Monday, January 19, 2009
A&E FYI: Make your own 'God Loves Ugly' cover art
  | | Atmosphere launches Youresougly.com! From the Rhymesayers newsletter.... |
Thursday, January 15, 2009
A&E FYI: Cake debut gets its vinyl on
From the band's newsletter: CAKE is pleased to offer their "Motorcade of Generosity" on a high quality 180 gram orange vinyl disc. Both a "Motorcade" poster and a digital download card for the full album will be included inside the jacket. In advance of the forthcoming black vinyl, this orange vinyl collector's edition album is available for $15 for a limited time only at http://www.cakemusic.com/mog.html while supplies last!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
sys37 :: CONTENT TO BE A JERK
It feels good to be doing this again. Sincerely, Vern-o!
1. Mama Cass - "Make Your Own Kind of Music"
"We're stuck in a bloody snow globe."
2. (Olympic) Hopefuls - "Shy"
I know I say this every week, but this is my favorite John Hermanson-related track.
3. Deastro - "The Shaded Forests"
Pure bliss, somewhere between Dealership's "Action/Adventure" and any given Snow Patrol release.
4. Oranger - "New Comes and Goes"
For whatever reason, I can see other fans of Beulah and/or Super Furry Animals digging this cool-as-shit song as much as yours truly. Highly recommended.
5. Kimya Dawson - "Tire Swing"
I know this song suffers from "Juno" overkill for most of you, but, seriously, "I had a dream that I had to drive to Madison / To deliver a painting for some silly reason / I took a wrong turn and ended up in Michigan" are some of the coolest lyrics out there.
6. Johnny Berlin - "Minus Eden"
Like "The Shaded Forests," but Belgian. (Oh, you can tell....)
7. Barbie Bangkok - "New Dehli" [Listen Here]
Belgium’s Barbie Bangkok went from a decent-enough (but largely mainstream-repellant) alternative rock outfit on its 2003 debut mini-LP, “Oh My God,” to what it is now: a lean, mean, New Wave-courting machine. Nowhere is this more evident on “People and Geometry,” the group’s first full-length, than on “New Delhi.” This instantly addicting nugget is actually a rewrite of the 2003 track “Hold On,” and what a rewrite it is. Where that earlier “Oh My God” track leaned toward the cool, nuanced Talking Heads of “Take Me to the River” and a little grandiose posturing, this new(ish) song bursts out of your speakers with all the nervous energy of that legendary group’s mid-’80s commercial heyday. It’s bouncy and unpretentious, and, most importantly, it’s an undeniable pleasure.
Deja vu all over again, eh, brother?
8. Jonny Polonsky - "Long Gone"
Even though he'll probably never step out of Frank Black's long shadow, there is one thing no one can ever take away from Jonny Polonsky: his knack for creating unbelievably catchy, time's-a-wastin' rock 'n' roll tunes.
9. The Streets - "Never Went to Church"
This one goes out to my sister's fiance, who's dealing with one of the hardest things a son ever has to go through. Our thoughts are with you, Lonney.
10. She & Him - "Sweet Darlin'"
And, on the lighter side of things, one of the most uplifting songs ever written -- by the No. 1 indie rock crush (according to me and Stereogum).
11. Matthew Sweet - "Tomorrow"
I wasn't expecting much from the late-in-the-game release "Living Things," but this beautiful track won me over in seconds. Like a souped-up (and slightly sappy) Big Star.
12. Aesop Rock with Jeremy Fish - "Tomorrow Morning" [MP3]
Had I actually finished my "Best Singles of 2008" list, this White Zombie-meets-P.O.S. track would've been right up there. It's monumental, man!
13. Does it Offend You, Yeah? - "With a Heavy Heart (I Regret to Inform You)"
This one's a builder, too. Hot Hot Heat meets Justice? (I just love these semi-meaningless comparisons....)
14. Kaiser Chiefs - "Never Miss a Beat [Don Gosh Bad Nothing Remix]" [MP3]
A nice mindless excursion.
15. The Psychedelic Furs - "Love My Way"
I wish I could say I feel a certain affection for this classic because its host album, "Forever Now," was released just a few months before my birth, but, nah, it's probably just the magical Todd Rundgren production!
16. Mike Mictlan - "Soul Survivor"
A rough-around-the-edges early track from Hand Over Fist's emcee half and/or one of the 12,000 Doomtree rappers.
