One of my favorite discoveries in recent weeks is the Long Island, NY band Nightmare of You and their 2005 self-titled debut LP. This is pretty much straight-up pop-punk (with perhaps some stray echoes of emo). Lo-fi, it isn't. These guys are utterly unafraid of the over-the-top chorus or the been-done-before-but-it's-new-to-them hook. They take a certain amount of shit from some quarters for hewing a little too close to the Smiths and the Cure, but I'm not sure that those are the first groups that come to mind when I listen to them.
Regardless, I'm a sucker for unabashedly exuberant pop hooks (even those of the "been-done-before" variety), which may be why I chose to include two Nightmare of You songs on my recent "Best of September" mix. Here are two more...
[MP3] "In the Bathroom is Where I Want You"
[MP3] "The Days Go By Oh So Slow"
Nightmare of You on MySpace.
Nightmare of You on tour...
Oct 4 9:00P/Knitting Factory/New York, NY
Oct 5 9:00P/Bill's Bar - Paper (Brandon DJ Set)/Boston, MA
Oct 6 8:00P/Middle East (downstairs)/Boston, MA
Nov 3 7:30P/Landmark on Main Street/Port Washington, NY
Wolfmusic isn't a record label, nor is it the latest next-big-thing band with "Wolf" in its name. It is, in fact, just a guy from Europe who enjoys writing and playing music -- low-key, bedroom-type music -- as inspired by some of his favorite artists. Radiohead and R.E.M. are two of those artists. Arcade Fire and Sufjan Stevens are two more.
On the track "Where I Wanna Be," in particular, Mr. Wolf's low, raspy baritone reminds me ever-so-slightly of Steen Jorgensen, lead singer for the Danish band Sort Sol (with just a touch of Gordon Lightfoot in full-on seafaring mode). For the most part, though, these are slow, dark, "horizontal" tunes that press on relentlessly, as opposed to building to orgasmic climax (the way that many of the best Radiohead and Arcade Fire songs tend to do).
All of Wolfmusic's tunes can be streamed and/or downloaded from this page right [here].
And would-be wordsmiths are invited to get in touch with him if interested in striking up a creative collaboration. Wolfmusic, you see, doesn't do lyrics. Like these, courtesy of me, just because why the hell not...Standing on the corner/Of Sodom and Gomorrah/Waiting for temptation to take me/Someplace I've only ever seen/On cheap motel-room TVs
[MP3] Wolfmusic/"Where I Wanna Be"
[MP3] Wolfmusic/"All the Way Back"
[MP3] Wolfmusic/"Down the Line"
BONUS TRACKS >>>
[MP3] Sort Sol/"Holler High"
[MP3] Gordon Lightfoot/"If You Could Read My Mind"
I really can't imagine that anyone who regularly visits MP3 blogs doesn't know exactly who and what the Decemberists are by now. Sure, I could give you a bio on Colin Meloy & Co., but what would be the point? You already know their history or you don't. Or you don't give a damn. You either love the Decemberists' music or you hate it. Or maybe you're on the fence. You find Mr. Meloy's lyrics smart and literate or obscure and precious. His voice makes you smile (you get the joke) or cringe (you think his voice is a joke). You consider his band the American Belle and Sebastian and that's a good thing in your book or you consider his band the American Belle and Sebastian and you'd just as soon burn that book. Right along with the Decemberists' new album, The Crane Wife, which is out on Capitol today -- to be loved, hated, or ignored. Do as you will.
Oct 17 8:00P/Crystal Ballroom/Portland, OR
Oct 18 8:00P/Crystal Ballroom/Portland, OR
Oct 19 8:00P/Warfield Theater/San Francisco, CA
Oct 20 8:00P/Warfield Theater/San Francisco, CA
Oct 21 8:00P/Wiltern Theater/Los Angeles, CA
Oct 22 8:00P/Rialto Theater/Tucson, AZ
Oct 24 8:00P/Stubbs/Austin, TX
Oct 25 8:00P/Gypsy Ballroom/Dallas, TX
Oct 26 8:00P/House of Blues/New Orleans, LA
From the LP The Crane Wife, 2006 >>>
[MP3] "Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then)"
[MP3] "The Perfect Crime #2"
From the LP Picaresque, 2005 >>>
[MP3] "We Both Go Down Together"
[MP3] "Eli, the Barrowboy"
From the LP Her Majesty, 2003 >>>
[MP3] "Billy Liar"
From the EP 5 Songs, 2003 >>>
[MP3] "Shiny"
From the LP Castaways and Cutouts, 2002 >>>
[MP3] "July, July!"
[MP3] "The Legionnaire's Lament"
Five months after the release of their second LP, Without Feathers, the Stills are touring the U.S. with their Montreal brethren Land of Talk. Personally, I found the follow-up to Logic Will Break Your Heart a disappointment -- much preferring the earlier record's slick, dark vibe (and Tim Fletcher's lead vocals). Nevertheless, "The Mountain," "Halo the Harpoons," and "Baby Blues," all made it onto mix CDs for me, so it wasn't a total loss.
Seems the band has recorded a new song with the aforementioned Land of Talk called "Monsoon." It's yours for the taking below.
Also, if anybody is interested in attending the October 13 Detroit show at the Majestic Theatre, just be the first to e-mail me @ mikarr785@aol.com with "THE STILLS" in the subject line and your name and city in the body of the e-mail, and I'll have the good folks at Vice Records put you and a hot 16-year-old congressional page of your choice on the band's guest list. Hop to!
Oct 3 8:00P/Soma Sidestage/San Diego, CA
Oct 5 8:00P/Independent/San Francisco, CA
Oct 7 8:00P/Dante's/Portland, OR
Oct 8 8:00P/The Showbox/Seattle, WA
Oct 11 8:00P/Station 4/Minneapolis, MN
Oct 12 8:00P/Logan Square Auditorium/Chicago, IL
Oct 13 7:00P/Majestic/Detroit, MI
[MP3] The Stills/"Monsoon"
BONUS TRACK >>>
[MP3] Land of Talk/"All My Friends"
[Well, it's been a veritable school-shootings-palooza of late -- putting yet another dent in today's efforts to be bright and "golden." But can you believe that they're pulling this stuff in Canada and Amish country now? I mean, Colorado, sure -- this sort of thing's going to be figuring into their license-plate slogans soon enough. But Montreal? Lancaster County, PA? Where the hell's Harrison Ford and Lukas Haas when you need them?]
Goldenboy is the Elliott Smith-inspired moniker taken up by L.A. singer/songwriter Shon Sullivan. Along with his drummer/percussionist buddy, Bryan Bos, Sullivan makes laid-back indie folk-pop that's pretty and serene in the extreme. You'll hear the Elliott Smith influence in "Summertime" (below), as well as Morrissey and "To the End"/"Best Days"-era Blur in "Motorbike."
Goldenboy's new album, Underneath the Radio, will be released tomorrow by Eenie Meenie Records. Guests on the record include Lisa Germano, Neil Finn (Crowded House), Matt Sharp (Weezer, the Rentals), and Scott McPherson (Sense Field).
Finally, Goldenboy will be playing a live internet set tomorrow night at 8 PM on Music Plus TV. Check out their MySpace page for further info.From the LP Underneath the Radio, 2006 >>>
[MP3] "Motorbike"
[MP3] "End of Forever"
From the LP Blue Swan Orchestra, 2002 >>>
[MP3] "Summertime"
[My determination to make this a bright, "golden" day is suffering some setbacks. While it was supposed to be 75 degrees and sunny today, it is, in fact, in the upper 50s and raining steadily. Gloomy Monday. Also, it's so sad and soul-crushing to see that Congressman Mark Foley (R-FL) has had to check himself into alcohol rehab, a la Mel Gibson. Huh. Blame Jews for all the world's wars, check into rehab. Ask an underage boy about his masturbatory habits, check into rehab. What're the odds that George Michael is next on this list?]
Toronto's The Golden Dogs dropped their second album, Big Eye Little Eye, in August. I don't know a hell of a lot about these folks, but they're Canadian, so I know that they're a cool and courteous lot with a deadpan sense of humor and a love of moose. Actually, I don't know that any of that is true, but it seems a safe bet (and saves me from having to do anything resembling research).One thing I DO know: vocalists Dave Azzolini and Jessica Grassia are not just collaborators in the musical-sense (unless, sometime since the band's founding in 2000, they've broken up, a la White Stripes). I also know that Azzolini has a decidedly "old-time" rock voice. Not sure what it reminds me of, exactly. Three Dog Night? Hell, I don't know [and I just can't seem to shake this depression re: the Tigers, the rain, Congressman Mark Foley (R-FL)...]. Anyway, re: the Golden Dogs, just think late '60s/early '70s garage rock (by way of the Beatles) (and moose).
Heading to Canada to celebrate the start of hockey season? Well, why not hop yourself up on Labatt Blue and catch the Golden Dogs at one or more of the following locales...
Oct 6 9:00P/POP Montreal Festival @ Hemisphere Gauche/Montreal
Oct 18 10:00P/Baba's Lounge/Charlottetown, PEI
Oct 19 10:00P/The Capital Bar/Fredericton, NB
Oct 20 10:00P/Elwoods.Saint John, NB
Oct 21 9:00P/Halifax Pop Explosion @ Stage Nine/Halifax, NS
[MP3] "Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five"
[MP3] "Runouttaluck"
Despite the fact that the Detroit Tigers somehow allowed themselves to get swept out of a division title on Sunday, I'm determined to make this a bright, "golden" day.
Thus, we will begin with Golden Smog - the alt-country supergroup featuring members of the Jayhawks, Wilco, and Soul Asylum. These guys put out albums in 1995 and 1998 (Down By the Old Mainstream and Weird Tales, respectively), back when "alt-country" looked like it was really going places and when that particular label still fit the group's sound. With their latest release, Another Fine Day, that sound has shifted more into the realm of indie pop, with the Jayhawks influence holding the most sway (in the guise of Gary Louris) and Jeff Tweedy dropping in here and there with some latter-day-Wilco atmospherics.
[MP3] "You Make It Easy"
[MP3] "Cure for This"
