Radiohead - King of Limbs

When I think of Radiohead, I think of so many years of letting go and listening to some beautifully layered sounds and emotions. Always that aura of surreal and slightly offitude, Radiohead managed to take that and merge it with catchy hooks and a hauntingly addicting falsetto.

So now Radiohead released King of Limbs. The forty-minute album still has that Radiohead sound. Still has that haunting feeling. But for some reason, the album is mildly ignorable. It's like a good album to write to. Or read to. It tends to be a lot of sound with no place to go. Little mild bumps of hook. It almost flows together like a DJ set would, with easy transitions and steady beats.

It's funny. As weird and slightly negative as that sounds, it's not a bad album by any means. I think it's just that I don't really like a song until the last four of the album: "Lotus Flower", "Codex", "Give Up The Ghost", and "Separator" (my favorite). In "Lotus Flower", Thom York almost has a La Roux-like quality to his voice (Listen to it and let me know what you think). For real though, every song will be remixed by thousands of DJs from their basements to the hottest clubs.

As much as I listen to the album and like it for all the Radioheady qualities I'm used to, I can't help but think its purpose is to grow from third party-interaction. And I wouldn't put it past Thom York and Radiohead to have planned that. They're innovative. Musically and non. Be ready for some heavy revamping of this album to solidify Radiohead's genius.

Dear 2010, You've Been Smanged. Best Of:

As the sun begins to set on 2010, I can't help but look back on the incredible year. In the last 12 months, I was in The United States, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Latvia, Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, and The Czech Republic. I've finished my second to last semester of college. I've aquired an addiction to Sriracha. And to The Wire. I ran a half marathon, went dog sledding, shot guns in a soviet bunker, turned 21 in Dubrovnik, Croatia, and sang the National Anthem at an Eagles game. I bought some awesome Norwegian sweaters, brewed beer in my closet, and listened to some great music. Thus, the top albums, songs, and discoveries of 2010:

Top Albums of 2010:
Note: * Links to an earlier album review. Click to read it!

1. Local Natives - Gorilla Manor (*)
2. Beach House - Teen Dream (*)
3. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - I Learned the Hard Way
4. The Black Keys - Brothers
5. Dr. Dog - Shame, Shame
6. Cee Lo Green - The Lady Killer
7. Band of Horses - Infinite Arms
8. Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore - Dear Companion (*)
9. Broken Bells - Broken Bells
10. Sleigh Bells - Treats

Honorable Mentions:
Major Lazer & La Roux - Lazerproof
Gayngs - Relayted
Cold War Kids - Behave Yourself EP
The Walkmen - Lisbon

Top Songs of 2010:
1. Beach House - "Walk in the Park"
2. Gayngs - "By Your Side" (Daytrotter Session)
3. Local Natives - "Who Knows Who Cares"
4. Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore - "Try"
5. Freelance Whales - "Generator 1st Floor"
6. Sufjan Stevens - "All Delighted People"
7. Cold War Kids - "Audience"
8. The Black Keys - "Everlasting Light"
9. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - "Mama Don't Like My Man"
10. Casiokids - "Fot i Hose"

Top Discoveries of 2010:

1. DeYarmond Edison - Silent Signs
- Old Justin Vernon. Speaks for itself.
2. Dawes - Dawes
- Really great album by the LA-based band. Fantastic live.
3. Caravan Palace
- Definition of Electro-Swing
4. Wild Beasts - Two Dancers
- Just a great album. Unique and fun.
5. Koop
- Compiled of all jazz samples. Really easy-listening.
6. Eric Bibb - Booker's Guitar
- I can thank my jazz PR internship to this. A great blues feel.
7. Bad Veins
- A raw and emotional album by a Cincy-based duo. You can check out my review here.
8. "Lemme Smang It" / "Lemme Smell Yo Dick"
- Both YouTube sensations. When you are in times of trouble...
9. Fat Freddy's Drop
- New Zealand-based Dub/Reggae.
10. El Ten Eleven
- The self-titled album is great. Also the soundtrack for the incredibly dull movie Helvetica.

Daytrotter Sessions

My recent obsessions: Sufjan Stevens, The Black Keys, The Arcade Fire, Wild Beasts, and everything Justin Vernon's ever done. While I plan on reviewing a few of them in the future (though with my new job demanding 3 hrs/week, I may have a tough time), I wanted to draw some attention to something else that is absolutely fantastic. Maybe you have heard of it, maybe you haven't. But you should definitely check out Daytrotter. Based in Rock Island, Illinois, the folks at Daytrotter have artists come record original, exclusive, and unreleased tracks in their studio, and release 95% of it. For free. Download the Daytrotter Download Manager, and you'll get your songs quickly and automatically updated to your iTunes library.

