Welcome to the Pig.

Solo Fo Sho 5/7

2011-05-07T21:59:00.000-07:00

So I'm feeling fucking awesome.

Inventory: two cups of coffee, two oreos, two pairs of playlists, two girls (rOSIE and gREER), two cats (oLAF and iSHTAR), two new red shoes with two red laces, and two tattoos.

Oh and just fyi, Guinea Pig Media is moving here.

^Where the fuck are you, duuuude????

Adam Green - Buddy Bradley
Jens Lekman - Postcard to Nina
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
Bibio - S'Vive

PJ Harvey - Words That Maketh Murder
The Black Angels - Science Killer
Black Moth Super Rainbow - Born On A Day The Sun Didn't Rise
Four Tet - A Joy
The Pixies - Bone Machine
Rickie Eat Acid - Beautiful Gurrls
Hot Chip - Wrestlers

bASS dRUM OF dEATH - lEAVES
pURITY rING - lOFTICRIES
csmc eNERGY - lONELY fRONT
jAI pAUL - btstu

Pezz - Fairytale
Sleater Kinney - Heart Factory
Times New Viking - Teen Drama
Cloud Nothings - Hey, Cool Kid
Dent Sweat - More Than A Friend

The Morning Benders - Oh, Annie
Dutch Uncle - Orval
Family Portrait - Other Side
tv gIRL - oVERBOARD (dIRTY gOLD COVER)
gROUNDISLAVA - pANORAMA (cLIVE tANAKA & bEAUNOISE REMIX)
yUNI IN tAXCO - pSYCHIC sISTER

Battle Ave. - Puke Lust
Woods - Pushing Onlys
The Mantles - Raspberry Thighs
The Morning Benders - Cold War (Star Slinger Remix)

Breakfast Special 5/2

2011-05-02T09:09:00.000-07:00

Lichens - Vevor of Agassou
Owen Pallett - Don't Stop
Bjork - Hunter
If By Yes (ft. David Byrne) - Eliza

The Clash - Ghetto Defendant
Deerhunter - Helicopter
Spoon - Mountain to Sound
Smith Westerns - Dance Away

Timber Timbre - Woman
Times New Viking - No Room To Live
Neutral Milk Hotel - King of Carrot Flowers, Pt. 1
The Kills - Pots and Pans
Muddy Waters - Champagne and Reefer

Old Time Relijun - Daemon Meeting
Sleater-Kinney - What's Mine is Yours
Shuggie Otis - Strawberry Letter 23
The Daze - It's Only Natural

Hot Panda - Start Making Sense
Joe Strummer - Redemption Song
Grizzly Bear - Boy From School (Hot Chip Cover)
Dirty Projectors - The Glad Fact

The Knife - Heartbeats
Surfer Blood - Harmonix
The Maples - The Impossible Death of Robin Hood
David Arthur - The Dude

Panda Bear - The Preakness
Bibio - Lovers' Carvings
PJ Harvey - Words That Maketh Murder
Rural Alberta Advantage - Two Lovers
Wilco - I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

Tall Dwarfs - Possum Born
The Parting Gifts - Keep Walking
Peter Bjorn and John - Second Chance
Fujiya and Miyagi - Collar Bones
The Zombies - This Will Be Our Year
James Blake - Unluck

Chad Vangaalen - I'm a Witness
Sisters - Wake Me Up
Elliot Smith - Say Yes

BS 4/18

2011-04-18T09:12:00.000-07:00

CAT CITY!

Went to Yellingham in Bellingham this weekend and it was awesome! Check it out now and go next year.

Amy Harding is in the studio with me today, playin some stuff.

That's about it, thanks for listening!

The Black Keys - Busted
Brian Jonestown Massacre - It Girl
Beach House - Gila
Women - Black Rice
St. Vincent - Marrow

The Dirty Projectors - The Glad Fact
Dum Dum Girls - Baby Don't Go
The Kills - Future Starts Slow
Girls - Laura
Ratatat - Kennedy

Yawn - Kind of Guy
The Knife - Heartbeats
Of Montreal - Rapture Rapes the Muses
Lykke Li - Love Out of Lust
Grizzly Bear - Central and Remote

Le Loup - We Are Gods! We Are Wolves!
Panda Bear - The Preakness
Sixtoo - Jackals and Vipers in Envy of Man Part 3
Timber Timbre - Bad Ritual

The Durutti Column - Requiem for a Father
PJ Harvey - Water
Chris Knox - Voyeur
Animal Collective - Bluish
Fleet Foxes - Quiet Houses

Sleigh Bells - Riot Rhythm
Starfucker - Reptilians
Tall Dwarfs - How the West Was Won
Wavves - King of the Beach
Maps and Atlases - Perch Patchwork

Kurt Vile - Baby's Arms
Times New Viking - It's a Culture
Western Hymn - Take This Weight
The Daze - Little Boy / Old Soul

Mirah- Light the Match
Alyse Black- Emeline
Robert Sarazin Blake w/ John McSherry- I've Been Waiting
Paul Simon- Dazzling Blue
Vivian Girls - Where Do You Run To

Kels Boreen- By Donation
Foster the People- Pumped Up Kicks

For Show Extra Special Pledge Drive Moments 5000

2011-04-09T21:56:00.000-07:00

BEWARE!

You are now entering the pledge drive zone...

No big deal, just this:

If you like hearing what Andrew and I play please make a pledge to show your support. Even if it's only a little bit it still means a lot.

So lots of new music this week, too. Extra special guest Greer Kofoed was here today and played us some Marnie Stern and PJ Harvey.

So that's awesome!

Umm, also start looking for GPM stuff over on Tumblr.

Warpaint - Undertoe
Marked Men - Destroy Them
PJ Harvey - Water
Sleep - Dragonaut

The Saturday Knights - Motorin'
Blakroc - Hope You're Happy
DEL THE FUNKY HOMOSAPIEN - Makes No Sense
Gabriel Teodros - No Label
Blue Scholars - North by Northwest

Timber Timbre - Bad Ritual
Chain and the Gang - Not Good Enough
Of Montreal - Touched Something's Hollow
Laura Veirs - July Flame
St. Vincent - Actor Out of Work

AIR - Surfing on a Rocket
The Avalanches - Since I Left You
N.E.R.D. - Hot-N-Fun
Bassnectar - Wildside Method (ft. 40 Love)

Girls - Lauren Marie
The Clash - Rebel Waltz
PJ Harvey - DEAR DARKNESS
Man Man - 10 Lb. Moustache
Marnie Stern - Every Single Thing Means Nothing

Solo For Show 4/2

2011-04-02T21:56:00.000-07:00

Andrew aint here today... Party time! I'm jumpin' on the beds, man, come jump on the beds with me!

Starfucker - Julius
Peter Bjorn and John - Second Chance
Tall Dwarfs - Ok Forever
Yawn - Kind of Guy
The Celestials - I Dunno

Yelle - Les Femmes
Deerhunter - Don't Cry
The Kills - Satellite
Timber Timbre - Bad Ritual
Sleigh Bells - Run the Heart

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Belong
Band of Horses - Ode to LRC
Neutral Milk Hotel - Holland, 1945
Dum Dum Girls - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
Old Time Relijun - Garden of Pomegranates

Dada Trash Collage - Two Eyes
El Guincho - Bombay
Family of the Year -Chugjug

Girls - Laura
The Rural Alberta Advantage - Stamp
Starfucker - Sir Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second
Yeasayer - Ambling Alp
Man Man - Engrish Bwudd
DFA1979 - Losing Friends

The Eclectic Moniker - 2 Officers
Jom McKiel - Monsters of Mirimichi
The Kills - Future Starts Slow

The BS!

2011-03-30T08:47:00.000-07:00

God I am so unprepared today...

I've barely had time to think since I got back and wasn't able to burn my playlist to disc like I usually do. So now everything is off my comp.

Which I guess doesn't matter all that much to ya, huh? I mean it sounds more or less the same. I'm just bitchin' cause I don't get to move faders.

Other things of note: I got beaten in Super Smash yesterday... by a girl! Woah!

So in honor of that I'm playing as much girl rock punk whatever that I can get my hands on!

Bibio - Lovers' Carvings
Cut Copy - Blink and You'll Miss a Revolution
Sparklehorse - Don't You Take My Sunshine Away
Tennis - Waterbirds
The Rural Alberta Advantage - Stamp

The Zombies - Care of Cell 44
The Willowz - I Wonder
Wye Oak - The Alter
Yelle - Ce Jeu
Brian Eno - Dead Finks Don't Talk

Starfucker - Reptilians
Department of Eagles - While We're Young
Chris Knox - The Woman Inside of Me
Caribou - Eli
Those Darlins - Red Light Love

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Belong
Cage the Elephant - Shake Me Down
The Marked Men - A Little Lesson

Chain and the Gang - Detroit Music I & II
Tall Dwarfs - Meet the Beatle
The Kills - Future Starts Slow
Yeasayer - I Remember
Tender Trap - Oh Katrina

The Strokes - Machu Pichu
Shuggie Otis - Strawberry Letter 23
Bibio - Anything New
LCD Soundsystem - North American Scum

Timber Timbre - Creep on Creepin On
Hunx and His Punx - Lovers' Lane
The Bubbles - Like a Rocket
Those Darlins - Screws Get Loose

Peter Bjorn and John - Second Chance
Smith Westerns - Weekend
Starfucker - Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second
Dr. Dog - The Breeze

Super Awesome For Show Time 3/12/11

2011-03-13T01:47:00.000-08:00

Passion Pit - Cuddle Fuddle
Mohammed Rafi - Jaan Pehechaan Ho
Joan as Police Woman - Magic
Takako Minekawa - Fantastic Cat

Absofacto - Love Song
Mutual Benefit - Animal Death Mask
Kurt Vile - Baby's Arms
Brothertiger - Back to Us

Dead Prez Vs. Grizzly Bear - Hip Hop
Hoodie Allen - Tighten Up
Conor Youngblood - Monsters
Royksopp - What else is there?
Eels - Fresh Blood

Tune Yards - Bizness
Architecture in Helsinki - Contact High
BRAIDS - Lemonade (Go Green Remix)

Starfucker - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Kraftwerk - The Model
Panda Riot - Paperplanes
Discovery - So Insane
Cassius - I Love You So

Bobby - Sore Spores
Monogold - Spirit or Something
TVOTR - Will Do
Wolf Parade - Call It a Ritual

Extra Special Breakfast Special 3/7/11

2011-03-07T14:58:00.000-08:00

So registration for classes is today and I think I'm going to take Shaping Light, a class about blowing glass and making neon signs. That's in addition to my Advanced Audio Production class.

This basically means I'll be here for a little bit over the summer before I can graduate, but I think I might be able to walk in the spring?

And what does this mean for you?

More shows featuring me! I'm talking to Ruth about picking up a few more Breakfast Special shifts during the spring and might continue to do it during the first few weeks of summer.

This of course means I have to drop Nonfiction Media, which is kind of a shame because it's a really fun class. It's tough to make decisions like this, you know? Normally, I would stay in it and tough it out because I know it's a good class and because I would graduate that much earlier.

I've learned a few things about being impulsive in a good way in the past few weeks, though. And if that means anything at all I'll be here in Oly until July 20th.

And really the worst part of it all is postponing or (omg) cancelling an awesome roadtrip this summer. (Oly --> MT. Rainier --> Redwoods --> Arches)

And that's the big insight into my life for today. It's just such a nice morning that I feel like being contemplative, I guess.

Oh man! Got a call from my good buddy William near the end of the show. He's living the dream up in NY playing drums and bussing tables. Check out his music here.

Thanks for calling in, Dane, Woody, and Mathew! Y'all are pretty cool, too.

Here dem tracks.

Wilco - Jesus, Etc.
The Kinks - A Well Respected Man
The Unicorns - Ghost Mountain
Panda Bear - I'm Not
Caribou - Sandy
Yawn - Kind of Guy

SSLYBY - Anne Elephant
Starfucker - Pop Song
Daft Punk - Derezzed
Le Loup - We are Gods! We are Wolves!
Women - Black Rice
Suckers - It Gets Your Body Movin'

TVOTR - Will Do
Colourmusic - You For Leaving Me
Kurt Vile - Baby's Arms
The Submarines - You, Me, and the Bourgeoisie

Starfucker - Death as a Fetish
BRAIDS - Lemonade (Go Green Remix)
Panda Bear - Last Night at the Jetty

Widowspeak - Harsh Realm <--- This song is awesome!
Ambulance LTD - Primitive (The Way I Treat You)
American Analog Set - Punk as Fuck
St. Vincent - Now Now
Spoon - Black Like Me
The Black Keys - Strange Times

Band of Horses - Our Swords
Devendra Banhart- Lover
Gross Ghost - You Tell Me
Gorillaz - DARE (DFA Remix)

Closed Cassette - Time Trials
Lonesome Ghost - My Dear

Iron and Wine - Innocent Bones
The Cave Singers - Black Leaf
Fleet Foxes - Sun It Rises
Blind Melon - Skinned
Western Hymn - Take This Weight
BJM - It Girl

Lake - Higher than Merry
Of Montreal - You've Got a Gift
Christmas - Dub Narcotic
Eleanor Murray - Come Alive

Extra Special For Show 3/5/11

2011-03-05T22:00:00.000-08:00

Wassup dog? Would you like quittal jayel for your nayil?

FUCK it! We'll do it Live!

Tune in again next week, and you can also hear my lovely voice this monday from 6-9 AM for the Extra Special Breakfast Special!

