But Not Dick

i imagine by this point in time in the man's career, white whale jokes are superfluous at best, but if i have the chance for a cheap "dick" joke, by gum, i'm going to take it. Hell, any bald and bespectacled beat producer is A-OK in my book right off the bat, but, c'mon, guy...

That's right, Moby has a new CD/book combo entitled Destroyed set to drop May 17, 2011. To get the people juiced, he just put a three track EP, Be The One, that contains songs from Destroyed. Does that make it an EP or a sampler?

Truth be told, who cares, particularly in light of the fact that these three are beasts? According to the accompanying press release, the album "takes us behind the scenes on an international journey with Moby, introducing us to the strange and disconcerting life of touring that is often not exposed; the time spent isolated in anonymous, mundane spaces like hotel rooms, airports, and backstage waiting areas."

Of particular local interest, events will be held in select cities to debut music and exhibit prints from the affair. As luck would have it, the first one is May 9 at National Geographic. Entitled "Music on...Photography," it's part of the National Geographic Music Live multi-media series featuring renowned personalities in the music world as they share their view on the planet from behind the camera lens. i'm trying to get a press pass myself, so hopefully we'll be doing a bit more reporting on this one, as well.

With songs written in the wee hours of too late/too early, it looks like Moby is back with the perfect soundtrack for insomniacs.

mp3: Be The One (Moby from Be The One EP)

mp3: Victoria Lucas (Moby from Be The One EP)

Megan's Top 70 of 2010: #26 - The National

Why I Decree it to Be So:

I don’t love it as much as my favorite National record, Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers. I’ll go ahead and admit that right now. But I love it all the same. There’s something about this band that seems to get stronger as they go along, perhaps it’s the whole maturation process. Whatever it is, The National makes some of the finest music to wallow to that I’ve ever heard. For some reason, in my mind they often seem like sonic equivalents of the (brilliant) plays of Tennessee Williams, imperfect slivers of American Gothic steeped in layers of sorrow and yet achingly beautiful. The songs on High Violet only add to this parallel. It’s a sullen, sulky record, which is exactly what we National fans expect. High Violet is an album of regrets, and it’s beguiling in its unhappiness. Once more, the five Ohio boys turned New Yorkers have made music to soothe my weary soul. The wait for High Violet, agonizing though it may have been, was well worth it. When it comes to The National, being sad feels pretty good. (SEE MORE)

mp3: Bloodbuzz Ohio (The National from High Violet)

Megan's Top 70 of 2010: #27 - The Phantom Band

Why I Decree it to Be So:

And now, dear friends, we come to my favorite band in all of Scotland, The Phantom Band. As The Kinks would say, they're not like everybody else, and hallelujah for that. Second album The Wants sees the gents travel to all sorts of kooky sonic places, anchored all the while by the big, earthy brogue of Rick Anthony. It's not the record I envisioned The Phantom Band making, but strangely The Wants is even more than I could have hoped for. The Wants goes here, there, and everywhere, backwards and forwards, upside down, rightside up, and just about anywhere else. They defy space, time, and genre with their mindbending blend of rocking dancefloor folk confoundery, and in the process made one of the most interesting records of 2010 by 1000 light years, and then some.

mp3: Walls (The Phantom Band from The Wants)

Newsflash!: Holy Crap! Another LET-Sanctioned Show of Awesome!

Yes, friends, that's right. It's the gray season of Winter and it's cold cold cold (ok, so it's not cold today, but work with me here), and damned if that's not as good an excuse as any to listen to some damn FINE music of the local variety.

We are happy as clammy clams to be sponsoring what will, undoubtedly, be a night of insanely, wickedly, hearing-loss inducingly loud and ridiculously rad music on February 28th, starring the behemoth talents of Mittenfields and Forevsner. The night promises to be so loud, as it happens, that earplugs will be provided for one and all. We don't want anyone's eardrums popping, after all! So come hang out with us, see two killer bands, AND do good while you have a good time. How's that, you ask? Well you see, darlingest darling dears, the proceeds of the show are going to benefit We Are Family DC. So chase the Mondays away with us, down at Arlington's Galaxy Hut. We can't wait to see your pretty, pretty faces. To get you in the mood, here's a couple lo-fi, rough gems from Forevsner.

mp3: The Ones Who Steal Yer Trash (Forevsner)

mp3: So We Stayed Home (Forevsner)

Megan's Top 70 of 2010: #28 - The Jim Jones Revue

Why I Decree it to Be So:

Goodness gracious, great balls of fire indeed. Riddle me this, friends, how does a band from Blighty manage to channel the spirits of rock’s crucial dawning era so convincingly that listening to this here record might challenge anybody as to when it was made? How can they capture the exact firecracker tinkling of the piano, the rough, jagged polish of the guitar, and most of all, the soulful, guttural, holy howl so needed to inspire legions of fans into riotous abandon? I might not have an answer to any of that, but what I can tell you is that The Jim Jones Revue should probably become one of your favorite new/new favorite bands immediately, if not sooner. This self-titled release has been around for a little while, but just now are we Yanks lucky enough to be able to get our mitts on it. And trust me, you’ll want to get a hold of this one. It’s like having Jerry Lee Lewis wiggling around at the keys, Little Richard running rampant with the mic, and the best axemen and rhythm section you can possibly imagine carrying the rest of the load. The rock just does not stop on this record. Does. Not. Stop. The band goes gangbusters from start to finish, and I can only imagine the holy hell of a live show they must put on (hey y'all, come on down to the D of C). (SEE MORE)

mp3: Hey Hey Hey Hey (The Jim Jones Revue from The Jim Jones Revue) (hey hey hey hey Rollo & Grady!)

Megan's Top 70 of 2010: #29 - Suns Of Guns

Why I Decree it to Be So:

You've heard me ramble on about DC's very own Suns of Guns before, and seeing their record On The Border of Snakeland on my list should therefore come as no dang surprise. This record, my little tenderhearts, is absolutely killer. It's full of filth & fury, grit & grime, and oh yes, rock & roll. This, my friends, is a band that means business. The guitar is raw. The vocals are raw. The bass and drums are, well, you guessed it. Suns of Guns on record really do sound like refugees from the Motor City of The Stooges and The MC5, full of raw power and ramblin' roses but with that extra little DC dirty to them. And let's face it, and band with a song called "The Them" that kinda sounds a little like the actual Them after a month-long bender wins major, major points with me. Without a doubt one of the filthiest, dirtiest, nastiest, sweatiest rock records of the whole dang 2010 open season.

mp3: Purple Bats (Suns of Guns from On The Border of Snakeland)

Megan's Top 70 of 2010: #30 - Women

Why I Decree it to Be So:

I'm still hoping (i.e. deluding myself) that the disintegration of Women as a band is a mere hiccup, but on the slight chance that it's a little more permanent, well, at least they went out with one hell of a bang. Public Strain is absolutely golden, a hotbed of dissonant dreams and unexpected beauty. It's a record that shows tremendous musical growth, and even more tremendous awesomeness. Opener "Can't You See" puts typical Women-esque dissonant discordance against Velvet Underground-inspired strings for a perfect introduction to what else lies in store. "China Steps" is a favorite of mine, with the sinister repetition of drummery as well as in the severity of the guitar. It's almost violent in its' aggression at times, and damned if it's not one of my favorite songs of the year. The whole record, really, is a jaw-droppingly jarring jangle, a crack'd looking glass of 60s psych, perfect pop nuggets, and even some good old fashioned noise rock thrown in for shits and giggles. Squeamish folk might want to look elsewhere, because Public Strain bares its' teeth early and often. But for those of us who dig that kinda thing, well, this record's a welcome treat.

mp3: China Steps (Women from Public Strain)

Megan's Top 70 of 2010: #31 - The Morning Benders

Why I Decree it to Be So:

