Love, Boston

It may not be New York. It may not even be Seattle. But Boston isn't a bad music city. That's a fact that has sometimes become forgotten over the course of the almost two decades that I've been living here. I remember first moving out here for college thinking how lucky I was to be in a place where artists like the Lemonheads, Letters To Cleo, Helium, Tracy Bonham, and Juliana Hatfield were all considered "local." And as years wore on I fell for bands that I was sure were going to be huge (Mistle Thrush, Jack Drag, Morphine.) However, I will admit, I reached a point where my tastes were drawn towards bands outside this city. Also, it didn't help that an absolutely crappy band like Godsmack identified Boston as home.

Thankfully, in the last couple of years I've rediscovered my love of local music. It happened in a slow burn kind of way - first I was won over by a band like Hallelujah The Hills then Mean Creek. Slowly but surely other bands crept in and before I knew it, I was seeking out Boston bands to love.

So this mixtape is dedicated to the city I've once again fallen for. And to the artists that make this place special. Right off the bat, I do apologize to all the great bands that I didn't include -- Bodega Girls, The New Highway Hymnal, Ghost Box Orchestra, Stereo Telescope, Sidewalk Driver. In all honesty, I had a tough time narrowing this down.

Love, Boston from DJBrianL on 8tracks.

Love, Boston
Tracklist:
1. Autocrhome, "Hands Over The City": Easily my current favorite Boston band. I've had friends accuse me of being obsessed with them, and honestly, I don't even fight it anymore. Dark, danceable, and awesome.

2. You Shriek, "Pearly-Dewdrops Drops": A long-running goth act that I've always loved. This one is a recent cover they did of a Cocteau Twins song.

3. AVOXBLUE, "Footfalls": Solo project of Jimmy Rossi, Jr. of the December Sound. Dark, dreamy electropop. I've spun this song in a DJ set recently, and FYI, it mixes quite well into Depeche Mode's "It's No Good."

4. The December Sound, "Kill Me (Before I Kill You)": I have to admit, I have yet to see The December Sound live but I do know that they're new stuff is pretty mindblowing. This one goes back a few years. Oh and they also do a killer version of The Jesus And Mary Chain's "Reverence"...so major points for that!

5. André Obin, "Cinnamon": More proof that Boston electropop is alive and well. When he's not fronting fuzz poppers, Endless Wave, he's making music that might be even more infectious than his main gig. Even though he's got more recent material out, I had to go with my absolute favorite track of his which dates back to 2008.

6. Earthquake Party!, "Brains" (recorded live at O'Brien's): I instantly fell for this lo-fi noise punk trio. Short, catchy as hell songs go a very long way with me. One time I swear I saw them do a 20-minute set opening for Surfer Blood. They packed about 10 songs into that timespan.

7. Boom Said Thunder, "Modern Girls": I have a thing for noise-pop trios. I think this one may have dropped the punctuation in their name, but they're still as fierce as can be. Kind of like early Yeah Yeah Yeahs meets Death From Above 1979. No guitars necessary.

8. RIBS, "Kiss": Who needs Muse when we've got RIBS?

Bonus Tracks:
Just some links worth checking out. Some free downloads in there as well...no big deal.
Autochrome - http://autochrome.bandcamp.com/
You Shriek - http://youshriek.com/pearly/
AVOXBLUE - http://avoxblue.bandcamp.com/
The December Sound - http://thedecembersound.bandcamp.com/
André Obin - http://andreobin.bandcamp.com/
Earthquake Party! - http://bostonphoenix.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-obriens
Boom Said Thunder - http://boomsaidthunder.bandcamp.com/album/boom-ep
RIBS - http://www.ribstheband.com/kiss/
Hallelujah The Hills - http://hallelujahthehills.bandcamp.com/
The New Highway Hymnal - http://thenewhighwayhymnal.bandcamp.com/
Stereo Telescope - http://stereotelescope.bandcamp.com/album/tour-ep
Ghost Box Orchestra - http://ghostboxorchestra.bandcamp.com/
Sidewalk Driver - http://sidewalkdriver.bandcamp.com/
Mean Creek - http://meancreek.bandcamp.com/

Back To April

 

And here it is- turning another page in the calendar. The last 30 days or so have been filled with the good (seeing Pulp in NYC, seeing The Horrors upon my return to Boston the day after, rediscovering my obsession with industrial music), the bad (increased stress at work, The Futureheads releasing an a capella album), and the unexpected. It was one of those months when looking at my own Tweets in the hopes of retracing my steps to see how I had been spending my time still didn't provide any clear-cut answers. And though I've been neglecting the blog, I've still managed to continue my neverending search for that perfect beat. So with that, here's the April installment of my "Monthly Favorites Mixtape" series. It'll be a listen filled with swirling synths, fuzzed out guitars, and big choruses...just the way things should be.

