Jolie Holland / Springtime Can Kill You

With my stomach full of tater tots being lazy doesnt seem like a bad idea. When I'm lazy I feel like listening to being lazy music. Folk, Blues and Jazz are good lazy genres. Luckly Jolie Holland combines all of those, her record label Anti- describes it good:

Holland’s songs rise and fall like heavy eyelids and convey the peace of that place between asleep and awake...

From Spring Time Can Kill You
Jolie Holland - Spring Time Can Kill You
Jolie Holland - Crazy Dreams

From Catalpa
Jolie Holland - Black Hand Blues
Jolie Holland - I wanna die

From Escondida
Jolie Holland - Old Fashion Morphine
Jolie Holland - Black Star


Ah to be young and full of tater tots....

Also from Anti-

Neko Case - Star Witness
Neko Case - Hold On Hold On
Neko Case - If You Knew
Neko Case - Train From Kansas City

Tom Waits - How Its Gonna End
Tom Waits - Another Mans Vine
Tom Waits - Alice
Tom Waits - Hold On

Elliott Smith - Twilight
Elliott Smith - Memory Lane

Single Frame / Remixed By Mike Zinner

Today I got the new Single Frame LP, Everything Wants To Be Used For What It Was Made For in the mail. The album is a collection of rare tracks, remixes and demos from the Austin bands 5 year duration (two albums and an EP). The album features remixes from Nick Zinner, J-Mprint, Creepykid and few others. Its a pretty solid album with some interesting textures and some great remakes. Fans of their previous releases, like me, can get a kick out of listening to the demos and remixes of some of their favorite Single Frame songs (Post Daydream, Clippership, Floral Design... ).

Audio from Everything Wants To Be Used For What It Was Made For

• Single Frame - People Are Germs (Monster Mash-Up Remix By Nick Zinner)

• Single Frame - Digital Witness (Protection Remix By Creepykid)

Video

• Single Frame - People Are Germs (Monster Mash-Up Remix By Nick Zinner)[Video]

• Single Frame - Exact Copy in the Basement [Video]
  
  

Last night on Late Night with Conan Obrien, the Secret Machines performed Lightning Blues Eyes, one of my favorite songs of the year from their album Ten Silver Drops, out yesterday. It was a mighty good performance but I can't find the video of them on Conan on the net yet so here is the music video courtesy of youtube:

• Secret Machines - Lightning Blue Eyes [Video]

Big props to the General, Avery Johnson for getting the NBA coach of the year award. Still waiting for Dirk to get the MVP nod, doubt it will happen, he usually rides the top nominations, never the pick. As long as we get take NBA championship this year, I'll be happy.

MF Dooms Vomit

Looks like one of hip hops greatest has a new release this year in the form of a vinyl single titled Vomit. Vomit is a Drum & Knowledge (aka Parallel Thought) remix of Vomitspit which was originally on MF Dooms last album MM...Food. This track isn't a new remix as it was originally on MM...Leftovers, the b-side collection to MM...Food but since MM...Leftovers was a really rare release, I'd bet not many people have had the privilege to hear this sinister, twilight zonish track but of course thats why I'm here. Along with Vomit the VLS has a Crytic One Remix of Vomit and both instrumental/acapella versions and a track by Icon The Mic King.



MF Doom - Vomit
MF Doom - Vomit (Crytic One Remix)

So officially we haven't gotten any new Doom this year other than that track with Ghostface.

Hip hop fridays / Mr. Nogatco, DJ Shadow

Dr. Nogatco's (Octogon spelled backwards) Nogotco Rd. is Kool Keiths newest creation. Keith, who is known for his Dr. Octogon, Black Elvis and various other incarnations, creates an album of paranoia with this, his newest release. It has the vibe of Viktor Vaughns (MF Doom) Venomous Villain and their is a good reason for that, both feature the same producer, Iz-Real.

Kool Keith is not fooling around, just check out the website dedicated to Nogatco (National Objectives for Governmental Astral-Terrestrial Covert Operations)

"Nogatco Rd." is Keith's most inventive and highly anticipated album in years. Complete with UFO conspiracies, alien autopsies, coded space raps, and an amazing array of some of the most original tracks in years. -- Amazon.com

Mr. Nogatco - Alpha Omega (The Beginning)
Mr. Nogatco - Live Dissection feat. Sage Francis and Sole

---

Pitchfork did a review of the new track by Kelis and they gave it 4.5 out of 5, I must say I am enjoying the song very much other than Kelis' vocals. After listening to this track I came to the way too obvious conclusion that the main asset that Kelis has is being backed by good production.

