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Get your leather on! After being leaked on the Internet, Interscope moved up the digital release of It’s Blitz to 3/10. The CD release is 3/31. I think we all need a ‘KO’ studded leather jacket.
White Lies – To Lose My Life
Listen to “Death”
I’m having a momentary crush on White Lies. My first thought upon hearing them was Interpol meets Echo and The Bunnymen. And I have a serious soft spot for Brit rock and Ian McCulloch, so when I received an advance copy of UK trio’s To Lose My Life recently I couldn’t help but fall in love a little bit. It’s blatantly 80s influenced, but represents everything I like about Brit rock and the 80s in one album; guitar focused arena rock with a big dose of that new wave sound.
To Lose My Life drops on Fiction Records 3/17. Their US tour kicks off in Austin at SXSW, making their way to San Francisco April 11 to play Slim’s and wrapping up at Coachella. In the meantime, check out the new video to “To Lose My Life”…
Video: Deerhunter Live @ Mezzanine (Full Set)
The full set from Deerhunter’s show at San Francisco’s Noise Pop Festival this year. Awesome!
Video: Vetiver – “Everyday”
A new “Everyday” video from San Francisco’s very own Vetiver from their new album Tight Knit.
Video: Telekinesis – “Tokyo”
Debut video for “Tokyo” from the band Telekinesis, taken from their debut record Telekinesis! out April 7th on Merge Records.
Say Hi (To Your Mom) – Oohs & Aahs
Artist: Say Hi (To Your Mom)
Album: Oohs & Aahs
File Under: Indie Pop
Recommended if You Like: ‘The moment just before orgasm’
Featured Tracks:
“November Was White, December Was Grey”:
This album is so damn catchy I can’t stop listening to it. I’ve been a longtime fan of the band and don’t think they’ve made a bad album to date. This one is no exception. I love frontman Eric Elbogen’s quirky lyrics and musical arrangements. Just take a listen to “Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh” and try to not get hooked.
Elbogen has an incredible ability to mix sad and happy together into a delightful contradiction. I can’t think of many other artists who could have me bopping around to a song about vampires singing – “Oh I just want to drink your blood…”. (“Blah Blah, Blah” from the album Impeccable Blahs.) While previous albums have been on the darker side in terms on subject matter – vampires, drinking blood and rejection – this one seems to lean more toward the lovelorn than the macabre. And built more around layered harmonies too – like in the gem “November Was White, December Was Grey“. It makes for an easy album to listen to and like – and sure to get stuck in your head!
San Francisco, you can catch Say Hi at Bottom of the Hill on March 12.
Get this album free via eMusic’s 50 Free MP3 Promo
Video: Dum Dum Girls – “Blank Girl”
Check out the latest video by LA-based Dum Dum Girls.
Condo Fucks – Fuckbook
In March 2008, Yo La Tengo performed at Magnetic Fields under the name Condo Fucks. As Condo Fucks, they are releasing an album Fuckbook with Matador on March 10, 2009. Pre-order now.
Listen to What’cha Gonna Do About It:
The Boxing Lesson – Wild Streaks & Windy Days
I was intrigued by both the music and bio of Austin-based psych rockers, The Boxing Lesson. You could certainly classify the sound of the trio’s second LP, Wild Streaks & Windy Days, as stoner rock. And that’s where the story gets interesting. I couldn’t help but notice that the band’s drummer was in federal prison and therefore on the road with a touring drummer. Hmmm, I had to ask the press manager why. I mean we’re talking federal prison. He must’ve killed someone or something.
But no, turns out drummer Jake Mitchell is doing 60 months in federal prison on marijuana charges. Apparently he was running a little homegrown pot operation out of his house. What’s most disturbing is that he was convicted under the Patriot Act and has been branded a Narco-Terrorist. And it gets worse. His wife is currently serving a six month sentence as a conspirator for not turning her husband in. His family has lost everything trying to appeal this conviction.
I couldn’t help but contrast this story to that of Bernard Madoff’s – a man who has perpetrated the biggest scam in Wall Street history by admittedly defrauding clients for up to $50 billion in investments. He has completely ruined the lives of thousands and yet he sits comfortably in his NY penthouse secretly mailing his multi-million dollar watch collection to friends and family. Tell me, who is the terrorist here? Clearly we live in a society that enforces different rules for different classes of people. It’s sad really and only reinforces a hard lesson I learned a long time ago – what’s legal isn’t necessarily fair.
The band will be playing SXSW this year so if you’re going be sure to check them out. Reportedly their live shows are epic.
Video: Human Highway – “The Sound”
Hey SXSW goers, Human Highway will be playing Wednesday, March 18 at 11:00 p.m. at Red Eyed Fly.
the OCMD 