My Formative Years: Troublegum by Therapy?

From the song Stop it you're Killing Me: The world is fucked, but so am I / Maybe it's the other way around I can't seem to decide. They had me at fucked. The year was 1993. Nirvana had broken huge 2 years earlier. Alternative Rock radio began a brief golden era. The Therapy? album Troublegum exploded. This disc sold over a million copies. it was #5 on the UK version of the Billboard chart. The record must have had 8 singles. I was young impressionable and in a totally unlistenable band and trying to define my sound as a drummer. The sound of Fyfe Ewing's kit was straight out of the garage but still had that snare popping clarity that grabbed me and apparently a million others. The first track was "Knives" The chorus included the classic teenage angst lyric "All people are shit"

"My girlfriend says that I need help / My boyfriend says I'd be better off dead
I'm gonna get drunk / Come round and fuck you up
I'm gonna get drunk / Come round and fuck you up
And you can't help my life / But you can hide the knives"

What could be better than that? Well the rest of the record nearly was. There is not a single weak track on the album. Within days of my purchase I knew the words to every single song and appreciated the nuances of each members performance, even the ballad "Turn." The album mixed blatant pop songs like "Screamager" with thick riffed metal songs like "Trigger Inside" and "Brainsaw." A pall of darkness and discontent connected the whole record. What 16-year-old cant' connect with the lyric "I'm in hell and I'm alone." The Joy division cover "Isolation" only underlined their full rack of indie-cool.

The record stands as an LP in an era of radio singles and vacouous filler. But it had a heaviness they didn't again touch until the 1999 album Suicide Pact - You First. But I didn't know that. I ravenously bought up their other albums Nurse, the Teethgrinder EP, and the Babyteeth EP. The brand new album Infernal Love was good, but not as good. they are still together today, but my connection to them is very much tied to one album that's now about 15 years old.

Their newer albums have some lingering taste of Troublegum, and even in some cases some taste of their own greatness. But that initial connection to that first break out album overshadows my ability to appreciate anything they've done since.

Jay Reatard Tour with TV Smith

This August Jay Reatard's new album Watch Me Fall will be coming gout on Matador. It is his first studio album since his 2006 work Blood Visions. The punk rock savant will be touring that mofo this Summer all across America. The first single "It Ain't Gonna Save Me" is already all over the blogosphere. The tour starts with the Oh Sees in San Diego, then the opening slot goes to TV Smith starting in Chicago.

Jun 11 2009 Casbah - San Diego, CA
Jun 12 2009 The Echo - Los Angeles, CA
Jun 13 2009 The Independent - San Francisco, CA
Jun 15 2009 Crocodile Cafe - Seattle, CA
Jun 16 2009 Biltmore - Vancouver, BC
Jun 17 2009 Dantes - Portland, OR
Jun 19 2009 Alex’s Bar - Long Beach, CA
Jun 26 2009 Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL
Jun 27 2009 Magic Stick - Detroit, MI
Jun 28 2009 Grog Shop - Cleveland, OH
Jun 29 2009 Mod Club - Toronto, ON
Jun 30 2009 La Sala Rossa - Montreal, QB
Jul 1 2009 Stuyvesant Oval - New York, NY
Jul 2 2009 Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY
Jul 3 2009 Harper’s Ferry - Allston, MA
Jul 4 2009 Johnny Brenda’s - Philadelphia, PA
Jul 5 2009 Black Cat - Washington D.C.
Jul 7 2009 Orange Peel - Asheville, NC
Jul 8 2009 Pilot Light - Knoxville, TN
Jul 9 2009 The End - Nashville, TN
Jul 10 2009 Hi-Tone Cafe - Memphis, TN
Jul 11 2009 Proud Larry’s - Oxford, MS

The Stranded Q&A: Crocodiles

The Summer of Love came and went in 1867 years ago adorned in psychoactive drugs, free love, communes, psychedelic rock, and bloodshot eyes. Now 42 years later we have come to the start of the Summer of Hate. The Crocodiles are on tour: Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Dallas, Minneapolis, San Diego, Los Angeles, Austin, Houston, Atlanta, Cleveland, Denver, Phoenix, Portland, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Detroit and more. There is no escape. The Crocodiles had a little time to answer some questions about their months-long seige.

