en http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/ Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 60 http://www.audioscrobbler.net/data/webservices http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal The Last.fm journal for JohnCa55illo. Last.fm journals are a place to talk about all things music. http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal/2009/06/29/2u18vw_lastfm_poll_standings%2C_as_of_628 Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:54:45 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal/2009/06/29/2u18vw_lastfm_poll_standings%2C_as_of_628 For those who haven't seen this before, this weekly posting keeps track of how many times an artist appears on my weekly top 10 artists, as well as where they fall each of those weeks. An artist receives 10 points for a 1st place finish, 9 for 2nd, and so on. The first number in parenthesis is their total points, and the second number (if present) is how many 1st-place finishes they have.

1. Radiohead (458) (13)
2. The Beatles (354) (8)
3. Brand New (353) (5)
4. The Format (307) (6)
5. Bright Eyes (259) (4)
6. The Honorary Title (179) (5)
7. Wilco (163) (3)
8. Modest Mouse (146) (6)
9. Animal Collective (146) (3)
10. Death Cab For Cutie (137) (2)

11. Pedro the Lion (107) (1)
12. Kanye West (105)
13. Cursive (103) (2)
14. Neutral Milk Hotel (101)
15. David Bowie (100) (3)
16. Ben Folds (97) (2)
17. Okkervil River (94) (2)
18. The Walkmen (93) (3)
19. The Shins (87) (1)
20. Portugal. The Man (80) (2)

21. Grizzly Bear (80) (3)
22. of Montreal (77) (1)
23. Beck (65) (2)
24. Department of Eagles (64) (1)
25. The Get Up Kids (63)
26. Andrew Bird (57) (2)
27. Coldplay (52) (1)
28. Sufjan Stevens (52) (2)
29. The Beach Boys (46)
30. Wings (46)

31. The Rocket Summer (44)
32. Minus the Bear (43) (2)
33. T.I. (41)
34. Sondre Lerche (40) (1)
35. Michael Bublé (39) (1)
36. Kevin Devine (39) (1)
37. Vampire Weekend (39)
38. Lil' Wayne (39)
39. The Olivia Tremor Control (38)
40. Beirut (37)

41. M. Ward (37)
42. Manchester Orchestra (36) (1)
43. Bishop Allen (35)
44. Islands (35) (1)
45. Belle and Sebastian (33) (1)
46. Ray LaMontagne (32) (1)
47. Conor Oberst (32) (1)
48. Straylight Run (30) (2)
49. The Thermals (28) (1)
50. Crystal Antlers (28)

51. Blitzen Trapper (27) (1)
52. The Lonely Island (27)
53. Jon Brion (26) (1)
54. Death From Above 1979 (26)
55. The Decemberists (26)
56. The Jimi Hendrix Experience (26)
57. Bear vs. Shark (25)
58. Tokyo Police Club (25)
59. Super Mash Bros. (25) (1)
60. Saves the Day (24)

61. Frank Sinatra (24) (1)
62. Girl Talk (24)
63. Elliott Smith (23)
64. Something Corporate (22)
65. John Mayer (22)
66. The White Stripes (22) (1)
67. Weezer (22) (1)
68. De La Soul (22)
69. Wintersleep (22) (2)
70. God Help the Girl (22) (1)

71. Dinosaur Jr. (22)
72. Cassino (22)
73. The Kooks (20) (1)
74. John Lennon (20)
75. Sebastien Grainger & the Mountains (20) (1)
76. Ben Gibbard (19) (1)
77. The Apples in Stereo (19)
78. Nirvana (19)
79. The Black Keys (19)
80. Crystal Castles (19) (1)

81. Kings of Leon (19)
82. The Hood Internet (19)
83. Circulatory System (19)
84. The Unicorns (19)
85. Bibio (18)
86. N*E*R*D (18)
87. Damien Rice (17)
88. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals (17)
89. She & Him (17)
90. Led Zeppelin (17)

91. The Good Life (16)
92. Blind Pilot (16) (1)
93. Rocky Votolato (16)
94. Gnarls Barkley (16)
95. Wolf Parade (16)
96. Beulah (15)
97. Jay-Z (15)
98. Foreign Born (15) (1)
99. Ben Harper (14)
100. Spoon (14)

101. Ra Ra Riot (14) (1)
102. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (14) (1)
103. Iran (14)
104. Sonic Youth (14)
105. Here We Go Magic (14)
106. Passion Pit (13)
107. Snow Patrol (12)
108. Lux Courageous (12)
109. Third Eye Blind (12) (1)
110. Seu Jorge (12)

111. DM Stith (12) (1)
112. The New Pornographers (11)
113. Simon & Garfunkel (11)
114. 2Pac (11)
115. The Notorious B.I.G. (11)
116. Human Highway (11)
117. The Flaming Lips (11) (1)
118. Head Automatica (10)
119. Hey Mercedes (10)
120. Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons (10)

