Band of the Week: Young Governor

Unemployment certainly has its perks. Namely that I get to sit home all day listening to music I never would have gotten to while holding down a job, all while collecting money from the government (I'm waiting for my check NY State!). The latest of my listens really fucking hooked me right from the time I hit play. It wasn't until after I finished listening to the two song 7" that I was able to put 2 and 2 together to figure out that this Young Governor was indeed the very same Young Governor that is a member of Fucked Up, No Warning, and The Bitters (just to name a few). Doubly excited by that bit of information I went to the computer and lo and behold there are even more songs on the dude's MySpace page! Oh yeah, today was a good day of not getting out of my pajamas!

Listening to the music there's barely an audible trace of what he does in Fucked Up. But then why would Ben Cook wanna do the same thing he does in another project? Instead, Cook uses his Young Governor project as a sort of lo-fi punk project that fits in perfectly with all the new bands Gorilla vs. Bear has been naming lately. You know the one's that take up about 90% of your listening time right now, yeah those bands. Well it fits and it fits beautifully. This is the type of music that you wake up dreaming about and that you wanna see live every night of the year. It puts you into a panic listening to music this fast and hooky! And I love it!

According to his MySpace, Cook doesn't plan on touring behind Young Governor yet but there are also tales of rogue Toronto shows written there so fingers crossed that he decides to break this out once in a while. Until then you can pick up his 7" and listen again and again.
Young Governor - "Virginia Creeper"
Young Governor - "I'm A Mess"
Young Governor on MySpace

Questionable Corner: Marissa Nadler

Over the course of her first three album, Marissa Nadler was able to worm her way into all of our hearts with her brand of dreamy folk music. The tunes were often a bit dark, enhanced by Nadler's eerie delivery, but somehow they maintained a beauty not many folk singers can. On her new album, Little Hells, Marissa has stepped away from this style just a bit, fleshing everything out with an increased role by her backing band but maintaining the eerie nature that has hovered over her early music. The new record will be released next Tuesday and to celebrate Nadler will be playing a couple of shows in the New York area over the next few weeks. I had a chance to chat with Marissa about the new record and her upcoming tour, and here's what she had to say.

PTST: Hey Marissa, so how's Boston treating you these days? How's the music scene doing up there?
Marissa: To tell you the truth, I am hardly ever home because I travel quite a bit for touring and whatnot. When I am home, I have a lot of good friends here, plants to water, records to discover, and paintings to make. I am working on a series of fine art work right now. As for the music "scene", there are a lot of great musicians in Providence and Boston, where I kind of split my time these days. I went to school in Providence and still have a lot of roots there.

Many of my friends are musicians: the fantastic songwriter Orion Rigel Dommisse (on Language of Stone, off of Drag City) lives in Providence these days, and plays in my band for all close shows. Dave Godowsky, a great songwriter, moonlights as part of the Guns and Roses cover band Mr. Brownstone and wrote "So long Teresa," which I recently covered. My friend Carter Tanton's band Tulsa is awesome. Black Hole Infinity (my longtime collaborator Myles Baer) makes frenetic yet beautiful dreamy music and is a great producer (he produced my debut record and does a lot of my compilation tracks as well). The lovely Allysen Callery is another one to check out, for the strange, lovely songs she writes. One of my friends, a Boston based songwriter Ryan Lee Crosby, writes extremely sincere songs and does a mean Bad Brains cover. They are all good friends and we have a good support network. That is just to name a few. I am sure there are tons of Boston bands that I would like if I went out more often.

PTST: We're a week away from the release of your new record, Little Hells, are you excited to be able to finally get the record out there to the listening public? Is there ever any fears that creep in when you get this close to a release date?
Marissa: I am excited, definitely. Of course there are fears of rejection but you have to take things with a grain of salt. It would be an absurd lie if I said I didn't care. However, the most important thing is to make art that I am happy with, because at the end of the day that is what matters. To have a vision and see it executed to the best of my abilities and within the confines given is all I can do. I used to get really really torn up about things, but it is too painful to be thin skinned, and therefore I am working hard on trying to toughen up. With the internet these days, it is dangerous territory if you go Googling. The anonymous blogger can say things that they would never say in real life, and they don't realize there is a human being with feelings behind a record that may or may not be reading what they are writing. I think it is safe to say that it is best to stay away, and work on my future records. I am always thinking of the next record, and next project. I can't be still for a second (which may surprise people given the mellow music I like to make). I think that is why I write such dreamy music. Therapy.

PTST: Will you do anything fun and special to celebrate the release next Tuesday? Do you ever pop into record stores and look to see if they have your record?
Marissa: I do not pop into record stores anymore to see if they have my records. I did it once and felt ridiculous. In the beginning, it was fun because of the novelty and excitement of it, but I am trying to focus on the song writing. I will be getting ready for the Joe's Pub gig, and probably be working on band practice. I am trying focus as much as I can on creative endeavors and block out demons.

PTST: A lot of the early talk about Little Hells centers around the sonic changes from your earlier work. How did those changes come about? How do you think fans of your music will respond to the changes?
Marissa: These changes came about from a desire to try new things. I am very happy with Ballads of Living and Dying, and Songs III: Bird on the Water. There is a sophomore record in between those two where I would have done things a bit differently with my singing. I may re-record it at some time. This time, I just wanted to try to expand my palette, because I knew that I had more musical terrain that I wished to explore. Nevertheless, there is so much of myself in each song and the subject matter and delicacy has remained true to my artistic vision. So, I think there is something for everyone in it. Some folk purists may feel abandoned that I have added a bit of percussion, but I truly think artists need to evolve in order to remain relevant. Its not like I am making hip hop now, so the change is hardly that drastic. I was bored with being labeled with folk, especially when that label didn't seem to stick with how I saw myself. To keep someone in a box is not good, and I want to blossom a bit.

PTST: What led you to record Little Hells as more of a full band album as opposed to doing most of the work yourself?
Marissa: For the reasons that I mention above. Just for the record, I didn't really do most of the work myself on any of the previous records. The first record was truly a collaboration between myself and my friend Myles, who added a lot of subtle atmospherics that gave the record its hazy vibe. He spent an entire year working on it on his days off from his glass engraving job. I have always, for all four records, written every bit of every song, in terms of lyrics and chords, etc. Nevertheless, the producers have been different each time. Songs III was with Greg Weeks, from the Espers, so he added a lot of his own vision. The Saga of Mayflower May was with Brian McTear and Amy from the Miner Street Studios. Each person that I worked with added their own creative visions to what I already saw, and it is fun to collaborate and see the songs evolve from demo form to a more flushed out song, depending on who you work with. This time, I had things in mind that gave me a direction. I recorded 25 demos of different songs, whittled them down, and wrote all the harmonies before going into the studio. Yet, I knew I wanted a lushness and some beats that hadn't been there in my other records.

PTST: Was there ever a time while recording that you wish you would have continued going it alone? Is there a lot of chemistry between you and the other folks that played on the record? Will you tour with them to promote the record?
Marissa: Recording was really fun. I had done it "alone", touring alone, being alone, etc. etc. etc. I had a vision with this record to have a fuller sound. There was great chemistry recording. Everyone got along magically and we recorded at the Carriage House, in this amazing studio in Connecticut. Simone was lovely, Dave was lovely, Myles was lovely, Chris was fantastically easy to work with. I never once felt I was losing the vision. If anything, they helped me to achieve a sound I had dreamt about for years, but hadn't achieved because I didn't have the means to.

PTST: Are you happy with the way the album came out?
Marissa: Yes. Definitely. Of course, there are always things to change, but once its done, its done. You can't go back and change things. I have my favorite songs on the record. With art, you cannot go back. You have to live with your choices.

PTST: As much as the sound has changed, your songwriting is still very similar to what you've done in the past. Is there anything specific that you draw on in creating these lyrics?
Marissa: My own life experiences are what I draw on, as well as my fantasy realm which I live in part of the time that involves dreams.

PTST: So you seem to have a jam packed tour schedule. Do you ever get tired of hitting the road?
Marissa: Things are getting a lot better. I have been touring for the better part of the past five years and have played some very rough gigs and very rough tours. The good thing about my situation starting to do better is that the venues treat you nicer, and the touring experience becomes more pleasurable. Its nice to connect with audiences and have a more positive connection with touring. Yes, I do get tired, but I am hopeful for the future and hope things continue to get better. Falling down the stairs in the London tube station holding two guitars and traveling alone, and getting detained in UK customs for 20 hours was never fun! Things are on the up and up, though. The hard part is trying to stay healthy amid all the vices and villains.

PTST: You'll be touring in April with Handsome Family, how'd that pairing come about? Do you think it fits a little better then opening up for Boris and Sunn O)))?
Marissa: I have been a big fan of the Handsome Family for ages. I think its a really good fit because their music is quite similar to mine in many ways. I never opened up for Sun O))), but did open up for a lot of metal bands, and played a lot of shows with my friends Earth, as well as opening for Boris once, and Witchcraft once. It was fun. It was interesting to try to hold my own playing quiet music when the next act would be so heavy. It was a good learning experience in trying to conjure up energy. The audiences always surprised me with their open mindedness. I still play with Jonas, who is going to play bass on my tours, and he used to be in Earth. I also really love heavy music, so it fit in that I enjoyed watching the second act.

PTST: Speaking of your old metal days, I heard this was almost a drone album what steered you away from going in that direction?
Marissa: The songs just became what they became, you know? It was kind of improvisational.

PTST: Are there any cities you're stopping in this time around that you'll be visiting for the first time? What are your favorite cities to play in?
Marissa: I like playing in NYC, LA, SF, Seattle, Portland. Each time is different. It depends on the venue, and whether there are positive vibes from the venues, etc. I think I have played all these cities before but the past five years is kind of a blur of endless travels.

PTST: Here in New York you'll be playing Lutheran Church of the Messiah and Joe's Pub, which one are you looking forward to more?
Marissa: They will both be fun and good experiences, hopefully. They will be different. I try not to think about shows until I am playing them, because I suffered from stage fright for many years.

PTST: Where do you think you'll go from here? Would you like to continue to experiment with the sounds and emotions of your music?
Marissa: I definitely plan on continuing to experiment with the sounds and emotions of my music. I want to stay vital and continue to express emotions through music. As the emotions change, so will the music.

Upcoming New York Dates: (see Marissa's tour schedule here)
Feb. 27th @ Lutheran Church of the Messiah w/MV+EE, Mountainhood
Feb. 28th @ Sound Fix Records (last ever show at Sound Fix!)
Mar. 4th @ Joe's Pub
Apr. 25th @ Highline Ballroom w/Handsome Family

Listen: Marissa Nadler - "River of Dirt"
Marissa Nadler - "Little Hells"

Blast from the Past: Spoon's Telephono

Who you listen to can help to define what type of social sphere you find yourself in. Beyond how good looking you are, what kind of car you drive, individual wealth, and athletic prowess, I doubt there is anything as important to your social status as the music you choose to listen to. I may be wrong in this assumption. But beyond which table in the cafeteria you sit at, musical influences can also have a heavy hand in the music your new band starts off playing. Take Spoon as an example. You know them now as a hugely successful indie band, who according their Wikipedia page have been featured on a lot TV shows (sorry I found that little tidbit odd and wanted to throw it in here somewhere), but before that Spoon were a Pixies aping, Wire loving young band that were just beginning to mold themselves out of what they personally listened to.

On their debut full length, 1996's Telephono, the band were often derided as a Pixies loving copycat. Rolling Stone went so far as to say "...Spoon molded that knowledge into their debut album, Telephono, which might have been better called Smells Like Doolittle.", ouch! Actually, that review goes on to applaud Spoon for taking a chance by copying an influence of Nirvana rather then copying Nirvana but it's not all too positive in the long run. Other reviews (almost everything I can find) either panned or hailed the album for the obvious influence the Pixies and Wire had on the band; and, if Telephono were to come out now it would probably be compared to Pavement at length like the re-issue was on Pitchfork. If you dig down a bit deeper, go past all the soft verses/loud choruses and sharp guitars, you can almost make out the shape of what Spoon was to become.

There is a definite mixing of the hard guitar sounds found in post-punk with a more melodic, pop approach all over Telephono. The subtle ways Britt will change melodies in a song with this quirk of his voice or that one, and the way the short songs manage to hook you after only one listen are all Spoon at their finest. They obviously went ahead and perfected this over time, but back then they were just trying to find their own voice amongst all the sounds they had heard over the years. It was this influence that turned them into what they were at the time, and it slowly shaped them in the long run as well.

Spoon's music has obviously changed over the years, moving from these energetic, short bursts of rock, to a more polished pop sound, but behind all the shine and polish there is definitely still an air of what they once were and who they once listened to. Their records still have small traces of Wire and the Pixies and even Pavement from time to time, but they no longer sound like copycats. Instead there are new bands that have been influenced by Spoon and are out their copying them and trying to develop their own sound. We can only hope that somewhere out there some Spoon sound-a-like is going to continue to grow and develop their sound as Spoon developed theirs.
Spoon - "Not Turning Off"
Spoon - "Cvantez"
Spoon - "Claws Tracking"
Spoon - "Wanted to Be Your"
Spoon - "Plastic Mylar"

Matador's 20th Anniversary Blasts from the Past:
Various Artists Everything Is Nice

Tuesday's Recommended Release

These days it seems bands are making the leap from indie obscurity to sound tracking our favorite TV shows in the blink of an eye. Every one's doing it, cashing in on their popularity while they still can and hoping to retain some of their indie cred while doing so. Black Lips seems like they were poised to make the same leap, their last album Good Bad Not Evil, was huge in indie terms and they seemed to be a logical fit to go from peeing on stage to starring on alternative radio stations. But with the release of 200 Million Thousand they make no effort to ease the transition to popularity.

Instead, the Black Lips go back in the direction from whence they came. They eschew the cleaner production style Good Bad Not Evil in favor of a more psychedelic sound tainted with noise and reverb throughout the whole record. The vocals that were crisp and clean on the last record are tainted by noise and distortion here, all of it making it way more difficult for the average Nickleback fan to fall for the Black Lips. In truth that may have been part of the band's dastardly plan, making a record that sound more like what they built themselves on rather then what they've most recently been noticed for.

As much as they pull away from a move to the mainstream, the Black Lips spend the entirety of this album relishing the sounds they are making. The band spreads out the vocal duties a bit more on 200 Million Thousand then they ever have before, and the sounds they get out of everyone make it feel like they are having a lot of fun with it. And it fits too. It fits the music that's been pouring through our speakers lately, that retro-cool garage sound that is permeating every inch of the blogosphere right now. The sound is absolutely Black Lips, but it's an older version of the Lips closer to their chicken as stage prop days then Good Bad Not Evil was.

Maybe someday a band like the Black Lips will make the leap to popularity that bands like The Hold Steady and The Decemberists have. Or maybe they're comfortable with where they are and just want to have fun playing the music they want to play. Either way, so long as the band keeps making music this fun and enjoyable most of us will keep checking them out.
Black Lips - "Drugs"
Black Lips - "Short Fuse"
Black Lips - "I Saw God"

Tuesday Test Drive

Various Artists War Child presents Heroes
TV on the Radio - "Heroes"
from The Popscene..."David Bowie and Sir Paul McCartney were the first legends to lend their support and they selected two of 2008’s most acclaimed artists: Welsh singer Duffy, whose debut album ‘Rockferry’ has sold 4 million copies and marked her out as one of the year’s freshest talents; and New York art-rock outfit TV On The Radio, the coolest, most critically-lauded act of the year thanks to their outstanding album ‘Dear Science’. "


K'Naan Troubadour
K'Naan - "Smile"
from Rolling Stone..."Somalia-raised, Toronto-based rapper K'naan thinks like Bob Marley, flows like Eminem and mixes African music with conscious hip-hop, unabashed pop and even metal. The results are usually catchy and interesting..."


Gentleman Reg Jet Black
Gentleman Reg - "You Can Get It Back"
from Pasta Primavera..."Catchy but not overly simple indie rock that slowly finds it’s way into your musical mind…and never leaves. "


Pan American White Bird Release
Pan American - "For Aiming at the Stars"
from Pitchmedia..."White Bird Release is Mark Nelsons sixth solo album and continues with a basic Pan American formula of slow moving evocative ambient, combining acoustic instruments, drones, glitch and dub. The biggest alteration in Nelson’s latest work is a greater emphasis on the organic electroacoustic part, where instruments takes a more central stage over dub and glitch elements present in past releases."

