NFT's Got You Covered - Favorite Covers of 2015!

Back from hiatus because I love lists and I can't resist talking about my favorite things of the year. So, to get the boulder that is list season rolling, here are some of my favorite cover songs of 2015!

Hot Chip - Dancing in the Dark from Dancing in the Dark EP

If you are like me, then you probably only know Hot Chip from the wacky music video for their 2010 single, "I Feel Better". Well, now I also know that they also do a pretty nerdy synthed-up version of "Dancing in the Dark" by Bruce Springsteen. This cover of one of my favorite Boss jams includes an Everything is Terrible-esque music video and a sprinkling of LCD Soundsystem's "All My Friends" towards the end. A lot of this cover plus the music video seems overplayed at times but I still enjoy it for what it is; tacky.

Tigers Jaw - In Between Days/Kevin Devine - Lovesong from Devinyl Splits No. 3


Two sincere Cure covers.

Girlpool - Cut Your Bangs from Chinatown

This cover of Radiator Hospital's "Cut Your Bangs" from last year frequently came on while I rode to work on my new bike this summer. Every time I was completely floored by how genuine it was. I personally like both tracks equally but I can't help but think that this version here is a bit more accessible to folks who can't stomach Radiator Hospital's unique vocals. Hell, I'm already seeing videos of people covering this version titled "Me covering Girpool's cover of Radiator Hospital". 

Somebody Kill Me Please - LVL UP from Faux Real II



Faux Real is a compilation of cover songs curated by Father/Daughter Records. The covers are that of fictional bands and singers from TV/films such as The Rutles, Sadgasm from the Simpsons, and The Blowholes from The Adventures of Pete and Pete. My favorite one of the batch this year comes from LVL UP and their rendition of "Somebody Kill Me" via the Wedding Singer. The original sung by Adam Sandler's character had been listening to a lot of The Cure at the time.

Tiny Rick (Let Me Out) - Sorority Noise from Tiny Rick (Rick and Morty Cover)



Another cover from pop culture. Didn't listen to a lot of Sorority Noise this year and I wished I watched more Rick and Morty. Smash this link to listen to the original.

Thou - Even in His Youth from Whatever Nevermind



Another year, another Nirvana tribute album. Out of this year's covers of Nevermind curated by Robotic Empire, I had to narrow it down to the bonus tracks by Thou, especially "Even in His Youth", as my favorites of the pack.

Went with because even with Thou's own signature mutilation, there is still some poppiness that bleeds out from time to time. Well, maybe not "pop" per se, but it does have a little groove to it for a Thou track.

Spazzin' to the Oldies - A Tribute to Spazz 



Probably my favorite tribute album this year, Spazzin' to the Oldies is a 26 song nail gun full of grindcore nails to the face. This is a tribute album for the one and only Spazz. Spazzin' to the Oldies features some damn good grindcore/powerviolence/spastic metal acts from today such as Purge, Godhole, God's America, Brainshit, Chinsniffer and OSK (to name a few that I recognize). If I had to pick a favorite here, I would have to go with OSK's cover of "Spazz vs. Mother Nature" because it includes the banjo outre (no mouth harp, though, but I'll still give credit where it's due).

Old Witch - Gallows from Keeper Split



Old Witch's interpretation of CocoRosie's macabre tale, "Gallows" is definitely my favorite kind of cover song. While there were plenty of true-to-the-original covers I heard this year on and off the internet, I always love a good rework of a song from a different genre or a song given new life. Isn't the whole point of a cover putting your own spin on someone else's work? Isn't playing a song exactly the way it was intended Karaoke?

I'm starting to digress here for a sec but I honestly wish I could list Weekend Nacho's cover of "Tired of Sex" by Weezer. Yes, Weekend Nachos covered Weezer this year. No, it was not the most violent retelling of Pinkerton's #1 hit known to mankind. Instead it was strictly "Tired of Sex" performed as Weekend Nachos playing Weezer. Well hey, there's also "In the Garage", maybe they were just joking around and this is the Weekend Nachos cover I was expecting. Nope. Whistling and all, it's a great cover, but it's no Weekend Nachos cover. Then again, maybe my opinion will change once I get a grip. Maybe I'm just mad they didn't cover "El Scorcho".

