Vinyl Diving
You learn a lot when you take over a record collection.
I've never met a single person that “hates” Carpenters. Mind you, very little are they a topic of conversation, but I know of no one who outwardly doesn't like the sounds of Karen and Richard Carpenter. I would even say that Carpenters are the least hateable group to ever exist.
A pioneer, Karen Carpenter hit the drums while Richard arranged the music and played keys. It’s like a reverse Mates of State – minus the whole marriage thing. Richard and Karen were just brother/sister...
Posted by Wes Soltis on Jan 21, 2008 @ 12:00 am
The Outlet
Iji - a band you need to know. Just don't let Drew Danburry hear you say their name wrong.
Let's pretend you are bilingual and speak Spanish. In the small province where you grew up there exists an adjective for completely and totally the most awesome thing in the world. In some countries the ultimate would be called “el colmo” or something like that because “el ultimo” just seems too obvious, right? But in your small town or province, the word for the complete and totally most awesome thing in the world is “Iji...
Posted by Drew Danburry on Jan 21, 2008 @ 12:00 am
Your Listening Pleasure
The Magnetic Fields, Times New Viking and Love in October in Your Listening Pleasure
The Magnetic Fields – California Girls - Long-time fans of Stephen Merritt usually know what to expect from his musical ventures - clever, but morose lyrics served on a platter of catchy, yet well-written indie pop, often with unconventional instrumentation and an overriding theme. The twist this time around is the combination of Merritt's trademark style with a heavy layer of distortion, a la Jesus and Mary Chain - hence the album's title, Distortion...
Posted by Jason Prechtel on Jan 18, 2008 @ 12:00 am
A Cause For Attention
VH1 and indie artists team up for a good cause kid's album.
If you're worried that you won't be able to listen to your favorite bands in the car when your kids get old enough to understand the words, here's a way to work out a compromise with your morals. Anything's better than a Barney sing-a-long, right?
The third installment of the "For the Kids" series is now available for purchase, featuring classic, contemporary and original children's songs performed by an eclectic array of musicians...
Posted by Leen Morrissey on Jan 17, 2008 @ 12:00 am
The Indie Vault
Live vs. Studio: Who will win?
Let me tell you one thing first. I’m a sucker for live recordings. I don’t like all the live albums I have, but I am unable to stop myself from buying them when they are released (even when they are completely unnecessary like Radiohead’s I Might Be Wrong). For most people, live albums fall into the “worth a listen but not worth owning” category. Like a hunter decorating his living room with mounted deer heads on the wall, I am compelled to stock my shelves with these hit-or-miss records...
Posted by Greg Herald on Jan 17, 2008 @ 12:00 am