But enough of logistics. The music is why I really wanted to write about it. I love the sound of the Daytrotter sessions. In general, they sound less 'produced' and more like a live show. But they're not. They have their own feel that just has that exclusive sound to it. Each session ranges from 2-10 songs, but most are about 4 songs, like mini EPs. Some of my favorite

sessions are Dr. Dog (they have 2), GAYNGS (a new one), Local Natives, and Wild Beasts. But there are literally hundreds of sessions. I have forty sessions in my itunes library including Margot and the Nuclear So & So's, Beach House, Bad Veins, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Yoni Wolf, Pomegranates, Bon Iver, Dawes, and The Temper Trap. The list goes on.

I talk to too many people who have never heard of Daytrotter. Take advantage of this awesome, free, and unique group. They record an artist every day of the week. Plus they have awesome artwork. Sick.

And be sure to keep an ear out for the Welcome to Daytrotter Movie in the next few months.

Margot and the Nuclear So & So's

Other Pictures:

Daytrotter Logo (Top Center)

GAYNGS (Left)

Local Natives (Right)

Josiah Wolf - Jet Lag

If your game plan as a musician is to write random lyrics, rap with minimal ability to hit pitches, and throw indie drum-and-single-melody-driven riffs behind it all, I'd tell you two things. First, that sounds absolutely terrible. Then I'd tell you that it's already been done. Amazingly. By the Cincinnati/Berkeley-based band Why?. Mainly a product of the duo Yoni and Josiah Wolf, Why? has delivered this unique sound for almost a decade. Check out my review of their October 2009 release, Eskimo Snow.

Anyways, when I found out that Josiah Wolf, the drummer and background vocalist of Why?, was releasing a solo album, I was incredibly intrigued. Yoni's voice and lyrics are a major part of why I love Why?, so without Yoni, what's left? The answer is Josiah Wolf's March 29th release, Jet Lag.

At first listen, some parts stand out as great. The opening track, "The Trailer And The Truck", was in my head for days when I first listened to it. And I really enjoy "Ohioho", another song with a strong melodic hook. But the rest of the album was rather disappointing.

Josiah, as a solo artist, had some really rough challenges. Lyrically, Why? is known for it's rapping and randomness interspersed with brilliant lyrical one-line masterpieces. And that love of the random lyrics is very present in Jet Lag. However, the slow, emotion-laced vocal style of Josiah are lost in a blend of boring and meaningless. The emotions are lacking a sense of realness since the lyrics are perceived as random. The slow lyrics (as opposed to Why?'s rapping) don't have the same great effect. I'm stuck listening to his sometimes pushy/whiney vocal tone.

On top of vocal challenges, stylistically, Why?'s bells/piano riffs on top of fantastic drum-driven beats were only (understandably) slightly apparent in Josiah's album. And while it works in a few of the tracks, a lot of Jet Lag feels like it's missing the biggest piece - uniqueness.

SIDE NOTE: At some points, it's like Why? teaming up with a mellow The Flaming Lips intertwined with Iron & Wine-esque riffs. Check out "The Opposite of Breathing" and let me know if you know what I'm talking about.

I'm not going to lie. I was disappointed with the album as a whole. But the parts that work really are good. The first track gets stuck in my head every time I listen to it (in a good way). And the mellow layered sound can be perfect for a thought-driven car ride. But the album unfortunately tends to blend into itself. That being said, literally nothing short of a zombie emergency would stop me from seeing Yoni, Josiah, or the rest of Why? live. They put on an absolutely fantastic show.

XPonential 2010: Sunday, July 18th

It was hot. Beads of sweat dripped down my face. Kisses with my girlfriend left a salty sweaty taste on both of our lips. Grass and dirt stuck to my leg. But what accompanied that heat was some fantastic non-stop music in a great diverse atmosphere complete with families, teens, young hipsters, and old couples. Everyone was in a great mood - spending the day moving from one stage to another with their chairs, blankets, water bottles, and coolers. WXPN, a radio station I didn't grow up with (being from Cincinnati) truly put on a hell of a festival. And the best line-up of the festival was Sunday.


In 9 hours, three up-and-coming bands I have been trying to see for a while and two veteran favorites performed along with a few artists I'd never heard of. For $30 (as a non-WXPN member), it was a hell of a deal. So without further ado, brief reviews of a few select sets:

Fool's Gold

Fool's Gold:

On the Indie-Stage, L.A.'s Fools Gold put on an incredibly fun and unique show. Once the crowd got past that feeling of mixing everything under the sun together into one sound, they were dancing up a storm. I had to suppress that feeling to belly dance to the middle-eastern influence, but I settled into dorkily grooving and people-watching.

Having only released their self-titled debut album late last year, they stuck with their core and turned them into great worldy jams. It only took us 6 minutes to realize that this was not a band to watch sitting down.

