2000-2009

In an attempt to assess the mass amounts of music that has been created since the year 2000, I have found myself writing a memoir of my adolescence instead of a simple blog post listing some noteworthy albums. The truth is, there were just too many good albums to choose from. While I just might post my homage to the past decade of music elsewhere-- I'll keep it simple and straightforward for this blog. I wouldn't even call this a "best albums of the decade" list. Each album presented here is quite different. This is more like a "albums I found myself listening to over and over in this decade" list.

I present to you (some of) my favorite albums of the past ten years, in order of the year in which each album was released.

-------------------------------------------

Radiohead / Kid A (2000)



Wilco / Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)



Sufjan Stevens / Michigan (2003)



Death Cab for Cutie / Transatlanticism (2003)



Arcade Fire / Funeral (2004)



Sufjan Stevens / Illinois (2005)



Bright Eyes / I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning (2005)



Margot and the Nuclear So and So's / The Dust of Retreat (2006)



M. Ward / Post-War (2006)



Snowden / Anti-Anti (2006)



Panda Bear / Person Pitch (2007)



Radiohead / In Rainbows (2007)



Berlin Whale / Berlin Whale (2007)



Of Montreal / Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? (2007)



That Ghost / Young Fridays (2008)

Salvation is Created

I just found out last night about Bifrost Art's latest Christmas album entitled Salvation is Created, thanks to a friend. The compilation, which is a follow-up to Come O Spirit!, features Sufjan Stevens, J. Tillman, The Welcome Wagon, Damien Jurado, David Bazan, and many other great artists.

To quote from Bifrost Art's site, "Bifrost Arts is a sacred music non-profit that exists to enrich the church and engage the world with beauty and truth."

This sounds rather excellent to me. I hope to be purchasing this soon. For more information about the album and Bifrost Art, click here.

New Arcade Fire album in 2010!

All speculation has finally been confirmed. Yes, that is correct. The Arcade Fire are finally returning with a third studio album in 2010. The projected month of release is in May. According to Billboard.com, "[t]he band is weighing multiple offers for live shows in the spring, and will likely take a top slot at one or more of the major North American summer festivals."

This is information that I, along with many other Arcade Fire fans have been waiting to hear since their 2007 release, Neon Bible. Needless to say, I am very excited about this. Could it mean a headlining spot for the band at Coachella?

New song from That Ghost: "In House"

Upon listening to "In House" by That Ghost, I was immediately transported to the Roosevelt Hotel in the 1920s. Images of the ghosts of actors and actresses of the day as they roamed about the hotel filled my mind, and sepia tones abounded.

It's a wonderfully sleepy track with earnest and somewhat haunting vocals. The lightness and subtlety of the song itself called to mind Grizzly Bear, ever so slightly, in their earlier days. Furthermore, the song casts a somber yet very warm and inviting tone, beckoning to be listened to more than once. If you have been following Ryan's music at all, you will notice his pleasant progression as an artist from his early recordings to now. However, if you are not so familiar with That Ghost, I urge you to take a listen.

myspace.com/thatghost

Los Angeles Freeway Opera

It could be purely coincidental, but I seem to be noticing a trend here when it comes to projects having to due with concrete lanes and automobiles. First, it started in New York with The BQE from Sufjan Stevens, which was originally commissioned by the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Now, we move to the West Coast, where the Los Angeles Opera is undergoing a project entitled "The 110 Project".

Commissioned by the Education and Community Programs department of the LA Opera, "The 110 Project" is centered around four main characters as they make their way through seventy years worth of Los Angeles history, which according to Current.com, begins with "the birth of the space program in Pasadena's Arroyo Seco in 1939 to downtown Los Angeles at midcentury. It concludes at the port of San Pedro in the present day."

Keeping true to the history of LA, the company has decided to include true events and authentic documents. As for the music, multiple composers are on board and the final project will be comprised of various original scores. Of course, it wouldn't be a true freeway opera without the use of freeway sounds. According to the L.A. Opera, the singers will form "a freeway chorus that scats and honks its commentary."

photo credit: nimarazfar.com

New EP from Animal Collective

According to Paste Magazine, Animal Collective is set to release a five-track EP entitled Fall Be Kind. The digital release will be available November 23rd, and a physical copy (either in compact disc or vinyl format) can be obtained in stores on December 15th.

Remember when Animal Collective made headlines this summer by gaining rights to a Grateful Dead sample? The song ("What Would I Want? Sky") featuring the sample will be available on this EP, as well as "Graze", a more recent live track from the band.

Videos: Jookabox & Animal Collective

Though Halloween has long since passed, I can't help but enjoy this video.
"You Cried Me" by Jookabox, from their latest album entitled Dead Zone Boys.
Asthmatic Kitty Records 2009.

In other news, Animal Collective has released a new video for "In The Flowers" off of their early 2009 release Merriweather Post Pavillion. It is (quite fittingly) very whimsical and colorful. Click here to view it.

Ready, Able

The video for "Ready, Able" off of Grizzly Bear's 2009 release,Veckatimest, was released recently. Simply put, it is a beautifully constructed video for a beautifully constructed song. Enjoy!

To the Pacific Northwest We Go.

Just some images of Phil Elvrum from when he was in the Washington-based band The Microphones.

Lately, I've been dreaming of the Pacific Northwest, and these photos only make me think of traveling to Oregon and Washington even more. It all seems wonderful. I can't wait to embark on that journey.

For now, though, I'll be here, listening to The Microphones and Helios (a wonderful Portland-based one-man band lead by Keith Kenniff that I haven't been able to get enough of for the past few years).

