It's around here Somewhere...

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Model - Like.

As I stood with my hand above my mop that I call my hair yesterday morning in the lobby of my school where all the ghetto kids and scenesters catch up before failing their algebra classes, my friend mentioned the fact that everything I do, physically, makes me look like a narcissistic model.

I make sure my three-dollar, black wool coat always exposes about 6 inches of my vintage tee of some sort of bar in the late 60's. (by the way, the one I'm wearing now is for a place called "Ruckidee's"). I also stand with my legs crossed and with an iced-cold expression in the morning. I've seen my friends' evidence, in the form of pictures, I do stand like that...but trust me, it's not all on purpose. The way I dress--like a homeless hipster--is severely intentional. Everything else is inspired by my dislike for the place I am in and fueled by the desire for 2:25 to come. I am an A student, but I don't like it anymore than anyone else.

And another thing, just because my bangs make me look like Zooey Deschanel, it doesn't mean you can say I remind you of Kate Moss.

Band of the Moment: Harlem


I was in Newbury Comics last week for National Record Store day (more on that event later), and as I checked out, the music playing over the speakers caught my undivided attention. The last live band had just gotten offstage, and this coming over the stereo was much better. When I looked towards the register, the vinyl of Texan band Harlem's new album, "Hippies", was displayed above the laminated sign "Now playing". I instantaneously felt the feeling that everyone who loves music loves more than they love Daft Punk: "I think I have just found a new band".

When I got home, even before opening the cheap White Stripes album I had bought used, I went straight to youtube (thinking Harlem was too obscure to be on any downloading platform) to listen to the album.

The first song I listened to when I got to the website was "Someday Soon", a rattling, guitar-peppy filled, chant-like, ubercatchy song that I realized was the song that had caught my ear inside Newbury Comics. I immediately fell in love with their punky songs that sounded like they were recorded in their buddies basement. I was in complete indie rock heaven.

When I checked them out on Myspace, I found out that they were coming to Boston--in four days. Of course, they were going to be coming to Boston the night before I come back from spring break. I went to Boston on Friday morning, and on the train I noticed that they were featured in the concert calender of the Metro. My reaction was a fusion of giddiness and sad. It was only a ten dollar show--and I probably could have gone, but I figured that they were bound to come back someday soon. I honestly would not be too surprised if they end up playing Lollapalooza or Coachella next year. That, my friends, would be fantastic.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Lets get Physical

Lately, I have decided to be entirely alternative, and in this case, being someone from 1999; I am going to expand my wee album collection.

Yes, I am rejecting downloads. Well, for the most part. I will still be "buying" downloads, but I do want to be proactive with the physical object of a CD. This all kind of started last year when my friends got me all I wanted for my birthday, Yeah Yeah Yeahs' It's Blitz!. From then, I got a hint to start my collection. Christmas, and buying Vampire Weekend's Contra in January definitely got me going with all of this CD commotion.

Since then, albums from The White Stripes, Bloc Party, The Strokes, MGMT, Sonic Youth, and many others have followed. Anyone have any ideas on what I should get next?

"I liked them when no one knew them..."


It's possibly the worst thing to ever happen to an independent music lover: When your favorite, obscure artist gets discovered and goes totally mainstream.

Yes, it is like a dagger through the heart. It kills so badly. Most relevant example: La Roux's UK hit "Bulletproof". "Bulletproof" has been released for nearly a year, and now I hear my local pop station blasting it constantly. Even worse, the guy on the radio station says something so terrible: "That was some new stuff from La Roux!". NO IT IS NOT! It's been around forever!

But La Roux's case is nothing out of the ordinary. When does this not happen? Its been happening for years, including last year with Phoenix and Kings of Leon. Granted, I still enjoy listening to them, but the fact that they have become commercial fixtures sets me on edge. In a sense, all artists start out "underground", so this is the only way for any success to be withheld. But once a band creates such a cultural change in the independent market, it kind of rains on the indie parade when Fun 107 starts jamming them.

So tell me, all three of you who read this blog, has this annoyance ever happen to you before?

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Music Review: MGMT - "Congratulations"


After two years of the bulbs flashing, MGMT must have been planning to knock their catchy pop synth busters with shining anthem value image and try at the psychedelic rebellion.