1. How did Plot to Blow up the Eiffle Tower come to an end?
It was nothing between the members of the band. We all still enjoyed playing music together (as evidenced by the fact that we all continued to play together in one form or another afterwards) but the actual music wasn't getting our rocks off. I personally wanted to be playing something with more melody.

2. When did you get Crocodiles together?
We got Crocodiles together in April of 2008. We tried for a few months before that to get full band together but everyone that we wanted to play music with already had bands. So rather than settle on being a side project for someone else, we figured we'd try it as a duo.

3. How did you get on Fat Possum records?
They just wrote us out of the blue. We had our album recorded already, so we sent it to them and they liked it and asked to put it out.

4. You put out a 7-inch on Zoo and one on Down in the Ground. Those 7-inches seemed to sell out in just weeks. What do you attribute that response to?
The Zoo Music 7" took like 8 months to sell out! I know, cuz I put it out. I was like, "Jesus Christ, when are these fucking things gonna sell??" haha! The DITG 7" didn't sell out, because it never really came out! It seems that the label ripped a lot of people off. We get letters everyday asking about that release - I wish we had a good answer but unfortunately there isn't one.

5. Are you really banned in Salt Lake City?
No, you are mixing up two stories. We got beat up by Mormon homophobe jock asshole straightedge kids in SLC; we got blacklisted from clubs in Baltimore for a while. Baltimore is fine now though - in fact we are playing there tonight!

6. You told me that Crocodiles sounds a bit like some of the last Plot material. Was that material ever played live or recorded in any form?
Well, it doesn't really sound the same, but what I meant was that everything had more melody. My vocals had a lot more melody and Chuck's guitar parts were less discordant. We played a lot of those songs live towards the end and demoed them for a possible album that never happened. We have someone that wants to release it, so hopefully it'll happen soon...

7. You are a few weeks into the tour, how has the response been on the road?
The response has been pretty good in general, but it depends on who we are opening for. So far on this Holy Fuck tour it seems like their fans like us.

8. What new records are you rocking in the van?
We've been listening to the Oh Sees "Help" LP, tons of Woven Bones (who are probably our favorite band right now), Reading Rainbow's album (they are from Philly) - stuff like that. Well, that's the new stuff at least. We are always listening to 60's stuff and Pet Shop Boys and New Order and stuff like that too.

Cant Stop Spinning: Snowfall & Starlight by Alina Simone

This is my 7-inch. There are many like it but this one is mine. My 7-inchis my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. My 7-inch without me is useless. Without my 7-inch, I am useless. My 7-inch is human, even as I, because it is my life. I will ever guard it against the ravages of weather and damage. I will keep my 7-inch clean and ready, even as I am clean and ready. My 7-inch and myself are the defenders of my country..Record collectors and music critics have a bond to vinyl. We the devoted few own hundreds, thousands or even tens of thousands. It is the last analog link to the past, a tangible connection to the audible past. I present to you here the translucent red split 7-inch Alina Simone / Black Swans. You can get one here. Mine is #85 out of a limited run of 500. Only 100 of the 500 are red. I was not familiar with the Black Swans, but I know Alina, and this is her first foray into the split 7 format. I asked her why vinyl? Why Sunken treasure Records? Why now? She told me a simple story that began with an overheard conversation in a Brooklyn bar:

Guy # 1: "But why buy music on vinyl instead of on CD?"

Guy # 2: "Because vinyl gets you laid."

The song begins with the sound of the gorgeous air-powered Harmochord organ then about two minutes in the drums go all churlish adorning the melody with accents and off beats. It's something incongruous with her last album and most importantly a hint at the next one. I'm slowly wearing a hole in my 7-inch as you will with yours.

