YACHT ROCK

Whether you prefer hard beats and primal screams, or smooth rock, this documentary series is for you. A friend of mine recently recommended I check out Yacht Rock, a low-budget exploration of that heretofore unidentified, yet unmistakeable genre of rock music guaranteed to be heard in grocery stores and elevators across the country. Each episode (11 in all) tells the story behind the songs of Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins and other, ahem, "greats" of the seventies and eighties.

Here's a taste of Episode 1- just try not get addicted!

THE AVETT BROTHERS

You haven't heard toe-tappin', head-bangin' bluegrass until you've heard these guys play. If I thought I was head over heels for their 2007 release, Emotionalism, full of energy and catchy rhythms, then I'm deeply and irrevocably in love with Scott and Seth Avett thanks to their newest release The Second Gleam. Whereas Emotionalism showcased the jangly banjo of songs "Will You Return" and "Die Die Die", The Second Gleam introduces audiences to the softer side of the Avetts. Crooning ballads like "Tear Down the House" and "Bella Donna", these North Carolina brothers demand your attention. Together, these albums make for a perfect summer soundtrack.

Music and tour information can be found on their Myspace page.

HOME

It's not every day that your hometown gets mentioned in The Economist, but mine did the other day. This is what they had to say:

In Prince William County, Virginia, for example, house prices fell by 31% in the year to May and one home in 111 is in foreclosure. During the boom years, lenders offered mortgages to people with no cash for a deposit and no documents to prove a steady income, sighs a local real-estate agent. When these borrowers lost their jobs—and some were in the construction business, which has nosedived—many simply walked away from their homes.

Bankruptcies and bargains

In the worst-hit neighbourhoods, such as Dale City, the foreclosure signs are everywhere. “People don’t want to buy round here because they see all these empty houses and wonder what’s wrong with the area,” says Ed Moore, an air force veteran who supports Mr McCain. “Things are going badly,” says John, who owns a struggling local construction business and supports Mr Obama but prefers not to advertise the fact to his clients....

Meanwhile, others see an opportunity in Dale City’s collapse. Jessica Lofiego, a mother of two, is scouring the neighbourhood for a bargain. At the height of the boom, she says, normal families couldn’t afford a nice place this close to Washington, DC. Now, she’s looking at a spacious 3-bedroom house that someone is trying to unload for $149,000.

Well... hell.

It's funny, I was reading the economist while listening to the Talking Heads. This song seemed especially apt:

This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)

And don't forget this scene from Wall Street (this was the best I could find):



(sigh... does this mean that hammer-pants are coming back in style in 5 years?)

THE WAR ON DRUGS

Oooo....

The War on Drugs - Taking the Farm

This taps into everything I love about Tom Petty, early Boss, and Dylan. Bless them.

So this is how my morning usually goes:

• 6:00 - alarm goes off, hit snooze.
• 6:05 - second alarm goes off, hit snooze. Alternate hitting snooze between the two alarms until...
• 6:38 - ish, get up and feed dog, who is by now about to have a panic attack with all the beeping of the alarm clocks.
• 6:40 - return to bed, disable alarm furthest from me, continue to hit snooze on the other alarm until 7:30 or so...

Not the most effective way of getting up in the morning, I'll admit. But today... Today was just like any other day except that when I returned to bed at around 6:40, I got a song stuck in my head, and I couldn't place it... layers of plucky and strummy and singing guitars... handclaps.... brushes on a snare... perfect sunshiny summer tune... and I COULD NOT place it! Drove me nuts, and I found it impossible to return to my zombie state of semi-sleep.

So I got up and finally figured it out:

Megapuss - Crop Cicle Jerk '94

Such a relief!


Pitchfork article on Megapuss. Also there are new songs on the myspace page.

OOGUM BOOGUM, 7/19/2008

(cross-posted at wtjurock.blogspot.com)




Download Part I here.

VooDoo Wop / Clinic
Realistic Rhythm / Lucky Dragons
Sleepy Head / Passion Pit
If We Should, ft. Laura Darling / Daedalus
Violet Stars Happy Hunting! / Janelle Monae
God Has A Voice, She Speaks Through Me / CocoRose
Mumtaz Khan / Ratatat
Gronlandic Edit / Of Montreal

Download Part II here.

Oh Yoko! (Pocketknife's Numero Ono Remix) / Pocketknife and Cousin Cole
Nobody Has To Stay (Nervous and Blandow C. Remix) / Mirah
A Sky For Shoeing Horses Under / Why?
Take Off All Your Clothes / Straight Punch to the Crotch
Else / Built to Spill
Stay (Just a Little Bit More) / The Do
Objects of My Affection / Peter Bjorn and John

Ghost Town, pt. 1 / Dan Friel
A Gap Has Appeared / Field Music
Submarine Symphonika / The Submarines
Feedback in the Field / Plants and Animals
Hands on Us / The Notwist
Dirty Dishes / Deer Tick
Old Virginia Block / Devon Sproule

My Dear / Nomo
Friday Night At the Drive-In Bingo / Jens Lekman
Misadventures of the Campaign Kids / King of Prussia
Pieces of You / Islands
Romance / Ivana XL
Alice / Tom Waits
Unissasi Laulelet / The Do
So Long, Babylone / Coralie Clément
Tu Vuo' Fa L'Americano / Fiorello and The Guy Barker Quartet

DR. HORRIBLE

Follow the link to Joss Wheedon's newest bit of genius: Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Neil Patrick Harris, Felicia Day, Nathan Fillion and cheesy musical goodness!

