8/31/06

Mojave 3 ::Puzzles Like You

I will preface this by saying (admitting) I was not expecting this album from Mojave 3. That being said, I am very much into it. Trading in their slow-country-ish past for an upbeat and happy-go-lucky sound, the band's reinvention is aiding me in riding out the end of this hot West coast summer. While unexpected, Puzzles Like You is a real treat.

I had fallen off the Mojave 3 wagon several years ago, and while still a fan, was not over-eager to listen to the old softly strummed and whispered songs that they crafted so effortlessly. No matter, things have changed. The band now works an uptempo roots-pop groove that immediately smacked me right in the face with the album's opener "Truck Driving Man." Call it an uptempo guitar-pop smoothie on a hot August day.


DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Mojave 3 :: Truck Driving Man
----------

www.mojave3online.com

+ Mojave 3 available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 offer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Mojave 3 MP3s.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daily Blast From The Past:

MP3:
Lee Hazelwood & Nancy Sinatra :: Some Velvet Morning

Labels:

8/30/06

Eugenius :: Oomalama

Eugene Kelly's career would probably have fared better had he arrived on the "indie" scene en masse in 2006 with his band's The Vaselines and Eugenius instead of the late '80s and early '90s respectively. While he may not have received commercial notoriety, his influence has been heard the past ten years in countless waves of indie-minded guitar pop outfits. I recently dug out the 1992 Eugenius debut LP Oomalama and it more than holds up 14 years later. There is something to be said for repeating the same word over and over.

Download:
MP3:
Eugenius :: Oomalama

MP3: The Vaselines :: Son of A Gun
-------
Amazon:
Eugenius - Oomalama
www.myspace.com/eugenekellyrocks

Labels:

8/29/06

Guided By Voices :: I Am A Scientist

Baby, Please Don't Go :: Side Trips

Today is a big Tuesday for all of us in Dylan's camp. Like a lot of you, I will be at the record store bright and early (relatively speaking) to pick up a copy of Modern Times, Dylan's 31st studio album. I have resisted checking out any of the tracks prior to the release date in order to take it in as a whole (quite the excercise in self-control.) If this LP is anything like his past two Daniel Lanois produced "comeback" albums, we're all in a for a real treat.

Appropriately, most music media has had some sort of Dylan feature gearing up for the release. My favorite of these has been
Mojo Magazine's "Roots of Bob Dylan" compilation in which they have compiled a smattering of various artists said by Dylan himself in Chronicles Vol. I to have had an effect/influence on his work. The magazine did a fantastic job and is well worth your eight (U.S.) dollars.

One of the tracks featured on the comp is
Lightnin' Hopkins "Baby Please Don't Go." A fine version in and of itself, but for me the definitive rendition will always be Van Morrison's take on the tune while working with his old band THEM (see below mp3). Also below you will find Dylan's cover which can be found on the unreleased bootleg "the Freewheelin' outtakes."

******If you've bought/heard the new Dylan record, let me know what you think below in the comments.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3:
Lightnin' Hopkins :: Baby, Please Don't Go
MP3:
Them :: Baby, Please Don't Go
MP3: Bob Dylan :: Baby, Please Don't Go
----------
Amazon:
Bob Dylan - Modern Times
Related: Lost Album Series :: Bob Dylan/Johnny Cash Sessions
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ Visit
The Hype Machine for additional Dylan MP3s.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daily Blast From The Past:
MP4:
XTC :: The Mayor of Simpleton

8/28/06

TVOTR :: Return To Cookie Mountain

Sonically descending from out of nowhere, Brooklyn’s TV On The Radio tore out of the gate with their Young Liars EP unleashing their chaotic blend of fuzzed out post-rock on the indie-minded masses. Effortlessly combining an organic blend of gospel, free-jazz, punk, and drum loops, TVOTR sounded like nothing else on the contemporary music scene. That claim can still be made in 2006. Riffing on the same atmospheric paranoia as its predecessor, yet expanding on both the sound and the songwriting, Return To Cookie Mountain defies convention.

