Sunday Espresso Blurb

I've been playing their forthcoming album in heavy rotation this whole weekend....The album is pretty damn awesome.
More about it my next entry. I'll post a track from the album, haven't decided on which one yet.
I'm going to say its probably the best since "Daydream Nation" and slightly more mainstream friendly.

-----------------------------

Second Cup | Keith Tamashiro

On January 31, 2006, our dear friend Keith suffered a brain aneurysm. I SEE YOU is a series of benefit events in which artists and performers who are close friends of Keith, have joined forces and donated their time and talents, to help raise money for his medical expenses as he makes his journey to recovery. Keith, one half of Soap Design Co., Los Angeles, is regarded by many in the music industry as an innovative graphic artist, with a keen eye towards the cutting-edge, and a distinctive point of view. For more than a decade, his work has graced the covers of many albums. As a friend, he has touched and enriched our lives in countless ways. We thank you for your support in helping us help Keith, get back on his feet.
(from his My Space site)


(KT's work on DJ Shadow's "Private Press")

MAY 25 | THURSDAY | LOS ANGELES
DJ SHADOW, CUT CHEMIST, DILATED PEOPLES, BEAT JUNKIES, JURASSIC 5
Mayan Nightclub
1038 S. Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015.
Doors at 7pm
$100 per ticket 100% of all proceeds go directly to
Keiths medical expenses. All of the artists are close
friends of Keith and have donated their time to
perform at this special event.

100% of proceeds from these events will go towards Keith's medical expenses/rehabilitation.

My Space | Keith Tamashiro
Visit here to see his work- Official site: Soap Design
Stones Throw: Keith T

Today's Brew | The Unicorns/ Islands

The Unicorns
2000-2004

From their 2003 album "Who Will Cut Our Hair When We":
(for a limited time)
YouSend: The Unicorns- "I Was Born (A Unicorn)"

official site: The Unicorns
The Secret Unicorns Forum

The saga continued as The Unicorns members Nick and Jamie then got involved with...

Post-The Unicorns Days
Islands
2005-

current release: Return to Sea (2006) features the guest appearances from some of the folks from Arcade Fire. (must be a Montreal thing)
Listen to their stuff on My Space.

official site: Islands
My Space: Islands

Secret Show | Gnarls Barkley

The show is free....This show is a first come first serve basis, so get there early to ensure admittance.
Doors open at 7pm.

I suppose this won't be much of a secret after all...but if you haven't heard already, this is what's happening tomorrow night.
Unfortunately yours truly, can't go, due to the short notice, and prior plans.

Should be awesome!

Coachella Webcast

Not really an impressive line up, compared to last year's...but there are a few bands here and there worth seeing I suppose. Perhaps its from the past reunions that made this festival hype such an event. Then the rumors of a Smashing Pumpkins reunion? (wishful thinking eh)...then to find it'll be Madonna making her way to Coachella?

For those who who aren't going, worry not.

Not sure about the details about this whole thing, but it appears that there will be a webcast of Coachella via webcast.
And I suppose Coachella is attempting to broaden its audience with Madonna on the bill and AT & T sponsoring the webcast.
AT & T Blue Room

official site: Coachella

Today's Brew | Tunng

From: London, UK
Formed: circa 2004?
type of music: Folk-tronica

They contributed on a remix of Bloc Party's "Pioneer".
Besides that, I really don't know much about these guys, but so far from what I've heard, I'm quite impressed. I'm currently listening to their album "Mother's Daughter and other songs".

From their 2005 album "Mother's Daughter and other songs":
mp3: Tunng- "Tale From Black"

Visit their My Space site for their latest tracks off their current EP.
QT: Tunng- "Woodcat"
(Takes awhile for it to load)

official site: Tunng
My Space: Tunng

Today's Brew | Gnarls Barkley

Their album "St. Elsewhere" could possibly a strong contender for the album of the year, at least in my book...(the other strong contender is the yet to be released album by TV On The Radio).
St. Elsewhere drops on May 9th.


