tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-309852332024-03-07T03:57:20.962-05:00Curiously TastyAnnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-23313499381618511672011-12-18T10:36:00.005-05:002011-12-18T10:45:51.361-05:00Ms Mr<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEHJi-mxGJ6koOJiy5uIcdI8iZs_hHuZRE1q_jNh6ydBV-HdYJ_aIVfx7HHymJ3Kr3Fa7PRJnxwBePttJsftC0E6KAHbH8aRGWTeyJQZYPlyhVIo5yBFB42qp47iGnYP3z7lFz/s1600/GhostCity.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEHJi-mxGJ6koOJiy5uIcdI8iZs_hHuZRE1q_jNh6ydBV-HdYJ_aIVfx7HHymJ3Kr3Fa7PRJnxwBePttJsftC0E6KAHbH8aRGWTeyJQZYPlyhVIo5yBFB42qp47iGnYP3z7lFz/s320/GhostCity.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5687494796997497890" /></a><br />Now that I am working full time the posting will be much more sparse and I apologize. But every once in a while I remember something that is amazing and needs to be shared.<br /><br />Today that is Ms Mr. I originally became aware of them because my girl Marina (a la Marina and the Diamonds) recommended a song by them on her blog. The lady has amazing taste. Ms Mr's song "Bones" may be my favorite song of the year. I thought it only fitting that I make the effort to get a post about them in here before the year ended.<br /><br />There's not much information out there about the band, but they seem to be a male-female duo from New York and they make haunting electro-rock. Their debut EP "Ghost City USA" is available for free download on Bandcamp.<br /><br /><a href="http://msmr.bandcamp.com/">Download it!</a>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-13156824120641097632011-07-16T15:19:00.006-04:002011-07-16T15:34:46.334-04:00The Good Natured<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-WWKIiibwjdwrHtaHlL0Nl1_GRsym5fVdZ0ljm8EH2nciWge6Gq7x12FiyXAAdDL_KP31Oop4V3md4lNnZLNnDa29uj3mCq-UZRdx5KR31ptH2UGsU-iq4k8WARnC6If_OZ0/s1600/GoodNatured.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 264px; height: 258px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-WWKIiibwjdwrHtaHlL0Nl1_GRsym5fVdZ0ljm8EH2nciWge6Gq7x12FiyXAAdDL_KP31Oop4V3md4lNnZLNnDa29uj3mCq-UZRdx5KR31ptH2UGsU-iq4k8WARnC6If_OZ0/s320/GoodNatured.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630035120603959490" /></a><br />I've been in an electropop craze for a while now, a few months...and with good reason. There's a ton of new electronic acts out there these days, it's the "it" genre, if that's possible. If you had told me I'd have been into electronic 10, even 5, years ago I'd have shuddered, but things are different now. When I thought "electronic" years ago it was the bleep bloop stuff, either dark and with haunting vocals, or none at all, or it was angry and urgent German dance floor music...either way, no thanks!<br /><br />These days there's a lot more rock and dance type electronic leanings, and a definite revival of the 80's New Wave synth appreciation. I'm all for that, at least in general. One such artist is Britain's The Good Natured. This lady, Sarah McIntosh is basically the whole band, though she has people who play with her. She looks like a pixie Robert Smith (a la The Cure) but makes music that I can only describe as La Roux remixed by New Order. I think she's brilliant, and one of the few acts I've came across of late that I feel like most people in the indie community can look at and say "yeah, she's got something". Really talented.<br /><br />A taste of The Good Natured:<br /><br /><iframe width="400" height="257" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/D_mw5cdF4WM?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-71964130659304689152011-06-23T12:48:00.004-04:002011-06-23T12:54:27.571-04:00Lotte Kestner "Halo"I'm a sucker for sappy girl versions of pop and rock songs. I am also a sucker for Anna-lynne Williams and her projects Trespassers Williams and Lotte Kestner, Lotte Kestner being the name she gave her solo acoustic project. So you can imagine how happy I was to find out Lotte Kestner's new album would be entirely covers! For some this would be a let down, but for me, who loves covers, this is thrilling. She has done some amazing covers before, a few are included again on this new release, like her amazing version of Interpol's "Leif Erikson".<br /><br />This is from her addition EP that she put out at the same time, but has some amazing covers on it. I've heard a bunch of covers of "Halo" before this, but this one blows them out of the water. Check out the link to her Bandcamp site below and listen to the rest of the covers as well.<br /><br /><iframe width="300" height="100" style="position: relative; display: block; width: 300px; height: 100px;" src="http://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/v=2/track=309110070/size=grande/bgcol=FFFFFF/linkcol=4285BB/" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0"><a href="http://lottekestner.bandcamp.com/track/halo">halo by lotte kestner</a></iframe>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-80828788816303894612011-05-08T19:49:00.003-04:002011-05-09T06:41:08.170-04:00Eisley "Smarter"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQECPgXkDShWlkQ5_mqmpLkMjkkCFnaprTXAtRNOZn9So8go0wU0gEbbDn5NZGyFfMP5zCbYukfXPe0lb1y4C_wVgYG7BPNr99zjBwDvOrzO_6K1_72vyQs_qkSvR2UyOz9nSR/s1600/eisley.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 247px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQECPgXkDShWlkQ5_mqmpLkMjkkCFnaprTXAtRNOZn9So8go0wU0gEbbDn5NZGyFfMP5zCbYukfXPe0lb1y4C_wVgYG7BPNr99zjBwDvOrzO_6K1_72vyQs_qkSvR2UyOz9nSR/s320/eisley.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604507855010194162" /></a><br />Firstly, I apologize for the larger than usual gap between posts, but now that I am working full time I have less time for finding new music, let alone posting about it.