Kelis - Bossy (instrumental)
Kelis - Bossy

---

DJ Shadow is working on a new album with that Hyphy sound. I've read lots of negative words about the new tracks but I've liked what I heard so far. Its always hard when a musician you like changes the sound that you fell in love with. So far 3 Freaks, 4 Freaks and Seeing Thangs have been floating around the web. One thing that I wish Shadow would do is pick from a better flock of rappers for his tracks. Just watch this video for 3 Freaks:

DJ Shadow - 3 Freaks (video)

Download all three above mentioned tracks at Can I Bring My Gat?. I love the name of that blog.

---

Last but not least, Baby Got Book, a Christian version of Baby Got Back by Sir Mix A Lot.

Youtube

"I like big Bibles I can not lie, / You Christian brothers can’t deny, / When a girl walks in with a KJV / And a bookmark in proverbs, You get stoked"

---

Flaming Lips / Enthusiasm for Life Defeats Existential Fear

The Flaming Lips originally gave this album away at SXSW 2005 in correlation with the screening of the Fearless Freaks a documentary about the Flaming Lips. This cd is kind of a revamped version of the version given away, it has a track from the new album, Free Radicals and also a very hard to find track called Enthusiasm For Life Defeats Existential Fear.... Also its available for purchase.

Watch a trailer for fearless freaks

The Flaming Lips - Enthusiasm For Life Defeats Existential Fear...


The song Enthusiasm For Life Defeats Existential Fear.... is a banjo plucked, lofi synth filled song about a bad dream that Wayne had. Its one of my favorites by band.

---

Indie rock mix

Eagles of Death Metal - I Want You So Hard (Boy's Bad News)
Impossible Shapes - Naked Bull Rush
The Black - Cellblock
Aloha - Your eyes
The Like Young - For money or love
Brightblack Morning Light - Everybody Daylight
Jennifer O'Connor - Exeter, Rhode Island

---

Wolves in Wolves' Clothing

Ben Kweller got a little blurb in the new Rolling Stone concerning his new album which is in the works, BK's going to be playing most if not all the instruments on this one, his 3rd solo.

Octopus Project has a new video created by a fan... here

A song from Sub Pops newest singee's Pissed Jeans, from last years Shallow on Parts Unknown Records

Pissed Jeans - Closet Marine

---

You have to love the guys from Nofx, they always have something interesting to say. Their newest album Wolves in Wolves' Clothing comes out today on their own label Fat Wreck Chords. I listened to Nofx a lot during junior high, they were the band that mixed humor with seriousness with a catchy pop punk sound. The newest album though seems to be their weakest. In fact when I heard it I thought it might of been a B-side collection and had to double check. Seeing Double At The Triple Rock sounds like a song off of Pump Up the Valuum with different lyrics. It just seems like they didn't spend much time writing this album. Wolves in Wolves' Clothing is not a total waste, there are some great songs. The Man I Killed tells an interesting story and features a different sound than you would hear from Nofx, an acoustic guitar in the mix. Along with Cantado En Espanol a song in Spanish, Doornails, 60% (reprise), and couple other mediocre songs, its worth a listen but I hope they better this album on their next release. Maybe trade in the electric for acoustic, like on The Man I Killed. Of course I do have this thing that I think every band should have an acoustic album.

Nofx - The Man I Killed

Couple more songs from their record label site:

Nofx - 100 Times Fuckeder
Nofx - Seeing Double At The Triple Rock

---

Few things worth checking out

The new Sonic Youth album leaked all over the place. The spill spread to the blogosphere pretty fast as most music leaks do, with that happening I don't have to post a track but just point you to the direction of few tracks from Rather Ripped. The general opinion seems to be good as it should be. For me this album as a whole is better than the last one but doesn't have stand out favorites like the other one had for me. Great album though, I think I need to give it few more listens.

You can find tracks here:

Obscure Sound - first two tracks.
Fluxblog - another great track, Do You Believe In Rapture?