121. Sigur Ros (10)
122. Bon Iver (10) (1)
123. Mos Def (10)
124. Jesse Lacey (9)
125. Easy Star All-Stars (9)
126. Thelonious Monk (9)
127. Stars (9)
128. Right Away, Great Captain! (9)
129. David Bazan (9)
130. Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele (9)

131. The New Amsterdams (8)
132. Ingrid Michaelson (8)
133. Fear Before the March of Flames (8)
134. Black Kids (8)
135. ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead (8)
136. TV On the Radio (8)
137. Fountains of Wayne (8)
138. Vetiver (8)
139. Danger Doom (8)
140. Discovery (8)

141. Dashboard Confessional (7)
142. Arctic Monkeys (7)
143. Pixies (7)
144. Lightspeed Champion (7)
145. The Dodos (7)
146. The Coast (7)
147. Elton John (7)
148. Thom Yorke (7)
149. Arcade Fire (7)
150. Röyksopp (7)

151. Outkast (7)
152. The Early November (6)
153. The Movielife (6)
154. Nightmare of You (6)
155. Glassjaw (6)
156. Keane (6)
157. The Whitest Boy Alive (6)
158. The Game (6)
159. The Who (6)
160. Bob Dylan (6)

161. Iron & Wine (6)
162. Maria Taylor (5)
163. The Killers (5)
164. Wolfmother (5)
165. Say Anything (5)
166. The Hush Sound (5)
167. Interpol (5)
168. Sunny Day Real Estate (5)
169. Handsome Furs (5)
170. Creedence Clearwater Revival (5)

171. E-603 (5)
172. The Fiery Furnaces (5)
173. Dirty Projectors (5)
174. Ben Folds Five (4)
175. Rooney (4)
176. Black Rain (4)
177. The Strokes (4)
178. Jimmy Eat World (4)
179. Bic Runga (4)
180. Brian Wilson (4)

181. Billy Joel (4)
182. Ornella Vanoni (4)
183. Queen (4)
184. Dan Deacon (4)
185. Busdriver (4)
186. Dangermouse and Sparklehorse (4)
187. The Radio Dept. (3)
188. Jack's Mannequin (3)
189. Lullabee (3)
190. I'm From Barcelona (3)

191. Rogue Wave (3)
192. Andy Hull (3)
193. The Mamas & The Papas (3)
194. Joe Cocker (3)
195. Crooked Fingers (3)
196. Cartel (2)
197. Dane Cook (2)
198. 50 Cent (2)
199. Drake Bell (2)
200. Jonah Matranga (2)

201. Yo La Tengo (2)
202. Phoenix (2)
203. Doom (2)
204. Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band (2)
205. Terry Urban & Gold Coin (1)
206. Motion City Soundtrack (1)
207. Taking Back Sunday (1)
208. Incubus (1)
209. Harry and the Potters (1)
210. The Moldy Peaches (1)

211. Billy Bragg & Wilco (1)
212. The Postal Service (1)
213. Toots & the Maytals (1)
214. I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody's Business (1)
215. Hellogoodbye (1)
216. Saul Williams (1)
217. Kate Nash (1)
218. Iron Horse (1)
219. Seabear (1)
220. No Age (1)

221. Cadence Weapon (1)
222. Caribou (1)
223. Woods (1)
224. Major Lazer (1)]]> http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal/2009/06/29/2u0ek3_track_of_the_week%3A_%22never_wrong%22 Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:47:01 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal/2009/06/29/2u0ek3_track_of_the_week%3A_%22never_wrong%22 The following appears on my blog, Animal Noises- feel free to check it out.



Song: Never Wrong
Artist: Foreign Born
Album: On the Wing Now
Year: 2007

In light of Foreign Born's new album, Person to Person coming out yesterday, I decided to sit back down with their freshman effort, On The Wing Now again. It was definitely a good decision on my part. Here on the precursor to this year's great record, you can recognize the building blocks that weant into making their notable and intelligent sound. However, you can also see the point where they veer off from what appears to be their tried and true formula on the album. The sounds come the end of On the Wing Now provide hints as to where they're headed, and when you hear Person to Person, you'll both hear and appreciate the transition from simple and enjoyable indie rock, to something a bit more meaningful.

On an album full of great and spirited tracks, to me, nothing seems to epitomize what it's all about more than the closer, Never Wrong. It's a fan favorite, but there's something undyingly triumphant about it. It's the period at the end of a great novel, the final trumpet blare in a symphony. Not to compare the song to any orchestral arrangement, of course, but stick with me on the metaphors. There's a sense of completion here which can, and does, lack on many an album, and you can't help but see the smile on the band's face at the end. Check it out, and don't forget to get yourself a copy of Person to Person if you haven't already.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal/2009/06/29/2u0e93_track_of_the_week%3A_%22into_the_hillside%22 Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:39:31 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal/2009/06/29/2u0e93_track_of_the_week%3A_%22into_the_hillside%22 The following, by my brother, Matt, appears on my blog, Animal Noises- feel free to check it out for opinions by either of us.



