My care for you is such that...

The cleverly talented Bao
Hot Chip. hOt CHip. What to say about a band that encompasses every thing that has been lacking in danceable rock/pop music since Depeche Mode and Erasure were THE hip beats on the scene. I had not seen their live show since they played at Webster Hall and was sad at how dull and flat they seemed on a large stage after being spoiled by their intimate in-studio during CMJ 2006 with KEXP. Seeing them Tuesday night was watching a new band. Their sound has evolved into this overwhelming presence both on a visual and audio level. Boy From School is still my favorite song of theirs, to me it is seamless. Breaking it out as their second song in i was completely sold for the night. Even in the midst of a rabid dance party of sweaty Williamsburg hipsters the lyrics "Every time that we walk the streets, i try my best to keep up with the beat you're every thing that i never could keep" were golden with anguish and sincerity. Alexis Taylor croons with such purposeful dedication while simultaneously shaking an egg beater or pounding on the drums or banging on the keyboard...Monopolizing on percussion and rhythm the subtle whistling in the background reminds me of those classic 80s tracks from Phil Collins or Paul Simon. Then Taylor takes it up a notch urging the audience to chime in with clapping bringing a circular sound to the room while you find yourself swallowed alive by their hungry rhythm. Since touring with LCD Soundsystem Al Doyle is a force to be reckoned with and the whole room vibrated with his abusive fresh skills. Hot Chip is a first and foremost a dance party but their potent lyrics and virile musicians place them well ahead of most bands that try to mimic what they have been doing for the past eight years---making brilliant records and continuing to fine-tune their live show.
Hot Chip-Shake A Fist.mp3
Hot Chip-We're Looking For A Lot Of Love.mp3
Hot Chip Tags

Holy heck...new Annuals

Listening to John's show this morning i was completely blown away by the new Annuals track, Sore off of their upcoming EP, Wet Zoo (being released on Canvasback Music). Their first album, Brother was one of my favorite debuts from 2006 and it sounds like they have grown by leaps and bounds and are set to attack our ears at full force.
Annuals-Sore.mp3
Annuals Tags

When i first met you girl, you were ELECTRIC darlin'*

The last time i wrote about a band with the name Vampire in it they became so big that even the New York Times had to make a pretty little bar graph to chart their predicted success for 2008:

Not as clever as Pie Chart...
Now i am not saying that Vampire Hands are the new Vampire Weekend-but i have been enjoying their skills as of late. Springing forth from Minneapolis and currently touring and touting their new album, Me and You Cherry Red they are supporting Tapes n' Tapes on a few of their upcoming dates including their engagement at Filmore/Irving Pit on the 18th and in Williamsburg at the Music Hall on the 19th.
They sound muffled and confined, as though they recorded their LP in the garage of your next door neighbor which i find highly endearing. That and i am a sucker for anything with Vampire attached to the title. Definitely be sure to check them out!

*************VAMPIRE HANDS TOUR DATES****************
9-Carabar-Columbus, Ohio 10-The Davenport-Parma Heights, Ohio
11-Club Midway-New York, New York 12-ATM HOUSE-Philladelphia, Pennsylvania
13-The Spazzatorium Galleria-Greenville, North Carolina
14-The Oasis-New London, Connecticut 15-Glasslands Gallery (Williamsburg)-NYC
16-Velvet Lounge-Washington DC
18-Fillmore New York-Irving Plaza with Tapes n' Tapes and White Denim New York, New York
19-The Williamsburg Music Hall w/ Tapes n' Tapes and White Denim New York, New York
20-The Birdhouse-Knoxville,TN 21-Camp Concentration-St. Louis, MI
22-Replay Lounge-Lawrence, Kansas 23-The Hi-Dive-Denver,CO
25-The Echo Curio-Echo Park, CA 26-Dam Haus-Davis, CA
27-A House-Oakland, CA 28-The Mansion-San Francisco, CA
29-Lewis and Clark College-Portland, Oregon 30-A House-Portland, Oregon
May 1-Le Voyeur Olympia, Washington 2-The Vera Project-Seattle, Washington
3-The Badlander-Missoula, Montana 7-7th Street with Dead Meadow & First Communion After Party-Minneapolis, Minnesota
Vampire Hands-Statuette.mp3
Vampire Hands-Wolf Skin Pose.mp3
Vampire Weekend Tags

