See ya next week...

(completely unrelated picture of audrey tautou...
gotta keep the blog looking pretty)

I am taking Thursday and Friday off and heading down to Austin for a few days, where I will be going to this, as well as a show by these guys at this joint (my favorite venue in Texas, by the way). Should be a fun weekend, but unfortunately I won't be able to post again until Monday (most likely). Here's some stuff to tide you over:

How To Become An Artist!
This guy's stuff is hilarious. Personal favorites include this one and this one. I don't really get this one. Peep them all here.

I need your help. . .I'm thinking of getting a new ride (my '95 4Runner has pretty much had it), but i'm torn between getting one of these or one of these. Please leave any recommendations in the comments section.

Some Music:

Quality Control mp3 Jurassic 5

We're Going To Be Friends mp3 The White Stripes

Blue Orchid mp3 The White Stripes (from "get behind me satan") Courtesy of Ending East

Wicked Little Town mp3 The Bens (Kweller, Folds, & Lee)

Cherry Blossom Girl mp3 Air

Hey Now Now mp3 The Cloud Room (highly recommended!)

MOKB and YANP both recommend that you get your ass over here to download The Motel Beds EP "Hasta Manana". If these two guys like it, it's safe to say it's good stuff.

Finally...you have to head over to Scenestars to download a couple songs from a great new band called Husky Rescue. You won't be disappointed, I promise. Have a good weekend.

oh yeah one more thing...here are a few codes for free iTunes songs for whoever wants them...first come first serve, obviously, since they can only be used once. see it pays to visit gorilla vs bear. (courtesy of my friend jesse, who drinks a lot of pepsi apparently)

PFRYLLCLNF

AEL7PW6IGI

AYKMR73TGF

K9CIZ7CBPJ

Everyone Loves an Ironic Cover

Hey Ya Drive By Truckers

Miss Jackson The Vines

Bitches Ain't Shit Ben Folds

Since U Been Gone Ted Leo

Boyz 'N the Hood Dynamite Hack

Seven Nation Army The Flaming Lips

yikes

Since the world will probably end pretty soon (see above pics), and because i'm bored at work today, i thought i'd hit ya'll w/ an extra post. As always, mp3's are for sampling only/if you like it, support the artist by buying it/please don't sue me/etc...(i don't host these mp3's anyway, so i don't think it matters)

I'm Sleeping In A Submarine Arcade Fire

Slow Hands Interpol

Obstacle 1 Interpol

The Way We Get By Spoon

Jenny Was A Friend of Mine The Killers

Damn it Feels Good to be a Gangster Geto Boys

Teardrop Massive Attack

Introducing....the Hipsterpod

you have got to check this out...from what i can tell, this guy is serious. he's either a genius or an idiot, i'm not sure which. (man, why didn't i think of this)
UPDATE: damn, looks like he took the site down already. oh well. it was funny, believe me.

Some "Hipsterpod" selling points:(from hipsterpod.com)

High Quality 192kbs and upwards mp3s, much better than Apple's sucky 128kbs.

Impress friends, potential lovers, and pretentious hipsters alike with your astounding collection and wide-ranging taste!!!

Remember, an empty 60gb ipod is a wonderful gift to give to a music lover. But a Hipster iPod filled with 60gb of the best music ever made.. will cause them to collapse on the floor in a fit of orgasmic spasms. Semen will be spilled. So what are you waiting for! Buy Now!

Some Sample Selections (who needs a hipsterpod when you've got Gorilla vs Bear?):

Caring is Creepy The Shins

A.M. 180 (live) Grandaddy

King of Carrot Flowers Neutral Milk Hotel

Peach, Plum, Pear Joanna Newsom

At The Hop Devendra Banhart

Petra Haden, Snow Patrol, and more...

