mp3:wham city (edit)

Dear Dan Deacon:

I’ve done a really lousy job this year of looking for new music to like. I don’t know, maybe its because I’m out of school and don’t have the time I used to, or maybe its just because I’m lazy and I like to sleep too much, I dunno…What I’m trying to say is that of all the newer stuff I’ve looked into lately hasn’t really been impressing me for the most part, and I was getting less and less motivated about giving chances to bands and musicians I’d never heard before because of it. Thanks for giving me something to listen to more than a couple of times and for still surprising me even now every time I listen to your record with an awesome little something I hadn’t noticed before.

I know an album of the summer has already been declared, but I would like to take this opportunity to declare “wham city” as the song of the summer.

my my my my my my my my!

Nathaniel tyrant

He’ll pick you up if I ask him to

mp3: Honeymoon

Dear Phoenix,

While driving home yesterday from a soul sucking sojourn in the world of corporate video, I was flipping through my recently resurrected ipod, looking for some adequate tunes that would suit my several moods. The moods are as follows:

1. Still somewhat dazed and jet-lagged from my recent trip to Germany

2. Running nose, my body angry at the season of hayfever

3. Happy that I had just made a few bucks and had snuck off with a free Dr. Pepper

I came across your album, and while I had loved “Too Young” and “If I ever feel better” for a while, I had never taken the time to dive a little bit deeper. And hot damn there are some sexy jams on that disc — you frenchies really know do it. So thats it, it is declared, you are the official band of the summer!

Congratulations.

Rob

youarephoenix

mp3: Two More Years [MSTRKRFT Mix]

Dear Bloc Party,

I was thinking today that it has been a year since Nathaniel and I packed up my blue Honda and drove to Las Vegas to see you guys play with The Go! Team (what a combination). I remember only a few things from that weekend, but the things I do remember (lots of dancing, hanging out with Paul and Caroline, Trader Joes) make me excited for possible adventures this summer.

Sorry, that was a bit nostalgic.

Ummm…you guys rock?

Rob

is this song about a mission?

mp3:Praying Hands

Dear Devo,

i will never be as cool as you. no matter what i can do, you’ve probably already done it cooler. for example, once upon a time i taught people how to pray. you’d already done that. but cooler.

sigh.

nathaniel

that’s pep!

mp3:Non Violent Taekwondo Troopers

Dear Song Poets,

For years i searched for a way to get my hands on this cd. It has been like my own personal holy grail. you are geniuses. all of you.

i would encourage anyone who has never seen the documentary to buy it, and the soundtrack. I was going to post “blind man’s penis” but i don’t feel like the world is ready.

with so much admiration

nathaniel

jimmy carter says YES!

mp3:in one ear and out the other

Dear Fujiya and Miyagi,

I’m sorry I missed you guys this weekend. I bet it would have been a lot of fun. Unfortunately, I had some plans I couldn’t break and had to settle for driving around the next day in the rain listening to your album repeatedly. Also very fun.

sock it to me,

nathaniel tyrant

kick it with them

Dear Loney, Dear (is that a palindrome?),

So I the weather has been getting nicer and this means a few things: 1) my feet aren’t as cold as they used to be 2) and I am a little bit happier. Things with Operation Dumbo Drop have been moving along fairly well and overall I am optimistic about the future. Then this song hit me. I hate to be hyperbolic, but the first time I listened to this song was the best moment from my week. I swear, what is it with you swedes? You are like “oh we are so kind, and we pay high taxes, but we have nice health…BAM POW!” and I am left laying on the pavement, with a bloody nose in front of IKEA.

Seriously, listen to the chorus and try to be sad.

Seriously,

Rob

seriously

mp3:Incident @ 23rd
Dear the Delta 72-

Sometimes random things remind me of random songs. The other day I was on my way to Bimbo’s Bitchin’ Burrito Kitchen on Capitol Hill and I decided to take Pacific Place over the ship canal bridge onto 24th and follow it until it turns into 23rd and turn up onto pine….but what? There was an accident and 23rd was blocked! i tried to take a detour but I got lost! Damn that incident! Bless this song!

Dance! dance! dance! dance! dance!

nathaniel

the doctor is in!

mp3: Hot Chip – Colours (Fred Falke Remix)

Dear Fred,

I’ve got to give a shout out to you today. For some reason, life has been somewhat rough lately. I have had a multitude of car troubles, and my graduation date keeps getting pushed back further and further. I also took a job that I really didn’t need, doing some audio editing. However, today has been miraculous for a few reasons and they both revolve around this new job. So anyway, today while I was letting an interview bounce to disk in the studio, I went over the cafeteria at UVSC. The woman offered me a pulled pork sandwich for a dollar — how could I refuse? The bonus part about it was that the cafeteria was about to close and so this lady was piling on pulled pork onto my bun. I ate it gratefully and it was only $1.07. Then later, while I was bouncing another interview to disk I turned those speakers down real low, plugged in my ipod to another set of speakers and had my own private dance party to your Hot Chip remix.

Pulled pork and Hot Chip — maybe life isn’t so bad after all.

Rob

right said fred

mp3: Citizens of Tomorrow

Dear Tokyo Police Club,

Remember a couple of years ago when hipster culture was totally obsessed with robots? and vs.? Robots vs. monkeys vs. coal miners vs. bong boys. I don’t think I see it too much anymore. Maybe we have all seen Children of Men and have come to understand that robots are the thing that we have to worry about the least in the next 20 years. But I do have to admit that there is something about a post robot apolocalyptic landscape that is utterly captivating. Maybe it is that we are so obsessed with technology right now, and in many ways we feel that technology is changing the ways that we interact with each other, and that robots just seem like the next logical step. Will the robots (insert technology) destroy us or will we have to power to destroy them?

Either way, if we do end up in a war your EP A Lesson in Crime can be a discful of our anthems. We will listen to it in the morning on the way to school to take classes on how to destroy the robots. Overall the EP is quite good, it sounds as if the amazing Salt Lake band Redd Tape, settled their differences, tightened up a bit, and turned their amps up a few notches. However, in the end it is a bit like a pixy stick, I put it on to place a little pep in my day, to do some anti-robot training. But by the time that I finally hit my stride — the darn thing is over. Technology!!

Carpe Diem,

Rob

dot net

Photo by Oliver J. Lopena: oliverlopena.com