The Love Language

A few days ago I listed off a few albums that I’ve gotten my hands on recently to my twitter followers and asked who I should listen to first.  Surprisingly to me, the most popular choice was the band I was least familiar with, North Carolina garage-pop band The Love Language.  I quickly started listening and have since fallen head-over-heels for band’s self-titled debut album.  For whatever reason, the band reminds me a lot of The Walkmen except with much stronger emphasis on writing melodies.  The guitars are raw and fuzzy, the vocals are unrestrained and boisterous, and the songs (as Craig Finn says) are all sing-a-long songs.  This is a formula for greatness.

The first single “Lalita” barrels you over from the beginning with a quick drum roll and loose, swinging guitar riff. The chorus is incredibly catchy and the band throws in a lovely mood-setting mid-song breakdown before kicking it back into high gear. All-around great track, but I have to say my favorite is “Providence”, probably the catchiest song on the album and the most overly jubilant.  It’s like the album’s “Two Weeks” you could say, and that’s not just because the opening piano parts sound remarkably similar. After spending less than a week with the song I’m already singing the lyrics at high volume in my car (especially the “you lied, you lied, you lied” part).  This song and the entire album is very special.  Listen below and buy it from Bladen County Records.

MP3 Lalita
MP3 Providence

Newsflashes (Wilco, Flaming Lips, Wild Things, more)

New album details for Wilco and Sunset Rubdown.  Wilco’s still untitled album has a tentative tracklist now with some familiar tunes like “Wilco, the song” (as seen on Colbert) and “One Wing” (as seen at Lollapalooza). Also there’s a duet with Feist. The album’s due out in June. At this point, this is my most anticipated album of the year. Here’s the above two songs plus another new one in glorious live MP3 (courtesy of Picasso).

MP3 Wilco – Wilco (the song)
MP3 Wilco – One Wing
MP3 Wilco – Sunny Feeling

Sunset Rubdown’s new album will also be released in June, is titled Dragonslayer, and will feature “Idiot Heart” (as heard on Daytrotter) and the sequel to Trumpet Trumpet, “You Go On Ahead” (as seen played in a black cab). Judging from those two songs this album will be great.

MP3 Sunset Rubdown – Idiot Heart (Live @ Daytrotter)

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The Flaming Lips (who coincidentally, also have a new album out in June) were added to Pitchfork Music Festival. Really psyched to see the band again in a festival environment, hopefully it will become a summer tradition. Sucks about the write-the-setlist redux being canceled though.

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Where The Wild Things Are trailer. You’re probably sick of reading about this by now, but I also was blown away by the Where The Wild Things trailer.  From the preview, I’m thinking this could be a contender for best film of the year.  Here’s an MP3 of the alternate, shortened version of “Wake Up” that was used in the trailer (Thanks Mel).

MP3 Arcade Fire – Wake Up (Alternate Version)

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From all reports, Rural Alberta Advantage killed it at SXSW.  I’ve been reading lots of great reviews all around, and couldn’t be happier for the band, who’ve I’ve been championing on here for a while.  Check out the coverage at You Ain’t No Picasso, Paste, Chromewaves, and Pitchfork (hopefully they’ll get around to reviewing the album soon also).

MP3 Rural Alberta Advantage – Don’t Haunt This Place

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The last 30 Rock episode was possibly the funniest ever.  Absolute genius.  Anytime Dennis returns the show is on the top of it’s game.  The Liz in muppet-vision walk, Tracy as an astronaut, and the 1900-OKFACE had me lizzing and jacking.  This show is giving Arrested Development a run for it’s money and I don’t say that lightly. Quotes:

“If you have a spaceship and you’re looking for a hilarious astronaut with an irregular heartbeat and $30 million, I am prepared to leave as soon as tomorrow. I wrote that yesterday.”

“One word: coffee. One problem: Where do you get it?”

“What is this, Horseville? Because I’m surrounded by a bunch of naysayers. Word play!”

“I’m aware of it. I have a Google news alert for the phrase ‘Tracy Jordan ridiculous disaster.”

