New St. Vincent Video- Actor Out Of Work

I've always heard really good things about St. Vincent but of the clips and tracks I've heard of her music, I've never loved it. However, I heard some good things about her upcoming album, "Actor," so I decided to give her music a second chance. I'm glad I did. The latest song of hers is "Actor Out Of Work." The juxtaposition of the chunky, distorted guitar and synth behind her sweet, airy vocals makes for a really funky tune. I've fallen in love with this song and it's inspired me to go looking for the rest of her stuff.

Also, I love the music video. It features actors trying to cry on command while Annie Clark (St. Vincent) sings with a straight yet dramatic face (if that makes any sense...). It reminds me a lot of this short film on Encyclopedia Pictura called "The Competition" where people compete to cry on command. To reach "The Competition," go to Encyclopedia Picture, then click HTML (or Flash, doesn't matter I guess), then click "Working With Wholphin," then click "The Competition."

Actor Out Of Work- St. Vincent

Bat for Lashes...???

I don't "get" Bat for Lashes. Since her 2006 debut studio album "Fur and Gold," there has been considerable buzz surrounding the British singer-songwriter (birth name: Natasha Khan) but I just have never understood it. I don't care for her music, which, to me, seems pretentious and nearly unlistenable. Khan's whole "art-school" vibe is so overwrought, and I feel like anyone could produce a similar sound with a tambourine and their Mac's GarageBand effects. As for her overall aesthetic, throw on an ironic gem sweater, paint your face, and there you go. Her new album, "Two Suns" is all over the blogs these days, but after a few via-YouTube listens of songs like "Daniel," all I have to say is...yawn. Everything sounds like everything else. The only thing I have to say in Kahn's defense is that the video for "What's A Girl to Do?" is pretty cool.

Anyone care to stick up for her/explain to me what I'm missing?

"Be My Gun" by The Ropes

Upon first listening to "Be My Gun" by the Ropes, the female vocals reminded me of a much more distressed Mates of State. On second pass, I realized that's not an accurate assessment at all. The only thing The Ropes have in common with Mates of State is the female vocalist. "Be My Gun" is a slowly rolling number with atmospheric layers of vocals and noodled electric guitars, a driving bass line, and a large helping of introspection. Not much like the peppy pop of Mates of State at all. The Ropes are perfect for fans of The Knife and the Airborne Toxic Event.

"Day N Nite"- Kid Cudi

I've loved this track by Kid Cudi for a while, and this music video only makes me love it more. I feel like he's going to be the next T-Pain (i.e. that singer who happens to cameo in EVERY rap song ever.)

"Chariot" by Page France

I keep a playlist on my iTunes called "To Buy" where I put the clips of songs that I find in the iTunes store that I like or might buy. I had a song on that playlist for a while and completely forgot about it until the other day I was going through the list and listened to it again. I bought it, and now I am completely obsessed with it. The song is called "Chariot," and it's by Page France. I think I first heard it while I was watching the show "Weeds" (GREAT music on that show, by the way).

Andrew Bird- "Fitz & Dizzyspells"

I got the new Andrew Bird album, "Noble Beast," a few weeks ago, and as with all of his albums, it's beautiful. I really love every song, but this one stands out as slightly more upbeat than the rest.

Pains of Being Pure At Heart

I'll write a full review in a few days, but for now I'll just give you this. I AM IN LOVE WITH THIS BAND. ASJHJKHJHJKL!!!!

"Her Morning Elegance" by Oren Lavie

Usually I don't pay much attention to the iTunes music video of the week, but this one is too good to resist. The song is a pretty basic singer-songwriter tune, but the video is a wonderfully imaginative stop-motion piece. The video's free until tomorrow so get it now!

"My Girls" by Animal Collective

New music video for my favorite song off my current favorite album.

I think that Animal Collective is one of the most original groups making music these days, and of the quest to find the "American Radiohead" (other contenders: TV on the Radio, My Morning Jacket) they are definitely the most abstract and straight-up weird. Their most recent album, Merriweather Post Pavilion, is somehow both their weirdest and most accessible.


Animal Collective "My Girls" from Chad von Nau on Vimeo.

"Daylight"- Matt & Kim

I just saw the music video for one of my current favorite songs, Matt & Kim's "Daylight," and it fits the song perfectly. From what I've heard and this video, Matt & Kim are one of my must-see-live groups. Along with Arcade Fire, Mates of State, and the Submarines, they are one of my favorite married indie-rock couples.

They're supposed to be tons of fun, and get everybody dancing. I really regret not getting tickets to see them with Dan Deacon. That would have been a crazy show.

"Sleepyhead"- Passion Pit

When my friend told me that she had heard the best song ever, I obviously had doubts. She and I declare something the "best song ever" every few weeks. When she played the song, Passion Pit's "Sleepyhead," for me, I was very turned off. On first listen, it sounded like a MGMT knock-off. Synth-pop with shreaked vocals and droning noise. But then as I listened to it more, I realized that it is, in fact, a brilliant song.

Similar to MGMT, Passion Pit produces trippy freak-pop, but PP puts much more emphasis on the "pop" while MGMT sticks to the "freak." On "Sleepyhead," the point-of-awesome builds slowly. A thumping beat, hand claps, twisted vocals, spoken word, and a curtain of glittery synth layer perfectly and climax in the best purely-intrumental "chorus" I've ever heard. The synth gets thicker and goes absolutely nuts, and rather than retreating into slower verse, frontman Michael Angelakos prolongs the hype with shrieked lines that segue right into another synth meltdown.

Passion Pit's Chunk of Change EP is out now, and yes, the other songs are also great.

