Archive for the 'smashing pumpkins' Category

BOTM vol 12

Published
by
billy
on November 4, 2008
in amie miriello, arcade fire, ben lee, best of the month, bob, bossonova, botm, chark mu, coldplay, cover, decemberists, digital leather, gnarls barkley, goodtimes goodtimes, indie, jay z, kooks, lily allen, live, mgmt, modest mouse, mp3, music, nirvana, of montreal, raveonettes, smashing pumpkins and sufjan stevens
. 4 Comments

Welcome back to The World Forgot.  Welcome back to the Best of the Month series.  Welcome many readers to election day and welcome the rest of you to a wonderful November 4th.  For those that are still unaware what the BOTM series is all about here’s a quick refresher.  I collect songs all month long and the best that I’ve heard in the past thirty days I put together in one easy to find post.  If you’d like to browse through the past eleven volumes click here.  Enjoy the music, and if you live in the Midwest enjoy the glorious sunshine.

All the tracks in one zip file : here {zshare = left click}

mp3 : Amie Miriello - Disarm (Smashing Pumpkins Cover)
This is easily one of my favorite Smashing Pumpkins songs and I think this cover respects the original material while at the same time Amie isn’t afraid to put her own spin on this classic.  It actually sounds a bit like if Stevie Nicks covered the Pumpkins.

mp3 : Arcade Fire - Brazil (Bossonova Cover)
The music in this cover is every bit as cheeky as you’d expect but for some reason Win Butler’s voice adds just the right amount of gravitas to make this cover worth a second, third, or tenth listen.

mp3 : B.o.B. - Left Field Lovely
This track reminds me of all my favorite parts of Outkast.  If that’s not brilliant enough endorsement for this track I’m willing to bet you hate everything I love.

mp3 : Ben Lee - Float On (Modest Mouse Cover)
This is a pretty raw cover of the song that put Modest Mouse on literally every iPod in the world.  Never mind that about two thirds of the way through the song Ben accidentally halts the song and has to count it off again.  It’s wonderful.

mp3 : Chark Mu - Eh Oh
Mr. Mu makes mighty impressive remixes.  Apparently when he’s not splicing together beats and melodies he’s busy making some equally impressive original material.  Clearly Chark Mu is a force to be reckoned with.

mp3 : Coldplay - Lost+ (feat Jay-Z)
After Chris Martin contributed a bit of talent to that Jay-Z track a ways back we all knew that Z would return the favor.  That’s just the type of classy gentleman he is.  The rhymes don’t kick in until after the two minute mark, but they’re worth the wait.

mp3 : Digital Leather - Dead Sound (Raveonettes Cover)
The first two thirds of this track are filled with enough glitches and blips to satisfy anyone with a heart for Fruity Loops or Acid Pro.  The real beauty reveals itself when the music is stripped away for a moment and you realize your heart is crying out for it to begin again.  Don’t worry, it does.

mp3 : Goodtimes Goodtimes - Eloise
If you’re wondering who should be crowned the next Dylan look no further than this track.  Seriously.  It is as if the vocals, the melodies, the whisper of whimsy, the overdose of melancholy, and the guitar strumming are taken right from Bob himself.

mp3 : Lily Allen - Naive (The Kooks Cover)
Lady Sov can kiss Lily’s butt.  If there was any question as to who was the better of these two oft quarrelling ladies this song puts most of that squabble to bed.  Honestly, can anyone imagine Sov pulling off anything like this?

mp3 : Of Montreal - Crazy (Gnarls Barkley Cover)
It’s live, it doesn’t have the best audio quality, but it captures the fun that is infused into every Of Montreal set.  And let’s not forget that Kevin Barnes can actually sing {even if he might be the weirdest performer currently on tour}.

mp3 : Of Montreal and MGMT - Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana Cover)
I’m not sure where this cover comes from.  It’s in a live setting, and it’s decent quality, but what I find more fascinating is that it’s Of Montreal and MGMT paying homage to Nirvana.  And they do it in an appropriate straight up rocking sort of way.  Kudos.

mp3 : Sufjan Stevens - In The Words Of The Governor
Will Suf ever release a new album?  There really hasn’t been much news surrounding the Sufjan camp these days.  It seems as if he’s busy shooting high 8 videos, writing instrumental pieces honoring highways, and signing more talent to his ever growing indie label.  This song is way different than most of what you’ve heard.  And it’s still brilliant.

mp3 : The Decemberists - Valerie Plame
I’m not sure The Decemberists will ever live up to the glorious splendor that was The Crane Wife.  Right now they’re putting out a series of EP’s and performing some songs on late night talk shows.  This happens to be one of those songs.  I like it, so just listen to it and agree with me.

