take me

Check out Simple kid's newest video for his song Drugs:
WMP 56 :: WMP 100 :: WMP 300 :: WMP 450
Quicktime

Asobi Seksu's video was voted #1 on the mtvu web site, i bet if we keep voting and they are #1 again in week 2, they'll end up on REAL TV!! Just do it.

The hilarious Karen +1 (one of my fav blogs) interviews the boys of Madison Strays, who are playing at the mercury tonight with Moving Units and The Flesh.

On wednesday, The Sons of Sound played their second show as a full band at Sin-é. Besides being obviously tighter and more comfortable onstage, they were just very impressive. It's quite amazing to hear such a beautiful voice riding over the intensity of the music, and i think that's what blows people away. Husky and Ultra have awesome reviews, check them out.

first wave intact

Happy Bastille Day! If you have no idea why we, the french, celebrate Bastille Day, brush up on your history here.

Is it a coincidence that today Scott Stereogum posted a song by Daft Punk, one of my favorite french bands? I think not. Download Digital Love here, thanks Scott!

It's only appropriate that i plug two great neo-french new york bands today. Les Sans Culottes, playing Bowery Ballroom this coming saturday july 17th, and La Laque, also playing this saturday at Rothko. Both great and very different live acts that you should check out.

In other news, i fucking love the Secret Machines! Last night they played at Sin-e, and were absolutely mesmerizing... as always. It was great witnessing the hardcore fans in the audience who were handbanging and jumping like there was no tomorrow. No matter how much you love their new album, you really have to see the Secret Machines live, for it truly is a transcending experience.
Aurelio of Calla opened with a short semi-acoustic set, of which at least 3 (if not more) of the songs were covers - one was Dark Globe by Syd Barret, the last one was a George Harrison song. Surely, Aurelio is a great performer, whether he plays his own material or the material of others (thanks to his signature vocal delivery). However, why so many covers? Perhaps he has more fun covering songs when he plays solo... who knows? He did play one brand new Calla song that sounded fantastic.

surfin' on a rocket

Back in town... before i get to the vacation....

- The Sons of Sound are playing this wednesday 7/14 (also known to some of us as Bastille Day) at sin-é at 9pm sharp. Be there, you won't regret it.

- A link to all Franz Ferdinand mp3 remixes, mashups, etc... via scott stereogum. Apparently the Daft Punk remix isn't so hot, and more than one person seems to agree. I gotta check that out.

- Thanks to all who showed up at Rothko yesterday for the all ages show. I'd seen and mentioned all the bands before except for My Tvs, who were pretty fun. They had a little Iggy/Stooges thing going, and interesting saxophone parts. Usually saxophonists are a big hit or miss with me, but i thought it really worked for My Tvs.

So i spent the last few days sleeping under the sun... listening to a lot of music, and concluding that Air's Talkie Walkie was the best soundtrack to the scenery... reading the funniest thing ever in the Mojo issue with Moz on the cover, where the man himself claims that:

"... the Smiths' legacy is dreadful. I mean it's the worst legacy of any group in music history. The whole story is so black and twisted, I'm convinced the story will only end with... a murder. And, you're talking to the potential corpse (laughs!)! I'm quite serious. It's reaching that stage. I mean, who was it that said 'Viva Hate'?".

Morrissey, thank you for the good laugh during my much-needed vacation!