Tape Rock

everybody's down

2007-11-12T11:00:00.000-08:00

Not only are No Age the face of the Los Angeles underground, but they're easily my favorite band of 2007. Their perfect 'diamond in the rough' blend of lo-fi bombast meets artsy pop made quite a splash at last month's CMJ festival and their Sub Pop contract and new material show no signs of slowing down.

"Everybody's Down" - the standout from this years' Weirdo Rippers LP is two-chord rock at its finest (although the best part of the song is the one time Randy hits that third chord.) This is the 4th song of November's mix, and is what's beautiful about living in L.A. To know this song you have to see it live, so here's the next best thing:

lovers who uncover

2007-11-07T16:54:00.000-08:00

This song showed up on my radar awhile back in the form of another Crystal Castles remix. I kind of like the original better - which is rare for a CC remix. Little Ones are from around these parts and this song is pretty much all I know of them. They're currently touring other countries with Kaiser Chiefs, becoming popular, and all that good stuff.

The video has some sweet shots of my dream Fender Jaguar guitar and sort a cute concept, so check it out:

be set free

2007-11-06T11:32:00.001-08:00

A little Langhorne love this morning:

run to your graves

2007-11-05T10:53:00.000-08:00

November's second installment comes in the form of The Mae Shi's poppiest number "Run To Your Graves." Due out on their upcoming release HLLLYH, this has been a live staple of theirs for awhile now and always a fan favorite. Having randomly walked into their performances numerous times when I've been there to see other acts, this is the band I've probably seen 'by accident' more than any other band.
If you're unfamiliar with the band here's an introduction from their Myspace:

If you are just hearing of us now, you missed out on four records and 250 shows of busted electronics, spazzier-than-fuck drums, crazy-ass boogie guitar, distorted caveman bass and throat-destroying vocals. You missed us playing in 100 different basements and garages to 100s of different kids. You missed our 59-minute-long debut EP and our 5RC debut full-length, Terrorbird, which was a hyper ADD-afflicted hip-hop concept album about monsters and the Old Testament. You missed six different home-screened t-shirt designs and our 2004 mix tape, which collected our favorite 1200 songs in under 80 minutes. You missed Heartbeeps, which was the next step in our self-improvement plan, in which we put our best foot forward and tried to state our case powerfully and succinctly in 15 minutes.

Here's the brand new video (released last week) for Run To Your Graves featuring members of the band, HEALTH, 14 Year Old Girls, and DJ Kyle H. Mabson. Pretty fun concept, so enjoy:

November 2007

2007-11-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

TADA! After a three-plus month hiatus, TapeRock is back just in time for the month of November's mixtape. I apologize to all (two) of you who were looking forward to the August, September, and October installments but we'll start up right where we left off...

This month our mix is going to be made up of songs from L.A. based bands. There are so many great bands that have been a mainstay in our scene out here as well as tons of up and comers. Expect some changes around here in the coming weeks, especially once I get my new computer up and running at home.

Our first song for November has been one of my favorites for a couple months. It's a remix of an L.A. band via a non-L.A. band - so it still counts as local. HEALTH vs. Crystal Castles - Crimewave is the track. HEALTH is a band that's been apart of the L.A. scene for awhile now. Head over to their MySpace if you don't know what they're all about or even read this terrific interview from WeShotJR. This song was the catchiest song of the summer and I'm excited for some of you to hear it if you haven't yet. It's one of those songs that makes you want to hit the Play button once it's over.

FUCK YEAH FEST IV!

2007-08-20T12:03:00.000-07:00

July Mix - 15. Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues

2007-08-01T10:36:00.000-07:00

For the final song of the Album Opener Mix I had to go with what I know best. Dylan does album openers better than anyone - he always has great songs at track #1. "Blowin' in the Wind," "The Times They Are A-Changin'," "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" to name a few were all album openers. Hell, Rolling Stone magazine's #1 song of all-time "Like a Rolling Stone" was one of Dylan's A1's. I picked this one, "Subterranean Homesick Blues" because it's an all-time favorite of mine and also because it's a nice compact, upbeat number perfectly suited for the mix tape format. Check out the seminal video for this song from D.A. Pennebaker's doc "Don't Look Back":
This concludes our July Mix. Expect a download link as soon as I get moved into my new place and compile all the songs...

July Mix - 14. Arcade Fire - Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)

2007-07-30T11:52:00.000-07:00

There isn't a lot to say about this song because it's an obvious pick for the mix. When I heard this album before all of the hype, this was by far the stand out track to me. A classic beginning to what has become a classic album already. I'm not a big fan of their latest effort, but this record will go down as one of the best of the 00's. This will be a good lead in to our last song. Tune in tomorrow for the official final July tracklist. Here's the music video for it:

New Weakerthans Song!

2007-07-30T11:23:00.000-07:00

I'm kind of surprised to see this band getting some music blog love. I've appreciated The Weakerthans since high school but their brand of poppy alt. country rock can teeter into whiny territory and thus attract the haters. This song, "Night Windows" is the first leak from their upcoming release Reunion Tour on Epitaph Records. It sounds like the good ol' Weakerthan sound and I'm glad for it. Pretty slow and shiny, the band waits until the end of the song to release the hook and the title lyric. Definitely worth a listen (or two.) Reunion Tour due out 9/25.

Joanna Newsome Playing LA With Orchestra

2007-07-30T11:11:00.000-07:00

Joanna Newsom appears to be next in line for the latest fad in indie music - going orchestral. So far the harpist has 4 U.S. orchestral dates scheduled including one at L.A.'s Walt Disney Music Hall. According to Pitchfork she is touring with a 28 piece ensemble (I'm assuming she will not be using the L.A. Phil like Decemberists and Bright Eyes.) The show is slated for November 9th. Her sound lends itself to this sort of spectacle and you can bet I'll be in attendance. In the meantime check out this video of her solo performance of (my favorite of her songs) "Sadie." It's funny to hear such an uproarious reception to such a soft and pretty song. The last verse of this song is to die for...

July Mix - 13. Wolf Parade - You Are A Runner And I Am My Father's Son

2007-07-27T12:26:00.000-07:00

This song comes off one of my favorite records of 2005 Apologies To The Queen Mary and sets off one of the best one-two punches to start an album I can think of. "You Are a Runner..." begins with a punchy kick/open hi-hat drum beat and sets the tone for the rest of the album. This is a perfect place in the mix for this song with it coming off the heels of Modest Mouse's track. Isaac Brock is responsible for signing this band and produced most of the album (and you can tell WP borrowed a lot from him, especially vocal stylings.)

Zach Galifianakis and Will Oldham - Can't Tell Me Nothin'

2007-07-26T12:09:00.000-07:00

Via KanyeWest.com: In another brilliant move by Kanye West to garner indie blog attention, he has commissioned funnyman Zach Galifianakis and folkster Will Oldham to redo his music video for "Can't Tell Me Nothin'." The original video and single was catching a lot of flak, because, well they both kind of suck. This video parodies the seriousness of the song, and seeing Kanye's more lighthearted side makes me like the single more. Even though he doesn't appear in the video, I've read that the spoof was his idea. Check it out for yourself here at KanyeWest.com. It's worth the couple minutes especially for fans of Zach's. If you watch you can catch Will cracking up in the silhouette shots.

July Mix - 12. Modest Mouse - 3rd Planet

2007-07-26T11:24:00.000-07:00

I originally wanted to include "Teeth Like God's Shoe Shine" off of The Lonesome Crowded West, but at six minutes plus, it breaks every rule for a mix tape. "3rd Planet" is a classic Modest Mouse track and has always been one of my personal favorites and The Moon and Antarctica is their second best album. This song is the perfect way to kick off the album and will make for a great addition to the mix.

Ben Kweller Will Play All 3 Albums in LA

2007-07-26T10:34:00.000-07:00

In the wake of the Pitchfork Music Festival getting classic indie bands to play their magnum opuses (sp?) in their entirety (Sonic Youth's Daydream Nation or The GZA's Liquid Swords) Ben Kweller announced that he's going to do something similar in NY and LA. Over the course of a three night stint at The Echo, Ben will play Sha Sha the first night, I'm On My Way the second night, and the newer self-titled album on the third night. For 18 bucks you can see just one album, or for 50 bucks (yikes) you can buy a pass for all three. Click here if you're interested in buying said tickets. The NY shows are already sold out (besides the I'm On My Way show. Ha!) I'm definitely going to check out the Sha Sha show.

Fuck Yeah Fest in L.A. Times

2007-07-24T11:52:00.000-07:00

Today's Times edition features a writeup of Echo Park's Summer music festival. Fuck Yeah Fest takes place this August and with bands like Deerhunter and The Explosion slated to play, the Los Angeles mass media is taking some notice. Read the article here. We're all still waiting to hear who the "special guest" will be, who is supposedly being announced the week of the shows. For the time being check out this Deerhunter music video for their song "Lake Somerset" off the newest LP Cryptograms. If you don't know anything about this band click here and read up, their controversy is actually more interesting than their music.

July Mix - 11. Joanna Newsom - Bridges and Balloons

2007-07-23T16:08:00.000-07:00

The fact that Joanna Newsom is such a divisive artist has baffled me for a couple years now. I was in love with her lyrical imagery, her musicianship, and her one-of-a-kind voice from the first half of a song that I heard of hers. But I have met more than a handful of people that just plain cannot stand her - and I honestly don't see how. This song opens up one of my favorite albums of 2004, The Milk Eyed Mender. The melodies that Newsom weaves throughout this song (and the entire album) are remarkable. There is also a Colin Meloy (Decemberists) cover of this song that is pretty great as well. Check out both (live) versions of the song for yourself:
Joanna:

Colin (live in studio):

Jeff Mangum: Live At Jittery Joe's

2007-07-23T15:34:00.000-07:00

I came across this album today while surfing through a co-workers iTunes library and was baffled as to how this slipped through the cracks for me all these years. Recorded in 1997 and released 2001, this album was released to try and capitalize on eBay sales of bootlegged Neutral Milk Hotel concerts. The sound quality is higher than the typical bootleg but still has a rustic and authentic "live" feel that gives Mangum's voice and guitar the perfect saturation. Here's a cut off the album, one of NMH's classics "Two Headed Boy" complete with baby/child screaming in the background (and the first time the child chimes in it's so perfectly timed, it feels staged.)

New Vanderslice Song, Album Drops Tomorrow

2007-07-23T10:01:00.000-07:00

With John Vanderslice's new album Emerald City hitting stores tomorrow there's been a lot of buzz today. I found this new song called "Tablespoon of Codeine" that is being tagged as the "centerpiece" of the album. Featuring an ethereal soundscape and some nuanced drum loops this song is laden with interesting instrumentals. The song starts innocent enough but slowly becomes more urgent and dissonant before dying out to the lone piano and drum loop. Pretty cool effort from JV, but I'll be more excited to hear it in context with the rest of the record. Check it out for yourself:

July Mix - 10. Pixies - Debaser

2007-07-20T12:06:00.000-07:00

From their 1989 release, Doolittle, Pixies' "Debaser" is one of those songs that was ahead of its time. Going back and listening to it this morning, I realize that this is what every single band on the radio back in 1996 sounded like (a good 7 years or so after its release.) There are some bands that are still ripping off the Pixies and this song even today. There's a really cool article on Wiki about the album and also about this particular song. You can check out all the details for yourself if you'd like. Here's the music video for the song:

The Good Life Divulge New LP Info

2007-07-20T10:06:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting to hear this news ever since the day I bought The Good Life's last release, Album of the Year. I've always been a Cursive supporter, but over the last couple years I have become more of a Good Life fan and have yet had the chance to see them live. I'm excited to hear that they plan on releasing an EP (Heartbroke) before the LP (Help Wanted Nights) in true Saddle Creek fashion. The last EP precursor to Album of the Year has my favorite song of theirs on it so the new 7'' has a lot to live up to. Pitchfork released the tracklisting for both releases today:

Help Wanted Nights:

01 On the Picket Fence
02 A Little Bit More
03 Heartbroke
04 You Share of Men
05 You Don't Feel Like Home to Me
06 Keely Aimee
07 Playing Dumb
08 Some Tragedy
09 So Let Go
10 Rest Your Head

Heartbroke:

01 Heartbroke
02 Thirty-Year Evaluation

No song has been posted as of yet, but in the meantime check out my aforementioned fav off of the Lovers Need Lawyers EP called "Always a Bridesmaid"

New Kanye Artwork

2007-07-18T15:21:00.000-07:00

Via KanyeWest.com: Here's the new artwork for Kanye's latest single "Stronger." Click here to check out the music video. This has me pumped for the unveiling of Graduation artwork.

July Mix - 9. Ben Kweller - How It Should Be (Sha Sha)

2007-07-18T14:16:00.000-07:00

Ben Kweller's "Sha Sha" was meant to be the first song for Side B of the tape, but I kind of forgot to put it in slot 7 or 8 so there might be a slight edit in the ordering of things. I had always thought that this was a cool way to open an album, with an extremely catchy, goofy, and short song. It only clocks in at somewhere around 1:30. This album is one of those CD's I've never really gotten tired of. I never played it out like I've done with so many other things, so I can still go back and listen to it every once in a while. Here's a live recording of Ben playing it in Cincinnati:

Coming Attractions: Plastic Little

2007-07-18T10:28:00.000-07:00

Friday night Philly's Plastic Little is hitting The Echoplex for the bi-monthly Check Yo' Ponytail dance party. Known more for their raunchy lyrics than their flow, this group seems like they're going to be a trip to see. Any rap song that samples The Cure's "Close To Me" is a-okay in my book. Friday's bill at the Echplx also includes Thunderheist from Montreal and a couple DJ's. Check out Plastic Little's "The Jumpoff":

Fuck Yeah Fest IV (2007) Lineup Announced!

2007-07-17T17:32:00.000-07:00

I've been keeping a keen eye on the FYF MySpace in hopes of a lineup announcement, and the list was posted yesterday.... annnnnd it's going to be sweet. Lavender Diamond, Dillinger Four, The Mae Shi, Langhorne Slim highlight Saturday and Deerhunter, No Age, Pissed Jeans, Best Fwends, xBxRx highlight Sunday. Here's a look at the full list:

Saturday, August 25th
The Explosion
Lavender Diamond
Dillinger Four
Busdriver
Boom Bip
Entrance
American Stee
The Mae Shi
The Fleshies
Bobby Birdman
Residual Echoes
Imaad Wasif
Times New Viking
Hit Me Back
Thee More Shallows
Langhorne Slim
Greg Ashely of Gris Gris
Partyline (members of Bratmobile)
Brother Reade
Wooden Shjips
Love or Perish
Devon Williams
Luke Top
Sabertooth Tiger
Sleepover
+many more

Sunday, August 26th
Deerhunter
Indian Jewelry
No Age
Midnight Movies
Jay Reatard
Pissed Jeans
xBxRx
Darker My Love
Foreign Born
The Nice Boys
Great Northern
Triclops
Red Fang
Best Fwends
Vultures (San Diego)
Moonrats
Rumspringa
The Strange Boys
Abe Vigoda
Bad Dudes
Jail Wedding
+ many many more TBA.

July Mix - 8. Talking Heads - Psycho Killer (Live)

2007-07-17T14:33:00.000-07:00

I feel like the record version of this song has had a resurgence of sorts in my life and is getting closed to becoming played out - but not this version. This live take, which is the opening track from the Heads' 1983 live release Stop Making Sense is nothing short of brilliant. Featuring just David Byrne and a boombox on stage, this song and performance was a precursor to a lot of today's bands that mix prerecorded material with live instrumentation. If you know the studio version of this song but not this one, you're in for a treat. Check out the video above from the Stop Making Sense DVD.

Coming Attractions: Vampire Weekend

2007-07-17T11:14:00.000-07:00

I just came across Vampire Weekend recently and they've got a very distinct (and cool) sound. I had read Fela Kuti meets The Strokes, but I hear more Talking Heads and Paul Simon meets (insert any number of current dance punk band here.) They are slated to play The Silverlake Lounge tonight with Eastern Conference Champions. After tonight's gig, the band heads north to San Fran for a sold out date with The Shout Out Louds. Check out my favorite song of theirs, Oxford Comma:

July Mix - 7. Spoon - Everything Hits At Once

2007-07-16T12:39:00.000-07:00

In honor of tonight's secret Spoon show at Little Radio (that I'm still currently waiting to hear back on whether I'm going or not) I've selected their opening track off 2001's Girls Can Tell. This song embodies everything that I like about this band - interesting arrangements and instrumentation coupled with a funky feel. This is from my second favorite Spoon record but it's their best album opener. It's also a good change of pace for the mix. Check out this really cool animated video for the song:I'm keeping my fingers crossed for tonight's show.