Monday's Leaky Faucet

Who: Neko Case
Title: Middle Cyclone
Release Date: March 3rd
Label: ANTI-
Thoughts: Listening to Neko Case's voice is one of the absolute joys of being an indie music fan. Whether with The New Pornographers or as a solo artist her sultry voice has always captured our attentions, and with each passing solo album she continues to add to her overall sound. On Middle Cyclone Neko experiments a lot with the sound of the record, owing a lot to her move from Tuscon to a barn in Vermont. Half the record sounds a lot like her older stuff, these I assume are the parts that were recorded in her old home. But on certain tracks you can hear the subtle changes that define her move north. There are a few songs with a piano orchestra, featuring up to 8 different pianos playing at the same time. You may also hear the occasional bird chirping or frogs croaking which all come from recording in the barn. These elements of nature fused with Neko's always charming voice give this record a depth that surpasses everything Case has done prior to this. This is the sound of an artist trying new things and finding out new things about herself, and it all is so revealing and wonderful to hear.
Listen: Neko Case - "People Got A Lotta Nerve"
Neko Case - "Middle Cyclone"

Who: Dan Deacon
Title: Bromst
Release Date: March 24th
Label: Carpark Records
Thoughts: Even though I was a huge fan of Dan Deacon's fantastic debut, Spiderman of the Rings, I tempered my expectations for his follow-up. Word of a full "band" and more expansive sound worried me just a little bit, but I still was excited to see the record pop into my mailbox early this week. After one listen I have to say I am totally hooked by what Deacon has done on Bromst. The record is a veritable electronic symphony, more complex and deeper then anything he has done before and folks that know about Deacon's music should realize the depth of his compisitions immediately. This record is expansive, bursting at the seems with sound, and still wildly imaginiative and incredibly fun. Bromst will be on repeat a lot around these parts and I think a lot of you will have a tough time turning off this record as well.
Listen: Dan Deacon - "Padding Ghost"
Dan Deacon - "Surprise Stefani"

Who: Mastodon
Title: Crack the Skye
Release Date: March 24th
Label: Reprise
Thoughts: In a recent interview, Mastodon's drummer Brian Dailor spoke about the band's last album Blood Mountain saying, "Maybe there was a deeper heart to this record that needed more exploring… We got more involved with feeling the vibe of the record and everything feels more creepy and spaced out and something special is going on." (via The Quietus), and the quote really surprised me because I thought the depth of Blood Mountain was one of its greatest strengths. After one listen to Crack the Skye though you can see where Dailor would form such an opinion. This record is chasmic in its size and scope. Dealing with Tsarist Russia, out of body experiences, theoris of time and space, and astral travel, this record puts together metal, sci-fi, and emotion to create an extremely dense piece of art. Obviously we knew a new Mastodon record would be pummeling in volume, but I had no idea they could be so deep in scope. Shit, this makes Zeppelin's songs about Lord of the Rings look like kiddie lit.
Listen: Mastodon - "Divinations"
Mastodon - "The Czar"

Who: Condo Fucks
Title: Fuckbook
Release Date: March 24th
Label: Matador
Thoughts: The music nerdism of Yo La Tengo has always been one of the band's greatest drawing powers. The three folks that make up the band are obsessed with music, its history, and all the characters that created that history, and that's never been more evident then with the release of their secret side project's new record. Playing as a band a mythic band known as the Condo Fucks, Yo La Tengo have compiled an album of punk covers from folks like Richard Hell, The Beach Boys, and Flaming Groovies and titled it Fuckbook (an obvious homage to the band's Fakebook album). It's not the greatest Yo La Tengo record ever, but then it's not really a Yo La Tengo album is it. I suppose it's not, but Fuckbook definitely fits in with all the covers and cover albums the Hoboken natives have done over the years. Once again they prove their undying music nerd selves, and do so in a creative and fun way.
Listen: Condo Fucks - "Whatcha Gonna Do About It"
Condo Fucks - "The Kid with the Replaceable Head"

This Week's Live Picks

Monday: Pet Ghost Project @ Cake Shop 8pm $6
Gotta give props to the former Antler Justin Stivers who broke from the group to focus on this project. He has done a fantastic job of building and mixing various styles of rock, indie, and pop together to create something original but undeniably beautiful. Seeing them on Monday night would be a damn good way to kick off your kick.
Pet Ghost Project - "The Age of Automatics"

Tuesday: Mystery Jets + The Dig @ Bowery Ballroom 7:30pm $20
Tuesday's seem to keep getting the shaft as far as shows go, but Mystery Jets are a fairly solid band with a loyal base of fans that could be worthy of your attention. I'm just listening to the three song demo from The Dig and I'm sort of sitting on the fence about it right now, so you guys gotta take a listen and see what you think.
Mystery Jets - "Flakes"
The Dig - "Penitentiary"

Wednesday: Icy Demons + Lemonade @ Mercury Lounge 7:30pm $10
I'll admit to not being too fond of Icy Demon's debut record, but live this band pulls out all the stops. It helps that Man Man's Pow Pow pounding the drums for them and bringing all the energy with him but this is not his show as the rest of the band takes some of the spotlight during the set.
Icy Demons - "Desert Toll"
Lemonade - "Sunships"

Thursday: Tally Hall + Oppenheimer @ Union Hall 7:30pm $10
It's been a long time since I last wrote about Tally Hall, but I thought with my buddies from Ireland coming in to open for them I'd throw them a mention. Oppenheimer, you may recall, are a fantastic synth duo from the land of my ancestors. They're freakin' awesome and the nicest guys ever so when they pair with the boys of Tally Hall there's gonna be a whole lot of niceties in the room this evening!
Tally Hall - "The Whole World and You"
Oppenheimer - "Breakfast in NYC"

Friday: Pterodactyl + DM Stith @ Cake Shop 8pm $7
I'm still new to DM Stith and don't know too much about him but I'm sort of looking forward to their Asthmatic Kitty debut. As for Pterodactyl I'm already in love with those dudes and packing the ear protection for tonight's show!
Pterodactyl - "First Daze"
DM Stith - "Pity Dance"

...also Vessels @ Union Hall 8pm $10
I know there's a British band out there named Vessels but I'm gonna go ahead and let you know that this all-girl band from my hood (Stapleton, Staten Island, Shaolin represent!) are way, way, way better! Check 'em out tonight, just make sure you're there early they are the opening band!
Vessels on MySpace

Saturday: They Might Be Giants + Oppenheimer @ (le) poisson rouge 7pm $28
Tonight my Irish buddies are gonna be opening for Grammy award winning They Might Be Giants who are pulling out all the stops tonight by playing their landmark 1990 album Flood! I know the $28 price tag is a bit steep in these tough economic times but I have no doubt that this will be a show to write home about.
They Might Be Giants - "We Want A Rock"
Oppenheimer - "Cate Blanchett"

Sunday: Sharon Van Etten, She Keeps Bees, The Naked Hearts, + Pwrfl Power @ Glasslands 7pm $7
From top to bottom this is a seriously strong lineup of New York artists for a Sunday night. Now I know a lot of you like to stay home and watch The Simpsons or Flight of the Conchords on Sunday nights, but this is exactly why the cable company made DVR so you can get out of the house and watch later! You'll be glad you did after this show.
Sharon Van Etten - "Carry On"
She Keeps Bees - "Stutter"
The Naked Hearts - "Call Me"
Pwrfl Power - "Alma Song"

Weekly Music Round-up

Q+A's:

• Pitchfork asked Grizzly Bear's Ed Droste a few questions about the new record Veckatimest and got some really sweet answers...
  

  Pitchfork: This might be an uncomfortable question, and it's been blown way out of proportion, but you got in some trouble with the Web Sheriff for posting an Animal Collective song on your website a few months back. But are you going to use the Web Sheriff to make sure your album doesn't leak?

  ED: No! Are you kidding me? No. But we might be using something equivalent to Web Sheriff. I have a very different philosophy on leaking and the inevitability of it in general. But I did not leak that song. [laughs] The song was out on the net. I was being a smartass. I thought his email demanding a written apology was so funny that I posted it. But a lot of people took it really seriously and didn't see the humor in it, so I was like, "Err, backpedal." But I've emailed with members of Animal Collective, and they are not the slightest bit upset. It's all good.

• This week Fader revived their Freak Scene column and found time to inquire on the history and sound of one of my favorite new bands Nodzzz!
• Earfarm named Secret Life of Sofia their band of the week and raved about the band's new EP, but most importantly they found out which mountain range the band preferred!

  Question #5: If your band were a mountain range, which would it be?

  Kyle: The Misty Mountains.

• Pitchfork also interviewed Air France
• PopMatters asks 20 questions of Cyndi Lauper.
  

Videos:
Dent May - "Meet Me in the Garden"

Kanye West - "Welcome to Heartbreak"

Ra Ra Riot Take Away Show

Bruce Springsteen - "The Wrestler"

The Wrens - "Marked Up"

Princeton - "The Waves"

Free Music:

• Tim Fite made a Valentine's Day EP to go along with his last two Halloween EP's! Download it here. (Yes, I'm a week late but it's still free!!!)
• Makers of one of my favorite albums of last year, The Secret Life of Sofia, just released a free 3-song EP available for download as long as you sign up for their mailing list. That seems like a small request for three top notch songs. Sign up and download here.
• The Hood Internet play a free show at The Bell House tonight, Les San Cullottes is at Zebulon for free. Wednesday Lonely Island is doing an in-store at Union Square Virgin while Sharon Van Etten will be playing Zebulon for no charge.
• NYCTaper posts live recordings of Heartless Bastards, Lucero, and an oldie from Iron & Wine!
  

Other News:

• Famed indie label Touch & Go is shuttering it's distribution side and planning to release only what they had planned through the spring. They will however continue to sell back catalog albums for the time being with a skeleton staff. (via Product Shop NYC)
• Titus Andronicus have filmed a tour video for Pitchfork.tv while Hercules & Love Affair are the latest to record a Don't Look Down appearance.
• Pitchfork reports that Dinosaur Jr. has signed to Jagjaguwar
• Matt Shiv's Twitter reports that Bad Veins have signed to Dangerbird Records, no confirmation just yet but I'm pretty sure Shiv wouldn't be lying about this one.
• White Rabbits announced the release of their new album titled It's Frightening and set for release on May 19th on TBD Records. (via CMJ)
• Leonard Cohen played his first US show in 15-years (Spin) then announced a full US tour (Pitchfork)!
• St. Vincent will release he follow-up to Marry Me on May 5th. The record, Actor, will be released by 4AD in all the regular ways records are released these days. (Tiny Mix Tapes)
• The Brit Awards gave some bling to Duffy and a couple other folks. (Bumpershine)
  

On Air:

• M. Ward performs "Never Had Nobody Like You" on Letterman
• Antony & the Johnsons perform "Aeon" on Letterman
• Lily Allen performs "The Fear" on the Tonight Show

This Week's Tour News

Who: Iron & Wine
When: May 17th + 18th
Where: Abrons Arts Center
On Sale: Soon?
More Dates
Thoughts: Last week I admitted to having never seen Bonnie "Prince" Billy and this week I have to admit to never getting my ass to an Iron & Wine show. Both artists have had my ear for ages and yet for whatever reason (or better yet, for no reason) I have never gotten my lazy ass to seeing them. These things should be corrected ASAP and if you're in the same boat as I am I suppose I will see you there!
Listen: Iron & Wine - "Her Tea Leaves"

---

Who: Marissa Nadler
When: February 27th + March 4th + April 25th
Where: Lutheran Church of the Messiah + Joe's Pub + Highline Ballroom
On Sale: No Advance + NOW + NOW
More Dates
Thoughts: The lovely Ms. Nadler will be celebrating the release of her immaculate new album with a slew of tour dates across the U.S. . Of course these include a few dates in New York, the first two of which are headlining dates and the Highline show is with Handsome Family. If you've never caught the beauty and grace that is Marissa Nadler live I highly suggest getting out to see her at at least one of these upcoming shows! I assume she'll be playing with a full band this time around as well, which I'm sure will only heighten the experience of seeing her live!
Listen: Marissa Nadler - "River of Dirt"

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Who: Late of the Pier
When: April 3rd
Where: Studio B
On Sale: NOW
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Thoughts: Late of the Pier's Fantasy Black Channel was released overseas last year with whole shit load of fanfare behind it. Now that the record is finally being released in the States I expect a smaller, but still rowdy reception for these boys. It seems the latest influx of British bands can do no wrong, and with the reputation these guys have for wild live shows I think it would be a lot of fun to catch them live. Hopefully Studio B will be able to stay open until they get here.
Listen: Late of the Pier - "Broken"

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Who: The Hold Steady
When: March 30th
Where: Irving Plaza
On Sale: One Hour Ago (Sorry)
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Thoughts: I'm sure I'm not the only one but I have been really damn confused by a lot of the choices The Hold Steady have been making of late. First they announce a tour with The Counting Crows, then they release a way more mainstream record, and now comes word that they have paired with The Dave Matthews Band for a tour! WTF!?!? Still, if you're in New York they will be headlining on their own at Irving Plaza, a venue about 6x smaller then where they've been playing lately and where there will hopefully be a huge reduction in the number of stoners and frat boys coming to see them.
Listen: The Hold Steady - "Positive Jam"

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Who: Vetiver
When: May 3rd + 7th
Where: Bowery Ballroom + The Bell House
On Sale: Today at NOON + Soon
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Thoughts: On their most recent release, Tight Knit (out this past Tuesday!), Vetiver have taken a slight chance with their sound. They have expanded it to include more of a pop oriented feeling to it without trying to neglect their past. The chances kind of pay off with a more accessible and catchier record then they've ever released before. There are still some pretty sleepy moments on the new record though and I expect a lot of that will come across live as they adjust to these new songs.
Listen: Vetiver - "More Of This"

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Who: TV On the Radio
When: June 5th
Where: Central Park Summerstage
On Sale: Presale Today/Regular 2/27
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Thoughts: Getting the news of the first official Summerstage show of '09 put a bit of sunshine on a still too cold day! Making it even better was the fact that it was TV On the Radio who would be making that Summerstage appearance! Now I know this isn't one of the free shows, but $30 doesn't seem all that bad when you're dreaming of a summer sun and the awesome tunes of TV On the Radio!
Listen: TV On the Radio - "Family Tree"

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Who: Lil' Wayne
When: March 19th
Where: Prudential Center
On Sale: Today, 10am
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Thoughts: It has been ages since I last saw a rapper perform outside of a festival setting, but if these tickets were within my budget I think I would for Lil' Wayne. Something about him screams performer and I believe his live show would be something to behold.
Listen: Lil' Wayne - "Tie My Hands"

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Who: The Thermals
When: May 8th + 9th
Where: Bowery Ballroom
On Sale: 2/27 @ 12pm
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Thoughts: I just caught The Thermals a couple of weeks back at The Bell House and I am still just as in love with this band as I have ever been before. The new songs they played that night fit right in with the older stuff and with all the kids going crazy up front you know the show's gonna be fantastic.
Listen: The Thermals - "Now We Can See"

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Who: Amadou and Miriam
When: June 8th
Where: Webster Hall
On Sale: Saturday 2/21, 12pm
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Thoughts: Two musical geniuses! Their last two albums have been absolute worldly brilliance, blending the sounds of their native Africa with elements of pop, ska, and a slew of other influences. I've never seen them, but let's be fair they haven't been to the States all that often so I think this is as much of a must see as anything else listed here today!
Listen: Amadou and Miriam - "Africa"

Short Takes

For all the great songs and albums that have dotted the career of the most famous Irishmen since St. Patrick, there have also been a lot of down moments where the band just wasn't at there best. You had the release of Pop which a lot people though signaled then end of U2, you've had various singles over the years that sank faster then Irish soda bread, and of course you've had some moments where Bono was just a little too over the top. All of those downs come into play on U2's latest No Line on the Horizon. For most of this record Bono plays a little bit too heavy on your sentiments, hoping to woo you to this cause or that cause and never really making any sense in doing so. He is far from his most emotional, being practical and sensible instead and it just doesn't fit. It's a shame too because The Edge and Adam Clayton do work their hardest to bring their A-game but it never quite meshes together like it should. The single, "Get On Your Boots", may just be the worst single track the band has ever released. As bad as this record is I still wouldn't hesitate in seeing them live or in picking up their next record, they have managed to put that spell on me where I will keep coming back no matter how many times they hurt me.
U2 - "No Line on the Horizon"
U2 - "Get On Your Boots"

It's been a long time since Architecture In Helsinki released the outstanding Places Like This but that doesn't mean the band has been sitting around resting. No, instead they've been touring like madmen (and women) and really haven't had much time to sit down and write a follow-up. So it's pretty happy that the first song they had written since Places Like This is as good and catchy as "That Beep" a tune that is as catchy as anything these Aussies have ever written before. And lucky for them the song has immediately caught on and quickly become their most popular song yet. Of course that means a shit load of remixes and on their That Beep EP they have four different remixes for you to get down to or to play to "show off" your DJ skills wherever you happen to be spinning. Yeah these remixes will probably get your butt moving hard, but let's face it we are looking forward to a proper follow-up not just a single with remixes! Let's just hope the boys and girls of Architecture In Helsinki are locked away right now writing and recording a proper album, and while they are we can dance to this to fill in the gap.
Architecture In Helsinki - "That Beep (Radioclit's Swedish Mix)"
Buy That Beep EP Here!

When last year's Seven Summits reached my mailbox I was a bit surprised by the sounds of The Secret Life of Sofia. I had been vaguely aware of their existence in the New York scene prior to that, but their album about mountaineering really connected with me in unexpected, but pleasant ways. To follow up that excellent record the band have recorded a quick three song EP that is available for free download through the band's website. Though it has nothing to do with mountains this time around, the band are still crafting perfectly arranged pop music, with terrific harmonies and even better melodies. This is the sound of a band that is not afraid to take some chances with their music, and who absolutely refuse to play by any one's rules other then their own. It is interesting and new, and not just another copycat band playing in Brooklyn. Try and not get hooked on these free tunes, I assure you it's impossible and you'll wind up delving into their past recordings and soon enough The Secret Life of Sofia will be your new favorite band. Download the record, fall in love, and get ready for a full length that the guys are currently at work on!
The Secret Life of Sofia - "Snow Room"
Download Empty Sleeves EP Here!

Records are rarely recorded in this manner anymore. Most of the time we get stuck with over produced garbage that has been washed over with so many mixes and layers that the original song has been wiped out completely. So when we get a record that was recorded live, by the whole band, in their living room, in one or two takes and it comes out sounding as crisp and pretty as Run Dan Run's 27 Coming St. we should all take notice. This record is the pure sound of a band exploring their music, at ease with their instruments, but not afraid to push them in different directions. On this little EP we get to see a young band making a statement for pure indie pop, creating pretty melodies and having fun doing so. The sound is unmistakable at every turn of this record. You can hear the smiles on their face as the look from member to member and back to their instruments and then around again, knowing they are putting together something they can be truly proud of. It's a powerful little EP, but one that should definitely be heard regardless of how long it is.
Run Dan Run - "Wasted Love"
Buy 27 Coming St. Here!