Grizzly Bear: "All We Ask" for Black Cab

So, yes. We've talked about the Grizzly Bear enough. Veckatimest finally hits record shelves and digital retailers on Tuesday. Until then, here's the Grizzle as I've started to call them in a Black Cab doing "All We Ask," jam #3 on the Veck. Oh, and I'll be at both Town Hall shows next week. You can expect the fullest of reports, oh yes.

Click the fun picture above to watch!

Sunset Rubdown Ready Dragonslayer, Tour

I saw Wolf Parade two summers ago at the Boston area failed Download Festival thing. They played in a parking lot either before or after Band of Horses. They played most of what would become At Mount Zoomer. The songs that stuck immediately, like with most Wolf Parade albums, were the ones Mr. Spencer Krug would put together and lead the band on. In college when Apologies to the Queen Mary was all the rage, the first Sunset Rubdown record came in to my possession. I liked a few of its moments - "Snakes Got A Leg III," "Us Ones In Between," "Q-Chord" - but almost didn't care enough when Random Spirit Lover came out. Granted, its all I've been listening to lately in anticipation of the new Sunset Rubdown record.

But to get back to where I started about playing live. What's been keeping me alive and going is the fact that last fall the band essentially played all of their new album, Dragonslayer, save for a song. I didn't see them live but the clips are on YouTube and they make me salivate to hear how they turned out in the studio. Especially since "Idiot Heart" sounds like the most well-produced thing Krug has done yet. It's epic. The album is going to be epic. And tomorrow it can be yours.

Although it won't be out in stores until June 23rd, you can start pre-ordering Dragonslayer today, and download it tomorrow. Get your towels ready, people. Oh, and they're going on tour. I'd go to opening night here but I have tickets to see the Sox and the Yankees. Damnit!

Sunset Tourdown:
06/11/09 Cambridge, MA - Middle East Downstairs
06/12/09 Brooklyn, NY - Studio B
06/13/09 Philadelphia, PA - Johnny
06/14/09 Washington, DC - Black Cat
06/15/09 Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506
06/16/09 Atlanta, GA - The Drunken Unicorn
06/20/09 Austin, TX - Mohawk
06/22/09 Tucson, AZ - Plush w
06/23/09 Los Angeles, CA - Echoplex
06/24/09 San Francisco, CA - The Rickshaw Stop
06/26/09 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
06/27/09 Seattle, WA - Chop Suey
06/28/09 Victoria, BC - Sugar Nightclub
06/30/09 Vancouver, BC - Richard's On Richards
07/02/09 Calgary, AB - The Marquee Room
07/06/09 Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry
07/07/09 Chicago, IL - Logan Square Auditorium
07/08/09 Bloomington, IN - Jake's Nightclub
07/10/09 Toronto, ONT - Lee's Palace
07/11/09 Montreal, QC - Il Motore

Download: "Idiot Heart" [mp3] // [Buy Here]

J.A.C.K. : Deletist

Jaggedly Assaulting Cannibalistic Killers, or possibly Jumping Anatomical Caribbean Kinfolk, or even Jiving Alligators Carrying Keyboards…whatever J.A.C.K. means they just want to let you know “they stand for something.” This four piece of raucous and raging musicians, with a mystery meaning behind their acronym, are releasing their first full-length album, Deletist, from Yabyum Records on June 16. Subtle melodic intros complimented by crashing climactic finishes, and powerful vocals; the true meaning behind the ambiguous J.A.C.K. is up for you to decide.

Tracks like "Whorse" and lead off jam "Dracula" are big and bombastic, while "Suicide Man," with its footstomp and hand claps and gang vocals at the beginning, totally reminds me of that Portugal. The Man band everyone here at the office digs. If you're in the NYC area, the band have a pair of dates coming up and should go see them. Oh, and our own Jose Fritz, who turned me on to this album, is a rather big fan of the band. Check out his review over on the main site if you haven't already.

