tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41668367702662351402024-03-13T13:18:52.985-04:00unpopularized cultureJuliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.comBlogger313125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-263801982902839172013-05-03T03:48:00.002-04:002013-05-03T03:53:11.479-04:00DIG DEEP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey, everyone. It's been a year now since writing! To be honest, I've grew tired of deconstructing tracks and albums to the point where the enjoyment had been sucked out of it. Let me tell you, it is more rewarding to experience things without written internet bias. There have been some great releases in the last 12 months, though... I'll let you know about them soon. But right now, I'm here to resurrect this dusty space with a response to an essay written by Portia Seddon - <i>MP3 Blogging and the Urban Soundscape</i>.<br />
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Her essay touches on a lot issues regarding the pitfalls, cultural relevance and responsibility of writing a music blog that focuses on rare music from other countries - all contextualized by ongoing ethnographic research about the topic.<br />
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What I found most interesting was the outright reflection and primer regarding the modern realities of media and power. In the past, <i>media</i> carried the implication that its consumer was powerless... any form of propaganda is a good example. The proliferation of the internet has acted as a great equalizer, allowing consumers and audiences to be critical and vocal. The measure of power is now reliant on reach and clout. Lil Bub the cat (below, now "the toast of the internet" and showing at the TriBeCa film festival) had the same chance as any other photo or video posted online. With great power comes great responsibility.<br />
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However, Seddon's essay isn't about how anyone has the chance to gain statue in our new worldwide community, but more about how 'world' music blogs have taken full hold of this idea, which is where her aforementioned research comes in. This group of people crate dig and search exhaustively for rare (mostly African) recordings to share online for free, and then present them as mostly disconnected from their origins. But is it responsible to do so? It may seem as though the internet has made everything better: books are widely available, anything can be exchanged instantly, new opportunities and connections are inevitable. However, there are some things that just can't be replaced by the internet. For one, ethnographic research. In our increasingly interconnected world, how much can we rely on the internet to gain an true understanding of another place? Seddon presupposes not very much. The essay suggests that these music blogs and digital ethnography dilute and may even disrespect the origins of people and things. Many people believe that it is the responsibility of the blogger to contextualize (to some, synonymous with said respect) its history. And some just want to hear it without knowing any of it. The question is whether or not this behavior has the opposite effect of the intention to expose: by separating it from its source, bloggers may be contributing to its obscurity in world musical history.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Analog Africa.</span></div>
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One of the critics Seddon inserts into her essay is Boima Tucker, who likens this trend of finding African vinyl to the "mad-dash for rare African minerals" in the 19th century. This unsettling proposed metaphor is followed up by his thought, "My biggest criticism is not that they are going to Africa to shed light on these ‘lost’ recordings and forgotten about artists. I’m instead worried that they concentrate too much on those forms of music that fit nicely into the story that they, the DJs, want to tell about the music." This irks and conflicts me more than I care to articulate. In the midst of a cut-and-paste culture made possible by the internet (best example: blogs), it is interesting that Tucker fixates on telling people how they should listen and experience things. It was one of the reasons I stopped writing on this page and have become turned off to music criticism in general. The truth is that music blogs do dilute the potential to have an individualized experience. But there is no problem with being able to listen to and share found music in order to tell one's story. At the end of the day, music blogging is a hobby. Let the people dig! They may find themselves in that crate.<br />
<br />Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-40817555792228002572012-04-14T12:05:00.004-04:002012-04-14T12:13:19.384-04:00Beyonce's "Countdown" - The Elwins & Luke Lalonde<div style="text-align: center;"><center><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3unEV0t_8T8" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" width="440"></iframe></center><br /><br />Check out this awesome video of Toronto staples The Elwins and Born Ruffians' Luke Lalonde cover "Countdown" by the fabulous Beyonce. As a long time fan of The Ruffs, I'd never imagine to see the day when Luke would sing the words <span style="font-style: italic;">flyest</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">my boo</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">lip-lockin</span>.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">And if you like the clean guitar and musical direction of the track as a whole, look into The Elwins' debut LP <i>And I Thank You</i>, which is out now.<br /><br /></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-16463196466968464432012-04-14T11:57:00.002-04:002012-04-14T12:05:19.060-04:00I Need a Trip<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BAbG_1g8yoQ/T4mehVXJgtI/AAAAAAAABIQ/uCBFBtaoPJQ/s1600/Screen%2Bshot%2B2012-04-14%2Bat%2B11.57.28%2BAM.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 322px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BAbG_1g8yoQ/T4mehVXJgtI/AAAAAAAABIQ/uCBFBtaoPJQ/s400/Screen%2Bshot%2B2012-04-14%2Bat%2B11.57.28%2BAM.