Real: Gnarls Barkley- "Crazy"
(for a limited time)
YouSend: Gnarls Barkley- "Crazy"

My previous entry about them ovah here

official site: Gnarls Barkley

Re: 1980

To continue my Tuesday series on "Re:"...

The song is well described by John Bush from AMG, and if I had more time I'd write it myself, but excuses excuses...

"Love Will Tear Us Apart" functions as an insight into what made Joy Division the most unique band during the era of punk aggression and extremism. Undoubtedly the closest they ever came to a pop song (and subsequently their biggest hit), the single highlights Curtis' fragile ego ("You cry out in your sleep, all my failings expose") and reliance on an often dangerous fatalism ("And we're changing our ways, taking different roads/Then love, love will tear us apart again"). The backing is at mid-tempo pace, propelled by Stephen Morris' mechanistic drumming, Peter Hook's trademarked plaintive bass line, and a wave of haunting synthesizers that echo Curtis' every word on the choruses. The single, first released on 7" on April 18, 1980 (exactly one month before Curtis' death), hit the charts later that summer after its release on 12" -- even though, according to prior agreement within the band, Joy Division ceased to exist the day Curtis died.
(courtesy of AMG and written by John Bush, AMG)
To read the full review, check it out ovah here

Video: Love Will Tear Us Apart


WinMed: New Order- "Love Will Tear Us Apart"
(from the Jimmy Kimmel Show, April 2005)

Music Vid Director/ Photographer Anton Corbijin will tackle on the biographical film on the life of Ian Curtis, based on the book by Deborah Curtis' book "Touching From A Distance". I posted an entry about it ovah here.

Today's Brew | Daedelus

album release date: May 9th
(for a limited time)
YouSend: Daedelus- "At My Heels"

Buy it here.


official site: Daedelus
My Space: Daedelus

Favorite songs so far.

aka 1/3 of the year- Favorite Songs of 2006.

Some music in heavy rotation as living in the commuter city of L.A. has been quite miserable with the gas prices steadily going up.

1. I Was a Lover- TV On The Radio
2. Portishead- Requiem for Anna
3. The Knife- Silent Shout
4. Gnarls Barkley- Crazy
5. The Fiery Furnaces- Teach Me Sweetheart
6. Guillemots- Who Left the Lights Off, Baby?
7. Bishop Allen- Queen of the Rummage Sale
8. Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan- Black Mountain
9. Liars- It Fit When I Was a Kid
10. Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Phenomena

Honorable Mentions:
Radio Dept.- The Worst Taste in Music
Sufjan Stevens- Adlai Stevenson
Cat Power- Love & Communication

To hear some of the music from above, I've jumped on the bandwagon
and gone to My Space.
Check it out ovah here.

Speaking of My Space,in Corpus Christi, TX, a local college there has banned My Space to free up bandwidth.

Forty percent of daily Internet traffic at the college involved MySpace.com, he said. In one 24-hour period in April, Del Mar computers spent a collective total of 229 hours of Internet browsing at the site. The community college registers more than 11,000 students each semester. (courtesy of AP)

I suppose Rupert Murdoch is one happy camper for buying MySpace for $649 mil.

Today's Brew | Mojave 3

Mojave 3 has managed to outlive their previous incarnation Slowdive by about a decade now.(which I'm still a really huge fan of both). They may not be the most popular band around, but they've maintained a sound thats distinctive and fresh.

Still images from their forthcoming single "Breaking The Ice" Video Shoot.
The new album "Puzzles Like You" is set to be released on June 19th.
2006 (images courtesy of 4AD)




From an interview with Billboard, Neil Halstead commented that the album took around eight months to record and finish. "Most of the time was working on mixing -- we spent a lot of time recording and re-recording," Halstead says. "Our last album was much more organic, and I think it sounds that way. On this one, there was a lot of re-arranging, a lot of buggering around. And it was a bit more challenging for us, because they're pop songs."

A sneak preview of things to come--
(For a limited time)
YouSend: Mojave 3- "Puzzles Like You"

From their first album as Mojave 3- "Ask Me Tomorrow" (1996):


official site: Mojave 3
4AD site: Mojave 3

Today's Brew | The Submarines

from: Los Angeles, CA
formed: 2004-5
type of music: songs about relationships and heartbreaks with a tinge of sadness.