The Hives - Main Offender
The Black Lips - Veni Vidi Vici
The Willowz - Something
The Kinks - A Well Respected Man
The Unicorns - Ghost Mountain
Panda Bear - I'm Not
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Pangea

Dark Dark Dark - A Cloud Story
Frank Black - Where is my mind?
Pixies - Hey
Bear in Heaven - Lovesick Teenagers
Blue Scholars - 50K Deep

Yeasayer - The Children
The Knife - Got 2 Let U
Ratatat - Dura
Brian Eno - Here Come the Warm Jets
The Finches - Steve's Song
Chad Vangaalen - Burn 2 Ash

Zion I - So Many Stylez
Aloe Blacc - Caged Bird Song
Talib Kweli (feat. Mary J.B.) - I Try
Dizzee Rascal - Brand New Day
Anti-Pop Consortium - Reflections

Sisters - Synesthesia
Smith Westerns - Weekend
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Every Night I Die at Miyagis
Harlem - South of France

Ghostland Observatory - No Place For Me
DFA 79 - Do It!
Cassius - This Song

Breakfast Special 2/26

2011-02-26T23:03:00.000-08:00

Ugh, everything sucks right now.

No, don't be such a bum!

OK. I'll work on it.

Thanks for listening. Big love from Andrew, Peter, and me.

Starfucker - The White of Noon
Ratatat - Neckbrace
Dum Dum Girls - He Gets Me High
Cloud Nothings - Heartbeat
Cloud Nothings - Rock
All Girl Summer Fun Band - Samantha Secret Agent

Crystal Castles - Crimewaves
Cassius - Thrilla
Natalie Portman's Shaved Head - Me + Yr Daughter
AIR - Sexy Boy

The Mountain Goats - No Children
The Makeup Monsters - Rude Romantique

The Black Lips - Elijah
Rainbow Arabia - Without You
Generationals - Say For Certain
Deerhoof - Super Duper Rescue Heads!
Agent A & Omae - Breathing 2007

Breakfast Special 2/21

2011-02-21T08:57:00.000-08:00

So I got a ticket to Sasquatch! I'm going to try and get a press pass, too, but who knows. If I don't I'll just have to shoot the whole thing with only my lc-a +. Which would be pretty fun I imagine.

That's pretty nerdy though.

Anyhow, spring is comin around the bend. I've chopped off all my hair, will be graduating in June and then road tripping back to Austin. One thing at a time, though.

Oh, and I'm developing film today! Wait... Damn, it's a holiday. Ok, tomorrow then.

(Artist - Track)

Explosions in the Sky - The Birth and Death of the Day
Ratatat - Falcon Jab
Dirty Projectors - No Intention
St. Vincent - Actor Out of Work

Of Montreal - Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse
Wolf Parade - I'll Believe in Anything
The Unicorns - I Was Born (A Unicorn)
Wilco - Kamera
Arcade Fire - Neighborhood #2 (Laika)
~~Vampire Weekend - Walcott~~ (Woops!)

The Black Keys - Strange Times
Smith Westerns - Girl in Love
Dr. Dog - The Breeze
Animal Collective - Unsolved Mysteries

Caribou - Melody Day
Fujiya & Miyagi - Collar Bone
Department of Eagles - No One Does it Like You
Starfucker - Florida

Yeasayer - 2080
Wavves - Convertible Balloon
Yawn - Kind of Guy
Yuck - Get Away
Tapes 'n Tapes - The Saddest of All Keys

Dog and Panther - Giant Hands
Mogwai - Mexican Grand Prix
Glowbug - My Name is Death
Smith Westerns - Smile <-- Awesome!

Millionyoung - Sentimental
Cloud Nothings - Should Have <-- !!!
Lemuria - Wise People
Coma Cinema - Sinking Sun
French Films - Golden Sea

The Informations - Strange Habits
Agent A & Omae - Breathing 2007
Airliner - Hush Hush
Modest Mouse - Never Ending Math Equation
Cults - The Curse
The Knife - Height of Summer
Owen Pallett - Keep the Dog Quiet

Ratatat - Mirando
Animal Collective - Brother Sport
Lawrence Arabia - Eye A
Of Montreal - I Can't Stop Your Memory

For Show !!!

2011-02-12T22:00:00.000-08:00

The Saturday Knights - Nobody Beats Us
Zion I - Many Stylez
Sonic Sounds - Sexy
Kids of 88 - Just a Little Bit
Jay-Z - Street Is Watching

The Black Keys - Have Love Will Travel
Wilco - I'm the Man Who Loves You
Spoon - Is Love Forever
Wolf Parade - Agents of Love
Of Montreal - When You're Loved Like You Are
Smith Westerns - Girl in Love

Jessica Lea Mayfield - Tell Me
Best Coast - That's The Way Boys Are
Breathe Owl Breathe - Playing Dead
Pink Mountaintops - Execution
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Pixies - Here Comes Your Man
Sister Carol - Oh Jah
Johny Polygon - I Been Runnin'
The Faint - Let the Poison Spill from Your Throat
Doomtree - Dots & Dashes

The Specials - Too Hot'
Cloud Nothings - Hey Cool Kid
Owen Pallett - Lews Takes Action
Yeasayer - 2080
Lawrence Arabia - Eye A
Dr. Dog - The Breeze
Animal Collective - Unsolved Mysteries

The Pig Lives!

2011-02-05T20:11:00.000-08:00

Hey, kids, we're back!

I got an account on Reddit recently and, well... I haven't done much of anything else.

So here is our first playlist in a long while. I hope you enjoy it, I'll try and link in with some myspace links later.

Of note: Death From Above 1979 are reunited for Coachella. Buy me a ticket and I'll take pictures for you!

Smith Westerns - All Die Young
Cold War Kids - Out of the Wilderness
Animal Collective - For Reverend Green
The Dirty Projectors - Two Doves

The Saturday Knights - Nobody Beats Us
Paper Tiger - The Bully Plank
Hot Chip - Over and Over
The Roots - Guns Are Drawn
Aceyalone - Can't Hold Back

Owen Pallett - Keep the Dog Quiet
Explosions in the Sky - The Birth and Death of the Day
Ratatat - Bilar
Grizzly Bear - Chearleader

Tyler Woods - Let Go
Royksopp - Happy Up Here
Zion I - Polarity
Talib Kweli - Broken Glass
RZA - Afro Samurai
Jurassic 5 - Back 4 U

Department of Eagles - Teenager
DFA79 - Losing Friends
Sleigh Bells - Riot Rhythm
Die Antwoord - Wat Pomp
Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros - Shaktar Donetsk
King Khan - Outta Harr
Of Montreal - Sleeping in the Beetle Bug
Smith Westerns - End of the Night

Abc = Mike's Songs
Abc - Andrew's Songs

Breakfast Special 11/1

2010-11-01T07:37:00.001-07:00

Yo, this be the playlist for the Brekfist Special. Checkit.

(ARTIST) - (TRACK)

Explosions in the Sky - Catastrophe and the Cure
Wolf Parade - I'll Believe in Anything
Animal Collective - Fireworks

Bon Iver - Babies
Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant
Grizzly Bear - Easier
Iron and Wine - Up Over the Mountain

The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Part 1
Arcade Fire - Une Annee Sans Lumiere
Deerhunter - Revival
Lawrence Arabia - Apple Pie Bed

Four Tet - Catastrophe and the Cure (Explosions in the Sky Remix)
Hot Chip - Kids With Guns (Gorillaz Remix)

Bears - So Go
Beach House - Used to Be
Crystal Castles - Untrust Us
Phoenix - Countdown
Peter Bjorn and John - Amsterdam
Spoon - Don't You Evah

Wilco - Heavy Metal Drummer
Beck - Gamma Ray
The Black Keys - Strange Times
The White Stripes - Hotel Yorba
The Pixies - Debaser

Radiohead - Electioneering
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Y Control
Crystal Castles - Vanished
Cults - Go Outside

Cloud Nothings - My Little Raygun
Cloud Nothings - I Am Rooftop

Marked Men - Going Crazy
The Pasties - Salmon Song
Pain - Futz Said Julie

Nazcar Nation - Beeswax (Star Slinger Remix)
Piresian Beach - Ceremonial Secrets
Space Ghost - Fleet Beet
Sufijan Stevens - All for Myself

Ratatat - Mirando

Booyakasha.

Die Antwoord - "Evil Boy"

2010-10-31T11:02:00.000-07:00

Ok, this is a little out of my usual depth but check it out.

Warning: it's a little weird and is awesome.

"Turning On", Gorillaz, KAOS Pledge Drive, and ESMP

2010-10-19T09:07:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let you kiddos know that Cloud Nothings have a limited supply of vinyl for sale over at Speaker Tree Records.

The cloudy white (eh, eh?) vinyl looks pretty cool and it also comes with a digital download. Which is pretty much how all music should be sold these days, I think.

Stay tuned for some Gorillaz action 'cause I'll be seeing them this Friday. I'll hopefully have pictures and whatnot up here after that.

Oh, one last thing: KAOS is runnin' their semi-annual pledge drive right now and they could really use your support. KAOS is dedicated to playing music that isn't on any of the big labels so show your support for them and the indie music world by pledging online or by phone. Your help would sure mean a lot!

Also, kinda cool, they've got all kinds of goodies you can get like these sweet green KAOS t-shirts, bumper stickers, recent releases from all kinds of artists, and a couple of limited edition Evergreen Student Music Project vinyl records.

Cloud Nothings - Cool Kid

2010-10-11T20:25:00.000-07:00

This band called Cloud Nothings is pretty awesome right now.

Check out their video for "Hey, Cool Kid".

Cloud Nothings - Hey Cool Kid from Allen Cordell on Vimeo.

For Show 10/9

2010-10-09T15:05:00.000-07:00

Andrew has been abducted by the Communist Lizard People's Army that live under Mount Rainier so I'm left to complete tonight's broadcast alone.

I imagine that they're interrogating him right now, hoping to get the plans for our new secret laser base. If he let's any information slip... well... Let's just say things aren't looking great.

I'll be holed up in the studio with a twelve gauge, two cases of brandy, and a lifetime supply of pudding cups.

Feel free to call in (360-867-5267) to request a song or to join in the fight against the C.L.P.A.'s colonization campaign of the Northwest.

Here is the playlist I've assembled for tonight. I hope it tickles your fancy.

Wilco - Handshake Drugs
Beck - Strange Apparition
Fleet Foxes - Ragged Wood
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Let the Cool Goddess Rust Away
Architecture in Helsinki - Maybe You Can Owe Me
Broken Social Scene - Swimmers
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Oregon Girl
Department of Eagles - While We're Young
Dr. Dog - Adeline
The Microphones - You'll Be in the Air
Maps and Atlases - Perch Patchwork
The Pica Beats - Poor Old Ra
Starfucker - German Love
Ratatat - Dura
Beach House - Gila
St. Vincent - The Strangers
Vivian Girls - Where Do You Run To
King Khan - Welfare Bread
Harlem - South of France
White Denim - Shake Shake Shake
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Gardenia
Pavement - Trigger Cut / Wounded Kite at :17
Elliot Smith - Ballad of Big Nothing
Chad Vangaalen - Mini TV's
Lawrence Arabia - Applie Pie Bed
Of Montreal - Everything Disappears When You Come Around
Man Man - Van Helsing Boom Box
Ambulance LTD - Anecdote
Peter Bjorn and John - Nothing to Worry About
Sleigh Bells - Holly

Doncamatic

2010-10-05T17:20:00.000-07:00

HOLY SH*T!

Surprise! A new Gorillaz single!

It's got somebody named Daley on vocals.

Check it.

^Oh yeah, guess what I figured out how to do : )

For Show - 10/2

2010-10-02T20:26:00.000-07:00

BOLD = ANDREW'S SETS

REGULAR = MIKE's SETS

The Arcade Fire - Haiti
Matt & Kim - Cameras
Archie Bell & The Drells - Tighten Up
Cornershop - Brimful of Asha

Spoon - My Little Japanese Cigarette Case
Andrew Bird - Imitosis
Dr. Dog - Stranger
The Morning Benders - All Day Day Light

Gene Vincent - Be-Bop-a-Lula
Blackbird Blackbird - Float on (Modest Mouse cover)
Warpaint - Ashes to Ashes
Thom Yorke - Black Swan
Portishead - Glory Box

Wilco - Hummingbird
Ben Kweller - How it Should Be (Sha Sha)
Elliot Smith - Son of Sam
Modest Mouse - Never Ending Math Equation
Chad Vangaalen - Dead Ends

Pavement - The Killing Moon
Deerhunter - Revival
Kissed Her Little Sister - Miracle Mile
Terror Bird - Dream For Your Bathwater
Dirty Projecters AND Bjork - On and Ever Onward

Panda Bear - Comfy in Nautica
Peter Bjorn and John - The Chills
Man Man - Zebra
The Microphones - Between Your Ear and the Other Ear

The Mumlers - Raise the Blinds
Menomena - BOTE
Elvis Perkins in Dearland - Shampoo

The Black Lips - Lock and Key
Harlem - Spray Paint

Three Songs and Some Plugs

2010-09-24T12:07:00.001-07:00

Ok, so this is kind of old but still worth listening to. Gotta love the Grizzly Bear.

In other Grizzly Bear related news, the new Department of Eagles album (Archive 2003-2006) is really cool. Check out out this song off it called "While We're Young". Super awesome.

(what are you trying to prove? / who are you trying to prove it to?)

And Panda Bear is purdy neat, too.

Lastly, and more pertinent to my life, I just started work in the Production Department at KAOS in Olympia AND I'm co-hosting a show with my friend Andrew on Saturdays from 8-10 PM. Listen in if you get a chance!

