whale in a cubicle

We've Moved!

2009-10-26T00:00:00.000-04:00

Well our long silence has finally come to an end! The time has come and we've moved to our very own URL:

It still has a few kinks to work out, but we'll tackle those as we go - in the meantime, you should go and bookmark the new site, because there's a lot of good stuff we want to share. See you there.

Love,

Chris and Logan

VIDEO: The Boss Turns 60!

2009-09-25T11:22:00.004-04:00

If you're a friend of mine, then you know I only wish belated birthday wishes. So in that vein, consider this my happy-belated to The Boss (who turned 60 on Wednesday).

And for a pretty amazing post with 60 facts for 60 years of rock & roll, go HERE. Enjoy.

VIDEO: Into The Clouds by The Sound of Arrows

2009-09-17T18:09:00.004-04:00

If you haven't checked out The Sound Of Arrows yet, do it now. Seriously. Everything these two Swedes have put out so far has been M.A.G.I.C.

ALBUM: Build Me This by Joshua James

2009-09-07T08:00:00.001-04:00

Sorry about the long silence. Sadly I don't have any good news to report, and school's actually been crazy enough to keep me from really trying to figure out how to get us back up and running. I can't say when we'll be back on a good schedule. Hopefully soon.

You might already know that Joshua James is one of our favorite artists around here, and his second album, Build Me This, is touching down in a matter of days. It's been a long time coming for us (who've been hearing these songs for more than 2 years), but it's close on the heels of his first record for any who've only heard it since it's national release last year. Either way, this record will probably impress any of Joshua's fans, and hopefully win him a few more.

I love James's first record, The Sun is Always Brighter, and if this blog had existed in 2007 it would have been high on our Best Albums list - but as beautiful as it is, I've always had an issue with it. You see, that record doesn't really sound like Joshua James. I mean, that's his voice and those are his songs, and that music is very very good, but live, there's an edginess and a soulfulness to James's music that somehow didn't make it onto that record. Essentially, Joshua James can rock, but the only evidence of it on Sun is the relative low-point "Our Brother's Blood" tucked back near the end of the record.

It isn't long into Build Me This that it becomes clear that this won't be an issue on this record. The first track, "Coal War", opens with foot stomps and hand claps as the only accompaniment to James singing "Ain't cuttin' my hair 'til the good Lord comes", building tension right up to the two minute mark, when the amps light up and a distorted guitar snarls through the gospel-rooted harmonies, pushing past all of the reservations James might have had on LP1. Needless to say, James shows a lot more muscle this time around.

The momentum stays high through the second track, "Magazine", then takes a breather on "Weeds" before barreling into more full-throttle rockers "Mother Mary" and "Black July". Throughout Joshua explores themes of hatred, faith, war and death; and even the record's lightest moments (i.e. "In The Middle" - a love song from a lover who's passed away) are anything but light-hearted. There isn't a bad song in the mix, though little matches the urgency of "Coal War" until a trifecta of near-perfect songs toward the end - "Daniel", a heart-wrenching tale of boys in wartime, "Pitchfork", a dreamlike ballad with a breathtakingly beautiful coda, and the live staple "Wilted Daisies", a frustrated plea from capitalism's defeated. These three songs alone would be reason enough to buy the album.

All in all, this is a fantastic sophomore achievement from an extremely talented songwriter. It's out digitally and on vinyl Tuesday, Sept. 8th, and on CD on Sept. 22nd (buy it all HERE). I don't have a song for you because, once again, we have no server - but here's a video of Joshua doing his thing, as well as a link to his myspace to take a listen. Enjoy!

Listen at Joshua James's myspace.

NEWS: Stream fun's new record on myspace

2009-08-11T08:05:00.012-04:00

I'm never sure if I'm supposed to keep the period in there or not (is it "fun" or "fun."?). Either way, it's Nate Ruess's new act, and their debut record, called Aim and Ignite, is streaming on their myspace page. You can take a listen HERE.

After my first time through it sounds like Aim and Ignite has picked up where Dog Problems left off - with plenty of brass, gospel choirs, 60's pop harmonies, Graceland-era chants, and Freddie Mercury flourishes. In short, they seem to be living up to their name. Some favorites so far are the fleshed-out version of "Benson Hedges", "Light A Roman Candle With Me" and "Barlights".

Go check it out. And in case you missed the link above... fun's myspace page.

CONCERT: The Decemberists at The Murat Theatre

2009-08-10T08:00:00.007-04:00

So our server is still down and out, and we're really sorry about that. It couldn't have happened at a worse time for Logan and I, with both of us moving/starting grad school/etc. - and we regret that we haven't been able to figure out a solution yet. There's so many great things I've wanted to post recently but haven't because of our server-limitations. Just know that we are going to figure it out. And we really will try to do it soon.

Saturday my wife took me to see The Decemberists at The Murat Theatre here in Indy (it was a late birthday present - one of the many reasons I'm in love with this woman), and I wish I had the time and/or words to describe it. I'd been excited to see them, but after the show I felt like my anticipation wasn't even near what it should have been. I knew they were performing their recent rock-opera-opus-magnum-whatever The Hazards of Love in its entirety, and I knew they had Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond and Becky Stark of Lavender Diamond on the tour to complete the albums amazing vocal trio. But I didn't really understand just what that meant until the night was over. I'll try to explain it - but if I fail, just know this: if you can, see them on this tour!

The actual Hazards of Love part of the show was fun, full of animal-morphing mischief, slashing guitar riffs, Colin Meloy sticking rigidly in character and Shara Worden conjuring up something unimaginable. This is why we'd come, and it certainly didn't disappoint. But the second half of the night is what completely won me over. After a brief intermission they re-took the stage, bantering and laughing and leading audience-sing-alongs as they tackled selections from every one of their previous albums, plus a new song called "Down By The Water" (which was, by the way, fantastic). Shara came back out to sing the female lead in "Yankee Bayonet" before the band played the worst song Colin's ever written (apparently), about Dracula's offspring. Honestly, who knew that Colin Meloy was so endearing? I sure didn't. And neither did my wife, who now has a crush on him and his quill-written word-playing.

But the best wasn't until the end of the night. Both of the Diamond girls came out to finish the set with a show-stealing cover of Heart's "Crazy On You". (I've included a video below, which is required listening.) Finally, to close out the night they wrapped up with "Sons and Daughters", complete with Chris Funk on hurdy gurdy and the entire theatre chanting "Hear all the bombs, they fade away" into the night. I think that may have been one of the best show-closing numbers I've ever seen. At least right now I can't think of any that can top it. It was that good.

So like I said. If you can, see them on this tour. And if you can't, just see them sometime. Deal? Deal.

Anyway, here's the setlist:

Set 1: The Hazards of Love (straight through)

Set 2: July July! / Billy Liar / The Sporting Life - This Charming Life (The Smiths cover) / Down By The Water (new) / The Crane Wife 3 / Yankee Bayonet (I'll Be Home Then) / Dracula's Daughter / O Valencia / Crazy On You (Heart cover)

Encore: Raincoat Song / Sons & Daughters

And the video:

VIDEO: The hope for our future

2009-07-29T13:01:00.005-04:00

No matter how bad things get, at least we all know that this kid is going to make the world a better place.

NEWS: Dodos new record for very little money!

2009-07-28T18:37:00.005-04:00

Hey everyone! Here's a post we can do without a server! Yeah!

So after the nowadays-unavoidable album leak a couple weeks ago, The Dodos streamed their new record, Time To Die in its entirety at timetodie.net so we could all enjoy the goods without the nagging guilt, and all leave the world a better place than we found it.

Well if you liked what you heard there, today you can grab the album for only $2.99 at Amazon. I know, the good news never ends. But hurry, the deal sounds like it's only good until next Tuesday. So you know, get on that.

