ENJOY!!
Andrew Bird – “The Happy Birthday Song”
Sufjan Stevens – “Happy Birthday”
The Very Best feat. The Ruby Suns – “Birthday” (Beatles Cover)
Cut Copy – “Lights & Music” (Boyz Noise Happy Birthday Remix)
It's debatable
Author Archive
I’m 19
Posted in Downloads with tags 19, andrew bird, birthday, boyz noise, Cut Copy, success, Sufjan Stevens, the beatles, the ruby suns, the very best on Thursday, February 5, 2009 by Erik BurgNew Releases From Asthmatic Kitty
Posted in Audio, Downloads, Music News, Music Reviews with tags asthmatic kitty, banjo, DM stith, download, just once, mp3, New Release, sold to the nice rich man, Sufjan Stevens, the welcome wagon on Thursday, February 5, 2009 by Erik Burg
Ashtmatic Kitty has been on a role lately. The record label, run by indie-glorified Sufjan Stevens, has been busy with releases in early ’09 and late ’08, and has managed to curate tons of attention with the release of two rising artists. The Welcome Wagon and DM Stith are those two acts, gaining attention at rapidly increasing rates. And for good reason, whether it’s the almost quirky nature of their music, the comfortability that each offer, or the familiarity that oozes from each track.
Let’s dive into The Welcome Wagon first. The Husband (Thomas) and Wife (Monique) duo deliver multi-instrumental music that is heavenly in more than one sense. Many of the lyrics and ideas expressed in the tracks draw upon biblical references and experiences, while not pushing any values upon the listener. The actual musical production draws upon many of the aspects of arrangement and production that has made Sufjan so popular. From the occasional banjo to the simple piano and back again with the well recognizable horn section. The first single, entitled “Sold! To The Nice Rich Man,” from their debut album Welcome to The Welcome Wagon is their most polished and well rounded cut. It offers the widest variety of the couple’s skills. Encompassing all of the aspects that I just mentioned, the horns drive the chorus, the keys lead into the track, and the vocals fill up the track much a choir in a church. The feel of the entire album is expansive, but like I said, it feels incredibly comfortable at the same time. Deserving of a huge 2009, The Welcome Wagon is one of my favorite new artists and I’d highly encourage any fan of Sufjan’s catalogue or label to check these two out.
mp3: The Welcome Wagon – “Sold! To The Nice Rich Man”
DM Stith. With a name like that it’s kind of hard to know what to expect, but with a background filled with musical education and family lineage that bolsters the same thing the hopes were high for this former writer. Stith’s first single, “Just Once,” off of the Curtain Speech EP is a seven minute roller coaster ride through a dream-like landscape of repetitive and revealing lyrics and echoing guitars. “Just once, I could love you just once” Stith sings throughout. The music, is incredible. I know I hype pretty much everything I write about, but this is another one of those tracks that re-invigorates my love for music and makes me simply feeling happy at the end. Best described as a hi-fi version of The Microphones, Stith plays with various guitar chords layered together and eerie sounds running throughout the track, giving it the feel that The Glow pt. 2 gave me the first time I heard it.
So if you’re looking around for some great new music look no further. Fans of past Asthmatic Kitty releases will love and probably already heard these tracks, but those new to the game need to get schooled on these new artists. And fast!
Dig Deeper: Asthmatic Kitty DM Stith The Welcome Wagon
NEW AUDIO: Eminem Feat. 50 Cent and Dr. Dre – “Crack A Bottle”
Posted in Downloads with tags 50 cent, aftermath, crack a bottle, download, Dr. Dre, eminem, mp3, New Release, shady on Wednesday, February 4, 2009 by Erik Burg
It’s finally here folks, the finished version of “Crack a Bottle”. The other version that was floating around the web wasn’t nearly finished in production, and thus turned many of its listeners off. But this time around Eminem, Dr. Dre, and 50 cent absolutely kill it. As much as we may doubt mainstream rap on this site, or much as we might dismiss this right away, I’m happy to say that I infact do enjoy this cut. It’s beyond refreshing to have Eminem back on the scene, seeing as he is one of the few mainstream artists whos talent expands beyond the auto-tuner.
