Breakfast of Champions Thursday

2009-11-30T20:16:00.002-05:00

Banging out this bad Larry before the big football game (uh, match?) between the home town team and an undefeated rival. This weekend was spent assembling my best-of discs, hopefully the few final touches will be applied tonight and shipping can commence in mid-December.

Algebra Is The Ultimate

Bad Lieutenant – I wonder if Werner Herzog paid a product placement fee to Sumner, Morris & crew to promote his new film? Well, the music sounds nothing like the amoral mayhem on the screen, and Bernard indulges in his lighter electronic side to make music for airport lounges and drugstores. Better than Pablo Cruise, I suppose.

Section 25 – Meanwhile in another abandoned part of the factory here’s some more 80’s electronic innovators gathering for a spin around the fountain. It tastes so much fresher, perhaps because we haven’t drank from this cup in a long while. The brainy subject matter alone gains it several points on the final exam.

Jookabox – Dropping the Grampall from the name suggested less barnyard influences and more stylized rock and electronics, and that’s basically what’s happened. Their former melding of hoedown and hellbound was far more urgent than this lethargic effort, which seems content to gaze at the blackness of its own navel.

The Black Drumset – I’m not one to turn down a date with a silent partner, especially if there’s a familiar mischievous look in the eye. A bit too fun for the coffeeshop but at the same time too unruly for hip car commercials, perhaps they’ll find some warm water in someone’s movie trailer.

Swimmers – These fine fellows are not merely treading water, but instead try to increase the turbulence by splashing as many keyboards and drumbeats in seriously syncopated fashion. No need to worry, there’s plenty of fun to be had as well.

Ad Frank and the Fast Easy Women – Yes, this is the same gent who honored the great Mark Eitzel with a song title reference on one of his previously bright but sarcastic efforts. This tune is all concept and execution, I’ve always had a thing for songs that give away the lyrics in the title but while it’s easy to envision it’s equally difficult to pull off.

Owen – A friend will not allow me to make any negative comments about anything Kinsella-related so I’ll just note that there’s always one super smooth song per release that goes down like tapioca pudding, and usually that song clocks in at 5+ minutes.

Dutchess and the Duke – This song was reserve purely for the reference to my astrological sign in the title, and it’s somewhat fitting in its own reserved and taciturn way. I just wish they were a bit meaner.

2009-11-23T20:31:00.002-05:00

The zeal with which most people wanted to label my recent bout with sickness as H1N1 said much to me about the power of media to make a relatively mundane event become infused with fear. The warnings seem quite out of proportion with the actual threat, which is no less threatening than previous strains. We still have some extremely ominous Avian Flu public service announcements in rotation at the station, which now sound like either last year’s model or backing the wrong horse.

Bobby King Smile

Kerouac’s Big Sur – Any project that sets out to put the printed word to music and lyrics just seems doomed for failure to me. Adapting prose to the cadence and structure of music is not an easy task, even with the combined talents of Benjamin Gibbard and Jay Farrar I expected the results to be forced and listless. While there are no big victories to be found here, the fact that there are even small ones garners a bit of my respect.

Robert Francis – Quite a novel way to get signed to a major label record contract … work your way into a high-profile touring contract first. Never thought that would work, but I guess if you have friends in high place then perhaps some leverage may be found while opening for Wilco. Still seems like the cart is coming before the horse here.

Mark Kozelek - When the clever fun-loving independent music mavens I seem to hang around with run with glee towards and television show my immediate reaction is to turn the other way. So many times I’ve been severely disappointed … The Office, Flight of the Conchords, Venture Brothers. Therefore I won’t watch this supposedly subversive children’s show. Though hearing them mewl to the press about how they’re getting a raw deal from Nick because they won’t give up ownership of the show is tantamount to complaining about your major label record deal because they didn’t put enough into promo.

Kings of Convenience – More and more I’m impressed in how these tweedy youngsters can continue to mine material from the AM oldies radio station catalog. This album sounds like a string of programming on WJIB, complete with simple harmonies and delicate construction. And I didn’t even mention Simon & Garfunkel.

Lisa Germano – Every new creative effort that springs forth from Ms. Germano garners immediate respect in my camp, though that rarely translates into a purchase. Perhaps we just need our distance, or perhaps there’s just not enough friendly there for me to make a commitment. I’m never quite sure where the listener stands in her worldview, most likely likely because I doubt she is concerned with such details.

Simone White – Her first records was a lovely smash-up of a simple guitar style and wispy voiced lyrics, this one retains the charms and adds a few more instruments for good measure. Along with some very nice smelling cardboard enveloping the disc. So far she’s 2 for 2.

The Swell Season - Difficult not to cheer for this charming couple during their Oscar run, and I expected more of the same beguiling balance on this new musical entity. Instead why does it sound like an unfocused Frames record with an occasional female vocalist? They never do quite recapture even a portion of their previous magic.

The Lower 48 – Closing it out with a quick and simple ditty. Not much to say other than cute girls with glasses get special dispensation in these mixes.

2009-11-18T21:30:00.002-05:00

Firmly rooted in the past, the slow season for new releases is quickly drying my pool of new fodder for these mixes. No fear, I can keep the dredging equipment busy for at least a few more weeks, though my prediction is you’ll start to notice with this effort.

Fractals of Earth

Piano Magic – Bringing in former members of Dead Can Dance to participate on your new album either means you’re going through an unfortunate nostalgic streak or your target market has shifted to 35+ year old ex-goths. Either way, anything bearing the Piano Magic name on it deserves attention, regardless of the methods or level of desperation.

The Mary Onettes – My absolute favorite Swedish retro new wave rockers wander into another memorable group of romantic tunes that will keep you checking their lineage for that telltale stamp of British citizenship.

Bear In Heaven – Well not everyone needs to use their blazing synths for galloping stomps to the dancefloor, there were plenty of moody mid-tempo moments in Moog history worthy of evocation as well.

The Ghost Is Dancing – Hopefully not a Simple Minds reference in the title, because quite frankly they can’t possibly live up to it. Everything here feels a tick off, from the faux-stomping to the nasal vocals. A decent producer could perhaps tighten up their belts.

Karl Blau – And Karl Blau is not just a (more than) decent producer, he’s also a swell musician as well. Why he decided to meander into the realm of 80’s inspired sludge I’m not sure, but this effort is somewhat south of his most memorable moments.

The Invisible Kid – OK, those who felt like the last three track were a side-trip to purgatory … at least this tune has a beat. A bit too bland to really inspire a trip to the dance floor, but at least you’ll get to hone those “sorry I’m turning you down” skills.

Lovelock – There’s only one authentic 80’s moment available for your inspection tonight, and this one is worthy of the weight.

To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie – For those who desire life-support beats, a torpid pace and heavy reverb on the vocals do we have a mix closer for you!

2009-11-13T17:58:00.001-05:00

Been down for the count the past three days with a small grouping of symptoms that a hypochondriac would call H1N1 but I call a cold brought on by breathing too much leaf-dust as I was mulching up my yard in another fine New England autumnal rite of passage. Either way, spending the last three days in the same clothes is slightly liberating, though my cats now see me as nothing more than a rather large heating pad for their mid-day naps.

Nature Makes Us All Compete

Flaming Lips – If I had only one criticism of the previous few Flaming Lips records it would be the seeming self-satisfaction they have with creating a conjured sense of whimsy while providing little else to dig into beyond an impenetrable layer of production. The elements of that criticism are still present, but at least we have the concentrated effort of creating a song or two on this release, instead of a soundtrack for dancing teddy bears.

El Perro Del Mar – All things Swedish do not necessarily get an automatic pass here, and while her previous efforts have had songs worthy of praise the nuggets are buried a bit deeper on this new release. Which isn’t to insinuate this particular example of 1985 style portending doom leaves me cold, just that it has the intended effect.

Javelin – Fans of the Yello Magic Orchestra or the credits to Buckaroo Banzai will pleasantly appreciate the multi-layered synths that blend an appropriate level of hope and melancholy without forcing you to face that nostalgia complex it’s taken you 25 years to so carefully cultivate.

Neon Indian – Progenitors of the addled attention deficit style of electronic music, these songs seem to barely begin or coalesce before they suddenly disappear into another bleating track, BMSR style. This is easily the most cohesive one of the bunch.

Mum – Delicate and ornate without forming any fears of accidental breakage, Mum continue to craft their energetic solutions to life’s moments of ennui in hopes that their earworms produce an equally intricate reaction.

The Amazing – Side project from the most authentic retro 60’s psych-rock outfit to date (Dungen for those still flipping through their scorebooks), as you’d expect it sounds like a long lost but now re-issued side project from another time, gentler in scope and no less compelling in execution. I was gonna namedrop Balloon, but who the hell remembers them anyways?

Sweet Billy Pilgrim – Has nothing to do with Kurt Vonnegurt, nor the inoffensive folk-rock duo that released failed major label records in the mid-90’s. Instead it’s just proof that a well-executed cryptic spoken word piece will eventually find its way to the floor regardless of the worthiness of the rest of the release.

Bird Names – Playing caboose on this mix is as accurate a rendition of Don Van Vliet cacophony as I’ve heard since the last Old Time Relijun record. Odd and unpredictable in it’s construction, it still somehow transmits the sense that they know where they’re going and just enough planning has been done to reach the final destination, even if the path was not picked.

2009-11-08T18:49:00.001-05:00

Nothing mind-altering here, unless you disagree in which case I say enjoy the ride. There aren’t many dips but not too many rises either, just a solid entry into the post-collegiate pantheon of pop songs your boyfriend’s too distracted to care about.

Prettiest City

Lissy Trullie – She cuts quite a figure, but vocally there’s enough to make you question the gender for a syllable or four. Any song could really be lifted off this disc with a similar sonic result, the consistent pop-rock vibe it its hallmark and its curse.

Savoir Adore – When you run out things to say in a perfectly good pop song my recommendation is take a solo and return to the chorus. It worked countless times for the Raspberries. No Eric Carmen magic moments here but the dueling vocalists know when to take it up an octave.

Choo Choo La Rouge – Boston area band that specializes in no-nonsense catchy lo-fi tunes somewhere between Railroad Jerk and Bishop Allen. Recording these songs removes some of the live energy but at least provides something slake-worthy for those with a taste for the tonic.

Get Back Guinozzi – Worthy of inclusion on an early 80’s “unknown bands from Manchester” compilation even though they’re current-day and they’re not from Manchester. Still the bass guitar and reverb guitar solo with occasional synth splashes and yelping female vocals fit the template with eerie accuracy.

Headlights – Previous efforts provided commercial-worthy earworms that sadly never quite made it to ipod status though well justified their personal space requirements. This new release seems to find less in more layers as digging for nuggets costs enough calories to make you question the equation.

Two Hours Traffic – Canadian power-pop, need I say more? They don’t ache for Sloan level denim inspired rock flourish but keep it tempered and smooth like a shave with a new razor blade. If you prefer more stubble I can’t provide more direction beyond searching out songs of the producer.

The Drums – The coordinated attire and California beach setting on the cover of this EP suggest a Beach Boys fixation, but here it’s tempered by a strong helping of 80’s pop flavor. Perhaps it’s really Wham and Tommy Kirk beach flicks that really makes their spirits ache.

Why? – We’ll finish this off mix with an atypical track from a vague hip-hop artist doing the normal singing thing, though the litany of namedrops (from Jersey City to Matchbox cars to masturbating) give away the genesis of this artist’s true talents.

2009-11-03T22:12:00.003-05:00

It would be irresponsible (and slightly hypocritical) for me to not mention the upcoming fundraiser on behalf of my radio station WMBR (http://wmbr.org). The facility to donate will be available for a week starting on 11/5 and any donation directed to the Breakfast of Champions – Thursday will net a compilation courtesy of me. And now, back to the music.

Spot The Difference

Zero 7 – Recently I found myself hostage to an ardent Zero 7 fan nattering on about the 70’s prog-rock style storyline running through all of their albums. I silently nodded and wondered if I should counter with my theories on the subliminal lyrical thrust of “Wildfire.” Truthfully it would have been too much for a bloke excited about a four album cycle concerning a meet-up for a cup of coffee. That being said, this song dazzles.

Vitalic – For some all you have to do is combine the words “French” and “electro” and effusive praise will follow. Vitalic’s latest is far more normal than their previous release which intertwined a classical music jones with the dancefloor hits. Predictable and cynical, yet sometimes obvious trumps the more intricate plans and machinations.

Maps – ‘Bout time someone caught the peace train to the blissful mountaintop inhabited by M83’s mellifluous synths (and little else). Maps amps the energy by melding some beats with their beauty in hopes of cashing in for a glittering prize. If they could only trim some of the fat off their land …

Tegan and Sara – I’ve ignored these darlings of the college-age crowd as little more than indigo possessors of a few clunky synths but each subsequent album brings them closer to fine as they’ve motorvated from chick-flick soundtrack wannabes to palatable retro remainders.

Red Wire Black Wire - Don’t ask me which one to cut, my decision will likely grind this whole mix thing to a halt. So if I’m still a willing participant is the now dilapidated post-post punk revival who else is standing beside me – those who fondly remember the first wave or those still craving the halcyon days of early Interpol?

Schlachthofbronx – OK, it’s not exactly scatology on a Tittsworth level but instead an aural history of the rude gesture where perhaps the pictoral will do. Otherwise a passable and possible German or New York or both house (or, uh, grime?) track that delivers on its title promise with the basest of manners.

Silver Starling – If you don’t mind drinking from a muddy puddle this beverage could slake your thirst for a driving swath of controlled noise burbling below some liberally applied grating and grinding.

Rubik – Once again bringing up the rear is a tune I can’t justify reserving, so therefore we get this mélange of handclaps and prog rock tempo changes and faux-falsetto chorus and whatever other trend worth chasing which might bring a few glitter-faced girls to the show.

2009-10-30T21:55:00.002-05:00

Well, we have ½ old school style and ½ new school hopes mixing like an uncomfortable middle school dance on this mix. I blame Stacey Andersen for dragging me out on the floor then ditching me with some dude named Jason to dance out the rest of that Pet Shop Boys tune. Perhaps it was my velour shirt which fostered her abandonment issues …

On The Floor (Like A Dog)

Asteroids Galaxy Tour – The electro-themed cover and retro-80’s band name did not prepare me for this northern soul blast that echoes the best of Noonday Underground’s resuscitation attempts. While the vocals can’t quite measure up the enthusiasm buys back those style points.

The Heavy – Speaking of retro, they proved their 70’s soul allegiance on their last go-round and are here to back it up in world record style. This reggae infused effort still doesn’t replace Sean Bones in my heart, but would bump up with him nicely in any ipod mix trying to fool the casual partygoers.

Lake – Karl Blau’s amazing production job polishes this band’s rather reedy sound into something befitting an Al Stewart showcase, complete with delicious guitar licks and cult-style chanting of incomprehensible lyrics.

Echo & The Bunnymen – Not conscious that Echo is still taking complaints from anarchists all around the world? Well this title track hopefully changes that perception, though it likely won’t replace The Cutter in your personal top 10 list of Bunnymen tracks. Heck, it won’t replace With A Hip …

Tim Williams – Trolling the sea of sycophants angling for a possible Phoenix opening spot is this well-produced effort that puts the smooth in pop while still bringing the punch, well if only in the bassline.

Stars of Track and Field – Usually the “I forget what they sound like” track is reserved for the caboose, but instead we’ve moved it up to P6 given the sonic similarity to the previous track as they both hope some innocuous financial services firm is looking for a catchy commercial bed.

Slaraffenland – Stepping somewhat more south towards the arty types who still hope their efforts are friendly enough for Mercury Prize consideration, here’s a band whose lineage knocks them out of consideration though I’m sure their chilly homeland has plenty of other meaningless awards to consider.

Liam Finn + Eliza Jane – Liam Finn deserves a break in my ledger, as his slightly rootsy but supremely catch compositions always seem like superstars on first spin, only to wander back into the land of Pleasantville and positive opinions without any actual money exchanging hands.

2009-10-25T20:48:00.002-05:00

Those still having Steven Jesse Bernstein flashbacks are dutifully hiding any mix with my name on it from their parents. Those unfamiliar will just have to sate their need to know with this mostly wordless mix of recent releases.

No Need To Speak

Fuck Buttons – This somewhat slow building battle of electronic and electric style should not be construed as a sign of coherence for the rest of the disc, which explores a less regimented definition of tempo and clarity.

Rickard Jäverling – Those fond of the delicate Kozelek style guitar on display here will be pleased to learn that vocals do accompany more than half the tracks on this disc, I just settled for one that recalls Cabezon more than Summer Dress.

King Kong Ding Dong – Discs that arrive in screen-printed cardboard packaging usually suggest lo-fi indiepop or abrasive experiments, this one tries to find its niche in both courts but settles in with Slint style drumming (and geetars) with plenty of humming.

Boys Noize – Music for car commercials. Somehow it feels like a brawnier more brainless version of Justice, or basically it’s like comparing G.I. Joe to Transformers 2 – one of ‘em has to be better and you shouldn't try to compare them in the first place.

Emptyset – Those in the audience familiar with the painfully rhythmic Pan Sonic may find some familiarity exists in the works of Emptyset, though this composition is nowhere near as sparse as the namedrop suggests.

Sleep Whale – Don’t kill the whale, but for heaven’s sake do let it rest a bit. Another wordless one from an album that does have vocals and lyrics, even if they’re buried under several layers of reverb. Here comes that skyward explosions feeling again … all drums and string(s) and such.

Lusine – Finally a relatively normal electronic track, one worthy of a late night train trip or soundtrack for an airport. Well, an airport moving sidewalk perhaps, as the chaos that follows a last-minute gate change never does quite show up here.

Charly Antolini’s Power Dozen – It’s difficult to tell the hopelessly retro from the honestly retro these days, what with advances in art direction and recording studios and their ability to recreate the path with more than faux authenticity. I believe this is the real thing though … I think?