That’s all for volume 12 of the BOTM series.  Come back often and read some of the regular posts where I basically tell you what’s good, what’s bad, and I succeed in convincing you that you’re not cool unless you’re just like me.  Oh, and make sure you check back tomorrow to catch the Best of the Remix series.  Cheers.

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BOTM vol 06

Published
by
billy
on April 1, 2008
in best of the month, bishop allen, botm, collections of colonies of bees, cover, death cab for cutie, indie, john mayer, joy formidable, kara keith, lismore, live, mgmt, modest mouse, mp3, music, over the rhine, pete townshend, peter moren, radiohead, rilo kiley, smashing pumpkins and sons and daughters
. 4 Comments

I really could use a new graphic for Best of the Month. I’ll get on that right after I kick my addiction to video games on xbox live. Honestly, it’s been hitting me hard the last week or so. I apologize for the lack of new and brilliant posts, but you need to check out the live tracks I posted last week by Zach Williams. Honestly.

For those of you who are just stumbling by this little blog today let me explain what the BOTM series of posts is. Every month I use my considerable amount of free time {I’m pretty much a good for nothing grown up kid} to scour the web, the albums, the emails, and the blogs for the best thirteen tracks I can find in any one calendar month. Then I put them all together in one simple post and allow you to enjoy them at your leisure. And as a special added bonus I’ve now begun adding my own witty commentary with the tracks. Get excited. If you’d like to check out all the previous volumes you can do that just by clicking here. And now, in the words of Freddie, on with the show.

All the tracks in one zip file : here {zshare = left click}

mp3 : Bishop Allen - Middle Management
I love this track as it just never seems to quit. The lyrics are spit fire, the phrase “the end is coming soon” is chanted a few times, and the music drives along in a jangly bouncy mess of fun from start to finish. I seem to gravitate towards music that sounds as if they’re having a ton of fun making it, and this is just such a track.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Collections of Colonies of Bees - Flocks III
There are some songs, like the previous Bishop Allen track, that reach out and grab you on the first note. There are other songs that build and grow. They start slow and morph from one movement to the next in a way that is intense, lackadaisical, fluid, and abrupt. This sprawling eleven minute track is one of the latter. It careens from soundscape to colonial army drumbeats, from fluid guitar work to soaring melodies.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Death Cab for Cutie - I Will Possess Your Heart
To be fair my heart is still in the air on this track. I feel as if it’s a legitimate fifty fifty chance that I won’t like their new album {due May 13}. And that’s quite possibly what Gibbard, Walla, and crew were aiming for on this album. They’ve offered many a disclaimer stating that this album won’t be for everyone and quite possibly will alienate a large portion of their fan base. The truth is that this track just isn’t enough to decide yet how the rest of the album will fare.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : John Mayer - Kid A (Radiohead Cover)
I really don’t like John Mayer all that much. His guitar work is amazing, his jazz trio was inventive and original, and his talent as a musician is pretty much on par with any contemporary guitar player out there today. On the other hand his lyrics are abysmal. Always. That’s why I can boldly state my love for his cover of one of the best lyricists out there, that being Thom Yorke and his pals that some people refer to as Radiohead. Kudos to you Mr. Mayer for choosing a great song to cover.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Kara Keith - Kick This City
I got this track in an email {one that I actually read apparently} and I loved the smooth and smoky vocals that Kara features on this track. The music is comparable to a lot of indie rock/pop that’s been floating around festivals and EP’s lately and it’s executed very well. It serves as a perfect jaunting backdrop to her subdued vocals.

