First off: look at those badasses. You just know their music's going to be good, haha.
The inspiration for this post came from the most unexpected of places. From a hole in the ground wherein lived a...wait, wait, that's The Hobbit, no, my inspiration came from my coworker. The man I worked with today had a most curious taste in music, the likes of which I had not experienced before. Another coworker described it as, "A Racist blend of Southern Country and Redneck Rap that was certainly not appropriate to be blasting at a family establishment! Also some Megadeath." I think he put it quite well. I was forced to put on song after song that I didn't care for in the slightest, and cringe as some of the lyrics and absurdity of what was happening washed over me. I realized that the softer, perhaps more PG music I was playing earlier could have sounded as abrasive and unpleasant to his ears as his favorite music sounded to mine. After my high and mighty revelation I did my best to not bat a lash, (or take a bat to the speakers for that matter) at his music and felt very self-righteous and aloof. Classic hipster-music-pretentiousness, am I right!?
Well continuing my 'my-music-is-better-than-yours' streak, here's some chill floatstep that's about as far from what I listened to all day as possible! Lil' bit o' bounce, lil' bit o' violin, lil' bit o' fun. Enjoy!
I just had a great day this wonderful Wednesday, not really for any specific moments, there was just something in the air, everything was going ok! You could almost say that everything was getting better all the time...I also played some amazing ultimate frisbee...that could be part of it. The whole bike back from frisbee I was singing 'Getting Better' at increasing volume and was just loving life! Whatever you've got going on in your life, hopefully remembering this song will brighten your predicament. In terms of the week, you've made it through hump day, and the week can only get better! Enjoy your thursday, and maybe go back and listen to some ol' Beatles (pronounce it bee-at-les), they're pretty awesome! Enjoy!
You may remember The Paper Kites for their amazingly wonderful indie songs that I've posted before (bloom and featherstone) or you may be a lucky newcomer whos' entire world is about to spring open! Whichever it is, The Paper Kites have outdone themselves on this slow track that has one of the best music videos I may have ever seen! It's so full of life and wonder and bubbles and hope and wowwww! So great! Watch it! Enjoy!
The summer fun never ends! Musical discovery is always an amazing thing, but when every artist and their goldfish is releasing summer jams and anthems, it's hard not to go everywhere with a smile! As one of my coworkers said today, "My cheeks are getting sore from how much I've been smiling lately!" Couldn't agree more Andy!
Even with the upbeat vibe, the lyrics themselves aren't all that uplifting, but the amazing beat, group chanting reminiscent of Grouplove, and overall intense energy of the track make up for it! If nothing else, stick around for the fadeout at 2:46, it just puts the cherry on top of this already phenomenal track! Enjoy! Oh God, tell me I'm not dreaming!
Where have I been all my life?? Apparently suffering greatly, because the backbeat to this song is seriously insane. It has been scientifically proven to induce uncontrollable head-shaking, render you comatose and unable to skip the song, and to change your bodies chemical balances to a point where you biologically have to listen to the song again. And again. And again.
Seriously though, this backbeat is killer. These Bag Raiders must have raided the satchel of the gods for this one! It fades out at 1:55 and your heart comes mere nanometers away from breaking, before it builds back up into its full unbridled ferocity a few seconds later. Really great song, and I'm so ashamed I didn't know about it earlier! What blows me away nearly as much as the beat is the fact that this diamond in the rough is FREEEEEE! Enjoy, my homies!
Don't know much about Joywave except that they're from the U.S., and that they're worthy of an RAC remix, which is enough for me! With some really cool beats, interesting melodies, and of course, trademark RAC magic, both the original and the remix have a really cool vibe and are unlike much else I've heard! Enjoy! You'll be hooked in the first few seconds, I promise!
After more and more listens to the original, I'm liking it more and more! RAC brings his own flave-a-flave though!
