GIMME TINNITUS

Well, it’s almost time for 2nd Northside Festival, during which The L Magazine takes over the Williamsburg and Greenpoint music venues for a few days.

The Northside Festival will feature over 300 bands this year. Some relatively big names are playing (Liars, The Fiery Furnaces, Fucked Up, Polvo). But what this is really about is the chance to see lots of bands in small venues. It’s an indie music overdose. You can get an idea of what it’s like by listening to this radio stream from the good folks over at radio23.org.

Streamable: Northside Radio (m3u)

This year the festival starts on Thursday, June 24th and ends on Sunday, June 27th. You can still by badges @ Brown Paper Tickets.

AND… there’s more than music happening on the 24th-27th. There is also Arts & Film happenings (if you’re into that sort of thing).

What I would like to do now is highlight a few of the showcases that I am planning on checking out. I have mp3 previews for just about all the bands playing the highlighted showcases. If you have an mp3 for one of the bands listed with no preview, please send it to me and I will post it. And, remember this is just a small sample of the events planned for the 24th through the 27th, be sure to check out the full schedule… here.

6/24/10 | Thursday Evening @ Cameo Gallery

Ernest Jenning Record Co. presents

Blood Warrior
Listen: King Day (Live) (mp3)

Charles Burst

La Strada
Listen: Wash on By (mp3)

Takka Takka
Listen: Everybody Say (WOXY Lounge Act) (mp3)

Wild Yaks
Listen: River May Come (mp3)

Doors at tba, $tba, 21+


6/25/10 | Friday Evening @ Public Assembly

Pop Tarts Suck Toasted presents

The Rabbits
Listen: Cruel (mp3)

Marie Stella
Listen: Message From Limbo (mp3)

Shark?
Listen: Shark? (mp3)

DOM
Listen: Living In America (mp3)

Darlings
Listen: Yeah I Know (mp3)

Les Vinyl

The Sundelles
Listen: Your Favorite Thing (mp3)

MiniBoone
Listen: Cool Kids Cut Out of the Heart Itself (mp3)

Dinosaur Feathers
Listen: Teenage Whore (mp3)

The Grates

Doors at tba, $tba (includes access to Pop Tarts show in both rooms), 21+


6/26/10 | Saturday Afternoon @ Glasslands Gallery

Pop Tarts Suck Toasted presents

True Womanhood
Listen: Dignitas (mp3)

Golden Girls
Listen: Dreams (mp3)

Dinosaur Bones
Listen: Royalty (mp3)

EULA
Listen: Housewolf (mp3)

The Senors of Marseille
Listen: Davey (mp3)

The Great Unwashed
Listen: Winter Classic (mp3)

Doors at 12:30pm, $5


6/26/10 | Saturday Evening @ Shea Stadium

Chocolate Bobka presents

Ducktails
Listen: MIRRORIMAGE (mp3)

Big Troubles
Listen: Chalk Circles (mp3)

WOOM
Listen: The Hunt (mp3)

Arches

Dana Jewell (solo)
Listen: My T-Train Girl (mp3)

No Demons Here (Luka Usmiani of Fluffy Lumbers)
Listen: Shithed (mp3)

Andrew Cedermark
Listen: Ad Infinitum (mp3)

Doors at tba, $tba, all ages


6/27/10 | Sunday Afternoon @ Spike Hill

The L Magazine presents

NYC Bands You Need to Hear, Part 2
Doors at tba, FREE


6/27/10 | Sunday Evening @ Brooklyn Bowl

FREEwilliamsburg presents

Keepaway
Listen: Yellow Wings (mp3)

Hooray for Earth
Listen: Surrounded By Your Friends (mp3)

Restless People
Listen: Days of our Lives (mp3)

Glass Ghost
Listen: Like A Diamond (mp3)

The Babies
Listen: Meet Me In The City (mp3)

Doors at tba, $tba, 21+


For more venue info, head over to the Northside Venue page.

If you like what you hear you should probably purchase music from the above artists at any of these fine online retailers (or your local independent record store):

Insound | Amazon MP3 | eMusic | Other Music

Also, if you want to download all (or most of) the tracks in this post, you should probably think about installing the DownThemAll! or FlashGot Firefox extensions.

