Music of the Sphere

Hello, good morning, and welcome. Here are a few choice cuts I've come across perusing my favorite blogs. Props to the hosting entities.

Garbage – Only Happy When It Rains & Special & Run Baby Run – a PLAGUE of ANGELS - plus a bunch more Garbage

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – Think I Wanna Die – Music for Kids Who Cant Read Good

The Shins – A Comet Appears – Music for Kids Who Cant Read Good

Stone Roses – I Wanna Be Adored – Badminton Stamps

Cyndi Lauper – Time After Time – a PLAGUE of ANGELS
Elf Power – Softly Through the Void & An Old Familiar Scene – a PLAGUE of ANGELS – plus two more gooduns
Under Electric Light – This Moment – Coast is Clear

The Rollo Treadway – Kidnapped – Eardrums
Urge Overkill – Ericka Kane - Timedoor
Roky Erickson and The Aliens – Bermuda – Bag Of Songs
Mountain – Mississippi Queen – Badminton Stamps

Around the Blogosphere: Shins, Cranberries, Unlovables, Teenage Fanclub, Sloan, R.E.M., New Order, Roxy Music

The plebeian "we" are quite excited about these digital finds. Many thanks to the hosting entities.

The Shins – Strange Powers (Magnetic Fields cover) – Speed of Dark – You Aint No Picasso has a live version, but perhaps you'd like to sample the studio.
The Cranberries – Dreams – Speed of Dark
The Unlovables – Dance Party for Two (Your Room, 3AM) & Leave Me Alone – Can You See the Sunset from the Southside?

Teenage Fanclub – Everything Flows – The Yellow Stereo
Sloan – Sugartune – The Yellow Stereo
R.E.M. – Talk About the Passion – The Yellow Stereo
New Order – Regret – The Yellow Stereo
Roxy Music – More Than This – The Yellow Stereo

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

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

The Corner Laughers - Everybody Knows mp3

The Prime Movers - Left in the Dark (Vertebrats cover) mp3
Midnight Movies - Coral Den mp3
Noodles - Fuzz Hill mp3 - Rockin' Ramen.

The Sounds - Song with a Mission mp3

The Apples in Stereo - Energy mp3

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

Around the Blogosphere, Fond Farewell Edition: Redd Kross, Bongos, Beatles, Shins, TMBG, Wire, Pogues, TMtY, Jackson Browne

'Tis a bittersweet post, this, what with Retro Music Snob going into (we hope temporary) abeyance. We're gonna miss you, Gary, and hope you find your way back into harness soon. Thanks for all the great music. Some of these other songs express our feelings and will hopefully help us make it through the night/day/mid-morning, etc. Thanks to all ye who labor in the bloggy fields, living and dying, laughing and crying, we wouldn't have it any other way. That doesn't make complete sense, but working "Motorbreath" into this somehow seemed important.

Redd Kross – The Faith Healer – Retro Music Snob

The Bongos – Barbarella – Retro Music Snob - Dig those big bongos, baby!

The Beatles – Thank You Girl – Echoes in the Wind

The Shins – Young Pilgrims – Battle of the Midwestern Housewives

They Might Be Giants – Birdhouse in Your Soul – 17 Seconds
Wire – Kidney Bingos – 17 Seconds – Here’s to 300, 600, 9,000 more!


The Pogues – On the Sunny Side of the Street – Battle of the Midwestern Housewives

That’s Mister to You – Allie – Can You See the Sunset from the Southside?

Jackson Browne – Fountain of Sorrow – Echoes in the Wind

Sunday Sixpack: New Pornographers, Teenage Fanclub, Apples in Stereo, Cotton Mather, Myracle Brah, Shins

Here are a half-dozen personal faves on this lazy Sunday.
The New Pornographers - Graceland mp3
Teenage Fanclub - It's All In My Mind mp3
The Apples in Stereo - Please mp3
Cotton Mather - Lost My Motto (Millenium Chrome Version) mp3
Myracle Brah - I'd Rather Be mp3
The Shins - So Says I mp3

Around the Blogosphere: Ride, Teenage Fanclub, Shins, Neutral Milk Hotel, Built to Spill, My Bloody Valentine, Shout Out Louds, et. al.

Holy guac, what a bunch of gooduns! Thanks, p/hosters.

Ride - Vapour Trails - Some Velvet Blog
Teenage Fanclub - On This Good Night - Headphones On
The Shins - Kissing the Lipless - Battle of the Midwestern Housewives
Neutral Milk Hotel - Holland, 1945 – Battle of the Midwestern Housewives
Built to Spill - Big Dipper - Battle of the Midwestern Housewives

Trembling Blue Stars - November Starlings - Headphones On
My Bloody Valentine - When You Sleep - My Little Ghost Friend
Shout Out Louds - The Comeback & Tonight I Have to Leave It & Very Loud - Noise from the Left
Echo & The Bunnymen - Do It Clean - Some Velvet Blog
Tommy Tutone - 867-5309 - bag of songs
Boston - Don’t Look Back & Smokin' & Hollyann - Are You Embarrassed Easily?

Around the Blogosphere: The Shins, Blindside, Jane From Occupied Europe, Swervedriver, Stereolab, Black Tambourine, The Rentals, et. al.

Certain exigencies will force me to be even more laconic in the coming days. Expect grunts and head feints. (Btw, I saw I had a visitor this week from Lakonia and got quite excited, though I bit my tongue).
The Shins - Breathe & Mild Child & Strange Powers & Nothing at All - *Sixeyes - The supersighted one has even more by The Shins. (That asterisk isn’t a typo. It shows I’m in the know. Now you are, too.)

Matt's whipped up another fabulous SHOEGAZE mélange over at SKATTERBRAIN.
Blindside - Anvil - SKATTERBRAIN
Jane From Occupied Europe - Mourning Glass - SKATTERBRAIN
Swervedriver - Last Train To Satansville - SKATTERBRAIN
Stereolab - Jenny Ondioline - SKATTERBRAIN
Black Tambourine - Black Car - SKATTERBRAIN

Catherine Wheel - Heal - Speed of Dark – indie mom's birthday celebration continues and ends on a high note.
Interpol - Not Even Jail - Speed of Dark
Muse - Exo-Politics - Speed of Dark

Sunday Morning Chameleon - Go On - Gaper’s Blog – Gaper’s two-for-two with his Friday series, The Unheard Music. (He began last week with Game Theory, in case you missed it.)
Helen Love - We Love You & Girl About Town - The Runout Groove - Actually, I dug the other two by Helen Love, too. Scope-out suggested.
The Rentals - Little Bit of You in Everything - Instrumental Analysis
Georgie James - Look Me Up - Obscure Sound
The May Fire - They Make Me Mad - Obscure Sound

Thanks to the hostesses and hosts.

Around the Blogosphere

Is that really my favorite New Order song heading the list? Oui. Lots of other groovy hosteds and posteds as well. Merci, hosts.

New Order - Love Vigilantes - The Modern Music
The Shins - Fighting in a Sack - Heartache with Hard Work
Camper Van Beethoven - Kingston Advice (Clash cover) - I Am Fuel, You Are Friends
Saves the Day - Clash City Rockers - Can You See The Sunset From The Southside? - Part of an excellent post of Clash covers. . .
Queens of the Stone Age - Avon - Indietastic

The Millenium - It's You & It Won't Always Be The Same - Raven Sings the Blues
The Sails - Best Day - Headphones On
Maps - You Don’t Know Her Name - The Yellow Stereo
My Sad Captains - Bad Decisions - Untitled Records - Featured in Mars Needs Guitars's "Untitled Records" post
Lucky Soul - Lips are Unhappy - 5 Acts

Around the Blogosphere: Shins, Stars, Silent Kids, Libertines, Boy In Static, Immediate, Let's Go Sailing, Blonde Redhead

Last night I discovered a superb team of bloggers at Indietastic. Here are some highlights of an incredibly rich mix of hosted songs.

The Shins – Turn a Square - Indietastic
Stars - Reunion - Indietastic - I've adored this song since it came out in '05, although I think it is actually called "Ageless Beauty."
Silent Kids - Drift Into the Summer - Indietastic
The Libertines - Don't Look Back Into The Sun - Indietastic

I also found excellent fare at some long-time favorite blogs.

Boy In Static - Where It Ends - mp3hugger
The Immediate - Never Seen - mp3hugger
Let’s Go Sailing - Heart Condition - 5 Acts
Blonde Redhead - Spring And By Summer Fall - Some Velvet Blog

Many thanks, generous ones.

Around the Blogosphere: Shins, Jesus and Mary Chain, They Might Be Giants, Lucky Soul, Avril Lavigne, Neosupervital

The following are hosted items in which you might be interested. Thanks to the hosts.

The Shins - Taste Of Cindy (Jesus & Mary Chain cover) - extrawack!
The Jesus & Mary Chain - Taste Of Cindy - extrawack!
They Might Be Giants - Take Out The Trash - You Aint No Picasso
Lucky Soul - Get Outta Town! - Fluxblog
Avril Lavigne - Runaway - Fluxblog
Neosupervital - Rachel - mp3hugger

Around the Blogosphere: Shins, House of Love, Mary Timony Band, Golden Dogs

Snap 'em up quickly. Thanks, hosts!

The Shins – New Slang - Sixeyes
The House Of Love - Shine On - Chromewaves
The Mary Timony Band - Sharpshooter - You Aint No Picasso
The Golden Dogs - Construction Worker - Zeon’s Music Blog

Monday Miscellany: Shins, Mason Proper, Coach and Four, Sprites, Monster Movie

And now a few available to all, from label sites, band sites, etc. Here's hoping your week is starting well.

The Shins - Australia mp3
Mason Proper - Miss Marylou Carreau mp3
The Coach and Four - Hello Destroyer mp3
Sprites - George Romero mp3
Monster Movie - Letting You Know mp3

The Shins Live on Letterman

The Shins performed "Turn on Me" on The Letterman Show last Tuesday, January 23, release day for their latest album, Wincing the Night Away. This is the tune with the opening riff reminiscent of The Crystals' "And Then He Kissed Me."

The Shins: Wincing the Night Away

As you have perhaps noticed, I'm not much given here to writing reviews. My main and pleasant task is to post music I like and you might. I don't emote much about songs, preferring to let you decide for yourself. If I post a song, it means I like or love it. You might not, and that's (sniff) fine. I have my reasons but they might not necessarily be yours. I jotted down a lot of notes as I first listened to The Shins' Wincing the Night Away, released today, thinking I might, this once, depart from form. It's just not what I want to do. Most of what I might say would merely feel like showing off or showing (myself) up. I've purposely avoided haunting all my favorite music blogs today so as not to be predisposed one way or another. It's been fun and strange to know the whole indie world is abuzz about this but still not know exactly what they're saying. But I'll say this: I love this band and I love this album. I'm right on the verge of letting go and raving, but I'll hold myself in check. Two groups have by far attracted more visits to this blog than any others: The Beatles and The Shins, and with good reason. So I'll simply repost "Phantom Limb" and three earlier songs and let it be and encourage you one way or another to get and let the rest of this sublime music flow through you. The Shins will definitely. . .you know.

The Shins
Wincing the Night Away - Phantom Limb mp3
Oh, Inverted World - Know Your Onion mp3
Chutes Too Narrow
Kissing The Lipless mp3
So Says I mp3

Again to the Archives

After the favorable response last time, we return for another visit to the Powerpopulist Archives. Some of these aren't particularly new, but to some, that won't matter. Click on band names for links.

Cotton Mather - Lost My Motto (Millenium Chrome Version) mp3
The Morning After Girls - Run For Our Lives mp3
The Last - Looking at You mp3
Headlights - TV mp3
The New Pornographers - The Laws Have Changed Direct link removed by record company; click on song name, go to bandsite, listen to song there
Tralala - Fired Up mp3
Levy - Rotten Love mp3
The Shins - Phantom Limb mp3
The Radio Dept. - Pulling Our Weight mp3
The Green Pajamas - The Secret of Bethany's Mouth wma

The Shins - "Split Needles (Alternate Version)"

As previously noted, The Shins' new album, Wincing the Night Away, is due out this coming January 23. I previously posted "Phantom Limb," the first single released by Subpop. Now, courtesy of Amp Camp, I am happier than a little girl (Danke, Dieter) to post another song from the single, an alternate version to Wincing's "Split Needles." Do I need to say, "Enjoy?" Okay.

The Shins - Split Needles (Alternate Version)--Taken down at Amp Camp

The Shins - "Phantom Limb"

Sub Pop have released the first single from The Shins' upcoming album, Wincing the Night Away. The album is slated for release on January 23, 2007. If this song is any indication, wincing is the last thing I'll be doing. James Mercer could be singing the words from a Wheaties box and I'd listen, with pleasure.

The Shins - Wincing the Night Away - Phantom Limb mp3

For Those About to (Sub) Pop. . .

I enjoy prowling around record label websites. Here are some gleanings for the past couple of years from the great Sub Pop. If you like anything here, there's more where they came from. If you don't like anything here, there's more where they came from. Oh, and of course, if you're new to them I must warn you: if you do not want your life changed, do not under any circumstances listen to The Shins. Yeh. In related news, an anxious world awaits the January release of their forthcoming album, Wincing the Night Away. Do a "shins new album" search at the top of this page and you will find that some eager ears have already gotten a leg up. (Me love metaphor mix, yum.) I regret that hideous scratch at the lucky thirteen-second mark in "Know Your Onion" and thought about omitting the song. (I flashed back to black vinyl days.) You won't want it for your iPod but at least you'll have an idea what it sounds like if it's new to you.

The Shins
Kissing The Lipless mp3
So Says I mp3
Know Your Onion mp3
Rogue Wave
Endless Shovel mp3
Publish My Love mp3
10:1 mp3
Frausdots
The Extremists mp3
Dead Wrong mp3
Saint Etienne - Lose That Girl mp3
Low
California mp3
Monkey mp3
Sleater-Kinney
Entertain mp3
Jumpers mp3
The Thermals - A Pillar Of Salt mp3

Contrary to one who holds that "clever titles are so last summer," sometimes they can be even older. I don't necessarily agree that they are even then passe. The title of this post comes from one of the cleverest I know of, an album by Austin band Javelin Boot. I do recommend the lamentably deceased "clever titles" blog, though, for helpful insight into music. She's no longer doing that blog, but her archives remain.

The Shins - Belles Will Ring - Malajube

Thanks to the consistently generous Alan at sixeyes for a couple of recent postings. This past Sunday (29 Oct) he provided a juicy list of songs from various EP's by The Shins, including the glorious "Sphagnum Esplanade." Sixeyes regularly posts a rich offering of excellent downloadable mp3s

For our particular little niche here, I also gathered for your consideration songs Alan found at What's Hot @The Hype Machine. He has others you might like as well.

Belles Will Ring


Mad Love mp3
The Coldest Heart mp3


Malajube

Trompe-L'oeil - Fille a Plumes mp3