NYE

I wish everyone a safe and Happy New Year. I offer two reflective tracks from The Books and Explosions in the Sky, respectively. Also, check out a great article about New Year's Eve parties here.

Also, Pitchfork's city by city guide to NYE events here...if you're city didn't make it, you should probably move.


"Enjoy Your Worries, You May Never Have Them Again" by The Books

Download here

"So Long, Lonesome" by Explosions In The Sky

Download here

The Books and Explosions In The Sky music available at iTunes and Amazon.

Scrambled Eggs and Regret for Breakfast...Charles Hamilton revisited.

Check out the Charles Hamilton blog, and some additional tracks below. He really is one gifted kid. You have to love his brass on taking on Kanye West in his cut called "Green Lights".

Also available: Previous Charles Hamilton post here.

"Green Lights" by Charles Hamilton

Download here

"Starchasers" by Charles Hamilton

Download here

Fuck.

Two bands I like with "Fuck" in their names. Listen to "Anorak City" by Fucked Up. Not be outdone by punk outfit Fucked Up, Fuck Buttons is a British two-piece that produce a collage of sound with many infused and varying elements. They exist on a plane of hostility and beauty at any given moments.

"Anorak City" by Fucked Up

Download here

"Bright Tomorrow" by Fuck Buttons

Download here


Buy Fucked Up and Fuck Buttons music at iTunes or Amazon.

The Black Lips

The Black Lips describe themselves as 'flower punk'. I describe them to people as a prolific force to be reckoned with. They have a new record coming out early next year called "200 Million Thousand". Check out "Starting Over" below.

"Starting Over" by The Black Lips


Download here


Buy Black Lips music at www.iTunes.com and Amazon.

P.S.

Happy post-Christmas. One love song and one out of love song, below.

"Heart It Races" by Dr. Dog

Download here


"Yeah! Oh Yeah!" by The Magnetic Fields

Download here



Buy Magnetic Fields and Dr. Dog music at iTunes or Amazon.

The Arcade Fire DVD.

Apparently 5 year old girls love the Arcade Fire too(see first clip below). They are offering a digital download and eventually a DVD release of Miroir Noir, a documentary filmed during the release of "Neon Bible". Check out two great clips from the documentary below. DVD and digital downloads available at miroir-noir.com.

Upcoming L.A. Shows

Two acts (I will surely remind you of as the dates grow closer) playing in LA you should check out...First up, Robert Francis. Give a good listen to the haunting "Little Girl". A good soundtrack to a frosty day or evening. Robert Francis will begin a residency series of free shows at The Echo, starting January 5th. Also one to keep an eye and ear on in early '09, Health Club comrades, The French Semester. I've had the pleasure of meeting these lads, and their music is as great as their demeanor. Download "Fourteen" below.

"Little Girl" by Robert Francis

Download here

"Fourteen" by The French Semester

Download here


The French Semester and Robert Francis music available at iTunes and Amazon.

Sinatra was swinging, all the drunks they were singing...

Enjoy my favorite Christmas song, "Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues, featuring the tragically deceased Kirsty MacColl. Kirsty MacColl was tragically murdered while scuba diving with her sons in Mexico. She pushed her sons out of the way when a boat was coming, and was fatally wounded. The owner of the boat was a Mexican Supermarket millionaire, and it is theorized that there was a cover up involving who was driving the boat at the time.

"Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues

Download here

Live performance of "Fairytale of New York"


Buy Pogues and Kirsty MacColl music at iTunes and Amazon.

Ladies First.

It's been brought to my attention that many of the tracks on this blog are male sung and delivered. No disrespect intended...check out two of my favorite female fronted acts The Duke Spirit and Bat For Lashes.

"Drinking You In" by The Duke Spirit

Download here


"What's a Girl To Do?" by Bat For Lashes

Download here

Buy Bat For Lashes and Duke Spirit music at iTunes or Amazon.