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731286296312775378" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Check out Vacationer and their adorable <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://vacationermusic.com">website</a>. Perfect!<br />A little bit lo-fi, a little bit tropical, and totally dreamy. <br />Is it summer yet?<br /><br />Their LP <span style="font-style: italic;">Gone </span>comes out on March 20, 2012.<br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://soundcloud.com/vacationer">Listen on Soundcloud</a>.<br /><br /></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-60402134675534305472012-04-14T11:47:00.004-04:002012-04-14T11:54:57.511-04:00Rough Trade x Bowery Presents<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://createdigitalmusic.com/files/2011/08/roughtrade.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 417px; height: 312px;" src="http://createdigitalmusic.com/files/2011/08/roughtrade.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Rough Trade Records announced that they will be partnering with New York's concert promoting giant Bowery Presents to open a counterpart record store and performance space to their London shops in Willamsburg, Brooklyn this fall.<br /><br />Few details are available about the project. However, it is known that BP will provide their growing roster to set up intimate, live performances in the store.<br /><br />Stay tuned. At time when record stores have been closing in droves, it will be interesting to see how this effects locals, local businesses and New York's musicscape as a whole.<br /><br /></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-69729290821677482692012-04-14T11:32:00.002-04:002012-04-14T11:41:51.619-04:00Ah-Wooo<a href="http://lamusicblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Howler-America-Give-Up.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 494px; height: 494px;" src="http://lamusicblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Howler-America-Give-Up.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I've been really enjoying Howler's debut LP <span style="font-style: italic;">America Give Up </span>this week.<br />Those who might shy away because of its garage and raw vocal labels will be pleasantly surprised by the fun riffs and mildly-surf aesthetic that cuts through its heavy facade.<br /><br /></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-55777823489271783142011-10-13T19:34:00.003-04:002011-10-13T19:38:24.702-04:00Video: The Whitest Boy Alive - "Bad Conscience"<center><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/18619268?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" width="400"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/18619268">bad conscience</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/marcinoz">marcin oz</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p></center> <div style="text-align: center;">Here's a preview of a possible cut from the third Whitest Boy Alive album! Erlend's voice is pretty raw, but if this is any indication of whatever else they have cooking, the upcoming LP should be right on par with their other two minimalist greats <em>Dreams</em> and <em>Rules</em>.<br /><br /></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-24015481972642482062011-08-09T13:29:00.003-04:002011-08-09T13:45:13.866-04:00A B C<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1085/4732820331_13952e9487_b.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 495px; height: 329px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1085/4732820331_13952e9487_b.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/helenadagmar/4732820331/">AB & The Sea.</a> by <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/helenadagmar/">helenadagmar</a> on <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.flickr.com/">Flickr</a>.</span>
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<br />You've gotta hear <span style="font-style: italic;">Bone Dry </span>by California poppers A B & The Sea.
<br />It's the perfect summer song.
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<br /></p><center><iframe style="position: relative; display: block; width: 300px; height: 100px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/track=3182902814/size=grande/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4496ca/" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="100" width="300">&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://theowlmag.bandcamp.com/track/bone-dry"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Bone Dry by A B &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; the Sea&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;</iframe>
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<br /></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-4808550543553106532011-08-09T13:18:00.003-04:002011-08-09T13:29:47.171-04:00Video: Best Coast - "Our Deal"<center><div style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); width: 520px;"><div style="padding: 4px;"><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:uma:video:mtv.com:677679/cp%7Eid%3D1651481%26vid%3D677679%26uri%3Dmgid%3Auma%3Avideo%3Amtv.com%3A677679" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" base="." flashvars="" height="288" width="512"></embed><p style="text-align: left; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); padding: 4px; margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Get More: <a href="http://www.supervideo.mtv.com/" style="color: rgb(67, 156, 216);" target="_blank">MTV Supervideo</a>, <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/" style="color: rgb(67, 156, 216);" target="_blank">Music</a>, <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/best_coast/artist.jhtml" style="color: rgb(67, 156, 216);" target="_blank">Best Coast</a></p></div></div></center>
<br /><center>Drew Barrymore's latest directorial pursuit has come to us in the form of a music video for "Our Deal" by California surf-band Best Coast.
