tuesday wake up call

Happy Valentine's Day... or not...

I am making the same post as I did a year ago:

For those that ARE celebrating Valentine's Day, here's Bright Eyes' "First Day of My Life":



"...this is the first day of my life / I'm glad I didn’t die before I met you / But now I don't care I could go anywhere with you / And I'd probably be happy..."


... and for those that are NOT celebrating, here's Bright Eyes' "A Perfect Sonnet":



"...I believe that lovers should be tied together / Thrown into the ocean in the worst of weather / Left there to drown / Left there to drown in their innocence..."


"First Day of My Life" is from I'm Wide Awake It's Morning while "A Perfect Sonnet" is from Every Day and Every Night EP—both released through Saddle Creek.

my 30 favourite albums of 2011

#30 Esben And The Witch: Violet Cries
You can really get lost in the mysterious and ghostly atmosphere of Violet Cries,
it is the perfect winter album.

#29 Future Virgins: Western Problems
A punk record with a hint of old-school garage sound... wonderfully fast and messy!

#28 Kuedo: Severant
This ultra mellow and futuristic/spacey sounding album can really expand your imagination.

#27 Patrick Wolf: Lupercalia
Refreshingly happy and wonderful.

#26 Mamaleek: Kurdaitcha
A crazy drone black metal album with electronica/industrial beats—think of Suicide meets Sunn)))—Kurdaitcha is one weird, but amazing sounding album.
Download the album for free here!

#25 Bangers: Small Pleasures
Raw and catchy skate/pop-punk album by a band from Cornwall.
Download the album for free over the Banger's Bandcamp page!

#24 James Blake: James Blake
It's crazy how such minimalistic vocal style and downtempo beats can convey so much emotion.

#23 Weekend Nachos: Worthless
Wickedly loud hardcore album!

#22 The Streets: Computers And Blues / Cyberspace and Reds
While I have included two separate albums here—a mixtape, Cyberspace and Reds released shortly before the official album, Computers and Blues—they feel like one big album for me. Both records are equally great and feature some of the catchiest beats and wittiest lyrics by The Street.

#21 Zomby: Dedication
Dark and mysterious grime beats make Dedication feel like something out of a dramatic thriller movie.

#20 Fleet Foxes: Helplessness Blues
I love this band and their incredible live shows! Although not nearly as good as their masterpiece debut, Helplessness Blues is still a damn fine folk album with unforgettable lyrics. The title track is one of the best songs of the year!

#19 Caves: Homeward Bound
Homeward Bound feels intimate and honest for its DIY and aggressively raw sound. It is fast, catchy and one of the most energetic records of the year!

#18 PJ Harvey: Let England Shake
Gorgeous up-beat music juxtaposed by some ironic and horrific lyrics.

#17 Sharks: The Joys Of Living 2008–2010
A great compilation that shows off the band's talent and potential; can't wait to hear their proper full-length debut, No Gods, out on March 20, 2012!

#16 Basement: I Wish I Could Stay Here
An album that echoes the melodic riffs, pounding drums and aggressive vocals of 90s emo... absolutely LOVE this record!

#15 Touché Amoré: Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me
20 explosive minutes of shouted vocals and sincere lyrics over some ridiculously flawless production. Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me features some of the most memorable lyrics of the year in "Condolences": "If you fantasize about your funeral, I understand / I've been there before / If what's more important, is the music played / Than who'd attend / We are the same..."

#14 Yellow Ostrich: The Mistress
Alex Schaaf's soft and layered vocals make for a beautifully gentle album; "WHALE" and "Mary" are two of my favourite songs of 2011.

#13 Sundials: Never Settle
A fantastically nostalgic sounding album— it's like all my favourite punk/indie bands from the 90s merged to form a super band... think Jawbreaker + The Promise Ring + Guided by Voices + Pavement... so fucking good!

#12 Starscream: Future, Towards the Edge of Forever
The ambient and experimental chiptune rhythm make the album dynamically mesmerizing. Future, Towards the Edge of Forever is my favourite instrumental album of the year.

