Tuesday, September 21, 2010

CD Review 17: Interpol

Artist: Interpol
Album: Interpol
Label: Matador
Yays: 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9
Nays: 8

Genre: Rock – Alt/Rock
RIYL: The Cinematics, The Walkmen (circa You & Me)

Interpol is slightly less pop-rock than, say, Turn on the Bright Lights. However, some of the tracks remind you of it, especially #5 “Barricade.” Even the name reminds me of “Obstacle 1” (or 2).

This album has a strong emphasis on the rhythm section, which is appropriate given that bassist Carlos Dengler left the band shortly after the making of Interpol. The band is currently being aided live by Dave Pajo (Sting, Yeah Yeah Yeahs).

Track 8 “Try is On” has a dirty word in it, but if you give this album a private listen I recommend it.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Show 102

Today I got one of my favorite requests ever: french pop. I took French for 5 years in grade school and love, love, love French music. Whether it be Jacques Brel, Lorie, or Yelle. So, as you can imagine, I played not one but 3 French songs. Hope everyone, especially the requestee, enjoyed it! Keep the requests coming you all, I love 'em!

Outasight; "Catch Me If You Can"
Caribou; Swim; "Lalibela"
Love Is All; Two Thousand and Ten Injuries; "Kungen"
David Vandervelde; "Learn How to Hang"
The Avalanches; Since I Left You; "Little Journey"
*Azure Ray; Drawing Down the Moon; Saddle Creek; "Don't Leave My Mind"
#Make the Girl Dance; "Baby Baby Baby"
#Yelle; Pop-Up; "Je Veux Te Voir"
#Lorie; "Weekend"
*Crocodiles; Sleep Forever; Fat Possum Records; track 5 "Sleep Forever"
*Frankie Rose and the Outs; s/t; Slumberland; track 2 "Candy"
*!!!; Strange Weather, Isn't It?; Warp Records; track 8 "Even Judas Gave Jesus a Kiss"
The Matches; A Band In Hope; "Wake the Sun"
Man/Miracle; "Hot Sprawl"
#Murder by Death; Red of Tooth and Claw; track 1 “I’m Comin’ Home”
The Big Big Bucks; "Summer Bummer"
Suckers; Suckers; "Beach Queen"
*Kyle Andrews; Kangaroo EP; Elephant Lady Records; track 3 "Sushi"
*Cloud Cult; Light Chasers; Earthology Records; "You Were Born"
*Gold Motel; Summer House; Good as Gold Records; track 4 "Stealing the Moonlight"
*Bear in the Heaven; Best Rest Forth Mouth: Remixed; Home Tapes; track 5 "Fake Out (Brahms Remix)
Goldfrapp; Rocket - EP; "Rocket (Penguin Prison Remix)"
What's In It For Avi Buffalo What's In It For / Jessica - Single
Here Are The Problems Good Old War
*Fake Problems; Real Ghosts Caught on Tape; Side One Dummy; track 7 "Done with Fun"
*Margot and the Nuclear So and So's; Buzzard; Mariel; track 7 "Your Lower Back"
*The Posies; Blood/Candy; Rykodisc; track 3 "Licenses to Hide"
*Gabriel Mintz; Volume One; track 5 "Firefly"

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

CD Review 16: of Montreal

Artist: of Montreal
Album: False Priest
Label: Polyvinyl Record Co
Yays: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10
Nays: ALL CLEAN

Genre: Rock – Alt/Indie/Rock/Pop
RIYL: Takka Takka, Wolf Parade, updated 70’s funk

of Montreal was formed in Athens, GA in 1997. These guys are strangers to neither indie rock nor outrageous shows. In fact, don’t be surprised if you see a little peen (compliments of lead singer Kevin Barnes, circa Pitchfork February 2010) or find glitter on your body/in your sheets/on your clothes for days/weeks/months.

This album is really upbeat (except track 11). It’s hooky, occasionally dancing the line between pop-rock and indie-pop, and a little funky (see: track 7, 9). The whole thing ends up making me want to dance even though at first I don’t want to. There’s just something about the tracks that doesn’t appeal to me at first but then I find myself swaying and toe tapping to the beat. It’s sort of like a member of the opposite sex that you end up liking because of their “personality,” as opposed to their looks.

CD Review 15: James

Artist: James
Album: The Morning After The Night Before
Label: Mercury Records
Yays: Disc 1 - 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7
Disc 2 - 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
Nays: Disc 2 - track 3

Genre: Rock – Alt/Brit/Pop/Rock
RIYL: The Smiths, Morrissey

This 2 disc album started as 2 mini-albums; The Night Before was released in the UK in April while The Morning After is set for release this month. This light shines through in that the two discs have rather different feels.

The Morning After (green disc) was recorded in 5 days in a big room with no overdubs, in an effort to “capture something spontaneous.” Some of the tracks start off slow, but they pick up. This album is more subdued than the other.

