New Mates of State on the Way

The two happiest live performers that I've ever seen, Jason and Kori of Mates of State, have a new album coming out on May 20, and the early signs are very positive. The first single, "Get Better," features the husband and wife duo sharing vocals as usual, and it has all the hallmarks of the best MoS songs: gradually building tempo, complementary keyboards and drums, and overall, it is as catchy as ever. The video features all of that plus scooters and animal masks. Check it below, along with the Mates of State song that sold me 100% on these guys, and solidified them as one of my favorite bands, "Fluke."

As a sidenote, the band also has an entertaining blog in which they document their experiences as both parents and a band. Also, it's called "Band on the Diaper Run," which I think is very funny. You probably should too, I mean really.



Mp3: Mates of State - Fluke
Stream: Mates of State - Get Better
Video: Mates of State - Get Better

1/2 of Mates of State + 1/2 of Mates of State's Kids + all of Mates of State's demeanor:

New Weezer - Pork and Beans

Yes, it's that time again. Time for all the longtime Weezer fans to evaluate a new single and decide how it stacks up against the two classics, Weezer (Blue) and Pinkerton. The past 3 albums have been seen overall as disappointments, especially when compared with those first two, but we may finally have a winner. There was some hope shown in the Rivers Cuomo solo album, but here we see the band back again. The lyrics may be a bit nonsensical, but the instrumental sound (particularly the guitarwork) is undeniably reminiscent of classic Blue Album tracks like "My Name is "Jonas" and "The World Has Turned and Left Me Here." Agree? Disagree?

Stream: Weezer - Pork and Beans

Ryan Adams has gone a little bit crazy: stuffed animals & new music

[VIDEO REMOVED]

...but he remains more talented than everone else.

Summer Music: Belle & Sebastian

It's pretty easy to develop associations, both good and bad, with your favorite music. For myself, Belle & Sebastian is a band that I've long associated with summer. It was a summer in high school when I heard my first B&S album and a summer in college that I first saw the group play live. When it starts getting warm out and I can feel the season changing, I seem to revisit all their albums without fail. Below, two of my favorite B&S songs that I'll surely be listening to soon (or now, considering we've already hit 80 degree weather...).

Mp3: Belle & Sebastian - Seeing Other People
Mp3: Belle & Sebastian - Dirty Dream Number Two

SXSW 2008

[photo credit: Staciaann Photography]

The South by Southwest Music Conference/Festival truly is exactly as it sounds: Over 60 venues, over 1400 artists, all packed into downtown Austin, TX over one week. In reality, though, it is hard to imagine until you see it all first-hand. It is overwhelming, thrilling, and exhausting all at once. The mere task of trying to select which bands to see at any given moment is a huge undertaking, mainly because there are very few easy choices (with the notable exception of skipping a party hosted by Perez Hilton, sorry dude.). In the end, though, having to choose among so many great shows really is half the fun, and I quickly realized that it is important to take chances on a new band, rather than always going with the more established acts. Below, personal highlights from SXSW and some Mp3s from the bands that put on my favorite shows.

[photo credit: dontdothisathome]

Favorite Large Venue Show: Alejandro Escovedo @ Stubb's
The perfect example of stumbling upon a great, great artist. The reason that I even made the trek over to Stubb's to check out this set is that I heard a rumor that Lou Reed was going to be a surprise guest at this set, which made me immediately leave the show I was at and head right over. Midway through the first song of the set, I had already forgotten why I came over, because Escovedo and his band tore through their own music with passion and incredible skill. I have no idea why Escovedo isn't playing huge venues, or even why his music isn't all over the radio. It is catchy, accessible, and laced with pure high-level musicianship. In the end, the entire set went by without any guest appearances, but it didn't matter. As a big R.E.M. fan who saw said band perform a terrific set the night before on the same stage, I can say that Escovedo put on the superior performance. Next year, I only hope that the crowd doubles if he makes another appearance.

