Pitchfork Festival: CSS

Just got back from Chi-town, and we had a blast at the Pitchfork Fest (full recap coming tomorrow, complete with a bunch of random pics). I don't plan on posting a bunch of photos of each set, but I had to share some shots from what was the most fun (arguably) and sweatiest (inarguably) set of the weekend: Cansei De Ser Sexy.








CSS This Month Day 10 mp3

Best of July

We're on our way back to Dallas today, but since today is the last day of July, here's my monthly "Best of" for those of you who don't have time to wade through the b.s. I compose on a daily basis. Enjoy, and we'll be back tomorrow with pics from the weekend:



This is our most played song of the month, hands down, and we're still not even remotely sick of it:

Ratatat Wildcat mp3

While "Wildcat" is our most played song of the month, DeVotchKa is probably our most listened to band. We love their score for Little Miss Sunshine so much it's ridiculous, and we can't WAIT to see this movie:

DeVotchKa How It Ends mp3

We posted on four amazing Austin bands this month, and we still can't get enough of any of them. I'm only lumping them together due to time constraints, each track deserves your undivided attention:

Tacks, the Boy Disaster Paris mp3
The Early Tapes Betty & Thomas mp3
The Weird Weeds One-eyed Cloud mp3
Car Stereo (Wars) Ghostface Observatory mp3

Here are two songs we didn't expect to love as much as we do, and we're waiting to snap out of it at any moment. It doesn't look like it's going to happen anytime soon, either, and I'm not sure what this says about us:

Teddybears Yours to Keep mp3
Poni Hoax Budapest mp3

Our favorite demo of the month comes from New York's Sam Champion...can't wait to hear their new stuff:

Sam Champion So Good To Me mp3

Finally, The African Game inspired our first (and probably our last) book review, and we still love it. Probably because there are lots of pictures.

today

It has been said that today's lineup at the Pitchfork Festival "could very well be the best day in the history of live music." Yeah, it was us that said that, but that's beside the point. The point is, original lineup or not, I get to see Os Mutantes today, so yay for me.

Os Mutantes Ando Meio Desligado mp3

Here's a video of the band performing the song live at The Barbican Hall in London back in May.

I'd Rather Go Blind

After a couple missed encounters at SXSW and in Dallas, we finally get to see Man Man today at the Pitchfork Festival. Based on the sheer number of people that have rubbed in how awesome they are and how we're huge losers for missing them, I'll be disappointed by anything less than the best show ever. We'll let you know. On that note, here's the least-representative Man Man song we could find:

Man Man I'd Rather Go Blind (Etta James cover) mp3

Scale

We're up in Chicago right now for the Pitchfork Fest, probably attempting to weasel our way into Wrigley for the Cubs-Cards game as you read this. I'm hoping to update sporadically from the road, and you can expect photos and a recap on Monday...for now, let me tell you about Herbert's newest album, Scale:



Matthew Herbert used over 700 items (musical and otherwise) to create his genius new record, Scale, including "coffins, petrol pumps, meteorites, an RAF Tornado Bomber, and somebody being sick outside a banquet for a notorious London arms fair." All that might sound extraneous and downright gimmicky in the hands of a lesser producer, but Herbert masterfully employs all these elements to create warm, intelligent, and often politically-charged dance music. Oh, and getting the lovely Dani Siciliano to contribute vocals doesn't hurt.

On this track, Herbert busts out drums recorded in a hot-air balloon to create what Prefixmag called "straight old-school soul-inflected house with the strings to back it up."

Herbert Like a Moving Train mp3

Bonus:

Here's a great remix Herbert did for Jamie Lidell's "Multiply":

Jamie Lidell Multiply (Herbert's Hoedown Bump) mp3

honey is cool

honey is cool

You guys might have noticed that I have an affinity (some might call it an obsession) for Swedish duo The Knife. Their newest, Silent Shout, is one of my favorite releases of '06, and Deep Cuts is one of my favorite releases of, well, ever. I love everything about them: the somewhat mysterious aesthetic, including the fact that they've never really performed live before this record, and most of all, Karin Dreijer's beautifully dark/sweet vocals.

So with that established, we were obviously ecstatic to obtain a copy of Honey Is Cool's 1997 LP, Crazy Love. Honey Is Cool was Karin's previous band, and they made the kind of perfect, highly-addictive pop that Swedish children are bred for, and that I believe was recently patented by the country. Throw Karin's voice in the mix, and I could listen to this stuff all day long. I believe this was the first (and possibly only?) single from the record:

Honey Is Cool Nach Heart mp3

This next track, more than any other song on the album, sounds like a pre-cursor to what Karin would end up doing on early records from The Knife. Okay, we admit that's a bit of a stretch, but it's more than the standard guitar/drums paired with that inimitable voice:

Honey Is Cool Twinkle mp3

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elsewhere:

Here's our SIRIUS Blog Radio: Week 9 playlist from last night...Midlake picked the second half of the playlist, so I've broken it down by band member:

Midlake--"We gathered in spring"
The Black--"Wasn't it a good year"
The Early Tapes--"betty & thomas"
Tacks, The Boy Disaster--"Man with a plan"
Zykos--"keep it light"
Martin Crane--"on an evening"
Ratatat--"wildcat"
car stereo (wars)--"ghostland gets bossy"
Elvis Perkins--"Ash Wednesday"
Chad Vangaalen--"red hot drops"
Midlake--"Head Home"

Tim Smith of Midlake:

America--"Ventura Highway"
Jimmie Spheeris--"I am the mercury"
Neil Young--"here we are in the years"

Paul Alexander of Midlake:

Fleetwood Mac--"Dreams"
America--"I need you"
Isao Tomita--"Arabesque No. 1"

Eric Pulido of Midlake:

Fleetwood Mac--"Hold me"
The Band--"whispering pines"
ELO--"livin' thing"

Eric Nichelson of Midlake:

The Doobie Brothers--"What a fool believes"
Crosby, Stills, & Nash--"You Don't Have to Cry"
Joni Mitchell--"Banquet"

Mckenzie Smith of Midlake:

David Bowie--"Oh! You Pretty Things"
Billy Joel--"Movin' Out"
Bread--"everything I own"

Finally, Justin of Aquarium Drunkard is back and posting again after a couple months on the road. Welcome back, dude.

Duplomacy

Last time Tapes 'n Tapes rolled through Dallas, they introduced me to the sounds of their friends and fellow Minnesotans Duplomacy. The band is already getting quite a bit of attention in their home town of Minneapolis, and they felt pretty certain these dudes were set to blow up once they released their new LP, All These Long Drives. Duplomacy makes layered, dreamy, pristine pop, and they've already garnerered comparisons to Pavement, REM, Nada Surf, and pre-suck Death Cab for Cutie (and all of these are actually pretty valid). Here are a couple of my favorites from the album:

Duplomacy Coppertone mp3
Duplomacy The Stroll mp3

Listen to a couple more songs from All These Long Drives on myspace, and purchase the album here

elsewhere:

Said the Gramophone has a great Ratatat remix of The Knife's "We Share Our Mother's Health."



