Song of the Day (12/15/09)

We're bringin' it all the way back to 1971 for today's Song of the Day, the year when Led Zeppelin released IV, Jim Morrison was taken from us far too soon, Lennon's "Imagine" tore up the charts, and Tupac Shakur was born. As legend has it, the guitar solo on this track was inspired by a LSD-tripping George Clinton imploring Funkadelic guitarist Eddie Hazel to play the first half of the song like his mother had just died and the second half as if he had just discovered she was still alive. Whatever his motivation, Hazel hammered out this ethereal piece of music in one take with only the help of a wah pedal, a delay pedal, and a fuzzbox, clearly invoking something not of this world to fashion what the Rolling Stone considers the 60th best guitar song of all time. Without further ado, I give you the face-melting "Maggot Brain"...

Funkadelic: "Maggot Brain"
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ANNOUNCEMENT

During my daily brainstorming sessions about how I can improve Muzjiks, I decided today that the next logical step for this production is to break free of the bonds of the ongoing WALT podcasting difficulties and take care of this whole podcast business myself. Thus, from this point onward, Muzjiks will be an independent venture, the recording and posting up each episode completely on our hands and thereby separate from WALT.

SO, what does this mean? Only good things for you, the listeners...

• I have set up an active podcast link (see below) that you simply click on, and the Muzjiks podcast, including all recorded episodes, will open automatically in your iTunes. After each live broadcast of Muzjiks, the recorded podcast will be uploaded and should appear in your iTunes podcast section for download.
• Additionally, I have submitted the Muzjiks podcast for consideration by iTunes so that it will hopefully be listed in the podcast section on the iTunes Store and will show up when you search for it there. I will post an update here on the blog as soon as I get word that this reviewing process has been completed.
• Finally, the podcasting service that I've selected to use for Muzjiks has created another website exclusively for the podcasts (see below). On this site, you will be able to stream, comment on, and download all of the episodes.

As you can see, Muzjiks is an ever-evolving entity that will soon take over the world. Tell your mother. Tell your barber. Tell your baby mama. The revolution is coming.

That is all.

Links
NOTE: The iTunes podcast link can be also be accessed by clicking on the iTunes logo in the sidebar, and the podcast link will be added to the "Links" box in the sidebar for your future convenience.
iTunes podcast: itpc://mevio.com/feeds/muzjiksradio.xml
Podcast site: http://muzjiksradio.mevio.com/

A Tribute of Sorts...

While this is a music blog, a cultural tragedy happened this past week that can simply not be ignored. Flight of the Concords will be no more. After an announcement from their official website, there will be no more of the genius musical comedy on HBO.

"We’re very proud of the two seasons we made and we like the way the show ended. We’d like to thank everyone who helped make the show and also everyone who watched it. While the characters Bret and Jemaine will no longer be around, the real Bret and Jemaine will continue to exist."

If you're already a fan, take Bret and Jermaine's gratitude with sincerity. If you're not familiar with the show, here's some favorite clips and the link to get the cd/dvds. Let the boys live on in the greatness of DVR.

Song of the Day (12/14/09)

Bradford Cox is one of the masterminds of modern day indie. Between his work in a band setting with Deerhunter and solo as Atlas Sound, Cox provides our ears with a continuous stream of incredible music. Perhaps what sets Cox apart most is that he's constantly progressing: whereas Deerhunter began as shoegazey fuzz-rock, it gradually transformed into the cleaner, poppier sound that characterized Microcastle, and likewise, Atlas Sound's similarly ambient roots metamorphosed into the more accessible folk-pop leanings of Logos. Here, I've selected a track from Deerhunter's sophomore studio release, Cryptograms, which exemplifies the band's earlier atmospheric bent. In a wash of delay pedaled guitars, airy looped vocals, watery drones, "White Ink" would be the perfect soundtrack for a stoned snorkeler's underwater adventure through the Great Barrier Reef. Arguably even more impressive than the song itself is the fact that Cox and the gang can recreate the otherworldly mood live (see below). So put on a pair of good headphones, shut your eyes, and prepare to be transported...





Deerhunter: "White Ink"
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Chill Wave

So at first, I was a bit skeptical of the chill wave thing, maybe thinking it was an elaborate ploy by American Apparel to increase profit margins. Though I guess ignorance is at the root of all hate. Here's a chill wave track not by Neon Indian or Washed Out.

Toro y Moi: "Blessa"



Full disclosure: I have nothing against American Apparel with ads like this.

MuzjiksTV: The Week In Review (12/7-12/13)

(I'm not sure whether this is going to be an ongoing thing or not, but I figured I'd give it a try...)

In this feature, Muzjiks will provide coverage of the week that was in indie music on the television airwaves, posting up relevant videos and perhaps even some reviews of live broadcast performances of our favorite acts.

Tuesday, December 8: Passion Pit performs "Little Secrets" on Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC)
As a general rule, I steer clear of Jimmy Kimmel performances, as the crowds are often completely comatose, offering no energy off of which the act can draw and thus resulting in rather forgettable showings. However, this past Tuesday, Passion Pit performed before a uncharacteristically enthusiastic audience, but likely due to the chilly temperature of the outdoor location, lead singer Michael Angelakos' eunuch-like falsetto was embarrassingly bad. Although I'm just as big a Passion Pit fan as any, without all their ducks in a row and the polish of the studio to add some sprawl to their electronics, I couldn't help but feel this gimmicky '80s vibe. Frankly, I recommend just throwing on "Sleepyhead" and forgetting about this blip on the screen...



Thursday, December 10: Blakroc ft. RZA perform "Dollaz & Sense" and "Tellin' Me Things" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (NBC)
Endorsed heavily by DJ TB...


Saturday, December 12: Explosions in the Sky perform "Yasmin the Light," "Catastrophe and the Cure," and "Memorial" on Austin City Limits (PBS) [rerun]
Simply epic.

A little something to let your mind breathe for a bit during finals...

In a word: lysergic.

AIR MUSIC VIDEO SING SANG SUNG from MATHEMATIC SAS on Vimeo.

(A special thanks to Lauren for introducing me to this video!)

Song of the Day (12/13/09)

A rather blatant replication of Yeasayer's sound, Nurses' "Technicolor" is essentially the poor man's version of "Sunrise." That said, the today's Song of the Day is still worth a listen, as its tribal percussion creates an air of Middle Eastern worldliness with which few indie acts have experimented, so the atmosphere remains fresh, even if its inspiration has done it bigger and better before. Even if you do find "Technicolor" a bit too derivative for your liking, don't write them off; the remainder of the Portland psych-rockers' most recent release, Apple's Acres, explores a more unique, individualized style.

Nurses: "Technicolor"
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Song of the Day (12/12/09)

On a daily basis, I check an absurd an amount of music blogs, news sites, and concert listings to try to stay current on what's new in the world of indie (check the new "Links" box in the sidebar to the left to get a taste). Among these web pages I frequent is the independent music behemoth that is Pitchfork. Lauded by some and loathed by many, Pitchfork is—regardless of one's opinion—undoubtedly the Rolling Stone of indie. But now back to the topic. The other day, one of Pitchfork's Track Reviews was of an artist named Jonathan Boulet, a 21-year-old from Australian who crafts brilliant pop songs. As soon as the infectious guitar line comes in, you will be hooked, and once Boulet's James Mercer-esque vocals swoop in, pick you up, and soar away, you'll be queuing it up for repeat already...

Jonathan Boulet: "Community Service Announcement"

Song of the Day (12/11/09)

Today's Song of the Day really is as ridiculous as it sounds, but for whatever reason, it's an earworm that burrows deep within your head, begging to be played ad naseum. Maybe it's the descending horn riff that draws you in. Or perhaps the incessant thumping bass line sprinkled with guitar riffs. Or the way the additive and subtractive processes occurring in the beat keep the musical interest high. Or maybe it's just the fun conversational banter between the two members of Das Racist, Himanshu Suri and Victor Vazquez, who could just as easily be your two munchie-stricken deadbeat friends trying in vain to locate one another amidst a cannabis-induced haze one Saturday night. Whatever it is, one thing's for sure: "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell (Wallpaper. RMX)" is as catchy as they come.

Das Racist: "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell (Wallpaper. RMX)"

Episode 7: Doppelgangsta (12/8/09)

Download podcast here
...or here

Despite the technical difficulties with the podcasting software we've been dealing with over the past month, we've managed to find a way to get you episode 7 of Muzjiks to you. Thanks to my best friend and avid Muzjiks listener, Lauren, we have an mp3 recording of this past Tuesday's show. Although it the audio quality leaves something to be desired, it's better than nothing, and at the very least, it serves an archival purpose. If the problem with the in-studio podcasting software persists, we will be sure to continue to provide you with more personal recordings of the show that will be in much higher fidelity.

A few things to note while listening: at around the 43-minute mark, the recording cuts out in the middle of Menomena's "Muscle'n Flo" and picks up soon thereafter during a Family Guy clip. Again, during the beginning of Dangerous Muse's "I Want It All," the recording fails, returning after that song is over. Finally and quite unfortunately, the podcast cuts out during the height of my Davidson College spring concert survey rant and then comes back with the lead-in to the final song. In order to recreate the experience to the best of our ability, we've uploaded both Menomena and Dangerous Muse tracks that were lost in the recording.

Enjoy!



Playlist

1. Sebastian Tellier: "La Ritournelle"
2. Washed Out: "Feel It All Around"
3. Okkervil River: "For Real"
4. Doves: "The Outsiders"
5. Margot & the Nuclear So and So's: "Broadripple Is Burning (Live from the Patio 11/5/05)"
6. Dirty Projectors: "Knotty Pine"
7. Metric: "Gimme Sympathy"
8. Menomena: "Muscle'n Flo"
9. Fleet Foxes: "White Winter Hymnal"
10. Dangerous Muse: "I Want It All"
11. Gucci Mane: "Dangers Not a Stranger (Diplo Remix)"
12. KiD CuDi (ft. MGMT and Ratatat): "Pursuit of Happiness (Steve Aoki Dance Remix)"

Song of the Day (12/10/09)

At the forefront of the noise/lo-fi scene is Nathan Williams, better known by his stage moniker, Wavves. Despite a well-documented meltdown at Barcelona's Primavera Sound Festival in May and a scuffle with Jared Swilley of the Black Lips in September, Wavves has been steadily gaining notoriety in the indie scene ever since Pitchfork really put him on the map in February upon reviewing his sophomore release, Wavvves. Departing a bit from the sound characterized on this LP and instead doing his best impression of a fuzzed-out Animal Collective, "Mickey Mouse" comes from a demo Wavves posted on his blog a while back. So, if nothing else, go ahead and add this into your AC playlist so that you can keep the juices flowing after you get done listening to their wonderful Fall Be Kind EP that was officially released on Tuesday.

Wavves: "Mickey Mouse"

Song of the Day (12/9/09)

Essentially Interpol lite, Editors are a UK band that combines post-punk angst with pop accessibility. Featuring lead singer Tom Smith's baritone vocals within a brooding atmosphere dominated by pulsing percussion and wailing delay-pedaled guitars, "Bones" may not be the most original piece of music ever—for it is deeply indebted to Interpol and Joy Division—but that doesn't stop it from functioning as an altogether great song. If you enjoy this style, be sure to check out the rest of Editors' An End Has a Start, as well as their debut, The Back Room; if you hear this song and wish there more '80s electronics and synthesizers, Editors' 2009 release, In This Light and On This Evening will be more your speed. Enjoy.

Editors: "Bones"

Live Tonight!

Just a reminder that we will be live tonight on WALT at 8pm. Send your questions in via the facebook page and remember, calls during the show are always welcome. See ya tonight.
The Muzjiks Team

Song of the Day (12/8/09)

Combining punk with indie, Phoenix-based band Dear and the Headlights have a knack for putting together traditional three- to four-minute pop numbers that plead to have a head nodded and a foot tapped to them. Their songs have acoustic foundations that are given more life with drums and electric guitars, but the key selling point are the strong vocals of frontman Ian Metzger, who can belt it out when necessary or keep it low-key on softer songs. Serving as a perfect example of this short-but-sweet approach is "Sweet Talk" from the band's debut album, Small Steps, Heavy Hooves.

Dear and the Headlights: "Sweet Talk"