Late Spring 2010 New Music Playlist

I wasn't sure whether to call this Late Spring or Early Summer Playlist with all the summery sounds and laid-back vibes within the songs that made the cut. But with new releases by the bands in the last post about free album previews (The National, New Pornographers and Minus the Bear) the next list is filling up quickly in time for summer listening. Link here to listen, enjoy!

1. It's Working/MGMT

2. Flash Delirium/MGMT

The second release Congratulations from this hip duo has certainly not been embraced by all fans or critics alike -- I actually heard an editor of a music pub describe the new concept album as having "nothing to dance to" which I think is just plain laziness. It might not have a huge breakout single or two like the debut Oracular Spectacular but there are plenty of grooves throughout to get the body moving, if so willing of course. The surfer splash of "It's Working" rolls out the attitude full throttle and the second selection "Flash Delirium" expands into the Neo-Psychedelia sound the band has become so famous for yet again.

3. Kandi/One eskimO

One eskimO is a indie band from the UK fronted by Kristian Leontiou who took the trappings of fame with a top ten hit there and created a new band that would venture away from the mainstream. This song fits the bill with its individualistic take what seems at first listen a love song though it's actually about the heartache over love lost.

4. Call Center Girl/Goldspot

Siddhartha Khosla, the singer/songwriter who founded Goldspot, was born in the US to parents from India and he spent a few years there as a young boy. He has a cousin who works at a call center in India, providing a nice backstory about love over the phone line for this sweetly swinging tune from the LA band.

5. Hollywood/Codeine Velvet Club

This new Scottish band presents Jon Lawler of the Fratellis with singer Lou Hickey, a friend of his wife's who also works in burlesque clubs. They share an affinity for 60s duets along with vintage orchestral pop and outfits. A rollicking back up band provides the instrumentation necessary to complete the vision.

6. Swim Until You Can't See Land/Frightened Rabbit

Frightened Rabbit is another band from Scotland, though embracing the indie folk/country label. This is a single off their third album called "Winter of Mixed Drinks" though it was this song title that came to vocalist and guitarist Scott Hutchinson. He thought "Swim Until You Can't See Land" indicated a personal journey rather than a physical one.

7. Percussion Gun/White Rabbits

I actually thought these two 'Rabbits' bands were one in the same -- their musical approach is similar but this American band is based in Brooklyn with the rest of the indie scene though they are originally from the college town of Columbia, Missouri. "Percussion Gun" is a single released last year and from the opening laughter to the drumbeat/percussive keyboards the song sounds like a tightly knit live performance.

8. What's In It For?/Avi Buffalo

I'd say what's with really young bands embracing sounds of bands from decades before yet managing a hip take on it all? Here's a prime example from a Long Beach, California band barely out of high school. Avi is short for Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg, a skateboarder who picked up guitar along the way and started writing songs. Taking lessons from local blues guys is a revealing bit of trivia as old meets new in "What's In It For."

9. Undercover Martyn/Two Door Cinema Club

10. I Can Talk/Two Door Cinema Club

11. Eat That Up, It's Good for You/Two Door Cinema Club

Another very young band, Two Door Cinema Club, has been on my playlists before but these three are off their first full length CD. The title, Tourist History, refers to their hometown of Bangor, Scotland as a tourist destination as well as the band's recent busy traveling agenda. When a drummer dropped out, the band decided they liked the sound of manufactured drum tracks just fine. Each song is a carefully crafted romp with fun shout outs and walls of electronic sound.

12. Plain Material/Memory Tapes

This is a song from on a compilation found on the Urban Outfitters website of bands making a splash at this year's SXSW. It's off the CD Seek Magic by New Jersey based Dayve Hawk who also creates music under the monikers Memory Cassette and Weird Tapes. I just love the way the chorus bursts out of the dry drums and buried vocals to make this song bounce along, a individualist musical vision which caught my attention at first listen.

13. Islands/The XX

14. Crystalised/The XX

This young three piece UK band was basically crowned the darlings of SXSW with their understated, laid-back compositions. During a live session from Austin, a listener sent a tweet to actually ask why the band sounded so sexy (which they did not have to answer, if they knew I'm sure they'd bottle it up for all!) Perhaps it's because the tracks were recorded in a small garage at night, but now the band has songs on TV shows, commercials and is off on tour playing all the big festivals.