My favorite left-coasters Birdmonster and Division Day have announced their summer tour, complete with a Dallas date on August 23.

Finally, Tapes 'n Tapes played "Insistor" on Letterman last night. No YouTube version yet, but how about a crappy video of some people at Minneapolis' Hexagon Bar watching the show?

isle of view/i love you

Jimmie Spheeris

Midlake's my guest on tomorrow night's SIRIUS Blog Radio show, and their playlist choices might give you some insight into how the band's amazing new record, The Trials of Van Occupanther, came to be. Frontman Tim Smith chose a track by Jimmie Spheeris, an artist I was entirely unfamiliar with prior to hearing this song. In fact, Smith called Spheeris' rare 1971 debut LP Isle of View his "favorite album of all time."

Jimmie Spheeris I Am The Mercury mp3

buy Isle of View on amazon for 100 bucks.

the original hilton sisters

Marissa Nadler

The more I listen to Marissa Nadler, the more I regret missing her intimate (maybe 10 people) show at Red Hunter's loft during SXSW. I've always thought that Marissa sounds a little like Neko Case, if Neko had born around the turn-of-the-century (the 20th century, kids) . Her sad and entirely haunting reverb-heavy vocals are perfectly suited for ballads lamenting such tragic figures as the original Hilton Sisters (no, not those morons):


Violet & Daisy Hilton

Daisy and Violet Hilton were a pair of conjoined twins who toured in the U.S. sideshow and vaudeville circuit in the 1930s. The Hilton Sisters "were among the highest paid sideshow performers in history, earning up to $5,000 per week during the height of the Great Depression. They appeared on stage with performers such as Bob Hope and Harry Houdini, and on film in Tod Browning's Freaks (1932), and in the excruciatingly terrible bio-pic Chained for Life (1950). Sadly, a string of lovers treated the twins just as badly, financially speaking, as had their former managers. Ill-equipped professionally or emotionally to manage their own affairs, the Hilton Sisters gained and lost several fortunes." On January 6, 1969, the twins were found dead in their home of the Hong Kong Flu. (source)

• Marissa Nadler Daisy & Violet mp3

In other news, Marissa has just signed to Peacefrog Records (home of Nouvelle Vague and Jose Gonzalez) for the release of her next full-length record, due sometime this year. She will also be contributing her version of "Cortez the Killer" to an upcoming compilation of woman artists covering Neil Young songs. Finally, and perhaps most intriguingly, Marissa will take part in a BBC Radio One recording session with Vashti Bunyan. Anybody that gets me an mp3 of either wins a prize.

Hear more Marissa Nadler on myspace.

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Elsewhere:

Paris' Toy Fight keeps getting better with each song. I'm really digging this new one. Head over to their myspace page to download three more.

Toy Fight The Soldier mp3

Finally, The Long Winters' new record, Putting The Days To Bed, comes out today. John Roderick explains some of the lyrics to Indie Interviews.

Little Miss Sunshine

We were already excited about the release of Little Miss Sunshine (starring Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, and more) this Wednesday, and that was before we heard the stunning DeVotchKa-composed score. Forget that the soundtrack features two Sufjan songs AND Rick James (bitches), the DeVotchKa songs are the highlight. If you're unfamiliar with this band, pick up the score here (it's a great place to start), then go see the movie.

DeVotchKa How It Ends mp3

Stereogum has DeVotchKa's video for another track from the score, "'Til the End of Time."

elsewhere:

The Anchor Center has an awesome video and mp3 of Cold War Kids performing "Hospital Beds" in Cincy over the weekend.

Red Hot Drops

Chad Vangaalen's Infiniheart was one of my favorite records of 2004, and again of 2005, and I'm slowly but surely falling in love with his newest LP, Skelliconnection. According to Sub Pop, the album "was culled from hundreds of songs Chad has recorded over the last year or so, while holed up in his bare bones basement home studio. Using handmade instruments alongside those available to mere mortals, he's created an even more diverse assemblage of music than for his last album and debut..."

When this track popped up randomly on my iPod the other day, the spooky, quivering synth had me convinced for about 30 seconds it was some B-side from Silent Shout. Then I saw the video, featuring Vangaalen's otherworldly animation, and I was hooked.

Chad Vangaalen Red Hot Drops mp3

i'm bossy

I posted Austin's Car Stereo (Wars)' first-ever mashup last week, and VH1's Best Week Ever proceeded to say it "might be the hippest mash-up in history." Not bad for your first try, guys, but what you got next?

Car Stereo (Wars) Ghostland Gets Bossy mp3

It's safe to say these dudes are 2 for 2. Check 'em out on myspace.

also:

Chris from Car Stereo (Wars) also directed this video for Single Frame's "People Are Germs (Nick Zinner remix)." There's even a cameo by Zinner himself, as a "mad scientist DJ."

ventura highway

Midlake is playing at Hailey's tonight, and to mark the U.S. release of The Trials of Van Occupanther, I've asked them to guest-host my SIRIUS Blog Radio show this week (Wednesday at 10 EST.) The playlist these guys have put together for you is, somewhat expectedly, heavy on the '70s classics, and it's probably my favorite playlist yet. This is the music I grew up on.

Here's a quick preview: The boys in Midlake chose two America songs, including this classic:

America Ventura Highway mp3

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elsewhere:

"What the Stones were, what the Dandy Warhols should've been."
--Magnet Magazine on Lions In The Street



Yeah, that above quote was probably enough to make you groan a little or at least roll your eyes, but it was also probably enough to make you want to listen. Luckily, Lions In The Street have made their new EP available for free download here. Here's a sample, it's actually pretty good:

Lions In The Street Lady Blue mp3

tonight/texas

Way too much good shit going on tonight, so here we go:



Austin:
Don't miss The Weird Weeds, Possessed By Paul James, and W-S Burn, in their first-ever Texas performance. The Weird Weeds' Nick Hennies tells me that W-S Burn is his "absolute favorite band in the world right now," so be sure to get there early:

W-S Burn Something Borrowed mp3

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Denton:
Four of North Texas' best young bands are playing at Rubber Gloves tonight, and all for only 5 bucks. Voot Cha Index just finished this new song, and some people (me) are calling it their best yet:

Voot Cha Index Japan mp3

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Finally:



Dallas:
I'll be spinning upstairs at The Cavern, but the place to be is downstairs, for a great bill featuring Saxon Shore, Denison Witmer, and Dallas' own Red Monroe. Here's a track from Red Monroe's upcoming self-titled album, out August 22:

Red Monroe Shotgun Heart/Fingertips mp3

songs that you might not like

I discovered Seattle's BOAT thanks to Matt's posts on the band, and now that I've obtained a copy of their new full-length, Songs That You Might Not Like, I can't stop listening. Their sound has been coined "sloppy pop," and that's pretty spot-on (only in the best sense of the word, sort of like The Unicorns.)

The record contains "clapping/snapping/whistling/guitar solos/saxophone sounding accordians/bleeping keyboards/distorted piano/oohs/la la's/shouting/singing/even some broken theremin sounds," yet BOAT's somehow able to rein all those elements in to create playful, catchy-as-hell pop jams that will lodge themselves into your heads and your hearts and refuse to come out.

Many of these gems (including both of the following tracks) clock in either under or right at two minutes long, yet still manage to feel fully-developed and entirely satisfying:

BOAT Holding All the Globes mp3
BOAT Cans of Paint mp3

Purchase Songs That You Might Not Like (you will) here for only $10

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Elsewhere:

Last night's SIRIUS Blog Radio Week 8 Playlist

1. Midlake--"Young Brides (Cassettes Won't Listen remix)"
2. Lovage--"Stroker Ace"
3. Handsome Boy Modeling School--"I've Been Thinking (feat. Cat Power)"
4. Massive Attack--"Exchange"
5. The Evening Episode--"Lovely Creatures"
6. Air--"All I Need"
7. Lindstrom & Prins Thomas--"Feel AM"
8. A Band of Bees--"Punchbag"
9. Serge Gainsbourg--"Je t'aime Moi non Plus"
10. Cat Power--"I Love You (feat. Karen Elson)"
11. Astrud Gilberto--"My Foolish Heart"
12. Ms. Tyree "Sugar" Jones--"If You Feel It"
13. Tommy Shames & The Shondells--"Crimson & Clover"
14. Handsome Boy Modeling School--"Sunshine (feat. Sean Lennon)"
15. Broken Social Scene--"Anthems for a Seventeen-Year-Old Girl"
16. Feist--"Leisure Suite"
17. Bjork--"Hyperballad"
18. Cibelle--"Arrete La, Menina (feat. Seu Jorge)"
19. The Cure--"Close To Me (closet remix)"
20. Isobel Cambell--"Bang Bang"
21. Juana Molina--"Rio Seco"
22. The Knife--"Bird"
23. M83--"Run Into Flowers (Midnight Fuck remix)"
24. Jose Gonzalez--"Hints"
25. The Shivers--"Beauty"

stroke that

Just a quick reminder to check out our SIRIUS Radio show tonight at 10 (9 Central). Entitled "Music to Make Love To Your Old Lady By," this episode features songs that...uh, yeah, it's self-explanatory. You may think the premise is stupid (in which case, blame Dan the Automator) but this is one of my strongest playlists yet. So break out the candles and cheap red wine, and set your radio to SIRIUS Left of Center. Here's a preview track:

Lovage Stroker Ace mp3

ps...if you don't have SIRIUS, you can listen online for free. All you need is an email address.

The Early Tapes

Everyone from Austin has been telling me how brilliant The Early Tapes are for a while now, and as it turns out, they were right. In fact, the stuff I've heard from these guys so far has blown me away. Check the influences: the stooges, hendrix, zeppelin, 13th floor elevators, velvet underground, the stones, cream, television, etc. And these dudes are the real deal...this song, taken from their debut 4-song EP, literally sounds like it's of another era.

The Early Tapes Betty & Thomas mp3

check out The Early Tapes on myspace

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elsewhere:

Danava brought their face-melting, Music for Robots-approved "hipster metal" to Dallas last night. It was a fun little show for a Tuesday night at The Cavern, and DJ Mwanz played a great set upstairs (we heard Liars, Lali Puna, Serge Gainsbourg, and a bunch of stuff we didn't know that sounded cool.) But the highlight for us was Portland's Snow Foxxes, and not just because we love hot female singer/drummers. Both bands were obviously heavily influenced by Sabbath/Zeppelin and the like, but Foxxes frontwoman Celia Wall's vocals and drumming added a bluesy element that I really liked.

classics?

If you're going to name your new album Classics, as Ratatat has, it better be damn good. The jury is still out on that: a couple of my favorite bloggers are on board, so that's a start. And this song, which features a sample from a cougar, is pretty awesome. Forget Hatebeak and Caninus, this is how you utilize an animal in your song, people:

Ratatat Wildcat mp3

The album genre-hops quite a bit, so if you like that song (or better yet, if you don't like that song) check out the Beatles-influenced "Tropicana" over at Marathonpacks. After a few listens, I'd have to agree with Eric that it's the best song on the album.

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elsewhere:

Sound Team starts their tour tonight in New Orleans, and joining them this time around (for most dates) are gorilla vs. bear favorites Cold War Kids and Midlake.

7/19 The Parish @ House of Blues, New Orleans *
7/20 The Earl, Atlanta *
7/21 Exit/In, Nashville *
7/22 Alchemize (Downstairs), Cincinnati *
7/24 Black Cat (Backstage), Washington D.C * +.
7/25 North Star Bar, Philadelphia * +
7/26 T.T. The Bear's, Cambridge, MA * +
7/28 Mercury Lounge, NYC * +
7/29 Mercury Lounge, NYC * +
7/30 Southpaw, Brooklyn, NY * +
7/31 Maxwell's, Hoboken, NJ * +
8/02 Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, PA { }
8/03 Kuyahoga Festival, Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH :::
8/04 Lollapalooza, Grant Park, Chicago ^^^

* = w/ Cold War Kids
* + = w/ Cold War Kids and Midlake
{ }= w/ Death Cab for Cutie and Mates of State
::: = w/ The Flaming Lips, Sonic Youth, Death Cab for Cutie,
Wolfmother, The Go! Team, etc.
^^^ = w/ Lollapalooza

Ghostface Observatory

We get sent a fair number of mash-ups here at gorilla vs. bear, and the majority of them fall somewhere in the "barely listenable" to "decent" range. So imagine how happy (delighted, even) I was to hear this: It's Ghostland Observatory's "Midnight Voyage" vs. Ghostface Killah's "Be Easy", and it's called "Ghostface Observatory." Yeah, I know, you totally could've come up with that, but you didn't. Car Stereo (Wars) did, and it's fucking awesome.

Car Stereo (Wars) Ghostface Observatory mp3

For those who were wondering, Car Stereo (Wars) "is two dudes in Austin (Chris Rose from Super!Alright! Media) and (Adreon Henry from Single Frame) that DJ around town under the moniker Car Stereo (Wars)". Download their kickass new mix CD, "Model Home Mix", here

Exclusive: "young bride" remix

I've had tons of requests to post the mp3 of Cassettes Won't Listen's remix of Midlake's "Young Bride" since it's been in rotation on my SIRIUS Blog Radio show, so of course, I begged CWL to let us premiere it here. And miraculously, they said yes!

Midlake Young Bride (Cassettes Won't Listen remix) mp3

Midlake's The Trials of Van Occupanther comes out July 25. Pre-order the album here

UPDATE: Stereogum has another "Young Bride" remix, this one by Roger O'Donnell. Get it, and check out Eric from Midlake's edition of "Inside the Rocker's Studio," right here.

