Monday, October 15, 2007

New Music Tuesday, October 9th

New Music Tuesday October 9th
So I like to create New Music Tuesday blogs... every tuesday. I have been bloggin them on MySpace since January 16th, 2007 and have decided to create a real blog page so non-myspacer's can enjoy them as well. I am borrowing someone's idea (you know who you are) in that I will MySpace blog you myspacer's my link to this one, every new blog entry. Confused yet? Me too. Oh well.
This is how it goes. First I open the review by stating what I think of the week in terms of what New Music Tuesday has to offer. I follow this with tracks I picked from the list of the newly released, and what I think of the song, or the album, or even the artist(band).

So this week (well, October 9th anyway) had some great new artists (for me!) to enjoy. Plus I was totally pumped when I saw that the Killers are working on a new record. Yay. Also, Debbie Harry released a new album! Not her first solo ever, but her first in over a decade. Its raw and raunchy, just what we'd expect from her. Lastly, I'm way excited about my new found friends "Fiery Furnaces" and "She Wants Revenge". They are the two I want to hear more of. The others I may have to illegally download to see if I like them and if they are worth the price. Just kidding...

“A Postcard to Nina” from Jens Lekman new album “Night Falls Over Kortedala”, which has hit #1 on the Swedish pop album charts, and finally is released here in the US. Jens, from Sweden, is a very sweet singer songwriter. He (yes, HE) has actually released to albums before this, making this his third to date. His style is very much like “The Puppy Song” from Harry Nilson: playful, flirty, sing-songy, like if you were at the Rose Gardens on that first beautiful Spring day.

“Duplexes of the dead” from Fiery Furnaces new disc “Widow City”. I’m all hot and bothered for these hotter than hot furnaces. They have that flare that the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s have, you know, that cat on a hot tin roof factor. Totally hip, totally indie head banger rock. I would totally see them at the Aladdin next Wednesday the 17th if I wasn’t at my trainer 24 hours a day and I’m broker than shit. Just so you all know, I totally called that they would be playing at the Aladdin – and sure enough they are. That is the perfect venue for these unpretentious ladies. What do you expect from native Brooklynites? Eff Yeah! So please don’t go see them, cuz I don’t want to hear it. Well, alright, but bring me back something French…

“Mirror on You” from Enon's “Grass Geysers...Carbon Clouds” album. This band uses some serious instruments and electronics in their sound. They go from 80’s punk-electro in this song, to psychedelic mushroom trippin disco ball spinning in “Ashish”. Veterans at only 9 years old, this is their SEVENTH album. Apparently us Portlanders have been missing out on the NYC action, cuz that’s where this crazy trio is usually rockin the house. Cool, dude. I JUST might check them out on Halloween at the Doug Fir. Y’all wanna go? May be fuuun.

“Ghost” from Doveman's “With My Left Hand I Raise the Dead” album. Ok, don’t take a sedative and listen to the Doveman’s new album. It’s all piano and whisper-singing, too much that I couldn’t tell when one song ended and another began. Most of the members play in other projects, so maybe their concentration wasn’t there.

“Nantes” from Beirut's new cd “The Flying Club Cup”. The title is from this old photo of a French Hot Air Balloon festival from the early 1900’s during the World Fair. If that isn’t a reason enough to check out these kids, this song Nantes is. It actually takes you back mentally to this so called festival in Paris, kinda like ‘Nature Boy’ setting the scene for Moulin Rouge. Beirut isn’t afraid to be different from all the rest, with their sounds, instruments, and style. Bravo.

Detlef Schrempf” (ok, because of the name…) AND “The general specific” from Band of Horses new album “Cease to Begin”. I really enjoyed “The General Specific”. One of those tunes you really want to hear from beginning to end, and clap along. It’s sooo happy, and I’m pissssssed, because I found out they toured with Iron and Wine, and that combo is deadly, mannn. Where was I? Son of a….

“Dinosaur Egg” from Scout Niblett's new album “This Fool Can Die Now”. Had to choose Dinosaur Egg. This is a totally quirky song that would have been way perfect to be playing on my hunt for a fossilized dino-egg in Hong Kong. Scout is a spunky little Brit who claims to be from Portland Oregon on her myspace, which is a bit confusing for me. But anyone who wants to claim it as their home town is ok with me. Portland rocks. She named herself after the infamous Scout from To Kill a Mocking Bird. So Scout rocks too. I missed the chance to see her at Holocene last Tuesday (the day her album was released!) but I’m sure we will see her in the future, since she’s ‘from here’ and all…


“Merry Christmas (I don’t want to fight tonight)” by the Smithereens from their new holiday album “Christmas With the Smithereens”. They have that Beach Boy harmony thing going on, but with an alternative twist that works for today’s standards. I can totally picture the department stores playing it in a couple of weeks… yikes, it’s coming up SOOON.

“Rocket” The Bravery’s new single. This is a pretty good start for a new album in their future. I like the Bravery. Maybe it’s their punky rock attitudes, maybe its cuz they’re from NY, maybe they are my Sun and Moon… In either case, this came out right on the heels of their last album which was out last May. Looks like somebody(s) had a busy prosperous summer! I can’t wait to hear what’s next – guess I’ll have to be brave and patient. Damn.

“Dirty and Deep” by everyone’s favorite blonde Debbie Harry’s new album “Necessary Evil”. It’s dirty – she ‘brings you to your knees’, etc. It’s electro-funk, hot, sexy, and deeeep. Debbie is not Blondie here at all. She’s Debbie. And don’t you forget it. You should probably buy this album before she goes all ‘heart of glass’ on your ass.

“Stay Together” from Jennifer Lopez’s new album “Brave”. Ok, I’m not exactly going to be downloading this, free or paid for… but JLo’s new album isn’t half bad, if you like that sort of thing. Her “Do It Well” hit kinda bugs, but this song ‘Stay Together’ is inspiring in that they say ‘the new trend is to stay together’. (Totally about all the Hollywood breakups, I’m sure) Her lyrics are positive and the beat isn’t boring. It really portrays her mental space – that’s she’s finally happy and content. So even if I am not the biggest JLo fan, I am pleased to see she has found peace in her life – I wish her no ill will… plus, I like her movies, which shocked the hell out of me. Congratulations, Jennifer – not necessarily on your new album, but your accomplishments.

Shadowplay” - The Killers new single. The Killers could cover anyone and I would be ecstatic to hear them. I love Brandon’s voice and their take on songs in general. Even their ‘iTunes Playlist’ rocks. They pick the combination of artists that totally describe their uniqueness to a T. So this song ‘Shadowplay’ is originally a Joy Division song, you know that old English band from the 80’s? You know them Anne. Anyway, The Killers totally murdered this song, in the best way possible. I understand we are to expect a new album from them next month? Well, the album is rarities and ‘b-sides’, which is cool if they are new to me.

“Nothing better to do” from LeAnn Rimes new album “Family”. She started so young, we didn’t expect her to ever grow up, did we? America’s little country sweetheart is now singing about ‘what she cannot change’ etc. This song is a peppy song with banjo’s and twang, which is lovely. She does throw in the big ballads that are heartwarming and tear jerking, just like a good little hickster should do. Some of these songs remind me of old skool Judds, which I can always find the time for… and to think I had to expectations on this one. She’s had a busy year even before her album release, since she was lead vocal on the Evan Almighty soundtrack, sings on Jon Bon Jovi’s new album, and even graced her presence on Reba’s duets cd that was just released. Wow, LeAnn, you are only 24?

“My Bra” the new single from Mya. Ok, so the lyrics talk about how her bra is her light at the end of the tunnel, and her legs when she tumbles to fall… what? I THINK she is singing like guys refer to each other as ‘bro’, or ‘bra’, but when a female says ‘my bra’, it’s just silly. I got to be honest here, the only song I know of Mya’s isn’t even Mya’s song, which is Lady Marmalade from Moulin Rouge. I guess I don’t appreciate her talents enough to care about her music repertoire. At least we all know how supportive her ‘bra’ is now. Finally.

“True Romance” from She Wants Revenge’s new album “This is Forever”. I had no idea I liked this band! I’ve seen the name everywhere; I just didn’t know their sound. The picture I drew in my head was totally incorrect. She Wants Revenge is like an 80’s pop/rock band with today’s hip-hop influence, since they did collaborate with Timberland in a tune this year. I love that they are in the ‘dark wave’ genre (WTF?) and that this is only their second album. Can’t wait to hear more of them.

“Make out Bandit” from Mac Lethal’s new album 11:11. Hip Hop has to be unusually clever for me to listen twice, and this is just beat~boxin lyrics. The Make Out Bandit?!!! Don’t even tell me you don’t wish you came up with that yourselves. This is the crazy free-stylin hip hop mo-fo’s debut album. Rock on.

“Spring Street” Venessa Carlton “Heroes and Thieves”. As the missing member of the cast of High School Musical, Ms Carlton does (her best?) to prove she’s no miss pre-teen USA. Ok, maybe she is just the next devil-duff. Ok, so this “a thousand miles” actually graces my iPod… but not alone. She is responsible for the back ups on Counting Crows cover of “Big Yellow Taxi”. At least she has enough sense to cover Joni and not, say, Whitney? So I think this is the only song that didn’t make me want to vomit. Sorry, Vanessa, you are not my hero, nor did you seal my heart, you thief you. Try and try again.


“Ready, Set, Don’t go” Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley “Home At Last”. Ok this isn’t horrible, but Miley tries to hard to sound all ‘rock star’. I guess that’s better than her Hanna Montana alter ego. I am only picking a song from Billy’s new album because I think I like him as a person. He tried so hard last year on “Dancing with the stars”!!!! This year, I actually caught a glimpse of him on the show again, performing this song with his daughter Miley… it was endearing so it is now part of history – New Music Tuesday October 9th. Giddy-up!

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