05.30 Brooklyn, NY @ Cameo Gallery
06.13 Brooklyn, NY @ Castle in Hell

Download: "Dracula" [mp3]

Band of the Week: Impossible Hair

If the XTC that made Drums And Wires were from Baltimore, they would be Impossible Hair. The hooks, both catchy and a bit disjointed, mixed together with intricate keyboards and precision drumming, have the signature sound of Wham City all over it. But their Baltimore is a different Wham City – not the hipster one where Dan Deacon is ringleader. Songs like “Tambourines of Fury” and “Have You Got The Dog?” instantly reel the listener in, full of tight guitars and drum patterns reminiscent of Wire, while “X-Ray Man” starts off with a fluttering keyboard that gives way to late 70s post-rock sheen.

These are just a few of the many highlights on the band’s debut, What Is The Secret of Impossible Hair. And with the recent acquisition of Secret producer Roman Kuebler of the Oranges Band on the bass, the band recently returned from a tour of Europe. Hopefully they’ll be hitting the road in the states soon, showing off their Baltimore rock ethos with the rest of the country.

Download: "X-Ray Man" [mp3]

Monday Morning Newsletter (5-18-09)

Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist Donald "Ean" Evans died this week after a battle with cancer. He passed at his home in Columbus, Mississippi. The band released a statement that read in part: "Ean put up a valiant battle with an aggressive form of cancer and he will be sorely missed by family, friends and fans." He was 48.

The record label Scotch Tapes is releasing the new We All Inherit The Moon album on 8-Track tape. This is a super-limited release of 30 units. The post-rock impresarios managed to find 30 blank 8-tracks despite the fact that 8-tracks have not been made in 25 years. It will also be available as a free download Here.

Jane's Addiction singer Perry Farrell was hospitalized last week following an onstage injury at an Atlanta tour date with Nine Inch Nails. Farrell tore a calf muscle during the first song of the band's set but limped through the rest of the show. Against medical advice he is continuing to perform on tour.

Who gives a crap about Notre Dame. Obama appeared with Alice Cooper at the Arizona State University graduation ceremony. Cooper performed ‘Schools Out” backed by his Son Dash Cooper’s band Runaway Phoenix, Obama performed without accompaniment.

Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament was assaulted and robbed at his recording studio last week. Outside Southern Tracks Recording studios in Atlanta, 3 men in black masks with knives smashed windows, threw people to the ground and made off with $3,000 and another $4000 in hardware. No arrests have been made. Jose suspects Sammy Hagar.

EMI records have put the kibosh on the anticipated Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse collaboration. The cock-blocking comes as a result of a dispute between Mr. Mouse and EMI. As a result the Dark Night Of The Soul will only be released as a blank CD-R. All copies will be clearly labeled: "For Legal Reasons, enclosed CD-R contains no music. Use it as you will.'"

Wild Light Touring with Doves

They are fresh off the road from an opening stint with The Killers, and now the New England boys in Wild Light continue to stay busy as they hit the road with UK rockers Doves. Starting this weekend in California, the band will weave their way around the US, ending up with a homecoming show of sorts when the set of dates ends at the House of Blues here in Boston on June 7th.

Wild Doves / Doves Light
5/15 Anaheim, CA House of Blues
5/16 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
5/18 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
5/20 Seattle, WA Crocodile Café
5/21 Vancouver, CAN Commodore Ballroom
5/22 Wonder Ballroom Portland, OR
5/26 Denver, CO Gothic Theatre
5/28 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theatre
5/29 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
5/30 Detroit, MI Majestic Theatre
6/01 Toronto, CAN Kool Haus
6/02 Montreal, QUE Le National
6/04 New York, NY Terminal 5
6/05 Philadelphia, PA The Trocadero
6/06 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
6/07 Boston, MA House of Blues

New Telekinesis Video: "Awkward Kisser"

As we're closing in on the halfway point of this year, it seems that the word awkward is becoming an important part of my 2009. While I can't discuss the most of it, what I can say is that Telekinesis' "Awkward Kisser" is in the running for Best Song of '09, yes even better than that "Two Weeks" song I like so much.