As far as the record goes, it's a good one. I hadn't gotten around to spinning it until today, but on first listen it sounds like they've drawn a good line between what they've already mastered and what they aim to. They've largely traded in the cling and clatter of Visiter for a more mature and expansive sound, and it actually suits them. I think I might even like this one a bit more... we'll see how it fares on repeat listens.

In the meantime, you can:

Stream it here.

Buy it here. (for only $2.99!)

ARTIST: We Need Help + Monsters of Folk!

2009-07-24T10:04:00.008-04:00

So it's looking like our server problem might not get resolved. Subsequently, we're looking for an online server so we can keep sharing the music we love... which brings me to a question: do any of you out there in blog-land have any recommendations? Let us know in the comments or by email and we'll be getting this thing back up and in full-swing again soon!

In other news, here's something I'm pretty excited about - M. Ward, Conor Oberst, and Yim Yames (Jim James of My Morning Jacket) are rearing to release their first record together as 'Monsters of Folk', and so far the first single is everything I'd hope it would be. You can get the track for FREE at monstersoffolk.com, and then go see them bring the folk when they roll through your town this fall.

ALBUM: The Satanic Satanist

2009-07-22T15:38:00.005-04:00

I love the anticipation of a new album.
Driving to the record store while listening to the single that floored you so many months before, refusing to download the leaked version (even though you really really want to), the excitement that you'll be listening to something new from a band you love, and then silently praying that they don't let you down.

They didn't.

Portugal. The Man's newest album The Satanic Satanist never let me down. From beginning to end it flows seamlessly, each song melding into its predecessor and successor. All this while each song still retains the power to stand under its own power. Portugal. The Man further cements their place as being the masters of crafting not just songs, but entire albums that ebb and flow with precision and without fault.

mp3: Portugal. The Man - People Say (NOTE: link goes to a free download.)
from the album The Satanic Satanist (Amazon/iTunes)

NEWS: Mason Jennings record has a name and a date

2009-07-20T08:00:00.009-04:00

Back in March we posted the good news that Mason Jennings was working on a new record that was, in his words, "on the rock side of things". Recently, in a post on the Brushfire Records website, we got some more details on the record: it's called Blood of Man and it's due out September 15th on Brushfire Records. Mason also elaborated on his move to a more plugged-in sound, which involves The Who, Christmas ornaments, and dancing children (read it here).

Mason also posted a tour announcement on his website last Tuesday (my birthday!) that went like this:

"I can't wait to get out on the road and play the new songs from Blood of Man. This batch of songs is so intensely personal, so dark, and so rocking that I am a little afraid of what will happen. That's why I am bringing out my good friends Brian McLeod on drums and Chris Morrissey on bass. I will be playing a lot of electric guitar and I can honestly say that I have no idea what will be conjured up. I only know that it will be really open, really loud and really real."

Wow. So dark? So rocking? Conjured up?! There's a bunch of good news in there - but mostly that Mason's hooking back up with his Use Your Voice-era lineup: Brian McLeod and Chris Morrissey. Honestly, I can't tell you how excited I am about that. These three probably make up my favorite live-incarnation of Mason's music - bringing the heart and soul of his music like no other backing band has been able to. Here's a clip of them bringin' it in Charlottesville, VA to demonstrate:

Also, through August 1st iTunes is offering an exclusive Mason track, benifitting the Surfrider Foundation. Go grab it.

(Thanks to Ty for the tip!)

CONCERT: The Antlers in Indy!

2009-07-17T08:00:00.002-04:00

Whoa whoa whoa. Remember when there used to be a blog here? Yeah, me too. Sorry about that. I know I said I was back at the end of June, and I was. But since being back, I packed up everything I own, drove it across the country, unpacked most of it, and started dental school in Indianapolis. We just now got our internet situation figured out. In the meantime, Logan's been back and forth to CA, figuring out his near future there, and our server has been (of course) down for the count.

