Black Moth Super Rainbow

Somewhere in Pennsylvania, some guy makes trippy records with some of his friends. I do have a few more details about this guy. They won't do you much good though. His name is Tobacco and he lives in or around Pittsburgh. Maybe. He sings through a vocoder, a lot. Guys like this would get my vote for American Idol: write sunshiney melodies, set them to gentle grooves, and then perform from a sitting position, practically out of sight, hoodie or knit cap pulled tight, tinkering with their gadgets like some musical alchemist—the music transforming my mood, my state of mind, putting it at ease.

The new album is produced by Dave Fridmann who's worked with The Flaming Lips and Sparklehorse—a couple bands that BMSR would segue beautifully with. If you're a fan of Air, you'll really dig their new single, "Twin of Me." The Go! Team takes the track and runs with it, adding their signature upbeat beat to the otherwise summerly languid song. Speaking of summer, catch the band on the second leg of their summer tour this week on the East Coast.

From Eating Us (2009):
Twin of Myself [MP3, 4.6MB, 192kbps]
Twin of Myself (The Go! Team remix) [MP3, 3.1MB, 160kbps]
Born on a Day the Sun Didn't Rise [MP3, 5.2MB, 192kbps]

From Drippers rarities EP (2008):
Happy Melted City [MP3, 4.9MB, 226kbps]

From Dandelion Gum (2007):
Forever Heavy [MP3, 4.1MB, 128kbps]
Sun Lips [MP3, 4.6MB, 192kbps]

www.graveface.com
www.blackmothsuperrainbow.com

Intricate Machines

L.A.'s Intricate Machines seem to find inspiration in their own name, taking an intricate approach in their creation of pop music. They don't necessarily pay more attention to the details in their music than anyone else; that's impossible to judge. It's just that the details and textures on which they elaborate are less obvious than most. Really, it's just my roundabout way of saying they have a roundabout way of getting to the hooks in their songs. Intricate Machines require time to soak, simmer, and settle. If you're willing to give them that time you'll find plenty of pleasures to sink your chops into. Considering the minute attention span of music consumers these days, Intricate Machines take a big risk attempting to break into the indie scene with less than immediate hooks. This ain't no microwave meal; this is some slow-cooking, crock pot rock. You may have noticed I haven't mentioned exactly what Intricate Machines sound like. This is deliberate. I don't want to contribute to the instant-gratification impulse they've obviously worked hard to avoid. Enjoy the journey.

*Show notes: Intricate Machines play this week in L.A. Click here for details.

From IM EP (2008):
Ocean Sky [MP3, 3.7MB, 160kbps]

Exclusive forthcoming album track:
Wooden Roof [MP3, 5.6MB, 128kbps]

www.intricatemachines.com
www.myspace.com/intricatemachines

Quintron

It's time once again, for a number of reasons, for Mr. Quintron to appear on our fair pages four years to the day since he first featured. The biggest reason being his new album that came out two months ago on Goner Records, Too Thirsty 4 Love. Recorded on 2 track, it's Quintron playing his custom Hammond/Rhodes combo organ with working headlights and utilizing his Drum Buddy creation, in his native New Orleans with his partner in crime and puppet shows, Miss Pussycat. The other reason: I needed something to help me get over some High School Musical-inspired, Disney Channel-ish, over-produced, over-scripted, pre-teen/teen flamboyance. Let's just say Mr. Quintron came through for me.

Original Post: Jan 5, 2005:
This one is for Sean. Over the years, Sean and I have recommended bands to each other, with limited success. It all started back in 1993 when I went into the music store where Sean worked and told him I was bored with everything in my music collection. He handed me a Green Day CD which I traded in shortly thereafter, despite the rocking cover of the Who's "My Generation." Sean, a la Ronald Reagan, says he "cannot recall" handing me Green Day, but I assure you it happened. Another notable moment was in 2000, when he and I (and Sam) were in San Francisco at Ameoba. I recommended Jessamine to Sean; he bought a CD, and probably traded it in shortly thereafter. But it all finally came together, thanks to 3hive, when Sean posted Louis XIV. I just love "God Killed the Queen." Success! I then hipped him to an early '90s British band, Five Thirty, whose mod, power pop, blues, fuzzed-out wah stills gets my feet shakin'. Another success! So after our little fun with The Herms yesterday, I wanted to post Mr. Quintron for Sean. Mr. Quintron is a one-man band and organist extraordinaire, who has also invented the Drum Buddy (see below). It is to my great shame that this New Year's Eve I missed Mr. Quintron playing "Grandfather Time" at the stroke of midnight at the Hi-Tone in Memphis, just 12 minutes from my house.

Grandfather Time [MP3, 2.4MB, 96kbps]
Grandfather Time [MP3, 4.6MB, 128kbps]
Drum Buddy Infomercial Intro [MP3, 1.9MB, 128kbps]
Scary Office [MP3, 2.2MB, 128kbps]

www.goner-records.com
www.skingraftrecords.com
www.drumbuddy.com
www.quintronandmisspussycat.com
myspace.com/mrquintron

The Singing Saw

”Saws are tremendous pranksters, and the ruse of causing Human Beings to believe that they are actually playing them is perhaps the most beloved and persistent joke in Saw-kind’s long history.” That’s funny because when I think of saws, I usually think “sharp teeth” and “missing fingers.” Of course, I’ve never been intimately involved with a saw and, though I’ve heard melodies made from them, I believe this is the first time I’ve heard saws sing with no accompaniment. Julian Koster — he of The Music Tapes and Neutral Milk Hotel — coaxes from the saws a sound that is eerily placid. Yes, it’s shrill and not for everyone, but it’s quite lovely if you’re in a right merry frame of mind…and if you’re tired of the same-old holiday songs sung by pompous humans. The bewilderment comes roughly every three minutes or so as you realize, holy crap, you’re listening to an entire album of holiday standards played on a piece of actual hardware. But, as Koster notes, Jesus was a carpenter. Who knows—after a particularly stressful day of sermonizing and house framing, maybe the Son of God sat down with his saw, bow and a goblet of wine and conjured a soothing rendition of “Silent Night” to remind him of that fateful evening away in the manger.