Bright Eyes Animations

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

Via saddlecreek.com: Polydor Records has commissioned 5 animators to make short videos for songs off of Bright Eyes' latest release Cassadaga. The songs are "I Must Belong Somewhere," "Clairaudients," "Lime Tree," "No One Would Riot For Less," and "Soul Singer in a Session Band." So far I've only seen the "I Must Belong Somewhere" one and it's pretty cool. Check out the story and links to all the videos here at DigitalArts.

Weekend Concert Roundup: Los Angeles

2007-07-13T15:21:00.000-07:00

Friday, July 13th
Icarus Line @ El Cid
Os Mutantes, Busdriver @ El Rey Theatre
Shitting Glitter, Death By Doll @ Pehrspace
David Vandervelde, Blitzen Trapper @ Spaceland
Lemon Sun @ The Echo
Glassjaw @ The Glass House
The Muslims, Soft Hands, The A.M., Anchors For Architects @ The Smell
The 88, The Satisfaction @ Troubadour

Saturday, July 14th
Jessica Fichot @ Amoeba Music- Hollywood
Bitter:Sweet, Meiko, Basa Band @ El Rey Theatre
Divisadero, The Devils, Romantics, Meredith Meyer, Love, Christine @ Pehrspace
The Rentals, Goldenboy, Kyle Chipman @ Spaceland
Howlin' Rain, Citay, The Moon Upstairs @ The Echo
Hard Place, Laco$te, Ponce De Leon, Guam, Duchess of Tek @ The Scene
DiGiTS, Cryptacize, I Think I Did Something Wrong, Duhkha @ The Smell
Persephone's Bees, Something for Rockets @ Troubadour

Artist Spotlight: The Teeth

2007-07-13T12:25:00.000-07:00

I went to see Dr. Dog play last night at the Echo and was treated to an opening set by labelmates The Teeth. This Philly quartet is comprised of old time rock 'n roll sensibility with some good natured goofiness. Their command of the stage came from not only tight-knit rocking out, but also from the lead guitarists' extraordinary handlebar mustache. It looked like one of those fake ones you'd see in an amateur video project, yet I'm almost positive it's real. They put out a new LP called You're My Lover Now about a month ago and it's a really great album. Check out their music video for the song "So Long," where you can see that glorious mustache in full form:

M. Ward & "The Go Getter"

2007-07-12T12:03:00.000-07:00

I just saw the yet-to-be-released movie "The Go Getter" the other night and I really enjoyed it. The movie stars Lou Pucci (Thumbsucker) and Zooey Deschanel with a smaller role from Jena Malone. Merge Records folkstar M. Ward did most of the soundtrack and even had a really quick cameo in the film. The rest of the soundtrack is flushed out with a couple Black Keys licks and an Elliott Smith song. The movie has yet to nail down distribution, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time until this one hits major cities. Check out the MySpace. Here's part of the tracklist I've been able to dig up thus far:

1. M. Ward - Vincent O'Brien
2. M. Ward & Zooey Deschanel - When I Get to the Border (Richard and Linda Thompson cover)
3. Elliott Smith - Coast to Coast
4. The Black Keys - 10 AM Automatic

July Mix - 6. Weezer - My Name is Jonas

2007-07-12T10:33:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure that any album over the course of my life has helped shape my musical palate as much as Weezer's Blue Album. I remember that BMG scam of a CD club had sent the CD to my older sister back in 1994 and upon first listen I promptly stole it from her. The opening track "My Name is Jonas" was slated to be the third single off the record but at the last minute "Say It Ain't So" was chosen instead. The acoustic intro to the song takes the listener in one direction and as soon as the distorted guitars kick in with the vocals, it yanks the listener in another direction. The call and response on this song work really well and it's one of the very few songs that original guitarist Jason Cropper had writing credits for (he came up with the acoustic pieces.) Check out Rivers' haircut in this live vid from the 2000 Warped Tour:

Spoon to Play "Secret" L.A. Date

2007-07-11T17:05:00.000-07:00

This post is coming a day too late, but I thought it was newsworthy anyways. Amoeba announced earlier last week that Spoon will be playing a "secret" show in Los Angeles. According to their website:

Spoon will be playing a secret show in Los Angeles on July 16th.

On July 10th at Amoeba Music in Hollywood, the first 150 people who
purchase Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (CD or LP) will receive a coupon from Merge
Records that will admit you to this very special (and secret) 21 and over
show!

One ticket per CD purchased. The coupon will explain how to register
with them to attend the show. Quantities are limited to the first 150
CDs/LPs purchased -- while they last!

The event is rumored to be going on at the home of Summer Camp, Little Radio (says Pitchfork) but I can't find anything about it on their official site. In the meantime, check out their vid for the new single "The Underdog":

Stars Release New Album 4 Days Upon Completion

2007-07-11T15:27:00.000-07:00

In another example of how Indies are much better at evolving than the Majors, Art & Crafts announced today that they are releasing the new Stars' album In Our Bedroom After the War today for legal downloading - only four days after wrapping!. From a Blogpost on Stars' MySpace:

We believe that the line between the media and the public is now completely grey. What is the difference between a writer for a big glossy music magazine and a student writing about their favourite bands on their blog? What differentiates a commercial radio station from someone adding a song to their lastfm channel? or their myspace page?

As such, we are making the new Stars album available for legal download today, four days after it's completion. The CD and double vinyl versions of the album will still be released on our official release date, September 25th. We hope you will continue to support music retailers should a physical album in all it's packaged glory be your choice of format.

You can buy the new album by clicking here.

July Mix - 5. Billy Bragg and Wilco - Airline to Heaven

2007-07-11T11:51:00.000-07:00

This song comes from 2000's Billy Bragg and Wilco collaboration Mermaid Avenue Vol II. The idea behind these releases is pretty cool - giving the words of Woody Guthrie to Wilco and folksinger Billy Bragg and seeing what kinds of songs they could come up with. The opening track, "Airline to Heaven" is my favorite off of this release and one of my favorite songs by Wilco overall. It displays one of the prettier melodies of Jeff Tweedy's and it works really well against the chugging beat of the music. The slide guitar solo in some of the live versions I've heard is mind-blowing. Whenever I hear this song, it's usually stuck in my head for the rest of the day. Check out a live video from a 2006 concert in Duluth MN:

Somebody Please Buy Dan Deacon Another Shirt

2007-07-10T16:51:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday in New York City
June 16th, when I saw him in L.A.
Dan in Dallas, June 13th

July Mix - 4. Radiohead - Airbag

2007-07-10T12:04:00.001-07:00

I was going to save this one for later on in the mix, but I think this theme leads to enough quality material that I don't really need to hold back. In honor of Stereogum's Tribute and the 10 year anniversary of OK Computer last week, Radiohead's "Airbag" is batting cleanup in the 4 spot. The song is about the feeling of having a near accident, and suddenly having this rush that life is all that more precious. The opening riff paired with the sleigh-bells kicks the song off powerfully, and Thom almost didn't get away with including the bells - the rest of the band was against them. I always am so enthralled to hear Radiohead studio tales, because with the way the songs turn out, it seems to be such a mystic recording experience. This album is in my top 4 favorite of all time and I absolutely love everything about this song. Here's a pretty cool live video of them performing the song back in 1997:

Stereogum's OK Computer Tribute

2007-07-10T11:38:00.000-07:00

Those guys over at Stereogum are up to some cool shit these days. Today, in commemoration of Radiohead's OK Computer's 10 Year Anniversary (has it really been 10 years?! Jesus) Stereogum has presented us with an album of covers by some interesting indie acts. It even comes complete with notes from each band/artist that performed the cover. Pretty neat stuff. My personal favorite so far is the John Vanderslice electronic twist of "Karma Police", but I'm only halfway through the album. Doveman's "Airbag" is also a very beautiful piano-based rendition. I suggest you check it out by clicking here!

Decemberists - Los Angeles I'm Yours (w/ L.A. Phil)

2007-07-09T16:46:00.000-07:00

YouTube's best sounding clip of The Decemberists performing with the LA Philharmonic last Saturday at the Hollywood Bowl. This song is pretty cool and the orchestra add a lot of oomph to it. I'm excited to see Bright Eyes perform with them as well later this summer. Check out this Playlist that someone set up on YouTube to view most of the songs from this show.