Thursday's Track Reviews

Fol Chen - "Cable TV (Liars Remix)"; Time and time again I have railed against remixes on this site, but every once in a while one will pop up in my inbox that really intrigues me. Such was the case Tuesday when I got a remix of a Fol Chen track that I enjoy done by Liars, a band I have the utmost respect for. I still prefer the original version to the remixed one, but Liars definitely add a layer of depth with some deep percussion and some odd fade-ins and outs.
Grade: B-

Trentalange - "Shadow Man"; Barabara Trentalange, the former member of bands such as Crooked Fingers and Head Like A Kite, has just gotten around to releasing a solo album aided by former members of Screaming Trees and Head Like A Kite. The sound isn't totally innovative or new, but her talents definitely manage to carry her through a bit. Still this is a pretty straight ahead version of 90's alternative rock.
Grade: C+

Woods - "The Dark"; This band has recently shared the stage with folks like Blank Dogs, WAVVES, Nodzzz, and Times New Viking so you should already have a good idea what type of sound they are pushing. The thing about this band is that they stray a bit from the noise side of things and aim to let their bright pop sounds shine through. It's really a solid sound from a lo-fi band and definitely something just different enough to full catch our ears.
Grade: A-

Tortured Soul - "Did You Miss Me"; Sometimes I wonder how certain bands wind up in my inbox. This track popped up the other day and I was curious enough to take a listen. Sure enough I wind up listening to a track that shows fully why most white people should stay far, far away from soul music. Not to be racist or bigoted or anything like that, but seriously us Caucasians do not have enough soul to pull of this music! Tortured Soul try really hard here though, and come really close but don't quite hit the bar here.
Grade: C

Dntel - "Loneliness is Having No One to Miss"; Right off the bat this song is losing points because it is not a Postal Service song. I know it's not fair to Jimmy Tamborello but sometimes life isn't fair. Beyond those point deductions this song is a bit of a flaccid electronic song. There's a lack of emotion here that doesn't make sense when you think about Tamborello's lengthy history. There are some fine sounds here, but the lack of emotion really hurts the track. Maybe some vocals by, oh I don't know, Ben Gibbard would have helped this one out.
Grade: C+

Swan Lake - "A Hand at Dusk"; Having been totally disappointed in last year's Wolf Parade release I am really surprised that both Dan Boeckner (Handsome Furs) and Spencer Krug would be releasing new albums with their solo projects so soon. These two are definitely weaker then they are as a whole, but they spend so much time and energy on their solo projects that it really is taking away from what should be to focus. (At least that's my opinion) I have always leaned towards Spencer though so this tune comes out a little more welcomed then the Handsome Furs stuff and it's a pretty sweet piano ballad much in the vein of what Krug has done before.
Grade: B

Moscow Olympics - "The Farthest City"; This track, off a split 7" with The Morning Paper, is a new tune from the critically acclaimed Philippine quintet. The tune continues to build on the band's reputation for epic dream pop tunes, that are instantly addictive and absolutely impossible to shake from your mind once their over. They are a bit underrated but I doubt that will last much longer.
Grade: B+

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Zero"; This is sure to rank high on the elbo.ws charts this week! The first track off the highly anticipated It's Blitz! shows off Nick Zinner's attachment to synthesizers, completely casting off the guitar in an effort to create a dance frenzy using the synths, Karen O's dynamic voice, and some percussion. If this serves as a solid introduction to the new album I think we can expect another Blondie "Heart of Glass" type revival going on in the city!
Grade: A-

Of Great and Mortal Men - "Obama: Someone To Wake"; A few weeks ago this anthology, compiling songs dedicated to each of the former presidents, was released so it's not too surprising that they would release a track dedicated to the latest addition to the office in celebration of President's Day. This track is a little stale, especially when stacked against all the hip-hop celebrations of Obama's Presidency. The simple bluesy riffs never really take off and the lyrics aren't quite as deep as they sound like they should be.
Grade: C-

Pterodactyl - "First Daze"; Last time I caught Pterodactyl live I couldn't hear for about two days after it. The band seems to have a thing for loud music and their new tune definitely should be played at a higher volume then anything else you're listening to. But unlike anything off their last record, "First Daze" is a bit more polished and a bit more cohesive then their noisier songs. It's closer to "Esses" then anything else off the record, but even that's a stretch.
Grade: A-

Papercuts - "Future Primitve"; Listening to this new tune from the Papercuts makes me think the band has checked out some Deerhunter since the last time they recorded. While still definitely in the realm of pop, it is a bit more scuzzed out and garage like then anything the band has ever done and it also adds an atmosphere of the psychedelic. I won't say they are straight ripping off Deerhunter, but there definitely appears to be some influence in here. Personally I think that's a good thing.
Grade: B+

The Bitters - "Warrior"; An off-shoot of Fucked Up, this sounds nothing like the hardcore sounds of that Canadian band. Instead, Ben Cook and Aerin Fogel's side project aims for that lo-fi, garage rock sound that is all the rage these days. They do it really freakin' well though and I consider myself to be hooked!
Grade: A

Lil' Wayne - "February 18th"; Dropped to the internets late last night, this 57-second long track ignores Wayne's move towards rock and sticks more to the AutoTune realm with a straight clap track for a beat. It's pretty fucking good even if it may be a little hastily thrown together.
Grade: B

Young Jeezy - "Uhh Uhhh (That Ain't It)"; Jeezy seems to be pushing Lil' Wayne for the most prolific rapper of the times, and he may even be surpassing him by the sheer number of appearances he makes. On this new track he's going hard with a fine beat and some solid rhymes, but really there's a lot more coming down the pipeline for Jeezy so expect to be sick of him by March.
Grade: B

Track of the Week:
Extra Golden - "Anyango"; Not quite as hotly anticipated as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs album, the new record from Extra Golden has a shit ton of promise built around it. With a couple of members from Kenya and a couple of members from Washington D.C. it kind of makes sense that it would take a couple of tries for this band to get everything working in synch, but with the release of this track you can feel and hear all the parts coming together. Heavy on tribal rhythms, infused with just the right amount of slide guitar, this song is enough to get me fully hyped on the upcoming record Thank You Very Quickly.
Grade: A

Old School Track of the Week:
Simon & Garfunkel - "The Boxer"; Earlier this week Paul Simon re-opened The Beacon Theater and was joined by his former partner Art Garfunkel for three songs including "The Boxer". Obviously the pairing of the two led to immediate rumors of their first reunion tour in 5-years and hopefully that will actually come about as I missed them the last time they came around. Fingers are crossed!
Grade: A+

Video of the Week:

Fever Ray - "When I Grow Up"; With her album not yet released, I think we are all thoroughly impressed with the job Karin Dreijer is doing promoting her solo project Fever Ray. Through two music videos she has fully captivated an audience with her cinematic takes of her dark, electronic music. These videos are breathtaking and the music is on par with that of her regular project The Knife.
Grade: A

Band of the Week: Dinosaur Feathers

As a kid I had the same obsession most other boys do with dinosaurs and their pre-historic remains. I remember all the times my brother and I were taken to the Muesum of Natural History to see the fossils and how we would be awe struck by the sheer size of their remains. Of course today we have a totally different image of dinosaurs from what we had while we were growing up in the 80's. Now we are told dinosaurs are more cloesly related to birds then they were to reptiles and that lots of them even had feathers! That's pure madness to anyone that grew up idolizing T-Rex but it seems to be the new science of them times.

Like these dinosaurs with feathers, Dinosaur Feathers are a band that changes your perception from what you'd expect to the new actuality of things. When you hear the idea of a duo that uses a drum machine you might have a certain image in your head, but this Brooklyn duo exceeds any and all expectations with music that is the purest form of pop perfection. Simple melodies, mixed with excellent harmonies, and perfectly worded, cheeky lyrics all work together to make the music of Dinosaur Feathers immediately captivating. Working with just an acoustic guitar, keyboard, and that drum machine, this duo quickly reminded me of one of the hot new bands from last year - The Dodos - minus the insane drum lines of The Dodos. But they have a very similar style and knack for getting the most out of the simplicity of their sound.

Of course I'm basing all this on the 4-songs they have posted over on their MySpace page so I don't have all that much evidence to go on. But like the fossil hunters who have slowly discovered the true nature of dinosaurs, I feel we'll learn more the further we dig into Dinosaur Feathers and with each release they leave us to study!
Dinosaur Feathers - "Teenage Whore"
Dinosaur Feathers on MySpace
Upcoming Dinosaur Feathers Shows:
Feb. 26th @ Sidewalk Cafe New York, NY (Anti-folk Festival)
Mar. 4th @ TT the Bear's Cambridge, MA (w/Wakey! Wakey!)
Mar. 10th @ Rockwood Music Hall New York, NY
(Photo via Local Correspondents)

Top 10: Songs About Smoking

Early Monday morning, around 3:00AM, I finished what was to be my last ever cigarette. For the last 11-years of my life I spent a huge portion of it inhaling a Marlboro Light, and for the last two days I have been driven mad with the desire to smoke one. I don't know how far I'm going to make it right now. My will is wavering and I am really fiending a smoke, but I must try to make it. Sigh. Here's the best songs about smoking I could find.

10. Ben Lee - "Smoking Cigarettes Will Kill You"; I don't entirely agree with the title of this one, and the song barely has anything to do with smoking at all, so we'll stick it at #10 with the hope that someone came come up with something a bit better about smoking.

9. Arctic Monkeys - "Cigarette Smoke"; Solid song, use of the cigarette smoke as metaphor. Not too bad, but not quite an ode for cigarettes.

8. Hefner - "The Hymn for Cigarettes"; I thought this would be the one. The title says, "hey, I am THE smoking song of all-time", but alas it's a little bit off.

7. Oasis - "Cigarettes & Alcohol"; Yeah, drinking booze and smoking pretty much went hand in hand. Until Mayor Bloomberg ruined that.

6. David Bazan - "Cold Beer and Cigarettes"; Ah, nice twist David Bazan!

5. Patsy Cline - "Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray"; This is more about relationships. But it's damn good.

4. Otis Redding - "Cigarettes and Coffee"; Also about relationships, but Otis just has a way with words.

3. The Fiery Furnaces - "Smelling Cigarettes"; There is actual smoking in this song! Amongst car crashes and bad weather and cats.

2. Brownsville Station - "Smoking In the Boys Room"; This is where it all started for me. Smoking in the boys room at Brooklyn Tech 11-years ago. Thinking I wouldn't get addicted with just a few puffs. Yeah, don't fool yourselves kids.

1. The Replacements - "More Cigarettes"; The Replacements rule!!!!

Questionable Corner: Bryce Dessner, of The National

Bands these days have really developed a social conscious! Gone are the sex, drugs, and rock n' roll days, replaced by bands that are coming up with innovative ways to reduce pollution on tour or rocking for one cause or another. Now you can added the rocking brothers, Aaron and Bryce Dessner from The National to that list! Yesterday marked the release of their charity compilation Dark Was the Night, a project that culls together many of your favorite indie rock artists and donates all of the profits to the Red Hot Organization which is dedicated to fighting AIDS! I got a chance to chat with Bryce Dessner about working on the compilation and I hope you'll take a couple of minutes to learn a little more about Dark Was the Night before you head out to buy it!

PTST: How did the Dark Was the Night idea all come about and how did you and your brother wind up working on it?
Bryce: My brother worked at a design firm founded by John Carlin, who is also the creator of the Red Hot organization. When Aaron left work to pursue the National full time (2004 or 2005), John mentioned to him that someday we should consider producing a record with him. Dark Was the Night grew out of this initial conversation.

PTST: Personally I have two brothers and we've never really been able to work too well together. How do you and Aaron manage it so well? Is there ever any of that sibling rivalry between the two of you?
Bryce: We actually have a very healthy competitive relationship. We really don’t fight, but we do like to provoke the other one. In the band we encourage each other to write better songs, but by the time they are finished its often forgotten who did what. With the charity album I think the fact that we are family, and maybe even the weirdo circus thing of being twins, made everybody perhaps even more excited about getting involved. Like a big family singalong. Or not really....

PTST: Is it more rewarding to take on a project with such noble roots knowing your brother is right there with you?
Bryce: Sometimes we are like the two-headed monster. We can just get more done cause there are two of us. Nothing needs to be explained, we can just pick up the ball where the other one left it and get things done. We don’t make the mistakes that usually happen because of lack of communication, because we don’t need to speak to one another to communicate. Its not telepathy, its just the result of one massive history of collective experience.

PTST: Did you guys start with a dream list of bands and artists that you wanted to be involved in this project? Were there any folks that you were maybe too intimidated to approach for the compilation? Were there any contributors that said yes that really surprised you?
Bryce: We had a list which mostly started with artists we are friends with, and people who deeply inspire us. There were some new surprises. Bon Iver is one of them. I think right now we both love his music as much as anything, but we didn’t actually know him or his work when we started the record. It was a dream to discover his music and him as a person, and then get him on this record. Also the collaboration ("Big Red Machine") between Justin and Aaron is one of my favorite things on the record. This could have never happened without the opportunity to produce the compilation.

PTST: How about anyone that wasn't able to do it that you wished you could have gotten for it?
Bryce: There are lots...some didn’t have time (Animal Collective, Battles, LCD), others we had trouble clearing publishing for (I wont name names), others were beyond our reach (Radiohead!).

PTST: How much time have you been able to devote to the project with all the success and touring The National have done over the last few years?
Bryce: Its actually a great way to work on the road. All you need is phone and email, and away you go. I highly recommend it actually. It gave us a sense of purpose, both artistically to counter the stagnation that can occur on the road, and also a sense of social purpose that we were actually doing something for the world rather than just emitting more than our share of CO2 with the planes and buses.

PTST: Were you guys able to be in the studio for all the recordings or was it something the bands did on their own and then sent to you song by song?
Bryce: Sometimes we were there, sometimes we were even playing (i.e. Antony, Sufjan, Bon Iver, National). But more often we were working remotely with artists who would record wherever they were, on the road, in their hometowns, or home studios.

PTST: Did you guys have a theme in mind for the compilation from the start, or did the whole "Dark Was the Night" idea evolve over time?
Bryce: Actually we began the whole thing with a collection of early American songs from the Harry Smith Anthology. "Dark Was the Night" was among these, and was my favorite of the bunch. It is truly one of the most beautiful recordings I have ever heard (I am speaking about the original by Blind Willy Johnson). I became pretty obsessed with that song (I actually also composed a whole concert of music inspired by the song in March of last year). So it was a title we had lying around from very early on. But as the project developed we went in many directions. I think ultimately we wanted to do something big and inclusive and ambitious. Which is why there are so many songs! And we didn’t feel right about just doing a songwriter tribute (in the past Red Hot has done tributes to Gershwin, Cole Porter , Fela Kuti). We felt that what distinguishes most of the music being made right now is songwriting. So we wanted to encourage artists to write songs for the record, or to choose their own covers that they thought they could do something significant with. Much of this did relate back to early folk music (Grizzly Bear, Stuart Murdoch, Feist, The Books..etc) and a theme started to develop as we went along. But actually the decision to name the record Dark Was the Night only came at the end . I was working with David Harrington – founder and violinist of Kronos- on something else entirely and discovered he shared the same passion for the song and that Kronos had a version they would give us. That was one of the best days for me during the whole process. We had come full circle.

PTST: Were there any songs that had to be scrapped because they didn't fit in with what you were trying to do here?
Bryce: Some artists offered us previously released songs, rare b-sides etc...and we had to turn those down. A couple times we asked artists to re-work something or try something else. Actually we originally did two songs for the record ourselves and chose "So Far Around the Bend".

PTST: When you guys first spoke of what was to become the Dark Was the Night compilation what did you imagine coming out of it? Has it lived up to what you had hoped for?
Bryce: I think we imagined something quite close to what its become, although to be honest the quality of the whole thing still surprises me. We have the artists to thank for that.

PTST: For a couple of weeks you have been streaming individual tracks from the compilation on the MySpace page, was that done in effort to try to combat illegal downloading of Dark Was the Night? Do you think people will be more likely to buy the album knowing that the profits will be going to a worthy cause?
Bryce: I hope people will buy it knowing its for charity. Ultimately the bottom line is we are doing this to help the HIV/AIDS epidemic. So success for us is always measured against how we are helping the issue rather than critical praise.

PTST: How have you guys taken the early reception to the album so far? Could you compare the feelings of success this way to the success The National have attained?
Bryce: Hmmmm...its really really different. Dark Was the Night is about a whole community of people that helped. So we don’t really feel any ownership or personal achievement. It really is not about that for us. Also I think I react more harshly about negative reviews for this because it’s for charity.

PTST: Obviously the Red Hot Organization is a very worthy charity to receive the profits from the sales on this album but what made you choose that organization over other worthy organizations?
Bryce: Red Hot is just a production company that will donate all the proceeds to other charities. These include organizations all over the world that deal with research, treatment, prevention etc.... We’ve given the opportunity to each artist to choose a charity to give some of the proceeds to.

PTST: How much of an impact do you think the compilation will be able to have on the Red Hot Organization?
Bryce: Red Hot has raised over $20 million in 20 years. Insane by any barometer. They began during a time when people bought a lot more records, so by comparison I doubt we will make as big a print as some of the other early records. But I hope we will make a difference.

PTST: It seems that a lot of the bands involved in this project have all strove to have some sort of impact on the issues that currently plague the world. Did the social consciousness of bands play into the selection of who would be on the compilation?
Bryce: Not really. Of course some of our peers, like Arcade Fire, are very engaged and therefore we felt more comfortable asking them. But we also wanted to encourage people to get involved regardless of their history with different causes. I think definitely the fact that many of these bands came up during the Bush years caused a lot of us to be more engaged and responsible to the world around us, and part of that may have been a response to how fucked up our government has been.

PTST: After doing it once would you ever do a second one of these? Would it be for the same charity or would you like to help tackle another issue?
Bryce: I think we need a year or two off, but I could see doing another one for Red Hot. It would be fun to do a follow up and get some of the bands we couldn’t get this time around to do something.

PTST: Do you have a personal favorite song on the compilation?
Bryce: Too many!

PTST: Since I have you here I kind of feel I need to ask what's going on with your other project The National. What are you guys up to right now? Have you started work on the follow up to Boxer?
Bryce: Yes, we are working everyday in a new studio we built in Brooklyn. So far it seems to be going really well. There are about 50 sketches for new songs, and quite a few are starting to take shape. We’ll keep you posted!!
Listen: Antony with Bryce Dessner - "I Was Young When I Left Home"



(Photo via Gorilla vs. Bear)

Blast from the Past: The Magnetic Fields' Get Lost

When people start rhapsodizing about The Magnetic Fields all attention inevitably turns to the band's triple album 69 Love Songs, often ignoring the wealth of music that sprang from Stephen Merritt's fertile mind prior to the band's critical smash. Folks miss out on all the lo-fi, synthetic songs The Magnetic Fields released earlier in their career on albums like and The Wayward Bus and The Charm of the Highway Strip, and neglect the small steps Merritt and company took on each successive album to develop their sound into what would become 69 Love Songs. The biggest step of all coming in 1995 with the release of Get Lost, the album that would precede 69 Love Songs and lay the groundwork for all the catchy ditties found on its three discs.

