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Saturday, April 23, 2011

Cheat Sheet #13 2011

Quite an eclectic mix this week. Got some old dudes making hip hop, indie favorites, and a bunch of unknowns. Was worried that music this year was going a little stagnant after a series of great release early in 2011, but looks like things are picking up again. However I still have not been blown away by any of the new releases this spring. Am I missing anything out there? I like the new Weeknd, Bill Callahan, TV On the Radio, and Generationals but none of them knocked my socks off. Maybe their will be some slow growers in this batch.  Let me know if you have found something that is absolutely brilliant that I might have missed.

Eleanor Friedberger - My Mistakes from Everybody Taste
Sounds like this could have been on the Fiery Furnaces' Blueberry Boat album. I loved that album and this first track makes me excited to hear her new solo album. the Fiery Furnaces are now a part of Merge Records so you can expect that they will be releasing lots more. I expect we will see a new solo album from her brother and a new group effort.
Album Last Summer out July 12
Band Website

Swimming - Team Jetstream (Pre Flight Mix) from Off the Radar
Swimming - Panthalassa from Listen Before You Buy
Sounds like an 80's synth band got in a fight with Jesus and the Mary Chain. The first track is from a new single, lets hope their is a great new album coming this summer.

Sun In the Island single out now
Band Website

Crystal Stilts - Shake The Shackles from Days of Lore
Crystal Stilts - Through the Floor from Rocks De Milo
This sounds like music that cool people listen to. Put it on and within one listen you will instantly be a hipster. Shake the shackles has a dark pop sound. Something sad but at the same time upbeat. The vocals remind me of Ian Curtis. I like it a lot.
Current album In Love With Oblivion is out now
Band Website



Summer Heart - Please Stay from Swedes Please
Scandinavian pop - nice harmonies and melody. A very ethereal summer sound. Just what the doctor ordered for this fine spring day. Also a nice video with lots of NYC footage from previous album Blackbird Blackbird.
Get three current tracks right now from band camp and new album is out soon.
Band website




Blackbird Blackbird - Summer Heart from mikey sanders on Vimeo.

Beastie Boys - Make Some Noise from Citizen Insane

These guys should not be making music. There is something weird about dudes in their 40s making hip hop. I had avoided listening to any of the new tracks but then this video came out featuring lots of cool people (Will Ferrell). I watched and the scary thing is the new song is good and they do a great job of mocking themselves in the video. You can go to their website below to purchase the new album, they got some cool packages for any fans out there. My only problem with the Beastie Boys is I rarely go back and listen to any of their music after it is first released. The only exception is Sabotage which is why I included the video down below. I also added a little widget where you can stream and listen to the whole new album.
New album Hot Sauce Committee Part Two is out on May 3
Band Website






Watch live streaming video from beastieboys at livestream.com

Friday, April 22, 2011

BP #6 - Enter Oasis

Set out last summer blogging a short history of Britpop while I was reading the book The Last Party: Britpop, Blair, and the Demise of English Rock the summer ended and my blogging lagged, so I never finished. Here is an attempt to finish it up. I'm 8 months removed from reading the book but here we go.



Liam Gallagher - Vocals
Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs - Guitar
Paul McGuigan - Bass
Tony McCarroll - Drums
Noel Gallagher - Guitar and Vocals






Formed in 1991 in the industrial wasteland of Manchester England by Bonehead, Paul, Tony, and Liam the band was a spin-off of an early crap band Rain. Older brother Noel was a a roadie for the Inspiral Carpets and came to see an early performance of the band. He thought they were terrible, but saw the the band as an opportunity to get music he had been writing and working on for years out there. Story is that he joined the band, but made them all agree that he was the chief song writer and had control of the band. At this point the band got serious and started gigging regularly and traveling the whole of Great Britain to play. Rumor is that on one of these trips they forced their way into a playing slot and corned Creation records head Alan McGee to listen to their demo and sign them to a deal. He did.
Footage from that night:


On the band's first single, Supersonic you can hear the influence of the Beatles in the lyrics and the massive sounding guitars were designed to be played to huge crowds.


