Stop, collaborate and listen.

What? I couldn't think of any other images to post, okay? Okay, so the weekend is here (for everyone else but me), and we all need some new songs to annoy our neighbors with as we get ready to go out tonight. Hope today's selections find you well.

Tigercity:
Time to put aside your !!!, LCD Soundsystem and Juan Maclean albums as your secret livingroom dance party music... here comes Tigercity. Most would say that disco-punk was on overkill last year, but honestly? With me, it never gets old. You should have fun time with music. It's your recess from the real world. They have a show coming up at The Delancey on 4/11, and I wouldn't miss it. Oh, and like their predecessors, they were also featured on a VICE compilation. Expect to hear a lot more about these guys in the coming months.
-- Are You Sensation
-- Cloakrooms
+ Myspace

The Kulta Beats:
"A mixture of energetic garagerock, psychedelia hovering on a cloud of melancholy pop and groovy rock'n roll, all with a certain je ne sais quoi. Inspiration is gathered from superior modern literature, low down pop culture, and some rock, mainly 60's garage and 80's indie." I can't help but think Happy Mondays when I hear his voice. Not so much on the Cardigans cover, but you get the point.
-- Replication Bomb
-- My Favourite Game (Cardigans Cover)
+ Myspace

The Attorneys:
This NYC trio definitely have a commercial sound to them, but that's not always a bad thing. Described as "a throwback to 80s rock, minus the bad hair", I can hear Perry Farrell circa Janes Addiction in the vocals to "Open Soul"... but then the vocals turn almost Weezer in "Stay". Don't let all the mainstream talk get in the way, give these guys a listen. It's catchy and I like it. They have a show coming up at Trash Bar on 4/7, so if you like it... go support it!
-- Open Soul
-- Stay
+ Myspace

Adam Green:
Not really unknown, and not really in need of an WNR introduction, but I wanted to post him up just for the love of his music. I have many fond, drunk memories of singing slurring along to the Moldy Peaches cover with my best friend at the end of a long night. We all need laughs, and Adam provides that with a beautiful backdrop of music.
-- Steak For Chicken (Moldy Peaches Cover)
-- Jessica
+ Myspace

- LB

Poor man's Donald Trump

Thanks to Veritas Lux Mea, I finally got around to hearing some of the new Flaming Lips album. It's as quirky and interesting as their past releases, and my Wayne crush still prevails, but I haven't yet found the track that stands out for me personally. 'Vein of Stars' comes close, but not quite there. Perhaps when the album comes out and I get to wrap my ears around it, that will change.

I am in love, however, with the Yeah Yeah Yeah Song Video.

I really can't wait to see these guys on 4/1. In the meantime, here are a couple of tracks from the new album to enjoy. Don't sue me, I'm just the messenger.

-- Yeah Yeah Yeah Song
-- Vein of Stars

- LB

Band to the Aid.

As an adult, you would think you'd be able to handle certain information better than, say, when you were a kid. As it turns out, because your mind is more developed and knowledgable, it has a tendency to wrap itself around it.

Last year, I was electronically reunited with my long lost half-sister who is just months shy of being the same age as me. As you can tell... somewhere in that equation, someone was unfaithful. This was known to me after the introduction of my sister 12 years ago, but in very recent times the amount of my father's infidelity has become more apparent. Mind you, my parents have been divorced practically since I was born, but the information still isn't the kind you're happy to get. A gift box of deep secrets has been handed to me, bow untied, and I almost feel like I should have rather stuffed it under the bed than let curiousity get the rest of me.

But this is life. This is learning. This is knowing what you never want to become, and fighting for what you believe you can be.

Beyond all of this, I'm lucky to have the love of a sister. If there's anyway to take this situation into perspective, it's that without it I would not have her.

And then there's finding beautiful music to bandage your soul...

