Sunday Soul - Gunpowder

explosive

i said gunpowder baby
yeah you know i like it
i said gunpowder baby
eat it on my greens
night and day

gunpowder baby
would you still like me
i said gunpowder baby
yea gonna watch you cover me
gotta smell it in my innards
baby hold on
i gotta to give you more
yea i'm talking about my gunpowder

Tell me these tight horn blasts aren't straight out of the Bar-Kays playbook.

Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears - Gunpowder : Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears vinyl EP

Visit their website, their label Lost Highway Records, and become their friend on MySpace.

Heartless Bastards's Mountain

Although The Mountain is the third album from Ohioans Heartless Bastards, this was the first I had heard of them, and I'm glad I did. Come to find out, I'm not so far behind on the trio, as they went through a line-up change, reforming around an original Bastard, vocalist Erika Wennerstrom (no offense Erika), in 2007. I can't compare their new sound with their old, but I like what I'm hearing on this album.

The group's sound has some serious roots in good old rock & roll. It's got a really solid and full feel to it that isn't overwhelming, just powerfully rocking, and I don't mean busy as all get out try to hit you with too much at once rock, I mean slow, churning, momentum building old fashioned rock tinged with a hint of bluesy southern bite. And on top of all that, the group exudes confidence with they're playing as well, knowing when to back off and give the listener some air and a break from the air guitar. Take Nothing Seems the Same for a prime example of this sonic restraint (listen at roughly the 1:20 mark). Leading the charge is Erika on vocals, with a serious take charge kind of womanly voice that doesn't try enticing you with its tenderness, but goes for the throat and tells it like it is.

The group also just recorded a session for Daytrotter last month. Check it out HERE, and are on tour as well, dates below.

Heartless Bastards - The Mountain : The Mountain

Heartless Bastards - Nothing Seems The Same : The Mountain

Visit their website, their label Fat Possum Records, and become their friend on MySpace.

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Upcoming Tour Dates

03.15.09 - The Pageant - St. Louis, MO
03.16.09 - Liberty Hall - Lawrence, KS
03.17.09 - Cain’s Ballroom - Tulsa, OK
03.18.09 - SXSW - Austin, TX
03.19.09 - SXSW - Austin, TX
03.20.09 - SXSW - Austin, TX
03.21.09 - House of Blues - Houston, TX
03.23.09 - Lyric Oxford - Oxford, MS
03.29.09 - Mr. Smalls - Pittsburgh, PA #
04.02.09 - Turner Hall - Milwaukee, WI #
04.03.09 - The Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL #
04.04.09 - Varsity Theater - Minneapolis, MN #
04.07.09 - The Warehouse - Calgary, AB #
04.08.09 - The Starlight Room - Edmonton, AB #
04.10.09 - The Plaza Nightclub - Vancouver, BC #
04.15.09 - The Boardwalk - Sacramento, CA #
04.16.09 - Slim’s - San Francisco, CA #
04.21.09 - The Clubhouse - Tempe, AZ #
04.24.09 - Gothic Theater - Denver, CO #

# Show with Gaslight Anthem

alone

Alone

could you love someone enough
after all you've had and you've lost?
it's a simple question
I'm only asking 'cause I don't want to die
alone

could you love someone completely?
and yes, by "someone" I mean me
spoiled sick like milk you let sit too long
it's a simple question
as I lie awake waiting for you to lay beside me
I can almost hear the sad waltzes of Pietro Crespi

could you love someone who does
whatever he wants to do
whenever I want to?
it's a simple question
I'm only asking 'cause I don't want to die

alone

Owen - The Sad Waltzes of Pietro Crespi : At Home With Owen

Visit his website, his label Polyvinyl Records, and become his friend on MySpace.

Aidan Moffat straps it on again

I have to say that it came as big shock when Arab Strap hung up their straps back in 2006. Luckily for us though, its two members are just too musically inclined to stay out of our ears forever. Last month, Aidan Moffat (one half of the Arab duo), along with a new backing band named the Best-Ofs, released his latest project, the instructionally titled How To Get To Heaven From Scotland. And while I'm not in Scotland currently or planning on going to Scotland in the near future, nor am I planning on heading to Heaven any time soon, I've warmly received the album into my ears.

The album opens with Lover's Song, a brooding dirge with backing whistles and what sounds like someone beat-boxing. It picks up with the second cut, Big Blonde (which you can check out below), but retains Aidan's distinctively level vocals that sound depressed regardless of what he's singing. Needless to say, he's still got a sense of humor that sneaks across if you're paying attention. Here's Aidan explaining the males' fascination with the fairer sex on Oh Men!:

now i don't think we're all the same
but i think there's few exceptions
yes we all love to lech
we're all slave to the erections

and they say we don't grow up
though we all just need our mothers
and they've maybe got a point
but listen to me brothers

we can all claim it's just our nature
we can swear it's just our way

For those fellow listeners who miss the Strap, this album will certainly help fill that void as it carries the off-kilter Scottish folk torch temporarily dropped a few years ago.

