The Tontons

Sorry about the no post yesterday... I was out of town and not near a computer... today on the menu for local thursday we have a psych blues band out of Houston... They are called The Tontons and they are smooth... they've got the sexy lounge vocals mixed with a blues guitar... think Shivaree or Nouvelle Vague with a rock sound... the guitars sound like somebody but I can't place it... not in this track, but in others... their EP is called Sea and the Stars.... go check it out... I think you can get it on itunes... this track however is pure loungy goodness...

The Tontons - Syrup

Those Darlins Wild one

I don't know what it is about this song, but I just want to hear it all the time... it's got this infectious Elvis/rockabilly type beat, and maybe a Loretta Lynn meets Wanda jackson melody and vocals. I'm obsessed a little bit... any ways... this is Those Darlins from Tennessee.


Those Darlins - Wild One

Crocodiles ..they have quite a bite

So yeah, The new band from the heart of the whale's vagina... San Diego... or as ze germans called it San dee-Ahgo .... They are called the Crocodiles. They are another retro sounding band... although the more I think about it...when do things stop being retro? When does it just become todays sound? Regardless, I still consider them having an 80's pop electro punk... yet it's totally unique... a bit remincent of Jesus & the Mary Chain meets Love and Rockets with a dash of the Ramones. For some reason I think of the first Crow Soundtrack when I hear "Summer of hate". And "I wanna Kill" makes me happy because it starts off with the "And then he Kissed me" riff and one of the interludes sounds like "Crocodile Rock". The song names may sound harsh and angry, but they are really catchy songs...

Their debut Album Summer of Hate drops tomorrow (April 28th) and will be released on Fat Possum records. Check it out if you get a chance.

Crocodiles - I wanna Kill

Crocodiles - Summer of Hate

Covers Friday - I wanna Dance! edition vol 1

So, you're not gonna go to law school? What do you wanna do then? I wanna dance!

Movies and Dancing... they go hand in hand... If only the real world would break out in spontaneous choreographed dance... so I've got this hairbrained idea to get cover songs of all the greatest Movie dance moments of all time. well of all time would include the movies that I have seen, and have cover songs for... Amazingly this is harder than it looks... I have the dance scenes in mind, but So I'm gonna start out slow cause I'm totally not prepared...

I will start off with a few covers of Goodbye horses...
you know... the song Buffalo Bill danced to in Silence of the Lambs




Harlem - Goodbye Horses

Fan Death - Goodbye Horses



Next we got the Girls at Coyote Ugly doing a little dance for us... Reminds me of New Orleans.. but I digress....




Primus - Devil Went Down To Georgia


Next, I'm switching over to the spontaneous dance scene in reality bites while buying groceries at the gas station... one of the ultimate Gen-x er movies....



Polysics - My Sharona


I'll have to leave you with the mother of all Dance movies... Saturday Night Fever.



Keller Williams - Stayin' Alive



Oh, don't worry, I'm just getting started with this thread. If you have a dance scene to recommend, feel free.

St. Vincent ... Ready for my closup Mr Demille

It's thurday... so we are gonna have a little local flavor... St. Vincent aka Annie Clark grew up and went to High School in Dallas... Lake Highlands to be exact... She's been part of the Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens' band so you know she's great live... and her debut album Marry Me was an absolute fantastic piece of work that got better with every listen. With her new album Actor, coming out on May 5th, she pulls off more of the same greatness, but different... there are still some dreamy mellow stuff, but there is some far more experimental stuff too... a little more electronic.. a little more guitars... and an overall cinematic theme. Regardless, go get it if you get the chance. I'm gonna give you the most radio friendly track and one of the strange yet good ones...

Listen: St Vincent, "Actor out of work"

Listen: St Vincent, "Marrow"

Snailhouse

Isn't a snailhouse a shell? just curious. Today's post is a bit of a departure from the week so far... a little more cofffeehouse... a little more folksy... but still good. Of course its Wednesday and this is a Boon pick, so they are probably from Canada... and he is... Snailhouse is only one guy btw... Mike Feuerstack ... although he does get some help from the likes of Julie Doiron who is pretty awesome in her own right. The name of the album is Lies on the Prize in case you were wondering...

I'd like to dedicate this song, to Crank:High Voltage... although I haven't seen it, it should have never been made. The only redeeming quality to the first one is that he (spoiler alert) supposedly died, so they couldn't make a sequel.
It's not all about the money people! I'm ashamed that people would spend money on this. I'm ashamed of Amy Smart and Jason Stathman for agreeing to do the money. I'm ashamed of the producers who thought this was a good idea. Suck it all of you.

