Keith

One of the guys in Leeds band Keith has a really awesome brother. Several weeks ago I was sorting through all of the porn and band spam in Exitfare's Myspace account and found a nice message from a reader. Instead of trying to get me to listen to some atrocious jam band, Ben was smart enough to urge me to listen to his older brother's band, a band that I've been hearing about for months, but hadn't gotten the opportunity to check out yet.

Their debut album, Red Thread, dropped last year and has already gained accolades in both the UK and Japan. Keith is a band that recall the greats, like The Smiths and The Stone Roses, but only as a stepping stone. The moments when they let their own ideas chart the course is when they are the most successful, like on single "Hold That Gun" and "Gunshot Revelry," but honestly, the entire album is great. It's easy to tell that the guys came from different points on the musical map, but were able to deftly meet in the middle. If only I had more readers like Ben.


"Hold That Gun"

[Buy] Red Thread
[Myspace] Keith
[mp3] "Hold That Gun"

Lily Allen: US Tour

So dudes, since this is sort of a vacation week for me, I'll be rocking lots of short posts. I know tickets are still available for this, or at least last I heard they were, so jump on board. The Boston presale link can also get you to tickets in LA, Chicago and Philly. Alright, Still is out today in the US on Capitol.

February 5 – Los Angeles, CA – Henry Fonda Music Box
February 6 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
February 8 – Chicago, IL – Metro
February 10 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
February 12 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts
February 16 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
February 18 – Boston, MA – Axis


Lily Allen "Discover & Download" clip. Check out the O's hat!

[Presale] Boston
[MySpace] Lily Allen
[mp3] "Oh My God" [Kaiser Chiefs cover]

Boston: Shows [Week of 01.29.07]

01.30: Incubus/Albert Hammond Jr. @ Avalon
02.01: Augustana/Vega 4 @ The Avalon
02.02: Grizzly Bear @ MFA
02.02: The Pill @ Great Scott
02.03: Mako/The Young Republic @ Great Scott
02.03: Paolo Nutini @ The Paradise

There are a few good shows this week: Albert Hammond Jr., which I'll miss because it's sold out and Vega 4, which I'll miss because I'll be in Puerto Rico. If anyone wants to go, let me know and I'll see what I can do.

Today I leave you with Sky Larkin's new video.


"One Of Two"

Frightened Rabbit

Frightened Rabbit only has 1438 friends on Myspace, but I'd wager that that will change dramatically over the next couple of months. Why, you ask? If this month's blog love is any indication, then Frightened Rabbit is on the road to becoming the first buzz band of 2007. Great review in Pitchfork for their debut album, Sing the Grays? Check. Mention on the incredible London blog, The Daily Growl? Check. A spot on The O.C. soundtrack? Well not quite--that shit was cancelled.

Before you dismiss all this talk as faint praise, just take a listen to one of their songs. You'll be won over by the utterly infectious enthusiasm with which they play their instruments, not to mention the incredible songs themselves. Frightened Rabbit plays with elements from a number of different styles, ultimately creating an accessible, even poppy indie rock that fans of Snow Patrol will totally eat up. That's not to say that they sound like Snow Patrol, as they're more like Battle with the dude from The Long Winters on the mic.

My early favorite track is "The Greys," a thunderous jaunt into indie rock territory that highlights the bands' percussive style of playing alongside their knack for writing striking lyrics like "What's the blues, when you've got the grays?" Frightened Rabbit also loves to employ the big, soaring chorus--something you'll find in other standout tracks like "Square 9" and "Modern Leper." These songs are meant to be played to stadiums full of screaming fans, which I think is well within the reach of this band if they play their cards right.

[Myspace] Frightened Rabbit
[mp3] "The Greys"

New Music For The Weekend

DARTZ!: This Teesside group's debut album This Is My Ship drops on February 12th, but in the meantime, do whatever you can to hunt down any music from them. At times I hear Q & Not U or Tom Vek, but the band's jittery indie rock may be equally normal and weird, but it is just as addicting.
[mp3] "Network Network Network"


Plan B: Plan B's debut LP dropped to a mass of critical acclaim last year in the UK [it came in at #14 on my year end list], upping the ante for the modern British hip hop artist, and on top of that, putting Lady Sovereign to shame. A US date has been set -- April 17th on Cordless Recordings, but if you can't wait until then, an EP was released earlier this week.
[mp3] "Sick 2 Def" [featuring The Earlies]


The Eames Era: Another April 17th release is Heroes And Sheroes, the second album from Louisiana's The Eames Era. They are still unsigned and perfect if you like Rilo Kiley, but not the ego of Jenny Lewis.
[mp3] "NC-17"


Albert Hammond Jr.: I like The Strokes and all, but I've never been a huge fan and that's why I approached Albert Hammond Jr.'s solo album with trepidation. Luckily, I gave Yours To Keep a spin and I was impressed, as it's an introspective album that's filled with great hooks and a ton of guests, like Ben Kweller, Sean Lennon and Jody Porter from Fountains Of Wayne. It hits stores Stateside on March 6th through New Line Records.
[mp3] "In Transit"

Underrated Presents: White Rabbits, Sure Juror & Others

NYC's Underrated Blog is bringing the rock [and the beer and the fun] tomorrow night at Sin-e with some of this year's best and brightest bands. If I wasn't so busy, and it wasn't so cold, I'd totally make it down to New York for this. The schedule is as follows:

Sure Juror [8 pm]
Seth Kallen [9 pm]
White Rabbits [10 pm]
The GoStation [11 pm]
Liam & Me [12 am]

Anyone who makes it to the end without passing out wins a prize. Seriously! And show up early for Rural Juror.

[mp3] Sure Juror "Christmas Shopping"
[mp3] White Rabbits "The Plot"

Placebo: Meds Reissue

The whole idea of bands reissuing albums like a year after they are released is annoying and just kind of pointless, but when it's one of the best bands of the past ten years, I'll let it slide. This past Tuesday, Virgin Records put out a refurbished version of Placebo's Meds, which features three bonus songs: "Lazarus," "UNEEDMEMORETHANINEEDU" and "Running Up That Hill," a Kate Bush cover. The album also features guest appearances from Alison Mosshart [from The Kills] and Michael Stipe.

[MySpace] Placebo
[mp3] "Meds"

The Black Lips: Live Album

February 20th will see the release of Los Valentes Del Mundo Nuevo, a live album from Atlanta's The Black Lips recorded in Tijuana, which is also their debut on Vice. If you've seem them live, then you know exactly what to expect from this, as the band plows through all of the hits from their first three records. Along the way, they're helped along by all of the beer that they can find, Mexican teens, marachi bands, fist fights and all of the fun in the world. The band has a few SoCal dates, and they'll be at SXSW as well, pouring beer on you, themselves and anyone else they can find.

01/24 The Glass House - Pomona, CA
01/25 The Casbah - San Diego, CA
01/26 Echo - Echo Park, CA
01/27 Spaceland - LA, CA
01/29 UCLA - LA, CA

[MySpace] The Black Lips
[mp3] "Not A Problem"
[Video] Black Lips trailer [ipod download]

The Rapture: On Tour

The Rapture is going on tour this winter, with dates starting later this week, and to reward all of their loyal fans, they're giving away tickets to each show. As well, you'll also have the chance to win $25 from Krudmart with each pair of tickets. Visit the link here, and click on the city closest to you.

01-25 Orlando, FL @ The Club at Firestone
01-26 Tallahassee, FL @ The Beta Bar
01-27 Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
01-29 Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
01-30 Charlottesville, VA @ Starr Hill Music Hall
01-31 Louisville, KY @ Headliners Music Hall
02-02 Cincinnati, OH @ 20th Century Theatre
02-03 Pittsburgh, PA @ Rex Theatre
02-05 Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
02-06 Indianapolis, IN @ Birdy’s
02-07 Columbus, OH @ The Basement
02-09 Baltimore, MD @ Sonar
02-10 Northampton, MA @ Pearl Street


"Get Myself Into It"

[MySpace] The Rapture
[mp3] "Woo Alright, Yeah Uh-Huh"

The Wombats

To say that I am obsessed with The Wombats is putting it mildly -- they are one of the few bands that I've bothered to listen to lately. Their tunes are energetic, the melodies are ridiculously infectuous and they fiill their songs with a little something extra, whether it be handclaps or three-part harmonies. Girls, Boys & Marsupials is their debut album, one that firmly positions them as 2007's Supergrass or Blur, a band that invokes the British spirit with a slight dose of cheekiness. The fact that the album is filled with hits is downright scary because you can only start to think about their future. Will they be able to follow it up? When is the backlash going to begin? I don't want to worry about that -- I'm just going to listen to this album on repeat for the rest of the day and think about their upcoming SXSW performances.


"Moving To New York"

[Buy] Girls, Boys & Marsupials
[MySpace] The Wombats
[mp3] "Moving To New York"
[mp3] "Lost in the Post"

Boston: Shows [Week of 01.22.07]

01.22: Mark Eitzel @ Middle East Up
01.23: Piebald/Read Yellow @ Middle East Up
01.24: The Televangelist & The Architect @ Middle East Up
01.25: Ho-Ag @ Great Scott
01.26: The Pill @ Great Scott
01.26: Matt Wertz/The Alternate Routes @ Boston Univeristy
01.27: Camera Obscura/Essex Green @ The Paradise
01.27: Township/The Octave Museum/Age Rings @ Middle East Up

One of my co-workers likes to jokingly point out that although I claim that this is a Boston blog, I don't do a whole lot to promote the Boston scene, but really, it's no fault of my own. I've lived here for close to two years, and I've never had so much trouble fitting into a city. Despite seamlessly working my way into DC and NYC, Boston hasn't been quite as easy. I try to promote Boston where I can, as I do this show list each week and I've linked to my favorite local blogs, but outside of that, I feel more comfortable in other places. I've just started to promote the first Exitfare-sponsered event [more on this later], but it's in NYC. A Boston blog putting on a show in NYC, but why? There's really no reason in particular, outside of the difficulty of making inroads in this city and the fact that I know more people in NYC and they're easier to deal with.

I don't want this to seem like I am complaining, it's just that I crave more out of Boston. I've found some great bands already: The Televangelist & The Architect [who are playing this week], Protokoll, Winterpills, Taxpayer and Dear Leader, plus all of the ones I've known about for years, but seriously people, what other music does this city have to offer? Fill me in!

Johnny Flynn

As a rule I rarely fall for blondes or neo-folk musicians, but Johnny Flynn is so incredible both physically and artistically that I'm willing to make an exception. Hailing from the United Kingdom, the young troubadour already has friends in high places--Young and Lost Club will release his first single in February, Transgressive Records has signed on as managers, while artists like Emmy the Great continually champion his merits. It's understandable, because his early demos are incredible and his live performances are spellbinding (look to YouTube for some short clips).

In crafting his songs, Flynn borrows heavily from Nick Drake--appropriating his gorgeous fingerpicking and distinctive thin, melancholy vocals. Not content at mere mimicry, Flynn adds varied instrumentation, lush arrangements, and surprising rhythmic flourishes to create a sound that's all his own. On "Hello Hello," he mixes folk with elements of the Celtic and Appalachian traditions creating a muddy hootenanny that feels spontaneous, innocent, and oddly uplifting. In contrast, "Tickle Me Pink" is a gorgeous heartbreaker of a song with heady lyrics that implore you to "pray for the people inside your head for they won't be there when you're dead" without seeming contrived in the least. This kid has major talent, so jump on it before he releases his debut full-length and wins the Mercury Prize.

[Myspace] Johnny Flynn
[mp3] "Tickle Me Pink"

New Music For The Weekend

On top of all of the bands I normally discover on the net, my inbox is constantly filled with great new music, so one of the ways I wanted to get some of those tunes out to everyone is this new feature which will run each Friday. It only makes sense to facilitate getting more music out your way!


Lovvers: Hailing from Nottingham, UK, they have played with Blood On The Wall and xbxrx and cite Unwound, Rites of Spring and Skull Kontrol as influences. I'm glad that those bands haven't been forgotten about. If you like what you hear, there are three more songs on their MySpace page.
[mp3] "Let's Communicate"


Emmy The Great: It took me awhile to give Emmy a chance, and there was really no explanation. All of my favorite people were talking about her, yet I wouldn't give her a chance. A few nights ago I finally let my guard down and gave her a chance, and that's all I needed. It's not that often that I am struck by a singer-songwriter, but she caught me off guard. The NME describes her as the "honey-voiced angel of British anti-folk," and they are pretty much on spot.
[mp3] "Paper Trails"


Bedroom Eyes: Yet another band with an unhealthy Teenage Fanclub fixation? Maybe, but who says that's a bad thing, plus they're from Sweden!
[mp3] "Dancing Under Influence"


Peter Bjorn & John: I am sure that everyone has heard this song, but if not, now is your chance. As well, the album it can be found on is finally getting a Stateside release on February 6th [with a bonus disc], on Almost Gold. The band will be in NYC on January 29th & 30th and LA on February 1st, but act fast because the first date is already sold out.
[mp3] "Young Folks"

Vega 4

British band Vega 4 has a name that brings to mind a lost science fiction show, one that takes far into the future. In reality, they are about to bring their debut album to the US with a sound that recalls the best of South and The Verve, and people are noticing. "Life Is Beautiful" has already been featured on "Grey's Anatomy," which is apparently the way to go when trying to break a UK band -- just look at what it did for Snow Patrol. Their LP You And Others will be out soon on Original Signal Recordings, while the band is currently on tour supporting Augustana.


"Traffic Jam"

[MySpace] Vega 4
[mp3] "Life is Beautiful"

The View "Wasted Little DJs"

Hats Off To The Buskers, the debut album from Scotland's The View, drops on March 13th through Columbia, showcasing a young band with everything to prove. I think they're great, most of you reading this blog think they're great, but what about everyone that isn't within two hours of a coast? The Arctic Monkeys fucking owned the UK, but fizzled out Stateside, same as the second offering from Franz Ferdinand. So what makes this band any different? I am going to be totally honest with you -- nothing, absolutely nothing at all. But if you're into great music from the British Isles, this will be one of the best offerings of the 2k7.

[MySpace] The View
[mp3] "Same Jeans"

Bloc Party "I Still Remember"

And if you don't know, now you know...

New Bloc Party video. The album is out February 6th on Vice.

The Aquarium

Washington DC is filled with great bands -- there is just something about the capital that promotes creatvity and great music, and it's not just the Fugazi/Jawbox post hardcore variety either. The bands in the city, and more specifically the bands on Dischord, represent an amazing cross-section of disparate styles. Packing the same excitement and politics of their forebears, The Aquarium take on the indie, but from a minimalistic stance that merge a Wurlitzer and old synth with on-point drumming, like a version of Quasi for The District. The band's debut LP was released last year to critical acclaim, and join an ever growing list of bands that are exploring every corner of the sonic spectrum in DC.

[MySpace] The Aquarium
[mp3] "Can't Afford To Live Here"
[mp3] "Golden Pyramid"

Boston: Shows [Week of 01.15.07]

01.16: The Dears/Annuals @ The Paradise
01.16: Sloan @ Middle East Down
01.19: The Pill @ Great Scott
01.19: Cute Is What We Aim For @ Northeastern University
01.20: Mission Of Burma @ The Paradise
01.20: Girl Talk @ Middle East Up
01.20: Freezepop @ TT The Bears
01.20: The Big Sleep/Pinebender @ Great Scott
01.21: An Albatross @ Great Scott

As usual, the winter weather in Boston is awful, keeping me inside for most of the weekend, and unfortunately it's not going to get any better. It's going to snow today or tomorrow and top out at 20 degrees on Wednesday -- this really isn't the type of weather I can get psyched about.

Last night after hitting the bar, I ended up at The Paradise and my first experience with "Happy Endings," easily the best dance night I've been to yet in Boston, but that's not really saying much because most of them have sucked. Anyway, I am not sure how often this goes down, but it's a lot of fun, with the DJs veering between Oasis, Justin Timberlake, New Order, Pulp and whatever else they might like. My night ended up at some random Emerson kids' apartment in Brighton watching the severely underrated "Trapped In The Closet." Where's the remaining eight or nine parts that R. Kelly promised us?

Foals

What would your parents say if you told them that you were dropping out of university after only a year to pursue music? Horrified probably, I'm sure. But would their opinions change if, in the following months, you were signed to Transgressive Records--home to The Young Knives, The Subways, Battle, and a couple other awesome bands? Maybe?

I'd like to ask Foals those questions, because that's basically their story. A year or so ago, all five members of the band dropped out of Oxford to focus on their music. They gigged around the United Kingdom creating quite the buzz for themselves, which ultimately led to a record deal. Though Foals are still so new that they haven't released any singles, EPs, or albums yet, some of their early demos have made their way to the net and let me tell you, they're nothing short of incredible.

Mixing the quirky intelligence of Klaxons, the intricate, angular guitarwork of Minus The Bear, and the whole punk-funk approach of The Rapture into one aggressive ball of energy, Foals are able to create music that is unique, compelling, and a million other positive words. I posted the song "Balloons" below, but I really urge you to head over to their Myspace page to hear two more standout tracks. You will not be disappointed.

[MySpace] Foals
[mp3] "Balloons"

Black Eyes

Back in the early '00s, there was quite the resurgence in DC post hardcore scene, as bands like Q & Not U, Del Cielo and The Beauty Pill started playing out. Another big part of this "scene" was Black Eyes, a band made up of ex-members of The No-Gos, The Better Automatic, among others. The band was fierce, and from the moment they came together in 2001, they attracted the attention of just about everyone by melding pummeling post-punk dynamics with no wave, free jazz and dub. When I first saw them at a house party in New Brunswick, NJ in 2002, I was knee deep in beer an hour before the band went on, but lead singer Hugh McElroy was nice enough to keep me entertained with stories of random, almost forgotten DC bands.

The show was everything I expected it to be and over the next two years, I saw the band any time I could, including a way too hot set at Philadelphia's First Unitarian Church in the late summer of 2003 where the band played with Q & Not U and packed close to 500 people into the cramped church. Luckily for us, the set was worth braving, by far one of the best shows I saw that year. The following year brought a new album, but also the band's dissolution. Since then, McElroy has played in Horses and Sentai, runs Ruffain Records in DC, while Daniel Martin-McCormick and Jacob Long are in San Francisco, with Long records by himself under the name Earthen Sea.

[mp3] "A Pack Of Wolves"
[mp3] "Deformative"
[mp3] "False Positive"
[mp3] "Holy Of Holies"

Cold War Kids: On The Road

The Cold War Kids' Robbers & Cowards was a shoe-in for one of my favorite albums last year, and I was definitely not alone. The band has plenty of more things up there sleeves for this year, including their January NYC and LA residencies, six shows that have long been sold out, so if you want to go, looks like Craigslist will be your new best [or worst] friend. In addition to the shows, the band is finishing up their new video for "Hang Me Up To Dry," which was directed by The Malloy Brothers. Check Itunes now as it's the Single of the Week.

01/10/07 New York, NY @ Pianos
01/12/07 Los Angeles, CA @ The Fold in Silverlake Lounge
01/17/07 New York, NY @ Union Hall
01/19/07 Los Angeles, CA @ The Fold in Silverlake Lounge
01/24/07 New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
01/26/07 Los Angeles, CA @ Spaceland
02/20/07 San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
02/22/07 West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour
02/23/07 San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
02/24/07 Santa Cruz @ The Attic
03/02/07 Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive
03/03/07 Omaha, NE @ Sokol Underground
03/04/07 Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck
03/06/07 Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
03/07/07 Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave at the Eagles Club
03/08/07 Madison, WI @ The Annex
03/09/07 Chicago, IL @ Subterranean
03/10/07 Columbia, MI @ Mojo's
03/12/07 Little Rock, AR @ Juanita's
03/14/07 Dallas, TX @ Gypsy Tea Room & Ballroom
03/19/07 New Orleans, LA @ The Republic
03/20/07 Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder
03/21/07 Orlando, FL @ The Social
03/22/07 St. Augustine, FL @ Cafe 11
03/23/07 Atlanta, GA @ Vinyl
03/24/07 Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge
03/26/07 Mt. Pleasant, SC @ Village Tavern
03/27/07 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506
03/28/07 Washington D.C. @ Nightclub 9:30
03/29/07 Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church
03/30/07 Cambridge, MA @ Middle East Downstairs
03/31/07 Northampton, MA @ Pearl Street Night Club
04/02/07 Montreal, Quebec @ La Sala Rossa
04/03/07 Ottawa, Ontario @ Zaphod Beeblebrox
04/04/07 Toronto, Ontario @ The Mod Club
04/06/07 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
04/07/07 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom

[MySpace] Cold War Kids
[mp3] "Hang Me Up To Dry"
[mp3] "Fast As You Can" [Fiona Apple cover]

Tuesday 01/09/07

This week it has been all Dunkin' Donuts' White Hot Chocolate and Bloc Party's "The Prayer."



I think BP fans would be interested in this article.

BTW, those that were having trouble downloading mp3s, the problem is fixed. I re-uploaded the tracks on both the The Pigeon Detectives and Maccabees posts and they work wonderfully. Ever since EZarchive upgraded, I've been bouncing from server to server trying to find something that works well. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear those as well.

The Pigeon Detectives

[Photo Credit: Gregory Nolan]

To say that Leeds is exploding with great new bands would be an understatement, as it seems that each week I find another great band. The best part is that all of these great bands are not simply rallying around the flag of a single scene, but just the wealth of great ideas and an excess of energy. The Pigeon Detectives are full of this energy, playing hooky and brash '60s-inspired garage rock that is both riotous and anthemic. While mixing in well with the new lot, they're a band that hasn't forgotten about the greats, like The Jam, The Kinks and The Velvet Underground.

The band has dropped three singles on the consistently awesome Dance To The Radio, which is also the home to Forward, Russia!, Shut Your Eyes And You'll Burst Into Flames and Exitfare favorites Sky Larkin. "Romantic Type" is the band's next single, and it will be out on February 26th, which will coincide with a short UK tour. Band of 2007? Maybe, but they'll have to contend with their mates from around town.


"I Found Out"

[MySpace] The Pigeon Detectives
[mp3] "I Found Out"
[mp3] "You Know I Love You"

Boston: Shows [Week of 01.08.07]

01.08: Emily Haines/Tall Firs @ The Paradise
01.10: Faces On Film @ Middle East Up
01.10: Ron Sexsmith @ TT The Bears
01.11: Helms @ Middle East Up
01.12: The Pill @ Great Scott
01.14: Furvis/Georgie James @ Middle East Up

After this weekend of amazing weather, I am ready for spring, but the awful thing is that I still have a few months filled with dreary days, snow and 20 degree temperatures to deal with. I just started organizing a list of shows for the rest of winter in Boston, and there are a lot of great bands coming through, starting this week with Emily Haines tonight and Georgie James on Sunday, and that's not counting the severely underappreciated local outfit Helms. Despite the winter weather returning this week, there are plenty of reasons to stay occupied indoors.

[mp3] Helms "The Skills You Need To Succeed In The 20th Century"

Wojtek Godzisz

[Photo Credit: Tom McShane]

I almost didn't listen to Wojtek Godzisz due to his appearance. The long unkempt hair, the burly mountain man beard, and the frolicking in the mud just screamed "hippy" to me. I don't know about you, but I find hippies really annoying. I don't know if it's the idealism or the patchwork clothing, the bongo/hackey sack circles or the god awful jam bands... they're just my krytonite. I see one walking down the street and I get this powerful impulse to yell "take a shower!" Little kids know that that type of shit is wrong, but apparently I do not.

Beard or no beard, it would have been a shame if I had skipped over Wojtek Godzisz because the guy is a major talent. It's not that he's really doing anything different than anyone else in the last ten odd years, he just writes great songs. But even after listening to "I Will Give You Nothing" fifteen times in a row, it still boggles my mind how he somehow takes conventional elements like song forms and instrumentation and makes them sound completely fresh. It may be his seasoned voice, which alternates between devastatingly unemotional and restrained on the verses (think Smog) and intensely animated on the choruses (think radio friendly pop perfection). Or maybe it's because Godzisz put together the elements in such a way that energy ebbs and flows masterfully throughout the song until the final climax. Whatever the reason, I can't wait for his debut EP to come out in the near future.

[MySpace] Wojtek Godzisz
[mp3] "I Will Give You Nothing"

Babyshambles "Love You But You're Green"

Dear Pete,

Thank you for surviving 2006 without killing yourself or anyone else. I am glad that the new Babyshambles material is better than the stuff on that first album. Let's hope you can keep yourself alive for a great second album! One more thing, let us know if you're really married or not.

Love,
Exitfare

The Maccabees

When I picked up the NME's year end wrap-up issue a few weeks ago, I had a little laugh to myself when looking at James Jam's singles of the year, as he picked "Lego" from The Maccabees at #5. Fortunately for us, we noticed the tune when it was first released, back in late 2005, when it became an off-the-bat favorite. This is yet another reason why I should be writing for NME, so editors if you're reading, hire me.

But onto more important things, like the fact that The Maccabees are on a label now, as they recently signed with Polydor in the UK, who will be putting their record out in February. Not sure about title, track listing or even the exact date, but the album is sure to be filled with the same spiky post-Libertines workouts that have crowded the band's four singles, many of the same songs I obsessed over for most of last year. Not to be outdone, but the band will be taking the show on the road all over the UK this winter and hopefully not inciting the riot that they did last year.


"First Love"

[MySpace] The Maccabees
[mp3] "First Love"
[mp3] "Latchmere"

What's Your Rupture?

In my early teens, right after I had discovered indie rock and college radio [big ups to WXAC], my parents gave me their old turntable, one that I had little use for at first. My parents' record collection consisted of Skynyrd, Dylan and The Allmans, all of which of were the anti-Dany. While most of my friends collected CDs, I began to track down my favorite bands on vinyl, especially all of the great, limited-edition 7"s available, from the Sub Pop singles club to spinART's Pop Licks.

A decade and a half later, and I am almost fed up with CDs, but NYC label What's Your Rupture? hasn't forgotten why vinyl kept all of us indie kids occupied in the '90s. Last year the label dropped four limited edition vinyl only EPs, from Sweden's Love Is All, whose cover was silk-screened in the label owner's apartment to Sheffield's brilliant and stylish The Long Blondes [pictured] to underground faves Comet Gain. These are bands that beg to be listened to on vinyl, as the sound not only gets louder but also expands as the volume is bumped up.

For those of us who were either too slow, have retired that turntable or just want all of these singles on one handy disc, WYR? is hooking us up on February 6th with the release of Imagine The Shapes. The four bands featured, including caUSE co-MOTION, have been on the tip of many people's tongues for the past year, but this should be the breakout year for all of them, and this great label as well.


The Long Blondes "Giddy Stratospheres"

[MySpace] What's Your Rupture?
[mp3] Love Is All "Make Out Fall Out Make Up"
[Video] Love Is All "Make Out Fall Out Make Up"
[mp3] The Long Blondes "Giddy Stratospheres"

Sure Juror

Holy shit, it's 2007! And I didn't do anything debaucherous last night, unless you would consider watching nine episodes of Veronica Mars to be wild and crazy. I might have to argue for crazy because that's all I watched for five days.

Upon discovering that one of my old college buddies was in a band, I was non-plussed. A number of them were in bands, but most weren't very good, so I didn't hold my breath. I quickly changed my tune when I heard Sure Juror's debut, an album filled with quirky tunes that took the sound that Nuetral Milk Hotel perfected and moved it into the space age. The band is back this year with a brand new album, SMUT, one that is sure to bring even more blog love their direction. I haven't put my finger on a favorite track yet, but like the best albums, I'll change my mind of that weekly and months later decide that every song is awesome. If you're around NYC, look out for them in local clubs, including an Underrated-sponsored show on January 27th at Sin-e. More are shows are pending for the winter, and of course I'll keep you updated on those.

[MySpace] Sure Juror
[mp3] "Harry Reems And The Bill Of Rights"
[mp3] "Smut"

Boston: Shows [Week of 01.01.07]

01.03: Kay Hanley @ TT The Bears
01.05: Kimchee Records 10th Anniversary @ TT The Bears
01.05: The Pill @ Great Scott
01.06: Missing Persons @ Middle East Down

Sorry if anyone missed me during my week-plus break, but I needed to get away for awhile. It's not like I don't like spending my time posting about new music on Exitfare, but every now and then I need to put it on the backburner. I needed to relax, and I did just that, spending time with the family back in PA and many hours in front of the TV. Over the past five days, I've watched every episode of Veronica Mars -- let's just say that I am hooked. Also, I have at least two weeks worth of posts written in my head, which bodes well for this year. If 2006 was any indication, this new year should be filled with some really great new music! New music will be back tomorrow.