mp3 hungry?  Hungry like the wolf?  Not counting Duran Duran, there’s still a significant amount of artists and songs mentioning wolves, and the diverse collection is really not bad!  Here are some new (and not so new) WOLF picks…  for any music taste to get his or her howl on.  Happy Wednesday!

NEW -  We Are The Wolves - “Holding Hands“ 

[Kind of] New Rock Wolf – TV on The Radio – “Wolf Like Me“ 

Circa 1982 Wolf – Warren Zevon – “Werewolves of London“  (so THAAAAT’S who does that song…) 

NEW(ISH) WOLVES:

Party Wolf – (Good one to put in the crate, DJs… but beware of the video!) – Shakira – She Wolf (Villains Remix)

Rockin’ Wolf – We Are Wolves – Holding Hands 

Groovy Wolf – Iron & Wine – Wolves (Song Of The Shepherd’s Dog) 

Take a listen to “You’re a Wolf” and look out for Sea Wolf in 2010

NOT SO NEW(ISH) WOLVES:

2006 Rockin’ Wolf – Wolfmother – New Moon Rising

Mellow Wolf – Phosphorescent – Wolves 

Circa 1982 Wolf – Warren Zevon – Werewolves of London 

Bluesy Wolf – Muddy Waters – Howlin Wolf

So you thought we were done discussing the music of the decade? Well, think again. We didn’t get to what is arguably the most important list of all: The Best Songs of the Decade. When Tim introduced Aught Lang Syne last week, he discussed how certain cultural events will always be linked to events in our lives. Songs may be the best example of this phenomenon. Unlike albums or even music videos, which are generally experienced individually, we tend to listen to songs in groups: They’re on the playlists at the parties we go to; they’re in the background of the bars we drink in and the restaurants we eat at; they’re the songs we dance to when we go to clubs; they’re on the radio when we take road trips. In short, they are the soundtrack of our memory. These are the songs that we will inevitably remember when we think of the Aughts.

Of course, out cultural memory does not always have the best taste: It will probably be impossible to remember the Aughts and not think of the Black Eyed Peas, but God knows I’ll try. What follows, then, is not an attempt to capture the most popular, memorable, or iconic songs of the decade; it is merely a list of the 25 Best Songs. Nevertheless, it is often difficult–and generally undesirable–to dissociate a song from the positive memories of the context in which you heard it. So even without actively trying to incorporate these qualities, the Best Songs of the Decade will inevitably include some of the Most Popular, Most Memorable and Most Iconic.

Anyway, on with the list:

25) The Strokes, “12:51”

It’s easy to forget how big the “The” bands were in the beginning of the decade (The Strokes, The Hives, The Vines, The White Stripes), but there was a time when The Strokes seemed poised to become the biggest band in the country. Alas, they could never really top 2001’s Is This It?, and First Impressions of the Earth was pretty disappointing, but “12:51,” the first single from their second album, was probably them at their best. The crisp and innovative guitar play of Nick Valensi on this song was what The Strokes were great at.

24) Rihanna, “Disturbia”

The quick, rhythmic cadence, combined with the spooky sound of the opening and the foreboding drumbeat, is what makes this song so catchy. Unlike a lot of dance songs of its caliber, “Disturbia” retains the sense of progression of a pop song. Rihanna’s voice retains a chilling effect throughout the verses, contrasting nicely with the more sweetly sung bridge. As usual for Rihanna, the way the vocals harmonize with the bassline creates a memorable song.

23) MGMT, “Kids”

The creepy-bordering-on-disturbing music video for this song, in which a small child is menaced by monsters who ultimately eat him, has gotten a lot of publicity (or, as much publicity as a music video can get nowadays). But the cool video shouldn’t overshadow the song itself, which retains a creepy feel of its own right. The layers of big sound and the reverberated vocals lend this song an impact that begets, and rewards, multiple listens. At the same time, the song has a very danceable, upbeat sound, which makes the track all the more captivating.

22) Spoon, “The Way We Get By”

I had hard time deciding on my favorite Spoon song of the decade. The band is great at creating singles, but they produce so many good ones (“Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine,” “I Summon You,” “The Underdog,” etc.) that it’s tough to pick their best. “The Way We Get By” gets the nod because of the piano part, which is a great illustration of Spoon’s mastery of pop simplicity. Plus, the song was included in The O.C. and Stranger Than Fiction, which can’t hurt.

21) Eminem, “Lose Yourself”

When this song came out, it would have been hard to imagine a bigger song coming out this decade. It came at the peak of Eminem’s fame, when he was by far the biggest and best rapper in the world, and he could star in a movie and actually be taken somewhat seriously in the role. This song also contains much of what made Eminem so successful: his memorable lyrics and his ability to make words that don’t rhyme (like “heavy” and “spaghetti”) sound like they do, as well as his ability to maintain a building intensity throughout a whole song.

20) The Streets, “It Was Supposed to be So Easy”

I’m pretty sure I’m in the minority on this, but I’ve always preferred A Grand Don’t Come For Free to Original Pirate Material or The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living (I never even listened to Everything is Borrowed based on its lukewarm reviews). Maybe I’m just a sucker for concept albums, but every track on this album, particularly this opener, is a rhapsodic and compelling highlight of the mundane. The bombastic intro to “It Was Supposed to be So Easy” sets up an everyman’s odyssey, in which The Streets/Mike Skinner outlines all he has to do today: return some DVDs, get money from the ATM, call his mom, and pick up his savings to fix his TV. Unfortunately, he grabbed the DVD case without putting the disc in it, his bank account is empty, and his cell phone battery dies. What happens to his thousand pounds, though, becomes a Holmesian mystery throughout the album.

