2 new Death Cab tracks premiered on Daytrotter

I'm sure many of you have already heard, but Death Cab for Cutie just did a session for Daytrotter, and they played 2 new tracks of their upcoming Narrow Stairs LP. Give'm a listen.

Cath.mp3 - from Narrow Stairs

Talking Bird.mp3 - From Narrow Stairs

Here's some Death Cab for Cutie to purchase



Or, hows about some Postal Service?



Or solo Ben Gibbard?

New Mike Doughty "Fort Hood" video

Let the Sun Shine in . . .

New R.E.M. Hollow Man Video

Heads up! Theres a new video up for R.E.M.'s Hollow Man.

Check it out HERE

More Vinyl Acquisitions

Mike Doughty – Haughty Melodic

Owen – At Home with Owen

R.E.M. – So Much Younger Then [live 1981 bootleg] *FOR SALE*

Saves the Day – Under the Boards [limited edition green vinyl] *FOR SALE – STILL SEALED*

 

For my full collection click HERE

New Death Cab for Cutie video - I will Possess Your Heart

Here's some Death Cab for Cutie to purchase



Or, hows about some Postal Service?



Or solo Ben Gibbard?

Phantom Planet on Kimmel

What says ye? I liked the original version of Do the Panic from Negatives better (with its reference to seeing Judge Reinholdt at the screening for Teen Wolf). Does that make me a snob. Yes, but I'm ok with that. I guess the new version is ok too.

Songs With Strings #2

Songs with Strings #2
an ongoing MP3 series featuring good songs with good strings


This one goes out to my darling (and adorably pregnant) wife. This is probably one of her favorite songs with strings, and as an accomplish cellist, that means a lot. The song, Death Right, comes from Rocky Votolato's 2003 Suicide Medicine. That is probably my favorite Rocky Votolato album. This song provides an interesting juxtaposition of Rocky's most gravel-y rough voice with some exquisite and almost painful sounding strings. It think the result is great. My wife never lets me skip this song if it comes up on shuffle on the iPod. So - enjoy.

Rocky Votolato - Death Right.mp3

R.E.M. joins the Colbert Nation

April Fools from Death Cab for Cutie and Mike Doughty

Last year, Mike Doughty pulled a great April Fools joke, announcing his plans to enter New York state politics. This year, he announced (this morning) that Soul Coughing's freshman release, Ruby Vroom, was going to be hitting Broadyway as a musical. Classic! Click HERE for tickets.

However, I believe that Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard tops them all this year with his supposed free-form jazz vibraphone playing band "Just Jazzin'." Here's the accompanying video.



Here's some Death Cab for Cutie to purchase



Or, hows about some Postal Service?



Or solo Ben Gibbard?

New Vinyl Additions

The Get Up Kids – On a Wire

Hey Mercedes – Every Night Fireworks [SIGNED by the band]

The Long Winters – Putting the Days to Bed

Paul Simon – Graceland

They Might be Giants – Don't Let Start [12" single]

The Thrills – So Much for the City

For my full collection click HERE

Initial Thoughts Album Review # 2 - R.E.M. Accelerate

Initial Thoughts Album Review # 2

Unpretentious album reviews that forgo the big words, analogies and obscure music-references to simply voice some initial thoughts and gut reactions.

There has been quite a bit of hype out this album, and I'll be the first to admit that it has gotten my hopes VERY high. I lived off R.E.M. back in middle and high school and I even liked their controversial Monster and New Adventures in Hi-Fi releases (I say "controversial" because some fans despise those releases . . . I liked them). But, since this it has really been disappointing. Up and a good song or, but Reveal and Around the Sun were tragedies. As I sit and listen to Accelerate, however, I find myself transported back to their golden era . . . almost. It is an interesting mix: On certain tracks I find myself feeling like I'm listening to some unreleased song from the Life's Rich Pageant sessions, but at the same time I hear elements in Michael Stipe's voice that are distinctly post-Automatic for the People. In other words, I'm excited. I think that Stipe and the boy have taken what they always did best and updated it to include some of the good new evolutions, jettisoning the bad habits of the last 8 years or so. Hooray! I'm so excited to be excited about R.E.M. again!