New Arcade Fire

...out today. Loving this song:

Great "Hold Music"

Whilst on hold with one of my customers today I was treated to this 1974 funk delight: “What Is Hip?” by Tower Of Power.

I later hung up after being left on hold for too long.

The Weepies

I recently got into The Weepies, an indie pop-folk band fronted by singer-songwriters Deb Talan and Steve Tannen (no relation to “Biff Tannen” from Back To The Future) out of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Since 2003, the duo has put out 3 albums and has one more on the way next month. Not sure how they slid past my radar all these years but I have a feeling they are to become my next obsession.

Off 2008’s “Hideaway” this is “Wish I could Forget”:



Off their upcoming album, this is the title track and first single, “Be My Thrill”:



These guys also have some great, simplistic album artwork:

Jump In The Line

For some reason I had this scene in my head for days. The song itself is called "Jump In the Line" composed by Trinidadian calypsonian Lord Kitchener (Aldwyn Roberts) in the late 40’s. It was then re-recorded by Harry Belafonte in 1961, the version used in “Beetlejuice”.

“Beetlejuice” theatrical trailer from 1988:



Also to note: In 1998, the song was covered by American rock/swing band the Cherry Poppin' Daddies for the soundtrack to the movie BASEketball.

The National – Slow Show

Off 2007’s, “The Boxer.” Great tune, found it done “open-mic” style. The setting really accentuates singer/songwriter Matt Berninger’s baritone.


The National - Slow Show (Part 2 of 3) from Bandwidth on Vimeo.


Studio version below. The acoustic above lacks the piano ending which really makes the song.

We Are Scientists – Rules Don’t Stop

Really digging this video. I love the shots of the 80’s pink Kramer guitar. One of the first to have the “original” Floyd Rose bridges.


We Are Scientists - Rules Don't Stop from Labour on Vimeo.

“Top 6” After 6

6 months into 2010 there’s been a bunch of good tunes. I was going to focus my mid-year tops list on albums but since moods change so much in 6 months I just assume individual tracks would work better.


1) “Vaporize” by Broken Bells (Broken Bells):


2) “Brand New Shoes” by She & Him (Volume 2):

3) “Giving Up The Gun” by Vampire Weekend (Contra):

4) “Tighten Up” by The Black Keys (Brothers):

5) “Camera Talk” by Local Natives (Gorilla Manor):

6) “Laredo” by Band of Horses (Infinite Arms):

Honorable Mention:


- “Ambition” by We Are Scientists (Barbara):

Notes:

- “Vaporize” by Broken Bells is now the #1 most listened to track on my iPod.

- I fell in love with “Brand New Shoes” by She & Him when I saw them @ The Bowery Ballroom a few months back.

- “Brothers” by The Black Keys is arguably one of my favorite album covers of the past decade.

The Mynabirds

I got a copy of “What We Lose In The Fire We”, the debut album by The Mynabirds this weekend. This Omaha-based group led by singer-songwriter Laura Burhenn has a really cool sound/vibe with an even more interesting conception. Burhenn said “she'd long imagined a band that sounded like Neil Young playing Motown.” Oddly enough, years later she would discover that Neil Young had made music with Rick James in 1960s Motown. The name of that band: The Mynah Birds. Although the band never released an album, it is famous as one of the earliest efforts of a number of musicians who went on to be hugely successful. Derived from the 1964 group called the Sailorboys, fronted by Jimmy Livingstone and also including guitarist Ian Goble, drummer Rick Cameron, organist John Goadsby and bass player Nick St. Nicholas, soon joined by Rick James. Over its short lifespan, the group featured a surprisingly large number of artists in its many different configurations. Its most memorable lineup included future funk star Rick James, Rickman Mason, John Taylor and future folk-rock music stars Neil Young and Bruce Palmer, both of whom went on to form Buffalo Springfield. Earlier members included Goldie McJohn, who like Nick St Nicholas was later in rock band Steppenwolf. As well, a late-running 1967 version of The Mynah Birds featured heavy rock Neil Merryweather. The Mynah Birds signed a seven-year deal with Motown Records in 1966. They recorded a number of tracks, and their first album was in the works when James was arrested, having deserted the United States Navy prior to forming the Sailorboys. Motown subsequently shelved their recordings.

