I was really late to jump on the Say Anything train. A friend of mine, maybe a couple of them, put “Alive With the Glory of Love” up on their MySpazz profiles back in the spring of ‘06, and I couldn’t get past the first 30 seconds of it. I thought, A band called “Say Anything” and a song about the glory of love, and an opening that screams of Bowie’s “Let’s Dance.”* 80’s pop culture reference, much? I was pretty turned off, even more so at the over the top second single “Wow, I Can Get Sexual, Too” which, I know, is supposed to be over the top, but it did nothing to change my mind. When, in fall of ‘07, Dave finally came across “Alive With the Glory of Love” and made me listen to all of it, I realized it’s a pretty good song, but left it at that for a few months.

Then, yesterday, I was walking home from work, listening to the Notwist (which, if you don’t know, is German lo-fi with little electronic bits, pretty far removed from Say Anything’s bombastic emo-pop swagger) and it struck me: I haven’t seen the music video for “Alive With the Glory of Love” yet. It’s probably pretty good, right? Maybe YouTube has some good live versions and stuff. So it’s strange that, when I did hit the YouTubes, I didn’t go straight to the official vid. Or a fan-made video, or a live performance, even. The first video I watched was Julia Nunes (pronounced ‘noons’) doing an acoustic cover of it for Valentine’s Day. That’s right, a girl with an acoustic guitar covering the song I wanted to hear. Good gracious it was good. So good, in fact, that I listened to her sing it again. And then checked out a few more of her videos before actually watching the Say Anything video. Then I went back to Julia’s for a while.

[youtube 3VS--sZ6zJM]

Her rendition of the songs was excellent because she seemed so in tune with the vibe of it. It could be read as a really depressing song, somber at best, as it’s about how a romance is affected by the holocaust (based on Max Bemis’ grandparents, who were holocaust survivors). But it’s not a downer, it’s about devotion even in the face of dire circumstances, and love actually prevails! Strange and refreshing from a genre that can be so cynical (more on Say Anything defending their genre later). Julia hits the song with an excited, positive energy that’s perfect for it.

So now I’m slightly hooked on Julia Nunes. She also writes her own songs and plays ukulele. And is capable of using editing software so as to not only keep her videos interesting, but also harmonize with herself, which makes the singing of a song like “Alive With the Glory of Love” much more effective. If you are also smitten with her, she’s got a CD available, too. It’s entirely possible I’ll post about her again.

*I know the opening of “Let’s Dance” is a reference to “Twist and Shout” but the Ferris Beuller’s Day Off reference to keep with the 80’s theme was more of a stretch.

Julia Nunes official | Julia on MySpace | Julia on YouTube

buy Left, Right, Wrong.

Alright, alright. So I was planning a series of posts showcasing all the artists playing at Langerado, but that just ain’t happening. I do have a life. A poor, cheap one. That must be lived.

But that doesn’t mean I can’t point out some artists I’m particularly looking forward to checking out!

Definitely seeing:

REM, 311, Beastie Boys, Thievery Corporation, The Roots, Ani DiFranco, Les Claypool, Brett Dennen, Citizen Cope, Blind Melon.

Really gonna try hard to see, if schedules allow it:

Matisyahu, Gov’t Mule, STS9, Minus the Bear, The National, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, G Love, Ben Folds.

I’m pretty sure I’ll be be regretting decisions later. Like, why didn’t I see Rodrigo y Gabriela at the Roo last year? Because I’m an idiot and I was impossibly tired. And I think my liver was shutting down. So I went back to camp. Regrets…

And since all my friends are losers and can’t go to Langerado this year, it looks as though this may be a little vacation for me and the boyfriend. Groups of people are better, but I love just being me with my boyfriend. I’m not sure if swamping it is considered a vacation, but its my idea of fun. I’ve decided that this will be festival this year, because Bonnaroo is looking pretty lame. Pearl Jam is cool and all, but Metallica? If they had their way this website and all the other mp3 blogs wouldn’t exist, so fuck them.

