Birdmonster: live & acoustic

(photo credit)

Thanks to Ryan from Spokane 7 for making us aware of this live and acoustic Birdmonster song, the "hee-haw version" of the title track from the new album (is that Zach on the banjo?? edit: nope, it's Justin). Beautiful work, guys.

Birdmonster No Midnight (acoustic) mp3

Head over to Spokane 7 now for more great stuff from Birdmonster and Division Day, including iPod ready video footage and more acoustic tracks.

elsewhere:

Check out Good Hodgkins'exhaustive analysis of all 8,468 album reviews in Pitchforkmedia.com history. The funniest one, according to Good Hodgkins, can be found here.

chulahoma

The more I listen to Chulahoma, The Black Keys' new mini-LP of Junior Kimbrough covers, the more I think it might be the best thing the Akron duo has ever recorded. The record comes out Tuesday (May 2), but you can download the entire thing right now, exclusively on eMusic, for free with your 50 Free Download trial offer.

Here's the song that originally got me into The Black Keys, who are now one of my favorite live bands. Ironically, other than being extremely soulful, this track has little in common with most of the Keys' other work:

The Black Keys The Lengths mp3

Elsewhere:

This is definitely the funniest thing I've seen all day. Of course, it's only 9 am. But it's pretty damn funny.

Read Chuck Klosterman's 100% accurate take on why The Houston Texans will, in about two hours, make a franchise-cursing move by picking freaking Mario Williams over Reggie Bush with the first pick in the NFL Draft. Unbelievable. They're going to take the wrong guy. If there are any Houston Texans fans left after this (which isn't likely), they're going to be pissed.

the theater fire

"...a gorgeous trek down country, soul, folk and Latin paths all at once, and there's nary a plugged-in instrument to crowd out the horns, mandolins, washboards and accordions."--Dallas Observer

• The Theater Fire These Tears Could Rust a Train mp3

With "influences ranging from The Velvet Underground to George Jones", The Theater Fire is what Texas Music should sound like, but rarely does. Their sound is a spellbinding fusion of folk, country, mariachi, and rock, wrapped in themes of death, guilt, and isolation. Perhaps the Fort Worth Weekly put it best: "It sounds at once urban and rustic, modern and very, very old."

And while I'm a fan of their self-titled debut album, the songs I've heard from the new LP, Everybody Has a Dark Side, have left me reeling, desperate to hear more. Luckily, for myself and everyone else in Dallas, the band plays tonight at Lee Harvey's. Edit: show cancelled due to shitty weather.

Undeniable Records will release Everybody Has a Dark Side on May 9th. Pre-orders will be shipped May 5th.

Befriend The Theater Fire on myspace

gorilla vs. bear favorite Red Hunter is also a big fan of the band. Read his take on their sound here.

elsewhere:

Thighs Wide Shut has the mp3 from the very cool Jack White Coke ad.

Indie Interviews has posted part two of their interview with TV On The Radio's Kyp Malone.

livin' thing

I'm about to head into a "meeting" (that's what they call it around here when we go into a small room to sit around and stare at each other), so in lieu of an actual post, I'm going to introduce you to a couple of blogs that have recently caught my eye:


an "awesome tape from africa"

Funky 16 Corners is a goldmine of obscure and rare soul from the '50s, '60s, and '70s, and Awesome Tapes From Africa...well, that one's self-explanatory. Ch-check em out.

unrelated:

Here's my current favorite song, in case you were wondering:

ELO Livin' Thing mp3

the audience's listening

Here's a new track from Cut Chemist's (best known for his work with Jurassic 5 and DJ Shadow) new LP, The Audience's Listening. Cut Chemist is one of the world's best DJs/producers, and this jam is indicative of his innovative and unique style:

Cut Chemist The Storm (feat. Edan & Mr. Lif) mp3

The Audience's Listening comes out June 13th

elsewhere:

Indie Interviews has posted part one of their interview with Kyp Malone of TV On The Radio. I was around for part of this one, and Kyp is a very interesting dude, so check it out.

Finally:

Gnarls Barkley
Myspace.com secret show
Friday April 28
The Roxy
Doors 7pm
Showtime 730pm
-band will perform a 35 minute set
-this will be a free show, first come, first served basis

tropicalia

I'm embarrassed to say that I'm not too familiar with Os Mutantes, but when they were announced as part of the Pitchfork Festival lineup, I figured I'd better educate myself. Luckily, Marathonpacks hooked me up with a history lesson.

This song in particular has been in constant rotation over the last few days, and it's safe to assume it will start making regular appearances in my future DJ sets:

Os Mutantes A Minha Menina mp3

elsewhere:

Speaking of Marathonpacks: today, they give us one of the cooler blog posts I've seen in some time: the Talking Heads' complete 1975 CBS Demos. Amazing stuff.


an integral part of the Pistons' playoff run

In NBA Playoff news, the Pistons and Mavs continue on their collision course to meet in the 2006 NBA Finals, with each taking commanding 2-0 leads in their respective first-round series. I guaranteed a Detroit-Dallas Finals at the beginning of the season, so you heard it here first. Of course, I've guaranteed a Detroit-Dallas Finals for the past 5 years, but that's beside the point.

tapes 'n tapes sign with label

tapes

I spoke with our good friends Tapes 'n Tapes today, and they finally spilled the good news about their new label/home. So who's it going to be, guys?

