ADDITIONS TO THE BLOGROLL

You will take note kind readers that two blogs have been implanted into the sidebar on the left, under the heading MP3 BLOGS.

In one corner we have the massive, intimidating Largehearted Boy, whose presence only classes up the joint, and in the other corner we have the quick and light of foot upstart, The Cowboy Trance Orchestra.

VISIT THEM, PLEASE!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

What is Halloween all about to you? Having lived in an apartment for quite a while, the experience of handing out candy to disguised children who repeatedly threaten to trick you is one now almost forgotten. Also, the messy joy of carving up a pumpkin and yanking it's squishy orange innards onto a sheet of newspaper.

Now I can relive that experience with a cursor in place of a sharp knife, so can you. Go here.

*thanks Kerri

KING OF INDIE: update

Thanks to everyone who has commented up to this point, all great nominations, but only one will wear the crown. I wish to thank Stuart Miller especially for his heartfelt nomination of legendary Brit DJ John Peel.
Sadly the "King" is dead and another must be crowned. I wish the idea of Mr. Peel being the "King" who has died neccessitating the crowning of another had been the idea behind this "King of Indie" thing all along. Again, thank you Stuart.

Here are all the artists nominated so far... if ya like one, then second or third the vote. Use comments or email me - sixeyesblog@hotmail.com.

*numbers in brackets denote number of nominations.

Mark E. Smith (the fall)
robert pollard (guided by voices) (3)
lou barlow (2 ) (dinosaur jr, sebadoh, sentridoh, folkimplosion, solo)
mike watt (minutemen, firehose, stooges, banyan, porno for pyros, ciccone youth, dos, solo)
chris brokaw (come, consonant, new year, codeine,solo)
rob crow (thingy, pinback, heavy vegetable, solo)
will johnson (centromatic, fun house, solo)
conor oberst (3) - bright eyes+desaparecidos
beck
morrissey (2)
thurston moore - sonic youth
ted leo (2)
ian mackaye
john vanderslice (2)
frank black - the pixies (3)
doug martsch - built to spill+the halo benders (2)
colin meloy - the decemberists
will oldham - palace (2)
Blake Schwarzenbach - jawbreaker+jets to brazil
stephen merritt - magnetic fields (2)
iron & wine's sam beam
ben gibbard - death cab+postal service (4)
Mac McCaughan - superchunk
John Reis
Davey Chesterfield
Malkmus - pavement (2)
Jason 'Spaceman' Pierce
Anton Newcombe -brian jonestown massacre
Jad Fair
Archers of Loaf (band)
Colin Clary
Isaac Brock - modest mouse+ugly casanova
Tom Zé
James Mercer - the shins
John Darnielle - nountain goats
Dan Bejar - destroyer
Tom Waits (2)
Howe Gelb - giant sand
Jaime Stewart - xiu xiu

*well, i hope i got this right, and didn't leave out any names. thanks for the great response. I'm thinking of picking the top six names for the ballot of INDIE KING on Monday.

THE RECOYS // THE WALKMEN

The Recoys were a band with some talent. Members included Hamilton Leithauser and Peter Bauer of The Walkmen, Hugh MacIntosh (a sometime drummer with the French Kicks), Damon Hege and Mike Sheehan. After the band bit the dust and fellow indie group Jonathan fire*eater imploded, members of each pulled themselves from their respective wreckages and formed the outfit, The Walkmen. Okay, maybe it wasn't as quick and easy or as messy as I have stated, but the outcome is the same. The Walkmen.

the recoys
+ Shake Off Your Nerve
+ The Blizzard of '93
the walkmen
+ Wake Up
+ Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me is Gone

photos of RECOYS reunion at kingsland tavern

SMASHING PUMPKINS Live Archive

With Halloween coming up this Sunday, pumpkins have been on my mind, under foot, and just plain in the way. And so the only possible recourse is to smash them. Yes, smashing pumpkins is alive and well, in my imagination at least, but at my age it would be deeply frowned upon by anyone over 20. Are you getting where I'm goin with this... Smashing Pumpkins.

Go here for live downloads of Billy Corgan and band.

UPDATE: Who is the "KING of INDIE"?

So far there has been a wide range of nominees for the election of our "King of Indie"! It all started at this time yesterday.

