Behind the times

So, I know I'm way behind the times on all of this, but this week I can't stop listening to "Dog Days are Over" by Florence and the Machine and the Fanfarlo album.



Look for these songs and more on my forthcoming fall mix...hopefully, it'll be ready soon!

New song from the Dodos: 'Fables'

Haven't had much time to update over the past week or two, but I haven't been too busy to listen to music. Here's what I found yesterday:



Be sure to watch it soon, as it's one of those Pitchfork Special Presentations that is only posted on their site for a week. I imagine you have until June 7 to listen on repeat. Enjoy :).

Listen of the week: Lykke Li, White Rabbits, new Passion Pit

I'll probably have a chance to shed more light on these listens later this week, but I wanted to share them now while I'm all pumped up about them.

First, my friend brought over the Lykke Li debut album, Youth Novels, last Friday for a dinner party at my house. I had never heard of this Swedish lady, but my friend promised that I would like her music, and indeed I do. When I asked my friend what Lykke Li sounds like, she told me it's along the same lines of indie electronica like Passion Pit and Peter Bjorn and John, and I was in immediately. The key to the PB&J sound is that Youth Novels was actually produced by Bjorn. I'm blessed to have such a good friend and to live in a world where I can listen to this.

I honestly can't even tell you how many times I've heard about White Rabbits in the past month, but I just tonight heard the band for the first time. The drum intro on "Percussion Gun" is instantly reminiscent of Bow Wow Wow's "Aphrodesiac" and Adam and the Ants' "Kings of the Wild Frontier." Thankfully, the White Rabbits song gets more original as the song progresses, and turns into something I'm going to be giving a closer listen to over the next few days. Check it here:



Lastly for now, the new Passion Pit CD, Manners, came out today. Last night the fellows kicked it SNL digital short style with their CD release party on a boat- yes, they were on a boat! Sweet. I hope to bring you some sort of news about that in the next few days. Til then, I keep listening to Passion Pit on repeat, in between plays of Lykke Li's "Little Bit," and my favorites so far are "Moth's Wings" and "The Reeling." I guess I'm on to something, because "The Reeling" seems to be the new single. Here's the music video released a few weeks ago:

Review of the week: Camera Obscura- My Maudlin Career

Camera Obscura has always been a throw-back to the happier times of pop rock history, but on their new album, My Maudlin Career, they do classic rock’ n’ roll in a way that seems to stand out with it’s back a little straighter than all the other classic rock throw-backs.

Songs like “French Navy” and “The Sweetest Thing” are dripping with sugary sweetness that is very upfront about the album’s pop roots and intentions, with rousing tambourines, keys and strings and beautiful melodies that make the coldest of hearts melt. But then the lyrics freeze everything back up in a way unique to contemporary lyricists, such as artists like Cat Power or Jenny Lewis. “I wanted to control it/ But love, I couldn’t hold it” (“French Navy”), or “I'm going on a date tonight/ To try to fall out of love with you/ I know, I know this is a crime/ But I don't know what else to do” (“The Sweetest Thing”).

Then, there are the hopeless tragedies of songs like “You Told a Lie” and “Away With Murder” that just make you think of The Crystals and the same sort of irony that went along with “He Hit Me.” This is where listeners start to really get a sense that the songs are about the band members and troubles they're having on the road, too: “People have been traveling miles just to hear us sing/ It's a February night and I don't want to feel anything” and “Oh it's been hard to be strong with all of this going on/ Yeah it's been hard to be strong with all of this going on/ I have been lonely too, like you/ I'm just like you.” You start to get a sense that the maudlin career is actually that of the individuals in Camera Obscura.

By the way, “maudlin” is known as an alteration of Mary Magdalene, who is known for weeping often, and the direct meanings are: 1. to be drunk enough to be emotionally silly and 2. weakly and effusively sentimental. To have a “maudlin career” is kind of a wild approach to thinking about a profession. This might mean that someone is a bad actor, or that someone is Britney Spears, for example.

The best insight we’ll get about Camera Obscura’s take on a maudlin career is probably from listening to the title track, “My Maudlin Career,” which starts out with incredibly whimsical keys and builds a steady pace with that heavy dose of cymbals, tambourine, and classic percussion that reminds you of the good old days. There is something very lamenting about the tempo and about the crooning vocals that seem to be weeping in true Magdalene style, via Tracyanne’s Scottish voice. She starts off with typical things about crushes crushing, but then in a delightful play on words she gets into the heart of a maudlin career: “I harbored worried feelings/ Like they were worth protecting/ You say I'm too kind and sentimental/ Like you could catch affection.”

Suddenly, things start to come together, and the album never looses sight of a deeper sense of sadness cushioned by the bubblegum pop music that delivers the sad news. You start to wonder which came first: the idea for the album title or the actual songs and lyrics. Maybe one day I’ll get a chance to ask them this question.

Listen of the week: Camera Obscura

I'll post more in depth thoughts later this week, but for now I just wanted to share with anyone who will listen that the new Camera Obscura album, My Maudlin Career, is absolutely delightful. It's well-rounded, a pleasant mix of old-school pop sound and new-age sarcastic lyricism that as a whole package is a beautiful work of art. Think the Crystals and Elvis Costello meet Fiona Apple.

For now, enjoy this music video for "French Navy." It's the first track on the new album.



Also, Camera Obscura on Twitter: @camera_obscura_

Under a rock?

Well, you must have been if you didn't hear anything about or by The Dodos last year, but just in case, here is the actual video for "Fools." It's pretty BA.

The Dodos Drink Miller Chill? Part 2! And Santogold w/Bud Light Lime

Finally found a video for you of the The Dodos' song "Fools" featured in the newest Miller Chill commercial:



Also, since I saw/heard about this Miller Chill commercial, I've also seen Bud Light Lime commercials (Bud Light's answer to Miller Chill) with the Santogold songs "Lights Out" and "Fine Tune." For now I just have video for "Fine Tune," but I think the ad with "Lights Out" is more artsy.



I wanted to know which of the beers was cool enough to have an alt band ad first, and it seems Bud Light had Santogold on in May 2008. I pretty much always prefer Miller to Bud, and I don't think either of these commercials will really persuade me to pick either Miller or Bud over, say, Magic Hat #9, but I think it's a nice coincidence that The Dodos are in the commercial for the beer I prefer. Now I at least have something cool to say about the beer.