17. Kenna feat. the Cool Kids - "LooseWires [Remix]"
I've always felt Kenna was one of the most underrated mainstream(ish) rappers, so a little help from the Cool Kids couldn't hurt his street cred.
18. Both - "777"
A highlight from the "Homegrown Rawk and/or Roll: Lindquist's Mix." Here's what Mark Lindquist had to say about it in an interview with the Duluth News Tribune's Christa Lawler: "I just think Greg Connolly is a really good songwriter. He can write for a lot of genres. I picked the song that was an old B-side of a Shaky Ray vinyl we put out. Anything on vinyl in this town should be represented somewhere."
19. Blackpool Lights - "This Town's Disaster" [MP3]
According to the most reliable source on the planet (...), this band was formed after former Get Up Kids guitarist Jim Suptic recorded "Guilt Show" with his old band. While I love that album to death, I can see why he wasn't afraid to go it alone. This is pretty great stuff.
20. Bunny Clogs - "Midtown Greenway"
“More! More! More!” is a triumph in every sense, and this track, featuring the New Standards' John Munson on stand-up bass, is just one of its many highlights. One of the few examples of kids-as-backup-singers actually working.
21. St. Dominic's Trio - "I Thought We Were Friends"
Though he didn't write any of the songs or anything (that'd be the amazing Terry Walsh), there's something I have to say about Rich Mattson: everything this man touches turns to gold.
22. Eric Bachmann - "Lonesome Warrior"
Mellow gold from the Archers of Loaf/Barry Black/Crooked Fingers mastermind.
Thus concludes your thirty-seventh dose of SHAKE*YOUR*SHORES, the awesome mix tape series formerly known as "Don't Tell a Soul."
1. Mama Cass - "Make Your Own Kind of Music"
"We're stuck in a bloody snow globe."
2. (Olympic) Hopefuls - "Shy"
I know I say this every week, but this is my favorite John Hermanson-related track.
3. Deastro - "The Shaded Forests"
Pure bliss, somewhere between Dealership's "Action/Adventure" and any given Snow Patrol release.
4. Oranger - "New Comes and Goes"
For whatever reason, I can see other fans of Beulah and/or Super Furry Animals digging this cool-as-shit song as much as yours truly. Highly recommended.
5. Kimya Dawson - "Tire Swing"
I know this song suffers from "Juno" overkill for most of you, but, seriously, "I had a dream that I had to drive to Madison / To deliver a painting for some silly reason / I took a wrong turn and ended up in Michigan" are some of the coolest lyrics out there.
6. Johnny Berlin - "Minus Eden"
Like "The Shaded Forests," but Belgian. (Oh, you can tell....)
7. Barbie Bangkok - "New Dehli" [Listen Here]
Belgium’s Barbie Bangkok went from a decent-enough (but largely mainstream-repellant) alternative rock outfit on its 2003 debut mini-LP, “Oh My God,” to what it is now: a lean, mean, New Wave-courting machine. Nowhere is this more evident on “People and Geometry,” the group’s first full-length, than on “New Delhi.” This instantly addicting nugget is actually a rewrite of the 2003 track “Hold On,” and what a rewrite it is. Where that earlier “Oh My God” track leaned toward the cool, nuanced Talking Heads of “Take Me to the River” and a little grandiose posturing, this new(ish) song bursts out of your speakers with all the nervous energy of that legendary group’s mid-’80s commercial heyday. It’s bouncy and unpretentious, and, most importantly, it’s an undeniable pleasure.
Deja vu all over again, eh, brother?
8. Jonny Polonsky - "Long Gone"
Even though he'll probably never step out of Frank Black's long shadow, there is one thing no one can ever take away from Jonny Polonsky: his knack for creating unbelievably catchy, time's-a-wastin' rock 'n' roll tunes.
9. The Streets - "Never Went to Church"
This one goes out to my sister's fiance, who's dealing with one of the hardest things a son ever has to go through. Our thoughts are with you, Lonney.
10. She & Him - "Sweet Darlin'"
And, on the lighter side of things, one of the most uplifting songs ever written -- by the No. 1 indie rock crush (according to me and Stereogum).
11. Matthew Sweet - "Tomorrow"
I wasn't expecting much from the late-in-the-game release "Living Things," but this beautiful track won me over in seconds. Like a souped-up (and slightly sappy) Big Star.