Vigorous Sigur Ros

Listen to the majestic "Inni Mer Syngur Vitleysingur" by Sigur Ros.

"Inni Mer Syngur Vitleysingur" by Sigur Ros

Download here

Buy Sigur Ros music at iTunes and Amazon.

Weekend Song(s).

(Photo courtesy of Nate Keller)

Enjoy your weekend. Employers who don't allow holiday parties eat proverbial dick.

"Sleepyhead (Clack Singles Club Remix)" by Passion Pit

Download here

"Message From The Law" by Sic Alps

Download here


Buy Passion Pit and Sic Alps music at iTunes and Amazon.

Horse Feathers

It's a cold morning...especially for Los Angeles and what it's used to. You should be at home...cuddled up with someone or something...and listening to "Curse In The Weeds" by a Pac-Northwest group called Horse Feathers. It's quiet, it's folksy, it reminds me of Iron & Wine, but it's quite gorgeous. Horse Feathers are on the still viable label Kill Rock Stars.

"Curse In The Weeds" by Horse Feathers

Download here


Buy Horse Feathers music on iTunes or Amazon.

Charles Hamilton

L.A. has a hard time with trends. It kinda seems like it takes us about 6 months to a year to catch on to some things. Rachel Ray even started wearing these before the LA hip kids did. With that in mind, check out Charles Hamilton, before everyone else out here does in about 6-8 months. A definite up and comer to keep your eyes and ears on, enjoy his video and mp3 for "Brooklyn Girls", courtesy of The Punk Guy. P.S, Charles Hamilton seems to really like the color Pink.



Download "Brooklyn Girls" here


Buy Charles Hamilton music on iTunes or Amazon.

I think I'm having Obama withdrawals...

I'm missing the huge rallies and inspirational speeches. We could really use a lift right now. He should just appear at a surprise location throughout the country every week, and just rally our nation until next month. Obama live, via sattelite, from your dumpy office cubicle. Hope...that keeps us on our toes. President-elect was named Time's Person of the year today, no surprise. Check out Nas' ode to election night below.


"Election Night" by Nas

Download here

Buy Nas music at iTunes or Amazon.

Flight of The Conchords Sneak Preview

If you can't wait til January 18th's premiere, check out the first episode of Flight of The Conchords season 2, here. Courtesy of Yourmomfanclub.

Does he still want pre-nup?!

I'm convinced that Kanye West's new record was ghostwritten by Enrique Iglesias...or whatever moron wrote that stuff for Enrique Iglesias. 808's and Heartbreaks is Kanye's fourth release, and has made me proclaim like an old man, "Rappers ain't rapping?!" What's next? Will Charlie Sheen stop soliciting prostitutes?! Will Madonna stop sleeping with Latin ball players?! Kanye's new record is R&B heavy, and much maligned with his woman problems on seemingly every track, assuming it's due to his ex-fiancee Alexis Phifer. My humble suggestion is back to basics on his next record. Check out the fairly listenable "Streetlights" below.

"Streetlights" by Kanye West

Download here


Buy Kanye West music at iTunes and Amazon.

Two on Tuesday

Check out the much heralded Deerhunter below. They released an album with a bonus disc this year that sent the hipsterati into conniptions and hysteria. Karen O has described seeing Deerhunter play live as a 'religious experience'. If you're like me when it comes to religion, you are left asking yourself if that is a good thing? Also check out a Mars Volta mp3 I unearthed from their first EP, dubbed 'Tremulant'. It was their follow up to the last At The Drive In release, and precedes the prog rock, 12 minute songs they try to pass off as listenable these days.

"Never Stops" by Deerhunter

Download here

"Concertina" by The Mars Volta

Download here

Buy Deerhunter and Mars Volta music at iTunes and Amazon.

Mash Up Monday.

