Saturday, May 20, 2006

"The Spell" The Black Heart Procession

A lot of people don’t know that San Diego is actually the saddest place in the world. Don’t let the leaping dolphins and swimsuit models fool you. It’s a soul sucking hell-hole. At least that’s what I take from The Black Heart Procession’s music. These guys can out melancholy bands from Berlin, Reykjavik, even Seattle. Although, my suspicion that this was something of an affectation was confirmed when I saw them play live and they kept cracking corny jokes about their beer guts. It was a bit of a relief to know that no one was really that depressed. No matter what their motivations, BHP have been remarkably consistent in the quality and character of their music over the past decade. And here, on their 5th full length, they continue to make the sexiest suicide music going.

"The Spell" The Black Heart Procession (dead link)
"Not Just Words" The Black Heart Procession (permanent link)

Thursday, May 18, 2006

"I Need Somebody" Iggy and the Stooges

It must have been fun to be Iggy Pop. It probably still is, but you know, in the 70's. You get to parade across the stage, jeans hanging off your perfect ass, growling into the mic while every single person in the audience simultaneously wishes with all their heart that they were just a little bit like you. But nobody is anything like you so you got nothing to worry about.

"I Need Somebody" Iggy and The Stooges (dead link)

Thursday, May 11, 2006

"The Animal World" Grandaddy

Oh, Jason Lytle! How can you leave us at a time like this? We aren't ready! I don't mean to sound ungrateful. You've been good to us. And what a swan song. I think you finally nailed the form you practically invented; the sprawling, tear-jerkin, blissed-out, pop song dreamscape. Don't forget our countless hours of ceiling-gazing, the steering wheel drum solos, the drunken singalongs. I won't cry if you won't. Birds come and then they go.

"The Animal World" Grandaddy (dead link)

Can't find any free mp3 links to the new album, but if you haven't seen this video, you haven't lived.

"Nature Anthem" Grandaddy (video)

Monday, May 08, 2006

"Way Out" Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Wow. I really like this album. Way better than Fever to Tell. I was ready to be thoroughly unimpressed. Huh. Sophomore slump be damned. And look at this chick. Who else can do this? Nobody.*

"Way Out" Yeah Yeah Yeahs (dead link)


*I stand corrected. This dude comes pretty close...

Cheated Hearts (video)

Friday, May 05, 2006

"It's For You" Out Hud


Out Hud are some of the kids from !!! who wanted to do something more "electronic" or "studio based" or something. They have funny names for their songs, like, "Dad, There's a Little Phrase Called Too Much Information" and, "The Song So Good They Named It Thrice." As the rock kids continue their conquest of dance music, I like the Out Hud plan of attack. They're taking indie/punk/funk aesthetics and applying them to more traditionally electronic forms, rather than the other way around. This song is from their second full length, "Let Us Never Speak Of It Again."

"It's For You" Out Hud (dead link)