What We're Listening To

Shiny Toy Guns: "Season of Love"
If you're a watcher of Gossip Girl, you know why we're hooked on this song (Chuck and Blair 4ever!) The beat is infectious and the lyrics are simple - a perfect addition to your Memorial Day weekend soundtrack.


Cool Kids: "Pennies (the updated rosters remix)"
This fantastic remix of "Pennies" (found on Cool Kids' summer-time-soundtrack-worthy Gone Fishing) features an awesome Ludacris drop and an even better Bun B verse featuring the lyric "I'm so sick with it, better pass me the Tamiflu."


Little Boots: "New In Town"
Apparently the next big thing in British pop, the diminutive, aptly-named Little Boots' "New In Town" is incredibly infectious, and the video (NSFW-ish towards the end, but not any more-so than a Brittney video) features some pretty great choreography... dancing bums = fun!!


The Rural Alberta Advantage: "Don't Haunt This Place"
Canada! Cellos!! Male/female harmonized vocals!!! I'm giving you excited fragments because I don't know anything about this band except that their debut album is due out in July via Saddle Creek, and if this track is indicative of their overall sound, I'll definitely be checking it out.

Harlem Shakes: "Nothing But The Change II"
Honestly, there have been two albums playing on an essential repeat for me the past week, and Harlem Shakes' Technicolor Health is one of them. This is the opening track, and it builds perfectly from beginning to end, with each verse/chorus cycle adding a little more texture.


Passion Pit: "Little Secrets"
Passion Pit's Manners is the other album, and "Little Secrets" is my current favorite. Although there's a very good chance that'll change in the next few days... I've already switched the title of "favorite" two times in a week. It's so good!

Passion Pit: Manners

"That's a deal-breaker ladies." And so quoth Liz Lemon on the last two episodes of 30 Rock (which were excellent, by the way)... the joke being that there are some things in a burgeoning relationship that are not up for negotiation. Sadly, I see that happening for Passion Pit. Listen to the first 30 seconds of "Make Light" or "Little Secrets" and it's almost impossible to imagine not liking this band. The keyboards wail alongside catchy beats, and then it happens... the voice. "Deal-breaker." Or at least, we hope not, because although Michael Angelakos voice isn't classically beautiful by any stretch of the imagination (did he take a hit of helium before singing??), it stands as a perfect compliment to the kind of high-energy, dance-floor-ready tracks on Manners.

If there is a better four-song combo to open an album, I'd like to know what it is. Because from the first hard synth hit on "Make Light" to the ghostly outro on "The Reeling," Passion Pit have compressed a level of songwriting into 18 minutes that most bands don't reach over the course of an entire album. It's fitting that the New York City PS 22 student chorus recorded back-up vocals on this record... it exudes childhood innocence and joy, and when those kids start singing "Higher and higher!" on the brilliantly hook-laden "Little Secrets," you get the feeling that the entire song (and maybe the album) was built around those fleeting moments of childrens' voices. Using the well-established mix-tape rules of High Fidelity, Passion Pit starts off with a bang ("Make Light"), takes it up a notch ("Little Secrets"), and then brings it down a little with "Moth's Wings," a gorgeous, steady ballad that finds Angelakos' voice in an octave that most humans can hear. That leads into the clean-up hitter of this Murderer's Row, "The Reeling," which has been out (and remixed multiple times) for a few months. Sounds of the 80s permeate in the background as more modern synth lines dominate. The tempo moves methodically and surprisingly... it feels like it's moving a lot faster that it actually is, kind of like walking on one of those people-movers at the airport.

Manners lives up to all the hype it's received, and Passion Pit have created an instantly-likable, easily-danceable, endlessly-replayable record (not unlike Cut Copy's In Ghost Colours from last year). I couldn't be more excited for their concert with Harlem Shakes in a couple of weeks... if they're half as good live as what I've read, that show is going to be insane! Although it would be easy to call the vocals a "deal-breaker," it would also be unfortunate... if nothing else, listen to it for the kids!

What Did You Record In 5th Grade?

