HOW DID I MISS THIS: Speech Debelle -- Spinnin'

Not to paint myself in a sad light, but before I go to bed everynight I listen to NPR's All Songs Considered Podcasts. However, since I have listened to everyone to date since 2008, I now repeat ones from years previous. The other night, while listening to All Songs Considered "best of 2009," I got to "reintroduced" to a very talented young British rapper by the name of Speech Debelle. "Spinnin'," which is one of the strongest pop moments on her 2009 Mercury Prize winning debut, Speech Therapy, is nauseatingly catchy. It's a song that is immediatly followed by double clicking on the song again. To quote an unnamed roomate of mine who will probably never read this, "it's a good time."

-- Greg

STREAM: Fleet Foxes and The Antlers New Albums

I know that for many Fleet Foxes' forthcoming album, Helplessness Blues, is one of the most anticipated records of the year, but many may be unfamiliar with The Antlers' new album, Burst Apart. While Fleet Foxes self-titled debut in 2008 brought them to the top of the indie world, The Antlers' Hospice (released in 2009) was also a great album; it was a fantastically tragic and beautiful album that never adorned the exposure that Fleet Foxes received the year previously. Moreover, it is an understatement to say that I was excited when I found out that NPR was streaming both these bands forthcoming albums this whole week. I highly recommend giving both these albums a listen via the links below.


Fleet Foxes // Helplessness Blues -- coming out May 3rd 
The Antlers // Burst Apart -- coming out May 10th 

-- Greg

RISING : : The Sexual Outlaws

 A lot of bands have fascinations with a specific pop culture figure or moment in history. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club take their name from Marlon Brando's motorcycle gang in the classic 1953 film The Wild One. Titus Andronicus' 2010 album, The Monitor, a romping Civil War punk memorial, takes its name from the Union army ironclad ship. Led Zeppelin have been known to use a number of allusions to Lord of the Rings in songs such as "Misty Mountain Hop" and "Ramble On" just to name a few. Yet, Portland, Oregon band The Sexual Outlaws' fascination with Chinese American actress Anna May Wong may squeeze in near the top. And for good reason. Just as Wong resembled the epitome of Hollywood fashion and beauty at one point in time, The Sexual Outlaws seem to have captured that in a three minute and six second pop song--not an easy thing to do.

The Sexual Outlaws possess to a degree, a sense of glamor; the kind of glamor that is less trashy glitz and more of "Oh, I just don't know what I'm going wear tonight." Cue the angst-y exit from any John Hughes movie. If they were around 30 years ago in the heyday of  Hughes mania, a soundtrack contract would be in order. For such an American band, the sound they emit is all  English new wave of the mid to late 80s. In the song such as "Xes," the Morissey croon comes through in the vocals, as does the rest of the Smiths with much of the Outlaws catalog. The Johnny Marr guitar technique is ever present, with treble laden intricacies that dance around to form a coherent atmosphere. There will be continuous comparisons to the glory that was the Smiths, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.

If Anna May Wong knew what an iPod was, she would have requested one with them on repeat. In a time where a current popularity of new wave, post punk revitalization is becoming ever present with bands such as Wild Nothing,  Destroyer, and many more, the Outlaws would fit right in. Their style is smart; an acoustic intro here, a tempo change their--everything seems to fall into place. In an ideal world, Anna May Wong, Madonna, and Boy George, with a last minute visit by Morissey himself, would be having a cocktail in a London discoteque, with the Outlaws narrating their every move. But for now, they'll just have to settle with this thought of a pop culture fantasy land instead.

 Listen to the Sexual Outlaws here.



--Mike

YOUTUBE: cutest cover ever

Maybe it's a clunker to some, but 4 Non Blonde's "What's Up (What's Going On)" has always been a song I rather enjoyed hearing, especially when done as adorably as this.

-- Greg

My Morning Jacket Feva': "Circuital"

If I ever decide to throw in the gloves for this journalism thing, I'm going to follow a formula that I just concocted now, so bear with me. First, I'm going get the band back together (my great high school band, that is), and we're going to play a bunch of shows on the east coast and down south. We eventually play so many shows and get so much critical acclaim from our first three albums, that we disappear as a collective from the limelight for awhile. We experiment with numerous drugs, find an abandoned cabin in the smoky hills of Appalachia, write songs in front of a fire place with an acoustic guitar, and come out with the album of our lives...then we get to be old farts and start climbing coconut trees in Fiji and almost die. But I forgot to mention: we cannot be killed by conventional weapons.

For my Kentucky rock heroes My Morning Jacket, the stereotypical rock star life is not that of "look at me" stardom, "let me sulk with my inner personal problems no one can understand" type thing. These guys are arguably the best rock band of our generation for numerous reasons. They will never do what I just mentioned, their integrity for their songs is incalculable, and their demeanor is respectful to who came before them, yet they realize that there is still a long road to be paved--of which they'll pave that shit with a golden steamroller.