Honorary Mentions:

Screaming Females covering T. Swift's "Shake it Off" for the AV Club
Ironlung with Wizard of Ozz covering B. Sabbath's "Electric Funeral"
Leftover Crack covering B. Raum's "Left Legs"
Corrective Measure covering A. Front's "Discriminate Me" (gotta rep Maine Hardcore)
Holy Filth covering M. Otorhead's "Iron Fist" (gotta rep Maine Metal)
And a thanks to any bands that I saw this year cover stuff... a heard a lot of it and it was pretty good most of the time.


Also, I'm sure I missed something very dope.

Afraid - Sinister Vibes

Afraid - Sinister Vibes (2015)

Portland's residential dark synth wavers are also back with another super original album that is appropriately named Sinister Vibes. Once described as electronic music from inside a deep dark well, Afraid have climbed their way out onto land and right into your backyard. They aren't just huddled behind the bushes either, they are right out in the open ready to strike you with their soulful ax. Don't bother calling the cops or running away... Afraid's Sinister Vibes will be both heard and felt.

Sinister Vibes is out now on a very hip (from the sound of it) label, Crash Symbol. I would definitely recommend grabbing the tape from those guys and going to see them before they get too hip and move across the state or something. For Portland folks they are playing tonight at Poland Street and tomorrow they are playing in Bangor at COESPACE on Columbia Street. Get Afraid!


Facebook
Bandcamp
Last.fm

NFT's Got You Covered - Favorite Covers of 2014!

Some covers from 2014!

Invalids - Lemmings from I Guess this is Growing Up (Volume 1)



Every wondered what it would be like if Blink 182 jumped into the twinkle daddy game in 2014? Well, Pete Davis AKA Invalids has the answer in his virtuoso-has-nothing-on-me cover of "Lemmings" from Cheshire Cat (1996).

Pharmakon - Bang Bang from Bestial Burden (bonus track)



I first heard Nancy Sinatra's original after witnessing it in Kill Bill Vol. 1 when I was too young to really appreciate either. This version by Sacred Bones noisemaker Margaret Chardiet definitely would have fit right in with Tarantino's revengesploitation fetish.

You Blew It! - Surf Wax America from You Blue It!



Not as different as the Blink 182 cover above, but this Blue Album Weezer cover is a very fun rework of a song that gets barely any recognition. Props to You Blew It! for making a song that could easily fit in a future Tony Hawk game (I can wish) as well.

The Body & Thou - Terrible Lie (live from Gilead Fest)

While I will never actually know what this song sounded like (recordings were destroyed by the sheer power and heaviness of this performance and only a Youtube video surfaced), I'm gonna have to go with this video over the original by Nine Inch Nails.


These Arms Are Snakes - Energy Drink And The Long Walk Home from Sex Beat



The original is actually less synth-y than this final recording ever made by post hardcore legends, These Arms Are Snakes. This track was originally going to be released on a Split with another band that came about after Botch's breakup, Minus the Bear, but it never saw the light of day. The aforementioned original is by Lost Sounds, a band featuring Alicja Trout and Jay Reatard.

Black Math Horseman - All Apologies from In Utero: In Tribute



This Record Store Day Nirvana tribute was another release that took years to finally materialize. While it also includes a never-before-released track by These Arms Are Snakes (covering "Heart-Shaped Box"), I have to give praise to the now-defunct Black Math Horseman for their re-imaged apocalyptic doom cover of "All Apologies". I also have a very soft spot for dueling female/male vocals.

Chance the Rapper - Wonderful Everyday (Arthur Theme) [ft. The Social Experiment]



This is not your everyday cover of Arthur's Theme song by Ziggy Marley. I might elaborate on this more later when I talk about my favorite albums of the year but something about listening to a lot of reggae music including the original Arthur's Theme went from being a playful joke to really getting me through some bummer summer moments. This song might not be reggae or even a straight-forward cover, but it still has that uber-positive message to it. Plus, it's sung by Chance the Rapper, someone who is never always positive-sounding (see his next single: "No Better Blues").