Dawes

Dawes:

As one of my favorite new discoveries of the past 6 months, Dawes had a live persona nothing like what I would expect. Listening to their mellow live recordings made me think of young bearded folkies. Not to say that maybe they weren't once, but they projected nothing of the sort live. In fact, I began to think the mismatched styles, tucked in button downs, and 'unique' facial expressions to be even weirder than an untrimmed grisly beard. The bassist had a funky facial twitch, the drummer was angry at love, and the front man was overcome with emotion as he spent the set Brucein' it out with his raw emotional screams and power stances.

This said, I loved their set. I ate it all up - weirdness and all. The unexpected aspects of Dawes made the familiar parts of their songs seem even cooler. Their powerful hooks, perfect piano, and live guitar solos made for an experience with enough familiarity to keep me happy, enough surprise to make it memorable.

These United States:

These guys didn't really impress me. As the only band I hadn't heard of that I'm reviewing, I'm sorry it's negative. But with only one good song, the rest of the set felt like a slow, uncaptivating mix of sick (as in the flu) Band of Horses vocals, garage band roughness, and some U2 guitar work. I wasn't the only one though - you should've felt the rest of the crowd.


Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros:

Edward Sharpe came on with his shirt unbuttoned and his beard unkempt, professing about his inability to believe in any 'bad words', justifying his ability to curse on live air. As everyone in the audience stared and tried to figure out exactly where he was going with the show, it soon became apparent that everyone on stage (some 15-odd people) were staring at the spectacle that was Edward Sharpe. Unfortunately, he'd lost his voice a few days before, making the show a bit of a half-assed unsurity at times. Vocals and words were more ideas than realities. But everyone still remained completely entranced in what the hell was happening on stage. "Home," my girlfriend and my song, was unbelievable to see together live.

Dr. Dog

Dr. Dog:

Dr. Dog was introduced as "the best band to come out of Philly." And they are. I love them. I've loved them for a few years now. I saw them twice when they came to the TLA last fall (free pizza!). And while I missed their matching pants, I loved their performance at Xponential 2010. They rocked their old tunes, and threw in a few new ones as well. I don't think their new album, Shame Shame, is nearly as good as We All Belong and Fate are, but they still know how to rock any show they play. "The Breeze", "The Beach", and "The Rabbit, The Bat, and The Reindeer" were especially awesome live. The crowd was wild.

Robert Randolph & The Family Band:


Unfortunately, we didn't stay the whole time for Robert Randolph. I'd seen him blow my mind at Bonnaroo in 2007. But what we saw was funky, impressive, and definitely a family band. Robert Randolph plays an unbelievable slide guitar, has his signature dance moves, and just has a fantastic stage persona. Go see them if you can. Listening to the rest of the show live on the radio had us kicking ourselves missing the Poker Face cover!




Our day was awesome. The two stages went back and forth, leaving virtually no gap between sets. The whole festival was broadcast live on WXPN. And we will definitely be back. Maybe we'll even be members next time.


Check out their website at: www.xpn.org.

or

The Xponential Music Festival 2010 Page here.

Local Natives - Gorilla Manor

Welp, it's another Frenchkiss Records love affair. The Dodos, The Antlers, Passion Pit, and now Local Natives. I'm not quite sure what they're doing right, but they keep releasing refined, thorough albums with unique sounds - an excellent recipe for music love-affairs.

Gorilla Manor, the new album from Los Angeles-based Local Natives, is fantastically catchy and emotional. The lyrics, sometimes vague, sometimes incredibly blunt, always flow incredibly well. To describe their sound, think something like an upbeat, drum-driven band (kind of like The Dodos in that sense) with the occasional vocal Fleet Foxes Effect. Throw in some Dirty Projectors-like harmonies, a little Grizzly Bear-like ambiance, and a bit of older Say Anything roughness (…Is a Real Boy), and you've got something close.

As far as the album itself, I absolutely love the feel of it. A fantastic mix of upbeat, raw emotion along with that touch of realism that makes listening to it more of an experience than just picking out a song or two. The flow is easy to fall into, and turning it off halfway through leaves you missing it immediately.

My favorite songs on the album are the opening track, "Wide Eyes", "Airplanes", "Wold News", "Who Knows Who Cares", and "Cubism Dream". But like I said before, the album doesn't feel like single songs - the songs just fit so damn well together. Bits and pieces of everything blend shockingly well, creating that unique sound that makes you know Gorilla Manor is something special. Check out their myspace here, and the music video for "Airplanes" below.