RADIOHEAD VIDEO FOR HOUSE OF CARDS

There's a new video for Radiohead's "House of Cards." Here's why it's supposed to be a big deal:

No cameras or lights were used. Instead two technologies were used to capture 3D images: Geometric Informatics and Velodyne LIDAR. Geometric Informatics scanning systems produce structured light to capture 3D images at close proximity, while a Velodyne Lidar system that uses multiple lasers is used to capture large environments such as landscapes.

A better version is available here.

And you know... I just don't know. I can't say I love it. Not sure it fits with the song. I do like the landscapes, but who's the chick? Why is she there?

I'm probably whining because I've been spoiled. There will never be a Radiohead video as good as this one (wait for it... there's like a minute of static):


Big Ideas (don't get any) from James Houston on Vimeo.

KOTKI DWA

This is torture.

Meet Alex Ostrowski. Not only is he so good looking it hurts... Look at those dimples! Look at that scruffy head of hair! It PAINS me to know that we will most likely never EVER snuggle...

And not only is he a talented graphic designer specializing in adorableness that I want to buy... (precious, yes... but c'mon! Look at those dimples!)

But he has a band, Kotki Dwa, a band with smart songs that I've been listening to kind of obsessively for the past three days, songs that are only available in the UK for, like, a million dollars. (damn exchange rate!) They have a catchy new single that's only available when you buy this issue of Amelia Magazine.

(...sigh... I curse my provincial existence...)

FLEET FOXES CLAYMATION

I've been on a Fleet Foxes kick lately and a puppet kick, so this was a welcome find:


White Winter Hymnal from Grandchildren on Vimeo.

ROBOT FIGHT!

(..sigh. I wish...)

Okay... so, I just don't think there's enough room in this galaxy for both of these amazing, talented women, and they're just going to have to duke it out for who gets to be the supreme kick-ass chick with a mohawk.

Ladieeeees and Gentlllllemen , allow me to present, in this corner, weighing in at probably around 110 lbs, Janelle Monae:















This is the cover art for her upcoming CD, "Metropolis: the Suite." Here's a picture of what she actually looks like:













Let's analyze, shall we:

• cute black chick.... check.
• mohawk-meets-centurion haircut... check.
• fusion of R&B and Rock and Nintendo... check. (With some OutKast thrown in. She was in Idlewild.)
  
• inclusion of ROBOT, specifically THIS ROBOT:

....check.


Aaaaaand in this corner, weighing in at probably 115 lbs. (I'm pretty sure she's a little taller) J*Davey, whose Land of the Lost CD 2-disc package (a "suite," perhaps?) is out now. (This is, like the 2nd or 3rd iteration of Land of the Lost, so if you think you've heard of it before, you probably have.)













Let's analyze:

• cute black chick.... check.
• mohawk-meets-centurion haircut... check.
• fusion of R&B and and Rock and Nintendo... check. (With a little Bowie thrown in, I think... or something like that...)
  

"But wait a sec, Velv," you say. "Where's the Chris Cunningham robot from 'All is Full of Love'?" Well, I was saving the best for last...

• Here you go:

...Weird, huh?

Okay... so it's not exactly the same thing. And if there was enough room for both of them at the Afropunk festival this weekend, then I think the galaxy can handle it. But still... I kind of hope we have a new genre.

THE SLEEPY STRANGE, 7/12/08

(Cross-posted at wtjurocks.blogspot.com)

Voodoo Wop / Clinic (Internal Wrangler)
Like It Or Not (Version 2) / Architecture in Helsinki (EP)
Don't Ask Me To Explain / Of Montreal (Cherry Peel)
Beechwood Park / The Zombies

Dance.Dance.Dance / Lykke Li (Little Bit)
Golden Years / Bowie Cover by Susuma Yokota (Life Beyond Mars)
Lights and Music / Cut Copy (In Ghost Colours)

Run / Gnarls Barkley (The Odd Couple)
Welfare Bread / King Khan and The Shrines (The Supreme Genius Of)
Take Care of Business / Nina Simone (Verve Remixed 4)
Osman Pehlivan / Arif Sag ( Obsession)
Just For Me / Al Greenn (Lay It Down)
I Feel Good / Metaform (Standing on the Shoulders of Giants)

Oceans & Streams / The Black Keys (Attack & Release)
Dagger / Emily Jane White (Dark Undercoat)
Once Upon a Whirlpool / Vells (Integretron)
Run / Spiritualized (Complete Works, vol 1)
Move Me / Black Taj (Beyonder)

Hurry on Sundown / Vetiver (Thing of the Past)
Lines in the Suit / Spoon (Girls Can Tell)
Flood, pt. 1 / The Acorn (Glory Hope Mountain)
Mykonos / The Fleet Foxes (Sun Giant)
Paranoia in B flat Major (Emotionalism)

I Should Have Known Better / She & Him (Volume 1)
Reservoir Park / The Dutchess and the Duke (She's the Dutchess...)
Ever Fallen In Love / Nouvelle Vague (Bande A Part)
La Fin du Monde / Francoiz Breut (Vingt á trente mille jours)

Rain on Every Weekend (remix version) / Alaska in Winter (Dance Party in the Balkans)
River Card / Atlas Sound (Let the Blind Lead...)
Wedding Bell / Beach House (Devotion)

You can download the whole show here.