So. We're trying to figure the server thing out ASAP. Until then, we'll try to post as regularly as we can - throwing up videos or something. We're not done here. Not even close.

On Wednesday night I got my first taste of Indy's music scene when my wife and I headed down to The Vollrath to see The Antlers (thanks, MOKB). Though the crowd was pretty light, the music was anything but - in fact, the amount of sheer sound this three-piece of a band made up there was pretty impressive. They covered just about all of Hospice, their recent record that's been making some waves (read our take on it HERE). Peter Silberman (who was the sole Antler until recently) was nothing but gracious all night, and had a pretty endearing stage-presence. Be sure to check them out if they're coming through your town.

Anyway, here's a video from their myspace page, because we don't have our server back yet. We'll get that figured out soon. Promise.

SONG: New A.A. Bondy

2009-06-26T14:00:00.000-04:00

Hey all! I'm back from my trek across Europe and all I can say is I'm tired, happy, and enjoying the ability to make bacon and eggs in the morning if I want to. Ah America.

On the music side of things, I am utterly and completely out of the loop. And that's a good thing. It's refreshing to step back every now and then, re-focus a bit, get outside the hype. I listened to almost no music over the past month, and when I did it was mostly old favorites - a lot of Bob Dylan and Mason Jennings. Well I guess that's a lie - I listened to tons of music on the trip, it just wasn't on my ipod. I heard everything from an Alleluia Band from Malawi to a Wagnerian opera in Vienna, to street performers playing Ave Maria in Munich. All of it was either free or cheap, and all of it was tremendous.

Well now I'm back and I'm not even going to worry about what I missed (my Google Reader was pretty overwhelming, so I just clicked "Mark all as read"). Two great bits of news though - I was so excited to learn that Grand Archives are set to release their follow-up to our favorite record of 2008 (Logan's got that covered HERE). I was also so excited to find that one of my most favorite artists of late, Mr. A.A. Bondy, also has a new record coming out at the end of summer, called When The Devil's Loose. I've got the title track below to get you all excited.

It's good to be back.

mp3: A.A. Bondy - When The Devil's Loose
from the album When The Devil's Loose (out Sept. 1st)

NEWS: Sub Pop Sampler

2009-06-17T12:51:00.005-04:00

This post is dedicated to anyone pursuing my internet search history who notice my recent visitation to a site titled "Sub-Pop/Cybersex."

Its not what you think (I ran into the same problem with 'Best of Bootie'), unless you're first thought was, "Wow. I bet that's an exceptional sampler of artists who appear on Seattle-based Sub Pop records."
If that's the case you're dead on my extremely perceptive friend, dead on.

I have a bit of a brand name allegiance. And I think its pretty well-founded.
An unknown album emblazoned with the Sub Pop logo will get my immediate undivided attention. They've very rarely led me astray.

Tracks:

Vetiver – Strictly Rule
Handsome Furs – I’m Confused
Mark Sultan – Hold On
Red Red Meat – Gauze
Obits – Pine On
The Vaselines – Son of a Gun
Fleet Foxes – Mykonos
Iron and Wine – Belated Promise Ring
Tiny Vipers - Dreamer
Fruit Bats – My Unusual Friend
Zak Sally – Why We Hide
Pissed Jeans – False Jesii Part 2
Grand Archives – Silver Among the Gold
Flight of the Conchords – Hurt Feeling

Download ZIP: Sub Pop Sampler (Provided so you don't have to awkwardly google 'cyber sex')

ARTIST: Fanfarlo

2009-06-10T14:52:00.005-04:00

I feel a duty to inform you of one of the greatest and most one-sided deals in music right now.
For $1, you can be the proud owner of the latest from the beautiful British band Fanfarlo.
Worth every penny. (Which is only 100! I can scrounge that out of the couch cushions right now.)
Seriously, no excuses.
Fanfarlo has recently been seeing some well-deserved buzz around the blogs. Although they are being touted as the "British Arcade Fire" (and yes, you can hear it) at times their swirling and swooning melodies and instrumentation feels more akin to Beirut (or the soundtrack of my most recent daydream).

mp3: Fanfarlo - I'm A Pilot
from the album Reservior (download for $1)

SONG: People Say

2009-06-08T09:22:00.000-04:00

Not even a full-year after Censored Colors (seriously incredible) our favorite Wasilla, AK progressive rockers, Portugal. The Man, are set to release a new album titled The Satanic Satanist on July 21st.

