Okkervil River- The Stage Names

One of my favorite albums of all time, and certaintly my favorite by the great Okkervil River, "The Stage Names" came out in August of 2007, but its leaps and bounds better than the "follow up" release of last year, "The Stand Ins."

I say this because "The Stage Names" was actually a big departure in sound for Okkervil River.

This Departure was not a dive into uncharted territory, but a departure from their darker, more emotionally tense albums, and a switch to the more pop-oriented sunny-day albums of late.  From the first track on you realize that TSN is entirely a pop record.  

Oh! and Will Shef''s voice is more amazing than ever- its both subtle and astoundingly emotional, so don't fret. 

Also, the "story" behind the album is not something that is entirely apparent, nor does it really give-or-take anything from the music itself, in fact, I'd say that the "concept" of the album was mearly just the outline that allowed them to make such a full and complete album. 

dwnld here

The Almighty Defenders- S/T (2009) (finally) (re-up)

FINALLY A WORKING DOWNLOAD LINK!

This came out at least two months ago, and I have to say that it was hard to hunt down. Why? I'm not exactly sure.

I mean, a record featuring both the black lips and king khan (and bbq partner mark sultan) seems like it would surely cause a frenzy, especially in the post "200 million thousand" era.

And, if not a frenzy, it should have been at least readily available online within a week (before, lol) of its release!

Anyway, you've got the usual georgia garage-punk, not a revolutionary record, but still a fun one. Its under the "gospel" category on many blogs, but I think that's more of a hopeful genre title than anything else...

A quick, messy, distorted listen thats more parts black lips than king khan.
I don't rate records, as you know, but if i could give this record a purpose statement, I'd say that this is one for your "rarities" collection more so than for your "favorites".

Dwnld here

Karl Blau- Zebra (2009)

For those of you unfamiliar with Karl Blau, here's a quick info-list that will update you as needed:
1. He's on K Records, a glorious lo-fi indiepop label who's housed bands such as Saturday looks good to me, The Microphones, and lake.
2. All his records are different, but they all maintain a very vintage, very warm sound that leans more towards classic pop than anything else (some may even say petsounds era pop but thats a stretch).

This record is fabulous though, its been called his "africa" record, which is a pretty hilarious description, but suitable to a certain extent.
Dwnld here

Anyway, give him a chance, and if you don't like this album, check out this song:
Crashing Waves
cause its so easy to love.

Gaslamp Killer- My Troubled Mind

This post is for those into hiphop instrumentals, especially newer sample-heavy artists like flying lotus,prefuse 73, 1 speed bike, and so forth. Reminiscent of J Dilla's more recent stuff.

Gaslamp Killer also has a pretty sick mixtape out if you mediafire it it comes up as gaslampkiller.rar.

Dwnld Here

Built To Spill- There is No Enemy

Nothing I can say hasn't already been said about built to spill.
One thing I can say, however, is that this is their best album since ancient melodies of the future (2 albums ago.)
Although I personally liked their 2006 album, "You in Reverse", it wasn't as complete of a record compared to say, "Keep it like a Secret."

"There is No enemy" is, however, a very complete, fluid, dreamy album full of all that atmospheric emotional indierock that we all know and love.

end of this lackluster post. cheers.

dwnld here

Giraffes? Giraffes! - More Skin for the Milk-Mouth

Someone literally just showed me this band, so that can answer your questions as to why this post is so vauge and boring.

Giraffes? Giraffes! are a jammy-math-indie-rock band similar to the great "Battles." Dueling guitars, spastic drumming off-tempo rythms and obscure patterning. Check it.

dwnld here

Nerve City is another tape/underground garage rock artist that I've been diggin' lately. Hails from virginia, here is his myspace.

"Living Wage", is one of his stand out tracks. If I could compare him to anyone else I've posted about on here its probably Yussuf Jerusalem in that he's very raw, garage-punk, but with alot of soul and catchy as hell.

DWNLD HERE

Newest Tape dwnld here

A Place To Bury Strangers- Exploding Head

Hey, all! Sorry for the hiatus, you know how college/life can be....anyway, here we have a band that I damn near forgot about since their first release, but whom I've talked about recently (see: The Telescopes post).

Anyway, the new APTBS album just dropped, and it doesn't dissapoint the noisey/ industrial shoegaze fan one bit- however, it may be a little less approachable for those who have never fucked with noisegaze (or whatever stupid sub-genre bastardization you want to give it.)

