Just in time for fall: a new mixtape. Kind of a downer and strings-heavy, it’s just right for the fading of summer.

Love Is A Tired Symphony You Hum When You’re Awake Tracklist
01| Summer Overture by Clint Mansell
02| Your Ex-Lover is Dead by Stars
03| Skelton Key by Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s
04| Heartbeats by Jose Gonzalez
05| Lion’s Mane by Iron & Wine
06| One More Day With You by Chauntelle DuPree, Zac Hanson, and Jon Crosby
07| The Waltze of the Tennis Players by Meg Baird
08| Swans by Unkle Bob
09| New Fall by Matt Pond PA
10| The Engine Driver by The Decemberists
11| A Lack of Color by Death Cab for Cutie
12| Breathe Me by Sia
13| Breaker by Low
14| Calculation Theme by Metric
15| Street Spirit (Fade Out) by Radiohead

“As heavy and gnarly as it sounds at times, it is unmistakably a pop masterpiece.” So explains Australian folk-pop-alterna-rock act Ben Lee as to why he covered Against Me!’s recent release, New Wave.

The title track starts off with lyrics that are insanely appropriate for what Ben Lee set out to do - “we can control the medium/we can control the context of presentation” - and succeeded in doing by stripping down the rough guitars and gravelly vocals of Against Me! and delivering the songs in his own, softer way.

On “Stop!”, Lee delivers the vocals in a laid-back, conversational manner that fits the disco-folk instrumentation. Where Against Me!’s version of “Americans Abroad” has a bit of a righteous punk slant, Lee gives it a country feel and puts an interesting spin on the lyrics and achieves a slight feeling of alienation - “while I hope I’m not like them, I’m not so sure”.

With its propulsive melody and sing-along-worthy “bah dah”s, “Thrash Unreal” naturally lends itself to the project, its melancholic pop perfectly suited for Ben Lee’s style.

On “Borne on the FM Waves of the Heart” Lee’s lush acoustic sound melded with piano bests Against Me!, coming so naturally to Lee that he could have easily penned it during his darker early years.

The only complaint on the record comes with “The Ocean”. Though it starts strong with cavernous vocals and an ominous opening, it goes out with Lee doubling up on vocals - one singing, one screaming. The screaming sounds strained and the song would have been better served had he gone to the opposite end of the spectrum and done a haunting whisper instead.

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You can download Ben Lee Sings Against Me! New Wave in its entirety here.
Curious as to what the original sounds like? Check out four tracks from the album at Against Me!’s MySpace page.

After putting out a mediocre lead single with an unwatchable video, Rilo Kiley has come back in full force with the lovely “Silver Lining”. Jenny Lewis (Troop Beverly Hills) and Blake Sennett (Salute Your Shorts) are real-life exes playing newlyweds-to-be. *sigh* I’m so glad these kids grew up and decided to make music together.

Eskimo Joe has enjoyed much success in their native Australia. Debuting in 1998, they went on to release three full-lengths, earning themselves several Australian music nominations and awards and performing with artists such as Muse, Modest Mouse, and My Chemical Romance. Their most recent release, Black Fingernails, Red Wine, is set to drop stateside this September.

Opening tracks “Comfort You” and “New York” have a big sound laced with deep piano that sounds like something 80s goths who’ve ditched the makeup and popped out a few kids could get into.

“London Bombs” is Black Fingernails’ strongest offering, beginning as a piano ballad that later kicks in with drums, strings, and guitar.

The album’s tail end is a bit weird - “Beating Like A Drum” has a set of backing “lah dah”s that are creepy and unsettling, while “Suicide Girl” paints dark lyrics over deceptively happy instrumentation.

On a winning note, singer Kavyen Temperly’s voice is fleetingly reminiscent of the late Michael Hutchence - fellow Aussie and former lead singer of INXS - especially at the beginning of the title track.

Though nothing on Black Fingernails, Red Wine strikes me as amazing, Eskimo Joe has the potential to gain some notoriety in the Adult Contemporary market.

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Black Fingernails, Red Wine drops September 25, 2007.
Visit Eskimo Joe’s site here.

Thirty years ago, Elvis passed into the great beyond. Let’s take a few minutes to remember the original King of Rock n Roll.

Jailhouse Rock:

It’s Now Or Never:

Oh. Man. One of our favorite bands, Hey Mercedes, is reuniting for a Metro show on September 14 in honor of the Threadless Store Grand Opening in Chicago. Starting September 10, stop by the Threadless Store and pick up your free (FREE!) tickets. It’s all ages, and the bill also features Freer and Anathallo. HM singer Bob Nanna has been at Threadless since 2005.

We’re still a little (okay, insanely) bitter about not being able to make it to Chicago for their final show in April 2005, so we leave it up to all you good Midwesterners to go in our stead to enjoy this opportunity for us now that we’re even farther away.

Not familiar with Hey Mercedes? 1) Shame on you. 2) Listen to a few tracks here.

***UPDATE***

Hey Mercedes will also be playing at The Cactus Club in Milwaukee on September 13th with The Response and New Ruins.

Originally released in 2005 in Europe, Junior Senior’s sophomore release Hey Hey My My Yo Yo has finally made it to the states. This time around, the duo took their brand of dance and traveled back in time, drawing on influences from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. On their trip, they picked up a few friends including Le Tigre, The Velvelettes, and members of The B-52’s.

