Magic Potion by The Black Keys (CD Review)

Threre are three types of songs on Magic Potion: rock songs, blues rock songs, and DAMN those dudes from Akron really f'n rock songs. Sure, it seems redundant to say The Black Keys make blues rock songs. It's also going to sound redudundant when I say that this is one of the finest guitar albums I've heard in a long time. After all, what would you expect from the duo of drummer Pat Carey and guitarist Dan Auerbach? Monster ballads? Waltzes? Of course, they're going to come hard and heavy with fiery riffs from Dan's guitar and pounding sounds from Pat's kit. The reason I felt the need to state the obvious is that this is biggest, loudest, rockingest, and most cohesive record The Keys have released during their five year career. The basic formula of The Black Keys hasn't changed since they started out in Pat's basement: guitar, drums, the blues, and Dan's gravelly voice, but something has changed. It's noticeable from the first riff Dan Auerbach lays down on "Just Got To Be:" it's downright Zeppelin-esque. It's huge and I am reluctant to compare Dan to Jimmy Page, and not because I don't hold Jimmy Page in such high regard, it's because I feel like I'm doing The Black Keys a disservice. Blasphemy you say? Listen up. The guitar work on "Your Touch" is even bigger and badder than it is on the opener, and you know what? I haven't even mentioned how Pat Carney fiercely attacks the drums on every song as if it's his last. From these two songs alone, it's become apparent that The Black Keys have transformed themselves into the premier two man rock and roll machine. Thankfully, "Your Touch" isn't the last song on Magic Potion. There's a lot more to dig into. "Just a Little Heat", "Give Your Heart Away", and "Modern Times" merely add to Dan Auerbach's reputation for creating massive blues riffs. "Strange Desire" combines a a fierce garage rock intro, howling vocals, and an extended psychedelic outtro into one killer track. Finally, if you need a break, The Keys, can throw in a track like "Goodbye Babylon," one that moves along at a smouldering pace, yet still finds a proper place to unleash a giant guitar line or two. Sh*t, I don't know what I can tell you in closing. How many more ways can I say awesome? If nothing else, let me remind you once again that this is the biggest, baddest, slab of guitar blues rock you can wrap your ears around. You must rock this. The Black Keys - Your Touch.mp3 The Black Keys - Strange Desire.mp3 Magic Potion by The Black Keys -- 9 1/2 out of 10 on the Rockometer. It doesn't go much higher than that. The Black Keys

The Black Angels - Ronette's Jam

"Ronettes Jam" by the Black Angels is a tune that you may have heard if you've seen the Black Angels live in the past couple months. It's not the scorching psychedelic rock that you may be used to from these guys. This one simmers slowly in a psychedelic stew and just when you think its about to blast off, it slides slowly away. The version I have here was recorded live this June in Seattle. I did a little snip snip at the end of the song to remove the crowd noise and added a nice little fade out. Black Angels - Ronettes Jam.mp3 Don't forget the Black Angels are going to touring throughout the Fall. Those dates with the Black Keys are sure to be the highlight of the fall concert season. The Black Angels photo courtesy of Narisa Spaulding

Is Indie Too Safe?

I've been thinking a lot lately. Luckily for you, I've been thinking about music, and not women I'd like to sleep with, guacamole, or the inherent spirituality in Dude Where's My Car. What got me thinking you ask? Well, first it was Pitchfork's review of the new Birdmonster CD, and the subsequent discussion I had with fellow bloggers about that review. Then, there was a discussion, on the same message board, where I asked what's going to be the next big trend in rock music. The final pieces of the puzzle came tonight when I caught two more articles Spin.com. The first, told of certain indie musicians affinity for Hall and F'n Oates. The second, was a review of The Smoking Popes reunion tour. I'll spare you the tedium. You don't have to read all of this to understand my point. Indie, and especially, indie pop has become too safe. Consider the facts: A) Part of Birdmonster's popularity comes from the fact that they don't play it safe and people are yearning for rock music again. B) The next trend in music may come in reaction to the safe sounds of Adult Alternative (or what the cool kids call indie pop). C) Hall and F'n Oates. There is nothing cool about Hall and F'n Oates. D) 10 years ago, The Smoking Popes were making pop songs that weren't perfect, that had a bit of an edge to them, and had melodies as sweet as anything you'll hear today. Finally consider this: If you were an indie kid 10 years ago, and you had a cassette tape of Superchunk playing in your car, your friends would tell you to put on something else. Today if you're driving in your car with your parents and you have Death Cab playing on the stereo, your parents will want to borrow the cd and rip it for their iPod. Just remember, when Sebadoh sang "Gimme Indie Rock" they weren't talking about The Captain or Tennile, they were talking about Husker Du.