FLYING LOTUS

New album is out, and it's oh my god so good. Check out his myspace.

Even better, though... THERE'S A FLYING LOTUS VIDEO GAME!!!



(it's only semi-fun, but whatevs... I love brain candy.)

Once again L.A. shoots and scores.

ALASKA IN WINTER

Alaska in Winter is the brainchild of Brandon Bethancourt, a German singer/songwriter who contributes much of the vocals, piano, accordion and other instruments that appear on the 2008 release, Dance Party in the Balkans. Don't let the title fool you - it's not so much a dance party as a wake. The songs are muted and mostly instrumental, making it perfect 'wallpaper' music. But overall, the album is uneven - songs like Rain on Every Weekend (remix version) and Don't Read Dostoyevsky are beautifully unusual, while others get too synthy and heavy-handed. If you dig chant-like haunting sounds, then you should definitely give this album a listen. However, if a dance party is what you were looking for, seek elsewhere.

SHINICHIRO WATANABE

Quick thoughts in the AM:

I don't usually like music in anime because it's nearly always really corny and ruins everything.

That said, thank god for Shinichiro Watanabe. This is old news, but I'm in the middle of watching Samurai Champloo and I wish this man did more work.

The opening credits of Samurai Champloo, which I'm slowly working through in my nexflix. I watch this and contemplate getting a rooster tattooed on my upper back:



From Cowboy Bebop:

Sadly, the Seatbelts don't seem to be performing anymore.

You will also know him from The Animatrix: Kid's Story and Detective Story, which aren't my favorite of the Animatrix videos, but still... good use of music.

NEW BLOG FOR WTJU

I've been tapped to contribute to WTJU's new blog, http://wtjurock.blogspot.com/. Head on over and join the discussion with my fellow rockers from WTJU, and help us bring Charlottesville's community radio station into the 21st century. And oh yeah, if that doesn't tickle your fancy, there will be some great music recommendations - straight from the new bin to your RSS feed!

A PLACE IN THE SUN

So this happened to me the other day:

I am an avid reader of okayplayer. I also have a rather unusual last name. So imagine my surprise when I clicked on over to okayplayer and saw a post about someone with my last name. His name: Mpozi Tolbert. His picture is on the left. He died about two years ago, and I can't find any information about how he died, other than that he simply collapsed at his office. He was a photographer, and okayplayer posted a slideshow of his work here.

The song accompanying the slideshow is "Your House" by Steel Pulse. I was very touched by it all: the photos, the song, that beautiful man's steady gaze and easy smile. And so I spent the evening thinking, sketching, and listening to reggae, which is a good soundtrack for thinking and drinking in this hot, sticky weather.

David Isaacs - A Place in the Sun

OOGUM BOOGUM, JULY 5, 2008

My show this week was all about interesting transitions: how some songs can almost entirely remake themselves midway through. Take Princeton's "Leonard Woolf," which starts out as a kicky pop song - almost an homage to the light-hearted sounds of Belle and Sebastian - but then, after two minutes, acoustic guitar and takes over and dances to the sound of a flute. Suddenly I feel as if I've been transported from a trendy urban venue to an Appalachian Stage. And yet, the thread of the song remains intact.

Many of these songs (but not all!) possess this Janus-like quality. See below for the track list, and visit the WTJU Muxtape for a selection of highlights from my show.



Tori Amos / Programmable Soda
Black Mountain / Queens Will Play
Tapes 'n' Tapes / Hang them all
Wolf Parade / The Grey Estates
Princeton / Leonard Woolf
The Raveonettes / Dead Sound
Peggy Sue and the Pirates / Television
Jamie Liddell / Little Bit of Feel Good
Lily Allen / Friend of Mine
The Ruby Suns / Kenya Dig It?


Straight Punch to the Crotch / Take Off All Your Clothes
Hefner / When the Angels Play Their Drum Machines
I'll Keep It With Mine (Pocketknife's Odd Beauty Remix)
The Bird and the Bee / Man
The Submarines / Fern Beard
Vetiver / To Baby
Midlake / Roscoe
Devotchka / The Clockwise Witness
Chicha Libre / Indian Summer
Wax Taylor / Que Sera

Solomon Burke / Don't Give Up on Me
The Fabulettes / Try The Worryin' Way
Ladytron / Deep Blue
Camille / Kfir
Kings of Convenience / Misread
Dr. Dog / My Friend
Akron/Family / There's So Many Colors
Bruce Springsteen / Born in the U.S.A