We All Want Someone To Shout For

Today is my birthday! Yay. I got tickets to see the one and only Ben Folds at Terminal 5 in NYC, and I think that is a proper celebration. Ben is also releasing his new album ‘Way To Normal’ today. He sure loves me! I hope he mixes in more older songs, because I have read reviews that he is playing a full hour of new songs which would be good if I knew the album. Look out for a full review of the concert tonight/tomorrow.

Since I will not be positing I figured I would leave you with a little something for streaming pleasure. These are the tracks that I have been rocking out to the last few weeks, both old and new. And I think you guys will enjoy them as well (as usual please delete after listeing, thanks!):

Ben Folds – You Don’t Know Me (Feat. Regina Spektor) (MP3)

Lately it seems movies have been using some great great music on their soundtracks. Indie seems to have taken over what we hear on the big screen, which is a great thing for the artists. However it is kind of annoying that everyone seems to love ‘Paper Planes’ even though they never would have known it if it wasn’t for the use of it in the ‘Pineapple Express’ trailer. Here are two movies, one is out now, the other is out next week. They are Choke and Nick & Norahs Infinite Playlsit:

Choke Soundtrack:
1. Ben Kweller – “The Rules”
2. The Natural History – “Don’t You Ever” (rare)
3. Fiery Furnaces – “Navy Nurse”
4. Radiohead – “Reckoner”
5. Alap Momin – “Sin Terror”
6. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – “Satan Said Dance”
7. Buzzcocks – “Orgasm Addict” (rare)
8. Death Cab for Cutie – “No Sunlight”
9. Blitzen Trapper – “Wicked” (unreleased)
10. Ms. Tyree Sugar Jones – “If You Feel It”
11. My Morning Jacket – “Touch Me I’m Going To Scream Pt 1″
12. Shout Out Louds – “Bicycle” (rare)
13. Twilight Singers – “There’s Been An Accident”
14. Nicole Atkins – “Crystal Ship” (unreleased)

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Satan Said Dance (MP3)

Radiohead – Reckoner (MP3)

Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist Soundtrack:

1. Chris Bell – “Speed of Sound”
2. Devendra Banhart – “Lover”
3. Bishop Allen – “Middle Management”
4. Vampire Weekend – “Ottoman”
5. The Dead 60s – “Riot Radio”
6. Takka Takka – “Fever”
7. The Submarines – “Xavia”
8. We Are Scientists – “After Hours”
9. Band Of Horses – “Our Swords”
10. Army Navy – “Silvery Sleds”
11. Richard Hawley – “Baby You’re My Light”
12. Shout Out Louds – “Very Loud”
13. Paul Tiernan – “How To Say Goodbye”
14. The Real Tuesday Weld – “Last Words”
15. Mark Mothersbaugh – “Nick & Norah’s Theme”

Vampire Weekend – Ottoman (MP3)

Bishop Allen – Middle Management (MP3)

I had a great feeling about TV On The Radio’s 3rd album when I heard the amazing ‘Dancing Choose’. In more ways than one ‘Dancing Choose’ summarizes my feelings on ‘Dear Science’. It starts out vastly different from what you expect with a rap about a newspaper man, but it turns into a pop brilliance that you will not want to leave your mind. The song is bizarre, yet it is immediately accessible. It has elements of the the familiar TVOTR, yet shares differences at the same time. This helps summarize the experience that is ‘Dear Science’.

TVOTR take the success they had with ‘Return To Cookie Mountain’ and combine it with funk, soul to create yet another fantastic album. The type of music they play doesn’t seem like it would be accessible. Yet, this album actually connected with me instantly, unlike ‘Return To Cookie Mountain.’ I mean how an you not get pulled in with the soulful vocals of Tunde Adebimpe’s and Kyp Malones (guitarist as well). A lot is due to the other guitarist and producer David Sitek who made each track on this album sound crisp.

This album is groundbreaking material for a band that was already at the top of its game. The only true way to form an opinion on this album, and any TVOTR album in my opinion, is to give it tons and tons of listens. I honestly don’t see how one can observe everything that they are offering to us in one listen. There are new things waiting to be heard after each listen, that make the songs that much better. To the music fan this is gold. We want to discover that part of a song that puts it over the rest.