Graves at Sea - Orchid/Lord of this World from This Place is Poison



There's people that say they like metal and don't listen to Black Sabbath in 2014. I Know, I've read it online. Luckily for you, I got the memo and wanted to remind you that it's still cool to listen to Black Sabbath - including their 1971 release Master of Reality. Once you are done listening to Master of Reality check out this incredible two-part sludge cover of "Orchid" and "Lord of this World" by Graves at Sea.

SLOTHS - Breadcrumb Trail from Casa de Diversion Covers Vol. 3



Portland, Oregon's SLOTHS could not have released this Slint cover at a better time. Along with Slint's documentary entitled Breadcrumb Trail released this year, the grown-up kids from Kentucky decided to get back together and have a real reunion tour. I can't say I have been to too many reunion shows in my day, but I wasn't gonna miss this one. SLOTHS incredible rendition of "Breadcrumb Trail" will forever remind me of finishing a day of finals in Northern Maine to my lone trek through Boston traffic for the perfect parking spot. The Show? Well, Slint will remind me of that...

Bonus:

Have you heard Primus's re-imagination of the Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory soundtrack? I had not until I watched this fan-made sync-up of the classic 1971 movie with Primus and the Fungi Ensemble's Willy Wonka renditions:

NFT's Got You Covered: Pop Goes Lo-fi

Various Artists - Top 40 Compilation (2013)

Ever wondered what it would sound like if your guilty pleasure artists from the radio lost all their money, became humble, rerecorded their music using a tin can and some string, and gave it away for free? Me either... but hey! Birdtapes has us covered. They get 13 up-and-coming lo-fi legends to play those songs you love to hate and hate to love... but you listen to them. You do! Don't lie.

The 13 lo-fi/acoustic/indie rock bands that Birdtapes assembled for this special compilation include: WHATEVER, DAD, Pill Friends, Trace Mountains, Julia Brown, R.L. Kelly, and Starry Cat - just to name a few... But wait! there's more...

The hits they covered? You name it! Rude Boy, Paper Planes, Halo, Teenage Dream, even my favorite guilty pleasure of last year (Video Games) and my guilty pleasure of this year (I Love It). I'm not ashamed...

Check it out:



I don't care.

Official Birdtapes Page
Bandcamp (Birdtapes)
Last.fm (Birdtapes)

Monday LXXV

Still Monday somewhere...

Iron Chic - Spooky Action (2013)

Spooky Action is Iron Chic's (Long Island, NY pop punk) new 7incher for their European tour this year. It features three tracks including a Butthole Surfers cover that also contains a sample of "Suicide is Painless" - the theme to M.A.S.H.

The Butthole Surfers cover is "Goofy Concern".



Last.fm

Elvis Depressedly - Holo Pleasures (2013)

Fuzzy lo-fi from Matt Cothran (who is also Coma Cinema). This is his new album, Holo Pleasures under the  Elvis Depressedly name.



Fans of Coma Cinema, monotone singing, lo-fi recordings, short songs, Teen Suicide/Julia Brown, and cigars will most definitely hate Elvis Depressedly.

Also, be on the look out for Coma Cinema's new album rumored to be released in May.

Last.fm

Mark Daniels - Emotional Chi: A Tribute to Life Without Buildings (2011)

Emotional Chi is a remix album using only songs from Life Without Buildings' super underrated album, Any Other City (2001).

Mark Daniels puts a nice spin on the already catchy song styles of Sue Tompkins, a musician I happened to find at the height of my Scottish accent addiction a had a few years back. So catchy!




These remixes are sure to put at least a little pep in your step today.

Last.fm

Monday XXXXXXXIII

RIP Margie

Gimme Goldar - Dizzep (2013)

Had me at Goldar.

Some noisy music spasms by Portland folk. Recorded on location at 131 Washington Ave.

