5 posts tagged “death cab”
While trying to build a list of terrible band names I came to the following conclusions:
1. Musicians are stupid-smart. Meaning, they are probably not literally mentally retarded, but they often make decisions based on retarded logic (and I apologize in advance: there is no better synonym for ‘retarded’; I will be using it repeatedly). A band name is a precious life, like a baby, and should be treated as such (i.e. would you name a kid ‘Hoobastank?’).
2. Musicians are pretentious. They have to be, otherwise the world would be filled with songs about getting audited or checking Facebook 1,735 times a day, and nobody wants to hear that. We need talented, attractive artists to take our boring feelings and interpret them as beautiful bastions of verbal bliss.
3. Musicians have a sense of humor. It’s possible.
What follows is by no means an extensive list. I’m sure that somewhere there exists a band with a truly horrific name like Diarrhea Jiz Baby Eaters or something, but I tried to select at least moderately reputable/notorious artists (it’s more fun to ridicule someone who could legitimately sue me for “character defamation”).
…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
Vu brought to my attention (and a quick perusal of the entire Internet confirmed his claim) that the band originally called themselves…(sigh)…The Clouds That Fondle Jagged Crags and Raging Storms Conspire and You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead. It physically hurts, doesn’t it. According to Wikipedia, the name started as an inside joke; unfortunately, this doesn’t justify anything. It’s like getting a vanity plate that says “BIRDLUV” because you actually hate birds and enjoy irony, but everyone else just thinks you’re a homely bird enthusiast.
I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness
What’s surprising about ILYBICD is that they are not high school Hot Topic employees.
Death Cab for Cutie
I know, I know, Death Cab is a serious, important band. Forgive me. By the way, have I told you about my new musical project: Deceased Taxi for Sexycheeks? (Let’s christen this the Thesaurus Test. Death Cab for Cutie: 0, the English Language: 1.)
Echo and the Bunnymen
Will Sergeant once mentioned that they chose Echo and the Bunnymen because it was the least shit name from a list of shit names (even though they all agreed that the name was still a shit name). This is retarded logic (see #1). I wonder what happened between “we need a name” and “I hate this name, but I suppose it will do.” Did they simply give up? Is Echo and the Bunnymen the band name equivalent of stretch pants and an oversized embroidered sweater?
Butthole Surfers
Sometimes having a really, really dumb name doesn’t prevent a band from major success. Take Butthole Surfers, which sounds like an elementary school insult (and also a euphemism for anal sex)—dumb name. And yet, loved by Dead Kennedys, Sonic Youth, Kurt Cobain, and regular people (sold records). The problem is maturity: do you want that Mickey Mouse tattoo for the rest of your life? Do you want to be the Butthole Surfers for the rest of your life? Do you want young, nubile hot chicks saying “hey, there’s that Butthole Surfer dude. Isn’t it sad that he’s totally old now and still trying to be gross and funny and talk about balls or whatever? Let’s not fuck him, it’s too sad.”
Gay Witch Abortion
I know what they’re trying to do. I know it, and I can do it better: Fat Wizard Pedophilia. We can all play this game, it’s easy. Step 1: think of a non-offensive word that when used in a specific context becomes offensive; Step 2: witch, wizard, sorcerer, dragon, bear, turnip, it doesn’t matter; Step 3: ‘Gay Witch’ alone is kind of funny, kind of gay, but add a mildly taboo/generically topical issue, and voila! a mirage: seems shocking, but upon further inspection is actually a harmless rock formation.
!!! / Sunn O))) / 00|00
Guide to pronunciation:
!!!: “…Pronounced 'Chk Chk Chk' or any three repetitive sounds” (from Official Website). I pronounce it ‘… … …,’ which is the sound of rolling eyes.
Sunn O))): Pronounced ‘sun’; the ‘O)))’ is supposed to mimic the logo for the amp brand Sunn, the band’s namesake, and roughly translates as “lifetime supply of free amps.”
