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April "29th" - Letter "Y" = Yeah Yeah Yeahs

By Mrs. Oshimbo on May 5, 2011 10:18 PM | 1 Comment

So what, I'm a week behind on THIS entry and five days past the end of the deadline to finish the APRIL 2011 challenge. That's not the point. The point is that I am a finisher and I will complete the challenge even if I failed to meet its parameters. Hopefully you won't judge me too harshly. ;)

The reason I have had a hard time finishing the challenge is because I needed enough time to do the Letter "Y" justice. The Letter "Y" is one of my FAVORITE bands and I couldn't just slap some sloppy post together without some thought. With that said, you'll probably read this and think I slapped some sloppy post together, but I did try to think about it. I promise.

When I think of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, I instantly think of Karen O, the lead singer of the band. She is a dichotomy of outer-worldly wild woman on stage and uber-shy reclusive real life persona. She is known to guzzle alcohol and spit it at the audience, hurt herself by jumping over speakers, put disco balls on head, wear crazy outfits made of spandex and converse, but alternately hide her face under a black hoodie and barely speak. Who else could rock a mullet or the perfect bowl bob? She's so engaging on stage that you forget there are two other members of the band (Drummer, Brian Chase, and Guitarist/Keyboardist, Nick Zinner), but as a whole they work so well together.

I first heard of the YYY in 2003 when their debut album, Fever to Tell was released in April of that year. It was loud, fast, screaming, jarring, melodic, short, and completely addictive. Mr. O and I went to Las Vegas that year to meet up with family and have some fun. That album was the soundtrack of our vacation. My sister instantly loved it, but my Mom was very unsure about it. Like it I said, it was loud and not like anything else being played at the time. That album released the popular song, Maps, which received substantial airplay on radio and MTV rotation. It's a ballad and beautiful, but definitely not indicative of the band's overall sound.

The YYY didn't return with a sophomore album until 2006. In fact, it was an album that may have never happened. The band almost broke up. Karen O wasn't even living on the same coast as her bandmates for awhile. But somehow, they persevered and figured out a way to stay a working unit. Show Your Bones was born from that. Honestly, it's not my favorite album. Its direction changed a little. Gone was the frenetic energy and in its place was a more polished sound that almost flavored on seventies glam rock. It's not to say I don't have some favorites from the album, but I favored their debut album.

The group released an EP called Is Is in 2007 and then their third studio album, It's Blitz, in 2009. Before the album came out, there was so much online hype for the new album because YYY are pretty big in the indie circles. The group released a single, called Zero, in Feb 2009. The album didn't come out until April. I fell instantly in love with the single. It was completely different (again) from the loud rock sound of the first album or the 70's vibe of the second. This single was disco infused electronica. Not to mention my favorite manga character is named Zero (from Vampire Knight). I must have played that song on repeat for the entire time until the album came out. When the album DID come out, it was also love at first listen. There were dance tracks, but also a lot of soft songs and acoustic versions. It was another leap for the band who is definitely not done defining themselves.

Besides the great music the band has released, Karen O has been busy doing some soundtrack and score work as well. She used to date Spike Jonze and was with him during his time making the film adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are. Karen O was enlisted to create the movie's soundtrack. The result is a beautiful companion to the visuals and feelings in the movie. It is sometimes joyous, sometimes tense, and other times really sorrowful.

(I love Carol from WTWTA. I was OBSESSED with that movie in 2009. All because of that trailer with Arcade Fire's Wake Up featured in it. I also wrote a blog entry about one of the songs on the soundtrack, called Worried Shoes.)

I've only seen the YYY once back in 2006 in support of the second album. I wish they came to Atlanta for their third album, BUT I will try to catch them again sometime. Here are the videos I recorded from that show...it was on Mr. O's birthday so it was a great night.

ATL 2006 YYY CONCERT VIDEOS

Click to hear some of my favorite Yeah Yeah Yeahs (and Karen O) songs...

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Continue reading April "29th" - Letter "Y" = Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

April "28th" - Letter "X" = The xx

By Mrs. Oshimbo on April 29, 2011 10:19 AM | 3 Comments

When I decided to dedicate the A-Z Blogging Challenge to musical artists, I made a checklist on my phone for each day and letter. I think I typed in The xx first because it's only obvious they'd be the best Letter "X" band ever. C'mon, they have a double "x" as their band name! But besides them seeming obvious (I could have chosen XTC too), I really wanted to write about The xx because everyone does need to know about them if they don't know them already.

The xx are a British trio labeled as "Indie Pop". I find this description to be incredibly misleading. For one, they're not "pop" in the traditional sense of the word at all. Secondly, that label cannot even describe their music when you take into account the electronica mixing with guitars and bass underneath super chill, sexy vocals. It's understated in the best way possible.

It doesn't need to scream or get in your face for you to "get it". However, I may be biased on that because it DID take a lot of people time to "get it" (including Mr. O). The xx gained a lot of buzz in Spring of 2009. People were really anticipating who this new band was that critics were going gaga over. When their debut album, xx, came out, I instantly gravitated to it. However, a lot of blogs and "music people" I respected were "bored" by the album. Pretty Much Amazing gave it a horrid review. I was shocked. Then something strange happened. It took awhile, but slowly these horrid reviews were being rethought, and even retracted (as is evident in the PMA original review). PMA swallowed their pride and admitted they were wrong on their first review. They blamed the musical climate at the time with artists such as Animal Collective or Passion Pit dominating the indie landscape with high-energy ADD inducing electronica for making The xx seem "forgettable" upon first listen. However, an appreciation was born and no one could really refute the claims that the band was here for good.

I have seen The xx once live. They played a not sold out show at The Variety Playhouse. No video recording was allowed, but I snuck in a few videos (of the opening acts and a couple from The xx). Of course I did get caught and was told to turn off my recording. BOO. It's hard for the band to seem that exciting live because their mood is so unassuming, yet, the music was still great and their voices were like liquid velvet.

THE XX SHOW IN ATLANTA - MAR 2010

Openers were:
DJ Nosaj Thing (he played in the dark)
jj (she seemed high or shy and sang in the dark too)

It seems now The xx are everywhere, especially male vocal lead, Jamie xx. He is the remix king lately for groups/music. Working with groups in the indie spectrum as well as artists like Adele or old school poet/author/musician Gil Scott-Heron.<-- Check out Gil Scott-Heron's 2010 album, "I'm New Here".

My favorite "non-collaboration" has to be from ex-google employee, Charlie Kubal, or Wait What. He remixed a whole album using The xx's xx album as the backdrop with Notorious BIG rapping on top.

He then gave the remixed album away for free online. I have never been a huge rap fan, but I realize now that it has nothing to do with the actual rapping, but because I don't like the backing music. Put against something as wonderful as The xx and I was hooked. Notorious xx is an instant classic. Unfortunately, it gained TOO much popularity and the powers-that-be forced Wait What to dismantle all downloads. I got lucky I found it before then.

There are some misteps in The xx covers too though. Shakira covered The xx's Islands on her 2010 Sale el Sol album. Definitely not as good as the original.

Click to hear some of my favorite The xx songs (and remixed songs)...
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Continue reading April "28th" - Letter "X" = The xx.

April "23rd" - Letter "T" - Tegan and Sara

By Mrs. Oshimbo on April 24, 2011 10:54 PM | 1 Comment

Tegan and Sara are the sister duo indie darlings from Canada. Not only are they musically very talented, identical twins who can conversate as if they're one person, but they're also both lesbians. This makes them very intriguing, and very popular in certain circles.

The first time I actually heard a Tegan and Sara song, I hated it. They had these weird high pitched slightly squeaky, whiny voices. It wasn't until 2007's The Con came out that I became a convert with their song, "Back In Your Head". It was so infectious that I literally couldn't get it out of my head (mission accomplished T&S). Then I became obsessed with their song, "Where Does the Good Go" and bought their previous album, 2004's So Jealous.

I've seen T&S three times, twice in Atlanta and once in Tulsa, OK during a Girl's Weekend trip with the BFF and another friend. Each time, I have fallen in love with them even more. Their songs aren't the longest so during sets T&S crafted a conversational method of interacting with the audience. During the set, in between songs, they'll start telling stories from their past. These stories are sometimes cute, sometimes sad, but always told in a very endearing way. They banter naturally between each other, and even include the audience in their conversations. It becomes so engaging that you realize they may be the coolest people ever. You want to hear them speak more, sing more, and keep going all night. You end up wishing they were your best friends.

T&S have followed up The Con with 2010's Sainthood. They have a way of crafting songs that speak to you. They're told in ways just like the way they tell stories from their past. You can feel all their emotions and history in each song. Each writes songs and normally whoever writes the song sings lead, but on Sainthood, they wrote the songs together.

I admit I don't own their first three albums (between 1999 - 2002). Not sure why I don't own them, but I do love their latter three albums very much.

Here are the videos I've recorded from each of the times I've seen T&S:

NOV 2007 (ATLANTA)

MAY 2008 (TULSA)

FEB 2010 (ATLANTA)

Click to hear some of my favorite Tegan & Sara songs...

