Mew - 156

Well fuck it, i'm just going to use this page as a method of self-fellatio and to keep all of the videos i like in one convenient spot.

There are probably 35 pertinent things to say about Mew, but i'll try to limit myself. First of all, if you combined all of their best material it would be the greatest album ever recorded by man or woman. I can probably only narrow down my favorite song to 6 different options. This shit is so dreamy. And...they have the added bonus of saying 'Thank you Chicago!' to a crowd of 25-30 people at St. Andrews in April '07. The show was still incredible. The singer looks like a timid schoolboy who's still dressed by his mom. He held the mic to his face the whole time and kept his other arm rigid at his side. He didn't speak once the whole time. It was the Matt Dillon in There's Something About Mary-looking guitar player with the Chicago shout-out.

This video has the huge advantage of being the funniest thing i've ever seen in my life. Please enjoy it.

Mojave 3 - Breaking the Ice

This is such a beautiful song by Mojave 3. I wish i had some better information about them, but all i really know is they used to be in Slowdive (i'm sure Osman could tell us all about them) and this is off Mojave 3's 5th album. So, this dude was in a pretty popular indie band (slowdive), then churned out 5 albums and still managed to write a gem like this.

It's pretty shocking the first time you see his face in this video. He reminds me of a slightly more housebroken version of Mankind from WWF.

Johnossi - Man Must Dance

Alright, so my crush on this band - and this song specifically - borders on pathetic. I heard this on my girlfriend's XM radio while we were in the Wendy's drive-thru in brighton (i was going to get drunk at my friends house and i wanted to stock up on jr. cheeseburger deluxes because i didn't trust him to have enough fat guy food at 3am). We ended up sitting in the parking lot of wendy's and rewinding this song endlessly because you can't rewind it after you turn the car off.

The lyrics to this song are great. They're basically telling you to stop taking yourself so seriously and have a good time. I love the guy's voice and the little guitar ditty. The entire CD is fantastic, but this is easily the best song.

I'd say that if i could make a list of the songs i've listened to the most in 2008, this would definitely be in the top 5, and possibly #1 (Cracker - Low and Ween - Your Party would also be in the top 5. I can't figure out what other 2 songs would qualify).

Oh yeah, and they're swedes but they have really clever lyrics written in english. I think that's enough gushing for now.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Shuffle Your Feet (live)

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are the absolute shit. I am very embarrassed that i only started listening to them last fall after seeing them open for Kings of Leon. Their singer was briefly in the (dysfunctional) band Brian Jonestown Massacre. If anyone has not seen the movie Dig, please watch it immediately. It chronicles the relationship between Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Dandy Warhols. I would be willing to pay $20 a week to have that movie play randomly during the course of my day. It's that entertaining.

Anyway, here is a live version of my favorite BRMC song. It is the first song on Howl. The album itself is ok, but this song is mind blowing to me. The only rip-off is this version is live from the Henry Rollins Show, but we don't get to see Mr. Rollins anywhere in the clip.

Les Dales Hawerchuk - Dale Hawerchuk

Let me first of all point out that i would not know about this song if it wasn't for a certain Dave Emmons. Thank you, Dave. You improved my life.

This is a french-canadian band that pay tribute to Dale Hawerchuk both in name and in song. Dale Hawerchuk played for the Winnepeg Jets in the 80s and 90s.

This video cracks me up, and the song is actually really good. They have some other good songs as well, so it's not just a one-song gimmick. I'd love to plan a trip to the hockey hall of fame and a Les Dales Hawerchuk show, but they only play in quebec. Screw them.

You will have to be patient with the video. there's about 20 seconds of silence.



Here's the song with an English translation, as provided by someone with a very loose understanding of the english language. it's hilarious.

Caribou - Melody Day

Here's another amazing song i found as a result of Allmusic.com's year-end best of list. I can't tell you how many bands i've discovered for myself by looking at every writer for allmusic's top ten lists.

This song, and all of their (just one guy, so i guess his's) songs, sound to me like the Beatles, if they were 25 yrs old right now and in love with the current wave of indie rock.

All of Caribou's songs are this dreamy, and this great.

Black Angels - Black Grease

Well, i've never been bashed in the press before. I have to say, it was kind of exciting.

This is a peace offering to young Osman until i can return his book at the Future of the Left show in a couple weeks.

These guys are the black angels. I saw them open for Mute Math a few years ago, and they completely stole the show. All of the songs on the first album seem to be about the Vietnam War. I don't really understand how it could have that much relevance to a bunch of 20-somethings, but maybe they just want to be consistent with their 60s-style sound.

There are a ton of songs i want to put up, but i figured i owe Osman something first.

Pop Levi - Dita Dimone

Hi everyone,

I just think that this song is awesome. That's it. I hope you like it.

The Gutter Twins - Misery/Flower

I wouldn't say i have a huge passion for this song, but i have a ton of thoughts on the song, and it fascinates me in a lot of ways.

The Gutter Twins (worst name ever?) is a collaboration between Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan from the Afghan Whigs and Screaming Trees, respectively. I'm amazed that two guys that were in bands that peaked in the early/mid 90s can make new music that doesn't sound dated at all. Plus, Lanegan was in Soulsavers last year, and that album is the shit.

It is rare to have someone maintain a career and stay relevant. Although they are obviously not huge, they are a legit band on a respected label, and the music is good.

As for the song itself - I really don't fully understand this song. It feels like the biggest build-up of all time, but there's never any cathartic release at the end. But, i kind of like that, in a No Country for Old Men kind of way (has that become the standard for feeling unsatisfied at the end of a movie, song, book?). Plus, I love Greg Dulli's voice so much. He looks so funny behind the mic in this video. It's really easy to picture how he looked as a sullen 13 year-old, with his chin jutting out like that. i'll bet he wore a lot of dirty tank tops.

Sorry for doing two songs back to back. I'm not going to make it a habit. But, i felt like i all of a sudden had a ton to say about this song. Plus, i wasn't able to post the last two nights, due to the problem with Flash 9 and firefox.

Death From Above 1979 - Black History Month

this blog is a nice place for dilettantes and music snobs.

This is my first foray into getting Osman interested in some newer bands. Although they released this album in 2004, it's still way newer than Robert Pollard's old ass.

I have liked these guys for the past 3 or 4 years, but i finally bought the album, and the hype has gone into overdrive. Every single song is catchy as hell, and i really like all of their lyrics (they introduced me to the greatest word of all time - dilettante).

I also really like the fact that they put out this one album, and then decided to start a new band. I really like it when a band can put out some great stuff and leave their legacy intact. Heroin has been great throughout the years for preserving a band's legacy. other than that, most seem to go the elvis route and embarrass themselves with reunion tours and gimmicky new 'sounds'. The downside is the new band, MSTRKRFT, is a steaming pile of horseshit.

Also, i believe their name is a Simpsons reference. The water balloons used in Bart's attack on Nelson said happy birthday. the gun store guy said, "well, i'd rather have them say death from above."

So, without further ado, here it is:

Droney Sludge Metal

From the ashes of Karp and the Murder City Devils, here's Big Business outta Seattle, WA. I'm feeling lazy so I'll spare the back story today. If you like Black Sabbath, Queens of the Stoneage, or are secretly a pissed off 14 year old dude like I am, there's no reason not to fall head over heels in love with this.

This songs called 'Hands Up' and it's off their second album Here Come the Waterworks.