Some Musics of My Summer (so far)

I find that my summers are often defined by my tunes. Last summer, for me, was all Voxtrot and Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin. I haven't found that one defining sound yet, but there are some tunes that I'm enjoying.

1. Crocodiles
Their trendy sound is at times a little too much, but I really like a couple tracks."I Wanna Kill" constantly gets stuck in my head, and is much more pleasant and summery-light than the title suggests. "Neon Jesus" is another gem, and the video is kinda sick!



You can have your Passion Pit, I'll take Crocodiles.

2. "Two Weeks"
Grizzly Bear is everywhere these days, what with the new album. And honestly, I'm not that into them, even after seeing them. Granted, their entire performance was wiped from my memory by be so thoroughly rocked by The National. So maybe it's not fair to judge yet.

Two Weeks


But I am definitely a fan of this track (even if the vid is less than inspiring until the 3:00 mark). I think it's the chunky piano and the smooth harmonies. It makes me want to be on a roof drinking wine and watching the sun set over Manhattan.

You can find an mp3 of this track almost anywhere. if you can't, you're not trying.

3. Discovery
... is bound to be the trendy thing this summer. I mean, memebers of Vampire Weekend and Ra Ra Riot teaming up? Hipsters everywhere are wetting themselves. Most of it is ignorable. HOWEVER, "Carby (feat. Ezra Koenig)" is immensely fun and engaging (and I promise that's not just cause I'm in everlasting love with Ezra Koenig).



LOVE IT. I'm also going to highly recommend "Swing Tree" (it's SOOO summer) and "I Want You Back," yes, the Jackson 5 "I Want You Back," but a very unique take.

4. "I Fought the Law"
Classic.





Unfortunately, being so busy has inhibited my discovering new music, but I'll share as I find it....

PEACEEEEE.

late-night ruminations

It's funny how music can be so associative. The first bars of Voxtrot's "Fast Asleep" mentally put me in last June, walking through Peter Cooper Village, smelling the summer, feeling... whatever it was i was feeling back then. I listened to Mothers, Sisters, Daughters, & Wives and Raised by Wolves back-to-back almost exclusively for weeks. The association is so strong, I almost can't stand it. I probably could break it if I really tried, but I don't know if I want to. It's kind of cool that I have an instant time machine of sorts. But it's also a little sad that I can't listen to these songs without the association. Like, they have a meaning now and they can't mean anything else. They're frozen in the past, they can't just be what they are. Then again, is that really better? Should songs be free of association? No. But they should perhaps not be saturated in association.

God, this is starting to sound like my "Art of Listening" class. I apologize.

Forget about this. Go see Crank 2.



Side note: I know I should be sleeping at this hour instead of philosophizing, but at least it's better than my last two nights in which, instead of sleeping, I was either thinking I was dying from heart palpitations or embarrassing myself on facebook. This is more public, but considerably better for my health.

the day i've been waiting for

NEW (synthtastic!) VOXTROT!

"Trepanation Party," y'all:

The production is fantastic. The drums and bass sound great even on shitty laptop speakers! mmm, Voxtrot bass, how I've missed you. Plus I adore the totally-80's-yet-still-fresh-sounding synth. Not as instantly catchy as most of their canon, and certainly a little darker, but it's bound to make it into my most-played rotation. It's also their longest track to date, which you do start to feel by the end. I agree with Stereogum's take, it's like a modern Cure. Ramesh Stristava certainly has a lot of feelings, almost as many as Robert Smith I'd wager.

Granted, this track comes after a two year hiatus. And ever since I discovered them last year (and became obsessed over the summer) I've been absolutely desperate for something new (and the chance to see them live). So I don't know if I dig the track because of that alone, or because it is actually a great track. Maybe a combination of the two.

Now I just need them to come to New York, so I can adore them live. (I've heard one questionable report that they are no good live, particularly Ramesh's vocals, but i refuse to believe. A testament to the strength of my love?)

An Ode to My Old Play Counts

Switching operating systems means there are going to be a few casualties.

Some people don't care about their play counts. Personally, i don't take them too seriously, but they are a good way to make "Top #" playlists and are some times pretty surprising. But as soon as i plug my iPod into my new (still unnamed) macbook, everything will be reset. So for posterity, here is my old top 50 most-played songs (i won't even edit it for embarrassing things. except my own band. that's actually pretty embarrassing).

