Friday, September 30, 2011

Round 3

New Mutemath album. That should be all I need to say... go buy the thing on Tuesday. -Show me the destination of your soul's damnation

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Changing the Medium

Nothing overly new here today.  I'm sure most of you have heard of TV on the Radio.  They're Brooklyn's finest in genre-crossing indie rock.  I've been following this band for years and each album, in addition to being a brilliant piece of work, also astounds me for its progression and uniqueness from the previous.
On that note, while their latest, Nine Types of Light, was released almost 6 months ago, I'm really just getting to it now and am once again blown away by the creativity and progression of this band.  I've absolutely fallen in love with their first single, strangely titled "Second Song," and the cute, albeit strange little wax tribal man in the video.  The whole song builds up slow, but absolutely explodes into such an uplifting feeling around 1:30.  The song is also perfectly paired with such an interesting and visually stunning video.

-I could do nothing wrong because I never knew a thing was right

Monday, September 19, 2011

Dixie Revival

I'd be lying if I said I'd been listening to more than 10% of anything OTHER than The Parlor Mob for the past week.  However, I do need a break from the sheer awesomeness now and then and if I spent another week gushing about my new found heroes, what few readers I've managed to garner on this site may begin to waver in their resolve to read of my shenanigans.

Ok... who am I kidding... I don't have any readers.  This thing is effectively like my diary, except I don't talk about cute boys and I never compare myself to Jenny Smith, the head cheerleader.

Right, I'll even admit that was a bit weird for a rainy afternoon.  Still, I just finished writing a journal paper and instead of having writer's block, was itching to go some more, so I thought I would interest you to what I've been doing with the other 10% of my ears, Kormac.


This Irish DJ started spinning discs under his pseudonym back in 2007.  With a penchant for old tunes from the Jazz, Dixie and Motown era, his tracks come off as less an over produced electronic sound and more the kind of thing that Ella would be singing over top of today. After releasing a few EPs, Kormac released his first LP titled Word Play in 2010. While his albums use samples to pump out some of the most soulful stuff you've heard since the old days of Coltrane and Davis, his live show these days incorporates a full 11 piece big band, with a barbershop quartet and all.

And now, I think it's about high time I shut up and let you listen to what you came here for:


-Like meeting for the first time, I'm nervous for meeting you again

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Behind the Mob

I feel like this band was insanely popular already and I just missed the boat. Either way, I figure there's a handful of other oblivious fools such as myself in the world, so it doesn't hurt to push out this band like they're fresh & new. As a side note, the Soundhound app is quite possibly the most wonderful and revolutionary thing to happen to this blog since sliced bread-images.
I was in Montreal for the past few days catching up with old friends. I was very sad when stumbling across the corner of St. Cat's & University, because yet another one of my favorite restaurants in the city, Cafe L'Etranger, has closed. It's been replaced with a Frites Alors!, which I begrudgingly went to since I was starved. As a silver lining to the cloud, apparently the employees (or corporate DJ who sets their playlist) has very good taste and played a tune that I was in love with from the first note by The Parlor Mob.
Now, I'm going to throw around some words here that I don't use lightly, so pay close attention. This quintet from New Jersey has one of the best developed sounds I've heard in an up-and-coming band in years. There are moments when they embody the likes of Zeppelin, The Raconteurs and yet with the riffage of a band like Sabbath. The only thing to eclipse this band's song writing ability, is each individual's mastery of their own instrument. Their two guitarists duel like ancient samurai for the title of 'lead guitarist', the rhythm section stays disturbingly tight, even in live shows, through some of the most intricate, complicated off beat sections I've heard, and frontmant Mark Melicia's voice screams over top the insanity with siren-esque qualities.

I'm sad to say that their first album, And you Were a Crow, has been out for almost 3 years.  However, I'm excited to announce that after just discovering this band, I'll have to wait under a month for their sophomore effort, Dogs. -Catch me off guard so that I can show you what a wild man craves

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Following the Weekend

After an amazing long weekend, I feel it necessary only now to release to you, what would have been the perfect soundtrack to your weekend.  While I am perfectly late for this year's labour day, I'm plenty early for next year... so no complaining.

Bobby James is an Atlanta... artist? He's not just an MC... he's not just a producer... he's not just a videographer/director.... crap the list just keeps going on. Perhaps one of the best examples I've ever seen of someone who just has something to say, regardless of the medium, James started his foray into the artistic world with his documentary 17 Degrees Ain't Nothin, a film about homelessness in Atlanta.  He then got to work on a solo EP called I am Bobby James.

Yet, its his latest work that has me salivating and bobbing my head on the long weekend. Just this summer, James released Ill Weekend, his take on Sufjan Stevens if Sufjan ever got into hip hop. James describes the album as the perfect soundtrack to the weekend, so sit back, pour a drink and enjoy:
 

The best part? If you dig the track, you can get the entire album for free.

-I still dream