Summer Soft

Its really cold about these parts--uncomfortably cold. I would even say prohibitively cold. My Florida blood may be a little thin for this, so I'm gonna indulge in one of my favorite summer time tracks. Avalanches are a electronic music group from Melbourne, Australia and use exclusively vinyl samples (eat that DJ Stroke, you fucking hack). Their album, Since I Left You, accounts for about 3,500 of these distinct samples. The title track is a fresh breath of summer time air. Don't breath in too much of this cold stuff, it has to be bad for you, or at least your spirit.

Avalanches: "Since I Left You" [Buy]

jj Does Weezy (Again)

One of the hottest tracks in indie last year was jj's blissed-out reimagination of Lil Wayne's "Lollipop." jj are at it again with the opening track to their third release, nº 3, which takes a similarly dreamy, balearic take on Weezy's collaboration with The Game on "My Life," along with an outro tease that interpolates ATC's Europop banger "Around the World (La La La)." The album drops March 9th on Secretly Canadian, so consider spending your hard-earned cash on the Swedish duo if this song piques your interest. Enjoy.

jj: "My Life"
Listen
Preorder

The Return of Margot

Dust of Retreat is easily in the top ten best albums of the past decade. It's a masterpiece. Since that near-perfect 2006 LP, though, Margot & the Nuclear So and So's has gone through a significant amount of change in terms of style and lineup. Although we likely will never get another Dust of Retreat, we can always count on frontman Richard Edwards to deliver some solid indie pop, or "scarf rock" as the original incarnation of the band termed it. This year holds the release of Buzzard, the fourth full-length offering from the Indianapolis-based collective. Whetting our appetite is the 7" Birds/Bubbleprick, which was released this month and can be purchased here. For immediate gratification, Muzjiks has two new songs from Margot, one a live cut ripped from their MySpace page and the other off of the said 7" and the forthcoming Buzzard. Enjoy.

Black Demon
Birds

SOTW 1.29-1.31

Here's a party track for your weekend festivities. It's a mashup between the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Busta Rhymes by a DJ Stroke of YouTube fame. While it's by no means what I'd consider a stellar mashup, one that redefines the song and yields a product better than its original, I must admit that "Snow (Hey Oh)" serves as quite the backing track. Enjoy, and be sure to check back on Muzjiks daily for updates, reviews, and articles. For TB and I, the weekend is usually when we have the most time to put out quality content. We thank you for your continuing support and readership.

DJ Stroke: "Dangerous (RHCP vs. Busta Rhymes)"
Listen
Full mixtape [free download]

EDIT @ 11:44 PM EST on 1.1.10: A new link that won't go down! Enjoy, my friends.

SOTD 1.28.10

Don't expect the indie seductress Emily Haines you know and love from Metric on today's SOTD. Written after the death of her father, Knives Don't Have Your Back is a piano-driven album that puts Haines' hauntingly beautiful voice at the forefront for ballads of loss and despair. Although she has fortunately been strong enough to move pass this trying period of her life in 2006 and gone on to create the upbeat indie stadium rock of Fantasies, it's nonetheless refreshing to hear the talent of an artist be strong as ever without the frills of electronics and amplification. Moral of the story: Don't fuck with Emily Haines. She is better than you.

Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton: "Crowd Surf Off a Cliff"
Listen
Buy

The Radio Dept.

For some reason, there are some Radio Dept. tracks floating around collecting a lot of popularity. This is very exciting. I tend to stay away from "lo-fi" and its offsprings because many times I don't have the patience to simply appreciate the song writing. "David" hit me hard right away--haven't stopped spinning it since I downloaded it.

The Radio Dept.: "David" [Buy]

SOTD 1.27.10

Think of Stateless as Radiohead with more DJ Shadow, trip-hop atmospherics akin to Massive Attack, and a prominent hip-hop edge a la the Gorillaz. They're a great band from the UK whose self-titled album was heard by no one, although it should have been recognized as one of the better albums of 2008. To substantiate this claim, I offer you the wonderful first three tracks off of that album. If you find yourself fiending for more of this Leeds quartet after having had your appetite whetted by today's SOTD post, have no fear; LP2 is currently in the mixing stages and will be released in the first half of this year.


















Stateless
Prism #1
Exit
Bloodstream

ODDSAC WTF

Check out this trailer released today for Animal Collective's upcoming "visual album," ODDSAC. It looks to me like a lysergic, hipsterfied version of The Blair Witch Project...

SOTD 1.26.10: Don't Forget Jeff

With the plethora of Haiti fundraisers going on right now, I didn't want this one to get lost in the mix. Wilco has posted 2 excellent live shows from last year's US tour for free download on their website. The band asks that you donate at least $15 in exchange to either OXFAM or Doctors Without Borders.

Dwnld the live shows.
As a little teaser, "One Wing" is one of the center pieces of Wilco's 2009 LP Wilco (The Album).

Wilco: "One Wing"

Your Gothic Soul

Building off Swine's latest SOTD, I figured I would throw y'all a bone too. Here is a cover of Massive Attack's brooding, gothic soul tune, "Live With Me." I post a cover of the song because Greg Dulli 's voice (of The Twilight Singers, Afghan Wigs and Gutter Twins) is something everyone should hear. This is what your voice sounds like when you've been through some shit.

The Twilight Singers: "Live With Me" [Buy]

SOTD 1.25.10

In light of the hysteria that was Radiohead's Haiti benefit concert last night, today's SOTD evokes Thom's solo release, The Eraser. From its electronic musical textures and its moaning background drones, the track would be rather fitting wedged between "Black Swan" and "Skip Divided." Off of Massive Attack's upcoming Heligoland LP, this song features Elbow's Guy Garvey on vocals and, as always, Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall on the boards. Let this song tide you over until the Bristol trip-hop duo's fifth studio album drops on February 8th. Enjoy.

Massive Attack: "Flat of the Blade (ft. Guy Garvey)"
Listen
Preorder

Radiohead: Haiti Benefit Concert

Soundcheck

Arpeggi

Setlist (show ended @ approx. 1:35 AM EST)

1. Faust Arp
2. Fake Plastic Trees
3. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
4. The National Anthem
5. Nude
6. Karma Police + reprise
7. Kid A
8. Morning Bell
9. How to Disappear Completely [ondes martenot intro]
10. Wolf at the Door [Thom forgetting the words]
11. The Bends
12. Reckoner [w/ false start]
13. Lucky
14. Bodysnatchers
15. Dollars & Cents
16. Airbag [fan choice between 'Airbag' and 'Just']
17. Exit Music (For a Film) [Thom alone to start]

Encore #1
18. Everything In Its Right Place [Thom solo on piano]
19. You and Whose Army? [rest of band returns to stage]
20. Pyramid Song
21. All I Need

[crowd is stomping]

Encore #2
22. Lotus Flower [Thom solo; described as "clean electric guitar, finger picking melody"]
23. Paranoid Android
24. Street Spirit (Fade Out)

Quotes
Thom: "we gotta write some more Techno" / "So, what did you do to get the tickets? borrowed money from dad? Blackmailed your boss?" / to a fan --> "I love you too" / "Thank you for spending ludicrous money" / "No one's getting my jokes tonight, I'm dying!"

Attendees
Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel, Aziz Ansari, Brian Posehn, Snooki, Flea, Jeff Garlin, Anna Paquin

Money Raised
Earned $572,754 for Haiti. The highest ticket price was $2000.

Pictures
http://i47.tinypic.com/2u5akqa.jpg
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http://i45.tinypic.com/eafwub.jpg

Videos

Kid A


Reckoner

SOTW 1.23-1.24

Ahead of the release of Free Gucci, the free mixtape compiled by Diplo of various Gucci Mane remixes, Diplo himself released his "Danger's Not a Stranger" remix, which utilized Mariah Carey's "Can't Let Go" and put a whole new spin on the Guccimerica number. I think I can safely speak on behalf of the entire indie community in saying that Diplo definitely piqued our interest, but with so much anticipation ahead of releases, once drop day comes, they often fall flat. While by no means a total wash, Free Gucci was not a mixtape full of "Danger's Not a Stranger"-type bangers; it's rather mediocre, only with a handful of noteworthy tracks. However, these noteworthy tracks bump. So, with these songs of the weekend (henceforth referred to as SOTW), crank up the bass and enjoy a taste of the good life...

Gucci Mane
Dope Boys (Bird Peterson remix)
I Be Everywhere (DZ remix)
I'm the Shit (DJ Benzi & Willy Joy remix)

Big Day Out

I have just rose from the depths. Do not ask questions as I will have no answers. One thing is known, Mike Posner will be in the 704 tonight. In prep for the big night out, I have a lovely remix to quell your Saturday afternoon anxieties.

Matt Van Schie: "Saturday Night (GLOVES Remix)"


Social Networking.
Facebook
MySpace

Team Turmoil

I am writing this despite my Muzjiks partner. I have a not so guilty love of Mr. John Mayer's music and persona. It's somewhat refreshing to read about who is just so self aware. "Do You Know Me" is a tiny little nug of his latest Battle Studies LP and my absolute favorite. These songs have a different texture and paint with different colors than that of the songs on the wildly successful Continuum. I admire this about an artist. The ability and balls it requires to take a chance on something new isn't typically something you see from a pop artist (btw that is what John Mayer is). Though it seems Mayer is reaching a point where anything he puts to tape will sell. Let's hope he never settles.

John Mayer: "Do You Know Me" [Buy]

SOTD 1.22.10

You've heard of Diplo even if you don't know you have. He was the mastermind behind the indie crossover hit "Paper Planes" by M.I.A. Now that you know the kind of genius we're dealing with here, I will present to you today's SOTD...

I very much have a love-hate relationship with mashups. While I enjoy them especially in the party setting and often admire the imagination and wit put into the song pairings, the whole thing seems awfully gimmicky to me. I guess when any acne-ridden computer nerd can put together something on Garageband and put it up on YouTube and get thousands of views, I get a bit jaded. However, occasionally, when a mashup is constructed, something beautiful happens—a new song, a better song is born. When a mashup actually improves on the original, then you know you've got something special going on. This is the case here with Diplo's reimagination of The Cure's "Lovesong" and Outkast's best song of the decade, "B.O.B." However, where I feel like the magic is lost is the fact that the only means of acquiring these songs is in their separated form. What I've taken the liberty of doing is splicing the two remixes together so that they flow seamlessly from one to the next as they're supposed to, maintaining the ridiculous sonic momentum created at the conclusion of "Lovesong" so that it explodes into Andre 3000's spitfire rhymes of "B.O.B."

Enough blabbering. Listen already!

The Cure vs. Outkast: Lovesong vs. B.O.B. (Diplo Megamix)
[Buy]

EDIT 1.28.10: Fresh link for your download pleasure.

Odd Love

As Yeasayer hysteria quickly approaches in advance of Odd Blood's release on February 9, I would just like to give a little teaser of a full length review that will ensue. Good news-- we still don't know what a Yeasayer album is yet.

"I Remember" is a schizophrenic '80s love ballad and its glorious. Enjoy along with the single "Ambling Alp" until Odd Blood's proper release in February.

Yesayer: "I Remember" [Pre-order N/A]

The Adventures of Thom????

Thom and Nigel Godrich last night @ the Roosevelt

Because DJ TB and I are rather open about our gayness for all things Radiohead, I figured it might be appropriate to make a post about them, as there is currently a lot of news regarding the band and its members (i.e., Thom) floating around. Here's the deal...

• Radiohead is currently in LA for studio sessions that are presumably working toward LP8. In addition to speculation earlier this week on the AtEase message boards, Thom actually performed a Haiti benefit DJ set there yesterday along with the unlikely company of Maroon 5. Read more about that here.
• Also occurring yesterday was the airing of Thom Yorke's co-hosting of BBC Radio 1's Gilles Peterson Show. Over the course of the two-hour broadcast, Thom spoke on subjects ranging from his upcoming Coachella performance with what now seems to be called "The Eraser Band" (a.k.a., Thom Yorke????), working with DOOM, his batshit crazy obsession with climate change, and Radiohead's current standing. Read more about that on Pitchfork. Additionally, if you'd like to hear the whole thing, you can listen and download a recording of the broadcast thanks to "bug" over at the AtEase boards. Check that out here.
• In addition to their Coachella spot, The Eraser Band is planning on doing some small gigs in April. Read more about that at Green Plastic.

Any news is good news when it comes to all things Radiohead, in my opinion, so I'm glad the creative juices seem to be a-flowin' for Mr. Yorke.

As always, check back here on Muzjiks for the latest Radiohead updates, in addition to all your indie needs...


EDIT @ 10:01 PM
Sweet eight pound, six ounce baby Jesus...

SOTD 1.21.10

Although they've all but disappeared from the indie scene since the release of their debut EP, I Was Searching and I Found, in 2007, Weaver at the Loom's album has been on my heavy rotation for years now; there's not a month that passes that I don't listen to it at least twice. It's the perfect rainy day album: Explosions in the Sky delay-pedaled guitars that soar and envelop the ears; This Day & Age vocals that are expressive, yet manage to strike the perfect balance between surrendering the forefront to the instrumentation and intervening just enough so that Dan and Izaac's beautifully meshing voices can give the song that last breathtaking sonic punch; and The American Dollar ambiance delivered by lilting keyboard lines. As hackneyed as it sounds, this is epic post-rock at its finest. Hopefully, Weaver's resurgence last week for their first concert since Spring 2009 is a sign that the band is prepping for a full-on return. Until then, I'm going to keep on queuing up I Was Searching... 'til the touchpad on my iPod malfunctions from overuse...

Weaver at the Loom: "You Can't Evade Them"
Listen
Buy

Sugar Glyder: WASU Interview

Last night, Muzjiks darlings Sugar Glyder did an interview on WASU, Appalachian State University's student-run radio station. Luckily, I was able to record the live stream so that everyone who missed it can relive the magic...

http://usershare.net/qpo74kpsmvvg

For more information on Sugar Glyder, please check out previous Muzjiks features on the band...

• Concert Review: Sugar Glyder (12.31.09)
• Sugar Glyder: Soaring Beyond the Limits

Return of the Gorillaz

Damon Albarn's cartoon quartet returns this year with their third proper LP, Plastic Beach. The album is set to feature everyone from Snoop Dogg to Barry Gibb to "Feel Good Inc." vets De La Soul. This will be the band's first release since 2005, so anticipation is high and, as is always the case with Albarn's work, expectations are high, too. Our first taste of LP3 came today when the first track off the album leaked. Entitled "Stylo," the electronic track features Bobby Womack and Mos Def and is described Parlophone president Miles Leonard as "a dark, twisted track that sounds like the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack on MDMA."

My opinion: it's a drugged-out, Nintendisco-fied version of a cheesy 80s sitcom theme you'd find on TVLand in the wee hours of the morning while channel surfing with your Cheeto-encrusted remote.

Regardless, one thing's for sure: 2D and the gang are back, and they're back with a vengeance...

Gorillaz: "Stylo"
Listen
Preorder

SOTD 1.20.10

Deciding to infuse post-rock with vocals is a risky decision. All too often, post-rockers opt for vocals and it completely strips the music of its character and atmosphere. However, Lower Heaven is here to dispel that notion. Here's the brain waves flitting around in your head moments before you are taken by sleep transformed into four minutes of dreamy post-psychedelic indie...

