I was just listening to a playlist on the Des Noise blog and heard this song I really liked. It's some girl from Australia who probably loves Outback Steakhouse. Enjoy.

I spent a good portion of my youth watching my peers play music at the Boys and Girls Club. If I may quote Abraham Lincoln... It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.

Anyway, I don't know if any good bands actually came out of that mini-scene. Regardless, I have been on the hunt for a good local band since we moved to Oklahoma. It's just good to have someone to claim, you know? Well! I didn't exactly find a local band, but I found one that is close enough and is actually good. The Midwest Indies hail from the great town of Springfield, Missouri, and I am stoked because it is only an hour and a half away! (That's like a twenty minute drive when you live in the middle of nowhere.) I haven't seen them play yet, but I have high hopes.

Their music is a good blend of rock and roll and pop in the vein of Bishop Allen or Someone Still Loves You, Boris Yeltsin. Enjoy.

I think I haven't blogged in a while. School isn't even that overwhelming right now, but I have been working on two big projects for both of my classes. Also, I have yet to review the new Taking Back Sunday album, but I haven't forgotten about it. Au contraire...

Anyway, my song of the day is "Love is not Enough" by Owen. A billion and one people have told me to listen to him, and I don't know why I haven't. I'm the worst. He is fantastic. It's windy and tornado season-y over here, and this entire album is (L'Ami du Peuple) is perfect for this kind of day. I hope it isn't tornado-y where you are.

These two songs came out this week and you should probably stop what you're doing and listen to them.

The first one is from a band my sister introduced me to during Christmas, Future Islands. If you haven't seen their recent live performance on Letterman you need to look it up on YouTube. I can't explain why it's good, you just need to see it. The song is called "Seasons (Waiting On You)".

The second is from Conor Oberst's new album due out in May. It's a good mix of Bright Eyes and his solo albums. This jimmy jam is called, "Governor's Ball".

Two albums that I'm really into right now are Darlings by Kevin Drew and Guilty of Everything by the band Nothing.



Darlings is great because it's like a new Broken Social Scene album. It's front man Kevin Drew's second solo album and I dare say it's the better of the two. It's a little sensual or sexual or perhaps adult themed, so our younger readers might steer clear. Songs like "Body Butter" and "Good Sex" are about exactly what the titles suggest. This isn't the first time KD (not Kevin Durant, but wouldn't that be funny) has dove into sexual themes on songs("Lovers Spit", "TBTF"), and probably won't be the last which is a good thing, probably. He finds a way to make these themes tasteful. It's not like 50 cent rapping about hooking up with girls on the club floor, it's artistic.



The second album is by a band called Nothing. Lead vocalist  Dominic Palermo recently did a little time in the slammer and appropriately titled the album Guilty of Everything. I'm not sure what to compare it to, but it's most definitely rock n roll. It has kind of a garage rock 90's feel, kind of like Mikal Cronin, but lounder and distorted. A couple of my favorite songs are "Hymn of the Pillory" and the title track "Guilty of Everything".

This was my favorite song the summer before 7th grade and I think I like it just as much today as I did then. TBT

Vanessa Carlton has always conjured up two things for me: my best friend Amanda and the movie White Chicks.

"One Thousand Miles" is the ultimate sing-a-long driving song; don't try to deny it. I was in the bookstore the other day, and I heard the best song. (Digression: I am so thankful for the Shazam app. I remember the days of hearing songs on the radio and having no idea who sang them. And I walked uphill both ways.)

Anyway, the song turned out to be "Tall Tales for Spring" by Vanessa Carlton. She just married John McCauley from Deer Tick and Stevie Nicks was their officiator! You will probably like this song.

Guys, I turned 30 today. Whoa. Here is a playlist with a personal favorite song from each year 1984-2014.

Enjoy

-Grandpa Earl

ps: the mac demarco song is probably my fav this year.

Taking Back Sunday always lifts my mood. Their new album Happiness Is... comes out in eight (8!) days, and they just released their second single from the album. The song is "Stood A Chance." Watch the video below:

Eels have released yet another new song from the forth coming album, (and much anticipated by me) The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett. The song is called "Mistakes Of My Youth" and is quite possibly one of the best Eels songs I've ever heard.

I live for Saturdays. I can make it through a tough week much easier if I know I have a new episode of Saturday Night Live to look forward to. So when I found out that one of my favorite humans (Lena Dunham) was hosting and one of my favorite bands (the National) was playing, I was ecstatic!

Lena Dunham hosted last night, and I thought she flawlessly fit into the cast. She wasn't the best host I've seen, but she managed to fit into their skits as if she was one of them. And Taran Killam as Matthew McConaughey was amazing. Taran Killam as anyone is amazing.

The National's set was incredible. The quiet ferocity of their music, especially last night, was almost too much to handle. After they finished "Graceless," I turned to Zach and told him I needed a nap. They are one of the best bands and Trouble Will Find Me is one of the best albums. Watch and cry tears of joy with me:

If you don't already know, I am the president of the St. Vincent fan club. I'm really not, but I love Annie Clark (a.k.a. St. Vincent). She is one of the most talented musicians making music right now, and her new self-titled album is a testament to her tremendous talent.

St. Vincent comes right after her project with David Byrne, Love This Giant, and its influence on her solo work is obvious, especially in the song "Digital Witness." You still get a taste of classic St. Vincent with the gnarly guitar parts and hauntingly angelic vocals; in fact, both aspects are only amplified. But Clark is much more experimental on this album, and that's what is going to make this album one I go back to in one, five, ten years from now.

Listen to "Rattlesnake," "Birth in Reverse," "Prince Johnny," and "Digital Witness" for four songs that highlight the various sounds on the album. Listen to it all, though. "I Prefer Your Love" is incredible, as is "Bring Me Your Loves."

There are two albums I currently can't stop listening to, Morning Phase by Beck and Burn Your Fire for no Witness by Angel Olsen. Both albums are new this year. Beck's album came out just this last Tuesday and Angel Olsen's the week before.
They're both similar in the fact that they're very easy listening albums, but that's about it. Morning Phase has rich production with strings and an orchestra. It's so big, yet really simple. It's a Sunday morning album. I'm in love with it right now, especially after seeing him perform two of my favorite songs ("Blue Moon" & "Wave" along with J. Tillman) on SNL last night.
Angel Olsen's album on the other hand sounds like it could have been recorded in my parents garage. The low production makes this album so sweet and  intimate. I want to sit and listen to it in the dark by myself with my headphones on with my cat on my lap ( a little bit of man died in me as I wrote that). It's a brilliant, brilliant album. Her voice is haunting, it's one of the best female voices in independent music right now.
If you haven't heard either of these two albums, you can listen to them on Spotify or better yet just buy them. They're worth it.