Julian Casablancas STILL Wears Sunglasses At Night

***Photo taken by Dana Loftus***
Thank god for somethings always staying the same. As this past year ticked away I kept anxiously awaiting news of this supposedly upcoming Strokes record. The interviews with Julian came out and they were not always what I had hoped to hear...that the band wasn't writing together and other snarky comments added by various bloggers but at least they were back in action.
With a sprinkling of surprise London shows and this past weekend's performance at Lolla it is evident the band has been practicing and are still as they have always been, one heck of an awesome rock band. Things have drastically changed since the band last toured together in 2006. Bands such as Yeasayer, MGMT, Grizzly Bear, Suckers, Neon Indian, Fleet Foxes, Local Natives have taken over the indie rock headlines and then there is the whole internet/blog craze. Still The Strokes have weathered the storm. They continue to strike a soft spot in the hearts of many ever-so-fickle tastemakers hearts and they seemed to reign over their audience in Chicago....Lady Gaga armed with fireworks and all. Good music will ALWAYS be good music. This band always had that going for them. You can't fake talent, chemistry or hard work. Pitchfork's mini-review of their set says it all. Check it out here. Another avid fan wrote a review that made me remember what it felt like to see them live here.

Move over Florence

So maybe the subject of this submission isn't the most fair challenge. I tried to get into Florence and the Machine, I really did. I found a video of hers before SXSW two years ago of just her and her drum kit, back when she actually played an instrument on stage and I loved it. She had spunk and fire and the energy to back it up. I went to see her at Bowery Ballroom and was just not inspired. My opinion of her really won't change the fact that hordes of people adore her, which is why I feel okay saying that I don't.

Lissie however I absolutely love. I first found out about her on My Old Kentucky Blog and after two listens was scanning the web for more songs, videos, anything with more information about this golden songbird. She is full of spitfire and soul--much like Jessica Lea Mayfield and when it comes down to it this is what I really look for in female singers. You have to be a bit scary and fierce, you have to sound like you've had your soul stomped on and dragged through the dust a bit. I think both Jessica and Lissie are a younger generation of Neko Case or Dolly Parton. Maybe that is a bit of a stretch but if they both continue to write songs that bleed out of their throats like they have been we are all in for a melodious journey. Lissie is bound to gain some more coverage with her recently released cover of Miss Gaga. I love it. Can't hate a good pop song, especially when someone this talented covers it. Thanks Tripwire.

Also check Lissie out here:

"She lives by herself, with her dog, in a farmhouse in Ojai, Calif., where she tends to drink wine and will, on a whim, go to the store to buy paint for her rocks so she can construct a medicine wheel in her big backyard."
-Daytrotter
*Jessica Lea Mayfield Tags

O.N.E.

There has only been one album for me so far this year that has lived up to its hype and that would be Odd Blood from Secretly Canadian's Yeasayer. Whereas it is no secret that I love this band to the moon and back, it is only fitting that I post their latest video here:

"O.N.E." by Yeasayer from Secretly Jag on Vimeo.

It kinda takes a trip back to the 80s and 90s with the neon hammer pants and dance moves. I wonder if this means raves are going to come back as well...i certainly hope not. I just could never really get into the whole house music movement.
*Yeasayer Tags

Holy heck-THE MORNING BENDERS

Are so good. I know it is lame to post video after video without giving away music. I am still working on getting back up and running on that end but this video is so beautiful it would be a tragedy if everyone did not see it. The Morning Benders are a little band based out of San Francisco (who also recently stopped by to hang out with Will). Together they created this beautiful, truly worthy of Blogotheque acclaim video with a room full of random musicians on guitar, violin, fiddle and a swarm of lovely lady singers. The overall effect is what makes you love music. I am completely sold. The Morning Benders are currently touring and will be stopping by SXSW. They are on one of my favorite labels, Rough Trade. Their new album, Big Echo comes out on March 9th. PERFECT! Enjoy!

Yours Truly Presents: The Morning Benders "Excuses" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

The mOrning Bender Tour Dates:
~~~~~~~~~FEBRUARY~~~~~~~~~~
25*Housing Works (HYPE MACHINE CD SWAP)*New York, New York
27*Market Hotel (w/ Surfer Blood)*Brooklyn, New York
~~~~~~~~~~MARCH~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10*Johnny Brendas*Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
11*Black Cat*DC, Washington DC
12*Local 506*Chapel Hill, North Carolina
13*Drunken Unicorn*Atlanta, Georgia
15*The Bottletree*Birmingham, Alabama
17-22*SXSW (SHOWS TBA)*Austin, Texas
23*Rhythm Room*Phoenix, Arizona
25*The Troubador*Los Angeles, California
26*The Casbah*San Diego, California
27*Detroit Bar*Costa Mesa, California
28*Muddy Waters*Santa Barbara, California
30*The Independent*SAN FRANCISCOOOOOO!, California
~~~~~~~~APRIL~~~~~~~~
1*Holocene*Portland, Oregon
2*Crocodile Cafe*Seattle, Washington
3*Media Club*Vancouver, British Columbia
5*Club Velour*Provo, Utah
7*Hi-Dive*Denver, Colorado
9*The Vaudeville Mews*Des Moines, Iowa
10*The Maintenance Shop*Ames, Iowa
11*Huckleberry’s Pizza (Daytrotter Presents)*Rock Island, Illinois
12*Schubas*Chicago, Illinois
14*The Drake Hotel*Toronto, Ontario
15*La Sala Rossa*Montreal, Quebec
16*The Monkey House*Winooski, Vermont
17 *TT The Bear’s*Boston, Massachusetts
22*Mercury Lounge*New York, New York

*Yours Truly Tags

Yours Truly loves Mountain Man

As South By Southwest rears it's ugly bbq sauce smeared face at all of us who are clamoring to book out bands in every video blog, showcase and interview of import it is nice to see the warm cloud of industry buzz building around some bands that I am highly excited about. One of them are the Mountain Man, those three lovely ladies from the green hills of Vermont. They recently stopped by YoursTruly in San Francisco for a little song. Escaping the cold rain and elements of the Bay-Area winter their individual fragile calls combine into one blazingly haunting melody. It is beyond beautiful. Keep an eye on this one, I know I sure am!

Mountain Man "Mouthwings" [part 1 of 3] from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

*Mountain Man Tags

20-10

As of this year this blog is three years old. THREE YEARS OLD. My first year I hit it out of the ballpark so to say. I wrote almost everyday. I was picked up and asked to write for my very favorite thing people in all of the music industry. My roommate would download songs she liked and we would dance around my apartment. Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, LCD Soundsystem and The Rapture all toured that year. I discovered Basia Bulat, Ghostland Observatory, Midlake, Cold War Kids, Florence and the Machine, Lykke Li and I became...ahem, a 'critic.' My second year I got a real job and learned some real lessons and it was more difficult for me to write time-wise. Then it became more difficult for me to write on an emotional level. I have never had writers block. This is new to me. Like most bloggers I write like I talk and blogging is writing out into the void. If you can't writer for yourself, who can you write for? No one apparently. This year is a whole new story. I love music. I do. No matter how many people try to beat it out of me it is not going to happen. I am excited for this year. Some great things are about to happen, i just know it. And so, I will write. I will write and post as though I never have before. Like it is 2007 all over again. I promise. This is my first post. Mountain Man is a band from Vermont. Give them a second to work their way into your bloodstream. It is soothing and warm and delightful for fighting off the cold winter air. They will be at SXSW so keep your ears open. This video was filmed during a recent show in Greenpoint and I am so sad I missed it! Ray Concepcion has become one of my favorite new videographers to watch. His color palete is pleasing and reminds me of scratchy lithographs. Which is neat. Check out his vimeo here.

Mountain Man from Ray Concepcioñ on Vimeo.

*Mountain Man's Myspace
*Mountain Man's Website
*My Old Kentucky Blog has some of their Mp3's for Download

We will still love you for countless days ahead

In the wake of Cat Power doing whatever she is doing currently, which I am guessing is being brilliant and writing some painful and broodingly beautiful new record in Miami I found solace with Lykee Li. Her voice is so soothing, so sincere and fragile, yet strong and magical. It soars and it falls, it makes you dance and it makes you cry. She is so talented, so young and so going to be one of the great singers you tell your little pups about one day. Or now. This song almost brought tears to my eyes while I sat at my desk. Just beautiful.
*Thank you to Battery In Your Leg which is how i found this video.
*Lyyke Li Tags

Vampires are so hot right now

