We're currently in the process of recording our next album in our own studio, at K-Double Recording Co. It's starting to come together and will definitely be a bit different from our previous album as we've decided to push the envelope a bit more.
In the meantime, thought you might enjoy the above flash mob doing the Hammer Pants Dance, wish I could have been there... My hammer pants have just been sitting in the closet collecting dust.
Have you caught Demetri Martin's show, Important Things with Demetri Martin, on Comedy Central? New episodes we're appearing on Wednesdays, I think it's in reruns right now but they're well worth checking out. He apparently dropped out of NYU School of Law to pursue comedy, the world can probably use more comedians and less lawyers.
How to Break Bad News - The Novel & The Soundtrack
We found out the other day our song "Modern Lover" was chosen to be on the soundtrack to a new book that just came out titled How to Break Bad News (Virgin Books) by Tim Molloy. We couldn't be more thrilled! The soundtrack is being distributed for free at RCRD LBL. Check out the below widget.....
Being a huge fan of Phoenix's previous album, It's Never Been Like That, I was hoping the new one would be just as good... Based on what's been circulating the net lately it doesn't sound like it's going to disappoint. It comes out May 26 in the U.S., but in the meantime check out the couple of songs below for a sampling.
Ever since I saw this sketch on SNL it's been hard to take the real Mark Wahlberg serious. I just saw the movie Max Payne and every time his line was over I kept waiting for him to say "say hi to your mother for me, ok?"
Having not been too into Animal Collective's previous output, all the talk=hype about the new one was viewed with some skepticism. Nevertheless, the song samples heard on their Myspace were enough for me to purchase the album. If you're a fan of Stone Roses, Beach Boys and electronic music you won't be disappointed. Whatever Avey Tare, Geologist and Panda Bear were smoking when they made Merriweather Post Pavillion, they should probably keep it up. It's been about two weeks and the album has been getting played everyday while still sounding new on every listen.
Neutral Milk Hotel | In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
I was recently reminded of Neutral Milk Hotel'salbum In the Aeroplane Over the Sea and how much I lovedthis album, wanting to write songs just like Jeff Mangum. Along with such bands as Apples in Stereo and Olivia Tremor Control, Neutral Milk Hotel rose above the pack within the Elephant 6collective with a sound that was experimental, yet accessible enough to end up on a variety of "best of" lists. Click the below player to check out a few personal favorites:
Being late to a party doesn't always work out all the time, but in the instance of finding out about Bon Iver in time for winter in Southern CA, it's worked out quite well. The perfect soundtrack for snow and cooler weather. The story is a guy named Justin Vernon retreated to his father's cabin in Wisconsin after the breakup of his band to go in a different direction than previous outings. The end result became the album For Emma, Forever Ago. Check out the songs below, he also has a new EP titled Blood Bank coming out in January 2009.
Basement Songs: The Two EP's | Now Available on iTunes
Our first two EP's, Firehawks and Dirtybirds EP1 and The Fast-Trak Holy Nova Symphony (EP2), are now available on iTunes (worldwide), Amazon, Rhapsody, etc... as one release. Here's the tracklisting:
1) Bluebird 2) Watchin' Paint Dry 3) Mini-electron Echo 4) Studebaker Rd. 5) Big Okie Dokie 6) Rol-over 7) Here Comes Sunshine 8) Sister Cold Caller 9) Send Off 10) Five Mile Jet Drag 11) Arena Rock Cinema 12) Between a Bird and Your Soul
One of our songs, "Give Up the Money (1982)," is featured in a new BMX film by Nike that was just released yesterday. Our song is in the section titled "On the Road (Part 2)." Click "start" and scroll to the left hand corner. Word on the street is this is one of the best bike videos ever made, but you can watch and decide for yourself.
I was intending to post this much sooner.... I was fortunate enough to catch The Last Shadow Puppets a few weeks ago in L.A. and thought their jaw-dropping cover of The Beatles' "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" was incredible. As luck would have it, a video of the performance was posted the next day on YouTube. Raise your hand if you like technology.
Amazon.com has partnered with the blog Stereogum to release Guided By Voices' breakthrough album Bee Thousand for a mere $3.99. The album is probably worth a lot more than that considering the quality and substance of what you're getting. I'd hate to put a date on this album and pigeonhole it as just being part of some kind of low-fi movement, the songs are much better than that - timeless.
We'll be playing live on 88.9 FM KXLU tomorrow night, Friday - 11/07/08. We'll probably be playing at about 7:00 PM. If you're not in Los Angeles, you can tune in via the internet on KXLU.com, or you can watch our performance live on the KXLU Demolisten Myspace page.
Check out the above video for one of the many great songs on Rogue Wave's album, "Descended Like Vultures." If you like this song, you'll probably quickly become a fan of this Oakland, CA foursome. I guess they had to recently cancel some shows as the singer slipped some discs in his Neck. Read more about it on his blog. Hopefully they'll be back playing shows soon.
Beck on Letterman and Basement Songs (Fall) Mix #5
Since it actually felt a little like Fall this weekend in Southern California, we thought we'd post a Basement Songs (Fall) mix along with Beck's recent appearance on Letterman. We'll have to enjoy it while we can, it's supposed to be 90 degrees next week.
TV On The Radio is streaming their new album, Dear Science, now at their Myspace site, click here. It definitely sounds more cohesive and consistent than their previous album Return to Cookie Mountain. The rhythms and percussion on this new one are extraordinary. RIYL: Michael Jackson era Thriller, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Wonder, Digitalism