Mp3: Alejandro Escovedo - Castanets

Runner-Up for Favorite Large Venue Show: R.E.M. @ Stubb's

[photo credit: chasingfun]

Favorite Mid-Sized Venue Show: Bodies of Water @ Mohawk Patio
Bodies of Water was one of the bands I was most looking forward to heading into SXSW. They also were one of the acts that had a handful of scheduled performances throughout the week. I'd like to think that I picked the best show of the bunch, because they put on a terrific performance. Bodies of Water's songs have a wonderful tendency to include changes of tempo throughout as well as vocals from all members. This can lead to a sound that is Polyphonic Spree-esque with some jumpy Mates of State or Architecture in Helsinki-type twists. The high point of the show had to be towards the end of the performance, when the group played one of my favorite singles of 2007, "These Are the Eyes." The fullness of the song completely came through in the live show, and the group's charisma only added to the performance.

Mp3: Bodies of Water - These Are the Eyes

Runner-Up for Favorite Mid-Sized Venue Show: The Most Serene Republic @ The Parish

Favorite Small Venue Show: Mittens on Strings @ The Hideout
In many ways, this was my favorite overall show in terms of a true South by Southwest experience. Mittens on Strings is a band that I first read about after last year's SXSW, and I've since grown to be a big fan. Unfortunately, they only had one show scheduled this year, so I was forced to skip both Aloha and Land of Talk to see this show. Verdict: glad I took the chance. The Hideout was one of the stranger locations for a show, because after a week of seeing bands in bars, you quickly realize that this venue is actually located within a coffee shop. It isn't until you walk to the back of the shop that you see a side entrance that leads to a small theatre extension where bands performed. The journey was worth it, because everyone in the audience got to be a part of a special performance. While there are many bands nowadays that are producing contrived versions of mid-90s low-fi indie rock, there are significantly less acts that take the music of their predecessors and actually push it in a new and interesting direction. Mittens on Strings fall well within the latter category. After a 40 minute set, I left with the strong feeling that I had gotten the chance to see an act on their way up, which to me is the most exciting of all the opportunities at South by Southwest.

Mp3: Mittens on Strings - G.I. Dirt Races

Runner-Up for Favorite Small Venue Show: Bowerbirds @ Mohawk (inside)



Final tally of acts seen: 30
[In alphabetical order...Alejandro Escovedo, Basia Bulat, Bear in Heaven, Blitzen Trapper, Bodies of Water, Bon Iver, Bowerbirds, Dead Confederate, Destroyer, Evangelicals, Fleet Foxes, Islands, Jens Lekman, Johnathan Rice, Langhorne Slim, Le Loup, Mittens on Strings, N.E.R.D., Ola Podrida, Papercranes, Phosphorescent, R.E.M., Ra Ra Riot, Summerbirds in the Cellar, Tapes 'n Tapes, The Cribs, The Most Serene Republic, Tokyo Police Club, White Denim, White Rabbits]

Daytrotter Highlight: Basia Bulat

I once again have the good folks over at Daytrotter to thank for introducing me to a great new artist (who will also be performing at South by Southwest this weekend to boot). Basia Bulat hails from Canada, home to all kinds of musical wonders, from MuchMusic to Neil Young. Her voice demands attention, and when combined with her band's very full instrumental sound, makes for some great music. Her originals are just as strong as her covers, but the two tracks that I most highly recommend are "Untitled," and the Sam Cooke cover, "The Hem of His Garment." You can check out the full set at the link below.

Basia Bulat - Daytrotter Session


Past Daytrotter Session Recommendations:
Thao Nguyen
Andrew Bird
Bishop Allen


Full Daytrotter Session Archive

Modest Mouse - Worms vs. Birds

As you may have guessed, the song below is where this site's name came from. I suppose the main reason I selected it is that Modest Mouse has long been a favorite band of mine, and this song is simple, short, and a great example of why I love the band. The guitar work in particular on this track is pure Modest Mouse. The song is off the 1994 album Sad Sappy Sucker, which can be had right here. I've actually seen it listed as both "Birds vs. Worms" and "Worms vs. Birds," but what the heck. Here it is:

Mp3: Modest Mouse - Worms vs. Birds

Matt Pond PA - Fairlee

There are times when I'd describe rediscovering a band as being just as satisfying as hearing a band for the first time. I've recently gotten back into a band that I hadn't listened to much in the past few years, and haven't had the chance to even check out their new album. Thanks to an old mix cd on a road trip, however, I ran across a song that I used to love by Matt Pond PA and am welcoming it back into my life. It's off their 2002 Polyvinyl-released album, The Nature of Maps, available here. The bonus factor is that I'll be seeing them live in a matter of hours. Here's hoping they bust out this old one at the CDU.

