Friday, February 26, 2010
| Frontman for The Pogues Shane MacGowan recruited a few famous friends to make a charity song for Haiti. In the video are Johnny Depp, Nick Cave, Chrissie Hynde, and Bobby Gillespie, to name a few. The song being covered is Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell on You".
. . . Click here to read more . . .
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Friday, February 26, 2010
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Vampire Weekend video girl Jenny plays the tennis match of her life, in this ultra-slick, ultra-celebrityized (real word...) video from Contra's most straight-forward track, "Giving Up the Gun". Overseen by fair and balanced referee, The RZA, Jenny easily defeats a dazed and confused Joe Jonus, and a booze-guzzling Jake Gyllenhaal, among others. When things get tough, Jenny gets that fire in her eye, courtesy of a pep talk from Lil Jon...totally Ace. - David Pitz...watch the music video...
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Friday, February 26, 2010
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Shearwater's music has always seemed to bring a flare for the dramatic along with it. The Austin TX band's albums are generally chock full of slow and dynamic songfare; the kind that seem the result of momentous occasions and important, personal revelations (so too do their performances). Their latest album The Golden Archipelago very much follows suit, as does their first video to emerge from that record.
Titled "Hidden Lakes", the video pairs singer Jonathan Meiburg in a show down with the band's mythically named, drummer Thor....though Meiburg's isolated journey to that point in time comprises most of this gorgeously shot video. The desert, the mountains, abandoned homesteads, loneliness, isolation...you'd want what Meiburg wants back as well. ...watch the music video...
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Friday, February 26, 2010
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Whoa, we're getting old! Even though we party like pros, fifty mixtapes is a mad lotz of mixtaping son! SNAP AND ALSO CRACKLE! That is like 500 different tracks (except for those few times we accidentally repeated tracks, sorry Mom)! But hey, no one is perfect, amirite TIGER? We're gonna keep going for the gold, just like America because you can never have enough music, but you can have too much Olympic downhill skiing??!! Trust me, it is possible. Nice form, Canada. Stick with Hockey (get it? You get it). ...listen to the mixtape...
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Friday, February 26, 2010
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A debut album as beautifully dark as Nervous Curtains' Out of Sync With Time is probably the last thing you'd expect to come out of Dallas, Texas. But just as bands like Explosions in the Sky and Ghostland Observatory have managed to defy the mighty country tones of America's gruffest commonwealth, so now do the Curtains debunk any theory suggesting that the Lone Star State's music scene is defined solely by lap steel guitars and cowboy hats. ...keep reading...
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Thursday, February 25, 2010
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Travellers In Space and Time sounds like its going to be right in line with todays obsession with super-produced electro-galaxy rock, and "dance floor" definitely goes with that aesthetic. A dance-y, thumping adventure with the first band to play Colbert twice? Yeah, I'll take one with extra pickles. . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Thursday, February 25, 2010
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It was a sleepy, October morning when The Clientele's Alasdair Maclean arrived at Baeble's Guest Apartment. Admittedly, we were a bit spent at the time...victims of late night, CMJ Music Marathon mayhem. Yet Maclean, fresh off a jet across the pond from his native England, seemed perfectly at home in the middle of the morning. Fresh, wide-eyed, and ready to play. So he did...a couple numbers from his band's latest Bonfires of the Heath (Merge), as well as a gem from the past.
Alone, draped over the nylon strings of classic guitar, songs like "Bonfires on the Heath", "Saturday", and "Graven Wood" - restrained and wistful on record - seem that much more delicate here, sounding composed of everything and nothing all at once. Yes, it's a sparse pairing of Maclean's cooing vocals and accompanying guitar work. But when it works, as it does here, the textures seems dense, rich, and significant, creating a session that sent those lucky enough to capture it into a well timed, hypnotic daze. With a big, billowy snow blanketing our neighborhood, our latest release takes us right back to that moment...though you might find it perfect for setting moments of imagination, introspection, and appreciation to as it cycles through. ...watch the guest apartment session...
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Thursday, February 25, 2010
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Thursday, February 25, 2010
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Karen O and her rag-tag group of childhood loving musicians provided the whimsical, yet subtlety ominous score for 2009's Where The Wild Things Are, directed by Spike Jonze. In honor of the 3/2 DVD release, we're giving away a special prize pack of Wild stuff! All you need to do is submit an email address, and you're automatically entered. Relieve your wildest dreams/nightmares, put on your wolf suit and let's go make some mischief! . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Thursday, February 25, 2010
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When senior citizens write music they have a really, really tough job. And that's not ageism or any sort of sextagenarian discrimination in anyway. It's just that most people over 60 write music for, well, other people over 60. Some have done incredible things with it, like Johnny Cash's last album, a beautiful send off and an incredible album of covers. It was an amazing passing of the torch moment and if you've had a few drinks it could probably make you kind of emotional. ...keep reading...
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Wednesday, February 24, 2010
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Photos by Mo Pitz. See more at our Photo Section
We like to party, lately! On Monday night we gathered in the chilly back room of Public Assembly in Williamsburg to celebrate the launch of our biggest show yet, Passion Pit Live At Central Park, with some distinguished friends and guests. Good thing the hour long open bar wiped any distinguished behavior off us, because the show deserved a rowdy round of enjoyment and we gave it our all. Check out some pictures from the event below and keep your ears open for the next screening (bound to be the event of early Spring). . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Wednesday, February 24, 2010
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Wednesday, February 24, 2010
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Marketing and music go hand in hand like an abusive relationship. Usually something cool starts happening in music, and it stays pretty cool for while but then marketers start jumping on it, it gets all cut up and watered down and then 5 or 6 years later it's at Wal-Mart. A good example: remember grunge music? I personally don't, but apparently a bunch of 20 year-olds wore a lot of ugly clothing and played stripped down shoegaze and dissonant punk riffs or something. Either way, it didn't take too long before the whole thing was a clich and then Creed came out, so that was the end of that.
