MILESTONE

i'm picking up your presents when your birthday comes
i'm picking up your presents when your birthday comes
i'm picking up your presents when your birthday comes
your birthday comes,
your birthday comes.

This is a video from the first time I saw Born Ruffians. It was at Central Park Summerstage with Vampire Weekend on June 14, 2008. It hasn't rained so hard since. I remember hearing them open with this song (they still do!) & thinking it was the weirdest thing ever.
Ooh, how far we've come.

It's also this page's first blogged-about gig.
And in two weeks, it will have been ONE YEAR since that concert.
Which can only mean that this page was started a year ago, making today...

UNPOPULARIZED
CULTURE'S
BLOGIVERSARY!!

That's right, this page is exactly one year old!
Ooh, how far we've come.

Give Me Your Tots (or a sentence)

Interesting picture of Born Ruffians, ca. summer 2007.
Channeling Napoleon Dynamite?
Grabbed it from their Facebook group, so credits go out to Jesse L...

Anyway, it's just about 2am, but some veryy exciting B.R. news rolled in yesterday/today via their website, written by Mitch the bassist:

Starting as soon as next week, you guys (and girls) will see some sort of post about just what we're up to (hopefully a few times a week). Well, what we're up to is writing a new album, but it should be more in-depth than that.

Actually, to be fair I don't know how in-depth it'll be, it could be a sentence, a whole story, or just a picture, but it'll be something. And maybe it'll even be interesting (here's hoping)!

GO RUFFS!

It's Lizto-may-nia

Ok ok ok ok regarding the new Phoenix album:
(thankfully it lived up to the insane amount of media hype)

It was solid. Alright more than solid. Just taking the album as is, without the previous studio releases in mind, they delivered with some seriously well done rhythm guitar based pop-rock. However, it seems like they're still a little confused about their sound. This group is really a chameleon of sorts: their acclaimed sophomore album Alphabetical was 100% electronic and it came through on the album, especially in the oddball track 'Fences'.

All and all it was a pretty enjoyable and fun release.
They're on tour now, check them out if you can!

1 HUNDRED POSTS

This is the 100th post!

What an incredible journey we have embarked on. From the countless Born Ruffians endearment posts to the nine accounted for gigs (there were actually more) & several one-time gimmicks, it's been fun.
Even though nobody reads this.

Let's celebrate with 100 more and a makeshift playlist!

Centennial- Tokyo Police Club
Awkward Kisser- Telekinesis
Carpetbaggers- Harlem Shakes
Barnacle Goose- Born Ruffians
When it Started- The Strokes
Rich Girls- The Virgins
Winter Wonder Land- Animal Collective
Badonkadonkey- Born Ruffians
Ottoman- Vampire Weekend
Neighbourhood- Ruby Coast

The Shipment Reviews: Swimming

French Kicks delivered with a pretty solid album. Great riffs, floating, echoing vocals & group harmonies grace the tracks. It's easily listenable and relaxing. However, it does get repetitive to the point of being boring at its worst, as the mostly incomprehensible lyrics push the rolling melody to the front. If you're a music-helps-me-sleep person, or are just looking for something more low key, definitely check out Swimming.

Your Shipment has Arrived

Alrighttttt! Just received some experimental and indie pop-rock CDs.
(& more are on the way!)
Let's crack em open.

Akron/Family:
Meek Warrior
Love is Simple
Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free
Beach House:
Devotion
French Kicks:
One Time Bells
Swimming

Grizzly B!

Grizzly Bear has been been tearing up the mainstream media lately + is coming out this Tuesday with their third studio album, Veckatimest. For those who are unfamiliar with them, they're in the same vein as Animal Collective, but way more accessible and lo-fi. Anyway it should be really good and a review of their new work with most definitely be posted.

Invest in the discography, would you?
grizzly bear myspace

BLEED

New Animal Collective! Recorded live in DC.
MP3: Animal Collective-Bleed

Short/Sweet Reccomendation

Our new best friends from New York City: French Kicks !

These guys have been around for more than a decade, playing usually quieter, modded indie rock-pop. How did they slip under the radar?

