LIVE : The Charms,The Fiendz,The Cryptkeeper 5,The Frantic

January 30, 2007 by · Leave a Comment
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Some photos from a show I went to see this past Saturday at the 449 Room in Trenton NJ. Boston’s The Charms fronted by the lovely Ellie Vee headlined the night and delivered a powerhouse set of sixties inspired garage rock. Also on the bill were three of NJ’s finest, the power pop punk Fiendz,The 7 piece garage rock Cryptkeeper 5, and The Frantic with a bit more modern take on the genre, similar to The Strokes or The Killers. All in all a great night of music with four hot bands and only $5.

The Charms







The Fiendz

The Cryptkeeper 5


The Frantic

From The Mailbag : Sweet Japonic

January 28, 2007 by · 1 Comment
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Today’s From The Mailbag pick was sent to us by reader Chris Z from Wyoming, Michigan. Thanks Chris !

The third release from Sweet Japonic is entitled Two O’Clock Sirens. Eight radio friendly songs that are a smooth mix of rock,folk and bluesy soul. The musicianship and production is top notch and it could easily hold its own with the artists it most sounds like. Think Train, Counting Crows, or Los Lonely Boys and you’ll have an idea of where they’re coming from. Their prior disc Through the Eyes of Lucie Blue even snagged them a 2005 Jammie Award for best local rock album in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area.

Sweet Japonic is:
Lucas Wilson – Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Matt Young – Lead Guitar/Mandolin/Petel Steel/Backing Vocals
Ryan Braman – Bass Guitar
Roy Wallace – Drums & Percussion
Davy Tyson – Piano/Organ/Analog Synth/Backing Vocals (select shows)

Upcoming Sweet Japonic Shows

Feb 13, 2007 8:00 PM WYCE Jammy Awards @ The Intersection Grand Rapids, MI
Feb 20, 2007 10:00 PM Montes Grand Rapids, MI
Mar 3, 2007 10:00 PM Rubbles Mount Pleasant, MI
Mar 10, 2007 9:00 PM Bells Brewery Kalamazoo, MI
Mar 17, 2007 9:00 PM Founders Brewery Grand Rapids, MI
Mar 22, 2007 9:30 PM Billy’s Lounge Grand Rapids, MI
Apr 7, 2007 9:00 PM Private party @ Hideout Brewery Grand Rapids, MI












MP3: Sweet Japonic- She Was Doin’ Fine
MP3:
Sweet Japonic- Go To Hell

[BUY IT] [iTUNES] [WEBSITE] [MYSPACE]

5 On A Friday : SHARK!!!

January 26, 2007 by · Leave a Comment
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via National Geographic:
Flaring the gills that give the species its name, a frilled shark swims at Japan’s Awashima Marine Park on Sunday, January 21, 2007. Sightings of living frilled sharks are rare, because the fish generally remain thousands of feet beneath the water’s surface.

Spotted by a fisher on January 21, this 5.3-foot (160-centimeter) shark was transferred to the marine park, where it was placed in a seawater pool.

“We think it may have come to the surface because it was sick, or else it was weakened because it was in shallow waters,” a park official told the Reuters news service. But the truth may never be known, since the “living fossil” died hours after it was caught.

—Ted Chamberlain

I guess you just never know what you’ll find in the ocean.

1: The Velvet Underground- Ocean
2:
The Format – Oceans
3:
Pearl Jam – Oceans
4:
Toad The Wet Sprocket – Walk on the Ocean
5:
Arcade Fire – Ocean of Noise

Grab Bag : This Week’s Releases

January 25, 2007 by · Leave a Comment
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Here’s a random handful of the many new releases that came out this week.

Julie Doiron – Woke Myself Up (Jagjaguwar)
Julie Doiron started out in 1990 playing bass in Canadian Sub Pop band Eric’s Trip.
Woke Myself Up is Julie’s seventh solo disc since the breakup of the band in 1996. It’s a stark emotionally charged affair that falls sonically somewhere between the icy chanteuse of Cat Power and the folky warmth of Joni Mitchell

MP3: Julie Doiron – You Look So Alive
MP3:
Julie Doiron – No More

[BUY IT] [WEBSITE] [MYSPACE]

The Broken West – I Can’t Go on,I’ll Go On (Merge)
At the risk of sounding Bandwagonesque I’m going to throw in another blogger vote for The Broken West as a really great power pop band. Throw in equal parts Teenage Fanclub and Guided By Voices, season to taste with a little Big Star, and you’ve got LA’s The Broken West. Enough chiming guitars, harmony vocals and handclaps to keep any power pop fan happy.

The Broken West is :
Ross Flournoy (guitar, vocals)
Dan Iead (guitar, backing vocals)
Brian Whelan (bass, backing vocals)
Rob McCorkindale (drums, percussion)
Scott Claassen (keys, backing vocals)

MP3: The Broken West – So It Goes
MP3:
The Broken West – Big City

[BUY IT] [iTUNES] [MYSPACE]

The Shins – Wincing The Night Away (Sub Pop)
Sure, like everybody else we’ve been listening to the massively hyped new Shins album for a couple months now. But now everyone can buy their very own copy. This baby will probably suffer some severe hype backlash, so why not one more gratuitous listen before it goes down, it’s actually pretty good. Here’s a couple for you, the super catchy pop single Phantom Limb and the very Enya-like Red Rabbits. Enjoy.

MP3: The Shins – Phantom Limb.mp3
MP3: The Shins – Red Rabbits.mp3

[BUY IT] [WEBSITE] [MYSPACE]

YouTube Tuesday : The Shins, Arcade Fire and The Hold Steady

January 23, 2007 by · Leave a Comment
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The Shins : Phantom Limb video. Wincing The Night Away is released today

Arcade Fire : Intervention Live at Canterbury High, Ottawa on January 19, 2007

The Hold Steady : Stuck Between Stations on the David Letterman Show on January 11, 2007

From The Mailbag : Me And The Machine Records

January 21, 2007 by · Leave a Comment
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From the mailbag this week the first releases from the brand new Nashville based label Me And The Machine.If you’re a fan of folky singer songwriters like John Prine,John Gorka or David Wilcox you’ll want to check these records out.




MP3 : Nick Shelton – Marijuana Blues
release date 2/6/07

MP3: Brad Sweitzer – Your Sister
release date 2/6/07

MP3 : Josh Preston – Picture
available now

Here’s some of their upcoming tour dates :
01.21.07 Nick Shelton 7pm The Monkey Bar (Benefit Concert) Huntington, WV
01.25.07 Brad Sweitzer & Josh Preston 8pm Blue Bar Nashville
01.27.07 Brad Sweitzer & Josh Preston 7pm Plowhaus Artist Co-op East Nashville
02.06.07 CD Release Party – Brad Sweitzer, Nick Shelton & Josh Preston 6pm Blue Bar & Rack Room Nashville TN

website : www.meandthemachine.com
myspace : www.myspace.com/meandthemachinerecords

BUY IT : Me And The Machine Website

5 On A Friday : Roky Erickson

January 19, 2007 by · 1 Comment
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Today for 5 On A Friday we celebrate the recent announcement that the legendary Roky Erickson will once again be playing some live shows this year. Hot on the heels of last years SXSW performance, he will be playing at the Sixth Annual Ponderosa Stomp in New Orleans.

1: 13th Floor Elevators – You’re Gonna Miss Me
2:
Roky Erickson – Don’t Slander Me
3:
Roky Erickson – Nothing In Return
4:
Roky Erickson – Clear Night For Love
5:
Roky Erickson – Bermuda