19) Miley Cyrus, “See You Again”

A lot has been said about Miley Cyrus at this point—most of it has very little to do with her music. She’s a good role model for kids, she’s a bad role model for kids, she’s a Disney puppet, she’s a religious nut, she’s a great rapper, she’s dating a Jonas Brother, etc. Most people are sick of hearing about it at this point (I’m not, but that’s neither here nor there). But none of this should obscure the fact that “See You Again” is actually a great pop song. It’s both infectious and aggressive, and it does a pretty good job of harnessing Cyrus’ rather limited vocal talents.

18) Franz Ferdinand, “Take Me Out”

“Take Me Out” was almost too good for Franz Ferdinand’s good. By most measures, Franz Ferdinand are a one-hit wonder thanks to the success of “Take Me Out.” In his review of their second album, Nitsuh Abebe called them an “effective singles band.” To be fair, though, their debut album was a strong album on its own merits, but “Take Me Out” was catchy and charming and innovative, and none of the band’s other singles were quite as good. But comparing every song to something like “Take Me Out” is unfair; this kind of hit is a rare thing.

17) Wilco, “Heavy Metal Drummer”

This song is simply a mellow masterpiece. The gentle riffs and easy melodies are a perfect companion to the nostalgia of the song. There is a great story about Jeff Tweedy in Chuck Klosterman’s profile of him: Klosterman said something vaguely insulting about Jet, and Tweedy looks at him as if his mom were insulted, asking, “Don’t you like rock music?” Wilco may be a favorite of the indie scene, but they seem virtually without pretension, and a song like “Heavy Metal Drummer” is the perfect example of that.

16) M.I.A., “Paper Planes”

This song has some kind of political message about guns and immigration, I guess, but I don’t really care about any of that. It sounds badass. It took me longer than I’d care to admit to recognize The Clash song being sampled on this track, but I’m sure that air of familiarity played a role in the way it got caught in my head. Even those unfamiliar with “Straight to Hell” are bound to be impressed by the haunting background to M.I.A.’s silky vocals. Also, I would be lying if I said that this song doesn’t get a bump for being the perfect Omar Little soundtrack.

15) Radiohead, “Myxomatosis”

A lot of Radiohead’s best songs come when they seem angry. “Myxomatosis” is like that. Plenty of the tracks on Hail to the Thief are maudlin and slow, but “Myxomatosis” is powerful and almost hostile. The lyrics are violent and threatening, accompanied by an equally foreboding composition. Apparently myxomatosis is a lethal disease that infects rabbits, causing lumps and blindness. That hardly sounds ideal, but the way Thom Yorke sings it makes it sound much worse.

14) The Flaming Lips, “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt. 1”

This is probably my favorite song ever about a publicly employed Japanese woman training to be an expert in martial arts in order to defeat an evil race of flamboyantly colored alien robots…probably. For such a life-or-death subject, though, Wayne Coyne seems pretty laid back about the whole thing. The Flaming Lips are gentle to the point of being almost saccharine, so even when they deal in obscure details—which is often—they are only communicating an almost cloyingly sweet and pleasant message.

13) Manu Chao, “La Primavera/Me Gustas Tu”

Technically two songs fill this spot, but they blend into each other so well (and seamlessly—try and tell when the track changes without looking) that they have to be considered as one. As a suite of songs, it’s a beautifully laid-back rhythm. Manu Chao is known as one of the more eclectic performers worldwide, but the catchiness of this simple song transcends culture. It’s also easy to translate, which is nice.

12) The Hold Steady, “Stuck Between Stations”

The Hold Steady is kind of a throwback. The band leans heavily on guitar riffs, prominently features the piano, and has lyrics comprised of clear, declarative sentences. “Stuck Between Stations” is a great illustration of how Craig Finn can blend all three into a classic-style rock song. It’s a very refreshing approach for a post-Radiohead, post-Beck, world, in which it can seem like a song needs a drum machine and impenetrable lyrics to get noticed. The Hold Steady shows how guitar rock can be done well.

11) The New Pornographers, “Myriad Harbour”

So I just praised straightforward, sensible lyrics, and now I’m including a Dan Bejar song. I am a man of contradictions. I also feel odd about calling this my favorite New Pornographers song since A) it’s much slower than the upbeat, catchy pop they’re so good at, and B) it comes from by far their worst album, Challengers. Maybe the weak album allows Bejar’s poignant soft rock to come through even better, but I feel like I would love this song on any album.

10) Kelly Clarkson, “Since U Been Gone”

This song is a mastery of pop form. The opening bass line develops an irresistible hook, and Clarkson’s voice is delicate enough not to overpower it. Clarkson’s voice also allows the song to build to an effective outpouring at the chorus, which is built to with confident aplomb. The shift in gears from the first verse to the chorus is dramatic and filled with pathos. The second verse, with a new beat added to the melody and slightly more assertiveness from Clarkson, builds on this change in energy. Then we get an even more energetic bridge and a guitar solo that cleanses the palate. This is the kind of tightly-packed, well-crafted song that pop music is about.