Aidan Moffat & the Best-Ofs - Big Blonde : How To Get To Heaven From Scotland
(watch the video)

Aidan Moffat & the Best-Ofs - Oh Men! : How To Get To Heaven From Scotland

Visit his website and his label Chemikal Underground Records.

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Arab Strap - Why Can't This Be Love (Van Halen cover) : The Shy Retirer EP

Exponentially Texas

A little while back I enthusiastically endorsed the debut release by San Antonio artist Diego Bernal (back here). Well Exponential Records, the label that his album came out on is sharing a completely free SXSW sampler of Texas based producers for your listening pleasure. It's simply and appropriately titled Texas, and its seventeen tracks offer a window into the Texas electronic scene (not the place you'd normally associate with the genre, but this comp might prove otherwise). Diego shows up here along with an entire roster of diverse artists representing.

With a price tag of zero dollars and zero cents, this is an even better deal than the Prodigy album I told you about. Here are a couple of my favorite cuts, but most certainly head over and pull down the entire compilation. The first, from Rae Davis, is titled Denali and its got some smooth acid-jazz currents and features Ma Bell. Next up is DCMT from Stephen Orsak, which pushes out an ambient aura.


Rae Davis ft. Ma Bell - Denali : Texas

Stephen Orsak - DCMT : Texas

Visit the Exponential Records website.

New music from Metric

The Best (two) BPA contests yet!

CONTEST #1=

Alright folks, here's your chance to break into the big leagues. Straight from the Slim man's mouth:

"COME ONE COME ALL! The infamous BPA lost tapes that were recently found in a warehouse near Brighton have once again thrown up another classic record... well at least half of one! While running through the tapes during a recent remastering session in London, a forgotten tune was discovered. It's blurry, but there are some memories of this track once having a vocal and sounding brilliant... problem being no one associated with the BPA can remember who it was singing or how it went!

This is where you come in. Join the ranks of David Byrne, Iggy Pop, Martha Wainwright, Jamie T and Dizzee Rascal. Write and record lyrics to the uncovered backing track yourself. Who knows, maybe the spirit of the original song will channel through you, maybe you'll write a better song, whatever way it turns out, enjoy yourself...The BPA always did!"

That's right. They provide the instrumental cut, and you give it a title, lyrics, and sing your little heart out and you could be in the money. Get your magic together and your submission in by March 31st. Head here to read the fine print at the official contest site.

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CONTEST #2=

The first five readers to leave a comment with their name and e-mail (or e-mail me directly) will get a free copy of I Think We're Gonna Need A Bigger Boat sent their way. Talk about immediate gratification...get those fingers of yours typing!

UPDATE - All the CD's are gone, congrats to the quick typers!

And if those weren't enough to butter your bread, HEAD HERE for a new BPA mixtape expertly crafted by DJ Charlie Stains.

And to add some sprinkles on top, a song to listen to while you're processing all this goodness.

The BPA - Should I Stay Or Should I Blow (Featuring Ashley Beedle) : Promo EP

Visit their website and become the BPA's friend on MySpace.

can i have you?

i wish i had a mango tree
in my backyard
with you standing next to me
take the picture

it's from your lips I heard ya say
"can I have you?"
caught up in what ya said
i said "you do"
i said "you do"
i said "you do"

This is really an incredibly beautifully sweet tender song. Listen to it. Many times in a row. And then be happy if you have someone you can say "you do" to.


Angus & Julia Stone - Mango Tree : A Book Like This

Visit their website, their label Nettwerk Records, and become their friend on MySpace.

Boozoo Bajou goes to California

The dynamic duo of Florian Seyberth and Peter Heider, otherwise known as Boozoo Bajou, are back, but with their latest production, Grains, the pair have taken their music in a new direction. The two, hailing from Germany, first started producing music over a decade ago, and over the course of their first few albums explored a downbeat approach that mixed in some diverse world elements to make a global, electronic, dub, trip-hop sound. With their latest, which comes out today, the pair have turned their sites to a more organic Californian sound, naming such musicians as Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, and Jackson Browne as influences.