Donate to the Roky Erickson Trust Fund

BUY IT : amazon

Dancing In The Dark – !!! – Myth Takes

January 18, 2007 by · Leave a Comment
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It all starts out so non chalant, one of the girls you work with swings by your desk on a Friday afternoon and asks what you’re doing later. She says “A bunch of us are going out for happy hour in the city after work,why don’t you come with us”. You mull it over in your mind for a split second,a dvd, pizza, and a six-pack or hanging out with real people, and then answer “Sure I’ll see you there”. You’re wound up like a spring from sitting all week behind a desk at a job that makes the work environment in the movie “Office Space” seem like it would be a resort vacation compared to what you’re doing. At 5:00 you jump in your car and head to the bar. It’s a non descript chain style restaurant with the usual watered down happy hour drink specials, but you’re not really there for the atomosphere you’re there to drink away your week. You order a Heineken and grab a seat between Bill the mailroom guy and Jennifer the flirty receptionist who sits in the lobby. Bill’s a little older but he always attends these things to forget about the wife and kids for a couple hours. He quietly sneaks off to quiet spot near the coat check to call his wife and tell her something’s come up and he’s going to have to work late again. Jennifer starts chatting you up about how great a show Grey’s Anatomy is and how Dr. McDreamy is the shit. You nod while sensing a headache coming on slam what’s left of your first beer and order another. Bill returns to continue his dream quest for Jennifer, the short black skirt and boots she’s wearing only fuel his futile effort. You spy some more coworkers and quietly slip away. You stroll into the middle of a conversation between Nick the loud guy from accounting, and three exceptionally hot girls from the marketing department. Nick’s explaining the merits of using Tivo for watching football games without commericals. Kelly the shallow blond who thinks Tivo is a new perfume from Chanel stares longingly into Nick’s eyes. Her friends Stacy and Ann stand quietly by, attentive but not really paying attention. Nick decides to buy everyone shots of tequila, you gladly oblige and chase it down with another beer. You start talking to Stacy and Ann. You don’t really know them, but you say hi to them in the hallways at work so there’s that familiarity of seeing each other all the time. After what seems like minutes of interesting conversation, you look at your watch and it’s closing in on 10:00, where did those hours go. You’re all feeling the fuzziness of the alcohol kicking in. Stacy suggests you all go to the trendy new dance club in town. Sounds like a good idea so you go along. Ann calls a couple of her friends and tells them to meet you there. The three of you head out. The club is a haze of multilevel dance floors,smoke, lasers and pounding dance music. You all grab a drink and check out the scene in the room. No matter how hard you try at this point, the lights never really seem bright enough for you to focus on anything. Suddenly you find yourself dancing on a platform in the middle of the club with Ann. Next thing you know, you’re making out with her in some dark corner.
How the hell did you get there, you’re not sure. It’s now closing in on 3:30 am, and now you’re all at someone’s apartment that you don’t even know. A bottle of vodka is being passed around and a few people are off in a corner smoking. The television is on the infomercial channel and music is being played loud enough to be disorienting. The next thing you know you’re waking up to the sun streaming through the windows, on the sofa, a under a blanket with a half naked girl that you don’t even know. What the hell happened, your head is pounding mercilessly,and the last thing you remember is “Hey, lets go dancing”

That is Myth Takes.
Put on the headphones, turn it up real loud, and descend dancing into the black hole of your psyche.
Coming March 4th 2007

MP3 : !!! – yadnus.mp3

website: http://www.brainwashed.com/!!!/

BUY IT : at Amazon

From The Mailbag : The Swimmers,Triggers,New Chelsea Taube

January 14, 2007 by · Leave a Comment
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First up from the mail bag today, The Swimmers.
from their myspace bio :

The Swimmers are a band based on a story. It’s not the story of how the
Philadelphia four-piece met or of how they came to music or even how they shook
off their alt-country tendencies; it’s the story of a young man who swims home
through the backyard pools in his affluent suburban town only to find his home
abandoned and ruined.

Former One Star Hotel frontman Steve Yutzy-Burkey
based his new pop project on the famous short story, “The Swimmer” by John
Cheever, suddenly so inspired that he dismantled One Star Hotel to complete an
album’s worth of ambitious, upbeat songs far removed from the band’s jangly
country style.

Let me be one of the first to proclaim their new album Fighting Trees the first truly important release of 2007. Forget all about the new Shins,this is one disc you need to have right now. In trying to find a way to describe their sound, names like Tweedy, Dando, and McCartney spring to mind. This is an album chock full of intelligent, catchy songs. Watch for it to be released early this year, it is a must have.

The Swimmers are:
Steve Yutzy-Burkey, Rick Sieber, Krista Yutzy-Burkey, Scott French

With many thanks to the band here’s the first song off of Fighting Trees for a limited time only.
Stream the entire album at their website.

MP3: The Swimmers -It’s Time They Knew

website: www.theswimmers.com
myspace: www.myspace.com/helloswimmers


Be sure to get out and catch them live soon. They have a Wednesday night residency coming up at the Khyber in Philadelphia during the month of February and a Sunday night residency at Pianos in New York City in March.

