First Listen: Modest Mouse – No One’s First and You’re Next Review

My feelings towards Modest Mouse have always been lukewarm. They are one of the few bands whose albums I cannot listen to from start to finish. To be perfectly honest, I usually only like a couple of the tracks on their albums and then find the other songs pretty unlistenable. When I heard they had a new EP, I was pretty indifferent.

No One’s First, and You’re Next was a pleasant surprise. I never expected for their latest release to be one of my favorites. Even though the EP is mostly b-sides from Good News for People who Love Bad News and We Were Dead Before the Ship Ever Sank, the album sounds fresh. It has a classic rock feel mixed with an ambient tone and a hint of folk rock. As with most Modest Mouse, it is difficult to classify this album. The first track Satellite Skin sounds like it could be a Rolling Stones song where as track 2, Guilty Cocker Spaniels, made me think of bluegrass. Modest Mouse has a varied fan base so I am certain this EP will not be for everyone but I really enjoy it. I may not like all of their material but appreciate Modest Mouse’s constantly evolving sound. I am eagerly anticipating their next LP.

Mall Kiosks: Glorified Street Performers

I was at the mall the other day for the first time in a long while. As mentioned in earlier posts, I abhor the mall. Before the recession set in, I could tolerate it. I dressed a little grubbier and would avoid shaving a couple days before I planned to go. This would ensure me the glory of being left alone at the mall. I could get in and get out with minimal questions. These days the mall is emptier and businesses are so desperate for customers that I bet I could walk around completely naked and still have sales people trying to drum up a conversation.

The part I despise most about the mall are those little kiosks. If a mall were a city street, where the shops represented free standing stores and the mall commons were the city streets, kiosks would represent the street performers. They are aggressive, conversational and incredibly annoying as they hock cell phones, moisturizer and sunglasses. I wonder if they are paid differently then the standard mall shop employee. I can go into a store and not be bothered but walk outside and I am swarmed by sales people armed with cucumber exfoliates and free texting. It is to the point where I would rather just shop on the city streets where ignoring the street performers is sufficient. If I ignore a kiosk vendor they are liable to chase me down or yell louder. Now that would be a site, imagine someone running after you in a mall full sprint to tell you that you are paying too much for your current cell phone plan. The next time I am asked something by a kiosk vendor I am tempted to say to them, "learn to play an instrument or bang on some empty milk jugs." At least the street performers in the city briefly entertain me as I ignore them.

Maxfund Lucky Mutt Strut 8/30/09

This is a reminder to all those animal loves about the Lucky Mutt Strut that is going to be taking place this Sunday at Washington Park in Denver. Hope to see everyone out supporting a great event and great shelter.

Click Here to Register for the event.

I'm Sorry

Sorry for the lack of posts. It has been a crazy week. That is no excuse but there is more content on the way.

Shed a Tear for Grunge

What ever happened to grunge rock? I miss the distorted guitars and angst filled lyrics. It was music for a generation that felt left behind. Nobody else seemed to care so why should they. Anger filled rock still exists today it is just not the same. Today's heavy rock acts prefer to integrate hip-hop into their music. It makes sense. Many of today's rockers grew up listening to an eclectic mix of music and do not want to be pigeon holed into one music category. Personally, I think this leads to a lot of mediocre music. You have bands that cannot decide what style of music they want to create and they produce albums that are a misguided mess. I am not here to complain. There is a lot of good music out there. I just miss grunge. The closest thing I get to that these days is seeing someone in a flannel shirt as it is the latest trend. I cannot help but get nostalgic when I see someone in flannel. I ask them if they have heard the latest Sub Pop compilation. They give me a confused look wondering if that is a new club in LoDo.

Song of the Day 8-26-09

Pedro the Lion - Indian Summer

New Music Tuesday 8-28-09

Here are a few new albums being released today
Artic Monkey - Humbug
Imogen Heap - Ellipse
Matisyahu - Light
Willie Nelson - American Classic
Cheap Trick - Sgt. Pepper Live
Collective Soul - Collective Soul
Jet - Shaka Rock

Must See: Ben Folds

For everyone who does know Ben Folds is touring. Even if you are not a Ben Folds fan, go see him. He puts on one of best shows. He is engaging, funny and makes sure that the crowd has a great time. I have seen him 4 times, once with Ben Folds Five and 3 times solo. My only complaint is that he is not stopping in Denver on this tour. I would really love to see him at least one more time. If you have the opportunity to see him, go. He is one of the best songwriters.

BenFolds Website: http://www.benfolds.com/

Song of the Day 8-20-09

Fountains of Wayne - Hey Julie

Family Time

I have family coming in this weekend. My dad, step mom and little brother will be coming out to visit. It is going to be great to see them. I have not seen them since January. Past visits have always been a little strange for me. Some people have problems with their parents, my issues mainly stem from my little brother.

He is 15. I cannot relate. I used to try so hard. I did everything from trying to get into the same music (total crap) as using the same slang. It is just not natural for a 28 year old to say that had a BA factor of 8 or 6 or whatever arbitrary number you assign to it. For all of those who do not know, BA stands for badass. When I questioned, "why not just say the word badass rather than soften it by saying BA," I got the eye roll. I used to obsess why I could not fit in with him. Then it finally dawned on me, this is because I am 28 and he is 15. I would have bigger issues to deal with if I could fit in with 15 year olds and not 28 year olds. I have come to accept that I will never be cool in the eyes of a 15 year old which means my family's visit should be less stressful. Now that is Badass.

Song of the Day 8-19-09

Lucky Boys Confusion - Breaking Rules

New Music Tuesday: 8-18-09

These are a few of the artists that have new albums out today
Ramona Falls - Intuit
Divisible - Less Than Lion
Arlo Guthrie - Arlo Guthrie: Tales of '69
Nathan Maxwell And The Original Bunny Gang - White Rabbit
Sister Hazel - Release
Third Eye Blind - Ursa Major
Antlers - Hospice
Boulder Acoustic Society - Punchline
Division Day - Visitation
Gwar - Lust in Space

Song of the day 8/18/2009

Ambulance Ltd. - Primitive

Picture of the Week

Old Friends

I am not a materialistic person except when it comes to shoes. Let me clarify, there is not a single pair of shoes in my closet that cost me more that 65 dollars and the average age is 1.5 years old. I just really like shoes. I can dress in absolute tatters from head to ankle but when it comes to footwear, I want style and comfort. My shoe of choice is New Balance. They are the most comfortable shoes. They are also reliable to the point that they are like old friends. Do you have apparel like that? My wife does not always agree with me but they are acceptable in any setting. Wear a black pair to a wedding and you send the always popular message, "I value comfort more than tradition." Honestly, if I was not married I would try it.

I have a routine when it comes to dressing up. I put on what I think is a great outfit and then I ask my wife what she thinks. I try to smirk a little because that way she thinks I am joking. 9 times out of 10 she gives me a confused looked as if all I have on is a necktie. "Are you for real" she questions. I grin as if to say "gotcha" but am a bit disappointed as my outfit did not pass. I count on my wife because if it were completely up to me I would wear my Asthmatic Kitty Records shirt or the one with the eagle on it. I do not even dare put those on and ask. That "joke" as been done too many times. I dress as nice as I can and the slip on my New Balance right before we leave our place. That way she does not realize I have them on until we are already out and it is too late. Maybe next time I ask her opinion I will go with just a tie my New Balance and nothing else.

A Band to Checkout: The Gaslight Anthem

Recently a friend asked me if I wanted to go see The Gaslight Anthem when they played Denver in September. I agreed and then decided I should check out some of their stuff because I was not all that familiar with them. I have yet to be disappointed. All of their songs are very good. What drew me in is that they remind me a little bit of Hot Water Music. Lyrically their songs are strong and their sound is tight. I would almost classify it is as bluesy punk-rock if that makes sense.