I love pretty much just about everything about Big Echo. No lie, my friends. The Morning Benders hit it out of that proverbial park, got a hole-in-one, and got themselves the winning buzzer-beater or whatever little sporty metaphor tickles your fancy. Big Echo is bucolically beautiful, robust and sunbursting, an homage to the beachtastic 60s and the glammiest of 70s in equal, and equally-pleasing measure. Christopher Chu's vocals are simply lovely, and oh-so beach ready, and the whole record elicits plenty of California daydreamin. It's idyllic and poppily pastoral and just plain gorgeous. Buy it immediately.

mp3: Excuses (The Morning Benders from Big Echo)

Beat Meet: The Combined Forces, Cowboy Gambling, Sex Talking, Boudoir Blunted, Second Introductory Edition

You been getting that jonesin' for some beats, too, lately? Let's scratch that itch, shall we? The good news about delayed Beat Meets is the fact that there's generally more beats to share when we do get together like this. The real question, however, remains: did you bring me my cheez whiz, boy?

It had been almost a minute since we last heard from our favorite label, Project: Mooncircle, and i was beginning to get a tad worried. Turns out they were just putting the finishing touches on Robot Robinson, featuring stellar beats by Robot Koch and tight rhymes by John Robinson. Koch maintains his otherworldly, spaceship soundtrack while Robinson keeps those alien heads bobbing with his lyrical flow. A powerful one-two punch, to say the least. i keep waiting for P:M to drop the ball and put out something less than phenomenal. Fortunately, i have a feeling i'm going to be waiting a long time before that happens.

mp3: Sun RA ft. I.D. 4 Windz (Robot Koch & John Robinson from Robot Robinson)

If oddisee is willing to back your beats, odds are your beats are worth hearing. If you would agree, you're going to want to hear this joint by Maverick. Apparently, oddisee was so impressed with Maverick's stuff that the established producer talked the relative rookie into dropping this debut. All instrumental hip-hop, there are some real gems in here.

mp3: When Speakers Spoke (Maverick from The First Step)

mp3: 'Til Next Rhyme (Maverick from The First Step)

mp3: On the Street (Maverick from The First Step)

Proving that unsolicited submissions from you dirty bastards often yield some of Beat Meet's finest gems, we recently received some great stuff from Lawrence, Kansas-based Say My Name. This stuff is a bit more of the experimental variety; think Shigeto without the obvious Asian overtones or maybe somewhere between Teebs and Baths. Or think something else. Just give it a listen and hear for yourself.

mp3: Say My Lame (Say My Name from his Sound Cloud)

mp3: Stop Snitching (Say My Name from his Sound Cloud)

Just in time for Valentine's, in this corner, weighing it at beats the hell out of me, Star Slinger dropped another beast. Sporting tracks like Slow 'n Wet, this three track EP continues to show that someone's about to take the next step and start hitting the big time. Sure, that may just mean a CD on an obscure label that about 100 of us listen to, but what the hell have you done today, you smarmy bastard?

mp3: Casanova's Jump Off (Star Slinger from Bedroom Joints)

mp3: Baby Mama (Star Slinger from Bedroom Joints)

And finally, a little something from someone whose name you're probably going to hear a fair amount 'round these parts in the coming days and weeks and sometime thereafter i haven't decided yet. Maybe a...fortnight. With a self-described sound falling somewhere between Nosaj Thing and Flying Lotus, i'm of no mind to disagree with oddlogic. His beats are low end heavy, but have that weird blunted, spacey vibe that marks the best work of the genre. oddlogic will be gracing with our very own, FIRST EVER, LET EXCLUSIVE MIX. Suck on that, all you other blogs! To let you know why we're so very excited about this, check out this joint. More, as they say, to follow.

mp3: Intro Redux (oddlogic from his Sound Cloud)

Happy Heart Day!

For those of you who enjoy Hallmark Holidays, these are for you. To the rest of you, i wish you a heartfelt Singles Awareness Day.

And to the Missus, i say Happy Valentine's Day.

