Let’s Make This Happen Girl

Posted in Music with tags , , , on March 15, 2010 by boystenographer

Two Door Cinema Club— Something Good Can Work (Demo)

The jam above you originally found it’s way to my ears back in November. Upon reviewing the bands terrible name I felt some serious nay-saying coming on. Then I listened. It took roughly 34 seconds for me to be sold. I set out digging through the inter-webs to find out more on these blokes (they’re from a place called Bangor), and to see what other musical nuggets they might have to offer, in the form of a full length (none existed).

Fast forward to roughly a month ago, and while checking in on these Irish lads I discovered a full length had been unleashed (Tourist History)! Excited to finally see what else they were cooking up for my ears, I went in search. Only to discover the record was not yet out in the states (goddammit!). During an intense IM session with a buddy across the pond I mention my frustration, he does me a solid and sends it to me the record.

All of this is basically a long-winded lead up to me telling you that this record is the sauce! My fingers can’t help but creep over to the repeat button every 32.5 minutes.

Two Door Cinema Club— Do You Want It All

“Do You Want It All” is currently my fav, sporting the similar playful catchy sing-along-able chorus that nearly every other infectious track on Tourist History has. It makes for some pretty enjoyable car singing / dancing.

It would seem there is still no solid release date for North America (crappy!). However, the band is embarking on a small US tour during April / May. Some extra awesomeness for all you local folks! The band will be causing dance attacks on May 7th at the Doug Fir. I can’t wait to see how these dudes translate live. See ya there.

Like Books, Check It Out  ||  http://www.myspace.com/twodoorcinemaclub

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I Can’t Blame You For The Bad Weather

Posted in Music with tags , , on March 9, 2010 by boystenographer

Lhasa— Fool’s Gold

Lhasa de Sela led a pretty amazing life, seemingly jammed packed full of people, places, and experiences that could be described as no less than rich and full. Perhaps she knew something that no one else did.

Many songs are inspired by broken promises / relationships / hearts. But not many of those songs sound as pretty, elegant, or at ease with it as this one. It’s a song soaked with loss and tragedy, but in very understanding and accepted way— I forgive you wanting to be free, 
I realize you long to wander, and I sympathize with your roving eyes; I just can’t forgive your bad manners. No name calling, she’s not out for revenge, she’s just asking questions and would like some answers please.

Listening sparks a  memory to surface for air; a parking lot many years ago, saying goodbye to someone I knew I wouldn’t see for a very long time, and in the yellow glow of a street lamp, a tiny mouse scurries by.

I Won’t Ask You Where You’re Going  ||  http://www.myspace.com/lhasadeselamusic

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The World Can Use A Bit More Like You And Me…

Posted in Music with tags , , on February 25, 2010 by boystenographer

Blake Miller— Tomorrow Sorrow

Blake Miller has fashioned himself quite a dreamy little jam here. It shares the same slow incline and textural consistency of a Pacific Northwest thunderstorm. Listen for the rain and wind in the layers of drums and string plucks. Sprinkle in Miller’s ghostly whisper stacked atop itself and you’ve got yourself a yahtzee! The ideal co-pilot for those grey wet wintery travels to wherever your destination is.

… And Our Dreams  || http://exitstencil.org/blakemiller.php

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Weekend Dance Party Mixtape

Posted in Music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 19, 2010 by boystenographer

I don’t sleep much. I’m still sorting out what exactly the cause of all this is. However, I’m certain that a percentage of my insomnia is caused from jumpy dance-eletro-hip-pop jams like these. They keep me juking and moving— I am an unstoppable dancing robot; at home, at the office, in the car, doing dishes— I move, and clap, and sing along, and even when I’m not clapping and singing them, my brain is clapping and singing them, or at least my brain’s brain is thinking about it.

So happy Friday, here’s a grab back of musical awesome for your weekend dance party. And even if that party only consists of you in your footie pajamas vacuuming while wearing a funny hat, it’ll sure be sounding tasty.