2009-10-20T22:13:00.001-05:00

Here’s another one of (mostly) guys and guitars scraping away at dull layers of desensitizing accrued through years of cynicism and regret. How ironic that those who would appreciate it the most are the least likely to find it. Or is that just a well-deserved conclusion to these stories?

Cruel and Constant

Vic Chesnutt – One of the more delightful moments of the Undertow Collective show in Boston was the on-stage banter between Mark Eitzel and Vic Chesnutt, two purveyors of broken promises who consistently find humor balled up in the shadowy corners of human existence. If that statement makes you metaphorically scratch your head, then I doubt you’ll understand Chesnutt’s meandering gut-punch almost worthy of Chocolate Genius’ “My Mom.”

Joel Plaskett – As one of the world’s most fervent Joel Plaskett fanboys I must admit the idea of releasing his Sandinista brought about ‘”is this a good idea” levels of hesitation. As you expect the conceptual side of it doesn’t hold up, the running time is far too long to sustain the interest of even his family members, and one song plucked from the field quickly restores my faith in the whole exercise.

Black Heart Procession – Don’t let me mislead you with this relatively tame track, there’s plenty of post-disaster disillusionment on their latest effort to satisfy the ardent fan. Though admittedly I kept hoping for that sprawling 7+ minute track that drags you through the filth of rain tarnished dirt roads, but it never quite arrived.

Exene Cervenka – I remember the unexpected joy of her late 80’s solo albums and the muted disappointment of mid 90’s follow-ups. Given this one’s on Bloodshot I knew to expect much more of the early 90’s faux-country and indeed it’s all inoffensive and uncomplicated beauty on display, better than a chick-flick soundtrack but nowhere near a day-after evidence envelope.

The Avett Brothers – You know how you get excited that your favorite (relatively) unknown band is finally getting that shot with the big name producer on a label with decent distribution? And you tell all your friends about how it’s the new pinnacle of the musical/emotional entanglement that’ll get even casual fans to speak in optimistic tones? Yet you know in your heart it has none of the spontaneous humour or emotion or risk-taking of their far superior unknown records? Yeah, I know that story too.

Simon Joyner – Our generation’s Townes Van Zandt continues to rake the leaves at a barren park the edge of a post-industrial Midwestern town, tidying a quiet plain that nobody wants to view anyways. A writer can do a lotta thinking about humanity in those moments, only a few people actually think to write ‘em down.

Redwood Red – Not quite sure where the label sampler came from (Germany?) but it has a hardened 70’s folk feel that eschews much of the unearned frivolity of the freak scene, leaving behind those who need to communicate beyond their daily grind and restless evenings.

Monsters of Folk – Two things nobody remembers about the Travelling Wilburys. 1) Everyone thought it was a stupid idea in the first place. 2) It was the second album (or, uh, third?) that proved the instincts behind #1 correct. Supergroup magic is incredibly difficult to capture, if you’re lucky you’ll get one decent song. Perhaps this is the one?

2009-10-16T22:13:00.002-05:00

Like a tin of supermarket sushi, this succulent batch of indie pop exceeds in its genre blandness, reworking familiar elements in familiar ways in the hope of finding a familiar endorphin rush of familiarity that breeds something more than contempt.

god's voice in the avenue

Thao With The Get Down Stay Down – More calculated than her whirlwind first effort, Thao has to actually break a sweat or two to forage for the cacophony that came so easily on her debut. That being sad it’s just as uneven, unfortunately the highs here can’t quick reach the same peak so attainable a year ago.

Via Tania - Through her breathy vocal delivery and snake-charmer backing Ms. Tania finds some rhythmically ethereal appeal in this rather simple offering. Indeed, the most shocking thing here is her 80’s style perm on the disc’s cover shot – by the way, did I ever tell you about the time my mother sent me down to the beauty parlor for the works? Oops, running out of space here …

Digits – Quite pleasantly living up to their name digits forges a synthetic path with restrained but movement friendly beats, heavily tweaked vocals, and overmodulation set to stun. If you prefer multiple synth solos in your retro-pop songs the key to your heart is contained within.

The Clientele – When the wind gets brisk and the collars turn upward it’s Clientele weather, and they continue to deserve their reputation for finding the emotional detachment with a warm creamy center, including horns and glistening Spanish guitars accentuating a longing that will likely never be sated.

Hornet Leg – The majority of this disc is dedicated to the raw garage punk cacophony that K records so mercilessly delivers in their normal junk-bin production style, though I’ve picked the one restrained morsel to be found in this heavily spiced meal. So pursue further at your peril!

The Fresh & Onlys – The rapid pace of these two concurrent releases makes me wonder if this crew is either ebulliently creative Pollard style or had a bit too much fun winnowing the track listing on the first disc. In any case consistency is their hallmark, as the retro 60’s garage vibe is just as evident and enjoyable on this fine follow-up.

The Rifles – Post-Revival-Post-Punk is likely passé by now but I had been predicting the revival for so long that I still find myself saving one song per release regardless of quality, especially if they so effectively work in heavy handclaps and a jangle worthy of the C-86 compilation.

Nudge – One day sonic archivists will wonder why some so doggedly captured the unfocused sounds of what seemed to be a basement band practice inside multiple cardboard sleeves seemingly intended for space-wasteful physical cataloging.

2009-10-11T21:52:00.001-05:00

I suppose everyone has influences, but Jesus couldn’t today’s artists And songwriters progress beyond Mary (not to mention peter or paul) and Chain together some moments of originality? Um, well, let me revise that opinion since flattery this sincere deserves positive recognition.

Everything Will Be OK

The Big Pink – This year’s Ned’s Atomic Dustbin? Their face-slapper of a debut hit me so immediately that it has made me doubt my normally reputable instincts for quality. It’s a decidedly British mélange of late 80’s and early 90’s influences that promises to either fade its colours or hold up to repeat washings.

The Raveonettes – A string of excellent efforts is a harbinger of quality as well, and The Raveonettes follow up last year’s big step upward with a level plane effort that deals you a pair of aces and promises several more are on the board.

Girls – Can’t quite fathom to furor around this pale effort at garage level feedback, though I have a feeling punchless production lets them down more than actual songcraft. There are too many murky moments to make much more than a watery bowl of oatmeal.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – Their new ep delivers on the promise of the album by simply repeating the formula of solid pop songs so obscured by Henry’s Dress level feedback that your sorrows are immediately drowned.

A Place to Bury Strangers – Nice to see these gentlemen move up to the higher profile assignment of Mute records and even nicer that they retain the momentum from their ear bleeding debut. A bit more catch as catch can on this new one as there are a few soft spots but certainly the price is justified.

Amusement Parks of Fire – Another much anticipated follow up on the horizon as their first keeps delivering who-was-that moments when stumbled upon during serendipitous shuffle moments. When I consistently guess their pedigree is ~20 years old than actual born-on date that’s impressive enough for me.

Atlas Sound – Deerhunter side project that takes a detour into Xiu Xiu land for some odd reason. Their first was a perfectly acceptable exploration of sound and style, but this new one seems to layer in a predictable air of uninspired freakiness that never coalesces into anything beyond torpor.

Vivian Girls – We’ll appropriately end this mix with The End, courtesy of an all-female outfit that seems unconcerned with style or fashion and instead stomps around the graveyard on a sunny day with the intensity of a grade school class trying to identify the oldest stone.

2009-10-06T20:39:00.001-05:00

If you thought the last mix was sedate well, it wasn’t. But this one is, for the most part. Y’know I don’t think every song on every mix is brilliant, but at minimum they’re worth a critical assessment or two.

The Absence of Tenderness

David Sylvian – Landing somewhere between the full-on abstraction of Blemish and the more sultry song-oriented Nine Horses project, this teaming with the boys from Fennesz yields a field day of fractured fairy tails (or tales) that should please fans of either artist but doesn’t do much to combine their best elements beyond a cursory “Hey that’s David Sylvian singing over a Fennesz tune” recognition.

Grant-Lee Phillips – Speaking of former frontmen whose solo career has outlasted their more famous band tenure, here’s the former head of major label failures Grant Lee Buffalo. No, not Buffalo Tom … so wait, you’ve never heard of Grant Lee Buffalo? If you’re from the US I can’t say I blame you, check out their 1st album Fuzzy instead of this unfocused solo effort.

Richard Hawley – Ok you knew it was coming, and given the leadoff batter in this mix you knew it was coming very, very soon. The latest Hawley at least gets back some of the emotional focus left behind on Lady’s Bridge but doesn’t seek to do much more than wander around in a hazy fog bourne dusk of post-romantic failures.

Rose Melberg – Anything touching the legacy of The Softies (a band that truly embodied their name) always gets an immediate spin in my buffer, but this solo effort from half the band is as disappointing as anything either of them has released. Most of the tunes barely earn that designation, feeling more like demos that didn’t get proper warming in the studio’s toaster oven.

Anna Ternheim – I knew trouble was on the horizon when I first heard this release in Starbucks, and sure enough the Grey’s Anatomy crowd has gotten a hold of our promising Swedish transplant in hopes of luring housewives and hipsters to her troth. It’s not as terrible as that sounds, but nowhere near as positive as her stateside debut.

7 Worlds Collide – The Finn brothers try to load up their crowded house with relatives and collaborators from every continent, I think. Well, there’s some such lame concept at play which didn’t interest me enough to get through the press release. Just know that this song features Lisa Germano, and it’s better than the one where Johnny Marr lends vocals.

The Bats – These gentlemen feel like the Elvis Costello of the wave of quality New Zealand late 80’s/early 90’s exports in that they still have a well-deserved cache of goodwill thanks to their stellar early releases despite the fact that they’ve done little to entertain us in 15+ years.

The Clean – Staying back down below the equator to visit another former Flying Nun superstar effort, and luckily a far more entertaining one at that. Suffering from none of the slightness of their previous release, here they’ve made a good thing better by staying strong with a core of hazy jangle goodness throughout the whole enterprise.

2009-10-02T21:05:00.002-05:00

A largely synthetic offering that doesn’t rely on lyrical depth to get a directional proposal across your bow.

Flowing Forever

Tim & Puma Mimi – Japanese pop with a Euro twist sounds remarkably Japanese complete with attention deficit disorder vocal prowess and video game synths. I’ll take the title at face value and assume this song is about that moment when you enter a restaurant and realize the fish that are greeting could soon be on your plate.

Sissy Wish – Fulfilling this week’s Swedish requirement is this few-years-too-late import that didn’t have to be worth the wait but certainly fulfills that intention. The 60’s girl group overmod is entirely too authentic but the super-busy drummer gives away their true inspiration.

Air – They continue to do their best to embody the elements of their namesake that likely drew them international fame and fortune in the first place, though I wonder how anyone at all remembers they even existed despite always being around. I would have enjoyed some lighthearted patter somewhere late in the song.

Music Go Music – The myth of historical simplicity is reinforced by backwards looking musical confections like this offering. In truth time allows us an easier swipe at judging the relative merits of ABBA or Pilot, which makes retro-worshipping efforts somewhat of a cheat. When you already know what’s good, it’s easier to pick a starting point.

United State of Electronica – While not as delirious as their first effort, the suddenly shortened U.S.E. (do they have less members now?) still make copious use of the pitch correction technology at their disposal without forgetting that a bit of talentless rap can go a long way to building up billowing clouds of memory.

Eva and the Heartmaker – The whole exercise seems quite meticulously designed, and that’s just the packaging. Imagine the budget for the multiple clothing changes in one single CD booklet! I hope she rented that piano key necklace! Where do they find all these solidly colored walls?

Health – If ever a band name was a misnomer, this group seems determined to damage at least one internal organ of each listener, probably the pancreas. Rapidly forming squalls of dissonance mate with New Order-precise dance beats in an unholy cry for catharsis through unintended physical activity.

Signer – Bringing up the rear, once again some musical effort that arrived with little more than a press release, a naked disc and a google-proof name. At least this one seems like self-sabotage was the true intent, given the lack of puppy dog earnestness in the prose and the performance.

2009-09-25T22:15:00.002-05:00

Some weeks these mixes just grow naturally from a single seed. Other times it feels like multiple puzzles were jumbled into the box. This mix certainly hews to the latter meme, though perhaps September can spawn one more monster before passing the baton.

Something I Couldn't Overlook

The XX – Originally I expected a full-on male/female indie dance record in true DFA/LCD copycat style, instead the beats are buried beneath silence as the two leads play meet coy for most of the disc, only occasionally stumblin’ in to something resembling a rhythm.

Zeep – I’ve gone from never hearing a cover of “Ghost Town” to stumbling across two in a few short months. This is by far the more original take of the two (first was a note-for-noter by The Aggrolites), a Brazilian influenced bossa nova swipe that’s not as interesting as the description promises.

Sally Shapiro – Sweden means superbly produced pop music to my candy coated ears, and Sally adds the extra sheen of disco dance with a 400 grit. She’s the type of girl you always thought was excessively friendly but never in the least considered dateable because that concept just didn’t apply.

Cobra Killer – Unlike these two ladies who are seemingly buying the drinks to seduce your alcohol addled morals with their potent garage raunch cum carefully crafted workouts that finds energy in all the right places.

Streightangular – Couldn’t quite get a grip on this band’s release as I flipped through genre exercise after genre exercise, only the low budget production values held consistent court. Of course that meant I was always one song away from finally finding filler from that one genre I needed.

Drummer – As a concept forming a band from four drummers seems awfully wasteful considering the premium placed on their talents. I bet it was all influenced by their girlfriends who were frankly sick and tired of bulky equipment hogging the hatch of the Civic, and especially being the last ones to leave load-out.

Orphins – Is it a punk band playing tropical or a world music devotee trying to rock it up a bunch? Or maybe the Navy steel drum band cutting loose during a paying gig at the Miller Beer factory (an actual experience of mine, mind you)? Whatever the genesis, don’t expect this tune to accuracy reflect any other slice of sonic output from this outfit’s garage.

Jupiter One – The rarest of instances in my mixes, the best track has been saved to last. Perhaps it’s because as I type this I still can’t come up with the final solution on the most compelling track from this power pop band who seems to take inspiration from 70’s era corporation construction methods for hit-making city dwellers.

And for you banjo lovers out there:

Theme Mix: Banjo

2009-09-21T20:39:00.002-05:00

No not-so-secretly embedded Richard Hawley tracks this time friends, though with his new release hitting the US shelves tomorrow odds are 1 in 6 that you might find him here next week. For some that’s akin to playing a game of roulette by yourself, a game that eventually you’re born to lose.

Tearing Up At 40s Love Songs

Scotland Yard Gospel Choir – If you find your memories of prime 90s Pulp are still juicy well this Choir would like you to get on board. They don’t disguise their intentions at all, from the telegraphed lyrics to the gasping vocals to the desperate situations set to catchy yet maudlin music.

Mark Mallman – This Minnesota viking sets his own musical course by slavishly following the footsteps of mid-American 80s mainstream rock (WMMR anyone?), at least until you start listening to the lyrics and begin wondering how much of his life’s course has been dedicated to self-sabotage.

Jay Reatard – Jay tries to play the slavish garage rock devotee card in his press clippings but he’s far too dedicated musically to compromise his chances of making a living at his muse. No need to worry friend, as long as you continue to tip your hat to 80’s Southern power pop there will be a devoted core following you to the implosion.

Plasticines – They’re French! They’re Female! They’re Legal! I would add They’re Good* but I suppose anyone sold by the combination of the first three exclamations doesn’t really need the fourth since that information is completely superfluous. *BTW – their first album was better …

The Hidden Cameras – One of these one per bands that challenges you to sift through the rubble on a quest to find the one insanely catchy song they program per disc, forgetting that this whole downloading thing can get you a Hidden Cameras greatest moments ep in about six clicks.

Robert Pollard – Now this man certainly knows what to do with a dedicated fanbase - continue pushing product and projects until even the most amorously amused adherents find a fickle bone in their buttocks and move along to the likes of the bands above this line.

David Bazan – Just because his lineage suggests simple joyously mopey moments doesn’t mean he will completely forsake an authentically inspired rock song or two on this new solo disc.

The Grates – Once again the final track is programmed with a band that has a female form whom I appreciate and wish to gaze upon longing, and therefore will get to google image while doing this ‘research.’ Truthfully I only need to cast a glance toward a poster in the basement of walker to be reminded of her most admirable talent.

2009-09-16T20:19:00.001-05:00

Fire up the ghost machine and lay back in a wood-paneled room cuz we’re going for a ride through a bookish quadrant of your musical memory. Music you’re supposed to say you get because you’re supposed to get it and god help us cuz we just might not be lying and actually do get it. That’s why you smoke clove cigarettes under the covers.

Grocery Stores In The Middle Of The Night

The Twilight Sad – Call it turnips since I like the texture, but I’m not sure about the taste. A sprawling accent addled tune carries the emotion with little to lyrically earn it unless you can decipher his aural hieroglyphics.

The National – A song from the Mark Mulcahy tribute to his now-passed wife finds the Brookyln cum Cincinnati troubadors foraging for sadness and light in a Polaris tune with all the appropriateness of drinking after the wake.

Mason Jennings – If you have a list of “what’s wrong with Richmond Fontaine” it might be worthwhile to apply those reasons to Mason Jennings as well. However, I think it’s the most vicious song on the disc, a gut-punch of scrappled memories from a leftover teenage experience complete with an unrelated chorus that only seems to make more sense as the song winds through the senseless events of a life set to random play.

Yo La Tengo – There’s maybe 3-4 YLT songs on their new record, the rest will make you appreciate the delicate retro-soul touches of Belle & Sebastian. I don’t blame them for attempting to worship their heroes of a past age, but it seems like a bit of a struggle to work up the energy for something that should be organic and fun. Like conception-oriented sex I suppose (I wouldn’t know).