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also:



Visit Dope Lotus Records for a chance to win one of the above Cassettes Won't Listen t-shirts.

Finally:

The great KEXP recently had Mr. Lif in studio. So Much Silence has the mp3s.

song of the night

The Knife

As previously mentioned, the theme of my SIRIUS Blog Radio show this week is "Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By" (shamelessly jacked from the title of Lovage's first and only record.) This song, from The Knife's self-titled debut from a few years back, is perfect for a late-night tryst; specifically, a first encounter of some sort. Or so I'd imagine. It's dark, sweaty, and slightly anxiety-ridden, and it's one of The Knife's best songs, in my opinion.

The Knife Bird mp3

we can ride around with the top down

Pitchfork continues to surprise me with their reviews, but this time, it's a surprise of the pleasant variety. Not only did they slap the coveted "Best New Music" tag on Girl Talk's insanely fun mash-up party record Night Ripper, they also gave the Teddybears' "Yours to Keep" a 4-star track review.

I've loved this song since Dodge told me to check them out a week or so ago. Even though "Yours to Keep" is slated to be on the band's new release, according to Pitchfork, it's six years old, and features vocals from Neneh Cherry (of "Buffalo Stance" fame) AND Annie. I'm expecting to get sick of this song any minute, but it hasn't happened yet:

Teddybears Yours to Keep mp3

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Elsewhere:



Feist's collection of "remixes and collabs," Open Season, comes out tomorrow. The album features a gorgeous collaboration with Jane Birkin, as well as remixes by the Postal Service, Mocky, Apostle of Hustle, and more, including this K-os Remix of "Mushaboom." Surprisingly, the track lends itself very well to the hip-hop treatment:

Feist Mushaboom (K-os Mix) mp3

Music to Make Love to Your (Hipster) Old Lady By

Here's a quick preview of our SIRIUS Blog Radio show this week, which will air Wednesday night at 10 Eastern. We cribbed the title from Lovage's genius 2001 release, and the entire episode will feature music appropriate for "setting the mood," so to speak.

For the first preview track, I turned to the expert on these matters, Moka. Her "bedroom" playlists have been helping bloggers hook it up since 2005. She insists that Lindstrom & Prince Thomas' new self-titled LP is ideal for setting the mood, and who the hell am I to argue? This track definitely has an Air vibe to it:

Lindstrom & Prins Thomas Feel AM mp3



For those of you who will be flying solo (if you know what I'm saying), don't worry, I've got you covered too. This Serge Gainsbourg cover, which features Mrs. Jack White, should be just as effective as that worn copy of Barely Legal or your "1 Night in Paris" bootleg:

Cat Power I Love You (feat. Karen Elson) mp3

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Elsewhere:

Muzzle of Bees recently reported on Hatebeak, a metal band whose lead singer is a freaking parrot. We tracked down the mp3, and I can safely say, without hesitation, that this is the absolute worst thing I have ever heard...

Hatebeak God of Empty Nest mp3

...Until I heard this. Reportedly, Hatebeak will be releasing a split with (and I'm not making this up) Caninus, a band fronted by two pitbulls. Where's PETA when you need them?

Caninus Human Rawhide mp3

tonight

I've only got time for a quick post, but I wanted to mention that Prayer For Animals and gorilla vs. bear local-favorite Teenage Symphony are playing tonight at Darkside Lounge in Deep Ellum. Prayer For Animals was recently voted North Texas' "Best New Act" over at Dallas' influential We Shot J.R. I just got their cd last night, and I'm impressed.

Prayer For Animals Sometimes There is a Balance mp3

The show starts at 9, only $5.

i was an inflatable sun

It was a surreal scene last night at Conduit Gallery in Dallas, as Wayne and Michelle Coyne were in town for the opening of Michelle's Flaming Lips photo exhibit, I Was An Inflatable Sun. The exhibit featured images of the band that Michelle has captured over the past 15 years. With Wayne involved, you know you're in for a spectacle, and it was just that, complete with a fire-eating woman who set her nipples ablaze, a hula-hooping bikini girl, free alcoholic snowcones, and of course, a giant walking inflatable sun. And Mrs. Coyne's photos were amazing. It was a fun event, and before you anonymous commenters get all up in arms, Wayne Coyne isn't paying me one cent for this post.


Wayne Coyne addresses his followers


Deejay CeePee






Wayne shoots me with his laser, Captain America stands idly by


the fire lady almost sets some dumbass's face on fire


Mr. and Mrs. Coyne take pictures of the fire lady


Deejay CeePee with Jennie Kelley of the Polyphonic Spree

drive: nike+ original run

I recently received a promo copy of The Crystal Method's Drive: Nike+ Original Run. According to Nike and the band:

"The unique set-up of the track 'Drive' is that it follows the progression of a 45-minute work out. The tempo of the track begins at a slower pace to take the athlete through a gradual warm up, increases pace over the course of the run, and then gradually decreases tempo as part of the cool down."



Apparently Nike and the Crystal Method got input from experts, runners, and other scientific-types to create an iTunes exclusive track that "follows the arc of a typical distance run"; specifically, a 45 minute run. Forget for a second that I've never run for 45 consecutive minutes in my entire life; also know that I've never been a fan of The Crystal Method's music, and in fact, am almost entirely unfamiliar with it, besides that one song from like 10 years ago. So I don't know if creating a 45 minute long track for Nike that's solely intended as a workout soundtrack is a publicity stunt by the band, an attempt to cash in on what's left of their career, or a genuine interest in trying to accomplish something new and innovative. In fact, I don't really care.

There's some other stuff too, like this new technology that reads your mind or something and synchs with your iPod and your shoes somehow to track your workout, but I don't know about that. I just wanted to know if the song works, so I gave it a spin:

I started out the run with a couple factors working against me. First, it was 100 degrees out. Second, I hate running. But I was wearing Nikes, so that was good. The track starts out a bit corny, with verbal cues warning "It's time to get movin'," "it's your time," etc., then some creepy dude laughs at you. Musically, it reminded me of mid-'90s Chemical Brothers-esque dance music, which isn't really my thing. However, about 5-6 minutes in, I found my pace unwillingly progressing from jog to gallop to run. Drive was impressively able to dictate the pace of the run throughout, and I absolutely got a second and third-wind that I normally don't get when running.

Nike and the Crystal Method dudes definitely did their homework, and simply put, the track works. I finally found myself getting bored and having the urge to slow down about 30 minutes in, but I don't know if that was because of the music, or just the running part. I kept up the pace until about the 35 minute mark, which is when the track starts slowing down anyway (genius!) I mean, I'll never listen to this track when I'm not running, but I'll definitely use it again, and I think at the very least, they've succeeded in creating something of a novel training-tool.

