Flatbasset Radio: Episode #16 (All Sota Everything!)

(THIS POST ORIGINALLY APPEARS ON THE TWIN CITIES BLOG NEWEST INDUSTRY)

Pick up your paws and let's dance...

Well hello again, free music fans!  Welcome to the 16th edition of Flatbasset Radio!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Flatbasset Radio here's the story:  TCDroogsma is our resident MP3 junkie.  As you may have noticed from his Songs Of The Week column, he's old and he's grouchy.  So, to prove to us that he does actually like music, we invite him to share his weekly podcast with us.  He play some songs, says some things, songs, things, etc... and he ends it all with his Flatbasset Flat Classic Song Of The Week!

This week's edition is a special edition indeed.  TCDroogsma decided to celebrate Minnesota's 155th birthday by rambling on for two solid hours of Minnesota music!  Along the way he drinks a little too much beer, explains which app he won't use (hint: it rhymes with 'Wine'), explains what Twin Cities band is like a drug, shares the soundtrack to his life as a silent film, puts The Current on blast, gets confused as to whether or not there's a Minnesota Music Hall Of Fame, tells people who are unfamiliar with Prince where to go, implies that more bands should emulate Steely Dan, confuses a 15 year old version of himself, ruins all the sexiness of two of the Twin Cities sexiest artists, and declares Dave Pirner one of life's winners!

All that, plus the constant celebration of Minnesota's birthday!  It's all gay weddings and spaceship football stadiums from here on out people!

As always, the podcast is free to download and/or free to stream right here on Newest Industry.  You can't beat that price.  Give 'em a listen.

Flatbasset Radio - Episode 16 (Part 1)



01. St. Paul Slim (w/Mankwe Ndosi) - Everyday
02. Midnight Evils - Twin City Lights
03. Dosh - MPLS Rock And Roll
04. Gloss - Front Porch
05. BNLX - Meet Me On The Barricades
06. Mike Mictlan (w/Greg Grease) - WZRD SCIENCE
07. Ghost In The Water - Cardinal Red
08. Lifter Puller - Roaming The Foam
09. Big Quarters - Song For Brown Babies
10. Panther Ray - Ought
11. Bora York - Close Your Eyes
12. The Plastic Constellations - Black Market Pandas

Flatbasset Radio - Episode 16 (Part 2)



01. Nallo - Submarines
02. Eyedea - Weird Side
03. The Bad Plus - You And I Is A Comfort Zone
04. Jeff Hanson - If Only I Knew
05. Alpha Consumer - Gary Victorsen's (We'll Disappear)
06. Kanser - Pleasant
07. Moonstone Contiuum - Smooth Odyssey
08. The Chalice - Push It
09. Soul Asylum - Misery
10. Toki Wright - The Soul (Go There)
11. Jim Ruiz Set - Allison
12. Heiruspecs - A Tiger Dancing
13. Sean Na Na - Princess And The Pony

There you have it, everybody!  Enjoy!

Please remember, neither TCDroogsma nor Newest Industry is in any way affiliated with any of the artists played during the podcast.  We don't make any money off of these podcasts, we're just music junkies with microphones and a bit too much time on our hands.

For more TCDroogsma, be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  He can also be found right here on Newest Industry writing the aforementioned Songs Of The Week column.

For more Newest Industry, be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.

Newest Industry Presents: Flatbasset Radio - Episode #14

(THIS POST ORIGINALLY APPEARS ON THE TWIN CITIES BLOG NEWEST INDUSTRY)

I roll with clever broads with goals like Federov...

Well hello again, music fans! Welcome to Flatbasset Radio – Episode #14!

For those of you who don't know quite what you're looking at, here's the story. Each week TCDroogsma participates in our Songs Of The Week column reviewing the tracks given away via The Current. Since he tends to be overly negative in those reviews we've asked him to put together a weekly podcast for the blog to prove to us that he does actually enjoy music and has valid thoughts about contemporary artists.

Once he does that we pass his hour-long free podcast on to you in the hopes that you'll listen to it and enjoy Droogsy's jams and commentary on said jams.

On this week's episode TCDroogsma compares the new Atoms For Peace album to Thom Yorke's solo work, revisits a pop-punk classic, plays a song he knows nothing about, claims Iggy Pop is “Mick Jagger with peanut butter,” gets a little too excited about his new favorite Minneapolis band, embraces a “fuck you” attitude toward pretty much everything, shines a light on his second-favorite Canadian rapper, and finds solace in the outlook of the British. It was a strange week.