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<br />The piece features an impressive cast, including Alia Shawkat (<span style="font-style: italic;">Arrested Development</span>), Shailene Woodley (<span style="font-style: italic;">The Secret Life of the American Teenager)</span>, Miranda Cosgrove (<span style="font-style: italic;">iCarly)</span>, Donald Glover, Chloe Mortez, and Tyler Posey.
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<br />After being extremely disappointed by Best Coast's live performance last February, this video has served a nice, artistic redemption for the group.
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<br /></center>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-2038513298792253812011-07-25T22:38:00.001-04:002011-08-09T13:18:17.714-04:00WU LYF<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/65695854/WU+LYF.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 358px;" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/65695854/WU+LYF.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>
<br /><div style="text-align: center;">The newest indie mystery is UK group WU LYF (World Unite Lucifer Youth Foundation). The elusive band, who not up until recently kept their identities a secret, has been capturing the attention of everyone from Nylon to The Guardian with their unique brand. The sound? An irresistible dream pop/shoegaze backtrack with unexpected, scratching Kings of Leon-inspired vocals from the <span style="font-style: italic;">Aha Shake </span>era.
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<br />These guys aren't going to move audio mountains, but their debut <span style="font-style: italic;">Go Tell Fire to the Mountain </span>has certainly taken everyone by storm.
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<br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.wulyf.org/">wulyf.com</a>
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<br /></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-13202522175842050142011-07-15T11:23:00.008-04:002011-07-15T11:28:49.453-04:00Video: Cults - "Go Outside"<center><a href="http://vimeo.com/26352476"><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/26352476?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" frameborder="0" height="225" width="400"></iframe></a><p><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://vimeo.com/26352476">Go Outside, by Cults</a> from <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://vimeo.com/boingboing">Boing Boing</a> on <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p><p>-<br /></p></center><div style="text-align: center;">Manhattan's flavor-of-the-month Cults has just put out a new video for their single <span style="font-style: italic;">Go Outside. </span>An interesting take on the song - I'm sure everyone was expecting something slightly more transparent from this indie-electro duo.<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><br /><br />Their s/t is out now, check it out!<br /><br /></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-33262575947628419542011-07-15T10:43:00.003-04:002011-07-15T11:21:52.985-04:00Spotify Comes to US Shores<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4pdJupRNmZ8/TiBSdUPVkfI/AAAAAAAABII/qBEflzQFpeY/s1600/Screen%2Bshot%2B2011-07-15%2Bat%2B10.44.46%2BAM.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 470px; height: 293px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4pdJupRNmZ8/TiBSdUPVkfI/AAAAAAAABII/qBEflzQFpeY/s400/Screen%2Bshot%2B2011-07-15%2Bat%2B10.44.46%2BAM.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629590197815841266" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Spotify's here! Europe's popular music application has just opened its doors to users in the states. The service provides thousands of hours of free music that streams live on your computer, phone and home audio system without making a dent into your hard drive.<br /><br />Right now it's invitation-only in the US, but never fear! A pass in isn't too hard to come by if you're interested. The guys at <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://twitter.com/myfreeconcertny">My Free Concert NY</a> are doling out invites by the hour on their <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Spotify-Invite-Exchange/148110668598462?sk=wall&filter=2">Spotify Invite Exchange</a> facebook page. <br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-17030371020716007432011-06-19T16:06:00.005-04:002011-06-19T16:25:06.394-04:00Work of Art<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lmssoqYk6v1qhnps8o1_500.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 460px; height: 460px;" src="http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lmssoqYk6v1qhnps8o1_500.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">My favo(u)rite Ontario poppers <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://firstratepeople.com/">FIRST RATE PEOPLE</a> are back with a new summer single, <span style="font-style: italic;">Someone Else Can Make a Work of Art. </span> The mellowed-out dance song is a bit of a departure from some of the band's previous releases, but still remains true to the FRP with aesthetic with co-ed vocals, tastefully used autotune, drum samples and catchy arrangements.<br /><br />Born Ruffians' Luke Lalonde also lends his vocals to close the track with a multiplied, echoing "all I ever want is the best for you..."<br /><br />Listen to the track below & grab it + the rest of their discography for free at <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://firstratepeople.com">Bandcamp</a>.