Before I Leave....

As I said earlier, I am leaving for Costa Rica..tommorow in fact. Due to this, I have been ridiculously busy and all I have time to do is type this out really quickly. There will be a three week period when I am gone before Eric gets back (Endish of July.) Fortunately, We are having our good friend Dakota post in our wake. I am sure you will enjoy his writing.

New Architecture!

So, these last two weeks I've been slipping at the whole post-frequency. Believe me, I'm not happy about it either. This summer has been extremely routine and repetitive in terms of what I do and when I do it. It's not like I have a shortage of free time, but since it is broken up by activities, I've been hard-pressed to motivate myself to really do anything. But oh well I guess.

One of the things that has definitely put a bright spot on my summer so far is the upcoming album from everyone's favorite australian octet, Architecture In Helsinki. The new album, Places Like This, is due out in August. It is the band's third LP and so far, at least from the couple of weeks that I have had it, it is my favorite. (Yes, I got the leaked version. Can you blame me? But don't think I won't be standing in line for it on that day in August.)

The band's sound in the old days was considerably more playful than the more recent work. The poppiness and multiple vocals have remained, but now they come with a certain earnestness in the music. This is most demonstrated on the excellent kind of bridge in "Heart It Races" when the female vocalist starts shouting what i thiiink is "How To Miss Someone." Correct me if I'm wrong. In any case, that part gives me chills everytime I hear it, and it's that kind of thing that has really made this album. The release is solid from top to bottom with it's playfully-earnest sincerety. Today I have the single as-is for you, as well as a remix by Yacht, which is in my opinion the best of the ones out there right now. As always, if you like what you do be hearing, go ahead and meander over here to fill up that record collection.

Architecture In Helsinki-Heart It Races
Architecture In Helsinki-Heart It Races (Yacht's Remix)

Bonus mp3s! I also have to mp3s from 2006's remix album, We Died, They Remixed. It is a sin how playful they are.

Architecture In Helsinki-It'5 (33hz & Ming Mix)
Architecture In Helsinki-Wishbone (Franc Tetaz Mix)

Our First Mix!!

Kate Bush

It's been a long time coming, but it's finally here: our first mix. (Celebratory fist pump.) In other developments, I will be leaving for Costa Rica in three weeks and will be unable to post there. Therefore, there could quite possibly be a three week period of inactiveness for this blog. Anyway, on with the music.

Kate Bush-Waking the Witch
Tunng-Pioneers (Bloc Party Cover)
65daysofstatic-When We Were Younger And Better
Weezer-Souveniers, Novelties, Party Tricks (demo)
Interpol-Public Pervert (Carlos D Remix) (direct link)

The Dreadful Yawns

It took two years and three different studios, but the new album from Cleveland folk/rock quintet The Dreadful Yawns is finally here. And now that they've finally reached this point, the band doesn't look quite the same. Throughout the recording of May release Rest, four of the five original band members quit, leaving just principal singer/songwriter Ben Gmetro and four completely new bandmembers.

The making of the album was so drawn out and mismatched studio-wise that it really came through in the music. Throughout the album, the band transforms themselves from indie folk to country to experimental and back to the original folk. "You've Been Recorded" a catchy country-influenced pop song that begs to be followed by "Changing States." "Due South" is a beautiful ballad, and "We Go Up" is an experimental-ambient track. If you like what you hear, buy Rest here.

The Dreadful Yawns-You've Been Recorded
The Dreadful Yawns-Changing States
The Dreadful Yawns-Due South
The Dreadful Yawns-We Go Up

Also, I'll post a Kate Bush track that I have been digging lately. That violin gives me chills..

Kate Bush-Jig Of Life

Mystery of Two

For the past couple of years, when I have needed to get pumped up, my go-to band has consistently been Bear vs. Shark. Something about the tight, driving drum beats and neat guitar riffs mixed with the indescribable technique the singer used just drew me in from the start. So, when I first heard the opening vocal line from "Relics" (the first song from Mystery of Two's debut Arrows Are All You Know (buy), I was immediately drawn in. Why? Well, the lead singer has that style where he hits a note that sounds slightly strained register-wise, and just stays on it throughout the line. When I kept listening, I found more and more easy comparisons between the two Midwestern bands. I found in Mystery of Two the same type of driving guitar and drums.