So maybe you've read about the non-stop-spinning-life of Telekinesis! (it's being played through my headphones as we speak) and the song in question. Well now, Michael Benjamin Lerner has made his first video and it's for said song. In the awkward clip, we are split between Lerner playing the song on the piano in his living room and a rather awkward date. I don't want to give any of it away, but my favorite part is when he is sitting on the bench and laughing. Maybe I just like weird humor

New Fool's God Podcast

The fine folks at Fool's Gold Records have launched a new monthly podcast series this week. It is so cleverly titled Foolcast. The inaugural podcast features Toronto's Nacho Lovers, which is described as a "NY-centric mix of house from the 1990s."

Don't be a fool, yo (ha! Been waiting to say that, totally..) check out the podcast over on their Fool's Gold website.

The Rumbles Invades NYC May 20th!

May is easily the best month of the year in New York. We've finally kissed winter goodbye, the rain has gone away, and every day is filled with sun. It's days like this where we dread going to work and wish we could spend our days laying in Prospect Park soaking up the sun. We're bringing that feeling to Fontana's on Wednesday, May 22 for this month's Rumble, a fierce and fighting bill that will leave you wanting more. Our hotly tipped lineup this month includes action from Ennui, Brontasaurus, and visitors from Iceland, Jeff Who? This is a line-up worth retweeting. How Web 2.0 of us!

STRANDED IN STEREO PRESENTS THE RUMBLE
Wednesday, May 20
Fontana's
105 Eldridge Street, New York NY / (212) 334 - 6740
(B or D to Grand St; F, J, M, Z to Delancey)
Doors 8pm / Show 9pm / $7

ENNUI
A band like this is the reason why sometimes showing up fashionably late can be the stupidest fucking idea ever. While the hype machine has yet to envelop this group, it will be only due time until these guys are talking about the same way people do about former NY Rumble alums like Chairlift, Apache Beat, and the Low Anthem. The band's debut LP, The Myth in Which We Live is out now.

BRONTASURUS
Brontosaurus is the brainchild of guitarist Joshua Carrafa, drummer Ian Burns, and bassist Jonathan Byerley. In a previous life, they all played in another band called The Nightmare Fighters. This band made the rounds of Denver and Boulder, Colorado's finest establishments and shared the stage with great bands such as Devotchka and The Planet The. After relocating to Brooklyn, Joshua, Ian and Jon decided to form a raucous trio of energy, fuzz and melody. The result is Brontosaurus.

JEFF WHO?
Defining themselves as the rebirth of 70’s and 80’s rock and dance-pop, Jeff Who? follow in the footsteps of the talent that has come out of the musically prolific country of Iceland. Their second full-length album was recorded in Sigur Ros’s studio in Iceland and released in the fall of 2008 on Bad Taste Records. The self-titled album is an eclectic yet neatly packaged homage to legends of the 70s and 80s.

Future Sounds and Stranded in Stereo have a deep love and respect for the indie music community. Having produced successful events and promoted emerging indie artists, their collaboration promises to continue a tradition of supporting independent music, while at the same time providing locals with a place to party. Through the reach of an online music publication, indie rock internet radio station, indie retailers and online social networking sites, our connection to the music community is broad.

Can't Stop Spinning: Post-Nothing by Japandroids

Alcohol has been known to influence the decisions of many people, decisions both good and bad over decades of time. It distorts the perception's of people's realities and enables them to do smart things and not so smart things. It will also help you realize what some of the better things in life are so then, even when sober, you are then a fan of certain cacophonous sounds.

How alcohol influenced my boredom and then total admiration for Japandroids.

