January 31, 2012

Stream the new Twilight Sad album and check out their new video

I'm starting to feel like the official Twilight Sad No One Can Ever Know news outlet, but what the hell, I'm looking forward to the new release.  Here's the video for "Another Bed"



And you can stream the whole album at Spin.  I'm doing that right now.

January 30, 2012

New Brendan Benson song "Bad For Me"

I posted about Brendan Benson's upcoming album What Kind of World coming out April 21.  Now Stereogum's got a first track to listen to.  You can trade your email address for a copy of the track over at Brendan's site, too.

And thanks to Brendan for tweeting about my previous post! Muchos gracias!

Pic from Brendan's site.

January 29, 2012

Chillin' on a Sunday evening

Here's a track by a new band called Sleep Party People that's getting some buzz.  The track's called "I'm Not Human at All".  If you liked Donny Darko you might dig the bunny masks.



This one's pretty intense.  It's called "A Dark God Heart" and it's NSFW.

January 27, 2012

Ruminations on a Friday

Today I worked late and as I took the subway home I saw so many people heading to places with happy liquor store bags. They were off to a friend's or a party or just home with a bag of a bottle of something to help them get through, or put a smile on their face. I had some lovely tunes to put a smile on my face until I got home. 





January 25, 2012

New Sleigh Bells track, just like everyone else

One of my favourite old silly sayings is, "You're an individual, just like everyone else".  And being a blogger can mean that you post unique things that no one else is posting about or you follow the crowd and post the coolest new thing that everyone else is posting about.  Hopefully I end up somewhere in between.

Sleigh Bells is certainly a band that lots of bloggers post about.  I posted about them a long time ago about them when I first heard "Rill Rill".  I liked it so much, it ended up at number 8 on my best songs list.  I'm sure I'm late out of the gate with posting about this, but I've got to tell you that they've got a new album coming out called Reign of Terror on February 14.  So Happy Valentine's Day.

Here's the first track they've put out from the album.  It's called "Comeback Kid".  I wish them lots of success with this second album.  Looking forward to it!

January 24, 2012

Favourites: I Don't Remember, I Don't Recall

A while ago I was thinking about how I can't seem to find the new Howling Bells album anywhere in the usual online stores. While thinking of the band I decided to write a post about them and some of my favourite songs. I started writing the band's name in the labels field and lo and behold, it was already there. I thought "What did I write about this band before?". Upon investigation I found this post featuring a song from the new album as well as a few of my favourites.

Damn brain.

So in tribute to my failing memory, here's one of my favourite songs. "I Don't Remember" by Peter Gabriel. Have I posted this song before?

January 23, 2012

Honoured to be part of the Zeitgeist

The wonderful folks over at Hype Machine have put together their 2011 Zeitgeist, featuring a cool People's Choice Top 50 Albums of 2011.  I'm honoured because my Top 30 Albums of 2010-2011 was part of the input into the list.

Thanks, Hype Machine!

And here's the title track from The Pains of Being Pure at Heart's Belong, one of the albums on the Zeitgeist and my list.

January 22, 2012

Week off in protest of SOPA / PIPA


I've taken the week off of posting to protest SOPA / PIPA.

Well, actually I've just been slacking.  But it's a good excuse and a good thing to protest bad legislation.

And here's a classic movie opening.  Trainspotting.  Because I just bought a Fucking Big Television.  And I suppose I'll watch this movie on it.

January 15, 2012

Beautiful music from Kathryn Calder

Bright and Vivid is a perfect title for Kathryn Calder's most recent release.  Don't believe me?  Listen to the beautiful and varied songs below.

Try out "Who Are You?" and


"Turn a Light On" from Bright and Vivid.


And "Arrow" from Are You My Mother?


There.  Don't you feel better now?

And if you don't know her old band Immaculate Machine, listen to "Broken Ship" from 2005's Ones and Zeroes,


and "Jarhand" from 2007's Fables.


Awesome!

January 12, 2012

Don't touch that, it looks Rancid

Great.  Songs.

"Ruby Soho" and

"Time Bomb" from 1995's ...And Out Come The Wolves.

January 11, 2012

New Shins on the way

The Shins have a new album, Point of Morrow, coming out March 20.  You can check out the track "Simple Song" right here.  Sounds like The Shins.  And it's good.



Here's "New Slang" from Oh, Inverted World.  As Natalie Portman's character in Garden State said, "You gotta hear this one song. It'll change your life, I swear."

January 10, 2012

Free Twilight Sad!


No, The Twilight Sad have not been unjustly imprisoned and need your support to free them.  The Twilight Sad are giving away another song from their forthcoming album No One Can Ever Know called "Another Bed". It's a very different sound from these guys with keyboards front and centre but somehow it's The Twilight Sad through and through.  Very lush and powerful.  Love it!

 They've also got tour dates at their web site.  Click!

January 9, 2012

New album from Brendan Benson coming out in April

Brendan Benson, sometimes known as the co-founder of The Raconteurs, has been putting out some great music on his own for many years.  He's just announced that he's got a new album coming out on April 21 and it's called What Kind of World.

If you're not familiar with his easy going power pop, check some out here!

"A Whole Lot Better",


"Eyes on the Horizon", and


"Don't Wanna Talk" from 2009's My Old, Familiar Friend.


And "Spit it Out", and


"Cold Hands Warm Heart" from his 2005 album Alternative to Love.


Great songs!  Looking forward to this release.

And while I'm at it, here's some Raconteurs with "Steady as She Goes",


"Hands", and


"Level" from 2006's Broken Boy Soldiers.


Great tunes!

January 8, 2012

Favourites: Eames Era song Little Brother

I heard this song many moons ago in a year end broadcast on muchly missed internet radio station WOXY.  It's a catchy little pop ditty called "Little Brother" by Eames Era.  They've broken up now, and the founding members formed Generationals.  Hope you enjoy this tune as much as I do.

January 5, 2012

Awesome cover of Immigrant Song by Trent Reznor, Karen O and Atticus Ross

Check out Trent Reznor. Karen O and Atticus Ross doing Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song".  Heavy.  Love Karen O.

January 4, 2012

I got me a headache

Yeah.  I do.

January 3, 2012

Foo Fighters and Joan Jett don't give a damn about their bad reputation

Here's a cool vid of Foo Fighters with Joan Jett on David Letterman.  They beat the hell out of "Bad Reputation".  Joan still sounds awesome!