I found an Alternative Press Interview online with Brian Fallon from The Gaslight Anthem and that is what sold me on these guys. He sounded very real. I liked it that he identified the band as being music fans playing music. There are too many musicians these days who think that they are larger than life. It is refreshing that The Gaslight Anthem does not come off as one of those bands. They are a bit of a throwback in that they are growing their fan base by touring nonstop. The Gaslight Anthem epitomizes the type of bands that are missing from the mainstream music scene. They are a humble and connect with fans to make truly great music.

The Gaslight Anthem Website: http://www.gaslightanthem.com/site/

The Gaslight Anthem Tour Schedule: http://www.gaslightanthem.com/site/shows

Alternative Press Website: http://www.altpress.com/

Jeans Anyone?

I think I am the proud new owner of a pair of tapered jeans. Not the way I wanted to start this entry but I think I accidentally bought jeans that cut off the circulation in my ankles. Lately, I have been on a quest to be as frugal as possible when it comes to buying clothing. Jeans are jeans, shirts are shirts, right. Well, my latest mission was to find jeans for around 15 dollars. I refuse to pay almost double when they are just a form of pants. I was delighted to find a deal on a pair for 14.

I have been fooled before by off brand clothing. About a year ago, I bought a pair of tapered jeans because I failed to read the label and did not understand that Kohl's and The Gap have two completely different demographics. Those went straight to Goodwill. There are way too many options when it comes to jeans. I get that they can all fit differently but I do not need an explanation of the wash style. I have eyes, I can tell if they are lighter or darker. I do not know anyone who goes jean shopping for a pair of antique colored ones. Honestly, all of the options makes my head spin. I just want a pair that are reasonable priced and do not make me look 40. My demands are pretty reasonable. I have given up trying to be hip or cool a long time ago.

I like the color of my new jeans, it is just when I sit in a chair I feel like I have a pair of flood pants on. My exposed ankles are telling me it's breeze today. The thing that really pisses me off is that I went to a whole bunch of stores and the label clearly started "Straight Leg." A friend told me that I need to be looking for something that says "Straight leg throughout." That is real obvious. Clothing companies are just as bad as food companies when it comes to labeling. Why are they trying to sell me jeans that I have to tie a sweater around my waist and wear a golf shirt with.

Song of the Day 8/13/09

Imogen Heap - Say Goodbye and Go

Song of the Day 8/12/09

Ben Folds Five - Army

New Music Tuesday 8/11/09

Here is a listing of some of the new albums are being released today. Enjoy.
Behemoth - Evangelion
Black Mold - Snow Blidness Is Crystal Antz
Cobra Starship - Hot Mess
Holmes - Holmes
Erika Jayne - Pretty Mess
Raekwon - Only Build 4 Cuban Linx II
The Roots - How I Got Over
George Strait - Twang
Patrick Wolf - The Bachelor

Song of the Day 8/11/09

Sunday's Best - Pearl Harbor Day

Radio Daze

I was listening to radio the other day in my car and started wondering if the DJ's who play music really like the music or just being on the radio. This thought came to mind because I think of the radio as more or less white noise unless I am tuned into the AM dial or NPR. There is nothing new or challenging, it is more or less just there. I realize that everyone has different musical tastes but it is odd to me that every top 40 radio DJ loves the same poppy contrived flavor of the week song. You know which one I am talking about, the one about being broken hearted and has something about, "I will do anything for you" or "you are my everything" in it, wait they all sound like that.

My point is, do DJ's like playing the same 3 or 4 songs? Back when I was on high school radio, all I wanted to do was expose people to new rare tracks that could not be heard anywhere else. I forget sometimes that leaving the power in the hands of the DJ's is not exactly marketable to advertisers. This is why the radio is white noise; the people who chose the play lists for mainstream radio stations are not music fans, they are business people. They only understand music in the sense that it has earning potential. Do not confuse the two.