Lower Heaven: "Farewell Theme"
Listen
Buy

Celebration

It's a celebration bitches. Muzjiks is finally part of the Hype Machine family. We will now broadcast for the world to see and subsequently commence world domination. In celebration--we be breaking bread.

Check out our HypeM page here.

Kollosus: "Breakin Bread (Phaseone Remix)"

Summer 2010: Coachella

The initial lineup for the desert music festival known as Coachella has just been announced. News flash: the lead singer of Radiohead is now referring to himself as "Thom Yorke????" and will be in the CA valley this summer.


www.coachella.com

SOTD 1.19.10

By Swedish producer Mille, this is what would happen if the Sega Genesis in your attic DJed a rave. Just put on your dancing shoes and prepare to be blown away...

Mille: "Crysteena (Fear of Tigers remix)"
Listen
Buy [n/a]

Reminder + Apology

Just a reminder that tomorrow Muzjiks radio will be returning at 8 PM EST. It's going to be a jam-packed show since it's been way too long since we've broadcasted last. Click on the link on the top left to open the live stream, and check back after the show or just update your iTunes feed for the podcast.

Also, I would like to apologize for the slump in postings and updates recently. As a college student-athlete, it's tough to keep up with the blog along with all the other daily obligations. However, I have several different ideas for features and essays, so hopefully the weekends will allow some downtime to get those written. Additionally, I will be attending a Mike Posner concert this coming Saturday at Davidson, so there will likely be a review coming for that. In the meantime, check out the continuing SOTD posts and the weekly podcasts. Thank you for your continued support.
–Swine

MuzjiksTV 1.11-1.17

Unless you live under a rock, you know that Vampire Weekend's sophomore release, Contra, officially hit the shelves this past Tuesday. Accordingly, this past week marked Ezra and the gang's takeover of the television airwaves with appearances on Conan, Craig Ferguson, and FUEL TV...

Monday, January 11: Vampire Weekend performs "Cousins" on Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien (NBC)


Thursday, January 14: Vampire Weekend performs "Horchata" on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS)


All week: Vampire Weekend performs "A-Punk," "Cousins," "White Sky," "California English," and "Holiday" on The Daily Habit (FUEL TV)


Saturday, January 16: Mos Def and K'naan perform on Austin City Limits (PBS)

http://video.pbs.org/video/1385575965/

SOTD 1.18.10

Like The Big Pink and My Bloody Valentine's sonic offspring, We Fell to Earth's "Deaf" is an ethereal piece of indie-krautrock fusion. WFtE is a London-based duo consisting of the man-and-woman team of Wendy Rae Fowler, who dabbles in surf rock, and Richard File of trip hop's UNKLE. This leads to quite this interesting blend of musical styles, maintaining the originality of their work. Enjoy.

We Fell to Earth: "Deaf"
Listen
Buy

SOTD 1.17.10

Hearkening back to the Bob Dylan epics where storytelling songs approached the double-digit mark in duration, Josh Ritter's "Thin Blue Flame" combines this nostalgia with refreshingly simplistic instrumentation consisting of only a piano, guitar, drum set, and voice, which allows Ritter's vocals to take charge and really drive the piece. Keeping the musical interest high with build-ups and climactic releases, the song doesn't feel like it's nearly ten minutes long; the addition and subtraction of instruments retains the freshness. Enjoy this welcome indie folk pause from the clusterfucks of noise—no-fi, shitgaze, noise rock, etc.—that seem to be dominating the indieverse right now.

Josh Ritter: "Thin Blue Flame"
Listen
Buy

SOTD 1.16.10

Although not exactly part of the indie genre, I figure that with the weekend finally here, a party-ready track by Australia's Pendulum that stretches those limits is okay. Beginning with the famous crazed narration of Willy Wonka from the psychedelic boat ride inside his factory, the track builds to a ecstasy-ready flourish of synths, drums, and bass. It's chaos—wonderfully manic chaos.

