i don't know about you ...

... but I am excited for snakes on a plane. If you haven't heard of this yet, you must live in a hole. Search YouTube to see a bunch of funny fan-made trailers that surfaced before the official trailer was available. Other than the concept of this movie being completely genious, the only other reason I'm posting is because in my searches for more knowledge pertaining to snakes on a plane I found the code to put the trailer on a site. So here it goes...




Get your copy of the player here

forgotten associations ... new loose fur (!!)

I now remember splitting 'THE EXQUISITE DEATH' and 'saxon shore' shortly after my protective manilla envelope with the distinctive Insond logo arrived in October to find minimal album credits and among them...

VOCAL SAMPLE ON "SILENCE LENDS A FACE TO THE SOUL"
TAKEN FROM: "juterna" by circa urvive courtesy of equal vision records

I didn't make much note of it then, but at the time I had not devoted much attention whatsoever to Circa Survive. Since then I've given them quite a few more listens, as they deserve. Juturna is a solid album that holds steady through all of the failing points that most bands in their genre sphere fall into. I have no idea what song the samples are from - they are so faint it's really hard to tell. "In Fear and Faith" begins with a similar sound to "Silence Lends a Face to the Soul," and that's about the closest association I can make. I'll assume my guess is as right as any other and maybe one day I'll actually find out and be a better man for knowing.

[mp3] Circa Survive - Act Appalled
[mp3] Circa Survive - The Great Golden Baby

Something else major slipped by me this week... Loose Fur's new album Born Again in the USA released this Tuesday. I didn't even know Loose Fur was intended to be a project beyond the first ep. With a complete lack of Wilco news as far as their recent activities (other than the small blip on the radar along with the release of Kicking Television), I didn't think I needed to be paying attention to much of what Tweedy and O'Rourke were up to. I figured anything significant would make it's way quickly thorugh the blog community and I'd know. I guess not. A few of the songs are familiar as Wilco b-sides or Tweedy solo fodder and I'm glad to see them laid out in a formal recording. If you liked the ep or consider yourself much of a Wilco Fan, you need this album.

[mp3] Loose Fur - The Ruling Class (yousendit expires after 3/30 or 25 downloads)


{Graphic above combining Saxon Shore's and Circa Survive's cover art by me ... some quick self photoshop for fun ... and I feel the need to note it here to make up for the 20 extra minutes I spent on it and could have been sleeping}

upcoming releases

Here's a track from each of the four upcoming albums I noted in my last post plus one more. They are uploaded on yousendit so they will expire in a week. I hope you enjoy these tracks as much as I do and buy the albums when they release.

TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain (4/21)

Everyone is waiting for this... After TVOTR's debut Desperate Youth Bloodthirsty Babes exceeding all expectation established by the equally dazzlling first EP Young Liars, virtually everyone who lists "Indie" as one of the genres they listen to hold TVOTR in high regard. Within Indie, it is extremely hard to put a finger on what genre their music is ... it's almost as if they have created a whole new niche of their own. The New Heath Rock EP only added to the anxiousness to hear a new full length as it continued to expand the sound of TVOTR, but still leave so much more to be desired. Other than the leak itself, there isn't much info on Return to Cookie Mountain and it's been hard to determine just how many versions of the leak there have been and what state of mastering each one is in. All complications aside, the new album in any state is what we've all been waiting for - brilliant, soaring, dark, atmospheric, and heavy, the songs are a new, more mature, better than ever TV on the Radio.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones (3/28)

Personally, I didn't care for a lot of the tracks on Fever to Tell. But if the last three tracks had been released by themselves I would venture to say it would be the most brilliant EP to be released in the past few years. I loved Maps, Y-Control, and Modern Romance and hoped that newer YYY material would lean in the direction of those 3 songs. Luckily Show Your Bones does just that. Karen O remains more subdued through a lot of the material where I think her voice is showcases so much better. Zinner's pen has matured and moved away from a lot of the gritty, loud songs of Fever to Tell and has created a better album throughout. If you loved the gritty and loud sound of the last album, the new album is not for you, but if you long to hear Karen O and Nick Zinner use their talents in the way most suited to what they have to offer, Show Your Bones will probably be one of your top albums of the year.