9) Interpol, “Obstacle 1”

I saw Interpol in concert and they were pretty mediocre. Then I saw them again and they were even worse. I still kind of hold that against them, but it’s hard to deny how good they are on record. It’s odd that their sound wouldn’t translate in concert, since the music has such a visceral energy, combined with the band’s technical skill. “Obstacle 1” combines Interpol’s two best qualities: Paul Banks’ guttural vocals and that whole isolated/interlocking guitar thing that they took from Television.

8 ) LCD Soundsystem, “Someone Great”

It’s really hard to pick a favorite song from Sound of Silver, but this is probably it. I love the pulsating intro, and how the song gradually adds more layers. Unlike “All My Friends” (which is still great), “Someone Great” seems to build musically as well as lyrically. James Murphy’s vocals in this song are trance-like and detached, which is probably better suited to his voice. Despite this vocal aloofness, Murphy still manages to convey the emotional climax of the song. This is a credit to Murphy, but no surprise, given the depth of the entirety of Silver.

7) Arcade Fire, “Intervention”

Once again, this is an example of a superior song off of an inferior album. Neon Bible as a whole is not as good as Funeral, but it’s hard to find a song on either album that makes more of an impact than “Intervention.” You wouldn’t think that a song that begins with a heavy, resonant organ would actually get more somber as it goes on, but Arcade Fire go to the depths of pathos with this song. The eerie backing vocals of Régine Chassagne send chills down your spine as Winn Butler sings lines like, “You’ve been singing Hallelujah with the fear in your heart.” The climax of this song is like the catharsis of Aristotelian tragedy.

6) OutKast, “Hey Ya”

I’ve already tipped my hand about my fondness for this song, but I don’t think I’m going out on that far of a limb when I call this one of the best songs of the decade. This song was incredibly popular when it came out in 2003, having that rare ability to unite fans of all genres. I remember being at a concert around that time, and this song came on during the break between the opener and main act. Andre 3000’s call-and-response got the crowd more excited than anything the live acts did that night. The song is electrifying and deceptively complex; Andre 3000 performs some impressive vocal gymnastics, layering the song beneath the relatively simple drumbeat. A song this good is bound to get played out, as this song certainly did. But six years later, it remains one of the most exciting songs of the decade.

5) Animal Collective, “Peacebone”

Like a lot of songs on this list, I didn’t really appreciate this on my first listen. Initially, my favorite song off of Strawberry Jam was “For Reverend Green.” I thought the intro to this song went on too long and sounded too much like a video game. After a few more listens, though, I realized just how smoothly all the pieces of this song fit together. All of the experimental sounds and unconventional noise on this track blend to turn “Peacebone” into a perfect rock song. The song is catchy and harmonious, and really as close to a “pop” song as Animal Collective has come (even closer than “My Girls”). Some hardcore fans may complain about this, but it’s not as if Animal Collective is sacrificing who they are; the intro does kind of sound like a video game. “Peacebone” simply harnesses that sound in a way that strikes you as both unconventional and familiar.

4) Kanye West, “Stronger”

I already indicated my feelings about this song in my recap of the decade in music. This song is an excellent blend of sounds, incorporating Daft Punk well and also adding enough to the melody and changing the tempo to create a song that sounds completely original. It’s noteworthy that West claimed to draw inspiration on Graduation from arena rock bands like U2 and Led Zeppelin; there is an anthemic quality to “Stronger” that gives it a bigger sound than most of West’s other singles. Even the lyrics—essentially just a variant on the “I’m awesome” theme—are evocative and colorful, from referring to himself as “the Christian in Christian Dior” to referring back to when “OJ had isotoners.”

3) TV on the Radio, “Wolf Like Me”

TV on the Radio does so many things well: vocal harmonies, percussion, synth, incorporating different instruments, unpredictable pacing, etc. On “Wolf Like Me,” they seem to do all these things well all at once. The avalanche of drums at the outset is such a powerful lead that it almost seems to overwhelm Tunde Adebimpe’s vocals. Until, that is, the backing vocals enter to add depth. Then all of sudden the song slows down, like a racecar going through a turn, and suddenly Adebimpe’s voice, backed by Kyp Malone, becomes the focal point of the song. Just like that, though, the song kicks back up again, with a renewed intensity that is almost frightening. Katrina Ford’s back-up singing enters like a chaotic chorus gradually building to the forefront of the song. By the end of the song, you feel almost exhausted by all that has gone on, and the eerie outro is such a sublime ending to such a riveting song.

2) Radiohead, “Idioteque”

If Kid A is kind of a musical novel, then “Idioteque” is a perfect climax. It has a haunting but arresting opening, and only builds in intensity from there. The electronic sampling and computer sounds of this album are most fully realized on this track; it’s pretty much impossible for me to identify one conventional instrument in this song, and yet the song retains the straightforward impact of the band’s more traditional compositions. A lot of this has to do with the impressive amount of complexity in the percussions that drive the song. This song is also an excellent showcase of the power of Thom Yorke’s voice. Although the lyrics to this song are, as they are for much of Kid A, essentially incoherent and disconnected images, the way Yorke sings them against the dark and fluid electronic sounds results in beautiful and emotionally evocative melodies. Some of the complaints about Kid A were that the band had abandoned its rock sound, but very few rock songs can match the intensity of Radiohead on this track.

1) Rihanna, “Umbrella”

I once got into a long discussion about whether or not Rihanna herself was integral to Rihanna’s success. After all, the argument went, she doesn’t write the lyrics to her songs, or the music, or play any of the instruments. She has a good voice, of course, but her vocal talents don’t approach that of other, less appealing, female singers, like Christina Aguilera and Mariah Carey. Was there anything about Rihanna as a person that made Rihanna as a singer so good?

