Monday, May 31, 2010

Titus Andronicus - The Monitor


Though Titus Andronicus' newest album, The Monitor, is the most dynamic punk album I've heard in a while (5 of the 10 songs are over 7 minutes long!), it can be boiled down to a simple RIYL equation:

The strained vocals and lyricism of Conor Oberst + the drunken snarl and occasional bagpipe of the Dropkick Murphy's + the large-scale songwriting of fellow New Jersey native Bruce Springsteen = Titus Andronicus

Now add that solution into the following equation:

Titus Andronicus + Ear-bleeding volume + Whiskey on the rocks + PBR = Just want you want in life.

or

Titus Andronicus + Night + Driving + Open Highway = Excessive speeds and a good time


Thanks Eric for the recommendation. I can't stop spinning this.


P.S. Kit Wilson would be so proud. The whole album has Civil War themes spun throughout it. The Monitor was the ship that fought the Merrimack in the Battle of Hampton Roads. Also note the clips from Lincoln's speech in "A More Perfect Union."

I ask you: what more could a liberal arts graduate want in a punk album?

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Lou Reed- Street Hassle


Lou Reed had it tough after leaving the Velvet Underground- how do you follow up some of the best rock and roll ever recorded? Instead of playing it straight, he got weird, glamming it up with Bowie on Transformer and inventing noise rock on Metal Machine Music. In 1978, he released Street Hassle. The album is flawed, sure, but Lou never really made masterpieces. He's as broken and dirty as his characters, all used up and ready for more. Here, especially on the title track, he's doing what he does best: finding beauty in the tragic, the absurd, and rocking the shit out of it. And speaking of that title track, that little beatnik rap thrown in at the end is delivered by none other than Mr. Bruce Springsteen. The song itself is epic enough, one of Reed's best, but The Boss really sets it over the edge. Check it.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Hip Hachet - Men Who Share My Name

Here's a new one from one of our favorite Jerseyites (I said one of aK, don't get defensive), Philippe Bronchtein with his folk project, Hip Hatchet. Men Who Share My Name is a lovely offering from him, complete with beautiful melodies, introspective lyrics, and great production quality.

I definitely see a lot of Nick Drake and Leonard Cohen influences in here, which is never a bad thing, yet Hip Hatchet definitely retains a unique quality in the vocal harmonies that I think are the gem of the record.

Usually we post albums up here in FLAC to download but I'm going to link this to Hip Hatchet's bandcamp page where you can give it an initial listen then buy it at a price you like (minimum 2 bones). After all, the money goes to a good cause...we all know how haggard Philippe is.

Oh, and you can get it in FLAC.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

More on the hush hush


This is an album that I have been waiting a long time for. Song by song it may not have the power hits such as All My Friends and Someone Great, but this is by far DCL SystemofSounds best album. Although tracks 1, 4, and 9 are pretty gangbusters. The more I listen to this the more I just want to keep listening to this. I think that is what crack might be like.

Currently pushing this in FLAC. You'll be happy you did.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Be very quiet. I'm sharing music.



ST have many robots patrolling the internet, so it'll just have to suffice to say that you probably want this.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Isaac Hayes - Hot Buttered Soul


With the warmer weather previously mentioned come the romantic feelings of spring. Nothing sums up those feelings better than Isaac Hayes' soulful genius. Those of us growing up with South Park associate Hayes with the iconic lady's man Chef. We remember him teaching the children about the birds and the bees, all while sexually exploring the female population of that small mountain town.

Consider this album the documentation of the real Hayes' sexual exploration. Released in 1969, I can only imagine the things that were recorded in FLAC.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

El Michels Affair - Enter the 37th Chamber (2009)



Now that it's (hopefully) stopped snowing up here in VT, let's get some summer music on rotation. I think you all know what this is.