Archived Music
December 31, 2003
Steve Burns used to be the host of the "Blues Clues" show. Then he met the drummer for The Flaming Lips and a few other people, and formed a band. And believe it or not, they freakin' rock. Don't believe me? Just listen to this song.
"Mighty Little Man" by Steve Burns
December 17, 2003
The Crystal Method have a new album coming out on January 17, but the first single off that album, "Born Too Slow", is already highly sought after. And rightly so; it's a great dance song with great beats that anyone can love, rock n' roll lovers and pop music lovers alike.
"Born Too Slow" by The Crystal Method
December 10, 2003
Yeah, I know, I know. Brand New has been around for a long time. Everybody knows about them. Well, I haven't gotten around to them yet, so give me a break. They're still a great emo band, and this song is one of many greats off their latest album. Also check out "Jaws Theme Swimming".
"Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades" by Brand New
December 4, 2003
The Mars Volta are an interesting group. They've opened for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and various other groups, so you might be hearing a lot more from them in the future. Make sure you wait until the chorus, because that's where they really shine.
"Inertiatic" by The Mars Volta
November 26, 2003
Liz Tormes' music career started by accident. She was recruited by a New York opry for her sense of time, and not knowing how to play guitar, she stuck a playing card between the neck and strings of her guitar, so it would produce a muted backbeat that didn't require her to know how to play.
Now she knows how to play, and does it well. Her acoustic songs are quietly happy, and sometimes mild yet sad. Either way, she's perfect for anyone who loves a nice acoustic guitar sound.
"Let's Pretend" by Liz Tormes
November 19, 2003
I stole the band Spin Spin Coupling from CJ, because they're the coolest band I've heard in a while. They have a strange sound that is oddly appealing, in a geeky sort of way. Check it out, people.
"Supernerd" by Spin Spin Coupling
November 5, 2003
If there's anything that adds to the spirit of rock n' roll, it's senseless cursing and songs about nothing. K is for Kennedy has captured both these aspects in this song.
"Wake up / Wake up / Wake up motherfucker / Wake up." Such simple and delightful poetry hath never been spoken. Unfortunately, the rest of their songs seem to be more on the lighter side. What a pity. They're so good at being loud.
"Wake Up Motherfucker" by K is for Kennedy
October 29, 2003
Elliott Smith committed suicide last week by stabbing himself in the chest. It's not often that I'm sad about the loss of a singer, but I'm sad about Elliott Smith. If any song explains perfectly what must have been going through his head, it's this one.
"Everything Means Nothing to Me" by Elliott Smith
October 22, 2003
Lucky Town was recently picked by Budweiser as the winner of their unsigned band contest. I imagine they'll be signed soon, because they're definitely good. They're one of the few bands that have a strong female lead with non-sissy music to back her up. The only downside to this band is being unsigned means they aren't playing across the country yet. But as I said before, they probably will be soon.
"L.A." by Lucky Town
October 15, 2003
Jet is the coolest new band I've found in a while. The lead singer has a voice like Mick Jagger, but they rock way harder than the Rolling Stones did. If you're looking for a wild night out filled with Jagermeister, their album is for you.
"Are You Gonna Be My Girl" by Jet
October 8, 2003
I went to see Taking Back Sunday and Saves the Day this past weekend, and the band opening for them was called Moneen. They're a punk band with heavy guitar riffs and a rougher edge.
"Start Angry, End Mad" by Moneen
October 1, 2003
The Distillers are new. Brand new! Okay, not really, but nobody seems to know about them. They've got a crisp sound and a female lead singer, and everybody likes punk rock with a crisp sound and a female lead singer. Their album doesn't come out until October 14, but I was able to snag their first single anyway. Enjoy.
Listen to "Drain the Blood" by The Distillers
September 24, 2003
I like punk and emo music with high, shrill voices. While Saves the Day was never really punk, and isn't really emo anymore, they've still got some catchy pop tunes.
But if you really want some of their best stuff, click the "more songs" button in the flash movie and download "At Your Funeral" from the album Stay What You Are, or any of the songs from the album Through Being Cool.
Listen to "Anywhere With You" by Saves the Day
September 17, 2003
Johnny Cash died last week, and if you're going to do a tribute to him, you'd sure as hell better play something different. Playing his overplayed country bar stuff wouldn't do him justice. So here's an excellent old song called "Get Rhythm".
