grapeJuiceplus

grapeJuiceplus is dead! Long live grapeJuiceplus!

2008-05-30T21:53:00.000-07:00

After a slow painful drawn out death and upon the completion of the posting of the last two issues of Ulysses Speaks, I pull the curtain down on grapeJuiceplus.

As this blog became more popular, my focus shifted and it became work. I lost touch with why I started it and what drove me to post. I regret not sticking with my original intentions and letting the music industry take the wheel. But at the same time I worship that regret!

The revolution is not over! Music is the currency of life!

TechTag: Music

Freedom is NOW! Freedom is WOW!

2007-12-19T13:00:00.000-08:00

YACHT: "FREEDOM MUSIC"

I've mentioned YACHT many times in the past so it's no surprise that I'd mention them again. This time Jona's outdone himself. Instrumental versions of TONS of music to use however you wish as long as you don't make money from it. He's the man. As one commenter on his site said, "I Think you wake up cooler each morning..."

So True. He's the mAN!

ROAR! MEOW!

2007-11-02T10:01:00.000-07:00

Cats are everywhere these days! Tiger Tiger just released a new album and a new site to go with it.

Tiger Tiger - So You Won't Deceive Me

Tiger Tiger - Black Daggers

TechTag: Music

Have you gone mad, sir?

2007-10-31T09:09:00.000-07:00

Mark Robinson's up to his old tricks. Check out this new video from the former Unrest/Air Miami/Grenadine front man:

TechTag: Music

Porter Wagoner RIP

2007-10-30T13:36:00.000-07:00

Look how cute Dolly was back then...

Audio's a bit low on this one:

RIP. Some tunes over at Lonesome Music.

TechTag: Music

Cephalopods Forever!

2007-08-13T17:55:00.000-07:00

The Octopus Project - I Saw The Bright Shinies

I feel like I've been transported to the electronic soundtrack to a Disney film. Raindrops and water falling all around me.

The record hits the streets in October, but damn...that theremin is making me want it NOW!

The Octopus Project are touring around so be sure to check them out. Anytime a theremin is out is a GOOD time, in my book. Especially when it's done so well.

* = w/ Cinemechanica
+ = w/ Stereo Total
# = w/ Aesop Rock
08/17 Huntsville, AL Bottle Tree *
08/18 Athens, GA 40 Watt *
08/19 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506 *
08/20 Greensboro, NC WUAG
08/21 Washington DC Rock and Roll Hotel +
08/22 Baltimore, MD Ottobar +
08/23 Philadelphia, PA TLA +
08/24 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom +
08/25 Boston, MA Middle East +
08/26 Ottawa, ONT Babylon +
08/27 Montreal, QC La Tulipe +
08/28 Toronto, ON Lee's Palace +
08/29 Pittsburgh, PA Andy Warhol Museum +
08/30 Cleveland, OH Beachland Ballroom +
08/31 Chicago, IL The Abbey Theater +
09/01 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry +
09/03 Seattle, WA Chop Suey +
09/04 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom +
09/06 San Francisco, CA Bimbo's +
09/07 Los Angeles, CA El Rey +
09/08 San Diego, CA Beauty Bar
09/13 Chicago, IL Metro #
09/14 Madison, WI Barrymore Theater #
09/15 Milwaukee, WI Pabst Theatre #
09/16 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue #
09/18 Detroit, MI Magic Stick #
09/19 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop #
09/21 Baltimore, MD Ottobar #
09/22 Providence, RI Living Room #
09/23 Boston, MA Middle East #
09/25 Northampton, MA Iron Horse #
09/26 Burlington, VT Higher Ground #

TechTag: Music

Hot Damn!

2007-08-13T17:47:00.000-07:00

Am I falling behind...understatement. Falling so far behind I may never catch up. Inbox is overflowing.

Doing lots of work on the house...and in the process I'm re-doing a bunch of music stuff...digitizing my entire CD collection (around 1500 CDs) and making a music server. No more discs in the living room dominating the walls. The only problem? How to get music to my kids rooms, who are used to having access to all of the discs in the living room.

The solution? Not sure. Has anyone tried an FM transmitter? Thinking of this lil' guy from C Crane.

Anyone out there in lalaland use one of there FM transmitters? Love to get some input. Although, with my blog being so quiet as of late, there may not be anyone there.

Hunh.

TechTag: Music

DINGDONG!

2007-08-03T17:14:00.000-07:00

How could I not have seen this before?

photo by John Londono

How could I not have heard this before?

Dandi Wind - Balloon Factory

She's been making music since 2005 (at least) and from all I've read her live shows are amazing....Dandi Wind or here.

TechTag: Music

Thirds time's a Bigger Charm

2007-08-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

Architecture in Helsinki are releasing their 3rd album. If you didn't already know that, well...where have you been?

Architecture in Helsinki - Heart it Races

If you haven't seen them live, do it now. You won't be disappointed. At least I wasn't when I saw them on their first US tour.

10-10 Philadelphia, PA - Starlight Ballroom
10-11 New York, NY - The Gramercy Theatre
10-12 Brooklyn, NY - Studio B
10-13 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
10-16 Chicago, IL - Metro
10-18 Toronto, Ontario - Lee's Palace
10-19 Montreal, Quebec - La Tulipe
10-24 Minneapolis, MN - 400 Bar
10-26 Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
10-27 Salt Lake City, UT - In the Venue
10-29 Seattle, WA - The Showbox
10-30 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
11-01 San Francisco, CA - Fillmore
11-02 San Diego, CA - House of Blues
11-05 Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour
11-10 Tucson, AZ - Solar Culture
11-13 Denton, TX - Hailey's
11-14 Austin, TX - Emo's
11-15 New Orleans, LA - The Republic
11-16 Tallahassee, FL - Club Downunder

Architecture in helsinki - #58.1 -Heart it races
Uploaded by lablogotheque

TechTag: Music

Eh?

2007-08-02T12:34:00.000-07:00

Montag's (Antoine Bédard) touring soon in support of his new album, Going Places. If you get the chance to see them, be sure to get the new tour only EP, which is full of remixes:

1. Le Super-flash bang statement
2. Safe in Sound (Lullatone remix)
3. Le Musée National des bonheurs qui ne durent pas
4. Cross the river
5. Nord sud est ouest
6. Alice (Boy in Static remix)
7. Gong Places

Here's a couple of tracks to peak your interest:

Montag - Best Boy Electric
Montag - Going Places

Tour dates:

08/14 Los Angeles, CA The Echo *
08/15 San Francisco, CA Rickshaw Stop *
08/16 Portland, OR Holocene *
08/17 Eugene, OR WOW Hall * #
08/20 Seattle, WA Sunset Tavern *
08/21 Missoula, MT The Badlander * #
08/23 Denver, CO Mercury Cafe *
08/24 Des Moines, IA Vaudeville Mews *
08/25 Milwaukee, WI Cactus Club *
08/27 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle (FREE) *
08/28 Detroit, MI Scrummage University *
08/29 Cleveland Heights, OH B-Side Liquor Lounge *
08/30 Hamilton, ONT Pepper Jack Cafe *
09/02 Montreal, QC Casa del Popolo *
09/05 Boston, MA Middle East *
09/06 Brooklyn, NY Union Hall *
09/07 Philadelphia, PA First Unitarian Church *
09/09 Washington, DC DC9 *

* = w/ One AM Radio & Lymbyc System
# = w/ The Race

TechTag: Music

2007-07-12T10:23:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a great camping trip...worn out and slightly sun burnt.

Reading Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer (Amazon link / Quimby's link) It's an interesting read, although at times it spends a bit too much on the distant past. I started it right after a friend of the family was killed. A sad story in its own and it made the beginning of the book hard to get through. Got a ways to go in it, so I'll keep you updated as I finish it.

The new Bat for Lashes single is out...don't have it yet, but liked the music video. They've got an exclusive live version of "The Wizard" available if you join their mailing list, jump over there and get that done.

Blitzen Trapper have a new video out ... (it's a trippy video) and a remix of their song "Sci-Fi Kid." Check it out:

Blitzen Trapper - Sci-Fi Kid (Principal Participant 'Kingswood' Remix)

Gotta run...cheers.

