The Trials of Van Occupanther, Midlake’s 2006 masterpiece, was an album of intimate concerns. Its protagonist yearned for simpler times and separation from the trappings of modern man — even as he sought a romantic connection to the outside world. These musings were buoyed and brightened by exuberant folk-rock as anthemic and open-armed as its words were introspective. By contrast, the band’s long-awaited, laboriously crafted follow-up, The Courage of Others, plays like an inverse of its predecessor. Read the rest of this entry »
(Also: in the sidebar at right, you’ll notice a Grooveshark playlist titled “Ongoing 2010 Jams.” I’ll be updating it throughout the year as said jams make themselves known. Click, stream, enjoy.)
News: Rose Melberg’s Go Sailor is reuniting for Los Angeles and San Francisco shows, my take on the 2010 Grammy Awards, Joanna Newsom’s Have One On Me cover art revealed, Broken Social Scene’s next album due in May and some answers to the rumors circling around about Radiohead’s next album.
Deeper Into Movies: Best Picture hopeful A Serious Man (pictured).
In anticipation of The Who’s incendiary half-time glory at the Super Bowl today, Grooveshark and I present, for your listening pleasure, the greatest live album of all time — the 2001 deluxe edition release of The Who’s Live At Leeds, featuring a full performance of Tommy. Stream it after the jump and buy it on Amazon. Read the rest of this entry »
With former Beulah frontman Miles Kurosky’s extremely rad solo debut and an accompanying tour imminent, now’s the time to catch up on his old gig. A Good Band Is Easy To Kill is a good, if not quite I Am Trying To Break Your Heart-level look at Beulah’s final tour and eventual split. The performances, including one at L.A.’s Troubadour, are excellent, but #kidstoday may be surprised to see what life was like for a touring band 10 years into a career on the eve of the Great Indie Rock Paradigm Shift Of 2004. (Buy it on Amazon)
The Vimeo migration continues. Here’s Grizzly Bear at UCLA’s Kerckhoff Grand Salon three years ago (time flies!) on February 2, 2007. There’s a photo somewhere of me and Ed Droste palling around after this gig, which was totally worth skipping that Romantic Lit class I ended up dropping for.
Is Radiohead’s eighth studio album done?! @diditleak? Is Thom hanging out in Malibu?! Everything you need to know after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
The Trials of Van Occupanther, Midlake’s 2006 masterpiece, was an album of intimate concerns. Its protagonist yearned for simpler times and separation from the trappings of modern man — even as he sought a romantic connection to the outside world. These musings were buoyed and brightened by exuberant folk-rock as anthemic and open-armed as its words were introspective. By contrast, the band’s long-awaited, laboriously crafted follow-up, The Courage of Others, plays like an inverse of its predecessor. Read the rest of this entry »
Jams: A First Look at Beach House’s sublime 
In anticipation of The Who’s incendiary half-time glory at the Super Bowl today, Grooveshark and I present, for your listening pleasure, the greatest live album of all time — the 2001 deluxe edition release of The Who’s Live At Leeds, featuring a full performance of Tommy. Stream it after the jump and buy it on 