00|00: Pronounced “oh-oh-eye-oh-oh.” They’re Japanese.
If a band requires instruction to talk about, I don’t want to talk about it. So I won’t.
02/10/2009 18:07:44 ♥ lara (
/lara206.vox.com)
♥weheartmusic.com ♥ news.weheartmusic.com
)| Inspirational Place wrote: Fri, Dec 5, 2008 at 11:07 PM |
Inspirational Place's comment above, er, inspired me to write about "There is a Light that Never Goes Out" covers. I realized that there's already been several website doing coverage on this song (and its covers), but their articles are ugly! Ok! As a long time Morrissey/Smiths collector, I have also extended my collection to tribute CDs and bootlegs, so most of these songs are already in my little Moz shrine.[this is good] Sounds a little bit like Morrisey...which is good, real good ;o)
A little introduction on Morrissey's obsession on super long song titles. Here's some examples:
- "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me"
- "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want"
- "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before"
- "Please Help the Cause Against Lonliness" (written by Morrissey, recorded by Sandie Shaw)
- "Such a Little Thing Makes Such a Big Difference"
- "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful"
- "The Last of the Famous International Playboys"
- "There is a Place for Me and My Friends in Hell"
- "The More you Ignore me, the Closer I Get"
Obviously the song's been a major influence on a lot of bands (we'll get to that later), but I was surprise to see it in Irvine Welsh's book Trainspotting the first time I read it after seeing the movie (incidentally, one of my favorite top 10 movies of all time):
So below are some covers of "There is a Light". This is by no means a definitive list, but it's a pretty good list by diverse artist. Plus many of these covers were released in one format or another with the exception of the Death Cab's version as that was a live radio broadcast. I have several videos also (notably Noel Gallagher's rendition of "There is a Light" that's worth looking up on youtube if you get a chance), but I'm mainly sticking with CD releases.
Spud wanted to never get to that party, wishing that they could just go on walking and talking. They went down into the underpass and Spud thought that he should try to put his arm around Nicola. Then a passage from a Smiths' song, one he'd always liked called: 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out', came into his head:
and in the darkened underpass
I thought Oh God my chance has come at last
but then a strange fear gripped me
and I just couldn't ask
Morrissey's sad voice summed up his feelings.He didn't put his arm around Nicola, and his attempts to chat her up were half–arsed after that.
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ANBERLIN
schneidertm.net ♥ myspace.com They're currently on tour in support of their major-label album, New Surrender:
12/12 - The Great Salt Air - Magna, UT 12/15 - Toad's Place - Richmond, VA 01/07 - Nashville, TN @ Rocketown 01/08 - Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel 01/09 - Harrisonburg, VA @ The Alethia 01/10 - Lancaster, PA @ Chameleon Club 01/11 - Providence, RI @ Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel 01/13 - Montreal, QC @ Studio JPR 01/14 - Ottawa, ON @ Babylon 01/15 - London, ON @ Cowboy's Ranch 01/16 - Grand Rapids, MI @ Calvin College Fine Arts Center 01/17 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Eagles Club 01/18 - Des Moines, IO @ People's Court 01/19 - Omaha, NE @ Slowdown 01/21 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue 01/22 - Fargo, ND @ The Venue 01/23 - Winnipeg, MB @ Garrick Centre **VENUE CHANGE** 01/24 - Regina, SK @ The Exchange 01/25 - Edmonton, AB @ The Starlite Room 01/26 - Calgary, AB @ The Warehouse 01/28 - Vancouver, BC @ Richard's on Richards Cabaret 01/30 - Billings, MT @ Shrine Auditorium 01/31 - Pocatello, ID @ Icon |
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE
deathcabforcutie.com ♥ myspace.com This is an acoustic version, pretty faithful with Ben Gibbard only messing up slightly (but not noticable) for Philadelphia's Radio 104.5. I've seen the band live before, and I sure wish they'd play this song as I would've gone nuts for it. The band's recently been in the news because their "classic" 1998's debut album Something About Airplanes was re-issued as a limited edition deluxe 10-year anniversary 2-disc set. The bonus disc contains "recently-unearthed recording of the band’s first-ever Seattle show, a February 1998 set at the legendary venue The Crocodile Café". Apparently on this live recording also includes Sean Nelson on vocals for Death Cab's version of yet-another The Smiths' song, "Sweet and Tender Hooligan"! Since I actually own their first album and didn't get a review copy for this release, I probably won't pick up the album (sorry Death Cab!).... Although it's very tempting at such a reasonable price of $12. Oh, hey, they're on tour.