The Lights - Setting Sun

Let's talk about guitars. I like talking about guitars. I like it when bands like The Lights make that noise like a chainsaw on metal. This track, "Setting Sun," starts out with some basic garage rock fare, but then that riff of destruction hits, and it's garage rock no more. That shattering machine sound comes so unexpectedly it'll send shivers straight down your spine. The second time it comes around, you can try to prepare for it, but you'll likely have the same reaction. The Lights - Setting Sun.mp3 The Lights hail from Seattle, the land of noise, and damn, they're doing their best to make sure that Seattle will forever be the land of noise. Their latest cd, Diamonds and Dust, will be out September 28th on Wantage. I'm definitely looking forward to getting my hands on this one. The Lights Myspace Wantage

John Richards Interviews Pluto

From The Kexp Blog: KEXP dj, John Richards, interviewed Pluto about its recent demotion from planethood. Needless to say, Pluto's a little pissed right now. I'm glad that John Richards is giving Pluto its chance to have its case heard. The only way this decision will ever get reversed is if dedicated people like John keep fighting the good fight.

A Blues Rock Explosion From Spencer Dickinson

File Under: How the f*ck did I overlook this for so long. Cruising through my mp3 library this afternoon, I came across this scorcher of a track: "That's A Drag" by Spencer Dickinson. Spencer Dickinson is the collaboration between John Spencer of The Blues Explosion and Luther and Cody Dickinson of The North Missippi All-Stars and the result is pure, raucous, and riff heavy rock and roll. Spencer Dickinson - That's a Drag.mp3 Yeproc Artist Website

Quick Riffs: IV Thies, Cassettes Won't Listen, Priestess

The Tripwire interviewed Nic Armstrong from IV Thieves after a recent show in Austin. Cassettes Won't Listen are recording a follow up to the 2005 E.p., Nobody's Moving. A recording diary is being kept up at CassettesWon'tListen.com. Depending on your point of view, Priestess have either never left the road, or are back on the road. The band who put the rock back in rock, will be out with Nashville Pussy this September and October.

Lemonheads US and UK Tour Dates

From Evandando.co.uk and Lemonheads.net UK dates October: 5th - Norwich UEA 6th - London Forum9th - Leeds Met University 10th - Oxford Brookes University 11th - Cambridge Junction 12th - Liverpool Academy 14th - Coventry Coliseum 15th - Nottingham Rock City 16th - Manchester Academy 2 17th - Glasgow ABC 21st - Bristol Academy 22nd - Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall US dates November: 18th - Galaxy Theatre, Santa Ana CA 19th - Belly Up Tavern, Solana Beach CA 21st & 22nd - Troubadour, Los Angeles CA 24th & 25th - Independent, San Francisco CA 27th - Dour Fir Lounge, Portland OR 28th - Crocodile Cafe, Seattle WA 30th - The Big Easy, Boise ID December: 1st - The Depot, Salt Lake City UT 2nd - Bluebird Theatre, Denver CO 4th - Sokol Underground, Omaha NE 5th - The 400 Bar, Minneapolis MN 7th & 8th - Double Door, Chicago IL 9th - Grog Shop, Cleveland OH 10th - Magic Stick, Detroit MI 12th - Lee's Palace, Toronto ON 13th - North Star Bar, Philadelphia PA 14th - The Black Cat, Washington DC 15th - Irving Plaza, New York NY 16th - Avalon Ballroom, Boston MA The Lemonheads

Monster Movie

Last week I had scribbled the words "Monster Movie or Movie Monsters" on the scratch pad I keep at my desk at work. The scratch pad is a really handy blogger tool. While I'm slaving away at computer code for my real job I keep a list of bands and songs I hear on KEXP to research later that evening. Most times, the scratch pad works really well. This case proved a little more difficult. It turns out the scrath pad works best when you get the band's name right. Today, I can confidently say that the band is Monster Movie. I can also tell you that Monster Movie's latest disc, All Lost, is being released on Graveface. Monster Movie craft subtle dream pop in the vein of Mojave 3, Low, or The Red House Painters. "Driving Through Red Lights" is a fun little dream pop/synth pop song with lots of hooks and a catchy sing songy chorus. Meanwhile, the other song I have, "Vanishing Act" is in the more traditional dream pop vein with it's mixture of jangling guitars and expansive atmospheric lines. Monster Movie - Driving Through Red Lights.mp3 Monster Movie - Vanishing Act.mp3 Monster Movie E-Card With Full Album Stream Monster Movie