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Continue reading April "23rd" - Letter "T" - Tegan and Sara.

April "22nd" - Letter "S" = Say Hi

By Mrs. Oshimbo on April 24, 2011 9:24 PM | 1 Comment

Say Hi, formerly known as Say Hi to Your Mom, is really a one-man-band from Seattle, led by Eric Elbogen. Eric is formerly from the San Fernando Valley in SoCal and attended UCLA prior to moving to Washington. He tours with other musicians. I've seen him play with as many as four other members or just one drummer.

Say Hi is one of those bands I learned about from my sister. The band was known as Say Hi to Your Mom until their fifth album, The Wishes and the Glitch, in 2008. She shared their album, Impeccable Blahs, because it was all about vampires and she knew my long time obsession with them. Oh-em-gee, it was a geeky person's vampire wet dream album. An obsession was born. I bought the previous three albums, and have bought all the subsequent albums as well. They all have a sense of geekdom in them, and I love that. His newer stuff is more mature, but I have a soft spot for the albums under the name Say Hi to Your Mom because of their nerdiness.

Albums in order of release:

Discosadness (2002)

(Ack, I want to put this robot album cover in Baby Oshimbo's robot room)

Numbers and Mumbles (2004)

Lots of robot and spaceship references

Ferocious Mopes (2005)

Robots, ghosts, and downer songs

Impeccable Blahs (2006)

The vampire album

The Wishes and The Glitch (2008)

The first album as Say Hi - taking a more "adult" theme

Oohs & Aahs (2009)

"One, Two...One" was in a Cadillac commercial

"November Was White, December was Grey" was in Showtime's Shameless

Um, Uh Oh (2011)

"Devils" is featured in Scream 4

True, and embarrassing story:

Mr. O and I saw Say Hi in 2008 at the really small Atlanta club, The Earl. It was early and not that crowded yet. This was my second time seeing Say Hi. The first time, there were only about 25 people in the audience because Stars was also playing that same night. During my second time seeing Say Hi, Eric Elbogen (or Say Hi Eric as I refer to him) was standing next to his merchandise booth. I was trying to find some of the older merchandise that still said Say Hi to Your Mom. Mr. O started talking to Say Hi Eric, and I was so nervous that he was so close that I stared intently at the merchandise and wouldn't look up until the last minute. Then I lamely told him I was a fan, asked if I could record his set, and said I loved all his songs except maybe, "Kill the Cat". I felt like the biggest idiot ever.

Click to see some of favorite Say Hi (to Your Mom) songs...

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Continue reading April "22nd" - Letter "S" = Say Hi.

April "19th" - Letter "P" = Passion Pit, The Pixies, & Pogo

By Mrs. Oshimbo on April 20, 2011 8:41 PM | 2 Comments

So once again:

I am behind schedule
I couldn't make up my mind on just one artist (it could have been a lot longer if I'd chosen to add Phoenix to this list too)

PASSION PIT

For being "Muppety" these caricatures actually look like the band

It was the end of 2008 and Twitter music blogs couldn't stop talking about this group called Passion Pit who would be releasing a full length album in 2009. I don't normally get caught up in the hype, but it was hard to ignore considering how many people were talking about them. I heard a song on someone's blog and was intrigued enough to check out what they'd released on iTunes. I found the EP, Chunk of Change, and I was hooked.

I didn't know anything about the band except for how the music sounded. The very first song on the EP is called I've Got Your Number. It has this great chorus that I couldn't stop listening to (or singing and acting out), but I was totally confused as to who made up Passion Pit. On this song it sounded like a woman singing, but on other songs it sounded like a male falsetto voice. Looked it up and confirmed it was a falsetto male, not a female.

I've Got Your Number (chorus lyrics)

Have you seen me cry tears like diamonds
Down and down they fly,
Faster and faster like the speed of our love
Batting a thousand,
but a homerun crack at love
This is where I tell you that,
I know love's what I need to work at

Passion Pits' album was released in mid 2009. It's called Manners. It was dancey, pretty, electronica, musical, and an overall great album. It complimented and expanded what was done on the EP without changing too many things. It was one of my favorite albums of the year.

They played in Atlanta Summer 2009. I already knew who they were and watched the concert schedules so I had tickets the day they went on sale. Others weren't as lucky. Passion Pit played in this dingy club called The Drunken Unicorn, and it was sold out. There were people milling around outside trying to get tickets or sneak in. The room was filled to the brim with hipsters galore. I didn't get to record any videos because it was so crowded, but I did manage to snap a picture or two. I had a blast dancing and bouncing with the crowd.

I bought tickets to see them again in Jun 2010. By this time they had garnered a lot of attention and were selling out larger venues. They were playing at The Tabernacle. I was really excited about the show, but my body had other plans. I ended up having surgery to remove my gallbladder a day before the concert. Needless to say, I didn't make it to the show. Mr. O gave the tickets to his lab partner at the time. I have a feeling she ended up not using the tickets which makes me a little bitter. Oh well.

I think Passion Pit is working on their next album. It's going to be hard for them to top the success of their first one, but I'll be excited for it to be released anyways.

Songs I love by Passion Pit:

SLEEPYHEAD

The song that NEVER gets old...EVER

I'VE GOT YOUR NUMBER

The song I thought was sung by a woman >.<

SMILE UPON ME

The song that reminds me of my BFF

There's a place in this world...
where people like me are found by people like you.
So find a place as this forever divine

Oh yeah you're the best damn friend that I'll ever have
You'll always smile upon me when the seasons bad
You'll always make me feel best even when I'm blue
You'll always smile upon me and I'll smile upon you too

THE REELING

SEAWEED SONG

Great live version

LET YOUR LOVE GROW TALL

PS22, the famous fifth grade choir from NYC, has worked with and covered so many artists. They've sung for the President and are recorded on albums. They were in included on Passion Pit's Manners' album (singing one of PP's songs in the above video). When I hear them sing, it always make me cry. They're so passionate and beautiful. It makes me sad that kids lose this passion or get too scared to show it the way they do here. Check them out. You won't be disappointed.

THE PIXIES

Instead of posting a "tribute", I'll reference an old post about The Pixies.

Songs I love by The Pixies:

MONKEY GONE TO HEAVEN

WHERE IS MY MIND

DIG FOR FIRE

GIGANTIC

POGO

My sister sent me some remixes that Pogo did, and they were so cute. This is the first time I'm actually looking up any info on him. Here's his blog/bio. I just love that he mixes things like old movie conversations into song or Disney movie songs. He isn't conventional at all, but has found a happy niche.

Songs I love by Pogo:

GO OUT AND LOVE SOMEONE

BUZZWING

ALICE

April "15th" - Letter "M" = Modest Mouse

By Mrs. Oshimbo on April 17, 2011 11:17 PM | 1 Comment

The first time I ever heard a Modest Mouse song was in a Nissan Quest commercial but, I didn't even know that I had heard a Modest Mouse song until much later.

I didn't actually know who Modest Mouse was until 2004 when their hit, "Float On" became my favorite song. I bought the album with that song on it, Good News for People Who Love Bad News. It was an odd album. Some songs were very accessible while other were quite strange, but I like odd/strange so I liked the album.

Modest-Mouse-Good-News-For-People-Who-Love-Bad-News.jpg

Modest-Mouse-Good-News-For-People-Who-Love-Bad-News.jpg

I then bought their previous album, The Moon & Antarctica. Upon first listen is when I heard "Gravity Rides Everything", the song from that Nissan Quest commercial that I loved. It was an awesome surprise.

The Moon & Antarctica quickly became my favorite of two Modest Mouse albums that I owned. The very first song, 3rd Planet, has one of my favorite lyrics that I like to quote often.

Well, the universe is shaped exactly like the earth
If you go straight long enough you'll end up where you were

It also has the song, The Stars Are Projectors, with another one of my favorite lyrics:

All the stars are projectors, yeah
Projecting our lives down to this planet earth
All the stars are projectors, yeah
Projecting our lives down to this planet earth

Everyone wants a double feature
They want to be their own damn teacher, and how
All the stars are projectors, yeah
Projecting our lives down to this planet earth

Modest Mouse released their latest album, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, in 2007. It has a lot of songs that seem more commercial, and has increased their popularity, but it hasn't taken them away completely from that weirdness I like.

I've only seen Modest Mouse live once. It was back in Mar 2009. They played at my favorite Atlanta venue, The Tabernacle. That same night Morrissey was supposed to play at The Variety Playhouse, but cancelled last minute. Everyone who was supposed to go to that show wanted to see Modest Mouse instead, but it was sold out. I'm happy I chose the right venue.

MODEST MOUSE VIDEOS RECORDED MAR 2009 IN ATLANTA

Click to see some of my favorite Modest Mouse songs...

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Continue reading April "15th" - Letter "M" = Modest Mouse.

April "14th" - Letter "L" (Post 2) = Los Campesinos!

By Mrs. Oshimbo on April 17, 2011 8:48 PM | 1 Comment

For the Letter "L", I couldn't pick just one group no matter how hard I tried, so there will be two posts split between two bands: LCD Soundsystem and Los Campesinos!. This post will be dedicated to Los Campesinos!.

