Ballad of a Ladyman

who I'm in love with...nowadays!

2011-05-05T23:50:00.000-07:00

*cough cough*
*is this thing on?*

I hate midtermz, but the one thing I do like about them is that they make me listen to music beyond what is required for my radio show (think the complete opposite of what I post on this blog, ;P). I study listening to music, so I make it my "sit on the bed with big80s headfonze in some stereotypical Johnhues fashun" rock/folk recurd time. Thosewhoknowmeknow I LIKE the folkstuff4musicstudyingso I was getting coZEE with Alela Diane's album that came out right when I heard it (spoiler al3rt: she's the focuz of theenext POSTof this bLOG, she just keeps getting betterANDshe has givemne NO choice byt to speck favorbly4her). Of curseu can't curse on kDVs, slipping back into old listening habits! caused! somewhat?somehow of a music relapse into the world
of female vocalsYcute twee punsYriot grrrlY"snaps" of approval. But sometimes I miss being a somewhat normal DJ on KDVS, but let's keep Boris out of this. andout of of thebigblackcloud over theplane of nevada hey hey that wusz aninside JK!

Yikes, too much personal shit and weird thought patterns. Long story short, before I knew it, I was naked and cracked out, wandering the streets of midtown Sacramento hipsterironically with my old walkman listening to a shitty tape copy of an album that I just fell in love even though its kinda a ripoff and its actually not even new butstill reallyawesomeandit'sby Blockshot-CUUULso: Normally, I try and pick a cool female fronted hip band with a new record from the bay area for my "who i'm in love with" band. But hell, whaddya know, I've already been in love with the Sandwitches and Shannon and the Clams, the only bands that meet that criteria with new albums that I can recall in the aftermath of my postmiderm slushbrain. So now, I'll expand my horizons to Germany.

Blockshot is the moderNold soundsof your favorite Riot Girrrl headbanzssss:=sound wise, think Excuse 17, but not quite capturing the ferocity of Carrie Brownstein at her best. God, SO GOD GREATONY it's cerreal to begreat to be back in punk land, where being a music nerd is like a warm gluve. yikesosIheard their most recent album came out in 2008, but since ever since I heard the Pixies I haven't known where my mind is; I just heard it recentlyONKDVSINDAVISKALIFUNRIA

THUS IT IS WITH GREAT PRRLEASURRRE THAT I ANNOUNCE TO YOU THIS MPFREE
song: Yesterday, You Were Too Drunk, Today You're Not Drunk Enough
album: After the Beep
listen: here

//////\\\\\\\heyheyHEY I almustve forGETTEN that I alwayze put up a tracker2fer U to enjoy frUM my old "whu i be in luv widride now" so here goes herez a coolnewgarageypoppyrockabilly track from!...none other then SHANNON and her CLAMZ. perk up yr earzwith a new sneakypeekyboo ofs their NEW NEW album
sleep talk

Keep tuned for my review of Alela Diane's new album...

...this post was also randomly inspired by David D. Young's poetry. He usually publishes his work in KDViationS (here), although I AM SOSAD toANNOUNCE that I don't have as much crateACTIVITY as heduZ.

-ginger snap!
don't buy that Boris shit dudez

Pearly Dewdrops 12-6-10

2010-12-16T09:55:00.000-08:00

Here's today's playlist. This will be the last "pearly dewdrops" forever, so i've decided to colalate a sort of "best of" the show, with mostly my favorite albums and bands I've featured on the show. Call in (530) 752 2777 and say hi/request something!

Playlist:
Tracy + the Plastics- The Myth of the Front

airbreakairbreakairbreaairbreakairbreakairbreakairbreak

Pens-I Sing Just for You
Vivian Girls- Wild Eyes
Fleeting Joys- Lights Underground
Lung Leg- Disco Biscuit
Finally Punk-Penguin
airbreakairbreakairbreaairbreakairbreakairbreakairbreak
Twin Sister- Lady Daydream
Mutating Meltdown- Fantasy
Cocteau Twins- Pearly Dewdrops Dew
Belleruche- Northern Girls
Kellarissa- Pienet Sanat
June Madrona- Roll On Columbia
airbreakairbreakairbreaairbreakairbreakairbreakairbreak
Chelsea Wolfe- Your Name
Christina Antipa- Where Are You Going, Whoever You Are
Emily Frembgen-Why?
Sarah June- In Your Chevrolet
Hell-Kite- Cabin
airbreakairbreakairbreaairbreakairbreakairbreakairbreak
Nu Sensae- I'm a Body
L:ittle Lungs- Pet Cemetary
Vapid- Sex Stain
White Lung- Elf/546 Kids
airbreakairbreakairbreaairbreakairbreakairbreakairbreak
Chin Chin- Proud Soldiers
Fuzzbox- Wait and See
Neverever- Blue Genes
Grass Widow- Shadow
airbreakairbreakairbreaairbreakairbreakairbreakairbreak
Foot Ox- The Untrained Ear
The Corin Tucker Band- Half a World Away
The Sandwitches- Fire

Chin Chin- Sound of the Westway

2010-12-09T01:24:00.000-08:00

The other high quality post of this expired, so I decided i'd post it up here. Swiss (they don't put out much, but what they do is awesome!) female vocalist fuzz/pop/punk/c86 type awesomeness circa the mid 1980's. Re-released on slumberland records (of course!) earlier this year. The only thing you need to know is that you need to download this and listen ASAP.

d/l here (320kb)

buy it here

Fur Cups for Teeth- fcfu

2010-12-03T18:49:00.000-08:00

I'm back! This time I actually have music, too!

Today I have one of my favorite new releases and bands, Fur Cups For Teeth. A weird name, I know. I don't get it, so don't ask me.

Fur Cups For Teeth are from Brooklyn. Sonically, their most defining feature is their harmonies, which are very sweet and filter and intertwine through every song. It's upbeat pop with a strong guitar bite in most of the songs, but not all. Sometimes they play with a drum machine and some synths, but oddly, it retains the feel of the guitar songs. That impresses me while giving the album an interesting edge that makes it more rewarding to listen to than most indie rock albums out these days. They go from sounding like riot grrrl/pop punk bands like Partyline to a female modern day Ramones, to a few other musical lands and back.

As I sometimes gripe about those musical vegetables, this band fills my (and your) inner nerdy female indie-rock vegetable palate. Although, you're not supposed to like your vegetables, so perhaps Fur Cups For Teeth is more tantamount to a giant bacon double cheeseburger. Either way you slice it (pun intended, hehe) this band will impress you, rock you, and definitely make you want to dance. Now, only if they'll come play at KDVS' O:RMF. A boy can dream.

Here at 320kb.

Wild Flag Pictures

2010-11-26T03:48:00.000-08:00

Yep, I finally got around to finishing all those pictures I took from when Wild Flag came through Sacramento. I'll get around to posting the Grass Widow and Eux Autres pictures later (they also played).

I'll post something music-wise tomorrow, (aka later on today) so come on back.

Wild Flag Photos here
ps. the password is catattack

Enjoy!

2010-11-18T01:57:00.000-08:00

Wild Flag- Romance

2010-11-15T18:56:00.001-08:00

I stumbled across a couple videos of Wild Flag. They are a new indie rock supergroup, and I mean SUPER group. It seems Carrie Brownstein is doing most of the vocal work and lead guitars. Mary Timony backs up the vocals and the guitars, and Janet Weiss rocks out on drums. You may know Carrie and Janet from their earlier work in Sleater-Kinney. It sounds like a mix of Sleater-Kinney, Helium, and the Mary Timony Band. I'm obviously not arguing.

When they come through Sacto this Wednesday, we may record them (we record most bands that come through). If we do, I'll see if I can get my greedy selfish little hands on it. If nothing else, I will be taking pictures.