Some names...
conor oberst (2)
beck
morrissey (2)
thurston moore
ted leo (2)
ian mackaye
john vanderslice (2)
frank black
doug martsch
colin meloy
will oldham
Blake Schwarzenbach
stephen merritt
iron & wine's sam beam
ben gibbard of death cab (3)
Mac McCaughan

well, are we missing someone? LET ME KNOW! If you like a name you see, tell me, so that name will get on the "King of Indie" ballot. Use the comments or email me: sixeyesblog@hotmail.com.

thanks guys, a great response so far.

5 Rue Christine

This label profile first appeared on my other blog, *HIP/STER/EO, which is now in... what's the word?... stasis.

5 Rue Christine began in the late '90s as the sister to preeminent indie label Kill Rock Stars. It is headquartered in Olympia, Washington.

Deerhoof [indie noise-rock/post-rock]
+ the great car tomb
+ Milking
+ Sealed With A Kiss
+ Holy Night Fever
Get Hustle [avant garde post-punk]
+ bloo bloo
Amps For Christ [indie rock]
+ enid's rant
The Seconds [indie rock]
+ Say Hey
+ the right way
Witchypoo [indie rock]
+ epistemology

LABEL LINK
5 rue christine
ARTIST LINKS
amps for christ
deerhoof
witchypoo
get hustle
the seconds

NEKO CASE // 'The Tigers Have Spoken'

Neko Case signed with Anti Records this past August and is now set to release her first album for the stellar imprint, home to artists such as Tom Waits, Marianne Faithfull, Danny Cohen, Elliot Smith, Jolie Holland, The Black Keys, and more.


The disc is titled, "The Tigers Have Spoken", and is an eleven song collection of live performances recorded in Chicago and Toronto. With the release date still a week and a half away, these two MP3 downloads, courtesy of anti.com, will get you hungry for more. Mark the date on your calendar: US Nov. 9th / EU Nov. 8th.

+ if you knew
+ train from kansas city

neko case website

Who is the "KING of INDIE"?

I had this idea to have people vote for who is the "KING" of indie, (if it works out a "Queen" will also be selected). So, I ask you, the readers, to first nominate who you think should be crowned -"King of Indie". I'll start the ball rolling with two nominations...

John Vanderslice and Stephen Malkmus.
I'd have to go with Vanderslice, although there are some songs of Malkmus' that I like as much if not more than any by Vanderslice. But JV wins, for me, due to his overall quality output.

so let me know who you would like to nominate, use the comments or email me - sixeyesblog@hotmail.com.

I'm thinking of possibly having a ballot of six artists to choose from, so give me your nominations. thanks

BLOGROLL NEWBIES

New additions to the blog roll on the left...

- Unfinished, a site concerned with music and film, reviews of the aforementioned art forms, and rantings by Hugh Miller. Some fine downloads on site.

- also an MP3 Blog has been added - visit Joe's Each Note Secure, for good music - which is ample evidence of his good taste.

THE WRENS // "I love these guys."

Charles Bissell, Greg Whelan, Kevin Whelan, and Jerry MacDonnell are The Wrens and they are one of the most underrated and ignored bands in indie rock. But that is just par for the course, as I noted here in a old post.

some mp3s to introduce you to your new favourite band...

The Meadowlands 2003, Absolutely Kosher
Boys You Won't Remember
Everyone Chooses Sides
This Boy Is Exhausted

Lyrics

Secaucus 1996, Grass Records
Built in Girls
Surprise, Honeycomb
Dance the Midwest

Lyrics

Silver 1994, Grass Records
Grey Complexion
Behold Me
Napiers

Lyrics



Abbott 1135 1997, Ten 23Records
I Guess We're Done
This Machine

In Honour of John Peel

I have just learned of John Peel's passing. In his honour I point readers to this page featuring mp3 downloads of songs played on his Radio 1 program on the BBC.

visit the site.

'INDIAN SUMMER TAKEDOWN' - varnaline

I just read Craig's post on Songs:Illinois about Varnaline (rhymes with gasoline), and it not only gave me some great music, but it also reminded me of the great Varnaline song I have linked below. This song is on a mix cd that I've had for a few years, a perfect track for this time of year - Indian Summer. I really like the way the shimmer of organ colours the song an October sky blue. Varnaline singer Anders Parker sounds like Richard Buckner's indie lovin' little brother on this track - VARNALINE "Indian Summer Takedown" (Artemis)

some more great stuff from insound.com...

The Futureheads: "Piece of Crap" (Sire/Startime)
Elefant: "Misfit" (Kemado)
BEN DAVIS "Poised and Determined" (Lovitt)
MAP "Crash" (Velvet Blue Music)

MARTIN SEXTON

I discoverered Martin Sexton at a listening bar in a Chapters bookstore. I bought the CD. Enough said.


Women and Wine from the album 'In The Journey' - More info on the album here

Black Sheep from the album 'Black Sheep' - More info on the album here

Candy from the album 'The American' - More info on the album here

Angeline from the album 'Wonder Bar' - More info on the album here

Beast In Me from the album 'Live Wide Open' - More info on the album here

Where Did I Go Wrong? from the album 'Live Wide Open'
all mp3s via martinsexton.com

Some Recently Noticed "New" MP3 Blogs

I have noticed a few new (or not so new) mp3 type blogs out there...
SleepyTalk
Each Note Secure
Travelers Diagram

I want to thank these three for linking *sixeyes.

zero transmission

Chris @ squarescubed.com left a comment about my Pulse of the Twin Cities post with a link to his blog, Zero Transmission, and a link to a site offering Minneapolis electro-punk/pop.
I listened to Avenpitch's cover of The The's "This is the Day", from The The's 1983 disc, "Soul Mining",which he has linked to in his post. Very tasty indeed.

visit...
zero transmission
"zero transmission is an unofficial side project of squarescubed and is not bound to any particular genre of music."

visit squarescubed the website of McMaster University's radio program about free + legal music on the internet.

PULSE OF THE TWIN CITIES

Pulse of the Twin Cities is Minneapolis and Saint Paul's alternative newspaper. I love these types of papers, being a huge fan of Toronto's Now.

I was pleasantly surprised to find a multitude of MP3s to download on Pulse of the Twin Cities website - mostly indie artists, national names and local ones, worth your time and attention.

Click here to check out the page.

MIGHTY ATOM RECORDS

"Mighty Atom Records was formed in early 2000 with the aim of growing a real independent record label operating out of South Wales." from label's History page on site.

Well, they are real and an indie label, so it appears their aim is on target.

MP3S
3 Colours Red + Shopping Trolley Children - Download
Hondo Maclean + Chasing Angels - Download
Aconite Thrill + B Movie - Download
Hiding With Girls + Disasters First Birthday - Download
Adzuki + Transitions - Download
Funeral For A Friend + Amsterdam Conversations - Download
Days In December + Glassvice - Download
Kubrick + My Longest Day - Download
Ipso Facto + They Made Me Do It - Download
Funeral For A Friend + The Art Of American Football - Download
Liberty37 + Broadside - Download
Hondo Maclean + Animated Antics - Download
Liberty37 + Pig - Download
Goatboy + John Lee Said - Download
Powder (Shearshock Revival) + Empty Bones - Download

LIVE John Vanderslice: 2004-10-18

Some live John Vanderslice: VBR mp3s

October 18th, The Earl, Atlanta, Georgia
+ emma pearl
+ lunar landscapes
+ pale horse

the rest of the set can be found here at the Live Music Archive. You can get the show in these formats:
Flac
Ogg Vorbis
64Kbps MP3
VBR MP3
*thanks to Largehearted Boy for the tip

GIANT SAND

Giant Sand is one of those 'desert' bands, Calexico being another. In fact, Giant Sand is Howe Gelb and the two members of Calexico, Burns and Convertino, who have just returned stateside after a European tour. Beginning on Oct. 27th they will tour several American cities until November 12th, with a show in New York.


from the new album, "It's All Over... The Map",
+ nyc of time

this is a favourite: + shiver

some more mp3s here

TRY THIS AGGREGATOR // Web Nymph

With MP3 Blogs.org having problems, you should turn to Web Nymph, possibly not as comprehensive as mp3blogs.org, but it certainly looks a mite better.

check it out.

... and check out the permanent links to both aggregators in the sidebar.

Grenadine Records

Grenadine Records is located in the cosmopolitan city of Montreal. An indie label started by friends, Eric Lapointe and Alex Megelas, it's been in operation since 1999 and sports the slogan, "Timeless Pop Attitude".

The label's artist roster includes:
Alexis O'Hara
The Dears
Blurtonia
Shy Child
Tricky Woo
Starvin Hungry
...with a handful more.

