Um, yeah, so holy shit you guys. Ben wasn't lying when he gushed about the awesomeness of Wolf Parade when he saw them in Chicago. Wolf Parade is incredible live. I didn't have my proper camera on me at this show (just the iPhone - above, which is taking increasingly out of focus photos, for some reason), so I'll let Ben do a full review of this show when he gets his computer up and running again from the move, but I want to encourage any of you who are in cities that Wolf Parade is destined for on this ...
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Categories: Concerts, Music
Tags: Dallas, DFW, Palladium, Tour Dates, Wolf Parade
Fantastic Playroom by New Young Pony Club is a dance party album. Nothing more. Seriously, there is nothing more to it. This album will indeed get people moving and the music itself is catchy and energetic, but there is no real depth to the songs and the lyrics go from borderline silly to downright laughable. There really isn't much more necessary to get an accurate overview other than that, to be honest - this record is a one trick pony. Catchy dance music, no depth, terrible lyrics. Full review, tourdates and MP3 samples after the jump.
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Categories: Albums, Music, Reviews
Tags: 2008, Album Review, Fantastic Playground, New Young Pony Club, Tour Dates
Marcus and I went to the former the Gypsy Tea Room (now The Door) to see Maps & Atlases on Friday night, and it's apparent that the owners of the Door have done NOTHING to improve that venue; it's still the same terrible sounding, awful dump that it always was. At any rate, Maps & Atlases was very sharp and highly entertaining, and you can check out all of my photos from their show here. This was my first exposure to M&A, other than clips on YouTube, and these guys have an interesting, rather ecclectic/experimental sound, but it comes together in a nice ...
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Categories: Concerts, Music, Reviews
Tags: 2008, DFW, Gasoline Heart, Maps & Atlases, The Door, Tour Dates
The Helio Sequence is a band that has had several indy releases, and Keep Your Eyes Ahead, released by Sub Pop Records is a nice surprise when I threw it on the iTunes for the first time not too long ago. Overall, Keep Your Eyes Ahead is an enjoyable and even record, in that the high points aren't the most awesome, but the low points aren't the most terrible music I have heard this year, either. I think the album suffers a little from the fact that the lead vocals aren't exactly world-class, but they are passable. On the right ...
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Categories: Albums, Music, Reviews
Tags: 2008, Album Review, Keep Your Eyes Ahead, The Helio Sequence, Tour Dates
One of the great new discoveries for me earlier this year was Ra Ra Riot when I saw them opening for The Cribs at Double Door, and I was really impressed with both their stage energy and their songs. I was instantly converted into a fan, and now they have announced a slew of tour dates in support of their upcoming album "The Rhumb Line" (pictured above), out August 19th on Barsuk Records, which is one of the main albums I am looking forward to this summer/fall. I really enjoyed their show earlier this year and will certainly ...
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Categories: Concerts, Main, Music
Tags: Ra Ra Riot, Tour Dates, Walter Meego
Posted June 26th, 2008 by BVaz · 2 Comments
Sigur Ros - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Enadalaust - Beggars - 2008
One of the higher profile releases so far this year is certainly this new album from Iceland's Sigur Ros. The kings of dramatic, atmospheric pop have taken a bit of a change in direction on this album, with a few more focused numbers, but largely retains their sweet natured charm of their dramatic soundscapes and they deliver a very solid record.
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Categories: Albums, Main, Music, Reviews
Tags: Album Review, Sigur Ros, Tour Dates
Posted June 24th, 2008 by BVaz · 1 Comment
Even though Berman & Co. may have originally refused to play live for a long time, that time is over, and the Silver Jews are back on tour again. I am a huge fan of the new album "Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea", and never having seen them live before I am looking forward to checking them out. The full tour date list from Brooklyn Vegan...
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Categories: Concerts, Main, Music
Tags: Silver Jews, Tour Dates
I have to admit that I am a Coldplay fan. I loved Parachutes, and with Rush of Blood to the Head, I really felt like the band put the extra emphasis/sound/depth on their already good songwriting that they needed in order to make Parachutes a more complete record. I think X&Y was a disappointment, and the most troubling to me was that the only song on that record which I could say was really good, Talk, was the only song on that record which wasn't wholly written by Chris Martin (I also love the video for Talk - Spaceships? Alien Robot?! Bad ass.) I ...
