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![]() goldfish need music too. this one's taste is ultra-refined. only the best for the fattest fish around.
read the blog. we'll drag you through concerts, websites, new music reviews and the same stuff you read everywhere else. except here, we're ruled by a creature whose memory is three seconds long. it's a tough swim.
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Rogue Wave, St. Vincent, Wilco, Tegan & Sara: shan...
- Maritime and infectious singles - new Sunset Rubdown mp3s. the real thing. - Fionn Regan - The End Of History - what a long, strange dream i've had. - Feist - The Reminder: Even Cowgirls Get The Blues - Field Music repost - bonus video - new Kaiser Chiefs - Yours Truly, Angry Mob - new Kings Of Leon - mp3 tripleblast - limited time offer - NIN leak three ![]() ![]() archives05.2006 / 06.2006 / 07.2006 / 08.2006 / 09.2006 / 10.2006 / 11.2006 / 12.2006 / 01.2007 / 02.2007 / 03.2007 / 07.2007 / 08.2007 /![]() ![]() |
Friday, June 30, 2006
and i'm waiting patiently, waiting for a sign.
![]() something that many artists have lost sight of is the overall cohesiveness of the final album. as elaborated upon in High Fidelity, there is an art to a mix tape, and there should be an art to the ebb and flow of an album as well. i'm not saying it's perfect and that everyone will enjoy it, but Black Holes tells a story. you can feel it take you on a journey over the fifty minutes and six seconds of emotion that these three guys pour through their instruments. you're drawn in slowly and gradually by the opener, Take A Bow, and quickly led through that into Starlight, a rocking piano ballad reminiscent of something from Absolution, with those easily recognizable vocals when he gets into his higher register. and then, for a change of scenery, you're thrown into a Supermassive Black Hole, a sort of dance-funk groove-rock mash-up of genres with light falsetto melodies and backs that are prone to get stuck in everyone's head this summer. Map Of The Problematique is the uptempo song to bring you into the middle part of the album, with tight background harmonies and a beat that you would be likely to feel in an underground club in europe. there's a momentary lull as you're carried off into the dark night by a Soldier's Poem, its pretty melodies echoing, rising and falling like your own breath, until the military drums of Invincible march you toward the oncoming battle, vocals climbing with intensity. and then you're right back into it, full on prog. rock feel, almost like Porcupine Tree, with the driving double bass leading you into the heavy drums and raw guitars of Exo Politics. arriving at the City Of Delusion, it's like a spanish bullfight, a piercing trumpet solo riding the surging energy and sense of urgency. but then all is quiet for a moment: Hoodoo. you're on a barren street, like a western showdown, the strings building into the triumphant piano entrance and then back down to the final onslaught: the Knights Of Cydonia have arrived. the controlled galactic surf-rock conflict turns into an all out explosion, a clash of the titans introduced by Queen-esque harmonies: no one's gonna take me alive, when the battle is won, Glorious plays like an epilogue, leading you back home. victory has been secured, and you're returning safely. visit their myspace to listen to the entire album from start to finish preorder the album from amazon ::::here's some lovin' for you to keep Muse - Map Of The Problematique Muse - Soldier's Poem Muse - Hoodoo ::::BONUS - a special song for you special people Muse - Glorious Wednesday, June 28, 2006
breaking news.
this is urgent. really.
...okay no, it isn't. but check it out anyway. as shan alluded to, our flickr account is live and on the air. click here (or on the last sentence) and you can check out our mascot as well as pictures from the Morningwood and Rock Kills Kid show last sunday. we'll probably be putting up a few photos from past shows but we'll definitely post batches after every show we go to now on. so go take a peek and see exactly what you've been missing.(if i link you again, will you click it?) this page has gotten a makeover! ROFLOMGLOLZ or something. we're trying to streamline it a little, so you might see some more minor changes over the coming days. if you're having problems viewing it at any point, or even if you like it, just leave a comment or drop us an email by clicking the thing on the sidebar (over there, on the right), or by clicking right here. and finally, the new Muse album, Black Holes And Revelations, is out there for your pleasure. a real tangible copy has surfaced somewhere and is therefore spreading like wildfire, but the band has posted the full album themselves, as well. just hit up their myspace to listen to the entire thing, from start to finish, as it was intended. and you actually have to go from beginning to end, since you can't skip tracks or even fast forward. the effect of the album is better that way, though, in my opinion. i'll have a full review with some tracks for your listening and sampling pleasure, as well as a super special bonus track, when the mood strikes me (read: when i have time tomorrow). ![]() Toaster says goodnight.
the moves
because i'm so caught up in independent music, it takes a longer time for mainstream MTV material to get to me. in fact, most of it never heads my way, especially music videos and MTV-targeted hip-hop. the only thing from that area that i've liked in a long time is Kanye West.
however, Shakira doesn't count. i might get to her a little late - i might be behind the times by a few months - but i'd say it's never too late to gawk at her skills. not only is she absolutely beautiful, but her dancing - my god. she could be in an eskimo suit and she'd still look pornographic. which is way cool, if you ask me. if you haven't seen the video for what i'm guessing is her latest single, Hips Don't Lie, i have it for you below. Shakira - Hips Don't Lie don't get mad because i did the pop music thing. this is incredible. i'd say the best way to get me on your side is to tell me i can dance like she can. Tuesday, June 27, 2006
a little female action. ...not that kind.
i would like to warn ahead of time that this post is estrogen-rich. yep, i'm putting together some of the lady artists/female leadsingers that i've been listening to lately.
let me start off by saying i've always had a strange relationship with female artists. it used to be taboo in this tuck of the universe to listen to any band with actual instrumentation that had a woman's voice instead of a man's. i'm not kidding; the value of the music was somehow destructed by her presence. a token female keyboardist or bassist was alright - i think Smashing Pumpkins broke that mold - and maybe as back-up vocals. otherwise, sensations like those were a thing of the past, crazy leg-warmer wearing people (The Pretenders) or blond and ambushed-looking, like Hole or Garbage. [wow. those bands suck now.] so. here are just two of the girlies i've been spinning. (yeah, i said girlies.) i'll be posting more as the week goes along, but i'll get two of the biggies out of the way now. (both from the UK... hm...) Lily Allen ![]() when every single blog was going crazy over Lily, i didn't bother to add another post to the mix. instead, i just hit up her album, gave it a listen, then put it away again to let the flow of unheard/undiscovered artists continue through my playlist. it wasn't until i saw the video for "Smile" (this post) that i began to take her seriously. first of all, she's adorable, and i love her name. her bri-ish accent compliments her sound so perfectly; instead of coming off as a struggling popstress waiting to be picked up by Columbia, she's oh-too-cool for America (not really) and bold, funny, and makes some of the catchiest electro-bubblegum pop that I've heard in a long time. if you're holding off listening to Lily because she seems too pop to you, hear this: she does everything herself. have you ever heard her mixtapes? you haven't? well, time to fix that. ::::because you can't actually buy it: ![]() Psapp ::::you may have my favorite song off of Everything I've Ever Wanted: remember, you'll get more of this good stuff as the week goes on, including chick-present duos (Xiu Xiu? new songs? yes.) Monday, June 26, 2006
Morningwood, Rock Kills Kid, The Lashes @ Axis, 6.25
when we left the club last night i turned to alex and said, "i feel like i've been molested."
here, i edit: in a good way. it was appropriate that before we checked in to Axis last night, we skipped along Newbury for a bit and ducked into some shops (what's with the rain, guys..) - one of which was the beloved American Apparel. on the walls there they have hung vintage porn - magazines called Oui with scandalously clad or naked eighties models - and underneath, a little explanation. their reasoning is innovatively simple and to some degree coincides with their absolutely fantastic ad campaign; that is, that they feel there is a new influx of twentysomethings that are coming to embrace the sex culture, and not fear it. their added point was that people seem ready for "real models" again - that imperfections are normal and embraced as well (think curvy Scarlett rather than stick figure Nicole Richie). ![]() just to let you know: this post is the first in which i'm inviting you to check out our flickr account. it's still kind of empty. however, eventually we'll have up pics from all of our shows (yes, ever, even the ones you Noise for Toaster fans don't know about) and it'll be a rockin' good time. speaking of that...
