Handsome Furs

Remember Wolf Parade way back in 2005? Remember how good they really were? Remember Spencer Krug becoming the Man of the Year in 2006? Remember how you would worship him? Remember how "I'll Believe In Anything" was your favorite song? I sure do. Well the only reason Wolf Parade started as a band is because the Arcade Fire needed an opening act and they asked Krug to get a band together. You know who he contacted?

Dan Boeckner

And then from there on out they shared the song-writing duties and formed a band in the midst of it all. After releasing Apologies to the Queen Mary they were already legends. The album took a lot of people by storm and helped cause an avant-garde musical frenzy.

Remember how Sunset Rubdown's Shut Up I Am Dreaming was on 2006 year-end lists alike? Remember how Krug even had time to form Swan Lake? Well guess who's turn it is now?

Yup, Dan Boeckner's, and with his fiancee Alexei Perry, he has formed Handsome Furs. Seamlessly addicting and one of the relatively smarter bands of today.

I always knew he had it in him since "Shine A Light"

MP3'S

Dead + Rural

Dumb Animals

Handsome Furs Hate The City

The Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack
(Live Liars Cover)

Happy Easter

Considering today is Easter, and even though the meaning of Easter may have lost it's value over the years, it still stays steadfast in my heart. Jesus died for our sins, and was resurrected, and today is the day we celebrate his resurrection.

So, me being the type to tie things into one another like a shoestring holding a pair chucks together, I present you with tracks off of one of the most over looked and highly relevant albums of all-time The Jesus and Mary Chain's debut wall-of-sound stunner, Psychocandy.

"It has been noted that the band was very fond of drugs such as LSD and methamphetamines and that the drugs influenced the ear-piercing, screeching feedback, which immediately became their trademark. The record received unanimously positive reviews and is now considered a landmark recording."

MP3's

Just Like Honey

The Living End

Taste The Floor

The Hardest Walk

The National

Since the overwhelming success and straight forwardness brought forth by The National about two years ago with the release of Alligator, the guys have brought back their sharp chords and melodies for more of a party instead of their last album's parade. Actually Boxer is more of a get-together, but who doesn't like the term party?

I'm pretty secure in saying anyone who can enjoy a good get-together will enjoy Boxer. It's edgy but not too risky, segued, but not inflected. Boxer is not a shadow of Alligator but more it's own self, casting it's own view. But just as Alligator has proven to, Boxer also gives us a stronger feeling of assurance with each new listen.

MP3's

Boxer track-list

Fake Empire (mp3)
Mistaken for Strangers (mp3)
Brainy
Squalor Victoria (mp3)
Green Gloves
Slow Show (mp3)
Apartment Story (mp3)
Start a War (mp3)
Guest Room
Racing Like a Pro
Ada
Gospel

Back 2 Back

Since the Florida Gators Basketball Team became the first "Back 2 Back" National Champion since Christian Laettner's Duke Squad back in the early 90's, I'll post a few "Back 2 Back" songs on albums of the past 2 years that I really seem to enjoy.

MP3's

Swan Lake - Beast Moans (2006)

4. A Venue Called Rubella
5. All Fires

The first of the two being the more experimental
...and the second being the godsend.


Dappled Cities Fly - Granddance (2006)

8. Granddance
9. Within Hours

Granddace is a good album as a whole but the
way the title track glides into the elegant and waving
'Within Hours' is almost flawless.


Loney, Dear - Loney, Noir (2007)

1. Sinister In A State of Hope
2. I Am John

'Sinister' is pretty and poised,
and 'I Am John' is hands down Song of The Year.


LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver (2007)

4. Someone Great
5. All My Friends

A little over two years ago I said "James Murphy
is making the best music of today"
and he has not proven me wrong.

Track of the Week

DeVotchKa - How It Ends

Roommate

Roommate started as a solo project for Kent Lambert. Now a full band, based in Chicago, they have had some radio play in Belgium, but other than that they are pretty discreet. Songs The Animals Taught Us came out in 2006, and an early 2007 EP entitled New Steam has been released. If all goes as planned the band will release their sophomore effort sometime in 2007.

MP3's

Roommate - Tuesday

Roommate - Fresh Boys

Roommate - Hot Commods

Roommate - RP (Forget The Metaphors)

The Last track being a River Phoenix tribute, and my personal favorite.

Arms

Arms is Todd Goldstein. Todd is a guitarist for The Harlem Shakes. Todd is a very talented man. I do not know Todd, but if i did, I'd shake his right hand, look him square in the eye and tell him how if he hadn't written "Tiger Tamer" I would have. But I'm glad he did because it probably would have taken me a few years to write and record, and that would have been years missed listening to it.

This music stays with you like chap stick in the wintertime.
Sometimes you just need it.

MP3's

Arms - Whirring

Arms - Kids Aflame

Arms - Tiger Tamer

Arms - Shitty Little Disco