Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Jam of the Day: Tove Lo - "Got Love"


After I recommended her single "Habits (Stay High)" for well over a year, the American public is finally waking up and making it a hit song, where it is currently sitting at Number 13 on the Hot 100 Chart. While none of the songs on her debut album Queen of the Clouds quite reach the perfection of that single, there are still plenty of catchy ear worms to sample. My favorite on the record is the skyscraping "Got Love" which features a soaring chorus.

Monday, September 29, 2014

Jam of the Day: Blonde Redhead - "Penultimo"


Intriguing, haunting, and lovely, "Penultimo," from Blonde Redhead's latest record, plays forward like the languid repetitions in Last Year at Marienbad, drawing you into its lush, foreboding spell.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Monday, September 15, 2014

Jam of the Day: T.O.L.D. - "Lucifer's Eyes"


Dan Smith, a London musician currently working in L.A., records under the moniker T.O.L.D., which stands for The Order Of Life And Death. His track "Lucifer's Eyes" sounds like the perfect mesh of The xx and Jamie xx's solo work (which honestly would likely propel that band a bit more forward). While the steel drums and overall music of the track provide a sunny feel to the song, Smith's lonely voice contrasts this mood with an almost despairing tone. It's a subtle track that will take some time to grow on you. If this song is any indication, Smith is going to be someone to watch out for.

Friday, September 12, 2014

Jam of the Day: MONO - "Where We Begin"


Gorgeous shoegaze track from Japan's MONO.

Videos of the Week


Friday!!!! Videos of the week:



Sometimes simplicity is the best, like this gorgeous video from the immensely talented Jessie Ware.



Stunningly bizarre clip from Perfume Genius.



A surreal vibe permeates this NSFW clip from Lemonade.



Bouncy song and a bouncy clip from singer Megan Washington.



The joy of dancing is apparent in this clip from Sinkane.



Gorgeous black and white clip from Tony Allen, featuring the vocals of Damon Albarn.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Jam of the Day: Clark - "Unfurla"


Gorgeous electronica from Clark, finding him once again elegantly towing the line between head-scratching IDM and dance floor bangers.

Non-Sequiturs


Beefy Daddy.


Handsome.


Love the fur.


Awesome chesticles.


Swoon.


Smoody = sexy + moody.


Lovely pelt of fur.


Ditto.


I would kill for his build.


Peek of fur and smirk.


Bubba hotness.


Damn.


Ginger hottie.


UNF.


Daddy!


Grrrrr.


Nice view.  The mountains are pretty too.


Sweet Baby Jebus.


Lean and mean.


Cute.


Cute too.


Cute three.


Leather bear.


So damn hot.


Woof.


Adorabear.


Sup?


Beach bear.


I would love to be that t-shirt.


Damn and Damn.


Yes, please.


Gorgeous.


Wow.


Beefy bull.


Yes.

Personally, I am very excited to get one of the new iPhone 6s. I shake my head at everyone jumping on one side of the bandwagon of either loving or hating Apple. It is a consumer product. You either like it or not, there is no one forcing you to buy one, and if you feel like owning one (or some other phone) makes you somehow better, more important, or elitist in some way, you have some fucked up priorities.

I will admit to being a classicist in one area, the iPod. I enjoy being able to carry around all my music in one place and not having to utilize my phone to transport or listen to it. With the announcement of the iPhone 6 on Tuesday, Apple also announced they are discontinuing the iPod. RIP iPod. I will miss you once my beloved one plays its last track.

I just love brown rice.


Please learn how to use these fucking words.

Sam Smith's cover of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" is one of the most abysmal covers I have ever heard. He might be able to sing, however, at this point, he doesn't know how to interpret songs.

"Are you crying?"
"No, I am leaking dreams."

I hate when you get toasted bread on a sandwich that is so hard that it cuts your lip.

Why do people have to get weird?


I am sure all cats are like this.  Which is why I love them.

The new U2 album Songs of Innocence is a beautiful bore.

I don't see how people have the energy to go out on a Sunday night and then make it through work on a Monday.

All of a sudden, the real estate market in my neighborhood has not only woken up, it is growling for coffee.

Volker is a pretty cool name.


Exactly.

Some people's smiles are creepy.

In theory, The Juan MacLean should be huge. They have a similar aesthetic to LCD Soundsystem and all, however, there is a slight archness to them that seems to prevent them from being widely accepted. Regardless, I still enjoy them, and their new record In A Dream is very solid.

The minute I start writing for someone else, or a specific audience, I lose any sort of passion I have for the subject. I don't write my blog for anyone but myself.

People seem to sling around the term "bestie" a lot. You have one. Period.


Yes.

Why is there any debate about what side the toilet paper roll is facing?

On a related note, when women complain about the toilet seat being left up, why does it always have to be down for you? Why don't you put it back up after you are done with it? Better yet, why don't you stop complaining about something that takes all of 2 seconds to complete.

It's always nice when you see someone crazy getting together with someone equally as crazy.

On Tuesday, I was woofed at on Scruff by The Lion King, a former member of Color Me Badd, and what looked like a member of the Lollipop Guild.

I don't think any of our Australian friends are coming to Folsom this year. I'm very sad about that.

If you were a doctor/PA/nurse, why would you refer me to a specialist where your exact words to me are "to warn you, we haven't heard good things about their office staff"?


Your cute for the day.

Lyrics Rattling Around My Brain

"Innocent idols who turn me on
While selling bibles to babies
We sleep for a while but then you are gone
All I have left is the story

All I can see before me is the darkest blues
Because I slip to the depths without you

If I met a waitress could she turn me on
I got the time to let her know me
I keep my focus but my dreams keeps me strong
I come abreast of it slowly

All I can see before me is the darkest blue
Because I slip to the depths without you

So many hours that I see before me
Now the stars are out of view
Because I slip to the depths without you."

Interpol
"The Depths"

"It takes a lot of effort
To hold on to all your rules
It can take years to fight movement
It can take years off you!

Out I've been good intentions
While nothing a waiting game
It's been 3 years of then holding the wrath,
But holding on is something wrong

Time after time, when what you're hoping to find
Is not a SIMPLE DESIGN, but a headache
When everything you've built comes falling down
But if you open your mind to a slippery life
When that's look for the time
When that's ready
and everything you need falls to you!

If like to consider the measure
Measure the risk of reward
What makes you think they will love you?!
They just wanna love you more
Take up your sleep in giant
Wake up your terrorcell
They've let the path and you're well on your way
You'll FIGHT THIS TIME

Time after time, when what you're hoping to find
Is not a SIMPLE DESIGN, but a headache
and everything you've built comes falling down
But if you open your mind to a slippery life
When that's look for the time
When that's ready,
And everything you need falls to you!

Falls to you, falls to you
It's all on you
Falls to you, falls to you ready
It's all on you
Falls to you, falls to you ready
That's all on you, ready
Falls to you, falls to you ready
That's all on you, ready

Time after time, when what you're hoping to find
Is not a SIMPLE DESIGN, but a headache
When everything you've built comes falling down
But if you open your mind to a slippery life
When that's look for the time
When that's ready
And everything you need falls to you."

The Juan MacLean
"A Simple Design"

Appealing Things

Slow Magic
The Maze Runner
Totemo
Looking ahead to quiet weekends

Annoying Things

Surly office staff
People who tell me to smile
Those days between summer and fall where the temperatures have no clue what they are doing

New: Arca - "Thievery"


Venezuelan-born, New York based producer Arca is best known for his work with Kanye West and FKA twigs. He is dropping his first solo LP Xen later this fall. Here is the first preview from that record, the queasy instrumental track "Thievery."