The Night Before (pink disc) was recorded virtually – the band members uploaded, downloaded and updated each other’s songs and then producer Lee “Muddy” Baker put the album together. This album is more upbeat and less “campfire-y” than the other album.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Show 101 + Genre Director

Y'ello everyone. This semester my class load is pretty darn light (2 classes and 1 lab, to be exact) and so is my work load (1 job and working on the SEVT conference) which means that I've taken on more responsibility at the station (big surprise, it's not like I was on the executive staff for 3 years). This responsibility is coming to me in the form of being a genre director. At the station we have 2 Music Directors but also have Genre Directors. Each Genre Director is, you guessed it, in charge of a genre: rap, indie-rock, electronica, metal, etc. I'm going to be the mainstream Genre Director. "Mainstream" covers music that is underground but popular. Just on the border of alternative and mainstream. This goes pretty well with my show and it's name, maltstream. So, be looking forward to reading my CD reviews, which I'll post here. I'm currently working on of Montreal, James, and 1 more that I can't remember right now.

And now, here's what I played today:

Robert Francis; Before Nightfall; “Junebug”
Jenny Owen Youngs ; “Hot In Herre (Nelly Cover)”
Animal Collective; Merriweather Post Pavilion; “Summertime Clothes”
Sparkydog; One Bird A Day; “Animal Park”
*Venice is Sinking; Sand & Lines; One Percent Press; track 6 “Falls City”
*Les Savy Fay; Root for Ruin; French Kiss; track 6 “Poltergeist”
*Magic Kids; Memphis; True Panther Sounds; track 1 “Phone”
*The Dollyrots; A Little Messed Up; Blackheart; track 3 “California Beach Boy”
Ghosts of the Great Highway; A Spell & a Fire; “A Spell & a Fire”
Vivian Girls; John, I'm Only Dancing; “John, I'm Only Dancing”
Holy Ghost!; Static On the Wire - EP; “I Will Come Back”
Beach House ; Teen Dream; “Take Care”
*Adam Klein; Wounded Electric Youth; Cowboy Angel Music; track 11 “12th & Porter”
*Wolf Parade; Expo 86; Sub Pop; “Cloud Shadow on the Mountain”
*Gitar; Stuffed; Seeland Records; track 27 “Dead U R”
Old Canes; Feral Harmonic; “Little Bird Courage”
The Format; Dog Problems; “Oceans”
YACHT; See Mystery Lights; “Summer Song”
*Tender Trap; Dansette Dansette; Slumberland; track 6 “Danger Overboard”
*Here We Go Magic; Pigeons; Secretly Canadian; “Surprise”
*Cloud Cult; Light Chasers; Earthology Records; “Running with the Wolves”
Dr. Dog; Shadow People – Single; “Shadow People”
Chiddy Bang ; “Opposite of Adults”
Valley Maker; Valley Maker; “Babel”
The Radio Dept.; Heaven's on fire; “Heaven's on fire”
*Cowboy Junkies; Renmin Park; Latent Recordings; track 5 “A Few Bags of Grain”
*Azure Ray; Drawing Down the Moon; Saddle Creek; “Shouldn’t Have Loved”
*Miniature Tigers; Fortress; Modern Art; “Rock n’ Roll Mountain Troll”
*Born Ruffians; Say It; Warp; “Blood, the Sun & Water”

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Show 100 + Fall

Hello Columbia (and the internet)! This was my first show of the Fall semester, at my regularly scheduled Wed 2-4 time. :)

Usually on the show I try to play 1 set of stuff that I brought then 1 set of rotation, alternating sets. However, I forgot my laptop charger at home so I had to cram all of my stuff in earlier in the show. So, here's what I played:

Austin Crane; I Know My Hands; "Blame It On The Weather"
The Bravery; The Bravery; "Swollen Summer"
Mae; The Everglow; "The Ocean"
Open Ocean; "Sink Or Swim"
*Les Savy Fav; Root For Ruin; French Kiss; track 5 "Lips n' Stuff"
*Mountain Man; Made the Harbor; Bella Union Rec.; track 12 "Babylon"
*The Books; The Way Out; Temporary Residence; track 3 "I Didn't Know That"
*Punch Brothers; Antifogmatic; Nonesuch; "Welcome Home"
Test Your Reflex; "Pieces of the Sun"
Old Canes; Feral Harmonic; "I Will Be The Sun"
Nous Non Plus; Ménagerie; "Sunlight Yellow Noise"
Koushik; Out My Window; "Lying In The Sun"
Villagers; Live in Austin 2010; "On A Sunlit Stage"
Local Natives; Sun Hands; "Sun Hands"
Laura Veirs; "July Flame"
Loney, Dear; Dear John; "Summers"
Parkbench Summer; The Bird, the Moon, and the Plane; "Bestfriend"
Sarah Jaffe; Suburban Nature; "Summer Begs"
New Years Day; "Sunrise Sunset"
*Wolf Parade; Expo 86; Sub Pop; "Yulia"
*Here We Go Magic; Pigeons; Secretly Canadian; "Hibernation"
*Menomena; Mines; Barsuk Records; track 2 "Taos"
*Angus & Julia Stone; Down the Way; Nettwerk; track 6 "Yellow Brick Road"
*Griffin House; The Learner; Nettwerk; track 2 "River City Lights"
*The Walkmen; Lisbon; Fat Possum Records; track 5 "Stranded"
*Murdocks; Distortionist; ASCAP; track 5 "Tongues"
*Snake! Snake! Snakes!; "Snake! Snake! Snakes!; track 2 "We Come Out at Night"

