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  • [youtube FeqqHjyWWtI] Okay, I had written a post regarding an incident involving The Moldy Peaches, but forgot the part of the story that’s hip and current and, frankly, more awesome. Also the writing was atrocious. Basically, “Who’s Got the Crack” came up on shuffle, we tried to figure out where I knew the song from (it’d come up on shuffle before is all), looked things up and discovered two things: (1) Our man Jack from Only Son used to be in Moldy Peaches and (2) a Moldy Peaches song is performed in the film Juno. So now you get to hear two Moldy Peaches songs, and watch a video of Michael Cera (George Michael Bluth from Arrested Development) and Ellen Page singing “Anyone Else But You.” It may just be a trailer for Juno, but it’s got the song in it. Which is rad. Also interesting is the role reversal of having Michael sing Kimya’s part and Ellen sing Adam’s part. Only Son Website // MySpace Moldy Peaches YouTube It (0)
  • The funny thing about events scheduled for the start of any given month is that they sneak up on me. I don’t usually connect the end of one month with the start of another, and before I know it I’m going to see freaking Regina Spektor. How rad? So freaking rad. For the first time in a dog’s age I showed up in time to enjoy all the supporting act. Fellow named Jack from New York playing under the name Only Son. He was there by himself with a guitar, and when he played songs that needed more than just his guitar, he used his iPod as a backing band. Writing it now, it looks a little lame, but rest assured it was not. He even had a couple of conversations with it. It was highly entertaining, and his songs were excellent enough that I bought his album The Drop to the Top, and now you folks get to hear the song “Quiet Surrender,” which comes from it.Regina Live And how was Regina, you ask? Take a wild freaking guess. She sold out a venue that hosts bands like Puddle of Mudd and the Shins, but managed to make it as intimate as a show at Kilby Court. Just her and her piano (a freaking Steinway), and us. The big drawback to that is that In the Venue doesn’t have a courtyard where people can go out and talk during the show, like Kilby does. A show without thunderous drums and electrically amplified instruments allows the performer to hear you a lot better. That’s pretty cool if they’re taking requests, pretty lame if they’re “Just a quiet girl with a piano and pretty bad ADD.” Thus we were told a few times to “shut the f* up” (the best of these was in between hallelujahs on “Baby Jesus”), but she also paused to listen to a train pass during “On the Radio,” saying after the song, “I’ve never heard a train during one of my songs before. In New York, I’ve felt the subway under my ass a few times, but never heard a train.” Other highlights include the chair as percussion on “Poor Little Rich Boy,” tapping the microphone for rhythm on “Ain’t No Cover,” Jack from Only Son beatboxing on “Hotel Song,” and Regina being generally incredibly cute. I wrote down the set as it happened, I’ll be blogging it soon. Stay tuned, and do yourselves a favour: If Regina is coming to your town, you freaking go! Regina Spektor // Myspace // Buy Spektor Only Son // MySpace // Buy The Drop to the Top (1)

  •  So now that everyone is sufficiently in love with Regina Spektor, I'd like to showcase one of my favourite older tunes.  This is incredibly eccentric, which is one of things I love most deeply about Regina.  Is there much more to say?  I don't think there is.

     

     

     

     

     

    Consequence of Sounds - Regina Spektor

     

    [audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/Regina%20Spektor%20-%2005%20Consequence%20Of%20Sounds.mp3]

     

    Regina Spektor Official Website

    Buy 'Songs' 

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  • So, who knew that Patrick Wolf had a new album, and didn't tell me? You're in trouble.folder.jpg Let me say first: Pat Wolf does not disappoint. With every new addition to the music world that a musician releases, I am always wary—-is this album the one that ends a decade of beautiful music? Well, no worries here. The first track, Overture, introduces itself politely and eloquently. It is smooth, soaring, and a perfect beginning. Magic Position, the album's single, has a distinctly motown feel to it, and makes a statement about the rest of the album; expect something a little different from each song. Magpie and Augustine are two of my favorites. Classy and beautiful. Piano and violin dominate Magpie, and the song has a very interesting second voice towards the end, which makes the otherwise-typical ballad-like song into a Patrick Wolf goodie. Augustine is reminiscent of Wind of the Wires, from Wind in the Wires. Secret Garden is an unexpected electronic rash, and is quite noisy. Enchanted spins like a record from the 20's, and combines that style with Wolf's own quite nicely. The only track on this album that does Wolf no justice is the messy "Get Lost", which is the perfect title for it. Overall: very impressive and likeable. Patrick Wolf has a unique sound, lyric, and goal. This album doesn't disappoint, although it doesn't create a separate identity from his other albums, and sounds a bit tired towards the end.

