Last year, music did not move me at all. New releases disappointed, new acts were flaky, dance music went to a place that wasn’t all that dancey, and I survived on In Rainbows and In Rainbows alone.

This year, thank the heavens, everything is exciting me. I remember how great it is to look at the list of new releases and feel endless anticipation waiting to open my new, shiny CD case or download the full album (how many seconds left??!!).

The live shows have also not disappointed. Viva Voce came correct when they played the tiny room at Great Scott, marrying both great musicianship with a live presence of warmth and  “man, these folks I play with are awesome” vibes. Their 2009 album, Rose City, has been a companion for me since its release, accompanying me while I read, write, teach my dog new tricks, cook, clean, garden, and fuck. It is lovely all around.

In the video for Octavio, you don’t get to see Anita Robinson do her amazing guitar tricks, but you do get a glimpse of her hot pink Les Paul. Live, her tone is beautiful and she has the kind of subtle confidence that is the mark of someone who is almost embarrassed that they are talented, yet knows they are talented. Watching her husband, bassist Kevin Robinson, defer to her when she does her (awesome) thing, and watching them play nice together, makes me hope that there’s a chance for all of us. How about that?

Viva Voce “Octavio” from Alicia J. Rose on Vimeo.
“Octavio” has the sound I love about Viva Voce- the dual vocals, the classic slide guitar in a perfectly structured ROCK SONG (all caps on purpose for a reason) that is pretty and soft and loud and dynamic all at once. Balance is key. To underscore, the chorus is a whisper, the couple singing one line sotto voce: “Light hell on fire.”

OK, only cause you said so.

Download the mp3 from Barsuk’s site directly and legally and freely here. Then, check out their charming blog: vivavoce.com

So being released in 1999, the song in question is not exactly “early Boards” and the title of this post is admittedly ridiculous. However, the content is not. I found it quite intriguing to hear how the boys from Boards of Canada would rework a 1980’s pop song with their ethereal, anything-but-pop analog layering.

Here’s the original, “The Midas Touch” by Midnight Star…

…and BoC’s reworking under their Hell Interface moniker:

The meat of the original track is still there, but this otherworldly electro revamping completely changes the invocation of mood. Deity bless those two brothers. They’re too good at what they do.

Ever since hearing little glimpses of Amanda Blank through her collaborations with Spank Rock such as the B-More Gutter Music EP and select tracks off Spank Rock’s debut album like Touch Me, I’ve started developing a girl crush.

I think it’s rather ironic she admitted she never had any real intention of making a music career out of her foray with the Spank Rock boys, considering it’s her sleuthy, nonchalant approach that makes her music so fun and appealing. Between her party-loving, I-don’t-give-a-fuck attitude and the innovative production of Dave Sitek, Xxxchange, Switch, and Diplo backing her debut genre-defying album I Love You that came out this past Tuesday, it’s hard not to love her back. Here’s one of my favorites off the record…

Amanda Blank – Something Bigger, Something Better [mp3]

…as well as the album’s first single “Might Like You Better”, which rcrdlbl.com made available for free download.

Amanda… gay guy with a girl crush. That’s what I’ve got for you. Call me.

Imogen Heap is releasing her third solo album on August 24th titled Ellipse, and she’s been dropping hints and sounds via her Youtube and Twitter accounts for months now. A couple of full songs have made their way to these here internets, and they seem a bit more mature and more settled than her prior work, both musically and lyrically. I’m excited for the rest!

Upon listening to a recent promotional mix by German house guru Ian Pooley, I discovered this little gem nestled into the very end of it. Moody and a bit sultry, the track starts off with just the right amount of punch that always catch my ear. And then…the strings start to waft in and out like cigarette smoke in a dimly-lit lounge. Slowly building, the aching violin becomes the storyteller of the track. I’ve already discussed my love of orchestral music here in the past, and even moreso the fusion of symphonic instrumentation with dance music. There’s something about the spacial quality the two combining always seem to lend itself, and of course the additional emotive content. It provides something all the more to connect with.

Thomas Sari – Raw Data (Solaris Heights Remix) [mp3]

Though I’m relatively unfamiliar with Thomas Sari, I’ve heard Solaris Heights’ production in the past…but only in the form of a remix, much like this one. I’m going to have to look into their own material, because I’m consistently impressed.

Ah, the potential of hearing songs of this caliber on a loud soundsystem makes me want to head out for a night of dancing soon…

Today’s Stone’s Throw newsletter brought some funky fruit this AM. I have to share. The heavy handed synth in the beginning of this track breaks away and makes for more complex sounds after about a minute or so. They mesh pretty well, and will be peachy for cunt-walking. Gurls, you know what I mean.

Direct link: Dam Funk- Toeachizown
Stone’s Throw

Last night I saw Von Iva again, and as soon as the lead singer got up on stage and told the crowd at TT’s that “Drinking is nice, but drinking and music is fucking nicer,” I was all:

“OMG I FORGOT ABOUT CEE U NEXT TUESDAY”, which is my best invention since Workin It Friday (even if the difference between the two is the same difference between “Vanilla” and “French Vanilla”). So, I’m a day late on my c.u.n.t.-iness. Apologies.

None of you were at the show, and that was your loss. I know because I can smell our audience a mile away, as you my kind. Here’s why that sucks: Von Iva=Better Live. Pretty darn good recorded, too, but not the same. You also miss what I love lots: They are hot-pants-and-high-heels girls, like myself. Um, and I would like very much for lead singer lady to have my babies. That is all.

They are at the Mercury Lounge in NYC on Friday 5/15, which is a good way to start the weekend, NYCers.
von iva online

(a project)

The song:

Dry as the back of my mouth after a sip of red wine with a bad cork, like your humor which you think is funnier than it is. Meat hook fingers, hooked nose. I’ve had it with your nose but you can pick a song on the jukebox with my quarter. All’s fair. You got the one in the last town.

Fair isn’t fine you say, whiskey isn’t rye but rye is whiskey, and amble towards the woman who has imbibed too much of either or both. Her feet sport cowboy boots that have seen better days but she can still shuffle. I think she is too old, but her old is probably still young enough for you.

Too many cops in this town. We should head further West but the clock is ticking on us and the Ford.

We should have played cops and robbers. Cops and robbers is cleaner.

Make it matter, hook-nosed miscreant, make it matter. Her bra strap is falling off her shoulder though her halter top stays on – shoulders like canned ham, like the kind that hoisted babies once, but they don’t so much anymore. They are shoulders that lift shots to mouth, shoulders that shake a gelatinous shimmy to strangers with floppy hair.

Shelby is a married man. Somewhere.

The bartender would like us to pay our tab, Shelby. The bartender would like us to go.

While I wrote this I remembered how fucking great Queens of the Stone Age are, which- if you read this blog- might come as a surprise to you that someone as single minded as myself could forget…but I did. Please don’t let that happen again. Enjoy:

Queens of the Stone Age—Skin on Skin
Amazon

the story

It’s true, I enjoy cuntiness in my tunes, literature, gin cocktails and girlfriends. In this space, please find my Tuesday bitch jams.

I will be singing the new Peaches song for the next 3 weeks, I think. Join me in its cuntiness and hairdos. And gurl is SANG-ing in this one. Cannot wait for this show.