Thursday, September 29, 2011

Rubio's Fundraiser!

Hey guys!

Next week, go out and get some Rubio's (with this flyer) to help keep the only Orange County-based public radio station on the air. Everyone cool will be there! (Except me because I'm going to be in New York).

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Tradi-Mods vs Rockers



Perhaps you are already aware of the genre of "Tradi-Mods," as this compilation puts it: African groups who play traditional music on electrified instrumentation. "Congrotronics" bands like Konono No1 and the like. Konono's electrified thumb-drums played through speakers they've rigged up, powered by car batteries is a sound not really found anywhere else. It can't be. It's born out of tradition and neccessity.

The "Rockers" on this comp are....well it's hard to pin them down. It ranges from bands like Deerhoof and Andrew Bird (more "traditional" "rock"-based acts) to stuff like EYE from Boredoms and Tussle's kraut-electro vibe. These "rockers" are taking the source material of the African bands and are covering/sampling/re-interpreting them in their own style.

It is staggering how well Andrew Bird's music dovetails right into the musical stylings of Konono and Sobanza Mimanisa. Nothing else on this compilation, quality as it may be, just "clicks" so well.

In way of comparison, here's EYE's contribution to the two-disk set:

Monday, September 26, 2011

He will hurt but he will heal



I admit I have an affinity for the slow/sad/sappy songs of the world. Cute and clever songs about love/loss sorta get me every time. But lately I've felt more attune to punk and hardcore. I sort of forgot how there's a good portion of hardcore music that focuses on themes of personal inner strength and such. And while punk often focuses on society ills, there's a definite "the people united will never be divided." And I think that, at this point in my life, focusing less on outward loss and love and what I want from other people, it's good for me to focus inward on improving self and being personally strong. As such, a good chunk of Fucked Up's most recent album, "David Comes to Life," is a good album for that. I mean, the chorus of this song alone is something I need to internalize.

(And he said)
"I have never been as happy as I am today",
(But then the seasons turned and the darkness came)
"So when it all falls apart I will have peace in my heart"
(Try to think of the healing that comes out of the pain).
"Try to redeem myself for my mistakes in advance",
(The sun will shine after the rain)
"I know that when I fall down I'll get another chance"
(Just wipe away the tears and try again).

And not to mention that singer Damon Abraham is a big ol, positive, charismatic dude with healthy self-esteem and no body issues. That's a pretty positive role model for a bigger dude, such as myself, who is working on all those things.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Playlist for 9-22-11




Hey folks,

My show got renewed! Isn't that great? I guess they didn't see what I did in Studio B. Oh, God, Studio B. Those stains are never coming out.

What I played:

Things that Are Square 9-22-11

(*) = New release

(*) Dum Dum Girls - Coming Down - Only In Dreams

French Quarter - The Cops - It's Not Just Kissing
J Mascis - Not Enough - Several Shades of Why
Phil Ochs - Too Many Martyrs - All the News that Fit to Sing
Chain and the Gang - Deathbed Confession - Down with Liberty...Up with Chains!

(*) Girls - Honey Bunny - Father, Son, Holy Ghost
Defiance, Ohio - Condition 11:11 - The Great Depression
Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard - Broken Broken Broken Heart - 'Em Are I
Paul Baribeau & Ginger Alford - Atlantic City - Darkness on the Edge of Your Town

(*) Jens Lekman - Waiting for Kirsten - An Argument with Myself
Yo La Tengo - Our Way to Fall - And then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out
Half Japanese - Secret - Greatest Hits
(*) Wild Flag - Romance - Wild Flag

(*) The Magnetic Fields - Take Ecstasy with Me - Obscurities
The Magnetic Fields - In an Operetta - i
The Magnetic Fields - Papa Was a Rodeo - 69 Love Songs
The Magnetic Fields - Deep Sea Diving Suit - Holiday

(*) The War on Drugs - Your Love Is Calling My Name - Slave Ambient
Another Sunny Day - You Should All Be Murdered - London Weekend
(*) Mazes - Surf & Turf/Maths Tag - A Thousand Heys
(*) Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks - Tune Grief - Mirror Traffic

(*) St. Vincent - Cheerleader - Strange Mercy
Japandroids - Young Hearts Spark Fire - Post-Nothing
Jawbreaker - The Boat Dreams From the Hill - 24 Hour Revenge Therapy
Fucked Up - Turn the Season - David Comes to Life
King Khan & The Shrines - Burnin' Inside - The Supreme Genius Of...

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Love Letter - No More Shall We Part

Monday, September 19, 2011

Stupid made-up "holidays"



So today is "National Talk Like a Pirate Day." Frankly, I think stuff like this is generally for kind-of-boring people so they can do something "zany." However, I DO like Lambchop, and this is a fine excuse to post one of their songs.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Playlist for 9-15-11


Another excellent Thursday evening, radio-champs,

We played good songs, braided each other's hair, played truth or dare, and talked about who we have crushes on. Good hustle. Let the following playlist serve as a scrapbook for our shared youthful memories.

Things that Are Square 9-15-11

(*) = New release

EMA - Redstar - Past Life Martyred Saints

(*) Mogwai - Drunk and Crazy - Earth Division EP
Sigur Rós - Untitled 8 - ( )

Mi Ami - Latin Lover - Steal Your Face
Sexual Harassment - If I Gave You a Party - Anti NY (For Rebecca in Fullerton, CA)
Black Dice - Gore - Load Blown

(*) Cant - Too Late, Too Far - Dreams Come True
Sparklehorse with the Flaming Lips - Go - The Late, Great Daniel Johnston (For Annalise in Minneapolis, MN)
Comet Gain - Don't Fall in Love If You Want to Die in Peace - Réalistes
(*) Stephin Merritt - Forever and a Day - Obscurities

(*) The War on Drugs - Black Water Falls - Slave Ambient
Vic Chesnutt - Guilty by Association - Is the Actor Happy?
The Aislers Set - Mission Bells - How I Learned to Write Backwards
Fishboy - Half Time at the Proper Name Spelling Bee - Albatross

(*) Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Gorgeous Georgie - Mirror Traffic
Joanna Newsom - The Good Intentions Paving Co. - Have One on Me
(*) Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Yesterday, Never - Hysterical

(*) Body Parts - Doing Things - On Purpose
Dirty Projectors - Time Birth Spilled Blood - The Getty Address
Fugazi - Cashout - The Argument
Prefuse 73 - Pagina Dos - ...Reads The Books

(*) Alias - Feverdreamin - Fever Dream

Monday, September 12, 2011

And if you won't love me someone will



This EMA album, "Past Life Martyred Saints," is ranking quite highly in my "best of 2011" list. I'm not sure it's going to beat that Shannon and the Clams disk, but it's really, really strong. I mean, just listen to that song. Seven minutes of passionate, focused emotion, simply and eloquently presented. It's like taking the simplicity and naked intimacy of a standard singer-songwriter and turning it into something artful and a tad more challenging. This is a beautiful and wonderful album, and I recommend it highly.

Plus, one time our band opened for her at the Detroit Bar and she said I had great stage presence and I got super blushy. Note to other six-foot tall Viking-women rockstars: feel free to say nice things about me whenever.

Friday, September 9, 2011

JUST GIMME INDIE ROCK!




Breaking down the barriers like Sonic Youth
They got what they wanted. Maybe I can get what I want too.



a) This song is a perfect little three-minute history of a genre.
b) On Moon Pearl's last tour, we listened to Sebadoh's "Showtape '91" about 3,000 times in my car.

Playlist for 9-8-11


Hey folks,

Man. That was a fun radio show yesterday. Good tunes, good times. Actually, that sounds like the theme of some high school prom where everyone shows up with Cameros and mullets. Still. Good show.

