30.6.06

Splurge!

Yes, it's another PUFFY post. May as well accept it, because you know I love em. So yeah, here's a new PUFFY album, Splurge, coming on July 25th. The first single appears to be "Tokyo I'm On My Way", the video is already all over youtube.com. I'm really digging "Mole-Like", and the album sounds like it'll be fun. Also cool to see "Nice Buddy" show up on the album, that track absolutely kicks my ass. I've posted that one before, but it deserves to be heard again. There are tourdates over at Tofu Records, and you can check out some more tracks over at their myspace site. Also, the email list says the official site will relaunch for the new album on July 5th, so check it out. Here's the "Splurge" tracklist:
1. Call Me What You Like
2. Nice Buddy
3. Tokyo I'm On My Way
4. Radio Tokyo
5. Mole-Like
6. Etude
7. Go Baby Power Now
8. Sunday In The Park
9. Missing You Baby
10. The Story
11. Mole
12. Cameland
13. Security Blanket
14. Beginnings
15. Friends Forever ~FICKLE Remix~
16. Teen Titans Theme ~POLYSICS' CR-06 MIX~
Listen:
Tokyo I'm On My Way
Nice Buddy

25.6.06

It's Neko Case week!

Tonight begins my Neko Case Odyssey of three straight shows at Bimbo's 365 Club, in San Francisco. I don't think I've done that for any artist before. A fourth show was added as of last week, but three should be good enough for me. Check out this clip of Neko on the Letterman Show last week, doing "Maybe Sparrow". This is probably my favorite song on the new album.




23.6.06

We Are The Massacre



Video by World's End Girlfriend (Japan), from the album "The Lie Lay Land". The song is absolutely gorgeous. The video is good, but I think they tried a little too hard. Check out the Noble site for more info and other mp3 samples.

Download "We Are The Massacre" from the Noble site.

Also, click here (and scroll down a bit) to check out samples from the World's End Girlfriend / Mono collaboration, "Palmless Prayer / Mass Murder Refrain". Very pretty music, it's got a cinematic quality to it. The album is out only in Japan at the moment, I've read that it's going to be released in the U.S. in September on the Temporary Residence label. Luckily for me, Mono were selling copies of it at the gig I attended last month, and I was able to get one for myself.

19.6.06

My headphones, they saved my life

So my cousin had never really listened to Bjork. While she was over the other day (delivering the MA box), I played a few songs for her and we watched a few videos. It was kinda cool, because I hadn't listened to Bjork in a while and it was kinda fun watching CC get into the tunes. Cool thing about Bjork is that her work is pretty interesting, even if you don't like it. Take the Medulla album, for example. I didn't really enjoy it, but it's an interesting idea...even though it's been done before (see the previous post on Todd Rundgren). I dunno, is there anyone else doing shit like that?

One of the best shows I've seen was Bjork's Homogenic tour at the Warfield in San Francisco way back in 98. Homogenic also happens to be my favorite album. She kept scampering all over the stage in her white outfit with butterfly wings. The beats were great and the string section was great. It was really just captivating.

And let's not get started on her videos. I mean, even if she only has 50% input into what goes on in those videos, then she's fucking amazing. All Is Full of Love, Human Behaviour, It's Oh So Quiet, Hunter, I Miss You...sheesh, the list goes on. All of her videos are fucking cool

Then there's Dancer In The Dark. I saw that in the theater when it was first released. Man, I was astounded. Her performance was so good, it just pulled you right in. And that ending, wow. Perhaps the character of Selma was written with her in mind, does anyone know? I remember when the film was finally released on dvd, I bought it as soon as I could because it's such a great film. To this day, I've never put it on because I just can't get myself into a mood where I'd want to sit there and watch it to the end. Strange, considering I've seen a lot of other movies several times over, that are just as fucked up.

Also, check out the Bjork box set, Surrounded, that's coming next week. It's got all the albums on dual-sided discs. On the other side of each disc is the same album mixed in 5.1 and DTS and includes all of the videos from each particular album. I'm tempted but not sure yet. Do I really need the 5.1/DTS mixes? CC already preordered her copy, crazy chick.

