Ponytail Video

Here' the video for "Die Allman Bruder" from Ponytail's Ice Cream Spiritual. Expect the sudden urge to fingerpaint upon viewing.

A Little Hoochie Coo On The Side

I've got a fever. And I'm pretty sure the only prescription is more King Khan and the Shrines. Their new album, The Supreme Genius Of, is that straight up dose of rock and roll you've been seeking. I promise. The first track on my playlist is for your sampling pleasure. Or, just get the album wherever.

Feed The Animals

Go here to get it. Pay whatever you want. I'd save your hard-earned dinero for the vinyl copy that Wham City is eventually releasing.

4 Names, 1 Dude, & 1 Ridiculous Album

While picking up some other awesome records during my lunchbreak yesterday, I stumbled upon Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson's debut LP. The first track off this album has been on repeat for me over the past couple weeks, so naturally I grabbed it.

When you have Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor on production along with fellow bandmates Chris Bear and Daniel Rossen collaborating, chances are your going to produce an amazing album. Oh, and Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio also makes a few appearances. Wow.

The thing is, I'm pretty sure that even without all of the extra talent helping him out, this record would have been remarkable anyways. His songwriting style and lyrics are truly unique, which will certainly draw much attention to this new Brooklyn-based artist.

The album will be released on Say Hey Records July 1st, but Soundgarden has copies of it now. Check out a few of the tracks for free right here. "Burified" is the jam that has not left my head for the past month.

Lookout Ice Cream, Lookout Zoomer

There are three releases to look forward to tomorrow, one of which features the elephant adventurer cover art seen to the left. The Silver Jews drop Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea on Drag City tomorrow. The band just finished a tour with Monotonix, who bring their supposedly stellar live show back to Baltimore on Tuesday.

Another local event this Tuesday includes the release of Ponytail's second album. The band's highly anticipated Ice Cream Spiritual promises to be packed with shrieks of experimental power pop. And of course, Sup Pop's behemoth, Wolf Parade also puts out their second LP the 17th. At Mount Zoomer is an album most have been looking forward to since their first epic release in 2006.

In completely unrelated news, today's Daytrotter session features Spoon. The four free tracks include a Paul Simon cover, a song from their very first EP, and a song that Daytrotter claims to be unreleased.* However, that song is in fact the second to last track on their 2002 record, Kill the Moonlight.

*edit: The page still says its unreleased but changed it to mention that it is on Kill the Moonlight (probably Spoon's best record).

Soapy Fresh New Devendra?

Devendra Banhart's new project maybe possibly surfaced on myspace this week, going by the moniker "Megapuss". The dudes underneath the garbage bags are rumored to be Devendra along with Priestbird's Greg Rogove.

Their myspace page features 2 spankin' new tracks, one of which is pure 1960's soul/bliss/pop titled "Crop Circle Jerk '94". The other track is a bit more ridiculous, with lyrics pertaining to Trader Joe's Hummus, but is still pretty awesome. Go and check them out now.

Half Yearly Top 10

There's been some pretty decent releases in the the first half of 2008. While we have yet to come across to this year's Person Pitch, there's been no lack of quality albums. Here are my favorite 10 records so far this year:

10. The Black Angels, Directions To See a Ghost

9. The War On Drugs, Wagonwheel Blues
(out 6/19)

8. Atlas Sound, Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel

7. BSS presents Brendan Canning, Something For All of Us
(LP out 7/22...digitally available now right here.)

6. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Lie Down in the Light

5. Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes

If you don't like this album,
you are a jerk.





4. No Age, Nouns

Perfect for sunny day cruises with the windows down and the yearning for rock & roll music has ensued.





3. The Dodos, Visiter


Two dudes that sound like eleven dudes, and also put together an excellent freak/psych/whatever folk(ish) record.




2. Beach House, Devotion

If you have a wine cellar in your basement, or better yet a dungeon, play this record there. I have done neither, but am pretty sure it would be to your benefit.




1. The Ruby Suns, Sea Lion

This album consists of truly blissful musical elements from the entire world, by way of a band from New Zealand.





Honorable mentions include, but are not limited to:
Saturday=Youth by M83, Third by Portishead, In Ghost Colors by Cut Copy, Welcome by James Pants, and Heretic Pride by The Mountain Goats.

The Mixtape About Nothing

Need I say more? Go get it for free right here.

Nude

Big Ideas (Don't get any) from 1030 on Vimeo.

Falafel and Drum-Surfing

In light of my recent travels, I present you with Monotonix. They are from Tel Aviv, and they kinda rock. If blending the Black Lips with a little Sabbath and maybe some Spoon sounds good to you, then they are probably your thing.

Still not convinced? Testimonials like this one just might get your attention:

"You hit my girlfriend in the head with a trash can, and as much as i love her, you were still the best fucking band i've seen in ages." -Siobhan, Raliegh NC

They have an EP out now on Drag City, check out the title track on my playlist. The band just ended a European tour with the Silver Jews, who reportedly spent the tour explaining that they were not the band from Israel. Monotonix will be in Baltimore June 17th.

His Songs Are Better Than Yours

Sir Brian Adam Ant makes the trek down 95 to play stuff for us. This Saturday. At the "new" Talking Head. Go and talk obnoxiously about how honey bunches of oats are the new frosted flakes while he plays. He loves it.

Game On

I'm back in the country, and have been subjected to nothing but Israeli tunes and Bedouin tribal jams for the past 10 days. But, it looks as if there have been some local events stirring up during my adventure abroad.

Whartscape 2008 will take place July 17th-20th at various locations throughout Baltimore. Last year included the likes of Spank Rock and Mr. Deacon, and this year shall fail to disappoint as well.

The initial lineup includes Celebration, Jana Hunter, Beach House, Dan Deacon, Ponytail, Double Dagger, The Death Set, The Mae Shi, WZT Hearts, Matmos, Ecstatic Sunshine, Greg Gillis, Videohippos, and Black Dice.

Wow. And, supposedly 50 more will be added.

This is one of the first pics google image search gave me when I typed "hiatus". No idea. I'm heading out of the country for a couple weeks. In the meantime, enjoy some groovage.

Bells Will Be Rocked

Rock the Bells hits Merriweather this summer on July 27th. Headliners include Tribe Called Quest, Spank Rock, De La Soul, Pharycyde, Mos Def, and Santogold. There probably has not been this much hip hop in Howard County since MC Hammer wore pants like this.

Spank Rock Endorses Vinaigrette?

There is currently a plethora of major corporations using decent music to cash in. In recent commercials Bud Light used a Santogold track, Acura used a Spoon song, and the NBA rocked some Radiohead. But the one I came across this morning gets the award for the biggest WTF moment of the week.

Spank Rock's track "Bump" has been used to advertise salad dressing. Yes, salad dressing. Wishbone Bountifuls Vinaigrette claim their dressing is loaded with chunky pieces of vegetables and luscious pieces of fruit. However they make no claims of their genitalia tasting the best, like Amanda Blank does on her verse in the song.