Archive for May, 2009

Crystal Method Hit Vegas + LAZRtag Remix

Crystal Method

Thanks to the awesome crew at Filter Magazine, I was able to kick off my Memorial Day weekend with a strong dose of Crystal Method. Once arriving at the House of Blues at 11:59 for a late night show, you could tell that this was THE place in Vegas to be. The headliners didn’t hit the stage until around 2am, so anybody with a bed time had no business being there! Once the duo finally hit the stage adorned with 2 circular displays cycling through wicked images and epilepsy hating visuals, the immense wall of electronic sound almost knocked everybody right on their keysters.

Most of the cuts were lyric sparse, but for fans of electronica, they couldn’t have asked for anything more. Most die hard Crystal Method fans I’ve spoke too aren’t too huge on the direction they’ve taken in tracks such as Drown in the Now with a Matisyahu cameo, and it seems like they have made note of this during their live performance. As the night went on, the energy never broke down, and with the set topping off around an hour and 30 minutes, the after party crowd might have been a little drained and time constrained. Those who did venture off to after party land, probably didn’t get to experience mixmasters anywhere near the caliber of Crystal Method, and the sun probably came up much sooner than expeted.

The boys who were playing to their hometown crowd definitely did not disappoint. The light show was furious as every ass on the floor was shimmying. Seeing this many white people with impeccable rhythm in one place was quite astonishing, and I look forward to getting another cardio workout with Crystal method real soon! If they are passing by your city during any of their last 14 dates, be sure to grab a ticket and a sweat band, because nobody can make you boogie like these guys.

While it’d be easy to just leave you with this review and some tour dates, I think that it’s only fair if I give you something to listen to.

Download: Double Down Under (LAZRtag Remix)

5/29  Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
5/30  Seattle, WA -  WaMu Theatre (USC Anniv. Party)
6/1    Vancouver, BC  -  Commodore
6/3   Calgary, AB - Whiskey Nightclub
6/6   Milwaukee, WI - Eagles Club
6/7    Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
6/8   Chicago, IL - House of Blues
6/9    St. Louis, MO - The Pageant
6/10  Kansas City, MO - Beaumont Club
6/12  Aspen, CO - Belly Up
6/13  Denver, CO - TBA
6/14  Salt Lake City, UT - Murray Theater
6/16  Sacramento, CA - Empire Events Center
6/17  San Francisco, CA - Grand Ballroom

Aeroplane Pageant - Stars Still Pretty MP3 Download

Aeroplane Pageant

Aeroplane Pageant just wrapped up their Invisible Tour, and are putting the final touched on the release of their sophomore full-length  album Even The Kids Don’t Believe Me, out June 9 on Stormy Ice Records. This psychedelic-pop 5 piece shot us over a little preview from the album that you can stream and download below. Stars Still Pretty is a day tripping cut that incorporates a bouncy bass line, cheeky synthesized hand claps, a tin filled piano and vocals that are as light as a feather.

If you are in New York at the end of the month, be sure to checkout their album release party.  it will take place this Saturday May 30 @ Pianos - New York, NY. of course, this party is guranteed to go on, be it rain or shine or Rare Venomous Snake Bites!

Track Listing
01. Memory Begins Elsewhere
02. Stars Still Pretty
03. And We Go
04. Nobody Gets Hurt
05. Even The Kids Don’t Believe Me
06. Where To?
07. See You At The Circus
08. I Remember I Think
09. Mouthful Of Flowers
10. End The Impasse
11. After The Car Crash

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Download: Aeroplane Pageant - Stars Still Pretty

War Tapes - The Night Unfolds MP3 Download

War Tapes

The War Tapes decided to wait until Memorial Day passed before releasing The Continental Divide. This band has built up a beautiful wall of sound that mixes gloomy pop stylings with energetic cuts that show off their amazing musical chops. War Tapes have been making the rounds by touring the country with bands such as The Smashing Pumpkins, The Bravery, Longwave and Shiny Toy Guns.