All Is Full of Love (video version)
There's More To Life Than This
Joga (Live 1999)
Sweet Sweet Intuition


18.6.06

Neutralize every man in sight

My cousin, CC (sweet little thing that she is), hooked me up with the Massive Attack singles box set. I haven't gone through it all, but it seems pretty cool. I have to admit to being disappointed by the "Angel" remixes, as that's my favorite track. The remixes simply don't have that feeling of dread and impending doom that the original has. I'm posting a few of the other mixes that I've checked out. I'm guessing the "Eno" mix refers to Brian Eno, but I'm not entirely sure. I'll probably need to do a little research on that.

As mentioned in a previous post, CC and I saw Massive Attack at this year's Coachella festival. Sad to say, they were pretty dull, although I'm sure their live show could be really cool. A comparable band I've seen is Portishead, and I thought Beth Gibbons held the stage pretty well. Perhaps that's the difference, though. Massive Attack have a few different vocalists and guest collaborators, while Gibbons was the primary vocalist for Portishead. Anyways, that doesn't change the fact that the Massive Attack albums ("Blue Lines", "Protection", "Mezzanine", and "100th Window") are good and worth seeking out. There are a couple soundtracks they've done ("Danny The Dog", and "Bullet Boy") as well as a "greatest hits" type compilation ("Collected"). They also have one of the best band names around, I think.

Angel (Original Version)
Protection (The Eno Mix)
Unfinished Sympathy (Perfecto Mix)
Karmacoma (Portishead Experience)

15.6.06

Rain

Okay, enough of the crap. What happened was I had a run-in with an ex after not having spoken to her in three years. Seriously, I've been seeing red all week.

Fuck it, I'm drunk and I'm over it.


This song by The Album Leaf makes me think of rain. It's really pretty and it kinda lulls you into this cocoon. Well, it does for me, so there. They're playing San Francisco in July, they've got a new album coming in September, and you can check out some of their stuff on myspace. And he's got that sweet tattoo on his right arm, which you can kinda see in this pic.

The Album Leaf > Wet The Day

12.6.06

The telephone just doesn't seem to do.

Two songs that will always remind me of my Seattle trip a few years ago.

Mirah > Person Person
(This showed up in tonight's random playlist, which spurred this post.)
New Order > Temptation
(I vaguely remember dancing to this...in public, no less.)

11.6.06

Electric Beach Fever


Surfing around, I just found the lyrics to PUFFY's "Electric Beach Fever"...in English! I love this song. It's a perfect summer song and it's really a lot of fun, but I've not heard it sung in English. Makes me wonder how accurate this translation is. Anyone around here speak Japanese?

Check it out:
PUFFY > Electric Beach Fever


PUFFY AMIYUMI
Electric Beach Fever

Let's go driving
With a feeling of caramel
With a jumping rhythm
The radio station is the BBC

Along the seashore
At the Magellan Festival
With energy
Seagulls are flying BOAC
At the Meriken wharf
For some reason we're excited
Driving at full speed in our swimsuits
Get our liquor right away at Matsubara

Let's go eat some crabs
Be shy
The lone happy beach is charming
Almost too much like a postcard

Let's go to the shore
Let's go together
A loving rhythm in a bursting mode

Night and day
We shorten the distance
His and my
Cell phones are ringing

The pelican looks lonely
Floating on waves
Anybody can feel that sorrow
Even the fish have that perfume

Let's go eat some crabs
Be businesslike
That's Harrison Ford on that porch
We are very lucky girls

Let's go energetically
Let's lead the way
Let's run around in synch with the rhythm

Let's go eat some crabs
Be shy
The charming white happy beach
Looks too much like a postcard

Let's go to the shore
Let's go together
We've been invited to synchronise with the rhythm
A loving mode with bursting rhythm

10.6.06

Lazy Saturday

As a result of being unable to sleep last night, I'm just bein' lazy and hangin' around today. I found a webcam and just installed it. Check me out, I'm so rock n' roll. Listened to this old song that seems to fit the mood of the day. Yeah, that's how I feel. Well, more like can't get out of the house.