Chromatics - Night Drive

2007-07-09T14:52:00.001-07:00

I picked this song up via 20 Jazz Funk Greats and I haven't stopped listening to it all day. This song makes me wish that I was driving around at night doing things that I'm not supposed to be doing (and acting like it's no big deal.) I also think this would be a great film intro song from something in the mid-80's. I think I like this one better than that Bats For Lashes song I came across last week, and I wish this would get the same type of artsy music video treatment. Check it out!:

Chromatics: Night Drive

July Mix - 3. Beastie Boys - Sure Shot

2007-07-09T12:26:00.000-07:00

The Beastie Boys' Ill Communication will always be in my top 5 hip-hop albums of all time. The opening track, "Sure Shot" is debatably the best song on the album (I'd also make a case for "Root Down" as well.) Sure Shot's classic intro of that weird dog-like noise into a Jeremy Steig flute sample can instantly take most of my generation back to 1994. This song was the gateway to the most badass thing my 11 year old ears had ever heard. Check out the classic music video:

Weekend Concert Roundup: Los Angeles

2007-07-06T12:36:00.000-07:00

Friday July 6th
Rocco Deluca & the Burden @ Henry Fonda Theater
The Monolators, The Amateurs, The Cat Hair Ensemble @ Mr. T's Bowl
Hand Over Heart, Charlemagne, The Meemies, The Sister Ruby Band @ Pehrspace
Bloodcat Love, Crash Hot, The '87 Stick Up Kids @ Spaceland
Captain Ahab, The Death Set, Ponytail, Double Plus Good, Nosaj Thing @ The Smell
Mad Caddies, Cobra Skulls @ Troubadour

Saturday, July 7th
The Decemberists, Band of Horses, Andrew Bird @ Hollywood Bowl
The Rentals, Goldenboy, Shana Levy (of Lets go Sailing) @ Spaceland

July Mix - 2. The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

2007-07-06T09:57:00.000-07:00

The opening and title track off of what a lot of critics consider the most influential rock 'n roll album of all time deserves a spot on our July mix. The song was written by Paul but credited to both Paul and John. This opening song introduces Paul's 'role playing' concept for the whole record and let the listener know right off the bat that something a little different is going on here. This isn't the best song off the record by far, in fact at a paltry 2:02, some people would consider it merely an "intro" - but there's just something about that opening rip-roaring guitar tone that makes this song necessary for our July mix. Here's the video from the Yellow Submarine movie:

YouTube Evidence: Avril Lavigne Steals

2007-07-05T14:02:00.000-07:00

Via Ms. Lisa Kelley: Avril Lavigne is being sued by the 70's pop group The Rubinoos for allegedly stealing their hook for the song "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend" - and this YouTube video is blatant proof. Her representatives at Nettwerk Music Group are denying all claims of copyright infringement - but reports are saying they'll probably end up settling anyways. According to the Billboard article, Lavigne's manager Terry McBride says, "Our musicologist says there is no similarities of melody, choral progression or meter." Check it out for yourself...yikes!

No Age on an Etch-a-sketch

2007-07-05T12:58:00.000-07:00

At least they have good taste in music? I think this same dude tried to hit on my friends with an Etch-a-sketch once at a bar...

Another New Pornos Track - Myriad Harbor

2007-07-05T10:43:00.000-07:00

The New Pornographers have released another song from their upcoming release Challengers. The song is called "Myriad Harbor" and is written by the other songwriter in the band, Dan Bejar. It's unlike anything else I've heard from the band and I really like it. Three part vocals, subtle string arrangements, and retro jangly guitar tones make for a sweet mix - plus a woodblock(?) The record comes out August 21st.

Good Stuff: The New Pornographers - Myriad Harbor

July Mix - 1. Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit

2007-07-05T10:26:00.000-07:00

There's a lot of pressure in selecting the opening track to an Opening Track themed mix tape. So I went the safe route and chose the most obvious song for the spot. For anyone in my generation "Smells Like Teen Spirit" should be a little special. Even if you don't like the song - you still have to respect what it did for pop music. Now I know the sounds of Teen Spirit had been heard before this song came out, but never by such a wide audience. Having heard a couple people in the music industry recount their stories of exactly where they were when they first heard this song on the radio makes it even more seminal to me. Anyways, you've heard it all before - so here's the music video:

July Mix Tape - Album Openers

2007-07-05T09:39:00.000-07:00

Every great record has to have a great opening track. It's the first sounds a listener hears when first turning on a new album. Record labels pore over every minute detail when coming up with a tracklist, and it is no accident as to which song will end up in the #1 slot. I think this will be a fun theme because it'll give us a chance to explore some classic albums and explore the reasoning behind sequence selection. Also - opening tracks usually lend themselves to some upbeat and attention getting jams. E-mail, facebook, or comment on here with any suggestions you may have for July. June mixes will be available to download tonight, so stay tuned for a link.

Bright Eyes and the State of the Nation: MTV Video

2007-07-03T15:34:00.000-07:00

On MTV.com right now, they are running an MTV News special on Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes. The video is actually pretty cool, with John Norris interviewing Oberst about politics, songwriting, and the future. Well worth the five minutes to watch it. You can check it out here. It even features some vintage video and sound clips (albeit very short) of the pre-'MTV gives a shit' days of Bright Eyes.

Motherfuckin' Deathset!

2007-07-03T12:05:00.000-07:00

The DeathSet this Friday with Ponytail at The Smell! Only 5 bucks... Check out the song "Intermission" from their new 7'' out on Modular UK:

Tape Deck, Select
Burning Wreck, Broken Neck,
Dirty Speck, Bitches Wet,
Motherfucking DeathSet!
In your eye, weapons fly,
Don't even try to feel our size,
Wonder why the people cry
The Motherfuckin' DeathSet!

The DeathSet - Intermission

Download mp3

Matt & Kim - Yeah Yeah (Flosstradamus Remix) Video

2007-07-02T18:03:00.000-07:00

This video takes the cake for anything that I've found today. It's directed by Demonbabies for the Flosstradamus Remix of Matt & Kim's "Yeah Yeah." Really great concept for the video. Check it out!

Coming Attractions: Ponytail

2007-07-02T13:50:00.000-07:00

Another awesome Baltimore noise-punk outfit, Ponytail is scheduled to play Friday at The Smell with The Deathset. These guys play a spastic blend of free flowing jazz and rock with inane screechings by vocalist Molly Siegal - and somehow it all seems to work. Bursting with energy, the foursome rip through each song like their lives depend on it. Pitchfork gave their debut an impressive 8.1 and in the article reviewer Jess Harvel makes a good stab at someone who takes their music too seriously:

"When the music blog Idolator recently posted one of the band's songs, a grouch beefed in the comments box that they didn't have, like, a point. To which I'd say: if p-p-p-pure energy isn't reason enough for a rock band to exist, check your pulse and/or your stated reasons for liking music (or being alive) in the first place."

Check out their song "Lion Down" from the Monitor Records release, Kamehameha:

New Rilo Kiley Video - The Moneymaker

2007-07-02T11:35:00.000-07:00

I know everyone else is reporting on this video this morning, but I couldn't resist putting in my own two cents. Everything about this story is really slick, except for maybe the actual song. Warner Bros. Records' concept behind the whole marketing scheme is pretty cool. The idea of creating a faux porn site to "release" the new video, making the viewer sift through almost 10 minutes of porn-star interviews and then the actual video are all kind of a neat, um, package - but it still doesn't make the song any better. I have to commend Rilo Kiley for trying out something different - their last three or so albums have all been made up of the same aural palette. I just wish that this "different sound" was good, because I really like this band. I guess the fact that I keep waiting for Jenny to bust into the BeeGees' "Stayin Alive" at every chorus might have something to do with it. Check it out for youself by clicking here... you can actually skip through the interviews by sliding the little green thing about 5/7's of the way through.

June Mix - 15. UB40 - Red, Red Wine

2007-07-02T10:10:00.000-07:00

The finale to our summer mix is UB40's classic "Red Red Wine." If this doesn't remind you of family vacations from back in the day, I don't know what will. Interestingly, I just found out that this song was originally written by Neil Diamond and was covered by both Tony Tribe and UB40 (thanks wiki!) I guess this song sort of makes for the lack of any kind of reggae on the summer mix, but not really. It was a toss up between this song or "Don't Worry Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin, but this song was a specific request (and it's also a tapemix friendly three and a half minutes.) Mixes will be available for download sometime tonight and available upon request on tape or CD. Here's the music video for the last song:

June Mix - 14. The Go! Team - Panther Dash

2007-07-02T09:58:00.000-07:00

I'm playing a little catchup on the June mix by bleeding into the beginning of July. The second to last song for the summer mix comes by way of London's The Go! Team. "Panther Dash" is the opening track to their debut record and it's a peppy jam with an extremely catchy harmonica melody. This whole album goes really well with being outside in the warm weather, and I thought that this song was a good showcase of all the elements that make The Go! Team awesome. Next time they come through town, I'll be sure to check them out.