Los Campesinos! are a large indie band formed in Wales, but are not Welsh. Each takes on the last name of Campesinos, although at this time, only two members are related (lead singer Gareth and keyboardist/vocalist Kim). Kim replaced Aleksandra (Aleks) who left to continue her education in 2009. They named the band Los Campesinos! because "campesinos" means peasant or country people in Spanish. Strangely, I though campesinos meant farmers (guess I need to brush up on my Spanish).

Los Campesinos! released their first EP in 2007 and their first album, Hold on Now, Youngster... in 2008. For this band, I'd like to thank NPR for introducing me to them. I don't know what I was listening to, but there was this interview with a 3rd grade teacher and he was discussing bands that he liked to play for his students. He mentioned he had just bought Los Campesinos!' album and liked playing the song, "We Are All Accelerated Readers" for them. I went home and looked them up on iTunes and bought the album.

It was catchy, very British in its accent, full of a cacophony of blended melodies and instruments mounted on top of each other. But the thing I loved the most were the lyrics. They're almost stream of consciousness ramblings that you can't really sing along to at times, yet want to keep listening to over and over again. Their songs were short, around 3-min, and the album could repeat almost twice in an hour, but that didn't stop me from playing it on repeat.

That same year the band defied record label "rules" and released a second album, We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed. Although, I have read it's technically an "Extended EP", not a full-fledged album. On the second album, it was a little gloomier, yet still had that same petulant spirit. It was definitely a more polished sound even though it had only been a few months since their first album was released.

I saw Los Campesinos! for the first time in support of We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed in Jan 2009. They played in a really small venue I like called, The Earl. The Earl only fits about 300 people max so from any view you're practically feet away from the band. I recorded most of their set and I was in the very front. I don't know how they fit all their band members on such a small stage. They didn't sing a few of my favorite songs, but I suspect it's because Harriet was sick and she was the female lead on those songs.

LOS CAMPESINOS! VIDEOS FROM JAN 2009 SHOW IN ATLANTA

They released their third album, Romance is Boring in 2010. Its themes are much darker on some songs, but the lyrics still have that poetic feeling.

I've mentioned how I love their lyrics. I also love their song titles. They are sometimes these long ridiculous things like Fiona Apple's When the Pawn... album title is ridiculous. But, I see this as some of Los Campesinos! charm. Some examples below:

This Is How You Spell "HAHAHA, We Destroyed the Hopes and Dreams of a Generation of Faux-Romantics"
...And We Exhale and Roll Our Eyes In Unison
A Heat Rash In the Shape of the Show Me State; Or, Letters from Me to Charlotte

I saw Los Campesinos! again in 2010. Mr. O couldn't go so I went alone. I just couldn't miss one of my favorite bands. I was disappointed in the crowd. The show was at The Variety Playhouse in Little 5 Points in Atlanta. It's a bigger venue than The Earl. I was saddened so little people came out to support the band. I felt like people just didn't get how great they are. The opening band was Johnny Foreigner. I had never seen them before, but loved them. Very similar style to Los Campesinos! and they incorporated animated videos throughout the set. I recorded at this show as well.

LOS CAMPESINOS! VIDEOS FROM OCT 2010 SHOW IN ATLANTA

In some ways, Los Campesinos! reminds me of LCD Soundsystem in the way that both seem to do things they want to and don't seem too caught up in people's reactions. I think they want fame, but it's not about selling out. They make music the way they want to on their own schedule. They still come out and hang with the audience to watch other bands' sets and are aloof enough that no even noticed they were there.

I hope they continue to make more music their way because I enjoy each album more than the last.

Click to see some of my favorite Los Campesinos! songs (and lyrics)...

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Continue reading April "14th" - Letter "L" (Post 2) = Los Campesinos!.

April "14th" - Letter "L" (Post 1) = LCD Soundsystem

By Mrs. Oshimbo on April 17, 2011 6:26 PM | 1 Comment

*Sorry I haven't been on schedule for this challenge,

but I hope to make up for it with multiple posts today for Letters "L", "M", & "N".

I know what you're thinking when you see this picture. You're thinking,"Who is this 'old' dude?" I know you're thinking that because EVERYONE thinks that if they don't know LCD Soundsystem. The "cool" music business is usually created by the young; made by those people who are relevant to you because you're all going through the same experiences so their music speaks to you. However, here is the irony of LCD Soundsystem. They are led by James Murphy, a now 41 year old guy who is also a producer and a record label creator. The suits shouldn't know what's good, right? Well, apparently age does not change greatness for all. LCD Soundsystem have been one of the greatest "indie" bands since they appeared in the early 2000s.

I have only liked LCD Soundsystem since 2008, and sadly, it wasn't because I was enlightened and finally saw the errors of my misguided music ways onto the path of the band. Nope, it was because of a commercial for a new video game. LCD Soundsystem lent their "Get Innocuous" song to Grand Theft Auto IV's commercials. The song made me want the game and I don't even like Grand Theft Auto games.

GET INNOCUOUS - GRAND THEFT AUTO IV

I bought their second album, Sound of Silver, released in 2007 because it had the song Get Innocuous on it. I liked the album, but I didn't love it. My sister lent me their 2005 self titled debut album. I listened to both sporadically. I began to realize I really liked their music in mixes or found on satellite radio, but not as much as a whole album. I actually liked A LOT of their songs and would forget it was even something I owned. But each time that happened, I'd relisten to their albums and started to gain a great appreciation for their music.

In 2010, LCD Soundsystem released their final album, This is Happening. I really enjoyed this album, especially combined with the fact that the band announced it was their last album to be followed up by one last tour. I knew it was my last chance to see them live. I also knew they made music to be "experienced". Their songs are extremely long and they're made to be heard live, with build up and explosion.

I saw LCD Soundsystem on 4-Oct-2010 with opener's, Sleigh Bells. I only brought my iPhone because I wasn't going to record anything from the show. I wanted my first and only LCD Soundsystem experience to not be hampered by my wannabe filming. The band even says they don't care if you record their set, but warn people that they aren't living in the moment. I only recorded their first song played in its entirety (for a friend, @smithblogsatl). I then filmed 2 other songs, including Get Innocuous for posterity's sake, and only got a minute for both.

My favorite moment of the show was "living in the moment" during All My Friends, hands down my favorite LCD Soundsystem song. It was as great as I could imagine it would be. It was a jubilant experience and one I wish everyone could experience. Like a non-stop dance party that you wished never ended.

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM VIDEOS RECORDED AT THEIR OCT 2010 ATL SHOW

Includes videos for the Sleigh Bells' songs I also recorded

LCD Soundsystem played a final show in NYC at the beginning of the month. Tickets sold out in a ridiculous time of like 2-min. I heard they played for 3.5-Hrs and it even included guests like Arcade Fire. Fortunately for the Non-New Yorkers, the show was recorded and will be sold as a DVD. I know I'll be getting that.

Do you know what I think is funny about LCD Soundsystem? I feel like because they aren't conventional and actually just make the music they want, they aren't trying to "be" anything they aren't. And yet, their music is so popular amongst the hipster crowd who try so hard to be original that they all fail to see how cliche they really are. The song, Losing My Edge, is all about how James Murphy actually LIVED through real music change and is still around, but he's becoming extinct next to these hipsters who think they are cooler than anyone before them. It's a talent to be able to mock those who follow your music the most. But who knows, maybe those hardcore hipsters can't even see it and think they really are the cool original ones. (Yes, I am excluding myself from the hipster cult. I am closer to James' age than these kids who I refer to).

Click to see some of my favorite LCD Soundsystem I love...

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Continue reading April "14th" - Letter "L" (Post 1) = LCD Soundsystem .

April "12th" - Letter "J" = Jonsi

By Mrs. Oshimbo on April 13, 2011 10:41 PM | 1 Comment

This will be an entry about Jonsi, but also about Jonsi and Alex, and Sigur Ros. They are all connected by one man named Jón Þór Birgisson, or Jonsi as he's called in the musical world.

Let's get the facts out about Jonsi. They're just random facts that surround the man, but don't make up why he's one of my favorite male artists.

He's from Iceland
He's blind in his right eye
He plays guitar and sings lead for Sigur Ros
He also plays the piano or uses a cello bow on his guitar
He is openly gay, and Alex is his longtime boyfriend
He is vegan
He sings in a falsetto
He is shy and likes to control his settings

There...now let's get to the magic. Have you ever imagined what angels singing could sound like? If you have, you must also know that these angels must make you feel an overwhelming pure sense of joy, sadness, and peace while singing. If this is how you imagine them, then you have listened to how Jonsi makes me feel.

The first time I ever heard Sigur Ros was in the 2001 movie, Vanilla Sky. There was this song on the soundtrack that wasn't in English, and sounded like it was saying "atchoo" in a falsetto. I really liked the song, but didn't pursue it any further. The song is actually titled, "Svefn-g-englar" off Sigur Ros' album Ágætis byrjun. Then in 2004 I saw the movie, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. During a pivotal scene where the deep sea crew finally come face to face with a creature thought to have been a myth, I heard Sigur Ros again. This time, the movie used Staralfur from the same album, Ágætis byrjun. I took notice this time and bought the album.

