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March 30, 2005
Sparks
Auf Wiedersehen to the beat.
Posted by jimweed at 01:04 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
March 28, 2005
Air Miami
I won't say one word about the consistent quality of 4AD bands because these are things that needn't be discussed. Air Miami = now defunct 4AD band from Washington D.C. Me, Me Me is 10 years old, sounds like it's 15 years old, and still holds up nicely today. The music is taut and snug. Jangly, yet satisfying. Springlike, yet tense. Reflective, yet detached (okay, I'll shut it right up). Don't let the foolish art work (an anamoly for 4AD) trick you.
You can get more Air Miami at emusic. I suggest you start with "Neely" which is this chirpy and innocuous-sounding pop song with the lyric "Hey, hey, I'm gonna fuck you up today." When you're listening to it, your ears hear that lyric and your head pops up from whatever you're doing and you go, "oh yeah?" It sounds like this pretty wimpy kid saying it but he's so at ease with himself that you start to think that maybe you'd better get away from him.
Posted by jimweed at 08:03 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
March 23, 2005
Stereolab
Another cut from the Moog soundtrack. When people study our civilization centuries from now, Stereolab is going to be KEY in helping them wrap their minds around our times. You might be saying "Radiohead this, Pixies that" and you'd be mostly right. Two-thirds to be exact. I would know.
The band is touring the states in May.
Posted by jimweed at 09:04 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
March 21, 2005
Jean Jacques Perrey
This piece is from the soundtrack to the documentary Moog (2004). Jean Jacques Perrey, in addition to having an infectious frown-smile, is a pioneer in space age pop and all things analog. He was a proponent of the Ondioline, an electronic keyboard instrument invented by Georges Jenny in the 1940s (and inspiration for the Stereloab song "Jenny Ondioline"). "E.V.A" has a very 60s Space Mountain feel and according to his website, it is Perrey's third favorite track because:
...it is timeless and futuristic. Also, it is a tribute to the first man who walked on the moon.
You can secure your own copy of the Moog sountrack here or on iTunes. If you like Moog-related sounds, it's worth your while. The GIF below will take you to Jean Jacques' netsite.
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March 18, 2005
Magnet
I'm pretty sure this Bob Dylan cover is going to be the death of me.
Magnet = Norwegian Even Johansen.
Posted by jimweed at 10:26 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
March 16, 2005
Half-handed Cloud
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Half-handed Cloud - You Get A Horseshoe
If a post-pubescent Stuart Little sang lo-fi Broadway showtunes, this is what it would sound like. Half-handed Cloud (who tour in an ambulance) played at Kilby last night. There were 17 or so people there which is kind of embarrassing/uncomfortable until the artist sings and you realize what a waste of energy it is to get embarrassed/uncomfortable. They played with straight faces and laughs were had by all.
Half-handed Cloud is part of Sounds Familyre which is home to Sufjan Stevens and the Danielson Famile. It's kind of like a Christian version of Elephant 6. Good things are happening amongst these folk and there seems to be some kind of zeitgeist going on.
Posted by jimweed at 10:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 14, 2005
The Sugarplastic
The Sugarplastic - Autumn All The Time
The Sugarplastic - The Harvestman
It confuses that The Sugarplastic don't receive more notoriety than they do. I think the front man, Ben Eshbach, deliberately tries to remain insconspicuous. He hates performing live and I get the impression from interviews I've read that to him, fame is obnoxious. They get compared to XTC which I guess I kind of get. Only they do what XTC was trying to do better than XTC did it.
These two tracks are from the newest album Will. "Autumn All The Time" is more like an ambient guitar riff than a song. "The Harvestman" is like a giant crescendo that ends with a nice little harp bit.
Posted by jimweed at 09:51 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 09, 2005
Of Montreal
Of Montreal - Wraith Pinned To The Mist And Other Games
Pretending you don't exist is an unusual past time, if you've ever done that. I do it sometimes when I'm looking at self in the mirror and wondering what I'd be if I wasn't me. It sends my brain in to this loop of redundancy and stupor of thought. I was much better at it when I was a kid.
Track is from upcoming Of Montreal album The Sunlandic Twins. Disco bassline and rhythm win. Of Montreal was the most fun I had at a show last year and I suggest going next time they're in town.
Thanks to Miss Trudy for the track.
Posted by jimweed at 02:06 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
March 07, 2005
Common + Laetitia Sadier
Common - New Wave (MP3)
This is a random collaboration between Common and Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab. Not really sure how that happened but I'm pretty okay with it. It's a rather pedestrian hip-hop track until Laetitia starts singing to a church organ a little over a minute into it (wherein the song turns into magic).
This is from Common's album Electric Circus (2002) which features all manner of collaboration.
Posted by jimweed at 03:44 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
March 02, 2005
Nellie McKay
Nellie McKay - Change the World (AAC)
Last summer I was sampling music at the Border's listening station with my friend and his 14 year-old brother. His brother handed me the headphones and said, "Listen to this crap." So I listened and thought it was kind of good and bought the disc a few days later (because his 14 year-old brother might not think I was cool if I bought that crap in front of him).
Nellie McKay has been described as a cross between Eminem and Doris Day which seems apt. How talented she is is ridiculous. She was 19 when this album was released. It's a bit over-produced. Like some corporate folk discovered her and said "Hey, this kid can sing" and put a lot of $ into it. I bet she would make something just as good sans the session musicians and producers and 20 page cd sleeve. I mean, it's her livelihood and all and I'd prolly sign the big contract. And also, who am I but a humble consumer?
More here.
Posted by jimweed at 10:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack