The Kings of Leon Vs. Modest Mouse

In attempt to make people like my blog better I installed a gadget. It is a poll. Impressed?

So who wins? Modest Mouses' new album, 'No ones first and your next,' is getting positive attention due to the fact that the band is reaching back to its roots a bit. Songs are awesome and as usual it sounds unlike other stuff out there. The Kings of Leon new album, 'Only By the Night' is also really sweet, with an album packed with good listens. I'm not going to tell you which one I like better...you have to decide for yourself. Download those mofo's here:

Modest Mouse: http://drop.io/przpnny#
Kings of Leon: http://drop.io/e1m9i6n#

Local Native's Daytrotter

For all you kids getting high and listening to Grizzly Bear or jamming out to Citizen Cope at work, be sure to use LA's Local Natives to unwind after the day ends. Sure the EP will make you feel like a 16 year old girl screaming into a hairbrush after breaking up with your boyfriend, but a little EMO here and there never hurt anyone.

Local Natives opened for Blind Pilot a few months ago at the Black Cat in DC and their poppy appeal is immediately catchy. With two guitar players, a bassist, drummer, and lead singer who also plays keyboard, the sound is rich and melodic with lots of depth.



For their 5 song Daytrotter EP: http://drop.io/tfev39m

To see more worthwhile pics and poster art check out their MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/localnatives

Grizzly Bear's Veckatimest

Sorry for not posting anything lately but I am going to get back on track now! Also, if any of you guys have good music and want to make a blog post, it's really easy and I can give you access to write.

This week we are going to examine my friend Grizzly Bear. MMMm, Grizzly Bear. I have been loving their music since they came out with Yellow House in 2006. Unfortunately I only had those tracks on my ipod that I left in the rain. BUT, I did DL their new album called Veckatimest and it happens to be the fracking bees knees.

For all of you who having been rooting for more entries on acoustic type stuff (Ray LaMontagne and Andrew Bird) this is sort of for you. It is soft and catchy and all that...it is also a bit more experimental however. If you are interested in some crazy song structure and some mad cool harmonies, get after this one. For a good first taste, check out 'Two Weeks' which is track two.

Link to music: http://drop.io/xxoqgiu#

Citizen Cope is perfect to listen to while you work

I'm sure you all have your playlists you jive to while you're 'gettin it done' 9-5 everyday. I myself prefer either classical stuff or a bit of acoustic rock, and will most definitely crank up a little Rage Against the Machine for important deadlines. When in doubt though, I often find myself going back to the always fresh sounds of Citizen Cope. Although he boasts quite a collection of successful albums, the one that really got my musical rocks off was 'The Clarence Greenwood Recordings." The grooves are very hip-hop oriented but other influences of reggae and blues can certainly be detected.

So what makes an album good to listen to at work? I have thought about this quite a bit because for some reason I can't focus while listening to certain artists. My personal conclusions are that the music has to be:

-chill/relaxing enough so as not to increase your stress
-not the softest of soft because you don't want to fall asleep
-have a good beat/groove to contribute to the rhythm of the workCitizen Cope seems to do all of these things for me, and so I recommend getting into your workflow with a few tracks from this shiiiiiit: http://drop.io/hn3k8iz#

Ray Lamontagne = Trouble

If I were uber-rich, I would pay Ray Lamontagne (pronounced Lay-mon-tane) to follow me through a golden wheat field at dawn while singing and playing his guitar. This folk-rock artist produces melodies that can be compared to Van Morrison’s more mellow songs. You know, the ones that make you want to nap under a willow tree.

Ray’s raspy but soft vocals go hand-in-hand with his lyrics, which are often romantic and about a woman. He has released three albums: Trouble, Till The Sun Turns Black and Gossip in the Grain. I personally enjoy all three, but it’s best to start with Trouble.

Some of his appeal comes from the fact that he is a very ordinary guy with a private life. Everyone can find something about Ray that they can relate to. For me, it’s reading Fantasy books in the forest. For you, it’s probably working in a shoe factory and having a violent, dead-beat father.

Enjoy!

http://drop.io/ailn7ff

Air's Talkie Walkie

Talkie Walkie is Air's second to newest album, and is classified as ambient electronica. I am by no means an electronica fan but nobody can deny Air. They are in my top favorite bands of all time, one of those that have stuck around on my playlists for the past 5 or so years.

How is Air different from other bands you listen to? Well, the most obvious difference is that the genius of the songs is displayed through a unique composition and song structure as opposed to a formulaic verse chorus structure that other artists often take advantage of. This band makes up their own patterns and follows the rules of pop music only when they want to. Some of my favorite air songs don't have any vocals. In fact when the band does use vocals, it is more as an instrument in the layering, and less as a spotlighted melody. That is why each song can be taken as an audio adventure that most times proves to be unpredicatable and shocking.

Is Air's music stoner music? It is certainly stereotyped as so. However no matter what state of mind you are in, this band will change your mood to fit there's. Check out the track 'Run' and you will get a taste of how Air dictates the listener's feelings, falling back in forth from eerie minors to heavenly majors. Download one of my all-time favorite albums right here:

http://drop.io/adznra4#

The Dodos' 'Visitor'

Who likes psychedelic folk rock? I do I do I do!

Visiter by the Dodos was one of my favorite albums this past year; truly a very worthwhile band to get into.

Highlights include: crazy rim shot drum parts, obscure vocal harmonies, and eerie lyrical themes. The album is unique in that it is strung together in a folky way by acoustic guitars, ukelele, and soft horns.

Check them out in Brooklyn at the NorthSide Festival, June 14.

Forget that hogwash on the radio. CHECK OUT THE DODOS INSTEAD. THE SWEET SWEET DODOS! Sorry, I am kind of tired and the brain isn't functioning properly. But seriously download the cd here:

http://drop.io/thedodoscd1523#
(first 13 tracks)

http://drop.io/thedodoslasttrack#
(last track)