<br /><br />Secondly, I should apologize because this record isn't that new anymore. Eisley released their latest album, "The Valley" back at the beginning of March. That said, the album is quite good and deserves some attention, even if it's two months later.<br /><br />I've written about the band previously, but for a quick recap, Eisley is a Texas-based band made up of members of the Dupree family: Three sisters, a brother and one cousin, to be exact. When the band began they were teenagers, now the youngest of them is about 20 and they're all married, one has even been married twice by now. <br /><br />As you can imagine, when you start making music as a young teen the music you're making is going to be more mature by the time you get to your twenties, and The Valley definitely shows that maturity, while still keeping all the charm of their past albums. The single, "Smarter" is a beautiful example of this and it's available for free via the Epitonic site.<br /><br />You can download it <a href="http://www.insound.com/The-Valley-Vinyl-LP-Eisley/P/INS91271/">HERE</a>.Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-80755597439109330852011-02-21T01:08:00.004-05:002011-02-21T01:19:57.960-05:00Dark Dark Dark<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_g4YeIn-yCOf55kcTpMq3e1d7YXvEoKZ0zk3r_it5CiYOIpcbJvPNxD5AsVqFqV7zdQK4paxwhFi7d1MynR9orKahMDLzp3tai4sKCBMaNi_cgP3o-JvU3Xa0eK6YxFdhTpw/s1600/Dark%252BDark%252BDark%252Bddd_1209_054_small.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_g4YeIn-yCOf55kcTpMq3e1d7YXvEoKZ0zk3r_it5CiYOIpcbJvPNxD5AsVqFqV7zdQK4paxwhFi7d1MynR9orKahMDLzp3tai4sKCBMaNi_cgP3o-JvU3Xa0eK6YxFdhTpw/s320/Dark%252BDark%252BDark%252Bddd_1209_054_small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576022973579445314" border="0" /></a><br />One of my newer discoveries is the Minneapolis band Dark Dark Dark. They're a richly instrumented indie-folk, which seems to be described often as chamber-folk, but that's not a term I feel comfortable throwing around myself. They use a lot of piano and accordion and are very melodic.<br /><br />They trade off vocal duties between male and female, but it's mostly Nona Marie Invie that does the singing, and she's certainly the one which makes them interesting to me. In that regard they remind me of early Rilo Kiley, whereas it feels like they're letting the guy sing the occasional song to be polite, but really Nona makes the band what it is.<br /><br />If you sign up for their mailing list on <a href="http://brightbrightbright.com/frontpage/">their site</a> you will get a free track from their latest album, which is lovely. In the meantime, check out this track from their previous one.<br /><br /><ul><li><a href="http://freedownloads.last.fm/download/323163360/Bright%2BBright%2BBright.mp3">Bright Bright Bright</a></li></ul>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-79597133525586823042011-02-01T18:51:00.002-05:002011-02-01T18:53:21.060-05:00Free Music Alert: The Civil Wars<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7YNf2V_vLJFMNBmpEXeDsDWlzDkjgCt0PbQoJF4nkGNQswkQj9bkGeVwQk_TVP7a80oSm9BNCZJtUbx4Z45yLWzKZVfWgbEHzTGkcO0N1S-AH_ezdBrbIhFuPoirIPtniRRZ/s1600/Barton.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7YNf2V_vLJFMNBmpEXeDsDWlzDkjgCt0PbQoJF4nkGNQswkQj9bkGeVwQk_TVP7a80oSm9BNCZJtUbx4Z45yLWzKZVfWgbEHzTGkcO0N1S-AH_ezdBrbIhFuPoirIPtniRRZ/s200/Barton.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568873466480747650" /></a><br />Previously mentioned band The Civil Wars debut album "Barton Hollow" was released today. You can download the title track from the album for free this week on iTunes. Check them out!<br /><br /><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/barton-hollow-single/id414296845">Free on iTunes</a>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-69203949274103516742011-01-13T01:16:00.002-05:002011-01-13T01:21:53.267-05:00Quick Update: Free on iTunes!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEz1jDqsf-SVEvHe5ydxVMNVyIqfPC0fPixvxA00rLwlTdIqd8uOZrWypa9JvXj3G2ZOSb5_NJohJOQbLw8ZN_Mq96NoijT-u2dd9vIBPvSIsTkppL0dyy6zztMGXp6sb25kGl/s1600/young-the-giant-my-body.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEz1jDqsf-SVEvHe5ydxVMNVyIqfPC0fPixvxA00rLwlTdIqd8uOZrWypa9JvXj3G2ZOSb5_NJohJOQbLw8ZN_Mq96NoijT-u2dd9vIBPvSIsTkppL0dyy6zztMGXp6sb25kGl/s320/young-the-giant-my-body.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561551672852381874" /></a><br />Just a quick note that anyone who uses iTunes should definitely check out the free single this week by Young The Giant. They're a band I hadn't heard of until this past September when I looked to see who was opening for Marina and the Diamonds when I was going to see her. They played and they were really great. They remind me a lot of The Killers, if anyone. I see big things for them, and the free song they're giving out is "My Body", which is a particularly good track.<br /><br />Also available on iTunes this week as a "Discovery Download" is "Marathon" by the band Tennis. This is another great tune definitely worth a click to download.Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-69023640759583873062011-01-10T01:11:00.004-05:002011-01-10T01:19:37.487-05:00Florrie<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zfz0_uTR8nDFGJi_p8MaUc2kNU7ZiaZasz7ewcdmtgZxZLUFdPy2X14cR596hT2Eduv8PQ_UH2rV8nIAueLG-OlGebC4XV5DrAn3vrxVQkl_ymoSdpC_VKIBKZs-IMBnJQa3/s1600/Florrie.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4zfz0_uTR8nDFGJi_p8MaUc2kNU7ZiaZasz7ewcdmtgZxZLUFdPy2X14cR596hT2Eduv8PQ_UH2rV8nIAueLG-OlGebC4XV5DrAn3vrxVQkl_ymoSdpC_VKIBKZs-IMBnJQa3/s320/Florrie.