Mix(tape) It Up! Challenge!

So, it’s that time again! In the spirit of Christmas and Hanukkah, Paul and I bring you our second Mix(tape) It Up! Challenge! It’s been a while since we’ve done one of these and they were supposed to be monthly, but we’ll settle for this at the moment. Paul and I slaved over this (she did more), so be excited and get into the holiday spirit! And remember, try not to use the same band/artist more than once, that is looked down upon. Show us your hipster knowledge!

1. A song about a year:

2. A song about academics:

3. A song named after a country:

4. A song about the weather:

5. A song from a movie:

6. A song with an exclamation point in the title (censored titles do not count):

7. A song about bad habits:

8. A song you’re embarassed to own:

9. A song whose title is a question:

10. A song with numbers:

11. An acoustic song you like:

12. A song from a band that has more than 4 words in its name:

13. A song from a musical:

14. And finally, a song for the holidays!

Have fun with this, guys, and have a great holiday season!

As a gift, here is a CD one of my best friends made because of the holiday season! It can be downloaded here!

 

 

 

 

It’s In Our Nature to be Hipsters.

Well, kindred spirits in hipsterness, it has been a while, hasn’t it? Bobcat and I do apologize for our absence. The blog has been neglected whilst we have been off wasting our parents trust fund money at fine institutions of higher learning, or perhaps we’ve just been in a two month long apathy-induced coma. You’ll never know. Regardless, I do believe an update is long overdue.

For  those of you who enjoy a little folk in your indie diet from time to time, I present to you Jose Gonzalez. Jose, who hails from Göteborg, Sweden but is really Argentinian, is best known for his down-tempo, lo-fi covers of other people’s songs. For instance, Massive Attack’s “Tear Drop” or The Knife’s “Heartbeat.” But his newest album, In Our Nature, which dropped in September of last year, is full of his own material (okay, except for “Tear Drop”) that lyrically takes on such ambitious subjects as war and religion and the purpose of life and is chock full of brilliant guitar playing.

He often garners comparisons to Pink Moon-era Nick Drake. I find that this comparison is less apt in sound than in essence. They may both use stripped down, folksy acoustic guitar and have some soft, whispery quality to their vocals, but they really don’t sound too similar. I find the similarities in the way they write their lyrics, the way they structure their songs, and their mutual affinity for minimalistic guitar accompaniments. When I hear Jose Gonzalez, I prefer to liken his sound to a Nick Drake-James Taylor hybrid with a tropical twist–the Latin influence on his music is undeniable and often overlooked.

One constant criticism (as highlighted by a certain music site that we hipsters publicly shun but still read in the privacy of our homes with curtains drawn and lights off) is that Gonzalez’s original work doesn’t stand up to his cover tracks and that those often outshine any particular original song. That being said, I don’t believe any track on In Our Nature is really a standout from any other track, not even the cover. Certainly, I have my favorites, but I think this more “atmospheric” disc is best listened to as a whole. Regardless, try Fold out:

If you liked that, you will probably enjoy the rest of Jose’s work. LaBlogotheque has other beautiful live videos of Jose Gonzalez’s Abram and How Low. (Side note: In general, I find LaBlogotheque is a great source of excellent versions of excellent artists’ excellent songs.) You can find more of Jose Gonzalez at his official site and myspace.

Hopefully next time I will return to blog my superior wisdom to the wretched hipster masses sooner than January. I’ll try. Really.

Mix(tape) It Up!

That’s right. Bobcat and I have decided it’s time to mix it up–mixtape it up, that is. Allow me to introduce to you:

Each month, we’ll provide you with a track list. Here’s the catch: Each track must fit under certain guidelines while still preserving the flow of the mixtape–you know, giving it that holistic je ne sais quoi. Also, we discourage artist repetition on a single mixtape unless it is entirely necessary. That may sound like a loosely enforced rule, but know that if we think you’re taking the easy way out, we shall look down upon you. And we all know that it’s no fun to be the target of hipster scorn.

So, as we embark on this monthly musical scavenger hunt of sorts, Bobcat and I hope you will join us and leave your own mixtape track listings in the comments, link us to reply blog, drop us an email with them, etc. Despite the fact that we’re positive we have musical tastes superior to those of the entire rest of humanity, we really do want to know what you guys are listening to (if solely for the purpose of mocking it in the privacy of our own homes). Without further ado, I give you the first Mix(tape) It Up! Challenge:

1. A song with an impressive intro:
2. A song with a literary allusion:
3. A song released 20+ years ago:
4. A rap song that fits within the realm of hipsterness:
5. A song by the first band you saw in concert:
6. A song that mentions or alludes (clearly) to a historical figure:
7. A song employing a foreign language either in part or whole:
8. A song that describes your hometown:
9. A song that mentions fruit:
10. The most heart wrenchingly sad song you know:
11. A song containing alliteration:
12. An unlikely cover:
13. A song that name drops another artist:
14. A song by the band you most swoon over:
15. A song about endings:

Bobcat and I will be posting our own responses in the near future, but we mostly want to hear back from you. So take a stab at it! We challenge you.

Jump Little Hipster Children!

Today I bring to you the mind-blowningly incredible (yet tragically disbanded) South Carolinian alternative rockers Jump, Little Children. It’s funny because if you take the comma out of the band name, they seem to be imperatively encouraging you to sneak up on small children and beat them senseless. Oh, punctuation, where would I be without you? Off jumping little children, I guess. But let’s forget my little grammar lesson–I’ll leave that to Eats, Shoots and Leaves.

Jump, Little Children was formed in 1991 at the North Carolina School of the Arts. They began their career playing Irish folk but soon began incorporating more of an alternative rock/pop sound into their original work. Their work ranges from electric guitar-heavy alternative rock to peacefully acoustic and folksy pop. Whatever the orchestration in the background, lead singer and guitarist Jay Clifford‘s voice drives right through it and is among the purest and most distinct in music today. He never seems over matched by a song or sounds like he’s straining his voice; it is always effortless and beautiful.

On the other hand, when Matthew Bivins takes the lead on vocals, Jump, Little Children‘s sound changes entirely. Often backed by Clifford‘s harmonies or ethereal background vocals, Bivins spins tales slam poetry-style atop the atmospherically appropriate bass and drums. The vignette style lyrics read like scenes of a play and Bivins’ performances of these songs are known to captivate audiences at live shows.

I have two picks for today. One Jump song featuring Clifford and another featuring Bivins.
While there are many Clifford Jump songs I could pick from, my personal favorite is a track off of the 2001 record Vertigo called “Lover’s Greed:“

(Close Your Eyes ran a close second; you can find it here.)

As for a Bivins number, it was difficult to choose. It’s a toss-up between The Singer, Body Parts and Habit. Because this is a great live performance, and because I can’t find The Singer on YouTube, I give you pick #2: Habit.

If you like these, I suggest you check into more Jump, Little Children (official site / myspace). Sadly, the band is on indefinite hiatus after a messy situation with their record label, but they have plenty of music in their repertoire, and it’s all good. Also, they’re all pursuing their own side projects. Jay Clifford‘s new solo CD, Driving Blind, is absolutely incredible. You can check him out at his myspace. I highly recommend his song “Know When to Walk Away“–even if Zach Braff is making the video for it. I hope it’s sooo quirky and hip and underground like Garden State.

Spend summer days eating cake by the sea to The Sea and Cake

Hailing from Chicago, my favorite scene for indie music (it provided the world with the beauty that is Andrew Bird, after all), The Sea and Cake is yet another clean and simple indie pop rock band. Around since the early 90′s, a melting pot of influences marks their earlier work, evocative of a sort of more subdued, Vampire Weekend-esque sound–minus the fact that I don’t like them. Sue me. Sufjan Stevens doesn’t like them either. I’m not alone. No one gives a fuck about your Oxford Comma, Vampire Weekend. Sorry.

Anyway, back to the matter at hand. The Sea and Cake is much more palatable–MUCH. Maybe VW was a bad musical comparison. I was going for the tropical/afro-rhythms kind of thing. So maybe they used to be like a less annoying Vampire Weekend plus Yo La Tengo. Whatever. You get the point. While the vocals weren’t as strong back in the day, (they’ve improved over time, like I said), the old stuff is worth listening to. Good for summer days eating cake by the sea. Or just being by the sea. Or just eating cake. Take your pick. In any case, try their self-titled debut out. It’s got a very distinctive sound.

Although that sound has evolved into more current indie pop rock, they’re still great. My pick of the day comes from their newest but not really new album, ‘Everybody.’ The song’s called “Crossing Line” and it’s amazing. Catchy fuzzed guitar line, hand claps, simplistically smart lyrics, among The Sea and Cake‘s better vocals–what more could you ask for? Take a listen here:

You can also take a listen to it over at their myspace (http://www.myspace.com/seaandcake), along with two of my favorite earlier songs, “Jacking the Ball” and “Choice Blanket.” I’ll have some up over at ProjectPlaylist (http://www.playlist.com/node/36491639), too.

For more on The Sea and Cake, visit their website (http://www.theseaandcake.com/).
For more on Sufjan Stevens‘ possibly contrived “indie rock beef” with Vampire Weekend: Pitchfork.
For more on Vampire Weekend, don’t bother. I hate them.

The Enchanting Wizard of Rhythm Returns Shooting Gamma Rays

On July 8th, Beck, the self-proclaimed Enchanting Wizard of Rhythm, will grace us with another outer space-based, genre-hopping album. The Danger Mouse mixed Modern Guilt is poised, from what I can glean from the leaks, to be an album somewhere in the vein of a Guero-The Information hybrid, but really, who can say with Beck? It could be anything–but it will certainly be worth looking into.

But moving on! My pick of the day comes from the new album in honor of my undying love of all things Beck. He starts shooting ‘Gamma Rays‘ at the listeners’ ears in the form of a baseline that makes you move hammering along with Beck‘s catchy but seemingly random lyrics (his forte) over ethereal background vocals. While the album collectively leans more towards The Information, so I’ve heard, this track wouldn’t be out of place at all if added to Guero, as it has a similar sound and subject matter. I have trouble hearing lyrics without seeing them, but I have a feeling this is a feel-good, surf-y ode to the destruction of our world–complete with melting icecaps, fires, heatwaves and hurricanes. This is the destruction for which we are all to blame as a global community. I may not be able to predict Beck’s genre-defying sound yet, but I think I have an idea of what issues we can expect the Wizard to melodically explore on this album; Modern Guilt, indeed. Thank you for the uplifting sentiments as usual, Mr. Hansen.

Take a listen:

You can listen to three other tracks off of Modern Guilt at iLike (http://www.ilike.com/artist/Beck/songs), including the single ‘Chem Trails.’ Remember to pick up the new album when it drops on the 8th–this is very important, as I will not be able to get my hands on it until July 18th-ish and thus must rush to get it vicariously through all of you. It will be a long, sad wait on my part.

Love is Chemicals can claw my sweater any day.

Everyone knows that hipsters like obscure bands. Everyone also knows that hipsters like sweaters. Thusly, my pick of the day is “Claw Your Sweater” from some indie pop-rock darlings of San Fransisco, Love is Chemicals. Don’t know them? Good. The more obscure, the better the band. True fact. But you should know them–and you should know this song. It’s reminiscent of old school Death Cab (we’re talking The Photo Album-era Death Cab, not Plans-era, you corporate puppets) with its jangly guitar and contains just a dash of Built to Spill and a pinch of Beulah. Nate Grover’s elusively familiar vocals spin an honest tale of hipster love atop the infectiously poppy, yet authentic, guitar hooks. As I’m especially partial to anything pertaining to sweaters, I think the chorus is delicious: “I know better than to claw your sweater with my crooked fingers how they creep you out.” I would never expect that line to embed itself in my mind, but it has. I would let them claw my sweater any day. All in all, a catchy tune by a band that should be bigger than it is–although I must warn you, one listen to this will make you more nostalgic for the good old 90′s indie scene than your old high school pictures and favorite Sonic Youth vinyl.

You can listen to and download “Claw Your Sweater” for free at Love is Chemicals’ myspace (http://www.myspace.com/loveischemicals) or band website (http://www.loveischemicals.net/)

Also, make sure you check out the rest of their stuff and their newest CD, Song of Summer Youth Brigade, so you can condescendingly tell all your friends that you liked Love is Chemicals before they did.