Icky Blossoms - 90s Grunge Meets Grouplove

KCRW DJ Chris Muckley introduced me to the Icky Blossoms.  There's something sort of Breeders/Pixies meets Grouplove about them.  This song, "Perfect Vision," felt immediately nostalgic.  The video is a bit dark but WOW, it was probably a fun one to film!

The original is fantastic, but I was super stoked to find this remix by Them Jeans!  You can download it for FREE!  Is it just me or does free always sound better? 



Happy Monday my friends.  It's October.  In case you didn't know.

I've got roses..and some daisies..and dandelions!

I love Daughn Gibson.  There, I said it.  He might be my hero.

It's rare to come across a truly unique voice paired with an unmatched sound - we'll call it Post-Modern Truck Driver Indie Rock.  There's a hint of deconstructed Magnetic Fields-esque sound with a bit of Richard Swift quirky yet clean production value.

I love waking up to Gibson's song "Dandelions."  I feel like I'm in a western prepping for a stand-off where we shoot flower petals instead of bullets.

Hope you enjoy and take the time to check out the rest of his upcoming album All Hell from the White Denim label.  It's definitely making my "Best Of" list for 2012!  Where did this guy come from?  And when is he going to take his shirt off?  What?!  Who said that? 

Oh, and you can snag a free download of "In The Beginning" HERE. 

Enjoy friends.

Thank You Eau Claire, Wisconsin

For The Daredevil Christopher Wright.  Their song "I & Thou" has been in my earphones for a few weeks now.  I thought this live version deserved a place on the old bloggy boo.

Hope you enjoy them giving Fleet Foxes a run for their money as much as I do.

Black Moth Super Rainbow Need A Kickstart

Support this electro-psychedelightful band, if only for more videos like this one.  Click HERE to give them some of your hard-earned cash.  They'll give you some goodies in return.

Is it weird that this video makes me want to go on a road trip?   

Can't Go Wrong When You're Gaye

Marvin that is.  And all other forms of gayness.  Hope you're enjoying this "sunny" season my friends.

Sorry I've been absent for so long.  I have no excuse.  Quarter life crisis?

Download "Sunny (Mercury II Edit)" HERE

The Next Sounds: Heartless Bastards

If you're in the mood for rock and roll, look no further than Heartless Bastards.  They bring it with a steely heart (ironically) and soulfulness that simply doesn't come around too often.

Indulge your ears with the full article HERE on my blog for The Next Family.

Depeche Mode, RAC Style

Oh how I love RAC.  They've created a delightful remix of Depeche Mode's "Enjoy The Silence," which can only rightfully be described as a tribute to the band complete with reverbed trumpet goodness.

Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence (RAC Mix) by RAC

Enjoy.

Best Music Videos of 2011

Alas, it's that time for best of lists.  On this delightful Christmas Eve I bring you an early present.  11 Best Music Videos of 2011!  Here's a sample of what's to come:

This was quite a difficult list to narrow down as there were SO many amazing videos.  Let me know your thoughts by visiting the full blog post at The Next Family.

Aural Fixation: Holiday Edition

Oh goody.  It's that time of year again, and we have a delicious holiday edition of Aural Fixation.  This time we've brought you Super Simple and Easily Adaptable Hot Chocolate along with an equally delectable playlist of holiday tunes.  Here's a sample.

Head over to Tadpole Audio to see what else is on the menu.

The Dø Duo

The Dø duo are back with their third official release, Both Ways Jaw Open.  The album is a mixed bag of indie pop.  It's hard to say what my favorite track is, but the video for "Slippery Slope" helped to sway me in its favor.

Maybe it's because it reminds me of one of my favorite videos of 2011 ("Iron" by Woodkid), or possibly it's that hint of M.I.A. meets art couture meets Rainbow Arabia tribalism.

Dan Levy and Olivia Merilahti make up The Dø, aptly named for the Do in Do Re Mi, or at least that's what I've gathered.  The pair began writing together for a French film Empire of the Wolves, and have continued since, scoring a huge hit with "On My Shoulders."

They huddled back in Southern France and spent a year writing, arranging, recording, mixing and producing their latest release, completely by themselves I should add.

The result is a mixed bag of sweet and edgy pop that is just to my liking.  Check out "Gonna Be Sick!" for a much needed dose of xylophone and then head over to iTunes to listen to the rest of the album.

"Gonna Be Sick" - The Dø

Blondie - No Not That One...

Blondie is the subject of infatuation in the lovely Edda Magnason's latest video.  Just try not to watch the whole thing...

The Swedish/Icelandic beauty somehow manages to be classic, jazzy, international, badass, and laidback all in one song.  This girl is definitely someone to look out for.

Edda Magnason's latest album Goods (released earlier this year on Adrian Recordings) is difficult to classify.  It ranges from Broadway-esque, to indie pop, to straight avante-garde.  Each track held together by that stunning jazz-infused voice reminiscent of a less-squeaky Asteroids Galaxy Tour.  She experiments with a slew of live instruments, much like the equally intriguing My Brightest Diamond, and has the unapologetically progressive sound of fellow Icelander, Bjork.

Here's another quirky track called "Handsome."

Enjoy my friends and happiest of Thanksgivings to you.

P.S. - Did you notice my website is getting fancier?  I feel like a real adult blogger now...

