Today's Brew | MBE: Beck

Beck drops by KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic for a special in-studio performance on this Halloween day at 11:15 am.



From the album "Information":
mp3: Beck- "Nausea"
(YouSend: for a limited only)

Visit- MBE: Beck
Buy the album ovah here.

re: 1999

It's Halloween.
Growing up in the OC, there were three things to look forward to when it came to Halloween: a)Free Candy b) Halloween Parties c) and Oingo Boingo.
They would play their annual Halloween concerts at Irvine Meadows (now known as the Verizon Amphitheatre) at least up in til 1995. The music became a household favorite among latch key kids living in the OC surburbia.



If you've never been to exposed to Oingo Boingo other than their "Dead Man's Party" and "Weird Science", their Anthology album collects a little bit of everything they've done into a nice definitive overview of what is truly Boingo.



mp3: Oingo Boingo- "Dead Man's Party"
mp3: Oingo Boingo- "Who Do You Want To Be"
(Savefile)

Buy the album ovah here.

Today's Brew | Daytrotter: Of Montreal

This week, Daytrotter Session serves up a nice live set from Of Montreal.

The songs:
Eagle-Shaped Mirror
Suffer for Fashion
Lysergic Bliss
Requiem For O.M.M.2.

Go visit their page: Daytrotter Sessions: Of Montreal

Today's Brew | The Long Blondes

I recall reading a quick blurb earlier this year in "Under the Radar" magazine featured as one of the new artists of 2006. Their debut album finally arrives.



The single "Weekend Without Makeup" was produced by Pulp bassist and M.I.A producer Steve Mackey

From their album 'Someone to Drive You Home' (November 9):
mp3: The Long Blondes- "Weekend Without Makeup"
(YouSend: for a limited time only)

official site: The Long Blondes
My Space: The Long Blondes

Today's Brew | Planningtorock

Originally from the UK, now living in Berlin, Planningtorock is Janine Rostron. She combines operatic electropop with visual stimuli via video or by the elaborate costume designs.
Best new band this year according to The Knife. And to prove that, for their limited US tour, Planningtorock will open. I'm looking forward to that.



From the album "Have it all":
mp3: Planningtorock- "Changes"
(YouSend-for a limited time)

YouTube: Planningtorock- "Changes"


official site: Planningtorock
My Space: Planningtorock

Today's Brew | A Hawk & A Hacksaw

They opened for Beirut. And their current album is in my rotation.



A Hawk & A Hacksaw comprised of Jeremy Barnes (drummer for Neutral Milk Hotel) and violinist Heather Trost and Zach Condon (Beirut) contributes in this album as well.
"Partially recorded in the tiny Moldovan village of Zece Prajini, Romania, The Way The Wind Blows was begun in a place where there are no pavements or plumbing, and farmers drive horse-drawn carts instead of cars." (Post Everything)

From the album "The Way The Wind Blows" (2006):
mp3: A Hawk & A Hacksaw- "The Sparrow"

official site: A Hawk & A Hacksaw
My Space: A Hawk & A Hacksaw

Espresso Shot | Pixies to record new record!!

(text courtesy of NME)

Pixies are set to begin work on their first studio album in 15 years.
Singer Frank Black has confirmed the band will start work in January on their first record since 1991's 'Trompe Le Monde'.
Speaking about the album, Black explained that the band still have a lot of work to do before an album appears.

"We're rehearsing in January, if we can persuade Kim (Deal, bassist) to come out of her house," he told NME.COM. "We offered to go to her but we figured if we book the rehearsals she'll show up.

"Since we got back together we've played almost everywhere we can. I know we like playing and everyone likes touring together, so to keep doing that and not record anything is kind of like being a county fair band. We don't want to do that, so the only thing we can do is become a vital band again. So it's just a matter of doing it, I guess."

re: 1991

The Farm from Liverpool. A band that struggled to find its own sound-- and then finally jumped on the bandwagon with the Madchester sound of the early 1990s. Their claim to fame was this obscure album, that just sorta came out of nowhere...leaving the band going nowhere.