Courtesy of Parker Case, Sam Wiswell, Graham Marousek, and Turner Dobell, I've just been turned onto Caravan Palace! Dominating the world of Electro-Swing (predominantly because they are the world of Electro-Swing) Caravan Palace flippin' makes you dance while staying classier than all get out. Hailing from France, this amazing group are masters of their craft and have a delectable jazzy, upbeat, and irresistible sound! Check out 'Jolie Coquine' and I guarantee, that in minutes you'll be devouring their Spotify page with unholy hunger! And rubber duck! What an epic music video! Enjoy!
Ryan just released a little seven song album entitled Still Awake, which is lovely enough to keep you up and listening, yet slow and relaxing enough to drift you off to sleep. My personal favorite, 'All Our Thoughts Are Physical' has the perfect female vocal in the background, floating amidst great, chill sounds. Enjoy, and remember to take a minute to breathe and appreciate everything swirling around you!
I've listened to Yeezus, Kanye West's new album, Nightingale Floors, Rogue Wave's new album, Waiting For The Dawn, The Mowgli's new album, and even sat through what Miley Cyrus is calling a new "song". All this new music (and what Miley put forward) is impressive, but Empire Of The Sun's Ice On The Dune simply soars above the rest.
Catching updrafts of psychedelic pop, drifting amidst vaporous cumulus of wacky costumes and wackier instrumentals, and steadily gaining altitude with dreamy yet dance-tastic tracks like 'Alive' and 'Awakening', Ice On The Dune delivers more than just music. Ziggy Stardust would feel out-tripped by these Sydney-based gods!
Heavens to Betsy Mergatroite! The whole album is just perfect! And for $8 on iTunes, you'd be literally doing yourself a painful disservice if you didn't go snag it! Buy it right here!
I raved about 'Alive' earlier when it was released--refresh your memory right here--and the single has properly hyped this delightful album! I'm loving every minute of their freshly released music video, and if you love deserts, people dressed as animals, and great music, you're going to fall in love too!
'DNA' is sparkling, sprinkling, and startlingly catchy!
'I'll Be Around' offers a more mellow side of the album, and the way they sing the words of the title around 0:52 is just gorgeous.
Sadly there's no youtube or soundcloud audio yet of my favorite song, 'Awakening'. Guess you'll just have to buy the album! You can also listen to the whole effort on Spotify! I'm digging Ice On The Dune!
It's been a minute since I've had The Mowgli's on, and no other band takes advantage of a minute like them! With a new full length album under their belt (buy it on iTunes right here) they're blowing up, and with summery, gorgeous vibes like this, there's every reason they should be! Enjoy!!!!
Last time I featured them, I foolishly only posted a remix of the exuberant 'San Francisco'. While absolutely brilliant (and found right here) the original is now complete with a great music video you just have to check out!
The real bread and butter however, is 'The Great Divide' a lovely sing-along of joy-filled-summer proportions! A glowing pastiche of sound!
And to top it all off, a track I'm sure will steadily gain popularity, I think my favorite of the new material, 'Say It, Just Say It' is so upbeat! Their massive chorus's are so catchy and communal, and the fade outs are impeccable.
Not quite rolling off the tongue as smoothly as 'Brit-indie-rock-neo-punk', luckily it rolls just as smoothly into your ear drums. With a near-perfect riff throughout, this song just feels good. Used in FIFA 2004, 'Jerk It Out' will make you want to play soccer, want to dance, or maybe just make you want to jerk it out...whatever that entails! Lisen up!
Miike Snow walks a wonderful line between electronic-influenced-indie-gold and thumping, danceable EDM. They always deliver some of the freshest vocals accompanied by creative blends of real and...imagined?...instruments and sounds! Check out all their stuff, I promise there's never a moment of hebetude! -Keep looking up these random words I add in!- Angsty men walking different places has never had better supporting music!
If you're into long, flowing remixes, the 'Silvia' Robotberget Remix is the one for you. Building steadily and melodically for 2 entire minutes of anticipation, the vocal distortion at the drop is sick and the visuals in the accompanying animation are not too shabby to watch either. Have a marvelous monday as usual, eh, wut, wut?
