I came across this little site today…and even if you’re not American…it’s pretty interesting. It’s a quiz that asks you about your top issues in the U.S. Presidential election. Then it pairs you up with candidate who shares your values.
It’s not exactly scientific, but it’s kind of cool and it only takes a few minutes.
Oh yeah…and I’m 86% like Mike Gravel. The Democratic candidate from Alaska, who’s a YouTube sensation for videos like this:
Toronto - What is it these days about the anti-love for vowels? First MSTRKRFT, now this. Folks..these things are important. Without vowels, we are nothing but terrorists. Let me introduce you to MGMT (you can call them The Management). Hailing from Brooklyn, the band has nicely positioned itself as ‘hot fiya’ for 2008. Rolling Stone and Spin have both hyped them as a band to watch for this year, and Pitchfork Media gave them a 6.8, which I think is a good rating. I am not sure, I never go to that site. Maybe someone elaborate on that.
So what do they sound like? I am thinking some sort of 70s psych rock? When I heard a couple tunes, I was like hmm this songs a lot like Bowie from the 70s, even though I’ve only heard about 10 Bowie songs from the 70s. That is what they sound like to me. Some of the songs can pass as 80s tunes too so basically, what I am saying is that they sound like a band from another era, but so do a lot of bands these days…so does this make them sound like a band from our era? I really can’t go into this or my head will explode.
Their album Oracular Spectacular is available to be purchased both online (at Itunes) and in your local record store. They are playing the El Mocambo, February 9th along with fellow hyped band Yeasayer for $9. That is quite cheap, 9$ isn’t even a fast food lunch in the financial district man.. go to the show. I’ll probably see you there.
Here is a song from them called ‘Kids’, it is not a cover of the kylie minogue-robbie williams duet from a few years ago. However, that is a good song as well.
Well the wait was finally over, despite having a bad ass head cold I decided to brave the brisk winter evening to go watch one of the most hyped up films since Snakes on a Plane. I was looking forward to this movie ever since the first teaser where the head of the Statue of Liberty flew off it’s shoulders and into our hearts and minds. Despite getting mixed reviews and hearing the complaints about the shaky camera (a la Blair Witch), nothing was going to stop me from watch this movie.
That being said, man I wish I listened to the naysayers. This movie was absolute rubbish. I can totally dig the concept - experiencing an attack on New York city from a first person perspective. That means, for the sake of continuity the character behind the lens has to keep the camera running throughout the entire movie, through the dull, sappy moments and while the character is running with the camera pointed to the ground. It just doesn’t work. The story was pretty straight forward - kids filming a house party, the attack happens, despite going through hell, the character with the camera manages to flim entire the rescue of a friend and an attempted escape.
I think J.J. Abrams would have been better off cutting this movie up and presenting it as a TV series, because it seems like that’s all he’s good at.
1/5
Kelp Records was founded in 1994 in Frederiction by Jon Bartlett, but is now located in Ottawa. Enough about that, lets talk music.
Jim Bryson
Jim Bryson. Jim has been making solo records since 2000 and has backed other Canadian talent such as Kathleen Edwards, Sarah Harmer and The Weakerthans. His latest release, Where the Bungalows Roam (2007), is available for streaming on the Kelp site. It is worth a listen. It reminds me a lot of Luna. I can picture myself listening to Jim’s cd driving down a snowy country road, not being in a hurry to get to wherever I am going, or dancing with the one I love in my living room. For a country pop, singer, songwriter, Where The Bungalows Roam has quite a wide range of appeal. There is something for everyone. You can catch Jim Bryson February 26th at the Dakota Tavern in Toronto. I’ll see you there.
Quote from the label: “As for quotes, what can I say? We are coming up on our 14th anniversary this spring, and I am blessed to be able to work with such a strong stable of talent, and very appreciative of the kind words, emails and attention that our artists have been getting of late. Kelp is really looking forward to 2008!” (Jon Bartlett)
Hilotrons
Next Kelp Release: April 1st. A new HILOTRONS album called Happymatic.
I first heard of the Hilotrons via their Science Fiction Music single a few years ago. It seems they used to play it every Saturday night on the CBC radio show (RIP). Jon was nice enough to give me an advance listen to the Hilotrons upcoming release, Happymatic, and let me tell you, it was a pleasant surprise. No wait, let me rephrase that, it was a freaking awesome surprise. In listening to it from start to finish, I really got the sense that the band went into the studio and wanted to ‘try’ a bunch of things. The things they tried really work. This list includes some power pop (Lost In Yichang), some super catchy power pop (Deep River), vocal distortions and synthesizers (Comrade Elvis), and even an instrumental surfer rock ditty (Feet First). Happymatic is good and it will make you want to dance. I hope it gets the attention it deserves on April 1st when it is released. No joke.
Toronto - I don’t know what it is about 2008, but so far I’ve been able to find a lot of tunes I enjoy lately. The past three or four days, I can’t get this Teenagers song out of my head. The guy in this song sounds like Fez from the 70s show. I find this band funny, even if they rip off the ceremony riff in one of the songs. So who are they? The Teenagers are apparently three guys (who aren’t Teenagers) from France. They look like hipsters, like mis-shapes hipsters and stuff. I guess they guys sound somewhat like Arab Strap, if Arab Strap sounded like Fez and seems like having a good time/ has a very tongue in cheap humor.
They have a cd coming out on January 22, which, last time I check..was yesterday. It’s called Reality Check and off XL Recordings as well (two in a row!..who are these guys?). They play at the Social on Sunday, tickets are 16.50 and there are some left at Rotate This and Soundscapes, probably. I am thinking that show is going to be full of 19 year old hipsters done up on coke. Maybe I’m starting to get old..
Vik thinks its a guilty pleasure, kind of pop cd. I totally agree.
Holy crap, theres an asian in the band. Cool, besides the drummer from the Bloc Party, the girl from blonde redhead, the girl from CSS …asians starting to represent
If you look at music related posts I’ve written since I’ve started at The Panic Manual, you will see my tastes run across the board. I really like Twee, dig on Northern Soul, sway to Britpop and rock out with my c**k out to Classic Rock. Black Mountains latest LP “In The Future” makes me want to do the latter, but also just hang in the breeze…licking on a Spacepop. Okay bad visual.
The album takes the best of of the 70’s psych rock and beams down a little help from the space gods to give it a touch of YES-like progressiveness. From the amped up opener “Stormy High” (BM fans, prepare to breathe a sigh of relief as this track proves to be a perfect response to “Don’t Run Our Hearts Around”) to their sure to be classic “Tyrants”, sums up the albums classic guitar riffs and bewitching hymn-like banter between vocalists Amber Webber and Stephen McBean. Although this record may look and sound like it belongs ‘In the Future’, sometimes you gotta look to the past for the perfect sound.
4/5