Top Artists/Albums/Songs to Sleep and Nap To

Sometimes, going to bed in silence is out of the question. Maybe your roommate's having sex in the bed next to you. Or maybe sirens have turned the peaceful night into a parade. Or maybe you just want to fill the silence around you with emotion, passion, and melody. Either way, looking for a good album to play can be quite tricky. And thus, The Top 10 Artists To Go To Sleep to:

Artists
Suggested Albums

10. Iron and Wine - Super mellow, super relaxing. Our Endless Numbered Days. The Shepherd's Dog.
9. Art Tatum - Mellow old jazz. Just great. The Complete Capitol Recordings.
8. Kings of Convenience - Slow, non-directional, comforting, familiar tunes. Riot on the Empty Street, Declaration of Dependence.
7. Sufjan Stevens - Long-time favorite. Expansive, easy flow, easy-listening. Seven Swans, Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lakes State, Come On Feel The Illinoise!
6. Vetiver - Smooth, easy, simple, happy acoustic tunes. Tight Knit, Things of the Past.
5. Elliott Smith - Classic. Sad, beautiful melodies to focus on before bed. Elliott Smith. XO. Either/Or.
4. Au Revoir Simone - Smooth, easy beats, relaxing. Perfect to drift off to. Still Night, Still Light.
3. Mark Kozelek - Red House Painters. Sun Kil Moon. Both of Mark's bands clear the air and leave a sad, peaceful atmosphere. Songs for a Blue Guitar (Red House Painters), Tiny Cities (Sun Kil Moon).
2. Sigur Rós - One of my favorite bands of all time. Awesome to head to sleep listening to the soft, layered sounds of the classic Icelandic band. ( ), Takk..., Ágætis Byrjun.
1. Justin Vernon - As himself, Bon Iver, or Volcano Choir, Justin Vernon has a gift at making sleep music. For Emma, Forever Ago. Blood Bank EP. Hazeltons. Unmap. In that order.


But sleep comes in different forms. Sometimes, you listen to music to go to sleep for the night. Other times, you want to close your eyes, sleep for a half hour or so, and listen to the music. So, for those times, The Top 15 Albums to Nap to:

15. Ambulance Ltd - Ambulance Ltd.
14. Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore - Dear Companion
13. The Dodos - Visiter
12. The Antlers - Hospice
11. Explosions in the Sky - The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place
10. Holly Miranda - Sleep on Fire EP
9. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (Sun Giant, too)
8. Wilco - Sky Blue Sky
7. Jose Gonzalez - Veneer
6. Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young - So Far
5. Department of Eagles - In Ear Park
4. Mark Olson and Gary Louris - Ready for the Flood
3. Andrew Bird - Noble Beast
2. Beach House - Teen Dream
1. The xx - The xx

And a few sleeping songs that are great by themselves:

3. Avett Brothers - If It's the Beaches
2. Pomegranates - I Feel Like I'm A Million Years Old
1. Kevin Drew - Love vs. Porn

Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore - Dear Companion

"This is only a song. It can't change the world." The chorus from "Only A Song", a track off of the great album, Dear Companion (a collaboration between Ben Sollee, Daniel Martin Moore, and Yim Yames (My Morning Jacket, Monsters of Folk)), really sums up the gist of the album. The lyrics are real, the emotion is real, and I love this album for real. I've always been one to enjoy a good indie-folk album. Sufjan Stevens, Iron and Wine, Wilco, The Avett Brothers. All favorites. And in a lot of ways, this is similar. But its simplicity and meaningful vocals make this something special. I can't stop listening to it. Tempo changes, small yet unignorable builds, cool melody drop-offs. I just really appreciate the feel of it.

My favorite song on the album, "Try", is gorgeous. The pretty lyrics are easy to hear. And while it's not necessarily a happy song, it is incredibly uplifting. The song ends with, "Give, give, give. How to give it all to someone not yet born? It must be how we've learned to love." The song, along with the rest of the album, captures that desire to simplify everything in life into its beautiful essence. Life, death, birth, love, tragedy, struggle, achievement, the unknown. It's refreshing. I also really enjoy the tracks, "Something, Somewhere, Sometime" and "Sweet Marie".

Be sure to check out Dear Companion. The three Kentucky-based musicians created a truly real, simple, and lovable album. Also, a portion of proceeds go to Appalachian Voices, an organization trying to end mountain top removal coal mining. Be sure to check that out, and Ben Sollee's myspace page here. On Sub Pop Records, Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore have definitely created something worth listening to.

Pica Pica @ by:Larm - Sunkissed Live @ Blå 2/20

So I've found myself in Oslo, Norway. I decided to study abroad, did some paperwork, and now I'm here. And after buying a coffee pot and a Norwegian sweater, I knew I had to find a way to check out the renown Oslo music scene. As it turns out, I sort of walked into a bustling industry-geared music festival called by:Larm - a showcase of Scandinavian bands at bars and clubs all over the city. And while I'd heard of a group (Katzenjammer), the other hundred bands were completely anonymous. So when I found myself at Blå on Saturday night, I was excited and intrigued with a list of unknown artists - The Megaphonic Thrift (kind of hard lo-fi with a touch of thrasher ambience), Fjorden Baby! (A heavy-beat, high energy poppy dance band), Put Your Hands Up for Neo Tokyo (a cool ambient/rock band with Why?-like vocals and unique guitar work), and a slew of others that I walked in for a song of two.