New Margot Material Surfaces

2007-06-29T11:50:00.000-07:00

Indiana's Margot and the Nuclear So and So's have been keeping themselves busy with a new album despite splitting from their record label. Even though they're running out of money, the band is trying to forge ahead by playing shows and hopefully finishing the new record to shop around. They've said that they were getting offers at SXSW from labels but wanted to wait to finish the album. They have a gig booked in August opening for The Fray so hopefully they'll be getting some cash out of that. My Old Kentucky Blog just posted some live studio cuts of their new material and it's different from I've heard out of them before. They are stripped down, slow, and contain mostly sad lyrical content - but I have a feeling the songs will be more flushed out with the rest of the band on the actual record. Take a listen:
1. Children's Crusade On Acid
2. Untitled
3. The Ocean

Stars - "The Night Starts Here"

2007-06-29T10:30:00.000-07:00

Arts & Crafts are at it again with another Stars release. The new album is called In Our Bedroom After the War and is set for a September 25th release. A new song from the album was posted today called "The Night Starts Here." From what I can hear in this song, the band isn't straying too far from their sound on the last record Set Yourself on Fire - and I like it. I feel that they do the vocal-trading airy synth thing better than anyone else and I'm glad they're sticking to what they do best. Although it may tread the line of being a tad repetitive, I think it shows promise for what the rest of the record may hold. Check it out for yourself:

Coming Attractions: The DeathSet

2007-06-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

The DeathSet is another awesome punk duo that I've been getting into lately. They run around with Best Fwends, Dan Deacon, Japanther, No Age, and are one of the bands getting attention from promoter extraordinaire Todd P. They play a guitar frenzy to preprogrammed iPod beats, and before you know it the song is over. The part about this duo that I really latch onto, is that amongst all of this racket and noise that they are creating, the songs remain very pop-sensitive. All it took was one listen to their song "Paranoia"'s chorus and I was wide-eyed. They're set to come to town to play The Smell with Baltimore friends Ponytail on Friday July 6th. Here's a video shot for the song "Negative Thinking" off their new 7''.
And check out the song Paranoia from one of their older EP's To:

June Mix - 13. The Allman Brothers Band - Blue Sky

2007-06-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

This song has been part of my consciousness since I can remember. Everything from the guitar tone, to the key it's in, to Dickey Betts' down on the farm vocals makes this song perfect for driving around in nice weather with the windows open. The song comes off of The Allmans' Eat A Peach LP and was the first song that Betts ever sang lead on. A cool FYI about the bridge solo in the song is that Betts and Duane Allman both play it. If you listen closely you can hear the switch about halfway through the solo @ the 2:30 mark of the song. The two guitarists sync up on a riff - signaling the trade-off. Here's a video of the ABB doing it live in 1981, except without Duane unfortunately. Check out that dude in the red pants playing tambourine!

The Polyphonic Spree - Lithium

2007-06-28T10:13:00.000-07:00

A video of The Polyphonic Spree doing a Nirvana cover from their homecoming Dallas show the other night. I love this song, and it's a good choice for them - I just wish they would have made it their own and put a little more of a twist on it. But those shows look like a lot of fun. This makes me want to go buy tickets for their L.A. date.

June Mix - 12. Bananarama - Cruel Summer

2007-06-27T13:01:00.001-07:00

This song is perfect for the mix for a slew of reasons. First off, it provides a nice contrast to the happy-go-lucky summer tunes like The Barracudas' "Summer Fun" and Blink's "Rock Show." Secondly, (and more importantly) this song is featured in one of my favorite films, The Karate Kid. It's played during the scene that Daniel is riding his bike to the first day of school. This 1983 release was a breakout song for Bananarama in native Britain, but didn't become a U.S. hit until the Karate Kid inclusion. It's a good track to set us off on the homestretch for the June mix. Here's the crappy Dukes of Hazard influenced music video for "Cruel Summer":

Artist Spotlight: Meneguar

2007-06-27T10:44:00.001-07:00

This Brooklyn four piece formed in 2004 and has put out a full length, an EP, and has another full length in the works for September. Their style of indie punk is pretty cool - it contains some edge but they aren't trying to be something that they aren't. They've played with Matt and Kim, Dan Deacon, and No Age to name a few and they're hitting the road this fall in both Europe and the U.S. to support the new record. Here's a cut of their 2005 full length I Was Born At Night called "The Temp":

New Kanye Video - Stronger

2007-06-27T09:50:00.001-07:00

Kanye West has released his second video already from the forthcoming album, Graduation - and it's not a minute too soon after how poorly the first single was received. This time around Kanye and director Hype Williams approach the Daft Punk-sampled song with robots and Japanese subtitles (instead of over-glamorized shots of Kanye in the desert.) With such lofty expectations placed on Ye's shoulders for this song, a lot of people are starting to voice their disappointment for the song and the new album in general. I like this song. Yeah, the Daft sample probably could have been used a tad more creatively, but overall I think the song shows the classic Kanye flow and as always - an interesting beat.

Coming Attractions: Two Gallants

2007-06-26T11:10:00.000-07:00

Two Gallants, the San Francisco duo bring their brand of twangy alt. country rock to L.A. tomorrow night. They're opening for Les Claypool at the Henry Fonda and it's sort of a shame they aren't doing a second night in town with headlining duties. They're latest record, The Scenery of Farewell just came out earlier this month on Saddle Creek. Hopefully when they're done with this opportunity to play with Claypool they will come back around to do some smaller shows and be able to showcase more of their material. You gotta check this song out... it's called "Las Cruces Jail" and it displays their dynamic song structures and urgent vocal lines. It takes a melody you've heard a million times and somehow makes it more interesting than any other time you've heard it. The fact that this band is on Saddle Creek and aren't from Omaha says they're something special. Check out their MySpace for some more songs and tour dates.

June Mix - 11. Bryan Adams - Summer of '69

2007-06-25T17:40:00.002-07:00

No summer mix is complete without a touch of some classic summer cheese. For me, it was a toss up between this song or Don Henley's "Boys of Summer" but this one won out due to Lottes' and Whitney's persuasion. More proof that Canadiens know what's up: In 2006, they voted "Summer of '69" as the #1 song to drive to - 22 years after it was released. It's also a song that has spawned some great covers. I can remember playing the MxPx cover over and over in high school. For a good laugh, check out the music video:

John Vanderslice - White Dove

2007-06-25T15:55:00.000-07:00

John Vanderslice's new record, Emerald City is due out July 24th on Barsuk Records. Upon my first listen to the song "White Dove" I've become pretty excited for this release. I've lost track of Vanderslice over the years but his 2001 release Time Travel is Lonely is one of my all time favorites. This song sounds a little more straight laced and poppier than anything off of that, but I like it. It definitely makes me want to go out and buy all the stuff in between. Click Here if you want to be notified of when you can preorder and whatnot. Check it!:

Sort-of-New Radiohead Material

2007-06-25T12:29:00.000-07:00

This is old news by now, but I'm still really excited about it so I figured I'd post it anyways. Nigel Godich posted this on Radiohead's deadairspace blog a couple weekends ago. It's material from the mixes of their upcoming new album that aren't going to make the final cut. They are parts of songs that got chopped out of the edit during mixdown and spliced together for your listening pleasure. Here's the version displaying possible song titles, but there is the original version floating around that just has a camera fixed on the reel-to-reel spinning. I cannot wait for this record to be released.

Coming Attractions: The National

2007-06-25T11:42:00.000-07:00

Music blog darlings, The National, are rolling into L.A. tomorrow for a sold out show at the El Rey. The quintet claim Brooklyn, but everyone knows they're from Cincinnati (Hey if I were from Cincinnati, I wouldn't claim it either - but it is kind of a shame to rob Ohio from some music notoriety.) If you don't have tickets to tomorrow's show, NPR is offering the next best thing - last week's stream of their entire set in Washington D.C. Their latest release, Boxer, has been receiving overwhelming reviews from everywhere. I have yet to jump on this bandwagon, but I've always really liked their first album, Alligator, so maybe someday I'll finally get around to hearing what all the hype is about. You can check out the NPR stream by clicking here.

