Liars sure know how to put on a hell of a show, and for those who couldn’t get cozy with them in the pool early this summer (see above image) or watch them warm the stage to a boiling point as openers for Radiohead, all is not lost….
A friendly little message in our inbox has brought to our attention that Angus, Aaron, and Julian will be performing (or have already performed, we’re assuming this has already been taped) on Fuel TV’s The Daily Habit TONIGHT at 9pm! And if you miss it then, like maybe because it’s Friday evening and you’re out having fun, the show will also air at midnight and on Saturday at 2:30pm and 5:30pm. Awesome, yes? You may be wondering, “yes it is awesome, but hey, where is Fuel TV amidst the hundreds of channels I regularly ignore?” That’s simple, those in NYC beholden to Time Warner (like us) need to set their DVRs and TiVos to channel 456. Everyone else can go HERE and find exactly where Fuel TV lives in their particular television set.
Better tune in, from what we can tell it may be the only chance to see them perform live in some time, as they have no other shows scheduled at the moment. Hey, we’re not lying.
Listen: “Houseclouds” (demo, from Liars Sessions EP)
Visit Liars on MySpace.
*above image found HERE
“Silverfuck” by Smashing Pumpkins which clocks in at 8:43.
They say conflict and tension yield beauty and artistic breakthroughs. Witness the tired cliché of the “tortured” or “suffering” artist or, when there are multiple cooks in the kitchen, the time-honored soundbite somewhere along the lines of “we were either going to make our masterpiece or break up in the process!”
This last utterance was more or less the statement once made by Billy Corgan when discussing Siamese Dream (or as allmusic remembered it - Corgan growled at the time that if the album didn’t achieve breakthrough success, he would end the band). But really, how would he have known about any tension or strife that was in the band during these sessions? He was a man possessed, completely preoccupied with systematically recording and re-recording every part of every song by himself while the others were pretty much barricaded outside the studio. So as D’Arcy and James Iha struggled to heal the open wound of their failed relationship and Jimmy Chamberlain became increasingly caught up in intravenous drug use, Corgan merrily plowed along with comrade-in-overdubbery Butch Vig in building the biggest wall of sound this side of Phil Spector. I mean, he probably would not have even heard the approaching sirens (think Billy circa the “Today” video all alone with huge headphones on, oblivious to the world) had Chamberlain nodded off mid-fix in the studio bathroom and D’Arcy found him on the floor before placing a frantic call to the paramedics. Read more…
Raleigh’s third annual Raleigh Wide Open is a 36 hour free festival that is set to celebrate the opening of the new Raleigh Convention Center with appearances from bands such as Soul Asylum, Chuck Berry, and Arrested Development. This excites who exactly? Not that I don’t adore Chuck Berry but shouldn’t these things be about fresh and exciting music?
Well, if you’re in Raleigh this weekend and looking for great music at an all-day (free) outdoor festival then you’re in luck, just steer clear of that main stage. For the good shit, head over to the first annual Cherry Bounce Festival that is taking place in conjunction with Raleigh Wide Open at the intersection of Fayetteville and Hargett streets. The lineup beats the other two stages by a landslide.
Friday, September 5
12:00 - Big Mama E & The Cool
1:30 - The Solos Unit
3:00 - Lonnie Walker
4:15 - Dawn Chorus (MP3: “I’m Cured!”)
5:30 - The Bleeding Hearts (MP3: “Status Symbol”)
6:30 - Dex Romweber Duo
8:00 - Annuals (MP3: “Sore”)
Saturday, September 5
12:15 - The Moaners
1:30 - Red Collar
2:45 - Brother Reade
4:00 - The T’s
5:15 - Freebase 808
7:00 - The Urban Sophisticates
8:00 - Islands (MP3: “The Arm”)
The Cherry Bounce Alternative Music Festival is named in honor of a cocktail that very well may be the reason there is a Raleigh. Cherry Bounce is a mash of cherries, sugar and whiskey or brandy. It became legendary in 1792 when a commission of nine men appointed by the General Assembly went in search of a site to serve as North Carolina’s permanent capital. Col. Joel Lane, a Revolutionary War veteran and gregarious tavern and inn keeper, had the men staying at his inn and managed to convince the officials that his parcel of 1,000 acres was the perfect location for the state capital. Many claimed that the commissioners were influenced by Col. Lane’s libation, the Cherry Bounce, which he liberally shared and of which they had become quite fond.