And yeah, I know. I gotta figure out a way to make stuff play on my blog so I don't just keep linking to other sites. You're as passionate about this issue as I am, right?

Right?

Oh yeah, and this is old but I love it.

White Rabbits - Percussion Gun

2010-09-14T07:54:00.001-07:00

Just found this video today. So cool!

It's off the album "It's Frightening".

Still having trouble figuring out how to display videos on here correctly, sorry it's so little. If you'd like to check out a way bigger version just go here.

Here's A New One

2010-08-24T08:53:00.000-07:00

I'd stay but I have to go so here's a link.

MGMT- Congratulations

Breakfast Special!

2010-07-09T06:23:00.000-07:00

Hey, kiddos! I'm back!

But only really for today , I'm just subbing for Friday's regular host. There are a couple more slots coming up this summer I plan on grabbing. I'll give a little more warning next time!

Here's today's playlist, as usual, only I've added the label information for each song as an added bonus!

Modest Mouse - World at Large (Epic)
Peter, Bjorn and John - Amsterdam (Wichita)
Radiohead - Nude (XL)
MGMT - Weekend Wars (Columbia)
The Shins - Caring is Creepy (Sub-Pop)
Wilco - Jesus, Etc. (Nonesuch)
Spoon - You Got Your Cherry Bomb (Merge)
Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks (Warp)
Beirut - Postcards From Italy (Ba Da Bing)
Broken Social Scene - Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl (Arts + Crafts)
Architecture in Helsinki - Maybe You Can Owe Me (Bar/None)
Panda Bear - Comfy in Nautica (Paw Tracks)
Department of Eagles - In Ear Park (4AD)
American Analog Set - Where Have All the Good Boys Gone? (Emperor Jones)
The Black Angels - Manipulation (Light in the Attic)
The Brian Jonestown Massacre - It Girl (Bomp)
The Jesus and Mary Chain - The Living End (Blanco y Negro)
Surfer Blood - Floating Vibes (Kanine)
Beach House - Heart of Chambers (Carpark)
Yeasayer - I Remember (Secretly Canadian)
Owen Pallet - Lewis Takes Action (Domino)
The Morning Benders - Promises (Rough Trade)
The Smith Westerns - Be My Girl (Horizontal Action)
Harlem - Gay Human Bones (Matador)
The Strange Boys - Be Brave (In the Red)
The Rolling Stones - 2120 South Michigan Ave (ABKCO)
The Black Keys - The Moan (Alive)
Queens of the Stone Age - Quick and to the Pointless (Interscope)
Them Crooked Vultures - Caligulove (Interscope)
The White Stripes - Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine (V2)
Beck - Go It Alone (Universal)
Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse ft. The Flaming Lips - Revenge (DNots)
Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse ft. Julian Casablancas - Little Girl (DNots)
Wakey!Wakey! - The Oh Song (Family)
Wolf Parade - Ghost Pressure (Sub-Pop)
Of Montreal - Coquette Coquette (Polyvinyl)
Man Man - Big Trouble (Anti)
Broken Social Scene - Forced to Love (Arts + Crafts)

My Last Breakfast Special :(

2010-04-02T07:13:00.000-07:00

Have no Fear I'll be back on 4/19!

The Beatles – Rocky Raccoon
Dr. Dog – Mystery to Me
Department of Eagles – Sailing by Night
Neil Young – Words
Sarah Jaffe – Clementine
Lawrence Arabia – Eye A
Wolf Parade – Fine Young Cannibals
The Clash – Death is a Star
Man Man – Poor Jackie
Tom Waits – Shake It
The Black Angels – Manipulation
The White Stripes – Little Acorns
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Cold Spring
Fugazi - Foreman's Dog
The Black Lips - I Saw a Ghost (Lean)
Pavement - Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Years
Black Joe Lewis & The Honey Bears - Sugarfoot
The Meters - Bo Diddley
Gorillaz - Empire Ants ft. Little Dragon
Cults - Go Outside
Keepaway - Yellow Wings
Animal Collective - Derek
The Knife - You Make Me Like Charity
QOTSA - Misfit Love
Radiohead - Kid A
Dead Meadow - Heaven
The Black Angels - Science Killer
Spoon - Is Love Forever?
It's a King Thing - Baby Tantrum
Dax Riggs - Radiation Blues
The Strange Boys - Be Brave
Happy Birthday - Perverted Girl
Harlem - Friendly Ghost
Surfer Blood - Twin Peaks
Beach Fossils - Daydream
Eldia - Favorite Murderer
Royal Bangs - B and E

BS 3/12

2010-03-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

Hey there! This is the playlist for March 12th.

I'm not going to be around next Friday-- I'll be in Austin for SXSW!!! So don't get all crazy if I'm not on the air when you tune in next week.

While I'm on the topic: new academic quarter --> new schedule --> I prob won't be on the air next quarter! At least on Fridays.

Expect a few updates concerning this matter.

Grouper - Disengaged
Grouper - Heavy Water/I'd Rather Be Sleeping
Polka Dot Dot Dot - I'd Rather Be Sleeping
Best Coast - Wish He Was You
The Mynabirds - Numbers Don't Lie
It's a King Thing - Wine and Ponies
Blair - Hearts
Oberhofer - Dead Girls Dance
Vampire Weekend - Dead Girls Dance
Fang Island - Life Coach
Broken Social Scene - World Sick
Sleigh Bells - Crown on the Ground
Locksley - The Whip
Pick a Piper - Rooms
The Morning Benders - Excuses
Boats - Chrome Eyelids
Sunglasses - Whiplash
Dr. Dog - Shadow People
Magic Man - Like Sailors
Cults - Go Outside
Day Sleeper - Wait Stay
Said the Whale - Holly, Ontario
Timber Timbre - Lay Down in the Tall Grass
Lake - Madagascar
Wakey! Wakey! - Square Peg Round Hole
Man Man - Gold Teeth
The Apples in Stereo - Dance Floor
Beloved Rogue - Daysleeping
Heather Woods Broderick - The Colors
Bon Iver - Skinny Love
Grizzly Bear - Lullabye
Beach House - The Arrangement
Final Fantasy - Lewis Takes Action
Of Montreal - Everything Disappears When You're Gone
Lawrence Arabia - Apple Pie Bed
Wilco - Everlasting Everything
Townes Van Zandt - Tecumseh Valley
Neil Young - A Man Needs a Maid
Radiohead - Exit Music (For a Film)

Tha BS Playlist!

2010-03-04T21:35:00.000-08:00

Guys. It's going to be so awesome.
Like.
For real.
Here's what I've got in store...

Radiohead - Reckoner
Magic Man - Monsters
Four Tet - Sing
Caribou - Odessa
The Knife - The Height of Summer
Darwin Deez - Bad Day
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Dragonfly Pie
Happy Birthday -Girls FM
Crystal Castles - Vanished
Vampire Weekend - Giving Up the Gun
Yawn - Toys
Man Man - Top Drawer
Lawrence Arabia - Applie Pie Bed
Sea Wolf - The Garden That You Planted
Beloved Rogue - Capital Sense
The Daze - In Spite of Any Doubt
Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks
Gorillaz - Plastic Beach
Starfucker - Pop Song
The Unicorns - Ghost Mountain
The Octopus Project - The Adjustor
Cake - Arco Arena
Cake - Comfort Eagle
The Black Angels - Science Killer
Timber Timbre - Lay Down in the Tall Grass
Dr. Dog - The World May Never Know
Wilco - Hell is Chrome
Harlem - Friendly Ghost
Toro y Moi - Master of None
Grizzly Bear - Boy From School (Hot Chip cover)
Laura Veirs - July Flame
Beach House - Take Care
Brazos - Day Glo
Andrew Bird - Nomenclature
The Shins - Caring is Creepy

As always, you can listen to it here.

Really, Click These Links

2010-02-26T22:17:00.000-08:00

This is the first effort at what should be considered a cumulative review of bands that are worth seeing at SXSW. Remember, these are the only bands worth seeing because I told you so.

Expect a more detailed and less drunk synopsis later on. With any luck it will be before SXSW begins.

Magic Man
Yawn
Bloodsugars
The Cave Singers
Dawes
Sleigh Bells
Happy Birthday
Beach Fossils

The BS on 3/5 Will Melt Your Face

2010-02-25T22:37:00.000-08:00

Yeah, just FYI I'm working on a sweet playlist because I've got the week off.

Expect to hear from Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, The Knife, and Darwin Deez.

Listen to it here, and I'll talk to you then!

Gorillaz Related

2010-02-25T17:15:00.000-08:00

New Gorillaz track "Superfast Jellyfish."

Their new album, Plastic Beach, comes out 3/9 and a mostly lyric-less leak of it is circulating the internets.

Two Big Deals and One Little Deal

2010-01-20T13:44:00.000-08:00

Hold on to your butts because the Gorillaz will play Coachella this April.
They also just released a single, Stylo, and announced the release date for their new album, Plastic Beach. Sweet.

Honus Honus of Man Man and that guy (Nick Thorburn) from Islands and The Unicorns start new porject known as Mister Heavenly.

Last thing: I'm on the air Friday!

The Get Well Soon EP

2010-01-15T20:36:00.000-08:00

Pick up a copy of my new EP by clicking here!

It's pretty awesome, I must say. There's a lot of songs that people haven't heard before as well as a lot of songs that I'm pretty proud of.

Chris Ritchie plays guitar and mandolin. Aaron has some recording credits on one of the songs. I'll be more specific about this when I update the CD Baby website.

Support your local music scene! ;)

Breakfast Special

2010-01-14T22:46:00.000-08:00

I'm making my playlist for tomorrow's show. Getting pumped!

If you're up between the hours of 6 and 9 tomorrow morning (Pacific Time) then click here to listen in.

Other stuff:
- Beach House @ Neumo's on 4/12
- Spoon and Deerhunter touring together. Whaaat?
- Billy Talent's newest album, III, is not that great. They came as close to selling out as they could while still being Billy Talent. You can tell the guys have been singing/yelling pretty hard, too.
- Olympia is raining too much.

Here's a thing from the interwebz.

Breakfast Special

2010-01-06T16:33:00.000-08:00

As you may already know, GPM is in a bit of a transitional phase. Not unlike yourself when you were exploring your body for the first time. It's messy and embarassing-- but you know what? It's just part of life.

More to the point: My first show as an official operator (DJ) for KAOS is tomorrow morning from 6-9 AM. You can listen to it here.

Hi, How Are Ya?

2010-01-05T09:46:00.000-08:00

Alright, alright, it's the new year, I get it, I get it. Shut up.

Yeah, also: it's been a while, huh? Shut up.

Now that all that is out of the way, let me explain something. GPM is no longer a one city site. In fact I'd say it's loosely affiliated with three: Austin, Olympia, and Seattle. I'll put up what I can when I can, which is pretty much the bloggers' creed anyway.

Let's talk concerts:

Seattle
1/22 - Fruit Bats @ The Vera Project
1/24 - White Denim, Brazos @ Neumo's
2/4 - St. Vincent, Wildbirds and Peacedrums, Fences @ Neumo's
2/13 - Vivian Girls, Best Coast @ High Dive
2/23 - Four Tet @ Chop Suey

Austin
2/6 - Dirty Dozen Brass Band @ Stubb's
2/13 - RJD2 @ Emo's
2/20 - Four Tet @ The Mohawk
4/10 - Vampire Weekend @ Stubb's

Vancouver
2/13 - Wilco @ David Lam Park <--- FREE SHOW!!!

And finally... Check out this sweet picture from The Daze's show at Ruta Maya

The Daze on Morning TV

2009-08-24T11:42:00.000-07:00

The Daze have been pushin' hard to support their latest release, Straight Jacket Hymns, which is currently in the top three of Waterloo Records' sales. It's true!

Come see them at their CD release party this Thursday at Antone's!

Also, check out this sweet performance of theirs on morning TV. Look at those dimples!

* Mention this post and I'll buy you a drink at the show.

Austin's Music and How Bobby Bones is Ruining it for Everyone

2009-08-05T09:50:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago the group whose street team I manage (The Daze) got what we thought would be a great opportunity: an interview on morning radio and a chance to play live. Unfortunately, they got booked with Bobby Bones, a local radio diva. He cut up their interview, badmouthed them and refused to put the interview up on his podcast.

I was genuinely upset that a DJ would do that sort of thing. After all, DJ's are there to support and promote music aren't they? That's why they're called DJ's (disc jockeys).

To give you some perspective, let me list some of their qualifications: The Daze have been playing together for several years in Austin, recorded their new album with Rick Del Castillo and Wayne Ceballos (of Austin's Del Castillo and formerly of Bay Area psych oufit, Aum), played at reputable venues (Antone's, Stubb's, the Continental,the Carousel Lounge and Emo's to name a few) with bands like Del Castillo, The Steps, and The Ugly Beats, played several house parties as well as free shows on the South Lamar pedestrian bridge with other young Austin bands (Blues Mafia, Joker, Willy & the Surroundings, etc.) and have an in-store show coming up at Waterloo Records on the 11th as well as a CD release party at Antone's on the twenty-seventh.
If anything, they are the quintessential talented young band in a whole network of young and talented bands poised to be the next generation of Austin's live music.

In short: they worked extremely hard to get to where they are now only to have a mediocre dj slap them in the face because they're "too young."

In my opinion, he's jealous of the success that these three enjoy because they're being genuine and not putting up a celebrity front. People like Bobby Bones should be scared. We're here. We're young, use vintage gear, write blogs and shoot 35mm. We're the next generation of the music industry and our independent bloggers, concert photog's, and home recording engineers are leveling the playing feild and putting big industry and big labels out of business.