I went to the Snow Patrol (w/ supporting act Embrace. . .check out Torr's review of that part of the show) show last night...it was okay, a little too packed w/ the O.C. crowd for me, and again, i can never fully enjoy monday night shows knowing i have to get up for work at 6 am (damn i sound old). Anyway, they played a bunch of songs and the lead singer (gary lightbody) said "y'all" a bunch in his scottish accent. Here's the setlist (give or take a few songs):

Chocolate mp3
Wow
Gleaming Auction
Spitting Games
(2 new songs)
How To Be Dead mp3
Chasing Cars (new)
Grazed Knees
Same
Somwhere A Clock is Ticking mp3
Ways + Means
Run
Encore (3 songs)

The highlight of my night, however:


I stopped by Good Records on the way into Deep Ellum and picked up the new Architecture in Helsinki ("In Case We Die"), and Petra Haden Sings: The Who Sell Out. I haven't listened to the AIH album yet, but Petra Haden is amazing. I'm not a huge fan of acapella, or of The Who for that matter, but this is greatness. Get this record. I'll try to put up a review next week. For now here's a couple of one minute clips (mp3) from the record...sorry it was all i could find, but it should give you an idea.

I Can See For Miles
I Can't Reach You

More Music:


Portland, Oregon Loretta Lynn/Jack White
Revolution (Beatles cover) Grandaddy
Such Great Heights (Postal Service Cover) Iron & Wine
Friday I'm in Love (The Cure Cover) Death Cab For Cutie

Remember back when the Black Eyed Peas didn't suck?....
Fallin' Up
Joints and Jam

Live @ KVRX

(cat power)

KVRX is an awesome radio station in Austin, TX. KVRX often has in-studio performances from great bands (such as Broken Social Scene...get their KVRX in-studio over at My Old Kentucky Blog). Here are a few others... *hint* if you dig around the parent directory you can find tons more!

Naked If I Want To mp3 Cat Power

Fix Up, Look Sharp mp3 Dizzee Rascal

Decent Days and Nights mp3 The Futureheads

3rd Planet mp3 Modest Mouse

Kate Moss mp3 Arab Strap

No One's Gonna Come mp3 Sondre Lerche

I Don't Believe You mp3 Magnetic Fields

Avey Tare and Panda Bear (animal collective) Get 4 tracks here

The Walkmen 2 tracks here

Snow Patrol Tonight

I'm going to the Snow Patrol show tonight at the Gypsy, so here's a few tracks from "Final Straw" for you guys. Review of the show tomorrow, hopefully.

Spitting Games mp3

Run mp3

Wow mp3 (my favorite)

Bonus Hotness:

(is this better, dodge?)

Do I Have Your Attention? mp3 The Blood Arm

If We Can Land a Man on the Moon, Surely I Can Win Your Heart (live on KCRW) mp3 Beulah

Evil mp3 Interpol

The End Has No End mp3 The Strokes

Massive Cure mp3 Smoosh

Local Heroes: Eisley

Eisley is a ridiculously talented group of kids from Tyler, Texas. Made up of the Dupree Family (Stacy on keyboard/vocals, Sherri on guitar/vocals, Chauntelle on guitar/vocals, & Wes on the drums) and their friend Jonathon Wilson (bass), Eisley makes ethereal, dreamy pop music w/ amazing harmonies. Plus the girls are hot. If you haven't seen them perform yet, (they've opened for the likes of Coldplay, Snow Patrol, and more) go the next time they come to your town. And buy Room Noises, their debut LP. Here's a couple tracks from their first official EP, Laughing City:

Tree Tops mp3

I Wasn't Prepared mp3

Telescope Eyes mp3


And a couple bonus Live Tracks from a performance in Toronto:

Golly Sandra mp3

The Escaping Song mp3

Lollapalooza: Lineup and mp3's

Man am i glad i got my ticket for $35, it's up to $85 now and will likely sell out (edit: not sure how big Grant Park is...thanks solace). The lineup is awesome (Digable Planets!), and I plan on adding mp3s for most, if not all, of these bands during the day next to their name, so check back often.

