Some sneak peeks...

Today instead of posting an album, I'm posting a few singles that I've been enjoying lately, all of them from upcoming 2010 releases. This may or may not become something I do regularly, it all just depends on what I happen to be listening to at any given time. Anyway, these are all great songs, and it takes a lot less time to listen to a song than it does an album, so you've got no excuse for not checking all of these out. Get into it!

Motion City Soundtrack
- "Disappear"
- "Her Words Destroyed My Planet"

Previous Posts: Discography

These are two tracks from Motion City Soundtrack's upcoming album, My Dinosaur Life. Both of these songs show them backing away from the synthy poppiness of Even if it Kills Me, and returning to the catchy, thrashy pop-punk that made people fall in love with them in the first place. If these are any indication of the rest of the album, 2010 is going to be a good year for Motion City Soundtrack.

Vampire Weekend
- "Horchata"
- "Cousins"

Previous Posts: B-Sides and Oddities

The first two singles from their 2010 sophomore effort, released over the past couple of months to build anticipation for Contra, have done exactly that. These two tracks don't tread a lot of ground that wasn't covered by their 2008 self-titled debut, but that's not exactly a bad thing, because let's be honest, that was a great fucking album. If you liked the ethnic-twinged indie pop of that release, you're sure to enjoy these. Fingers crossed for an album leak soon.

Tegan and Sara - This Business of Art (2000)

Here's my personal favorite album from indie pop duo Tegan and Sara; this release has a bit more bite than their newer material, meaning it's got a darker feel to it, but it's still the same Tegan and Sara we all know (and love, hopefully)

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Previous Posts:
If It Was You

lie to all your friends

As you can see, I've recently given the blog a make-over, with new colors and fonts and a snazzy new header; it's coming up on its one-year anniversary (wow), and I felt like it was time for a change. I hope you like the new look!

I'll also take this opportunity to remind you that if you're an artist and would like your music posted here, just send an e-mail my way at finalpizzahut@yahoo.com and I'll give it a listen! You can also do this if you know of a cool local band, or anything you just think would fit the blog. As people who have e-mailed me know, it might take me a bit of time to respond and post, because I can get pretty busy sometimes, but I promise that I WILL listen to anything and everything that gets sent my way.

Also, this blog does have a last.fm group, which you can join here. The more people that join, the better idea I have of what you readers actually listen to that I post, which gives me a better understanding of what you enjoy. And that's good for everyone!

Anyway, I think that's all I have to say at the moment. Cheers!

Feeding Lies - Demo 09 (2009)

Got tipped off about this new band from St. Louis, they've been sending this 6-song demo around and it's been getting attention; they play fairly straightforward '00s hardcore punk, and while you never feel like you're hearing something new in these songs, you're never bored, either, because they're damn good at what they do; this is a band to watch

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Stationary Odyssey - Johnfriend (2009)

"Post-rock-punk-ambient-prog-grind-rockers Stationary Odyssey have released a FREE digital EP titled "Johnfriend". The "Mud Center" Indiana-based duo of Aaron Tanner and Brett Siler released their previous full-length “Head! Foot! And The Pink Axe” on Joyful Noise back in 2006. One split with Child Bite later, they have resurfaced with the more polarized "Sons Of Boy". Featuring a host of guest musicians such as Chris Schlarb (Asthmatic Kitty, I Heart Lung), Shawn Knight (Child Bite), and Aaron Tanner’s seven-year-old son - the Stationary Odyssey boys have created an 8-track mini-opus of face-melting moments alongside crystalline spasms of beauty.

With the Johnfriend EP we get a glimpse into the new Odyssey album wrapped in feedback-laden amusement. The EP contains a new track from the album, a feedback-laden cover of T-Rex's "Children of the Revolution", a remix, and an A Capella demo."

This is quite an interesting little release, and hard to describe, hence my usage of their description instead of my own; keep an eye out for their full length to appear here soon

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Greenland is Melting - Our Hearts are Gold, Our Grass is Blue (2009)

Bluegrassy folk punk music made by three dudes in - big surprise - Gainesville, Florida, and released for free; they don't even have a drummer (but they have a banjo!), but this doesn't sound thin like you might expect, and while it's certainly not a lot like other stuff I've posted in the past it's a good time, so check it out if you're feeling a bit adventurous

UPDATE: The band sent me a new album cover, which is what you now see above; here's the old one for posterity's sake

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The Weakerthans

Since I've been slacking more than usual lately, today you get, drumroll please...another artist feature SUPERPOST! Woo! (I'm excited, are you excited?)

