Kings of Leon released a new video for the track, ‘Sex on Fire’, last week. Their album, Only By the Night is due out September 23. And from what I’ve heard so far, it’s gonna be good! Kings of Leon play The Warfield on October 17.
Author Archives: the OCMD
the OCMD Mixtape: Sunshine Daydream
I’m in a 70s bohemian state of mind at the moment. All I want are wide leg jeans, vintage print blouses and great big sunglasses so I can look at the world through yellow-tinged lenses and feel like this. Luckily there’s a new crop of lo-fi, AM Gold music to match my mood. Enjoy my Sunshine Daydream. To get the MP3 file, sign up for the OCMD Mixtape newsletter.
- ‘Dead Moon’ – Sam Champion
- ‘Knowledge of Evil’ – David Vandervelde
- ‘Eye on the Dollar’ – Citay
- ‘The Shedding Path’ – The Lord Bird Dog
- ‘Heart of Chambers’ – Beach House
- ‘Sugar Man’ – Rodriguez
- ‘Lady Luck’ – Richard Swift
- ‘Don’t You Worry’ – Jim Noir
- ‘Nobody Does it Like You’ – Department of Eagles
- ‘Ain’t it Strange’ – Dr. Dog
Float With Me
I listened to ‘The Columbia’ by Lacktherof about 25 times today. The first time I heard it, I was immediately transported to this moment in Fiji – floating in the warm ocean during sunset. We got married there on New Year’s Eve and all of our favorite people joined us – to take over an island – for a week of frolicking and celebration. It was the best week ever and, like the song, want to replay it over and over again.
Lackthereof, ‘The Columbia’ from the album The Haunted.
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Centro-Matic | South San Gabriel – Dual Hawks
I can usually tell if I’ve picked the right movie by the previews they screen. I apply a similar philosophy to the shows I see. A quick scan of the crowd and I can tell whether or not I’m in the right place. Based on the sea of plaid shirts and scarves I saw last night at the South San Gabriel/Centro-Matic line up at The Rickshaw Stop, I knew I was in good hands.
Will Johnson is the prolific singer/songwriter and front man to both South San Gabriel and Centro-Matic. And what a pleasure it was to see both the soft side and the electric side of this man in one evening. The band has recently released a double album called Dual Hawks. Centro-Matic is featured on disc one and South San Gabriel, the band’s softer side, is on disc two. The two bands are comprised of essentially the same members, aside from a few extra friends – and a pedal guitar – for South San Gabriel. And I am such a sucker for the pedal steel guitar.
Here’s a taste of the two bands for you.
South San Gabriel, ‘Trust to Lose‘:
Centro-Matic, ‘I, The Kite’:
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Confessions of a Bad Mother
I’m certain that if Jean Paul Sartre were alive today, he would change his definition of existential hell from being trapped in a hotel room for an eternity with those you loathe to being trapped in an airplane with an unruly 3 year old, a crew of surly flight attendants and 200 other people you want absolutely nothing to do with.
Such was my life yesterday. After exhausting my arsenal of all the appropriate (yet ineffectual) ways to encourage ‘good’ behavior and ‘listening ears’ during a long day of solo travel with my son, I resorted to scare tactics. Like a good existentialist, I laid out his choices and consequences. He could be a good boy, listen to Mommy and ride on the airplane in the seat next to me. Or he could choose to be bad boy, not listen to Mommy and ride in the cargo hold with the pirates. Did it work? You betcha. Am I a bad Mother? Probably. But desperate times call for desperate measures and I was at my wits end.
After putting the hellion to bed, I soothed myself with a nice bottle of Macon Villages and some Heartless Bastards. (It’s a nice pairing, by the way.) And by the end of the evening I had completely rationalized all of my actions. Except for that resignation letter part of the day. I’ll save that for another post…when I get the courage to share.
Heartless Bastards play The Independent on November 8. Here’s the track for Blue Day.
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The Acorn – Glory Hope Mountain
Artist: The Acorn
Album: Glory Hope Mountain
File Under: Canadian Indie Rock
Recommended if You Like: David Byrne, Fiery Furnaces
Featured Track: Flood Pt. 1
Part biographical narrative, part surreal fairy tale, Glory Hope Mountain is the story of Gloria Esperanza Montoya. Based on interviews recorded in early 2006 by her son, Acorn songwriter Rolf Klausener, the album is a sonic retelling of the stories from her early life in Honduras to her eventual immigration to Montreal in 1972.
It’s an incredible concept album whose songs weave a beautiful tale – infusing traditional Honduran folk forms with lovely melodies in a way that’s very reminiscent of David Byrne – and ends with one of the most gorgeous lullabies I’ve ever heard.
Be sure to check them out at The Hemlock on October 21. Enjoy The Flood Pt. 1:
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White Denim – Shake, Shake, Shake
Austin-based White Denim seriously rock. They have a stripped down Stooges/White Stripes vibe that just feels really good. They’ve been releasing new videos to their forthcoming LP, Exposion, due out November 3. Until then, you can check out their EP, Let’s Talk About It, available on eMusic and RCDLBL.
Shake, Shake, Shake video:
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New Chad VanGaalen Video – Molten Light
I was pleased to find a new video circulating today from Chad VanGaalen. I wrote last week about his new album he has out, Soft Airplane. He’s a wonderful and interesting artist, notoriously very reclusive and apparently obsessed with death and other morbid topics. He illustrated this video himself. Giving us all maybe a bit too much insight into the ways of his twisted mind.
Here’s a track from Soft Airplane, ‘Willow‘.
Here’s the video for ‘Molten Light’:
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Ra Ra Riot – Ghost Under Rocks Video
I fell in love with Ra Ra Riot at SXSW this year. They are infectious live performers in a very Arcade Fire, Baroque Pop (eww, I can’t believe I just used that term) sort of way. Their debut album, The Rhumb Line, just released last week. I just downloaded it today. If their album is as good as their live performance, I’m sure they will be on my Album of the Week list shortly. Until then, enjoy a taste of their sound with their new video, Ghost Under Rocks.
Oh, and make sure to catch them live at The Rickshaw Stop September 24. It’s on my calendar.
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Sugar Man
I’m convinced children are hard wired with an innate survival instinct to charm you to tears just as your about to completely lose your mind with their relentless whining, battles of will and tests of patience. Such was the case this morning when the following conversation ensued:
Judah: “I need to go outside, Momma, in my bare feet and pick some flowers for my blankie. Roses.”
Me: “Really? OK, just make sure you don’t prick yourself on the thorns.”
Judah: “Thorns? Oh. I’ll just leave them for the bumblebees then.”
OK, heart melting. All transgressions forgotten. You’re good for the next week or so, then you better come up with something else sweet and irresistible to get me through the next rough patch. I’m sure you will, Sugar Man.
Featured track: Rodriguez, Sugar Man
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the OCMD 