Sorry had to get that off my chest :)

Snailhouse - Dollar Signs

Fan Death

Fan Death takes the whole 80's movement a bit further... it's gone Disco! ... They are a girl Duo (btw I'm totally making a mix CD full of two person bands... I'll call it "It takes two to make a thing go right")... But, yeah Seriously... the music they are making... it's really magically delicious... a perfect mix of synth pop and donna summer... It sounds a lot like Glass Candy if I had to pick someone more trendy... and it also sounds a bit like the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs...


I absolutely love this track.

Fan Death - Veronica's Veil

Kamikaze Queens

I'm a big fan of the theatrical type showmanship of bands... that's why I love Gogol Bordello so much... well that and their sound is unique. Well, that's what makes this band so intriguing to me... Kamikaze Queens can be described as cabaret punk although its kinda hard to classify ... They are straight out of Berlin, so they have ze german influence (makes me want to polka).... eh I guess they sound a bit like an old school vaudeville act combined with a lil bit of glam punk and a touch of rockabilly. Not only are they cool, but they have 2 female frontwomen... Trinity and Mad Kate... so that makes me doubly happy.

This is the title track from the new Album, Voluptuous Panic! It came out March 30th...

Kamikaze Queens - Voluptuous Panic

Covers Friday. the women. how much for the women edition

Yeah, so I usually dig chick singers, and I love when a girl does a cover of a great song, but I'm turning it around a little bit.... girls getting covered by guys... it's like going from reverse cowgirl to missionary. Beige. I think I'll paint the ceiling beige.

Sorry, I'm rambling... lack of sleep and all has made me delirious.

Let's start off with Leslie....



...no not that leslie... Leslie Feist.... however that is a guy covering a girl...

we have Bikini doing "1234" by Feist

Bikini - 1234

Of Montreal Doing M.I.A. I love this version.

Of Montreal - Jimmy

then we have a cover of Nina Perssons and the Cardigans...

The Morning Benders - Lovefool

Next a little Leona Lewis.

The Wombats - Bleeding Love.

A cover of the Ting Tings by the grime master

Dizzee Rascal - That's not my name

we got some Amy Winehouse...

Elbow - Back in Black

we have covers of swedes... Robyn and Lykke Li

the futureeheads - With Every Heartbeat

Friendly Fires - I'm good I'm gone

and we will finish it off by a great cover of Caroline Martin by the National

National - Without Permission

The Ropes ...they have entangled me

The Ropes have a New EP out... its dropped in March and is called Be My Gun. Who are The Ropes you may ask? THey are a two person group out of New York... some say they have a sound that is a cross between The Knife and The Chromatics, and you can definitely here this on some of their work... they released a full length album last year called What they do for fun, and now they are back with new stuff. "Kitty Get Down" is a song I'm posting from the new EP its got an electronic vibe and it's "super, stick in your head" upbeat. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say its a little like K's Choice meet Goldfrapp meet old school Rilo Kiley. Regardless... its good stuff... Toppy's beats and Sharon Shy's vocals just linger in your head for hours.

Edit: Boon says they sound a lot like Metric, and I will concur that on this track that is true... however the other tracks on the album are of a different style... but I do agree Shy could pass for Emily Haines.

MP3:

The Ropes - Kitty Get Down

Key Witness ...they are under investigation

It's "Boon recommends" day... and the first guins playoff game day, so its obviously another canadian invasion band. It also means it is Wednesday and I have a deadline on Friday and Monday, so I'm gonna keep this one short and sweet. Key Witness out of Toronto made a big splash on the indie scene with their well recieved album Mercury in Retrograde, which is the album that Boon wants me to post is from. They have a country tinge to them, but they are mostly just indie rawk. They do have a fiddle in the band, so they are allowed to play in Texas.

Key Witness - Desert Novel

They are back again, with newly released sophomore effort called Seven across the Sea which came out in March, Here's Something from that.

Key Witness - PineBox

Parenthetical Girls

Sorry to be brief, but I've got deadlines this week...
So, yeah I haven't quite decided on how I feel about this band or this song. They are the Parenthetical Girls out of Portland Oregon, and they always had a unique and experimental feel to them, much like Animal Collective in the olden days. The new album is Entanglement, and this song is their first offering. I totally dig the horns and clarinet... there is something about it that makes me feel like it is genious, even if its not conventional. Check it out.