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, just want to say thanks to Noel Bass who designed my website logo above. And yes, he's available for hire.

Young Dreams Aren't All Butterflies & Rainbows...

Apparently these youngsters have slightly darker interests.

Norwegian Indiegazers Young Dreams present their debut self-titled video.

The video speaks to their sound - whimsical and complex with a touch of good ole Scandinavian gloom.

The outfit consists of 12, yes 12 talented musicians wielding a variety of instruments - synths, glocks, music boxes, wood blocks, strings, guitar, and a handful of DIY percussion among them.  It's an unexpected surprise when such a deluge of sounds come together to make a classy and subtle blend.  

Pair this unconventional instrumentation with "dreamy" Beach Boys meets Animal Collective vocal layers mixed in to perfection and you get one exciting new band.  

"Dream Alone, Wake Together" is another enchanted little tune:

Dream Alone, Wake Together - single version by Young Dreams

Young Dreams will be releasing their debut full length early next year on Modular. 

The Next Sounds: Mayer Hawthorne

Had to tell my Next Family peeps about Mr. Mayer Hawthorne.

Did you know this silky smooth crooner for the modern age is not only a rapper named Haircut, but also has his very own bobble head?

The more you know kids...

Check out the amazing video for "A Long Time" and then head over to The Next Family blog for more.

Aural Fixation: Pumpkin Monkey Bread

Back with the Fall edition of Aural Fixation.  This time the amazing chef-extraordinaire Catherine McNulty puts her own Autumn-inspired spin on Monkey Bread, adding, you guessed it, pumpkin. Not kidding, this is the best thing I have ever eaten.  Ever...

And of course, along with the recipe, I have prepared a delectable playlist of Fall inspired tunes.  Here's a taste:

With the change in season comes shorter days.  Woodkid knows the consequences when dark begins to overtake the light...

Get the rest of your Aural Fix at fantastablog Tadpole Audio.

There's something about Teenage Girls...

Or so say grunge rockers The Bleeding Knees Club...

The Australian garage duo, comprised of Alex Wall (drums and vocals) and Jordan Malane (guitar), are full of bumps, bruises, guts, and indeed bleeding knees aplenty.

With all of the retro lofi punkers, (Wavves, No Age, and Ty Segall to name a few), it's sometimes hard to distinguish between them.  So what sets The Bleeding Knees Club apart?  Undeniable spunk for one thing.  They are young and filled with energy, hormones and angst.  

Deceivingly simple chords and song structure provide the backing for sophisticated and often complex poetry.  For example, take these lyrics to their song "Bad Guys":

They smoke at night

They make us cry

They get so high

They are bad guys

Check out their newly released Virginity EP on the always engaging IAMSOUND label, and be sure to warmup your neck and arm muscles for thorough head thrashing and air drumming.  

Manic with Azari & III

There is nothing I don't like about this.

Azari & III (pronounced Azari & Third) are the highly buzzed about Toronto based electro duo, who have recently joined forces with vocalists Fritz Helder and Starving Yet Full.  This past month they released their debut self-titled full length via Loose Lips Records and the buzz has just grown louder.

"Manic" finds them channeling a darker side of Prince.  Those hypnotic vocal loops put you in a chic-nu-house trance.  It's the perfect dance track for your upcoming Halloween soiree.  That spooky quality is no accident.  Not long ago Alphonse Alixander Lanza III (aka III) was scoring horror films like Time Bomb and Dead Mary. 

These two have really come out with their own style.  Really, how many men can rock a sequin top?  That self-assuredness has allowed them to fully realize their unique musical vision as two of the baddest electro punks north of the border.  When asked about the influence of the Toronto music scene, Alixander replies "We met in the scene, fuck we were the scene!" 

Check out another single off the debut "Reckless With Your Love," a clever nod to the 90s dance scene.

Dillon Francis Meets CSS

Happy Friday folks!

Going to make this simple and straight to the point.  Dillon Francis is my new hero. His CSS remix is one of the best re-imaginings I've heard in a long time.  Of course, it certainly helps when you start off with a killer song.

"Hits Me Like A Rock" - CSS

Dillon Francis, L.A.'s own latest and greatest breakout dj/producer, makes this hipster pop gem sparkle.  Sleak, classy, and literally begging you to shake that thang - I really can't get enough of this.  But seriously, I might have a problem...

Just wait until it really opens up at about 1:25.  Oh damn.  Perfection.

Ting Tings wish they could be this bad.  Do yourself a favor, throw on your shades and make this the weekend jam.  Download here.

Aeroplane Has Faith

Buzz for his latest album, We Can't Fly, came and went as fast as an Aeroplane flying overhead.

But I have faith this album will bubble up again, and clearly, so does Aeroplane.

"Faith (Aeroplane Remix)" - George Michael

Get more tunes and check out the flashy video on my blog for The Next Family.

Aural Fixation: Goat Cheese Ice Cream

Here's an appetizer before you digest the latest and tastiest Aural Fixation blog.

More delectables at Tadpole Audio.  Yum...

Inland Sounds Summer Playlist

Hey there chickadees and chickadoos.  Summer is here, and it will be gone before you know it.

I've got a sunny playlist for you of some great new summer releases and some classic oldschool summer jams (with a twist, of course).

Here's a taste of what's in store...


Check out the rest of the playlist on my blog for the always amazing The Next Family.