The songs I Love(d) the Most:
A Tribute to My Dead PC

1. Think I Wanna Die - Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin
2. Firecracker - Voxtrot
3. Who Do You Love? - Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
4. Walking to Do - Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
5. Australia - The Shins

6. Trains to Brazil - Guillemots
7. Tell Balgeary, Balgury is Dead - Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
8. Our Life Is Not a Movie or Maybe - Okkervil River
9. Unless It's Kicks - Okkervil River
10. Sunndal Song - The Apples in Stereo

11. The Start of Something - Voxtrot
12. Bridges, Squares - Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
13. La Costa Brava - Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
14. Firecracker - Steel Train
15. Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives - Voxtrot

16. A-Punk - Vampire Weekend
17. 101 - Albert Hammond, Jr
18. Flathead - The Fratellis
19. The First Single - The Format
20. Made Up Love Song #43 - Guillemots

21. Glue Girls - Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin
22. A Bottle of Buckie - Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
23. In Transit - Albert Hammond, Jr
24. 2nd Ave, 11 AM - Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
25. Rebellion (Lies) - The Arcade Fire

26. Evil - Interpol
27. Me and Mia - Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
28. Electricityscape - The Strokes
29. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - The Arcade Fire
30. Phantom Limb - The Shins

31. O Valencia! - The Decemberists
32. I Feel Weird - Steel Train
33. Who Left the Lights Off, Baby? - Guillemots
34. Kissing the Lipless - The Shins
35. I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You - Black Kids

36. Look Me Up - Georgie James
37. Hearts of Oak - Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
38. So Far We Are - French Kicks
39. The Magic Position - Patrick Wolf
40. Soft & Warm - Voxtrot

41. I'm a Cuckoo - Belle & Sebastien
42. Marching Bands of Manhattan - Death Cab for Cutie
43. Stereo - Jared Scharff and the Royals
44. Biomusicology - Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
45. Oceans - The Format

46. The Compromise - The Format
47. Hold On, Hold On - Neko Case
48. Colleen - Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
49. Is There a Ghost - Band of Horses
50. Wait, Wait, Wait - The Format


The top 6 songs were played 100+ times. Every song was played at least 49 times.
Ted Leo shows up 11 times. I'm surprised it's not more, actually.




Sorry. This post is more for me than for you.

My Favorite Musical Discoveries of 2008

Vampire Weekend
I may had heard the name in 2007, but I didn't really listen to them till they were already passe among the hipper crowd. But they've made an album of catchy, interesting, and unskippable songs (with the obvious exception of "One (Blake's Got a New Face)," i mean seriously, what the fuck is that song?). I love their album forwards and backwards. It is summer in auditory form. I wish I had gotten in to see them when they played Central Park, instead of getting drenched for no reason. Plus, i love their aesthetic. How can you not love boys in cardigans and boat shoes? And seriously, how fun are they? evidence:



Boys in cardigans! adorable!

"Don't Look Back in Anger" - Oasis
It's embarrassing that it took Rock Band to acquaint me with this song, but i'll admit it. I think it's probably my favorite song ever. ok, my favorite song ever is Ted Leo's "Walking to Do," but this one is up there.


Gotta love those Gallaghers.

"Take On Me" - RAC feat. Karl Kling (A-ha cover)
I'm not about to debate the artistic merits of covers. All I know is that THIS version of THIS song was lodged in my head for a good three days straight. literally. I couldn't sleep, i'd just have this song running through my head. I feel bad for anyone who was around me during that time of my life, for making them listen to me sing "take on me" without even hearing the kickass version of the song i was hearing in my head. now they can. check it out/download it here.

Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin
I know they've been around for years. But their excellent Pershing came out this year, and it became my album of the summer. I can't tell you the number of time I listened to it on repeat as I drove to work. There is a lot I like about them; their music is fun and catchy and not too serious. The tracks all have excellent harmony parts as well, and several of them have some great woah-oh's. I guess you need to hear it to know what I mean. What really made me fall in love with them, however, was this adorable video for their song "Think I Wanna Die" (you better believe it's my number 2 listened to song on itunes):



The Shills
I had the honor and privilege of working with Bryan Murphy for five weeks this summer. He is one of the most talented men I have ever met, not to mention one of the nicest. His band, the Shills, are a Boston based rock quartet and they are incredible. Their high energy shows are a blast and their songs are simultaneously accessible and musically intricate. No one deserves greater success and renown than they do. Do yourself a favor and check them out. Pick up their self-titled album while you're at it.

Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives - Voxtrot
I cannot recommend this EP enough. I adore Voxtrot and have been listening to them for awhile, but I only found this EP in May. It is five tracks of fantastic. I can tell you without exaggeration that I spent a solid week listening to this and the Raised by Wolves EP on repeat. The title track is a particular favorite of mine.


THE BEST RE-DISCOVERY OF 2008:

"Faded" - SoulDecision
How could we let THIS slip out of our collective conscience?



amazing