Soulsavers – Here it is, the Richard Hawley track from the new Soulsavers release. Especially selected for those of you (like myself) who had no interest in this superstar laden project beyond his whiskey aged vocals. And as you fatalistically expected, it doesn’t really live up to those reduced expectations.

Dappled Cities – I won’t throw stones by calling this an elegantly overproduced impenetrable chocolate fortress, instead I’ll force a compliment by saying you’ll enjoy the overindulgence. Not as fun as their previous effort yet it finds a leaden charm of its own.

Sian Alice Group – The most cohesive song on the disc plays leadoff track, though as I cycle my way through the intended running order perhaps the skeletal song 7 would have been a better pick. Too late note, we’ll take the traditional path through moody meadow.

Nocturnes – Somehow the caboose on these trains always turns out to be a song I reserved for future listens yet somehow didn’t get around to enjoying for two months. Is it guilt that got me to program this unfocused tune? Or the excuse to grab another glimpse and make an informed hot-or-not decision on the singer? For everyone’s sake I’ll say it’s the guitar – I liked the guitar.

2009-09-11T22:02:00.001-05:00

Haven’t focused on synthetic dance beats in awhile so here’s to emptying the reserve of hedonistic expression.

Honey Dipped Tennis Player

Simian Mobile Disco – While there’s nothing here as clever as “Hustler” from their prior effort, it’s still enjoyable. That enjoyment factor is largely based on who they’ve selected as the vocalist for a particular track (in this case Chris Keating from Yeasayer) or who they namedrop (in this case Mama Cass and Peter Tosh). Still, providing Jamie Lidell another avenue for his artistic output does hint at a lack of judgment.

Dyko – If mid-period Sisters of Mercy were sung in German. Or perhaps Lords of the New Church. Anyone remotely familiar with that brand of late 80’s goth (the clothes and attitude and basslines) will find this slightly nostalgic, as they don’t make ‘em like this anymore. Unless you’re on Metropolis.

Prodigy – A little late on this one, sorry chaps. So speaking of digging for gold, The Prodigy wander back to Out Of Space style manic cod reggae, which I thought was a Faint cover based on the title. Perhaps it’s just a tip o’ the hat, or slight misdirection. Either way, for those with a fondness for manic sped-up repetitive Jamaican samples it’s like mac and cheese.

Felix Da Housecat – So, to go for overt Prince namedrop or harmless S&M reference? They’re both contained within the new Felix album, which seems to base each track on some concept Felix finds humorous then drives it to dust by exploring little beyond the obvious.

Amanda Blank – Finally, a track that might hold up to multiple spins! Ok, I haven’t exactly raised expectations here and certainly Amanda Blank is anything but life changing, but slather on that Dr. Pepper lip gloss and pucker up for a candy kiss.

Streetlab – Every week we get at least one release like this: 1) Blank Slimline Case (problem: can’t read the spine), 2) Song titles only written on disc (problem: tough to figure out what song you’re playing w/o ejecting the disc) 3) White sticker label on name-brand CD-R (problem: trayless professional CD players won’t accept, or even worse won’t reject it). Despite those 3 strikes I still listened (and enjoyed).

Black Mold - One wouldn’t associate Chad VanGaalen with a funk/electronic influenced instrumental side project, but here it is.

Sweet Trip – We’ll leave the kids hanging out in the corner watching all the action unfold for the all-important final selection, a smooth pop track that recalls Swedish dance pop more than any of the electro predecessors available on this mix. Not much of a hurdle mind you …

2009-09-06T09:03:00.001-05:00

Shouldn’t take long to dispatch these eight tracks into your collective memory banks, hopefully they stick around slightly longer than their collective slight running time(s).

Underwater Calling

Lhasa De Sela – Superbly thrilled to discover this smoky thrill amongst the callow AAA chaff in our new release bin, her voice has a knowing weariness with a smooth bite not unlike well-aged liquor complete with those all-important younger years spent fermenting in a wooden container. Possible EOY Top 10?

Meg Baird – From a new Judee Sill tribute compilation that steps above the banality of such efforts. We’ve all heard source material of this quality butchered before, but a handful of contributions from Ms. Sill’s all-too-small canon create delightful surprises, especially this horn-laden take on an early tune.

Yim Yames – Speaking of covers, here comes a My Morning Jacket member doffing his metaphoric cap to the most effective member of the Beatles with some simple basement takes of expected and unexpected selections.

Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions – Anyone hoping for a Mazzy Star redux will be just as sorely disappointed with this 2nd attempt at creating smoke before fire. I won’t excoriate her for an unwillingness to revise the gothy shoegaze meme, but I will excoriate her for the lack of anything interesting whatsoever …

Amy Millan – More effective is this Stars’ 2nd go around, which accentuates the down home vibe of her first effort with a more atmospheric vibe that slightly increases the venn diagram intersection between her solo and band careers. Those hoping for Elevator Love Letter Pt. 2 will still be left wanting, just not as much so.

Desolation Wilderness – Clientele Lite effort on the K label should hold over those of us anticipating the new record for another month, complete with foggy forest atmosphere and reverb’d vocals. OK so it doesn’t have the stunning guitar, but who else north of Nick Saloman does?

Travis Caudle – Reaching back to the nostalgia of melancholy commercial pop of the late 80’s/early 90’s, this gentlemen effectively washes his genes with wistful guitars and gruff but lovable vocals in hopes of getting the rise out of a listener or two.

Division Day – Saving that finish him blow for the anchor selection, these gents have tied a rope around their waist and are now searching for life inside your pancreas. While things are murky down there not all hope is lost for treasure can be found almost anywhere you look when you mic the drums way up front.

2009-09-01T22:06:00.001-05:00

Hello hello hi to you and y’all from sampler central as we roll out anther octofecta of mildly interesting tunes for those who don’t cotton to name brands

Scan The Skies

Fool’s Gold – Soooo … remember last week when I namedropped the Talking Heads album Naked? Just pretend you did. Well, the real Nothing But Flowers moment rises here with this LA area side project that pays homage to cod African world music with this sinuous selection.

Taken By Trees – Never really liked the voice of the lead singer of the Concretes, so transitioning it into a less poppy more moody atmosphere doesn’t sound like a recipe for addiction does it? Nah not really, though occasionally she skips out on the moody murk and finds a rhythm or two to proffer.

Early Day Miners – Quite simply the friendliest Early Day Miners record ever. Much like a terrier leaping at the door for your attention as opposed to the shy basset hound style of their previous efforts, this album wants to be liked Liked LIKED!!! It’ll make you wonder if their bunker of Quaaludes suddenly ran dry. Or perhaps we can blame it on a woman …

Dodos – Last year’s favorite fractured fairy tale felt no need for consistency in tone or execution, this year’s model flies the friendly skies with consistency as its hallmark. Not too shabby, but the highs and lows have been counterbalanced into a pleasant pop pot pie. Better than Modest Mouse if you really needed to ask.

Nurses – OTOH, here’s the uneven release of the bunch aiming for an earlier generation of indie movie engorgers complete with awkward stares and meet cute memes. Feels like a demo that tentatively fleshed itself out at about 3am with an energy drink infusion, can’t fault them for needing some extra liquid to wet the whistle.

Apricot Rail – This group is more Australia than trout for the song title of the week winner. Otherwise it refutes its expeditious intentions with a sly lazy soundtrack feel more worthy of Temporary Residence than Flying Nun … or uh should that be Candle? Don’t want to offend nobody down there?

Wye Oak – Izzit we or why before the oak? Regardless they’re at least more proficient than She & Him and probably a damn sight cuter too if they wouldn’t wear such baggy clothes and show some skin. Actually the guy looks like the tech manager at my office but at least the girl has the good sense to hang out at skee ball parlors and such.

Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs – Their cover album exercises are rife with extremely clever choices and consequently doomed by mildly disappointing execution. Case in point, this largely unheralded genius slice of power pop surges in its original Todd Rundgren form, and therefore just about any cover version simply can’t match its infectious verve. But extra points for trying …

2009-08-27T21:15:00.003-05:00

Y’all aren’t an easy group to please so I’ve carefully brought together a mess of nattily dressed talents to woo you with a combination of name recognition and failure-ready descriptions. Feel free to refute my suppositions.

Dismiss Me With A Smile

Wild Beasts – With a band name like that you’d expect a group of greasy tattooed rockers, not this lot of Bronski Beat rejects with a lead singer that confidently jumps from high notes to low like some dude from Elbow. Jaunty, British, and up for immediate purchase when the release date rolls around.

Jack Penate – So the jaunty and British thing mentioned above translates here as well, with a disco bass for good measure. I found it to be quite ebullient in almost an African music kind of way, and not “Nothing But Flowers” (not that there’s anything wrong with Naked).

The Entrance Band – Bringing the proceedings to a screeching halt because how many us really enjoy energetic experiences anyway? Mewling vocals and 80’s guitar textures punctuate this slow building Baltimore area side project. Notice how I mention Baltimore once an update just to capture the attention of a certain listener?

Blue Roses – Already being feted as fantastic by those in the know, I continue to wait outside in a drizzle for the heater to kick in. Her voice takes that divisive Joanna Newsom style a step further to the left, mated with ‘authentic’ (read: reedy) production and period instruments that scream method over magic. Of course it’s all hidden and obscured on this somewhat palatable selection.

Joe Henry – OK, so I really enjoyed the early 90’s country version of Joe Henry and not the faux-meaningful aka impenetrable stuff from the mid-90’s. Good news is he’s coming down from that high solitude of the one-man mountain he perched hisself on, bad news is he stopped off to visit with Tom Waits. Still, any improvement should be noted in hopes of future gains.

Magnolia Electric Co. – The man is obsessed with Neil Young, we all certainly can observe that from his Songs: Ohia. At least it’s the good 70’s stuff, he hasn’t quite gotten to the Trans portion of the catalog yet. This one still has some fraying on the edge of the natty lapels, and that’s alright with me.

Samara Lubelski – Less is more when it comes to Ms. Lubelski, hushing her able vocals like Nico with proper training yet subtly layering in a wash a keyboards, backing vocals and bass to create a late night hey did the light behind that door just flicker mood.

Mew – Just because I feel like we should end with some production aided grandeur, here’s a band I’ve never gotten wandering into a moment I can relationally draw upon. Hopefully it’s not too Mars Volta nu-prog for y’all.

2009-08-22T09:09:00.001-05:00

Swinging by the indie pop clubhouse for a quick visit with some new releases, a few of the power pop kids snuck in to steal some lemonade but don’t mind them they’ll leave once we break out the violins and horns.

Do The Dog Paddle

Sondre Lerche – I never intend to enjoy a Sondre Lerche record, he seems so 80’s Paul McCartney square that my initial assumptions are always skewed WERS style (ie – unexpectedly hearing a good songs on a flavorless radio station) but this one deserves the attention of at least on Josh Rouse fan.

Montt Mardié –Montt’s releases distinguish themselves with their humour, often surrounding the awkward way his characters (or him?) try to navigate life and love across a pop-culture background. Unfortunately not much of that element can be found on this new one, though at least the sound and voice are still present.

Zeus – Plain ‘ol straight ahead power pop from the 70’s that quite effectively captures the vibe without feeling the need to New Pornographers it for the messenger bag crowd (of which I am one, prolly)

The Invisible Cities – Well, we certainly hope they don’t stay invisible given the charm and style on display in this tune which doesn’t quite live up to the explanatory promise of its title … but then again perhaps it does?

The Seldon Plan – The lady came from Baltimore, and so did this jaunty and overly simple tune that doesn’t hang out on the corner much more than it has to.

Cheap Trick – These kids certainly still got the power and have been plagued by the same problem throughout their career – finding someone that can accurately record their superb live sound. This record is as close to doing it right as they’ve been in 20 years.

God Help The Girl – Despite all the press to the contrary this sounds nothing like a Belle & Sebastian record to me. It does tries to studiously ape the 60’s without the requisite energy needed to pull it off nor the vocal talent to sell the concept. Can you tell I’m disappointed? Well, at least I wasn’t expecting that much …

The Postmarks – Now here’s your Belle & Sebastian fix, from this reliable NY based indie pop band that’s made a (likely non-paying) career out of simply orchestrated jubilance.

2009-08-16T11:05:00.002-05:00

A collection of recent releases coldly calculated to appeal to the smooth pop afficianado – a demographic unto itself!

Baby In The Back Seat

Reverie Sound Revue – Super peppy and tightly synchronized femme-voxed pop that recalls the heyday of Stereolab or Ivy or any other mid-90’s outfit that placed precedence on reverbed vocals and bass guitar.

Divisible – Another tune with the balance strongly set towards the rhythm section, much crisper jazz inflection in the female vocals but still a heavy emphasis on tight song construction with a slice of stop start perched on the rim.

Olivia Broadfield – She has a few too many miles on the clock (only a few, mind you) to be aiming for the Vagrant teen demographic but that doesn’t stop this gauzy glittery girl, uh woman, from spending her time investigating love and angst for the locker-opening crowd

The Golden Bloom – An extremely strong scent of Maritime or Minus the Bear or any other post-Promise Ring emo project that found the pop portion of genre much more exciting than the sturm and drang can be found here.

We Were Promised Jetpacks – My enthusiasm for this post-punk outfit is quite reserved, not because I’m so over the early 80’s revival but because the mewling vocals hint at something much more modern, an inevitable intrusion I suppose (years ago, I might have known).

Madness – Here it is, the best song off the new Madness album, accept no substitute. It has the horns, the piano, the loping pace, the audible sneer underneath a weighty sigh. Perhaps I shouldn’t place heavy expectation that Madness ’09 = Madness ’83 but quite frankly if they don’t deliver on that unwritten promise then there’s no need for another Madness album.

Throw Me The Statue – While the band’s name shows up early in Raiders of the Lost Ark, the song is not quite a face-melter but it generates as much cool as heat like the electric fans in a professor’s office, functionally brilliant.

Summer Cats – Return with me to the early 90’s indiepop landscape, where appearing in a VW commercial was the pinnacle of success. There’s quite a bit of that DNA inherent in this tune, which hits with the wicked force of a great Velocity Girl song (admittedly there weren’t many, and they weren’t very forceful).

2009-08-11T21:42:00.003-05:00

Allow me to make a peace offering to the agitated, the anxious, the affable, the amphibious listeners of this blog with these eight songs from new releases that know how to craft tension and release, sometimes in the same song.

A Worthless Tourist

Amazing Baby - A lovely melding of glam styles with some textured guitar and perhaps even a bit of Spanish horns for a slice of fun that’s aiming for MGMT like success.

Foreign Born – Bit of a plodder here but it carries a punch worth waiting for in the chorus that can’t be denied as it earns a chance at the title fight.

Dinosaur Jr. – New album is actually carries some Sire-era polish despite still hanging on to the pre-Sebadoh lineup, one can’t deny this sprawling rocker earns its extended length.

Wussy – Former Ass Ponys members can barely seem to hang together in this rough late 80’s alterna-rocker but whenever they led the lady take the lead I find their songs undeniably addictive.

Phil & The Osophers – Former dumbest band name on the concert report winners prove they have to be better than anyone else for fear of being laughed out of the club upon introduction.

Cosmos – If the names Robert Pollard and Richard Davies stoke your excitement well it’s not exactly Cardinal-esque precision you’ll find on this full-length despite the evidence to the contrary presented here.

Malcolm Middleton – Must admit while it doesn’t fully remind me of Arab Strap it does carve a wave of its own out of its unpredictable tempo and boisterously british presence.

David Axelrod – Soundtrack instrumental that aims for an early 70’s sun and seashore vibe and hits the target with one hundred and EIGHTY like precision.

2009-08-06T21:53:00.001-05:00

8 more highly synthetic tracks more likely of interest to those stuck in 80’s new wave or 90’s dance club culture than anyone hanging out here with the punchbowl crowd.

The Sidewalks And The Sky

Patrick Wolf – His latest is adorned with a remodeled image worthy of A Flock of Seagulls member, and the music is equally authentic and inspiring new wave.

Romance – Another in a long line of gothy post-punk bands chasing after a golden ring that has long since tarnished, but I won’t complain until they are all uniformly terrible instead of intermittently so.

YACHT – The stutterstep pace would likely frustrate the faithful dancefloor denizens, but a building-crusher like Godzilla would find plenty of meaning in both the lyrics and the music.

Circle Vs. Square – If you still see a stack of quarters as an opportunity to hit the Galaga machine and not the washing machine, this faux arcade game tune will give rise to a smidge of nostalgia.

Grafton Primary – Now we’ve ventured into the serious electro dance territory, where the real goal is to become a soundtrack to a flashy luxury car commercial.

Kleerup featuring Lykke Li – Swedish dance means addictive fun in my dictionary and this album could be a top tenner, as it makes the electronic sound compulsively organic.

Penelope[s] – Wandering back towards a new wave and post-punk affectation, in both the vocals and the bassline I suppose it’s New Order meets Pet Shop Boys (or wasn’t that called Electronic?)

Silk Flowers – The most consciously lo-fi of the group and hence the most original in modifying the static form – which also translates to probably the least entertaining.

Thanks,
keith

2009-08-01T11:19:00.002-05:00

60% more than a handful of new tracks in the latest sampler revealing some music from fascinating new releases

Ripe Enough For The Terror

__________

Tafo (feat. Nahid Akhtar) – This came from a compilation of 60’s era soundtrack music from Pakistan, the manic energy of this guy’s stuttering vocals and the interplay with his hyperactive female counterpart is bewildering.

Generationals – Energetic retro-pop that bounces from garagey to bubblegum while spiking it with a slight twang.

Sean Bones – Lo-fi garagey reggae that retains an appropriate sense of enthusiasm while adding his own style to the stock memes of the genre.

The Aggrolites – Pretty much a note-for-note cover but when the original is that good there’s really no reason to mess with it (unless you’re getting paid to be on a soundtrack that is).

Brian Glaze – Former drummer of the Brian Jonestown Massacre does something that sounds nothing like the Massacre and everything like a home bedroom project which probably kept the neighbors up at night.

Eugene McGuinness – Kaleidoscopic Brit-pop that borrows from the 60’s through the 90’s with piano and guitar seemingly lifted from late-period Kinks.

My First Earthquake – Low budget new wave dance pop with hyperactive chanting about two subjects and nothing at the same time. If you’re a cleaning lady with a sexual hangup here’s a song for you.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Jangle-pop mated with crooner quality vocals and subject matter, at some times coming off slightly Beach Boys-ish at other times sounding like a summer day gone long.

2009-07-27T20:46:00.000-05:00

Every five days I shine the spotlight on stellar tracks from new releases, this edition is a bit sedate but hopefully worthy.

Cursing At The Sky

Chain and the Gang – Ian Svenonius’ new thing didn’t impress me until I hit this song about an unlucky individual who happens across three people near death, each with an improbable story to divulge. The female backing vocals are critical.

Grizzly Bear – The latest big thing’s new thing didn’t impress me until I hit this song on my drivin’ around mix and said “Hey, that sounds good” without realizing it was Grizzly Bear. Powerfully loping with a rush and a push but the land is never really quite theirs.

The Binary Marketing Show – Definitely the discovery of this 8-pack for me, I paid it the ultimate dj compliment by sending them money for the full length. As unpredictable as a good Long Fin Killie record, but in a very different way.

City Center – Side project with Fred Thomas of SLGTM, but without the 60’s Brill building girl-group pop obsession. If that makes you pause and ask, “Hey if you take that away from SLGTM what’s left?” well here’s the answer.

Cass McCombs – Not quite as affecting as previous releases from Mr. McCombs but that by no means should be seen as a denigration of this aural carousel.

Broken Records – With a name like that I expected energetic punk, not this haunted fragment of a spider web filled with the remnants of survival stories gone awry.

Misty Roses – With a name like that I expected retro-folk Tim Hardin style, and for sure that’s what we get here with an eerily accurate Scott Walker early solo vibe as well. Doesn’t quite possess the grandeur, but doesn’t really try for it either and that makes it all the more authentic.

Mocky – I needed to provide you with some sort of fun now didn’t I? Whenever Gonzalez shows up somewhere other than on his own releases I pay attention, as his true value is almost always realized as a guest star.

2009-07-23T21:40:00.002-05:00

Another 8-pack of recent tunes for you to gnaw on – many post-punk influenced if you like labels.

Glitter Like Your Greed

Lilofee – Pulled off a label sampler, this song taunts the listener then provides a few more unsettling details before wandering into an investigation of the sexual mores of today’s youth.

Precinct – Retro Joy Division era rock with the authentic recorded-in-a-warehouse mixing, but don’t assume it adds up to unfriendly because this song has (hidden) hooks!

Tiny Masters of Today – One wonders how such an inconsequential little band of young-uns could attract the attention of a well-respected label, but at least they know how to have fun with a recording budget.

Flea Market Poets – The band name suggests English junk shop and for they most part they live up to the moniker, massaging equal parts enthusiasm and angst

The Legends – Sweden’s Labrador label is an immediate seal of quality in my household, so when these retro poppers put up another offering I immediately hit the download key.

Crocodiles – Can’t blame anyone for adoring Jesus & Mary Chain – though I always make sure to qualify that declaration with “What era?” Is it more Psychocandy or Honey’s Dead?

Post Honeymoon – Early Siouxsie is likely the pattern they intended to follow, but limited recording budgets let to a stripped down punky sound which quite frankly suits them well.

Kurt Von Stetten – Boston area photographer and skateboard punk puts together a musical entry that quite frankly deserves a more of a place at the early 90’s table, but takes a bow here instead.

2009-07-15T18:35:00.002-05:00

Half these tracks are instrumental; I’ll let you decide which ones fit the definition!

Fishing In The Ocean

Ocote Soul Sounds – Latin flavored fun that doesn’t feel the need to be overtly authentic, sorta like a strip-mall Mexican restaurant. In Spanish!

Tortoise – Their most fun full-length in a very long time, I didn’t check my watch once during this track

Yppah – Melding of electronics and organics in a Boards of Canada like way, but far more interested in engaging the listener.

Jon Hopkins – The most overtly electronic offering in this 8-pack, yet still quite shifty.

Black Moth Super Rainbow – BSMR never leave the listener lacking a super tweaked psychedelic Nintendo sized sound track.

Peter Project – Rumours of Spider-Man’s involved are completed fabricated within the confines of this message.

Love Is Chemicals – 1/3 of the album’s span finds some super catchy guitar lick and repeats ad nauseum – I say kudos.

Miike Snow – Not a guy, but a Swedish duo. Regardless of the spelling issues, they don’t let their countrymen go to waste.

Thanks,
keith

2009-07-09T20:28:00.002-05:00

This latest sampler mix focuses on tunes visiting the dancier side of the equator.

A Line Around The Block

The Juan MacLean – Smart idea to feature guest singers on their latest one, the chef’s salad of femme vox add some meat to songs that might not stand well on their own.

Passion Pit – The hottest thing out of Boston since the Molasses Disaster. The mega-pitch shifted vocal moments could be called questionable, or they could totally sell you.

Pet Shop Boys – Can you believe their new one sounds just as vital now as it might’ve 25 years ago? This particular song would’ve been Top 20 easy back in 1984.

Tiga – Always inconsequential, always curious – there’s at least one song per Tiga record that worms its way into repeat play status

Thavius Beck – I’m still trying to source the mega tweaked sample at the center of this song – it sure sounds Simon LeBon-ish to me.

The Phenomenal Handclap Band – No handclaps, and they’re not really that phenomenal either. On the whole that is, in parts it can be quite fun. Like the Juan MacLean the guest vox are welcome, unlike the Juan MacLean they did not make many wise choices (present company excepted). Plus this song COUNTS!

VX-323 – A band that would have you believe the music and vocals are delivered by a sentient robot. Why it’s worried about real estate values I dunno.

Anthem In – This Kate Bush cover is not the best song on their new ep, just the most noteworthy.

2009-07-05T10:56:00.003-05:00

Picking up the 8tracks sampler habit again for those who want to peruse songs from new releases at their leisure:

A Miracle That's Over

Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard – casual Jonathan Richman-style introspection, which means not very deep yet entertaining

Eels – Personally not a big fan but this tune off their latest compelled a spin

St. Vincent – New album not as skeletal as the previous effort, putting a little more flesh behind the veil

Sean Walsh and the National Reserve – Rambling Ryan Adams style country-influenced rock, sans the gut punches

Slaraffenland – An a-ha cover, for those of you who find that prospect attractive

You Can Be A Wesley – First recorded output for a Boston-area band who generate some pop energy

Bibio – Inconsistent release goes from electronic trickery to 60’s era folk, this song lands somewhere inbetween

Headless Heroes – Covers project with Eddie Bezalel and Alela Diane at the helm, inviting other new folkies to help out

Thanks,
keith

2009-01-25T15:04:00.000-05:00

I am the laundry master of the house - all laundry duties are mine!

Turn Your Pockets Out

Serena-Maneesh / The Black Watch / A.C. Newman / Cut Off Your Hands / Kyle Andrews / Sparks / Metal Feathers / Travels

2009-01-15T23:02:00.002-05:00

I'll use the relative lack of new releases during the late December/early January timeframe as my built-in excuse for ignoring the mixes. Before this morning's show it looked like there was a healthy stack of potentially engaging releases just waiting to be checked in, so if I don't create another offering in ~5 days I'll have to get more creative in excuse-making.

The Truth Won't Make You Happy

Kaki King / The Ballet / Pavement / Fire On Fire / Bird By Snow / The Tallest Man on Earth / Sean Smith / Marion Maerz

2008-12-10T23:17:00.000-05:00

Well I fully admit I've been remiss in updating these mixes. An extremely aggressive work environment (I thought December was for winding down, not winding up?) combined with a heavy load of volunteer work has squeezed most of the free time from my day. Like an avalanche of molasses, it may not seem dangerous at first until you're hip deep in the murky goo. Luckily this is also the time of the year where new releases slow down so there hasn't been as much material to share. Though you can be sure only the best were selected for this rather restrained group!

The Laws of the World

Beniot Pioulard / Desolation Wilderness / Hush Arbors / Welcome Wagon / Suki Ewers / The Bye Bye Blackbirds / The Sound of Lucretia / Bubblegum Lemonade

2008-12-08T07:29:00.006-05:00

Here's a Monday playlist for the BoCThurs, thanks to Becky for trading days with me this week! I'll be back on Thursday Dec 18th. In the meantime enjoy this December 8th 2008 edition of the Breakfast of Champions on WMBR Cambridge.

(08:00 - sifting through some recent reissues)
Allez Allez - "Allez Allez"
apb - "Talk To Me"
The Waltones - "Everything's Just Fine"
Grow Up - "Dear Isobel"

(08:15 - falling into your lap)
Mark Eitzel - "Ladies and Gentlemen"
Big Star - "You Can't Have Me"
Life Without Buildings - "The Leanover"
Sean Smith - "Palak Paneer" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week)
The Stooges - "T.V. Eye take 4 [false start]"
The Stooges - "T.V. Eye take 5"
The Stooges - "Loose take 3 [false start]"
The Stooges - "studio dialogue"
The Stooges - "Loose take 4"

(08:45 - bad segue of the week)
Rainy Day Saints - "No Surprise"
The Bevis Frond - "Red Hair"

(09:00 - new music of the month)
Hush Arbors - "Sand"
Bird By Snow - "Domestic Freedom"
Antrilon - "Depths of Insanity" (concert report music)

(09:20 - bereft of responsibility)
The Bye Bye Blackbirds - "Shed The Skin"
The Televangelist and the Architect - "... By The Pond"
The Tallest Man on Earth - "The Sparrow and the Medicine"
Welcome Wagon - "Hail to the Lord's Anointed"

(09:40 - call me pious, don't call me pontius)
Love Is All - "Give It Back"
Crystal Stilts - "Prismatic Room"
Arliss Parker - "Besos"
Celestial - "How Does It Feel?"
Bears - "What Makes Me Happy"

(09:55 - the problematic conclusion)
Skeletons - "STEPPER a.k.a. Work"

2008-12-04T08:05:00.004-05:00

December 4, 2008 playlist for Breakfast of Champions on WMBR Cambridge.

(08:00 - all the things you show me, all the things you know)
Sneaky Feelings - "Throwing Stones"
The Glands - "Straight Down"
Bettie Serveert - "Unsound"

(08:15 - nipping at my heels)
Idaho - "The Worm"
Low - "Sunflower"
Duster - "Unrecovery"
Dakota Suite - "Hands Swollen With Grace" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week)
Moving Targets - "Almost Certain/Drone"
Moving Targets - "Nothing Changes"
Moving Targets - "Away From Me"

(08:45 - oh oh oh oh)
Helium - "Pat's Trick"
Those Bastard Souls - "Telegram"
Rainer Maria - "Artificial Light"

(09:00 - new music atrophy)
The Clientele - "Retiro Park"
Bubblegum Lemonade - "Tired Of Sleeping"
Like Honey - "Five Minute Dream"
Plinth/Textile Ranch - "The Rest, I Leave To The Poor" (concert report music)

(09:20 - didn't wait for the new music)
Suki Ewers - "Forever Girl"
Mia Riddle - "Echo"
Would-Be-Goods - "Temporary Best Friend"
Belle & Sebastian - "(My Girl's Got) Miraculous Technique"

(09:40 - here i go losing control)
Heartsrevolution - "Dance Till Dawn"
Ladyhawke - "My Delirium"
Los Campesinos! - "It's Never That Easy Though, Is It? (Song For The Other Kurt)"
The Sound Of Lucrecia - "De Vez En Cuando"

(09:55 - in the forefront)
Paul Collins Beat - "Ribbon Of Gold"

You can listen to an archived version of this program or just peruse the song titles and say "ooh, ahh" occasionally.

2008-11-30T22:07:00.000-05:00

My apologies for the lack of a playlist this Thursday, but due to intermittent issues with MIT's internet service the control room connection was down and I was unable to do my usual online routine. That's also why the archive isn't available for the Oven Buster Blaster Stuffer Thanksgiving special. Oh well, it was a show best heard live anyway. To make up for it, here's another mix to help evade 30 minutes of your day.

Dizzy on the Deck

That Ghost / Her Space Holiday / Arliss Parker / Frida Hyvonen / Juliette Commagere / School of Seven Bells / The Hush Now / The Decemberists

2008-11-20T22:13:00.000-05:00

The decision to pick up wet leaves in relatively warm weather last weekend has paid dividends as I'd prefer that set of cirmcumstances to picking up dry leaves in sub-freezing temperatures. The mulcher spews a fine dust that permeated the fibers of my jeans so tightly that the power of tide could not separate the two. Let's hope a more forceful application of colorful chemicals are able to wrest away the brown patches that make it look like I've been voluntarily wading ankle deep in a dirty brown river. Perhaps this herky jerky mix of nuts and bolts will engender a similarly disquieting feeling of knowing where you've been but not why it left such an impression.

The Grand Prize

Max Tundra / Skeletons / Three Second Kiss / The Wolverton Brothers / Final Fantasy / Telepathe / Gang Gang Dance / Starvin Hungry

2008-11-20T07:57:00.004-05:00

On November 20, 2008 these were the playlist selections for the Breakfast of Champions show on WMBR Cambridge MA.

(08:00 - your presence is requested)
Lloyd Cole and the Commotions - "Rattlesnakes"
Scott Walker - "Mathilde"
Pulp - "Babies"

(08:15 - soylent green is people)
Keren Ann - "Lay Your Head Down"
Kings of Convenience - "Failure"
Sibylle Baier - "Tonight"
Tracey Thorn - "Simply Couldn't Care"
Alps - "Hallucinations" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week take me away)
Devendra Banhart - "When The Sun Shone on Vetiver"
Devendra Banhart - "Hey Mama Wolf"

(08:45 - calgon is comfort food)
Mark Kozelek - "Bad Boy Boogie"
The Bathers - "If Love Could Last Forever"
The Music Lovers - "This World vs. The Next World"
Misty Roses - "Into The Sky"

(09:00 - new music is nourishing)
Misty Roses - "Into The Sky"
Winterpills - "Burning Hearts"
Fennesz - "Perfume For Winter" (concert report music)

(09:20 - after the concert report)
Max Tundra - "Nord Lead Three"
Pretty & Nice - "Wandering Eye"
Of Montreal - "Wicked Wisdom"
Telepathe - "Chrome's On It"

(09:40 - art is a battle with many survivors)
State Shirt - "Fell Out Of The Sky"
Her Space Holiday - "The New Kid Revival"
The Soft Hands - "I Hope So"
El Guincho - "Cuando Maravilla Fui"

(09:55 - wave bye-bye)
Tobacco - "Hairy Candy"

Thanks for looking it over, the archive has all WMBR programming over the past two weeks available for your listening pleasure.

2008-11-16T18:57:00.000-05:00

I've been compiling the tracks for the end of year favourites mix and a few wordless pleasures always find their way into the sequence, so this seems like an appropriate time to dedicate another edition to instrumentals.

Another Bright Nothing

Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid / Alps / Helios / Mogwai / Jonas Reinhardt / The Present / Pierre Vervloesem / Pnuma Trio

2008-11-13T07:40:00.005-05:00

Playlist for post-fundraising hangover edition of WMBR's Breakfast of Champions show, November 13th, 2008.

(08:00 - vaguely noodles)
Frida Hyvönen - "Birds"
Juliette Commagere - "Overcome"
Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan - "Sally, Don't You Cry"

(08:15 - fawning sunset honors)
Mogwai - "The Sun Smells Too Loud"
That Ghost - "Top Shelf"
Longwave - "No Direction"
The Present - "Symbols On High" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week)
Unrest - "When It All Comes Down"
Unrest - "Bavarian Mods"
Unrest - "Make Out Club"

(08:45 - release the hounds)
Three Second Kiss - "This Building Is Loud"
The Wolverton Brothers - "Dead Horse"
The Lines - "Have A Heart"

(09:00 - more new music if you needed it)
Cobra Verde - "Wildweed"
The Kickbacks - "Going Out To Get Home"
Grampall Jookabox - "The One Thing"
Johann Johannsson - "The Rocket Builder (Io Pan!)"

(09:20 - a few to tie us up)
Love Is All - "Give It All"
The Rosebuds - "Bow To The Middle"
Friendly Fires - "Jump In The Pool"

(09:30 - Joe Carducci interview)
The Dogs - "Younger Point Of View"

2008-11-09T16:32:00.000-05:00

After a vigorous day of yardwork quite frankly all I'm looking forward to is a short nap. This particular mix tries to bridge the gap between manic and smooth quite gracefully, with an equal number of successes and failures. Of course the final judge of their relative merits is you!

Is The Night Too Long

The Dears * Love Is All * The Little Ones * +/- * The Sea and Cake * Margot and the Nuclear So & So's * Mascott * Copeland

2008-11-06T06:27:00.001-05:00

This fundraising week I'll keep the on-line playlist on the track-blaster website since it's a wee bit easier than doing two of these things as once. For those who would like to donate between the hours of 8AM and 10AM just call 617-253-8810. Or feel free to use the web pledge and select Breakfast of Champions Thursday as your favorite show. Either way I'll make sure to get you the 2008 edition of the Favorites compilation. A sure hit with small dogs and indigenous fauna, tested on prisoners so you know it's safe for children.

A wee bit late, but here's the playlist. Note that on fundraising week I break between each song so not much witty to add here.