Well, here’s something Rihanna did: She sang the “ellas.” This song was originally written for Britney Spears. When she said no, the writers went to Mary J. Blige. But it’s hard to imagine any other vocalist pulling off the silky glide of the “ella”-laded refrain, let alone somehow rhyming “ella” with “forever,” that made this song so omnipresent in the summer of 2007.

And while the chorus was undoubtedly what made this song so ubiquitous, “Umbrella” is a great song from its opening. From the opening hi-hat and Jay-Z’s rap over the synthetic melody and Rihanna’s background “hey”s, the song manages to combine elements of rap, R&B, synth, and house music.

At its heart, though, “Umbrella” remains a pop song, retaining an indelible hook and a light, emotional force that gives the “ellas” a cathartic payoff. I can conceive of this song being a hit in the hands of someone like Spears or Blige, but it’s hard for me to imagine that this song would have kept this force, and been the best song of the decade, in the hands of anyone but Rihanna.

Filmed at the Metro in Sydney earlier this year, oh ye!

Wolf Like Me by TV on the Radio

Say say my playmate,
won’t you lay hands on me?
Mirror my malady,
transfer my tragedy.

Got a curse I cannot lift,
shines when the sunset shifts;
when the moon is round and full
gotta bust that box, gotta gut that fish!

(My mind’s aflame)

We could jet in a stolen car,
but I bet we wouldn’t get too far
before the transformation takes
and bloodlust tanks and
crave gets slaked!

My mind has changed,
my body’s frame, but god I like it!
My hearts aflame,
my body’s strained, but god I like it!

My mind has changed,
my body’s frame, but god I like it!
My hearts aflame,
my body’s strained, but god I like it!

Charge me your day rate,
I’ll turn you out in kind;
when the moon is round and full,
gonna teach you tricks that’ll blow your
mongrel mind! 

Baby doll I recognize
you’re a hideous thing inside,
if ever there were a lucky kind it’s
you, you, you, you!

I know it’s strange, another way, to get to know you.
You’ll never know, unless we go, so let me show you.
I know its strange, another way, to get to know you.
We’ve got till noon, here comes the moon,
so let it show you.
Show you now.

Dream me, oh dreamer,
down to the floor;
open my hands and let them
weave onto yours.

Feel me, completer,
down to my core;
open my heart and let it
bleed onto yours.

Feeding on fever,
down on all fours;
show you what all that
howl is for.

Hey, hey, my playmate,
let me lay waste to thee;
burned down their hanging trees,
it’s hot, hot, hot, hot!

Got a curse we cannot lift,
shines when the sunset shifts.
There’s a cure comes with a kiss,
the bite that binds the gift that gives.

(We’re howling, forever)

Now that we got gone for good,
writhing under your riding hood,
tell your gra’ma and your mama too.
It’s true,
we’re howling, forever.

Fall is my favorite time of year for a few reasons: I love watching the leaves change colors, some of the best films make their debut in the fall, and there’s caramel apples everywhere. And, of course, there’s Halloween, the most fun and scary holiday of the year. In honor of this holiday, I have prepared a list of my favorite spooky music videos (sans any horror-core because that’s just  too obvious). Enjoy!

*These videos contain one or more of the following: disturbing visuals, nudity, sex, viruses, monsters, drug use, deformities, or killers. Do not watch if you are underage or scare easily. These videos are not for you.

10. Shame by Stabbing Westward

9. Wolf Like Me by TV on the Radio

8. Push It by Garbage

7. Heart Shaped Box by Nirvana

6. Black Hole Sun by Soundgarden

5. Sweet Dreams by Marilyn Manson

4. Rubber Johnny by Aphex Twin (short film)

3. Come to Daddy by Aphex Twin

2. White Pony by Deftones (short film)

1. Stinkfist by Tool

Honorable Mention: Happiness in Slavery by Nine Inch Nails for its grotesque take on authoritative fetishism. (You must log into YouTube to watch this video. No minors please.)

And now a New Band of the Week…AFI!

I have been listening to this talented band for a while now. I’ve seen them transform with every album from goth punk to glam rock and again with their latest release Crash Love, a simple, stripped down, rock album. The new album is the perfect cure for the dreary days of fall. I absolutely love the epic chorus on “Beautiful Thieves.”  You should also check out “Veronica Sawyer Smokes.” If you want some older AFI, I recommend “Summer Shudder,” “Celluloid Dream,” and  “Days of the Phoenix.” I’ve seen them live a couple times and they are so awesome. They are currently on tour. I’m sad to say there are no west coast dates posted yet, but I know these Nor-Cal guys will not skip over the West Coast. You can see them live on MTV Ulalume airing Friday, October 30.

 Until next time, “Double, double toil and trouble. Fire burn, and caldron bubble,” Shakespeare. -K

Der Song zu meiner aktuellen Stimmung…

Es gibt eine Person, die einen großen Bogen um mich machen sollte. Es dauert lange, aber auch bei mir ist das Maß irgendwann mal voll.

Wolle.

Aquí otros dibujitos, la verdad me gusta encontrarme estas cosas que hice en algún momento del día en algún momento de mi vida, mientras escuchaba música. Si los dibujos no les dicen nada, o están feos… la intención es que se queden con la recomendación musical.

Y bueno… estos son sobre la canción “Furr” de Blitzen Trapper. La canción que le da nombre a la producción es el tercer track y narra la historia de un hombre que buscando las voces de los fantasmas en el bosque se convierte en lobo y se une al canto de una jauría.