Things are a bit different nowadayswe can get email on our phones and no ones reads newspapers anymorebut the same cyclic nature of hip is still going strong. The big buzz right now is all about "hipsters". ...keep reading...
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Wednesday, February 24, 2010
| The New York Times reports, without any headliners booked and nothing confirmed, the two-years running Liberty State Park festival known as All Points West may not happen this year. Drat, I was really looking forward to getting soaked with one of my six alloted twelve dollar beers while watching Jack Johnson! LOLz!
. . . Click here to read more . . .
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Wednesday, February 24, 2010
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Coming soon to an internet near you: tons of new stuff from Baeble. After the jump, check out a teaser trailer of some of the concerts we have in the works/just released. Later we can meet on the message boards and talk about easter eggs. WHERE IS THE BEACH HOUSE? WHAT DOES "THAO" MEAN? DOES YEASAYER GET OFF THE ISLAND? WATCH AND FIND OUT! . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Wednesday, February 24, 2010
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Our favorite trio hit The Smell in LA with a brand new track, and posted a video to their FB account yesterday. Sound isn't great, so if you want more check them out at the Baeble Guest Apartment. The song is untitled, so if you have a good name, leave it in the comments! Remember, if you don't have something positive to contribute, you're fired. . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Wednesday, February 24, 2010
| According to her very erratic tweets, the US considers her a threat? And her anticipated album will drop in June with "THE DOPEST ACTS THATS HITTIN 2010". We hope that doesn't mean Bieber. [via MIA's Twitter]
. . . Click here to read more . . .
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Wednesday, February 24, 2010
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Causers of This, the new album by Toro Y Moi is a singularly cool work of solitary greatness and Chaz Bundick, the man behind it, is the new king of bedroom rock. Call it glo-fi, chillwave, dreamwave, or whatever wave you've got lying around, this is genre-busting music. ...keep reading...
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Wednesday, February 24, 2010
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Fans of the She and Him duo&mdash MoF member M. Ward and the super-cute singer/actress Zooey Deschanel&mdash can rejoice, as the release of She and Him: Volume Two draws closer. Cozy up with track one off the disc, a polite shuffle called "Thieves". What we've got here is some pretty standard S&H material... folksy and charming. The wind chimes and strings kind of make it sound like a Christmas song, but that might just be me. One thing is for sure, forlorn love-lost walks in the park have a new soundtrack. . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Tuesday, February 23, 2010
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Everything in music can't be all Joanna Newsoms (i.e. like reading Finnegan's Wake or watching a David Lynch movie). That is why when we heard comedy bad boy Aziz Ansari was doing a Raaaaaaaandy mixtape with TVOTR's Dave Sitek, we were pretty stoked. All you need to do is sit back, relax and LOL yourself to death. First single "AAAAAAAANGRY (with eight A's)" promises a buffet of hilarity. Some minor pop culture knowledge about rappers might be necessary for maximum enjoyment. . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Tuesday, February 23, 2010
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The Heavy took their horn section, their big band swagger, and their collection of muscle-tees to 92Y and we took our cameras. The result was an explosion of fat bass, horn riffs, and a whole lot of funk. Their high-octane set at the 92-Y is just another reason Letterman made them play the same song twice... you just gotta' hear it again. And a band with such a big sound deserves only the best quality prize for our con(cert)test. How does a vinyl copy of The House That Dirt Built tickle your saxophones? Play it again, Sam. . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Tuesday, February 23, 2010
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Photography by Maureen Pitz. Check out more photos from this show and others HERE.
For most New Yorkers, this past MLK weekend brought with it an extra day in which to play, while still paying tribute to the great Dr., of course. Here at Baeble, the scheduling miracle meant the chance to seize on the opportunity to have ourselves the dirtiest of weekends...though, it's probably not what you think. Sad to say, none of us slogged off into the country with our significant (or not so significant, as I believe the term generally applies...) others. Instead, we rounded up our trusty production crew, fired up the cameras, and captured an incredible performance from one of the filthiest bands going these days. My oh my did we have a down and dirty time at the 92Y Tribeca.
To say that The Heavy specializes in producing ginormous sounds is a bit of an understatement. Unfortunately, that also makes the immensity of their sound almost impossible to describe. Just know it's big. But theirs' is also a well-oiled practice in musical schizophrenia. R&B, Soul, Funk, Punk, Rock...it's all in there, coming together in the kind of rich, robust, and outlandishly cool musical flavor that's built for the dance floor . All apologies if the cameras start to shake a little over the course of this performance. It's impossible to resist. ...watch the exclusive concert...
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Tuesday, February 23, 2010
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Tuesday, February 23, 2010
| Jonsi seemed a bit confused when he discovered some Sigur Ros material has been featured extensively on the BBC sports coverage, as well as an episode of Doctor Who, and in The X Factor and Britain's Got Talent. "In some weird way, the national TV here in Britain doesn't have to ask permission to use songs if it's in the background of TV shows or whatever." [via The Daily Swarm]
. . . Click here to read more . . .
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Tuesday, February 23, 2010
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Tuesday, February 23, 2010
| If you like me, you need to listen to this record not because you want to be cool, but you want ANSWERS. "Two hours, no hooks, MUST LISTEN?" Go figure out what the frick is going on at NPR.
. . . Click here to read more . . .
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Tuesday, February 23, 2010
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Fans of dramatic departures will be drooling over These New Puritans and their bombastic new record, Hidden, which is anything but subtle in its leap to a new sonic world. It being 2010 and incredibly difficult to do anything that sounds truly fresh, it is impressive to hear a rock record that traverses a different path than the one-four-five rock-ability. To call this a rock record might even be a stretch; it is orchestral without being too Efterklangy, dark, rhythmic and electronic. "Orion" aptly explores all of this in a neat little package. Check it out after the jump. . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Tuesday, February 23, 2010
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Hot Chip opens up their newest album, One Life Stand with a 6 minute dance track "Thieves In The Night", which sums up the album in both sound and attitude. ...keep reading...