Broken Social Scene - "Stars And Sons"
Girl Talk - "Like This"
The Shangri-Las - "Heaven Only Knows"
Killdozer - "Knuckles The Dog (Who Helps People)"
Hell On Wheels - "Heard You On The Radio"
Thin Lizzy - "She Knows"
Say Hi To Your Mom - "Sad, But Endearingly So"
The Cavedogs - "La La La"
Prefab Sprout - "Appetite"
Smog - "A Hit"
Tweeds - "I Need That Record"
Chromatics - "Running Up That Hill"
Andre Previn - "Executive Party Dance"
The Dismemberment Plan - "The Face of the Earth"
Peter Laughner - "Sylvia Plath"
Laura Veirs - "Drink Deep"
The Nerves - "Hanging on the Telephone"
Vitalic - "My Friend Dario"
Menomena - "The Pelican"
Strawberry Switchblade - "Since Yesterday"

2008-11-03T22:20:00.000-05:00

As you may have heard us mention over the past few weeks WMBR's fundraising season is coming up, with Thursday the 6th playing leadoff for the BoC crew. As always anyone who donates during the two hour span of the program will receive a personal thank you from myself, namely the traditional 2CD best of. Fret not if you don't listen live, just donate through WMBR's website within the next two weeks and select Breakfast of Champions Thursday as your favorite show - the CD set will appear with any premiums you select. Thanks as always for listening and supporting the station. Oh and before I forget ... here's a mix!

Free And Forgetful

Pivot / Manhattan Love Suicides / The Knew / Crystal Stilts / Parts & Labor / Eleanoora Rosenholm / Fight Bite / Juliana Hatfield

2008-10-30T06:42:00.006-05:00

FYI, WMBR has been beta-testing a new playlisting program called Track Blaster, so those of you looking to follow along in real time can utilize that site to get your up-to-the-minute updates. Otherwise, this page will provide Breakfast of Champions updates every 15-20 minutes or so for October 30, 2008.

(08:00 - never know your names)
Love Is All - "Give It Back"
Grampall Jookabox - "The Girl Ain't Preggers"
Friendly Fires - "Lovesick"
Yelle - "Ce Jeu (St. Andrews Remix)"

(08:15 - hold the world in your head)
Mascott - "Nite Owl"
The Sea and Cake - "Window Sills"
Fight Bite - "Widow's Peak"

(08:30 - band of the week)
Bedhead - "Bedside Table"
Bedhead - "Lepidoptera"
Jonas Reinhardt - "How to Adjust People" (background music)

(08:45 - flying towards the unlit light)
The Dears - "Demons"
The Knew - "Coldblack"
The Decemberists - "Valerie Plume"

(09:00 - 2nd straight week with suspension of old music priviledges)
Copeland - "Not Allowed"
The Cure - "Siren Song"
Benoit Pioulard - "Ahn"
A Slow Rip - "Devil In The Well" (concert report music)

(09:20 - quite swell actually)
Final Fantasy - "The Butcher"
Lukestar - "The Shade You Hide"
Army Navy - "Saints"
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "Everything With You"

(09:40 - i'm in your standard time)
+/- - "Xs On Your Eyes"
Panda Riot - "Like Flowers At Night"
Desolation Wilderness - "And All The Boys Looked"
Chop Chop - "C Train David"

Remember, the archive is always available on WMBR's website!

2008-10-29T21:26:00.000-05:00

The leadoff track of this latest mix elicited the loudest groan of the year from Joanie, a sure sign that repeat listens are needed to fully appreciate its charms. Its jovial tone influences the rest of the selections, which range from inconsequential pop to delicate dance confections.

The Capitalist Chair

Jesus H Christ and the Four Hornsmen of the Apocalypse / Larytta / Yelle / XX Teens / The Rosebuds / Army Navy / Tobias Froberg / Cory Branan

2008-10-23T20:37:00.000-05:00

Heading down to the WFMU record fair tomorrow evening, though truthfully my shopping list is not very long. Perhaps it's more the tradition of attending that compels me to make the trek, or maybe just an excuse for a short road trip. For sure I need to chip away at my stack of accumulated vacation days, a consideration in the decision. Plus I can bring back some real bagels and make a side trip to one of NYC's many fine cultural establishments. In any case here are a few fine selections worthy of adorning any excursion you may be planning.

Miracle in the Pills

El Guincho / MoHa! / Kill Surf City / Of Montreal / Sofia Talvik / Martin Rev / The Week That Was / Tobacco

2008-10-23T06:51:00.006-05:00

Back from the southern hemisphere and ready to provide a playlist for WMBR's Breakfast of Champions show dated October 23, 2008.

(08:00 - a real sense of purpose, really)
Of Montreal - "St. Exquisite's Confessions"
Eleanoora Rosenholm - "Bolly palkkionmetsästäjä"
El Guincho - "Cuando Maravilla Fui"
Gang Gang Dance - "First Communion"

(08:15 - now is better than later)
B. Fleischmann - "24.12."
Guitar - "Free"
Ben Reynolds - "Unmighty Plumes of to Moon Shit" (background music)

(08:30 - make way for band of the week)
The Dambuilders - "Pop Song = Food"
The Dambuilders - "Drive By Kiss"

(08:45 - could you turn the bass up a bit louder)
Crooked Fingers - "Cannibals"
Surf City - "Records Of A Flagpole Skater"
Parts and Labor - "Nowheres Nigh"

(09:00 - bisecting the new music instead of starting it)
Brighton MA - "Your Sweet Time"
The Little Ones - "Morning Tide"
Pnuma Trio - "More Samples" (concert report music)

(09:20 - getting past the responsibilities)
Autodrone - "Through the Backwoods"
Crystal Stilts - "Prismatic Room"
Tearwave - "Reflection"
The Postmarks - "OX4"

(09:40 - finest quality goods fresh for you)
School of Seven Bells - "Iamundernodisguise"
Dokkemand featuring Alison Shaw - "Undulat"
Roommate - "Tea Leaves"
Larytta - "Love Love Odyssey"

(09:55 - conclusion and summary statement)
The Dirty Truckers - "*amStereo"

Thanks for visiting the playlist/blog, if you'd like to actually listen to the program visit WMBR's archives for two weeks of content awaiting your perusal.

2008-10-19T16:36:00.000-05:00

Back from the other hemisphere and ready to return to the regular 5-day habit here's an offering with a strong foundation in cacophony adorned with some finely crafted detail work.

Admit To All These Words

Campaign for Real-Time / Marnie Stern / Pretty & Nice / Brighton MA / Deerhunter / Crystal Antlers / Ten Kens / Land of Talk

2008-10-09T21:30:00.000-05:00

I'll be skipping a mix in our 5-6 day routine as business is curbing my music previewing habit for a short period of time. No reason to fear though, hopefully this mostly male-vocalist dominated effort will slake your hunger for new tunes during that brief respite.

Asphalt and White Lines

Lambchop / Scott Walker / Palms / Ed Laurie / Blitzen Trapper / Vic Chesnutt / Daniel Martin Moore / Boduf Songs

2008-10-09T04:02:00.008-05:00

A majority of the WMBR Breakfast of Champions crew is now keeping the playlist live on track-blaster as well, you can go there to see the play-by-play for October 9, 2008 as well.

(08:00 - isn't it grande? isn't it?)
The Evolution Control Committee - "Isn't It Grand To Be A Christian"
David Karsten Daniels - "Oh, Heaven Isn't Real"
Northern Picture Library - "Isn't It Time You Faced The Truth?"
The Field Mice - "Anyone Else Isn't You"
Galaxie 500 - "Isn't It A Pity"

(08:15 - whatever this is, it isn't it)
Giant Drag - "This Isn't It"
Ultra Vivid Scene - "This Isn't Real"
East River Pipe - "The Club Isn't Open"
The Clientele - "Isn't Life Strange?"
Martin Rev - "Narcisse" (background music)

(08:30 - this is band of the week)
Bjork - "5 Years"
Bjork - "Unison"

(08:45 - i'm positive this isn't true)
The Chameleons - "A Person Isn't Safe Anywhere These Days"
The Radio Department - "Where Damage Isn't Already Done"
Headlights - "It Isn't Easy To Live That Well"

(09:00 - new music begins here)
Sofia Talvik - "Burning Fields"
Marianne Dissard - "Sans-Façon"
Lowfish - "DFD" (concert report music)

(09:20 - new music continues here)
Margot and the Nuclear So & So's - "German Motor Car"
Palms - "End Of Term"
Marnie Stern - "The Package Is Wrapped"
Ghost of the Russian Empire - "The Winter Soldier"

(09:40 - new music winds up here)
The Rosebuds - "Bow To The Middle"
Army Navy - "My Thin Sides"
Her Space Holiday - "Just Another Day"
Pretty & Nice - "Wandering Eye"
The Manhattan Love Suicides - "Burning Wire"

(09:55 - i am pleased to be able to end the programme)
Jesus H. Christ and the Four Hornsmen of the Apocalypse - "Julie on the Fung Wah Bus"

Of course the WMBR archive has this show and every show over the past 2 weeks, don't be silly.

2008-10-04T10:42:00.001-05:00

Once again with the 8 song sampler exposing y'all to some of the new music down at the station.

Viewing Red Sox playoff games means exposure to a gaggle of erectile-dysfunction commercials. The better half and I both noticed that all the middle-aged rutters explicitly and frequently flash their wedding bling just so it's perfectly clear nothing immoral is occuring during these 30 second slices of fecund flirtation. So now we are currently assessing the content to unearth which one is most likely documenting an extra-marital affair. This is quite a bit more difficult than you'd expect as the situations are written with porn-like precision. The settings utilized potently ensure that they would only be frequented by participants with lifelong entanglements. Worry not, we are up to the challenge and considering the fine Sox play we'll have plenty of opportunity to explore this topic further.

The Pull Of This Season's Weather

Max Richter / The John Baker Tapes / Michna / Baja / Dungen / High Places / B. Fleischmann / Talkdemonic

2008-10-02T11:18:00.000-05:00

Didn't get to update the Breakfast of Champions October 2, 2008 playlist live since our internet was down at WMBR, so post-production here it is

(08:00 - can you feel it?)
Basement Jaxx - "U Can't Stop Me
Sugar - "If I Can't Change Your Mind"
The Sidewinders - "If I Can't Have You"
Butterglory - "She Can't Hide From Radios"

(08:15 - I guess you can't)
The Autocollants - "We Can't Have It All"
The Montgolfier Brothers - "Even If My Mind Can't Tell You"
Birdie - "I Can't Let Go"
Ryoji Ikeda - "Test Pattern #1001" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week)
The Frames - "What Happens When The Heart Just Stops (live)"
The Frames - "The Side You Never Get To See"

(08:45 - we'll have to let it go)
The Smiths - "I Want The One I Can't Have"
Gene - "Still Can't Find The Phone"
Marshall Crenshaw - "She Can't Dance"
The V.I.P.'s - "Just Can't Let You Go"

(09:00 - new music starts now)
TV on the Radio - "Stork & Owl"
Lambchop - "Slipped, Dissolved and Loosed"
Baja - "Go Wolpertinger! Go!" (concert report music)

(09:20 - new music continues now)
Deerhunter - "Never Stops"
The Week That Was - "The Airport Line"
Tobias Froberg - "Blissful"
Boston Spaceships - "You Satisfy Me"

(09:40 - new music never ends)
Ane Brun - "My Star"
Boduf Songs - "Things Not To Be Done On The Sabbath"
Jolie Holland - "Mexico City"
Sonya Kitchell - "Running"

(09:55 - oops guess I was wrong)
Anthems MA - "Adore"

Normally you'd find this show amongst all the others at WMBR's archive, but since the web was down it's probably not there.

2008-09-28T17:02:00.002-05:00

Putting the final sequencing touches on the 2008 favourites mix, with a couple of competing playlists assisting in the final crucial selections. The discs are mixed with the intent of playback occuring within a certain sequence, though it's likely that more than a few of you just burn them to mp3 and let the portable music player take on that task. Death to the mystic art of sequencing I suppose, but for every dj it's a critical part of show prep and touches off agonizing sessions of second guessing during each set.

Made Of Straw

Marianne Dissard / Ane Brun / Jolie Holland / Jenny Lewis / Ariel Abshire / Tracy Shedd / Sonya Kitchell / Heide Marie Kjersem

2008-09-25T06:52:00.005-05:00

The playlist for Breakfast of Champions Thursday September 25th, 2008 on WMBR Cambridge.

(08:00 - you don't think it's totally psychedelic?)
Lesley Gore - "You Don't Own Me"
Matthew Sweet - "You Don't Love Me"
Roky Erickson - "You Don't Love Me Yet"

(08:15 - you don't look to see if it's parve?)
Klaus Nomi - "You Don't Own Me"
Adult. - "You Don't Worry Enough"
The House of Love - "You Don't Understand"
Fields - "You Don't Need This Song (To Fix Your Broken Heart)"
Tobacco - "Backwoods Altar" (background music)

(08:30 - you don't know it's band of the week?)
Polvo - "Sure Shot"
Polvo - "Bombs That Fall From Your Eyes"

(08:45 - you don't know what you're looking for?)
Dusty Springfield - "You Don't Own Me"
Sing-Sing - "You Don't Know"
Squire - "You Don't See Me"
The Bigger Lovers - "You Don't Feel Anything"

(09:00 - a relief for those who value new music above all else)
Winterpills - "You Don't Love Me Yet"
All Girl Summer Fun Band - "Oh No"
Hearts of Palm UK - "Jonathan FMF"
Max Richter - "When The Northern LIghts / Jasper and Louise" (concert report music)

(09:20 - new music for sleepy people)
Jenny Lewis - "Godspeed"
Karl Blau - "Mockingbird Diet"
Dungen - "Fredag"

(09:40 - new music for post patterns)
Friendly Fires - "Lovesick"
XX Teens - "Onkawara"
The Cure - "Freakshow (Wolves At The Gate Remix)"
Pivot - "Sweet Memory"

(09:50 - new music for exit ramps)
Land of Talk - "Some Are Lakes"

Thanks for visiting the blog, if you'd like to hear what you've seen jump over to WMBR's archives where two weeks of programming awaits!

2008-09-23T20:39:00.000-05:00

Waiting outside the hospital as a chirpy fire alarm bleated as aimlessly as the blank-faced fireman poked around their trucks while severely young mothers and fathers cradled their half-clothed children rousted in the middle of checkups with fetching (and less severely) young doctor-types (or at least pretty possibles with white coats and fashion eyeglasses), I texted whomever was willing rescue me from ennui while waiting for the shots any responsible person would consent to when traveling to India.

Cracked Right Through The Middle

The Walkmen / Pop Levi / Lykke Li / Friendly Fires / TV on the Radio / Karl Blau / Portastatic / Glen Campbell

2008-09-18T21:54:00.000-05:00

All hail the unknown indie band. You scratch your head as you try to place the name of the supporting act on the bill of a local show. You puzzle at the guy standing behind the table, wondering if that's the driver, merch guy or bassist. You wonder if this is really their first ep / album or just a home-burn of some demos they're working on. You puzzle at strange name of their record label, trying to suss out if it will only ever be found on this self-release. You weigh the benefit of seeing the half-hour set they drove 300 miles to play versus checking out the magazine rack at the convenience store next door. All hail the unknown indie band.

Everything Elusive

Eddy Current Suppression Ring / Mason Proper / Rumi / Ra Ra Riot / Your Heart Breaks / The Shaky Hands / Your 33 Black Angels / Novillero

2008-09-18T06:48:00.006-05:00

Back from a one-week hiatus on WMBR's Breakfast of Champions Thursday, this playlist is dated September 18, 2008.

(08:00 - it seems so real I can hear it)
Porn Orchard - "Why Can't I Touch It?"
Clem Snide - "Why Can't I Touch It?"
Elf Power - "Why Can't I Touch It?"
The Buzzcocks - "Why Can't I Touch It?"

(08:15 - it seems so real I can taste it)
Eddie and the Hot Rods - "Why Can't It Be"
Turpentine Brothers - "Why Can't I Do"
The White Stripes - "Why Can't You Be Nicer To Me?"
Van Halen - "Why Can't This Be Love" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week)
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - "The Mercy Seat (live)"
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - "Fifteen Feet of Pure White Snow"
Timmy Thomas - "Why Can't We Live Together" (background music)

(08:45 - history does unfold)
Big Flame - "Why Popstars Can't Dance"
The Cure - "Why Can't I Be You?"
Aden - "Why Can't I Make You Happy?"
Patsy Cline - "Why Can't He Be You"
Thee Mighty Caesars - "Why Can't You See?"
War - "Why Can't We Be Friends?" (background music)

(09:00 - new music starts at 9)
Noah and the Whale - "Rocks and Daggers"
Sam Champion - "Lorraine"
Dot Tape Dot - "Slow Birds For Mayo T." (concert report music)

(09:20 - new music continues 20 minutes later)
Blitzen Trapper - "Sleepytime in the Western World"
Your 33 Black Angels - "New Song"
Ten Kens - "Refined"
Novillero - "Lost Possibilities"

(09:40 - who knows when they'll say when)
Secret Machines - "Underneath the Concrete"
Tracy Shedd - "Not Giving Up"
Damien Jurado - "Trials"
Tindersticks - "The Flicker of a Little Girl"
The John Baker Tapes - "Au Printemps"

(09:55 - finish him!)
Ruby Isle featuring Amy Dykes - "Solsbury Hill"

Thanks for browsing around, the aural equivalent of this playlist is available on WMBR's archive site for 2 weeks after the original airing.

2008-09-14T21:45:00.000-05:00

This mix is a day late but packs more dust in its proverbial ball of twine than a whole bowl of superficial sentiment. Partially influenced by the playoff defeat of my once-invicible fantasy baseball team, it comes crashing to the ground in an impressive display of senseless self-destruction. Only in this case at least someone might benefit (that someone hopefully being you).

Apple Pie and Bulletproof

Firewater / Calexico / Laura Marling / Okkervil River / Chad VanGaalen / Damien Jurado / Giant Sand / The UglySuit

2008-09-08T06:25:00.003-05:00

Thanks to Becky, normal host of the Breakfast of Champions Monday on WMBR, for switching with me on September 8th 2008. You'll get to sample her selections on the 11th! Onto the playlist ...