<br /></div><br /><br /><center><iframe style="position: relative; display: block; width: 400px; height: 100px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/track=1360568776/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=ff6666/" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="100" width="400">&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://firstratepeople.bandcamp.com/track/someone-else-can-make-a-work-of-art"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Someone Else Can Make A Work Of Art by FIRST RATE PEOPLE&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;</iframe><br /></center><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-18226181024668895802011-04-04T00:18:00.002-04:002011-04-06T16:16:53.965-04:00Radio Radio<center><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nATWkup7CXA" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" width="480"></iframe></center><br /><br /><center> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Freddy & The Trojan Horse</span>, by computermusik kings The Radio Dept.<br />A bit of a throwback for everyone. Starting today, Upop is back!<br /><br />If you like this, try out the shoegaze pop stylings of <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.myspace.com/wildnothing">Wild Nothing</a>.<br /><br /></center>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-1620882330144538922011-02-09T14:52:00.005-05:002011-02-09T15:08:39.500-05:00Under Cover of Darkness<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://floofolai-.tumblr.com/photo/1280/3202158679/1/tumblr_lgd7xwLDb11qanvk9"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 478px; height: 121px;" src="http://floofolai-.tumblr.com/photo/1280/3202158679/1/tumblr_lgd7xwLDb11qanvk9" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">It's really real this time. And it really crashed their new <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://new.thestrokes.com/">official site</a>.<br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.minneapolisfuckingrocks.com/mp3/thestrokes_undercoverofdarkness.mp3">Under Cover of Darkness - The Strokes</a> (mp3)<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Angles</span> comes out March 22.<br /><br /></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-61754193834160628252011-02-01T14:30:00.005-05:002011-02-01T14:35:45.938-05:00Stream: The Dodos - "Black Night"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.weallwantsomeone.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/thedodosnocolor.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 452px; height: 373px;" src="http://www.weallwantsomeone.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/thedodosnocolor.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><center><div class="topspin-widget topspin-widget-single-track-player-widget"><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" id="TSWidget51556" data="http://cdn.topspin.net/widgets/single/swf/TSSinglePlayer.swf?timestamp=1296588350" bgcolor="#000000" height="20" width="452"><br /><param value="always" name="allowScriptAccess"><br /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><br /><param name="quality" value="high"><br /><param name="movie" value="http://cdn.topspin.net/widgets/single/swf/TSSinglePlayer.swf?timestamp=1296588350"><br /><param name="flashvars" value="theme=black&highlightColor=0x00A1FF&widget_id=http://app.topspin.net/api/v1/artist/2383/single_track_player_widget/51556&theme=black"><br /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><br /></object><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Here's the first song off the Dodos' fourth album <span style="font-weight: bold;">No Color. </span><br />It's out on Frenchkiss March 15.<br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://dodosmusic.net/"><br /></a><a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://dodosmusic.net/">dodosmusic.net</a><br /><br /></div></div></center>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-40062925620831703372011-01-24T13:57:00.009-05:002011-01-24T18:46:43.182-05:00Last Night: Oberhofer & The Vaccines at Bowery<div style="text-align: center;">They haven't released any singles, EPs or albums. And yet, UK group The Vaccines managed to sell out the coveted Bowery Ballroom last Thursday - the same stage that jump started the very successful careers of comparable guitar bands such as Arctic Monkeys, The Libertines and The Strokes.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />I was lucky enough to get tickets to see this much buzzed-about band.<br /></div><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TT4CaoADtVI/AAAAAAAABHQ/fQBJUpy57x0/s1600/IMG_0488.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TT4CaoADtVI/AAAAAAAABHQ/fQBJUpy57x0/s400/IMG_0488.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565888845914027346" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Opening was Oberhofer, one of my favorites from last year. I'm glad he's a go-to for a support act. He's a bit crazy, but his live set really can't be beat. Brad's as tight as ever.<br />Check him out if you can! He's doing a big tour right now with Tapes N' Tapes.<br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.myspace.com/oberhofermusic">myspace.com/oberhofermusic</a><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">You could sort of feel excitement building during the final set change, which is sadly unusual for shows in jaded New York. Photographers overwhelmed the front of the house, and bloggers filled out the rest of the place.