coldplay in indianapolis 6/5/09

i apologize for the lack of updates; i've been busy in the real world. busy seeing coldplay, for example, who put on a surprisingly good show in indianapolis. chris martin, while a bit awkward and quite a goof, was actually... likable. the set was a mix mostly of viva la vida (ick) or a rush of blood to the head (hellz yeah!). parachutes got slighted except for yellow, and x&y was mostly ignored as well, although fix you was actually one of the highlights of the concert, despite being a song i rarely listen to. that and the scientist almost brought tears to my eyes, i'll admit. not every song at the concert was that emotional, and a few did make me yawn [but much less so than the ever-so-dull opener snow patrol, a band i'll have to endure again when I see U2 in september], but the majority of the set was quite enjoyable. their cover of "i'm a believer" was a bit random and out of place, but the crowd sure loved it, and the band had fun with it. they performed that while on a "c-stage." they had a b-stage going into the audience, which is pretty typical these days [fun fact: U2 invented the b-stage for their ZOOTV tour], but they had ANOTHER stage extending all the way into the lawn seats in the back, which was pretty damn cool.

i had to laugh before coldplay came on stage when they played U2's "magnificent" over the loudspeakers. while coldplay were quite good, they sure have a long way to go before they reach the level of their idols U2. they're far away, but at least they're tryin'.

here is one of my favourite coldplay songs, a beautifully understated b-side to "shiver" from their first album:

careful where you stand

so many dynamos = the loud wars [2009]

i like the name so many dynamos. it's fun, which is fitting for the band. formed in 2002 in illinois [hurrah for midwest bands!], they use poppy dance rock combined with elements of math rock to create a slightly off-kilter yet catchy sound. i dig the interaction between the two guitars, which should appeal to fans of bands like franz ferdinand and arctic monkeys. their third album, the loud wars, is due out june 9th on vagrant records.




the first single is new bones, an eerie indie dance anthem which is less guitar-based and more electronic-sounding than the rest of the album. it's certainly an intriguing track.

new bones


here are my two favourite songs from the album:

artifacts of sound


oh, the devastation!


so many dynamos are currently touring with maps & atlases. their tour dates are on their [myspace]. they're coming to bloomington on the 17th. i'll probably check 'em out.

maserati in xbox project natal video

the future is now.



as revealed at the 2009 e3, [project natal] is microsoft's answer to the wii, and it reminds me of minority report, and i want it. as you can see from the video, it allows you to use your body as a controller. it also uses facial and voice recognition. the video does raise some currently unanswered questions. does it really work as seamlessly as shown? when will it be available? how much will it cost? and how on earth did microsoft find the post-rock band maserati to use in their demo video?

maserati are from athens, ga. they have a unique brand of post-rock with psychedelic and kraut-rock influences. they also list early U2 as an influence on their [myspace], which is probably why i like them so much. some of their songs definitely are reminiscent of unforgettable fire/joshua tree era b-sides.

check out this song from the xbox video posted above, from their 2007 album inventions for the new season:




show me the season


props to microsoft for picking a great [and obscure!] band for their ad. post-rock must be the new in thing... i am reminded of the use of sigur ros's "sæglópur" in a [prince of persia] ad.

iwrestledabearonce = it's all happening [2009]

i found something pretty cool.

IWRESTLEDABEARONCE are a grindcore band of sorts. for a better picture, throw in some progressive/experimental, a bit of electronica, and more insanity... oh, and a chick lead singer. yes, all of the screams you hear are done by krysta, who is very much a female. check out this video for "tastes like kevin bacon":



i'm not into much grindcore besides the number twelve looks like you, but IWRESTLEDABEARONCE are too good to ignore. there are some EPIC moments here, and they've certainly crafted a very distinct sound for themselves.

their debut full-length it's all happening comes out june 2nd. you can pre-order it on itunes and also buy their self-titled ep.




you ain't no family



[official site]

IWRESTLEDABEARONCE are currently touring in the US - check out their tour dates on [myspace]

wilco (the post)

i'm sure i'm the first blogger to come up with that clever title.

you've probably already heard the new wilco album [due out june 30], since when it leaked they streamed it on their official site. wilco (the album) is the perfect title, because this album is indeed very wilco. nothing too innovative here, but some very solid songwriting. a good summary of their sound. i feel like this album is very easy to like. songs like wilco (the song) have a pleasant, carefree feel. there are also some downright beautiful moments, my favourite being the entirety of one wing

one wing


repeated listens are really doing this album good. it's far from a masterpiece, as few songs really stick out as amazing to me, and it's not the most interesting album. but it is good. simplicity can be a wonderful thing. like sky blue sky, this is the perfect summer album.

i saw wilco in april here in bloomington. no new material, but a fantastic show. very loud, which was pleasing to me. i've also never seen so many people dance to wilco before. people were really into it.

and finally, rip jay bennett. the former wilco member was only 45 when found dead last weekend. the cause of death is still unknown. how very sad...

dredg = the pariah, the parrot, the delusion [2009]

so. i got caught up in school and finals and all, and upon finishing this proceeded to do absolutely nothing except play pokemon. it was pretty cool. but i figured i should come back to this eventually, especially with all the great new music coming out. today's band of the day is ... dredg!




dredg are from california. they have their own brand of progressive rock. they started out sort of heavy with leitmotif, went into dreamier territory with el cielo, and took more of a pop-rock approach with catch without arms. their upcoming album, the pariah, the parrot, the delusion, continues in the same vein as catch without arms. but it's hardly a typical pop-rock effort, given the subject matter - bassist drew roulette says the album is based on a salman rushdie essay, "a letter to the six billionth citizen." perhaps that explains why the album is so transcendent, and seemingly simple melodies find themselves growing on you ten listens in. this album has a few heavy riffs, but it truly shines in the triumphant choruses and the vocals of gavin hayes.


i don't know

this town needs guns

this town needs guns = wonderful, wonderful uk math rock. think minus the bear/maps & atlases/american football style elaborate guitar with the wistfulness of death cab for cutie. beautifully complex arrangements which come across as effortless. their full length lp animals is their finest work, but their earlier stuff offers something a little different with some distorted guitar and piano which isn't present on that album. and nothing on animals is quite as upbeat as "26 is dancier than 4." plus you don't get the quirky song titles (which must be some math rock thing... again, see minus the bear. hey! is that a ninja up there?)


26 is dancier than 4


it's not true rufus, don't listen to the hat


hippy jam fest (the likes of which has never been seen)


wanna come back to my room and listen to some belle and sebastian?


try using that last one as a pick-up line on that cute indie kid.