Here is some audio of The Mynah Birds featuring Neil Young and Rick James, pretty damn good:



And another:



Back to the new “MynAbirds”, here are some of my favorite tracks off this record:





This is a really cool link to a set the band did (minus a bass player) in a tiny apartment. Great quality: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127915408

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Round 2.

I am finally delving into the album, “Up From Below” after a disappointing first listen a few months back. The second time around I am enjoying it a bit more especially the opening track, “40 Day Dream”. I’m finding it funny how much this album has been panned by other critics. “Home” always seems to be well-received and the songs do sound the same after a while but it’s certainly not as bad as some make it out to be.

This live version sounds damn-near the original recording:


Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - 40 Day Dream - Club Garibaldi - Milwaukee, WI from SeizureChicken on Vimeo.

Get Back...

Beatles - Get Back (Live at the Rooftop Concert) from Belance on Vimeo.

Update

Will be MIA until Monday, June 21st.

Until then, enjoy this hilarious drummer: http://www.wimp.com/wronggig/

Possible BP Logos

Honeymoon Playlist

In less than 2 weeks my fiancé and I will be taking off for a much needed 2 week Honeymoon-vacation. You may remember a few past playlists ala, Sick Day, Christmas, and Road Trip that I had posted a while back. I think I might make this one an open forum, taking suggestions for this mix of relaxation and “floating vibes”. Here’s what I have going so far:

Walcott by Vampire Weekend
San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers In Your Hair) by Scott McKenzie
Swim by Surfer Blood
In The Sun by She & Him
Hot Fun In the Sumertime by Sly & The Family Stone
Kamera by Wilco
Time of the Season by The Zombies
California Dreamin’ by The Mamas & The Papas
Summer Breeze – Seals & Crofts
Take It Easy by The Eagles

I will post the final list a week from today.

Janelle Monáe - Tightrope ft. Big Boi

Compelled to post pre-research because it’s that good. I’ll dig a bit deeper for you soon.

“The funkiest horn section in the boroughs…”

Train Song

I recently picked up “Dark Was The Night”, a 2009 compilation CD/vinyl benefiting the Red Hot Organization, an international charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS. The album title is derived from the Blind Willie Johnson song "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground," which is covered on this collection by the Kronos Quartet. Album sales have generated a little under a million dollars and John Carlin, the foundations lead and album producer was quoted in saying, “"Dark Was The Night encapsulated the spirit and creativity of a new generation of musicians whose work struck a chord and got people to actually purchase the album and raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight AIDS." The album featured exclusive recordings by a number of independent artists and production by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National.

“Train Song” features Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard and Feist. Gibbard is one of my favorite songwriters and is a great collaborator most recently working with Jay Farrar (Uncle Tupelo). This song has a really cool retro-road trip vibe. Picturesque to the dude sitting on the back of an open freight train with a beat up acoustic and piece of straw in his mouth. The chord progression is perfect beat for Feist. Hope you enjoy this one as much as I do.



Track Listing:

"Disc 1"

1."Knotty Pine" – Dirty Projectors and David Byrne – 2:23
2."'Cello Song" (Nick Drake) – The Books featuring José González – 3:54
3."Train Song" (Vashti Bunyan) – Feist and Ben Gibbard – 3:02
4."Brackett, WI" – Bon Iver – 4:03
5."Deep Blue Sea" – Grizzly Bear – 3:46
6."So Far Around the Bend" – The National – 3:43
7."Tightrope" – Yeasayer – 3:18
8."Feeling Good" (Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse) – My Brightest Diamond – 3:54
9."Dark Was The Night" (Blind Willie Johnson) – Kronos Quartet – 3:51
10."I Was Young When I Left Home" (Bob Dylan) – Antony with Bryce Dessner – 4:55
11."Big Red Machine" – Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner – 4:39
12."Sleepless" – The Decemberists – 7:54
13."Stolen Houses (Die)" – Iron & Wine – 1:07
14."Service Bell" – Grizzly Bear and Feist – 2:23
15."You Are the Blood" (Castanets) – Sufjan Stevens – 10:14

"Disc 2"

