There are plenty of ways to unwind from a crazy intense incredibly long day – head to happy hour, go for a long run, play board games – but none really even come close to coming home, throwing on a classic dance-around-your-kitchen-like-a-crazy-person mix and get down to making guac.
My guac recipe is something I have developed over the years and the one recipe I am asked to make the most. It’s not particularly complicated and can be adjusted to your mood, taste or what’s in the kitchen but there is something magically curative about guacamole therapy.˚ So, go ahead, have at it. Continue Reading →
Its that time of year again, when musicians either try their hand at covering the winter classics or go even further and attempt to pen the next holiday standard. In the spirit of sharing a little cheer I thought I’d amass some of my new favs for you.
Auld Lang Syne – Sam Billen
In The Bleak Midwinter – Andrew Oconner
A Day In The Life Of A Christmas Tree - Dinosaur Feathers
Blue Christmas - Sharon Van Etten
The Holiday’s Are Here (We’re Still At War) – Brett Dennen
And finally a beautiful new video from the ever charming William Fizsimmons
I think its fair to say covers are the aural equivalent of comfort food; and, because it is tradition to kick off the holiday season with some indulgent noshing I wanted to share some musical nibblings with you. No worries about rocking the elastic waistband while enjoying these snacks. Simply pair with a nice white wine or IPA and no reheating instructions necessary as there will be no leftovers.
You’ve Got The Love (Florence and The Machine)- The XX
The Wolves Act I and II (Bon Iver)- Ellie Goulding
My Girls (Animal Collective)- Dappled Cities
I Do Not Hook Up (Kelly Clarkson)- The Gaslight Anthem
Psycho Killer (Talking Heads)- Cage The Elephant
Oh and thanks for tuning into The World In A Paper Cup. I’m endlessly thankful for your readership and support.
We’ve had a string of lousy hot days lately. They drain you of all your energy, make you want to wear as little as legally possible and make a trip out for water ice/cold beer/gelato an essential part of your daily routine. During one of the few times I have totally succumbed to the humid beast and lounged about contemplatin life I assembled this list of love songs covers that are appropriate for such sweltering lazy summer days.
Nothing Matters When We’re Dancing (Magnetic Fields) – The Antlers
The Antlers have been getting a lot of murmuring as of late and this cover of indie darlings Magnetic Fields is a excellent example of their skills. Its slow and beautiful, respecting the original’s ethereal-ness. If you like this listen to their own stuff its fantastic too.
Chasing Cars (Snow Patrol) – Natasha Bedingfield
Snow Patrol’s original is fantastic love song but when Natasha Bedingfield wraps her superb vocals around it new depths are discovered. The sparse accompaniment counters her delivery quite nicely.
To Love Somebody (The Bee Gees)- Damien Rice & Ray LaMontagne
The brothers Gibb don’t get enough credit from our generation. Beyond their work on Saturday Night Fever they produced some notable singles. This track is amongst the best and when in the care of Damien Rice & Ray LaMontagne it becomes sigh inducing.
Whole Wide World (Wreckless Eric) - Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Fans of the movie Stranger Than Fiction [the scene with the flours is one of the best romance scenes in the last ten years] and the television show How I Met Your Mother know the soundtrack moment perfection this song is capable of delivering. Elvis Costello’s live delivery is almost as good as Will Ferrels version in the movie but it suffices.
Pain In My Heart (Otis Redding) – Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
Grace Potter has pipes and that’s what it takes even attempt Otis. While this may not be your typical love song that doesn’t mean it isn’t the love song some people needed to hear this summer. Ms. Potter puts a masterful bit of soul into this version the does anyone’s heartache justice.
Into The Mystic (VanMorrison) – The Swell Season
To close things out I give you an Irishman covering a fellow Irishman. I’m anxiously waiting the Swell Seasons new album (due out this fall) and find myself resorting to relistening to everything of theirs I have. Hansard puts his all into his take and you get the sense he has been covering this song for a long while.
I took some time at the beginning of the month to embrace one of those quintessential American past times, the road trip. I had to get back to the Twin Cities for a family reunion and thanks to a absurdly wired car I was able to work from the road. My partner in crime and I mapped out a meandering route hitting up friends and family along the way.
Of course there was excellent music along the way. On the way out PIC and I did a little exchange of what we both considered “essential” music. We would take turns playing albums and sharing all our knowledge about each of them. I shared Allman Brothers, Derek & The Dominoes, Buddy Holly, Marc Cohen etc while he shared Foo Fighters, Hum, Dismemberment Plan and so on.
Music popped up other places as well. We spent the 4th in a Chautauqua community in Lakeside OH where the all-American children sang patriotic songs. At the Metrodome where I saw my final Twins game in that deplorable arena (and they lost to the Yankees of course). And the night around the fire at my family reunion when my cousins and I sang the entirety of Gin & Juice (the Gourds version) and most of the Drive By Trucker’s song book.