It was maybe a month ago now and it was a bright and sunny Sunday afternoon. I had a late night and I didn't sleep much. When I finally got around to putting on Post-Nothing around 3PM, I immediately was bored by it. It might have just been that the grating guitars and high tinned sounds of the cymbals crashing (or could we even say, eating the guitars - boo ya!) putting much emphasis on my headache, but I just wasn't feeling it. The last song, "I Quit Girls", I thought that was an alright one, but the other seven songs just kind of didn't do it for me.

A co-worker, he told me about the band right before Pitchfork put them on the map with that Best New Music thumb up their ass. He said he could see me totally getting in to it. And after a second go around I had stood with him on the side that it's better together listening to it as a whole album; one song out of context standing alone doesn't work so well.

At some point in the past week or two, "Rockers East Vancouver," it became a early contender for a summer anthem. The way the drums marched in before the guitars blast out of left field. It was catchy and hooky without a lead part - that's right kids, it's all rhythm. Like the great duos of No Age and Local H before them, the 'roids are just two dudes who hail from Vancouver, making blistering loud rock. But what's put them ahead of No Age (for me, at least. You, faithful reader, might just think I'm wrong) is that it's immediately catchier. Like with most things I tend to like lately (see: Abe Vigoda), I like a good hunt, a good challenge where I am forced to look for the melodies buried underneath murky production and huge drums and back and forth vocal delivery.

Brian and David, that's the names of the Japandroids, they used to dream and never worried about dying. Their main concerns were those sunshine girls, people! They are two guys who might just wear their hearts on their sleeves. Maybe, in a sense, Post-Nothing is some sort of concept record that should be called Love, Canadian via-LA SoundStyle. As you go through the album they sing of french kissing French girls ("Wet Hair") and use the endearing phrase "x-o-x-o-x!" ("Heart Sweats") before it all ends in the drones and defeat of the above mentioned "I Quit Girls". They also sing of doing all the other angsty teen things like getting laid, getting paid and getting drunk, which brings me back to how this story started...

Like when I finally understood and got in to Animal Collective, I was having a few beers at the time when I put this record back on for its final shot. Three Miller High Life's in and I was sold; the record immediately was on repeat for the entire weekend while sober. I'm not trying to promote alcoholism, nor do I have a drinking problem, it's just that sometimes something comes along, a variable, and influences your opinion on things and helps you grasp the concept and understand everything better. The moral of the story, boys and girls, is that some things are attractive even when the beer goggles come off.

Download: "Young Hearts Spark Fire" [mp3]

Band of the Week: Dutch Uncles

Manchester's Dutch Uncles are a tough lot to pin down. On one hand it seems as though they are playing the herky jerky math-pop that is all the rage these days, but there is enough quirky pop thrown in the mix to make the band unique in its own right. The band's eponymous debut album is out now on Tapete Records. Their next gig is May 22nd in Manchester with LoveLikeFire and the Pains of Being Pure at Heart.

Download: "Takeover" [mp3]

Monday Morning Newsletter (5-11-09)

Trent Reznor is off the market. The main man behind Nine Inch Nails is now engaged to Mariqueen Maadig of the band West Indian Girl. Trent has made no comment but West Indian Girl's website now has an announcement. Strangely Mariqueen's band does not suck.

Meg White is engaged as well. Meg, the "drummer" for the White Stripes, is getting married to Jackson Smith later this month in Nashville. Jackson is the son of punk rock poseur Patti Smith. Strangely, while her ex-husband Jack white took her surname, she will be taking Jackson's surname. Jackson's band Back in Spades also does not suck.

Flying in the face of all good sense, Sugar Ray is releasing Music For Cougars, their first album in six years. The band literally hasn't had a radio single in a decade. Mark McGrath will take a break from playing a tool on TV to be a tool on a 9-week summer tour.

Taking Back Sunday will be releasing a new album, New Age, due out June 2nd. Their tour with Anberlin kicks off on May 14. Former lead vocalist Fred Mascherino released a statment that read in part "Really? I thought they broke up."

Free EP from Bleubird, featuring Noah23, with productions by Scott Da Ros, Raoul Sinier a.k.a. Ra, Kid Rolex, Bit Tuner, Playpad Circus and The Closing. Download Here.

