Girl vs. Southeast Texas

Good News!

2010-08-27T10:19:00.000-07:00

I have a stalker! That means this blog is not totally worthless, right?

Perfume Genius and Beirut on repeat at present.

Do You Like Tennis?

2010-08-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

You will now.

Tennis "Marathon"

Quite possibly my summer jam song.

Houston Music Scene = OxyMoron???

2010-07-28T18:32:00.000-07:00

Geez, it's been forever, but as they say, "get busy livin' or get busy dyin'." Hope you missed me as much as I missed you...ummmmm, yeah.

Nothing really mind-blowing in this post. Sorry kids, the brain's a little fried right now. BUT, there's a very promising show coming up in the Houston area, and I feel compelled to spread the word and convert you nonbelievers, because what better way to breed peace and love than by forcing your beliefs down others' throats? d(^_^)

Sept 12 @ Walters- Holy Fuck ft. Indian Jewelry

Holy Fuck was possibly my favorite find at SXSW, apart from Local Natives, but that's neither here nor there (nor anywhere. I do not like green eggs and-damn you, digression). They are an instrumental improvisational electronica band that uses makeshift equipment setups to make badass tunes. When they shoot toy laser guns at the audience, only to have their sounds amplified and woven into the existing complexity of their sound-wow, just wow.
Indian Jewelry is fairly newer to the scene. His sound is selectively distorted and much of the lyrics are unintelligible, so I'd say he fits right in with the raging Lo-Fi Chillwave phenomena that sets hipster toes-a-tapping. It's hard to describe him from a blank state, so I'll just take the easy way out and call him a livelier, more instrument-friendly Washed Out. Laziness for the win! (I spell it out because up until recently I associated 'FTW' with 'Fuck the World.' Easy mistake.)

Holy Fuck "Lovely Allen"

Indian Jewelry "Oceans"

Oh, and one last thing. I get asked why I don't plug for local artists on here. In a nutshell, it's because I think the Houston music scene completely blows. With the exception of Robert Ellis, he rocks, and he's moderately attractive, which really has no bearing on how I like his music, but it makes the concert a much more pleasurable experience. There, stick that plug where the sun don't shine. Don't hate. This is my blog, in which I am god, sort of. I'd really only want to be a lesser god anyway, not a big fan of responsibility.

SXSW So Far...

2010-03-20T11:29:00.000-07:00

I'm coming to you live from the Blogger's Lounge at the Levi's Fader Fort! If this is full of typos, it's because it's freezing outside and yours truly did NOT adequately prepare! There'll be a longer post later, but here's some of the bands I've seen so far:

We Were Promised Jet Packs, Free Energy, Broken Bells, Miike Snow, Fanfrlo, Fitz and the Tantrums, Jookabox, Local Natives, Brooklyn Rider, G Side (lol), Surfer Blood, Sleigh Bells, Smith Westerns, Bomba Estrereo, Chew Lips, She and Him, Japandroids, The Drums, The Very Best, Kid Sister, a guy that sang about vampires, and I'm about to go gorge my self with some Memory Tapes!

More to come in the next few days!

A Little Taste

2010-03-14T16:03:00.000-07:00

Since I've been spending the last week or so salvagin what's left of my music collection (the process is akin to an acid bath with front row seats to a never-ending Justin Bieber concert), I don't have any album critiques to bestow. What I DO have are some song suggestions to tide you over until I'm back in top form. Enjoy:

Felix da Housecat "Ready 2 Wear"- Great arrangement and sound, a chill 80's-esque electronica piece. It's barely danceable, though, because of it's tempo, which will limit the appeal of the song, in my opinion.

Delta Mirror "He was Worse than the Needle He Gave You"- This is a pretty song, but it's also a real downer because of how relatable it is. I mean, haven't we all cried out for help at some point, under the pretense of being fine? At the start, the cutting drone of his voice is nicely offset by minimal piano and drums, which helps to soften the blow that your life is really meaningless. It picks up midway with additional synth beats, but you're already depressed so it doesn't matter. (did I mention to not take anything I say seriously? :P)

Caribou "Odessa"- This song is creepy, in a good way (if such a thing can be). It's well-crafted, what with all the elements that went into the musical arrangement, and what do you know, another creepy voice. The video is equally as disturbing.

Expect livelier, more Erin-esque posts after I get back from SXSW. God knows I need the vacation.

...And So it Goes

2010-02-14T14:13:00.001-08:00

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

My stupid laptop crashed AGAIN, and once more I hadn't backed up my massive music collection in quite some time. Cue the conjoined sadness emoticons )::( And while I was able to find some software that will pull music from my iPhone into my music files, there's still a crapton of music that I hadn't synced with my iPhone yet!!!!! The scavenger hunt begins...NOW.

Download My Heart and Say Our Love Will Never Die...

2010-01-26T19:00:00.000-08:00

*Dislcaimer: If you know what song this post's title is referring to, you are a total loser. And I love you*

Sooooooo, after the release of the amazingly orgasmic Coach- oh dammit, not again! Be right back...