The Appleseed Cast - Peregrine (today - 3/21)

Deep Elm to Tiger Style and now Militia Group. Their new home may not seem in character for Appleseed Cast, but it may be able to provide them with the exposure they need to get their amazing talent noticed. It worked for Lovedrug who re-released their debut Pretend You're Alive on Columbia in January. Hopefully, Militia can do the same sort of wonders for Appleseed Cast. As far as the album goes, it is still the Appleseed Cast we know and love. The sound draws from their entire catalogue and continues beyond it with the maturing you can only expect from album to album with a band of this calibre. It seems more polished and up front than their earlier recordings, but it still manages to completely immerse you in sound like the Low Level Owl's managed to do so well.

The Flaming Lips - At War with Mystics (4/4)

There was a lot of accusations floating around when the first single (The WAND) was released that it was a vast departure from their whole previous catalogue. I don't buy it. The album is great and picks up right where Yoshimi left off, in my opinion. There's no soaring anthem like "Do You Realize?" or dramatic first track like "Fight Test," but overall, I like the new album a lot.

The Secret Machines - Ten Silver Drops (4/18)

I'm still not sure how I feel about this album after absolutely adoring both Now Here is Nowhere and The Road Leads Where It's Led EP. The sound hasn't changed much, but I still haven't made a verdict on whether the songwriting has improved or not. It's going to take a couple more concentrated listens.

[mp3] TV on the Radio - Playhouses (yousendit - valid until 3/28)
[mp3] Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Cheated Hearts (yousendit - valid until 3/28)
[mp3] The Appleseed Cast - Song 3 (yousendit - valid until 3/28)
[mp3] The Flaming Lips - It Overtakes Me/The Stars Are So Big, I Am So Small... Do I Stand A Chance? (yousendit - valid until 3/28)
[mp3] The Secret Machines - Lightning Blue Eyes (yousendit - valid until 3/28)

mogwai recap

As I mentioned in my last post, the Mogwai show was amazing. Mogwai themselves were what made the show, everything else was sub-par. Growing opened and I could not decide if I liked them or not. There were a lot of moments that were really tight, but they seemed to always be transitioning to their next theme. Nothing was concrete, but nor did it flow very well. For the most part I felt they were playing on a very elementary level. It was something I could do in my basement with a friend, two guitars, some gritty samples, loop pedals among a collection of others, and a little bit of creativity. When I hear something, I want to be initially perplexed by it and not think to myself that I could do that without much effort at all.

The lighting was terrible (rather dark at times to the point where they actually asked for more light to be able to see what they were doing) and the overzealous addition of fog in cooperation with a bit of distance from the stage made for mediocre pictures. Sonar is basically a warehouse with a stage along one wall and a bar along the side and back. By the end of the night, bottles were being kicked around at everyone's feet. Despite all of this, Mogwai still put on an amazing show and although I highly recommend seeing them, I'm not supporting sonar or growing too much. You can find out where Mogwai is playing shows and look at pictures and setlists from earlier on the tour at mr.beastmap.com.

[mp3] Mogwai - Folk Death '95 (from the new album Mr. Beast)

I also decided to change up the layout a little. I hope you like the new header ... feedback is welcome and appreciated. Otherwise, I've been listening to a lot of albums that aren't actually out yet which I recommend if you can find them now and when the do release ...