Upcoming Shows
Jan 20 2007 9:00P Tric Town January @ Mojo 13 Wilmington, Delaware
Feb 3 2007 9:00P Great Scott Allston, Massachusetts
Feb 7 2007 9:00P Khyber Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Feb 8 2007 10:00P Sin-e New York, New York
Feb 14 2007 9:00P Khyber Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Feb 21 2007 9:00P Khyber Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Feb 28 2007 9:00P Khyber Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mar 10 2007 9:00P DC-9 DC, Washington DC
Mar 11 2007 9:00P Pianos New York, New York
Mar 18 2007 9:00P Pianos New York, New York
Mar 25 2007 9:00P Pianos New York, New York

Up next is Pittsburgh based band Triggers

Imagine if Ben Folds and Devo joined forces with some help from Elvis Costello to form a band, and you have an idea of what Triggers sounds like. Triggers new EP, Elude the Suits, takes the sound introduced on their first demo and refines it even further. From the jumpy staccato new wave guitar hook of Eyes Like A Ninja to the hyper pop She Had Me At Takeoff with its falsetto vocal, to the piano pounding rocker Anyone At Anytime, Elude The Suits is full of great pop songs.

Triggers are :

Joe Kasler – Bass, Vocals
Rich Kawood – Drums, Vocals
Adam Rousseau – Guitar, Vocals
Brett Zoric – Keyboards, Vocals

MP3 : Triggers How Do I Get To The Roof
from Triggers Demo

Stream the new Elude The Suits EP on their website: www.triggersmusic.com

Upcoming Shows
Jan 19 2007 Southminster Church PGH, PA 8pm ALL AGES w/ TBA
Jan 26 2007 Brillobox PGH, PA 10pm w/ Life in Bed, The Receiver. 21+
Mar 9 2007 Brillobox PGH, PA 10pm w/ Donora and Librarians. 21+

And last but certainly not least, a new song called Wilson, from Bag Of Songs favorite the lovely and talented Chelsea Taube.

MP3: Chelsea Taube – Wilson

myspace : www.myspace.com/chelseataube

Upcoming Shows
Jan 24 2007 07:00 PM – The Blue Note Cafe, Pontiac, Michigan
Feb 03 2007 05:00 PM – Kaya Coffee VOX ROX, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
Feb 06 2007 08:00 PM – The Modern Exchange , Southgate, Michigan

5 On A Friday : 5 Bands to See In Philly Tonight

January 12, 2007 by · Leave a Comment
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Today for 5 on a Friday, 5 hot bands to see in Philadelphia tonight.

Luzer – A hard rocking Beatles / Elvis Costello influenced power pop band plays their final show.
Pawnshop Roses – Recent Winner of YouTube’s Best Live Band Video contest Pawnshop Roses headlines World Cafe with their Faces meets Black Crows meets Whiskeytown blend of alt-country.
Napalm Sunday and Buzz Zeemer two of Philly’s finest jangly power pop bands reunite and share the bill at Grape Street for a celebration of their label Record Cellar’s final release the new compilation Town and Country
Rich Kaufman formerly of Philly favorites, Electric Love Muffin and Rolling Hayseeds headlines a show at The Khyber with his current band Foxycontin

1: Luzer – Come On Mandy
http://www.myspace.com/luzer
2:
Pawnshop Roses – Fading Out
http://www.myspace.com/pawnshoproses
3:
Napalm Sunday -In My Yard
http://www.myspace.com/napalmsunday94
4: Buzz Zeemer – Crush
http://www.myspace.com/buzzzeemer
5:
Foxycontin – Dolphins
http://www.myspace.com/foxycontin4

Pawnshop Roses with Luzer(FINAL SHOW),Pepper’s Ghost
World Cafe Live DOWNSTAIRS (ALL AGES!)
3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Luzer on at 7:30 PM
http://www.worldcafelive.com/

Napalm Sunday & Buzz Zeemer REUNION Show
January, 12 2007 at Grape Street
4100 Main Street, Manayunk, Pennsylvania
Napalm Sunday on at 8:15 PM Buzz Zeemer on at 9:15
http://www.grapestreet.com/

Foxycontin with Daymaker,Surefire Broadcast,Classic Brown
The Khyber
56 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA
9:00 PM
http://www.thekhyber.com/

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