Sell the Lie

Again, this is me trying to catch up...I realize I'm late with this one.

For those of you who don't know yet, Rocky Votolato is releasing a new album - True Devotion.  The album is due out 2/23, and promises to be another fine folky adventure.  I have the first single, Red River, up for download.  Anyone into singer-songwriter or alt-country/folk seen will enjoy (think Mason Jennings, Pete Yorn etc etc.).  Take a gander.

If you like what you hear, the full album is streaming over at Paste.

True Devotion is available right now on iTunes!

If you pre-order a physical copy through barsuk.com before 2/23 you will receive a bonus 7" single (while supplies last) and be entered automatically to win a free private house show performance by Rocky. The bonus 7" single includes the two non-album tracks "Rushing To The Ending" (with James Bowman of Against Me! on guitar) and "Connections".  Both songs feature label-mate David Bazan on drums.  Here's the pre-order link:

http://www.barsuk.com/truedevotion

Visit him online:  Official | Myspace

Get his music:  Amazon | iTunes

It's been nigh a year since I first posted about The Motorcycle Industry, and this new EP brings even more of the slacker-voiced punk band.

Name dropping The Knitting Factory, super fuzzed-out synthesizers, summer beards, and pretending to like hip-hop are just some of the high points of the 4-song EP.  At times reminiscent of Fountains of Wayne, Stereophonics, or Say Anything, this is some good-times rock to get you through until summer.

Try this track on for size, it's called "Paul Newman and A Ride Home."

 When I first got an e-mail with this dude starting at me through my monitor I chuckled a bit.  I mean, seriously - who does he think he is?  I recognized him from that lame show my wife watches, One Tree Hill, and thought that'd be the end of it.

Of course, I received another e-mail with just an album cover and ended up giving it a listen....low and behold, this is why you shouldn't by a book by it's cover.  Or, rather an album by it's cover.  Umm...I guess an album by it's cover-boy?  That's it.  That's the ticket!

Anywho, what I'm getting around too hear is Wakey!Wakey! - a nice little indie-pop(ish) band that should help brighten up a case of the Mondays (or Tuesdays in this case, since some of us had a late start to the week due to the Holiday).  They just released their second album, and the lead off single "Twenty-Two" is pretty damn catchy.  

All you kids who like your Vampire Weekend and your Grizzly Bear (and other animal named bands) will dig what you hear.  Take a listen, smile with those "uh-oh, oh oh"s.  You'll love it.

The full album is streaming over at AOL.

Visit Wakey!Wakey! online:  Official | Myspace

Buy their music:  iTunes | Amazon

 Yes, yes - I know that I've blogged entirely too much about Black Lab lately.  Thing is, that probably isn't going to stop any time soon.  These guys consistently put out some of the best music no one listens to, so someone needs to be singing their praises.  I figure it may as well be me.

Besides, who doesn't like free stuff?

Speaking of free stuff, the point of this post was to let you all know that Black Lab has announced they'll be giving away a free MP3 every moth rather than continuing the MP3 of the Month club.  Now, don't go expecting them to release "Wash It Away" or anything - these MP3s are all going to be "demos".  I use that term lightly, since those of you who know Black Lab already know that their demos are pretty damn polished.  Paul and Andy are working on a new album, so the free MP3s we're getting a peak at are the first editions of songs that may make it on the full length.

I subscribed to the MP3 of the Month club for a few years, so I have a pretty good idea as to what's in store.  One of my favorites from the MP3s of the Month was "Ghost in Your Mind", which found it's way onto Passion Leaves a Trace.  "Ghost in Your Mind" is probably my second favorite track off the album, and in the top 10 of all the Black Lab tracks I have.  That being said, this demo of "The Pain is Gone" is a better starting point.  It looks like the boys will be delivering us another gem soon...

I'll be updating you all with their new free MP3s of the month.  It looks like they're a bit behind right now, here's to hoping they don't let this slide...any and all Black Lab is welcome by me.

Anyways, here's the download link from their site:

[mp3] The Pain is Gone

Get their music:  Blacklabworld | Amazon | iTunes

Visit them online:  Official (Blacklabworld) | Myspace

 Yumm....

I love me some BRMC.  Those of you who know me know that I have a long history with the band.  I first fell in love with "Love Burns".  I followed them brought Take Them On, On Your Own.  Interestingly enough, the first date I had with my wife was actually to see BRMC.  We didn't make it, a car smashed into us on the way and sent us to the hospital.