TechTag: Music

Ferryesque

2007-07-03T10:10:00.000-07:00

I've never been a huge Bob Dylan fan. I've always appreciated his work but his voice hasn't made him high on my list. Bryan Ferry, on the other hand, made it pretty near to the top. He's been a part of my musical experience as long as I remember. His new album, Dylanesque, is a meshing of the two, an album of Dylan covers as done by Ferry.

Bryan Ferry's voice is slowly changing as he ages. It's notably different on this album. I wouldn't say it's a change for the better or for the worse, though. It's just a bit different, a bit more restrained.

The strength of the album, coming from someone who isn't familiar with all of the songs, is that it makes one realize the strength of Dylan's writing. It wraps it in a glossy, Bryan Ferry sound and makes you understand that at heart, Dylan really writes pop hits.

There are a few misses on the album, but over all it's well worth a listen:

Bryan Ferry - Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues (streaming)

So take the time to search it out.

TechTag: Music

Working Stiffs

2007-07-03T10:07:00.000-07:00

Just read that Graham Coxon (ex-blur) recorded some tracks with Paul Weller. 3 tracks for a single released in the UK on July 30th. First track, "This Old Town<," is a Coxon/Weller collaboration. The B-sides are "Each New Morning" (Coxon) and "Black River" (Weller). Guess they'll be available on the UK iTunes as well. Anyone heard any of it yet?

TechTag: Music

and one big electrical shock

2007-06-26T16:50:00.000-07:00

65 Days of Static have been "hand-picked" by the Cure to open for them in their upcoming North American tour. Are the Cure still relevant?

Does it matter?

65 Days of Static pull out all the tricks...math rock...post punk...it's all here, kids.

65 Days of Static - When We Were Younger and Better

65 Days of Static - Don't Go Down To Sorrow

And they do it all so well.

TechTag: Music

The Vels just won't go away

2007-06-21T09:53:00.000-07:00

Here's Alice Cohen circa 1984...

TechTag: Music

Crickets for Lunch

2007-06-20T11:44:00.000-07:00

Been meaning to share this song by J. DiMenna with you, a nicely produced song of mellow sweetness:

J. DiMenna - A Lizard's Tongue

Unfortunately, as is the usual around here lately, not much time to chat.

TechTag: Music

Behind curtain number one...

2007-06-20T11:31:00.001-07:00

A recent email prompted me into looking back at one of my old posts about the Vels and led to a small bit of discovery.

Yup. that's Alice Cohen, the lead singer of the Vels, Die Monster Die and Shag Motor Pony. Nice to see her singing again. Follow the dotted lines to wwwhatsup for lots of other artists performing...some interesting stuff there, including Kyp Malone (TV on the Radio).

TechTag: Music

QUITTER!

2007-06-06T11:20:00.001-07:00

Jona's leaving the Blow...which bums me out because they make beautiful music together. But you can't really blame him, the guy's been really busy...touring with LCD Soundsystem and an upcoming tour with Architecture in Helsinki and then on to Europe. It's totally understandable. But still, I'm bummed.

YACHT - The Summer Song (feat. Claire L. Evans)

YACHT - It's Coming To Get You (Eats Tapes Remix)

That's enough justification, isn't it?

Team Yacht!

TechTag: Music

Beach Boys in the blood

2007-06-06T10:34:00.000-07:00

You've got to wait until 2008 for the album, but here's a taste:

The Explorer's Club - Last Kiss

What does it all mean? Check The Explorer's Club myspace page for details. There's an EP in the works for a bit later this year. Let's hope the album spreads its wings and produces more than just Beach Boys influenced pop. It could be very sweet indeed.

TechTag: Music

I can see an oasis ahead

2007-06-06T09:59:00.000-07:00

Turns out Mojave 3 may never release another album, at least according to their drummer, Ian McCutcheon. But it's not all bad. His new band, The Loose Salute, is releasing an album on June 12th on Graveface Records. And I like it.

The Loose Salute - The Mutineer

Sounds like these guys have been camping next to the Beachwood Sparks. But we all know they borrowed their tent from the Byrds.

The Loose Salute - Turn the Radio Up

Visit them over at Myspace as well.

TechTag: Music

Hello Nurse!

2007-05-24T20:58:00.000-07:00

Another nice find...

Nurses hail from Southern California and their sound is, well...take a listen:

Nurses - Alone at Last

It seems they have a bit of their own sound there, something a bit unusual. But there's always comparisons, aren't there? But I'm not gonna go there.

Nurses - Hungry Mouth

Have fun with those two tracks. I'm gonna have to track down the album.

TechTag: Music

Wake up!

2007-05-21T16:28:00.000-07:00

Slumberland's got a new release coming out and it's pretty catchy. Check out The Lodger's new track:

The Lodger - Kicking Sand

Eh, people are throwing around names like the Kaiser Chiefs and Arctic Monkeys but damn, isn't it a bit early for those comparisons? Come on...Sounds a bit like a more melodic version of early Blur...with a bit of the Trash Can Sinatras thrown in for good measure.

Album is released on June 4th in the states and UK (Angular Records). Here's the tracklisting:

1. Many Thanks For Your Honest Opinion
2. Kicking Sand
3. Getting Special
4. You Got Me Wrong
5. A Free Period
6. Simply Left Behind
7. My Advice Is On Loan
8. Let Her Go
9. Watching
10. Unsatisfied
11. The Story's Over
12. Not So Fast
13. Bye Bye
14. Let's Make A Pact

You can preview a few more tracks over on their myspace page as well.

TechTag: Music

Demons and Rabbits and Humans, Oh My!

2007-05-16T18:35:00.000-07:00

PLUG ALERT: Check out Skeletal Dropkick if you have a chance. My most dearest's site which she just updated completely on her own. She's venturing into sculpture and the results are exciting.

I'm feeling a bit lonely

2007-05-16T18:12:00.000-07:00

On Christian Kiefer's blog, he mentions "the spook" in reference to music, his desire for it in his sounds and his notice of it in other's music. The spook is abundant in his new release, "A Rather Solemn Promise." A collaborative effort with Tom Carter, the album leaves you aching for more...it's a journey through the sounds of empty souls and broken hearts.

Tom Carter & Christian Kiefer - Unknown Foxen

Once again, Christian doesn't fail us...his music is haunting and has a depth to it few others ever find.

This album will be available on an extremely limited physical run (500 units) but I believe you'll be able to buy it digitally as well. Should be out the beginning of June.

Spend some time over at his site and visit his blog. Don't miss his podcast in which he shares more music.

TechTag: Music

Don't quit on us

2007-05-14T13:29:00.000-07:00

I guess Becky Filip has been having some doubts about her musical abilities lately. But she shouldn't.

Becky Filip - Don't Fear

See what I mean? Leave her a comment on her Myspace page, encourage her to keep it coming that she has what it takes. I believe she does.

TechTag: Music

stumbling

2007-05-14T13:12:00.000-07:00

Every once in awhile I stumble upon something that makes music that much better. A few weeks ago, I found Ricky Berger...and life seemed awfully good. And upon listening to her and fumbling about her myspace page I found a friend of hers, Taylor Neal. And again the music seemed to brighten. After listening to all his songs on his myspace page over and over I wrote him and he sent me this:

Taylor Neal - Like A Lamb

and told me:

"I'm finishing up my first album right now. It should be out in the next month or two.

As far as personal info, I don't have an official bio, but I'd be happy to tell you a bit about myself. I'm turning 18 this Monday. I've been playing music for a two years and writing songs for a year and a half. I'm moving to Seattle in September to go to school and further pursue music. I also enjoy white pear tea a whole ton.

As far as upcoming shows, I'm playing at the Underground cafe (Roseville, CA) on June 8th for Adrian Bourgeois' cd release, along with Ricky Berger and Justin Farren. It's promising to be a very enjoyable night of music."

So happy 18th birthday, Taylor. Hope it's great. If you enjoyed this song run over to his myspace page and buy all his songs. He'll love you for it. And your life will be a little sweeter.

TechTag: Music

Is this everything?

2007-05-12T13:25:00.000-07:00

Not by far. But here's a new track from the Mendoza Line.

The Mendoza Line - Aspect Of An Old Maid

Not a bad track...wish she sung a bit more.

The track above is an alternate take, not on the album. The final version has vocals by Will Sheff.

