"No, I can't dance..."

I like the Honorary Title - they've been around for a couple years now, and they have some pretty good music. Plus at the end of the day Jarrod Gorbel's vocals just get stuck and echo in my head.

Check out their newest music video for "Stay Away" off of their album, Scream & Light Up the Sky. The music video's still growing on me (I'm not a huge fan), but I love the song.

"I was left to my demise..."

So in my Strokes update, I failed to mention bassist Nikolai Fraiture, but it wa honestly because I had no idea that he had anything going on. Apparently Fraiture has a solo project under the name Nickel Eye. His debut album, The Time of the Assassins drops January 27th, and it also features Yeah Yeah Yeahs guitarist Nick Zinner on most songs and some piano work from Regina Spektor on the track "Where the Cold Wind Blows."

Give Nickel Eye a listen...
Nickel Eye - Back from Exile

Happy Thanksgiving?

Just look at the right side....

And today was a day just like any other...

So I saw Jack's Mannequin in concert last night. What an amazing live band! Andrew McMahon knows just how to get a crowd going. The band's debut CD came out in 2005, but during the mastering for the album, McMahon was diagnosed with leukemia. After a long wait (though under understandable circumstances), the band released their second album The Glass Passenger in late September.

Here's the first single off the album, "The Resolution."



And here's "The Mixed Tape," the single off of their first album, Everything in Transit.


I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I am completely obsessed...

Breaking Artist: Awesome Color

Awesome Color is a rockin trio orignailly from Michigan. This band is full of pounding drums, angry, whiplashed guitars, and snarled, over-amped vocals. Derek Stanton is both an amazing singer and a fiery guitarist with a knack for bludgeoning riffs and raw, exciting solos. They play with so much energy and fire that they easily live up to their name.

Plus check out those shades!

Here's "Already Down" a catchy tune off of their album Electric Aborigines.

No Doubt

Apparently they're going to be touring together again. Hopefully this will cause Gwen to stop with this whole solo bussiness....

I really ain't no holla back girl. I'm really "just a girl"





that wasn't funny. sorry.

Fo Shizzle?

Snoop Dogg appeared on Martha Stewart on Tuesday....They made mashed potatoes. Snoop made his with cognac.



I think Snoop had to smoke up before hand just to get through it. Did you notice how there's only white pepper? Racist bastards....

That really does go without saying...

A simple yet beautiful music video for a simple yet beautiful song. "Call it Off" is one of my favorite song's off of Tegan and Sara's most recent albums, The Con.

I'm a Busy Bee!

You know that I'm lacking on free time when I just keep posting music videos to songs I like.

Here's a fun tune from Okkervil River. They're an indie rock band from Texas, and they just came out with their new album The Stand Ins in September. This song, "Lost Coastlines," is the single off the album. Enjoy!

Wake Up!

Electronic music has been the only thing keeping me going lately, which is funny because I've never really been a huge fan before. But right now I'm far too tired to listen to anything else, so this is one of the songs that has been on repeat for a couple of days now.

"Music is Happiness" by The Octopus Project

>
The video is clearly on crack....but don't you just love the music?

CD Review: The King Left

New York Nothingiis an amazing EP, but I'm really sad that there are only 4 songs on the EP? After a brief 16 minutes, all I can think is that I want more and when is a full length CD coming out. New York Nothing is full of high energy and big hook melodies. The band has this Brit-pop sound (even though they hail from Brooklyn), and the infectious beat and clever lyrics make you want to get up, dance, and clap along. The irregular tempo changes along with the singer’s vocals make for a great listen.

Here's "The Storm in a Teacup." Don't let the title let you think of Red Hot Chili Peppers, they're nothing alike...

Covers Make Me Happy

So I stumbled upon Jack's Mannequin (one of my favorite bands) covering MGMT's "Kids." It's a pretty good cover, but I'll admit that I have a bit of a bias towards both bands. Take a listen below!


You'll be hearing more about MGMT and Jack's Mannequin in he future, especially since I'm seeing Jack's Mannequin next weekend :D

I (Don't) Want You Back

Apparently there was talk of a Jackson 5 reunion tour and record for next year!?!?!?! Awesome! - if Michael hadn't stopped by a cute 12 year old boy and turned into a creepy white man.