In any case, I think they sound more like an industrial-joy division than anything else, which is definetly a good thing.

Here's a track from their first album:

and here's EXPLODING HEAD:

dwnld here.

Devendra Banhart Double Post!

So, this has been long overdue. I was a bit late in discovering Devendra Banhart, he was one of those artists that I just kindove skipped over when reading magazines or blogs, I suppose I thought he was some hippie-revivalist-folk stereotype.

Needless to say, I was wrong, and I immediately fell in love with his albums. Sure, I like to compile my favorite songs and listen to only those sometimes, but Devendra's albums are albums, listenable all the way through as you relax or adventure.

His lyrical style is acid-driven stream-of-consiousness-twisting metaphoric-bullshit-poems high on love and life. His music is folky, yes, but it also has hints of beatles-esque pop, and at times, it is so unbelievably creative and emotionally moving that its hard to not fall in love with the guy.

Prime example, the song "Not everyone can relate, to what you and I apprechiate" and "owl Eyes", and the album "Nino Rojo" in general.

Now, I'm gonna post my favorite albums in no particular order (because I like songs on all of the albums equally). I'm really excited to share this with you guys, and I'm hoping you like it alot.

To sarley, I see that your a follower of the blog now! I posted this in-part because I know you love conor oberst, and I feel like devendra is much more real as an artist, and you would like him alot : ]


DWNLD NINO ROJO











DWNLD REJOICING IN THE HANDS

Other albums:
oh me oh my... and cripple crow. recommended.

Teenage Cool Kids- Queer Salutations

Poppy indie garage-punk with a definite midwest/built to spillish sound from texas- these guys just played here in orlando, and I must say, there pretty awesome.

Catchy, and snotty yet emotional, they remind me of a built to spill that grew up on midwest guitar driven indie instead of creating it, if that makes sense. Lots of soul, and chill as fuck, they've recently gone in a more damaged-psychedelic garage style, but this is one of their earlier albums.

Enjoy kids!

DWNLD HERE

Mojo Magazine Comp.- Up Yours! (2003)

DUDE! I lost my cd of this, and ever since I've been trying to find it for nostalgic purposes: it opened my music to both classic punk and contemporary indie bands, and I love love loved this comp.

Despite the name, many of the bands on here could hardly be considered "Punk", but I suppose the idea was to include indie bands that were essentially influenced by '77 bands (ie, erase errata, the strokes, The Hives, Yeah Yeah Yeahs(great track from their first EP), hot hot heat (although I've never seen them as much more than indie-pop).

Thanks to Kaaos ja Vapaus for uploading the album to mediafire, and for including the tracklisting!

My favorite tracks are starred (*) I was in...6th grade when I heard this...I stole it from the magazine cause I could never afford it.

TRACKLIST:
Tracklist:
THE CLASH
01) 1977*
THE STROKES
02) The Modern Age*
THE ADVERTS
03) One Chord Wonders*
THE HIVES
04) Main Offender*
VIC GODARD
05) Ambition
HOT HOT HEAT
06) Get In Or Get Out
ERASE ERRATA
07) Toungue Tied*
X-RAY SPEX
08) Identity*
THE HUNCHES
09) Lisa Told Me
JOHNNY THUNDERS
10) Chinese Rocks (Ramones cover)*
PART CHIMP
11) Cover Me*
UNDERTONES
12) True Confessions*
THE CATHETERS
13) Pale Horse
SEX PISTOLS
14) Submission*
YEAH YEAH YEAHS
15) Our Time*
SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES
16) Hong Kong Garden*
ATV
17) Action Time Vision*
THE LIBERTINES
18) The Boy Looked At Johnny*
BUZZCOCKS
19) Orgasm Addict*
SLEATER-KINNEY
20) Combat Rock
THE ONLY ONES
21)Another Gril, Another Planet*(so goood)
MUDHONEY
22) Urban Guerilla
THE DAMNED
23) Neat, Neat, Neat
THE WARLOCKS
24) Caveman Rock
IGGY POP & THE STOOGES
25) Search And Destroy*
SWEARING AT MOTORISTS*
26) Timing Is Everything

anything thats not starred is essentially skippable.

Enjoy, this is now a rarity as it wont ever be re-printed.

DWNLD HERE

Oh No! Oh My! - S/T (2006)

By now, in the fast-paced throw-away culture of internet blogging(self-depracating, but true) this album is already considered an indie classic, despite only being 3 years old.

Classic, because there are few albums that are so perfect in combining pop sensibilities with exciting nostalgia and glee, whilst remaining refreshing and new.