Now, now, readers, don't knock this band off as just a remake of Bear vs. Shark, like it probably sounds from my description thus far. The guitar in a lot of songs sounds more like a Jimmy Paige kind of riff with fancy blues fills. The vocals, while they do have the basic style I have been talking about, are much more all over the place. Maybe it is because the singer doesn't have an extremely smooth voice. I don't care. It sounds great all the same. Anyway, enough of this. Let's let the music do the talking, shall we?

Mystery of Two-Relics
Mystery of Two-In My Home
Mystery of Two-Quick
Mystery of Two-Gravel

Tonight I Have To Leave It

For those of you that haven't noticed, Sweden (especially Stockholm) has been pumping out the indie bands lately. Recently, bands such as The Knife, Radio Dept., Jose Gonzalez, and I'm From Barcelona have burst onto the indie scene. One of the reasons mentioned for the growing popularity is originality. Bands from Sweden seem to follow in nobody's footsteps, unlike some bands in the US and UK that try to follow the scene.

One thing pretty distinctive about indie music in Sweden is the emphasis on using very sweet melodies. Describing possible reasons for this, Andres Lokko, a Swedish journalist living in London, says "Because English is the language of pop music, there is always more emphasis in Sweden on melodies. And Sweden is cold, so maybe we need sweeter melodies."

Anyway, on to the Shout Out Louds. When Howl Howl Gaff Gaff was released a couple of years ago, it was all I could do to not burst into a rendition of "The Comeback" every other moment. I was often unsuccessful. The debut was full of ridiculously catchy songs from front to back. It stayed on heavy rotation on my iPod for quite a while. From raucous inspiring anthems such as the afore mentioned "The Comeback" to slower more emotional ballads like "A Track and a Train," the Shout Out Louds quickly became my favorite band from Sweden.

In April, the band's sophomore effort, Our Ill Wills was released across Europe. Unfortunately, the album isn't released in the U.S. until September. The album was produced by Björn Yttling, and it is really apparent in parts were alternate percussion parts come through. The percussion in "Tonight I Have To Leave It" is especially strong, with (perhaps) steel drums leading off the track and different pitched cowbells spicing the melody up.

The band also released an EP, Tonight I Have To Leave It, which is available on Emusic. I nabbed it right away, and I highly recommend all of you out there do so. In addition to the single the EP takes its title from, there are to remixes of the title track and two other songs that are both very good. Of course, I have some mp3's for you guys. "Streams of Whiskey" is a really great cover of the old Pogues song.

Shout Out Louds-Tonight I Have To Leave It
Shout Out Louds-Streams of Whiskey (Pogues Cover)

Bloc Party Mash-ups

Today we have some Bloc Party mash-ups that Vice has recently posted on their site. The label still refuses to post any free mp3s of Weekend in the City, which is so far my favorite album of the year. The mash-ups use to songs with oddly similar guitar parts ("Helicopter" and "Hunting For Witches") and replaces the vocal track with two female singers (Gwen Stefani and Madonna). The songs are incredibly smooth and coordinated that it feels like the two parts were meant for each other. The vocal part that Stefani sings goes perfectly with the mood of the music. Here they are...

Bloc Party vs Gwen Stefani-Witches What You Hunting For
Bloc Party vs Madonna-Groovecopter

Son Volt

So school is over, summer has begun, and I am feeling alt-country today. Thirteen long years ago, Uncle Tupelo split up due to a rift between the band's two frontmen, Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy. Tweedy formed Wilco, a band that's currently receiving a lot of buzz for their new album, Sky Blue Sky, which came out May 15, 2007. It's pretty damn good, let me tell you.

