Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Scaling the Hump: May Fire, Squires of the Subterrain, They Live By Night, Nada Surf, British Sea Power, Shondes, Of Montreal, Why?


More talk, less music. Happy Humpday.

Squires of the SubterrainParty on Down mp3 – from Big Boy Pete Treats - Excellent sounds out of Rochester, NY, recommended by an Auditeer – Find more here at their website and here at eMusic.
Nada Surf – mp3: Do It Again mp3 – from The Weight Is A Gift

Of MontrealJimmy (MIA/Parvati Khan cover) mp3 – Thanks to Pitchfork for this and the next.
Why?Close to Me (The Cure cover) mp3


Click artists' names for more info and product.

Friday, January 25, 2008

Around the Blogosphere: Shins, Eux Autres, MGMT, Raconteurs, John's Candy, Dreamboy, Birds on Holiday, Elmo Red

Thanks, host(esse)s.

The Shins - Strange Powers (live; Magnetic Fields cover) - You Aint No Picasso - Hurry.
Eux Autres - Molly - You Aint No Picasso

The Raconteurs - Hands - Speed of Dark
MGMT - Of Moons, Birds, and Monsters - Speed of Dark

John's Candy - Fallen Angel - Absolut Noise
Dreamboy - Stars - Absolut Noise
Birds on Holiday - I Had a Plan - Absolut Noise
Elmo Red - The Morning's Here, Wendy & The Other Side of 29 - Absolut Noise

Ye Ha: Box Social, Superfantastics, Starlet, Faintest Ideas, Ringenberg, Lowe, Myracle, Atlas Sound

Yep.

The Box Social - Big T mp3 - Thanks to Bethany Lynne Watson of 4 Ohm Management for the invite to the social. I'd give you more info about Bethany and 4 Ohm but I ain't got none.
The Superfantastics - Turn On Me mp3 - from Choose Your Destination EP, due to drop February 26; thanks to the band for sending; we enjoyed posting and listening to the following around this time last year.
Tapestry mp3
Starlet - Moving On mp3 - from the album Stay On My Side
The Faintest Ideas - Skip The Bridge mp3 - for everyone, of course, but especially a certain someone

Jason Ringenberg - Shop It Around mp3 - Best Tracks and Side Tracks 1979-2007 - This don't scorch but it sure do soothe. (pic)
Nick Lowe - I Love My Label mp3 - from the remastered Jesus of Cool, forthcoming February 19
Myracle Brah - Independence Day mp3 - from the aforeposted Can You Hear the Myracle Brah?
Atlas Sound - River Card - from Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel, due 2/19 on Kranky - Thanks to Pitchfork.

Click artists' monikers for more.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Around the Blogosphere: Teenage Fanclub, Billy Bragg, British Sea Power, Chromatics, Electric Light Orchestra, The Cars

We continue to make up for lost time. Two great blogs have some primo tunes. If you like British Sea Power, go to 17 Seconds immediately, as they appear to be near the deadline for removal. That ELO post at a Plague of Angels is pretty spectacular as well. Plague also has two excellent posts of The Cars here and here. Many thanks to the hosts.

Teenage Fanclub – The Concept – 17 Seconds
Billy Bragg – Greetings To The New Brunette – 17 Seconds
British Sea Power – Lights Out For Darker Skies & Power Down On The Ground – 17 Seconds

Chromatics – Night Drive & Healer – a Plague of Angels
Electric Light Orchestra – Do Ya & Turn to Stone & Sweet Talkin’ Woman & Don’t Bring Me Down & Calling America & So Serious – a Plague of Angels – A veritable gold mine; it’s great to see the possibly not-so-well-known “So Serious” included here; it’s one of my all-time favorites by ELO .

Monday, January 21, 2008

Blue Monday Vanquished


You call this doleful? Sheesh.

They call it Blue Monday over here because of the day's high suicide rate. Christmas cheer is dead, its bills are coming due, weather sucks, etc. I, however, see it as an opportunity, so here're seven bands to give us luck and hope and stuff.


The Black HolliesPaisley Pattern Ground mp3 – I've seen this and the next one at several blogs but initially found both at the always excellent Some Velvet Blog. Abstemious I (also the name of the legendary founder of a self-abnegating dynasty) left one song from each group at SVB, here and here.