12/11/08 Oracle Arena Oakland, California 12/13/08 Tucson Convention Center Tucson, Arizona 12/14/08 Gibson Amphitheatre Los Angeles, California 12/12/09 Club Quattro Naka-nu Nagoya 12/14/09 Shinkiba Studio Coast Koto-ku, Tokyo 12/16/09 Big Cat Chuo-ku, Osaka |
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THE LUCKSMITHS
thelucksmiths.com.au ♥ myspace.com The song recently made its way back on The Luckies' two-disc compilation CD, Spring a Leak released last year. What makes this an invaluable item in your collection will be that it contains songs from their debut 7" single The Macintyre 7 inch which has a very surprisingly country-esque song "Are You Having A Good Time!!". This is rock n roll so everything rhymes! I love it. |
THE DIVINE COMEDY
thedivinecomedy.com ♥ myspace.com Although I can't agree with some of the direction of the songs, overall it was a decent effort. Some of the highlight of this album for me is Placebo's fast-paced, yet whiny, version of "Bigmouth Strikes Again" and Supergrass' dope version of "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" Neil Hannon's approach to "There is a Light" is very orchestral - which is basically what The Divine Comedy is known for. Hannon's operatic vocals lends itself to feel more epic. |
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YO-YO MUNDI
yoyomundi.it What I love about this release is that the cover artwork is the full print of "The Enchanted Desna" (unknown actors). The picture previously was cropped only showing the baby for "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore".... and in addition, unseen photographs of The Smiths were used. The price is kind of steep if you're on a budget at $20, but hey, if you're a Smiths fan (and generally like covers), this is a great package - if not for the limited run. |
WALLEYE
myspace.com/walleyemusic I can't bring myself to listening to, but it was a nice try, at least a very different take on Smiths songs - which are known for their sensitive side. I don't know any of the bands that made it on The World Still Won't Listen, so there's not much to write here, sorry :/ PS, one thing I liked was that the cover artwork, mimicking The Smiths' compilation album, The World Won't Listen, only with mohawked kids on the cover. |
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SCHNEIDER TM
schneidertm.net ♥ myspace.com I couldn't find proof of this on wire.com (Wire: please have better search features, please?), but according to wikipedia, the song was voted as "best cover versions ever recorded" by Wire Magazine. |
THE OCEAN BLUE
theoceanblue.com So, that was early 90s, so I was really surprise to see that they're still around - on Sally's review of Blue Skies Daisy Days. |
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BRAID
polyvinylrecords.com The band broke up before I had discovered them, but you can find their greatest hits/compilation Movie Music volume 1 and 2 in used bins at most record store. |
NEIL FINN
finnbros.com ♥ myspace.com/neilfinn For Marr's appearance, they covered The Smiths' "There is a Light that Never Goes Out" - which sounded fantastic live! |
Links:
www.weheartmusic.com
podcast.weheartmusic.com
news.weheartmusic.com
Birds, what is up with that? It seems lately that we're getting album artwork that features birds on the cover artwork (especially owls). Can someone explain this to me? Seriously.
Below are a ton of bird-album artwork.
