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flashguns & robots

24 Oct

Saturday’s Bridge School Benefit Concert was my favorite yet. Last year’s miserable deluge was traded in for sun, I found myself rocking out to Carlos Santana (blame the whiskey?), Beck pleased the crowd with a string of tracks off of Sea Change and Mumford and Sons were on everyone’s lips by the end of the evening. I love the feeling live music can evoke in me of being removed from everything and completely centered at the same time.

Today’s Emo: Heat & Fire / Flashguns

‘if I give myself away / will you buy a piece of me everyday’

Coming across a music blog that you really like is like when you meet a new friend and totally hit it off; there is a thrill of the potential that lies ahead between the two of you. Perhaps I feel this way because I found the blog I am currently smitten over via my friend Asanka setting me and its author, Venya, up via a facebook intro. I am so thankful that he did, because it is rare that I find a blog that I enjoy both listening to and reading to so much…  beatrixtapes is filled with layers of awesome chillwave dance and indie, with thoughtful musings and reviews nestled amidst the tracks.

One of my favorite discoveries so far is Flashguns, a British indie rock trio who released their debut full length album, Passions of a Different Kind, this month. I am just starting to wrap my head around the album and their sound, but an initial take has me getting a The Kooks meet Cold War Kids meet Fleet Foxes kind of vibe. Yes please. Heat & Fire is one of my favorite tracks thus far, edgy but easy on the ears, steady but with surprises. #emo

Today’s Untz: The Girl and the Robot / Royksopp ft. Robyn 

‘you never seem to know when to stop / I never know when you’ll return / I’m in love with a robot’ 

While I was busy chilling at Bridge School, my best friend Nicole spent the weekend in LA dancing her face off to Royksopp, my favorite Norwegian two headed monster of untz, and the one and only Robyn. I know I can’t have it all, but still find myself beyond jealous to miss out on such a killer combo live. Nicole said they teared it up and played their two collaborations together — None of Dem and today’s untz about a relationship with serious work/life balance problems. If I close my eyes with the speakers up, I can almost imagine it going down. #untz

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king hollow

15 Jun

Which legs are mine? Whose mystery stems?

Today’s Emo: Barton Hollow / The Civil Wars

‘miles and miles in my bare feet / still can’t lay me down to sleep’

Funny how people cringe and turn their nose up at the idea of “country” only to embrace a similar sound as long as it is “folk.” Guilty as charged, I have long distanced myself from my Oregon country radio roots of Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban and their songs about American flags, kissing on porch swings, and who keeps the cat after a breakup, but happily settle into folk groups using similar instruments and sounds to produce rolling harmonies, foot stomping sensations, and that feeling of home.

A fresh, beautiful and simple but sassy tune, Barton Hollow makes me really excited to see these two play live on Sunday. I am admittedly a little bummed they are married to other people as I really hear some fire burning in these vocals, but maybe they are having an illicit affair. At least they are not siblings. #emo

Today’s Untz: The Immortals / Kings of Leon (Royksopp remix)

‘spill out on the streets of stars / and ride away / find out what you are / face to face’

Another electro gem borrowed off my friend Tom’s BlogJuice, I am totally digging Royksopp’s crazy mix of this Kings track off Come Around Sundown. The two headed Norwegian monster of untz take the slow and steady ballad The Immortals, flip the vocals into something childlike, and inject some serious beats, mixing things up to the point that you need the chorus to trace your way back to the original song. Pleased to dance my face off. #untz

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a cold glass of milk

28 Feb
It’s the end of the month, which means the paying of bills and receiving of paychecks and the subtle reminder that things keep moving forward. Blame it on the 28 days, but February blew by. I am coming off an I Love the Bay week, from prancing around to the Hood Internet at the Rickshaw Stop and an unexpected Irish pop show at Slims, to a sunset run to the GG Bridge, brunch at the Ferry Building, and too many drinks in the Mission. My life is enriched with exceptional people and a beautiful backdrop. And music. #emo intro
[note – couldn’t get SoundCloud to behave on the CWK song, but it remains my player of choice]

‘bulldozer / step up this is going to hurt / gnash your teeth, take a bite of the dirt‘

I have to share a pure, unmixed Cold War Kids song because despite what critics may say, their new album is really something and Bulldozer is my favorite track. It is a bit sappy, a bit much, but just listen to it. Arcing vocals, gritty industrial drums, and a sinister rolling bass build into a crazy rush. And then it slows down a bit. And then does it again. Beautiful destruction.
If a love has to be bulldozed in order to to start over, I’d imagine it to be rebuilt on a pretty rocky foundation. But I like the idea of being willing to try. #emo

Today’s Untz: Keyboard Milk / Royksopp

I was fucking around on Hypem on Friday afternoon and eyeing the clock for freedom, when I stumbled upon Keyboard Milk. It started simply enough, and I began to carry on my activities on my own keyboard.  By minute two I had stopped my four window multitasking, halted gchat communication, and deserted my half finished proposal to let this song wash over me in its entirety. Layer by layer.

By around 4:55, you feel like you are swept into the kind of musical celebration played at the end of a SNES Final Fantasy game that you just poured 100 hours of your life into in order to save the kingdom from evil (not that I know from experience what this could be like). Triumphant, majestic, warm.  Royksopp self identifies as a “two-headed norwegian monster, dealing within the realm of contemporary electronic music.” Fitting. Thirsty. #untz

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