I've Got A Secret

I got Magic Potion by The Black Keys in the mail today and it absolutely kills. The Black Keys

Miserable Girl

So I asked the Rock Gods, "Dear Gods of Rock what shall I ever rock today?" The rock gods responded in a thunderous voice, "SOULWAX. MISERABLE GIRL." I don't like to argue with the Rock Gods, so I'm giving unto a you giant slab of disco-demolition dance punk madness. Soulwax - Miserable Girl.mp3 "Miserable Girl" comes off of the forthcoming cd, Night Versions, due out on September 12th on Modular Records. Soulwax

Quick Riffs: The D, Bottle Me Emo, and Pete Doerty and Carl Barat

Tenacious D In The Pick of Destiny will hit theathers November 17th and the soundtrack will be out three days earlier. The soundtrack is set to feature appearances from Ronnie James Dio, Meatloaf, and Dave Grohl. Another emo band was belted with bottles in England over the weekend. First, Panic At The Disco drew the ire of English rock fans and now My Chemical Romance has suffered a similar fate. The death watch for all things emo is officially on. According to Spin.com, a record label in the UK is trying to reunite Carl Barat and Pete Doherty.

Summer Lawns

A few things you should know about the New York City band, Summer Lawns. First, they don't sound like what you would expect from a band named Summer Lawns. A more apt description would be "Dark nights spent alone by low candlelight. Next, their 2005 cd, First We Waited, Then It Happened, has been stuck on repeat ever since I first listened to it yesterday afternoon. The immediate comparisons for Summer Lawns may be Low and Yo La Tengo, but I also hear hints of Jeff Buckley, Nada Surf, and The Velvet Underground. Finally, as you may have inferred from my second point, you must listen to this band. Summer Lawns is comprised of Jeremy Linzee (vocals, guitar), Andrew Landry (guitar, keyboards), Laurel Birkey (cello, vocals), and Kieran Kelly (drums). Once cellist Laurel Birkey joined the band, she encouraged her bandmates to write and play music in the manner of a chamber quartet, a process in which each part was meticulously crafted as part of a larger whole. The reults of this process are songs that are sparse, dynamic, and cohesive at the same time. Summer Lawns - Piano Song.mp3 Summer Lawns - Concrete and Wood.mp3 Summer Lawns Summer Lawns on Myspace Stunning Models on Display

The Morons Are Winning

"There is a war on and all of the morons are winning." Shane Nelken, the principal songwriter of The Awkward Stage (and the man responsible for that fantastic line) has spent time as part of Carl "AC" Newman's band. Carl Newman is part of The New Pornographers. AC Newman and The New Pornographers produce some of the sweetest guitar pop music in existence. Do you see where I'm going with this? Needless to say, The Awkward Stage also produce some of that fine Canadian pop. Enjoy. The Awkward Stage - The Mornons Are Winning.mp3 The debut album from The Awkward Stage, Heaven Is For Easy Girls, will be out on October 10th on Mint Records. The Awkward Stage on Myspace

We're Number 7

Finally something our city can be proud of. Cleveland has just been named the 7th most drinkingest city by Forbes magazine. I think a celebration is in order. 10 Most Drinkingest Cities in America: 1. Milwaukee 2. Minneapolis - St Paul 3. Columbus, OH 4. Boston 5. Austin 6. Chicago 7. Cleveland 8. Pittsburgh 9. Philadelphia 9 - tie. Providence

Song For The Fields

Here's one that's been rocking my sound system over the past few days: "Song For The Fields" by Fields. It has me hooked with that mad Madchester sound from the days of yore. Fields - Song For The Fields.mp3 It seems everyone in this band has an interesting background. For example, vocalist/keyboardist Thorunn hails from Iceland, her father composed the Icelandic National Anthem and she once made a living as a voice-over artist specializing in pixie and elf voices. Then, there's bass player, Matty, who bangs hair for such famous clients like Bloc Party and Franz Ferdinand. The debut release by Fields, Seven From The Village, will be out September 12th on Black Lab. Fields on Myspace

Breaking News: Pluto No Longer a Planet

From yahoo news: Astronomers Say Pluto No Longer a Planet Many people are saddened by this news. We've all grown up with 9 planets and now there's only eight. Even more problematic is that we no longer have a mnemonic to help us with the names of all of the planets. Well, at I Rock Cleveland, I'm more than happy to help out. I've come up with a quick and easy mnemonic with the 8 planets in our solar syste: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Nepture. Mike's Very Easy Mother Just Started Undressing Now. No need to thank me. It's what I'm here for.