The Entire Lineup (so far):

The Pixies Monkey Gone To Heaven mp3
Weezer Buddy Holly mp3
Widespread Panic
The Killers Somebody Told Me mp3
The Arcade Fire No Cars Go mp3
Liz Phair Supernova mp3
The Black Keys The Lengths mp3
Death Cab For Cutie Song For Kelly Huckaby mp3
Cake
Dashboard Confessional Vindicated mp3
Dinosaur Jr Freak Scene mp3
Kasabian Club Foot mp3
Kaiser Chiefs
Louis XIV Finding Out True Love Is Blind mp3
Tegan & Sara
M83 A Guitar and a Heart mp3
Los Amigos Invisibles
Blue Merle
The Redwalls
The Changes
The Dandy Warhols
Digable Planets Rebirth of Slick (cool like dat)mp3
Brian Jonestown Massacre
Billy Idol
The Bravery
Blonde Redhead
G. Love & Special Sauce
The Walkmen We've Been Had mp3
Sound Tribe Sector 9
Z-Trip
Soulive
VHS or Beta Alive mp3
Ambulance LTD Primitive (the way i treat you) mp3
Shout Out Louds
The Warlocks
DeSol
World Leader Pretend

Lollapalooza Redeems Itself!!

We all remember last year's Lolla-debacle (we had our tickets and were ready to go...), in which they got our hopes up by announcing an amazing lineup including Broken Social Scene, Modest Mouse, The Walkmen, Sonic Youth, Morrissey, Le Tigre, Polyphonic Spree, and more, only to crush us by cancelling it weeks later. bastards.

But they have redeemed themselves in a HUGE way this year, thank god (since i already have my ticket).

Here's some of the lineup, according to Lollapalooza.com:

The Arcade Fire
Digable Planets (yes!! my favorite hiphop act of the '90's)
Death Cab
The Walkmen
M83
The Killers
Weezer
Pixies

there's a lot more, check back for a more updated/in depth post here later today.

Okay back to the indie...

We got our tickets to Bloc Party today (june 9 at the Gypsy here in dallas) woohoo!

E. Is Stable Menomena

For Kate I Wait Ariel Pink

She's Hearing Voices (EP Version) Bloc Party

Headlights look like Diamonds Arcade Fire

Paul Simon The Russian Futurists

some music for you guys

It has been brought to my attention that my last few posts have been ridiculously long, so for now, just music. enjoy. (i'll try to add more songs so check back throughout the day)

UK Hip Hop Jam of the Day:

Could Well Be In The Streets

"This Song is So Hot Right Now" Songs of the Day:

Miracle Drug A.C. Newman

Dreams TV On The Radio

AFK Pinback

By Your Side CocoRosie

Hello? Is this thing on? !!!

Jetlag Brendan Benson

Wake Up Arcade Fire

True Love Waits Radiohead

Bridges and Balloons (Pocket Mix) Joanna Newsom

Us Regina Spektor

Saturdays Cut Copy

Last Flowers (live) Thom Yorke

The Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine Spoon

and finally...
"The Arcade Fire Song You Possibly Might Not Have Yet" Song Of the Day:
Cars and Telephones Arcade Fire


You Ain't No Picasso is awesome. seriously. go there for some broken social scene and some talking heads and more. and vote for james mercer/sam beam while you're there. thanks.

My Thoughts Were So Loud

Lately I've had trouble falling asleep at night, so I've been using my iPod/iTunes as a sleep aid. Seems i can't really fall asleep or even relax without it, and i'm not sure why. my head has just been really busy w/ random shit lately, so i've devised a playlist to help me sleep. the songs tend to be a little on the sad/depressing side, but it works. try it.

"Section 20 (together we're heavy)" The Polyphonic Spree
This is a good one to start off w/. I think it's the droning sounds and barely audible whispering.

Untitled #1 (Live) Sigur Ros
(Also recommended: "Untitled #2")

"Sphagnum Esplanade" and "Mild Child" The Shins
These b-sides are two of my favorite (and two of the most melancholy) Shins' songs.

