I’ll be on our Chicago affiliate with Chuck Swirsky tonight, but I’m taping it before the show so I’m not sure exactly when it will air.
Anyway, I have discovered that there is one substantial benefit to XM (Sirius XM, XM Sirius, whatever the hell they’re calling themselves this week) – an hour or so of their alternative stations usually gives me a half-dozen songs I like enough to purchase. Of course, listening for an hour a week is sufficient, so I’m not about to renew my subscription (which I let lapse in 2006), but I get it via DirecTV at home and occasionally in rental cars, which is how I came across these songs.
Ida Maria – “I Like You So Much Better When You’re Naked
Arresting title, for starters. Ida Maria is a Norwegian singer who has a smoky voice and exudes a woman-on-the-verge vibe throughout the song (“What the hell do I do that for?) and seems to have some issues to work through (“I like me so much better when you’re naked”). The unbalanced lyrics ride on top of an upbeat, sparse guitar/drum backing. Good luck getting this out of your head.
Tokyo Police Club – “Your English Is Good
The shoutalong intro is kind of menacing – “Oh give us your vote/give us your vote/If you know/what’s good for you” – and the generally obnoxious lyrics, complete with snotty delivery, are backed by an Arctic Monkeys kind of rapid Britpop/punk guitar riff.
Men Without Pants – “And The Girls Go
Best band name I’ve heard all year, and it turns out it includes Dan the Automator (of Gorillaz, Handsome Boy Modeling School, and Dr. Octagon fame). It’s delightfully trashy rock, deliberately underproduced so it has a garage feel, with a guitar riff that never quite resolves so you’re given the sense that you’re listing to one side as you listen. That’s a good thing, by the way.
Rise Against – “Audience Of One
I was familiar with Rise Against from their acoustic song “Swing Life Away” but hadn’t heard any of their regular material until I heard this on XM. It’s solid-average, plays up a little with some good tempo changes and unusually sharp lyrics (not just for neo-punk but for rock in general), with the opening stanza, “I can still remember/the words and what they meant/As we etched them with our fingers/in years of wet cement” the first of a handful of strong images which, really, is about all it takes to rise above the lyrical level of the average rock song.
Living Things – “Oxygen
I had Living Things pegged as a one-hit wonder – and it wasn’t even a big hit or a particularly great song – after their terse and kind of juvenile anti-war song “Bom Bom Bom,” which hit #21 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2005, but this is definitely a step up for them in the songwriting department. It has a stronger hook and a wave of sound behind a chorus that features some actual singing that wasn’t present on “Bom Bom Bom.”
” (This song is actually from 2005, but I didn’t hear it at all until last year and didn’t think it worth buying until the second or third time I caught it. It’s very Joy Division/Interpol, and if you don’t like those bands, I don’t think there’s anything I could tell you about this song that would make it worth your while. Mostly I just wanted to mention that I was sure the first line in the chorus was “Blood runs through your feet,” when in fact, it’s “Blood runs through your veins,” so either the Brummie accent pronounces “vein” with a long “e” or my ears are shot to hell.
Franz Ferdinand – “No You Girls
They write good songs – I doubt you needed me to point this out. I was thinking the other day about how FF are kind of like Stone Temple Pilots in that, while you weren’t paying that much attention, they’ve racked up a bunch of good singles that would make a pretty strong greatest-hits album if the record company was in the mood for a money-grab. STP was there after four albums; FF might not even need that long.
Cage the Elephant – “Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked
CtE seems like your basic college jam band, which really isn’t my style, but the slide guitar riff and the vocalist’s half-rapped/half-drawled delivery had me singing the song to myself at the SEC tournament despite the fact that I didn’t think I even liked it. The lyrics aren’t especially clever – the singer meets a prostitute and a mugger and sees a crooked priest on TV, territory I’m pretty sure we’ve covered before. Apparently the song went top 40 in the UK last year but just started getting radio play here in the last few months.
Matt & Kim – “Daylight
Picked this one up a few months ago – I’m a sucker for a good call-and-response song, and this one comes with a shuffling percussion beat for a sort of minimalist punk-pop sucker-punch in just under three minutes.
Found myself enjoying the Men Without Pants, not feeling the other stuff.
Big fan of both Editors and Matt & Kim. Since I know you’re a singles guy, here are a couple more from 2009 to check out.
Andrew Bird – Fitz and the Dizzyspells (can’t recommend him enough and he’s playing here in a week)
Animal Collective – My Girls (I don’t really “get” them but this song is a bit more accessible)
Beads – Evil (lyrics are apparently not political; that was my initial interpretation)
Dirty Projectors – Stillness is the Move
Doves – Kingdom of Rust (another British band)
Elvis Perkins – I Heard Your Voice in Dresden
M. Ward – Never Had Nobody Like You
The National – So Far Around the Bend
Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Young Adult Friction (though anything off this album is strong)
Passion Pit – Little Secrets (catchy, kid sung hook)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Zero
(So Many Dynamos doesn’t really do much for me but I feel like they deserve a mention simply for having a palindromic name.)
I kinda liked the new Art Brut album. Then I saw them live this week (twice!). Now, I kinda really love the new Art Brut. I have never had as much fun at a show as I had at their shows. Fortunately, I’ll be in LA for vacation next week, and I’m going to be able to see them again.
Seriously, listen to Art Brut vs. Satan. You won’t regret it.
Also: I’ll second the Pains of Being Pure at Heart recommendation. It’s very good. I’m looking forward to seeing them at Pitchfork.
I don’t know if you’ve checked out the new Mos Def yet (I know you’re a Native Tongues guy), but “Auditorium” is the best hip-hop track of 2009.
I had forgotten about Men Without Pants … looking forward to seeing where Dan the Automator has taken his craft.
I bought the new Doves album a few weeks ago, but I want to give it another listen or two before writing about it. I’ve been a fan of theirs since
Some CitiesLost Souls.Of course, other than them and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (whose last album was boring) I don’t know any of the bands on Dave’s list.
If you’re a fan of the Editors/Interpol, you’d definitely enjoy the White Lies–same deep vocals, with a little more rocking out.
This is my first time commenting, so I just want to add that I really enjoy the blog/chats/articles. The posts are great, but I really appreciate that you take the time to answer back to some of the comments.
Hope you enjoy your downtime after the draft, and I look forward to more great book reviews.
Keith, next time you get a chance just give a few of those a listen on iTunes. Move The National (their 2008 album was universally loved) and Andrew Bird (personal favorite) to the top of the list.
CDoyle: Its weird because I almost anti-recommended Art Brut. I tend to have issues with bands that ironic-talk over the music rather than sing so them and The Hold Steady always both me. Definitely one of those different strokes for different folks bands.
“always bother me”
Keith, not sure if you are going to Omaha for the CWS or not, probably not, but if you are, the best food advice I can give you from someone that had been there 50 times is eat steak (obviously) and try La Casa Pizza on 44th & Leavenworth. Not all that far from the stadium or downtown.
I eat New Haven Pizza frequently and yes, that is the best, but La Casa is right there, even if it is a different style and not from a coal oven. Their special is the romano cheese and hamburger pizza. That is very good, but I get a “personal size” which I think is a small or 12″ pie and get mozz cheese with sausage and pep. Can’t go wrong with either.
The other “find” you may be interested in is Joe Tess Place on 5424 S 24th, this is less than 2 miles from Rosenblatt. Here you will get the fried carp sandwich. Yea, I know….but it is damn good.
Enjoy
Keith, Franz Ferdinand >>>>>>>>>>>>>>Stone Temple Pilots. In another league.
The National, who Dave mentioned have two outstanding albums filled with great songs. So Far Around the Bend is off a compilation they did (Dark Was the Night) and is good, but I would look to Alligator and Boxer for a better sampling of their work. Seen them several times live and they put on a top notch show.
For a great new single check out Phoenix’s Lizstomania. New Dirty Projectors album is excellent, but not everyone’s thing.
Did you see this Matt and Kim video?
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=56139511
Something about your picks made me think of the Horrors: http://www.myspace.com/thehorrors
When they do pop music they’re thoroughly entertaining, though the first single for the latest record is a long drone…that kind of thing goes directly back to 70s Krautrock (Can, Neu!) and might be an acquired taste. Other songs are more varied, with lots of 90s guitars.
And those guys can make a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZMrwZItOGE
Yes, that is Samantha Morton.
The National are great. Seen them live as well at the Middle East in Boston a couple of years ago. For me, I don’t have too much new stuff but here are a few:
Brendan Canning – Churches Under the Stairs
Dead Confederate – The Rat
Crooked Fingers – Your Control (w/ Neko Case)
If you are ever listening online I can’t recommend http://www.kexp.org enough. Great Seattle station that streams. Public radio too, so all music.
Enthusiastically 2nd the recommendation of KEXP. Free to stream through their website or iTunes; anyone looking for good new music should give the station a week.
Don’t see how you can go wrong with the new Fanfarlo album at all. Zippy little post-punk melodies and unique arrangements…sort of a British version of Clap Your Hands but without all of the unnecessary BS. Oh, and you can download the whole album for only $1:
http://www.fanfarlo.com/
Video from SXSW here:
http://vimeo.com/4401641
Nice recommendations, I like the Men Without Pants lo-fi feel.
Very yes on Editors. One of my faves, “Colours”, is a track off the extended edition of the album Blood is from (The Back Room). I thought it was a single when I first heard it. Really, the quality on both of their albums is pretty deep and consistent, which I don’t think you could say about Interpol since Turn on the Bright Lights.
As my recs, I would throw out Los Campesinos – “You! Me! Dancing!” and The National – “Apartment Story” (really anything off their Boxer album if you haven’t heard it already).
Check out “Felicia” by The Constellations – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fnfzEu2Ndo
Also, “The Prowl” by Dan Auerbach and “Lisztomania” by Phoenix are good as well.
Keith,
Thanks for the recommendations.
Definitely will have to check out Ida Maria and Men without Pants!
Btw, have you ever listed to Dan the Automator’s Lovage album? If not, I’d highly recommend it. That album also has a wonderful smoky voice of Jennifer Charles (of the Elysian Fields)….
I love the Editors also, but I think “Munich” is their best track. Also make sure you check out “1901” by Phoenix. Good tune.
“Keith, Franz Ferdinand >>>>>>>>>>>>>>Stone Temple Pilots. In another league.” -JKGaucho
What???? Couldn’t disagree more. STP’s stuff is still relevant and getting significant airtime almost 20 years after Core came out. I really doubt that in ten or fifteen years we’ll still be hearing “Take Me Out.”
Keith,
You should check out Scarlett Symphony’s “Your Blood is Mine” (I don’t think it’s available on iTunes, but you can find the band page on myspace.)
When’s the last time we heard “Plush”?
Keith,
Check out Gaslight Anthem… they are sometimes on either Faction or Alt Nation (usually Alt Nation). Old White Lincoln is the song on XM right now but their two CDs are great, Sink or Swim and the ’59 Sound
When’s the last time we heard “Plush”?
This morning on my way to work. I usually cycle through three radio stations during my daily hour in the car driving to and from work. I used to hear old STP two or three times a week but it has been more lately since they are playing a show here on July 4th.
I was just trying to point out that still relevant / significant airtime is very much a matter of station preference. I haven’t heard STP in forever because I don’t listen to 90s rock stations. I hear Franz Ferninand every other day.
These aren’t 90’s rock stations either…they are the same ones that play Franz Ferdinand in San Diego.
A lot of bad music, both new and old, get played on the radio. Doesn’t mean anything. There are entire stations devoted to playing mostly bad music. To each his own, I guess.
A couple songs to add to the list are “Summer Clothes” and “My Girls” by Animal Collective.
I mean Summertime Clothes.
For a real good source for finding new music you might want to check out The Current. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/radio/services/the_current/
It’s a public radio station out of Minnesota that plays a ridiculously wide range of music, and I’ve heard most of the songs you listed on there, so it seems it might sync up with your tastes.
everyone should check out japandroids. really earnest garage rock that hits all the right notes. http://www.myspace.com/japandroids