Videos For Your Weekend

Since we don't always do the greatest job of posting, I thought I'd provide a little treat: a round up of some of the best videos of live performances. Enjoy!

Los Campesinos! - Death to Los Campesinos!


Land of Talk - Some Are Lakes


Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks


Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes

Concert Review: Titus Andronicus/Los Campesinos!

Having gone since CMJ without a concert, last night's Titus Andronicus/Los Campesinos! show as at the Wexner Center was greatly welcomed. With high expectations for both bands, (especially LC!, my Artist of the Year for 2008) I'm pleased to report I was not disappointed at all.

Openers Titus Andronicus have been on a roll recently, with their debut album The Airing of Grievances getting rereleased. Coming on stage to a monologue presented by a 1960's teen screaming about rock and roll, Titus Andronicus started rocking and never stopped. The howl of lead singer Patrick Stickles was barely decipherable, but it hardly mattered. The band barreled through most of Grievances and let their raucous sound fill the venue, an odd set up where a smaller stage is set up on the big stage of the Mershon Auditorium. The set was also peppered with a cover of the Modern Lovers' "Road Runner" and at one point, they broke down into the classic "Wipeout." This is a band to keep an eye on. They might not reach epic heights, but they seem like they're going to go places.

By the time Los Campesinos! took the stage, the place was packed and ready to go. Drawing equally from their two LPs, Hold on Now Youngster and We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed, the band never slowed down. LC! is a blast to listen to on their albums, and the energy emitted by the band in concert is contagious. At the start of the show, the hipsters all sort of bopped their heads, but by the time band finished their encore, everyone was exhausted from dancing. The highlight of the show was easily "You! Me! Dancing!," the band's most recognizable track. When guitarist Tom Campesinos! began playing the intro riff to the song, the crowd erupted in applause. When the song broke wide open, the crowd became a mob of dancing, screaming the lyrics back at the band and bopping along. In between tracks, lead singer Gareth Campesinos! entertained with witty banter that rivals that of Jeff Tweedy. Closing their main set with "Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks" and doing an encore of "Broken Heartbeats Sound Like Breakbeats," Los Campesinos! left their crowd dizzy in the after shock of an epic show.

After the show, I had a chance to meet Gareth at the merch table. A super nice guy, he right off the bat noticed my Vivian Girls t-shirt and told me where it might be best to trim the collar. After I told him I'd been to Spillers, a record store in Cardiff, we ended up having a conversation about Bath, the city in England where I studied abroad and he lives. It's always cool to meet a musician you enjoy, but even better when you can actually talk to them.

I must say that this show was one of the best shows I've seen in a while. Not since My Morning Jacket back in October have I rocked this hard. A huge thumbs up to both bands.

Grade: A+

NOTE: My memory card is messed up, so my pictures of the show will be a bit delayed. Check back and hopefully I'll get them up soon.

Radio Cure 2/10/09

Show Status: Over :-(
Tracklist:
1. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Everything With You [Link]
2. The Thermals - Now We Can See[MP3]
3. Wavves - So Bored
4. Bishop Allen - Dimmer [MP3]
5. Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career [Link]
6. Great Lakes Swimmers - Pulling on a Line [Link]
7. Clem Snide - Beard of Bees [Full Album Stream]
8. Here We Go Magic - Tunnelvision [MP3]
9. Port O'Brian - Is This Really What Its Come To? [MySpace]
10. Animal Collective - Daily Routine
11. Arcade Fire - Surf City Eastern Block
12. Grizzly Bear - Colorado
13. Yo La Tengo - You Can Have It All
14. Amanaz - Khala My Friend [MP3] (Thanks to GvB)
15. Little Joy - Brand New Start
16. Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) - Liner
17. Real Estate - Fake Blues
18. Moscow Olympics - Still
19. Ferris Wheel - Lay Down [Link]
19. Titus Andronicus - Titus Andronicus
20. Los Campesinos! - The International Tweexcore Underground
21. R.E.M. - Gardening at Night
22. Sleater-Kinney - Oh!
23. The Replacements - Alex Chilton
24. Los Campesinos! - We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives
25. Guided By Voices - Motor Away
26. The Shins - Fighting in a Sack
27. N.A.S.A. - Spacious Thoughts

Radio Cure 2/3/2009

Be sure to tune in tonight from 7:30-9:30 EST for the Radio Cure for a special, jam packed show. In addition to the normal mix of new and awesome music, I'll be doing a segment on the Bonnaroo lineup as well as a tribute to Buddy Holly on the 50th Anniversary of his death. You can listen live at 91.1 FM in the Granville area, or stream it online here. If you caught the show and liked what you heard, or in case you missed it, here's the playlist:
1. Little Joy - Keep Me In Mind
2. Peter, Bjorn, and John - Nothing To Worry About
3. Here We Go Magic - Fangela
4. MGMT - Electric Feel
5. Oxford Collapse - Young Love Delivers
6. Tangiers - I Don't Love You
7. Real Estate - Black Lake
8. Metric - Help, I'm Alive
9. Passion Pit - Cuddle Fuddle
10. Amadou & Miriam - Sabali
11. Pedro - Hope is a Happiness
12. Buddy Holly - Not Fade Away
13. M. Ward - Rave On
14. John Martyn - Glory Box
15. Weezer - Buddy Holly
16. Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes
17. Yeasayer - 2080
18. Okkervil River - The Latest Toughs
19. Wilco - Hate it Here (Live)
20. Ted Leo/Rx - The Great Communicator
21. Band of Horses - Wicked Gil
22. Neko Case - Some People Got a Lot of Nerve
23. Andrew Bird - Oh No
24. Bon Iver - Beach Baby
25. Wrens - Marked Up
25. Deerhunter - Never Stops
26. Feist - I Feel it All (Britt Daniel Remix)
27. Radiohead - Nude (Hipster Runoff Remix)
27. Radiohead - Faust Arp
28.. Buddy Holly - Peggy Sue Got Married

The Wrens Weren't Kidding

The Wrens sure weren't kidding when they said they were back. On the coattails of their first new single since "The Meadowlands," the Wrens have since released not one, but two new demos from their recording sessions. The first, an untitled track, can be found here, thanks to the wonderful folks at Magnet, and the second, a song called "Marked Up," found here, was posted by the good folks at Stereogum. I'm pretty excited about them both and absolutely can't wait for the new record!
EDIT: It appears both songs are the same. Sterogum failed to mention that and I posted before listening. My bad.

Did the Best Song of the Year Come Out in January?

Animal Collective have been really burning up the interweb as of late. It appears that they're either a great band or the greatest band ever. The accolades are not undeserved, as the band has truly put out their masterpiece with their newest album Merriweather Post Pavilion. The second track on the album, "My Girls" is definitely as good as advertised. The swell of the Panda Bear's echoing voice comes over dance hall beats and fills you with the urge to dance. Pitchfork just got the video, which is below. It looks like we have a contender for song of the year, and it's not even February yet.

NEW WRENS SONG!

Even as I write this, I can't quite believe it. After reading an email from the band, I dashed over to their website to download the track via iTunes. The song is called "Pulling Fences," and was recorded live at Abby Road Studios for a recording of the WorldSpace Sessions. Apparently, the band had made a pact to make up a song on the spot should they ever get on a TV show or something, and so they took a demo they'd never played together before and played it. The song is available as a single on their website, right now! Also, it appears they're going to start recording a new album next week, and will be posting demos on their website as they come along. Just the possibility of a new Wrens record this year makes me optimistic for the future!