New Bright Eyes Video: Hot Knives

2007-06-22T15:22:00.000-07:00

Bright Eyes has released a new video today for the song "Hot Knives." To be honest, I'm rather surprised at this choice for the second single off Cassadaga. This is one of the weaker songs off the album, and I'm even more surprised to read that Stereogum is calling it a "standout." I guess then it's fitting that the video is kind of lame as well. I'm never a big fan of videos that only feature live footage of the band playing the song - the format seems to allow for so much more creativity (see my post below about the Bats For Lashes video if you want to see a visual concept.) I've really been trying hard to like this new album - and there are definitely some great tracks on it - but I don't think this is one of them. I'm still really pumped for the Hollywood Bowl show and I hope to god he pulls out some back catalog with that symphony. Oh well, you can check out the video for yourself:

Weekend Concert Roundup: Los Angeles

2007-06-22T14:58:00.000-07:00

Friday, June 22nd
Skinny Puppy, The Silver Daggers @ Henry Fonda Theater
Divisadero, The Louvre, The Solvents, 1985 @ Pehrspace
Division Day, The Switch @ Safari Sam's
Rob Crow, Johnny and the Moon (Dante Decaro of Wolf Parade), Manic @ Spaceland

Saturday, June 23rd
The Police @ Dodger Stadium
Skinny Puppy, The Silver Daggers @ Henry Fonda Theater
White Mice, Chuck Dukowski Sextet, Finally Punk @ The Smell

Sunday, June 24th
DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, Carlinhos Brown, Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars @ Hollywood Bowl

The Cure Announces North American Tour

2007-06-22T10:33:00.000-07:00

The Cure have added the North American jaunt to this year's summer/fall world tour - and it includes a stop to the Hollywood Bowl in mid-October. The dates were just announced this morning and the news also included word about a follow-up to 2004's S/T record. The new studio release will be released on Suretone/Geffen Records and should be expected around the same time as their L.A. stop. 65 Days of Static will be the opener for all of the North American dates. Click here to check out all the tour dates.

June Mix - 10. The Barracudas - Summer Fun

2007-06-22T10:03:00.000-07:00

The next song on the mix comes by way of the 1980 classic "Summer Fun" by UK band The Barracudas. This song is about as cliche as a "summer song" can get, but this is where the song draws its charm from. The Barracudas were a throwback band - playing upbeat 60s revival with their jangly sound - and this was their breakthrough hit. I like this song in our mix because it brings some needed overt summerness - and it's a ton of fun to rock out to. Thanks go to Johnbeck for this one. Here's the "music video" for the song from Top of the Pops shot in 1981. Check out those dance moves!

Spoon Announce Two L.A. Dates

2007-06-21T14:53:00.000-07:00

Spoon will be bringing their new tunes into town toward the end of this summer. The two dates are September 10th and 11th at the Henry Fonda Theater. They haven't really committed to a full out U.S. tour, so it's nice to see that they are giving L.A. some love with a two night stint. Tickets go on sale this Saturday and cost 20 bucks. Click here to buy. There is no info yet on who is opening. The Austin band will then head home for the Austin City Limits festival playing September 14th. Stay tuned for more info. For now, check out their new single, "The Underdog" off Merge Records' Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga - out July 10th.

New Bat For Lashes Video - What's A Girl To Do

2007-06-21T10:09:00.000-07:00

The concept behind this video is the reason why music videos are still worth doing. It's a simple idea, and it's pulled off extraordinarily. I might also be impartial to the Donnie Darko influences as well as the "all-in-one-shot" concept. It keeps the viewer (i.e. me) captivated, instead of breaking the moment with an edit. I don't really know a lot about British songwriter Natasha Khan AKA Bat For Lashes, but from what I've read she's praised by the likes of Jarvis Cocker, Devendra Banhart and Thom Yorke. Everything I've heard from her is kind of a mishmash of retro style and feeling with modern instrumentation. The video is directed by Dougal Wilson and it's for the upcoming single called "What's a Girl to Do."

Dan Deacon/Girl Talk Rumors Confirmed

2007-06-20T17:12:00.000-07:00

After seeing a suspicious L.A. date pitting the two electronic artists at the same place and the same time over a month ago, I had a feeling that we'd be hearing more about it soon. Today Pitchfork broke the news of a (semi) full out tour. It seems like the dates are spread out enough that there will be more shows announced to fill in the gaps. Where do I sign up? Here's what's been announced so far:

08-04 Baltimore, MD - Pimlico Race Course (Virgin Festival)
09-12 Toronto, Ontario - Phoenix
09-15 New York, NY Webster Hall
09-17 Philadelphia, PA - First Unitarian Church
09-20 Charlottesville, VA - Satellite Ballroom
09-21 Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
09-22 Atlanta, GA - MJQ Concourse
09-27 San Diego, CA - Epicentre
09-28 Los Angeles, CA - Echoplex
09-29 San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore Auditorium

On Repeat: Best Fwends

2007-06-20T12:56:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon Austin Duo Best Fwends through some MySpace Top 8 band surfing and couldn't stop listening to them. I'm not sure if it's the quick, catchy synth leads, or the half-retarded lyrical content - but it's probably someplace where the two meet that make this band so irresistible. Their latest release, Alphabetically Arranged runs 29 tracks long with the longest track under three minutes. They bring to mind an even more lo-fi sound than Gil Mantera with even tighter wound hooks. Check out this song called "Skate or Live":

Also, check out this Bacardi ad you may have already seen and heard that features Best Fwends:

June Mix - 9. Blink 182 - Rock Show

2007-06-20T12:20:00.000-07:00

If I believed in guilty pleasures, I would say Blink 182 might go down as my all-time top guilty pleasure. But I won't apologize for being in love with their brand of smart pop and their lack of pretense. Their entire catalog reminds me of the summertime, from early Warped Tours, to Blossom Music Center concerts. This song especially reminds me of summers past- for the obvious lyrical nod and the overall theme of being young and stupid and going to shows. It was the first single off of Take Off Your Pants, which was probably my least favorite of all their releases, but I think it's the song that best represents this band for our theme. We used to say that we had to grow up when Blink broke up, and then they did. Damn! Check out the video for it:

New Broken Social Scene Offering: Kevin Drew

2007-06-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene is joining the ranks of BSS members going solo. His full length titled Spirit If... is due out on September 18th on Arts & Crafts Records. While I wasn't extremely impressed with the Apostle of Hustle record, I have really liked the new Feist one, and Emily Haines' Knives was probably my favorite record from last year. So Kevin has sort of a tough act to follow from his BSS family. The new song that just hit this morning is called "Tbtf" and it supposedly isn't meant to be pronounced - but said as an acronym. I'm not going to spoil the lyrical content because it's funnier to just listen to it not expecting the chorus. This song sounds more like the classic Broken Social Scene sound than any of the other solo efforts and makes me that much more excited for this release. Enjoy:

New Menomena Video - Rotten Hell

2007-06-19T11:11:00.000-07:00

The Portland trio are back in the news again with a brand new video for the song "Rotten Hell" off of the Barsuk release Friend and Foe. This is a really great video with these kids having the times of their lives. Stereogum referred to it as "'300' with kids and food instead of pecs and quads." I thought this an odd choice for a single off the new record, but every song really is a standout in its own way, so it must have been a tough decision on what to pick. It does fit the concept of the video, so that might have had more to do with it.

June Cover Art Contest

2007-06-18T17:34:00.000-07:00

Whoever can come up with the best summer themed cassette tape artwork in the next two weeks will get their piece printed and put in every TapeRock June tape that goes out. Compact cassette tape case dimensions are 4'' x 2.5''. Email your image to james.t.cartwright@gmail.com. And if you're the only one who participates, you win by default! It only takes a couple minutes and I'll post the winner - plus any other honorable mentions. MS Paint welcome!

Artist Spotlight: Ghosthustler

2007-06-18T15:30:00.000-07:00

Denton Texas' Ghosthustler packs a punch - literally in their new video for the song "Parking Lot Nights", with a Powerglove nonetheless. This unsigned electronic trio play danceable vocoder fueled laptop rock. They're a GvB favorite, and have a couple higher profile shows coming up with the likes of Parts and Labor and Faux Fox. They've recently been in the news for their brand new aforementioned Pete Ohs (of Ohio fame) directed video. You can check out some of their other songs at MySpace. Pretty cool:

White Stripes Take Over Tower Records

2007-06-18T15:11:00.000-07:00

A YouTube Channel has been created by the clever White Stripes promo people capturing the happenings on Sunset Blvd. over the weekend. The garage rock duo will be playing a super special concert at the old Tower Records on Sunset in West Hollywood. The show is for the first 200 customers of the store that opens tonight at midnight. The show will happen sometime on Wednesday. The YouTube videos currently posted to the channel are of people waiting in line. I'm sure as the rest of today progresses into tonight there should be some more interesting videos to watch as the line grows and grows. Click HERE to check it out.