Having the littlest bit of a sample of this forthcoming album increases my excitement nearly ten-fold. (That little guitar riff at the beginning accounts for nearly four of the ten folds. Wow.)

And lets not overlook that besides making exciting and captivating music, Portugal. The Man really shines in the album name department. We've got The Satanic Satanist, Censored Colors, Church Mouth, and, my personal favorite, It's Complicated Being a Wizard.

mp3: Portugal. The Man - People Say
from the album The Satanic Satanist (Amazon)

NEWS: Free Coldplay

2009-06-05T02:03:00.000-04:00

If you all weren't aware already Coldplay is offering up a nifty little collection of their songs for free download as a thank you to their fans.
You're welcome Coldplay. We are pretty great.

mp3: Coldplay - Fix You
from the album LeftRightLeftRight (download)

ARTIST: Japandroids

2009-06-04T02:08:00.002-04:00

Speaking of Sasquatch.
With the Gorge really only a few hours away from our neighbors to the north there was quite the Canadian population (judging purely on how many times I heard 'out' pronounced 'oot')
And a common complaint from the Canadians next to us during the festival (besides having to drive home in the scary dark) was the disappearance of Vancouver rockers Japandroids from the festival lineup.
And having checked them out, they're something else. Something else entirely.

I've always thought I had a pretty wide taste in music, but I've come to realize that there is a lot of music out in this wide world of ours and there's a lot I don't like.
And when I first heard Japandroids' chaotic garage rock/punk style I said, "Ya, I like it, but its not really my stlye." So I immediately dismissed them. But I kept coming back and had to finally admit...I really like them. They're not my usual fare, but that doesn't stop them from being really really great.
And now having heard their whole album Post-Nothing, its pretty great. So even if "chaotic garage rock/punk" doesn't sound like you...give a go anyway. You never know.

mp3: Japandroids - Young Hearts Spark Fire
from the album Post-Nothing (Amazon/iTunes)

CONCERT: Sasquatch '09

2009-06-02T13:51:00.001-04:00

I don't even know where to begin. (And by the length of this post, I don't know when to stop either.)
Except maybe to say, "Never forget your camera."
Followed by, "Don't stand too close to the guy with no pants."

Two adages I learned the hard way this year at the Sasquatch Music Festival.

Right now I'm in some pretty dire financial straits and in the weeks leading up to Sasquatch the $60 some odd dollars I spent on my one-day Saturday ticket months before seemed ill-advised. ($60 can purchase a fair number of Hot and Ready pizzas. 12 before taxes.)

Then the prospect of driving from Provo to the Gorge was pretty daunting. We've had a lot of good memories Idaho, but driving through your southern portion...not one of them. I only stopped to go to the bathroom there. Seemed like a fitting tribute...

At the Gorge I started thinking of the full day I was about to endure in the hot sun, craning my neck for a better view, all the while avoiding having the drunk co-eds who sneaked alcohol in plastic baggies stuffed into their bikini tops (point for creativity) from vomiting on me. I became prematurely exhausted and muttered to myself, "Maybe I'm getting too old for this stuff." (For the record, I'm 25)

So that was my attitude going into this. Pretty crappy. (And $10 for a personal pizza didn't help my already cash-strapped self)

Then the music started and 800 miles suddenly seemed like nothing. A paltry distance to travel for what I was suddenly seeing and hearing.

I forgot about the sun, I forgot about the heat, and I forgot that I really didn't have the money to be there, but I was reminded why I love music.
I was entranced. I simply could not believe that there were people not fixed 100% on the stage. Were they not hearing what I was hearing or did they simply want pleasant background music to enjoy their $9 beer?

