Keith's Top 5

1.) Tarkio-Omnibus: Perfect balance between songs that are giddy and
upbeat
or calm and soothing.
Top Track= Weight of the World

2.)Oh No! Oh My!- Oh No! Oh My!: Highly contagious when it comes to
catchiness. The epitome of a blithe summer album.
Top Track= Walk in the Park

3.) Islands- Return to the Sea: As a more refined version of The
Unicorns,
Islands succeed in creating an esthetically pleasing album.
Top Track= Rough Gem

4.) Danielson- Ships: Quirky, elaborate and enthusiastic. Every aspect
of
this album is masterfully layered.
Top Track= Cast It at the Setting Sail

5.) Sunset Rubdown- Shut Up I Am Dreaming: Pleasantly chaotic. Quite
possibly the best electro-indie album ever created.
Top Track= Snakes Got a Leg III

Schroeder's Songbook

A lot of times, solo acoustic acts can be rather dry and dull, nearly lethargic to certain extents, but Schroeder's Songbook is just the opposite by adding vivid life to each and every song. Schroeder's Songbook is Charlie Hodgson, local to me and a few other staff writers in Gaithersburg, MD. Many of his songs are personal and lyrically are extremely clever. Over in the Reviews part of C&C, there is a review for his Schroeder's Songbook's latest release, Butterflies & Bellyaches.

If you are in the Maryland/DC/Pennsylvania/New Jersey area you should check him out at one of his up and coming shows:

Jun 17 2006 Gentleman Jim's w/ Cyrus Jaghoory Gaithersburg, MD
Jul 22 2006 Grog & Tankard Washington, DC
Jul 27 2006 Triumph Brewery Princeton, NJ
Jul 28 2006 Triumph Brewing Company New Hope, PA
Aug 5 2006 Gentleman Jim's w/ Cyrus Jaghoory Gaithersburg, MD

Schroeder's Songbook - Sorries are for Suckers
Schroeder's Songbook - Notebooks Full of You

I'm From Barcelona

Here's a hint; They aren't from Barcelona, but from that lovely country of Sweden. [Thusly, could we go wrong?] I'm From Barcelona is a gigantic band, practically a choir if you ask me, that come together to form this deliciously fun music with a laughable atmosphere. The lyrics are cute, almost kiddish to a certain extent, but this just adds to the bubble gum pop feel of all their songs. If you like Architecture in Helsinki, this is probably a band for you, just don't expect as much innovation instrumentally.

I'm From Barcelona - We're From Barcelona
I'm From Barcelona - Treehouse
I'm From Barcelona - Chicken Pox

-Samantha

Young Bands Who Are Better than Be Your Own Pet

Now Thurston, don’t get me wrong. I don’t hate Be Your Own Pet. I just think there are a lot of young bands out there who deserve much more attention. You see, lyrics are important to me… no matter how good your instrumentation is and how catchy you are your band should have a bit to say—even if it’s inane. Be Your Own Pet has instrumentation down, the band can fucking play, and yeah… Jemina Pearl is pretty hot, but her words fail her. At this point she’s just a face…her lyrics are juvenile at best—and not in a clever “twee” way, they’re more comparable to random pop punk acts like Sum 41 or Simple Plan. Be Your Own Pet is a “good” band, but here is a list of young bands I believe are better.

Get Him Eat Him

Led by Pitchfork Media’s Matt LeMay and heavily influenced by classic indie bands like The Wrens and Dismemberment Plan, Get Him Eat Him makes a unique brand of keyboard heavy confused mid-twenties indie dork rock.

Get Him Eat Him – Exposure

Get Him Eat Him – Mumble Mumble

The Word Play

This Canton, Michigan band has a sound that mixes together the angular guitar rock of the mid 90’s emo band Braid and New Wave Dance Punk sensibilities of bands like Thunderbirds Are Now! and Les Savy Fav (and they have a song called “Manatee Attack”—that’s just bad ass).

The Word Play – Manatee Attack

The Word Play – Instructor/Bring the Boys

(myspace page)

Other People

Other People is a young experimental indie rock band from Los Angeles, California. Innovative and ambitious, the band meticulously plots out their production and vast sonic output on their self-titled debut and the result is something in-between Interpol and a adolescent Wolf Parade.

Other People – Attracts Rats

Other People – Picture Frame Me

Spinto Band

Two words: “Oh Mandy”.

Spinto Band – Oh Mandy

By the End of Tonight

The next Explosions in the Sky.

By The End of Tonight – Setting Sail in April

Beirut

Infinitely and needlessly compared to Neutral Milk Hotel. Beirut’s debut full length Gulag Orkestar is an impressive blend of indie folk sensibilities and Eastern European gypsy music. Oh… and the band doesn’t use a guitar.

