The Music Nerds

Broken Bells is James Mercer of the Shins and Danger Mouse. Together they created something really cool, and a new video just came out for one of their songs. The reason I like this video is because of the sci-fi theme and Christina Hendricks from Mad Men and Firefly. If you don’t watch either of those shows, don’t worry about. Basically the video has a cyborg going on a dream voyage to get to this really special place. Unfortunately she doesn’t have the means to get there and literally end up tearing her self apart to get her dream. It’s a little sad, slightly hopeful, and leaves you wanted to know more about the story. I think this could be just the start to a group of music videos that tell a larger story. Sorry I annoyed you with all these words. The lack of posts is due to finals and other priorities. Over the summer I’m sure we’ll write more. Anyways, here’s the video

you guys, you guys, you guys the new Menomena single just dropped. For serious though I haven’t been this excited since I learned you could buy 5 pound bags of Mike and Ikes. Seriously I’m so excited. I found it on the Willamette Weeklies Local cut, and since I’m technologically retarded the best thing I can do is just link you to the website.

Menomenas new single on Local Cut
Five Little Rooms

It’s really really good too by the way.

I mean this in the nicest sense, when i say that multi talented musician Bobby Birdman is a crooner. Hailing from Los Angeles his real name is Rob Kieswetter and he released an album only a little while ago called New Moods. I bought it on vinyl, (because honestly is there any other tangible form of music that can compare?) and have been listening to it on repeat for about two days. Yes I may have overdrawn my bank account buying it, but if there was one thing that I was going to do that on it would be this album. It’s really good. Not blow your mind make your ears do inappropriate things amazing but still really well done. Filled with various songs that you will no doubt listen to while driving during the summer, with the sun in your hair and your friends are sitting to the right, it is a a very hit you in the chest with beats than give you a break with some stunningly good slow jams album.

And man these slow jams are good.

That is just one of them, and is actually the only real video made for the new album, called New Moods. My main complaint with this album is that I had so much anticipation built up before listening to it, that when I finally got around to it I was slightly let down. I don’t really comprehend why either, and that’s the worst part of it. I think that for me at least this album is going to be alot like “Where The Wild Things Are”. Meaning that right now I am  underwhelmed, but when I listen/see it another three times I’ll probably be moved to tears.

The album is starts off with the synth pop gem Only For a While. Filled with jittering drum beats and Bobby’s voice in all it’s warbly glory it sets the tone for the rest of the album. Overall if I were to rate this album (which in all honesty I think is an overly simplistic way of reviewing music) I would give it an 8.5 out of 10. This will probably change in about two days though, when I listen to it more than three times.

This is a new little feature I’m starting. Every once in a while I’ll post one of my top five favorite bands. I’ll try to spread these out over time. So here we go.

Incubus. A funny sounding name, that’s actually a male demon that tries to have sex with women, (thanks wikipedia). My number one favorite bands from the first time I heard them. They are the only band that I have every album from in physical format. They started as a high school group from Calibasas, California just like hundreds of other garage bands. What made them different was Brandon Boyd and Mike Einziger, two great songwriters that created a sound in between metal, punk and grunge that is enjoyable to listen to, but never focuses on music or lyrics, they are always together. Over the years their style has greatly changed into more mellow sound at some points, but their classic sound is never forgotten.

While their first two albums, Enjoy Incubus (an EP) and Fungus Amongus, were great, they really developed an identity with S.C.I.E.N.C.E and some of their best songs in my opinion like A Certain Shade of Green and Idiot Box. Make Yourself is the album that made me a fan, partly because it was released around the time I discovered them. It also inspired my parents to give me a trip to their concert in Portland as a birthday present. As my first concert, this was a big deal, I was young-ish ,if I remember correctly but I can remember almost every detail about that show. I can’t say the same for some other big name concerts I’ve been to. Make yourself was also the album that made them really well known. Songs like Drive, Steller, and Pardon Me made the name Incubus known by people of all ages and musical taste. The diversity of their songs makes it so they cannot be classified or put into a single genre.

I enjoyed the music then and I still enjoy it now. They are a creative group that has a lot of talent and stay true to their musical roots even though they are big name rock stars now. I’ll give you some songs that you can enjoy, but please go buy some if you like it or go to a concert. They may not need the money, but they certainly deserve it. Because you’ve probably heard some of their music, I’ll post some more rare stuff like acoustic and live performances and an amazing bass solo by Ben Kenney which might blow your mind. This guys got skills.

Right Click and Save As to download.