"Ok, (we're) signing with XL...They're going to re-issue The Loon sometime in July and it will also come out on vinyl sometime this summer."

For the uninformed, XL is home to a diverse roster which includes M.I.A., Devendra Banhart, The Raconteurs, Dizzee Rascal, and more. There is speculation that Tapes plans on consuming exorbitant amounts of alcohol to celebrate, but that cannot be confirmed at press time. The band plays two Chicago dates this weekend, one with the motherfu**ing Wrens. Nicely done, guys. I'm proud of you.

saturday looks good to me

"For the past five years, Saturday Looks Good to Me has been releasing irresistible pop nuggets that magically bridge the gaps between the Beach Boys and Jesus and Mary Chain, Motown and the Happy Mondays, and Phil Spector and My Bloody Valentine"
--Delusions of Adequacy


Betty Marie Barnes (photo by Grambo)

If you've read this blog from the beginning, you know I'm a huge fan of Detroit's Saturday Looks Good To Me. The band's new release, Sound on Sound, is an outstanding collection of "12 EPs, 7-inches, singles, and tour CDs, all limited, sold-out and highly sought after by fans", and is a perfect introduction for those not familiar with the band's '60's AM radio sound.

Here are a couple songs from Sound on Sound. If you like these, I can highly recommend purchasing the album here, or downloading it with your 50 Free Download Trial Offer from eMusic.

Saturday Looks Good To Me Lift Me Up mp3
Saturday Looks Good To Me Can't Ever Sleep mp3

bonus: (not on the album)

Saturday Looks Good To Me Meet Me by the Water mp3

read Delusions of Adequacy's full review of Sound on Sound here

The Carrots

The Carrots

Austin's The Carrots have been called a "post girl-band girl-band", and let's face it, they have some factors working against them being taken seriously. First of all, they're named after a vegetable. Then there's the fact that they could be considered somewhat of a gimmick, what with the matching outfits and the fact that they play '50's-style doo-wop.

Luckily for them (and us), however, they do an amazing job of capturing the spirit and essence of the original girl-groups of the '50's and early '60's, like Martha and the Vandellas, The Ronettes, The Crystals, and The Shirelles, often covering some of these bands' hits in their live set (which I hear is great).

Here are a couple songs from The Carrots' myspace page:

The Carrots Beverly mp3
The Carrots Kissing & Telling mp3

bonus:

The Ronettes Be My Baby mp3

Man, I made it through a whole post without mentioning how hot The Carrots' lead singer is. Awesome.

outtake?

This evening, Stereogum premieres an exclusive new song from Sufjan Steven's The Avalanche: Outtakes and Extras from the Illinois Album. And guess what, haters and naysayers? It's not boring. In fact, it would have fit nicely on Illinoise.

also:



SubPop has released their Acquired Taste DVD, featuring 25 videos from some of their best bands, including The Shins, Rogue Wave, Wolf Parade, Iron & Wine, and oh so many more. Peep the tracklist and buy it here for only 10 bucks.

adventure!

Be Your Own Pet (photo: Andrew Kendall)

This is the kind of thing I usually find really annoying. Be Your Own Pet are teenagers from Nashville who make noisy, angsty, aggressive garage punk/pop. But there's something authentic about these kids that is really endearing, and, for lack of a better word, fun. Plus, frontwoman Jemina Pearl is a total badass. Enjoy this track from BYOP's upcoming self-titled LP, due out 6/6/06.

Be Your Own Pet Adventure mp3

Soul Position

C-Bus' finest, RJD2 and Blueprint, are back with their second LP as Soul Position. The new record, Things Go Better With RJ and AL, was released earlier this month. Hip Hop DX calls it "best album (we've) heard in 2006", and even notorious hater Byron Crawford likes it.

On this track, the album's first single, RJD2 combines blaring horns over a slinky bassline to create the best beat on the album, and Blueprint drops his signature socially conscious (if a little heavy-handed) lyrics. Highly recommended:

Soul Position Hand Me Downs mp3

movie monster

Here's the title track from Sound Team's upcoming LP, due out in June on Capitol:

Sound Team Movie Monster mp3

You know how I feel about Sound Team. Read The Tripwire's review of the album here.

shayla

Head over to Indie Interviews to get an exclusive cover of Blondie's "Shayla", performed acoustically by Voxtrot frontman Ramesh Srivastava. Recorded live in Denton on Friday night. In Garrison's car.

TV On The Radio: Live in Dallas

Last night's TV On The Radio and Celebration show was a collaborative affair, with members of TVOTR joining Celebration on stage, and Katrina Ford of Celebration returning the favor during their set. This was one of the more exciting, powerful shows I've seen in a long time, and I'm still not quite sure how TVOTR puts that much heart and soul onto the stage every single night. The new songs were amazing, and "Wolf Like Me" is officially my frontrunner for song of the year.









Adam's mind being blown

afrotek

We're very excited this morning, because we're going to see TV on the Radio and Celebration tonight at the Gypsy Tearoom. So, your loosely related jam of the day comes from twins Aku and Akwetey O.T., aka Dragons of Zynth. The Dragons are not only friends of TVOTR and Celebration, they also assisted TVOTR on the genius new album, and Dave Sitek and Kyp Malone produced the Dragons' "psycotropically astonishing" debut album, due out this year. Further, an upcoming "New Gothic Soul" collabo with Massive Attack(!) is currently in the works.

Dragons of Zynth Afrospliffs (feat. Notorious B.I.G.) mp3

Voxtrot: Live in Denton

Voxtrot

Here are some photos from last night's Voxtrot show, which, as you'll be able to tell, turned into an on-stage party by night's end. The Denton crowd was great, and the band even seemed a little surprised by how receptive they were. Great sets by Bosque Brown, Tacks, the Boy Disaster, and Irving, too.


Bosque Brown


Evan of Tacks, the Boy Disaster

new clouds

Spiral Beach sound kind of like a trip to the beach (duh), a play in the park, a roll in the grass, and laughing your ass off at the clouds --Wavelength



Commenter Kayin tells us that Spiral Beach opened for Voxtrot/Irving on the Canadian leg of their current tour, and he/she adds that they "blew my mind". Can anyone else confirm/deny the mind-blowing abilities of this band? I've heard a couple songs, and I am fairly intrigued:

Spiral Beach New Clouds mp3

car trouble

Voxtrot will hopefully make their way to Hailey's in Denton tonight, with fellow Austinites Tacks, The Boy Disaster and L.A.'s Irving in tow. You see, Voxtrot has been plagued by a bit of a curse the last few times they've been scheduled to play in North Texas, and have had to alter or cancel their shows here twice in the last couple of months. And of course, they're having van trouble again, currently stuck in Lawrence, KS. They had to cancel their show in Oklahoma last night, but band management assures us the band will make it. Unless the van breaks down again, of course.

And even if you're a Voxtrot hater (yeah, i'm talking to you again anonymous), then Tacks and Irving will still be well worth your 3 bucks.

Here's a track from Irving's new album, Death in the Garden, Blood on the Flowers:

Irving Jen, Nothing Matters to Me mp3

Want to win a signed copy of Irving's album? Enter by leaving your prediction of who will be the 2006 Major League Baseball home run champion in the comments. I'll pick my favorite prediction, and if you have no idea who's going to win, just guess Albert Pujols.

UPDATE: Voxtrot got the van up and running, and are on the highway. And Bosque Brown is also playing, which is good news (thanks, anonymous).

Elvis vs. Elvis

Tapes 'n Tapes with new bassist Erik Applewick (photo credit)

The Rock 'n Roll Star reports that Tapes 'n Tapes debuted their new lineup last night in a secret show at a Minneapolis bar under the clearly gorilla vs. bear-influenced moniker Elvis vs. Elvis. Read all about it here.

so far

Said the Gramophone's Sean has posted his top 5 albums of the year thus far, and in doing so he's inspired me to think about my favorites of '06 so far. And because we believe in quantity over quality here at gorilla vs. bear, we're going to do our top 8, in no particular order. Of course, I'm probably forgetting some, and if you ask us tomorrow it could be totally different, but we really, really like these:



Destroyer Destroyer's Rubies
Midlake The Trials of Van Occupanther
Sunset Rubdown Shut Up, I Am Dreaming
The Knife Silent Shout
Birdmonster No Midnight
Gnarls Barkley St. Elsewhere
Beirut Gulag Orkestar
Ghostface Fishscale

As StG also points out, Beirut has made a couple more tracks from his wonderful Gulag Orkestar available on his website. I've been enthralled by his work with since I first heard his demos back in February.

Beirut Mt. Wroclai (Idle Days) mp3

lovers who uncover

I had a lengthy discussion with a Rock Insider yesterday who told me that The Little Ones were here newest obsession. She has pointed me in the direction of some good bands from LA in the past, so I decided to check them out. Of course, always being one step ahead of me, Matt posted on them today as well, and Yeti, Rachael, Janet, and Coolfer are also fans.

At any rate, I'm glad I found them, because I've been looking for something like this to tide me over until I get the new album from The Shins...even their EP cover art is Chutes Too Narrow-esque. This track, upon a few listens, reminds me quite a bit of The Spinto Band's "Oh Mandy", one of the catchiest songs of '05:

The Little Ones Lovers who Uncover mp3

purchase the bands Sing Song EP here

compare/contrast:

The Spinto Band Oh Mandy mp3

best news all day

I just read that Beck will be touring the U.S. with Jamie Lidell this summer, and that their first stop (nevermind) they will be in Dallas on June 21. If you've seen Jamie and/or Beck play before, you know this is a perfect pairing. See you there.

Beck Which Will mp3 (Nick Drake cover)
Jamie Lidell Multiply (Gonzales remix) mp3

also:



If you have an iPod Video, or even if you don't, I highly recommend hitting up Videoteque, one of my favorite new blogs. In addition to having an awesome banner (see above), they've currently got iPod compatible videos from The Knife, Sigur Ros, The Streets, and tons more.

come on and say it here

Tanakh is Jesse Poe and an ever-revolving ensemble of musicians from Italy (via Richmond, VA). I was introduced to them by the lovely Lady Byrd, who expressed her love for the band here.