The Charlatans > Can't Get Out Of Bed

Put on your shoes, girl, I'm going to the coast...



Man, it's 430am and I'm wide awake, completely wired. So next week begins Stern Grove's free concert series, which runs through August. Even cooler is that Aimee Mann and Seu Jorge are playing. How fucking cool is that?

You probably remember Aimee from Til Tuesday, back in the middle 80s. I like Til Tuesday so much, I once went to see them open up for Rick Springfield. Fact. They released three albums, "Voices Carry", "Welcome Home", and "Everything's Different Now". They're decent albums, but EDN is clearly the best one of the bunch and it's worth seeking out if you're a fan of Aimee's solo releases. She's racked up a handful of her own albums, "Whatever", "I'm With Stupid", "Bachelor #2", "Lost In Space", "Live at St. Ann's Warehouse", and "The Forgotten Arm". Tough call, but I'd go with Bachelor #2 as her best album, although I think she's still peaking as the albums after that are quietly excellent. Admittedly, TFA hasn't clicked with me, but I'm not worried about it because it took me over a year before I really "got" LIS.

Til Tuesday > J For Jules
Aimee Mann > All Over Now
Aimee Mann > What The World Needs Now
Aimee Mann > The Scientist (Live)



As for Seu Jorge, I don't really know much about him. Like most everyone else, I discovered him through his appearance in The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou. His David Bowie covers seemed so fresh and new, they're really lovely. I have a couple albums, "Cru" and "The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions, both very good. I've seen him live a couple times now, once last fall over at Bimbo's 365 and once at Coachella this past spring. He puts on quite the show, definitely worth checking out.

Seu Jorge > Don't
Seu Jorge > Rebel Rebel
Seu Jorge > Starman

6.6.06

That wine was the best girl I ever had...

One of my favorite songs. I love the catchy pop, the jangly goodness, and those sweet harmonies. I have a few TFC albums and I haven't looked carefully, but I don't think I've seen this song on any of their albums. I have it on this comp called "DGC Rarities Vol. 1". Maybe somebody else knows where else it lives, but it's living here for now, so grab it while you can.

Teenage Fanclub > Mad Dog 20/20

4.6.06

TURN MY HEADPHONES UP!

We all know who the best rapper is these days. Recognize, bitches.

3.6.06

All I want in life's a little bit of love to take the pain away


I've been listening to Spiritualized today. I probably owe Ben for introducing me to them. Well, not entirely. I had bought "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space" when it was released in 97, but it didn't really click with me at that time, and so the cd sat on the shelf for quite a while. Ben had an extra ticket to see them in, 2001, I think it was. I'm pretty sure that's it, because "Let It Come Down" had just been released and they were touring in support of that album.

So I went along and it turned out to be another one of those moments where a band's live performance completely won me over, essentially finishing the job that an album had started out doing. And after the performance, I just felt like I had a better understanding of the albums, or more of a connection. (See also my post regarding Neko Case, both in terms of live performance, connection, and being another artist introduced to me by Ben).

While I don't have everything of theirs and I wasn't particulary happy with the latest album, "Amazing Grace", I still look forward to a new release just to hear what might happen next. Oddly, the album I recommend is the one I inititially couldn't connect with, "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space". In a cool way, the album is like a drug. It's very hypnotic and mesmerising. It's as if Spaceman Pierce took all the drugs so I didn't have to. Another thing I like is that Jason Pierce writes what look like the cheesiest lyrics on paper, but the way he sings the words, for me, is just so heartfelt and genuine. Listen to songs like "Broken Heart" or "I Didn't Mean To Hurt You" and hopefully you'll know what I mean.

Broken Heart
I Didn't Mean To Hurt You
Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
I Think I'm In Love (Radio Edit) (The album version is over 8 minutes long!)