Wednesday, January 28, 2009

The Letter Eh: "Acid Food," Mogwai

From the album Mr. Beast

Mogwai:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Don't plan on seeing these guys anytime soon, unless, of course, you are currently enrolled in a study abroad program.

Mogwai canceled their American tour dates this last fall due to drummer Martin Bulloch's misbehaving pacemaker... I suppose they have been together since 1995.

Is that the same year you graduated from college, Chris? — BJ

Nope, I did the two-school, five-year (and three summer) plan from 1992 until 1997. — cwc

The Letter Eh: "All Apologies," Nirvana

From the album In Utero

Nirvana:   Web site   Wiki

DJ comments: I'll be in Seattle next week, so I felt a need to play a pre-trip anthem. This is my anthem.

On a side note, I was having a conversation with some friends about second-string band members pulling forward after a front man's death. It started after we saw the Foo Fighters on Top Chef. They were not so enthused with Dave Grohl's attempt at the spotlight, but I had to stick up for the "Big Me" video.

Regardless, Nirvana kicks the shit out of about any band this planet has seen. The pulse that put Seattle on the music map will forever be in my top 10. It's always good. — BJ

The Letter Eh: "Aging Faces / Losing Places," Broken Social Scene Presents Kevin Drew

From the album Spirit If...

Broken Social Scene:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: While I'm in Seattle, I'll be seeing Broken Social Scene. Color me excited!

No more Seattle bragging, I promise. — BJ

The Letter Eh: "Ain't No Lord," The Moondoggies

From the album Don't Be A Stranger

The Moondoggies:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Did you know the Moondoggies are also from Seattle? Shouldn't be much of a surprise, though. There is a pretty big harmonization movement coming out of there (mind, I base that statement on the fact that Moondoggies and Fleet Foxes are both from the most populous Northwestern city). — BJ

Sans-video.

The Letter Eh: "All The Young Dudes," Mott The Hoople

From the album All The Young Dudes

Mott The Hoople:   Web site   Wiki

DJ comments: Just in case you were unaware, David Bowie wrote this song for the band when they were contemplating breaking up. Go figure, it was there most popular song.

If you have any interest in seeing Mott the Hoople, they are reuniting in October. Apparently all original members are involved. — BJ

The Letter Eh: "Alaska," Dr. Dog

From the album We All Belong

Dr. Dog:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: If you don't know Dr. Dog, listen to them and check out their tour list! My friend Mannix and I are already planning our trip to Minneapolis to see them live. — BJ

The Letter Eh: "All of My Friends Were There," The Kinks

From the album The Village Green Preservation Society

The Kinks:   Wiki

DJ comments: So when they were choosing the name for their band, do you think they were talking about kinks in their neck from bad sleep or kinks in the sheets from bad "sleep"? — BJ

The Letter Eh: Army Navy, "My Thin Sides"

From the album Army Navy

Army Navy:   Amazon   MySpace

DJ comments: Chris should love this band -- they put out a Cure tribute album. It's like they're your soul mates. Maybe you can all get together and have a man cry session.

Anyway, these guys should be picking up a lot of steam -- I've been reading more and more about them lately. Of course, they could be like many other bands and get the smoke but no fire. — BJ

They contributed one song to a two-disc Cure tribute album. They know better than to try to deliver the goods on a full album's worth of Cure. And for the record, it's boy cry, not man cry! — cwc

The Letter Eh: "All The Morning Birds," Jolie Holland

From the album Catalpa

Jolie Holland:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: I still can't get into Jolie's new album. Classic indie scenario: unknown raw sound gets audience attention, greater production and poppier sound, and fans are upset over signs of success.

I'll cry about this one. Instead of listening to the Cure, I'll just continue to put on my favorite of her albums -- Catalpa. — BJ

The Letter Eh: "Almost Always Never," What Made Milwaukee Famous

From the album Trying to Never Catch Up

What Made Milwaukee Famous:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Things that made Milwaukee Famous: beer (Schlitz, Blatz, Pabst, and Miller), manufacturing and Summerfest (the Guinness Book's largest music festival). — BJ

The Letter Eh: Ambulance LTD, "Stay Tuned"

From the album LP

Ambulance LTD:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: The band is currently going through a pretty hefty transition. Several members left, new members have joined and are working with John Cale of The Velvet Underground. No original members remain. — BJ

The Letter Eh: "Anything You Want," Spoon

From the album Girls Can Tell

Spoon:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: The Spoon Web site isn't working, but that's the one listed on everything. Future reference, I suppose?

I still can't believe that Spoon's been around since 1993. — BJ

The Letter Eh: "The Akara," Beirut

From the album March of the Zapotec & Realpeople - Holland

Beirut:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: This was released yesterday, so I haven't given it much listen yet, but if it's new Beirut, I'm listening. — BJ

The Letter Eh: Alopecia, Why?

The Song: "These Few Presidents"

Why?:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Get this album immediately if you don't already own it. — BJ

The Letter Eh: "Abra Cadaver," The Hives

From the album Tyrannosaurus Hives

The Hives:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: The past two weeks I've been in the mood to break out the Hives. — cwc

The Letter Eh: ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, "Another Morning Stoner"

From the album Source Tags and Codes

...Trail of Dead:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: These guys will have a new album available within weeks. Their previous two offerings have been OK overall. Some great moments, but maybe only an EP's worth in each case. This song comes from the band's best start-to-finish offering. — cwc

The Letter Eh: Asobi Seksu, "Sooner"

From the album Asobi Seksu

Asobi Seksu:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: New album in 2009, that's the word I've heard. Most people who hear me rave about the band love the band's name, and think the music is kinda cool, too. — cwc

Video from some video game tribute:

The Letter Eh: Airiel, "Thinktank"

From the album The Battle of Sealand

Airiel:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: I hope these guys come back through Iowa City again soon. — cwc

The Letter Eh: "Art Star," Yeah Yeah Yeahs

From the ep Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Yeah Yeah Yeahs:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: This song is going out to the girl who works at the Den, the one who, in my opinion, is trying to emulate Karen O in her appearance and demeanor. She had the YYY's on in the store the other day, and I thought about asking her, "Are you listening to the Pussycat Dolls?" just to see if she'd freak out. Shoulda, coulda, woulda. Maybe next time. — cwc

The Letter Eh: "Agenda Suicide," The Faint

From the album Danse Macabre

The Faint:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Fulfilling a request! Sorry BJ is so lame that she thought this song was by "The Saint." :) — cwc

The Letter Eh: "According to Plan," I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness

From the album Fear Is On Our Side

I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Still might be the coolest band name out there. — cwc

The Letter Eh: Art Brut, "Formed a Band"

From the album Bang Bang Rock and Roll

Art Brut:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Funny song. Obama should take them up on the "writing the song that makes Israel and Palestine get along." — cwc

Gotta love the Metallica intro used in this performance:

The Letter Eh: Ryan Adams, "Oh My God, Whatever, Etc."

From the album Easy Tiger

Ryan Adams:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: First time we've played Ryan Adams on the Soup? A man this prolific should have been on much earlier. — cwc

The Letter Eh: "Again and Again," The Bird and the Bee

From the album The Bird and the Bee

The Bird and the Bee:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: I love the Bird and the Bee, but their sound leaves me scratching my head about what we can play on this station.

The funny thing is, with a different marketing tack, this could be positioned as total mainstream pop and it could/would chart huge, and some people around here would have a conniption fit about it being played on KRUI. (I'm assuming we can play them since their EP was on the heavy-rotation shelves last year). Meanwhile, if, let's say, Katy Perry's music, performed as-is, was on a small label had someone championing her cause on Pitchfork or one of the cooler music blogs (My Old Kentucky Blog, Gorilla vs. Bear, it would probably be deemed OK for KRUI, possibly even celebrated.

So when I hear shit like Times New Viking and Ghostland Observatory on our airwaves, I have to ask myself: are we playing this because it's good or because it's "alternative" or "hip" or "I'm so much cooler than you because I think I understand why this nonsensical noise is beautiful music"?

What I want to say (and I guess I'd like others to admit) is that the "sound alternative" has little to do with the actual sound of the music.

Not trying to rag on Bird & Bee, I like their sound. I really just wanted to say something snide about hipsters. — cwc

The Letter Eh: The Album Leaf, "Eastern Glow"

From the album Music from the O.C.: Mix 2

The Album Leaf:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: I'm sure this comes from one of The Album Leaf's proper album, but I must admit that I have this song courtesy of the O.C. disc. — cwc

The Letter Eh: "All I Want," The Cure

From the album Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me

The Cure:   Web site   MySpace

DJ comments: Hey, I didn't play them last week, so I have to play them this week. It's one of those unwritten (until now) laws of the show. — cwc

The Letter Eh: "After Hours," The Velvet Underground

From the album The Velvet Underground

The Velvet Underground:   Rock and Roll Hall of Fame page

DJ comments: Mo Tucker on vocals. This qualifies her as a singing drummer, in the same league as Phil Collins and the guy who drums for the opening band at the Apples in Stereo show at the Picador last year. — cwc