John Dragonetti (Jack Drag) & Blake Hazard

Interesting note: Hazard -singer-songwriter (her great-grandfather was F. Scott Fitzgerald) who attended Sarah Lawrence and Harvard before striking out on the New England circuit.
Read the back story of how their album was created- at their My Space site.


current release: Declare a New State (release date: May 30th)

(for a limited time)
SaveF: The Submarines- "This Conversation"

Hear more of their songs by streaming them at:
(Look for the song "Peace and Hate")
official site: The Submarines
My Space: The Submarines

Some Live Goodies

So Much Silence has Elbow's performance from KEXP at the Triple Door.

Cable and Tweed has some early U2 contract demos. I prefer the early U2 over the present U2...hands down.

Jack's Coke Ad

Yes, must be the red and white in the coke can.

Today's Brew | Portishead

From the tribute album to French Pop Legend Serge Gainsbourg that also features music by Franz Ferdinand with Jane Birkin, Cat Power with Karen Elson, Michael Stipe, Jarvis Cocker & Kid Loco, Marc Almond with Trash Palace and more.
Also features...

It's been almost 10 years since they released anything new...hopefully we'll get to hear some more new stuff from them real soon.

(for a limited time)
YouSend: Portishead- "Requiem For Anna"
(courtesy of cowmonkey)

Buy the tribute album here

Re: 1991

I thought I start a new series on Tuesdays by visiting specific time and highlighting some bands or music of that actual year.
I couldn't think of a clever name so I picked "re:", like response or maybe in this situation "rewind".
----
Quick disclaimer: I'm not really a big fan of YouTube...but they do have an extensive archive of some old music videos, you can't really find anywhere- at least to my knowledge.
----
Here's a study of two songs- they both sample a similiar catchy hook.
Siouxsie and the Banshee has the hook sampling throughout the song, while Chapterhouse uses the hook primarily as a transition, especially at the middle of the song. Who started it first? I'm still trying to figure that out. But each band treats this sampling with its own uniqueness and style, which makes the songs stand on its own...and one could hardly notice who copied each other.


Siouxsie and the Banshees "Kiss Them For Me" from the album "Superstition" (Dec 1990-Dec 1991)



Chapterhouse "Pearl" from the album "Whirlpool" (1991)
-featuring the background vocals of Rachel Goswell from Slowdive.

Second Cup | Liars

The album is definitely gettin' some attention among fellow peers. It's certainly one of the most interesting albums out right now, and its not really for everyone either.

From Dead Air Space (radiohead):
Sun, 16 April
happy easter
liars >drums not dead
berlin must be a good place to work

<>
Thom

From Completely Surrounded By No Trees (TV On The Radio):
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
earth to people: love is the ultimate truth at the heart of existence. treat eachother with care. to be cynical is no longer useful and wildly irresponsible. please, be here now. -tenderpants

god bless the liars. drums not dead. xxxooo



(for a limited time)
YouSend: Liars- "It Fit When I Was a Kid"

My previous entry about these guys ovah here.
official site: Liars

Today's Brew | The Fiery Furnaces

The album finally drops this Tuesday, April 18th.
Its one of my favorite albums this year so far, and I'm a bit bias on that, since I've been a fan of their music for some time.

mp3 download: The Fiery Furnaces- ""Benton Harbor Blues"
(courtesy of insound)

I mentioned them ovah here and here.

If you're living in NY, you can catch them on April 19th at the Bowery Room.
Get the tix ovah here. (damn...you NY peeps, you guys get TV on the Radio, the night before...geez, am I livin' in the wrong city or what?)
official site: The Fiery Furnaces

Today's Brew | The Lassie Foundation

Listen to their new material from their album "Through and Through" on
My Space: The Lassie Foundation

All Music dubbed them as "Pink Noise Pop"...and further describes "...blend the classic shoegazing sound of bands like Lush and Ride with the Brian Wilson-inspired harmonies and arrangements of the Boo Radleys, Lilys, and other latter-day psych-pop bands".