"As an artifact, Spartacus is fascinating, since it demonstrates how far the over the top the entire Madchester phenomenon went, even if the record itself isn't necessarily good listening." (by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AMG)

Based on the melody of Pachelbel's Canon. I confess the song "All Together Now" sounds deliberately cheesy, but for the context of its time, it has a catchy beat. Although the whole album is rather mediocre and really doesn't have an endearing sense of being a classic, this particular song isn't entirely that bad.

mp3: The Farm- "All Together Now"
(YouSend: for a limited time)

YouTube: The Farm- "All Together Now"

Today's Brew | Beirut @ Troubadour

On Saturday, Beirut played a sold out show at the Troubadour (LA). Their first Southern California appearance, at least to my knowledge. As the band was setting up, they layed out all their instruments, as if a chef was preparing to assemble a masterpiece dish. The band opened the set up with the first track off their album with "The Gulag Orkestar", but the place went wild with the crowd favorite, "Postcards from Italy" which was played at the midpoint of the set.
The band came back to do two encores with the first encore being performed within the audience as they stepped down to the main floor.
Definitely a band to check out live, if you haven't done so yet.

(all photos courtesy of Cindy C)





Their first encore performance on the main floor with the audience.



My previous entry about Beirut ovah here.

The new EP, Lon Gisland, will be available though Chouette on
vinyl in November.

Go over to Passion of the Weiss for a more descriptive account of the show. He also offers up the new song "Elephant Gun" that was played that night.
And over to Cowbell Junkie for her video clip of the song "Elephant Gun".

Today's Brew | Video: OOIOO

Their follow up from last year's "Gold and Green". Their music has bit of a dense array of sound from chantings and wild utterings that remind of some shamanistic ritual to rolling rhythms of the drum beat. I have yet to hear their latest release, but from hearing "Uma", I'm intrigued to hear more.

From their album "TAIGA":
Video- OOIOO- "Uma"
(Quicktime)

official site: OOIOO

Today's Brew | Video: Danielson

Video directed by Danielson

video: Danielson- "Did I Step On Your Trumpet"
(QT)

My previous entry about 'em ovah here.

Second Cup | Ladytron in LA

Ladytron will make three appearances in the LA area this month.
Tonight: @ John Anson Ford (with CSS)



Then again: @ Glasshouse (Pomona, CA)- Oct. 29th
and: @ El Rey on HALLOWEEN NIGHT (with Midnight Movies)


video: Ladytron- "Sugar"
(Real Player)

From their album "Witching Hour" (2005):
mp3 download: Ladytron- "Soft Power"
(from My Space Music)

official site: Ladytron
My Space: Ladytron

Today's Brew | The Arbiters

Damn...these guys are amazin.


Los Angeles-based music production trio composed of a DJ, a music producer and a film score composer that does a mash-ups of different genres.

From their EP "They are Biters":
Arbiters- "Papa was a Crashing Car"
(SaveFile)

Visit their site to download more tracks.

official site: Arbiters
My Space: Arbiters

re: 1996

"Will comply--Wilco."
My first Wilco album. Their second album. A much more exploratory album than their previous, and it gained alot of acclaim among the critics, especially for a sophomore effort.



While Wilco's debut, A.M., spread its wings in an expectedly country-rock fashion, their sophomore effort, Being There, is the group's great leap forward, a masterful, wildly eclectic collection shot through with ambitions and ideas. Although a few songs remain rooted in their signature sound, here Jeff Tweedy and band are as fascinated by their music's possibilities as its origins, and they push the songs which make up this sprawling two-disc set down consistently surprising paths and byways. (by Jason Ankeny, AMG)

music: Wilco- "Outta Mind (Outta Sight)"
(YouSend: For a limited time)

Buy the album ovah here.

Afternoon Brew | Midnight Movies

Finally!...its one of my fave bands, as I've posted about em a bunch of times.



From their "Patient Eye/ Golden Hair" Single:
mp3: Midnight Movies- "Patient Eye" (Edit)
(SaveFile)

Buy their previous album ovah here.

My previous entries of them ovah here.

Their next show:
11/17/06 - at Spaceland, Los Angeles

Second Cup | Jenny Lewis w/ The Watson Twins

If you haven't seen it or heard already, the new song from Jenny & Co. is spreading all over the place.

from Under The Radar magazine

From a live recording of the Conan O'Brien show:
mp3: Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins- "Fernando"
(YouSend: For a limited time)

Today's Brew | AOL Interface: Cat Power

AOL thinks you should know 5 things about Cat Power (I believe most already know these):
1. Her real name is Chan Marshall, and it's pronounced like "Shawn."
2. She is completely obsessed with Bob Dylan.
3. She has covered everyone from Pavement to Thurston Moore, and even a bit of Gnarls Barkley.
4. She is reportedly the new face of Chanel's jewelry advertising campaign.
5. She is proudly clean and sober.

Visit the site to listen to her very recent performance on Interface.
Her performance includes:
Love & Communication
John John
Satisfaction
Ramblin' Man

AOL Interface: Cat Power

My previous entry about her ovah here.