Here are some mp3s to sample.

alexis o'hara + escape hatch
blurtonia + perfect crime
shy child + tv tunnel
the frenetics + scenery

Visit Grenadine Records. You can find more mp3s and bios of label artists, also links to artist websites where more mp3s can be sampled.

THE DEARS

The Dears latest disc is titled, "NO CITIES LEFT", and the quietly majestic track, "We Can Have It", is offered for your approval. Listen to this song and then search out this band.


the dears website

some mp3s
Lost in the Plot from "No Cities Left"
Heartless Romantic and
This is a Broadcast from "End of a Hollywood Bedtime Story"

MP3 Blogs Aggregator

I, like many readers, have been wondering what has happened to the MP3 Blogs Aggregator... unfortunately I have no idea, but the rss feed for the blogs aggregator is still working. Go figure.

'MK Ultra' // John Vanderslice

MK Ultra was premiere indie rocker John Vanderslice's last 'band' before he went solo. This is the band's 1999 album, "The Dream Is Over".


The Dream Is Over(mp3)
Goodbye, Max!(mp3)
Red On White On Blue(mp3)
Fortune Cookies(mp3)
Heavy Weather(mp3)
All We Have(mp3)
Interlude(mp3)
Coffee Girl(mp3)
Darkness And The Silver Spoon(mp3)
Red Cross(mp3)
I Miss The War(mp3)
What I Live For(mp3)
Sunday(mp3)
Double Flame(mp3)

GRAVENHURST

Gravenhurst (aka Nick Talbot) will release a new EP on November 1st, titled "Black Holes In the Sand". The EP includes a cover of Hüsker Dü's ‘Diane’, reinterpreting the punk classic as a murder ballad. His label, Warp Records has clips of Gravenhurst tracks... here and here, (for the new songs).

...here is a review I wrote for betterPROPAGANDA, of Gravenhurst's song "The Diver", found on his "Flashlight Seasons" disc.

Gravenhurst
"The Diver"

This doesn't overpower you, it creeps up... like the wind carries a stormy black sky into view over your shoulder. Droning guitar balanced with a keening choir boy voice coming together to set a mood of anxiety, of something about to happen - like the best works of Canadian artist Alex Colville suggest something is just around the corner, just waiting to tear the carefully framed scene apart. This song has a mood worthy of Nick Drake and Nick Cave - or imagine Sam Beam of Iron and Wine with a sweet falsetto and a wheelbarrow full of ambience. Something ominous here, but the difference between Gravenhurst's 'The Diver' and Cave and Drake is this song is shrouded in prettier clothing. It is folksy stuff, but don't think old sixties artists, this ain't your Grandad's vinyl - call it electro-folk.

Gravenhurst's Nick Talbot creates very atmospheric music, he doesn't just set a mood, he sets the table with it and waits for you to take a bite. The whole time you're wondering what will happen when you do - when you bite the vapourous vocal, when you sip the steel string wine, when you swallow the sweet and sour song.
"...I have the ghosts of autumn murders walk me home..." - 'The Diver'
The second release from English bedroom troubadour, Nick Talbot, Flashlight Seasons is on British cutting edge imprint, Warp Records, also home to electronica artists Squarepusher, Team Shadetek, and Two Lone Swordsmen.

download "The Diver"

gravenhurst website
gravenhurst (nick talbot) blog

ARCADE FIRE

Arcade Fire have generated a helluva lotta press on indie music websites and in magazines. I know many of you are leery of 'hype', having been burned as we all have before, but give this band a chance. No, they are not the 'second coming' or 'the cure for what ails you' (well, that depends on what ails you, now doesn't it?), what they are is an inspired and inspiring throng of musicians based in Montreal who write and play music that feels good, that obviously means a lot to them. That melds the influences garnered by lead singer + chief songwriter, Win Butler, and projects them onto the listener through the lens of his band. Listen to these tracks from "Funeral"...

+ Wake Up
+ Rebellion(Lies)

go here for "Funeral".


SONG REVIEW
Arcade Fire:
Neighborhood #2 (Laika)

Arcade Fire's, "Neighborhood #2 (Laika)", definitely has a driving beat, but it's the gilding that drives it into your memory. The Parisian or Montreal cafe accordion, the violin's sweet strings evoking a denouement in one of John Ford's classic westerns - The streets of Neigborhood #2 have been wiped clean of the vermin that troubled it and now our hero and his strong woman (Win Butler, lead vocals, and Régine Chassagne, vocals + multi-instrumentalist) embrace in the now, oh, so, quiet dusty streets. The music rising about them like the red dust swirling in the sun's setting rays.

