...Update?

...sooo

I discovered my problem with EZ Archive, yes, EASY Archive [phonetic spelling, woo!]. You have to pay for it. Damn! But I will - eventually. For now though, I don't care. 'Cause I was in the garage and I found my copy of High Fidelity, so I'm reading that whilst trying to find songs for a going out mixtape. It's like the ultimate in mainstream - I almost want to beat myself up with a CD Rack of diverse artists, but hey, if it sounds good, why not? So yea, that's what I'm doing. Just so you know. Nick Hornby is amazing.

Once the mixtape is done, and I have hosting [think four months from now, and you're getting close probably] I will host it, as well as every other mixtape I've ever made. This one was going to be called, Asleep on the Sofa, Drunk, Useless but I figured that's more appropriate for the one that should follow at some stage afterwards. That would be hangover music, this is going out music. So,

After I Got Out of the Shower and Before I Got Into the Taxi

...maybe if I do a mini-series, then number two could be: [I Think] Time Passed Before I Passed Out.

electronica made easy

Well would you look at that. A random image for a random comment. I'm listening to Regina Spektor... still. She writes good lyrics... yup:

They'll name a city after us,
and later say it's all our fault,
Then they'll give us a talking to
Then they'll give us a talking to
'cause they've got years of experience

We wear our scarves just like a noose
But not because we want eternal sleep

Maybe you've fallen over after hearing her voice. Lie down. Chill out.



RF

Difference
Sunday Park
Internal Notes 1

Sometimes electronica is difficult. But then, sometimes, it goes down easy. I hope the sun is shining. I haven't really listened to much of this, just the first song although I did hear it and think "mmm, pleasant". Then all of a sudden, "mmm, good". It was recommended in a mailing-list email from Efterklang. It's bound to be good after further investigation.

P.S. My typo's have become more and more apparent. Typing too fast and thinking too fast simultaneously will do that. Edits are always necessary. Pah.

Regina Spektor

With music and art we will make this world brighter.



So, I am an idiot. Unfortunately. I came up with some great similes last night though... maybe I'll share them later on. They're for a book that I'll never write. One thing... i am actually going to get help on EZ Archive 'cause it's really really annoying me now. Anyway, since I can't use it yet, here:



Regina Spektor
Us
Buildings

I am in love with her voice... officially. And her instrumentation. Think Norah Jones only actually exciting "dinner-time music". Play her music during meal-times with the family and they will all look at you in awe - "Wow! Both appropriate and interesting. Why don't you listen to more nice music like this?"

Oh yes. Enjoy. Highly highly recommended.

"When I first heard her voice I fell over"
"I think he means he fell in love"

Quote unquote the guys from the Transgressive Records podcast who signed her. Check out more here. Todays MP3's are linked from a fantastically experimental and revealing all sorts of all-new music of an electronic or weird, interesting, diverse [read: not mainstream] vein. I've been reading it for a while now: downloading stuff straight away, listening a few months later. Appreciating everything a few months after that. It's that kind of music... the blog is The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday. When I first heard Polysics, I despised them. Now I think they're unbelievable. Going out music, definitely.

But back to Regina Spektor. Seriously, this girl's like the female version of Jeff Buckley. Always interesting, sometimes the music is annoying and all you want and long for so badly is a nice catchy hook, but she's just footering about doing ad-lib vocals, [maybe ad-hoc, but hey who's checking?] and she's making it all up off the bat and you're thinking "hmm, you make better music when you're taking the piss, than most people do after five years practise on the one song" and then it's all tiring it wears you out and all of a sudden you're thinking - why am I reading this when I could be listening? Or maybe, jeez that was a long sentence, learn to use your punctuation 'cause by now I can barely breathe. When I first heard Buildings, I could barely breathe.

I will be pure. Like snow. Like gold.

...so, I don't really have any time to post properly so I'll just leave you with this lovely little song from counter-cultures new hero, the next Bob Dylan, blah blah hyperbole blah blah...

He's amazing, basically, and this [No Lies, Just Love] is one of his saddest songs [in my opinion], about a suicide that never happens. It's a good story, listen close to the lyrics and you'll see why he's so celebrated within the indie scene [and now also in the mainstream thanks to the commercial success-slash-promotion of his new album.]