Song: Into the Hillside
Artist: Cassettes Won't Listen
Album: Into the Hillside
Year: 2009

Lately I've been intrigued by the idea of finding an artist that makes mainly instrumental, not necessarily electronic, music that I can enjoy listening to over and over again. I came across Cassettes Won't Listen while browsing the exclusive interviews section on this site, and it peaked my interest. In a departure from his prior work, Jason Drake, the man behind the moniker, said that he thought giving people an album of instrumental music seemed like the right thing to do at this time. If the rest of Into The Hillside sounds anything like this, I would agree.

Although this music is mostly electronic, Drake plays a wide variety of instruments, and has dabbled in several genres over years of experimentation. The vibe on this one, Into The Hillside, is worldly and exotic, conjuring images of high-class globetrotting. Overall, a very cool sound. The full album came out on June 16th, and I will surely be getting my hands on it soon.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal/2009/06/26/2tslw5_pre-screening%3A_wilco Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:18:58 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal/2009/06/26/2tslw5_pre-screening%3A_wilco The following appears on my blog, Animal Noises- feel free to check it out.



Album: Wilco (The Album)
Artist: Wilco
Label: Nonesuch
Due Out: June 30th

I feel like everybody's heard this album by now. Between the fairly early leak, and the subsequent streaming of Wilco (The Album) in full online, I'd say most fans of Wilco (The Band) have listened to it at least once through. Still, I'd say this one's worth speaking about, if only for the fact that very few lengthy and organized opinions have been amassed on the band's seventh studio effort as of yet (or at least I haven't seen many). Plus, I mean, it's the band's seventh album. That's a real legitimate accomplishment, made even better when you can say honestly that six of them fall between pretty good and great (discounting A.M. of course- sorry, but I'm not a fan). For Sky Blue Sky's critics, perhaps this is the album for you.

The record of re-clarification begins, fittingly, with Wilco (the Song). Here, Wilco is the prescribed treatment for your problems- a "whatever ails ya"-type of approach which (somehow) works, and doesn't come off hokey. You'll find the approach here is much different than what their last album brought. Where there were sprawling landscapes and solos on Sky Blue Sky, there are the niceties and simplicity of piano and some off-beat percussion. Think Summerteeth- my favorite Wilco record. Next up is Deeper Down, which looks to dive past the playful nature of the first song, and explore some of the emotion that lies within these themes. Like a charm, it delivers, and also becomes one of the stronger musical portions contained on these eleven tracks. Then we reach One Wing. A classic Wilco song if I've ever heard one (and I have). Starting slow, it builds on its strong folk introduction to include enough pop to carry, but not to be overbearing. A lot of the album is about support, or the underlying effort needed to get through certain experiences. This one talks about the malady of inadequacy or ineffectiveness, at least in the metaphor of only having "one wing" to function with. A charmer, and I think it should have been the first single. (for the rest of the review, see the blog)]]> http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal/2009/06/22/2tf1j0_lastfm_poll_standings%2C_as_of_621 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:59:15 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal/2009/06/22/2tf1j0_lastfm_poll_standings%2C_as_of_621 For those who haven't seen this before, this weekly posting keeps track of how many times an artist appears on my weekly top 10 artists, as well as where they fall each of those weeks. An artist receives 10 points for a 1st place finish, 9 for 2nd, and so on. The first number in parenthesis is their total points, and the second number (if present) is how many 1st-place finishes they have.

1. Radiohead (458) (13)
2. Brand New (351) (5)
3. The Beatles (350) (8)
4. The Format (307) (6)
5. Bright Eyes (259) (4)
6. The Honorary Title (179) (5)
7. Wilco (163) (3)
8. Modest Mouse (146) (6)
9. Animal Collective (146) (3)
10. Death Cab For Cutie (137) (2)

11. Pedro the Lion (107) (1)
12. Kanye West (105)
13. Cursive (103) (2)
14. Neutral Milk Hotel (101)
15. David Bowie (100) (3)
16. Ben Folds (97) (2)
17. Okkervil River (94) (2)
18. The Walkmen (93) (3)
19. The Shins (87) (1)
20. of Montreal (77) (1)

21. Portugal. The Man (72) (2)
22. Grizzly Bear (71) (3)
23. Beck (65) (2)
24. Department of Eagles (64) (1)
25. The Get Up Kids (63)
26. Andrew Bird (57) (2)
27. Coldplay (52) (1)
28. Sufjan Stevens (52) (2)
29. The Beach Boys (46)
30. Wings (46)

31. The Rocket Summer (44)
32. Minus the Bear (43) (2)
33. T.I. (41)
34. Sondre Lerche (40) (1)
35. Michael Bublé (39) (1)
36. Kevin Devine (39) (1)
37. Vampire Weekend (39)
38. Lil' Wayne (39)
39. The Olivia Tremor Control (38)
40. Beirut (37)

41. M. Ward (37)
42. Manchester Orchestra (36) (1)
43. Bishop Allen (35)
44. Belle and Sebastian (33) (1)
45. Ray LaMontagne (32) (1)
46. Conor Oberst (32) (1)
47. Straylight Run (30) (2)
48. The Thermals (28) (1)
49. Blitzen Trapper (27) (1)
50. Crystal Antlers (27)

51. The Lonely Island (27)
52. Jon Brion (26) (1)
53. Islands (26) (1)
54. Death From Above 1979 (26)
55. The Decemberists (26)
56. The Jimi Hendrix Experience (26)
57. Bear vs. Shark (25)
58. Tokyo Police Club (25)
59. Super Mash Bros. (25) (1)
60. Saves the Day (24)

61. Frank Sinatra (24) (1)
62. Girl Talk (24)
63. Elliott Smith (23)
64. Something Corporate (22)
65. John Mayer (22)
66. The White Stripes (22) (1)
67. Weezer (22) (1)
68. De La Soul (22)
69. Wintersleep (22) (2)
70. God Help the Girl (22) (1)

71. Dinosaur Jr. (22)
72. Cassino (22)
73. The Kooks (20) (1)
74. John Lennon (20)
75. Sebastien Grainger & the Mountains (20) (1)
76. Ben Gibbard (19) (1)
77. The Apples in Stereo (19)
78. Nirvana (19)
79. The Black Keys (19)
80. Crystal Castles (19) (1)

81. Kings of Leon (19)
82. The Hood Internet (19)
83. Circulatory System (19)
84. The Unicorns (18)
85. Bibio (18)
86. N*E*R*D (18)
87. Damien Rice (17)
88. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals (17)
89. She & Him (17)
90. Led Zeppelin (17)

91. The Good Life (16)
92. Blind Pilot (16) (1)
93. Rocky Votolato (16)
94. Gnarls Barkley (16)
95. Wolf Parade (16)
96. Beulah (15)
97. Jay-Z (15)
98. Ben Harper (14)
99. Spoon (14)
100. Ra Ra Riot (14) (1)

101. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (14) (1)
102. Iran (14)
103. Sonic Youth (14)
104. Here We Go Magic (14)
105. Passion Pit (13)
106. Snow Patrol (12)
107. Lux Courageous (12)
108. Third Eye Blind (12) (1)
109. Seu Jorge (12)
110. DM Stith (12) (1)

111. The New Pornographers (11)
112. Simon & Garfunkel (11)
113. 2Pac (11)
114. The Notorious B.I.G. (11)
115. Human Highway (11)
116. Head Automatica (10)
117. Hey Mercedes (10)
118. Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons (10)
119. Sigur Ros (10)
120. Bon Iver (10) (1)

121. The Flaming Lips (10) (1)
122. Mos Def (10)
123. Jesse Lacey (9)
124. Easy Star All-Stars (9)
125. Thelonious Monk (9)
126. Stars (9)
127. Right Away, Great Captain! (9)
128. David Bazan (9)
129. Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele (9)
130. The New Amsterdams (8)

131. Ingrid Michaelson (8)
132. Fear Before the March of Flames (8)
133. Black Kids (8)
134. ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead (8)
135. TV On the Radio (8)
136. Fountains of Wayne (8)
137. Vetiver (8)
138. Danger Doom (8)
139. Dashboard Confessional (7)
140. Arctic Monkeys (7)

141. Pixies (7)
142. Lightspeed Champion (7)
143. The Dodos (7)
144. The Coast (7)
145. Elton John (7)
146. Thom Yorke (7)
147. Arcade Fire (7)
148. Röyksopp (7)
149. Outkast (7)
150. The Early November (6)

151. The Movielife (6)
152. Nightmare of You (6)
153. Glassjaw (6)
154. Keane (6)
155. The Whitest Boy Alive (6)
156. The Game (6)
157. The Who (6)
158. Bob Dylan (6)
159. Iron & Wine (6)
160. Maria Taylor (5)

161. The Killers (5)
162. Wolfmother (5)
163. Say Anything (5)
164. The Hush Sound (5)
165. Interpol (5)
166. Sunny Day Real Estate (5)
167. Handsome Furs (5)
168. Creedence Clearwater Revival (5)
169. Foreign Born (5)
170. E-603 (5)

171. The Fiery Furnaces (5)
172. Ben Folds Five (4)
173. Rooney (4)
174. Black Rain (4)
175. The Strokes (4)
176. Jimmy Eat World (4)
177. Bic Runga (4)
178. Brian Wilson (4)
179. Billy Joel (4)
180. Ornella Vanoni (4)