Listen to "Get Rhythm" by Johnny Cash
September 10, 2003
Today we will be enjoying a song from the new Rancid album, which came out last month.
Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh! Circle mosh!
Listen to "Stranded" by Rancid
September 3, 2003
I haven't listened to The Dandy Warhols since their album "Thirteen Tales of Urban Bohemia" came out, and I nearly forgot about them for a while. But they're back with a new album, and they've kept the unique sound that made them obscure yet incredibly catchy. One of the reasons I like this band so much is because they seem like the stereotypical indie band with the perfect indie sound, if there is such a thing. A little British, a little folk, and a little techno weirdness thrown in for fun. Enjoy, reader. Enjoy.
Listen to "We Used to be Friends" by The Dandy Warhols
August 27, 2003
Today's song and band are a mystery. I forgot about finding a song for this feature, and by the time I got the column written here in Minneapolis, I was left with no song and only dial-up Internet. So I searched through my downloads folder and found a song by a band called "Final Design".
I don't remember where I found it. I don't remember what website referred me to it. I don't even remember downloading it. It's kind of spooky that way. But it's not bad, so have a listen. The vocals are a little rough, but the guitar work is pretty good. Not bad for guys who look like they're roughly 14 years old.
Listen to "Unspoken" by Final Design
August 20, 2003
Does this sound like summertime music to you, reader? It sounds like summertime music to me. It's The Raveonettes, and they're . . . well, nobody knows who the hell they are. But it's a good, upbeat song that'll get you through hump day without any need for humping at all.
This song doesn't come out until August 25, but thanks to Apple's iTunes Music Store, I was able to download it as a single. Gotta love the iTunes Music Store. Gotta love Apple.
Listen to "That Great Love Sound" by The Raveonettes
August 13, 2003
When I bought Dashboard Confessional's new album yesterday morning and popped it into my CD player, I could tell right away that this was an album I'd be keeping in my CD player for a long time. It's one of those albums where you find a few songs you like, play them until you're tired of them, and then go back and find even more songs you hadn't noticed before. Then you keep repeating the process until the album is too scratched to play.
Listen to "Ghost of A Good Thing" by Dashboard Confessional
August 6, 2003
I was looking through my books of CD's today, when I found one from a Duluth, Minn. Band called "Ballyhoo". They were one of my favorite local bands while I was in college, so I searched on the Internet to see what they had released lately. Sadly, I found that they are no longer together. But they were a great low-key band, so this week I'm going to provide my favorite song of theirs. If you don't like this song, there's something seriously wrong with you.
Listen to "Angie Passed Out (Acoustic)" by Ballyhoo
July 30, 2003
Normally, I don't like country music. Okay, so normally I hate country music. But there's a song by Ryan Adams off the "Old Skool" movie soundtrack that's really good. But the song has a real indie quality to it, and is definitely worth checking out. Just wait for the chorus, that's all I ask. It was originally released in 2000, but I figure not many people have heard it. While I wouldn't recommend anyone take a liking to country music, I'd say this song is pretty kick ass.
Listen to "To Be Young (Is to Be Sad, Is to Be High)" by Ryan Adams
July 16, 2003
This week's band is Cursive. This song has a cool symphony-style sound to it. If Beethoven were a bad-ass - which he may very well have been - this is the type of modern music he would listen to.
Listen to "Art is Hard" by Cursive
July 9, 2003
It's time to slow things down. It's time to listen to a band that's named after an insult used against your mom. That band is Say Hi To Your Mom.
Seriously, this is some good music. Your mom might even like it, as ironic as that would be.
Listen to "Laundry" by Say Hi To Your Mom
July 2, 2003
Last weekend I went to the Warped Tour, and one of the coolest bands there was Tsunami Bomb. They've got a female lead singer who not only can scream loud, but can also sing pretty well.
Their latest album came out last year, but I figured it was worth checking out regardless.
Listen to "Roundabout" by Tsunami Bomb
June 25, 2003
White Light Motorcade is an interesting band that plays some rockin' tunes. This song, "It's Happening", is one of their best. Or is it? I don't know because I don't have their CD. But hey, I just found out about them, too. Let's discover them together, reader. You can come over to my apartment, and we can watch kung-fu movies and listen to White Light Motorcade. We'll be bestest friends forever, reader.
