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plastic bicycles

17 Feb

My boyfriend gave me the most romantic Valentines Day gift of my life: a box of shinny new custom made The Untz and the Indie t-shirts!  Going to rock these at Coachella this year and quickly garner several hundred thousand more listeners who dance their faces off, or chill. ❤

Today’s Indie: What You Want / Bombay Bicycle Club

What You Want / Bombay Bicycle Club

‘trying to keep a face up tonight / even when the guy’s got you right / coming off the wrong side, you know / oh you force it all’

Saw BBC play the Rickshaw Stop last night, and while I am the sleepiest cat on the block today, the boys put on a great show, highlighting a lot of songs from their newest album, A Different Kind of Fix. What You Want is a more somber track than their shake inducing single, Shuffle, but I found it the most striking. There is a Frightened Rabbit / Fleet Foxes vibe to opening vocals, which gives way to something with a bite to it, and I like the way echoed lyrics give the impression of a round in a lot of their stuff. Coffee please. #indie

Today’s Untz: Our Perfect Disease / The Wombats (Plastic Plates remix)

‘it was the perfect disease we had / something to argue and scream about / who can I see about contracting it back?’

For my next musical adventure and in my quest to balance my inner untz and indie, I am going to see Plastic Plates at the Mezz next Friday. Futuristic space disco, I am ready to dance my face off to you. Here is a fun little remix of The Wombats from him.  #untz

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a new blog name…

3 Feb

Big change today. After a year of blogging as the untz and the emo, I have decided to lovingly retire the “emo” from the name and change it to indie. While the untz and emo sounds a lot cuter and looks a lot smoother, I often worry people get the wrong idea of being categorized as “emo” and miss the tongue-in-cheek to it all. Since I would never want the xx or The National (who I am sure are regular readers of my blog) to think I am bucketing them with Dashboard Confessional and The Get Up Kids, I feel like this is the right move. And I figure if  Michael Jordan can change his number, I can get away with a word swap.

So there you have it, my first oficial sign off from TUATI (RIP TUATE).

vampire heartbeats

29 Dec

I am back in San Francisco and in the midst of a forced staycation – the office is closed for the week and we have to take the days off as vacation. Accordingly, I am making the most of it by taking over this ghost town, spending last night playing heated games of liars dice and prowling in the Mission into early hours. And lots of Animal Planet.

Today’s Emo: Heartbeats / Ellie Goulding (The Knife cover)

‘ten days of perfect tunes / the colors, red and blue / we had a promise made / we were in love

I came across EG’s cover of this classic last night and immediately buckled in the knees… my admiration for this lady is only growing, and it is hard not to love hearing her voice sing one of the most romantic songs of my time. Heartbeats technically started with The Knife’s untz original, but her version is easily traceable back to Jose Gonzalez’ stripped down emo take.

There are so many gems nestled in the lyrics that I had a hard time picking a single string for italics above. I ultimately opted for the part of the song about perfect tunes, because when you are smitten hard, music just sounds so much better. #emo

Today’s Untz: The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance / Vampire Weekend (Chromeo remix)

‘your pillow feels so soft now / but still you must advance’

While I have never been a die hard Vampire Weekend fan, their debut album and I did spend a magical spring break together back in college, amidst the sand and surf. This remix has me back on that beach, Corona in hand. #untz

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final holiday

24 Dec

I should be wrapping presents and grabbing a couple last minute gifts, but music can’t wait for Santa tonight. These cookies can though, with a side of milk. Happiest of holidays.

Today’s Emo: Holiday / Capital Cities (Madonna cover)

‘we’re gonna have a celebration / all across the world / in every nation’

Capital Cities are two heavily bearded guys from Los Angeles who know how to command a crowd and stole my heart with their single Safe and Sound earlier this year. I saw them open for Wait What over at Public Works during the fall and they turned the room in the matter of a song or two, transforming a peaceful upstairs who had never heard of them into a sweaty epic dance party. No better way to spend a Thursday.

Here is the boys’ new take on Madonna’s classic, a toasty warm track that is a great listen for anyone taking the week off of work for stretches of white sand and margaritas or douglas firs, stockings and spiked cider around the fire. Holiday. Celebrate. Merry #emo

Today’s Untz: F.A.R.E.W.E.L.L / Final DJS

I found this gem on one of my favorite blogs, LA’s Binary, and have been playing it on repeat since I arrived home to Oregon for the holidays, much to the chagrin of my family who just doesn’t get “the untz” (pronounced in all different fashions).

F.A.R.E..W.E.L.L starts strong and keeps it up, with unexpected twists and turns carved along the way while still driving you straight forward throughout. Perhaps it is unfitting to start the day with a song about farewells, but this is the kind of music I want to listen to nestled up in bed on a quiet Sunday morning, awake but unwilling to fully wake and leave the warm comforts of bed, sleepily letting its pieces sink in. Merry #untz-mas

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night cough syrup

16 Dec

Today’s Grum track comes from TrashJuice‘s own Tom “Ferris” Faries.  I have been grabbing undercover untz from his blog for the last year, so it seems only fitting to get an official contribution. Consider this the lovemaking of our blogs (strictly musical).

Today’s Emo: Cough Syrup / Young the Giant

‘life’s too short to even care at all oh / I’m coming up now out of the blue’

A chorus saying life is too short to even care at all could be liberating, like don’t sweat the small stuff that doesn’t matter, or depressing, like fuck everything nothing matters. Since this song is about abusing the Purple Drink I am guessing it is the latter, but what a playful fun melody to take it all in with. Cough Syrup was shot over to me by my friend Chris the other day, and I have been taking steady doses since. The track is off Irvine formed indie rock quintet Young the Giant’s self titled debut of last year. Another spoonful please. #emo

Today’s Untz: Grum – Runaway (Nightriders Remix)

A groovy tune devoid of any lyrical meaning doesn’t mean a song can’t bring to mind an array of feelings. This Grum tune which has been remixed by Nightriders was never officially released. What is released is an overwhelming sense of wanting to cruise down south on the Pacific Coast Highway with the windows down, the stars out, a great friend at your side, and palm trees passing you by. This is easily one my favorite tracks of the past year and it entirely encompasses the sound TrashJuice yearns for. Turn it up. #untz – Tom

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enormous dinosaurs and mansions on the moon

7 Dec

I got so excited about today’s artists that my post has turned into a novella. Let the surplus count towards future Cliff Note-esque musings.

Today’s Emo: Leaves Fall / Mansions on the Moon

‘I think of you when the leaves change / and I remember what it is I had’

Mansions on the Moon: this week’s stellar discovery in the internet galaxy. Leaves Fall has the beautiful vocals and lyrics of the traditional singer/songwriter world, but the silvery synth and beat carrying it forward make it its own thing – a little indi-tronic, a hint of bedroom pop. However you define it, it is the kind of song that settles into you and let’s you settle into it. We all have things in life that remind us of people, for better or worse, and leaves are pretty unavoidable, making the song all the more poignant.

Mansions on the Moon is a trio from Atlanta who are releasing their new Lightyears EP track by track on their site. With Pharrell Williams as their executive producer and this amazing sound, it is only a matter of when not if they get some serious buzz. I am reallly excited to see where these guys go. #emo

Today’s Untz: The King and all of his Men / Wolf Gang (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs remix)

‘and if you’re dealing in a trick and a lie / I need to see her face for one last time’

I’ll admit that with a shortlist of nicknames that includes Tor Tor Dinosaur and DinoTor, I was already biased towards Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs by his name alone, but it didn’t take long for him to seal the deal with his sound. TEED is the solo project of Oxford’s Orlando Higginbottom, and Orlando is is the type of artist that makes blogging fun. He rocks an array of epic dinosaur costumes on the stage on a regular basis, takes press photos in an indian headdress, and comes across as totally enormously fun (and bright) in his interviews. Whenever I listen to his tracks I feel like I am transported back to the stone age, Land of the Lost style, but with only friendly, peaceful herbivores roaming amongst the palm trees, accompanied by a booze filled coconut and a little umbrella.

TEED also has great taste in his material – I loved this Wolf Gang track before he went pre-historic on it, and when I woke up to this remix Sunday morning to the start of a great day in the midst of a great weekend, it seemed fitting to share the good vibes. Enjoy. #untz

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broken gossip

5 Dec

A short post after an amazingly music filled weekend.

Today’s Emo: Broken Jaw / Foster the People

‘then you take it away / and I come back down’

Foster the People’s Torches has been fueling my winter runs, and surprisingly one of my favorite songs is only on the bonus track version of the album. Broken Jaw drips of MGMT with a slow intro rolling up into an opus of a chorus, and even though it is much softer than most of FTP’s stuff it is so epic and emo it really gets me going. #emo

Today’s Untz: Heavy Cross / Gossip (Fred Falke remix)

‘it’s a cruel cruel world, to face on your own / a heavy cross, to carry alone’

I caught a clip of Heavy Cross on TV this weekend in a perfume ad featuring a smashing Charlize Theron, and was reminded of how awesome this song is. Throw in the handiwork of Mr. Falke and you have the perfect antidote to Monday morning blues. #untz

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rural sundown

2 Dec

I am spending the weekend camping out at the Bill Graham Auditorium for a double feature of epic emo, seeing My Morning Jacket play tonight and Local Natives and The National tomorrow. This serves as the perfect musical counterpart to next weekend’s back to back untzathon of Al P and Tycho. Thanks Bay Area.

Today’s Emo: Frank, AB / The Rural Alberta Advantage

‘and I’ll hold  / I’ll hold on to your touch / ’til they find the bones of us’

I came across this song via a vimeo link on a friend’s gchat status yesterday, which led me to this amazing video of French highliners. I was transfixed watching these guys walk fearlessly between mountains and skyscrapers on a thread, but what really caught my attention (surprise) was the song playing in the background, which I tracked down on YouTube and proceeded to devour on repeat for hours all morning.

Rural Alberta Advantage is a band that everyone has told me I should like, but previous listens to their work never really got me going. Clearly I just needed to stumble upon the right track, because now that I have truly found them I am not letting go. With a gritty yet polished sound, a killer hook, sweet mountainous lyrics that make me yearn for home in Oregon, and arcing vocals, Frank, AB stirs me to the point of making me want to jump off high things (with a rope, of course). Delighted. #emo

Today’s Untz: Sundown / Chris Lake (Laidback Luke remix)

A bit of a rambunctious track, but its Friday/Playday and I need some further stirring up to make it through work. Laidback Luke is always a treat, and he does a nice little number on Chris Lake’s track. I haven’t been out dancing to some serious untz in a couple months and this has me thirsting to get back in the game. #untz

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red light motel

28 Nov

Favorite new website find that combines two of my favorite things: drinkify.org. Simply type in the artist you want to listen to, and this genius site will give you a track and the perfect drink pairing. A bottle of red wine all for yourself with Bon Iver, a martini of tears for the Get Up Kids, a shot of Southern Comfort for Tim McGraw et cetra. While not a perfect science (it seems to default less known bands to PBR) it’s really quite clever, and being the Monday after a long holiday weekend, we could all use a drink.

Today’s Emo: At Least I Have Nothing / Saint Motel

‘and I probably messed up / made a mistake / at least it was mine’

A delicious pop treat from up and coming Los Angelites Saint Motel. I was pulled in on first listen by the suave vocals, catchy guitar, and lead singer AJ’s smug “mmm” after singing he has nothing. The hook is inescapable, relaying the somber benefits to leading a life with no strings attached.

The band has described the song as  ‘a fucked up look at the bright side of utter despair. When you have nothing, maybe that nothingness is actually something… freedom.‘ Bright side indeed. The track follows the group’s earlier single, Puzzle Pieces, and will be dropped via an upcoming 7’ vinyl. #emo

Today’s Untz: Red Light / Gigamesh ft Amanda Love

‘music / magic’

Music magic indeed, this track makes you feel good from the ears on down. Gigamesh has been posting great stuff for some time now, but recently released his first official EP. He took the time to personally thank me for my original post of his work a few months ago, while politely pointing out that I had misspelled his name as Gilgamesh (damn Mesopotamian mythology). Never again. The whole four track EP is a win, and Red Light is the perfect way to cautiously ease back into the working world. #untz

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a little home

23 Nov

A home themed track to go with the holiday weekend alongside your pumpkin pie. Happy Thanksgiving!

Today’s Emo: Home / Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

‘hot and heavy pumpkin pie / chocolate candy Jesus Christ / ain’t nothing please me more than you’

I am lucky to have a concept of home that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside, returning for the holidays to the house I grew up in with a family that has picnics under the Christmas tree every Christmas Eve and that lies down on the kitchen floor between Thanksgiving dinner and dessert in order to burp to make more room for the final course.

Edward Sharpe’s version of Home translates this feeling into a love, and I totally dig it… ultimately it is people and not places that cause this sense of comfort. And people can be anywhere. #emo

Today’s Untz: Little Man / Little Dragon (Tycho remix)

‘something missing in your smile / something missing in your soul’

A chill, minimal take on Little Dragon’s Little Man by one of San Francisco’s own. Tycho, aka Scott Hansen, is playing the Independent on December 10th, and if I survive Santa Con that day I will be sure to check him out-ambient beats could serve as the perfect antidote to a morning of mayhem running around Polk Street in a full santa suit. Although maybe I should wear it to the show. #untz

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