But coming from The United States where music has different influences, radio stations, record labels, and people, Pica Pica had one of the most captivating live sounds that I've ever heard. Headed by Rebekka Maria Markstein (of Maribel fame), Pica Pica's sound stemmed from her voice. Both clear and ambient, her voice created a sense of unique non-direction. Lacking huge peaks or catchy melodies in the traditional sense, I was absorbed into the vast and expansive feel of emotion, raw beauty, and continuance.

At times, I wanted to compare Rebekka's voice to that of Holly Miranda, My Brightest Diamond, or Mirah. And her beautiful vocal tone is similar. But her style was so different and new to me. On stage, her multi-linguistic songs, stories in Norwegian that I didn't understand, and new ways of musically expressing ideas and life were personally incredibly refreshing and fulfilling. The ambient feel and lack of clarity in the style made the rest of the show seem more clear. More clean. More fresh. Something that, as I've explored Norwegian nature, design, and food, seems to truly express what is Norwegian music.

Check out her Myspace here.

Beach House - Teen Dream

Mellow, clean, gorgeous, and oddly happy, Teen Dream, the new album from Baltimore's Beach House, does an awesome job of making simple songs sound vast and clear. The simple layers of pretty background vocals, distinguished guitar melodies, easy drum beats, and hazy lead vocals come together perfectly. The sound itself isn't anything revolutionary or new, but that doesn't detract from how great I feel after listening to the album. The open and expansive sounds of the opening track, "Zebra" are incredibly relaxing and soothing. However, "Norway" and "Walk in the Park" are my favorite tracks on the album. I just recently moved to Oslo, Norway to study, and "Norway" does an unbelievable job of projecting a perfect musical image of what Norway feels like - festive, a little odd, beautiful, lonely, almost nondescript, yet special. Really cool.

Released on Subpop records, I'll definitely be listening to Teen Dream a lot in the next few months. It just has a great feel to it. It's incredibly comforting. Truly dreamy. Pleasant. Loveable. Easily forgotten. Yet easily remembered at the same time. Check out their myspace page here.

Tops of 09, Props to 0-10

Well, it's officially 2010. This past year has been pretty fantastic musically. I grew a lot personally in my own musicality while some really awesome were albums released. I also ate a lot of egg drop soup, discovered thai food, spent a summer in LA, found love, embraced twitter, and was up 33% on my investments. I saw some unbelievable live shows - White Rabbits, Monsters of Folk, The Avett Brothers, Dr. Dog, and The Antlers were especially fantastic. I fell in love with Jazz vinyl, especially with the late Art Tatum. And Dave Brubeck. I also ate a lot of bagels. And without further ado, a few lists of what I enjoyed from 2009.

Top 15 albums of 2009:

1. The Antlers - Hospice
2. Grizzly Bear - Vecktimest
3. The xx - The xx
4. Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers - Songs in the Night
5. Dark Was The Night Compilation
6. Black Moth Super Rainbow - Eating Us
7. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
8. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
9. Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
10. White Rabbits - Its Frightening
11. Vetiver - Tight Knit
12. Pomegranates - Everybody Come Outside
13. Bon Iver - Blood Bank EP
14. The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You
15. Heartless Bastards - The Mountain

Top 4 movies of 2009:

1. The Fantastic Mr. Fox
2. Inglourious Basterds
3. Up
4. The Hangover

Favorite 6 Singles of 2009:

1. "Home" - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
2. "Two Weeks" - Grizzly Bear
3. "Percussion Gun" - White Rabbits
4. "The Train Song" - Feist and Ben Gibbard
5. "Kettering" - The Antlers
6. "The Blackest Purse" - Why?

Top TV Moment:

1. Dexter Season 4 Finale. OMG!

Philly, Best Of

After spending a few years in Philly while studying at Temple University, I've come up with my own random list of Best Ofs for Philadelphia in the form of 'Top 3's". Most likely, your favorite one that I missed was number 4. Sorry in advance.

Concert Venues
1. Trocadero - Awesome architecture. In China Town. Egg drop soup after!
2. TLA (Theatre of Living Arts) - Right on South Street. Feels small, but is a big venue.
3. The First Unitarian Church - Remember when your band played in a church basement? This is it. And I've seen some unbelievable shows while being 5 feet from them. And they sell used vinyl...

Restaurant in Chinatown
1. Pho Cali - Best Pho ever. Cheap, delicious, excellent service, great bubble tea smoothies!
2. Banana Leaf - delicious Malaysian cuisine!
3. Wong Wongs - Really not much better than the rest of the stuff. But Wong Wong's is a fantastic name.

Brunch Places
1. Sabrina's - The Italian Market location is bangin'. So good. Makes for an awesome date.
2. Fitzwater Cafe - Not an extensive menu, but the food is amazing and fresh.
3. Temple Rainbow - On Temple's campus. Best Sunday morning breakfast 5 minutes from my house. With a sign on the window for 'Waffle', you know it's good.

Places to People Watch
1. Rittenhouse Square - Especially when the weather's nice. Great people walk around, perform, look like their dogs, etc...
2. The Broad Street Line Subway - From Jesus preachers to people passed out, definitely interesting characters...
3. Liacorus walk - The main walk on Temple's campus is packed with benches up and down both sides. Makes for great anonymous staring.

Temple University Food Trucks
1. The Crepe Truck - $5.25 for an amazing crepe (breakfast, lunch, or dinner) and a drink. Open late.
2. Eddie's - Best hoagies. Great bread, friendly people, cheap cheap cheap.
3. The Green Truck - Great salads. Fresh ingredients, great menu. Long wait at times though...

Philly Foods
1. Soft Pretzels - Philly's soft pretzels are amazing. Great breakfast with a cup of coffee.
2. Rita's Water Ice - Good stuff. Not quite Graeter's ice cream in Cincinnati, but it's surprisingly incredibly refreshing.
3. Tasty Cake Butterscotch Krimpets - Mmmmmm

Cheesesteak Places
1. Jim's - On South Street. Chopped.
2. Geno's - The way the whiz seeps in. Oh man.
3. Tony Luke's - Just has some awesome bread. Great pork sandwich too...

Monsters of Folk @ The Academy of Music 11/9

It was fittingly titled, "An Evening with Monsters of Folk". Sitting on the balcony in antique red-velvet covered chairs looking down on My Morning Jacket's Jim James, M. Ward, and Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis, I couldn't help but be blown away by a spectacular performance. Not only was the concert unique and a ridiculous show of musicianship, but the crowd itself was unlike any I've ever been a part of.

Being in Philadelphia's Academy of Music, when I first sat down, I had to check myself that it was okay for me to be wearing a ratty corduroy jacket and sandals. The chandelier and cupids on the ceiling seemed to dictate otherwise. But amass the slew of skinny jeans and berets, I was reminded that this wasn't the symphony. Yet as the show began, the crowd treated it like it was - a modern symphony of new music and new arrangements of familiar favorites.

But even cooler than the aura of formality between cheers and jeers was the reality of incredibly mixed fan bases. With My Morning Jacket being a sort of psychedelic folk, M. Ward being a rocky folk, and Bright Eyes an indie/emo folk, Monsters of Folk brought in three huge and intense fan bases. And since each artist played some of their own songs (solo and as collaborations), virtually no one knew every song that was played - making for an awesome feeling of solidarity in not knowing what was coming next.

As for the show itself, Monsters of Folk played for two hours with an ever-growing energy that transitioned expertly from simplicity to piercing peaks. "Slow Down Jo" and "Dear God" were amazing (except for Oberst's part on "Dear God". I'm a little bias, but that guys voice seems to detract from how great Jim James and M. Ward sound together.). And on top of Jim James's haunting falsetto oo's, an ever-present slide guitar, and an infusion of percussive guitar, the group's live sound was original, refined, and consuming.

To feel the three folk-influenced acts separately and together in the same show was absolutely amazing. I felt myself going 'wow' after almost every song. And accompanied by a light show that projected stunning shadows on the curtains, it was all I could do but sit and stare. In fact, the one girl who stood up to sway to one of her beloved Conor Oberst's solo songs was told to "Sit down. Sit the Fuck down!" The only acceptable standing was for the unanimous and instant standing ovations.

The Antlers w/ Holly Miranda @ UPenn Rotunda 10/2

Peak. Peak. Peak. Peak. End. The sense of longing. You can feel it in your chest. Right where the crashing cymbals and haunting vocals used to be. And it spreads. Down to your gut. Up to your shoulders. And extends to the tips of your body. The Antlers have invaded your soul.

Last night, I finished up my classes, grabbed my girlfriend, and hurried to see the band I've been obsessed with since the beginning of the summer. The Antlers delivered a passionate, intimate show unlike any I've seen recently. The show started with "Bear" - destroying all qualms I had about a 'lost in translation' transition from album to live show. And after an excellent opening act by Holly Miranda (think My Brightest Diamond meets Heartless Bastards vocals on top of Au Revoir Simone type ambient guitar riffs), I knew my date was going to be a great one.

