Test Post

You can feel free to ignore this one if you want. Just going to be some random things that I enjoy without much description. I found out recently that my favored file hosting site is going to be shutting down and every mp3 I've posted up until now will be disappearing unless I find a suitable replacement. This will simply serve as a way for me to test out a new service while posting some random nonsense.


Here's the lead singer of As I Lay Dying doing his best Arnold Schwarzenegger impression set to some total brutal music.


Austrian Death Machine - Get to the Choppa
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So, did it work? I hope so...


***EDIT***


Well, THAT was a spectacular failure. In the last 2 hours, I've been on google looking for acceptable alternatives and haven't found squat. In all likelihood, I'll end up having to close down this sight or actually learn how to write well. The last thing I want is a ragequit, but we'll see. It's not like anybody actually reads this thing anyway.

I Miss You More Than You'll Ever Know

Between this, the last post about Boys & Frogs and a little stop-gap filler on this blog's facebook page (which you should probably "like" if you don't already), we're sitting at three posts about music videos in a row. Will this trend continue? If groups I love keep churning out artistic, interesting, erotic and/or simply badass music videos, then yes.


Ladies and gentlemen, this video has a touch of all of those aforementioned adjectives and more.


If you'll recall, when last we saw mr. Gnome, they had just made kinky love to my earholes with their fully engorged rock and roll ding-dongs at the Conservatory. Since they wrapped that tour, they've been busy recording their third album and conceptualizing/shooting/editing their new video for "Vampires." The new album has yet to materialize, but the video launched on YouTube just a few days ago. I'm embedding it here, but I highly recommend watching it on YouTube proper so you can see the full-sized version.


mr. Gnome - Vampires (Content Warning for Language/Violence/Drug Use [see a doctor if you experience an erection lasting more than four hours])

What I love so much about this video is that it's a throwback to the days when music video's could be more than just glorified commercials. "Vampires" is a three-minute-and-change song and this video stretches to the 10 minute mark. To me, this ranks up there with epic videos like "Thriller" or "November Rain," except the song is actually good and they don't have to cramp their style to conform to MTV's lame standards and practices. Hell, I'll agree with a buddy of mine who just watched it and say that this is better than most of the movies I've seen over the last few years. It's obvious that the band had a vision and that they were dead set on executing it to perfection (read their sweet-ass blog for any length of time and you'll figure out really quickly that there's nobody who could have conceived this other than them). If you haven't watched it yet in spite of the fact that I embedded the damn thing in the middle of this wall of text, I'm not going to ruin it for you by getting into details. Suffice it to say that their small cast of characters get their due development in the short 10 minutes and none of them, save the band who are caught off guard and playing on amidst the chaos, are too sympathetic. Seriously, this is the best music video I've seen in years.


Now that I'm done jizzing all over this video's face, I should mention that mr. Gnome are set to play the Conservatory again on December 1st here in OKC and I STRONGLY recommend that you attend, buy a "mr. Gnome: Better than porn" t-shirt (funny story there) and offer to fellate them after (or before) the show. They deserve it after all. And if you don't live in Oklahoma City, peep their tour dates and see where you can catch them on this tour. You won't be disappoint.

Micropost 3

Still working on that post about repetitive music from my childhood, but felt this was worth posting. You'll remember Boys and Frogs from a prior post. If you don't remember, woe be upon you. They have a joyous sound which I still maintain reminds me of a scaled back Arcade Fire back when AF was still good. Got a message from one of the guys in the band and they just debuted their first music video in the last few weeks. It's for their latest single, "In Dreams" and I think it's delightful. 

Boys and Frogs "In Dreams" from Boys and Frogs on Vimeo.


So yeah. Cruise on over to their vimeo page and watch it there at a larger size. And buy their music if you haven't already. 

(seriously, what are you waiting for?)

Sometimes I Try to Pretend

This will mark my third post about Hurricane Bells and, unless Steve Schiltz goes on a crazy streak of insane productivity (which is not necessarily out of the question given that it's been about a year since the first HB release), it may be the last one dedicated to them for a while. Now, I know in my last post I promised that I would be talking about "bleeps and bloops," but I felt that I needed to move this one to the front burner. I mentioned not long ago that this EP was coming out and, as expected, it's outstanding. More blissful, low-key stuff that's perfect for autumn and doesn't stray away from the formula that, in my opinion, made "Tonight is the Ghost" so great. However, this doesn't really showcase Schiltz songwriting chops as much as HB's debut as 3 of the 5 tracks are covers.


Hurricane Bells - Waiting Song

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If you'll also recall when I made the preview post for this EP I was pretty ambivalent about the cover of Blue October's "Into the Ocean" being included on the disc. It turns out that I really had nothing to worry about. Steve takes a song that I didn't really care for at all to begin with and turned it into one of the highlights on the record.


Hurricane Bells - Into the Ocean

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See? That wasn't so bad, now was it? If you feel inclined to purchase this, I recommend doing so directly through the band's website. Whether you buy the physical version or the digital download, you'll receive the "Ghost Stories" EP as a free bonus, which is just 5 remixes of previously released material. Being the completist that I am when it comes to Steve's work, I had to have it. And track 3 is actually pretty awesome to boot. Win-win!


Hurricane Bells - Winters in New York (Carlos Anthony Molina Remix)

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There you have it. 2 EPs for the price of one. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some 16-bit blinking, blonking stuff to listen to for the next post. For real this time.

All My Life Spent Alone

Okay, so it's over a week. Congratulations to those of you who bet against me. You've won. Anyway, I had considerable trouble when trying to come up with the subject for this post. Then Autumn happened. I stepped outside Sunday morning and was immediately taken with how crisp and clean the air was. I love this time of year. It makes me want to huddle close to someone on a park bench and watch the sun go down as a brisk breeze blows over us by the lake. It makes me want to fall in love.


And so last night, I did what I always do when I feel all dovey and nostalgic for a past that's not yet behind me. I put James Iha's "Let it Come Down" on the turntable.


James Iha - Be Strong Now

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For anybody who somehow doesn't know, Iha was a guitarist in The Smashing Pumpkins before they broke up and subsequently "reformed" without him. He went on to work with an eclectic variety of musicians including A Perfect Circle and members of Hanson and Cheap Trick (yes, THAT Hanson). But in 1998, before the Pumpkins' released "Adore" he quietly released this solo album. Critical reaction was mixed and it didn't sell very well. To be honest, I was a HUGE Pumpkins fan and I didn't bother to buy the album until after the band broke up, but it eventually found its way into my collection.


James Iha - Sound of Love

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I remember going to some awful record store on the south side of OKC that was run by a local promoter when I was first getting into vinyl. The shop is long-since gone and the former owner has done less than his fair share of jail time, but that's another story for another day. Anyway, I was thumbing through everything they had when I happened upon a used copy of this record. I'd never listened to it, but I knew right then and there that I had to have it. I put it on as soon as I got home and immediately fell in love with it.


James Iha - Silver String

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There are few things that hit the spot like this album does for me. Sure, it's kinda cornball, James' voice isn't the strongest thing in the world and the word "love" makes more appearances than "sun" on a Polyphonic Spree record, but (and this is important) it feels sincere. So often, I listen to a record that's this heavy on "love" songs and it sounds forced or contrived. Not so here. It has that same honest, heart-on-the-sleeve quality that I love so much about all of The Avett Brothers' records. James genuinely sounds like a young dude head-over-heels for some sweet little thing from a small town in the midwest who has a good relationship with her father and loves "Pet Sounds" and Fleet Foxes in equal measure. But enough about me. All in all, this record is a fantastic little slab of alt country that would stand up well next to most of Ryan Adams' and Wilco's early respective outputs. Sappy, sweet and saccharine love songs that would make any feeling person with good taste melt a little on the inside.


James Iha - No One's Gonna Hurt You

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The bad news is that It's out of print and it's not on iTunes, but with rumors circulating that he's working on a second solo album (over ten years later mind you), it might be a good time for him to consider a deluxe reissue with bonus tracks and such. Otherwise, it's readily available used on ebay and amazon or, if you feel so inclined, illegally. And since you won't be taking any money out of his pocket by downloading an album that's been out of print for some time now, I see no harm in linking you to this. Yeah, I know that I'm asking for trouble, but whatever. Just don't expect me to make a habit out of this sort of thing. Bear in mind that the songs are probably out of order and I can't vouch for the bitrate. I may up a higher quality version with some bonus tracks eventually if I can track down my CD copy. Just keep checking back and you'll probably see it here at some point.


For a preview of coming attractions: More Nostalgia!!!


**EDIT**


Changed the last link since the video got taken down due to a "terms of use violation." Looks like Square is really living up to their name/reputation.

Music from Vacation: Volume 2

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it seems that once again it has taken me longer to post than originally planned. Combinations of family illness and the lack of a consistent internet connection have gotten in the way (mostly the internet thing) but no more! The time is nigh for a long-promised post about Owl & Penny label-mates, Boys & Frogs.


Boys & Frogs - Every Daughter's Dance

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Now, I know what you're thinking. "What are the chances that two bands from the same greater metro area, on the same label with similar naming conventions would both be very good, much less worth writing home about?" Well wonder no more. These kids are legit. As with Owl & Penny, I picked up their EP "In Desperate Need of a Car Crash" while on a "working" vacation in Phoenix, AZ (and by "working," I mean being a drunken mess of a groomsman at my best friend's wedding for the better part of a week [Danial, I love you man]). This was actually the first disc out of three to which I listened and I was immediately impressed.


Boys & Frogs - Good Sons

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If you're into artists like Owen Pallett/Final Fantasy, Arcade Fire or even Morrissey (a touchstone I don't often cite as a positive influence, but it's actually applicable in a good way here), you're going to dig this collection of tunes. The instrumentation throughout is eclectic enough to remain interesting, but not eccentric enough to be off-putting or pretentious. These are all well-crafted indie-pop songs that get under your skin which you will find yourself whistling in public restrooms on a regular basis. Admit it. The reverb is awesome and whistling in the restroom is the easiest way to keep people from trying to engage in conversation with you while you bleed out those 44oz of soda you drank after lunch. The only gripe I have about it is some of the mixing choices, but that's just the ugly, elitist audiophile in me talking. At it's core "In Desperate Need of a Car Crash" is an excellent first effort. Should the EP not sate your appetite, there is also an iTunes-exclusive single called "In Dreams" which I can recommend without hesitation.


Next post is coming in under a week. You can bet on it.

Music from Vacation: Volume 1

Hey everybody. Long time, no see, eh? I've had some family stuff going on here over the past few weeks and haven't really had time to deliver new tunes to your e-doorsteps. Sorry about that.


Anyway, when last I blurbed about this blog on facebook (which, if you don't "like" this over there, you probably should, especially if you don't have a Blogger account), I mentioned a little something about blogging from the magical land of Phoenix, Arizona. You know, the state that cheated on New Mexico with California? Anyway, it turns out that week was more action-packed than I had anticipated, so didn't really get to do any actual blogging, BUT I did find time to slink off to a local record shop and pick up three CDs by bands native to the Phoenix area. Two of them were outstanding and one of them was bloody awful. Today, you get to learn about one of the great ones.


Owl & Penny - Summerflower

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Owl & Penny is essentially a one-man outfit from what I can gather. The dude writes really great, plaintive acoustic folk tunes. Touchstones for listeners would probably be Iron & Wine or Bright Eyes, but less whiney than Conor Oberst and not as literary-minded as Sam Beam. I suppose it falls somewhere in the middle of both if you need that sort of reference point. Either way, these are well-written songs, and while he touches on subjects like homesickness, nostalgia and recreational drug/alcohol use, it never sounds stale or well-trod. Something about it manages to stay fresh.


Owl & Penny - Wooden Rings

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The songs here are from the CD version of "Fever Dreams" and I can honestly say there's not a bad song on it. It was hard picking just two. It's online as two EPs, "Fever Dreams" and "Stolen Silver," both of which are on the old iTunes and thinkindie.com. He's also just released a new digital, two-song single called "Two Beasts" from his forthcoming next album, available through the same avenues. And hey, he's even taking pre-orders for T-shirts on his facebook page if you need something with which to cover your jubblies... ladies. And maybe if enough people like this post, I can convince him to come play in Oklahoma City and crash on my couch sometime. Buy it. For the children.


Music from Vacation: Volume 2 coming soon. I'll give you two hints as to who it is: 1) They share a label with Owl & Penny and 2) They're not the band that sucked. Vague, I know, but happy hunting. See you next time (which I promise won't take nearly as long as this time).