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Categories: Albums, Music, Reviews
Tags: 2008, Album Review, Coldplay, Tour Dates, Viva La Vida
Posted June 17th, 2008 by BVaz · 4 Comments
Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer - Sub-Pop - 2008
At the start of the new year 2008 there were really two main albums that I was anticipating in the upcoming year more than any others: Wolf Parade's new album, which came to be known as "At Mount Zoomer", and Of Montreal's record, which will drop in October. So even before this album was announced I was heavily anticipating it, having just seen the band back in September where they played the majority of these songs, and they just blew my mind. Well, I'm happy to say that they ...
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Categories: Albums, Main, Music, Reviews
Tags: Album Review, At Mount Zoomer, Awesome, Tour Dates, Wolf Parade
Posted June 13th, 2008 by BVaz · 1 Comment
Black Kids have announced a slew of fall tour dates in support of their upcoming album "Partie Traumatic", out July 22nd on Columbia Records. They have been one of the big buzz bands of the past year, but there have been some bumps in the road based on some lackluster performances and general inexperience, it will be interesting to see how these guys fare with a major label debut (shout out BSS) and fall tour at some pretty sizeable venues (they have gone from opening at Abbey Pub to headlining Metro, that's quick). I believe they also have ...
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Categories: Concerts, Main, Music
Tags: Black Kids, Tour Dates
Last night I headed out to the venerable Granada theater here in Dallas with Jen, Jill and Angie to go see Headlights, Black Joe Lewis and the Mates of State. Find all of my photos from the show, including larger versions of the ones posted in this entry here. I confess that I was there for Headlights, but obviously stayed to check out the other two since Headlights was the very first band. I am very familiar with Headlights' recent work as I just posted a review of their latest: Some Racing, Some Stopping. I really do enjoy that record, ...
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Categories: Concerts, Music, Reviews
Tags: 2008, Black Joe Lewis, DFW, Granada, Headlights, Mates of State, Some Racing Some Stopping, Tour Dates
Not too long ago I got a copy of Headlights' latest release, Some Racing, Some Stopping - halfway in preparation of seeing them live in Dallas on June 11 at the Granada, (opening for Mates of State) and halfway because I really enjoyed what I had heard in the ladyfriend's car. Overall, this is a good album, but in my mind falls a little short of establishing a real identity in the indy/retro/pop genre. Some Racing, Some Stopping has many highly enjoyable tracks with melodies that drift very nicely along, but somehow don't really affirm themselves in the ...
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Categories: Albums, Music, Reviews
Tags: 2008, Album Review, Headlights, Tour Dates
Hello again from Dallas, Douchebagfaces! Went out to the Granada last night for Frightned Rabbit and French Kicks with Rheinborg and Jill. You can view all of the photos from last night here. All three of us really wanted to see Frightened Rabbit so we got there early...like so early the opening act's opening act was still onstage finishing their set:
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Categories: Concerts, Music, Reviews
Tags: 2008, Dallas, DFW, French Kicks, Frightened Rabbit, Granada, Scotland, Swimming, Tour Dates
These lads from the UK will be coming into the US to do two nights of acoustic shows, one in LA on June 9th and one in New York on June 11th. If you are not in one of those locations you are currently out of luck in the tour department, but they will be releasing a digital EP called "Night Vision Binoculars" on June 24th, and later in the summer will be releasing their album "Wicked Man's Rest", which is already available in the UK. I have listened to the album, and while it does evoke strong ...
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Categories: Main, Music
Tags: Passenger, Tour Dates
First off, I am not extremely familiar with the French Kicks; they have been around for 10 years or so with multiple albums, but Swimming is the first album of theirs that I have ever listened to. At any rate, I got this album not too long ago in preparation of seeing these guys on June 4 in Dallas, and if nothing else, Swimming is an apt title. With its echoey vocals, droning guitar, slow pace and spacey, drifting melodies, this record sounds like your head is underwater; or that you are sitting on a lazy beach. ...
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Categories: Albums, Music, Reviews
Tags: 2008, Album Review, French Kicks, Swimming, Tour Dates
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