Morningwood
the headliner of the night was, of course, Morningwood.
![]() i'll tell you. we were prepared for a wild show - i remembered JAX's photos at the Roxy (as she says, CAUTION NUDITY) - but seriously. we had no clue. all we could say afterwards? "that. was. intense." ![]() and totally. blew. us. away. the first thing to notice is her breasts. displayed prominently and, er, bulgingly, they are almost as intimidating as her voice and her stage antics. she sings to them, licks them, shakes them vigorously and demands $5 extra from every single person in the room for if/when they should pop out. ...but this is hardly the only thing about Morningwood, or Chantal, that makes the show a scandalous and orgyesque experience. it's the overall coating of sex. sex, sex, sex, and more of it. ![]() ![]() i would so see that again. so, we didn't have tits and Suicide Girls like JAX did, but for lil 'ol Lansdowne Boston, we had a damn crazy night. ![]() Nu Rock Televisor Everybody Rules Morales (never-before played live) Babysitter New York Girls Horses Body 21 Easy Nth Degree Take Off Your Clothes Jetsetter Family Affair ( Mary J. Blige cover) Knock On Wood ![]() find out where they're playing near you at their myspace. buy their debut Capitol release by clicking on the tiny album cover.
Rock Kills Kid
before Morningwood came Rock Kills Kid.
![]() before i start, you should know that this was 75% of the reason we were at this show. we have a thing for this band - and by we, i kind of mean Alex. it is for this reason that i'm going to leave most of the performance review to him. to say that these guys were an incredible live act does not do them justice. if you know their back story (courtesy of Andrew from Harmonium), you already know that this record Are You Nervous? is everything to this band - literally. at a pause in the set, keyboardist/guitarist Calhoun (see linked interview) told the audience that it was a really exciting, amazing thing to see their record being sold in stores and so please, if we liked what we heard, we should go buy it. as always, NfT urges you to do the same. ![]()
![]() Don't Wanna Stay Midnight Hideaway Run Like Hell Are You Nervous? Paralyzed Back To Life Raise Your Hands check out their myspace. seriously, you're crazy not to buy this album.
The Lashes
![]() ![]() Saturday, June 24, 2006
The Dears - Gang of Losers
well well well. what do we have here.
the very adorable people that are The Dears are putting out a new album in a bit (August 2nd), called Gang of Losers and we have the chance to check it out before it's available for purchase. ![]() i haven't listened to it very intensely, but i'm doing the same thing as i did for Oneida and putting them up definition-style. remember kids, buy it when it's released, please. here you are, song and first-listen comments:
The Dears hail from Montreal, and their tour doesn't leave Canada or Europe-side for now. but you can bet it will.
in which we reassert how bad radio really is.
i don't listen to the radio. i haven't, really, since the dark ages of middle school tweendom, and i sort of plan on keeping the dial-turning to that shady music past.
so when i read this post by Conor over at San Diego Serenade, not only did it have me laughing embarrassingly loud, but it also supremely caught my interest. he kept an hour-long diary (like last week) of a radio station, and basically proved that radio is committing suicide anyway. in-between astonished ravings about choosing Zombie by The Cranberries and admitting he doesn't like German accents, he hits the big points. mainly: I was especially goaded on by some of the comments that were left on the 949 diary, asserting that San Diego actually did have better radio than the rest of the country. Of course, this is preposterous. FM radio blows universally. Radio has, to quote Calvin, "Lowered our expectations to the point where they are already met." As in the medium is so godawful, that things like playing a non-Crazy Gnarls Barkley track, or devoting 2 Sunday evening hours to local music is seen as revolutionary and messianical. So let's hold off on the "San Diego radio is better than New York, LA, Austin, etc" claims until we've researched both of our fair cities options, OK? our local alternative radio station, as the Boston bloggers will know, is FNX. i sort of like them for their omnipresence around beantown music scenes and their willingness to fund a gajillion local concerts - even ones in small-town city halls. but other than that, they're pretty typical. they play a lot of bad emo punk pop mumbo jumbo - stuff that the kids dress in black for, you know - and bands that, like Conor was saying, will not be remembered in 10 years. as alex previously posted (scroll all the way down), FNX is doing some crazy shit with absolutely commercial-free radio as funded by Snapple, and that's kind of cool, because as i've noted on maybe one single occassion, this gives them more of an opportunity to play older alternative favorites like Tears for Fears (no snickering, i love them) and even a little old old old Beastie Boys (yes, back when they were actually innovative). i think that this commercial-free business is a nod to the increasing popularity of XM and even personalized radio like Last.fm. i think it's also one of the last-ditch efforts to get some listenership. but, you know. like Conor said. it all sucks. Friday, June 23, 2006
mp3 aggregators getting shut down?
mm, so, fuck.
this sucks. the internet is basically just imploding. have you gone and tried to save it yet?
Oneida - Heart of Brooklyn
![]() Oneida - Happy New Year everything Oneida does reminds me of a heartbeat. i feel like the three quirky individuals play their hearts out, literally; checking their pulses to the rhythm of their repetitive riffs and mechanical, pumping drums. they work harder than most artists - possibly harder than anyone. they sweat, rave, jump around like their lives depended on it, never ceasing to look back on what they've done or what they'll do next. it's only music. it pulsates. it's their heartbeat - and for forty five minutes, it's yours, too. i'm actually giving you four tracks from their upcoming release Happy New Year, which comes out on Jajaguwar on July 11th. you can preorder it now, which i suggest you do, and you can also take a look at these songs (you know, if you really want to).
Philly
i love this. a lot.
![]() Brooklyn Vegan points us to a really terrific ad campaign for Philidelphia: "Philly: The Edge of New York". clearly i don't live in New York, but i will someday, and i like this campaign for several reasons.
iiiii don't know. i like the idea. and it does have to do with our indie scene, because a million great bands come from that area, and you care. you do. Thursday, June 22, 2006
about the mp3s.
i think i've decided not to upload any of the previous mp3s (before this post), really just because it is a pain. if you stumble upon something you'd like to download, let me know and i will put them up. otherwise, you kids can live without them.
mm.. okay. carry on.
stuff and stuff.
not quite sure why i'm not sleeping right now. i feel a little like Brooklyn Vegan - only without the out of control reader traffic. i think the post i just linked you to was at 4:37 am yesterday. if i'm still awake in two and a half hours, i don't want to be me tomorrow. oh, man. fuck everything. i'm going to bed. have you read our interview with Justin? scroll down. Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Artist Interview: Justin of Birdmonster
please give bassist Justin of Birdmonster a big round of applause, confetti, and cakes with sugary icing for braving Noise For Toaster's first artist interview. he was a great sport, both when we chatted him up after the band's amazing performance at Great Scott and also with our crazy questions. he gave some great answers that show his humor and personal writing style, which all of you should check it out in its prime at the birdmonster blog. Noise for Toaster: None of you have a good bio available online, but all I want is the important stuff. Where are all of you from? Justin: Us four birdmonsters were born in scattered parts of America, but all near one ocean or another. The band has never used anywhere but San Francisco as a homebase. NfT: How about the first tape you bought as a kid? J: The first tape I ever bought? Man. I wish I could say it was something hip or interesting, but I think it was Aerosmith's Pump. Although, you know, I still stand behind Janie's Got a Gun, but the rest is just noodly, large-mouthed rubbish. Sorry Joe Perry. NfT: Cheesy, I know, but what has been the biggest influence on your personal music style? J: We all come from different places musically, which is why I think we sound the way we do, by the way. There's no stated, agreed-upon vision. I must point to London Calling as my personal, biggest influence. 2 discs, no bad songs and it's surprisingly complicated without ever sounding that way. Everything's so seemless, no one tries to do too much. If London Calling was a woman, we'd be married with four children, none of which would sound like Sandanista, hopefully. NfT: Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, pirate or ninja? J: Realultimatepower be damned: I choose motherfuckin' pirates. NfT: On we go. Now, you're known for your explosive and high energy live shows. What's your performance mentality? J: Every show I've ever loved (not enjoyed, but straight up adored) walked that line between musicianship & energy. I don't want to see you stand there seeing if your shoes are untied. NfT: Any before-stage rituals? J: We always, always shake hands. It's kind of three muskateers, I know, but it's important. We did it before every song on the album too. NfT: Seeing as you even have a religiously-updated blog yourselves, what do you think about music/mp3 blogs influencing music in the future? J: There's a few things I think are incredibly important about music blogs: 1- no review can ever properly describe a band. I'd rather get a nice, concise paragraph, and a sample. Let the listener make their own decision, not some guy who's favorite album, for all you know, might be Huey Lewis's Sports. 2- blogfolks tend to be really supportive and true to their tastes. I think some reviewers live to pan albums or won't love something they didn't hear about first whereas most blog writers we've met were just enthusiastic, honest fans. Nft: What was your favorite tv show growing up? How about the theme song? J: My favorite show always and forever will be the Simpsons. And Jeopardy has the best theme song ever. It's kind of maddening and it serves a purpose, namely, to stress out anyone who dares challenge Ken Jennings. NfT: We watched you bang the shit out of a cymbal a couple of times on stage. How many cymbals do you go through a tour? J: [drummer] Zach's cymbals last about 5 months, maybe. The ones [guitarist] Dave & I use are usually his old ones and they never, ever make it through a tour. It's more for everyone's enjoyment than for sonic reasons, since the one we're using now sounds like a dented garbage can. NfT: Lastly, what everyone's dying to know, pbj or fluffernutter? You scream at me for this, but I don't know what fluffernutter is. I'm partial to PB&Banana, the messiah of spreadable nutness. - Thank you, Justin. Monday, June 19, 2006
Band Of Horses @ Maxwell's, NJ - 6.17
before i launch into my review, let me point out a few things in fine print.
down to business. the response from the sold-out crowd in the craftily sound-proofed Maxwell's in Hoboken, NJ, was incredible. it's always a great comparison to go from relatively unknown bands to a well-established trendoid favorite, as only Sub Pop can create. they were all absolutely stoked (yes, i said stoked), and guys and ladies alike cheered for them like the floor section of ![]() they were missing a fifth member (no website has helped me in determining who is who - who is the bassist, who does the keyboards and second guitar? who were we missing, beloved writer of St. Augustine?) but to be perfectly honest, I couldn't tell the slightest difference. Bridwell, just to gush for a moment, has such an amazing voice talent. sometimes the sensitivity of it has me thinking of Kermit, to tell you the truth. live, the man sounds exactly like he does on their studio release - and with those high pitches and resounding curvatures on songs like Wicked Gil ![]() you guys know their album, you know their sound, they're coming to see you and you'll probably go out to see them. so i won't go on and on. the hype is real, they're amazing, and the music pushes you from the front row, glances off of you and back, moving at invisible speeds, like pure whale speak in the middle of a dirty club with hardwood beer-stained floors. Bridwell seems so innocently surprised at the reception, the chance to sing the lyrics and play the music that he evidently adores. it was just so good. ![]() The Great Salt Lake Weed Party The First Song Monsters Our Swords No One's Going To Love You (new) Part One Wicked Gil Hall & Oates Cover - You Make My Dreams Detlef (new) The Funeral -Boat (new) -Wicked Gil (alt version) ...yes, you read correctly, they played three new songs. i loved them all, but my personal favorite was the first that they played (No One). in the future, i think we're going to scam some recording equipment and be able to put up live recordings of new songs and things like that. in the meantime, i have a bunch of rare tracks from them, so i'll give you those. the first three are entirely different songs than on Everything All The Time, and the other three are live/demo. ::::yes, i'm just that nice. (Biding Time Is A) Boat To Row - my personal favorite. Savannah, Part 2 I Lost My Dingle On The Red Line Billion Day Funeral - great alternative version of "The Funeral" The Snow Fall - now known as "The First Song" For Wicked Gil - some harmonizing in this demo version
stories and times from our trialing travels in NYC & mostly NJ.
did you miss us?
after our god damn exhausting weekend around NYC/NJ, we come back with stories and under-eye circles galore. even though this is a music/mp3 blog, i'm taking this post to tell you a few stories behind the review that is to come. the genius that is the city transit system took us to the club - Maxwell's, in Hoboken - by 10. the first band, The Can't See, was not entirely rewarded with our presence (scoff) because by the second song they just weren't doing it for us, and we were overtired, overheated and underfed. we stepped outside into the not-so-cool night air, took a little walk down the intersecting street off of Washington, and sat down on a curb to take in the view of the NYC skyline across the Hudson. ![]() ...out of thin air a skateboarder went rushing by us, a shady dart of a figure that was one second controlledly careening around the corner and the next second was down for the count, sprawled on the ground. "i'm dead." a voice crawled away from the motionless figure. we just stared, dumbfounded. "i'm dead. you just watched someone die," came the voice again. stupidly, i just laughed, while alex choked out something to the effect of, "you okay man?" a small group around the corner peered over at the fallen figure and made a few remarks themselves. "ah yeah, it's cool. i drank a lot of whiskey and now i can't skateboard," he ingeniously explained. i laughed while he retrieved his board and haphazardly continued on his way. we let it go as a funny encounter and kept our station at the curb. we arrived back in the club just in time for the second band, Mt. Egypt. we weasled our way to the front (0% difficulty) and waited while the three of them set up. i was making subconscious notes in my head like, wow - they seem like a tight-knit band, a lot of love going on, woozy frontman but it's alright. suddenly, as the music progressively fell apart, and the bassist and drummer kept laughing and shaking their heads, it was apparent that the frontman was absolutely tanked. after a particularly bad song, the "frontman" - whom we now know is Mt. Egypt, and whose name is Travis - sauntered up to the mic and slurred an apology: "hey guys, you don't even know that song, but we just played it so bad." the audience all laughed. "i drank a lot of whiskey tonight.." suddenly, alex and i turned to each other, wide-eyed. "that's the skateboarder!" we got a good, astonished laugh out of that one. Mt. Egypt continued for three more songs, but clearly the competence rate was low (90% difficulty) - to the point that Travis kept stepping up to the bassist to watch his hands, intent upon regaining the rhythm of the song. it was funny, but rather a shame as well, because the set showed a lot of potential. i'll probably grab the studio album to see what they made of that. another point from the show was the degraded quality of listening. we spoke to a few kids after the show and thankfully they agreed with us, but the audience was positively rude. Travis, though somewhat provoked by alcohol, had good reason to once step up to the mic and say, "hey, you guys are pretty loud back there, you know." someone from the middle returned with, "whoa, this is Jersey!" Travis stepped back up and said, "hey, i do whatever the fuck i want." i love you, NJ. you set me up in unfurnished apartments for free and provide incredibly convenient hours of travel in and out of the city. but please - next time - shut the hell up. Friday, June 16, 2006
ciao for the weekend..
hi kids.
![]() you should click on some of those links. especially the pizza one. so, until sundayish, buckle your seatbelts, tie your shoes, rock on.
The Long Winters - Putting The Days To Bed :: Review
hiiiiiii.
you all know The Long Winters, correct? no introductions needed? good. this is business. review time. ![]() their third LP is coming out on Barsuk on July 25th (note: i have a horrible habit of spelling it "Barsuck," which is a rather embarrassing and hilarious mix up). it's a fantastic release. my personal opinion is that it surpasses the previous two ("gasp, how can you say such a thing, we adored When I Pretend To Fall with every string of our hearts and to our viscous, blood-and-guts cores, to the very fiber of our lungs and the capacity of our ribcages..") - um, yeah. well. this one is better. Putting The Days To Bed flows. it just... flows. it pops open the top and pours it on you - smoothly, suavely, cooly. you don't even know it but by the time Sky Is Open breaks into that eye-opening solo, you've been rocking out for (er, wince, math) almost thirteen minutes - and you haven't even blinked. you haven't cringed, not once, not even at the hyper-repetitive chorus of Teaspoon (you know to expect that from John Roderick) (and what's that i hear? Bostones-y horns? yes?). especially not at the highlighted piano in Hindsight (chills at "bailing water, i'm bailing water, because i like the shape of the boat" - oh, man). yep. it all goes down so easily. ![]() that's when Rich Wife grabs you, whisks you up and out of the ooze, shakes you off and rolls its eyes while you blink feverishly, trying to let go of the haze. with the insistent beat and Roderick's hyped warning ("i don't know why i bring you around.."), it's not long before you're on your feet, drunkenly dancing like an idiot (a happy one) to something you barely understand, and love all the more for it. that riff - oh that guitar - it comes in at the end and rattles off with the tambourine, just to pick up again with a spruced-up return of the title track from their Ultimatum EP (note: the song is significantly better now). the light of recognition passes over your mug and you're sobering up, comparing the original to the album version, making notes, you're thinking of heading over to the 'top, pondering, "should i make a post on this...?" but it passes too quickly. (It's A) Departure rings in with an Stone Temple Pilots-ish opening, a ruckus of guitar that disturbs your train of thought and a roll of drums that has you kicking out with the dancing again. you're almost exhausted. finally, Seven. it comes in quietly and rises, the acoustic catching your breath. you feel that sticky syrup returning, pouring over you from the crown of your head and down over your eyes, nose, into your mouth and over your clothes again (these will need to be dry-cleaned). drums come in late, after Roderick, and his voice is still tolerable (it is possible to highlight it too much) even with the returning sound of the stripped-down Ultimatum EP (minute:30, bring on the steel). by the time the song ends, you're captivated by harmony, and the repeated declaration: "I miss you, Seven." when the song ends, you do, too. yeah so. i hate the album. ::::and you thought you'd read all of that with no reward? The Long Winters - Sky Is Open The Long Winters - Rich Wife The Long Winters - Seven more mp3s here. BUY IT. hell, pre-order it now.
no friends?
well then we'll tell you how to make some! here are a few easy steps that Toaster recommends for fast results.
step 1: note the location of our sidebar [hint: it's on the right side of the window of this page]. and there it is! you're on your way to being the most popular kid in the greater boston area. who knew?! so we'll keep adding shows as we find out about them, and we'll make note of it when we plan to be at one. the ones in that blue color with our initals after them are shows that we either have tickets for, will have tickets for, or will show up at. or those crossed out ones, which we've already gone to. then you can find our reviews of the shows by clicking on - where else - our respective initials! then maybe you'll learn something new or unexpected and suddenly have plans for next time they're in town! who knows?! today's lesson brought to you by the letter p for papaya and the number fourteen.Thursday, June 15, 2006
some Mints, some Octopi, some Figurines, and some nonsense.
so check it out:
...whew. i think that's it for now. be safe, kids, and stay tuned for Shan & Alex's Trip To The Big Apple.
Starlight Mints & The Octopus Project @ Middle East Upstairs, 6.14
we're out of our minds. really.
and i'd have to say it's pretty damn fun. so last night we actually managed to see The Octopus Project and Starlight Mints at the Middle East Upstairs. just to make a few blanketing statements before i get into the nitty gritty, it was a great show. surprisingly so. i know we tend to have rave reviews of the shows we go to, but that's just because we see great bands... i mean, we're just that cool. ![]() ![]() if the audience was any indication of where this band falls in the world of category, i would say they were almost purely nerdcore electronica. it was intense. watching the kids in the first two or three rows was nearly as entertaining as watching the band, if not more. they took to heart that hackneyed Chicken-Soup-esque quote "dance like no one is watching;" their moves were very original, very animated, and very.. unusual. they were elated to be in the presence of the music they clearly adore, and they closed their eyes in apparent ecstasy, as if their pulses were synchronized to the erratic beat. oh, it was great. i shimmied my hips a little, in tribute to their uncaring adoration. go to their myspace to stream, and here to purchase. ::::and you get these: The Octopus Project - The Adjustor The Octopus Project - Music Is Happiness ![]() after the twenty minutes it took just to take down The OP's set, we were psyched to see Starlight Mints take the stage. their show fulfilled all the expectations i had from hearing their three Barsuk releases, as well as from the videos for Popsickle (puppets! i command you to watch it on YouTube) and Inside of Me (go to their music eCard and click video). no - they're not as weird as you thought. they're oddballs that mesh well together and play weird pop music. they're really into their own show, but they don't set up giant green beasts like their touring companions. they just play, and move on. and we were completely down with it. ![]() you should also stream three tracks from their album here, and then go buy it here. ::::i know, i know, too generous: Starlight Mints - Goldstar Starlight Mints - Torts ![]() we're set list snipers. Rhino Stomp The Bee Pumpkin Black Cat Rinky Dinky Goldstar Eyes Of The Night Zillion Eyes What's Inside Of Me? Rosemarie Pages Seventeen Devils The Bandit Submarine #3 their tour is ending, so i can't really tell you to go see them, but the next time they're in your area, just go. we did. Wednesday, June 14, 2006
MusicGremlin. new technology for flopping.
well, well.
Largehearted Boy pointed me in the direction of this new mp3 player called MusicGremlin. i read the article, which you can read here, and suddenly got excited - an alternative to the iPod that actually sounds pretty damn good. ![]() Today, a small New York City company called MusicGremlin Inc. is rolling out a fresh approach to denting the iPod hegemony: the wireless music player. Its new $299 Gremlin portable player has built-in Wi-Fi wireless networking, so it can download songs from an accompanying subscription service directly, without requiring the use of a personal computer. now. i'm not an iPod hater. i had a non-click wheel one long before the hype, and shamelessly threw it in everyone's face after they started getting their minis and click wheels (oh yeah, i'm one of those). now i have a video one, and it plays me videos, and has the neat little picture of the album when a track is playing. it's my friend on the T and plane rides. i like friends. i like iPods. i like Apple, for that matter. ![]() ...but this player won't get anywhere. first of all, it doesn't work with a Mac, and guess what i own? and guess what the grand majority of kids going to college in the next five to ten years are going to get? and guess what is still better looking, better marketed, and better situated to the point of all hopeless competition? yep. you bet. Macs. iPods. oh well. how do you like my token iPod and Musicgremlin pictures? you can thank Amazon. also, if you'd like to take the new gadget into consideration, you can buy it here, or through Amazon, here. Tuesday, June 13, 2006
i know, i know..
i'm a super sleuth.
also... what's up with this blogger bull...
Great Scott 06.12.06 - Birdmonster. Period.
shan has already posted her review here and everyone seems to agree: Birdmonster rocked. even they were pleased with it. being the taller of our little co-op, i have pictures for you loyal folks and a few thoughts of my own.
![]() ![]() and we could feel it. they like what they're doing, and we like them for it. it was the first show of their inaugural east coust tour, and we were lucky enough to have been there. don't expect them to burn out anytime soon, either, because they're having fun doing this. make sure you find them on one of their stops, too, the dates for which you can find at their official site, their myspace, or you can just stalk them at their blog, which they'll be updating from the back seat of the van. if you need some convincing, check out these here photographs.
but then, you know...
![]() it really was a whole lot of fun. the girl with the shaker and the girl with the tambourine would agree, i'm sure. p.s. i have some goodies to post once i get myself together:
just stay tuned, Toaster promises we won't let you down. |
![]() NOTE: as much as toaster loves free music, he'd like to encourage you to buy the cds of the artists you enjoy. he'd also like to remind you that any music hosted by or linked to from this page is property of its respective owners, so if that's you and you'd like it to not be here, just let us know.
READ ME: if files are not working properly upon opening or saving [ex: unknown file type], make sure that there is a .mp3 at the end of the filename, and all will be well. also: all files posted will only remain available for two to three weeks. if you find something in an old post that you'd really like to hear, tell us. ![]() be our god damn myspace friend. damn it. ![]() boston loyaltylove for these blogsmagazine style (no fins required to flip pages)buy stuff, look around, find things...because radio sucks everywhere else |