So, where was I? Oh yeah, after seeing the phantasmagoria of awesomeness that I'll be exposed to at Coachella this year, I decided that I had downloaded entirely too little new music so far this year. I mean, we're almost a month in, so I should have, what, like 100 albums added to my collection by now??? Okay so I may not be THAT prolific in my musical tastes, but give me a break. I have one of those things called a career, and it tends to get in the way of things I enjoy.

Once I realized the error of my ways I sought to find a remedy-scrapetorrent.....*shiver*. So far I've scrounged up some new Yeasayer, Massive Attack, Vampire Weekend, Beach House, Midlake, and the XX, with much more to come as I've made quite the "I'm driving whilst hearing this song so I'll put it in a note in my iPhone" list, which is currently listed as the second-longest iPhone note in the Guinness Book of Records.

But back to Coachella. After briefly scanning the list and getting the hyperventilating "OMGs" out of my system (all while at work, mind you. classy.), I sat down to figure out who I was most excited about. Annnnnddd since I really can't narrow it down AT ALL, here's everyone I'm excited about!:

Deer Tick (again!)
Fever Ray
Jay-Z? (don't judge me!)
LCD Soundsystem
Proxy
She and Him
Sleigh Bells
The Avett Bros (again!)
The Cribs
The Whitest Boy Alive
Them Crooked Vultures
Yeasayer
Vampire Weekend (winner of Friday's Baller Award. Congrats VP, I will do anything to make your show, anyyythiiiiing ;-} )

Beach House
Camera Obscura
DEVO (taken out of homeostasis just for me!!!)
Dirty Projectors
Edward Sharpe
Faith No More (90s kids represent!)
Girls (Again! Well, after I go see the show this Friday with Chuy)
Gossip
Hot Chip (Baller 1)
MGMT (Baller 2)
Muse (semi-Baller)
The Alimghty Defenders
The Raveonettes (who doesn't enjoy a good rendition of "Boys Who Rape (Should all be Destroyed)"?)
The Temper Trap
The XX (Baller 3)
Tiesto (French Baller)
White Rabbits

Deer Hunter
Florence and the Machine (perhaps a "You Got the Love" mashup with the XX is in store?)
NOT Gorillaz (geez, they're not even real!)
Jonsi (Baller 1)
Julian Casablancas (Baller 2)
Local Natives (Ballers in training)
Miike Snow
Owen Pallett (eccentric Baller)
Phoenix (again! the UBER-Baller!)
Pavement
Spoon
Sunny Day Real Estate
The Big Pink
The Middle East
Thom Yorke (baaaaaaaalllllllllllllleeeeeeeerrrrr, in homage to his characteristic mumble/wail)

So I may have been a little generous in the Baller Awards, but hey, only few magical things get to be called phantasmagorias in my book. That is all.
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Maybe not. Hmmmm, I see more and more new artists coming out with a sounds reminiscent of contemplative 60s music, like a darker Fleet Foxes, and something that should be in the 1968 version of 'Romeo and Juliet' (not sure where I got THAT from). Here are two examples: Chief's "Mighty Proud" and Midlake's "Acts of Man." I shall have to download them to see if they are worthy of violating my earspace.

A Present For You...

2009-12-25T10:01:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas time kiddos, and I'm feeling jolly. Here's a ditty by Sleigh Bells (never heard of them? neither has 98.7% of the American populous), entitled "Crown on the Ground." They haven't yet released an EP proper, only a few songs, and this was the one that initially drew me to look more into them (i.e. frantically search for free downloads). It's an audible paradox, as the singers daintily high-pitched vocals battle it out with thrashy instrumentals for your ears' attention. Enjoy!

Sleigh Bells-'Crown on the Ground'

Merry ChristmaHannuKwanzaaka! And to all you atheists, fuck off. There is a reason we started celebrating the holidays, let's not lose sight of that in all the "Black Friday-give me more presents-oh there's an angel on the tree and I'm so offended because I'm a little bitch and it's all about my needs and feelings" nonsense.

Suck it, 2009! Bring on the 10's!

Julian Casablancas: Lern 2 Spel

2009-12-12T11:15:00.000-08:00

It's been a while, dear readers, so sorry for my prolonged absence. I had the perfect review of Phrazes for the Young about a month ago...now all I've got is the abridged version. All in all, it's a good album, though too short for my tastes (but if you buy it on iTunes, you get 3 additional bonus tracks). I can't help but feeling that Julian poured all of his creativity and effort into "11th Dimension," and when that was done, he just dumped out the other eight songs. No euphemisms here, I literally mean dumped, as in, on the toilet. "Glass" is commendable, and "Left and Right in the Dark" has the uber-cool and increasingly-used tactic of fading out to fool you before ripping a loud chord right at the end. It's nice, it fits, whatever. I wasn't blown away, but I will definitely listen for more Julian and/or Strokes in the future.

Onward, ho! In no particular order, here's some of the best music I've heard in 2009:

Hospice, The Antlers (Easily the most beautiful and heartbreaking album of the year :*-|)

March of the Zapotec/Holland EP, by Beirut/RealPeople (Zach Condon's electronic side-project, much loved by yours truly)

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, by Phoenix (Such a fun album, and hellagood live. Oh geez, did I just say 'hellagood'? I need some indie detox, STAT)

Veckatimest, by Grizzly Bear (Very chill and quirky)

I And Love And You, by The Avett Brothers (I also happen to be a sucker for good folk-rock, and this is excellent folk-rock. Check out "Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promises")

Up From Below, by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros (Hippie music at its finest...)

Life on Earth, by Tiny Vipers (I believe that good lyrical quality makes an album memorable, which is the case here.)

Again, in no particular order, here are artists that I expect great things from in 2010:

Beach House
Vampire Weekend
Local Natives
Girls
Yeasayer
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.
more to come surely!

Going back to Yeasayer, can I just say that I'm "crazy-screaming-throw-my-panties-on-the-stage" excited about their new sound?!? Their last effort was okay, but I felt it was music you listened to fall asleep. "Ambling Alp" has me pumped! I hope Odd Blood has this type of enthusiasm all around. And props to them on the song's surreal and super weird music video. If ever you don't want MTV exploiting your art to the mindless masses, be sure to include a group of naked men and women running around the mountainous desert. 60% of the time, it works all the time, yes? Success!

It Sucks, Sucks So Good.

2009-10-26T20:34:00.000-07:00

Greetings and salutations from rainy, miserable Houston! I'm fresh off a trip to New York City, which happened to coincide with the ever-so-indie CMJ Music Festival. NO, I did not get to see any shows (and I RSVP'ed to about 50, including a party with Almighty Defenders and Neon Indian :-\ ), and YES, I was tempted to wander the subways alone when my friends were 'too tired.' Geesh I'm not asking for sex here people! Anyways, moving on...

A while back I downloaded the first single off of Vampire Weekend's upcoming album Contra (due out next January, by the way) entitled "Horchata." I like it! It's very characteristic of the band, with a happy-go-lucky vibe that lends itself well to the xylophones and other crazy instruments used in the track. Speaking of crazy things, I had to look up what a balaclava was, because I was having these images of tasty mediterrranean pastries popping into my head. Not a bad thing, but I digress. So I looked it up, and Ezra Koenig is correct. It's absolutely psychotic that one article of clothing can be worn in so many ways! I must have one! So versatile!

So after listening to the song a bazillion times, I wandered to myself- "Don't I have Vampire Weekend's first album too?!" And I did, and I listened, and we all lived happily ever.

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Check out "Aluminum Baseball Bat" by Howlies. It's a throwback to old speak-song doowop, while keeping other elements more up-to-date. This band chooses lyrics like "...cocaine hits..." to harmonize. On top of that, the entire song is basically a threat ("whoa oooh oooh ohhhhh I've got an aluminum, baseball baaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAt!"). The whole concept is a clash of style and content, which amuses and entertains me. And isn't that what music is supposed to do? I think I'll listen to it again and think about my ex, mwahaha. I'm just kidding! (or am I?)

Next blog will be about Julian Casablancas' album Phrazes for the Young, which FINALLY leaked!

These Arms of Mine Don't Mind Who They Hold, or How I Spent My ACL

2009-10-12T19:45:00.000-07:00

This post is doing double duty today, kiddos, because I've had LAZY fingers lately. My ears though, continue to be hard at work, but first things first. ACL...I've decided to break it down by each show that I saw, forgive me if the entires seem short, but I am still nursing a cold from that blessed festival.

Friday

Blitzentrapper: They were good, sounded just like their album though.

The Knux: The first of many dance parties, these guys were alright. It might have helped if I knew some of their music, but anyone that busts out House of Pain's "Jump" must be pretty cool.

The Avett Brothers: I just want to throw it out there that one of them looks like Sam from True Blood, which means they already got a gold star before I even walked up tot he stage. But these guys are really great! They play mainly bluegrass-folky stuff, but it works, especially with clever and thought out lyrics, always a plus.

The Walkmen: What I heard was really good, just not that exciting. Then again I only stayed for 3 songs, the most exciting of which involved a makeshift mariachi band. Believe me, I had an awesome reason for ducking out early, which was...

Phoenix: Oh. my. god. Such a great show! Coming into this, you think that it won't be that exciting, because there's not much they can do with their music. Not much, except ROCK THE HOUSE! I was bouncing on my feet, singing along the entire time, AND I was a part of the largest crowd Phoenix has ever played for, and that apparently means something :) I also really liked the humility of these guys...they enjoyed playing for us and were extremely grateful that we were there to listen. I loooooove bands that are in it for the pure enjoyment!

The Crooked Vultures: I freaking saw John Paul Jones. John Paul Jones! Now I don't have t imagine him playing guitar while watching the many Zeppelin cover bands that come into town. I actually saw it! They rocked though, seriously.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Screw your Kings of Leon. I saw them as Jazzfest, and they were only ehhhh. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs put on a way more interesting show. A slight disclaimer, Karen O is fucking crazy. And possibly the coolest chick ever, which is why she's my Halloween costume. She was a little screechy at times, but she came through vocally where it mattered most, and even deep-throated the microphone. Classy.

Saturday

Deer Tick: I love this band. I have loved this band for a long time, and feel that I will always love this band. I like War Elephant way better than Born on Flag Day, but what the hell, they're both good. I got a shout out to my semi-native HTX, and they closed out with La Bamba, well worth standing out in the rain for.

Neon Indian: Love their music on the radio, but they were having major sound issues. It could be because they were a very late stand-in for the Raveonettes, but you could barely hear Neon Indian over the blaring feedback. What a disappointment, I was really wanting to see this band, and was accidentally let down.

!!!: Neon who? These guys came out and rocked, and I got a few new sweet dance moves in the process. I had a good time, goddammit! You would have too, if you had been there, goddammit. You had to be there to understand the profanity, but I don't feel like explaining so I guess you never will :P

Grizzly Bear: Biggest disappointment of the entire festival. I was so looking forward to this show, and they sounded alright, they were just so BORING. Coming off of !!!, they seemed super-duper-pull-my-hair-out boring. Which is too bad because I heard they put on a kickin' aftershow at Emo's. Oh well, I was occupied with much better things ;-)

Flogging Molly: Woohoo, let's riverdance! But in a rockabilly kind of way! I enjoyed this show, and the Celtic/Mosh fusion dancing that resulted.

Bon Iver: The weather, pouring rain and freezing, set the tone for the music, also very depressing. However, I love Bon Iver so I enjoyed it. I woul dhave enjoyed it more if my face wasn't being violated by every umbrella within a 20 foot radius.

Mos Def: Well, I wasn't really watching this, per se. In the process of trying to find some people I knew, I ended up here. The dude came on 20 minutes late, and I didn't listen, c'est la vie.

Devotchka: Almost got to see these guys, I wanted to so bad! Sadly, standing in the rain and mid-calf deep mud, I decided to head on over to...

Ghostland Observatory: Laser lights, UT marching band, electro-jazz/funk, good gyrations, and glow stick gangs. Damn, what a fun time.

Sunday

White Lies: This band's music may put some of you off. I mean, most of it's really emo and about death and all that crap, but the dude's voice sounds like something straight out of an 80s song, so that makes it okay! They put on a good show, and again were very humble, always an admirable trait.

Arctic Monkeys: Booooooring. I could have put on a better Arctic Monkeys show than the freaking Arctic Monkeys. And they need haircuts, and to pass on grass.

Passion Pit: Second biggest disappointment. I hope it was just sound problems plaguing the Cambridge group, but Mikey's vocals sounded very hush hush throughout. What should have been a beat-boppin' good time (like their Houston show was back in June), was instead of game of "guess the lyric." *Tear*

Born Again Brass Band: A great time, and the start of the Sunday dance party! This group belongs at Jazzfest.

Girl Talk: omgomgomgomgomgomg it's Girl Talk! Didn't he, like, steal music and mash it up to, like, make his own? It's called Fair Use people, look it up! I think this show was in my top three, if not the best. We were dancing nonstop for an hour to some amazing mixes, all the while watching the jumbotron to see what crazy things would show up next (seriously, the moon became a basketball, then a tube of lipstick, then a cheesburger).

Pearl Jam: They were good, rocked out a little. Not as much as I'd like to have seen, but they're old guys now, so that's to be expected. All in all a great closeout to ACL, very chill.

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:->Your new happy time song is "No Dice" by Beirut. Just press play and the smile happens almost instantly. Beats Prozac any day!<-:

The Big Pink. I wish this band was a little more "in your face." There are two standouts on A Brief History of Love, the catchy "Dominos" and the amazing "Velvet." There's even a noble attempt of the Cure's "Lovesong" (not available on the album, but I sometimes have my sources), but it sadly falls short. The rest of the album sounds the same to me, maybe I should listen to it again.

Finally, I leave you with "Feel it all Around" by Washed Out. This is a love-making song if I ever did hear one, and if I had a sex life, I'd probably be popping in this tune rather than blogging. But I don't, so I'm not, and your life is better because of it. :)

Nighty night!

What's Louder Than Ten? Eleven.

2009-09-26T16:35:00.000-07:00

I've been listening to the new tune "11th Dimension" from the Strokes' Julian Casablancas pretty much nonstop for the last week.

Don't believe it's that good? You might be skeptical for about 1.1235463 seconds, when the opening synth drums make you feel like you're listening to your little brother (or kid, significant other, what have you) play along to one of those pre-recorded 'jams' that accompany many musical instruments these days. Then the amazing keyboard riffs come in and you're hooked, if you're a big keyboard/80s/synth enthusiast such as myself. :)

This song is essentially electronic, with a big 80s vibe that'll make you want to bust a move over and over again. Because so many artists are making the shift to sounding like they just popped out of a Dolorean from 1985, I am totally loving it! And I add this song to that list, and hopefully Casablancas as well once the album 'Phrazes for the Young' drops. Don't get me wrong, I love the Strokes, but this is so refreshing! Enough about my tastes, on to the rest of the song.

Throughout the entire song, you're bombarded with persistent, flamboyant keyboarding. There's a guitar riff that shows up every minute or so, and some light picking that accompanies the chorus, but the keyboard is the star here. And I think it works well, since Casablancas' voice is very smooth and sort of monotone (for him, anyway...) here. There's nothing really special in the lyrics, but let's face it, you're too busy jamming out to the keyboards to listen. That is the only reason the song gets a 9/10 in my book, which is still pretty damn good.

All in all, I think it's a smart move on Casablancas' part. It's a new enough sound that it will attract die-hard fans looking for something fresh (as evidenced by my friend Jesus' obsession with the song), as well as draw in newcomers who don't have a historical affinity for traditional Strokes-esque music. Here's a link to the mp3. Enjoy, but try not to break anything, material or anatomical, when you spontaneously burst into sweet moves of dance.

Double Post Part Deux

2009-09-22T19:39:00.000-07:00

On my way into dreamland, I stumbled upon this picture, and subsequently fell over in laughter. This will never get old.

As my friends (I wish) in Blitzentrapper say, it's sleepy time in the western world.

My (Rather Ambitious) ACL Schedule

2009-09-22T19:12:00.000-07:00

Since it would take a novel of a blog to explain why the following artists are on my schedule, I'm just going to say that I either already love them, or am hoping to after the festival. Reviews will be up of those select few I find worthy of my keystrokes, so stay tuned for that.

Friday: School of Seven Bells, Blitzentrapper, The Walkmen, Phoenix, Thievery Corporation, Andrew Bird, (maybe) the Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Saturday: Deer Tick (yay!!!!), The Raveonettes (also a yay, especially if I can't find a ticket to their Friday ACL after-show), Mute Math, Grizzly Bear (I hear their light shows are amazing), John Vanderslice, Devotchka (for that song that's on Little Miss Sunshine), Ghostland Observatory (their light shows ARE amazing)

Sunday: The Dodos (a great find!), Here We Go Magic (on the fence about this one), White Lies, Arctic Monkeys (just to say that I've seen the Arctic Monkeys), The Dead Weather (just to say that I've seen every single one of Jack White's damn bands. I bet he announces a new project at ACL. Fuck.), Dan Auerbach, (maybe, probably not though) Pearl Jam

Needless to say, my musical plate is full. It's a good thing portion control is a widely praised yet seldom practiced concept, otherwise I'd have to cut back.

I'm a Hi-Fi Goon...

2009-09-20T18:42:00.000-07:00

Short post tonight, because I am le tired. So, I've recently been playing the album Creaturesque by Throw Me the Statue. It's more poppy than a lot of the stuff I listen to, but I'm pretty forgiving and patient in letting music grow on me. That being said, I was kinda disappointed. It's one of those albums that you can play in the car on a long drive, simply for the sake of having background noise. Nothing really stands out here, nothing to make you slap your cheeks and go Macauly Caulkin on your stereo.

Now, I really like the song "Hi-Fi Goon," but that could just be because I always pay attention when I hear it. Why do I do that, you ask? Because the title is strange, which made me want to know the lyrics, which I haven't found ANYWHERE. Grrrr, so frustrating, I'm the worst at figuring out song lyrics! Case in point, you give me a Pearl Jam song to decipher, I'll give you a bunch of growls and guttural noises. Oh wait, that's everyone (disclaimer: I like Pearl Jam, most of the time). Poor example. I'm too tired to think of another.

*Disclaimer: Bitchy Moment Alert*

Can someone please tell the Friendly Fires that gym whistles are NOT to be used as a musical instrument? Please? It was cool in Space Jam (cut me some slack, I was like eleven when that movie came out), but we are not trying to bring back Jock Jams. Ever. I can tolerate your incessant bongo-ing, but I'd rather you use the sound of my head making contact with a wall over and over again than that whistle. I can send the sample now so you can fix "Jump in the Pool." I'll post it on your myspace.

*Attention: The Bitchy Moment has subsided*

Other than that complaint, the Friendly Fires self-titled album is a nice effort, chock full of electronica goodness, tinged with a bit of 80s and those lovely British voices. I love it when a foreign band actually sounds foreign! Granted, Phoenix is one of my favorite bands, but did YOU know they were French right off the bat? Didn't think so...

Hmmm, maybe not such a short post tonight after all. What can I say, I've got the perseverance and determination to blog all night long, if that's what it takes to spread the word on good tunage. Cue the Chariots of Fire music, please.

Supergroups, eh?

2009-09-18T17:02:00.000-07:00

I've noticed a lot of collaborating lately in the world of indie music, and I lovelovelove it! Here are a few notables in my mind:

Discovery
Who: Wes Miles of Ra Ra Riot and Rotsam Batmanglij of Vampire Weekend

Album: LP, 2009

Sounds Like: Electronic funk R&B, from space

Verdict: When 'Osaka Loop Line' first came on the radio, I thought it would be some random techno song from someone like The Avalanches, but I was pleasantly surprised to hear Miles' voice sounding out from the speakers. His airy vocals provide the perfect balance to the uber-poppy, in-your-face beats that pretty much make up the rest of the album too. Another thing I like about this band is how often they'll switch up the rhythm, tone, pitch, whatever, all in the same song. The lyrics can be a bit childish and innocent (come on, give me angst, Wes Miles, I want to hear your angsty side!!!), but all in all a good side project for both. Listen for vocals from the singers of Vampire Weekend and the Dirty Projectors as an extra treat!

The Almighty DefendersWho: The Black Lips and King Khan (minus his Shrines)

Album: The Almighty Defenders, 2009

Sounds Like: So far, a doo wop-hippie-gospel fusion

Verdict: Holy crap, the Black Lips and King Khan made a gospel album?!?!?! Well, that's what the papers are saying, but granted this is a little premature. These boys aren't that well known yet (and the album hasn't come out :P ), so that elusive torrent remains just out of reach. However, I have heard 'Cone of Light,' and I like its style, a kind of throwback to the 50s. Very tame for King Khan, and very unstoner-ish (I never claimed to be a wordsmith) for the Black Lips. So all in all, I like the happy medium brought about by these two groups. Back to the gospel bit, I believe the album was heavily influenced by the events that led to its creation. This year during the Black Lip's tour of India, two of the band members publicly kissed, and another dropped his pants; i.e. BIG no-no in India. So as rumors were spread that they were going to be arrested and tried and sent to jail for a long, long time, they cancelled the tour and fled to Germany, where trusty King Khan lives. An 8-day binge drinking session spawned The Almighty Defenders, and damn do I like it. All's well that ends well!

Volcano Choir
Who: Bon Iver and Collections of Colonies of Bees

Album: Unmap, 2009

Sounds Like: Bon Iver on happy pills

Verdict: Again, I just don't have the skill anymore at finding these elusive torrents. I've heard a few songs off the album ("Island, IS" comes to mind), and all I can say is what a difference a band makes! When Justin Vernon is Bon Iver, he's pensive, poignant, his beautiful voice and music are subdued and quiet, almost melancholy. Teaming up with Colonies, a predominantly Mogwai-esque instrumental band, you get a whole new canvas to play with. A tambourine?! Bon Iver doesn't have a tambourine, at least not a happy one. But Colonies does, and added in with all the other instruments it makes Vernon's voice seem more spirited, like the livelier music just barely coaxes him into a state of excitement. And even though there are many different types of instruments in use here, they don't overbear the listener. Each piece interacts collectively to form a single, fluid sound that's really pleasing to the ear. An interesting side note is that Volcano Choir was started before Bon Iver became the greatest thing since sliced bread (why is sliced bread so great again?).

Monsters of Folk
Who: Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, and plain old M. Ward

Album: Monsters of Folk (Come ON supergroups! All these self-titled albums, you can be more creative!), 2009

Sounds Like: A mishmash of ten kinds of folk (no, I will not name them all)

Verdict: The first album after 5 years of existence finally arrives! Coming into this I was a little subjective, being a big Conor Oberst fan and a big not-so-fan of M. Ward (I'm sorry, he totally blew at 2009's SXSW). But the best thing about bringing these guys together is that they each bring a different element, a different style and taste to the table, so you get an album is as once their own individually as well as the offspring of their musical lovemaking (like my literary devices???). You have a lot of traditional-ish folk in here, like "Say Please," that could be played anywhere from the Coachella Music Festival to the rundown dive bar in my podunk hometown. You can hate folk, but you have to admit its versatility. Something that did surprise me was the element of folk-funk I picked up on, particularly on "Dear God..." I swear, that would have been my summer song of the 70s, if I had been alive then. All-in-all a solid effort, though not the epic powerhouse I was expecting from such renowned folk artists. It's that M. Ward that's dragging them down...

Other Songs of Note
Taken By Tree's "My Boys": "My Girls" was my favorite song from the new Animal Collective album, partly due to its catchy electronica hook. Here, Victoria Bergsman (she of PB&J "Young Folks" fame) kidnaps the song, locks it a room, and doesn't give it its drug fix for a month. OH yeah, and she switches it around just so people don't think she's a lesbo. With a mellowed out, almost tropical sound, I think it works for her. Her voice would have been completely drowned out if she kept the Animal Collective vibe going there.

The Antler's "Kettering": In the Antler's sweeping epic about a man who must watch his lover dies of cancer, "Kettering" documents their meeting and falling in love. Or at least I think it does. The lyric are minimal, but effective and haunting. The music too is a catharsis of sort, and when Peter Silberman goes on about "they told me that there was no saving you," you find yourself sad that he must lose his love.

That's all for now, I have a 32-mile bike race bright and early tomorrow morning! Goodnight, world! Mwah!

Now Things Are Looking Up

2009-09-14T20:32:00.000-07:00

Even though I've gone through some bad crap recently, I just have to say that I have the best friends in the world! I love all my Louisiana, Beaumont, Houston, and Austin friends very much! You guys make my world go 'round! And without you, I'd probably have gone insane by now :P

Post #2

2009-09-13T21:54:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, excessive blogging today. But I have just have to throw it out there that I hope bad things really do happen in threes! Wish me luck in life, I could really use some right now!

Kettering

2009-09-09T20:48:00.000-07:00

Everyone should listen to this song. It's beautiful and haunting and I never want it out of my head.

I wish that I had known in
That first minute we met
The unpayable debt
That I owed you

'Cause you'd been abused
By the bone that refused
You and you hired me
To make up for that

And walking in that room
When you had tubes in your arms
Those singing morphine alarms
Out of tune

They had you sleeping and eating and
And I didn't believe them
When they called you a hurricane thunder cloud

When I was checking vitals
I suggested a smile
You didn't talk for a while
You were freezing

You said you hated my tone
It made you feel so alone
So you told me I ought to be leaving

But something kept me standing
By that hospital bed
I should have quit but instead
I took care of you

You made me sleep and uneven
And I didn't believe them
When they told me that there
Was no saving you

by The Antlers

The Weekend in Review

2009-09-07T16:42:00.000-07:00

And so ends the long weekend, and what a weekend it was! Here's a play-by-play (sort of) chronicling the activities of yours truly.

Friday-Astros vs. Phillies. I got really great seats and $50 in Astros bucks from work. A stuffed monkey, coozie, and one foam finger later, I was sitting by the right foul pole. My only regret is not bringing a glove, since three balls had already dropped in our section by the second inning! The best part of the game was introducing my friend to the wonderful world of baseball! It's my favorite mainstream sport (volleyball is always my number 1 ^_^), full of excitement and suspense, not to mention men in tight pants. Game night followed, where I ate my second and third dinners...I can't refuse the culinary hospitality of my host now can I? Haha I ate waaaay too much and almost fell asleep on the drive home. My new bed was a very welcome sight that night!

Saturday- Beachy McBeacherson. We planned on spending a relaxing day in Galveston, getting our skinned tanned and toes wet. For the first hour or so, it was just that. I was so amazed by how clear the water was! Though of you who've gone to the beach with me know that I DON'T get in the water precisely because I can't see where I'm stepping. I was out there that day in chest deep water, and I could still see everything perfectly! I did almost get bitch-slapped by a sea bass, but that wasn't a big deal. This, however, WAS a big deal: during the two-minute interchange wherein my friend got in the water and I got out, my beach bag mysteriously sprouted legs and walked away. Credit card, keys, ID, camera, iPhone, clothes, etc, all gone! Surprisingly I kept my cool and was able to get mostly everything taken care of within an hour. I really think it was a test, and it showed me how mellow I've become lately, and I love that, even though it was brought about by the worst circumstances. There was a silver lining- I finally got the white iPhone I wanted. :) I didn't let it get me down though, and we went out to a salsa social that night, where I got free lessons, about a dozen amazing dance partners, and a peek at some of the areas best salsa performers!

Sunday- The most jam-packed day of the weekend started off with Inglorious Bastards. I knew there was a reason Tarantino is one of my faves! He didn't disappoint; that movie was awesome on so many levels! The Bear Jew even gave me a few ideas as to what I'd like to do to the person who stole my bag, hehehe . After the movie, I literaaly sped straight over to Melissa's pool party, which subsequently turned into an indoor pool party because of the surpise showers. Oh well, I got to see her awesome new apartment, which offers wicked deals for Shell employees. No deposit and three months' free rent, makes me wish I hadn't just renewed my lease! Next stop was Live It Big, a charity event held by four bars on Washington- Pearl Bar (for my only follower, that's the Texas Ex bar in Houston :) ), The Lot, The Drinkery, and Reign Lounge. It benefits a nonprofit that works on cancer research. The doorman at The Lot kept accusing me of being TABC since I didn't have a current drivers license, but after a lot of convincing, he let me in. I even got $20 bucks out of the deal, because some guy felt bad that I had been robbed- 'here kid, get drunk on me.' Haha, that's my kind of charity! I discovered how great I was at Flip Cup during the ten or so games we all played, and then casually smashed my toe on an uneven sidewalk on my way out. Grace, that's my middle name. Finally, off to Mike's, where I was fed a delicious steak the rooftop deck of his sweet new house. Such a chill time, I didn't want to leave, but I was muy cansada. Playing with the dogs I was co-sitting capped off a great day, but more was to come on Monday...

Monday- Got the locks changed on my apartment, woohoo! And they didn't even charge me to replace the keys and gate clicker, and neither did my gym for the new key card I needed. :) I also went a little crazy at Best Buy, but I got the camera that I really wanted (another part of the Galveston silver lining)! Astros vs. Phillies part 2 ensued, and we had even better seats than before! The pictures from the new camera were great, and my 'Stros won again! Haha, take that Philly! Now it's time to work more on my art, so I can have it all ready for my art party!