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Monday, February 22, 2010
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Monday, February 22, 2010
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In his thirty year span of making music, The Soundtrack Of Our Lives is his most successful venture, and he is continually pondering their continuity. "We're still here" he told me, "which is strange and amazing." ...keep reading...
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Monday, February 22, 2010
| After a recent stint on The Simpsons, Chris Martin dropped the R-bomb in an interview, talking about their new recordings. He said December, maybe. I call for a return to Parachutes, but the reality will probably be more dressing up like Captain Crunch. [via Spin]
. . . Click here to read more . . .
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Monday, February 22, 2010
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Monday, February 22, 2010
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2010 is the year of all our favorite bands re-surging... first BSS and now The New Pornographers, whose next record Together is due in May. First single "Your Hands (Together)" sounds like the Twin Cinema screening with a Dead Weather lens... but the wonderfully nostalgic power-pop these guys do best (which we filmed in '07), happily, stays in the foreground. Give it a listen after the jump. . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Monday, February 22, 2010
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Monday, February 22, 2010
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Work, the third album by Shout Out Louds, is not the cinematic mood piece that their sophomore album Our Ill Wills was. The band's previous release was a fragile love letter wrapped in melancholy, produced by Peter Bjorn and John's Bjrn Yttling. Work, though, is more of a thumping, brighter collage of post-rock clang and piano backed choruses. ...keep reading...
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Monday, February 22, 2010
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Monday, February 22, 2010
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In anticipation of Work, Merge has released a Passion Pit remix of the first Shout Out Louds single. "Fall Hard", already an infectious bit of work has been tuned up by Boston's favorite sons, Passion Pit, who've tweaked it into something a bit more electronic, a bit more bumpin'. Check it out after the jump. . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Friday, February 19, 2010
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Forty-nine was an OK year, I guess. I don't know history that well. But I know poetry! In 1949 at Edgar Allen Poe's grave the mysterious Poe Toaster showed up for the first time on 1/19, Poe's birthday, to leave him a bottle of whiskey or something. These are things I like! So to celebrate the mixtape/year of the toaster (who failed to show up this year) let's BUST THIS TAPE UP! Seriously, this tape is ill. We've got some really new/awesome/rocketship stuff. HEADPHONES UP (OR NOT, YOUR CHOICE)! Sorry, it's Friday. ...listen to the mixtape...
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Friday, February 19, 2010
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Friday, February 19, 2010
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The promising shoegaze folk-rock duo from New York put on an enchanting show last night in the shoulder-to-shoulder basement of Cake Shop on the Lower East Side. How timely; comparisons have been made to the dashing pop of Broken Social Scene, who just today released a track off their forthcoming record. Deidre Muro and Paul Hammer, who met at NYU, have a record out called In The Wooded Forest, and the songs really come alive on stage. . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Friday, February 19, 2010
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Friday, February 19, 2010
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So, it's not 2005 anymore and the emo-on-the-radio craze is over and most of the bands have found that their music isn't the easiest to grow with--still singing about losing your virginity is really weird if you're 30. The mammoth of the movement was Fall Out Boy and after their hiatus it seemed like radio-emo was finally a thing of the past. ...keep reading...
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Friday, February 19, 2010
| It takes a lot of purple stuff and candy, but Lil' Wayne effectively avoided prison for a few weeks by having some seriously deteriorated oral hygiene. The phrase "what is left of his teeth" will never sit well with me. [via Pitchfork]
. . . Click here to read more . . .
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Friday, February 19, 2010
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We weren't going to fan the flames of the Die Antwoord internet explosion anymore but the South African rap group seems really intent on being the most insane thing ever. To add to the sprawling, psychotic hype of Die Antwoord, after the jump you'll find their 8-minute sex rap "Beat Boy". . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Thursday, February 18, 2010
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Though we knew they'd have a hard time matching the ingenuity of their last visal effort, the color-saturated, Sixties slasher vibe of the Phenomenal Handclap Band's newest video for "Baby" certainly matches previous visuals in style and substance. In this Steven Agnew directed clip, the band seems at home amongst their wooded surroundings. That is until they meet their grizzly end...and we're not talking a run in with Smokey the Bear. Last we checked the band had 8 members. That's quite a blood bath in two minutes and fifty-two seconds.
Band member Sean Marquand said about the filming of the video, "we went upstate to our friend Paddy's house, which was incredible, but the surreal serial killer aspect colored everyone's mood. Even when we weren't filming, there seemed to be someone sneaking up on us in the forest. The video reflects some of the highs and lows of our weekend. There's kinship and celebration there but there's also an underlying paranoia attached to being at such a remote location." ...watch the music video...
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Thursday, February 18, 2010
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Life is Sweet! Nice to Meet You, the sophomore album from British songwriter Lightspeed Champion (Dev Hynes) is allegedly "an unassumingly epic collection of twelve pop songs, two instrumental intermissions, and one piano etude, bound together by a sense of longing so piquant that the listener, after listening, can't easily stifle the sense that he himself is on the verge of some major transition, for better or worse."
If all that sounds like too much to handle at the moment, we suggest starting slow with this Western tinged video for the album's first single, "Marleen". It's a nifty number, slice and diced with a flurry of pocket strings, a funky drum beat, and some awfully crunchy guitar work. As for the video, it seems to mix grainy spaghetti western imagery with a surreal pastiche of modern life and psychedelic freak outs. All of which leads us to the pleasant conclusion that this Marlene character must have really done a number on our man Dev. ...watch the music video...
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Thursday, February 18, 2010
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The Antlers give the droned out, manic depressive threads of "Bear" a stark and suffering visual, courtesy of a fleeing band of convicts (we're guessing) and a tattered beauty hauling what appears to be a giant orb of goo through a hard and icy wooded area. We're not entirely sure what's going on, but knowing Hospice - the band's out of the blue debut - we're guessing said orb has something to do with the sick and the suffering. Really, it's a giant, bleeding tumor that the band seems all too willing to help load back into the cart so she can continue the suffering journey she is on. Seriously, get that stuff out of here. ...watch the music video...