1."Well-Alright" – Spoon – 2:46
2."Lenin" – Arcade Fire – 4:06
3."Mimizan" – Beirut – 2:43
4."El Caporal" – My Morning Jacket – 3:33
5."Inspiration Information" (Shuggie Otis) – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – 4:06
6."With a Girl Like You" (Reg Presley) – Dave Sitek – 3:27
7."Blood Pt. 2" (Castanets) – Buck 65 Remix (featuring Sufjan Stevens & Serengeti) – 3:36
8."Hey, Snow White" (Destroyer) – The New Pornographers – 4:26
9."Gentle Hour" (Peter Gutteridge) – Yo La Tengo – 5:31
10."Another Saturday" – Stuart Murdoch – 2:56
11."Happiness" – Riceboy Sleeps (Jónsi & Alex) – 8:37
12."Amazing Grace" – Cat Power and Dirty Delta Blues – 3:34
13."The Giant of Illinois" (The Handsome Family) – Andrew Bird – 4:45
14."Lua" (Bright Eyes) – Conor Oberst & Gillian Welch – 5:54
15."When the Road Runs Out" – Blonde Redhead & Devastations – 3:28
16."Love vs. Porn" – Kevin Drew – 3:57

The Crash – Reasons To Sing

I haven’t heard this song in a long time but after hearing the tail end of it in “Urban Outfitters” last night I felt compelled to post it. The band, who decided to part ways in 2009, was a pop-rock band from Turku, Finland, originally influenced by Britpop but later taking its lead from a diverse range of genres including Motown, Disco, New Wave and 80's rock . Following reasonable success in Scandinavia and Central Europe, the band turned its attention to the USA where interest was being shown by several major record companies including Capitol Records, Maverick Records, Warner/Atlantic and Hollywood Records. A short trip to the US followed in March 2005, where the band performed a packed show at the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas leading to Billboard Magazine picking The Crash as one of the ten acts to catch that year, along with Bloc Party and M.I.A.. The band never received much airplay here in the states but "Reasons To Sing" from the "Pony Ride" album was featured in the show “Gossip Girl”, leading to some net download popularity.

Band Members:
• Teemu Brunila – vocals, guitar
• Samuli Haataja – bass, vocals
• Erkki Kaila – drums
• Samuli "JJ" Jokinen – keyboards



References:

Official Site

MySpace

Discography:

• Comfort Deluxe – 1999

• Wildlife – 2001

• Melodrama – 2003

• Selected Songs 1999–2005 – 2005

• Pony Ride – 2006

Band Of Horses – Infinite Arms

Yesterday I started spinning the new Band Of Horses record, Infinite Arms. This is the third full length by the North Carolina based southern indie-rockers and the tightest I have heard them sound. Lovers of “big room” guitars and same key harmonies will really dig. Definitely worth a free listen on MySpace.

SXSW Performance, “Compliments”:



Album Artwork:

It’s Your Thing

In early 1969, the Isley Brothers released the influential “funk-anthem”, “It’s Your Thing” as an artistic response to Motown chief Berry Gordy demanding hold on his artists after the Isleys left the label in late-1968. The Isley Brothers felt typecast in the role as a second-tier act while well-established Detroit acts like The Temptations, The Miracles and The Four Tops got more promotion from Motown Records. The brothers' decision to leave Motown came after a successful UK tour, where the brothers had a bigger fanbase than in America. Recorded in only 2 weeks (only a few months past the Motown departure), it only took the brothers two takes despite introducing 17 year old brother Ernie on bass for the first time. The song quickly rose to the top of both the Billboard pop and R&B singles earning top spots on both. Upon the song's release and ascent to success, Motown’s Gordy threatened to sue the group for releasing it in an attempt to bring them back to Motown, but he eventually cancelled his threat, and in February 1970 the brothers became the first former Motown act to win a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.

Band Members / Post Motown:

• Lead vocals by Ronald Isley
• Background vocals by O'Kelly Isley, Jr. and Rudolph Isley
• Written, arranged and composed by Ronald Isley, O'Kelly Isley, Jr. and Rudolph Isley
• Produced by The Isley Brothers
• Bass by Ernie Isley
• Guitar by Charles "Skip" Pitts
• Piano by Everett Collins



Over sixty artists have recorded their own version of the song including a not yet established Jackson Five, who first performed the song at their television debut on the Miss Black America Pageant, later recording it for their ABC album. I was able to dig up this rare performance although the quality is very poor. Check out the young MJ working it.



Also to note, the song’s meaning has long been taken out of context. Many thought it to be a “female anthem” much like “Respect”.