I just now, saw the Bush shoe throwing incident video(below) for the first time. Least W. could do afterwards was say something like, "Sorry I fucked up your country...if it's any consolation, I fucked up my country, too (insert hillbilly guffaw here)." Check out three hip hop mash-ups below. "Shook Ones" by Mobb Deep is mashed up with Steve Zissou's aquatic soundtrack. Followed by "Dreams" by The Game, with some Jose Gonzalez as the backdrop. Then lastly, The Jungle Brothers and The Police, which sounds more like two cars parked next to each other, playing each artist's tracks respectively.

"Shook Ones" by Mobb Deep

Download here

"Dreams" by The Game

Download here

So Lonely/I'm A Jungle Brother - by The Police & The Jungle Brothers

Download here

Purchase Mobb Deep, The Game, and Jungle Brothers music at iTunes and Amazon.

White Denim

White Denim is one kooky trio. Coming to us from Austin, Texas, White Denim sound like several bands accompanied with a dash of Texas twang and blues, put in a blender on puree, causing angular and frenetic gyrations in this proverbial blender. But, the end product is something that goes down very easily. Interesting tidbit: White Denim lead singer Kevin Petralli is son of former MLB catcher Geno Petralli...from the era of not as many players on steroids, and seemingly all players had mustaches like your father. Check out "Don't Look That Way At It" and "Heart From All of Us" by White Denim.

"Don't Look That Way At It" by White Denim

Download here

"Heart From All of Us" by White Denim

Download here

From the mind of Chris Lilley...

Summer Heights High is a mockumentary that chronicles the daily school life of a Drama teacher, a misfit Islander, and an over privileged teen age girl in Australia, all played by the show's creator, Chris Lilley. Lilley plays "Mr.G", an overzealous Drama teacher who doesn't believe in limitations that are often presented in the landscape of a public school production. He also plays trouble making Jonah Takalua, a Tongan student who only hangs out with other Islanders in the school, and Ja'mie(pronounced Ja-may), a rich teenager who believes she's kind of like Princess Diana, gracing everyone with her presence and charitable deeds at Summer Heights High School. Lilley plays all the roles with such ease, that I found myself forgetting that the show is a lampoon of high school life, the first time I viewed it. The show is on Sunday nights on HBO at 10:30pm, and is an effective appetizer for the return of New Zealand's Flight of The Conchords on January 18th. Check out the trailer for Summer Heights High below.

Call in 'gay' to work day.

I've called in 'drunk' to work. And I'm also a big believer that if you call in 'sick' for two days in a row, it's more believable. Supporters against California's Prop 8 are being encouraged to call in sick on December 10th. So plan ahead, in the event you need to get a haircut, check out at the sassy cashier line at Urban Outfitters, or go antiquing tomorrow. Seriously, as one of my married friends put it recently, "If they want to suffer the same eternal damnation of marriage just like the rest of us do, so be it." I've always thought that the term homophobic was dumb. It should be 'homo-intolerant', and 'lactose-phobic'. Gay marriage doesn't scare me, the perils of too much milk in the stomach does. Check out some gay songs below.

"I Know, I Know, I Know" by Tegan and Sara

Download "I Know, I Know, I Know" here

"There Is A Place In Hell For Me & My Friends" by Morrissey

Download "There Is A Place In Hell..." here

Buy Tegan and Sara, Morrissey songs at iTunes and Amazon.

Titus Andronicus

Titus Andronicus hail from New Jersey. They just played the Troubadour in West Hollywood with another up and coming band making some ruckus, No Age. Titus Andronicus' album ‘The Airing of Grievances’ is out on a label called Troubleman Unlimited (home to Black Dice, Wolf Eyes). They have just signed to a wonderfully innovative label XL Recordings (home to Vampire Weekend, Radiohead, The White Stripes, Sigur Ros). If you want a finer and simpler pleasure in life, pour yourself a glass of whiskey, find a quiet place to reflect, and give a spin to ‘The Airing of Grievances’. What you wished you’d known then, will embrace you now. Check out "No Future" below. I can't help but love a song that incorporates the line and pays homage to Public Enemy with, "Welcome to The Terrordome...".