Mp3: Matt Pond PA - Fairlee

Into the Wild

Every year during January and February, I end up playing catch up on most of the best-of movies from the year before, and 2007/2008 has been no different. Recently I caught Into the Wild, a film I had meant to see when it was first released but never quite made it. Rather than going into specifics of the film, I'll just say that I thought it was one of my favorites from last year and that it is worth seeing. There are some great themes throughout and the ending is striking.

I will say that I wish I had seen the film earlier for one other reason- the soundtrack, which features Eddie Vedder, would most likely have been in my top 10 albums of 2007 had I heard it a few months back. It is terrific, and below is one of the highlights (which features Corin Tucker of Sleater-Kinney) - a cover of the song "Hard Sun." Although the album is only a bit over a half-hour long, it is worth the price of purchase. Check out the movie first, though, and the soundtrack will only sound better.



Mp3: Eddie Vedder - Hard Sun

and as a bonus, here is another Into the Wild track, in demo version [courtesy Gremmie.net]:

Mp3: Eddie Vedder - No Ceiling (Demo)

RickoLus - Dear Projectionist

Myspace Music: An Evaluation

Positives:
-Introductions to great new artists that you've never heard of before. Immediate access to some of their music.

Negatives:
-Incessant friend requests from terrible bands. Pop-punk garbage piles have a tangible recording of their number of friends that can serve as a reminder of the unfairness of the music world.

--------------
With the way that information travels these days, it can be difficult to truly discover new music on your own - it seems much easier to be sick of hearing a band's name before you've even heard one of their songs. A little while back, I was looking for something new to listen to, and came across RickoLus' site through a local band's myspace page. It's great stuff, and most of it is available for free download on his website. If you like it, there is an area where you can donate to the cause of more music. Enjoy-

Mp3: RickoLus - Dear Projectionist

Tapes 'n Tapes - Hang Them All

Very excited to share this one. After 2005's great "The Loon," Tapes 'n Tapes had a lot to live up to for their next release. All things point towards awesome with this new single, which toes the ever-difficult line of pushing things forward while keeping a good thing together. Below is a high-quality Mp3 of the song, but for a super-high quality file, head over to the band's site. While you're at it, send the Minnesota-ens some dollars. "Walk it Off," the forthcoming record, is due April 8.

Mp3: Tapes 'n Tapes - Hang Them All

songs for puppies

So several of my friends (mainly just you, Jacqueline) have reminded me of their pumped-ness for the 2008 Westminster Dog Show (now underway). As such, I have selected two songs that I claim to be at least as cute as the puppy above, in a good way. Sorry for anyone looking for a nu-metal track. Not today.


Mp3: Simone White - Beep Beep Song

Mp3: Rosie Thomas ft. Sufjan Stevens - Say Hello

sxsw band to look forward to: Mittens on Strings

As March gets closer, it's exciting to see the lineup that is gradually released for Austin's South by Southwest Festival (especially since it'll be my first). One band that I just noticed is set to play SXSW is a group that I actually heard about after last year's festival. I've liked them ever since, and haven't had a chance to check them out live just yet. If their shows are half as awesome as their band-designed one-of-a-kind shirts for sale on their website, then it should be a great time. If you've never heard them, I'd recommend starting with the song below.


Mp3: Mittens on Strings - La Cartel

still good, one year later: Andrew Bird as Dr. Stringz

Just about one year ago to the date, Andrew Bird had a fantastic appearance on the children's show Jack's Big Music Show as stringed-instrument-fixer Dr. Stringz. Some songs fade with time, but how can this song (and guest spot as a whole) not be an instant classic? Let's take a trip back in history, all the way to January 2007.