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560437460905550146" /></a><br />As I've mentioned before, in the past few years one of my biggest discoveries, at least in so much as bands I can't seem to stop listening to repeatedly and have become a bit of an ear worm for me, is <a href="http://dragonetteonline.com/">Dragonette</a>. On numerous occasions I've gone in search of similar bands so I can share the love. Alas, I've not found anything that's gotten to me quite like they have, but that doesn't mean I haven't made some worthwhile discoveries along the way.<br /><br />One such discovery is the British pop artist Florrie. She's completely pop, bubble gum dancefloor-ready, but she's enjoyable, and more importantly, offering her introductory EP for free. She's currently unsigned <a href="http://florrie.com/home/2010/10/23/my-plans-why-i-havent-signed.html">by choice</a> and trying to spread the word on her music as virally as possible, so this is me doing my part for her cause.<br /><br />You can download her entire EP, as well as a boatload of remixes, and in March, her next EP, on her website <a href="http://florrie.com/">HERE</a>.<br /><br />Songs "Summer Nights" and "Call of the Wild" are my favorites.Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-56786575404727279642010-12-16T03:25:00.007-05:002010-12-16T03:52:24.836-05:00Civil Wars Holiday Songs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmurtRv9DG2lqJnwZS8C6lTUaH1tfiLt2QcIQJnutFSxEXNOZvEhJA_pt6RIjcGmpXJSY3b9XL-OalOueDh-IPaEXDPlZyQaVfLImL-tB-3jC1klosKymOFeHCyEjY5v3qfdWD/s1600/CivilWars.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmurtRv9DG2lqJnwZS8C6lTUaH1tfiLt2QcIQJnutFSxEXNOZvEhJA_pt6RIjcGmpXJSY3b9XL-OalOueDh-IPaEXDPlZyQaVfLImL-tB-3jC1klosKymOFeHCyEjY5v3qfdWD/s320/CivilWars.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551195278993457266" /></a><br />I admit, the last few years have left my interest in holiday music at an all time low. I think this year I will listen to it on Christmas Eve and Day only and that will be it, if that perhaps. Working retail has ruined me.<br /><br />But I am always excited for new songs from The Civil Wars. They are one of my favorite new bands over the last year, having offered up a stellar EP and an even more impressive live album that is a free download. Now they offer us 2 holiday tracks for signing up with their mailing list, a new track, and a version of "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel".<br /><br />The Civil Wars are singer-songwriters Joy Williams and John Paul White. Together they make melancholy and beautiful acoustic folk music that makes my jaw drop at times. Gorgeous.<br /><br />Get the holiday songs, as well as their free Live At Eddie's Attic album on their <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thecivilwars">site</a>, and look for their much anticipated (by me) debut LP "Barton Hollow" on February 1st.<br /><br />But for now, enjoy the video for their beautiful single "Poison & Wine".<br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WfzRlcnq_c0?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WfzRlcnq_c0?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-86160384288814030372010-09-27T00:39:00.003-04:002010-09-27T00:46:00.906-04:00Free Music Alert: Margot and The Nuclear So and So's<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbSOIQ_4b8upyO-A2Wwj0yjtMJET6u1-_hZt0_21dR_UJuyvJ9nW3QGCz2IUJiWpnivQtaLnW3IqDIk3yADNNcZ-r2AT1SiTHXIVmE1-QA4bvTlpGzgTijOKm80Wb5fxjDGh5/s1600/buzzard.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbSOIQ_4b8upyO-A2Wwj0yjtMJET6u1-_hZt0_21dR_UJuyvJ9nW3QGCz2IUJiWpnivQtaLnW3IqDIk3yADNNcZ-r2AT1SiTHXIVmE1-QA4bvTlpGzgTijOKm80Wb5fxjDGh5/s200/buzzard.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521449027174830098" /></a><br />Amazon is featuring a free download of the single "New York City Hotel Blues" from Margot and the Nuclear So and So's new album "Buzzard". The Indiana-based band's album was released September 21st, check it out. <br /><br />You can find the download link <a href="http://www.amazon.com/New-York-City-Hotel-Blues/dp/B003YNE41G/ref=sr_1_2?s=gateway&ie=UTF8&qid=1285562298&sr=8-2">HERE</a>.Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-77835484715953491232010-08-06T15:22:00.005-04:002010-08-06T15:33:41.711-04:00The Suzan may save 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFkSgDBt__iGYJ0ZDd1WZH3EDXTCs96O9StMP9J6PtC4mYLHPrt2we4XW90MbJUMMyCjoO0CRw47OCAv54VtdTPI1nSOFFsQWz09FhNo92Wn6k9DK5he_UUIvzRp1b3QWK647-/s1600/The+Suzan+thesuzan.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 286px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFkSgDBt__iGYJ0ZDd1WZH3EDXTCs96O9StMP9J6PtC4mYLHPrt2we4XW90MbJUMMyCjoO0CRw47OCAv54VtdTPI1nSOFFsQWz09FhNo92Wn6k9DK5he_UUIvzRp1b3QWK647-/s320/The+Suzan+thesuzan.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502380763945729842" /></a><br />I must say that 2010 so far has been a lot less exciting for me as far as music discoveries go. A lot of the things I've "discovered" actually came out last year, just adding a few more notches for the awesome year in music that was 2009. <br /><br />That said, I heard the music of <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thesuzan">The Suzan</a> last night and I immediately fell in love and felt the need to declare them my new favorites, though I know such titles are short lived.<br /><br />The Suzan are an all-female rock group from Japan that make fun surf rock pop that's modern, catchy and unique. I've only heard three songs so far and I am already thrilled to the gills by them. Their album comes out this fall, until then we can get a taste of what's to come from their recently released first single "Home", which you can download at <a href="http://rcrdlbl.com/artists/The_Suzan/music">THIS</a> site. <br /><br />You can also download a b-side for the same single from iTunes.Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-62235339886325838002010-07-17T01:09:00.004-04:002010-07-17T01:16:42.315-04:00Free Music Alert: Rasputina!