One more

One more post, before actually starting homework at 3 am... because this history paper won't write itself (any takers? I will pay you for it somehow ;)

How To Dress Well is another artist I can't get enough of lately, and I feel like I've got the perfect description to clue you in on what Tom Krell's lo-fi R&B baby (2010's Love Remains) sounds like - imagine Justin Timberlake (JT from here on out) went out in a club in an obscure Eastern Block European country - A -slavia type deal. Getting mighty drunk, he stumbles upon a fellow American, the grizzly bear of a crooner Justin Vernon (JV now) on the steps of the already dispersing uber chill European lounge/club that's open until an absurd hour. Now, JT and JV know who each other is (a little facebook creeping) but have never had the pleasure of meeting. A little shy introduction, and fueled by alcohol the conversation treads familiar territory, ruminating on typical American things (Hot dogs, baseball, guns) and suddenly, they're snowballing into a homoerotic avalanche - and before you know it, JT has smooth talked the vulnerable JV into his Euro shag pad. And the rest is history... which picks itself up 20 years later when the kid they magically produced is born in the form of How To Dress Well's music.

Now you know exactly what it sounds like! Right? No?! Well check this out then and forget the time you've just wasted reading that ^. Oh! and please give the lo-fi sound a chance, and don't assume that your headphones/speakers are broken. I have heard his Love Remains album in its entirety and this song is probably the strongest case against lo-fi... it's a great album you should definitely grab given the chance!

http://howtodresswell.blogspot.com/

Lovely Bloodflow

Baths is a great artist out of the Chatsworth, California. I've honestly never been a fan of this genre of music for lack of an artist to hook me and reel me in to the electronic/down tempo/glitchy stylings he and his peers put out, but something about Will Wiesenfeld's vulnerable yet ernest sound drew me in. Take this ill music video and song, entitled 'Lovely Bloodflow,' a track off his 2010 full length Cerulean. When I hear Wiesenfeld botch the entrance of his vocals, and continue the track, pretentiousness flies out the window, and is replaced with a relatable sense of humanity. This music video is a great representation of his music because you'll sit there thinking "I don't know what the fuck is going on, but it is so dope." Which is pretty much all I thought upon hearing Cerulean - a mindfuck wrapped in a leather jacket. A sound so dope you can smoke it. Czech it.

Actually, fuck it I'll make it a twofer and throw up every I know's favorite track by Baths, Aminals

A Winner's Attitude/Guide Towards Life

If I had a feather for every time I asked why, I'd be higher in the sky than Icarus and Daedalus combined.

If I had a scale for every time I wondered how, I'd be deeper than the crepuscular alien-like fish that no one really knows what they are, or what their motivations are in life!

If I had a rock for every time I doubted myself, I'd build a mountain of K2 proportions two times over, with a quarry of materials to spare.

If I had a drop of water for every time I sat and did nothing about it - I'd be sitting in the middle of an ocean that dwarfs the Pacific, glass half empty of self worth, half full of self loathing.

Tiny Vessels

"I spent two weeks in Silver lake, the California sun cascading down my face. There was a girl with light brown streaks - and she was beautiful but she didn't mean a thing to me. Yeah, she was beautiful but she didn't mean a thing to me."

Transatlanticism is the sole Death Cab For Cutie record I can honestly say I really dig, and not care about how cheesy it is, or how many tween girls scribble the earnest story telling of Ben Gibbard into the tattered flaps of their diary-cum-school books. This song really hits me hard, trying to imagine meaningless sex and days drawn out with someone you're too afraid to tell the truth to.

We Owe This To Our Ears

Not too shabby! "Dark is the way, Light is a Place" will be the next studio offering from perennial pop punk outfit Anberlin, and will bring the tally to five LP's in their 3 year existence.

Villagers

If I had a ship I would name it the S.S. Pizazz.

Another Conor, this time from Ireland, but almost as emotionally pained and huggable as that Oberst fellow.

Summer

Beach Fossils // Window View from Wooden Lens on Vimeo.

Summer is here! I can tell because just walking outside makes sweat gather in the back of my t-shirt and the sun beaming down in the middle of the day feels goooood, man.

I may be stuck doing summer school, but you all should be out there catching every ray of sun! Do it! For me!

(Not) For the last time

I will be back! I'm hoping a new layout will mean a new work ethic with regards to this blog.



Probably not

OMNIZZLE FO SHIZZLE

Ahead of its May 4 release, the Seattle quintet has posted Omni up on the KCRW website for full streaming on a pop
out, external player. Check it out here:

http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/ap/ap100419minus_the_bear_omni

Omni is the 4th full length from the indie/rock group, following 2007's Planet of Ice

ALL I CAN SAY IS YES! YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES






... and oui.

It's been quite some time, friends.

- and I just wanted to let you know, car salesmen are Satan's spawn - his less evil, less virulent progeny.


dicks! that is all.

A ska spin on the Paul Simon classic. Heat! The horns are awesome, as per uush.

Terrible Love

May 11 - High Violet. Cannot wait!

GUNS! RAZORS! KNIVES! WHOOOO!

May 17 will rule very, very hard, my friends.

Let's get this clear

I love Frightened Rabbit. I love everything there is to love about Frightened Rabbit. I love The Midnight Organ Fight, just the very fact that they are Scottish, their rockin' folk sound (no, they don't sound as lame as that description). The band friggin' rules, end of any story. As Kanye would say, 'they're amaaaazing' (not quite the Kanye quote you were expecting, haHA!) (that being said, there are never a shortage of Kanye quotables... but I digress)

Sometimes, when I'm having a bad day, I put a lil Frightened Rabbit in my hair. What do you think keeps it up, slick?

The Winter of Mixed Drinks comes out on the 1st of March and will be their second full length. Building on beautifully layered and carefully crafted songwriting, I can easily say this record in my opinion trumps The Midnight Organ Fight, but you can't say for sure until you hear it, so hear!

Here's some visual stimulash, friends.

the single off The Winter of Mixed Drinks, Nothing Like You

Minus the Bear drop 'Omni' May 4

aaaaand I'm already counting down the days til it releases. Groove to this while you count down on all your fingers, toes, and a buddy or two's set of digits how many days you have to wait for the best album of '10 (hasty hasty hasty!)

The Kings

Atop an abandoned parking structure, littered with maybe three straggling cars - everyone had gone home and had better things to do. I was sitting shotgun in a tiny grey hatchback, with the green glow of the instrument panel reflecting off my girlfriend's eager face, desperate for me to 'get' their Aha Shake Heartbreak album like she did. I, on the other hand, wore something more of a grimace or cringe - what in the world was going on with his vocal chords? Did he gargle with razor blades, then glass over the irreparable damage? We didn't move from where we were parked deep into the latter half of the album, two kids with nothing better to do, spending their time the best way they possibly could. I could feel my stubborn self melt away.

Making Headlines Again, Santa Ana Winds

Cold War Kids doing their brand of alternative/indie that they do so well - short and sweet just like their 2010 EP, Behave Yourself.

Fences

When showing this video to a good friend, I piqued his interest by asking him to detect the 'Gaslight' vibes found within the gruff exterior of Fences. When he responded that he really 'felt' that song, I knew what drew me to track down Fences' debut EP, (The Ultimate Puke demos) - it was the sense of purpose and empathy the song and I exhibited, respectively.

Check this live performance of My Girl The Horse and feeeel, man.



(here's the original version you'd find on the EP)

Sup Anand?

It's been awhile, home slices. Hope the holidays saw you eat good food, with good people with good times that undoubtedly followed. I don't know why I like this track so much, but that intro guitar riff gets my blood pumping every time.