Why? Because we're not out here for the money, we came to hear the sound.

Austin gets a lot of hype as a live music city and an incubator for new and innovative music, but when dj's like Bobby Bones start discouraging the efforts of younger local bands it becomes exactly that: a bunch of hype.

- MF

Heath Ledger & Modest Mouse

2009-08-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

The new MM music video came out today. Heath Ledger directed it before he died in 2008.

It's pretty intense, as you can imagine.

Check it out.

Camera Obscura's My Maudlin Career

2009-07-13T12:31:00.000-07:00

When I think of Scotland I think of rain over grassy hills. Red haired lunatics toasting with flagons of ale and a youngish barmaid reciting Robert Burns. A good time spent indoors, maybe, but nothing quite like the grand-charming string-pop on Camera Obscura's My Maudlin Career.

The LP version benefits from the cover artwork (attributed to Julie Annis) being gigantic and beautiful, as well as permission to go on about my new vinyl. Just thought I'd mention that.

The opening track, "French Navy", is extremely catchy and uplifting. Singer Tracyanne Campbell weaves in a quick tale about love-- a theme continued in the rest of the album. Lyrics like "relationships were something I used to do / convince me they are better for me and you" keep it from being too tacky, even if the subject of love is a little hackneyed.

One of my favorite comments on the record is on "Swans": you want to be a writer / fantastic idea. Campbell keeps the love fresh with a nice dose of cynicism. In truth, half the time I'm wondering whether or not she's actually serious.

"Other Towns & Cities" features Campbell at her best, a sense of control and decisiveness not found in the other tracks. In an album of love songs the lyrics strike an ominous tone-- a relative minor to mostly major tunes ("you mean nothing to me tonight). Maybe I'm just a pessimist, but I like this the best.

Tough luck if you're stateside. Camera Obscura has a slew of Euro gigs coming up soon, however. Get a good look at them here.

Not that it all has to be about bottom lines, by the way-- and I believe that music is something that will always evade the objective red and green-- I'll probably be trading this LP in for another Zombies record, pretty watercolors or not. Ha! There I go again...

Spoon's Got Nuffin EP - (100% Troof)

2009-07-06T18:49:00.000-07:00

Spoon's new EP, Got Nuffin, came out just in time to spark some interest for the three days they've got booked at Stubb's this week. Oh yeah, they're only the last three Spoon shows of this decade...

I'd say that Got Nuffin reveals just enough to make me think that Britt Daniel and Jim Eno may have recovered some of the spunk they lost since before 2007's release of the (slightly) bloated Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga.

The EP's namesake (Got Nuffin) is all about the metronome-esque rhythm section and poppy melodies, much like the Spoon we all know and love. Daniel's voice still has that same arresting quality, though it seems as if he's reaching for it more this time around. Stroke Their Brains is a pretty cool track, too, but what really gets me is Tweakers.

Actually, it's a track you can overlook pretty easily. That is until you find the secret take that features Britt Daniel freestyling... it's true check it out (something about Godzilla?).

All this EP nonesense aside, I'd really like to secure me a ticket to go see Spoon with Black Joe Lewis and the Honey Bears on Thursday night...

Top 5 Bands of Summer

2009-06-04T09:20:00.000-07:00

Check out RAPT's Top 5 Bands of Summer!

And yes, yes, I know I owe you a concert update...

Catching the Black Death

2009-05-29T11:17:00.001-07:00

Check out my interview with The Black Death All Stars at the RAPT!

Here's a sweet photo that is completely unrelated!

Most of May

2009-05-09T18:01:00.000-07:00

It's been a rough couple weeks, ok? Get off my back.

5/9 - The Daze @ 21st Street Co-Op, show at 11 pm
5/9 - Old Crow Medicine Show w/ Justin Townes Earle @ Stubb's, doors at 7 pm
5/11 - Elvis Perkins in Dearland w/ Other Lives @ The Parish, doors at 6 pm
5/16 - TV On The Radio w/ Little Dragon @ Stubb's, doors at 7 pm
5/16 - Harlem (TVOTR Aftershow) @ Stubb's, doors at 11:30 pm
5/18 - The Dears w/ Great Northern, Eulogies @ The Parish, show at 8 pm
5/19 - The Offspring w/ Alkaline Trio, Street Dogs @ Stubb's
5/21 - Chaos in Tejas @ Emo's & Mohawk <--- Times New Viking at Emo's!!
5/22 - Chaos in Tejas @ Emo's & Mohawk
5/23 - Chaos in Tejas @ Emo's & Mohawk
5/27 - The Virgins w/ Lissy Trulie, Anya Marina @ Emo's, doors at 9 pm
5/30 - This Will Destroy You w/ Survive, Silver Pines @ Mohawk, show at 9 pm

suck it.

Ok, I got Lazy...

2009-04-04T16:41:00.000-07:00

Typically I try to get this concert update thing going earlier in the month so you don't miss anything, so sorry I'm a bit late. This here be the follerin' shows to see:

4/4 - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah @ the UT Tower around 8:30 pm
4/7 - Ratatat w/ Tussle, Despot @ Stubb's, doors at 7 pm
4/9 - Til We're Blue or Destroy w/ The Hearts and The Minds, Dead Black Hearts @ Stubb's, doors at 9 pm
4/10 - Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti w/ Vivian Girls, Yellow Fever @ Mohawk, show at 9 pm
4/13 - Crystal Castles w/ The Bang Bangs @ La Zona Rosa, doors at 7 pm
4/14 - Brian Jonestown Massacre w/ The Flavor Crystals @ Emo's, doors at 9 pm
4/21 - Dr. Dog w/ Golden Boots, Cave Singers @ The Parish, doors at 8 pm
4/21 - The Faint w/ Ladytron, Crocodiles @ Stubb's, doors at 7 pm
4/24 - The Kills w/ The Horrors, Magic Wands @ Emo's, doors at 9 pm
4/24 - Parade of Flesh Presents: Man Man w/ The Boom Boom Box, Giggle Party @ The Lounge on Elm Street (in Dallas), doors at 8 pm
4/28 - Cake @ Stubb's, show starts ***promptly*** at 8:30 pm
4/29 - George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic @ Stubb's, doors at 7 pm

also on the radar are two sweet documentaries to check out

4/7 - Miroir Noire, a documentary about Arcade Fire. Includes footage from the Neon Bible Tour and a little from recording as well. Watch it here for a limited time only!
4/20 - Bananaz, a documentary about Damon Albarn's Gorillaz. Kind of excited about this one.

Look out for The Daze, TV on the Radio and Times New Viking in May.

That's it! C ya l8r.

- MF

The Morning After: Coming to Terms With SXSW

2009-03-30T20:55:00.000-07:00

I approached this festival from a skeptical point of view because I’ve lived in Austin most of my life and never once regretted missing SXSW (yeah, way overpriced). I always note an increase in the urban outfitted—people dressing like band members, Ray Bans, smug grins—but I never quite want to join in the fun.

Once I got all up in it this year, however, I simultaneously felt both as if I had just stepped off the golden elevator on Heaven’s top floor and like I had fallen down the broken escalator onto the set of Real World vs Road Rules’ Ultimate Circle Jerk Smackdown. I went into this thing like so many rookies: wet behind the ears and full of hope, thinking I was immune to callusing of the soul. On the first day this held true. I went to the 4AD showcase and when it was over I said, “Enough’s enough. Time to get some rest.”

Day Two, however, gave me a little more to chew on. I witnessed the slow decline of all my diligent planning: the carefully highlighted pages detailing my schedule were more or less useless due to unexplained stains. A basic understanding of digital photography continued to elude me. I was still in the early stages of the disease but it was becoming clear I was in it for the long haul. That night I made the next obvious jump up the ladder of privileged behavior by abusing my right to free Tito’s vodka at the Auditorium Shores stage.

By Day Three I had opened the back of my 35mm Promaster, accidentally exposing the film from the Black Lips’ show, rewound an entire cartridge of unexposed film, spent more than forty dollars on vodka tonics and Lone Star and had learned how to show my photog pass, press badge, and fake id all at once in order to achieve a momentary sense of credibility—a reflex I found reassuring at times. At this point I had become the bane of the concertgoer’s existence: the unruly photographer who wasn’t shy to throw dem bows to get as far up front as possible.

Day Four found me somewhere in the Convention Center claiming I was the manager of The Daze, an idealistic underground DIY project from Austin with an average draw of one hundred fifty plus, distributing copies of “The Master Sword EP” in hopes of landing a summer tour in promotion of a new album. In other words, the real Mike Fleming was somewhere in there; it was just hard to see him through all the bullshit aliases and credentials. So it is with your benefit in mind (as well as my own) that I give you the following advice for SXSW 2010.

Hints for Concert Survival

1) Never, under any circumstance, use the ATM’s on Sixth Street or Red River. I was in line talking with two kids from Brazil when a mild explosion from the front made me turn around: a drunk fratboy apparently took the ten dollar convenience fee as an insult to his intelligence and kicked the machine damn near over. He careened off into the night, a bike-cop following him. I can’t say I blame the poor bastard. I was upset, too, but in no shape to do anything about it. I secretly hoped that his aggression would cause a malfunction in the machine to spew cash into the street; a mixture of money, booze and hobo piss frothing around high heels on dirty pavement.

2) Find yourself idly relaxing during a spare moment? Don’t be an idiot: read the SXSW schedule during times like these. Consult it as often as possible. Fucking memorize it. I cannot exaggerate how important it is that you don’t miss Grizzly Bear at the Cedar Street Courtyard because “there aren’t any good shows tonight.” Plus, people like people that look like they know what’s going on. Maybe you’ll make a friend or two since you’ve already got your schedule out.

3) There are plenty of places to park downtown that don’t cost a thing. It’s really not worth it to blow thirty dollars or more on parking for a single day when you can catch the bus downtown for thirty or more cents. Bikes are also extremely useful things. They allow for maximum speed and maneuverability through even the most unruly horde of tourists (“I hear Sixth Street is SO bomb. Let’s check it out.”).

4) You’ll smell like a sweaty bottle of Jose Cuervo at the end of the week no matter what you do. Push the limit: don’t change clothes or bathe. Eliminate those lengthy personal hygiene sessions from your schedule—they’ll only cost you precious time.

5) SXSW is definitely a big networking session so talk to as many people as you can, odds are that everyone wants to make friends. Just try not to do it during the shows. Which brings me to number six.

6) Don’t talk during shows. Seriously. DO NOT MAKE CONVERSTION DURING A SHOW. It is fucking rude and makes it hard to hear the music when everyone is asking each other what shows they’ve seen or who they’re going to see next or whether or not you can exchange a handjob for an unpaid internship. Concerts are terrible first dates. Why? Because she doesn’t have a chance in hell of hearing what you’re saying over the music and you don’t want to yell because she’ll think you’re an inconsiderate ass of a person. This is why.

7) This last one is something that took me some time to figure out. I take tons of photos at shows, something I started doing with film. Since a roll of 120 film only has about sixteen or so shots in it I will either shoot intermittently or for a short period of time. This allows me to get some good photos, sure, but it also lets me look at the players with my own eyes instead of through the peephole of a Holga or the viewfinder of a Rebel or D60.
There were a couple concerts (like King Khan and the Shrines) that had me in photographer mode trying to catch some of the crazy-action the entire time. Wish I hadn’t done that. Most of the photos didn’t turn out and I could have been watching an incredible show. The sad truth is that no photo or audio recording will ever fully replicate a live show, so when you’re there try to soak it up a little. You’ll get a better idea of what you should really be paying attention to if you just listen.

Come Enjoy the Psychadelic Sounds of The Daze, Bamboo and Mike Fleming

2009-03-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

Show's tonight at 3429 Willowrun Apartment C!

There will be two kegs and three bands!

*Handjobs for everyone!

*not true in any fashion

SXSW 2009 - Saturday

2009-03-22T14:25:00.000-07:00

I hit the Convention Center today at noon on a mission: making contact with booking agents about a summer tour for The Daze, for whom I am the official unofficial manager. I ended up leaving around four, after having strategically dropped of a few copies of the "Blizzard Woman Blues EP", and went to the Twenty-First Street Co-Op to see Bamboo play a set in collaboration with Tigerpussy.

As soon as I walked into the concert I spotted a few things: panties and bras hung from the ceiling, a naked guy casually enjoying the show, someone smoking a joint-- all signs that Austin is alive and well despite the clusterfuck of out of towners that is SXSW. "Yes, son, those are Hippies," my dad might've said...

The Daze went on at six and started a strong set, but unfortunately I had to leave to head to a MTV taping of Late of the Pier inside the Bat Bar. My friend, a photographer named Pooneh, had asked me the day before while at the King Khan show whether or not I would be interested in taking part in the taping. Of course I said yes, a decision that led to me (black robe/red mask) picking up the Pier's drummer and carrying him off stage at the end of their set. It was really astounding how much preparation had gone into those fifteen seconds were we sequestered the band because, in the end, it only took a few seconds.

Other than the taping, today was a pretty slow day, and it appeared much of Austin shared the same malaise as I did. I was surprised at how welcoming the security was to me when I showed up to the taping. I mentioned it to one of the stage managers inside and he said "Everyone's tired. The only thing we want to do when we're done is go out to the bars, but then we can't sleep so we just end up staying up. Everything's pretty much on auto-pilot now."

Auto-pilot. That sounds like it would be really nice.

Thanks for checking these updates! Thanks to Austin for being such an awesome city, thanks to Val and RAPT Magazine for putting me in the middle of this big (fun) mess, thanks to everyone who made this weekend possible and even awesome!