In anticipation for their upcoming album, Circuital, here is the title track of the same name. Hearing "Circuital" is a breath of fresh air. For a band like MMJ to pop out into the music stratosphere once again after largely being out of it for awhile is exciting, the most excited I've been for an album this year (Sorry, Strokes--not doing it for me). After listening, I texted Greg, saying it was pure, good 'ol MMJ. The production is glistening and full, thanks in part to the recording process taking place in the back room of an old Kentucky Church. MMJ are a band that does no wrong in my book. Whether Circuital is amazing or falls short, Jim James and crew have the purest of intentions to blow the shit out of your ears and then wipe everything up with the tears of joy that you have just shed.



--Mike

Paul Simon -- "The Afterlife"

Like The Dø (subject of yesterday's post), Paul Simon is not really popular here in the states. I would be surprised if you have heard of him... All kidding aside, Paul Simon is a genius in my book. The man's repertoire is legendary, but I often worry when I hear that a legend, such as Simon, is putting out a new record that maybe I just won't like it at all. However, there is no worrying about Simon's newest album, So Beautiful or So What. I have been listening to it all day and I can't get enough. The record is quite reminsent of his 1986 gem Graceland, which I feel is one of the most influential albums in the history of popular music (e.g. Vampire Weekend, who would cease to exist if Graceland was never been put out). "The Afterlife," the second cut off of So Beautiful or So What, is the song I have chosen maily because I feel like many people have already heard "Getting Ready for Christmas Day" (the album's first single - or at least I think it is). Nevertheless, "The Afterlife" is a fantastic little song. The grove is totally killer; lyrics are awesome. C'mon its Paul f'in Simon.

-- Greg

The Dø -- "Bohemian Dances"

I apologize for taking a bit of a "vacation" from blogging this past week (school work has finally caught up), but if I were going to take a week off I am glad it wasn't this one. Today marks releases from so many great artisits: Crystal Stilts (In Love With Oblivion), Foo Fighters (Wasted Light), Meat Puppets (Lollipop), Panda Bear (Tomboy), and TV On The Radio (Nine Types Of Light). As I ready my ears for some great tunage this upcoming week, I don't want to forget some of the serious gems of I have heard from the past month.

The Dø are a French/Finnish indie pop duo who formed in 2005. Their newest album, Both Ways Open Jaws, came out a little over a month ago, but hasn't gotten the grand attention here in the states that it deserves. Singer, Olivia Merilahti, certainly is influenced a great deal by Björk, which you can hear in the music, but I also hear a lot of Charlotte Gainsbourg's IRM, which is an album from last year that I absolutly adore. I could have chosen many songs from Both Ways Open Jaws, but I chose "Bohemian Dances" specifically for its addivitce melody and percussion. The song also builds phenomenally. If you like "Bohemian Dances" I highly recommend Both Ways Open Jaws; certainily worth a listen.

-- Greg

I don't enjoy studying!

I haven't posted in a few days and I felt as though this was a more productive form of procrastination compared to facebook-ing... This is awesome! Enjoy!

-- Greg

VIDEO: Woodkid--"Iron"

Not much is known about Renaissance man Yoann Lemoine a.k.a. Woodkid. In many ways, he's a compelling mystery that leads you to search the ends of the inter web just to find out who he is and what he does. Looking at him, he looks plain enough. But look even deeper, the man literally does it all. In his small bio for his website, he toys between his playgrounds of New York and Paris, "mainly working as a film director in media such as video, 8 to 35mm film, 2D and 3D animation, Stop Motion, photography, illustration, painting, screen printing, sculpture, collage, knitting, holograms, and more…" Lemoine calls himself "a very curious person, constantly looking for avenues of expression that combine those different mediums."

And like any respectable Renaissance man, Lemoine intertwines his music under the name of Woodkid with his theatrical talents. In his latest video for his amazing "Iron," these elements comes together to form something to beautifully scary and exhilarating, that it's disgusting. "Iron" features all shots of various warriors and beserkers in a black and white filter that has epic written all over it. This is by far the most beautiful video I've seen this year.

--Mike

March Release Party

Hello again, back for another round of my monthly album review for Fordham University's The Observer. This month, I review new albums by Kurt Vile, The Dodos, and Bibio. Support your college newspaper!

http://www.fordhamobserver.com/march-release-party-1.2526419


--Mike

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart -- "Heart In Your Heartbreak"

While I never understood it, people often write off the music of The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart as just “annoying” (i.e. the name of the band). Their music is too cute; it tries to hard to sound "twee", but I can’t deny how much I enjoy hearing this band. I fell in love with their self-titled debut record and their newest album, Belong, hasn't disappointed me yet. While their music isn't for everyone and even I can admit that listening to their records more than once or twice in a row gets kinda annoying, their is no denying that Pains have some of the catchiest songs in the indie world.