#11 Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat: Everything's Getting Older
A brilliant avant-garde jazz album full of soothing piano lullabies and minimalistic percussion. The best part about Everything's Getting Older is the fascinating lyrics and Aidan Moffat's wisely sounding voice provides engaging spoken-word stories, philosophies and rants.

#10 Cult Of Youth: Cult Of Youth
This strange record sounds like something out of an epic, medieval or fantasy adventure movie; the dark-theatrical-folky-raw-punk style make it he most unique sounding record of the year!

#9 Grieves: Together/Apart
A fascinating album that features some very sincere, personal and relatable autobiographical lyrics backed by smooth and minimalist production by Budo.

#8 Joyce Manor: Joyce Manor
Fast, youthful, energetic and catchy as hell style reminisce of mid-90s punk bands such as Jawbreaker and The Promise Ring. There is not one bad song in this S/T debut... the only setback is that it is over way too quickly!

Stream the entire album here.

"In your new leather jacket, you're somebody else. / It's not nice to meet you in a fortress of self. / Thanks to your new leather jacket, we're nobodies now."

#7 The King Blues: Punk & Poetry
What singer/writer Itch does so entertainingly well is his ability to include humour (often in a mocking fashion) to his serious subject matter. Punk & Poetry is filled with punk attitudes, folk passion, it is inspiring, angry and lively; and even if you don't pay attention to Itch's great lyrics, you would enjoy the album simply for its insanely catchy chorus!

#6 Timber Timbre: Creep On Creepin On
Creepily clever post-relationship lyrics and wonderfully strange arrangements produce an eerie sounding, yet very soothing folk-pop album.

#5 Bright Eyes: The People's Key
I think this is the most entertaining album of the year simply for Denny Brewer's spoken word contribution. In addition, this sounds like early Bright Eyes—Fevers & Mirrors with a little bit of Digital Ash In A Digital Urn. The People's Key features great lyrics and sharp (but not overly produced) production.

"I was dressed in white, touched by something pure / Death obsessed, like a teenager / Sold my tortured youth, piss and vinegar / I'm still angry with no reason to be..."

#4 The Front Bottoms: The Front Bottoms
Hands down the catchiest album of the year. The remarkable chemistry between the two members Brian Sella and Mathew Uychich makes this album ultra enjoyable! Together, they've created an youthfully fun and energetic sing-along record.

#3 Night Birds: The Other Side Of Darkness
Awesome fast classic surf-punk sound (Agent Orange) combined with the raw attitude of hardcore (The Shitty Limits). This one is pretty obvious based on my love for both 80s surf-punk and hardcore.

#2 Iceage: New Brigade
If you ever wonder what Hüsker Dü music with Ian Curtis-like vocal sound like, this is it. I just love the explosively noisy, raw, and carefree sound—really reminds me of old punk music. FUCKING BRILLIANT!





#1 La Dispute: Wildlife

The intensely emotional journey provided by Jordan Dreyer's vocal and lyrics is enough for me to choose Wildlife by La Dispute as my favourite album of 2011! It is full of engaging and compelling narratives like "King Park". A song about a drive-by shooting and the death of an innocent a boy, which eventually led to the killer contemplating suicide:

"Can I still get into heaven if I kill myself? / Can I ever be forgiven cause I killed that kid? / It was an accident I swear it wasn't meant for him!" —Very powerful stuff!

Perhaps the most memorable lyrics are the ones that sound like they came from Dreyer's subconscious; which in many ways, feel remarkably personal and frighteningly relatable.

"I know I never used to feel like this. / I used to never think of death or hear voices. / I used to feel like everything was perfectly in order, a normal life, / but I guess then came a departure."
—from "a Departure"

"I think the thing is that I shut off from everything. / From friends and family and my own ambitions. / From having fun. / I just shut off from everything."
—from "a Letter"

Wildlife is one of the most passionate and intimate albums I have ever heard and it features some of the best melodic hardcore music in recent years.

Stream the entire album here!

today's valentine's day...