If I would use one word to describe the album as a whole, it would have to be gentle. The entire affair just kicks back and slowly grooves through, soothing your ears and soul. It pleases few demands on the listener other than to take a slow ride into relaxation. Woven into the album are instrumental tracks that meander and develop (Kinder Ohne Strom for example) as well as vocal numbers that add another level (the second track Sign, probably my favorite cut, pushing out an Isaac Hayes flavored soul).

If you're looking for something on the mellow side, this should be your go-to album. Here are a few samples.

Boozoo Bajou - Grains : Grains

and an older one:

Boozoo Bajou - Yoruba Road : Satta!

Visit their website, their label !K7, and become their friend on MySpace.

Today's steal - The Prodigy

If you're a Prodigy fan and you haven't gotten your mitts on the new album Invaders Must Die, here's your chance to pick it up digitally for the insane price of $1.99. That's right, head over to Amazon.com and you can download it on the cheap. Old fans of the album will love it as it's definitely a return to their core sound. As of now, they also have three North American Dates booked:

March 25 - Kool Haus - Toronto, Canada
March 26 - Roseland - New York, NY
March 28 - Headlining Ultra Festival WMC - Miami, Florida


The Prodigy - Jericho (Genaside II Remix) : Fire / Jericho EP

Visit their website and become their friend on MySpace.

Cold War Kids Contest

Thanks to the incredibly generous folks over at Downtown Records, in celebration of Cold War Kids' upcoming tour dates down under and here in the States in April with Death Cab For Cutie, I have an insanely incredibly awesomely ginormous Cold War Kids' prize pack to give away to one lucky reader. Check out the contents of this musical cornucopia:

-The deluxe import only edition of their latest album Loyalty To Loyalty with bonus DVD disc

-Their latest album Loyalty To Loyalty on 10" VINYL!

-We Used to Vacation EP on double 7" VINYL!

-Limited edition concert poster

-2'x2' Loyalty To Loyalty canvas print (only 30 made - you get #3)

Talk about Christmas coming early this year! All this could be YOURS. Just leave a comment with your name and e-mail address (or e-mail me) and you'll be in the running. I'll pick a winner next Mondayish and notify them pronto via carrier pigeon (or maybe e-mail) that it's their lucky day.



In the meantime, enjoy these tracks:

Cold War Kids - Fast As You Can (Fiona Apple cover) : Acoustic At The District

Cold War Kids - Something Is Not Right With Me : Loyalty To Loyalty (Deluxe Edition)

Cold War Kids - In Harmony In Silver : We Used to Vacation EP

Visit their website, their label Downtown Records, and become their friend on MySpace.

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Tour Dates

Mar 27 2009 Orpheum Theatre Los Angeles, California
Apr 2 2009 Wilbur Theatre Boston, Massachusetts
Apr 3 2009 Terminal 5 New York, New York
Apr 4 2009 Water Street Music Hall Rochester, New York
Apr 7 2009 Tower Theatre Upper Darby, Pennsylvania
Apr 8 2009 DAR Constitution Hall Washington DC, Washington DC
Apr 9 2009 Belk Arena - Davidson College Davidson, North Carolina
Apr 10 2009 Louisville Palace Theatre Louisville, Kentucky
Apr 11 2009 Orpheum Theatre Memphis, Tennessee
Apr 12 2009 Brady Theatre Tulsa, Oklahoma
Apr 13 2009 Holland Performing Arts Center Omaha, Nebraska
Apr 15 2009 Roy Wilkins Auditorium St. Paul, Minnesota
Apr 17 2009 Aragon Ballroom Chicago, Illinois
Apr 18 2009 Breslin Events Center - Michigan State University East Lansing, Michigan
Apr 19 2009 Van Male Fieldhouse - Carroll College Waukesha, Wisconsin
Apr 20 2009 Gothic Theatre Denver, Colorado
Apr 21 2009 Commodore Ballroom Vancouver, British Columbia
Apr 22 2009 The Showbox at The Market Seattle, Washington
Apr 23 2009 Doug Fir Lounge Portland, Oregon
Apr 24 2009 McCarthey Athletic Center - Gonzaga University Spokane, Washington
Apr 25 2009 The Morrison Center Boise, Idaho
Apr 27 2009 Memorial Auditorium Sacramento, California
Apr 28 2009 The Fillmore San Francisco, California
Apr 29 2009 RIMAC Arena - UCSD La Jolla, California

Sunday Soul - Better Off

i'm better off alone

well you just found out
the love you know
has just walked out
she told you so
soon enough you'll be on the floor
with your head in your hands

you're giving up a good thing
can't believe that this love is dead
you keep giving up a good thing baby

Nino Moschella - Better Off : The Real Better Believe EP

Visit his website, his label Ubiquity Records, and become his friend on MySpace.