Cayucas released a video for “East Coast Girl” and I’m expecting Chevy Chase to walk out at any time. Watch this cuteness here: East Coast Girl video
Cayucas release video for “East Coast Girl”
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Monthly Archives: May 2013
ZZ Ward – SOLD OUT – Photos and Review
photo by leslie loudspeaker
Last night ZZ Ward played her heart out to a sold out audience in Denver, and everyone left wanting to be her. What a cool, talented chick. She can belt the blues, rage a soulful blues guitar, rock the keys and play a wild harmonica. We needed an exciting blues musician like this. The audience was packed into the Gothic over an hour before she even hit the stage, volume buzzing ever higher as the great Ft. Collins opener, You, Me and Apollo finished.
photo by leslie loudspeaker
She started the show with her hit single “Put the Gun Down”, and the audience of mostly females freaked out. Above you can see ZZ’s interpretive dance for the lyric “I’ve got ten fingers to the sky”.
photo by leslie loudspeaker
I love when artists have a huge backdrop of their name, and I thought ZZ’s looked great.
photo by leslie loudspeaker
I’d say ZZ Ward is one to watch, but I think everyone’s already watching! I can’t wait to see what happens in her future, a collaboration with Gary Clark Jr. would be amazing….
photo by leslie loudspeaker
photo by leslie loudspeaker
….and of course, there were a ton of hats in attendance. Don’t miss ZZ Ward when she hits your town, but go early for a good seat, she’s in the big time.
Eleanor Friedberger of Fiery Furnaces New Album Stream
Listen to Eleanor Friedberger‘s new album streaming free today at NPR. The sister half of artsy weird band Fiery Furnaces brings her distinct vocals and quirks to this new album. This is a smart album with great songs, interested to see her live solo, when I saw a Fiery Furnaces show, her and her brother bickered onstage. She’s pretty darn cool.
Stream the new album here: Eleanor Friedberger on NPR First Listen
Lovelife – edgy Synth pop at Gothic on May 30th!
Lovelife is bringing their heavily 80’s influenced synth pop to the Gothic this Thursday, May 30th, sure to be a great high energy dance party. This Brooklyn by UK duo fits right in with the nu-R&B/electro dance pop wave that’s getting gaining steam right now. I know, these genres are getting so particular, but it’s great for organization. They just traveled around the country playing with Capital Cities, who have this big hit right now (when I saw them play this at the Perez Hilton SXSW party this year, many guys inexplicably took their shirts off): Safe and Sound
Listen to the new Lovelife single here: Dying to Start Again
Watch Lovelife video here: Your New Beloved
Nelly Furtado Video “Parking Lot”
Since almost every band that’s good these days is from Canada, I wondered what my favorite Canadian songbird, Nelly Furtado was up to. Selling not enough copies of her latest album, that’s what. Not sure why, this new single is catchy, poppy and I love the video. I also like mimicking her singing (what IS that??). Music industry, you are so fickle. Nelly’s got looks, talent, beats, and satin baseball jackets, is this not enough for you?? My best guess is M.I.A. came out stronger, and now Nelly sounds like a copycat even though she’s been doing this sound for forever. Regardless, she sold one more album today!
The Great Gatsby Review
Baz Lurhmann’s latest movie, an adaptation of The Great Gatsby got a ton of flak before it was even released, mainly due to the Jay-Z produced soundtrack. Now personally, I think Hova is the MAN, so I’ve been loving the soundtrack for awhile, and yesterday I finally got to see how it all fit in the big picture of the movie. Personally, I think people are up in arms over not much. You’d think Hova was playing Nick Carraway and narrating, rather than the snippets of music heard in parties, and one two second scene of some Harlem jazz cats being driven by a white chauffeur. I thought it absolutely worked.
“The hip-hop soundtrack, too, stemmed from Luhrmann’s understanding of Fitzgerald as an unflinching modernist. “He took African-American street music, jazz, and he put it front and center in the novel,” Luhrmann said. “He did that because he wanted the book to feel immediate and dangerous.” But the jazz of the 1920s has long since matured into something “classical and quaint,” so Luhrmann turned to a newer form: hip hop.”- HuffPo
The only time the music took me out of the movie was when “Crazy In Love” came on, and that’s only because I’m sick of Beyonce, so it has no sway on my opinion since I’m biased there. This soundtrack flowed much better than that “Roxanne” tango in Moulin Rouge, at least Daisy didnt start singing the Lana Del Ray song! I’ve noticed now that most of the people complaining about the music haven’t seen the movie, and that’s a scary, quick judging way to live. Don’t miss this movie because you don’t think hip hop should be played, you are missing what I believe is Leo DiCaprio’s best performance in years (he’s always good, but Gatsby is just THE role for him). Most if it is just hip hop beats with sultry vocals, and there is only really one rap in it, Jay-Z in “$100 Bill”. You are doing yourself a disservice if you skip this because of that ten seconds.
Besides, the theater was mainly younger people, they would not be coming in droves to see this movie were it not for the soundtrack (Leo is a little too old and jowly for teen crushes). I will never complain about more people potentially reading a book. Can’t wait for that Death Metal Anna Karenina adaptation!!
Music in Denver 5/16-5/20
photo by leslie loudspeaker
Music in Denver 5/16-5/20
Thursday, May 16th
Primus – City Auditorium, CO Springs – the 3D Tour, this time in a really pretty hall
Friday, May 17th
Black Moth Super Rainbow – Bluebird- experimental band out of Pittsburgh, dark undertones in a trippy pretty sound: BMSR video with rainbow colors
Brown Bird – Larimer Lounge – caught them opening for Yonder Mountain String Band, these two make a big sound that centers around the stand up bass, rollicking Johnny Cash covers sometimes
Junior Brown – Soiled Dove Underground – country guitarist who plays a “guit-steel”, he’s the man, if you feel like hearing amazing guitar work, this is your guy: Full ACL show, not much has changed
Saturday, May 18
Kate Nash – Bluebird – Lily Allen is a big supporter, she’s got that throwback British pop thing going on, this video has over 6 million views so I guess it’s safe to say she’s popular. For some reason, I hear Aaron Neville loud and clear in her songs: her super popular song
Hindershot – Hi Dive – I love this local band. Strong supportive fan base, too, I’ve watched a show clear out when they are done and playing first: Video for I Won’t Change
Limp Bizkit – Fillmore – I have a photopass for this.
Everyone Orchestra – Oriental – constantly rotating band of members, seen them twice and they were great, but different, so just go! Who knows what surprises are in store! (Steve Kimock)
Monday, May 20
Telekinesis – Hi Dive – indie rocker Michael Benjamin Lerner, self titled album was produced by Death Cab for Cutie‘s guitarist. Really good stuff, full KEXP performance HERE
Turbonegro – Ogden – legendary Norway death punk band, everyone should see at least one show of theirs, to me this is perfect punk: newest video
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Gothic – garage rock-bluesy band from San Francisco, great live show, music is easy on the ears, strong Monday in Denver! BRMC video
Vampire Weekend -Red Rocks – these guys made the list because the new album is really really great, and I say that as someone who found them annoying before. Seriously check out the new record. Opener Of Monsters and Men was the band I thought would be huge until The Lumineers jumped ahead, and it says Haim is first opener, GREAT band, but I just got an email that they canceled.
Portugal. The Man New Album Review
The highly anticipated Portugal. The Man release “Evil Friends” comes out June 4th, and I was given a chance to listen to it today. For fans of the expiremental Portland band already, you are going to love it, it’s a new sound that doesn’t stray too far from the old, and I see them gaining a lot of new fans with this album due to the more easily accessible radio-friendly nature of the songs. There isn’t a skippable track here, each has their own catchy melody and lyrics that tell so many bittersweet stories, and they could each standalone as a strong single courtesy of the amazing production by Danger Mouse. They had recorded most of the tracks at Sonic Ranch Studios in El Paso, but scrapped all but two and began working with Danger Mouse on an almost clean slate.
The album starts off great with the synth heavy “Plastic Soldiers”, and I love the lyrics of “Creep in a T-Shirt” about being a loser, they go nicely with the driving beat and twinkling keys. “Evil Friends”, the title track, has a taste of garage punk, while “Sea of Air” is a delicate acoustic ditty that soars as more layers of instruments are brought in. By the time they got to the hand-claps, I was smitten. “Holy Roller (Hallelujah)” is a stand out track with strong lyrics and background choruses singing “ooohs” and “aaahs”, and they even dabble in hip hop with the track “Hip-Hop Kids”, and it works! They’ve got a major tour kicking off May 20th at Irving Plaza, and will be hitting up Denver opening for the Avett Brothers at Red Rocks. If you haven’t seen them live, they are even better and louder in person, songs get stretched out and rocked out, and the new material is so awesome, I can’t wait to hear it live! Don’t miss that Red Rocks show!
Link to Video of Evil Friends
Link to tour dates
Link to pre-order Limited Edition Super Pack
Fork and Spoon Records Release Some Stuff You Should Hear
When looking for new music, I often check out the other bands that are on the same label. I liked the sound of Coma Cinema, so I asked Fork and Spoon Records what else they had. They sent the new split single 7″ by bands Pandercakes and Pussy Wizard. Both bands have a seemingly happy sound but with a darker edge throughout the more you listen, and I’m really excited now to hear the rest of their roster.
Pandercakes starts the single with a layered song that contains male and female vocals (I think I heard some birds singing) all while a drum pattern keeps a steady danceable beat, even during the keys solo. Very interesting, intellectual pop, but with some punk rock attitude, I want to hear more of what they have. Pussy Wizard, aka Jordan Blackmon who plays guitar in Toro Y Moi finishes the single with “Dunno (Translucent Blue)”, a song that has a great lofi fuzz sound, world weary lyrics, and melodies that remind me of Elliott Smith. That name is going to deter some people, but it shouldn’t. The idea came from him flying on a cat.
Listen to it and buy it here: Pandercakes/Pussy Wizard
Stream the new Daft Punk on iTunes now!!!
photo by leslie loudspeaker
FINALLY it has arrived!! The new Daft Punk is killer, smooth perfect electronic that counters all the dubstep and in your face bass that has been so popular. This is the album of the summer, I’m in love with the song “Touch”, so funky and cool and just what you want. “Giorgio” has one of the funkiest beats ever and the whole thing just flows, I’m now on my third listen, can’t get enough! Apparently, others can’t either, that song alone has over 1,300,000 hits on youtube. This album used mostly real instruments, it’s so refreshing to hear. It’s good for every occasion, and you can listen to it NOW at iTunes!!! Go go go go go!
Direct link: Daft Punk album
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