Endive/Ice Nine Split 7"

2010-11-13T13:59:00.000-08:00

I had a request for some Endive. Here's the split 7" they did with Ice 9. I'll copy their only 7" later and post it as well. Emo/post rock/indie rock with female vocals. They were from Indiana, and members are now in Majhas.

Download here (only 192, sorry)

Other 7" to come soon.

Ballad of a Ladyman: The First Mix

2010-11-06T19:02:00.000-07:00

I was spurred by a friend to make a mixtape; instead of wasting a cd and the gas that it would take to send it to her; I'll just post it up here. Plus, then you all can hear it as well.

It's all stuff from my library, and all the bands start with "A". It's a fall mix, with lots of quiet soft sounds. There's some folk, rock, a hint of ambience, a dash of dream pop, and the always successful and popular indie pop. This gives you an idea how ridiculously big my music collection is, since I started the mix with over fifty songs to bring you these sixteen. Since everyone these days is all "try before you buy", I'll apply that motto to this. See what you're going to download before you waste that bandwidth. Most of these bands, on the "obscurity level meter", peg basement level. As in the basement level of KDVS, ha.

Anyways, this mix, titled "subversive soft sounds", contains the following bands:

Aberfeldy

Aberdeen

Aikagi

Adrian Orange and her Band

A House

Able Tasmans

Acetone

Acid House Kings

Adam and Darcie

Adamo

Aden

Ai Pheonix

Ak-Momo

Ana D

Ai Aso

Ane Brun

Listen and enjoy.

D/L here in 320kb

Cold Cold Hearts (flac)

2010-11-05T14:23:00.000-07:00

Indie rock/ riot grrrl supergroup of sorts. This one's a request, but also for all you riot grrrls out there too. Features Allison Wolfe and Erin Smith of Bratmobile, and Katherine Brown and Nattles of the Cutthroats. They were active in the Washington D.C. indie scene, which was pretty hip in the 90's. Unfortunately, they broke up after this (their debut) album. Anyways, highly recomended for whoever likes/follows my sporatic blog postings.

D/L flac here

Sex Gang Children- Blind (flac) and Sebastiane (192)

2010-11-05T14:05:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite original British goth bands, and the first posting on this blog to not have female vocals, but it was a request. So that makes it ok. Lots of great bass, tribal drumming and everything you know and love of original goth.

Read their synopsis on allmusic here for their complicated history.

Today I have for you their main "album", Blind, and one of their early EPs, Sebastiane. A pretty decent introduction to the band, plus, it's all I have of them, hehe.

D/L here

Marnie Stern

2010-11-04T23:58:00.000-07:00

Has a new album, it's amazing. Great indie rock/shredding with kickass drumming. Just take a listen. I think this picture gives a pretty good idea of what to expect.

if you're curious...here's what hipster central has to say

Download flac here

stay tuned, some new 7"s coming your way, some cold cold hearts, sex gang children, umm yeah.

Christmas Comes Early For Us Thanks to Jesus

2010-10-22T16:28:00.000-07:00

I love Zola Jesus, but since I haven't seen her new EP posted anywhere (maybe I'm just bad at finding things), the internet police may be on top of their shit with this release. So I'll make the post fairly cryptic and those of you that follow my semi-frequent postings will get a treat. Ironically, the music is very cryptic as well...

Anyways, I definitely urge you to listen to her work and her new EP, as it's fantastic, it's so good you'll want to buy it. It's basically a crazy psychedelic freak out mixed with rock, dream pop, darkwave, and more recent sounds, like chillwave, with some synths thrown in for good measure.

Musically, it's kind of a faster, less ominous, more rock based Grouper. This is the perfect weather for fall, dark, eerie, but not too sedated. The album was recorded in the middle of a Wisconsin winter, which clearly comes through on the record. At times, it feels like a darkwave opera, which is fine by me. It also reminds me of what the Cocteau Twins would sound like if they were a new hip band today, although Nika Danilova's vocals (while great) are not quite Elizabeth Frasier's.

I can't wait until her next full length in 2011. Hopefully the stridulum ep will tide us over.

D/L (only 192kb, sorry, but I can get flac if anyone wants it)
Buy it

ESG- Moody

2010-10-15T18:51:00.000-07:00

ESG were a funk/dance hybrid. Imagine a NYC club version of PiL, with even better (and more) bass and live drumming. Oh, silly me, I forgot to mention the amazing female vocals. Anyways, ESG is one of the most influential bands on dance/club music of all time, and you've never even heard of them. I have most of their work, so if you want me to post it, just ask. Great shit to dance to. Probably the best, IMO, if you love minimal beats, the 80's, female vocals and funk...

Shannon and the Clams

2010-10-11T22:48:00.000-07:00

A great rock/garage/party band from Oakland. A blast to listen to and even more fun live. About a million times better live. Yeah. Just listen. Whatever I say will sell them short.

Download their new 7", Paddy's Birthday, here.

Buy their 7" and album here.

Sleater-Kinney: The Hot Rock (flac)

2010-10-09T21:12:00.000-07:00

What to say, what to say. Let's start with the details. This is their fourth album, released on Kill Rock Stars in 1999, the first of their albums not to be released within a year of the previous. Based on the 70's heist movie of the same name.

For a while, it was my least favorite album, although that title now goes to All Hands on the Bad One. Overall, the album feels like too much "distancing" from their seminal and previous work, Dig Me Out. The album sometimes feels disjointed to me and I don't like the track sequencing. That aside, some of the actual songs from this album are my favorite Sleater-Kinney songs. I generally tell friends unfamiliar to Sleater-Kinney to start here because it has songs that sound like their early, middle, and even somewhat their future.

It is much more melodic, less fast paced and sonically quieter and less punk influenced. It does still rock out, especially on songs like End of You and Banned from the End of the World. Corin still yelps, but it's more controlled and less often, when it does happen. Many of these songs would fit on The Corin Tucker Band's new album, which gives you an idea sonically where this album goes.

It's definately a S-K record though, and the guitar interplay and their infamous harmonies are more interesting and well developed than ever before.

Even if it's not their best it's still better than 90% of everything else put out these days.

pt 1
pt 2

Sleater-Kinney- The Woods (flac)

2010-10-04T22:20:00.000-07:00

Not to leave out Sleater-Kinney's newer work, here's their last album (so far), The Woods. For many younger S-K fans, including me, this album served as an introduction. Now that I have, love, and thoroughly listened to all of their albums, I'm still not sure if it was the best place to start then (or now), but never-the-less it is where I started.

The Woods is by far the most "sleater-kinney sounding" album yet at the same time sounds much different than their past work. I probably confused you more than I helped you, and you need to have listened to most of their albums to get this one, to a certain extent. In the fact that this album takes the inner energy, themes, and style of their early work while transferring it to a new sound without losing their distinct (prior) identity is very impressive, and basically what I was trying to say earlier. This album was very well reviewed at its release and so far as held up as one of the most original, important, and great albums not only of their own catalog but of the 00's.

It is to the talent of this band that they can retain their identity while rocking out harder than their first album, writing songs as emotional as those on The Hot Rock, while sustaining a pioneering sound and vision like Dig Me Out. Usually, a band's seventh record is a joke, not even remotely as good as their best work. The Woods is a thrillingly beautiful contradiction to this norm; just take a listen and be amazed.

The sound, you may ask? Well take that classic Sleater-Kinney guitar interweaving, Corin yelping, and Janet's pounding drums and throw in some serious distortion and classic rock sounds and there you have it! By far the heaviest, sludgiest, and most unique of their albums. Not a bad way to start an indefinite hiatus! (now I'm going to go cry to myself a little...)

This album not only changed my life, amongst many things it also led to the creation of this blog, so a thank you (on my part) is in order. Perhaps it will change your life, too.

Download here (in flac).
Pt. 1
Pt. 2
Pt. 3

The Splinters- Southpaw 7"

2010-10-03T18:37:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to ripping some of my favorite new 7" singles recently, which is good news for you all.

The first of the 7"s I've been digging recently in the female rock world is the Splinters' new single Southpaw. The a-side is Blood on My Hands, my favorite of the two, and the b-side is Hot Hands. Apparently they have some sort of hand-fascination/fetish? Odd.

I have/enjoyed their most recent album which came out earlier this year. I do like the different sound/direction of this new single however. Their first album was good and welcomed since women in indie rock isn't terribly common, but I wasn't wowed or blown away from it. In my opinion, it wasn't terribly original. Usually, that's one of the biggest selling points to a female band, but not in this case. With this 7", they get a little more of an original sound, which I always like. It's not groundbreaking, by any means, but a fun listen and hopefully a sign of cool things to come! They're also local, which means I should be a little softer on them. Based on the plays it's gotten on KDVS (a whopping 4!*) this single is seemingly hot as fuck.

Download here in flac, of course.

* the top most played song last week on KDVS had 5 plays, so getting 4 plays is pretty damn impressive. It also shows you how eclectic we are :)

Broken Link

2010-10-03T14:07:00.001-07:00

The link for part 2 of Dig Me Out was wrong, so I fixed it. Feel free to go back and download it now, sorry. If anyone wants any other Sleater-Kinney in flac also feel free to let me know. Also, I'll be posting a couple cool new 7"s later.

Peace

Gaze- Shake the Pounce (320kb)

2010-09-28T22:09:00.000-07:00

Their last album! Aww.

For the uninitiated, Vancouver tweepop. Featured Miko Hoffman, Megan Mallett and Rose Melberg.

so soft. I love Rose Melberg.

the perfect rainy day album, when it's 100 outside! don't you just love the central valley?

Released in 1999 on K records.

here in 320kb. I can get the flac if anyone really wants it.

The tweest of all pop

2010-09-26T00:06:00.000-07:00

...is the band the Carousel. Features Elizabeth Price from earlier work in talulah gosh and it shows, the music's so soft you want to pet it. It becomes a later inspiration for Heavenly, another great twee pop band as well.

Sleater-Kinney- S/T (chainsaw) [flac]

2010-09-24T22:50:00.000-07:00

I love Sleater-Kinney's first album.
I also love Riot Grrrl.
Coincidence?
NEVER.

It's true though, back in the old days even Sleater-Kinney was a riot grrrl band. It's probably my favorite riot grrrl band too, since it's basically the best of Heavens to Betsy and Excuse 17 combined. Many of the songs have disctinct styles; corin's are always heavy on the vocals and bass and poppier. Carrie's were more punk, and much more about guitar interplay.

For example, take the first track, Don't think you wanna. Corin's vocals are on fire in this track! Also note the slow tempo- very similar to Heavens to Betsy. However this song has a little more guitar interplay, thanks to Carrie, that makes it much more interesting than most of Calculated. Corin's guitar is so slow and low it clearly acts as a bass. This in my opinion, is my favorite part! I'm a sucker for bass and sometimes miss it in later Sleater-Kinney.

Carrie has her song- How to Play Dead. This song sounds like an outtake of Excuse 17! It's great.

Of course, they start to blend each other's styles to make the future classic sound. This is evident in some of the best songs on the record. The song Be Yr Mama has a little of both bands and a great pop edge. The guitars weave all over the place and each other and Corin belts like no other, like Runaways gone crazy punk feminists!

Don't just sit there and just eat up my shit! Listen for yourself! Make your own ideas! and let me know what you think!

music blog democracy anyone?

(flac)
Download here

Finally!

2010-09-24T21:48:00.000-07:00

I updated the blog's layout. I cleaned it up a little, updated the links, and fixed the comments! So COMMENT! Let me know who the hell you all are. I'll fix the head banner soon!

Sleater-Kinney- Call the Doctor (flac)

2010-09-24T20:32:00.000-07:00

I kind of promised it, so here it is. I'm not sure if anyone actually wants it, but hey.

Sleater-Kinney's second album, but for most people, the first one... although I have a soft spot for their actual first album. Another post...

Don't feel like talking, so the music will have to speak for itself. Trust me though; it most certainly will. You'll either love this album or turn it off as soon as Corin Tucker starts singing.

One of the great original punk bands of the 90's. Only Fugazi comes close.

Please play loud and sing along.

(Flac)
Download pt. 1 here
Download pt. 2 here

The Chapin Sisters- Oh, Hear the Wind Blow (flac)

2010-09-24T14:10:00.000-07:00

The Chapin Sisters' new album two just came out, but I don't have a copy yet. So instead, here is their earlier release, an EP, Oh, Hear the Wind Blow. They're on tour with She and Him, and oddly enough, I feel that the Chapin Sisters are far more original and talented. She and Him should be opening for them.

Alas that won't happen, so all I can do is tell you how beautiful this album is. Amazing harmonies, songs, and their backup band rocks too. They have quite a full sound for a folk duo- which is refreshing as it goes against the grain.

At times they sound like a modern-day folk version of CSNY or any of that era's great folk-rock, and I mean this more as an actual comparison than a compliment. They get a little psychedelic at times-more in the modern psych-folk vein than the original 60's psychedelic one however.

As far as I'm concerned, they are one of the best traditional folk-rock artists around.

I will get their new album soon, and if anyone is interested I will post it here.

Download here in flac

Sleater-Kinney: Dig Me Out (Flac)

2010-09-18T23:41:00.000-07:00

I can never decide what my favorite Sleater-Kinney album is, but I've narrowed it down to either Call the Doctor or Dig Me Out. More people and the music elite generally like Dig Me Out, so to me that discounts it to a certain extent (haha). The only reason that I don't pick Call the Doctor, then, is that in general I feel that Dig Me Out is a more refined and powerful version of Call the Doctor... Who knows. I've decided to post a couple of Sleater-Kinney albums here in flac since the flac versions don't really exist on the internet, and I haven't had a Sleater-Kinney phase in a while. For whatever reason, I'm starting with their third album, Dig Me Out.

This album is generally considered their best and the focal point of their career. I see why people say that. To be fair though, save for their first three albums, their later albums sound much different and none sound very alike. So I like to think of Dig Me Out as Sleater-Kinney perfecting their early, original "phase". After this, all their albums kind of bounce around each other, the politics of the time, and partially in backlash to the popularity and musical acclaim of this album. In that sense, then, I would recommend new listeners start with this album. But in general practice, I recommend they start elsewhere as I feel this is the hardest album to crack, with many layers of meaning, poetry, song structure, etc, that is more complex than most of their other albums. Plus, Corin Tucker's vocals are possibly the wildest, harshest, and most spectacular here on this album. Her vocals can take a little "break-in" period to get accustomed to.

If you're not feeling like a musical nerd/elitist, then just download this and listen to the amazingness that is Sleater-Kinney, the best band in the world.

Call the Doctor soon to follow, as well as a few others I feel like posting.

Flac
Pt. 1
Pt. 2
(fixed)

Pearly-Dewdrops 8/11: Ruminations on the new Grass Widow album, Sleater-Kinney and Cats

2010-08-23T01:30:00.000-07:00

I have a radio show called Pearly-Dewdrops. I keep reminding myself to connect the blog and the show more, but it never happens. That, and I don't like to promote myself. I don't have much ego.

The new Grass Widow album, Past Time, comes out tomorrow, and here at kdvs we got an advance copy. To keep things short, it's fucking great. Anyways, since it comes out tomorrow, I figured i'd post the show where I play a number of Grass Widow songs (and one from the new album). Their new album already leaked, so you can find it easy enough. I may upload a flac copy of it, I may not. If people really want me to, then I will.

I also debut a newish cd by Emily Frembgen, a friend of mine, ponder on cats and play a cabaret version of a classic Sleater-Kinney song. I also played a whole side of a compilation of artists covering Beat Happening, so the show is high in awesomeness.

Tomorrow morning I'll have a suprise for you all, so check back soon.

Listen to the show here.