"The Sea and the Rhythm" Iron & Wine
Pretty much any Iron & Wine will do. . .download some at his Sub Pop page.

Not The Way Cass McCombs
Kinda haunting/echo-y sounding vocals.

"Theme" (eternal sunshine soundtrack) Jon Brion

Today Has Been OK Emiliana Torrini
Her voice has a very calming quality.

Ever Changing Mood Summer At Shatter Creek
Crappy band name, but good song.

Elsewhere. . .

The Bravery's Sam Endicott is a douchebag. (anybody want their cd? first person to email me and tell me why they think it doesn't suck can have it for free. i'll even pay postage.)

Look, nobody cares that you're a DJ. (found this @ chromewaves--hilarious.) W/ that said, go play DJ at M.I.A.'s website.

My Old Kentucky Blog has a lot of good music today, including some Wrens, Beck, Sigur Ros, and more.

Vegas Recap + DVD Review

Vegas was pretty cool. The trip got off to a shaky start, we missed our flight due to an overturned 18-wheeler on the freeway. When we finally got to the airport, i was "randomly selected" for a security check/molestation while my friends got to go right through. (I was also randomly selected on the way back). We had to sit in the terminal for a couple hours hoping to get on the next flight, which was full, as standby passengers. We lucked out when 3 people didn't show up and we got on.

Our hotel (MGM Grand) was packed due to some Ultimate Fighting Championship thing, and it was crawling w/ scary looking fighter guys and their crews, including this guy, the winner of the fight:



We also saw quite a few "celebrities" (I'm using that term very loosely) at our hotel, including Vanilla Ice playing (and losing) at the blackjack tables, Dolph Lundgren (Ivan Drago from Rocky 4) at the pool, Pete Rose, Howie Mandel, and tons of Ultimate Fighter guys and pro poker players who my friends pointed out that i didn't recognize.

Speaking of poker, the highlight of the trip was my first real vegas poker tournament at the Plaza (downtown vegas). The buy-in was 60 bucks, and there were about 40 players in the tournament. I was really intimidated at the beginning (my hands were shaking uncontrollably at one point), mainly because the majority of these guys play a lot more poker than we do (i just started playing a couple months ago), and also because we were by far the youngest guys in the tournament. But it turns out these dudes were not very smart, and i got pretty good cards most of the tournament.

My friend daniel and i made it to the final table of 10, and at this point my goal was to just make it into the top 5. daniel was down to his final 1000 or so chips, but i had a pretty good stack so i just let everyone else knock each other out until I was in the final 5. once i got to the final 5, i put this one crazy black dude all in and beat him, at which point he literally threatened to kill me. most of the table and crowd (including myself) was laughing, until he goes "Nah, I'm serious, i'm going to go out to my car and get my gun and shoot your ass." At this point it was no longer funny, and i was basically scared shitless of this crazy motherf***er. but apparently he was just kidding, because he just went on for a few minutes about how pissed he was, dropped a few more "motherf***er"s, then he left.

now i was down to the final four, and i was getting seriously bored and mentally drained, and i was tired of thinking. i was ready to just concede and take the 250 bucks for fourth place. but then another guy got knocked out, so i was in the top 3 and i thought i might actually have a chance to win. the final 3 lasted about an hour or more, but then i knocked out the guy i was even w/ in chips, and i became the chip leader. so it was just me against this old moustachioed dude, head to head.

i was pretty far up in chips so my plan was just to wait until i got an unreal hand and go all in. well this dude was good, and he slowly made my stack dwindle till we were about even. then i got pocket 9's, and i was ready to go home, so i went all in. he called w/ A-Q off-suit, and he got a queen on the flop to beat me. i was kinda disappointed, but 2nd place and $600 bucks was cool w/ me for my first tournament. the best thing was that my whole trip was paid for by my winnings.

the rest of the trip consisted of a blur of buffets, gambling, and strip clubs. overall a good weekend.