“Good luck with your fake addiction and your inconveniently located vending machines.”

The "Bromance" Mix

So, I watched I Love You, Man over the weekend and totally loved it.  It’s a perfect successor to Knocked Up, Superbad, and 40-year-old Virgin.  I was completely surprised when I read that Judd Apatow had nothing to do with this film. Paul Rudd’s awkward attempts at being witty/cool are worth the price of admission alone and the scene with him “slappin’ da bass, man” and the voicemail he leaves for Jason Segal are two of funniest scenes I’ve seen in a long time. Anyway, the film has moved me to make mix that embodies the spirit of the bromance. Play it on your next “man date”.  Enjoy muchachos.

MP3 The Hold Steady – Constructive Summer
(For the ‘drinking on water towers’ bros)

MP3 Sufjan Stevens – The Predatory Wasp Of The Palisades Is Out To Get Us!
(for the highly literate, sensitive bros)

MP3 Belle & Sebastian – Jonathan David
(for the ancient, biblical bros)

MP3 Flight of the Conchords – Bret, You’ve Got It Going On
(for the ‘telling a heterosexual guy that he thinks his booty is fly’ bros)

MP3 Animal Collective – Brother Sport
(for the sibling bros)

MP3 Ghostface Killah – 9 Milli Bros (feat. Wu-Tang Clan)
(for the east coast gangsta bros)

MP3 LCD Sounsystem – All My Friends (Radio Edit)
(for the nostalgic, aging hipster bros)

MP3 Weezer – Surf Wax America
(for the surfer bros)

MP3 Kenny Loggins – Playing With The Boys
(for the ‘gayer than the volleyball scene in top gun’ bros)

Got any more bro-tastic songs? Leave them in the comments.

A Camp

I’m always in the mood for some good Swedish indie pop and over the past week I’ve received two such albums. The first one is Peter Bjorn and John’s newest but you already know about them. The other album (and actually the one I’ve been listening to more) is by A Camp, a side project for The Cardigans lead singer, Nina Persson and her husband, Nathan Larson from Shudder to Think. Colonia is the band’s sophomore effort and it’s full of elegant orchestration and soaring melodies. It’s refined, uplifting pop music at it’s best. The album actually reminds me a bit of late-era Beatles (plus they also enjoy singing about “love” and  making Jesus comparisons).

My favorite track on the album is “Love Has Left The Room”. The song has a theatrical quality with grandiose instrumentation and gospel-like backing vocals. It’s Nina Perrson’s profoundly confident lead vocals though that give the song the elevating thrust. “Stronger than Jesus” is the catchiest song on the album and an obvious choice for first single. The song has a bold, sweeping melody and intriguing, if not slightly cryptic lyrics, that makes it stand out among the pack.  If you’re a fan of The Cardigans or just Swedish Pop in general, this is a must-listen for you.  Colonia will be out on Nettwerk in April.

MP3 Love Has Left The Room
MP3 Stronger Than Jesus

Note: Sorry for the lack of updates recently. I had some technical problems last week and ended up losing a couple posts.

Track Reviews: Jeremy Enigk, Silversun Pickups, Voxtrot

I was so excited today when I read on my twitter feed that Jeremy Enigk (lead singer and songwriter for Sunny Day Real Estate) had a new song out and album (Ok Bear, due May 12) on the way. The first thing I noticed about “Mind Idea” is how much Enigk nailed the vocals.  He has one of the most distinct, and in my opinion, best voices I’ve heard.

The song itself is wonderful and I can see hints that Enigk might be returning to a heavier, more guitar-oriented style with this song (it seems to fit better with SDRE than his solo albums). The arpeggioed pianos and solid drumming add to the song’s granduer.  My only complaint is that the track seems to stop too soon. I would have liked it to build towards a larger climax. Minor quibble though, I’m just excited for new material from one of all my all time favorites.