“Furr”

Blitzen Trapper

Furr

Sub Pop Records

La otra canción sobre lobos a la que le hice un mini-dibujito parecido a los de arriba, es “Wolf Like Me” de TV on The Radio.

“Wolf Like Me”

TV On The Radio

Return To Cookie Mountain

*Las canciones sobre lobitos son todas dedicadas a A.I.R., un lobito.

Well, the countdown is over.  With our next-door neighbours moving in, we serenaded their arrival in the only possible way; lots of good food, alcohol and very, very loud music. And to everyone’s utter surprise (not), Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana pipped everyone at the post, and took out the number 1 spot. But what of the other 99? Was the countdown rubbish? Biased? An accurate depiction of musical tastes over the past century? Twitter, the Triple J site and numerous other social networks have been amass with comments about the once-a-decade event. Here’s my thoughts.

What a week of music it has been. I was a little dubious to begin with when i found out the structure of the J’s perennial music countdown. Splayed out over an entire week? In the end though i thought it worked fabulously (even if it was a thinly-veiled way to get more listeners). It increased the hype, to the point where everyone was waiting with baited breath for the mysterious top 20 on Sunday afternoon. Personally, I was glued to my radio all week. Also of note was the station’s use of social media; on that alone it deserves to be congratulated. It used twitter, facebook, their website and on-air with a ferocity that i haven’t witnessed before. Good work, guys.

And now, the inevitable analysis:

Every year when the countdown ends, there are always the haters. And naturally, being the most popular songs ‘of all time’, the backlash would be more intense than ever. And it was. I heard reactions as harsh as “Triple J, you are complete rubbish, I’m never listening to you again”. But there was also plenty of praise. Personally, i was among the latter category. While of course the list had faults (when does it not?), overall it was pretty darn good. I was stoked to see 8 out of my 10 votes actually make an appearance, which was much more than i was expecting. To see TV on the Radio make it in with Wolf Like Me (even if it was only at number 99) made my week.

One trend i did notice, as did many others in the blogosphere, was the lack of female artists in the countdown. Literally, there were none. Massive Attack, with their guest female vocalists, came as close as it got. But why? Why is Australia (and the world, for that matter), so adverse to staying, quality female musicians? I can think of plenty of artists straight off the top of my head- and not just recent ones either- that could (should?) have had songs up there.

Like many, I think it has to do with the voters. It was pretty easy to see what the main demographic of Triple J is from this countdown. Males in their mid 20’s had the most influence voting, and it showed. But while this is why so many people seem to be complaining, is it justified? After all, it is the HOTTEST 100. Not the best 100 songs of all time. Because let’s face it, if it was judged on musical quality, then surely Mozart would have got a look in somewhere. I think that’s what everyone is overlooking:

How can one person decide if a song is ‘better’ than another?

It’s all about personal taste. That’s why it’s a democracy. And regardless of whether everyone is happy or not about it, the majority has spoken. What would make a more accurate countdown? Only if the whole world voted? Of course more recent songs are going to be more popular; it’s what most people readily remember. Realisitically, it could only be ever completely accurate if everyone who had ever lived voted. And even then that’s not going to provide a accurate depiction. What would the cavemen have voted for?

Overall, I was pretty happy. I’m not about to switch off my radio and completely boycott Triple J. But i’m not about to take the countdown for gospel either. It is what it is: a great weekend of music. Can’t wait till 2019.

Oh, and PS: I loved the fact that Triple J managed to Rickroll the entire country. Pure gold.

After a week long debate with myself on whether or not I wanted to make the Saturday night trek down to Atlanta to catch the TV on the Radio and Grizzly Bear show at The Tabernacle, I finally caved in on Thursday and bought my ticket. I didn’t want to look back on this opportunity and regret passing it up, and when all was said and done, I was very happy with my choice. The day started out a little rough as about 30 minutes outside of Greenville, they guys I was with realized their gigantic, bright red, Live Nation provided tickets were still sitting on the kitchen counter. Luckily, since we left early enough hoping to enjoy some dinner and drinks before the show, we had plenty of time to turn around and go pick up the tickets, albeit that cut our pre-concert festivities short. About 4 hours after we originally left Greenville we finally made it to dinner at a fine “delightfully tacky” eating establishment close to The Tabernacle when the next bit of rough news came through that Dirty Projectors was no longer opening the show. This was a bummer, as Bitte Orca had just been released to rave reviews and talks of the fine show they put on had us all excited…oh well. There was no time to harp on the bad news though, as we were about to enjoy a fantastic show from a couple Brooklyn acts and two of the best bands going today. (No pics from the show though…sorry.)

Grizzly Bear

Grizzly Bear took the stage around 8:20 and started off with “Southern Point”, their fantastic opener on Veckatimest (album review coming soon!). This was honestly one of the highlights of the set for me as the song is instantly recognizable and really got me even more pumped about the upcoming set than I already was. The rest of the show featured a good mix of some of the highlights from Yellow House as well as all the fan favorites from Veckatimest. I was standing on the floor level to the right facing the stage and didn’t have a great view of the whole band but was able to see everything if I shifted my head a little to the left every now and then to see by the noggin of some fella and his girlfriend who got there about halfway through the set only to stand right in front of me and promptly ask me if they had already played “Knife”. Yep, they sure did…better luck next time. Meanwhile, the piano was just starting up for “Two Weeks”, so I told them at least you didn’t miss what’s maybe their best song. My best unobstructed view was of drummer Christopher Bear and I enjoyed watching him throughout the set as often times drums are the most underappreciated part of a band. So it was nice to see what he brought to the table and I went away impressed with his playing. I would loved to have heard more from Grizzly Bear as by the time “While You Wait for the Others” closed it out, I wasn’t really ready for them to be done, but they were just the opener so considering that, it was an amazing hour long (or so?) experience. A venue like The Tabernacle compliments their music perfectly being a band built quiet harmonies and not nearly as loud as what was about to follow.