- MF

SXSW Saturday Unofficial Party at 21st Street Co-Op

2009-03-21T12:23:00.000-07:00

Red Alert!!! Day party starts at four and features talented underground Austin music such as The Daze and Nympho Boniacs!

The party is free, no RSVP, and there will be free beer!

The show starts at 4:20. See you there!

SXSW 2009 Friday plus Unofficial SXSW Party @ 21st Street Co- Op on Saturday (photos pending)

2009-03-21T02:54:00.000-07:00

At 4:30 pm this afternoon I went to the 2009 Pitchfork/Windish Austin Bash to get a straight shot of pure adrenalin to my heart by way of King Khan and the Shrines. The band (horn section, keys, drums, guitar, and bass all in matching costume) played intro music, the guitarist introduced "the one and only KING KHAAAAN", who was stepping up to the stage at just that moment (captain's hat, staff & cape) preceded by a dancer with pom poms and a very scandalous dress. Lots of theatrics and excellent stage presence. Plus I've been jamming KKNS pretty strong since.

Department of Eagles were right after. Rossen, introducing the band as "primarily a party band", opened the set with his loop station business. At the end an Emo's security person told them to cut it, the crowd wanted more and chanted '"encore!", then Victoria Legrand from Beach House stepped on to close their set with a cover of the Dead's "Fire on the Mountain."

Immediately after I made my way to the Barton Springs spillway for a quick dip and to hang out with Chris Ritchie and Marleigh Jones. I left their apartment around 10:30 pm to make my way to Grizzly Bear at Cedar Street Courtyard, but my stars were not aligned. After some trouble with the locals (there was a huge line for badges and this guy got really upset about me trying to get in ahead of him. I made eye contact when necessary and pretended I was mute, which he didn't like) I went all the way back to Emo's again to see the Black Lips. At the door there was trouble. According to the guy in the front my id was so bad that he felt like confiscating it.

Next thing I'm standing on the steps in the far back taking shots of the Lips, who opened up the better part of their set with a rapper I hadn't heard of and then closed it with "bad kids" (according to some of the snooty photographers around me, only an amateur would shoot with film or with the digital set up I had).

Moved up front for King Khan and the Shrines. Got some good pics, I hope. Left to go to a keg party at Neale the hockey player's apartment. Daniel the accountant was clearly depressed. He mentioned death as an improvement. I played guitar. Went back to Evan Butts' and Marleigh's apartment to draw with bamboo sticks and ink. Also had a delicious Digiorno pizza.

That's about it. Tomorrow I plan to attend Vivian Girls, Beach House, Explosions and Monotonix. If I can make it I'm going to go to an unofficial SXSW party starting at 6 pm at the twenty-first Street Co-Op (on twenty-first street right between Pearl and Rio Grande). Don't miss this! Last time I was there a naked guy was wearing a barrel. Then he was just naked.

Later!

SXSW 2009 - Thursday

2009-03-20T12:30:00.000-07:00

Odds are that as you are reading this I am somewhere under a tangle of pillows and covers. SXSW tends to turn people nocturnal, and I fully accept this responsibility. Umm... Let's talk intense day-tripping....

Department of Eagles performed in-store at Waterloo records around two today. Although they suffered a few technical/hangover related difficulties Dan and Fred (ha ha) still managed to pull off a set that was "larger than life." I really admire their demeanor... very nonchalant, almost as if they were roommates... weird. I was lucky enough to catch the guys from Justin Townes Earl right before, they played an excellent and thoroughly entertaining set that included acoustic guitar, mandolin, banjo, harmonica, and awesomeness.

After that I made my way to a SXSW discussion of "Demo Listening." This was kind of cool because I got to talk one on one with "the monsters from a & r." They're actually not that bad, most of the things they criticize people for are actual common sense. Things like you don't need everything panned in stereo, you sound to generic but that will help you sell, ditch the accordion. Sometimes they miss stuff, though. If they had their way the 13th Floor Elevators never woulda had a jug.

Ok, moving on... Cold War Kids at Auditorium Shores. First reaction upon arriving: holy shit, what a joke. Middle schoolers, falafel stands, gyro stands, even a Skohl stand... gross. Other than that, the Kids have a shit-ton of stage presence and energy. At one point I wound up backstage experiencing the glory that is free Tito's Vodka and Miller Lite. After that the true mess became trying to find my way out of the crowd of would-be-hippies and beer company representatives.

Next up: Dirty Projectors at Emo's Annex. It was a pretty chaotic sound, but I really liked it. Lots of intricate guitar/keyboard harmonies. Met a girl that represented Brazilian bands and she told me about a party on Friday with free Brazilian drinks. What are those?

Made my way to the Red 7 patio, met some folk (two sisters from Dallas and a photographer from National Geographic), saw some cool things, had a cold beer. The Crystal Stilts were late arriving so I only stayed for a little bit. I took a few pictures, probably missed out on the vibe, and made my way to the Cedar Street Courtyard to see the Black Lips.

Oh My God... The Black Lips... Very loud. Very energetic. Best show so far. By far. Met some folks from Filter mag. Danielle from Fact magazine in London likes Holgas. Saw Will from The Steps somewhere near the bar. Stay tuned for more Black Lips action tomorrow (they play a show at Emo's around midnight)...

En route via pedicab to Beach House at Volume off sixth. Kinda crazy, I ran into one of my teachers there... Also, a girl named Paloma who was shooting for fun. So many places are using these damn LED lights! They really fuck me up. Make my digital shots look like they were taken by a drunk high-schooler. Cedar Street Courtyard had 'em, so does Stubb's, Red 7 and Central Presby. F that.

On my way back to my car I ran into a banjo player by the name of Frank Fairfield. I stayed and chatted with him in "his office" for the better part of an hour. The man is busking his way around, but make no mistake: he's more than just another busker. He sings his songs as naturally as the birds do. Effortless. Matter of fact. I asked him, "Do you believe in God?" He said, "Look around you, all these bricks, rectangles and triangles. It's so simple." Wish I could feed you more, but you'll just have to go see him at End of an Ear at 3pm. Seriously, go to this. I will be there.

Alright, that's about it. Actually, that is it. So. Peace out!

SXSW 2009 - Wednesday

2009-03-20T10:34:00.000-07:00

Just a few minutes after I parked my car somewhere near the ass-end of the capital building I began my wait in line at Central Presby church for the 4AD Showcase.

First up was Anni Rossi. Her voice caught me somewhere in its leaps and bounds, between coos and cries. She also played what some would describe as "a mean fiddle." Plus, she had some absolutely huge drum sounds happening. I was very pleased about seeing her.

M. Ward came on soon after. He played his set unaccompanied except for his loop station and a vacant piano (which he closed with on "Hold Time"). I have to say I was pleasantly surprised because I was fully expecting a backup band, something to drown out Ward's talent. By playing alone he essentially put himself under a microscope (or in a spotlight) and rocked out. Which was pretty impressive.

The last group I stayed for at Central Presby was Department of Eagles. They were tied with Beach House on bands Mike wanted to see, so this was pretty damn super awesome. Fred Nicolaus and Daniel Rossen started the band as roommates with the name Whitey on the Moon. I wish that my roommate experience had been as solid as theirs. Alas, it was not. But I still got to listen to them play "Phantom Other" under a big cross decorated for Lent. Also: Rossen debuted a new Department song which he closed with.

Oh goody! What an exciting underage extravaganza. Underage? What's that? Yes, it's true, I am twenty years old and therefore unable to attend about 90% of the shows that I want to. That is not to say I won't (didn't) try. Just ask the big friendly guys in front of the Mohawk and they'll tell you, "I've never seen such a fake id in my life."

More later. Peace, love and harmony.

Daily SXSW Updates / The Daze @ Waterloo

2009-03-17T16:23:00.000-07:00

I will be posting daily updates as well as photos of this year's South By Southwest all this week. Make sure to check them out at the RAPT website!

Also, The Daze are playing a free show tonight at 10pm. It's at Waterloo Ice House on 38th and Lamar. Come on down and support Austin's underage and underfunded musicians!

The Black Angels @ Psych Fest 2009

2009-03-15T21:39:00.001-07:00

Brightblack Morning Light & Rio en Medio @ The Mohawk

2009-03-11T18:50:00.001-07:00

Elias Reitz of Brightblack Morning Light

Ra-Ra Hughes of Brightblack Morning Light

Naybob Shineywater of Brightblack Morning Light

Rio en Medio (Danielle Stech-Homsey)

Psych Fest 2009

2009-03-02T22:13:00.000-08:00

"Tune in, turn on, drone out."

Thought I wasn't gonna tell you, huh?

Here's the low down on Psych Fest.

It's a pretty unadvertised festival put on by The Black Angels and Live Music Capitol. Last year one thousand people showed up. Since then it's gotten good word of mouth through the folks at The Onion and The Austin Chronicle.

There's no website, but with a little investigation you learn that it's split into three days and it's at The Radio Room. You'll be able to get tickets through Live Music Capitol.

Here's the nitty gritty:

Psych Fest - Day 1 (3/13/09)
9 pm - Woven Bones
9:45 pm - Lower Heaven
10:45 pm - The Golden Dawn
11:30 - The Black Angels

Psych Fest - Day 2 (3/14/09)
1 pm - PJ and the Bear
2 pm - Smoke and Feathers
3 pm - The Tunnels
4 pm - Astronaut Suit
5 pm - The Shine Brothers
6pm - Shapes Have Fangs
7 pm - Daughters of the Sun
8 pm - Indian Jewelry
9 pm - Golden Animals
10 pm - Wooden Shjips
11 pm - Dead Meadow
12:15 am - Sky Saxon (of The Seeds) w/ Shapes Have Fangs

Psych Fest - Day 3 (3/15/09)
1 pm - Cartright
2 pm - Cavedweller
3 pm - Christian Bland & the Revelators
4 pm - Miranda Lee Richards
5 pm - The Upsidedown
6 pm - The Vandelles
7 pm - Forever Changes
8 pm - Asteroid #4
9 pm - The Strange Boys
10 pm - The Warlocks
11:30 pm - A Place to Bury Strangers

Fujiya & Miyagi w/ Project Jenny Project Jan @ Emo's

2009-03-01T15:36:00.000-08:00

Fujiya & MIyagi's David Best and Jeremy Haines from PJPJ

Fujiya and Miyagi's Steve Lewis and David

Matt Hainsby of Fujiya and Miyagi

Jeremy Haines

Sammy Rubin of PJPJ

March... SXSW?

2009-03-01T14:15:00.000-08:00

Oh yeah! The infamous SXSW is back in full force, it's gathered momentum and set to splatter our bars and backstreets with strange folk from strange states. There will also be some music, a lot of traffic and some business cards. I'm going as a contributor for RAPT and I'll be updating here with photo's and stuff as fast as I can get film developed.

So, Mike, what's happening that doesn't involve this big ol' clusterfuck festival?

Well Brightblack Morning Light will play a show tonight at the Mohawk, for one. Pretty interesting, actually... Their names are Nabob and Rabinyah, two crazy mountain hippies who've shared stages with Shawn Colvin, Devendra Banhardt and Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. Gonna be good!

On the third Modest Mouse will play a show with Mimicking Birds at Stubb's and (ex) local songstress Ana Egge will play at the Cactus Cafe with What Made Milwaukee Famous stepping in as her band.

Oh.... Hey. Cut Copy will be at Stubb's on the sixth, with an aftershow featuring L. A. X. Get Crunk.

Youngsters Blues Mafia will celebrate the release of their newest cd on the seventh at Jovita's along with The Daze and The Fireants. On the seventeenth The Daze will play a pre-SXSW show at Waterloo Icehouse on 38th and Lamar.

Lastly, once SXSW clears out, Neko Case will play a show with Shearwater on the thirty first at Stubb's.

As far as random bits go, here's a news update:

1) My EP ("Get Well Soon") is done! If you want a copy just send me an email.
2) Stay alert for April when Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Faint, The Kills, Cake, Parliament and Ratatat come through.
3) Stay tuned for pictures from Fujiya and Miyagi's show at Emo's, Mike's Guide to SXSW, and pictures from Brightblack Morning Light's show at The Mohawk.
4) Kite Fest was really cool.
5) Check out my flickr!

3/1/09 - Brightblack Morning Light w/ Rio en Medio @ The Mohawk, show at 8 pm
3/3/09 - Modest Mouse w/ Mimicking Bird @ Stubb's, doors at 7 pm
3/3/09 - Anna Egge w/ Michael Kingcaid and What Made Milwaukee Famous @ The Cactus Cafe, show at 8:30 pm
3/6/09 - Cut Copy w/ Matt and Kim, DJ Knightlife @ Stubb's, doors at 7pm
3/7/09 - Blues Mafia w/ The Daze and The Fireants @ Jovita's, show at 8 pm
3/17/09 - The Daze @ Waterloo Ice House (38th & Lamar), show at 10 pm
3/31/09 Neko Case w/ Shearwater @ Stubb's, doors at 7pm

M. Ward : Hold Time

2009-02-24T21:29:00.000-08:00

I feel a bit amateur-ish in admitting it, but I hadn’t heard of M. Ward (the initial stands for Matt, by the way) until I heard his take of “Rave On” on KUTFM. After some research I found out that I had actually heard him several times. In addition to his latest work with Zooey Deschanel in She & Him he’s performed with Bright Eyes, Cat Power, The White Stripes, My Morning Jacket, Neko Case, and Norah Jones. It’s pretty obvious that the guy works hard, so what does he have to offer his listeners on Hold Time?

