwork. Time has certainly been good to Chromeo as they have perfected their sound and songwriting skills. Every song is great, seriously, but if you just want a sample you should download the combo of "Bonafied Lovin'," "Mommas Boy," and the title track "Fancy Footwork." Do yourself and your starving inner sex-freak a favor and get the whole album. Your soul, your booty and your booty's booty will thank you.

Once you are hungry for more go back to the debut She's in Control. It'll give you a fix for sure, especially "Needy Girl," but I for one can't wait to see what they do next.

I've never seen them live, but I can only imagine they are a complete blast. Please leave a comment if you have seen them and let me know if my expectations are true. I think they are touring Canada right now, but maybe they will make it your way soon.

In the meantime, just buy the albums already and spread the funk.

Recommended if you like:

Things that are awesome
To feel funky, sexy, suave, or any combination thereof
Prince, The Time, Rockwell, or any other band that would've made you feel sexy in the mid 1980s
Keyboards with Lady Legs
Sweet Mustaches

ODDS & ENDS

Forum: Singles vs. Albums and the Power of Hunky Dory

2008-02-05T21:38:00.000-08:00

A great man once said "Greatest hits albums are for housewives and little girls." I completely agree and think the same thing can be said of DIY collections as well. In this day of digital downloads with pick and choose playlists, the single rules again. I'm sure there are plenty of people who take an artist they like, browse their albums on the internet and download only the songs they know and love. However, there is a vital part of music appreciation that is dying with this practice-- the record, the LP, the album. The true test of an artist.

Take an artist like David Bowie. You can go through his albums and pick out the songs you recognize, songs you can hear anytime by turning on the old FM in your Toyota Corolla. However, to truly experience the artistry and honest-to-god genius of Bowie and to understand and appreciate his evolution you must explore him album by album.

You couldn't pick and choose a few select scenes from the Godfather and pretend to know and appreciate the film. You have to absorb it in its entirety and ride the wave to be strongly affected by it's ending and thus prepared to take in the sequal. Why should an album be treated any differently than a film?

So let's go back to David Bowie. If you own a collected hits CD, throw it out. If you only have a couple singles in your iTunes, delete them. Then get yourself a copy of Hunky Dory, 40 minutes of alone time, and listen. It's one of those albums that has you increasing the volume with each song as it builds on itself one tune after another, not realizing how loud you actually got until you enter the car later or change it to another song.

Songs you would never hear on a Greatest Hits album, songs like "The Bewlay Brothers," "Quicksand," and "Oh You Pretty Things" will quickly become your favorites. More importantly you get a slice of time from an album, a lyrical through-line, a musical theme that gives you a richer listen. Even hits like "Changes" and "Life on Mars" will take on new meaning in the context of the album, giving them an importance that is lost on the radio or with single play.

Better yet, it leaves you wanting to explore more. Where did he go after this? What came before? Did he ever revisit this sound? You'll buy more albums, you'll find more gems, and after about 6 or 7 albums you just might begin to understand the power of "a body of work."

ODDS & ENDS

The official David Bowie website-- bowieNet, if you please.
Look at the sweet movies Bowie's been in.
I found this badass site, savethealbum.com, after I wrote this post.

Free Legal Downloads: The Thermals

2008-02-04T23:31:00.000-08:00

First off, if you haven't heard of Daytrotter, you have to check it out. They offer free downloads of exclusive performances by many great bands. They post about 3-4 bands a week with each band usually doing four songs. Over time they have built up quite a collection-- all free.

Along with the songs, they also include a great essay/interview with the band. To top it off, there is no photography, but original illustrations that adorn the site. Kick-Ass, right?

Well they recently featured the best punk rock band of the last ten years-- The Thermals. Political, smart, and just plain rocking, the Thermals are one of the best new bands I have heard in the last couple years. If you haven't heard them, you must check them out. And what better way than free legal downloads.

If you like what you hear, you gotta get The Body, The Blood, The Machine-- their best album yet, but everything I've heard has been great.

ODDS & ENDS

The Thermals homepage is here.
Their YouTube channel is here.
An archive of all the great bands who have been on Daytrotter can be found here.
If you need actual thermals, you should totally check out Captain Dave's.

Buy This Album: Vampire Weekend

2008-02-03T19:09:00.000-08:00

The only thing wrong with Vampire Weekend's full-length debut is that it came out about 2 months too early. This album radiates Springtime. It's got too much meat to be a throw-away summer record, but just enough pep, jangle, and worldly rhythm to make you long for the sun and short sleeve shirts.

Lucky for me it was sunny and in the 60s in Tulsa today so my purchase of Vampire Weekend's highly-anticipated self-titled release was quite appropriate and made driving with the windows down all the more sweeter.

Genre-busting innovation isn't at play here as much as genre-updating or even genre-perfecting. You've heard the sound of white-boy college rock mixed with African influences before in bands like The Talking Heads and a post-Garfunkle Paul Simon. It's been a while, though, and Vampire Weekend does a great job at making the sound fresh and fun again.

And don't get me wrong, there's more than just the world-rhythm influence at play here. You'll find lots of good pop rock jingles and all-around tight musicianship.

Try it if you like any of the following:

The Talking Heads
The Strokes
rhythm sections
listening to whole albums
Spring Break
Ivy-League New Yorkers
references to Lil John
references to Peter Gabriel
doing the "white-boy shuffle" (must include biting your lip while dancing)

LINKS AND OTHER ODDS & ENDS

You can find Vampire Weekend on their website and their MySpace.

Find free legal downloads of an exclusive performance over at Daytrotter.

Watch their awesome exclusive performances on The Take-Away Shows.

Check out their guestlist on Pitchfork to find out what the band themselves are into.

Results for a Google image search of "Vampire Weekend at Bernies" can be found here.

Big Dude, Big Collection

2008-02-02T22:51:00.000-08:00

This is the third blog I've started recently. The first was to track my struggles with weight-loss and training for a 15k run in October. The second blog was to track the creation and production of a podcast that my friend Mike and I are trying to start.

These two blogs are great and I would love for you to check them out if you haven't already. However, people who know me probably identify me with two things above all else-- being a father of 3 and my love for music. While I have a great catalog of kid-stories and experience daily lessons in parenthood, I'm gonna save that topic for another blog and another day.

I want to talk music.

A recent gift of my first iPod has me revisiting my CD collection. It has also changed how I hunt for and discover new music. I'm excited about what I'm finding and I want to share. However, I plan on doing more than just album reviews. I'm a big fan of lists, music movies, and discussing hot topics that surround music as an art and culture. Music, dude, I just want to talk music.