Bad ideas come in small doses

Time to face facts.

It's become clear to me after four or five weeks of letting this blog float in limbo that I am now unable to post as often as I was previously. I have a whole host of new stresses in my life that I didn't have a month ago, and more continue to enter the arena as the days go by. The updates are not going to stop; however, I'm not going to promise again they'll be daily, because they won't.

However, I've got some interesting ideas rolling around my head for the future of this blog. Purchase a domain? Bring in additional posters? Expand to more than just album downloads? I don't know. Why I'm posting this is to get the input of the readers. If you read this blog and/or have any ideas about what you'd like to see happen, please leave them in the comments section of this post! Any thoughts about expanding the readerbase or making the blog better are much appreciated!

Also, I don't think I've ever said this before, but if you enjoy this blog, I'd appreciate if you helped to promote it among your friends, any music communities you frequent, or just anyone who might be interested. Got some buddies in a band with some fresh recordings? Tell them to send 'em this way! As I said, I'm working on ideas for the future, but none of it amounts to anything if I don't have readers! Buzz, buzz, buzz!

Anyway, thanks for not giving up on this blog even though I've been pretty unresponsive as of late. More to come. Promise.

Dirt Dress - Perdido en la Suciedad 2 (2009)

Second of three cassettes this band is putting out this year, all of which are named Perdido en la Suciedad; the response to their previous releases has been pretty strong on this blog, so I suspect a lot of you will want to hear this, as it continues to refine their lo-fi alt rock sound, and though they still wear their influences (Velvet Underground? Pavement?) on their sleeves, they seem to be coming into their own sound more and more; the more I hear from this band, the more excited I get about their future

Also, if any of you have the actual cover for this and could send it my way, that would be much appreciated

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Previous Posts:
Dirt Dress EP
Perdido en la Suciedad

Snowera - Snowsera EP (2007), Fictions EP (2008), Push & Pull EP (2009)

Post-punky indie pop stuff, these guys put all their music up for free on their official site, and I was really surprised at how good it is (especially their new two-song EP, Push & Pull, which is pictured); I've stuck all three of their EPs into a single .rar file to make the process of getting all their material a little easier; this band shows a lot of promise and I can't wait for an album, keep an eye on them

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The Ambulars - Summer Fling EP

DC pop-punk band and their four-song debut EP, with a charmingly lo-fi recording quality; I don't really have a lot to say about this, but the title pretty much sums it up, warm and bopsy (?) pop-punk for the summer months

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Eyedea & Abilities - By the Throat (2009)

New release from this Epitaph hip-hop duo, a big stylistic shift from their older material, and while some fans have been dissatisfied with it, I personally think it's one of my favorite albums of the year; incredible lyrics through-and-through, rapped/sung with a ton of passion by Eyedea, and some awesome beats and production going on by Abilities as well

I apologize once again for the lack of posts as of late; life has been even more hectic the past week, but I think things are cooling out for a little bit now, so keep your fingers crossed again that I'll actually start posting more often

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Tubby Boots - The Eggshaker EP (2009)

This Long Beach three-piece plays a funky style of alt rock very similar to the jammier and lengthier work of Red Hot Chili Peppers (if you're a fan, check this out), along with the inclusion of Sonic Youth-esque experimentation; the band asked me to post this, and I'm more than happy to oblige, because it's really impressive stuff

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Look Mexico - This is Animal Music (2007)

Sorry about the infrequency of the posts lately; life's been unusually stressful lately, and especially so during the last couple of days. I'm gonna try to get back into the swing of things and return to making daily posts, so keep your fingers crossed.

This is the debut album from Tallahassee-based indie/math rock/emo group Look Mexico; they're a great band, and this is an incredible album; if I were to compare them to something posted previously on the blog, it would probably be My Heart to Joy, Hightide Hotel, etc (and Algernon Cadwallader, but I don't think I've posted any of their stuff); basically what I'm getting at, if you couldn't tell (which you can if you know any of the artists I just named), is that these guys are fucking awesome and you shouldn't miss out on this emotional rollercoaster of an album

Also, they're currently working away on their second release, due out sometime this year; keep up with their progress on their blog

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Piebald - All Ears, All Eyes, All the Time (2004)

I have nothing witty to say about this, or really anything all that informative; more Piebald powerpop/alt rock/pop-punk fun stuff, dig it

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Previous Posts:
We Are the Only Friends We Have

The xx - xx (2009)

Dark and flowing debut from this London four-piece, influenced heavily by '80s goth rock and post-punk, this is an incredibly relaxing and chilled out album (best listened to at midnight, I find), helped along by the smooth vocals of Romy Madley Croft; this is already shaping up to be one of the most hyped releases of the year (Pitchfork review and "Best New Music" status imminent; touchdown in five, four, three, two...), but the catch is that it actually deserves to be

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The Matches - the Matches album 4, unreleased; graphics? title? or not needed? (2009)

Rush-released as a response to the pleas of their fans after announcing their indefinite hiatus, this album is a collection of eight songs from their unfinished album, and two acoustic songs that had very very limited releases as bonus tracks in the past. Considering that, this sounds incredibly coherent and, on top of that, really fucking good. This release has the singalong choruses of E. Von Dahl, the white knuckle, crooked smile, freewheeling insanity of Decomposer, the pop catchiness of A Band in Hope, and a bluesy, jammy grooviness that if anything resembles their earliest work as the Locals. But make no mistake; this is not rehash. This is the Matches doing what they always do, which is making a huge stylistic shift while still being identifiable as who they are.

I wrestled a bit with the question of whether or not to post this album here. As stated earlier on the blog, the Matches are my favorite band, and it's now become clear they are under a considerable amount of debt based on poor album sales (I've seen a figure of $60,000 being tossed around). However, as much as it feels like something of a betrayal, not even my favorite band breaking up because of people failing to buy their music is going to change my opinion that there should be no moral obligation to spend money on art (an opinion that the Matches seem to have somewhat agreed with in the past, and that I suspect they still do).

With that in mind, I IMPLORE you all, if you enjoy this album or any of their others, to purchase it at bandcamp. They're only asking 10 dollars (although you can pay more than that if you wish), which is next to nothing. This band doesn't deserve to be in debt, and they don't deserve to have to break up because of it. Buy this album. Also, if you can, go to their last two shows on the 22nd and 23rd, in West Hollywood and San Fransisco respectively.

Also, I'll use this post to introduce you to the new projects members of the Matches are embarking on, for those of you who are unaware.

Maniac: Features Matches lead vocalist/guitarist Shawn Harris, as well as Jake Grigg of Something with Numbers. Their debut album is slated for 2010, and in the meantime they're occupying themselves with covering the #1 songs on the Billboard charts (and then posting them for free on their blog).
Bird by Bird: Features Matches lead guitarist/vocalist Jon Devoto, as well as Matches drummer Matt Whalen. Their debut show is happening in San Fransisco on the 21st, and Jon's doing an in-store performance at a Gap on the 20th, so if you're in the area, check them out! They've got a few songs streaming on their myspace.

Anyway, as you can tell, I've returned home, and regular posting will now resume on the blog.

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Previous Posts:
E. Von Dahl Killed the Locals
Decompser
A Band in Hope
Demos and Misc

Mixtape: Far Away From You (What Else is New?)

I'm going to be out of town for eight or nine days after today, so there won't be any new posts for a bit. So, I leave with this.

Phew! It feels like I haven't posted a mixtape in a really long time. Anyway, this is one that I'm really quite proud of; I know I say that with most of the ones I post, but I mean it this time, promise. This tape, as the title would imply, deals with the subjects of separation, loneliness, distance, anxiety, and loss. This is probably the second-most personal mix that I've posted here. It's modeled significantly after my own experiences, along with the soundtrack that I had during those times. It's also undoubtedly the most lyric-based tape here; none of these songs are just "filler", as they all tie into the story that I'm trying to tell with this, and the thoughts and ideas I'm trying to convey. Not a line is wasted.

This isn't a passive listening experience for me, and although it certainly can be to you (and still be enjoyed just about as much, probably), I didn't intend for it to be. As I said, I do think this is telling something of a story, as well as following a surprisingly specific timeline of events. Part of me thought I should post the story, or little snippets of it, but I think it would be more interesting to just see what you come up with through your own listening. If you've got any ideas, or just any comments in general, leave them in the comments! I'd love to hear how much people really get from the mixtapes I post.

Anyway, that's all for now. Enjoy the tape, and I'll see you all in about a week!

Title: Far Away From You (What Else is New?)
Length: 1:10:00
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1. O! The Joy - "There is No Such Thing as "Organized Crime""
2. Camper Van Beethoven - "(I Was Born in A) Laundromat"
3. We Are Hex - "No FM/No AM"
4. Another Sunny Day - "Horseriding"
5. jj - "Ecstasy"
6. His Clancyness - "Dream Tune"
7. O Pioneers!!! - "9 A.M. Everyday"
8. The Matches - "From 24C"
9. Lemuria - "Pants"
10. Nada Surf - "80 Windows"
11. mewithoutYou - "Cattail Down"
12. My Heart to Joy - "Giving My Hands Away"
13. Why? - "Act Five"
14. Picture Atlantic - "Slip Into the Sea"
15. The Good, The Bad, & The Queen - "Northern Whale"
16. The Zombies - "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)"
17. The Verve - "Neon Wilderness"
18. Vince Guaraldi Trio - "Linus and Lucy"
19. The Weakerthans - "Plea From a Cat Named Virtute"
20. Roman Candle - "Why Modern Radio is A-Ok"
21. Sugarplum Fairies - "Polaroid"

Norfolk - The 71 Functions of Consciousness (2009)

This was featured on Waffles.fm a few months ago, but here it is for those of you who either do not have accounts there or don't check it very often; anyway, these guys are from Bakersfield, and they play really nice melodic alt rock; I've heard some comparisons to Oasis, and I think that's applicable, but personally I think they sound better than that comparison would imply to most people

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Michita - Three (2009)

Phenomenal third album from this Japanese jazz-hop artist - this is chill and mellow, but also quite moody at times, and despite being largely instrumental also features some great rapping interspersed throughout; I am not typically a fan of albums that run for over an hour, but this never drags or bores, so don't miss out on this

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Tripping Daisy - I Am an Elastic Firecracker (1995)

This album has elements of grunge and psychedelia, as well as the indie rock that now dominates the music world, and their members have gone on to form the groups the Polyphonic Spree, Secret Machines and School of Seven Bells; this band is a somewhat-forgotten part of the 90s alt rock scene, but they shouldn't be

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Afraid! - Megaloklift (2009)

Italian post-hardcore/screamo band, with heavy influence of post-punk and psychedelia, this is a quick listen but it's really great, I find myself listening to it three or four times in a sitting because it's so addicting

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