MP3 Jeremy Enigk – Mind Idea

Silversun Pickups have really done well for themselves since I gave heavy praise to their ’06 debut and watched them open for Viva Voce and Headlights.  They’re now all over car commercials, Rock Band/Guitar Hero, MTV, Foo Fighter tours, etc.  I was a bit hesitant going into the new single, but luckily from the quality of this song there’s not much too worry about.  “Panic Switch” would fit very well on Carnavas the guitars are still fuzzy and distorted as ever and everything from the drums, bass, vocals really comes together.  It makes for a very well-rounded (and still very Smashing Pumpkins-sounding) rock song. Also, the guitar solo kills.

MP3 Panic Switch

This one I’m a little unsure about.  Voxtrot‘s first two EPs still get frequently plays on my iPod, but their debut album kindof fell by the wayside for me. This new song takes the band in a different direction with Cure-like synths and moody atmospherics.  After a couple listens, I have been able to catch onto some hooks that it’s nowhere close to the infectious and sunny indie pop of “Raised By Wolves” and “Soft and Warm” that I fell for.  This sounds like the band trying to fix something that’s not broken.

MP3 Voxtrot – Trepanation Party

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Congratulations to Cymbals Eat Guitars, Pitchfork’s latest and much deserved Best New Music. If you still haven’t listened to this band now is definitely the time.  Why There Are Mountains is still my favorite debut album of the year. Read my rave review.

Video Watch: Röyksopp, BEAST, Bat For Lashes

Here’s three excellent music videos that I enjoyed watching this week. I think you’ll like them too. Now with MP3 downloads.

Röyksopp – Happy Up Here (dir. Reuben Sutherland)

Awesome 3D environment in this video and lots of crazy camera movement.  Who doesn’t love Space Invaders and Trabants?

MP3 Happy Up Here

BEAST – Mr. Hurricane (dir. Benjamin Stieger Levine)

Really cool video concept.  Great execution.  “Bees?!”

MP3 Mr. Hurricane

Bat For Lashes – Daniel (dir. Johan Renck)

Superb visuals. Video is kindof like Cirque du Soleil meets the Karate Kid.

MP3 Daniel

Good Charlotte is the worst

This was the closest Who’s Worse? contest yet but in the end Good Charlotte won worst of the hot topic, faux-punk crowd, beating Simple Plan by a single vote.  Congrats douchebags! Your legacy of repulsive mainstream punk, pathetic lyrics, and absurd hairstyles is intact. Here’s picture of them celebrating with Randy Jackson at the Kids Choice Awards. Classy!

Thanks to everyone who voted and to Tanya for showing us that we really don’t hate Good Charlotte’s music, we’re just jealous because they got to fool around with Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie. Enlightening! Read some of my favorite comments after the jump:

Asobi Seksu / Bell – Live @ Illinois Weslyan

I saw Asobi Seksu for the second time in five months last week and again they put on a great show.  The band played the Illinois Wesylan student center, which seems like an unlikely venue for the band but actually turned out pretty well.  I especially liked the aestethic that the large windows behind the band provided. 

The show was opened by Brooklyn avant garde band, Bell who I actually enjoyed far more than I thought I would.  The lead singer, Olga Bell, sounded a lot like Bjork and the music, a combination of electronica and some wild drumming was very striking. Unfortunately they were cut off a couple songs early, I would have liked to see the rest of their set.

MP3 Bell – Magic Tape

The first thing I again must point out about Asobi Seksu is how loud they are.  The distortion and fuzz that’s present in their music is kicked into overdrive during their live show and it provides for intense, full-bodied sound. I know some people aren’t too keen on the band’s new album, Hush (I think it’s excellent, personally), but in a live setting the new songs can’t be denied.  “Sing Tomorrow’s Praise”, “Familiar Light”, “Me and Mary”, and “In The Sky” all sounded brilliant.

I again was completely entranced by Yuki Chikudate’s ethereal vocals during the show, but I had a little better view this time James Hanna’s guitar work enhanced by a healthy amount of pedal stomping and shoe gazing.  The bass, keyboards, and lively drums all do their part to fill the spaces in between creating a massive song.  The band ended the show exactly as before, by playing “Red Sea” and during the climax having Yuki rock out on the drums (luckily I got a few pictures this time).  See Asobi Seksu next time they come around, you won’t be disappointed.

