Posted by: Ryan Allen on April 20, 2009 at 11:07 am

mixtape7
Nobody good comes to Detroit? This week’s Monday mix is going to make whoever continuously utters that statement to put their foot in their mouth. There’s tons of good shows happening in the D and beyond; it’s just up to ya’ll to get out there and see what’s happening. The tunes below are from the trusted locals and badass national bands coming to town this week, so brush up on their sounds, maybe don’t spend your cash on those Diesel jeans just yet, and get out to see some shows.

The Birthday Suits :: Slowly Motion
Ripping two-piece punk from Minneapolis. Like No Age, minus the delay, and on speed. Saturday at PJ’s Lager House.

Copper Thieves :: Uptight
Classic rock duking it out with 90s indie. Fans of Thrush Hermit and Bachman Turner Overdrive should take note. They celebrate their 7″ release show Friday night at the Berkley Front.

Fortune and Maltese :: Bewitched
Led by Freddie Fortune, these local garage rock legends are still around and kicking. Nothing short of awesome. Saturday at the Painted Lady.

French Kicks :: One More Time
New York City’s smooth-rock survivors. The hype might be gone, but the tunes are still there. Sunday at the Pike Room.

The Life and Times :: High Scores
Ex-Shiner, from Kansas City. Enough said. Wednesday at the Pike Room.

Lightning Love :: Good Time
Economic indie pop with some of the best lyrics in town. Friday at the Pike Room.

Mason Proper :: Point A to Point B
We heard a rumor these dudes all moved back up to Alpina, so if you forgot that they were a local band before, they’re going to seem like they’re from Alaska now. Sunday at the Pike Room.

Noah and the Whale :: Give A Little Love
Folksy, British, and hauntingly melodic — kinda like Johnny Cash meets the Magnetic Fields and the Hidden Cameras. Sunday at the Magic Bag.

Royal Bangs :: Handcuff Killa
Glitchy indie rawk — with an emphasis on the “rawk” part — on Black Key Patrick Carney’s Audio Eagle label. Friday at the Berkley Front.

Russian Circles :: Death Rides a Horse
Indie-kid approved instru-metal, from Chicago. Friday at the Magic Stick.

2 Comments 

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: Ryan Allen on April 6, 2009 at 3:42 pm

mixtape51
If you still pick up Magnet magazine on a regular basis, or just prefer some serious POP mixed in with your hyperactive punk, then tomorrow is a very important day for you. Why? Well, Superchunk — the Chapel Hill, NC power-punk indie stalwarts who’ve been at it since before time began (well, since 1989, anyway) — are releasing the Leaves in the Gutter EP, their first non-single collection of new music since 2001. Yep, that’s 8 fucking years, man. Granted, in those 8 years, they’ve been more than busy; band members and former-lovers Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance run Merge Records, and are responsible for releasing albums by a few bands you may have heard of (Arcade Fire, Spoon, Destroyer, and Neutral Milk Hotel, to name just a few). So yeah, cut ‘em some slack (motherfucker) if they’ve been tied up making your record collection more awesome. So, to commemorate the release of their super-great new EP, we’re taking a look back at why Read more

8 Comments 

Tags: ,

Posted by: Ryan Allen on March 30, 2009 at 11:20 am

mixtape4
Over the past few Monday Mix Tapes, we’ve focused on the phenomenon of hype. In the digital age of harder, better, faster, stronger, NOW! NOW! NOW!, we’re essentially wallowing in it. It seems that every blog on the block is trying to shove “the next big thing” down our throats — so much so, we forget to swallow perhaps what’s been lodged in the back of our mouth’s all along. This mix focuses on ten bands that we feel don’t get the credit they deserve. Some are newer, others have been around for a minute. But one way or the other, we feel they’re all pretty unappreciated — we’re hoping to change that.

Blitzen Trapper :: Gold For Bread
Last year, everybody had their nut on for Fleet Foxes. And while merited, wasn’t it Blitzen Trapper that was theĀ  band of bearded, backwoodisan Northwestern-ers that Sub Pop signed first? Maybe their harmonies aren’t as sunny, and maybe they’ll never play “SNL,” but their Wilco-meets-the-Band-meets-a-bottle-of-Moonshine country rock should not be slept on. On tour now with, uh, Fleet Foxes.

