The Importance of Being Folk

I am so so so mad right now. Blogger supposedly has this new feature where the posts you write save automatically in the midst of writing.. so say for instance, I write 10 paragraphs on Art Brut's new album, blogger would save my post without me having to do anything at all. Apparently this feature is flawed. Or perhaps I'm just not using it right, because my whole 10 paragraphs went missing. (okay so maybe I didn't write 10..)

So how is Art Brut's new album It's a Bit Complicated (Downtown) anyway you ask? Very Art Brut-esque. Very loud, very fun to listen to, though repetitive, some scanty songs but some rather good. People in Love for instance, can resume the role of this album's very own Emily Kane, which was my personal favorite on Bang Bang Rock & Roll (second favorite to 18,000 Lira, I mean) Nothing's different with the vocals, although I feel as though something has either changed or has gone lacking with everything else (let me point out not a very big something). The last album was more buoyant sounding, more varied idea-wise with tracks. Nonetheless, this one's still fine. (except for the ruler-inspired album art..)

from It's a Bit Complicated:
MP3: Late Sunday Evening - Art Brut (YSI)
MP3: People in Love - Art Brut (YSI)
"People in love, lie around and get fat.."

A few bands I've been listening to recently:

The Guest Bedroom interested me initially because of Fake Flowers. The vocals sound like ¡Forward, Russia! vocals except.. well.. feminine. (think Be Your Own Pet). Look into that.. From Movement:
MP3: Fake Flowers - The Guest Bedroom (YSI)

And also, look into The Two Koreas, whom I actually didn't enjoy at first, but do now. A "grow on you band" perhaps. Altruists houses some awesome tracks if you listen close enough. From Altruists:
MP3: Steely Can - The Two Koreas (YSI)

And also! and also look into The Tigerpicks who you probably don't know but probably will know, eventually.. From Disco Punk Electro Funk:
MP3: Disco Punk Electro Funk - The Tigerpicks (YSI)

And now, gettin' to mail I've been gettin':

This is definitely the most important MP3 in my whole post. Soft Tigers sent me a cover of Architecture in Helsinki...... What?! Yes it's true! I love when awesome bands cover awesome bands.. because then, well, the outcome can only be one thing really, and I'm sure you can guess what that is... aweso- They toured together in Australia. I wish that Australia could have been New York when they toured together instead. Now, bask in the admirable genius of Heart it Races as played by Soft Tigers. And then buy these.

MP3: Heart it Races (Architecture in Helsinki Cover) - Soft Tigers (YSI)


I can't let you go without giving you something dancey and really weird! Well, I could. Nevermind. But I won't (plus, I wanted to post Adult.'s album cover because I think it's interesting.) Their newest, Why Bother?, should be listened to by everyone. Not because it's good (because I don't think it's actually very good) But because everyone should hear the synchronized strangeness they put forth. The Importance of Being Folk is a two part track on Why Bother? (in case you were wary about my post title..)

MP3: I Feel Worse When I'm With You - ADULT. (YSI)


Off to watch.. Glen Beck.
Have got some fantastic Cribs b-sides from the Men's Needs 7", but am a bit hesitant on putting them up while there is a phantom Cribs' mp3 deleter that visits my blog quite frequently...

I think it's funny that 'Big Beautiful Women' advertise on Mewzick's sidebars.

Bye for now.
-D

Goddamn!

When I read the name Polytechnic I thought I'd hear an electro outfit from France. Instead, I heard an awesome rock group from Manchester. They were a surprise for me.. My first listen was yesterday, actually. Within two seconds I knew I had to post them. Okay not two.. perhaps it took 4 minutes, the length of Rain Check. The vocals are awesome and wavering-somewhat similiar to Clap Your Hands Say Yeah- but tolerable in the 'high pitched' sense; easy to like pop-rock. My favorite bands are the bands that make music just to make it, that present an image without meaning to present anything at all, simple seeming bands that aren't simple. They're the ones that surprise you most- and because they have, make you remember them more. They remind me of a mix between Tapes n' Tapes, and the 1990's, whom you also must check out soon before they get huger than huge, which they are going to get, just like Polytechnic. Polytechnic's debut Down Til Dawn is amazing to say the least, with harder tracks leading up to softer gorgeous tracks like Polling Card and Running Out Of Ideas. Get it here.

from the debut, released today actually, Down Til Dawn:
MP3: Rain Check - Polytechnic (YSI)
MP3: Still Spinning - Polytechnic (YSI)




A while back on one of the mixtapes, I posted Mr. Ice Cream Introduces- F ing awesome electro/new wave song by a group called Soft Tigers. Their myspace describes them as 'other'.. which in my opinion, is a perfect description. They just came out with Maria, and Maria remixed by the Bumblebeez on 7". They've also got a CD coming out soon, which I'm rather excited for. I ordered the cassette version of the album Gospel Ambitions (which you can get here) via snail mail a while ago. It's great- I wish all bands would release at least one album solely this way. But sadly they don't, and sadly I'm sans a tape deck, therefore transferring the tracks to the ol' laptop would have been an impossible task. Thankfully the band sent me Karate. What's more, they've also informed me that the Karate video is in making. I won't give it away but I'll be vague and say that it's got jamaican black belts..

a demo from the Gospel Ambitions cassette:
MP3: Karate - Soft Tigers (YSI)




Because I've been listening to a lot of 60's pshycadelia lately, here are british band, The Move. (three members including Jeff Lynne later formed ELO) Though not very big in America, The Move were highly acclaimed as one of the best live acts in the UK at that time. What's weird, is that ELO was recieved highly in America before Britian, cleary opposite their former.

From the 1968 debut, Move:
MP3: Walk Upon the Water - The Move (YSI)
MP3: Cherry Blossom Clinic - The Move (YSI)


-D