DVD Review: Pancake Mountain Episode 3 & 4


Pancake Mountain is a children's show outta Washington, D.C., that consists mainly of bizarre skits and puppets (kind of like an indie sesame street), and the occasional visit/performance from your favorite band.



I bought the DVD specifically for the Fiery Furnaces performance of an original song for the show ("Mouse House/Moose Hoose") and the Arcade Fire performances. And it was well worth it. Eleanor Friedberger (who is my latest hot-girl-in-a-band crush) and the rest of the band give an awesome performance and appear to be having the time of their lives (Eleanor even kisses a puppet). Her mouse/moose dance is genius.

The Arcade Fire performances of "Wake Up" and "Haiti" are equally awesome. The band (and children on various percussion, including a little black kid w/ corn rows on drums) appears to be having a lot of fun. These performances alone are worth the price of the dvd.

The dvd also includes performances by Eyeball Skeleton (check these kids out) and Niki Barr, as well as appearances by Henry Rollins and the Scissor Sisters (again, w/ puppets). Go buy it.

Music

Get the Shins' performance at Austin City Limits over at You Ain't No Picasso. Very good performance from one of my favorite bands.

Everything In It's Right Place Radiohead
Fade Into You Mazzy Star
Miss Jackson (Outkast cover) The Vines
Rocket Ride Felix da Housecat
Fell Down the Stairs Tilly and the Wall

This Week's iPod Playlist Intonation Music Festival Edition

Lovers Spit Broken Social Scene

On The Table AC Newman

Everyone Chooses Sides Wrens

Thunder, Lightning, Strike (click for the whole album) The Go! Team

Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect The Decemberists

Single Again Fiery Furnaces

Smile Around The Face Four Tet

The Dark Don't Hide It Magnolia Electric Co.



Vice thinks this guy is boring

Allen Shore, General Manager of Vice Records, tells the Columbia Spectator. . .

“I feel like there has been created, in the past two to three years, an indie-yuppie establishment. Bands like Death Cab for Cutie, Iron and Wine, the Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, they are great bands, really great bands, with great albums, great songs, high quality. And to me, it’s just so fucking boring,” he says. “It’s like fancy-coffee-drinking, Volvo-riding music for kids."

Yeah great bands w/ great albums & great songs are really stupid and boring, good call dude. This guy must be an uber-hipster.

More Music

Black Math The White Stripes
Run Snow Patrol

Get Behind Me Satan

Did you know i once stood right in front of Meg White for a TV on the Radio/The Faint show in Detroit at the Majestic? Well I did. In related news, The White Stripes have named their new album, and it's coming out on June 7.

Here is the track list for "Get Behind Me Satan":

"Blue Orchid"
"The Nurse"
"My Doorbell"
"Forever for Her (Is Over for Me)"
"Little Ghost"
"The Denial Twist"
"White Moon"
"Instinct Blues"
"Passive Manipulation"
"Take, Take, Take"
"As Ugly As I Seem"
"Red Rain"
"I'm Lonely (But I Ain't That Lonely Yet)"

Great song titles, and I can't wait for Jack's collabo w/ my boy Brendan Benson, which is allegedly due sometime this fall.

Jolene (live) The White Stripes

Dizzee Rascal

Quick review of last nights show:
We went to the Dizzee Rascal show last night at Trees (moved from the Gypsy Tearoom, presumably due to low ticket sales). DJ Wonder opened the show, and took the 200 or so in attendance through an hour-long set of "the history of grime". This part of the show was about 45 minutes too long. The audience politely nodded along to Wonder's jungle/drum&bass/crunk/grime beats, but most people (including me) looked pretty bored. It might have had something to do w/ it being a monday night, but i just wanted dizzee to come on so i could get home and go to bed (damn i sound old, but hey, it was a work night).