Tanakh's new album, Ardent Fevers, is a gorgeous collection of Neil Young/Tim Buckley-influenced psych pop that recently received a very positive Pitchfork review, which described the band's sound as "stubbornly indefinable." This song, with its sad horns and "front-porch guitars", is as hopeful as it is melancholy, recalling "Beck from his Sea Change period."

Tanakh Drink to Sher mp3

Purchase Ardent Fevers here

The band is currently touring the U.S. Who Needs Radio has the dates.

with wolves

We love J Tillman here at gorilla vs. bear. We love him so much, in fact, that his album, Long May You Run, J Tillman, is one of our favorite records of 2006 thus far. Hopefully you own one of the 100 copies that were printed, because it's sold out.

At any rate, when we found out he has two new songs from his upcoming Minor Works available on his myspace page, we had to share one.

J Tillman With Wolves mp3

J Tillman is so great, in fact, that he was recently interviewed by none other than Jesus. Read that interview in its entirety here.

The Shins to play 2006 ACL Fest

Today's ACL Scavenger Hunt clue:

"This band was once called Flake"

I thought they were called "Flake Music", but what do I know? Either way, they're confirmed to play the ACL Fest, and I am glad.

Neko Case: Live in Dallas

We endured what is possibly Dallas' lamest venue last night to see the lovely Neko Case, and she made it all worthwhile. Highlights included Neko ripping the city of Houston ("We'd never fucking play Houston...because Eddie Money lives there, and he's a fucking mean guy"), a goosebump-inducing version of my favorite track from Fox Confessor Brings the Flood ("Maybe Sparrow"), and a foot-stomping cover of Dylan's "Buckets of Rain".

I also picked up a copy of Neko's amazing tour-only EP, Canadian Amp, which includes this Neil Young cover:

Neko Case Dreaming Man mp3

If Neko comes through your town, it's worth the price of admission just for the chance to get this EP. Here are some photos of the lovely Ms. Case (click for larger image):





*********************

Download Neko Case's wonderful album, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, with your no strings attached 50 Free Download Trial from emusic.

2006 ACL Fest Lineup Scavenger Hunt

Go join in the fun on the 2006 ACL Festival website, where they're holding a Scavenger Hunt to guess the lineup for this year's fest. I can confirm that The New Pornographers are on the bill, but you'll have to guess the rest on your own. Prizes include VIP passes for the fest, which I can assure you are highly sought after commodities when it's 108 degrees outside.

The New Pornographers Twin Cinema mp3

tonight

We'll be heading over to The Granada Theater this evening to catch the inimitable Neko Case. Support will come from Montreal's The High Dials, whom I know absolutely nothing about. I like this song well enough, and I see they've garnered some comparisons to The Zombies, which has me intrigued. But my question is this: are they worth seeing live, or should I skip them and go out to dinner instead?

The High Dials Strandhill Sands mp3

crazy video

Here's the streaming video for Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy", in its entirety:

Gnarls Barkley crazy (video)

heartbeats

Thanks to two of my favorite readers (Nishita and Chris) for these videos of Jose Gonzalez performing on his recent trip to NYC.

Jose Gonzalez Heartbeats (live at Blender's offices)
Jose Gonzalez Love Will Tear Us Apart (live at Joe's Pub)

bonus:

more of Jose's set at Blender

ola podrida

When I got home late last night, I had a myspace friend request from Austin's Ola Podrida. The name immediately struck a chord, as there used to be a unique, quaint Spanish artist-mall in Dallas of the same name that I used to enjoy going to as a kid. For some reason, the thought of this place sparked a feeling of bittersweet nostalgia. Strangely enough, the music of Ola Podrida, and this song in particular, were perfect for my unexpected mood. This song is beautiful:

Ola Podrida Jordanna mp3

Ola Podrida's songwriter, David Wingo, also composes scores for David Gordon Green's films, including All the Real Girls and George Washington. I highly recommend heading over to their myspace page, where you can download a few more songs.

the tiny

I discovered Sweden's The Tiny through swedes please (where else?). Vocalist Ellekari Larsson recalls a more fragile, sadder Bjork, or maybe Joanna Newsom, if she were composing songs for early Disney movies. The dark ones, like Snow White (not that I've ever seen it, dude).

The above comparisons will probably make some of you cringe and immediately navigate away from this blog, never to return. But for those that are intruigued, I think you'll really like this song.

The Tiny My Mother mp3

listen to more songs at the band's myspace page. The duet with Ed Harcourt is especially good.

Purchase The Tiny's new LP, Starring Someone Like You, here

tapes 'n tapes news?

I received an email today informing me that Danish band Figurines will be touring the U.S. with Tapes 'n Tapes in the coming months. I assume this would be after the Tapes get back from the UK, where they will head in May for their first international tour. Of course, I've also heard (completely unsubstantiated) rumors that the brothers Tape will be touring with Cold War Kids, and a somewhat curious rumor that they'll be signing with Heineken's fledgling record label, which is probably something the band just made up while drinking in Dallas.