Bright Eyes

Lua *Note: I haven't got hosting. Thus, there shall be no No Lies, Just Love... Instead,here's a song about depression... [thus, ignore all the above part of this post]

Remember that long post I promised ages ago? About Bright Eyes? and Saddle Creek... and stuff? Well, soon. Soon soon soon... hope you like the song. Mellowdrone tonight/tomorrow - along with their lovely cover of Again [the Faith Evans song]. Bye.

P.S. The snow I talked about last week is gone. It lasted about 4 days. Beauty fades with time and familiarity.

I just want to hear the band....

The Brakes include Eamonn, who left British Sea Power, and two members of The Electric Soft Parade. The lyrics are fun... a good old stick-it-to-the-indie-geeks-trying-to-get-it-on-but-only-if-you-fit-the-criteria.. I like hyphens, if you've noticed. Anyways, a very short song, here ya go... posting will return to normal soon, when I actually get some sleep. I'm going to post Mellowdrone MP3's soon. And Figurines. 'Cause I'm listening now... and damn they're good. Woo...

The Brakes

Hi, How Are You?

P.S. My first EZ Archive hosted file. Jeez, I am an idiot. Hope it works. If it doesn't, I give up.

Indie Scene: Questionable Content

So, I officially love Regina Spektor after hearing two tracks. They're both on podcasts though so I'll have to cut them all up when I'm at home. Then I can host just those two songs, for handyness sake. Woo! She's amazing, thus worth it, anyway currently I'm reading Questionable Content, and it's amazing. Takes the piss out of scenesters, which is always good. Although, it's all harmless banter really. Being scene is something alot of people are without trying to be; for example, they might have scene aspects [interests and likes]: Literature, Popular Culture, Music, Second-Hand Clothes, Geek/Chic Glasses, Computers. I would actually call these scene interests [even computers which on paper doesn't look like it fits, but then: just look at Jeph Jacques, to me he seems fairly scene whilst not trying to be and with an obvious interest in computers], but it's hard to define scene.


*Note: click on image for full-size. Then you can read it and see that it's funny. It fucked up when I condensed it, sorry - it was necessary.

Keeping it all light-hearted - which stops it from becoming an elitist criticising elitism. If you go to the site, here, then you can also read the funny one of being post-post-ironic where you go far past irony that you're actually sincere [whilst alluding to Deerhoof - the band - which is impressive]. So yea, if you're interested in Indie, or scene, or music, or anything like that - or just anything - then you should definitely check it out. It's great...

By the end of the post there's always something more to say. I found loads of Regina Spektor there now, so expect me to feature that definitely sometime soon. Such a pretty/interesting voice.

The Sound of Animals Fighting

Here's a short post, I know nothing about this band, I just downloaded a song [ACT II] for the hell of it, but it's pretty good in that motivated, charging, indie-rock-[pushing-onto-emo-slash-almost-but-not-quite-dull]-territory. It has an interesting intro. But then it's a bit hit and miss... but, well; figure it out for yourself. The band are The Sound of Animals Fighting. While this isn't the best thing I've ever heard, it's still better than alot of the durr/dull/mundane/boring music I listen to on a daily basis.

Ok, so that song's finished, and I'm now listening to Postlude while I type this, and whilst it's interesting, it's also... I dunno. I don't want to sway your judgement anymore than I already have. Basically it's different from Act II, no guitars, just noise.
*Note: I am critical by nature




The Sound of Animals Fighting

Act II - All is ash or the light is shining through
Postlude

Another thing: I despise their website. It's too big, tries to be too much, fails. A valiant effort, however.. [*Note: I feel the same way about Postlude, as I do about their website] Maybe it's a problem with viewing it in IE. On the otherhand, maybe it's just shit. Hope you like the band.

Final note: Postlude just ended. The ending 3 notes [played twice] were the best part of the song [for me].

From Cap'n Jazz to Maritime; here's how

Cap'n Jazz kick-started it all, with Davey vonBohlen forming The Promise Ring. Scott Beschta, bassist of The Promise Ring, joined Pele as a keyboardist. When The Promise Ring split up, Davey and Dan formed the band Maritime.. This band also included Eric Axelson of The Dismemberment Plan who have since disbanded. Their singer was Travis Morrison... then Eric Axelson left ...Maritime since he wanted to spend more time at home.