Dizzee finally came on around 11:30, and while it wasn't one of the best hip hop shows I've been to, he was pretty entertaining. He ran through most of his hits, including "I Luv U", "Live O", "Jezebel", "Stand up Tall", "Flyin'", and that one song that goes "who the fu** are you" a bunch of times. The songs all started to run together for me after a while (again, it was a work night, give me a break) but the kid (Dizzee looks about 16) is charismatic, and it was fun trying to decipher his between-song cockney slang/banter. And to Dizzee's credit, he didn't let the half-empty venue stop him from having a good time. . .when we left at around 12:30, he was still going strong.

Stand Up Tall Dizzee Rascal
Dream Dizzee Rascal

More Hip Hop

Memory Loss Deltron 3030
Positive Contact Deltron 3030
Madness Deltron 3030

Some Observations from the Weekend

Excuse the rambling and suckiness of this post, i'm sunburned and tired and i really, really don't want to be @ work today. sorry.

1. Wonder Showzen is genius. This "kids' show" on MTV2 is disturbing and hilarious. Watching kids do fucked up shit has always been funny, but this show takes it to a new level. The parents who allow their children to be on this show deserve a visit from Child Protective Services. One sample "kid's song":
"Slaves! Built the pyramids! Slaves! Built the Parthenon! Slaves! Built America! Slaves - this is your song. Thank you, slaves." You've gotta see this show. The NY Times agrees.

2. If I see one more goddamn Jamster commercial I will smash my tv in w/ a baseball bat. Who are the morons that keep these assholes in business? Who would pay 5 bucks or more a month for some idiotic screen saver or ringtone for your shitty cellphone? Obviously someone is doing it, because these commercials air about 200 times a day. Please stop.

3. How long you will last in our weekly poker game is inversely proportionate to how much you have had to drink and/or smoke. Apparently, being drunk and/or high makes you a braver, yet shittier, poker player than you already are.

4. The initial artists for the Intonation Music Festival, curated this year by the indier-than-thou tastemakers over at Pitchfork, were announced, and the lineup so far is pretty great.

Confirmed artists:
The Decemberists
The Fiery Furnaces
Will Oldham (special DJ set)
Broken Social Scene
The Go! Team
Four Tet
Magnolia Electric Co.
The Wrens
A.C. Newman
The M's

The event will take place in chicago's pulaski park on july 16-17. Tickets are 10 bucks and will be available only at the gate.

Some music:
.
Tiny Cities Made of Ashes (live) Modest Mouse

"Our Prayer (Free Form Reform)" Brian Wilson (get it at scenestars)

"A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left" Andrew Bird (I'm loving this new Andrew Bird!)

Also, check out You Ain't No Picasso's review of (and get a couple songs from) the new Of Montreal.

Feist Coming Back To Texas
My sources (pitchfork. . .haha) have informed me that Feist will be returning to Texas this spring, this time w/ British Sea Power, for 3 Texas dates.

05-06 Denton, TX - Hailey's
05-07 Austin, TX - Emo's
05-08 Houston, TX - Fat Cat's

In other Feist news, her Juno award-winning album Let It Die gets a U.S. release on April 26. (I posted the link to get the whole album the other day, but I will be buying it on April 26, and you should too. It's a good one. Recommended tracks: "mushaboom" and "inside and out")


Polyphonic Spree News

From Tiny Mix Tapes:

It's also been tipped that Jon Brion has finished producing the upcoming effort from everyone's favorite robe wearing, kool-aid drinking, tambourine playing choir. No, I'm not talking about Jim O'Rourke; I'm talking about The Polyphonic Spree. The sound of a Brion/DeLaughter is quite intriguing -- too bad it never occured during the wild days of Tripping Daisy. But we musn't linger on the past, tis a new day that dawns! And Jon Brion is the sun rising from the east to greet the blurry-eyed indie youth.

i've been a huge polyphonic spree fan since the early days, and a Tim DeLaughter fan since the beginning of Tripping Daisy, and Jon Brion is one of my favorite producers, so this is great news for me. I have a feeling this is referring to the Thumbsucker movie soundtrack that DeLaughter and the band have been working on, but i'm not sure.