Here's what got played:

Things that Are Square 9-8-11

(*) = New release

The Field Mice - Star of David - For Keeps

Superchunk - Foolish - Like a Fool
Smog - Teenage Spaceship - Knock Knock
Silver Jews - Honk If You're Lonely - American Water
(*) Buffalo Rome - Plant White Roses - Obscurities

Paul Baribeau - Ten Things - Grand Ledge
Meat Puppets - Split Myself In Two - II
The Wedding Present - My Favourite Dress - George Best Plus
Orange Juice - Blue Boy - The Glasgow School

(*) Mister Heavenly - Charlyne - Out of Love
Shannon and the Clams - Baby Don't Do It - Sleep Talk
The Pastels - Nothing To Be Done - Truckload of Trouble
(*) Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Tigers - Mirror Traffic

(*) The War on Drugs - Brothers - Slave Ambient
Spacemen 3 - Walkin' with Jesus - The Perfect Prescription
(*) Wooden Shjips - Black Smoke Rise - West

Death From Above 1979 - Romantic Rights - You're a Woman, I'm a Machine
The Dismemberment Plan - Girl O'Clock - Emergency & I
Liars - Grown Men Don't Fall In the River Just Like That - Fins To Make Us More Fish-Like
The Jesus Lizard - Monkey Trick - Goat

Dub Narcotic Sound System - Handclappin - Handclappin
Le Tigre - Eau D'Bedroom Dancing - Le Tigre
Four Tet - My Angel Rocks Back and Forth - Rounds
Manitoba - Bijoux - Up In Flames

(*) Alak - Crystal Power Attack - Tradition
Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes - Merriweather Post Pavilion
mclusky - To Hell With Good Intentions - mclusky Do Dallas

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Young Adult Friction - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Friday, September 2, 2011

Playlist for 9-1-11


Hey folks!

I was gone last week for our band's tour. Did you miss me? No? That's kind of a mean thing to say. You didn't mean that, did you? You didn't? Whew. We are friends again.

Anyway. Here are the things I played on my triumphant return:

Things that Are Square 9-1-11

(*) = New release

The Cramps - Rock on the Moon - Songs the Lord Taught Us

Sebadoh - The Freed Pig - III
Wavves - King of the Beach - King of the Beach
Christmas Island - Dinosaurs - Blackout Summer
Guided By Voices - My Valuable Hunting Knife - Alien Lanes

(*) Thee Oh Sees - Pleasure Blimps - Castlemania
Boyracer - You've Squandered Yr Talent - Punker Than You Since '92
Tullycraft - Pop Songs Your New Boyfriend's Too Stupid to Know About - The Singles
Talulah Gosh - Steaming Train - Backwash

(*) The Gothic Archies - You Are Not My Mother And I Want to Go Home - Obscurities
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - White Corolla - Advance Base Battery Life
Seapony - Dreaming - Go With Me
(*) Widowspeak - Harsh Realm - Widowspeak

(*) The War on Drugs - Best Night - Slave Ambient
Destroyer - English Music - Streethawk: A Seduction
Daniel Johnston - Worried Shoes - Yip!/Jump Music
The Olivia Tremor Control - Today I Lost a Tooth - Singles and Beyond

(*) Beirut - A Candle's Fire - The Rip Tide
Les Savy Fav - Alseeper's Union - Rome Written Upside Down
Los Campesinos! - You! Me! Dancing! - Hold On Now, Youngster...
Yuck - Georgia - Yuck

(*) Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Brain Gallop - Mirror Traffic
Akron/Family - The Rider (Dolphin Song) - Meek Warrior
(*) Wooden Shjips - Crossing - West

Can - Father Cannot Yell - Monster Movie
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Straight To You - Henry's Dream
Chain and the Gang - I've Got Privilege - Music's Not for Everyone

The Lucksmiths - Requiem for the Punters Club - Spring a Leak