Hacienda

San Antonio based Hacienda combine Tex-Mex, straight up rock 'n' roll and Americana on their 2008 debut, Loud Is the Night and blend in more of their “garage roots” on their upcoming release, Big Red & Barbacoa. Formed by cousins Abraham Villanueva (piano/vocals) and Dante Schwebel (guitar/vocals), together with Abraham's brothers Jaime (drums/vocals) and Rene Villanueva (bass/vocals), this Mexican-American quartet blends a raw yet sophisticated style of pop music with harmonies reminiscent of the Beatles, The Stones, and The Beach Boys.

This is their first single off Big Red & Barbacoa, “She’s Got a Hold on Me”.


Hacienda: She's Got a Hold on Me from REVELATOR on Vimeo.


This is a live recording of “Shake Ya”. I must admit I prefer the original version which features some nice, Chicano trumpet playing in the background.




References:

Album Artwork:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MySpace
 
Official Website

Rising Star

I really can’t stop laughing at this kid. He is singing the song “Whataya Want From Me” by last season’s American Idol runner up and total wiener Adam Lambert. What makes this funny is how he starts belting it out come 2:45 and tries to do the layering of the lead/backing vocals himself. Forget the Shure SM58, it’s all about the “Echo Mic”.

Hard To Handle

You may or may not know that “Hard To Handle” off the Black Crowes 1990 debut, Shake Your Money Maker was originally written and recorded by the late Otis Redding. Often referred to as the “King of Soul”, Redding died tragically in a plane crash at the age of 26 along with 4 members of his backup band, The Bar-Keys. The song was officially released in 1968 following his death on the album, The Immortal Otis Redding, reaching #38 on the Billboard R&B charts and #51 on the pop charts. It has been covered several times, including by The Black Crowes, Stefan Roland, Tom Jones, DJ Andy Smith, Rustix, Band from TV, and The Grateful Dead, as well as by Mae West in the film Myra Breckinridge.



The melody of the Crowe's version is taken from Buddy Guy's song 'A Man of Many Words' from the 1972 album Buddy Guy and Junior Wells Plays The Blues. Two versions of the song exist, the original album version and the hit single remixed with an overdubbed brass section. The Crowes' version reached number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart and number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100. See below as the Crowes perform the song with a horn section at the Fillmore, San Francisco in 2005.



“Hard To Handle” became a mainstay in Grateful Dead set lists. This is footage of the Dead performing the song in France in 1971.



Patti Drew’s version is great. It has that true 1969 soul vibe to it.


This…is TERRIBLE. Blackfoot, 1982.

Flat Tire

To my delight I was treated to a nice flat tire yesterday during my lunch break. All things considered, the fix went as smooth as possible. It’s only apropos to throw some auto-themed tunes up here in recognition of this banner afternoon. In searching for videos for “Drive My Car” by The Beatles, I came across this amateur medley of the song acted out by Lego’s. In digging deeper I noticed that he has both the entire Beatle’s # 1’s catalog in Lego video and a lot of free time.



A bit more relative to my situation would be the song (appropriately titled so) “Flat Tire” by left-handed Blues-man Albert King. For those who don’t know, King was one of the "Three Kings of the Blues Guitar" (along with B. B. King and Freddie King) and at 6' 4" / 250 lbs was known as "The Velvet Bulldozer". “Flat Tire” appeared on 1974’s I Wanna Get Funky, which covered various Blues tunes with Funk overtones.

Flat Tire by Albert King

More Albert King music on iLike

References:

Album Artwork:

Album Credits:

• Albert King – Electric guitar and vocals
• Donald Kinsey (name on album credits incorrectly spelled as "Donald Kenzie") – Rhythm guitar
• Memphis Symphony Orchestra – Strings
• The Memphis Horns – Horns
• The Bar-Kays, The Movement – Rhythm section
• Hot Buttered Soul, Henry Bush – Background vocals

White Rabbits – “Percussion Gun”

I saw this video for “Percussion Gun” by White Rabbits for the first time today. The band is a six-piece indie group based in Brooklyn, NY, originally from Columbia, Missouri. This song is featured on their last release, It's Frightening (2009).

You may want to down some Dramamine before watching as its shot like a carnival ride. Enjoy it in HD!


White Rabbits "Percussion Gun" Music Video from White Rabbits on Vimeo.

