Tag Archives: Mixmas

12.19.08
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A Modern Mystery Holiday Party with Ahmed Gallab of Of Montreal and Caribou

Welcome to the second installment of our Modern Mystery Holiday Party!

Today we hear from Ahmed Gallab, drummer extraordinaire from of Montreal and Caribou.  2008 was a busy year for the band, including the release of the new album titled ‘Skeletal Lamping’ and an extensive worldwide tour.

Ahmed joined of Montreal this year primarily as their drummer but WOW, can he do so much more. He also spreads the love of pizza with all who come in his path.  Ahmed seemed to have added more energy to the already super energetic of Montreal on stage. The Modern Mystery crew was more than excited when he agreed to answer our year end questions for us. We can’t wait to see more of Ahmed in 0f Montreal in 2009!


Ahmed Gallab’s Top 10 Records of the Year

10. Nigeria Rock Special: Psychedelic Afro-Rock & Fuzz Funk In 1970’s Nigeria
9. Nigeria Disco Funk Special: Sound of the Underground Lagos Dancefloor 1974-1979
8. No Age – Nouns
7. Tussle – Cream Cuts
6. Original Silence – The Second Original Silence
5. The Thing – Now and Forever
4. Icy Demons – Miami Ice
3. Spiritualized – Songs in A & E
2. Erykah Badu – New Amerykah Part One: 4th World War
1. Koushik – Out my Window

The Best Thing that Happened to Me This Year:
Tour, Tour, Tour!
I was probably the luckiest kid on Earth this year. I got to play in both Caribou and of Montreal! What an exciting thing to do! I have made so many friends and seen so much in such little time! Here’s to another year of touring!

The Strangest Thing that Happened to Me This Year:
Losing everything!
I lost my driver’s license, passport, phone (i eventually found it!), a hat, four toothbrushes and loads of other small things! it’s so weird!

My Favorite Holiday Memory:
My sisters and I would stay up and watch every single new years TV show and then run around our neighborhood banging pots and pans at midnight yelling “Happy New Year, DUDES!”. I always loved New Years Eve more than Christmas. It always had this freshness to it. Everyone is so excited to finish off one year and start a new one.

My New Years Resolution of 2009:
*Put out two Sinkane records!!! The follow up my last record, “Color Voice” , entitled “Sinkane”, will be released in March 2009 and I hope to record another record for a late 2009 release!
*Tour ALL THE TIME!!!
*Learn to surf!

of Montreal will be appearing on the Late Show with David Letterman Tonight, December 18th, at 11:35est Time. Ahmed and the band will be performing ‘An Eluardian Instance’. Be sure to catch it!

12.18.08
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A Modern Mystery Holiday Party with Jon Eaton of The Spinto Band

Happy Holidays from Modern Mystery! Today we are starting what we like to call, ‘The Modern Mystery Holiday Party.’ We have questioned a few of our favorite indie bands about their Top Albums and Songs of 2008.

We also have them sharing with us their favorite Holiday memories and anything else they wanted to add. Who will appear on here in the next couple of weeks or so? Well, you’ll have to wait to find out, and we’re not even done with getting all of the results back.

We are honored to start off with Jon Eaton, guitarist of The Spinto Band. The band released their new record ‘Moonwink’ this year, and if you haven’t picked it up yet…well we think there is something wrong with you.

Jon Eaton’s Top 10 Records of the Year, (in no particular order.)

Q-Tip The Renaissance
And The Moneynotes- New Cornucopia
Dr. Dog- Fate
Silver Jews- Lookout Mountain Lookout Sea
Ra Ra Riot The Rhumb Line
The Breeders- Mountain Battles
Thao and The Get Down Stay Down- We Brave Bee Stings and All
Nick Freitas- Sun Down
Vampire Weekend- Vampire Weekend
Man Man- Rabbit Habits

The Best Thing That Happened to Me This Year:
Meeting Jamie from Myth Busters . (You can watch the VIDEO of this hillarious event here)

Strangest Thing That Happened to Me This Year: 
I actually was fortunate enough to celebrate the dawn of the new year in North Queensland Australia listening to a guy named Potsy talk about the best way to kill a wild pig. This was actually a great holiday memory as well… Everyone should spend at least one holiday in the tropics.

