Jamie Lidell/ Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings Live Review

Ladies and Gents I can truly say this show this past evening reaffirmed my love for live music.

The weather was unusually clammy for our high altitude mountain west surroundings but this didn't stop the show.

Arriving at the show thirty minutes early I snagged a spot in the front row. Sure enough at around 7, the five members of Jamie Lidell's backing band came on each with a memorable aesthetic. Immediately they opened with the instrument stomping synth-dominated whirl of "The Ring" while the drummer introduced Jamie Lidell who came out on stage. The fellow's dance-singing consists of a lanky awkward soul-convulsion that couldn't be more endearing.

The show's setlist was just about perfect

The Ring
Another Day
I Wanna Be Your Telephone
A Little Bit More
Jamie Lidell Acapella madness
Where'd You Go?
Enough's Enough
Coma Chameleon
Multiply
Your Sweet Boom!
A Little Bit of Feel Good

Throughout the show you could tell the band was having even more fun than us few but enthusiastic lidell fans up in the front. Which is to say a great deal of fun. At one point the keyboardist in a fury of groove knocked over a large synth mid-song but still managed to play.
The musicianship was casually tremendous in that way. Lidell brings out his eccentricities and idiosyncrasies (which of course make for great banter). During A Little Bit More the band abandoned the stage for Jamie to do a ten-minute loop, EQ, beatboxing, crooning exploration. The final three tunes brought the energy to a cap with the following clip's cameraman struggling to shoot a good video without dancing too much (that cameraman is the author of this blog).



After the Lidell set, I was feeling some serious concert euphoria, got pizza with my concert companion Erin, and decided to see what Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings were going to bring. I wasn't quite convinced about how they would be as a live act but they couldn't have made me any more certain.

First things first, bands where the members where suits and don't have a string section usually groove the hardest. The famous Dap-Kings take the stage. With a trumpeter, a baritone sax, a tenor sax, a drummer, a conga player, two guitarists, and a bassist/bandleader, the Dap-Kings might be the tighest act working today. The pocket became an immediate member of the band from the first tune. The act opens with a sort of classic soul medley or as they like to call it a "Daptone Supersoul Revue". Sure enough the crowd is good and ready by the time Sharon Jones takes the stage. From the moment Jones gets the mic she takes control. I don't know if I've ever seen better stage control, crowd control, and performance out of one person. Jones doesn't hold back for even one second. Her pipes are no hold bars good and surely if I knew her discography like Lidell's I would have loved to provide the setlist. The Dap-Kings are perfect. It is a rare treat to such musicianship. Furthermore the Dap-Kings don't seek to boast, with no solos to speak of. Only tight band playing.

The tunes were varied from crooning to all-out funk attacks with Jones periodicaly going wild with her soul 45-era dance moves. They did an encore during which a couple shmucks tossed up their sneakers. She simply made fun of them, signed them and threw them back. She flirted with security, danced with the people backstage, and made sure to make the people of Utah feel loved (it was her first Utah show ever). She was humorous and broke it down every chance in her skin tight soul-era dress.

Afterwards it is no hyperbole to say my legs were sore. Gentleman and Ladies, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings are where it's at and in the words of the guitarist, if you don't got the new record, get it.

Did I mention this show was free? Best show of the twilight series hands down.

A Move Out East

Well the time has come.


Next month the Motif blog (my DJ name is still in minor flux) will be relocating to Philadelphia for reasons of higher education. I will be doing my last KPCW radio show on the 23rd of August before heading out.

It'll take me a week to get the feel of the city, but the Philly edition of Motif should be even better than its predecessor. Frankly I'm ecstatic about the move. Nonetheless I will miss this beautiful part of the country which is Utah. I've had many a nights seeing great shows in the crisp mountain air of Salt Lake and driving up the starry canyon to Park city afterward. I will be back periodically and if I catch word of anything spectacular in slc that must be known about, I will still let it be known.

Upcoming Live Music in SLC

Alright greater SLC'ers

Tonight we have local band soon to make a name for themselves, The Devil Whale playing at the Urban Lounge.

Tomorrow night is the fifth week of the sensational Twilight Concert Series. So far Beirut is my favorite act of the season but tomorrow's show with Jamie Lidell, ex-glitch proder turned bizarre soul troubador, is showing off his latest batch of idiosyncratic gems. Afterwards Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, a rare backing band that is more famous than the lead act, take the stage. It's a free show which means go buy yourself some nouveau tacos to take it in with.

Next Monday is the Punch Brothers, the current project of mandolin virtuso Chris Thile at the State Room. For those interested in taking american folkloric string traditions to the next level.

Finally Tuesday, the 10th Ferraby Lionheart comes to town. Everyone has an underappreciated singer-songwriter that they champion, and Ferraby Lionheart is mine. He has a new album out and will be doing a free in-store at the Grey Whale music store in the foothills before his show at The State Room later that evening.

Finally I would be remiss if I didn't mention that a new venue is opening up in the fall called The Complex and it already stands to have some great shows lined up in October including Jonsi, Of Montreal with Janelle Monae, and ...HOT CHIP WITH LCD SOUNDSYTEM!!!!

Let me remind everyone that this last show might possibly be the greatest live show ever and should take priority over children's birthday parties.

KPCW Setlist 7-26

Well I've been remiss this summer with an utter lack of attention paid to the blog. That's about to change for the better.

I'll start by posting the KPCW Setlist from this past monday the 26th of July.

Hour 1

Bombay- El Guincho
I Wanna Be Your Lover- NASA
Tiger- Maximum Balloon
Oye Satanás- María y José
Last Tango in Florida- JVG
When Your Love is Safe (Clasixxx Remix)- Active Child
00000- Fishing
Gas- Star Slinger
Australopithecus- 340ml
Corazón Corazón- María y Jose
Make this Work- Magistrates

Hour 2

Your Easy Lovin Aint Pleasin Nothin- Mayer Hawthorne
There Was A Time - Jerry O
Everybody Loves the Sunshine- Seu Jorge and Almaz
Ghost- Motorama
Aminals- Baths
Soil to Seed- Matthew Dear
Minted- Star Slinger
Casual- Here We Go Magic
Liberia- Pao Pao

Hour 3

Bitter Sweet- Shigeto
The Sun Debates- Larry Gus
Poquito de Amor- Maria y Jose
A Day at the Carnival- Dam-Funk
Self Preservation (Los Amparito Remix)- AM
My Heaven- Alton Ellis & Eddie Perkins
Your Sweet Boom- Jamie Lidell
Extra Time- Star Slinger
Last Living Souls- Gorillaz