What’s this? It’s a pop song BATTLE! With a twist. Instead of only two artists squaring off over the same song, like we did last time with “See You Again” by Miley Cyrus, we’ve got four different artists and five different versions of the same song this time around. It’s a Royal Rumble! Our song: the post-punk goth classic “A Forest”. Our competitors: The Cure (original composers of our contended song), Bat For Lashes (art school student turned rock chanteuse), Nouvelle Vague (Bossa nova cover version maestros), Toadies (composers of ’90s alternative hit “Possum Kingdom”), and The Cure (again, you’ll see). How did we get here, and where are we going? Read more…
Shambolic Portland rockers The Shaky Hands have a brand-spankin’ new album out this coming Tuesday, September 9th. Good thing too, seeing as their charming self-titled debut earned raves from us in our 2007 album roundup; new material couldn’t come soon enough. And now here it is! Their sophomore offering, Lunglight, will be released jointly by Holocene Music and Kill Rock Stars.
Much of the pre-release rumblings so far around the blogocampfire have been focused upon the album’s “darker” sound, a decided departure from the lilting acoustic feel that permeated and softened the edges of their debut album. Judging by the two advanced singles below however, we’re still in store for an excellent mess, a frenetic jumble of winning pop hooks with a bit more growl this time around. Here’s the tracklisting for Lunglight: Read more…
EAR FARM’s Three for Free: three EF approved, free and legal MP3s posted whenever the mood strikes us. Usually three… this time: FOUR. Three from Insound and a BONUS from a band dropping an album today. Click on the band name to visit their site, click on the song name to listen to the song. Read more…
“Poor Jackie” by Man Man which clocks in at 8:24.
The opening verse of Man Man’s epic song “Poor Jackie” sets the scene for a bawdry tale of a street walking murderess who cuts the hearts out of her victims and paints a moustache on her face to hide from police. The track is the sprawling gypsy-prog epicenter of an otherwise pop-forward album, and a highlight of Man Man’s career to this point. The song opens:
“Jackie hits the streets
She swears that all she sees
Is the hunger in their eyes
And the desperation in their speech”
What wonderful serendipity it was that I’d just listened to the song, lyrics still lingering in my mind, when I arrived at my favorite local espresso joint just the other day. Funny, because those lyrics could easily have been written about the woman working the lonely midday shift that day. It was 4pm, a transient hour. The place was empty except for one single man seated at a corner table reading private documents. Private? You bet. Had to be private the way he was twisted and turned to hide them from the world. I paid him no mind seeing as how he was seated across the room from my favorite spot.
My order: “Hi, I’ll have a latte please.”
Jackie: “Oh hey! Okay, is that to stay or to go?”
Me: “Hey, how’s it going? It’s for here. Thanks. How’ve you been….”
So, I “know” the barista at this particular place. Not because I’m the kind of guy who makes it a point to shake hands and make friends with people who serve me beverages, but rather because she’s nice and saw me enough to finally one day introduce herself - “You’re in here a lot. I’m Jackie…”
I come to this place as though it will energize my exhausted mind, or inspire it, or whatever. The drinks do that? The atmosphere? It’s all supposed to I think. There’s something that keeps bringing people back here. Jackie perhaps? She fixes up my latte and makes it all pretty on top with the foam and everything (the way they all tend to do at this particular place) and I go to my regular seat and set up camp. It’s the familiarity that keeps ‘em coming back here, and Jackie’s part of that. Thankfully, around this time of day, they’re not coming back in droves - the people who come in around 4:00 are pretty much all takeaways. Which makes it a perfect time and place to lose an hour. No bothersome conversations the next table over, no nosy jerks trying to see what you’re writing -or worse, asking “whatcha writin’?”- nothing. Just the purity of coffee-faced writerdom.
But no! Wait. Actually, come to think of it, I was missing those people! The human wallpaper. I thought I didn’t need them around but here it was just me alone with a blank computer screen and all the hushed atmosphere I could ever want and suddenly a realization: I really wanted some bozos to half-listen-to and half-watch. Bah!
That’s when I started paying attention to the steadily slow stream of customers stopping in for a quick order “to go”. All I could see was the hunger in their eyes, and the desperation in their speech…
Customer #1: (white male, 45) “How much are the cookies?”
Jackie: “Two dollars a piece.”
Customer #1: “For which? Both kinds? Are there two different kinds?”
Jackie: “Yes, oatmeal and chocolate chip.”
Customer #1: “Is the lumpy one oatmeal?”
Jackie: “Yes. Well they’re both lumpy. But the one you’re pointing at is oatmeal.”
Customer #1: “And how much is it?”
Jackie: “Two dollars.”
Customer #1: “For this one? It looks bigger than the rest. Is the chocolate chip better or is oatmeal better?”
Jackie: “That depends on your personal preference really.”
Customer #1: “Can I have one of each to try?”
Jackie: “Yes, for two dollars each.”
Customer #1: “Ouch….”
(extended pause: silence)
Customer #1: “I’ll have an oatmeal please. To keep. That one, the big one.”
Customer #2: (white male, 30ish) Nothing. Silence. He leans in and speaks to her. It’s not a whisper, I don’t think, judging by the look on his face and hers. This isn’t a special quiet moment, just a quiet man. An order is placed, I assume, and Jackie goes to work. The gargle of milk frothery fills the air: score! A latte to go. He turns and leaves just as silently as he entered. No “thank you,” no acknowledgment of any exchange, or service rendered, or goods purchased. Bamf! He was gone in an instant.
Customer #3: (Italian couple, late 20s) “Hey.”
Jackie: “How are you?”
Customer #3: “Can I gets a small coffee and -for the lady- a small coffee as well. That’ll do its, yeah.” (Italian flirt talking and coochie coos ensue) “Let’s go back outside, is beautiful. Yes?”
Jackie: “So nice.” (she hands them their drinks and they leave speaking Italian to each other) “Have a good one guys.”
Customer #4: (white male, 35ish) “A coffee.”
Jackie: “Small or big?”
Customer #4: “Uh medium?”
Jackie: “We don’t have a medium.”
Customer #4: “Oh boy. No medium?! Grande then. Yeah?”
(he seemed impressed with his Starbucks wit)
Jackie: (no sign of annoyance) “So that’s a large?”
Customer #5: (black female, 25) “Iced latte.”
Jackie: “You got it.”
Customer #5: “You dont drink iced drinks do you?”
Jackie: “No.”
Customer #5: “But in the summer… when it’s hot… it’s better. Like, when I’m working outside a lot I always have one. And I feel like it goes better with my stomach too.”
Jackie: “I could see that, iced coffee is funny that way sometimes.”
Customer #5: “Yeah, desserts too.”
Jackie: “Here you go, that’s $4.25.”
Customer #5: (counts change from her pocket, no bills) “Uh oh…”
Jackie: “That’s okay, I’ll just put it on your tab!”
Customer #5: “No, I want to pay you today! How late will you be here?”
Jackie: “Until eight o’clock.”
Customer #5: “Okay, see you later then… I’m working late, definitely see you later.”
Customer #6: (Indian male, 40) “Hey.”
Jackie: “Hi, how are you?”
Customer #6: “Pretty good. Just a latte.”
Jackie: “For here or to go?”
Customer #6: “That’s a good question. For go. I mean, to stay here. Yep.”
(she works wonders with the espresso machine as he nervously paces around the cash register/counter area… moments later his drink arrives)
Customer #6: “The way you do that foam makes me want to touch it. The design on it. And I’m not even that into touching things.”
(he really said that. Her: no reply. He tries the latte…)
Customer #6: “Is that different espresso?” (he licks his lips (ew) as he tastes and talks. He sounds like Paul Giamatti’s character in Sideways…) “Usually it starts moving towards berries but not this one. It’s real nutty. And. It’s buzzing. It buzzes in my mouth and hints of something floral.”
Jackie: “No, it’s the same.”
(he tastes again in disbelief)
Customer #6: “Whatever happened to Derek?”
Jackie: “He’s at the other store. He had to move on.”
(another prolonged taste - he savors the coffee and the moment)
Customer #6: “I guess we all do eventually. But good news for us here, it just means more time with you! Right? Well I’ll be right over there like I always am. Look, you can see me from where you’re standing.”
Jackie: “Okay…”
Jackie threw down some verbal ellipsis that signaled the end of the conversation and I decided it might be the end for me too. I’d observed quite a few more interactions, and wrote them all down, but I left out most of them due to their utter banality. This one though, this one left me feeling the need to leave after witnessing the extraordinary discomfort. I had to go and find sanctuary outside the creepy customer zone. But not Jackie. She couldn’t escape it, she still had three more hours to go.
Poor Jackie.
Buy Rabbit Habbits HERE
*front thumbnail from HERE; top photo taken by me
EAR FARM’s 8+ is a weekly feature that showcases songs longer than 8 minutes. Click HERE to see the songs recently featured in EF’s 8+.
It seems every time we base a mini mix on artists who happen to be playing a show that day, it also just happens to fall on a Thursday….coincidence?
Maybe, but probably not. Thursday just always seems to bring it musically, and this week is no exception; as always, there’s LOTS going on tonight. To help your decision-making process, consider our latest mini-mix below and choose your own adventure…. Read more…
EF faves Brakes - at least that’s the name to those of you in the UK, here in the States we’re still getting used to their forced name switch to BrakesBrakesBrakes - have gone ahead and dove headfirst into the illustrious, glamorous, and sexy world of blogging, offering regular (and quite detailed) updates on everything Brakes(BrakesBrakes) over on their MySpace page.
Like what? Well, did you know that they’re currently working on their third album, the follow up to 2007’s Beatific Visions, out in the English countryside? It’s true, and according to a blog post from last week, they’ve already recorded demos of the following new tracks: “Hey, Hey It’s a Beautiful Day”, “Crush On You”, “Don’t Take Me To Space(Man)”, “Eternal Return”, “Consumer Producer Chicken or Egg”, “Cigarettes Go Down”, “Leaving England” and “Do You Feel the Same?”. Formal recording will commence in Glasgow in September.
Sounds very promising, yes?
Other bits insights gleaned from the Brakes blog include singer Eamon Hamilton’s Olympics-watching preferences (cycling, namely because it inspires British patriotism) as well as his thoughts on such contemporary acts as the ubiquitous MGMT (”Time To Pretend” = great song, “Time To Pretend” played live = absolute rubbish) and Hercules and Love Affair (good).
The band has one show scheduled for the time being, September 14th at the End of the Road Festival in Salisbury (along with British Sea Power, Bon Iver, Mercury Rev, The Mountain Goats and lots of others, see full lineup HERE). No word on any upcoming US dates (CMJ perhaps, pretty please?).
Until then, we’ll have to sate ourselves with more blog updates from the band. After all, if they blog it, we will come.
Listen: “Shut Us Down” (Camper Van Beethoven cover)
*above pice of Matt Eaton and Eamon Hamilton found HERE (via the Brakes blog of course)
EAR FARM’s Three for Free: three EF approved, free and legal MP3s posted whenever the mood strikes us. This time: three from records dropping today. Click on the band name to visit their site, click on the song name to listen to the song. Read more…
Let’s face it, after trekking from Cleveland to New York in a single afternoon - only to be greeted by several hours of rush hour gridlock nastiness - the last thing the gypsy gents of Bombadil probably wanted on Friday evening was to be stuck in EAR FARM’s inquisitive crosshairs. And lucky for them, the traffic jam actually saved them; the original plan was for all of us to meet up early and commence a friendly Q&A over a few drinks. The traffic gods had other plans though, mercifully spitting them out of the Holland Tunnel and onwards to the Living Room with no time for interrogation and only moments to spare before delivering another blisteringly awe-inspiring set. Yes, they had momentarily dodged our questions, but for how long?
About 24 hours….Bryan Rahija - guitar, vocals, dapper suit - was good enough to answer our 10 burning questions via email the following day (as well as show us a clip of their tour documentary, see below) just in time to add a little Bombadil to your Monday. Enjoy! Read more…
The blogosphere is ablaze with Democratic National Convention-related tidbits, and why not? The party kicks off tonight in Denver, and countless compelling storylines persist. But you’re here for music, and we get that; our contribution to the fray is a roundup of as many of the music-related stories/pieces/events/psuedo-events from within the past 12 hours that we could track down. For your browsing pleasure, DNC + music = newsworthy! Read more…
EAR FARM’s Three for Free: three EF approved, free and legal MP3s posted whenever the mood strikes us. In this edition, little treasures from our inboxes…the Mason Proper track “Lock And Key” is the headliner here, pretty much a perfectly crafted mid-tempo rock song with Ratatat keyboard swells, singsong vocals, and a jittery lockstep groove. Very nice boys. The track is from their forthcoming album Olly Oxen Free, due out September 23rd on Dovecote Records.
Also worth checking out is “Sea Level” by The Howlies, a raucous Atlanta quartet drawing their fair share of attention around NYC this week with shows at Union Pool (with the Muslims) and Mercury Lounge. And finally, we’ve got a Django Django remix of “Morning Tide” by The Little Ones, another upbeat track that I could see being the soundtrack to pretty much anything from a calisthenics routine to your morning routine (clap clap clap get the paper! clap clap clap brew some coffee!). Anyway, they’re all pretty great, listen for yourself…. Read more…
“Echelon” by Erik Syntax which clocks in at 8:20.
What is this? It seems I’ve unwittingly come across a secret society….a secret society of over two million people apparently, but a clandestine order nonetheless.
Are you ready for this? What if I were to tell you this society was accruing influence and disseminating propaganda via the following potent cocktail: a popular “music” cable television station whose demographic is, say, ages 12-21, a hunky actor cum emo musician, and a sloppily applied Latin catchphrase/slogan. You wouldn’t believe me, would you? I know, I wouldn’t have believed it either, until I fell down the rabbit hole a few days ago….
You see, it all started this past Sunday afternoon when I came across one of the many news pieces about the absurd $30 million lawsuit Virgin had brought against 30 Seconds To Mars – quick catchup for those who don’t know: 30 Seconds To Mars = the crappy, pompous band fronted by Jared Leto - for allegedly failing to deliver a new record on time. Sure, the sheer lunacy of a giant record company suing a band for such an astounding sum of money is fodder for endless analysis, speculation, and commentary, but that’s not what I’m here to talk about. What captured my attention was the lead photograph in this particular piece:
That my friend is 30 Seconds To Mars’ logo staring you in the face; a bit “involved”, yes? But lest the crop circle symbols orbiting the phoenix’s (or whatever winged creature that may be there) armpits distract you, take a gander at the Latin phrase on the underside of the logo.
Provehito In Altum.
Whoa. I found Leto’s arrogance in ascribing his vanity project its own Latin catchphrase captivating. I needed to know more and raced to find a translation to such pomposity. A quick Google search yielded the following: “reach for the heights,” or “launch forth into the deep.”
Meh. It seemed like a fairly hackneyed inspirational slogan, the kind you might find in your guidance counselor’s office hanging next to another poster of a cat hanging off the branch amidst the superimposed text “Hang in there!” Boring, right? I checked again to see if there were any alternate translations. And this is when I stumbled upon a conversational thread within the official 30 Seconds To Mars Forum (the “Pantheon” is what it’s haughtily called). A user named “Wake Up (!)” posted this message:
okay, so im getting a tattoo w/ “provehito in altum” on it and so i talked to a latin teacher today. he said that altum was correct and all, ya know to move foward (either heaven or hell/ up or down). anyways, he said that he didnt recognize “provehito”. it is a latin word, but it isnt the right ending
all in all, the meaning is correct, but the question is whther it is latin or not or if its either correct or not
Now, I’m not one to judge; in fact, I initially applauded “Wake Up (!)” for doing his/her research before eternally committing ink to skin. But then, after another user wrote back and said it must be okay since it’s the motto for “some university”, “Wake Up (!)” responded…
thanks. but i know what it means, i just thought it was weird that he said it wasn’t the right ending and that it was a command, not just a sentence.
but iehter way im getting it tomorrow at 1pm
Whaaa? Either (iehter) way you’re getting it? Meaning if it’s the correct translation you’re getting it, and if it means “Jared Leto sack gargle” you’re still going to get it? What’s going on here? These people were….committed. To Leto. To the Pantheon. To garbled Latin phrases.