Some of the songs that stand out on this record are actually covers, a detail that makes Ward’s atavistic side just a little more obvious. “Rave On” was originally written by Sonny West but is probably better known as one of Buddy Holly’s biggest hits. “Oh Lonesome Me”, which features Lucinda Williams, was originally written and recorded by Don Gibson and Chet Atkins. Even the outro, “I’m a Fool to Want You”, must predate my birth be at least a handful of years. In addition to being a prolific musician, Ward has a healthy respect for his elders and you can hear it in just about every song on this album.

“For Beginners” moves along at a quick clip, touching on some religious imagery on the way, and builds up an optimistic tone (“the kingdom is for you”). “Hold Time” is a change of pace from the rest of the album, in tempo, tone and instrumentation. It’s nostalgia swells with strings and keys while Ward remembers “the endless summer in your laugh” until he outro’s with a tasteful melody a la Marvin Gaye.

“Blake’s View” begins with a reference to a poem by William Blake (“death is just an open door, I have only slipped away into the next room”) that seems to counter any sense of pessimism in the album. My favorite moment in the record is during the pause at the fifty-nine second mark. If you listen carefully you can hear the mockingbirds he sings about (“love is just a chorus / death is just a verse / in the great song of spring / that the mockingbirds sing”).

During an interview with Melena Ryzik of the New York Times Ward says, “I know there’s great stuff out there but I don’t want to be influenced by stuff that’s going on around me. I’m more interested in consuming stuff that’s stood the test of time and the hard work of filtering has already happened.” M. Ward is more concerned with being an individual than he is with playing to contemporary sensibilities, and you can hear that clearly on his newest, Hold Time.

Fronk

2009-02-20T02:17:00.000-08:00

Hey buddy, I haven't seen you in a long time. I wish I had seen you sooner. I wish you had known how much you had affected my life. In addition to giving me my first guitar, you showed me that there was always another way. Different from the Mr. McGhee's of the world, you showed me that there was such a thing as a person who could be good, yet different. I spoke to Ryan and we both agreed on one thing about you: you always made the right decision when it came to other people. I always looked up to you, man, even if you didn't know it. When you left in 8th grade I made you a mixed cd. I never sent it to you, I guess out of shyness. I am so sorry, I love you, and I hope that this mix, as well as the wishes of your numerous friends, reach you now. Be well Fronk. I will never forget you.

1. The Proxy - RJD2
2. Party and Bullshit - Notorious B.I.G./Ratatat
3. Veni Vidi Vici - The Black Lips
4. I'm So Tired - Fugazi
5. Don't Take Your Guns to Town - Johnny Cash
6. Honky Tonk Women - The Rolling Stones
7. Dig a Pony - The Beatles
8. Gettysburg - Ratatats
9. Vapors - Snoop Dog
10. Lost in the Supermarket - The Clash
11. Red House - Jimi Hendrix
12. Starshine - Gorillaz
13. Heart of Chambers - Beach House
14. Hell is Chrome - Wilco
15. Sinking Stone - Slightly Stoopid
16. Smoke 'em If You Got 'em - Supervillians
17. Truckin' - The Grateful Dead
18. Van Helsing Boombox - Man Man

"The good times never end, they're just suspended from time to time." - Lil Mc

...And Out the Other (2/15/09)

2009-02-15T20:49:00.000-08:00

Introducing a new feature to GPM, ...And Out the Other!

(In case you didn't catch it, the title is based on the phrase "in one ear and out the other.")

In this new addition to the review I will list off the ten most recent albums to come out of my speakers including brief reviews on each one. It's pretty much like listening to someone judge people at random except better because it's on the internet!

Without further ado...

1) Tom Waits' Orphans: Bawlers, Brawlers & Bastards
This triple disc release includes enough Tom Waits material to freak out both you and your friends. It's got some of what you'd expect, the signature whisky-gravel-cigarette-smoke-soaked voice singing long laments about things gone wrong and right, as well as a moving spoken word piece called "Nirvana" and a song all about different kinds of bugs.

2) Flying Lotus' Los Angeles
SO freaking good. This guy can drop you into a beat quick and he's not afraid to keep it short. This release is pretty damn good if only because it has even more stuff on it than his other albums. The whole hip-hop/ambient/oldies/dj scene really fascinates me. I mean just who the hell are these guys, anyway?

3) The Pains of Being Pure at Heart's The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
If you don't want to spend the better part of an hour listening to covers of The Smiths then don't listen to this album. If you eat up every word Pitchfork spits out, then go for it.

4) Times New Viking's Stay Awake
This five track EP is all I have by them, and I've been spinning it a lot lately. The first time I heard them I couldn't get past the whole in the red thing, but then I saw them live and... well, that all changed. If you base albums on how many dB's your dollar gets you (rough economy) then this is definitely your winner.

5) Man Man's Little Torments
So f*cking excited to hear this thing in big version. Just has two tracks, one is a recorder freak out and the other one makes me want to preorder their next LP right now.

6) Ratatat's Mirando
Includes the infamous Animal Collective remix as well as another pretty good one by YACHT. It's a good thing they include the original un-remixed "Mirando" on this thing 'cause you can see just how far YACHT and AC can stretch its thread.

7) Devendra Banhart's Rejoicing in the Hands of the Golden Empress and Nino Rojo
The man's got a vision, and you can see (hear) it when you take a listen to these two. The songs are unique in their own right, but they each carry a little gene that ties them together well as LP's. At the end of each are spoken word pieces that underscore his gift as a writer first.

8) John Coltrane's Giant Steps
Though I don't hold a PHD in the history of jazz, I feel pretty safe saying this is one of the most influential (and my favorite) jazz albums of all time. If you've got the ear for the stuff, follow him through his solos on this album. The way I look at it, you can consider this "easy listening" because of its shear beauty or you can consider it a study in how to break the rules and reinvent jazz. It's really up to you.

9) Fleet Foxes' Fleet Foxes
Ok, maybe I'm a little late in admitting it, but this album is really beautiful. The choral work is captivating in its own space, and at the same time you can get lost in the rich tones and reverb for pretty much the whole day. This album has been getting me from point "a" to point "b" for the past week or so.

10) Pretty Lights' Taking Up Your Precious Time
I was initially skeptical downloading this thing (it was free, ok?!) but when I gave it a listen my negativity disappeared. The album includes some danceable beats as well as some colorful tonework, not to mention some really sweet Motown-esque bits here and there. I got lost somewhere towards the end of the album, but it's still pretty damn good.

Andrew Bird: Equal Parts Lou Reed and Jesus (Notes on the Birdman's Paramount Show)

2009-02-14T14:00:00.000-08:00

photo by Keith Klenowski

I spotted an attendant standing further back up the balcony, quickly hopped up a few flights of red carpet, and excitedly presented my ticket. He looked at it for a moment with his flashlight and chuckled, "You better have brought your oxygen tank, son."

Indeed, my friends and I, five of us in all, had the good fortune of purchasing the last of the Andrew Bird tickets at Waterloo months before. Our seats were an indication of that, but the nosebleeders came with a benefit: from seat two, row "W", section "L", upper balcony I could sit as far up on the edge of my seat as I wanted without obstructing the view of any one behind me. This is fortunate because that is exactly what I would be doing all night.

The first act, Lonely Dear, were unpretentious enough. Singer Emil Svanangen charmed the audience with a reserved, but not entirely shy, sense of humor. He punctuated his tunes with folkish melodies that, even from as far back as I was, gave a sense of intimacy to the set. At one point he cued the audience to sing a melody to a song which sounded absolutely beautiful in the spacious hall of the Paramount. It was literally the only time in my life I can honestly say I approved of crowd participation during a show.

Then intermission. With the lights on I could see that the few empty seats had been or were being filled by Austin's middle aged and music savvy. The lights dimmed, paused, then dropped to darkness and excited cheers from below. When they came back on there he was: Andrew Bird.

Pause.

Before I go on I really need to describe to you the scene below:

First, you can't ignore the gilded statues behind the man. Four. Gigantic. Gramophones. Each with it's own size and purpose. At the touch of a button (or a foot-pedal) he can route his sound through them and into the already rich acoustic atmosphere of the Paramount. That's pretty cool, I guess.

The rest of his set up is slightly less eye-catching. A mic back and to the left for backup vocals/percussion/whistling/beatboxing, a xylophone, a pedal station for effects and looping, and a primary microphone for lead vocals and, of course, violin.

As the applause dies down he plucks his violin. A moment later he takes out his bow (the sound now looping through the pa system) and launches into several more overdubs of a classical composition. Right as the song reaches a climax it becomes suddenly quiet, allowing him to punctuate the silence with one melodious ellipse from somewhere inside his violin. "I had to indulge myself," he apologizes to the awestruck audience. After playing at Carnegy Hall a few weeks before he describes The Paramount as sounding "almost as good."

The rest of the night follows in much the same way, with occasional dialogue about his lucky monkey doll, his horse socks, and a conversation with one of the more vocal audience members about what song he should play next (which lead to a few slip ups-- minor details that he glosses over with a combination of musicianship and the innate talent of a stage-man). After two standing ovations it becomes clear that Andrew Bird takes the idea of the "one man band", usually more spectacle than anything else, and elegantly lets it blur the lines between him and his music.

SXSW Line Up and Stuff.

2009-02-14T11:24:00.000-08:00

I'm a littly bit lazy at the moment, so pardon the dust.

SXSW's schedule is up, I suggest you take a look. My personal itinerary will involve This Will Destroy You, Wax Fang, St. Vincent, King Khan, Radioclit, Black Lips, YACHT, White Denim, Headlights, MSTRKRFT, Harlem, and The Willowz... We'll see how that pans out.

In other news:
There's talk of a bridge show before SXSW so keep your pants on until then. If you haven't been before it's a lot of fun and it's free. Just a few bands playing on the South Lamar pedestrian bridge over ~~scenic Lake Austin~~ Town Lake. Bring your friends!

Harlem @ The Parish

2009-02-06T16:13:00.000-08:00

Curtis of Harlem

Coomers

Christian

Some Treasure I Found

RATATAT AGAIN!!!

2009-02-05T14:32:00.000-08:00

Mr. Mast and Mr. Stroud are scheduled to grace us with their presence AGAIN Tuesday, April 7th at Stubb's Waller Creek Ampitheater. Get your tickets NOW and get there early, I suspect douchebaggery will be afoot... concerts keep gettin bigger but the number of people I like stay the same.

Presale for these tickets ends Friday (tomorrow) at 10 PM so get on that shit, son! Oh yeah, you'll have to enter the code "STUBBSRAT" to get 'em.

See you there!

Bonnaroo Lineup

2009-02-03T17:34:00.000-08:00

Bonnaroo posted a lineup recently for this summer. Some of the names that stick out are Wilco, Animal Collective, St. Vincent, David Byrne, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV On the Radio, Santogold, Andrew Bird, Bon Iver, and Grizzly Bear.

Click here to see more.

Boo February and Goodbye Winter! PLUS: a leak from the upcoming Daze release!!!

2009-02-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

Ok, I don't know how to put this to you subtly so I'll tell you the only way I know how (with style and verve!): RAPT Magazine launched yesterday and it looks great! Got features on all kinds of cool stuff (politics, if you're into that, and a couple GPM reviews).

Next up on my list: A metric buttload of concert dates. It looks like the fierce warlords over at the Brohawk and Emo's are really doing they're best to put eachother out of business. What this means for us is TONS OF AWESOME SHOWS! So, in light of that, totally not for peace. Amen.

Ben Kweller is going to play a show at Waterloo Records on the third in support of his new "country" album. Then a week after that Waterloo will play host to Andrew Bird as he warms up for his solo set at The Paramount. Get excited! I already am.

As for our local yokels, The Bubbles will be playing a "free" show at Emo's on the fifth to celebrate Joel of Oh No! Oh My!'s birthday.

Also of note, White Denim will play with the Black Lips at Emo's later on in the month. THIS show is going to be entertaining (the Lips are known for some onstage hijinks and goofiness, shit that left the local authorities with no other option but to chase them out of India).
^NVM that, got some bad info. That show was from LAST YEAR! (thanks Pooneh)

Are you lonely? Plan on being sad and lame on Valentine's day? Me too! How bout we plan on being awesome and buy tickets to the White Ghost Shivers' "Valentine's Day Massacre"? Alright!

This month's SHOW NOT TO MISS is going to be fuckin' awesome! Just watch out for the 101x riff faff. Fujiya and Miyagi are going to play a show at Emo's on the twenty seventh. I'm totally going to be there. I'll be the stylish hipster in the front wearing tortoise shell sunglasses and being cooler than you (just kidding, I love you all! Also, I don't have tortoise shell sunglasses.).

HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT

Don't ask how, but I've managed to procure a leak from the UPCOMING DAZE ALBUM! Many rebels gave their lives to give you this audio. Put it to good use, young jedi.