TV on the Radio - Return to Cookie Mountain (4/21)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones (3/28)
The Appleseed Cast - Peregrine (3/21)
The Flaming Lips - At War with Mystics (4/4)

sorry for the delay

Sorry for the lack of posting over spring break, but I'm back now and I'll try to get a post up at least once a week. A happened upon a whole bunch of Seven Nation Army remixes, some of which were just really terrible and so repetitive ... they all have a heavy dance/drum and bass influence to them. I uploaded some of the better tracks and also included some covers and non-SNA bonus stuff. There isn't much more to say, the tracks are pretty straightforward and worth a listen, so here's the tracklist:

The White Stripes & Adam Freeland - 7th Nation Freeland
The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army (Chris Liebing Extended Remix)
The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army (Falcon Remix)
The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army (nostalgia 77 remix)
The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army (Slide Remix)
The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army (Tim Deluxe Vs White Stripes)
The Flaming Lips - Seven Nation Army
BONUS: The White Stripes - Blue Orchid (High Contrast Remix)
BONUS: The Raconteurs - Store Bought Bones

[zip] The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army Remixes (yousendit link, valid until March 22)

If you haven't heard, The Racontuers is Jack White's new project. The single is absolutely phenomenal, especially the second song. As with the rest of the indie world, I'm highly anticipating the full length.

Ten Silver Drops, The Secret Machines new album leaked. It's definitely a departure from the first album and I like it but I'm not exactly sure what to think of it. Hear the first single on their site, or if you are resourceful, find the album.

Also, I saw Mogwai over break at Sonar in Baltimore. The show was completely mindblowing. The setlist was perfect ... nearly half of the new album, 2 or 3 from Happy Songs, all the old classics, and of course to close off the encore, "Like Herod". If they are coming anywhere within 2 hours of you, GO SEE THEM! My pictures weren't that good so I didn't want to pollute the post with a few mediocre shots. I may put a few up later.

honeymoon music, anathallo ...

I saw two amazing experimental/ambient/post-rock bands last Friday night at a free library show. Peacefeather and Niagara Falls both have releases on the Philli label Honeymoon Music (I found out today that they released a Thanksgiving cd, see my old post on Adrian and his amazing music). The merch table had a free 8 track compliation which I'm extremely impressed with. I think I'll continue to keep tabs on Honeymoon and their releases as I have with another great Philli label, Burnt Toast Vinyl, for the past couple years. Nothing but good could come of checking into the websites of both labels every once and a while as they continue to put out great music. The ambient and experimental nature of the show on Friday night reminded me a lot of the loose collective of Burnt Toast musicians and friends Reels of White Softly Flow, most notably containing members of Saxon Shore. Everything about Friday night's show was so epic and driving. The absence of a pre-set sturcture provides an amount of freedom in the music that easily translates into the beauty of something never played exactly as is being unfurled right in front of your ears. Definitely listen to the Niagra Falls and Peacefeather tracks I linked. It is really amazing stuff. Another artist on the compilation that I was thoroughly impressed with was The Amazing Trapeze. The last track of the compilation "This Isn't About Bending Over Anymore, Is It?" sounded live but was epic and I loved it.

All four pictures are of Peacefeather.

[mp3] Peacefeather - Peacekeeper

[mp3] Niagara Falls - Oviposit

Anathallo's new album Floating World is out as of this week if you preordered it. If you didn't, there's a much better chance of finding it in stores since Anathallo struck a management and distro deal with Nettwerk, home of Avril Lavigne, Guster, Josh Rouse, and Sarah McLachlan to name a few. Don't worry about these guys becoming the next pop-punk idols, they'll stay indie as ever, but now with the distro to get the exposure they deserve. The packaging is immaculate, beautiful, and delicate. As with all their releases, Floating World is worth owning almost for the amazing packaging alone. Although you can preview two tracks on their myspace, I'll upload them to yousendit because myspace pretty much sucks, only works half the time, and I'm just not much of a fan. So as yousendit goes, they'll be up for a week and then gone forever.

[mp3] Anathallo - Hoodwink
[mp3] Anathallo - Hanasakajijii (four: a great wind, more ash)

new appleseed cast, wsc, bp...