Dezordr records has assembled a free digital download compilation of their artists. The comp includes work from Pan@Point, mrteddybear, Shiyugosha Feat. Aamir, Weedafresh, The Parasite, Arsa, The Mange, Buldose, Preserve, Instrumental, Stekri, Knomad, Shitao, SMahara, Native Alter Kartet, Purple Square, Boulo and Dtracks. Get it here

Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist Donald "Ean" Evans died this week. After a long battle with cancer On their websit ethe band wrote: "Ean put up a valiant battle with an aggressive form of cancer and he will be sorely missed by family, friends and fans." He was 48.

The Dandy Warhols Are Sound Finally

When The Dandy Warhols entered the studio in late 2001 to begin working on the follow-up to the rather successful Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia, who knew the resulting album, Welcome To The Monkeyhouse, actually was first birthed as something rather different? Most of the songs were the same, yes, but the sequence was different, the mixes entirely altered.

When then Warhol home Capitol was given the finished product, titled The Dandy Warhols Are Sound, they were less than impressed. The mixes were given back to the band with instructions to remix it to make it more commercial. So the label went ahead and remixed it to make the Monkeyhouse we've all lived in for the past six years. But now that the Warhols are on their own, the world (outside of dire Warhols fans like myself who have had been circulating this for years) will finally get a chance to hear The Dandy Warhols Are Sound, the way we were supposed to hear it with alternate mixes and titles in some cases, when they drop it on July 14th.

I haven't listened to it in years, but I always remembered that version of "I Am Over It" being so much better. The drums not coming in until halfway through the song, this beautiful swells of acoustic guitars around it. It also features the closing noise of "Pete International Airport," previously unreleased until this Bastille Day.

The Dandy Warhols Are Sound, I think:
01 Burned
02 Scientist
03 We Used To Be Friends
04 The Last High
05 Wonderful You
06 Love Me Lovely
07 I Am Over It
08 Heavenly
09 Plan A
10 Hit Rock Bottom
11 I Am Sound
12 Insincere
13 Pete International Spaceport

Download: "Wonderful You" [mp3]

The Great Escape Preview: British Sea Power

Not only is British Sea Power's music well-thought out, but so are the stages they play on, often decorated with foliage and plastic birds. Their songs really are a visual experience themselves, playing images of overexposed sky again murky waters and distorted trees—but everything is beautiful. It's pop that is carried by intellectual narratives, referencing Dostoevsky and sentiments that are thoughtful and separated from daily emotions. Their Do You Like Rock Music was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and the 1934 documentary Man of Aran was recently released with a soundtrack that they produced.

New Foreign Born Album, Video

Three random facts I learned this morning from Foreign Born via their Wikipedia page:

1. They formed in San Francisco in 2003 before relocating to Los Angeles
2. They were featured in the pilot episode of Chuck, playing in the background during a nightclub scene.
3. Their first two releases (a 7" single and an EP) came out on StarTime International

What said Wiki page regrets to inform the world of is the band's new album, Person to Person, on that Secretly Canadian label I kind of enjoy immensely. The band seems to blend the best parts of bands like the French Kicks and The Joggers and make their own brand of sunny pop/rock/folk songs of awesome.

The band recently shot a clip for lead track "Blood Oranges" from a Swedish TV show that is trying to be Takeaway Show. I think they succeed.



To hear more, why not download this MP3 of the Person jam "Vacationing People", would you?

Download: "Vacationing People" [mp3]

The Rumble Hits Los Angeles Tomorrow!

Stranded in Stereo and your friends at Future Sounds present another awesome night of rock when the Rumble hits Los Angeles for its monthly residency at the 3 of Clubs tomorrow night. Django James & The Midnight Squares, who are also playing tonight at the San Francisco Rumble, will hold down the fort along with The Yelling and Mack Winston & The Reflections. To RSVP, click here!