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TT4LYnDZN2I/AAAAAAAABHY/LBaCkXFE2dQ/s1600/IMG_0491.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TT4LYnDZN2I/AAAAAAAABHY/LBaCkXFE2dQ/s400/IMG_0491.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565898706904495970" border="0" /></a><br />Shortly after, The Vaccines took the stage to a very adoring and impressed crowd. They opened with their most well-known song, <span style="font-style: italic;">Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra) </span>and followed with more guitar rock songs from their forthcoming LP <span style="font-weight: bold;">What Did You Expect from The Vaccines?</span><span>,</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>which is due via Columbia on March 21 in the UK. Presumably due to lack of material, their set ran exactly 30 minutes and was all over a bit after 11 with an encore.<br /><br />All and all they were a pretty tight act. I'm not sure if they're really deserving of the <span style="font-style: italic;">intense </span>amount of hype they've been getting, but everyone else seems to think so. We shall see. It'll certainly be interesting to watch.<br /><br /></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-38505397784003940052011-01-23T01:55:00.000-05:002011-01-23T01:57:05.084-05:00Tokyo Truck<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TTt_Bu-UAcI/AAAAAAAABGo/LicYCvqE_Wg/s1600/DSC05881.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px; height: 336px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TTt_Bu-UAcI/AAAAAAAABGo/LicYCvqE_Wg/s1600/DSC05881.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Yesterday Tokyo Police Club did a three song segment with <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://thewildhoneypie.com/">The Wild Honey Pie</a> from out of the back of a cube truck in Greenwich Village (Minetta at MacDougal). Hardly any fans made it out for the taping, but a nice crowd did gather to see the sight. Only in New York!<br />As a long time fan of TPC, this was a very cool thing to take part of. Keep checking back here for the finished video sooner than later.<br /><br />(expired) polaroid shot:<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TTuCizXcPTI/AAAAAAAABG4/ZMuWyIxHKq4/s1600/DANK%2BMOVES.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 262px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TTuCizXcPTI/AAAAAAAABG4/ZMuWyIxHKq4/s400/DANK%2BMOVES.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565185298962070834" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-56639911819806076382011-01-23T01:43:00.002-05:002011-01-23T01:49:38.729-05:00Whatever This Is<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs074.snc6/168427_493020542384_31198987384_6450892_1673239_n.jpg?dl=1"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px; height: 407px;" src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs074.snc6/168427_493020542384_31198987384_6450892_1673239_n.jpg?dl=1" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Toronto band Ruby Coast is offering their first LP <span style="font-style: italic;">Whatever This Is </span>for <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://rubycoast.bandcamp.com/">free on Bandcamp</a>!<br />Check it out - it's danceable pop in the boldest sense.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-4393008589312838082011-01-20T15:11:00.010-05:002011-02-01T19:36:36.681-05:00Last Night: The Twees at Webster Hall<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TTYKGcbA3eI/AAAAAAAABE4/CS8w8HSjanQ/s1600/IMG_0482.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 383px; height: 510px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TTYKGcbA3eI/AAAAAAAABE4/CS8w8HSjanQ/s1600/IMG_0482.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Last Wednesday New York locals <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.thetwees.com/">The Twees</a> packed out The Studio at Webster Hall in celebration of the release of their new EP <span style="font-style: italic;">These Girls.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span> Despite the forecasted dumping of snow, the weather was better than expected, which turned out to be a somewhat of a theme for the evening.<br /><br />The first group I saw <span>was</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span>a hip hop / jam band </span>by the name of Poofy and The Busboys. While this style of music isn't my favorite (nor do I hold any type of authority to judge the genre), there was no denying that they were a seriously tight act. Although there weren't that many people there to see them, they did do a great job of engaging the present crowd in their set.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TTdLFOGkJdI/AAAAAAAABFI/TJOMRfM8szo/s1600/IMG_0463.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TTdLFOGkJdI/AAAAAAAABFI/TJOMRfM8szo/s400/IMG_0463.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563998417696597458" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TTdLEn-c5NI/AAAAAAAABFA/h0xuOvPCJfo/s1600/IMG_0462.JPG"><br /></a>Next up was Brooklyn group <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://myspace.com/thejangula">Jangula</a> (above). Before the show I listened to a couple of their tracks on their myspace and was pretty underwhelmed, so I had low expectations for them. Lucky for us their live set proved to be one of the best ones of the night. Lead singer Johnny donned a QChord and a pretty neat hairsyle as he led the rest of the band members seamlessly through pop jam after pop jam a la Oberhofer.