Radio Setlist from Last Monday 5-17

Hour 1

Tighten Up - The Black Keys
Another Day- Jamie Lidell
Forced to Love- Broken Social Scene
Le Baron- The Sea & Cake
Shoulder Length- The Sea & Cake
No Horse- The Dead Weather
Knickerbocker- Fujiya & Miyagi
Academy Awards- JVG
Goin to California- Led Zeppelin
Cavern- Liquid Liquid
Tin Man - Future Islands
Dear Friend- Emanuel & the Fear

Hour 2

I Feel Just Like A Child- Devendra Banhart
Put the Days Away- Sun Airway
Sympathy for the Devil- Rolling Stones
Texico Bitches- Broken Social Scene
1234- Feist
Woody Allen- JVG
We Were Born Again the Mutant Leaflets - Of Montreal
Body Heat- Active Child
Francene- ZZ Top
Bloodbuzz Ohio- The National
What Now My Love?- Frank Sinatra
Doralice- Getz/Gilberto

Hour 3

One at a Time- The Clonious
In a Little While- U2
Elementary Lover- Matthew Dear (Koze edit)
Go Outside- Cults
I Was Made to Love You- Stevie Wonder
Fire- Jimi Hendrix
Stay Close- Delorean
Girl- Beck
Crosseyed & Painless- Talking Heads
Thoughts are Free- Brazilian Girls
Basic Space- The xxx
Subterranean Homesick Blues- Bob Dylan

Shows for this Week

Cool line-up of shows happening this week in SLC

First up, tonight (sadly I made the poor decision of not going) is Phantogram. Their debut album Eyelid Movies is a must listen. This show is down at Kilby Court

Tomorrow night is Dosh, with White Hinterland down at the Urban Lounge. Should be a stellar performance.

Finally, Thursday is Owen Pallett at Kilby Court.

Saturday May 8th Radio Show

Alright Listeners. Yesterday I had the distinct privilege of having the legendary Maurice the Moonman in the studio as a guest DJ. It was an incredible show.


Hr 1

Timeless Form, Formless Time- Rafter
Used to Be- Beach House
Die Gedanken Sin Frei- Brazilian Girls
Party With Children- Ratatat
Barracudas- The Devil Whale
Hard As Nails- Peter Wolf-Crier
Bloodbuzz Ohio- The National
What Now My Love?- Frank Sinatra*
Doralice- Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto
People Got to Be Free- The Rascals *
Basic Space- The xx
Eyesdown- Bonobo

Hr 2

Body Heat- Active Child
Pray for Rain- Massive Attack
Shut Up & Kiss Me- Willie Nelson *
New Pollution- Beck
Tell 'Em- Sleigh Bells
Flying Overseas- Theophilus London
Fur- Blitzen Trapper
Put the Day's Away- Sun Airway
The Strangers- St. Vincent
Paris- Friendly Fires
Sitting in the Middle- Raul Midon

Hr 3

Good Time- Brazilian Girls
Stranger- Dr. Dog
Boy Lilikoi- Jonsi
Sun Lake Rinsed- The Ruby Suns
From Africa to Malaga- jj
Sitting Here- Slow Animal
Shinzo no Tobirah- Mariah
Theologians- Wilco
I Want You- Theophilus London
Let's Stay Together- Al Green*
Stayin in Love- Raphael Saadiq
Got to Give It Up- Marvin Gaye*
Y Sabes Bien- Los Zafiros

Stay tuned, a recording of this broadcast should be available shortly.

*listener requested/Maurice the Moonman Picks

This Week's Recommended Listening

Secret Agent- Tony Allen
The founding drummer of afrobeat is back with a new CD with a return to more traditional afrobeat grooves. Nonetheless none of the songs feature Fela-style length instead opting for more concise structures. It works surprisingly well as an album
Jeff Goldblum/Woody Allen- JVG
-Florida musician JVG keeps churning out new material. As a close friend I have the distinct pleasure of having heard these exclusive cuts. Let me tell you all, they are good. really good.
Semi Circle EP- Shigeto
- Top-notch, up-to the moment, atmospheric wonky, dubstep, post hip-hop, whatever you want to call. Definitely has a unique flavor. The tracks are varied and provide for a short glimpse of this fellow's range
Fort Nightly- White Rabbits
In my opinion, superior to their latest album Its Frightening, Fort Nightly is a well-oriented indie rock album with a band that writes tunes that get to that place only a steady rock beat and slightly distorted guitars can get to. Not to mention a pounding rhythm section that performs CPR on your soul.
Nigeria Special Volume 2
- Miles Cleret and the fellows down at Soundway Records just put this one out as a sort of follow-up to Nigeria Disco Special that came out a year or two ago. It is next to Tumbele! as one of the best compilations these guys have put out yet. These are no putomayo garbage discs, thats for sure!
Technicolor Health- Harlem Shakes
- This indie-rock album from now broken-up Harlem Shakes makes one upset because the album overflows with not just stellar execution but fascinating potential.
Viajante- Tremor
On the ZZK label, a sort of alternative electronic label based out of Buenos Aires with artists all over the South American continent, Tremor's newest album is indeed the finest album on the label so far. Its a captivating distillation of chilean folk (Tremor is from Santiago), glitch, and dub (the modern kind). Not only that but it is surprisingly easy to listen to.
Space Ghost- Wallflower EP*
This EP comes from Oakland, CA's Space Ghost, whose music meshes with the current LA Beat scene. While some of the tracks are a bit more memorable than others, the brief EP times its visit just right leaving an indelible impression
Bless You- Lulu Rouge
Lulu Rouge, a pair of minimal DJs from Copenhagen team up with a group of Danish electronic artists here, most notably the ever-brilliant Trentemoller, for a fleshed-out album that plays about in the minimal world. None of the songs are overly long, allowing for the listener to stay engaged without much effort.
Winterwhila- Fontan
I came across this relatively obscure output by chance while studying this evening. It seems to be a well-woven electronic/organic affair. The tunes are all instrumentals but the musical mastery is evident. The krautrock influences blend tremendously nicely with the champer pop aspirations and the slight disco inflections.
The xx- The xx
finally got around to listening to this album. How the tunes hold up on their own is irrelevant in a way because this album is so darn cohesive that it is quietly ecstatic.
Samuel Barber: Adagio for Strings (100 Year Anniversary)
Gute Luft- Thomas Fehlmann
With three decades of electronic music in his belt, Berliner Thomas Fehlmann has to be given a certain amount of respect. Gute Luft, a very Kompakt, minimal affair, shows this expertise. The album is somehow amidst the ethereal layers, bracing in an exciting affair. Definitely a worthwhile minimal release
Animal Feelings- Rafter
Similar to Bobby Birdman, fellow strange-pop dance-maker, Rafter seems to have taken his previous work, which had an almost Dan Deacon-like sense of instrumental playfulness, and honed in on a more honeable sound. Fortunately this move worked well and Animal Feelings is a joy to listen to. Tracks like "Timeless form, Formless Time" and "Fruit" are must-listens.
I Learned the Hard Way- Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
A lot of people try to intellectualize Sharon Jones. They claim her to be an overly nostalgic copycat. However, I have to say after to listening to this album, her latest of four, I would contend otherwise. Her music isn't meant to be mulled over like a Flying Lotus record but rather taken in on the same physical and basic level that Soul has always appealed to. The compositions this time around are near perfect with the Dap-Kings better than ever. The album doesn't acknowledge that around 40 years have passed since this album would have been mainstream, yet nor does it have to. This is what makes it such pleasurable listen
Foma- Lukid
This album is as far as the "lovestep" sound goes, on that same par as Burials first two LPs, and FaltyDl' s "Love is a Liability". Lukid, perhaps more nuanced than both the other artists, presents an impeccably crafted set of tunes. There are so many highlights here it is astounding. Indeed this album came in at number 8 of Philip Sherburne's, a well-respected authority on electronic music, best of 2009 list. The breath of his production skills are staggering. While the feeling of place that one gets from Burial is not as present here, what is present is an impressive reach of one man's ideas.
Doda Fallet- Vapnet
This swedish indie pop album is in a well-populated genre. There is no shortage of indie pop artists with soft textures, pastoral themes, and often saccharine melodies. However, this Swedish -language album stands apart for its sheer like-ability. It goes by in a breeze of lush production, songwriting, and melody.

Solotechne

Mike O'Shea from North Carolina is the architect behind the brand new Solotechne Records.

Solotechne Records features solo electronic music artists and features three artists one of which is the previously Motif-ed, JVG

JVG, a brilliant electronic music-maker from St.Pete, Florida, has been making music for as long as he can remember. He started making musically electronically around the end of his late band New South Whales. Anyway, his sound has come a long way and seems to be maturing exponentially in myriad ways.

His debut EP, Last Night I Had A Dream We All Died and Became Trees is finally up for streaming on the Solotechne bandcamp page. CHECK IT OUT HERE!!!!!

Also you can download the first Solotechne mixtape featuring tunes from Kinjac, Toaster Bath, and JVG. So be good listeners and spread the word like peanut butter!

Enjoy!

http://solotechne.bandcamp.com/album/solotechne-records-mixtape-001

DJ Name/ Last Night's KPCW Setlist

alright readers,

Epaulettes, my defacto DJ name until now, has officially been declared too hard too spell. For that reason I am changing it among other reasons.

The new name will be Torso, a name I've been into for sometime. As of April 30th the url of this website will be changed to torso.blogspot.com

The blog will be continued to go under the name Motif.

Also last night, I did a substitute gig on the radio. Nice for a change to play a Saturday night.

Hour 1

Tits & Acid- Simian Mobile Disco
Born Free- M.I.A
Changes- David Bowie
Drunk Girls- LCD Soundsystem
The Plot- White Rabbits
Bodysnatchers- Radiohead
Y Sabes Bien- Los Zafiros
Cell Mates- Mariachi El Bronx
Deadbeat Summer- Neon Indian
What Would I Want? Sky- Animal Collective
Quitter's Raga- Gold Panda
Serged (Faltydl Remix)- Mount Kimbie

Hour 2

Accept the New- Theophilus London
Olympics on Pot- The Ruby Suns
Salamero(for JVG) mixtape (excerpt)- Epaulettes
Red Lady- Phil Cordell

Mini Mansions, Here We Go Magic, White Rabbits concert review

April 20th @ The Urban Lounge

Rarely does a concert with three bands appear to have such a definite theme as this one. While each bands makes very different music the common thread was the use of stand-up drummers.

Pounding away on a double floor tom, cymbal combination Michael Shuman and his band Mini Mansions were the un-announced opening-opening band. Not knowing what to expect these guys took the stage and proceeded to play five or six numbers. There songs really floored me in their sophistication. This LA band takes its music quite seriously. Surely these guys are going to get bigger. Afterwards I talked with Michael about the set and the LA indie rock scene. It appears that we have a mutual acquaintance in the band Red Arrow Messengers whose show at the Phoenix Gallery in Park City was a venue I DJed at during Sundance.

Before their set, Luke Temple, obviously not partial to green room apartheid was walking about the venue with a frosty beer enjoying the opening band. I briefly discussed his Here We Go Magic project's first album with him. Truly one of my favorite 2009 albums, the opener Only Pieces didn't disappoint.

At about 10:30, Here We Go Magic took the stage with Pete, the rather tall drummer, Luke Temple out front and a keyboardist, back-up guitarist and bassist. Additionally on percussion was Matt Clark, who kept the night going with it percussion theme.

Indeed Here We Go Magic lives up to its reputation as a live act. While their sound on the album wouldn't appear to neatly translate to the stage, the opposite is true. These guys brought such fresh exuberance to their show that the audience couldn't help but be into it. Indeed Here We Go Magic did something I hadn't seen in some time and did it quite succesfully I might add, and that thing is jam. Most of their songs have sort of hypnotizing vamp somewhere in whether it is the the slow chant of "Only Pieces" where the highlight was two members of White Rabbits plus Shuman from Mini-Mansions on percussion adding a dynamic tribal thunder, or "Collector" the single from their upcoming album, Pigeons, which has a krautrock-esque pulse. By the time they closed with "Tunnelvision" everyone was craving their stuff. The venue which had been relatively empty for Mini Mansions was no semi-full and wouldn't only get more full as it approached sold-out capacity for White Rabbits.

Having heard their new album It's Frightening, I must admit I had low expectations from these guys. The album on first listen came across as sort of derivative, especially considering the Britt Daniel production duties. However, with percussionist Matt Clark leading the energy along with his fellow well-dressed comrades, I was pleasantly surprised. Openly with the opener off of their first album "For Nightly" these guys for one thing know how to write a setlist. Each preceeding tune felt like exactly what needed to be played. The band, a six-member affair, wastes no time between songs and played an intense set with no breaks until about one in the morning. At which point it was time for the dark and windy drive back up the canyon from SLC to Park City.

Bringing a Screening of Beyond Ipanema to Park City

For those who read the post about the new doc, Beyond Ipanema, you might have detected a despondent note. Well fear no more. I am taking matters into my own hands and bringing a screening to Park City (SLC Area).

The screening will be a true event, with a possible cocktail hour/DJ Set/party to follow the screening.

In order to get the screening here I need to gauge an initial response. I need to make sure I get enough response to cover costs. Please if you're interested, or know anyone who could be interested, please let me know via either post comment, or e-mail.

Recommend Listening

FaltyDl- Love is a Liability
LCD Soundsystem- This is Happening (available for online streaming)
Max Richter- 24 Postcards in Full Color
Archie Bronson Outfit- Coconut
Dosh- Tommy
Gold Panda-Quitter's Raga EP
Delorean- Subiza
Monguito- "El Unico"
Maria y Jose- Kibose EP
Poirier- Runnin' High

Radio Setlist from Monday 4-19-2010

hour 1

Buffalo Springfield- JVG (www.myspace.com/jvgmusic)
Winter '05- Ra Ra Riot
Drunk Girls- LCD Soundsystem
Stranger- Dr. Dog
Boy Lilikoi- Jonsi
Real Life- Tanlines
Vibrationz- Javelin
Sun Lake Rinsed- The Ruby Suns
From Africa to Malaga- jj
Heaven can Wait (Grizzly Bear Remix)- Charlotte Gainsbourg
Chorus- Primary 1

hour 2

Sweet Disposition- The Temper Trap
Stay Close- Delorean
Home- The Suzan
Maximalist- Baths
Quitter's Raga- Gold Panda
You Belong- Hercules & Love Affair
Embers- Praveen & Benoit
Dance to the Music- Sly & the Family Stone
It's Alright (On the Suez Canal)- Leisure
Cell Mates- Mariachi El Bronx
Collector- Here We Go Magic
Theologians- Wilco
Alerta- Isa ft. GT

hour 3

Thieves in the Night- Hot Chip
Stylo- Gorillaz
Weak for Me- Nite Jewel
Deus e o Amor- Gal Cost
Foux du Fafa- Flight of the Conchords
Dear Friend- Emanuel and the Fear
Sitting Here- Slow Animal
Beast of Burden- Rolling Stones
Staying in Love- Raphael Saadiq
Monguit0- Vida, que Beso!
Dusty Fruit- The Ruby Suns

tune in a week from next Monday for the next show.

Some Dubstep Recommendations

In the current dubstep-idm-"post-whatever" beat scene explosion, there is a wealth of great material.

Dubstep, the vague catch-all term for this current style, has been around for a couple years and comes out of the UK Garage scene. While there are some common traits (starting with skittish beats, and subchaining, or that "breathing quality" to the track) the sound can be wildly different and in my experience breaks down roughly (very roughly) into two camps. First you've got your slower more "wonky" dubstep (wonky because it has that wawawawawa synth sound) as characterized by Rusko. On the otherside you have what Praveen, founder of Percussion Lab, calls "Lovestep". This "Lovestep" is in my eyes epitomized by Burial's "Untrue". Burial, arguably the first dubstep great, hails from Bristol, the semi-official birthplace of dubstep.

However these categories quickly break-down when one considers the scope of the sound. From the Dub (as in the kind from jamaica) flair of The Bug to the glitchy-tendency of many Warp veterans, the current electronic music vanguard is as all vanguards are, beyond any neat description. Hyperdub's "5:Five years of Hyperdub" compilation indeed takes a look at a large swath of this sound. However, Joker, with his simplistic melodies and low BPMs seems to be onto something completely different from Flying Lotus's idiosyncratic "post-hip-hop" stylings or Zomby with his strange "post-club" offerings. Yet both appear on the same track. Perhaps at the heart of the sound is a certain urban quality, as if the music represents the fractured souls of our metropolitan climates.

As a sincere fan of the "album-as-a-coherent-statement" view, I of course have to offer my list of favorite dubstep albums. It is here, I must make the disclaimer, that I am no expert on the music, indeed I almost doubt that anyone truly is, the way one could be an expert of say a romantic-era classical music. The music is characterized by being in flux; an elusive set of new tracks, sounds, new micro-genres, sub-genres, scenes, etc.

Anyway here are some that have gotten to me

FaltyDL- Love is a Liability
2652- Unbalance
Burial- Untrue & S/T
Flying Lotus- Los Angeles
Zomby- Where Were U in 92?
The Clonious- Between the Dots
King Midas Sound- Waiting For You

Embedded here is an entertaining video posted by Xlr8r a while back about featuring FaltyDl talking about his music while rolling an Atlantic Roll.

This is Happening: New LCD Soundsystem Record

Well its finally available for listening. LCD Soundsystem's third album is available on the band website for streaming at www.lcdsoundsystem.com/thisishappening

Indeed expectations are high for James Murphy's LCD Soundsystem. This is to be his third record, with his last two being two of the finest records of the past decade (which is now technically over).
A more detailed review of the album will come later. As of now, all I'd like to say is that anyone and everyone should go on and stream this new one. It is that good. Fittingly, the album will only stream straight through, or, in other words, no skipping around for singles. It is a dynamic album with only nine tunes but only one tune below five minutes long.

Delorean and Miike Snow at the Urban Lounge

April 10th, 2010 @ Urban Lounge

No one could ever hold the Urban Lounge's intimacy against it. As my first concert there, I was pleasantly surprised at how the venue with its stage at the perfect height, condensed wooden dance-floor, and dash of grunge factor add up to a first-rate enjoyable concert experience.

First things first, I was there to see Delorean. As I've confessed before I have an automatic affinity for bands from Barcelona. Delorean definitely fits the category. I've posted the video to their newest single "Stay Close" off of Subiza, which is available as a pre-order on the Matador Records website. For obvious reasons, my excitement to see them was palpable.

Logically, when I saw Ehki, the lead singer/bassist, walk over to the bar inconspicuously for a drink, I took the opportunity to introduce myself. Sure enough five minutes later they were to go on and we were to continue our conversation after the show. I was struck at his kindness and utter lack of pretension.

Delorean's set was short but sweet. It was anchored by three blissed out versions of "Grow", "Real Life" "Stay Close" as well as two other tracks off of Subiza. What they may have lacked in soundchecked levels they made up for in intensity and fun.

Sure enough after the show I spent thirty minutes or so chatting it up with the guys from Delorean. We chatted about everything from overdevelopment on the Spanish Coast, why Menorca is cooler than Mallorca, making music professionally, the strange influence of Pitchfork, the craziness of New York, and why La Barceloneta is such a cool neighborhood. Go out and support these guys. They are good people making good music. en fin.



After Delorean's set, the crowd thickened as the folks in peripheries migrated towards the stage to witness Miike Snow. Indeed the crowd was pretty well liquored-up by the time the lights dimmed and the smoke machines turned on.

Miike Snow's debut album isn't bad. That said it didn't blow me away either and my expectations were subsequently non-existent. However from the first moment where the band descends in matching white plastic phantom masks, you could tell these guys meant to bring it live. And they did.

Their live show oscillates manically between a trance-inducing heart-pumping DJ set and a rock show. The band has three members however their are six people on stage for the live performance. Two men are off to the side turning knobs as if they were some plotting electro DJs while lead-singer Andrew Wyatt moves between the mic, a keyboard, and his elvis-costello style hollow-body guitar. Additionally there is another guy on drums and two more guys playing assorted electronic gizmos.

What makes the show beyond the scientific maximization of every musical moment they have, is more specifically the light show, which moves in impressive sync with the music. During the fan favorite set closer, Animal, the strobe-light crescendo had the entire audience in a strange brew of awed disbelief and trance-inducing dance.

After the show I had the chance to ask Andrew about the performance to which he responded, "Hard work. This whole thing is really little more than an enormous amounts of practice and effort." Indeed it pays off big time.

All the photo credit belongs exclusively to Peter of Salt Lake City.
Go out and support these bands and live music!

This Week's Recommended Listening

The Oscillations:Sine- Muhsinah
Mess Detective- Primary 1
Songs Spun Simla- Praveen & Benoit
No Mas!- Javelin
When Man is Full He Falls Asleep- Epstein y El Conjunto
Listen- Emanuel and The Fear
Dark Rift- Pictureplane
Slow Animal EP- Slow Animal
Liquid Liquid- Liquid Liquid
Bossa Cubana- Los Zafiros

Albums for Listening This Week

Black Sands - Bonobo
Saint Dymphna- Gang Gang Dance
Hercules and Love Affair- Hercules and Love Affair
High Places vs. Mankind- High Places
Settings EP- Tanlines
Low Ceiling EP- Poirier
2- Javelin
Diego Bernal- For Corners*

*Up for free legal download

Stay Close-Delorean

For those who don't know, I'm minorly obsessed with the Barcelona music scene. Beyond having a burgeoning arts scene for sometime, the Barcelona alternative music community is small but lush. During my time in Spain I got to explore BCN for all its musical iterations, whether Razzmatazz style Electro or intimate Serrat troubadours, BCN is all over the place. Indeed my favorite haunt is a place in the Gracia Barrio, out of the typical tourist range, called Heliogabal. A small bar, Heliogabal features all kinds of experimental sounds ranging from Barcelona IDM artists to Spoken word poets in Catalan. Indeed I met Pablo "El Guincho Diaz-Reixa there, whose album Alegranza! is one of my all-time favorites.

In the alternative rock scene there are loads of bands doing cool music like Extraperlo, Thelematicos, Joe Crepusculo, Astrud, El Guincho, and more. However one band seems keen to tap into a larger audience and that is Delorean. After some stellar EPs, their new album, Subiza drops in June (or if you are in Spain, April). The single, Stay Close, was released last week and I can't listen to it enough.

Embedded here is the video for Stay Close

Today in New

First and foremost, Jamie Lidell, the idiosyncratic music force previously featured on this blog, has released a video for the second single off of his upcoming album, Compass

Featuring about every variation upon granular cinema possible on an anonymous beach, its way enjoyable.



For those of you who haven't been paying attention to the revamp of his website he launched back in June, Beck's new site features a series of segments, inluding one entitled Planned Obsolescence featuring some of the best mixtapes this side of everywhere. The most notable, however, is Record Club.

The video clips feature black-and-white shots of studio music-making at its finest. The albums so far have been Velvet Underground & Nico, Songs of Leonard Cohen, and Skip Spence's Oar.

Now in its fourth iteration, Record Club is a one-day gathering of musicians to cover an album in its entirety. Myriad guests have included Jamie Lidell, Feist, Glenn Kotche & Wilco, James Gadsen, Devendra Banhart, MGMT, and more.

The new record is INXS' 198, Kick. Guests this time around include Liars, St. Vincent's Annie Clark, and Serge Dias aka the guitarist from Os Mutantes. The first episode is up and it is good. real good.

Record Club: INXS "Guns In The Sky" from Beck Hansen on Vimeo.

Lastly there LCD Soundsystem has finally released the first single from the new album. The track is called "Drunk Girls" and it is good. Pleasantly it has nothing to do with the college mock-rap pseudo-party music implied by the title.

New Epaulettes Mixtape!

After seven months of severe prevarication and two weeks of work, I've finally finished a new mixtape.

This new mixtape is entitled Salamero, after the Plaza de Salamero where I lived in Zaragoza, Spain. It is dedicated to a creative inspiration of mine, JVG (www.myspace.com/jvgmusic)

The music on the tape comes from all corners of the globe, and features select vocal samples I've been collecting off Youtube. Its a dynamic mix so try to listen in one sitting.

Please feel free to leave comments about the mixtape on this post, or if you so like, even better would be to leave comments on the Soundcloud track page.

Thank you,

Houston "Epaulettes"

01 Salamero (for JvG)  by  nudearchitect

Recommended Listening for this Week

Stars of the Lid- And Their Refinement of the Decline
2562- Unbalance
Gorillaz- Plastic Beach
White Hinterland- Kairos
5: Five years of Hyperbud Compilation
Mux Mool's discography
Gold Panda- Miyamae EP
Mississippi John Hurt- Complete Studio Recordings
Devendra Banhart- Cripple Crow

The following albums are up as free downloads:

The Gaslamp Killer- Its a Rocky Road Vol 1,2
The Ethiopians- The Original Reggae Sound
Mighty Sparrow- The Calypso Genius
Ghostly Swim Compilation
Maria y Jose- Espíritu Invisible
Tom Ze- Estudando o Samba
De Janeiros- Plateado

Hot Chip: A Real Boy Band

There is little to say about this new music video from Hot Chip. Seldom am I blown away by a video. Even this one is not exactly the most technically creative but for some reason it just might be the most enjoyable.


Hot Chip - I Feel Better

Hot Chip | MySpace Music Videos

Monday Night March 15th

Stellar show this evening. Several call-ins plus the first MP3 recording courtesy of wiretap. I will have the edited mp3 file up on my soundcloud within the next couple of days.

Hour 1

Deceptacon- Le Tigre
Mal Poli- Yelle
Dusty Fruit- The Ruby Suns
Baby- Devendra Banhart
Lifted- Lemonade
As Far As I Can See- Phantogram
Icarus- White Hinterland
The High Road- Broken Bells
Hearing Damage- Thom Yorke
Black Angel's Death Song (Velvet Underground cover)- Beck's Record Club
Twilight- Lusine
Unite- Burial

Hour 2

Written in Reverse- Spoon
Surprise, Surprise- The Rolling Stones
My Turn- Basement Jaxx
Crutch & Cane- Peter Wolf Crier
Excuses- Morning Benders
White Flag- Gorillaz
Something is Not Right With Me- Cold Wark Kids
Minimal (DJ Koze edit)- Matias Aguayo
Code- Jose James
Hammock- Million Young
Emergency Exit- Beck
Kala Djula- Ali Farka Toure & Toumani Diabate

Hour 3

Nueva Nueva- Think About Life
Mushaboom- Feist
Once in a Lifetime- Talking Heads
Love is a Wave- Crystal Stilts
Let's Go Surfing- The Drums
Lola- The Kinks
Graceland- Paul Simon
Hummingbird- Wilco
Sleeping Lessons- The Shins
For No One's Better Sake- Little Joy
Rocky Racoon- The Beatles



Download Show

Upcoming Shows in the Salt Lake Area

Vampire Weekend, The Blow (March 18)
High Places@ Kilby Court (March 30)
Ruby Suns, Toro y Moi (April 6)
Spoon, Deerhunter, Micachu & The Shapes (April 7)
Miike Snow, Delorean @Urban Lounge (April 10)
Here We Go Magic, White Rabbits@ Urban Lounge (April 20)
Yeasayer@In the Venue (April 23rd)
Dosh@ Urban (May 11th)
Owen Pallett @ Kilby (May 13th)
Local Natives@ Kilby (May 22nd)

If you plan on going to any of these shows, let me know.

Greatest Documentary Ever!

I no longer believe in the space-time continuum. This film is exactly the movie I would make. The world's greatest musical muse, Brasil. Accepted into the 2010 SXSW festival question, I am devastated I won't be able to see the premiere.

and interviews:
David Byrne, Diplo, Ursula 1000, M.I.A, Thievery Corporation, Gilberto Gil!

and these are just the guests in the trailer.

I have no words really for how excited I am to see this. This is pretty much my dream movie.

Also for those of you who are unfamiliar with Tropicalia in Furs, on East 5th St. in Manhattan, or possibly the world's greatest brasilian record shop, the record store is featured.

Indeed my current favorite documentary, Mo Noro Brasil, happens to also be about Brasilian music.

To celebrate the release I'm posting this video of Seu Jorge performing "Tive Razao" in front of a million people during carnaval.

This Week in my favorite Albums

Phantogram- Eyelid Movies
Devendra Banhart- What Will We Be
Ruby Suns- Fight Softly
Gonjasufi- A Sufi and a Killer
Flaming Lips- Embryonic
Department of Eagles- The Cold Nose
Gorillaz- Demon Days
School of Seven Bells- Alpinisms

Teaser Videos

It seems to have come into vogue recently for musicians to make teaser videos for albums. Indeed two favorites of mine have recently done this for their respective albums that drop a day apart.

First up is LCD Sounsystem.



This Clip is the first of 3 so far announcing the new LCD Soundsystem album. It features grainy cinematography and enigmatic shots of what is known as "The Manshun". Watch the second two for more information.





This second video comes from one of music's most brilliant voices, Jamie Lidell. Lidell has for quite some time been involved in music however his sound is more elusive than just about anybody else's. For starters he started as a sort of IDM producer/laptop jockey, living in Berlin. Later, revealing the fact that he could sing he came out with Multiply, a brilliantly idiosyncratic effort in pop music. Finally 2008's Jim was his brush with pop. Indeed the tunes on Jim were the most focused and packaged yet. However those who wrote him off as trite pop act, are going to be very much mistaken with 2010's Compass. He has released the self-titled single for the album, and it is going to be excellent.

Finally this last video is a teaser to Cold War Kids' last EP that was released this past January.

Stream Plastic Beach

For those of you who haven't already done so, you owe it to yourself to listen to the Gorillaz album which drops next tuesday, Plastic Beach.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124114812

Strange to think this music is related to Blur.

Slowtrain Trip

After an airport drop-off in SLC, I realized it had been quite a while since I had visited my favorite music store in Zion...Slowtrain

I walked in and headed straight for the back. As always the store is immaculate but chalkfull of good stuff. In the back is where there are the listening stations. Threw on "Fight Softly", Ruby Suns' latest (review to come) and searched the dollar cd bins

Sure enough afte some 15 bins I had found three worthwile purchases:
like new copy of Simian Mobile Disco's Attack Decay Sustain Release
Promo copy of Koushik's Out My Window
Chihuahuas& Chinese Noodles- 555 Recordings Remix Compilation (no idea what this is but looked too cool to pass up)

additionally I got a used copy of Devendra Banhart's latest "What Will We Be"

Got to love slowtrain.

March 1st KPCW Setlist

Last Night's Setlist

I Wonder Who We Are- The Clientele
Elevator Music- Beck
Mal Poli- Yelle
Vein of Stars- Flaming Lips
Twilight- Lusine
Swing that Tambourine- Kristoffer Ragnstam
Converging in the Quiet- Crystal Stilts
Blackmagic- Jose James
My Turn- Basement Jaxx
Perfect Wave- JVG

No One's Better Sake- Little Joy
Rock & Roll- Led Zeppelin
World Sick- Broken Social Scene
Bull Black Nova- Wilco
Down For So Long- The Rapture
Refection of Janes- The Clientele
Race for the Prize- Flaming Lips
Into Eternity- Jens Lekman
Hammock- Millionyoung

Emergency Exit- Beck
Kala Djula- Ali Farka Toure & Toumani Diabate
Ohiani Sua Efir- The Barbecues
Brown Sugar- Rolling Stones
Your Arms Around Me- Jens Lekman
Shirin- Jens Lekman
Minimal (DJ Koze edit)- Matias Aguayo
Devil in Disguise- Lightspeed Champion


Thanks for listening. I apologize to all those who tuned in to the online stream and couldn't hear the show. Tune in on the 15th for the next chapter.

Albums of the Week!!!

The following are the albums that I've been enjoying lately

Daedelus- Daedelus Denies the Day's Demise
Sly & the Family Stone- There's a Riot Going On
Serge Gainsbourg- Histoire de Melody Nelson
Kings of Convenvience- Declaration of Dependence
El Inigualable- Beny More
Zomby- Where Were U in 92?
Fela Kuti- Zombie!
Paavoharju- Laulu Laakson Kukista
The Clientele- Suburban Light
Four Tet- There is Love in You

Last Night's Setlist

Monday, February 15th Setlist

Hour 1

Egg Man- Beastie Boys
Another Sunny Day- Belle & Sebastian
Orphans- Beck
O.N.E.- Yeasayer
Terrapin- Quantic Soul Orchestra
Sipping on the Sweet Nectar- Jens Lekman
Golden Skans- Klaxons
Search & Destroy- Iggy & the Stooges
If I Ever Feel Better- Phoenix
Golden Age- TV on the Radio
Lewis Takes Off His Shirt- Owen Pallett

Hour 2

Waves- Holly Miranda
Remind Me- Royksopp
Southern Point- Grizzly Bear
Crying- Tv on the Radio
Get me Away from Here, I'm Dying- Belle & Sebastian
Tunnelvision- Here We Go Magic
Take It In- Hot Chip
Tricky Tricky- Royskopp
1234 - Feist
I Wanted Everything- Kurt Vile
Gideon- My Morning Jacket

Hour 3

Run- Vampire Weekend
Rain Becomes the Clouds- Emanuel & The Fear
Compass- Jamie Lidell
Everyone Gets A Star- Albert Hammond Jr.
Born to Run- Bruce Springsteen
The Blues are Still Blue- Belle & Sebastian
Get On Your Boots- U2 (listener requested)
These Are The Days- Jamie Cullum (listener requested)
Still Crazy After All These Years- Paul Simon (listener requested)
In My Life- The Beatles
Got to Give It Up- Marvin Gaye

Thanks for listening, Don't Forget to tune in on March 1st from 7-10!

Last Night I Had A Dream We All Died and Became Trees- The Debut JVG EP

Out of St.Petersburg, Florida, comes this much anticipated gem. Jonathan Van Gils, a close personal friend of mine, has spent much of the last two years working on a forever changing and developing body of work. Using little more than a microkorg, a condenser mic, a guitar, a pen, and Logic, Jonathan has spent two years architecting his vision and his sound. Out of the dust of his old band, New South Whales, for which he penned most of the tunes, came this solo project.

Only a couple weeks ago Jonathan released under the JVG moniker his first mastered EP under the name "Last Night I Had A Dream We All Died and Became Trees". The EP is brief but innovative and leaves the listener taken aback. Using a variety of synths, samples, and sounds Jonathan has molded a uniquely coherent and refined four songs that will instantly capture new fans.

Distribution of the EP is uncertain as of now. If you would like to hear two tracks off the EP you can visit his myspace page, www.myspace.com/jvgmusic

Tracklisting:

1. Inventing Airplanes
2. Santa Monica
3. Christian's Magnets
4. Red Feather Lakes

Favorite Listens of the Week

I'm New Here- Gil Scott Heron
Paul's Boutique- The Beastie Boys
Lightbulbs- Fujiya & Miyagi
One Life Stand- Hot Chip
Donuts- J Dilla
Refazenda- Gilberto Gil
Expresso 2222- Gilberto Gil
Waiting For You - King Midas Sound
Melody AM- Royksopp
Ay Ay Ay- Matias Aguayo
Awe Owe- Helado Negro
Suicide- Suicide
The Idiots Are Winning- James Holden
JVG- Last Night I Dreamed We All Died and Became Trees
Aziz Ansari- Intimate Moments for A Sensual Evening
Lucky Dragons- Dream Island Laughing Language
Burial- Untrue

One Life Stand

I like, many in the music world, was sort of let down when I first heard the single from Hot Chip's newest LP, One Life Stand. The song "One Life Stand" by itself is a sort of mildly formulaic romp through Hot Chip's well-mined nerdy brit intelligent grooves. This set up low expectations for the album.

However, I couldn't help tuning in to see the band on Fallon. Hot Chip, in their nebbish glory, played "take it in" the album's nearly perfect closer alongside The Roots. Twelve people, two drummers, a bunch of synthesizers, some basses, some samplers, two guitarists, and a tuba. Yet it was perhaps the best performance I've ever seen on TV.

The song is not flashy nor over the top in the groove but rather a subtle grower, a delightfully refined and engaging tune.

Hot Chip's previous was a sort of polarized effort. Less experimental than The Warning, Made in the Dark was at moments brilliantly danceable in an almost self-conciously goofy manner while at other moments it would flip capriciously to earnest ballads, that while made with the same instruments, were practically coming from a different band.

One Life Stand, more so than any of the previous albums, is cohesive and above all earnest. Completely avoiding the snarky, detached, and glib attitude permanently in vogue, eschews these in favor of a work of almost breathtaking sincerity. The album is a true team player. There are no definitive singles but rather tunes that work to bring out the best in each other.

The production detail is there as always. The tunes are no less creative or imaginary than anything in the past, simply more approachable.

Opening with "Thieves of the Night", the album starts much in a much less epic fashion than is customary of Hot Chip, whose albums have been notable for epic openers. The tune is long and it builds, similar to the album. Everysong from then on is distinct but complementary.

The themes of the lyrics are strikingly well-intended. From extolling the power of brotherhood in "brothers" to the love-mongering message of "We Have Love" the listener feels as if these guys abandoned any sense of irony whatsoever in making this gem. Even the single "One Life Stand" comes to take on a beauty that was previously completely absent.

Going through the album, there is a sense of sonic adventure, progression, and real genuine storytelling. By the time you get to "Take it In" every subtle nuance, synth line, and vocal inflection, send little streaks of happiness through you.

Ladies and gentleman, sign on to lala.com, give her a listen, and go out and buy it. This really is a gem.

Monday February 1st KPCW Setlist

Laid-back show last night at KPCW. Did the whole show while eating cold lentil soup, not my personal favorite radio snack. o well. even cold lentil soup is lentil soup. and who doesn't love lentil soup?

Hour 1

Knickerbocker- Fujiya & Miyagi
Drive My Car- The Beatles
How Long Do I Have To Wait? - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
Formed a Band- Art Brut
No More- The Dirty Projectors
Radio Capital- La Vida Boheme
Boy From School (Grizzy Bear Cover)- Hot Chip
Drive- R.E.M
I Don't Know What I Can Save You From (Royksopp Remix) - Kings of Convenience
Mirrors- Dam-Funk
La Barrosa- Paco de Lucia

Hour 2

Take it or Leave it- The Strokes
Boy in the Bubble- Paul Simon
Crosseyed & Painless- Talking Heads
Change of Heart- El Perro del Mar
Track You Down- Sondre Lerche
Brown Sugar- Rolling Stones
Rough Gem- Islands
Seize the Day- Wax Tailor
Falsa Baiana- Joao Gilberto
Mrs. Cold- Kings of Convenience
Do You Realize? - The Flaming Lips
Helen of Troy- Telefon Tel Aviv

Hour 3

Victory at Sea- Bobby Birdman (E*Rock Remix)
Don't Fight the Darkness- Yacht
Rise Above- The Dirty Projectors
Babylon- David Gray
Aquele Abraco- Gilberto Gil,
Fame- David Bowie
Kai Wawa- The Mercury Dance Band
Back on the Train- Phish
Break on Through- The Doors
Everyday I Write the Book- Elvis Costello

thanks for listening, tune in on Feb. 15th 7-10 (Mountain time) for more.

Soundway Records

Started by the Londoner Miles Cleret, Soundway Records has become the pre-eminent obscure compilation maker. With compilations such as Ghana Soundz, Nigerian Disco, Panama! (1, 2, & 3), and my personal favorite Tumbele! (a compilation of French Caribbean music from the 60's), Cleret's label is an ethnomusicologist's paradise.

The difference between Soundway Records' compilations and those of say, Putomayo and other purveyors of generic world music discs, is tremendous. To begin the level of research into the music, conneiseurship, and respect for the original artists is drastically different. Cleret as well as the Beto, the compiler of Soundways' panama mixes, are both amazingly well-versed in the music scens. Cleret, in preparation for the release of Ghana Soundz, personally licensed the music in Ghana from the artists during months of hunting down the musicians all over Ghana, many of whom have ceased to play music for the past three decades. He has mined extinct record labels, local markets, and done buckets of first-hand research. His compilations are very carefully distilled and represent these otherwise neglected scenes (be it the Nigerian disco scene or the Colombian funk scene) to a degree no one else does. On the contrast, Putomayo and others barely skim the surface, tossing on well-known artists, licensing them all from their active major labels in a day, and then selling the hasty package the next day.

Soundway's extreme care and music scholarship is what makes it an absolute gem. Not to mention their wide series of compilations.

Please go out and support Soundway Records. They provide a nonpareil service that relies on the support of anyone they can get.

www.soundwayrecords.com

Epaulettes Gig tonight at Crown on Main

Epaulettes live DJ Set tonight at Crown on Main (508 Main St, the Phoenix Gallery) from 12-2!!!

Should be absolutely epic! don't miss out!!

There is Love in You

For those not familiar with Four Tet, a london-based electronic musician, his latest album is all the more relevant.

To be released January 25th on Domino Records, There is Love in You is an exuberant piece of singular electronica, a rare jaunt to the infinite capacity of music. I cannot recall the last time I heard a piece of music this unifying and organic. It is no accident that There is Love in You is Four Tet's first full-length album in four years.

Four Tet, or Kieran Hebden (of the experimental Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid collaborations), was kind enough to allow for pre-listening to the album on soundcloud.

Listen to to this opus straight through, I promise it'll get to you.

http://soundcloud.com/four-tet/there-is-love-in-you

Kpcw Radio Setlist Monday 1-18

Great show last night for all who tuned in. Here's the setlist

Hour 1:
Small Stakes- Spoon
French Navy- Camera Obscura
Crying- Tv on the Radio
Get me Away From Here, I'm Dying- Belle & Sebastian
Yam Lo Moschech- Fool's Gold
Gideon- My Morning Jacket
Deli- Delorean
Tunnelvision- Here We Go Magic
Lights Out (DJ Medhi Remix)- Santigold
Bodies- Sex Pistols
Boy in the Bubble- Paul Simon
I Wanted Everything- Kurt Vile

Hour 2:
Winter- Dodos
The Rain Becomes the Clouds- Emmanuel & the Fear
Cranberry- Ruby Suns
The Miner- Bell
Two Dancers- Wild Beast
Bright & Shining- Koushik
Sweatshop - Brazilian Girls
Weighted Down- Beck w/ Feist
Sun Hands- Local Natives
Verbena de los Delfines- Coconot
Collapsing at your Doorstep- Air France

Hr 3
Mysteries- Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Modern Girl- Alec Ounsworth
Calypso Gold- Princeton
Laughing with a Mouth Full of Blood- St. Vincent
Lover's Carvings- Bibio
Whispered Words- Dan Aeurbach
Beast of Burden- Rolling Stones
What Did He Say?- Nite Jewel
The Shrew- Beirut
Drive my Car- The Beatles
Apply (Lemonade Remix)- Glasser
New Theory- Washed Out

Thanks for listening. I'll be on again the monday after next.

New Moods

Indeed, the best of 09 lists seemed to have a great time excluding one of my favorite records of the year.

Bobby Birdman's New Moods was an exquisite affair. Featuring a sort of eccentric flair for open snare percussion, clever electronic percussion, lightly absurdist lyrics, and unabashed creativity, this album is not only highly enjoyable but supremely artistic.

Give it a spin on lala.com along with another '09 favorite from fellow LAers Fool's Gold's self-titled debut.

This Week's Study Classic

The elusive hunt for good study music is forever challenging yet tremendously rewarding

This week's highlights in study music:

Brad Mehldau's Elegiac Cycle
Gonzales' Solo Piano
Luiz Bonfa's Solo en Rio 1959
The Field's From Here We Go Sublime
Lusine's A Certain Distance
and finally, the entire catalogue of Frederic Chopin solo piano compositions

lala.com, use it

Lala.com truly is a brilliant idea.

As far as online music listening sites go, I've been a connoisseur for sometime now. First came rhapsody then pandora then last.fm then deezer. Finally I've settled on lala

The genius of lala, beyond the nonpareil breadth of their collection, smoothness of the interface, and great sound, is twofold. The first part is that one can listen to any track/album they choose at their command. The beauty lies in how this prohibits the stealing of music through limewire, bittorrent, etc. by the "hear before buying" people (I fall into this camp).

The second part of the genius is the two-tiered system for music purchases. lala allows you two either purchase the standard mp3s (also at a lower price than Itunes) or if you don't want to spend eight dollars or so, you can purchase the entire album at a few cents over the dollar. Really an incredible coup d'etat on the institution of music consumption. Lala has bet that using this system they can take in money twice, once for the unlimited listen, and another time for the mp3.

lala's free membership shows just how daring their strategy is. Here's to hoping they pull it off. I'm rooting for them

www.lala.com

friend me: Houston D.

DJ name change

Epaulettes, my current moniker, will be changed soon on account of spelling difficulty. The new name will be up soon.