Enough of the sappy shit, on with the music.

mp3: Valentine (Apple Juice Kid from Frank Sinatra Remixed)

mp3: Valentine's Day in Juarez (The Ike Reilly Assassination from We Belong to the Staggering Evening)

mp3: Valentine (Martina Topley-Bird from The Blue God)

Megan's Top 70 of 2010: #32 - She & Him

Why I Decree it to Be So:

I tell you what, y’all. The wait for this one sure felt like a deep, dark, black hole of oblivion. But the end result, Volume Two certainly proves that old adage that very, very good things come to those who wait. Well, in this instance anyway. She & Him's adorable Zooey and dreamy M. put their heads together once more and came up with another batch of beautiful songs, heavy with the ghosts of country and girl group greats. These two together are utterly irresistible, between Zooey’s voice and M.’s guitar play. Now friends, with an album of this length, you might expect some throwaway songs. Well, there aren’t any. Each and every song is as good as the one before and after it. I wasn’t sure if lightning could strike twice for this unlikely dynamic duo, but strike it did. I might still be slightly partial to Volume One, but with enough listens to Volume Two I very likely could soon be singing another tune. Hot damn, these two have found musical soulmates in each other, and I’d say we’re all pretty lucky these kids got together to make music. Now, the big question is, are we gonna have to wait this long for Volume Three? (SEE MORE)

mp3: Thieves (She & Him from Volume Two)

Megan's Top 70 of 2010: #33 - The Walkmen

Why I Decree it to Be So:

I can't believe it's been something like eight years since first The Walkmen jauntily jangled their way into my cold, black heart (remember "We've Been Had?"). In truth, they could put out a crappy record and I'd still love 'em, and not only for their DC connections. With latest record Lisbon, the band shows just how far they've come, getting better with age though still impish and playful at heart. They continue to hone their unmistakable sound, that bouncy surf rock meets calypso meets pop, given voice through the warm warble of irrepressible (and dashingly handsome) Hamilton Leithauser. "Angela Surf City," one of my favorites, is classic Walkmen, while "Blue As Your Blood" bleeds a little bit Ennio Morricone along with the traditional Walkmen fare. And you can't help but believe Leithauser when he opines, "I could dream you forever." If you're a fan of the band, you obviously need this record. And if you're not yet a fan, Lisbon will convert you to the wonderful world of The Walkmen.

mp3: Angela Surf City (The Walkmen from Lisbon)

Megan's Top 70 of 2010: #34 - Kris Kristofferson

Why I Decree it to Be So:

By this point, we all know (or hopefully know) the name Kris Kristofferson. But what yours truly didn’t know was just how much I’d fall in love with Kristofferson, the voice, and this here record. Light In The Attic has scored another hit with this release of a collection of Kristofferson demos (their 50th release!), recorded over a 4 year period and pieced together with the man himself's approval. I was well and truly blown away by the simple, honest quality of the recordings, and have found them to be a frequent player in my current listening rotation. Beautifully stripped and laid bare, the rough quality of the demos belies just how very good the songs are, and yet the roughness adds to the overall appeal of the record. The songs are so lonesome they might just make you cry, that being what a good ole country song has the power to do. I guarandamntee you’re gonna enjoy this. (SEE MORE)

mp3: If You Don't Like Hank Williams (Kris Kristofferson from Please Don't Tell Me How The Story Ends)

Free Music Friday: The Drunk and Markered, Geographically West, Shel Silversteinish, Youth Amnesia, Trying Not to Get Lost Edition

Guy walks into a bar. Free Music Friday.

OK, that makes no sense, fair enough, but the fact remains: it's Free Music Friday, so shut your bitching hole.