The first couple of tracks (”Hip Hop A Lula” & “Can I Get Get Get”) have a similar feel to their debut, with the latter having a chorus that’ll stick in your head.

The female half of The B-52’s lend their signature vocals to “Take My Time”, filled with sunshine and key changes. “Happy Rap” is a bouncy jaunt that follows the vaguely Eastern feeling of “Dance, Chance, Romance”.

The guiding ethos of Junior Senior is epitomized on the supreme “I Like Music (W.O.S.B.)” - the super-posi jam is reminiscent of 60s Motown, which is unsurprising considering that a 60s-era Motown girl group appears on the album almost as often as Junior and Senior themselves. Obvious though it may be, the simple declaration reminds listeners that it is the little things in life like music that can affect how we see and interact with the world.

Though the album shows growth musically from its predecessor D-D-Don’t Don’t Stop the Beat, it just doesn’t have quite the same oomph. “Ur A Girl” and “No No No’s” are too much saccharine without enough kick, and never quite reaches the energy level Junior Senior achieves in their superb live shows.

Accompanying the US release is the Say Hello, Wave Goodbye EP, recorded over four days and because these Danes wanted to dance. The opening track has a hypnotic guitar and a sound that is more aggressive and edgy than anything heard on Hey Hey My My Yo Yo. Definitely dancier, some of the tracks could pass for early 90s club, while the best of the seven songs channel the 80s with a passion (”Together For One Last Dance” & “U And Me”).

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Hey Hey My My Yo Yo / Say Hello, Wave Goodbye dropped 08/14/07.
You can get to know Junior Senior better by visiting their official site.

We’ve been a big fan of Brighton, MA for a long time - even before they started calling themselves by that name. Until now, we’ve had to get by on live shows to hear their music (and oh, is it worth it - they were one of our Best of 2006 Bands Worth Paying to See). Now that we’re no longer located in the Midwest, we’re rejoicing in the fact that Brighton, MA’s self-titled debut is finally available.

The EP opens with the big, dynamic, and beautifully produced “Bet You Never Thought” - a Brighton, MA staple that’s been floating around online for some time.

“Ballad For Coolhand” has great pacing and a bass line that you could stride happily through the city to, maybe taking a second to jump on a lamp post a la Gene Kelly while enjoying the group vocals and bright trombone.

Coming on with a stronger sound are “Horseracing” (great at 2:30) and “War of the Roses” which snaps you out of the daze brought on by the doleful yet beautiful “Graceland ‘02″.

The best track on the EP is “Good Kind of Crazy” which succeeds in capturing both a feeling of hope and of nostalgia via engaging drums as well as piano and strings that further enrich Brighton, MA’s core sound.

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Brighton, MA EP dropped on 06/19/07.
Find out more about Brighton, MA here.

“I Heard It Through the Grapevine” - “Aint Too Proud to Beg” - “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” - “Baby Love” - “My Girl”

Chances are after reading any of those song titles, you can immediately play the song in your head. The lyrics may escape you, but you definitely know the tune. Standing in the Shadows of Motown examines the history and influence of The Funk Brothers, the men behind the music of Hitsville, USA.

Early on in the documentary, several people in a record store are questioned about their knowledge of Motown. Everyone has a favorite singer or group, yet no one knows who is responsible for the instrumentals. So is the fate of the thirteen men who made up The Funk Brothers.

The film blends archival footage, interviews, and cuts from a reunion concert featuring new vocalists performing classic hits with The Funk Brothers. The film succeeds not only in capturing a living history of a group that created more hits than Elvis, the Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, and The Beatles combined, but also winning the group the recognition it deserves.

In a particularly moving portion, author Allan Slutsky recalls a dinner with guitarist Robert White. As they were ordering, “My Girl” came on over the PA. White became very excited, and started to ask the waiter “Do you know who…,” but trailed off before he finished the question. Slutsky asked White why he didn’t finish telling the waiter that he was responsible for that memorable opening guitar line, and White sadly admitted that he didn’t think anyone would believe an “old fool” like himself. This tale is later juxtaposed by The Funk Brothers emerging to a standing ovation at their reunion show - something White didn’t live to see.

The cuts from the reunion concert show a band still on top of their game. The best performances feature Gerald Levert (LeVert, LSG) and most surprisingly Joan Osborne (of “What If God Was One of Us” fame, sans obnoxious clip-on nose ring). Also appearing were Meshell Ndegeocello, Bootsy Collins, Ben Harper, Montell Jordan, and Chaka Khan.

Standing in the Shadows of Motown is a must-see for any music lover, and will be enjoyable for anyone who loves the Motown sound.

We admit it - the last couple of posts have been lackluster. So we’re making it up to you!

By the end of the month, we’ll have up a new mixtape for your enjoyment!

Love Is A Tired Symphony You Hum When You’re Awake will feature The Decemberists, Death Cab For Cutie, Matt Pond PA, Iron & Wine, and more! We’re waiting to post it because it has a touch of fall to it - dark, sad, and lots of strings.

So keep checking back and keep your eyes peeled for reviews of Brighton, MA’s EP and Junior Senior’s long-awaited follow-up to D-D-Don’t Don’t Stop the Beat.