Spoiler alert: they don't sound like Goldar...



Facebook

Safe - Safe EP (2010)

Safe is Chris "CF" Edley. Edley plays very elegant lo-fi-ish pop music recorded in secret basements for secret basements.



Safe will be playing with groovestep Portland acts, Glass Fingers, Altered Gee, and Conjjjecture at the Darkmouth Castle on the 19th (house on Dartmouth Street in Portland. Just follow the noise).

Rumor has it that this will be Glass Fingers' last performance as Glass Fingers. I don't know what this means but most likely will lead to more surprises ahead.

Last.fm


Moon Bandits - Action Changes Thinking (2013)

Moon Bandits are another, but less aggressive sounding, anarcho-punk outfit with acoustic instruments hailing from the west coast. If you enjoy or attended the Blackbird Raum (the anarcho-punk band I introduced last week) show last Friday night at The Oak + The Ax and had yourself a real doozy of a time, I highly recommend giving Moon Bandits a listen.

Or, if you are in town Wednesday night, you can just go check them out at Dobra Tea (that tea place above Bullmoose/Video Port on Middle Street) for yourself!



Last.fm

Happy V-Day!

Lover or no lover, here's some music to get you through this lovely day!


Dirty South Joe & Flufftronic - Luvstep IV: A New Hope (2013)

I don't know whether I like these annual mixes by Dirty South Joe & Flufftronic or the teasers posted months in advantage for them...

This years' Luvstep mix includes artists and remixes/remixers such as M83, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Adventure Club, Zeds Dead, Hundred Waters, Star Slinger, and many, many more.


Put this bad boy on and feel the love... all night long. Or approximately one hour and seventeen minutes if you can only sit through it once.

Here's the teaser by the way:

Every year they use a romantic scene from a movie where music is involved and replace that music with a song from the mix. This years' teaser is from Moonrise Kingdom, one of my favorite films from last year because I'm white and love Wes Anderson flix.

Last.fm


The Hundred Acre Woods, Julia Brown, Modern Baseball, Old Gray - 4-Way V-Day Split (2013)

Not only is this 4-way split for Valentine's Day, it's also another one of those releases with a super good cause. All proceeds from the purchase of this 4 song release via Topshelf Records go to V-Day, "a global charity to end violence against women and girls".

The four bands included in this release are The Hundred Acre Woods (whom I've never listen to until now), Julia Brown (Sam Ray of Teen Suicide, etc.'s new and totally listenable project), Modern Baseball (whom I've recently featured on a Friday Streaming), and Old Gray (acoustic like the rest of the pack).



Enjoy and have a great V-Day! <3

Speaker For The Dead

Speaker For The Dead - I Hope You Have Fun While You Sleep (2011)

While visiting friends on my first night back from school for Winter Break, I got a chance to see the nightmare fuel Portland folk outfit, Butcher Boy perform one of their last sets before packing up their things and voyaging off onto their nationwide-ish tour. The church-turned-performing arts venue on Mayo Street where Butcher Boy were playing also featured a band I had yet to witness called Speaker For The Dead, a Worcester-born folk punk collective with a bit of a pep in their step fronted by Greg McKillop, the gentleman who put on this whole wonderful event.

And while not knowing what to expect from a band that seemed to be half a folk punk band and half a brass section that I thought would play ska music (but ended up playing more of a gypsy rock accompaniment), Speaker For The Dead definitely made a tremendous impression on me that night. It was the kind of clean fun and excitement that I needed and hadn't experienced in a long while.

Seeing these folks was a real nice treat to me on my first night back and a hell of a way to ease into my winter vacation. I suggest anyone who likes upbeat punk music with horns and blacksmiths wielding guitars to check SFTD out! Or even, if you just like music that makes you jump out of your chair (remember those at shows?) and dance around with strangers like there's no tomorrow!

Speaker For The Dead can surely do that to a person!

Speaker For The Dead have lots of music to choose from in their discography but 'I Hope You Have Fun While You Sleep' seems to be their most accessible album to date. It's also their most recent not counting Greg McKillop's new solo album that was released a month ago today.  