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPsA6AOOKl5m2XipwkJ1lco2YstETNbNL0OyDNdQ8XBW0VaNKco1WGhE35D8pseHgHbw9ce4XLMzqfN-NVtORt6H6vIVSPp0SA7cS9rAFuF7Zetf2V9j40iWoDEoTbc-bG8v9/s1600/kinderhook.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 280px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPsA6AOOKl5m2XipwkJ1lco2YstETNbNL0OyDNdQ8XBW0VaNKco1WGhE35D8pseHgHbw9ce4XLMzqfN-NVtORt6H6vIVSPp0SA7cS9rAFuF7Zetf2V9j40iWoDEoTbc-bG8v9/s320/kinderhook.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494739471498562322" /></a><br />I just happened upon a great find on Amazon.com tonight. I was checking prices for Rasputina's latest album and noticed that there was a download that's price was listed as $0.00. I clicked to see if this was correct, and lo and behold it was! <br /><br />The song is a single from their latest album "Sister Kinderhook" entitled "Holocaust of Giants" and if this song says anything about the rest of the album, I am pretty stoked to hear it!<br /><br />Rasputina, in case you're unfamiliar with them, is the brainchild of Melora Creager, a Brooklyn-based cellist that wears corsets and Victorian garb and makes rock music with cellos and drums alone. The lyrics are often historical and/or tongue-in-cheek and always enjoyable. Getting a preview of the album for free (and legal!) is quite the treat.<br /><br />You can find the free download <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Holocaust-of-Giants/dp/B003O6UER6/ref=dm_ap_trk1?ie=UTF8&qid=1279342768&sr=8-2">HERE</a>.Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-27782797712205408622010-06-29T20:29:00.003-04:002010-06-29T20:34:12.971-04:00Dragonette<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxdw9fMeNRCIvPbnHazxhmtowQoOPT404x-2BGeHw8I6uT6oLDs0x-K03zDx8zS8uKx0kCyAdcDy-LP8jzrM6hyjfvo4UHPuKtq-_LjQvW1tEgaGYweBVlzX79CCrrbkFh6MZ/s1600/fixin.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxdw9fMeNRCIvPbnHazxhmtowQoOPT404x-2BGeHw8I6uT6oLDs0x-K03zDx8zS8uKx0kCyAdcDy-LP8jzrM6hyjfvo4UHPuKtq-_LjQvW1tEgaGYweBVlzX79CCrrbkFh6MZ/s200/fixin.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488358390334137346" /></a><br />Just a quick heads up to let people know that the single available for free on iTunes this week is by Dragonette, who are one of my favorite new discoveries of the last year.<br /><br />They're 80's influenced electro-pop and they're so fun to listen to. The song available this week on iTunes is "Pick Up The Phone" from their '09 album "Fixin to Thrill". Check it out, and I highly recommend their earlier album "Galore", it's really great.Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-34510648620922722852010-04-04T13:33:00.006-04:002010-04-04T13:56:49.401-04:00No, Really<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUWQwXsMQOapYdLnu37qFK0w4M2gzzc64Z31U7S-HCYTzksqN6m1XUSm1ipgDK_5URYQTZ9se6dRQLSSDlyxjQVwHjN-kmbegkS7xAzIsowuBi11r4pa_MKEzEx_n5B5PwU4k/s1600/No_really.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUWQwXsMQOapYdLnu37qFK0w4M2gzzc64Z31U7S-HCYTzksqN6m1XUSm1ipgDK_5URYQTZ9se6dRQLSSDlyxjQVwHjN-kmbegkS7xAzIsowuBi11r4pa_MKEzEx_n5B5PwU4k/s320/No_really.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456339744069294962" border="0" /></a><br />One great feature of the site <a href="http://www.last.fm/">Last.fm</a> is that many free tracks are available there. One discovery I made there a few months back was Tennessee musician Hannah Sheehan who goes by the moniker "No Really" (no, really!). Fun times abound with a name like that.<br /><br />No Really has a bunch of free songs on Last.fm, all of which are also available on her <a href="http://www.noreallyrock.com/">website</a>, along with a link to donate, which is totally worth it if only for the smirk-worthiness of getting your credit card bill and seeing the words "no really" on it.<br /><center><img src="http://homepage.mac.com/annecorrigan/.Pictures/NoReally.jpg" /></center>She is listed as rock, so these tracks are just acoustic demos, and so they sound more like folk as is. I can see how the stand-out track "Rust" would be fantastic with full band, but at the same time, they are all remarkable just as they are. Here are some of my favorites, and again, you can find the rest on her <a href="http://www.noreallyrock.com/">site</a><br /><ul><li><a href="http://freedownloads.last.fm/download/82784749/Rust.mp3">Rust</a></li><li><a href="http://freedownloads.last.fm/download/120338389/Stop%2BPayment.mp3">Stop Payment</a></li><li><a href="http://freedownloads.last.fm/download/88467298/Go.mp3">Go</a></li></ul>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-42982921197136842052010-02-05T14:21:00.005-05:002010-02-05T14:44:20.494-05:00The Year of the Bell<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsX7hQ1pb-AsqMlVQYYIvEFdzQ8-45acdA-vEPSZ3N6ZPYpAGYGQHjzzVojPbncVrRkl_aKoisA8UzeMdVvUdjLTYK2m3mucsA_b5bDxut6Ee_APmsWQEdt0zp7MW4sr-z5Sy/s1600-h/img_a1405005aa1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 165px; height: 158px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsX7hQ1pb-AsqMlVQYYIvEFdzQ8-45acdA-vEPSZ3N6ZPYpAGYGQHjzzVojPbncVrRkl_aKoisA8UzeMdVvUdjLTYK2m3mucsA_b5bDxut6Ee_APmsWQEdt0zp7MW4sr-z5Sy/s320/img_a1405005aa1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434847067189171634" /></a><br />A few years ago I wrote here that I noticed a band name trend involving using the word "Wolf" or wolves. I am starting to notice some new trends over the past few months, the biggest of which is the growing popularity of bells.<br /><br />Over the last few months alone I have come across music by a myriad of bands that use the word bell or bells in their names. Now, obviously some of these bands may only be new to me, but the fact remains, all of the sudden they're making their presence known in the blogosphere where I had never noticed them before.