Category Archives: Uncategorized

12.29.09
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Modern Mystery Holiday Party Part Two

Ah, Welcome to part two of Modern Mystery’s Holiday Party! Today we have some very special guests, including an indie up and comer, and a music journalist that inspired me to write. Yes, I’m excited about this! Prepare yourself for the sequel, and there is more on the way tomorrow. Enjoy!


James Wells- The Gay Blades

Top 10 Albums of the Year

Nothing really moved me this year, so there’s some singles in there…

– Kevin Devine “Brother’s Blood” – Still the best lyricist around, if a bit wordy.
– Jay Z “The Blueprint III” – Party jams for days.
– Metric “Fantasies” – BREAKTHROUGH ALBUM.
– Why? “Eskimo Snow” – only because Why? is so fucking awesome.
– Electric Six “Kill” – Great tour mates!
– Friendly Fires “Kiss Of Life” (Single) – Its that good….
– Portugal The Man “Satanic Satanist”
– Millions of Brazilians “MoBz EP”

Craziest Thing that Happened to You This Year?:

Finding out my estranged little brother overdosed on Heroine and died.

What do you love the most about the Holidays?

Setting up my xmas tree. Seeing other xmas trees set up. I understand that means that all those folks without xmas trees don’t provide me with what I love most, but its kind of like, how I prefer brunettes over blondes. Ya know?

Jason Nesmith-Casper the Cookies

Top things I liked this year

1. Faust at the 40 Watt / Faust workshop
It was as if Heather MacIntosh brought Athens an enormous present. It gave people that enormous-ribbon-sporting-brand-new-car-in-the-driveway feeling.

2. Os Mutantes live
I didn’t know what to expect, but it was certainly not to be blown away by an unashamed display of guitar pyrotechnics that would make Santana weep. Sometimes kids need to be reminded that knowing how to play really, really well doesn’t preclude them from making strikingly original music.

3. Beatles mono remasters
This is how remasters should be done. Except less expensive. If as a child I’d been deaf to their siren call to a life in music I would’ve learned a more lucrative trade and been able to buy both box sets and the Rock Band. Psych on me.

4. Pylon Chomp More reissue
It’s so nice to hear this record restored to its full, glorious potential.

5. Aquaserge- unreleased third album
The best new music I heard all year hasn’t even been released yet. This band will renew your faith in progressive music.

6. Playing a show with Karl Blau and Lake

7. St. Vincent / Pattern Is Movement concert

8. Yo La Tengo- Popular Songs

9. Venice Is Sinkning- Azar

10. Big Fresh- BFF

Craziest Thing that Happened to You This Year?:

A few crazy things happened. I watched the public’s value of music sink to an all-time-low. Musicians that were able to break even through touring and record sales in 2008 are now unable to do so. Maybe someday soon we’ll all be singing songs around the campfire again.

In New Orleans, Jandek came to our show. Jandek. Came. To. Our. Show.

But the weirdest thing that 2009 brought was far more serious than any of that. Athens lost many great musicians in sudden and unexpected circumstances. After two years of knowing Randy Bewley, I felt like I’d only just gotten to befriend him when he was suddenly taken from us. The day after his memorial service Athens had about 7 inches of snow dumped on it. We can’t wait to get rid of this year.

What do you love the most about the Holidays?

During the holidays even the crustiest old people allow themselves to be child-like. If it weren’t for Christmas lights I would be far more depressed in December, as I am in January and February.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Rob Sheffield-Legendary Music Writersongs:
Adam Lambert, “Mad World”
Beyonce, “Halo”
Das Racist, “Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell”
Yeah Yeah Yeahs, “Zero”
The XX, “Crystalised”
Jarvis Cocker, “I Never Said I Was Deep”
The Horrors, “Sea Within A Sea”
LaRoux, “Bulletproof”
Lady Gaga, “Lovegame”
Mogwai, “Scotland’s Shame”

albums:
Yeah Yeah Yeahs, It’s Blitz
Franz Ferdinand, Tonight
The XX, The XX
A Place To Bury Strangers, Exploding Head
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
Japandroids, Post-Nothing
The Dream, Love vs. Money
The Horrors, Primary Colours
Black Dice, Repo
Sunset Rubdown, Dragonslayer