References:

MySpace

Michael Anthony – Drunk Bass Solo (1986)

Years back when I worked in a retail guitar store we used to have a bunch of concert DVD’s on playing on loop. One of which, was Van Halen “Live Without A Net” from August 27, 1986 during the 5150 Tour at New Haven's Veterans Memorial Coliseum. This of course was the first tour with tequila man Sammy Hager at the helm. Eddie Van Halen, as cheese as he(the band) were is still one of my favorite guitar players and an all around great musician. On the other side of the stage you have Michael Anthony who answers Eddie’s 10 minute solo with this circus act. As you will see, he is not only wearing a cape, but playing a Jack Daniel’s themed bass guitar, the very liquor he so splashes in his mouth like Listerine during the set. Hey, if Eddie and Alex get to solo...?

You may want to view through YouTube as I am having trouble embedding the full video:



Michael Anthony is now a member of “Chickenfoot” and the proud owner of “Mad Anthony Hot Sauce” which you can see here at “Mad Anthony’s Café.” As much as I rank on his bass playing skills it worked for the band and they wouldn’t have been Van Halen without his distinctive backing vocals which hid the imperfections of the David Lee Roth era.

References:

Plants And Animals - La La Land

I really can’t get enough of the new album from Montreal based Plants and Animals, La La Land. PBeat & J would like to set the record straight (no pun intended) because we have seen some misguided reviews on this new record (ala Pitchfork). They are correct in saying that this is not a duplicate of Parc Avenue, the band’s first full release. That being said, La La Land showcases a broader range of songwriting, incorporating thematic elements that vocally take pun at all things Los Angeles while pushing themselves musically. I highly recommend listening to the album straight through as it flows very well while offering something different on each track.

Track Listing (Notice some of the LA puns):

1. Tom Cruz
2. Swinging Bells
3. American Idol
4. Undone Melody
5. Kon Tiki
6. Game Shows
7. Mama Papa
8. Fake It
9. Celebration
10. Future From the 80's
11. Jeans, Jeans, Jeans

“American Idol” is one of my favorites on the new album. I love the sloppy sax thrown in there. Great rhythm, very Talking Heads.



The official video for the first single, “The Mama Papa”:


The Mama Papa by Plants and Animals from Secret City Records on Vimeo.


I have always enjoyed this video for “Feedback In The Field” off Parc Avenue:


Plants and Animals - "Feedback in the Field" from Secret City Records on Vimeo.


References:

Album Artwork:

La La Land

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Parc Avenue

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MySpace (full album streams)

Bango Dunk

I felt the need to share this impressive video I saw yesterday of NBA mascot for the Milwaukee Bucks, “Bango” successfully dunking from a 16' ladder placed in front of the hoop, doing a backflip in the process. Watch as the “man-deer” tempts fate with the playoff crowd cheering him on. Almost as great as the feat itself is the announcer yelling “give it up for Bango” over the inspirational music as he climbs up the ladder to his impending doom.

Bango celebrates with a little "Welcome To The Jungle".

Allergies, Round II

…literally. Thanks to our old friend, The Green Gorilla. We now have audio of Paul Simon’s “Allergies.” It really is a fun song so enjoy this find and while you’re at it, channel your inner Jane Goodall and add the GG as your friend on the “book-face.”

MGMT on SNL

In case you missed it, MGMT performed 2 songs off their new album “Congratulations” on SNL this past weekend. The first was single “Flash Delirium” and the second was my personal favorite off the new album, “Brian Eno.” I am still getting used to the flow of “Congratulations” but it’s starting to grow on me. I’m an “O.S.” purist but this is the direction they wanted to go so I will just roll with it. That aside, I was really impressed with this performance. I am still yet to see them live but having seen this I look forward to catching them this summer.



References:
 
Album Artwork:
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Who Is MGMT?

Allergies…

Having been hit hard with allergies this weekend I thought I would make light of the situation by pulling some tunes from the catalogue that pertain. I wanted to post the song “Allergies” by Paul Simon (off Hearts and Bones, 83’) but I couldn’t find any video to post (see lyrics below). That being said, a nice play on words works just as well so I will post one of my favorite songs from The Verve, “The Drugs Don’t Work.” This is the fourth song off their 3rd album, Urban Hymns, which gained mainstream appeal with the single “Bittersweet Symphony.” The popularity and video success of this song helped to make Urban Hymns one of the best selling albums of 1997. I personally feel that the rest of the album is overlooked due to the positive/negative feelings people have about the first single. It really is a great album and I highly recommend it to people who are into the early Oasis catalogue. The live video I found is from a “T in the Park” festival ( a major music festival that has been held annually in Scotland since 1994.)


