So long, Simone! Have a nice Thanksgiving in Brooklyn. (I’ll probably get yelled at by our loyal fact-checking readership, who will remind me that none of the three women in this band is named Simone.) I’d love to spend my T-day in Brooklyn, or listening to Verses Of Comfort, Assurance and Salvation — which the Japanese consider to be “8 tracks of perfect lo-fi synth pop” — but it looks like I’ll be at home with just one song by Au Revoir Simone to ease me through my tryptophan hit.
Rogue Wave
Really, this whole music thing is pretty simple. Some people who like to play music get together, make music they like, other people who like music buy it, usually if they like it. Rogue Wave, they’re four guys who like to play music, they keep it simple, and that simple music produces some catchy, melodic, and thoughtful songs. “10:1” brings to mind Radio Dept‘s “Liebling” and Viva L’American Death Ray Music’s “SAGGSA” (the first song here).
Podcast #12: Better Late Than Never
Clearlake
(A reminder: Tune in tonight at 10pm PST to hear Mark from Music.For-Robots and myself go mano a mano for what’s sure to be fine musical joust.)
Anyone remember the movie Judgment Night? Yeah, me neither. The soundtrack’s a different story. It paired up Sonic Youth with Cypress Hill, Dinosaur Jr. with Del the Funky Homosapien, and Teenage Fan Club with De La Soul. Two great genres that go great together: indie rock and hip hop.
The album’s really burned in my mind however because back when the album hit I’d just been promoted to Music Director at a commercial alternative station, and a young, eager radio promotion rep at Epic Records, Stu Bergen (hi Stu!), attempted to cut his aggressive promo teeth by yelling at me for an hour demanding my station report Epic’s “single” in heavy rotation or something. Back then playlist reporting was all theoretical because there was no way for anyone to tell exactly how many times a radio station played a song, but Stu was out to impress his higher-ups, and impress them he must have ’cause he’s been breaking bands, taking names, and running promotion departments for Island Def Jam and Columbia Records (and here I sit blogging away…). I don’t even remember the fate of that Judgment Night track, but I do remember Stu and I breaking bread at Smith And Wollensky’s, A Steakhouse to End All Arguments. And end them it did. Stu and I have been pals ever since.
Now that I’ve bored many of you to tears, and awakened a raging midnight snacking, back to Clearlake: between this remix by Nobody and the recent remix of Against Me! by Mouse On Mars, I sense another remix trend bubbling among the indie rock world. I’m sure there’s plenty more out there. Use the comments to let us know about your recent favorites.
And yes, I realize I’ve said absolutely nothing about Clearlake. More demo tracks from their forthcoming album are available here.
Vote for 3hive!
Lagwagon
I should feel old, like the subject of Lagwagon’s “Falling Apart.” The whole flashback sequence that led to this post was triggered by my pal/former housemate Brent announcing he has a second child on the way — and Brent has always been one of my YOUNGER friends. Yeah, I should feel old. Lagwagon probably should, too, considering the flashback took me to a photo shoot for grid some 10 years ago where Jon dropped them and other bands from the Warped Tour inside a dollhouse using Photoshop magic. (I wish I could find the shot of Angelo Moore dressed up as a maid…Jon?) But Lagwagon’s still making music and I’m still writing about it. So, pass the multi-vitamins and fire up the heating pad…here’s to another 10 years of punk rock and baby makin’!
Castanets
While he may share the same record label as pop revivalist Sufjan Stevens, Castanets’ mainman Raymond Raposa creates a space of his own with what his bio calls “mutant country” — somber tales of heartbreak spread over wonderfully sparse, ecclectic instrumentation. Let those slow embers burn and keep your days warm and hopeful (those who have already started to see snowflakes swirl in the air know what I’m talking about).
Tender Forever Live!
The Rosebuds
My inner zen master wants to say of their latest release, Birds Make Good Neighbors, “the delicate sound of falling leaves coupled with the ominous sounds of the approaching winter.”
The realist in me will end this way: Timeless pop from Raleigh, North Carolina. The Rosebuds conjure a rich textural sound and do so in such a way as to evoke Lloyd Cole, The Stone Roses, Grant Lee Buffalo and a tiny dash of Rufus Wainwright. This husband and wife duo are definitely worth a listen.