Sweet dreams, all!

9/2/09

2009-09-02T16:45:00.000-07:00

What's the worst feeling in the world? Knowing that you screwed up something beautiful, something that made you happy. Knowing that you are a good person, but that there are lots of things to be changed. Knowing that you can make those changes, but knowing that it's still too late.

P.S. I want to move to Austin soooooooo bad! Why can't they build an oil refinery there? :P

Okay, wow, what a schizophrenic entry. Point is, I'm in a way better place emotionally and spiritually than I was, say, two weeks ago. And heartbreak has been the best diet ever. But even so, I'm still sad, and I think I have a right to be, for how else can I heal, but to feel?

Free Press Summer Fest 2009

2009-08-09T21:09:00.001-07:00

When I first heard that Houston was going to have its own music festival, my first reaction was 'Yay? Let's see what acts they can scrounge up, because no one wants to play outside in Houston in August.' Having just come from it, all I can say is WOW. It was difficult to enjoy the music at first because it was hot as balls, but after consulting my CamelPak a few dozen times (something I will never again leave home without) and finding my own grassy knoll, I could focus on the tunes. Oh, and the shroomed-out couple dancing and making the googly eyes at each other right in front of me :D. The Saturday highlights were Octopus Project, Broken Social Scene, and of course, Explosions in the Sky. Too bad they STILL never play encores. On Saturday, I enjoyed What Made Milwaukee Famous and Of Montreal. Especially Of Montreal. Ninjas, mimes, magicians, human-animal combos of the chicken and brontosaurus sort, evil clergymen, and spewing feathers into the crowd make for a damn good show when mixed with good quality electro-rock. I think that was one of the best shows I've ever been to. We shall see when ACL comes around if I can find something to trump it!

One last thing: on the drive home from the festival, I stumbled upon Sirius XMU's resident Swedish blog and heard a really really awesome song from my new favorite Nordic band. It's called "Sailors" by The Bear Quartet, and you should listen to it!

Things are Starting to Look Up, Kinda

2009-08-02T20:00:00.000-07:00

So my dad went to MD Anderson yesterday to get a second opinion on the bladder cancer he supposedly has, and yep, he's got it :( But, he's being treated at the best cancer facility in the world, and they seem to think it's very treatable and can be removed without any invasive procedures :)

On a different note, my weekend was pretty good. Getting off of a very rough and stressful week, I totally needed to get sloshed at the St. A's brewery tour! And all for $5! I also went to a pretty fun couples' shower and FINALLY saw The Hangover. Better late than never!

Hopefully this week will be less stressful, with mid-year reviews over at work and finally getting an answer on my dad's condition. That, and Chris comes in Monday night! Gotta love it when Shell has all of their training in Houston, now if I could just get him to move here ;)

"Your body is weird..."

2009-07-27T18:43:00.000-07:00

...Yep, that's what they said to me when I took my bike in yet AGAIN to get it adjusted. This is the fourth or fifth time, and my knees still kill me after only about 2 miles. I'm starting to think that it's not the bike, it's the knees, which really scares me because I love to cycle, run, play volleyball, dance, etc, etc. Compulsive couch potato-ness doesn't sit well with me; I have to just be 'in the mood' to be lazy. Oh well, we shall see.

Listen to Little Joy- your life will be better.

Erin + Sailboat = :-}

2009-07-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

I sailed for the first time today on Lake Bryan, and it was so much fun! Albeit, my shipmate (ahem, Chris) forgot to mention a few key things to me, and those things, or the lack thereof, led to me capsizing the boat! But still, we were on Lake Bryan, not exactly what I'd call an imposing body of water, so it wasn't so bad. I'd do it again in a heartbeat, as long as there are no crabs around. I hate crabs, at least living ones! It's like my feet are beacons of crab heaven, at least until I kick them off me. Uhhhh *shivers* my toes are curling as we speak.

Artists to listen to: Sunset Rubdown, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Discovery

2009- The Year of Music

2009-05-10T08:51:00.000-07:00

I've seen so many great bands this year:

Peter Bjorn and John
Glasvegas
The Thermals
Ra Ra Riot
The Airborne Toxic Event
Cold War Kids
Explosions in the Sky
Kings of Leon
Neil Young
Ghostland Observatory
Handsome Furs
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
Beach House

...and a lot of great undiscovered acts!

Oh yeah, Passion Pit comes to Houston June 4th, let me know if you want to go!

What Holiday Spirit?

2008-12-24T12:32:00.001-08:00

Remember when you were growing up, and the Christmas holidays were the greatest thing ever? No school, good food, Santa Claus, presents...there was something so magical in that combination. Well, since I'm a working girl now in the big, cold city, I've been looking forward to spending the holidays at home for months. But now that's it here...nothing. I've done it all- making Christmas candy, wrapping the gifts, going Christmas light-looking, etc., and it just doesn't feel the same. I feel more compelled to look over some documents for work or check the balance on my car loan than watch one of those claymation Christmas specials. And it makes me sad.