Beirut – Post Cards from Italy

Totally Michael

In May, I always feel like there is this explosion of births and babies and so many birthdays that it makes me wonder what happens every year in September. Since there are so many people and so little time to bake so many cakes and go to so many parties, I feel I can best express how I feel about you on your birthday through a song. "Birthday Song" by Totally Michael is basically, in a single word, awesome. I mean, just read the lyrics:

"once upon a time you were a tiny little baby. chillin' up inside your momma's really big tummy. tired of floating around and being bored all of the time, you slid down her cervix and popped out of her vagina. hello it's your birthday. wipe your face off. have some fun. it's time to party hardy. this dance party's just begun. growing up you learned a couple really sweet dance moves. went out to the store and bought some super tight dance shoes. practiced day and night until you'd literally fall down. friends at school were jealous. they would miserably all frown. guess what day it is. it's your birthday. eat ice cream and cake. haven't you heard the news? not hands, but rumps were made to shake. so get up on that dance floor. show everybody what you've got. if you're feeling edgy streak all through the town but don't get caught and if you want to do something extra special today bring me lots of cashews. i will eat them all away. hey, hey it's your birthday. this day comes, but once a year think of something that you love and loudly make it clear eat a cake and open presents. exchange lots of hugs. explore the world you live in, but just stay away from thugs."

Can you imagine not dancing? Or having a smile on your face? I can't.

Totally Michael - The Birthday Song (demo)
Totally Michael - The Birthday Song (old version)

So yeah! Happy birthday!
And don't forget... Shake Your Booty or Die!

Division Day

Hold tight ladies and gentlemen; I think you're really going to like this one. From the land on the other side of the States, (from me at least) in good old California, comes Division Day, a four piece band of talented musicians. I've got their 2004 EP, Mean Way In and their latest full length Beartrap Island, which will both have lovely reviews in the that lovely review section sometime very soon. I hate to spoil the excitement of finding out what I have to say in a review, but I could barely keep shut about them for so long as I have. Division Day gives you a high quality listening experience, while twisting your ear around lyrics that will take your mind on a spin.
It's not just the lyrics though, it's the music. I bet you that if you looked on your iPod right now, or went through your music list on your computer, you would like more bands based on the lyrics and how they collectively sound as a whole, than how the instrumentals work. Now, you put four guys who know what they're doing in a recording studio with other magical people helping them, you have... are you ready for this? Actual musicians playing instruments (that know what they are doing) complimenting each other. You know, working together. Perhaps more bands should try it, it has surprising results.

Division Day - Colorguard (from Beartrap Island)
Division Day - Tap-Tap, Click-Click (from Beartrap Island)
Division Day - There Is No Telling (from The Mean Way In)

More MP3s can be found here.

-Samantha

Slow Runner

Slow Runner is an awesome band. I recently received the advance of their debut LP, No Disassemble, in the mail from my good friend Sonya over at Cornerstone Promotion, and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. These guys seem to be a fairly unconventional band. I can't exactly describe their sound, so I'll let their bio do it for them: "This is what we hope our music sounds like: interesting, lyrical pop music shot out into space, bouncing around the satellites and getting mixed in with all their beeping and blipping. like if r2-d2 had an aching heart and a love for the noisiest beatles songs. ideally, if you took out the depressing lyrics and substituted in educational stuff about sharing with others and the states and capitals, you could sit down at a piano and have a classroom of kids singing along within minutes." That pretty much sums up these guys.

I really recommend Slow Runner to those not easily annoyed with synths, and also those interested in bands that create a diverse range of music all on one cd. Slow Runner draws comparisons to a less whiny Get Up Kids, though only on a few songs. My favorite track, "Break Your Mama's Back" features these poppy synths in action, and is definitely worth a listen. "The Sea Is Never Full" and "Streamlined" are more lullaby type tracks, but both are quite mature and beautiful for a band that has never released a full-length album until now. I also highly recommend "12.19.03", an eeriely pretty song featuring an interesting drum rhythm and falsetto vocals. I know I say that every band is going to get huge, so I wont say it again. But I will say that you wont regret grabbing these few songs, and No Disassemble, out in stores now.

Also, make sure to check out their US tour along with The Sam Roberts Band and others, including a stop in Arlington, VA on June 13th which I will be attending.

Slow Runner - No Disassemble:

1. no disassemble
2. break your mama's back [download or die]
3. the sea is never full
4. everything is exactly what it seems
5. you're in luck
6. happy
7. streamlined
8. 12.19.03
9. redneck bar
10. class of '86
11. don't let them see me like this
12. moody suburban teenage love song

Visit their official site and buy a copy of No Disassemble here

-Zack