Wednesday, June 30, 2010

STARS - The Five Ghosts


Fifth full-length from Canada's Stars. For me, this band is the perfect soundtrack to cold winter nights spent dreaming of your crush. I've always described them to others (okay, maybe just myself) as having a romantic sound. Their sound is just so warm and welcoming and Amy Milan's angelic voice plays perfectly off of Torq Campbell's. Great for indie kids to make out to and fall in love to. They also have their fair share of songs that will be great background noise for you while cry over the fact that you've broken up with said indie kid counterpart.

Anyway, I'd file them under Canadian-romantic-indie-synthpop-pop-rock (not that I actually WOULD file them under that, because that would just be a ridiculous way to organize my music collection). The Five Ghosts starts off strong with "Dead Hearts" which is followed by a few great songs (I especially like "I Died So I Could Haunt You"). But by the time I've gotten through the fifth track, "We Don't Want Your Body", I feel like they've spent their tank of gas and are just running on fumes. I think the material on this album could have made for a killer EP. As a full-length album, it just doesn't hold up - especially when we know what Stars are capable of from their past releases.

www.myspace.com/stars
www.youarestars.com

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

DEVO - Something For Everybody


DEVO!!! How could you not be excited? This is their ninth studio album and first since 1990. It's fantastic, ridiculous new-wave pop music. Great lyrics. Catchy stuff. It's DEVO! How could you not like it?

www.myspace.com/devo
www.clubdevo.com

Monday, June 28, 2010

BORN RUFFIANS - Say It


Second full-length from Toronto's Born Ruffians. Another exercise in well-crafted indie-pop that jangles along the way. Luke LaLonde continues his yelp-laden, marbles-in-mouth-sounding vocals. I think he sounds more confident on this release. I'd still recommend this band for fans of cutesy pop music, Vampire Weekend, and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Not too much has changed.

www.myspace.com/bornruffians
www.bornruffians.com

Sunday, June 27, 2010

RATATAT - LP4


The duo of Evan Mast and Mike Stroud returns with their aptly-titled fourth album, LP4. I learned that this album is best played loudly on a decent stereo system. Your computer speakers just will not do. I also learned that I still think Ratatat's first two albums are their best efforts. Sure, LP4 is good ("Drugs" is pretty great) but nothing on it holds a candle to previous songs like "Loud Pipes" or "Breaking Away". There are many people who say that this newer, more mature Ratatat is better but I simply cannot agree. Ratatat, we can still be friends, but my fondest memories of you lie in our past adventures together.

www.myspace.com/ratatatmusic
www.ratatatmusic.com

Thursday, June 24, 2010

THE GET UP KIDS - Simple Science EP


The Get Up Kids were formed in Kansas City, Missouri, in the mid-1990s and released their debut album, Four Minute Mile, in 1997. They went on to become one of the torchbearers of the late '90s "emo" movement. But unlike Jimmy Eat World, who broke out in a big way in 2002, GUK never really achieved what I would consider mainstream success outside of the emo realm. The band broke up in 2005 with the members going on to pursue other projects (The New Amsterdams, Koufax, Blackpool Lights, Reggie and the Full Effect) but they got back together in 2009. Simple Science is their first new studio recording in six years (the last being 2005's The Guilt Show). With four songs clocking in at just over 16 minutes, it almost feels like they are testing the waters first before jumping in and releasing a new album. The music also feels like it's testing the waters. Not enough energy to really get into and not enough emotion to actually sit back and listen. Sounds very middle-of-the-road to me.

www.myspace.com/thegetupkids
www.thegetupkids.com

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

THE MOONDOGGIES - You'll Find No Answers Here EP


New 5-song EP from this Seattle (technically, Everett, Washington, but who likes technicalities these days) band who released their debut album, Don't Be A Stranger, in 2008. Their sophomore album, Tidelands, comes out on September 14th. Until then, if you see the Moondoggies on their tour with Blitzen Trapper, you can pick this up. The songs on here won't be appearing on the new album so you don't even have to worry about overlap. This is indie folk-rock with a heavy dose of country injected into the mix. Very laid-back stuff. Check out the vocal harmonies. I'd recommend it if you like bands like the aforementioned Blitzen Trapper or Band of Horses, Fleet Foxes, and the like.

www.myspace.com/themoondoggies
http://moondoggiesmusic.com

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

WE ARE SCIENTISTS - Barbara


Fourth album from these guys. They've got a new drummer - Andy Burrows, formerly of Razorlight - for this release. Barbara is definitely a return to form for We Are Scientists. It may be just as good, if not better, than their debut album With Love And Squalor. We all know how many times I've played that record, so this isn't a compliment to be taken lightly. The songs on here are catchy and are prime examples of what danceable rock and roll party music should sound like. I especially enjoy this line in "Break It Up": "If no one wants to be up all night, what's the point in even going out?" Amen, brother, amen. Now let's drink up and dance.

www.myspace.com/wearescientists
www.wearescientists.com

[[Their website is awesome. The "Advice" section is inspiring.]]