Parenthetical Girls - A Song For Ellie Greenwich

Fembots ...not just for Austin Powers anymore

No not those Fembots... these fembots...




Usually I leave the Canadian groups to Boon, but I really like this song. Anyways, the Fembots are from Canada and members of the band have worked with The Weakerthans, and helped out Broken Social Scene on Occasion. This song is from their album Calling out released late last year.


Fembots - Can I Be your Mirror

Covers Friday ... I need to get off my ass and work out edition

Dude. I'm gettng fat. I totally need to be hitting the gym again. But Covers Fridays must go on ... so I've got for you some covers about walking, running... etc. you know being active.

Let's see... lets start off slow... let's prepare our feet.

A little tears for fears.. sorry this is probably the weakest of todays covers but you gotta start somewhere.

Samamidon - Head over Heels

some Decemberists... you gotta remember to take care of those ankles...

Blanket Music - Red Right Ankle

and then strap up those boots Nancy...

Barcode Brothers - These Boots were Made for Walking

... now its time to Walk

Here's a cover of Tegan and Sara by Jack and Meg..

White Stripes - Walking with a Ghost

and a cover of a bangles classic... by the way I love these girls... I'm a huge fan of the pipettes, but these girls take retro sound even further... like Andrew Sisters further...



Puppini Sisters - Walk Like an Egyptian.

speaking of classic, how bout Patsy Cline, from the Trinity Revisted project

Cowboy Junkies - Walking After Midnight

and I couldn't decide between these DAniel Johnston covers of the same song . ..

TV on the Radio - Walking the Cow

A-Camp - Walking the Cow


... ok, let's pick up the pace to a run...

Here's Placebo doing Kate Bush... one of the greatest Placebo songs of all time

Placebo - Running up that Hill

and Elbow doing U2

Elbow - Running to Stand Still

and Finally, the flock of seagulls classic... It always comes back to Flock of Seagulls. They are my lobster.

Love is all - I ran

Smile Smile

It's another edition of local thursday, and today we are focusing on the Dallas boy girl duo of Smile Smile. On the same label as the Toadies, these guys have gained some national appeal with their latest album, Blue Roses. They have a folk indie pop sound... pretty mellow most of the time... if I had to categorize them as satellite channels, they are walking a fine line between XMU, the Pulse, and The Coffeehouse... Look for them in movie soundtracks at a theater (or Josh Schwartz TV Show) near you. And They should have a New CD coming soon, so look out for that too

here's a taste.

Smile Smile - Waving the White Flag

Broken Social Scene presents....

Wednesday is usually Boon's pick, and since he's gone 2 weeks without a pick, he's back with a vengeance. I'm sure you made of heard of The Broken Social Scene... but did you know that they are a veritable supergroup? Originally Formed by Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning, they've had a who's who of canadian musicians backing them up in the group as well as appearing on Kevin and Brendan's solo albums. Among them we Have Emily Haines from Metric, Leslie Feist, and Amy Milan from Stars. Although Lisa Lobsinger handles the backup vocals officially now, any one of these girls could show up at any show to perform.

First something from their breakout 2002 album You Forgot it in People (with Feist on Backup vocals I think... Feist or Haines)

Broken Social Scene - Cause = Time




Today Boon wanted me to post a song from last years Brendan Canning Solo project Something for all of us...

Brendan Canning - Hit the Wall




and Kevin Drew from 2007's Spirit If...

Kevin Drew - Safety Bricks

They both have great beards... but as an added Bonus... I've got a Kevin Drew Song from the Dark was the Night compilation that just came out not too long ago

Kevin Drew - Love vs. Porn




AND... if you call right now, you will receive a new Metric song from the album Fantasies, just released yesterday, absolutely FREE.

Metric - Sick Muse

what a deal. I think the ShamWow dude should stick to beating up hookers. I'm the new kid in town.

Shilpa Ray and Her Happy Hookers

I'm a sucker for a good band name, and I think the name Shilpa Ray and Her happy hookers is fabulous... first off... its ironic because all the rest of the band members are guys. Secondly,every body wants to keep their hookers happy.. its just common courtesy.... well unless of course you are Eliott Spitzer, then you pretend to clean up the streets while getting busted with a high dollar hooker. But I'm sure Shipla Ray are familiar with how much Spitzer sucks... they are from Brooklyn After all.

