The Helio Sequence Broken Afternoon

My Computer has decided to die on me... the video card blew ups... So I figured that my afternoon is jacked because my PC is broken, this post was in order. So yeah this might be a little old, but I never talked about them last year... Portland Or boys The Helio Sequence released the album Keep your Eyes ahead last year. They've always been considered a mildly eccentric band, much like Modest Mouse, and Like Modest Mouse, They've kinda become more listener friendly as they get older.

I'll give you two... one really mellow, one not so mellow.

Mp3

The Helio Sequence - Broken Afternoon

The Helio Sequence - Can't Say No

Cover Friday - ...was a Rolling Stone edition

So there is a panel going on today at SxSW right about now called "Slaughtering Sacred Cows"... basically saying that people suck up so much these days that proper critisism is lost and bands get completely Over-rated. Some bands deserve to get knocked off their pedestal... Ahem.. Animal Collective is one of them these days. Sonic Youth is anther one... Juno said it best... They have a few good songs, but the rest is just noise. Rush, U2, ACDC ZZTop are on the list.



The Rolling Stones aren't. Yeah I don't really know why today is the Stones day, but it has to be done... Not only are they rock icons, but they made their start singing covers... Starting With Chuck Berry's "Come On" and Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away" and went on to influence bands for 5 decades.


On with the covers...



No, not that kind of cover of the rolling stone.... ahem

I'm starting off with Rage's version of "Street Fighting Man". It's kick ass, and I just realized after listening to it again that the first few bars are actually the intro music to The Opie and Anthony Show.

Mp3:

Rage Against the machine - Street Fighting Man

Moving on to a little Social D, and "Under My Thumb"

Social Distortion - Under My Thumb

From Punk to Cowpunk... Nine Pound Hammer is a side project of Nashville Pussy and here they are doing a version of "Dead Flowers"

Nine Pound Hammer - Dead Flowers

Buckwheat Zydeco sounds exactly like the name implies. Here they are with "Beast of Burden" ...the original is a favorite of my gf... or as she likes to put it "This is my jam"

Buckwheat Zydeco - Beast of Burden

Indie poppers Over the Rhine did a good version of "Ruby Tuesday" a few years back

Over the Rhine - Ruby Tuesday

Listen to the Voice on this one... Its Victoria Bergsman... before she sang on PB&J's "Young folks", she was in a band called The Concretes and she did a cover of "Miss You"

The Concretes - Miss You


I don't know why but I feel that the definitive "Paint it Black" cover is Gob. Maybe because on the Stir of Echoes soundtrack and all I remember from that movie is this song.

Gob - Paint It Black

"Honky Tonk Woman" really sounds like it should have been a Waylon Jennings song to begin with so this cover is fitting.

Waylon Jennings - Honky Tonk Woman

I always wonder what a bollywood version of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" would sound like

Ananda Shankar - Jumpin' Jack Flash

Patti Smith is the definitive cover of "Gimmie Shelter"

Patti Smith - Gimmie Shelter

Now we are to "Sympathy for the Devil"... I had a tough time deciding on this. I decided to go with Jane's Addiction... just cause its Perry Ferrell

Jane's Addiction - Sympathy For the Devil

I had to give "Satisfaction" to Cat Power. because her voice is so awesome. she could sing "Mary had a little Lamb" and I'd still get all tingly.

Cat Power - Satisfaction

The Sundays are the definitive cover of "Wild Horses" but I'm saving them for a later post that Boon and I are collaborating on, so I decided to go with the Iron & Wine/Calexico live Version.


Iron&Wine/Calexico - Wild Horses

Goldielocks ...her porridge is juuust right.