Flatbasset Radio: Episode #14

(Click that link above to download the podcast, click the player below to give it a listen)

Here's how Episode #14 breaks down:

01. Iggy Pop – Tell Me A Story

02. Isaiah Toothtaker – SouthWest Testament

03. Atoms For Peace – Stuck Together Pieces

04. Micranots – 141 Million Miles

05. Face To Face – Disconnected

06. Careful – Quite

07. Freeway & Jake One – Know What I Mean

08. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – So Good At Being In Trouble

09. Ghostpoet – Survive It

10. Eels – New Alphabet

11. Shad – Keep Shining

12. Gloss – Ian's Dream

13. Blur – Blue Jeans

There you have it, everybody! New, free music! Enjoy!

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma). He can also be found here on Newest Industry reviewing songs via Songs Of The Week and reviewing the news via Trendsetting.

For more Newest Industry be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors. More importantly, we have a Facebook page here. Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a “Like” is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.

Songs Of The Week #29: TCDroogsma

(THIS POST ORIGINALLY APPEARS ON THE TWIN CITIES BLOG NEWEST INDUSTRY)

Mount Moriah, Jamie Lidell, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Beach Fossils, & Gloss...

Well hello again, mp3 junkies! Welcome to Songs Of The Week #29!

For those of you who don't know quite what you're looking at, here's the story. Each week we ask two of our contributors to download and listen to the songs given away via The Current's Song Of The Day podcast. As always, we highly suggest that you head over to The Current's website and subscribe to the podcast yourself. Free music is free music.

Once they've given the songs a thorough listen we have them write a review of the songs and given them a rating of 1-5. As always, you can have your say in which song was the best by voting in the poll on the right side of the page.

Sadly, as has been the case for a month now, only one of our contributors has had the time to indulge in these songs. So yet again, all we have to offer you is TCDroogsma's thoughts on the songs. Considering his social life, its pretty much a lock that he'll always be free to throw his thoughts out there.

So, Droogsy, thoughts?

01. Mount Moriah – Bright Light (from the album Miracle Temple)

TCDroogsma:

     There's a lot to like about "Bright Light."  Mount Moriah works up a nice country-fried groove and lead singer Heather McEntire does a fine job doing her best Neko Case impression.  The problem with "Bright Light" is that it never escapes average.  Honestly, it's difficult to work up an opinion one way or another about this one.  It's solid, I suppose.  I certainly don't dislike it, but if I never heard it again I wouldn't be sad.  And if I ever do hear it again I probably won't even notice.

Final Score: 2.5/5

02. Jamie Lidell – What A Shame (from the album Jamie Lidell)

TCDroogsma:

     So, full disclosure here:  I only have a loose idea of what dubstep is supposed to sound like.  I feel like I should apologize for that, but I'm not going to.  I'm 31 years old for Christ's sake!  If I was being paid to write about music I'd take the time to figure it out.  Since I have to spend 40 hours a week stocking shelves I'm just not devoting the time to it.

     Why do I bring this up?  Because in my ill-informed mind, "What A Shame" sounds like an artist trying to turn dubstep into pop.  As mentioned above, it's possible that I'm completely off base on this whole this.  More to the point, I don't particularly like this song.  Lidell certainly sings it like he means it, but the racket going on behind him never develops into any sort of groove.  If this is just an exercise in genre-hopping for Mr. Lidell then I hope he cashes in.  If I'm wrong about this being dubstep-ish and this is a wholly originally creation by Lidell then... yipes.

Final Score: 1.5/5

03. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – So Good At Being In Trouble (from the album II)

TCDroogsma:

     Before I get into this song, take the four minutes it takes and listen to the song.  Seriously, give it a go.  I'll wait.

     (Waiting... waiting... waiting...)

     Pretty great, right?  Now, listen to it again and try to imagine what it would sound like if it was sped up, given a horn part, and maybe a couple backup singers.  You know what this song sounds like to me?  It sounds like a great, lost Motown classic!  Add in those things I mentioned (and some ballin' matching light blue suits) and you're listening to a Temptations song.  Hell, UMO even fades it out instead of giving it a full stop just like the classics.  I genuinely couldn't enjoy this song more.  The band does a fine job of taking Berry Gordy's rules for writing hit songs and giving them a white boy, indie twist.

Final Score: 4/5

04. Beach Fossils – Generational Synthetic (from the album Clash The Truth)

TCDroogsma:

     This is the third time in four weeks that The Current has laid a scratchy, lo-fi jam at my feet.  First it was Parquet Courts (fuzzy, post-punky, awesome), then it was Broncho (fuzzy, indie-punky, pretty awesome) and now Beach Fossils (fuzzy, stoney, pretty good).