If you haven’t already, give the War Tapes a listen below. If you’re into it, be sure to catch them at one of the following shows below.

War Tapes Tour Dates w/ VNV Nation
June
27 Los Angeles, CA - Club Nokia
29 San Francisco, CA - Regency Theater
30 Portland, OR - Berbati’s Pan
July
1 Seattle, WA - The Showbox
3 Murray, UT, Murray Theater
5 Englewood, CO - Gothic Theatre
7 Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom
8 St. Paul, MN - Station 4
10 Chicago, IL - House of Blues
11 Detroit, MI - St. Andrews Hall
12 Cleveland, OH - Peabody’s Down Under
14 Toronto, ON - Phoenix Concert Theatre
15 Montreal, QC - Le National
17 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club
18 New York, NY - Nokia Theatre
19 Philadelphia, PA - Theater of the Living Arts
21 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club
23 Atlanta, GA - The Masquerade
24 Tampa, FL - The Ritz Theatre
25 Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room
27 Dallas, TX - Granada Theater
28 San Antonio, TX - White Rabbit
30 Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theater

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Download: War Tapes - The Night Unfolds

Fun. - Tour Dates and MP3 Download

fun. - aim and ignite

If you’ve ever wondered what happened to our nu metal friends, fun. is here to clue us in.They don’t seem to be as sad as they used to be according to the band’s new track. It’s a fun mix of pianos, steel drums, playground call and answer lyrics, bombast exclamations, a Bohemian Rhapsody’esque ending and plenty of other twists and turns.

If a band sets out to live up to their name, than fun. has accomplished this feat already! Their debut album Aim & Ignite will be released on August 25th. In the mean time, download At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used To Be) below. Warning: If you have an ugly smile, do not listen to the song below. This track is known to cause unexplained happiness and the sudden urge to play Frisbee with a pit bull at a public park.

AIM AND IGNITE Track Listing:
1. Be Calm
2. Benson Hedges
3. All The Pretty Girls
4. I Wanna Be The One
5. At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used To Be)
6. Light A Roman Candle With Me
7. Walking The Dog
8. Barlights
9. The Gambler
10. Take Your Time (Coming Home)

TOUR DATES:
May 19th - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA (sold out)
May 21st - Troubadour - West Hollywood, CA (sold out)
May 22nd - Voodoo Stage @ HOB - San Diego, CA (sold out)
May 23rd - Club Congress - Tucson, AZ
May 24th - Clubhouse - Tempe, AZ
May 26th - Emo’s - Austin, TX (moved to bigger venue)
May 27th - The Loft - Dallas, TX
May 28th - Walter’s on Washington - Houston,TX
May 29th - Spanish Moon - Baton Rouge, LA
May 30th - Proud Larry’s - Oxford, MS
May 31st - The Bottletree - Birmingham, AL
June 2nd - State Theatre - St. Petersburg, FL
June 3rd - The Social - Orlando, FL
June 4th - The Social - Orlando, FL

Download: fun. - At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used To Be)

Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes (Dam Funk remix)

Dam Funk Remixes Animal Collective

Animal Collective has brought the funk, and it’s thanks to Dam Funk. The remixed track Summertime Clothes is due out in June on a 12″ by Domino. The synthesized hand claps, electro-bleeps and the hyperactive bassline will have you shaking your tailfeathers like a duck that has just exited a chilly pond.

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Download:Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes (Dam Funk remix)”

The Killers - Joy Ride (Night Version Mix)


For all of you fans of The Killers, there is a new piece of ear candy for you to consume. A new Night Version mix of The Killers’ Joy Ride is gracing the B-side of the new European single The World We Live In. I don’t really know how to explain it other the Killers doing a Duran Duran impersonation with a Brazillian tribe providing the musical soundtrack. The result is definitely an interesting one and I don’t have an mp3 version, but be sure to stream the song above.

Coldplay - Free Album Download Of LeftRightLeftRightLeft

Coldplay-leftrightleftrightleft

You know how I know you’re gay? You listen to Coldplay. Ok, so maybe you’re not gay and even if you are, there’s nothing wrong with that. There’s also nothing wrong with Coldplay giving away their new live album, LeftRightLeftRightLeft for free until 09/19/09.

In the words of Coldplay.com: “Today is also the day of the band’s first North American tour date, in West Palm Beach, where the first copies of the LRLRL CD will be given away. The CD will then be handed out to all fans at every remaining Coldplay live show in 2009 (apart from Festival shows). The free download will also be available from Coldplay.com until the band play their final 2009 show.”

This thank you to their fans can be downloaded here: Coldplay - LeftRightLeftRightLeft

Squincy Jones - Nintendub + More Mixtape Downloads

Yes I know I’m not the first to cover Squincy Jones or offer his mixes for download, but sometimes it’s fun revisiting something that still sounds ahead of it’s time. Hopefully a few of you will be new to the work of Squincy, and you can get some of these eargasmic mixes in your playlist. Squincy Jones is a mix master who is deeply rooted in 8 bit Nintendo Culture, Hip Hop and Dub. I’m not alone when I feel Nintendub was the best mixtape of 2008, and that he’ll have even more mixtapes for us to cop in 2009.

Squincy Jones - Nintendub

Enjoy the Squincy Jones collection and be sure to make some room on your iPod’s!
Mixtape Download: Nintendub
Mixtape Download: 21 Front Street
Mixtape Download: Do Your Homework
Mixtape Download: SLFEMP
Mixtape Download: Dr. Knuckstable - awwready.edu

For all Squincy Jones, all the time, visit him here!

Raekwon - Blood On Chef’s Apron Mixtape Download

Raekwon - Blood On Chef's Apron

I’ve always been a pretty big fan of The Wu-Tang Clan and almost anything that any of the crew releases. What I came across today definitely put a smile on my face. As some of you may know, Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2 (or OBFCLII) will be released on August 11th. What some of you may not know however, is that he and DJ Absolut have given us all a nice appetizer in the form of a mixtape titled Blood On Chef’s Apron.

This 25 track mixtape has some nice guest spots by Noreaga, Joel Ortiz, AZ, Busta Rhymes, Twista, Jadakiss, The Game, B-Real and more. As always with so many mixtapes, there is a lot of interlude garbage, but if you can put up with a few minutes of yapping, there are plenty of hidden gems. 1 in particular is the cut Gutterman Music featuring Jadakiss. Who’d have thought that Rush meets hip hop could sound so good?

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Download:Raekwon ft. Jadakiss - “Gutterman Music”
Mixtape Download:Raekwon - “Blood On Chef’s Apron”

Afghan Raiders - Admiral’s Doorbell MP3 And Review

Afghan Raiders - Admiral's DoorbellEvery now and then I leave mi casa. Generally it’s to eat, get a little exercise, pick fights with senior citizens, or to listen to a little music. After getting word that Mikey and Beans of the Afghan Raiders were having a release party for Admiral’s Doorbell at the Beauty Bar, I knew that a trip outside of my neighborhood was a must. Upon entering the Beauty Bar, I couldn’t believe my eyes. The bar was packed wall to wall with people. While it would have been easy to assume that the drink specials were responsible for this, it was apparent once the Afghan Raiders took the stage, that these people were here for them.

As the room slowly filled with fog, multi-colored lights began flickering and a low bass drone made the room rumble. The anticipation was immense. The duo stood in stone like silence as high pitched squeals pierced my ears, and within the blink of an eye, these meditating Moog masters sprung into action. The bass pounded and the synchronized headbanging would have left Slayer in a state of awe. Mikey finally stepped up to clutch the mic, and his melodic wailing rounded out the sound that makes the Afghan Raiders stand out from the pack.

The adrenaline pumping 35 minute set provided it all: A semi-synchronized light show, mood setting fog, the push and pull of a packed house, a balloon release, a man dancing with a tambourine on his head, and two musicians that left a large crowd of music lovers chanting for more.

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Download:Afghan Raiders - “Admiral’s Doorbell”