The album will be called "30 Year Low"...here's the track listing:

1) since i came (McArdle)
2) aspect of an old maid (Bracy)
3) 31 candles (McArdle)
4) i lost my taste (Bracy)
5) love on parole (Bracy)
6) stepping on my heels (McArdle)
7) thirty year low (Bracy)
8) tell it to the raven (Jimmy Silva)

Apparently, the two of them are calling it quits as a couple with Shannon going on to other projects. The album reflects their divorce and everything associated with it. Should be interesting. More info over here.

It comes with a bonus disc, "The Final Remarks of the Legendary Malcontent," of rarities and outtakes from various sessions and live gigs.

TechTag: Music

How much to downtown?

2007-05-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

Kinda like this track that just hit my in-box...gonna try to catch up today, I'll see if I can pull it off.

Taxi Taxi - X Marks the Spot

And here's another:

Taxi Taxi - Shoot the Dog, Chop the Tree

Going to have to give that one a bit more a listen. Taxi Taxi's new album will be hitting soon...keep an eye on their site for when it's available. You can also preview the whole album over there as well. I guess the album was three years in the making, with Terence Bernardo the instigator.

TechTag: Music

lazy ... talk of HD

2007-04-12T23:06:00.000-07:00

Since I'm too lazy to sign up for an account, I thought I'd make a comment about this post over at SCI FI Tech.

He makes a comment about 1080p being a format that runs at 60 frames per second, and it 1080p not being compatible with film's frame rate of 24fps. This simply isn't true. Although there is a 60fps format of 1080p, it's rarely used. More common is the 24 or 30 fps format. The 24fps format, obviously, is directly compatible with film's frame rate (which also isn't a standard, you can shoot film at any rate you want, the faster you shoot, the more information per second is recorded. Footage is often shot at 30fps on film to make it more compatible with the traditional video fps of 29.97fps).

Look at me getting all geeky on you and NOT talking about music. Oh well.

For more info, check out Wikipedia or this longer article with more in depth discussion on the subject.

TechTag: Music

Not so modest anymore

2007-04-11T22:55:00.000-07:00

For the longest time, I felt like Isaac's voice (of Modest Mouse) reminded me of someone. I could never place it. The new album made me realize who it was. And now I'm not saying they're exact duplicates, but Isaac sounds like the indie/punk version of Steve Forbert.

Your response was probably one of two things:

What the heck? Did he just say what I think he did?

Or

Steve who?

Listen to these live tracks:

Steve Forbert The Baghdad Dream (live)

Steve Forbert - Honky Tonk Women (live)

Now these aren't necessarily Steve's best songs (by far), but they're all I have access to and well, I think they partly make my point. Doesn't mean you have to agree with me. Few people do.

Or maybe your response was shut up.

It's late and I'm still at work.

TechTag: Music

Poor little blog... O.O

2007-04-11T22:49:00.000-07:00

The blog is suffering. Anyone care?

Was looking at my last.fm account and noticed the Police were in the top 15...felt obligated to take care of that and knock them down...how strange is that? I'm manipulating the data to represent what I want others to see...or is it just for me?

I don't care. As long as the Police drop down a few spots. It's almost as bad having U2 up there. Thank goodness they aren't.

TechTag: Music

Worse than you will ever know!

2007-03-02T11:52:00.000-08:00

I know everyone's been linking this, but the video's great...and love the song too...

Modest Mouse - Dashboard

Check it out...

TechTag: Music

Can't see the tree out the back window

2007-02-18T13:02:00.000-08:00

Here's a track from Odawas' new release, "Raven and the White Night." Hits the stores on March 6th on Jagjaguwar.

Odawas - Alleluia

Nice mellow sound...fitting for this overcast Sunday. Here's the full track list of the album:

1. The Maddening of Raven
2. When God Was a Wicked Kid
3. Getting To Another Plane
4. Alleluia
5. Love Is...(The Only Weapon With Which I Got To Fight)
6. Circus Song
7. Beware
8. Barnacles and Rustic Debris
9. The Ice

You can stream the whole thing over here.

TechTag: Music

Re-releases

2007-02-18T12:57:00.000-08:00

Heard about the upcoming Leonard Cohen re-releases? They sound promising. Here's the list:

Songs Of Leonard Cohen
1. Suzanne • 2. Master Song • 3. Winter Lady • 4. The Stranger Song • 5. Sisters of Mercy • 6. So Long, Marianne • 7. Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye • 8. Stories of the Street • 9. Teachers • 10. One of Us Cannot Be Wrong • Previously unreleased bonus tracks: 11. Store Room • 12. Blessed Is the Memory. (Tracks 1-10 produced by John Simon; tracks 11-12 recorded 1967, outtakes from the early sessions for Songs of Leonard Cohen, produced by John Hammond.)

Songs From A Room
1. Bird on the Wire • 2. Story of Isaac • 3. A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes • 4. The Partisan • 5. Seems So Long Ago, Nancy • 6. The Old Revolution • 7. The Butcher • 8. You Know Who I Am • 9. Lady Midnight • 10. Tonight Will Be Fine • Previously unreleased bonus tracks: 11. Like a Bird (earlier version of Bird on the Wire) • 12. Nothing to One (earlier version of You Know Who I Am). (Tracks 1-10 produced by Bob Johnston; tracks 11-12 recorded May 1968, produced by David Crosby.)

Songs Of Love And Hate
1. Avalanche • 2. Last Year’s Man • 3. Dress Rehearsal Rag • 4. Diamonds in the Mine • 5. Love Calls You by Your Name • 6. Famous Blue Raincoat • 7. Sing Another Song, Boys • 8. Joan of Arc • Previously unreleased bonus track: 9. Dress Rehearsal Rag (early version). (Produced by Bob Johnston; track 9 outtake recorded during the sessions for Songs from a Room.)

Street date isn't until April, got a ways to wait, but it looks like they're finally getting the treatment they deserve.

TechTag: Music

Sac Bee did what?

2007-02-18T12:39:00.000-08:00

The Sacramento Bee (login may be required) online has started a new feature and the first post is pretty good...every Sunday they're going to highlight a local band and post a track as well. Check out Ricky Berger, she's only 19 and she's managed to carve out a pretty nice sound. I was pleasantly surprised.

Ricky Berger - What's Your Name

She's only started playing locally last year and an album is coming out soon. Check out her My Space page as well for some additional tunes

Get Scared!

2007-02-13T22:48:00.000-08:00

Got an email from the keyboardist of the Shredding Tears, Bryan Scary's band, with a request to check out their sound. I did. I like.

Bryan Scary - The Blood Club

Nice sound...reflections of the past are strong here...and the overall production is nice and clean.

Bryan Scary - The Ceiling on the Wall

Remnants of so many sounds, and, dare I say it, there are moments when they remind me of Of Montreal. But that's a reflection of the influences they share. It's always hard for me to knock a band that cites the sounds of ELO, the Beatles and Queen and manages to pull it off.

New album comes out on February 20th. Check it out.

TechTag: Music

Schla La Las

2007-02-13T14:51:00.000-08:00

Nice video for the Schla La Las...got a soft spot in my heart for legos, check it out. Good song too.

Schla La Las - 1, 2, 3, 4 (quicktime video)

Nice making of page, as well.

TechTag: Music

too much

2007-02-11T10:47:00.000-08:00

I've got over 1500 CD's...and they're starting to dominate my house. I've been looking for alternative ways to store them, and like the idea of taking them out of their jewel cases, But I have not been able to find any storage units that store the booklet AND the back cover art (which is larger). Anyone have any ideas?

TechTag: Music

Shack Up!

2007-02-10T19:33:00.000-08:00

My Mean Magpie's got a great post on A Certain Ratio's song, "Shack Up." One of my all time favorites. Check it out.

TechTag: Music

Come Sail Away With Me

2007-01-26T14:57:00.000-08:00

Ah yes...I love YACHT...It's true...I have a crush on his music...and it bleeds over into his work with the Blow...and well, they're releasing an extended version of Poor Aim...yahoo!

Here's the track list:

THE BLOW - POOR AIM: LOVE SONGS

Track List

1. Hey Boy
2. The Sky Opened Wide Like the Tide
3. Knowing the Things that I Know
4. Let's Play Boys Chase Girls
5. The Love That I Crave
6. Hock It
7. "Come On Petunia"

Bonus Tracks:

8. Begin Remix
9. Hock It (YACHT Remix featuring Claire L. Evans)
10. The Love That I Crave (Strategy's Strata Club Remix)
11. The Sky Opened Wide Like the Tide (Lucky Dragons New Age Powermix)
12. Hey Hey Hey Boy (K Maricich Remix)
13. Hey Boy (DJ Alan Fortarte Remix)
14. We Are Over Here (Lucky Dragons Remix)

How sweet is that? and the Lucky Dragons remixed two tracks as well.

