Featured Artist: The Blow

The Blow is the moniker of Portland, Oregon-based Khaela Yvonne Maricich. "True Affection," is one of my favorite songs by The Blow from her album Paper Television (2006). This album is Maricich's first collaboration with Jona Bechtolt, aka. YACHT, another Oregon-based musician. Jona Bechtolt is an electronic musician along the lines of Discovery.

The Blow typically create songs with thin electronic instrumentation, emphasizing Maricich's childlike voice. On "True Affection" the beat is reminiscent of D4L "Laffy Taffy," but in no other ways is The Blow comparable. The video is pretty strange, home-video-esque, but the song is infectious. Enjoy. Read more!

Fat Freddy's Drop and Life Goals

As of last night I've completed one more life goal. I started a "slow clap." Yes, sir--I had my moment of glory at Fat Freddy's Drop's sold-out performance at The Independent. Between songs, as the rhythm built I was dancing in a musical trance of excitement. Something strange happened. During my two step move, which is worst than Fat Joe's "Lean Back," I started clapping. As I continued clapping those around me followed suit. Normally, I'm just that out of place guy clapping, and then quietly not clapping, but tonight it was different. The song started going and then to my surprise the entire crowd was clapping. Well that's my story, but I was pretty damn pleased with myself. If you have had a slow cap experience, you should share it below. Read more!

Live Review of Daedelus, James Pants and Free The Robots

Before Daedelus’ performance Friday night, I’d never really understood “underground” when describing a show. I’ve listened to underground music. I had been a fan of Daedelus’ Exquisite Corpses, and recently, became a fan of Free the Robots. I never before had to search for a music venue down a dark dead end alley, which was marked by a couple of beef cakes in black suits. Quizzically, like an innocent doe I asked them, “Is this 103 Harriet.” This is underground?
Read more!

MGMT Cover Talking Heads' "This Must Be The Place"

Back before MGMT ever had MGMT they were just some college hipsters at Wesleyan. This was before hipsters became a negative term, before "Kids" was a classic indie song, and before the "change" of Obama. While this cover is not nearly as good as the original, one can tell that these kids had potential. "This Must Be The Place," is by far one of my favorite Talking Heads song. During a summer between my college years, I worked at an Irish pub with two Irish female immigrants, one of which was Emma. She was small, rambunctious and a hell of a mean drunk at times. Whenever she was acting shitty, playing "This Must Be The Place" was the best way to get her smile,and stop screaming at her husband over the phone. Read more!

A&R: The Music Submissions

By Eve Marcellus


Birdmonster - Blood Memory
Birdmonster is a San Francisco-based band and Blood Memory is their fourth major release, coming out a year after their last full-length album, From the Mountain to the Sea. The songs have the unmistakable fine-tuned element of a band that's seasoned: they've recorded full-length albums, explored their sound, and toured the country and you can hear it. At the same time, nothing about the EP's eight tracks feel slick. There's a roughness that comes across through the edgy guitar hooks and barely strained vocals. It's reminiscent of the Replacements-influenced Alternative rock of the 90s, easily floating between folksy, morose acoustic tracks and songs with a more post-punk sensibility. Since they do it well, it comes off sounding both fresh and classic. All in all, it's a super-likable release from a band that seems to be evolving its sound and its skills rather than putting out more of whatever the kids are listening to this week.
As a bonus, swing by their website and check out their blog for a highly recommended "short history of heavy metal."

Sounds Like: A less precious version of early 90s Goo Goo Dolls.
Listen To: I Might Have Guessed (Mean Version), Forever Gone, Day to Day



Everyone's Talking - Dragonflies
Everything about Everyone's Talking's new album is high drama. From the first few notes of the first and title track, you know that no one is going to play any of this at a party--that's ok. This is a piano rock release, it comes with the territory. It goes without saying that the main element of their sound is the piano, not the most popular instrument to put front and center in this heyday of auto tune. However, they certainly don't abandon the electric, and it is used to somewhat an interesting effect. "War pt. 2" is a particularly enticing, if slightly nerdy, blend of digital and analog keys that would be quite at home on the score of the robot version of Braveheart. It is also the only song without vocals on the album. The vocals are high and a touch nasal, for the most part, and the lyrics mirror the instrumentals' seriousness. The tracks where they let some lightness in, and push the boundaries of their dark wave piano, are at least interesting to listen to, but when they don't--well.

Sounds Like: Evanescence, only with boys.
Listen To: War pt. 2, Dragonflies Read more!

Scion Minneapolis: Le Castle Vania 11/19

Scion Minneapolis will be putting on a free show at 7th St. Entry featuring Le Castle Vania, AC Slater, and more, on Nov. 19th. If you're interested in attending, all you need to do is RSVP HERE. The show is 18+ for all you kiddies who are interested and have curfews. I thought I'd mention this, after my recent post discussing commercial endorsements in hip hop, and in music, which you can READ HERE. Read more!

Blakroc: Web Episode #9

Sure I'm looking forward to turkey and stuffing (mmmh), but I can't stop thinking about Blakroc, as Black Thursday nears! I've said this so many time it's become a repeated line, but honestly--I thought after the last web episode I was done hyping this CD, until this web episode of Pharoah Monch. Pharoah Monch is one of the few hip hop emcees to master word play. "Word play?" you ask, references lines like "Fuck the white keys / The Black Keys are the only ones got soul." Now you know. Lookout, Pharoah Monch is a beast on this track.

On a side note. When I first got into this business, I tried working with Pharoah Monch's agent. Dude, is Ari Gold's apprentice. Made fun of me for calling on my cellphone which was listed under my mother's account (family plan, you know it!). Just random, but hey, stay away from that guy, he's a real ass. Read more!