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Thursday, February 18, 2010
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Rhythmic riffs, three-part harmonies, and a large investment in their energy made Local Natives stand out in their brief New York appearances last fall. But promises can be broken, and the bar was set pretty high for this record. The first few tracks sounded good, but I'm happy to report Gorilla Manor has burnt up the fears that these outbursts aren't sustainable across an entire LP. The first full-length from the group reaches for the sun and almost gets there, with finely crafted songs that dazzle as much as puzzle... songs that are as catchy as they are complicated. ...keep reading...
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Thursday, February 18, 2010
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Jack Antonoff has come a long way from street hustling. Since Steel Train swapped its lineup and released their second LP, traction has been slowly building. Trampoline was a great jumping point (sorry) full of catchy riff-rock, and the band established itself as the best thing you'd never heard on their 2007 tour with The Format (when I saw them, and pre-ordered the CD at the show). Antonoff joined Nate Reuss (formally of the now defunct Format) for the supergroup fun., where he was lauded for his guitar skills, and where I lauded them all for being great. The band left its label (Drive Thru), and now it's prepping a third LP (tentatively untitled). A few songs have made live appearances but now the first recorded material is available for the price of an email. Get on it! . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Thursday, February 18, 2010
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It probably started as a classic sounding story. Former Longwave front-man Steve Schiltz - isolated, alone - penning stripped down songs on an acoustic guitar for purposes, none greater than himself. Soon the story behind the music would become a bit more formal - a name dubbed Hurricane Bells, and an album's worth of woozy, atmospheric titles called Tonight is the Ghost. A few shows would thicken the plot, with the mother of all licensing deals (um, a spot on the New Moon OST), and a label solidifying the need to take it to the masses. So that's what Schiltz has been doing. In fact, he's currently touring with collaborator Ashen Keilyn in support of the album. Yet I suspect the heart of Hurricane Bells lies somewhere in the deconstructed, acoustic splendor of the duo's performance in the Guest Apartment, though we'll let you be the judge of that. ...watch the guest apartment session...
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Thursday, February 18, 2010
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Wednesday, February 17, 2010
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Wednesday, February 17, 2010
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fun.'s music video for "All The Pretty Girls" is a sunny little production that mirrors the song perfectly in mood and attitude. There's three stylish dudes being chased by hot girls, a standup piano, and a bunch of sunny sidewalk shots. It's pop at it's most intentional.
fun. is comprised of Nathan Reuss, Andrew Dost and Jack Antonoff and it's pretty apparent they're just three dudes who want nothing more than to make Queen-style pop music. The video isn't anything groundbreaking, involking an uncomfortable Jonas Brothers vibe on more than one occasion. and it more than once invokes a uncomfortable Jonas Brothers-style fibe. But at the end of the day, pop is pop, and pop is good pop when it knows it's light and breezy. ...watch the video...
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Wednesday, February 17, 2010
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When the news broke of Have One On Me, the forthcoming triple (TRIPLE!) LP from indie-rock's most well-known harpist with a muppet baby voice, several of us in the office had a moment of synchronized confusion. When prompted, none of us could really say that we "got" Newsom or her music. So I went on a quest to discover her secrets. ...keep reading...
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Wednesday, February 17, 2010
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In music there are a few of acts that can throw a lot of weird stuff together to make something that when judged by the sum of its parts should not work, but does. Inexplicably, because of a strange finesse, a genuine enthusiasm, and dumb luck an artist or band can make something bizarre and wonderful. Adam Green's Minor Love might fall under that category. ...keep reading...
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Wednesday, February 17, 2010
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Last month Kansas City quartet Vedera swung by the Guest Apartment, breaking a few songs from their slick stock of heartfelt rock and roll down into their organic components. Where their recently released album Stages is the product of the kind of production most bands only dream of, songs like "Satisfy", "Loving Ghosts", and "A World Apart" leave the electricity, the processing, and the glowing ambience behind. Instead, guitarist Brian Little favors the acoustic guitar, Jason Douglas dials his bass work back just a bit, and drummer Drew Little provides the rhythmic flourishes via an Afro-Peruvian drum called a cajon. The result is a set of scaled back songs that focus on Kristin May's lovely, sometimes lilting vocals. It's a bit more informal than their album, sure. But the results are no less endearing. ...watch the guest apartment session...
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Wednesday, February 17, 2010
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Wednesday, February 17, 2010
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Wednesday, February 17, 2010
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Oscar broadcast executive producers Adam Shankman and Bill Mechanic no longer feel the live music is necessary, at least for 2010. They've eliminated the iconic spots of the Oscar telecast where artists are given the opportunity to perform their nominated songs. Naturally, this pissed off a few people. . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Wednesday, February 17, 2010
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You might have noticed them popping in and out of the Mixtape the past few weeks, and now that "Loxtep" is flooding the free MP3 market, we're giving it away. Annuals hasn't done anything since Such Fun, but we're glad they took their time, because they sound like they are hitting on something big. They've traded in their guitars for electro-fusion and xylophones, and the oddities suit them. Check out track one of the Sweet Sister EP after the jump. . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Tuesday, February 16, 2010
| After you've penciled in our much anticipated Baeble Day Party (3/18), you can start planning your week of sun drenched binge drinking: the SXSW team have announced the full lineup of official showcases. Go get it.
. . . Click here to read more . . .
