Sun Giant / Blue Ridge Mountains

Big ups to Jimmy for this one. I'm still drooling on the keyboard over those freakin' vocal melodies! I'm going to have to listen to Fleet Foxes S/T tonight. Please enjoy this clip - you'd be hard pressed not to. 

Right Me Up

After accidentally spilling a bowl of cereal on my laptop (genius!) more than a month ago, I've finally taken it to the shop to get it fixed. Besides setting me back 100 bucks, it's got me back on the old desktop I have sitting at home, which is kind of cool because it has a lot of the old music I used to listen to. Here's a song that I still play every now and then, but have almost forgotten in in the wave of new music (and dairy products) I flood my laptop with daily (stupid). 

If you've never listened to State Radio, you're in for a treat. Dispatch's Chad Urmston holds down vocal and guitar duties, and the three piece (Chuck Fay on Bass and Mike Najarian on skins) create their own brand of reggae flavored and politically cultured rock music. 'Right Me Up' is my favorite track off their 2006 record 'Us Against The Crown'.

At The Drive-In? This! IS! SPARTA!

"I don’t think that I’ll be answering any questions or doing any interviews anymore, thank you very much. I haven’t got much to say about anything except with songs which I will continue to make and release — cheers."

- Jim Ward

Damnit! Do you hear that crumpling, crushing soud? That, my friends, is the sound of my hopes and dreams (and twisted nuts) being crushed.

At The Reunion?

"I don't know what to say about that really. We've been making amends with a lot of the members and having some really good talks with them. And we've been trying to get our financial business in order because a lot of people have been ripping off that band really badly...as far as the business side goes. I wouldn't mind it. Y'know, it might happen, we just have to iron out a lot of personal things. A lot of it we've dealt with already and I've apologised for a lot of things I've said and the way it ended...we'll see what happens."

- Cedric Bixler Zavala, on At The Drive-In reuniting.

Holy. Crap...

!

Cedric is in a great place with the Mars Volta releasing arguably one of their strongest records since Deloused In The Comatorium but one can dream, can't he?! I think I prefer At The Drive-In slightly more than the Mars Volta, and we're talking by the slimmest margins here. I would just kill to see ATD-i live! I saw The Mars Volta play a show in Sydney and pretty much sat in awe for the duration of the gig. I know I won't be sitting down at At The Drive-In, were they to reunite. Fingers, toes, arms, legs, nuts (no matter how painful) crossed for this to happen!

They Say

I Say this song rules. Something about it just makes me feel good. It feels like you have heard it before, but never this good. Or, you just really like 'it' this time around.  (Could a song description be more vague? 'This song is in fact, a song, and it has that part, with that kind of singing, and the guitar does some stuff, really great tune. But seriously! Check it out! (For those who want their curiosity quelled, its an easy indie rock number that brings to mind 70's rock.)

Portugal. The Man - People Say

Portugal. The Man have an upcoming album entitled 'The Satanic Satanist'. Completely obvious album name aside, I'm sure it will be completely awesome. Obviously.

More Recent Digs and Artists Worth Your Time

Exams are next week, which is ostensibly why I am on here. Studying? Bah! As if. I can't remember the last time I actually sat down and cracked open a book, and studied. Really studied. Sure, under the guise of prepping for a huge test, I've opened up a text book, with its never opened spine creaking under new found pressure, but I've never gained anything from these charades of academic advancement.

Right into it then, so I can have time to stare blankly at my Math book.

Chickenfoot are a group that, based on the success all supergroups have had before them, should really suck the big one. You can't get much more super than the stellar lineup they have put together (on paper). Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony of Van Halen fame, providing vocals and bass duties, respectively, as well as skin man Chad Smith, relocated from the Chili Peppers to hammer out the rhythm section. On face melting guitar, we have THE Joe Satriani (to those who are unsure, is pretty much what aspiring shredders pay homage and pray to for even an ounce of the talent this man has in his pinky finger). So...are they any good? The answer, for the most part is yes. Succeeding in creating a brand of fun, energetic rock that has seemed to be missing in the past couple of years. What I dig about these guys (super guys) is that they play straight up, balls to the wall rock n roll. And I can't remember the last time a new band in this decade has brought this to the musical dinner table. Chickenfoot are here, and I am hungry for more tasty jams! (had to be done)

+++ Check out 'Oh Yeah' on their myspace to see if you dig these guys.

-note: I don't actually know if 'Oh Yeah' is on their myspace, but google isn't that hard to use!

Closure In Moscow are a great band from Australia that have released a great album in 'First Temple'. Imagine if The Mars Volta brought back the straight forward rock sensibilities of their former incarnation, At The Drive-In (RIP!!!) and incorporated it with the technical proficiency and soaring vocal delivery of TMV, and you have Closure In Moscow. Interesting guitar leads, pumping drums and superb vocals that go from high, to really freaking high falsetto on a dime will have you spinning this record on repeat.