On the whole it was a pretty spectacular trip so I thought I’d share a little mix tape with you of a few of the better tracks that made their way through our speakers.
Gin & Juice – The Gourds
Just (Radiohead) - Nickle Creek
Bell Bottom Blues - Derek & The Dominoes
Silver Thunderbird – Marc Cohen
Jack & Diane – John Mellencamp
Locked Out – Crowded House
Twilight (The Band) – The Jones Street Boys
Everlong (Foo Fighters) – Wakey!Wakey!
Heavens To Purgatory – Most Serene Republic
Enjoy the whole soundtrack
The first Annual Northside Festival spread itself over all things Brooklyn this past weekend. As I have been staying in Greenpoint during this phase of my Wandering Summer of ’09 it was almost too easy to dip in and out of the numerous shows being hosted as part of this event’s pilot year. L Magazine pulled together a slew of venues and they, in turn, pulled in the acts. For a first year it went relatively smoothly. Since I am not a NY blogger, and wouldn’t imagine competing with the fine review work to be found Here > Here > Here > Here (amongst others) I am simply giving you a taste of the best acts I saw.
Bodies
(Download their EP too)
photo courtesy of Hannah Bergqvist
Xylos – These guys could easily provide the soundtrack to a summer at the beach. Their lyrics are good from the start and the whole package gets better the more I listen to them. They’re currently recording their full length so keep an eye out for that this fall as well as a little more tour action to support the effort. I have a feeling we’ll see a bit of them in Philly and of course I’ll keep you posted.
This House We Built
(EP action here)
Anamanaguchi - What do you get when you take a old school nintendo + electronic music and put it in the hands of knowledgeable tech heads? You get Anamanaguchi. This group had one of the most visually appealing sets we caught. They play the video games behind them as they provide a the live music (all out of a high jacked nintendo game system.) My picture doesn’t do its awesomeness full due it looks like they’ll by in the Philly-dom this summer so you’ll be able to experience it yourself.
Dawn Metropolis
Pink Skull – This Philly act has appeared on TWIAPC before so its not entirely a new introduction to their brilliance but their show at Death By Audio was such an exciting suggestion of whats to come on their fall release that I can’t help but start to build your anticipation for this dance friendly group. they’ll be at Schmidt’s piazza this Saturday as part of the 2nd St Festival go and be ready to groove.
Get Inside (My Tiny Pyramids)
photo courtesy of Steve Harmon
Laura Gibson - The final show we saw was Laura Gibson at Studio B. I’ve seen her before but she too displayed incredible growth of some already wonderous talent. Hers is a sweet vice with a little twist of, well, a life actually lived and felt…genuinely. Her backing band was also a sight to behold. Passing a variety of instrument tween the two of them and also contributing a grand addition to Ms Gibson’s beautiful lead.
Spirited
Very Honorable Mentions:
Screaming Females
Acrylics
Sisters
Here are a few songs I have been enjoying quite a bit lately. I think its a good selection for the transition into the weekend. Just a heads up, I’m not going to be posting this weekend because I’m moving and that is sure to eat up most of my time. But when this whole debacle is over I’ll be back at it.
Green Go
Let’s Eat Brains For Breakfast
This track has been my morning jolt awake song for the last week. Its got a summer anthem vibe to it as well. Green Go is a Canadian posse that knows how to craft a catchy pop tune. Admittedly I have a weakness for group shout/sing along choruses and paired with the silly lyrics of this track it is addictive.
The High Strung
Black Mad Wheel
The High Strung have slowly crept into my play lists. I had received some of their stuff and liked it but not until I found out about their new blog project that I really gave them a good hard listen. They have begun posting free tracks for fan’s in the know. Of the many bands who are pushing a low-fi sound this year The High Strung have a 70′s feel that makes their approach respectable rather than messy. They are play at Kung Fu Necktie on June 18th .Consider yourself informed.
Oh no! Oh my!
The Party Punch
I can’t remember exactly when Oh No! Oh My! first tripped into my iTunes but I couldn’t be happier that their stuff is tucked in there. This particular track also has a fair share of group sing, whoops and clapping. From what I’ve heard of their stuff I’d say they aren’t a one note twee band but a group that can do a sweet little love song and a silly romp like this without breaking stride. To many bands take themselves too seriously these guys just make good indie pop.
Free Energy
Dream City
Blowing up outta Philly is Free Energy. Made up of ex Hockey Night members they are harnessing a slightly more pop friendly sound in their new incarnation. This is another group made up of people I went to college with. Considering our school was a small granola enclave in southern Minnesota I’d say we have a nice (albeit disproportionate) run of talent representing our alumni. I caught them in a basement in Northern Liberties a few weeks ago and despite it being stiflingly hot the fellas put on a nice show. They just signed to DFA and I see big things coming round the bend for them.
I had a moment of total brilliance today. For those of you who don’t know me personally I should disclose I am pretty much running on all cylinders at all times. On top of doing TWIAPC I am also a partner in a consulting firm so I usually have an email I should be reading, a call to return, an article to write, a blog entry to do….you get the idea. If I didn’t love it all believe me I wouldn’t do it. But I’m lucky enough to be one of the few people who gets to pursue the majority of my interests on some personal or professional level. Anyways, I am always looking for tricks and strategies to multitask without effecting the quality of the work. My iPhone and compulsive list making are the two main life and time savers I use. And as of this morning my shuffle will be added to that list. As I looked at the 30+tracks I have received in the last few days I was also loading up my shuffle for my daily run and it struck me; why not listen to the tracks I want to review while my attention is, for the most part, undisturbed. So I gave it a go and while I think it may take a little tweeking it just may be the secret to getting a little more done with my day. So here are a few quick tracks I pulled from the shuffle list.
This is a sweet respin of a Lykke Li tune that I already thoroughly enjoy. One of the few times great is made greater.
Dance Dance Dance Lykke Li remixed by Buraka Som Sistema
This remix really grabbed my ear when I first heard it a while back but when a friend sent it to me in response my love for the Dance Dance Dance remix I twittered yesterday I recalled my fondness for Britt’s take on the song.
I Feel It All Feist remixed by Britt Daniels
The Avett Brothers relaunched their web site this week and started stirring the pot a bit hinting at what to expect on the album they are releasing in August. Then I got this snip of their show at SXSW this year. I really hope they put a version of this song on said album.
I & Love & You The Avett Brothers(live at SXSW09)
And finally, this is a beautiful cover of Kings Of Leon. BFL give it their haunting touch and in doing so give it a slightly shiftier feel. It never fails to amaze me how many ways one song can be interpreted. A successful attempt this is!
Use Somebody (Kings of Leon Cover) Bat For Lashes
Its been a mixed up kinda week here in Philly and in one of those weird twists of coincidence a number of fantastic, or at least interesting remixes have crossed my path. There’s no rhyme or reason to this assortment other than quality. These are all tracks assembled, crafted, shaped (whatever word you prefer) by people who have an ear for detail and a gift for weaving them together. I have nothing but awe and appreciation for their ability to make you respect the potential of reconsidering beats, werds + technology.
Help I’m Alive (the Twelves remix) via RCRDLBL
Smooth and easy on the ears this has been my head bob anthem of the week. The steady plod serving as a metronome for working through my lengthy “to do” list.
Bright Nites mixed by Roan courtesy of Crossfader King
Roan, one half of Crossfader’s Dance Party Magic act, is celebrating the release of this slew of fantastic tracks this weekend in Chicago. If I could I’d be there cause I can’t imagine a better way to spend a night than with the Crossfader fellas providing the soundtrack. Undeniably danceable and distinctly intreguing its a great way to get the summer dance vibes goin.
I Think Were Alone Now (Dust Off and Dance remix)
The first of two retakes on classic pop songs. I was completely aged this week when I realized that kids these day’s aren’t familiar with the musical stylings of this 80′s Pop princess. A clubtastic way to bring Tiffany to the next generation. Plus it looops the iPhone guitar ringtone
which made me smile.
For The Longest Time IAMXL bmore remix
And here’s the second. I got this one from Ms. Sheenabeaston who put it best …
“Holy sweatstains, Batman, I could jukewalk all the way to work to this.”
Rewind Mixtape 2 BuffetLibre DJ’s
Buffetlibre delivers again! Their second Rewind Mixtape was the chair dancing soundtrack of the week. And considering I work primarily from a coffee house it takes a fierce groove to push me past head nodding to full on chair dance. But this did and right quick too. There is some intense talent concentrated amongst this bunch and you’re now lucky enough to appreciate it…
That all for now kiddos. Make sure to partonize your local record store tomorrow. If you want more frequent doses of the thoughts bustin around my head be sure to follow me on Twitter.
Look for my review of the William Fitzsimmon’s show I caught last night to be posted this weekend…
Its been a distracting week here at TWIAPC. iTunes got all mussed :-/ As a result I was lured into reorganizing my absurdly large vault of music which led to uninhibited ADD web wandering in pursuit of all things music and away from the work that actually pays me. This snowballed into a getting behind on two big projects and a noticable up tick in stress. On the plus side, I rediscovered some quality forgotten tunes. Thankfully its a relatively low key weekend with everyone clearing out of the city for the holidays so I’m tackling a mess of emails, writing and designing to get back on the ball. But, I thought I would share some of the random gems that came out of the iTunes shake up/ curiosity adventure.
I like to call it the “What? bright lights? Where? Anyone want a Peep?” mix
Certified Bananas Cream On Top
The Wombats Everything I Do, I Do It For You (Bryan Adams cover)
Atmosphere Smart Went Crazy
Ryan Montbleau Band Starting Again
Jared Mees & The Grown Children In The Fall
**Illustration courtesy of Codex Seraphinianus