MP3 Asobi Seksu – Me & Mary
MP3 Asobi Seksu – Familiar Light
MP3 Asobi Seksu – Thursday

 

Note: I brought my younger sister, Christine, to this show. This was her first concert. I think she enjoyed it. Holla at ya, sis!

More pictures after the jump…

Other Animals

Other Animals, who hail from Crystal Lake IL, follow in the tradition of midwestern math rock bands like Shellac and Big Black with their brutal sonic ruptures, complex rhythms and angular guitars.  They also take from the loud-soft dynamics and melodic instrumentation of post-rockers like Explosions in the Sky and Godspeed You! Black Emperor.  The result is instrumental rock music that will invade your ears and have you setting fire to your speakers.  Well, maybe you won’t get that dramatic about it, but it’s hard to deny the intensity and momentum behind these songs.

The band was formerly a duo called Somme which I which I wrote about two years ago here for their awesome Weight EP. Since that time, the band has become tighter and stronger, and added two more members. Other Animal’s self-titled album, which the band are graciously offering up for download, is packed with expertly-crafted and passionately performed songs like opener “Odin”.  Extreme tempo changes; raw, layered guitar; and in-your-face drumming are the common threads throughout the album, but the band also have a sharp melodic touch as seen on tracks like the triumphant “Boxcar Blue”. Listen below.

MP3 Odin
MP3 That Water Tower Sound
MP3 Boxcar Blue

If you like what you hear (which I’m guessing you will), click here to download Other Animal’s entire album for free and spread the word about these guys. They deserve it.

Music Festival Watch

News and info is pouring in on this year’s summer music festivals and for us in the upper midwest there’s a lot to look forward to. Here’s an update on some of the fest happenings and a tentative schedule of where I’ll be this summer.

Pitchfork Music Festival

All signs point to this year’s Pitchfork Festival being absolutely out-of-this-world incredible. They’ve only announced a fraction of the bands that will playing and I’m already drooling from how great this will be. I definitely applaud the move to lose the ATP/Don’t Look Back thing on Friday and replace it with all-request shows from legendary artists (I’m ridiculously excited for Yo La Tengo and Built To Spill).

The fest is adding many more repeats this year but thankfully it’s some of the best bands that have played like The National, Grizzly Bear, and The Walkmen (if this keeps up this year could be seen as a P4k’s greatest hits of sorts).  The fact that the weekend of July 19th is Celeste and myself’s one year wedding anniversary makes this all the more special.

MP3 The National – Baby, We’ll Be Fine
MP3 Built To Spill – Center of the Universe

Lollapalooza

So far the Lollapalooza line-up has been fairly underwhelming.  I’d like to see Beastie Boys as much as the next guy but overall the headliners don’t have me jumping for joy.  News that Kings of Leon, Killers, and Tool are being added doesn’t exactly do much for me either. Unless there is some really great stuff added later on, it looks like I’ll be skipping this year or maybe just doing one-day.

MP3 Depeche Mode – Enjoy The Silence

Summer Camp

Sad to say but this year’s Summer Camp is a complete bust. It’s by far the worst, most predictable line-up I’ve seen from the festival.  Last year they outdid themselves booking the Flaming Lips, The Roots, New Pornographers, Girl Talk, Headlights, The Avett Brothers, and Parliament Funkadelic, in addition to the regular jam bands.

I was expecting something like Wilco, The Hold Steady, or My Morning Jacket to keep the good momentum but instead we have 3 days of Moe, 3 days of Umphreys McGee, and Willie Nelson. Lame! Unless some big announcements are made soon you won’t find me anywhere near this festival in ’09.

MP3 Weezer – We Are All On Drugs

Pygmalion Music Festival

No line-up are available yet but the dates have been announced as September 16-19 and the festival website is up and running here. From the rumblings I’ve heard about the line-up, this could very well be the year that this Champaign/Urbana festival explodes. Will absolutely be there.

MP3 Headlights – The Midwest Is Best