back to the nest

Yay, new Arcade Fire!  Finally…I feel like it’s always a long wait for new stuff with these cats, but the wait is always worth it.  The Suburbs is their newest album and is planned for an August 2nd release.  Luckily they’re extra nice the people (like me) who find it physically impossible to wait when they hear about a great new album coming out, and released not one, but TWO fab singles.  Listen to “The Suburbs” and “Month of May” and get excited.  Woo hoo!!

It’s the perfect song for a summer Friday.  I should have posted it earlier, but I’m only 1/3 of the way through today’s cup of coffee so…

Lots of hype these days over The Morning Benders.  Big Echo came out a couple months ago and was co-produced by Grizzly Bear’s bassist.  Hey-o!  This jam “Promises” is mad-summery to me for some reason (even though this particular single was released in January).  Loud drums and vocals, but still mellow enough to help me transition from asleep to awake at 7:30 am.  Plus I love the album cover art and may be heading over to my local thrift store today to pick myself up a one-piece bathing suit and yellow rubber bathing cap.

Listen to “Promises” while you get ready for the weekend.  Play it while you’re having a cookout or bonfire.  Then invite me to said cookout or bonfire.  I’ll bring the music.

Happy Friday!

Earlier this month, I saw Rogue Wave for the second time (the first was September 2005) at Philly’s First Unitarian Church.  The First Untitarian Church randomly has great shows all year, and this one was a “seated sanctuary show.”  Meaning you see a great band play for not a lot of money while  literally sitting in church.  I can’t remember the last time I’ve even been to one.

Anyway Rogue Wave was amazing.  I loved everything about this show.  The seats were good, the acoustics were incredible, the band was engaging, and the atmosphere was wacked (in a good way).

Their newest album, Permalight dropped in February, and it’s not bad at all.  I’m pretty sure they played every song from it, in addition to a bunch from their past few records.  They played “All That Remains” first and incorporated the church organ into it, followed by Zach Rogue greeting us all with: “Welcome to church.  Blessed are you!”  Lots of fun church references followed, but I can’t remember any of them.

By special request, this Heavy Rotation features two songs off of Permalight.  We went with two here because “All That Remains” is fantastic but way too short.  So enjoy that and “Stars and Stripes.”

Pictures from the show below taken by someone who’s really good at taking pictures (not me).

Summer:  it’s far from here.  But around this time every year, I start dreaming of long days, warm nights, the beach…especially when there’s a random week in January where the weather is in the ’50s.  What a tease.

Surfer Blood (from Florida–lucky!) is my favorite recent find.  The amazing riffs in their song “Swim (To Reach The End)” tell me that summer is coming, and lull me into believing it’s true.  So wrong, yet so right.  Go ahead and keep the tease going, Surfer Blood.  I can take it.

Tonight’s Heavy Rotation was inspired by a kick-ass mix I recently made for my friend Michelle.  Michelle’s mix featured a heavy dose of The Raveonettes, and I think she should share the wealth.

I’ve been loving the Raveonettes forever, but now they have a new album out and it’s just rad!  In and Out of Control is amazing, beginning to end, no lie.  I couldn’t decide between “Bang!” and “Last Dance”, so tonight you get both.  You’re welcome.

I am le tired right now, so I’ll leave you with this: often, I feel like I was born in the wrong time and should have been coming of age in the late ’60s/early ’70s.  But I could never live outside of the technological age of today.  The Raveonettes satisfy that inner struggle.  You have to listen to understand what that means.  Enjoy!

*Something’s wrong with the player, but it’s not my fault.  It still works, but it just looks a little wack.  No worries!

Technically not on heavy rotation in my life, because I just found it today.  But enjoy “New Year” by The Go Find anyway, as my New Year’s gift to you.  This song is a few years old, and I can’t believe I haven’t heard of these guys before today.  I did find out that The Go Find is a side-project of Orange Black singer/guitarist Dieter Sermeus, but haven’t heard of either…either.  They’ve released a couple of albums since 2004, and Stars On The Wall is their most recent.  So far I like what I’m hearing, aaaand I think you will too.

It has been quite a while, I know.  Lots going on, other than your standard holiday happenings that often force you to leave some of your favorites on the back burner.  But here’s the greatest news:  I got a MacBook Pro!  It was the single gift I got this year from my parents, and sort of a combo Christmas and birthday (which is coming up in January) gift.  Big deal, because for the past 6 years or so, I’ve been plagued by computer woes like you wouldn’t believe.  It’s crazy to me that I have one that’s fast, and actually works!  So, I’m hoping that once life starts to calm down a bit I’ll be back to my good ol’ daily blogging self.

Anyone else experiencing this Northeastern blizzard craziness?  I can’t believe how much snow is falling at this very moment.

It’s actually really beautiful around here and Christmasy-feeling, with all the snow.  I plan on taking a bunch of pictures this evening if I can, and sharing them with you tomorrow.

So for now, enjoy Matt Pond Pa’s “Snow Day” on Heavy Rotation.  It’s a bit of an oldie (circa 2005), but always a goodie, especially on a day like today.  If you’re struggling with this snow now, hopefully this can make you feel just a tad better.  Be safe, and have fun!

Heavy Rotation is short and sweet tonight.  Listen to what I’m listening to as I catch up on reading my favorite blogs (which has inexcusably fallen by the wayside) via Google Reader.

I love Beck.  I love Dylan.  I love Beck’s cover of Bob Dylan’s “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat.”  The song is from the stellar compilation album War Child Presents Heroes released at the beginning of this year, which benefits kids who are war victims.  An outrageous twist on an old classic, what’s not to love?  Enjoy!