today's daily playlist is also a new haven concert must see, for tonight (8pm) at leon's.
i've mentioned my friend charlie's band, love in stockholm, before (sadly, didn't make the top 20 by a couple slots, but good for you if you voted), and tonight, new haven friends, you have a chance to see their new, awesome expanded set!
the "musical fearlessness" of this be-suited septet makes itself felt in all their originals, from the dance-ready (nay, dance-DEMANDING) funk-rock jams "allston, MA" (a tribute to the band's birthplace, a filthy, low rent, and deeply awesome slice of boston sandwiched between cambridge and brookline) and "fellowship of funk" to the more laid-back tunes like "don't be fooled". they also do some truly rocking covers of everything ranging from outkast's "bombs over baghdad" to the band's "don't do it", in their signature growly funk/soul sound (and let it be clear that by "funk", i do not mean any craptastic jam band nonsense; i mean serious funk). let's be real; anyone who can make me enjoy the middle school dance staple "no diggity" deserves a medal.
it may be a little out of your way, but, if you go, i guarantee you'll have the same reaction to love in stockholm that i heard from a surprised sounding gentleman last night at a family-heavy, all day outdoor music festival staged about 100 yards from plymouth rock. as charlie thanked the audience, the man muttered, "no thank you!" and turning to his wife, "these guys are fucking great".
Showing posts with label daily playlist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label daily playlist. Show all posts
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
daily playlist 6/20/09
"ghostwriter"
rjd2
2002
for when: you need a personal soundtrack
i guess it's really a subgenre of personal soundtrack though. i'm heading into new york for the rest of the weekend, and, as i am wont to do, am planning on building in some just wandering around time. so this is really the kind of personal soundtrack you need when you want to be able to feel like a bad ass, just cold walkin' anywhere. you know what i mean... the tracks that give you a little swerve to your step.
the rest of your playlist:
"can't get enough of your love, babe" barry white
"how long do i have to wait for you?" sharon jones and the dap kings
"here come tha police" vicious vicious*
also: random bonus youtube clip. just...wow.
* really these guys should have been first....i'm going to give them a whole additional treatment another time, i think, because they are the single best band you have probably never heard of
rjd2
2002
for when: you need a personal soundtrack
i guess it's really a subgenre of personal soundtrack though. i'm heading into new york for the rest of the weekend, and, as i am wont to do, am planning on building in some just wandering around time. so this is really the kind of personal soundtrack you need when you want to be able to feel like a bad ass, just cold walkin' anywhere. you know what i mean... the tracks that give you a little swerve to your step.
the rest of your playlist:
"can't get enough of your love, babe" barry white
"how long do i have to wait for you?" sharon jones and the dap kings
"here come tha police" vicious vicious*
also: random bonus youtube clip. just...wow.
* really these guys should have been first....i'm going to give them a whole additional treatment another time, i think, because they are the single best band you have probably never heard of
Friday, June 19, 2009
daily playlist 6/19/09
"timorous me"
ted leo and the pharmacists
2001
for when: you're going to a ted leo concert (!)
yeah, so the theme lacks a certain creativity today...
however, if you haven't managed to catch these guys in the last 10 years they've been making music (in a variety of lineup configurations), you should do it. they started off, as so much great music does, as an experiment. by the time they released 'tyranny of distance', their first full length album (from which "timorous me" comes), they'd settled themselves firmly into mainstream rock sensibilit(ies)... which is in no way a bad thing, as they've remained unbound by any particular rock sub-genre convention (see eg dub sensibility in "the unwanted things" off 2007's 'living with the living', side-by-side with the same album's distortion-laced, savage "bomb.repeat.bomb"). they pretty much rock anything they put their collective hands to...in fact, that's what these guys pretty much are: pure rock. hopefully i'll get some fun footage/pictures tonight, when i see them play at toad's place.
the rest of your playlist:
"tommy gun" the clash
"long nights" piebald
"santeria" sublime
ted leo and the pharmacists
2001
for when: you're going to a ted leo concert (!)
yeah, so the theme lacks a certain creativity today...however, if you haven't managed to catch these guys in the last 10 years they've been making music (in a variety of lineup configurations), you should do it. they started off, as so much great music does, as an experiment. by the time they released 'tyranny of distance', their first full length album (from which "timorous me" comes), they'd settled themselves firmly into mainstream rock sensibilit(ies)... which is in no way a bad thing, as they've remained unbound by any particular rock sub-genre convention (see eg dub sensibility in "the unwanted things" off 2007's 'living with the living', side-by-side with the same album's distortion-laced, savage "bomb.repeat.bomb"). they pretty much rock anything they put their collective hands to...in fact, that's what these guys pretty much are: pure rock. hopefully i'll get some fun footage/pictures tonight, when i see them play at toad's place.
the rest of your playlist:
"tommy gun" the clash
"long nights" piebald
"santeria" sublime
Sunday, June 14, 2009
daily playlist 6/14/09
self-titled
the commonwealth
2009
for when: you need an anthem
this playlist is a little different...but i've been meaning to talk about this EP for a while now, so i figured i'd kill two birds with one stone, and make it today's playlist. in the interest of full disclosure, i should mention that i've known half the band since we were in diapers, but i think that only gives me a better perspective on this record. i've listened to a lot (and i mean a lot) of john mcnamera (vocals, guitar), and ben elder's (bass) music over the course of my life, and i really like the place they've come to on this EP, with the addition of ben paterson (guitar) and ian conboy (drums) to the band. plus, y'know, they'll always give me a shout out when they cover "molly's chambers".
this record is great, because it's not trying to be anything it's not. the lyrics don't stab wildly at profundity. they talk about the basic shit that plagues all of us in our 20s (and, although i don't think anyone really wants to admit it, before and after as well): failing/flailing relationships ("leave me alone/ you know i won't answer my phone/ don't ask me if i miss you/ you know that i do, too") and figuring out what exactly it all means when it seems like everyone around you, is, well, full of crap ("you just can't see original opinions coming from tv...is there anybody out there who can share my point of view?"). they don't do it in the histrionic, adolescent, garage band way, though, but with a sense of playfulness and a degree of resignation that (dare i say it?) reflects a growing maturity and taste in these guys' musical careers.
there's some diversity among the tracks, from the low-key "moon and sun" to the darker, more sexual energy of "she's a rocker" (a song totally made by the march tempo bass and drums underneath mcnamera's growled vocals). they've got the musical chops to do that versatility (you should see john make the older ladies swoon with his frank sinatra stylings), but the commonwealth is at their best on songs like "small hands", "make out party", and especially "youth in asia". these tracks are basically tight, quasi-anthemic pop gems, uptempo and filled with hooky guitar lines, rich call and response choruses, and the little pop flourishes that i'm such a sucker for (syncopated hand claps, anyone?). i can never understand why people would shy away from making music that is just so flat out enjoyable, but i'm happy to report that pop rock is alive and well and living in falmouth, MA.
[sidebar: ben, in addition to his bass playing, is an incredibly talented designer, and (i think?) does all of their graphics...you can check out a small selection of their posters here.]
the commonwealth
2009
for when: you need an anthem
this playlist is a little different...but i've been meaning to talk about this EP for a while now, so i figured i'd kill two birds with one stone, and make it today's playlist. in the interest of full disclosure, i should mention that i've known half the band since we were in diapers, but i think that only gives me a better perspective on this record. i've listened to a lot (and i mean a lot) of john mcnamera (vocals, guitar), and ben elder's (bass) music over the course of my life, and i really like the place they've come to on this EP, with the addition of ben paterson (guitar) and ian conboy (drums) to the band. plus, y'know, they'll always give me a shout out when they cover "molly's chambers".this record is great, because it's not trying to be anything it's not. the lyrics don't stab wildly at profundity. they talk about the basic shit that plagues all of us in our 20s (and, although i don't think anyone really wants to admit it, before and after as well): failing/flailing relationships ("leave me alone/ you know i won't answer my phone/ don't ask me if i miss you/ you know that i do, too") and figuring out what exactly it all means when it seems like everyone around you, is, well, full of crap ("you just can't see original opinions coming from tv...is there anybody out there who can share my point of view?"). they don't do it in the histrionic, adolescent, garage band way, though, but with a sense of playfulness and a degree of resignation that (dare i say it?) reflects a growing maturity and taste in these guys' musical careers.
there's some diversity among the tracks, from the low-key "moon and sun" to the darker, more sexual energy of "she's a rocker" (a song totally made by the march tempo bass and drums underneath mcnamera's growled vocals). they've got the musical chops to do that versatility (you should see john make the older ladies swoon with his frank sinatra stylings), but the commonwealth is at their best on songs like "small hands", "make out party", and especially "youth in asia". these tracks are basically tight, quasi-anthemic pop gems, uptempo and filled with hooky guitar lines, rich call and response choruses, and the little pop flourishes that i'm such a sucker for (syncopated hand claps, anyone?). i can never understand why people would shy away from making music that is just so flat out enjoyable, but i'm happy to report that pop rock is alive and well and living in falmouth, MA.
[sidebar: ben, in addition to his bass playing, is an incredibly talented designer, and (i think?) does all of their graphics...you can check out a small selection of their posters here.]
Friday, June 12, 2009
BONUS daily playlist 6/12/09
...because i didn't post for a week...
"no te pido flores"
fanny lu
2006
aside from being a shameless hispanophile, i like a lot of spanish-language pop music (as an enormously broad category) for a few reasons. practically, it's great to listen to while trying to read or write. my spanish isn't bad (although there are some who would contest that), but i don't find myself constantly distracted by the lyrics the way i sometimes do in english-language music. on the other hand, it's more energetic than a lot of the strictly instrumental stuff i have, so it keeps me focused (ummm y'know, unless i'm spending time blogging about how productive it makes me...never mind.) second, fanny lu has pretty much ruled the latin pop charts for the past two years. compare this to some of the utter crap that makes it onto the us charts: t-pain? katy perry? yurk. [caveat(s): 1. i have no idea who half the artists on the current billboard charts are...don't know what the hell the kids are dancing to these days...2. i'm sure plenty of stuff on the latin charts is crap too...this has more to do with my visceral reaction to vocorders and general old lady crotchetiness about the state of pop in america than anything else]. third? HOW CAN YOU SAY NO TO THIS VIDEO??
the rest of your playlist:
"nada valgo sin tu amor" juanes
"pa' calor" rosana
"a eme o" andrea echeverri
"no te pido flores"
fanny lu
2006
aside from being a shameless hispanophile, i like a lot of spanish-language pop music (as an enormously broad category) for a few reasons. practically, it's great to listen to while trying to read or write. my spanish isn't bad (although there are some who would contest that), but i don't find myself constantly distracted by the lyrics the way i sometimes do in english-language music. on the other hand, it's more energetic than a lot of the strictly instrumental stuff i have, so it keeps me focused (ummm y'know, unless i'm spending time blogging about how productive it makes me...never mind.) second, fanny lu has pretty much ruled the latin pop charts for the past two years. compare this to some of the utter crap that makes it onto the us charts: t-pain? katy perry? yurk. [caveat(s): 1. i have no idea who half the artists on the current billboard charts are...don't know what the hell the kids are dancing to these days...2. i'm sure plenty of stuff on the latin charts is crap too...this has more to do with my visceral reaction to vocorders and general old lady crotchetiness about the state of pop in america than anything else]. third? HOW CAN YOU SAY NO TO THIS VIDEO??
the rest of your playlist:
"nada valgo sin tu amor" juanes
"pa' calor" rosana
"a eme o" andrea echeverri
daily playlist 6/12/09
"what i'm looking for"
brendan benson
2005
"being grown up isn't half as fun as growing up; these are the best days of our lives"...the ataris said it (although no one but my inner 13 year old wants to hear them sing it). i've been thinking a lot about transition...watching my friends graduate, and preparing for a pretty big transition myself. the pop-punk lyrics of bygone years now feel like rationalizations of adolescent angst and bad decision-making (cf summers of 2003-2004). but, there are some newer songs that, with their simplicity and whimsy and confusion, in an (ever so slightly) more grown-up way, evoke the simultaneous hope and fear and nostalgia that the process of transitioning (and trying to claw your bare-handed way up the steep cliff face that is adulthood) inspires.
the rest of your playlist:
"new soul" yael naim
"i feel it all" feist
"darlin' do not fear" brett dennen
brendan benson
2005
"being grown up isn't half as fun as growing up; these are the best days of our lives"...the ataris said it (although no one but my inner 13 year old wants to hear them sing it). i've been thinking a lot about transition...watching my friends graduate, and preparing for a pretty big transition myself. the pop-punk lyrics of bygone years now feel like rationalizations of adolescent angst and bad decision-making (cf summers of 2003-2004). but, there are some newer songs that, with their simplicity and whimsy and confusion, in an (ever so slightly) more grown-up way, evoke the simultaneous hope and fear and nostalgia that the process of transitioning (and trying to claw your bare-handed way up the steep cliff face that is adulthood) inspires.the rest of your playlist:
"new soul" yael naim
"i feel it all" feist
"darlin' do not fear" brett dennen
Thursday, June 4, 2009
daily playlist 6/4/09
"penniless patron"
sean hayes
2007
for when: you need to get away
..."would you like to sail away? maybe we could go to spain" offers guitarist sean hayes on this track off of his 2007 album "flowering spade." hayes, especially on "flowering spade," shows a deft hand for a range of styles, from the jazz-inflected syncopation of "all for love" to the midtempo americana of the title track. "penniless patron" is more similar to the latter, but a downtempo near lullaby, crooned over a spare guitar riff with a faintly keening instrumental descant woven into the bridge. not everyone is gonna love this kind of low-key folk rock, but i think lying in the sun listening to this album is one of the most soul-soothing things you can do.
the rest of your playlist:
"california" joni mitchell
"hannah" ray lamontagne
"human thing" the be good tanyas
sean hayes
2007
for when: you need to get away
..."would you like to sail away? maybe we could go to spain" offers guitarist sean hayes on this track off of his 2007 album "flowering spade." hayes, especially on "flowering spade," shows a deft hand for a range of styles, from the jazz-inflected syncopation of "all for love" to the midtempo americana of the title track. "penniless patron" is more similar to the latter, but a downtempo near lullaby, crooned over a spare guitar riff with a faintly keening instrumental descant woven into the bridge. not everyone is gonna love this kind of low-key folk rock, but i think lying in the sun listening to this album is one of the most soul-soothing things you can do.the rest of your playlist:
"california" joni mitchell
"hannah" ray lamontagne
"human thing" the be good tanyas
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
daily playlist 6/2/09
"pushing and shoving"
man/miracle
2008
for when: you need to work off some hipster angst by just cold shakin' your flannel-clad limbs.
i won't vouch for all of the rest of their (limited) catalog, but man/miracle's single "pushing and shoving"'s simple, charging ahead guitars and slurred vocals are saved from generic post-punk/indie-garage rock blandness by a bounding energy and perfect pop accents like off-beat handclaps....it all comes together in a way that makes you want to get off the couch and whirl around in circles with your arms waving.
man/miracle
2008
for when: you need to work off some hipster angst by just cold shakin' your flannel-clad limbs.
i won't vouch for all of the rest of their (limited) catalog, but man/miracle's single "pushing and shoving"'s simple, charging ahead guitars and slurred vocals are saved from generic post-punk/indie-garage rock blandness by a bounding energy and perfect pop accents like off-beat handclaps....it all comes together in a way that makes you want to get off the couch and whirl around in circles with your arms waving.
UPDATE: woops! forgot the link to the song.
the rest of your playlist:
"sweet dreams sweet cheeks" los campesinos!
"moped" thao with the get down stay down
"i won't lie to you" let's wrestle
the rest of your playlist:
"sweet dreams sweet cheeks" los campesinos!
"moped" thao with the get down stay down
"i won't lie to you" let's wrestle
Monday, June 1, 2009
daily playlist 6/1/09: "this old heart of mine"
"this old heart of mine"
the isley brothers
1966
for when: your heartache can only be properly expressed through the bari sax.
...or you just need something you can dance around to in your desk chair without falling out. warning: don't judge this by the 1989 rod stewart version, which makes me throw up a little in my mouth (although you may want to watch the music video, for larfs). you don't have to be feeling particularly ache-y in the cardiac area to love this track. i'm not, but for whatever reason, it's on repeat in a way that's making my roommates look at me oddly. it's also the song that i've sent to stressed, finals-taking or job-applying or apartment-hunting friends for like the past three months, and more than once i've been told it was the perfect musical panacea.
the rest of your playlist:
"moanin'" charles mingus (for the bari)
"tears dry on their own" amy winehouse (for the belt-y, melt-y, dance in your chair heartbreak)
"baby i need your lovin'" the four tops (for the old school video footage...because god forbid they're remembered for the 2009 grammys tribute, which, with the jonas bros' creepy performance with stevie wonder, was a night when soul died just a little).
for when: your heartache can only be properly expressed through the bari sax.
...or you just need something you can dance around to in your desk chair without falling out. warning: don't judge this by the 1989 rod stewart version, which makes me throw up a little in my mouth (although you may want to watch the music video, for larfs). you don't have to be feeling particularly ache-y in the cardiac area to love this track. i'm not, but for whatever reason, it's on repeat in a way that's making my roommates look at me oddly. it's also the song that i've sent to stressed, finals-taking or job-applying or apartment-hunting friends for like the past three months, and more than once i've been told it was the perfect musical panacea.
the rest of your playlist:
"moanin'" charles mingus (for the bari)
"tears dry on their own" amy winehouse (for the belt-y, melt-y, dance in your chair heartbreak)
"baby i need your lovin'" the four tops (for the old school video footage...because god forbid they're remembered for the 2009 grammys tribute, which, with the jonas bros' creepy performance with stevie wonder, was a night when soul died just a little).
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