A big favor to ask.

Can anyone send me a waffle's invite. Thanks

Why? - Live Stuff

I went to see Why? last night at the opening night of the Midpoint Music Fest, which is a three day festival with some pretty good acts coming here and in some cases coming home. Anyways, I saw Why? play, and they were fucking awesome Josiah Wolf deserves a lot of credit for keeping about four different beats going on, switching rather quickly and also singing back up vocals. At the merch stand I picked up this "almost" live tour "ep". They are the songs arranged for live performances, a great gift for any Why? fan. I also found another "almost live ep" from Why? entitled "Almost Live From Anna's Cabin" which is basically the same thing, but for their earlier material. Enjoy.



Almost Live From Anna's Cabin



Almost Live From Eli's Live Room (Part 1), (Part2).

Sunset Rubdown - Shut up I'm Dreaming [2006]

I've always been a medium-sized fan of Wolf Parade, especially their first album "Apologies to Queen Mary." And thus my ears always perk up a bit when I hear the mention of Spencer Krug, who also writes songs for previously mentioned Swan Lake, Frog Eyes and Sunset Rubdown. The other night Sunset Rubdown came to my new home, Columbus, Ohio, and played at a little bar in front of a small crowd of maybe 40 people. While they mostly played songs from their newest album, which I'm not familiar with and therefore couldn't really appreciate, the show was still great. And at the end they played the best songs from their first album. In particular, the song "Shut Up I'm Dreaming of Places Where Lovers Have Wings" is so epic, and was very impressive live. Krug himself seemed like a really interesting fellow, with his cracking, high-pitched voice, and his fairly somber way of carrying himself. Anyway, this concert definitely renewed my interest in Sunset Rubdown and Krug in general. Get this album and listen to, if nothing else, the last track "Shut Up I'm Dreaming..."

Also, could someone pass along their newest album "Random Spirit Lover"? I could only find broken links online.

Below is a youTube video of Sunset Rubdown doing a Black Cab session (playing acoustically in the back of a cab). It's rather cool.

Mirah - C'mon Miracle [2004]

This is a brilliant album by Mirah, probably even better than Advisory Committee. I'm in love with her voice. Too bad she's a lesbian.

Favorite Songs: Jerusalem, The Struggle, Promise

Get it

Swan Lake - Beast Moans [2006]

I just got this (thanks to commenter on the previous post). I can already tell it is going to be Great. One of the best things I've heard in a while.

Swan Lake is a supergroup of Dan Bejar (Destroyer), Spencer Krug (Wolf Parade) and Carey Mercer (Frog Eyes). This is their one and only album, although they are planning to record a follow-up in 2008.

Favorite songs: Widow's Walk, All Fires, Freedom, Pollenated Girls, Blue Bird, Are You Swimming in Her Pools?

Download it

Hello, Blue Roses - The Portrait is Finished and I Have Failed to Capture Your Beauty [2008]

Hello, Blue Roses is a collaboration by Dan Bejar (Destroyer, New Pornographers) and his girlfriend Sydney Vermont, a visual artist from Vancouver. This record isn't the most accessible and is a far cry from anything that might be called pop music, about which I have no complaints, but that's a whole 'nother story. While this album is a little dense, I think there are some very worthwhile songs and moments on it. Particularly for fans of Dan Bejar and Destroyer it's worth looking into. And regardless of whether it's your cup of tea, I think this album delves into some scarcely charted musical territory, which could add something new to your music collection. Get it here

Also, could anyone please post a working link to the Swan Lake album 'Beast Moans' from a couple years back? I've only been able to find broken links for it.

Emily Haines - What Is Free to a Good Home? [2007]

Emily Haines caught my eye a few years ago when I learned that she was involved in two bands that I liked -- Broken Social Scene and Metric. Really it was her unusual voice, particularly in Metric for which she is the frontman, that got me paying attention. So when she came out with a solo act a couple of years ago -- Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton -- I quickly got the album "Knives Don't Have Your Back," which is great.

Emily Haines has an interesting biography. She was born in New Delhi, India and raised in Canada. Her father was a poet and mother a tv journalist. She went to an art school at an early age where she met future bandmates from BSS Kevin Drew and Amy Millan. She went on to be a part-time member of BSS (who isn't part-time in that band, really?) and then started Metric.

The most distinct thing about Emily Haines music is her voice, which has an unusual, almost childlike sound, and the dirge-like, dark piano melodies she writes for accompaniment. I think it comes together to create something rather unique. What her songs lack in range or diversity, they make up for with the beauty of the sound she creates and interesting lyrics.

Favorite songs : The Bank, Bottom of the World

Download this, her newest EP

Bob Dylan - Discography

Here is my big gift for all you, every Bob Dylan record I have.

Another Side Of Bob Dylan

Before The Flood (Disc 1), (Disc 2)

Blonde On Blonde

Blood On The Tapes (Demo's from "Blood On The Tracks")

Blood On The Tracks

Bob Dylan

No Direction Home Bootlegs (Disc 1), (Disc 2)



Live At Budokan (Disc 1), (Disc 2)

Bringing It All Back Home

Desire

Down In The Groove

Dylan

Empire Burlesque

Good As I Been To You

Hard Rain

Highway 61 Revisited

Infidels

John Wesley Harding

Knocked Out Loaded

Live At The Gaslight (Live 1962)

Love & Theft

Modern Times

MTV Unplugged (1984)

Nashville Skyline

New Morning

Oh Mercy

Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid

Philharmonic Hall Live, 1964 (Disc 1), (Disc 2)

Real Live

Rolling Thunder Revue, 1975 (Disc 1), (Disc 2)



Royal Albert Hall, 1966 (Disc 1), (Disc 2)

Saved

Self Portrait

Shot Of Love

Slow Train Coming



Street Legal

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

The Times They Are A Changin'

Time Out Of Mind

Under The Red Sky

World Gone Wrong

Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night

Haven't heard any of this yet, hope its better than the last album. Here

More Wise Blood

Our friend Karl, who is the solo member of "Wise Blood" has recorded two new fucking incredible songs. You can get them here. His myspace.

Peter Bjorn & John - Seaside Rock

Their instrumental follow up to Writer's Block, I really enjoy it. Check out Inland Empire, School Of Kraut, and Say Something. here

Best of Chopin

Here is a compilation of my favorite Chopin piano pieces. Download it here

Woody Allen - Standup Comic

A collection of comedy by one of my favorites. Here

Request - Los Campesinos

Does anyone have or know of a place to download Los Campesinos' first album "We are Beautiful, We are Doomed"? Thx

Frederic Chopin

Sorry for the long break in posts. I don't have a good reason, I just haven't had any new ideas or new music to write about recently.

When I was a little kid I took piano lessons for seven years. At my peak I was working on a few Chopin pieces and since then I've always listened to and loved his music. I think there is something universally beautiful and melancholy in his music that anyone who likes what Zak and I post on this blog would appreciate, despite it being from the 19th century. A few words on Chopin: he is from Poland and lived from 1810 to 1849. One of the most interesting things about him to me is that he was writing acclaimed masterpieces and giving public concerts at the age of 7.

This is a great sampling of his music. A short, memorable piece: mazurka op. 30 no. 2 in b minor. Get it here. I can post more by him upon request.