TV on the Radio

Things started to get a good bit more crowded on the floor level in preparation for the TV on the Radio set and we actually ended up losing our spots and had to move back about 15 feet, but it wasn’t that big of a deal.  I was impressed at the amount of people at this show. The last (and first) show I went to at The Tabernacle was to see The Hold Steady and Drive By Truckers last fall, but that crowd was nothing compared to this which is actually kind of cool considering TVotR and Grizzly Bear are a couple northern acts and the show in the fall was headlined by true Alabama bred southerners Drive by Truckers. Good for you Atlanta! As TVotR took the stage, the first thing I noticed was the awesomeness of Kyp Malone’s beard. That thing is crazy and looks even more amazing seeing it person. I felt that the sound was a bit off for pretty much all of the set as TV on the Radio has to be a pretty tough band to get everything sounding perfect with the amount of stuff they have going on (just ask SNL). The vocals were muffled a bit, and the guitars just weren’t that crisp, but the energy and stage presence they brought to the set, highlighted by Tunde Adebimpe’s hand gestures and bouncing around the stage, was easily enough to overlook the slightly less than desired sound quality. And who knows, it may have just sounded like that from where I was standing. The band really hit it’s stride about 3 songs in during “Halfway Home” which is one of the many standouts from Dear Science,. But the absolute highlight of the entire night, for either band, was the best song TVotR has done (and will probably ever do) in “Wolf Like Me”. It was clearly the crowd favorite and what many had come to hear. And the band knew it too, as they gave their best performance of the set. Maybe the only thing that can rival that was the 2nd song of the encore, “A Method” which featured some members of Grizzly Bear. When all was said and done, the resounding feeling I was left with from the set was something every concert should do and that’s give you a feeling that life is good. Damn good. And while we may not quite yet be in the “Golden Age” TV on the Radio sings of, for a few hours one Saturday night in Atlanta, it sure as hell felt like it.

How about a song from each band?  Well, here ya go.  No, these are not live versions.

["Southern Point" - Grizzly Bear :: Veckatimest]

["Wolf Like Me" - TV on the Radio :: Return to Cookie Mountain]

Voting opened today for triple j’s Hottest 100 of All Time, I’m pretty excited for this one, it should be interesting to see what people vote for.

It’ll also be interesting to see how songs from the past few years go, because there has been a small change in triple j listeners and there seems to be much love for bands like MGMT and Kings of Leon.

If you were wondering what I voted for, here is the list:

TV on the Radio – Wolf Like Me
Queens of the Stone Age – No One Knows
Powderfinger – Love Your Way
Interpol – PDA
Blur – Coffee & TV
You Am I – Berlin Chair
Nine Inch Nails – Hurt
Foo Fighters – Everlong
Grinspoon – Chemical Heart
Beck – Loser

No particular order really, except No One Knows is definitely at the top. Not really any old songs either, but I guess that was kind of expected from me.

By the way, my guess for number 1 is Smell Like Teen Spirit, although unfortunately I think a few of the recent songs have a chance like Sex On Fire and Knights of Cydonia.

The countdown starts on July 7th and but a full countdown will take place on July 11th & 12th.

Here’s the link to vote: http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100_alltime/voting/

Dear Science, TV on the Radio’s follow-up to 2006’s Return to Cookie Mountain is catchier, but spikier than its predecessor. This album is full of not so subtle references to death and darkness. Lyrics about the dead, death, and dying litter the album from its second line onward.

The horns, courtesy of the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, sound punchier and brighter than ever before. Vocalists Tunde Adebimpe and guitarist/singer Kyp Malone thrive as dual frontmen. The opening track ‘Halfway Home’ begins with a guitar riff that recalls previous single ‘Wolf Like Me’, but as the melody kicks in, features solid drumming built around a straight forward beat. “Shout Me Out” is pure joy. The chorus comes the closest to the raw sound of their past works: repetitive guitar, Adebimpe singing a gentle verse as the song builds to a frenetic release and the electric guitar rails along. This is familiar territory for them, and really these are the only songs that bring us back to their style of work from previous albums.

This New York quintet is definitely getting easier on the ear with every release. Dear Science often delves into pop, funk and soul. Stylistically, it’s also one of the most varied records you’ll hear all year. Every track is loaded with sonic tricks; there’s handclaps, sparring horns and unexpected new layers. From passion, anger and lust to loss, regret and depression, over the course of its eleven songs Dear Science covers an awful lot of bases. As a result, on casual listens it can feel more like a disparate, disjointed collection of tracks than a coherent body of work. That’s a tiny beef, though, when there’s really not a weak track here.

Overall, it’s a little too dark for mainstream audiences, but that probably was not the goal.  To fully appreciate the record it definitely merits several intent listens. Keep an eye out for this one.

-Laura Gallant, Link Editor (Broadcast Journalism)

I have come up with a theory. When you (or me, her, him, whoever) go to a concert to see a band that you know and love…it’s never as great as you hoped.

