Some songs I enjoyed during the month of August...

A four-pack of free mp3's for you and your friends!!!
Download them now....

Included is the following...

This is Ivy League-The Richest Kids
Is there room for one more sweater-wearing twee-pop band from Brooklyn? Probably not, but they but they do this shtick so well that I've cast aside my snobbery and hallen in love with their handclaps and undeniable hooks.
RIYL: Belle and Sebastian, the Lucksmiths, Camera Obscura

TIL playing The Richest Kids at their CD release party



Pumice-Thermos in the Studio
Pumice are from New Zealand. They make bizarre, lo-fi jams that range from delicate to discordant and difficult. I bought their album Quo after listening and loving the first ten seconds of one song, then regretted it, thinking it was too abrasive for my taste. But now I'm back to enjoying it, or at least most of it, for its unique melodies. Pumice is kind of like a hot bath. You have to ease it to them.
RIYL: Polvo, Kingsbury Manx, Brian Eno

Pumice playing Walk Like An Egyptian at a Halloween party


Lackthereof-Choir Practice
It's the drummer from Menomena, who I don't real really care for. But Lackthereof are okay in my book. Choir Practice is a minimal but catchy exercise in post-punk precision.
RIYL: Menenoma, Love is All, LCD Soundsystem

Choir Practice done live


Brendan Canning-Possible Grenade
These Broken Social Scene Presents... albums come with obnoxious titles but the music can't be denied. Like his bandmate Kevin Drew, Canning serves up another round of intricate, transcendent, ambitious pop songs. He never strays far from the BSS sound, but why split hairs when it's so pleasurable.
RIYL: Broken Social Scene, Sonic Youth, Built To Spill

A live-changing interview with Brendan

Chomp Womp Comp

I want to tell you about some kids in my former home (Lawrence, KS) that have set up a "collective" based around an online compilation series. The collective is called Chomp-Womp and they have two free online compilations available. Chomp-Womp is comprised mostly of bands from Lawrence, but they also have a few random bands from faraway lands, like Alas, alak, Alaska!, from California.
A few of my favorites from the Chomp Womp comps are:

Boo and Boo Too: an energetic four-piece with angular guitars.
RIYL: Wolf Parade, British Seapower

Bandit Teeth: members of Blood on the Wall create some pretty cathartic guitar riffs.
RIYL: Blood on the Wall, Pavement, the Pixies,

The Armory: A guy named Thad with a shaved head and a shiny guitar leads his friends in a four-piece band that creates momentous guitar anthems.
RIYL: Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr., Modest Mouse

The Spread Eagles: Defunct but fun, they made simple, grimy psychedelic rock and pissed a lot people off, then broke up so and pissed more people when they started a new band called Fag Cop.
RIYL: the Animals, the Black Lips, Turbonegro

So cheers to these ambitious kids! When I was there the town was full of good bands but no one had any means of publicity. Now Chomp Womp, as well as Rangelife Records, have their acts together and are getting shit done.

Videos/Interviews

Baby Birds Don't Drink Milk (with some commentary by a random twat)


Boo and Boo Too


Interview with Chomp Womp

Chomp Womp on myspace

Doseface Presents Pizzazz!

If you're in the Lawrence KS area, come out to Pizzazz!!!!
The new gangsta crunk funk electro disco dance night at the 8th St. Taproom!

I Swear I'm not getting up this early again!

Perched upon the upper deck of my in-laws, the Eagle's Hotel California is wafting my way from a neighbors house. It's 4:45 am in Lees Summit MO. The local adult contemporary radio station is playing rather loudly for this time of the morning. A car horn beeps incessantly, while most of the bugs seem to sleeping. What the fuck am I doing awake? Well, my daughter woke up and didn't want to go back to sleep. I also need to finish a poster for an upcoming DJ slot at the Taproom in Lawrence this Wednesday.
I'm wondering now if hearing Footloose for the zillionth isn't making me wish I'd stayed in bed. No way! I have work to do and I would've never experienced this magically mediocre Monday morning. Here's hoping you all have a productive week. School is starting here on Thursday and life will start to get complicated all over again. If nothing else, I just got my year's fill of Star 102. Holy shit, they just started playing I Swear....I gotta get back inside.

Contemporarily Yours - BARR!

Enjoy this new track off R. Kelly's upcoming album 12 Play 4th Quarter

R. Kelly - I wanna make a baby (mediafire)

Check out John Tesh's Intelligence for your Life nightly!!!!!

Rappin' Rodney for a lazy Sunday

Straight outta 84' it's Rappin' Rodney! Enjoy your Sunday.





Original 12" single on RCA 13657

Song charted on January 7, 1984.
Lasted 3 weeks on the chart and reached #70

Rappin' Rodney (Mediashare)

Bigfoot iPod Found!!!!!

Amongst the hubbub of an alleged discovery of Bigfoot, the news of his/her iPod is not being discussed. Bigfoot's iPod you say? Yes! I managed to obtain the year end mixes on the beasts portable mp3 device. I cannot reveal my sources but I will give you Bigfoot's Best Beats of 08' playlist!!!! Apparently this Georgian native has been on the grind for quite some time!! Soon to come, Best of Rock, Folk, Radio Rap & more...

The 1st mix is as follows

1. Passion Pit - Sleepy Head
2. Cut Copy - Feel the Love
3. Crystal Castles - Crimewave (Crystal Castles vs Health)
4. Air - Mer du Japon - (Teenagers Remix)
5. Santogold/Diplo - Les Artistes (XXXchange Mix ft Movado)
6. Belinda Carlisle - Heaven is a place on earth (Hidden Cat Remix)
7. The Teenagers - Love No (Deloreon Remix)
8. Que B.I.L.A.H. - I got Colors ft. The Cool Kids
9. Enur - Calabria (Gold Brix Remix/DJ Neoteric Re-Edit)
10. Girl Talk - Set it Off
11. Hollywood Holt - Swerve N Lean ft. GLC & Shala
12. The Cool Kids - Mikey Rocks
13. Alan Parsons Project - I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You (The Twelves Re-Edit)
14. Wale - The Kramer
15. Why? - Good Friday
16. M83 - We Own The Sky
17. AmpLive - Video Tapez ft. Del the Funky Homosapien
18. Kimono Kops - Eine lesbische Liebe

Download Zipped File HERE!

These are the dumbasses who "found" Bigfoot.

The end (of my exceptionally tasteful playlist) is nigh.

We've come to the thrilling conclusion of what could go down as the greatest playlist of the first 7/12ths of 2008. And as always, Fabulous Pleasure takes it a step further. EN-D wasn't satisfied by simpling compiling an amazing playlist. He also designed an amazing cover for his playlist, one that illustrates the festive spirit of the Beijing Summer Olympics.

Enjoy. . .

EN-D's Top 34 Songs of the first seven twelfths of the year 2008: The Rapture (Part 3 of 3)

Dosh- If You Want To You Have To
I put off listening to Dosh because his name makes him sound like some sort of European popstar, but this is not the case. Dosh makes insanely intricate, beat-driven songs that reveal a new hook with each listen. I should also note that he's on the Anticon label, a fine purveyor of experimental and instrumental hip-hop.
RIYL: Fourtet, Odd Nosdam, Dan Deacon

Sic Alps- Sing Song Waitress
The advent of Pro Tools and other recording software programs has made the lo-fi sound rather obsolete, but Sic Alps didn't seem to get the memo. Oh well. Great harmonies and basement wall reverb make for songs are catchy in that shambling, "let's jam around 2-ish on Saturday" way.
RIYL: Guided By Voices, New Times Viking, Brian Jonestown Massacre

Women- Shaking Hand
Some guys from Edmonton, Canada who make jarring post-punk with a pinch of psychedelic rock. Find my previous post for more.
RIYL: the Microphones, Fugazi, Blonde Redhead

Wolf Parade- The Grey Estates
A friend had put a bit of a damper on my At Mount Zoomer experience, saying he'd avoided listening to it because he'd heard it was "difficult". But I found it quite accessible. Same old Wolf Parade here, as The Grey Estates attests to.
RIYL: porkpie hats, Sunset Rubdown, warbly singing

Earles and Jensen Present-Morris Day Is On His Way
Some dude calling Coyote Ugly. 51 seconds of sheer genius.
RIYL: charismatic black men, Coyote Ugly

Love Is All- Wishing Well
A crazy Swedish band that made one of the best albums of '06 keeps me waiting on their upcoming full-length. At least they put out the Wishing Well ep. Of course the title song is the best track, a catchy sugar-rush that blatantly lifts the keyboard line from the Clean's Tally-ho.
RIYL: the Clean, Sweden, Los Campesinos!

the M's- Bros In Arms
Some guys from Chicago who usually sound kind of like the kinks don't sound anything like them on this song.
RIYL: the Kinks, the New Pornographers

WHAT'S UP-Harper's
A bouncy, vaguely Calypso groove. Somebody's getting saucy on the keyboards.
RIYL: Ratatat, !!!, Plone

Robert Forster- Don't Touch Anything
The Evangelist is no Go-Betweens' album but it's about as close as you're going to get since Grant McLennan passed away. As he did with the Go-Betweens, Forster pulls off the wistful, jangly British thing so well it's easy to forget he's Australian.
RIYL: Belle and Sebastian, the Lucksmiths, the Hidden Cameras

Black Taj- Only For A Moment
Some dude from Polvo who has the misfortune of being born with Steve Miller's voice. This is guitar rock for guys who want bro' down but can't bear listening to their dad's music. When I listen to it I can almost hear the beer bottles clinking together.
RIYL: Polvo, Steve Miller, AC/DC, Dinosaur Jr., Miller hi-life

Tapes'n'Tapes- George Michael
Critics seemed to take a big dump on Walk it Off but I thought it was pretty fine. Maybe its cold reception was because The Loon was such a sleeper-hit while this came with expectations. Anyway, George Michael lives up to it's title with some spacey phasers and catchy guitar work. What I mean is: it sounds great on headphones, even my cheap $20 Elecoms.
RIYL: Pavement, the Pixies

Ghosty- Junior Grows Up
Lawrence, KS's finest band made another album of tuneful and literate pop songs. Junior Grows Up is my favorite of the batch.
RIYL: Big Star, Lilys, the Shins

School of Language- Disappointment of '99
A solo project from David Brewis of Field Music. The mathy guitar licks, falsettos and vocal harmonies that define the band are also present in School of Language. It's a bit heavier, though. Think of Field Music on steroids.

EN-D's Top 34 Songs of the first seven twelfths of the year 2008: The Rapture (Part 3 of 3)

Final Statistics:
Nations represented
'Merica:23
Canadia:3
Britisha: 3
Other: 4: Seabear (Iceland), Love Is All (Sweden), Je Suis Animal (Norway), Robert Forster (Australia)

Albums I acquired through my girlfriend: 21

Catching up with '08 (Continued)

EN-D's here to carry on with the playlist to end all playlists, or at least those that involve bands that have released alblums this year. Without further ado, I present:

EN-D's Top 36 Songs of the first seven twelfths of the year 2008: Part 2 of 3

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks- Cold Son
While I salute the new-found freedom of his solo-albums, my favorite SM songs are the ones that sound the most like Pavement. Cold Son is a good example. In general, Real Emotional Trash is respectable but this track is a trap door into 1997, when Brighten the Corners was brand new and Steve was still an elegant bachelor.
RIYL: Pavement, Stephen Malkmus, Indie-Rock elder statesmen

British Seapower- No Lucifer
Seapower can always be trusted to deliver a solid album and Do You Like Rock Music? keeps with the trend. No Lucifer starts with somewhat tedious chanting, but it's all forgotten when they break into power-chords.
RIYL: Echo and the Bunnymen, the Pixies

Atlas Sound- River Card
I'd rather have Deerhunter, but Atlas Sound will do. And River Card is one of the best songs by either band. Ethereal guitars and organs go nicely over a driving bassline.
RIYL: Deerhunter, My Bloody Valentine

Beach House- Heart of Chambers
I was confused by the luke-warm reviews for Devotion. Heart of Chambers stands up well against anything on their self-titled album, as does most of the album. Devotion is another batch of dreamy, woozy songs. Critics, schmitics. . .
RIYL: Damon and Naomi, Mazzy Star, Catpower


John Ralston- Jenny with the Long Dark Hair
I really value the camaraderie of a band, the idea of three or four guys (or girls) getting together to drink beer and hash out songs. So the idea of a "solo" artist holds an air of narcissism. But maybe I'm over-analyzing. Maybe he's just shy and isn't good at making friends. Maybe he lives in some shitty little town where everyone listens to Linkin Park. In any case, John Ralston overcame my doubts with some summertime songs. Breezy things that make the subway commute easier.
RIYL: George Harrison, Belle and Sebastian, Sparklehorse

Adam Green- Festival Song
A shameless ripoff of Transformer-era Lou Reed, but that's not really so shameful when you consider that the real Lou can't deliver anymore.
RIYL: Lou Reed, the Moldy Peaches, that stupid movie about a pregnant girl.

Plants and Animals- Faerie Dance
A Toronto band with long, meandering songs that trick you into forgetting their length. Some might call them hippies, but I'd call those people prudes. These guys wale in a very weird way and they just happen to sing about nature-stuff.
RIYL: Love (the band, stupid. . .), the Talking Heads, Broken Social Scene

MGMT- Time to Pretend
I kind of, sort of think this album is overrated, but Time to Pretend is pretty stellar. Keyboard-pop with nice vocal harmonies. Maybe these guys will grow on me after the hype dies down.
RIYL: the Postal Service, the Notwist,

Seabear- Teenage Kicks
A 50's number with a bouncy rhythm and catchy lyrics.
RIYL: Belle and Sebastian, Jens Lekman

Let's Wrestle- Insects
Simple, simple post-punk done very, very well.
RIYL: Wire, the Buzzcocks, Art Brut

That's it. I hope you enjoy EN-D's Top 36 Songs of the first seven twelfths of the year 2008: Part 2 of 3

Don't forget to come back on Friday for the thrilling conclusion.

Catching up with '08

I'm going to level with you. In order to cover more current things, I've decided to give you 40 of my favorite tracks from the first half of '08, along with a few notes on each band. I should devote a separate post to each band, but but hopefully these abbreviated snippets this will allow me to focus on more current stuff. Here we go. It's EN-D's Top 36 Songs of the first seven twelfths of the year 2008: Part 1 of 3

Pacific UV- Tremelo
Some dudes from Portland (or is it Athens, GA?) who get together every seven years to record an amazing dream-pop album.
RIYL: Spiritualized, Sigur Ros, Slowdive.
http://www.pacificuv.com/

She and Him- Sweet Darlin
Some girl from the movie Elf singing 60's pop songs and old-country stuff. Parts of it sound like something they'd play at Pottery Barn, but these are evened out by moments of pop-bliss.
RIYL: Linda Rondstandt, Diana Ross, Nancy Sinatra, Belle and Sebastian




Beck-Orphans
I tend to enjoy roughly two or three songs on every post-Midnight Vultures album and this is easily the catchiest one from Modern Guilt.
RIYL: Beck


Dykeritz- The Apple Is Blue
Another hotshot from Portland makes spacey keyboard jams.
RIYL: ELO, Grandaddy, Caribou, Russian Futurists

A video for another song...


Silver Jews- Candy Jail
Silver Jews albums keep digressing as David Berman gets his shit together, but there's always at least a song or two worth saving. Candy Jail wins the prize in it's first line, "Pain works on a sliding scale."
RIYL: trippy lyrics, singers who can't sing.



Bonnie Prince Billie- Where Is the Puzzle?
I'll give Will Oldham's new album the same treatment I gave the Jews and Beck. It's so-so, but this song stands out due to a dreamy pedal steel, some bongos, and soaring male/female harmoniies.
http://www.bonnieprincebilly.com/

Je Suis Animal- Secret Place
A pretty good album of jangly girl-pop for Norway. Twinkly music that wouldn't be out of place on a mid-eighties Rough Trade comp or hidden on the soundtrack to a John Hughes movie.

Some sort of interview/infomercial with the band.


Abe Vigoda- Dead City/Waste Wilderness
Spastic yet melodic art-punk made by skinny kids in LA. See my previous post for more.
RIYL: Deerhoof, the Talking Heads

a video of them playing live...


Gang- Rose Island
The creme-de-la-creme of Brooklyn hipster-trash. I have no proof but I'm imagining skinny, hairy guys in tank-tops or v-necks augmented by handkerchiefs around their necks. Just a hunch though. Either way, Zero Hits is full of post-punk gems and Rose Island is a good place to start.
RIYL: Le Savy Fav, Fugazi, Wire
Read Gang's life story here.

Fields of Industry- Toybox
Band name, good band. It's four guys from Lansing, Michigan who play quiet, minimal songs that resonate in repeated listens.
RIYL: the Velvet Underground, Cat Power, Galaxy 500
http://www.fieldsofindustry.com/


Enjoy EN-DT36SotF7/12ot2008: 1 of 3 and look for parts 2 and 3 later in the week.

This Big Snoop Dogg. Represent the Punjabi.

SINGH IS KINNG THE OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO FT:
SNOOP DOGG & BOLLYWOOD star AKSHAY KUMAR !!




According to an AP report, Snoop Dogg raps in a Bollywood comedy. Bollywood via Chicago is the origin of this music video. The film also titled Singh is King, opens friday. Wow. Who would've thought ol' Snoop Dogg would bridge the gap, for future collaborations with the East! Snoop also said, he'll follow this with a tour of India. I can only imagine Snoop rockin a diamond studded turban, and maroon kurta!!!

Snoop Dogg - Sensual Seduction

Snoop Dogg ft. Lil Kim - Sensual Seduction Remix

http://www.singhiskinng.com/

Internationally Yours
-BARR!

American Idol Friday

I just received a phone call from my sister in-law hooking me up with a job as a PA. I'll be working the American Idol try outs here in Kansas City this friday. Hopefully it will be an eventful day. Maybe I'll see some bizarre Idol rejects?!

Serendipitously a story popped up on Idolator while I was on the phone, stating that the numbers were way down for Idol tryouts. Whether anyone shows up or not, it sounds like easy money either way. I've never actually watched the show, which should make this more fun. I'll be driving producers around Kansas City picking up B-Roll shots.






Idolly Yours
-BARR!

King Kahn, Black Lips & Deerhunter's Bradford Cox on the VMA's?

What could make the VMA's more watchable? I'd love to see another train wreck like last year's Brit Brit performance. Straight from the Mtv Newsroom blog, the best proposal possibly imagineable to spice things up on national television in a decade.




I haven't felt that I missed out on the last Pitchfork Festival....until I heard about the Jay Reatard, King Kahn, Bradford Cox jam session on the main stage. Apparently quelling a rowdy restless crowd awaiting Cut Copy to fly in on their Jet. These guys really know how to drum up free publicity!!!!!

Would pissing in your mouth trump Britney?

A little King Kahn after party action....





The Black Lips - Veni Vedi Veci (Diplo Remix)

Yours Truly,
BARR!

Korean Mindwarp Continued/Corrected

Greetings Readers,

EN-D is back from Vietnam, refreshed and ready to resume his blogging, which will commence with a correction/continuation of a previous post. My observant co-blogger Barr! brought to my attention that the mp3 links for Kim Jung Mi and Shin Jung Hyun were bogus. How embarrassing. To win back your trust we've decided to re-upload both artists. Not just mp3's but two entire albums! Click on the link below for two lost psychedelic gems.


Kim Jung Mi- Now
Shin Jung Hyun and the Men- ST

Silver Daggers Strike Back!

I'm dropping minimal knowledge that will pack a major punch today.

I've been thinking of my childhood grade school days running around Riverside CA. This led to googling current bands in L.A. and the surrounding area. Bam. I stumble upon the Silver Daggers. This band is amazing. I also really like the Not Not Fun Label. So fucking cool, it makes me want to get a little more DIY on your ass.

Get to know Silver Daggers.



From Los Angeles. William Kai Stangeland Menchaca, a.k.a. WKSM (Synthesizer), Steve Kim (Bass), Marcus Savino (Drums), Jackson “W” Baugh (Guitar), Jenna Thornhill (Saxophone, trumpet, & vocals).

This Not Not Fun OOP smplr includes gems from Abe Vigoda, Silver Daggers,
Child Molesters, Mika Miko and many more. This is a sick ass comp. Jam it now!!
Check out the link below for the NNF official website.
They release fresh LP's with one of a kind packaging!

Not Not Fun Records Sampler - "Siked Psych: NOT NOT FUN Gold"


Their newest record New High & Ord is on Load Records.

Mp3 of Joy off New High & Ord


Silver Daggers Myspace

Load Records

Not Not Fun Records

The Smell on Wikipedia

RIYL: Abe Vigoda, James Chance, Mika Miko, Child Pornography

Your Truly - BARR!