Come and Share This Jam with Me

There's nothing like early 2000's New York City Rock. Along with The Strokes and Interpol , the Yeah Yeah Yeahs led the resurgence of New York City Rock but were often viewed as the more playful and flamboyant group to come out of the scene. While songs like " Heads Will Roll " definitely justify this identity, not to mention front-woman Karen O's elaborate outfits and antics, it is "Maps" that displays the range the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have. "Maps" is a cathartic tune about regret and longing that plays at your heart strings with terse lyrics, melancholic and alternating chords that creates empathetic sense of feeling for the listener.  From their debut album, Fever to Tell   "Maps" is just one of the few tracks that brought the Yeah Yeah Yeahs into the spotlight. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs' impact is definitely seen in more obscure bands who may be considered "art bands" but mostly these groups are just the alternative ...

"How to Socialise & Make Friends" as a single and an  album is one of the best releases of 2018. The single feels like breath of fresh air; it's smooth, energetic, melodic and has an awesome narrative conducted through a vernacular that is appealing, relatable and comprehensive. As you follow along with the song, you are aware of the complications that Georgia Maq is professing and the story of independence and sanctuary that she feels when riding her handlebar-less bike in the dark.  The feeling you get when you listen to the song is this comfortable warmth just as soon as the initial riffs and steady beat are enacted. It's reminiscent of The Stroke's 12:51, in the consistency and steady pace of Moretti's drumming juxtaposed with the playful rhythm of Nick Valensi's licks.  Obviously, 12:51 is a calmer and more alluring track than the more upbeat and evocative "How to Socialise & Make Friends," but the similarities are ...

Part of what's left of the famed  Jonathan Fire* Eater , The Walkmen are able to distance themselves from Jonathan Fire* Eater incorporating and marking themselves with a post-punk revival style, and their breakout banger, "The Rat" is more than telling of that. Listed by Pitchfork as the sixth best single of 2004 (if that means anything to you), "The Rat" is singer Hamilton Leithauser explicating his disappointments in a frustrating anthem of loneliness and loss in a bravado that expresses a hope to feel wanted or at least noticed. After Jonathan Fire* Eater had fizzled out and The Strokes , Interpol and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs had taken over. The shift in New York City went from the nuanced and gothic stylings in downtown Manhattan to a post-punk and indie rock flavor that focused on the raw basics of rocks rather than trying to break the mold. It was music that reflected the irritation of the indie rockers in New York having to accept an out-dated U2 an...

Welcome to the first entry of my "Throwback Thursday" installation! Normally, this occasion is synonymous with replaying old and popular bangers but, I don't want to do any of that. My throwback's will bring light to old, under-appreciated songs that deserve recognition either for its contributions to music or the fact that it's dope. To get this bi-weekly holiday started, let's revisit Jonathan Fire* Eater's "Give Me Daughters." Jonathan Fire* Eater was the band that set the New York City rock scene aflame as groups such as The Strokes , Interpol and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs  would soon follow in their footsteps. The story of Jonathan Fire* Eater can be summed up with one line, they're the greatest band you've never heard of. With the release of their EP, Tremble Under Boom Lights , which features "Give Me Daughters,"   Jonathan Fire* Eater was set to blow up   and even signed a record deal with DreamWorks, which was unheard o...

The New and Notable section of Bandcamp  never fails. "Baby C4" is the first single to come from The Buttertones ' upcoming fourth studio album, Midnight in a Moonless Dream, foreshadowing a collection of gothic, manic, unfiltered rock. Reminiscent of the late-90's, early-2000's period of rock and roll in New York with the likes of Jonathan Fire* Eater , Interpol , and The Strokes  and the current west coast works of nuanced groups such as, Sports Coach  or Spooky Mansion , The Buttertones is able to somehow aesthetically connect the dots from coast to coast, clearly heightened in "Baby C4." For the past few years The Buttertones have been making some noise in L.A accumulating a tight-nit and local following but I have a feeling the release of Midnight in a Moonless Dream will spread the fire from LA to the East Coast and "Baby C4" is the crossover spark to send The Buttertones wild. Evident in it's off-key piano chords, stern descen...

Long time no see! I apologize for my absence it was as if the universe did not want me to contribute to the blog anymore. Finals came around and turned me into a zombie, my laptop suddenly stopped working, which took about two weeks to fix, but the icing on the cake was the concussion I suffered over the holiday season when a puck struck me in the head during practice. So, to make up for lost time, I thought do a post that is just fun for the whole family; a barrel of monkeys if you will. I decided to cover the ten undercover best songs of 2017 that you may have overlooked or had just gone unnoticed due to that damn top 40. You may also notice that most of these entries I had not even posted about, which is not to say that the songs I have been discussing have been bad, but they may been released prior to my blog's inception (and I try to keep these songs as recent as possible) or have slipped under my radar.  10. Ruru - There You Go           ...