Surely, there was some explanation. Delving further into the unwinding mystery, I found an MTV video interview with the dark sorceror himself, Jared Leto. If you have seven minutes to kill and have a high threshold for bullshit, watch below (if not, just skip over and keep reading):
Jesus he talks a lot, doesn’t he? I mean, he barely lets his bandmates get in a single word. Amidst all the grandiose self-love spewing from his eyeliner’d visage, did you catch that part in there around the 1:20 mark in which he spoke about the band’s fanbase? About how they’re a close-knit family who skulks across the country like Grateful Dead fans of yore? What was that name he just used for this “family”?
ECHELON.
Creepy. Nice try using benevolent associations with Jerry Garcia, but to me Echelon seemed less dancing bears and more MindHead from Bowfinger.
Want more proof? Hell, the internet’s full of proof. How about the YouTube video of another Echelon member (Echelonian? Echelonite?) getting the Provehito logo on her wrist?
Or what about this fiery response to a post on Best Week Ever comparing Clay Aiken fans (“Claymaniacs”) to Jared Leto fans (“Letotics”):
don’t bash the echelon…fuckfaces…. says:
August 11th, 2006 at 12:22 am
i am soooooooooo with the “letotics” as you put it. which is extremely lame by the way. i agree with anyone and everyone who says that clay aiken’s a homo. he can deny it all he wants…i think everyone knows he is but him. The Echelon, which i am proudly a member of, is not a bunch of “pseudo-goth” kids…if you saw me you probably wouldn’t even think that i went to their concerts and rocked out as hard as i fucking could.you shouldn’t be talking shit unless you go to a show and see how dedicated we really are. And don’t start talking shit on the Echelon because we are not crazy people who speak their own language. provehito in altum means march forth into the deep and maybe it means nothing to you, but it means something to me and the rest of the echelon. We are a family and we know that..we will support them as much as we possibly can whether you dumbshits like it or not.
PROVEHITO IN ALTUM [ECHELON]
Hey, this is serious. 30 Seconds to Mars has sold over two million albums! Do you know how many potential Echelonianites that translates to (hint: over two million)? And it gets worse; it appears that 30 Seconds From Mars has just been nominated for a Video Music Award, which means that come September 7th, Leto’s going to have access to the master tweenage pulpit (MTV) from which to address his minions. Don’t be surprised when the audio broadcast cuts out and you hear the very Norwegian dance song contained within this 8+ pump through your television and brainwash you into becoming one of them. Echelon Echelon Echelon, say it fast and it even starts to sound like a techno beat.
So let me offer a bit of cautious advice to the folks at Virgin Records….back off, man! Stop that lawsuit now! If you keep it up, Leto is going to unleash the entire Echelon army upon you. In Fight Club, the secret society members had mangled faces and visible injuries that gave their identity away fairly obviously; in Echelon, it’s a bit more subtle. Look closely for the Provehito In Altum tattoo. And when you see it, run for the hills. Echelon Provehito In Altum!
Buy Prima Norsk 2: Groovy Norwegian House Music HERE
*above photo from HERE
EAR FARM’s 8+ is a weekly feature that showcases songs longer than 8 minutes. Click HERE to see the songs recently featured in EF’s 8+.
Below you will find a list of some of our favorite music-focused sites on the web, one for each letter of the alphabet. Though this can not be viewed as a complete list (some letters are bigger (and better) than others, which means many quality sites have been left off), this list does in fact feature twenty six of the best music sites in the world, covering a variety of styles, formats, and genres. Please leave suggestions of your own favorites, or ones that should’ve been included here, in the comments.
Allmusic.com - though it’s often one of the slowest loading sites on the web, it’s also one of the most comprehensive. An essential visit for information about nearly any musician/music industry type who has ever be involved in making a record.
BrooklynVegan - if you can refrain from getting sucked into the mindless vortex of the comment section, BrooklynVegan is worthy of multiple daily visits to find out who is/has played New York area shows and to find out other pertinent musical (with an indie slant) news and events. Consistently solid photos and mini-features that are getting better and better.