No Time To Explain. Let Me Sum Up. Cds Reviewed By Primal Scream, Ratatat, Mountain Goats

Let me sum up. Yesterday I found myself with a logjam of new music to go through and managed to bust out three reviews. I have three more today and I still haven't gotten to that new cd by Paris Hilton. This guy I know says it's really sweet. Primal Scream - Riot City Blues (Columbia) The subtitle for this one should be the good, the bad, and the head scratching. First the good. I love the cowboy disco rock of the opener "Country Girl." Next, the bad. "Suicide Sally and Johnny Guitar" does not work at all. I can't put my finger on exactly why I don't care for this song. One thing I can put my finger on is the next button. I have no problem putting my finger on the next button to get to song four. Let's just say it's not good. Now, here's the head scratching. The next two songs: "When The Bomb Drops" and "Little Death" have a serious psychedelic spin to them. "When The Bomb Drops" is the rocker of the two, and "Little Death" is a classic Primal Scream dopey exploration. Nothing wrong here. The problem is that they lead straight into the blues rock stompmer, "99th Floor." It's like the person responsible for sequencing the order of tracks on Riot City Blues accidentally hit shuffle. It's really a head scratchingly bizarre sequence of tracks. From this point on, I really have no qualms with Riot City Blues. I find it all rather enjoyable. You get a little boogie rock, some country rock, and a little swamp boogie rock, then the disc closes out with the punk rock assault of "Gimme Some Truth." The problem with Riot City Blues is those two rough spots I pointed out earlier. Luckily, with today's technology that can be fixed. I recommend taking your copy of Riot City Blues, rip it to mp3, delete "Suicide Sally and Johnny Guitar," then reorder the tracks after "Little Death." You'll find yourself having a much more pleasurable listening experience. Riot City Blues receives a 5 1/2 out of 10 in its current state, but with a little tweaking it can be a 7. Primal Scream Ratatat - Classics (XL Recordings) I like the Ratatat. I like the half guitar and half laptop rock compositions. They move seamlessly from the old school hip hop flavored "Lex" to the Beatles druggy era sound of "Tropicana" and even throw in a flamenco inspired track like "Swisha." Now, if I have a problem with Ratatat, it's that even though their music may be influenced by a wide variety of styles, each track inevitably sounds like a Ratatat song. While, not necessarily a bad thing, it does have the strange effect of making it very easy to get lost when listening to Classics. The beats, blips, and beats change from song to song, but the guitar tends to stick to this robotic french disco sound. If it was on repeat, you'd have a hard time distinguishing between many of the songs. Additionally, if I queued up both of my Ratatat discs in a row, I'd have a hard time separating one from the other. As of today, I am firmly on the Ratatat bandwagon. I say this with a caveat. These dudes are obviously very talented musicians and on their next release I'm going to be expecting some new tricks (or at the very least a new effects pedal). Ratatat's Classics rates a 7 out of 10 on the Rockometer Ratatat Ratatat - Wildcat.mp3 Mountain Goats - Get Lonely (4AD) I just don't know about this disc. It's not that I don't like it. It's that there isn't anything that stands out. All of it is well written, well performed, and John Darnielle's lyrics are still direct and powerful. I simply can't point out one highlight. It's 40 minutes flow by easily and you'll have a satisfied feeling when it's done. But, there's that but, and I can't escape it. I'm waiting for a moment when one of these sweet and lonely ballads or one of these mellow strummers will stand out. I've listened a few times and I'm still waiting. Perhaps I should just enjoy this disc for what it is, easy listening indie rock. Get Lonely by The Mountain Goats is a 6 out of 10 on the Rockometer. The Mountain Goats The Mountain Goats - Woke Up New.mp3