The BillionairesThe End Of Summer Song mp3 – In case you're just clicking down the list, there's another by The Billionaires at Some Velvet Blog.

SykosonicsUltralite mp3 – Okay, thanks again to Milk Milk Lemonade for the headsup on this. I waited a discreet interval before posting, as promised. Same with the next one, even without the promise.

American SuitcaseLloyd Christmas mp3 – And besides, I'm already getting in the mood for Christmas 2008. Not. For a good song, though? Always. BTW, there's more by these excellent Norsemen here, plus other fun stuff.

Doleful LionsThe Warriors End Table wma – Have you ever been on the way to the store and as soon as you turn on the key, a great song you'd only heard once before when buying it at eMusic comes on and accompanies you all the way and you walk through the store humming the wonderful thing over and over and then drive an extra couple of miles on the way home so you can hear it a couple more times? Am I being too personal? Anyway, that happened with me and this song a couple of weeks ago. And it was cold and rainy and wonderful, too. And I'm really digging these Oswegians these days, and they make me feel exactly opposite of their first name and exactly like their second. Like, roarrrrrr, ya know?

ThirdimensionOther Side Of Town wma – I loved this next one by these same Malmovians when I posted it back in May.

Sorry if I'm not being Hyper Enough, or maybe too. Just riding the crest of the rave. I'll hurry shoreward.

Chairs in the ArnoWinter Song mp3 – Some of these musicians threw chairs in the Arno and decided to name themselves accordingly. It's paying off musically. In case you missed it, I recently posted a link to the song named after what they had to do after rescuing the chairs. (Poetic license alert.)

Jason Dove and the Magic WhipStoned on Beer mp3 – I don't know if this had anything to do with the chair-throwing. It's the only segue I'm coming up with at the moment.

Yeh, I know, it's really eight bands, but I like to walk the knife's edge of danger.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Around the Blogosphere

We continue to play catchup, contrition, atonement, etc., for recent derelictions. Yes, that's right, the contrition game. If none of this makes sense, I salute you, you are on track. Thanks to the hosts for the excellent fare. If any look tempting, move fast, as some have been posted for quite awhile now.

Six
Nada Surf – Whose Authority – Instrumental Analysis
Mew – I Am Wry? No – Instrumental Analysis
The Dandy Warhols – The Last High – Instrumental Analysis
Gildon Works – Artful Rifle – Instrumental Analysis – Beautiful shoegaze
Lejeune – The Latest Greatest – Instrumental Analysis
Belle & Sebastian – Piazza, New York Catcher – Instrumental Analysis

Five
Built To Spill – Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss – Battle of the Midwestern Housewives
Elf Power – Simon (The Bird with the Candy Bar Head) – Battle of the Midwestern Housewives
Secret Dakota Ring – My Window – Battle of the Midwestern Housewives
Old 97's – Indefinitely – Battle of the Midwestern Housewives
The Lawrence Arms – 100 Resolutions – Battle of the Midwestern Housewives

Four
Panda Riot – Marker – 5 Acts
Chairs In The Arno – Suit Pressed – 5 Acts
The Blakes – Run – 5 Acts
The Magnetic Fields – California Girls – 5 Acts – Not the Beach Boys song; btw, I do not endorse certain sentiments purveyed, although I do like the song.

Speaking of four, that's what it is in the marnin', so nightums.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Around the Blogosphere: House of Love, Trembling Blue Stars, Lucky Soul, Pants Yell!

Quick one, before it's too late. Thanks, bloggers!

The House of Love – I Don’t Know Why I Love You – Some Velvet Blog
Trembling Blue Stars – November Starlings – The Yellow Stereo
Lucky Soul – Lips are Unhappy – The Yellow Stereo
Pants Yell! – Two French Sisters – The Yellow Stereo

Mezzanine Owls: Mighty Fine Hooters

I loved gazy Angelenos, Mezzanine Owls, as soon as I heard “Lightbulb” last spring and sent “you” over to 3hive to share the pleasure. My friend chadio featured them on Citizen Snob Radio, and I quickly got on their mailing list. This eventually resulted in permission from singer/songwriter Jack Burnside to post the nice pair below from their excellent debut, Slingshot Echoes, which I bought at iTunes (clicky clicky) and heartily recommend. (The rest of the parliament includes Dan Horne, Pauline Mu, and Jonathan Zeitlin.) I’m also delighted to find their Snowglobe/Temporary Health 7” is due out in February. Spinner.com had "Snow Globe" as Free MP3 of the Day yesterday, so click here, if you like. The Owls cite Jesus and Mary Chain, Ride, My Bloody Valentine, The Kinks, Yo La Tengo, R.E.M., The Cure, Neil Young, The Silver Jews, The Go-Betweens and “about a billion other things” as influences. I don’t know about the billion others, but the ten named are firmly in my wheelhouse. I don’t really know what a wheelhouse is, but those are mighty righteous influences. Come to think of it, I’m not quite sure what a mezzanine owl is, either. Note to self: Ask Jack?

Mezzanine Owls - Slingshot Echoes


Mezzanine Owls - Slingshot Echoes

Okay, here's a wheelhouse. I realize I do have one, but it doesn't look like this.

Friday, January 18, 2008

Around the Blogosphere: Smithereens, TSOL, B. Tchaikovsky, Love And Rockets, Crayon Fields, Polynya, Star, Hectors. Golden Dogs, Motion Sick

Yes, I've been derelict in my (self-imposed, though highly remunerative) duties here at Powerpopulist Central, and some good songs have gotten away. (Waiting to be reassured it's quite all right, no worries, etc. . . One Mississippi, Two Mississippi, Three Mississippi. . .oh, okay, then, so be it [sniff] just leave the freakin' flowers by the door. . .) Before you hate me, though, have a look at--and perhaps a listen to--the first four below and you'll know it's worth the wait. The rest ain't bad either. Thanks be to them who bravely post 'n' host.

The Smithereens – Cut Flowers – Bag of Songs
TSOL – Flowers by the Door – Bag of Songs
Bram Tchaikovsky – Strange Man, Changed Man – Some Velvet Blog
Love And Rockets – No New Tale to Tell – Some Velvet Blog

The Crayon Fields – Living So Well – My Little Ghost Friend
Polynya – Old West & Without a Trace – Milk Milk Lemonade – Whoa, again with the cut flowers. Spooky.
Star – In Your Arsenal – Milk Milk Lemonade – From MML’s 25 faves of 2007 post, so scroll down.

The Hectors – Cold Star – Bag of Songs
Golden Dogs – Construction Worker – Bag of Songs
The Motion Sick – Jean-Paul – Bag of Songs

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Postitle

Maybe this doesn't do it for you in terms of visual aesthetics, but I'm contemplating one or two folks who'll "dig" it.
I could rattle on and on, talk about what's been going on, etc., but I'll spare you and just post some songs I've been "digging." Thanks for coming.

Big Dipper - She's Fetching mp3 - I'm pretty excited about the forthcoming (March) Supercluster: The Big Dipper Anthology. Longtime faves, these Boston fellers.

Cherry Tulips mp3 - Headlights were one of my earliest posts, so why not heap on some previouses.
TV mp3
Hi-Ya! mp3
Lions wma
Tokyo mp3

The Boneless Children Foundation - Stars for Anyone mp3 - Since this song seemed kind of Mason Properesque, I'll do the proper thing.

Click artists' names for more.

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

From the Archives

Since I only post here songs I like, it's never hard to find plenty of goodstuff in the Archives. Sure, I know you could don gloves and lighthelmet and go there yourself, but some people just don't do that. And so, by your leave. . .

Splurge - Song of Love mp3 - Mmmmm.
Splitsville - Forever mp3
Paul Collins Beat - Helen mp3
The Happy Few - Red and Blue mp3 - Regular visitors will not be surprised. This band is Find of the Year for pp, among the dozens of other ecstasicators.
Snow Coloured Kid - I Hope You're On My Side mp3 - Oh, Kid, you don't know what this does to me.

Spoon - The Underdog mp3 - Listen closely to the words. They probably don't apply to you, but you might know someone they do.
The Shins - Australia mp3 - If you meant me here's back atcha.
Elk City - Cherries in the Snow mp3
The Lovekevins - Tamagotchi Freestyle mp3



Clicking artists' names will take you back to the original posts, where often much more is waiting.


Happy New Year, Ya'll!


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