Several months ago I featured These United States, and mentioned how much the DC scene is changing from the punk scene it used to be known for. The new alternative/folk scene emerging is really exciting to witness. Gypsy Eyes Records is among the  best independent labels in DC, and carries many of the artists that are changing the way DC, and the rest of the world, experiences music.

One of their signed musicians, Mark Charles Heidinger, a.k.a Vandaveer, is worth your attention. I’ve been listening to his 2007 release, Grace and Speed, pretty much non-stop recently. It’s great folk music for just sitting back and hanging out. When I’m looking for something a little lighter to listen to than Nick Drake, I put on Vandaveer. Mark has a gift for story telling, and really pleasant vocals. His new sound draws a nice distance from his former rock band, The Apparitions. Tracks like “However Many Times It Takes” are bound to bring Dylan to mind.

Every song on this album, besides “2nd best” which I don’t care for all that much,  is stellar. I can’t even give you a list of my favorites, they are all fantastic. Other album reviews bring to light how the first half of the album has much more solid lyrics than the second half, but I don’t necessarily think that has to be viewed as a flaw with the album. Heidinger shows a lot of song-writing talent, much more than the average musician. Though some songs are better written than others, it doesn’t make his songs bad in any sense, some are just less lyrically based.

Vandaveer is currently on tour with There United States (who he is involved with) in the UK. Go to their site to check out their tour dates.

Grace & Speed (2007)

Vandaveer - However Many Takes It Takes

Vandaveer - Grace & Speed

Live Performances:

Vandaveer - The Streets is Full of Creeps

Site | Myspace | iTunes |Amazon

On Monday, I got back from another jam-packed Bonnaroo. The music was great, the weather was great (for the most part), and I had a great time catching up with close buddies of mine.

My three favorite performances were: My Morning Jacket, Broken Social Scene, and The Raconteurs. Nomo definitely deserves an honorary mention.

My Morning Jacket played one hell of a show.  They played close to a four hour set from 12 to 4 am. It rained a tad bit during the show, which led to some technical difficulties, but it was nonetheless, amazing. The rain  was magical. It felt like the Truman show where the soundboard was controlling the drizzle/pouring down rain. Comedian Zach Galifianakis’ drunken appearance at the end put the icing on the cake (see video below).

MMJ did a Velvet Underground cover of “Oh! Sweet Nuthin’” that is among the best covers I’ve ever heard.  Below is a recording of it that isn’t the best quality, but hasn’t stopped me from listening to it over and over again. Check out MMJ tonight on Conan!

Here is a short video of MMJ playing Roo. It’s pretty neat, and captures how awesome this show was.

Zach Galifianakis’ MMJ Cameo

 Over the next few weeks we will be sharing more about Bonnaroo. For those of you who were there, tell us who you saw! What were your favorite Bonnaroo moments?

This is who I saw: Newton Faulker, MGMT, Battles, Zach Galifianakis, Nomo, Drive By Truckers, Umphrey’s McGee, Stephen Marley, The Raconteurs, M.I.A, Chris Rock, My Morning Jacket, Tiesto, The Disco Biscuits, B.B King, Iron & Wine, Jack Johnson, Pearl Jam, Rogue Wave, Orchestra Baobab, Yonder Mountain String Band, Phil Lesh, Broken Social Scene,and Derek Trucks.

Live At Bonnaroo 2008

My Morning Jacket - Oh! Sweet Nuthin’ (Velvet Underground)

Loaded:

Velvet Underground - Oh! Sweet Nuthin’

Bonnaroo Site | My Morning Jacket Site

If you’re looking for some melody driven jangly indie pop from Sweden then look no further. Speedmarket Avenue’s new release “Way Better Now” provides us with plenty of upbeat catchy songs. The band doesn’t break any new ground, but instead they refine what has already been done in the genre. This does not mean that they don’t have their own style; with several vocalists, the occasional trumpet solo, and diverse percussion, their songs are distinctive enough to set them apart from their contemporaries. They efficiently and effectively create precise pop music.  I recommend Speedmarket Avenue for fans of Jens Lekman, Belle and Sebastien, and Camera Obscura.

MP3: Speedmarket Avenue - Accident

MP3: Speedmarket Avenue - Way Better Now

MP3: Speedmarket Avenue - The State of Harmony

Video for “Way Better Now”

Website | MySpace | Elefant Records

This is amazing. David Byrne (of Talking Heads fame) takes an old building in New York and hooks up an organ to different pipes and beams in the building. The sound reverberates throughout the entire building creating a giant sound installation. There are no amplifiers; all the sounds are made by the little motors vibrating the parts of the building via the organ.
Check out Byrne’s website for more information.
MP3: Talking Heads - This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)

Here’s a selection of videos from some of my favorite bands of the 90s. Some are music videos, some are live performances. I don’t think the Built to Spill performance is from the 90s, but the song is and that’s what’s important. I’ve also included an MP3 of each of the songs. Strange to think that in just 2 years we’ll be reminiscing about videos from the naughts (00s). Nearly all of these videos are 10 years old! Tell us your favorite videos from the 90s and we’ll make another post to re-share them with the world!