The weekend that was filled with Vampires...how I have battled with you. I came across the band early on and instantly loved. Then I saw a live show on the East River at the bandshell and i loathed. They were really boring and stood completely still. There was no self-effacing stage banter or even an acknowledgement that there were fans there at all. I disliked the American Apparel clad crowd and the uber hip gang that danced like members of the Peanuts gathered in front of the stage. Then there was the list of people who liked them from my past---that snobby boy in high school who was cooler than cool---the girl who happens to live in NYC and work in my industry (and who was always terrific at being mean to everyone and everything) as well that I run into at shows who loves John Mayer...these people loved my Vampire Weekend as well.

As the months passed I still found myself, despite all of my energies still toe-tapping and dancing to their little songs. Then, I did what a lot of music fans do at some point in their lives, or many times in their lives---if they know what is good for them, i got over myself. I ignored everything that the band itself cannot control, all of these societal factors that was making me being a snot and I went back to enjoying them. Because I do. I love all of their songs. They don't have a bad one. Not for my ears at least. Yes, they are lacking a bit of luster in the live performance department but what they need time to learn they make up for with the strength and solidarity of their movement. They are a downright intelligent and tight bunch. Their songs are wrapped up with clever lyrics and snarky little loops and spins and tributes to Paul Simon loving sounds and explode with precision and affection. This video is for their new song "Cousins" off of their upcoming SOPHOMORE release Contra due out on the 12th of January via XL Records.


Vampire Weekend will play a few select US cities before heading over to Europe for a tour throughout the winter.

*Dec 10---KNRK “A December to Remember” Concert Series-Crystal Ballroom w/ White Rabbits---Portland, Oregon
*Dec 11---Live 105 "Not So Silent Night"-Oracle Arena w/ Metric, 30 Seconds to Mars, AFI & Muse---Oakland, CA
*Dec 12---FM949 “Holiday Hootenanny”-RIMAC Arena w/ White Rabbits, Manchester Orchestra, Phoenix, & Spoon---La Jolla, CA
*Dec 13---KROQ "Almost Acoustic Christmas"-Gibson Amphitheater (SOLD OUT)---Los Angeles, CA
*Dec 15---The End “Deck The Hall Ball ‘09”-WaMu Theatre w/ Metric, Phoenix, 30 Seconds To Mars & Muse---Seattle, Washington
*Jan 12---Special Intimate Album Release Show @ Henry Fonda Theater (SOLD OUT)---Los Angeles, CA
*Jan 17---United Palace Theater (SOLD OUT)---NYC
*Jan 18---Webster Hall (SOLD OUT)---NYC
*Jan 19---Bowery Ballroom (SOLD OUT)---NYC
Vampire Weekend Tags

ONE

Because I think it is a good cause and it also has some of my favorite people...yes I like Twilight and there is nothing wrong with that!

Gainsbourgh & Beck, Heaven Can Wait

This video kinda reminds me of the movie Magnolia. I love Charlotte and I love Beck, so for me it works well. Very excited to hear the rest of the album. The track is the first single off of Charlotte's upcoming album IRM which will be released in the new year. Keith Schofield is credited with directing this video. You can download "Heaven Can Wait" on Charlotte's Myspace page now. Enjoy!

YEASAYER Tickets Go Onsale TODAY!

Yeasayer have announced two dates in February, one at Bowery Ballroom on Monday, February 8th and one at Williamsburg Music Hall on Tuesday, February 9th. General sale starts at NOON today. Good luck! I promise you do not want to miss them, their next shows will be at Terminal Hall for certain!
***To put you in the mood here is some live footage of the band performing their new single "Ambling Alp" at the Fun Fun Fun Fest. Kinda amazing...

*Yeasayer Tags

Welcome Yeasayer....we've been waiting

This is my feeble attempt to listen to the new Yeasayer album and describe everything I am hearing, from the first note to the last. From the first track even the most studied of ears to their sound and Chris' voice would not recognize that this is them. It sounds more like a new song by the Swedish brother/sister duo the KNIFE. It is creepy, dynamic, intricate, daunting and dark. As dark as you could get on the deepest of winter nights. The voices singing sound like they are from the netherworld. Calling out to you from beyond the void and just when you think you might be beginning to understand...the song is over.

Track two=Ambling Amp trickles out onto the sound scape skipping and jumping along with all of the energy of that the band has been hiding from us while we have been eagerly awaiting this next album. I first heard this song when I was at the Pitchfork Music Festival. It was mixed into their set and immediately was at home. Traditional Yeasayer elements are bursting forth from every beat of the wooden sticks that you hear laughing at you in the background. Chris' voice sounds much more optimistic and confident than we have ever heard before.

As the third track begins, like I usually feel with all of my favorite bands---i hope this one is longer than the songs that have come before. I instantly recognize that they played this song at the Pfork Festival as well. This time it is not Chris we hear singing, but Anand Wilder ...calling out to us with longing and loss with the lyrics "if my vices are a burden, please don't let me know*...cast me from your home." One of the hidden weapons within this band's bulky arsenal of talent is the interchanging vocals of both Chris and Anand. They harmonize magically into one piercing and delicate voice, individually they are inviting and textured like silvery velvet. Easily said, they are going places.

