The Spinto Band
Wednesday, September 14, 2005, 04:20 PM
"To start, the Spinto Band's two lead singers traverse enough styles for a week's worth of positive Pitchfork notices. Nick Krill does the wobbly David Byrne warble about as well as deservedly lauded Clap Your Hands Say "It Boy" Alec Ounsworth. See harpsichord-splashed breakup song "Did I Tell You" and Turtles-quoting synth-pop come-on "Spy Vs. Spy". But Krill can also do dead-on Brighten the Corners-era Steve-O Malkmus ("Late", which brightly details the everyday dangers of rushing home for a favorite show: "It's slippery by the pool"). Meanwhile, fellow songwriter Thomas Hughes covers the sotto-voce sensitive-guy territory. His kazoo-enhanced "Brown Boxes" zooms in on a move-out/breakup: packing a pointless Hummel figurine while half-wishing for box-cutters sharp enough to "end it all". As throughout the album, a buoyant chorus saves the day.
Indeed, the group's college-age members rarely fail to build on their obvious indie influences with swooning California melodies and quirky instrumentation. Of particular note is Krill's "Oh Mandy", a ringing anthem of unrequited love, lush with mandolins and theremin. It namedrops the WB-- hey, "Dawson's Creek" was filmed in Wilmington...N.C.-- but is probably perfect for "The O.C." (that's meant as a compliment, guys). Another standout is "Trust Vs. Mistrust", which rides glockenspiel and a catchy "ah-ooh, ah-ooh" hook into another Pavement-esque verse about young, well-mannered lust. Four-on-the-floor "Crack the Whip" lashes the make-up alternapop zeitgeist, whippin' the Killers at their own neu-dance-wave game before ascending to a gates-of-heaven Beach Boys chorus like this was the Biblical, non-DFA Rapture.
Yeah, so the occasionally adolescent lyrics admit the Spinto Band's youth and the last couple of tracks trail off a bit, but the group's spirit of pop adventurism suggests it's worthy of early comparisons to gifted labelmate Architecture in Helsinki. Extra kudos are in order for goofy bonus track "Japan Is an Island": Amid Atari bleeping, Wilmington's finest will take you to a land where "Cornelius is a pop star," but they won't take American Express. Actually, they probably will." - Pitchfork
Artist - The Spinto Band
Song - Oh Mandy
Album - Nice and Nicely Done Mixes
Genre - Indie Pop/Musicana Tropico
Artist Page - spintoband.com
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Wounded, Limping, But Still Here
Sunday, September 11, 2005, 09:29 PM -
Sorry for the lack of updates. I've been quite busy as of late, but I pinky promise I'll get an update or two up here soon.Stats to date:
Hits: 15.5 thousand. Getting close to that magic 20 thou.
Downloads: 1,801
Not bad for less than 2 months...
Oh, and we just got a hit from Oulu, Oulu Laani. If anyone has any clue where in hell that is, contact me and enlighten me. Maybe we can do another spotlight post...
Worlds of thanks to you all. You wouldn't believe it, but this has become quite a fun little project for me and I love meeting all you new faces from all around the world. As always, feel free to contact me and give comments or feedbacks and I'm always open to submissions.
Delicious Murder.
Ugly Casanova
Thursday, September 8, 2005, 12:12 AM
"The first time any one seemed to care that Edgar Graham (a.k.a. Ugly Casanova) existed was in the summer of 1998, when he impressed himself upon the members of Modest Mouse while backstage at a Denver show.
Casanova began to share some rough songs with the trio and, after much prodding, with a few sparse crowds that milled about hours before the opening band was scheduled to appear. While Casanova's talent was unmistakable, by the time he finished each impromptu performance, his face held a look of shame and anger that more often than not, foreshadowed a retreat into himself. However, by the end of Modest Mouse's tour, Casanova, with much reluctance, was persuaded to record some of these songs and hand them over to record labels for issue as singles or parts of compilations. Predictably, immediately after he had done so, he disappeared.
Produced by Brian Deck and Isaac Brock at Glacial Pace Studios (Oregon), Ugly Casanova's songs are here performed by Misters Brock and Deck, as well as John Orth, Tim Rutili, Pall Jenkins, and a handful of like-minded collaborators. Some combination of these co-conspirators will as well travel the countryside, performing these songs and seeking out the enigmatic Casanova. Interested parties would do well to heed his advice and, "sharpen your teeth or lay flat." - Artist Page
Artist - Ugly Casanova
Song - Things I Don't Remember
Album - Sharpen Your Teeth
Genre - It's Modest Mouse
Artist Page - subpop.com
What would I do? I'd take the Juicy Fruit.
Apple Updates Music Line
Wednesday, September 7, 2005, 03:24 PM
The new iPod Nano is Apple's replacement for the iPod Mini. The Nano has a color display, 14 hours of battery life, and flash-based storage for skip-free playback. It is available in 2Gb and 4Gb sizes with room for around 500 and 1,000 songs respectively. It will set you back $199 or $249 for the 4Gb model.
This thing looks absolutely amazing.
Apple also released a major update to iTunes with version 5. New features include: a new look, search bar functions, smart shuffle, outlook syncing for windows iPod users, playlist folders, parental controls, and album reviews. Available for download at Apple.com.
I will let you know what I think after a while using it.
Kimya Dawson
Monday, September 5, 2005, 04:33 PM -
"If you have listened to The Moldy Peaches or to any of Kimya Dawson's first three solo albums (i'm sorry that sometimes i'm mean, knock-knock who?, and my cute fiend sweet princess) you will be familiar with her beautiful use of cassette four track to achieve an intimate sense of solitude. These home recordings make it feel as though you have a friend there with you whispering in your ear. And you do. Kimya is your friend.
In her little bit of off time Kimya has sang on tracks by Ben Kweller, Third Eye Blind, The Mountain Goats, They Might Be Giants, Dutch band John Wayne Shot Me, and her brother (and favorite person in the world) Akida Junglefoot Dawson.
There is something really precious about being alone and sad, but there is something powerful and reassuring about watching someone blossom out of that cocoon, sprout wings, and learn to fly. The world is in a state of disarray and Kimya sees that, but she also sees all the magnificent strangeness and unwavering beauty in the world and in people. And she shows us how to see it too." - Artist Page
Artist - Kimya Dawson
Song - Loose Lips
Album - NA
Genre - Folk/Mecca of Humanity and a tribute to dead Catholic Saints
Artist Page - kimyadawson.com
Which would you choose: Life or a year's supply of Juicy Fruit? I know what I would pick.
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