I don't really seem to be having the time to post everyday, but I think I'm going to start to try to make a huge ass post once a week with a couple of bands and whatever else strikes my fancy at the time I'm writing.

Last night I saw Washington Social Club at the Crowbar with a couple of local openers (of most note, Bullet Parade, but also The Minor White, and North). It was a fantastic, amazingly fun show with the addition of randomly interspersed audience percussion thanks to Kleeb of Bullet Parade. Both were very high energy sets condusive to much movement. I had a lot of fun and took some pictures when I was not banging on a tambourine or shaking maracas. Here's a sample of some of the stuff my shutter caught:

Washington Social Club (above and the 2 below)

Bullet Parade (2 below)Anything that Bullet Parade has recorded is with their old line up and in my opinion isn't that great. The new band is awesome and will hopefully have an ep or something recroded soon. As far as hearing Washington Social Club, they have a couple live mp3s on their site which I'll link to.

[mp3] Washington Social Club - Are You High (live @ Schuba's)
[mp3] Washington Social Club - Modern Trance (live @ Schuba's)
[mp3] Washington Social Club - Charlie the Russian (live @ Schuba's)

The Appleseed Cast's new ablum Peregrine is due out March 21 on (if you didn't already know, you might not believe this but) The Militia Group. This (like Denison Witmer) was a very unexpected move in my eyes, but the label has great PR and seems to do a great job selling records so this might have been for the better even though Deep Elm and Tiger Style were such great labels. Despite the picture, they have not turned into a metal band and the new album is not a departure at all. Personally I love it. It seems a little polished and upbeat to be an Appleseed Cast album, but the progression of their sound grows on you fast and you find their classic signature sound settling in your ear when it's all said and done. I'll link a download for a zip of the album but it is someone's personal server space ... find it here (link from Indie Surfer Blog). Listen to "Here We Are (Family in the Hallway) on myspace before you get the album.

Show Your Bones (Yeah Yeah Yeah's) has been slowly leaking song by song. And I'm really like what I've heard so far. It definitely better than Fever to Tell which I solely adore for the last 4 songs. If I'm assuming correctly, Karen-O has mellowed out a little, which is so much better in my opinion. The guitar work of Nick Zinner continues to impress me... "Dudley" is the the slower mellower part of Yeah Yeah Yeahs that I adore and "Golden Lion" is upbeat but not to the trashy extent of a lot of the last album and the "Oooo, oo's" are catchy as hell.

[mp3] Yeah Yeah Yeah's - Gold Lion
[mp3] Yeah Yeah Yeah's - Dudley (yousendit link, expires in a week)

65dos, vek, and new voxtrot

How can 65 Days of Static exist for so long without me knowing. Their sound perfectly blends all of my favorite post rock bands (GY!BE, Pelican, Mono, and Mogwai) into truely epic and amazing soundscapes. Every song is has such a driving element to it that does not repeat from song to song. They truely subscribe to the post rock genre rarely using instruments out side the traditional guitar, bass, drums, and keys. They manage to meld those four seperate entities into one solid, definied, and ethereal signature sound. I can't even choose a favorite song out of the five I'm going to post and I'm definitely considering picking up their latest full length, One Time for All Time, very soon. Check out the music subsection of the media section of their site for a few more mp3s and remixes.

[mp3] 65 Days of Static - Hole
[mp3] 65 Days of Static - I Swallowed Hard, Like I Understood
[mp3] 65 Days of Static - Await Rescue
[mp3] 65 Days of Static - Massive Star at the End of Its Burning Cycle
[mp3] 65 Days of Static - I am Robot


Yet another video I was exposed to this weekend via mtv-u was Tom Vek's "C-C (You Set the Fire in Me). As you can see, he seems to be adorned in a colonial era British soldier's uniform and tapping on his snare drum. He enlists two interesting looking forest creatures as walking tom stands. These little things sort of remind me of the fuzzy little marionettes in The Boy Least Likely To's "Be Gentle with Me" video. Both are really out there sort of videos that pull in an almost child-like imaginative fantasy memory nostalgia. You can find all of Vek's videos on his site. As for his sound, Vek is bound to be the next big thing for mid-fi indie pop. Think John Vanderslice, but not as dark both in voice and overall sound. C-C is the single off his new record We Have Sound and is as catchy as ever. Listen up...

