underWater desert Blogging

New Music Friday

My good friend Eric's baby brother, Ryan is finally on Myspace.  Check it out. 

My favorite track he has on here is Summer Breeze, which I think I've heard different lower-fi versions of.  This one is quite enjoyable. 

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Yael Naim

So, if you like the new commercials for Air Jordan's, I mean Mac Air then you likely have wondered who the hell is singing that song and why does it make me so happy.  Well the answer is Yael Naim to the first question, the song is New Soul.  Apparently she is French, cause the rest of her self-titled album is in French, and there is a song titled Paris.  The answer to the second question, at least for me, is that it makes me want to go to happy things.  It begins an entire stream of day dreaming which inevitably ends somewhere happy.  Not sure what your answer will be.  Her video for the song is below. 

Song lyrics | New Soul lyrics

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It's Time for Christmas Tunes

Have been listening to John Denver's Christmas Album.  Recorded in 1979, John Denver’s Album “A Christmas Together” featuring the inchoate inventives of Jim Henson’s LCD flashbacks is officially one of the trippiest albums ever recorded and produced in a recording studio.  Check out track 11, it will blow your mind.

Now to some Indictments, some Finals and some Outlining all with Indian Food in my belly.  Ahh, the Playoffs are approaching.

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Now THIS is some funny ...

in Halo's

in case you're an ostrich in a human's body, or my dad, radiohead has put out a new album, called in Rainbows.  it is only downloadable on the internet at this point.  it will come out in CD stores at some point in December, which basically requires you to ask WTF is the point of that.  nevermind.  the interesting thing about this is how they are doing it.  they have decided that there is no price point.  someone can pay anything they like from 1 pence (you pay in pounds...) to as high as you want.  they charge a 44 pence charge on your credit card, so the lowest you can pay is probably about $.90 depending on the exchange rate on a given date.  Nevertheless that is ridiculous.  I'm not going to tell you what I paid, but it was similar to what I pay for iTunes albums.  I will be interested to hear what kind of information they get out of it.

the real point here is that the album is rich.  and i don't mean to speak to its pecuniary interests.  it seems to me, after two not-incredibly close listens, that it is the continuation of a cohesive narrative arc beginning with the bends and running through OK directly to this album.  although it seems to integrate some parts of the kid A/amnesiac sidebar, as well as a lot of the things i enjoyed from hail to the thief.  it seems different than those two albums.  maybe i'll be editing this later, not sure and recanting on my words.  but for now, that is my thought.

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Gogol Bordello

So I heard an NPR podcast that I subscribe to the other day that blew my mind.  NPR podcasts these concerts from the famous 9:30 club in DC that I've been to with fisher-man a time of two.  The band, Gogol Bordello describes itself as a Gypsy Rock & Roll Machine...!  Sa-WEET.  The lead singer is from Chernobyl.  Sa-WEET.  If you want to laugh take a look at their picture on AllMusic.  Sa-WEET!!

There is this band that Highlands and I saw this summer which we both loved called Bajofondo Tango Club.  I have described them elsewhere.  They were Argentine and fabulously crazy.  This bank, Gogol Bordello, does to Russia what Bajofondo do to Argentina:  rock its world with a fusion of traditional rhythms and sounds with new beats and sounds.  Gogol is more rock inspired where Bajofondo is more dance inspired, but I think that is more a reflection of the specific musical leanings of each region rather than any specific choice.  There is not much overlap between the two bands that I can type out, however there is a certain parallel of energy between the two when you listen to them. 

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explosions in the sky

explosions in the sky is my favorite band.  luckily it looks like they are back on tour, opening for smashing pumpkins, which i think would be a good fit, although i haven't heard the new SP album.  they are coming to nashville in november.  i'll be there.  buy their new album - all of a sudden i miss everyone.  if you have any doubts as to the beauty and brilliance, peruse its metacritic page.

do it now, move.

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flight of the concords

i have been sans telly now for about six months, so i'm not sure, but i think that this is a show on HBO.  yeah, so googling proved that youtube is correct.  don't know what the context/premise of the show is, but this clip that someone sent me is pretty damn hilarious. they also have a video podcast which is available on itunes as well as a bunch of videos on their HBO page.  i'm sitting in a cafe listening to these with my headphones on, trying (and failing) not to look like a fool as i laugh so hard i'm crying.  wow, tv that i want to watch...exciting. 

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two down, one more to go.

this weekend we went to the north sea jazz festival.  i've always wanted to go to this one as it is quite a famous show.  there were three jazz festivals i always wanted to attend: new orleans, north sea and newport.  all that is left is newport!

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the dirtiest thing i've ever said

mongo has a new poem for taylor up on the indiefeed PP podcast, you, too, can listen with wide-eyed-conspiratorial-wonder. it is funnier than usual, even for TM. mongo also said, and i have yet to verify on TM's site, that mali will be: (1) releasing a new album this year, & (2) will be guest hosting indiefeed.

hot shit said casey, and i gave him a detention.....on the spot.

this poem is straightforward and reminds me of playing grenade wars with beaner using magnolia seed pods which always had the stems attached which we pulled like pins and tossed and then jumped into bushes.

in a related manner: the german-japanese are coming. but i'll hold my position all right captain, just as sure as a man...

and in other news, just found an interview with my favorite band: explosions in the sky, an austin instrumental rock quartet who have subtelties rachmaninoff would have envied.

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