Cd of The Week: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix + I'm Back!!

Hey y'all, miss me? First of all I congratulate my esteemed friend Mary Ann for keeping the blog alive during my absence. Do to many technological problems (compy down, internet down) and personal problems (doggy is sick among other things) I have been away from my computer. But for all you worriers, I'm back, safe and sound. Now onto the stuff you come here for in the first place.

Now my C.D. of the week is a weird choice. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. This is the new cd from the band Phoenix. This Cd combines the legato (for you none music types, that means a slurred sounds) vocals of Thomas Mars with the erratic staccato ( short single notes) of Laurent Brancowitz's guitar. At first glance this seems like a decent indie-pop band, but as you listen to they're music you realize, they add in a very exotic element to the songs. This element is electronica. Phoenix's new cd is more Alt. Rock rather than indie-pop electronic. but it still a great C.D.

Laurent Brancowitz (lead guitar) and Deck D'Arcy (bass) are the people to look out for in this C.D. They both display a phenominal expertese in their instruments. Their singer is mediocere. He should stop doing echoes. He does this thing where he repeats himself constantly in an effect to become his own echoer.

The song I chose from this C.D. is Lisztomania. Liszromania is the big hit from Phoenix. He does the echoing this and the lyrics don't make much sense, but its a catchy tune. Enjoy guys.

Its A Twofer!

Sorry these are so late (and so short) but at least I'm doing them.
The two cds are Iron and Wine's The Shepherd's Dog and Fleet Foxes' Ragged Wood. Two incredibly folky albums from two incredibly folky bands. Both are albums are great for a lazy day spent reading books alone, or similarly calm things.The music is great, the lyricism is great, there are way too many songs to love on each album and they are both really, really good so get them! Videos are Flightless Bird, American Mouth by Iron and Wine and White Winter Hymnal by Fleet Foxes.





AND A BONUS FOR OUR ONLY FAN BECAUSE SHE IS AWESOME.

This May Just Be My Favorite Music Video Ever.

Coldplay - Strawberry Swing

NPR Best Songs/Albums of 2009 So Far

NPR, or national public radio for anyone who needs to learn their acronyms, recently released their top 30 songs and albums of this year. Personally, I love just about everything on these lists and I also have something new to listen to besides Matt Nathanson. Due to the lack of CD of the Week last week there will be two posts; one on Friday as a replacement and the regular Saturday night post.

Top 10 Songs

1. "My Girls" Animal Collective
2. "Two Weeks" Grizzly Bear
3. "Blood Bank" Bon Iver
4. "The Rake's Song" The Decemberists
5. "Lisztomania" Phoenix
6. "Zero" Yeah Yeah Yeahs
7. "This Tornado Loves You" Neko Case
8. "Sleepyhead" Passion Pit
9. "Laughing With" Regina Spektor
10. "The Wanting Comes In Waves/Repaid" The Decemberists

Also mentioned were: "Help, I'm Alive" Metric (20), "Daniel" Bat For Lashes (13), and "Heads Will Roll" Yeah Yeah Yeahs (17)

Top 10 Albums

1. Merriweather Post Pavilion by Animal Collective
2. The Hazards of Love by The Decemberists
3. Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear
4. Middle Cyclone by Neko Case
5. Wilco (The Album) by Wilco
6. Noble Beast by Andrew Bird
7. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix by Phoenix
8. It's Blitz! by Yeah Yeah Yeahs
9. Dark Was The Night by Various Artists
10. Bitte Orca by Dirty Projectors

Also mentioned: Far by Regina Spektor (11), Fantasies by Metric (17), and March of the Zapotec by Beirut (28)

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The Roots

So if you're into hip-hop or rap, you shoulda heard of The Roots. These guys stack paper like John Travolta, and they kill on the mic. I swear most all of there stuff is freestyle, and it makes sense, which is unusual with freestyling. Not only that, but from all I've heard, they don't have a single song bout beating the crap outta someone or poppin a piece on some gansta or whatnot. Sure they have lyrics challenging or dissing other rappers, but nothing excesivley violent.
These guys are like Ghostface Killah with KRS 1 mixed in. Their unique beats are emfisized by their fast and thrilling lyrics. I can't emfisize their awesomeness enough. This is their song "Don't Feel Right" from the cd Game Theory, check it.


If you like that, check this link (I can't post it on here but whatever) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avqImhVwObo&feature=channel

Adam Yauch (MCA of the Beastie Boys) Has Cancer

The only reason I'm not on suicide watch right now is because it is "... something that’s very treatable and in most cases it’s, um, they’re able to completely get rid of it." They've canceled future shows and the release of Hot Sauce Committee Part 1 has also been pushed back. I for one wish him well with the surgery and a speedy recovery. Yauch's video announcement is below.



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New Beastie Boys

Too Many Rappers ft. Nas from Hot Sauce Committee Part 1 which comes out Sept 15 and will probably the only album I'm willing to go out and physically buy this year. From this I'm saying it's gonna be worth it.