April 2012 Mixtape from DJBrianL on 8tracks.

Links: 

http://8tracks.com/djbrianl/april-2012-mixtape

http://open.spotify.com/user/djbrianl/playlist/2fl6ZvfAPFbZh2FxHSDCDn

April 2012 Mixtape

Tracklist:

1. Spiritualized, "So Long You Pretty Thing": I think it's safe to say that Spiritualized has been one of my favorite bands since about 1997. It's a very specific time because that was the first summer I spent in Boston which was pretty much soundtracked by Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space. Their latest album is downright stunning. This song closes things and it showcases a side of the band that I can only describe as damaged beauty. 

2. Brendan Benson, "The Light Of Day": Somehow Brendan Benson manages to quietly yet consistently release solid records. His latest, What Kind Of World is no exception. This one is a power pop gem that I've come to expect from him. It's no wonder Jack White is a believer.

3. Lotus Plaza, "Monoliths": One listen to Lotus Plaza and it won't be a surprise that lead man, Lockett Pundt is also the guitarist of Deerhunter. He's picked up some tricks from Bradford Cox one of which is a knack for catchy yet hypnotic songs like this one.

4. Bear In Heaven, "Sinful Nature": On this Brooklyn band's latest album, I Love You, It's Cool they dive a bit deeper into the euphoric psychedelic synthpop hinted at on their 2009 breakthrough, Beast Rest Forth Mouth. Though the album's lead single, "The Reflection Of You" might be its best, "Sinful Nature" is the record's most seductive moment.

5. Motor, "Pleasure In Heaven" (feat. Gary Numan): Motor's first single this year was the killer, Martin L. Gore-assisted EBM stomper, "Man Made Machine," incidentally the title track to their latest. And while the electronic duo are comfortable on a techno dancefloor, here they slow things down and get a little help from guest vocalist, Gary Numan. This track leads me to believe that there might be a "Gary Numan Rule" which would be extremely similar to both the "Robert Smith Rule" and the "Zola Jesus Rule" (both of which were explored here.

6. School Of Seven Bells, "Kiss Them For Me": This 7" release was the main reason I celebrated Record Store Day this year after last year's abysmal RSD experience in New Jersey at Vintage Vinyl. And contrary to what my coworkers believe, Record Store Day is a real day (http://www.recordstoreday.com/Home), one I did not make up...although I admit, it does sound like something I'd make up. Anyway, SVIIB is another recent favorite band of mine which is an obvious choice since they mix electro-pop, dreampop, and a touch of goth. This song definitely touches on the goth side of things since it is an excellent cover of a Siouxsie & The Banshees song.

7. The Raveonettes, "Into The Night": Another Record Store Day release. This one was a surprise as I remember walking into Newbury Comics in a desperate search for SVIIB and finding the Into The Night double 7" from this Danish noise-pop act (yes, another favorite of mine over the years.) I had no idea it was even coming out. Thankfully, all 4 songs are great...as if I expected anything less.

8. Jack White, "Sixteen Saltines": It's hard to believe that after all these years, Blunderbuss is Jack White's first proper solo album. Of course, it's pretty excellent probably closest, sonically, to Get Behind Me Satan. This one is just a scorching guitar rocker which is also a good description for Jack White, himself.

9. Japandroids, "The House That Heaven Built": About 30 seconds. That's how far I got into this song before I realized it's awesomeness. This Vancouver fuzz-punk duo keeps things simple relying on plenty of "oh-oh"'s in just about every song - yet instead of sounding repetitive or lazy, it makes their songs instantly catchy. And then there's the lyrics. Simple and to the point delivered with such conviction that a line like "And if they try to slow you down / tell them all to go to hell" is a moment of clarity. Seriously, this song is the definition of "instant singalong." Their new album, Celebration Rock, is due out in June and there's no doubt  in my mind that it'll be awesome. Really, Japandroids Rules, OK?!

Bonus track:

One last thing before I go. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Adam Yauch. I was genuinely saddened to hear the news of his passing. Beastie Boys are one of those acts that transcended what they started out as and becoming one of the most important and well-respected groups ever. Everyone swears by Paul's Boutique, but for me, Check Your Head was their moment of perfection.

I actually saw Adam Yauch on an Amtrak train a few years ago. I was on my way to New Jersey to visit my family and as we were stopped at New York Penn Station to let on new passengers, I look up and there he is waiting on the line to depart the train. I couldn't believe it was him. I kept looking at him and looking around at everyone thinking "how does no one here know who that is?!" So instead of causing a scene, I waited until he was a few feet from where I was sitting and in a volume loud enough that I knew he would hear me, and with a bit of disbelief in my voice, all I could say was "MCA!!" He looked at me and nodded. It was one of the coolest things ever...and that's coming from someone who has met Joey Ramone and Robert Smith.  On the day of MCA's passing, I took to Twitter and posted the following:

Brian Lumauig ‏ @DJBrianL

The first ever mosh pit I was ever in was during the Beastie Boys at Lollapalooza 1994. RIP MCA. You're already missed.

Monday Morning Album Stream: Soulsavers "The Light The Dead See"

It's been a while. Nearing a month since the last post, to be exact. Let's just say things have gotten a bit hectic. Luckily, even when real life gets a little crazy, I still make time to immerse myself in music. At the risk of hyperbole, music does indeed save. That being said, I intend on catching up a bit with some Random Ramblings & Mixtapes posts. An April mixtape is on the horizon (hopefully tomorrow night) and maybe even a third post/mixtape on Thursday. In the meantime, an album stream worthy of Monday morning listening. This is the latest from an English production team/electronic duo known as Soulsavers. Their last album, 2009's Broken, was a whiskey-soaked affair, thanks to featured vocalist, Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees, Gutter Twins.) On their latest, The Light The Dead See (due out in the U.S. on May 22nd), the duo enlists a familiar voice in Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode. It's a somber record that seems to fit Gahan's croon just as easily as his work with his main gig. A sullen listen to a dreary, rainy day.

The Robert Smith Rule

It's been a while since we've done this. To be honest, I feel like I've been on a big comedown since seeing Pulp 11 days ago. Needless to say that show was pretty amazing. Since then I've replayed that night in my head countless times. It was one of those few shows where the entire setlist was damn near perfect. It'll be hard to top, that's for sure.

Coming up with this week's mixtape was a bit tougher than I had anticipated. I still plan on putting together my favorite songs of all ever (in mixtape form) but I want to narrow it down a bit since that very playlist on BriPod is 40 songs long. So rather than diving into one of our recurring mixtape themes, I figured I'd have a little fun. A few weeks back, I included the new single from Orbital in a playlist merely because it featured a guest appearance from Zola Jesus (see this post: My So-Called Life" Marathon And Another Anticipation Mixtape.) I alluded to something I called "The Robert Smith Rule" and it's similar counterpart, "Zola Jesus Rule." It's a simple theory that states that songs that feature either Robert Smith or Nika Roza Danilova (Zola Jesus) on guest vocals are automatically awesome. This mixtape proves both rules in 9 songs.

The Robert Smith Rule / Zola Jesus Rule from DJBrianL on 8tracks.

This mixtape is also available to be heard on Spotify: The Robert Smith Rule / Zola Jesus Rule [Random Ramblings & Mixtapes]

Part 1: The Robert Smith Rule
1. 65daysofstatic, "Come To Me": This English post-rock band, who has previously opened for The Cure, gets a bit of a boost from their one-time tour mate. Guitars swirl off into the ether but Smith's distinctive voice keeps things grounded.

2. Blank & Jones, "A Forest": This German trance duo transform the Cure classic into a throbbing techno pop opus with an assist from the song's original singer. This wouldn't be the first time they'd collaborate with a post-punk/New Wave icon as later they would tap Bernard Sumner to supply vocals to the equally awesome single, "Miracle Cure."

3. The Japanese Popstars, "Take Forever": Robert Smith's voice happens to mix very well with electronic music. It's just a natural fit, I suppose. The Japanese Popstars aren't Japanese at all (they're Irish) which is kind of misleading in the same way that I'm From Barcelona is actually Swedish. Anyway, by the song's end, Robert's giddy yelp carries the song to new heights.

4. Crystal Castles, "Not In Love": Of course, this is the version that isn't on the 2nd self-titled Crystal Castles album but the one that got released as a stand-alone single. It was easily one of my favorite songs from 2010. If memory serves me right, Robyn's "Dancing On My Own" was the only song that topped it in my year-end list. Two years later, this song still holds up very well. It's a match made in heaven...if heaven was a darkly lit dancefloor set at the end of the world, that is.

5. Blink-182, "All Of This": If any song proves The Robert Smith Rule it's this one. I never liked Blink-182 yet Robert's vocals make me like this. A part of me feels dirty for listening to this, but honestly, it's like a lost Cure song. That and the whiny guy in Blink only sings the chorus rightfully keeping the spotlight on Robert Smith where it belongs.

Part 2: Zola Jesus Rule
6. M83, "Intro": The last few years has seen a meteoric rise in Nika Roza Danilova's career thanks largely to her larger-than-life voice. It helps that she has put out some of her best work in that time span (2010's Striduulum and Valusia EPs and last year's stunning Conatus) so hearing her various guest appearances feels like a well-deserved victory lap. This one is easily my favorite of her collaborations as her soaring voice and M83's soaring arrangements are a perfect match to each other.

7. Former Ghosts, "Chin Up": This one dates back to 2010, maybe even before Zola Jesus' breakthrough. Former Ghosts is a project featuring a former member of This Song Is A Mess But So Am I -- a band I know nothing about. I honestly only checked this song out because of Nika Roza Danilova's involvement. It's funny to me to hear her showing a bit of restraint here but the foundation is definitely there.

8. Orbital, "New France": This is definitely proof of the power of Zola Jesus. I don't even like Orbital. Sadly, I have to admit that most times I get Orbital and The Orb mixed up.

9. Pictureplane, "Trancegender": Off of one of last year's most underrated electronic albums, Thee Physical. Here, Travis Egedy, the man behind Pictureplane, convincingly transforms Zola Jesus into a dance pop diva.

Here's to hoping Zola Jesus and Robert Smith do a duet. My mind is blown just at the thought of it.

March Onward

Newton's third law of motion states that "To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction." And yes, I did just look that up on Wikipedia. To be fair, physics was never my thing; I'm more of a math guy. Yet for some reason, I took AP Physics in high school It was the first time I ever felt dumb in a class. So the reason I bring up all this smart-talk is because after having such a great week of live music there just had to be something to counteract it. Simply put, this week at work has really sucked. My original intent for this week's mixtape was to continue basking in last week's awesomeness by putting together a simple playlist of my favorite songs ever. Then as this week wore on, I thought "how about an angry mixtape?" Alas, I took the easy route and since we're at the very beginnings of April, now would be the perfect time for our March installment of the "Monthly Favorites Mixtape."

Don't fret though, "Brian L.'s Favorite Songs Ever" in mixtape form will happen. Especially since next week, I'll finally get to see my favorite Britpop band of all time. That would be Pulp, by the way - I'm traveling all the way to NY to see them and yes, I am very stoked. Even cooler is that I get back to Boston the next day in time to see The Horrors. Good days are coming back. In the meantime, enjoy the March 2012 Mixtape.

 

March 2012 Mixtape from DJBrianL on 8tracks.

March 2012 Mixtape
A majority of this mixtape is also available to be heard on Spotify: March 2012 Mixtape [Random Ramblings & Mixtapes]

Tracklist:
1. The Magnetic Fields, "Your Girlfriend's Face": I've expressed my love for The Magnetic Fields on countless occasions. Their latest album, Love At The Bottom Of The Sea continues the love-affair. This song's opening lines puts a smile on my face right away. I mean, honestly, who doesn't like upbeat tunes that talk about contract killers?

2. Delta Spirit, "Tear It Up": One of a handful of bands that survived BriPod's Great Folk Exorcism. Also, one of the bands I got to see during last week's nonstop show bender. This one is my favorite off their latest, self-titled album. It first appeared in File Under Miscellaneous

3. Oberhofer, "Landline": More upbeat indie pop to prove that I don't only listen to dark gothy stuff. But for real, Oberhofer's latest album, Time Capsules II is a jolt of energy that finds the midpoint between Los Campesinos!'s hyperactivity and Beach Boys prettiness.

4. Bishop Morocco, "Bleeds": Dreampop with a subtle Krautrock pulse. This Toronto band's latest 6-song EP, Old Boys one-ups their promising 2010 debut album as they ditch some of the underwater chillwave influences for something a bit sharper.

5. Autochrome, "We Are The System": I've been accused of being obsessed with this band. In my defense, it's been a while since I've fallen so hard for a band that, to me, is local. Right now, Autochrome might be Boston's best-kept secret but one listen to their debut, Separation Realms - an impressive and surprisingly polished collection of shadowy yet danceable post-punk - and anyone will be converted. At this rate, they won't stay a secret for very long. This one is a staple of their live set and it was first posted on By Request.

6. Blood Red Shoes,"Cold": Speaking of best-kept secrets, this UK duo is on the verge of their big breakout moment. Their just released third album, In Time To Voices is an ambitious collection of 90's-tinged indie rock that's not afraid to soar to stratospheric heights. "Cold" is the album's killer first single and it first appeared here on My So-Called Life Marathon and Another Anticipation Mixtape.

7. Spector, "Chevy Thunder": My love of UK indie rock is well-documented. This difficult-to-Google band gets a lot of comparisons to fellow-countrymen, The Vaccines and The Killers. I honestly don't hear the latter but I can get behind The Vaccines similarities. "Chevy Thunder" is destined for drunken sing-alongs. Not bad for a band who has only released 4 singles to date.

8. Titus Andronicus, "Upon Viewing Oregon's Landscape with the Flood of Detritus": And when it comes to perfecting the art of drunken sing-alongs, New Jersey's Titus Andronicus has made a career of it. Sure, they have a tendency to get a bit long-winded but all is forgiven by the time the chorus turns into rapturous, beer-soaked screams of joy. And that's only this song. Even better is that they've made this one, as well as a slew of live songs and covers (including their charmingly messy take on Weezer's "El Scorcho") available as a free download entitled Titus Andronicus LLC Mixtape Vol. 1. Hmmm, a mixtape...I like the way they think. Download it HERE.

9. Tanlines, "All Of Me": This Brooklyn duo was the only reason I enjoyed the Julian Casablancas concert. They definitely redeemed the fact that Julian just flopped at his attempt at electropop. I walked away from the show thinking, "at least Tanlines was good."

So there it is! Until the next mixtape. Listen loud!

Musique Non-Stop

Just a quick post and mixtape this time out as I'm about to start up a nonstop of week of shows in just a couple of hours. If all goes according to plan, I will be hitting 9 shows in 7 days and seeing at least 10 bands. I have been looking forward to this week for a while now. I almost feel like I've been training hard for it, almost like someone who would be training for a marathon but instead of actual running or working out, I rested up and stayed relatively on good behavior...so maybe it's really the opposite of training for a marathon. Suffice to say, I'll be adding a bunch of ticket stubs to those pictured above. In the meantime, tonight's mixtape, creatively named Sunday Night Mixtape, is a collection of songs from the bands I intend on catching this week (in the order I'm seeing them, obvi.)

Sunday Night Mixtape from DJBrianL on 8tracks.

Sunday Night Mixtape
Check out this mixtape on Spotify: Sunday Night Mixtape [Random Ramblings & Mixtapes]

Tracklist:
1. Cloud Nothings, "Cut You"
2. Band Of Skulls, "Wanderluster"
3. Delta Spirit, "Trashcan"
4. Tribes, "Sappho"
5. Andrew W.K., "Party Hard"
6. Swervedriver, "Last Train To Satansville"
7. Exitmusic, "The Hours"
8. A Place To Bury Strangers, "To Fix The Gash In Your Head"
9. The Joy Formidable, "Cradle"
10. WILD FLAG, "Boom"

Monday Morning Album Stream: Blood Red Shoes "In Time To Voices"

Monday mornings generally suck. In my case, however, all mornings suck...again referring back to that whole "me being kind of a night person"-thing. But today got just a little better thanks to me stumbling upon this. A full album stream of Blood Red Shoes' latest album, In Time To Voices (which is due out next week) courtesy of NME. Apparently, I have a thing for guitar and drum duos who make big-sounding songs (also see: Japandroids) and this duo from the UK fits that description to a tee. For some reason, aside from two or three friends of mine, not many people really know of Blood Red Shoes. Hopefully that changes soon. In the meantime, turn this up and become immersed.