Myspace: myspace.com/frenchkicks

Gig: Born Ruffians + Franz Ferdinand

The gig was eight days ago, last Thursday- May 7, 2009. And it was incredible. Born Ruffians opened with the most interesting set they've played in New York thus far. It was essentially seamless, they seldom talked compared to the last gig with Tokyo Police Club & Harlem Shakes in February (but those bands are their friends, and everyone knew the BR at that one). Anyway they seemed a bit sad last week. Steve the drummer still wasn't there, but his replacement Sinkane was great and there was another bassist/keyboardist with them. No new tracks but they did play an amazing modified version of their full-length album opener Red, Yellow & Blue, as well as I'm One of Those Girls from the EP, which was a great surprise.

During the Franz set whilst staking out the VIP entrance I saw the bassist from the Born Ruffians (Mitch), but in the style of a romantic comedy commercial, a crowd passed in front and he disappeared.


So the pictures were terrible. The ISO was messed up.
But don't worry! The next gig's pictures are going to be way better.
'artsy' would be the keyword here. I guess.





THE RED, YELLOW & BLUE MOD VERSION
(With Franz Ferdinand in Toronto)



Ok so Franz Ferdinand played a solid set. Great energy, they totally got all of their insanely tall+wide New Jersey fans going. So much that we left the floor ten minutes in to their hour set, where my friend and I got 'lower' VIP'd and went to the upper balcony. We didn't see any of the bands or famous people, there was another VIP place for them. But it was still fun and there was a great view of the stage and crowd.







Didn't end up at the afterpary,
but it might have been fun.

Jr. Boys are another Toronto Band..
same mgmt as Born Ruffians.

Gig: The States + State Radio

This one was the day after Born Ruffians+Franz Ferdinand (see above) on May 8 at a high school in Connecticut with some friends. Let me tell you. Those kids were insane.

I'm talking full-on mosh.

Unfortunately I figured out the ISO the day after the BR/FF gig,
so these pictures are much better. Below, The States, a pretty mediocre generic Brooklyn band. But they were friendly. States myspace here.






Then State Radio took the stage.
Insane stoner mosh. Pictures will suffice.






Ahh, the magic of a high ISO number.

Is This Love

Today is the anniversary of Bob Marley's death.
Far from an indie musician, but a huge and dynamic icon nonetheless.
Legend, his greatest hits album, is a must-have.

"You know Bob Marley didn't die of old age!"
--my mom

(I swear the Born Ruffians/FF pictures+words will be up soon!)

And I want to walk around with you (x2)

Pictures coming soon for last night's Born Ruffians / Franz Ferdinand gig!

But for now, Animal Collective hits the mainstream on Letterman with some ghost dancers and 'Summertime Clothes',
a standout track from their latest album Merriweather Post Pavilion.

This song is also played in Forever 21..

Informal Prep Post

That's my month-old Olympus Evolt e-410.

Tomorrow we will be going to see BORN RUFFIANS
(open for Franz Ferdinand)
(not so much looking forward to them..weird mix of bands.)


the only reason it sucks is because the venue is in midtown.
oh man..I'm going to be so close to the stage this time. Like press-pass close.
Hopefully I can get a good shot for once, last time they were all really bad!

But, mostly..I'm looking forward to dancing to Le Ruffs live for the fifth time.
Yes. I said five.


(in case you couldn't tell - above, Ruffian/Franz combo pic)

So I'm a little nuts for the Born Ruffs. can't help it.
prolly the coolest/cutest/nicest band I know.

Had and Sappy

VIRGIN MEGASTORE is closing. This is a personal attack on me! I met/saw Albert Hammond Jr. and Little Joy there. And Agyness Deyn. I wore the hazard orange plastic wristband for like six months after the AHJ show. It cannot be true! Wahh.

MISS YOU!

Other than that I watched the Jonas Brother sitcom thing on TV. Obnoxiously bad. Can't wait to do a video remix of the song they preformed on the first episode (Flight of the Conchords style.) Other things they knocked off include The Monkees' TV show and a few other pop culture references their target audience wouldn't even begin to understand: ex, Nick Jonas' love interest Penny was playing a gig at CBDBs. Yes, CBDB. I kid you not. Someone, anyone, punch a writer. Cue weird supplementary JB pic...

not too bad for the 3rd google image result.