Sigur Ros

I expanded my Sigur Ros library with ( ) and later with Heima and Hvarf/Heim. I found Sigur Ros to be beautiful, and great music to sleep to or sit in a darkened room while examining your life. I didn't own every album, nor did I follow them fervently. I didn't even know Jonsi's name back then.

In 2009, I bought a compilation called, Dark Was the NIght. Sales from the album benefited a charity that raised money and awareness about HIV/AIDS. On this album was a beautiful song called "Happiness" by Riceboy Sleeps. I couldn't find any information out about who Riceboy Sleeps was, but later an album of the same name was released by a duo called Jonsi and Alex. And on that album was the song, "Happiness". I did research on Jonsi and Alex and was happily surprised to find out it was Jonsi from Sigur Ros.

Jonsi (right) and Alex
~aren't they adorable together~

It was about this time that I started paying attention to Jonsi. In 2010, Sigur Ros announced a hiatus because so many in the band were having babies, but Jonsi was pursuing a solo career during the break. He started a Twitter account. I followed it and he (well his team) followed me back. They even would reply back to me when I asked questions or would make statements about Jonsi.

Jonsi's solo album, Go, was released stateside on 6-Apr-2010. It was like nothing I had heard before, nor was it like anything out at the time. In a world filled with Indie psuedo electro bands, Jonsi brought something new. His album was lush, organic, joyful, awe inspiring, painfully sad at times, but overall a gorgeous landscape of beautiful music. It was my favorite album of all 2010, and still gives me chills today.

He has released a live version of the album and a live DVD. The live DVD is not just concert footage. It is artistic and as creative as Jonsi himself. His live show created an event filled with majestic backdrops and animation. He performed in Atlanta on Halloween and encouraged concert goers to come dressed in costume to make the evening more festive. In fact, the live DVD was filmed at the final dress rehearsal in London, and that audience was also asked to wear masks to make the event more mysterious. The band dressed up (well sort of). They don't have "Halloween" in Iceland so it was as much a spectacle for them to see us. Mr. O and I dressed up as DEVO's Whip It video. =) It was one of the most beautiful shows I had ever seen.

I bet there will be some who think Jonsi has a "weird" voice or won't be into the music. I know that I am not all-knowing about music or able to convince you otherwise, but I love his music anyways. I hope you'll give him a try.

Click to see some of my favorite Jonsi, Sigur Ros, or Jonsi and Alex songs...

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Continue reading April "12th" - Letter "J" = Jonsi.

April "11th" - Letter "I" = Interpol

By Mrs. Oshimbo on April 12, 2011 6:42 PM | 1 Comment

If anyone knows me, then they'd know without a doubt that the Letter "I' could be none other than Interpol. They released their first album, Turn on the Bright Lights, in 2002, but I didn't find them until 2003. I have to thank Steve Jobs for making this possible. It was in 2003 that I decided to jump on the Mac train and bought an iMac and an iPod. With my iPod came the introduction to iTunes, and with that came a whole new world of music that I didn't know about before. I was browsing music and found Interpol.

Turn on the Bright Lights became this beacon of New New Wave for me, that brought me into a new sound that I had only heard from my old New Wave favorites like Joy Division or The Cure. I didn't know there was this revival of my favorite musical era, but I was excited. With that one album I said goodbye to all my favorite Pop-Punk bands and immersed myself into the darkness and rhythm.

Mr. O was a slower convert. He didn't think it was that good at first and I had to talk him into "getting it". He eventually did though. We saw Interpol for the first time that year at The Roxy in Atlanta, and my musical crush was born. The stage was dark and foggy. It remained pretty dark even when the band came out, all wearing dark skinny suits and ties. They looked they stepped out of a GQ magazine.

Paul Banks, lead singer, has been compared to Ian Curtis (Joy Division), but it's only because they both have monotone baritones. He barely moved from the microphone so my eyes ventured elsewhere on the stage. Daniel Kessler, guitarist, has these crazy feet dance moves and wears his pants a little too short. Sam Fogarino, drummer, plays in the back, but he's not what caught my attention that night. The Interpol member who I became completely obsessed and enamored with was Carlos D. He was "Nazi-Chic" (actual reference of his style on Wiki) in a tight dress shirt, black suspenders, gun holster that held his cigarettes, tight black pants, 14-hole Doc Martens, and a severe black angled haircut against his pale white face. He carried his bass really low and would smoke his cigarettes throughout the whole set. But throughout it all, he was deadly serious and captivating.

And the thing is, my crush has NOTHING to do with his face. In fact, I don't find him "attractive" in that beautiful face kind of way. My obsession with Carlos D has everything to do with his attitude, swagger, and intelligence. He is arrogant, pretentious, irritated, and probably an a-hole, but it's completely endearing for some reason.

No question about it, he's an absolute dick. And yet, I still love him.

And I'm sure he'd be completely amused by
what I did to this picture I took of him
at a show once. heehee

Mr. O and I have seen Interpol eight times since 2003. The best was a free show where only about 150 people were allowed in and the band did a short set. We were about 2-ft from the band (um, I mean, Carlos).

It was with great sadness that in the middle of 2010 I learned that Carlos D had left the band to pursue other endeavors. I knew it'd happen someday because he's been trying his hand at scoring and building his reputation as a more serious musician. He's scored a short film called Golgotha and a great piece for this HBO webseries. I wish Carlos luck, and hope he finds much success doing whatever makes him happy.

Now, for the rest of the band. While I LOVED Carlos, I was equally in love with the band and their music. They have been my favorite in this whole New New Wave NY movement, and I am grateful for their musical inspiration. It bothers me when critics compare Interpol to other bands like the Editors and say the Editors's debut album is more polished than Interpol's was, yet Editors had years to copy Interpol's sound when Interpol was originally crafting something completely new.

Interpol has four albums, all with Carlos D playing bass, even if he isn't touring in support of their latest record. Their albums are: Turn on the Bright Lights, Antics, Our Love to Admire, and their latest is a self-titled one. In order of preference, I love TOTBL, OLTA, Antics, and Interpol. I think I'd love the last album more if Carlos was still part of the band. However, I will say that the last time I saw them play last Nov 2010, was the happiest I had ever seen Paul Banks. He smiled and interacted with the audience in a way he'd never done before. Maybe Carlos had brought the whole band down and his curse had been lifted.

Side notes: Mr. O and I have been at two events where we've been within talking distance to Paul Banks, and once with Sam Fog. Both times I chickened out and couldn't speak. I was rendered speechless by fear of sounding lame. I can only imagine what would have happened if Carlos had ever been within speaking distance. I'd probably have run away and hid from him.

Click to see some of my favorite Interpol songs...

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Continue reading April "11th" - Letter "I" = Interpol.

April "8th" - Letter "G" = Gwen Stefani

By Mrs. Oshimbo on April 11, 2011 7:31 PM | 2 Comments

If I admitted to having "girl-crushes" (which of course I do), I'd admit that Gwen Stefani is among the women on that list. Surprisingly considering I don't normally go for blondes, but we all know Gwen's famous platinum locks are fake so maybe that's why I've included her.

I know this A to Z Challenge is about Musical Artists I admire, and I will say I love No Doubt more than Gwen's solo stuff, but the thing that makes both No Doubt and her solo stuff so successful, is the iconic image that is Gwen.

Let's count the ways I love her:

She's from the OC, well, Anaheim, CA to be exact, My hometown is about 15-Min from Anaheim.
She's always had personal style. Even back when No Doubt performed on college campuses and small parties, she rocked these little buns in her more natural brown hair. She was always captivating. She dresses tough, yet remains completely sexy. She looks just as comfortable wearing baggy pants and combat boots as she does in some retro pin-up girl dress and heels. And she can get away with more than most could ever even attempt.
Can you say ABS? Dang that girl knew how to show off her best assets. She wasn't a busty girl, but didn't need to be with abs like this.

4. If she weren't hot enough on her own, she had to go and marry one of the 90's hottest front-man rock stars, Gavin Rossdale. I don't care about his past relationship with a scary looking man because it doesn't matter. He and Gwen have been together for a long time, have had two of coolest little boys named Kingston and Zuma, and seem to live a "normal" life despite being who they are.

5. Gwen seems down to earth, and not a big headed celebrity. When she got married, she had two ceremonies; one in England for Gavin's family, and one in the US for Gwen's family. Most celebrities wouldn't have been caught dead wearing the same wedding dress for both ceremonies, but Gwen's custom made Galliano dress was front and center at both. I think that's pretty cool (and it was so her too).

Gwen-stefani-wedding dress.jpg

6. The Harajuku Girls. When Gwen launched her solo career, she was flanked by these four Japanese backup dancers/style accessories. They were inspired by the Harajuku districts' style. Each was named after a letter in her LAMB line (Love, Angel, Music, Baby). I loved them because it brought that amazing Japanese Lolita, Fruits, Youth Style to American audiences. I am big into the Gothic Lolita style, so this look was right up my fashion alley.