The albums sees a stateside release of September 12th. Due to the heavily monitered RIAA nature of the release, we cannot share a sample MP3 track. Visit the band's
MySpace page to stream some of the Return To Cookie Mountain tracks.
----------

www.tvontheradio.com
www.myspace.com/tvotr

+
TVOTR available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 offer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ Visit
The Hype Machine for additional TVOTR MP3s.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your Daily Blast From The Past:
MP3:
TV On The Radio :: Dry Drunk Emperor

Labels: , ,

8/26/06

First Impressions of The Kamikaze

You know I was thinking, it's funny our (often baseless) first impressions. Today I received an album in the mail, and I don't know if I was just in a shitty mood or what, but the name of the band just annoyed the hell out of me, and almost cost me hearing the song below. The name of the band is Kamikaze Hearts, which in retrospect really isn't that bad of a name at all, especially for a band pushing the alt.country angle. I listened to the album, and wound up enjoying it. After a cursory check, it appears many of my blogging brethren have evidently enjoyed it as well -- see the Hype Machine. (BTW, I think there is a direct correlation between people with music blogs and our lack of reading too many other blogs. A time issue I suppose).

Anyway, this second track off the album entitled "Defender" has been on repeat the past half hour. There is something about it that had gotten under my skin. It's a fo-fi folkish story-song bordering on possessing a creepy undertone. While completely different, this sole track reminds me of Spiderland era Slint crossed with 16 Horsepower. The Kamikaze Hearts' LP Oneida Road hits the record stores Tuesday, September 26th.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3:
The Kamikaze Hearts :: Defender

----------
www.kamikazehearts.com
www.myspace.com/kamikazehearts
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional MP3s.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your Daily Blast From The Past:
MP3:
Elvis Costello :: (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes

Labels:

8/25/06

Trainspotting :: Ten Years Gone

"choose life. choose a job. choose a starter home. choose dental insurance, leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose your future."

While reading the recent Trainspotting retrospective expose' in Premiere magazine last week, I could hardly believe it had been a whole ten years since the film's release. Sparking a cultural fetish towards all things Britannia, Trainspotting had many of us in it's stylistic grip, both cinematically and musically.

With it's mix of underground classic rock and contemporary Brit-pop, the soundtrack created the pulse of the film driving it's underbelly, snaking in and out of key scenes. According to the magazine, one of the producers had a scene in his head with the junkie lads walking down the street like a gang of vampires to the eerie swagger of Iggy Pop's "Nightclubbing." While the scene didn't make the final cut, the song itself did, adding to the decadence of the soundtrack as a whole. The success of the OST spawned a companion "part II" soundtrack which is fair and only worth checking out if a fan of the remixes, etc. Below are three tracks from the definitive original OST.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daily track from the archives:
MP3: Eric B & Rakim :: Paid In Full

Labels: ,

8/24/06

Catfish Haven :: Rural Soul Exposion

"We're Catfish Haven and this is what we do!" - George Hunter

Not missing a beat,
Catfish Haven returns September 12th with their first proper LP for Secretly Canadian following up their early '06 SC released Please Come Back EP. Southern, sweaty and blues-infused, Tell Me finds the band continuing down the same path of howlin' southern rock & roll of Please Come Back, but with amplified precision and purpose. Stretching their legs over the course of an entire album, the Haven take on the trials and tribulations of love and relationships strewn over blues holler, hand claps, and Dixie rhythms. Naturally, this kind of cacophony makes me wanna eat BBQ and drink ice cold beer.

+
Listen to Indie Interviews , er, interview with Catfish Haven here.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3:
Catfish Haven :: Tell Me
Mp3: Catfish Haven :: Please Come Back (old)
MP3: Catfish Haven :: You Can Have Me (old)
----------
Amazon: Catfish Haven - Tell Me

www.catfishhaven.com
Catfish Haven MySpace

+ Visit
The Hype Machine for additional Catfish Haven MP3s.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
Catfish Haven available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 offer.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blogs :: Elsewhere
+ Keys To Me features rare Magnapop tracks with a brief history.
+ Head to
Diddywah. Read and watch the hilarious Yacht Rock post.
+ In need of an end of summer mix? Try these: Scatterbrain's pop mix and IGIF's soundtrack mix.
+ Marathon packs rips audio from the We Jam Econo Minutemen DVD. Excellent.
+ Chromewaves examines this weeks record releases, and the industry's 4th quarter trend.

Labels:

The Beach Boys :: Rehearsals 1967

Back by popular demand. Since their original appearance on the blog last March I have had countless email requests to re-post this 1967 recording session. With this summers deluxe 40th anniversary re-issue of the Pet Sounds album, now seemed an appropriate time to do so. Theses tracks really are great, so if you are a Beach Boys fan, grab them now and tell all your friends-- as they won't remain here long.
---------------------
I came upon this 1967 rehearsal a few years ago, and it has since become my favorite Beach Boys recording. All very understated and to the point. Besides saying that, I will let the songs speak for themselves.