Song of the Day 8-10-09

Verbow - Dying Son

Song of the Day 8/9/09

The Get Up Kids - I will catch you

Gomez – New Tide Review

Have you ever been in the situation where you go to the music store for a particular album and you end up buying something you never intended? It seems like a foolish question, everyone has been there right? I have been in this situation countless times, I am looking for something and I find that one of my favorite artists has new material out as well. What makes my purchase of New Tide by Gomez more remarkable is that I did not know anything about the band before I walked into the store. The album drew me in while I was listening to something else far less inspiring. I realized I needed to buy the album when I found myself turning down what I was previewing to hear what was being played over the store speakers.

New Tide is a special album. It is one of those that has grown on me with every listen. Every time I pick up something new. Gomez sound on this album is folk rock. The lyrics are punchy and smart to the point where I hear myself inadvertently mumbling them. What really makes this a fantastic album is the subtlety of the sound. Do not get me wrong there is a lot going on here but it does not hit the listener over the head and sound overproduced. The different instruments and sounds meld together to create one of the best albums I have heard this year.

Notable Tracks: Mix, Win Park Slope & Airstream Driver

Gomez plays at the Fox Theatre in Boulder on August 4^th
http://www.foxtheatre.com/Store/ChooseTicket.aspx

Song of the Day 8/6/09

Weezer - My Name is Jonas

Song of the Day 8/5/09

Grasshopper Takeover - Forever Young

Pondering

I have had quite a few people asking about my lists and wondering why there is a lack of variety to them. I admit I have mentioned Sufjan Stevens, Elliott Smith, Ra Ra Riot and Death Cab for Cutie in quite a few posts. In defending my decision, these artists make great music and have been influential in my life. Here is something to think about, if I mention an artist multiple times, I tend to get stuck on certain artists, then they are fantastic. I would never waste time writing about a band that is weak sauce.

The other thing to note is that I promise there will be more album and show reviews posted very soon. I have been working on buying a house and that really sucked up my free time. Thanks for reading.

Song of the Day 8/4/09

The Breeders - Canonball

Song of the Day 8/3/09

Spoon - You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb

Movie Script Ending

Have you ever been in one of those funks but you can't explain where it is coming from? You feel a bit detached and it is as if you are watching your life as you would a movie. You watch but have little control over what happens. As you watch you chuckle and think to yourself that will never be me. The scary thing is you are watching yourself. It does not happen very often to me but when it does I am at a total loss of words. I can see the mistakes before they happen but cannot change the outcome or veer off course. This description is a bit mellow dramatic, I know, but it is just the way I felt last night. Maybe it was just a sign that I was ready for some sleep and the needle on the record inside my body had finished for the day.

Front to Back List

To keep with the tone of the last post, here are 5 albums in no particular order that I can listen to from front to back without skips. What are yours?

-Weezer - The Blue Album
An absolutely fantastic debut album

-Green Day - Dookie
The best Green Day album of all time. It was the mainstream advent of pop-punk.

-Elliott Smith - XO
A beautiful heartfelt album by one of the finest song writers. who ever lived.

-Oasis - What's the Story
Great band making one of many great albums.

-Something Corporate - Leaving through the Window
This album is so catchy it is hard not to like.

Front to back

I had a conversation the other night with a friend about music. He mentioned that the Smashing Pumpkin's album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness was the only CD that he could listen to from start to finish without skipping a track. It got me thinking about my own collection and which albums I enjoyed front to back without skips. With the advent of mp3 players and digital music this quality has become much less relevant. You can download the tracks you like a disregard everything else. With the emphasis on singles rather than full albums will this lead to more casual music fans who only know a couple of songs by an artist? Will the self life of musicians' be shorter because a single can only keep you in the limelight so long? Remember the Macarena or Who Let the Dogs Out. I wonder if at the next show I attend I will hear someone yell, "play that song that was featured on Itunes last week." I wonder if someday albums will disappear completely.

Song of the Day 8/1/09

Fiest - The Park