(08:00 - it seems that most bands don't do shouldn't)
Wilco - "Shouldn't Be Ashamed"
Five-Eight - "Shouldn't Be Here"
Girlboy Girl - "Should We Or Shouldn't We"
The Bats - "You Know We Shouldn't"

(08:15 - should they do shouldn't or not?)
Hawkwind - "You Shouldn't Do That (live)"
Fly My Pretties - "Shouldn't I Know"
Zomes - "Black Magic Band" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week)
Meat Puppets - "Lost"
Meat Puppets - "Flaming Heart"
Meat Puppets - "Enemy Love Song"

(08:45 - I shouldn't criticize those who don't)
Anita O'Day - "Why Shouldn't I"
Fra Lippo Lippi - "Shouldn't Have To Be Like That"

(09:00 - more new music)
Juliana Hatfield - "So Alone"
Tracy Shedd - "Won Past Ten"
I Am Robot and Proud - "Storm of the Century" (concert report music)

(09:20 - after the concert report)
Death Vessel - "Bruno's Torso"
The Shaky Hands - "Air Better Come"
Mekons - "Trouble Down South"
Mason Proper - "Point A To Point B"

(09:40 - clear the way, we're coming through)
The Campaign For Real-Time - "The Game"
Rework - "I Want To Be Like You"
Fujiya & Miyagi - "Pussyfooting"
Pacific! - "Number One"

(09:55 - an aural handshake)
Eddy Current Suppression Ring - "Which Way To Go"

I'll be back on the normal Thursday schedule next week, as always the archived shows are available on WMBR's back pages.

2008-09-07T19:48:00.000-05:00

Today's mix offering is synthetic, ebuillient, menacing, ribald and expedient. For those who prefer movement to the sedentary life the time has come again to indulge.

The Blind Purity of a Honey Bee

Fixmer+McCarthy / The Faint / Stereo Image / The Tough Alliance / The Occasional Keepers / Fujiya & Miyagi / Rework / Rafter

P.S. I'm trading Thursday for Monday this week, thanks Becky!

2008-09-04T06:38:00.006-05:00

September 4th, 2008 is a grand day to listen to WMBR, especially the Breakfast of Champions. On to the playlist!

(08:00 - not much we can do about this)
Descendents - "Can't Go Back"
The Wasps - "Can't Wait Til '78"
The Easybeats - "Can't Find Love"
The Drags - "Can't Change My Style"
Miss Mary - "Can't Stop"
Kylie Minogue - "Can't Get You Out of My Head" (background music)

(08:15 - or we can't do much about this)
Ivy - "Can't Even Fake It"
The Red Button - "Can't Stop Thinking About Her"
Eggstone - "Can't Come Close Enough"
The English Beat - "Can't Get Used To Losing You"
The Hollyridge Strings - "Can't Buy Me Love" (background music)

(08:30 - the die is cast on band of the week as well)
Pernice Brothers - "Working Girls (Sunlight Shines)"
Pernice Brothers - "Blinded By The Stars"
Pernice Brothers - "Saddest Quo"
Electric Light Orchestra - "Can't Get It Out Of My Head" (background music)

(08:45 - it's inevitable as charlie used to say)
The Charlatans UK - "Can't Get Out Of Bed"
Sloan - "Can't Face Up"
Piper - "Can't Wait"
The Dickies - "Can't Let Go"
Village of Savoonga - "Can't Escape" (background music)

(09:00 - Let's smoothly move into the realm of new music)
Portastatic - "When Love Breaks Down"
Ra Ra Riot - "Suspended In Gaffa"
Alias - "Oakland Morning" (concert report music)

(09:20 - no excuses or coded messages)
The Rumble Strips - "Girls and Boys In Love"
Bears - "What Makes Me Happy"
Bart Davenport - "Strangelife"
Starfuckers - "Rawnald Gregory Erickson The Second"
Your Heart Breaks - "I Could Say Ark"

(09:40 - no magic missles or micro moments)
The New Year - "The Door Opens"
Ariel Abshire - "Spots"
Jennifer O'Connor - "Days Become Months"
Hilde Marie Kjersem - "London Bridge"

(09:55 - a rush and a push and the land is yours)
Captain Dan and the Scurvy Crew - "It's All About The Booty"

This show, along with every other show on WMBR, is archived on WMBR's website for a two week time period.

2008-09-01T21:19:00.000-05:00

The lady at the home depot checkout sized up my weighty load of wood and supplies and asked why I wasn't taking Labor Day off. I was ready to return the retort when a momentary flash of tact kept me from mentally reinforcing her fate for the day. Mine was already cast as well, Labor Day afforded me the last chance to complete this summer's home project - rebuild our rotting deck. It also provided me with a moment to craft this addictive pop mix. Warning: multiple handclaps await!

Nothing's Too Good For This Life

The Gordian Knot / Bears / The Rumble Strips / Correcto / The Caesars / The Coast / The Crash / Theresa Andersson

2008-08-28T21:51:00.001-05:00

One advantage of the new muxtape-like facilitator is I can keep more than one mix live on the account. So, to make up for the reduced playlist requirement I'll update every five days instead of every seven and keep each mix alive for 10 days. That is, until the authorities catch up with my diabolical plan.

The Winners Who Walked Away

Death Vessel / Randy Newman / Jennifer O'Connor / Drone Hooligan / Small Sur / Jessica Lea Mayfield / Neil Halstead / Shannon McArdle

2008-08-28T06:43:00.006-05:00

The Breakfast of Champions on WMBR is all about taking you higher, as evidenced by this playlist dated August 28, 2008.

(08:00 - couldn't I find a better theme?)
Todd Rundgren - "Couldn't I Just Tell You"
The Bevis Frond - "Couldn't Care Less"
The Junk Monkeys - "I Couldn't Smile"
The Litter - "He Couldn't Find One Anywhere"

(08:15 - guess I couldn't)
The 45's - "Couldn't Believe A Word"
Television Personalities - "The Boy Who Couldn't Stop Dreaming"
The Field Mice - "Couldn't Feel Safer"
Tracey Thorn - "Simply Couldn't Care"
Talkdemonic - "Civilian" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week)
Four Tet - "Tangle"
Four Tet - "Wing Body Wing"

(08:45 - if couldn't is could not then why isn't it spelled could'nt?)
Spacemen 3 - "Why Couldn't I See?"
Petula Clark - "I Couldn't Live Without Your Love"
Devastations - "The Night I Couldn't Stop Crying"

(09:00 - new music for the next hour)
Neil Halstead - "Queen Bee"
Drone Hooligan - "Son Risen Fear"
Dark Tooth Encounter - "Radio Bleed" (concert report music)

(09:20 - cruising past the concert report)
Pop Levi - "Love You Straight"
31Knots - "The Breaks"
Swim Swam Swum - "Not In Your Way"
The Broken West - "Auctioneer"

(09:40 - your ears are not in my way)
Damien Jurado - "Paper Kite"
David Vandervelde - "Old Turns"
Okkervil River - "Pop Lie"
Lykke Li - "I'm Good, I'm Gone"
Rework - "Questions"

(09:55 - inevitable conclusion)
Chad VanGaalen - "Bones Of Man"

Thanks for visiting, the audio is stashed on WMBR's archive for 2 weeks after the original broadcast date.

2008-08-23T07:45:00.001-05:00

I'm wearing black today in sympathy for the apparent death of muxtape, though in truth we all knew it was too good to last. Once the RIAA gets its talons in something rarely does it survive. It won't completely stop the weekly mix ritual, though it will put a 33% dent in the tracks offered as this new service has a reduced playlist requirement. Not a problem, it'll just force me to put on a harsher quality filter. In respect for our dearly departed this week's mix is fully instrumental and a little maudlin (with one extreme exception).

No fancy name this week ...

July Skies / Durutti Column / Jasper TX / Belong / The Abbasi Brothers / White Rainbow / Twink / Bitcrush

2008-08-21T06:30:00.006-05:00

I can't quite fathom the theme for the first hour of the August 21, 2008 Breakfast of Champions show on WMBR. Oh well, guess I'll have to try to divine it from the playlist.

(08:00 - on the negative tip)
Cheap Trick - "I Can't Take It"
The Barracudas - "I Can't Pretend"
The Zombies - "I Can't Make Up My Mind"
Golden Smog - "I Can't Keep From Talking"
Rumah Sakit - "I Can't See Anything When I Close My Eyes" (background music)

(08:15 - I'm a negative creep)
Hello Saferide - "I Can't Believe It's Not Love"
The Housemartins - "I Can't Put My Finger On It"
Dusty Springfield - "I Can't Wait Until I See My Baby's Face"
Talulah Gosh - "I Can't Get No Satisfaction (Thank God)"
Luna - "I Can't Wait"
The John Buzon Trio - "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me" (background music)

(08:30 - and I'm band of the week)
Magic Hour - "Sunrise"
Nu Shooz - "I Can't Wait" (background music)

(08:45 - this is a negative trend)
X-Ray Spex - "I Can't Do Anything"
Snivelling Shits - "I Can't Come"
Hard Times - "I Can't Wait Til Friday Comes"
The Sound - "I Can't Escape Myself"
Hall and Oates - "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)" (background music)

(09:00 - new music makes its way to center stage)
Calexico - "The News About William"
Firewater - "Paradise"
Eli Keszler - "R.L.K. 2." (Concert Report Music)

(09:20 - after the concert report, I'll be in love with you)
Theresa Andersson - "Birds Fly Away"
The Walkmen - "In The New Year"
Caesars - "New Year's Day"
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - "Come Saturday"

(09:40 - I'll be home by new year's)
The Coast - "Floodlights"
Rumi - "The Show"
One For The Team - "What Are You Gonna Cry About?"

(09:55 - and I'll be laughing, not crying)
Fixmer/McCarthy - "Look To Me"

Thanks for stopping by and gazing at the screen, as always a musical version of these playlists can be found by looking through WMBR's archives for the appropriate program and day. This offer expires two weeks from original broadcast date.

2008-08-16T12:14:00.001-05:00

Count me among those that feel transporting the Star Wars franchise into computer animation is barely worth my attention. What I really need to force down again is David Lynch's Dune ... an aggressively bad and incomprehensible film. It contained some fantastic quotes ... remember Eon's house record Void Dweller with all the Dune samples? "I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer" ... "He who controls the spice controls the universe!" ... all mixed with old video game samples. Last night I watched the Silent Hill adaptation, it had an enveloping atmosphere until they misguidedly tried to explain everything 3/4 of the way through.

Another Great American Zombie

Sunset / Faces on Film / Ex-Norwegian / Carolee / One For The Team / Darker My Love / Immovable Objects / I Heart Hiroshima / Nathan Wilkes / The Mekons / 31Knots / The Royal We

2008-08-14T06:46:00.006-05:00

Breakfast of Champions
WMBR 88.1FM Cambridge MA3
Thursday August 14, 2008
The Playlist

(08:00 - from you can't to didn't)
Happy Flowers - "Why Didn't You Tell Me You Were Bringing Home A Baby"
Red Sovine - "I Didn't Jump The Fence"
Mecca Normal - "He Didn't Say"
Sarah White - "I Didn't Have A Summer Romance"
Don Caballero - "Let's Face It Pal, You Didn't Need That Eye Surgery" (background music)

(08:15 - didn't means you could have but you did not)
Blondie - "I Didn't Have The Nerve To Say No"
Tobin Sprout - "I Didn't Know"
Tubeway Army - "Oh! Didn't I Say"
Felt - "I Didn't Mean To Hurt You"
Magnetophone - "Didn't I Blow Your Mind?" (Background music)

(08:30 - Band of the week)
The Oblivians - "Kick Your Ass"
The Oblivians - "Robot Blues"
The Oblivians - "Alone Again Or"
Lobo - "She Didn't Do Magic" (background music)

(08:45 - so in that way I guess didn't do is better than can't do)
Silkworm - "Never Met A Man I Didn't Like"
The Brilliant Corners - "I Didn't See You"
Midstates - "Didn't Ask"
Swirlies - "Didn't Understand"
Yazoo - "Bring Your Love Down (Didn't I)" (background music)

(09:00 - new music for now)
Starling Electric - "Prince Of The Puff Of Smoke"
Faces On Film - "Famous Last Words"
The Royal We - "Three Is A Crowd"
Bitcrush - "Waiting For Something" (concert report music)

(09:20 - new music for later)
Moscow Olympics - "No Winter, No Autumn"
The Sound of Arrows - "Danger!"
Carolee - "Rainout"
Arms - "Tiger Tamer"

(09:40 - new music for lepers)
The Faint - "Mirror Error"
Jaguar Love - "Georgia"
Sunset - "Zombies"

(09:55 - closing out the show)
Katy Perry - "One Of The Boys"

Thanks for looking around, as always the aural equivalent is available on WMBR's archive site.

2008-08-09T10:02:00.000-05:00

Waiting for summer to slide by is a time-consuming activity. There are only so many mint juleps you can consume until everything starts tasting like toothpaste. I heed the cautions of our nation's sun exposure experts very carefully and have so far been able to retain my delicate pallor. But my use of sunblock has been limited by one of our cats' newly acquired taste for it ... she can't resist licking any covered area. Fortunately, I will accept any sign of affection from her regardless of authenticity.

Watch The Numbers Slip Away

The Avett Brothers / Margot & The Nuclear So and So's / David Vandervelde / Angela Desveaux / Willoughby / Northern Portrait / Boy Genius / PAS/CAL / Marching Band / Alice Cohen / Azeda Booth / The Frequency

2008-08-07T06:36:00.006-05:00

This is the playlist for the radio program on WMBR originally broadcast on August 7, 2008. It's called the Breakfast of Champions.

(08:00 - first hour is going to be a bit negative)
Johnny Thunders - "You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory"
The Seeds - "You Can't Be Trusted"
Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments - "You Can't Kill Stupid"
The Karl Hendricks Trio - "You Can't Argue With Cash"
Billy Mahonie - "Watching People Speaking When You Can't Hear What They're Saying" (background music)

(08:15 - a theme that will continue for the upcoming months)
The Concretes - "You Can't Hurry Love"
The Go-Betweens - "You Can't Say No Forever"
Phoenix - "(You Can't Blame It On) Anybody"
The Jaywalkers - "(You Can't Be) Happy All The Time"
The Spent Poets - "You Can't Kill Michael Malloy" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week time)
Fuzzy - "Bill"
Fuzzy - "Someday"
Fuzzy - "Summer Is Gone"
Lisa Stansfield - "You Can't Deny It" (background music)

(08:45 - more things you can't)
The Go-Go's - "You Can't Walk In Your Sleep (If You Can't Sleep)"
The 6ths - "You Can't Break A Broken Heart"
Big Star - "You Can't Have Me"
The Five Americans - "You Can't Win"
Anal Cunt - "You Can't Shut Up"
Joe Jackson - "You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Got)" (background music)

(09:00 - let's move on to new music)
David Vandervelde - "Old Turns"
Jessica Lea Mayfield - "Bible Days"
The Abbasi Brothers - "In A Field" (concert report music)

(09:20 - let's take this town alive)
Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - "Bookworm"
Willoughby - "Story"
Angela Desveaux - "Sure Enough"
Shannon McArdle - "This Longing"

(09:40 - blue or brown?)
CSS - "Left Behind"
The Tough Alliance - "Holiday"
The Coast - "Floodlights"
Immovable Objects - "James Trent"

(09:55 - finish him!)
Stephen Pearcy featuring The Donnas - "Round and Round"

Remember, two weeks of programming (including this show) is always available on WMBR's archive.

2008-08-01T22:34:00.000-05:00

Stevie Nicks once asked Don Henley to exchange her lace for his leather. Why would Don agree to this? Perhaps there was some unstated potential future gain from this transaction? Stevie could certainly utilize the leather in an attractive fashion, but the lace Don would receive seems less applicable. Maybe Don's grandmother made fascinating doilies. It's unlikely this muxtape sheds any light on this conundrum, but it's just as consequential.

Make Your Tired Heart Sing

Daedelus / CSS / The Black Ghosts / Black Kids / Ratatat / Hercules and Love Affair / Satellite Lot / The Bloodsugars / Poni Hoax / Sound Tribe Sector 9 / Health / Venetian Snares

2008-07-31T06:39:00.006-05:00

This is the playlist for the Breakfast of Champions on the Thursday July 31, 2008 through the WMBR Cambridge.

(08:00am - all new stuff today as I try to catch up)
Pacific! - "Number One"
Azeda Booth - "Big Fists"
Lullatone - "The Bedtime Beatbox"
Venetian Snares - "Koonut-Kaliffee"

(08:15am - strangely we've been deluged with new stuff in July)
Disco Ensemble - "Worst Night Out"
Clinic - "Nicht"
Apollo Sunshine - "666: The Coming Of The New World Government"
Astrid - "Beware ..." (background music)

(08:30am - break for band of the week)
Throwing Muses - "Walking In The Dark"
Throwing Muses - "Finished"
Throwing Muses - "Flood"

(08:45am - a few more before we go)
Alice Cohen - "Footsteps"
Black Fortress of Opium - "Model Cafe"
Margot and the Nuclear So and So's - "Bookworm"

(09:00 am- now the traditional start of the new music thing)
The Gordian Knot - "We Must Be Doing Somethin' Right"
Creeping Weeds - "Waits"
Goldmund - "Finding It There" (concert report music)

(09:20am - now the traditional post-concert report blur)
Brendan Canning - "Churches Under The Stairs"
The Ugly Suit - "Everyone Now Has a Smile"
Marching Band - "Letters"

(09:40am - binging and purging on the new rack)
Small Sur - "The Wind"
Windsor for the Derby - "Hold On"
Ex-Norwegian - "My Name Is Paul"
Northern Portrain - "Waiting for a Chance

(09:55 - referencing others instead of myself)
Correcto - "Joni"

You should know that WMBR has an archive of all the programming from the previous two weeks - free for your listening pleasure!