On a different note, Iceland (and essentially ever other Scandinavian country) always puts forth some great musicians. I've been listening to a lot of bands from that region lately. They're not new discoveries by any means, but rather old and familiar bands that I'm getting re-acquainted with. I love it when that happens. Maybe I'll devote a post to the great countries of Northern Europe soon.

Viva Voce

I've been constantly listening to the song "Octavio" by the Portland-based husband and wife duo (although they have added two more members for their latest album, so duo might no longer suffice) Viva Voce for the past few days. Though the song was released earlier this year, I can't help but play it on repeat. It brings me joy, and I thought that I might share a bit of that joy with you all.

The song if from the album Rose City which was released this year (2009) through Barsuk Records.

Sufjan Stevens

I recently came across an interview with Sufjan Stevens in The Guardian. Naturally, he discussed his inspiration for The BQE. He also mentioned his upcoming project entitled Music for Insomnia, which according to the article, is "an improvised synth-based album".

As for the 50 States Project, it's possible that we will not be seeing any more albums paying homage to all the American states. When asked about it, Sufjan responded with "I have no qualms about admitting it was a promotional gimmick". I'm not entirely surprised with this statement, but I did hold out hope for at least a few more albums for the project.

While Stevens is no stranger to grand projects, he mentioned that "I've feverishly, consistently, obsessively recorded, so now I've begun this self-imposed hiatus, where I'll stop releasing records and focus on writing. It's healthy for me to shake off all these pretensions and these epic conceptual endeavours."

A review of "The BQE" in all its grandeur

Sufjan Stevens has outdone himself again with his latest release. Though the inception of The BQE may have been a simple project commissioned by the Brooklyn Academy of Music, it has snowballed into something more. This is a masterpiece that surpasses all notions and boundaries of what one would expect from a current artist. Perhaps that’s the magic of Sufjan Stevens; we know his sound, but with each release he does something new. One can never know what to fully expect from this man.

As I sit hear listening to the album, I can’t help but envision Sufjan on stage surrounded by a symphony in a beautiful concert hall. The explosions of sound, the arrangement of each instrument—it is all too brilliant. Some pieces are dark and brooding (Interlude I: Dream Sequence in Subi Circumnavigation), while others are lighthearted and playful- calling to mind paintings from the Rococo era (“Movement III: Linear Tableau with Intersecting Surprise”). However, Stevens does not end the musical journey in the 1700s. There is a sense of modernity when electronic elements are showcased in the appropriately titled “Movement IV: Traffic Shock”, with all the samples and sounds creating a mental image of frenzy and confusion, truly mirroring “the BQE’s inexplicable twists and turns,” as Stevens goes on to explain in the accompanying comic book. (Yes, a comic book!)

The ending track, “Prelude: Critical Mass” is a delicate and moving piece. There is a sense of serenity; a stillness and sadness that stirs the soul. It is the most perfect and calm way to end a tumultuous journey through The BQE (and when I say tumultuous, do not think of the negative dictionary definition, for the tumult presented on this album is nothing but the best kind of uproar and loudness. The sounds shift from heavy to light, from calm to bellicose, and that is what I am trying to capture). The BQE is a road that begs to be traveled down again and again.

This album is easily one of the best that I have had the pleasure of listening to in 2009.

You can purchase the album in various forms through Asthmatic Kitty Records.

Update

I have not been updating the blog all that often, but I hope to stay more on top of all things music and actually start posting more frequently. Expect a review of Sufjan's newest album, The BQE, in the near future. The man is brilliant.

I guess that's all for now.

New Radiohead album in 2010!

Earlier this year, it was reported that Radiohead would no longer be making albums. Thom Yorke was misquoted when he said that making another record would "kill the band". According to guitarist Ed O'Brien, Radiohead is set to release a follow-up to In Rainbows in 2010!

Read what Ed O'Brien had to say here.

October // Hauntology

In August, I posted a Dead Man's Bones mp3 for the song "My Body's A Zombie For You". Since it is the first of October, I thought it would be fitting to post a video for it. As far as I know, this is not an official video for the song, but one can't help but think of Autumn and all things Halloween with the images of jack-o-lanterns and illustrations from Edward Gorey's The Gashlycrumb Tinies.

Their debut album comes out October 6th!

MP3- Sufjan Stevens

In July I posted about Sufjan's newest album, The BQE. If you haven't heard yet, a download of "Movement IV: Isorhythmic Night Dance with Interchanges" from the forthcoming album is available for streaming and download via Asthmatic Kitty Records. It starts off as a delicate and light-hearted instrumental piece. However, it picks up the pace towards the end with powerful sounds from the brass and wind sections. Upon listen, you can't help but wonder if you have been transported to the Baroque era.

Don't forget-- the album is set to be released on October 20th!

Pavement has reunited

One of the most relevant bands of the 1990s has re-emerged with news that Pavement fans across the globe have been waiting to hear since 1999- they're back!

The band, whose members haven't shared the stage since 1999, are scheduled to embark on a tour in 2010. However, only a few New York dates have been confirmed. According to Matador Records, this tour is not an indication that Pavement will be reuniting permanently. Regardless, I am glad that they have come back together, even if only for one last tour. Could this mean a headlining spot at Coachella 2010? Let's hope so!

Jay-Z loves Grizzly Bear

Recently, Jay-Z was spotted at a Grizzly Bear show. Let me start off by saying that people shouldn't be so shocked by it. Just because he comes from the hip-hop realm, by no means indicates that he can't and shouldn't enjoy good music from other parts of the musical spectrum.

In fact, he's encouraging the hip-hop and rap community to take a lesson from bands like Grizzly Bear, in hopes that better music will emerge.

Check out his comments via video, here.

Live: The Dead Weather @ The Glass House 8/27/09

Alison Mosshart is a beast when she's on stage, and I mean that in the most positive way possible. From the moment she steps on stage, everything simply changes and the energy level rises tremendously, as does the temperature. Although Jack White does take part in this band, along with Dean Fertita and Jack Lawrence, there is no doubt that Alison is the presence of the group. One could have tried to focus on Jack White or the other members for longer than a few seconds, but it was impossible to ignore Alison.

She isn't anything like most frontwomen of this age. Her voice ranges from soulful to agressive. There isn't anything fake about her or the Dead Weather as a collective. They are real and they are raw.

The band kicked off the night with "60 Feet Tall", the openning track off of their debut album Horehound. It started off slowly and subtley, but in no time the drums and powerful guitar kicked in, and Alison was right there, shifting her weight along with the music.

During the powerful "Hang You From The Heavens", Alison proceeded to grab the hair of a girl in the front row. She was constantly in the audience's face, often times hovering over everyone and staring so fiercely, that it would make even the strongest of men intimidated. The audience was absolutely loving it.

They played every song on their album, save for the instrumental jam "3 Birds". Their blues/rock rendition of Bob Dylan's "New Pony" more than serves the original justice. The crowd was going crazy for it.

Perhaps the most memorable moment was the last encore song, "Will There Be Enough Water?", which is also the closing song on the album. Jack White traded the drums for the guitar, and sang along with Alison. It's perhaps the most bluesy track on the entire record, and one of my favorites. Jack's guitar solo was brilliant, and reminded us of why we love him. Alison and Jack's lips nearly touched when they shared the microphone, and the performance itself was nothing short of intimate.

There is no doubt that The Dead Weather are the supergroup of the year, and their live performance only affirms that notion even more.

Revisiting

I'm sitting here thinking of a way to properly introduce this article I'm about to share. "Start with an anecdote" my Senior English teacher always said. I wrote some things, and then erased them. I'm fresh out of anecdotes right now. Call it writer's block if you will.

Anyway, I came across an article this morning. It's essentially "indie rock" from a fifty-seven year old's perspective. I found it to be interesting. To him, it's the sixties revisited, and I think there's a lot of relevance in that. I wasn't alive back then, but I think influences from that era are very obvious...but that's not the only similarity linking my genration to his.

Read the article here.

Third Man Records in Los Angeles

Third Man Records is coming to L.A. for three days and bringing numerous merchandise and exclusives along from the White Stripes, The Dead Weather, and The Raconteurs.

Here's all the info:

Third Man Records is overjoyed to announce the opening of Third Man Records and Novelties West FOR THREE DAYS ONLY in downtown Los Angeles, California.

The store will be located at 448 S. Main Street and opening day is Wednesday, August 26th, at 10 AM.

Come see us for all Third Man releases and miscellany from The Dead Weather, The White Stripes, and The Raconteurs to all Third Man 45s, T-shirts and loads of surprises exclusive to this temporary location.

We will be open 3 days only, store hours are as follows:

Third Man Records and Novelties
West 448 S. Main Street Los Angeles, CA 90013

Wednesday AUG. 26: 10 am to 8 pm
Thursday AUG. 27: 12 pm to 8 pm
Friday AUG. 28: 12 pm to 8 pm

New Dead Man's Bones

Yet another lovely track has been released by Dead Man's Bones. It is entitled My Body Is A Zombie For You, and is filled with darkness, haunting vocals, and a bit of a 1950's inspired sound. Beautiful.

For all of you who have been waiting impatiently for a full-length (including myself), it is set to be released on October 6th.

You can download My Body Is A Zombie For You here.

Sufjan Stevens and Cryptacize: Fall Tour 2009

The most miraculous thing has happened- it has been announced that Sufjan Stevens will be on tour this fall...finally! I'm so glad to hear this. While the tour is limited to the East Coast/Midwest/Canada, I am hoping that this will signal a West Coast tour soon to come.

Here is where he will be with labelmates Cryptacize:

09-21: Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's
09-22: Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's
09-23: Ithaca, NY - Castaways
09-24: Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
09-25: Pontiac, MI - The Pike Room Crofoot Ballroom
09-26: Champaign, IL - The High Dive
09-27: Minneapolis, MN - 400 Bar
09-28: Madison, WI - The Majestic
09-29: Bloomington, IN - Buskirk Chumley
10-01: Toronto, ON - Lee's Place
10-02: Montreal, QC - Cabaret
10-03: Portland, ME - Port City Music Hall
10-04: New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
10-05: New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
10-06: Brooklyn, NY - Hall at Williamsburg
10-07: Brooklyn, NY - Hall at Williamsburg

Radio23

I've chosen to take a break from broadcasting on radio23. I've enjoyed being a part of it all, and I definitely support what radio23 is all about. I hope to return in the future, but with college starting soon, I think it would be best to focus on that and get situated.

Be sure to listen to all the various programs on radio23. The djs have an eclectic mix of music and great discussion.

Gabby

New releases from Bob Dylan and Radiohead

It was reported today that Bob Dylan will be releasing a Christmas album this year. I'm curious to see what a Bob Dylan Christmas carol would sound like.

Also, Radiohead has a released a new song in honor of Harry Patch, who was the last known British WWI Veteran. He passed away on July 25th of this year at the amazing age of 111. Radiohead had recorded the song a few weeks before Patch passed on. According to Thom Yorke, the way Patch talked about war in a BBC interview in 2005 had an immense effect on him, thus inspiring a song.

You can download the song for $1.70 here. All proceeds benefit the Royal British Legion.

Fantastic Mr. Fox

The trailer for Wes Anderson's latest film, Fantastic Mr. Fox, based on the classic children's novel by Roald Dahl, has finally emerged. Starring; Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, George Clooney, and Jason Schwartzman.

Sufjan Stevens- "The BQE"

"Back in October of 2007, Sufjan Stevens debuted The BQE—a visual and musical homage to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway—at the Brooklyn Academy of Music's (BAM) Howard Gilman Opera House in downtown Brooklyn. Originally commissioned by BAM for the Next Wave Festival, the BQE featured three simultaneous film projections, a 35-piece band and orchestra, and live hula hoopers for a 3-night run." (asthmatic kitty)

I found out this morning that Sufjan is now bringing the BQE project to world via compact disc. The double-disc is set to be released on October 20th of this year. It is to include the dvd of the film, the original soundtrack, a 40-page booklet, and an image reel.

for more information, click here

FMA

I can't express enough how amazing the free music archive is. There's absolutely everything there, and it's all free! Not to mention it's very well-organized.

I've been looking for more old-time/historic recordings for a while, and of course I can count on the FMA to help me out with finding the greatest gems from the phonographic era. My oh my, I just might change the format of my radio show to "phonographic sounds" or something haha. This is far too amazing.

Please visit www.freemusicarchive.org

also, another cool site for music (and various other media) is www.archive.org

Toro Y Moi

My current musical fixation is the song "109" by Toro Y Moi.

In certain instances, it reminds me of Ariel Pink. I'll be adding this song to my list of summer jams.

That is all.

The Dead Weather

The Dead Weather's debut effort, Horehound, is excellent. I can't stop listening to it. That is all.

Stream it here.

Sin Fang Bous

Sin Fang Bous is the side project of Sindri, from the Icelandic band Seabear.

Combine the delicate nature of Seabear's music with some inter-woven electronic sounds, and you have something along the lines of Sin Fang Bous.



The visuals used in the above video are just wonderfully pleasant and charming...much like the music itself.

Neon Indian

It's not too late to find that summer jam.


*not official video.

"Deadbeat Summer" by Neon Indian.

Get It And Get Out

That Ghost has released a new ep entitled Get It and Get Out, which was self-released by Ryan and is limited to 100 copies.

In comparison to most of his repertoire, Ryan has taken a much noisier approach to these seven songs. I'd liken it to Ty Segall meets Link Wray, with a hint of The Seeds influence. It really is more of a noisy rock release. His previous releases have mostly featured mellow tracks (with a few danceable rock tracks here and there). With this ep, older rock and roll influences are much more evident.

When it comes to his vocals, I feel as though Ryan has expanded a bit. Before, you'd often hear lyrics being sung at a near whisper and there wouldn't be much venturing off. It seemed very safe (but still wonderful, nonetheless). The release of Young Fridays in 2008 saw a slight bit of "vocal venture", but now, hollers and higher pitches are being reached with more frequency.

So, in short, Get It and Get Out = a noisy, raw, old time rock release.

You can obtain your own copy by contacting Ryan Schmale at myspace.com/thatghost.

Monsters of Folk

Conor Oberst, M. Ward, and Jim James have teamed up to create a supergroup, Monsters of Folk. Needless to say, I'm really looking forward to hearing the music these three great artists have teamed up to create.

Apparently, this formation has been discussed since 2004, when all three musicians performed together for the first time.

The album is set for release on September 22nd of this year, and it contains 15 tracks. Mike mogis is the producer. Need I say more? Probably not.

It's a wonder that they have been able to really give their attention to this project, considering the fact that all three artists have released a combined 5 albums since 2008. (Conor Oberst released two solo album, M. Ward released his own album, as well as She and Him, and of course Jim James released an album with his band My Morning Jacket.) Amazing dedication? I'd say so.

There's no music available for preview, so don't try to search for an official myspace or anything of the sort. However, they have put up a website for the project. You can visit it by clicking here.

Podcasts

Podcasts for Avant-Noise Radio are now up! Just head over to the "podcast" tab on the right-hand side, and click on the link.

Future Primitive

I can't seem to stop listening to "Future Primitive" by Papercuts, from their latest album You Can Have What You Want.



enjoy.

myspace.com/thepapercuts

Justice signs to Elektra

Justice has signed to Elektra Records, which is tied to Atlantic Records. Elektra had been dormant since 2004, but 2009 saw a revival of it with the signing of Justice as well as Cee-Lo and Little Boots.

Justice is scheduled to release a new album early next year.

For more information, click here.

J.D. Salinger sues over unauthorized "Catcher" sequel.

J.D. Salinger, author of the American classic The Catcher in the Rye, filed a lawsuit yesterday against the writer, publishers and distributor of an unauthorized spin-off of the acclaimed novel.

For the full story, please click here.

Oldest Recording

Historians have recently revealed what is believed to be the earliest recordings of human speech, dating back to 1857 (20 years before Edison invented the phonograph).

What historians found was a phonautograph, invented by Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville, which contained a series of wavy lines on paper.

For the full story, please click here.

Schedule

Hello all.

I just wanted to point out that I have created a broadcast schedule, located to the right -->

It can get a bit confusing sometimes to try to keep track of which week I am broadcasting, so I thought that making a list of dates might help.

The dates are subject to change, and if they do, I'll update the schedule.

Thanks for tuning in.

Dark Night of the Soul

David Lynch simply never ceases to create.

Dark Night of the Soul is a compilation of songs written by Danger Mouse and Sparklehouse, with various guest singers including Iggy Pop, Julian Casablancas (the Strokes), James Mercer (the Shins), Scott Spillane (Neutral Milk Hotel), Frank Black (the Pixies) and even David Lynch himself, along with many others.

As far as I know, there is a bit of a dispute between Danger Mouse and EMI over releasing the actual album. Originally, the album was supposed to come with a book filled with photographs taken by David Lynch. However, there is speculation that EMI might not let the actual album be released. Instead, they have allowed a blank cd to be distributed with each order of the book, along with a free poster.

EMI has not released any specifics as to why such a disupte is taking place.

For information on Dark Night of the Soul, click here.

You can stream the entire album, here.

Radiohead

Radiohead are recording a new album, according to the BBC.

To read the article, click here.

That is all.

Playlist: 5/9/09

Playlist for today's show, May 9th, 2009:

Artist- Song

1.A-Sides- My Heros Have Always Been Crazy
2.Conor Oberst- Cape Canaveral
3.M. Ward- Rollercoaster
4.Beirut- A Sunday Smile
5.Yann Tiersen- Soir De Fete
6.Cesaria Evora- Areia De Salamansa
7.Sounds of Taraab- Mahaba Wa Taka Nini
8.Animal Collective- Derek
9.Sinn Sisamouth- Darker Shade of Pale
10.Procol Harem- Whiter Shade of Pale
11.Of Montreal- Mimi Merlot Beatnik Version
12.The Yardbirds- For Your Love
13.Los Zafiros- Bossa Cubana
14.Suba- Sereia
15.Stereolab- Infinity Girl
16.Jack Penate- Tonight's Today
17.Mississippi John Hurt- Avalon Blues
18.Maria Taylor- A Good Start
19.Say Hi To Your Mom- Angels and Darlas
20.Olivia- Les Yeux Doux
21.Snowden- Between the Rent and Me
22.The M's- Light I Love
23.Suckers- It Gets Your Body Movin'
24.The Local Natives- World News
25.Locksley- She Does
26.The Union Line- On The Run / California
27.Saint Motel- Pity Party
28.Margot & The Nuclear So and So's- Vampires in Blue Dresses
29.Watercolor Paintings- Happyships
30.Osso Bucco- Four Walls
31.Sufjan Stevens- Year of Our Lord

thanks for tuning in.
I will be back in two weeks (May 23) on radio23.org

The Jakes residency at evocal: Night One

Last night, I attended eVocal to see The Jakes, who have a residency every Tuesday for the entire month of May. The last time I had seen The Jakes was in July of 2007 when they played the Troubadour. I hadn't really been listening to much of their new stuff since that time, but I was very impressed with their performance last night.

They have always been a fun band to see live, and have always had great dynamics and stage presence. But these guys are no longer the high school kids who performed on the Tomorrowland Stage at Disneyland various times throughout 2006 and 2007. Two years and a few lineup changes later, The Jakes have evolved into a mature band with a mature sound. I am so proud of them for growing so much musically in the past few years.

There is no doubt that their popularity is rising around Orange County and Los Angeles. They have come a long way since the Disneyland days, and they will continue to go far.

The Jakes weren't the only band that impressed me last night, however. Three bands performed before them; Django James and the Midnight Squires, Melanoid, and Saint Motel. All three bands were great and a lot of fun to watch, but my favorite by far was Saint Motel.

Saint Motel really knows how to put on a show. It was my first time ever listening to them, and I couldn't stop smiling or dancing for that matter. They have such a powerful sound live...so powerful in fact that the power went out three times during the first song. They had a good sense of humor about it. I would definitely see these guys again, without a doubt.

I spoke with AJ, the singer, afterward, and he's basically the nicest guy ever. Hopefully I'll be playing a song or two of theirs on my radio show this Saturday.

So, long story short, if you feel like dancing, listen to Saint Motel...or any of the other bands mentioned in this blog post for that matter.

Be sure to come to a show this month at eVocal during The Jakes residency! There will be new bands playing with them every week, as well as talented visual artists showcasing their work. For more info visit evocal's myspace.

Live: Yann Tiersen at the El Rey

Someone posted this from last night's show. It was one of my favorite moments of the show, and I was absolutely in awe.

I was up at the front, and being that close to the stage made the night that much better. The musicianship was wonderful. Highlight's included Sur Le Fil (the video above), Esther, La Valse d'Amelie, Le Train, and many others. The live renditions of the songs are so wonderful. If you think Yann is brilliant on disc, he is even more incredible live.

I heard that Yann came out about 10 minutes after the show had ended, and people were talking to him. It would have been great to meet him. I'm really glad that he finally came to the U.S. Hopefully he'll return once his new album is released.

The opening band, Asobi Seksu, also really impressed me. I had heard some of their songs the day before the show, and I thought they were okay, but I didn't think much of it. I like them a lot better live, and if they're ever in Los Angeles again, I'd definitely go and see them. They had an excellent presence and a really powerful sound. Check them out.

Click here for Yann's set list, and here for Asobi Seksu's set list.

Yann Tiersen

I just got home from seeing Yann Tiersen live at the El Rey.

One word: brilliant.

More information on the show to come.

Right now, I need some rest.

Oui = Non

Today's topic:

A 20th century art movement known as Dada.

NPR Exclusive

I would just like to point out that NPR has Conor Oberst and Mystic Valley Band's new album Outer South available for streaming, which will be available for purchase on May 5th. So far, I am on the third track entitled "Big Black Nothing", and I am enjoying it.

I thought that Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band did a great job at Coachella this year. It's definitely a show worth seeing.

Playlist: 4/25/09

Playlist for today's show; April 25, 2009.

Artist- Song

1.Mike Bones- What I have Left
2.Mississippi John Hurt- Frankie
3.Ivan Colon- Green On The Leaves (demo)
4.Telekinesis- Coast of Carolina
5.Dent May- College Town Boy
6.Vetiver- Everyday
7.Built For The Sea- Dive In
8.Foreign Born- Vacationing People
9.Cloud Cult- Chemicals Collide
10.The Pains of Being Pure at Heart- Young Adult Fiction
11.Pravada- Atlas
12.Target Market- The Beat
13.Berlin Whale- The Marathon
14.Jumbling Towers- Substitute
15.Nicola Conte- Jet Sounds
16.Tino- Doomsday Dub
17.Koushik- Lying in the Sun
18.Ed Rusche- I'm Wierd
19.Prefuse 73- Preparation's Kids Choir
20.Sufjan Stevens- Year of the Tiger
21.Late of the Pier- VW
22.Jason Willett and Jad Fair- Or So I've Been Told
23. Kurt Vile- Freeway
24.Pavement- Passat Dream
25.Crystal Stilts- Departure
26.Sleepy Sun- New Age
27.Neva Dinova- Tripped
28.Beach House- Used To Be
29.Nick Drake- River Man
30.The Pioneers of Prime Time TV- Nicotine
31.Castanets- As You Do
32.Arts & Crafts- Cross Leg
33.Brett Hawkins- Original 2
34.A.A. Bondy- The Mightiest of Guns
35.The Union Line- Dirty Water
36.The Welcome Wagon- But For You Who Fear My Name
37.Of Montreal- Old People in the Cemetary

Industry.

What are your thoughts?

Lollapalooza 2009

Lollapalooza Lineup 2009 from C3 Presents Video on Vimeo.

Coachella 2009

It came and it went. Coachella 2009 is now over, and I certainly can't wait for 2010. This year was an amazing year.

Highlights included:
Beirut
M. Ward
Conor Oberst
Fleet Foxes
Paul McCartney
Thenewno2
LATE OF THE PIER
The Cure

and much more.

Full report coming soon.

Dum Dum Girls

Dum Dum Girls is actually only one girl, Dee Dee. Based in Los Angeles, Dum Dum Girls produces a lo-fi sound, and at times the vocals are airy and haunting.

Most often, Dum Dum Girls is compared to Vivian Girls, and I can see why. I also noticed some similarities with Crystal Stilts, and even Warpaint (most notably in the song "Baby Don't Go", which is my favorite song by them.)

That's all I really have to say about Dum Dum Girls at the moment.

I'll be heading out to Coachella this weekend, and hopefully I'll be posting about all of the happenings when I get back.

Until then.

Dead Man's Bones' "Name In Stone"

Dead Man's Bones released another brilliant video a couple of weeks back for yet another brilliant song entitled "Name In Stone". Just watch the video. I need not say more.

Those Dancing Days

I can't stop listening to Those Dancing Days. Specifically, their self-titled song "Those Dancing Days". It's so catchy and fun. The Swedes know a thing or two about making fun and danceable, upbeat pop.

Those Dancing Days is an all girl group from Stockholm. The thing that struck me most about them was the use of the Hammond Organ. I love music with organs, and I think it's great that they utilize it in such a fun way. I keep using the word "fun" when talking about this band, but that seems to be the most appropriate word.

Those Dancing Days - Those Dancing Days

Radio23 Launch Party

Click here for more information.

Outside Lands 2009

These are not all the artists that will be playing (if the "more artists to be announced!" did not give that away). There are only a few bands so far that I'd like to see that I have yet not seen. (Namely Jack White's new band The Dead Weather. I'd also love to see the Morning Benders, who, if I am not mistaken, played the festival last year, too. I've been wanting to see them for a long time.)

I attended Outside Lands last year for one day only to see Radiohead. I'm wondering if I should make the trip again. I'm considering going to a festival this summer. We'll see when Lollapalooza releases their lineup. Bonnaroo is too close for me to make any plans, so that's automatically out.

For now, though, Coachella is in three days. I'll see you on the Polo Fields.

good day.

Playlist: 4/11/09

Playlist for April 11, 2009:

Artist- Song

1. Morgan Enos- Mathematics
2. That Ghost- Never Have Fun
3. Dustin Gamble- 20/20
4. Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez- Mostly A Friend
5. Chris Garneau- Between The Bars
6. Sunny Day Real Estate- Pheurto Skeurto
7. Chris Schlarb- Twilight & Ghost Stories
8. Deep Sea Diver- Boundaries
9. Broken Social Scene- Late Night Bedroom Rock For The Missionaries
10.Dntel- The Distance (featuring Arthur & Yu)
11.Ed Rusche- Watery!
12.Evangelicals- Halloween Song
13.The Union Line- Pearls
14.Pavement- 4 - 5 = unity
15.Sufjan Stevens- A Loverless Bed (w/out remission)
16.Of Montreal- Dirty Dustin Hoffman Needs A Bath

Thank you for tuning in.
Radio23 launches on April 23rd!

Typographic Posters

I was perusing Yacht's website, and I came across this link to a website that showcases various graphics from artists all around the world. The list of artists is quite large, and I could probably spend quite a while just looking at everything that is available for viewing.

One that really got my attention was a graphic by Andrei Robu. (pictured below)

Modern Day Impressionism

Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated with art. Impressionism and Post-Impressionism were and still are among my favorite eras in art. I just came across Heidi Malott, who creates various impression oil paintings and sells them on her blog.

I came across her paintings by accident, but I immediately felt a sense of joy when I saw her work. These paintings are so simple, yet it is that simplicity that makes these paintings what they are. I browsed through some of her work, and I enjoyed much of what I saw.

Much of her repertoire includes landscapes, still life, and beach scenes.

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band

When Conor Oberst released his "solo" album last year, I figured he would stick around with the Mystic Valley Band for about a year or so, do some touring, and then go back to working on his other project, Bright Eyes. I was wrong, evidently! Conor will be releasing another album with the Mystic Valley Band on May 5th entitled Outer South on Merge Records.

He will also be releasing a documentary on April 15th entitled One Of My Kind, which showcases footage from the band's journey over the last year and a half.

To listen to a couple of tracks off of the album and view the documentary trailer, click here.

It's clear that Conor Oberst will not be slowing down his music output any time soon, and I am perfectly okay with that.

Silent Sunday Nights

I would just like to state that I think it is excellent that Turner Classic Movies plays silent films on Sunday nights.

Radio Archiving

I will be archiving my shows soon. If you miss a show, but still want to listen, you will be able to do so! I will let you know when I start archiving.

Support Radio23

As you know, I have my own radio show on Radio23. The station is officially launching on April 23rd of this year. We hope to become a trusted source of music across the globe. There are so many great DJs on board! However, it does cost to keep Radio23 going, and donations are a big part of that. Please feel free to donate whatever amount you can to Radio23. There is no minimum or maximum amount. It could be one cent, one dollar, or more.

If you would like to donate, simply click the "donate" button below. Thank you for all of your support!

Erik Satie

Erik Satie's compositions are beautiful. I just really needed to address that publicly. Satie was a French composer in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I'll post more about him later. For now, just listen: click here.

Photograph of the week

Thalia Barbarova. 1925.

Playlist: 3/28/09

The playlist for today's show, March 28th, 2009:

Artist- Song
1. Rainbow Arabia- Holiday In Congo
2. Rafter- zzzPenchant
3. Bug Lung Baby- Palinopsia
4. Armando Trovaioli– I Giovani Benvenuti
5. Beirut- La Llorona
6. Caribou- Sundialing
7. Department Of Eagles- Around The Bay
8. Chris Garneau- First Place
9. The Republic Tigers- Buildings & Mountains
10. Chad Vangaalen- City Of Electric Light
11. Cleo- Et Moi, Et Toi, Et Soie
12. Edouard- My Name Is Edouard
13. France Gall- Teenie Weenie Boppie
14. The Creation- Biff! Bang! Pow!
15. Crazy Baldhead- Blue Jay
16. Bird Names- We Want To Be Old
17. Cotton Jones- Blood Red Sentimental Blues
18. Lightnin' Hopkins- Trouble In Mind
19. The Finches- The House Under A Hill
20. Seabear- Libraries
21. The Triumphs- Burnt Biscuits
22. Nino De Luca- Rapimento In Sicilia
23. Family Man Barrett- Soul Constitution
24. Infra Red Army- Cage
25. Ed Rusche- Radio Jam
26. Eagle Seagull- But I'm Beginning To Hate You
27. Faunts- Feel. Love. Thinking. Of.
28. Warpaint- Billie Holiday

Thanks to everyone who tuned it! I shall be back on April 11th!
Avant-Noise Radio
4-6 p.m. PST
Radio23.org

Where The Wild Things Are

I logged in to blogger, and I look at my subscribed list of blogs, and three different blogs posted about Where The Wild Things Are within a three hour time frame. I thought that was interesting. I shall do the same, seeing as the trailer is now floating about the internet.

I have been anticipating the release of this film, based on the classic children's book by Maurice Sendak, for quite some time. It all seems to be coming together so well!

Also, may I just say that the version of "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire used in this trailer is wonderful.

The Misunderstood

Little did I know that Riverside, a town about 40 miles away from where I sit, was home to The Misunderstood, an extremely underrated band from the 1960s. Their name suits them well. I hadn't even heard of them until today when I came across their music by complete accident.

They formed in 1963, and then relocated to London, where they recorded the album Before The Dream Faded in 1966, which didn't see the light of day until 1982. I have not come across any information as to why it took 16 years for that album to surface, but if anyone knows, please let me know.

From what I have heard so far, my favorite song is "Who's Been Talking".

You can stream "Who's Been Talking" and many other tracks by The Misunderstood here.

Cailfornia's Gold: Coachella

This made my day. Last year, Huell Howser of the classic PBS television show California's Gold documented two days that he spent at Coachella. I didn't see him there, but the fact that he was there seems awesome to me. The episode of Huell's Coachella experience will air on April 5th on KCET at 7:00 p.m.

It will re-air on KCET on SATURDAY, APRIL 11 at 7:00 PM

Other PBS affiliates also airing the Coachella episode:

KVCR (Riverside / San Bernardino) -
Thursday, April 2 at 8:00 PM

KPBS (San Diego) -
Thursday, April 2 at 7:00 PM

KVPT (Fresno) -
Thursday, April 2 at 8:00 PM

KVIE (Sacramento) -
Thursday, April 2 at 8:00 PM

Coachella Update

M.I.A. has been confirmed for Saturday, if that piece of information interests any of you.

Record Store Day

April 18th is Record Store Day; a day where record stores all over the globe will come together to celebrate the art of music. It is a dream come true for me. Although I cannot participate in this glorious occasion (for I will be at Coachella), I am still glad that this even exists. Record stores and the independent community need to be supported.

The idea for Record Store Day was conceived in 2007, and it has been a reality since 2008.

For a list of participating record stores in your state, click here.

"This is the one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day and hundreds of artists in the United States and in various countries across the globe make special appearances and performances. Festivities include performances, cook-outs, body painting, meet & greets with artists, parades, djs spinning records and on and on. Metallica officially kicked off Record Store Day at Rasputin Music in San Franscisco on April 19, 2008 and Record Store Day is now celebrated the third Saturday every April."

(taken directly from recordstoreday.com)

Record stores in Southern California that will be participating include Mad Platter, Amoeba, Fingerprints, and many more!

Playlist: 3/14/09

Playlist from today's radio show on radio23.org:

artist- song

1. Warpaint- Stars
2. Brian Eno- China My China
3. CAN- Tango Whiskeyman
4. Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band- Zig Zag Wanderer
5. Jacques Dutronc- Et Moi, Et Moi, Et Moi
6. Link Wray- Rumble
7. Mississippi John Hurt- Nobody's Dirty Business
8. Nigel Samways- Brumeux
9. Marsen Jules- Couer Saignant
10. Piero Umiliani- Danza Citar Free
11. Pravada- Alone In The Afternoon
12. Silver Apples- Ruby
13. That Ghost- Laura Take Your Coat Off
14. The Welcome Wagon- Sold! To The Nice Rich Man
15. The Western States Motel- Oh World
16. Local Natives- Airplanes
17. Glasser- Apply
18. A-Sides- Sinking With The Ship
19. A.A. Bondy- Among The Trees
20. The Acorn- Hold Your Breath
21. Andrew Bird- Plasticities
22. Annuals- Father
23. Blitzen Trapper- Big Adventures
24. The 1900s- Two Ways
25. Castanets- All That I Know To Have Changed In You
26. Panda Bear- Search For Delicious
27. Little Wings- Filled With Wonder
28. Wooden Shjips- Lousin' Time
29. Arts & Crafts- Cross Leg
30. Warpaint- Burgundy

Thank you to all who listened today!
Next week, Dearborn will be on from 4-6 p.m. PST.
But, I shall be back on March 28th!

Also, be sure to tune in to Flavored Motel, Saturdays from 6-8 p.m. PST on radio23 as well as Aural Life, Saturdays from 8-10 p.m. PST also on radio23

Bodkin

I was going to wait until I had an actual copy of the cd to talk about this gem of a find, but I decided that I couldn't wait any longer to talk about this band. Bodkin was a band from Scotland. They released an album in 1972, and that's about all we heard of them. Their organ-laden songs are something I can't seem to get enough of.

When I get their album, I'll tell you how I liked it. I'm sure I won't be disappointed.

Aftur Yur Lumber - Bodkin

Day Trotter: Local Natives

Local Natives, a somewhat local band from Silverlake, have been featured on Day Trotter Sessions! Listen to a few of the songs they recorded during the session here. It is excellent. Plus, you can download them for free! Songs include: Airplanes, World News, and Cards and Quarters.

There are also many other excellent bands that have been featured in the past on Daytrotter.com...perhaps even your favorite band. Be sure to check those out, as well!

Tor / Sufjan Stevens: Illinoize

I came across these songs by Montreal-based producer Tor that sample a few of Sufjan Stevens's songs from the albums Illinois, A Sun Came, Seven Swans, and Songs For Christmas. MC's include; Aesop Rock, Big Daddy Kane, Gift of Gab (Blackalicious), C.L. Smooth, Outkast, Brother Ali, and Grand Puba.

You can listen and download Illinoize for free here.

Special thanks to Mark White for passing on this information about Illinoize.

Playlist: 3/7/09

The playlist from today's show, March 7th, 2009.

Artist- Song
1. Arts & Crafts- Tay Tay Luxurious
2. Shankar/Kaikishan- Typewriter Tip, Tip, Tip
3. Jyotitinidra Moitra and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan- Title Music From The Householder
4. Satyajit Ray- Title Music From Teen Kanya
5. Ustad Vilayat Khan- Arrival in Benaras
6. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti- Jules Lost His Jewels
7. Frank Zappa- Dwarf Nebula Processional March
8. Arts & Crafts- Tracks 1-3 (untitled tracks from Three Little Bears)
9. Nigel Samways- The Last Few Days
10. Riceboy Sleeps- Happiness
11. Konrad Bayer- Kumulation
12. M. Nguyen Van Minh-Con- Nam Nhi-tu
13. Funkanzazenji- Latin Flavour
14. Amoy Ribas- Catedral de Brasilia
15. Kronos Quartet- Dark Was The Night
16. Animal Collective- #1
17. Tlon- Subways
18. Beirut- Venice
19. Sufjan Stevens- Inaugural Pop Music For Jane Margaret Byrne
20. Beck- Motorcade
21. Castanets- Strong Animal
22. Dent May- Meet Me In The Garden
23. The Union Line- Catapult
24. Mr. Gnome- Night Of The Crickets
25. Fréhel- Si Tu N'étais Pas Là
26. Al Bowlly- Guilty
27. Shankar/Kaikishan- Bombay Talkie
28. Satyajit Ray- Charu's Theme
29. Jyotitinidra Moitra and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan- Farewell to Earnest

Thank you for listening this week. Be sure to tune in next week, same time, same place!

Avant Noise Radio
Saturdays
4-6 p.m. PST
Radio23.org

All good things,

Gabby

Gems

There are so many excellent and rare gems of psychedelic/progressive bands from the late sixties/early seventies that hardly got any credit for what they did.

Wow.
I might need to compile a list for you all in the near future...

Photograph of the week

The essence of Sufjan.

Engine Collision Festival

I want to be at the Engine Collision Festival right now.

It is an event that has been taking place since last week (February 26th) and will end this Sunday (March 8th). The likes of DAVID LYNCH will be screening films and rare works, as well as many others.

Warpaint is playing tonight, and Shannon Sossamon (who used to drum for warpaint) will be screening an experimental video entitled "Maudegone".

Check the calendar on the website for full details.

Wishing I was there right now, and hoping I will be this weekend...

-Gabby

Coachella Spotlight: Ariel Pink

Chances are, you've been aware of Ariel Pink's presence in music over the last 13 years. He's done a lot. In fact, that might be an understatement. With twelve full-length albums under his belt (4 of which were released in 2006, and two in 2007), as well as various EPs, underground releases, and contributions to compilations, Ariel Pink has made his mark, and he's finally showcasing it all at Coachella. I am interested in finally seeing him live. I've heard mixed things about his live shows, but that won't stop me from actually seeing this performance live.

I can't even begin to cover all the work he's done over the years, so I challenge you to explore the vast repertoire of Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti yourself.

Here are a few tracks to get you started: