Ted Leo was one of the worst bands I’ve ever seen live, and I don’t dislike their recordings.
What is wrong with BSS? This was so uninspired. Brandon Canning is the only thing that saves it, and his energy looks out of place.
If I didn’t know better, this would sound an awful lot like a label obligation record… but Arts & Crafts has been great to these guys, so I don’t get it.
Are they all just that bored with whatever drugs they’re on lately?
Or did the solo records kinda throw them off?
Someone save my BSS!
Just got done watching The Swell Season episode of Austin City Limits. Perfect music for a drizzling Sunday morning.
Swell Season gets a lot of flack for all females that worship Once, and from some that are annoyed that it takes Glen away from The Frames, but they were really, really good. The musicianship, performance and production were possibly the best I’ve seen, and Glen was really on.
Probably the high point of the show was the closing. They brought on Daniel Johnston and did Life in Vain with a children’s choir in support. It was fantastic. I wish the show was archived on ACL, but here’s a very low quality video of the closer with Daniel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPBReF8S8HQ
edit, better quality:
[size=2][font=arial]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItUQoOavOdQ[/font][/size]
[font=times new roman]So, as Max said, The Hold Steady were on Letterman recently where they played The Weekenders (and on Colbert last night – played Hurricane J). Thought it was a really solid performance, though I haven’t quite taken to the new album Heaven is Whenever as much as their older ones. I still like the catchier lyrics and hooks of Separation Sunday, Boys & Girls in America & Stay Positive, and the keyboards on the latter two. Still, that Letterman performance is on my playlist right now:[/font]
[font=times new roman]http://www.cbs.com/late_night/late_show/video/?pid=1383hPkjO1vtnWTRGyzsidTrRqptICU_&play=true[/font]
[font=times new roman]Also, the Besnard Lakes[/font][font=times new roman] finally made a video for Albatross. It’s pretty standard fare, as far as videos go, and probably doesn’t have enough energy or movement in it, but the song is just so damn awesome that I find myself watching it almost daily:[/font]
[font=times new roman]http://newmusicreviews.net/the-besnard-lakes-albatross-video/[/font]
[font=times new roman]And, I’ve cranked up the way back machine to go all the way back to the distant past…. Spring of 2002, and what may be, in America[/font][font=times new roman], the most overlooked Pop/Rock album of the past decade:[/font]
[font=times new roman]No, really. Their first record, Lost Souls, was critically well received and got some decent generally airplay here (and was immensely popular in Europe[/font][font=times new roman]). The peculiar thing about The Last Broadcast is that it had all of the makings of a huge hit in America[/font][font=times new roman] – at least on par with one of the better known Oasis albums, like What’s the Story, Morning Glory. It’s very accessible lyrically (a smarter version of an average Coldplay album), the music is more diverse from song to song than at first blush, and the songwriting only departs from widely acceptance standards when their electronica past as the band Sub Sub sneaks into a couple of the tracks for a few seconds. It’s really not detrimental at that, except maybe for N.Y. which gets a little too noisy at beginning and near the end. The track list is great, featuring some of their best songs: There Goes the Fear, N.Y., Satellites, Pounding, and the coup de grace Caught By The River ("… Son, what have you done…")… Satellites in particular is a very underrated, extremely cathartic track, and I love the sweeping midportion of N.Y. which very deliberately conjures up imagery of a couple of 20 something kids tearing through the city on a high… and there was even [/font][font=times new roman]a pretty damn great video for There Goes the Fear[/font][font=times new roman]… not that [/font][font=times new roman]the video for Caught By the River[/font][font=times new roman]was shabby. [/font]
[font=times new roman]So why is this album (and band) an unknown in the U.S.? Why aren’t they the butt of uncool lameness joke like Coldplay or Oasis? It might be lead singer/basis Jimi Goodwin’s less accessible vocal style and fairly strong accent… or maybe they’re just too British in temperament. In any case, this really is an underrated Pop/Rock album gem of the last decade, and like any such record, maybe it’s a little more special because it’s not completely played out. [/font]
I agree, the new album isn’t very good. I think Finn’s speaking-as-singing style was a big reason they were memorable, now he has transitioned over to singing almost the entire time. This takes away the originality and also brings to light the fact that he isn’t a very good singer. Really disappointed with this one.
The Black Keys – Brothers
The new Black Keys album is pretty solid. There are a couple of tracks I really don’t like (I find Howlin’ For You especially annoying for some reason), but overall it is a good album. Only $7.99 at Best Buy this week.
I really want to go see them when they play at Verizon in September, but freaking lawn seats are around $50 after all of the extra fees. I guess Kings of Leon being on the bill drives up the price, but I don’t care that much about seeing them. Black Keys are also playing as the headliner at the Orange Peel in Asheville, but it is on a weeknight.
The Dead Weather – Sea of Cowards
Also a solid album. I like it much better than their first… mainly because Jack White plays a larger role on this one.
Here are a few more on my 2010 list that I either haven’t gotten yet or haven’t had a chance to listen to yet.
[b]Drive-by Truckers – The Big To-Do
Jakob Dylan – Women + Country
The Derek Trucks Band – Roadsongs (Live Album)
Joe Bonamassa – Black Rock
Band of Horses – Infinite Arms
[/b]
I really like the new Black Keys, they never seem to disappoint. I’ve heard they are worth seeing live if you get the chance, I wouldn’t pay $50 to see them open for Kings of Leon, but next time they come around here on their own, I want to see them.
I disliked the first Dead Weather album enough to not bother with the second, but if Jack is more involved I would probably enjoy it more as well.
The new National album is really good and I’m enjoying LCD Soundsystem as well. The new BSS is a bit of a disappointment so far.
Don’t think this was posted, new Arcade Fire music coming soon, no one knows how soon, but soon:
http://pitchfork.com/news/38818-new-arcade-fire-single-out-soon/
[quote=“CMack124, post:67, topic:22376”]I really like the new Black Keys, they never seem to disappoint. I’ve heard they are worth seeing live if you get the chance, I wouldn’t pay $50 to see them open for Kings of Leon, but next time they come around here on their own, I want to see them.
I disliked the first Dead Weather album enough to not bother with the second, but if Jack is more involved I would probably enjoy it more as well.
The new National album is really good and I’m enjoying LCD Soundsystem as well. The new BSS is a bit of a disappointment so far.
Don’t think this was posted, new Arcade Fire music coming soon, no one knows how soon, but soon:
http://pitchfork.com/news/38818-new-arcade-fire-single-out-soon/[/quote]
I just can’t get into the National, but I’m with you on the rest.
I went through about 2 weeks where I was wearing this song out:
The Soft Pack - Answer to Yourself (Free Download)
Really suited my mood lately. Lyrics are spot on.
PB might like it cause they (Spike Jonze?) made a video with the starts of Kick Ass:
http://www.clashmusic.com/feature/the-soft-pack-answer-to-yourself
This is now my favorute song on the excellent debut Album by Girls:
Heavy, heavy repeat this week. That record is just loaded with great songs - Lust For Life, Laura, Hellhole Ratrace, and Summertime.
I’m pumped for Mike Posner dropping in September. his stuff is good.
Anyone in to The Gaslight Anthem? They have a new album coming on June 15
Their albums bore me , but they’re fun live. They’re just trading on old Springsteen sound with a little extra 50’s/60’s flair.
They’re not bad.
Miranda Lambert’s new album is pretty good. Just throwing that out there. I’m assuming that it not being an indie rock CD means no one on this thread cares but me? 
WHAT!? You dare to post about a musician who ISN’T idie rock in the nnn music thread!? BLASPHEMY! Music snobs…ATTAAAAAAACK!!!
juust kidding.
WHAT!? You dare to post about a musician who ISN’T idie rock in the nnn music thread!? BLASPHEMY! Music snobs…ATTAAAAAAACK!!!
juust kidding.[/quote]
Hahahaha.
I just got Dirty Tactics new album and I was a little disappointed. It’s got some really good tracks and it is definitely adventurous, but it doesn’t have that same infectious '77 sound that their first two releases had. Gotta give it a few more listens.
I need to pick up Chamberlain Waits by the Menzingers, but I put it on hold in favor of other records. I’m super stoked about the new Two Hand Fools record also.
Another Ohio band that is getting good buzz is mixtapes. They have a new release coming out soon.
http://www.myspace.com/mixtapesohio
And you can download their first EP here (donation based label):
http://deathtofalsehoperecords.com/downloads/dtfh022.html
Guy/Girl indie rock.
[quote=“NinerAdvocate, post:69, topic:22376”]This is now my favorute song on the excellent debut Album by Girls:
Heavy, heavy repeat this week. That record is just loaded with great songs - Lust For Life, Laura, Hellhole Ratrace, and Summertime.[/quote]
I keep going back to this album, thanks for recommending it way back when. It seems pretty disposable when I listen to it, simple beachy pop music, but I am still listening a few months later. The songs you mentioned are really good, as well as Big Bad Mean… and Morning Light. Only a few weak tracks on the whole album.
I guess its disposable… I kinda thought of it as a bit of a breath of fresh air. I really think its my favorite album from last year.
And yeah, I like those tracks too. And Ghost Mouth.
Disposable probably isn’t the right word…I just meant that when I was first listening to it, it sounded like something I’d heard thousands of times before, didn’t really stick out. But it has grown on me, definitely one of the better albums from last year.
Two new Arcade Fire tracks have hit the interwebs:
http://stereogum.com/386941/arcade-fire-thesuburbs-month-of-may/mp3s/