Highlights: "Journal", "Pile of Dirt (Allenby Beardsly cover)", "If You're Dead Please Raise Your Hand", and "I Hope You Have Fun While You Sleep Pt. 2"

And: For all you book readers out there, I'm pretty certain that the name of this band comes from the Ender's Game series written by Orson Scott Card, a series I almost read as a kid (which doesn't sound like much, but for someone who doesn't read anything, this is a big deal).

Official site

Bandcamp

Last.fm

Monday XXXXXVIII

Despite lots of hip places/sites/magazines posting their best-of lists and stuff, I am waiting until after the holidays just as I did last year.

For those who can't wait though, here are some honorary mentions:

Adventures - Adventures 7" (2012)

Adventures is the name of the Reba Meyers-fronted Code Orange Kids side project. It's really good. Like really really good. 

"Like Seed" is currently my favorite track from this four track 7incher. 

Reba has an awesome singing voice that is both rough and smooth. I would have to say, out of the female fronted releases that came out this year i.e. Traveling, Slingshot Dakota, Lemuria, Cerce and Hop Along, Reba and Adventures takes the cake. That's definitely saying something.

Last.fm (scrobbles to "The" Adventues... watch out!)

The Devil and a Penny - C. (2012)

The Devil and a Penny were so impressive when I saw them last spring. So impressive that I can't get over how much different they sounded live than they do on their recordings. That energy and catchiness I heard live is not captured the same way here on 'C.'. It's a gift and a curse that I saw them I guess. None the less, I must give this album an honorary mention and a high recommendation. They deserve it!

Last.fm

The Guru - Go Easy (2012)

I feel bad that I haven't given The Guru's new release, 'Go Easy' a proper review of its own, (it was high up there on my agenda too) but with finals coming up and all that nonesense, I must place it here for now. 

The Guru had a tough task of following up with another album after releasing the super catchy and fun magic-carpet-ride-on-fire, 'Native Sun' just last year, but 'Go Easy' is still a stellar sophomore album. Is it as good as 'Native Sun'? Ehh maybe - maybe not - but that's not really what's important. What's important is that they still have that disco-rock-whatever sound that got me interested in their sound to began with and tried a little less to sound just like Modest Mouse. Don't get me wrong, I'm actually a fan of Modest Mouse... It's just, these guys aren't Modest Mouse... They're The Guru. And I believe this album really shows that they aren't just being a Modest Mouse-sounding band, they are a band making their own catchy music that is very much their own. 

...And fun!

I was also meaning to mention that these guys were giving both 'Native Sun' and 'Go Easy' away for free this weekend but by the time I found out, it was just too late. Sorry about that...

Last.fm (avaliable for scrobbling on Spotify under "Guru"...)


Stay tuned for more honorary mentions coming soon.

NFT's Got You Covered: Minor Threat + Misfits

Who says Halloween's over? Here are some more (short and sweet but hopefully not stale) treats:

Extra Happy Ghost!!! - Hippie Depression (2012)

The Canadian psychedelic lo-fi pop project known as Extra Happy Ghost!!! Released (technically not released yet) this new little digital 7'' featuring two tracks. One of the tracks is a Minor Threat cover... It's "Filler" and I'm not sure what I think of it just yet. It's definitely not your average cut/copy cover so I reward the band for that. Anyways, give it a try along with the first track, an original, called "Choke Me Out Against the Wall". Maybe you'll like it, I don't know.



Last.fm

Stalker Texas Ranger - Misfits Cover EP (2009)

Five short 8-bit Misfits' covers. The Misfits songs cover (in order) are: "Hybrid Moments", "Angelfuck", "Attitude", "Skulls", and the ever-twisted, "Last Caress".



Disclaimer: all tracks are instrumental.

Last.fm

Monday XXXXVIII

Oh yeah, for sure.

Dikembe - Broad Shoulders (2012)

New Dikembe is not to be eff'd with. Just really good and honest stuff!