The Gallagher brothers and Oasis were a group who wanted to be rock stars and embraced the lifestyle before the even got there. They did all the drugs, drank all the booze, trashed the hotel rooms; this lead to quite a reputation as being bad boys that helped solidify their status as cool on their quick rise to the top. They next released Shakermaker. It got them in trouble for being so similar to I'd Like to Teach the World To Sing. I think a big part of the brilliance of Noel is his ability to absorb and be influenced by a song and make it into something wholly new.


Listen to the Ghalleger brothers talk about the formation of the band, their inspiration, and their aspersions. The 6:40 minutes mark is awesome - talking about their greatness - just a fact. We also get some early jabs at Blur (8:00):

For the rest of the interview go here.

The next single was Live Forever released August 1994. Don't need to say a whole lot about this track it is genius. It broke into the top 10 on the UK charts and later in 1995 made the top 10 in the US and number 2 on the US modern rock chart. Easily one of their best songs ever. Noel has said he was inspired by the Rolling Stones song Shine A Light. Below is an early version and live at Glastonbury (love the beer in one hand and tambourine in the other).




A great little bite about Noel's writing process (1:37 is classic):


The album Definitely Maybe was released at the end of August in 1994. At this point Oasis were the biggest band in Britain and were getting non-stop press coverage. A buzz followed them everywhere they went. The album went straight to number 1 on the UK charts and was the fastest selling debut in history (surpassed in 20016 by the Arctic Monkeys). It also did very well in the US and made them one of the leaders of the new modern rock sound.Oasis and Noel in particular were never quite happy with the sound of the recording but the song writing is what stands out. Even though the sound is a little weak at times the album celebrates having a good time and being awesome - sucking the marrow out of life, something the band did.

Hear Noel and Bonehead talk about the album cover:


The band toured like mad men at this point traveling the whole world and making a huge impression everywhere they went. While on tour in the US, the band came close to breaking up. Performing in LA all messed up on Crystal Meth, Liam flew off the handle and taunted the crowd. He then turned on his brother and attacked him with his tambourine. The whole tour Liam's behavior was chaotic and crazy. Noel had enough and left the band. He was persuaded days later to rejoin the tour, but this kind of back and forth between brothers would continue throughout the life of the band. The song writing of Noel and that cocksure attitude of Liam are what made Oasis great, but the attitude also got them in trouble with each other and everyone else.
Footage from the LA concert:


The last single released from Definitely Maybe was Cigarettes and Alcohol. My favorite single, an all out rock assault with serious swagger. Not from the same time period, but a great live version below:



Next Time: Oasis Part2
Still To Come: Other Britpop Players, Blur Vs. Oasis, and The Downfall and Legacy

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Cheat Sheet #12 2011

This week is all just thrown together, but I don't think that matters because everything here is big (except Clams Casino).Got a crying baby later

My Morning Jacket - Circuital from Music Savage
This sounds like My Morning Jacket; great distant sounding vocals and country tinged rock. If this is what the whole album sounds like it will be one of the best this year. When it kicks in at 2:15 is great and the false ending is also cool.
Album Circuital out May 31
Band Website






Cults - You Know What I Mean from The Owl Mag
Cults - Abducted from Old School
A lot of buzz surrounding this band. I'm  very excited for this little indie gem.
New album out in May
Band Website




Antlers - Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out from Everybody Taste
A big sweeping sound. Sounds like it will be another good album from the Antlers. I like the mix of electric guitar, mandolin plucking, and falsetto.
New album Burst Apart out on May 10
Band Website






Clams Casino - Gorilla from Gorilla Vs. Bear
Some very cool hazy sounding beats. Reminds me of a Miles Davis remix album from years ago Panthalassa. That's some cool shi.... This would be a great listen when chilling at the beach.
EP Rainforest out on June 27
Band Website