I own four or five LAMB handbags, and I wish I had more, but it is one of the brands that I covet on a regular basis (between shoes, accessories, and her purses). I also can smell like LAMB too because I bought her perfume. Can you say obsessed?

7. The music is infectious. I like the ska/punk/pop-ness of No Doubt more than her Pop solo ventures, but I was hooked on Hollaback Girl as much as the next person. I've only seen No Doubt live once, and it was way back in 2003 in support of Rock Steady. That woman has so much energy. She was jumping, climbing, dancing, etc for her whole set. I'm really happy she and the rest of No Doubt are back together and making new music. Can't wait for the new album.

Click to see of my favorite No Doubt and Gwen Stefani songs...

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Continue reading April "8th" - Letter "G" = Gwen Stefani.

April 7th - Letter "F" = Face to Face

By Mrs. Oshimbo on April 7, 2011 10:40 PM | 2 Comments

This is a VERY old pic of the band. The blonde guy isn't in the band anymore.

As one of my Twitter friends replied to me today, he said, music is cyclical. It never really goes away and comes back again. This is very true, except it's always a little bit different in its reincarnation. So what does that have to do with today's post? Well, today's band is Face to Face. One of the leaders in the pop-punk world that took over in the 1990s to early 2000s. It was like the punk scene of the late 70s right before New Wave took over, but not British, and not as angry. And once again, the New New Wave movement followed quickly behind the punk guys in the early 2000s.

Face to Face was my favorite band for a long time. They were a SoCal band from Victorville and played a lot in the area. They had a really big hit on KROQ called Disconnected. I still love that song today.

I didn't actually see them live until maybe 1999 or 2000. My excuse? Let's just say when you're young and dumb, you sometimes find yourself involved with questionable people who will try to strip you of everything you love so you end up just a shell. It wasn't until I made the decision to move away from Cali that I regained my identity and started doing things I loved again. Maybe that's why I loved Face to Face so much. It spoke to where I was in my life at the time. They had the speed, anger, and power of punk music, but lyrics and melodies like New Wave bands. Makes sense when you consider they grew up being influenced by the likes of The Cure, Joy Division, or New Order. (They even did some covers for some compilation albums called, "Before You Were Punk" where they covered New Wave artists).

Someone had bought me tickets to see them for the first time for my birthday. They played at the House of Blues on Sunset. It was the first time I had been to a concert where it wasn't assigned seating and mayhem ruled. It was my first experience seeing a mosh pit, which I was too scared to go in. Alkaline Trio opened for Face to Face and people were amped. If you want to see a lot of sweaty young guys go shirtless, go to a concert where moshing is the only form of acceptable dancing.

After that, I bought every CD and tried to see them as often as they played. We even ventured to the Glass House in Pomona before it was a reputable establishment. When we went, it was a scary place in "please don't shoot me" Pomona, where it looked like a nasty room with carpet that had never been cleaned. I didn't care though as long as I could get swept up in the energy of my favorite band.

The Glass House (now) - Yeah...it looked nothing like this back in the scary days

Face to Face had an album called, Ignorance is Bliss. Fans of the hardcore HATED it. It was slower, more melodic, and beautiful. It was still angsty, but more in an emo way than an angry way. They came back after that with a hard fast paced album, but I secretly loved Ignorance is Bliss because it captured everything I loved about New Wave music.

Ignorance is Bliss.jpg

When I think about Face to Face, I think about what they say and their energy. I remember when Mr. O and I first started dating and I'd make him go see Face to Face with me. He didn't love them, but he would go because I wanted to go. But once the band came on and the pit started swaying, I'd practically force him to go play in the center because while it meant an elbow in my face if I went in, he could hold his own, and enjoyed it. He enjoyed it so much that one time he lost my glasses (which were in his pocket), and we waited for the house lights to come back on to find them cracked and broken in the trash on the ground. That was a pricey show.

The last time I saw the band before they broke up in 2004, was one of the most fun experiences at a show. We ended up in the front row and I had to fight to keep my spot for their whole set. I gave some good elbow jabs back to those gross sweaty shirtless teens. That whole time I was singing along to every song and jumping up and down. By the end we were all slick with sweat and had probably lost a few pounds. That's the best kind of exercise when you don't even know you're doing it.

Even though my heart will always truly belong to 80's New Wave (and 2000's New New Wave), I have missed the band since their break up. Trevor Keith, lead singer, released a solo album, but it wasn't the same. I have read they've reunited, and I am very happy to see a new studio album will be released in May 2011. I'm very curious to see how they've evolved since their last album 9-yrs ago. The music scene has changed, so I hope they have progressed, but retain what I loved about them 15-yrs ago.

Click to see some of my favorite Face to Face songs..

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Continue reading April 7th - Letter "F" = Face to Face.

April 5th - Letter "D" = Deadmau5

By Mrs. Oshimbo on April 5, 2011 4:59 PM | 3 Comments

Deadmau5 = "Dead Mouse", not "Dead Mau 5"

Today we're going to venture into a whole new genre of music. We're going electronica (or to be more specific for this artist: Progressive, Electro, House). To tell you the truth, I have no idea what each really means. There are so many genres of electronic music, and I can really only distinguish the obvious like drum&bass. For everything else, I either like it or I don't.

Who is Deadmau5? He is Canadian DJ/Producer, Joel Zimmerman, who wears a mouse head while he performs. He doesn't wear the head the whole time, but it's on for a majority of his set. And, it's not just one head...he dons multiple heads throughout his set, even some with lights on them.

Before 2009, I didn't know who Deadmau5 was. I wasn't that into electronic music so I wasn't aware of who the "main" players were. I was familiar with a few names, but it had been awhile since I had really embraced a lot of the electronic world. It had probably been since the techno/house era of the early 90s when the big players were Richard "Humpty" Vission (so long ago that he's now dropped the "Humpty" from his name) or Bad Boy Bill.

That year, Mr. O & I decided to attend the Ultra Music Festival held annually in Miami. It's accompanied by the Winter Music Conference where DJs or electronic-like musical artists come together at their own convention, and then play at clubs or the festival. Deadmau5 had a 15-Min session which was a pathetic attempt at time mgmt on the festival's part when it takes 15-Min just to set up for a set. We were already there so we sat through his set, and I was completely taken by the mouse head. Not only was it adorable, but completely recognizable, and added to the set. It engrossed me and I really listened to the music.

During the festival, I came to realize how popular Deadmau5 really was. People had t-shirts, hats, mouse heads or MAU5 heads, tattoos, or shaved designs in their hair.

Deadmau5 ACTUAL tattoos

Deadmau5 is smart. By creating a "mascot" image, he has made himself a brand, and doesn't have to worry about aging. There's nothing sadder than the over-the-hill DJ trying to stay relevant. They may still be relevant musically, but tend to look like a douchey aging poser (yes, I'm talking to you Tiesto). Deadmau5 has gone the way of Daft Punk, The Knife, or Bloody Beetroots. They are all MORE interesting in their costumes than they are without (as performers...I don't actually know any of them personally).

So I haven't said much about Deadmau5's music, have I? No, I haven't. Well, it's great. My favorite album is For Lack of a Better Name, but 4x4=12 comes in a close second. His music is recognizably him, but it's not redundant. Some songs are slower and more melodic, while others go hard. I like both.

Click to see some Deadmau5 songs that I love...

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Continue reading April 5th - Letter "D" = Deadmau5.

April 4th - Letter "C" = The Cure

By Mrs. Oshimbo on April 4, 2011 1:22 PM | 1 Comment

It was the late 80's, and I was in Jr. High (yes, I'm showing my age with that tidbit of time knowledge), I had finally started listening to music as an appreciation, not just some obscure thing that came on the radio. I discovered the power of The World Famous KROQ (106.7) in LA, and my two favorite songs were Blister in the Sun by The Violent Femmes, and End of the World by REM. I was too late to have been "in the moment" of the true "New Wave" moment, and I had never gone to Depeche Mode concerts, so I couldn't wear my black concert t-shirts like a badge of honor. I was just a kid learning what I liked. This was more than me being obsessed with A-Ha's Take on Me, or the b-sides of 45s. This was a birth of something that still grips me today.

During this time, my older brother had decided he'd had enough of KROQ and was going to move his attention to R&B/Rap/HipHop. He became a 92.3 The Beat listener. That left a whole cassette tape rack of 80's New Wave bands without a home. He sold me this treasure for $20 (I know...like he couldn't have just given them to me!). In my possession were the likes of Depeche Mode, Oingo Boingo, Echo & The Bunnyman, OMD, INXS, New Order, and The Cure. These became the things of devotion and I thought I had learned the secret to cooler music than anyone else was listening to on KISS FM (Top 40).

When I was a Sophomore in High School, CDs were becoming popular (again, I'm showing my age). My Mom bought me a little portable Cassette/CD Player boombox. The first CD I ever bought with my own money was The Cure's Wish album. The Cure will always have a place in my heart.

Have you ever seen their MTV Unplugged session? They used plastic kazoos for Why Can't I Be You? How not normal is that, but also awesome? Also, do you remember Pop-Up Videos on VH1? The one for The Cure's Lovesong was hilarious because they really didn't want to do what the director said and made a pretty shittastic video.