Hands down, I'm too proud for Love

Lykke Li was on the top of my list of artists to check out had i made my way down for SXSW. Her songs are simple, sweet little lullabies and tempered fits of affection. I am not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination but i do love to turn on my ipoddy and dance to A Little Bit. Cheeky and flashy it is just what i need to put some bounce in my step. Be forewarned, most of her songs will stick with you even after just one listen. She has that certain delicate lit to her voice much like Kate Bush that has a particular way of haunting your eardrums. Lykke Li will be visiting our city on May 8th with fellow Swedish chanteuse El Perro Del Mar, you can grab tickets here.
Lykke Li-Complaint Department.mp3
Lykke Li-Tonight.mp3

Extremely LOUD and Incredibly CLOSE...to you...

music is my beach house
I sadly realized tonight that my lil blog is over one year old and i completely missed her birthday! There have been many a day where i sought solace and comfort in my site-finding her to be the highlight of my day. Silly but true. I had often thought about starting my own blog but was always daunted by how many writers there already were on the scene and what would i have to say that would be any different than what anyone else was saying... It was not until I went to see Elvis Perkins for the first time and checked some of my favorite fellow concert goers pages and saw that NO ONE had written about my beloved. How could this be possible?! And so...i grew enough nerve and decided that it didn't matter if no one read it, or even if people did- i had artists i WANTED to write about and music i desperately wanted to share. It led me to places i never dreamed i could go-working with some of the best people in the business and i could not be happier for making the jump. Sometimes i bully Jaime into writing for me and every now and again my dearest sister reports in about the DC/Annapolis/Baltimore music scene when she isn't out and about saving the world, or at least trying to make it a better place. I truly with my whole entire heart believe that music unites, saves, inspires and creates love and every one's lives would be at a loss without it. In every single culture and even species there is some form of music. It makes our world a smaller and closer community and i think we could all use to remember that every now and again. So if you have enjoyed even the most minuscule of my ramblings i thank you.
Taken Too Young.mp3
The Strokes-Alone Together.mp3

We stand worlds apart

The Dodos are ablaze with energy and sound. I however am not due to a chest infection...hence this review being posted a little bit after the fact. If they are making their way to your town you should DEFINITELY check them out. They will be back in the city for Siren Festival 2008! Loved...and it would be easy to say it is because they sound like a band who dreams in the world of Animal Collective and lives their days in the world of the White Stripes. Mainly it was because during their set i was able to completely relax and enjoy wherever their songs happened to take me. I was genuinely impressed by Meric Long and Logan Kroeber and their ability to muster such energy on a late Sunday night, though it was incredibly hard to see them and their third band mate behind the sold out masses. Their set was full of light and spacious lullabies. It was enchanting and beautiful. Then they would strike out with a bluesy, tangled, messy ensemble of sliced lyrics that made the real rock lover in me incredibly happy. It was a peaceful meeting of the minds in my own heart--the bit of me that delights in simple, sweet, flowing melodies and the bit of me that loves loud, rough grooves and wailing guitars. Although they may only have one album, Visiter- these two young ones stretch their songs well beyond the definition of a 'young band starting out.'
The Dodos-Bob.mp3
The Dodos-Fools.mp3
Dodos

