Nora and I were very lucky to have The Muggabears stop by this week and play an exclusive set for us, thanks to Jeff and D over at Neon Lights. Make sure you listen to the whole show for that set and an awesome giveaway! If you want to check out the band this Saturday at Delancey, email us at theblogshow (at) gmail (dot) com with "Neon Lights" in the subject line for your chance to win two tickets plus a gift bag full of cds, stickers, and other fun goodies.
Also on this week are some other favorites, plus every other segment Nora and I proclaim we hate each other, so find out why. Clickity-click right here for the best show on the internet.
Playlist!
Hospital Beds - Cold War Kids
We Used To Vacation - Cold War Kids
Hang Me Up To Dry - Cold War Kids
Carmen - Bridges and Powerlines
Mumbles - Bridges and Powerlines
All In - Bridges and Powerlines
Lola Stars and Stripes - The Stills
Animals + Insects - The Stills
In The Beginning - The Stills
Young Folks - Peter Bjorn And John
Amsterdam - Peter Bjorn And John
Paris 2004 - Peter Bjorn And John
The Muggabears Live Set
Check it out (for free) at www.breakthruradio.com.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
The Blog Show #19! w/ The Muggabears!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Cold War Kids on Letterman
I keep hearing the expected backlash towards Cold War Kids floating around New York City and around the blogosphere (a scary place, mind you). Whatever, I could care less. But I do care about live performances. And when I heard that the last few times friends and acquaintances had seen these LA boys that they were less than impressed, I was worried. I'd still be 100% sure of myself to say that seeing Cold War Kids at Mercury lounge back in July was one of my favorite live experiences. These guys know how to put on a show.
Now, when these indie/blogger/buzz bands get signed, and as a result get on those late night talk shows, more often than not, they suck. Their first televised performances are stale and awkward. They look way too nervous and there's just zero energy. I feared this would happen to Cold War Kids when they performed on David Letterman recently. I didn't catch the original, but just found the youtube (thanks Music Sluts) and was so happy to see these guys completely let loose. It's a fantastic fantastic performance of "Hang Me Up To Dry" with all the soul, energy, and craziness that they should and will hopefully be known for. If I didn't know anything about this band, and saw this, shit...I'd be sold.
Check it out.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Tally Hall to play SXSW
Yesterday Austinist posted an (un)official list of who will appear at this year's festival. According to them, there's a 98% chance you'll see all these acts.
Amy Millan
Architecture In Helsinki
Badly Drawn Boy
Bloc Party
Cold War Kids
Emmylou Harris
Every Move a Picture
George Byrne
Ghostland Observatory
Girl Talk
I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness
Interpol
Les Savy Fav
Lily Allen
Malajube
Margot and the Nuclear So And Sos
Mates Of State
Matt & Kim
Menomena
Morrissey
Okkervil River
Pete Townshend
Peter & the Wolf
RJD2
Rahim
Rocky Votolato
Say Hi To Your Mom
Scissor Sisters
Snowden
Tall Firs
Tally Hall
The Big Sleep
The Frames
The Fratellis
The Walkmen
The Young Knives
Thunderbirds Are Now!
Thurston Moore
Voxtrot
Yip-Yip
Youth Group
The whole un(official) list is here. Who's pumped? Who's going? And who has a couch for me to stay on?
Monday, January 8, 2007
Cold War Kids Bi-Costal Residency
I admit I like the idea of residencies. If there's a band I love and they put together a residency, you can guarantee I'll be there for all shows. I'm just like that. I like routine, and god help me if I can ever get enough live shows under my belt. I wonder if there's a record for how many live shows one human being has seen. Hmm, I should look into that...
However I can't help but express my concern for Cold War Kids. They have taken it upon themselves to embark in a bi-costal residency, switching back and forth from dates in LA and NYC. Talk about jetlag. My only hope is that they have managed to fly first class and have a lot of Ambien. I know I couldn't deal with all that traveling. Good luck my friends.
I hopefully will be attending one of these shows. If my roommate finds out they are here and I couldn't get her a ticket, she's going to be pissed. I've created a monster.
All dates below..
01/10/07 New York, NY @ Pianos
01/12/07 Los Angeles, CA @ The Fold in Silverlake Lounge
01/17/07 New York, NY @ Union Hall
01/19/07 Los Angeles, CA @ The Fold in Silverlake Lounge
01/24/07 New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
01/26/07 Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland
02/20/07 San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
02/22/07 West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour
02/23/07 San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
02/24/07 Santa Cruz @ The Attic
03/02/07 Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive
03/03/07 Omaha, NE @ Sokol Underground
03/04/07 Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck
03/06/07 Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
03/07/07 Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave at the Eagles Club
03/08/07 Madison, WI @ The Annex
03/09/07 Chicago, IL @ Subterranean
03/10/07 Columbia, MI @ Mojo's
03/12/07 Little Rock, AR @ Juanita's
03/14/07 Dallas, TX @ Gypsy Tea Room & Ballroom
03/19/07 New Orleans, LA @ The Republic
03/20/07 Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder
03/21/07 Orlando, FL @ The Social
03/22/07 St. Augustine, FL @ Cafe 11
03/23/07 Atlanta, GA @ Vinyl
03/24/07 Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge
03/26/07 Mt. Pleasant, SC @ Village Tavern
03/27/07 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
03/28/07 Washington D.C. @ Nightclub 9:30
03/29/07 Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
03/30/07 Cambridge, MA @ Middle East Downstairs
03/31/07 Northampton, MA @ Pearl Street Night Club
04/02/07 Montreal, Quebec @ La Sala Rossa
04/03/07 Ottawa, Ontario @ Zaphod Beeblebrox
04/04/07 Toronto, Ontario @ The Mod Club
04/06/07 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
04/07/07 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Underrated's Top 5 EPs of 2006
While compiling my list for Top 25 albums of 2006, I realized that we were fortunate enough to find some breakout artists through EPs this year. They cannot, and will not be forgotten. I actually quite like EPs. It's like a little taste of a yummy desert. If you have too much, you'll feel sick. But just a few songs to let you know, okay, this is going to be good is just enough. Below are my top 5 EPs of 2006 with my favorite tracks from each.
1. Cold War Kids – Up In Rags
It only took one song for me to fall in love with this band. "Hospital Beds" was played an obnoxious amount of times, and it took all my strength to actually listen to any other songs. But I did. I bought the EP and listened with full attention. There's something inherently special about this band that many don't want to admit. It comes down to a little bit of carelessness. Not many bands can get away with these types of vocal execution. It's almost as if every song is a first take, performed live, in front of you. There's power. It's raw. And it's got soul. There's never a dull moment when it comes to this band, even in their slowest, most quiet songs. Because you actually can hear the spark behind it all.
2. Voxtrot – Mothers Sisters Daughters & Wives
Voxtrot is basically the king of the EP and I wouldn't have it any other way. It's perfect. While I don't think they could ever live up to the utter appeal of their first EP, they matured a bit on this one and I like the direction we are heading. It's got the same charm -- pop as its finest, with sing-song choruses that are stuck in your heads for days. They aren't attempting to hide behind their simplicity and I do respect that. Plus, these songs make you jump up and down like an idiot. That's always fun.
3. The Little Ones – Sing Song
This is an example when an EP is definitely definitely DEFINITELY not enough. All I want to do is listen to this band over and over again, because frankly, they make me happy. You know I'm a fan of the happy-go-lucky indie pop and this band has got it to the tee. I remember the first time I heard "Lovers Who Uncover" and I am pretty sure I declared this band to be the best thing since sliced bread. More clichés ensued. I couldn't help myself. There are bells, cha-chas, and oh so much more. I want an LP, and I want it now.
Lovers Who Uncover
4. Bishop Allen – June
Easily my favorite story of the year, Bishop Allen took on the ambitious task of releasing an EP every month. I was so skeptical from the beginning. There's no way they could consistently put out great songs every month. But boy was I wrong. Each one I loved more than the last, but if I had to pick one I'd go with June. It reminded me so much of why I fell in love with the band in the first place. Their album, Charm School was brilliant and "The Same Fire" felt like it was a lost track. In fact, most of them did. "The Light Of The Lost" makes me drunk with envy, from the saxophone to the repetitive chorus, and "Black Suburbans" with its harmonica, "Number 39" teetering on electronica.....I'm just honestly impressed. How did they do it? I'll never quite know. But man, what a story to tell.
5. Ennui - Inchoate
Okay, so this EP came out in 2004, but I needed to include it in my list. I'm a little late to a lot of games, but as long as you show up eventually that's cool, right? Right. So I still will never be able to pronounce this band's name right, but I will listen to them until my ears forsake me. It's a very interesting type of pop music that this band has conducted, not as accessible I'd say as the others. A bit darker, a bit more rainy-day-esque. Nevertheless, I quite like it. "Time and Place" has that piano hook that is immediately catchy, while "Rukus" and "Change" swing by too quickly, deserving of many repeat listens. In fact, the whole EP does. Maybe that's why I'm so late to the game.
