One of my favorite bands, Gogol Bordello, just released their first major label album. Trans-Continental Hustle may be their first major album, but they haven’t changed their style at all, which I love. Creators of gypsy-punk, the style of music is exactly what you would image. Its wild, full of energy and makes you dance and mosh at the same time. After having three albums with SideOneDummy, a well known punk specific label, Columbia Records released this album and hopefully it makes them huge. Appearing on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on April 26, they rocked the stage even with an audience in their chairs. It’s obvious that Eugene Hutz and his gang really care about their music. This is a fun sound that everyone can listen to and enjoy, the Slant review on the album said it best, “the music, aided by its breakneck pace and hyper-stylized showmanship, seems almost impervious to critical analysis.” The songs keep a fast pace and slow down right when you need a break. It’s music that you can party to, study to, do “other things” to, and everything else that you do to music(gypsy-punkercise?). Back when I first heard them on a warped tour sampler, I think it was 06, the song Start Wearing Purple instantly got me hooked and I had to find more of their music. Gypsy Punks:Underdog World Strike, is one of my favorite albums of all time, and something that you should definitely check out some time. You’ll have fun, and if you don’t, no one is forcing you to listen to it. So here are two songs, one new and one old. Pala Tute is from their new album and Start Wearing Purple was previously mentioned. Enjoy it and tell us what you think of the new site.

Gogol Bordello - Pala Tute by musicnerds

LXUJ by musicnerds

Copy is Marius Libman of Portland, Oregon. A producer of 8-bit synth dance beats that can only be descibed as awesome.  Starting with remixes, he created a name for himself by combining nerdy 8-bit sounds with heavy drum beats and some deep fast synth. While all of the music seems like it needs to be in the clubs right now, it’s much more fun to see him live. He uses an older thinkpad laptop and a keytar and just rocks the place like nobodies brisness. Seeing him at the Hush (moment of silence) was an amazing and terrifying experience, If you’ve been there, you know what I’m talking about. Nobody rocks a keytar harder, except maybe Lady GaGa.  Just have a listen to this song and see what I”m talking about.

Copy - A Slight But Delicious Warble by musicnerds

Have a listen: http://www.myspace.com/copy

Then buy something: http://us.7digital.com/artists/copy/mobius-beard/

The Portland based electronic group Yacht have just recently changed their name to Yacht and the Straight Gaze ( get it?!?! LAWLZZZ).  The group started out with just Jonah Bechtolt making glitched out mind bending beats and noises. Live he would project home made videos behind him, and dance crazily, in a feverish, what at times seemed almost trance-like, state. He gained a reputation for being able to whip crowds into frenzied dance parties, and after putting out three records of his own mashed up sometimes confusing music, he released “I Believe in you, Your Magic is Real” in 2007.  A groove-tastic mix of  precisely programmed beats and repetitive slowly layered dreamy synths, it was one of the break out Portland albums of that year, and to this day is also one of  my favorite albums of all time.  It’s difficult to convey in written word the actual brilliance of the music they make and the live shows that are filled with lights and projections, and synchronized dancing. In this album we also heard back up vocals by the lovely and talented Claire L. Evans. She would become a staple of the live show and then a full fledged member of Yacht. After traveling to Marfa Texas, (a town renowned for a mysterious phenomena involving glowing nocturnal lights ) They created there newest album “See Mystery Lights” A more mature darker version of Yacht emerged in this album. Songs focus on the spiritual wholeness of humans, and what happens to our material goods after we are gone.  They also sang about the summer. So it wasn’t all doom and gloom, but the live shows became almost sermon like with Jonah dressed in all white and Claire in all black. With this new identity, the also made Yacht into a belief.  The triad became the symbol that they used in all their visuals, and over all, there was a serious shift in the ideals and thought process behind the band.  Now in 2010 they have changed their persona once again, turning in to a four piece band called Yacht and the Straight Gaze. The new members include Bobby Birdman (real name Rob Kieswetter) and Jeffrey Jerusalem (real name  Jeffrey Brodsky) and with the amount of talent that the four of these people have individually I can not wait to see what they all do together. Here are all the websites and a song Because i love you that much. Don’t fight the darkness, bring the light and darkness will disappear.

http://teamyacht.com

Yacht - I’m In Love With a Ripper by musicnerds

http://www.myspace.com/bobbbirdman

http://www.myspace.com/jeffreyjerusalem

So this last weekend my band and I ( more on us later) traveled to Olympia, Washington, to play a show. I am now quite smitten with Olympia’s small town vibe and general good cheer. I’m sure it’s bigger than what I saw, but for now I’m going to live in my fantasy world where the entire city actually consists of the four blocks that I was on. Regardless, I had a lot of fun.

I had no idea who we were going to be playing with, so imagine my surprise when while waiting to play our set the second band to play comes on and shreds us to pieces. As in legitimately destroys us with the heaviest rock I’ve heard in a long time. The band is called Antique Scream,  their drummer looks like Dave Grohl, their bassist looks like the lead singer from Wolf-mother, and they rock soooooo hard your ears may catch fire.  A mix of classic old school metal beats, chugging bass and hard guitar riffs, these guys are as professional as it gets and put on one hell of a show.

They go on tour soon, so you should check their myspace to see if they are coming anywhere near you and go see them. I would highly recommend it . Here is the link to their myspace.

http://www.myspace.com/antiquescream

The Brooklyn based duo Matt and Kim came out with an album about four months ago called Grand, and while this post is late, and not really new, i just want anyone who hasn’t heard of them to listen to them.  This album is actually amazing. It’s so simple, and happy and completely against any studio perfection, that you can’t help but get up and dance. I saw them when they came to Portland, to support this album, and seeing them live is even better than listening to the album. Look them up, if you don’t already know them. If you do, support them in any way possible. Just do what i say and listen to them. Also here’s a video.

Starting this week we are going to begin a bi-weekly post about a band, musician, or group that you should know about. We’ll probably call it MYSK after this week, (btw, that’s pronounced like meesick which kinda sounds like music)

This week is about 23 year old Chad Bundick of South Carolina, more commonly known as Toro Y Moi. A lo-fi dreamy electro, heavy on smooth vocals, steady beats and good synth lines. You should know the name because the music is good, and also his fame is rising. I don’t commonly associate indie electro music with South Carolina, but I’m pretty much lost once I get out of the Pacific Northwest. Releasing his debut album Causers of This on February 23rd through Carpark Records, judging by the singles and other things he has out, it should be good, and I think it will be quite popular in indie music places, but he is going to become more popular. Take a listen to this song and judge for yourself.

Blessa- Toro Y Moi by musicnerds

If there is a band that you think we should talk about, send us a song with our soundcloud dropbox over ->
Stay classy and only listen to good music.