But, when you go see a band that you hardly know about, they’re usually better than what you expected.

I have realized this since I started writing show reviews and such. Like when I had the opportunity to go see the band Mahjonng, I checked out their stuff on last.fm, thought it was cool, and said I’d go. And it was a fun, good show. But, if I’d been a huge fan of theirs and went to their show, it probably wouldn’t have been as impressive.

I recognized all of this after last night. For months, I looked forward to TV on the Radio’s show. MONTHS. Do you know that 1 day before the show, I realized I hadn’t gotten my tickets in the mail. Hmmm, okay, I’ll check my emails for the confirmation. Nada. I’ll check my credit card statement. NO. Nothing. My transaction on TicketWeb that I without a doubt thought went through, did not. I freaked.

I went to TicketWeb. Of course, the show is sold out. I went to StubHub.com. Nothing. I went on Craigslist. Everyone that I emailed had already sold their tickets. How could this happen?

So, yesterday when I got in the office, I emailed my friend who was supposed to be going with me. There were to be four of us total. But, there were only TWO tickets. I told her the terrible news. “That’s okay,” she wrote back. “You can have my other ticket and we’ll both just go.”

Ahh! My savior! I still felt bad all day that only the 2 of us instead of 4 were going, all of which was my fault. But, I’d been SO excited, so I tried not to think about it. At the end of the work day, my friend called. “Another friend called me and has box seats at the hockey game tonight and wants me to go! You can have both of my tickets…is that okay? Do you mind?”

Nope. Didn’t really mind much. I called the boyfriend, who by this point had to be ready to poke his eyeballs out, and asked if he wanted to go (again). He said “sure” as long as he got to see some of the hockey game before the concert.

Phew. Ok. So…after all of that…I get to the show. And I’m disappointed in TV on the Radio’s lineup. I got very excited when “Wolf Like Me” came on…that was my favorite part. “Golden Age” and most of the others were very good, too. But, I’d wanted to hear “Love Dog”. I also wanted to hear “Staring at the Sun”, which they did play, but it was their very last song. I’m glad they played it, very glad, but I was halfway out the door to beat the crowd, and I was EXHAUSTED. Therefore, I didn’t get to enjoy it as fully as I would have liked.

All in all, I am glad I got to go. I would have been kicking myself if I hadn’t, especially after all of that built up anticipation. But, there were many elements to it all that kept me from having the BEST. TIME. EVER.

Hope Coldplay’s better at the end of the month!

Alôw modernos! _o/
Vocês já conhecem/ouviram TV On The Radio?!
Pois é…tudo é muito novo pra mim ainda e o pouco que eu sei, é que eles são de NY City. Mas gostei do visual nerd e do rock experimental (boa equação, né?!), bem aberto a novas possibilidades.
Aí vai uma amostrinha, para que vocês possam avaliar o que eu estou dizendo.
Golden Age :

Wolf Like Me:

Fica a dica para o pod cast!

dream me, oh dreamer! down to the floor, open my hands and let them weave onto yours, feel me completer, down to my core, open my heart and let it bleed onto yours, feeding on fever, down on all fours, show you what all the howling’s for

Nos encontramos ya plenamente inmersos en el 2009, un año complicado y aquejado por los síntomas de la crisis, pero que puede serlo menos si lo acompañamos de buena música, aquella que es capaz de arroparnos, que consigue hacer sentirnos mejor y que nunca nos deja solos en el camino que hemos decidido trazar. No sabemos lo que nos va a deparar este 2009 musicalmente hablando, pero de lo que sí estamos seguros es de lo bueno que fue el 2008. Aquí tenéis algunos de los mejores momentos del año. No os conforméis con escucharlos, disfrutad de la pegada de su directo en los conciertos promocionados por Cronolánea.

MGMT – “Oracular Spectacular”: El trabajo del dúo estadounidense contiene dos de los himnos del año. “Time to pretend” y “Kids” son dos enormes rompepistas que contagian su fuerza y sus melodías electrónicas desde la primera escucha. MGMT actúan en la Sala Razzmatazz (Barcelona) el próximo 28 de Marzo.

TV On The Radio – “Dear Science”: Los neoyorquinos vuelven a la carga la nueva entrega de su ecléctica música y la sobrecogedora voz de Tunde Adebimpe. Y encima lo vuelven a hacer con acierto. TV On The Radio estarán el 3 de Julio en la Sala Apolo (Barcelona) y el 4 de Julio en la Sala Joy Eslava (Madrid).

Ron Sexsmith – “Exit Strategy Of The Soul”: Una nueva obra de arte la del canadiense, que nos regala catorce temas de pop melancólico de una bellísima factura. Qué bien suena Ron Sexsmith en un día de lluvia… Ron Sexsmith visita la Sala Rock Star (Bilbao) el 15 de Junio, el Club Camelot (Elche) el 17 de Junio y la Sala Salamandra (l’Hospitalet de Llobregat) el 18 de Junio.

Tachenko – “Esta vida pide otra” Y para los momentos más rabiosos, el cuarteto aragonés y sus irónicas letras acompañadas de ese power pop que tan bien saben proyectar. Una vez más vuelven a demostrar que son una de las grandes bandas del pop nacional. Podéis disfrutar de Tachenko el 12 de Abril en la Sala Apolo (Barcelona) y el 14 de Abril en la Sala Moby Dick (Madrid).

Pure happiness.