The Lemonheads - No Backbone

No sooner did I write about new Lemonheads tracks on The Lemonheads website, the music mysteriously disappeared. Fret not, dear reader, an mp3 of "No Backbone" from the forthcoming release on Vagrant, appeared today. Lemonheads - No Backbone.mp3 Yep, it sounds awesome, too. "No Backbone" is the perfect combination of the loud and loose rock of The Lemonheads Taang! releases and the tight sense of melody found on Evan Dando's classic release, "It's A Shame About Ray." The Lemonheads

Just Announced: Black Keys and Black Angels at The Cleveland Agora

Man, what an incredible double bill: The Black Keys and The Black Angels at The Cleveland Agora November 18th. I remember posting Black Keys and Black Angels east coast dates a few weeks back and being excited and pissed at the same time. Excited at such a great pairing, but pissed that there was no Cleveland date annnounced. I am officially not pissed. Tickets go on sale this Saturday. The Black Keys sold out the Agora earlier this year, so I would highly recommend getting your tix ahead of time. The Black Keys and The Black Angels 11.02.06 - Avalon Ballroom - Boston, MA 11.03.06 - Nokia Theatre - New York, NY 11.04.06 - Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA 11.05.06 - 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C. 11.06.06 - 9:30 Club - Washington, D.C. 11.08.06 - The Norva - Norfolk, VA 11.09.06 - Cat's Cradle - Carrboro, NC 11.10.06 - Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, GA 11.15.06 - Headliners - Louisville, KY 11.18.06 - Cleveland Agora - Cleveland, OH The Black Keys The Black Angels

No Time To Explain, Let Me Sum Up. CD's Reviewed By The Thermals, Darker My Love, and Radio Birdman

There is simply too much good music coming out this week and since I have neither a Wayback Machine nor a Delorean with a Flux Capacitor, it would be damn near impossible to give each release it's proper place. So, since I don't have time to explain, let me sum up: I'm going to hit you with three reviews today and three more reviews tomorrow. The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine (Sub Pop) Being damned has never sounded so damn good. The Thermals take the notion of a theocracy gone wild and run with it for 35 explosive minutes. Pitchfork has already made the comparison to Green Day's landmark American Idiot and thematically speaking, that comparison is rather just. It's another disc that will resonate the loudest with left-leaning secularists. Musically, The Thermals sit comfortably between modern punk rock and vintage 90's Sub Pop noise rock. "Pillar of Salt," the lead single, is loud, fast, poignant, and sure to get your blood boiling. "St Rosa and The Swallows" is a mid-tempo rocker with a thick and heavy melody. Yet, the highlight for me, is the propulsive "Two By Two." Here, shouts of "Two by Two" and references back to the biblical story of Noah and The Flood, are bracketed by a simple noisy rhythm. The Thermals The Thermals - A Pillar of Salt.mp3 The Body, The Blood, The Machine gets The 8 on The Rockometer Darker My Love - Darker My Love (Dangerbird) For some people, the most beautiful sound in the world may be their lover's voice. For others, it may be the sound of birds chirping outside their bedroom morning at sunrise, or it may be the sound of water travelling easily down a stream. Not me. I'm a rocker. To me the most beautiful sound in the world is a guitar. More specifically, it's the sound of loud, droning, fuzzy guitars. With this in mind, listening to Darker My Love is like 40 minutes spent in paradise. On songs like "What's a Man's Paris" the music is furious. While on "Fall," a backdrop of chainsaw guitars droning in the background gets interrupted my moments of vast noise and mayhem. What makes this cd work for me is the fact that Darker My Love never get too enamored with one melody nor do they let feedback act as a substitue for melody. Passages my ooze by at times, but whenever you start to get comfortable, that psychedelic tone is jarred with another stunning guitar attack. The self-titled cd by Darker My Love droned and moaned it's way to a 7 1/2 out of 10 on the Rockometer. Darker My Love Darker My Love - What's A Man's Paris.mp3 Radio Birdman - Zeno Beach (Yeproc) Radio Birdman, along with Mission of Burma, have forever changed my opinion of veteran rockers. If you told me earlier in the year that I would be rocking out to new releases by Radio Birdman and Mission of Burma, and not only would I be rocking out to these bands, but thoroughly enjoying them, in all likeliehood, I would have said you were sh*t stupid. Sure, Radio Birdman have lofty status in the eyes of critics and rock and roll historians, but their heyday was nearly 30 years ago, and to be honest with you, the success rate of rock and roll reunions isn't that high. Now that I got that out of thee way, let me tell you this: Zeno Beach rocks. It does nothing to tarnish their esteemed reputation and may even strengthen their standing in rock and roll lore. The hooks come heavy and fast on the opener "We've Come So Far(To Be Here Today)" as well as the second track, "You Just Make It Worse." The strength of Zeo Beach is that Radio Birdman are able to sould like 76 and 06 at the same time. A song like "Connected" has a heavy sound of 76 feel to it, yet at the same time, it's not rehashed and it doesn't sound like a band trying to recapture past glories. It's fresh. I remember reading a quote on a message board about Mission of Burma's The Obliterati, and that quote holds true for Radio Birdman as well. It went something like this: "Isn't it great when a band kicks a**, goes away for a while, then, kicks a** again." Yes, it's great. Punk F*ckinRock. Radio Birdman get a 7 out of 10 on the Rockometer. Radio Birdman on Yeproc Radio Birdman - We've Come So Far (To Be Here Today).mp3