N.A.S.A.- Money

David Byrne, singer of one of my favorite bands, Talking Heads, somehow linked with N.A.S.A. (production duo Squeak E. Clean & DJ Zegon) to create this insane single. It's one of my current favorite songs. The jam features the most ridiculous line-up of guest stars for one song I think I've ever seen: Chuck D, Seu Jorge, Ras Congo, and Z-Trip.

Jim James- "Steam Engine"

My love for alt.country is no secret. My favorite band is Wilco, and I adore Uncle Tupelo, Ryan Adams, Son Volt, Whiskeytown, Fleet Foxes, Blitzen Trapper, etc. One of my favorite releases this year was My Morning Jacket's stellar Evil Urges. One of the factors that makes me love MMJ so much is Jim James's haunting voice. It's an unforced falsetto with such a pure and balanced tone, and a titanic range. Here's a video of him performing a solo acoustic version of "Steam Engine," from MMJ's 2003 release It Still Moves.

Pitchfork.tv

While I'm sometimes truly miffed by Pitchfork Media and their overtly obnoxious need to be the "indie" and "obscure" in all of their reviews, I must admit that I am a fan of the online TV channel they launched earlier this year, Pitchfork.tv.

Between interviews with Jay Reatard and Feist, live sessions on the top of buildings ("Don't Look Down") with Department of Eagles and Jose Gonzalez and multi-player bands like the Walkmen and Broken Social Scene crammed into a basement ("Juan's Basement"), Pitchfork.tv not only offers videos of the latest, brightest indie artists, but offers them in creative locales, such as the aforementioned building and basement, or the "random Brooklyn street" on which Jay Reatard was interviewed. These settings promote candid conversation and performance.

Pitchfork.tv also frequently updates their music video library, hosting a broad spectrum of videos, from the atmospheric Animal Collective to lo-fi punkers No Age.


Department of Eagles, "No One Does It Like You," from Don't Look Down

The Killers on SNL, Or, How The Killers Stole My Heart

Last night on SNL, The Killers performed their new single "Human" as well as "Spaceman," another new tune to be debuted on their upcoming album, Day & Age.

I was in 7th grade when Hot Fuss came out, and I'll never forget the first time I heard it. My friend Carson had heard them perform "Somebody Told Me" on some television show an so I bought the album for her for her birthday. We listened to it in her den and I was enraptured by their new wave, synth-heavy arena rock. While none of the elements were entirely unique, to me, they seemed to be doing something totally different and their sound was like nothing I had ever heard.

Hot Fuss became my favorite album and I developed an unhealthy crush on Brandon Flowers. He was my desktop background and a sinister black and white shot of the band was on the front of my school binder.

As with any album, as time went on, the frequency I would listen to the album waned. However, I was very excited when I heard not only that they were working on a new album, but that they listed Bruce Spingsteen as one of their top influences.

Unfortunately, Sam's Town was underwhelming. It definitely had potential, but somewhere along the road Brandon Flowers & Co. lost sight of their own sound and became engulfed in their influences and dodging the sophomore slump.

I didn't hate Sam's Town- by any means. I listened the heck out of it, I just never felt that rush that I did whenever the opening bars of "Mr. Brightside" would play.

With the new single "Human," I see new hope for the Killers. "Human" is a fantastic return to form. The intro is optimistic and ethereal; "Are we human, or are we dancer?" Flowers muses. then the beat pulsates in and the synth begins to drive the song to the forgotten territory the Killers first inhabited in the days of Hot Fuss.

On SNL, the Killers performed "Human" as well as "Spaceman," a paranoid number that showcases Flowers's yelp and frontman bravado.

Based on these two songs alone, Day & Age should, well, kill.

More Andrew Bird

That last post inspired me to post this video of Andrew Bird performing "Spare-Ohs" while strolling the streets of Montmartre. Both the song and the setting are gorgeous.

Well this was sure disappointing...

I expected more out of you, Jackie Boy.

Don't You Hate It When...

You get in that pop/Top 40 hating mode and then suddenly a song comes that is just so catchy you can't deny it's power? It works it's way into your brain and it's stuck in your head and you know you should hate it but you can't because it's just SO. CATCHY.

Well, I am currently in that love-hate relationship with the latest Katy Perry (yeah, the "I Kissed a Girl" girl. Makes the shame that much greater.) single. It's called "Hot N' Cold" and oh my god is it ridiculous. It has this pumping disco beat, easy lyrics ("You don't really want to stay, no/But you don't really want to Go-o") and it's working it's way up the charts. Katy Perry, bless her soul, has a pretty weak voice, but on this track her shout-singing just works.

Next post I'll talk about Conor Oberst's latest album or somthing.. You know, to make up for this post. Oh, sweet joy of guilty pleasures.

Countdown to Rock the Bells!

I am very, very excited for Rock the Bells this weekend. While my music taste lies mostly in alternative/indie/pop, there is some rap that I absolutely love, and most of the groups and rappers in RTB fall under that category. One such rapper is Nas, whose new album, which is untitled (originally he planned to call it Nigger, but for various reasons, he did not. When Nas was on the Colbert Report the other day, Colbert suggested he use the word Reggin instead. And then he said he would "pop some truth in your ass". It was a good episode.) is full of evidence that Nas is one of the best rappers alive right now. Now, I am a huge Kanye fan, but if the world were just, Nas would have as much fame as West. Here's one of my favorite songs from Nas's latest, it's called "Queens Get The Money".

Happy 4th of July

Not a patriotic song in the least, but it has "American Flags" in the title...