Jason Falkner :: Author Unknown
Falkner’s list of credentials is impressive — he’s done time in the Three O’Clock, Jellyfish, and the Grays, and has also logged studio and road time with Brendan Benson, Air, and some dudes named Paul McCartney and Beck. Yet, besides power-pop nerds that still live in their parents basement, Falkner may as well be a ghost. A Japanese release of his 2007 album I’m OK…You’re OK, and his insistence on releasing bizarre instrumental Beatles albums is further confounding, but there’s possibly not a better pop songwriter that you’ve never heard of before working today.

French Kicks :: Abandon
Admittedly, we kind of hated on French Kicks’ latest album, Swimming. We dogged it, sorta, because, really, the band hasn’t changed much since their inception. But the more and more we think about it, that may be precisely why they’re so good — they’re nothing if not reliable, truly settled in as a smooth pop outfit with enough edge to keep us listening. The above track is one of Swimming’s best.

Harvey Danger :: Cream and Bastards Rise
They’re not sick. They’re not well. But they still exist. And guess what? They’re pretty fucking awesome. Sure, they had that one hit about flag polls that you probably thought was a little dorky. But it’s not. It’s a great song. And so is this one right here. Don’t believe us? Download their latest, Little By Little, right here and decide for yourself.

Ladyhawk :: S.T.H.D.
Awhile back, we caught Ladyhawk (no “e” at the end — that’s somebody else) simply destroy the Magic Stick in front of, well, probably ten or so people. But it didn’t matter who was there, or how many — Ladyhawk played like it was their first and last show ever, tossing of Neil Young influenced chunks of rock ‘n roll that was as effortless as it was passionate. When (if) they ever come back, let’s not make the same mistake again, OK Detroit?

Lilys :: Nanny In Manhattan
One of the biggest weirdos in indie rock has got to be Lilys’ Kurt Heasley. Drug gobbler, pop genius, father of two. He was there when shoegaze hit it’s stride, abandoned it for Kinks-y mod pop when it got stale, then combined the two with fantastic results on his last few albums. Heasley hasn’t made one in awhile, but considering how popular the genre’s are that he specializes in, he seems primed for a comeback.

Love As Laughter :: All Parts of Me
Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. That’s pretty much the story of Sam Jayne. His former band, Lync, is often referenced as a huge influence on northwestern indie bands like Modest Mouse, and despite numerous tours with the band, LAL never really gets the credit they deserve. This track, released on last year’s Holy, is simply to good to go unrecognized.

The Ponys :: Double Vision
The Ponys love Detroit. Detroit loves the Ponys. But does the rest of the country? Sorta? We’re not sure. It just seems like for such a solid rock band, the Ponys would get more love than they do. Maybe because their name is confusing…”The Ponys” sounds like a twee-pop band if we ever heard one — not one that expertly channels Sonic Youth, the Stooges, and Jesus and Mary Chain into one fuzzy, hook-filled ball of awesomeness.

Supergrass :: 345
Everybody has at least heard of Supergrass, right? We probably all bought I Should Co Co when it came out, because the magazines told us to (remember magazines?). But then most of us forgot about them — which is really too bad, because some of their later-period albums rip. Check this rocker from their slept on 2008 album Diamond Hoo Ha, and ask yourself, “Why do I not like this band anymore?”

Teenage Fanclub :: Mad Dog 2020
Post Nirvana hysteria, Teenage Fanclub were on “SNL” once. It was awesome. They had super long hair and wore flannel, just like they were supposed to. But maybe America wasn’t ready for a bunch of Scottish dudes playing fuzzed out power pop, because it seems they just never really caught on like it seemed they might. Regardless, they’re an essential 90s staple, and this cut, from the infamous DGC Rarities, Vol. 1 compilation might be one of their best.

4 Comments 

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: Ryan Allen on March 23, 2009 at 10:30 am

mixtape3
Here’s the deal: We get A TON of CDs sent to the Bivouac; so much so that we could probably build an entire other office out of the damn things. But unlike some other sites that tend to let these gems go unnoticed and only talk about whatever Pitchfork decides is cool, we’ve decided to spotlight songs from albums that otherwise get swept under the rug. We call this the “Totes Undrgrnd” mix — jams picked solely based on band name, album art, or if it just seemed weird. Consider this the first installment of many more to come, featuring the less hip, but still worthy tracks to add to your collection.

Anavan :: Pregnancy Test
Like an episode of “ER,” that 80s sci-fi drama “V,” and that weird Japanese animation-inspired dance video game called “Audition,” all rolled into 48 seconds of insanity. A perfect way to start this mess.