Late Night Brew | Bishop Allen's September

I'm a bit late on this, and yes their EP-a-month project is still happening.
Also: In November, they hit up the Wild Wild West, as they come to LA on November 6th at the Troubadour to support Starlight Mints.

From their September EP:
mp3: Bishop Allen- "Like Castenets"

official site: Bishop Allen

Today's Brew | Califone

It seems to be the critic's pick this week. I've only heard a bit of the album so far, and so far its quite contagious.



"The songs themselves are easy to approach if difficult to decipher, and the production details reward repeated listens. This is a very original group who are really hitting their stride. They write interesting melodic songs, they've got brilliant ideas for arranging and production, and they've got the studio savvy to pull it all off in spectacular fashion..." (AMG)

"A virtual fun-house of found-sounds, noise passages, and brilliantly obscured folk music..." (Stylus)

"The album blurs all lines between the organic and the synthesized, and is as much a product of the gut as the mind, with each perfectly placed skronk-and-twitter hitting its intellectual and emotional targets..." (Pitchfork)

From the album "Roots and Crowns":
mp3: Califone- "Orchids"
(SaveFile)

Buy the album ovah here.

official site: Pastry Sharp
My Space: Califone

Second Cup | His Name Is Alive- Someday Remixes

In 2001 His Name is Alive released the controversial SOMEDAY MY BLUES WILL COVER THE EARTH (4AD), an introspective album that mixes contemporary beats, old time blues, sad songs, and minimalist chamber music, all shrouded in the darkest shades of blue.

These companion remixes, done at that time, represent an amazing cross-section of underground electronic music artists then and now - including Four Tet, Minotaur Shock Herrmann & Kleine and Burnt Friedman among others. (text taken from HNIA site)

01. Write My Name (Tony Ollivierra)
02. One Year (Four Tet)
03. Happy Blues (Susumu Yokota)
04. Nothing Special (Herrmann & Kleine)
05. Happy Blues (Recloose)
06. Nothing Special (Burnt Friedman)
07. Someday (Burnt Friedman)
08. One Year (Minotaur Shock)
09. Someday (Ectomorph)
10. Write My Name (HNIA R&B version)
11. Write My Name (HNIA 1998 Demo)

The full album is available for a limited time...
Download ZIP: His Name Is Alive-Someday Remix Album here.

Also, be sure to check out their album "Detrola" which came out earlier this year...

official site: HNIA

Today's Brew | The Low Lows

Parker Noon and company minus Lily Wolfe (formerly known as Parker & Lily) released their first album as The Low Lows, about a month ago.
Once, based in NYC, now in Athens GA, the trio have been compared to alot of different influences in their sound as well as their vocals ranging from Neil Young to early My Morning Jacket to early Michael Stipe to Galaxie 500 to even Sparklehorse. They are already working on their second album to be released early next year.

From their album "Fire on the Bright Sky" (2006):
mp4: The Low Lows- "Dear Flies Love Spider"
mp4: The Low Lows- "Wolves Eat Dogs

My previous entry about them ovah here.
Buy the album ovah here.

official site: The Low Lows

Late Night Brew | The Raconteurs

I've always admired a good album art, and I was so impressed by this, that I was compelled to post some of these...wow.
Limited Edition Bootleg CDs provided exclusively to the UK peeps with some amazing album art with some extra goodies. Lucky bastards.

Glasgow

London

London

Wolverhampton


Some more info about it ovah here:
Concert Live: Raconteurs in the UK 2006

video QT: The Raconteurs- "Broken Boy Soldier"

Second Brew | The National

Tonight: At the Troubadour (LA).

A sample of the energy one sense's in their live performances.

From their Black Sessions (2005):
mp3: The National- "Secret Meeting" (Black Sessions)
(SaveFile)

Today's Brew | MBE: Cold War Kids

Today's guest on:

Morning Becomes Eclectic-

Cold War Kids
Also: they'll be playing tonight at Spaceland (LA).

mp3: Cold War Kids- "Hospital Beds"


KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic
official site: Cold War Kids

Cold War Kids are worth checkin' out if you haven't already, but my personal pick, catch the other show...The National at the Troubadour.

Sidenote:
The Rolling Stones features a little snippet in their current issue under the Hot Web Trend section, that "...the geeks who control the music blogosphere destroy the bands they love..."
The bands they mention:
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Arctic Monkeys
Tapes N Tapes
Cold War Kids

According to the charts, all the bands mentioned in the list are in their decline as a result of the 'geeks', except for the Arctic Monkeys. Especially since the Arctic Monkeys were awarded the Mercury Prize (whatever). Now keep in mind, The Rolling Stones has Fergie on the front cover of their current issue and calls her album "The Dutchess is a shameless solo debut full of Eighties-style electro bangers...".
Uhm, who's the real geek here?

Today's Brew | Film: Old Joy

A film by Kelly Reichardt
Based on the short story Old Joy by Jonathan Raymond



Starring Will Oldham and Daniel London
Featuring the music of Yo La Tengo

OLD JOY is the most critically acclaimed American independent film of the year. Considered “one of the most persuasive portraits of generational malaise and tentative hope to come from an American director in recent memory...a triumph.”(Manohla Dargis, THE NEW YORK TIMES)

OLD JOY will open in Los Angeles on October 13 at the Laemmle Music Hall in Beverly Hills.

QT Trailer: Old Joy

official site: Old Joy
My previous entry about Bonnie "Prince" Billy (aka Will Oldham) ovah here.

re: 1997

Latyrx's first full-length release, The Album, was as sonically inventive as it was overlooked -- which makes sense, since it was hardly ever in print during its first five years of existence. Enough people heard the record to make it something of an underground legend, but its potential influence wound up unfortunately limited, especially given how forward-looking the music on The Album is. It represents a major step for the Solesides (later Quannum) collective in replacing the Hieroglyphics as the Bay Area's most adventurous underground crew. Mates DJ Shadow and Blackalicious' Chief Xcel both produce several tracks on The Album, with Shadow helming the groundbreaking experiment "Latyrx" (which also provided the catalyst for an album release). Both MCs recorded individual raps, which were then laid on top of one another in separate audio channels. (by Steve Huey, AMG)

mp3: Latyrx- "Muzappers Mix"
(YouSend: For a limited time)

Buy the album ovah here.

Evening Brew | The National

One of my favorite live bands to watch, The National are in town (LA) for a show tonight and on Wednesday.

From their album "Alligator (Limited Expanded Edition)":
mp3: The National- "Driver, Surprise Me"
(YouSend: For a limited time)

site: American Mary

RIP: Tower Records

1960-2006

Say goodbye to the yellow and red.
The end of a 46 year era of Tower is official. As a result of bankruptcy, and the age of digital downloads...
Tower, which operated 89 U.S. stores, will leave Virgin Megastores (with 20 shops) the most prominent "deep-catalog retailer" in the country, according to Reuters.

read the article:
Washington Post: The Music's Over for Tower Records.

Today's Brew | My Brightest Diamond

Tonight, she opens up for Sufjan Stevens at the Wiltern for a sold out show.
Maybe the highlight of the evening won't be Sufjan, but Shara Worden aka My Brightest Diamond. Perhaps the best new artist to keep an eye on for this year.
Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it to the show, but whoever goes, you're in for a definite treat.

mp3: My Brightest Diamond- "Disappear"
(YouSend: For a limited time)

Visit Asthmatic Kitty: My Brightest Diamond to listen to one of her songs...

My previous entry about her ovah here, and even Colin Meloy (from The Decemberists) likes her.

official site: My Brightest Diamond
My Space: My Brightest Diamond

Today's Brew | Sparklehorse

Mark Linkous and company return.
One of the highlights of this album is "Morning Hollow", a track with Tom Waits that was left over from the It's a Wonderful Life sessions.

Other contributors to this album include: Dave Fridmann, Steven Drozd (from the Flaming Lips), and Dangermouse.

From the album "Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain":
mp3: Sparklehorse- "Morning Hollow"
(YouSend: for a limited time)

Buy the album ovah here.

Late Night Brew | The Meeting Places

The dream pop sounds from the LA-based The Meeting Place make their residency for the month of October over at the Silverlake Lounge (LA) on Monday nights.

From their album "Numbered Days":
The Meeting Places- "Love Like The Movies"
The Meeting Places- "Until Its Gone"


Official Site: The Meeting Places
My Space: The Meeting Places

Second Cup | José González

Also in town...

A beautiful cover of The Knife's "Heartbeat".


YouTube: José González- "Heartbeat"


mp3: José González- "Heartbeats (AOL Music UK)"

official site: José González

Today's Brew | Asobi Seksu

Asobi Seksu are back in southern Cali for a couple of shows...


One of the nice features of Asobi Seksu are their show posters and album art, designed by the multi-talented Sean McCabe (Interpol, Spoon, Mates of State).


For more examples of his work: Sean McCabe

At the OC:
An example of a poster NOT designed by Sean McCabe...


They play the next night at The Echo (LA), as Darker My Love headlines.

From the album "Citrus":
mp3: Asobi Seksu- "Mizu Asobi"
(YouSend: for a limited time)

official site: Asobi Seksu
My Space: Asobi Seksu