SOTD 10/30: Scary Technicolor Wolves on All Hallow's Eve...

It's a cold, rainy, windy day here in Chicago, the kind where the alarm goes off and you can hear the rain beating against the window and you think, "screw this, I'm staying home.." But, you don't. You get get up and you need a song that sounds like an outtake from an early Strokes' session to get you motivated to get in the shower and get the day started and done. Know what I mean?

Technicolor Wolves are from California. It's warm there and it makes me jealous.

Reaction by Technicolor Wolves

SOTD 10/29: Karen O and The Kids, just in time for Halloween

I never really read Where the Wild Things Are until I had kids, and by then? I was already an old jaded bastard who thought he had the world figured out.

But I can't wait to see this movie. It can suck to high heaven for all I care, have you SEEN the pictures for it? It LOOKS gorgeous. Spike Jonze is a visionary, and Dave Eggers is a writer who, even if I don't outright love him, I respect a lot and enjoy much of his work. But the visuals I've seen are stunning, so...I'm going. And that's before I put on the soundtrack, which is, by all accounts, damn near perfect. So here's a taste of it:

All Is Love by Karen O and The Kids

SOTD 10/28: Back from the Edge, literally...and loving The Orange Peels

So it's been awhile since the last post, but the west coast U2 groupie trek is now done with much fun had by all and now, as a detox, I've been listening to music that's anything but U2. Found this band on Largehearted Boy, and gotta admit, I didn't know a thing about them, but I really dug this song:

We're Gonna Make It by The Orange Peels. It's from their album 2020, coming out in early November. So it seems, with a quick internet search, that The Orange Peels have been around a bit and this is their first record in four years. Working on the Wrens plan seems to be successful nowadays, so why not, huh?

SOTD 10/16: Ok, even though I like the rainy weather..it IS Friday, and it's time for a good acoustic punkish raveup- Ezra Furman and the Harpoons

Think a raucous Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and mix it with a bit of the Violent Femmes, and this song, which I love with all my bitter jaded heart, starts with the classic "1, 2, 3, 4...."

what's not to love?

I Wanna Be Ignored by Ezra Furman and the Harpoons

and a bonus:

We Should Fight by Ezra Furman and the Harpoons

and thanks again to the consistently awesome "I am fuel, you are friends" for this one. Good lordy that's an awesome site.

SOTD 10/14: Wake up the kids, Frightened Rabbit releases new songs!!

I love Frightened Rabbit. Those Scottish brogues. The emotional intensity. The awkward feelings and bizarre juxtapositions of imagery. They're everything good about music right now.

and if you don't like it, too stinkin' bad.

The new single is called "Swim Until You Can't See Land" and it's an ep to hold us over till the new album comes out next Spring.

Swim, Until You Can't See Land

You have to click play because of the flash player...and you get another song, too...a perfect example of what sad sack bastards they can be. and you know what? I love it, too.

SOTD 10/12: maybe it's the fall, maybe i'm just morose...

but i've always had a soft spot in my heart for bands like ride, and my bloody valentine, and all those other shoegazer, 4AD types of bands. Clan of Xymox, anyone? The Depreciation Guild fits straight in that lineage, with repetitive guitars, dreamy vocals, and a decidely late 80's early 90's kinda vibe. A quick peruse of the internets shows that a couple of the guys are also in Pains of Being Pure at Heart, which may also explain my love...

Butterfly Kisses by The Depreciation Guild

Sky Ghosts by The Depreciation Guild

Dark Looming by The Depreciation Guild

The Depreciation Guild - "Dream About Me" from Jack Ferry on Vimeo.

SOTD 10/7: I always get confused....

between Matt and Kim and She and Him.  Then I remember..oh, yeah, Matt and Kim is the one where the woman DIDN'T sing in Elf.  This song comes via suggestion from the HP Giants Frosh A middle hitter, who said, "Dad, I LOVE this song.."  or some nonsense like that.  So here you go, kid.

Daylight by Matt and Kim

Hey, Kids...Here's music Dad used to think was cool...

and you know what? it IS.

Sunny Day Real Estate live on Jimmy Fallon



click the last spacer in the play bar unless you want to watch the entire show (if the spacers don't appear after the commercial, it starts at the 38:30 mark)

SOTD 10/5: Bad news, everybody, The Broken West is really broken...

and they're never getting put back together again. I had the good fortune of seeing them a while back in the spring when I was in Boston. It was a weeknight show at the Middle East basement and they weren't flashy, weren't super obviously brilliant, but the sum total of the night was greater than its parts. They put on a terrific show without being huge showmen. They rocked without bringing the RAWK. They're going to be missed.


Gwen, Now and Then by The Broken West
Down in the Valley (Daytrotter Session) by The Broken West
You Can Build an Island by The Broken West
So It Goes by The Broken West