Anyway, I hope the part about them touring with Figurines is true, because I really like their new record, Skeleton. Here's a song from it:

Figurines The Wonder mp3

barred from the temple

Good Friday is not so good when you have to work. As I was purchasing breakfast in my office building this morning, I listened to some woman go off on an emotionally heated rant about how insulting it is that "they" get a day off for Martin Luther King, Jr., but "we" don't get one for Jesus. She appeared genuinely angered by this. "Well, on the brightside," I told her, "at least there was no traffic this morning." She was not amused.

Moving on, here are some songs you may like. These are two of my favorite at the moment, and they're helping me suffer these fools at my office. (hopefully this doesn't get me dooced)


Destroyer

Destroyer the temple mp3
Menomena e is stable mp3

"the soundtrack to every indie kids' summer"?

SOUND team's Movie Monster has received its first formal review, and it echoes many of the sentiments that have been expressed right here on this blog: it's good.

They even compare it to two of my very favorite records, You Forgot It In People and Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes, and go on to call it "the soundtrack to every indie kids' summer".

It has already been soundtracking my spring, along with the new records from the two fine bands featured on this poster:



If you are in Birdmonster and/or Division Day, please send me one of these posters. And bring your tour to Dallas.

dressed up for the letdown

Here are two great new songs from artists that you'll probably be hearing more from this year, as both have new albums in the works. I'm not especially familiar with either of these artists, but I do know I'm very fond of both of these songs:



Richard Swift's Dressed Up For The Letdown comes out in May on Secretly Canadian. This song is decidedly more upbeat than most of the stuff from his previous record, and it has piqued my interest in the new album:

Richard Swift The Songs of National Freedom mp3

listen to another new track at Richard's myspace



Austin's Zykos play this Saturday in Denton at Hailey's with Maria Taylor of Azure Ray. This track is a demo, and will hopefully appear on the band's next LP, due out some time this year(?). I know Matt Picasso has long been a fan of Zykos, and this song has me convinced:

Zykos Keep it Light mp3 (demo)

elsewhere:

Kevin has an epic 3-part post of mp3s from Neko Case's NPR Live Concert Series Performance.

i love to watch good dancers talk

One of my favorite records of 2003 was The Sleepy Jackson's Lovers. So I was extremely happy to hear from Frank that their new record, Personality, is due out on Astralwerks on July 25. Hopefully this will mean a U.S. tour, as this band is pretty great live. Here's one of my favorite tracks from Lovers:

The Sleepy Jackson Good Dancers mp3

save it for the morning

Dear bands I want to see,

Please stop playing in Denton on weeknights. I know Dallas crowds can be lame, and we have trouble even keeping any decent venues open, but Denton is far, and some of us have work in the morning. Thanks. Bands I don't like, please disregard this plea.

We saw Cold War Kids last night in Denton, and needless to say, I'm running late for work this morning, so this'll be quick. Frontman Nathan Willett, who was clearly influenced by old Delta Blues singers as much as Jeff Buckley, is essentially a soul singer fronting an indie-rock band, and I mean that in the best possible way. Willett and guitarist Jonnie Russell's vocal harmonies are something special. The band seemed to win over the moderately crowded venue with their infectious energy and (ahem) "soulful" performance, and I definitely recommend checking them out if they roll through your town.

Photos: (click for larger image)






Cold War Kids Tell Me in the Morning mp3

and in case you missed it the last time:

Cold War Kids Hospital Beds mp3

Check out the band's website for video of them impersonating different Major Leaguer's batting stances.

free to stay

"Barsuk Records is proud to announce the addition of Smoosh to our roster. Their new record is called free to stay and it comes out June 20th. They'll be heading out on tour with The Eels to set up the release--check back for more details in the days ahead."



What do you guys think of Smoosh? They've been called indie-rock prodigies by some, an overhyped gimmick by others. As I've mentioned before, I think they fall somewhere in between. The pre-teen sisters have written some good songs, played shows with Sufjan Stevens, Cat Power, and Sleater-Kinney (among others), and there's no question they have potential. And most importantly, my 3 year-old niece loves them, and she's very picky.

Well, now that they're on Barsuk and we're going to be hearing a lot more from them, I suppose we'll find out what young Asya and Chloe are capable of. If you're unfamiliar with Smoosh, here are a couple songs that, in my opinion, hint at their talent:

Smoosh Massive Cure mp3
Head Like a Kite Noisy at the Circus mp3 (feat. Asya of Smoosh)

pics 'n tapes

I was unable to make it out to the Wall of Sound Festival on Sunday (hey, the Tigers were in town), but a friend got some amazing pics from SOUND team's packed set that make me wish I was there. (click for larger image)







mp3:

SOUND team Your Eyes are Liars mp3

Check out Indie Interviews.com's new sound byte feature. This week's guest: Sam Sanford of SOUND team.

elsewhere:



Tapes 'n Tapes got a nice write-up in the new Rolling Stone magazine, and The Loon was finally reviewed (it got 3.5 stars). They call the boys "experimental indie dudes", and even mention a couple blogs, including yours truly.

Vice has made The Streets' new single, "When You Wasn't Famous", available as a free and legal mp3 download. I love the new album, but I've never been a huge fan of Skinner's choices for singles, and this one is no different.