Kennedy— Karate: A jam about being a thug, kicking ass, drunkenly driving— but only at night —and just being an all-around gansta, and how about that funky little guitar lick eh?

Kid Cudi— Switchin’ Lanes: This has become my go to jam when driving through the darkened wet wintery streets of P-town. I suggest popping it on the next time you’re swervin’ mervin’ in your ride and need to boost those feelings of bad-assed-ness by about 33.5%.

The Knux— Pop The Cork: This is exactly the sort of jam made for having sex with headphones on.

Kesha— Tik Tok (Fred Falke Remix): Yeah, yeah, yeah I know, this effing song is everywhere, and Kesha is annoyance personified. Thankfully this remix was the fist I heard of this jam, and I’m glad it was, because goddamn it gets the blood moving through the veins.

Tone Trump— Wifey (Ft. Dilemma): So many quality lyrics in this thug love jam, and I’m sure just like me, you will find it difficult not to bust this out for your shorty before the big wedding night.

FIRST RATE PEOPLE— GIRLS’ NIGHT: Sonic R&B influenced boy/girl chanting flirtations— yes please! Hard not to imagine the two protagonists casually— but consciously— circling each other at a party, tossing tiny shy glances and grins at one another. They’ve seen each other around before, but tonight they might just work up the courage to make it happen.

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Cynicism Isn’t Wisdom, It’s A Lazy Way Of Saying You’ve Been Burned

Posted in Music with tags , , , , , on February 18, 2010 by boystenographer

Nana Grizol— Cynicism

Nana Grizol was born out of the legendary Elephant 6 Collective. The N.G. moniker serves as the lone wolf (with friends) project for Theo Hilton. Taken from the sophomore record Ruth, this is the perfect sort of indie pop gem that speaks with such insightful wisdom, it makes Hilton come off as an old soul who’s been around, pontificating since the days of Socrates. This song alone should earn him an honorary philosophy degree from the prestigious university of his choice.

I Once Had A Lover, I Don’t Know If I’ll Recover  ||  http://www.myspace.com/nanagrizol

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I Want You To Stay In My Arms In My Head In My Eyes In My Heart In My Lungs

Posted in Music with tags , , , , , on February 10, 2010 by boystenographer

Starfucker— Boy Toy

The blipy-splish-splashy audio accoutrements that book end “Boy Toy” always makes me feel like a gold fish indulging in the sweetest of raves in my fish tank; my fins fluttering like humming bird wings, making the water the most enjoyable shade of murky. If only that damn suckerfish would come out of the castle and partake in the abundance of dance-friendly hooks this jam has to offer!

In a let’s be a bit friendlier with the kids move, Starfucker recently changed their name to PYRAMIDDD. As far as I’m concerned, they can call themselves Shit Sandwich as long as they keep pumping out fantastic danceable leg flexors and sweet covers like this. If you’re someone who’s really into pharmaceuticals, you may already be familiar with another of the bands dynamite jams.

http://www.myspace.com/pyramidddmusic

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Please Don’t Take This Lightly, I Mean Every Word

Posted in Music with tags , , , , on February 8, 2010 by boystenographer

Sharon Von Etten— Much More Than That

She was a Midwestern violinist from the age of seven. Since she had begun playing she’d had perfect intonation. She practiced constantly— violin, writing, what she would say to him. One day, she would be better; she thought to herself, she would find the words. She wore a small plastic white ring on her finger, even today, even now. He’d given it to her in the kitchen when she was ten-years-old, proposing over a lunch consisting of ants on a log (celery sticks, peanut butter and raisins). He was her childhood imaginary friend, but she believed in him, still, just as she had then. They never kissed, they never had to, it was understood. Instead he held her hand at night while she slept and they just laughed, and cuddled, and rode bicycles, and talked about cartoons. Recapturing that, re-finding him, this became her goal, her mission, and her life. It was simple; she needed nothing else to maker her happy. Just him truly knowing how she felt, what her blood sounded like. One day she would find the words, she would be better, she would be able to make the sound that would make him reappear. So she continued, she practiced, and practiced, constantly.