Today's theme: Notes will heal

Sky Larkin:
Sky Larkin has joined the ranks of Finest Dearest in my list of favorite new girl-fronted indie rock bands. There is just something about the way her vocals are cushioned inbetween all of the instruments that actually strikes a chord in my heart.
-- Somersault (Notes)
-- Traits and Traitors
+ Myspace

Surrounded:
They sound a mixture of Mercury Rev, Flaming Lips and even Giant Sand at some points in their songs. At emotional times like these, I can really appreciate being able to hear someone pour their heart out into song. They have a couple more free mp3s at their site, so if you like these I recommend checking the rest out.
-- Better Not Be So
-- Diesel Palace
+ Myspace

Gamine:
The first thing I thought when listening to "Oh What a Kiss" was Is this Goldfrapp? Althought they do sound somewhat alike, the rest of their songs prove what beauty french/lounge/pop music holds. This is definitely staying on repeat for a while.
-- Oh, What A Kiss! (Concorde Music Club French Kiss Remix)
-- Oh, Mon Cheri!
+ Myspace

Jeff Merchant Music:
"Jeff Merchant doesn't write cute, sweet, happy love songs. He writes compelling, thought-provoking songs about serious subjects in a catchy, melodic way - where the melodies, themselves, take off some of the edge." And it's true. This song has touched me a lot, because the lyrics are so brutally honest that it hurts, but at the same time the music soothes you so you can face the truth.
-- Wounds Will Heal
+ Myspace

- LB

Guest Contributor: Norman Reedus

The picture may be hard to recognize, but most may remember this month's guest contributor from the first and only film directed by the egotistical Troy Duffy, 'The Boondock Saints'. I had the pleasure of meeting him at a film wrap party for 'A Crime' back in December, and was surprised to find that the actor was so laid back and down to earth. He also holds a strong appreciation for music, so he didn't hesitate one bit when I asked him to contribute a special playlist for WNR this month.

I listen to music pretty much all day long. I usually have a soundtrack of the week playing all day long, and the songs kind of set the tone with whatever it is I'm trying to do. Most of the time the songs are all completely different, coming from all sorts of different places that dont make any sense at all. I just like the way they pick me up or slow me down. Here is this week's playlist give or take a few:

Dudley Perkins: Flowers
Aesop Rock: Big Bang
Geto Boys: Bring It On
Kool & The Gang: Summer Madness
Grace Jones: Private Life
Howie B: I Can Sing But I Don't Want To
Bauhaus: Double Dare
Dead Kennedys: Holiday In Cambodia
Fu Manchu: Cyclone Launch
Jucifer: Superman
Betty Davis: Shoo-B-Doop And Cop Him
God Complex: Freestyle (ft Mr Lif N Virtuo)

Many thanks to Norman for sharing his fantastically diverse soundtrack with us all.

It's The Time Of The Season

Oh springtime in Jacksonville. I hate it! When I lived in Miami life was easy. Because South Florida has no seasons nothing ever dies. In addition to that because South Florida was also sub tropical, the vegetation is completely different from North Florida. No one has maple trees in their yard in Miami and Oak's are just as rare. Because of the all this, it meant that there was no pollen in the air. This, my friends, was a good thing.

When I moved up here, I had no idea I had allergies. Then the Spring of 2000 came. Holy Bejesus. It was Mother Nature saying, "Welcome to Northern Florida." Now every spring I feel as though I'm going to die for about three months. It's agonizing to say the least. If it weren't for my little friends Claritin D and Allegra I would shuffle off of my mortal coil.

So as a tribute to spring, pollen, and Mother Nature I give you these erm...seasonable tracks...

Pulp: Weeds - Some say Pulp lost the plot on their final album. I disagree. We Love Life is a brilliant album that is just as subversive and pervy as any other Pulp record. The difference here is that Jarvis is not as directly open as he has been in the past. As for weeds...nothing says spring more than weeds busting out of every crack in the sidewalk spreading its dreaded pollen everywhere.

Rush: The Trees - Probably the most philosophical band on the planet. The Trees is from their masterful Hemispheres album. You either love this band or you hate them. I happened to have grown up to these guys and outside of indie circles they are probably my favorite band of all time. As for the trees...they're all kept equal by hatchet, axe, and saw. What a nice thought as I go through a box of tissues.

Belly: Feed The Tree - I remember this video. All 4-5 feet of Tanya Donnelly surrounded by huge trees. I remember seeing them in Miami when this came out. They were so huge in 92 and some band called Radiohead opened for them!!! As for the tree...Here's a frightening thought allergy sufferers, "big red tree grew up and out, throws up its leaves." Oh god, the horror!

Submarine: Pollen - Just a little late to be lumped in the Shoegazing movement and to early to be Britpop, Submarine sound like pre-Spiritualized in a head on collision with perhaps Dinosaur Jr. Joyful noise that goes on and on. As for pollen...one word says so much! Ugh.