Here's a tidbit to hold us over:

The Blow - Hock It (YACHT remix)

What's that? You want more? How about The Blow touring with Of Montreal? Yes, it's true, but only certain dates, and only on the West Coast:

Sun Jan. 28 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
Tue Jan. 30 San Diego, CA SOMA
Fri Feb. 2 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
Fri Feb. 9 Seattle, WA Showbox
Sat Feb. 10 Eugene, OR WOW Hall

TechTag: Music

Dragging...

2007-01-24T19:30:00.000-08:00

Time is so precious...and the blog is suffering...

But I just got this e-mail in my inbox and well...I must tell share...Remember Oswald 5-0...no? hmmm...

Holy smoke. She's wear an Adickdid shirt. Awesome!

Well. Dian Rios, ex-member has her own blog going and it's a pleasure to read. Even more exciting, there's been a new Oswald 5-0 release...capturing and collecting all the hits and unreleased tracks. It's called Nothing to Prove and you can capture and save it over at CDBaby. Please do. I'll try to get one myself and let you know how it is.

Something I learned from her blog...there's a guy named Matt Paden making a movie on the music scene in Eugene, Oregon circa 1983-90. Wow. Should be interesting.

Gotta run.

Work to do. Like you care.

TechTag: Music

Original Doh

2007-01-04T17:29:00.000-08:00

This just hit my in box, which is quite cool...Sebadoh is touring...the Sebadoh of old...Lou Barlow, Eric Gaffney and Jason Loewenstein. But you already knew this, didn't you?

Here are the dates:

02/26 San Diego, CA Casbah
02/27 Costa Mesa, CA Detroit Bar
02/28 San Francisco, CA GAMH / Noise Pop
03/02 Portland, OR Berbati's Pan
03/03 Vancouver, BC Richards
03/04 Seattle, WA Neumos
03/05 Eugene, OR WOW Hall
03/07 Santa Cruz, CA The Attic
03/09 Los Angeles, CA The Troubadour
03/10 Los Angeles, CA Spaceland
03/15 Phoenix, AZ Clubhouse
03/16 Albuquerque, NM Launchpad
03/17 Boulder, CO Fox Theater
03/19 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar
03/20 Milwaukee, WI Shank Hall
03/21 Chicago, IL Metro
03/22 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
03/23 Toronto, ON Lee's Palace
03/24 Montreal, QC La Sala Rossa
03/29 Northampton, MA Pearl St.
03/30 Boston, MA Paradise
03/31 New York, NY Webster Hall
04/02 Philadelphia, PA Northstar
04/03 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
04/04 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle
04/06 Louisville, KY Headliners
04/07 Nashville, TN Exit In
04/08 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
04/09 Tallahassee, FL Beta Bar
04/10 Orlando, FL The Social
04/12 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon
04/13 Houston, TX Walters on Washington
04/14 Austin, TX Emo's
04/16 Tucson, AZ Club Congress

And here's a couple of tracks for old times sake:

Sebadoh - Gimme Indie Rock
Sebadoh - The Freed Pig

And holy smoke...check this out...TONS of live tracks on their site, for example:

Sebadoh - Love is Stronger (Live @ Chicago, IL 2005)

TechTag: Music

cuddling the bear

2007-01-03T19:29:00.000-08:00

Remember Huggy Bear? No, not this Huggy Bear...or this one either...shudder...

but this Huggy Bear:

Huggy Bear formed in 1991, and wore their influences on their shirts and arms...Bikini Kill and Nation of Ulysses stuffed into the microwave and melted together.

Huggy Bear - No Sleep

More info found at Huggy Nation and Huggy Bear.
Buy it over at Kill Rock Stars.

TechTag: Music

Keeping keeping up

2007-01-03T16:12:00.000-08:00

New track by Ben Davis (Sleepytime Trio, Milemarker, Bats & Mice) has been posted. Pretty good track, not sure if I love it or not yet, but well worth a listen.

Ben Davis - Gorilla Bot

TechTag: Music

End...Begin...End...Begin

2007-01-01T11:04:00.000-08:00

Again, no top of 2006 list for me. But here's something close.

Top from 1981-1986 (otherwise known as the high school years).

But a couple of caveats...I tried to stick with releases that actually came out during that time period. I also avoided the big names, just because those songs are easily found. So the skipped list is long:

Psychedelic Furs - Love My Way
Clash - Straight To Hell
Violent Femmes - Add It Up
Cure - Close to Me
The Smiths - How Soon is Now
Scritti Politti - Absolute
Roxy Music - More Than This
OMD - Crush
Orange Juice - I Can't Help Myself
Tones on Tails - There's Only One
This single represented a lot...I searched for it everywhere, so hard to find and when I finally did it was outrageously priced.
English Beat - Save it For Later
Fishbone - Skankin' To The Beat
Originally a b-side to Party At Ground Zero, a different version later appeared on the soundtrack for Say Anything.
Minor Threat - Out of Step
Bad Brains - I Against I
Felt - Mobile Shack
Untouchables - I Spy (for the F.B.I)

And that's just the tip of the iceberg...The Specials, Madness, Love and Rockets, Bauhaus, Joydivision, Police, SNFU (scarecrow, anyone?), the list is long.

There are some cliches in there...but you gotta remember, when these songs came out no one was listening to them where I lived. In my high school of roughly 1600 kids the 50 of us or so who were into these songs were ridiculed and teased for listening to the music. By the time I graduated in 1986, the majority of kids had appropriated about half of the music, heck, how many people went to a prom during the later 80's where Alphaville's "Forever Young" was the theme 2-3 years after it was released and we were tired of it?

Wolfgang Press - My Life (1986)
A 4AD release, the album was beautifully put together, both physically and musically. A bit challenging at times but one of my favorite albums of all times. I wanted my hair like the singer's for the longest time.

Lloyd Cole and the Commotions - Forest Fire (1985)
Loved his lyrics and his voice. He made my teenage head think.

Tuxedomoon - The Cage (1982)
Although not my favorite song by them, it was this 12" that introduced me to the band. Purchased strictly because the cover and band name intrigued me. Couldn't find a photo with Winston in it...bummer!

Vandals - Urban Struggle (1982) REMOVED
This song is hysterical. Still makes me laugh.
Band page here. Steven "Stevo" Jensen, the lead singer of this era of the Vandals, died in 2005.

A Certain Ratio - Anthem (1986) REMOVED
Again, not necessarily my favorite song, but the album that introduced me to the band and one of the first CD's I bought. It sounded amazing through headphones. I was so amazed to not hear any of the crackles and pops on an LP and to be able to skip directly to any song I wanted.

Spandau Ballet - Chant No. 1 (1982) REMOVED
Diamond was an album that worked so well as an album, listened to from beginning to end. My bass instructor thought I was mad when I brought this CD in and asked him to help me with some of the songs. He had long rocker-styled hair and was about 10 years older than me. That photo is cracking me up.

Fiat Lux - Secrets REMOVED
This song is the epitome of New Wave goodness. Ahhh...Fiat Lux.

So there you go...hope you enjoy them. Hope your new years was great as well. Here's to 2007.

TechTag: Music

Free Music?

2006-12-19T17:14:00.000-08:00

Isn't that what this is all about? Sharing the love?

Haven't listened yet, but there's a new compilation release available for free over at tcelectropunk. This is volume 3 and the nice guys that they are...they've made volume 1 and 2 available as well. How can you pass that up?

UPDATE:

Had a complaint that the file was causing some issues (see comments)...anyone else experiencing this? I didn't.

UPDATE 2:
Received a response from the guys at TC elctropunk. Seems to be working fine on there end as well. Have fun with it!

TechTag: Music

I'm The ... What?

2006-12-19T17:07:00.000-08:00

So I don't know who Benjy Ferree is...but when I saw Ian Svenonius' name I had to watch. Is it worth your time? Eh...a little too put together and not real enough for me. But it's nice to see Ian again.