And in "completely unrelated to anything" news. . .

Tomorrow, I will be playing in my first sand volleyball tournament in almost 2 years. I will be playing against the dude in the picture (my friend dana, who happens to be one of the best players in the country), and a bunch of other guys who play a lot more than me. hopefully i won't embarrass myself, my friends, and my family.

Some Music:
Award Tour A Tribe Called Quest
Wake Up Arcade Fire
Since U Been Gone Kelly Clarkson
Oh Comely (live) Neutral Milk Hotel

Lollapalooza '05

I just got my ticket online for Lollapalooza. $44 for both days (includes cert. mail fee of 5 bucks) not bad, assuming that at least a few of the bands will be decent. Now i just gotta talk someone into going w/ me. Anyone?

a quick one while i'm at work. . .

Another busy day at work, so here's just a couple quick things. More later if i get a chance:

This morning on Stern they got into a heated debate over Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone", with Howard vehemently defending the song, and everyone else ripping on it. Anyway, some dude calls in and plays the blogger-approved Ted Leo cover, which every one proceeded to rip even more, talking about how "gay" Ted Leo sounds. At least the guy who called in defended the song and Ted Leo. What the hell is your point, you ask? My point is 11 million people just heard Ted Leo's cover of "Since U Been Gone".
Update: Brooklyn Vegan has also posted a little more detailed report on this. Whatever dude, i was first. I think.

The Dallas Observer reviews Gorilla vs. Bear's favorite album of 2005 (so far). Listen to Stars March 23 performance on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic. The Observer also previews the show i will be attending Monday night.

Bloc Party will play @ the Gypsy Tearoom on June 9. They were great in Austin, but i can't wait to see them in a proper venue. (the women's swimwear department at urban outfitters is not what i would call proper). Download "Like Eating Glass" from Silent Alarm.

Conor Oberst gone hip hop? first he signs this guy to his Team Love label, and now news that the June 4 (austin) and June 5 (dallas) Bright Eyes/the Faint shows just got even better: Airborn Audio will open both shows (Antipop Consortium - Beans = Airborn Audio). Keep it gangsta by downloading Airborn Audio's "Bright Lights".
Edit: just got my tickets to the austin show...man, front gate tickets has made a killing off me in the last couple weeks. seems like i'm buying tix from those guys like every other day.

Bonus Downloads:

From My Own True Love (Lost At Sea), The Decemberists

Staring At The Sun, TV On The Radio

Tuff Ghost, The Unicorns

Insound vs. Gorilla vs. Bear

So last week, Insound released it's list of the "Top 10 Records of 2005 (so far)", and while it is a little early for such nonsense, no one will read this anyway, so I figured I'd review their list and compare it to my own. I'd like to retitle my list, "Gorilla vs. Bear's Favorite Records of 2005 (so far)", since I am only one guy, and I can only base my list on stuff i've heard (obviously).

10. Insound Pick: Stars, "Set Yourself On Fire"
Gorilla vs. Bear Pick: (tie)Antony & The Johnsons, "I Am A Bird
Now", Eisley, "Room Noises"

"Set Yourself on Fire" needs to be higher. I feel like for a lot of people "I Am A Bird Now" is one of those albums you either immediately love or can't stand, (similar to Joanna Newsom's "The Milk-Eyed Mender"), but for me it has slowly grown on me the more I listen. Eisley is a local favorite, and "Room Noises" is some beautiful Pet Sounds-esque pop. Download "Hope There's Someone" from I Am A Bird Now.

9. Insound: Matt Sweeney and Bonnie Prince Billy, "Superwolf"
GvB: Fiery Furnaces, "EP"

Haven't heard enough of "Superwolf" yet. "EP" isn't really an "EP". As good as "Blueberry Boat". Download "Single Again" from the Fiery Furnaces EP.