Divine Comedy: The Pop Singers Fear of the Pollen Count - Leave it to Neil Hannon to put a comedic spin on all of this. He truly is a genius. As for the pollen count...today in Jacksonville the Oak count is HIGH. This means pass me another Claritin D and lets ride the dragon baby!

Until next time...stay indoors..keep your house airtight...and stock up on allergy medications. We still have two months to go.

Paul(len) the Anglophile

Liar, liar, pants on fire.

So I lied. I'm not fully back on track yet. I haven't been feeling well the past week, and I'm still waiting on a track for this month's special contributor post.

Since I can't hold off any longer for the other post, I thought I'd give a quick listen to some of the stuff that's hit the inbox and my myspace friend request list. I'm pleasantly surprised at how quick and easy it was to find enough good songs for today's post. Keep the submissions coming, kids. It makes my busy 7-day-work-week life so much easier.

The Valentines:
In Olympia, one girl and one guy are creating fun, girly, indie music for you to dance to. It's simple, and I like it. They are also putting out a record next month, so be sure to keep an eye on their site for it.
-- Heartbeat
-- Change of Heart
+ Myspace

Makar:
From their Myspace profile - "The New York music scene recently flourished with electro and 80s-inspired bands, the band Makar is a breath of fresh air with its full-length debut 99 Cent Dreams. Timeless folk-based pop gems manifest Makar's 99 Cent Dreams. The opening track 'I Hate My Job' offers everyday man fantasies about leaving the 9 to 5 drudge to become a rockstar. The standout tune 'What Can I Tell' also appears on the compilation Freshly Squeezed Music vol. 1. Husband and wife Mark Purnell and Andrea DeAngelis not only share lead vocal duties, but also co-wrote 15 of the 18 songs jointly and arranged the album's artwork. Purnell's voice is surprisingly theatrical and DeAngelis, who proved her own at various poetry recitals in the Big Apple, flavorfully adds chirps, complementing the cadence."
-- I Hate My Job
-- What Can I Tell You
+ Myspace

Goodnight & Goodnight:
"Named 2007's Arcade Fire" is what their headline says on Myspace. I think I can agree to some extent. They have an EP coming out June 2006, mastered by John Golden (Sonic Youth, Calexico). If you were able to handle the whine of Arcade Fire's vocals, then you'll really enjoy this. The songs really are beautiful.
-- The Sun Hits Her Face Perfectly (This Time of Day/Year/Season)
-- Ghosty Ghost

Charlie, Don't Surf!:
If you like Pavement and Built to Spill, you'll really like this Denmark band. What really caught my eye about these guys was when I saw their logo. It's the same exact image I used for a flyer 4 years ago. Looks like we have similiar taste.
-- All the Girls Who Could Dance
-- Friends of French...
+ Myspace

Again, sorry for all the lack in posting. I think I'm going to look into getting a third contributor to help pick up the slack around here when we're not feeling well.

Also, I've got a last minute DJ gig tonight up at The Skinny Lounge, 10PM-4AM. NO cover, good music, and there's even a little posh seating area around me in the DJ booth upstairs. I'll take requests... just don't request anything like Bon Jovi or I'll kick you. So drop by and have a drink with me if you're in the Lower East Side tonight.

- LB

Excuse por favor el hiato.

With my moving house and Paul's illness, we've been on a bit of a hiatus lately. But we're back, and hopefully more consistent.

To be quite honest with you, I'm tired of staring at this screen day after day after day (it's what I do for work). But hey, music never quits... and neither can I. It's time to put myself back on the motivational pull of life. And since I'm feeling a bit folky/indie lately, I decided these were a good combination to call it a comeback.

Today's theme: How folky is your indie? Vamoose to my recluse.

The Televangelist & The Architect:
Very Blonde Redhead and Cursive influenced, possible due to being mixed by the same producers, but they also have a subtle touch of Bright Eyes to them. As most bands are smart enough to do these days, they are taking the same route as Arctic Monkeys and offering their entire album for free. Go to their site and download it while you can.
-- The Unconscious Collective (A Tale From Williamsburg)
-- The Birth Of A Salesman
+ Myspace

Butterfly Explosion:
One for the Irish on St. Patty's day! I saw them at the Delancey Lounge on Tuesday night, and while their music is beautiful, I couldn't quite get into the performance. I just felt that they weren't quite comfortable on stage with their instruments yet. They did announce that some of their equipment had been previously jacked, so maybe that was the reason. I just wish they would have talked more between songs. I love irish accents.
-- Vision
-- Comfort of the Dark
+ Myspace

Track a Tiger:
They remind me an awful lot of Mojave 3. Listen to "Sound As Ever" and tell me if I'm wrong. Taken from the bio, it reads "A little rock, but mostly slow, sad, sleepy late nights." And that, my friends, is exactly what Track a Tiger is. Lovely.
-- Glad To Be Scattered
-- Sound As Ever
+ Myspace

The Old Ceremony:
"Inspired by the Great American Songbook (and its finest interpreters such as Sinatra and Chet Baker), as well as the theatricality of Tom Waits, Serge Gainesbourg and Nick Cave, The Old Ceremony creates their own shoebox panorama of a world of paper palm trees, unsolved mysteries and unopened air mail. It is distinctly American and faintly exotic." Unfortunately I missed their March 4th show at the Living Room here in NYC, but thanks to the luck of the Irish, I get another chance. These guys will be playing again at the Living Room on Saturday, April 15th, @ 9PM. And what's even better? It's FREE. I hope to see some of you there.
-- American Romeo
-- Ole
+ Myspace

- LB

I swam to Portsmouth and back!

Ok...not really. I've just been really really really sick the past three weeks. I sort of disappeared during that time because in doing three Nyquil shots a day, one isn't likely to be too concious.

But I'm back...and of course now I'm having to deal w/my allergies. I didn't even get a day reprieve. Mother Nature...I curse you.

The good thing about all this is that I've been listening to music. LOTS of music. That benefits you...because now that I can actually read what I am typing I'll be providing you with some new material to listen too from Albion. Tonight's post consists of five new bands and five older bands.

We'll start with the newer stuff...

Harrisons: Blue Note - A fine tune that's a bit folky, a bit noisy, and most definitely memorable. The chorus is so catchy you'll take it to heart faster than your social security number. No, it's not about the legendary jazz label but instead about the "beautiful days."

Negative for Francis - Losing Control - Straight out of 1984 via 2006 comes this post punk gem. It jerks, rolls, dances,and contorts more than James Chance and Devo could ever hope. A floor filler if there ever was one. The song is self-explanatory, one listen and you'll find your feet having issues staying still.

New Rhodes: From The Beginning - Another excellent tune from one of the best new bands Britain has to offer. Their seven inches are legendary(and a wee bit collectible) and this new single is a floorfiller. Take the dramatics of say Gene and mix it with the occaisional discotastic riffage and you have a great song that's perfect for a dark, smoky, beer soaked dance floor.

Semifinalists: Show the Way - A tune that creeps its way into your soul with out you knowing it. "Show the Way," is so adorable you'll want to give it a hug. It's the kind of song that's perfect for spring. It's all sunshine and smiles and just about as twee as a song can get w/o actually being twee. It'll make you go, "Awwww."

We Start Fires: Hip Shake - A brilliant spiky noisy pop tune with tons of attitude. This takes the groundwork of bands like Elastica, Sleeper, and Kenickie, and ups the ante ten fold. These are three girls (and the obligatory guy drummer) that know how to write a punky dancefloor anthems and they aren't afraid to show it.

So there's some new stuff. Now...here's some classic stuff that I've recently been listening to. From the vault....

Delicious Monster: Snuggle - One heck of an overlooked band. Whether it was because of their name...it's not the best, or because they were a little ahead of their time, for some reason Delicious Monster never got the respect they deserved. At a time when Frente, Juliana Hatfield, and the Sundays were huge, Delicious Monster should have been as well. But they weren't. "Snuggle," is a spiky little tune that teeters back and forth between the quiet/loud dynamic.

Inspiral Carpets: This Is How It Feels(Extended) - Nowadays, this band is known more for the fact that Noel Gallagher used to be their roadie than their songs. That's ashame because the Inspirals were such a great band. At the height of baggy, the Inspirals were on top of their game. They were so big in fact, that their "Cool as Fuck," T-shirts caused legal problems for many a fan. "This Is How It Feels," is a moody moment from the band that wrote as many dancefloor anthems as the Happy Mondays.

My Life Story: King of Kissingdom - Oh this is such an over the top POP! song that it just bowls over everything in its path. It's huge and so incredibly friendly you can't help but welcome it into your home, fix it dinner, and offer it to live with you. My Life Story had more members in it than Parliament. But that's the only way a POP! song could sound this huge. It's so incredibly Britpop it never had a chance in the States!