Guess who got their grubby, little paws on a copy of the new PJ Harvey CD, Let England Shake? As someone who has been following Ms. Polly Jean for some years, with all her albums and a concert or two under my belt, i can unabashedly say i dig it. It's not the powerhouse freak PJ of her earlier days, but it still maintains the odd vibe that marks some of her best work. Call it heavy folk, perhaps? The opening eponymous track and "The Words That Maketh Murder" are the standouts here for me, with Harvey's slightly fuzzed vocals and guitars creating a subdued yet powerful sound. She's doing a handful of U.S. dates to promote the new one, but no 9:30 Club date as of this writing. Did i mention that the most packed show i've ever seen at the 9:30 was PJ? i believe i just did.

mp3: Written on the Forehead (PJ Harvey from Let England Shake)

It's no secret that i'm a beat freak, and i find myself in the midst of a Jaylib bender right now. How fortunate for me, and by extension, you, that Stones Throw just dropped a 14-track digital release of bonus beats from Madlib Medicine Show #11.

mp3: L.A. California (U.S.) (Madlib from Beat Konducta Around the World)

You know how broken up i am about the White Stripes calling it quits (yawn). Whoever shall pick up the banner for scuzz bucket blues? Oh, i dunno, maybe about a dozen better bands? One of my favorite garage punk blues bands these days (and for some time now) has been Left Lane Cruiser. The timing for their third LP, Junkyard Speed Ball, couldn't have been more fortuitous, i suppose. This time around, the duo of Freddy J. Evans IV (axe/vox) and Brenn "Sausage Paw" Beck (skins/vox) are joined by none other than Alive Naturalsound label mate Rev. James Leg of the Black Diamond Heavies on keys for five tracks. i, for one, cannot wait for the March 1 drop date.

mp3: Giving Tree (Left Land Cruiser from Junkyard Speed Ball)

Speaking of fuzzy duos, the Raveonettes are getting ready to drop another one, too. Raven in the Grave will hit shelves on April 5 in North America, April 4 everywhere else. Fate does go our local way this time, though, with a scheduled appearance at the Black Cat on 4-17. Which is nice.

mp3: Forget That You're Young (The Raveonettes from Raven in the Grave)

Lykke Li teaming up with Tyler the Creator? Say what now? OFWGKTA's top dog gives LL's "I Follow Rivers" the remix treatment, adding his trademark low end synths and overall dark vibe, as well as spitting some verses towards the end. On first listen, i didn't think i wanted his chocolate in her peanut butter, but i have to say, i'm really starting to dig the taste of this one.

mp3: I Follow You (Tyler the Creator Mix) (Lykke Li from the OFWGKTA Website)

Megan's Top 70 of 2010: #35 - Brass Bed

Why I Decree it to Be So:

Laissez le bon temps roulez, they like to say down there in the Big Easy, and the good times they sure are rollin' here on Brass Bed's tres, tres fantastique record Melt White. Blending together an array of wonderful elements, from Big Star-ish powerpop to cheeky dashes of 70s ELO and The Kinks and splashes of good old sunshinin' Americana, Brass Bed will, wait for it, melt your dang heart with this record. It's full of infectious classics in the making, no doubt. Melt White is a definite must must must have, so y'all best get out and get to the having. Unless, of course, you don't enjoy having a good time. In which case, there's nothing here for you.

mp3: Begs Me Not to Beg (Brass Bed from Melt White)

Megan's Top 70 of 2010: #36 - Past Lives

Why I Decree it to Be So:

For quite a while I had a hard time getting past opening track “Paralyzer”. It’s a serious slow-burner, building ever-so-smolderingly into a noisy crashing climax, aided along the way by some absolutely wicked guitar sliding. “She came outta nowhere,” singer Jordan Blilie declares, blindsided, as steamrolling noise batters the air around him. But really, the racket has just begun. “Falling Spikes” shows off spiky vocals and taut, guitar and high-speed drummery. Past Lives is one of the only bands I know of with a self-titled song, the third on Tapestry of Webs. Like the band, the song “Past Lives” is full of sonic complexities, a mix of darkness and light both musically and lyrically. It’s a little ominous, and I sure do like it. The more I listen to Tapestry of Webs, the more I love it. It’s more nuanced than run of the mill punk, a little more aggro than straight up rock and roll, and definitely not just standard indie fare. While it defies genre-fication, it can’t hide the fact that it’s a darned fine record. Not only do I love it for being nice and loud, there’s a lot more to it than that. It’s an album that goes full-tilt the whole way through. This is a band to keep an eye on, that’s for damn sure. If you’re in the mood for a good old sonic kick in the teeth, might I suggest Past Lives? (SEE MORE)

mp3: Hex Takes Hold (Past Lives from Tapestry of Webs)