Linkage:

Cap'n Jazz
The Promise Ring
Pele
Maritime
Maritime [again]
Travis Morrison
The Dismemberment Plan

Cap'n Jazz

Well... Cap'n Jazz, who I know nothing about. But who, based upon one song, I like. This song reminds me alot of Kings of Leon, both instrumentally and vocally... and that's a good thing. Although, if I'm perfectly honest, I don't really listen to much of Kings of Leon, so maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think I am... judging by this:

"Kinsella has always imbued a scat-like free association quality to his lyrics, stringing words together so that they become as much a part of the rhythm and melody of the song as the bass and guitar. "Little League" is a shining example of the way Cap'n Jazz could switch from hypnotic, melodic indie rock to scathing hardcore in an instant without alienating listeners or losing track of their direction. " - Epitonic

...that vocals as an instrument thing, seems to me very much like a Kings of Leon style thing, though Cap'n Jazz preceded them [Kings of Leon formed 5 years after Cap'n Jazz split up] so perhaps that sentence should be reversed. It's an interesting technique also employed by experimental, post-rock bands such as Sigur Rós, and Efterklang.

"With only one full-length album to their name alongside a handful of singles and compilation tracks, Cap’n Jazz left a longstanding impression and irrefutable influence on the bohemian punk scene and unwittingly spawned a breeding ground for future scene stars such as the Promise Ring and Joan Of Arc." - Jade Tree

Davey vonBohlen, guitar and vocals, went on to become a founding member of The Promise Ring... Cap'n Jazz split up in 1995...



Cap'n Jazz

Little League

Pele... uhm... the band

Edson Arantes do Nascimento, nicknamed Pelé, is a former Brazilian football player and thought by many to be the finest player of all time. Often considered the complete attacking player, he was completely two-footed, a prolific finisher, exceptional at dribbling and passing, and was a remarkably good tackler for a forward. He was also famed for his speed and kicking strength. Over the course of his career, Pelé scored over a thousand goals and won three World Cups. Since his full retirement in 1977 he has served as an ambassador for the sport. *Note: Wikipedia, as always; click here to read more.

Looky here:



Amazing footballer. On another note, Milwaukee's Pele create perfect instrumental vignettes as expressed by soulful and literate ex-punk rockers, or so says their record label, Poly Vinyl Records, and I would be tempted to agree. Not a famous football player then? Hmm... I guess not.



Pele

Egg
Crisis Win
Black Socks

Also of note: Scott Schoenbeck who was a founding member of Pele. Scott Beschta [of The Promise Ring] joined Pele in order to play keyboards and his addition to the band helped define their meandering sound. Scott Schoenbeck then joined The Promise Ring to take over Beschta's bass duties, as he was leaving both bands in order to pursue solo work. Pele's two remaining members then recruited Matt Tennassen of Paris, Texas to play bass. They split up around the start of 2005 as far as I know. Don't quote me on that one, however.

*Note: [information culled from this page, courtesy of Epitonic]

...more Maritime

Download new Maritime courtesy of their label, Flame Shovel. These songs are off their new album, We, the Vehicles.

Calm
Parade of Punk Rock T-Shirts

Since I've already filled you in on who Maritime are, that's it. Post done. Hope you like the music.

The Promise Ring

As I write this [which is a day earlier than you will have a first chance to see this, due to my use of drafts] I'm listening to the new Drowned in Sound Podcast... go here to see the sub-site dedicated to it, where you can subscribe to it and perhaps get old episodes? If not, then download it directly simply by clicking on this link right here. It's a tad good. Featuring Stars, Broken Social Scene, and Múm - bands of which I am a big fan. But anyway, today I'll post on... hmm... The Promise Ring. In their time they were among the forerunners of the "emo" style [I dread saying that word when I blog. I expect backlash]... But yea, they were. I know next to nothing about them, other than...



...they look like that... and...