The Sugargliders: Top 40 Sculpture - Classic Sarah Records stuff. So simple yet so addictively amazing. It's indie pop the way indie pop should be. It's shy, shuffles along, and hopes you kind of take notice of it. A lovely springy song that you can't help but love especially when the horns kick in.

The Supernaturals: Smile - An instant classic when it came out in 1997, it's a perfect example of where Britpop was then. God I miss those days. The Supernaturals were a slightly silly band that wrote fun songs with harmonies that were stickier than fly paper.

Enjoy guys! Let me know what you thought of the tunes. I think the next post I do will focus on allergies! Yes...it's true...a music blog about allergens! I know you're looking forward to that. It's Claritin D....THE MUSICAL!

Until then I'll be lost in the pollen...

Paul the Anglophile

Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."

I just got a text message from a friend saying he walked by The Raven last night, and it was on fire. I was thinking maybe he meant it was packed, like on fire = hot. Then I checked my email and found this from the co-owner of the Raven, Harold.

"At around 6:25 pm yesterday, Wednesday March 1st 2006, a fire broke out in the basement below Raven. The fire was first discovered by our manager, Paul, as he noticed smoke coming through the floor of our kitchen. Paul went down to the basement and witnessed flames spreading quickly to the wood beams on the ceiling above. He lost no time in getting everyone safely out of the bar and within minutes New York's bravest were on the scene. All the tenants were safely evacuated and thankfully there were no injuries. Unfortunately, Raven is in ruins.

The bar that has become a part of the community, much loved by it's regulars and it's employees and owners, that little corner bar is no more (for the time being anyway). Raven had become part of peoples lives. At least four married couples I know of have met there. And if they didn't meet there some had their wedding receptions there. Raven has played host to Open Mics, political meetings, fund raisers, and some of the coolest DJs in NYC. While every night offered something different, regulars could always rely on Raven being there when they needed them.

We never closed Raven except once and that was for the grand opening party of our Brooklyn Bar, Boulevard Tavern. Raven was open during the worst snow storms, on holidays, and most memorably on 9/11. I can remember dazed customers being thankful for a place to gather. Unpretentious, comfortable, old school East Village, are some of the ways Raven has been described over the years.

It's not easy to describe my feelings right now, it's just barely sinking in. I can only imagine what it might be like to lose a child. Running Raven was never easy for Ria and myself, but we did manage to build a successful business in a very completive neighborhood. We will always cherish our years at Raven and are thankful for all the friends we have made along the way. We are especially thankful for the support from our friends last night. You guys really helped us through our worst night. I can't express how much we love you.

So the question remains, Is this the end of Raven? I know all of you who made Raven their second living room want to know the answer to this. Right now, everything is out of our control. But if the city lets us back in 194 Ave A, I know that we want to rebuild. So if all goes right, yes, this proud bird will fly again.

Oh and by the way, Stolie, our Beta fish did survive."

I had the pleasure of hosting and DJ'ing my monthly party, Dusty to Digital, at the Raven for around 6 or 7 months last year. I'm very sad that this has happened, and I wish Harold and Ria the best. They really are great people and bad things like this shouldn't happen to people like them. But luckily they still have another bar, The Boulevard Tavern, that just recently opened in Greenpoint. So if you're in the area, you should definitely drop in for a drink and show them some support in these complicated times. The Boulevard Tavern is located at 579 Meeker Avenue, between N. Henry and Monitor.

In tribute, here are a couple of songs that I'd like to dedicate to the cast and crew of that black bird in the East Village.

-- The Stranglers: The Raven
-- The Cure: Burn

- LB

Support the Satellites

I don't know if it's that our generation has become so infatuated with music, or just that I've had the rare opportunity to get to know so many musical minds... but everytime I turn around someone I know or have known is either touring or putting out an album.


Crash the Satellites, an indie-rock group consisting of some old friends and acquaintances of mine, are coming all the way from Jacksonville, Florida, to share a beautiful aural experience with us and promote their new album, Learning to Land. Check out these mp3s below and if you like the sound, why not come out with me to support these guys? They're playing tonight at Arlene's Grocery. But if you absolutely can't make that show, they're playing again tomorrow night at Baggot Inn.

-- Crash the Satellites: Learning to Land
-- Crash the Satellites: Never Been to Houston

So get out there and show support! Good music can't move forward if we don't provide the gas. And hey, while you're at it, Myspace dem fellas to find out more.

- LB