Before the release of Get Lost, Stephen Merritt and his band The Magnetic Fields often relied a little too heavily on synthesizers to create their lo-fi pop songs, but on Get Lost Merritt and company finally begin to flesh out their pop sound with the addition of real drums, ukulele, banjo, and a few other actual instruments. There is still a very synthetic feel to the album, but the sound has become more balanced with the addition of all the old fashioned instruments and it adds a bit of feeling to Merritt's song style. But as much as things changed with the release of Get Lost the songwriting remained as the most vital part of what The Magnetic Fields were doing.

Songs about love are of course the prevailing trend on Get Lost and Merritt continued to experiment with his smart and ironic wording, while working to better define the bitter characters found in each of his heartfelt tunes. The songs remain as catchy as anything he had written prior to this, but they add a bit of sentimentality thanks to the subtle change in sound textures aiding the lyrics along. Songs like "When You're Old and Lonely" and "You and Me and the Moon" would fit perfectly on later Magnetic Fields albums, but their appearance here definitely foreshadowed what was to come from the band.

69 Love Songs is one of the great indie albums of all-time, but to neglect the early history of any band is just plain silly and I'm pretty sure all lovers of their later stuff would adore Get Lost.
The Magnetic Fields - "Famous"
The Magnetic Fields - "You and Me and the Moon"
The Magnetic Fields - "When You're Old and Lonely"
The Magnetic Fields - "The Dreaming Moon"

Previous Merge 20th Blasts from the Past:
Neutral Milk Hotel's On Avery Island

Buzzworthy??? Or Not???

Who: Mi Ami
Location: San Francisco, CA
First Heard About From: MBV
Thoughts: Mi Ami were born out of the ashes of D.C.'s Black Eyes, a punk band that broke up in 2006. Somehow, Daniel Martin-McCormick and Jacob Long made it all the way out to San Francisco where they met drummer Damon Palermo and shifted their musical focus from punk to the release of a 12" called African Rhythms which is damn true to its name. The trio rely heavily on far out rhythms and bass lines that dominate the sound scape of the band. On their new record Watersports the band take the experiment a bit further allowing the pulsating rhythms to take over the spotlight and pushing their abrasive vocals and guitar to a supporting role. The result is a record that will have you toe tapping a hole through your floor or head bobbing your way to the chiropractor, but you probably won't mind those end results.
Verdict: Buzzworthy!
Listen: Mi Ami - "New Guitar"
Mi Ami - "Pressure"
Buy Watersports Here!

Tuesday's Recommended Release

The compilation record is often maligned for being a non-cohesive collection of artists that have no real business being placed next to each other. Personally I can't really argue with that assessment of the typical compilation record. Few have ever been able to capture and hold my attention for very long, and most of the time we buy them to realize there are only one or two good songs among the dozen placed there. Most of the other songs are crappy filler from bands we'll never hear from again, just check your own compilations to see if they fit the bill. But there are some out there that manage to exceed all compilation expectations and gain our adoration. Most of these adhere to strict themes or limit band involvement to include only specific types of bands.

Dark Was the Night only sort of follows those two rules, they loosely follow a theme for most of the two disc set and they have enlisted the biggest and best names from the recent boom in indie rock. Bands like Sufjan Stevens, Arcade Fire, and Feist all lend their music to this charity compilation, but there are also impressive tracks from lesser know folks like Bon Iver (yeah I know you guys know him, but not everyone does) and Yeasayer to name just a few. But everyone that contributed to this compilation, whether it was a cover, a rare B-side, or a brand new song, did to so to the best of their abilities and it shows throughout the record.

The brain child of The National's Aaron and Bryce Dessner, Dark Was the Night is a record with the noblest of intentions - to raise money to help the Red Hot Organization in the fight against HIV/AIDS. A lot of bad music has been made in the past in the name of worthy causes, but this time around the Dessner brothers have truly focused their efforts on bringing in only the best and brightest new stars in the indie scene. The resulting music follows a loose pattern that is based around the old Americana recordings of Harry Smith. Though it is only a loose guideline the music here definitely finds a flow very quickly and sticks to that flow thanks to the bands that are here, whether it be Sharon Jones into Dave Sitek or Grizzly Bear into The National it manages to work brilliantly.

Of course like any compilation record there are a few standout tracks here. "Lenin", an outtake from the Arcade Fire's recording of Funeral is a song that easily could have squeezed it's way onto either of the band's last two records but thankfully has finally found itself a home here. The duet between Feist and Ben Gibbard may make Zooey Deschanel a bit jealous, but even she will have to bite her lip and admit it's indie rock brilliance. Beyond those two tunes everything else seems to fill its own niche and that works perfectly for the record, there really are no missteps on this record.

As far as compilation records go this should immediately slip into the top 20 of all time, the music here is fantastic, original, and perfectly suited for a cohesive whole of a record. I'm hoping you folks won't resort to stealing this one from the internet, remember that it is a record that is selling for charity. So go out and by the special 3x LP or the double disc CD, but definitely pick it up knowing full well that your money is going to a worthwhile cause and you will be getting a great return on your investment.
Dirty Projectors and David Byrne - "Knotty Pine"
The New Pornographers - "Hey, Snow White"
Arcade Fire - "Lenin"

Monday's Leaky Faucet

Who: Bat for Lashes
Title: Two Suns
Release Date: April 6th
Label: Astralwerks
Thoughts: The depths of Natasha Khan's talents are certainly something one cannot debate. On her debut record, Fur and Gold, she introduced us all to her sharp, unique voice and wooed everyone from Mercury Prize voters to Thom Yorke with it. On her sophomore release, Two Suns, she continues to impress us by adding a co-production credit and numerous instrumental credits for work on a good portion of the music here. But talent will only take you so far in this world, there needs to be passion and excitement, some sort of flair that grabs you and makes you take note, and it's here that I find Bat for Lashes second record a bit lacking. Her voice is powerful enough to pull you in, but for some reason there just doesn't seem to be enough emotion laid out on the record. It's a bit disappointing, but then we are treated to her wonderful virtuosity so I guess that should be enough for us for now.
Listen: Bat for Lashes - "Moon and Moon"
Bat for Lashes - "Pearl's Dream"

Who: Shout Out Out Out Out
Title: Reintegration Time
Release Date: March 3rd
Label: Normal Welcome Records
Thoughts: Listening to the new record from Shout Out Out Out Out is not something for the faint at heart. If you're looking for a calm, gentle listening experience see above because there is nothing gentle about this album. Instead, from the start you are thrust onto a dance floor and for the next hour you are compelled by the rhythms and sounds of Reintegration Time to move your feet and shake your ass. This record is non-stop party central! The beats on the record are phenomenal, the synths play a wonderful part, and everything fits together seamlessly no matter how many working parts each song gets. And there are a lot of working parts. I have a feeling that every listen to this record will present something a little different as our ears adjust to all the sounds coming through, but after each listen we will be sweaty and out of breath and thoroughly excited by what we just heard.
Listen: Shout Out Out Out Out - "Bad Choices"
Shout Out Out Out Out - "Guilt Trips Sink Ships"

Who: Black Dice
Title: Repo
Release Date: April 7th
Label: Paw Tracks
Thoughts: Black Dice have a reputation for creating their own rules when it comes to music. The structure of their weird sounds has always been something derived from a sort of shared consciousness between the members, rather then anything you could actually learn from an education in music. But it's this strange sort of composition that really sets Black Dice apart and makes them what they are and on their fifth album Repo the band have worked harder to makes this strangeness seem almost reasonable. The album has a cohesion that doesn't quite fit the sounds coming from it. Recorded half in a home studio and half in a real deal studio the elements mesh together perfectly creating a symphony of noise that few could re-create. These sounds, so foreign apart, sound like pop bliss when strung together this way.
Listen: Black Dice - "Glazin'"
Black Dice - "Lazy TV"
Who: Polly Scattergood
Title: Polly Scattergood
Release Date: March 9th
Label: Mute Records
Thoughts: On her self-titled debut record, Polly Scattergood offers a dark take on pop music. For nearly 50-minutes Scattergood puts the world of sadness and depression into musical form, a feat that many have taken on but few have ever captured as perfectly as Scattergood has here. Lyrically and vocally Scattergood offer the haunting attributes of depression, from emotional obsessions to an unhealthy self image, she perfectly captures the range of feeling and emotion that plague millions of people. But behind the lyrics there is a lilting pop sound that serves as the smiling facade most people attempt to put on their own sadness. It's an impressive musical take and it showcases the talents of this young artist to capture emotion and harness it's powers in song. I'm pretty wowed by this whole album, the sound, the range of emotional depth, the power of Scattergood's eerie voice, it all works together to create an impressive, beautiful debut.
Listen: Polly Scattergood - "I Hate the Way"
Polly Scattergood - "Unforgiving Arms"

This Week's Live Picks

Monday: These Are Powers @ Other Music 8pm FREE
Free shows are a good thing. Let's face it the winter doesn't offer enough opportunities to get out and enjoy some free music, so we better make the most of it when the opportunity presents itself. Tonight These Are Powers will be rocking the cozy confines of what is soon to be New York's only record store. Make sure you're there.
These Are Powers - "Life Of Birds"

Tuesday: Fujiya & Miyagi @ (le) poisson rouge 10pm $12
If tonight's bills around town were any better I would not be recommending this show. As it is, Tuesday of this week is a terribly weak night for live music and so I must resort to pumping a show of a band who is horrible live and that I only sort of enjoyed their debut album and let's not even get started on their more recent release. So yeah, maybe it's better to stay in and catch up on the DVR or pick out a new Netflix then spend the $12 here.
Fujiya & Miyagi - "Dishwasher"

Wednesday: White Rabbits + Ravens & Chimes @ Mercury Lounge 7pm $12
Brooklyn's White Rabbits have been a little quiet lately. The last two years they were a huge part of the New York scene though and it seems these boys have some new tunes ready which they'll be performing tonight. That alone sounds good enough to me, but I'm sure they'll crank out a few of their more popular older tunes for the fans as well.
White Rabbits - "The Plot"
Ravens & Chimes - "January"

Thursday: The Heavenly Tenants @ Cake Shop 8pm $7
Hailing from Staten Island I have to support my favorite local acts when they go and play around the city, so it should come as no surprise that I'm pointing you towards this show. The Heavenly Tenants have long been a favorite from the Island scene, and their ability to mesh pop songs with a rocking sound is something that people should easily be able to fall for.
The Heavenly Tenants - "Fifteen"

Friday: Black Dice + Blank Dogs @ (le) poisson rouge 10pm $12
Tonight two sonically experimental sounds get thrust together on the same stage, and whether you're going for the veteran sounds of Black Dice or the new ones found from Blank Dogs I'm pretty sure the two camps will find some solid middle ground to enjoy each of the bands. This should be an excellent show.
Black Dice - "Glazin"
Blank Dogs - "Ants"

Saturday: Radio Moscow @ Cake Shop 8pm $10
I don't know too much of Radio Moscow. I know I enjoy the tune posted below and that they were recommended to me by some pretty esteemed friends so I'm going to base this show rec on that. Hopefully it will turn out to be a good one.
Radio Moscow - "Broke Down"

Sunday: Lovedrug @ Maxwell's 8pm $10
Fans of Muse should definitely check out this band!
Lovedrug - "Only One"

This Week's Tour News

Who: Bonnie "Prince" Billy
When: May 21st
Where: Apollo Theater
On Sale: NOW
More Dates
Thoughts: It's amazing to me that I have never seen Bonnie "Prince" Billy live. You would think after all the shows I've been to that I would get to one for an artist I respect as much as I do Bonnie "Prince" Billy, but nope never have. And now that he's big enough to be playing the Apollo I doubt I'll have enough cash to get to go see him.
Listen: Bonnie "Prince" Billy - "Easy Does It"

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Who: The Decemberists
When: June 10th
Where: Radio City Music Hall
On Sale: Today, 12pm!
More Dates
Thoughts: Over the years I have seen The Decemberists quite a few times, and each and every time I see them I leave their show with a huge smile on my face! They are such a good band overall, and led by the charismatic and engaging Colin Meloy sets them apart from most indie rock bands that just get on stage and play. No, when The Decemberists get on stage you feel like you're a part of the show and it's a pretty special experience.
Listen: The Decemberists - "The Rake's Song"

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Who: WAVVES
When: March 28th + 29th
Where: Cake Shop + TBA
On Sale: No Adavance Tickets!
More Dates
Thoughts: I got to see WAVVES at the Market Hotel last weekend and I was pretty impressed with what he can do with his music on stage. Considering the amount of layers that are on the record I kind of thought the live version of the songs would fall flat but they do anything but that, instead they have a different kind of wild life that is a thing of beauty. I definitely plan on catching WAVVES again!
Listen: WAVVES - "Gun In The Sun"

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Who: The Dead Milkmen
When: April 17th
Where: Warsaw
On Sale: NOW
More Dates
Thoughts: Since disbanding in 1995 The Dead Milkmen have come back to rock more times then Brett Favre has come back to football. It's not really fair to call all of these reunions anymore, it's just another in a series of well spread out tours. But despite them being around more often then most broken up bands should be, they are still a kick ass group and deserve your attention.
Listen: The Dead Milkmen - "Punk Rock Girl"

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Who: Tyvek
When: April 2nd
Where: Bowery Ballroom
On Sale: NOW
More Dates
Thoughts: Opening for Asobi Seksu at Bowery Ballroom may not be the ideal place to catch the insanity known as Tyvek (or Tyvjk) but if you have yet to see this band you probably should, so break down and go see them there. Or wait for some other random show at some other small, rundown venue to pop up the same week they're playing this show.
Listen: Tyvek - "Start, Stop"

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Who: Junior Boys + Max Tundra
When: May 7th
Where: Webster Hall
On Sale: ???
More Dates
Thoughts: Reports on Max Tundra's last New York show were totally mixed, but since I was home with some sort of illness I'm not gonna take those reports sitting down! Nope I need to see what Max Tundra is like in person (so I'll be catching him at SXSW, fuck Webster Hall). Junior Boys are a pretty good pairing for Tundra and this whole tour should be a lot of fun. (To be fair I hear Webster has improved it's sound system a great deal)
Listen: Junior Boys - "Parallel Lines"
Max Tundra - "Which Song"

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Who: The Oh Sees
When: April 4th + 5th
Where: Bell House + Mercury Lounge
On Sale: Today, 12pm!
More Dates
Thoughts: I'm not gonna lie to you folks and pretend that I know something about The Oh Sees. I've never even heard of this band but to be playing consecutive nights at those two NY venues means I should probably know who this band is. I will check them out ASAP.
Listen: The Oh Sees - "Two Drummers Disappear"

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Who: Jamie Stewart (of Xiu Xiu)
When: April 6th
Where: Monkey Town
On Sale: ???
More Dates
Thoughts: I'm gonna go on record right here and say I'm more then a little tired of front men branching out and doing solo stuff. Sure, a lot of them have done a tremendous job (Thom Yorke) while others have struggled immensely (Beyonce [hah!]), but don't just leave your band to make a few extra bucks! That said I am really interested to see what Jamie Stewart has in store for us with his upcoming solo release and tour. I know I totally flip flopped right there, but can you blame me? It's Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu!!! It's gonna be insane!
Listen: Xiu Xiu - "No Friend Oh!"

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Who: Ladytron + The Faint
When: April 10th + 11th
Where: Webster Hall
On Sale: Today, 12pm!
More Dates
Thoughts: Running an informative music website like this sometimes means straying away from your own personal tastes just so your readers can learn something about a band that they might like coming to a town near there. That is the reason behind this mention.
Listen: Ladytron - "Destroy Everything You Touch"
The Faint - "Psycho"

Short Takes

Most talk about Heatless Bastards begins with lead singer Erika Wennerstrom and her dynamic voice. Others have likened it to a mix of PJ Harvey and Robert Plant, showing just how powerful her voice can be. And it's true, for the majority of The Mountain her voice dominates the soundscape and when you start listening to how powerful the guitar riffs are and how loud the rhythm section can be you truly begin to realize just how awesome that feat is. Her voice warbles and trill its way through most of these bluesy rock songs, the perfect fit for hard rock that is pounding and insatiable at every turn. But make no mistake about, Heartless Bastards is a full band at a very high level throughout The Mountain coaxing every bit of power from everyone on the record. This is a pretty awe inspiring record that fits neatly next to some heavy rock Goliaths.
Heartless Bastards - "Out At Sea"
Heartless Bastards - "Had To Go"

After finally breaking out with the release of his third album, Pride, Matthew Houck has gone and released an album of covers to follow it up. The path of Phosphorescent may not be the path that I'd have chosen, but the album of Willie Nelson covers makes sense for a number of reasons. Most importantly, countless people have compared Houck's voice with the dry delivery Nelson has been famed for for ages. On To Willie, Houck ratchets up the slow, dry delivery and definitely finds a nice little niche in covering some of Nelson's songs. He wisely avoids attempting to re-create these tunes in his own image, instead he does the Nelson originals justice with some nicely laid out tracks which musically are fairly solid. The voice is the key here though and Houck does an admirable job all the way through. There are a few standouts, namely the album's first tune "Reasons to Quit" and 'Permanently Lonely", which are instant classics in the world of covers. For a cover album this is a pretty well imagined, planned, and executed record, I'm just more excited to hear something new and original from Houck. Hopefully that will come soon.
Phosphorescent - "Reasons to Quit"
Phosphorescent - "Permanently Lonely"

Over the course of the first two Vetiver records Andy Cabic set the groundwork for the style that this musical project will run over. It is different from his more popular work with Devendra Banhart, eschewing the freak part of folk altogether and focusing on the finger picking, sunny lyrics of straight ahead folk. On his third record under the Vetiver moniker, Cabic has finally allowed other elements into play allowing a bit more pop to enter the fray and throwing some light synths here and there to give the album a more layered feel then anything he's done in the past. It's these things that give Tight Knit a chance to make its way into your everyday life, adding elements of hooks and style without which it would be a pretty boring record overall. It still follows most of the folk coda though, most of the songs are very hushed and gently played, and you would be forgiven if you drifted off to sleepy land while listening. There are moments, like the lead single "Everyday" and the horns found on "Another Reason To Go" where things pick up a bit, but those moments are fleeting. Tight Knit is a steady sounding record, with some truly excellent musicianship, but it never rises to a level that grabs you and takes you deeper into the music and that's where it suffers.
Vetiver - "Everyday"
Vetiver - "More Of This"

Contest: Handsome Furs T-Shirt from Insound!

