Dinosaur Jr. - Farm

Guitar Heroics Anyone?
Dinosaur Jr. are old school. The band released their first album in 1985, foreshadowing the grunge phenomenon, and their most successful and critically acclaimed albums were released between 1987 and 1991. But to be honest I had never listened to them until this album came out. They took a ten year break before releasing Beyond in 2007 and Farm this year. Thank God they came back.

To put it simply, this album features the best guitar work I've heard all year. If you're looking for some face melting solos to brighten your day and get your head nodding, look no further. The songs aren't bad either. Actually, they're quite good. Definitely grungy and heavy, with lyrics that support that style. And they're on tour. Apparently they already played the Vic here in Chicago, and I was sad to hear it. But hey, now I know. And my music library is the better for it. Check out the tracks below, and if you like what you hear, pick up their disc. It's worth the purchase just to hear I Don't Want to Go There.

Dinosaur Jr. - I Want You to Know
Dinosaur Jr. - Ocean in the Way
Dinosaur Jr. - Said the People

Dinosaur Jr. on Amazon

The Avett Brothers

A short while ago the Avett Brothers’ music came to my attention. It was love at first listen for me, and perhaps the only reason that it has taken me so long to post on them is that I have too busy listening. Those of you who know me and my musical tastes will take one listen to these guys and know that their tunes are right in my wheelhouse. Their unbridled talent and raw energy have really blown me away.

*Be sure to watch at least the first track on this video; I know its a long one. Its worth your while though; you're just going to have to trust me....



The band was formed in 2000 by brothers Seth and Scott Avett. The Avett Brothers started as a side project. At the time, Seth and Scott’s main project was a rock n’ roll band called “Nemo”. But it didn’t take long before this side project turned into the main attraction. After an extensive initial tour with a positive response, the Avett Brothers’s project was solidified. Today the Avett Brothers include Seth and Scott who play guitar and banjo, bassist Bob Crawford and Cellist Joe Kwon.

Since 2000, the Avett brothers have released a lot of music, turning out over one album release (including live albums) per year. Their bluegrass/Americana music incorporates many different elements and influences. Country, punk, folk, rock, and ragtime tones are very apparent in their offerings. They released an album last week, “I and Love and You”, I haven’t heard all of it yet, but what I have heard has been excellent.

For those of you in the Madison area, they are playing the Barrymore Theatre on 10/21. I heard that all of the cool kids are going to be there.

Enjoy,

Ben

Bad Ass

All I've been jammin to recently.
LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great
Excellent song, made even better if you like mustachios.
peace.

Muse - The Resistance

I've often described Muse, one of my favorite bands and the winner of the "Stew Cedarleaf Best Show of Lollapalooza 2007" award, to friends as "Queen for the 21st century." With their release of The Resistance, every music writer in the world is using the same analogy.

This album is a rock opera to be sure, with strings and epic compositions all over the place. Matthew Bellamy's voice soars as only he can (I dare you to try to sing along to a Muse song), and the album closes with a three part suite composed like a symphony. What's missing, however, are the blistering guitar riffs that make me love Muse. Older Muse songs like Hysteria, The Small Print, Map of the Problematique, and Exo Politics rock as hard as anything out there on the strength of killer riffs. The Resistance features some excellent guitar work (particularly Uprising and MK Ultra), but its not as consistent, with the band favoring strings and piano more often.

At the end of the day, it sounds like Muse might be reaching a little too far here. I love these guys, and this album is good, but it's not as awesome as Absolution and Black Holes and Revelations, their last two releases. They've got their rock opera, now let's go back to making bad ass arena rock. It is growing on me though, so maybe after a couple more listens I'll put this album up alongside their two masterpieces. Check out the tracks and video below.

Muse - Uprising
Muse - United States of Eurasia (+Collateral Damage)

Undisclosed Desires - Muse

Blakroc - From The Black Keys

I had to basically hack into Pitchfork to get this link to play, so you damn well better enjoy it. The Black Keys - one of the best out there, went a little nutty and decided to put together a hip hop project. At first it sounds like a crazy/bound -to-fail idea - until you put Mos Def, RZA, Raekwon, Q-Tip, Ludacris, Pharoahe Monch, Billy Danze (the angriest dude from MOP), and Jim Jones - all on one LP with The Black Keys.

They have some good teasers on their website too, check it out: http://blakroc.com/index.html

Here's the sample, it's a song with Mos Def and Jim Jones with The Keys in the back. Just when I was getting down on hip hop again...

Grizzly Bear - While You Wait for the Others Video

An intriguing video for the track that's the clubhouse leader for song of the year. Very Peter Gabriel- or Monty Python-esque. Enjoy your Friday, and play this loud.

Matt and Kim - Daylight (remix) ft De La Soul

From 'that Bacardi commercial' or better yet, really from their second album "Grand," Matt and Kim are blowing up all over the place. Just caught this remix of "Daylight" which De La Soul jumped on, which I have to say is pretty much the coolest shit ever to have De La pop onto your song, especially when your band is as basic as a dude playing a broke synth and a chick wailing away on the drums (not to take anything away from them, they're great). Check it out:

Daylight ft. De La Soul:


Daylight Original: