Hooray For Earth...hooray! hooray!

Yesterday, I was sent the self-released & self-titled album by "Hooray For Earth". I just finished listening to it for the third time. I don't listen to albums three times unless I like them. A lot. Parts remind me of different bands, but I can't say that the songs themselves remind of anyone in particular. It's weird, I hear a little Jesus & Mary Chain,...then Pinback, even Pet Shop Boys...but only in parts, and only for a second or two. It really feels like a true amalgam of some really interesting sounds: dirty fuzz rock, soaring pop, heavy riffs, blaring synths, and a little art-punk for good measure. The vocals do definitely remind me of Rob Crow (especially on the song "Carefree"), which ain't bad. The music has the pop sensibility of some of the greatest Wrens tunes & Blue Album-era Weezer. It's ethereal and fuzzed out, and always driving...anthemic even. Truly uplifting. This is driving music folks; stereo cranked, and singing along at the top of your lungs and not giving a fuck who sees. The only thing that makes this album hard to get through, is the fact I keep hitting the back button to hear songs over again. I know what I'll be doing to pass the time on my hour and a half commute home tonight. Goddamn this is infectious.

[MP3] Hooray For Earth - Magazines (via Box.net)

[MP3] Hooray For Earth - Come Again (via Box.net) (highly rec'd)

Official Site | MySpace | Buy it on iTunes

Beirut Used To Be The Real People.

I was reading one of my favorite blogs (I Guess I'm Floating) earlier today, and came across what can only be described as an early Christmas gift or belated birthday present. Apparently Zach Condon, otherwise known as Beirut, recorded an album of indie/electronic songs back in 2001 called "The Joys Of Losing Weight" under the name The Real People. It has been described as: "...an entire electronic/experimental album in the style of Scenic World with Zach's distinctive vocals and the occasional appearance of his famous brass instrumentation." And it's amazing. Everything I loved about "Gulag Orkestar", replacing the Balkan/gypsy sound with electronica. Not unlike Ben Gibbard with his other outlet, The Postal Service. It was never released or sold, and up until now only a select handful of Zach's "peeps" have ever even heard it. Here's a few tracks from it, you can find more tracks over at IGIF here.

[MP3] The Real People (Zach Condon from Beirut) - Untitled 13 (via Box.net)

[MP3] The Real People (Zach Condon from Beirut) - Untitled 18 (via Box.net)

(You could find the whole album if you just try searching Google, at least that's tha' word on tha' street)

Unofficial VIDEO: Deerhoof "Kidz Are So Small"

Check out this fantastic video for Deerhoof's "Kidz Are So Small" created by Face3Media out of Montreal. It has a doctor climbing into a pregnant woman's "birth canal" and out her mouth....very Deerhoof.

Matador to release expanded edition of Shearwater's "Palo Santo"

Recent Matador signees, Shearwater re-recorded/remastered their 2006 album "Palo Santo" and it will be available to us (the eager public) on April 10th. Apparently this was the band's idea not the label's, and to quote them: "...we're proud to say that this is Palo Santo as we always hoped it would be". I heard they were amazing live, as told to me by some SXSW attendees. Ah, yet another reason to save my damn money!! I was hoping that they would be heading through the Atlanta area sometime soon, but no luck. Oh well. I still haven't seen them or Will Sheff's other band, Okkervil River. So if any members, of either band reads this, please play Atlanta. Please.

Here's a track off the newly re-recorded "Palo Santo".
[MP3] Shearwater - Red Sea, Black Sea (via Box.net)

Shearwater - Official website

Panda Bear "Person Pitch" receives 9.4!!!

So Pitchfork gave Panda Bear "Person Pitch" a very well deserved rating of 9.4. Panda Bear (and his other Animal pals...including Grizzly Bear ;-) ) has been one of the few artists trying and succeeding at pushing musical boundaries. And like anything by fellow boundary-pushers Radiohead, this album just keeps getting better & better. I can't say for sure if this will be my album of the year, but it's shaping up that way so far. I can't recommend this album enough.

[MP3] Panda Bear - Comfy in Nautica (via Box.net)

Buy "Person Pitch" at Insound or at Criminal Records.

Modest Mouse Drops New Album & Announces N. American Tour

So tomorrow the long awaited new Modest Mouse album "We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank" drops into our collective laps (although I have a sneaking suspicion some of you may have it already...damn pirates. You stole their album, killed them AND sank their ship too? Brutal.). Well if that weren't enough, Issac and crew announced their initial tour plans as well. And here they are:

03-19 Fargo, ND - Playmakers Pavilion
03-21 Seattle, WA - South Lake Union Naval Reserve
04-15 Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre
04-16 Vancouver, British Columbia - Pacific Coliseum
04-20 Minneapolis, MN - Orpheum Theatre
04-21 Minneapolis, MN - Orpheum Theatre
04-22 Chicago, IL - Auditorium Theatre
04-26 Rochester, NY - Main Street Armory
04-27 Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
04-29 New York, NY - The United Palace
04-30 New York, NY - The United Palace
05-02 Providence, RI - Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel
05-03 Philadelphia, PA - Electric Factory
05-04 Greensboro, NC - Special Events Center
05-05 Atlanta, GA - Masquerade Music Park
05-06 Birmingham, AL - BJCC Arena Concert Hall
05-08 New Orleans, LA - House of Blues
05-09 Austin, TX - The Backyard
05-10 Grand Prairie, TX - Nokia Live
05-12 Mesa, AZ - Mesa Amphitheater
05-13 Los Angeles, CA - greek Theatre
05-14 San Diego, CA - Cox Arena at San Diego State University
05-16 San Jose, CA - San Jose State University
05-20 Somerset, England - Butlins Minehead (ATP vs. the Fans)
05-23 London, England - Royal Albert Hall
06-01 Barcelona, Spain - Primavera Sound

Buy the new album at Insound or at Criminal Records.

SXSW: I wish I hadn't wasted all my money on the whores, so I could go.

So alright, there were no whores. I just have a tight budget, and unfortunately it doesn't include a week listening to music in Texas. I will again try to save money and attend next year, which I think would be absolutely bad-ass. I think. You never know though, it could suck. But it probably doesn't, I think that's just my jealous side trying to make me feel better for being so fuckin' broke. Oh well, good try. For any of my friends that are attending this year, have a blast & I hope to hang out a have a beer with you next year......assholes.

Just kidding.

Assholes.

Explosions in the Sky, The Paper Chase, Elvium - Atlanta, GA @ Lenny's, 3/13/07: SHOW REVIEW

I will start by saying that I must be cursed. Not a bad curse, just an annoying one that prevents me from bringing a good digital camera to show. Argh. Anyway, I was able to snap off some crappy pics with my camera phone (why the fuck gimme a phone with a camera in it, if it takes the shittiest pictures ever?), it'll just have to do for now. Well, on to the review. Eluvium started the show off...let me state that I am a fan of his music, but after seeing his live set, I can't say I would ever see him live again. I was bored to fucking tears. If you're just gonna sit on the floor, not move an inch & do nothing but play your music EXACTLY how it sounds on the CD, then I'll save my money and just listen to my CD. The Paper Chase was up next, and infused a much needed amount of ENERGY into the show. I've already seen this band before, and they never disappoint. Tight math-y, post-rock with percussive vocals, crashing pianos & freaky samples all in sync with perfectly choreographed lurching and shuddering. These guys are complete bad-asses, too bad the crowd sucked. Hardly anyone moved at all. What the fuck? Is it really that uncool to move around or get into the music? I didn't see anybody over the age of 45, so you boring as fuck people have no excuse. Ah well. Of course Explosions in the Sky (now on referred to as EitS) closed the show, and maybe some of those boring-as-fuck people were just waiting for them to play before showing any signs of life. Man, EitS really are a cut above most others bands in their genre. They are amazing musicians, and equally amazing performers. There was so much happiness and enthusiasm in their performance, when they/the music would explode so would we (me and my friends..and a handful of uncool movers & shakers).
This is what it's supposed to sound like. This is what it's supposed to feel like. EitS put on one of the best shows I've ever seen, and all I have to say is, thank you. Thank you.

VIDEO: Mixel Pixel "Abandon Ship"

Alright, so I decided to put this up here instead of making you traverse the internet & fall prey to the horrors that lurk there in order to view it. We at "It Covers The Hillsides" are looking out for you. Don't you forget it. Now the only "horrors" you will encounter are lurking in this video.



Check out the post below for another tubular video from my friends at Radical Friend.

VIDEO: The Postmarks "Goodbye"

This is the new video for The Postmarks' "Goodbye". Which was done by some friends of mine, Julia & Kirby otherwise known as Radical Friend. I think it's pretty cool, check it out!



Also check out their website for more of their work, including a new Mixel Pixel video for "Abandon Ship".

Explosions in the Sky: TONIGHT @ LENNY'S BAR

I'm off to see Explosions in the Sky, The Paper Chase & Eluvium tonight at Lenny's. Should be a kick-ass show, I'm totally psyched. You can expect a show review, and if I'm actually able to bring my digital camera...some pictures. I heard through the grapevine that someone might be taping the show, if so I'll try to procure it & post some MP3s. Later.

MP3 links: new good stuff

Here are some MP3s of some new music worth checking out:

[MP3] The Black Lips - "Boone" from "Los Valientes Del Mondo Nuevo" (via Box.net)

[MP3] Goes Cube - "Song 30" from "Beckon The Dagger God" (via Box.net)

[MP3] Papercuts - "Dear Employee" from "Can't Go Back" (via Box.net)

[MP3] Au Revoir Simone - "A Violent Yet Flammable World" from "The Bird of Music" (via Box.net)

ENJOY.
Buy the full albums at Insound, or at Criminal Records.