"After signing with Jade Tree in 1996, The Promise Ring went on to release a slew of EPs and full-length albums that have seen accolades everywhere from the well-respected pages of The New York Times to the uber-groovy Teen People" - courtesy of Jade Tree Records

"The Promise Ring were one of the most popular emo bands of the '90s, epitomizing the poppier, more accessible wing of the style. Along with Sunny Day Real Estate, the Get Up Kids, Braid, and Jimmy Eat World, they helped bring emo from the punk underground to a wider indie rock audience in the latter half of the decade... The Promise Ring were formed in Milwaukee in early 1995 from the remnants of several other Midwestern emo outfits. Guitarist/singer Davey vonBohlen was still a member of the acclaimed cult band Cap'n Jazz when he started jamming with guitarist Jason Gnewikow (ex-None Left Standing), drummer Dan Didier (ex-Ceilishrine), and bassist Scott Beschta" - courtesy of VH1; click here to read more

and rather irrelevantly:



"A promise ring is a small, inexpensive ring given to a boyfriend or girlfriend, to promise not to court a rival" - courtesy of Wikipedia; read that here

Also of note, as I mentioned before is that both Dan and Davey from The Promise Ring are now in the band Maritime...



The Promise Ring

Electric Pink
The Deep South
Best Looking Boys
Why Did We Ever Meet?
I Never Trusted The Russians
Red Paint
Texas Avenue
A Picture Postcard

Bonus:

Drowned in Sound Podcast #6

Enjoy. Expect a post linking all these bands [The Dismemberment Plan, The Promise Ring, Maritime, Travis Morrison, etc] together...

Maritime

I said that one of the former members of The Dismemberment Plan was in Maritime. Turns out, Eric Axelson is now a former member of that band too:

"After a little more than two years of playing in the band, I decided it was time for me to call it a day on touring. I've been on the road a ton in the past 7 years of my life and wanted to stay closer to home. It's been nothing but fun playing with Maritime and we're all on good terms, I just wanted them to be able to tour as much as they felt necessary without me holding them back. Our good friend Justin Klug is taking over the bass duties. You may know him from the band Decibully. Great guy and a great bass player. As for me, I've been playing with friends randomly in D.C. but not trying to start a band, just making noise and enjoying being home."

His involvement in the band is what first piqued my interest in them, but oh well. They're still a very good very soft nice little acoustic-orientated band. Need your interest piqued due to that dull, drab description? Maritime consists of Davey von Bohlen and Dan Didier of The Promise Ring, as well as the new guy.


*Note: Click image for full-size

Maritime

I Used To Be A Singer
Future Is Wired
A Night Like This
Sleep Around

As always: enjoy. Maybe even go buy their albums? - Glass Floor, and We, the Vehicles. You know you should... go visit their website and then go to the shop.

Travis Morrison [and his absolutely Ludacris cover]

I love Google. Like I said, I did have that Travis Morrison cover of What's Your Fantasy? before. Now I can proudly say I have it again. Turns out it's still featured on the website, despite it no longer being linked to. Here you go. Also, since I like him, I'll link to more MP3's from his album Travistan, out on Barsuk Records and described as "a rewarding art-pop risk" [alternative press].



Travis Morrison

What's Your Fantasy? (Ludacris Cover)
Born In 72
People Die
*Note: right-click and save target as on the latter two. Barsuk have done something funny to their links.. I think.

I think you should all download these tracks and then see what you think. After that you can read the Pitchfork review which tore this album apart. To do that go here. Turns out it was indeed less than 1/10. It was zero - 0.0/10.00... impressive. I haven't actually checked out the album myself, but the MP3's I posted are good-listening. Born in 72 reminds me of Josh Rouse... just because of the title, I guess. As well as the very first vocal-line.

The Dismemberment Plan

*Note: Click on image for full-size

The Dismemberment Plan are a bit of a hard band to pin down. An amazingly tight rhythm-section, experimenting with new beats. They sound like a dance band. Are they? Probably not. The vocals change often; sometimes Travis Morrison is emotional, sometimes nostalgic, sometimes sad, sometimes upbeat, sometimes going with the beat and rapping. He even covers Ludacris', "What's Your Fantasy?"... I would upload that MP3 but I lost it in a computer crash ages ago. They have a genuine funk side, reminscent of early stuff by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Maybe that will encourage people to download them. Maybe it will put you off. Don't let it.

The band are often picked as the one band who perfectly defined University life and the aftermath in the same way that the novels Rules of Attraction [by Bret Easton Ellis] or Generation X [by Douglas Coupland] did. This is fairly accurate, in my opinion. The lyrics are super-sharp, super-smart and reflect geniune emotions in a way that new-age-"emo" music can only pretend to. Listen to The City [an ode to a lost-love and the questioning of one's inner flaws] and then you'll understand. Their third album, Emergency and I, is the only one I own of theirs but personally I think it's amazing, so go buy it.


*Note: Click on image for full-size

What do other people say about the band?

"The Dismemberment Plan, the D.C. art-rock quartet that made hip-hop, R&B, samplers, and having fun safe for the basement-show punk set" - Barsuk Records

"[They were] the finest band to come out of Springfield, Va. Often considered a DC band by dint of their proximity to the Nation's Capital - and owing to the fact that in its heyday, the band all lived in town - there was something about the fact that they were spawned in a suburban basement that contributed unique flavors to their sound" - DeSoto Records

"Sometime in 1999, between the recording of Emergency & I and now, this odd little platypus of a band, hopelessly stuck between categories, suddenly became everything to everyone. This was before nearly 20,000 copies of Emergency & I were sold; before the band started selling out clubs everywhere they went; before said album appeared on innumerable best-of-year (and quite a few best-of-decade) lists; before Pearl Jam asked them to open for them in 14 European cities; and before the Dismemberment Plan's name became a constant reference point in underground-rock reviews of all kinds... The melancholy, landmark Emergency & I showed everyone there are roads left to travel for indie rock and one of the widest goes surprisingly close to Mary J. Blige's existentially haunted house of R&B" - Their press kit, from their site

"The Dismemberment Plan [are] truly, unequivocally, the new new wave... 9.6/10" - Pitchfork



The Dismemberment Plan

What Do You Want Me To Say?
The City
Time Bomb
The Face of the Earth
Ellen and Ben
Superpowers
Pay For The Piano [fan remix]

They made such interesting music; there's something for everyone to appreciate. The funk, the dance, the rap, the indie, the rock, the geek-lyrics, the chic-style. Pay for the Piano reminds me of Bloc Party at the very first break-down sort of bit, when he sings "Everyone here, I need your ears". Ellen and Ben reminds me of early Chilis. The sound is entirely their own however, and that is a truly unique thing.

In case you didn't know, the band have split up, and have been split up for ages, and Travis Morrison's solo album got a rating of less than 1/10 [i think, going on vague recollection] from Pitchfork. But I think they'll be a band I will listen to for a very long time. I discovered them a few years ago and still find them fascinating to listen to. Also, one of the ex-members is in Maritime. Who're good. Discover all about them soon. And check out those novels I mentioned earlier... they are the Zeitgeist...

Click here to read an old tour diary by Travis Morrison [during his time with The Dismemberment Plan].

Oh Snow! Oh My!

So it's snowing. Real, honest, here-to-stay [at least for a day - or two], proper snow. Not even that crappy slushy fade-away-in-five-seconds-so-you-really-should-look-at-it-now snow. Oh No! This is good snow and it's been here for a day and should be here for another day if the news is to believed. Oh My! I'm sitting in the library and though I was listening to Dismemberment Plan, I've now changed and I'm now listening to Jack Johnson and watching the snow-fall. It's a good job I can touch-type. This feels right. This is how life should be. It would be perfect, if only I had more caffeine and more sleep. Anyway...


*Note: A view of snow through the corporate window of opportunity. Or some such bollocks.

Formerly The Jolly Rogers, Oh No! Oh My! are a fantastic band, and perfect - and I mean perfect - for mixtapes. Honestly, I've made like 6 mixtapes in the past while and they've been on about 3 of them, which goes against my own rule that (recent) past artists should not be featured on new mixtapes. The songs are short, and sweet. Although "I Have No Sister" is kind of creepy. Alot of the bloggers feature the songs that I'm not as fond of, so I'm going to feature my favourite songs, ie the one's I put on the mixtape.

Oh No! Oh My!

Oh Be One
The Bike, Sir
The Party Punch
Walk in the Park

If "it's a lovely day for a walk in the park", then you should leave your car at home. It's probably snowed over anyway.