The Streets When You Wasn't Famous mp3

Finally, if you're in North Texas, don't forget about Two Gallants and Cold War Kids tonight in Denton at Rubber Gloves.

all us boys on death row. we're just waiting for a pardon.

"By mixing soulful characteristics not often found anymore in white music, (Cold War Kids) could mirror Jeff Buckley accompanied by the Velvet Underground with a U2 Rattle & Hum spirit"
--Super Unison


cold war kids

Did you read that quote up at the top of this post? Are they fu**ing serious? Buckley, the Velvets, and early U2? And they go on to compare these guys to Dylan and Billie Holiday, too? If it all sounds like PR bullshit to you, then you haven't seen L.A.'s Cold War Kids play live.

• Cold War Kids St. John mp3

See? These kids have soul. Jax got me into the band when she was here in Dallas, and since seeing them open for Birdmonster at SXSW, I've been hooked on their bluesy, infectious pop songs. Lately, I can't get enough of their two new EPs, Up in Rags and With Our Wallets Full (purchase both here for 12 bucks), and this song in particular has been getting a lot of play:

Cold War Kids Hospital Beds mp3

Cold War Kids play tomorrow night in Denton at Rubber Gloves with Two Gallants

Download more tracks at the band's website

daylight's for the birds

Daylight's For The Birds has made 3 new tracks, featuring vocals from Amanda Garrett, available for download on their myspace page. These are unmastered, and will be released sometime in the fall on their debut record. This one's my favorite of the new songs, but all are beautiful:

Daylight's For The Birds To No One mp3

Beartrap Island

I first heard San Francisco's Division Day back in January, and I was instantly hooked on their shimmery, melodic, and often dreamy pop songs. Well, their new LP, Beartrap Island, is almost ready to go (due April 18). In support of the record, the band will embark on a Northwest Tour with Birdmonster...which will hopefully eventually make it's way to Dallas.

Here are a couple tracks from Beartrap Island:

Division Day Hurricane mp3
Division Day Tigers mp3

check the band's merch page, where the LP should be available for purchase soon

my baby's out, yeah he's shooting tigers

The Grates have released the first single from their new album, Gravity Won't Get You High, produced by the great Brian Deck (Modest Mouse, Iron & Wine, oh so many more). The song, entitled "19 20 20", features lyrics such as "my baby's out, yeah he's shooting tigers...my baby, he's such a fucking liar". Unfortunately, it's only available on Australian iTunes at this point, but you can listen to the song at the band's MySpace.

Also, listen to Garrison's highly entertaining interview with the band over at IndieInterviews.com, where the band expresses their love for slingshots and heaps of beer. It's worth checking out to just to hear frontwoman Patience's views on weak bitches and her fear of spider veins. A must listen.

For the record, I love Patience. She's super cute, and could not be any nicer. She should be a huge star. If you've seen them live, you know what I mean.

The Grates Trampoline mp3

The Avalanche

Why the special midnight post? Just got this e-mail from Asthmatic Kitty. Now let's just hope this isn't some elaborate joke, or I'll be the cutting-edge jackass. Oh well, that's never stopped me before:



Asthmatic Kitty Records has announced plans to release a new collection of songs from Sufjan Stevens, titled The Avalanche: Outtakes and Extras from the Illinois Album which will hit shelves on July 25, 2006.

The little secret behind the Illinois record is that it was originally conceived as a double album, culminating in a musical collage of nearly 50 songs...

While some of you will no doubt cry "overkill", I say bring it on. Oh, Asthmatic Kitty also debunks the rumor that's been floating around some of the lamer blogs:

"...singer Rosie Thomas, contrary to popular rumor, is NOT carrying Sufjan's baby"

Thanks a lot, Pitchfork. At any rate, here's the album opener and title track:

Sufjan Stevens The Avalanche mp3

The entire track list for The Avalanche: Outtakes and Extras from the Illinois Album, can be found here.

related:

Asthmatic Kitty has also signed gorilla vs. bear pals Shapes and Sizes. More on that later.

Shapes and Sizes Islands Gone Bad mp3

Midlake: "Young Bride" Video

You've all seen the storyboard video for Midlake's "Young Bride". Here's the final version:

Midlake Young Bride .mov

Here are a couple more screen captures from the video:

we've got a dance called "the be yo' self"?

Apparently, Cee-Lo Green can do absolutely no wrong these days. Everyone (and I do mean everyone) loves Gnarls Barkley, and "Crazy" is already a huge hit in the UK. I got the St. Elsewhere album sampler in the mail yesterday, and it's awesome. In fact, I listened to it 3 times in a row on my unusually long commute to work this morning (I hate you, Dallas traffic).

Well, Cee-Lo is also working on another project, this time with someone named Jack Splash of something called Plantlife. I don't know much about it, other than it's been unfortunately named Lovestink, and this song is the motherfu**ing jam.

Lovestink Gangsta Boogie mp3

smile smile

Here's another band that will be playing this weekend's Wall of Sound Festival in Fort Worth (along with Okkervil River, Midlake, Starlight Mints, Low, Dave Bazan, What Made Milwaukee Famous, SOUND team, Octopus Project, The Black Angels...you get the point. The lineup is ridiculous):



So I found another Dallas band I like. And not just because keyboardist/vocalist Jencey is hot. Smile Smile makes lovelorn, pretty, and at times impossibly sweet boy-girl pop songs. Vocalist Ryan Hamilton's voice reminds me of two of my favorite male vocalists, Cass McCombs and Chad VanGaalen, in that it's capable of conveying sadness and hope at the same time (particularly on "Taking its Toll").