Ok, maybe I don't know about her porridge... even if I'd like to... However I do know a little bit about her music, and its pretty good. Goldielocks is a from the UK, and she's definitely doesn't like to be pigeon-holed cause she seems to be a mix of things... first off she's 75% english and 25% Swedish... She's a little bit grime, and a little bit pop singer, ...AND she's got some mad producing skills, because the tracks I've heard sound great. I'm gonna say that she's Basically a combo of Lily Allen, Lady Soveriegn, MIA and Peaches. She'll be at SxSW performing at RIO on March 21. She'lll be part of a lineup that cumulates with the Crimea headlining. I love that band... so if you are down there you should check that show out... it promises to be stellar.

Mp3:

Goldielocks - Cold Sweat

The Phenomenal Handclap Band ...at SXSW and I'm not

Yeah, I'm starting to get a bit bitter that I'm stuck in Dallas this week when I should be at SXSW like all the other bloggers... you know what makes it even worse... I keep getting text messages of little events happening here and there... I just got one this morning that said Seth Rogen, Anna Faris and Danny McBride will be in such and such room. And when the music part starts, I will be doubly upset. regardless. The Phenomenal Handclap band out of Brooklyn will be at SXSW. Hell they will be all over the place all week long... especially tomorrow... They start out playing the opening day bash at the Emo's Annex, and their official showcase is tonight at the Radio Room. And that's hosted by My Old Kentucky blog... So we know that they are finger licking good.

The band definitely has a funky bluesy vibe. Check it out.
Mp3

The Phenomenal Handclap Band - Testimony

Shugo Tokumaru ...Japanese moment of Zen

Rainy Days and Mondays always get me down. Ok That's not true. But Mondays do suck. But then you hear a happy Japanese pop song and everything gets better... Shugo Tokumaru is one of those one man band multi-instrumentist... like Culture Reject and Andrew Bird, and his latest release, Exit, gives us some happy little mini-symphonies that are a mix of pop, folk, and electronica. Guaranteed to cheer you up on a Monday.

Mp3:
Shugo Tokumaru - Paruchute

Covers Friday - Shaken not Stirred Edition

My name is Bond... James Bond. I don't know why I'm in a Bond Mood... its Friday the 13th, and St PAddy's day weekend, and I pull out Bond. Perhaps its cause Quantum of Solace will be out on DVD in 2 weeks. Regardless, today you get James Bond Covers.

From the Sean Connery Days...


Mp3:
A few instrumentals.... Covers of Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones

Man or AstroMan? - Goldfinger

the Whodads - Thunderball

OK and this song is probably the most covered\Sampled bond song ever. I really like this version... originally by Nancy Sinatra

The Postmarks - You Only Live Twice

This is a secondary Bond Song... not the title track, but still official... From On Her Majesty's Secret Service and originally by Louis armstrong

Puppini Sisters - We Have All the Time in the World


A great live version by the Arctic Monkeys... who are cover masters.

Arctic Monkeys - Diamonds are Forever

Thus ends the Sean Connery Era. Now on to Roger Moore
... originally by Sir Paul McCartney

GNR - Live and Let Die

... originally by Lulu

Emiliana Torrini - The Man With the Golden Gun

...and the most covered Bond song of the Roger Moore Era orignally by Carly Simon

IvanaXl - Nobody Does it Better

A couple from the 80s and the Timothy Dalton period..

... The best bond song ever maybe? By Duran Duran

Lost Prophets - A View to a Kill

... followed by a less than stellar A ha song....

Balor Kights - The Living Daylights

Pierce Brosnan had his moments... .here's one originally by Sheryl Crow

Mister Bond - Tomorrow Never Dies

M. Ward has never had nobody like you.

M. Ward is friggin' awesomne. Yeah I said it. Hold Time is the new solo album, his first since 2006's Post War. Not that he hasn't been busy since... he's been involved in lots of other people's projects. He seems to have the perfect mix of country/folk and indie pop and Personally I think he's at his best when he has guest female vocals... he's had some of the best... Neko Case, Jenny Lewis, Lucinda Williams.... And now Zooey Deschanel on this album... They made sweet music together on Zooey's and M. Ward's collaborative project...last years She & Him, and she returns to back him for a few tracks on this album.

MP3:

M. Ward - Never Had Nobody Like You