I have a hard time telling someone what Arcade Fire sound like; the best I can come up with is a hothouse grafting of The Walkmen's propulsive indie rock onto Broken Social Scene's sprawling apple tree-like collective. How can you go wrong with this union? Just give it enough space in your backyard and await it's rich fruit.

+ neighborhood #2 (laika)

NEIL YOUNG *LIVE*

september 20, 2000, colorado
Powderfinger
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Unknown Legend
Peace Of Mind
Intros
All Along The Watchtower
Mellow My Mind

*BONUS - hey hey my my - englewood, california 1997

LED ZEPPELIN *22 Tracks

Kashmir
Ramble On
Babe I'm Gonna Leave You
Black Mountain Side
Communication Breakdown
Dazed And Confused
Fool In The Rain
Good Times Bad Times
Houses Of The Holy
How Many More Times
I Can't Quit You Baby
I'm Gonna Crawl
In The Evening
Moby Dick - Bonzo's Montreux
Nobody's Fault But Mine
Ozone Baby
Poor Tom
The Ocean
The Wanton Song
Whole Lotta Love
You Shook Me
Your Time Is Gonna Come

More CALEXICO

Totally Fuzzy's Herr K left a comment pointing everyone in the direction of more CALEXICO mp3s and videos. Here are some of those mp3s, and here is the link to the page.

Falling Rain, live with Nicolai Dunger. 25/4/03
Gilbert. Live in London 11/2/03
Puta Party
Oki Dog
Crystal Frontier - Buscemi Remix
Fourth Time Around - live in Stuttgart, July 2003
Stray - Moondive Session
Cable Hogue Anglais w/Patricia Davia
Guero Canelo (Paleo)
Black Heart (Paleo)
Desperado (Paleo)
Peel Sessions - Not Even Stevie Nicks
Peel Sessions - Quattro
Peel Sessions - AloneAgainOr
Don't Leave me Now - with Amparanoia

SAY HI TO YOUR MOM

Brooklyn, New York's, Say Hi To Your Mom's minimalist pop has been compared to Grandaddy, Bright Eyes, Pavement, Radiohead, The Pixies, The Velvet Underground, Momus and others.

Hooplas Involving Circus Tricks
Let's Talk About Spaceships
Super
The Fritz
Blizzard
Laundry

from amazon.com
they write books about this sort of thing

SATURDAY *MIX // black keys*pinback*travis morrison*dutch elms

the black keys
10 A.M. Automatic
All Hands Against His Own
Hard Row
the legends
Make It All Right
There And Back
dutch elms
Cleopatra
Doctoral Dissipation
pinback
Fortress
Manchuria
travis morrison
The Word Cop
Born in '72
What's Your Fantasy
Checkers and Chess

TALITRES RECORDS

Talitres Records
Found in the wine country of Bourdeaux, France, Talitres Records houses an eccentric roster of worldly indie musicians from Britain, France, Canada, and the US.

The Walkmen
+ revenge wears no wristwatch
Tex La Homa
+ make it worth it
The National
+ slipping husband
+ murder me rachael
Destroyer
+ students carve hearts out of gold
+ sublimation hour
The Birdwatcher
+ the hunt
Dakota Suite
+ sand fools the shoreline

ARTIST SITES
tex la homa
the national
dakota suite
the walkmen

PAVEMENT *unreleased track* // Matador Records

The Matador Records site is offering a previously unreleased Pavement track...

+ all my friends
from ‘Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain: LA's Desert Origins’,
now in stores.

PROSAICS

Prosaics are a New York band made up of Andy Comer (guitar/vocals), Bill Kuehn (drums) and Joshua Zucker (bass). Their debut 5 track EP, "Aghast Agape", was just released on Dim Mak Records to glowing reviews. If this track is any indication of the others, a purchase would be in order.

+ failure
download courtesy of www.endingeast.com

"SMILE"

I posted this link a while ago and it's still good. Go here for Brian Wilson's "SMILE".

SMILE

*a warning - the downloads are extremely slow.