Also:

• Couple tracks from the hip hop power house Mr. Britney Spears, Kevin "K-Fed" Federline at Lil Mike's Last Known Thoughts & Random Revelations

• A live Belle & Sebastian recording from their All Songs Considered Set from March 6, 2006 at Kwaya Na Kisser.

• More John Vanderslice live to 2-track recordings at M3 online.

• New York Dolls - Dance Like A Monkey New York Dolls singer David Johansen takes a stab at the Intelligent Design debate on this clever single from the new album, One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This.

• a little humor, Picking up girls made easy. Listen to the first track, its hilarious in an unintentional way. If you need more self help, discover the secrets to speaking hip.

---

Nobody & Mystic Chords Of Memory

Tree Colored See is the debut album by Nobody & Mystic Chords Of Memory.

Nobody & Mystic Chords Of Memory - Coyote Song

I know little about this band other than this blurb in Amazon:
Tree Colored See is a collaborative effort between Nobody (Elvin Estella) and Mystic Chords of Memory (Chris Gunst and Jen Cohen)....the result is a perfectly crafted blend of psychedelic hip-hop and sunshine folk-rock. --Amazon.com

Head over to People of Paper to download another song from the above mention album.

By the way Mush Records has an arsenal of songs to download which includes the one above and these fine gems below. Take a look for yourself, there is a lot more.

Clue To Kalo - The Just Is Enough
Clue to Kalo - We'll Live Free (in NYC)
Jel - 12. Multi Level
Caural - Entre Chien et Loup
Pedro - Fear & Resilience
Busdriver - Unemployed Black Astronaut
Bibio - Lakeside
Bibio - Zoopraxiphone
Her Space Holiday - Japanese Gum (DNTEL remix)

---

Danielson

Daniel Smith has finally won me over with his newest album Ships. I never really gave any of his previous works that much consideration until I heard the this song from the album a while back. Then I heard the whole album and realized it was a pretty solid release.


Great album art.

Did I Step On Your Trumpet?

---

Kind of distracted while doing this post, trying to watch the Mavs against the Suns. I was more confident in the Mavs ability to take it all the way and win the NBA finals earlier this season but they seemed to have lost some of that drive towards the end of the season. Although we beat the Spurs couple days back, the Mavs just seem inconsistent in ability. Its very possible though we are #3 in the league.

The fans are behind them though, just look at this Doip/Kris Kross video

Jordan Geiger of Minus Story

Props to The Catbirdseat for pointing out Jordan Geiger of Kansas' Minus Storys Myspace which features two songs of his. They've been getting steady rotation in my headphones for sometime now and I thought it was about time I shared it with you. They're too good to pass up.


photo courtesy of lawrencerock.com

Left Click on the link
Jordan Geiger - Baby for J
Jordan Geiger - I Do Not Understand

Of course couple of tracks from Minus Story, who will be touring with John Vanderslice in May (what a combo)

From No Rest for Ghosts
Minus Story - Knocking On Your Head
Minus Story - Little Wet Head

From Heaven and Hell EP
Minus Story - Time Wastes Itself

From The Captain is Dead, Let the Drum Corpse Dance!
Minus Story - You Were On My Side
Minus Story - Joyless, Joyless

From Moebius Syndrome
Minus Story - Under the Knife

From Belle Ame
Minus Story - Quiet

---

Hip Hop Mix #6 / Soul Position, Aceyalone, Busdriver

Here's a little mix of what I've been listening to hip-hopwise, hosted on Zshare.

From RJD2s and Blueprints new album together, Things Go Better With RJ And AL. Listen to the track Things go better to hear how it came to be.

Soul Position - Extra Mile
Soul Position - Things Go Better

From Aceyalones limited edition release, Grand Imperial, out last week. Limited in pressing to only 7500 copies.

Aceyalone - Doin' My Job (UK Mix)
Aceyalone - Grand Imperial

Busdriver - Avantcore (live)
Busdriver - Imaginary Places

Spank Rock - Backyard Betty
Roc 'C' - El Capital feat. Chino XL

Bonus: Guess the Grillz (the first 4 are fairly easy, after that I'm lost.)

---

Loved Like a Milkshake - A Tribute to Wesley Willis

Each contributing artist was given the task of taking their Wesley track of choice and putting a whole new spin to it! The goal now (as it has always been) was to honor Wesley by showing the world that people from different musical backgrounds listen to his music and words.