On March 10th Sub Pop Records will be releasing the sophomore album from Wolf Parade side project Handsome Furs. To celebrate the release, Insound.com has decided to offer a great deal to anyone who purchases the Handsome Furs t-shirt to the left! Once you purchase the t-shirt you'll be e-mailed a link to download the new record on it's release date - March 10th! That's a pretty sweet deal if you ask me!

Of course one of my lucky readers won't have to purchase the t-shirt at all! Nope, just enter here for a chance to win the t-shirt and the free download for the cost of nothing! The winner will be randomly chosen by Insound.com and will be sent the t-shirt and the download of the new album.

For those that don't win you can always resort to plan B by ordering the combo package from Insound. You have one week to enter this contest, and I will announce the winner on Thursday February 19th! Good luck!
Handsome Furs - "What We Had"
Handsome Furs - "I'm Confused"

Thursday's Track Reviews

Obits - "Pine On"; Obits may be the new kid in the Sub Pop stable but they are certainly not new kids. The band consists of four members, all of whom have extensive histories in the music world. Now that they are together though they are bringing everything they do well together and amking some boot stomping, straight up rock classics. This tune should have people hanging from rafters when they hear it!
Grade: A

Polly Scattergood - "Nitrogen Pink"; It's pretty easy to start any writing on Polly Scattergood by comparing her to either Bjork or Joanna Newsom, and to be fair she does sound quite a bit like those two artists, but she also incorporates a lot of other elements in creating a completely unique, far out sound. I've been thoroughly enjoying her new album lately and this tune is defintiely a stand out. Get to know her, you'll be hearing a lot about her.
Grade: A-

The Soft Pack - "Grinding Halt"; This cover of The Cure from the forthcoming tribute record to the band is pretty outstanding. Turned into a punky, 3-minute anthem by The Soft Pack, the tune is pretty great. I almost like it better then I do the original.
Grade: B+

The Thermals - "Now We Can See"; The first track from the new Thermals record is kind of a mesh between what we've come to expect from the Hutchy and Kathy project known as The Thermals mixed with a little bit of the acoustic duo they used to be. It has a little bit more of a pop feel mixed in with the punk anthem that stems from The Body, The Blood, The Machine. I like it.
Grade: A-

Black Ladies - "The Real Jurassic Park"; Drum heavy, electronic music not too far emoved from what Lightning Bolt do. It's a pretty simple description, but I adore Lightning Bolt, therefore I love this new track. The drums on this are pretty intense, I recommend loud listening.
Grade: B

Department of Eagles - "Love Me"; Normally I am a big fan of what the Department of Eagles do with their music, but this simple rendition of Elvis' "Love Me" is a lacksidasical attempt at covering the King. It's simplicity kind of understates the emotions built into the song, and maybe could have succeeded a bit more with a pick up of the tempo.
Grade: D

Camera Obscura - "My Maudlin Career"; There has never been a more apt song title for any band then this! Camera Obscura have made a living with their sentimental music and have consistently churned out steady indie rock pleasers that have driven their career. But this song more or less just apes what they've done in the past. It isn't horrible, but it isn't great either, it just is. I'll give Camera Obscura the benefit of the doubt and maybe this track will grow on me a bit.
Grade: B-

Charles Hamilton - "Scorpion"; In these days we need to stand up and take note whenever a rapper ventures out without the effects of AutoTune in his pocket, so this tune from Charles Hamilton has that going for it right off the bat. But from there I love the way Hamilton flows over the broken soul croon being sampled in the background. The rhymes are pretty staid, but alright for the most part, and I just love the way it mixes with the broken sounds. Pretty cool effect there.
Grade: B+

Track of the Week:
Coathangers - "Stop Stomp Stompin'"; I fell in love with the Coathangers during CMJ last year and I've been eagerly anticipating their new album. This first tune off of it definitely gets me amped up immediately as a simple guitar riff plays along with the girls yelling their lyrics out at you before heading to the chorus. It pretty much continues on that way, but it's sharp and biting and I like it a lot. Can't wait to hear more from these ladies.
Grade: A

Video of the Week:

Matt & Kim - "Daylight"; Matt & Kim have a reputation for getting parties started. They can take a ho hum festival and turn it into a riotous experience, doing so with just some simple keyboards and drum beats. In this video their infectious energetic ways shine through as they playfully take their song "Daylight" on the road. The video perfectly captures the spirit of Matt & Kim, the whole fun atmosphere that the band exudes. Try not to smile while watching this video!
Grade: A-

Band of the Week: Les Vinyl

The music scene here on Staten Island is often referred to as a very insulated, occasionally incestuous place where band members take part in so many different projects it will make your head spin. There are some good things about this, but in all honesty all the various projects are getting a little confusing these days trying to keep up with who's playing with whom and what they're calling themselves these days. Casey Jost is a member of all this confusion. Taking part in the "scene" with is improv comedy group Mancrsuh (which also has my brother Tim as a member, full disclosure and all), while also playing drums in the band Paragraph. On top of those two things Casey is also giving it a go as a solo, singer/songwriter musician type known as Les Vinyl. The name is catchy enough, but it's the music that will have you coming back again and again for another taste.

Prior to seeing him perform last month at Piano's, the most I had known about Casey's solo project was that he covered kanye West's "Heartless". But after seeing him live I was hooked on his simple style, casual strumming mixed with occasionally humorous lyrics and sometime emotional ditties. It's a fine balance of wry humor and stark, emotional context that makes you want to listen again and again. Most singer/songwriters struggle to find a balance like this, but Casey does so with a natural flair almost like he's not trying at all.

You're next chance to catch a Les Vinyl show is Saturday evening at Martini Red but unfrotunately you won't be hearing any Les Vinyl material that night. No Casey will be performing as The Clash for part of the weekend cover series at Martini. But I assure you this will be totally worth coming out to the Island for! After that who knows when you'll get to see Les Vinyl next, but at least you'll have these tunes to keep you company while you wait for the next show announcement.
Les Vinyl - "Deadly Fucking Silent"
Les Vinyl - "You're An Animal In Bed"
Les Vinyl on MySpace

Top 10: Songs for the Unemployed

Friday morning I was called into the office to get the axe. It was an abrupt ending to what I thought would be a long running job, but in the end I realize I hated my job and I'm kind of excited about the prospect of finding something new to do for a living. Yeah, I'm absolutely insane considering all the shit that's going on in the world, but I'm certainly not alone. 10% of the population is out of work so really I'm just a small piece of a statistic right now, but things could be worse - I'm sure someone out there is out of work with no good tunes to keep him company.

10. Ben Folds - "Fired"; We kick this off with probably the most obviously titled song on the list, but one that fits perfectly. Yeah, you got fired let's not sugar coat it and let's be angry for a little bit. You have questions as to where your next paycheck is gonna come from and how you're gonna pay your bills. But there's something about the joyous way Ben Folds sings this tune that prevents you from getting too upset about your current predicament.

9. The O'Jays - "Laid Off"; In case you don't wanna use the term "fired" we'll allow you to use the kinder "laid off" in this instance. It seems The O'Jays were way ahead of their time with this song as it fits beautifully with the current economic crisis. Most people are sitting around 'cause "ain't nobody working no more".

8. Thurston Moore - "Off Work"; Once the reality of unemployment sets in there may be a couple of days where you think you're just on a vacation. You take it easy, watch some tunes, read a book, whatever it is you do with your down time and you enjoy it. Of course soon you realize you gotta find a freakin' job, but that's for another day.

7. Sufjan Stevens - "Flint (For the Unemployed and Underpaid)"; It's nice of Sufjan to pen an ode to the unemployed in his hometown, but I think we can all adopt this as our current personal anthems. The song is of course stark and full of despair, but somehow it makes us feel a little better to know we're not alone.

6. Beastie Boys - "Skills to Pay the Bills"; At some point we're gonna have to pay our bills, whether it means being creative with our unemployment funds or robbing a bank we're gonna need to find a way.

5. Bob Dylan - "Workingman Blues #2"; Yeah, some people still have the working blues but those folks better start realizing just how lucky they are to still be employed in these times. Lucky bastards and their 9 to 5 ruts!

4. Death Cab for Cutie - "The Employment Pages"; I hear people still use newspapers to try and find work. I don't know if this is true of not, but okay.

3. Pink Floyd - "Money"; "Money, it's a crime. You get it, you spend it, don't take a slice of my pie..." because I honestly don't have any. Please stop asking me for money, please don't rob me, I'm broke.

2. King Khan & the Shrines - "Welfare Bread"; Desperate times call for desperate measures and that may include a little welfare to get your eat on. There's no shame in it, that's what the program is there for.

1. Todd Rundgren - "Bang on the Drum"; Oh fuck it! Who are we kidding? We hated working and now we're free to play all day so long as we ignore our responsibilities and duties. So we should be all good!

Questionable Corner: Screaming Females

Screaming Females have been on our radar here for quite some time. The trio made a fantastic album with 2007's What If Someone Is Watching Their TV? and have come out to play a couple of our own shows here on Staten Island. Each time we're confronted by the Females music we are absolutely blown away! It's bombastic, pummeling music and you probably wouldn't expect this type of sound to come from the three folks standing on the stage. But it does and it is a magnetizing sound that makes you stop in your tracks. Now the trio have a new record, Power Move set to be released on Don Giovanni Records, which hopefully will take the New Brunswick natives to a whole new level. I got a chance to chat with the band about the Jersey DIY scene, their new record, and a lot of other things. Hope you guys enjoy, and make sure to look out for the new Screaming Females record in April!
(Edit: Totally forgot to mention that Screaming Females are playing Cake Shop this Saturday!!!)

PTST: You guys have been under appreciated for far too long, but as such a lot of folks don't know the whole back story behind Screaming Females. How did you guys first come together as a band? What was it that originally drove you to pick up your instruments? Were there any bands that you heard or saw that really drove you to start a band?
Jarrett: I had been at Rutgers U in New Brunswick, NJ for about 4 years. I had completely given up on ever being in a band. I still wanted to be involved in music, especially local music so I started a kinda shitty zine. I was also involved in a club at Rutgers called Record Label Club that a few of my friend's set up. Basically they figured out how to get money from the University to put out CDs. We put out an ad for submissions for the first release which was going to be a compilation. There were two songs that totally stood out to me, one was by Noun and the other by Surgery on TV. The Noun song was super overproduced and the Surgery on TV song sounded like it had been recorded with one mic that was in a different room from the band, by a group of slightly autistic musicians. But at the heart of both there were unbelievable songs. Then I found out they were both Marissa P projects and was like, "I have to meet this girl." King Mike and Marissa were in Surgery on TV. I was soon playing drums for Surgery on TV, the keyboard player left, we changed the name to Screaming Females and started recording 'Baby Teeth,' our first album. That was a little less than 4 years ago.

Both my Mom and Dad are musicians and play about a dozen instruments each. I didn't start playing until I was 9, which was late for my family. Then I took percussion lessons for 10 years from one of the NJ Symphony's best percussionists and never stopped.

Screaming Females is my first real band. The bands that drove me to start this band were all local NJ bands. Plastic East and The Atomic Missiles were two unbelievable New Brunswick, NJ basement bands that I went to see all the time when I was 18/19. Neither were the most popular, even in the small NJ DIY scene but they both sounded so original, like nothing I was hearing from even semi-underground national sources. They were local bands that played from the heart whether there were 100 people at a show or 2. I always dreamed of playing alongside those bands. Then Surgery on TV reinvigorated that feeling in my after 2 years of not really following local music.
Mike: When I went go to high school none of my grammar school friends would talk to me anymore, so I hung out with the music kids because they would talk to me.
Marissa: I was one of the music kids. I never wanted to play guitar, I wanted to play drums. I didn't have drums, but I had a guitar, so when I was fourteen I decided to play it.

PTST: Your roots in the DIY scene run pretty deep, what is it about the whole DIY atmosphere that made you want to go that route? Is there anything about that scene that you wish wasn't the way it was?
Jarrett: If you are from really New Brunswick, NJ you pretty much have to be a DIY band. It was never a conscious decision to be a DIY band. Originally I would have loved for a label to have released an album or an agent to set up a tour because I didn't know anything about doing those things. But no one was offering, so we had to learn to do them ourselves. When I couldn't figure out how to tour I talked to Joe from The Ergs!, who are probably this decade's most (in)famous pop-punk band. They were a NJ band that toured hard and booked all their shows themselves. Joe sat me down and introduced me to DIY punk towns like Carbondale, IL and Bloomington, IN and we started from there. I made about every mistake possible but eventually got the hang of booking tours and releasing records and setting up shows in our town for other touring bands. Once you can do all of that yourself it leaves little reason for someone else to do it. In addition I'm a huge music nerd and have extensively researched histories of artists like Fugazi and Calvin Johnson and Mike Watt and Steve Albini. People who I admire both their art and their longevity. I learned a lot from them. Cutting out middlemen, which is at the heart of DIY, allows you the keep an operation focused and true to its purpose and makes it really hard for a band to become a '15 minutes of fame' kind of act.

I wish that the DIY scene wasn't so under-reported. Punk houses, DIY spaces, all ages galleries, etc are where great and original musical art is happening. But there is so little money attached to it that mainstream outlets and even some semi-underground outlets tend to shy away from reporting on it. People have this idea that these spaces house exclusively crusty hardcore bands but I have seen every style imaginable in these spaces. I wish more people knew about it and that towns and cities and communities at large supported DIY artistic endeavors.

PTST: Since you have those DIY roots, what drove you to put out the new record on a label?
Jarrett: Don Giovanni Records is based out of our hometown New Brunswick, NJ. They have put out amazing, truly classic records by local bands such as The Ergs!, Hunchback, and The Measure [SA]. Joe and Zach, who run the label, had offered to release stuff by us for awhile but we kept turning them down. Finally, they heard that we were recording our new record and decided that they were going to do whatever it took to get us to release it with them. Joe met up with us for the last 4 days of our fall tour and sat us down and really explained what it would mean for everybody if Screaming Females were to release Power Move on DG. It sounded too good to pass up. It is a growing local label directly connected to our community that is willing to do everything they can for us. And they run a tight ship!
Mike: Joe said he would kill himself if he couldn't put out our records. I didn't want him to kill himself, he's a nice guy.

PTST: Do you have any fears about putting out a record on a label as opposed to putting it out yourselves?
Jarrett: Kind of! We've gotten so self-sufficient that letting other people take on responsibilities was a little tough at first. But more and more Don Giovanni has proven to us that they have only our best interests in mind and that they can do more for us than we could have done by ourselves.
Mike: I know where Joe lives.
Marissa: If he stiffs me, I'll cut him!

PTST: What If Someone Is Watching Their TV? is an underrated classic of an album, did you guys do anything differently in recording Power Move then you had done previously?
Jarrett: Every recording we've done has been different. 'Baby Teeth' was self-recorded on a computer with each of the instruments tracked separately. By the time we went in to record 'What if...' people had been rumbling about how Baby Teeth sounded "over-produced" and didn't capture our live sound. The new music was faster and more pissed off. So we went into a studio, setup in a room together, played pretty much everything live, and recorded to 2 inch tape. There were almost no overdubs, other than vocals. It was kind of supposed to shut people up about sounding too polished in recording. I loved the way 'What if...' came off but for 'Power Move' we knew we needed to do something different. Marissa had started interning at The Hunt Studio in NJ. The owner and head engineer, Eric Bennet, had a lot to do with the sound of the new album. Again all the basic tracks (drums, bass, guitars) were recorded together to tape. But this time Eric painstakingly moved us around the room, setup different baffling, tried different mic/preamp combos, tested different guitar amps, etc to really get amazingly distinctive sounds. It sounds fucking unbelievable. We were able to keep the raw power of playing together but expanded the type of sounds we were able to produce.
Mike: Yes.
Marissa: Eric was in this awesome band called Electrolux when he lived in New Brunswick, he's a seasoned New Brunswick veteran so he understands where we are coming from...the crappiest place on earth. I love Eric. He recorded us for next to nothing and spent way more time on it than he had to.

PTST: How do the two albums compare to each other?
Marissa: The new one is better.
Mike: That one is good, but the new one is better.
Jarrett: See above.

PTST: Do you think you're existing fans are gonna dig the new stuff?
Jarrett: Definitely. I think that people who like us kind of expect us to experiment within the old rock n roll setup of drums, bass, guitar, vocals. The new stuff we do on the album keeps it fresh.
Marissa: Uh, I don't really think it's so radically different from out old album that people are going to feel estranged.
Mike: Yeah.

PTST: You guys have always booked your own tours, is that gonna change now that you're on a label? Or can you guys still picture yourselves playing the same basement parties you usually do?
Jarrett: For now I'm still doing all the booking. We have played every imaginable show space. From fairly large rock clubs to abandoned houses. We really love playing all ages arts spaces. These seem to be the types of places that real music fans are going to these days to see new stuff. On our upcoming tour we are playing a number of these types of places, such as AS220 in RI, The Nightlight in NC, and The Kickstand in FL. NJ doesn't really have access to a place like this, so basement shows are our only option. New Brunswick is a college town and there are a lot of parties here. Trust me, basement shows in this town are NOT parties. Basements are our arts spaces. It sucks that our society shuns contemporary art in such a way that artists are forced into hiding in basements. I hope I can handle our booking for a long time to come but there might come a day when it is too overwhelming and we might need an agent's help.
Mike: Don Giovanni records is not EMI.
Marissa: Don Giovanni is a small label. We're not on like, Universal records.

PTST: You recently did a much higher profile gig with Throwing Muses, what was that experience like? Would you guys ever consider doing a big old tour like that, playing in larger venues and what not?
Jarrett: The Throwing Muses shows are coming up in March. We are super excited about them. It's definitely an honor to be asked by Kristin Hersh to play these. We will have to see but I imagine that we would all be psyched about playing larger venues with good sound and all that. They better have deli trays for us!
Marissa: Of course, there will be a deli tray. This is my dream. This is why I'm in a band.

