Your Super Special Song of the Day . . . Suckas

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2009-08-25T12:14:00.000-07:00

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Time Out!

2009-06-18T09:29:00.001-07:00

Listen Up will be taking some time out to find a better way to post songs. File Den has suspended us and imeem is being a straight up bitch. I would really like to focus mainly on local and independent bands. If you have music that you would like to share from your band, a friend's band or a local/independent band that you're cuckoo bananas about, please send them along to causticallyoptimistic@gmail.com. Thanks!

Sigur Ros: Viorar Vel Til Loftarasa

2009-06-16T07:46:00.000-07:00

Good Weather For Airstrikes

I Slide Myself Forward

Through My Head

I Think Half Way

Backwards

See Myself Sing The Anthem

That We Wrote Together

We Had A Dream

We Had Everything

We Rode To The End Of The World

We Rode Searching

Climbed Skyscrapers

That Later Exploded

The Peace Was Out

I Leak Balance

Fall Down

Total Silence

No Answer

But The Best Thing God Has Created

Is A New Day

Click Here to Listen to Viorar Vel Til Loftarasa

Photography of Alicia Bock

Justice: D.A.N.C.E.

2009-06-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

The song is absolutely infectious, but it's just as much the video that made we want to feature Justice's "D.A.N.C.E." The video mixes live action with a barrage of T-shirt animation. It could be mistaken for a Threadless commercial. The song is uniquely organic sounding for the club/house genre. Your inclination may be to think the voices used are samples, but nay nay friend, they are indeed the real deal recorded solely for the song.It makes me want to get some groove-friendly kicks and show the youngsters what's up on the floor.

The French duo appreciates strong imagery, tapping So Me to lend well over 500 illustrations to give the video its look. Get into it, it's gonna make ya squiggle and squirm in yo seat!

Song Breakdown:

Best Place and Time to Listen:

Talk the struggling wedding DJ into getting the party started with this rambunctious jam.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Mila Kunis. Really need a why?

Justice - "Dance" - Justice

At the Drive-In: Star Slight

2009-06-11T12:15:00.001-07:00

Just as I began to think there was nothing under the "hardcore" banner for a guy like me, Relationship of Command came out and blew my mind man! So, I devoured everything I could by At the Drive-In and it was all good. The older albums definitely had a more lo-fi, indie sound, but all the same energy and aggression with a punk rock spirit.

Star Slight is off the earlier Acrobatic Tenement and full of the post-punk sound and hook that seperated them from the pack. It's a short romp of a song, but it's not always about size.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time to Listen:

Getting ready to do something ill-advised.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Max, from Where the Wild Things Are.

Starslight - At The Drive-In

Brass Castle: Hamlet

2009-06-10T09:50:00.000-07:00

Listening to Brass Castle is like getting punched in the face . . . but a good punch in the face, you know, the kind you just might drop a Hamilton for. The two-man Atlanta-based band, traces it's roots back to some of the most caustic, interesting and epic Jacksonville bands including Gizzard and Dampading.

At time it can seem slightly in disarray, but it's truly purposeful and noisily novel. Forget White Stripe comparisons, this music is amazingly raucous and dirty. I swear to God that I smell whiskey soaked breath and cigarette smoke laden clothes from just listening to these songs. "Hamlet" is off their album Get on Fire. Brass Castle also contributed a song to the Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters Soundtrack.

Song Breakdown

Best Time and Place to Listen:

To prep for a night you won't remember.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

George C. Scott.

Hamlet - Brass Castle

L.S.U. The Fold

2009-06-09T11:59:00.000-07:00

L.S.U. (Life Savers Underground) was truly an enigma among CCM bands and "The Fold" may be one of the best songs that you have never heard . . . OK, I know a couple of you have, but in general. L.S.U. was mainly Michael Knott and you never really knew what to expect from album to album, and The Grape Prophet was no exception. It is a rock opera or a concept album if you will about an orange picker trying to rescue his fellow pickers from a sinister prophet.

"The Fold" encompasses a lot of sound in a short amount of time. From hair rock to indie rock and chorale conclusion, there is truly nothing else like it. Tortured vocals, howling guitars and thunderous drums eventually meet a children's choir-that's just how L.S.U. rolls. Incendiary and unforgettable, it's one of the reasons why this album is a true classic.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time to Listen:

It's the perfect soundtrack for late night, in-house hide and seek . . . yes, with the lights out. It's a blast, just try it.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Nicolas Cage as Sailor Ripley in Wild at Heart.

Click Below to Listen to The Fold:

LSU - The Grape Prophet.wma

Bloc Party: So Here We Are

2009-06-08T09:28:00.000-07:00

Fragile guitar notes layered on top of an upbeat drum line and thoughtful vocals make "So Here We Are" somehow simultaneously sentimental and cool. At its zenith, the lyrical refrain of "I Figured It Out, I Can See Again" lays a simple but meaningful proclamation of clarity over a jangly, exploratory guitar work. It's all completely endearing and it's one of those songs that has enough versatility to be fodder for teenage love mixtapes or alongside an elitist's collection of Thrill Jockey records.

"Here We Are" is on the band's first record, Silent Alarm.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time to Listen:

During makeout club with your main squeeze.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Susan Dey.

Click Below to Listen to So Here We Are:

Bloc Party - So Here We Are.wma

Fleet Foxes: Ragged Wood

2009-06-05T05:46:00.000-07:00

I know you're used to bad-ass music from the bad-ass Prafessa, but let's take a short sidetrip... This is one of the only songs from Fleet Foxes' 2008 self-titled album that doesn't sound like something you'd hear at a Ren Faire. Don't get me wrong, I love the entire album, but Ragged Wood has a certain joie de vivre that the other tracks don't really capture. It has the feel of Appalachian love lost. The harmonies are dead-on, the relentless drums flow easily along with a major tempo change, it's almost got a free-form quality to it.

"Come down from the mountain, you have been gone too long. The spring is upon us, follow my only song. Settle down with me by the fire of my yearning....Tell me anything you want, any old lie will do. Call me back to you, back to you."

Song Breakdown

Best Time and Place to Listen:
Heading out for a long day hike, pocket-sized Walden in your backpack.

If This Song Was a Celebrity:
Naturalist John Muir

Click Below to Listen to Ragged Wood!

03 Ragged Wood.wma

The Cure: Inbetween Days

2009-06-04T10:19:00.000-07:00

Trying to pick a song that best describes The Cure is a near impossibility and a task not for the weak at heart. So who better to have the The Prafessa ask to take on this epic adventure than LIL C? As I looked through my extensive collection of songs and records, I decided to go with one that I believe appeals to the widest variety of fans and critics alike.

From the brooding, yet optimisitic album Head on the Door comes the opening song "Inbetween Days," that encapsulates the Cure's mesmerizing lyrics and hooks. From the beginning, Robert Smith has changed the way rock music has looked as well as sounded. With "Inbetween Days" he works the love angle that only he posses, a simple lament over an insanely catchy beat. With hypnotic keyboards throughout the whole track, The Cure envelopes the listener over and over again. The cure's influence on music is immeasurable on many levels, From punk rock to what many would be called "emo," as well as the rock genre in general. A song of heartbreak, with just enough tough of optimI was priviledged to see the cure this past summer, and they were priviliged to have me scream like a school girl.

"Yesterday I got so scared I shivered like a child

Yesterday away from you it froze me deep inside

Come back come back don't walk away

Come back come back come back today

Come back come back why can't you see

Come back come back come back to me"

Song Breakdown

Best Time and Place to Listen:

Wembley Stadium, 7 consecutive nights, with 100,000 Brits screaming their heads off.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:
Bill Murray in Rushmore

Inbetween Days - The Cure

Sunbears! - Lovely Little Anecdotes

2009-06-03T07:44:00.000-07:00

I'm admittedly sycophantic about the Sunbears and listen to "Lovely Little Anecdotes" repeatedly. The first time I heard it, I thought it was Muse due to the huge sound, vocal sound and anthemic chorus. This is another successful blend of the organic and electronic . . . they do it so well.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time to Listen:

Whenever it's time to have a little church . . . it just does that for me . . . don't judge me.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Clive Owen as Theo Faron from Children of Men

Click Below to Listen to Lovely Little Anecdotes

SUNBEARS! - Lovely Little Anecdotes.mp3

Crank: Catherine Wheel

2009-06-02T06:44:00.000-07:00

This is one of those songs I forgot about, heard recently and thought, "this song kicks so much ass." Rocking and pretty at the same time, "Crank" opens with a pretty standard progression that nears spindliness, but revived by bass and drum and then truly set apart by the gentle, high-octave vocals.

"Crank" is from Catherine Wheel's 1993 album Chrome, but doesn't sound stuck in that time, although it has a slight shoegaze bent. I'm not quite sure what the lyrics mean, but that's never been a sticking point, he just really wants someone to call him Crank. The sonic solo is also quite fabulous. Catherine Wheel had some gems in the form of a more accessible Ride or Stone Roses. Feeling nostalgic? Hit it.

Song Breakdown

Best Time and Place to Listen:

Any out-of-the-way bar that happens to have it in its jukebox.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

J.D. Salinger, a brilliant curmudgeon.

Crank - Catherine Wheel

Q-Tip: Won't Trade

2009-06-01T08:15:00.000-07:00

The brilliant sample of "You Made a Believer Out of Me" by Ruby Andrews sets this song off on an undeniably infectious tip. Trademark Q-Tip style rhyming and riding the beat perfectly with a lyrical juxtaposition of professional sports and the music biz.

The Mark Ronson produced track is nearly perfect hip hop pop: catchy, danceable, short and distinct. Go on, get ya some.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time to Listen:

Any time you're getting ready to school some suckas.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Lebron James . . . Lebron, have you met my friends the Orlando Magic? Seriously, not even staying on the court to shake hands? C'mon!

Q-Tip - Wont Trade.wma - Q-Tip

Viva Voce: Red Letter Day

2009-05-29T07:29:00.000-07:00

Ok, I hadn't heard this song before today. Needless to say, I'm quite smitten. Apparently, this husband and wife duo have been making music for more than a decade. The opening melody had a Hooverphonic meets spaghetti western vibe and the double vocal gives the song a richness but floats just enough to keep the overall ethereal tone.

"Red Letter Day" is off the duo's newest album, Rose City. This is the kind of find that spawned the idea to start this blog. It's fantastic. Enjoy it, enjoy your Friday, enjoy your life. That sounded like a Sprite commercial.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time to Listen:

While exploring small town America.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Clint Eastwood as the Outlaw Josey Wales.

Click Here to Listen to Red Letter Days

The Prayer Chain: Fifty-Eight

2009-05-28T07:16:00.000-07:00

Yes, the five-eight time signature is really interesting, but it's the soulful eloquence that this song is delivered in that really gets under your skin. The Prayer Chain was one of the few CCM bands of their time to reach to contemporary, cutting-edge acts for influence and one of the first to take a step beyond that, creating a sound all their own.

This song is a gospel song, with the same reverence to anger and pain that great soul acts of the 70s were able to paint without sacrificing anything artistically. The unrelenting vocals, galloping beat and whirling guitar succussfully underscore the message, the demand. Just because you may be a child of God, life can still really suck . . . the sun can seem "so dark today." It's ok to be mad at God, to call God out, to not be a smiling, polite product of the proclivity that a lot of religious insitutions show for behavior modification. I think this song effectively portrays what real faith looks like, sometimes doubting, sometimes angry, but always alive. And yes, the five-eight time signature is really damn cool.

Song Breakdown:

Best Place and Time to Listen:

The morning after a real shit day.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Robert Duvall as Sonny Dewey from The Apostle.

03 Fifty-Eight.wma - The Prayer Chain

Pixies: Gouge Away

2009-05-27T07:50:00.000-07:00

Ah, the seminal Pixies. The classic soft - loud dynamic, enigmatic lyrics and Pixie goodness. Gouge Away is on the near perfect Doolittle and encapsulates everything I love about them. Sychophantic? You bet your ass, it's the Pixies!

The somehow off-kilter and infectious guitar melodies of Joey Santiago, ethereal backing vocals and solid bass lines of Kim Deal, snappy beats of Davide Lovering and songwriting genius and novel vocal stylings of Frank Black - has there really ever been a better rock band?

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time to Listen:

Hiding underneath your desk as to avoid tedious busy work, while waiting for the boss to go to work.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Alan Arkin as George Aaronow in Glengarry Glen Ross.

Gouge Away - Pixies

Halo Benders: Virginia Reel around the Fountain

2009-05-26T09:01:00.000-07:00

A "take" on The Smith's "Reel around the Fountain," the Halo Benders capture Doug Martsch's iridescent guitar work and Calvin Johnson's trademark deep-toned, conversational style vocals. Leaving the typical quirkiness behind, they are able to capture something that is nothing less than rock epic. Yeah, I said it.

Take in the whirling guitars and contrasting vocals, because none of the other songs on The Rebels Not In offer the same significant statement of sound. While they were always able to make room for a purely Halo Benders sound, "Virginia Reel around the Fountain" definitely falls more into the Built to Spill camp than the Beat Happening one. At times, playful cacophonies and at others charming lo-fi, the Halo Benders are always interesting.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time to Listen:

Sync with your favorite 6 minutes of your favorite movie. It is amazing! And of course it works. Yeah buddy, it works with that one too.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Schizophrenic mathematician and Nobel Prize winner John Nash.

Click Below to Listen to Virginia Reel Around the Fountain:

Halo Benders - Virginia Reel Around the Fountain.wma

Sloan: Everything You've Done Wrong

2009-05-22T07:19:00.001-07:00

It's Friday and alas, still no sun. But who cares, we have Sloan! Those masters of pop rock construction have an uncanny smile inducing ability . . . what is it about those Canadians? Ah, America's hat has been great for smiles and laughs: Mike Myers, Jim Carrey, Pictionary, dental mirrors, those funny accents and of course, Sloan.

Horn intro, layered vocals and jangly guitar goodness. It's all there in "Everything You've Done Wrong," seemingly a song about redemption . . . and who doesn't need a little redemption? You'll find the song off the fantastic One Chord to Another, the band's third album released in 1996. "Do your time and then come home for good," easy enough to apply to your day, whether you're working, in traffic, locked up, whatever, do your time, come home for good and you'll surely have somebody or something waiting for you! So what if it's just a stack of bills, somebody took the time to send them to you!

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time to Listen:

A birthday party (or a welcome home party)!

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Martha Stewart.

Disclaimer: The player states "Chester the Molester," but it is indeed "Everything You've Done Wrong."

Beck: The Golden Age

2009-05-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

Sublime, delicate and gorgeous. Sea Change was such a reflective, beautiful album that somehow makes sadness appealing. Taking a break from genre hopping, blips and bleeps and experimentation, Beck made a timeless album that will sound poignant and fresh and have the emotional weight fifteen years from now.

"The Golden Age" is bittersweet and despite being fueled mainly by acoustic guitar, pleasingly spacey. It's hard to pick just one song from Sea Change, but this one has everything. Embrace the melancholy, it looks good on you!

Song Breakdown:

Best Place and Time to Listen:

Sitting in your driveway after having just gotten home from a long night. Cigarettes and alcohol may or may not further the experience.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Bill Murray as Bob Harris in Lost in Translation.

The Golden Age - Beck

Sparkle Afternoon: Gorgeous

2009-05-20T07:27:00.000-07:00

Think you have the pulse on Indonesian pop minimalism? I thought so, but now you do! Sparkle Afternoon welcomes a concoction of shoegaze, dream pop, indie rock and small doses of brit pop. A sparse piano arrangement with delicate vocals builds into dominating guitar fuzz and drums. This BFW recording artist could just as easily have a place on 4AD's roster of shoegaze phenoms.

You can download this track and other for FREE at BFW's website. You'll find a fantastic collection of music in not only this genre, but ambient, experimental and electronic artists that have not cracked the surface quite yet."Gorgeous" is just that . . . even makes me think of the Tracy Shedd's old band Sella. Remember them? Those were the days, begging for rides to the OP Civic Center!

Song Breakdown:

Best Place and Time to Listen:

An open field, slightly overcast, napping in the grass.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Carol Kane.

Click Here to Listen to Gorgeous by Sparkle Afternoon

Chasing Ghosts: Nervine

2009-05-19T06:27:00.000-07:00

An ominous piano intro ushers in a frenzied blitz of rock in Chasing Ghosts' "Nervine." While showing obvious proclivities to bands like the Deftones, there is a nod to pop sensibility in influences like Jimmy Eat World. When stripped of the electronic injections and studio touches, Jacksonville based Chasing Ghosts shows an earnest inclination for the intensity and energy that would be welcome by post-punk rockers that throw it up for Jets to Brazil and their ilk. I would imagine that this favorable characteristic really manifests itself in their live show.

While "Nervine" could fit comfortably into a modern rock radio station lineup with 30 Seconds to Mars and Fall Out Boy, there is a penchant for artistry, experiment and ambition that sets them apart and could be that type of gateway group that lays the groundwork for fans wanting more than what is in the DJ's rotation.

Don't miss their June 6th CD Release Party at Murray Hill Theatre on Edgewood Avenue!

Song Breakdown:

Best Time and Place to Listen:

The Himalaya Ride at the next fair you attend.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Evan Rachel Wood.

Click Here to Listen to Nervine:

http://isitvivid.com/nervine-01.mp3

Iron & Wine: Boy with a Coin

2009-05-18T07:10:00.000-07:00

Galvanic hand claps blended with an ethereal backward guitar loop and Sam Beam's patented, whispered vocals makes "Boy with a Coin" a big spooky delight. Off The Shepherd's Dog, a real evolution for Iron & Wine, "Boy with a Coin" possesses a snappy guitar progression and a rare danceable quality.

While this is a departure from the hushed, understated singer-songwriter quality of earlier records, it's got the Iron & Wine stamp of sound architecture, distinct resonance and enigmatic, story-telling lyric. On that note, a lyric snippet:

Boy with a coin he found in the weeds

with bullets and pages of trade magazines

close to a car that flipped on the turn

when God left the ground to circle the world

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time to Listen:

Meandering, twilight drives.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Laura Harring . . . Mulholland Drive.

Boy With A Coin (Single) - Iron & Wine

Shangrala: Zilla

2009-05-15T07:36:00.000-07:00

It's such a good album, let's just go ahead and close the week with it! "Zilla" is big and will stomp puny human structures to rubble and melt the rest of your record collection with the fire that surges from its mouth!

Do not miss Shangrala, the other great bands and celebrated artists participating in the Benefit for Brian Hicks this Sunday May 17th at the Eclipse!

10 Zilla.wma - Shangrala

Shangrala: Golden Streets

2009-05-14T05:45:00.000-07:00

Delay goodness that gives nod to The Edge starts "Golden Streets" and permeates through the entire song. Interesting breaks, sincere vocals and smart musicianship give the song that Shangrala balance of accessibility, skillful math rock ability and a preciousness that nears but never embraces emo, rather transcending it and taking the banner from the pioneers of the now saturated genre instead of the imitators. This is a good band and as good as an album This Is How We Communicate is, they are even better live. So . . . .

Sunday - May 17th at the Eclipse

Don't miss them at their first show in over a year at the Stop Brian Cancer II benefit where all proceeds will go to Brian Hicks. Also playing: Mike Katilius and Thumbnail Sketch. You will be able to bid on art donated by celebrated local artists: Mark George, Ian Chase, Eric Gillyard, Donald Dusinberre, Mark Estlund, Shannon Estlund, Pete Henry and Morrison Pierce. Visit the Facebook group for further information or to bid on art.

01 Golden Streets.wma - Shangrala

Teddybears: Punk Rocker

2009-05-13T07:30:00.000-07:00

Swedish grindcore at its finest with guest singer Iggy Pop! In the interest of keeping to punk rock sensibilities, make your own damn assessment of this song.

Next week: local artists Chasing Ghosts and new EP from When Tides Collide.

05 What Elmo Isnt - Guy Smiley

Damien Jurado: Paper Wings

2009-05-12T05:44:00.000-07:00

Lil Coco chiming in again and in style as usual.

Over the years Damien Jurado has been a constant in my ever changing rotation. From early on records Like Waters Ave S. and Rehearsals for Departure, Damien painted music landscapes with a strong penchant for lyrics and stellar songwriting. Primarily an acoustic songwriter, Jurado not only added a band on his priceless album I Break Chairs, but some aggression as well. "Paperwings" steals the show on this landmark record for the longtime Seattle songwriter.

What could be better than a catchy as hell melody and an unconventional songwriting structure? Jurado nabs the listener from the first chord progression and forces said listener to suck it up and realize the beauty that is Damien Jurado. Like his peers Jeremy Enigk, David Bazan and Sufjan Stevens, Jurado wears his heart on his sleeve at times; the only difference being Jurado typically doesn't wear short sleeve shirts. Do yourself a favor and pick up any of Damien's full lengths or EPs . . . you won't regret it. This purchase will counteract any previous terrible musical decision you have purchased: i.e. Daughtry, Taylor Hicks, Clay Aiken, etc.) I booked shows for 4+ years and had the nerve to name my production company Paperwings Productions, so if Damien and I ever come face to face, I will go fanboy on his ass.

"Here's a noose for your head, here's some tape for that broken wing..."

Song Breakdown

Best Time and Place to Listen:

Smoky dive bar on a broken-in bar stool, imported beer in hand, friends playing pool (Chuck Taylors optional).

If This Song Was a Celebrity:

Vincent Gallo

Click Here to Listen to Paper Wings

01 Paper Wings.wma

Laura Veirs: Wildwood Flowers

2009-05-11T05:01:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lull and thanks to my guest writer, the Pink Streaker for this take on a true classic.

Did you ever meet a kid that for whatever reason just seems to have the spirit of a very old, mellow person? They're unconcerned with the noisy, attention-getting tricks of childhood and instead seem happy to watch the world and soak up experiences. This song is a bit like that in its simplicity. A cadre of instruments and flourishes of mixing-board magic would clumsily crush the simple dulcimer accompaniment and the rock-steady alto vocals. Today's song is by Laura Veirs, who recently released the EP Two Beers Veirs, with several covers that I loved (also check out Wasps of Rain and Spike Drivers Blues).

This song was recorded in the 50s by the Carter family, in the charming, old-school country style that's worth revisiting. But even they weren't the first to love this song: it was originally written in 1860 and since then versions of it have been tweaked and covered by Woody Guthrie, Joan Baez and others.

They lyrics are simple; about love, disappointment, relational neglect--things most of us have experienced to some degree, I guess. It's bluegrassy and folky and yeah, the song's maybe even bit girly. I don't care.

If you listen all the way through Laura Veirs' take, you'll get to hear some plucky bits of feedback that crop up like thorny little weeds thru the green flutter of the melody.

Song Breakdown

Best Time and Place to Listen:

After a picnic on a not-too-warm early summer day. Have another piece of peach pie and lie back on your grandmother's faded quilt while you look for animal shapes in the clouds.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Drew Barrymore in E.T.

Click Below to Listen to Wildwood Flower

Laura Veirs - Wildwood Flower

Art for Auction on Display at Burrito Gallery

2009-05-06T06:51:00.001-07:00

See this terrific work in person and you will realize what a great opportunity this auction is for you to get the best Jacksonville art for far cheaper than usual and for a fabulous cause. The work is currently on display in the corridor leading to the bar at Burrito Gallery (21 E Adams St. Downtown). This gallery is affectionately being called “The Jenkins Gallery” and this show is the inaugural exhibition in that space. If you are going to Art Walk this week (Wednesday May 6), that is the perfect opportunity to check out the art on auction. Then get back on your computer and bid bid bid.

Buying the Art and Helping Brian

To bid on a piece in the auction, simply comment on the image of the painting you like with your bid. Bids should raise by $5 increments, so if the opening bid is $20, please start the bidding at $25. Please do not comment on the pieces unless to bid. On May 17 we will move the artwork to The Eclipse and the bidding will continue the night of the benefit until 11pm. Whoever is leading the bid at 11pm should be able to pay (preferably by cash or a check) the night of the show. I cannot hold art until someone comes up with the money, so please be prepared. If you only have a credit card, we will try to help you get on Brian’s PayPal and pay that way from my laptop at the show. All of the money from the auction and the concert goes directly to Brian Hicks.

Artists

There are 13 pieces on the wall at Burrito Gallery and in the Facebook auction, but there will be even more at the actual show. Contact me if you are interested in donating some work to auction. So far we have work from Mark George, Ian Chase, Eric Gillyard, Mark Estlund, Donald Dusinberre, Morrison Pierce, Shannon Estlund, and Pete Henry.

Thank you all for your help, financially, spiritually, and otherwise. Brian is beside himself with appreciation for his friends in this difficult time. He is currently out of the hospital and recovering at his mother's house in Clay County. He is doing very well. See you all on May 17!

Jeremy Enigk: Canons

2009-05-06T05:18:00.000-07:00

My boy Lil Coco going to cover Listen Up for today and tomorrow. Good looking out J Gould!

There are few songwriters/musicians that seem to not only create magic, but seem to carry a gift so great that it seems that person was created for that purpose. Jeremy Enigk is that iconic magical voice, in a world of saturated paint-by-number musical acts. Jeremy started as the much adored front man of the legendary "emo" band Sunny Day Real Estate. His vocal style, songwriting and lyrics are often replicated, but are regularly lacking his poignancy. The song

"Canons" is a true testament to the sheer brilliance that is Enigk. From the bombastic ebb and flow arrangements of the album World Waits, Enigk mesmerizes the listener from the opening chord like only he can. "Canons" may very well be the pinnacle track of his strong and dare I say "emotional" second solo effort. As Enigk yearns for daylight's cleansing in "Canons," he conveys his vulnerable side that many of have come to appreciate. Sunny Day Real Estate may have been passed up in the Seattle grunge explosion, but there mark as a band is legendary. Do yourself a favor and pick up anything Enigk has touched, he definitely has the Midas touch.

Your Lyric Snippet:

night will mourn
and i'm sleeping on the better debt of day
like the rising off
they won't need me till tomorrow
night that claims the sky
forever dreams of a better day

Song Breakdown:

Best Time and Place to Listen:

A dark, smoke-filled venue, proudly sporting band T-shirt from prescribed rock genre, limited edition SDRE 7 inch in hand ... yep, you're THAT guy for the evening.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

John C. Reilly in Magnolia

05 Canons.wma - Jeremy Enigk

Barcelona: It's About Time

2009-05-05T07:06:00.000-07:00

I first heard this guitar hook as bumper music on a talk show and couldn't get it out of my head . . . and couldn't find it either. Until this fortuitous day! Thanks to an imeem play list, I've discovered that this fantastic hook and song is "It's About Time" by Barcelona.

"It's About Time" is an endearing song with tons of crossover potential. While this song could find a home on any modern rock radio station, it possess the elements that appeal to good indie rockers everywhere. The ethereal guitar work juxtaposed with the straightforward rock sound of the rest of the song, strong vocals and rich layers throughout have made it a staple in my rotation.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time to Listen:

While Scrubs is in my television show graveyard already, Barcelona could up the ante. This is the sound bands like The Fray wish they could find. C'mon Zach, freshen it up, you know you can hear this song in an episode.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Zach Braff.

ITS ABOUT TIME - Barcelona

Antony & the Johnsons: Knockin' on Heaven's Door

2009-05-04T06:37:00.000-07:00

Covering "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" has all but become a cliche. But Antony & the Johnsons do what great artists are able to do with someone else's work, transform it while still doing it justice. They perform the cover for the I'm Not There soundtrack. Critically, you'll probably find this band categorized as Chamber Pop, but there are so many elements to their music that it's hard to comfortably categorize them. So, to assist in this matter, a word association for your edification on Antony & the Johnsons:

Spooky Gospel Good
Audible Androgyny
Drama Queen Piano Bar
Soul Reverberating Earnestness

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

Your beat-up couch with shades pulled down. Embrace the sorrow!

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Wilson from Cast Away.

Modest Mouse: The World at Large

2009-05-01T05:24:00.000-07:00

From the fanciful guitar at the beginning and the vocals delivered as if they are a conversation to the subtle string arrangements and repeated vocal refrain uh uh uh ah uh that gives the song an infectious undercurrent this song should be counted among Modest Mouse's best. "The World at Large" is the second track, first song really, off of Good News for People Who Love Bad News. The song almost feels like a proclamation, a sort of renewing, but never a complete abdication of the old.

I love what the song doesn't do. They were able to abstain from cluttering "The World at Large" with a sparse drum beat made up mainly of bass drum thuds. While The Moon & Antartica was more of their coming of age album that showed an undiscovered depth and ability to make a cohesive statement from beginning to end, Good News for People Who Love Bad News displayed the unpretentious ability that all who were fans knew Modest Mouse had, to appeal to a broader audience without sacrificing anything.

My favorite snippet of lyrics:

I like songs about drifters - books about the same.
They both seem to make me feel a little less insane.
Walked on off to another spot.
I still haven't gotten anywhere that I want.
Did I want love? Did I need to know?
Why does it always feel like I'm caught in an undertow?

Song Breakdown:

Best Place and Time to Listen:

Your next pier picnic with jug of wine in tow and legs dangling over the water.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Ferdinand Magellan.

Happy Birthday J Gould You Emo Titan!

2009-05-01T05:13:00.001-07:00

Old School Flaming Lips (Sorta) vs. Au Courant Flaming Lips (Kinda)

2009-04-30T07:41:00.000-07:00

In an epic battle of old and new Flaming Lips, we pit the screeching psychedelic sounds and bassy vocal hook of Talkin' Bout the Smiling Deathporn Immortality Blues (Everyone Wants to Live Forever) from Hit to Death in the Future Head against the exploratory soundscapes and storytelling of Fight Test from Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. Yes they had four albums before Hit to Death and an album after Robots, but this is my blog. It's all undeniably Flaming Lips, but their sound took an unequivocal turn with The Soft Bulletin in 1999 (with Zareeka being the true bridge between old and new . . . in my not-so-humble opinion). Let's have a good clean fight!

Talkin Bout The Smiling Deathporn Immortality Blues [Everyone Wants To Live Forever] (Video) - DAVE FRIDMANN

Fight Test (Music Video) - The Flaming Lips

Stop Brian Cancer Benefit: May 17th at the Eclipse in Avondale

2009-04-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

Final Confirmed Lineup:

Live Performances Donated by:

Shangrala (first show in a year)
Thumbnail Sketch
Mike Katilius
And a Special Guest Performer

Art for Auction Donated by:

Mark George
Ian Chase
Eric Gillyard
Mark Estlund
Donald Dusinberre
Shannon Estlund
Pete Henry
Morrison Pierce

See the work in person at Burrito Gallery, bid on it online at the Facebook Group Page "Resurrection of Booga B" or simply attend the show:

May 17

Eclipse in Avondale

Doors open at 8 p.m.

Interpol: Public Pervert

2009-04-29T08:11:00.000-07:00

There are really no missteps on Antics. Interpol has carved out their own sound and possess a certain swagger that moves me to designate them as modern rock's answer to Frank Sinatra. Paul Bank's delivery may not be as grandiose, but he has that unique phrasing and a certain confidence that lends itself to crooning. But chiefly, it's in the lyrics. Can't you hear and picture Old Blue Eyes with scotch in hand singing this:

Oh, so swoon baby starry nights
May our bodies remain
You move with me, I'll treat you right, baby
May our bodies remain

There is love to be made
So just stay here for this while
Perhaps heart strings resuscitate
The fading sounds of your life

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

Mounting up for that hot date. Yeah, you know, the cologne has been splashed, you actually ironed your date shirt and you perused the news online as to appear up-to-date with current events.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

What a stunner, Frank Sinatra.

Click Below to Listen to Public Pervert

Public Pervert.wma

Europe: The Final Countdown (Like you've never heard it)

2009-04-29T07:10:00.000-07:00

This just may be my new favorite thing:

Kings of Leon: Fans

2009-04-28T07:04:00.000-07:00

Kings of Leon possess a sound that explores everything from Southern snarl and indie pop to big stadium rock and alt-country. Expanding from the earlier southern fried punk swagger of their first two albums, Because of the Times showed a nod towards bands with a massive sound like U2 who they supported on a leg of the Vertigo tour and Pearl Jam (Eddie Vedder interview: "I had disappeared onto some little island to write and surf and the only record I had besides the Pearl Jam stuff I was working on was that [Aha Shake Heartbreak]."

"Fans" is probably the most radio-friendly track to jump out of the speakers on Because of the Times with a bubbly, infectious bass line, vocals that have a Southern drawl and delivered almost as if they are a question and sparingly, but perfectly injected guitar bursts.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time to Listen:

Road trip, but only when taking the scenic route.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Colonel Harland Sanders

Click Link Below to Play Fans:

Kings of Leon - Fans.wma

Atlas Sound: Recent Bedroom

2009-04-27T06:07:00.000-07:00

Somewhere from the 4AD shoegaze movement to the ethereally intense sound of Spiritualized falls Atlas Sound and their only record Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel. This side project of Deerhunter vocalist Bradford Cox and contains obvious My Bloody Valentine influences. From The Velvet Underground die-hards to Sigur Ros fans, this big experimental sound offers something for everyone.

More gentle than Deerhunter, but as exploratory, this is a fantastic record full of blanketing fuzz and whimsical vocal stylings.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time to Listen:

Take the song's title as a cue . . . after a long night of hitting the town (you know what I'm talking about you hipster), play this song, lay in bed and come back down to Earth.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Tim Burton

Recent Bedroom - Atlas Sound

Dinosaur Jr.: Little Furry Things

2009-04-24T07:21:00.000-07:00

Dinosaur Jr. with Mike Watt in town at the Freebird tonight! So instead of the usual rigamarole and to celebrate their brand of , here is a selection of some of my favorite Dinosaur Jr. tunes.

Little Fury Things - Dinosaur Jr.

Feel The Pain [2007 Remastered LP Version] - Dinosaur Jr.

Sebadoh: Magnet's Coil & Drama Mine

2009-04-23T05:05:00.000-07:00

Yep, that's right, a two-fer. So in the spirit of getting jazzed up for the Dinosaur Jr. show, some Sebadoh today and some Jay tomorrow. Bakesale may be Sebadoh's most celebrated album, and in my opinion, for good reason. These indie angst anthems employed the Pixie's quiet - loud dynamic and lyrics of dissolution all in fuzzy guitar wrapped 3-minute indie rock gems.

Although "Magnet's Coil" possesses a more uptempo beat and poperiffic sound, it's just as angry as any of the other songs on Bakesale. "Drama Mine" (notice clever wordplay, bravo Lou!)builds on a muted guitar riff, to a simple but arresting progression to the climax where the lyric "It's like wasting everything on someone else's dream," are screamed to your heart's acrimonious content. Both songs classics off of a timeless record.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time to Listen:

Anywhere you are feeling indignant and better than those phonies . . . with PBR in hand.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Dennis Hopper

Magnets Coil - Sebadoh

Drama Mine - Sebadoh

Cat Power: I Found a Reason

2009-04-22T06:19:00.000-07:00

This song has an almost innate presence, as if it is supposed to be there. It's got this unexplainable organic quality as if its an extension of your own emotion. Chan's pacifying voice over the gentle piano arrangement creates a song that is powerful in its poignancy.

Originally a Velvet Underground song from their album Loaded, Chan lent her transformative powers to it and in that way she does, making it her own. The perfect prescription after a challenging morning of congested highways, bad radio DJs and allergies. You playing your violin for me? Pfft, I don't care, I've got Cat Power and that's all I need, and this cup of coffee, and that's all I need...the song and the coffee.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time to Listen:

If a vinyl copy exists, on your trusty record player, in your favorite chair consoled by a breeze from an open window.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Mother Nature. Absolutely no correlation to "Earth Day."

I Found A Reason -

Pedro the Lion: Options

2009-04-21T05:17:00.000-07:00

Guest Writer on Listen Up! My boy Lil Coco (AKA: Apollo, That Emo Kid and The Gould)representin' Kansas style. Great post Gould! Thanks and enjoy:

Dark, Melodic, Heartbreaking.

"Options" by Pedro the Lion (David Bazan) is a force to be reckoned with on any day of the week. From the beginning guitar lead, all bets are off. A "How to Guide" in dealing with one's significant other, molded and intertwined in a melodic, epic, genuine masterpiece. Beyond the subject matter, there lies an intricate pop sensibility that overwhelms the listener from the opening chord. As one of today's most prolific songwriters, Mr. Bazan clearly addresses an issue that many face on a daily basis. Very much like their peers Built to Spill, Death Cab For Cutie, Low and Elliot Smith, Pedro the Lion plays what some might call "indie rock," while others see it simply as sheer genius. From going through a divorce of my own, this song definitely hits close to home on many levels. Instead of buying that new Nickelback (Listen Up Suckas does not condone the purchase of a Nickelback record) record, pick up Pedro the Lion's Control and turn yourself into a real sissy.

"....But it was only in my head
Because no one ever says
What they really mean to say
When there's so much at stake
So I told her I loved her
And she told me she loved me
And I mostly believed her
And she mostly believed me..."

Song Breakdown

Best Time and Place to Listen to Song:
A fall day in the Northwest, beer in one hand and axe in the other. What you do with the axe is up to you (Listen Up Suckas only condones ax use for chopping wood, stunt throwing and showing off)!

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:
Donny (Steve Buscemi) from The Big Lebowski

Click Link Below to Listen:

Pedro the Lion - Options.wma

Frank Black: Headache

2009-04-20T07:47:00.000-07:00

It's my theme song today. I have a gigantic headache and you know what's up with Frank Black, so I'm gonna let the song do the talking.

Headache - Frank Black

Red House Painters: All Mixed Up

2009-04-20T05:29:00.000-07:00

I missed my Sunday post, so here to make up for it, The Red House Painters with one of the most transformative covers of all time, "All Mixed Up" originally by The Cars. It's incredible that he even heard the possibilities in the original in creating this steadily ascending, timeless mix tape for that girl your crushin' on gem.

All Mixed Up - Red House Painters

Miniature Tigers: The Wolf

2009-04-18T10:09:00.000-07:00

"The Wolf" appears on Miniature Tigers first full-length album Tell It to the Volcano. I first heard them on a SXSW mix and have enjoyed their quirky, sunny brand of rock ever since . . . for an entire month as a matter of fact. I find their sound to be influenced by the early 90s alternative bands made good and the simplicity but undeniable infectiousness to fuel thoughts of The Beta Band. It's Saturday and the weather is beautiful. If ever there was a sunny Saturday song, it is "The Wolf." The entire album is strong with bright metaphor, fantastic hooks and good ol' fashioned (see early 90s) indie pop.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

Group picnics that involve kickball and Southern Comfort.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Fozzy Bear.

The Wolf - Miniature Tigers

Arcade Fire: Wake Up

2009-04-17T06:32:00.000-07:00

To say this is a big song is an understatement. I first noticed "Wake Up" when U2 walked out to it at a show in Atlanta. Since then, it has been lodged in my brain. From the bellowing vocals on top of the simple, but successful layers of music to the shift to a Phil Spector sounding production with foot tapping beat and vocal harmony.

As if the song didn't have enough spectacular associations, it's being used in the Where the Wild Things Are trailer.

Playing Word Association with "Wake Up."

-Power Alarm Clock
-Hipster Magnum Opus
-Angelic Anthem but with Balls Instead of Wings
-Corner Turning
-Call to Creative Arms

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

As a substitute for caffeine.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Charleton Heston as Moses.

Click the Link Below to Listen to Wake Up

Arcade Fire - Wake Up.wma

And If You Haven't Seen It:

Sigur Ros - Vio spilum endalaust - A Take Away Show

2009-04-16T07:56:00.000-07:00

Performed at a restaurant and bar in Paris.

Sigur Ros - Við spilum endalaust - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Meiko: Reasons to Love You

2009-04-16T06:06:00.000-07:00

I am very happy to turn the Listen Up reigns over to my cohort this morning, as she had a particular fancy for Meiko's "Reasons to Love You." Enjoy suckas!

Overheard this morning: "I like girly music."

Who uttered that revealing confession? None other than our own Prafessa Hotsawze. That being said, today's song is in homage to PH's girlish side. Meiko induces a pleasantly sweet-but-not-sticky dream state as she sings "Reasons to Love You." As she sings, she makes me love her, and the meandering guitar as it takes it's time growing like a vine around her vocals. Somehow the simplicity of her lyrics and the richness of her voice ground the song, keeping it from becoming squishy and transparent.

"I wanna dream away with you tonite, we can go anywhere you would like. I wanna feel how I wanna feel forever...."

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for a Listen:

While doing any or all of these fantastically visceral activities:

picking wildflowers

spitting watermelon seeds (yeah I said it)

putting your toes in warm sand

hearing laughter carried up like fat clouds overhead

smelling the cool crisp light blue sheets fresh off the line

picking berries with purple fingers

canoeing slowly under a thick tree canopy

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Katharine Hepburn, looking radiant.

Reasons To Love You - Meiko

Fugazi: Bad Mouth

2009-04-15T06:44:00.000-07:00

For my money, there is not a single band around that possesses the punk rock ethic more than Fugazi. No frivolous merchandise, always cheap, price-controlled shows and uncompromising music. Although Minor Threat would be an even more punk rock choice when considering Ian MacKaye's projects, I like Fugazi better. Anyway, it's tax day, I'm feeling as anti-establishment as I ever have.

There is nothing particularly incendiary about the message or even political, but nonetheless, it's all in the spirit. One of my favorite chord progressions of all time paired with Ian MacKaye's patented vocal stylings makes this a timeless classic and a staple when reaching for something to embellish my angst.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time to Listen:

Any time and place you want to show the man what's what.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Jack Nicholson as R.P. McMurphy

BAD MOUTH - FUGAZI

Stop Brian Cancer Benefit - May 17th Eclipse

2009-04-14T12:52:00.000-07:00

Screw that Jared Guy, This Is for Brian Hicks!

Jacksonville's best bands and artists are getting together for the Stop Brian Cancer Benefit on Sunday May 17th at the Eclipse. This rock and art extravaganza only costs you a mere $5 (All Money Goes to Brian Hicks)!

Bands:

Shangrala
Crash the Satellites
Chris Estes Band
SUNBEARS!

Artists:

Mark George
Cooper
Donald Dusinberre
Mark Estlund
Morrison Pierce

and more

Sunday May 17th - The Eclipse at 4544 Ramona Boulevard

Ra Ra Riot: Each Year

2009-04-14T07:20:00.000-07:00

Possessing an up tempo beat and progression and a slightly wistful tone and lyric make Ra Ra Riot's "Each Year" a song suitable for all occasions. The guitar work and sound invokes Unrest, while the full overall song and architecture brought up thoughts of The Shins and more chamber pop leaning sensibilities conjure up Belle and Sebastian. "Each Year" is off their self-titled EP.

Huggable, yet introspective, this song has that just friends feel to it, but the type of just friends scenario where it's ok to kiss if nothing better is going on.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

A day where the rain and sunshine are out at the same time.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

WNBA player Sue Bird.

Each Year - Ra Ra Riot

Black Kids: I'm Making Eyes at You

2009-04-13T05:41:00.000-07:00

Most the songs on Partie Traumatic have that infectious, I think I may want to dance to this feel from the get-go. "I'm Making Eyes at You" is an exception and actually conjured images of Napoleon Dynamite due to it's similarities with Alphaville's "Forever Young." But as soon as the beat kicks in, the Alphaville sentiment is washed away for the more familiar The Cure comparisons, hearkening to songs like "Close to Me."

The clap track and rich vocal layering on the chorus have a way of drilling into your brain and you will find yourself subconsciously looking for the next 80s night at a local club. No seriously, it's weird, it will happen.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

It's Friday night, you and your friends have piled into your car with the promise of "hittin' it." It will probably turn out like all of your Friday nights . . . in a grease trap talking about how lame the scenesters are, and how cool that certain club was when you first started going there . . . but at least the music will still be good.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Ally Sheedy, you guessed it, ala Breakfast Club. Although, Napoleon Dynamite was a close second.

Jimmy Cliff: Too Many Rivers to Cross

2009-04-12T09:16:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter and thank you Jesus, your grace has given us life.

While "Too Many Rivers to Cross" makes one mention of a woman, this song is anything but a man and woman love song, but rather a perfect depiction of a spiritual journey and redemption. It's beautiful and is the kind of song that makes you stop wherever you are to listen more attentively, more searchingly. I think you will enjoy the lyrics more today than the normal Song Breakdown, so here you are.

Many rivers to cross
But I can't seem to find my way over
Wandering I am lost
As I travel along the white cliffs of dover

Many rivers to cross
And it's only my will that keeps me alive
I've been licked, washed up for years
And I merely survive because of my pride

And this loneliness won't leave me alone
It's such a drag to be on your own
My woman left me and she didn't say why
Well, I guess I'll have to cry

Many rivers to cross
But just where to begin I'm playing for time
There have been times I find myself
Thinking of committing some dreadful crime

Yes, I've got many rivers to cross
But I can't seem to find my way over
Wandering, I am lost
As I travel along the white cliffs of Dover

Yes, I've got many rivers to cross
And I merely survive because of my will...

Many Rivers To Cross - Jimmy Cliff

mewithoutYou: In a Sweater Poorly Knit

2009-04-11T13:46:00.001-07:00

This song is a bit of a mini epic with existential query, harp and even mention of mustard greens. mewithoutYou manages to construct unconventional songs, but never to the detriment of accessibility. "In a Sweater Poorly Knit" is off of the album Brother, Sister. This album incorporates an interesting range of instruments and a handful of guest appearances that include Jeremy Enigk. Aaron Weiss from mewithoutYou is one of the more original lyricists, able to find meaningful metaphor in a wide variance of things.

I probably listened to this song twenty times in a row after first hearing it. The song has a way of ushering itself in waves, each building on the next. Intriguing lyrics, whimsical choral refrains and the final climax with rich background vocal, and the music that almost seems to be a canon by this point and the repeated statement of "I do not exist, only you exist" make this a song that you simply can't file away.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

Lying on your back in a dark room. Glow in the dark star stickers on your ceiling would really make the experience bitchin'.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Bill Cosby - a celebrated sweater man.

In a Sweater Poorly Knit - mewithoutYou

Apples In Stereo: Seems So

2009-04-10T07:23:00.000-07:00

Confectionery pop so sweet it's going to give you a cavity! Off Tone Soul Evolution, "Seems So" is the perfect song to welcome in summery weather, soda pop socials and care-free strolls through the park. Apples In Stereo have nearly perfected this realm and "Seems So" is their quintessential prototype. At least in my humble, correct opinion.

A mix tape staple, Seems So is finger-tapping good and syrupy...but in a difficult feat, it's substantively syrupy. It's all about getting jazzed for the weekend. The weather is fine (see weather forecast in Southeast and suck it northerners), Easter is here and you have plenty to be celebrating (oh c'mon, there's gotta be something, didn't your boss bring in donuts or something?).

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

While playing tag (include refreshing cocktails) at the park or beach.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Elise Cuthbert. The whole Girl Next Door thing.

Seems So - Apples In Stereo

Love and Kisses: Thank God It's Friday

2009-04-10T05:15:00.001-07:00

Come on ya'll! You know you like it!

Jay-Z & Notorious B.I.G. - Allure (Ratatat Remix)

2009-04-09T07:25:00.000-07:00

In the hip-hop spirit that Rob Roy's Fur in My Cap has put me in:

Oh my Ratatat, this remix is what the kids would call "hawt!" Yet another fantastic posthumous contribution from Biggie. The original "Allure" off Jay-Z's album The Black Album is a more laid back affair with suave background vocals and thin synth-string foundation. It would be unforgivable to not mention the repeated pistol sample (yeah, really original M.I.A.). To be honest, not a real big fan of the original.

So Ratatat came along and gave "Allure" some ballz. Where the original's arrangement was almost passive, this remix is as aggressive as the lyrics. The addition of Notorious B.I.G. "I grew up a fuckin' screw-up," sends it into another stratosphere.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

Anywhere your hip-hop cred is being called into question. It's also a great way to incite your weary soul on the morning drive into work . . . hey you, don't turn it down when you hit that red light.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Vinnie Jones.

Jay-Z & Notorious B.I.G. - Allure - Ratatat

Rob Roy: Fur In My Cap

2009-04-09T05:25:00.000-07:00

Hot damn! I can't get this out of my head. And this video is absolutely fantastic.

Starflyer 59: Blue Collar Love

2009-04-08T07:43:00.000-07:00

The Silver album was truly a revelation. Could a band on a Christian label really be sculpting out its own unique sound and not just be a poor man's version of what was popular a year prior? Starflyer 59's first album was truly a wonderful discovery and I've been a fan ever since. The Silver album had such a simple and brooding, but forward-thinking and calling up influences as wide ranging as My Bloody Valentine and Black Sabbath.

"Blue Collar Love" delivers a biting progression saturated in distortion and tremolo and is punctuated by the thin, almost airy, vocals. It's heavy, but accessible, gloomy yet invigorating.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

Smoke-filled, hole-in-the-wall club, it's just gotta be that way.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Chuck Norris - walking out to that riff, then telling his foes in a low voice that they better get right or else. Yeah, you feel it too.

Blue Collar Love - Starflyer 59

Flaming Lips: Borderline

2009-04-07T18:57:00.000-07:00

This is highly unusual for Listen Up Suckas - A Song a Day, but this is something everyone needs to hear. Wow, what a thin line between pop and fine culture. Borderline like only the Flaming Lips could do it.

Sigur Ros: Saeglopur

2009-04-07T07:32:00.000-07:00

Sigur Ros fits nicely into any day, and any of their epics convey as much emotion as any great symphonic movement. Their music is nearly ubiquitous and proves that great art can convey a specific sentiment despite a lack of shared language . . . that's power. Unless you speak Icelandic.

Saeglopur is off their 2005 album Takk and encompasses all of the enigmatic and beautiful aspects that exemplify the sound that sets them so far apart and into their own musical stratosphere. The lofty resonance of this song shows their quality of meaningful emotional conveyance at its most visceral. It achieves the creation of an atmosphere almost changing your setting if you allow it. That's just how Sigur Ros rolls.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen

PH: During a run when it starts to rain.

PS: Sitting in the shade of the pier watching surfers and sailboarders.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Sir Winston Churchill - I mean, can't you just here this song scoring his famous speech to the embattled British:

"... we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender."

Saeglópur - Sigur Ros

Shangrala: Time

2009-04-06T05:17:00.000-07:00

It takes some heavy mettle to name your band Shangrala, but the ambitious sound of their album This Is How We Communicate stands up. Ok, maybe not quintessential, idyllic beauty or auditory bliss at every turn, but it's certainly not afraid to try. Shangrala takes natural extensions of math rock sensibility pulling from the intertwining architecture of bands like Sunny Day Real Estate and Minus the Bear and saturates them with big, anthemic sounds and hooks in the mold of U2 and The Cure.

"Time" is not all that representative of the heavier sound that effectively incorporates the stop - start and quiet - loud dynamic throughout the rest of the album. Nevertheless, it shows the great flexibility that Shangrala can muster at will. It's an acoustic track that efficaciously displays the songwriting depth and range that this band has: an ability to appeal to everyone from the most discerning, sub-genre critics to the kids that want something to raise their arm about at local live music venues.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

A spacious, but cozy porch with a handful of your closest friends. One of those gatherings where countless hours go by and you don't notice.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Natalie Portman, but at the Beautiful Girls stage.

Visit Shangrala at one of their Web homes http://www.theshanggang.com/ or myspace.com/shangrala to find out about merchandise, get show dates and find out more about their upcoming new album.

11 Time.wma - Shangrala

Luna: Ride Into the Sun

2009-04-05T07:58:00.000-07:00

If ever there were a Sunday morning cover, it's Luna's stab at the Velvet Underground's "Ride Into the Sun." While Luna took much of their sound from Lou Reed and company, this cover is simply divine. So cooly paced, it's nearly quiescent. And hell, it's a beautiful Sunday morning, so we should just proceed to the breakdown.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

A quiet, verdant spot that has an unimpeded view of the sky.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

The most even keeled NBA player of them all, double zero, The Chief, Robert Parish.

I'm just sayin'. And I think I'm liking Sunday to be set aside exclusively for covers.

Ride Into The Sun (EP Version) - Luna

Amadou & Mariam: Sabali

2009-04-04T10:31:00.000-07:00

This band's makeup is almost as interesting as their music . . . almost. Amadou & Mariam are a blind, African husband and wife duo that has made music together for nearly 30 years to fan and critical claim alike. Sabali is a sort of anomaly for them, but a song that produced multiple visceral reactions: moving, confusing and fantastic. It was one of those experiences where I didn't exactly know what to make of it, but only that I needed to listen to it again.

I'm not exactly sure what the message of Sabali off the album Welcome to Mali, but it's sound produces true wonderment and excitement about cross-cultural implications when interesting music is the prevailing mogality. This song alone was produced by Damon Alburn of Blur and Gorillaz fame.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

Anywhere with a good pair of headphones.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Don Cheadle - The I can be funny, socially conscience, dramatic and whatever you want me to be Don Cheadle. You want Boogie Nights, sure, you want Hotel Rwanda, I can bring it, you want Oceans Thirteen, no, nobody wanted that.

Sabali - Amadou & Mariam

SUNBEARS!: Little Baby Pines

2009-04-03T06:17:00.000-07:00

The sun is back out and how suitable that the SUNBEARS! are scoring the day with the convivial sounding Little Baby Pines. I could easily hear this monster synth hook being saturated in myriad movie trailers, commercials, etc. And that's because it is so damn infectious.

SUNBEARS! achieve an incredibly full and impressively layered sound, showing the evolution of what 2 piece bands could be. At it's most stripped down, Little Baby Pines possesses the earnest, introspective songwriting sensibility of a Death Cab for Cutie song. At it's sound apex, it could easily fit into the big soundscape wonders on The Flaming Lips album, The Soft Bulletin.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

You can feel confident cranking Little Baby Pines at your next house party. That's right, people still have house parties. This song has so much cross section appeal that you'll have everyone taking their musical cues from you, finally upstaging the guy that DJs at that sh*tty club once a week and plays the same twenty-year old music over and over.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Kate Winslet from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Just like this song, jubilant on the surface, but possibly possessing some neurotic inclinations with the repeated refrain of "And it's more than I can take."

A New Category: Word Association with My Cohort

These are the idioms that my office neighbor produced upon hearing Little Baby Pines:

technocandy
a rainbow of fruit-flavored sound
shiny first-day-of-school shoes
going headfirst down a waterslide
ghostly but not creepy

Check out SUNBEARS! on their website for further information and to see their current tour dates with Mates of State.

Little Baby Pines - SUNBEARS!

The Magnetic Fields - I Don't Believe in the Sun

2009-04-02T04:39:00.000-07:00

Nope, with our continued deluge of rain and gray skies, I would have to agree with The Magnetic Fields and their disbelief in the sun. Stephin Merritt is as prolific a songwriter as there has ever been, possibly the Irving Berlin of our time, but unfortunately not as widely known or celebrated. Built on a simple arrangement, I Don't Believe in the Sun conveys the loss of a loved one (relationship gone bad or death, you be the judge) to no longer believing in the great ball of fire and gas in the sky. Well, the analogies flow forth about this person and the sun, I'm guessing because of the illumination that the both brought to the now sad singer's life.

So, Stephin Merritt's pain, our gain. Croon your sorrow Stephin!

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

Anywhere in a contemplative state, but would be uber fashionable while sitting in something retro modern.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

An introspective Philip Seymour Hoffman or PSH or the Hoff.

Self-inflicted mullygrubs await. And don't believe the hype, how could the sun possibly shine down on everyone?

I Dont Believe In The Sun - The Magnetic Fields

When Tides Collide: Some Speak Softer

2009-04-01T06:09:00.000-07:00

If ever there was a track made for gazing through the window at an overcast, raindrop filled panorama, it's "Some Speak Softer" by When Tides Collide. The song is off their EP Welcome Home and may be the most accessible track off the album. The EP ranges from minimalist soundscape to lushly arranged songs written with a true appreciation for terraced dynamics. The only nagging aspect about the entire effort, would be the vocals that sometimes come across as an afterthought and can be vaporous in spots.

"Some Speak Softer" shows Tide's ability to arrange with the best in the genre without smothering. Guitar and keyboard effectively cavort throughout the track providing a somewhat cheerful refrain from the near ascetic vocals. The lofty arrangement and ability begs the vocals, although the doubled vocals work well, for the same confidence shown in arrangement, musicianship and songwriting. When Tides Collide have the chops and promise to deliver Sufjan Stevens profundity, Owen introspection and Arcade Fire arrangement.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

Prafessa Hotsawze: Right where I am. In my low lit office looking at the rain.

Pink Streaker: Doing yoga on the beach if I was brave enough to do yoga on the beach.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption.

This song is more endearing with each lesson and I suggest that you purchase a copy for yourself at the When Tides Collide website.

Some Speak Softer - When Tides Collide

School of Seven Bells - Connjur

2009-03-31T05:25:00.000-07:00

Remember when 4AD featured the who's who of shoe-gaze rock, and of course, the Pixies? I love that stuff! School of Seven Bells would have fit comfortably with that crew but doesn't sound at all stuck in that time. A guy from Secret Machines was like, I want to leave this band to just focus on School of Seven Bells, and he did. And it's good, really good.

"Connjur" is from their album Alpinisms. This song is gorgeously layered like a sensible winter outfit. Sail cerebrally away with the soft, electronic arrangements and the sublime vocals supplied by twin sister vocalists.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

Those days that are cold enough to warrant warming up your car. You're sitting there, not moving a muscle, thanking the All Mighty that you only have to do this for a short stint out of the year. Make this your warm-up song.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Jane Fonda but only Jane Fonda as Barbarella.

If you don't like this super fantastic song, it's because you're a twin hater.

Click Link Below to Listen to Connjur

School of Seven Bells - Connjur.wma

The Stooges - Loose

2009-03-30T05:47:00.000-07:00

As incendiary and moving as I find the rock of The Stooges, I can't claim to be a big fan. It wasn't even until reading a magazine this weekend that I found out Ron Asheton, the original guitarist, co-songwriter and sometimes bassist of The Stooges passed away in January. I believe the article was in Blender and was quite fascinating.

Anyway, "Loose" is from The Stooges second album Fun House. Apparently, the sanctimonious music critique crew of the day didn't show The Stooges any love, probably in large part for how raw the music was. It's unrefined nature and power reaches back to the days when I had to bum rides to local shows. You could be in a buddy's garage when you're listening to "Loose." It's the kind of song you feel on your chest and the type of song that makes you want to pick up a guitar and start a band . . . although you probably shouldn't.

Ellen Page as Juno Put It Best:
"Well, when you're used to the raw power of Iggy and the Stooges, everything else sounds kind of precious by comparison."

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

Right before you are going to rock out with some friends or right before going to a rock show. Compare and contrast.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Larry Fine of the Three Stooges.

This song will punch you in the face if you look at it wrong and probably be accused of intimidation by the rest of your collection. Now down with pious, out-of-touch song reviews!

Loose (Remastered LP Version) - The Stooges

A.C. Newman - Take On Me

2009-03-29T08:24:00.000-07:00

While most Sunday mornings are ripe for The Commodores and Marvin Gaye, this one is all about an absolutely incredible cover that I was clued into last night. Norwegian pop power force a-ha first introduced us to the infectious keyboard riff and dramatic, even life endangering story if you buy the video's premise in "Take on Me." Most covers fall into one of three categories:

1. That was terrible and you should apologize to the song's writer.
2. It was decent but sounds pretty much like the original (this is also called the Bar Band category).
3. Hot damn, that was great. You made it your own and did the original justice.

There is a fourth category that barely merits mentioning because a song so rarely arrives at such a level. The coveted fourth cover category:

4. That was absolutely amazing and even better than the original.

A.C. Newman, of New Pornographer's fame, actually ascended into the last mentioned stratosphere with his cover of "Take on Me." It is simple, but beautiful, interestingly arranged and even moving. In other words, he owned that biatch.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

Driving your date to the Spaghetti House (or wherever you kids take your dates) to show that you have hip inclinations and emotional sensibilities.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Forrest Whitaker in The Crying Game period.

You're going to want this for every mix you make and I promise it will deliver a sweet wave of serenity through your Sunday. Take it easy, take it slow, it's Sunday morning.

AC Newman - Take On Me.mp3 -

Fatlip - What's Up Fatlip?

2009-03-28T08:44:00.000-07:00

It's Saturday, the weather is fine and you can put off most of those things you promised to do until Sunday night. As lackadaisical as most Saturday mornings, Fatlip's delivery is coolly nonchalant and lyrics quite humorous. On "What's Up Fatlip?" from The Loneliest Punk, the former Pharcyde member calls into question his own street cred. Funny and infectious, this song of the day is a mix staple.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen:

On a boombox at your backyard barbecue.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be:

Marcel Marceau - French Mime Artist and Actor

Fatlip will ring in your Saturday in style with his ode to the uncool . . . you can probably empathize.

Whats Up Fatlip? - Fatlip

Port O'Brien: I Woke Up Today

2009-03-27T06:25:00.000-07:00

Yeah! Now that's a good morning romp. Sometimes folk, sometimes a musical ruckus, Port O'Brien draws largely on geographical surrounding creating a sound that varies from quirky, loose Pavement-type arrangements to Neutral Milk Hotel-type stoicism and brilliance. "I Woke Up Today" off The Wind and the Swell will put an extra scoot in your step and provide the perfect springboard into the upcoming weekend.

Song Breakdown

Best Place and Time for Listen

Morning, your house, with a side of runny eggs and toast.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be

Jacques Cousteau - Famed Oceanographer and Knit Hat Wearer

This song will give you that much needed caffeinated kick in the ass that you need to get this weekend party started.

I Woke Up Today - Port OBrien

Beirut: A Sunday Smile

2009-03-26T10:39:00.000-07:00

The first time I heard Beirut, I thought, those are some wistful, amazingly talented gypsies. Where did you get your treasures gypsy? Upon further investigation, I found it was merely one young New Mexico native writing and recording these sublime songs. "A Sunday Smile" is from the album The Flying Club Cup.

My cohort, Pink-Streaker describes the song as a Sepia Tone Carnival.

Song Breakdown:

Best Place and Time for Listen

Prafessa Hotsawze: Car with windows down . . . let's say in Spring.

Pink-Streaker: Lying in a hammock.

If This Song Was a Celebrity It Would Be

Prafessa Hotsawze: Hervé Jean-Pierre Villechaize (Tattoo from Fantasy Island)

Pink-Streaker: Opted for Gonzo from The Muppets

Listen, love it and thank me later. And as always, we pity the fools that don't like it. That's you just announcing your embarassingly bad taste to your friends and family.

A Sunday Smile - Beirut