"No Future" by Titus Andronicus


Download here

Purchase Titus Andronicus music on iTunes or Amazon.

A youth that's sonic.

Boom Bip is Ohio native, Echo Park resident Bryan Hollon. With a strongly rooted and diverse background which started him off as a DJ, Boom Bip has constantly evolved himself into many facets of sound. He is the true definition of a musical artist. Amongst his long resume of remixing/reworking artists such as Mogwai, M83, and the Super Furry Animals, he also toured in support of Mice Parade and Interpol. His vast talent, and knowledge of music keeps him fresh, and always on the move. His constant reinvention makes him truly hard to classify, which to his credit would hardly do his music justice. Check out "Mannequin Hand Trap Door" featuring emcee Dose One, from 2002's "Seed To Sun".

Boom Bip releases available on iTunes or Amazon.

"Mannequin Hand Trap Door" by Boom Bip

Download here

LCD Soundsystem

A fantastic video set to LCD Soundsystem's "New York, I Love You", courtesy of The Punk Guy. LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy has always been keenly self deprecating, as I'd imagine chubby singers of disco punk bands that sound like a crooning muppet during slow songs, must inevitably have to be...Mp3 of track available below.



Download "New York, I Love You" by The LCD Soundsystem here

Brother Reade.

Brother Reade is my favorite hip hop duo from LA via North Carolina. Their name is derived from frontman emcee Jimmy Jamz' little brother who suffers from autism. I had the pleasure of meeting Jimmy after a show a few years back and was taken aback by his sincere love of the group and it's fans. Check out two great tracks below, and their video for "Invasion on Eight Legs".

"Invasion on Eight Legs" by Brother Reade

Download here


"The Marcie Song" by Brother Reade

Download here



"Invasion on Eight Legs" video

New York, New York.

Here are two of my favorite NYC bands right now. First off, Ravens & Chimes. They're a 6 piece with a glockenspiel player...don't be intimated, check out one of my favorite tracks called "General Lafayette, you are not alone!" below. The second is from a Brooklyn band called Motel Motel. Check out the mp3 for "Coffee" below. Two NYC bands with a promising future that will hopefully bring them to LA, one day soon.

"General Lafayette, you are not alone!" by Ravens & Chimes

Download Ravens & Chimes track here


"Coffee" by Motel, Motel

Download Motel, Motel track here

Notorious

This is a track from the soundtrack for the upcoming movie biopic of Notorious B.I.G., titled "Notorious". Kanye West producing, Santogold featured by sample...enjoy. This is a leaked track, and is quickly becoming scarce on the web, as cease & desist orders are flying amok from Bad Boy records. Check out "Brooklyn (Go Hard)" below.

"Brooklyn (Go Hard)"

Download here

Two additional songs on hump day...

...which to me, accordingly act as hump songs. The first is "The Choice" by The Make Up. A spastic, soulful, gospel, and punk NYC act, now defunct. The second, "Hello, Hello" by Graig Markel, former singer of a great 90's band called New Sweet Breath.

"The Choice" by Make Up

Download "The Choice" here


"Hello, Hello" by Graig Markel

Download "Hello, Hello" here

The Kool Aid.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre is headed by irreverent frontman Anton Newcombe, and has had more line-up changes than Menudo. Releasing 9 albums, 4 EP's, and 15 singles since the early 90's, The Jonestown Massacre are still pushing on, solely at the behest of Anton. Check out the mp3 below for "The Ballad of Jim Jones", and the trailer for a documentary that came out a few years ago about The Jonestown Massacre and their rivalry with one of my least favorite bands on this earth, The Dandy Warhols.

"The Ballad of Jim Jones" by The Brian Jonestown Massacre

Download here

Trailer for "Dig!"