Wow, is it time for the next installment of the Best Downloadables series? Yes, it is. What can I say? I guess there are a lot of great songs being put out this year. You can stream all the songs in this mix using the Yahoo media player at the bottom of the page or just download the tracks. Listen…

Downloadables:

Jennifer Hills (mp3) by Day of the Woman

Shark’s Tooth (mp3) by Archie Bronson Outfit

A Dream (mp3) by Magnetic Island

Bummer Summer (mp3) by Young Adults

Magic Child (mp3) by True Womanhood

The Awkward Circuit Boards (Or: Look Out! I Think I’m Going To FEEL!) (mp3) by THE FIELD RECORDINGS

Art Czars (mp3) by Japandroids

Odessa (mp3) by Caribou

Scissor (mp3) by Liars

Clean Vs. Dirty (mp3) by Susu

Crying Underwater (mp3) by Cloud Nothings

Acting Hard (mp3) by Captain Ahab

Napping Captain (Dark Party Remix) (mp3) by Jogger

Real Life (mp3) by Tanlines

Vibrationz (mp3) by Javelin

Proboscidean (mp3) by SHAPERS

The Ghosts That Wake You (mp3) by Follow That Bird!

Daisy (mp3) by Fang Island

Generator ^ Second Floor (mp3) by Freelance Whales

Be sure to check out the rest of the year’s Best Downloadables:

Vol. 1 | Vol. 3 | Vol. 4

Additionally, if you like what you hear you should probably purchase music from the above artists at any of these fine online retailers:

Insound | Amazon MP3 | eMusic | Other Music

Also, If you want to download all (or most of) the tracks in this post, you should probably think about installing the DownThemAll! or FlashGot Firefox extensions.

I just realized I haven’t blogged about my Record Store Day experience yet. I made some time to check out Sound Fix in Williamsburg. Unfortunately, all the RSD goodies were gone by the time I got there. So what did I get? Nothing all that “out there.” In fact, I really didn’t take any chances at all (yes, frequent visitors to this blog probably already have all the mp3s below). Previously on RSD, I would purchase used CDs of albums I had not heard (e.g. Zs, Blues Control). This time I went for the vinyl of albums where I already had the digital. And guess what, they are all awesome. My purchases follow…

:: Sisterworld (Deluxe Edition) by Liars

Listen: Scissor (mp3)

Watch: Scissor (youtube) (embedding disabled so follow the link)

and there is also that remix disc…

Stream: Scissor (Remix by Pink Dollaz, Lance Whitaker and Transformation Surprise) (youtube)

You can purchase Sisterworld from Insound


:: Coconut (on snazzy yellow vinyl) by Archie Bronson Outfit

Listen: Shark’s Tooth (mp3)

Watch: Magnetic Warrior (youtube)

You can purchase Coconut from Domino Records


:: No Mas by Javelin

Listen: Oh! Centra (mp3)

Listen: Vibrationz (mp3)

Watch: C Town (Live @ NYU) (youtube)

You can purchase No Mas from Luaka Bop


Truthfully though, when you are obsessed with music, any day can turn into “record store day.” So, go to your local independent record store today. Clicking through mp3 aggregators and/or blogs is just not the same a flipping through stacks of LPs. Music can be more than zeros and ones, listening to a little vinyl will remind you of that fact.

However, if you really really do not feel like going to a record store you can of course order one of the above records by clicking on the purchase link provided.

There is reportedly a new Pollination album coming soon, but this track here is from last year’s free EP, Inca Orange. This is (obvs) trippy stuff as remixed by Stenographer.

Streamable: Some Sun (Stenographer Edit) (vimeo) by Pollination


Downloadable: Some Sun (Stenographer Edit) (mp3)


This is the first video from Shark? This looks like it must have been a lot of fun to shoot (though probably not as much fun as the NIKOO video). Also, it has Nunchaku!

Streamable: I’ve Got Friends (vimeo) by Shark?


Downloadable: I’ve Got Friends (mp3) (Grab the whole free EP @ Bandcamp)


Ok, Beck covering INXS with dudes from Liars & Os Mutantes plus St. Vincent. Hell Yes!

Streamable: Guns In The Sky (INXS Cover) (vimeo) by Beck’s Record Club

props to G vs B


The dudes in Titus want a new New Jersey.

Streamable: A More Perfect Union (youtube) by Titus Andronicus



NIKOO + Slo-mo Pillow Fights + Facepaint… need I say more? Has anyone created a Fuck Yeah Dutch Indie Rock tumblog? Just wondering.

Streamable: Cow (youtube) by NIKOO


Downloadable: Cow (mp3)


This right here is my favorite Record Store Day promo yet.