The Everyday Visuals :: Intro (Morning Star)

The jagged lines and bright yellow hue of the Everyday Visuals record is pretty misleading — we were expecting some kind of spazz-core skronk rock. Instead, we’ve got a mini Fleet Foxes on our hands.

Everything, Now! :: The Shelter
We’re going to make the assumption that the guy singing this song is probably insane, and collects bizarre things, like doll heads, or human skulls, or taxidermy or something. It’s just the vibe we get.

Hooray for Earth :: Party
What if Elliott Smith was really into Brainiac instead of George Harrison?

Howlies :: Sea Level
According to Kim Fowley, Howlies are “the first rock and roll band of the 21st Century” — and that guy co-founded the Runaways, so he knows what he’s talking about. They’re making a Runaways movie, starring Dakota Fanning, which is FUCKED on so many levels.

K-The-I??? :: Sabbath Faster
The cover of this album features a giant black man with a bullhorn, and this particular song name checks Jude Law. How could you not want to listen to this? Mush Records sent us about 8 of these, so let us know if you want one.

Roger Joseph Manning Jr. :: The Turnstile at Heaven’s Gate
From the same goofy mind that gave us Jellyfish and the Moog Cookbook, Roger Joseph Manning Jr. specializes in music that sounds like a Disney cartoon meets the theme song to a “TGIF” sitcom, filtered through the lens of a guy who grew up listening to punk rock. And no, this is not the Pop Project in disguise.

Mike Mictlan & Lazerbeak :: LA Raiders Hat
We had a LA Raiders hat once. But it was all fancy, covered in rhinestones and made of a really soft felt material. Needless to say, we were not very gangster.

We Are Hex :: INDPLS
We Are Hex sound like Yeah Yeah Yeahs, except if they were more into Jesus Lizard, Pop Group and Suicide than John Hughes movie soundtracks.

Western Civ :: Travel Song
If somebody you work with asked you what kind of music you like, and you said, “Indie rock,” and then they stared back at you and said, “I don’t know what that is,” you could play them this song by this band and then they would totally get it.

2 Comments 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: Ryan Allen on March 16, 2009 at 10:30 am

mixtape2
MP3 blogs are a dime a dozen — you just need to know where and how to find the best ones. A few weeks ago, whilst searching for anything and everything Superchunk-related (we’re kind of obsessed these days — go and listen to their new EP, and you will be too), we stumbled upon what is likely one of the greatest MP3 blogs we’ve ever seen: Willfully Obscure. Echoing our like-minded taste in power pop, indie rock, shoegaze, and even a little vintage emo (who said the Get Up Kids weren’t good once?), Willfully Obscure uploads full rips of long-forgotten and out of print vinyl (with record pops and all), digs up weird demos from classic albums, and posts releases by bands time has swept under the rug. Below is a collection of MP3’s that immediately stuck out to us as being essential. And yeah, we know, stealing music is bad…but, if it’s next to impossible to get your hands on it in the first place, isn’t it more just, like, sharing?

The Close Lobsters :: Gulp
Much has been made of London’s C-86 scene — one ignited by a compilation tape issued by the NME in 1986, featuring dreamy pop bands like the Pastels and the Wedding Present. One of the best of the bunch were the Close Lobsters. TCL may have echoed the Psychedelic Furs and the Smiths as far as chops were concerned, but the approach was all Velvet Underground, washed out with reverb and disenchanted vocals that bring to mind Lou Reed. Crystal Stilts probably own all of their records.

Tommy Keene :: Landscape
Crunchy, chorus-laced guitars and punk-effected vocals are what defines power-pop Godfather Tommy Keene’s 1981 debut, Strange Alliance. Anybody into early Joe Jackson and Big Star, or even now, American Princes’ Other People will find something to grab onto with Keene’s direct and spiky pop songs. (Fun fact: Keene often collaborates with ex-Guided by Voices mastermind Robert Pollard, on such dubious projects as the Keene Brothers and Boston Spaceships.)

The Look :: Three Steps Away
Charting in England, but virtually unknown here, the Look were the quintessential 80s power-pop band — slick logo, skinny ties, and air-tight tunes that put them in the same peer group as Squeeze and Elvis Costello. The record hiss is prevalent on this one, but the hooks more than make up for it.

Numbers :: Out To You
Nope. Not the San Franciscan skronk-rock trio of the same name; nor the defunct Detroit band featuring Kenny Tudrick, either. Indeed, Numbers may have a popular moniker, but this Canuck power-pop band is about as obscure as it gets. Released in 1979, Add Up — their only album — is one parts Buzzcocks-ians Brit-punk and two-parts American-style jangle (listen for tinges of R.E.M or the Feelies in “Out To You”). Those looking for the origins of popular Canadian indie-pop bands like New Pornographers could start here.

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart :: Kurt Cobain’s Cardigan
It’s not just all old shit that makes up the bulk of Willfully Obscure’s posts, however. Take this indie-pop delight from our new favorite shoegazers The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. While not included on their addictive debut album, this ode to rock and roll’s most famous sweater enthusiast would certainly fit right in.

Polvo :: Can I Ride
Recently reunited, Polvo stretched and mangled their guitar strings into unimaginable places, making their elastic indie rock often imitated (Archers of Loaf), yet clearly influenced (Sonic Youth). “Can I Ride” came early on in the band’s career, when pop hooks were still part of their approach, and echoes of their late-career fascination with prog rock was heard in only in the distant background.

Sex Clark Five :: States Rights
“Strum and drum” — a term coined by the band on their first LP of the same name — perfectly describes this Huntsville, Alabama trio. With relentless guitar jangle and hyper, pounding drums, SCF used the fury of punk rock to ignite a version of pop that eventually started to become the norm for southern college-rock bands in the mid 80s (think Pylon, early R.E.M., Let’s Active, etc.). “States Rights” is surely balls out, but the emphasis is on melody, not pace.

The Slushpuppies :: Blacklisted
While Merge Records just digitally released the extremely hard-to-find discography of wWax — Superchunk and Merge head honcho Mac McCaughan’s pre-’Chunk outfit — we’re partial to the tighter, poppier punk of another one of his early groups, the Slushpuppies. Echoes of Mac’s patented scratchy tenor and pop-punk delivery — basically what makes up the best of our favorite ‘Chunk tunes — can be heard clearly on “Blacklisted,” one of the Slushpuppies strongest songs on their debut 7″. (Also check out Bricks, wWax, and of course Portastatic for more Superchunk-related goodies.)

Straitjacket Fits :: Life In One Chord
One of the flagship bands on New Zealand’s Flying Nun records, Straitjacket Fits might be best known for their appearance on alt.rock comp No Alternative, released in 1993, featuring indie-giants like Pavement, the Breeders, and Smashing Pumpkins. Much like those bands, SF skillfully utilized buzzsaw guitars, feedback, fuzz, and an often-dreamy approach to concoct a hypnotic hybrid of Mission of Burma-esque punk and Jesus and Mary Chain-ish psyche, making them hugely popular in their home land, yet hardly known in the US. “Life In One Chord” is SF at their most immediate.

Superdrag :: Bristol Gurls (demo)
Perhaps one of the most underrated buzz bands of the 90s, Superdrag will always be tagged as one hit wonders, thanks to the throat shredding sneer of “Sucked Out.” Which, really, is a shame, since their follow up to Regretfully Yours, 1998’s Head Trip in Every Key, is no doubt their masterpiece. Even more of a shame, or perhaps just shocking, are some of the killer tracks they scrapped from it, including — in demo form — this slice of Clash-meets-the Beatles pop nugget they call “Bristol Gurls.”

1 Comment 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: Ryan Allen on March 9, 2009 at 10:30 am

mixtape1
Welcome, bitches, to our first installment of the Monday Mixtape — a weekly collection of hot jamburgers that we’re rocking around the office. For our inaugural edish, we’re featuring some new tracks that we missed out on while we were away watching the first three seasons of “Weeds” on DVD.

Max Tundra :: Will Get Fooled Again
Perhaps best known for his remix work, UK digi-pop producer Max Tundra delivers an anthem for our social networking-obsessed society — proving that yes, you can even meet chicks on eBay.

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart :: Everything With You
Did Sarah Records ever go away? Not if you’re a member of TPOBPAH, Brooklyn’s resident fuzz-pop maestros, who lovingly nod to classic cuddle-core acts like Black Tambourine and the Field Mice, albeit at a much quicker pace.

American Princes :: Real Love
American Princes prove that chorus pedals sounds good beyond that of Nirvana’s “Come As You Are,” pushing it to the forefront of their angular, 80s-informed pop.

Grizzly Bear :: Deep Blue Sea
As anticipation for their new album reaches Merriweather Post Pavilion-like levels of blogsanity, Grizzly Bear try and tide us over with this lulling contribution to the Dark Was the Night compilation.

Wavves :: So Bored
If No Age is the Smell-scene’s resident Guided by Voices, think of Wavves as every other kid in the 90s with a fourtrack and a dream. Think blown-out, lo-fi-as-fuck trash-pop by a skate kid in a oversized flannel and goofy hat, ollying over a pile of 7″ records.

Fucked Up :: Twice Born
Are they punk? Are they hardcore? Shugazi (shoegaze-meets-Fugazi, duh)? Who gives a rip? They’re Fucked Up. Hands up if you think you’re the only one!

Yeah Yeah Yeahs :: Sheena Is A Punk Rocker
From the War Child presents Heroes compilation, we have the Yeah Yeah Yeahs doing what they do best — spikey riffs, dirty beats, squealing — by way of this Ramones classic.

Asobi Seksu :: Me & Mary
Their new album, Hush, might be slightly lameburgers, but this breezy slice of dream-pop is remissible enough.

Ida Maria :: Oh My God
Lily Allen and Katy Perry might be all the rage in the mainstream pop world, but underneath it all is the clearly pissed off Ida Maria — heir to the throne that is PJ Harvey and Chrissie Hynde. Oh. My. God is this good.

Gentlemen Jesse :: All I Need Tonight (Is You)
Touring with Black Lips should turn this power-pop unknown into a slightly-better known power-pop uknown. For fans of Elvis Costello, Stiff Records, and staying up all night, drinking tall boys, and smoking weed out of an apple.

4 Comments 

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: Anthony Morrow on October 2, 2008 at 1:08 pm

Brooklyn spaz duo Matt and Kim get all old skool hip hop and shit on their new song “Daylight.” The track comes courtesy of Green Label Sound, Mountain Dew’s new MP3 download site. M&K are just the second artists to release a song via Green Label; the Cool Kids released a track earlier this year and two more bands are slated before the end of ‘08.

MP3: “Daylight”

Leave a Comment 

Tags: , , ,

Posted by: Ryan Allen on August 18, 2008 at 1:09 pm


It might be unknown to some, but Chuck Inglish — one half of neon-hued Chicago hip-hoppers Cool Kids — originally hails from Detroit. Those in the know, however, are going to get a healthy reminder of Inglish’s hometown pride during a verse from Cool Kids’ “Pennies”; a verse that is dedicated almost entirely to Bad Boys-era Detroit Pistons. Shout outs to Chuck Daly (aka “Daddy Rich”), Auburn Hills, MI (”home of the Palace” obvs), and our boy Isiah Thomas not only remind us of how awesome it was to be alive in 1989 and 1990, but also make us yearn for the days that the Pistons dominated teams by basically beating the living shit out of them, you know, physically. It’s hammer time, ya’ll! Click here to stream/download. (Via Gorilla Vs Bear) — Ryan Allen

Leave a Comment 

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: Ryan Allen on August 14, 2008 at 3:00 pm

Who likes free shit? If you raised your hand, well, you’re pretty gross. Who likes free music, though? Oh, now everybody raises their hands. Well, lucky for you, our boy Deastro has just put up some free jams he calls Voyager (which, coincidentally, was the name of the cover band one of our dads played in back in the 80s) on his blog. Download it here — oh, and click on the cover for the good stuff. — Ryan Allen

Deastro plays tonight w/ Pretty & Nice + Snark & Skirt @ The Lager House

Leave a Comment 

Tags: ,

Posted by: Ryan Allen on August 14, 2008 at 9:40 am

MP3: “Green Light”

Soul crooner John Legend collaborating with Outkast’s Andre “Movie Star” 3000? Okay, we can see that. But then getting remixed by MSTRKRFT, who have turned Legend’s song “Green Light” into an all out badass club banger? Well, even we couldn’t have called that one (and we’ve been known to predict the winner of a few reality shows in our day). Regardless, the song is the jam, and a welcome addition to MSTRKRFT’s already impressive list of remixees (Bloc Party, Kylie Minogue, the Gossip, Kid Sister). — Ryan Allen

Leave a Comment 

Tags: , , , ,

Next Page →

SHWFLYR

The Gories

  • Recent Posts

  • Tags

  • Archives