antony & the johnsons - 'another world' video

Antony & the Johnsons have debuted a new video for "Another World" off the titular EP, which comes out in a week (more on that soon). It's simple and haunting; the perfect match for the song.


 

lykke li + bon iver = 'dance dance dance'

I guess northwestern Wisconsin and Sweden probably are roughly the same climes, though who we know from each that are connected with this post are musically polar. Lykke Li makes danceable pop music with oddly sexual lyrics, while Bon Iver  strips down to the bare necessities in order to evoke a poignant history. But, here they are, playing Lykke's 'Dance Dance Dance' off her Youth Novels somewhere in L.A. You'd expect everyone to seem out of their element, but the song is really enjoyable, with Justin providing his falsetto and backing band and Lykke being as strange as usual. 


Check it:

kurt cobain's ashes to be smoked by berlin artist

When in Rome, right? Or, in my case, Seattle. 

Apparently, as reported by Anthem earlier, a Berlin performance artist by the name of Natascha Stellmach is set to smoke the former Nirvana frontman's ashes. As for the motivation, Stellmach claimed her intention to be to "release Cobain from the media circus and into the ether." Sounds like Stellmach may be smoking a little too much of something besides this city's most beloved X-Starbucks employee. Unclear is the way in which she actually ascertained the ashes, and whether or not they are authentic. By golly, art really is pushing some boundaries. 

woodpigeon

Guardian's new band of the day, Woodpigeon is a collective of Canadian musicians who make anthemic, grandiose chamber music. Not surprisingly, they've been lumped in with another band that fits well into the same description by saying that they "come across as a sort of semi-acoustic Arcade Fire or full-band version of Sufjan Stevens." Though I actually see more of a musical resemblance to Sufjan, especially in lead singer Mark Hamilton's vocals, 'a full-band version of Sufjan Stevens' seems contradictory, if not completely void of all significance, to what Sufjan actually does. But that's neither here nor there. 

Woodpigeon are from Calgary and follow in their countrymens tendency to play in multiple bands at once. So too do they take cues from their country's well orchestrated indie-pop. Less of a juggernaut than Arcade Fire and not as gritty as Broken Social Scene, Woodpigeon evoke the joy of roaming through untamed woods or lazing in rolling fields during autumn's cascading light. "Knock Knock" croons and beats to a backdrop of a billowing guitar line, while the weird "Death By Ninja" deals with a desire to kill "with just one little punch." Hey, at least Canadians are still weird, right? And with the bevy of great bands that Woodpigeon effectively join, who can complain? Not I, not I.

They have an album out now titled Treasury Library Canada which can be purchased here by a pay-what-you-want paypal order or by buying a more traditional, physical copy. 

deerhunter - microcastle

Though I've been listening to Microcastle since the beginning of June, I'm not exactly sure if I'm behind with this review. See, the original release date was October 28th but, as suggested by how long I've had this record, it leaked a little prematurely. Just a little. Rightly disappointed, Deerhunter chose to sell it on itunes in the interim so as to generate a little capital for what is one of the year's better albums. 

Their last effort, Cryptograms, generated lots of critical praise. Alongside a thunderously intense live show, Deerhunter rose quickly to the top of the indie radar for creating what lead singer Bradford Cox coined as "ambient punk." Not as aggressive as its predecessor, Microcastle still employs heavy distortion and ambience, although both elements are seemingly more upbeat and positive. When listened to as a whole, there is a palpable sense of a band emerging from its shell of angst and channels dark imagery in an illuminating way. As an example, standout "Agoraphobia" is about a fear of being trapped, a lonely existence in the modern world. But, set to the upbeat drums and winding guitars, when Bradford croons "I want to fade away, fade away," it feels more like a plea to be taken into the sunset after a perfect summer day than a desire to be released from an overbearing life. Another track with persistent drums, constant bassline, and steady strums, "Nothing Ever Happens," deals with, as the title surprisingly suggests, boredom and a fleeting life. 

Not forgetting the drone and ambiance which garnered them fame, Deerhunter still uses dissonance to its advantage by knowing where to intermix the fast with the slow, the soft with the heavy. As on the title track, the song breezes around Bradford's voice for a few minutes until things pick up and the rest of the band speeds through the song's remaining bars. Following is couplet ("Calvary Scars," "Green Jacket," and "Activa") that are drowned in sound and keep things short and sweet, the longest peaking at 2:09. Though not necessarily the most ambient of tracks, "Saved By Old Times" features vocals from fellow Atlantan, Cole Alexander of Black Lips, and modulated samples from old movies. 

Markedly positive, Microcastle is the effort of a band that has matured musically, lyrically and individually. And such changes have allowed for growth that should find Deerhunter on everyone's lips, not for their behavior, but for their music. Hopefully though, they haven't changed the decibel levels at their shows and you'll still be able to feel the bone-rattling bass.

holy hail

Although I don't remember exactly how I stumbled upon them, New York's Holy Hail are a current obsession. Combining the raw dance power of ESG with sexy, dual boy/girl falsetto refrains a la contemporary NYC duo Free Blood, these guys nail the hammer on the head. Groovy bass lines, timbale rolls, punk energy, and a well studied look at dance music's varied roots all denote what I hear in their music. 

They'll be releasing a new album, Independent Pleasure Club through Kanine Records on November 11th. They've got a few new songs, "Independent Self Devotion" and "Cheery Street," streaming on their myspace. 

gang gang dance - saint dymphna

If not the most conceptually dense record I've ever listened to, Gang Gang Dance's Saint Dymphna is certainly up there. Even after taking a few listens, to describe exactly what GGD create is next to impossible. It's fair to say they meld together the conventional with the absurd in a beautiful, epically proportioned ritualistic dance record. It's fair to say they borrow heavily from the tribal concept of rhythm tying everything together and being what every other element, be it melody or lyric, flows from. It's fair to say GGD have influences far too vast to ever be accurately described, as it seems they are the type to take inspiration from things both monumental and daily. It's also fair to say they could give a flying fuck what anyone has to say about their sound, as the music is far too singular to be concerned with preconceptions or popular opinion. And, that is for everyone's benefit. 

Calling together hints of grime, Bjork's vocal tendencies, techno, primitivism, and the kitchen sink (quite possible, they have a reputation for playing whatever is available), Saint Dymphna is an out there dance record that could just as easily sate the psyched out Brooklynite as the British rave kid.  Known for heavy improv and colossal jam sessions, Gang Gang Dance seem to have wrangled in their older, more eccentric tendencies towards musical chaos. In doing so, they have not lost an ounce of their uniqueness but instead have made quite possibly the best album of the year, if not a standout in a decade filled with other far flinging combiners of the worlds' various genres. The closest comparison I can think of would probably be Animal Collective, though Avey Tare and Panda Bear seem to use the human voice a little differently than GGD's main singer, Liz and GGD are not as direct in their musical affinities.

To say anything besides the fact that everyone should get this record would render this post void of all purpose. Saint Dymphna comes out on October 21st via The Social Registry. 

mp3: gang gang dance - house jam (xxxchange remix)

isle land dvd

In a recent myspace blog post, J. Tillman announced that he, Sean Pecknold and Kory Kruckenberg recently recored and filmed a four song film on Vashon Island. The dvd, titled 'Isle Land' will be available via Bella Union on the upcoming Fleet Foxes/J. Tillman tour, which finds them playing The Moore on October 19th.

monthly investigation: NEU!

Pronounced "noy" and written in uppercase, block lettering, NEU! is a prominent krautrock band known for balancing its music between the steady, motorik beat and ambient feedback. 

After splitting from another well known krautrock band, Kraftwerk, Klaus Dinger and Michael Rother formed NEU! in 1971 and released their self-titled debut quickly thereafter. Weak sales gave them little fame, though that album has come to represent many elements of krautrock that have since found their way into various genres, such as the post-punk driving rhythm section of Joy Division and the ambient works of Aphex Twin. They then went on to record two more albums, both of which garnered little besides a strong, but limited, fanbase and led to what could be considered a premature breakup. 

Captivating is the only way I can describe the motorik tracks from NEU! As an example, the first song is their debut is 10 minutes, features no lyrics and never changes its rhythm and it manages to be breeze by on every listen. The ambient tracks are such a stark departure that it seems the ideological clash that would later split Dinger and Rother did wonders for producing a genuine sound that has since to be replicated anywhere near the mastery of the original.  

a mini-mix

Fall has started once again in beautiful Seattle and school is right around the corner. Like the quiet before the storm, I figured I'd show a little bit of what I've been recently listening to, some of which is sure to show up on some sort of year-end, best-of list of mine in a few months. My, how 2008 is passing by! And with great music to boot. 

download autumn:

golden - high places

we're through - james pants

crystal stilts - crystal stilts

balmy night - department of eagles

family tree - tv on the radio

of montreal - 'id engager' mad decent edit

I know, I know, I'm a few days late with this one. But, it's too good to not talk about. As you may have heard, Of Montreal's newest, Skeletal Lamping, was just pushed back by Polyvinyl and will now be released on October 21st. Not only is the content contained within the album itself extremely stimulating and ingenious, but so too is the way in which said content can be ordered. Not only does the record come in traditional CD and LP format, but you can also get it as a tote bag, button collection, t-shirt, paper lantern or wall decals. All include a coupon for the mp3s and the beautiful album art. Read more and order here.

In the meantime though, we can get our fill of some Of Montreal goodness from the unstoppably amazing folks at Diplo's Mad Decent. Taking the already über dance ready "Id Engager," the Mad Decent edit has plenty of finger snaps, "ah oh"s and throbbing bass hits to keep things moving steadily for the song's entirety. Download it below. 

Of Montreal play with HEALTH at the Showbox Sodo on Wednesday, November 19th while Diplo, Abe Vigoda, Boy 8-Bit and telepathe will be getting mad at Neumo's on Halloween. 

mp3: of montreal - 'id engager' (mad decent remix)

new juan maclean - 'find a way'

Happy housers The Juan MacLean are back with another gem of a dance track, this time with "Find A Way." Off of a tour exclusive EP, Juan is now at the helm with lead vocals, though Nancy still contributes her own pipes in repetition. The piano is killer and the looping space bleeps add imagery to the cosmic euphoria they are singing about. I've said it before, but the DFA really are ze bomb shiiit. 

The Juan's forthcoming The Future Will Come will come sometime in the future, though the DFA website is currently under construction and so I was unable to get an exact date.

mp3: the juan maclean - 'find a way' (via rcrd lbl)

high places lp

A stark combination of modulated drum pads and a beautiful female voice constitutes High Places' tribal, hypnotic sound. The Brooklyn band, comprised of Mary Pearson and Rob Barber, opt not to use anything more than electronics, vocals and auxiliary percussion, and in doing so, have created some of the most refreshing music I've heard in a while.

The duo's singles collection 03/07 - 09/07 came out earlier this year and showcased their unique take on African rhythms set against layers of electronic effects. Their self-titled LP, set to be released at the 23rd by Thrill Jockey, expands upon what 03/07 - 09/07 established, and feels more confident in every aspect. Mary's voice is fuller, the music more diverse, the feelings evoked even more powerful, resulting in a cohesive beauty that acknowledges its predecessor and incorporates a newly formed vigor. No doubt touring and high acclaim has aided High Places in expanding their palette. Regardless of the catalyst, this album, which should be considered their true debut, will hopefully find them generating even more praise and a larger audience. 

10 songs totaling a half-hour exactly, the cd abounds with worldly sounds as diverse as Hindi strings, African drums, cascading harps and oodles of random percussion. Seemingly more a collage than an exhibition of musical prowess, High Places excel in creating art from varied backgrounds, united by a thread of positivity and Mary's alluring voice. "Golden" just might be my favorite track, with its entrancing, head-nodding beat and panning vocals. Two short instrumentals, "You In Forty Years" and "Papaya Year," further help the album in its blend of musical exploration and sonic creativity. Lyrically, it seems as if the duo is addressing themes of self-identity, as on "Gold Coin," the beauty that comes from destruction in opener "The Storm," and "Namer" tells of a protagonist eager to learn more about nature. However, postulation makes me think that High Places find more beauty in the human voice than in lyrics, which is not to insult them in the least. Rather, I think they understand the asset of vocals as another instrument and so utilize it to their full potential. Ending seemingly prematurely, the album never lingers too long in one place and leaves the listener learning for more. Though no one song sounds like another, there is an undertone of beauty that gives the album breadth, continually changing but never straying beyond random. And it is this same beauty that should find High Places acquiring the respect they deserve, both as innovators and creators of imaginative music.  

the tough alliance + nordpolen

The Tough Alliance are still making waves with their irresistibly catchy album A New Chance, which was released well over a year ago on their own label, Sincerely Yours. And for good reason. It's an album that blends nostalgia, longing, happiness and beauty into a collage of pop perfection. Making quite the wave this month, the duo is on the cover of the FADER's most recent issue. To read the piece (something I highly recommend), click here. I found it very interesting that the new, stateside issue of A New Chance will not open with the Azan, as they were approached by Muslims who found it offensive and so thought it better to cut it out. Bummer, there couldn't have been a better call to arms for the ensuing hour dance party contained on the disc. A single of "Neo Violence" will be released shortly. 

Update - Making even newer waves today, TTA's 2005 debut has just seen a re-release on Modular and is the first review on the illustrious p4k. And what's more, I haven't stopped listening to them since I started this post. Damn you for being so undeniably wonderful TTA.

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The FADER also shed light on TTA labelmate Nordpolen. Singing exclusively in Swedish, the same poignant beauty of his fellow countrymen is the biggest ingredient of Nordpolen's dance tunes. A la Malajube and Sigur Rós, the indecipherable lyrics make me question whether or not some of the catchiest songs in the world come in other languages. His debut is out on September 24th via Sincerely Yours and you can help determine how many albums are actually printed by e-mailing them directly at 88an@sincerelyyours.se. Interactive music consumption never ceases to excite.

monthly investigation: krautrock

Krautrock was birthed in 1960s Germany for myriad reasons. With American acid-rock, motown and the burgeoning hard rock movement vying against the British Invasion for the world's ear, Germany was left with a handful of obscure, avant-garde composers in its stead. Highly motivated by the emergence of a youthful, righteous and socially conscious intellectual demographic, the divided country became a breeding ground for those concerned with war, environmental issues, and the implications produced by the Space Race. Fed up with the status quo, musicians began experimenting with classical compositions and futuristic technologies as they sought to create a sound entirely unique and independent of current trends. 

Ironically enough, the term Krautrock was penned by the British press when reporting on the first major Germany music festival that took place at Essen in 1968 (kraut itself being slang for German). Musically, the genre made use of motorik, or 4/4, rhythm and classic rock instruments, although the sounds were more electronically modulated than anything else happening at that time. Infusing elements of Jazz, Classical and Minimalist music, song structures varied greatly between strict structures and loose improvisation. Another distinguishing feature that set them apart from their European and American brethren, Krautrock artists spoke solely through their music, usually opting either not to sing at all or, as Nico of Velvet Underground fame popularized, employ a style more reminiscent of a poetry reading than a Beatles track. 

Some of Krautrock's pioneering bands include Tangerine Dream, Amon Duul II, Can, Nico, Klaus Schulze, Kluster, Kraftwerk, NEU! and Faust. Interestingly, most don't sound much like any others, instead appearing to be bonded by a common ancestry and desire to restore a patriotism of sorts within a broken nation. The difference between each band's sound speaks volumes for Krautrock's ingenuity, demonstrating the different directions each was motivated to take their individual style. 

Like most things radical, Krautrock was relatively unsuccessful, at least commercially, during its peak. However, it is often regarded as a major influence on the Post-Punk and has seen a resurgence within the past few years from artists as varied as Wilco, LCD Soundsystem and Stereolab. With the exception of Kraftwerk, most bands are now inactive and have been for awhile. Even activity around the Kraftwerk camp is relatively infrequent and sporadic. For instance, they played only four shows on U.S. soil this past year. However, that Krautrock has a limited history contributes to its greatness; there was no time for bands to destroy the beauty they'd created with trying to sell records for mass profit. 

monthly investigation: an introduction

I just had an idea to introduce a new column of sorts within the blog, one in which I take a genre of music that I know nothing about or would like to increase my knowledge of, give some explanation of it and introduce some prominent artists, ideas and places that pertain to the genre's existence. I thought it'd be an engaging way to come up with things to write about and stretch my musical awareness. 

Hope you enjoy!

hot chip do covers

A band famous for reworks, remixes and covers, everyone's favorite London electro poppers Hot Chip are rumored to be working on two very different songs to remake; Joy Division's uber-famous "Transmission" and Vampire Weekend's "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa." An even bigger rumor lies within the speculated guest, "but this feels so unnatural, Peter Gabriel" himself. Weird, right? Alexis spoke with BBC's Newsbeat about the songs and said re: "Transmission" that the feel is entirely different from the original, much more tropical. I'm excited to hear it. 

Alexis also spoke in the same report about the progress of Made in the Dark's predecessor which features one "Alley Cat" said to be in the vein of a "Arthur Russell mid tempo disco tune." Curiosity is killing my cat.

 In other Hot Chip news, the video for "Wrestlers" is hilarious and features a cameo from Mr. James Murphy himself.

Wrestlers

On a different but related (both to this and the previous post) note, Esau Mwamwaya has also covered VW's "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa," which you can hear on his myspace, in addition to his cover of M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes" and cameo on the dope "Get It Up." 

el guincho + ruby suns

Photos by Daniel Cantó

The two dudes behind two of my favorite releases of 2008, El Guincho and The Ruby Suns are actually buddies. They've played shows together, rep each others albums and even, as I posted about earlier, cover each other. The two share many musical similarities in that they orchestrate mesmerizing songs from behind a setup of a snare, floor tom and knobs galore. But, El Guincho's Spanish heritage makes him a little more consistently upbeat, while The Ruby Suns take time to bask in the perennial sun of Auckland, New Zealand in psyched-out bliss.  

Both have been keeping busy, as El Guincho's video for "Palmitos Park" debuted yesterday on Pitchfork.TV, his stellar Alegranza! is set to be released stateside by Beggars Group on October 7th (that should be a good day for them) and he is supposedly working on another album. The Ruby Suns have recently released a cover of The Beatles "Holiday" with indie's current king shit Esau Mwamwaya and are about to go on tour with The Dodos in Europe. I just realized that there is a lone show at Seattle's very own Mars Bar on September 24th!

All appropriate mp3s and the video below:

mp3: the ruby suns ft. esau mwamwaya - "holiday" (the beatles cover)

thanks to gvb for finally getting an mp3 of this!

mp3: the ruby suns - "palmitos park" (el guincho cover)

video: el guincho - "palmitos park"

the crocodile cafe to reopen

Legendary Seattle venue The Crocodile Cafe is set to open its doors sometime early next year, according to a report by Reverb. After abruptly closing almost a year ago, rumors (my fav being that Johnny Depp had bought it) have abounded about possible new owners and the croc's future. Alas, it will not be torn down and made into another lovely condo building, but we'll be getting back part of this city's vibrant musical history. 

Full story here

bon iver - "flume" on conan

Bon Iver and his For Emma, Forever Ago arsenal of ambient folk tracks are still as beautiful as they were a year ago. Truly jealous that I've yet to see him live, as the video of his debut performance on Conan last night proves that the CD loses none of its majesty when taken out of the rural Wisconsin cabin it was recorded in. 

department of eagles - in ear park

I'm sure at this point it's apparent: I kinda <3 Grizzly Bear. I mention them every single chance I get. That I'm obsessed with Daniel Rossen's other band, Deparment of Eagles and their forthcoming LP In Ear Park should come as no surprise. Even without a predisposition to favor anything connected with Grizzly Bear, it would be unarguable that this disc is a rare gem filled with lush harmonies, captivating arrangements, and psych-pop influence.

Department of Eagles spawned from Daniel and Fred Nicolaus sharing a dorm room at NYU during their freshman year and deciding to occupy their time with making music. They released The Cold Nose in 2003 to much excitement within a small circle of fans. Things then remained quiet, as Daniel joined forces with Grizzly Bear and Fred took a 9-5 as a banker. However, the creative spark between these two friends never went out, as the pair hammered out ideas whenever possible and, after four years, are finally ready to release their next album.

When questioned about the difference between crafting songs with DoE and GB, Daniel said "A lot of these songs felt way too personal to bring to Grizzly Bear-- there's a lot of childhood nostalgia and an emphasis on more concise songwriting." Affirmed by tracks such as standout "Teenagers" and "Classical Records," it would seem that poignant memories of past experiences find the band in a very comfortable place for them, both as singers and craftsman of beautiful '60's-tinged music.

Production again came from resident guru Chris Taylor, and who, alongside Chris Bear, also contributed various instrumentation to In Ear Park. 

If you preorder the album before its October 7th release, you'll receive a bonus 7" free of charge. At least stream the title track and rollicking "No One Does it Like You" here.

antony + the oregon symphony

Photo by Nilina Mason-Campbell

On Friday night, a friend and I went to the beautiful Schnitzer Hall in Portland to see Antony & the Johnsons and the Oregon Symphony combine their respective musical grandeur. The juxtaposition of Antony's unique voice with a symphony as the backing band was the perfect melding of, what the director called "cult rock with classical music."

I only knew three songs played, "For Today I am a Boy," "I Fell in Love with a Dead Boy," and a stirring cover of Beyonce's "Crazy of Love." But the unfamiliarity of the night made things more intense as there was a heightened sense of what we were witnessing was a singular event and not just another tour stop. Many of the unknown songs are sure to land on either of Antony's upcoming releases, the EP Another World and full-length The Crying Game, both to be released on Secretly Canadian with the former arriving October 7th and the latter January 21st. Expect to be amazed.  

annie - don't stop

I always feel that, due to her aesthetic, I should hate Annie. She's a pop princess, a label which has come to signify complete musical ineptitude thanks to Britney Spears, Fergie, Lily Allen, etc. But, I don't hate Annie in the least nor do I believe her music to be as pathetic as most of her contemporaries. In fact, Annie might just be the saving grace that pop music needs, the spearhead for a new movement of talented women with the ability to craft beautifully catchy songs. 

Thankfully, Annie's second LP, Don't Stop, will hit shelves October 6th. I say thankfully, because the album is quickly becoming one of my favorites of the year and I think it holds wonderful potential for her to reach even more critical praise than her debut. The lyrics are simple, dealing with relationships, love, you know, normal human existence type of stuff. But, I think the real beauty of the album, besides Annie's voice, is the songcraft. There is a lot of attention to detail and each song seems to stand strongly on its own. Two of the more straightforward hits, "I Know UR Girlfriend Hates Me" and "Loco" have already been on the internet for a few months and received with much fanfare. "Bad Times" sounds like a Coldplay track, until an easy synth line kicks in under the vox, while opener "My Love is Better" is a rousing rock track whose lyrics deal with how much more awesome Annie is than other girls. Things slow down a lot with "When the Night," which sounds like a Michael Jackson ballad, albeit a little more futuristic. Goofy and strange, "What Do You Want (For Breakfast) is one of my favorite tracks just because the whole thing borders on being completely ridiculous, but Annie seems to wrangle the absurd into perfection each and every time.


Don't Stop is an album for everyone, regardless of musical taste or lifestyles. I feel like Annie could be the saving grace of the pop world, one to unite a divided generation behind what is the most enjoyable music in existence. But, somehow, I feel like Annie doesn't care about being overly successful and having her every move scrutinized by tabloids, since her album is an artistic statement and not a marketing strategy. So, until it's release in a month, you can wet your appetite by visiting her myspace page and streaming some tracks from the album.

new arthur russell lp coming in october

Another Arthur Russell disc is on the way, according to an article published by p4k yesterday. Harvested from the myriad demos and unreleased material Russell recorded before his premature death in 1992, the new album will be titled Love Is Overtaking Me and be released on October 28th by Audika Records. Per usual, I'm sure the disc will showcase what was perhaps one of the most innovative musicians to have lived. Head on over to Audika's myspace to hear some new tracks off the record. 

Interestingly, Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear is on the mixing and editing details. It seems as if Taylor is slowly taking over the world of great musical releases with production on the recent, stellar In Ear Park from fellow bandmate Daniel Rossen's other endeavor Department of Eagles and Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson's s/t. I'm sure, a la Yellow House, he's probably at the helms of the new GB album too. Quite the busy guy, it seems.

On a different but related note, the recent Arthur Russell documentary Wild Combination will hit shelves sometime in November and is scheduled to show here as part of the Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, which takes place from October 17-26. Exact details when they surface.

radiohead

Photo: Natalie Kardos

After having listened to Radiohead for what seemed like forever, I finally got to see them. And it was every bit as surreal as a juggernaut such as Radiohead should be when experienced live. Not only was I about 8 rows back and directly in front of Thom out of a crowd of (if estimates are to be believed) 80,000, but it was fucking Radiohead! I understand that such a lofty title as "the best band in the world" should not be taken lightly, but I do believe there to be no contest as to the sheer awesomeness of this band. It's not even that they have to be your favorite band, I just feel like there's no real way believe that anything else happening in mainstream rock even compares. The fact that these guys have landed in the mainstream rock category is impressive enough with such a varied discography as they've culled over the years. 

Live, they played a heavy In Rainbows set that also drew greats from Kid A, Amnesiac, and OK Computer. Although the sound cut out twice, I still can't say that it was anything less than stellar. I hope the reason behind the technical difficulties arose from the carbon-neutral effort they put into the tour, an effort I greatly admire. The lights/visuals were spectacular as well. 

Seriously, Radiohead has the whole package. They've got a great live show, they make mind-bending albums, they care about the environment, they're all extremely talented musicians, and from the smiles on each members' face while they played to an adoring audience at the famed Golden Gate Park, they are extremely humble given their situation.

blog not dead

For the two people out there actually reading this thing, I just wanted to say that I'm not done writing on here. Between visiting the beautiful state of Wyoming for a spell, seeing Radiohead in S.F. (more on that later...), moving, and enjoying the last little bit of summer here in Seattle, I've been taking a nice break from incessant online browsing. But, no longer! School is just around the corner which means lots of studying, which in turn means lots of distractions, which in turn means lots of information-seeking about music, which in turn means more posts. 

See you soon!

P.S., Alison, if you're reading this, contact me.