VIDEO: Alex Bleeker and Alex Sauser-Monnig (Mountain Man)

Here's a sweet video from the Chocolate Bobka CMJ showcase at Cameo Gallery 10/24/09. Alex Bleeker (of Alex Bleeker and the Freaks and Real Estate) performing with Alex Sauser-Monnig but really backed up by alllll of the beautiful sirens from Mountain Man. There are no words, really. Just beautiful, beautiful love...

tUnE-YaRdS Likes it from Behind!

(photo via jcbehm 11/17/09)

After viewing Ray C's video from Northside Festival, I was happily sold on tUnE-YaRdS. BiRd-BrAiNs has soundtracked a private groove sesh or two in the solitude of my bedroom.

At the Dirty Projectors show at Music Hall of Willburg this past Saturday (11/21), a slightly less private affair, I grooved with the masses. Live, tUnE-YaRdS is Merrill Garbus with a ukelele, drums, loop machines, and some rando on bass in the shadows. So commanding was she on stage, it was impossible to look away as Garbus channeled Janis Joplin and some sorta enchanting voodoo queen. The crowd was really feeling it. Then she busts out this lyric that goes like: "My man likes me from behind // Tell the truth, I never lie."

It totally floored me. How fucking badass is that?? I couldn't believe it -- I have a major tendency to mishear even the bluntest of lyrics and I wasn't too familiar with this song yet. After the show I asked Garbus if that was actually what she sang. (Unlike plenty of other female artists, she doesn't overtly force her sexuality on her audience. It's just natural.) Garbus confirmed, with a smile, that I had indeed heard her correctly. I had to fight off the urge to high-five her and be like, "Yeahhh gUrL! Me fucking too!" No, that's inappropriate. She told me she also had a "censored, PG-version" prepared for the show the following night at Bowery Ballroom, where her parents would be in attendance. AWKWARD!

Anyway, the song is called "Powa," which only makes it more perfect. Even though it refers to her man's sexual power, that's exactly what she herself exudes. You can check out tUnE-YaRdS video performing "Powa" from the new 4AD sessions, if you click the little drop-down menu below the vid and select the song.

While you're at it, dig on "Real Live Flesh" from the same series:

"I know I've been away so long you love me only in your dreams // Lucky for you, I do much better in real live flesh." Dayumn, I love this woman! (Plus she's down with Thao.)

Watch that Ray Concepcion vid I mentioned from way way back in early summer. So beautiful:

Family Portrait, Liam the Younger, Fluffy Lumbers, and Average Girl tonight!

Bark at the moon!

Family Portrait, Liam the Younger, Fluffy Lumbers, and Average Girl are allllll playing tonight at Cake Shop (152 Ludlow on the LES). Non-stop rockness of the Jersey fam-core variety - the best kinda variety there is.

Doors at 8pm. Everyone should go, duhh.

MP3: Alex Bleeker and the Freaks - "Animal Tracks"

The Alex Bleeker and the Freaks' album version of "Animal Tracks," their sick cover of the Mountain Man original, is here!

Alex Bleeker and the Freaks - Animal Tracks.mp3

Can't wait for this album to come out. Order here at Underwater Peoples, fools! "Available on Black Friday, November 27th, 2009." It'll chill you out while you brave the hoards of crazed, coupon-carrying cart-pushers at the mall. Or while you continue to digest that tofurky food baby you're still carrying from the day before.

Ohhh and in case you missed it the first time, check out this PIXELHORSE vid of the Freaks playing this song at Union Pool.

Jersey fresh lovin!

Kid Sister Video "Right Hand Hi" Bites Artist Duo Sweatshoppe Harrrd

Creative multimedia duo Sweatshoppe (Blake Shaw and Bruno Levy - two super talented dudes) released "The Landing," the first video of a series that showcases their new video painting technology. Check them out:

These boys are the real deal, having written software that tracks the physical paintroller, maps out its track, and replaces what it "paints." This is all done in real time, or "live." (Meaning: not in post-production, not in editing, not after-the-fact.) As a result of the huge success of "The Landing," Sweatshoppe will perform at SCOPE Miami during Art Basel.

Which brings us to this, which has been pissing us off. The new Kid Sister music video directed by Sarah Chatfield for "Right Hand Hi" basically rips off Sweatshoppe's new hotness, but in a sleazy lame club rat way:

This shit must have been done in post-production. If you can find evidence of the contrary, I implore you to send it my way.

Shiiit. Kid Sister is striking out lately.

MP3: Beach House - "Norway"

There has already been a lot of buzz over the upcoming Beach House album Teen Dream scheduled for release on 01/26/10 via SubPop. The following single has been released via their site:

Beach House - "Norway".mp3

On a train ride through Norway, some reporters asked the band to write and perform a song for them. (Love the light and acoustics in that wooden hallway.) The resulting new single is lovely and sprawling.

Alex Bleeker and the Freaks Album Cover Art

Check it out! The new Alex Bleeker and the Freaks LP cover = Jersey bros chillin' pool-side + photoshopped psychedelia + Bleek looking king-of-the-mountain-esque. Dude needs a chalice or a pimp cup or some shit. The album comes out 11/27 on <3Underwater Peoples<3.

PS: Bro-fest con-test! Cruise over to Chocolate Bobka and win a prize if you can name all the haaandsome dudes in the photo. (HINT: a certain fella holding a dog - now, we won't tell you WHICH! - is a direct descendant of Elvis Presley.) While you're there you can treat yourself to a tasty excerpt "Dead On."

MP3: Speculator - "Trip Wilson"

Speculator sent over some rad jams for your aural pleasure. And we likey. Feast on this fave:

Speculator - "Trip Wilson".mp3

Speculator's been blowing up the intertubes lately with some serious blog lovin' and we were tickled when we first heard 'em on the last Friendship Bracelet mix. Upcoming full-length album on Wet Merchants will be available "by the end of the month." Also be on the lookout for their tape with the P-WHORES' other recent flames LukePerry.

Oh what's that - that's not enough for you? You're thirsting for more like a bloodhungry wench?? Fine, fine, I don't blame ya. Go for it. Get more HERE and HERE.

New Real Estate Reality track reviews!

By now you've probably got your Real Estate full-length vinyl spinnin' and are already stoked on the fact that Real Estate's EP Reality is coming out 12/18 via Mexican Summer. Now you have even more to revv your RE engine.

New tracks "Dumb Luck" and "Younger Than Yesterday" were posted today via Stereogum and Pfork.

Here's a re-post of the vid of "Younger Than Yesterday" from the CMJ showcase at the Delancey:

(Original post 10/31/09.)

New VIDEO for Animal Collective - "In the Flowers"

New video for "In the Flowers," the first track off Animal Collective's last smash album Merriweather Post Pavillion.

The first time I put this album on, I was on an NJ Transit train headed back into the city. A friend had just sent over the leak. "In the Flowers" starts up with that slow crawling intro, and I was so jacked up on nervous anticipatory joy that I just started crying. I cried silently through the whole song and then listened to the track twice more before finishing the album. While I didn't cry through this video, I definitely re-experienced that same flood of emotion from my first listen of "In the Flowers."

Watch the video here, streaming on their site in flash.

MP3: Yeasayer - "Ambling Alp" (Memory Tapes remix)

(photo by Guy Aroch)

Memory Tapes remixed "Ambling Alp," the new single from Yeasayer's upcoming album Odd Blood that has the ability to transform even the sad sappiest of suckers into a super stoked individual. Seriously, that track makes me fly.

The remix, featured on the digital download, is definitely a different take on the song. Where the original song leaps and bounds with horns and big synthy breakdowns, Memory Tape's remix is a more subtle, but still upbeat take on the original, characterized most by its Casio sounds and sexed-up vocal gasps. It's cool, not quite as epic, but still cool...

Yeasayer - "Ambling Alp" (Memory Tapes remix).mp3 (via NME)

MP3: Solange Knowles - "Stillness is the Move" (Dirty Projectors cover)

(via P4K)

Just had to re-post this along with everyone else. When did mini-Beyonce get so fucking hip? And hot! This is so sick!!

Solange Knowles - Stillness is the Move.mp3

"Better than the original" ventures one blogger. What UP Dirty P's!!!


Oops. MP3 got stomped by the label. You can still find it and download it like, here, for example.

VIDEO: LukePerry @ Death by Audio

LukePerry played a crazy sick show at Death by Audio last week with James Ferraro, Eric Copeland (of Black Dice), and Infinity Window. Yup they totally raped it. (Ohh is that phrase not happening after all?)

New PIXELHORSE video!



Looove band names like this one that are impossible to Google. Remember the early days of Real Estate? Sigh. Anyway, more from these guys soon, for sure.


PS: Cruise over to FriendshipBraceletClub for the buzz on LukePerry (/dANA).

MP3: Atlas Sound - "Doctor"

This new track from Atlas Sound is sweet and upbeat and an all-around great listen. "Doctor" is a cover of the Five Discs' original song, and the virtual 7" is available for download (via MBV). Definitely my fave single track since "Shelia."

Atlas Sound - "Doctor".mp3

VIDEO: Bishop Allen - "True or False"

The first time I ever saw Bishop Allen was somewhat recently - just this June at Studio B during Northside Fest. Of course I was familiar with them already. Mutual Appreciation is one of my fave mumblecores, and they played at Bennington's SunFest while I was still an undergrad (though I missed their set due to what shall be termed "unmentionable licentious activity"). But it's easy to fall in love with them once you go to a show. Darbie, the female vocalist and lead in this song "True or False" is most lovable of all. Her demeanor and movement while performing are peaceful and charming - I can't gush about her enough. Ooohh it's so easy to fall in love...

MP3: Best Coast - "When I'm With You" (and "This Is Real")

Best Coast - When I'm With You.mp3 (via MBV)

Stream the b-side "This Is Real" via Pforkcast.


As if you haven't already, check out her sweet FADER fort vids:





Hotbox at The Levi’s®/FADER Fort: Best Coast

Which remind of this semi-sweet Levi's ad which I am now forced to associate with some of my fave bands and friends:



Go forth! Woo let's go'merica!!

Kings of Leon Launch Clothing Line

Bros from Nashville KOL launched a clothing line with Surface to Air that will be available at Paris Texas in Copenhagen. Most of the pieces are pretty generic and unsurprising - in fact this all feels pretty fucking irrelevant - except maybe for the coke spoon necklace, which you can purchase for a mere 200 Euros. How rock-n-roll:











The necklace really takes the collection to the next level (of suck). Can't wait to see these sported around the hood in Willburg. It's so rock-n-roll-doin-yay-with-daddy'$-money.

MP3: Yeasayer - "Ambling Alp" free download

Yeasayer's highly anticipated sophomore album Odd Blood is set for release 2/9/10 on Secretly Canadian. They have officially released a single, "Ambling Alp" which has been floatin' around for a bit but now available for free download HERE. Available for purchase are a digital bundle (which includes remixes from Memory Tapes and DJ/rupture) and a 12" + t-shirt combo. Sweeeet!

While "Ambling Alp" is a super fun and energetic track, we have been enjoying some of the other new Yeasayer jams at their live shows for a while now. And we are dying to get their Blood on our hands.