for more : myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Lismore - 1979 (Smashing Pumpkins Cover)
This was easily one of my favorite tracks ever layed down by Chicago based Smashing Pumpkins and I was a little leery upon hearing a cover of it. It’s not every day that a band can take a song and pay adequate homage to the song’s heritage {witness the total destruction of Landslide by the Dixie Chicks}. I must say that Lismore did a great job at both recreating 1979 while still honoring where the song originally came from. It’s just a great cover.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Mgmt - Time To Pretend
It seems as if my BOTM this time around is filled with slightly melancholic indie rock songs. I love this track for the verse that talks about missing, quite literally, everything in the world. Unfortunately there’s nothing Mgmt can figure to do about this situation. Fortunately for us, if all else fails, we can simply put this song on repeat and let them sing us to sleep.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Modest Mouse - Fly Trapped In a Jar
This song appeared as the second single to Modest Mouse’s latest album We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank and I think it’s a good example of the dichotomy of the band. On one hand they can be wildly and infectiously melodic {see Float On} and on the other hand their music can be filled with harsh, even grating, dischord, guitar work, and flat out screamed lyrics. The great thing about Isaac Brock and company is that no matter which way they’re swinging it’s all excellent.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Over the Rhine - If a Song Could Be President
I’ve been a closet fan of Over the Rhine ever since a college roomie of mine turned me onto this husband wife duo out of Ohio. Although I’m not a huge fan of the overt country style tones available on this track it’s always fun to hear a new song by a band that you really enjoy. And seeing as how overly dramatic the coverage of the presidential primaries are in the States right now this track only seemed appropriate.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Peter Moren - Social Competence
I never was a huge fan of Peter’s other group {Peter Bjorn & John} for various and sundry reasons. I guess it just boiled down to the fact that I just wasn’t that into them. But here it’s just Mr. Moren on his own {with some almost whimsical hand claps} and it’s a whole new beast for my heart to love. I dig it.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Rilo Kiley - Let My Love Open The Door (Pete Townshend Cover)
Rilo Kiley was the first band featuring mainly female vocals that I genuinely liked listening to. I remember that moment clearly. To hear them cover a Pete Townshend classic is, well, classic. Although it’s a live track and it takes a bit to actually get started it’s worth every wonderful second. And who would’ve thought that ukelele would be perfect on a Pete Townshend song?

for more : site myspace amazaonmp3 itunes

mp3 : Sons and Daughters - Johnny Cash
I’m a huge fan of the Man in Black and consequently this track title caught my eye. Fortunately the song kept my attention from start to end as a title is only clever enough to keep me stationary for about seventeen seconds. What you’ll find here is a healthy dose of southern rock with a salting of driving rockabilly. And to be honest, it just wouldn’t be a song called Johnny Cash without a nice baritone voice singing over the brooding music.

for more : site myspace amazonmp3 itunes

mp3 : The Joy Formidable - Cradle
I posted about this new band just a few days ago {you can read that post here} and I must say that their music has the infectious staying power that all musicians strive for. Well at least all musicians who wish to be loved by their fans. Although this track by The Joy Formidable is easily the one most likely to be overplayed on popular radio it’s also the one that you will be begging to hear again and again. Yes, it is that good.

for more : myspace

That wraps up the sixth volume of Best of the Month. I really can’t believe it’s been going on this long. Quite a lot of fun this little adventure has been. As always, enjoy the music.

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Smashing Pumpkins

Published
by
billy
on November 7, 2007
in adore, mp3, music, nineties and smashing pumpkins
. 2 Comments

Today was a gorgeous fall day, most of it I got to spend outside in a big open field filled with orange and yellow leaves, gusty wind, and children playing merrily oblivious to the chill in the air.  I had a really good day.  And on this day, exactly eighteen months after my father unexpectedly passed away, as I found myself enjoying the crispness of autumn, and the way sunlight casually filters through clouds to dapple the ground with moments of warmth, this old song by the Smashing Pumpkins found its way into my mouth and I couldn’t stop singing it to myself.

Enjoy life, enjoy the weather, and enjoy this track from their album Adore (iTunes).

mp3 : Smashing Pumpkins - For Martha

+ hype elbows site myspace itunes amazon
{just a note: amazon has the full album download in drm-free mp3 format for a full dollar cheaper than iTunes.  buy smart}

Smashing Pumpkins

Published
by
billy
on April 21, 2007
in billy corgan, indie, mp3, music and smashing pumpkins
. 3 Comments

Like almost anyone who grew up in the Mid West I had an undying passion for anything and everything that came out of Billy Corgan’s mind during the middle of the nineties. Here’s an older song from his band, Smashing Pumpkins, that feels perfect to start your weekend with.

Stay safe this weekend, but don’t forget to have fun.

In other news the rumor is still around that Mr. Corgan is reforming the band, dropping a new album, and beginning tour extensively. Here’s to hoping that some rumors are true and that Jimmy Chamberlain is really on board.

mp3 : Smashing Pumpkins - Obscured

site
myspace

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EA Mix vol 8 - Fix Me Now

Published
by
admin
on December 1, 2006
in ea mix, elefant, gary jules, get set go, gnarls barkley, joseph arthur, josh garrels, jude, killers, lindsey czechowicz, matt costa, mix, mp3, music, smashing pumpkins, snow patrol, weepies and zach wililams
. 3 Comments


I’m still not sure why I titled this mix “fix me now” although maybe at the time I was working on this slice of music it was a cry for help. I’ve been dealing with a lot lately. I think that’s all that needs to be vomited here.

