From the Album “Self Explanatory”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-de1xdMBix8

I don’t actually know that much about this guy other than: he is Canadian, and I can’t get this song out of my head. Here you go!!!

Here’s the thing.  I can’t decide if I hate them or not.  A lot of their stuff, I’m not big on, that’s for sure.  But some how Sandra Bullock (I mean come on, look at her) has some quality in her pipes that charms my pants right off.  And they do put on one helluva show.  I saw them at the Parkside, a bar out in the middle of nowhere SF at least a year ago.  They’re Southern.  And they’re damn kind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goilakfaU-s&feature=related

MRT

Sourpatch is a band in San Jose two members of which are exceptionally close friends of mine.  You’ll likely know Ms. Christine Tupou seen above second from the left & also from photographs I keep in scrapbooks dating back over 17 years.  They’ve picked up steam recently & in the last two years have toured through 30 states & England.  Christine’s no longer working in a pizza shop.  They’re fun.  They’re good.  And I can google my friends.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d07AnZ3q4b8

MRT

Blackstrap Molasses played at the Rasputin in Berkeley a few weeks ago.  I didn’t intend on going to see them, but happened into their tunes while shopping for cheap horror films.  They were awkward & nervous but sounded pretty rad.  They were elated to sell me their album for the seven dollars in my pocket.  They’re a little The Black Keys plus something slightly Southern through their use of the keyboard.  Check ‘em out.

MRT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uca7PauyjTs

I am currently obsessed with this song.  Play it.  In your undapants.  And dance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlJGrIyt-X8

MRT

Best Of: http://www.mediafire.com/?jqbvuzjzpax

Respect! One of the best R&B/Soul artists I’ve heard. Definitely has the voice to make the ladies say “ooh”, and the band to finish them off. HA! Willie did a lot of soundtrack work too, including the soundtracks for Foxy Brown and The Mack. Best served with romance and a nice cognac, preferably Hennessy. 

I Choose You: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oduLppAFx-c

artist: Eels

albums: Beautiful Freak http://www.mediafire.com/?wyzykjnanki

   Blinking Lights and Other Revelations (disc 1)http://www.mediafire.com/?gznyr0zgg2s

   Blinking Lights and Other Revelations (disc 2) http://www.mediafire.com/?xqyztb0ccdt

   Hombre Lobo http://www.mediafire.com/?mt2i5n3wexh

This is another one of those bands that has been around since the mid-90s, who everyone I’m sure has heard, but perhaps wasn’t sure or aware that this is to whom they were listening. Very laid back voice with some of the brightest backgrounds I’ve heard. I could also say there are no vocals and include the softest instrumentals around, and I’d be equally as accurate. Just beautiful and haunting and versatile. Some tracks are acoustic, some a little electronic, some have a hip hop beat, all are my favorite. Really digging All the Beautiful Things (Hombre Lobo track 10) & Theme for a Pretty Girl That Makes You Believe God Exists (Blinking Lights disc 1 track 15). I almost exclusively hula hoop to Fresh Blood (Hombre Lobo track 7). 

Beautiful Freak: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niAW1f8xTc4

No Color: http://www.mediafire.com/?uaco4dox39puoxg

Time To Die: http://www.mediafire.com/?zlqnddgz1mu

Tom-drum heavy Indie-duo with intricate guitar work tied together with amazing lyrics. Enough said. LISTEN!

Fools: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhLRxui7vXU

Gulag Orkestar: http://www.mediafire.com/?zgbt2tmm2h0

The Flying Club Cup: http://www.mediafire.com/?1arhr1fww31

Lon Gisland: http://www.mediafire.com/?fuogqgyblxg

You may have already heard of this band, but I decided to post them because I had always heard OF them but never HEARD them until a couple months ago. I have to say, I was most pleasantly surprised! They’re an awesome mix of Indie, Eastern European folk and beautifully laced lyrics. Much different than most things I have heard before. The voice is strong, while the horn section seems to prevail over the standard guitar and bass. All around cool sound.

Elephant Gun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-mqhkuOF7s&feature=related

artist: gogol bordello

album: Multi Kontra Culti Vs. Irony http://www.mediafire.com/?32mtyjhywwd

I cannot say enough about this gypsy punk band. Musically, they are loud, crazy, and decidedly Eastern-European. Vocally, frontman Eugene Hütz has a gruff voice and sometimes screams out the lyrics, and I can’t blame him; often the screeching violins, huffing & puffing accordion, and dizzyingly fast drumming offer some serious competition. It almost feels like they’re running while they’re playing and it’s fucking fun to run with ‘em.

Now for the easter eggs:  

“Gogol” refers to Nikolai Gogol, one of Russia’s premier writers, who is famous for having injected Russian society with a shot of Ukrainian culture, unbenounced to the population at large, just as Gogol Bordello have brought Eastern-European Romani flavor to the Western musical taste. (Side note- Nikolai Gogol, specifically his name, plays a huge role in my favorite modern novel, The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, so that egg alone gives me lady wood). “Bordello” in Italian, refers to a sort of Gentlemen’s Club. Thus, a name more cohesive sounding than “Influential -Eastern -Ideology -Bringers -Who -Hang -Around -Together -Doing -Things -Somewhat -Dastardly -In -Nature” was born.

They are featured on the Soundtrack to the film Everything Is Illuminated (based on the book by one of my other favorite contemporary writers, Jonathan Safran Foer (who, incidentally, plays the part of “leaf blower operator” in the opening scene)). Members of the band appear in the film: they have a cameo as the haggard group of men in the train scene. And their frontman, Eugene Hütz, of course, plays Alexander Perchov.

Hütz is also the inspiration for the character Eugene in the film, Wristcutters, for which Gogol Bordello also provided much of the soundtrack. (You know who I’m talking to, or should.)