The tribute album is 18 tracks of bands covering songs written by the late Wesley Willis. Tracks and links at WesleyTribute.org

Here are couple of Wesley Willis originals from his greatest hits album.

"Your Way Right Away" by Wesley Willis - MP3 (2.3 MB)
"Make My Joyplane Crash and Burn" by Wesley Willis - MP3 (2.2 MB)
"I Whipped Spiderman's Ass" by Wesley Willis - MP3 (2.1 MB)
"Love God" by Wesley Willis Fiasco - MP3 (2.6 MB)
"My Keyboard Got Damaged" by Wesley Willis - MP3 (2.3 MB)
"Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers" by Wesley Willis - MP3 (2.0 MB)
"My Mother Smokes Crack Rocks" by Wesley Willis - MP3 (2.3 MB)
"Gingerbread Knocked Me Out" by Wesley Willis - MP3 (2.7 MB)
"Carla Winterbottom" by Wesley Willis - MP3 (1.9 MB)


Also check out the WTF? The Madonna remix project, a remix of her talking. Pretty damn funny. This album was triggered by a small sound byte of speech left by Madonna as a decoy to frustrate users sharing her songs via Peer-to-peer (P2P) networks on the internet.

Here's couple tracks from it:

Madonna Remix Project - Horses Mouth
Madonna Remix Project - Give It2Me baby
Madonna Remix Project - madonna glitch bot v2.34

---

Mountain Goats / New track from Babylon Springs EP

Indie rocks folk hero has a new release out this week, the Austrailia only Babylon Springs EP. So far I've heard one track from the 5-track EP and I'm fairly impressed. I thought I knew how this was going to sound like, John Darnielle with an acoustic, a 2-track recording. This sounds like the Mountain Goats more as a band than they have ever been.


The Mountain Goats - Alibi (2)
(new links)

Amazon product description:

This Australian Exclusive EP to Celebrate the Tour features all New Material that Will Only Be Available on CD in Australia. The Five Tracks were Recorded with Tony Doogan at the Castle of Doom in Glasgow in January 2006. Consisting of Four Originals Written by Head Mountain Goat John Darnielle plus a Cover of the Stunning 'sometimes I Still Feel the Bruise' by the Trembling Blue Stars

---

John Vanderslice / Exodus Damage Remix

First off, something worth mentioning is that John Vanderslice has new release out today, Suddenly it all went dark: Pixel Revolt live to 2-track out on Barsuk. Which essentially is:

"Twelve tracks from Pixel Revolt done with nothing but acoustic guitar and JV's voice, recorded live in a chicken coop in California. Intimate and intense."

Alias (see post right before this one) gave John Vanderslice's Exodus Damage, from his incredible Pixel Revolt, the remix treatment:

John Vanderslice - Exodus Damage (Alias Remix)
John Vanderslice - Exodus Damage (original)
John Vanderslice - Exodus Damage (Live)

Also

John Vanderslice - Exodus Damage (video)

Stream JV's 9/2/2005 - In-studio performance at KEXP

and of course, as always John Vanderslice has lots of free Mp3s to offer

---

Alias & Tarsier

Anticons beat and click master Alias is releasing another collaboration, this time with Tarsier from New York's Healamonster & Tarsier. She takes care of the vocals and he does the beats on their debut Brookland/Oaklyn releasing May on Anticon. I'm a fan of Alias and his production so when I first heard this song I was kind of worried about the direction this project was taking. At the 1:08 second mark I was feeling a little better about it then at about 1:30 the drumachine clicks away and we have a beat, I'm liking the song better. This song is more accessible than usual Alias projects, it takes a step in a slightly different direction, give it a listen.

From Brookland/Oaklyn

Alias & Tarsier - Dr. C



Also from Alias:

Alias - cobblestoned waltz from alias & ehren - Lillian
Alias - unseen sights w/ Markus Acher of the Notwist
from Muted
Alias - Again For the First Time
Alias - eyes closed from Eyes Closed
Alias - pill hiding from the Other side of the looking glass

Also couple of tracks from my favorite Anticon artist:
(both tracks, highly recommended)

Why? - Rubber traits
Why? - Sandollars

---