Hullo Bruce! This is a bit of a departure from my normal musical fare, but risks must be taken, and old inside jokes must be exploited on Father's Day, right!?
Some backstory for my song selection this fine sunday: I would incessantly make fun of the first line of this song and the way Mr. Cockburn said it, and mockingly sing-along until my dad simply had to change the song to shut me up. Clearly this was a formative experience for me both musically and devilishly! I was such a brat, right!? This song by good ol' Bruce has grown on me, and is a classic song that you all should check out, but the main reason I'm posting it today is because of my ever goofy and wonderful father, Terry Yazzolino.
What a dad! This guy is hands down the most amazing human being I've ever been blessed to meet. As he loves to term other people, he's a bodhisattva. A saint. An old soul. His outlook on life, his positivity, his VAST LOVE FOR MUSIC, his ability to play two flutes at once, his deep theatrical streak, his anglophile sense of humor, his infectious laugh that is always brought on during Badminton, his adorably low tolerance for spicy food, his short stature (he's a tall guy, I'm just taller), his hipster glasses, his willingness to listen to all my new music even when he hates it, his love of warmth, his love of the desert, his love of asian food, his love of piano, his love of his children...his LOVE. My dad has the largest heart in the entire cosmos, so open and warm and tender. He cries about Star Trek, he cries watching sappy/inspirational youth soccer movies. He's passionate about so many things and wants to do everything he possibly can for everyone around him (he packed my lunch each and every day through senior year, the saint!). He's unafraid of others judgement and lives 100% according to his joyful path. He loves space, he loves earth, he collects rocks, he can map the stars. He is a musician, a teacher, a priest, a cook, a husband, a brother, and most important and relevant to me, an incredible testament to the soul of humanity: my father.
"Well damn Miles, those're some pretty sweeping and grandiose statements to make!"
I'd make them all again and add a hundred more. I am who I am today because of my father and if it wasn't for his yellow-sweater-wearing, Merrell-booted, ever-exuberant self, I'd be a sad shell of myself.
Happy Fathers day to you dad! I'm sorry I can't be there to celebrate with you, but know that the Tarantism lives on (Tarantism -noun: a mania characterized by an irresistible urge to dance, popularly and incorrectly supposed to result from the bite of a tarantula), and that I'm wishing you the happiest of days! On a serious note--which I know is rare between us, what with our constant New Zealand accented banter--I really do believe that, as our homie Bruce puts it, "Heaven and earth are full of your light."
Here's to more fun-filled grocery shopping, frisbee tossing, and music sharing! Love you dad!
Pacific Air have come a long way since I first saw them in concert! With a premiere full length album out this tuesday, and tours with Passion Pit, Walk The Moon, Two Door Cinema Club, and Ra Ra Riot under their belt, what can't they do!!!!!?? Does that lineup get any better!!!!!!??????? Their new album is a great continuation of their trademark sound they've developed with hits like 'Float' or 'Lose My Mind' (both amazing tracks!) and adds new classics such as 'Sunshine' or 'Duet In B Minor'! Amazing album that you need to get your hands on NOW! Check them out!
'Sunshine'...wow! The plea, "I don't want to be alone" has never sounded so good! Crescendoes into awesomeness around 1:15!
'Duet In B Minor' has the coolest whistling this side of Andrew Bird and is not to be missed!
'Roses' and 'Lose My Mind' are also essentials if your a fully functioning human being possessed of hearing. Listen to 'Roses' here and download it for free! 'Lose My Mind' available here. G'night everyone!
Tender, dreamlike indie pop is perfect to think to. Or sleep to. Or eat to. Honestly this stuff is good for just about anything! Savoir Adore are a cute indie couple/band whose voices blend together in a colloquy of concupiscent harmony!
Some of that last sentence sound like superflous and overly-dramatic English-major codswallop? Good! I'm in possession of a 'Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate' so I'll likely be opening to random pages and sounding snotty and pretentious more often! Also some of the words are absolutely epic (or I guess now I'd say totally effulgent)! Look some of them up, language is incredibly cool!