As an album, the compiling is also practically perfect, both in regard to the organization of tracks, and the composition of the songs themselves.

Simple instrumentation layered with group vocals, key's, guitars, bass, and drums that range from dancy ( as seen on Kitsune' compilation among euro-trash techno), folky, and suedo-country, and campfire sing-a-long songs.

I'm posting this now because when this came out, I'd listen to it from begining to end over and over, on long drives, in bad times, and on drugged-out hazy days, and no matter what the situation, this album never lost its meaning, and more importantly, its feeling.

Highly recommended.

DWNLD

Report: UO cashes in? + Times New Viking's New album!

As you can see from the picture on the left, which I took with my cellphone instore @ urban outfitters, UO is giving away full sheets of stickers for bands that I wouldn't have even assumed to be remotely popular: Ariel Pinks Haunted Graffitti, Talbot Tagora, and Jay Reatard? There are many more bands on the 4'' by 6'' piece of sticker paper, but those are the ones that really caught my eye.

The sticker sheet is a promotion for urban outfitters music blog, this specific one being the sixth UO compilation to date. I'm hoping that the artists are being compensated for their contributions to the compilation, because UO has really gone out of their way to advertise this. I mean, sticker sheets? What other blog has enough money to print "notebook doodles" of bands names in full color on what is probably thousands of copies? Obviously not RDFRNDS lol.

Neither Talbot Tagora or Ariel Pink have commented on the usage of their names/bands/songs, but I'm sure the free publicity doesn't hurt.

I guess I can't really complain, given that I shop there, but If I had any real alternative I wouldn't. The owners are supposedly conservative, and very right-wing, cashing in on youth culture with anti-authoritarian shirts and the "fun" bands that we crazy kids listen to....But there really isn't any other place to get clothes from if your male, and you live in a city where the thrift store is as depressing as a retirement home, lol.

Anyway, as a reward for reading this rant, you get to DWNLD Times New Viking's new album!, BORN AGAIN REVISED. This one is less lo-fi, less noisy, less "shit-gaze" which is definetly a good thing to my ears (and speakers).

DIG! - The Brian Jones Town Documentary (2004)

If there ever was a perfect band documentary- where literally every event relevant to the band was filmed- from start to finish- its DIG!

Its rather unbelievable upon watching, but this film allows you into practically every facet of BJTM's seemingly life-long struggle to just survive as a band.

The best part about this movie is that regardless of whether you know (or like) The Brian Jones Town Massacre, you end up connecting with all of the characters, and you become deeply involved with their particularly interesting story.

The story is narrated by The Brian Jones Town massacre' nemesis and one time friends The Dandy Warhols, with lead singer Courtney Taylor being the pretentious asshole he is, and follows the story of the insanity, addiction and exploits of the band, and the ups and down(falls) of its cult-like leader, Anton Newcombe.

More Info: The Brian Jones Town Massacre is still a band, although their sound has become increasingly experimental, with the sole original member being Anton Newcombe.
(later)Members of TBJTM have formed numerous bands, including Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

Highly recommended.

WATCH DIG!

The Sea and Cake- The Fawn (1997)

So, this is an older album- one could go as far as calling this an indie classic. A calm, beautiful album filled with sleepy, yet incredibly lively pop songs that are perfect for just cruising to, or forgetting about your problems to.

Apparently, this band first started in 1994, this being their 4th album, and most assuredly, their best until "One bedroom" was released in 2003.

A must listen for anyone who likes calming jazzy electro-pop, (not to sound like I work at starbucks or anything lol) or anyone who just likes chill pop music, or music that they can just let go to.

dwnld here

deerhunter V. Flaming lips Video

This is VIA stereogum via Colbert Report, weirdly enough, back stage from All Tommorow's Parties. Pretty funny lol.
I like the fact that both guys, bradford cox and wayne coyne, can make fun of the mistakes that blogs have been exploiting them for- Bradford, his albums always finding their way to Mediafire...cough....and Wayne, always dissing up and comming indie bands (see: Arcade fire).

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Exclusive - Backstage with The Flaming Lips and Deerhunter
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Protests

Gang Gang Dance megapost!

Gang Gang Dance is one of those bands that has such a unique sound that if you heard just a single song by them you could probably distinguish them immediately. Now, I know that sounds like a thing you could do with any band, but this band is pretty good at standing out and grabbing your attention.




