Every summer, we here at 3hive look for a song for summer, you know, be it summer anthem or road trip soundtrack, etc. While the Living Blue do not offer such a song, they do offer the feel for a great summer song. They’re rockin’, stingin’, full of energy and buzz, they just sing about other topics. “Serrated Friend” is sure to keep you awake on that long drive to beach.
The 1900s
The bouncy organ riffs sold me immediately on The 1900’s. Lines like “wrap them in licorice and tie them to stones” and the strings and french horn that close out the song complete the psychedelic smorgasbord from this Chicago sextet. Speaking of sex, it sounds like there’s a few love triangles between band members. Keep those relationships in check kids! We wouldn’t want to spoil the party before things get going. Their debut “mini-album” Plume Delivery has been out less than a month. They’d make good summer mix tape neighbors with The Zombies, Stereolab, and the ol’ Elephant 6 crew.
The 1900s play with Midlake tonight at the Mercury Lounge in New York, with shows continuing in the city for the next two nights (Fontana’s and Arlene’s Grocery respectively). More tour dates here.
1.618: Fine Looking/Sounding Music Blog
Sufjan Stevens Avalanche Stream Part 1
Brian Eno + David Byrne
Today we’re going back twenty-five years to 1981 (would someone check my math on that?). Brian Eno and David Byrne collaborated to produce the album My Life in a Bush of Ghosts. The album highlights the pair’s mutual love for African pop and rhythms. The track offered here, “Regiment,” is obviously influenced by such music. Its rhythms and percussion are also reminiscent of another album released in ’81, Japan’s Tin Drum. Eno + Byrne’s album set the template for later works of world and electronic music. My Life in a Bush of Ghosts was re-mastered and re-issued this year and the complete multi-tracks to two of the songs are available for download on Bush-Of-Ghosts.com. Producers are encouraged to use the tracks in their own work, or remix the songs and upload them back to the site. The site also features archival press coverage, essays, photos from the recording sessions, a video and polaroids by David Byrne himself. A worthwhile way to spend your day procrastinating.
Birdmonster’s WOXY Set
Neko Case
It’s already been established (see below) that I can’t even attempt neutrality when talking about Neko Case. I’m in love with her, plain and simple. I’m married, but I think even my wife understands, or at least as much as I can understand her love for Zach Braff. But don’t let my bald adoration turn you away, because it’s Neko’s mind you should love, man. Her mastery of lyrical storytelling is nearly in a league with Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynne, Emmylou Harris, and Willie Nelson, and “nearly†only because she hasn’t been around as long. The angelic tenor of her voice, rendered with a ballroom echo, is sublime, and the stories themselves possess the exquisite detail and suspense, the juxtaposition of familiarity and esoteric conceit, of the finest Flannery O’ Connor tales. And don’t forget that, lest you complain (and, really, it’s the only complaint I’ll accept about my beloved) that the sonic similarities between tracks is a hair too close, Neko is pushing the boundaries of American roots music by night while she and the New Pornographers keep inching toward the perfect pop song by day. I’m well aware that this is the kind of adoring write-up that could come back to haunt me. Oh well. Love makes us do crazy things.
Mr. Lif
Mr. Lif has made a name for himself as a dry-witted, raspy-voiced MC whose favorite topics tend toward the sociopolicical. No change here with his latest solo album, Mo’ Mega, as he rakes the current administration over the coals without flinching. Lif is equally skilled at, though less famous for, is more playful braggadocio as evidenced on his collabo with Cut Chemist. Download both for a “fair and balanced” playlist (just kidding).
Birdmonster
Ah, music my great distraction. You wouldn’t believe all the things I should be doing right now. I’ll spare you the boring details. I put it all aside to prove to the world that 3hive is the pinnacle of uncool. The Mount Everest of square. There are an umpteen number of cooler music blogs than this place. “Umpteen?” I told you. We’re dorks (I speak for myself here, shouldn’t drag the rest of the guys into this). Birdmonster is living proof of our cool-lessness. The cool blogs were talking up Birdmonster a year ago. Some blogs tried to be as uncool as us, but they’re eight months cooler. So Birdmonster, a year later and they’re still great, still holding up under the pressure of being the next “thing.” “Resurrection Song” has been their introduction to the world. Its spare production and the band’s playing bring an immediate sense of urgency, like there’s no tomorrow for these boys. When Peter Arcuni’s singing hits three-fourths the way in you get Malkmus-smart lyrics, and a similar delivery. More agressive and less pretentious than Pavement. That’s the soundbite. If you haven’t heard Birdmonster yet, well, you’re in good hands with 3hive.
*Note: Tune in today at 4pm Eastern at WOXY.com for a live performance of Birdmonster. More upcoming shows available here.