Johnny Nobody

Johnny Nobody are the best thing to come out of Buffalo since The Goo Goo Dolls. Trust me on this one. There was a time where The Goo Goo Dolls where compared to bands like The Replacements and not to bands that suck. Johnny Nobody compose some high quality power pop that's heavy on the hooks and melodies. If you're a fan of early Cheap Trick, Superdrag, or Sloan or power chords in general, chances are you'll really dig what this band has to offer. Johnny Noboddy - Lies Float.mp3 Johnnyt Nobody - High On It.mp3 Johnny Nobody - Land Mines.mp3 Johnny Nobody on Myspace

OK, This Is Serious

"Somebody's Watching Me" is STILL stuck in my head. I need help. If anyone can tell me how to get Rockwell out of my head, it would be much appreciated.

The Clock Work Army Can't Hold It Down

What can't the Clock Work Army hold down? A sneeze? A belly of booze? Their excitement at posing for a press photo? Don't know. In terms of song, "It" would happen to be anxious and angular indie rock music. "It" can trace its roots to Dischord, post punk, and dance punk. "It" would also happen to be something sounding really good in my sound system right now. The Clock Work Army - Can't Hold It Down.mp3 San Diego's Clock Work Army has an ep out now, A Catalyst For Change, on Banter Records. A full length will be out this October. The Clock Work Army

Thought You'd Like To Know

I just heard some old dude blasting Rockwell "Somebody's Watching Me" out his car speakers as I walked home to my apartment. It's thoroughly wedged in my head. Oh, and I apologize if by the mere mention of "Somebody's Watching Me," the song has gotten wedged in your head, too.

Quick Riffs: Sloan, Houseguest, Beaten Awake, and Ratatat

This is either great news or scary news depending on your point of view. The next cd by Canadian power poppers Sloan will contain 30 tracks. I love Sloan, but it's so f'n hard to put 30 killer tracks on disc. I'm praying they prove me wrong. You can now pre-order copies of Let's Get Simplified by Beaten Awake and High Strangeness by Houseguest on the Fat Possum website. Word on the street is that both of these releases exude awesomeoness. Pitchfork reviewed Classics, the new album by web darlings Ratatat and gave it a rather average 6.0. I don't play that game where I question Pitchfork reviews. They are what they are: one person's opinion (albeit a rather influential opinion). Additionally, I don't necessarily disagree with their criticism. Ratatat, with all their talent, have the habit of putting some of their tunes on cruise control. That being said, you can stream Classics in its entirety on AOL.

Easy Rockin Sunday with Jed and Lucia, Galaxie 500, Jose Gonzalez, The Album Leaf, and Kaki King

"World on Fire" by Jed and Lucia is a wonderful electronic folk number off of their album Candles in Daylight. It's simple, elegant, potent, and perfect to start a Sunday morning. Jed and Lucia - World on Fire.mp3 Have I told you lately how awesome Galaxie 500 was? No? Well they were quite the awesome band. "Here She Comes Now" is a Velvet Underground cover that can be found on the expanded release of Galaxie 500's 1990 album This is Our Music. Galaxie 500 - Here She Comes Now.mp3 I became familiar with this Kylie Minogue cover by Jose Gonzalez when he was profiled by NPR. Needless to say, it is a striking departure from the original. Also needless to say, I quite prefer this version. Jose Gonzalez - Hand on Your Heart.mp3 The album Leaf (Jimmy LaVelle) is set to release his latest album, Into the Blue, on Subpop Records on September 12th. "Always for You" is the most exquisite lead single from that album. The Album Leaf - Always for You.mp3 Kaki King is a classically trained guitarist who just released her newest album, Until We Felt Red on August 8th. "Yellowcake" is a beautifully haunting accoustic number, and I'd like to think it's about the delicious dessert and not nuclear materials. Kaki King - Yellowcake.mp3 Previous Mixes: 08.13.06 - Entrance, The Donkeys, Mountain Goats, Wilco 08.06.06 Pablo, Nouvelle Vague, Balun, Mattison, and Eric Bachmann 07.23.06 Kite Flying Society, Portastatic, SSLYBY, and The Pandas

