The world is upside down and this music too

This is by far the hardest post I have ever had the privilege to write. I am writing it regardless though because I believe this band is truly great and off to an amazing start. I originally heard about Happy Birthday on Stereogum (a great music blog). The song was called "Girls FM" which was pretty good, very poppy and up-beat but very repetitive and a little trying. I soon forgot about them. A month or two later I stumbled upon the lonely little album, a tiny little broken musical note gracing the cover of the album. I grabbed it and noticed it was the debut album of that band I had only just recently tossed aside as a little novelty.

I popped the CD in to my computer put on my headphones and closed my eyes. The first song burst in to my headphones, I was once again listening to "Girls FM," still a little unimpressed but still curious. The next ten songs I heard exemplified so many different genres at once. Songs like "Zit" were pure punk, but then it slowed down to songs like "Subliminal Message" with a much softer feeling. A raw sound exudes itself off of the album, not unlike the VU but with more of an updated sound with the curious vocals akin to Ted Leo + The Pharmacists. The music was amazing, and got increasingly more interesting with each track. Culminating with my favorite track- "Fun" a total slowed down feel that just pours itself out like warm water going over your head, a completely mellow and complex feel simoultaneously.

To think the self-titled album only came out a month ago after the band formed for just one show in 2008. The album feel polished and raw at the same time, each track containing seemingly months of thought. I'd mark this album down as a must buy (or do a shady download).

"Girls FM" by Happy Birthday from Happy Birthday (2010)

"Subliminal Message" by Happy Birthday from Happy Birthday (2010)

-S

Tension is high under sea and over sky

As a kid, driving to my dad's office, or any time I was in his car, we used to listen to NPR. I didn't really get a true appreciation for the staff at NPR until I started doing radio myself earlier this year. Those people are true professionals. Thus, I started listening to NPR in larger and larger doses. I was listening to this "American Life" and "Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me" as often as I was watching TV. One thing that I really appreciated though was their really in-depth music reviews. One such band that was interviewed was Ted Leo And The Pharmacists.

The show interviewed Ted Leo and played some of his music. I cannot remember for the life of me what they played on the show but I knew I loved it. I went on an absolute Limewire spree and downloaded probably 15 songs and listened to all of 4 before I was on to my next band. They faded to the back of my mind and I forgot about them for about six months.

Eventually I found them again and I was impressed as ever. I looked in to them a little more and found they were carried on the Matador label (Go figure, seems like everything I listen to nowadays was at some point or another carried by Matador.) Anyway, I really think these guys are rockin'. They give off that punk sound without coming off as punk but more indie rock. They know when to shred and when the synthesizer is appropriate (something taken for granted these days). As they describe themselves they also have a "dub reggae sound" (A little debatable) and "folk rock" which I totally hear sometimes. The only complaint I may have is Ted Leo does have the slightest tendency to create vocals that sound very much the same in every song (that may just be my thought though). Anyway, I think most will really enjoy these guys.

"Little Dawn" by Ted Leo And The Pharmacists from Shake The Sheets (2004)

"Where Have All The Rude Boys Gone" by Ted Leo And The Pharmacists from Hearts Of Oak (2003)

"Biomusicology" by Ted Leo And The Pharmacists from The Tyranny of Distance (2001)

-S

Update: Ted Leo And The Pharmacists came out with a new album on March 9, 2010 called The Brutalist Bricks so far its a pretty good listen

P.S.-Happy Birthday Dad

This time of night I could call

Sometimes you find a band in your music library and your not so sure how it got there, but your just glad it did. I somehow found Voxtrot recently and am really just enjoying them.

It wasn't love at first sight, nor do I think I will ever love them, but you can like them as a friend. They are a little like the Strokes without the raw vocals of Julian Casablancas, sounding more like Ted Leo of Ted Leo and The Pharmacists with the guitar of Nick Valensi thrown in (you might be able to throw in the song structure of The Killers too).

I'm once again real tired, that's what high school does to you I guess...so here's Voxtrot

"The Start Of Something" by Voxtrot from Raised By Wolves (2005)

"Missing Pieces" by Voxtrot from Raised By Wolves (2005)

-S