Friday, February 03, 2006

Black Rebel Motorcyle Club - Howl

Black Rebel Motorcyle Club
Howl




Released a few months ago, but because I mentioned Howl in a previous post, thought I would throw this out there. B.R.M.C. are an underrated and undeservedly unappreciated band.

check out live footage and videos courtesy of Rolling Stone online, featuring the stylish, trippy video for "Stop," and cool live performances of "Ain't No Easy Way Out" and "Complicated Situation", among other standout tracks. (fast internet connections and easy registration required)


Previous Releases

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Take Them On, On Your Own




Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club


Better than the DMB: Maryland's Own O.A.R.

Yes... quite a blasphemous and crazy thing to say, don't you think?

Well, this particular Maryland kid has been saying just that for about 4 years now, and the claims of grandeur have been finally justified in the form of a mainstream breakthrough, which was inevitable.

Forming near Rockville, MD, the founding members of O.A.R. all attended Ohio State University in Columbus, OH. At OSU, they picked up the sax player that was to give them their signature sound, which, along with a raggae-dominated approach and a party-like mood to their songs and lyrics, continues to define the band to this day. The band started out as the ultimate frat band, but has evolved into a touring force with a sterling, hard-earned reputation for a kickin' live show and solid major studio releases (2 thus far).

Hard work and determination have paid off after years of blood, sweat, and tears, and these Maryland boys have conquered all the major rock hotspots in order to become successful: New York City, California, the Midwest, Boston, Philadelphia, and, of course, their own backyard in the NOVA/DC/MD corridor.

Top 11 O.A.R. Songs

1. That Was a Crazy Game of Poker
2. Black Rock
3. 52-50
4. Hey Girl (NOT any of the studio versions, only the live versions)
5. City on Down
6. Dareh Meyod
7. Trajedy in Waiting (early live version)
8. Program Director
9. Night Shift
10. Road Outside Columbus
11. Old Man Time

much more to come, including MP3's

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

I Am A Shoegazer

It is probably not a startling relevation, to the music bloggers that are acquainted with me, that I am a diehard fan of the music style called shoegazer. More on that style of music in a minute... What may come as a surprise (or maybe not) is that I am also a shoegazer... That is, I gaze a lot at women's shoes and I judge a lot about a woman by her selection of shoes. Ok, I am not weird or a male version of Imelda Marcos, but it has been my experience that the way a woman complements her attire with her selection of shoes pretty much reveals what kind of lady she is. Well, you tell me which lady you would like to get to know better....





Ok, Ok maybe that isn't the best example and probably proves only one thing-that D needs to get laid really, really bad...

Let's get back to the music shoegazer side of me..

They say the term shoegazer was coined by the infamous New Musical Express due to the fact that certain types of band members tended to gaze at their shoes or more appropriately their effects pedal (stomp box) while playing deep in concentration. Hence, music played while shoegazing.... Another way to think of shoegazer bands is to envision no lead guitarist but rather two distorted fuzzy rhythm guitars constantly interweaving to develop a melodic but full 'muddled' wall of sound. Also, shoegazer vocals tend to be subdued, flowing on top of the weaving intertwined guitars. The key though is underlying the distorted guitars, a smooth sense of melody is found.

The renowned labels such as 4AD and Creation were the major merchants of this sound during the early 80's. As all good things in rock music, the sound emerged from the UK. Think bands like Lush, Chapterhouse, Pale Saints, Ride, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Spacemen 3, My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive and you will be in the world of the shoegazer.

So, that brings me to Lab Partners (not crazy about the name) from Dayton, Ohio who released 2005's Wicked Branches on Portland's cool Reverb Records label. Not a bad effort and they do a decent job of bringing together the sound of Ride, some Chapterhouse and maybe even a little Spacemen 3. No, this is not a new sound but a sound that will please the shoegazer in all of us.. Check it out...

Blood Moon (mp3)

Burning Fields (mp3)

And here is some classic shoegazer.....

If You Want Me (mp3-Chapterhouse-Whirlpool)

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Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Welcome

Site News

The crew at Letter Never Sent would like to welcome poker stud Shaun Poulin to the team!
Shaun is the next
Daniel Negreanu in my book, and he has great taste when it comes to the ladies.

Check out his nascent site at:
Glimpse Into My Head

We are also in talks to pick up Keith from Caught Up in the Craze. He would make a solid addition.

History

This is also the 100th post on the site. Yay.

Request for the D

D, any chance you have the following MP3?

Hurricane #1 - Step Into My World (one of my top 5 favorite songs of all time)


200% up to $200!!!

Bad People and Bad Friends...

deserve to be exposed for who they are.

Normally, I wouldn't like to give bad human beings exposure in this manner, but one of my good friends happens to be Jewish, and this site is NOT cool:

http://www.overthrow.com

Racism sucks, pure and simple. The asshole who runs the site, Bill White (from what I understand his real name), could probably use some bad exposure thrown his way.

This reminds me of those sick NAMBLA jerks from a few months ago. It's all the same: hate, and hate sucks. I like to hate the game, though, so I'm going to play it that way.

Don't mess with my friends.

Monday, January 30, 2006

Mars Volta Were At The Drive In



Ah yes, my new blogging boss Mr. FJ Delgado was so correct in pointing out the genius of The Mars Volta right here. And let us not forget where the genius of TMV were previously employed. Yes, that would be At The Drive In. Forming from the depths of the US border town of El Paso At The Drive In produced three massive rock albums between the years of 1996 and 2000. Helmed by Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals) and Omar Rodriguez-Lopez (guitar), ATDI culminated their short career in the pulse pounding, driving, rythmic masterpiece known as Relationship Of Command. Like a Phoenix The Mars Volta rose from the ashes of the great ATDI, thanks to the genius of Mr. Bixler and Mr. Rodriguez. Teamed with one of the best drummers in rock Mr. Jon Theodore (as Mr. Delgado so correctly points out) , Juan Alderte (bassist), Isaiah "Ikey" Owens (keyboardist) and Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez (musician of many talents), TMV quite frankly kick some serious rock 'n roll ass....

2003's debut release for TMV -
De-Loused In A Comatorium- a masterpiece inspired by a friend of the band, Julio Venegas, who committed suicide in El Paso.

right click, save target as for mp3's

Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of) (mp3)

Cicatriz ESP (mp3)

And from the earlier great At The Drive In, 2000's awesome
Relationship Of Command

One Armed Scissor (mp3)

Cosmonaut (mp3)

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Sunday, January 29, 2006

Deep Thoughts - courtesy of Chris Duhon

13. [Today] is the fifth anniversary of the huge comeback game against Maryland at Cole Field House, where you guys scored 10 points in 54 seconds to force overtime before winning. What do you remember still about it?

Duhon: The best memory, for me, is coming out of the timeout with the whole stadium on their feet, screaming "O-ver-ra-ted, o-ver-ra-ted!" The whole crowd. I'm walking with Jay [Williams], and there were two guys – Maryland fans – in the front row who get up a the same time and wave at them to be quiet and say, "It's not over yet." And Jay kind of looked at me and winked and then, 50-some seconds later, we were going into overtime.


Duke ESPN.COM Simulated Final Fourcast

Redick, Williams are a devastating Batman and Robin combo (ESPN.com)

#2 Duke and J.J. Redick demolish Virginia (Duke Basketball Report), 82-63 (Diesel, you owe me an Irish Car Bomb!)

More blogs about Duke basketball.