While "Sad Song" is a perfect choice for a single, with its soothing piano melody and broken-hearted lyrics, I have a feeling it only hints at what this band is capable of. "Taking Its Toll" is a brand new song that's not on the EP (I think).

Smile Smile Sad Song mp3
Smile Smile Taking its Toll mp3

Buy Smile Smile's self-released EP at their website

Be Smile Smile's friend to listen to more songs (and to look at more pictures of Jencey)

related:


cleeeeeek

2 days. 88 bands. 3 stages. See you there!

Postcards from Italy

I posted the demo version of this track back in February, but here's the completed album version from Beirut's upcoming Gulag Orkestar, due out May 9 on Ba Da Bing Records.

Beirut is 19 year-old Albuquerque native Zach Condon. Ba Da Bing tells me that this is Beirut's fourth album (he's also recorded a doo-wop album, an electronica album, and an electro-pop album), but the first that will see release.

This version, which features the drumming of Jeremy Barnes (of Neutral Milk Hotel), is fuller, and as a result, more emotionally sweeping than the demo. Beirut draws from influences like Magnetic Fields, NMH, and Middle-Eastern instrumentation to create something entirely new and beautiful.

Beirut Postcards from Italy mp3

elsewhere:

Thanks to the anonymous reader who sent in the (fake) album artwork for the aforementioned Sufjan Stevens/Rosie Thomas collabo:

blonde bill

photo by FedEx Kinko's

SOUND team's Bill Baird has a new website. On it, he offers up much of his solo catalog for download, including some of the most refreshingly bizarre songs you're likely to experience all year, along with the first ever SOUND team ringtone (mp3) and his entire gorilla vs. bear showcase set (mp3).

On one of my personal favorites from Bill, "My Woman Hates My Guts", he melds genres through his signature exploration of odd fictional episodes, accentuated by dubby/Scratch Perry production, to create an avant-folk gem:

Bill Baird My Woman Hates My Guts mp3

"Half a Man, Half a Man" is one of the most bare-bones tracks Bill's ever recorded at Big Orange--just three mics. Not only did Bill get assists from SOUND team's Gabe Pearlman (drum/tambourine), Red Hunter (foot stomp/mandolin), and Voxtrot's Jared Van Fleet (electric guitar), he also got some accidental help from his brother Michael...who wasn't even in the same room.

Apparently, in what Bill calls "one of the most amazing musical coincidences I've ever experienced", Michael's keyboard take from "Born to Please" blared through the studio monitors, arriving not only on beat, but also in the same key, and concluded at the same time as "Half a Man..." (this "phantom keyboard" can be heard at around the 4:10 mark).

Bill Baird Half a Man, Half a Man mp3

spend some time over at Bill's website, where you'll find videos, links, and photos, as well as more mp3 downloads

Bill will be playing at Beerland in Austin this Thursday night for the Tonewheel Family Happy Hour from 7-9 PM. It's put together by Jared from Voxtrot, Martin Crane, and Mark Ashworth of Ink, and features Bill, Red, and other suprises. And it's free, so go.

bonus:

Bill Baird Just Like Heaven (The Cure cover) mp3

Sufjan and Rosie make music/baby

According to P-fork, Rosie Thomas and gorilla vs. bear hero Sufjan Stevens have recorded an album together, along with friend Denison Witmer. And more importantly, they're also having a baby! Just Sufjan and Rosie, Denison had no hand in that part. I hope.

Read more about the recording sessions at Denison Witmer's Myspace blog. Here's a lovingly selected excerpt:

"I feel like I adopted two crazy children. My head was about to blow. I made Sufjan sit in time out at least 8 times. I took away Rosies Internet privileges for 2 days after she spoke back to me about redoing a vocal take. I couldn't get them to stop fighting. They are brats."

Rosie Thomas Pretty Dress mp3

Chulahoma

The Black Keys, one of the best live bands in the world, will release Chulahoma: The Songs of Junior Kimbrough, on May 2. It's an amazing set of stripped down, soulful, re-workings of Kimbrough's work. I could listen to this all day, and I honestly think this ranks with the band's best work. Head over to MOKB to get a track.

monkey vs. shark

Thee More Shallows' follows up one of last year's best albums, the darkly beautiful More Deep Cuts, with a new EP, the awesomely titled Monkey vs. Shark.

The EP (due out May 9) includes "their stark rendition of Al Green's "I Can't Get Next To You" which was first performed on BBC 1 in the UK and has been described as "a beautiful soul song...with the soul sucked out of it," as well as a new version of "Freshman Thesis" remixed by Odd Nodsam and Why? (Anticon)". I'm sold.

