Posts Tagged ‘The Sounds’

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Top 10 Best Albums of 2009

2009/12/31

The end of a year. The end of a decade. The end of an era perhaps. I anticipate a year of change. "Spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically"… well, maybe not ecumenically, but definitely musically …and grammatically.

This past year has had several songs and abums I loved. I would say these are my "Top 10 Best Albums of 2009":

1. Franz Ferdinand – "Tonight"

Franz Ferdinand's "Tonight" is the winner in my mind. I still am gushing over it months later.

2. Metric – "Fantasies"

Metric's "Fantasies" is not too far behind and has really inspired some of my drumming.

3. Röyksopp – "Junior"

Röyksopp's "Junior" is like a shiny new toy you cannot help but play with and show off to your friends.

4. Coconut Records – "Davy"

Jason Schwartzman's music is good. I don't think he should stop acting because I like his work in that medium too, but Coconut Records is quality.

5. The Sounds – "Crossing The Rubicon"

I have been a little obsessed with these post-punkers this year so of course I had to include their latest album on this list!

6. Owl City – "Ocean Eyes"

Adam Young totally seems like the nice guy who cannot sleep and writes awesome Postal Service influenced songs in his basement.

7. Grizzly Bear – "Veckatimest"

These guys have a mesmerizing quality and I still cannot put my finger on it. Heads blowing up perhaps?

8. Matt & Kim – "Grand"

The album is good, but "Daylight" is genius in my opinion. So simple, and yet so complex. I still am working on Kim's drum line.

9. Animal Collective – "Merriweather Post Pavilion"

I kept hearing about these guys and finally gave them a listen. I like. I like.

10. The xx – "xx"

The xx is the only "new" band on this Top 10 list, and I only *just* got their album, but I like what I hear so much they are on the list!

Now to be fair, there are still a lot of albums on my "to do" list from 2009 so I reserve the right to add to this list. I'm still discovering music from over 10 years ago, so I am serious. Also I only recently aquired the "Animal Collective" and "The xx" so I reserve the right to rearrange it too if they sink in and I find myself all a twitter.

(Huh… I just realized Twitter has ruined the phrase "a twitter". Maybe it is apropos though. People do seem to be "a twitter" about Twitter. I am still betting eventually the tweeters out there will realize it is just microblogging… blogging with severe restrictions… and thus probably not going to last the test of time. People tend not to favor the thing that has severe restrictions. Microblogging = severe restrictions. And yes, I realize I am a user too, but I really only use it as a channel for my RSS feed. I digress.)

Check out the Top 10 and report back here. I want to know if you like them or not. Let me know what your top 10 (or top 3 or whatever) are too!

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Keane – "Leaving So Soon?" (2006)

2009/06/27

Work has made me super late in all my plans for the day. It is 5 PM, and I'm doing things I thought I'd would've started at 11 AM. Things like this post…

Although I have been mostly careful not to post songs by the same artists over and over, I kind of have two playlists in my life. One is my song of the day and bonus song that I've been posted as matches what is stuck in my head or fills my fancy at the time. The other are the "new to me" songs that I play over and over. There always seems to be one. These new to me songs give me chills (in a good way), but only for so long. Then it usually isn't long until another song takes its place.

I would post them all as "my song of the day", but my fear is it would make it quite dull, to hear about the same artists over and over for a week and then never again for months. I might just have to create a new category or something?

For today though I am going to cave to my desires, and post the song I am obsessing over by Keane even though I have recently posted a song by Keane. I think it might be the fun drum part that lures me, but I do like to belt out the lyrics in the car. (Yes I sing in the car, doesn't everybody?)

PS: The album cover for Keane's – "Under the Iron Sea" (2006) is surprisingly similar to The Sounds' – "Crossing the Rubicon" (2009) cover, don't you think? Hmmm. (Listen to "The Sounds" here!)

The Sounds - Crossing The Rubicon

The Sounds - Crossing The Rubicon

Song Recommendations

If you like this song, I also suggest:

I also suggest the music genre:

Click here for more info on Keane – Under the Iron Sea – "Leaving So Soon?".

The MP3 may be purchased here…

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The Sounds – "No One Sleeps When I'm Awake" (2009)

2009/05/16

I saw "The Sounds" at The Grog Shop, a week and a half ago now, as I previously mentioned. I must say I was taken aback by just how rough they sounded live, in a more traditional punk fashion. High energy and fast at the expense of polish. I think the nature of The Grog Shop, with that dark hole in the wall kind of feel, contributed to it. They were not quite what I had expected after listening to their albums and watching their videos, but I am still awaiting the release of their new album, "Crossing the Rubicon" on June 2nd with baited breath. Today's song, "No One Sleeps When I'm Awake", is the first single off the album which I got to hear live too!

The concert was a bit rough for me because after traveling all day to get to Cleveland and then standing in line for a couple hours to get into the venue, and then watching the opening band, "Hey Champ" (who impressed me), I was beat. I should've had coffee instead of beers because I just could not match the energy of the 19 year-olds around me at half past midnight when they started playing. Half the women in the audience seemed to have bleach blond hair to match Maja Ivarsson's and half the guys had on super tight jeans, a fashion trend that I had not really noticed until that night. I like my loose grunge-like "I just rolled out of bed" clothing, so I think I'm going to skip on the tight pants. I did have on my black converse though, straight laced of course (click for instructive image). Black converse are always cool.

My Straight Laces Black Converse Low Tops - Always Cool

My Straight Laces Black Converse Low Tops - Always Cool

Click here for more info on The Sounds – Crossing the Rubicon – "No One Sleeps When I'm Awake".

The MP3 for the single may be purchased before June 2nd here…

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The Sounds – "Painted By Numbers" (2006)

2009/04/19

This bonus song today was my song of the day on 3/6, and totally deserved it! Now you have to understand I had only heard of "The Sounds" in February 2009. I am now obsessed. As a sweet bonus for me personally, I am going to get to see them in concert in the near future because they are going to be within a day's drive. (Review of the concert to come after the show for sure, assuming I don't explode from experience!)

AND as a double bonus they have a new album, "Crossing the Rubicon" coming June 2nd 2009!!! (You can sign up to be notified by Amazon when it is available here. I did.) You can hear one of The Sounds' new singles, "No One Sleeps When I'm Awake", ahead of time here: http://www.myspace.com/thesounds

I am questioning how I did not hear of them until this year. I think I know the answer though. I got stuck in a musical rut the past couple years. Listening to new music by the 500+ artists I already knew, and nothing else. But that is over now. I am getting back in touch thanks to sites like NPR's All Songs Considered, Pandora Radio, and my eMusic subscription & recommendations. I'm also starting to ask everyone I know what they're listening to all the time. I don't want to miss out anymore!

So if you are not familiar with "The Sounds", watch the video above. Then go to their site and listen to everything there. Then go buy all their albums and enjoy!

Why am I obsessed? They have that post-punk revival sound. Edgy yet honest lyrics, a driving danceable beat, a touch of the 70s/80s pop & punk, and a "don't mess with me or I will kill you and throw a party like its 1999 on your skull" kind of attitude …AND they are Swedish. How could you not love that!? Also, do you not love the video? Oh I can't wait to see them!

PS: Maja Ivarsson is also totally channeling Deborah Harry, lead singer of "Blondie". Observe and you decide:

Deborah Harry:

Maja Ivarsson:

Click here for more info on The Sounds – Dying To Say This To You – "Painted By Numbers".

The MP3 may be purchased here…

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