For those that are NOT celebrating, here's Bright Eyes' "A Perfect Sonnet":



...and for those that ARE celebrating, here's Bright Eyes' "First Day of My Life":

let's listen to the songs of discontent

The G20 Summit begins today in my home city Toronto. While the first major demonstration happened peacefully yesterday, today is the real test for everyone in and around the city as at least two key groups will embark to march down the streets of Toronto in the afternoon. I think this is an incredible opportunity to capture some extraordinary images, but my friends had advised against any participation in the demonstrations due to the possible danger. At the moment, I am still undecided on whether I will get involve or not... in any case, I hope the protests today go peacefully and I wish all the demonstrators, police forces, and everyone involving to make smart decisions and be safe!

Here are a handful of my favourite protest/political songs:

At The Drive-In: Invalid Litter Dept. from Relationship Of Command
Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore: Only A Song from Dear Companion
Bloc Party: Helicopter from Silent Alarm
Bright Eyes: Old Soul Song (For The New World Order) from I'm Wide Awake It's Morning
Bob Dylan: Blowin' In The Wind from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Refused: Protest Song '68 from The Shape Of Punk To Come
Cat Stevens: Peace Train from Teaser And The Firecat
Strike Anywhere: Sunset on 32nd from Change Is a Sound

out this week

Patrick Wof: The Magic Position [Single]
One of the happiest songs I’ve ever heard is now out in single format... in fact, you can get it from digital download, CD, and two 7” singles!!! I can’t wait to get my hands on all of them!!!

The Magic Position [super-wicked-cool song]

buy The Magic Position Single(s) here


Björk: Earth Intruders [Digital Single]
"Earth Intruders" echoes Debut/Post era style with the maturity of Medúlla. The new single will definitely make up for those who were greatly disappointed with the last record.

Earth Intruders [wicked-cool song]


The Terrible Twos: If You Ever See An Owl...
Woo… this came out today? I got this album about a year ago at The New Amsterdams show... holy crap... what the hell took so long for it to come out!!?!?!? Anyways, I absolutely adore If You Ever See An Owl... it’s like children’s music for grownups! "We Can All Get Along With Dinosaurs" is one of the best songs I’ve heard in years!!!

We Can All Get Along With Dinosaurs [super-wicked-cool song]
A Rake, A Broom, A Mop, A Shovel [wicked-cool song]

buy If You Ever See An Owl... here now... it is sooooo good!


Bright Eyes: Cassadaga
A fine record with some beautiful productions.

If The Brakeman Turns My Way
Soul Singer In A Session Band [super-wicked-cool song]
I Must Belong Somewhere [wicked-cool song]

buy Cassadaga here


Blonde Redhead: 23

Top Ranking

buy 23 here


Cocorosie: The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn
While Noah's Ark was wonderful, it kind of lost its charm near the end. On the other hand, The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn is a solid record from start to finish!

Promise
Japan [wicked-cool song]
Werewolf [wicked-cool song]

buy The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn here

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i have officially lost count on how many times i have re-posted old bright eyes

There has been an overwhelming request for the old Bright Eyes cassettes post in the past week or so... I guess Cassadaga is coming out in less than a week and everyone is getting really excited and want as much Bright Eyes as possible... anyways, I have uploaded all the songs once again, here is the link to that post.

Oh, and just for fun, you can download the bonus track from the 3"CD/7" Vinly from the Cassadaga pre-orders below.

Susan Miller Rag
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Cassadaga comes out on April 10, you can pre-order it here

out this week

Bright Eyes: Four Winds EP
This is an incredible EP, can’t wait to hear Cassadaga!!!!!!
(ps, Pitchfork only gave this EP a 5.9... WTF!!?!?!?!... that makes me so mad!!!)

Four Winds [super-wicked-cool song]
Smoke Without Fire [wicked-cool song]

buy Four Winds EP here


Arcade Fire: Neon Bible
I didn’t like Funeral very much... however, this follow-up is surprising great! Oh, be sure to check out the limited edition of Neon Bible... I don't know what's on that version, but the cover art is amazing!!

Keep The Car Running [super-wicked-cool song]
Neon Bible [super-wicked-cool song]
The Well And The Lighthouse [wicked-cool song]

buy Neon Bible here


Air: Pocket Symphony
Pocket Symphony is one of those perfect winter albums, it is no doubt another fine release by the French duo.

Once Upon a Time [wicked-cool song]
Mer Du Japon [wicked-cool song]
Redhead Girl

buy Pocket Symphony here


The Horrors: Strange House
The Horrors is an incredible band, and Strange House is one of the best albums of the year so far!

Excellent Choice [wicked-cool song]
She Is The New Thing [wicked-cool song]
Thunderclaps [wicked-cool song]

buy Strange House here


!!!: Myth Takes

All My Heroes Are Weirdos
Break In Case Of Anything

buy Myth Takes here


Maria Taylor: Lynn Teeter Flower
Maria Taylor’s second album features similar styles of Jenny Lewis and Regina Spektor. In my opinion, it is a much finer record than 11:11.

Smile And Wave [wicked-cool song]
Lost Time

buy Lynn Teeter Flower here


Gruff Rhys: Candylion
Although I don’t think Candylion is all that great, Gruff Rhys is extremely entertaining live... so go see him live, I guess.

Lonsome Words
Gyrru Gyrru Gyrru

buy Candylion here

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finally... cursive in toronto!

New Against Me! and Cursive tour dates!!!!!

Tue-5-1-07 -- Los Angeles, CA -- Wiltern LG
Wed-5-2-07 -- San Francisco, CA -- Warfield
Fri-5-4-07 -- Portland, OR -- Roseland Ballroom
Sat-5-5-07 -- Seattle, WA -- The Fenix
Sun-5-6-07 -- Boise, ID -- Big Easy
Mon-5-7-07 -- Salt Lake City, UT -- In The Venue
Tue-5-8-07 -- Denver, CO -- Fillmore Auditorium
Fri-5-11-07 -- Minneapolis, MN -- The Myth
Sat-5-12-07 -- Chicago, IL -- Riviera Theatre
Sun-5-13-07 -- Detroit, MI -- State Theatre
Mon-5-14-07 -- Cleveland, OH -- House Of Blues
Tue-5-15-07 -- Toronto, ON -- Kool Haus
Thu-5-17-07 -- New York, NY -- Roseland Ballroom
Fri-5-18-07 -- Philadelphia, PA -- Electric Factory
Sat-5-19-07 -- Boston, MA -- Avalon

Plus even more Bright Eyes dates:

03-07 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey
03-08 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey
03-09 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
03-10 San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall
03-11 Seattle, WA - Showbox
03-16 London, England - Koko
03-18 Oxford, England - Brookes University Student Union
03-22 Oslo, Norway - Cosmopolite
03-24 Stockholm, Sweden - Debaser
03-26 Berlin, Germany - Columbia Club
03-27 Cologne, Germany - Gloria
03-30 Paris, France - Cafe de la Danse
03-31 Amsterdam, the Netherlands - Melkweg
04-22 Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theatre
04-23 Chicago, IL - Riviera Theatre
04-24 Chicago, IL - Riviera Theatre
04-25 Minneapolis, MN - State Theatre
04-26 Omaha, NE - Holland Performing Arts Center
04-28 Denver, CO - Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre
04-29 Salt Lake City, UT - Kingsbury Hall
05-01 Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre
05-02 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
05-04 Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre
05-05 Santa Barbara, CA - Arlington Theatre
05-06 Los Angeles, CA - Walt Disney Concert Hall
05-08 San Diego, CA - SOMA
05-09 Tempe, AZ - Mesa Amphitheatre
05-11 Dallas, TX - Palladium Ballroom
05-12 Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom
05-13 Austin, TX - Bass Concert Hall
05-14 New Orleans, LA - Republic
05-16 Tampa, FL - Tampa Theatre
05-17 Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live
05-18 Atlanta, GA - Fox Theatre
05-19 Nashville, TN - Ryman Audiotorium
05-20 Columbus, OH - Wexner Center for the Arts
05-21 Detroit, MI - Royal Oak Music Theatre
05-22 Toronto, Ontario - Massey Hall
05-24 Boston, MA - Wang Center for the Performing Arts
05-25 New York, NY - Town Hall
05-26 New York, NY - Town Hall
05-28 New York, NY - Town Hall
05-29 New York, NY - Town Hall
05-30 New York, NY - Town Hall
05-31 New York, NY - Town Hall
06-01 New York, NY - Town Hall

boys would fashion their emotions to the pattern of your heart

As reported before, Bright Eyes will be releasing Cassadaga on April 10, the follow-up to 2005’s I'm Wide Awake It's Morning and Digital Ash In A Digital Urn. The new album will be supported by an EP entitled Four Winds, which will feature the first single off of the new album plus five brand new b-sides. The first thing I noticed when I listen to Four Winds is the incredible production value. The sound quality of the EP is absolutely wonderful; I am just blown away by the instrumentations on each track. Oh, and not to mention, much like all other Bright Eyes releases, Four Winds again features some remarkable lyrics by Conor Oberst. I am pretty mcuh shocked by the fact that only the title track/single will appear on Cassadaga and the rest are just b-sides... hands down, Four Winds features the best collection of b-sides I have ever heard. After hearing the EP, I know that it will make every Bright Eyes fan extremely happy and I cannot wait to hear Cassadaga.

Four Winds [wicked-cool song]
Reinvent The Wheel [wicked-cool song]
Smoke Without Fire [wicked-cool song]
Cartoon Blues [wicked-cool song]
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Four Winds EP comes out on March 6, you can pre-order the CD version here and the 12" vinyl here

shows shows shows

Tickets info:

Brand New @ Kool Haus on May 17 goes on sale, Thursday (Jan 18) @ 10am

Cold War Kids w/ Tokyo Police Club @ Mod Club on April 4 goes on sale, Friday (Jan 19) @ 10am
Tokyo Police Club - Cut Cut Paste
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Bright Eyes @ Opera House on Feb 27 pre-sale, Thursday (Jan 18) @ 10am

Bloc Party @ Kool Haus on March 25 goes on sale, Saturday (Jan 20) @ 10am

Let me know if anyone is interested in going to any of these shows... I'm going to Brand New and CWK already, and I wouldn't mind seeing Bright Eyes and Bloc Party again.

endless entertainment

Finally, an official Bright Eyes site will be up in 2007… along with a brand new LP, Cassadaga due out in April. Sign up for the Bright Eyes mailing list now to hear a brand new Bright Eyes track ...or download it below!

Bright Eyes: Endless Entertainment

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christmas music that should replace the ones at the mall

So, it’s that time of the year where you are forced to shop at places that you don’t normally shop at… and to make that worse, you are also forced to listen to countless annoying Christmas music! Well, in case you are not tired of hearing holiday music, you can download more below!

+44: Christmas Vacation
The Pogues: Fairytale Of New York (with Kirsty MacColl) [super-wicked-cool song]
"Fairytale Of New York" is the best Christmas song ever... and probably one of the best songs of all time!!!
The Format: Holly Jolly Christmas
Brand New: O Holy Night
The Used: Alone This Holiday

Bright Eyes' A Christmas Album
1. Away In A Manger
2. Blue Christmas
3. Oh Little Town of Bethlehem
4. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
5. The First Noel
6. Little Drummer Boy
7. White Christmas
8. Silent Night
9. Silver Bells
10. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
11. The Night Before Christmas
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buy A Christmas Album here

Coming soon: in the next few days, I'll post my best songs, best albums, and best of everything else lists!

my promise is counterfeit

Bright Eyes will release a new EP entitled Four Winds on CD and 12" on March 6, 2007, that will then be followed by a brand new full length in April...so exciting! This news comes at a perfect time. I listen to Bright Eyes all year around, but for some reason, I do that more so during the winter. I guess there has always been this strange, but fitting association of Bright Eyes with the cold, windy, snowy winter.

Act Of Contrition
Black Comedy [wicked-cool song]
Entry Way Song [super-wicked-cool song]
Go Find Yourself A Dry Place
Have You Ever Heard Of Jandek
Hungry For A Holiday [wicked-cool song]
I'll Be Your Friend
The Joy In Discovery
Lake Havasu (In Florida)
One Foot In Front Of The Other (Saddle Creek 50 version) [super-wicked-cool song]
Pioneer's Park
Spring Cleaning
When the Curious Girl Realizes She is Under Glass Again [wicked-cool song]
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buy One Jug Of Wine, Two Vessels here
buy Noise Floor (Rarities 1998-2005) on 180 gram 2xLP here