TechTag: Music

Forward Motion

2006-12-13T17:23:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I received a promotional pre-release copy of The Attorney's next release, Stereocracy, which will hit the streets late January of 2007. I've posted about the Attorney's before, and always felt there was something more to their music. That they had a lot of raw potential that wasn't fully realized. They made a few musical stumbles on their past releases but this new disk...well, they're really starting to shine. They always had this underlying power-pop sound, this strong pulling from the past. But they've added more to this release.

The Attorneys - On A Whim (Mastered Version)

Now when I emailed John (guitarist/songwriter), he sent me this track, which is (in theory) the final master version of the song, not the one on the pre-release promo. Listen to it. They've come a long way. I can't get that song out of my head.

ELO. Queen. Power pop. They're mixing musical genres and making something their own. I hope this album takes them somewhere. I'll be surprised if it doesn't.

The Attorneys are:

William Ryan George - Singer, bass, songwriter
John Wlaysewski - guitarist, songwriter
Ken Weisbach - drummer

UPDATE:

The CD is fully mastered and available for purchase over at The Attorney's website. Click! Quick!

TechTag: Music

skimming off the top

2006-12-13T12:21:00.000-08:00

No best of list for me...just some data.

Top ten songs by play count that were added to my iTunes library in 2006:

1. Grandaddy - Where I'm Anymore
from Just Like The Fambly Cat
2. Like A Stuntman - Making Competition Out Of Everything (Fisk Industries Remix)
from Like A Remix)
3. The Minders - Jenny
from It's A Bright Guilty World
4. You Say Party! We Say Die! - Apocalypse Meow
from In Session at CBC Studio 2, Vancouver, 05 Jan 2006
5. Cat Power - Could We
from The Greatest
6. The Minders - Red Admiral's (Gonna Pass Me)
from It's A Bright Guilty World
7. The Raconteurs - Steady As She Goes
from Broken Boy Soldiers
8. Belle and Sebastian - White Collar Boy
from The Life Pursuit
9. Guillemots - Trains from Brazi
from From The Cliffs
10. +/- - Steal the Bluprints
from Let's Build A Fire

A couple of interesting points. First, the number one song was played 7 times. Number ten 4 times. What? That's it? You have to understand most of my analytical listening of music is done in the car. Also, my iTunes library has over 8 thousand tracks in it and it's usually on shuffle. The most played track of all time only has 45 play counts on it and that's since September of 2003. The oldest track in my iTunes library was added on October of 2002. In case you're curious it's This All Can Become Completely by Bats and Mice which you can download over at Lovitt Records.

Want more data about my listening habits? I'm Jumbocrab on lastfm.

TechTag: Music

What?

2006-12-13T12:13:00.000-08:00

Ouch...I just realized that I've been doing this for over two years.

Waaaah...

First post ever?

Here it is:

*****

So this is it...

since this is my first post, I thought I should post something to which I am indebted, that being a song from Cupid Car Club...as far as I know, this has never seen CD, and it isn't that old either. Perhaps you remember The Nation Of Ulysses...perhaps not...but, after their demise, for a short while, Cupid Car Club existed...a very short while, actually...one single and a couple of compilations...then came The Make Up and Weird War and well, I could go on, but I won't. So the constant in this is Ian Svenonious...i wish i had hair like his....here's a bit more cohesive bio about them...
Cupid Car Club
be sure to look here:
Past/Future photos

and here's a couple of songs...

Cupid Car Club - "Grape Juice Plus" REMOVED

******

Wait did that say a couple of songs...well...originally there had been two, but you only get one this time around. What's different? I have not been as consistent as I originally was. I don't post as many old tracks as I used to. Reasons? Time. It's all a question of time. Cheers.

TechTag: Music

Winter Camp is in Session

2006-12-13T11:58:00.000-08:00

Just got an email from a new label, Thug Factory...their first release seems pretty strong. Check out the melodic post-punk sounds of Chant Chant Camp.

Chant Chant Camp - Abricka Bradaptah
Chant Chant Camp - Water in the Boat

Abricka Bradaptah is the stronger track of the two, in my opinion (what the heck does the title mean?). Well worth a listen to. The website's pretty simple, but if you head over there you can stream the entire release.

TechTag: Music

A bit of catsup

2006-12-11T14:25:00.000-08:00

Ketchup? Catsup?

Anyway, playing a bit of that right now...First off, a track from the new Architecture in Helsink remixed album. Haven't purchased it YET, but every track has been good so far.

Architecture in Helsink - Wishbone (Franc Tetaz Remix)

Sweetness and light!

Kama Aina has a video they recently posted...sublimely simple...

You can download a 70mb version if you're so inclined. And here's a track off the new album.

Kama Aina - Hotaru

Pinebender just posted a new track off their latest...

Pinebender - Polly Gray

Sounds so strangely familiar, doesn't it? Can't place it. Is it a harder Small Factory?

Also, just got a promo copy of the Johnny Cash: Live in Ireland DVD. A nice release, it's always a pleasure to see the man in black live. It's an interesting thing though, a lot of the country stars seem to have been born and bred in the Grand Ole Opry and it shows...the performance has that sort of stagey feel to it. It's a pleasure, none-the-less, to see Johnny perform. And some of my favorites are on there...like Get Rhythm and Long Black Veil. And Kris Kristofferson shows up as well, which is a nice treat. It just has a bit of stiffness to the performance that I like to avoid. The sound quality is pretty amazing, however, and it's worth the price of admission just for that. It's hard to fault the Man in Black.

TechTag: Music

Holiday Nirvana

2006-12-02T10:36:00.000-08:00

World of Wonder posted this clip of Nirvana I had never seen...I wasn't a GINORMOUS fan of them, but I've always enjoyed their performances and videos...

Nirvana - We Wish You A Merry Christmas (MV4)

It was recorded in 1993 for a RuPaul hosted Christmas special. Apparently it only aired in the UK.

TechTag: Music

Latin Playboys : RIP

2006-11-29T12:16:00.000-08:00

Seems like any future releases of by the Latin Playboys are very unlikely...seeing as how Los Lobos have taken a turn towards that direction with their latest release (this is a good thing!). The Latin Playboys were an off-shoot from Los Lobos, and released two incredible albums of very emotionally tainted and experimental music, very different from the Los Lobos catalog most people are familiar with.

IF you enjoy these two songs at all, I highly recommend buying either of the Latin Playboy releases, you won't be disapointed. But regardless, after listening to these two tracks, I can't wait to hear "The Town and The City" in its entirety. Good stuff!

Los Lobos - Hold On
Los Lobos - The Valley

TechTag: Music

re-realized or documented?

2006-11-29T12:03:00.000-08:00

Here's another re-release I'm excited about...and it's a long overdue one as well. Josef K were one of Scotland's musical sons from the 80's...along with Orange Juice they hold an important key to a sound not a lot of people are familiar with.

Joseph K - It's Kinda Funny

Joseph K - Sorry For Laughing

Domino Records is responsible for this long overdue collection. Thank them for it and buy it!

TechTag: Music

Hook'd

2006-11-20T17:35:00.000-08:00

Take a listen to this and see if anything sounds familiar...

Loto - Cuckoo Plan

Hear it? Yup...Peter Hook's playing away on that track as a guest musician. Nice to hear something new he's involved with. And it's a pretty catchy song too.

Check out Loto's web domiciles.

TechTag: Music

I'm the King of the City!

2006-11-17T10:39:00.000-08:00

I have this folder on my desktop of music links and possible posts for gJp. Sometimes things get left in there for awhile and I can't remember how or why they got there:

King City - Chicken in a China Shop

How fun is that?

and this is even better:

King City - El Toro

Life is beginning to make sense!

Head over to King City for TONS more music...

TechTag: Music

..education..

2006-11-14T13:48:00.000-08:00

One of the best things about the web in relation to music is the sharing of info and knowledge about bands...case in point...Rich Kids.

I'd heard of them and knew that Glen Matlock, the first bassist for the Sex Pistols, was a member (founder?)...but check out who's singing and playing guitar:

That's right...it's Midge Ure...later to go on to Visage and Ultravox. Something tells me I had heard this a long time ago...oh well.

Found via the ever prolific Boing Boing...

TechTag: Music

Put the blender on hi!

2006-10-25T18:06:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post here...

Check out Alpha Saloon...a mix of all things...listen to them channel the Pixies:

Alpha Saloon - To Avoid the Apparently Stupid

And how about some 80's style German influenced Punk/New Wave?

