Perhaps many of you are too young to remember the “Super Bowl Shuffleâ€, that perpetual answer to a trivia question that took the nation by storm in 1985, the last time Da Bears were in the big game. Sweetness talkin’ about how “runnin’ the ball is like makin’ romanceâ€; Jim McMahon, who is so white and uncool that the Utah high school where he graduated is named “Roy,†wearing his glasses and rappin’ anyway; Mike Singletary trying hard not to look like Urkel before there was even such a thing—in other words, it was to 10-year-old boys and 40-year-old men what “We Are the World†was to 10-year-old girls and 40-year-old women a year earlier. But that was two decades ago. Rex Grossman? Sorry dude, but you’re no Mac. The real QB is down the interstate in Indy, and now he’s got a fight song by Indy homeboys the Mudkids, part of the capital city’s Musical Family Tree. This sorta-crunky version may not feature any of the players, but when you’re droppin’ lines like “We love the Colts ‘cuz the blue’s the hottest part of the flame,†you don’t need no stinkin’ Chi-Town shufflers!
Bridges and Powerlines
NYC style power pop, a touch of 80s British post-punk rock with driving Strokes-like sensibilities, courtesy of Bridges and Powerlines. For fans of The Rakes, We Are Scientists, and like-minded bands. So that’d be me, a fan, then.
WJ Kington
WJ Kington spends lots of time around his house recording found sounds, tapping on walls and household appliances and recording the results. Sometimes he just sits at the piano and records his improvisations. Rather than “perfecting” the recordings he’ll leave in sounds of passing trains and the crows scratching at his roof. What’s left are highly engaging compositions. I found these tracks via boingboing.net (if they’re not already a habit don’t start!) which linked to “I’m Talin,” a track made from samples of his young son ripping apart a cardboard box which he’d strung with rubber bands. Be sure to stop by his site for stories on each of the songs.
qr5
I was cleaning out my suggestion file from 2006 this morning, bringing the number down to a manageable 227 bands left to check out, when I came across qr5. The Canadian pop-reggae outfit suggested themselves in the sunny month of May, and I finally gave them a listen. (Sorry it took so long! Do you have snow yet? We got a little bit yesterday.) Since then, “Revisited Gone” has been the groove of the moment. Here’s what they had to say about themselves: “Introspective music you can dance to, qr5 is a singular combination of reggae groove, pop contagion, and folk sensibility. With their new album Pharmakon the Toronto 4 piece mixes a positive feel and engaging arrangements with tight rhythms and deep thoughts.” Right on. You know reggae sounds better in January anyway.
Bee and Flower
Apparently, here in Brooklyn, it’s flu season. When you are achey, shakey, sniffley, coughey and just generally miserable, it is important not to discount having health appropriate tunes available. My prescription is Bee and Flower (and a flu shot). Bee and Flower are refugees from this fair city, now happily residing in Berlin and making tunes that are interesting, pretty and, bless them, soothing. I wonder if perhaps they were fleeing the rampant germiness of this place. Alas, they are on the cusp of releasing a new album, with a new track included here. For the past two days, most of what I listen to has simply been registering as noise, but these guys have somehow brightened my days. I hope they brighten yours. Also noteworthy about Bee and Flower? Collaborations with French Expat songstress Keren Ann and the lovely Calexico.
Bedroom Eyes
Someone recently asked me what I liked most about getting to participate in the fun house that is 3hive. Let me share just two of many. First, experiences like checking out at Home Depot and having a conversation with the guy behind the counter about the Walkmen cause of my t-shirt and telling him about Jonathan Fire*eater as he wrote down “3hive.com” on a piece of paper he then stuffed in his pocket. Second, emails from Sweden, like the one from Jonas Jonsson introducing us to his little project Bedroom Eyes. The EP Embrace in Stereo is provided gratis by Jonas and friends, so let me just quote Jonas himself: “Pop music from the heart – to the feet.”