Seriously, dude.

Bandcamp
Last.fm

LEANN GRIMES - I'm Not Too Skinny (2012)

LEANN GRIMES A.K.A. Shane Conerty is back with an all new stack of indie rock jams that have been chopped up and turned into something super catchy and actually fun to listen to again. And while I wasn't all that excited when I saw what was on the cutting room floor for original tracks, I was once again impressed by the way they have been re-arranged in bumpy, sample-happy GRIMES fashion! Notable acts like Beirut, Man Man, St. Vincent, and Destroyer all get the treatment along with many other bands I don't normally listen to or have heard of yet, which is really Conerty's whole point of this project; to get people interested in these bands and support them. I on the other hand, would rather just support him. Keep doing what you're doing, Shane Conerty!

Last.fm

Speedy Ortiz - Sports EP (2012)

Some more new(ish) stuff.

Sports!

Bandcamp
Last.fm

Why? - Sod in the Seeds EP (2012)

Oh, and speaking of new.... Yoni & the gang have a new EP out called, Sod in the Seeds. It's free here but probably only for a limited time so grab it while it's still there! If you like earlier Why? stuff and not so much the last record, Eskimo Snow, I really think you should check it out! Quick! GOOOOOOOO!

Last.fm

Clarissa Explains It All

Clarissa Explains It All was an early 90's hit TV series on Nickelodeon starring Melissa Joan Hart (probably better known by the kids now a days as Sabrina, The Teenage Witch) as the sassy Clarissa Darling, who yes, explains it all. Every fucking thing. Along with Clarissa, is Sam Anders, a young man who sneaks in to her room late at night with his trusty ladder, a dastardly tool into a woman's heart as well as her panties and the parents never once catch him with it or in the act. Sam is everything I have ever wanted to be. Clarissa is everything I have ever wanted. What is there more to like? The show lasted for 5 whole seasons - which in kids show numbers is really only like 65 episodes.

Clarissa Explains It All was/is also the name of a band from San Francisco that sound just like they were from the goofy time historians cleverly named the 90's due to it occurring just after the 80's. Though these gentlemen did not release the small amount of work they had recorded in the time before the 2000's, it definitely seems like these guys took some notes from the 90's emo/indie rock scene at their rock 'n' roll high school. Others though could argue that they may have skipped all their classes there and just made up something totally new and completely out there all on their own. They didn't even attend the part of the class were the teacher taught you how to make up cool bands, maybe like 'word followed by numbers' or 'color + cool word', so they just stole one from a 90's Nick flick that they watched like once at their cousin's house after his bar mitzvah or something. You're guess is as good as mine.

Anyways, here's the band Clarissa Explains It All and their first demo... also known as the Jonathan Lipnicki demo... and their extended play (yeah, that's what that stands for), IDK 3D EP


Clarissa Explains It All - Demo (2009)

If there's one thing for sure, it's that these guys sound a lot like Rainbow Tornado (posted them yesterday). That's no coincidence however, seeing as they both feature the vocal stylings of Ray. I don't think I really have any way of explaining what his vox sound like and neither could Clarissa for that matter.

Clarissa Explains It All - IDK 3D EP (2010)

I'd have to say that the demo stuff is my favorite. Especially with the random lyrics and catchy as all get out repeated lines that Chalk Talk is big on and totally sweet. Their EP still has a lot of moving parts and all that but lacks the memorabilia that the demo has. Every song asks a very important question like "who put the drugs in my drink/do I owe you money or was that for free?" or "what pet should I get?" or "why would you eat sunflower seeds?". There's even songs about being kidnappers and being thrifty. Everyday problems since the 90's for sure.

Whether these guys are still playing together is a mystery to me. It would be awesome if they were though!

Similar acts/sounds: Rainbow Tornado, Oh My God Elephant, Chalk Talk, Adam & Naive, Palmkite, Footnotes, Mane Horse, tussin, Hawkward, Girlfriends, Pachangacha, Kickball, and... look it how cool all those bands are.... damn...