15. Drunk Girls/LCD Soundsystem

16. All I Want/LCD Soundsystem

17. You Wanted A Hit/LCD Soundsystem

LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy sings about having to provide a sellable single in the spaced-out track "You Wanted a Hit" but with "Drunk Girls" he easily complies with the request. It's quick, catchy and with sing-a-long lyrics touting the male/female bond of easy virtues. "All I Want" is deeply romantic, echoing Psychedelic Furs or early David Bowie with the swooning guitars which take center stage in front of the sweetly sung vocals.

18. Stay Close/Delorean

This song is off the third studio release by this four piece Spanish alternative dance band. The name of the CD, Subiza, is from the Navarre town in Northern Spain where they record but their love of layering synths for the dance floor is universal. The vocals on "Stay Close" almost sound as if they've invited Animal Collective to their party and I'm happy to join in as well. Get up, get up!

Ready, Steady, Listen! Three Album Previews on KCRW

Here's an impressive triple play of album previews for your listening pleasure: The National, New Pornographers AND Minus the Bear! Not sure what all this free music is doing for sales but if it's out there to be enjoyed, why not indulge?

The National's new CD, High Violet is available May 3rd - May 16th at the link below (release date is May 11th). Coming off a huge write up in The New York Times Magazine and embarking on a mega tour beginning in London May 5th supporting their fifth offering, The National might not just be critic fav indie darlings anymore. The guys grew up in Cincinnati but are now based in (where else) Brooklyn -- the line up includes two sets of brothers Bryan and Scott Devendorf along with Aaron and Bryce Dessner, who are even twins. Just listening to lead vocalist Matt Berninger's deep baritone singing over this group's mellow music makes my shoulders drop instantly into relaxation. The lyrics are always worth investigating, whether they're referencing Dostoyevsky or ruminating over poetic imagery.

http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/ap/ap100503the_national_high_vi

Next up is another indie powerhouse -- the New Pornographers's 5th studio release Together, offered until May 9th. I loved their last CD from 2008 Challengers but this band of eight musicians from the Vancouver music scene has been collaborating since 1997. Carl Newman shares lead vocals with Dan Bejar and the distinctive voice of Neko Case. It was Newman that found the name of the band after watching a Japanese film called "The Pornographers." The CD also features collabos with St. Vincent, Beirut's Zach Condon and Okkervil River's Will Shef.

http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/ap/ap100426new_pornographers_to

The last in the group, Minus the Bear's Omni, is on the site through May 18th with a CD that was released May 4th. It's the Seattle band's fourth full length release with a solid group of five guys who like to venture away from the indie rock label, pushing the limits of experimentation into prog rock's inventive time structures. The name comes from an incident when a friend joked that his date was like the 70s TV show "B.J. and the Bear" -- minus the bear. For this CD, the band wanted to capture the live energy of playing together as much as possible during the recording process and it shows. I love the opener, "My Time" with its synths playing off a solid grove provided by the drums before the journey happily continues.

http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/ap/ap100419minus_the_bear_omni

Love at First Listen – Smitten by a Song off a Compilation

I love me a good compilation... so what if it's from Urban Outfitters? My new favorite song, "Plain Material" by Memory Tapes, was found at a link on the retail website -- link found here on my write up for popmatters.com

My Meeting Mick Jagger Story PLUS Vintage Rolling Stones Footage at Avon Theatre Wed 4/21

The Avon Theatre in Stamford, CT is presenting rare footage of the Rolling Stones during the Brian Jones years (1964 - 1969) this Wednesday night at 7 pm. This evening is hosted by Bill Shelley of Shelley Artchives, a filmaker who lists The Stray Cats and Joan Jett as subjects and now dedicating time to preservation of archival films. The organization also seeks to compensate the artists fairly during the process, always a good idea. Details are here:

http://www.avontheater.org/special_events.html#apr21

After hearing the new pop sensation Kesha sing about how she wants her pick up boy to look like Mick Jagger on Saturday Night Live over the weekend, I was remembering how I once met the guy. It was around 1985 at a birthday party for my new husband's boss at a NYC music house. This being the 80s, the boss was big pals with Jon Taylor of Duran Duran who showed up with Mick Jagger. (Back then I decided I wanted to be a bass player like Tina Weymouth of the Talking Heads and got myself a Japanese Aria pro mini bass like Taylor used to play which is now somewhere in the basement. I had a hard time reading the bass clef and transporting things onto a guitar fret from knowing a piano keyboard but that's another story.)