181. Queen (4)
182. Dan Deacon (4)
183. Busdriver (4)
184. The Radio Dept. (3)
185. Jack's Mannequin (3)
186. Lullabee (3)
187. I'm From Barcelona (3)
188. Rogue Wave (3)
189. Andy Hull (3)
190. The Mamas & The Papas (3)

191. Joe Cocker (3)
192. Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse (3)
193. Crooked Fingers (3)
194. Cartel (2)
195. Dane Cook (2)
196. 50 Cent (2)
197. Drake Bell (2)
198. Jonah Matranga (2)
199. Yo La Tengo (2)
200. Phoenix (2)

201. Doom (2)
202. Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band (2)
203. Terry Urban & Gold Coin (1)
204. Motion City Soundtrack (1)
205. Taking Back Sunday (1)
206. Incubus (1)
207. Harry and the Potters (1)
208. The Moldy Peaches (1)
209. Billy Bragg & Wilco (1)
210. The Postal Service (1)

211. Toots & the Maytals (1)
212. I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody's Business (1)
213. Hellogoodbye (1)
214. Saul Williams (1)
215. Kate Nash (1)
216. Iron Horse (1)
217. Seabear (1)
218. No Age (1)
219. Cadence Weapon (1)
220. Caribou (1)

221. Woods (1)
222. Discovery (1)]]> http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal/2009/06/19/2t66vo_pre-screening%3A_dinosaur_jr. Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:19:29 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal/2009/06/19/2t66vo_pre-screening%3A_dinosaur_jr. The following appears on my music blog, Animal Noises- feel free to check it out.



Album: Farm
Artist: Dinosaur Jr.
Label: JagJaguwar
Due Out: June 23rd

Who would have thought that after all of this time, Dinosaur Jr. could still be this good? Not only that, but then actually produce an album that shows change, growth and even a newfound youthfulness. Amongst the things we'll talk about here on this blog, Farm is one of the hardest hitting, yet enjoyable you'll see. As a fan of a lot of their older material from the 80s, I was truly baffled by the explosion of sound I heard here. So much raw, building energy, driving melodies and action here, you'd think that J Mascis was in his 20s instead of his 40s. Still, he, just like the band, delivers on a level you'd assume difficult at this point in their overall careers. I'll start off by saying that my hopes going into Farm were met and then some on this truly entertaining record.

Pieces starts us off right away on the high-powered train ride through open roads and miles of landscape ahead. Farm may apply very well as a title here, as does the album artwork, as it probably describes the physical attributes of the album better than many other words could. If you're planning on taking a long trip through the country, I'd highly recommend throwing this one in immediately. Nothing's mechanical, but instead, loose, as soaring guitar solos permeate the scenery not just here, but on many of the tracks. I Want You to Know continues the electric feel, exploding into fits of ecstasy and in my mind, capturing the essence of what this venture's all about. People have been raving about this one, myself included, and in the album format, it did not disappoint whatsoever. Just listen for the solo. Next, Ocean In The Way feels like its moving a large landmass, slowly and steadily, but with an equal amount of force to the previous tracks. We're given a minute or so to recover from yet another solo as Plans begins. At first appearing more subdued than its counterparts, the listener quickly realizes that this is not at all the case, and that we are actually in for yet another barn-burner, this time of the almost seven-minute variety. It's one of the album's better musical moments, with several different interludes previewing the varieties and textures...(read the rest of the review here)]]> http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal/2009/06/15/2stopw_track_of_the_week%3A_%22old_school_rules%22 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:32:48 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal/2009/06/15/2stopw_track_of_the_week%3A_%22old_school_rules%22 The following appears on my music blog, .Animal Noises- feel free to check it out.



Song: Old School Rules
Artist: Danger Doom
Album: The Mouse and The Mask
Year: 2005

Here it is, as promised: Last week, when I reviewed Mos Def's newest effort, The Ecstatic, I mentioned that parts of it reminded me of Danger Doom. This then got me thinking about, and listening to, one of my favorite hip hop albums ever, The Mouse and the Mask. Not sure what it is about the 2005 record that draws me in. Maybe it's the playful nature of the whole thing. Could be the fun and interesting beats. It also might be the fact that the artist formerly known as MF DOOM is on his game from a rap standpoint, and flows perfectly with Danger Mouse's efforts. If anyone reading is into indie hip hop and has not heard this album (unlikely, I know), I implore you to find it immediately. Even for those who may not consider themselves fans of this brand of hip hop, get it. You might enjoy it. You might even thank me for recommending it to you.

Out of all of the excellent tracks on The Mouse and the Mask, to me, the best is Old School Rules. Constructed in a throwback style, the horn-based beat in the background has you thinking about the simplicity and nostalgia associated with early-90s rap. It's even party playlist material (or at least it is to me). It's not the flow here that makes this song great, but rather, the comfort level. The song just naturally progresses- nothing forced or unncessary. It also reminds me of when I used to play NBA Hangtime with my friends in my freshman year of college, which also makes it endearing. Like I said, if you haven't heard it, check it out. Really. You have to.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal/2009/06/15/2sto4g_track_of_the_week%3A_%22daylight%22 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:27:52 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal/2009/06/15/2sto4g_track_of_the_week%3A_%22daylight%22 The following, by my brother Matt, appears on my music blog, .Animal Noises- feel free to check it out for opinions by either of us.