Myspace
Last.fm

Bonus for the LOL's: here's Clarissa Explains It All them for 13 minutes:

I listened to it all. I'm sorry.

Monday XXX

More action than xXx.

Hope everybody had a good Easter.

Anybody want my jellybeans?

Shapes Like Dinosaurs - Rarities (2012)

Shapes Like Dinosaurs just released some new material on their Bandcamp that generally consists of demos, unfinished jams and improv. It's got some good ideas and I would really enjoy hearing what "Fingers 5000" will evolve into. If nothing, that's okay too.

Last.fm

By Surprise - Mountain Smashers (2011)

Once I learned that By Surprise isn't Boy Problems, for some reason I had the impression they were the same band and what I was listening to on my ipod, I felt like this should have been one of my favorite albums of last year. It might not be 2011 anymore but I'm still going to listen to this album like it was. 2011 listens as a whole is my goal for this album and I don't think it will be that hard.

By Surprise is a super slick indie rock/twinkly/69th revival emo punk band from Jersey. They also have a split with Hightide Hotel, an EP called 478, and are currently on tour with Into It. Over It. I think they sound like an emo-y version of the rad punk band, Big Kids. That's really really rad.

Nothing against Boy Problems. If they had gotten back to together and released a new album: that would be on here too.

Bandcamp
Last.fm

Astronomer - Heavy Air (2010)

Very Cursed-"Friends in the Music Business"-hardcore from Boston. These guys opened up for KYOTY a couple weeks back when I went to the CD release party in Boston and I wasn't disappointed at all. They definitely pack a punch without having to look really tough or scary. Hell, I didn't even know they were a hardcore band... I just thought it was that whole seven flights or stairs/two hour wait period stuff. 

Jokes.

Last.fm

Boy Crisis - Tulipomania (2009)

Boy Crisis was a short-lived (or maybe still alive?) pop group that featured Victor Vazquez AKA Kool A.D of Das Racist fame. Due to "internal problems with the record label", Tulipomania was never released officially and Boy Crisis never blew up like MGMT or Foster the People or whoever is really popular with a capital POP these days. It's only as serious as Kool A.D. can be (so not very much), but if you take it seriously you might end up getting the wrong impression. It's still a goofy think, especially now, hearing Kool A.D. sing, well.. actually really good and not about random things he sees around the office that he can rap about. Not that we don't like such things, of course (I love it).

Also, I'd keep this band away from your girlfriend, sister, or sister's little friends. It's pretty intoxicating and you know how those fan girls get... 

I saw the Kids Choice Awards. 

Official site

Last.fm

Also:

David Liebe Hart AKA that guy from Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! with the puppets (do I have to say more?), is looking to make a punk rock album and he needs our help! I'm not sure how genuine it is but he needs $8,000 (the price of punk) to complete his dream album featuring songs from the Tim & Eric tour and I sure as hell wanna see this happen and exist. So yeah, donate to his Kickstarter page and check back in 22 days from now to see if his goal is reached! I know whatever comes of this will be pure gold. Just look at that Trash Talk T-shirt! 

Seriously though, my friend's girlfriend met David once and HE IS JUST LIKE THIS IN REAL LIFE.

I'm serious.

Salame. 

Monday XXV

More ramblings and four bands that have nothing in common; it's Monday!

Klessa - Aloha Demons (2009) 

At first I was having a little trouble with this find. What bothered me most was the constant use of percussion and other effects that are always going on in this release by New Paltz band of friends and their friends, Klessa. I felt it was a bit too clunky and much too noisy for such a project. A few more listens to Aloha Demons though and I started to enjoy the "everyone just grab an instrument and play on it" kind of friends jamming and having a good time vibe (kind of like the band Typhoon). To that degree, I started to become a little jealous that my experiences with getting a big group of pals together to jam out were not as good as what this sounds - if that makes any sense - and from there I really started to enjoy this big group of music makers. maybe it's just the fact that they have a singing saw (or at least it sounds like they do) or maybe it's how they have a clarinet, an instrument that I've seen in a lot of band's lately, but have not heard it played the way it is here. Either way it is a perfect sounding album for NFT and the Monday post, so here it is. 