Contrast Podcast - The Contrast Podcast started in March 2006 and has seen the production of one episode each week since then, usually published on Tuesdays. The podcast works like this: a theme is chosen and then a variety of contributors choose songs based on that theme and record witty and interesting spoken introductions which they send to Tim Young who compiles them into a lovely podcast.
Daytrotter - slowly becoming today’s version of the Peel Sessions, this site compiles fantastic live sessions with artists at Futureappletree Studio One in downtown Rock Island, Ill. The Session Archive should keep you happily busy for a month or so.
Elbo.ws - this music blog aggregator tracks the posts on thousands of sites and reproduces them as snippets with tagged MP3s. If you’re looking for a song online, start here. It’s well designed and essential.
Fluxblog - the Godfather of music blogging, Matthew Perpetua posts about songs and the occasional live show with equal parts personality and nerdy insight. Great taste to boot.
Gorilla vs. Bear - want to keep up with all of the in-the-know middle America Joneses and see a few backstage Polaroids of musicians too? Then this is your site. It’s got a great taste filter that continually assures quality music is being posted.
Heartonastick - not always strictly about music, and not updated as often as I’d like… but still, J from Heartonastick is one of the best writers out there when he’s on. Also, a refreshingly competent researcher and scourer of the internets. Good times.
Idolator - some of the posts feel as though the staff is being whipped by a slave master who is forcing them to pump out post after post after post. SOME. However, the rest of the articles make up for the drivel as they feature breaking news, lists, links, and (often) seriously well thought out essays.
John Peel Everyday - currently undergoing some technical difficulties but “back soon”, this site posts recordings of old John Peel radio shows because, as the author puts it, “I miss John Peel every day and I know I’m not alone in this”.
KEXP - one of the top radio stations on the planet that lets you listen live online. Their programming is top notch.
Largehearted Boy - daily news bits, daily (legal) MP3s, the best new release tracker online, and frequent features on books and reading make this one of my very most favorites sites. Once you start reading you’re sure to go back every day.
Merry Swankster - great writing from a staff that’s spread out across the country… in a world of alllooksames this site stands out.
NYC Taper - records New York area shows and posts them as FLACs and MP3s for users to download. Top notch bootleg sound. If you go to a show in NYC check in here to see if they’ve attended as well - it makes for a great way to relive that amazing concert.
Oh My Rockness - New York, LA, and Chicago music fans should be checking this site for continually updated concert listings. If you like indie rock, they’ve got you covered.
Pitchfork TV - forget about the other Pitchfork, this one’s where the good shit is happening. Goodbye MTV. Hello Pitchfork TV!
Quiet Color - it’s a new one, but Quiet Color is showing promise with good taste, tons of updates, and some rather well put together words, stills, and videos.
RollingStone - inching towards irrelevance, this deity of music journalism is still worth visiting in online form, at the very least, because of their searchable archives.
Said the Gramophone - good writing is often hard to find when it comes to music sites. When it comes to Said the Gramophone, you’ll find good writing and great music posted nearly every day.
Tiny Mix Tapes - swell design, good writing, articles, reviews, features, and the old trusty Automatic Mix Tape Generator keep this site ranking very high on my list of favorites.
Uncensored Interview - is “a broadband video platform for indie music artists and fans to be seen and heard in their truest form - uncensored and real.” Basically, it rules.
Vulture - NY Magazine’s entertainment blog covers music news, live shows, rumors, lists, celebrity sightings, and leaks. Worth a visit once a week.
WOXY - “the future of rock and roll” is still alive and well online. Easily the best radio station that I’ve ever heard.
XLR8R - reviews, news, features, MP3s, videos… this site has it all. Plus, it’s also published as a magazine. Hot.
You Ain’t No Picasso - ever want to know what your average college aged Midwestern American male music nerd is listening to? Check out You Ain’t No Picasso.
ZME Music - comprehensive blog covering a very wide variety of genres and styles but focusing on the more popular bands out there, ZME Music is well-designed and has a few features worth keeping an eye on (such as the apparently deceased Wednesday Smiler Jerker).
*front image from HERE.