Here is the video, in all its glory:



Thanks go out to CSVMIAD for the stellar Mp3 from the show. You can check that out below as well.


Mp3: Andrew Bird/Dr. Stringz - Dr. Stringz

live vs. studio: Ryan Adams - My Love for You is Real

I've heard the argument that Ryan Adams' problem is that he produces too much music, and as a result, he ends up having some sub-par releases. While I'd disagree with that assessment, my problem is that it is easy to miss a really high-quality song or two in the shuffle of all of Adams' albums. One of my favorite new discoveries is the song "My Love for You is Real," off of his latest EP, Follow the Lights. The song's first official studio release can be found there, although earlier live versions exist. The version below is actually from a show back in 2001, and it rivals the studio track in terms of likability. I think this song is a perfect example of a track for which a case can be made as being better live or better in-studio. The studio version has a much fuller, produced sound (with the aid of Adams' backing band The Cardinals), while the live version is bare bones but lets you have a truly authentic, sincere performance.

All said, the Follow the Lights EP is definitely worth picking up, which you can do right here.

Mp3: Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - My Love for You is Real
Mp3: Ryan Adams - My Love for You is Real (live)

Metric - The Twist

With the release of Metric's new live dvd imminent (pre-order on their website here), I've been revisiting the group's older albums, and rediscovered one of my favorite older tracks. For fans that have never heard Grow Up and Blow Away, the band's first full-length album, "The Twist" will probably seem to be a departure from their guitar-driven recent work. The track, though, is fairly representative of their early sound, with a slight bit of added edge.

Mp3: Metric - The Twist

a worthy remix: The Shins - Australia (Peter Bjorn & John Remix)

+

Pretty sure I'm a bit behind on this one, but hey, It's new to me. The marriage of The Shins and Peter Bjorn & John in some form seems fairly inevitable in hindsight, as both have risen to the top of indie pop bands in terms of critical acclaim and public recognition. You can hear Peter Bjorn & John's distinctive quality in this track; gone are the "la, la, la's" of the original, and the vocals are more isolated (along with more prominent echoing) in the remixed version. Thoughts?

Mp3: The Shins - Australia (Peter Bjorn & John Remix)

New Stephen Malkmus(!) - Gardenia

Stephen Malkmus is my hero. There really is no other way to say it. From Pavement through Real Emotional Trash, the forthcoming SM & the Jicks album, the man can not miss. To paraphrase the "Bobs" from Office Space (when they were discussing their love for Michael Bolton), it doesn't get much better for me than when he sings "Jenny and the Ess-Dog." "Gardenia" should please most Malkmus-followers, as it falls within the more accessible end of his classic work.

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Gardenia [link removed]

perfect soundtrack piece: The Chemical Brothers - Where Do I Begin

Regardless of your opinion of the movie Vanilla Sky, it's hard to deny the accompanying soundtrack. The entire film, in fact, is tied closely to its music. Many scenes focus heavily on a backing song, and there are even several direct music-related references, such as the shot above, which emulates one of Bob Dylan's classic album covers. Perhaps the most fitting song in Vanilla Sky is the song "Where Do I Begin" by The Chemical Brothers (featuring Beth Orton on vocals). It has a terrific, dream-like opening, and it devolves into a strange amalgam of criss-crossing beats and noises. If you've seen the movie, you may agree that for better or worse, the film parallels the song's strange path. Check it out and see for yourself:

Mp3: The Chemical Brothers - Where Do I Begin

worth repeating: Lambchop/David Byrne - The Man Who Loved Beer

Back when it was released, I remember David Byrne's 2004 album Grown Backwards getting a decent amount of press, but it seemed that most reviewers were concerned primarily with its operatic moments and for the track, "Glass, Concrete, and Stone," which was featured in several films that year. While both aspects of the album are worth noting, it seems that it may have been easy for the general public to overlook a great cover song within the 15 tracks. "The Man Who Loved Beer," which was originally written and performed by the band Lambchop, has a great deal of added production along with Byrne's unmistakable vocal style. Both great versions in their own right; both worth checking out.

Mp3 - Lambchop - The Man Who Loved Beer
Mp3 - David Byrne - The Man Who Loved Beer