Streamable: Josh Homme Explains Records Store Day (youtube)

props to Spinner




This has been another…

I have had “Odessa” by Caribou stuck in my head for the past few weeks. Now, let’s see if these visuals get stuck in my head as well. Can’t wait for this album (expectations are high).

Streamable: Odessa (p4k) by Caribou


Downloadable: Odessa (mp3)


Speaking of highly anticipated albums, here is the first video from Liars‘ Sisterworld.

Streamable: Scissor (vimeo) by Liars


Downloadable: Scissor (mp3)


And, here is a video from Delaware’s premier neoshoegaze outfit, The Sky Drops

Streamable: Long Way (youtube) by The Sky Drops



BOAT’s sessions from Oregon Public Broadcasting are up, but unfortunately they are not embeddable. They look something like this:

Click on the link below to watch them.

Streamable: BOAT’s OPB Sessions (opbmusic link)
Downloadable: Lately (mp3)

This has been another…

It’s time to look back and reflect again. What were we listening to one year ago?

Listen to the February 2009 Mix to find out…

Downloadables:
First Daze (mp3) by Pterodactyl

New Guitar (mp3) by Mi Ami

Empty Legs (mp3) by Thank You

Cage Those Pythons (mp3) by Dinowalrus

Zontag (mp3) by Gary War

Bobbie Joe Wilson (Pollination Remix) (mp3) by Yppah

Yeti (mp3) by Like Bells

So Fine (mp3) by Telepathe

Don’t Lie (mp3) by Abe Vigoda

Troubles Like Mine (mp3) by Gun Outfit

Pine On (mp3) by Obits

Wasted Youth (mp3) by Lovvers

Lake House (mp3) by Vivian Girls

To Clean (mp3) by Woods

Sunlight (mp3) by Harlem Shakes

Is She There? (mp3) by Nodzzz

In the Parlor (mp3) by Pree

Tourniquet (mp3) by Sholi

Now We Can See (mp3) by The Thermals

Cable TV (Liars remix) by Fol Chen

If you haven’t done it already, make sure you check out the other monthly mixes.

If you want to download all the individual tracks in this post, you should think about installing the DownThemAll! Firefox extension.

Here are the answers we received from Mary & Rob of High Places to this q and also a…

q: What is the last song you (really) heard?

m: 24 Hour Karate School (follow the link to kanyeuniversecity.com) by Mos Def

r: Dark Star, live version (lala link) off Live/Dead by the Grateful Dead. Total journey.

q: What is your favorite food?

m: Mexican papaya. Kelp pasta from Juliano’s Planet Raw. Anything pickled.

r: Hard to say… I was thinking about this the other day, I’ve been vegan most of my life, and one really cool bi-product of that is that it has made me really appreciate food on a very basic level. When I was a kid, i LOVED junk food as much as any other kid. Now I put a piece of spinach in my mouth and it explodes. I think it’s just training your palette. That being said, Vietnamese food blows my mind, particularly bánh mì chay.

q: What is your favorite band to see live?

m: Ponytail or Liars.

r: Hard question! Boredoms, especially while playing in Boadrum with them. No Age is always great. Ponytail“>Ponytail! Ponytail“>Liars are amazing live. My new local fave is Sun Araw. Its like chopped and screwed Spacemen 3. All time fave? Cro-mags circa late 80’s.

Listen:
Celebrate the Body Electric (It Came From an Angel) by Ponytail
The Other Side Of Mt. Heart Attack by Liars
Heavy Deeds by Sun Araw
Walkin’ With Jesus by Spacemen 3
World Peace by Cro-mags

Watch:
88 Boardum (youtube) by Boredoms

q: What is your favorite venue in NYC (if applicable)?

m: Uncle Paulie’s was cool while it lasted. I mean, it was kind of terrible as far as acoustics and the bathroom and stuff, but there were a lot of cool shows there.

r: We live in LA now, but being that we are from NYC: Cinders Gallery. Dead Herring house is rad too. If it isn’t too hot, Death by Audio. Playing the New Museum, the Kitchen, and the Guggenheim was pretty amazing though, just as far as cool rooms. In LA: the Smell. Ooga Booga. Echo Curio is rad, but we have never played there.

q: OK, President Obama appoints you as the first Secretary of Culture, to whom do you give your first grant?

m: My sister Laura. She’s a writer, and I’m dying for her to write a novel.

r: We are more like the Secretaries of Keeping It Real. The Smell, hands down. I’d also like to see Chris Johanson get to build a town someday.

q: Anything we should know about your latest project (whatever that might be)?

m: Our sophomore album High Places vs. Mankind is about to be released on Thrill Jockey in March!

r: New EP somewhere around there as well, but a digital single will happen before that. Lots of touring!