Right from the get go the Brooklyn band set the bar high. The first track ‘Halfway Home’ is unbelievably great. Epic drums, fuzzy guitars, and Tunde Adibempe’s soulful croon that is heightened beyond belief in this song. This song soars, and shows why TV On The Radio are in a totally different league than most bands. ‘Crying’ carry’s the momentum with a deep funky bass alongside dueling angular guitars that are welcome on any dance floor. The production is so crisp on these songs, it really makes a difference. If they tried to force their distorted/funky trademark on songs like this, it would have done more harm then good. ‘Dancing Choose’ may be my favorite single at the moment, it is a ball of fury that truly stands out from everything else in any genre of music. ‘Golden Age’ is the lead single and for good reason. It is pure funk-bliss with a sweeping chorus that ulitmatly paves the way to a golden age of music.

‘Family Tree’ may be one of TVOTR’s boldest statements. It is a gorgeous ballad, showing the band stripped down. It is a different side of the band, and it really shines. Same with ‘Love Dog’ where lighter instruments show the range Tunde’ vocals. ‘Shout Me Out’ has a repetitive guitar but a sharp echoing riff plays as its shadow, eventually exploding into a fury of rock. ‘DLZ’ and ‘Lovers Day’ end out the album appropriately with a frenzy of different instruments and horns that just add more layers.

This is smart, bold, captivating music. It is complex, yet easy to “get”. It is not so much of a departure from their layered sound that was hard for some to get, but rather a more accessible pop album that has elements of everything in their past. If you don’t think this is one of the best albums of 2008, please explain what is better than it. I am eager to see that. This is a work of art that will be a quintessential example of the brilliance that came out of the 21st century.

Rating: 9.3

1. Halfway Home – 5/5
2. Crying – 4.75/5
3. Dancing Choose – 5/5
4. Stork & Owl – 4/5
5. Golden Age – 5/5
6. Family Tree – 5/5
7. Red Dress – 4/5
8. Love Dog – 4.5/5
9. Shout Me Out – 4.75/5
10. DLZ – 4.5/5
11. Lover’s Day – 4.5/5

TV On The Radio – Dancing Choose (MP3)

Tv On The Radio – Halfway Home (MP3)

TV On The Radio – Family Tree (MP3)

Bob Dylan likes the internet. So much that he is putting his new album ‘Tell Tale Signs’ on National Public Radio’s Music website on September 30th at midnight. The album is scheduled to get a release on October 7th. He has a free download of a new song featured on the album called ‘Dreamin’ Of You’. You can download it on his website or stream it below. Good quality stuff as you can expect from the legend himself.

Bob Dylan – Dreamin’ Of You (MP3) – thanks to Bob Dylan himself/His Website

Ben Folds has always been a creative man, but this just takes the cake. He has a new album coming out on September 30th (my birthday!) called ‘Way to Normal’. Mr. Folds knows that albums leak all the time, and decided to use this to his advtantage. He decided to try something new and rented out some studio time in order to record some fake songs. He did so and had friends personally leak them tricking people. Most people caught on realizing that it didn’t seem real. Ben eventually announced it and it became known as the Way To Normal Fake Leak album. It composes of 6 fake songs, as well as the real version of ‘Hiroshima’, ‘the piano orchestra version of Cologne’, and You Don’t Know Me (feat. regina spektor).

The songs are funny, and are not half bad. Ben played pretty much all the real/fake songs at his D.C. show with only 4 older songs. This dissapointed most fans since you wouldnt know any of these songs if you didn’t hear the leaked fake/real albums. I love hearing brand new stuff, but a whole show of songs I didn’t know may be a bit much. I will be seeing him on my birthday this Tuesday so I will let you know how it goes. I hope he plays a good mix of new and old. Bitches aint shit would make my night as well. RollingStone has a good arcticle about the leaked tracks here

Check out some of the fake leak tracks below, the rest are floating around everywhere:

Ben Folds – Bitch Went Nutz (Fake Leak) (MP3)
Ben Folds – Way To Normal (Fake Leak) (MP3)
Ben Folds – Brainwashed (Fake Leak) (MP3)

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I will not say I have been a fan of MGMT from the start, because that just is not true. Everyone says stuff like that, but they don’t get the difference. There is knowing them from the very beggining, such as seeing them when they played their first few shows…. Then there is knowing a band just as they create small buzz, moments before the mainstream discovers them. I suppose that I am on the latter with the “management”. I discoverd them when their album dropped and they performed the great single ‘Time To Pretend’ on Letterman back in January. I wasn’t blown away at first but I enjoyed what I saw. I remember seeing their album in a Virgin Megastore but didn’t buy it. It wasn’t until I heard ‘Electric Feel’ until I was sold on the band and gave them a true listen. I was hooked after that, and I think ‘Kids’ is their best songs easily. It seemed that no one outside of the blog world cared about them.