PTST: A lot of the attention on the band seems to focus on Marissa, do you guys ever get a bit jealous about the spotlight being focused on her or anything like that?
Jarrett: Not really. It is obvious why people pay attention to Marissa. She's amazing! I think that people have a misconception that Marissa is the sole songwriter. All the songs are written together. Marissa writes the lyrics. It is very much a group project.
Mike: I can't deal with all the attention, it's better that it's on her. And plus, she rules.

PTST: What did it feel like to be called one of the sexiest women in indie music? Do you feel you're sexier then Karen O? Are you okay with this sort of objectification, or do you wish people would just focus on your considerable guitar chops or your singing instead?
Marissa: It felt ridiculous. I cried from laughter when I read it. Let's not be so P.C., everyone is a fan of good looking people - even though I don't really think I'm one of them...

PTST: How often do you get hit on during shows or after them?
Marissa: Uhm, never.
Mike: Marissa gets hit on a lot but she doesn't realize it. At least one girl or boy per show.
Marissa: Maybe that's it. A boy from North Dakota asked me to be his girl friend so I said yes. If you're out there, boy from North Dakota, call me.
Jarrett: Maybe once or twice in the last 250+ shows. Tour is about long drives, sleeping on floors, and seeing cool bands, definitely not about groupies!

PTST: What is up with the red dress that you always perform in? Do you wash that thing constantly or do you just throw it on for shows?
Marissa: My dress was actually encased in solid amber. It was sent form the heavens to my doorstep where I liberated it from it's fossilized tomb and now I wear it out on the town. I wash it sometimes but not a lot.

PTST: There seems to be a lot more attention on you guys, what with the write up in Spin magazine and all, how do you guys feel about all the new attention? Is this something you guys strove for as a band, or did it just kind of happen?
Jarrett: I had a subscription to Spin Magazine for like 10 years. I read those things religiously! In a small NJ town it was my only real connection to non mainstream music. I haven't really looked at that rag over the last 5 years or so but its really cool to see us in there. I would have never imagined that during my subscription years.

We strive to be a band that makes music that people care about. I wouldn't say that we have tried to be a band that gets in magazines but that seems to be something that goes along with making music that people care about and hopefully it will expose us to even more people that will care about us for a long time. But we have worked super fucking hard over the past 4 years so I would definitely never say that this was something that 'just kind of happened.'
Marissa: Being in Spin is cool because it's something I can show my dad.

PTST: Has the growth of the band had an effect on what you're trying to do musically?
Marissa: What am I trying to do? I don't understand this question.
Mike: Me neither.
Jarrett: Nope! We still practice once a week in my basement. It's cold down there right now!

PTST: Where's the best place to eat in New Jersey?
Jarrett: My kitchen! Seriously, I love making food. I've been working on learning to bake artisan breads. I have the oven stone and the big pizza peel and everything!
Mike: Tata's!
Marissa: Oh my god, Thai Noodle.

PTST: Are there any other Jersey bands that you find yourselves loving these days?
Jarrett: Right Now: Mattress, Seal Club, Mimi & Cristian, Full of Fancy, Shit Fit, Slaw. Always: Full of Fancy, Seasick, The Measure [SA], The Ergs! (RIP), Hunchback (RIP), Plastic East (RIP), The Atomic Missiles (RIP)
Mike: SLAW and Modern Hut!

PTST: Is it tougher to be a band from New Jersey then it would be to be a band from New York? Do you ever feel like people respect you less because you hail from North Brunswick instead of one of the five boroughs?
*It's New Brunswick! North Brunswick doesn't have much except strip malls!*
Jarrett: Being from New Jersey has been one of the greatest things that could have happened to us. Having our small music community is one of the most important things that has ever happened to me. Being from NJ made it harder to get started touring and putting out records and stuff but it makes you humble and gives you a strong work ethic, which are both important things to me.
Mike: Rent is cheaper here. It's easier to drive to a show and park, and we don't have to borrow equipment at shows.
Marissa: I love New Jersey. Whenever I am in New York I'm completely overwhelmed. If I lived there I would blow my brains out within a matter of days.

PTST: Are there any venues that you like to play in Jersey more then the others? What about New York?
Jarrett: The basements of New Brunswick, NJ are the best places to play in NJ (maybe the world?). Hands down. The ones with higher ceilings are nicer for tall people. Other than that Maxwell's in Hoboken and Asbury Lanes in Asbury Park are about the only 'real venues' we end up playing.
NYC has the luxury of big, well run DIY spaces. Places like Death By Audio and Silent Barn. It also has amazing and long standing punk houses like The Fort.
Marissa: At Maxwells, I get free dinner.
Mike: I like playing at my house, The Parlor.

PTST: Any plans to do a video for the new album? If so what song would you like to make one for?
Jarrett: 'Bell' will have a video! It is directed by an amazing video and sound artist named Biz Lynch. Look for it in late Feb or March.
Marissa: Her stuff is here.

PTST: Are there any trends in music today that you wish would just die?
Jarrett: Auto tune (aka pitch correction) on rap and R&B records. I'm totally over it! Cher did that shit like 10 years ago!
Marissa: I don't know, I love everything, I think it's all amazing. I love auto tune it's changing lives.

PTST: When you first started Screaming Females did you ever think the path you've taken would lead you where you are today? Do you have loftier goals that you'd like the band to achieve?
Jarrett: Most of my focus for the band is only directed a few months ahead. When should we tour? When should we record? What job can I get for only 4 months and still be able to play shows whenever I need to? At the same time I have always had a long term vision. I think about 10 and 20 years down the line. You have to have that longer vision not to get caught up in trends or quick payoffs. But as far as I'm concerned we are behind schedule. I really thought we would have toured Europe by now!

My goals for this band have always stayed the same. Make music that comes out of us and evolves, not out of preset genre definitions. Always try to run a tight ship that lets people know we care about the art that we make. Don't lose money on it.
Marissa: I just want a damn deli tray. Pleeeease.

Listen: Screaming Females - "Boyfriend"
Screaming Females - "You and Mr. Rogers"

Buzzworthy??? Or Not???

Who: The Lonely Island
Location: Berkley, CA (now NY)
elbo.ws Ranking: #24
Thoughts: For a long time if you wanted to listen to songs like "Lazy Sunday" or "Dick In A Box" you would have had to head on over to YouTube to watch the SNL Digital Shorts and listen that way, but at long last The Lonely Island have gotten their shit together and put together an album worth of comedic raps they feel are good enough for public consumption. They debut record, Incredibad, certainly has some stellar moments, like the previously mentioned tunes which have already appeared on Saturday Night Live, but for the most part most of the songs fall flat like so many SNL sketches do these days. Andy Samberg and company do have a few highlights under their belt, particularly when they enlist some of their celebrity fans to jump on a track. "I'm On A Boat" featuring T-Pain is a glorious re-imagining of the AutoTuned sound T-Pain has come to signify and when Jack Black takes over on "Sax Man" there is a simplicity behind the songs that makes it comedic gold. In between these solid tunes there are so many that seem to be pure filler, the songs that take about Carlos Santana's champagne line get a little exhausting as do all the juvenile references to dicks. Incredibad is pretty much done in by these weak points, but there are some worthwhile tunes on the record if you decide to pick it up. Though most of those are available free on YouTube.
Verdict: Not Buzzworthy!
Listen: The Lonely Island (feat. T-Pain) - "I'm On A Boat"
The Lonely Island (feat. Chris Parnell) - "Lazy Sunday"
The Lonely Island (feat. Natalie Portman) - "Natalie's Rap"
buy it at insound!

Tuesday's Recommended Release

When she burst onto the scene a few short years ago, Lily Allen immediately made a splash converting MySpace notoriety into a full fledged and well deserved career. Her quirky, catchy, and scathing debut album Alright, Still was the kind of pop music that hadn't been seen in quite some time, immediately catchy but artistically worthy of all the praises heaped upon it. With some biting lyrics and a penchant for insulting everyone Lily blew up in a hurry and has spent much of the past few years using her fame by insulting fellow British musicians and basically dismantling any positive reputation she may have had.

On her sophomore album, It's Not Me, It's You, Lily has opted to go down a bit of a darker road with her lyrics and it shows a heightened maturity though she's definitely still got some growing up to do. Musically not much has changed, the hooks still come in bunches, the music sucks you in quickly and does not let go, and there are loads of different styles at play her, but lyrically this record couldn't be much more different from her debut.

While most of Alright, Still was playful and full of the horrors of dating, It's Not Me, It's You shows an artist that has had a rough few years and a girl that is finally becoming comfortable in her own skin. Songs like "22" and "Not Fair" are perfect illustrations of this, offering some tell tale signs of growing up like the recognition that drugs aren't the best of ideas. Elsewhere on the album Allen continues to take on the opposite sex with little success. She once again insults a former boyfriend's manhood and seems to have spent a lot of the time between albums flopping between terrible boyfriends. It may seem like a similar theme to what a good portion of Alright, Still was about she has definitely changed some of her perspective's in dating as she has grown up.

There are a few moments on this record where Allen gives us a taste of her past, moments like "Never Gonna Happen" which easily could have fit in with the tunes on her debut. But those playful moments are few and far between, instead most of this record focuses on Lily's continuing maturity in a bit of a darker way. She is still sarcastic and wry to the bone, but she definitely has realized a few things about herself in the years since her last record.

This is a great chance to the spotlight to stop shining on all of Lily's extracurricular activities and once again put the focus on what she does so well with her music. This is a great example of the powers of pop music, regardless of the darker feel of the record. It is still hook heavy, but it has just a little more feeling to it and that should be a huge boost for Allen's career.
Lily Allen - "Everyone's At It"
Lily Allen - "The Fear"
Lily Allen - "Fuck You"
buy it at insound!

Monday's Leaky Faucet

Who: Black Lips
Title: 200 Million Thousand
Release Date: February 24th
Label: Vice Records
Thoughts: For months the Black Lips have promised that their follow up to Good Bad Not Evil would be a little more melodic then its predecessors, but upon first listen to 200 Million Thousand it seems like Black Lips have decided to stick with their base sound and just build upon it. Far more expansive then anything else in the Lips' catalog, 200 Million Thousand is a record that immediately rekindles images of 60's garage and surf rock. Like they have done before the band captures the raw power of the times and translates it into something retro and new at the same time. They occasionally channel the likes of Iggy Pop and GG Allin, but for the most part the band are just adapting the sound for their own uses. There are a few strange moments on this record, most notably "I Saw God" (the album's last track save for a hidden one) which sees the band taking on a more spoken word rant over some hushed guitar and piano, but it somehow works as a final stop on the record. This is definitely on par with Good Bad Not Evil though I'm not quite sure it surpasses the strength and raw power of that record, still this is a great listen and something you should all be anticipating greatly.
Listen: Black Lips - "Again & Again"
Black Lips - "I Saw God"

Who: Casiotone for the Painfully Alone
Title: Advance Base Battery Life
Release Date: March 10th
Label: Tomlab
Thoughts: Casiotone for the Painfully Alone have been working on his craft for a long, long time. Under the moniker, Owen Ashworth has released a ton of singles, appeared on compilations and split 7"s, and has become a pretty prolific part of the lo-fi scene. And on this compilation of the singles from 2004-2007 you can hear exactly what makes Ashworth's music so special, its simplicity and his ability to draw a listener into his songs. The sounds here are all subtle little electronic blips and bleeps, but the simple, hushed vocals lend an eerie quality to many of the songs. Despite being a collection of singles there is a feeling of cohesion amongst Ashworth's songs, maybe because his recording style hasn't changed much, but there is also the occasional leap in maturity within his songwriting. These two factors lend to the overall strength of this record, but mostly it gets by thanks to Ashworth's simple style.
Listen: Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - "White On White"
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - "Born in the U.S.A."

Who: Mt. St. Helen's Vietnam Band
Title: Mt. St. Helen's Vietnam Band
Release Date: March 10th
Label: Dead Oceans
Thoughts: Looking around the internet it seems the Mt. St. Helen's Vietnam Band are getting some rave reviews and unfair comparisons that will surely make you sick of them before you ever hear them. People have been name dropping at a rapid pace around these boys putting them in with folks like Arcade Fire, Animal Collective, The Thermals and a few more indie rock heartthrobs. Those comparisons put pretty lofty expectations on such a new band, but the band doesn't care about shit like that and their debut full length shows no restraint or concerns like those. Instead they barrel forth filling their album with crazy tempo changes, quick shifts in drums, and some sick guitar riffs. Front man Benjamin Verdoes does a great job adjusting his voice amid all these quick shifts alternating between energetic yelping and subdued sing-a-long mumbling. It's a pretty fun record when cut through all the buzz surrounding the band, so don't judge the book by all the people telling you who they think it sounds like, instead sit down and listen and make your own ideas up.
Listen: Mt. St. Helen's Vietnam Band - "Who's Asking"
Mt. St. Helen's Vietnam Band - "Anchors Dropped"

This Week's Live Picks

Monday: Nous Non Plus @ Mercury Lounge 7pm $10
It's not every day you come across a faux French band that actually takes the whole idea to heart, but Nous Non Plus are the real deal. With fake French names the New York natives re-create 60's style Parisian tunes and do so wonderfully despite being a bit tongue in cheek through it. Still, these tunes are pretty great and should not be missed.
Nous Non Plus - "Fantome Dur (Tuff Ghost)"

Tuesday: Fake Male Voice @ Glasslands 9pm $tba
After bombing on SNL this weekend TV On the Radio member Tunde Adebimpe will get to perform as his side project Fake Male Voice a couple of times this week. No offense to TV On the Radio, I love them and all, but the sound was god awful during their SNL appearance. Hopefully it will sound better at Glasslands.
Fake Male Voice - "OMG!!!FMV!!!"

Wednesday: Mi Ami @ Cake Shop 8pm $6
On Thursday I compared this band to some strange combination of Deerhoof and The Mae Shi, but after spending a little more time it seems there are a shit ton of influences in their music. Still, it is hard hitting, fast paced, and out of this world rock sounds. Check it out.
Mi Ami - "Pressure"

Thursday: caUSE co-MOTION! @ Cake Shop 8pm $7
The new-sih sound of all these lo-fi pop acts is really taking control of my iPod. Bands like caUSE co-MOTION! have me climbing the walls with their simple songs and harmonies that are all masked with fuzz and feedback. It's glorious, rock bliss at it's best and I think you people better get on board this train.
caUSE co-MOTION! - "Baby Don't Do It"

Friday: Cover Bands Weekend @ Martini Red 10pm $tba
This weekend to celebrate the amazing Hallmark holiday known as Valentine's Day we here on Staten Island are gonna be getting down to some of our favorite local bands - playing as actual famous bands! It's a fun little concept and tonight's lineup features The Headlocks as The Wailers, Dead Set on Destruction as Minor Threat, and Paragraph as Prince and The Revolution. Sounds like a blast right!
Paragraph - "Gurli"

Saturday: Cover Bands Weekend @ Martini Red 10pm $tba
On night two of the cover band extravaganza we'll have Husker Don't: A Tribute to The Replacements (a sort of SI "super" group) and Les Vinyl as The Clash. Plus there may be a surprise act or two if they get their shit together in time.
Les Vinyl - "Indiana Jones"

Sunday: Los Campesinos! + Titus Andronicus @ Bowery Ballroom 7:30pm $17
I don't know what I need to say about this one to convince you to go. You should already know all you need about these bands and their fantastic music, but putting them together is a strange, awesome, pairing that I can't wait to see.
Los Campesinos! - "Death to Los Campesinos!"
Titus Andronicus - "Arms Against Atrophy"

Contest: Tix to 2nd Guilt By Association Release Show!!!