Muxtape-com'on-sport your *sKilLz*

Crystal Castles insanity by the magically talented Bao Nguyen
Making a mixed tape or if you want to be FaNcy* and MOdErN...a mixed cd for someone is 50% about yourself and 50% about the recipient of your time and affection. At least that is how it usually is when i take the time to make someone a cd and hence why when i finally hand it over it is with much hesitation and embarrassment because it is a bit of me baring my soul. No joke. I spend hours putting together compilations thinking about how i hope someone notices the same specific lyric that captured my attention and admiration or if they will notice how awesome it is when that beat drops that makes me dance like there is no tomorrow. Music is terribly personal and sharing it is something you should do daily with those you love. Earlier this week my friend Ariel passed along the website Muxtape which posts compilations created by people who also test their skills at pasting together the perfect melodic set. So to head into your weekend here is a mini-set chocked full of some fun stuff to groove to. It is J'slicks' birthday celebration so i had to at least put something together for him! HAPPPPYYY BIRTHDAY JAIME!
Fuck Buttons-Sweet Love for Planet.mp3
Crystal Castles-Crimewave.mp3
Hercules and Love Affair-Blind.mp3
Crystal Castles-Courtship Date.mp3
Lykke Li-I'm Good I'm Gone.mp3
Crystal Castles-Good Time.mp3
Apache Beat-Tropics-CFCF-remix.mp3
The Ting Tings-Great DJ.mp3
Solid Gold-Who You Gonna Run To.mp3
And yes...i have crashed painfully hard for Crystal Castles, they are soooo good, check out my review of their performance during FRICTION for my other love, KEXP here if you would like.

Important shows on sale TODAY @ 12!

Your friendly neighborhood Possum wishes you a HAPPY FRIDAY!
Morning little music lovers while you are (hopefully) listening to KEXP blasting the Voom Blooms or reading the announced Lolla line up don't forget to snag a post-it note and make a message to remind yourself to purchase tickets to the Raconteurs for their show at Terminal 5 on May 31st here. For those of you outside of nYc you can find tickets to the rest of their nationally scheduled dates as well. One of my favorite bands i have yet to see, the Toadies are playing Bowery Ballroom on June 26th. Grab those tickets here at 12:oo PM! Savy?!
Toadies-Possum Kingdom.mp3
The Raconteurs-Rich Kid Blues.mp3
The Raconteurs-Old Enough.mp3
The Raconteurs-Teenage Kicks.mp3
*The Raconteurs chose to cover this track orginially by The Undertones for the BBC's 40th anniversary last year. It was also the legendary John Peel's all-time favorite song.

The Toadies Tags
The Raconteurs Tags

Bette Davis was born 100 years ago today

If there is one thing my mum did right it was my classical education in film. Mainly the introduction of true female movie stars and real scripts into my life at an impressionable age. I knew who Bette Davis, Audrey Hepburn, and Vivien Leigh, were way before I knew Jem or the Smurfs. Trips to the local video store found me begging my Dad to let me rent Gone With the Wind for the millionth time...or Gigi. It wasn't until i was older that i realized Scarlett O'Hara was a bit of a husband stealer or that Gigi was a young girl basically being trained for things that are not the most lady like-at which point in time i changed the object of my affection to Audrey Hepburn and have been loyal to her ever since. But i never forgot Bette...vivacious, dangerous, sharp witted and confident. Her performance in All About Eve was deliciously decadent on every level. It was and is still my favorite of all her performances. New York Times reporter, Terrence Rafferty states it best in a fabulously affectionate article about the late and the great, Bette Davis could make you see red in black and white. There will never be another like her and for that you should at least take this opportunity to remember her talent and maybe netflix a film or two.

