Hip To Be Square

Here you go.

As some of you probably know, William Shatner is a singer. Or should I say, story teller. Anyway, here's a link to a Shatner fan that developed a video for his rendition of Lucy In The Sky - click here

Haven't seen the movie yet, but this is a funny video pun that someone made about Brokeback Mountain and Top Gun. What do these two movies have in common? Well you'll have to watch this trailer to find out - click here.

Anyone else hate cigarrettes. If so, check out this site. Kind of creepy but interesting at the same time. But I did just here a good arguement for allowing smokers to stay in bars. A girl that opened up for my friends band, Sing With Ann, was talking about how she misses it even though she's allergic to smoke. Her explanation, there is something really sexy about lingering smoke while a musician plays on the stage. Oh, and her name is Michelle Citrin and she has a really great voice. And really great dreads as well. Keep an eye on her. She'll be playing at the Cutting Room in NYC on February 3rd.

So you can make that two weekends in a row that I've gone to see a GirlPower/lezbo induced/british female singer. Fortunately both artists are very good singers and were playing at 21+ venue so I didn't have to deal with any teeny boppers.

This weekend was KT Tunstall. Last week was Imogen Heap. This weeks girl is a major label breakthrough that the Brits are eating up - and I wouldn't mind getting me a bite. All hotgirl jokes aside, KT is amazingly talented on several realms. Check out her myspace page. She's on Virgin Records - yeah I'm not that big of a music snob.

To finish off this weekend I hit up a local cd release party for a band from Berklee calling themselves Sing With Anne (go give their myspace page a listen). This was not only their first cd and first cd release party, but it was officially their first paying gig. And they're not even sure what is next for them. Personally, I wasn't a fan of their venue choice for their release party - Harper's Ferry. A young band should have their release party not on a Sunday night at a large venue but at a smaller venue on a Thursday or Friday night.

Who knows what will become of them, but I'm always one to support local music, whether it needs serious work or not.

Should have some music posted soon for you to grab. In the mean time, if you haven't gotten over to get some of the Straiht Wikid Crew, go now.

Cassettes Won't Listen are still working on their album, "Nobody's Moving" but I've gotten my hands on some of their songs. Loving their song Cutting Balloons. And their track Lunch for Breakfast is genius. It starts off with a frustrating sound that sort makes you cringe. But then they flow right into a groove that's hard not to bob your head to.

Places to listen to Cassettes Won't Listen right now are...

Their Myspace page

3 Hives has some songs to download

Dope Lotus Records can tell you a little more about the band.

Only a quick one today, it's Friday people. Go support your local music scene if you live in Boston. Check out Bradley's Almanac for up to date shows in the area.

It may sound like a tough transition from Egypt to Boston but this crew seems to have pulled it off. Some how the Wack Ass Egyptians have found a place in the Boston music scene and we're all a lot better off because of it. It was pure fate that I came across these characters. From the moment I entered the Paradise Lounge to the moment I was being dragged away by my girlfriend because she heard them yell a lyric about vagina's, I had a huge grin on my face. I love music with a sense of humor (go see Ween live, go see Electric Six live). And these guys sure have it.

Looking forward to see a complete show. I Was only able to catch a song and half of them last Friday night. They are playing at TT and the Bears on Saturday, February 4th at around 10:30'ish according to the band.

You can listen to five of their songs on their website. They have one album out, which is self-titled. Not sure where you can purchase or if it's still available. But to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure if you would want to. This band is really just about the live show experience and getting wasted with your friends.

Rogue Wave...The best band I've heard in awhile. That could be all that I need to write, however, this band has too much to offer for me to just have one sentence on my blog about them. The harmonies in this group are amazing. Everyone in the group has a voice and that's the way it should be. But of coarse it's all brought together by front man, Zach Rogue. The band consists of four band members - Zach Rogue (guitar, wulitzer and lead vocals), Gram Lebron (guitar, synth), Pat Spurgeon (drums, samples), Evan Farrell (bass).

Their sound includes a bit of dreamy pop but they keep you on your toes by adding off beat transitions and samples that remind me at times of Animal Collective. But Rogue waves album, Descended Like Vultures, is much more accessible then any Animal Collective I've heard (not that 'AC' aren't amazing in their own way).

This is their second release off of Sub Pop records. But realistically this is their debut album. Their first album, "Out of the Shadow", was really just Zach Rogue going into a studio and hammering out a bunch of tunes. On this album, they've added another member (who was a fan at first) and all the songs were more collaborative.

Go right now and purchase Descended Like Vultures from your local music store or go and purchase right off of Sub Pop's website.

Here are a few tracks. Download the songs by clicking on the links and downloading from YouSendIt. YouSendIt will only have these songs up for 10 days so get them while they're hot.

Bird on a Wire
Publish My Love
Catform

The 2006 blogging season has started and the first band that I've been seeing get a lot press has been Tapes n' Tapes. So far I've heard "out on the range" beats, whining and screaming, little drummer boy, Stephen Malkmusesque style guitar riffs and some lyric about Harvard Square (a plus for this Bostonian).

However they get a minus for not making their way up here during their next tour to show me what they've got in front of a live audience. But to be perfectly honest, these guys have a very eclectic sound and that's extremely important for a band just getting out in to the scene - gives them room to grow (a lesson the strokes probably should have been given).

Go get yourself some songs courtesy of the band here. And check to see if they are playing at a venue near you here.

John Vanderslice currently has an entire live show from San Francisco available on his website. Not sure if anyone really care's since his live show doesn't really stray too far from the formula of his studio performance. But I have been neglecting to pick up Pixie Revolt, which I have been meaning to do, and this might help to motivate me a little more.

If you were to ask my buddies from Philly if I listen to electronic music, most would say not a chance. As I have alluded before in a post, I am an ex-Phish head (on occasion, I have flashbacks), and for those that aren't aware, there is another band within the "Jam Band" scene called the Disco Biscuits. They are the jam scene's version of electronic music. I never liked their style and I guess for some time I was very unattracted to electronic music. However, now that I have grown apart from that jam band world, I have found that previous statement to be false.

The Juan Maclean is just another band that makes my passion for this type of music ever stronger. "Less Than Human" is an ever graceful yet pounding album that keeps getting better and better with each listen. If you're a fan of electronic music, buy this right now. If you're like me and didn't think there was room for synthetic beats and electronic melodies, I invite you to give this group a listen. Also make your way over to DFA Records if this has helped to wet your electronic appetite.

Go see The Juan Maclean live if you're in the Boston area at the Paradise Rock Club on February 3rd.

Here are a couple tracks to entice you to purchase the album-

Give Me Every Little Thing
Shinning Skinned Friend