This is especially true with their 2008 release, Saint Dymphna. It's on this album that the band really tunes and perfects its style and sound. From the clattering post-punk psychedelic trance of their earlier albums comes a techno-inspired indie-psych experience that is less of an "acquired taste". and more of an instant pleasure kind-of-album. Its pop from a band that I never expected to make a pop record, but I guess with a voice like hers, it was bound to happen. Recommended. DWNLD HERE



Next up is my favorite album by GGD, it features the most hypnotic, lo-fi underground psychedelic style that they gained a cult following with. The stand out track in my opinion, and definitely the most stylishly mysterious track, is the second track: 2A: Glory in itself 2B: Egyptian. Here you can hear the band was still fucking around a bit, not yet in its full, solid flow as they are on Saint D. The 3rd track, EGOWAR, is probably the closest to their trancy SAINT D. style if your into that, definitely the best produced track.
DWNLD HERE

enjoy : ]
They have another album called revival of the shittiest, and you can search for that one yourself if you dig their other stuff. cheers.

Talbot Tagora- lessons in the woods or a city (2009)

Firstly, Seattle bands rock! Secondly, Talbot Tagora rocks!
When I got my Shoplifting album (Rip, I think?) I saw this bands myspace, and they have a very similar style, the feministic/art punk drones reminiscent of kill rock stars stuff like Erase Errata.
Anyway, check out this video, via p4k (who have a monopoly on videos, or what?)



Ichthus Hop reminds me of Shoplifting and Erase Errata, but it also reminds me of buddhist chanting- just the way it feels. The vocals are so haunting and droning, with the guitar, that they create a sort of bell noise- a sound that I've grown up with, being surrounded by buddhist chant harmonies. Interesting, but weird.

Also, some of these tracks are beyond brutal, but every track retains this weird apathetic detachment, its really impossible music. Sometimes I don't even know if theres an actual rhythm or not. But its a beautiful cacophony!


Anyway, heres their album!

Dwnld here

RADFRNDS MIXTAPE RADIO #2

Hey all! 

As you can see, we just conjured up a new radio mixtape session for ya!

40 minutes of indie releases, post-punk, darkwave, and garage rock for your ears! 

This Mixtape Radio show features: 

the ponys, talking heads, the horrors, joy division, the telescopes, pere ubu, the fresh and onlys, mika miko, working for a nuclear free city, why? the oh see's, mattress! 

Here is the High Quality mp3 version: DWNLD HERE

^ if you just click it, it will stream the show. If you right click and save, it will save the show as an mp3 : ]

Hope you enjoy, as this is something I'm gonna be doing regularly on this blog now! 

Rad Friends Radio Show #1

RADFRNDS is happy to post our first Podcast. 

I'm going to try to do a new show weekly! 

Essentially, this is a 45 minute hour radio show in MP3 format.

I made this a year ago, so I lost the original playlist, however, I still have most of the playlist in memory: 

TELEVISION, GANG GANG DANCE, CARIBOU, RACOO-OO-OON, BORN RUFFIANS, ARIEL PINK, DEERHOOF, LE LOUP and more.

Here is the high quality version: DWNLD HERE

and the lo-fi version: DWNLD HERE

The Telescopes- Singles

When I first heard about this band, I expected them to be similar to Spacemen 3, or maybe even (although a much newer band) Deerhunter. By this, I mean, I thought they were going to have a soft, atmospheric sound. 

Instead, I found a band who is both very 90's- noisy, distorted, and harsh, and yet at times, as beatiful as the previously mentioned Spacemen 3, or even "Ok Computer"era Radiohead. 

The Telescopes album of "Singles" condenses their catalog by way of album singles over their career span, and its a good introduction to the noisier side of (the highly-over used genre) "shoegaze."

As some of you may know, the Term shoegaze is said to have been coined because the bands would literally look down the whole time they performed- at their effects pedals. The use of pedals is something that becomes immediately evident as one listens to "singles." Largely a collection of distorted and reverb ridden pop songs, this collection is a cool listen if your in the mood for heavier, noisier rock music. 

The second half of the album, and the latter part of their career, see's them moving to a lighter, more pretty sound. Songs like, "Celeste", my personal favorite, is a song that I'd say any radiohead fan would enjoy, to mention an easily accessible band. 