The last (I promise) tid-bits of news I have to drop in your needy little hands are:

1) Cut Copy at Stubb's in early March
2) Medici on West Lynn makes killer cappucinos
3) SXSW is going to be nuts (click here to see a list of bands that will be playing and here to register me a pass)
4) I'm working on writing out my interview with Harlem
5) Haven't forgotten about updates on my latest purchases, I'm just mad busy, yo
6) Jersey Mike's Subs makes awesome sandwiches

2/02/09 - Goblin Cock (Rob Crowe of Pinback), Warship, Eagle Claw @ Red 7, show at eight
2/03/09 - Ben Kweller @ Waterloo Records, show starts at five
2/08/09 - Devotchka, Crooked Fingers @ La Zona Rosa, doors at eight
2/5/09 - Oh No! Oh My!, Loxsly, The Bubbles (Las Burbujas), Corto Maltese @ Emo's, doors at eight
2/10/09 - The Music Tapes (Neutral Milk Hotel), Nana Grizol, Brian Dewan @ The Mohawk, show starts at eight
2/11/09 - Andrew Bird @ Waterloo Records, show starts at five
2/12/09 - Andrew Bird @ The Paramount, show starts at eight
2/14/09 - The White Ghost Shivers and The Strange Attractors (Valentine's Day Massacre) @ The Mohawk, show starts at nine
~~2/24/09 - Black Lips, White Denim, The Strange Boys @ Emo's, show starts at ten~~
2/27/09 - Fujiya and Miyagi, Project Jenny, Project Jan @ Emo's, doors at nine
2/28/09 - Delta Spirit, Other Lives, Dawes @ Emo's, doors at nine
2/28/09 - Flogging Molly, The Aggrolites, The Mighty Stef @ Stubb's, doors at eight

ATTN:

2009-01-27T22:03:00.001-08:00

Just bought:

1) Apologies to the Queen Mary (Wolf Parade)

2) Blood Bank (Bon Iver)

3) A Cross the Universe (Justice)

4) Sky Blue Sky (Wilco)

5) Neon Bible (Arcade Fire)

Stay tuned for further info regarding these purchases.

- MF

Animal Collective in Austin & Boulder

2009-01-20T20:38:00.000-08:00

"High five!"

Animal Collective recently announced a world tour, so check here to see if they're coming to a venue near you!

Be forewarned: get 'em while you can, I have a feeling there will be less tickets than AC fans.

Animal Collective Remix "Mirando"

2009-01-19T20:53:00.000-08:00

Ratatat - Mirando (Animal Collective Remix)
^Sweet AC remix of a tune off Ratatat's LP3. Check it out.

Ben Kweller Might Buy You Lunch*

2009-01-17T08:11:00.000-08:00

*If you order enough copies of his newest, Changing Horses, on ATO Records. Order it before February 3rd and you get an autographed poster.

White Ink

2009-01-17T00:04:00.000-08:00

Deerhunter - White Ink from justin gaar on Vimeo.

^Cool video by Justin Gaar for "White Ink" by Deerhunter

Animal Collective : Merriweather Post Pavillion

2009-01-15T17:38:00.000-08:00

Animal Collective’s most recent album is undoubtedly the most highly anticipated release of 2009. The New York trio endured two track leaks (“Brother Sport” and “Summer Clothes”) and a hacked email calling for a full album leak to get to this point, but they finally made it. I can only imagine the relief they felt when they finally released, according to schedule and in full, Merriweather Post Pavillion.

The album is exactly what you would expect to hear from the seven-record-wise group except for maybe that Panda Bear receives a little bit more songwriting credit this time around. The album opener, “In Flowers”, unfolds slowly with atmospheric dreaminess until it bursts with the wish “if I could just leave my body / for a night.” The track that follows it, “My Girls”, bares the signature sound of this new release as well as a credit from, unsurprisingly, Panda Bear.

Panda Bear’s influence on this album is critical to its identity; each song he’s credited to is hypnotically dreamy and ripe for the (prepare yourself) club remixes of Merriweather. Do I go too far? You decide. Either way, it’s not exactly new territory to dance your heart out to a trippy trance song with a name like “My Girls.”

The album features several gripping transitions between songs. This contributes to the feeling of being in a world caught in conflict between the real and the unreal (“just a signal / in my head”). Yeah, dreaminess and head-in-the-clouds type sensations may not be new to AC but there’s a moment between “My Girls” and “Also Frightened” that sounds like waking up. It dumps you ought into a world full of questions (“will it be just like they’re dreaming?”) and a chorus of “them” until, maybe, you’re paranoid, too.

Other tracks that people will probably be talking about (get ready to hear about them around the water cooler) include the bubbly “Bluish” and “Daily Routine.” Slowly evolving around ~~Panda Bear~~ Avey Tare singing “I’m getting lost in your curls” and positively beautiful key work by the Geologist, “Bluish” is exactly that: a song that sounds beautifully blue. “Daily Routine” finds itself winding up like a clock to mechanical noises and a chorus of “the machine’s working fine” in the first thirty seconds.

I cannot get over how into this album I am right now. As someone who didn’t consider himself “a fan of AC” until just recently, I can attest to how amazing this album is. Though it still contains all of the same weirdness and dissonance of their previous releases, it is also remarkably different from them. I attribute this to lyrics that are less “just strange” and more memorable (“I want to walk / around with you”), letting the listener rest on tiny islands of sanity in soundscapes flooding with changing instrumentation and intense questioning (“am I really all the things / that are outside of me?”).

No matter what you think of this album, it’s not going to go away. Literally everyone will be talking about how awesome it is, so you might as well save yourself some time and learn to like Animal Collective. Like I said, they’re not going anywhere.

Top 4 Albums of 2008

2009-01-08T13:51:00.000-08:00

An idea recently came to me, as if in a dream... Shrouded in the fog of pretention, cocooned as it was in its warm world of naivete, this idea decreed to me: "Dude, you should totally make a list of albums from this year that you liked in ascending order. That would be so awesome."

The albums will be listed below, along with brief descriptions of why they are awesome. The main criterion I had in mind was which records I consistently went back to. If you disagree, please feel free to argue with me in the comments section.

Dr. Dog - Fate
With songs like "The Ark", "The Old Days", and "Army of Ancients", the Philly based do-it-yourself group prove that they are capable of making a thoroughly enjoyable album, even when they're in a nice studio. The album has tracks, like "The Breeze", that are marked by the distinct fun-ness of guitarist Scott McMicken. Bassist Toby Leaman contributes some very soulful and sad vocals to compliment the happy vibes, giving Fate a new dimension that Dr. Dog lacked in previous records.

Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping

Jesus. Kevin Barnes really pulled out all the stops on his THIRTEENTH release. Cue some comparisons to Ziggy Stardust, Queen, and Scissor Sisters. Cue something snarky like: One thing Skeletal Lamping definitely doesn't sound like is Cherry Peel. The mood on this album goes from late night wanderlust to to just about every other place Barnes' alter ego Georgie Fruit wants to take you. It will penetrate your fantasy.

Man Man - Rabbit Habits

Their third release in four years, Rabbit Habits takes the all the chaotic energy, creative instrumentation, and bittersweet crooning of their previous records and improves on them. Songs like "Poor Jackie" and "Whale Bones" reveal a ponderous and more reserved side to pirate-esque shanties and sea songs like "Butterbeans" and "Hurly/Burly." My personal favorite from this album is "Big Trouble" because it really puts their talents on display. You may hear some nonsense about how their recordings don't do justice to their live shows. If you do, tell the butt-horn that said it to go suck a fat one. That being said, Man Man's live shows are awesome and you should check out this performance of "Big Trouble".

Ratatat - LP3

This album is a bit of a departure from Ratatat's usual m.o. but it still revolves around the New York duo's ability to write kickass songs. They expand their instrumentiation to include live percussion and synthesizers, which add a different dimension to their sound. In LP3 Mast and Stroud prove they can retain the video game dynamic of their sound (if you can picture evolving from SNES to PS3 or something) while experimenting with an entirely new arsenal of instruments. This pretty much convinces me, as it should you, that their next release will be equally if not more impressive (you heard it hear first).

The Daze at Some Place Behind Groovy Lube

2009-01-03T13:23:00.000-08:00

Great show, there really should have been more people there to see it (it got cold).

Experimenting with scotch tape. Also, making a bassist uncomfortable.

(I can't get these photos to display correctly, so until I fix it just click on 'em to see the real deal.)

If you missed this show, be sure to go check them out with The Knights and The Bubbles at La Zona Rosa on the 9th.

In addition to not being flakes, The Daze are completing a new album due for release sometime this summer and were mentioned in XL for "Best New Act."

Whistles go woo woo!

NEWS FLASH: GUINEA PIG RESOLVES TO BE AWESOME

2008-12-30T17:16:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the new year!

Maybe you made some resolutions, maybe you didn't. Either way, you should RESOLVE to head out to a couple of this month's AWESOME concerts...

To kick things off, Harlem is gonna be playing at The Mohawk on the third for their free week thing. Sort of lo-fi tape deck goodness. All that. Gonna be nuts. It's free if you're over twenty one, but if you're under it'll cost you $5 (I know, right?). Check for pictures of this one later this month.

Austin's own What Made Milwaukee Famous will play Emo's on the fourth. Kind of sorry, but I'm gonna miss this one. Let me know how it is if you go, okay?

Then comes another killer local act, The Daze, at La Zona Rosa on the ninth. They'll be playing with The Knights and The Bubbles. GO TO THIS! SEE THE DAZE! Seriously. Do it.

(Do it.)

And OH MY GOD I LOVE BRETT DENNEN SO MUCH OH MY GOD OH MY GOD. Not really, but if you do you should go catch him at La Zona Rosa at the end of the month.

And January's gonna wrap up with two more goodies: Tapes 'n Tapes on the twenty ninth and Los Campesinos on the thirtieth, both at The Parish.

1/3/09 - The Riverboat Gamblers, Alright Tonight, Harlem, Car Stereo Wars @ The Mohawk, doors at eight
1/3/09 - What Made Milwaukee Famous, Oh No! Oh My!, The Pons, The Mercers, The Georgian Company @ Emo's, doors at eight
1/4/09 - The Always Ready, Haunting Oboe Music, Prayer for Animals, J. Be @ Emo's Indoor, doors at eight
1/9/09 - The Knights, The Daze, The Bubbles @ La Zona Rosa, doors at eight
1/16/09 - The Last Gasp Cd Release Party, The Mercers, Paul Banks @ Emo's indoor, doors at eight
1/23/09 - Brett Dennen and Erin McCarley @ La Zona Rosa, doors at eight
1/29/09 - Tapes N Tapes and Wild Light @ The Parish, doors at eight
1/30/09 - Los Campesinos and Titus Andronicus @ The Parish, doors at eight

Chad VanGaalen : Soft Airplane

2008-12-30T17:02:00.000-08:00

Chad VanGaalen’s third album, Soft Airplane, is an excellent new release from Calgary label Flemish Eye and Seattle’s ever-awesome Sub Pop. It’s impressive, and not just speaking sound here, because it represents a singular effort, at the head of which is (you guessed it) Chad VanGaalen.

The mood of Soft Airplane’s thirteen songs cross the realm of organic atavism to decaying, cold technologies, due partially to the handmade instruments, tape deck and JVC speakers that he used to create the album. It’s worth noting that, according to legend, Chad has recorded hundreds of songs this way and that Infiniheart (his first album) is more or less a compilation of them, which explains its slightly schizophrenic nature.

That being said, VanGaalen’s Soft Airplane is a sonically cohesive album whose main theme is a fascination with death, a detail that is slightly less morbid than it is innocent and explorative (take, for example, the lyric “no one knows where we go / when we’re dead or when we’re dreaming” from Rabid Bits of Time).

Willow Tree, the first song on the album, begins with the unlikely pairing of banjo and accordion. In this song Chad sings “when I die / I’ll hang my head beside the willow tree / when I’m dead / is when I’ll be free”, setting the tone for the rest of the album.

The following track, Bones of Man, indicates a shift in the mood of the album as his raw vocals are paired with a churning guitar that’s heavy on the low end. Not content to leave his exploration of the significance of death on the personal level, Chad expands his questions to include the rest of mankind while managing to tastefully insert a xylophone into the keyboard solo for the sake of aural ambiance. He changes up some of the instrumentation on Phantom Anthills and Poisonous Heads, paving the way for more ambient and digitally driven songs like TMNT Mask and Old Man + The Sea.

It feels wrong to talk about this album without mentioning the artwork that accompanies it. In addition to writing and recording the album himself, VanGaalen finds the time to both illustrate the cover AND create animations for a few of the songs (which I highly recommend you check out on YouTube). His artistic talent reflects his approach to music, too, as he uses his insularity to create singular reproductions of the world around him.

This is pretty much what attracted me to his music in the first place, so it now seems fitting to wrap it up with a story I call “Mike Buying Soft Airplane”:

I was in Waterloo when I heard Poisonous Heads come on over the speakers. I don’t even know how to describe what it was I heard. It reminded me of mood music you might hear in the background at a coffee shop but not pay much attention to. The only difference was it was so strange that I had to find an employee and ask who it was. When I asked he got all excited and we agreed that we had never heard anything like it (except maybe Neil Young, but to just say “Hey, he sounds like Neil Young” seems like it would be a major oversight).

That’s pretty much what happened.

I realize my tale wasn’t that captivating but the main thing you should take away from it is this: Soft Airplane is literally the only album I’ve heard thirty seconds of, loved, bought immediately after, and been listening to ever since.

Andrew Bird is Pretty Awesome.

2008-12-08T16:15:00.000-08:00

If you don't already have your ticket to Andrew Bird... well. That sucks for you, because we literally got the last five tickets to the Paramount. Crazy.

But if you need a reason to hunt Craigslist for Andrew Bird tickets, here it is.

His newest release, Noble Beast, comes out January twentieth.

Here Comes Christmasy Goodness...

2008-12-06T23:28:00.000-08:00

A couple shows I neglected to inform you about happening next week:

12/11/08 - The Ting Tings w/ Black Kids, Eagles of Death Metal, Airborne Toxic Event, and Black and White Years @ Emo's outside, doors at eight (101X Independent Workforce X-Mas Show)
12/11/08 - Ringo Deathstarr, Low Line Caller, and Shapes Have Fangs @ Emo's inside, doors at eight (101X Homegrown Live)
12/12/08 - The Sounds and Black and White Years @ La Zona Rosa, show at eight

Also, a sweet vid for you to enjoy.