June Mix - 8. Presidents of the U.S.A. - Peaches

2007-06-18T11:55:00.000-07:00

Released in the summer of 1995, Presidents of the Unites States of America's self-titled debut confused me. "Are these guys supposed to be a joke? Why are they singing about fruit?" - my 5th grade mind asked. But turned out, rock music can indeed be silly and fun, and fun these guys are. "Peaches" is clearly the standout track (at least of the three that I can remember.) The pretty opening melody line and slide guitar work their way into a flannel shirt swaying chorus and the underlying fruit theme make this song a perfect opener to Side B. I can remember humming this song to myself while riding my bike en route to a rousing game of mush ball. Thanks to Katy for the reminder. Check out the video for it complete with Kung Fu fight sequence:

Sufjan's Next State: Oregon??

2007-06-18T09:51:00.000-07:00

Via Gorillavsbear: Sufjan Stevens may have announced his plans for the next state in his collection: Oregon. But the folk singer's purevolume page doesn't have everyone convinced that it's the truth. If you can remember back to last year, this wouldn't be the first time Sufjan has been the subject of an internet hoodwinking. Pitchfork had preemptively posted an article about Sufjan and singer/songwriter Rosie Thomas having a baby and it turned out to be a hoax. So this time around, people aren't taking this purevolume "announcement" as 100% fact; but it's still a little intriguing. I've been eagerly waiting to hear what state it's gonna be ever since I fell in love with Illinois over two summers ago. I remember Oregon has been tossed around before in this same rumor mill sometime last year. You can check the page yourself here and stream the exclusive track "Portland, or Whistling Underwater." It sounds in the same vein as the garage rock song he released to mixed reviews last month. As of right now, there is no record of this release on the Asthmatic Kitty website. UPDATE: It's a hoax. Check out the pitchfork article here.

Streaming Live Video of Bonnaroo 2007

2007-06-15T16:16:00.001-07:00

Click HERE to see a live video stream of a ton of the acts going on down in Tennessee for this year's Bonnaroo. Maybe you'll even catch a cameo by Naked Guy. Here's the schedule of which bands AT&T will be streaming:

June 15th Lineup
12:30 PM Uncle Earl
01:15 PM Cold War Kids
02:15 PM Brazilian Girls
03:45 PM Kings of Leon
05:00 PM Paolo Nutini
06:15 PM Gillian Welch
07:45 PM The Nightwatchman
09:00 PM Lilly Allen
10:00 PM The Roots

June 16th Lineup
12:45 PM Old Crow Medicine Show
01:45 PM Spearhead
02:15 PM Regina Spektor
03:30 PM The Black Keys
04:15 PM Damien Rice
05:45 PM Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals
07:45 PM The Hold Steady
08:15 PM Mago: Billy Martin & John Medeski
09:45 PM TBA
10:15 PM String Cheese Incident

June 17th Lineup
12:30 PM Robert Glasper Trio
01:00 PM John Butler Trio
02:00 PM The Flaming Lips
03:00 PM Bob Weir & Ratdog
04:30 PM Wolfmother
05:30 PM Wilco
07:15 PM The White Stripes
08:45 PM Widespread Panic

Dan Deacon - Best Show of the Summer?

2007-06-15T12:10:00.000-07:00

I hope that I'm not building this show up to something that it can't possibly live up to, but I haven't been this excited to see someone perform in years. Dan Deacon is coming through L.A. this weekend at the pinnacle of his hype machine (I've read countless arguments of genius vs. retard) - and videos like this one back up the claim of genius. Known more for his live performances and crowd participation than his actual recordings, the Deacon live show has been built up as one of those, "yeah I was there" type moments. I've seen all the pictures, all the videos, and read all the reviews, and tomorrow it's finally time to get drunk and dance with this guy. This video is crappy quality but it's the most recent one I could find that showcases not only how fun this is going to be, but also how incredibly bad some people are at dancing. And the best part about it- no one seems to care.

Weekend Concert Roundup: Los Angeles

2007-06-15T11:53:00.000-07:00

Friday, June 15th
Noisettes @ Amoeba
Sage Francis, Buck 65, Alias, Buddy Wakefield @ Henry Fonda
Mere Mortals, Kind Hearts and Coronets, Karabal Nightlife, Rocking Horse People @ Spaceland
The Long Blondes, Nicole Atkins & The Sea, The Boggs @ The Echo
Noisettes, The Maccabees, The Pity Party @ Troubadour

Saturday, June 16th
The Fratellis, Division Day @ Avalon
Dan Deacon, The Juan Maclean (DJ Set), Juiceboxxx, Video Hippos, DJ Franki Chan, DJ Paparazzi @ Echplx
Vomit Bomb, Abe Vigoda, Flexions, Teenage Talking Cars, Fifty on Their Heels @ The Smell
Lavender Diamond, Winter Flowers, Anders & Woods @ Troubadour

Thursday Rock City

2007-06-14T12:39:00.000-07:00

Tonight marks a big night for live music-goers in the Los Angeles area. There are three TapeRock favorites scattered across town: Casiotone for the Painfully Alone is playing The Echo with Ladybug Transistor, Castledoor is headlining The Silverlake Lounge as part of their June residency, and No Age is playing their final L.A. date at Pehrspace before heading to Europe in support of their new release. All of this with K Records founder and DIY legend, Calvin Johnson playing at the Smell. AND tonight is Lebron's last stand in the NBA Finals and us Cleveland natives' last hopes at keeping alive in the playoffs. So here are the details if you go:

Castledoor, The Monolators, Amy Cooper, Ema and the Ghosts
Silverlake Lounge @ 9:00

The Ladybug Transistor, Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, The Donkeys, Papercuts
The Echo @ 8:30

Calvin Johnson, Julie Doiron (ex-Eric's Trip), Jeremy Jay
The Smell @ 9:00

No Age, Jessica Rylan, Naomi, Haircut Mountain Transit
Pehrspace @ 9:00

White Stripes Icky Thump Their Way to Los Angeles

2007-06-14T11:56:00.001-07:00

On June 20th, the White Stripes will bring their hoopla whirlwind to Los Angeles for a special, West Hollywood show. An 'Icky Thump Records' store will be constructed for the show in the spot where old Tower Records used to exist on the Sunset Strip. Tickets are only going out to the first 200 fans that purchase the new record at this store, which opens at midnight this coming Monday night. KROQ is also giving out a handful of tickets through the weekend. Better get in line now. You can stream the entire album legally here at MTV. You wouldn't want Jack to call you up and make you cry. Here's a live vid of the title track:

June Mix - 7. Ween - Bananas and Blow

2007-06-14T10:08:00.000-07:00

This song comes from Ween's seventh full length album, White Pepper. Bananas and Blow will always have a place in my heart - maybe because it was a staple at our college parties, or maybe it was because I saw it live under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs and thought I was transported to a Caribbean paradise where all Ween fans apparently moved their arms wildly, yet expertly, in the air at the EXACT same time and tempo. This happened during the "Whoaaaa-ohhh" part - obviously. Either way, this song is a great vacation tune. Even with its tongue-in-cheek genre parody(?), the pair pull it off masterfully - and besides the inane lyrics - this song is really skilled and spot on. But from what I've gathered from this duo, that goes for pretty much everything they do. Thanks Colin for suggesting this one - this should wrap up Side A quite nicely. Check out this live vid of it. This was the best one I could find - the audio doesn't match up with the video in true YouTube form, but it sounds okay. I did find a lot of banana blowjob clips as well if you're into that.

Coming Attractions: Scissors For Lefty

2007-06-13T16:01:00.000-07:00

San Francisco band Scissors For Lefty just released their new record, Underhanded Romance on Eenie Meenie Records, and to celebrate are stopping in town tonight to play the Knitting Factory. They bring their choppy, quick-tempo'd, indie pop along with them. For 20 bucks you can get yourself a copy of the new release as well as a ticket to get in the door tonight. Not too shabby since the tickets cost almost $15. Have a listen as to what these guys are all about. This song is off the new record and is called "Lay Down Your Weapons."