Annuals

I will always have room in the I Rock Cleveland sound system for indie popsters who callenge the status quo. Adam Baker is the mastermind behind the Raleigh/Durham based band, Annuals. They've already gotten comparisons to other well-established pop collectives like Broken Social Scene and Animal Collective. Their plan of attack is similar to BSS -- take a good melody, cover it with layers of sounds and instrumentation, and disguise it within a unique song structure. Be He Me, the latest from the Annuals, will be released on October 17th on Ace Fu and includes the tracks "Brother","Dry Clothes", and "Bleary Eyed." Annuals - Brother.mp3 Annuals - Dry Clothes.mp3 Annuals - Bleary Eyed.mp3 Tour Dates: 9/12 - Philadelphia at the Khyber 9/14 - NYC at Sin-e 9/15 - Brooklyn at North Six w/ The Kills 9/16 - Boston at Middle East 9/18 - Cleveland at Grog Shop w/ Man Man 9/19 - Chicago at Subterranean 10/19 - NYC at Irving Plaza w/ Art Brut 10/20 - Philadelphia at Starlight Ballroom w/ Art Brut 10/22 - Birmingham at Bottletree w/ Tapes 'N Tapes 10/24 - Tallahassee at Club Downunder w/ Tapes 'N Tapes 10/25 - Gainesville at Common Grounds w/ Tapes 'N Tapes 10/26 - Orlando at the Social w/ Tapes 'N Tapes 10/27 - St. Augustine at Café 11 w/ Tapes 'N Tapes 10/28 - Athens at Tasty World w/ Tapes 'N Tapes 10/29 - Atlanta at the Loft w/ Tapes 'N Tapes 10/30 - Chapel Hill, NC at Local 506 w/ Tapes 'N Tapes 10/31 - DC at Black Cat w/ Tapes 'N Tapes Annuals Myspace Annuals Ace Fu Records

Quick Riffs: Steely Dan's Douchebaggery, BSS Tour, ABO Tour

Thank you Tripwire for being a voice of reason and calling out Steely Dan for being a bunch of whiny old douchebags. That's right Steely Dan, you've officially left the realm of relevance and entered the realm of douchebaggery. Broken Social Scene have announced a fall US tour. Mark this date down: November 11th at The House of Blues Cleveland. The Archie Bronson Outift have a date at the Beachland Ballroom October 27th.

Foundry Field Recordings

Columbia, Missouri's Foundry Field Recordings have fielded lofty comparisons to such indie luminairies as Wilco, The Flaming Lips, and Grandaddy for their adventurous sense of rock and pop. Take the song "Buried Beneath The Winter Frames," for example. It starts with this monstrous Bonham-esque drum intro, but does it rock into a gigantic Zeppelin-esque riff? No. The pounding drums lead into a strummy, jangly guitar pop song. And you know what? I'm perfectly cool with that. In fact, I really dig that juxtaposition of big drums and little guitars. "Broken Strings" is a much quieter affair. On this simple and delicate ballad, you can hear echoes of The Lips or Grandaddy. Foundry Field Recordings - Buried Beneath The Winter Frames.mp3 Foundry Field Recordings - Broken Strings.mp3 Both of these tunes can be found on their 2006 release prompts/miscues on Electric Umbrella. Foundry Field Recordings

American Princes - Never Grow Old (Video)

This is the video for the latest single from American Princes' latest cd, Less and Less. This is still one of my fav releases from 2006. Now, the video, is interesting to say the least. I'm not sure what I really think of it. It's a great concept, but I'm not so sure it works for five minutes. The song, on the other hand, rocks. American Princes

Get Your First Listen To The New Lemonheads Album

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