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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national dance

30 Nov

Bananas.

Today’s Emo: Terrible Love / The National

Terrible Love / The National

‘and I can’t fall asleep / without a little help / it takes awhile to settle down’

I am seeing The National headline for the first time on Saturday night at the Bill Graham Auditorium, and it has already gotten hard to concentrate on regular life three days out. The band needles itself in and out of my heart as being my absolute favorite, and this song brought me to tears at the end of Coachella last year (and not just because I was exhausted after three days of revelry).

The piano, the builds and breaks, the lyrics, Matt’s baritone–Terrible Love settles into you in the best kind of way, and after hundreds of listens still gets me every time. Love is terrible, and awesome, and spider filled and amazeballs. Thanks for articulating this guys, see you Saturday. #emo

Today’s Untz: Dance / Rebecca & Fiona

‘this is happy sleepless times’

Every month or two I come across a new song that immediately drives me totally bat shit and all I can articulate  is, “so good… so good.” I will attempt to shake myself out of my original stupor and explain why: celestial beats, whispery, sigh inducing lady vocals, and some beautiful strings nestled throughout. So good… so good. A blog favorite of mine, Sunset in the Rearview, put it like this: “This track, Dance, is less a song about dancing and more a song about making love to the floor with your feet and, by extension, your body.” Mmhmm.

Upon a little research I’ve discovered Rebecca and Fiona are beautiful Swedish princesses ruling the my world right now, and the duo recently released an album, I Love You Man, which I am checking out as I write. If the vocals sound vaguely familiar, look no further than Kaskade’s Turn it Down. #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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fade into everything

25 Nov

I have to blog in hiding from my one year old nephew because he is completely mesmerized by macbooks and tries to swallow them whole. My sister obtained a strange device that converted her old iPhone into a toy for him to play with. Hopefully he will take to music as much as he does to technology.

Today’s Emo: Fade Into You / Mazzy Star

‘some kind of light into your darkness’

My dad played his Best of Bridge School compilation all of Thanksgiving Day, and coming across this track again was a welcome reunion of sound. Fade into You is the kind of track you would imagine slow dancing to at prom if they played artists with a degree of complexity beyond Beyonce, with a steady sway to it that lingers. It settles into you so nicely.

The duo of Mazzy Star has released their first new song in fifteen years, Common Burn, in October, and while it is easy on the ears it doesn’t strike quite the same chord with me. Still worth a listen, and this track definitely worth a revisit. #emo

Today’s Untz: Everything in its Right Place / Radiohead (Tensnake remix)

‘everything in it’s right place’

Something I am thankful for: this edit of Radiohead’s Everything by Hamburg based dj/producer, Tensnake. The remix has been blowing up the blogesphere and dominating my speakers all week. It has been hard to track down an online version, but YouTube to the rescue. Right place, right now. #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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be true or bust

21 Nov

Half marathon complete! Special thanks to Classixx, Swedish House Mafia, and Avicci et al for having my back. Now just need to brave through a couple of days at work before I hop on a plane to Oregon and slip happily into the holiday weekend.

Today’s Emo: True Love or Bust / Long Walks on the Beach

‘and sure we’ve broken our hearts / like one too many times / but not too many times’

After spending the weekend running along the shore of Monterey, it seems fitting to take some Long Walks on the Beach with my Monday. This is third track I have shared from LWOTB, aka Fritz Kramer, investigative journalist by day and magical bedroom pop producer by night, and like all of his stuff, it is the kind of music that just makes you feel good. Sweet crooning, steady beats, an endearing chorus… there is nothing complex here and the gold is in the simplicity of the sound, restful while warming on the ears.

LWOTB’s site, aptly beachtheonwalkslong.com is also filled with hints of musical inspiration and thoughtful little tidbits. I know you have a day job Fritz, but think about coming and walking Ocean Beach and playing a show out here in SF. I wanna buy you a beer. #emo

Today’s Untz: Let it Be / Blackmill ft. Veela

The slower side of untz, this is my first time posting ‘chillstep’ but there is really no better way to describe this sound. Let is Be settles into you and makes you want to stretch out and loosen up, but definitely move. It’s creator, Robert Card, hails from Scotland and is a whopping nineteen years old. At a time where I was busy downing jello shots, he is already crafting some pretty accomplished stuff. Sigh. #untz

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turn down the love

18 Nov

I am heading down to Monterey for the weekend to run the Big Sur half on Sunday morning, and have been spending the end of the week gathering all my best untz and flashiest indie pop to make an epic playlist to get me through the 13.1. Definitely not a purist who believes running should be silently focused on concentration and meditation… since the whole thing will be OVER by 9:30am, dishing out the loud stuff that keeps my feet off the ground.

Today’s Emo: You Got the Love / the xx (Florence + the Machine cover)

‘sooner or later in life, the things you love you lose / but you’ve got the love I need to see me through’

While my need for new Florence + the Machine has been satiated with the release of Ceremonials, the lack of any new xx has me revisiting old favorites. Florence’s signature harp cut with the Romy and Oliver’s soft yet smoldering vocals and tossed with playful beats is the perfect soundtrack to start your Friday. After all this time it still falls fresh on my ears… but hurry up guys. #emo

Today’s Untz: Turn it Down / Kaskade (Le Castle Vania remix)

‘look before you make your beat loud / can you turn it down’

There is nothing about this song that makes me want to turn it down–it is exactly the kind of sound that will be fueling me through Sunday. Everyone has been talking about how great Kaskade’s new album is and I can’t help but hop on the bandwagon. While I love her, it is refreshing to hear one of Kaskade’s tracks laced with vocals from someone other than Haley, and Le Castle Vania spins a nice little number on the whole thing. The release of Fire and Ice makes me thankful once again that Ryan Raddon forfeited Mormonism for the church of #untz

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pirate doves

16 Nov

Little time for music this week as I have started reading this little series you may have heard of called The Hunger Games, and suddenly am totally unable to pry myself away from hundreds of pages of young adult fiction… some hybrid of Twilight minus the vampires, Harry Potter minus the magic, and Survivor except with teenagers as the contestants who are fighting till the death a la Lord of the Flys. God help me.

Today’s Emo: Wicked Games / Coeur De Pirate (The Weeknd cover)

‘bring your love / baby I can bring my shame / bring the drugs / baby I can bring my pain’

Coeur de Pirate (French for Pirate Heart) is a Canadian born singer named Beatrice Martin. Beatrice hails from Quebec and sings mostly in French (check out Les Amoures Devouees, delightful gibberish to my ears), but she puts her dirty pirate mouth to work on this cover of The Weeknd’s Wicked Games in Ingles. It is brilliant to hear such a gentle, soft voice emitting such gritty language, and while I imagine her singing it with a smirk on her face, she carries the somber tune with sincerity until the very end, when we catch a glimmer of giggles. #emo

Today’s Untz: Mother Protect / Niki & the Doves (Goldroom remix)

‘I used to follow you, follow you for days / I slept beside you, just shadows away’

I have been lusting over this song on Hypem all week only to discover yesterday that the remix artist Goldroom is the main writer for my new blog crush, Binary. New as in I have only just become acquainted and started devouring its content new, the blog has been around for some time now. Highly recommend, as with this track. #untz

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