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Tuesday, February 16, 2010
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SF's The Morning Bender's have a Big Echo coming our way. In honor of their appreciation for the engaging, ever crowded wall-of-sound, they channeled Phil Spector in their recent Yours Truly session. If you've ever been in a recording class, you know the story; Spector's angle was to cram as many musicians as possible into the studio to create a fluffy atmosphere of noise. The Benders use this technique well for their recreation of "Excuses", the dreamy first track of their new album, enlisting the aid of every musician they know in San Fran. The army of guitars, stick clickers, and ba-da singers call themselves The Big Echo Orchestra. Check out the end product after the jump. . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Tuesday, February 16, 2010
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Fanfarlo really lit up the stage when we filmed them (literally and figuratively). The lively hair of Simon Balthazar, coupled with their bevy of flags and proclivity for stomping, caused a commotion in Philadelphia. The only thing better than a full length Fanfarlo show might be a contest... wouldn't you like some sweet signed merch to go with that tall glass of British orchestral pop? Come on in and see how to get it done. . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Tuesday, February 16, 2010
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Over the last few years, there have been no shortage of indie/folk outfits that favor music seeped in antiquated narratives, composition, and instrumentation. Arcade Fire, Beirut, and the Decemberists immediately come to mind, as they propelled themselves to stratospheric heights, courtesy of the kind of epic, song fare peppered in surprisingly classical/traditional roots. If we had to wager on the next band to accomplish a similar sort of feat, we'd go all in with Fanfarlo...hands down. Consider yourself warned.
A quick look at the band reveals an obvious obsession with the past. Searching the band's name produces origins having something to do with a lesser known, 19th century work of French symbolist Baudelaire. The band and its' principal songwriter, Simon Balthazar, also bring a variety of past lives to light on their fantastic, debut album Reservoir, including stories of an obscure English journalist ("Harold T. Wilkins, Or How To Wait For A Very Long Time") and an exorcist favoring, Italian Monk named Pellegrino Ernetti ("The Walls Are Coming Down"). To match their music in the live arena, the band sport buttoned-up stage-ware (well, sort of), drape their surroundings in old tattered sea-flags, and pull on a wide-variety of old instruments over the course of a performance.
Knowing all of this we ventured to Philadelphia last December to catch the band in action. Yes; we too found Balthazar to be a bit of an old soul. But this wasn't music merely meant for blowing dust off of like some forgotten antique. It's timeless and enthusiastic, traveling a definitive arc trough orchestral crests and somber falls. Not surprisingly, an eager foot stomping, handclapping kind of audience would greet and gobble it up all night long. ...watch the exclusive concert performance...
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Tuesday, February 16, 2010
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Supplementing our latest concert video, Baeble had the opportunity to sit down with Simon Balthazar and Justin Finch of Fanfarlo in Philadelphia. This Baeble exclusive brings you a little closer to the band, as Balthazar and Finch discuss the origins of the band, their thoughts on their stunning debut Reservoir, and how they react to gigging in America. ...watch the exclusive interview...
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Tuesday, February 16, 2010
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Brothers Scott and Robbie Hardkiss, two mainstays of the San Franscisco club scene in the 90's, are reuniting to DJ together for the first time in a long, long time (ten years!). Scott has an album out, but the pair haven't performed together since the late nineties. For those of us who were too busy watching Family Guy and learning algebra and being thirteen to be in any club the last time around, this is exciting, and also intriguing. Expect a lot of "acid techno breakbeat", which sounds a bit like some extreme house. Shirts might be optional. They are calling it The Underwater Ball, which sounds like very wet fun! Mermaid not included, probably. . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Tuesday, February 16, 2010
| Headliners (besides Pavement, duh) include MGMT, Vampire Weekend, and My Morning Jacket. Other notables: Broken Social Scene, the National, the Hold Steady, Band of Horses, the xx, Dirty Projectors, Passion Pit, Miike Snow, Ween, Public Enemy, Tegan & Sara, LCD Soundsystem, and Massive Attack. Full list at the site sometime soon. [via Spinner]
. . . Click here to read more . . .
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Tuesday, February 16, 2010
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Slow Club is a little folk duo out of Sheffield, England signed to Moshi Moshi records. They do a lot with two people and while I'm sure production fills in the sound a bit, they pull off their louder songs with as much ease as their quieter material. . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Tuesday, February 16, 2010
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The new album from Malachai, The Ugly Side of Love, is a blast of vintage sampled soul. Executive produced by Portishead's Geoff Barrow, the duo of Gee Ealey and Scott Hendy have made the most entertaining record so far this year. ...keep reading...
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Friday, February 12, 2010
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On February 16th, UK outfit Tindersticks will return with a new album dubbed Fall Down a Mountain. "Black Smoke", the first song to emerge from the record, is a heady charger of tune, plump full of highly distorted guitar twang, do-woppy pulls on a mighty Saxophone, and a few rounds of soulful chorus. The band also shot a video for the tune. ...watch the music video...
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Friday, February 12, 2010
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Friday, February 12, 2010
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So, it seems the internet is talking about a group dubbed Die Antwoord (or The Answer). They're from South Africa, the lead MC looks like Vanilla Ice meets American History X, there's a blonde chick that looks like Kylie Minogue (kind of), and their DJ got the job because he "had a PC computer". The whole thing is absolutely bizarre and we don't know what to make of it. That may just be the point. . . . Click here to read more . . .
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Friday, February 12, 2010
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Photography by Maureen Pitz. Check out more photos from this show and others HERE.
In terms of musical venues, there are few places more iconic than the most famous park in the world. The Supremes, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Simon and Garfunkel, Bon Jovi; New York City's Central Park has played host to a variety of legendary concerts, creating monstrous cultural events that are now a rich part of the city's historical fabric.
Though musical events of this scale (tens of thousands of people) are understandably few and far between, the everyday legacy of the park's musical heritage lives on in the carefully curated programs that take over Rumsey Playfield during the warmer months of the year. SummerStage; an absolute NYC institution...a place where performers and audiences alike revel in a unique, shared concert experience. So when Passion Pit asked us to film their second night of a weekend run on SummerStage last Fall, well...we were smitten by the opportunity.
We of course have been yapping about the show ever since. But today marks our first opportunity to actually show it to you. The glitzy synthetic waves of sound, the addicting bubblegum beats setting thousands of heads in movement, those ever-present window-shattering falsettos; it's our great joy to present you with the first half of Passion Pit's mighty performance in Central Park. Since that time, the band has only gained momentum, acquiring a variety of award show nominations (mtvU, Q, etc), helping sell a boatload of Palm products, selling out 3 nights in a row at NYC's cavernous, Terminal 5, and of course touring...none stop touring. But the band's two night run on Central Park marked the beginning of the BIG things to come, in a way...and Baeble's exclusive concert video of the band pretty much sums up why. - David Pitz...watch the second half of this exclusive concert video...
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Thursday, February 11, 2010
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Not unlike the rhythmic pounce that powered Sigur Ros' lead to Med sud I eyrum vid spilum endalaust (that would be "Gobbledigook"...got all that?), the first song/video to surface from front man Jonsi's upcoming solo release features a multitude of sampled skirmishes, all firing and misfiring, getting clipped, and running backwards into a heartbeat pulse that really makes "Go Do" gallop. Also worth noting, the song's in ENGLISH, though seriously...our ears are way beyond picking anything out. It seems with Jonsi/Sigur Ros it'll always be about tuning out lyrical specifics and connecting on a more abstract level...which is why he/they are so brilliant, of course.
Directed by Ami and Kinski, the video for "Don't Go" echoes the tune's running-back-to-nature kind of feel, with images of Jonsi perched atop trees, draped over the crest of a cliff, and messing about by the sea. Oh, and there's feathers. ...watch the music video...
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Thursday, February 11, 2010
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Former Long Wave front-man Steve Schiltz puts a visual spin to his New Moon prepared tune, "Monsters". Here, it's grocery cart mayhem, as a few wild carts have their revenge in the name of their oft-abused, buggy brethren. Best wise up the next time you go shopping. Payback's a bitch... ...watch the music video...
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Thursday, February 11, 2010
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It's my handy, dandy problem to overcome, and I know I will. Chicago singer-songwriter Joe Pug is just too damn fine a musician to estrange me from the pristine pickings and fully-fleshed arrangements of his debut, full-length album, Messenger (Lightening Rod Records). But on this, his sure-to-be intro to the kind of masses who dig great, modern songwriters (think Neko Case, Conor Oberst, M. Ward, Gillian Welch), color me a tad disappointed...for now. It's Ok. I'm sure I'll be the only one. ...keep reading...
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Wednesday, February 10, 2010
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Ahead of a highly anticipated tour of the States (to begin in a matter of hours, actually), Wild Beasts have put together this cinematic visual to the tune of "We Still Got the Taste Dancing on Our Tongues". Directed by Luke Seomore and Joseph Bull (aka Institute for Eyes), the video shows the band vulnerable, exposed, and possibly entranced as they slowly glide along their backs from city to country. Another beast - the stallion, it seems - is the one pulling the band's strings, escorting them too close to traffic, and abandoning the boys somewhere in the beast's domain (aka - a field). What a dick! ...watch the music video...
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Wednesday, February 10, 2010
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Wednesday, February 10, 2010
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Snow can be a real drag! As some of you know, Snowpocalypse/Snowmageddon/Snowverkill has been raining terror on the East Coast. Most of my colleagues in other offices are at home drinking Vodka and laughing at pictures of me. Boo. Snow barricades people in, makes people lethargic, and then interns don't bring their planned editorial contributions and you can't go get a burrito because you have writing to do! Since the higher-ups rejected my Frosty fan-fiction, and I don't think I can legally screen my film school avant-garde project called Snow Bunnies Meet The Plough, we'll settle for some wintry themed videos from some sad, snowy artists! It's the soundtrack to you not getting out of bed, because your car is submerged in eight feet of snow, and f*ck work dude. It's snowing. It's like nature's way of saying "drink up, stay put, and don't come out until I'm done." Hm, sounds a lot like my childhood. *...keep reading...
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Wednesday, February 10, 2010
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Live in New York City? Tired of the bitter cold? Longing for the days of Summer(stage)? Need a drink? Look no further than Baeble's screening party for our full length Passion Pit concert, nabbed at the end of last summer in Central Park. We're screening the full show FOR FREE with an open bar from 7-8 at Public Assembly in Williamsburg. We'll have some drinks, some laughs, and maybe a tequila contest with our interns. DON'T MISS IT! ...keep reading...
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Wednesday, February 10, 2010
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The "new" is relative. Spoken-word artist Gil Scott-Heron has influenced much of the rap-hop movement of recent years with his 1970-80s work as a poet, author, and avant-garde musician. Finally he returns with a new record, ironically dubbed I'm New Here. It is his first full length record in sixteen years, the last being 1994's Spirits. ...keep reading...
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Wednesday, February 10, 2010
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Photos by Joe Puglisi. For more concert shoots, check out the photo section.
Mind-blowing opinions aside (and I have a few about Odd Blood) Yeasayer blatantly disagreed with their weird into-the-woods press photos by wearing normal clothes last night. This struck me as an interesting move for the band that (many claim) have delved deeper in the drug-addled abyss with their space-psych. Chris Keating, dressed in a blazer, moved like a camera shy Mick Jagger, and looked like a pre-Captain Crunch Chris Martin. The bassist still wore a tank top, but that's besides the point. All outside comparisons aside, the sound was bigger, the songs hit harder, and the energy blew away anything I've seen them do before. And they are known for their live set. So we strapped on some cameras and documented the night. ...keep reading...
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Wednesday, February 10, 2010
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Ted Leo has a lofty title on his shoulders. Being referred to as "the (potential) indie-rock Springsteen" by Billboard is no laughing matter, even if it's only a de facto nickname referring to his present and future influence. In any event, Leo's talented singer/songwriter status is backed by his always excellent Pharmacists, who've come together to release a new record, The Brutalist Bricks, early next month. We can expect more of the same brash, punk-rooted Americana that has populated his earlier work. ...keep reading...
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Wednesday, February 10, 2010
| Rumor has it they might replace it with "broadcasting the bits of society you refuse to believe exist" or "where guidos date your moms".* [via Beat Crave]
*Sarcasm
...keep reading...
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Wednesday, February 10, 2010
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UK's Wild Beasts are going to be hard to corral, after Two Dancers stole our hearts and the band's Mercury Lounge set stole our brains. Now the Beasts are marching back across America, and this time, they aren't taking any prisoners. ...keep reading...
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Tuesday, February 09, 2010
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News kind of took a back seat to the big game. The Super Bowl: getting pumped up, snacks, and surprise appearances from some of our choice friends in car commercials. Not to mention the action packed Puppy Bowl VI! ...keep reading...
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Tuesday, February 09, 2010
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Boots Riley and Tom Morello's Street Sweeper Social Club give "Promenade" a stylish video treatment. Nothing too out of the ordinary here. A band performance, a suddenly psychedelic guitar solo, and the kind of rock star posturing very few musicians still get away with. These dudes can obviously pull it off. ...watch the music video...
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Tuesday, February 09, 2010
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Worst. In-store. Ever. That's the calamity Annie Clark envisions when she stops by Women and Women First - the most feminist of all feminist bookstores - in her awkward, new video for "Laughing With A Mouth of Blood". That store's proprietors, played Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, hit all the viewer's uncomfortable buttons as they bicker over poster placement ("what if somebody's crawling?"), divert blame for zero turnout, and push Annie out the door after her single-song performance. It's a priceless piece of humor...mainly because, yes...these people actually exist. - David Pitz...watch the music video...
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Tuesday, February 09, 2010
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The Twitter-verse imploded today as the headliners for Bonnaroo were announced, including Jay-Z, Stevie Wonder, Dave Matthews Band and Kings of Leon. ...keep reading...
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Tuesday, February 09, 2010
| Because we are literally obsessing about Yeasayer today, check out their track-by-track guide of Odd Blood, courtesy of Anand. [via DiS]
...keep reading...
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Tuesday, February 09, 2010
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The first few minutes of Odd Blood hit like a gargantuan machine waking up: gears are grinding, the low rumbled voice of what could be Chris Keating, or an amalgamation of the band's collected vocals chopped up and reprocessed, spewing difficult to understand lyrics, and the horns are obscured by the sound of metal works and synthetic propulsion, all coming together like a robot being built and charged. Upon first listening all preconceived notions of Yeasayer are left at the launch pad, and you better get ready for blast-off. These guys are not joking when they reinvent their psych-pop wheel. They've ditched drums for pads, organic harmonies for reverberated cries, and tribal chants for futuristic loops. In short, at first it feels like a hallucinogenic trip, and then it melts away into pure genius. ...keep reading...
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Tuesday, February 09, 2010
| Weezy is expected to start his jail time today (for his gun possession charges), following his court appearance this morning. He does not have to cut his hair. Expect the TI/Weezy collaboration tentatively titled Jailhouse Rap in 2011. [via P4K]
...keep reading...
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Tuesday, February 09, 2010
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Thistled Spring, the thawing of Horse Feather's distinctly chilly aesthetic, is due April 20th. ...keep reading...
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Tuesday, February 09, 2010
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After pretty happy-go-lucky EP and some deserved hype from James Murphy and camp, rock band Free Energy are prepping their full length debut for March. First track to surface, "Hope Child", hearkens to the giddiness of "Energy City" while better accentuating Murphy's somewhat forgotten ability to simply record a guitar. ...keep reading...
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Monday, February 08, 2010
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Life Magazine by Cold Cave is soaring electro pop dance track with just a touch of something sadder underneath the chords. The video for it definitely fleshes out the darker aspects of it. Focused almost entirely on an older woman painted in makeup, the video is a bit campy but more than a little captivating. The core of the music video is made up of a montage of the older woman dancing and fixing her makeup, with shots of mannequins and old pictures of naked women appearing from to time to time. But the amount of depth that the image of that possibly sad, possibly proud older woman longing for youth adds to the chorus' lyrics "I'm never going back" is almost heartbreaking. Whether it is a comment on beauty, age, or time, there's definitely something deeper underneath and it haunts the video beautifully. ...Keep Reading...
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Monday, February 08, 2010
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A good music video should add a dimension to a song you never knew was there, like turning on the lights in a dark room. Dawn Landes' video for "Young Girl" does precisely that. Building off the fuzzed out and twangy hoedown hook of the song, Landes' video builds a southern noir atmosphere around it. Helped by 1960's style directing and a dark and grainy film filter, the video for "Young Girl" bridges the two worlds Landes is writing from: her Kentucky past and her New York City present. What's nice though is as enveloped in a Deep South atmosphere as it is, it never takes itself too seriously. ...watch the music video...
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Monday, February 08, 2010
| Contemporary ballet + White Stripes music = I'm confused. Chroma is a ballet by choreographer Wayne McGregor, featuring music by the White Stripes as interpreted by an orchestra. Just the kind of weirdo stuff the internet would eat up. [via P4K]
...keep reading...
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Monday, February 08, 2010
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"When we start losing the roots, we become terrible pop music." It's a little slice of wisdom (not to mention fantastic reasoning as to why country music has careened down a scary, scary course the last decade or so), courtesy of a Tennessee songwriter who is doing his part to preserve a piece of country history.
By his namesake alone, Justin Townes Earle pays tribute (whether he likes it or not) to two titans of country songwriting. But Earle's fascination with the genre is a bit more antiquated, escorting him a bit further back than the work of both his father Steve and Townes Van Zandt. Leadbelly, Emmett Miller, Woody Guthrie, Hank Williams, Buck Owens; these are singers it's evident the 28 year old singer-songwriter holds dear. Their passion, urgency, and absolute authenticity is written all over the batch of country folk songs JTE prepared for a recent visit to the Guest Apartment. ...watch the guest apartment...
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Monday, February 08, 2010
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Monday, February 08, 2010
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Monday, February 08, 2010
| The odd-father of rock is one of indie's most interesting personalities. Now you can take a peak inside the misty mind of the Magnetic Fields frontman in the documentary about him and his band, Strange Powers.
...keep reading...
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Monday, February 08, 2010
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When first confronted with Teen Dream, the surprisingly fleshed out new record from notoriously lo-fi Beach House, I was pleasantly surprised at the young bands growth. The best example of their development came in the form of "Used To Be", a single which noticeably morphed from simplicity (on the single) to the complex world of the new record (on Teen Dream). When I asked singer/keyboardist Victoria Legrand about the change, her answer made sense. "The song didn't fit. It wasn't good enough." ...keep reading...
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Monday, February 08, 2010
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I think I might be too young to like Massive Attack. I suppose I should put that out there first. Of course, with their style of music being what it is, I can't imagine many people the age it's intended for liking it either. ...keep reading...
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Monday, February 08, 2010
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The follow-up to Jim is another change in direction for Jamie Lidell. Compass features help from a few notable friends, and promises to be Lidell's most eclectic and raw release to date. ...keep reading...
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Monday, February 08, 2010
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It must be remix day because the blogosphere is jam packed with covers and remixes. Which would be a really cool internet theme day, like "Rework A Song day" where artists put out remixes or covers in a show of inter-band fraternity.
But this Phoenix remix by Delphic is pretty cool, taking Phoenix's already pretty cool sound and uh making it... cooler? There's a new funk bassline and some really cool pads thrown in there and makes the whole thing sound like the soundtrack to a detective movie.
It's a bit long, but aren't all remixes? ...keep reading...
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Friday, February 05, 2010
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Thom Yorke of Radiohead fame, it's been announced, will be featured on the upcoming Flying Lotus album.
Lotus' new album, Cosmogramma, is out May 4th from Warp Records. Along with Yorke, the band is also featuring guest work by Erykah Badu, Laura Darlington, and Outkast string arranger Miquel Atwood-Ferguson. ...Keep Reading...
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Friday, February 05, 2010
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Friday, February 05, 2010
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Everybody has a bad week every now and then. Sometimes you are bad and mom sends you to your room and you miss the party at Chuck E. Cheese, and everyone talks about the ball pit all week. Sometimes you total your car and have to take the bus to work. Sometimes you are homeless for five days. Sometimes you drop your sandwich at lunch. These things happen to everyone. * Luckily, we all have our ways of dealing with stress, and one of them is mixtapes. So let's listen together! ...listen to the mixtape...
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Friday, February 05, 2010
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Edited by Bajir Cannon and shot by Brendan Fitzgerald, Fucked Up's first official music video, for their track "Crooked Head" is terrifically fitting. Comprising of exclusive live footage, it showcases what Fucked Up are the most proud of...their live. It's fitting for the track too, with so much shoegazey feedback it almost feels like the waves of distortion you can guarantee to feel at a Fucked Up show. Plus, it just looks like so much fun doesn't it? - Ryan Broderick...watch the music video...
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Friday, February 05, 2010
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Editors are just in time for a cycle of throwback in vogue, filling the need of late eighties futuristic Brit-rock and John Hughes smoke-filled flashback montages. From the somber pastoral rock of the 60's, to acid-wash, to disco-infused, it seems time that one band should emerge to take the naughties spin on this specific slice of the twentieth century. Problem is, it's been done already many times... White Lies, for example. Good news is, Editors take the lessons of alternative rock between 1982 and now and tie them all together in a cohesive, compressed snapshot of the past thirty years. The trick is they do it like they are still in the eighties, subtle and undetected but ever-present, through the choices of synth to the arrangement of tracking. ...keep reading...
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Thursday, February 04, 2010
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Hot Chip is a strange band. From the looks of it they're just a group of really weird dudes from England that make dance music. But after getting a chance to hear the tracks of their newest upcoming release One Life Stand they're working with a bit more depth and range then in the past. This track, "Alley Cats" is probably the best example of that. It's got a real quiet bounce to it but the lyrics are what sealed it for me. Definitely not your typical Hot Chip but still a really solid song. ...Keep Reading...
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Thursday, February 04, 2010
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There is a franticness about your early twenties. There is a jittery claustrophobia that can pulse behind your eyes and make your breathe short and make your chest tight. On Romance Is Boring it seems Los Compesinos! are writing strictly from that cloisterous, failing universe of early adulthood. Manic and frenzied Romance Is Boring blisters with swells of strings and horns and crunching unapologetic guitar and explodes so sublimely on every track that you can't imagine they made fifteen of them. ...keep reading...
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Wednesday, February 03, 2010
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Wednesday, February 03, 2010
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Joanna Newsom has been rather odd in her press for Have One On Me, releasing cartoons as hints and telling the world it will be a triple LP (whoa). First song "81" was a nice teaser, quaint and cushy, and now we've got "Good Intentions Paving Company", a bit more uptempo, bossanova and as Stereogum aptly put it "kind of Peanuts". For those of us who haven't really dipped into the pool of Newsom tunes, this is a big sign that Have One will be a diverse collection of tracks instead of one big long harp solo. For the fans, this only solidifies their excitement. Listen after the jump. ...keep reading...
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Wednesday, February 03, 2010
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Wednesday, February 03, 2010
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Wednesday, February 03, 2010
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On 2/19 in New York and 2/27 in LA, odd-rockers The Dirty Projectors will play The Getty Address, an "unsettling mix of jokes, high concept and existential urgency play[ed] out over heavy sequenced beats, choirs of women and orchestral arrangements that sound as if they've been sourced from a Jodorowsky film." We're going to need a bigger "eyyyyyo wehooooo" (see: "Cannibal Resource"). ...keep reading...
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Wednesday, February 03, 2010
| I guess these guys were watching Lost and decided to flash forward their polar bears, or something. Today is was announced that the lineup for Bonnaroo would be announced 2/9. It will be a very special unveiling.
...keep reading...
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Wednesday, February 03, 2010
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Photography by Maureen Pitz. Check out more photos from this show and others HERE.
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