Sadly, I've only seen them live twice and it was in the last 10-yrs. I wish it was more because their shows are so unbelievably fun. It takes you back to your youth, but it's also just great music.

Things I love about The Cure:

They have the BEST sad songs ever written or recorded. Just listen to A Thousand Hours. It's like two minutes of heartbreaking orchestral sounding strings that can't be outdone by Robert Smith's wailing lyrics:

For how much longer can I howl into this wind?

For how much longer
Can I cry like this?

A thousand wasted hours a day
Just to feel my heart for a second
A thousand hours just thrown away
Just to feel my heart for a second

(UGH! Makes you want to jump off the roof as you're howling to the moon.)
Not Really ;)

They have the BEST uber happy/romantic songs: Just Like Heaven, Mint Car, Halo, Lovesong, Six Different Ways, etc

Robert Smith NEVER changes. Yes, he's aged, but he's basically the same exact person he was when I first started listening to them in the 80s. There's something iconic and soothing about someone who remains the same. It's as if he was never putting on an act ever, and THIS is actually who he is. I can trust him.

Their music ages well. When you hear that Boys Don't Cry came out in 1979, it seems unbelievable. The song seems as fresh today as it was then. I don't feel like I'm listening to the very early stages of a band. Their songs are classics, and I still enjoy them as much today as I did through my youth.

Click to see some of my favorite The Cure songs (very hard to pick a few

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Continue reading April 4th - Letter "C" = The Cure.

April 2nd - Letter "B" = Bloc Party

By Mrs. Oshimbo on April 2, 2011 11:17 PM | 1 Comment

It was early 2005 and I was watching something lame on MTV. When that show ended, they showcased a band in a short promo. I was instantly hooked and needed to know WHO they were. This band was Bloc Party and the song was Banquet. I bought their album, Silent Alarm, and it was love at first listen. It instantly became one of my favorite albums of all-time...ALL TIME. They had this energy and speed, but also a simplicity.

That year we went to our last Music Midtown. It was this HUGE outdoor music festival showcasing all kinds of music genres and hundreds of bands. Bloc Party was playing really early, around 2PM or 3PM. There weren't very many people there at that time so we were able to get really close and I danced throughout the whole set, even when it started raining lightly. By the time their set ended, it was pouring. We brought ponchos, but it wasn't enough to keep us even remotely dry. As we were trying to hide, we were given a random flier, which ended up being not random at all. It was an after party with DJ sets from members of Bloc Party AND Interpol.

We ended up leaving the festival because the weather was too miserable to enjoy anything. Sadly, we had to miss The Killers' set. We went to the club and it was a little early. But, as we were making our first lap around the club, we walked smack into all of The Killers in their gigantic glory. Shortly after, Bloc Party showed up; they were still unknown enough that they could hang out amongst the locals and just be normal. I was dancing two feet away from Kele Okereke. ::SQUEE:: Russel and Gordon did a set. This evening solidified that I thought they were utterly cool, and were in my Top 10 favorite bands.

I've seen them many more times. I even went to a free DJ set in-store and got a picture with Russell and Gordon. And once Matt (drummer) suffered a collapsed lung after a performance and was stuck in Atlanta for 3-weeks. I wish they came to Atlanta for their their 3rd album, Intimacy. It's been awhile since the last time I saw them.

Kele (lead singer) released a solo album last year. I love 2/3 of it (mostly the stuff that's more Bloc Party-ish). He started having a love of electronica and losing interest in regular "rock". That's kind of hard for Gordon, who plays guitar, but had to take up a lot of the keyboards for some of the newer stuff Kele wrote.

I'm not sure what it is about Bloc Party (or Kele) that I love so much, but their music is beautiful and poetic. I even have their song Flux as my phone's main ring tone. It's been the same since 2008. I can't find another song I want more.

Click to see some of my favorite Bloc Party (or Kele) songs...

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Continue reading April 2nd - Letter "B" = Bloc Party.

April 1st - Letter "A" = Adele

By Mrs. Oshimbo on April 1, 2011 12:32 PM | 2 Comments

I started listening to Adele when her first album, "19" came out in 2008. It was on the heels of other British 60's throwback artists such as Amy Winehouse and Duffy. However, Adele wasn't a crazy addict like Amy, nor a sexy blonde like Duffy. She was her own person. A 19 year old girl who wasn't conventionally "pretty" and didn't fit into society's need to be uber-thin. A combination that might have failed her had it not been for the soul in her young voice. That album instantly became one of my favorites and her voice became this magical vehicle for transporting me into her world filled with heartache, loss, love, and nostalgia. That was something Amy and Duffy never did for me, and still don't.

Adele's second album, "21", was recently released. It still has that soulful quality, but there is a tinge of country in it that surprised me. The first single, "Rolling in the Deep" was released prior to the album, and on first listen, I didn't instantly love it; however, the more I heard it, the more I felt how much she'd grown as an artist and as a woman. There's also a really nice cover of The Cure's, "Lovesong" on the album.

I saw Adele in 2008. She was a shy girl who wore all black, and carried herself like a self-conscious teenager. She blushed when people in the audience spouted adoration at her. She seemed the most self-assured during her songs, which sounded as good as the album. She also did covers during her set which was unexpected. I'll be seeing her again in June. I can't wait.

Click to see some of my favorite Adele songs...

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Continue reading April 1st - Letter "A" = Adele.

Fav Lyrics #36 - Does It Offend You, Yeah? // Wrestler

By Mrs. Oshimbo on March 17, 2011 4:00 PM

Wrestler

"Tonight we have a chance to say
Yeah, you're right
We're too extreme
We're too wild
We're too out of control
We're too full of our own shit!
All we have a chance to say, hey
Fuck you, you're wrong!
Fuck you, we're right!
Because you have all made it to the dance
Cause believe me, this is the dance!"

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New album called, "Don't Say We Didn't Warn You," came out on 15-Mar-2011 (US). It follows a debut album that is half raucous electronica and half new new wave melody. This new one still has those jarring contradictions, but also adds some funk, a little hip hop, and growth/sophistication. It's a more polished album. This isn't my favorite song on the album, but who can't like these lyrics?

Fav Lyrics #35 - Matisyahu // King Without a Crown

By Mrs. Oshimbo on March 9, 2011 1:23 PM

King Without a Crown

You're all that I have and you're all that I need
Each and every day I pray to get to know you please
I want to be close to you, yes I'm so hungry
You're like water for my soul when it gets thirsty
Without you there's no me
You're the air that I breathe
Sometimes the world is dark and I just can't see

With these demons surround all around to bring me down to negativity

But I believe, yes I believe, I said I believe
I'll stand on my own two feet
Won't be brought down on one knee
Fight with all of my might and get these demons to flee
Hashem's rays fire blaze burn bright and I believe
Out of darkness comes light, twilight unto the heights
Crown Heights burnin' up all through till midnight
Said, thank you to my God, now I finally got it right
And I'll fight with all of my heart, and all a' my soul, and all a' my might

What's this feeling?
My love will rip a hole in the ceiling
Givin' myself to you from the essence of my being
Sing to my God all these songs of love and healing
Want Mashiach now so it's time we start revealing 1

Me no want no sinsemilla.
That would only bring me down
Burn away my brain no way my brain is to compound
Torah food for my brain let it rain till I drown
Thunder!
Let the blessings come down

Strip away the layers and reveal your soul
Got to give yourself up and then you become whole
You're a slave to yourself and you don't even know
You want to live the fast life but your brain moves slow
If you're trying to stay high then you're bound to stay low
You want God but you can't deflate your ego
If you're already there then there's nowhere to go
If you're cup's already full then its bound to overflow
If you're drowning in the water's and you can't stay afloat
Ask Hashem for mercy and he'll throw you a rope
You're looking for help from God you say he couldn't be found
Looking up to the sky and searchin' beneath the ground
Like a King without his Crown
Yes, you keep fallin' down
You really want to live but can't get rid of your frown
Tried to reach unto the heights and wound bound down on the ground
Given up your pride and the you heard a sound
Out of night comes day and out of day comes light
Nullified to the One like sunlight in a ray,
Makin' room for his love and a fire gone blaze

What's this feeling?
My love will rip a hole in the ceiling
Givin' myself to you from the essence of my being
Sing to my God all these songs of love and healing
Want Mashiach now so it's time we start revealing

Reelin' him in
Where ya been
Where ya been
Where ya been for so long
It's hard to stay strong been livin' in galus (exile) for 2000 years strong
Where ya been for so long
Been livin in this exile for too long

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I've seen Matisyahu twice live. It is always an interesting event considering his religious beliefs. The crowd is usually mixed between those who are seeing him as a religious artist and bringing the whole family to worship, and those who appreciate his music as a mainstream artist. Sadly, I really didn't enjoy my experience the last time I saw him live, as blogged here. Since then, I have lost some interest in him, even though I still appreciate his positivity. Below is the video footage I recorded from the last time I saw him. Regardless of my current feelings about Matisyahu, the Live at Stubbs' version of King Without a Crown remains an all time favorite song/version for me.