For those who care, here's my typical running playlist, complete with mp3s. Notice, it's under 30 minutes long, which is about 15 minutes shorter than Drive:

The Pharcyde Runnin' mp3
TVOTR Staring at the Sun (Hollertronix mix)
Spoon I Turn My Camera On mp3
CSS Meeting Paris Hilton mp3
Tapes 'n Tapes Cowbell mp3
The Walkmen The Rat mp3
Sigur Ros Staralfur mp3

you're so good to me

The blog hype you're about to be hit with regarding Sam Champion and Black Fiction is off the charts, so turn away now if you're a jaded, cynical anonymous commenter:



This is a new demo by NYC's Sam Champion, and it has made me fall in love with this band (yes, New York bloggers, I do realize I'm a little late, thanks.) I read somewhere that they sound like "Pavement covering CCR", which made me cringe a little, until I heard this song. These boys are the truth, and I hear they're even better live:

Sam Champion So Good To Me mp3

edit: my file host is down right now, here's an alternate You Send It link for the Sam Champion song if the above link doesn't work:

So Good To Me mp3

In other Sam Champion news, bassist Jack Dolgen created a theme song for my friends' blog, and it's actually pretty good. In fact, Blender Magazine's Rachel Shapiro is calling it "the best piece of music EVER!" (talk about blog hype!) Download it here.

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Matt Skatterbrain has quickly become one of my favorite bloggers. The kid has introduced me to so much good music lately, including this kick-ass song by SF's Black Fiction. I don't know much about these guys, other than they're drawing comparisons to Animal Collective, Beck, and Ariel Pink. I think one critic even mentioned "the Arcade Fire on peyote in the '60's" or some weird shit like that. Anyway, this song is insanely good...you should be hooked in by the bassline in the first 5 seconds. Read Matt's more in-depth post on the band.

Black Fiction I Spread the Disease mp3

elsewhere:

Oh No! Oh My! was the latest guest on WOXY.com's awesome Lounge Acts feature, and they brought a couple bloggers with 'em. My boy Matty has the mp3s.

Finally, here's the ol' SIRIUS Blog Radio Playlist from last night. You will be happy to note that I played a song called "Coke & Wet" on national radio. This gig is awesome:

1. Voxtrot--"Warmest Part of the Winter"
2. Sunset Rubdown--"Us Ones in Between"
3. Destroyer--"3000 Flowers"
4. Jens Lekman--"The Opposite of Hallelujah"
5. Band of Horses--"Our Swords"
6. The Walkmen--"Another One Goes By"
7. Os Mutantes--"Panis et Circenses"
8. The Futureheads--"Thursday"
9. Silver Jews--"Smith & Jones FOrever"
10. Danielson--"Brother:Son"
11. Matmos--"Roses & Teeth..."
12. The National--"Mr. November"
13. Mountain Goats--"Woke Up New"
14. Man Man--"Van Helsing Boombox"
15. Ted Leo--"Me and Mia"
16. Art Brut--"Bang Bang Rock & Roll"
17. Tapes 'n Tapes--"Just Drums"
18. Spoon--"Small Stakes"
19. Devendra Banhart--"At the Hop"
20. Liars--"The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack"
21. YYYs--"Maps (Diplo edit)"
22. CSS--"Let's Make Love...(Spank Rock Remix)"
23. Spank Rock--"Coke & Wet"
24. Bonde Do Role--"Funk Da Esfiha"
25. Flosstradamus--"Overnight Star"
26. Mr. Lif--"Murs is My Manager"
27. A-Trak--"Knucklehead"
28. David Bazan--"Selling Advertising"
29. Peter Bjorn & John--"Young Folks"
30. Sufjan Stevens--"The Henney Buggy Band"

weird feelings

With their upcoming release Weird Feelings, Austin's The Weird Weeds have created one of the year's strangest and most beautiful albums. I was a fan of the band's previous work, but the quality of this record, which features guest appearances from Red Hunter and Shapes & Sizes, sort of floored me.

I've listened to the entire album (which clocks in right at 30 minutes) in one sitting about 5 times since receiving it over the weekend, and the thing has literally evolved before my ears with each listen from a simple, quiet folk record into a complex, stunning piece of experimental pop.

These two tracks are an adequate preview, but do yourself a favor and immerse yourself in the whole thing. It'll be the best $6.99 you spend all month.

The Weird Weeds One-eyed Cloud mp3
The Weird Weeds For You To See Me mp3

Weird Feelings comes out on Sounds Are Active on Aug. 22. Pre-order the album here for only $6.99

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elsewhere:



Tonight is the seventh edition of Gorilla vs. Bear's Blog Radio on SIRIUS Left of Center, and it's a good one. Okay, I'll admit I have nothing to match ProductshopNYC's show on Monday, which featured Aziz Ansari's interview with the "real" Jeff Mangum. An amazing interview, in which we learn Mangum is working on a NEW Total Gym! If anyone can improve on the old Total Gym, which was thought by many to be the perfect piece of exercise equipment, it's totally Mangum.

Instead, I have for you a preview of the Pitchfork Music Festival, which we'll be attending later this month in Chi-town. Tonight's episode features tracks from Diplo, the Silver Jews, Jens Lekman, Man Man, and so on and so forth.

best/so far

2006 is just slightly more than half over, and it has already been an exceptional year for new music. Out of sheer curiousity, I asked some of my favorite musicians/bloggers/people to name their favorite albums of 2006 so far. Of course, most of them pretended they didn't hear me, but a few were nice enough to answer, and here are the results: (I included my choice at the end of the post, hopefully the above photo doesn't give it away)

Matt from You Ain't No Picasso:

• Starlight Mints--Drowaton
  "When I first heard the Starlight Mints' new album, Drowaton, back in February, I proclaimed to my friends that I had just heard the best album of 2006; I'm still waiting to be proven wrong. With Drowaton, the Mints have again shown themselves to be not only fantastic songwriters, but also composers. The string compositions on "Seventeen Devils" alone are enough to warrant Allan Vest's inclusion into the Independent Music Hall Of Fame. You know, when they eventually get around to starting one."
  
  Starlight Mints Inside of Me mp3

Aziz Ansari (comedian, all-around badass):

• Destroyer--Destroyer's Rubies
  
  Destroyer European Oils mp3

John Vanderslice (songwriter, superfan, genius):

• Thom Yorke--The Eraser
  "i am a superfan of everything that comes out of the radiohead camp (save for the last few EPs). in the past few years, jonny greenwood's bodysong has had a huge impact on me, as well as hail to the thief.
  
  the eraser is FILLED with rhythmic and harmonic ideas. we have referenced it many times in the studio while starting the new jv record."

Annie Clark of St. Vincent & The Polyphonic Spree:

• Gnarls Barkley--St. Elsewhere
  "It's the illest."

Josh Grier, frontman of Tapes 'n Tapes:

• Destroyer--Destroyer's Rubies
  "so far i think i'm going to have to go with rubies by destroyer. there are a couple of other records that i need to listen to more, though (danielson and the liars). rubies is just so fucking good (melodies and lyrics...the double threat)."