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AVIARY GHOST
aviaryghost.com ♥ myspace.com
Fom Illinois is Aviary Ghost, a band that seems to be headed by Charlie Crimando and Stephen Kemsley. Reading their biography, it would seem that they spent a lot of time recording music in a one-room apartment in Michigan. One of my favorite song on their album, Memory Is A Hallway (featuring cut-out birds over a scenic location), is the most fast-moving song is "Windowlight", which seems to be about the light through the window - sung in an old-fashion cabaret-style song, which I will say works very well for the song. I thought "Somewhere Else" was also pretty good. The song is described as "catchy Swedish pop", which I'll have to agree with. The lyrics are pretty detailed too, I especially liked the chorus: "we're laughing, 'cause laughing is much better than a scream". You can get their album, Memory Is A Hallway (recently released July 15th), on iTunes or CD Baby.
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MORE TEETH
more-teeth.com ♥ myspace.com
I think someone in the W♥M group have this album, One Bird a Day, for review, so I won't go into too much details about it. Surfice to say that it's a compilation of three or four bands in the electro-genre. Based on what I've heard, I really dig Sparkydog (sounds like new wave) and More Teeth (which sounds like very experimental noise art). I've decided to go with More Teeth because of their snazzy drums and electroclashesque vocals of Mindy Abovitz. JESSICA LEA MAYFIELDjessicaleamayfield.com ♥ myspace.com
We're not really promoting Jessica Lea Mayfield (I don't think her PR company knows my address, which I will confess is fine as I have too much music to handle), but I couldn't resist the owl-art on her soon-to-be release album With Blasphemy, So Heartfelt out on September 16th on Polymer Sounds on her press release. What's there to say based on this one song, "Kiss Me Again"? She has a very nice voice, and sounds like Thao Nguyen. |
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PUTOIS
citizensofcontraryknowledge.com ♥ myspace.com
Yet another Chicago, Illinois band - man, they really love their animals! I believe "putois" is actually a ferret or something. Anyway, on their second album, Problem Is Not a Problem Anymore, we see a crane with some ducks (while their debut album, The Thinking Fireplace features a cartoon bird dressed as a gentleman). It would seem that these introspective songs are written and sung by its creator, one Bob Mason since 1995. Most of this album is acoustic, mostly folky and the song "No More Dancing" would best represent what currently Putois sounds like. There are a few highlights on the record. For instance, I liked what he was trying to do with "Cta". This had a weird bass and quirky noises and beeps. Even his singing style is different here (although I think this might be a guest-vocalist? It just sounds very different). The other song that isn't so acoustic is "The Lonely Traveler" with its arrangement of piano and harmonica. If you like bands like Minnesota's Low, Putois might be right up your alley. Problem Is Not a Problem Anymore is out now, you can get it from CD Baby. |
PLUSHGUN
plushgun.com ♥ myspace.com
I love Tommy Boy Records. One of my first CD was a Tommy Boy and I just remember how big they were in the early 90s, especially with the b-boys and girls. Well, I guess the record label is still around and I have one of their latest release by one-man-band, Plushgun. Daniel Ingala's vocals sounds like he has a British accent, reminiscent of early 80s new wave pop bands. His latest self-titled EP has a cute drawing of a bird with an old SNES controller in a cassette-tape-style mess in the sky. All the songs were available for download on August 19th (iTunes). The four songs on the EP is a very easy listen. I love all the songs actually, with the exception of the semi-sappy "14 Candles". Although it was nice to hear a woman singing backup on this song, but I didn't think this song belong on the EP. Maybe I just don't like love songs. His other songs are more upbeat and sounds more like obsessive/stalker feel to them. There are some great lyrics on "Just Impolite" ("I walk the line, like Johnny Cash" and "I'm not upset, just impolite"). A physical copy of Plushgun will be available on September 9th via Amazon and other retailers for $9.99, but if you can't wait the download is sold now for 60% cheaper ($3.98) |
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BRICE WOODALL AND THE POSITRONS
bricewoodall.com ♥ myspace.com
Check out Brice Woodall and the Positrons with their album, Sine Wave Sea. The artwork on the cover is a flying bird block with a hole in its stomach. I know it's a bird because if you visit the artist's website (trevorbittinger.com), his all-flash website features these same block birds flying around. Brice Woodall is currently based out of Chicago, Illinois, according to his myspace. Woodall's vocals has a woman quality to them, but not in a falsetto way (and not as a put down). His voice is very interesting, it definitely pulls you in. I think my favorite songs off this album is easily "This, There, Where", a pop song with some interesting mix. I also dug the experiment on "Winter/Break/Down/Away". Well, it looks like they are currently on tour, be sure to check them out.