Jingle Bells [MP3, 2.9MB, 149kbps]

www.orbitinghumancircus.org
www.mergerecords.com

Love is All

A Hundred Things Keep Me Going Back to Love Is All (in no particular order): 1. Their pep. 2. Their perk. 3. Their punk. 4. They tour the U.S. 5. Their gravity. 6. Their levity. 7. The way they blend the two. 8. The way they leave the holes out of the O's, A's, and R's in their artwork. 9. "Last Choice." 10. "Spinning and Scratching." 11. The '70s look of their artwork. 12. "Movie Romance." 13. Josephine. 14. Josephine's artistic sensibilities. 15. They've covered Prince (though he made them leave it off their EP. Boo! Hiss!) 16. They've covered A Flock of Seagulls 17. They've covered Dire Straits 18. Nicholaus. 19. "19 Floors." 20. When Josephine and Nicholaus sing at each other. 21. "It might seem strange, I don't want to change, I don't want to interact." 22. "Last Choice." 23. The guitars. 24. Their artwork leaves me wanting more. 25. They're not afraid of repetition. 26. "Turn the TV off." 27. Their label is called What's Your Rupture? 28. James. 29. James' last name. 30. Several of them used to be Girlfrendo. 31. The "found" feeling of the photographs in their artwork. 32. "Turn the Radio Off." 33. Josephine's wearing a band-aid on her nose in the "Wishing Well" video. 34. They like to share. 35. Their '80s sound. 36. It's the saxophone that really nails it. 37. Their pop. 38. "I'm not your kind and you're not mine, but for tonight you'll have to do just fine." 39. They're from Sweden. 40. Clay likes 'em. 41. Clay will like me more for sharing more Love Is All . 42. "Make Out Fall Out Make Up." 43. Their cut and pastey logo. 44. Markus. 45. They rock their pogo pop sound like their lives depend on it. 46. "Give It Back. 47. The cowbell on "Give it Back." 48. When Josephine and Nicholaus sing together. 49. Hot Chip remixed them. 50 "Talk Talk Talk Talk." 51. They've covered The Pastels. 52. "Wishing Well." 53. "Wishing Well's" keyboard riff. 54. They gave Spin an MP3 of "Wishing Well." 55. Johan. 56. "Big Bangs, Black Holes, Meteorites." 57. They gave Pitchfork an MP3 of "Big Bangs, Black Holes, Meteorites." 58. "Sea Sick." 59. Josephine singing all whispery on "A More Uncertain Future." 60. Adrenaline, adrenaline, adrenaline. 61. "I keep the one I love in the freezer." 62. Not only do they make music together, some of them make kids together. 63. "Felt Tip." 64. The explosive opening to "Give it Back." 65. They've covered Faith No More. 66. They like polka dots. 67. They sound like Siouxsie & The Banshees sped up to Altered Images' pace. 68. Red, white, black, and blue. 69. Their primary colored seagull t-shirt. 70. Seven seven inch singles. 71. "When Giants Fall." 72. Their similar saxophone swagger of Romeo Void. 73. "Ageing Had Never Been His Friend." 74. Sometimes they sound like they're going to fall apart. 75. They never fall apart. 76. "A More Uncertain Future." 77. Josephine and Markus didn't laugh when an interviewer asked them what "indie" means to them. 78. When Josephine wears b/w stripped shirts that match her keyboard. 79. I like this second album more than their first. 80. I can't wait to hear their next album. 81. "New Beginnings." 82. They're not too distracted to ponder infinity. 83. They hand printed their own re-usable grocery tote bags. 84. "Rumors." 85. They're not too jaded to throw money into wishing wells. 86. Black, white, and pink. 87. "Used Goods." 88. Woodie. 89. Wyatt. 90. The technicolor video for "Ageing Had Never Been His Friend." 91. They're just plain fun dammit! 92. Love is All can cleanse your soul of Leo Buscaglia. 93. Their MP3s we linked to two years ago still work. 94. "Trying too Hard." 95. "Busy Doing Nothing." 96. l.i.a. 97. Fredrik. 98. The Bees remixed 'em. 99. They're the perfect soundtrack to a bounce-house party. 100. Coming up with this list.

Original post 10/17/06:
Yes, dear readers, more Swedes, but Love is All offer a different version of Swedish pop. Theirs is frenzied, frantic, and eccentric, driven by, as Matt said in his email to the suggestion box, "disco bass." I mean, come on, "disco bass." Let me quote Matt in his entirety:

You’ve been there
An out of the way bar in some urban landscape
Floor sticks from beer
Drop ceiling too close to your head
A new band on an old stage too small for comfort
Then rowdy guitars, horns, a disco bass, drums and a chick up front singing into the back of your face
And if you haven’t, meet “Love Is All.”

Talk Talk Talk Talk [MP3, 3.9MB, 192kbps]
Busy Doing Nothing [MP3, 4.7MB, kbps]
Motorboat [MP3, 3.0MB, 192kbps]

www.whatsyourrupture.com
www.loveisall.se