My wife wouldn't listen to BRMC after that until Howl came out.  Now Howl has claimed one of the few spots in her car's CD case, a truly honorable spot.  Since then I've enjoyed their output, but nothing has really blown me away like Howl did.

Here's to hoping Beat the Devil's Tattoo will.  The lead off single (of the same name) sounds promising.  Not quite as acoustic as Howl, but it sounds like we've got some soulful foot-stomping fun ahead of us.  

Beat the Devil's Tattoo will be out March 9th.  It's now available for pre-order on iTunes.

Take a listen, decide for yourself.

Get their music:  Amazon | iTunes

Visit them online:  Official | Myspace

For those of you who have been living under a rock the last few months: Spoon put out a new album.  It's called Transference.  Better late than never, eh?  Take a listen to the single, Written in Reverse.

Buy the new album, Transference.

Get their music:  Amazon | iTunes 

Visit them online:  Official | Myspace

 Well, I think it's time to get that damn picture of Train off the top of the page.  Blogging time has been limited lately, but I'm hoping that I'll have some consistent posts for all of you a few times a week going forward.

First up, Smashing Pumpkins news.  I'm sure most of you are scratching your heads at this - after all, Zeitgeist pretty much sucked.  And by pretty much sucked, I mean it was quite possibly the worst musical disappointment I'd had in the past 5 years.  The Pumpkins were always one of my favorites - always a bit more "out there" then the other 90's acts that I got first heard in my early "enlightenment era".  Things have certainly gone south since Melon Collie, but I'd still been holding out until I listened to Zeitgeist.  That was the straw that broke the camel's back.

I'd heard some rumors about Jimmy quitting and Billy hiring a 19 year old drummer to keep on keepin' on.  This news didn't do much to encourage me to follow Billy anymore.

After shutting ignoring the Pumpkins for a few months I started hearing that not only was there new material, but it was actually good.  Shocking, I know.

It seems that Billy is starting up a new project - the 44 track Teagarden by Kaleidyscope.  When will it be done?  No one knows.  But Billy is releasing it for free, one track at a time.  Two tracks are up so far over at smashingpumpkins.com, freely available to download as many times as you'd like.  I've put a stream up of "Song for a Son", may favorite of the two here so you can take a gander before clicking away.  I'll do my best to keep you updated as more tracks become available.

[MP3]  A Song for a Son (via smashingpumpkins.com)

[MP3] Widow Wake My Mind (via smashingpumpkins.com)

Get their music:  Amazon | iTunes

Visit them online:  Official | Myspace

So this has been on my mind for quite a while.  On the surface this song has a pretty catchy melody, some clever rhymes and on the whole a good return to form for the boys of Train.  Upon further listen, however, is this little lyrical gem (italics mine, horrifying):

"I'm so obsessed / My heart is bound to beat right out my untrimmed chest."

Yech.  I'm gonna go take a shower.

Christmas tunes are a bit of a fetish for me.  Why?  Well, I suppose it all started when my wife and I were put in charge of the Christmas music for the in-law Christmas party a few years ago.  As I recall, we weren't married yet - still a few months off from being engaged really, but we got our task and went about it.

Every other year I'd been to the big party I'd had to suffer through a few hours of Bing.  I'm sure he means well, but after a couple of tunes I've had enough of Bing.  You'd think that 12 months off would make it more tolerable, but to me it doesn't really help.  So, my task became clear - I needed to scrounge up enough Christmas tunes that WON'T increase my desire to off myself while in the midst of a giant in-law x-mas party - a rather daunting task at times.

Obviously I'm still standing here - I even made it through the last party on Friday 12/18/09 with no scratches, so clearly it works.  These tunes are the fruits of many hours of labour.  I have plenty more, but this is a selection of my favorites - about 1/4 of my stash.  Enjoy, and Happy Holidays.

1. Carol of Bells - Phantom Planet

2. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Local H

3. Blue Christmas - Collective Soul

4. Run Rudolph Run - Sister Hazel

5. Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms

6. Everything's Gonna Be Cool This Christmas - Eels

7. Christmas Time (Is Here Again) - The Beatles

8. Santa Claus is Comin' to Town - Bruce Springsteen

9. Funky Christmas - James Brown

10. We Wish You a Merry Christmas - Weezer

11. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - U2

12. I Won't Be Home For Christmas - Blink-182

13. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee

14. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Bright Eyes

15. White Christmas - Dishwalla

16. 12/23/95 - Jimmy Eat World

17. Someday at Christmas - Pearl Jam

18. Happy Xmas (War is Over) - John Lennon

19. Hey Guys! It's Christmas Time! - Sufjan Stevens

20. O Holy Night - Cary Brothers

21. Do You Hear What I Hear? - Copeland

22. Silent Night - Dishwalla

23. Christmas Is Going to the Dogs - Eels

24. Noel! Noel! - Eve 6

25. Holly Jolly Christmas - The Format

26. Let Me Sleep - Pearl Jam

27. Father Christmas - The Kinks

28. Christmas Baby - G. Love

29. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - Jack Johnson

30. When I Get Home For Christmas - Snow Patrol

31. This Time of Year - The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

32. Jingle Bells - Pearl Jam

33. I Wish it Was Christmas Today - Julian Casablancas

34. Little Drummer Boy - Dishwalla

35. Joy to the World - The Layaways

36. Sister Winter - Sufjan Stevens

37. Let it Snow - Magnet

38. Just Like Christmas - Snow Patrol

39. All I Want for Christmas - Matt Costa

40. Come On! Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance! - Sufjan Stevens

41. Here it is Christmas Time - Old 97's

42. Don't Believe in Christmas - Pearl Jam

43. Back Door Santa - Jet

44. Do They Know it's Christmas? - Pete Yorn

45. Merry Xmas Everybody - R.E.M.

46. Maybe This Christmas - Ron Sexsmith

47. Hey Parker It's Christmas - Ryan Adams

48. Happy Christmas (War is Over) - Sense Field

49. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Death Cab For Cutie

50. White Christmas - Sister Hazel

51. Holy, Holy, Holy - Sufjan Stevens

52. Christmas All Over Again - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

53. River - Travis

54. Santa Claus is Back in Town - My Morning Jacket

55. Christmas Song - Weezer

56. Someday at Christmas - Jack Johnson

57. Star of Wonder - Sufjan Stevens

58. Blue Christmas - Bright Eyes

59. Last Christmas - Jimmy Eat World

60. Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Mason Jennings

61. Winter Wonderland - Radiohead

62. Xmas Eve - The Damnwells

63. Away in a Manger - The Layaways

64. What Child is This? - Black Lab

65. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Hem

Here's a handy dandy zip file with all the tunes.

If you're looking for a bit more "uniformity" in your Christmas mix, I'd suggest checking out these 3 albums:

This Warm December - A Brushfire Holiday Vol. 1

Sister Hazel - Santa's Playlist

Cary Brothers - Father Christmas EP

Those three have been my favorites from the last year or two.

Also - my wife has had me on a mad hunt for a "good" version of Grandma Got Ran Over By a Reindeer.  I'm no fan of the song, but she's not satisfied by the original or the Poe version.  Anyone have any others?

Merry Christmas!

Black Lab is that classic tragedy of the music industry: 

Band makes brilliant album.

Label doesn't push said album.

Band goes to record second album.

Label gets bought by bigger label.

Bigger label drops band and prohibits the release of already recorded material.

Band breaks up.

I have a special place in my heart with bands who went through all this nonsense, but Black Lab reigns supreme even amongst all the Dishwallas and Semisonics.  Their quashed dream seemed a bit more harrowing than their contemporaries.  That and Your Body Above Me was just flat-out genius - a true masterpiece of the '90s.

The time between Your Body Above Me and See the Sun was excruciating.  The boys moved between websites, switched labels, leaked demos and eventually wound up going indie (with only lead singer Paul Durham surviving the whole mess).  Only the most devoted of fans could keep up with the whole mess.  To this day, despite the frustrations I'm thankful I stuck with them.  Ultimately I was rewarded with the brilliance of See the Sun.

Enter Give us Sugar.  With their latest release, Paul and co. have one-upped the previous expectations, hopes and dreams of the Black Lab faithful by releasing not 1, but 2 CDs worth of re-mastered demos, b-sides and soundtrack songs encapsulating (mainly) the band's time between recording their first and second albums.  All the demos that were leaked in really crappy MP3s 10 years ago now are ready for download in WAV format - full CD quality.  Never thought I'd see the day.

I won't stand here and pretend they've delivered 32 tracks of pure bliss.  This is essentially a b-sides album, and b-sides are hit and miss.  That's why they're b-sides folks.  That being said, Lost Dogs from Pearl Jam was one hell of a b-sides album.  Give Us Sugar falls more along those lines than say Pisces Iscariot.  It's more hit than miss.  At just $15 it's quite a deal for 32 tracks.  Take a listen to Like I Used To for a taste of what's in store.

Check here for a full track listing, lyrics, stories behind the songs or to order Give Us Sugar.

Buy their music:  Official | Amazon | iTunes

Visit them online:  Official | Myspace