Song: Daylight
Artist: Matt & Kim
Album: Grand
Year: 2009

I've never really been a fan of Matt & Kim. I didn't see the big deal when their self-titled debut came out, and my overall opinion was that although they had a knack for crafting fairly catchy powerpop and a sunny disposition, they didn't bring much of anything new to the musical landscape. Recently, I gave them a second look when this song was brought to my attention by a friend, and I couldn't help but give credit where credit was due.

Some of you may recognize it from the new Bacardi Mojito commercial where a partygoer passes through recent decades as he makes his way through a crowded room. The visuals highlight the pop culture of the day, and the song choice works perfectly to assist. Daylight has an unexplainable vibe that exudes carefree youth and romance. It rides along on a textbook hip hop beat, string loops, simple piano lines, and frantic vocals, pushing all the right buttons to get its message across.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal/2009/06/15/2stnnp_pre-screening%3A_gold_help_the_girl Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:24:03 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal/2009/06/15/2stnnp_pre-screening%3A_gold_help_the_girl The following appears on my music blog, Animal Noises- feel free to check it out.



Album: God Help The Girl
Artist: God Help the Girl
Label: Matador Records
Due Out: June 23rd

You might remember me briefly discussing Belle and Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch making a film, with an accompanying album, a few months back. As the story goes, Murdoch began amassing songs which he felt didn't fit the normal B&S format, and decided to branch out into a side project. That side project, God Help The Girl, ended up evolving into a film by the same name, due for release in 2010. It's an interesting record that harkens to simpler, less-stressful times. Think Belle and Sebastian if they had been recording music back in the 1960s and '70s. Still, it doesn't sound so much like Murdoch's main project that you get lost in that aspect. God Help the Girl can, and does, stand by itself as a great effort, whether you associate it with the upcoming film or not. My only word of advice as we dive in is 'relax'.

Act of the Apostle starts us off, and will probably be familiar to B&S fans, as it's one of their songs. Notice the classical reworking though- a theme throughout the album that has had me gushing over it since the first listen. The strings, horn and piano are at some of their strongest on this specific song, dancing from beat to beat, and playing perfectly off of Catherine Ireton's fantastic vocals. Ireton is the first of a bevy of female singers that appear on the record (there are eight women altogether). Some are contest winners, others are fellow recording artists, but all have a similar, youthful charm to them that you're sure to enjoy. Next is the upbeat and bouncy title track, God Help The Girl also sung by Ireton. The album as a whole addresses a woman, or rather, multiple women, struggling with various problems, tossing and turning between different emotions and actions in a show that will surely be interesting to see in the film version. Pretty Eve In the Tub follows, once again featuring Ireton (the most prominent of the female singers) and Murdoch in a slightly goofy duet about a tub. Admittedly, not my favorite moment on the album, but in no way is it a terrible song.

A Unified Theory is the record's first instrumental. It's a loose, freeform jazz number playing up bass, saxophone and piano to bridge the gap from the early moments into the middle portion. Another Ireton and Murdoch duet comes up next in Hiding Neath My Umbrella, a track that starts off as something you may have heard in a 1920s dance hall, before breaking into the melodic and layered chorus reminiscent of a 1960s movie musical overture. Harmony-wise, I feel as if the dynamic between these two is the best of all of the combinations, and I'm guessing Murdoch felt the same way, since Ireton is featured so frequently. The other B&S cover comes in the form of old favorite, Funny Little Frog, which is completely re-imagined by girl #2, Brittany Stallings, who sports a deeper and more soulful voice than her predecessor. Who ever thought this track could be a love ballad? Not me, but astoundingly, it works here to perfection. If You Could Speak is another fun, bluesy/folksy song that does a great job alternating between Ireton and vocalist Anna Miles. Keep an eye out for the background vocals the two girls execute behind Murdoch halfway through, as well as the whistling part, which for some reason, I'm a fan of. I always admire a good whistler.

Musicians Please Take Heed, to me, begins not just the second half, but the end of the album. The mood appears to change here, some darker, some quicker tracks, and overall, it feels like the conflict within the music grows. Ireton seems torn as the crescendo of strings grows behind her for dramatic effect. Then we switch to Murdoch doing a solid David Bowie impression in the opening lines of Perfection As A Hipster. To me, this track may the most interesting, probably because it has the most going on- three vocalists in harmony, heavy strings, and the aforementioned Bowie allusion. We calm down immediately afterwards though, with Come Monday Night. For lack of a better term, it's lovely. Ireton plays the lead again on this wistful, lonely ballad full of hopes and dreams. Then the album's second instrumental, The Music Room WIndow keeps things slow, preparing us for the final few songs.