Pendulum: "Through the Loop"
Listen
Buy

SOTD 1.15.10

Having just announced plans for their US tour, the Norwegian duo known as Kings of Convenience are poised to invade with their soothing blend of indie, folk, and pop. With today's SOTD post, we offer you the Four Tet remix of the sixth track from their 2001 debut, Quiet is the New Loud, which appeared on the officially released KoC remix album Versus. Featuring a tremolo'd three-note repeating melodic phrase that lends an unsettling air to the song. Our ear seeks that fourth note to round out the sequence, but we don't ever get it, keeping us on edge throughout the entire piece. This is what music is all about.

Kings of Convenience: "The Weight of My Words (Four Tet remix)"
Listen
Buy

SOTD 1.14.10

In these winter doldrums, we all need a pick-me-up. Miniature Tigers offer some bright, sunny indie pop with their debut LP, Tell It to the Volcano. Having played under Ben Folds as an opening act on a leg of his 2009 tour, the band is on their way up in popularity, and their easily accessible variety of indie will likely precipitate their inevitable rise. While the Charlie Brand's voice is undeniably uplifting with its boyish timbre, Miniature Tigers' happy-go-lucky schtick can get a bit tired and grating, even over the course of the unusually short 30-minute record. Nonetheless, the Phoenix quartet certainly embrace their niche in the indieverse and crank out summery vibes like no other. Enjoy.

Miniature Tigers: "Cannibal Queen"
Listen
Buy

NOTD 1.13.10 Iran

Iran.
Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the antiquity and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia. Both "Persia" and "Iran" are used interchangeably in cultural context; however, Iran is the name used officially in political context. The name Iran is a cognate of Aryan, and means "Land of the Aryans".
Population: 74,196,000
Major Exports: petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets

Music.
127 is a fusion of traditional Iranian music with the modern leanings of punk, jazz, and Western psychedelic rock. 127 is at the forefront of musical acts trying to lead social change in Iran. For more, check out their MySpace page.

127: "Coming Around" [Buy]

SOTD 1.13.10

In Muzjiks' continued support of our inaugural "Holy Ish!" artist, we present to you a phenomenal track off of Local Natives' debut LP, Gorilla Manor. Allow the soaring vocals to envelop you, and I suspect you will feel the rush as I do when I listen to this song. And although Local Natives actively transcend categorization with their unique blend of genres and styles, they do draw elements from Fleet Foxes, Grizzly Bear, and Band of Horses, which I suppose isn't too shabby of company to share either. Let "Airplanes" tide you over until the full album is released on February 16 by Frenchkiss Records. Enjoy.

Local Natives: "Airplanes"
Listen
Preorder

Reminder

Just a reminder that tonight will mark the return of Muzjiks! Tune in live from 8 PM to 9 PM by clicking on the "Listen live" link to your left, or check back here or your iTunes feed tomorrow for the podcast.

EDIT @ 8:49 PM: Due to technical difficulties, tonight's show never got off the ground, so hang in there until next Tuesday. We apologize.

SOTD 1.12.10

I always find it interesting to hear the original samples of songs that I've come to know and love in their recontextualized and popularized form. Often, I don't even realize until that eureka moment on a blog or YouTube or another happenstance occurrence that the song even has a sample; for whatever reason, I guess my knee-jerk inclination is to assume that a given beat is original to the artist. When you get the chance to hear the original song, though, it's insightful to consider that song's subject matter and compare it to and perhaps draw parallels with the new song.

Since this particular song and its accompanying sample were the inspiration for this post, I will provide you them both below. Enjoy.

Madvillain: "Accordion"
Listen
Buy

















Daedelus: "Experience"
Listen
Buy

SOTD 1.11.10

The first day back to the grind for many college students, today has all the makings to be a dreary 24 hours. Allow Muzjiks to help you cope with the pain; consider it sonic penicillin. This dosage will consist of a mellow, melodic folk tune by Port O'Brien, whose album Threadbare appeared on many year-end best-of charts. If you like Bowerbirds, Woodpigeon, or Blind Pilot, then these three Californians will be right up your alley. Relax, Muzjiks is here to take care of you one indielicious song at a time.

Port O'Brien: "My Will is Good"
Listen
Buy

NOTD 1.10.10 Cuba

I am going to keep Cuba short. You should know a little bit about our relationship with our neighbors to the south already.

Cuba.
The Republic of Cuba is an island country in the Caribbean. It consists of the island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city.
Population: 11,451,652
Major Crop Exports: sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee

Music.
"Chan Chan" is a result of the magical reforming of Buena Vista Social Club. Previously in a period of diaspora, BVSC was reassembled and directed by musical renaissance man, Ry Cooder. The result was the self-titled Buena Vista Social Club. "Chan Chan" goes down like a dark coffee liqueur. It's tones are dark but its melody and musicianship is languid and entrancing.

Buena Vista Social Club: "Chan Chan" [Buy]

MuzjiksTV +

Here's a little treat to go along with this week's installment of MuzjiksTV. One of the saving graces of Jimmy Fallon's tenure as a late night host is that we get to here The Roots every night. As a precursor to their upcoming How I Got Over LP, The Roots have released a compilation of their best late night artist collaborations. Dwnld Late Night With The Roots.

SOTD 1.10.10

Putting a Justice-esque spin on a classical music piece. Consider this banger by Austin, TX-based Wolfgang Gartner a contender for the playlist of the forthcoming indie court party.

Wolfgang Gartner: Wolfgang's 5th Symphony
Listen
Buy

MuzjiksTV 1.4-1.10

Tuesday, January 5: Vampire Weekend performs "Cousins" on the Late Show with David Letterman (CBS)

Let Vampire Weekend's takeover of 2010 begin...

Wedneday, January 6: Julian Casablancas performs "Out of the Blue" on the Late Show with David Letterman (CBS)

I wish he would just get back to The Strokes already...

Friday, January 8: Metric perform "Help, I'm Alive" on Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC) [re-run]

Emily Haines. 'Nuff said.

Vampire Weekend performs assorted tracks on MTV Unplugged

Watch the entire performance here.

SOTD 1.9.10

A local band of the Carolinas, Slow Runner comes from Charleston, SC, and plays polished multi-instrumentalist indie pop that occasionally dabbles in the synth-pop subgenre. Although I personally prefer their most recent album, 2008's Mermaids, which injects this indie pop with a brooding quality, this song comes from 2006's No Disassemble, which is far sunnier and more jangly. Like the majority of Slow Runner's work, "You're in Luck" is a piano-driven number that features Michael Flynn's lovely falsetto. Although the band has been rather scarce since around mid-2009, according to a recent post on their MySpace blog, they are, in fact, still alive. Hopefully this means that another Slow Runner LP is on the horizon, as their refreshing brand of more traditional indie is always welcome to my ears.

Slow Runner: "You're in Luck"
Listen
Buy [No Disassemble is not available on iTunes, but SR's other two albums are]

Loose Ends

I first got XM Radio in high school and let me tell you, its pretty remarkable. XMU (43) changed my life. Hearing constantly random sequences of challenging, interesting music made my rides to school so much more interesting. To that end, a kept a pen and pad of paper in the car at all times to mark down any song that truly blew me away. Then I graduated to the iPhone and a handy little app called Shazam. As many of you know Shazam basically listens to the song playing and has the ungodly ability to tell you the name of the song and the artist. I have been collecting "tagged" songs for well over a year now and I am finally getting around to forming a Greatest Hits collection. This is what I have for you today. These are 6 songs that have little to nothing to do with each other but each of them sparked an interest in a great artist--it goes without saying, I am better for it.
The Parlor Mob: "Can't Keep No Good Boy Down" [Buy]

Thao: "Know Better Learn Faster" [Buy]

The Heavy: "That Kind of Man" [Buy]

Musiq Soulchild: "Money Right" [Buy]

White Denim: "Regina Holding Hands" [Buy]

The Antlers: "Two" [Buy]

SOTD 1.8.10

Featuring the shoegazey vocals of Olga Goreas backed by Beach Boys-esque harmonies, The Besnard Lakes' "Albatross" is like getting your head stuck in a fishbowl a la "No Surprises" and then being suspended for four minutes and forty-two seconds in that moment of euphoria straddling asphyxiation and unconsciousness. It's the auditory handshake of My Bloody Valentine and Yeasayer. Be sure to check out the band's third LP, The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night, when it's released by Jagjaguwar on March 9.

The Besnard Lakes: "Albatross"
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NOTD Algeria 1.8.10

Algeria .
Officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, Algeria is located in Nort Africa. Algeria is bordered by Tunisia in the northeast, Libya in the east, Niger in the southeast, Mali and Mauritania in the southwest, a few kilometers of the Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara in the southwest, Morocco in the west and northwest, and the Mediterranean Sea in the north.
Population: 34,895,000
Major Exports: wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle

Music.
The music of Algeria is synonymous with the 20th century folk song form, Raï. Raï is a song form created for the purpose of both social protest and cultural affirmation. It is a song of celebration but also of a way to express the frustration of the supressed Algerian lower class. Later in the 20th century, Raï became the topic of great scrutiny and even hostility from fundamental religious groups in Algeria. This is pop music influenced by the tones of traditional Bedouin music with the sound of a faint world beat. Tonight's selection comes from Algeria's "king of raï," Bellemou Messamoud. Messamoud became immensly popular in the 1970's and 80s as he pioneered the "pop-Raï" genre. "Lala h'bib" is from the Algerian compilation The
Essential Titles of Raï.

Bellemou Messaoud: "lala h'bib" [Buy]

NOTD: Afghanistan 1.7.10

If you are not aware...
"The Travel Security Administration says air travel to the United States through "state sponsors of terrorism or other countries of interest" will trigger enhanced screening. A senior government official says 14 countries fall under that label." <via cnn.com>

Afghanistan
Algeria
Cuba
Iran
Iraq
Lebanon
Libya
Nigeria
Pakistan
Saudi Arabia
Sudan
Syria
Somalia
Yemen

Put aside your political leaning for a minute. This piece of news creates a quite startling dichotomy, a dichotomy that juxtaposes a global cultural community (for the most part as a result of the internet) with a world, that at the same time, is becoming more fragmented--a puzzling dilemma indeed. Now begins a new two week Muzjiks series. This is a series that, each day, will look at a piece of music from one of the countries on the TSA's "countries of interest" list. Think of this a kind of cultural cliff notes. Though brief, NOTD (Nation) will at least provide you with something tangible and familiar...an mp3. Expand your mind and impress your friends--it's a big, big world.

Afghan King Zahir Shah with JFK

Afghanistan.
The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in South-Central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East. It is bordered by Iran in the west, Pakistan in the south and east, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the north, and China in the far northeast. <via Wiki, this is a blog not a research paper>
2009 EST Population: 28,150,000
Major Crop Exports: opium, wheat, fruits, nuts; wool, mutton, sheepskins, lambskins

Music.
Today's selection comes via a live public concert in the winter of 1974. Performing this November evening was renowned rabab player, Ustad Mohammad Omar, accompanied on tabla by Zakiir Hussain. The concert was part of Mohammad Omar's teaching tenure at the University of Washington as the first Afghan music professor to teach at a major US university--serious shit indeed. This improvisational excercise is headphone worthy, Zakiir Hussain's hand strike is piercing and impressive. This is far away stuff but it might be closer than you think.


Ustad Mohammad Omar: "Tabla Solo In the Rhythmic Cycle of Jhaptal (10-beat Cycle)"
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Radiohead: "Packt Like Sardines In A Crushed Tin Box"
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