Fav Lyrics #29 - DEVO // Gates of Steel

By Mrs. Oshimbo on December 2, 2010 4:38 PM

Gates of Steel

twist away the gates of steel
unlock the secret voice
give in to ancient noise
take a chance a brand new dance
twist away the gates of steel

twist away
now twist and shout
the earth it moves too slow
but the earth is all we know
we pay to play the human way
twist away the gates of steel

a man is real
not made of steel!

but the earth is all we know
we pay to play the human way
twist away the gates of steel

the beginning was the end
of everything now
the ape regards his tail
he's stuck on it
repeats until he fails
half a goon and half a god
a man's not made of steel

twist away
now twist and shout
the earth it moves too slow
but the earth is all we know
we pay to play the human way
twist away the gates of steel

a man is real
that's how he feels!

---------------------------

A little DEVO love on the other Devo's 21st Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

2010 Concert Review

By Mrs. Oshimbo on November 19, 2010 5:17 PM | 1 Comment

I know it's only November 2010, but I don't have any other shows scheduled for this year. I will list all the shows we saw this year and add the videos I uploaded to YouTube if I recorded. I'll also add a rating score between 1-5 (5 = GREAT show, recommended).

Check them out here -->

Continue reading 2010 Concert Review.

Fav Lyrics #26 - 30 Seconds to Mars // This is War

By Mrs. Oshimbo on November 10, 2010 3:15 PM

For Veteran's Day:
Thank you Armed Forces for your sacrifices.

Fanmade Video using Inglourious Basterds footage

This is War
A Warning to the people,
The Good and the Evil
This Is War
To the Soldier, The Civillian, The Martyr, The Victim
This is War
Its the moment of truth and the moment to lie
The moment to live and the moment to die
The moment to fight, the moment to fight, to fight, to fight, to fight
To the right To the left we will fight to the death
To the Edge of the Earth, It's a Brave New World from the last to the first
To the right, To the left, We will fight to the death
To the Edge of the Earth, it's a Brave New World,
it's a Brave New World it's a Brave New World
A warning to the prophet, the liar, the honest
This is War
To the leader, the pariah, the victim, the messiah
This is war
Its the moment of truth and the moment to lie
And the moment to live and the moment to die
The moment to fight, the moment to fight, to fight, to fight, to fight
To the right, To the left, we will fight to the death
To the Edge of the Earth, It's a Brave New World from the last to the first
To the right, To the left, We will fight to the death
To the Edge of the Earth it's a Brave New World, it's a Brave New World,
It's A Brave New World

I do believe in the light, raise your hands up to the sky
The fight is done, the war is won, lift your hands toward the sun
toward the sun, toward the sun, the war is won
fight fight fight fight fight (choir)
To the right, To the left, we will fight to the death
To the Edge of the Earth, It's a Brave New World from the last to the first
To the right, To the left, We will fight to the death
To the Edge of the Earth it's a Brave New World,
it's a Brave New World It's A Brave New World
A Brave New World
The war is won,
the war is won,
a brave new world

I believe in nothing not the end and not the start
I believe in nothing not the earth and not the stars
I believe in nothing not the day or not the dark
I believe in nothing not but the beating of our hearts
I believe in nothing not 100 suns until we part
I believe in nothing not not in sin and not in God
I believe in nothing not not in peace and not in war
I believe in nothing not but the truth in who we are

Robert Smith + Crystal Castles = MAGIC

By Mrs. Oshimbo on October 28, 2010 6:30 PM | 2 Comments

Crystal Castles' 'Not In Love' is on the list as my Fav Lyrics #23. So you know I was excited to hear that Robert Smith (from The Cure) teamed up with Crystal Castles to redo the song. The Cure is one of my favorite all time bands and Not In Love is my favorite Crystal Castles song off their new album. The reworked single and two acoustic versions of songs will hit stores in December, but you can download the Robert Smith/Crystal Castles song now (for free). I like the site "A Heart Is a Spade" so I'm directing you there --> Not In Love

Post name based partially on the first comment for the youtube video for the song.

The actual comment was "Crystal Castles + Robert Smith = Magic",
but I have more respect for Robert Smith and felt his genius should get top billing.

THIS SONG IS SO GOOD I MAY NEVER LISTEN TO ANYTHING ELSE EVER!

Fav Lyrics #23 - Crystal Castles // Not In Love

By Mrs. Oshimbo on October 11, 2010 11:25 AM

Not In Love

I saw your picture hanging on the back of my door
won't give you my heart
no one lives there anymore
and we were lovers
now we can't be friends
fascination ends
here we go again
cause it's cold outside, when you coming home
cause it's hot inside, isn't that enough

I'm not in love

could it be that time has taken it's toll
won't take you so far, I am in control
and we were lovers
now we can't be friends
fascination ends
here we go again
cause it's cold outside, when you coming home
cause it's hot inside, isn't that enough

I'm not in love
I'm not in love
I'm not in love
we are not in love
we are not in love
we are not in love
we are not in love

Fav Lyrics #20 - LCD Soundsystem // Losing My Edge

By Mrs. Oshimbo on September 21, 2010 11:11 AM

I wish this song didn't hit so close to home.
Ah yes, the glory of getting old...but gaining "wisdom". ;)

Losing My Edge

Yeah, I'm losing my edge.
I'm losing my edge.
The kids are coming up from behind.
I'm losing my edge.
I'm losing my edge to the kids from France and from London.
But I was there.

I was there in 1968.
I was there at the first Can show in Cologne.
I'm losing my edge.
I'm losing my edge to the kids whose footsteps I hear when they get on the decks.
I'm losing my edge to the Internet seekers who can tell me every member of every good group from 1962 to 1978.
I'm losing my edge.

To all the kids in Tokyo and Berlin.
I'm losing my edge to the art-school Brooklynites in little jackets and borrowed nostalgia for the unremembered eighties.

But I'm losing my edge.
I'm losing my edge, but I was there.
I was there.
But I was there.

I'm losing my edge.
I'm losing my edge.
I can hear the footsteps every night on the decks.
But I was there.
I was there in 1974 at the first Suicide practices in a loft in New York City.
I was working on the organ sounds with much patience.
I was there when Captain Beefheart started up his first band.
I told him, "Don't do it that way. You'll never make a dime."
I was there.
I was the first guy playing Daft Punk to the rock kids.
I played it at CBGB's.
Everybody thought I was crazy.
We all know.
I was there.
I was there.
I've never been wrong.

I used to work in the record store.
I had everything before anyone.
I was there in the Paradise Garage DJ booth with Larry Levan.
I was there in Jamaica during the great sound clashes.
I woke up naked on the beach in Ibiza in 1988.

But I'm losing my edge to better-looking people with better ideas and more talent.
And they're actually really, really nice.

I'm losing my edge.

I heard you have a compilation of every good song ever done by anybody. Every great song by the Beach Boys. All the underground hits. All the Modern Lovers tracks. I heard you have a vinyl of every Niagra record on German import. I heard that you have a white label of every seminal Detroit techno hit - 1985, '86, '87. I heard that you have a CD compilation of every good '60s cut and another box set from the '70s.

I hear you're buying a synthesizer and an arpeggiator and are throwing your computer out the window because you want to make something real. You want to make a Yaz record.

I hear that you and your band have sold your guitars and bought turntables.
I hear that you and your band have sold your turntables and bought guitars.

I hear everybody that you know is more relevant than everybody that I know.

But have you seen my records? This Heat, Pere Ubu, Outsiders, Nation of Ulysses, Mars, The Trojans, The Black Dice, Todd Terry, the Germs, Section 25, Althea and Donna, Sexual Harrassment, a-ha, Pere Ubu, Dorothy Ashby, PIL, the Fania All-Stars, the Bar-Kays, the Human League, the Normal, Lou Reed, Scott Walker, Monks, Niagra,

Joy Division, Lower 48, the Association, Sun Ra,
Scientists, Royal Trux, 10cc,

Eric B. and Rakim, Index, Basic Channel, Soulsonic Force ("just hit me"!), Juan Atkins, David Axelrod, Electric Prunes, Gil! Scott! Heron!, the Slits, Faust, Mantronix, Pharaoh Sanders and the Fire Engines, the Swans, the Soft Cell, the Sonics, the Sonics, the Sonics, the Sonics.

You don't know what you really want.

Regret Tuesday - Missing The Pixies

By Mrs. Oshimbo on September 14, 2010 11:47 AM

When I was teenager, my Uncle Burton gave me a few records that he received from a work client. My Uncle was a UPS driver and worked in Century City, CA near some record companies. They'd give him demo CDs and random records sometimes. I remember he gave me Buster Poindexter's single "Hot Hot Hot" and The Pixies' "Monkey Gone to Heaven". I was probably 12 years old and thought it was the greatest song I'd ever heard (The Pixies...not Buster Poindexter!).

As I got older, my tastes always strayed slightly outside of what my friends found acceptable. I remember the first time I heard KROQ Los Angeles and my two favorite songs were REM's End of the World and The Violent Femmes' Blister in the Sun. This was when my friends were only listening to Top 40. I may not have owned anything that was from The Pixies, but I knew of them, and recognized their music easily.