12. Aesop Rock with Jeremy Fish - "Tomorrow Morning" [MP3]
Had I actually finished my "Best Singles of 2008" list, this White Zombie-meets-P.O.S. track would've been right up there. It's monumental, man!
13. Does it Offend You, Yeah? - "With a Heavy Heart (I Regret to Inform You)"
This one's a builder, too. Hot Hot Heat meets Justice? (I just love these semi-meaningless comparisons....)
14. Kaiser Chiefs - "Never Miss a Beat [Don Gosh Bad Nothing Remix]" [MP3]
A nice mindless excursion.
15. The Psychedelic Furs - "Love My Way"
I wish I could say I feel a certain affection for this classic because its host album, "Forever Now," was released just a few months before my birth, but, nah, it's probably just the magical Todd Rundgren production!
16. Mike Mictlan - "Soul Survivor"
A rough-around-the-edges early track from Hand Over Fist's emcee half and/or one of the 12,000 Doomtree rappers.
17. Kenna feat. the Cool Kids - "LooseWires [Remix]"
I've always felt Kenna was one of the most underrated mainstream(ish) rappers, so a little help from the Cool Kids couldn't hurt his street cred.
18. Both - "777"
A highlight from the "Homegrown Rawk and/or Roll: Lindquist's Mix." Here's what Mark Lindquist had to say about it in an interview with the Duluth News Tribune's Christa Lawler: "I just think Greg Connolly is a really good songwriter. He can write for a lot of genres. I picked the song that was an old B-side of a Shaky Ray vinyl we put out. Anything on vinyl in this town should be represented somewhere."
19. Blackpool Lights - "This Town's Disaster" [MP3]
According to the most reliable source on the planet (...), this band was formed after former Get Up Kids guitarist Jim Suptic recorded "Guilt Show" with his old band. While I love that album to death, I can see why he wasn't afraid to go it alone. This is pretty great stuff.
20. Bunny Clogs - "Midtown Greenway"
“More! More! More!” is a triumph in every sense, and this track, featuring the New Standards' John Munson on stand-up bass, is just one of its many highlights. One of the few examples of kids-as-backup-singers actually working.
21. St. Dominic's Trio - "I Thought We Were Friends"
Though he didn't write any of the songs or anything (that'd be the amazing Terry Walsh), there's something I have to say about Rich Mattson: everything this man touches turns to gold.
22. Eric Bachmann - "Lonesome Warrior"
Mellow gold from the Archers of Loaf/Barry Black/Crooked Fingers mastermind.
Thus concludes your thirty-seventh dose of SHAKE*YOUR*SHORES, the awesome mix tape series formerly known as "Don't Tell a Soul."
Monday, January 12, 2009
Ryan Rapsys, Barbie Bangkok, Dante Pirtle, Matt and Kim and (once again) some innocent heart-explodin' fun!
In case I haven't told you before: Thanks for your patronage. Some things don't get said enough, cheeky monkey....
"Catching Up with Local Composer Ryan Rapsys" :: From scoring Craig Blacklock DVDs and Duluth Playhouse productions to cooking up thought-provoking short films and running his own record label, Duluth native Ryan Rapsys (brother of Robin, Tepetricy's drummer) is sure up to the task of making his mama proud.
"CD Reviews: Dante Pirtle, Barbie Bangkok and Matt and Kim" :: Albums enjoyed this week: former Duluthian Dante Pirtle's "Pirtlean," Belgian rockers Barbie Bangkok's "People and Geometry" and Brooklyn indie pop duo Matt and Kim's "Grand."
"Taste Test: Buzz Bites and Foosh Energy Mints" :: Hundreds upon hundreds of new energy products hit the U.S. market every year. So, for this inaugural Taste Test, we're giving two new products from Vroom Foods a spin. A DuluthBudgeteer.com exclusive!
Thus concludes THIS WEEK'S (BELATED) SHAMELESS BUDGETEER PLUG!
"Catching Up with Local Composer Ryan Rapsys" :: From scoring Craig Blacklock DVDs and Duluth Playhouse productions to cooking up thought-provoking short films and running his own record label, Duluth native Ryan Rapsys (brother of Robin, Tepetricy's drummer) is sure up to the task of making his mama proud.