I haven’t found much worthy to blog about but this recently came to me. When did they get so damn popular? It seems like everyone around me, friends, and random people alike are MGMT fans. All of a sudden they were in the movie ’21′ (which was meh btw), gossip girl, and were one of the most talked about bands of the year along-side Vampire Weekend. I was going to see their free show at Brooklyn but didn’t even bother when I heard the line was rediculous. Now they are touring with Beck, getting covered by The Kooks and Katy Perry. Everyone seems to suddenly be a fan of theirs. It is just weird to see all these people name dropping MGMT who wouldn’t have normally.

I honestly did not expect this when I saw their performance on Letterman. I think they are a great band, but for some reason I am surprised the mainstream audience has gotten into them as much as they have. There is something about this quirky band that has made a huge fanbase. Kudos to them, they deserve it.

MP3′s below:

MGMT – Kids (MP3)

The Kooks – Kids (MGMT Cover) (MP3)

MGMT – Electric Feel (Live at KCRW) (MP3)

Katy Perry – Electric Feel (MGMT Cover) (MP3)

I go to tons and tons of shows in NYC and usually record a few songs here and there. I post them on youtube for the world to enjoy but now I figure I should find them a home here as well. This post will be dedicated to some of the best live songs I have recorded for your listening pleasure. My account is at http://www.youtube.com/user/am374. These are just the first of few that I am putting up there. Some sound better than others, but you got the general idea.

The mp3 will be followed by the actual video:

Battles – Atlas (Live At Summerstage) (MP3)

Vampire Weekend – Don’t Come Around Here No More (Tom Petty Cover Live At Summerstage) (MP3)

-yes it was me who actually took this video!

Kings Of Leon – Sex On Fire (Live At All Points West) (MP3)

Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees (Live At All Points West) (MP3)

The Kooks – See The Sun (Live At Terminal 5) (MP3)

A band like The Walkmen makes music that needs more than one listen to do it justice. They make music that needs multiple listens to truly get an idea of what they are going for, and trying to say. The Walkmen make music that has mood and passion. If you rush through this stuff, you may miss what Hamilton Leithauser’s dark crooning vocals have to say. The Walkmen’s first two albums were critically acclaimed through, while their last release ‘A Hundred Miles Off’ got a more mixed reaction. They came back with ‘You & Me’ a little over a month ago, and it is back to form for them. Their early work . They concerted the clamant of rockers with the softer reflective ones that have their own ability to pack a punch. It is both them re-defining their sound, but keeping the same signature Walkmen sound that defines them.

Opener ‘Dónde está la Playa’ sets the mood for the album perfectly. ‘On The Water’ shows the overlying darkness and romantic troubles that surround this album. “Oh you know I’d never leave you/No matter how hard I try/You know I’d never leave you/And that’s just how it is.” The album really hits into it’s groove with the single ‘In The New Year’. This is another classic Walkmen track. It has multiple different sounds, sharp guitars, synths, and a buildup of atmosphere. The amount of layers on this song only make it all so much more impressive. The true beauty of the Walkmen is the buildup of the instruments. They don’t get louder and louder, but Hamiltons voice will take it to the next level. This atmosphere wraps around your mind.

Postcards from Tiny Islands is one of the stand outs. Consistant bass drum, then kicks into a frenzy of frantic guitars. It weeves in and out of this in order to give Hamilton some time to calm it down, only to dive right back in it. ‘Four Provinces’ is another Walkmen classic with a deep bass line and more reverbing guitars. The lyrics are quite sincere. As the album passes on you realize the theme of the album is the changes that we go through in life. They are maturing as people and musicians.

Each and every song displays what the Walkmen do best, create an atmosphere. Hamilton has one of the best voices in indie rock today. He screams without truly screaming. It is a characteristic that distinguishes the Walkmen. They use vintage equipment along with a great production staff that make all the sounds use create something beautiful. This album is full of love and regret. All the spaces are taken up with different sounds. They crafted a gem.

It is true that there is no “standout” song like The Rat (which is one of the best songs of this decade without a doubt). However what we do have here is a consistent set of songs that are cohesive and create a very solid album. They proved they can do it all. The Walkmen are establishing themselves as one of the best bands of this decade.