REVOLUTIONARY HYDRA *TENPACK

revolutionary hydra website

BINARY THOUGHTS
MISFORTUNE
FRENCHIES
IN THE MOVIES
LIGHTS FROM CHRISTMAS STRANDS
THERE IS A CERTAIN SHIFT
INCHOATE GOES THE SNOW ROUTE
FAKE AS THE SCENERY
GOOD NEWS FOR THE WARM BLOODED
QUEEN OF THE GRAVTY URGE

*discovered these guys through www.3hive.com

"Jaan Pehechaan Ho" - MOHAMMED RAFI # 2

This mohammed rafi post has moved. Go here.

WILCO // May 19th 2004

This is the opening show of Wilco's "A Ghost Is Born" tour.
Downloads courtesy of Glide Magazine.

1. I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
05:46
Download Mp3
2. Kamera
03:14
Download Mp3
3. Poor Places
06:10
Download Mp3
4. I'm The Man Who Loves You
04:06
Download Mp3
5. Handshake Drugs
06:47
Download Mp3
6. -Encore Break #1-
03:23
Download Mp3
7. Via Chicago
06:00
Download Mp3
8. Spiders
10:29
Download Mp3
9. -Band Introductions-
01:08
Download Mp3
10. Theologians
03:19
Download Mp3
11. -Encore Break #2-
02:44
Download Mp3
12. Company In My Back
04:40
Download Mp3
13. I'm A Wheel
02:46
Download Mp3
14. Kicking Television
03:34
Download Mp3

BIG INDEX

Here is a very, very large index full of all kinds of stuff. From Bauhaus to Beck. From Joan Baez to Cocteau Twins. There is something for everyone.

Check it out.

radix.rcc.ryerson.ca/gwen/Gwen's%20stuff%20on%20E-mu%20laptop%20(e-mu)/Music/

copy and paste the address into your browser.

"Modest Mouse" ALBUM FOLDERS

Modest Mouse is lead singer and songwriter Isaac Brock's baby. He writes fascinating songs that stand head and shoulders above most of his indie brethren. If you like what you hear, check out Ugly Casanova as well, a semi-mysterious, but very serious side project of Mr. Brock's.

here are two modest mouse albums you can sample...

the moon and antarctica
good new for people who love bad news

*DOWNLOAD* Tom Waits - Real Gone

You can still find Tom Waits new release, "REAL GONE", through this link. Quality is low, but it will give you an idea whether or not to buy the disc or not.

*the server is often busy, but if you refresh a few times you will eventually get in.

PETER and RAYMOND // "Shut Up Little Man!"

I had never heard of Peter and Raymond - two booze hounds who, unbelievably, live together.
Now here is all you need to know and here is where you can listen to America's real "Friends" - possibly Chandler and Joey 30 years from now.

Of Montreal + THE ZOMBIES + DEVO + The Hollies - 'downloads'

THESE LINKS ARE DOWN - sorry guys + gals

Get some Zombies. One of the most influential pop bands of the sixties. Everyone has heard "Time of the Season" and "She's Not There", but now you have a chance to hear an overwhelming amount of Zombies music.

Speaking of sixties greats here is the 1966 disc by The Hollies

Now some new wave greatness formed in Akron, Ohio in the early seventies - DEVO

"SAY ANYTHING" // my bloody valentine

My Bloody Valentine's, "Isn't Anything", is seen by many as the template for the 'shoegazing' movement of pop that was soon to follow. Founded in Dublin in 1984, the line-up at the time of "Isn't Anything"'s release was Kevin Shields, Deb Googe, Bilinda Butcher, and Colm O'Ciosoig. The album garnered rave reviews in the Brit press and influenced bands that spawned the term shoegazer pop: Lush, Slowdive, Ride, Boo Radleys, and others. Although this disc is now 13 years old, it is a seminal work that deserves your attention, if only to lead you to other artists like Cocteau Twins, Spaceman 3, and The Jesus and Mary Chain.


isn't anything

GO HERE FOR "SAY ANYTHING"

PLUS...
cocteau twins + cherry coloured funk
the jesus and mary chain + between planets