Deerhunter, Times New Viking, Nite Jewel, Bad Scanning.

2008-12-05T23:11:00.000-08:00

Moses of Deerhunter

When Bradford Cox took the stage with Deerhunter, the concert turned into a trance of solid bass and drums surrounded by ambient music.

"I've never understood ambient music," said Cox, "I can't figure out if I play it, or if it plays me."

Josh Fauver

Deerhunter was a sound that could get in bed with both the lo-fi-keep-it-simple-ists and the psychadelian-ambient-adorned-rococo of the pedal endowed upper class.

Bradford Cox

They returned for an encore of two songs, after a short bathroom/feedback break, to the joy of fans and promoters of Rock Star Energy Drinks.

Adam Elliot of Times New Viking

Aerosol cans do to the o-zone layer what Times New Viking did to my ears.
In a good way.

Not a lot of people can do that.

They also blew the head off the guy in front of me.

Beth Murphy

They opened with Adam playing the drums standing up and Beth playing keys on top of Whitney from Deerhunter, who doubled for the keyboard stand.

Nite Jewel

Nite Jewel exorcised a surprisingly large amount of imagination from those machines.

Some Stuff from the Vault.

2008-12-05T20:53:00.000-08:00

Man Man performing an encore (Van Helsing Boombox) at the Bluebird Theater in Denver, Colorado.

No way! It's cold outside!

2008-12-01T21:16:00.000-08:00

Hey there, audiophiles and company! Welcome to the glorious month of December: a magical land where there isn't really that much school, you get to wear the 3 jackets and seven scarves you own that are presently collecting dust in your closet, and getting shit-housed with your grandmother is considered socially acceptable. It truly is a time for celebrating! And, if you so desire, you can put some of your Christmas cash towards getting tickets for Tapes 'n Tapes in January or Andrew Bird in February.

So, moving on, here are some upcoming concerts that I'm putting on my wishlist. If you feel like you want to buy me a ticket to one of them, please feel free to hit up my email.

~~Times New Viking and Deerhunter are opening for Nite Jewel.~~

Scratch, that. Reverse it. Nite Jewel is opening for TNV and Deerhunter. This one's going to be really weird. I want to go, not because I love their music (which is not to say that it's not good), but because I just want to see what the hell these guys do with a live show. Just listen to some of their music and you'll know what I mean. But beware: the distorted, crazy, cracked out audio quality of TNV's recordings can be a little caustic if you aren't prepared for it.

Umm...Crystal Method will be playing at some club. Don't know Crystal Method? Did you listen to music in the nineties? Ok, better question... Did you like music in the nineties? Cool... enough said.

White Ghost Shivers at Stubb's. One of the two bands from Austin I've always liked, but never ever seen live. They're pretty much like turning on a radio back when people listened to the radio... only they sing about ghosts and are kind of locally famous for a crazy Halloween party (another thing I've always wanted to go to).

Haunting Oboe Music is the second band from Austin I like but haven't seen. Their name pretty much gives you an idea of their weird factor. So in lieu of any half assed description of their style I'll just tell you a story. I used to go to this Starbuck's (lame I know) and some guy that worked there was in a band called Prom Nite (I actually really liked them... but haven't heard from them in a while) and HE played with HOM at some point and so then I checked out their myspace and blahblahblah....

Sorry about that... I've had too much caffeine. Lame? Ehhh.... I mean, I'm already blogging.

12/2 - Nite Jewel, Deerhunter and Times New Viking @ Emo's, doors at nine
12/5 - Crystal Method @ Spin Nightclub (formerly Sky Lounge), doors at nine
12/13 - White Ghost Shivers, Mice and Rifles, and The Georgian Company @ Stubb's, doors at nine
12/17 - Haunting Oboe Music, Peel, Wine and Revolution, and The Fever Dreams @ Emo's, doors at eight

Yeah, that's pretty much it.

Other news:

The Daze have just about completed their album. I'll have some photos to put up of them in the studio soon (maybe).
My album is just about completed, too. Should come out sometime before the end of this month.
GNR's new album, Chinese Democracy, is a total fucking emberassment even after seventeen years of planning. Big surprise.
Some albums that are awesome and everyone should own: James Brown Live at the Appolo, Let It Be, Rubber Soul, The Black Angels' Directions To See A Ghost, and Skeletal Lamping.

And that's all I've got for you right now.

Peace.

The Daze at the 21st Street Co-Op

2008-11-24T15:54:00.000-08:00

November Has Come...

2008-11-17T18:51:00.000-08:00

Top of the news is that Aaron Lemke and I were on Gorrilla Vs Bear because their new photog, Pooneh Ghana, was in the front row with us at Of Montreal (which was just about the craziest thing I've ever seen. I almost passed out before they came on, but it was totally worth it to see Kevin Barnes dance around seductively).
Just to say a few more things about Of Montreal: shaving cream on Kevin Barnes, feathers shot at the crowd out of tubes, dual Rickenbackers, a lap dance for the pope, and a shit-ton of people dancing.

Ok, so since I kind of blew it for most of this month I can only really tell y'all about a few shows but they should be good ones...

On the twenty first: Gang Gang Dance is playing at the Mohawk, Burning Hotels are playing at Emo's, and the Stanton Moore Trio are playing at the Parish. SMT should put on a really sweet show, as they are the funkiest dudes that I've heard on KUTFM lately.

Also, Nada Surf and Delta Spirit (the guys that opened for Dr. Dog at the Parish) will play at Emo's.

Keep your calendars open for early December... Crystal Method, Times New Viking and Deerhunter are gonna be in town.

Until, next time.

-MF

Fun Fun Fun Fest (Don't Say I Didn't Warn You)

2008-11-06T08:48:00.001-08:00

Hey y'all!
Sorry it's been a while since I've posted, but I just had to break the month of silence to let you know:

YOU HAVE TO GO TO FUN FUN FUN FEST.

With music from Octopus Project, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Pepi Ginsberg, Dan Deacon, St. Vincent, Black Angels, Atmosphere, Minus the Bear, Islands, & Deerhoof... Well you're getting some serious indie-bang for you buck, if you want to go that far and say it.

Each stage has its own genre (indie rock, hip-hop, & punk/hardcore), it's put on by people who love music for people who love music... on Saturday and Sunday.

GO TO IT!
You probably won't regret it.

....oh yeah, GO OBAMA!

GO DAZE GO!

2008-10-08T09:05:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Mar Jones

As some of you may already know, The Daze are currently in the studio with Rick Del Castillo (of Del Castillo) recording their "double platinum album."

With the possibility of a spring tour on the horizon, fans wait with bated breath for the release of the new Daze opus...

"Well, let's see. There's -- of course -- in the great history of America rulings there have been rulings."

2008-10-08T08:05:00.000-07:00

So the month of October is upon us, yet again. With the (vice) presidential debates, football, fall, and premature Halloween decor cluttering your mind like the leaves on your lawn, it may be nice to go and see some good shows, yeah?

Try seeing The Walkmen at the Parish on the tenth, or if you haven't gotten your fill of political hooplah maybe catch Spoon and Gary Clark Jr. at the Texas Dems Benefit on the thirteenth.

Then, for you beat/electronica deprived Austinites, Girl Talk will be playing (what looks like an AWESOME show) on the twentieth at Emo's with bearded/strange rappers Grand Buffet opening.

And since October isn't just about little shows, after all, the big ol' Frank Erwin Center will be seeing Weezer play on the twentieth with Tokyo Police Club opening. Also, Austin Music Hall will host The Stills and the southern strokes, Kings of Leon, on the twenty-fifth.

The Cold War Kids will play (already have my tickets) at Emo's on the twenty-fourth with grunge/folk group A. A. Bondy opening.

We wrap this month of craziness up with Ben Folds Five and Missy Higgins at Stubb's on the twenty-fifth followed by blog-rockers TV on the Radio and The Dirtbombs on the thirtieth.

OH, no... That's not all.

I suggest you purchase your vitamins and other necessaries in advance (also, maybe a ticket... it'll sell quick) for the Stubb's Halloween party. Sound Tribe Sector Nine will be there, and doors are at 7 pm. If you're not there and wearing your wizard/tavern girl outfit then you're just not doing your part to keep Austin weird.

10/10/08 - The Walkmen @ The Parish (w/ The Little Ones)

10/13/08 - Texas Democrats Benefit with Spoon & Gary Clark Jr. @ The Parish

10/20/08 - Girl Talk @ Emo's (w/ Grand Buffet & Heart of Darknesses)

10/20/08 - Weezer @ The Frank Erwin Center (w/ Angels and Airwaves & Tokyo Police Club)

10/24/08 - Cold War Kids @ Emo's (w/ AA Bondy)

10/25/08 - The Stills @ Austin Music Hall (w/ Kings of Leon)

10/25/08 - Ben Folds Five @ Stubb's (w/ Missy Higgins), Smile Smile plays an aftershow

10/30/08 - TV On The Radio @ Stubb's (w/ the dirtbombs)

10/31/08 - STS9 @ Stubb's

Ratatat at Stubb's Outdoor Stage

2008-09-22T21:11:00.000-07:00

Ratatat

I decided to experiment with a disposable camera...

...in low light and long distances...

...and now I find that the quality and awkward angles of these pictures do a good job of explaining what Ratatat playing Stubb's on a weekday night actually was.

I mean, some guy got cuffed and thrown into the back of a police car after the show for jaywalking "as an example", according to the officer responsible.

Dr. Dog at the Parish with Delta Spirit and Seth Kaufman

2008-09-22T20:51:00.000-07:00

Guess who's bass drum...

Dr. Dog kicking out chill beats for the bro's

(oh yeah, they were there... 101x presents anything = prudes & shirtless dudes)

Delta Spirit in between songs

Delta Spirit again

Seth Kaufman

Holy Fucking Shit!

2008-09-10T08:07:00.000-07:00

Well, ACL is certainly fucking up the Austin music scene this month. And I totally mean that in a good way. Tokyo Police Club will be headlining a show on friday at Emo's, followed by the amazing Dr. Dog at the Parish on saturday. If you haven't heard Dr. Dog's new album, Fate, then I suggest you take a listen.

Then Ratatat plays at Stubb's on monday, the day before the Eagles of Death Metal and The Hives play there. Honestly, it doesn't make any sense that two shows SO GOOD be only a day apart. They are both going to be THE SHIT.

And of course, you have your ACL aftershows at Stubb's with Manu Chao, Gnarls Barkley, and The Black Keys.

Also, if any of you are upset that you missed My Morning Jacket, then you'll have an opportunity to see a band that opened for them at Stubb's last year, WAX FANG, on the 26th. They look like teddy bears and have a theremin (but sound NOTHING like Octopus Project).

Finally, Okkervil River promises an amazing show at Emo's on the 27th if only because contemporary troubadours Man Man will be there.

Oh yeah, Butthole Surfers are going to be crazy, not to mention that The Kills will accompany them at Stubb's on the 27th.

If you have any better reasons to get off your ass and stop playing Spore let me know.

9/12/08 - Tokyo Police Club @ Emo's (w/ The Whigs & The Boxing Lesson)
9/13/08 - Dr. Dog @ the Parish (w/ Delta Spirit & Seth Kaufman)
9/15/08 - Ratatat @ Stubb's (w/ E*rock & Panther)
9/16/08 - Eagles of Death Metal @ Stubb's (w/ The Hives & The Willowz)
9/22/08 - Manu Chao @ Stubb's *
9/26/08 - Heartless Bastards @ Emo's (w/ Dead Confederate & Wax Fang)
9/26/08 - Gnarls Barkley @ Stubb's (w/ CSS) *
9/26/08 - G. Love and Special Sauce @ La Zona Rosa (w/ Eli "Paperboy" Reed)
9/27/08 - Okkerville River @ Emo's (w/ Man Man & Crooked Fingers)
9/27/08 - Butthole Surfers @ Stubb's (w/ The Kills)
9/28/08 - The Black Keys @ Stubb's *

*ACL aftershow

Ratatat's LP3

2008-09-02T20:56:00.000-07:00

Ratatat was a mostly unknown band a year and a half ago. When I showed my friends Alex and Bowman their song "Seventeen Years" they just mocked the drum beat and asked me why I listened to keyboard music that sounded like it was written for Tekken. Well, now things are a little different. Everyone that was at their show last year at Emo's knows that Ratatat does use real guitars and they also really know how to melt peoples' smiling faces with them.

This is the Ratatat I knew when I went to Waterloo to buy the long awaited arrival of LP3. When I put my needle to the groove, however, I was greeted by something altogether different. They manage to stray from their dance-beat a little bit and explore their more sensitive side, if you can say it, without neutering their sound. Almost like Ratatat traded in their tall tees for tight jeans and American Apparel hoodies.

Generally speaking, LP3 relies a lot more on tone and color than their previous albums. This transition doesn't just come out of the blue, though. In fact, there are lots of moments from their older work that seem like they would fit in this album well. The piano melody from "Loud Pipes" relies on the beauty of its tone as much as just about every sound on LP3 does. Even songs like "Gettysburg" or "Tropicana" seem right at home with the new arrival.

A lot of things have changed about Ratatat since I first obsessed over their self-titled album way back when and it only follows that so should their choice of venue. They will be playing September 15th at the Stubb's outdoor stage, a noticeable upgrade from their last show in Austin at Emo's. One thing my friends who saw the show in Denver on September 2nd have assured me is that Ratatat's reputation for a quality show remains intact as it ever was, if not even more so. Portland based artists E*Rock and Panther will open, tickets are $15 and doors will be at 7pm.