Play Something Awesome

Jawbox, “Savory” As we near the end of the decade,...

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:57:06 -0500

Jawbox, “Savory”

As we near the end of the decade, the indie world is riding a pretty hard wave of nostalgia—I think I’ve heard as many good reissues or bands who were big before “indie” was a thing people said as I have good new bands. For example, Jawbox just re-put out For Your Own Special Sweetheart, including “Savory,” which is 15 years old. Crazy! Pitchfork did their own long-winded dissertation singing its praises and elaborating on its place in the alt-rock pantheon that I won’t attempt to replicate here, the gist being that it’s pretty awesome, and we’re all excited to see them play one song (this one!) on the Dec. 8 Jimmy Fallon show. Jimmy Fallon: the unexpected hero of iconic 90s alt/underground rock bands. Who knew?

Surfer Blood, “Catholic Pagans” I’ve seen so...

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:18:46 -0500

Surfer Blood, “Catholic Pagans”

I’ve seen so many bands that sound kind of like Surfer Blood recently—vintage-inspired lo-fi indie pop that sounds like it’s recorded half-underwater—that I may actually have seen them and not known it. That’s not to say that I don’t like the trend, I’m just saying that it’s everywhere, and sometimes I find it difficult to tell the difference between them, Holiday Shores, Real Estate and other similar landscape-inspired bands. The redeeming grace is that it’s good, fun, emminently listenable music. I just wish I could enjoy it on a beach, as was intended, rather than my dreadful morning subway ride (the worst).

Max Tundra, “Which Song” (Passion Pit remix) Just...

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:57:00 -0500

Max Tundra, “Which Song” (Passion Pit remix)

Just that song/artist description alone signals that there will be lots of bleeps and blips and soulful electro pop made by dudes who are good with computers. And it’s right! I love that the remix craze has pretty much caught up to the pace of music today, so that as soon as you hear a great song (this Max Tundra track is a whopping one year so old) there are already half-a-dozen remixes that make it even more complicated, and sometimes even better.

(Don’t forget the strangely compelling video for the original song, which features a guy running around an apartment building wearing a Ben Folds Five t-shirt and headphones, stopping to check out randomly placed trays of sushi and play the keyboard on his leg hair. It’s like looking into a mirror, right?)

Mumford and Sons, “Little Lion Man” For anyone like...

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:57:36 -0400

Mumford and Sons, “Little Lion Man”

For anyone like me just catching the wave of British folk (yes, they’re into folk now, go figure), Mumford and Sons is a delightfully poppy example of what the Brits can do when they set their mind to co-opting our country sound. They’re also playing at at CMJ showcase, for anyone in the neighborhood—Mercury Lounge on Wednesday, and Music Hall of Williamsburg on Thursday.

Mike Snow, “Cult Logic” Mike Snow sounds enough like...

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:43:07 -0400

Mike Snow, “Cult Logic”

Mike Snow sounds enough like Passion Pit that it’s a pretty safe bet that everyone who likes the new Passion Pit album is going to like this song. And I assume that everyone likes Passion Pit now; you can’t walk into a trendy chain retail store without hearing at least half a dozen tracks off of it. But it’s still catchy and fun, and I vastly prefer it to the millionth rerun of “Pokerface” (sorry, Lady Gaga fans, I know you have your reasons).

Built to Spill, “Planting Seeds” Few bands...

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:21:39 -0400

Built to Spill, “Planting Seeds”

Few bands consistently do it for me like Built to Spill, and I’m super psyched to get my hands on a real copy of their new album on Tuesday (it’s up for streaming on their Myspace, although in frustratingly way-low quality). I’m going to resist the urge to quote all the memorable lines from this one at you, just this one: “Just because you love something/doesn’t mean it’s yours to buy.” Fortunately for all of us with functioning bank accounts and band crushes, that isn’t true.

Sunny Day Real Estate, “Seven,” on Jimmy Fallon Hey...

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:49:00 -0400

Sunny Day Real Estate, “Seven,” on Jimmy Fallon

Hey now! It’s hard to tell what’s better about this video: that Sunny Day Real Estate is playing this song on my TV (or computer, whatever), or that Jimmy Fallon seems just as excited to see these guys as I was. Either way, if you ever wondered what emo sounded like before the genre became synonymous with sad (and suck), then check it out.

azizisbored: Bon Iver - Skinny Love (Live at Hollywood Cemetary...

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:43:45 -0400

azizisbored:

Bon Iver - Skinny Love (Live at Hollywood Cemetary Sunrise Show)

Bon Iver did a show at 6AM at the Hollywood Cemetary last Saturday. I’m sure this was an incredible show.

Gay Talese on getting drunk at The New York Times, via...

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:46:12 -0400

Gay Talese on getting drunk at The New York Times, via BigThink.com

Mr. “Frank Sinatra Has A Cold” himself tackles how a newsroom, back in the day, made Mad Men look like a kindergarten classroom. Maybe the Internet isn’t causing the Great Decline Of Journalism; maybe it’s an overreliance on sober people? Yeah, let’s go with that.