09/12/08 Double Door- Kittypalooza Chicago, IL 09/24/08 Rapture Charlottesville, Virginia 09/25/08 Lucky Buddha Richmond, Virginia 09/26/08 Trash Bar Brooklyn, New York 09/27/08 Murky (upstairs) Arlington/DC area, VA 11/08/08 Art*Bar Riverwest Milwaukee, Wisconsin 11/19/08 Madison, Wisconsin 11/20/08 Chicago, Illinois 11/21/08 Detroit, Michigan 11/22/08 Indianapolis, Indiana You can pick up Sine Wave Sea from InSound. |
CITIZENS OF CONTRARY KNOWLEDGE
citizensofcontraryknowledge.com ♥ myspace.com
Featuring a drawing of a chicken on the cover of Citizens of Contrary Knowledge's You're What You Wish You Are. Upon closer inspection, is that a cock? They do sound a bit southern cock rock... Reading their biography, it would seem most of the band members are residing in Harlem, New York. Their singer/frontsman, Chris Barczynski, sounds like he doesn't take his biography too seriously (he writes that he was in the Witness Protection Program, etc). This is also a problem when he lists that he's appeared on stage with Green Day, Sugar Ray and Hootie - should you believe him? I'm leaning to 'no'. I was drawn to the faster/rock song and my favorite is "Complicated" and "Lonely Hearts Society", which is driven by a muscular guitar playing (with some neat tricks). Despite as I have said about their music being rock, they do lean to the sensitive/slow side with "House of Cards", "Unless You Do", "Real Love", and "Wrong Side of the World". I think listening to them that they might fare better as a live act, perhaps jamming their songs at a longer length at a dive bar. You're What You Wish You Are is out now, available on CD Baby. They just finished playing Arlene's Grocery, which is apparently a bar? |
Here is the bonus segment, some bird-bands we've previously covered: Tinkture, Birdflu, Story of the Year, The Alarmists, The Notwist, Loquat, El Perro Del Mar, Ben Sollee, Peter Bradley Adams (Owl), Death Valley Sleepers, Death Cab For Cutie, Patrick Wolf, Deadbird, Jeff Hanson (Owl), They Might be Giants (Owl), Eels, Biography Of Ferns, Computer Vs. Banjo (Owl), Ash, Susan Krebs
Bands we haven't covered, but I'm sure we'll get around to them. These features birds on the cover: The Great Northwest (Experimental Folk), Nebraska (Folk), Foals (British Rock), The Black Keys (Southern Rock), KYTE (Ambient Pop), and the talented Graeme K (Experimental/Old-time/Dance). Honorable worth mention is Abigail Washburn with her tiny birds on the cover.
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This week's news involves very well-known acts, so there's no need for introduction on any of these bands. I will add my own personal insights on the news, however.
The Raconteurs release their sophomore album Consolers Of The Lonely through Third Man Records/Warner Bros Records on today (March 25th).
I do like The White Stripes and based on some quick listen of this new album, I think I'm going to like this new album. It's very guitars and Jack White does a lot of singing on this album.
Excerpt from the press release:
Back in Nashville in May 2007 they made their first venture into the studio, putting a plethora of ideas down on 16 track tape; a method that gave them the freedom to try out arrangement and editing ideas they’d come up with during the writing process. When they came back to the ideas in the fall, following a brief hiatus where they all worked on other projects, they were able to turn them into a rich 14 song masterpiece, a far more bombastic and inventive album than their debut. Consolers Of The Lonely, with all of its twists and turns, is a spirited, dynamic and endlessly impressive album.