"CD Reviews: Dante Pirtle, Barbie Bangkok and Matt and Kim" :: Albums enjoyed this week: former Duluthian Dante Pirtle's "Pirtlean," Belgian rockers Barbie Bangkok's "People and Geometry" and Brooklyn indie pop duo Matt and Kim's "Grand."
"Taste Test: Buzz Bites and Foosh Energy Mints" :: Hundreds upon hundreds of new energy products hit the U.S. market every year. So, for this inaugural Taste Test, we're giving two new products from Vroom Foods a spin. A DuluthBudgeteer.com exclusive!
Thus concludes THIS WEEK'S (BELATED) SHAMELESS BUDGETEER PLUG!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Tepetricy, Bunny Clogs, Buzz Bites, Van Morrison groupies, that DFA1979 dude and another (questionably) healthy buzz!
My weeks are whirlwinds....
"'The Brotherhood of Tepetricy is Stronger than Ever'" :: The up-and-coming Twin Cities hard rock outfit Tepetricy has a lot of local ties — four out of its five members are from Duluth, to be exact — so we thought we’d hit them up before their show Jan. 10 (this Saturday) at Norm’s.
"CD Reviews: Bunny Clogs, St. Dominic's Trio, the Belfast Cowboys and Death From Above 1979's Sebastien Grainger" :: Albums enjoyed this week: "Switch" by St. Dominic's Trio, the Belfast Cowboys' self-titled debut, Sebastien Grainger's "Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains" and Bunny Clogs' "More! More! More!"
"Taste Test: Buzz Bites and Foosh Energy Mints" :: Hundreds upon hundreds of new energy products hit the U.S. market every year. So, for this inaugural Taste Test, we're giving two new products from Vroom Foods a spin. A DuluthBudgeteer.com exclusive!
And some random photos of a dock on Rice's Point (this week's cover shot), Renee Zellweger (an oldie but goodie), Darlene's Hair Stylists in Lincoln Park and hockey camp at the Heritage Sports Center this past summer.
Thus concludes THIS WEEK'S (BELATED) SHAMELESS BUDGETEER PLUG!
"'The Brotherhood of Tepetricy is Stronger than Ever'" :: The up-and-coming Twin Cities hard rock outfit Tepetricy has a lot of local ties — four out of its five members are from Duluth, to be exact — so we thought we’d hit them up before their show Jan. 10 (this Saturday) at Norm’s.
"CD Reviews: Bunny Clogs, St. Dominic's Trio, the Belfast Cowboys and Death From Above 1979's Sebastien Grainger" :: Albums enjoyed this week: "Switch" by St. Dominic's Trio, the Belfast Cowboys' self-titled debut, Sebastien Grainger's "Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains" and Bunny Clogs' "More! More! More!"
"Taste Test: Buzz Bites and Foosh Energy Mints" :: Hundreds upon hundreds of new energy products hit the U.S. market every year. So, for this inaugural Taste Test, we're giving two new products from Vroom Foods a spin. A DuluthBudgeteer.com exclusive!
And some random photos of a dock on Rice's Point (this week's cover shot), Renee Zellweger (an oldie but goodie), Darlene's Hair Stylists in Lincoln Park and hockey camp at the Heritage Sports Center this past summer.
Thus concludes THIS WEEK'S (BELATED) SHAMELESS BUDGETEER PLUG!
Friday, January 2, 2009
Help get 'God Rocked' on Netflix!
4 Track Films, Duluth's independent film-production unit, needs your help getting its latest film on Netflix. The plea, straight from the 4 Track Films newsletter:
In order to get "...and on the 7th day, God Rocked" out to the world, we've submitted it to Netflix and need your help!
Please go to this Netflix webpage and fill out the title request email form. Simply fill in your email address, choose "title request" for your subject matter and in the body of the email say you'd like to see Netflix offer "...and on the 7th day, God Rocked" from 4 Track Films for rent! It's that easy.
Thanks for taking a few moments out of your day to help us spread the word!
In order to get "...and on the 7th day, God Rocked" out to the world, we've submitted it to Netflix and need your help!
Please go to this Netflix webpage and fill out the title request email form. Simply fill in your email address, choose "title request" for your subject matter and in the body of the email say you'd like to see Netflix offer "...and on the 7th day, God Rocked" from 4 Track Films for rent! It's that easy.
Thanks for taking a few moments out of your day to help us spread the word!
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