8. Insound: The Decemberists, "Picaresque"
GvB: M83, "Before The Dawn Heals Us"

"Picaresque" needs to be much higher. I like "Before The Dawn. . ." as much or more than i liked "Dead Cities. . ." and that was one of my favorite releases of last year. Go listen to M83 here.

7. Insound: Cass McCombs, "PREfection"
GvB: Beck, "Guero"

I saw Cass McCombs when he opened for Modest Mouse recently, and i really liked what i heard, i just haven't gotten around to buying "PREfection" yet. "Guero" is no "Odelay" or even "Seachange" but it's still great. Download "Sacred Heart" from PREfection.

6. Insound: Bright Eyes, "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning"
GvB: Bloc Party, "Silent Alarm"

"I'm Wide Awake. . ." is no "Lifted. ..", but it is good, and it's still growing on me. "Silent Alarm" is amazing. This album (along w/ M.I.A.'s "arular") may be the trendy, hipster-approved pick, but you can believe the hype. Download "Banquet" from Silent Alarm. Go here to download a couple songs from "I'm Wide Awake. . ."

5. Insound: Death From Above, 1979, "You're A Woman, I'm A Machine"
GvB: Iron & Wine, "Woman King EP"

DFA 1979 is awesome, but it came out in 2004. "Woman King" would be higher on the list if it was longer. Download "Woman King".

4. Insound: The Go! Team, "Thunder, Lightning, Strike"
GvB: Brendan Benson, "Alternative to Love"

Again, "Thunder, Lightning, Strike" was one of my top releases of 2004. "Alternative To Love" may not end up on many critics year end lists, but i love it. Highly recommended. Download "The Pledge" from Alternative to Love.

3. Insound: LCD Soundsystem, "LCD Soundsystem"
GvB: M.I.A., "Arular"

"Daft Punk Is Playing At My House" from LCD Soundsystem is one of the contenders for single of the year. As you know if you read this blog, I love M.I.A. and I love this album. Can't get enough M.I.A.? Go download last year's "Piracy Funds Terrorism" here.

2. Insound: Bloc Party, "Silent Alarm"
GvB: The Decemberists, "Picaresque"

The more i listen to "Picaresque", the more i'm convinced it's the best thing the Decemberists have ever done. Download "Engine Driver".

1. Insound: Black Mountain, "Black Mountain"
GvB: Stars, "Set Yourself On Fire"

Who the hell is Black Mountain? Seriously, I guess I need to check out this record, if anyone has an opinion on it let me know. "Set Yourself On Fire" is what i've
been listening to most so far this year. Greatness. Go download "ageless beauty" and "your ex-lover is dead" at pitchfork. now.

My Other Favorites of 2005 (so far, of course):
Prefuse 73, LCD Soundsystem, Neva Dinova, Bright Eyes (both albums), Doves, Tuung, Fiona Apple (unreleased), M Ward, Bunky

Upcoming Releases/Albums I Still Need to Hear:'
Andrew Bird, Spoon, Emiliana Torrini, Architecture in Helsinki, Gorillaz, The Books, Quasimoto

Elsewhere:

Ask You Ain't No Picasso, and you shall receive.

Update: Well this fu**ing sucks. EzTorrent is gone forever, apparently. From their website:

Hello gals and guys,

We're very sorry having to tell you that we had to shut down EZT just a couple of minutes ago.

We got a call from our provider, they had received a few letters from a couple of lawyers. They requested EZT to be shut down immediately, otherwise we and the hosting service would be sued.

As you may imagine, we do not have the funds to fight a battle we most probably can't win anyway.

We would like to thank everyone here for their contributions to EZT, one way or the other, for sharing the music, sharing an ideal, for all your mails, rants, praises...

To say it with Joan Armatrading:

We had fun, fun, fun, fun
fun, fun, fun, fun
we had fun -- while it lasted...
--"Tall in the Saddle"--

You all take good care!