Labels: , ,

8/23/06

The Rosebuds :: New Track

Thanks to mr. chris (via a discovery on the NC based oakroom blog) I got to hear a new Rosebuds song today. It's reportedly a 2006 demo that was found on thier MySpace blog page. Good detective work, oakroom. Mmmm. North Carolina pop Merge-style. Check it out below.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3:
The Rosebuds :: Hold On To This Coat
----------

www.therosebuds.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Rosebuds MP3s.

Labels:

Sebadoh :: III

Look what arrived in my mailbox the other day...Sebadoh III. As I unwrapped the clear plastic, I may have wondered aloud "what goodies await a Drunkard other than the opportunity to hear a copy of this album free from the hiss of my well-worn high school cassette??" Turns out quite a few goodies were to be had after all. This double disc reissue not only cleans up the sound of the seminal 1991 album, but throws in new liner notes, unreleased tracks, and the Gimme Indie Rock EP which may be out-of-print...not sure.
It goes without saying the influence of Sebadoh III is heard all over lo-fi indie rock today. Lou Barlow and crew forged some of the most disorienting nosedive indie rock of the 1990s -- it's great to see III getting all dressed up in 2006.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3:
Sebadoh :: The Freed Pig
MP3: Sebadoh :: Kath (via salon.com)
----
Lou Barlow/Folk Implosion:

MP3: Folk Implosion :: Natural One
MP3: Folk Implosion :: Natural One (acoustic)
----------
Amazon:
Sebadoh - Sebadoh III
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ Visit
The Hype Machine for additional Sebadoh MP3s.

Labels:

Sunset Junction :: Street Festival 2006

If you on the eastside of L.A., or for that matter anywhere in L.A. with a running automobile, consider getting out and about this weekend for the years annual Sunset Junction Festival. It's a good old fashioned neighborhood block party. Here are some of the acts I plan on checking out while eating delicious tacos on the street.
-----------------
Drive-by Truckers +++ Black Rebel Motorcycle Club +++ Eels +++ Dave Alvin +++ The Elected +++ Mike Stinson +++ The Cramps

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Drive-by Truckers :: Feb 14
MP3: Black Rebel Motorcyle Club :: Ain't No Easy Way (live & acoustic @ KEXP)
MP3: Eels :: Somebody Loves You (demo version)
----------
www.sunsetjunction.org/streetfair
www.sunsetjunction.org

8/22/06

No Backbone :: Lemonheads (Dando)

This just hit my inbox -- thought I would share. As most of you old fans have surely heard, Evan Dando has re-formed The Lemonheads much in the same way as Jay Farrar re-formed Son Volt in 2005. Both with entirely different lineups. How this constitutes a reunited band is questionable, but seeing how much I liked Dando's 2003 solo album Baby I'm Bored, I'm not going to be one to complain. Much.

AOL Music unleashed this MP3 this afternoon from the forthcoming Bill Stevenson produced album. The albums drops September 26, 2006 -- until then, here's a taste...

Download:
MP3: The Lemonheads :: No Backbone
MP3: Evan Dando :: How Will I Know (acoustic Whitney Houston cover)
----------
www.thelemonheads.net
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ Evan Dando available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 offer.

Ray LaMontagne :: New Album/Tour

I was fortunate enough to have a copy of LaMontagne's debut album Trouble about a year before it found a home on a label. Recorded by Ethan Johns, my friends and I wondered if this delicious backwoods Van Morrison nugget would find a market interested in his delicate, acoustic tunes. Well, it's now 2006, and as you know, he sure did.
Till The Sun Turns Black finds LaMontagne again back in the capable hands of producer Ethan Johns expanding his sound from bare-boned acoustics to a more fleshed out production while sacrificing none of the debut’s warmth and immediacy. Building on the introspective lyrics and feel of Trouble, Till The Sun Turns Black adds new texture and atmosphere opening up the album to a broader range of styles to accommodate LaMontagne’s pallet. The songs within the album weave and interact as if in conversation with one another.
++ New album is out on the 29th -- LaMontagne is presently on tour. Click here for dates/details.
DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Ray LaMontagne :: Three More Days
MP3: Ray LaMontagne :: Crazy (Gnarls Barkley cover)
----------
Amazon:
Ray LaMontagne - Till The Sun Turns Black (august 29 release date)
www.raylamontagne.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Rya LaMontane MP3s.