Stay Tuned Next Time to See Who Joins Us for Our ‘Holiday Party’….

12.15.08
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Merry Mixmas, Part 2.

The Strokes Christmas

I guess its the Holidays that have my head in a fog, but somehow there were a few Christmas songs that I forgot to add to the list this weekend. One of them being a current favorite, ‘Seasons Greetings,’ by Robbers on High Street.

Speaking of Robbers on High Street, we here at Modern Mystery have some Holiday surprises up our sleeves for the next couple of weeks. Not to give anything away, but it includes bands such as Robbers on High Street,  Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Phantom Planet, Sloan, Miniature Tigers, Of Montreal, and more…….

Its pretty awesome if I may say so myself, and you will just have to wait and see what some of these bands had to share with us.

Merry Mixmas Part 2

Robbers on High Street- Seasons Greetings
Belle and Sebastian- O Little Town of Bethleham
Feist- Lo, How a Rose E’re Blooming
Great Lake Swimmers- Song for the Angels
Blitzen Trapper- Christmas is Coming Soon
*The Hives with Cyndi Lauper- Christmas Duel
Low- Just Like Christmas
Long Winters- Sometimes You Have to Work on Christmas
Pedro the Lion- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Polyphonic Spree-Merry Christmas (War is Over)
Rufus Wainwright-Spotlight on Christmas
Of Montreal- Christmas Isn’t Safe for Animals
Marbles- Gift for You
Fabulous Bird with Bill Doss- Its Christmas Time Again
Summer Hymns- Santa Couldn’t Fit You Under My Tree
The Sixth Great Lake- Always After Christmas Boring
Elf Power- The Winter is Coming
Jet- Back Door Santa
Belle and Sebastian- Santa Claus

Sufjan Stevens- That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!
* The Hives and Cyndi Lauper doing a duet? I know. Its just as weird as it sounds. They seem like a pretty unlikely duo.  Ironically for Christmas when I was about 4, I had gotten my first cassette tape. It was of Cyndi Lauper’s ‘True Colors’ album. I still have it. I had to be the most hip kid in Kindergarten.

 

12.14.08
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Merry Mixmas!

Merry Christmas

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. One of the things I enjoy about the season, is Holiday music. But of course, the Modern Mystery version of Christmas music is a bit different from Lou Monte and Peggy Lee. I always find great amusement out of indie bands’ versions of Christmas songs. They just seem to put an unusual and surprising twist on Holiday tunes that get me into the Christmas spirit. Move over Perry Como, there are some new kids in town….

Below for your downloading convience, are some of my favorite indie Christmas songs. Enjoy!

Casper and the Cookies- “Kiss Me Beneath the Christmas Tree”
My First Keyboard- “Christmas Time is Good if You Are a Girl (Boy)”
Bright Eyes- “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
Phantom Planet- “Winter Wonderland”
Ryan Adams- “Hey Parker, Its Christmas”
OK Go- “Father Christmas”
The Raveonettes- “Christmas Song”
Death Cab for Cutie- “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”
Ladybug Transistor- “Holiday Extravangza”
Of Montreal- “My Favorite Christmas (in 100 Words or Less)”
Sufjan Stevens- “Come On, Lets Boogie to the Elf Dance”
Rooney – “Merry Christmas Everybody”
Essex Green- “Deck the Halls”
The Bird and the Bee- “Carol of the Bells”
The Features- “Christmas Wishbook”
Frightened Rabbit- “Its Christmas So We’ll Stop”
Matt Pond PA- “Snow Day”
Old 97’s -“Holly Jolly Christmas”
Reigning Sound-  “If Christmas Can’t Bring You Home”
Rogue Wave- “Christmas”
Reindeer Section- ” You Are My Joy”
Dressy Bessy- “All the Right Reasons”
Pete Yorn- “Do They Know Its Christmas?”