Hope you enjoyed the happy music. Here's a little information from their FAQ:

Q: Will you be playing a show near me anytime soon?

A: The short answer is no, probably not. Greg and Daniel (me) are currently residing in Nashville attending an Audio Engineering school through September, while Joel is still currently located in Austin. We are considering a small tour in October when our schooling is over though. We might possibly take that tour as an opportunity to scout out a new place to live...Seattle is currently winning right now. But send us an email and tell us where you'd like us to play and where you think we should move to!

...slowness of posts.

Last update was the 23rd of February? that's craziness. Well, I do apologise... but. Well. I have no excuse. I'm just lazy... I'll sort it out soon and let you all enjoy the brilliant music I've been listening to lately. Which is... uhm... I don't even know, although today I listened to The Dismemberment Plan. They're class. I also finished a fantastic book just today... check it out:



Yep, go here. So I'll post some music when I get the chance to make a proper post.

No Lies, Just Love.

...I never saw the beach

So it turns out I never went to the beach. Instead I stayed home and played computer games. Like Championship Manager 5. Theme Park [SNES Rom - old school is the best school]. Warcraft III. And... I desperately wanted to play The Sims - who knows why? - but still, I never got to becuase I don't have it. Well, now that you're updated... I'll go post another simple post before I do a decent post on Regina Spektor [hopefully?] and a post on Saddle-Creek and Conor/Matt Oberst [definitely!]. So, let's hand it over to Wiredset again...

Many people will have heard of the Mull Historical Society, I definitely have and I've never listened to their music. But their music always crops up in the magazines I read, and the reviews are always strong ones. Thus, you can see why I found it interesting that I was given links to these songs by them. When I say them, I mean him. And him = Colin Macintyre. Here is what he says of the change of name:

“It’s important for me that my fanbase realises that nothing has changed here on a creative front. They are still “The Society” and I’m still from Mull. By dropping the MHS name I’ve not suddenly gone solo – I already was solo.

“What I’m doing, by changing to my own name, is part of the continuation of my creative journey, and I wont be doing anything differently from the way I’ve operated before, except that I think this change will help me grow more as an artist. For some time now I’ve thought about doing this and now it feels like I’ve shed a skin. But I’ll always play songs live from ALL of my previous albums. And maybe it was also time for me to give the real MHS their name back!” Colin

Colin MacIntye

Peculiar
I love you more

the beach is a nice place...

*Note: this isn't the beach I'll be going to.

So for the next few days I shall hopefully be going to the caravan, and thus, no posts. When I come back expect a three-part post on Conor Oberst, and maybe a post on Saddle-Creek. Well, that's all for now. Maybe when I take my laptop to the caravan I'll find some music on it which I just have to tell you about. Hopefully...

Note: I also fixed the time-stamp: It now reflects the time that it actually is where I live. Why am I telling you this? Well, now you can see for example why I was tired when I posted the Aberdeen City track ['cause it was 5:15 AM]... Anyway, I like it telling the right time. Kinda handy. Enjoy. Oh... and I've got EZ Archive working for me. Sweet. Expect to hear No Lies, Just Love by Bright Eyes, very soon.

They flew planes into buildings on my birthday

The subject is a lyric from the song Assassin by Komakino. Good band. But this post isn't about them, 'though you'll see the relevance in a minute. First, sorry about the lack of posts the past weekend, I've been rather busy going out/working. Saw three bands this weekend though... maybe I'll post on them at a later date. So anyways, here's an easy post... easy because all the information was given to me. Yup; emails are indeed great. Without further ado, People in Planes:

Originating from Cardiff, Wales, People in Planes have been receiving major buzz in the US – especially after their tour with The Bravery. People in Planes are putting out their debut album on March 28 entitled "AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE..." which is produced by Sam Williams (Supergrass – “I Should Coco”).

If you want to watch the video [which is rather good] click on this link and it shall stream...

There's also the MP3 on it's own...

And then another MP3...



People in Planes

If you talk too much (my head will explode)
Moth (acoustic)
Talk too much... (Streaming Video)

If you want more... then click here to go to their downloads page where you can stream more stuff. Thanks to WiredSet for the links.