Last.fm (only tag is "unreasonable")

If You Make It ("Layers")

Cathedraal - Voix Blanches (2012)

Cathedraal is a french band that likes to experiment. Experiment with what you ask? Oh, you know.. cool stuff. I like to think that these guys are what it would have sounded like if Daitro started making more songs like Part IV. With that being said, I think I am more glad that Cathedraal are not Daitro because then I'd be mad as hell they stopped being heavy and went with a more contained sound. Voix Blanches still sounds great and does have its moments of chaos. 

Sometimes it also sounds like a french Mike Patton project or My Own Private Alaska (you may agree to disagree). 

You can telecharger it for free! That means free DL!

Bandcamp

Last.fm

I keep finding myself trying to write about the negatives of these goodies I have picked up along the way. I apologize if my comments are a bit on the hurtful side, I just wanna be a good blogger and there's no better way to do that then to bury things you don't like and praise the stuff you think other people should. But seriously, I'm working on being a little less negative and sassy and a little more positive and witty. 

Wale - Mixtape About Nothing (2008)

Here's something that made me chuckle. I forgot about this album and how I was totally going to post it! 

This is a mixtape by D.C. rapper Wale called Mixtape About Nothing, a heavily influenced and sampled Seinfeld release. Wale has seen every episode of Seinfeld and is here to prove it with his first Seinfeld inspired mixtape with a sequel in 2010 appropriately called More About Nothing. Wale is supposedly a very successful rapper now and probably doesn't watch as much white boy sitcoms as he used to. I could be wrong though. 

The album features J Dilla beats, production by Best Kept Secret (oops! I told!), The Roots on a song called "The Roots Song Wale is On", The Budos Band, Lil Wayne on a song called "The Cliche Lil Wayne Feature (It's the Remix Baby!)", Bun B, Pusha T, Tre, Tawiah, and even Julia Louis-Dreyus AKA "Elaine" herself! Seriously, she is... 

...and so is Kramer saying the N word. Yep, and it's not Nostalgia. 

The beats tend to sound a little goofy and bumpin' all at the same time which makes Wales raps sound a little sillier than you'd think. Unfortunately, I don't think this is for everyone and even if it has Seinfeld written all over it (not literally), I don't think all Seinfeld fans would enjoy this hip-hop epic. If you are like me though, you will understand that there is only two ways to listen to hip-hop... ironically or not at all. Just kidding Aesop. 

PS I chuckled because of an inside joke about Seinfeld, you wouldn't understand.

10.Deep

Last.fm

Mai, Mai - Mai, Mai (2011)

Mai, Mai is a "chamber and popular music" based project by a local Portland, Maine (I believe) mulit-instrumentalist, Sean Morin. I found out about this gentleman from a show he played at a few weeks back. He wasn't playing as "Mai, Mai" but was actually in a band made up of other local musicians who came together just two days before the show. They had never played with each other before and had only 48 hours to come up with a 25 minute set along with four other frankenstein-y bands just like them that night. The event is the 48 Hour Music Festival and it is in its fourth year. I meant to mention it before but I figured if you were cool you would have already heard and went. 

Sean Morin was in a band with my home boy, Jesse Gertz AKA Glass Fingers, along with the bassist from grrl punk outifit,  The Outfits and the drummer of Sunset Hearts among other things. I'll post the full set for all of you who are not cool or had to stay home and feed your cat rather then hike up to Maine to witness the awesomeness or awkwardness (I don't know the difference) that was Clitt Romney (down below). Oh yeah... that was their band name for the night and are rumored to actually be going into the studio and record some stuff some day. 

For Sean's own music, it is a worth wild look at what this guy actually plays for music. I thought the whole, "I play the keyboard" thing was a joke. Guess not! Ch-check it!

I would mention the rest of the bands who played but I don't want to leave anyone out of get their names/information/instrument/band wrong. I have a habit of that. 

They are Clitt Romney and they are here to get you off!

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