8.20.09
Album recommendation: Casiokids Fuck MIDI
My friend recently told me about Casiokids, and now I’m hooked. Leave it to a troop of freaky Norwegians to create some outlandishly funky electro beats. I’ve read reviews comparing them to Fela Kuti, Paul Simon and New Order, and it’s my personal belief that whoever drew these comparisons must have done a fair amount of huffing in his/her lifetime. Casiokids sound like nothing else.
http://www.myspace.com/casiokids
Songs:
- M. Ward “Rave On” A talented multi-instrumentalist songwriter, short in stature with dark squirrely eyes and a private nature (he forbids photography at his live performances), M. Ward reminds one of a young Bob Dylan. On the aptly named 2009 release Hold Time, Ward demonstrates his knack for timeless folk, country and rock music. This cover of Buddy Holly’s “Rave On” never fails to make me feel all happy and excited about life.
http://www.myspace.com/mward - Volcano Choir “Island Is” If like me, it is impossible for you to listen to Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago without a tidal wave of depression and loneliness crashing down up on you, then you may be excited to hear that Justin Vernon has partnered with instrumental rock act Collections of Colonies of Bees for a project called Volcano Choir, which (at least on the first track “Island Is”) won’t make you feel like a) closing the curtains, lighting candles and drinking a bottle of red wine/whiskey to your face b) breaking down and calling your ex in tears c) slitting your wrists d) all of the above. Yay!
- Them Crooked Vultures “Nobody Loves Me and Neither Do I” Totally stealing The Dead Weather’s thunder, Them Crooked Vultures has emerged as the Most Likely to Make You Wet Your Pants supergroup in recent years. The unbelievable trio of Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and John Paul Jones performed its debut show at Metro in Chicago the Sunday of Lollapalooza. I don’t know whether to be overjoyed by the existence of this supergroup-on-steroids, or to cry bitterly that I missed the inaugural performance. If anyone out there can find a legit mp3 or video (aka that lasts longer than 33 seconds), please post it up on QS. http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=491766979&blogId=506329306