As an adult, I finally decided it was time to "own" some Pixes. They're not for everyone, but to me, their music endures. Their music is used prominently in movies, and is referenced by celebrities when asked for songs/artists they love.

So why is today "Regret Tuesday"? I regret not getting tickets to see The Pixies perform last night at the Fox Theater in Atlanta. I didn't get tickets when they first came out so when I did look up tickets I didn't want to sit far away. It was stupidity really because now as regret takes hold, I realize The Pixies aren't a regular touring band. They don't "come back into town" every year. This was a special tour celebrating 25-Yrs of Doolittle. It was stupid of me to say if I can't see them up close I don't want to see them at all. That is wrong...I do want to see them, and yet, I missed a perfect opportunity.

I only hope they are forgiving and will "come back into town" again.

For now, I'll have to settle on watching The Pixies: loudQUIETloud documentary on Netflix Instant Watch.

Fav Lyrics #18 - Interpol // All of the Ways

By Mrs. Oshimbo on September 8, 2010 5:56 PM

All of the Ways

Tell me your mine
Tell me your mine
To break the ice
Does he make you smile
Does he fully embrace the way
Does he leave you to the flames
That you like
Who is this guy

This twee neophyte
Does he know that I'll wait, for all time
Does he make you right
Does he say that he'd like to know you
Does he say that he wants to know

All of the ways
You will make it up
Make it up for me

Tell me you're fine
Tell me it's hard to fake it time after time
Who is this guy
Does he say that he'd like to know you
Does he say that he wants to know
Does he say that he wants to know

All of the ways
You will make it up
Make it up for me
Make it up for me

All of the ways
You will make it up
Make it up for me
Make it up for me

I know the way you will make it up
make it up for me
I know the way you will make it up
make it up for me
I know and I know the way you will make it up
make it up for me
I know and I know the way you will make it up
make it up for me

Fav Lyrics #12 - Angels & Airwaves // Breathe

By Mrs. Oshimbo on May 17, 2010 2:49 PM

Breathe
A blue-black shade of love, sent from above.
My hands are tied, two worlds alone, and this I know.
Your breaths like wine, and just like clouds, my skin crawls.
It's so divine, the sky it glows with fields of light.

Did you know, that I love you?
Come and lay with me.
I love you, and honesty.
I love you, you make me feel alive,
And I'll love you, until the end of time.

My hands shake clasped with fear, as you come near.
To say goodnight, just like a dove, a peaceful sign.
To help us by as you come in, let this begin.
Stars fall like dust, our lips will touch, we speak too much.

Did you know, that I love you?
come and lay with me.
I love you, and honesty.
I love you, you make me feel alive,
And I'll love you, until the end of time.

I've got a lot to say, if you will let me.
It's always hard, when you're around me.
but here right now, there's interest in your eyes.
so hear me out, and hear this the first time that I love you...

...come and lay with me.
I love you, and honesty.
I love you, you make me feel alive,
And I'll love you, until the end of time.

Fav Lyrics #8 - Bloc Party // Ion Square

By Mrs. Oshimbo on April 12, 2010 1:21 AM | 3 Comments

Ion Square

Ion square, perspex swings
I breathe out, you breathe in
Permanent midnight
Our love, our love
How we've come to depend
On each other to the end
The space between us has disappeared
You finish my, you finish my words for me

I remember how it began
So many great days in a row
Barefoot on Bishopsgate
Trying to find Blake's grave
If we could stay like this in a silver foil
Trapped in amber for a life
Permanent midnight
Our love, our love

I carry your heart here with me
I carry it in my heart
I carry your heart with me
I carry it in my heart

Who said unbroken happiness
Is a bore, is a bore?
Who said it, my love?
I don't mind it anymore, anymore
And I reach out a hand over your side of the bed
Pull that blanket over your shoulders exposed to the night
And the hunger of those early years will never return
But I don't mind, I don't mind
Because I love my mind when I'm fucking you
Slowed down to a crawl
Years of crime and the bread line
Have not at all dimmed your shine
So let's stay in, let the sofa be our car
Let's stay in, let the TV be our stars
I found my dancing shoes but they don't fit
All the bright lights do is bore me
They bore me

I carry your heart here with me
I carry it in my heart
I carry your heart with me
I carry it in my heart

----------------------------------------------

Continue reading Fav Lyrics #8 - Bloc Party // Ion Square.

Fav Lyrics #7 - Bloc Party // Pioneers

By Mrs. Oshimbo on April 11, 2010 9:18 PM

Pioneers

If it can be broke then it can be fixed,
if it can be fused then it can be split
It's all under control
If it can be lost then it can be won,
if it can be touched then it can be turned
All you need is time

We promised the world we'd tame it,
what were we hoping for?

A sense of purpose and a sense of skill,
a sense of function but a disregard
We will not be the first, we won't
You said you were going to conquer new frontiers,
Go stick your bloody head in the jaws of the beast

We promised the world, we'd tame it,
what were we hoping for?

Breath in, breath out

So here we are reinventing the wheel
I'm shaking hands with a hurricane
It's a colour that I can't describe,
It's a language I can't understand
Ambition, tearing out the heart of you
Carving lines into you
Dripping down the sides of you

We will not be the last.

Fav Lyrics #6 - Los Campesinos // We Are All Accelerated Readers

By Mrs. Oshimbo on April 5, 2010 7:30 PM

Los Campesinos - We Are All Accelerated Readers, Live

We Are All Accelerated Readers

I was sick in my mouth because of the fear of the scent of an ex-girlfriend
And no more conversations about what Breakfast Club character you'd be
I'd be the one that dies (no one dies)
Well then what's the point?

You should have built have a statue, and so I did of you
And you were ungrateful, and slightly offended at the dimensions of it
You said you looked less like the Venus de Milo, and more like your mother in a straightjacket
I think it's great that you're doing fine now, but enough is enough
And I've had enough

Since we became accelerated readers, we never leave the house

You should have built a wall
You should have built a wall

And I'm not Bonnie Tyler, and I'm not Toni Braxton
And this song is not gonna save your relationship
Oh no... shit!
And this sentimental movie marathon has taught us one thing
It's the opposite of true love is as follows:
Reality!

You should have built a wall, not a bridge
(Since we became accelerated readers, we never leave the house)
You should have built a wall, not a bridge

Since we became accelerated readers, we never leave the house
Since we became accelerated readers, we never leave the house.

Fav Lyrics #5 - Jonsi // Sinking Friendships

By Mrs. Oshimbo on March 30, 2010 3:11 PM

Sinking Friendships

We're swimming in the blue
The night mist's full of dew
Will light bring lighter blue?
My eyes are soaked all way through

We're sinking friendships
We drown more and more

I'm singing a sad tune
Is this song to you?
Is this song to you?

Wishes overdue are well saved in locks
Wishes overdue...

No one knows you, till it's over
You know no one true, till it's over

Is this song to you?
Is this song to you?

My lips are pale blue
My shivering half-moon
My last night's slowest tune
Is the end of the end of the end

We're sinking friendships
We drown more and more

I'm singing a sad tune
Is this song to you?
Is this song to you?

Wishes overdue are well saved in locks
Wishes overdue...

No one knows you, till it's over
You know no one true, till it's over

No one knows you, till it's over
You know no one true, till it's over

Is this song to you?
Is this song to you?

Bands I want to see live - Updated as of Feb 21, 2010

By Mrs. Oshimbo on February 21, 2010 6:31 PM

Here are some bands/artists I would like to see.

This list includes bands that are possible to see live, but also includes those that are impossible to see live (breakups, deaths, years I wanted to see them, etc.).

The list will be updated when I think of more bands.

Regular text = Possible
Italicized = Impossible through break-up, death, or wrong decade

Continue reading Bands I want to see live - Updated as of Feb 21, 2010.

Bands/DJs I have seen live - Updated as of Feb 21, 2010

By Mrs. Oshimbo on February 21, 2010 6:08 PM

I know there are many bands I have forgotten that I have seen over the years, but here is what I remember, plus new stuff. This entry will get updated every time I see more bands.

*YouTube videos loaded for artist
**Videos recorded, not loaded on YouTube

ITALICIZED = Kenny Crucial attended (started tracking 2009)

Continue reading Bands/DJs I have seen live - Updated as of Feb 21, 2010.

2009 Shows in Review

By Mrs. Oshimbo on December 14, 2009 12:48 AM

It's almost the end of the year and it was a great one for concerts. I used to be so good about writing a review for each and every show I attended, along with attaching a video playlist I recorded from the show. So what happened after Mar-2009? I have a litany of excuses, but in the end they are all excuses and I never went back to catch up after I lagged behind. I really will try to make a more concerted effort in 2010 (Oh look, my first New Year's Resolution).

So in review, I will at least make a list of all the bands or performances I saw this past year with a rating from 1-10. They'll be listed in alphabetical order, not by date. Shows were either in Atlanta, GA or Miami, FL.

Continue reading 2009 Shows in Review.

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