new discoveries

Willy Mason: 24 year-old folk singer/songwriter from Martha's Vineyard. Though his musical roots are in folk, both of his parents were folk singers, Mason's music has an alternative edge to it. Check out: Fear No Pain and Save Myself.





Noah and the Whale: As their name suggests, this band has a fun, poppy sound reminiscent of children's music and twee. They sound like something you'd hear in a Wes Anderson film (they sort of look like it too). Check out these Brits: 5 Years Time and Shape of My Heart.


Devendra Banhart: By no means new to the scene, Devendra Banhart is a personal new discovery. For perfection listen to: Long Haired Child.

horrible or great? i really cannot decide. i believe it's a conundrum.

under your tweeds, you sweat like a teenager

word on the street is that Vampire Weekend is coming out with a second album. exciting. but until it's out (later in 2009), their new(er) song Ottoman will have to tide me over. Ottoman was made for the film Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, which I did not see...but the song's great.


[download a good version of it from sadsteve.com]

I AM DRUMS

Many films since Napoleon Dynamite have tried unsuccessfully to reach that same or similar humor. It takes a precise amount of self-awareness, satire, and good acting to make a true comedy about quirky people and their lives. And though there have been many failed attempts recently, director Ari Gold was able to find the balance needed in his film Adventures of Power.

Starring Gold as the eponymous Power, the movie follows this man on his conquest to out why God made him an air drummer. Yes, an air drummer. These men and women believe that true music and soul comes not from the instrument of the drum itself, but from the ability to pretend to play the drums. As Power faces the big city of Newark (coming from his small town in New Mexico), falling in love for the first time (his love interest is Silas' deaf girlfriend, for those of you who watch Weeds), making his father proud, and beating his enemy in an air drumming competition (who is played by Adrien Grenier), hilarity ensues in every aspect of the film. Gold has made a film that is simply ridiculous, but it works because it is aware of its absurdity, which makes it even funnier.

Michael McKean and Jane Lynch are familiar faces in the cast and both give great performances. An Official Selection of Sundance 2008, the film won the Audience Prize, proving that this movie is not only an overwhelming crowd pleaser, but also that it's not to be missed. Hopefully it will soon be more available for people to see more widely. And when it is, you must see it. But until then, just remember:

MARCH TO THE BEAT OF YOUR OWN DRUM. EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE.

check out more: http://www.youtube.com/adventuresofpower

sadsteve makes me happy

being able to download music for free always makes me happy.
(as long as i don't get caught).

therefore, sadsteve.com makes me very happy.
i'm not sure why steve is sad but you should check out his website,
maybe it will make him happy.


not only can you download music from bands you already know, but the featured section lets you discover new bands and check out their music.

the world should revolve around me

Don't you hate when you go to some website and all the sudden there's obnoxious music blaring through your speakers and it takes you completely by surprise, and the whole ordeal is rather stressful? Me too.

This exact situation occurred the other day, but instead of immediately hitting the mute button on my keyboard, I began to groove along with the unknown song's catchy tune. I scrolled down to find the source of the song and discovered Little Jackie singing on the stoop of a brownstone.

I have yet to dive into the depths of Little Jackie but I'm definitely feeling her song The World Should Revolve Around Me. We all feel that way sometimes, right?


check it: http://www.myspace.com/littlejackiemusic

Public Service Annoucement: Metal Gods

This is a plug. Director/screenwriter Matthew Porterfield is shooting his next film, Metal Gods, this coming summer in Baltimore and is to be released in 2010.

TWO DAMAGED TEENAGERS LIVING IN A BALTIMORE SUBURB FORM AN UNLIKELY BOND WHEN THEIR LIVES ARE THROWN TOGETHER BY A SUDDEN ACT OF VIOLENCE.

SYNOPSIS
Sean’s a bright kid, but a bad student, a troublemaker living in the pattern of his brother, Trevor, and his brother’s friends, a wild group of small-time drug dealers and drop-outs led by the crazy but charismatic Lee. After their meeting at a party, Sean becomes infatuated with Jenny, a girl from his neighborhood, two years his senior, with good looks and a dark disposition.

Jenny travels the periphery of Trevor’s circle, and has an undeserved reputation for doing drugs and sleeping around. When Jenny scorns Lee, worlds collide as Lee plans revenge with Trevor’s help. Entangled by circumstance and forced to act, Sean and Jenny form a desperate alliance, upsetting the balance of power within their social sphere. The narrative explores these lives over the course of a week, revealing their extraordinary character through the ordinary routines of home, work, and school.

METAL GODS story by Matthew Porterfield and Jordan Mintzer, written by Matthew Porterfield

Check out MG's website (http://www.metalgodsmovie.com) and myspace page (http://www.myspace.com/cast4metalg_ds) for more information.

who said canada sucks?

Driving around the other day I heard a radio personality announce a new song by Sam Roberts. It was called "Them Kids," and it rekindled my love for Sam Roberts. I never really fell out of love with the Québécois, but our flame sort of fizzled out. But with his new song and a new album that I apparently missed, I am all for getting back into Sam Roberts.

Our love affair started with Bridge to Nowhere (from his 2006 album Chemical City) and then to The Bootleg Saint. I'm not sure with the difference between Sam Roberts and The Sam Roberts Band is, but they're both (if they're separate entities at all) are great. From upbeat songs to very chill (see Uprising Down Under), SRB comes full circle.

Start your own infatuation: http://www.myspace.com/samrobertsband

white night wedding

Oftentimes independent movies can be refreshing. They shed new perspective on trite themes, use profound techniques, and are all around revitalizing. But sometimes they're not.

The trailer for the Icelandic film Brúðguminn (or White Night Wedding) looked funny, an interesting take on the mundane rituals of marriage in a foreign country. I don't know if I should blame the deceptive trailer or the film itself, but it was downright depressing and nothing new as far as independent/foreign films go. There were approximately two to three redeeming scenes and a couple interesting characters. The cinematography was prepossessing, but that is in a large part due mostly to Iceland's beautiful.

Some may like this film. My parents did. Just not my thing.

Maybe that's what hell is, the entire rest of eternity spent IN fucking BRUGES.

I usually find Colin Farrell obnoxious, pompous, and acting horribly, but to my great surprise, he was simply hysterical in Martin McDonah's In Bruges. Paired with Brendan Gleeson (who appeared in the mind blowing, heart-wrenching short Six Shooter and in the Harry Potter films), Farrell creates the comic side to a dark, unsettling story of two hit men.

In Bruges follows these the men as their stuck in Bruges (a boring medieval city in Belgium) awaiting orders from their boss. The film's whimiscal and funny side is contrasted with the deep human examinations of death and redemption...and guns and murder. Simply sumptuous. PS: Ralph Finnes also makes an appearance, the icing on the cake.

Today's Playlist.
Weekend Wars - MGMT
Je ne te Connais Pas - Prototypes
We Used to Vacation - Cold War Kids
Crack a Bottle! - Eminem, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent
Postcards from Italy - Beirut
Wraith Pinned To The Mist And Other Games - Of Montreal
Missed the Boat - Modest Mouse
Poker Face - Lady Gaga

I have a crush on Andy Samberg

Jewish.
Funny.
Cute.

Sign me up.

Oh and he's musically inclined.
My favorite of the moment - and my flippy-floppies

What. The. Fuck.

Joel & Ethan Cohen. Burn After Reading.

John Malkovich - amazing.
Brad Pitt - hilarious.
Frances McDormand - bananas.
George Clooney - george clooney.

see this movie.

With Love From Australia

From Adelaide, Australia David Turley and Eden Boucher make up LOVERS ELECTRIC. From slow ballads to catchy dance songs, Lovers Electric satisfy almost all my musical cravings.

Listen to:
~ Honey
~ Is It Over
~ Could This Be

For some more wicked cool pictures (and Eden's shiny dresses) click here and listen here.

Cos nothing can divide a heart plus a heart

LITTLE BOOTS.
My newest obsession in electronic/pop music. Fader magazine calls her "intellectual dance music." Whatever you want to call it, it's simply great. First a YouTube personality, known for doing quirky renditions of popular songs, Victoria Hesketh (professionally Little Boots) has become a very popular in Britain. Hopefully she'll get more recognition in the US and if we're really lucky, maybe even tour here.

Check out LB's blog: http://www.littlebootsmusic.co.uk/blog/
Listen to her here: http://www.myspace.com/littlebootsmusic