The Fast Computers
You know how sometimes you want to just blow off everything? Check out of the world and do nothing but cozy up with a good book in bed? That’s me. Right now. And thanks to John Coulter and his charming pop suggestion, I’m gonna do just that…Oh, but wait! Blurbomat has been doing anything but checking out. Get a load of the new tweaks: new link/headline color, and our newest gadget: 3hive news! We’ll keep you up to date on any new MP3 links we add to the archives along with anything else that tickles our fancy. We hope we’re tickling yours…
New Pornographers Title Track Up
New Minmae MP3s Posted
Bullet Train to Vegas
Back in college, my friend and roommate Dave Stohl studied Japanese and taught me a few key phrases: “Good morning.” “Very cool, isn’t it?” “Make a U-turn here?” and “Please do not pee out the window of the bullet train.” I’ve never really had occasion to use these…until now. The first two phrases are fairly obvious. The third in reference to the band’s throwback post-punk aesthetics (right down to the sound of the cassette tape snapping into the deck at the start of “Cut the Party…”). The fourth is sound advice under any circumstances, but especially when you’re rolling at breakneck speeds as these lads do. Domo, Dave. And, domo to you too, Bullet Train to Vegas.
The Epoxies
Some of our more avid readers may have noticed we were late in posting our last several entries. We had been experiencing those fabled technical difficulties, but our pro MT man, SeÒor Blurb, set us straight. You can continue to expect quality, free, and legal music from us daily. While Jon was tinkering on 3hive’s back end last night, I was busy pogo-ing to the Epoxies. Now this is Neu-Wave: leave your cooler-than-thou posturing at home and bring on old fashioned, danceable fun.
schneiderTM
When Old Man Heat and Bitter Hag Humidity slow everything to a muggy crawl — as they have of late in these parts — schneiderTM’s hazy electro pop seems to get a lot more spins on my iPod. Just thought I’d share…
Okkervil River
A few months ago, The New York Times compared Okkervil River to The Decemberists, noting that both bands compose literate, obscure indie-pop songs for small-but-growing audiences. At least I think that’s what the article was about. I don’t really remember. Anyway, the songs I donwloaded back then have been sitting around on my computer, aging like a decent bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, so please let me say, “Drink away!” Start with the mellow intensity of “A Favor,” check out the pop legs of “Black,” or dive right into “For Real,” off their recently released Black Sheep Boy. For more hits at the bottle, so to speak, check out the half dozen other tracks available at the Okkervil River homepage (and please excuse my oenophilic tendencies).
Noe Venable
Clicking through someone else’s iPod is a personal experience, like examining the contents of a purse or carefully reading titles on a bookshelf. “She’s got a hell of a lot of 50 Cent on here,” you might say to yourself, and completely remake your mental image of that iPod’s owner. While S. didn’t have a lot of rap on hers — Japanese pop artists were ubiquitous, for some reason — it was Noe Venable that caught my ear. With a clear voice that ranges from innocent to playful to angry, this San Francisco artist’s lush home recordings reflect her strong, intelligent narrative vision. And this reminds me of S., at least “Just a Lil Bit.”
Wonder Ground
Today the suggestion box brings us Wonder Ground, who will be recording an EP at the Ship with a guy from Earlimart, who were described by Joe here on 3hive as “intelligent pop that’s true to an indie-rock spirit.” That statement also applies to Wonder Ground. Joe added four descriptive words to describe Earlimart, but for Wonder Ground, I’ll add comparisons to American Analog Set and Beulah, who were, well, intelligent pop that was true to an indie-rock spirit. Don’t you just love the suggestion box?