15 TRACK *MIX via Self-Starter Foundation + The Crutch

From the selfstarterfoundation.com...
The Hidden Cameras "Music Is My Boyfriend"
Some Weird Family "California"
The Album Leaf "On Your Way"
Say Hi to Your Mom "Let's Talk About Spaceships"
Rogue Wave "Every Moment"
Sea Snakes "Conception Bay South"
Sufjan Stevens "Joy!Joy!Joy!"
Sizzla "Show The Interest"
TV On The Radio "Dreams"

via thecrutch.net...
pj harvey - the pocket knife
headache city - knee jerk reaction
comets on fire - whiskey river
mock orange - mind is not brain
31 knots - no sound
the insomniacs - she’s a mess

"THE SLOW WONDER" // review

“THE SLOW WONDER” – A.C. Newman

Carl Newman becomes A.C., and wrings the glorious, shaggy mop, that is The New Pornographers, nearly dry. Or, to put it another way—“He rolls up the windows, pumping the 'A.C.' until the air is so dry and sterile, you reach for the Chapstick.” Quite a change from The New Pornographers ‘windows down, freeway-blasting’ air that almost starts your ears a flappin'. That has you shoving your arms and head out the window, looking like the world's ugliest dog, or a 60’s Russian cosmonaut taking 3 G’s.

Carl had, oh, so, many of us panting for "The Slow Wonder", and yes, I was in that group—a group that then broke into opposing camps. As can happen after the drinks are poured, the meal served, the food savoured, or slipped under the table for Rex.



After having been tempted by a couple of juicy cherries thrown the public’s way by Newman’s US label, Matador Records, "Miracle Drug" and "Drink To Me, Babe, Then" (which I greedily sated myself with), the arrival of the album was highly anticipated. Now, these songs in particular continue to satisfy, although they have been diminished in my ears since hearing them as part of the whole, as part of the album, "The Slow Wonder".

Don’t get me wrong, there are more than a few standout tracks on the disc, but, and it's a big but, something seems missing. And this is what it is… Dan Bejar, Neko Case, Kurt Dahle, Todd Fancey, John Collins, Blaine Thurier… the rest of The New Pornographers. The dirt, the grime, the potent virus that breeds when they come together, has been washed away. As a solo act, Mr. Newman has lost a restless, twitching muscle – let's call it his jiggy leg - now, he's left with his pop smarts, his dry intellect. These songs have been dry cleaned and pressed by Newman's impressive, dry, clean mind. Yes, he has given us some fine hooks on this, his solo debut, it's just that I could use a little more grit, a little more mess... one that comes from being in a 'band'.

+ drink to me babe, then
+ miracle drug

a.c. newman website
matador records site

Stafrænn Hákon

This post has been updated and moved here.

NO KARMA Online Store

No Karma is an online store specializing in independent rock music. It started as a record label in 1997, but by 2003 had pretty much moved away from releasing its own music. We double-dog dare you to find lower prices and better service. - from contraphonic records website

These are just some of the mp3s on site. Go here for more.

Branches: (Save it for a) Cold & Rainy Day
(from Branches)
Clyde Federal: Cold Marble
(from Best Practices)
Clyde Federal: Model Hot
(from Sensitive Skin + Please Be Real)
Cup 388: Arthur James Conspiracy
(from Arthur James Conspiracy)
The Five Mod Four: I'm the Funniest Person You Know
(from Split w/ the Wrens)
The Five Mod Four: Your Climax
(from Portnoy)
IfIHadAHiFi: (This is) The New Science
(from Ones and Zeroes)
IfIHadAHiFi: Gotta Disappear
(from No More Music)
Jackie Cooper: Memento
(from The New Mood)
La Pieta: Telephone Line
(from Summer)
Eric Larson: Questions and Inquiries
(from A Boy Meets Girl Story)
The Lesser Birds of Paradise: A Magnet In You
(from String of Bees)
New Radiant Storm King: Subway Token (Save My Soul)
(from Leftover Blues 1991-2003)
New Radiant Storm King: The Right Scream
(from Singular, No Article)
Olo: Pizzazz
(from Still Life with Peripheral Grey)
Sault Ste. Marie: Marsha Marsha Marsha
(from Press & Drizzle)
Slackjaw: Unlucky Ghost
(from Darkest Hour)
Sounds Like Braille: Looking For Old Records
(from Right Out of Left Field, Straight to the Middle of Nowhere)
Traindodge: Five Forks
(from On a Lake of Dead Trees)
Twinstar: The Spark
(from Dovetailing)
Urban Legends: The World is Strange!
(from The World is Strange)
The Wrens: Bus Dance
(from Split w/ the Five Mod Four)