The Weakerthans are a band from Winnipeg currently signed with Epitaph and (hopefully) working on their next album. Like I said before, they make punk influenced (frontman John Samson used to be in Propagandhi, back in the day) folk rock, with a lot of emphasis put on Samson's compelling lyrics. They started out with a bit rougher, folk punkier sound, and have since taken, for lack of a better term, more of a chilled out indie rock route, with higher production value that doesn't really take away from the small, hometown, backwoods, wistful youth sound that they so often evoke. I mentioned before that this is music perfect for the current fall season; contemplative without being preoccupied, introspective without being self-absorbed. I could go on, but I think I've made my point. The Weakerthans are a band you need to know.

Fallow (1997)

Left and Leaving (2000)

Reconstruction Site (2003)

Reunion Tour (2007)

Mixtape: Is There Always Hope?

Fall is fully upon us, winter's a half step away, and it's proving itself to be an excellent time to pose this question.

So...is there?

Title: Is There Always Hope?
Length: 1:06:39
Download

Side 1: Dreaming of You (Rushing Up to Me)

1. Pink Floyd - "Pigs on the Wing (Part Two)"
2. The Fashion - "Letters From the Ambulance"
3. My American Heart - "The Shake (Awful Feeling)"
4. Edna's Goldfish - "Story"
5. Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Minor Thing"
6. Radiohead - "Life in a Glass House"
7. Bombay Bicycle Club - "Cancel on Me"
8. Harvey Danger - "Jack the Lion (Live)"

Side 2: Pretty Weeds

1. Youth Group - "Daisychains"
2. The Fall of Troy - "Webs"
3. Passion Pit - "Swimming in the Flood"
4. Nada Surf - "Blizzard of '77"
5. Elliott Smith - "Angel in the Snow"
6. The Get Up Kids - "Campfire Kansas"
7. The Mountain Goats - "Ezekiel 7 and the Permanent Efficacy of Grace"
8. Piebald - "It's Going to Get Worse Before it Gets Better"
9. Weezer - "Perfect Situation"
10. Pink Floyd - "Pigs on the Wing (Part One)"

Get Set Go - Presents Sunshine, Joy, & Happiness: A Tragic Tale of Death, Despair, and Other Silly Nonsense (2008)

Okay, honestly, if you pay any attention to this blog you already know how much I love this band, and have probably already formed your own opinion of them as well, so instead of describing them again I'll just say here's their newest album and the only one I haven't posted; the title alone should push you over the edge into downloading this, but if that's not enough, well, this album has a song about eating people to solve the world's problems, complete with crunching sounds...come on, guys, what are you waiting for

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Previous Posts:
So You've Ruined Your Life
Ordinary World
Selling Out & Going Home

Say Anything - ...is a Real Boy (2004)

This is, for all intents and purposes, LA band Say Anything's debut album, and what a debut it is; soaring and operatic, the term pop-punk doesn't really seem to contain this band's sound, which swings between thick guitars assaults, keyboard noodling, and acoustic balladeering (uh oh, I think I'm making up words again), but there just isn't enough music like this for there to be a better word for it; the strongest point of this album (there are many) is the lyrics, which are wry, self-deprecating, and at times downright vicious ("Admit It!!!", anyone?); this album is, as far as I'm concerned, a modern classic

Also included in this download is the bonus disc ...Was a Real Boy, which has 7 extra tracks

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Peachcake - What Year Will You Have the World?.. (2008)

I'm sure some of you remember my post a few months ago about Peachcake's amazing live show; well, the part about their recorded music not holding up in comparison needs to be taken back, because it does; I don't know why I waited so long to post this album, but here it is

This is dancey, upbeat, and just totally happy, positive, and fucking awesome electronic indie pop; I apologize for the lack of a proper description, but it's hard to not hyperbolize when talking about this band, because everything about them is just so over-the-top; all I can say is check them out

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A Big Yes and A Small No - Jesus That Looks Terrible On You (2008)

This is a peculiar little album from Brooklyn; first it strikes you as just another indie pop affair, then it almost seems to reek of the uppity, stereotypically pretentious New York art scene, and finally you realize that even though it's both of those things, it succeeds by admitting it and making fun of itself at every turn; shoegaze, alt rock, folk, and clever lyrics all play a part in this artsy-fartsy, smirk-filled, incredibly promising debut release

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Tegan and Sara - If It Was You (2002)

Most people are at least vaguely familiar with this Canadian indie pop/folk rock duo made up of two lesbian twin sisters (I swear they aren't a gimmick), but if you aren't (or if you want to know them a little better), this album is an excellent place to start; I won't go so far as to say it's their best, but it's most representative of their sound, and I've been listening to it a lot lately; oh, and the song "I Hear Noises" is a total fucking jam, on the level of 'it's worth downloading the album for this song'

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