<br /><br />The Bells of the Blogs:<br /><br />School of Seven Bells - "<a href="http://mp3.insound.com/download.php?mp3id=3421">Connjur</a>"<small> (left click)</small><br />Bell Horses - "<a href="http://indymusic.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/bell-horses-still-life.mp3">Still Life</a>" <br />Broken Bells - "<a href="http://www.themusicfile.com/images/resources/resources-1-01TheHighRoad.mp3">The High Road</a>"<br />Chimes & Bells - "<a href="http://www.mintyfresh.com/mailout/Chimes/Into.mp3">Into Pieces of Wood</a>"<br />Sleigh Bells - "<a href="http://themusicslut.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/infinity-guitars.mp3">Infinity Guitars</a>"<br />Howling Bells - "<a href="http://musicforants.com/assets/ipad/08%20Into%20The%20Chaos.mp3">Into the Chaos</a>"<br /><br />And an honorable mention goes out to the element gold, whose popularity seems to be skyrocketing as well lately.<br />Examples: Golden Bloom, Gold Motel, Golden Filter and My Gold Mask.Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-18922823006627211672009-12-10T22:22:00.003-05:002009-12-10T22:30:08.057-05:00The Return of Lilith!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoWNv6L3Ax8A9gbJRMPAhSwpshimzGxEZhya-SC_oYuzBgsByV2j_5QfMmotUHPBedM2rM8kW7t651xTAIywP5V9RXkMuuUt2krby29u8HNAXUIDtitPiPvxd9DVny-V00yNI0/s1600-h/lilith-fair.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 185px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoWNv6L3Ax8A9gbJRMPAhSwpshimzGxEZhya-SC_oYuzBgsByV2j_5QfMmotUHPBedM2rM8kW7t651xTAIywP5V9RXkMuuUt2krby29u8HNAXUIDtitPiPvxd9DVny-V00yNI0/s320/lilith-fair.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413814016765389282" /></a><br /><br />The great Lilith Fair has returned!<br />As announced in the media a few months ago, Lilith Fair will be making a return for the summer of 2010, once again fronted by performances by Sarah McLachlan. But until today we didn't know who else would be performing. Today they <a href="http://www.lilithfair.com/artists">announced</a> the artists that are confirmed for the tour as of yet. Still no word on who will be playing which dates, but at least we can get excited over the fact that some of our favorite acts will be on the tour and might be at the events we hope to attend.<br /><br />Some of the names I am looking forward to:<br />Tegan and Sara<br />Metric<br />Chantal Kreviazuk<br />Brandi Carlile<br />Butterfly Boucher<br />Tara MacLean<br />The Weepies<br />The Submarines<br />Vedera<br />and I am surprised how excited I was to see Katzenjammer on the list. It must be the fact that they're Norwegian. Now the event will be populated with both of my favorite musical niches, ladies and Scandinavians!Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-9035597983882571442009-11-21T13:08:00.004-05:002009-11-21T13:32:09.108-05:00Fan Death<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7evwUGD_R1ZFHEQeiQNzkrTSjstHwZakeP_LkwggyCHkP9NcIAEkdoYI7SOz1E48JjJ0M1EwviqZ67oB30EiC42h0YixmEJp4FM-zLh6IM_89o-4ut0ZFfQYVtClSVW6mkCRf/s1600/FanDeath.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7evwUGD_R1ZFHEQeiQNzkrTSjstHwZakeP_LkwggyCHkP9NcIAEkdoYI7SOz1E48JjJ0M1EwviqZ67oB30EiC42h0YixmEJp4FM-zLh6IM_89o-4ut0ZFfQYVtClSVW6mkCRf/s320/FanDeath.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406625480156423298" /></a><br />Two and a half months it's taken me to update...wow. Frankly, there's been music I've loved, but without appropriate links and enough time and motivation, I won't go out of my way, and that's been the problem.<br /><br />But then, last night I got in one of my "need to discover new music ASAP" moods and started going around to some sites I frequent, but forgetting the URL to one, I did a googling and instead found another site which led me to spend a good 2 hours on it and find a full desktop worth of new free discoveries and it felt like Christmas.<br /><br />Among the best of last nights discoveries was a band consisting of two gorgeous ladies, which, of course got me interested right away since I'm a sucker for female vocalists. But as I read the description I knew I had to hear them. They were described as "Abba gone goth" and being a long time, and only somewhat ashamed Abba fan, I had to hear them. To my only mild surprise, I really enjoyed them. I looked for more by them, along with more information to find that they're quite new on the music scene and have not released a full album yet. But there's still music out there to be had by them, and I have a feeling we'll be hearing a lot more from them in the indie music scene within the next year.<br /><br />The band is called <a href="http://www.fan-death.com/">Fan Death</a>, after a Korean superstition that electric fans, if left on overnight, cause death. To me, they remind me of a female-fronted New Order, and have the dark synth aesthetic of 80s bands like Depeche Mode, The Cure and Love & Rockets, but at the same time, the Abba disco feel is not at all lost. <br /><br />To top off this new found love for this band, I watched the official video they had made for one of their songs and it sealed the deal. The video for their song "Reunited" features the lead in the band, Miss Dandilion Opaine, in a Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz-esque outfit, lost in the country and finding her favorite musical icons in the process. It is fun to see how they portray each one and who she has chosen as the people to be featured in the video. Some are obvious to me, others I had to read the comments to figure out, but either way, very fun, and glad to see a dark synthy disco band that's obviously not taking themselves too serious. Fantastic!