    Related links:

    Patrick Wolf Official Website

    Patrick Wolf on MySpace

    Buy The Magic Position

     

    Related Audio:

    Bluebells

     

    [audio:http://boyfromschool.com/GWFAS/Patrick%20Wolf/01%20Bluebells.mp3]

     

    Accident and Emergency

     

    [audio:http://www.slyblue.com/trgaw/Patrick%20Wolf%20--%20Accident%20And%20Emergency.mp3]


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  • ReginaOver the course of the last several months, Regina Spektor has been passed around like gossip– too good and juicy to keep to yourself, but too special to be blabbed to the whole world. Well, with “ Fidelity” hitting the airwaves and the media loop at Target, Regina appearing on Leno and Kimmel, several songs appearing on CSI: New York [creator Anthony Zuiker also plans to put her in a few episodes next season], and then on CBS’s Sunday Morning last week it’s out of our hands. But for those of you just being introduced to Regina, just remember that she made her rounds beneath the radar, and that the hype is, indeed, deserved, if not entirely true. So, down to business about Begin to Hope. My friend Dave has been in love with Regina for months and through him I’d been exposed to a few select tracks, which had earned her a fair portion of my interest and admiration. I found a fantastic deal on the full album, so I couldn’t pass it up. It’s turned out to be one of the best discount purchases I’ve made [ along with these which I also found on sale and fell in love with]. The reasons for this are numerous. There’s an immediate appeal with Regina’s voice, which is very inviting. Most of the songs have an appealing sound at first listen, kind of catch in the wrinkles of your brain. At first I worried that this was it. Just that superficial “Oh, this sounds nice” thing, only to be presented with fluff on closer listens. For a while I was almost afraid to find that out, but that’s not the case at all. The lyrics, though a bit light-hearted at times, are truly clever, genius at times [see the penultimate stanza in "On the Radio"]. The musical range is fantastic, and moods run from absurd to epic to intimate and ’round the block again. This album is fantastic. Final verdict: ignore the hype and consider it a personal recommendation. Just don’t ruin things for the rest of us. Related Links: Regina Spektor Official Website Buy “Begin To Hope” Selected MP3s: Consequence [audio http://www.recidivism.org/music/regina_consequence.mp3] The Ghost of Corporate Future [audio http://celebsandstuff.com/music/Regina%20Spektor%20-%20The%20Ghost%20Of%20Corporate%20Future.mp3] Samson [audio http://celebsandstuff.com/music/Regina%20Spektor%20-%20samson.mp3] Us [audio http://squeakyfingers.crispytomato.net/music/05%20Us.mp3]

    Can You Dig It?

    [digg=http://digg.com/music/Regina_Spektor_Begin_To_Hope]

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  • Beck - Guerolito

    Beck Official Website

    Label :  Interscope Records

    Disclaimer

    I am reviewing a remix album of an album I've not listened to. Take that to mean what you will, I like to think that, if nothing else, it gives me a unique perspective on how the album sounds, not just a comparison to Güero.

     

    Okay, just to prove that not all my reviews are glowing, I present to you: Güerolito, the remix companion to Güero. I remember when Midnite Vultures came out think how cool it would be hear some Beck remixes. It's the sort of thing that appealed to me, like remixing certain Coldplay songs. It is still an interesting concept, but I'd like to bring up a few issues. First and foremost, a Beck song is at it's best when Beck has full control. What made Odelay! and Mutations the masterpieces that they are? Beck at the helm. A good producer doesn't hurt [Dust Brothers on Odelay!, for example], but upon listening to Güerolito I've come to realize that Beck's music is unique in more ways that I first thought. It is a beautiful and unique snowflake not to be tampered with [bonus points for catching the book/film reference]. It's a weird thing. White Zombie was halfway towards a remix album whenever they put out an album, what with all the electronic doo-dads they use, so the remix album worked pretty well. However, Beck has always seemed to have this half-remix thing going on as well. Breaks out of nowhere, the randomest instrumentation, etc. However, most of the remixes on Güerolito just don't work that well. Second, though it's a great idea, it's better left for fans to do at home. This way it's not only a fun project, but the individual can pick and choose what to take and leave. And choose to include the whole Gameboy Variations EP, "Ghettochip Malfunction" being one of the real highlights on this album. Lastly, freaking kudos out to Petra Hayden for not only continuing her unspoken quest to appear on every album ever, but for the entrancing "la las" she lends to "Rental Car." Those "la la"s alone make the track relistenable. And irresistable. So, in general, if you're a completist, you've already got it. If you're not, just get Güero. Or the Information, that way you not only get a whole Beck album and a video for each song, but you also get to design your own album art via a sheet of stickers. Hats off to Beck. Verdict: passable. I guess.

    Related Links:

    Beck

    Beck on Wikipedia

    Beck on Myspace

     

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