12.29.09
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Modern Mystery’s Holiday Party Part One

Welcome friends! Come out of the cold and be intrigued once again this year by our Modern Mystery Holiday Party! This year we’re doing things a bit different. Posting several bands and artists at once for maximum, er, readage. That isn’t a word, we know, but we’ve been trying to pass ‘Radtacular’ as one for about a year now in hopes that it takes off. Maybe it will. Sigh.

Enjoy the first round of our Holiday Party. You never know who will drop in, and sometimes, neither do we!

Charlie Brand- The Miniature Tigers

Top 10 Albums of 2009:

Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
Alvin Band – Mantis Preying
Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Julian Casablancas – Phrazes For The Young
Neon Indian – Psychic Chasms
Animal Collective – Fall Be Kind EP
Micachu – Jewelry
Peter, Bjorn & John – Living Thing

Craziest Thing that Happened to You This Year?:

The craziest thing that happened to me this year was touring for the first time. It’s been a life changing experience.

What do you love the most about the Holidays?

The thing I love most about the holidays is the overall smell in the air. I guess you could even classify it as a vibe more than a smell. Very warm and cozy.

Alex Gerber- The Miniature Tigers

Top 2 of 2009:

Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear
Curse Your Branches by David Bazan
Craziest Thing that Happened to You This Year?:

Craziest thing to happen is that I joined Miniature Tigers.

The craziest thing that happened to me this year was touring for the first time. It’s been a life changing experience.

What do you love the most about the Holidays?

What I love most about the holidays is family, warmth and love.

Will Currie-Will Currie and the Country French
 
Top 10 Albums of 2009:
 
Dan Mangan – Nice, Nice, Very Nice
Said The Whale – Islands Disappear
Arkells – Jackson Square
Wilco – Wilco (The Album)
Patrick Watson – Wooden Arms
Zeus – Sounds Like Zeus EP
Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus
Julian Casablancas – Phrazes For The Young
Hey Rosetta! – Into Your Lungs
Joel Plaskett & The Emergency – Three

Craziest Thing that Happened to You This Year?:

The craziest thing that happened to me this year was probably the time that my girlfriend and I attempted to cross into the US without proper ID. We were just going into the states to buy some breakfast cereal that they no longer sell in Canada, i.e. Trix and Coco Pebbles, and we were planning on being there no more than half an hour. We told the border guard that and said “if you don’t let us in, it’s no big deal, we’ll just go another time.” and he just kept getting more and more mad, as if our nonchalance was offending him. Anyway, in the end Myself, my lovely girlfriend, and her Toyota Tercel were allowed to cross but we were marked as “Non-compliant” at the border, whatever that means. Sounds like we were bein tough. We crossed back into Canada a bit later. the Canadian Guard said “Whatcha get?” We said “Cereal!” He said “Neat!” and we went back to our lovely country. It was then that I thought “Whoa, that was crazy. The craziest thing that’s happened to me this year? Perhaps.”

What do you love the most about the Holidays?

What I love the most about the holidays is walking downtown Toronto and seeing everything lit up and everybody going crazy shopping in the evening and stuff like that. It makes me feel like I’m in a movie or something. Basically Yonge St. from Dundas down to Queen St. That’s all prime Christmas movie atmosphere. Also, the World Jr Hockey Tournament is an amazing part of the holidays. If you’re a Canadian it’s awesome, others may be disappointed though.
Ahmed Gallab-Sinkane, Caribou, Yeasayer
 
Favorite Record of 2009:
Sa-Ra Creative Partners are a group composed of Om’Mas Keith, Taz Arnold, and Shafiq Husayn. Their 2009 release “Nuclear Evolution: The Age of Love” is the the future of music as we know it.