Why I love music and who reminded me of that love...playlist style.

How much crazy fun can music be? Whatever the answer is to that question Animal Collective is pushing that. They turned it up to '11'
mp3: Animal Collective - Summertime Clothes

The Hazards of Love from beginning to end. Simply astounding. The Rake Song blew me away. Heck, the whole thing blew me away. (And as though you need any other reason to see them, they're touring with Blind Pilot. Another festival fave.)
mp3: The Decemberists - The Rake Song
mp3: Blind Pilot - Oviedo

The Kings of Leon were always meant to play the Gorge. Their huge arena rock sound deserves to be played at such venues. This song has been played in the back of my mind since. ("...given the chance I'm gonna be somebody. If for one dance I'm gonna be somebody.")
mp3: Kings of Leon - Be Somebody

And at the top of everything. The King of Whisper Rock and the Queen of the Taiga. Breathtakingly beautiful.
mp3: Bon Iver - Flume

Thanks for reading.

ALBUM: Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear

2009-05-29T10:00:00.000-04:00

Basically, this record really is as good as everyone says it is. There you go. That's it.

I'm not a die-hard Grizzly Bear fan, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't anticipating this album. Yellow House didn't floor me like it did others, though it did have some profoundly beautiful moments. No, Grizzly Bear didn't floor me until a year ago when they performed their then-new song, "While You Wait For The Others" on Morning Becomes Eclectic. That song grabbed me by the collar and refused to let go. I listened to it almost incessantly, and began waiting for a cleaner studio version. Then came "Two Weeks" earlier this year, and my interest was more than just piqued. Well, the rest of the album has arrived, and it's exactly what I'd hoped. Right from the first orchestral swells of "Southern Point" to end of the angelic "Foreground", it's just beautifully conceived and pristinely produced chamber pop. Like I said, it actually is as good as everyone says it is.

Here's the track that converted me, now in it's finalized glory.

mp3: Grizzly Bear - While You Wait For The Others
from the album Veckatimest (Amazon/iTunes)

ARTIST: Cymbals Eat Guitars

2009-05-28T14:00:00.000-04:00

Cymbals Eat Guitars are making some waves right now, and rightly so. This threesome is making some considerable wave-making music.

I used a song of theirs yesterday in our Indiana post, and it's just one of several great tracks off their independently released debut, Why There Are Mountains. In the album's first few minutes, their propensity for making noise might remind you of some early Modest Mouse, and their sheer intensity might call to mind At The Drive In (remember them?!). But this group is all about surprises, and they won't stay cornered for long. As the record's nine tracks unfold, elements of shoegaze, jazz, and even pop color the jagged sound-scape, with lots and lots of sonic surprises (think YHF and A Ghost is Born-era Wilco, but with more muscle). It would be easy for these guys to come off as a bit esoteric if it weren't for the un-adulterated hooks and melodies that weave in and out of all their songs. Every single one has what I call a "perk-up" moment, the kind that makes me stop what I'm doing and just listen. This is good stuff.

And by the way, their sound is just half of Cymbal Eats Guitars' talent. I was actually the most impressed with them after reading some of their lyrics. Basically, there's a lot to love here, above and below the surface. Enjoy.

mp3: Cymbals Eat Guitars - Wind Phoenix (Proper Name)
from the album Why There Are Mountains (Amazon/iTunes)

SONG: River by Akron/Family

2009-05-28T13:00:00.001-04:00

This song by Akron/Family is really really good. The record is called Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free and it's also really really good. I'm planning on writing more, but I may not be able to get to it before the move. So here's the basics: the record's good. You should check it out. More to follow.

mp3: Akron/Family - River
from the album Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free (Amazon/iTunes)

VIDEO: Patrick Wolf "Hard Times"