Monday, June 21, 2010

BOUNCING SOULS - Ghosts On The Boardwalk


Eighth full-length studio album from this band from New Brunswick, New Jersey. Last year, the band celebrated 20 years together by releasing a new song every month. This album collects those 12 songs so you can keep them all in one place. It's hard for me to believe that the band is actually that old because their music has such a youthful, energetic sound. Put punk, rock, pop, and fun in a blender and you will get The Bouncing Souls. They're definitely one of the best bands on the Warped Tour lineup - anyone want to take me?

www.myspace.com/bouncingsouls
www.bouncingsouls.com

Sunday, June 20, 2010

THE BLACK KEYS - Brothers


I've liked the Black Keys since at least my freshman year of college. I may have heard them before then, but I can't be sure. I have no idea what song I heard by them first but I do know that "Set You Free", off of Thickfreakness, is a song that goes on just about every mix CD I make. I saw them play to a packed house at Emo's on Sixth Street in Austin during SXSW 2008. My friend had never heard them before that night and left with a new favorite band. Just a few weeks ago I ran into an old acquaintance who mentioned seeing them just recently, opening up for Pearl Jam. He also had never heard of them before the show but left with a copy of Brothers and nothing but positive words to say about them. What doesn't shock me is that everyone I know who has heard the Black Keys loves them. What shocks me is that, back in 2008, my radio DJ buddy had never heard of them and two years later, there are still people who haven't heard of them. How a band this good slips under the radar of so many music fans is something I simply cannot comprehend.

I've made it pretty apparent where my feelings lay with this band but to sum it up: I dig how the Keys are combining blues with rock and garage. Every song on Brothers is great. Patrick Carney and Dan Auerbach have done it again - they keep putting out fantastic records. If you like the Black Keys, you ought to love this album. If you've never heard of the Black Keys, there's no better time to start listening than the present. If you don't like the Black Keys, please, slip quietly out the back door. You're not welcome at this party.

www.myspace.com/theblackkeys
www.theblackkeys.com

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Follow The Yellow Brick Road!

Yesterday I went to the Oz-Stravaganza festival in lovely Chittenango, NY. Chittenango was the birthplace of L. Frank Baum, the writer of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Along Main Street, the sidewalks are made with "yellow bricks". The signs welcoming you to the village have Oz characters on them that tell of Baum's relationship to Chittenango. Every year, the relatively small town throws a party to celebrate him and the story he created. Despite living near Chittenango my entire life, I have never gone to the festival until now. I hope to make it a yearly appointment from now on; it was a lot of fun. Here are some images of the festival's parade!


I love the old police cars in Chittenango. They remind me of The Blues Brothers.


Basically anyone dressed up as a Wizard of Oz character can march in the parade. This "Tin-Man" here was actually a "Tin-Woman". I saw her wandering around the vendor area after the parade.


This girl was dressed as Miss Gulch. While her bicycle wasn't period-appropriate, her costume was still very good and I have to give her her well-deserved kudos.


The Tin Man sat down after they passed us; he could hardly move under his bulky costume.


This was amazing.


"Big Bad Ben The Blonde Belgian" is a massive horse. Big Bad Ben lived up to his name when he left his own souvenir on the street some ways down from where we were.


The highlight for many festival-goers is seeing the actors who played the munchkins in the 1939 Wizard of Oz movie. Sadly, many of the "Munchkins" are no longer alive. There are only a few left and the parade was lucky enough to have a couple of them make appearances. One of the actors in the parade was Margaret Pellegrini, who played the "Flower Pot" Munchkin. She passed us on this golf cart, in fine spirits. Just reading her biography on the festival webpage gave me the feeling that she is an extraordinary woman.


One of the Scottish Bagpipe bands in the parade. I saw them last weekend in a Memorial Day parade but I don't think I could ever tire of seeing them. Bagpipe music reminds me of curling and I get a warm, fuzzy feeling inside.


I listen to B104.7 on the radio a lot. They play country music. Several floats used the concept of the house crushing the wicked witch but I liked this one.


I adore the King from the Burger King commercials so seeing him come walking up with Dorothy was hysterical. They were wearing signs on their backs as well. The King's read, "There's No Place Like Burger King" while Dorothy's said, "I Have A Feeling We're Not in Burger King Anymore". Cheesy advertising taking advantage of the parade? Sure. Awesome anyway? Very much so.


More guests in the parade were L. Frank Baum's great-grandson, Bob Baum, and Bob's wife, Clare.


The beginning of another bagpipe band. They were led by Dorothy and the Scarecrow. Note Dorothy's lack of ruby-red slippers.


Another guest of the parade: Caren Marsh-Doll. She was a movie actress in the 1940's, performed on Broadway, and appeared in the parade because she was Judy Garland's stand-in for the movie. I won't tell you how old she is because that wouldn't be polite, but I will say she looks decades younger than she is!


Dunkin' Donuts truck. They had nothing to do with the Wizard of Oz but I did like their characters.


Several people came out dressed up to promote next weekend's Civil War Weekend in Peterboro, NY.


The Basset Hound Rescue group was at the parade, and there were so many Basset Hounds that marched!


Not a Basset Hound; it's a Toto look-alike!



My souvenirs from the festival. The U.S. Postal Service was there offering special Oz-Stravaganza-themed postal cancellations so I got one of each.


For more information on Oz-Stravaganza, they have a website:
www.oz-stravaganza.com