The wait was well worth it for thsi track, too. With the final touches put on it the beat roars throughout and the track runs the perfect length as to not get too repetitive. The best verse in the song has to be in the second have when Eminem introduces Dre and he steps in to just flat out kill the track. It’s worth every listen you give it and one of the few reasons why there might be hope for the mainstream music scene, if only for this short period of time. enjoy!
Live: Grizzly Bear @ Calderwood Courtroom 8/14/08
Posted in Downloads with tags calderwood courtroom, concert, daniel rossen, Grizzly Bear, live on Tuesday, February 3, 2009 by Erik BurgThanks to You Ain’t No Picasso and JP’s Blog for the tip-off on this one. For a live bootleg the quality is pretty good, so it’s an enjoyable listen for sure. You know what you’re getting into with Grizzly Bear, I’m still not a huge fan but hopefully some of you out there enjoy this. I still can’t listen to “Knife”.
Tracklisting:
01. 2 Hud
02. Little Brother
03. Colorado
04. Service Bell
05. Knife
06. Fine For Now
07. Two Weeks
08. Lullabye
09. Shift
10. Fix It
11. On a Neck, On a Spit
12. Deep Blue Sea
13. He Hit Me (And It Felt Like a Kiss)
14. While You Wait For The Others
Download: Grizzly Bear @ Calder Courtroom 8/14/08
New Audio: Fleet Foxes – “False Knight on the Road”
Posted in Downloads with tags acoustic, fleet foxes, mp3, mykonos, New Release, steeleye span, sub pop on Tuesday, February 3, 2009 by Erik BurgIt’s nice to hear a new single from one of my favorite bands that isn’t from the Dark Was The Night compilation. This time around it’s Fleet Foxes with a cover of Steeleye Span’s 1976 track “False Knight on the Road.” Fleet Foxes version comes on the B-side of their newest release, the U.K. only Mykonos 7″.
Fleet Foxes frontman Robin Pecknold at the Pitchfork Music Festival 2008
The track certainly doesn’t make head-way into new aspects of Fleet Foxes releases, or show off any talent that wasn’t already flaunted on their two 2008 releases. It’s not all bad though, seeing as their formula turned out one of the better albums of 2008 that is still managing to captivate new listeners. “False Knight on the Road” is a fine track that would have blended seamlessly into their self-titled album, making it a great edition to the Fleet Foxes catalogue, yet it remains nothing ground breaking for the group. Grab the track below. enjoy!
mp3: Fleet Foxes – “False Knight on the Road” (Steeleye Span cover)
Dig Deeper: Myspace Official Page Wiki
Album Preview: The Juan MaClean – “The Future Will Come”
Posted in Music News with tags !!!, DFA, Holy Ghost, mp3, Nancy Whang, New Release, the future will come, the juan maclean on Tuesday, February 3, 2009 by Erik Burg
The Juan and Nancy, names to remember in '09
It’s been four years in the making. It’s going to be featuring some of the best talent around. It’s being released on DFA. It ends with one of the best singles of 2008.
The Juan Maclean returns with a bang in 2009 with The Future Will Come, slated to be released on April 14th. The buzz surrounding this album and the anticipation along with it is unmatched. His last release in 2004 entitled Less Than Human has become a cult sensation thanks to the growing popularity of DFA records.
What makes the release so exciting is the fact that it features, as previously mentioned, the 2008 single “Happy House.” The track brought a new weapon to the Juan that wasn’t really utilized in the past: vocals. Fans of past DFA material should recognize the voice, seeing as she’s worked with headliners LCD Soundsystem for years now on their albums and live shows. It’s Nancy Whang, of course.
“In my career as the Juan Maclean, my guiding principle was to start out more dance-y and instrumental, and someday bow out making flat-out, three-and-a-half-minute pop songs”
Apparently drawing most of his influence from the album from The Human League, the Juan is moving into the realm of more 80’s styled pop music instead of the Air and Daft Punk instrumentals he has been known for on his albums and DJ sets. 
The guests on the album are absolute outstanding as well. Nick Millhiser and Alex Frankel, the two halves of Holy Ghost! help out on the album, unknown whether its an actual contribution or production. Either way it’s good news. The Juan bring in !!! drummer Jerry Fuchs as well, again playing with new elements that a drummer that potentially loud and energetic can bring to the album.
I don’t want to crown this the Hercules & Love Affair of 2009 since I haven’t heard it yet, but the people involved in this project and the influences it draws upon point to success and success only. So save the date, April 14th. Track listing below:
1. “The Simple Life”
2. “The Future Will Come”
3. “One Day”
4. “A New Bot”
5. “Tonight”
6. “No Time”
7. “Accusations”
8. “The Station”
9. “Human Disaster”
10. “Happy House”
Video: Air France – “No Excuses”
Posted in Video with tags Air France, no excuses, No Way Down, pop, sweden, Video on Monday, February 2, 2009 by Erik BurgThe official video for “No Excuses” off of the amazing 2008 swedish pop masterpiece release No Way Down. After watching the video go out and find a copy of the album, you won’t regret it. I promise. Enjoy!
Album Review: Of Montreal – “Jon Brion Remix EP”
Posted in Music Reviews with tags David Barnes, ep, Jon Brion, Kevin Barnes, mp3, Of Montreal, remix on Monday, February 2, 2009 by Erik Burg
David Barnes delivers again with the album art
Following the release of one of 2008’s best albums Skeletal Lamping, Of Montreal recruit Mr. Everything Jon Brion to mix up some of the albums better tracks. Having worked in the past with Elliott Smith, Kanye West, and Spoon, and also helping produce the soundtrack to Boogie Nights, Eternal Sunshine, and Magnolia Brion certainly has a hand for crafting magnificent tracks. So my hopes were undoubtedly high for those various reasons.
Disappointment from Of Montreal, however; is few and far between. Any band that covers “Day Man” is in good regard for a long time. This EP follows in that pattern pretty well, delivering to fans of the LP some pretty good material that’s a little more ready for the dance floor than the original recordings. The one downfall of this release is that it really doesn’t offer much in the way of anything “new” at all, like I said, the tracks just get a nice shape up for dj’s planning to play their most sexually explicit set of all time.
The reconstruction of “An Eluardian Instance” really doesn’t deviate from the original at all, but what it adds in the repetition and tempo change is welcome. The acoustic version of Eluardian though is quite a treat. The track isn’t stripped down to its absolute bare bones, and I might dispute calling this “acoustic,” but the slow rythm brings out the beautiful voice of Kevin Barnes and more importantly the lyrics become more apparant than ever. And what is Skeletal Lamping worth without the lyrics? Not much.
“Gallery Piece” gets the Brion treatment next, and the last three tracks all play off the same cut. Including the remix and the extended remix is an instrumental of the remix. It’s an exhausting task trying to listen to all three of these front to back, taking away from the feel of this actually being an EP rather than a single or a 12″. The original remix is great though, and it’s definietly the higlight. This cut gets the biggest mix treatment, shortening from the lengthy album version to a more friendly version that plays pretty quickly. The extended cut repeats itself so much that it’s almost annoying to listen to after the five minute mark, but die-hards will still love. (I kind of still did).
If you listened to Skeletal Lamping and loved it, or maybe even just liked it, this EP should definetly be in line for a purchase. The tracks are fun and play fairly fast, catering to the busy lives we all lead. So save some time, practice your dance steps, and come 200 times a day with the Jon Brion remix EP.
7.5 sexual escapades out of 10
Live Audio: Conor Oberst, M. Ward, Jim James
Posted in Downloads with tags acoustic, Bright Eyes, Conor Oberst, Folk, Indie, Jim James, M. Ward, mp3 on Friday, January 30, 2009 by Erik BurgJust like the Pavement concert I linked to here a little while ago, Aquarium Drunkard delivers again with some bootleg live cuts. This time from the Pantages Theater in 2004. You kind of know what to expect from these guys, but the magic they create together is great, I’d definitely recommend checking these tracks out.
Download the whole show HERE.
Audio: Junior Boys – “Parallel Lines”
Posted in Audio with tags junior boys, mp3, new, synth on Friday, January 30, 2009 by Erik Burg
Junior Boy’s follow up to the 2006 album So This Is Goodbye, Begone Dull Care is slated to be released in the spring or summer of 2009, and listeners are finally getting a first go at it. In usual Junior Boys fashion airy synths and melodic vocals dictate the six and a half minute song. I can’t make up my mind on it yet, but it certainly isn’t a bad take.
No mp3s yet for this, it’s only streaming over at Stereogum. check it HERE
Dig Deeper: Myspace Official Page Wiki
MIND INVERSION 