MP3: Built to Spill - Stop the Show (Live)

 Check out Built to Spill’s “Perfect from Now On” tour! I’ve already bought my ticket.

MP3: Pavement - Spit on a Stranger

MP3: The Flaming Lips - This Here Giraffe

MP3: Yo La Tengo - Sugarcube

MP3: Eels - Novocaine for the Soul

MP3: Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees

MP3: Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

MP3: Travis - Why Does It Always Rain On Me?

Pitchfork.tv put this music video by the Books up on their website Friday. Though this track is from their 2nd full release “The Lemon of Pink“, I had just seen this video from 2003 for the first time. I was interested in seeing how the Books would make a music video with their type of music. Would it be a bunch of video samples strung together to form some sort of coherent piece with a few shots of the band interdispersed? or something just as unconventional as the music itself. It turns out it was closer to the former. With juxtaposed shots of Suzuki method violin recital and the occasional clip aligning itself to the rhythm of the music the video has its moments where everything comes together. I think it’s a great music video.

MP3: The Books - Tokyo

This is a stupid From Thought for Food
MP3: The Books - Motherless BastardFrom Lost and Safe

MP3: The Books - It Never Changes to Stop

Website | Tomlab Records

When talking with friends, I always show a lot of Wilco love, to a point where anyone would reasonably assume that Wilco is my favorite band. I’ve even convinced myself. But in truth, as much as Wilco will always hold a special place in my heart, I can’t say they are my absolute favorite. Not over Cat Stevens. I am in love with his older music (sorry Yusuf). Even though I listen to Wilco more regularly, and overall probably like more of their songs than Stevens, the songs of Cat Stevens that I do like, are earth shattering. They are simply the best songs I have ever heard before.

I go through phases of listening to his music, but when I get hooked, I get hooked hard. This time around, The Shivers triggered it, by me listening to their song “SoHo Party.” You may not expect it from lyrics at the beginning of the song, I would say:), but it turns into an amazing cover of Cat Stevens “The Wind.”

You are probably familiar with Stevens’ hit songs. I would say, spend this weekend listening through them. See if it sparks anything. And hey, maybe he just isn’t THAT artist for you, in the same way he is for me. That’s cool. Let me know who that artist is for you, and I’ll check them out.

The philosophy behind change really fascinates me. Look at the difference.

This is even better then the above link. Couldn’t embed.

The Great Cat Stevens:

Cat Stevens - The Wind

Cat Stevens - Sitting

Cat Stevens-Where Do the Children Play?

Cat Stevens-Father and Son

Cat Stevens - Trouble

Cat Stevens - Tea for the Tillerman (Extras anyone?)

Yusuf - Maybe There’s A World
Covers n Stuff:

Elliott Smith - Trouble

The Shivers - SoHo Party

The Braids - The Wind (This is by far one of the worst covers I have ever heard. Enjoy!)

Fun Fact:

When the Flaming Lips first wrote “Fight Test,” there was a element that reminded them of Cat’s Stevens’ “Father and Son.” They changed it up, and like Wayne says, if he hadn’t mentioned it, nobody would have made the connection. Regardless, he told magazines about it, Cat Steven’s publishing company found out, and now the company owns 30% of the song. Sad, but funny. I wonder if they make 30% of the iTunes Original track where Wayne talks about it?

The Cat Stevens Connection (Flaming Lips iTunes Original)

Flaming Lips - Fight Test

MP3: Radiohead - Nude

MP3: Radiohead - Nude (Holy Fuck Remix) 

This is definitely one of the coolest covers I’ve seen in a while. I’m not sure if this was done some digital editing, but either way, it’s amazingly awesome. For more info about what equipment was used, check out Gizmodo.

This is probably one of the best videos I’ve seen all year. Basically, Weezer combines some of the most popular internet videos of the past couple of years. It’s like their “Buddy Holly” video, except instead of Happy Days, it’s all of teh internet. It seems like they even got some of the actual people to do some original work for the video. Instead of Weezer creating their own viral video, they create a spoof of the whole idea of viral video. How very meta of them.

See how many videos you can recognize!

We’ll post the links to all the original videos we’ve seen in this new Weezer video and if we’ve forgotten any, let us know…

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I couldn’t help myself, I had to post this. Zach Galifianakis is my hero. Nobody can make me laugh like this man can.