A newer band, A Place To bury Strangers, is obviously influenced by The Telescopes, as their debut album sounds almost exactly like The Telescopes. For instance, "To kill a slow girl walking" by the Telescopes sounds almost identical to "To Fix The Gash in your head" by APTBS, and if you don't believe me here for yourself here

For fans of Radiohead, Deerhunter, Spacemen 3, Ride, Nirvana, Sonic Youth, A Place to Bury Strangers. 

dwnld here

Mexcellent/Atlas Sound Split 12'' (2007)

Mexcellent Cover is Side B

Atlas Sound Cover is Side A

I posted both covers 'cause I really love this record. I purchased this on vinyl (thankfully, since they only pressed 500 copies) back in 2007 before Atlas sound went on to put out the second deerhunter album "Cryptograms."

It was an odd pairing- I mean, putting mexcellent, a relatively unknown noise band on a split album with Atlas sound, who was already practically god in the georgia underground by the time this came out, but somehow the pairing couldn't have been any better.

Atlas sounds' side is mostly ambient/bedroom recordings with the stand out track "I know, I know" being the only "standard" pop song, although that is not saying very much when you consider the backing track, with its off tempo blips, carrying bradford's hauntingly repetative and whispering vocals to infinity. 

As for the Mexcellent side, well, its almost as if a drum and bass band was driving a car in the wrong lane and accidently crashed into the band excepter, in a good way. The stand out track, ie, the one that takes the least patience to listen to, is RGDWTJPM. A hectic, amazingly intense blow-the-rear-speakers kind of song that never lets up. 

Since its sold out- almost certaintly forever- I'm putting a link up to download it for your listening...erm....pleasure? 

Dwnld here. 

The Fresh and Only's- S/T (2009)

This band is relatively new, and their debut album is probably the best new album that I've heard in a while. Great Lyrics, fun chorus', and non-cliche' garage rock from some friendly kids. 

To talk about the sound- Think garage rock, but don't think black lips or Jay Reatard, cause this band is closer to the Pony's and Nobunny than anything else. (melodic, vintage, but without the agressive aspects of most garage. Hippy Garage?)

It's a really catchy record with lyrics about love, love, and happiness, and thats basically all I got to say.

Oh yeah, they just released a 7'', but I can't find it anywhere, so when I get the money to buy it on vinyl I'll post it up for ya : ]

dwnld here

Jacuzzi Boys- Ghost Ghost 7'' + Island Ave 7'' and general DIY garage rant.

Hopefully you guys remember the Yussuf Jerusalem album that I posted a while ago, because this release is on the same record label, the amazingly relevant garage punk revivalists Florida's Dying. (obviously from my home state of florida).

These guys are from miami, and they are up-and-coming in the lo-fi garage punk scene, along with another band Melted Sunglasses, who I'll post about later. 

These two 7'' are basically their entire catalog so far, but I'll keep you posted on any new releases that may come out. 

(dwnlds at the bottom)

and now we go off the map for a second.....

I grew up on punk and garage, so its pretty cool that this kind of music is finally being excepted in the previously snotty and uptight (mainstream) indie scene.

Its obvious of me to attribute this popularization of lo-fi DIY garage to the successes of YYY's, and more recently Jay Reatard (although he's been around forever), black lips (they've been around for almost just as long) , and more recently, bands like king khan- all of which led to out-of-knowhere bands like wavves and nobunny receiving indie cred. 

I must admit, however, that at first it was annoying to see my music being co-opted, but now I'm happy to hear familiar gnarls, lo-fi drums, and scratchy distorted guitar when I turn on college stations instead of always hearing dylan wannabees and the national. 

Garage rock, and the DIY scene by definition is music for EVERYONE , so, I'll share the wealth, as long as you promise not to listen to it at starbucks, or while doing generally middle class things- like homework. Don't do it.

Get inebriated, fuck shit up, ect. haha.  

Dwnld ghost ghost 7''

Dwnld Island Ave 7''

Gay beast- Disrobics

I mentioned this album before, in a post about a band that was being distributed by the same record label as GB- Hunted Horse.

DNT is a very DIY record label that tends to throw free stuff your way when you purchase vinyl from their shop. 

Anyway, Disrobics is a crazy, dancy, glitched out post-punk record with equal parts gang of four, shoplifting, and black dice. ( i know, but I'm kinda stoned, so it was the best i could possibly explain this band's sound). 

Obviously, there is some devo splashed in there, and come to think of it, I'd say there is definetely some deerhoof esque time changes and mindfucking beat changes in this album.

I believe its sold out, but if you can get this on vinyl, I'd do so. The print is really nice, and its just a fun record to have.

now...if only i could find a "shoplifting" zip for you guys....

dwnld here