Okay, never mind. Just listen to the damn song. You'll like it.
Listen to "It's Happening" by White Light Motorcade
June 18, 2003
Do you like oranges? Do you like British bands? Would you enjoy a British band named "The Oranges Band"? Yes. Yes you would.
Listen to "OK Apartment" by The Oranges Band
June 11, 2003
This week is Mclusky, a request from CJ. It's appropriate for today's column because they've got a nice hardcore screaming style that I haven't been able to find much of lately. Music needs good screaming sometimes.
It's a shame I wasn't able to download the song "Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues" from file sharing, because that's the best song, but this one is almost as good. If you want to hear the song I couldn't find, check it out here. It's a hilarious flash short that has psycho kittens lip-synching to the words. Good stuff.
Listen to "To Hell With Good Intentions" by Mclusky
June 4, 2003
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. Yeah, I know. The album's been out since January, but I forgot about it, and it's good. It's funky and different. Listen to it. Now.
Listen to "Where Have All The Rude Boys Gone?" by Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
May 28, 2003
Even if you don't normally download Wednesday Music Spotlight, this edition is worth it just for the picture that I used. The song is off the new album by Less Than Jake, which just came out last week. It's a great album, but what really caught my eye was the paintings that were shown on each lyrics page of the liner notes. There's 14 different paintings from relatively unknown artists, and one of them, by artist Mitch O' Connell, is freakin' awesome.
I liked it so much, I e-mailed O' Connell to see about buying it. He sent me the e-mail address of the art gallery in Chicago where the painting is being shown. I was all set, ready to use whatever amount of my $400 tax return would be needed. Unfortunately, the original costs $1,600. And to make it worse, the original is only 11 x 14 in size. That's tiny. And it's vertical, like a wall poster. What a rip-off.
I included the painting as part of the image I created for this edition of Wednesday Music Spotlight, so go take a look. Oh, and the song is great, too. Less Than Jake has been one of the best bands around for years.
Listen to "Motown Never Looked So Good" by Less Than Jake
May 21, 2003
I'd like to present a very special musical artist this week. It's a guy by the name of Ill Mitch, and frankly, I'm not sure if he's real or not. He claims to be a rapper who recently moved to America from Russia. He raps in hilarious broken English, which I suspect may be fake. But his album is real, and his fans are real as well.
My favorite line? "In Russia, call me danger lord. Come take a seat on my anger sword." Is it the worst sex reference ever? Yes it is. Does that make the song even better? Yes it does. Be sure to visit his website, because it's even more hilarious than the song.
Listen to "Fast and Danger" by Ill Mitch
May 14, 2003
This week's band is Lagwagon. Their latest album just came out, and it's got some catchy tunes on it. This song is perhaps the catchiest. I've been listening to it in my car all week.
Listen to "Falling Apart" by Lagwagon
May 7, 2003
Yesterday, NoFX's new album came out. As usual, it's fantastic. I shouldn't even need to explain this band to anyone. So I won't. Here's the song.
Listen to "Medio-Core" by NoFX
April 30, 2003
This week's band is one of my favorites, though it can be hard to find their music. They're called "I Voted For Kodos", a clever takeoff on an old episode of The Simpsons. This song is off their new album, which comes out this May.
I first saw these guys a few years ago in Duluth, Minn. They were opening for Reel Big Fish, and to tell you the truth, I almost liked them better. It's hard to find good ska music these days - or any, for that matter - so this band is a welcome addition to Wednesday Music Spotlight. Especially since the download is only a measly 789k.
Listen to "On the Phone" by I Voted For Kodos
April 23, 2003
I had a band all set up and ready to go for today's Wednesday Music Spotlight, but then Nina Simone, a jazz legend, died on Monday. Since jazz is cool, and the media never covers the deaths of cool jazz people, I've decided to dedicate this Wednesday Music Spotlight to Nina Simone.
To tell you the truth, the only way I knew of Simone was because one of her song in the movie "The Thomas Crown Affair". It's a damn catchy song. The version I'm including is only three minutes long; the original is over 10 minutes in length, and is much cooler. Feel free to go buy her greatest hits album, which includes this song. Also feel free to read her obituary in the New York Times.
Listen to "Sinner Man" by Nina Simone
April 16, 2003
Yes, today is the retro edition of Wednesday Music Spotlight. Who's our special retro guest? Bix Markie. Hell yes.