In a surprise change of pace, Asya, from Seattle teen band, Smoosh, appears as the lead vocalist for I Just Want Your Jeans. It's odd at first, since you can actually hear the change in age between the earlier women and Asya, but the timid, youthful sound adds a sound of vulnerability and possible desperation, all of which make the mood what it is. I've made allusions to the 1960s various times throughout the record, but I feel like no track establishes itself in that decade better than I'll Have to Dance With Cassie. It'll be no surprise that the track once again features Ireton, and I can't put my finger on how or why, but the very apparent strings and punchy piano part combine with her voice to just transport the track backwards in time. Lastly, we arrive at [track artist=God Help the Girl]A Down and Dusky Blonde[/tracl], which functions as a culmination of the record as a whole. The ideas are wrapped up, and our story seems to come to a close. It also features five female vocalists- Ireton, Stallings, Asya, and contest winners Dina Bankole and Celia Garcia. Luckily, it stays away from movie musical group vocals and keeps its integrity intact.

What's not to like here? It's quaint and provides for a nice dose of nostalgia. Nothing is forced, everything seems like the natural progression to the next step, and a solid amount of artists come together for an interesting, and almost eclectic collection of songs. I'm going to use the word pleasant here, for lack of a more appropriate word, because that's what it is- pleasant. The fact that the album can stand on its own two feet without the visuals the sounds are supposed to represent is another thing that reinforces my very positive feelings. I went in with modest hopes, and I came out with some pretty solid praise. Perhaps you'll feel the same. Similar artists include the obvious Belle and Seabastian, Camera Obscura and The Mamas & The Papas.

Rating: 8.0/10

Best Track: "Funny Little Frog" (sorry, I had to)]]> http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal/2009/06/15/2stes1_lastfm_poll_standings%2C_as_of_614 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:05:44 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/JohnCa55illo/journal/2009/06/15/2stes1_lastfm_poll_standings%2C_as_of_614 For those who haven't seen this before, this weekly posting keeps track of how many times an artist appears on my weekly top 10 artists, as well as where they fall each of those weeks. An artist receives 10 points for a 1st place finish, 9 for 2nd, and so on. The first number in parenthesis is their total points, and the second number (if present) is how many 1st-place finishes they have.

1. Radiohead (458) (13)
2. Brand New (351) (5)
3. The Beatles (341) (8)
4. The Format (307) (6)
5. Bright Eyes (259) (4)
6. The Honorary Title (179) (5)
7. Wilco (162) (3)
8. Modest Mouse (146) (6)
9. Animal Collective (146) (3)
10. Death Cab For Cutie (137) (2)

11. Pedro the Lion (107) (1)
12. Cursive (103) (2)
13. Neutral Milk Hotel (101)
14. Kanye West (101)
15. David Bowie (100) (3)
16. Ben Folds (97) (2)
17. Okkervil River (94) (2)
18. The Walkmen (93) (3)
19. The Shins (87) (1)
20. of Montreal (77) (1)

21. Portugal. The Man (72) (2)
22. Beck (65) (2)
23. The Get Up Kids (63)
24. Department of Eagles (63) (1)
25. Grizzly Bear (61) (2)
26. Andrew Bird (54) (2)
26. Coldplay (52) (1)
27. Sufjan Stevens (52) (2)
29. The Beach Boys (46)
30. Wings (46)

31. The Rocket Summer (44)
32. Minus the Bear (43) (2)
33. T.I. (41)
34. Sondre Lerche (40) (1)
35. Michael Bublé (39) (1)
36. Kevin Devine (39) (1)
37. Vampire Weekend (39)
38. Lil' Wayne (39)
39. The Olivia Tremor Control (38)
40. Beirut (37)

41. M. Ward (37)
42. Manchester Orchestra (36) (1)
43. Bishop Allen (35)
44. Belle and Sebastian (33) (1)
45. Ray LaMontagne (32) (1)
46. Conor Oberst (32) (1)
47. Straylight Run (30) (2)
48. The Thermals (28) (1)
49. Blitzen Trapper (27) (1)
50. Crystal Antlers (27)

51. The Lonely Island (27)
52. Jon Brion (26) (1)
53. Islands (26) (1)
54. Death From Above 1979 (26)
55. The Decemberists (26)
56. The Jimi Hendrix Experience (26)
57. Bear vs. Shark (25)
58. Tokyo Police Club (25)
59. Super Mash Bros. (25) (1)
60. Saves the Day (24)

61. Frank Sinatra (24) (1)
62. Elliott Smith (23)
63. Something Corporate (22)
64. John Mayer (22)
65. The White Stripes (22) (1)
66. Weezer (22) (1)
67. De La Soul (22)
68. Wintersleep (22) (2)
69. God Help the Girl (22) (1)
70. Cassino (21)

