What I've been listening to

These are pretty crappy as far as videos are concerned (not real videos, just the songs with an image), but represent the music that I've been listening to lately. Newish stuff, finally.

Wild Nothing - Golden Haze
Violens - Amoral
The Walkmen - Lisbon

I don't have mp3s because rdio has entered my life and made it way better. Cleaner. It's how I'm listening to stuff now. You should sign up for it and we can trade musical secrets.

swiftkicks - march 5th

cats on fire

Wow, I'm going to have to follow Eardrum's lead (again) and implore you to go listen to the new Cats on Fire track on their Myspace!

It's called "Horoscope" and if this is any indication of what the new record will sound like, it's definitely a leap forward for an already great band.

I love when that happens.

release on two & some songs

Head over to Showed & Told to listen to my newest entry. It's a story in sound called "Release on Two".

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If you haven't been living in an indiepop cave for the last year (which I'm kinda sorta hoping you haven't for your own sake), then you probably don't know that Glasgow's Sexy Kids released one of the funnest (I don't use that word lightly) singles of the year.

Download:
Sexy Kids - Sisters Are Forever (.mp3)

(Support 'em by buying the 7" on Slumberland)

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And to put you in a fucking festive mood on this eve of the Xmas, let Mr. David Gedge & his band into your ears with a little holiday tune.

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Download:

Wedding Present - Holly Jolly Hollywood (.mp3)

(Support 'em by buying the ep on eMusic)

the research

In lieu of anything else my dull mind can come up with today, I'm just going to following Fire Escape Talking & Brogues in falling like dominoes for the crystal clear pop of The Research.

Their "I Think She's The One I Love" is one of the most profoundly crazy rad pop songs I've found online in a while. (The Grapefruit tracks that Raven Sings the Blues posted definitely get close, but there's the freshness factor to consider...) Not much more I can say beyond that. Just listen, friend.

Download: The Research - I Think She's the One I Love (.mp3)
(myspace)

swiftkicks for 11.13.08

Not sure what else is on the docket, but I'll definitely be playing some Moose.

We're on 9pm - close.

Come early, stay late, drink up.


Oh, you can be our friends on Myspace, if you want.

Jim Jiminee

There's a record shop here called Flipville. I used to live within a block it (twice, in fact) and I go near it a lot when I eat at Comet Cafe.

Strangely, for the infinite chances I've had, I've only been in the shop twice. The first time was several years ago, with Ryan and Joan, I think. The second was today.

Before I went that first time, I'd only heard a rumor about how the owner usually snubbed out a joined as you walked in.

He didn't.

I was going through one of my record buying hiatuses then, so I didn't buy anything. There was some pretty exciting psych stuff, but I was appalled/intimidated by the prices. Joan was braver, but when she got up to the counter, the guy charged her less than the total on the price tags.

Needless to say, we were all confused.

Since then, I've talked to a lot of people who said that that's normal operating procedure for the store.

After brunch today, I suggested to Kevin that we should check it out. The place has gotten even more surreal and claustrophobic than it was that first time. The counter has been swallowed by a pile of toys, stereo equipment, and instruments (including a mighty handsome uke.) When we can in, the owner was talking to someone and the guy had to leave so we'd have enough room to walk through.

There was an old movie playing on a miniature screen, tucked away in a corner. The records were down three steps. They were more disorganized and towering than I'd remembered. The disarray was so severe that it was impossible to look at a lot of the records. Too much work.

Anyway, we spent a good hour searching. Kevin found an original pressing of the first Violent Femmes record. It was marked at $15. When he checked out, the owner charged him $10. Kevin paid and the owner pulled the change from his "register" - that being a wad of cash pulled from his breast pocket.

I found a copy of the Do it on Thursday 12" ep by Jim Jiminee. The sticker on it says $4. He charged me $3.

For you, it's free.

Here's the tracklist:

Side A
Do It on a Thursday
You Pulled a String in My Heart

Side B
Housewife
Best of Both Girls


Download: Jim Jiminee - Do It on a Thursday (.zip)

reddy kilowatt

This hyperactive little 2 minute pop terror is, as far as I know, the only song that Reddy Kilowatt (the band, not the guy pictured above) released. It's from the Just for a Day compilation from 2000, which also contains Gentle Tuesday's "I Keep on Doin' It", an exemplar of late-90s/early-00s Euro discopop.

Reddy Kilowatt had a history (they were from California and associates of Majestic), but mostly it was just musical crib death. And that's what I've long been a proponent of. Blister up the world for one song or one 45—the briefest huff of time you can muster—and then singe yourself out of it.

Download: Reddy Kilowatt - Funny How (mp3)

soundtrack

My friend Justin does a great blog called Soundtrack to the End of the World.

He let me curate a mix of 13 songs.

Go here to download it!

money for nuthin' and songs for free

Seems silly to maintain two blogs, but that's exactly what I'm going to do. This one is for me-ish kinda shit. The other one, Extravagantaudio, is for music-related stuff. I'm the the process of doing away with my CD collection. Who needs those shiny discs anymore? Aren't mp3s and vinyl records way better? YESSS!

Anyway, I just sold a bunch, but before I pop 'em in the mail, I'm going to "rip" (god, isn't that the most obnoxious term?) them, upload them, and then post them on the site with little pomp.

If you like music, go check it out. And keep checking.