On Friday I gave out a pair of tickets to the first of three release parties the good folks at Engine Room Records have set up to celebrate the release of Guilt By Association Vol. 2! Today I get to give away another pair of tickets, this time to the 2nd of these shows! Tonight's show (that's right it's tonight folks!!!) features sets by The Bloodsugars, Savoir Adore, and Francis and the Lights! It gets underway at 8pm so make sure you're available and e-mail me here for a chance to win. The 10th person to e-mail me gets the tickets!!!
The Bloodsugars - "Self-Control"

Thursday's Track Reviews

The Good:
Bishop Allen - "Dimmer"; I kind of jumped the ball last week with the Bishop Allen tune I posted, but here we have an officially released tune from Bishop Allen's much anticipated new record Grrr... and I'm pretty much in love with the track and it's little "olly, olly oxen free, can you see me?" refrain. It's sugary sweet and hypnotic and awesome indie pop at its best. Can't wait for this one!
Grade: B+

Port O'Brien - "Is This Really What Is To Come?"; I have been a bit of a harsh critic of Port O'Brien's. They kind of have that Fleet Foxes vibe going against them in my mind and the only exception thus far has been that unbelievable single "I Woke Up Today'. While this doesn't come close to the exhuberance of that track it does have a lot of pluses in it's sobbering, melancholy sound. It definitely could be a Band of Horses song, but I'm digging the little things about this tune.
Grade: B-

Black Dice - "Glazin'"; Black Dice have always been about crazed, tough to wrap your head around dance music. The kind of music that gets your pulse going to the time of the music, but you're not quite sure if you like it or not. This tune seems to be their easiest to get into in a long while, what with the almost understandable vocals and whatnot, but for the most part it still follows the Black Dice pattern of never allowing a listener to get too comfortable before switching up, while maintaining the dance factor.
Grade: B

Mi Ami - "New Guitar"; This song is a straigh up kick to the chest. It hits you hard and takes control over everything your brain wants to do. It moves your feet and then makes 'em move faster and faster. In a lot of ways it reminds me a lot of Deerhoof, maybe mixed with a bit of The Mae Shi.
Grade: B

The Flaming Lips - "Anything You Say Now I Believe You"; To say the jury was a bit divided over At War with the Mystics is understating the divide of folks that were wishing for old school Lips and people that were embracing the new poppier version of the band. Well old school fans The Flaming Lips you know and love have returned with a new tune specifically made for a documentary about mushrooms. I've never been a big fan of the drugs, but if I were I would imagine the sound of this song would be a perfect sound track for a solid trip. Not that I know about these things, I'm just speculating.
Grade: A

Track of the Week:
Bruce Peninsula - "Crabapples"; Bruce Peninsula is the Canadian equivalent of what I'm from Barcelona are for Sweden. Like I'm from Barcelona, Bruce Peninsula is a big collective of musicians that is headed by one main songwriter/singer. They have adapted the native indie sound of their country and adapted it for a big band with a choir and all that. The difference is that Bruce Peninsula is drawing on deep bands like Arcade Fire and Bodies of Water and expanding the depth of that sound with the power of their 11-woman choir. It's impressive despite it's brevity and I'm looking forward to hearing their new record.
Grade: A

Old School Track of the Week:
Don McLean - "American Pie"; Throughout my life February 3rd has meant two things to me; first off it's my Mom's birthday and secondly it means listening to "American Pie" and remembering the inspiration behind the song. 50 years ago Tuesday Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens all died in a plane crash. It's hard to put into perspective what a moment that happened well before you were born all means, but having become a Holly fan it's pretty easy to see why people were so affected by the death of these three men. It was a horrible moment in rock's history but the music has lived on and that's the spirit that McLean captures with his not quite rock opus.
Grade: A

The Bad:
Drug Rug - "Sooner the Better"; Let me be honest with you right here and tell you that I dig this track and the simple acoustic sound and vocal meldies found on it. But at a minute long and the first taste of the new full length from Drug Rug I'm a bit pissed that we are bing teased so thoroughly. If this were 3-minutes long it'd be up top making a push for track of the week, but right now I just feel like I've been left with blue balls.
Grade: B-

Mazes - "I Have Laid in the Darkness"; Mazes is the side project of a member of the band 1900's (terrible band name). Basically Mazes sounds just like 1900's, and all those other bands that are bringing this sort of folky rock music to the forefront. I'm tired of it and I really don't wanna hear about this stuff any more. If it's your cup of tea have fun with it, call me in 6-months when your tastes have changed again.
Grade: D

Story of the Sea - "Own Devices"; This tune has radio success written all over it. At least this is what I think the alternative stations are playing, I haven't been paying much attention to that type of music lately thanks to the strengths of so many great internet sites and radio stations and whatnot. Um, yeah that's what I have to say about this.
Grade: D-

Video of the Week:

Los Campesinos! - "My Year In Lists"; I don't think I can tell you how much I love this song in such a short little blurb, but I truly adore it. I watched this video four times in a row before I posted it. And I'm still not satisfied. The video is pretty simple with just the band members mouthing the words, but I like that too.
Grade: B+

Band of the Week: NODZZZ

A lot of the new-ish grage afflicted bands hailing from New York take themselves a bit too seriously. They strut and pose on stage, trying to look cooler then they are in their designer clothes and perfectly pieced together outfits. They try not to sweat no matter how much their music begs them to. Well the West coast doesn't seem to have quite the same problems with their garage acts, bands like WAVVES and No Age, who have mixed punk, noise, lo-fi, and garage into one big grab bag but expect you to have fun while listening.

Well you can add San Fran trio NODZZZ to that group of bands as these quirky, Dead Milkmen aping dudes know how to have a good tongue as evidenced by their ability to eschew cool and embrace their inner dorks. But it's this characteristic that actually makes them cooler then all those bands that just stand there copying Nuggets and getting praised for it. Not that there's anything inherently wrong with those bands, they're doing their thing and for the most part doing it well. It's just that bands like NODZZZ make it all seem so effortless and fun. It allows you to escape all the crap that's raining down in the real world and escape for the duration of their nearly 2-minute long songs. Go ahead get it all out of you, dance around, sweat, and go ape shit. It is okay, the music is practically begging you for this.

This weekend the band will be playing a troika of shows with similar sounding bands, WAVVES, Blank Dogs, and Woods, though each of those bands also brings something else to the table. I was basically forced to check out this band this week when my blogging buddies Paul from The Unblinking Ear and Bill from Sound Bites implored me to check out the fourth band of a lineup I was already stoked about. They were both right in their assertion of this band's radness and I have been listening to the trio all week. I think you guys will do the same as soon as you get to listening.
NODZZZ - "I Don't Wanna (Smoke Marijuana)"
NODZZZ - "Highway Memorial Shrine"
NODZZZ on MySpace

Questionable Corner: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

Brooklyn's The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart are in the middle of a very busy time of their lives. Yesterday their self-titled full length debut was released to record stores and is already generating a lot of buzz on the interwebs. Saturday night the band will play at Mercury Lounge here in New York kicking off a nation wide tour that will send them all over the place. So just to get a second or two to chat with the band would have been awesome but the interview that follows is probably my favorite out of all the interviews I've ever posted here! These guys are serious music fans people, and it shows in their music, but here they make themselves even more thoroughly endearing then ever before!

PTST: Your band name seems to have become a big attention getter amongst the blogs and publications out there. A lot of people seem to associate it with some sort of emo band, which you obviously are not. Where did the band name come from? Has there ever been a moment where you considered changing it? Does the name of your band have any effect on the sound of the band?
Kip: The name comes from an unpublished children's story written by a friend of mine. It's moral is that the most important things in life are the friends you have and the things you experience with them when you're young-- to travel, to see and enjoy the world around you. It's a fitting name, as we were all friends first, and playing music together has felt so often like an adventure, in the best possible way. Some people seem to find the name difficult-- but we would never change it for anything.
Peggy: Yeah, I like it because the name actually means something, there's a significance. I wouldn't want to be in a band called the Cool Schmools or whatever, that just isn't me.

PTST: Wow, Cool Schmools is now the name of my next band thanks Peggy! You guys are self professed music nerds, what bands drove you to pick up your respective instruments? Did you ever have that moment where you knew there was nothing that you would rather do then make music?
Kip: It's true, we are pretty nerdy about music. I think Nirvana songs were the very first songs I tried to learn on guitar when I was 14. And then, because of their covers, I got into The Vaselines too. I was also pretty psyched on learning Tom Petty "Free Fallin'" at the time, which is a totally different kind of nerdiness. Though I still love Tom Petty...
Alex: Good call on Tom Petty. When I started out learning an instrument, it was definitely radio rock (remember Silverchair??) but it wasn't until I started listening to punk and hardcore that I got emotionally invested in music. It became more of a life passion than just a "what do I listen to on the drive to the grocery store?" thing.
Peggy: I started playing guitar when I was 12. I read an article in Seventeen magazine about riot grrls that was really inspiring. I just wanted to learn power chords. My first band did a cover of "I wish I was Him" by Ben Lee and "Hamster Baby" by Bikini Kill. However, the first song my guitar teacher made me learn how to play was "Achy Breaky Heart"! To his credit, there are only two chords in that song...I think they are G and C. I'll also never forget the day my mom took me to the pawn shop to buy me a 4-track for my birthday. Those were the days. I think my mom was just glad that I had something to do over the summer because I was an only child, and they never sent me to summer camp or anything.

PTST: Aside from the whole band name most people seem to focus on your influences, folks like My Bloody Valentine, Joy Division, The Pastels, and more. Do you think this type of talk puts an undue pressure on the band to create something similar to what people are comparing you to? Do you guys feel like you sound like these bands?
Kip: It's cool if people compare us to awesome bands-- it's super flattering to even get mentioned in the same breath as all that. But we aren't trying to make an album that sounds like the bands we love-- because those records already exist. I mean, we're never going to write a better "Sittin' Pretty," than the Pastels did. The pressure that we put on ourselves is to write music that's just as special today as the records we love were to the times they were made in. Maybe Teenage Fanclub were huge Pastels fans (they both lived in Glasgow), but their records in the early 90s were totally different, yet equally amazing.
Alex: We like all those bands, and they definitely provided impetus for us to be in a band together, but we haven't really thought past, "let's make loud, fun, really melodic songs." There isn't a band manifesto that we should try to sound as much like My Bloody Valentine as possible. Being inspired by what "Paint a Rainbow" is isn't the same as wanting to copy that song exactly. I think that's where the balance lies.
Peggy: It's funny because I don't think we necessarily sound like those bands, but they definitely are bands that I love. I'm like, how did these people know that those are my favorite bands? Did they look at my MySpace profile or something? I guess I can see similarities, like the fuzzy guitars, the guitar lines, the drum fills, that might compare us to My Bloody Valentine or Teenage Fanclub. Someone once compared us to the Lemonheads which was sort of baffling, until I actually went back and listened to some of the songs on "It's a Shame about Ray" and I was like, whoa, they might be onto something!

PTST: So the full length is finally out for the public to consume, how do you guys feel about the finished product? Looking at it now is there anything that you would change or do differently if you could?
Kip: We're definitely happy, but it's not really our place to pat ourselves on the back. We're super grateful to Archie Moore (Black Tambourine/Velocity Girl) who mixed the record and really helped us make it sound the way we wanted it to sound. He's such an amazing person, and we definitely nerded out talking to him about all sorts of random stuff-- he actually recorded Chisel's "8 a.m All Day," which was one of my favorite records when I was in high school.
Alex: I'm so so happy it's out. It was a total labor of love and pretty much non-stop fun making it. Along the way, we had lots of conversations about track listing and guitar sounds and album titles and the whole nine, but looking at the complete picture now… I couldn't be more excited.
Peggy: Umm, maybe there are a couple of songs that got left off that I wish were on there, but they didn't work with the album, I guess. But anyone who buys the Japanese import will get to hear those as bonus tracks!

PTST: The record is already generating quite a bit of buzz on the web and from music writers, how are you guys taking all the positive reactions? Has anything changed in your day-to-day lives thanks to the new found attention?
Kip: We're just really grateful and happy that people are so genuinely into it.
Alex: The only thing that's changed in my day-to-day life is that my dad has figured out Google Alerts and has been forwarding me stuff a lot more. He'll probably see this, too. Hi, Dad!
Peggy: It opens up a lot of opportunities for us. We get to play awesome shows with awesome bands, it's such an exciting thing to be a part of. I wasn't popular in high school, but is this what it feels like? Cuz if so, man, I really missed out....

PTST: The album seems to be full of some pretty raw emotions, if this album really takes off and launches you towards stardom do you think there will still be pains to write about and make music about? Is it ever disconcerting/scary to wear your heart on your sleeve with a fan base that keeps expanding?
Kip: These songs are about the real things we've felt and experienced growing up. I think the album isn't a downer at all-- but really positive. I don't think it's disconcerting to be emotionally honest-- I think it's totally necessary. I would feel terrible if we were singing things I didn't believe-- that would be scary, to feel like some sort of fraud or faker. But if you're being honest, no one can ever expose you.
Alex: I don't think anyone can become a "star" to the point of no longer feeling some basic human turmoil and confusion. As well as joy and innocence. We just work with what we know – and since most of us Pains are nerdy weirdos at the core, I think that will always shine through. I guess what I'm really saying is we'll always "keep it real," haha.
Peggy: The band has become a significant part of my life, but I still have a lot of personal stuff going on. Seriously, I feel like sometimes I step back from a situation I'm in, and I'm like "WTF! Am I still in high school??"

PTST: This should be a pretty exciting time for the band with your debut full length coming out this week and an East Coast tour getting under way this weekend, have you guys found any time to sit back and look at all you have accomplished since the band started? Or do you guys prefer to look forward at what's coming next?
Kip: We're really excited about what's coming up. We were thrilled by so many things we got to do, most notably putting a record out on Slumberland and getting the chance to go abroad to the UK and Sweden. We're all really optimistic and hopeful that we'll get to travel more, play shows, put out more records and continue having fun.
Alex: It's fun to think about what we've done – it mostly happens when friends ask about what's been happening. It's definitely most fun to look forward, though, especially since there's so much cool stuff coming up. Maybe I can do some more reminiscing when I'm trying to be a "cool dad" and explaining the "Brooklyn scene" to my kid in twenty years.
Kip: Alex will be the coolest dad someday... I can't imagine him yelling at his kids ever. "Dad, I can't mow the lawn 'cuz my nu-nu glam rave band is blissing out in the basement." Alex would be all like, "Cool! Have fun. Can I bring you some chips or Lemonade?"
Peggy: It's definitely fun to think back on the early days, when everything was so new to us, and to look at where we are now and the opportunities ahead. Like when you first meet someone that later on becomes this really important fixture in your life. I'd say that I always romanticize beginnings, and I always fear the future. Although in this case, I'm pretty psyched for the future.

PTST: Tour starts this weekend, it seems like you guys are always touring though so does it ever get to the point where you can't face the possibility of touring or playing the same songs night after night? Other then the music and the fans of your music, is there anything about touring that your truly love?
Kip: Touring is basically the most fun thing ever. Nothing about it ever gets old-- the chance to play music every night is like, getting to eat dessert for every meal. It's always fresh and exciting, and never feels "routine" at all. Seriously, there is nothing I love more than getting in the van with the other pains and going somewhere to play a show. As for what we enjoy about it-- obviously getting to meet new people and see new places is always a blast. Though for me, just getting to do it all with Alex, Peggy and Kurt (and sometimes my bff Danny comes too) is what makes it really fun.
Alex: Touring hasn't even begun to feel old. It makes all the difference in the world that we're friends outside the band and not just a bunch of hired guns or whatever. Basically it's a lot of crude joke cracking and gas station food and sleeping bags, but it's always looking forward to the next show, which is always a thrill. Meeting the people in each city who are nice enough to come to shows, put us up, buy our records and generally be great, fun people in general… that's the best.
Peggy: I've never traveled anywhere before I joined the Pains! I'd rather tour than take a vacation any day. It's like going on vacation but everyone is really nice to you, and there's something fun to do every night. I got so sad the last night of our UK tour. I just couldn't believe it was over. Umm, I like sitting in the van hanging with my band mates. I like doing crossword puzzles with Alex. I like stopping at weird gas stations. It is not something I take for granted.

PTST: What's the music situation like in the van? Do you guys generally agree or are there heated debates over what's being played between destinations?
Kip: Peggy and Alex usually have the best mixes ever. I'm totally subservient to their tastes, as they are way better than mine. I think the highlights last time we were in the van were Girls (www.myspace.com/girlssanfran), Crystal Stilts, Ladyhawke and Let's Wrestle! (who we'll actually be playing some shows with on the way to SXSW!)
Alex: For long drives, sometimes comedy is key, too. That last Patton Oswalt album on Sub Pop is really, really funny. Recommended van listening, for sure.
Peggy: Ooh, the Mitch Hedberg was awesome as well.

PTST: Obviously SXSW is coming up and you guys are slated to head down there, what do you guys look forward to about playing a festival like SXSW or CMJ? Is there anything you can't stand about that environment?
Kip: Honestly, we're so excited about going that I can't think anything could bum us out about that. I've never been to SXSW, so I'm just totally psyched to see as many bands as possible and just have lots and lots of fun.
Alex: I've been to SXSW a few times and always had a blast. I usually end up sick and/or tired by the end of it though, there's SO much going on. This will be my first time playing with a band, though, and I'm looking forward to it a lot more than CMJ because everything is close by and everyone feels like they're on vacation. It should be a blast.
Peggy: SXSW is usually a blast, and it'll be fun to play this year. We'll know lots of people going this year, so it'll probably feel like NYC Jr. except with sunshine and we'll all be wearing shorts!

PTST: Do the Pains of Being Pure at Heart have long term goals in mind? Do you have any idea or hopes for where the band will be in five years?
Kip: We just hope things continue to go well-- we're really having fun, so simply existing for 5 years would be cool.
Alex: Have as much fun as possible, keep playing music we love. It's pretty simple with us lot, really!

PTST: When heading to the show do you ever have a tough time deciding what to wear for the show that evening?
Kip: I think I wore my blue sweatshirt every day when we were in England... it was "good luck" (I think).
Alex: Everyone in the band have way more of a natural fashion sense than I do, so I usually just try and keep up. But usually I end up just wearing a random sweater.
Peggy: I used to care a lot about what I would wear, but not after playing the UK for three weeks! I had literally 3 outfits that I changed between. The cool thing about touring is that no one ever really sees you twice in a row, so you can just wear the same thing all the time. So people are fooled into thinking I have some awesome wardrobe when no, I actually only own like 3 cute things. This was a good question, BTW, and totally something I would ask if i was interviewing a band.

PTST: Have you ever had a favorite band t-shirt?
Alex: I had a caUSE co-MOTION! shirt that I loved, but I spilled some wine on it at one of the first Pains band practices actually. Also, this one Metallica shirt with a crow perched on top of a decaying Earth. It was pretty badass.
Peggy: It's funny to think about the day when Alex spilled wine on his Cause Co-motion shirt, he was so bummed!! Umm, I have a Tracey Thorn shirt that someone made for me, and also a cool vintage 10,000 maniacs tee.

PTST: With Valentine's Day only a week away, who are you guys going to be asking to be your Valentines?
Kip: We're playing in Winooski, VT on Valentines day. So it'll probably be Alex :--)
Alex: Kip, I accept! It'll be rough being away for Valentine's Day, but it's all a bit Hallmark anyway, right?
Peggy: Yeah, I'm actually kind of glad we'll be on tour so I don't have to deal with the awkward hoopla that comes with Valentine's Day.

PTST: Being a New York band do you think you got to a the point of being a buzz band faster because of the sheer glut of buzzy music coming through the city right now? Or did you guys have to pay your dues and build up and try to fit through all the bands playing at every venue every night?
Kip: I feel like we have and still do pay dues, but they're totally fun dues to pay. I remember when we played Tallahassee in an outdoor sandwich shop and it was about 105 and there were four people there... but that show was also so awesome, as the band we were playing with, For Ex-Lovers Only, were just amazing. And since they were from Orlando and never toured, that was basically our only chance to ever see them. But I feel like the story for so many bands in New York is similar. I know Crystal Stilts have been around for at least 4 years, and I remember going with Alex to go see them support caUSE co-MOTION at Union Pool. And it wasn't like, "recognition" was just handed to them because they lived in New York, but because they really worked hard, made great music and played a lot of shows.
Alex: I think people in New York are really excited to seek out and devour anything new and potentially exciting, so in that way, there's possibly more of a "buzz" faster. But there are also SO MANY bands that you still have to distinguish yourself. Mostly by just focusing on what all bands should do: write good songs, play fun shows.
Peggy: It's nice because no matter what kind of music you play, there's probably an audience for it in NYC. And there are a lot of good bands to play with. A lot of our friends are in bands, so playing shows with them is a lot of fun. For that reason, I'd say that living in NYC helps perpetuate a scene and a sense of community. It's always more fun to be a part of something that's bigger.