The Rumble Hits SF Tomorrow Night

Today is Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May. Tomorrow night if you are in or around the San Francisco area, you should head over to this month's edition of the Rumble at Harlot to cure the hangover from all those margaritas you are about to drink.

This month we'll have sets from The Frail along with Django James & The Midnight Squares. DJ Bagel Ted will be on site as always to spin between sets along with this month's guest DJ Anthony from Loquat. Oh, and get there early for $2 beer. Do I need to sell you on anything else? Hit up the Future Sounds site for more details.

Band of the Week: The Romance of Ballooning

Norwich has been rolling out a host of great bands as of late, including one of our recent favorites, the Kabeedies, who we've posted about a number of times. Next up is an outfit that recalls the Thamesbeat mini-scene from a few years back, The Romance of Ballooning. Just recently signed to new local label Milkbar, the band is drawing comparisons to Foals and Mystery Jets. It appears that the band's next gig is 29 July in Norwich, but word is that they are putting together a country wide tour, but it's anyone's guess as to when that will happen.

Download: "Aerobatics" [mp3]

Monday Morning Newsletter (5-4-09)

The swine flu outbreak has put the kibosh on the planned Cornelius/Deerhoof tour. Originally those dates went right through the hot zones in Southern California and Mexico. Hypochondriac travel restrictions have made the trans-Mexico leg logistically impossible. The bands intend to reschedule in 2010, unless we all die in a pandemic.

Jamie Jasta is not dead. Hatebreed's is dropping a new album, “For The Lions " May 5th through Koch Records. The album was finished in 2008, but the band took a second pass at the recordings with original guitar player Wayne Lozinak to record a some additional tracks. The result is an 18-song hardcore opus.

Dsico has made a whole album of material available for free download here. Entitled "The Aborted Album" the work is a collection songs recorded between 2006 and 2007. Dsico explained "I suppose I've been a bit busy with other things... Rather than simply let them languish on a hard-drive I thought I might as well put them out." Jose loves that enthusiasm.

Coldplay announced last week that they will be giving away a live album beginning May 15th. The album titled LeftRightLeftRightLeft will be available at concerts for all of 2009 and the rest of the year and via digital download on Coldplay.com. That first tour date is in West Palm Beach with Pete Yorn and the Howling Bells.

Pink has come out of the closet and admitted publicly that she is bisexual. This not news to Jose at all except that it sort of implies that Carey Hart might actually be a man.

Good Charlotte vocalist Joel Madden had a problem at Heathrow Airport with a British Airways flight. Madden was not allowed to board because he had tattoos. He was told he had to cover up all of his tattoos before he could board the fight. Madden complied. Later British airways released the statement: "British Airways does not have a policy against tattoos. We don't understand why the employee took it upon himself to enforce regulations that don't exist."

Sludgy metal fiends The Matador have signed a deal with Imagine It Records. they will be releasing a new 5-song EP "Bad Day For A Snake" on June 06th. You can visit their website here. Or you can skip right to downloading their 2008 demo here.

Ben Harper & The Relentless 7 Giveaway

The legendary Ben Harper and his band The Relentless 7 have a new album coming out called White Lies For Dark Times and we have a little win it before you can buy it prize pack! Two lucky readers who write in this week will win a copy of the deluxe White Lies, which includes the album on CD and a bonus DVD for your consumption. We also even have a nice little Ben Harper poster to throw in as an add on. The album will be out on Tuesday, May 5th, but like I said two sentences ago - we're giving you a chance to win this awesome prize four days early! And if you can't wait, you can check the album out on his MySpace where it is streaming in full right now.

Ben Harper and Relentless7 - Shimmer & Shine


Click here to win!

New Matt & Kim Video: "Lessons Learned"

The new Matt & Kim single is called "Lessons Learned". By the time it is over, it's clear that the title ties in perfect with the clip. And I hear this all really happened, this isn't just them walking in front of some CGI Times Square, people - this is really real. That's all. That and Happy May Day!