Arctic Monkeys - Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair from Gramophone Rings
This isn't the Arctic Monkeys of "I'll Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor," but that is ok. They have grown into a rock juggernaut.
Best Lines: "Go into bussiness with a grizzly bear" and "Do the macrena in the devil's lair."
New Album Suck It and See out June 7
Band Website


New Album Suck It and See out June 7
Band Website

Bonus: Santigold - Go Featuring Karen O from Pick Up the head Phones
Rock out this weekend!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Come On Baby Cover Me #2 2011

 It's hard for any of these tracks to top Whip My Hair - a brilliant remake of a teeny bopper hit. Kina makes it a pop hit and Ezra plays it straight. The last two are total reinventions. Enjoy!

James Vincent McMarrow - Whip My Hair   (Willow Smith - Will Smith's daughter) from Music Ninja

Kina Grannis - White Winter Hymnal (Fleet Foxes) from Some To Shout For

Ezra Koeing - Papa Hobo (Paul Simon) from Tale of the Tape

Teen Daze - Harvest Moon from Everybody Taste

Freelance Whales - Girl U Want (Devo) from Pretty Much Amazing

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Video: Tennis - Take Me Somewhere

Busy with lacrosse so I may not get a Cheat Sheet out this week. I'll try on Sunday, but we'll see - also got yard work to do. I also brewing up a spring mix and have been working on finishing my history of Brit Pop...until I get those done and out for everyone here is a video for a song I love. If you know Tennis then you should not be surprised by the boat theme.

Enjoy



Tennis - "Take Me Somewhere" from Ian Perlman on Vimeo.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Cheat Sheet #11 2011

The Weeknd - House of Balloons from Pitchfork
 Nice head bouncing beat and you can download the whole album for free from their website. Like most hip-hop it is sexual and party centered but has great sounds and some great effects to keep the ear interested.
 The album House of Balloons is available now from the band website.





The Woods - Pushing Onlys from Old School
Instant hit for me. Love the lo-fi sound of the recording and the vocals add to the idea of the band crammed in a room spilling their hearts out onto a tape machine for everyone to hear. The spaceship taking off at the end seals the deal.
Album Sun and Shade out June 14
Band Website





Low - Especially Me from Buzzgrinder
Low - Try To Sleep from Planet A Pop
Low has a very recognizable sound and one that I don't want to change. I'm impressed with their ability to make slow music so interesting. In concert I have seen perform at low volume levels and all these little tricks they use work in capturing the attention of the audience. Try to Sleep is one of my favorites for the year so far.
Album C'mon out on April 11th
Band Website


Low - Trailer for New Record, C'mon from Sub Pop Records on Vimeo.

Boat - Changing of the Guard from Guerolito Music
Reminds me of the band Hum (who I love) from the 90's. Big expansive rock guitar sound. I love the line "There is a changing of the guard, I'm cleaning dog shit out of my yard." they don't take themselves too seriously and they make good rock music.
Album Dress Like Your Idols is available now
Band Website

BOAT "Children of the Revolution" (T-Rex) Hiss Like Your Idols from Magic Marker on Vimeo.

Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean from Earmlik
Fleet Foxes - The Plains / Bitter Dancer from Austin Town Hall
Lots of hype on this album and it sounds like they have done it again, a great 60's or 70's hippie sound without the cheesy nostalgia. The harmonies are still on point. This should be a perfect album for spring and early summer. I know I'll be listening as I'm outdoors enjoying nature.
Album Helplessness Blues out on May 3rd
Band Website


So long LCD Soundsystem:

Video: The Ramones 1978 concert set to Sci-Fi Movies

Thanks to NPR All Songs Considered for this great video. The sound is good and the Godzilla movies are classic. Great to listen to while you surf the internet.

THE RAMONES from Zoltan on Vimeo.

Friday, April 1, 2011

DMCA notification

Got a DMCA notice to take down my blog post based on some copyright infringement. It will take about 10 days to figure out what the obstructing track was and then I'll get the post back up.

Thanks for reading.