Megan's Top 70 of 2010: #37 - La Strada

Why I Decree it to Be So:

This is such a bittersweet record for me to write about, dearhearts. As you know, La Strada called it a day not long ago, but thankfully not before releasing the delightful New Home. I love this record. Love love love love love it. Did I mention that I love it? It’s just so…gosh darn cute (but not in a trite, twee way, just to be clear). If you’re not yet familiar with Brooklyn’s La Strada, may I be the first to do the introductions. This new record of theirs, New Home, is adorable, charming, enchanting, and utterly infectious. If you don’t love it by the time you’re done listening to it, I’m afraid to say your heart might be even colder and blacker than mine. New Home is one of the best and loveliest records of 2010, simple as, uniquely idyllic in that way that some big city bands have. (SEE MORE)

mp3: My New Home (La Strada from New Home)

Video Vixens: The Black Keys' "Howlin' For You"

You know how i eschew hyperbole here at LET, so you're just going to have to believe me when i tell you that the Black Keys have released what is possibly the greatest faux movie trailer music video OF ALL TIMES!!!!

Guest starring Sir Todd Bridges. That's all i'm saying.

Apparently Warner doesn't want anyone else posting it, so check it out here at IMDB.

mp3: Howlin' For You (The Black Keys from 12-13-10 Morning Becomes Eclectic)

It's Remixin' Time!

Just back from Orlando, kids. You'll be glad to know that the Magic Kingdom still stands, i'm sure. Enough of this catching up shit, though, let's jump into a couple of remixes, shall we?

i often decry DC's lack of a beat scene, but we've obviously got at least a few bastions of hope 'round these parts. At or near the top of that list has to be Fort Knox Five. To help celebrate Bob Marley's recent 66th birthday, they dropped this little gem.

mp3: Dubby Conqueror (Fort Knox Five Mix) (Bob Marley & the Wailers from the Fort Knox Five website)

By now, you've all heard the news about the White Stripes splitting up, i'm sure. While i thought they put out some pretty tight albums, based upon the two times i saw them live, they may well have been the most overrated live performers of all time. i've found myself involved in some recent debates wherein i essentially argue that the Black Keys are superior in every single way (except the low budget porn category, which Meg wins for the Stripes hands down), and because i'm me, i'm always correct. Anyway, the Glitch Mob did up a pretty nifty remix of one of the Stripes' classics to bid the band a fond farewell (until someone starts smelling reunion money, i suppose). Seems GM is getting ready to go bonkers with shows and new music in the near future, so you might want to head on over there and sign-up for their mailing list.

mp3: Seven Nation Army (The Glitch Mob Remix) (The White Stripes from the Glitch Mob website)

Megan's Top 70 of 2010: #38 - The Moondoggies

Why I Decree it to Be So:

Take the unwavering richness and ridiculous musical talent of The Band, throw in some classic golden bayou (or, well, faux bayou) spirit of Creedence, and take that rambling beauty to Seattle to absorb some laidback Upper Northwest vibes (and some drizzle). The resulting sound is probably somewhat like The Moondoggies. I've already lathered on about them quite a bit lately, but I'm gonna do it some more. The majestic beauty of "What Took So Long," with the lively keys and powerful presence is just the beginning on Tidelands. There's also the Byrds-ian balladry of "Uncertain," smacking of AM radio days of yore, or the hint of Cat Stevens that oozes from the lovely album closer "A Lot of People on My Mind." From start to fantastic finish, Tidelands is nothing short of gorgeous.

mp3: It's A Shame, It's A Pity (The Moondoggies from Tidelands)