Here's a great track from the new EP, and the original version of "Freshman Thesis" from More Deep Cuts:

Thee More Shallows I Can't Get Next To You mp3
Thee More Shallows Freshman Thesis mp3

order Monkey vs. Shark here

my baby's on a level

Thanks to Your Head's Not Right for pointing out that one of my most anticipated releases of the year, The Raconteurs' Broken Boy Soldiers, has leaked. He's got two tracks, and upon first listen, I love them.

update: People of Paper has another track, this one with Brendan Benson on lead vocals.

no, this is not a love song

Think About Life's self-titled debut LP (due out May 2) gets my award for the best album artwork I've seen this year. Pop-art gone awry, littered with pictures of kitties, school buses, girls in bikinis, and Lew Alcindor. Basically, all of my favorite things.

The band, who was tapped by Wolf Parade to open their fall '05 tour, veers back and forth between energetic chaos and catchy, surprisingly emotive noise-pop. At first listen, I almost wrote this band off as "not my thing", but the more I listen to this record, the more I like it. In fact, you could say I'm a little blown away. Plus, there's a song called "Slow Motion Slam Dunk from the Free Throw Line".

This track features L.A. rapper Subtitle, who you might remember (or maybe not) from his work with The Unicorns hip-hop side project, Th' Corn Gangg. Seems like a strange pairing at first, but I cannot get enough of this song. Highly recommended:

Think About Life What the Future Might Be (feat. Subtitle)

Purchase the cd from Alien8 Recordings. Well, not yet, but soon.

elsewhere:



YANP-approved band Bishop Allen continues their EP-a-month pace, and the March EP (purchase) is, by all accounts, the best one yet. This song has been in heavy rotation on the gorilla vs. bear iTunes playlist for the last few days:

Bishop Allen The Monitor mp3

finally:

Here's a track from Voxtrot's KEXP performance (thanks Greg). Get the rest of their set, including a Talking Heads cover, over at MOKB:

Voxtrot Soft & Warm (live on KEXP) mp3

steal the blueprints

Here's a song from the upcoming +/- LP, let's build a fire. Recommended for people that can't wait for another Postal Service album. Best listened to in conjunction with the video, which can be found here. Thanks to Derek for hooking me up w/ this song.

+/- Steal the Blueprints mp3

And now for the real motivation behind this post, my photos from this afternoon's Red Sox/Rangers game (the Sox won, 7-3):

The Southern Sea

Today is Major League Baseball's Opening Day, one of my favorite days of Spring. I'm getting out of here early today to go watch the Rangers lose to the Red Sox, but I had to tell you guys about this band first:



The Wall of Sound Festival takes place this weekend in Ft. Worth. Okkervil River, Low, Dave Bazan, Midlake, Starlight Mints, SOUND team, and appoximately 50 other bands will be playing. But it was The Southern Sea that convinced me to buy tickets.

• The Southern Sea Hotel Mishaps are Sad mp3

I first heard about The Southern Sea from Mark of Music for Robots fame, which is really pathetic on my part, considering the fact that the band is from my hometown of Plano, Texas. The band's EP, Simple Machines for Complex Problems, is a gorgeous collection of "sixties-influenced sci-folk" (according to the band). The arrangements and amazing vocal harmonies remind me at times of my very favorite Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys songs, and that is one of the highest compliments I could give a band.

purchase Simple Machines For Complex Problems here for only $7.99. (highly recommended)

be the band's friend

Buy tickets to The Wall of Sound Festival by clicking:

the comedic stylings of sigur ros

Man, those kids in Sigur Ros are characters. Check out this track, posted on the band's website on April 1:

"Refur is a unique Sigur Ros song as it marks the first time that kjartan steps away from his usual background vocals and takes the lead vocals. as a result, the song has taken a more upbeat direction than the band's previous works, which, according to jonsi, is likely to characterize the band's future releases."

sigur ros refur mp3

Broken Boy Soldiers

Thanks to the reader who sent these in:

The Raconteurs, live on BBC Radio, in handy mp3 format. Jack, Brendan, and the rest of the boys play a few songs, and talk a little about the band.

The Raconteurs Live at BBC Radio One mp3
The Raconteurs Live at BBC Radio Two mp3

Franz Ferdinand & Death Cab For Cutie: Live in Dallas

We went to the Franz Ferdinand/Death Cab show last night at Nokia (tickets courtesy of Heineken). It was exactly how we expected it to be. Pleasant enough, and kind of boring. To be fair, Franz Ferdinand sounded great and had pretty lights. Alex Kapranos is a fairly entertaining frontman, and the band is super-tight.

Some 12 year-old girl ruined "Eleanor Put Your Boots Back On" by screaming through it, so here's a live acoustic version of the song, recorded for BBC Radio Two, and a Serge Gainsbourg cover the band performed with Jane Birkin for a French TV show:

Franz Ferdinand Eleanor Put Your Boots Back On (live) mp3
Franz Ferdinand and Jane Birkin Sorry Angel mp3




As for the headliners: they weren't necessarily bad, but if you've seen one Death Cab show, unfortunately, you've seen them all. A couple of songs from Transatlanticism and We Have The Facts and We're Voting Yes sounded decent, but the soulless venue and the highly annoying crowd didn't help matters. The part when my friend Adam called Death Cab's bassist "the Ron Jeremy of indie rock" was pretty good though.



this drunk girl was more entertaining than "Soul Meets Body"