[mp3] Tom Vek - C-C (You Set the Fire in Me)
[mp3] Tom Vek - A Little Word in Your Ear


Voxtrot has a new song on their site from their forthcoming EP. Their sound is definitely maturing and they are improving upon the already amazing Raised by Wolves [EP].

[mp3] Voxtrot - Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives

super what

First off, this is how I feel about the stupid Super Bowl and is also the away message I had up during the damn thing, which I did not watch. I was glad to hear the commercials were sub-par, so I didn't miss anything. It would have been nice if the Steelers lost so I could laugh at all the people crying and/or rioting because they care too much.

seattle is superior to pittsburgh as a city...

this statement has nothing to do with the
(rather meaningless) event occurring this
evening, nor my preference towards which
team i wish to win because, frankly, i don't
care...

so watch those commercials, buy those
products, buy the licensed merchandise, feed
into the extravagant lifestyles of these
"heroes" of the american lifestyle, and yell at
them like they are in front of you and it really
matters what your opinion is - the nfl probably
uses innocent looking polls to figure out which
team will provide a more lucrative victory and
then fixes the game...

the only good thing to become of this
(wretched) american "holiday" is that they
print winning products for both teams so it can
be bought right after the game (three cheers
for capitalism, consumerism), but the losing
team's stuff finds it's way to third world
countries to clothe the starving frames of
people we americans could care less about in
this moment of "great"american history...

Anyway, politics and social justice aside, the bleeding electrical outlet, an image I find quite striking and intriuging, above is from Metric's Moster Hospital video, which I saw for the first time this weekend. Another thing gained from otherwise useless time wasted watching mtv-u was an introduction to She Wants Revenge through their Tear You Apart video dirrected by Joaquin Phoenix. Another strikingly odd, but very well done video. Soundwise they are pretty much Interpol2, but pull it off very well. Search the mtv-u site to watch it. As far as I know, that seems to be the only place you can see it, but I don't feel like associating with mtv to the point of linking them on my blog (sorry to you really lazy people). Back to Metric, their first full length Grow Up and Blow Away was never released due to record label qualms but the songs are floating around the internet and you should be able to find all 11 with some considerable effort. I'll link two of my favorites: Torture Me and Wet Blanket. As far as songs from their newest album, Live It Out, they seem to be keeping a pretty tight hand as far as letting them leak, but I did find a remix of Monster Hospital by mstrkrft that is pretty cool. I'm waiting for their new album as well which looks very promising from what I've heard so far - you can hear some stuff on their myspace. I'll also link Calculation Theme from 2003's Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?

[mp3] Metric - Torture Me
[mp3] Metric - Wet Blanket
[mp3] Metric - Calculation Theme
[mp3] Metric - Monster Hospital (mstrkrft remix)

[mp3] She Wants Revenge - Spend the Night
[mp3] She Wants Revenge - Out of Control
[mp3] She Wants Revenge - These Things
Second and third songs linked from MusicGlob - great blog, check it daily

apollo sunshine pictures

I finally downsized all the pictures I took of Apollo Sunshine I took at the show January 21 and uploaded them. I made an album on photobucket so take a look. Check my previous post about them for mp3s or visit the site to stream some songs. If you want to see the full size 5mp pics, tell me and I'll link you to where I have them uploaded on my filespace.

[pics] Apollo Sunshine (01.21.2006) in Heritage Hall @ psu