Listen: On Giving Up (mp3)

High Places are on Twitter.
High Places are on Facebook.
High Places have a blogspot.
High Places have a Daytrotter session.
Thrill Jockey page is here.
Upset the Rhythm is here.
Mistletone page is here.
Insound page is here.
Amazon MP3 page is here.
eMusic page is here.

BONUS: Golden (Brenmar Remix) (mp3)

This q and also a features the answers of blogger turned rocker Kevin Diamond the singer/guitarist/keyboardist of Shark?.

q: What is the last song you (really) heard?

a: A Crime (mp3) by Carnivores. We just played with them and Dinosaur Feathers at Cake Shop last night and they blew me away. A Crime is their catchiest tune, though Organ Trail is probably my favorite so far. I just got it this morning and I’ve listened to the album three times today

q: What is your favorite food?

a: Anything Mexican. Anything involving Cheese and Beef and Beans and Tortillas. And hot sauce. And no napkins.

q: What is your favorite band to see live?

a: ugh. I dunno. Really tough question. Gang of Four kind of killed it, smashing a microwave with a wooden bat. Actually, Liars put on a really great show at the Pool Parties a couple years ago. Also, there’s a bunch of local bands I really love seeing live: Sundelles, I’m Turning Into.

Listen:
Second Life (Version 2) (mp3) by Gang of Four
Plaster Casts Of Everything (mp3) by Liars
Your Favorite Thing (mp3) by The Sundelles
Chin (mp3) by I’m Turning Into

q: What is your favorite venue in NYC (if applicable)?

a: I really enjoyed playing Silent Barn.

q: OK, President Obama appoints you as the first Secretary of Culture, to whom do you give your first grant?

a: Brian Eno.

Listen: Baby’s On Fire (mp3)

q: Anything we should know about your latest project (whatever that might be)?

a: We’re recording our first album. It’s the first time Shark? songs have been recorded as a band as opposed to just my fucking around on my own.

Here are a few Shark? songs.

Listen:
Fear! (mp3)
I’m An Animal (mp3)
I’ve Got Friends (mp3)

But know what? you should totally just download their EPs for free @ Bandcamp.

Upcoming Shows:
Feb 3 (TONIGHT!) @ Glasslands
Feb 16 @ Pianos
Feb 19 @ Fort Useless
Feb 25 @ Housingworks Bookstore (Hype Machine/Ampeater show)
Mar 4 @ Glasslands

Shark? is on Twitter.
Shark? is on Bandcamp.
Quiet Color is here.
Gimme Sound page is here.

Welcome to part one of GIMME TINNITUS’ Best Songs Of The Aughts where we look back on the best songs of 2000-2004.

Back when all the “best of the decade” whoopla started earlier this year (with Pitchfork’s Best Of), I began thinking about the songs I would have blogged about had I actually been blogging (or let’s say posting about music on an angelfire page) way back in 2000. I sifted through many tracks to come up with this list, and I hope it helps you reconnect with some tracks you may have forgotten or better yet connect with something you may have missed.

The blog-o-sphere has been in a “best of the decade” craze of late, with all kinds of lists… here and here and here and here and here and here and here. There is even an aggregated page over at largehearted boy specifically for the topic.

Enough setup, here are the songs…

Downloadables + Streamables:

Songs 1-20* (sendspace zip)
Songs 23-38* (sendspace zip)

* does not contain songs with lala links (but you knew that, right?)

1. Small Stakes (mp3) by Spoon
(buy from the band)

2. Alan Is A Cowboy Killer (mp3) by mclusky
(buy it)

3. OK Apartment (mp3) by The Oranges Band
(buy it)

4. Speakers Push The Air (mp3) by Pretty Girls Make Graves
(buy it)

5. The National Anthem (lala stream) by Radiohead

(buy it)

6. Rebellion (Lies) (mp3) by Arcade Fire
(buy from the band)

7. Cause = Time (mp3) by Broken Social Scene
(buy from the label)

8. The Lost Art Of Keeping A Secret (mp3) by Queens Of The Stone Age
(buy it)

9. You’re No Rock N’ Roll Fun (mp3) by Sleater-Kinney
(buy from the label)

10. Sentimental Man (mp3) by Dismemberment Plan
(buy from the label)

11. 3rd Planet (lala stream) by Modest Mouse

(buy it)

12. Black History Month (mp3) by Death From Above 1979
(buy it)

13. My Girlfriend’s Best Friend (lala stream) by The Sun

(buy it)

14. Without MSG I Am Nothing (mp3) by mclusky
(buy it)

15. No Jumper Cables (mp3) by Aesop Rock
(buy from the label)

16. Black Metal (mp3) by The Forms
(buy from the label)

17. The Return Of Evil Bill (mp3) by Clinic
(buy from the label)

18. 99 Problems (torrent) by Jay-Z and The Beatles as mashed by Danger Mouse
(not for sale)

19. Barely Legal (lala stream) by The Strokes

(buy it)

20. Two Bit Rhythm (M.I.A. Mix) (mp3) by M.I.A.
(for sale in the UK)

21. Spiders (Kidsmoke) (lala stream) by Wilco

(buy from the band)

22. PDA (lala stream) by Interpol

(buy from the label)

23. Braintrust (mp3) by Hot Snakes
(buy it)

24. Where Have All The Rude Boys Gone? (mp3) by Ted Leo + The Pharmacists
(buy it)

25. Staring At The Sun (mp3) by TV On The Radio
(buy it)

26. Powdered Wig Machine (feat. PJ Harvey) (mp3) by Desert Sessions
(buy it)

27. Everything Hits At Once (mp3) by Spoon
(buy from the band)

28. Fell In Love With A Girl (lala stream) by The White Stripes

(buy it)

29. Slow Rt. Hand (mp3) by Califone
(buy from label)

30. Short Term Effects (mp3) by Motico
(not for sale)

31. Cashout (mp3) by Fugazi
(buy from label)

32. Freedom (mp3) by J Mascis & The Fog
(buy it used)

33. Panic Bullets (mp3) by Skeleton Key
(buy from label)

34. Mr. You’re On Fire Mr. (mp3) by Liars
(buy it)

35. Free (mp3) by Cat Power
(buy from label)

36. Watch Song (mp3) by Shellac
(buy from label)

37. Know Your Onion! (mp3) by The Shins
(buy from label)

38. Huddle Formation (mp3) by The Go! Team
(buy from label)

Also, be sure to check out part two of the Best Songs Of The Aughts 2005-2009. I have not decided whether I will tackle the topic of best albums yet, but the decade isn’t over (though I am running out of time here).

It’s time again to kick back and relax. Stop thinking obsessively about the now and look back to a slightly more more idyllic time, one year ago.

Here is the April 2008 Mix.

1. Cat Swallow (pirate pirate mp3) by Royal Bangs

2. Eraser (sub pop mp3) by No Age

3. Spy/Glass House (mp3) by Feral Children

4. (I’m A) Don Juan (mp3) by The Embarrassment

5. Minors (mp3) by Flying

6. Slack Motherfucker (superchunk mp3) by Radar Bros.

7. Cherry Bomb Country (mp3) by Spoon

8. White Winter Hymnal (sub pop mp3) by Fleet Foxes

9. Uncalibrated (mp3) by Bridges And Powerlines

10. Periwinkle Blues (mp3) by Spanish Prisoners

11. Redgun (mp3) by The Forms

12. Torture (mp3) by King Khan And The Shrines

13. Well Fuck You Then (mp3) by Dark Meat

14. We Have A Technical (beggars mp3) by Gary Numan & Tubeway Army

15. It’s A Fact (Mano Remix Featuring Hollywood Holt) (mp3) by Matt & Kim remixed by M$M Featuring Hollywood Holt

16. A Little Bit Of Feel Good (Low Scores Remix) (mp3) by Jamie Lidell remixed by Low Scores

17. Like It Or Not (El Guincho Remix) (mp3) by Architecture In Helsinki remixed by El Guincho

18. Nude (Holy Fuck Remix) (mp3) by Radiohead remixed by Holy Fuck

19. Army Of Me (Bjork Cover) (mp3) by Liars (source: Stereogum Presents… Enjoyed: A Tribute To Björk’s Post)

20. I Sold My Organs (better looking mp3) by Meho Plaza

21. It’s Epidemic (mp3) by The Cops

22. Mr. Ego Death (mp3) by We Versus The Shark

23. Only The Young (mp3) by Traindodge

24. I Hate Numbers (mp3) by Dinowalrus

25. Summers and Autumns (mp3) by Monotonix

26. Cocksuckerbastardmotherfucker (mp3) by Necropolis

27. Torch (mp3) by Gobblehoof

28. Hairvest (mp3) by When Dinosaurs Ruled The Earth

BONUS: This Is What You Wanted by Part & Labor