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Death Cab for Cutie Tour Dates
04/18 Bremerton,WA Admiral Theatre*
04/19 Eugene, OR McDonald Theatre* 04/21 Arcata, CA Van Dozer Theatre* 04/22 Davis, CA Freeborn Hall* 04/23 San Francisco, CA Fillmore* 04/24 Las Vegas, NV Joint at Hard Rock 04/26 Indio, CA Coachella 05/09 Providence, RI Providence Piers 05/10 Boston, MA Bank of America 05/24 Portland, OR Les Schwab Thtre 05/25 George, WA Sasquatch! 05/28 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amp 06/15 Manchester, TN Bonnaroo 07/27 Pemberton, BC PembertonFest *sold-out show |
Death Cab For Cutie, another huge band, have a new single called "I Will Possess Your Heart" from their forthcoming album Narrow Stairs, which was produced and mixed by Chris Walla[W♥M].
Details of the album, due out on May 13th, and tour dates are available on their press release.
I've listened to the song a few times now and I can tell you that it's a slow-building song. The bass is really good at the intro, and the lyrics doesn't kick in until 80% of the way in. I suspect they may have to edit down to 3 minutes and cut out the epic intro, if they are to promote this to radio.
The song definitely has that Chris Walla touch, read Ceji's review on Field Manual.
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The Dresden Dolls are back with No, Virginia on May 20th, and it looks like it's a weird collection of new songs and some old, demos, and b-sides. It's not a greatest hits, it just looks like a companion album to Yes, Virginia (2006).
Excerpt from the press release:
Having spent nearly two years solid on the road since the release of Yes, Virginia, including tours with Panic! at the Disco, the True Colors tour with Cyndi Lauper and The Gossip, and their own sold-out headlining shows across the country, The Dresden Dolls are proud to put their newest collection of songs into your hands very soon. Due for release on Roadrunner Records on May 20th, 2008, the band’s new album, entitled No, Virginia, is made up of new songs, old demos and b-sides from the Yes, Virginia sessions. A startling companion album to an old fan favorite, No, Virginia is ripe with the incredible songwriting by which the Dolls are defined, and presents some of their best playing yet: Amanda’s piano may literally be turning to dust from the strength she’s using to bang on it, while Brian’s drums carry every melody on their sturdy snare snaps and chaotic cymbal crashes. Topped by Amanda’s uncontainable, multi-dimensional voice, No, Virginia contains some of the best songs in their repertoire.
Read more about The Dresden Doll from Silpa.
03/25/2008 12:06:00
vu
my♥posts
press.weheartmusic.com
I wanted to post this entire album up here. I really did. field manual is actually Chris Walla's second solo album, and I was more than happy to see it. After a report of the hard drive actually being confiscated at the US/Canada border, I was even a little worried that it would be delayed. Thank God for external hard drives!
If Chris Walla's name sounds familiar, I should probably tell you he's the guitarist/producer in Death Cab for Cutie. He's also done work with The Decemberists and Tegan and Sara. If you're a fan of any of these bands, you're already quite familiar with Chris' sound and field manual doesn't disappoint.
The opening song "Two-Fifty" is full of the harmonies that we are so used to hearing with DCFC. This was my favorite song, not only because it reminded me of those harmonies, but there was something more stripped down and ethereal to them that I really liked. The simple drum beat in the background keeps a simple time and it's really easy to focus on the song and the meaning.
I tried not to make too many comparisons to that other band that Chris is in, but I'm such a big fan that I couldn't help it. I thoroughly enjoyed this album, and I'm on the hunt for more Chris Walla. In fact, Chris has more downloads available at his website Hall of Justice. You can also stream more tracks on his official MySpace page, or pre-order field manual in the Barsuk Shop and enjoy!
field manual is released January 29th, 2008.