<br />I recommend seeing them live if you have the chance.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TTiX0XX2IjI/AAAAAAAABGA/VFR_QwE0Gok/s1600/IMG_0470.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TTiX0XX2IjI/AAAAAAAABGA/VFR_QwE0Gok/s400/IMG_0470.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564364265499271730" border="0" /></a><br />Finally The Twees took the stage to a pretty wild and very adoring crowd. The band and frontman Jason, who was looking very sharp in a <span style="font-style: italic;">Nowhere Boy</span>-esque<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>leather jacket, played flawlessly through a nice set of old favorites from their first EP <span style="font-style: italic;">Lessons to Connect</span>, as well as plenty of new ones from <span style="font-style: italic;">These Girls</span>.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TTiX0lJ3r_I/AAAAAAAABGI/wW5_u4LUQTE/s1600/IMG_0472.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TTiX0lJ3r_I/AAAAAAAABGI/wW5_u4LUQTE/s400/IMG_0472.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564364269198749682" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TTiX1eHFIgI/AAAAAAAABGY/Ayl5cub_6cA/s1600/IMG_0474.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TTiX1eHFIgI/AAAAAAAABGY/Ayl5cub_6cA/s400/IMG_0474.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564364284487868930" border="0" /></a><br />Part way through the show, half of the crowd came on stage for <span style="font-style: italic;">Wishful Thinking Youth</span>. The band was swallowed in the packed stage and everyone looked like they were having a great time. All and all it was a great night for The Twees, and we'll look forward to hearing and seeing them much more in the future.<br /><br />Jeff Jacobs and Eytan & the Embassy also played.<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-27038829720130765662011-01-01T23:32:00.003-05:002011-01-01T23:50:48.803-05:00Dye it Blonde!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TSAACAbE2UI/AAAAAAAABEo/UKjFk1raqYc/s1600/folder.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYABmEGX7yc/TSAACAbE2UI/AAAAAAAABEo/UKjFk1raqYc/s400/folder.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557441974648494402" border="0" /></a><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.myspace.com/smithwesterns">Smith Westerns</a> are back with a lovely album that's much cleaner and unhurried than their lo-fi garage self-titled debut. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Release: 1.18.10<br /><br /></div></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-90716346311739932672010-12-24T16:25:00.007-05:002010-12-26T01:03:25.259-05:00FIRST RATE PEOPLE<center> The amount of times I've played this lovely Toronto band since I met them in the beginning of October is grossly disproportionate to the number of times I've written on them here. The situation begs to be rectified, so here we are with one of their fantastic new tracks, <i>Funny Games</i>.<br /><br /><center><object data="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/track=2814681856/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB//" type="text/html" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="100" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/track=2814681856/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB//"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="allowNetworking" value="always"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never"><object data="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/track=2814681856/size=venti/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB//" type="text/html" height="100" width="400"></object></object></center><br />A bit of R+B, a bit of electro, a bit of pop and catchy as hell.<br />Grab a free download above or <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://firstratepeople.bandcamp.com/track/funny-games">here</a>.<br /><br />This shouldn't go without mentioning their equally awesome EP <span style="font-weight: bold;">It's Never Not Happening</span>, which follows in a similar stylistic vein as <span style="font-style: italic;">Funny Games</span>, but manages to successfully reach across a range of genres as well. <br />The EP is also available for free over at <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.last.fm/music/First+Rate+People/IT%27S+NEVER+NOT+HAPPENING">last.fm</a>.<br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.myspace.com/firstratepeople">myspace.com/firstratepeople</a><br /><br /></center>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-70334687561257957072010-12-24T16:07:00.006-05:002010-12-24T23:55:47.286-05:0010's 10<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://joshuastephenkaye.tumblr.com/photo/1280/1477521476/1/tumblr_lbce9ljZqv1qzvx0t"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 466px; height: 309px;" src="http://joshuastephenkaye.tumblr.com/photo/1280/1477521476/1/tumblr_lbce9ljZqv1qzvx0t" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">UC's 10 of 2010 list!<br />Caribou and Kanye are tied for first, the rest follow in a loose order.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Swim</span> Caribou<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy</span> Kanye West<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Say It</span> Born Ruffians<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Clinging to a Scheme </span> The Radio Dept.