Foals - Spanish Sahara

Normally when a band takes a big departure from their sound I'm not very receptive to it. The Foals have managed to go in a significantly different direction with this track and do it the best possible way. I'm anxiously awaiting this new album.

This song starts slowly and builds to a fantastic climax. Hopefully this new album will still feature some of the twitchy, dancey, edgy stuff they're so good at.

Cycle time!

Around this time last year I was dreaming about getting a bike. This year it's actually going to happen. While I'd love to get an old Triumph, I realize that realistically I need to start with something smaller and, more importantly, cheaper for my first motorcycle. It's looking like this little beauty is just the ticket. (image borrowed from Google)

New Frightened Rabbit out today!

Fitting that my last post was about this band. I'm pumped about this CD release today... hopefully these guys don't let me down. Here's a new one:

Frightened Rabbit - Swim Until You Can't See Land

Frightened Rabbit easily became my favorite band of 2008-09. Midnight Organ Fight was one of the best albums I've heard in a long time, and they are incredible to see live. It's nice to see a band write some decent lyrics, there's been entirely too much in the way of crappy lyrics lately (*cough, Vampire Weekend, cough*).

Needless to say I'm excited for the new album to come out on March 10. I am a little wary of how this album will play out though - they've now received glowing reviews from critics and have been constantly touring to larger and larger crowds. Besides which the last two albums were about break-ups and Scott Hutchinson is apparently over all of that...

I'm worried that they're going to go too poppy, but if they lean towards this kind of pop I'm ok with it:

Passion Pit - "I Got Your Number"

Ok, so I understand that I'm a little behind the curve here. I've been hearing "Sleepyhead" and "The Reeling" for several months and at first I found them irritating. Then they slowly worked themselves into my consciousness. Their album and EP are some of the best I've heard in the last few months.

I would have thought that they would be terrible live, but I learned my lesson about electro bands with Friendly Fires - they're fantastic live!

David Bazan - "Please, Baby, Please"

I became of David Bazan's work back in college, listening to his previous project Pedro the Lion. At that particular time I was hooked on most of the Jade Tree record label bands. I haven't been overly impressed with his solo stuff to date but I came across this song and just can't get it out of my head.

He's currently on tour, playing solo in people's living rooms. Seriously.

Dirty Projectors

I fell in love with this band a few months back and then grew tired of their album quickly. Unfortunately too many of their songs are too repetitive. But there is also some intricate guitar work and melodies that draws me back...

Here is "No Intentions" performed at an in studio performance for Sirius. You have to love the harmonizing female vocals - which says a lot coming from me; I loath harmonizing...