Mistaken Identity

A few years ago, I was at a snobby party in West Hollywood. Anyone who knows me, knows I have a pension to speak loud, even whilst attempting to 'whisper'. Well, a minor celebrity was a few feet away, and I attempted to 'whisper' to everyone in my company that, "Look over there! It's Dermot Mulroney!" Yes, of Young Guns and chick movies fame. Well, more embarrassing than the person I'm talking about hearing me, is that the minor celebrity in question was actually someone else. Dylan McDermott, of...I can't readily name anything he was in right now, stopped his conversation, and seemingly the record scratched and everyone at the party stopped to look at us to hear Dylan McDermott proclaim, "Um...actually, I'm Dylan McDermott...not Dermot Mulroney." Hence, I yell, 'Dylan-Mc-Dermott Mulroney!' whenever I see either of them on television or film. Check out 'Vitamin C' by CAN.

"Vitamin C" by CAN



Download "Vitamin C" here

Yes, they're white.

The Black Keys once impressed rapper Mos Def at a festival show a few years back with their live chops. Mos was documented as exclaiming, "All that noise is coming from only two white boys?!" Yes, it is indeed true. Check out "Heavy Soul" from their first release from back in 2002, titled "The Big Come Up".

Listen to "Heavy Soul" here

Download "Heavy Soul" here

Some people work with their spouses.

The Handsome Furs is a side project of Wolf Parade maestro Dan Boeckner. The other member in the Furs, is his wife Alexei Perry. I saw them play at The Echo a few years back, and noticed that Alexei mostly played one thing all night...the bottle of Red Stripe Beer in her hand. They have a new album due in February '09. Check out the mp3 for "Handsome Furs Hate This City"...a sentiment I can relate to once in a blue moon.

"Handsome Furs Hate This City" - Handsome Furs



Download "Handsome Furs Hate This City" here

This would make Brian Wilson Smile.

Hopefully not named after one of my least favorite to look at bars in Echo Park, Little Joy is Fab, the drummer from the Strokes new side project. A definite departure from what the NYC Strokes have done, Little Joy has a lo-fi, airy sound that one is able to deduce upon hearing, that this record was made in California, not unlike something Brian Wilson and the boys would’ve produced. Check out the mp3 for “The Next Time Around” below. Little Joy will be playing at The Troubabdour in West Hollywood on December 7th. Check out their MySpace page for more music.


"The Next Time Around" by Little Joy


Download "The Next Time Around" here

He don't hang around with the gang no more...

The all girl band from Queens, NY, The Shangri-La’s, were probably best known for their hit “Leader of The Pack”. According to their hits, I guess it’s safe to say they dated the ‘Greasers’ and not the ‘Soashes’. Check out a wonderful track about these ladies’ regret for turning a bad boy into not. Also check out a ‘60’s tv performance of “Out In The Streets” below.



"Out In The Streets" by The Shangri-La's



Download "Out In The Streets" here



Live performance:

Passion Pit

French Kiss Records is home to many a great rock acts, such as Les Savy Fav, The Hold Steady, The Dodos, and Thunderbirds are Now! Which makes the debut EP release from Passion Pit, titled “Chunk of Change” so remarkable. It is easily not like anything French Kiss has released previously, but has found a niche in it’s record releases, and is sure to be a success. Michael Angelakos, recorded the EP as a solo effort, and originally as a Valentine’s Day present for his girlfriend. Passion Pit, now a five piece, is touring it’s way throughout the country, and will hopefully find their way to the West Coast. Check out the mp3 of “Sleepyhead” below, as well as a live performance. Also check out their stunning video for “Sleepyhead” at www.yourmomfanclub.tumblr.com.

Visit Passion Pit's Myspace page.

Download corrected file of "Sleepyhead" here.

Listen: "Sleephead" by Passion Pit


"Sleepyhead" live

Womanizing

11.19.08

A guilty pleasure offering. I must confess, I haven’t heard the original, but I really like this Teenagers remix. I remember when she wasn’t a girl, and not yet a woman. Don’t judge me, y’all.

"Womanizer (Teenagers Remix)” - by Britney Spears



download here:
http://www.zshare.net/audio/515111062b244e5d/