They just wrapped up their show over in Texas with the Wall of Sound festival, and they'll be
playing on Monday, April 17th at the Silverlake Lounge (LA). I've caught them there a couple of years back, and remember Wayne Everett (frontman for the band) encouraging the audience to "jazzercise".

From their split album with Duraluxe - "I Duel Sioux and the Ale of Saturn":
(for a limited time)
YouSend: The Lassie Foundation- "Good Times Comin' My Way"

official site: The Lassie Foundation

Shows Shows Shows

April 14- Friday (That's tonight)

Trespassers William (sorta of homecoming for them, as they are originally from LA) at Tangier.


also: The Greenhornes (part of the Raconteurs- and who knows, maybe Jack might be there?) are playing over at the Troubadour.

April 17 Monday
The Lassie Foundation (more about them later) at the Silverlake Lounge. (I caught there before a couple years back, great show).

April 18 Tuesday
The M's at the Silverlake Lounge.
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin at Tangier

Today's Brew | Gram Rabbit

Its that time of year when the lil' bunnies scurry about...and wadda ya know.

Led by Jesika Von Rabbit, bunny ears included, from the deserts of Southern Cali...

album release: April 18, 2006
To hear a preview of their new stuff, check em out ovah at
My Space: Gram Rabbit.

(for a limited time)
From their 2004 album "Music To Start A Cult To":
YouSend: Gram Rabbit- "Disco#2"

From their album "Cultivation" (2006):
YouSend: Gram Rabbit- "Bloody Bunnies"

They will be playing at the Echo (in LA) on April 21st.
I caught them at the Echo a little over a year ago, and I have to say it was definitely an interesting show to check out.
Don't let the bunny ears scare ya.

official site: Gram Rabbit

Second Cup | Gnarls Barkley

Danger Mouse + Cee Lo

The same Danger Mouse who produced the "Demon Days" album for the Gorillaz, and did the infamous Grey Album.

(for a limited time)
From their album "St Elsewhere" (release date: May 9, 2006):
YouSend: Gnarls Barkley- "Smiley Faces"

official site: Gnarls Barkley
My Space: Gnarls Barkley

Today's Brew | Richard Swift

Upcoming release: Dress Yourself up for the Letdown | May 23, 2006
A preview of couple of tracks from the new album on My Space: Richard Swift.


My previous post about Richard Swift here.

From his 2005 (double CD) album " The Novelist/Walking Without Effort":
(for a limited time)
YouSend: Richard Swift- "Losing Sleep"
also:
mp3: Richard Swift- "Lady Day"

official site: Richard Swift

Second Cup | Irving

Performed April 5, 2006
For some images of their performance at WOXY, check ovah here.

For a limited time, over at WOXY
mp3- WOXY Lounge Act Performance: Irving

official site: Irving
the album cover art done by and some of it is featured on their latest vid:
illustration by Max Miceli
animation by PJ Fidler

Some other noteworthy WOXY lounge act performances this week:
April 14 Metric at 2pm
April 14 Editors at 4pm

For more of the happenings at WOXY, go over here.

Today's Brew | Radio Dept.

from: Malmo, Sweden
formed: 1995
type of music: Shoegaze influence


From their forthcoming album "Pet Grief":
release date: April 12, 2006 | possible different US release date

mp3: Radio Dept.- "The Worst Taste in Music"


Real: Radio Dept.- "The Worst Taste in Music"
---------------------------

From their EP album "Pulling Our Weight" (2005):
mp3: Radio Dept.- "Pulling Our Weight"

From their album "Lesser Matters" (2003):
mp3: Radio Dept.- "Why Won't You Talk About It"



My Space: Radio Dept.

------------------------------- 8< cut here -----------

Some other noteworthy releases this week:
The Charlatans UK- Simpatico (April 10 | US release -May 2)- buy it here.
Built to Spill- You in Reverse (April 11)- buy it here.
Ladytron- Extended Play (April 11) - buy it here.
Pretty Girls Make Graves- Elan Vital (April 11)- buy it here.

--------------------------------8< cut here ----------

read this- NME: The Raconteurs Name Change Drama

Today's Brew | Boy Least Likely To- part 2

I caught the show Saturday night with Cowbell Junkie at Spaceland. Check over there to get a quick blurb of what went down at the show.

