Swedelife!

Team Robespierre - Ha Ha Ha

Download: Team Robespierre - Ha Ha Ha
It is what it is. You know I was thinking that I'd like to have an automatic record review generator. You could just plug in some words like the name of the band, album, location of band, some basic descriptors (noisy, boisterous, outrageous, melancholy, intricate, etc), and style of music, then have it spit out the review. Everything seems to be so formulaic these days, I don't think anyone would notice. Just make sure your rating is in line with pitchfork and you're in the clear.

"Team Robespeirre is a noisy, boisterous outfit from Brooklyn. Their tiny songs explode with punk and new wave particles. Blah blah blah it's something that needs to be heard. Some other bullshit. I actually like it quite a bit. No kidding."

Photo by: thepiratehat

The Dodos - Nerds

Download: The Dodos - Nerds

The Dodos are from my hometown San Francisco. They're another guitar/drum power duo but a bit more on the experimental side of the tracks. Most seem to embrace the blues straight up. The dodos make their own special kind of noise. So much so that they'll be playing the Noise Pop Fest. They are headlining the show on Feb. 28th at Cafe Du Nord with Or, The Whale. That should be a great night.

Visit: The Dodos

The Magnetic Fields - California Girls

Download: The Magnetic Fields - California Girls

I've been selling off my CDs left and right. There's no reason to have them anymore and I can use the extra cash. But as I was doing so tonight, I picked up the new The Magnetic Fields. So far it's great. Funny, I almost forgot about them. Check out California Girls.

Get: The Magnetic Fields - Distortion

Dale Strachan - Sad Gordon

Download: Dale Strachan - Sad Gordon

I was looking for a Dale song called Morrissey Blvd. but it appears we didn't put it on his solo album. I can't figure out why. Did he not want that song on his album? I love that track and was disappointed when it didn't make the cut for The King Is Dead... I'll have to ask Tim about it.

Sad Gordon is about Dale's overweight beagle. At least that's what I think it's about.

Or, The Whale - Isn't She Awful

Download: Or, The Whale - Isn't She Awful

San Francisco grande band Or, The Whale will be at the Noise Pop Fest this year. As is their right. They'll be at Cafe Du Nord on Feb. 28th if they can fit on the stage. Okay I'm making them sound larger than they are. I like a band with more than 4 people. Fills the eardrums.

More Noise Pop Info: Noise Pop XVI

(photo by prawnpie)

Wye Oak - Warning

Wye Oak - Warning

Via brooklynvegan, found this song the other day. Quite nice jangly, dreamy indie pop.  Two piece. Girl and a boy. They make nice music and they are on Merge Records.

More Wye Oak on Myspace.

Not related, but... While a Tree Grew: The Story of Maryland's Wye Oak

High On Fire - Devilution

High On Fire - Devilution

Hype Machine is great. Just over the course of a few days, I've discovered some great finds.  Or, search for old favorites. Like this track from Oakland savior's of rock, High On Fire. Sometimes you just need to rock with Satan.

(Photo by Taija Lynn and stolen from Pitchfork.)

Buy: High On Fire - Death Is This Communion

The Mountain Goats - Lions Teeth

Download: The Mountain Goats - Lions Teeth

We're going to start featuring bands that are playing at the 2008 Noise Pop Fest in San Francisco. We'll also dip into Noise Pop past from time to time. Today it's The Mountain Goats. They'll be playing at Bimbo's, The Independent, and a matinee at the Bottom of the Hill from Feb. 29 to March 2nd.

Buy: The Mountain Goats - The Sunset Tree

Panda Bear - Comfy In Nautica

Panda Bear - Comfy In Nautica

Aww Panda Bear. Such a cute name for a guy. I forget which folksy, ethereal, Candadian band Panda Bear is in; Arcade Fire? Broken Social Scene? Animal Collective? Wait they're from New York. Whatever. I do like it though. In 1931 Abbey Road Studios built one of the first electro-acoustic echo chambers to be used for recording purposes. This was a real room that would be used to play a recording and then allow for the sound to reverberate like a mother fucker to be re-recorded. It seems that Panda Bear decided to sing suspended from the rafters of St. Patrick's Cathedral to make this album.

Get: Panda Bear - Person Pitch

Silver Jews - Sometimes A Pony Gets Depressed

Silver Jews - Sometimes A Pony Gets Depressed

I'm not sure what it is, but this is one of my favorite songs. I could be my depression latching on to it like irony's iron fist, or it could be that it's just a great song. I'd like to hope it's the latter. Either way, it's just about perfect.

Get Silver Jews - Tanglewood Numbers