Alpha Saloon - Uber German

And yeah, they're from Germany...so they can sport a name like that.

And then they go all crazy on us:

Alpha Saloon - Modern Times Modern People Modern Talking

and that sound...who does this remind you of?

Alpha Saloon - Pretty Dancing Person

Have fun with it, why don't yah.

TechTag: Music

I'm the King of the Universe!

2006-10-25T15:30:00.000-07:00

Music has always played an important part in my life...I have a lot of personal historical events that are marked by songs and albums. There are two that happened around the same time...

It was my first trip to town with my friends and no parents. Record Factory on the Pacific Garden Mall in downtown Santa Cruz...the astronaut on the side of the building...laying down my OWN money to buy the Kink's "One For The Road."

The second is taking Electric Light Orchestra's "Discovery" out of the sleeve and breaking it in half.

I was young and very impressionable at the time...not sure of a lot things in life. I had been put into a private christian school in junior high and had a class that talked about backward masking on albums and how it was meant to influence us and turn us into satanists. They handed out a list of albums so afflicted and there on the list was my precious ELO album. I tried to play it backwards at home and couldn't discern any noticeable english in there...but what if it was true?

I could take no chances. I pulled the album out and bent it...shattering it into about 6 pieces. I kept the sleeve and the album for years...I remember it being in my collection for a looong time. I always felt so dissapointed in my self for falling for this.

So where is this all leading? To the recent re-releases of three of ELO's early albums, that's where.

I received On The Third Day (1973), Face The Music (1975) and A New World Record (1976) all as comps and I must say the re-releases are great. Fully remastered and with bonus tracks, there's not much to complain about. I wasn't as familiar with these discs, having not listened to them in awhile, but the magic that is ELO is as strong as ever. You can find all the info on the re-releases over at this site. Well worth your time.

The discs are filled with hits..."Showdown," 'Ma-Ma-Ma Bell," "Evil Woman," "Strange Magic," and the list goes on. ELO was a hit making machine, and the best part is they did it on their own terms. One of the interesting things about listening to these albums as a whole is discovering how much of an influence they've had on the current sound...the lush orchestration of ELO is so visible in bands like the Polyphonic Spree...and yes, some may say this is all a reflection of the Beatles, but ELO did something different with it. Made it a little bigger and a little more produced.

Check them out if you're even slightly interested. Well worth every penny.

TechTag: Music

I need a shave

2006-10-24T12:19:00.000-07:00

Taking a bit of a departure...Wee Hairy Beasties!

Wee Hairy Beasties - Wee Hairy Beasties!

Jon Langford (Mekons, Old 97's, etc.), Sally Timms (Mekons), Kelly Hogan (plays with Will Oldham and Waco Brothers) and Devil in a Woodpile formed this band to entertain kids young and old alike. It's a fun little tune, think you'll enjoy it.

TechTag: Music

shipwrecked? hardly...

2006-10-11T13:50:00.000-07:00

Just got this one in my inbox...Gary Lucas, best known for his Captain Beefheart and Jeff Buckley connections, has an album coming out...and well, what made me pay attention was his band's line-up...both Jerry Harrison and Ernie Brooks are on it. Is this the closest they've been since their Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers days? I don't know...but first listen makes a good impression. Enjoy!

Gary Lucas / Gods and Monsters - Fata Morgana

Other things to note, on the album, "Coming Clean," expect to hear Billy Ficca from Television and Jonathan Kane from the Swans. Oh yeah, and David Johansen, Richard Barone and Elli Medeiros make guest appearances.

TechTag: Music

Hot Spit Dancers!

2006-10-10T18:08:00.000-07:00

Anybody have any of their stuff? Apparently, there was one demo tape released back in 1983-84. Vince Voodoo was the lead singer...I saw them back around '84 at the Crest Theater in Sacramento...one of the opening acts for the Descendents...if my memory serves me correctly.

And my first bloody nose at a concert.

Love to track that tape down...

TechTag: Music

sweetness and light

2006-10-10T17:57:00.000-07:00

It's not completely perfect, but it's hard not enjoy the sweetness of Lavender Diamond...and yeah, I don't think there name is all that keen myself, but I do like their sound..especially the first song:

Lavender Diamond - Rise in the Springtime

Lavender Diamond - You Broke My Heart

So what's not perfect? There's a bit too much repetition...both songs build nicely, then get stuck for a bit, making me feal like they could be about a minute shorter each. It's more of a vocal thing, I want the music to breathe a bit more than they're letting it. They've been touring with the Decemberists, apparently...

Head over to their site, there's also a solo track by Becky Stark, who I'm assuming is the singer for the band...

TechTag: Music

That last one knocked my alignment out

2006-09-20T12:33:00.000-07:00

The Rumble Strips have posted two new songs over at their site...sweet sounds of ska influenced music there...

Rumble Strips - 4 walls
Rumble Strips - My Oh My

It's amazing how easily I'm influenced by those horns...ska runs deep in these veins.

Their site is being revamped, so head over to their myspace page for more music and videos. They just signed a record deal with Fallout/Island and our working on their next album - due for release next year. But there's an EP on the way (Nov. 20th) and you can download a track from it, "Oh Creole," from their myspace page.

Here's their video for No Soul:

TechTag: Music

just a few

2006-09-14T09:56:00.000-07:00

If you're at all a Pernice Bros. fan, head over to their site and pre-order their new release to get a limited edition, hand made CD of demo versions and alternate mixes...it'll cost you $20 for the whole kiteen-caboodle. They're also streaming a few tracks off the new album (and others) for your listening pleasure.

TechTag: Music

Sweeter than Sweet!

2006-09-11T10:20:00.000-07:00

How great is it when one of your favorite artists remixes another of your favorites? Doesn't get much better than that, does it?

Here's Y.A.C.H.T remixing Architecture in Helsinki...

Archictecture In Helsinki - Nevereverdid (YACHT REMIX)

I'm not going to direct link 'em both, hit his site to get the other one. It's a remix of Do the Whirlwind...

RUN! Quick!

TechTag: Music

Bad doggie!

2006-09-07T10:09:00.000-07:00

So I've been lax, lately, and readership falls...

But something hit my inbox today that made me want to post:

Kama Aina - Hotaru

What do I know? Not much...here's the feed, though:

Club Kama Aina is the fifth album from the talented japanese soloartist Kama Aina and it is a true pleasure to announce that it will be released November 6th in all of Europe on the Efterklang driven label Rumraket (other artists include Erik Levander, Grizzly Bear and Cacoy). The new album is mainly recorded in Tokyo and Glasgow and it features guest appearances by such lovely Scottish luminaries as Bill Wells, Isobel Campbell and The Pastels.

Takuji Aoyagi is the man behind Kama Aina, he lives in Tokyo where he, together with Maher Shalal Hash Baz and Tenniscoats, is one of the main figures in the gleaming Japanese scene of innocent, DIY and heartbreaking folk-pop. Kama Aina´s contribution to the scene is an organic and harmonic, but yet peculiar and indefinable form of music.

Check out his label over here.

See? All PR isn't bad!

TechTag: Music

SuperGenius

2006-09-06T15:37:00.000-07:00

I can watch it again and again and again...

Crispin is GENIUS.

TechTag: Music

We're not in Kansas, anymore...

2006-09-06T15:34:00.000-07:00

Just found my favorite Wolfgang Press video:

Still makes me laugh...

TechTag: Music

PR...uh...

2006-08-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

I've been amazed at the amount of music being sent my way lately by PR people and record labels. It's simply overwhelming.

The hardest part for me is that I don't have time to dedicate to my original concept behind creating this blog...to share the more obscure releases in my collection. This influx of music from other sources is sometimes so good it's hard to pass up. And then I start to become what all the other blogs out there are...PR machines for the next release of so-and-so.

Is that so bad?

I don't know.

So if you're out there and have sent me something, don't be disheartened by my lack of posting it, I'm trying, really I am. At the same time, don't expect me to post it just 'cause you send it to me....I am a bit picky!

Check...check....is this thing on?

2006-08-22T17:45:00.000-07:00

Just a quick one here...two tracks from two favorites and their upcoming releases:

The Blow - Pile of Gold

That track comes from their October release, Paper Television, on K records.

So glad to be hear some more music from Jona!