The Verve- The Drugs Don't Work (live at T in the park) from poeticjin on Vimeo.


While on The Verve, here is the official video for “Lucky Man”, my favorite song of theirs. For all you Entourage fans, this song was featured at the end of the first episode of season 6 when Vince finds himself sitting along as his crew is slowly moving out.


Lucky Man - THE VERVE from LeperMessiah__ on Vimeo.


References:

Album Artwork:

Official Website

MySpace

Lyrics – “The Drugs Don’t Work” 

Lyrics - "Allergies"

  

Earth Day

I assumed I would just go “grassroots” on Earth Day but in searching my catalogue for “earth” themed tunes I came across this oldie from Jamiroquai, “Emergency On Planet Earth” the title track of his 1993 debut album. The album was critically acclaimed for its mixture R&B, funk, and acid-jazz. This particular track has a great groove and bass line.



Also to note:

• The band name is a portmanteau of Jam session and "iroquai", based on the Iroquois, a Native American tribe.
• “Emergency On Planet Earth” was featured on the list of “1001 Albums You Should Hear Before You Die.”
• The debut album was the first to feature “Buffalo Man”, silhouette character featured on most of the covers of Jamiroquai's releases. Buffalo Man was created sometime prior to the release of their 1992 single When You Gonna Learn, allegedly it was originally sketched by the band's primary songwriter and front-man Jason Kay as Buffalo Man is seemingly a self portrait silhouette of Jason wearing a buffalo hat. The mark has been used on almost every commercial (and sometimes non-commercial) release of the band's output in some form or another; usually the unique symbol is pictured unaltered, but there have been times where it is shown in a stylised manner to suit the artwork or song. (See album artwork below)

References:

Album Artwork:



















Official Website

Song Lyrics

An article on the history of the Buffalo Man logo at Funkin.com

“Dead All Along” – Ceri Frost

I thought I would share this great video from UK based producer/composer Ceri Frost. The track is called “Dead All Along” and is somewhat reminiscent of what could be a Modest Mouse tune. Watching the video in HD, you can really enjoy the Tim Burton “esk” 3D paper animation graphic. Synopsis: “Enchanted by a pixie, a child called Yorick enters a magical kingdom, but when Yorick returns he finds his world ravaged by time.”

Enjoy!


Dead All Along || Ceri Frost from Giles Timms on Vimeo.

Did he steal those pants from the Beatlejuice wardrobe?

References:

Official Website

Who's Got The Herb?

I couldn’t think of a better song to post for “4/20” than 311’s “Who's Got The Herb?”. The song first appeared on the band’s 1998 “Live” album and has since become a fan-favorite live-track. “Live” is the only live album by 311, recorded during the Transistor tour at the UNO Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana.



References:

Song Lyrics

Official Site

MySpace

Album Artwork:

Il Pan Del Diavolo - Pertanto

I stumbled upon this video yesterday and felt it was worth sharing. The track is called “Pertano” by Italian Indie band Il Pan Del Diavolo; translation: “The Pan of The Devil”. I couldn’t find any reviews or band biographies written in English but from my small knowledge of Italian I can tell you that the band formed in 2006 in Palermo, Italy. The song, which translates to “Therefore” is not that bad but the real story here is the video. The cinematography is great as its shot in reverse. I have no idea how the horse costumes pertain but if someone who fully understands Italian can clue me in that would be most helpful.


Il Pan Del Diavolo - Pertanto from Cosimo Bruzzese on Vimeo.

After watching the video, couldn’t help but think of this photo I saw on the Band of Horses Myspace page.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
References:
 
Band Website
MySpace
YouTube Channel

Free Energy – Stuck On Nothing

Who said Indie music can’t be catchy?

Free Energy is a five-piece Philadelphia based power pop-rock band led by brothers Scott and Evan Wells. The band's first release, “Stuck On Nothing,” will drop on May 4th via DFA Records. Having had a few brief conversations about the album, I can only describe it as "Blue Record Weezer meets Thin Lizzy meets The Cars”, which makes absolutely no sense until you have a listen. This album is consistent from end-to-end as it brings a more up-beat vibe to the table both lyrically and rhythmically. I tried to dig up as much live footage as possible but it was a little sparse. In watching these videos, it looks like there’s a bit of Mick Jagger stage presence going on.

