This has provided me no shortage of amusement for the past 24 hours. I love Craigslist.
Divine Styler | Make it Plain
Stylist needed
Scrubbles.net says: Moonbabies
Moonbabies
Moonbabies At The Ballroom (Hidden Agenda)
At the Ballroom marks the fourth album from Swedish indie pop duo Moonbabies (full disclosure: I haven’t heard albums #1-3). This male/female pair creates atmospheric, melodic soundscapes awash in tinkly keyboards and acoustic guitars, an effect best displayed on the must-downloads “War On Sound” and “Take Me To The Ballroom”. Their music mostly takes its cues from the early ’90s shoegazer bands (especially on “Cocobelle”), but their distinct lack of edginess makes the group a My Bloody Valentine for kids who weren’t yet born when Loveless came out. Not that they’re immune from other influences; I can appreciate how they lifted the guitar riff from The Crystals’ “Then He Kissed Me” for “Shout It Out”, but otherwise it’s a pretty boring song. Overall, the album might be something useful to have on the iPod while sipping a Starbucks Orange Créme Frapuccino® — a pleasant diversion smothered in its own sense of faux hipness.
Moonbabies at the Ballroom releases today. Download at eMusic or buy the album at Amazon.com.
The Moonbabies | Take Me to the Ballroom
Bark Bark Bark
I’m a little embarrassed that Dodge at My Old KENTUCKY Blog beat me to the punch on an Arizona artist. Hey, what’re you gonna do?
No matter. I’ve seen the name Bark Bark Bark around town for quite some time now, then I saw a Retard Disco sampler at Stinkweeds and figured it was the opportune time to listen.
From my limited sampling of his music, Bark Bark Bark (who signs his checks Jacob Cooper … wait, do people still use checks?) is cut from the same cloth as artists like Panther, who has been featured here prominently. It’s a one-man show, all freaky and fractured electro-pop. Bark Bark Bark is from Tucson, but he reminds me a bit of Phoenix artist Treasure Mammal, who perhaps lays on the irony a little thicker.
You can buy Bark Bark Bark’s new LP, Haunts, at Retard Disco.
Weekend itinerary
While I’m in Chicago this weekend for a bachelor party (woot!), my fellow Phoenicians have a plethora of shows from which to choose.
TONIGHT:
The Album Leaf with Lymbyc Systym and Back Ted N-Ted at the Brickhouse in Phoenix.
SUNDAY:
Voxtrot with Au Revoir Simone and Futurekind at Anderson’s Fifth Estate in Scottsdale.
MONDAY:
Blue Scholars and Common Market at the Hidden House in Phoenix or Sparta at the Clubhouse in Tempe.
- Blue Scholars | Inkwell (Crashed Cop Car Remix) (peep the familiar sample)
- Sparta | Taking Back Control
Albert Hammond Jr. at Martini Ranch last night
I’d listened to Albert Hammond’s Yours to Keep just a few times via Rhapsody, and, even though I really like it, I kept my expectations for his live show in check. Needless to say, he was outstanding, skinny/white jeans notwithstanding. (Also, the vest-with-T-shirt look is so in right now.)
Maybe there’s nothing to it, but should we read anything into the Strokes taking the year off and Hammond’s burgeoning solo career being so well-received? He insists that isn’t the case.
More on Hammond to come, including a possible entry into the I Used to Love H.E.R. series.
Albert Hammond Jr. | Cartoon Music for Superheroes
Phat Kat: Cold Steel
I recently read a little bit about Detroit rapper Phat Kat, the first time I’d heard of him, which is fitting seeing as how that story details his success in Europe and relative obscurity in the U.S.
Analog Giant already has been up in your face about fellow Detroit emcee/producer Black Milk, who makes an appearance on Phat Kat’s Carte Blanche, released last month on Look Records.
Phat Kat (aka Ronnie Cash) not only name-checks Phoenix, AZ, on Nasty Ain’t It, he also has worked with J Dilla, so you probably shouldn’t need any more proof to check it out. But if you do, Cold Steel (courtesy Spinner) should set you straight. Have you ever heard such a menacing bass line?
Phat Kat (feat. Elzhi) | Cold Steel
TONIGHT: Finally. El-P is at the Clubhouse in Tempe. Get your tickets. I was fortunate to talk to him for my day job. Check it out.
‘How do I turn your music on here?’
Oh, man. This is awesome. (Courtesy of DJ Z-Trip’s Web site.)
Be sure to check out the latest download from Z-Trip, live at the Get Back from Las Vegas.
TV on the Radio: Live at Amoeba EP
This might very well be the first (and last?) post here ever on TV on the Radio. See, my boy Royce is crazy about ’em, and I’ve tried to get into ’em and it just hasn’t stuck the way I (or he) had hoped. Whenever I offer the dismissive shrug followed by “eh,” I get the evil eye.
So, this one is for Royce, who could use your donations as he grows something sort of resembling a mustache for a good cause.
TV on the Radio played the fantastic Amoeba Records in Hollywood on Sept. 22, 2006. A four-song EP has been released, and I snagged it after racking up some Stinkweeds credit for a minor cleansing of unwanted CDs.
Buy the EP at (where else?) Amoeba.
TV on the Radio | Wolf Like Me (live at Amoeba)
View some video and interview footage, courtesy of Amoeba.
Bo, you don’t know Diddley
Good to see Bo Diddley on the mend after a stroke on Sunday.
Who remembers this commercial?
sourceVictoria streaming new tracks
For many reasons, sourceVictoria has been name-checked here quite often, not the least of which is that the band hovers among my favorites (think the sort of admiration reserved for bands like the National).
The group has been recording new material, and, from what I’ve heard so far, it only cements my near-flawless reasoning. You can listen for yourself at MySpace. Pay particular attention to Miss Spiritual Tramp of 1948, a song based on the J.D. Salinger story A Perfect Day for Bananafish.
“There’s nothing more to say / this suffering’s all that I own.” Love it.
Unfortunately, Jeff Livingston will be playing his last show as piano/keys player for the band on May 25 at Yucca Tap Room; Jeff is moving soon to San Diego. (You can also catch Jeff on Friday at the Paper Heart as part of the Jon Rauhouse Orchestra.)