I believe you could be what i need to believe

Friday night was my premiere rendez~vous with the one of the most treasured landmarks of New York City, the Museum of Natural History. The occasion that finally forced me to venture into the monolithic building was to dance out my demons. Sad, but true. Completely outside of my nature as a blatant belligerent science loving geek I had never taken the time to check out the museum (but with the admission to any of the Flavorpill events you can go back for free!!) and that being said i am definitely heading back sometime soon within the upcoming weeks. Hello-can we say Velociraptor in the entry way! Seriously folks...Attending an electronic/dance duo in a Museum packed with all of my favorite things, mummies, asteroids, explanations of DEATH STARS, a butterfly garden and well, my first love...DINOSAURS, i could not have been more in my element. Fully planning on seeing Simian Mobile Disco during their CMJ performance at Music Hall of Williamsburg I stupidly opted out to try and do the 'right' thing and attend a show for work reasons...which Jaime will never let me live down. So needless to say i was overjoyed at the news that they were making their way over to our little city again. Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release is an album stacked with deliciously mixed track after track and i had heard that their live performances were a sight to behold. Unfortunately the overall layout of the event itself could use some tweaking, i was separated from most of my friends within the first ten minutes, but the sound was crystal clear and the ambiance could not have been more custom made for this eclectic duo. Swiftly moving from track to track i became more excited for each upcoming surprise as the set progressed. Sadly they did not play Hot Dog or Love but a heavy rendition of Hustler completely topped off the event. After a viciously emotionally draining week it was exactly what this lady needed...that and a friendly neighborhood dinosaur.
Simian Mobile Disco-I Believe.mp3
Simian Mobile Disco-Sleep Deprivation.mp3
Simian Mobile Disco-Hustler.mp3
Simian Mobile Disco Tags

To end the longest of days

Ever since i was little i have sought and taken complete comfort in words. Snuggling into them like crinkled covers or the lap of my Gran there are books, poems, letters, films and of course songs that i have re-visited and lavished more attention upon than some of my actual relationships. This confession might seem sad to some, but i think it has worked out well for me in the long run and those who i am fortunate enough to have love me in my life swallow this aspect about me like a well dosed grain of salt and accept me for the awkward being i truly am. When faced with new encounters, jobs, interviews, or random daily happenings i often am found standing politely yet silently in the nearest nook i can find and more often than not daydreaming about the latest tune i am rolling around in my head. Recently i was lucky enough to spend a brief but brilliant amount of time with someone who i feel has changed my life in ways that only a special few could ever do. Coinciding with this radiance i came into understanding about Bon Iver. I have been listening to him since October and of course was a fan early on of the hauntingly sparse 'Skinny Love' but it is only recently that i subsided to the simple beauty of his album entitled - For Emma, Forever Ago. Half jokingly half out of seriousness i texted one of my nearest and dearest whilst waiting under an umbrella in the rain for a late dining companion exclaiming, 'someone needs to take my bon iver away from me!'...because my addiction had reached certain levels where i felt it was/is becoming unhealthy. And so, with this, i provide you the mp3 of his live performance during SXSW...via KEXP and NPR. If you do not immediately embrace it for its elegance and grace then try and imagine saying goodbye to someone you do not even know how to describe in words let alone emotion how much you are even going to begin to miss them...
Bon Iver Live @ KEXP/NPR/SxSw.mp3
Bon Iver Tags

Adele News...

Because Eric and I love her and you should as well...
so i signed with Columbia Records in the states a couple of weeks ago, which means the ball can get rolling now...

im coming back over the pond after my next U.K tour to do a north amerian one, starting at the end of may and going through till the end of june. to go alongside the release of my album. HOWEVER, the album will be available digitally on itunes before this. from APRIL 8th!! The actual CD release will come during/after the tour, because i cant be back in the U.S for nearly another 2 months to work a full blown release. And i want as many of you as possible who already know about me to get your hands on the album before then, without having to pay the shipping costs like i know some of you have done.

when i first do a show somewhere for the first time its a stripped back/acoustic affair, so most of the tour will be this, in smallish intimate places. Ive just done some shows in new york, l.a and canada - my band will be with me when i come back there.

the dates are all getting confirmed and all that over the next few days, then ill put them up!

again thanks for having me over the last couple of weeks, and thankyou so much for making my first shows and first proper visit a laugh!!

looking forward to the next leg of it..

adele
xxxx
Adele Tags