Enjoy the all-encompassingly unrelated mp3.

Langerado

 Worm Is Green - Undercover [3:55m]: Play in Popup | Download

It’s official!! I have a favourite local band, and they are the Brobecks. I had seen them briefly in August when I wandered past a show at Gallivan Plaza, and they had made an impression then (mostly for the bizarre zombie dancing that their fans were doing as I sat smugly at a table). I caught the whole set this time and it’s confirmed: I love the Brobecks, and I think ya’ll should, too.

With a new record just finished and “2nd Boys Will Be First Choice” getting hell of airplay on X96, now’s your big chance to get in on this noise. The somewhat turbulent band line-up seems to have settled on three: Dallon Weekes (vox, bass, keys), Matt Seppi (guitars, keys), and Drew Davidson (drums). The sound is sure to please high school kids who don’t know much better, but they are far from throwaway ear candy. They can be as boppy as the Libertines, emotive as Bright Eyes (well, as emotive, that’s just hyperbolic), and as macabre as your favourite Tim Burton film, sometimes all at once. I was impressed that four+ months later I still recognized the songs they’d played as I was passing through.

I’ve been listening to their new EP a lot, and I’m seriously pumped for this new record. Listen to these two songs from it, then go see them at the SLAMMys Showcase tonight at the Depot.  They take stage at 11:30.  DO IT!!

The Brobecks on MySpazz

 The Brobecks - Small Cuts [3:59m]: Play in Popup | Download
 The Brobecks - Visitation of the Ghost [4:12m]: Play in Popup | Download

So it’s my understanding that most of my peers aren’t so keen on the Valentine’s Day. I, personally, don’t mind it at all, but it’s not a blogger’s place to force his opinions on his readers (right?).

Few bands I know of are more anti-Valentine than New Year’s Day, who have released only one album but have two songs on the subject. I seem to have misplaced my NYD album, and failed to rip the whole thing, so you don’t get “My Sweet Un-Valentine,” which is the more direct song. “Ready, Aim, Misfire,” which you do get to hear, is just as effective of an anti-VD rant. If it’s you style of sounds, you’d do well to get the album anyway, it’s hot business.

Sorry if this wasn’t the best Valentine’s Day post ever, I was dog sick yesterday. I’ll make up for it in the rest of the week, k?

I love you all!!

NYD MySpazz | Buy dat mess

 New Years Day - Ready Aim Misfire [3:14m]: Play in Popup | Download

I am generally pretty trusting of Jen and her sources, but I had to double check to make sure I saw that right. Metallica. At Bonnaroo. I still associate the ‘Roo quite a bit with its jam band roots and it’s location in Tennessee, it’s kind of hard to fathom. For those of you who didn’t see that Behind the Music (I watched a lot of Vh1 in the late ’90’s), Metallica have allegedly calmed down and stopped drinking & breaking stuff all the time, but they will still, I assume, be playing Metallica songs. There have been pretty heavy acts gracing the Bonnaroo stages in the past, Pearl Jam this year, Tool last year for example, but there’s something about them that still “fits” y’know? PJ are politically active, Tool are notorious stoners. Metallica’s bound to harsh someone’s mellow, but if metal’s your thing, this is the ‘Roo for you, as indie kids’ favourite makers of modern metal, Mastodon, will also be killin’ buzz at this year’s festival.

For those unfamiliar with either band, I’ve included some examples of what will be sharing stages with Ozomatli, Béla Fleck, and freaking Iron & Wine. I don’t think I need to remind you how far beyond mellow Iron & Wine are. Playing the same festival as Metallica & Mastodon.

Also, interesting is that Lez Zeppelin will be playing, and possibly confusing people into thinking that Led Zeppelin will be playing, but Zep frontman Robert Plant will be there performing with Alison Krauss.

