At times a bit of an aggressive edge within music is necessary. Depending on external factors, fluffy feel-good music will not always be appropriate, serving to enhance feelings of anger/frustration/etc that may previously have been held rather than relieving them. This past Friday, for the third, very recent time, the furnace in my basement ceased to work. That’s a story for another time, and a complaint for a different site about the ineptitude of a certain local company who has ‘fixed’ it multiple times. Regardless, the situation did not foster feelings of warmth and generosity to those who had left my two small children without heat and refused to return the phone calls made informing them as such. And as much as I love a certain chamber pop artist I’ve been listening to a great deal lately, their dulcet tones just weren’t cutting it with making me feel better and/or channeling my frustrations. On single “Bronx Sniper,” Mister Heavenly filled that aggro need.
The song has been floating around for a bit, though remains topical due to the recent release of its accompanying video. If their sound is recognizable, then they likely are intimately familiar due to the parts that make up the band. A super group of sorts, the band consists of former members of Modest Mouse, Islands/The Unicorns, and Man Man. Islands frontman Nick Thorburn, Modest Mouse drummer Joe Plummer, and Ryan Kattner (Honus Honus) of Man Man, joined for this project after many previous tours together and meet cutes.
The side project incorporates elements from each individual’s original entities: doo-woppy ditties heavy on percussion from Man Man and Modest Mouse, plus earnest indie-pop from Islands and Thorburn’s previous outfit, The Unicorns. Affectionately labeled doom-wop, the band has an aggressive sound at times, to mesh with the aforementioned doom-wop label proving apt on tracks like “Pineapple Girl.” I am reminded mostly of Man Man, but Thorburn’s sensibilities are mingled in as well. As for the video above, the aggressive tendencies are manifested more bombastically than imaginable.
Last year’s Modest Mouse release – No One’s First and You’re Next - was made up of unreleased tracks from the sessions from their previous two albums – arguably their most accessible albums to date. As such, the remains of the recording sessions are tracks that wouldn’t have fit into the overall aesthetics of the particular albums, but are still accessible on their own.
The other day this song came up on shuffle, and I hadn’t remembered it from the EP, or maybe I just didn’t respond to it until now. It boasts that jangly guitar that I love so much, so I’m surprised I didn’t remember it from before. Regardless: it’s entered my consciousness now, and it’s rattling around in there. Get it stuck in your head too.
It’s here. It’s today. By the time you read this, I’ll probably already be out of the house, waiting for my favorite record store to open up their doors. If you haven’t been planning already, or are just a casual observer, check out the full list of vinyl that is being released specifically for Record Store Day. It’s lengthy, and awesome, and a lot of it is extremely limited – but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. I have a list of 10 things I want, and have ordered them according to what I want most so I know where to focus my energy.
Your local indie record shop should be holding something. The ones around here are having sales, having bands, and then there’s a party at a local bar later on tonight. Get yourself to someplace close to you and support independent record stores. You’ll miss them should they ever go away.
Here are a couple of tracks from bands that have releases today. They aren’t specifically from today’s releases, but hopefully they get you out to the stores. Have an excellent day. We’ll report back on what we end up with – and you should too.
The Beat, English Beat, or as I’ve known them my entire life The English Beat, formed in the late 1970′s in England as a ska revival band (there was an American band named The Beat as well). I am not a big fan of a majority of their reggae influenced work but there are a few songs that are great, “Save It For Later” obviously being one of them. I don’t actually remember the first time I heard this song, but it has been used in multiple movies I believe. It’s a fairly simple yet upbeat song that is just damn enjoyable.
It is my belief that in the past few Modest Mouse records Isaac Brock saves a few of his very best songs for the end of his usually longer-than-conventional-terms albums. Check out the last two or three tracks on the two latest records and you will see that they are all great. There is a definite science to album order, and I believe Brock subscribes to the theory of closing strong.
Regarding one of those strong closers, ‘One Chance,’ I have a strong adoration because I think it is as close to a perfect song the band has ever crafted. I would say that it is my second favorite song from Modest Mouse placed only behind the other track from the band that already populates this list. I can listen to ‘One Chance’ on repeat into oblivion and go off sinking.
This is one of the stronger weeks for new music that I’ve seen. I’ll personally get the Modest Mouse EP – which has been released prior to this in a series of limited 7-inch singles, the Yim Yames EP (which, if you don’t know, is a thinly veiled penname for the lead singer of My Morning Jacket) and the Julian Plenti album. I already have the Japandroids disc, which is excellent, but I believe this week it finally sees its physical release on the band’s new label.
And, a very happy 30th birthday to my friend Brian. I’ll be down to celebrate soon.
Have a happy week of listening. Like we always do, there are a couple tracks to whet your collective whistles after the list.
001: Joywave - Ridge/Traveling At The Speed Of Light 7"
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NOTE: Concerts are in Rochester unless otherwise noted.
1/5: Les Racquet
1/12: Joywave with Old Tapes, Dave & Marissa
1/13: The Dads
1/14: My Brightest Diamond
1/17: Josh Netsky Band with Cuddle Magic
1/18: Tycho (Buffalo)
1/26: Avicii
1/26: A$AP Rocky (Buffalo)
1/28: The Crystal Method (Syracuse)
2/11: Blind Pilot (Ithaca)
2/22: William Fitzsimmons
2/24: Mike Doughty
2/25: Charles Bradley (Buffalo)
2/29: Summer People
3/3: Matthew Good
3/5: Evening Man
3/23: The Men
3/30: tympanogram’s 3rd Birthday with Born Gold, Old Tapes, TBA
4/20: fun.
4/23: Cults (Buffalo)
5/6: Bear In Heaven (Ithaca)
5/7: M83 (Buffalo)
an examination used to test the condition of the middle ear and mobility of the eardrum, and the conduction bones by creating variations of air pressure in the ear canal.
Basically, it sounded like a cool name for a blog intended to be primarily about music. We’d both had other blogs previously, but over beers it was decided that more damage could be done as a joint venture. And here we are.
We share a passion for the undiscovered and under-appreciated, and hope that you’ll be able to find something you love as well.
Disclaimer
The music offered on this blog is for sampling purposes only. If you enjoy something you hear here, please go out and buy the music, see a show, or purchase some merchandise. Posted mp3s are available for a limited period of time only.
If there are any materials featured here that are your intellectual property, and you would prefer them removed, please notify us and we will be happy to oblige.
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About the Author: Dave
I like music. I can't describe how I came to like the music I do, because I don't know how or why, I just do.
Many years ago, Napoleon's brother, my great-great-great-great-great-great Grandfather, came to America. He was asked his name on Ellis Island while being processed as an immigrant. Not understanding English, he was under the impression that he was being asked how he had arrived in the new land. So he turned around and pointed at the sea vessel and said, 'LaBarge.'
About the Author: Andy
I come by my music taste of my own free will. My friends listened to 2Pac, my parents to contemporary Christian and me? Sunny Day Real Estate. I can’t explain it.
“Music, true music, not just rock ’n’ roll, it chooses you. It lives in your car, or alone, listening to your headphones…” - Lester Bangs
Last year’s 
It’s here. It’s today. By the time you read this, I’ll probably already be out of the house, waiting for 
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This is one of the stronger weeks for new music that I’ve seen. I’ll personally get the Modest Mouse EP – which has been released prior to this in a series of limited 7-inch singles, the Yim Yames EP (which, if you don’t know, is a thinly veiled penname for the lead singer of My Morning Jacket) and the Julian Plenti album. I already have the Japandroids disc, which is excellent, but I believe this week it finally sees its physical release on the band’s new label.