And then a new track from +/-...this track's from their forthcoming album Let's Build A Fire, being released on Absolutely Kosher also on October 24th:

+/- - Steal the Blueprints

BONUS TRACK:

The Isles - Major Arcana

Don't know much about these guys...this is from their album Perfumed Lands, coming out Oct. 3. Damn they sound like they're trying to be the Smiths. Hunh.

TechTag: Music

Burning a hole in my pocket

2006-08-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

The new Burn To Shine DVD is out, Vol. 3. Featuring performances by:

The Thermals
Quasi
The Planet The
Wet Confetti
Lifesavas
Tom Heinl
Mirah
The Decemberists
The Shins
The Gossip
The Ready
Sleater-Kinney

If you're not familiar with the project, you should be. I own the other two and highly suggest you purchase them.

I'll shoot a review out when I get it in the mail.

TechTag: Music

my feet are getting wet...

2006-08-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

The Tyde's new album, Three's Co., hits the streets on August 29th...love their 60's influenced sound...the swirling guitars and all. Been a fan of Darren's since his Los Angeles days in Further...saw them live many times.

You can check out the new video over at the promo site for the album.

They've also got some tracks up on their site from some of their older albums:

The Tyde - Go Ask Your Dad

And some live tracks:

The Tyde - Shortboard City (live on KCRW)

A bunch more over on the media section of their site.

TechTag: Music

Kindness

2006-08-08T12:11:00.000-07:00

Bel Auburn have been kind enough to release their forthcoming album for all to download...I haven't had a lot of time to listen yet, but I like what I hear so far:

Bel Auburn - Lullabies in A & C

You can find the whole album over on their site.

TechTag: Music

Fractal Geometry

2006-08-07T14:29:00.000-07:00

Once again Highpoint Lowlife records hits the streets with another stellar release...this time from Mandelbrot Set:

Mandelbrot Set - And The Rockets Red Glare / Bombs Bust In Air

45 minutes of stellar post instrumental rock...shoegazing heavy sounds that fill the air. I'm always a bit skeptical of instrumental releases, especially those heavy on the sound, but this release has managed to grab my ears and hold on to them.

Go buy it already!

Want an education?

TechTag: Music

I Love My Shirt!

2006-08-07T13:37:00.000-07:00

So much new music, hard to keep up with the old...got this in my inbox today, think of Donovan mixed with Belle and Sebastian and you're 90% there:

Tobias Fröberg- When The Night Turns Cold

Tobias Fröberg w/Ane Brun - Love and Misery

Tobias Fröberg- What a Day

You can find his stuff over at Cheap Lullaby and more info over at his site.

TechTag: Music

never?

2006-08-04T23:29:00.000-07:00

who knew this even existed? Kas Product - never come back

TechTag: Music

the hits keep stopping...

2006-08-04T10:14:00.000-07:00

Desmond Dekker...Syd Barret...and now Arthur Lee...and all so young.

Arthur Lee dies at age 61.

TechTag: Music

no tutus here, please

2006-08-03T15:52:00.000-07:00

Swan Lake's debut LP is hitting the streets on November 21. In case you didn't know, Swan Lake is made up of Dan Bejar of DESTROYER and NEW PORNOGRAPHERS, Carey Mercer of FROG EYES and Spencer Krug of WOLF PARADE and SUNSET RUBDOWN.

When my wife heard the track without knowing who was in it, she said, "is that Wolf Parade?"

Swan Lake - All Fires

Here's the track listing for the forthcoming release Beast Moans:

1. Widow's Walk
2. Nubile Days
3. City Calls
4. A Venue Called Rubella
5. All Fires
6. The Partisan But He's Got To Know
7. The Freedom
8. Petersburg, Liberty Theater, 1914
9. The Pollenated Girls
10. Bluebird
11. Pleasure Vessels
12. Are You Swimming In Her Pools?
13. Shooting Rockets

The album's being released by Jagjaguwar, lots of mp3s for your perusal over there, like:

Manishevitz - Beretta

Julie Doiron - Dance All Night

TechTag: Music

with some ice cream, please...

2006-08-03T15:20:00.000-07:00

Don't know how long this'll be up, so run over there and grab it...Cake has posted a live version of their song, Mexico:

Cake - Mexico_(live) REMOVED

It's from their forthcoming album, "Live From The Crystal Palace," which will be released later this year (Autumn 2006)

UPDATE:

On Cake's site, they announced that the links to these bonus tracks will only be live for 24 hours, bummer, eh? I've revived the link, though, to my own site. Hope this isn't an issue for them...I'll pull it off if it is. If you're smart, though I recommend clicking over to Cake's site and signing up for the mailing list, that way you'll be on top of the next download.

TechTag: Music

...those are some cold, cold hands...

2006-07-29T01:23:00.000-07:00

Just got the tip on this track from the Colour...nice rockin' and rhythmic sound...vocals remind me of someone...argh...can't...place...it...

The Colour - Devil's Got a Holda Me

Wait...maybe it's Danny Elfman? Hold on...there's a bit of Queen in there as well. Haha...gonna have to listen to this one a lot more. Okay...now I'm hearing a big influence from the Cult.

I'm likin' it.

They're on a big tour right now. Check out the dates:

August
4th / san diego / street scene
22nd / los angeles / troubadour
23rd / san francisco / slims
24th / portland / tba
25th / seattle / chop suey
26th / columbus / the lc pavilion
29th / minneapolis / ascot
30th / chicago / double door
31st / detroit / shelter

September
1st / toronto / el mocambo
2nd / montreal / oshiega fest
3rd / asbury park / the saint
5th / boston / tt's
6th / new york / mercury lounge
7th / baltimore / Mt. Vernon Park
8th / pittsburgh / club cafe
9th / philadelphia / balcony
10th / baltimore / sonar
11th / cleveland / grog shop
12th / indianapolis / birdy's
14th / kansas city / grand emporium
15th / st. louis / creepy crawl
17th / nashville / tba
18th / atlanta / vinyl
21st / dallas / gypsy tea room

Don't be left behind on this one, kids...something that sounds that good has got to have an upward trajectory.

TechTag: Music

Jesus Chrysler Drove a Dodge

2006-07-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes i wish Rhino would just stop with the re-releases already...they're doing too good of a job...I can't keep.

The latest is a group from the Jesus & Mary Chain. Again, I was fortunate to receive some complimentary copies of two of the new discs, Psychocandy and Darklands. They've also re-released Honey's Dead, Automatic and Stoned and Dethroned.

All the discs are dual-sided, one being the CD and the other being a DVD. The beauty here is that the DVD side includes the album at an 96khz/24bit dolby stereo, making the sound quality better than it's ever been. I can't say enough about this, it's really a treat to have these at this high of quality, especially when listening on a decent pair of headphones. Also included on the DVD side are music videos from the album, which, although their videos aren't the most exciting things in the world, is a nice bonus.

Jesus & Mary Chain - Just Like Honey (music video)

My only complaint about these discs is the lack of bonus tracks. There's a lot of live material and some unreleased tracks that have yet to see a decent release. But it's hard to complain about something when just the fact that they're re-releasing it is pretty sweet.

And speaking of bonus tracks, here's a little treat for you. A live version of Vegetable Man, recorded at Birmingham NEC.

Jesus & Mary Chain - Vegetable Man (live) REMOVED

It's especially appropriate considering the recent death of Syd Barret, as it's a cover of his song. I was never a huge Pink Floyd fan, but I've always loved Syd's solo material. He was a man of dreams...it's sad to see him die at such an early age. It's really too bad his was life wasn't more complete.

Purchase the re-releases over at Rhino.

UPDATE:

Found the single, it wasn't with the rest of my 45's...somehow it ended up with my LP's...for shame! So, here's the studio version:

Jesus & Mary Chain - Vegetable Man (studio) REMOVED

TechTag: Music

AWESOMEST DUEX!

2006-07-22T00:29:00.000-07:00

HAHA!

TechTag: Music

Dance Like a Monkey!

2006-07-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

How can I not post this?

Great song! Glad to see the New York Dolls back with such a fervor...

Thanks to Lukira

TechTag: Music

5 feet high and rising

2006-07-21T12:56:00.000-07:00

The backlog here is immense...see what happens when you go on vacation?

First off, Musical Family Tree have a big release...a collection of 19 songs representing the full spectrum of their family. Some Gorgeous stuff on this disc, including this one by Marin Green (of Sardina fame):

Martin Green - Beer Alley REMOVED

Check out those horns...ahhh...so tasty! I haven't had a chance to listen to any of his work with Sardina, yet...looking forward to that.