Anyway, we were all to come in costume as the title of a song. We dressed in our best NYC chic black outfits and bought a pair of handcuffs at a magic store -- you can imagine the shop owner's look as we newlyweds made the purchase. It was to illustrate the current hit by Bryan Ferry, "Slave to Love" or Frank Sinatra's "The Tender Trap" as a back up. So Mick Jagger is wearing a pair of broken mirrored sunglasses. My husband is always good about waltzing up to celebrities, especially fellow musicians. I on the other hand, clam up even though I'm the more chatty of us by far. The chit chatting begins after introductions when Jagger wants us to guess what song he's portraying, "a Stones song" he tells us in his often-imitated accent. We racked our brains, how can we not know the answer basically growing up with the Rolling Stones playing record after record on every radio station there was?

"Shattered," he finally said with that famous grin. We had to admit it was the best costume at the party!

Hey Audiophiles -- Record Store Day April 17th

The third annual Record Store Day will celebrate independent stores across the country with appearances by bands, new releases and deals to be had at your local audiophile hangout. Them Cooked Vulture's Josh Homme is serving as the official Ambassador with a band issued special 10" vinyl record full of unreleased music. I'm more excited about getting my hands on a new Blur song after seven years to honor the day. Over 150 special releases are expected-- from Damon Albarn's other band The Gorillaz, to LCD Soundsystem, Muse, Modest Mouse, The Flaming Lips, Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones and even John Lennon. Plus, there are scheduled appearances by The Smashing Pumpkins, Alice in Chains and others listed on the website http://www.recordstoreday.com

Call me old fashioned, but I still like to buy CDs. And waiting three days for Amazon or some other online source to deliver them to my doorstep just doesn't cut it. Going into a store, you have the opportunity to browse through other bands and pick up a compilation or new band you wouldn't otherwise. My husband works in NYC right by where the Virgin Megastore used to be downtown and I would always stop there on a visit to see him. I could also easily give him a list of things to pick up like he was stopping by a grocery store on his way home. I'd grab at the purchases like a kid with candy, unwrapping them eagerly to pour over the album art, lyrics and liner notes.

I have shopped Johnny's in Darien, CT over the years but when I called for a latest release recently the five copies were already out the door before I could get there. However going there is always a treat, especially when John Konrad is there you can leisurely talk music and listen to recommendations -- I was introduced to my fav band Spoon thanks to him. I just found out about Sally's in Westport by Googling record stores in the area. Sally White has been in business 25 years and took my name, noting what I was looking for even though I didn't find it (another new release sold out). But she promises to call me when the next item on my list comes in, priceless.

Buying songs online is one thing but when purchasing an entire CD it leaves me wanting. It may be economic and even ecologically correct with no packaging involved but I feel like I'm missing something. When I'm listening to a new release I have to keep glancing at my computer or ipod to see what track is playing. Also, having a CD in your hand takes me back to listening to vinyl and perusing a record cover as it spins, a handy a point of reference. And it's so easy to throw a CD in your car's stereo system and go, no wires needed to plug in and find a playlist off an ipod. Actually, my favorite way to listen to a CD for the first time is in the car (when I'm not driving of course) so I can read along with the lyrics. There's just something about music filling up a car as it's traveling that brings sweet bliss. Music can go anywhere with you now, just be sure to visit your local record store for your fill now and then.

Two Door Cinema Club Album Preview on KCRW

Here's another album preview on kcrw.com to enjoy at the link below, featuring the debut album Tourist History by the very young Scottish band called Two Door Cinema Club. Plus check out my write up about the band on popmatters.com and note that the group will be on Morning Becomes Eclectic on May 4th -- I'm there!


http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/ap/ap100412two_door_cinema_club

popmatters.com

It's certainly convenient that this music blog has a similar moniker to another outlet for my writing on popmatters.com! Coincidence -- well it has to be because there was no forethought involved, a nice fit however. Here's my first blog about my love of internet radio at the link below. 

http://www.popmatters.com/pm/post/123561-radio-is-doing-fine-online/