[There's often more behind the discovery of an album than just the music. Here's S. Ziggy Zagami's review of TV on the Radio's "Return to Cookie Mountain” & “Dear Science”. If you would like to share your One album - One story, we'd love to post it.]

TV On The Radio are a five piece band from Brooklyn, NY created by multi-instrumentalist David Andrew Sitek and vocalist Tunde Adebimpe. Their music is a melting pot of styles like their city of origin. What I love most about their style is that it’s all over the place. They never deliver the same thing twice – their truly original and intrinsically modern touch is quite a feat to pull-off in a time when music is so old you can’t help finding a lot of new music to be a rehash of something gone before.

So it is with great shame that what prompted me to really listen to TVotR was one of the most average and rehashed movies I have seen of late, “Never Back Down”. My insatiable appetite had led me to consume pretty much every new released film at the DVD library, and in my apprehension to really search through the rest of the stores catalog, I just picked up “Never Back Down” – a modern remake of the “Karate Kid” but with a modern take.

Now I went to film school, and at times I can be critical, but in other ways I have never really seen a film that I couldn’t sit through, I have never walked out on a film, and if you asked me what I thought of a particular movie I would probably just probably tell you it was “good”. But I am just giving you the excuses as to why I sometimes watch crap. I know its crap and I just submit to it, sometimes you just need that escape.

So in the obligatory training montage, my ears pricked up as I heard the low-fi fuzz sounds of this intense but ultimately fun grooving rock song. It was
“Wolf Like Me”

But I was instantaneously obsessed with this song and this sound as it consumed my entire being. I’d listen to it repeatedly on Youtube. I asked a friend of mine about TVotR, because on music he can be as informative as Wikipedia but with an opinion. And of course he knew this band and liked them and played me his favorite track right then and there – it was
“Staring at the Sun”

Well off I went to HMV to buy “Return to Cookie Mountain”. Now I don’t know if this is a done thing here or if it’s just my imagination but every time there seems to be a new release of a album or a book, the stores tend to remove the artist’s entire back-log and only display 50 or more copies of the new release. No matter where I went all I could find was “Dear Science”. So I just bought that one and I have got to say that the first time I played it I was disappointed, the album didn’t sound like “Wolf Like Me”.

“Dear Science”

But I soon fell in love with “Dear Science”. While it was a slightly different sound from “Return To Cookie Mountain”, it is not a complete departure. It’s just different like ordering beef, and getting chicken or something.
“Dancing Choose”

Their big tune
“Golden Age”

Another notable track on the album in their up-tempo repertoire is
“Crying”

I also like
“Shout Me Out”

The next track on the album is another TVotR classic
“DLZ”

“Return To Cookie Mountain”

I’m the sort of person that after a few listens embraces the whole album, always capable of finding something worth-while in every song. So it wasn’t surprising that when I saw “Return to Cookie Mountain” return to the shelves, I bought it, hungry for more TVotR. But when I first listened to the album I was again in a state of disappointment. Yeah this album had “Wolf Like Me” not to mention
“Province”

But I felt the rest of the album was a bit lackluster. Probably because I was looking to be amped up with the intensity I found on “Wolf Like Me”. However, this album is more atmospheric and introverted. Soon enough though the more I listened to it the more I adapted to its mellowness. Or maybe it was just right for my mood as I started to wallow in depression. I often wonder if I listen to music that reflects my mood or if my mood starts to reflect the music that I listen to.

Anyway I really like the way this album opens.
“I Was A Lover”

There is also
“Hours”

Though for all its softer points this album is still full of solid rock and I love the bounciness of vocals and music alike on tracks like
“Dirtywhirl”

I thoroughly recommend giving both of these albums a try, who knows, you might find something that you like. I found in the end that they are not too dissimilar, and that there are tracks from both that could be on the same album. The evolution of TVotR is only going to continue, so keep a watch out for them because even though “Dear Science” was at the top of the heap in ’08 they may soon be dominating in years to come.

I can’t hold back, this is one of the best bands around. Get their albums, go to their show, support amazing bands like TV on the Radio. They rock, and they sound amazing. (David Bowie thinks they’re amazing, too.)

Golden Age (Live on Jools Holland, 2008)

Wolf Like Me (Live on Letterman, 2006)

TV on the Radio.

This is the best pic I could find. Sorry.

Many of you may know Tunde from his role as Sydney in Jonathan Demme’s film “Rachel Getting Married“, but did you know he’s also the lead singer of TV On the Radio, an accomplished film director, animator, and OH YEAH, NYU Tisch Alumnus?!

Originally from Nigeria, Tunde is a dream-boat renaissance-man that’s managed to dabble in basically every Googly Eyed girls’ favorite medium without spreading himself too thinly. Remember that movie “Jorge” we had to watch in basically every production class ever? Yeah, that’s our boy. Tunde. 

Thanks to Jorge’s success, Tunde went on to star in the feature version called Jump Tomorrow. Keep in mind that he was doing all of these wonderful things while leading an international music sensation. Pair that with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs video he animated, and you’ve basically got everything I’ve ever looked for in a man. Unattainability included. 

Here’s one of my favorite TV On the Radio Videos starring out main man, directed by Jon Watts:

Also, did I mention he’s a pisces?

Does anyone have his home address…?

In questi giorni direi più che altro un agnello sedato..

My mind has changed 
My body’s framed, 
But God I like it 
My heart’s aflame 
My heart is strained 
But God I like it 

Dream me oh dreamer 
Down to the floor 
Open my hands and let them 
Weave onto yours