Bishop Allen Release Tour Date Info

2007-06-13T12:26:00.001-07:00

TapeRock favorites Bishop Allen have just announced their summer plans for a U.S. tour in support of their new release, The Broken String. This full length comes after the band released 12 EP's last year - one for every month. The tour winds through each region of the country and includes a supporting cast of Page France for most dates and The Teeth(!) for a couple others. Unfortunately, The Teeth drop off the tour just before the lone L.A. date, but they'll be back with Dr. Dog in early July. Here are the Bishop Allen dates:

06/27 - Chicago, IL - Beat Kitchen
06/28 - Toronto, ON - Lee's Palace
07/20 - New York, NY - South Street Seaport
07/21 - Philadelphia, PA - North Star*
07/22 - Washington, DC - The Black Cat**
07/23 - Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506**
07/24 - Atlanta, GA - The Earl**
07/25 - Baton Rouge, LA - Spanish Moon**
07/26 - Houston, TX - Proletariat**
07/27 - Austin, TX - Emo's**
07/28 - Denton, TX - Haileys**
07/31 - Los Angeles, CA - Echo*
08/01 - San Francisco, CA - The Independent*
08/03 - Portland, OR - Doug Fir*
08/04 - Seattle, WA - Crocodile Cafe*
08/07 - Denver, CO - Hi Dive*
08/09 - Chicago, IL - Subterranean*
08/10 - Bloomington, IN - The Bluebird*
08/17 - Cambridge, MA - Middle East Downstairs*
08/18 - New York, NY - The Bowery Ballroom*
* with Page France
** with Page France, The Teeth

A preview of the new record comes in the form of the song "Rain" and showcases the band's brand of upbeat catchy pop-rock:

Blowin' Up: No Age

2007-06-13T11:39:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while a band will come around that embodies the exact sound that you've been looking for at the exact time you're looking for it. Over the past month, this has come by way of L.A.'s very own No Age. Their low-fi DIY style of noise punk mixed with the artful soundscaping meet at a perfect blend. For the band, this is a time where everything seems to be going right. They've received a lot of press lately, most notably Stereogum's Band To Watch as well as an 8.0 from Pitchfork Media (and a "Recommended Listen" title to boot.) If you read the linked articles above, you'll get the full background - but to sum up the feel-good story - 'two guys from marginally successful noiserock act Wives form new band and new record label to help put out their own and their friends' records. They volunteer and help run the local arthouse/music venue The Smell. They own in concert- go see them. The End.' Their new full length record "Weirdo Rippers" was just released in Europe to rave reviews, (due out later this summer in the U.S.) and they're on the cusp of a European tour with longtime friends Mika Miko. They have one last L.A. date tomorrow at Pehrspace (does anyone want to go with me?) before crossing the pond later next week. Here's my personal favorite off of the new record called "Everybody's Down." You can stream it here or at their MySpace. Everytime I hear this song it blows my mind - listen until the drums kick in towards the end.

"Everybody's Down" off Fat Cat Records' Weirdo Rippers:

June Mix - 6. The Decemberists - July, July

2007-06-13T10:31:00.000-07:00

When selecting this theme for the month of June, there were two ways of going about song selection. Either pick songs that came out and were popular in the summer, or pick songs that lyrically dealt with summer or the themes therein. Although mixing criteria may make for a sloppier themed mix, this song comes from the latter thought process (and so did the last song, I guess.) I could go for the obvious and joke about how ironic it is that a band called The Decemberists made the summer mix, but I'll spare all three of you. I had totally forgot about this song, (and almost totally forgot about this band) until Zach reminded me of how great it is. I saw these guys live last fall right after the release of The Crane Wife and wasn't really impressed (and subconsciously filed them away with the likes of Death Cab.) But "July, July" is a song that reminds me of why I liked this band in the first place. The song is upbeat, with their patented quirky lyrics and anthemic chorus as well as the obvious nod to the best of the summer months. This song is a great addition to this part of the mix because it's a modern song with a retro throwback, whereas the last song was a retro song that was ahead of its time. Here's a short, kind of crappy clip (but the sound is good) of them performing "July, July" on their previous tour. I love those China Balls.

Menomena - Weird (Live from Juan's Basement)

2007-06-12T17:53:00.002-07:00

Here's one last Menomena live vid before the show tonight @ the Troub. This one is for the song Weird off their latest release and comes from the same Juan's Basement show in Brooklyn as the last video I posted. Doors open at 8 for anyone that is going tonight. All Smiles opening at 9. They will be playing again tomorrow night at The Glass House in Pomona, but that's probably sold out too.

Editors' New Release - An End Has a Start

2007-06-12T11:04:00.000-07:00

After buying into the hype last year about Editors' first release, The Back Room, I ended up being pretty entertained. I had been getting kind of sick of the Interpol impersonations with every other new band coming out trying to mimic Paul Banks' deadpan delivery and my first impression was that Editors fell right into this. After a couple more spins though, I realized they had more to offer in their songwriting than a She Wants Revenge type band. I like that they play a lot with verse/chorus dynamics and usually pay off a good breakdown/build up. For their sophomore record, An End Has a Start, I have high expectations that they will be able to continue the tight rope act of channeling their influences into a fresh sound instead of falling into the trap of too well tread territory. The first single, titled "Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors" has been out for about a month now. From what I can hear in this song and what I've read, An End Has a Start should be an engaging and interesting release. Check it out for yourself:
Stream: Editors - Smoking Outside the Hospital Doors (MP3)

June Mix - 5. The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations

2007-06-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

For the fifth song of June, I figured we could use some more "traditional" summer flavor. So who better to bring the quintessential summer sounds than The Beach Boys? I picked this track because it's one of my favorite Beach Boy songs, but it was also brought to mind while reading a recent feature on the theremin. "Good Vibrations" comes from 1967'sSmiley Smile, the follow-up to what a lot of people consider the best record of all time - Pet Sounds. The mostly disappointing album Smiley Smile was recorded after the original follow-up, Smile collapsed in production. "Good Vibrations" was one of the bright spots on this record, and provided The Beach Boys with something that came rare in their career, experimentation that came with commercial success. The single went on to sell over a million copies and has a featured theremin (thus upping the irony of the song's theme by featuring an instrument that isn't even touched.) Check out this promo video that was filmed for the song - it's either really trippy or really goofy, I can't tell - but that goes for most of the material these guys ever put out.

New Promo For New Pornos

2007-06-11T14:42:00.000-07:00

In yet another example of how indie record labels (either out of necessity or just plain intelligence) are adapting to the trends of today's music industry - Matador records has unleashed their Buy Early Get Now promotional campaign. For the fourth record in the series, they're releasing The New Pornographers' Challengers. The album isn't due out until August 21st, but in order to cut down on loss of sales due to leaky P2Pers, Matador has initiated this nifty way of getting the music early and giving a reason to actually - you know, pay for it. Click the link here to see what the deal is. For now, you can stream the first single of the record, "Your Rights Versus Mine."

New Music: Spoon - The Underdog

2007-06-11T12:41:00.000-07:00

While this song has been floating around the internet for a week or so now, I wasn't sure what to make of it. I'm definitely not a Spoon-crazed maniac like it seems everyone else is, but I would consider myself a fan. This song took me by surprise a little (before I even heard it, I knew it would be a different Spoon having read that Jon Brion produces on this track.) After about five listens the track is really starting to grow on me. While always being known for their interesting instrumentation and arrangements, they've taken a different approach to crafting this song - horns, hand claps, and sleighbells round out the rather straightforward approach to jangly retro pop-rock. And I think they pull it off. I'm getting really excited to hear the rest of the new record - titled Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga and slated for a July 10th release on Merge. Here's a glimpse at the new artwork and for your listening pleasure - the new single, The Underdog.

June Mix - 4. The Alkaline Trio - 5-3-10-4

2007-06-11T12:01:00.000-07:00

Chicago's The Alkaline Trio will always remain one of those summer bands that I group into the Blink 182/Green Day outdoor arena tours that would come around every year of my high school existence. This particular song is my personal favorite from their second full length release, Maybe I'll Catch Fire. When Whitney suggested I put an Alk3 song on the summer mix, I wanted to use something from the Vagrant Records debut, From Here to Infirmary - but this one from their earlier career is a great one to blast out the car speakers. I've read that the song is about doing drugs (aren't all of them?) and the song title was some sort of code that singer/songwriter Matt Skiba used. With the Warped Tour so closely linked to summertime (at least in my memory), be assured that this isn't the only pop-punk anthem you'll find on the June Mix.