Craziest Thing that Happened to You This Year?:

– Playing in Caribou Vibration Ensemble with Marshall Allen of the Sun Ra Arkestra
– Listening to Marshall Allen tell me about the Sun Ra Arkestra dancing on the Sphinx in Egypt.

What do you love the most about the Holidays?

Well, being Sudanese and growing up in The U.S. I have become very confused about the holiday season. My family doesn’t really celebrate the American holidays. I mean, we used to get a Christmas tree and make our parents buy us stuff. But we always picked out exactly what we wanted and wrapped the gifts ourselves. There wasn’t ever a surprise element involved. I guess we never really got the whole concept in the first place.

Anyway, I like hanging out my with my mom and dad a lot. Lately I’ve been having a lot of girl problems so I talk to them about it. The conversations usually go like this like this:

Me: Hey guys, I’m really down. I want a girlfriend
Mom: Get a job
Dad: Get a haircut

12.22.09
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Matt Pond PA Preps New Album, Single Available Now!

Matt Pond PA has been an indie staple for the past 11 years, and in 2010 this will be no different. Set to move ahead with Pond and Co.’s new venture, the band will release The Dark Leaves (Altitude) in March of 2010. Yes, that seems like a long time away, but they have just what you need to hold you over until then. Their label Altitude Records is offering for sale on their site, your chance to get the first in the MPPA Threeep Series (Part 1) titled Starting. The three song vinyl only EP can also be ordered in a limited edition 250-colored version which is a nice last minute holiday gift.

Continuing in Matt Pond fashion, the title track on the EP, “Starting,” brings back into play the classic strings sound that the band left out of the loop for a while. Pond’s voice and lyrics send a chill down your spine amongst the layers of instruments and incredible harmonies that fill the song throughout. This track will be on The Dark Leaves and I can only imagine what the rest has to offer. I’m at the edge of my seat waiting…

Give a listen to “The Starting” on Matt Pond PA’s Myspace

12.21.09
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Secondhand Sunday: Sufjan Stevens “Put the Lights on the Tree”

We’re kicking the holiday week off with a charming secondhand Sunday with Sufjan Stevens! One of my favorite Christmas albums is Songs for Christmas, as it captures the holiday spirit without being cheesy or too off beat. Sufjan can make anything sound good, can’t he? Today’s video is for “Put the Lights on the Tree,” with a little cartoon band and Sufjan in tow. You got to love it. Also check out our Mixmas mix below! There’s more Sufjan there for you!

12.18.09
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Ryan Adams’ Bass Player, Chris “Space Wolf” Feinstein Found Dead

Early last night, Chris Feinstein, known significantly for playing in Ryan Adams and The Cardinals, was found dead in his New York City apartment at the age of 42. The cause of death has not yet be determined, and our hearts go out to his family, friends and bandmates.

For anyone who has ever met Chris, he was truly a strong prescence. Always one of the first people out to greet fans after a show, you could tell he was charasmatic about his craft and the people who admired him as  a musician.

Feinstein joined The Cardinals in 2006 and appeared on the albums Cardinology, Easy Tiger, and Follow the Lights. Earlier this year Adams and The Cardinals split ways for him to discover new creative outlets. Feinstein then went on to play bass for Albert Hammond Jr., as well as writing songs for Santogold’s first album. Cardinals drummer Brad Pemberton posted on his facebook last night:  ”This is the saddest day of my life. I lost my best friend today…things will never be quite the same.”

12.15.09
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Ted Leo and the Pharmacists to Drop “Bricks” Early Next Year

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists have always been on the watch list of notable indie releases. Leo and the boys are set to release their newest album titled The Brutalist Bricks on March 9, 2010, which will be released on their new home, Matador Records. While no tracklisting has been leaked yet and details are still a bit sparse, the label is offering fans a chance to download the first single “Even Heroes Have To Die,” for free via Matador’s website. The track shows a more mature side of the Pharmacists though does not lose the spirit and sound of the band that we have come to known and love. With acoustic guitars blending with a bit of indie punk, Leo’s voice is catchier than ever. This is certainly an album to be excited about for ’10!