Welcome to my side of the 'net. I ruminate over music, books, movies, places, or people that have somehow made me what I am or continue to influence me to this day. I usually post links to mp3s of songs I find interesting.
ATTENTION:
The mp3s linked to this site are for evaluation and sample purposes only. The files are only hosted temporarily, so if they're unavailable, it's gone for good. If possible, some of these links are sourced back to the musicians's official website. Please make sure to support the musicians featured herein by buying their records, going to their shows, and purchasing their merch.
Portland-based Viva Voce is husband and wife duo Kevin and Anita Robertson. They've got four albums under their belt, with Get Yr Blood Sucked Out as their most recent effort. The new album has been lauded for the tight, simple arrangements. The band continues to hold the torch up high for the Barsuk label just as Death Cab For Cutie once did.
I can feel the frustration in Giant Drag's taunt as entitled as such in a song on their second album. Kevin Shields has been in hiding for so long and hasn't given thought about releasing a follow-up to My Bloody Valentine's shoegaze masterpiece, Loveless. He only shows up once in a while for the occasional Greg Araki or Sofia Coppola film (check Splendor for the former, Lost In Translation for the latter). He continues to do more work for Sofia in Friday's anticipated release of Marie Antoinette. I've already been reeled in by the soundtrack, so this is a no-brainer for me to check out this weekend.
Anyway, I'm not posting a soundtrack song. Instead, I'm presenting Kevin where he's been creatively known. This is the second track from Isn't Anything.
The Blow's Poor Aim: Love Songs is available for download on the K Records website. This will tide you over until Paper Television's release day on October 24. Grab it while you can!
The Tarantino/Rodriguez project Grindhouse got a sneak peek at the Spike TV Scream Awards. If you want to check it out, start firing up that Youtube player below.
Here's another band worth checking into. If you like laid back vocals and music that's in the same vein as anything that's been on the Garden State soundtrack, then perhaps you'll like Outerhope as well. Here's the script from their website:
Outerhope was formed when siblings Mike and Micaela Benedicto decided to collaborate on songs built with guitars, keyboards, and vocal harmonies.
Their first studio recording is the album Strangely Paired, a collection of songs that are almost whimsical and a little absent-minded, with constant references to fictional forms of travel.
In 2005, the duo collaborated with Joon Guillen on a song called Final Hour which was completed entirely through mail. Outerhope is now doing new versions of the Strangely Paired songs with Joon on electric guitar, Owel Alvero on bass and Zig Rabara on drums.
Strangely Paired was recorded by Shinji Tanaka at Sound Creation Studios, produced by Outerhope and to be re-released soon by Terno Recordings.
You can download Sky High Blue off their Myspace site. They've also got a couple of other songs in their stream as well.
Formed in 1996, Gojira has been combining strains of various subgenres of metal. From the old-school Thrash of Slayer, the Gothenburg-style vocals found in Death Metal, and even the progressive time-signature shift styles similar to that of Meshuggah, this band has mixed it all together to come up with very heavy results.
The French group was originally named Godzilla. Due to legal reasons, they had to change their name to the original Japanese movie equivalent. Like the allegorical implications of the monster in their moniker, the band is very vocal about the way man has tampered with the environment. Their latest album is entitled From Mars To Sirius.
The Blow is Khaela Maricich and Jona Bechtolt. They're signed to Calvin Johnson's K Records. Khaela originally hails from Seattle and gradually moved to Portland via Olympia. She started The Blow as something akin to Trent Reznor's Nine Inch Nails--a solo project under a band name. That arrangement changed in 2004 when she enlisted Jona to collaborate with musically. Khaela also has a gig as a visual artist at the Portland Institute of Art.
If you like electropop with girl vocals, I suggest you download today's tracks.
The Crane Wife is the latest effort to come out of the creative collaboration of Portland-based combo The Decemberists. Colin Meloy continues to stretch his songcraft skills in painting vivid images with his lyrics as he takes on more ditties on war and separation. This is the group's debut effort for major label Capitol Records. They continue to retain the studio-side core by reenlisting Death Cab For Cutie's Chris Walla to helm production. The warm rings of each arpeggiated note on guitar, piano, strings, and xylophone is such a welcome delight to accompany the booming bass drum and crisp snare crackle. Be on the lookout for a guest appearance by local folkie Laura Veirs on today's selected track, Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then). This is a highly recommended download for the vocal interplay alone. From the repeat listens that I've already done with this CD, it looks like this will be another entry in my Best Albums list for the year.
The Decemberists will be playing The Paramount Theater on November 17 (Bonus, A Friday evening show!!!).
13 Tzameti (pronounced 'zah-meddy') is a riveting and suspenseful movie from France. This is the maiden effort of director Gela Babluani. It's shot in gritty black-and-white, perhaps to contrast all the gray-line conclusions that the main character has to go through in the movie.
We follow the events that transpire through the main character, Sebastien (played by Georges Babluani). He is a roofer who needs money to support his family. He comes across some information regarding an opportunity that can be a huge financial windfall as the occupant of the house that he's been fixing suddenly encounters his demise. He takes the train ticket and hotel reservation in Paris meant for the deceased and assumes the task that's been entrusted to him. Little does he know that he's going to be involved in an underground high-stakes Russian Roulette tournament. This ain't fight club, Betty Sue.
This film is now perhaps one of the best I've seen all year long. I relished the moments of tension as the time of sheer panic and relief is only literally separated by a hair trigger. The confined space where everything takes place only proves to emphasize how the participants's private anguish is now public spectacle. They don't even have any semblance of control and desperately hang on each time the gamble results in an empty chamber. Never have I thought that impending doom and salvation could all be found at the flick of a switch.