     As you can see, the trajectory of awesomeness is on the downswing.  Beach Fossils may be from Brooklyn, but the first shared vibe that comes to mind is Wavves.  The stoner vibe that runs throughout the song definitely gives it a lazy swagger.  Whereas Parquet Courts & Broncho are clearly putting all their energy into being a cohesive unit, "Generational Synthetic" sounds like its authors could genuinely give a fuck less what anybody thinks of the song.  And that attitude, ironically, makes it more likable.

Final Score: 3/5

05. Gloss – Ian's Dream (from the 7” Front Porch)

TCDroogsma:

     I can't remember the last time I was as excited about a local band as I am about Gloss.  Back in November we reviewed "Front Porch," the A-side from this 7".  If memory serves, both MinneSarah & I compared the guitar work to vintage Johnny Marr (though I think I decided that was too much praise and settled on really great Peter Buck).

     Well here we are in February and we're presented with "Ian's Dream," the B-side.  If Gloss had just hit on the vintage-Marr guitar work again I would have been thrilled.  Instead, what we're treated to here, is a less urgent song that immediately calls to mind Minus The Bear.  The rhythm section is tight, the vocals are understated yet catchy, and the guitar.... oh, that guitar.  Perhaps referencing Peter Buck was selling these guys short.  Everything about "Ian's Dream" comes together perfectly.  A pop gem that could have come from 1987 or 2007.

Final Score: 4/5

There you have it, folks! Another week's worth of songs downloaded, reviewed, and filed away.

As always, neither Newest Industry nor its contributors is in any way affiliated with the artists reviewed, The Current, or MPR. We're just music fans with laptops and little too much time on our hands.

For more TCDroogsma, be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma). He can also be found right here on Newest Industry hosting our free weekly podcast Flatbasset Radio.

For more Newest Industry, be sure to give us a follow on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors. More importantly, we have a Facebook page here. Trivial as it seems stopping by and giving us a “Like” is a free & legitimate way to support the blog.

Songs Of The Week #14: MinneSarah & TCDroogsma

(THIS POST ORIGINALLY APPEARS ON THE TWIN CITIES BLOG NEWEST INDUSTRY.)

El Perro Del Mar, California Wives, Django Django, Lost Brother, & Gloss...

Hello again, MP3 junkies, and welcome to Songs Of The Week #14!

If you're looking at your computer screen wondering just what the hell “Songs Of The Week” is, let us break it down for you:

1. The Current gives away a free song each weekday as a download.
2. At the end of the week we ask two of our regular contributors to give us their thoughts on the songs
3. They submit those thoughts to us without having read what the other thinks.
4. We post them.
5. You listen to the songs and read the thoughts
6. You laugh and/or think up a snarky comment.
7. You vote in the poll on the right side of the blog.
8. That's pretty much it.

This week we asked MinneSarah & TCDroogsma to tell us what they thought. If you'd like to download the songs for yourself and play along at home (highly recommended), click here to be brought to MPR's “Song Of The Day” page.

So, thoughts?

01. El Perro Del Mar – Hold Off The Dawn (from the album Pale Fire)

MinneSarah:

     “Perro del mar” means “dog of the sea” - that is adorable.  I would expect nothing less and that is what I received.  This song is very Tegan & Sara served with a little eighties new wave and peppered with lasers. The mixing reminds me of some old school Madonna, which I say as an utmost compliment.  One of the lines is "no need to talk about the future."  That sums up this song perfectly.  If you can remix the past so skillfully, why bother? 

TCDroogsma:

     I really like this song.  It's not the most memorable song, either lyrically or musically, but it's definitely one that's going to come up when the iPod's shuffling and I'll immediately remember, "Oh yeah, this is a good tune.

     The lyrics are something about not worrying about the future and worrying about the present, though the desire to, "make a new past," makes this sound like the theme song in Winston Smith's nightmares.  Regardless, this one goes down smooth.

Final Score: MinneSarah -3/5

                   TCDroogsma - 3/5

02. California Wives – Blood Red Youth (from the album Art History)

MinneSarah:

     This song starts off pretty boring, and then, BAM - Replacements guitar.  Nice.  The lyrics are about coping mechanisms for what "those people did to you, in your blood red youth."  Consider me as intrigued as I was during the Radiohead video for "Just," wondering what the hell is going on that would call for such dire reactions.  I don't want to give it away - hey, did anybody ever figure out why those business folks were just lying on the ground? 

TCDroogsma:

     Wives in California must still be listening to indie rock from 1998.  Seriously, this song is very good more for what it isn't than what it is.

     With so many of these SOTD's, you have the skeleton of a great song.  However, because it's 2012, most of the artists decide to the Moe Sciszlak "po-mo" route ("y'know, weird for weird's sake).  California Wives does a great job of taking a hook and building around it with some brilliant female harmonies, a fantastic lead guitar hook, atmospheric keyboards and some determined vocals.  I have no idea what, "those people did to you in your blood red youth," but I'm glad it didn't include things like "listening to Kid A" or "learning 6/8 time signatures."