So below is the mix. Bowing to popular opinion I have decided to upload the mix as a single file download. The individual songs are still available here, but if you want to just snag them all at one time I’ve supplied that link as well.

download : EA Mix vol 8 - Fix Me Now

01 : Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars (Acoustic) : This song is great in any format. Their last two albums have both been solid efforts and it’s always refreshing to hear a band present their material in a new way. This version is raw, one take, maybe even one track. However it was recorded it’s a great way to start mix 8.

02 : Jude - Crazy (Gnarls Barkley Cover) : This cover reminds me a bit of JD Natasha’s cover of Outkast’s ‘Hey Ya’ just without the backing orchestra. It’s bouncy, it doesn’t really take itself seriously, and Jude comes across like a better version of Jason Mraz. Maybe that’s because he actually has talent.

03 : Zach Williams - Push : Yes, I might have a slight infatuation with Zach Williams. I think the man is brilliant and just waiting for his turn to play for a larger audience. This song starts slow and rapidly develops into something amazing. I simply love the line “I was wondering how long, how long it’d take for you to notice, I can’t look you dead in the eye without losing time.” Danceable.

04 : Get Set Go : I Hate Everyone : Just to clarify, I don’t hate everyone. Most people I actually like, or can at least get along with. But apparently Get Set Go has some anger issues, maybe a bit of latent bitterness towards something. This song reminds me a bit of Weezer a la the Pinkerton era. A tad silly, a dash of melancholy, and catchy licks.

05 : The Weepies : World Spins Madly On : “I woke up, and wished that I was dead, with an aching in my head. Thought of you, and where you’d gone, and the world spins madly on.” The process of the end has never been something easy to swallow, but it’s also never been this beautifully told either.

06 : Josh Garrels - Answer in Love (Live) : So much of this song comforts my heart at times when all I can do is try not to think. Josh is again in the studio attempting to what amounts to copious loads of new music. His hope is that at the end of the day he’ll have written so many songs that he can hand pick only the best for his new album. If there’s even one as great as this song he’ll have no problem moving the merchandise.

07 : Elefant - Why : I can’t decide if this group fits into a genre like ska/punk or eighties revival. Maybe they’re more a ska/punk band who’s only one keytar away from achieving pure eighties glory. No matter what type of sound or genre they were attempting to hit in this song it’s still a good pop song. Straight forward, it is what it is, and it’s worth hearing.

08 : Gary Jules - Something Else : It seems as if Gary Jules is back in the spotlight after his biggest song [his cover of Tears for Fears' - Mad World] was used in a tv ad for Gears of War. This is original Jules writing, and the man has some talent, even if the sound behind the words is a bit oldschool.

09 : Matt Costa - Astair : I need to do a feature just on Matt Costa. His latest album is easily worth downloading from allofmp3, or maybe even from some other overpriced proprietary garbage software program that will remain unnamed. All hateration aside this song is good acoustic folk, which is Matt Costa’s bread’n'butter.

10 : Lindsey Czechowicz - Escape : Probably the hardest name ever to type on a keyboard. I hereby move to change her stage name to LC. It’s hip, the letters actually stand for her name, and it’s easier for the kids to say. I think I have something against musical acts that use difficult to pronounce, spell, file, or remember, names.

11 : The Killers - Why Do I Keep Counting : Yes, the second song I’ve featured off of Sam’s Town. And I know many people out there are still sad that The Killers deviated from their original glam pop sound. But listen to this entire song. It’s larger than life, it’s [gasp] a new direction for them, and it’s definitely heavily influenced by The Boss. “Help me get down, I can make it, help me get down.” “And if all our days are numbered then why do I keep counting?”

12 : Joseph Arthur - Enough to Get Away : On this song it feels as if Joseph Arthur is actually mashing up his older material with the best of Belle and Sebastian. Basically it’s any indie kids dream. All of his newest album, Nuclear Daydream, is worth a listen. Mr. Arthur continually makes impressive indie pop music, and he’s a, how should I say this, dedicated painter as well.

13 : Smashing Pumpkins - 1979 (Acoustic) : Yes it’s official, according to Billy Corgan and Myspace at least, the Pumpkins are back together and are recording a new album which is due out summer of ‘07. It just felt natural to end this mix on a classic from one of the greatest rock bands that the States have ever produced. Here’s to hoping that Billy and crew stick together, get along, and keep away from drugs.

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