Apparently Michael's response was "My brothers and sisters have my full love and support, and we've certainly shared many great experiences, but at this time I have no plans to record or tour with them." I am now in the studio developing new and exciting projects that I look forward to sharing with my fans in concert soon."

Yep - a new album produced by will.i.am (of the Black Eyed Peas) and a potential concert...it's going to be so awful - watch out. Sometime in 2009 you'll have to see it EVERYWHERE.

Kick, push

Lupe Fiasco announced to his fans during a concert in Chicago (his hometown) that he will retire after he releases his third studio album next year. "I just don't really feel like rapping anymore," he told Rap-Up.com.

Lupe also revealed that his final album will be entitled 'LupE.N.D.' will be a three-disc set divided among the letters E, N, and D. The "E" in 'LupE.N.D.' stands for Everywhere, the "N" for Nowhere, and the "D" for Down Here. The album is scheduled for release next year.

A rapper whose music I actually like calls it quits? Damn. He has a lot of talent too. Can't wait for the new album though...

CD Review: ¡Viva la Hova!

When DJ Danger Mouse came out with the Grey Album, fans went wild. The CD was an amazing blend of the music from the Beatles' White Album with the lyrics of Jay-Z's the Black Album. Now Mick Boogie and Terry Urban have teamed up with the likes of 9th Wonder, The Kickdrums, Cookin’ Soul, 6th Sense, Hasan Insane and many more to come out with ¡Viva la Hova!, a wonderful mix of Coldplay's music with Jay-Z's lyrics. And I've got to say, you need to go download this off of their website. It's crazy good, and for literally every and any fan.

There are two problems that I have with the album: 1) in some of the songs the producers decided to change the pitch of Chris Martin's beautiful voice so it sounds all funky and computerized. I wish they had just left it. 2) at the beginning of most songs that Urban produced there's this annoying women's voice who comes on that goes "Terry Urbaaaaaan" (we get it....you did the song) but if you can put up with that you're golden.

Here's one of my favorites from the bunch, "Miss Trouble." It's a mix of Coldplay's "Trouble" from their Parachutes album and Jay-Z's "Excuse Me Miss" from Blueprint 2 - The Gift and the Curse.

"Word Gets Around"

The Stereophonics release a new album today! Go out and buy Decade in the Sun: Best of the Stereophonics!

Whether you think you've heard of the Welsh band or not, you probably actually have. Secretly. Their music has been featured in movies such as Crash, I am Sam, and Wicker Park and on shows such as Rescue Me, Bones, Everwood, Smallville, and Friday Night Lights. Sadly that's what I need to prove to American audiences that the UK chart topping band is good, but I'll resort to it.

Here's one of their most famous songs:

I can see the lightbulb going off in your head right now....You DO know them! (It's in the Crash Soundtrack, if you're trying to place it).

And here's my favorite of their songs:

Yeah they like videos in black and white...what can I say? Stereophnics are edgy like that.

The Strokes!

The Strokes are finally finally finally going to get back together in February 2009, finally finally finally ending a hiatus that began after touring to promote 2006's "First Impressions of Earth."

During hiatus the members all seemed to go off and do their own side projects: guitarist Albert Hammond, Jr. with his solo project (and 2 amazing CDs), Julian Casablancas in a notable Converse ad (and song) with Pharrell and Santogold, and drummer Fabrizio Moretti with his new band Little Joy (who just released their debut album).

Hopefully touring and a new album will be on the way! We'll keep our fingers crossed...

Helter Skelter!

The Beatles agreed to do a videogame deal? Look what MTV ruined now....

The Beatles' Apple Corps Ltd. company has finally sealed a development deal with MTV Networks and Harmonix, the team behind Rock Band. The game, which will be released sometime in the "4th quarter" of 2009, will be "an 'experiential journey' through the Beatles' career music and vision," (according to Billboard.com). The soundtrack will be master recordings of UK releases, as supervised by Giles Martin, the co-producer of LOVE and son of original Beatles producer George Martin.

While it won't be directly tied to any Rock Band titles, the Beatles game will have a similar interface and may or may not be compatible with Rock Band's controllers....so yeah it's basically another rock band version, but with the Beatles (take that, Guitar Hero)

CD Review: Women

How ironic...a band made up of four guys calls their group Women. And they just came out with a self-titled album, Women...

After the first listen you don't really know what to think. Do I like it or not? The guitars are fun: twangy and clanky, and the music itself is a beautiful layered and textured mess. It sounds like it was recorded in your best friends garage, but that also adds to the charm of the album. The CD truly has something for everyone. At times it feels psychedelic, other time the songs sounded like old rock songs or folk music.

Here's one of my favorite tracks off the album, "Black Rice." Enjoy!

Now I have "Video Killed the Radio Star" stuck in my head...

MTV has finally remembered that the “M” stands for music! Apparently the channel recently launched MTVMusic.com, a new website that streams basically any music video you can think of. Just on the first page alone there is...

"Take on Me" by a-ha (which was my favorite music video when I was little probably because 1) I thought it was really cool how the drawings came alive and 2) I thought Morten Harket was dreamy)

"Weapon of Choice" by Fatboy Slim (Who doesn't love Christopher Walken? I mean COME ON! Dude can bust a move....)

and "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles (The first music video to EVER air on MTV on August 1, 1981. You gotta give them credit...especially since that's all they're really known for.)

There hasn't been a better time-waster since Facebook :D

TRL Canceled?

Maybe I live in a hole....it's quite possible (I don't have a TV in my dorm room), but I just found out that TRL will be airing it's last show on November 16 at 8pm.

It's not like I even watch TRL anymore (and haven't since Carson Daly still hosted it/was still cool), but considering how MTV was originally created to be a place for music and to air music videos, it seems quite silly to me that the network is getting rid of the last show that they had that wasn't just trashy reality TV. I know they technically have FMTV still, but it plays about 2 minutes of a music video and then I have to listen to that guy from Fall Out Boy....again. What ever happened to the music in music television?

So RIP TRL

1998-2008

EDIT: Apparently I do in fact live in a hole, seeing as how this was announced back in September.....

HELL YES

It's official! OBAMA IS THE NEW PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! Our country finally did something right!

I'm glad McCain stopped those jerks from booing when he congratulated Obama. His speech gets my respect.

GO VOTE!

It's officially November 4th!

The video's long, but it's worth it to see these kids. They even do a cute little dance at the end :D

If you don't get it, just listen to T.I.'s song "Whatever You Like"

CD Review: Innerpartysystem

Interpartysystem’s self titled album has a lot of potential. I get really into the music, but at times the songs have this huge build up, and instead of breaking the pressure and going all out, the music doesn’t live up to what it could be. Everything else is there for it to be a great electronic/dance album: big beats, high hats, piano licks, and catchy lyrics, but sometimes I would find myself waiting for some sort of musical release that never came.

But at the same time the album has been on repeat for a couple of days now and it has really been growing on me. Give "Don't Stop" a listen. It really gets stuck in your head!

CD Review: Bloc Party

Intimacy is an album that comes at you with a full blast of energy that feels more electronic than the groups first two albums. But Intimacy is full of electronic beats, pulsing rhythms, and raw lyrics. The band's lead singer, Kele Okereke has an emotive voice that goes wonderfully with the music (and doesn't just get lost in it). 

Give "Mercury" a listen.

 

It's probably one of the most intense and "in your face" songs on the album. I actually didn't like Mercury on first listen, but it quickly became one of the songs that got stuck in my head.

The First Post!

Hello all! (or no one, which is probably more likely the case)

This is a new blog I'm starting. I've recently gone off to college and joined my school's radio station. It's awesome for me because I get to review a lot of CDs. It's everything from rock to electronica to pop. From bands/artists that I had never heard of before to new releases from my favorite groups. 

And the best part? Now I get to share all this wonderfully newfound music with all of you!

So enjoy, leave comments, and hopefully you'll like what you hear. I'll be adding music soon.