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Show 99 + Subbing

Today was my 100th show!! WOW! I had wanted to do something special for my 100th show, but I didn't figure it out until during my show when I visited my blog. Oh well. Hooray for me, anyways! :) (*NOTE* upon further inspection, I noticed that I skipped a number somewhere in my show titles so this was actually my 99th show)

I was still subbing for Brent Riley this week. The fall schedule starts TOMORROW (Thursday) at 12am. That means that starting next week I will be on at my regularly scheduled Fall 2010 time.

Until then, here's what I played today:

*Mates of State; Crushes; Barsuk Records; track 6 “Love Letter”
*Snake! Snake! Snakes!; s/t; Common Wall; track 1 “City on Fire”
*The Cinnamon Band; Doomed Forever; Olympico; track 2 “Buena Vista”
*Foals; Total Life Forever; Sub Pop; track 5 “Spanish Sahara”
*Katzenjammer; Le Pop; Nettwerk; track 7 “Le Pop”
Pacific!; Reveries; “Hot Lips”
King Of Prussia; Save The Scene; “Spain in the Summertime”
Islands; Return To The Sea; “Jogging Gorgeous Summer”
Club 8; The boy who couldn't stop dreaming; “Where birds don't fly”
*Cowboy Junkies; Remnim Park; Latent Records; track 4 “Stranger Here”
Gregory + The Hawk; Moenie and Kitchi; "Ghost"
*Cindy Bullens; Howling Trains and Barking Dogs; MC Records; track 1 “Love Gone Good”
*Punch Brothers; Antifogmatic; Nonesuch; “This is the Song (Good Luck)”
*The Goodnight Loving; The Goodnight Loving Supper Club; Dirtnap; track 1 “Ain’t it Weird?”
Rediscover; Call Me When You Get This; “Kiss Me”
Earlimart; Hymn And Her; “For The Birds”
The Bird & The Bee; Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future; “My Love”
Real Estate; Live In Austin 2010; “Beach Comber”
*The Joy Formidable; A Balloon Called Moaning; Black Bell Records; track 5 “Whirring”
*These United States; What Lasts; United Interests; track 6 “Life&Death She&I”
*Carissa’s Weird; They’ll Only Miss You When You Leave; Songs 1996-2003; Hardly Art; track 5 “You Should be Hated Here”
*Perfume Genius; Learning; Matador Records; track 7 “No Problem”
#*Cheer Up Charlie Daniels; Live in ’79; Shotgun International Records; track 8 “Yeast Infection Affection”
Death of Paris; "East or West"
La Chansons; King and Queen of the Dance Floor; “Totally Beachin'”
Art Brut; Art Brut vs Satan; “Summer Job”
The Postmarks; The Postmarks; “Summers Never Seem To Last”
We Are Wolves; Total Magique; “Fight & Kiss”
*Tender Trap; Dansette Dansette; Slumberland; track 3 “Do You Want a Boyfriend?”
*Bronze Radio Return; Old Time Speaker; track 6 “Wolves”
*Uffie; Sex Dreams and Denim Jeans; Electra; “Illusion of Love”
Mae; The Everglow; “The Sun And Moon”
#Santogold; Your Voice;
Her Space Holiday; XOXO, Panda And The New Kid Revival; “Four Tapping Shoes And A Kiss”
The Bird & the Bee; Polite Dance
*Health; Disco2; Lovepump United; track 3 “In Heat (Javelin Remix)”
*Neon Indian; Sleep Paralysist; greenlabelsound; track 1 “Sleep Paralysist”
*Pigeons; Here We Go Magic; Secretly Canadian; track 2 “Collector (Radio Edit)
The Fratellis; Here We Stand; “Look Out Sunshine”
Limbeck; Limbeck; “Sunset Limited”
Deadend Rainbows; One Bird A Day; “R2d2 Folk Song”
*Gordon Voidwell; Ivy League Circus; Cantora; track 4 “Cloud 9 Vertigo”
*Funki Porcini; On; Ninja Tune; track 4 “Bright Little Things”