2008-07-26T10:55:00.000-05:00

Swerving towards the center lane on this edition of the muxtape odyssey. My apologies if this seems too Paste-y for y'all but there is a sliver of my musical personality that cleaves towards the river. Let me get it out now and I swear it won't come back again (for at least two months, that is)

Bathroom Black

Beck / Sonantes / Adem / Haley Bonar / The Hold Steady / The Watson Twins / The Baseball Project / Sam Phillips / Aimee Mann / Sunfold / Paul Weller / Melanie Jane

2008-07-24T06:37:00.004-05:00

For like the 9th or 10th year in a row we'd like to welcome Christopher and Sarah down to the WMBR studios. Once again they've donated to host the Breakfast of Champions for an hour and inflict some of their favourites on the listening audience!

Today is July 24th, 2008 and this is a playlist.

(08:00 - a few new ones to start the proceedings)
The Occasional Keepers - "Leave the Secret There Forever"
The Radio Department - "The Room, Tarzana"
Carrie - "1981"
The Watson Twins - "How Am I To Be"

(08:15 - band of the week, just a little early)
Cat Power - "Taking People"
Cat Power - "Lived In Bars"
July Skies - "See Britian By Train" (background music)

(08:30 - Christopher kicks off the proceedings)
Colin Meloy - "Summertime"
Yo La Tengo - "The Summer"
The Sundays - "Summertime"
Hunters & Collectors - "Lazy Summer Day"
Belle & Sebastian - "A Summer Wasting"
Luna - "Indian Summer"
Chapterhouse - "Summer's Gone"
Buffalo Tom - "Summer"
Throwing Muses - "Him Dancing"
My Bloody Valentine - "Summer"

(09:00 - and now Sarah gets her 30 minutes of fame)
Pernice Brothers - "Somerville"
Sleepyhead - "The Family Tree"
Belle & Sebastian - "The Boy With The Arab Strap"
Black Mountain - "Stay Free"
The Black Angels - "Manipulation"
Buffalo Tom - "Hawaiian Baby"

(09:30 - back for the concert report)
David Bowie - "Five Years"
Black Kids - "I'm Making Eyes At You"
Carolee - "Rainout"

(09:55 - closing it out)
Darker My Love - "Two Ways Out"

WMBR keeps two weeks of archived audio content on their website.

2008-07-19T09:44:00.000-05:00

Even the most casual perusal of my playlists would lead any informed observer to the conclusion that I do not rock. This muxtape is unlikely to dissuade those opinions despite my best efforts. At the very least I hope the pace is elevated enough to inspire an occasional fist-pump on my behalf.

A Miracle That's Over

Brendan Canning / The Futureheads / Appomattox / The Gang / The Night Marchers / Me First and the Gimme Gimmes/ The Weeks / Awesome Color / The Harrisons / Blackstrap / The Pains of Being Pure at Heart / Conservative Man

2008-07-17T06:46:00.007-05:00

The first hour of this playlist contains songs from some of my favorite albums of all time. Originally aired on July 17th, 2008 during the Breakfast of Champions program on WMBR in Cambridge.

(08:00 - the final edition in the best of the 90's series)
Long River Train - "The First"
Ween - "Birthday Boy"
The Reivers - "Keep Me Guessing"
The Ropers - "You Have A Light"

(08:15 - quite a few all-timers here)
Red House Painters - "Medicine Bottle"
American Music Club - "Will You Find Me?"
Marco Benevento - "The Real Morning Party" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week)
Boards of Canada - "Skyliner"
Boards of Canada - "Hey Saturday Sun"

(08:45 - one last 90's album)
My Bloody Valentine - "What You Want"
Keith Canisius - "Watching Old Films With New Eyes"

(09:00 - followed by a shelf full of new stuff)
Ratatat - "Shempi"
Durutti Column - "Messages"
Jasper, TX - "Black Sleep Pt. III" (background music)

(09:20 - or the bits I've culled for airing)
The Avett Brothers - "Murder In The City"
The School - "I Want You Back"
Northern Portrait - "Waiting For A Chance"
Arms - "Tiger Tamer"

(09:40 - people I know, places I go)
Brendan Canning - "Churches Under The Stairs"
Pas/Cal - "Little Red Radio"
Conservative Man - "I, Hikikomori"
The Airborne Toxic Event - "This Is Nowhere"

(09:55 - still working on converting Joanie)
Katy Perry - "Self Inflicted"

Thanks for checking out our little jingle jangle morning, WMBR archives two weeks worth of programming on their website y'know.

2008-07-12T12:46:00.000-05:00

Once again providing a little 12 song mix for you through the muxtape site. We've dusted off a handful of recent pop gems for your review, ranging from lo-fi to overproduced and back again. Comment and requests welcome!

Twist The Light

Vancougar / Jeremy Jay / Chocolat / Tilly and the Wall / Mates of State / Head Like A Kite / From Bubblegum To Sky / Love As Laughter / Fleet Foxes / The Awkward Stage / The School / Van Duren

2008-07-10T06:18:00.005-05:00

WMBR in Cambridge presents the playlist for the July 10, 2008 edition of the Breakfast of Champions. We are available at your discretion!

(08:00 - thursday morning, plunging into sky blue water)
Jeannette Katt - "Wish You Were Mine"
Eggstone - "Summer And Looking For A Job"
Birdie - "One Two Five"

(08:15 - the songs we always sing, even if you're not listening)
The Black Watch - "One Two Five"
Verbena - "The Song That Ended Your Career"
The Auteurs - "Child Brides"
Pumice - "Sick Bay Duvet" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week)
Swervedriver - "Never Lose That Feeling"
Swervedriver - "Wrong Treats"

(08:45 - so far reaching, so deceiving)
Ween - "Cold Blows The Wind"
American Music Club - "Sick Of Food"
Chris Kowanko - "Modern Daze"

(09:00 - new music for pop people)
Beck - "Chemtrails"
Paul Weller - "Cold Moments"
All India Radio - "The End Or Near" (concert report music)

(09:20 - deliver us from the concert report)
Mirah - "Slighted"
Vancougar - "Lonely Life"
The Jersey Barrier - "It's Been A Day"
Eef Barzelay - "Numerology"

(09:40 - i'm telling you i know these things)
Daedelus - "Fair Weather Friends"
Dark Captain Light Captain - "Robot Command Centre"
Son, Ambulance - "Legend of Lizeth"
Boy Genius - "Failing Gravity"

(09:55 - the sky is falling!)
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes - "Mahogany"

Thanks for your attention, this program (in fact, all our programs) are archived for two weeks on WMBR's website!

2008-07-04T18:49:00.000-05:00

This week's muxtape mixes mostly maudlin efforts with a few teaspoons of sugar to make the medicine go down. I promise that sweet residue left on your lips is purely organic. It even kicks off with a delectable John Cale cover!

Somewhere There's People Living

Arbouretum / Bonnie "Prince" Billy / Son, Ambulance / Robert Pollard / Dr. Dog / The Black Watch / The Explorers Club / Earlimart / Electric President / The Hands of the Wrong People / Vetiver / Nethers

2008-07-03T06:29:00.007-05:00

Hello frequent perusers and devotees! This is the playlist for the Breakfast of Champions radio show on WMBR in Cambridge MA, originally broadcast on July 3, 2008.

The first hour continues the months-long theme of favourite albums released during the 1990's, while the second hour prominently features new releases and the like.

(08:00 - I think we are solidly in the 20's now)
The Sundays - "My Finest Hour"
Damien Jurado - "Letters & Drawings"
Belle and Sebastian - "Mary Jo"
The Softies - "I Love You More"

(08:15 - of the list of favourite of the 90's. if that makes sense)
Allen Clapp - "Something Strange Happens"
June and the Exit Wounds - "Field Day"
Twink - "Peculiar Fruit" (background music)

(08:30 - the honour of band of the week)
PJ Harvey - "This Mess We're In"
PJ Harvey - "You Come Through"
PJ Harvey - "Grow Grow Grow"

(08:45 - a few more from the 90s)
Sloan - "Money City Maniacs"
Guided By Voices - "Little Whirl"
My Favorite - "Working Class Jacket"
Kitty Craft - "Alright"

(09:00 - now new music)
Sigur Rós - "Með suð í eyrum"
The Hold Steady - "Lord, I'm Discouraged"
Gas - "Zauberberg" (concert report music)

(09:20 - what can I torture you with now?)
Women - "Black Rice"
Arms - "Tiger Tamer"
Poni Hoax - "You're Gonna Miss My Love"
Love As Laughter - "All Parts Of Me"

(09:40 - now for the deep hurting)
Aimee Mann - "31 Today"
Sam Phillips - "My Career In Chemistry"
The Awkward Stage - "True Love On Three With Feeling"
The Real Tuesday Weld - "Over The Hillsides"
Calico Horse - "Hi Fi Plane Ride"

(09:55 - an exciting new revelation in sound and voice)
Girl Talk - "Like This"

Thanks for taking part in the aural odyssey that is this playlist/radio. Remember that WMBR's archives always have two weeks of content available for you!

2008-06-27T22:46:00.000-05:00

This week's muxtape was intended to be instrumental but ... well ... a few tracks with sorta vocals kinda snuck in there. But it's like 82%+ pure! That's at least worth a B. From the electronic to the organic plus a few without a discernable plot, hope you enjoy!

An Old Key On A Rusty Chain

Tape / Dosh / Schlammpeitziger / Matmos / Flying Lotus / Depth Affect / Lowfish / Lusine / Artifact Shore / Jet Black Crayon / My Education / Sun City Girls

2008-06-26T06:54:00.004-05:00

The Breakfast of Champions on WMBR Cambridge MA presents the playlist for June 26, 2008.

(08:00 - still wandering through the detritus of the 90's)
Joel RL Phelps - "At El Paso"
Idaho - "Save"
Red House Painters - "Shadows"

(08:15 - in the rankings I think these are 30's, some 20's maybe?)
The Bats - "Jetsam"
Yo La Tengo - "Deeper Into Movies"
Chow Chow Music - "No New Ground Broken" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week time is nigh)
The Fugs - "Crystal Liaison"
The Fugs - "Fingers Of The Sun"
The Fugs - "Group Grope"

(08:45 - we have many options, how many of them are good?)
Belle and Sebastian - "Judy and the Dream of Horses"
Luna - "This Time Around"
The Innocence Mission - "Everything's Different Now"

(09:00 - new music begins at nine)
Dr. Dog - "The Rabbit, The Bat, and the Reindeer"
Son, Ambulance - "Juliet's Son"
Noa Babayof - "A Song For Me"
Olafur Arnalds - "Haust" (concert report music)

(09:20 - new music continues 20 minutes later)
Boyinstatic - "Where It Ends"
The Frequency - "Talk To Me"
Hercules and Love Affair - "Blind"

(09:40 - and again and again and again and again)
Monocle - "AirPhase"
John Terrill - "I'll Follow In Time"
Chocolat - "T'aurais Voulu"
Cineplexx - "Espiral"

(09:55 - last chance for love)
Katy Perry - "Hot n Cold"

Thanks for looking around, if you'd like to visit the aural version of this blog jet on over the WMBR's Archives and pick and Breakfast of Champions Thursday show!

2008-06-20T21:08:00.000-05:00

The muxtape pose for this week strikes out seeking pure pop pleasures for now people. Some of them are smooth, s'more are savagely catchy, and at least one is overtly commercial. Hopefully a few will envelope you in a trance.

Jewels On A Chain

Arms / Violens / Dirty On Purpose / Liam Finn / Alejandro Escovedo / Eef Barzelay/ The Parson Red Heads / The Bridal Shop / The Submarines / Cineplexx / Little Beirut / Katy Perry

2008-06-19T06:47:00.006-05:00

More of the same on the June 19th 2008 edition of WMBR's Breakfast of Champions program as evidenced by this playlist.

(08:00 - the best of the 90's as selected by me)
Slowdive - "Brighter"
Björk - "Hyperballad"
Wheat - "Body Talk (Part 1)"

(08:15 - we're somewhere in the late 30's now)
Basement Jaxx - "Yo Yo"
Eon - "Final Warning (Raucous Dub Mix)"
Saint Etienne - "Calico"
Peter Walker - "Cueva De Pepe" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week options abound)
Sufjan Stevens - "Sister"
Sufjan Stevens - "Pittsfield"

(08:45 - maybe can fit two more in here?)
American Analog Set - "Gone To Earth"
Liz Phair - "Stratford-on-Guy"

(09:00 - new music NOW)
Earlimart - "Teeth"
Old 97's - "The Fool"
Flying Lotus - "Golden Diva" (concert report music)

(09:20 - played it THEN)
Shearwater - "Leviathan, Bound"
Sunfold - "Sara The American Winter"
Arms - "Tiger Tamer"
Van Duren - "New Year's Eve"

(09:40 - heard it LATER)
I Heart Hiroshima - "Lungs"
Ribbons - "About Them"
Artifact Shore - "Stupid Coma"
Odd Nosdam - "Ligaya (Alias & Tarsier Remix)"

(09:55 - we need a closer)
The Baseball Project - "Harvey Haddix"

This program is available in streaming audio form on WMBR's archives for two weeks after its original airing.

2008-06-14T10:06:00.000-05:00

For this week's muxtape the bocthurs crew will do our best to bring you lazy introverts out onto the dancefloor. Mind you we didn't say we'd be joining everyone out there. No, we prefer to watch. Hopefully this gooey set of confectious songs puts some tempo in your tambourine.

Make Your Puppet Speak And Move

Scarlett Johansson / James Pants / Walter Meego / Does It Offend You, Yeah? / Vicarious Bliss / Miss Kittin / The Presets / Ladytron / The Ting Tings / Styrofoam / Saly Shapiro / Booka Shade

2008-06-12T06:37:00.006-05:00

Welcome to the slightly challenging but hopefully edifying playlist for June 12, 2008. The radio program is Breakfast of Champions, the venue is WMBR in Cambridge MA, the frequency is 88.1FM

(08:00 - we'll do a few 90's sets, a few new music sets)
Rocketship - "I Love You Like The Way That I Used To Do"
East River Pipe - "My Life Is Wrong"
Guided By Voices - "Tractor Rape Chain"
Modest Mouse - "Polar Opposites"

(08:15 - and make some time for Cryptacize to stop by at 09:30)
Mountain Goats - "Orange Ball of Love"
Son Volt - "Tear Stained Eye"
Cardinal - "Silver Machines"
Tape - "Reperto" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week)
Saturnine - "Nothing's Matching"
Saturnine - "Palomar"
Saturnine - "Ivan Boesky"

(08:45 - switching to the new stuff early)
Tilly and The Wall - "Dust Me Off"
Cineplexx - "A Mi Lado"
Sonantes - "Defenestrando"

(09:00 - a few more before the cr)
Adem - "Invisible Man"
Eef Barzelay - "Numerology"

(09:20 - a few more after the cr)
Head Like A Kite - "Daydream Vacation"
Bellafea - "Arctic"
Hearts By Darts - "Yardcats"
The Black Watch - "Oh Death Death Death"

(09:40 - no luck with Cryptacize unfortunately)
My Milky Way Arms - "Magneto (Aahhh!!!)"
Depth Affect - "Junior International"
Styrofoam - "No Happy Endings"
Tapes 'n Tapes - "Conquest"

(09:55 - but they left us a lovely Steely Dan cover to close with)
Cryptacize - "Peg"

Thanks for looking around, remember that WMBR's archives contains 2 weeks of streaming audio for your review!

2008-06-09T06:01:00.007-05:00

It's still the Breakfast of Champions, but this time a fill-in Monday on June 9th, 2008. It's still on WMBR, though the playlist will focus more on catching up with the new rack than any theme. Which I guess is a theme. Oh nevermind.

(08:00 - I said new music and I meant it!)
Notwist - "On Planet Off"
Foals - "Cassius"
Windsor for the Derby - "Maladies"
J. Ralph Phillips - "90 Days"

(08:15 - I don't wanna stay up tonight)
The Gang - "Sea So."
Frustration - "Waiting For The Bad Things"
Futureheads - "Radio Heart"
Duchess Says - "Melon"

(08:30 - band of the week, who's to blame?)
Saturnine - "Had Enough"
Saturnine - "The Raven"
Saturnine - "Old Flowers"
James Blackshaw - "Infinite Circle" (background music)

(08:45 - this one's for the girl with the radio heart)
The Black Watch - "Peppermint"
The Parson Red Heads - "Out to Sea"
Sloan - "Witch's Wand"

(09:00 - continuing the new music traditions)
South San Gabriel - "Kept On The Sly"
Arbourteum - "Buffalo Ballet"
Fire Room - "Slag" (concert report music)

(09:20 - a good day for sleeping in the midday sun)
Health - "Crimewave (Crystal Castles Vs. Health)"
Ladytron - "Tomorrow"
James Pants - "Finger On The Knife"

(09:40 - a slight foray into rock)
The Night Marchers - "Whose Lady R U?"
The Weeks - "Altar Girl"
Awesome Color - "Evil Rose"
Indian Jewelry - "Temporary Famine Ship"

(09:55 - an exciting last song)
Katy Perry - "If You Can Afford Me"

Thanks for looking and listening, all of WMBR's programming is archived as streaming audio for two weeks for your listening pleasure.

2008-06-06T21:17:00.001-05:00

First off, a few program notes. Unless someone comes to my last-minute aid I'll be doing a fill-in on Monday's Breakfast of Champions show. Sure to be extra-sleepy after Sunday night's late Celtics game.

On Thursday the Asthmatic Kitty band Cryptacize will stop by the studio to chat and play a few live songs, prolly around 9:30am EST. Worth it for Nedelle Torrisi's super-smooth voice!