Much will be said about this next song comparing it to Grizzly Bear and Animal Collective. I am calling it now. I want people to remember that when Panda Bear came out with his album and had bursts and fits of vocal calls, chants, screams and clips, Chris was doing this as well. Because bloggers and music writers love to discuss cause and reaction...there will be comparisons made for sure. This is another reason why we will see Yeasayer become one of the biggest bands in 2010. Right now is just the calm before the storm. Much like Girls from Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion, this track rises into the sky like a lullaby. Easy on the ears and powerful enough to not slide into the grey zone of being overdone or tacky.

"You're stuck in my mind all the time" Hey-every album needs a ballad, right?

Track five has to be big based on positioning alone...you have hit the half-point on the album---and it is. Jovial from the first beat it is full of rhythms and I am happy to welcome it's sound back into my ears. THIS IS THE SONG. The song that I have been reporting back about for months now. The song that could have busted up and broken down their set. They played it just as it began to completely downpour onto an audience of Chicago music lovers and it could have gone either way...people could have been pissy and run for shelter---or they could have given into joy and danced. This is what happened and it was amazing. It was one of those moments when I completely forget all of the shitty bosses I have had, all of the tears of frustration I have felt at moments over the past years trying to work with what I love and still be successful---for this is quite the feat in the music industry. I LOVE this song and you will too. If you do not instantly feel like getting up and jumping around and singing and spreading your arms to this song then stop---just stop listening, stop reading my blog, any blog for that matter...because you should be jumping around. You 100% absolutely should be.

**"Having time having fun, it's much easier said than it's done. Hoping you could fall, hold me like you used to, control me like you used to. No, you don't me move me anymore. And I am glad that you know, cause I can't have it anymore. I thought you should know, you don't move me anymore. And I am glad that you know. Cause I can't take it anymore."

Building from the momentum collected from track five, track six kicks over like an animated car video with spaceship technology and 70's costumes. That is to say it sounds like a futuristic Daft Punk synth dream fast-forwarded with sounds from the 70s and 80s that we welcome as known knowledge. Chris kind of sounds like Justin Timberlake combined with Alexis Taylor at first. Alright...don't hate...but he kind of does. This is also not a bad thing. When Chris reaches for that vocal point, straining on his lungs' tippie-toes it is a good thing. It lends a whole other sound and element of emotion to the band's already deep and dynamic box of tricks. It is obvious the band had fun listening to Chromeo's signature voice modifier tube (not sure of the technical term), they toss it in here and there and it works well.

The seventh song sounds like Hall & Oats on speed. The harmonies and the backbeat remind of this band...it is completely fun and works well to push the album forward. Whereas it is not a standout track, it is still a good one and is sure to be a crowd mover during their live shows. The lyrics tell about the world being there's...it's just a matter of time. Much like MGMT's famed song Kids foretelling of their fame, this song is just sharing with us what is sure to happen to this Brooklyn ensemble.

Track eight I have to re-play, clocking in at 2:35 it is over before I can even wrap my critical ears around it. I also have to lower the volume on my laptop which has been punishing all of my neighbors to see if this helps me understand it at a different decibel. It is a ghost of a song, swaying in with invisible, prowling moves and cooing layered melodies. It is a good transitional song and very beautiful.

Tracks number nine and ten end the album with a complete bang. Track nine teases and flirts as Chris repeats how much he loves making love with his baby "until the early light." Totally dance-floor worthy and will easily be remixed by hungry dj's who will in turn post their tracks all over Hype Machine. Track number ten...well, i have shared enough. You will just have to wait and hear for yourself ;)

Overall, new Yeasayer= LOVE. 10.0! ***** Two thumbs up...and all that jazz. Cannot wait.

*(or go, not sure...)
**(not sure of exactly lyrics either...)
*Yeasayer video from Blogotheque...my favorite.

#87.2 - YEASAYER - 2080
by lablogotheque

*Yeasayer will release this, their sophomore album via Secretly Canadian in 2010
*Yeasayer Facebook
*Yeasayer Twitter