There is no excuse — none whatsoever — to ever let an Arcade Fire show go by without attending.  Reschedule your wedding, it's worth it.  It's shamefully possible that you have never heard of the Arcade Fire, or maybe you've been caught in an awkward indie conversation where you've heard of them, but haven't heard them.  Let me tell you this: the word 'energy' scarcely describes what it is that the Arcade Fire deliver.  Imagine, if you will, ten crazy Quebecoise running around a stage playing instruments including, but not limited to, violin, French horn, xylophone, an aluminum standup bass, accordion, mandolin, and hurdy gurdy.  Also hitting pretty much anything available with a drumstick — errant cymbals, a marching tom, motorcycle helmets, the catch-all mics at the front of the stage, the lighting rig, each other.  The band loves what their doing so much that you cannot help but be dragged in.  Numerous instrument changes, sexy-but-not-slutty dancing, very tasteful multi-media and one of the best groups of concert-goers I've ever associated with.  The last two songs before the encore were "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)" and "Rebellion (Lies)" and the end of "Power Out' built up to an insane pitch before the opening of "Rebellion" snuck in underneath it all.  Amazing.  I'll admit it, I only knew about four AF songs prior to the show, but it doesn't matter.  I'm including the three songs most necessary to get the most from the show.
So, I don't want to say too much about how awesome the show was because you'll stop believing me, but I would like to say that I don't know how Montreal could have contained all of this.  When David Bowie found them and brought them to major label attention, he just may have saved that town from exploding.
I'm sorry, Billy Corgan, but I don't think that even Mellon Collie-era Pumpkins could hold a candle to this show.  But I'm still excited to see what you've got.

Here's what my concert-going buddy Dave had to say about it…

Arcade Fire // Myspace // Buy Neon Golden

MP3eesies: 

Arcade Fire - Rebellion (Lies) MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/Arcade%20Fire%20-%20Rebellion%20(Lies).mp3] 

Arcade Fire - Neighbourhood #3 [Power Out] MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/Arcade%20Fire%20-%20Neighborhood%20Three%20Power%20Out.mp3]

Arcade Fire - Wake Up MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/The%20Arcade%20Fire%20-%20Wake%20Up.mp3] 

I have no idea how I found out about Dikanda. Perhaps one of those serendipitous moments, where the internet throws something in your face, and you run away with it. I did find them on the internet, through their website. How I got there I don't know. But it was a beautiful thing. I've been listening to them for over a year now, and decided to share with you. 

You know how you can ask someone, "What kind of music do you listen to?" And they'll promptly answer "A little bit of everything". Well, I think this falls under 'everything'. A band like this reflects my varied musical taste, although I am not ignorant anymore to the idea that one who listens to 'everything' really only listens to what they like. I can tell you what I don't like, and what I do, and here is something I do like, tremendously.

I don't know much about Dikanda, other than what I learned on their Biography page from their website. They are Polish, experiment in music of the East, are named from an African term that means 'family', and consist of 5 members, and have released 3 albums. Biographies don't typically interest me anyway; music is the main deal for me. 

I've got some sample of their music up here, downloaded from their website. Check out their website and all about them, and if you are caught like I was after listening to their groovy stuff, buy an album.

For a short description: bellydancing, chanting, howling, mad percussion and Eastern, exciting stringed instruments. All in another language, and beautiful. Enjoy.

Dikanda Official Website 

MP3S:

Dikanda - Bieda

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/bieda%20-%20dikanda.mp3]

Dikanda - Jakhana Jakhana

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/jakhana.mp3]

Dikanda - Sokolmi

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/sokolmi%20-%20dikanda.mp3]

Dikanda - Ketrin Ketrin

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/ketrin%20ketrin%20-%20dikanda.mp3]

Dikanda - Lazito (short)

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/lazito%20-%20dikanda.mp3]

It is a very respectable thing to know more about the Violent Femmes than their über-hit "Blister In the Sun."  For a long time before I really got into the Femmes, I got by on my knowledge of "Gone Daddy Gone" but with that being recently covered by Gnarls Barkley, it won't quite do anymore.  On the radio today I heard the Femmes classic "Add It Up" and it hit me that I need to be doing double duty with this post: educating you fine people about the Violent Femmes and giving you songs that are horribly inappropriate for a mixtape directed at your significant other!  All at once!

Violent Femmes Official // MySpace // Buy One of Their CDs, for good measure.

Add It Up MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/Violent%20Femmes%20-%20add%20it%20up.mp3]

Gimme The Car MP3 

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/Violent%20Femmes%20-%20Gimme%20The%20Car%20%5BLive%5D.mp3]

I love PBS. They have this kickass show called Austin City Limits that I catch once in a blue moon. As our hour of Scrubs was over, I did a little channel surfing to find something to flicker in the background while I dozed off to sleep. I turn into PBS and I see a band playing, so I stop and decide to listen in for a second to see if they suck or are delicious. 