Back to the music! 'Dreamers' has it all: a killer opening, instantly inescapable lyrics, and a powerful confluence of voice. Also, one of their albums is called 'The Adventures of Mr. Pumpernickel and the Girl with Animals in Her Throat'...so you know they're chill. Enjoy!
Tonight I'll be highlighting a new and upcoming artist who transcends conventional music in their delivery, their live shows, their unique style, and their overall adventurous vibe! Hailing from Alhambra, this artistic collective of so much more than sound (which sometimes encompasses up to 20 people) never limits themselves purely to the music they're creating, for they include acting, dancing, and even shadow puppetry into their shows, and their eclectic style is reflected in their one of a kind music!
Their entire debut album, The DarkWoods, is a trip, with numerous great songs and an air of unexpected surprises around every shadowy aural tree-trunk. From a nature-soundscape overture to the slow build rock of 'Scared Coyote', all the way through to the spaced out 'Miracle Tip', The DarkWoods is a crazy journey that you can't experience the same way twice!
Sadly only a few songs are on the interwebs, so here's a painfully brief taste of PLaNETS' great sound! None of their youtube videos are being found by blogger on here, which has been a frustrating last half hour or so battle, so here's a little bit of everything!
Since Blogger is being annoying, go to their YouTube channel below and my highlights from the album are 'Scared Coyote', 'Bloodbrains', and 'Miracle Tip'.
You really can't expericence the full fun of PLaNETS without listening to their full album, so make a leap of faith and check out their song previews and buy the album on:
New Grouplove! Always a good day! Especially if that new music is as exuberant and unbridled as their past efforts and is accompanied by the charming video footage of what I can only assume is supposed to be a young Kim Jong-un going about spreading happiness and dance rather than nuclear threats!
Even more appropriately, this song has come out just in time for my 7-month anniversary with the equally exuberant and unbridled Meghan Proulx, and the title 'Ways To Go' exemplifies my fervent hopes for another amazing 7 months! Meghan and I have been to countless concerts together, yet Grouplove is one of the few that I haven't seen and she has, that feisty devil! With energy and more songs like this, I'm looking forward to seeing them in the future! More summer-feel-good-tunes are dropping each day, and summer is officially fueled! Enjoy!
Sorry for the brief hiatus, I was off waterskiing and wakeboarding in Flaming Gorge! No need to fret though, there were speakers in the boat and plenty of music was had on the four hour drives there and back!
This IS my third Ellie Goulding post, but don't fear, it's because she kills it as usual and because it's a cover (much like here incredible 'High For This' cover which you can revisit here) of newcomer Alt-J. Produced by Xaphoon Jones, AKA, the producer who can do no wrong, this song bumps! An always powerful voice, fantastic sound selection, and that chill yet bouncing, poignant yet danceable vibe just carries every Goulding effort! Enjoy, and expect some original Alt-J songs on here the second that Miles emerges into the real world and gives our friend Alt a solid listen. I've heard nothing but good things, and if Ellie is into it...we all should be right? Because dating Skrillex illustrated her impeccable taste, right?...1:35...some sexy sax for your monday!
Summer vibes people. Summertime is in full swing and good feeling magical tunes to propel that sun to shine brighter, that water to feel cooler, and those smiles to spread wider are abundant! Like Ben "B-Roc" Ruttner's shirt says, "I love life", and it's songs like this that reaffirm that joy in every breath, moment, and experience of summertime. Drive somewhere blasting this and do something epic! And St. Lucia!? They're the coolest.
Dave Edwards delivers a remix that makes the summertime swirl through your ears even more powerfully, not to miss for sure!
And be sure to hearken back to the last Knocks song I put up way back in September, it's a keeper! A stunning female vocal cover of 'Midnight City', it's right here.
I could say so much about this song and video, but I think the preacher within will explain everything to you. A repetitive lyric at its core, it's a song that kind of gets in your bones and makes you dance around spontaneously. You'll also learn about spontaneous combustion in this crazy video, full of possessed dancing, snakes, and revelation. Definitely worth a watch, and hey, this could be the answer for you!!!! Enjoy!
