The Swell Season - Two Headed-Boy

Glen Hansard should be the only person allowed to cover Neutral Milk Hotel.


The Swell Season covers Neutral Milk Hotel

Russian Circles - Geneva

Here is another album that makes me feel a little bit better about These Arms Are Snakes breaking up. This is the epic instrumental metal band of the bass player from TAAS. At times the music is sweet and soothing and at it's peak you can hear his bass growl like a dog. That's pretty much all you need to know.

Street Sweeper Social Club - Street Sweeper Social Club

Oh man! I can hardly keep up with what Tom Morello is doing! First, he ditched his electric and grabbed an acoustic for The Nightwatchman and then he dusted off his electric for Street Sweeper Social Club, a collaboration with the emcee Boots Riley. I really wanted to like this. At the start of the first track it sounded like Tom was back to his usual riffage, but after six tracks I just wanted to listen to Rage Against the Machine instead. Boots Riley isn't nearly as versatile or urgent as Zach de le Rocha can be and the crazy Tom Morello solos don't come often enough. Even the most die hard RATM fans don't need to hear this.

David Cross - Bigger and Blackerer

Wooden Ruler Society, I have neglected you. Sincere apologies.

I have been on a huge David Cross kick lately. I've been listening to his old albums. I've scoured YouTube for any stand up clips. I went out and got his DVD Let America Laugh. And if anyone wants to get me a belated birthday present, the Mr. Show: Complete Collection DVD set is fairly cheap. wink wink. David Cross' latest offering, Bigger and Blackerer, is terrific. The thing about David Cross is that, while he's not necessarily laugh out loud funny, he's smart and has something to say. For that reason you are able to listen to his albums repeatedly and it doesn't lose anything. With most comedy albums you can listen to them a couple times, laugh, and then you might as well toss it in the garbage. How many times can you listen to the same joke? It's different with David Cross. If anything, the material takes new shape after repeated listens and never fades on enjoyment.

Sleigh Bells - Treats

Damn, I'm in love. Listen to it and try not rocking it. Impossible. This was released in May of '10, it's the guitarist from Poison The Well, which is ridic, and then a girl/lady with the name of Alexis. If I knew karate, I would karate crush people's heads and have this as my soundtrack.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Up From Below

When dreams still had a chance in my mind's eye, I was living in the mountains, chewing on pine needles and watching my friends prepare and eat squirrels, well that last part only happened once, but in any case, I wish I had found this album earlier, because it's perfect for those kinds of days, and an almost perfect pairing with said circumstances. The folkie assortment of instruments and the far away sound of Alex Ebert's voice, alongside the very westernesque clangy piano, makes it a quite enjoyable listen and should hopefully inspire you once children of cowboy and indian dreams to dream again. Wikipedia's origin story is a winner as well with...
"After breaking up with his girlfriend, moving out of his house, and joining a 12-step program for addiction, Ebert began work on a story about a messianic figure named Edward Sharpe. According to Ebert, Sharpe 'was sent down to Earth to kinda heal and save mankind...but he kept getting distracted by girls and falling in love'."
The song you may know them best for is most likely "Home", where you get the excellent opportunity to really enjoy Jade Castrinos' smokey, sexy-fine, female vocals.

Morrison Hotel - The Doors

In the everlasting purpose and quest of starting shit off right, I do implore you to start the summer off correctly by listening to and, or, having on hand, Morrison Hotel. If you're like me, you've got specific albums you listen to at certain points throughout the year, and this is my all time, gotta have it, summer album. Roadhouse Blues, Land Ho!, and Peace Frog are just a few of the amazing tracks featured on this 1970's album. If you don't have this, go get it. Blood in the streets of fantastic LA, damn!

Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

I had originally intended to use this blog to complain about all the music I hate, which is most of it. But now I'm finding that it's more fun to talk about the music I actually like. That brings us to our next entry - Phoenix. Why won't this band go away? There is absolutely nothing special about this band. It's like the indie rock version of Maroon 5. On top of it all they named their album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. That's not even clever or funny. It's just dumb. Fuck these guys.

Varnaline - Songs in a Northern Key

Maybe it's a sign of getting older but my music choices have mellowed out considerably since high school. When I first listened to Varnaline's Songs in a Norther Key all I could think was, why haven't I heard this yet? This has everything I love about music right now. Acoustics, a whiskey soaked voice, the occasional distorted bass (!?) and a melody that gets you stuck humming it for days. If I was 16 I would hate this.

Soft Metals

Hottest band in America. Soft Metals encapsulate everything you loved about 80's synth pop bands.





Soft Metals