Matthew Perpetua of Fluxblog:

• Marit Larsen--Under The Surface
  "Picking a favorite song on Under The Surface is virtually impossible for me, though I could probably single out my least favorite. But even that track is pretty fantastic, all told. Talking about "exquisite songcraft" is usually a great way to convince someone that an album is dull and drab, but it's really an accurate description of this music, which overflows with potent emotion while sounding like it was made with a Pop Machine with its dials all set to PERFECTION. There are sweeping fairy tale ballads, ABBA-ish singalongs, Scandinavian approximations of country and bluegrass. It's just astonishing, and I don't think I'll ever get sick of it."

Ryan from Muzzle of Bees:

• TV On The Radio--Return To Cookie Mountain
  "The title of this record is just about the only thing that I don't love about it. While it hasn't been officially released it's been far and away the record I've turned to the most thus far in 2006. There have been some amazing albums this year, with a bunch more on the way, but I can say confidently that TV of the Radio went ahead and made a record that I can't live without. Now if I could just get them to make a tour stop in Madison."

Bill Baird, bassist/sparkplug for Sound Team:

• Brian Eno & David Byrne--My Life in the Bush of Ghosts
  "my fave of the year thus far would have to be the reissue of brian eno and david byrne's "my life in the bush of ghosts." i know that's kind of a cop-out, since the album came out in '81, but a big to-do was made about this album's re-release (new mixes, additional tracks, etc), so it feels like it could possibly qualify. it was probably one of my favorites before it got re-released."

• "new new" album: TV on the Radio--Return to Cookie Mountain
  "they've been performing lately with antibalas, which sounds like a mind-blowing, hair-drying combo. a genuinely new type of music, solidly grounded in well-established american music traditions. these guys are making about the most original stuff out there."
  

• Local Release: Peter & the Wolf--Experiments in Junk

David Gutowski of Largehearted Boy:

• Casey Dienel--Wind-Up Canary
  "This is the year's most refreshing album to me."
  
  Casey Dienel Doctor Monroe mp3

Lovefoxxx, singer for Cansei De Ser Sexy:

• The Gossip--Standing in the Way of Control
  "This is easy for me! It is so tight and HUGE! Beth sounds like a Diva and the guitar/bass are souding just the way I love...Sometimes I feel that all the songs are like a remix by MSTRKRFT, which is, of course, a great thing. I like that sometimes Beth screams so much it feels like there's blood coming out of her throat, which is, of course, a great thing."
  
  Download The Gossip's cover of "Are You That Somebody" at MOKB

DJ Never Forget of NYC's Finger on the Pulse

• Forward Russia!--Give Me A Wall
  "With all the buzz dance rock bands, FR! adds a darker element that totally slays, plus doing it all DIY makes it that much more awesome."

Garrison of Indie Interviews.com:

• The Long Winters--Putting the Days To Bed
  "John Roderick has again mixed painfully catchy melodies with emotionally-articulate lyrics. The end product is a beautiful, heart-confusing record that merits many listens."
  
  The Long Winters Pushover mp3

Dodge from My Old Kentucky Blog:

• Girl Talk--Night Ripper
  "We'll keep things light because I'm not going to commit to any one album as the greatest so far this year. I really haven't done the true mental analysis to determine that. It has been a great half-year for music so far, so I'm just excited about that. The one CD that hasn't left my car stereo/work computer/home stereo/laptop is Girl Talk's 'Night Ripper'. It's a mashup CD, so it could be argued that it's not even a full-on original work, but the amount of samples Greg Gillis used and how deftly he combined them is unparalleled in my opinion. It's like "Name That Tune" and the best party you've ever been to rolled up into a little CD for you to take wherever you go.
  
  Last week, a friend got in the car with me while it was playing and they just stopped mid-sentence and listened, "What the hell is this?! It's awesome." I smile knowingly. It is awesome."
  
  Girl Talk Bounce That mp3

Kevin from So Much Silence:

• Band of Horses--Everything All the Time
  "I'm sure this will seem like the trendy pick, but oh well...Somehow, Everything manages to be pretty epic and concise all in one fell swoop. The music is broad (as is Ben Bridwell's voice) but never trails off into jam-band-esque or meandering nonsense."
  
  Band of Horses The Great Salt Lake mp3

Jared Van Fleet of Voxtrot & Sparrow House:

• Vetiver--To Find Me Gone & TVOTR--Return to Cookie Mountain (tie)
  "Vetiver was a surprise. I have to say, though, there are a lot of things I haven't heard yet that I expect to be good. Movie Monster is also up there."

Jax aka the Rock Insider:

• Neko Case--The Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
  "I want to marry her...her ethereal voice, poignant lyrics, and undeniable talent made me fall in love with her."

Last, and certainly least, gorilla vs. bear's choice:

• Midlake--The Trials of Van Occupanther
  Yeah, I know this one isn't "out yet", but I have a sneaking suspicion most of you have at least heard the bulk of it (pirates!) Anyway, this album is not only my favorite of the year, but one of my favorites of the past few years. I know this record may be a little too "safe" for some indie-types (especially around the nerdier-than-thou blogosphere), but I am convinced that if this was released in 1977, it would have spawned no fewer than 5 radio hits (in an era where that actually meant something.) It has such a timeless feel, and it's inspired me to keep my old Fleetwood Mac, CSN&Y, and Joni Mitchell records on blast over the last couple of months.
  
  Midlake Roscoe mp3

My runners-up: Soul Jazz's Tropicalia comp & Destroyer's Rubies

roscoe

Attempting to embed a YouTube player on here is always more trouble than it's worth, so just click here. It's good.

Edit: This isn't the band's official video for "Roscoe", it's just a fan video that I thought was cool.

man with a plan

Austin's Tacks, the boy disaster has just released their debut EP, Oh Beatrice. I know I've posted on them numerous times, but allow me one more emphatic declaration of my love for this band: the song "Man With a Plan" is one of the best songs I've heard this year, and alone is worth the cost of the EP, which can be purchased here for only $8. Here's my other favorite track from Oh, Beatrice:

Tacks, the boy disaster Paris mp3

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In other Austin news, the great White Denim will be playing tomorrow night at the Chain Drive (504 Willow) along with Cry Blood Apache and Shoot For The Stars and Kill Them. I'm told by the promoter that "all three bands are known for being completely fucking mad."

wtf and thangs

I'm out of town for a couple days, so here's what's good around the internets:



Zidane wins the Golden Ball, and why not? That headbutt was pretty ill.

Analog Giant has another remix of CSS' "Let's Make Love"; this one's by the mighty Diplo.

So Much Silence has some cool tracks from Five Deez, whom he calls "a peek into the future of hip-hop".

Speaking of hip hop, Spine Magazine has a so-so new track from Talib Kweli.

Summer songs: Slate Magazine's got 'em, and so does Marathonpacks, in the form of his very first podcast.

Pitchfork's Marc Hogan again rips a blogger favorite, this time picking on Michigan's Anathallo. Thing is, I actually agree with a lot of what he had to say about Anathallo's Floating World: a little overwrought at times, "wildy ambitious", etc. But a 2.7? Give me a break, man; we get it, you're going for shock value.

