The Piano Band that.... Rocks

Coldplay's new album "Viva La Vida, or Death & All His Friends" (sorry, not "Viva La Death and All His Friends", as I wrote earlier) is out June 12th. It's one of the worst album names I've ever heard. I think either cringed or was in disbelief when I first heard the name. I thought, "there's no way, that's actually the album name" and now a couple weeks later, Coldplay has a preview of the cover art and a free download of the new single "Violet Hill" on their official website.

I find that the new song has Coldplay-esque ambience but rocks a bit harder than any of their previous offerings. I mean that, while the melodic piano parts are there, there are also bits of jagged electric guitar and drum bits that pierce through the softer noise. It's signature Coldplay, but toughened up alittle bit.

Black sunglasses and leather jackets? You know it.

Coldplay - Violet Hill (mp3)

Coldplay - God put a smile upon your face (mp3)

Last Night I Dreamt I was an Architect

Last night I dreamt I was an architect. Or I wished I was an architect. I want to build a little house for myself in the future. Something cute and green and cheap. Something I can actually afford. Something like the Phinney Ridge House in Seattle, WA (show on the left) by architect Jim Burton of BLIP design.

The Green Living Show 2008 at the Direct Energy Center has new innovations in which to incorporate my ideas, albeit they don’t come cheap. To solar power one’s house would cost $20000-$30000, not including the government rebates available.

And plus, the time it takes to become an architect is almost equivalent to becoming a doctor. Sigh. Wishful thoughts….


Decemberists - Here I Dreamt I was an Architect (mp3)

Lonesome Architects - Was it You (mp3)

Did Steve tell you that perchance?

So you know who's beginning to take over the world? The formerly fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo of New Zealand, otherwise known as the Flight of the Conchords.

Watch out he's a-gonna git you wit dah gitar!!!!

Too bad their official website hasn't been updated since 2006.

But I suppose you can't blame the boys. They've been busy with their self-titled HBO series after all. It's been an underground success and up for another season in the year to come.

Now I'll be honest, I haven't actually been able to watch any of the series, save for some music videos and short clips via YouTube. I don't get HBO. But I'll get my hands on the season 1 DVDs sooner or later. Rest assured. From what I hear, DazzleRazzled is a much more appropriate fan of the duo and has been trying to get Edie to watch the series for months.

But even from their music alone, it's obvious that these guys are comical geniuses.



In case you didn't get that the first time, that was:

Flight of the Conchords - Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros (featuring the Hiphopopotamus and the Rhymenoceros (mp3)

And just to amuse you, I'll give you one more off the new album, released earlier this week. Warning, this one is destructively catchy.



Flight of the Conchords - Foux du Fafa (mp3)

Ah... Genius.

The Neverending White Lights

Yesterday, ImpressionableYouth and I headed over to Yonge St to see Neverending White Lights play at Sunrise Records as part of Record Store Day. I've been curious to hear how the songs sounded without the guest vocalists who appear on the albums. His first album, Act I: Goodbye Friends of Heavenly Bodies featured guests such as Emm Gryner and Dallas Green (Alexisonfire, City & Colour). Dallas performed the song "the Grace" which was the track that first brought the Neverending White Lights to my attention. Act II: The Blood and Life Eternal features Sune Rose Wagner (the Raveonettes), Hawksley Workman, Melissa Auf der Maur (Hole, Smashing Pumpkins, Auf der Maur) and Lexi Valentine (Magneta Lane) amongst others.


It was a good set. Joined by two other musicans, Daniel Victor (the mastermind behind the Neverending White Lights) sang and played guitar for short acoustic-ish set. B-Rad (I think that's what he was introduced as), the percussionist played rhythm with a pen, a cup of glass and an empty bottle filled with mung beans. It's cool how improvisation works.

I'm not too familar with the names of the songs so when Daniel Victor asked if anybody had requests, I had songs I wanted him to play but I just couldn't remember them at the top of my head. It would have been embarrassing if I shouted out something that doesn't exist. Anyways, I'm glad they played "The World is Darker" which is one of my favourites, sang by Melissa Auf der Maur in the studio version. The song "Always" was the highlight of the show though.

They played later that night at the Danforth Music Hall.

Neverending White Lights (feat. Dallas Green) - The Grace (mp3)
Neverending White Lights (feat. Melissa Auf der Maur) - The World is Darker (mp3)
Neverending White Lights - Always (mp3)

These Electric Lives

These Electric Lives are a five piece Toronto group who have had their demo EP called "Learn By Doing" out for a while. It only have 5 tracks but they have been much embraced by the indie music blogger world. And they have a show coming up at the Neutral in Kensington (349a College St) this Saturday April 20th.

According to the band, here are four good reasons to come out to the show:

1) [They] haven't played Toronto since February

2) There is a really fun dance party after [they] play (care of DJ Lawrence and DJ La Merde)

3) The official Tokyo Police Club listening party starts at 10pm before we play at 10:30pm...the KS folks are giving away some copies of their new record Elephant Shell.

4) $2 AMSTERDAM BOTTLES AND SHOTS BEFORE 11PM!

Here is my reason:
5) They play really fun dancey synthesizery rock music!

These Electric Lives - We Should Be Believing (mp3)

These Electric Lives - Soda Water (mp3)

Maneater Covers

You know you've made a song that'll go down in pop culture when everyone wants to cover it. So here's Nelly Furtado's "Maneater" in various shapes and forms.

Nelly Furtado - Maneater (mp3)

Panic at the Disco - Maneater (Nelly Furtado cover) (mp3)

Boy Kill Boy - Maneater (Nelly Furtado cover) (mp3)

The Divine Comedy - Maneater (Nelly Furtado cover) (mp3)

Neverending White Lights - Maneater (Nelly Furtado Cover) (myspace link)

Ted Mosby Is A Jerk.Com

Since we were on the topic of TV shows and cancellations, I wanted to take some proactive steps so that one of my favorite TV shows doesn't end up like my other favorite TV shows (Arrested Development, Angel, Veronica Mars, Firefly, Futurama ... don't get me started on the topic of cancellations).

How awesome is How I Met Your Mother?
It's legen-wait for it-dary!
If you watch the show, you were probably expecting that.
I know I know, it was pretty cheesy and awesome!

If it hasn't been mentioned before here, How I Met Your Mother is a TV sitcom airing on Mondays on CBS about a father telling the story how he met his wife to his children in excruciatingly slow detail. Though that doesn't sound like much, it truly is the best thing since.... sliced bread!

The show has a really great story line and concept, the actors are absolutely pitch perfect for their characters, it's well written, it has continuity (slapbet, that's right a slapbet) and it's just plain funny. The only thing it doesn't have is the ability to do your laundry. Yes, it is that great.

As for that continuity stuff I mentioned, on the show Barney mentions his blog a lot. Go read it, it classic Barney. And that architect, Ted Mosby, well he's a jerk and a porn star! What a douche!

Fun factoid: The theme song is by a band called The Solids; two of the band members (Carter Bays and Craig Thomas) are the creators of How I Met Your Mother!

Barney's Blog
Ted Mosby Is A Jerk
Marshall - You Just Got Slapped (YouTube video from Slapsgiving)
The Solids - Hey Beautiful (YouTube video of HIMYM theme)
The Solids - Hey Beautiful (mp3)
YouTube video of HIMYM cast singing theme

Save JPod! Say No to Steve!

The CBC has decided to cancel JPod. I'm saddened about how this wonderfully written and compellingly random series is going off the air next season. It never even had a chance since it was moved from its Tuesday night slot to Friday nights. The ideas set forth by this show are pretty out there, but it's just so entertaining! Just watch this clip that explains how the top videos on Youtube (or in the JPod universe, All Tube) get selected.



Anyways, a couple of fans is trying to save the Pod through SaveJpod.ca, where you too, can say No to Steve and sign a petition to stop the madness!

Tragically Hip - In View (mp3)

Cool Los Angeles

Meet Princeton.

They are a three piece, consisting of Jesse and Matt Kivel and Ben Usen, hailing from Los Angeles. I first heard of them through My Old Kentucky Blog and was instantly was drawn to their sparse folkish arrangements with poppy melodies from their first EP entitled "A Case of the Emperor's New Clothes EP". Their next release entitled "the Bloomsbury EP" is set to be released in the summer and currently they are touring with the Vampire Weekend in the states, but with any luck, they should be getting the indie hype that their fellow tourmates are receiving.

Apparently, the group first got the idea to pursue music after watching the movie "That thing you do" as kids. What a defining moment!

Princeton - Blackbeard (mp3)
Princeton - The Indifference Curve (mp3)

And also give a warm welcome to Midnight Movies.They are quartet also hailing form Los Angeles with a sound that conjures up images of late nights and the sight and sound of lights and cars passing through a big city. Their new ep, "Nights" features a version of the song "Patient Eye" on their last album "Lion the Girl" which has been remixed by James Iha (of A Perfect Circle and the Smashing Pumpkins). I could tell by the first few bars that this is going to be one of the few bands whom will define 2008 for me. Their sound is strangely familiar but I can't quite pin down the influences.

Midnight Movies - Patient Eye (James Iha Remix) (mp3)
Midnight Movies - Parallel Paramour (mp3)