Girls, “Substance,” on Pitchfork’s Don’t...

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:28:49 -0400

Girls, “Substance,” on Pitchfork’s Don’t Look Down series

Let me tell you about the time I saw Girls. They were opening for Los Campesinos! at Union Pool not too long ago, and I had no idea who they were. But boy, did they look exactly the way they look in this video, down to the exact same clothes and hair and hipster posturing. The music was fantastic. The antics were less so, with the lead singer stopping every song to be fussy with his guitar and then one of the members walking off stage in an apparent snit two songs from the end.

But everyone stays in this time, which is a relief. It’s very beachy, lots of reverb, and of course a lot of hair.

Clues, “You Have My Eyes Now” I think Videogum said...

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:59:00 -0400

Clues, “You Have My Eyes Now”

I think Videogum said it best: Can Tim Heidecker be in and/or direct all of the music videos now? But a word of warning: This video is probably way too weird for work, unless you don’t mind being caught watching a husky guy feel up a mannequin.

By way of background, Clues is some monosyllabic mashup consisting of certain Islands and Arcade Fire members, so, you know, Canadian and indie and all that.

Built to Spill, “Hindsight” This fall in music,...

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:12:27 -0400

Built to Spill, “Hindsight”

This fall in music, pretty much everything old is new again. Everyone keeps telling me about this Beatles album I have to check out, and I’m like, all right guys, I’ll look it up on Hype Machine when I get a chance, but I’m BUSY. It’s not all bad, and there are some (old) bands who have even come up with some new stuff—Built to Spill, for instance, who have an album out in October. Here’s the first single, and it’s pretty easy on the ears—I’m ready to hear more.

(via hipsterrunoff)

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:52:43 -0400

(via hipsterrunoff)

New Weezer album, Raditude I haven’t really agreed with...

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:20:55 -0400

New Weezer album, Raditude

I haven’t really agreed with anything Weezer has done since Pinkerton, but I do dig this cover. Is it a sign of better things to come, or is it more that you could put this picture on literally anything and amplify its awesomeness instantly, like, tenfold? I guess we will soon find out (Oct. 27, according to P4k).

Los Campesinos!, “The Sea is a Good Place to Think About...

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:18:11 -0400

Los Campesinos!, “The Sea is a Good Place to Think About the Future”

Here is a preview of these guys + girls’ upcoming album—it definitely tilts towards the emo side of their twee-emo sound. So, you know, it’s either for you or it isn’t, but I did like it.

Holiday Shores, “Edge of Our Lives” I know...

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 23:16:11 -0400

Holiday Shores, “Edge of Our Lives”

I know I’ve been delinquent of late (my “Tumblarity” has taken a hit! I’m not even sure what that means!), but here is a new song from an awesome band that has been making the rounds at every back-room no-name barely-legal venue in north Brooklyn in recent weeks, Holiday Shores. It’s got a delightful late summer/early autumn vibe, with that kicked-back Labor Day weekend feel. Enjoy; I’m going on vacation for like three days.

Lab Produces Monkey With 2 Mothers

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 07:53:08 -0400

Lab Produces Monkey With 2 Mothers:

I’m pretty sure this is one of those stories where the story part is not actually necessary. Once you’ve seen the headline, you already know too much. Mind explosion!

No Age, “You’re a Target” I’m a big fan...

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:48:53 -0400

No Age, “You’re a Target”

I’m a big fan of this new No Age song (if you have an e-mail address, you can stream the whole thing at Sub Pop straightaway). And I’ve always been a fan of No Age live. Did I ever mention the time I stood in line for 3 hours to get a wristband to come back and stand in line for another hour to see them play the round robin Brooklyn Bowl show with Dan Deacon and Deerhunter? It happened. But it was worth it, because these guys really mean it, and it shows.

It’s Always Sunny in Phildalephia, Season...

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 19:00:09 -0400

It’s Always Sunny in Phildalephia, Season 5

“Does your cat make too much noise? Try Kitten Mittens!”

In the absence of any new TV (even CSPAN is in reruns), I’ve been recycling old Sunny. Consequently, I can’t wait for Season 5 to start on Sept. 17—there are a ton of promos up at Hulu. They’re all pretty hilarious, but I am particularly partial to anything combining a cat wearing mittens sliding off a coffee table with Charlie Kelly’s complex and unique brand of insanity.

Family Portrait, “Mega Secret” I was recently...

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:41:53 -0400

Family Portrait, “Mega Secret”

I was recently introduced to the Chocolate Bobka music blog, which in turn introduced me to this video from band-you-probably-haven’t-heard-of (I know I hadn’t), Family Portrait. Not only is it a cool song, but there are flamethrowers. Flamethrowers operated by children, flamethrowers made out of Super Soakers, flamethrowers in the desert, flamethrowers in the woods, etc. It makes lighting things on fire look like so much fun, and so easy!