<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-q6hiB1URlU&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-q6hiB1URlU&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br />You can get a free download of their song "Reunited" by signing up for their mailing list <a href="http://zaphod.uk.vvhp.net/reg/reg.pl?id=4515-111150">HERE</a>.Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-45122299265371870242009-09-09T16:02:00.003-04:002009-09-09T16:11:27.163-04:00Wye Oak<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiND65ACCtc3FQW1Zi9n7YINPJLmVptlyiGD_RMH4vtJ0HHSacO6Ikm1yLk9jenBTWndPOr_RSH5C4gsoTBtkQmMDB4lneTP2StWpfRbAqi3ay3WHndn_YjSM_bFoCO5fmhBonG/s1600-h/wyeoak.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiND65ACCtc3FQW1Zi9n7YINPJLmVptlyiGD_RMH4vtJ0HHSacO6Ikm1yLk9jenBTWndPOr_RSH5C4gsoTBtkQmMDB4lneTP2StWpfRbAqi3ay3WHndn_YjSM_bFoCO5fmhBonG/s320/wyeoak.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379561842106574738" border="0" /></a><br />I'm guilty of discovering a lot of great acts because of things like interesting album covers, and strange song titles. In the case of the Baltimore, MD band Wye Oak, I was pulled in by the attached picture accompanying a review of their new album on a blog. It made me want to hear what they sounded like, and I am always interested in male-female duo bands as it is, so even better.<br /><br />As it is, they are one of the bands I've been most impressed with over the last few months. Wye Oak, named after Maryland's state tree, are both noisy and intimate at the same time. They're everything good indie rock should be. Frankly, I'm surprised there's not more of a awe over the indie world over them than there is because everything I've heard by them has really impressed me.<br /><br />They recently released their second album, entitled "The Knot".<br /><ul><li><a href="http://mp3.insound.com/download.php?mp3id=3574">Take It In</a> <small>(Left click link)</small></li></ul>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-2612915471215245072009-07-22T13:35:00.004-04:002009-07-22T14:38:20.731-04:00The who and the what now?For a while the band name trend was anything that had "The" in front of it, but the new trend I am seeing is for bands, specifically ladies, to have their name followed by an object. The who, and then the what.<br /><br />I've been surprised by just how many fantastic artists I've discovered lately with this name set. I'm currently working on a mix featuring only acts with these sorts of names, and so far it's coming together brilliantly. But I thought I'd share a sampling of a few of those fantastic artists with you here.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.marinaandthediamonds.com/">Marina and the Diamonds</a>: Marina is a British singer who makes indie pop with an electronic touch. As much as I adore her music, I also sort of adore her personality. I encourage you to check out her blog and website and read her interesting and humorous posts. She interacts with her fans too, which is always a pleasant surprise. I adore the below track.<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.radarmaker.co.uk/get/marinaandthediamonds/matd_iamnotarobot.mp3">I Am Not a Robot</a> <small>(via <a href="http://planetapopradio.blogspot.com/2009/07/programa-210709-vacaciones.html">Planeta Pop Radio</a>)</small></li></ul><br /><a href="http://florenceandthemachine.net/">Florence and the Machine</a>: Florence is perhaps the next big thing. She is also British, and raved about by the above artist. Her debut album "Lungs" recently was released in the UK (and digitally elsewhere) and arrives in the US in October. Everything I've heard from her so far is fantastic. My favorite track so far is the fiesty rock number below.<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.thelookback.com/noise/20090717/Florence%20And%20The%20Machine%20-%2005%20-%20Kiss%20With%20A%20Fist.mp3">Kiss With a Fist</a> <small>(via <a href="http://www.thelookback.com/?p=176">The Look Back</a>)</small></li></ul><br /><a href="http://www.elizabethandthecatapult.com/">Elizabeth and the Catapult</a>: A New York-based band that makes great folk-pop. Their recent release "Taller Children" has been impressing the critics and fans alike. I'm impressed. The title track from the album is lovely.<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.donewaiting.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/02tallerchildren.mp3">Taller Children</a> <small>(via <a href="http://www.donewaiting.com/2009/07/10/elizabeth-the-catapult-taller-children-video-and-mp3/">Done Waiting</a>)</small></li></ul><br /><a href="http://www.gregoryandthehawk.com/">Gregory and the Hawk</a>: Don't be confused, whereas the other bands I have listed were a lady's name and then a band name, Gregory and the Hawk are still fronted by a lady, but her name isn't Gregory, it's Meredith Godreau and a cast of her friends. She makes delicate, innocent sounding folk music that I find delicious.<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/wp-content/media/2009/06/04-grey-weather.mp3">Grey Weather</a> <small>(via <a href="http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/06/05/mp3-remix-friday-mixtape-lix/">Consequence of Sound</a>)</small></li></ul><br />Of course, these are just some favorites, there are so many more, but you get the idea. Enjoy!Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-60629340617000241272009-07-02T14:39:00.005-04:002009-07-03T12:09:53.499-04:00Those Darlins<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAgFfGGHXkymsAiE8KpiiR1vtW3toJUFhDl7YF9HcP1CHqK5YqwJUshrXHesOP2U11_G6ft_96pez97BOzilS7MxuiaWvQuYz1unfANHPu2IepPDdvWdDQOs68HaQuGXRFAQ6e/s1600-h/thosedarlins.