PTST: Do you have a favorite venue to play in the city?
Kip: Cake Shop!
Alex: Cake Shop seconded. Honorable mention for any house party. Dead Herring House is great!

PTST: If you guys had to pick one city band to do a split 7" with right now who would it be? If they said no who would be the second choice?
Kip: It would be fun to do a split with Crystal Stilts, where we play their self-titled song and they play ours.
Alex: I like that idea of a self-titled song split. They're technically from NJ, but Titus Andronicus would be cool too. The self-titled song club.
Peggy: I guess I'll say umm...the Aislers Set.

PTST: What's the best and worst aspect of being a band from New York?
Kip: I feel everything is really positive. New York is such a vibrant, awesome place, and we're totally lucky to live/play here.
Alex: The best is just the incredible amount of great shows, great venues and great bands that seem to overflow here. Impossible to keep up. The worst would probably be the most obvious: RENT. It's absolutely worth it, though.

PTST: Do you think the new Animal Collective record merits all the attention it's getting?
Kip: Yeah, totally! I haven't heard all of it yet, but I definitely want to-- what I've heard has been great.
Alex: I've been an on-and-off fan for awhile, but I didn't like Strawberry Jam much at all. I think the new album is GREAT, though – my favorite by a long shot. I try to just tune out the various hyperboles (on both sides) and just enjoy it for what it is: a very exciting, very creative pop album.
Peggy: I haven't really listened to it. I saw them play a long time ago and it's cool that they make accessible pop music in such an unconventional and unexplainable way. I always admire bands that can sort of break out of their mold and overreach past the genres that everyone's boxed them into, you know?

PTST: Is there any trend in indie music right now that you just don't understand?
Kip: It's not a trend, but I feel there's a lot of negativity on the internet-- I feel like, if you don't like a band, don't leave an anonymous comment about the way they look or something. Everyone has different tastes, but there's no need to be vindictive or cruel. I guess I like all the positives about the internet-- allowing me to discover new bands, like Moscow Olympics, who are from the Philipines. If this was 15 years ago, no one would have ever gotten to know them and put out their records.
Alex: Yeah not to be boring, but I tend not to skew much towards hate. Even the crop of bands doing face paint nu-glam, I'm cool with that. It's about the songs at the end of the day.
Peggy: I know what I like and I have a pretty particular aesthetic, so I guess you could say that I just don't "get" a lot of stuff, but I'm not going to get judgey about it.

Listen: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - "Contender"
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - "Orchard Of My Eye"

Blast from the Past: Britney Spears' ...Baby One More Time

Before she was an internationally renowned basket case. Before all the baby drama. Before all the ill advised relationships and crazy managers, and drug scares, and court cases. Before all this there was an innocent 18-year old pop singer that burst into the musical world by wearing a Catholic school uniform and singing over some seriously catchy beats. Back in January of 1999 when ...Baby One More Time was released few people knew who Britney Spears was, but by the end of that year she was an international superstar, selling records hand over fist, and tantalizing men that shouldn't have been looking everywhere.

Me, I had just turned 18 myself that November so she was right in my age range, but even still I felt a little guilty and a little dirty watching the video for "Baby One More Time". The song was freakin' catchy as hell, I'm sure more then a few of you are singing it in your heads as you read this, but the video is what launched her into stardom. She was beautiful of course, but she was also a bit risque with the whole uniform and shirt tied above her belly. She danced and was flexible and caught every drooling boys eye every time the video came on on MTV. Girls too flocked to her but for completely different reasons. I think they aspired to be her or something. But me I was hooked by the look.

I won't lie, the strength of that video took me to some strange depths. I bought the album unabashedly at Virgin Megastore and listened to it a little bit to regularly. I can still sing-a-long with most of this album and listening to it right now I'm thrust back to my freshman year of college and watching the video a little too often for any sane college aged person. But I was infatuated with this girl. Her voice wasn't particularly special, we knew someone else wrote all her songs, yet somehow she hypnotized us with a short skirt and a Creole drawl. It was a love affair that would never happen, but that didn't stop me from wishing it would.

I have a couple of Britney albums in my collection, no I'm not proud of this, but you have to admit she did have some catchy as hell singles. They roped you in and if you got in on that first wave you were probably hooked for quite a while. Now a lot of us pity her and what her life has become, we gawk at every magazine cover she graces, and talk about her life as if she were someone we actually knew, but when ...Baby One More Time was fresh and new we were just getting to know her and we wanted to know everything there was about her.
Britney Spears - "...Baby One More Time"
Britney Spears - "(You Drive Me) Crazy"
Britney Spears - "Sometimes"
Britney Spears - "From the Bottom of My Broken Heart"
(Editor's Note: I promised you guys a series of "Guilty Pleasures" this year as part of my on going series of Blasts from the Past and these are going to be some truly guilty pleasures of mine. I'm digging deep into the recesses of my closet for this and I hope none of you guys will lose respect for me. And if you start to question it, just take a look at your own record collection and dig out that Milli Vanilla record or N*Sync that you got hiding in there.)

Tuesday Test Drive

Cannibal Corpse Evisceration Plague
Cannibal Corpse - "Beheading and Burning"
from All Metal Resource..."Evisceration Plague represents a purity in death metal of sorts, because it sticks to its roots of staying true to what makes death metal great, which is the raw brutality that metal hadn’t yet been able to create prior to death metal."


Diplo Decent Work for Decent Wages
M.I.A. - "Paper Planes" (Diplo Remix)
from IndieLondon..."Decent Work For Decent Pay provides an overview of what Diplo has been up to for the past four years, starting with classic tracks and out-takes from Florida, taking in production work on such huge records as M.I.A’s Paper Planes and Bonde Do Role’s first album for Domino, plus a host of remixes for the likes of CSS, Spank Rock, Bloc Party and Peter, Bjorn & John."


The Fray The Fray
The Fray - "You Found Me"
from Viva, La Mainstream!..."But too often The Fray goes through the motions of moving forward while hanging onto the crutch of mid-tempo, piano-twinged pop rock; a road that Snow Patrol has already marked its territory along far more adeptly. In large part The Fray lacks personality."


Heartless Bastards The Mountain
Heartless Bastards - "The Mountain"
from Paste Magazine..."On their third album, the Bastards stray further and further from the monolithic blues-rock of their 2005 debut while sharpening the soft focus of 2006's All This Time. The guitar-heavy title track certainly lives up to its name, sloping steeply to a psychedelic peak."


Howlies Trippin' with Howlies
Howlies - "Smoke"
from Saratara Says..."Howlies definitely has a youthful sound. A sound that would fill a bar. With enthusiasm and a great, honest sound, Howlies deserve at least a shot."


Lisa Hannigan Sea Sew
Lisa Hannigan - "Sea Song"
from AW Music..."Lovely as the arrangements are and as talented as the musicians may be, it’s hard not to wish there were more wind in Sea Sew’s sails. "


Phosphorescent To Willie
Phosphorescent - "When We Fall"
from Tiny Mix Tapes..."Musically, To Willie may float somewhere between Aw Come Aw Wry and Pride, but the smile with which he sings each track adds a welcome dimension to the Phosphorescent catalog."


Telefon Tel Aviv Immolate Yourself
Telefon Tel Aviv - "Helen of Troy"
from Slant Magazine..."Arriving only a week after Charles Cooper's mysterious death at 31, Telefon Tel Aviv's third album, Immolate Yourself, finds itself appearing in starkly different circumstances than would have been expected. With the group effectively defunct after losing one of its two members, the record now takes on a heavy mantle, not only that of a final album, but as the last direct expression of a tragically silenced artist."


The Von Bondies Love Hate and Then There's You
The Von Bondies - "Pale Bride"
from oh! so random..."By all rights, they should be packing it in, so their third album's vitality is a welcome shock. Over punchy, driving riffs and crackling drum work, Stollsteimer howls like a guy with much to be pissed about, while the sharp production and dark pop hooks offer a vision of garage rock that's more grand than grimy"


Vulture Whale Vulture Whale
Vulture Whale - "Tote It to Cleveland, AL"
from The Fire Note..."The quartet make no mistakes that this is a no frills straight forward rock record that has catchy melodies, in your face guitar and pounding drums that all combine for a good time and an incentive to come back for more."


Wavves Wavvves
Wavves - "So Bored"
from The Skinny..."As one man bands go, Wavves is up there with the loudest. San Diego slacker Nathan Williams’ almost-eponymously titled (check the extra 'v') sophomore LP may hold no allure for those of sensitive eardrums, but for everyone else it’s half an hour of rapacious, temple-pounding sonics."

Buzzworthy??? Or Not???

Who: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
Location: Brooklyn, NY
First Heard About From...: The Culture of Me
Thoughts: When I first heard about The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart I was overcome by the power of their pop song writing. It was raw and not entirely focused, but they were definitely on to something. Here we are more then a year later and the band is just getting around to releasing their much ballyhooed debut full length The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. The record is one of those records that takes absolutely no time to fall in love with. From the opening notes of the lead track "Contender" you know you are listening to something powerful, catchy, and brilliant. It's not so much that they just write great pop songs, it's that they feel like they are opening their veins and bleeding on the paper each time they write lyrics and it all comes through with an eerily sunny sound. It can be emotionally draining at times hearing about all the failed romances and heart breaks and other perils of being a young, thinking, and feeling person in the world these days, but the melodies and sounds that they pair this message with do their best to sugar coat the harrowing lyrics with a sound that is warm and inviting. I'll have much more about these guys tomorrow with an interview with the full band but for now let me just tell you that this band is the real deal and something you should pick up when you hit the record store this week.
Verdict: Mucho Buzzworthy!
Listen: The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - "Contender"
The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - "A Teenager In Love"

Tuesday's Recommended Release

When you think of Mississippi I highly doubt you think of hipster culture or solo musicians with ukuleles but with the release of Dent May's debut record, The Good Feeling Music of Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele those things are finally being brought together. Of course the catalyst behind this is none other then Dent May himself, a young musician who dabbled in film school here in New York before returning to his small town roots back in Mississippi. Of course, Mississippi isn't necessarily the first place we'd look for cool new music but luckily that didn't dissuade Dent from pursuing his arts.

On his debut record Dent May immediately makes us feel welcome with the intro track aptly titled "Welcome". The song is a simple tune gently sung by May in his fantastic crooning style, but it perfectly sets the tone for the 11-songs that follow it on the record. With a ukulele providing the main piece of instrumentation, and Dent's welcoming voice singing we have the base narrative for everything that comes after even though it doesn't stay quite so simple. No Dent wasn't satisfied with just those pieces he went and added a band to actually back him, loaded with able players who do a nice job to inject a little additional life into the record. It's these players that give the record its legs, but of course it's Dent May that gives it its soul.

For the most part the songs on The Feel Good Music... wear their hearts on their proverbial sleeves. Songs of love, songs of longing for something new in life, and good old fashioned love songs (though not necessarily for other people, like "Oh Paris!" a love song to a city) are the norm here and it's Dent's ability to relate his feelings on this matters that make the album immediately endearing. Whether he's writing about his friend struggling through a musical career by playing dead end bars or attempting to woo a colleague at an academic conference, Dent makes his songs stand up and be personable to everyone they come in contact with.

I've been cooing about this album for some time, raving about the simplicity of it all, but the undeniable catchiness of everything that you hear on it. At long last it is out for you all to consume and I would recommend you put down the Animal Collective records and get to it!
Dent May - "College Town Boy"
Dent May - "You Can't Force A Dance Party"
Dent May - "26 Miles (Santa Catalina)"

Monday's Leaky Faucet

Who: Lotus Plaza
Title: The Floodlight Collective
Release Date: March 23rd
Label: Kranky Records
Thoughts: Amongst all the hoopla that surrounds Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox the rest of the band sometimes gets lost behind the spotlight glare that beams down on him. Admittedly Cox is a pretty magnetic personality to have to stand behind but the members of Deerhunter do an admirable job with it. Now it's time for one of them to shine on his own though as multi-instrumentalist Lockett Pundt steps out with his Lotus Plaza side project. The sound found on his debut record, The Floodlight Collective fits neatly between what Deerhunter does as a band and what Bradford does with his own solo project Atlas Sound. It is equal parts ambient, atmospheric, and garage pop with a lot of strange sounds and hushed vocals, but also some straight forward guitar riffs and your standard band instruments. For the most part the vocals are the weakest part of this record, at least in the fact that the lyrics are almost indecipherable, but it fits thanks to Lockett's ability to craft melodies out of the sounds his voice is making. The tracks here alternate between a more ambient feel and a more rocking feel, but they both blend together thanks to the sharing of both aspects within songs. It's just that sometimes one trait is a little more dominant then the other. This is a stellar debut from Lotus Plaza though, it may even surpass what Bradford did with Atlas Sound. It just seems funny that even though this is definitely Lockett's project I have spent a good portion of this comparing it to what Bradford does. I guess sometimes you remain the background no matter how much you try to step to the front of the stage.
Listen: Lotus Plaza - "Red Oak Way"
Lotus Plaza - "What Grows"

Who: Marissa Nadler
Title: Little Hells
Release Date: March 3rd
Label: Kemado
Thoughts: Over the course of her first three albums Marissa Nadler has chosen not to change very much in her approach to music. The haunting sound of her voice permeates every inch of her records and paired with her acoustic atmospherics she has crafted some beautiful, eerie folk music. On her fourth album Little Hells Nadler has opted to change things up just a smidge. Her haunting vocals are still the main vocal point and the music is still very much eerie, but with a full band in tow for the first time the music is more spaced out and given a much fuller sound. The result is certainly Nadler's finest release to date and something that is notable in every corner of the music world. This music will haunt your dreams, but in a very pleasant way.
Listen: Marissa Nadler - "Little Hells"
Marissa Nadler - "River of Dirt"

Who: N.A.S.A.
Title: The Spirit of Apollo
Release Date: February 17th
Label: Anti-
Thoughts: I've been anxiously awaiting the release of N.A.S.A.'s debut album The Spirit of Apollo since the first sounds from the record were dripped onto the internet late last year. The idea of two DJ's and over 40-guest stars providing all the vocals for an album seems like an attempt to take Girl Talks sample project and do it with original music instead. It's like old school hip-hop re-imagined and way more complex. But what North America/South America manage to accomplish in their hour and a half of music is to combine so many piece of so many different genres that this is bound to unite music lovers across the full spectrum of music and its individual genres. This is an impact record. First listen and you'll be bopping your head along with all the big beats and hard riffs. Second listen you start to break down and latch on to all the socially conscious lyrics. Beyond that you can dissect all the genres that are pumped into each song, pick out who did the most with their guest spots (David Byrne), and just freak the fuck out and get down as much as you want. This is a record that will probably be on constant repeat for quite a while, so get used to it now.
Listen: N.A.S.A. (feat. KRS-One, Fatlip, Slim Kid Tre) - "Hip Hop"
N.A.S.A. (feat. Karen O, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Fatlip) - "Strange Enough"

This Week's Live Picks

Monday: Frightened Rabbit @ (le) poisson rouge 9pm $15
This is being billed as an "acoustic, request only" show. If that stays true to its word then this should be a pretty unique performance from these Scots. If not, well Frightened Rabbits are a damn good band even when they aren't trying to do some crazy original show here in New York.
Frightened Rabbit - "Be Less Rude"

Tuesday: Lykke Li @ Music Hall of Williamsburg 8pm $22
In this recession plagued age I doubt I'll be able to pony up $22 to see the crown jewel of the Swedish pop movement but I sure wish I could fork that over. If I could I'd be able to gawk up on the stage as Lykke Li pranced back and forth singing all her lovely tunes with her perfect little voice. Sigh. Damn economy.
Lykke Li - "Let It Fall"

Wednesday: Passion Pit @ Bowery Ballroom 8pm $13
If you have yet to catch Passion Pit you are probably in the minority of the people you normally hang out with. The band has played a non-stop stream of shows here in New York as they have built their way up the indie ladder. Tonight they take on Bowery Ballroom just another stop on their inevitable rise to Terminal 5 sized heights.
Passion Pit - "I've Got Your Number"

Thursday: Brilliant Sweaters @ Fontana's 8pm $8
When the Deli Magazine asked me for a list of three New York bands felt represented the best New York music had to offer I just knew I couldn't leave out the Brilliant Sweaters, a band that had wowed me as a two piece crazed project called Animandibles and had grown considerably by becoming a three piece and adding a bit of structure. The trio has just released a free album available on their website and it continues showing growth and promise through some nifty punk rock roots. Oh, and they play every show like it was going to be their last which is always a good way to make an impression in my book.
Brilliant Sweaters - "I Dropped Out of High School"

Friday: Woods, Blank Dogs, Wavves @ Market Hotel 8pm $10
The lo-fi resurgence has brought us many bands worthy of our attention but tonight's (and Saturday's, and Sunday's) three headed monster of a bill should be downright mind blowing. All three of these bands are on the cusp of being the next big thing, and all three of them could be vying for your favorite band of 2009. Seriously, this is good shit.
Woods - "To Clean"
Blank Dogs - "I Was Counting"
Wavves - "Sun Open My Eyes"

Saturday: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Cause Co-Motion, The Depreciation Guild @ Mercury Lounge 8pm $10
Thursday, Friday, Saturday, have such fantastic lineups that I'm picturing a weekend fueled by alcohol and rock music with it all culminating with a trio of New York bands that are on the rise and read to take over your iPod's. These bands all do their things a little bit differently, but that doesn't matter so much when the end product is so good. This should be an awesome weekend of live music!
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "Orchard Of My Eye"
Cause Co-Motion - "Who's Gonna Care"
The Depreciation Guild - "Sky Ghost"

Sunday: Blank Dogs, Woods, Wavves @ Underground Cafe 2pm $tba
Yeah, these guys again. They're that good.
Blank Dogs - "Setting Fire To Your House"
Woods - "Military Madness"
Wavves - "No Hope Kids"