You want a 2.7, I'll give you a 2.7: go listen to Bebe Defeituoso's ("the defective baby") cover of Le Tigre's "Deceptacon."

I'll be back later today with some actual content...

tomorrow

So July 11 (tomorrow) is one of the best new-release days of the year so far, with new records from Sufjan, Shapes & Sizes, Thom Yorke, Cut Chemist, Oneida, James Figurine, and more finally hitting the shelves, only weeks (or in some cases, months) after they've hit your ipod. I'm a fan of all of the aforementioned albums, but of all tomorrow's new releases, this one has surprisingly been getting the most play around gorilla vs. bear headquarters:



With the advent of all these new-fangled internet web-logs, we sometimes lose track of when an album is actually coming out, and tend to jump the gun with our praise of a record; in turn, it's sometimes sort of forgotten by the time it actually comes out. This is an understandable but regrettable consequence of the way music is consumed these days.

Well, on that note, I know we've mentioned Brasil's Cansei De Ser Sexy here numerous times, but it really is such a fun record that I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that the band's debut LP finally comes out tomorrow via Sub Pop. Here are a few different free/legal mp3 versions of the album's lead single, "Let's Make Love and Listen Death From Above":

MP3:
CSS Let's Make Love and Listen Death From Above
CSS Let's Make Love (Spank Rock remix)
CSS Let's Make Love (XXXChange remix)

i hate to say it, i don't know what to say

According to my iTunes "Most Played" list, Hot Chip's The Warning is one of my favorite records of the year; more specifically, if we're using that same rationale (we're not, necessarily), "Boy From School" is my favorite song of the year. I just obtained a copy of the "Boy From School" single, complete with a solid Hot Chip "Rework" of the single, a couple more remixes, and this great B-side:

Hot Chip A Glue Too Thick mp3

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In World Cup news:



Still a little shocked at what happened in yesterday's World Cup Final. Zidane lost control at the most inopportune time, and it was an unfortunate ending to what was otherwise a compelling tournament, and even worse, a sad way to end his illustrious career.

World Cup Final Prediction

I hate to see Zidane go out a loser, but I'm going w/ Italy, 2-1.

Go here to read Noel Gallagher's prediction, to find out why he's been hanging out with Totti's wife, and to see why my boy Del Piero considers Gallagher his "lucky mascot". Nice to see at least one member of Oasis doing something worthwhile.

Now here's my favorite Blonde Redhead song, because they're sort of Italian, and a French theme song for today, by their own M83:

Blonde Redhead In Particular mp3
M83 Don't Save Us from the Flames mp3

on the radio

So, I'm being told by quite a few people that I really need to listen to the new Regina Spektor record. I'm not sure why I haven't checked it yet, seeing that I really like everything I've heard from her, especially this song and the one she did with The Strokes. Well, gorilla vs. bear's new family member, Michelle, says it's one of her favorite releases of the year:


Regina Spektor

So, as mentioned earlier, perhaps gorilla vs. bear is in need of a little female perspective. With that spirit in mind, I must mention an album that came out last month, which I cannot get enough of: Regina Spektor's Begin to Hope. On the anti-folk album, she mixes drums, synth, and keys unconventionally, but still maintains a catchy, pop appeal. She has a powerful and quirky voice that I think works really well, too:

Regina Spektor On the Radio mp3

-mp

buy Begin to Hope here

Bonus: Video of Regina performing "Fidelity" on Conan

she's on the radio

• Poni Hoax She's on the Radio mp3

I first heard France's Poni Hoax over at the great Music for Robots, and while I'm not generally a fan of music this blatantly and unmistakably French, I'm quite enjoying the band's danceable Phoenix-meets-Interpol sound. I especially love the few female-fronted tracks like "Budapest", which remind me of a sexed-up Karin Dreijer. Expect this to be played tonight at The Cavern*:

Poni Hoax Budapest mp3



*speaking of tonight at the Cavern:

Join me from 10-2 upstairs at The Cavern as we bid a final farewell to DJ Del, who is unfortunately (for us, not for him) moving to NYC this weekend.

Sufjan to play ACL?

The Austinist thinks so. gorilla vs. bear hopes so. I don't even care if I have to see him along with 100,000 other kids, as long as he brings Katrina Kerns.

Sufjan Stevens The Lord God Bird mp3

elsewhere:

Stereogum has new Justin Timberlake. Just sayin'.

The Same Fire

Bishop Allen's June EP is here, and as with their previous monthly EPs, they've made a track available for free download:

Bishop Allen The Same Fire mp3

Buy the June EP here for $5

you're the warmest part of the winter

Darla.com has a great new 2-cd compilation out for summer, featuring nearly 40 tracks for only $6.99. One of the highlights is this unreleased Voxtrot track, which may be one of the prettiest things the band has ever done. Ramesh's voice sounds better than ever, and that slide guitar is just perfect:

Voxtrot The Warmest Part of the Winter mp3

get Little Darla Has a Treat For You here for only $6.99

Elsewhere:



Here's my playlist from last night's World Cup-centric episode of SIRIUS Left of Center's Blog Radio. This was gorilla vs. bear's sixth show on SIRIUS:

1. Peter Bjorn & John--"Young Folks"
2. White Denim--"Let's Talk"
3. Animal Collective--"Did You See The Words"
4. Matthew Herbert--"Something Isn't Right"
5. Field Music--"You're Not Supposed To"
6. Lilys--"A Diana's Diana"
7. Menomena--"Shirt" (mp3)
8. Talkdemonic--"Ending the Orange Glow" (mp3)
9. Stephen Malkmus--"METS to Infinity" (mp3)
10. Cassettes Won't Listen--"Cutting Balloons"
11. Sonic Youth--"Incinerate"
12. Thom Yorke--"Black Swan"

World Cup Section:

13. DJ Nature--"Dakar Cairo Section"
14. Jim Noir--"Eanie Meany"
15. Blonde Redhead--"In Particular"
16. Gilberto Gil--"Bat Macumba"
17. Love is All--"Ageing Had Never Been His Friend"
18. Hot Chip--"No FIt State"
19. Jim Noir--"My Patch (Hot Chip Remix)"
20. Cansei De Ser Sexy--"Music is my Hot Hot Sex"
21. Jamie Lidell--"Multiply"
22. The Knife--"Heartbeats (one music Session)"
23. Tunng--"Jenny Again"
24. M83--"Run Into Flowers"
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25. Red Hunter--"Red Sun"
26. St. Vincent--"Paris is Burning"
27. Bishop Allen--"The Bullet and Big D"
28. Tacks, the Boy Disaster--"Paris"

mistake

As I was browsing emusic's new offerings today, I came aross the excellent new James Figurine (Jimmy Tamborello of Dntel, The Postal Service) record, Mistake Mistake Mistake Mistake. emusic is offering the whole record for download in advance of its July 11 release date. I've mentioned Mistake a couple times, and if you're tired of waiting for that new Postal Service record that's never coming, I would imagine you'll find this album a pleasant surprise. The album features guest spots from Jenny Lewis, Erlend Oye, and on this track, the beautiful Sonya Westcott:

James Figurine 55566688833 mp3

download Mistake Mistake Mistake Mistake from emusic using your Free 25 Download Trial

also:



AOL's The Interface continues their string of awesome in-studio performances/interviews (they've had The Raconteurs, Jamie Lidell, and more in recent weeks.) On this edition, the always charming Sarah Silverman stops by, and in addition to her hilarious interview, she performs 5 songs for us.