Listen to "Just a Friend" by Biz Markie
April 9, 2003
I'm extremely excited about this week's Music Spotlight. It's a song by Liam Lynch. It's extremely weird, but also extremely funny. As an added bonus, it's also extremely short, which means less download time for you modem users.
You may not recognize Lynch by his name alone, but he's the genius behind the short-lived MTV show "Sifl and Olly". It ran from 1997-1998. If you don't remember, "Sifl and Olly" was a puppet show filled with dry style of humor I enjoy so much. It was the only good show on MTV, which is why they took it off the air. You can buy the DVD online, though.
Anyway, just listen to this short song, and you'll understand Lynch's style of humor.
Listen to "United States of Whatever" by Liam Lynch
April 2, 2003
Last Saturday I went to see Damone (see this music spotlight) when they were opening for The Ataris. The Ataris were cool enough that I thought I should feature them here.
If there's one reason why The Ataris are a great band, it's because they're incredibly loyal to their fans. They read their own fan mail, they keep their ticket prices low, and they even take the time to sign autographs after a show (I got my ticket stub signed). The song I'm including here is off their new album. It's called "My Reply". You really have to wait for the chorus on this one. Pure indie rock goodness.
Listen to "My Reply" by The Ataris
March 26, 2003
This time we're getting personal, reader. Or at least I am. It's a band from Duluth, Minn., the town I lived in for three years (before moving to La Crosse last May). They're called "Low", and their name suits them perfectly. Their music is very slow and soft, and makes for a quiet and relaxing time. When they play live, they play in very dark places venues, to add effect. Their concerts are one of the coolest things you'll ever attend.
This particular song, "Canada", is off their new album, "Trust". It's actually really fast and loud for them. It's good, though. They travel around the country, so if you look, it shouldn't be too hard to catch them. Oh, and if their sound seems familiar, it's probably because you heard a different song of theirs in a Gap commercial a few years ago. A band from Duluth in a Gap commercial. What'll they think of next.
Listen to "Canada" by Low
March 19, 2003
This week's music spotlight is Flogging Molly. I realize St. Patrick's Day is over, but I don't care. Any day is a good day for authentic Irish punk music. They're touring right now, even though they've had an album out for a year or so. But here's a cool song off their latest album. Needless to say, it rocks. And the funny thing is, their first album, "Swagger", is even better.
Listen to "Drunken Lullabyes" by Flogging Molly
March 12, 2003
In honor of the new album by AFI, which just came out yesterday, we'll do them. For those who don't know, AFI is hardcore rock. They're cult favorites on the Warped Tour, and put on a great live show.
This first single off their new album, "Girl's Not Grey", is pretty light rock for them. It's still pretty good, though.
Listen to "Girl's Not Grey" by AFI
March 5, 2003
It's Wednesday, and time for another music spotlight. Today the spotlight is on Taking Back Sunday, a band that is quickly rising in popularity. They've sold 100,000 albums already, just on street cred. I'll be going to their concert at The Quest (Minneapolis) in April, and I'm pumped. The following song, "You Know How I Do", has a nice punk rock vibe to it. Enjoy.
Listen to "You Know How I Do" by Taking Back Sunday
February 26, 2003
A softer, gentler music spotlight today. This week's singer is Ben Kweller. He's not necessarily unknown, but his radio play has been limited, and most people have still never heard of him.
"Make It Up" is a great song of his. It starts off slow, but the catchy opening beat will hit you pretty quick. The chorus, which is just as catchy, will come soon after. Then, when you least expect it, the guitars will come blaring in. Kweller does a nice job of switching things up in this song.
Listen to "Make It Up" by Ben Kweller
February 19, 2003
Every Wednesday, I'll include a song from an unknown band or singer with this column. The best part is, the download is less than 1 MB, but still includes a full-quality, full-length song. Ah, the wonders of Flash.
The first music spotlight is Damone. They churn out some hard rock, with a touch of punk. They also have a female on the lead vocals, which makes it that much more rockin'. I think they sound kind of like Veruca Salt. Just a note for those who dig this song: you can't buy their album until April. But you can download two songs and a video on their website (Click the link below, then click the picture once the song starts). Feel free to e-mail me with your own suggestions of unknown bands.
Listen to "Frustrated" by Damone
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