8/21/06

Link Wray 1971 :: The Black Keys 2006

Wow, now this is the good shit. One of perks of writing An Aquarium Drunkard is all the weekly reader tips/suggestions/emails we receive here at HQ. Thanks, and do keep 'em comin'. The latest example of fine music to grace our mailbox from a reader is the late Link Wray's self-titled 1971 album originally released on Polydor. Make no mistake, this is not Link in instrumental surf-guitar mode, but the man handling all vocals belting out greasy back-porch rock & roll gospel-blues. Outstanding.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Black Keys :: Magic Potion
Boom! Thwack! The Black Keys and their brand of indie blues-rock are back September 12th with Magic Potion, their first album since leaving longtime label Fat Possum for their new home at Nonesuch. In your face from the moment you press play, Magic Potion makes it clear from the get-go that this is a gritty rock record. Long known for their energetic and spontaneous live shows, The Keys harness that energy in full here. Check out the first track off the upcoming album below. As an added bonus I uploaded The Black Keys cover of The Stooges "No Fun" that So Much Silence ripped from vinyl last year. This is heavy shit that calleth upon thy rock gods.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3:
The Black Keys :: Just Got To Be
------------
MP3:
The Black Keys :: No Fun (Stooges cover)
MP3: The Black Keys :: Heavy Soul (alternate version)
----------
Amazon:
The Black Keys - Magic Potion
www.theblackkeys.com
Related Post: The Black Keys :: Chulahoma EP (a highly recommended listen)

+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Black Keys MP3s.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
The Black Keys available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 offer.

8/20/06

Richard Buckner :: Meadow

He of the patented honey and gravel-throated warble returns September 24th with his eighth album entitled Meadow. No stranger to experimentation and collaboration, Buckner enlists the help of former Guided By Voices alumnus Doug Gillard and Kevin March, as well as The Waco Bros’ Steven Goulding, in this latest studio venture. Also in tow is veteran Buckner co-conspirator J.D. Foster, yet again back at the helm wearing his “producer” hat as he did on the classic Buckner albums Since, Devotion + Doubt and Impasse-ette.

Reportedly working in sparse recording environs, Meadow sees Buckner and crew open up the songs and their arrangements, yet always maintaining the “voice” as the focal point to drive the delivery of the song home. For it is Buckner’s voice and keen sense of storytelling that draws the listener in. Whether singing of heartbreak or revenge, you listen…and more importantly, you believe.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Richard Buckner :: Town
----------

www.richardbuckner.com
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Buckner MP3s.

Comets On Fire :: Avatar

Not unlike Ethan Miller's side-project, Howlin' Rain, this latest Comets On Fire album embraces such '70s rock luminaries as The Allman Brothers and Hendrix. Picking up where Blue Cathedral left off, Avatar keeps in check some of the more flamboyant psych-rock experimentation of their earler recordings. Go see them live.
+ Read the Drunkard's take on Ethan Miller's side-project Howlin' Rain, here.

DOWNLOAD:

MP3: Comets On Fire :: Dogwood Rust
MP3: Comets On Fire :: Sour Smoke
----------
Amazon: Comets On Fire - Avatar
www.cometsonfire.com
www.subpop.com

+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Comets On Fire MP3s.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ Comets On Fire available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 offer.

8/19/06

The Kinks :: Well Respected Kinks

This past week Pitchfork Media presented, in my opinion, it's best feature yet. The website listed it's top 200 songs of the 1960s. As a dedicated follower of roots, be them musical or historical, I found this list to be both fascinating, and at times perplexing. But hey, one cannot expect to agree with every choice, but all in all we were very much on the same page. Well done says I...yes, kudos to a job well done. *Also, I am waiting for some web gnome to compile all 200 tracks in mp3 form to a zip folder for those of us wanting to hear the list in descending order. Would be a great (and albeit interesting listen). Holler if you see something like that floating around in the next few weeks. [ Update: Click here for MP3s of the P'fork special. ]

Moving on, I was of course thrilled to see Drunkard favorites, and all around masters, The Kinks appearance on the list several times. My relationship, appreciation and enjoyment of Kinks music continues to grow and expand with each passing year. Below are a couple of tracks off the Well Respected Kinks collection that was originally released in the mid-sixties by the Pye Records label culling ten tracks from the band's singles, EPs, and albums. A quick listen (under 30 minutes) Well Respected Kinks moves fast and hard blowing your hair back with it's rough, garage rock brilliance. If you are just getting into the band, or looking to investigate their early work, this album is a fine (and inexpensive) starting place.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: The Kinks :: Where Have All The Good Time Gone
MP3: The Kinks :: Well Respected Man
----------
+ Visit The Hype Machine For More Kinks MP3s.
Amazon: The Kinks - Well Respected Kinks
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ The Kinks available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 offer.