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 297px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAgFfGGHXkymsAiE8KpiiR1vtW3toJUFhDl7YF9HcP1CHqK5YqwJUshrXHesOP2U11_G6ft_96pez97BOzilS7MxuiaWvQuYz1unfANHPu2IepPDdvWdDQOs68HaQuGXRFAQ6e/s320/thosedarlins.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353937453019627778" /></a><br />When I was younger, and right up through college, I was sure I hated country music. Of course, when the only stuff you've heard is glossy wannabe rock mainstream country music, you get the wrong impression of what country music is, or at least, was and can be.<br /><br />Old-time country, even as recent as the 1970s, wasn't so glossy and was much more of a down-home, back porch feel and not a "listen to this in the shiny new pick-up on the way back from the Wal-Mart" feel. It didn't take itself so seriously, it had nothing to prove, and it felt more organic. Knowing that now, I can embrace those qualities when I find them again in country music. Most recently, I've really enjoyed the music of the young, all-female band <a href="http://thosedarlins.com/">Those Darlins</a>.<br /><br />Those Darlins are a Tennessee trio of girls from a college town that are embracing their roots and bringing all the bar-room grit and fun of older country back to a younger crowd. With songs like "Whole Damn Thing" (a personal favorite) where they sing about getting drunk and eating a whole chicken, you can hardly say they take themselves too seriously, and the 3 voices seems to just invite people to join in and make it a sing-along, as if the whole bar might just break out into some country classic.<br /><br />Those Darlins' debut self-titled album is set for release next week. In the meantime, there are two places on the web where you can get a free mp3 download of their music. If you go to their website and <a href="http://thosedarlins.com/index.htm?id=17450&sid=17101#">sign up for their mailing list</a> you will receive a free download of their song "Wild One", and if you go to the <a href="http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/av/2009/06/free-mp3-those-darlins---red-light-love.html">Paste Magazine</a> site they offer a download of their song "Red Light Love". They are certainly one of the new discoveries I am most excited about.Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-14942153395673438492009-06-17T02:00:00.005-04:002009-06-17T02:30:16.731-04:00Singing in MotionI recently came across a few different YouTube videos that seems slightly odd to me. Apparently, there are a number of different musical shows/sites that feature musicians singing their songs while in various modes of transportation. There's a "<a href="http://www.blackcabsessions.com/">Black Cab Sessions</a>" where artists sing in a cab, there's the Swedish "<a href="http://www.thetramsessions.se/">Tram Sessions</a>" where they sing on a trolley, and then there's "(Behind) Closed Doors" a <a href="http://3voor12.vpro.nl/index.jsp">Dutch venture</a>, where artists sing in a moving elevator. I really don't get it. But I thought I'd share.<br /><br />The first is Jens Lekman singing his single (and personal favorite) "Black Cab" while riding IN a black cab. Alas, I think it gets a bit awkward towards the end when he gets to the part of the song where he's singing about the cab driver not knowing anything and how he should keep his mouth shut...but all remains quiet from the cabby as he sings.<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Db4V18F2h1g&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Db4V18F2h1g&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Swedish band "New Found Land" sings in a tram, I have only recently discovered them:<br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jeZ3jv63iuE&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jeZ3jv63iuE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br />And last but not least, Ane Brun and her friend (and my favorite) Nina Kinert, sing together in an elevator:<br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MH6CAjBCPgE&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MH6CAjBCPgE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-78208445532270783202009-05-29T01:59:00.006-04:002009-05-29T02:35:17.097-04:00American Idol, say what?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLEkbGx5RD-yMDNGHfqb3rEa_lFPp9XVEjlRQwg7KnT9z9CLR5glmqhemthTNRHkdynzUgRdpfbU8Xn23jNDTYCoVRb2DpsuuQ6TejgVz2k-ySS8jJyhBPJgsYejbipGMlT8GO/s1600-h/adam-lambert-rof.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLEkbGx5RD-yMDNGHfqb3rEa_lFPp9XVEjlRQwg7KnT9z9CLR5glmqhemthTNRHkdynzUgRdpfbU8Xn23jNDTYCoVRb2DpsuuQ6TejgVz2k-ySS8jJyhBPJgsYejbipGMlT8GO/s320/adam-lambert-rof.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341124365076398658" border="0" /></a><br />I should preface this entry by saying that I do not watch American Idol. I watched one full season to see what the big deal was (season 3) and then stopped again. So I didn't see even a single episode of this last season, BUT I heard plenty of feedback from friends about it and all of it was very pro-Adam.<br /><br />Tonight, a friend of mine said someone had sent him Adam Lambert's version of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" and that he liked it a lot. I looked it up on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHe0I-tvuHI">YouTube</a> and the most surprising thing I found in it was that he stated quite plainly that he had heard a middle-eastern version of the song and that is what inspired him. It definitely sounded like a version I already knew, and really, how many middle-eastern inspired versions can there be? I went to a few <a href="http://idol-mania.com/american-idol-fan/2009/03/17/adam-lambert-ring-of-fire-video/">Idol forums</a> to read comments, a few fans said he got the idea for it from another reality TV show (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whtQZJ7R3EU">Dilana sang it on Rockstar: Supernova in '06</a>). Though I agree it is similar, I think Dilana's version definitely kept it a bit more countrified, especially towards the end of it, whereas Adam's was not one bit country.