Archive for the ‘Downloads’ Category

SPOTLIGHT: I Call Fives

I Call Fives

In a sea of new independent pop punk music, I Call Fives really floats above the rest. They are a refreshing take on the typical pop punk band and deliver catchy guitar hooks and anthemic lyrics. The track “My Last Mistake” from First Things First stands out exceptionally well and offers up some of their best material.

Hailing from New Jersey, this incendiary pop punk outfit never fail to deliver. Every song on their 7 track debut, First Things First, grabs you and doesn’t let go until the next track is starting up.

I Call Fives, “My Last Mistake” from First Things First | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/My-Last-Mistake.mp3]

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BRIEF: Cap’n Jazz reunite, plan Chicago show and LP re-release

Courtesy of Force Field PR

Influential emo band Cap’n Jazz (1989–1995) has announced their first reunion show — a gig at the Bottom Lounge in Chicago on July 17 — and record label Jade Tree is prepping their 1998 anthology, Analphabetapolothology, for a double-LP June 15 re-release. Select dates will follow the reunion show, which is a follow-up to a surprise set the group played in January.

Cap’n Jazz — “Oh, Messy Life” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Cap_n_Jazz-Messy_Life.mp3]

Read on for a video of Cap’n Jazz performing “Oh, Messy Life” as part of the Joan of Arc Don’t Mind Control Variety Show, the surprise set in January.

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Album Review: Elizabeth & the Catapult – Taller Children

Elizabeth & the Catapult - Taller Children

Elizabeth & the Catapult - Taller Children

Despite what could be construed as a strangely typical name for this era of music, Elizabeth & the Catapult are hardly the typifying outfit of the accompanying sound. Inflected with vocals with a style more keen on jazz than post-punk and an outright affinity for Cocteausian dream pop, Taller Children is something “new” from the outset.

Elizabeth & the Catapult — “Taller Children” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/TallerChildren.mp3]

Produced largely by Saddle Creek alumnus Mike Mogis — the one exception is the titular track, which was produced by Jim Eno of Spoon and the dubious-careered Jon Kaplan (who has produced such masterworks as … the Jonas Brothers!) — Taller Children is a solid pop record with a cheerful melodic bent taking the musical front seat in the recording, and the production supports that without becoming intrusive. Never does a song sound overproduced or forced, much to the album’s benefit. (more…)

Politics and Music: Mark Berube

Mark Berube and the Patriotic FewMark Berube, a Canadian indie musician who performs folk-inflected indie with his group, Mark Berube and the Patriotic Few, discusses his perspective on music and politics. This is the third in a series of interviews with musicians discussing political perspectives. 

What role do politics play in your music?

Politics in modern music can very easily have the tendency to be preachy. I avoid this sort of statement as much as I can, unless I really want to put some balls behind something. I prefer subtlety, like “Ojala,” by Silvio Rodriguez, probably one of the most potent and subtle statments made in a song against Castro.

Mark Berube and the Patriotic Few – “Flowers on the Stones” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/08-flowers-on-the-stones.mp3]

What role do you think music should play in politics?

Music has always been a reference point for society to bounce itself against, or it has been pure escapism. Most of the time it fills an entertainment quota in politics … you only have to look as far as Palin’s use of “Barracuda”. (more…)

Review: What Laura Says – Thinks and Feels

What Laura Says - Thinks and FeelsWhat Laura Says
Thinks and Feels
Terpsikshore Records, 2008

What Laura Says opens their second release with a collection, of sorts, of musical styles: “Couldn’t Lose Myself If I Tried” opens with a gentle folk-inflected tune before it transitions (with a door knock, of all things) into an a capella medley, then making a segue into a Ben Folds Five-style piano-romp, complete with the group’s trademark vocal harmonies.

Thankfully, What Laura Says doesn’t keep up this strange method for long, opting to not make such bold breaks in style mid-song but still keeping the music convincingly engaging. “Fashionably Moral,” dark Western mood and all, bursts with acoustic energy midway through the song before settling down again, and the following track, “Illustrated Manual” marks another appearance of some nice piano-based pop — it’s clear that What Laura Says either get bored with a single style of music rather quickly, or they simply wish to showcase a bit of diversity in the music.

What Laura Says – “July 23” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/july23.mp3]

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From the archives: An interview with Sean and Christian of Monster Movie

Monster MovieThe following is an interview conducted with Christian Savill and Sean Hewson of Monster Movie from 2005. The interview is being resurfaced mostly because I think it’s interesting. Nothing in the interview — aside from formatting — has been changed, though multimedia content has been added in for user interest.

As a child, were you around music much?

Sean: Only when I got to school and started learning instruments. I think we’re just classic geeks and we spent a lot of time at home listening to music when we were teenagers because we didn’t know how to get girlfriends.

Christian: Not that much. My Dad didn’t even know who the Beatles were, he is a bit of an opera man. I was also hopeless at music at school. Aside from kids music like The Wombles, I remember hearing “Wuthering Heights” by Kate Bush when it first came out and being really interested in it, but not knowing why or what it was. After that I loved listening to the radio and taping the Top 40 singles charts every Sunday night. Those cassettes would literally get worn out. I didn’t get a guitar until I was about 16 or 17, my Dad bought me a right handed guitar, I’m left handed.

Monster Movie – “Letting You Know” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/lettingyouknow.mp3]

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Music Geek #11: Post-rock: reproducing in the back seat since the ’90s

From VerySmallArray.com From the chart attached — from VerySmallArray.com, a wonderful little site of charts and graphics and things by Dorothy Gambrell, creator of my favorite web comic, Cat and Girl — it’s clear that instrumental music is not very popular right now. If that wasn’t painfully obvious, though, I’m not sure what was. Sadly, not much post-rock hits the #1 spot on the charts, much to my bemusement. I’d rather like the music I enjoy to be enjoyed by many, many people!

Godspeed You! Black Emperor – “Dead Flag Blues (Intro)” | download (via official site)
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/godspeed_you_black_emperor-dead_flag_blues_intro.mp3]

I suppose I recognize that people are generally interested in music that’s catchy, especially lyrically and vocally. It’s rather hard to sing along with Godspeed You! Black Emperor, let alone Tortoise — this, I admit. And, if I’ve learned anything from people, it’s that they really, really like to sing along to things, for better or worse. (more…)

Politics and Music: Jon Crocker, ever-touring folk artist

Jon Crocker in Cedar City, UtahJon Crocker, the ever-touring folk artist, discusses his perspective on music and politics. This is the second in a series of interviews with musicians discussing political perspectives.

What role do politics play in your music?

Not a very large one … if I ever write topical songs, they’re usually about social or environmental issues as opposed to political ones, and even with those issues I don’t really write about the political sides.

What role do you think music should play in politics?

I think that should be up to the musicians. If someone wants to make political music, they should. I think songwriters should write about whatever they are passionate about.

Jon Crocker – “Six Day Sinners’ Son” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/jon-crocker-six-day-sinners-son.mp3]

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