Love is like a Sunset - Phoenix. Paul Shirley had a great article about Phoenix and referenced this song. A big nod to my friend Darin who sent me to this article. I need to more diligently follow Paul Shirley. Not only did he write a great book Can I Keep My Jersey?: 11 Teams, 5 Countries, and 4 Years in My Life as a Basketball Vagabond
. He also played for Iowa State and seems to love great music. Stillness is the Move - Dirty Projectors. Pitchfork loves this album. So does Stereogum (they called Bitte Orca the best album of 2009). I think its great, but not sure if there is much memorable long term on it. I missed them live in this week because I was at the Giants game. A Chicago friend who saw their show said that it was good, but nothing to get too excited about. The most notable thing about the show - they were opening for someone (maybe Sea and Cake) and all the hipsters left after the Dirty Projectors set.
8 Steps to Perfection - The Company Flow. This is a rerelease. I only discovered El-P 2 years ago on the I'll Sleep When You're Dead LP. This is early stuff and really the album that made him, the underground hip-hop movement and The Company Flow very relevant.
Shapeshifter - Last Tide. If there is one thing you take away from today's post, I hope its this band and how awesome they are. They are in DC and playing all over the place, I'd go check them out. I was able to hear their stuff because the bassist is the brother of a good friend. You can check out their MySpace page here (it includes their show dates). I was able to get the bassist to let me post a song from one of their rehersals here. Its rough because it was recorded during a rehersal. I think they're laying down some tracks for an EP - once they do we'll post more songs here. In the mean time, check out Libby's song...and their myspace page.
Crooked Teeth - Death Cab For Cutie. Death Cab is playing this weekend at the Greek. I am going to try to check them out. I knew of death cab, I had heard them many times, but was never really a fan (even though I loved Postal Service). I became a fan after seeing Ben Gibbard on his solo acoustic tour. Crooked teeth is a great song with one of my favorite lyrics, "you're so cute when you're slurring your speech/ but they're closing the bar/and they want us to leave"
Take On Me - Roy Joseph. Take on me is probably in my top 20 80s songs. This version by Roy Joseph gets to the heart of the song - with its slower tempo.
In the Summertime - The Rural Alberta Advantage. Thanks to Matt Ziser for turning me on to these guys. I'm super psyched to see them tomorrow night at Bottom of the Hill (see 33Forever Bay Area concert calendar!). Songs about small town life in rural alberta. This might be cheating, but here is a quote from the recent pitchfork review:
Hometowns ends with "In the Summertime", a solemn ballad (the lone true ballad of the whole collection) of droning organs and heartbeat drum thumps that's one part Postal Service synthesized sentimentality, one part final-merry-go-round-ride-of-the-summer calliope melody. In barely two and a half minutes the trio evokes the serenading cicadas and sticky skin of uncertain but excited young lovers. "In your summer dress, I was holding you, but you were holding less/ It's not the words, it's the ones you stress/ I love you is I love you, just don't love me less", sings Edenloff, proving why the Rural Alberta Advantage were known as the best unsigned band in Canada before Saddle Creek snapped them up and re-released this debut. And it's a good thing they did; songs this good deserve to be heard by audiences as large as their sonic scope.
Beautiful Girls - INXS. Another tip of the hat to my friend Darin for reminding me to add some INXS to the 33Forever world. How great is the piano?