Farrar formed Son Volt, a band I was recently turned on to by a country-adoring friend while riding in his aging truck that he holds dearer to his heart than any person can get. I'd heard of them, but never given them a good, solid listen. The band has definitely followed in Uncle Tupelo's footsteps of alt-country goodness more than Wilco has.

Jay Farrar went on to do some solo work in addition to Son Volt, which, combined with the band being dropped from Warner Bros. label, started a six-year hiatus. In 2005, the band returned with Okemah and the Melody of Riot with an all new line-up. A couple of months ago in March 2007, The Search was released as the band's 5th full-length release. Here are a few tracks from the album.

"Adrenaline and Heresy" is probably my favorite track from the album and one of the less country songs on the disc. Like their stuff? Pick up some sweet albums here.

Son Volt-Adrenaline and Heresy
Son Volt-L-Train
Son Volt-The Picture

Okkervil River and The Fountain

Take 1 part The Killers, 1 part The Arcade Fire, and then throw in The Shins for good measure. What do you get? Okkervil River, the band that I was fortunate enough to discover this week. Now, to be fair, they've been an established indie band for awhile now, I was just trying to describe them with my past experience.

Okkervil River is an incredibly amazing quintet combining the best of folk, blues, alt. country, and bluegrass. I really cannot get enough of them, and it saddens me that I've not discovered them till now. By the way, they record on the awesome Indiana label Jagjaguwar, one of my faves because of their labelmates Sunset Rubdown.

Enjoy the tracks... "Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe" is a newer track that is getting quite popular on the blog scene. They will be releasing an LP on August 7th, their 5th, entitled The Stage Names. I look forward to the release greatly. If you'd like to buy some of this band's top-notch music, click here. Trust me- you need this band.

Okkervil River-Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe
Okkervil River-For Real

On the subject of bodies of water you absolutely have to experience... why don't you go rent The Fountain?




The Fountain is an amazing movie by "guerrilla director" Darren Aronofsky, the man behind Pi and Requiem for a Dream. If you feel like movies nowadays are just stupid little ways for you to not focus on anything for two hours in a dark room, this film will set you straight. Visually, it is a masterpiece, Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz are both amazing actors, and the theme- mortality and love- is consuming.

Of course, this is a music blog. So, naturally, the main reason I brought this up is because of how much I love the soundtrack. Clint Mansell works together with the Kronos Quartet and Mogwai to produce some really great songs, which I wholeheartedly recommend. If you like Mogwai, you'll like the soundtrack. Here, have a listen.

Clint Mansell (feat. Mogwai)-Stay With Me

On a side note, there's a really cool remix competition based on the score going on at www.thefountainremixed.com. If you're into that kind of thing, I suggest heading over there.

As I am leaving for Spain on Tuesday, and I have loads of packing and farewelling to do, this will probably be my last post till August. Mikey'll definitely be able to keep things under control on his own. Anticipate a lot more posting and album reviews from me upon my return. Take care, everyone.

Nomo

A few weeks back, I saw Nomo live in the cold (it was about 35 degrees) at WIUX culture shock, and, to say the least, they stood out. Overall, I think they had they had some of the most talent there, rivaled by only Maps And Atlases. The other reason they stood out was that they were so incredibly different from the rest of the bands there. The funk-jazz mix they brought from Michigan pretty much transcended everything else in terms of overall complexity of sound, again with just Maps and Atlases competing with their own busy sound. Nomo's music really grooves, noted by the fact that they were the only band able to get people to semi-dance (shun....)

What made Nomo's show even more outstanding was the fact that they had to deal with not just slow moving fingers but cold wind instruments. And I'll tell you, except for a couple missed notes and stumbles on trumpet solos, the show was extremely clean. (For those of you that haven't done it, playing a brass instrument in bitter cold is one of the hardest things known to man. Valves freeze and shit hits the fan.) At some point, I would like to see the band live at a warmer venue. If they were so good near freezing, I can't imagine how mind-blowing they would be at a good temperature. Here's an mp3 for you guys. Man, that bari sax sounds so good...

Nomo-Better Than That

Check out Nomo's myspace. And if you're likin' what you hear, buy some of their stuff right here.