The week's edition of my weekly muxtape gives equal time to the distaff side after last week's male-dominated effort. As Willie said in Bad Santa, "They can't all be winners" but you'll have to listen yourself to make that an informed statement.

The Bartender Is Looking You Right In The Eye

Anna Ternheim / Bess Rogers / Maybe It's Reno / Aloud / Wye Oak / Hanne Hukkelberg / El Perro Del Mar / Simone White / Joan As Police Woman / Thalia Zedek / New Bloods / Leerone

2008-06-05T06:48:00.005-05:00

You're perusing the playlist of the June 5, 2008 edition of the Breakfast of Champions on WMBR Cambridge.

(08:00 - continuing my journey through some favorites of the 1990's)
Spinanes - "Oceanwide"
Versus - "Jealous"
P J Harvey - "Sheela-Na-Gig"

(08:15 - climbing into the mid-50's as far as rankings go)
Tindersticks - "My Sister"
Mark Eitzel - "Always Turn Away"
Shot X Shot - "Autobonsai" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week)
Pedro The Lion - "Of Up And Coming Monarchs"
Pedro The Lion - "Rapture"
Pedro The Lion - "Discretion"

(08:45 - getting this ship in shape)
Don Lennon - "Double Dong"
Ween - "Springtheme"
The Lucksmiths - "Untidy Towns"
Luna - "Rhythm King"

(09:00 - new music hour)
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy - "Where Is The Puzzle?"
Shearwater - "Leviathan, Bound"
Eef Barzelay - "The Girls Don't Care"
My Education - "Sluts and Maniacs" (background music)

(09:20 - pure post-concert report bliss)
Windsor for the Derby - "Hold On"
Douglas Armour - "Prince of Wands"
Little Beirut - "Acid Wash Soul"
Alejandro Escovedo - "Golden Bear"

(09:40 - new music never sounds so simple)
Haley Bonar - "Something Great"
The Hands Of The Wrong People - "Sweet Storms"
Fleet Foxes - "Quiet Houses"
Nethers - "When The Eye Comes Down"

(09:55 - conclusions calamity)
The Ting Tings - "Be The One"

The aural accompaniment to this playlist can be found in WMBR's archives - but hurry! They only last two weeks!

2008-05-31T11:12:00.002-05:00

Hello Friends -

I'm going to update my muxtape weekly with new tracks from recent bocthurs shows, it'll provide a little mix of quality songs without me yapping between them. This week's edition is mostly sad/odd-voiced gentlemen.

I Can Make Your Future Easier To Predict

Camphor / Eric Chenaux / Astrophagus / Centro-Matic / Indian Jewelry / The Thin Man / Ness / Mt. Wilson Repeater / The Accident That Led Me To The World / David Karsten Daniels / Neil Hamburger

2008-05-29T04:51:00.005-05:00

The sleep-deprived playlist of May 29, 2008 for WMBR's Breakfast of Champions.

(08:00 - still exploring some favorite releases of the 90's)
Bettie Serveert - "Brain-Tag"
R.E.M. - "Be Mine"
Suzanne Vega - "Bad Wisdom"

(08:15 - ranking-wise we are somewhere in the 60's this week)
The Posies - "When Mute Tongues Can Speak"
Prefab Sprout - "Wild Horses"
Blur - "Tracy Jacks"
Jack Rose - "Knoxville Blues" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week is neat)
Kinski - "Losing Touch With My Mind"
Kinski - "Daydream Intonation"

(08:45 - a few more for the mind)
The Conet Project - "The Swedish Rhapsody"
Space Needle - "Before I Lose My Style"

(09:00 - new music hour)
Joan as Police Woman - "Start Of My Heart"
Feist - "Honey Honey (BBC Session)"
Booka Shade - "Dusty Boots" (concert report music)

(09:20 - believe in the strangest things)
Ladytron - "Tomorrow"
Satellite Lot - "Liberation Front"
Pia Fraus - "Far Fade Whisper"
The The Explorers Club - "Don't Forget The Sun"

(09:40 - love the aliens)
Centro-Matic - "Twenty-Four"
Robert Pollard - "Weatherman and Skin Goddess"
From Bubblegum To Sky - "A Soft Kill"
Julie Ocean - "There's A Place (In The Back Of My Mind)"

(09:55 - i could make you excited)
Walter Meego - "Forever"

This is a typographical representation of a radio program which can be found in aural archived form on WMBR's archive website for two weeks after the original airdate.

2008-05-24T13:25:00.004-05:00

This fill-in playlist brought to you courtesy of WMBR in Cambridge. Subject to Change is on the air for May 24, 2008

(14:00 - doing my level best to reproduce the S2C vibe)
Teresa Trull - "Be Careful"
ESG - "The Beat"
Six Finger Satellite - "Love (VIA Machine)"
Land Of The Loops - "Day Late & A Dollar Short"
Shuggie Otis - "Aht Uh Mi Hed"

(14:25 - also trying to space out the breaks more than usual)
Tommy James & the Shondells - "On Behalf Of The Entire Staff and Managements"
Mark Eitzel - "A Loving Tribute To My City"
Spiny Anteaters - "Soundcheck"
Tibi Lubin - "Oh Botticelli"
This Kind Of Punishment - "Reaching An End"

(14:55 - post Somerville Speakout)
Eszter Balint - "Still"
Malvina Reynolds - "The New Restaurant"
Judee Sill - "Crayon Angels"
Audra Kubat - "All Or Nothing"
The Raincoats - "Running Away"

(15:10 - why is it all or nothing at all?)
Hauschka - "Sweet Spring Come"
Willy Williams - "Dub It Over"
The Static - "Don't Let Me Stop You"
Smegma - "Boils & Carbuncles"

(15:30 - ok I did the concert report)
Misty Roses - "Komodo Dragons"
The Paris Sisters - "He Knows I Love Him Too Much"
Jasmina Maschina - "Sit With Me"
El Perro Del Mar - "To Give Love"
Sima - "La Primera Vez"

(15:55 - thanks for giving the opportunity Patrick!)
Long Fin Killie - "Heads Of Dead Surfers"

As always archived content can be found on WMBR's website for two weeks after the original airdate.

2008-05-22T06:51:00.005-05:00

More favorites of the 90's during the first hour of this week's Breakfast of Champions on WMBR in Cambridge MA. Airdate of May 22, 2008 for this playlist.

(08:00 - skipping around the 70's to start)
Richard Buckner - "Hand @ The Hem"
Josh Rouse - "Late Night Conversation"
Spent - "Sense Of Decay"

(08:15 - The 70's of the 90's that is)
Kitchens Of Distinction - "Drive That Fast"
Chapterhouse - "Breather"
The Boo Radleys - "Butterfly McQueen"
Schlammpeitziger - "Zugelloser Zeilenzieher" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week time)
Sonic Youth - "In The Kingdom #19"
Sonic Youth - "Wish Fulfillment"
Sonic Youth - "Pattern Recognition"

(08:45 - went a little over on that SY set)
Team Dresch - "Fake Fight"
Baader Meinhof - "Meet Me At The Airport"

(09:00 - new music for now)
The Futureheads - "Still"
Indian Jewelry - "Temporary Famine Ship"
Chromatics - "Running Up That Hill"
Circle X - "Culture Progress"

(09:25 - way late after the concert report)
Liam Finn - "This Place Is Killing Me"
The Bridal Shop - "Spectrum Of Clarity"
Simone White - "Sweetest Love Song"

(09:40 - it's like dominoes I tell ya)
Joan of Arc - "A Tell-Tale Penis"

2008-05-15T06:33:00.006-05:00

Still waltzing through my favorites of the 90's here on WMBR's Breakfast of Champions. This playlist is fresh-dated May 15th, 2008.

(08:00 - kinda jumbling the order here but this one's #85)
Holiday - "Who's Gonna Find Out?"
The Hang Ups - "Sweet Tooth"
The Divine Comedy - "The Frog Princess"
The Frogs - "Gwendyln Macrae"

(08:15 - failed major label powerpop of the 90's!)
Brendan Benson - "Emma J"
Sugarplastic - "Little Teeth"
Jellyfish - "I Wanna Stay Home"
Lowfish - "Pristine White" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week)
Redd Kross - "Play My Song"
Redd Kross - "Bubblegum Factory"
Redd Kross - "After School Special"

(08:45 - the odd corners of my musical taste)
Disco Inferno - "Footprints In Snow"
Village of Savoonga - "Notion"

(09:00 - new music hour i swear)
Mates of State - "Help Help"
The Wedding Present - "I Lost The Monkey"
Russian Circles - "Youngblood" (Concert Report Music)

(09:20 - still the new music hour)
Styrofoam - "No Deliveries"
Scarlett Johansson - "I Don't Wanna Grow Up"
Miss Kittin - "Machine Joy"
Walter Meego - "More Than I Can Say"

(09:40 - more of the new music)
Vicarious Bliss - "Theme From Vicarious Bliss (Justice Remix)"
James Pants - "We're Through"
1865 - "Mom Says"
M83 - "Graveyard Girl"

(09:55 - close out the show)
The Accident That Led Me To The World - "Caves"

The aural version of this playlist is archived (for 2 weeks) on WMBR's website. Thanks!

2008-05-08T06:46:00.006-05:00

Continuing the meandering and somewhat sequential tour through my favorite records of the 90's. This playlist originally aired on WMBR's Breakfast of Champions program May 8th, 2007.

(08:00 - officially we'll call this #93)
The Black Watch - "Humming"
Ween - "Awesome Sound"
The Darling Buds - "Isolation"
Katydids - "Always"

(08:15 - try to keep it straight won't you?)
Simon Joyner - "When She Drops Her Veil"
June of 44 - "Sink Is Busted"
Philip Jeck - "Chime Again" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week)
Add N to (X) - "Orgy of Bubastus"
Add N to (X) - "Revenge of the Black Regent"

(08:45 - a handful of longish ones)
Teenage Fanclub - "The Concept"
Low - "Coattails"

(09:00 - on to the new music for an hour)
Mt. Wilson Repeater - "Pencils/Pens"
Mr. Gnome - "Silhouette"
David Karsten Daniels - "Oh, Heaven Isn't Real"
Ecstatic Sunshine - "Herrons" (concert report music)

(09:20 - moving on past the concert report)
Lykke Li - "Little Bit"
Dosh - "Kit And Pearle"
Artifact Shore - "2 in 24"
Depth Affect - "Hero Crisis"

(09:40 - timewasters galore)
Eric Chenaux - "Love Don't Change"
Astrophagus - "Feast Day"
Electric President - "All The Bones"

(09:55 - better get used to it)
Katy Perry - "I Kissed A Girl"

Further exploration of this program and its contents can be achieved by visiting WMBR's archive and listening to the two weeks worth of sonic content.

2008-05-01T06:48:00.005-05:00

Breakfast of Champions playlist for Thursday May 1st, 2008. Only on WMBR in Cambridge MA! The first show in my latest navel-gazing first hour theme - favourite albums of the 90's!

(08:00 - starting at 100)
Moose - "First Balloon To Nice"
The Rock*a*Teens - "In The Woods Of Hemlock Park"
Catherine Wheel - "Bill and Ben"

(08:15 - though at the bottom the breaks are less decisive)
Toulouse - "Know Better"
Drop Nineteens - "Kick The Tragedy"
Jet Black Crayon - "Lost In The Fog" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week)
Electrelane - "Blue Straggler"
Electrelane - "At Sea"

<08:45 - back to the past)
Girlfrendo - "First Kiss Feelings vs. Everyday Sensations"
Chapterhouse - "There's Still Life"

(09:00 - moving forward to the new music hr)
The Bedsit Infamy - "Virginia. Lay Your Hands Upon Me"
Violens - "Spectator & Pupil"
The Long Blondes - "The Couples"
The Julie Mittens - "April 3 2007" (concert report music)

(09:20 - getting past the concert report)
Anna Ternheim - "To Be Gone"
Elbow - "Mirrorball"
Portishead - "Magic Doors"
Astrophagus - "Why I Cut Off My Hands"

(09:40 - back to forward)
Sunset - "Man's Heart Complaint"
Dodos - "Fools"
Indian Jewelry - "Pompeii"

(09:55 - the closer)
The Presets - "My People"

I appreciate your attention, devotion and sincerety. If you'd like to visit WMBR's archive it contains two full weeks of streaming programming.

2008-04-24T06:34:00.006-05:00

Final week of BIG APRIL celebrating some BIG ALBUMS here on WMBR. The Breakfast of Champions is pleased to provide you with the playlist for April 24, 2008.

(08:00 - only in my dreams)
Bongwater - "Celebrity Compass"
The Lovin' Spoonful - "You're A Big Boy Now"
The Cramps - "Sheena's In A Goth Gang"
The Golden Dogs - "Construction Worker"

(08:15 - I do not want what I haven't got)
Wreckless Eric - "Take The Cash (K.A.S.H.)"
XTC - "You're The Wish You Are I Had"
Game Theory - "Crash Into June"
The Great American Main Street Band - "Grand Entry: Caesar's Triumphal March Snare Drum & Chord" (background music)

(08:30 - Band of the Week)
Uncle Tupelo - "Postcard"
Uncle Tupelo - "No Sense In Lovin'"

(08:45 - you don't wanna know)
Buffalo Tom - "Dry Land"
X - "Hungry Wolf"
The Original Sins - "Can't Feel A Thing"
Tears for Fears - "Head Over Heels"

(09:00 - new music for now people)
Robert Forster - "Pandanus"
Sarandon - "Very Flexible"
Lubomyr Melnyk - "KMH" (concert report music)

(09:20 - now more new music, people)
The Submarines - "You Me And The Bourgeoisie"
The Botticellis - "Up Against The Glass"
Tokyo Police Club - "Tessellate"
Pomegranates - "The Bellhop"
The Old Haunts - "Hurricane Eyes"

(09:40 - people knew music now)
Leerone - "To Fill The Void"
El Perro Del Mar - "Do Not Despair"
Sun Kil Moon - "Heron Blue"

(09:55 - final song)
M83 - "Dark Moves Of Love"

Thanks for browsing, if you find anything you like please support the artists or visit WMBR's website for streaming archived content.

2008-04-19T13:45:00.000-05:00

Failed Major Label Bands of the 90's - Power Pop Edition

http://zaxxon25.muxtape.com/

They sold their souls for a chance at the cut-out bin.

Thanks,
keith

2008-04-17T06:39:00.005-05:00

Big band Thursday here on the Breakfast of Champions, as this playlist will prove. Originally broadcast April 17, 2008 on WMBR Cambridge.

(08:00 - I like 'em big & stupid)
Big Boys - "Shut Up"
Big Flame - "Where's Our Carol?"
Big Black - "The Power Of Independent Trucking"
Big Stick - "Drag Racing"
Big Buildings - "We Are Steamships"
Big Drill Car - "Take Away"

(08:15 - I like 'em big & real dumb)
The Bigger Lovers - "Bought Your Ghost"
The Big Lie - "I'm Going To Ruin Her"
Big Star - "Watch The Sunrise"
Big Tobacco - "Pipe Bomb"

(08:30 - band o' the week)
Akron/Family - "The Rider (Dolphin Song)"
Akron/Family - "Crickets"
Yea Big - "Manufacturing Morals" (background music)

(08:45 - I like 'em larger than life)
Big Audio Dynamite - "E=MC²"
Big Heifer - "Electric Penpal"

(09:00 - the new music hour!)
Barry Adamson - "Straight 'til Sunrise"
Ness - "Pretty White"
Hammock - "Mono Mo Aware" (Concert Report Music)

(09:20 - more new music hour!)
This Is Ivy League - "A Summer Chill"
Maybe It's Reno - "Lone Star"
Pattern Is Movement - "Peach Trees"
New Bloods - "Oh, Deadly Nightshade!"

(09:40 - even more new music hour!)
Cut Copy - "So Haunted"
Does It Offend You, Yeah? - "Dawn Of The Dead"
Bess Rogers - "Undone"
Park Avenue Music - "Tufts"

(09:55 - the closer is always the strongest song, right?)
The Guns of Detroit - "Animals Out Killing"

Thanks for perusing the blog, if you'd like to listen to a program waltz on over to WMBR's archive and pick your poison.

2008-04-10T06:37:00.006-05:00

WMBR is duty-bound to present the Thursday April 10th edition of the Breakfast of Champions. Now, on with the playlist.

(08:00 - more special bigness)
XTC - "Big Day"
Yo La Tengo - "Big Day Coming (demo)"
Shirley Matthews and the Big Town Girls - "Big Town Boy"
Dressy Bessy - "Big Vacation"

(08:15 - i have a future in alliteration)
Kate Bush - "The Big Sky"
PJ Harvey - "Big Exit"
Silverfish - "Big Bad Baby Pig Squeal"
Slapshot - "Bigmouth Strikes Again"
Al Caiola - "Big Noise From Winnetka/Midnight Swim" (background music)

(08:30 - band of the week)
Mission Of Burma - "Falling"
Mission Of Burma - "Let Yourself Go"

(08:45 - la da da da)
Scud Mountain Boys - "Big Hole"
The Doublehappys - "Big Fat Elvis"
The Smiths - "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others"
Mojave 3 - "Big Star Baby"

(09:00 - the cattiest new music hour evah!)
Sun Kil Moon - "Moorestown"
American Music Club - "On My Way"
Four Tet - "Swimmer" (concert report music)

(09:20 - followed by a loverly concert report)
Tapes 'n Tapes - "Conquest"
Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - "You Could Write A Book"
American Princes - "Son Of California"
The Silver State - "Faith You Changed Your Name"

(09:40 - telling stories, telling secrets)
For Against - "Why Are You So Angry?"
Secret Shine - "Stars In The Sky"
Midaircondo - "Perfect Spot"

(09:55 - closing out the calumny)
Entertainment - "Patroness"

I thank you all for you attention and point to towards the archives if you'd like to actually hear some of the program in its original audio form.