Music

A few days ago, SXSW released a list of bands that are scheduled to perform during this year’s festival.

Bands that caught my attention:

Andrew Bird (Chicago IL)
Bloc Party (London UK)
Blonde Redhead (New York NY)
Thomas Dolby (San Francisco CA)
Dreamend (Chicago IL)
The Figgs (New York NY)
Les Savy Fav (Brooklyn NY)
Poison Idea (Portland OR)
Sloan (Toronto ON)

I probably won’t be attending this event, due to the high cost and number of attendees. I like my shows more intimate anyway, i.e. Koufax at Emo’s.

Sneetches – Sometimes that’s all we have [1988]
Thee More Shallows – Monkey Vs. Shark EP [2006]

These two have been in my car CD player for weeks. EOF.

Andrew Bird – Armchair Apocrypha [2007] (adv)

I didn’t have high hopes here, that this could possibly top Eggs, Bird’s previous release (get it?). And I seem to have been right so far. Ill definatly gv ths1 a chnc 2 gro since I’m such a fan of Huevos. I’m on my second dose.

Bright Eyes – Four Winds EP [2007] (adv)

Four of the six B-side tracks are just about on par, especially track 3. I’ve listened to this EP a few times. The two tracks I don’t care for are “folky” songs (acoustic guitar and vocals) and obviously influenced by Conor’s buddy, M. Ward. Unfortunately, I’m not a fan of M. Ward, as much as I hate to say it, because, to my knowledge, David loves him. If you are a fan of M. Ward, though, you’ll be glad to know that he makes a guest appearance, singing in one of the two said songs. I don’t feel like spending time researching this now, so read with caution – for all I know, M. Ward could be singing in all of the songs, and he could be “part” of what Bright Eyes currently is. The songs are best comparable to Wide Awake – twangy. If it suggests anything, two of the better songs have been stuck in my head over the past couple of days, and I’m anxiously awaiting Cassadaga.

The Arcade Fire – Neon Bible [2007] (adv)

Funeral, Pitchfork’s #1 album of 2004, was obviously overrated. Oh, and so was that Animal Collective album that made #2. Proof? Ta Det Lugnt was #13. ZOMGWTF?!

If one were to make a compilation consisting of “gems” from both albums – what some would call a mixtape – the end result would be comparable to the potential situation where The Strokes were used as an alternative source medium. In layman’s terms, both of the said bands’ latest two benefactions would have an exact equal mixture of winners and losers, not so different from the game that millions of middle america viewers will certainly and religiously mind tomorrow. I’ve only listened to Neon a couple of times and my First Impression is meh, overall. If you frequent the arcade to interact with whatever it is about this band that makes them original, which they aggreably are, you will probably enjoy this album in its entirety.

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