“All I Know” / Track 4 off “S.O.N.”:



Live @ Public Assembly in Brooklyn:


Free Energy LIVE at Public Assembly Brooklyn from 'SUP Magazine on Vimeo.


Live @ 2010 SXSW:


Free Energy from CakeIn15 on Vimeo.


Old live footage, great recording:


Free Energy from Ray Concepcion on Vimeo.


References:

Band Website

Myspace (free album stream)
Album Artwork (aweosme):

Jammin' on “The Street”

Since it first aired in 1969, plenty of musicians have appeared on the long-running PBS children’s television show Sesame Street. Some of the musical performances on Sesame Street are classics that rival that of any other show as artists are able to showcase a more laid back persona. Here are a few good ones I was able to dig up (in no chronological order):

“1234” by Feist

I love this song but it’s just too perfect for this application.



“I Got A Song” by Ray Charles



“Don’t Know Y” by Norah Jones

Get it…Don’t know...Why...”Y”? In all seriousness, Norah sounds great here.



“Just The Way You Are” by Billy Joel

I love how Billy Joel is singing a love song to Oscar, who is such a bastard.



“Nasty Dan” by Johnny Cash

Johnny "TRASH"?



“Superstition” by Stevie Wonder

This is my favorite of the Sesamee Street performances and one of the best live recordings of “Supersition” out there.



Consistent with our furry friends above, be sure to check out my man The Green Gorilla ‘s cretaceous, but intriguing look at “Hevisaurus.”

Iconic NY

I read a great article by Billy Heller (New York Post) this week which pays homage to some of the most iconic, NY-themed album covers. Although there are a few I can think off hand that were left out, it’s an interesting little read: NYC's greatest hits - NYPOST.com Here are a few mentioned in the article:

Steely Dan's "Pretzel Logic" (1974) was taken at Fifth Avenue outside Central Park. This album’s opening track is one of my favorite Steely songs, "Rikki Don't Lose That Number.”

Simon & Garfunkel's "Wednesday Morning, 3AM" (1964) was taken at the Fifth Avenue subway at 53rd Street.

Blondie's "Autoamerican" (1980) was taken on a roof at Broadway and 8th Street.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Bob Dylan's "Freewheelin' Dylan" (1963) was taken on Jones Street between 4th and Bleecker streets. As you may remember, the scene in Vanilla Sky with Tom Cruise and Penélope Cruz in the street with a Volkswagen van in the back is a perfect copy (cars, jacket of Tom Cruise, attitude of the women...) of this very same album cover. (See below)
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


The Beastie Boys' "Paul's Boutique" (1989) was taken on the corner of Rivington and Ludlow streets.  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Paul's Boutique, today:
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
The cover art for Led Zeppelin's "Physical Graffiti" (1975) was taken at 96-98 St. Mark's Pl. in the East Village.

The building, today:

Röyksopp

Röyksopp are a Grammy nominated electronic music duo from Tromsø, Norway composed of schoolmates Torbjørn Brundtland and Svein Berge. The group formed officially in 1998 and released their debut album Melody A.M. on Wall of Sound in 2001. "Remind Me", found on Melody A.M., can be heard in the background of a Geico car insurance commercial. The commercial is the fourth of the "It's so easy a caveman could do it" ads, and features said caveman riding a moving sidewalk in an airport terminal when he comes across a poster displaying the inflammatory ad campaign. The “elevator music” feel along with selected lyrics “and everywhere I go…there's always something to remind me…” capture the true awkwardness of the caveman.



The single version of "Remind Me" heard in the commercial is substantially different from the album version. The group received various awards for its computer animated video for the original recording, directed by the French motion graphics studio H5. It features a day in the life of a woman working in London's Square Mile solely through infographics; this includes labelled close-ups of everyday objects, product lifecycles, schematic diagrams, charts, and is generally illustrated in a simple isometric visual style.


Remind Me from Röyksopp on Vimeo.

It was noted in an interview that the duo recently celebrated 10 years of making music together. And like good friends (or an old married couple) do when they hit an anniversary, Berge and Brundtland exchanged gifts. “I gave Torbjørn an iced-out saxophone and a crate of fireworks because it reflects his personality,” Berge says. “And he gave me a flame-thrower and a can of wax for the same reasons.”

 

 

References:

 

"Remind Me" Lyrics

Official Website

Caveman Press Release

Album Artwork: