Beachwood Sparks: getting the band back together!

MP3: Beachwood Sparks - Surfing Saints

Now that I've found a gap in the essential postings, let's take a step back from some of the best news announced as of late. Sure, Sub Pop is turning 20 and to celebrate they are holding a festival in the summer, but playing are BEACHWOOD SPARKS!

You can't beat news like that. I say for those of us on the opposite coast we should set up a bus or something and hightail it over to Washington. We'll figure it out, but tickets are on sale now on the Sub Pop site and thanks to The Calming Seas (the most important site for BWS fans) they have a mini interview with drummer Aaron Sperske which can be found here. Keep an eye out for the mention of MORE GIGS! But sadly, it is looking like no Farmer Dave (fucking Interpol).

To celebrate this epic news, please enjoy this b-side from the Japanese release of the self-titled lp.

FUCK YEAH: Boris

MP3: Boris - Statement

It's a wonder that we haven't posted about Boris on the blog before: both myself and frequent contributor Matt Giordano are big fans of the gash slayers, but I suppose we just assumed everyone was hip to them and didn't need to be told what to listen to.

But that is the beauty of the FUCK YEAH posts... oh and they put out a new record. "Smile" is out today, and worth getting online from Southern Lord so you can get the limited dvd (only in 3000 copies of the disc, numbered and all) with videos for Statement (today's mp3), My Neighbor Satan and the rarely seen video for Pink. Word.

If you've never heard Boris or "Smile", I posted "Statement" as a first listen. If you have heard Boris AND "Smile", this is here because you know it's a fucking killer track.

Good night.

"Smile" is out today on Southern Lord.

VIDEO FOR "STATEMENT"!

FUCK YEAH: U No Danava

MP3: Danava - Down From A Cloud, Up From the Ground

"UnonoU", the first official full length effort from Portland's Danava may be one of the most creative "metal" (if that's what we're calling it) albums made in recent memory. It's fully laced with horn parts and layered organ tracks over the group's typical 5 minute plus epic stories, making it a unique and utterly enjoyable listen.

In fact, since I got this record a couple of months back, it rarely has left my regular listening rotation, and when it does it is always sorely missed and shortly returned to the stack.

Thanks as always goes to Kemado, for continuing to release the Earth's greatest music. We all appreciate it greatly.

ps if you dig this, don't forget to catch the band's self titled ep that came out awhile back. it's just as fan-fucking-tastic as this gem.

{purchase danava recordings from kemado}

She & Him

MP3: She & Him - I Was Made For You

You kids might be over this record, but I am still loving on it a whole bunch. She & Him's "Volume One" comes along in a lovely 2008 Spring season, ready for full enjoyment. I like "I Was Made For You" the best. Word.

"Volume One" is out now on Merge.

{purchase she & him recordings from merge records}

My Morning Jacket tease our Urges.

MP3: My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges

What a way to spend the weekend. Here is a preview from My Morning Jacket's upcoming "Evil Urges" coming this June. Us at the Team are stoked, despite the atrocious album cover. See you next week, here is what the band had to say:

"hello all you fine and wonderful people out there that are interested in what we do. we now live in the 90's - the era of the interweb and instant gratification. these are confusing times for all humankind, but especially for those of us in the music world as you well know... a week or so ago we played some of our new songs for the first time at a show in houston tx! about an hour later all of those songs were available on the interweb- talk about speed!!! since those and other non-album audiovisual recordings are available to people on the interweb, we wanted to make at least one "real" song version available (if one was interested in what the "real actual studio album" might sound like) to those of you who have supported us most and have seemed most excited about what we are doing over the years.

so here is the song "evil urges". we sure hope you are to enjoy it! we would put the whole thing out there on the interweb, but gosh darn-it, we're still a little old fashioned in that way of wanting the listener to be able to get the actual music when it is supposed to be released, when we say it is finished- not when someone else puts it on the interweb.... but it is the 90's now, we understand that. its a new decade and we want to be part of this decade, but whilst still maintaining a link to the past - where one can't necessarily get everything they want immediately when they want it, but rather when they are told they can have it - by their real life keeper or their digital daddy! we will play both roles here. we all personally relish waiting to unwrap that shrink wrap and smelling that fresh vinyl or compact disc plastic, mmm...that fresh cardboard and paper. or if we buy it off the interweb we all love holding our computers up to our noses and smelling those brand new digital downloads...mmm...fresh! gall durn it- we're just old fashioned that way. sometimes... gentle reader, in this age of instant gratification, waiting can be so rewarding, it can teach us a valuable lesson about the triumph of the human spirit... but sometimes, like our old friend tom petty said- waiting is the hardest part. thank you all for being so supportive of us, and unending in your love... from the bottom of our cold dead hearts!

love,
mmj!"

No Age: erasing bad music.

MP3: No Age - Eraser

Our friends over at Insound were rad enough to ship my "Eraser" vinyl single to me on Saturday, a mite bit early from the April 8th release date. It does serve as an applicable teaser for May's "Nouns" lp from the lovable No Age. The b-side manages to fit 3 covers on itself and they do not disappoint. My only complaint is that Sub Pop did not release a download code with this one. Rats. If anyone has a rip, send it on over to unicorntastic@gmail.com. Word.

Enjoy "Eraser". I am.

{purchase no age recordings from insound}

Vapnet

MP3: Vapnet - Plötsligt händer det inte

NOTE: Today's contribution comes from the invincible Matt Giordano, who was kind enough to send in another post in our attempt to make this blog a complete Hybris tribute. Fuck yeah!

Not only does Vapnet create some great tunes, but they've become somewhat prolific, offering up new music every year since their inception. It's all been quality, and it's all had that nice spring/summer vibe emanating throughout the music even if the lyrics did not. Two years ago "Thomégränd" was my song of the summer, and if this new single is reflective of their highly anticipated new album Döda Fallet, then I wouldn't be surprised if a track would end up taking the prize again. This track is the proper single, which is out now on the ever stellar Hybris, and is fucking brilliant. Enjoy.

{purchase vapnet recordings from hybris}