mondo-nyc

Young Runaways

2010-03-14T16:41:00.000-07:00

They keep coming. Girl Groups that is. Much to my delight, the last five years has seen a resurgence of female-fronted groups clearly influenced by that flurry of gals that made their way to the airwaves in the infamous Sixties—bands like The Ronettes, The Shangri-Las, and The Shirelles to name a few.

Now, this isn't anything new—heck I've posted on this topic before—but this latest crop shows additional nods to garage, punk, and shoegaze, resulting in a truly refreshing take:

Dum Dum Girls - Rest Of Our Lives
Dum Dum Girls - Bhang Bhang, I'm A Burnout
Neverever* - The Young Runaways
Neverever* - Teardrop Tattoo

*Previously The Champagne Socialists

Further Listening:
Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be
One Kiss Can Lead to Another: Girl Group Sounds, Lost & Found

Happy Spring!

[mm]

merry christmas!

2009-12-24T07:52:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas!

We hope you're having a wonderful holiday season!

Here's a new Christmas song from The Magnetic Fields. it's from their new album "Realism", which you can pre-order here.

The Magnetic Fields - Everything Is One Big Christmas Tree

xoxo
mondo

Goodbye 2009

2009-12-13T09:19:00.001-08:00

Just one Mondo left in 2009, and it's gonna be a fun one! The Ballet are returning to Mondo to play live on the heels of their new album, Bear Life. It's also our Mondo Holiday Party, with a gift exchange and our Best of 2009 mix CD! Thanks to everyone who has supported us in 2009, and we look forward to dancing with you again in 2010.

Here's a small sample of songs I've loved in 2009...

Afternoon Naps - The Day We Started

The Cave Weddings - Bring Your Love

Memory Tapes - Bicycle

Neverever - Teardrop Tattoo

Toy Fight - High Noon

xo
maz

Obsessed!

2009-08-20T10:49:00.000-07:00

Hi Mondo true believers, here are a few songs I'm most obsessed with at this very moment in time.

Ribbons - No Clouds
This dreamy Brooklyn duo performs live at Mondo this week. Come check 'em out!

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Higher Than The Stars Mondo alumni, TPOBPAH, unleash another gem, the title track to their forthcoming EP.

Champagne Socialists - Blue Genes From the group's debut 7", this ramshackle little pop number is totally addicting and an exciting sign of things to come from this promising new band.

New Young Pony Club - Dress A kicking new cover of an old PJ Harvey single. Can't wait for more newness from NYPC.

Cold Cave - