Maximo Park: Graffiti

Maxïmo Park are an indie rock band, signed to Warp Records, who formed in Newcastle, North East England in April 2003. They consist of Paul 'Scooby' Smith (vocals), Duncan Lloyd (guitar), Archis Tiku (bass guitar), Lukas Wooller (keyboards) and Tom English (drums). Drawing comparisons to Pulp and Franz Ferdinand, Maxïmo Park were, along with cohorts The Futureheads, North-East England's response to the post-punk revival of the 2000s. Drummer Tom English is also in the band Field Music. In July 2005 their debut album, A Certain Trigger, was nominated for the Mercury Prize. They also contributed a song to the War Child compilation Help: A Day in the Life.
Listening to Maximo Park seems to give that sense of trying to bust out of the confines of familiar surroundings. There is a lot of energy under these tracks. It reminds me of that point iin your life where you absolutely must get away from school, parents, girlfriend/boyfriend for fear of being smothered. There are a lot of influences in here, most of them brittish. Jam, Wire, Stone roses, Stranglers, kinks, etc. But it feels playful and for the most part is not redundant.
Maximo Park hails from Newcastle Upon Tyne, where ever the hell that is. Usually when you get brittish frontmen, their otherwise unintelligable accent seems to all but disappear once they start crooning away. Not so here. Singer Paul Smith's UK pronunciation of words, feels somehow authentic. He is who is, and fuck trying to pronounce words grammatically correct.
On the down side, Maximo park feels obligated like so many other bands in the same style, to wear those fucking suit combinations. The look is old.

Here is the video for tMaximo Park's first single, Graffiti.

The Maximo Park Website

Massive Attack: Butterfly Caught

Massive Attack is one THE most influential groups to emerge out of England in the 90's. A part of the Trifecta of Trip Hop music, accompanied by Tricky, and Massive Attack (all of which were kind of inter breeding anyway, so where does the division n start? I don't know) they have morphed from Electronica act into more of a digital composer group. Which is good, since just about any act that comes out of Electronic music, no matter what the genre, tends to get very old, very quick.

First off, ask your self: Do you isten to house music? How about Dub? No? Me either. Absolutely hate both. BUT! Technically these are the flavors in Massive Attack. But way more low key. None of that head throbbing rave style beat mixture that can drive anyone not tripping on E to an instant migraine. Most of us are more than likely been exposed to Massive Attack through the single Teardrop which seems to end up in commercials for everything and most recently as a opening theme for "House" on Fox. Yeesh.

Recently Massive Attack did the soundtrack to "Unleashed." which sounded great. RZA, of the late Wu-Tang Clan also contributed but who gives a shit?

Their Catalogue is big, to say the least.Only four original albums, but what seems like dozens of remixes for various artists. If you've got a P2P search engine, typre in Massive attack and look at how many of them there are. Funnily enough most of them suck. It's really their own work that resonates well. But they gotta pay the bills somehow. So if you've never listened to any of it, start with Mezzanine or 100th Window as these are the best of their more current work. If you like go back to Blue Lines if you like what you hear. Blue Lines is the reason they are popular, but if you haven't heard it your going to think it sounds dated.

Here is a haunting piece called Butterfly Caught .

Check out the official Website

Ok Go: A Million Ways To Be Cruel

I heard doubt these guys a while ago on NPR radio out here. I only caught a small bit of the segment but I was intrigued by the fact that Ok Go's video for A Million Ways had been downloaded over a million time on the net in a sixth month period, or something ridiculous like that.
The other thing that caught my attention was the fact that one of the band members sisters had choreographed the whole thing. When you watch this it's quite obvious really. But whats cool is that these guys from the band pull off a fairly complex three minute dance and make it look good. On top of which, it's a great song. Got a sort of disco dance floor groove thing going for it.

On the bad side it's also not representative of the rest of the catalogue. Other songs by Ok Go sound derivative of a Weezer/Emo thing, which is not my cup of tea. But if it's YOUR cup of tea then go to the official website.

And surprise, surprise, Ok Go also maintains their very own Blog right amongst us.

Arctic Monkeys:Fake Tales of San Francisco

Unfortunately I'm going to have to resort to making comparisons here. The Strokes. Yes, they sound like the Strokes. Only Louder, faster, and more with more chops. So if you are like me and hate the Strokes because for three years it's all anybody wanted to yap about, but knew that you'd probably like them if your friends weren't force fucking your ear with "Is This It" then give these guys a listen.
I am further impressed by the fact that not a one of these kids are over 20. (as of this posting) Mo Fo's are great. Particularly Fake Tales of San Francisco, a scathing stab at scenesters talking shit. While San Francisco is a bit far for these boys. I only live 8 hours away and still here people ranting about that town and how "Fucking a-MAZE-ing" it is. As lead singer Alex so eloquently puts it

"It doesn't matter where you a’re from or if your are in a band or not; there'’s always knob-heads."

Word.

Here is a live performance for I'll Bet You Look Good On Dance Floorloor

Stereolab: Ping Pong

Stereolab has been around since WAAAAY back in 1991. They have got a LP, EP, DP CIA, FBI, DEA, CDC, etc. etc. release collection that is a whopping 32 discs deep! Good God that is a lot of stereolab.

I become aware of them through Dots And Loops, which is generally considered one of their less than stellar albums. But since I'd never heard Stereolab before, I thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Having listened to a larger portion of the catalogue at this point I can say that there are plenty stronger discs to warm up to Stereolab with. If you've never heard them all you really need to know is that they are a sixtie's electronic fusion jazz pop act that almost many discerning artists tend to list in their favorites
(e.g. Pavement, Sonic Youth, Common, The Roots, Beck, Yo La Tengo, Elliot Smith, Belle and Sebastian, Bright Eyes, Bjork, Prince, Wilco, Radiohead blah blah blah. There's a lot.)

Stereolab has recently released a box set entitled Oscillons from the Anti-Sun that collects a bunch of rarities that never showed up on their regulars. Anybody who is a fan or an obsessive collector will probably enjoy this. I'm looking forward to it myself.

Here is a video and excellent song by stereolab called Ping Pong

The official site.

Nouvelle Vague: Too Drunk To Fuck

I generally don't support any group that rises to fame based off a cover song that tugs at nostalgic strings we all feel for certain ditties from our past. It's a shameless grab for attention riding on someone else' coattails. But when a band decides to do an all cover album, it is extraordinarily ballsey to say the least. And not in a good way. (Anybody else cringe the first time that punk band put out that all covers album a few years ago? What the fuck was their name? Exactly.)
Nouvelle Vague is not big. You won't hear them on the radio unless you listen to college radio or maybe a few public stations out there. The market for Bossa Nova just isn't what it used to be. They're technically breaking a ton of No-No's by 1)trying to cover timeless classics from the post punk era, and 2) Completely fucking with the feeling of them.

Pure Balls.

Picking The Dead Kennedys: Too drunk to Fuck is an inspired choice.

While recording a cover of Joy Division: Love Will Tear Us Apart is really pushing it. Incidentally I don't really even care that much About Joy Division. But I've see enough psychotically rabid Euro Trash fans out there to wonder whether Nouvelle Vague has got a death wish. Fuck em.

Lastly, there are some absolutely horrid covers on here as evidenced by the cover of I just can't get enough. The original sucks, and this does nothing to improve it. In fact it's like reminding someone they had a historectamy by kicking them in the crotch.

Still the majority of it is rather enjoyable. bossa nova has a way of making you want Mai Tais and a sunny beach and this is no exception. It's just kinda weird hearing all these young driven angsty choice from yesteryear in this format.

Here is The official Website

Devendra Banhart: Feel Like A Child

Ok, I'll admit it. I've avoided investing in Banhart up to this point based purely on his looks alone. Damn dirty hippy is all I saw. From what I've read I'm not wrong, but his rise to fame and glory of the past five years is impressive. Homeless kid on the Streets of SF to traveling to NYC and somehow landing a major record label deal all based off of a grass roots movement of fan support on a musical style that sounds like it comes out of Mississippi circa 1924? I have to admit; pretty cool. There's a lot of press out on the shelf about Devendra right now. Paste, Rolling Stone, Filter, etc. But really when three friend recommend it so far as to email you about it, throw it on several mix tapes and generally throw about Banhart in music conversations in a snotty manner, it means I'd better edumacate myself. Thanks guys, you know who you are.

Initial impressions: I enjoy it, but I can already tell it won't be something that sticks with me. It's great atmosphere, and by all accounts Banhart puts on one hell of a live jam band concert. But I think I'll need to be high after a couple listenings to get anything else out of it. His lyrics will probably sound profound then.

Devendra exploded on the international music scene three years ago, quickly accumulating devoted fans as well as an unusually hefty amount of critical kudos with his debut and subsequent releases. "There's something about Banhart's muse that defies words and logic, something to these songs that hints at a deeper connection to the cosmos than most of us share. Jeff Buckley might have had that gift; John Lennon and Van Morrison certainly did. Add to that list Devendra Banhart, an astonishing talent whose future work promises to bring us to exciting new places" - Harp Magazine. "...it's Banhart's gift for melody that ultimately carries the day, littering the album with slyly entrancing tunes that recall the pleasure of old campfire songs. It's enough to cure even a hardened cynic" - Blender.

This is the kind of shit that makes me immediately want to turn away from an artist and prejudge them like I did in this case. Although Blender is right. I does seem to break up my practiced cynisism. But Fuck Blender still.

I haven't found any official website for Devendra but here's The closest thing I could find

Check out the video for I Feel Just Like A Child

The Eels: Get Yer Freak On

There is NEVER a time when I wouldn't recommend checking this amazing group out. Ever since they first came to my attention back in the 90's with novacaine for the soul, I've loved every single album. The new one has been getting a hell of a lot of critical praise and you would do well to listen. There's three different videos to check out here on for Hey Man Now Your Really Living off the new album, novacaine for the soul, and my personal favorite: a live performance back in 2002 on the Carson Daily Show with the Eels doing a cover of Missy Elliot's Get Yer Freak On

The official Site is pretty thorough too.

Air: Cherry Blossom Girl

After 10,000 Hz Legend, I didn't think I'd be bothering to listen to these two anymore. But wisely, French elctronic pop producers Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel have gotten back to what they do best. Writing cool synth pop with sixties porn music mixed n for flavor.Thankfully they've gotten over discovering that they can make their Macintosh talk and are no longer inflicting such crap on us.

If you really want to see what makes Air so cool, pick up Premiers Symptomes or Better yet, Moon Safari Both are great, and are well worth owning. Oh, and Air also did the soundtrack for "The Virgin Suicides," but whether thats a recomendation or a condemnation depends entirely on how you feel about that movie. The Book is 1000000 times better. Best writing I've read in years.

This video has beeen making the rounds on the net lately, but whether it's becuase people are actually enjoying the music or becuase there's (gasp) NUDITY in it, I'm not sure. You be the Judge.
Air: Cherry Blossom Girl

The Official site is pretty cool too.
Air


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005IABM/ref=m_art_li_6/104-7534399-5811934?v=glance&s=music

The Doves: Black and White Town

I've never understood why these guys aren't bigger than they are. Out of all the crap that gets tossed out as "The next Big Thing" out of the UK, these guys have been slogging along and getting shit press in the states. Take this song, It's great, but unless you've already heard of them and bothered to stay informed, I'd bet you a million dollars you've never heard anything by the doves on the radio.

Check out the video

Here's the offical site

The Doves

The Dears: The Death Of All The Romance

This Montreal band has been around for five years but is only recently starting to get large notice in the states. The Death Of All The Romance evokes a melancholy feeling that just screams some rain soaked sixties Burt Bacharach soundtrack which never made it to the record shelves. One listen and you'll be hooked. I've never wanted to help a stuffed bear more than right now.

Watch the Video Here

A link to the official website for the Dears

Anybody who is reading this thanks for the support. I thought I'd like to point out anything I felt was rather good in music out there that I came across and inflict on the rest of the population.
The plan as of the moment is to do this daily and see what emerges, but I'll need help. If you've got something you feel is awesome drop me a line and let me know. You can reach me at griffin554@hotmail.com
On to Day 1!