Bitter Tea for Breakfast
Comparisons never work out right, you know? The most well-intentioned end up sounding like the biggest slams, e.g. when we still had a print newspaper at the high school at which I teach, and the student review of a new restaurant noted the “Applebee’s-like customer service with Outback Steakhouse quality.” I’m totally certain the kid was giving serious props to the place, while simultaneously guaranteeing that I would rather be hit (gently) by a truck than eat there. Anyway, Bitter Tea for Breakfast is Travis Carter, formerly of Millimeters Mercury, another Mr. Hyde Records band. Bitter Tea etc. reminds me of — well, don’t take this the wrong way — Bright Eyes. Not really in terms of sound or lyrics, but maybe in spirit. Meticulous chaos, that sort of thing. The thing is, the big C.O. doesn’t offer entire albums for free download over at Saddle Creek, like Travis does at his site. Oh well… By the way, I’m dedicating this post to 3hive’s new pal Lisa, like me a former Maroon (she’s hardcore though, she was in the college!) and wishing everyone a good 2007.
Apes and Androids
Despite the fact that I’m sensing a whole lot of holiday spirit from the 3hive dudes this week, I’m going to have to deviate from the norm and express my relief that the world has returned to its normal state of affairs. And in the coming days, I’ll have to step aside and let someone else find you all that hot new ghettotech version of Auld Lang Syne. In any case, the seasonal lights may still be up, people may still be out of town, but the madness is over. And for a grinch like me, that means some celebration is in order.
Who knew that NYC band Apes and Androids would provide just the kind of relief I was looking for? I’m naturally arrhythmic and dancing has just never been my thing, so what a miracle it is that I cannot stop dancing around my apartment to “Radioâ€! Seriously, this is huge. I’ve been dancing all weekend! There was a time when uber-electronic music that made other people want to bump and grind really didn’t speak out to me, but times are a-changing and Apes and Androids happen to be clever about the placements of their bleeps and zips and pings, which helps. Of course, let us not discount the value of hearing something fun after all these days of cheer and sentimentality. A&A are new to the game, and will be releasing their album in early 2007, but while I wait, I plan on buying a pair of good flat shoes to dance in ALL NIGHT LONG. Ah, how sweet to remember just how fun life can be when you need a holiday from the holidays.
Takka Takka
So I have this friend who is pretty much the indie rock grinch. You can throw on the newest.freshest.latest and he’s all BAH! INDIE BY NUMBERS!! Off with its head! It’s a battle you can’t really win. If he hears so much as a hand clap, a trace of irony, or god help you, whistling – it’s over. Enter exceedingly indie, uber DIY, outer-borough band (specifically: Brooklyn, Queens): Takka Takka. Hand clapping? Oh yeah. Whistling? Totally. Irony? Much. And they’ve got a country twang that’s not living in Mississippi. They are the arch nemesis of my hater friend. But that is his issue, not mine. Despite some musical tics that might seem a bit obvious, there’s just something about these boys that resounds with me. It’s a kind of clapping that I can get down with clapping along with. And who doesn’t like something catchy to whistle along with. Indie by numbers, it’s possible, but Takka Takka are also doling out some solid, catchy pop too. And after forming a veritable trifecta of oddness when they joined forces with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Architecture in Helsinki for a recent tour, the proof is in the pudding – silly/weird/random can be some good stuff.
Thieves Like Us
A great tip from Lismore’s email blast. The two bands just played Friday at the Delancy in NYC. I can’t stop listening to the 12″ from Thieves Like Us. This A-side plays like a lost track from the Trainspotting soundtrack. A little New Order, a little Daft Punk, a lot of dance floor fun. A tribute to tripping. 3hive does not condone illegal drug use (at least not before breakfast), but we fully support dropping beats that induce body moving euphoria. Tune into these two Swedes and a Yankee and let yourself go.
For those of you keeping score at home, this post marks 3hive’s 1,000th entry. Make some noise!