As the show progressed, I could feel the mesmerized crowd experience every note, every crash, every moog-induced wave. "Kettering", "Two", and "Epilogue" (the set-ender) were absolutely unbelievable. The Antlers captured every awesome aspect of their album and added a brilliant projection of reality. I was in awe.

The Antlers have gained so much hype lately, I feel like I've watched them explode. But following their tours and twitpics was nothing compared to experiencing their live show. Go. See them live. And buy their album, Hospice. For an album review, check out my previous post. On Frenchkiss Records (along with some great up and coming bands: Passion Pit, The Dodos, The Hold Steady), The Antlers truly made for a fantastic night.


Check out their myspace, or follow them on twitter to listen for yourself.

Why? - Eskimo Snow

I grew up in a small suburb of Cincinnati. It was nicknamed 'The Bubble' because of how small it was. And how tight knit. And I hated it. So I went to Philadelphia for school. Yet at some point, I gained a huge amount of pride for my home town - The Nati. Reds, Bengals, Jerry Springer being our Mayor, Race Riots, Drive-Thru Beer, Birthplace of the Jewish Reform Movement, Skyline Chili, Graeters Ice Cream, and, maybe the most important of them all, Marx Hot Bagels.

So when I found out about R5 Productions my first semester in college and saw a description of a guy who started making music with a 4-track tape in a basement while being the son of a Rabbi in Cincinnati, I knew I had to go. And after an unbelievable live show of raw vocalized and drum beats with catchy melodies and awesome lyrics, I was hooked.

Last week, Why? released a new album, Eskimo Snow. And while it's not close to the greatness of Alopecia (2008) that wowed the shit out of me live (Or even Elephant Eyelash (2005), which had a lot of character and unrefined greatness), Eskimo Snow is still good. It just seems to be missing a lot of the Why?-ness that was so new and refreshing in earlier albums. It seems incredibly toned down and more vocal focused. That being said, "Blackest Purse" is beautiful. And "January Twenty Something" is a great song. But, overall, the album lacks a lot of what made me fall in love with Why?. The strong beats of songs like "The Fall of Mr. Fifths", "The Vowells Pt. 2", or "Song of the Sad Assassin" (all from Alopecia) made the album one I've listened to 50 times. Eskimo Snow's lacking that. And the middle of the album gets almost monotonous.

On Anticon Records, Why? is absolutely fantastic. If you ever get the chance to see them live, do it. They put on a great live show and sell some pretty cool T-shirts. Check out their myspace or follow them on twitter. I'm a little bummed about Eskimo Snow in comparison to past albums, but that in no way hampers how much I appreciate and love their creativity and their ability to present something new.

I hope everyone had a easy fast on Monday. Welcome to the new year!

10 Bands To Check Out If You Haven't

So you're looking for some new music. Here's a list of 10 bands from the near-present you should check out that I haven't reviewed (yet?):

1. Why? - defines Trip-Hop. Heavy beats, awesome lyrics. From Cincinnati/Berkeley/NYC.
2. Bon Iver - Lots of internet hype. Layered mellow indie-folk. Gorgeous. From a cabin in the woods.
3. Dr. Dog - Think 60's rock. Awesome vocals. Great bridges. From Philly.
4. Grizzly Bear - Delicious harmonies. Catchy dissonance. From Brooklyn.
5. TV on the Radio - Multi-influential band with a great new feel. Fun to dance to. From Brooklyn.
6. Lake Street Dive - A little known jazz/folk band from Boston. Awesome. "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy."
7. Pomegranates - Catchy riffs, rough around the edges, falsetto vocals. From Cincinnati.
8. Black Moth Super Rainbow - Featuring Father Hummingbird and The Seven Fields of Aphelion. Cool guitar work. They use a Rhodes. From Pittsburgh
9. Passion Pit - A little over-hyped post-MGMT high vocals upbeat and fun. From Cambridge.
10. Rupa and the April Fishes - A multi-linguistic mellow and enjoyable feel-good music. From San Francisco.


Enjoy!

Bike For Three! - More Heart Than Brains

Life comes, life goes. In between, there's the search for love. Bike For Three!, a collaboration between the experimental rapper Buck 65 and Belgian electronic producer Joëlle Phuong Minh Lê, tells the tale of soul searching in a really new way. The duo collaborated from overseas and never met, effectively creating an odd, incredibly intriguing album about love. The music itself doesn't carry the album - but I don't think that's really the focus. The focus is the vast feeling of solidarity in every individual search for a soul mate - something carried out beautifully.

More Heart Than Brains certainly feels like the story of a life-long battle. Especially with the album being sandwiched between the tracks "Beginning" and "Ending". Featuring a birth, a growth, peak, decline, and death, Buck 65 and Minh Lê have birthed an album simple in its essence and gorgeous in its simplicity.

Buck 65's unique, cutting voice talks over expansive, magnifying electronic riffs. Lacking many sorts of comforting melodies or hooks, that craving gets replaced with an attachment to the story. The key songs mark important points in the search for love. Like the track, "Can't Feel The Love (Anymore)". Dwelling on how the loneliness forces you to miss out raising kids, Buck 65 says, "What happened to me that I'm so afraid to drown? Afraid of the dark. Afraid of letting people down. To take care of myself. My parents taught me how. But they probably never imagined me alone like I am now." Or the track "One More Time Forever", a kind of goodbye, that reads, "Keeping our guards up, wearing our masks. Making art the war being waged and taking part. Seeing the stars fall and the sound of a breaking heart like..."

Also be sure to listen to "Nightdriving", "Always I will Miss You. Always You." and "First Embrace". If you're searching for something to compare this to, think of a subversive type of MIA meets Figurine (of The Postal Service fame) with a less melodic Why? on top. But the sound, driven by how unique both Minh Lê and Buck 65 are, is something different that you need to listen to to grasp. A sort of avant garde hip-hop. No surprise it was released on Anticon. Focusing on experimental rap, Anticon also claims Buck 65 solo and Why?.

The album tells a great story that I think captures the loneliness of life beautifully. However, some of the tracks really aren't good. And some tracks, like "MC Space", seem out of place. But, then again, love's not always grand. Or rational.

Check their myspace out here.

Heartless Bastards - The Mountain

Want to turn your room into a dive bar? Grab some beers, light up a cigarette, and blast Heartless Bastard's new (esque) album, The Mountain. The Ohio-based band gives off a stellar bar band feel that captures that feel-good time and dive bar grit. The album's simplicity and shockingly consuming vocals really makes for a great listen. Especially the title track, "The Mountain". Talk about being blown away - it really feels like your approaching the daunting peak of a huge mountain. Strait Lord of the Rings forreal.

On Fat Possum Records (former The Black Keys record label), Heartless Bastards have created a really good album that's upbeat, captivating, and refreshingly unrefined. Be sure to check out the tracks, "The Mountain," "Hold Your Head High", and "Sway".

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes - Up From Below

The sound won't stay the same! Up and down, attentive and almost bored, unbelievable hit or very miss, Los Angeles-based Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros new album, Up From Below, throws out so many different sounds. Like a mix between Feist, The National, The Arcade Fire, David Bowie, and epic parts of The Lion King, Edward Sharpe throws a lot out there. And when he hits, he crushes it. "40 Day Dream", "Janglin", and "Carries On" are really good. But the song that makes this whole CD worth it is "Home". Fantastic vocals, catchy whistling, and lyrics about love, ("Alabama, Arkansas / I do love my ma and pa / Not that way that I do love you,") the song is just so incredibly catchy and amazing. Its sound is thorough and expansive, and just makes you feel good. I can't say I recommend the album as a whole, though the sounds are definitely interesting. And the album has a lot of high points throughout (though mostly in the beginning).

But yeah, check out Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and look at the lettering on his van on the myspace page! L'Chaim!

The Dodos @ The Getty Museum, 8/8

After a trip to the Cactus Garden and seeing an unbelievable collection of photography, sculptures, and paintings, I was lucky enough to end the other day with seeing The Dodos for free in the atrium of the Getty Museum. The Dodo's signature sound (think catchy acoustic guitar riffs on top of powerful, driving drum patterns with a melodic, sweet adhesive of vibraphone and back-up percussion) featured a thorough mix of vocal loops, a sort of 'bow-on-vibraphone' induced feedback, and impressive musicianship. Almost like a subtle mix of The Shins, Modest Mouse, and Department of Eagles, The Dodos still have an incredibly unique and lovely sound. And while their live show started off relatively slow and a little nervous-looking, The Dodos picked up the energy and presence as the concert went on - accompanying the setting darkness and gorgeous lighting. One of my favorite live songs, "Two Medicines", from their album coming out this fall, Time To Die, really captured their sound and creativity. The song started with a great vocal loop and built into an expressive, feel-good, dancy, well-constructed song. The Dodos also played "Fools" (featuring a mosh pit?), "Jodi" (a true Dodocian journey), and "Red and Purple" (as their encore) off of their 2008 success Visiter.

In general, I usually have low expectations for free shows. But with the amount of Dodo that I've had in my life the past few months, I had high hopes for the band. And, while my favorite Dodos song, "Undeclared", wasn't played, I left satisfied and excited to see them again when they trek to Philly in mid-October.

Check out The Dodos here.

And be sure to check out The Getty Museum's gorgeous collection of artwork, landscaping, and architecture if you're ever in LA.