Rating: 8.7

1. Donde Esta La Playa – 4/5
2. Flamingos (for Colbert) – 3.75/5
3. On the Water – 5/5
4. In The New Year – 5/5
5. Seven Years of Holidays (For Stretch) – 4/5
6. Postcards from Tiny Islands – 5/5
7. Red Moon – 4.75/5
8. Canadian Girl – 4/5
9. Four Provinces – 4.75/5
10. Long Time Ahead of Us – 4/5
11. The Blue Route – 4.5/5
12. New Country – 4/5
13. I Lost You – 4.25/5
14. If Only It Were True - 4/5

The Walkmen – In The New Year (MP3)

The Walkmen – Postcards from Tiny Islands (MP3)

My introduction to Ra Ra Riot did not come with the happiest of news. The first time I read about them was when drummer John Ryan Pike died. Losing a good friend can never be easy, let alone a band member. What a heartbreaking moment for a band that was just starting to get hyped up. These guys did not cave it in however. They kept working hard releasing a well recieved EP, and creating a name for themselves thanks to strong live performances.

These Syracuse graduates worked on putting out there first album for John, even using some of the songs that he ever wrote. I had the pleasure of seeing them play at this year’s Siren Festival and they really impressed me. They have been one of the most talked about bands of the year and their debut finally came out a few weeks ago.

I finally let the album digest properly and this is a gem. This is one of the more consistant records that I have heard in a long time, let alone just this year. There is just something about their songs, they just are so easy to listen to. They sound great and are crafted very well. It is the combination of Wes Miles great vocals with amazing string arrangements that play a huge role in the songs. From the first song ‘Ghost Under Rocks’ you can tell this is going to be a powerful album. It is a strong opener that displays their sound perfectly Tracks like ‘Each Year’ are just indie pop perfection. What takes these songs to the next level is the emotions that come from the lyrics. Songs like ‘Dying Is Fine’ are catchy like nothing else, but then you don’t know if you should be happy or sad listening to them because of where the songs came from.

‘Too Too Fast’ is one of my personal favorites at the moment. That must be one hell of a live track. Songs like ‘Can You Tell’ and ‘Oh, La’ really get better over time. There is a perfect blend of slower ballads and pop-gems that results in one of the more balanced/consistent albums of 2008. Most albums have front-loaded albums with filler on the end, but the track listing for The Rhumb Line couldn’t have been any better. It is This has a very strong chance of being in the top 10 of my best of ’08 list. These guys got one hell of a future. They deserve it.

Rating: 8.5/10

Track by Track Rating:

1. Ghost Under Rocks – 4.5/5
   
2. Each Year – 5/5
   
3. St. Peter’s Day Festival – 4/5
   
4. Winter ’05 – 3.5/5
   
5. Dying Is Fine – 5/5
6. Can You Tell – 4/5
   
7. Too Too Too Fast – 5/5
   
8. Oh, La – 4/5
   
9. Suspended in Gaffa – 4/5
10. Run My Mouth – 3.5/5

Ra Ra Riot – Dying Is Fine (MP3)

Ra Ra Riot – Too Too Fast (MP3)

Two of the biggest names in music Franz Ferdinand & Kanye West have announced album news.

Mr. West has actually moved his release up to November. Here is what he posted on his blog:

I CHANGED MY ALBUM TO NOVEMBER SOMETHING CAUSE I FINISHED THE ALBUM AND I FELT LIKE IT.. I WANT YALL TO HEAR IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

Cheers to him for working so hard to please his fans. He changed ‘Love Lockdown’ for us and now wants to get the album out earlier so we can hear it as soon as possible. Sounds good to me. I am really, really anticipating this album. There is just something special about it. It may be the enthralling first single ‘Love Lockdown’, the epic sounding album title ’808′s & Heartbreak’, or just because Kanye is saying so.

Switching genres to the angular rock of Franz Ferdiand now. They have said their new album is completed and all set to come out early in 2009. The album is supposed to be dance-influenced but slightly slower than their previous album. NME.com reports that Alex Kapranos had the following to say when asked about the new album:

The last record was fast, furious, frantic, 150 beats per minute. It was like a teenager having sex. This one’s a bit more assured and a bit friendlier for the dancefloor. It’s about 104/105bpm.

It does sound different, and there are different instruments on the record, different tempos, a different attitude to making it.

But it’s always going to sound like a Franz Ferdinand record when it’s the four of us making it. It’s very much a dance record again this time.”

How can you not be excited for this. They have put out 2 outstanding albums, and I have faith the 3rd one will be stellar as well.

Kanye West – Love Lockdown (MP3)

Franz Ferdinand – Lucid Dreams (MP3)