71. The Kooks (20) (1)
72. John Lennon (20)
73. Sebastien Grainger & the Mountains (20) (1)
74. Ben Gibbard (19) (1)
75. The Apples in Stereo (19)
76. Nirvana (19)
77. The Black Keys (19)
78. Crystal Castles (19) (1)
79. Kings of Leon (19)
80. The Hood Internet (19)

81. Circulatory System (19)
82. The Unicorns (18)
83. Bibio (18)
84. N*E*R*D (18)
85. Girl Talk (18)
86. Damien Rice (17)
87. Ryan Adams & The Cardinals (17)
88. She & Him (17)
89. Led Zeppelin (17)
90. The Good Life (16)

91. Blind Pilot (16) (1)
92. Rocky Votolato (16)
93. Gnarls Barkley (16)
94. Wolf Parade (16)
95. Beulah (15)
96. Jay-Z (15)
97. Ben Harper (14)
98. Spoon (14)
99. Ra Ra Riot (14) (1)
100. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (14) (1)

101. Iran (14)
102. Sonic Youth (14)
103. Here We Go Magic (14)
104. Dinosaur Jr. (14)
105. Passion Pit (13)
106. Snow Patrol (12)
107. Lux Courageous (12)
108. Third Eye Blind (12) (1)
109. Seu Jorge (12)
110. DM Stith (12) (1)

111. The New Pornographers (11)
112. Simon & Garfunkel (11)
113. 2Pac (11)
114. The Notorious B.I.G. (11)
115. Human Highway (11)
116. Head Automatica (10)
117. Hey Mercedes (10)
118. Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons (10)
119. Sigur Ros (10)
120. Bon Iver (10) (1)

121. The Flaming Lips (10) (1)
122. Mos Def (10)
123. Jesse Lacey (9)
124. Easy Star All-Stars (9)
125. Thelonious Monk (9)
126. Stars (9)
127. Right Away, Great Captain! (9)
128. David Bazan (9)
129. Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele (9)
130. The New Amsterdams (8)

131. Ingrid Michaelson (8)
132. Fear Before the March of Flames (8)
133. Black Kids (8)
134. ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead (8)
135. TV On the Radio (8)
136. Fountains of Wayne (8)
137. Vetiver (8)
138. Danger Doom (8)
139. Dashboard Confessional (7)
140. Arctic Monkeys (7)

141. Pixies (7)
142. Lightspeed Champion (7)
143. The Dodos (7)
144. The Coast (7)
145. Elton John (7)
146. Thom Yorke (7)
147. Arcade Fire (7)
148. Röyksopp (7)
149. The Early November (6)
150. The Movielife (6)

151. Nightmare of You (6)
152. Glassjaw (6)
153. Keane (6)
154. The Whitest Boy Alive (6)
155. The Game (6)
156. The Who (6)
157. Bob Dylan (6)
158. Iron & Wine (6)
159. Maria Taylor (5)
160. The Killers (5)

161. Wolfmother (5)
162. Say Anything (5)
163. The Hush Sound (5)
164. Interpol (5)
165. Sunny Day Real Estate (5)
166. Handsome Furs (5)
167. Creedence Clearwater Revival (5)
168. Foreign Born (5)
169. E-603 (5)
170. Ben Folds Five (4)

171. Rooney (4)
172. Black Rain (4)
173. The Strokes (4)
174. Jimmy Eat World (4)
175. Bic Runga (4)
176. Brian Wilson (4)
177. Billy Joel (4)
178. Ornella Vanoni (4)
179. Queen (4)
180. Dan Deacon (4)

181. Busdriver (4)
182. The Radio Dept. (3)
183. Jack's Mannequin (3)
184. Lullabee (3)
185. I'm From Barcelona (3)
186. Rogue Wave (3)
187. Andy Hull (3)
188. The Mamas & The Papas (3)
189. Joe Cocker (3)
190. Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse (3)

191. Crooked Fingers (3)
192. Cartel (2)
193. Dane Cook (2)
194. 50 Cent (2)
195. Drake Bell (2)
196. Jonah Matranga (2)
197. Yo La Tengo (2)
198. Phoenix (2)
199. Doom (2)
200. Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band (2)

201. Motion City Soundtrack (1)
202. Taking Back Sunday (1)
203. Incubus (1)
204. Harry and the Potters (1)
205. The Moldy Peaches (1)
206. Billy Bragg & Wilco (1)
207. The Postal Service (1)
208. Toots & the Maytals (1)
209. I Can Make A Mess Like Nobody's Business (1)
210. Hellogoodbye (1)

211. Saul Williams (1)
212. Kate Nash (1)
213. Iron Horse (1)
214. Seabear (1)
215. No Age (1)
216. Cadence Weapon (1)
217. Caribou (1)
218. Woods (1)]]>