+++Closure In Moscow's myspace

The Pax Cecilia are great, and not just because they give away their music for free (which you can grab here). A refreshing band, which genre hop innumerable times create for a new and exciting listen. Strings and piano will soothe you, and the next moment you will be crushed with a harrowing wall of distortion. The juxtaposing moments of extreme serenity and beauty, followed by anguished, impassioned screams leave listeners breathless. A great and innovating band fast becoming one of my favorites.

+++ Grab their music here, and donate too if you dig it!

The Blood Brothers come from the much revered Seattle music scene with their take on spastic punk/post-hardcore. Or came from Seattle, as the now defunct quintet broke up in 2007. Which is a shame, because these guys are amazing. If you had any interest in the Fall of Troy's self titled, or even Doppleganger, these guys are right up your alley. Acrobatic vocals that almost call to mind Daryl Palumbo (of Glassjaw fame), guitar riffs that hit hard like sinus clearing jabs and groovy bass lines to hold it down - good, good shit. Check it!

+++ The Blood Brothers ghost town of a myspace

KsE isn't really Starting Over...

Killswitch Engage have been quoted as saying this record will be 'different and more progressive' (actually don't quote me on that quote), but after hearing this new song and the other two released tracks, I'm not sure if I'm buying that.

Is this a bad thing? I don't necessarily think so. How many bands have said that their new record will be new, fresh, original, mind blowing, face melting, tear inducing products of their collective genius? I couldn't count that high (I just can't count very high, period (!), if i'm being honest with you all)

With Killswitch, it's almost a given that, after verses screamed by the might Howard Jones, we are treated to an uplifting chorus that makes us want to bro out and hug everyone while singing along. And I'm ok with that. Hugging men included (I'm a lover not a fighter). Would you want a Big Mac to start using progressive meats sandwiched between the gallons of mayonnaise? Or progressive sauces? One horse meat and tartare sauce a la flambee Big Mac, go big time? That is a ridiculous point, but for all the whining about Killswitch's stagnant progression, I can't help but wonder how many people would be upset at the new and pretentious song writing they used on their self titled record, which drops the 30th of June. Or how Alive or Just Breathing was so much better than anything, and their new creative efforts have gone in vain. I see differences in their songwriting already, when using this latest single as a point of comparison. Leads that see Joel and Adam D actually working the fretboard, Howard Jones embracing an alt-rock vocal line in the chorus - to me its the Killswitch I know and love, just tweaked. If you pay to watch Batman, don't get offended when you see the Bat Nipples poking through his body hugging suit (yea, 3000mgs of Taurine & Caffeine is the only way to explain that little analogy). Or likewise, when you watch Paul Walker in Fast and the Furious and can't get over the fact he couldn't act his way out of a paper bag, don't start whining - go watch Amelie.

Adam D isn't behind the helm of this one, Brendan O'Brien (famous for working with big name acts like Incubus and Pearl Jam) produced, but I don't think that will affect the sound of this record very much. Killswitch Engage will be Killswitch Engage, booty shorts and cape and all. Howard has been quoted as saying this record will deal with darker subject matter, which is intriguing to me - but no one seems to care about that. Whaaatevs, I am just way too jacked up on an energy drink right now. They pioneered the Massachusetts metalcore scene, and yet when Motorhead put out septuplet albums (or however Lemmy has cranked out), people generally seem to dig it. Just sayin'

Check out the latest single off Killswitch Engage's Self Titled fourth record, entitled 'Starting Over'

Killswitch Engage - New Music - More Music Videos

Digging

Octahedron is an easy listen, in more ways than one. Said to complement the oft chaotic and generally all over the place (in a good way) The Bedlam In Goliath, The Mars Volta embrace almost a laid back, slow burning, introspective feel on their latest 8 track effort. Octahedron has been quoted as being their 'acoustic' album, but fear not if you tend to gravitate and appreciate the 'weird' side of their music - Omar, Cedric and co. do all that and more. The vocals are astounding and the song writing impeccable, giving the feeling that the Mars Volta are a band that lives up to all the hype and credibility they garner. They deserve it. They feel like they are cool, arty, kids that deliver behind their seemingly pretentious delivery. Like performance art that you actually, genuinely like and care about. When the record takes a minute to actually give the eager listener comprehendible sound - we go 'ah that makes sense, it actually works'. So convincing are the progressive band that you are thoroughly convinced of their art for the duration of the 50 minute record. Great album, by a band that is most definitely great. 

Life

Life is about love, last minutes and lost evenings

About fire in our bellies and furtive little feelings

- Frank Turner