A Certain Shade of Green (acoustic)

Ben Kenney Bass Solo (live)

A Kiss to Send Us Off (live)

Primary 1 is the work of British synth pop producer Joe Flory. His new album Is about to drop very soon, and the video he made for the first single off the album titled “Princess” is amazing. It, in essence takes the paintings of surrealist artist Magrite and turns them in to a music video. His music seems to be a mix, of Animal Collective, and dance hall grooves, if that makes any sense. It probably doesn’t. It will though when you watch the video.

Also to give people credit, i found this on the website http://www.booooooom.com/

Just check it out, I’m not even gonna say anything. But if you are on any hallucinogens, you might want to wait.

Local dance punk staples Guidance Counselor just released their new album, and holly balls is it good. Like, I don’t think you will understand how good it is, until you listen to it and realize the shear awesomeness  blasting into your ear holes.

Both my brother and I call this band, for next big thing out of Portland. We sincerely believe that they are going to be the next, Starfucker, or Elliot Smith, or…. nope that’s the only famous Portland musicians I can think of. With songs that are this well made and this catchy, I can’t see why they wouldn’t be.

The stand out songs on this album, are in my opinion “Life is Tyte” and “I don’t want to speak”

The first is a pop/dance gem effortlessly switching between joyous and melancholic. Starting out with rippling synth and then building up to a perfectly timed crescendo into a dance hall beat. Ian Anderson’s vocals work magic here, leaning between a melancholic voice that mumbles the words out, and singing joyfully.

“I don’t want to speak” is a synth punk dance masterpiece. Ian’s voice screams and cracks, like a better version of James Murphy over crunchy synth beats, and a driving bass heavy drum beat. With a great breakdown in the middle that then goes into the final moments with cymbals blazing away, it blew my mind the first time I heard it. Especially so since, I remember seeing him perform two years back with only a bank of electronics in front of him, and a microphone to scream his lungs into.

Kudos to Ian, Andy, Brett, Keil, and anyone else who worked on this album. You have created something that is incredible.

This is a video of people getting hit in the face with cupcakes. The song behind it is ” I don’t want to speak”

When you use pandora a lot, random artists that you probably haven’t heard before show up often. This is how I discovered The Polish Ambassador. David Sugalski produces and performs great 8-bit pop electro sounds that you will enjoy. It’s honestly hard to dislike the sound of this music. If you like Copy, he’s similar. They did a show together in Portland a while ago, which I missed. But back to the music. It’s upbeat, major toned, and fun. He started making stuff way back in the day, releasing his first album, Diplomatic Immunity, in March of 2007. Five months later he followed that up with The Phantasmal Farm, and a little over a year later, released I Found Him Now I Must Kill Him. His most recent work is a collection of remixes that he has done. Free Range Electro Remixes For That Ass is a free compilation that you can download on his site. I’ll give you a link, don’t worry baby birds, I’ll feed you. So check it out. Did you like it? What should I have written about instead? Do you think you could do any better? Here’s a music video he made:
His Website (you can find links to his facebook, myspace, twitter, etc. here)
Free Range Electro Remixes For That Ass (Direct Download)

The Polish Ambassador - Earth vs The World Music Video from David Sugalski on Vimeo.

I know this album came out about a week and a half ago(which in blog time, is like a year and a half ago), but Caribous new album is really cool. It’s a very layered, very intense almost, on the verge of being, brooding album. The best way I can describe the album, entitled “Swim” is that it’s a mix of deconstructed dance hall beats, layered dark synth lines, and Royksopp like singing by lead crooner Daniel Snaith. Glitched out in places, dreamy in certain places, shake your booty in certain places, it seems to have a mix of everything, for everyone, without sacrificing anything as far as quality of music goes.  It’s not perfect however, as some of the songs overstay their welcome and begin to feel less like songs and more like garage band loops. Overall it’s a very well done album, and the only complaint I have about it is that, like I said it’s a little over done.

I went into downtown Portland on Record Store Day about two weeks ago with my brother, where I spent way too much money, and bought fourteen new and used records (I’m trying to build up a collection o.k?! geez sheesh)among them the new Beach House album entitled “Teen Dream”.

It is absolutely stunning.

Lead singer Victoria Legrand has one of those haunting rich voices that gives you shivers the first time you hear it. With a range that can go between smokey low croons, and the highest of high yelps she commands each song masterfully. Her voice reminds me a lot of the singer Nico from The Velvet Underground. But better.

Alex Scally is wonderful at providing simple haunting guitar, piano, and synth riffs to go along with her voice. Shimmering, and dreamy and wonderful, i don’t know what they do to make their guitars make that noise, but i want it. THESE SONGS WILL GET STUCK IN YOUR HEAD FOREVER.

acoustic version of Used to Be off of their last album Zebra

I would highly recommend this album to anyone.