AOL's The Interface Sarah Silverman mp3

one was a spider, one was a bird

"...The Sleepy Jackson make pub rock ... for a pub designed by David Lynch, Yoko Ono, and Brian Wilson at his most chemically addled"
--The Herald Sun



The Sleepy Jackson's Lovers was one of my favorite records of 2003, and Luke Steele has outdone himself on the band's new album, Personality: One was a Spider, One was a Bird. Not only is this the early frontrunner for "gayest cover art" of the year, it's also an impossibly ambitious effort that is drawing comparisons to the Beach Boys, Bacharach, Spector, Gilbert & Sullivan, Walt Disney, and more. This track, which (according to Amp Camp) "dallies between cascading violins and Michael Jackson-esque rhythm," is one of my favorite on the album.

MP3
I Understand What You Want But I Just Don't Agree

Personality: One was a Spider, One was a Bird comes out in the U.S. On July 25. Pre-order it here.

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elsewhere:



Join me tonight for SIRIUS Left of Center's Blog Radio: World Cup Edition. We bust songs from Germany, Brasil, England, Africa, Sweden, France, and of course, Italy, so check it out. Tonight at 10 Eastern. No SIRIUS subscription? Sign up for a free 3-day trial here.



Tonight:

Denton people, head out to Rubber Gloves for this week's edition of The Party, featuring Nature w/ guest DJ Wanz Dover.

Best of June

Sorry I'm a little late with this month's "best of" list; we decided to take a little impromptu break and go hang out in the wilderness for a few days. But now we're back, so here you go:

• The World Cup

I've been captivated by the World Cup all month, and my dedication to the Italians paid off today, as they advanced to the Final with a hard fought overtime victory over the hosts.

• Menomena Shirt mp3

I've yet to hear a song by Menomena that I don't love, and this one, taken from the PDX Pop Now! comp, is no different. In fact, the entire cd is worth checking out, with standout unreleased tracks from Stephen Malkmus,Talkdemonic, and more.

• Peter Bjorn and John Young Folks mp3

I discovered this song at Matt's blog, and it's probably gotten more play than any other song this month. Definitely a contender for catchiest song of the year.

• Jamie Radford You're So Warm mp3

Expect to hear much more from Athens, GA emcee Jamie Radford. Said the Gramophone, LHB, and Stylus are all fans, and this instrumental track is an essential addition to your summer mixtape.

• Tom Ze Elaeu mp3

Brasilian legend Tom Ze has created one of the most soaring, joyous songs we've heard all year. Pick up his epic "rock operetta", Estudano O Pagode, which establishes Ze as the coolest 70-year-old alive.

• St. Vincent Paris is Burning mp3

St. Vincent's full-length is going to contend for my album of the year (whether that year is '06 or '07). For now, this beauty will have to do.

• White Denim Let's Talk mp3

As I mentioned before, I know nothing about this band, other than the limited info that can be found at their myspace page, but this song kicks ass.

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elsewhere:

What? Of course you can see some pictures of our trip to the woods, thanks for asking.

The African Game

"The book mixes classic portraiture and gripping reportage-style photography to frame Africa, its sporting heritage, and it's everyday vibrancy in a way that is rarely seen. It is an essential companion to the 2006 World Cup..."--Amazon



It was going to take a masterpiece for us to run the first ever book review here at gorilla vs. bear, and that's exactly what we found in The African Game. It may have to do with the fact that we have a serious case of the World Cup fever, but we found this book to be absolutely stunning, from the gorgeous cover image and presentation to the vibrant photographic narrative inside. It's an amazing chronicle of the importance of the game to the African people, with gritty imagery that recalls one of my favorite films, City of God.

Our friend DJ Nature created The African Game Mix No. 1 CD as a companion to The African Game, and it makes an engaging soundtrack that fits perfectly with the aesthetic of the book. The mix features various African artists, and it's unlike anything I've ever heard. I wish I could upload the whole thing for you, but for now, this track'll have to do:

DJ Nature/US&THEM Dakar Cairo Session mp3

The African Game retails for $50, but you can get it at Amazon for $31.50. Or you can pick it up at Puma stores around the world. I give it my highest possible recommendation; it's become a permanent fixture on my coffee table, and I find myself reaching for it often. Check out some photos from the book at Cool Hunting.

elsewhere:

We were stuck upstairs DJing at The Cavern during Friday night's beyond packed Sound Team show, but our boy D captured these great shots of the band:






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Finally, Who Needs Radio has a new track from The Rapture's new album, Pieces of the People We Love. Check it.

Tilly & the Wall: Live in Denton

I don't think anyone would argue that we could use a little female perspective around here at gorilla vs. bear. I'm painfully aware of that fact myself, so I decided to remedy the situation by asking the lovely Michelle to help me out from time to time. Miraculously, she said yes! Michelle is going to hook us up (regularly, I hope) with her thoughts on shows, new records, and whatever the hell else she wants to talk about. First up: last night's Tilly & The Wall show in Denton:



Last night, the party was at Hailey's. I must first mention that I was disappointed to find the night's openers, Now It's Overhead, playing without Maria Taylor and Orenda Fink (both of Azure Ray). Maybe I missed something, but according to Saddle Creek's website, they're still part of the band...weird. Andy Lemaster and his crew more than held their own though and put on a really good show. I spoke briefly with Andy and he mentioned that he'll be taking a break from producing to tour and promote their new album, Dark Light Daybreak, which will be out in September.

The crowd really came alive for Tilly and the Wall's set. The band that's known for their youthfulness, their tap dancing percussionist, and their stage antics, didn't disappoint. They started the show by leading everyone in a cheer ("When we say 'Tilly'--you say 'Wall!' When we say 'Oh'--you say 'Fuck'!) and for the rest of the set, didn't skip a beat. The energy stayed high, straight through to the show's closer (and highlight) "Night of the Living Dead." Sure, the band has "novelty" appeal (the show included a pinata game and inflatable tropical decorations), but they're quite original, charming, and certainly a lot of fun.

--mp

(click for larger image)





Derek Pressnall (vocals/guitar) was nice enough to write me out the set list:





Elsewhere:



WXPN and NPR Music present Psapp, Juana Molina and Jose Gonzalez live concert broadcast from World Cafe Live in Philadelphia, tonight at 8 PM Eastern.