The Boys Least Likely To finished their US tour at the infamous Spaceland on Saturday night. After a mediocre performance by Eames Era and Monsters Are Waiting, the band revived the night with a performance that was fun and full of energy. Almost felt like a sing-a-long waiting to happen except the good majority of us were unfamiliar with alot of the songs they played. At times I thought Willie Wonka would pop out of nowhere to greet us. Of course there was the crowd pleaser, as they teased us with their rendition of "Eye of the Tiger", but later to play the song "My Tiger, My Heart". The band ended their set with the crowd favorite, "Be Gentle With Me".

official site: The Boy Least Likely To
My Space: The Boy Least Likely To

(for a limited time)
YouSend: The Boy Least Likely To- "I See Spiders When I Close My Eyes"

My previous post of their music vid of what I refer the song as the 'happy song', "Be Gentle With Me".

Today's Brew | Boy Least Likely To

Some screen shots of their performance on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic.



Watch the whole performance here:
Real: MBE-"Boy Least Likely To"

Boy Least Likely To will be at Spaceland - This Saturday.

Today's Guest at Morning Becomes Eclectic: Elbow

click here to check their live performance: .

Gorillaz: 'Days' are Numbered?

Say it ain't so, but it appears that this could be it for the Gorillaz.
NME reports that Damon Albarn announced that "Demon Days" (2005) would be their last album.

(picture of creators Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett with Dennis Hopper at this year's Grammys)

And could there be a reunion of the band Blur? Just like March Madness, anything can happen...anything.

From NME, Albarn admitted:
"At the moment we're like, that's probably the last album we make, I don't think we could make a better album than 'Demon Days' really, for what this is and how it works."

However, he left a door open by adding: "Last night we thought 'Surely this isn't the end', and I don't know we're saying it's the end again, but it's quite a hip-hop thing to retire and come back you know."

The issue has been clouded even further by the revelation earlier this week by Blur bass player Alex James that the band have reconvened recently to make new music, their first since the release of the 2003 LP 'Think Tank'.

Read the full article here.

From their "Demon Days" album, yet another impressive 3D'ed out vid:

WinMed: Gorillaz- "Dirty Harry (featuring Pharcyde's Bootie Brown)"

Today's Brew | VHS or Beta

From their 2004 release "Night On Fire":
(for a limited time)
YouSend: VHS or Beta- "Alive"

From their re-release debut album "Le Funk":
(for a limited time)
YouSend: VHS or Beta- "Heaven"

Tonight: At the Vanguard (Hollywood)- BT with special DJ set by VHS or Beta. Doors open @ 9pm. Admission compliments of Camel.
Stream the AOL music: Carlos D. & VHS or Beta (DJ) at First Fridays at the Guggenheim

official site: VHS or Beta
My Space: VHS or Beta

---------UPdate: On the Airwaves--------------

The Boy Least Likely To on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic.
Go here
They blog...check out their Blog site: The Boy Least Likely To.

Second Cup | Darth Vader Police Japan

And now we interrupt our regularly scheduled program for a non-music related entry for something to perk up your day.

YouTube: "Darth Vader Police Japan"

------------------------------------
Update: NME's current issue features an interview with Radiohead's Thom Yorke calls the music industry " a bunch of fucking retards".

(courtesy of NME)
The singer has launched a scathing attack on record companies and radio stations as he believes they are only just now looking at the internet for new talent.

Speaking about Arctic Monkeys' rise to fame, Yorke said: "A good thing for new music would be more of the mainstream loosening up a bit and letting stuff through. Radio 1 won't play anything fucking decent. You need to sort the radio out."

He added: "The fact that poor Arctic Monkeys are getting so much attention is purely based on the fact that the mainstream music business is such a bunch of fucking retards as far as I'm concerned..."

read the NME article here.
for a limited time...
YouSend: Radiohead- "The Gloaming (DJ Shadow Remix)"

-------------------------------

Also a great entry " Payola, value judgments, and other jibber-jabber" by MarathonPacks here.