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Contra </span>Vampire Weekend<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Champ</span> Tokyo Police Club<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Astro Coast</span> Surfer Blood<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Congratulations</span> MGMT<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Drums</span> The Drums<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hippies </span>Harlem<br /><br />Honorable Mentions (not LPs):<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">It's Never Not Happening EP</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Gentleman's Club; Funny Games</span><br />First Rate People<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">If You Wanna</span>,<span style="font-style: italic;"> Wrecking Bar (Ra Ra Ra)</span>,<span style="font-style: italic;"> Blow it Up; Post Break Up Sex<br /></span>The Vaccines<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><br /></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-89144683714047158952010-12-01T00:49:00.004-05:002010-12-01T01:02:47.804-05:00Ra Ra Ra!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/500/54866987/The+Vaccines.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 513px;" src="http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/500/54866987/The+Vaccines.png" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />UK upstarts <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Vaccines </span>seem to be taking the scene by storm lately, thanks to lots of NME press. Get this: they've got virtually no internet presence, only three songs available and have been booked to headline Bowery Ballroom in New York next month. Not too bad for a couple of underground lo-fi rock & rollers from London!<br /><br />Surely a group to watch in 2011.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">mp3s</span><br />Great New Demo: <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://hypem.com/search/the%20vaccines%20if%20you%20wanna/1/"><span style="font-style: italic;">If You Wanna </span></a><br />First Single:<span style="font-style: italic;"> <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://hypem.com/search/the%20vaccines%20wreckin%27%20bar/1/">Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra)</a><br /></span>b/w<span style="font-style: italic;"> <a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://hypem.com/search/the%20vaccines%20blow%20it%20up/1/">Blow it Up</a><br /></span><br /></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-64834662543941998402010-11-24T12:11:00.005-05:002010-11-28T23:20:15.075-05:00BIG<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lcb7dx4sto1qb6mbvo1_400.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 416px; height: 416px;" src="http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lcb7dx4sto1qb6mbvo1_400.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I think it would be pointless to throw in more than a few thoughts on Kayne West's new album <span style="font-style: italic;">My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy</span>, since it's been receiving perfect scores across the board. Even the super critical, hard to please Pitchfork gave it a perfect 10 - last time that happened was with Wilco's <span style="font-style: italic;">Yankee Hotel Foxtrot</span>.<br /><br />The only way to describe this album would be big. It's just...big. It sounds big. It's got big samples. And it's got big name contributors - most notably Bon Iver, Nicki Manaj, Rick Ross and Jay-Z.<br /><br />I don't think it deserves the absolute perfect scores its been getting, but there's no doubt it's a fantastic album. Standout tracks: <span style="font-style: italic;">All of the Lights</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Devil in a New Dress </span>(this one's got a Smokey Robinson sample) and the biggest sounding of all - <span style="font-style: italic;">Lost in the World</span> (ft. Bon Iver's <span style="font-style: italic;">Woods</span>!) / <span style="font-style: italic;">Who Will Survive in America</span>. Really. It sounds like there are 100 people playing on the Bon Iver track, and combined with Gil Scott Heron chanting "who will survive in America?" on the latter half makes for a perfect and somewhat chilling way to end the album.<br /><br />Rap fan or not, everyone should hear this.<br /><br /></div>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4166836770266235140.post-43341379199659110772010-11-24T11:59:00.007-05:002010-11-24T12:08:14.075-05:00Official Video: Young Rival - "The Ocean"<center><object height="306" width="500"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BQucX7Be4oA?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BQucX7Be4oA?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="306" width="500"></embed></object></center><p style="text-align: center;">Here's the official video for Young Rival's lovely second single <em>The Ocean</em> from their debut LP (aptly titled <em>LP</em>).<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">They call it a "DIY 8mm video". It was filmed in Moose Jaw, SK, Canada.<br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(255, 102, 102);" href="http://www.myspace.com/youngrival">myspace.com/youngrival</a><br /></p>Juliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08158749158691610068noreply@blogger.com0