OK, I love that this band sounds different on almost every song... there can be elements, of blues, rock, folk, rockabilly... its basically pot luck. And Shipla's voice changes with the mood... from a Jolie Holland type feel to an Emily Haynes (Metric) feel... with a touch of a PJ harvey, Rachel Nagy(Detroit Cobras) and Brody Dalle (Distillers,Spinnerettes) for the heavier licks.

Here take a listen.
Mp3:

Shilpa Ray and her Happy Hookers - Filthy and Free

Japanther Why can't there be a resurgence of punk

So yeah, Japanther out of New York may not have a traditional punk sound in the vein of the sex pistols or Black Flag, but they do have a bit of the Misfits in them... you can totally here it in the opening guitar riff in the song I'm posting... but I digress... they are punk because they have a message... not because they play music that your mom tells you to turn down all the time. New Found Glory... Not punk. its loud pop. So sit back and listen to what Punk means to Japanther....My favorite line "Find the Clear Channel Billboards.. Tear them Down". That makes me so happy. Lowry Mays is the devil and might have single handedly destroyed radio... and this is a fellow Aggie talking.

Damn the man. Save the empire.

Mp3:
Japanther - Um Like Yer Smile Is Totally Ruling Me Right Now

Covers Friday - Nirvana Edition

So there was talk on Ron and Fez last week of Pearl Jam being the greatest band to come out of the Seattle Grunge scene, however there would be no grunge scene.. at least not worldwide, without Nirvana. So today we pay tribute to Kurt,Dave, and Chris as only we can... by posting songs of other bands covering them.


I think we'll take a little trip around the world...
First off, we will start out with Cibo Mato, those wacky japanese girls doing "About a Girl".

Cibo Mato - About A Girl

Then we travel to Scotland to hear Glasvegas do "Come As You Are".

Glasvegas - Come As you Are

We'll stop off in Belgium, to here the Scala And Kolacny Brothers Choir do "Smells Like Teen Spirit".

Scala - Smells Like Teen Spirit

Next Stop... Syberia... nothing like a little Tuvan Throat Singing covers... We Have Bugotak doing "Kaar Mege (Rape Me)".

Bugotak - Kaar Mege (Rape Me)

Back in the USA... to hear Port O'Brian do "Something in The Way"

Port O'Brian - Something In the Way

Now that we are in the states, we head deep in the heart of Texas. First Dallas to hear The Polyphonic Spree do "Lithium".

The Polyphonic Spree - Lithium

Down 35 to Austin to hear The Asylum Street Spankers do "Sliver". For their children's album.

Asylum Street Spankers - Sliver

Still on Southbond 35, taking Loop 1604 to Bandera, to heare Steve Earle Do "Breed"

Steve Earle - Breed

But Wait.. there is more... I got a few live recordings.

Ben Gibbard - All Apologies

Of Montreal/Mgmt - Smells Like Teen Spirit

Rogue Wave - On a Plain

and, just for shits and giggles, its not nirvana, but it is still a dave Grohl band cover, and its awesome. Petra Haden is fabulous.

Petra Haden and Bill Frisell - Floaty (Foo Fighers Cover)

Dust Congress ...they are in a dirty session

So Guy tells me that you don't here about local bands that much, and since Wednesdays belong to Boon recommended picks (usually) I'm gonna try and do a feature on some thursdays with a little local flava. Today, it is Dust Congress... they are from Denton, and they have a new EP coming out next month called Regurgitate Sunshine State. Here they are with an Ode to Televangelism... oh and BTW, tney are playing Saturday Night at Rubber Gloves in Denton at 10pm.

BTW, sorry I've been late on a few posts. stupid work. I need to blog full time I think.


Dust Congress - Sow a $58 Seed

Fever Ray When I grow Up

This song has been seriously growing on me... I'm a huge fan of The Knife, which is Karin Dreijer Andersson's other project (with her brother Olof, and quite honestly, I'm liking everything from Sweden..Peter Bjorn and John, Robyn, Teddybears,Lykke Li... it's all great stuff. Regardless, it's off her self titled debut album, Fever Ray... and its brilliant in it's simplicity. Her voice has a Santogold/Tegan and Sara vibe, and the music is pure sythpop... it could easily be a don henley, duran duran, or phil collins song from the 80s. I know... that probably doesn't sound cutting edge to you hipsters out there, but like I've said many times before 80s are the new black.



Listen: Fever Ray - "When I grow Up"