Work has been crazy before, but things feel at a new level. And once more, Friday does not feel like Friday when I know I will be heading back into the office on Saturday. Thus the shortest TUATE post of all time, but still only my favorite music.
Today’s Emo: Bloodbuzz Ohio / Oh Land (The National cover)
‘stand up straight at the foot of your love / I lift my shirt up’
Remember when Mr. Little Jeans covered Arcade Fire’s Suburbs, and broke everything down in the subtle, effervescent way that only a woman can take something apart and put it back together? This is that, but with the National and Oh Land, and I like it even more. I want to take everything too far. #emo
Today’s Untz: Sweet Disposition / Temper Trap (Axwell and Dirty South remix)
‘oh, reckless abandon / like no one’s watching you’
Fall’s first ‘heavy’ rain bout has been blanketing San Francisco this week, and while most of the city has forgotten how to drive and is grieving the loss of the sun (it should be back on Friday guys), the Oregonian in me is quietly comforted by the presence of low hanging clouds, the opportunity to sleep with the windows open and an excuse to cozy up inside a bit and catch up on music.
Today’s Emo: Right Here With Me / Expo
‘I want you right here with me’
This song makes me think of that moment when you realize you want to let someone into your life and have them around, really around, and what that feels like. The track is the second online single debuted by new Belgian indie electro poppers, Expo. Smooth vocals, playful synth, infectious beats, and even what sounds like a hint of Miike Snow’s Animal hidden in parts of the piano… I am right there with them. Watch out for their first EP, set for early 2012. #emo
Today’s Untz: Rebound / Arty and Mat Zo
I realize my untz has been pretty indie laced lately, so here is a change of pace. My dear friend Asanka from Sri Lanka lives and breathes untz, and I had the pleasure of him sharing this track with me en route to Golden Gate Park for the Bluegrass Festival last weekend. Windows down, sun out, rocking out in the middle of the day, hard. There is so much going on in this song–the perfect blend of builds and breaks, with layer upon layer of sound and some stellar trance without being too… trancy. It momentarily had me wanting to drop everything and find a dark dance floor, but alas it was 1pm and I had an afternoon of open fields and epic folk ahead of me.
Arty is an up and comer garnering some serious attention from Russia while Mat Zo is a producer and dj hailing from England. When their powers combine… you know. #untz
I attended my first Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in Golden Gate Park on Saturday, and it was amazing. Basically Outside Lands for grown ups and granola eaters, minus the pomp and circumstance, corporate sponsors and untz, plus a lot of twang. Best of all (and most flooring) totally free for all to enjoy.
We settled down with a picnic on the hill overlooking the Towers of Gold stage and saw Dr. House (Hugh Laurie) seriously break it down on the piano, followed by a great set by Broken Social Scene. The forecast called for fog and even a chance of showers, but instead we found ourselves drenched in indian summer sun, and several of the overlayered festival goers stripping down to their skivvys to beat the heat. This weekend goes into the ever growing list of the reasons why I love this city.
Today’s Emo: Teenage Tide / Letting Up Despite Great Faults
I will continue to ride the sun waves into Monday with some beachy California dream pop from Los Angeles’ Letting Up Despite Great Faults. The band name Letting Up Despite Great Faults reminds me of the likes of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and blends right into a blog where all the indie is called emo. It also demands an instant acronym in order to be efficiently discussed. LUDGF has a new EP, Paper Crush, out this October, and their dependable guitar, silvery vocals, and catchy beats here are enough to win me over, even if the acronym is a bit shaky. #emo
A snappy remix of one of the best tracks off of Friendly Fire’s newish album, Pala, with an intro that reminds me of the cooing tropical intro of my favorite Dolorean song, Stay Close. And a snappy introduction. #untz
theuntzandtheindie 