Labels: , ,

8/18/06

Now Podcasting :: Episode 13

Here is this week's show recorded a couple of days ago at the Little Radio studio in DTLA. All kinds of audio treats to be had for the savvy listener: Jacques Dutronc, CSS, Ben Kweller, Nouvelle Vague, Aretha Franklin, Whiskeytown, Bishop Allen, Elvis Costello, The Brunettes, The Vaselines, Camera Obscura, XTC, Tim Hardin, Jack Logan, Howe Gelb, Lucero, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, The Breeders, Swan Lake, Fugazi, Clem Snide, Primal Scream, Ratatat, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Deltron 3030, The Whigs, Sonic Youth, The Walkmen, blur, Badly Drawn Boy, Brendon Benson, etc.

Update: A reader pointed out (thank you, btw) that this cast is only coming through one channel. My apologies. Did not notice when I converted last week's show to the lybsyn media for podcasting. Though I wil say, if you can stand it, it's a pretty good show.
----------
Subscribe:
Add This Feed
MP3 Download/Stream: Episode 12
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An Aquarium Drunkard Podcast:
Archives Here

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Light Footwork :: Video & MP3
The Light Footwork are back with a new video for the tune "Art of Everyday Communication" which debuted today exclusively at You Ain't No Picasso. Check it out over there on ye olde YouTube.
Download:
MP3:
The Lightfootwork :: Melville (unreleased)
Video: Visit YANP

-------
www.lightfootwork.com

8/17/06

Horse Feathers + Barton Carroll :: Albums

I want to say something here that will make you take notice of the track below by the Portland duo that record and perform under the name Horse Feathers. The reason I want to say something inviting is that this is a song you need in your iTunes - or your iPod - or discman - or walkman - or car stereo. I would like to say something that would persuade you that this is not another run-of-the-mill quirky indie-folk throwaway, but something you might come back to time and again. Actually, maybe I just said it. Say something once, why say it again. ++ Look for the duo's debut, Words Are Dead, to be released September 26th on Lucky Madison Records.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Horse Feathers :: Finch On Sunday
------------

www.myspace.com/horsefeathersmusic
----
+ Visit The Hype Machine for additional Horse Feathers MP3s.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Barton Carroll :: Love & War

A couple of years ago the folks at Skybucket Records unearthed Barton Carroll's 2001 unreleased album Love & War from obscurity. It's now 2006 and come October the label is going to unleash their find on the massses. Probably most recognizable as the multi-instrumentalist for the americana act Crooked Fingers, Carroll travels the solo road here sounding like a long lost sibling of Richard Thompson and Buckner (sans warble) with maybe just a pinch of Will Oldham. Press play and listen to Carroll spin his melocholy folk yarn.

News: Barton will join up with his friends
Devotchka in August for their Northwest tour dates. Check the live page on his site for more information.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3:
Barton Carroll :: Look Up, Look Down, That Lonesome Road
MP3: Barton Carroll :: Cat On A Beach
----------
www.bartoncarroll.com

www.myspace.com/bartoncarroll

Karling Abbeygate :: L.A. High Lonesome

I ran into Karling Abbeygate's voice by chance while browsing unknown artists on MySpace a few months ago. Initially, before listening to the tunes themselves, I was just taken with her excellent cowgirl boots. Mighty fine shit-kickers, but as it turned out, even better music. A modern day hybrid of Patsy Cline and Brenda Lee, Abbeygate croons in the style of the best 1950'5 Country & Western. Press play and time travel back 50 years.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3:
Karling Abbeygate :: Love Me one More Time
MP3: Karling Abbeygate :: They Know It's Over
----------
www.karlingabbeygate.net
www.myspace.com/karlingabbeygate
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ Karling Abbeygate available through eMusic's 25 Free MP3 offer.

8/16/06

Dogme 95 :: Arcadian Hymns

Dogme 95's Arcadian Hymns is one of my favorite albums of 2006 by a band or artist I did not know of prior to the beginning the year. Mission Label describes the artist's sound in the press release as: "Think of a 1940's prison gang jamming with Kraftwerk in the garden of Olympia, WA. It is a treat." What can I say, they had me at "prison gang." Seriously though, Dogme 95 does harness the sounds and vibe of Appalachia, folk, country, and blues mixed with cheap synths and casio beats. It's everything I love about bedroom-indie. If you're into this, hustle, because it's a limited edition of 1000 hand screen-printed cardboard cases.

DOWNLOAD:
MP3: Dogme 95 :: Summon My Baptist Ways