Bonnaroo Official Site | Metallica Official | Metallica Myspace | Mastodon Official | Mastodon MySpace

 Metallica - Master of Puppets [8:31m]: Play in Popup | Download
 Mastodon - Blood and Thunder [3:48m]: Play in Popup | Download (1767)

Langerado is about a month away, and if all goes according to plan, I’m going. So if any other mp3 bloggers are making the trek down to the swamp, email me and maybe we’ll have a couple of beers in the media tent.

Here’s the official line-up. Never heard of these people? Let me see if I can help you out. I’ve never heard of some of them, so lets do a little explorin’, shall we?

Are we talking about all these guys today? HELL no. I’ll do a couple each post.

Beastie Boys • R.E.M. • Phil Lesh & Friends • 311 • Matisyahu • Thievery Corporation • The Roots • Gov’t Mule • Ani DiFranco • Ben Folds • G. Love & Special Sauce • Medeski, Scofield, Martin & Wood • Built to Spill • The National • Les Claypool • Umphrey’s McGee • The Disco Biscuits • Keller Williams • Mickey Hart Band • STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9) • of Montreal • Robert Randolph & the Family Band • The Wailers • funky Meters • Citizen Cope • Antibalas • !!! • Dark Star Orchestra • Ozomatli • Sam Bush • Minus the Bear • Ghostland Observatory • Arrested Development • Blind Melon • Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars • The New Deal • Benevento Russo Duo • Perpetual Groove • Railroad Earth • Martin Sexton • The Avett Brothers • Grace Potter and the Nocturnals • The Walkmen • Dr. Dog • Indigenous • State Radio • Vampire Weekend • The Bad Plus • The Felice Brothers • Pelican • Yard Dogs Road Show • Brett Dennen • Earl Greyhound • The New Mastersounds • Dan Deacon • Josh Ritter • Pete Francis • Ryan Shaw • Blitzen Trapper • matt pond PA • The Dynamites feat. Charles Walker • Bassnectar • Balkan Beat Box • The Lee Boys • Shout Out Louds • Golem • The Wood Brothers • Busdriver • RAQ • Will Hoge • Spam Allstars • Phix • American Babies • Dead Confederate • The Heavy Pets • Backyard Tire Fire • The Postmarks • Steel Train • Hoots and Hellmouth • Jonah Smith • Pnuma Trio • Awesome New Republic • That 1 Guy • Trevor Hall • American Bang • School of Rock All-Stars • Live Painting by LEBO •

Beastie Boys - Now the Beastie Boys are something I got into after I met my boyfriend. Never had I met someone before who was unabashedly fine with admitting he liked bands of all genres. Most people would say “Rock”, and frigging mean it. But he revealed that he loved the E-minor pentatonic scales of Rage, and the crazy jazz and beatbox of the Beastie Boys. I doubted him, at first, until I listened to his copy of Ill Communication (I think that was it). Crazy great. Love to see these guys live. What a show.

REM - REM is one of those bands that when you have an opinion of them, it is immediately controversial. I’ve met people who don’t like REM, its like a love/hate fanship, like Justin Timberlake. Really, do you listen to Justin Timberlake? Does Dick in a Box count?

So yes, I like REM. I have not followed their career like most people, probably because I’m on the younger end of spectrum. They’re good stuff. Although I do think that everybody secretly thinks Michael Stipe is weird…..sssh. Check out “Great Beyond”, because I personally love this song (it was done for a soundtrack).

Phil Lesh and Friends - See, this is one I’d never heard of. Perhaps because I know next to nothing about the Grateful Dead. Anyways, bass player Phil Lesh is from the Grateful Dead, and his troupe of friends appears to be an everchanging, willing group of souls who jam on stage and have a blast. Sounds like fun. Check out “Gimme Shelter”.

 Gimme Shelter - Phil Lesh (live) [6:20m]: Play in Popup | Download
 Beastie Boys - In A World Gone Mad [3:25m]: Play in Popup | Download
 Great Beyond - REM [5:07m]: Play in Popup | Download