2009-05-28T01:28:00.006-04:00

I've delved a little bit into glam rock as of late.
My interest was spurned by Okkervil River's fantastic ode to Bruce Wayne Campbell (better known as Jobriath) and continued onto other acts like David Bowie, The New York Dolls, and even Twisted Sister.
I don't know what hooked me. The larger than life characters these musicians create or their often times larger than life music?
And its fun to see that the spirit of those artists are still alive, most notably embodied within Patrick Wolf.
Want a crash course in glam rock? This is glam rock. Enjoy.

mp3: Patrick Wolf - Accident & Emergency
from the album The Magic Position (Amazon/iTunes)

SING THE STATES #19: Indiana

2009-05-27T10:31:00.000-04:00

This is a very special post in our SING THE STATES series. You see, on Friday I'll be moving away from Utah forever, and after spending a month in Europe with only my wife and a backpack, I'll be moving to our new home... in Indiana!

So you can see why this is a big deal.

Indiana was the 19th state to the Union, and of the lower 48, Indiana is the smallest state west of the Appalachians. Indiana is pretty well known for its sports traditions - the Indianapolis 500, the Indianapolis Colts (NFL), the Indiana Pacers (NBA). According to wikipedia, "Residents of Indiana are known as Hoosiers. Although many stories are told, the origin of the term is unknown". The mystery! I can't wait!

Considered the "Cross Roads of America", Indiana has more miles of Interstate Highway per square mile than any other state. Its name means "Land of the Indians", even though there are less than 8,000 Native Americans living there today. And did you know that the Saturday Evening Post is published in Indianapolis? I sure didn't.

To be honest, I've only been to Indiana once, and that was only for a weekend. I really don't know what to expect, but a lot of my feelings can be summed up in this post by my wife (especially the part about the popsicles everywhere). It's going to be an adventure. And to celebrate, Indiana is the only state so far that gets two tracks awarded it. One is Tom Waits' "Gun Street Girl" because it was on my original list and I love it. The other is "Indiana" by the absolutely fantastic Cymbals Eat Guitars, because I couldn't not post such a great song. Look for more on them soon. Viva la Indiana!

Also considered: Tom Petty - Mary Jane's Last Dance; Sonny Marshall - South Bend, Indiana

mp3: Tom Waits - Gun Street Girl
from the album Rain Dogs (Amazon/iTunes)

mp3: Cymbals Eat Guitars - Indiana
from the album Why There Are Mountains (Amazon/iTunes)

Check out the rest of our SING THE STATES posts!

ARTIST: Booker T.

2009-05-26T11:49:00.002-04:00

Hope you all had a great Memorial Day Weekend, we definitely did. Logan spent the bulk of his on the road to go see some amazing acts at the Sasquatch Music Festival in Washington (I'm sure he'll be filling you in later), while I spent my last weekend in Utah camping in Arches National Park. Although it started off a bit rocky, it ended up a pretty amazing weekend. We didn't get in until around 1 on Saturday morning, so we spent a rainy night four-deep in the bed of my friend's pick-up and wondered what we'd gotten ourselves into. Fortunately, Saturday was perfect, and we spent the day hiking several of Utah's famed arches and off-roading in Moab's sand flats (we even did the "surprising" Fins & Things). To finish the day we camped on the edge of a beautiful cliff beyond the flats, just across from an impromptu waterfall (due to the sudden rains) - it couldn't have been more perfect.

One thing I learned this weekend is that Booker T.'s new album with the Drive By Truckers makes the PERFECT off-roading soundtrack. If you're not familiar, Booker T. and the MG's were an instrumental outfit in the 60's and 70's that fused rock and soul into one big awesome sound. On this record, called Potato Hole, Booker T. brings his trademark organ to the mix, and the DBT's bring their trademark dirty Southern rock. And the result? Like I said, it's great off-roading music. Here's a little Outkast-inspired taste to see if it's up your alley.

mp3: Booker T. & the DBT's - Hey Ya
from the album Potato Hole (Amazon/iTunes)