I'm still stuck between sadness and stunned incredulity that the last two weeks of fairy-tale like adventures with Meghan Proulx have come to a close. Spanning five states, thousands of miles, thirty-seven meals, and enough stuffed animals to make Darth Vader's heart melt, it's been amazing. I wouldn't trade a second of our time together, and though an entire summer apart will be difficult, we stocked up on so many good times and memories, that we're well stockpiled for the coming months. As a tribute to all the love we shared this trip and all the love we've yet to experience, this post is for Meghan!
Posting your favorite song of all time seems a paltry thank you for being willing to venture to Wyoming with me, but it's the best I can do. After all, you're my Wonderwall. Beloved blog followers be warned: what follows is very mushy and cheesy. I really don't think anyone feels the way I do about you now Meghan, and I'm so lucky to have met you and gotten to spend so much time with you. I love you! Without further ado, go listen to your song!!!! 75 million youtube viewers agree with you!
I know you hate builds, so here's a remix with little to no stress!
And certainly out of your comfort zone, and nowhere near the original, this crazy mash up has some redeeming moments and is otherworldly in that it's remixed by DJ's From Mars.
The Age Of Rockets, or as some call them, PH Bro, (no-one calls them that except Meghan, who adorably heard their name wrong) are a fun loving group with some killer songs. A really interesting blend of melancholy tinged with indie pop sounds, The Age Of Rockets impress me with subtle nuances every time they come on. Enjoy!
'Elephant & Castle' begins in a breathless whirl of chanting that carries on throughout the whole ballad, supporting luminous main lyrics. Also, gorgeous violins abound! As varied a song as the disparate objects in its title!
I would share a few more key tracks of the album, (highlights include 'What Story Down There Awaits Its End' and 'Avada Kedavra'), but I just learned somewhat to my chagrin that the rocket crew are now giving away their entire album for free. I'm glad I bought it and supported them, but some notice would have been nice! Anyway, there is NO REASON WHATSOEVER you shouldn't hop on over to Bandcamp right here and download the whole 12 song album! Bit of a funny thing, the web address looks like "the ago o' frockets" if you're a poor reader. Yah...just a bit of a funny thing. Anyway, snag this album while it's hot (including an EXTRA Tegan and Sara cover that I didn't even get buying the damn thing) and revel in brilliant free music!
And since all our lives could use a little more synthpop, I stumbled upon this gem while doing research for tonights post. (yes, I do research for each one. I put a heck of a lot of time into this thing for you people!) With less than 300 plays on their song, Skywriter do an amazing job with 'Avada Kedavra'! Enjoy and snatch this one up for free as well!
Something about these early carefree days of summer is making me hearken back to great bands I used to listen to constantly and to find modern summery remixes of them. Keane is one of these such bands. With a sparkling and equal parts heartbreaking and hopeful original, Keane blows it out of the water with a faster sound then their prior albums. With parkour and beautiful singing wrapped into one, their music video is a must watch!
And now for the remix portion of todays program: Afrojack knows what the people want...indie songs, dancing tunes, and wild synths. As usual he delivers the goods. Enjoy!
I know we just got out of school and thoughts of returning should be far far away, but this ode to the month of September is just too fresh not to share! More like the sounds of summer than an ode to the return of class, this funky groove just feels good on the soul!
James Egbert takes a rarely-touched classic and turns it into something that flits so elegantly from one style to the next. He builds up the excitement with what sounds like a classic build, transitions into funkalicious horns, then explodes into feel-good-bouncy synth work. Just when you're grooving hard to a song you think will be free of lyrics, a full two minutes in Egbert lets loose Earth Wind & Fire's amazing words, and from there on out the song is unstoppable. One of the greatest genre and era benders I've heard in a long time (and it's free!). Welcome summmmmmmmmmertime!
If you're a traditionalist, are fond of psychedelic kaleidoscopic cameras, and fancy a great song, look no further than Earth, Wind & Fire's original!