Delicious all the way. I didn't know it until the end of the program, but the band I was watching was called My Morning Jacket, and they were playing "Golden".

I was caught up in the rest of the show, which was only a few songs. Golden was definitely country, with that slide guitar wahwahing. Then the rest of what they played was a mix of progressive syncy rock. The lead, Jim James, his voice is relatively plain but it definitely works so well with their music. They're great live, too, as well as the music making me an instant fan, which doesn't often happen. I do enjoy the feeling of falling in love with music.

After some research I discovered that their latest album is called Okonokos, they've lost and gained two band members, they've been around since '98, and they played at Bonnaroo for a few years, the last one being in 2006. Dammit. They also named their band after a jacket with the initials MMJ on it that was found after a show.

 Anyways, here are four of the five tracks I caught on PBS. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did and currently do. My Morning Jacket gets a big LTM stamp of approval.

My Morning Jacket Official  // MySpace // Get Okonokos

Wiki // Austin City Limits Website

Gideon MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/Gideon.mp3]

Golden MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/golden%20-%20my%20morning%20jacket.mp3]

Anytime MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/My_Morning_Jacket-Anytime.mp3]

Dondante MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/mymorningjacket-dondante.mp3]

One day I came home from work, or some other place I went and came from. Wade beckoned me over to the computer, to show me some videos on YouTube. Typical guy.

I suppose it was a serendipitous accident, because as he was searching for musicians, he found a band called Tommee and the Neighbourhood.  He was impressed enough to show me, and I was impressed enough to remember the band for over a year. Now that I've got my kickin' music website, I knew I definitely wanted to feature them. Turns out, though, that the band has…disbanded, and Tommee has a solo act, which is fine with me, because he is still exceedingly awesome. 

After some investigating at Tommee's website, I found that he is from a village in Indonesia, and uses a wide range of indigenous and contemporary instruments to create his super-chill sound. His website even features them, with pictures, explanations, and audio samples, that made my boyfriend's mouth water (he has a thing for world stringed instruments).

Tommee's music is pretty crafty. It's relaxing, but with message, and is oddly simple and intricate at the same time. It has some reggae-island grooves, and a good, organic sound.  

He has two solo albums, Kachampo, and Get On So Well. He is currently touring Europe. Hopefully I'll have an interview pretty soon, but for now enjoy these MP3's and keep checking back for more Tommee goodness.

 See What Got Us Hooked

Links 

Tommee Official Website 

Buy Kachampo

Buy Get On So Well

 Music

 Cengaa Aruziki MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/04%20Cengaa%20Aruziki.mp3] 

Get On So Well MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/03%20Get%20On%20So%20Well.mp3] 

No Reason To Cry MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/04%20No%20Reason%20To%20Cry.mp3] 

Io Ariku MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/01%20Io%20Ariku.mp3] 

 Tommee's On Tour

The other night I was watching Leno (again, an inspiration for a post) when Minnie Driver was in the hotseat chatting with our favorite skunky late night host. The show went to commercial, and then, to my surprise, came back with Minnie Driver on stage about to perform. Musically. What the fuck? I didn't see that one coming. 

And guess what. Unlike most actor-turned-musicians, this chica is good. Like, really good. I love her voice, and I fell head over heels in love with the song she and her band performed. It's called "Beloved". I've been singing it ever since. I chalk it up a bit to her being British (ahem, go England). I've always loved Minnie Driver anyways, if not for her acting, but for her incredible laugh. It makes me giggle ridiculously. 

And, this is her second album! Sheesh.  

It must be crappy to be compared to your former career in reviews, Minnie, but thats what happens. Your fellow actors have tried to the music thing and sucked at it, so we have to be cautious when you do it. But don't worry, love, you've done well.

Anyways, 

the song was sung well, lyrically very good, and not overdone. Simple in it's simpleness and beautiful at the same time, if you get what that means.

Right, so anyways, I've now got the album, yay, and I'm very much enjoying it. I'd love for you to love it too, so check out these MP3s, or better yet, go out and get the bloody album.   

To summarize:

I liked her before, when I just knew her as an actress.

She turns out to be a kickass musician.

And she lives in a trailer park.

And the boyfriend thinks her music is good.

So basically, all systems go. You'll like. 

Minnie Driver Official Website // MySpace // Buy Seastories 

Beloved MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/03-minnie_driver-beloved.mp3]

Cold Dark River MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/04-minnie_driver-cold_dark_river.mp3]

Sorry Baby MP3

[audio:http://lovethemusicreviews.com/audio/02-minnie_driver-sorry_baby.mp3]