I Write This Moment Down  ||  http://www.myspace.com/sharonvanetten

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I Love You, I Love You, I Love You. I Love You Too!

Posted in Music with tags , , , on February 4, 2010 by boystenographer

Electric Tickle Machine— Part Of Me

Aside from having one of my favorite new band names, Electric Tickle Machine also sport one of the cheekiest album covers in sometime. Combine that with tasty jangly garage jams such as “Part Of Me,” and you’re looking at a trifecta of awesome!

Voted most likely to make your head wiggle while belting “ba—da—ba—da—ba—ba—ba, ba—da—ba—da—ba—ba—ba” “Part Of Me” oddly packs some pretty sentimental lyrical turns into it’s hooky pop-riddled three minutes. Even with a non-traditional pairing of instrumentation and phrase, it still comes of as the most honest and radical of love songs.

“Part Of Me” comes from the New York rockers self released Blew It Again, which is totally worth picking up, and you can do so here.

Buy A Puppy It Will Make You More Presentable  ||  http://www.myspace.com/electricticklemachine

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We Cruise The Neighborhood, But It’s Not Suppose To Feel This Good

Posted in Music with tags , , on February 1, 2010 by boystenographer

Darwin Deez— Radar Detector

I know, I know. As your eyes glance over the photo to your right you’re sarcastically thinking, “Oh what the hell, I’ve totally seen this guy before.” However, It really is in your best interest disregarding the ridiculous hipster-ness of Mr. Deez. Not only because he’s “the most likeable hipster in the world,” but because the music is worth it. And speaking of the music— dang what a great tune! I mean seriously, I wish I could live in this jam. I want to swim around in the bouncy guitar riff and  hand—clappy adorable optimism. It’s a song that makes you want to smile out loud. I may just hire someone to follow me around, jam box in hand (Lloyd Dobler style), playing nothing but this song on repeat, thus making my life a continuous cutesy movie montage.

As a friend of mine so spot on described it, “I guess you could hate this song, if you really, really tried. Or if you were born an asshole.”

For those of you preparing that Valentines Day Mix for your sweetie, you’ve just been given the mix-tape Contra cheat code for thirty bonus make out lives.

You Are Mine To Keep  ||  http://www.myspace.com/darwindeez

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Please Believe The Ghost In Me Is Doing What I Can

Posted in Music with tags , , , on January 28, 2010 by boystenographer

Freelance Whales— Location

Have you ever had a crush on a record before? And I’m not talking in a “Oh gee, ___________ is so great and cool” sort of way, but in the way that you find yourself wishing the record was a real living and breathing person, with flesh that you could hug and hold and touch and smell? Because that’s totally what Freelance Whales Weathervanes does for me.

Capturing my heart much quicker than any album in recent memory, Weathervanes appeal lays in the multiple facets and variety of sounds used to construct it, allowing for something new to be discovered with every track— at times banjos and synthesizers dance side-by-side, and it’s awesome. Lush and gleeful textural layers bubble with a lull of arrestingly simple melodies that have been fleshed out into sneakily complex songs.

Call it what you will; dream pop, acoustic/folk street music/etc.—the reviews certainly have— but honestly there’s not a genre or term that could pin the sound of Weathervanes down. Some records seem like one long song, and Weathervanes defiantly shares that aesthetic, but more than that it feels as though you’ve lived an entire lifetime in forty-five minutes. A life lived while floating in a dream state, decoding a vision in a fever dream.

As you can imagine, I’ve wrestled extensively (and for far longer than necessary) with what song to share here, and I guess that’s when you know an album is your favorite— when practically any song on that album can be considered your favorite, interchangeably. Ultimately “Location” wins out, because it’s reminiscent of a dream I had while in a Dublin Park last August.

I cannot recommend Weathervanes enough. Pick up the record. See the band live. Have your mind (and heart) blown. Fall in love.

Purchase  ||  http://www.freelancewhales.com/

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