Musical Family Tree is well worth checking out...lots of downloads there, with some great tracks throughout. Although I'm not the biggest fan of their name, Margot and The Nucleur So and So's have a strong sound as well. The amount of music they have available for free is staggering...

This CD is a compilation of unreleased and new songs, so there are some real gems on there. Buy it! It'll be available on iTunes and the Musical Family Tree (hey! it's already available there) website.

You can also peruse their video playlist over at YouTube to get a good sampling of their music.

Here's the tracklist for the CD, released on 7/24/06:

1. Margot and the Nuclear So and Sos- "Waking Up and Walking Out" (Artemis)
2. Mysteries of Life- "Stop Thinking" (Affirmation Records)
3. John Strohm- "Rise and Shine"
4. Vess Ruhtenberg- "Is It Good?"
5. Marty Green- "Beer Alley"
6. Tim Jones- "Lord I Really Need You Now"
7. Heidi Gluck- "Wake Up"
8. Hands Down Eugene- "Slow Down"
9. Emperor Penguin- "Overboogie"
10. Brando- "Your Nelson Now"
11. BIGBIGcar- "Peace Attack!" (Standard Records)
12. Marmoset- "Treat A Boy" (Secretly Canadian)
13. Resting Rooster- "Don't Cry"
14. More Animals Of The Arctic- "Tom's Death" (Standard Records)
15. Gentleman Caller- "The Other Shoe" (Affirmation Records)
16. Winechuggers- "Summer Dresses" (Arena Rock Recording Company)
17. The Saturday Nights- "Ghosts"
18. Everything, NOW!- "Go Car Go" (Standard Records)
19. Silver State- "Cross Country"

I'll be back soon...I've got a review of some new re-releases from the Jesus and Mary Chain and a rare track from them as well...

TechTag: Music

who knew?

2006-07-10T14:48:00.000-07:00

Funny...Superchunk. David Cross and Janeane Garofalo.

TechTag: Music

Va-cat-ion

2006-07-07T16:23:00.000-07:00

Heading out to Chicago next week...

Any reccomendations for good vegetarian food?

Secretly Mining

2006-07-07T15:25:00.000-07:00

Nice song from Early Day Miners...from their soon (8.22.06) to be released album, Offshore.

Early Day Miners - Return Of The Native

Brilliant, bloody brilliant!

2006-07-07T15:16:00.000-07:00

I'm sure it's all over by now...

rewind and behind

2006-07-06T13:03:00.000-07:00

So far behind...life is slipping through my fingers...

Made another mix CD with my kids...it's such an interesting process, helping them make their disc. My son, who is 8, is starting to appreciate more complex music while my daughter, 4 1/2, loves the lyrics and ability to sing along with a song.

1) I'm A Little Dinosaur - Jonathan Richman
2) Three Feet High and Rising - Johnny Cash
3) Apocolypse Meow - You Say Party! We Say Die!
4) Underdog- The Dirtbombs
5) The Passenger - Iggy Pop
6) Choo Choo Train - The Box Tops
7) Steady As She Goes - The Raconteurs
8) Where I'm Anymore - Grandaddy
9) Ghosts - Ted Leo & The Pharmacists
10) Last Living Souls - Gorillaz
11) Owls Go (Remix by JimiC)- Architecture in Helsinki
12) Hearts of Oak - Ted Leo & the Pharmacists
13) Wild Wild Life - Talking Heads
14) Treehouse - I'm From Barcelona
15) Level - The Raconteurs
16) Pancakes for One - Of Montreal
17) Feel Good Inc. - Gorillaz
18) Do The Whirlwind Metronomy Remix - Architecture in Helsinki
19) The Passenger - Siouxsie & The Banshees

My son is a huge fan of the White Stripes, he's not completely sold on the Raconteurs yet (neither am I) but he's interested in them, thus the two songs by them. The Passenger is one of their favorite songs, thus both versions of that made the cut. The chorus' in both Apocalypse Meow and Where' I'm Anymore have meow in them, you can't help but sing along to those tracks!

TechTag: Music

Boing Boing: Nigerian Letter scammer convinced to carve replica Commodore 64

2006-06-28T16:58:00.000-07:00

Via Boing Boing, comes this hysterical account of turning the tables on an e-mail scammer. Wonderful, if true.

The tale of John Boko

take a deep breath

2006-06-15T16:32:00.000-07:00

Okay...I'm gonna challenge you a bit here...take everything you know about UB40 and throw it out the door. Empty your mind, if you will of all preconceived notions...forget "Red, Red Wine" and "I Got You, Babe." Pretend like they never did a reggae cover version of somebody else's hits.

When they first started out, UB40 were a politically influenced band...a band with a pretty strong opinion and an equally strong sound. One who's name comes from the U.K. unemployment form one filled out and was a slang term for the unemployed. They sang of racism and labor issues...and well, then they made an album of songs they were influenced by, a tribute album and it sold like nothing they had ever recorded before and something changed...but anyway...enjoy a couple of tracks from some of their earlier releases.

UB40 - My Way Of Thinking (12" version) REMOVED
UB40 - Burden of Shame REMOVED

Here's their Wikipedia entry as well as their own site and a link to encourage your purchasing of their albums.

TechTag: Music

Never Enough

2006-06-15T16:21:00.000-07:00

Rhino Records does it again...this time with Depeche Mode. They've re-released some of their earlier albums, Speak & Spell, Music For The Masses and Violator and given them the royal treatment.

Thank you Rhino!

I got a promo copy of Speak & Spell, my favorite Depeche Mode album and I must say the sound quality is wonderful...the 5.1 mix on the DVD is wonderfully lush and full, giving the album a new sound without losing the original intent. And the new mix on the CD is not a let down either. My only complaint...the bonus tracks on the DVD aren't on the CD. Other than that, a highly recommended disc. As far as new material? Song wise, there isn't anything new here, but there is a short film that's a bit of a treat.

If you aren't familiar with this album, the sound is a bit different than their later stuff, a pop-ier version of Depeche Mode, if you will. Mainly the influence of Vince Clark, who left right after the band got signed and went on to form Yaz and later Erasure, who have recently reformed.

You can buy the album over at Rhino as well as listen to samples of the tracks, highly recommended.

TechTag: Music

water supply

2006-06-09T13:42:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize that Kill Rock Stars had put together this compilation of Delta 5 material...

I'm bleeding cash...somebody help me!

Delta 5 - Now That You've Gone

These guys formed in the late 70's and didn't last long enough...check out this interview as well. Kill Rock Stars has a ton of mp3s for your listening pleasure, and they encourage you to use them in your podcasts.

dip into the past/future

2006-06-09T13:16:00.000-07:00

Heh...Mona Soyoc of Kas Product fame has her own site up with one song there...not much else...but it's interesting to hear.

Mona Soyoc -Warrior Lord of the Wind

Also see Just For A Day's post on Kas Product.

mixed feelings

2006-06-01T21:32:00.000-07:00

I'd go to the show, i admit...but there's something strange about them reforming...The Specials set to reform?

you might get lost

2006-05-31T18:13:00.000-07:00

But at least you'll have fun:
trashfan
a collection and commentary of 80's music videos...enjoy.

...silence...

2006-05-26T09:47:00.000-07:00

Wow. It's hard to even type this one.

Just found out that Desmond Dekker died yesterday of a heart attack at 64 years old. I will miss him. He is the source of my son's name and a legend.

Desmond Dekker - The King Of Ska REMOVED

Jamaican Ska Star Desmond Dekker Dies

evolution

2006-05-23T08:56:00.000-07:00

The Attorneys continue to pump out the music...and the fun part is they let us in on their process, sharing their demos and allowing us a peak into their creative process:

The Attorneys - Madison (live practice) REMOVED
The Attorneys - Madison (definitive version) REMOVED

Interesting to see the differences...and the similarities. They're seem pretty strong in the studio, would be nice to see them live.

_______________

The Guillomots have a demo track up on their myspace site, check it out, mellow and good. The more I here of these guys the more I like. Can't wait for the full length July 10th. It's slated to be called "Through The Windowpane." The track on their site is a demo of "White Rag." Their new video for "Lovesong" is out as well. I haven't been able to find that, but here's the acousitc performance of "Trains to Brazil"

REMOVED

TechTag: Music