This has been around for a couple weeks now and I totally forgot to post it up. Information Leafblower put together a little community of the popular mp3/music bloggers out there and had them compile and rank their top 10. There is alot of bands on this list that I really like, I guess that really does make them top 40…? Ha, either way it’s a good read, you may find something new you like.
The Subways live, so amazing. I headed out to Hollywood to CineSpace to enjoy “Tuesdays at Cinespace,” yet this was a different Tuesday. I knew it would be big for one because The Subways were playing, and for two because it was Steve Aoki’s official birthday party. Steve Aoki is a dj and founder of Dim Mak records who have Bloc Party signed as well as many others.
Back to the show, small intimate stage and The Subways just tore it up. They went on at about 12:45am and were the only band that played, and did and awesome job of holding the stage. Just dance and rock and goodtimes. I love bands of three. (of course We Are Scientists amoung others) The Subways are from the UK yet were happy to be in Los Angeles and brought so much energy to the stage and I think everybody saw that. We’ll see soon if The Subways will gain some popularity over here in the US, they definately have the potential. Especiallly since they have already been featured on the hit tv show The OC.The party before and after the show was also exceptionally awesome with Steve Aoki on the tables and a fun dance floor. Overall, great show and great times.
Check out The Subways on:
Myspace or their website: TheSubways.net
James Blunt, a guy you should have heard of by now in popular music. He’s still not that huge here in the US but will be very soon. I caught wind of him when I saw he was opening for a Jason Mraz show I was going to. So I found he had a free song on iTunes, and a few minutes later I ended up buying the album.
His debut album, Back to Bedlam is, well, beautiful. James sings and plays wonderfully with both sad and uplifting lyrics. “3 wisemen” is one of my favorite tracks along with “So long Jimmy,” which is what I see is talking about Jim Morrison of The Doors.
Check out his website for music and vids: JamesBlunt.com
Get “Back to Bedlam” on Amazon.
There is a nice bio and some MP3’s over at Veritas Lux Mea
This video is way cool, and of course the song to go along with it. I just feel so happy watching it. When I see really good music video’s like this I want to find out who made it all all that. Yet I can’t seem to find anything right now as this has “officially” been released. If you know… leave a comment.
Download the video: HERE
The Changes are cooool. Awesome poppy rock songs. Just wonderful listening at anytime. I hear some cool 80’s in their music along with catchy guitar and keyboard topped of a with a good lead singer. Overall good sounds. Everybody is saying they will probably get pretty big, and I agree. Apparently they are already selling out a bunch of shows in their hometown of Chicago, I’m sure they will move on across the country.
Check out their website: the-changes.com for some mp3’s and their myspace
Head over to TakeYourMedicine for another mp3. I first heard of The Changes from Dreams Of Horses
The Changes: Myspace | Official Website
A bunch of kids in a band that is good, and different. Their pop rock electronic sound is different yet so much fun to listen too. They are getting alot of attention at selling out their shows, opening for Fall Out Boy, and even getting some love from Rolling Stone which is way awesome. I’m for sure going to be writing about Panic! again cause at the moment I’m into this pop rock electronic coolness.
Get some mp3’s over on PureVolume
Panic! At the Disco on Myspace
Buy on Amazon: Panic! At the Disco - A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out
Head Automatica is one of those rockish bands you could really dance too. I saw these guys last year when they opened up for LostProphets. The lead singer, Daryl Palumba is quite the character. He’s dancing all over the stage in his blaze orange windbreaker, while there’s a guitarist in the corner with super long hair and a blazer on with no shirt on. Quite the band. I didn’t know of them before the show, but when their album came out a few weeks later I made sure to get it, and it’s a good one. It’s kinda like disco rock, well I don’t even know really what to call it.
Check out their website: headautomatica.com for a couple video’s and listen to some music.
Everybody loves cool shirts, and Threadless has cool shirts. I myself have 3, and probably going to buy more.
Check out the $10 Sale for the holidays. Get somebody a gift, or maybe something for yourself?
VHS or Beta are a cool disco ish 80’s ish rock ish band. The funny part is, I like all that ish. I actually heard/saw a music video by these guys months ago and totally forgot how catchy and fun the music was because it was so hard to find at the time. Well now you can head over to their website, vhsorbeta.com and watch some cool videos as well as stream their music.
You can buy the album and get a couple free downloads on the Amazon VHS or Beta page
I’m diggin Tom Vek. His latest release We Have Sound is looking pretty rad. I just picked it up and am giving it a listen. I heard of him awhile ago over at The Camera As Pen. I heard a couple songs, then just remembered to check him out again.
There is alot of goodies on his website, tomvek.tv including awesome videos and short streaming previews of the latest album.
I found UHF over at Grey Will Fade and yeah they are cool. They don’t remind me of any other band, yet just the name “UHF” reminds me of the old Weird Al film UHF. Don’t mix these two things together. UHF the band has a cool fresh sound (to me) with hints of Pink Floyd in the song “Nothing.” I say give them a listen.
They have some free songs on their website: UHFweb.com
To make it easy for you, here they are: (right click and save as)
Disconnect
Revolving Door
So High
Nothing
Their latest album All Our Golden Tomorrows is due out this month.
I’ve liked Minus The Bear for awhile now, for a few reasons. 1)They play good music 2)That’s a cool band name 3)They have cool track names.
Their fifth and latest album Menos el Oso released in August 2005 is a keeper. “Menos el Oso,” is spanish for “Minus the Bear,” (if you use online translators they say “except the bear”) which further adds to their cool naming schemes. This album is a little slower than the last album, Highly Refined Pirates yet still rocks in the usual Minus The Bear style. “El Torrente” (english: The Torrent) is one of my favorite tracks on the album along with “Puchaca (Pachuca) Sunrise.” The guitar melodies rock, yet are peaceful throughout each track. For me it’s one of those band that I can always listen to and this album I can listen to straight through without skipping a song. [Same thing with Bloc Party’s Silent Alarm album] The one negative thing I have to say, each track has too much of the same sound. Yes that is their style, but I want a little more diversity. Even though I can listen to the album all the way through, it gets old.
Pitchfork kinda likes it and gave it a 7.1 - Read the review.
Purchase Menos el Oso from Amazon.com
Aberdeen City is a group out of Boston that just released their debut album, The Freezing Atlantic. I’ve been seeing lots of good things about this album. They remind me of alot of bands yet I really like their own unique sound. I’m for sure going to pick up this album.
For more and some mp3’s follow the links:
Grey Will Fade
ChromeWaves: Sunday Clearing
Yesterday Sun Kill Moon aka Mark Kozelek released a new album Tiny Cities, completely made of Modest Mouse covers. Some people may be way into this, but just a warning, it’s not Modest Mouse anymore. It’s Mark basically just using the lyrics to his own music. For me it may be one of those “I don’t like it right away but after listening for a bit I might like it,” things.
Decide for yourself. You can get a little taste by heading over to Stereogum and downloading “Ocean Breathes Salty.”
Or TheCameraAsPen for more mp3’s
The Light Footwork is a group to watch according to many places across the web, and I agree. Their debut album “One State Two State,” is being regarded as a great album. I’ve been listening to the free mp3’s for and enjoy them all. I just feel light when I listen… sorry that wasn’t funny.
There are a few mp3’s available.
On PureVolume: The Light Footwork and you can also follow the links over at Stereogum
