Where the food sounds good, and the music is pretty tasty too.
The San Francisco music scene is red hot, so for a band to rise above the fray is saying something. Well, The Pentacles are saying a lot and carrying a big stick, so to speak. The album Tête-À-Tête was released July 22nd, and it embodies 80’s British garage rock at it’s finest. All the songs rock in just the right way, not too overbearing and embodying the right amount of recklessness. Peace, better yet ANARCHY!
Everything Everything is one of those rare anomalies of a band, in that they have the uncanny ability to be several different bands rolled up into one, listen to their 2010 album Man Alive and you’ll understand just what I mean. In the song “MY KZ, UR BF” the listener is taken on a journey and for reasons justified they often don’t fancy returning to terra firma. Frontman Jonathan Higgs is definitely stealing the show with his forthright vocals, sounding like Chris Martin of Coldplay but way cooler and with much more swagger. I also love the blatant R&B rhythms melding ever so gently with the svelte electric-Pop-ish sound. It works, and that is all that matters. I also included a live version of the deadly sexy song “Schoolin'”, like me you will own this track come daylight, yeah its bad, MJ bad. I posted the song “NASA Is On Your Side” just so you can feel it’s icy hand reach inside your chest and grab a fistful of your heart.
Everything Everything ‘My Kz, Ur BF from Blink on Vimeo.
EVERYTHING EVERYTHING – Schoolin’ from Tuckshop
Community on Vimeo.
It’s Friday and is time to get your groove on. Now, I don’t know about you but some good booty shakin’ music is a major ingredient to a memorial Friday night. I’ve been scouring the world to bring you music that will provide an apt soundtrack for tonight’s festivities. The Frail pairs well with not only adult beverages, but low lights and a warm body to dance (fast or slow) with as well. The EP Laser Over Lovers dropped back in March of this year and it still smells as fresh as a summer daisy. The song “Sex Is What Sells” is saucy little number that will have you smitten in no time at all.
Every so often you run into a band that just does it for you, whatever that means. Maybe its the music or the vocals, or perhaps it is everything about them. For me Geographer fits the bill, but what really won me over was their remake, or cover of New Order’s “Age Of Consent.” Not every band should risk screwing up a classic but Geographer got it right. Although their Album Animal Shapes came out last year it doesn’t matter, because good music is timeless, and besides if you never heard of Geographer until today isn’t still considered new music. I have also included a clip of Geographer playing their track “Night Winds” live. Yup, its confirmed, no smoke and mirrors with this band they’re the real deal.
I am floating down a river. This gurgling watershed languishes and pools within my eardrum. The urbane sparseness of “Follow You Down To The Red Oak Tree ” by James Vincent McMorrow is spectral like an undeniable hard truth. A truth that shocks and condemns. Yet, the truth also liberates. This collection of hard wrought songs are remedy too. The album Early In The Morning is no lightweight affair, it is filled with deep, brooding and beautiful hymns. Mr. McMorrow’s voice leaves you ravaged clean like being engulfed by a lashing sunspot or dunked beneath ice-cold water. I have played this song multiple times. My fear, is I may lose myself within it if I am not careful. Below, check out the link where you can listen to an additional four songs, including my favorite “Follow You Down To The Red Oak Tree”. I am certain this Irishman will soon be a frequent quest in your ears too. I have also included the video for “This Old Dark Machine” and it is amazing. Continue reading “James Vincent McMorrow – This Old Dark Machine (Video)”
This post is dedicated to the young woman I met down at the bus station this evening. We got to talking about music and eventually I asked the question, “Who’s your favorite band?” Before she answered she kind of rolled her eyes heavenward mulling it over, then said, “Foster The People.” And even thought Mark Foster, Mark Pontius and Cubbie Fink of FTP have had a very big year already with the debut of their full-length LP Torches. With this posting I am going to make it even bigger (and special) by posting “Helena Beat” for a fan. This is my way of paying homage to the random strangers one meets, and whom after just a few minutes don’t seem so strange after the exchange of a few kind words. Peace.
I love when we can discover and experience new music together, don’t you? I ran across Madam while looking for something else, talk about blind luck. And although the album dropped way back in May, don’t be mad at me, its not my fault. Mainly because I didn’t have a blog then. To me, lead singer Sukie Smith sounds like a very subdued Beth Gibbons of Portishead fame or a totally blissed out Hope Sandoval, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The whole album Gone Before Morning has a laid back feel to it, which I really enjoy a lot. Further, the music lends itself to unwinding, especially after a whirlwind of a day. So, right now I’m sipping a glass of wine and listening to Ms. Smith serenade the man in the moon (that’s me tonight). Peace
P.S. I am finding the song “Someone in Love” incredibly useful right now. Every time the song ends I keep hitting repeat.
dEUS! dEUS! dEUS! For old fans of the band there is no surprise that another solid album is here. But for new converts, well prepare yourselves for marathon listening sessions. dEUS has been a mainstay in my music collection for years, and it is always good to hear new material from the guys from Antwerp, Belgium. With the release of their 6th album release Keep You Close, which dropped yesterday the 13th, fans will get the treat of a four star album. But whether you’re a new or old fan listen below to the full album and enjoy the subtle beauty of dEUS. By the way, my favorite track is “The Final Blast”, and really I am not trying to sway you at all…well, maybe a little. Peace
What keeps the chilly fingers of the coming autumn at bay? Well, for starters is a nice warm blanket and socks. However, another defense is playing Oregon Bike Traills. Maestro singer/songwriter Zach Yudin is the brain trust behind OBT, and their toasty and sunny music sounds like a nice cold one going down. If you could take all the summery good vibes evident in their style of music and put them in your ears, come winter you’d think you were on vacation in Cabo San Lucus. The track “Cuyacos” was originally released as a B-Side to the song “High School Lover” earlier this year. But to me its just in time to save us all from the wintry blue’s which are coming to a Michigan sky near you.
For some reason I have always been drawn to the melodramatic in music. You know, the dark brooding kind with the kohl eyes and pallid countenance. Even now, after an odd evening spent with the Joy Division I somehow always feel better. So far with only “Cuckoo” and “Endless Summer” as evidence I can already see myself knee-deep in lead singer Tess Murray’s velvet-lined voice, drawing strength from an unorthodox, albeit mundane locus. Still Corners debut full-length LP Creatures Of An Hour drops October 11th. Check out both songs below and let Still Corners turn that smile upside down .Peace. Continue reading “still corners // cuckoo”