"Congratulations" is nothing at all like their epic breakthrough album "Oracular Spectacular". "Oracular.." never strayed from a genius formula of synthesizer heartbeats and battle cry lyrics. "Congratulations" comes across greatly as the after party of all the fame. It is the riveting mountain-climb of a concept album which tells a story seemingly told through a drug addled Andrew VanWyngarden's weeping cry and humming put off into the distance."Oh Maryanne, pass me the joint." WynGarden whispers in a 12-minute dream "Siberian Breaks". From the flagship song "Flash Delirium" and an upbeat "Song for Dan Treacy", which are the most similar to Oracular's charm, to psycho-nuggets "I Found a Whistle" and the wonderful song of the same title as the album "Congratulations" sound like a '67 jam session.

"Congratulations", in a sense, is a perfect follow up. They stray from what's their boundries, and this may be their breakthrough. All I know is that the kids at Hot Topic are not going to be too happy with this new MGMT. A-


DOWNLOAD THIS: "Song for Dan Treacy" (and) "Congratulations".

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Band of the Moment: Yeasayer

It can't be too hard to make a catchy, synthpop gem, but Brooklyn jammers Yeasayer, and their new album "Odd Blood" make it look like a god damn science experiment.

Much like Animal Collective, noise wise, and Dirty Projectors experimental and harmony wise, Yeasayer deliver euphoric dance-hall supplements one after another without a break of sweat. It all goes down smoother than water. The album is so beautifully catchy and danceable, you'd think they were the second coming of Bowie.

Their thriving tour and numerous spots at festivals this Summer (Glastonbury, Lollapalooza) solidify the fact that they aren't gonna go down without swinging. And, God, I hope they do not turn into Passion Pit. So I beg you, Yeasayer, please do not make a commercial with any of the Palm phones. I beg you.

On a rainy Tuesday...Julian Casablancas Blows my Mind.

It was March the 23rd. A Tuesday. Pouring outside. My father, disabled from the night before accidentally cutting himself washing the dishes, begrudgingly takes me and my brother to Providence.

When my brother, Justin, and I got out of the car at the Providence Place mall at 5 P.M., it suddenly kicked in that when the doors opened at Lupo's at the Roxy at eight o' clock; only three hours away, I'd be seeing my idol Julian Casablancas rocking out. The feeling of anticipation was of a euphoric bliss and uber-nervousness, because this is what I wanted to become. I wanted to become that hipster indie kid listening to Felix Da Housecat in the back of my science class and seeing The Strokes' front man on a rainy school night. This night was an expected taste.

After eating 2nd-rate Chinese food from the mall (which ran me eight bucks, by the way) and walking around Border's, we decided to finally just walk over to Lupo's. It was 7 PM, and I was stoked. Only 6 college students were waiting in line; all in the rain. Luckily, I had an umbrella. Also, we also had entertainment. A production bus in front of Lupo's was for a pilot called something like " Night of Darkness". The scrambling crew was interesting enough to stop shuddering in the paralyzingly cold rain.

It's not 7 anymore, it's not 8, and the Lupo's workers are just letting us in. Of course, I got searched, and the just ran into the dance floor. There was no one, and I was right at the front row. I looked up, and saw that where I was standing was within reach of where Julian's mic would be. My stoke level was through the roof.

The opening act, a synth-dream of a band from Providence called "Triangle Forest" rocked the place. They were fantastic. I suggest you look for them on Myspace. During this, and the wait for the show, I got to do what is one of my favorite things at concerts: becoming friends with the people around you. Lets just say by the time Julian came on, I was 6 feet away from my brother and I was dancing with other people.

Okay. Here it is.

Julian came out around 10-ish. He came almost stumbling out singing one of my favorites from his new solo album, "Phrazes for the Young", "Ludlow St.". I knew every word, and Julian, a foot above my face could see it. I kinda felt special and apart of everything having that knowledge of who this was and what he represented.

The whole night turned into a blur of me screaming out to him and him walking around the stage singing these blissful songs of random long-notes. I swear I almost shit myself when the baseline for "Hard to Explain"--one of The Strokes' finest songs. And when this night couldn't get any better, I shot my hand out and yelled "Julian! You're my idol!". He did the best thing I could ever ask for: a nod and a genuine handshake. I was in heaven. How often do you get to shake one of your idols hands? "Yeah, I wrote that shit, I can play it" he said when he was through with the anthem.

Other covers from the Strokes and all his new, original solo stuff were absolutely terrific. With a sticker and a shirt from merchchandise, and that nod and my hand in which I went home and sprawled all over my "Is This It" record, I will always remember my night with Mr. Casablancas.



At the very end of the video, you see him nod and shake someones hand. That hand then shoots up into the air. Yeah, that's mine.