<br /><br />The version I believe inspired him is by Universal Hall Pass, (and later a commenter did mention it, though it seems to have gone unnoticed). The song was recorded by Melissa Kaplan (aka Universal Hall Pass) for the 2003 short film "<a href="http://www.iangilman.com/movies/ringoffire/index.html">Ring of Fire</a>". So, not only does it come before the Dilana version, it also sounds a lot more like Adam's version, and is specifically middle-eastern, as that is what Melissa's specialty is, and what they specifically asked for for the movie. Maybe it's just my loyalty to UHP and my disloyalty for AI, but I think her version is worlds better. That said, I went ahead and listened to some of his other performances and thought they were much better, people just thought this was very different and original, which it is, but the originality was not his.<br /><ul><li>Universal Hall Pass - "<a href="http://www.universalhallpass.com/music/01%20Ring%20of%20Fire%201.mp3">Ring of Fire</a>"</li></ul>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-7974006418920791672009-05-14T01:24:00.003-04:002009-05-14T01:32:55.313-04:00Lacrosse VideoSwedish pop band Lacrosse wins at most smile-worthy videos that involve what must be very low production costs. The single from their last album featured hand puppets traveling the Unites States, and this new single from their album "Bandages for the Heart" features people wearing blue, singing while looking un-expressive, singular move dancing and balloons. And somehow I find it brilliant.<br /><br />This is one of those songs that I wouldn't think was overly special if heard alone, but after the video I had to hear it again and again because I think of all the funny dances I want to do along to it.<br /><br />Notch up another point for Sweden.<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RjepM1O6Rnw&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RjepM1O6Rnw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-5493569084844138922009-04-21T14:30:00.005-04:002009-04-25T23:09:51.208-04:00Nina Kinert<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWVgevExr7y7H5DNyEEVr5afrMHKzU15Lzf89tq9jgzTHU9HqvtVF5iC5a7-TGGu89xNxKmX9z6IwFZw5CeUkYS6LucBTcbrBukgaWLcOlqQJvMqa8BO4rMwTq0j6dbY1Hthyphenhyphen/s1600-h/Kinert.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 227px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWVgevExr7y7H5DNyEEVr5afrMHKzU15Lzf89tq9jgzTHU9HqvtVF5iC5a7-TGGu89xNxKmX9z6IwFZw5CeUkYS6LucBTcbrBukgaWLcOlqQJvMqa8BO4rMwTq0j6dbY1Hthyphenhyphen/s320/Kinert.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327215137840661826" /></a><br />My latest discovery and minor obsession is the music of Swedish singer-songwriter Nina Kinert. Her latest album "Pets & Friends" came out in her native Scandanavia last year, but I only discovered it last week. Within a day of hearing her initially, I was ordering the album as import because I couldn't be without it.<br /><br />She is modern folk and reminds me a bit of Laura Marling. She has an absolutely breathtaking voice and has been touring in support of friend Ane Brun, whose backing vocals (as well as Britta Persson's) are featured on "Pets & Friends". "Pets & Friends" is a very solid album and I am very impressed. The single from the album "Combat Lover" is fantastic. No links for the music, but check out the video below.<br /><br />I am not sure how I feel about the video, actually. I don't particularly feel like it matches the song other than the sinister qualities they both share, but at least it gives you an idea of what to expect as far as her music is concerned.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JsyeNLgrfe4&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JsyeNLgrfe4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30985233.post-53119753969341022682009-04-05T16:45:00.005-04:002009-04-05T17:02:24.518-04:00St. Vincent<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-L8MzOiks5um79YAaZ9HmI2cd4yKosPcKCDha_AtGVFytdxsYddOjXUpLfNxVeomAFQeC3cMsbpd2quj1obcAo2D981z3kkU_990H8dsILLMH2TumlnqbwwDAnnTAiosENS8/s1600-h/StVincent.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha-L8MzOiks5um79YAaZ9HmI2cd4yKosPcKCDha_AtGVFytdxsYddOjXUpLfNxVeomAFQeC3cMsbpd2quj1obcAo2D981z3kkU_990H8dsILLMH2TumlnqbwwDAnnTAiosENS8/s320/StVincent.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321314397240560514" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.ilovestvincent.com/">St. Vincent</a>, singer/songwriter Annie Clark, is set to release her sophomore LP entitled "Actor" on May 5th.<br /><br />Her first album, "Marry Me" was one of the most impressive debuts of 2007. She has a raw talent of having a beautifully classic and elegant voice paired with both artistic, avant-garde sound, yet also more listenable and sing-along worthy than her contemporaries Bat For Lashes or My Brightest Diamond.<br /><br />Her elegant voice and exterior (she's like a rock and roll Audrey Hepburn) are only an added bonus for this amazingly creative and skilled musician. I was lucky enough to see her live when she opened for John Vanderslice shortly before her debut LP came out and I was very impressed. I look forward to her new record<br /><br />She has released the first single from the new record to her website, it promises great things.<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.4ad.com/audio/stvincent/stvincent_thestrangers.mp3">The Strangers</a></li></ul>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12565619521383407629noreply@blogger.com1