Final Score: MinneSarah - 2/5

                   TCDroogsma - 3.5/5

03. Django Django – Default (from the album Django Django)

MinneSarah:

     Full disclosure - I already liked this song and have listened to it extensively for the past two months.  Django Django is an up and coming British-ish band with spunk.  This song is catchy, has non-annoying psychadelic elements, and the singer's voice is solid.  I've genuinely liked the originality of everything I've heard from them, and I'll jump on the NME bandwagon and say, yeah, I've got a hard on for these guys.  Also, they've got to be better looking than Django Reinhardt. 

TCDroogsma:

     Speaking of weird-for-weird's-sake, Django Django (2013 is going to go down as the "Year Of Django") is just an example of what I'm talking about.  Somewhere in here is a very good song.  It builds on some really simple riffing that, while threatening to take off, never quite gets their. 

     In place of the rock we're treated to some computer manipulated vocals and a swirling keyboard that adds almost nothing to the song.  It's not quite Alt-J levels of stupid, but it's certainly unnecessary.  I really wish Jamie Foxx was somehow involved in this.

Final Score: MinneSarah - 4/5

                   TCDroogsma -2.5/5

04. Lost Brothers – Bird In A Cage (from the album The Passing Of The Night)

MinneSarah:
    
     I'm not a fan of American roots music (although, I'm a big Roots fan, go figure), but this song isn't terrible.  More disclosure - I was born in Kentucky.  While I know that this may ruin my MinneSarah cred (I was conceived on White Bear Avenue, bitches), it makes me think of the kind of music I may have been more tolerant of had I grown up in my birth town. The simplistic lyrics are sort of refreshing compared to the first world problem bullshit seems to permeate most songs these days.  I can relate to lyrics like, "Gonna dig me a hole to put the devil in."  Why the hell didn't I think of that?  This song gets points for being upbeat and featuring saloon piano, but it's nothing I'd ever want to listen to on my own time. 

TCDroogsma:

     Listen, we've all had our battles with the bottle.  Sometimes it seems like having a drink is the only way to cope.  You know what's never the answer?  Banjos.

    
     Seriously, this band should be called Mumford's Sons Of The Lost Avett Brothers.  If the goal of the song is to jauntily explain how hard it is to turn down a drink, mission accomplished.  This song would only sound tolerable if I was drunk in at a East Tennessee Jambaroo.

     And no, I am not the guy on the right.  I'd have given myself at least a 2/5.

Final Score: MinneSarah - 2/5

                   TCDroogsma - 1/5

05. Gloss – Front Porch (from the single Front Porch)

MinneSarah:

     So you like Johnny Marr too, Gloss?  This song is a treat, as it combines a lot of elements that made the eighties an exciting time musically.  Marr guitar , echoey deadpan vocals, and an upbeat supporting actor in the drums.  Britpop will nevah die!

TCDroogsma:

     Over the last couple of weeks the SOTD's Friday Minnesota entries have been Robust World (jangly stoner pop) and Gospel Gossip (jangly shoegaze).  Well, MPR gets the jangle (or "djangle") hat trick with "Front Porch" and I'd say it's the best of the three.

     Let the record state that this is some world class jangling, though.  I'm not going to compare this to Johnny Marr, since that's the highest praise there is, but I'd like too.  Would you settle for Peter Buck on his best day?  You'll have to.  Couple the guitar work with some vocals (and lyrics) that invoke Paul Banks drunk at a karaoke night and you've got yourself a nice little number.  Pretty great for a debut single.

Final Score: MinneSarah - 4/5

                   TCDroogsma - 3.5/5

Well there you have it, everybody!  Another week's worth of singles listened to, reviewed, and filed away, never to be heard from again.

As always we would like to mention that this blog and its contributors are in no way affiliated with Minnesota Public Radio, The Current, or any of the artists above.  We're just music fans with keyboards.

For more MinneSarah be sure to give her a follow on Twitter and/or Instagram (@MinneSarah).  When MinneSarah is not contributing to the blog she is, evidently, living at The Science Museum Of Minnesota.

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter and/or Instagram (@TCDroogsma) or head over to his personal blog Flatbasset.  When TCDroogsma is not contributing to the blog he's probably asleep.

Newest Insutry also lives on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1) and you should give us a follow to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importanly, we have a Facebook page here.  Stop by and give us a "like" if you find yourself just sitting around killing time on Facebook.  C'mon, you know you're doing that... Like, right now...