Because I'm guessing that whatever it was pales in comparison to what those awesome kids from PS22 in Staten Island are doing. While making my way over to Passion Pit's MySpace page to stream their excellent new album Manners (out next Tuesday!), I found a video from The Fader that documented some of the recording process for the previously-mentioned album. And sure enough, a majority of the clip focuses on PS22 recording their parts for the album (I know for sure they're on "Little Secrets" and "The Reeling"). I can't even imagine how great of an experience this is for those kids. The best part is when one of the members of Passion Pit talks about how, in his head, so much of the music sounds like it's being sung by a school choir, yet he had trouble getting a choir to help record. Passion Pit, meet PS22.

New Albums are Streaming!

It's only noon and there's already multiple bands streaming their forthcoming albums on the internets. Check them out at your leisure, but my guess is that they aren't staying up for too long.

White Rabbits: It's Frightening - If you're a fan of Spoon, you should enjoy these guys.

Passion Pit: Manners - If you don't want to listen to all the tracks, PLEASE listen to "Moth's Wings." It's fantastic!

Freeway: Philadelphia Freeway 2 - His Philadelphia Freeway mixtape last year was really solid... hopefully he can replicate much of the same

Upcoming Concerts (Atlanta)

Sunday 5/3/09 | The Earl | $8 (advance)/$10 (door)
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Enjoy seeing the "next big thing" according to basically every blog, all for the low, low price of $8! Plus, you can get a burger at The Earl before the show. How could this possibly be a bad idea??


Saturday 5/16/09 | The Drunken Unicorn | $8 (advance)/$10 (door)
Horse Feathers and Joe Pug
At a venue called "The Drunken Unicorn," you don't necessarily expect to hear the soft, bucolic sounds of these two artists. As long as the music from MJQ doesn't bleed over, it should be a very entertaining concert.




Wednesday 5/20/09 | The Earl | $8
The Explorer's Club
It's entirely possible that these guys have only ever hear The Beach Boys (and just the sun-tinged, surfer-and-his-girl variety... not the Pet Sounds variety). If you like that sound, you'll love this band, and it should be interesting to see if they can hit their harmonies live.


Wednesday 5/27/09 | The Tabernacle | $25
The National
Well, unfortunately, this show got moved from The Variety Playhouse (great venue and staff) to The Tabernacle (good venue, crappy staff, Live Nation online ticket sales). I love The National, but I'm not sure I can drop $25 + my first born in Live Nation "convenience charges" to see them without a new album to hear live.


Friday 5/29/09 | Variety Playhouse | $16 (advance)/$18 (door)
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
Will Oldham's recent album as Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Lie Down In The Light, is phenomenal as is his newest album, Beware. He's also apparently great live, but really, I just want to see if he makes fun of Wes Anderson.
Video: Bonnie "Prince" Billy - "I Am Goodbye"

Saturday 6/6/09 | The Drunken Unicorn | $12 (advance)/$14 (door)
Passion Pit and Harlem Shakes
There will be all kinds of sweaty kids rockin' out their awkward dance moves at this show. And I plan to be one of them. Seriously guys, let's go!!




Sunday 6/7/09 | Variety Playhouse | $18
Bon Iver
I'm starting to run out of things to say about this band (and lead-man Justin Vernon). So seriously... just go. Go to this concert. Spend $18 and go. Go.


Friday 6/12/09 | The Earl | $8
Here We Go Magic
I know almost nothing about this band except that I heard them on XMU radio (when I had my free trial period) and they have a self-titled album that just came out. But that's what concerts are for... checking out new bands!


Saturday 6/13/09 | The Tabernacle | $26
TV On The Radio and Grizzly Bear
I will be at this show despite the fact that I should be studying for an exam. You're basically getting to see a full set from TVOTR and Grizzly Bear (and their phenomenal upcoming album Veckatimest) for $13 each. That's unreal! Make sure you buy tickets from the box office to avoid having your wallet taken advantage of by Live Nation.


Sunday 6/14/09 | The Earl | $12 (advance)/$14 (door)
St. Vincent
Annie Clark's debut as St. Vincent (Marry Me) was eccentric and tight, and her upcoming Actors promises more of the same great songwriting from the Polyphonic Spree alum.