Inflight At Night

You would think that a song like “For Sentimental Reasons” used in a commercial would eventually drive you crazy after seeing/hearing it for the umpteenth time, but because of Mercedes’ use of updated wholesome late midcentury imagery (try to ignore that people are saying I Love You to a car) and Sam Cook’s killer tune, I still have yet to tire of it. It may be also because I am infatuated with the late 50’s and early 60’s and why I love AMC’s first scripted series, Mad Men (iTunes).

Want to hear Sam Cooke’s “For Sentimental Reasons” in it’s entirety?

I recommend picking up The Best of Sam Cooke from: Amazon | iTunes

I had one of those days, make that, one of those weeks. Anyway I’m home now and besides the beer, my day has been significantly brightened by the arrival of Sea Wolf’s new album Leaves In The River (out September 25th) and Grand Ole Party’s Humanimals (out September 4th on iTunes).

Download “Look Out Young Son” (mp3) by Grand Ole Party

and “You’re A Wolf” (mp3) by Sea Wolf.

It’s as if The New Pornographers have a kind of premonitory sixth sense for when their albums are most needed. Stale, overblown and yaaawn are three words that pretty well describe much of this summer’s new music so far, and Challengers, the latest from these reliable Canucks could not have come at a better time. Like many things Canadian, New Pornographers have always seemed practical to me, not in a predictable or hackneyed sense, but rather that they continually create well-crafted pop songs. In an era of ever expanding genres and sub-genres (if you can explain to me what emotronic or ghettotech or grindcore is, please do!) the NP’s standout as seasoned artists who in my mind deserve placement next to other luminaries such as Pixies, Weezer (the Blue album) and Wilco, for their unabashed pop/rock backbone.

Challengers, the followup to 2005’s Twin Cinema, is at the very least assurance that The New Pornographers are now more than ever the legitimizers of the term “powerpop.” …continue reading »

I came home a little drunk the other night and just wanted to mellow out so I threw on Marissa Nadler’s newest, Songs III: Bird On the Water, and was immediately transported to another place (pretty easy when you close your eyes when your drunk), a vivid landscape of a setting sun over a vast openess. Was I spinning? I can’t remember. Probably. And maybe you are saying to yourself, Marissa Nadler doesn’t seem like the obvious choice for late night drunk listen, but go ahead and try it next your in that state and need to take things down a notch. This also works well with the new Jesca Hoop album, Kismet.

Nadler sounds a bit like Joanna Newsom without the harp and her vocals are less elven. So if that kind stuff is your thing, listen up.

Download “Diamond Heart” (mp3)

and “Thinking Of You” (mp3) from her new release, Songs III: Bird On the Water.

Marissa Nadler plays Los Angeles tomorrow night (8/23) at Spaceland w/Friends of Dean Martinez and Mountain Home.

Songs III: Bird On the Water is out now, get it from: Insound | Amazon | iTunes | eMusic

Reading all the negative comments on Rilo Kiley’s new album, Under The Blacklight, made me really want to like this album. I mean I wasn’t a Rilo Kiley fan from way back, so I didn’t have this preconceived notion of what their new album “should” sound like, instead I was coming into this release with a pretty clean slate.

Unfortunately I have to say that overall Under The Blacklight is more mis-steps than those in right direction. They do start their album off right with the blissfully melancholy opener “Silver Lining”, though it sets a false tone for the rest of the album which ends up being more Donna Summer than Fleetwood Mac. Track two, “Close Call” is another one of the album’s right direction tracks, continuing with the sad dark lyrics sung beautifully by Jenny Lewis, but it is with the next song, the album’s first single, “Money Maker” that Under The Blacklight trips up. …continue reading »

UPDATE: Apparently the show was moved due to the fire marshall. Either way Los Angeles, the Echoplex better be full tonight!

Earlimart by la-underground

This photo was taken by LA-Underground at Earlimart’s show at the Santa Monica Women’s Club last week…looks pretty sparse. I expected a little better, but unfortunately things are aren’t looking so great either for their second Los Angeles show tonight celebrating the release of their new album, Mentor Tormentor (review coming soon). Tonight’s show was supposed to be at the Rec Center, but just got moved to the Echoplex and tickets have been reduced from $16 to only $7. Now $16 does seem a little much, but at $7, tonight’s show is a down right bargain with Earlimart, The Parson Red Heads, and The Pity Party.

Need some more encouragement, download a couple of the new tracks from Mentor Tormentor which hit store shelves today.

Earlimart - Everybody Knows Everybody

Earlimart - Answers and Questions

Earlimart w/The Parson Red Heads, and The Pity Party at Echoplex: 1154 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026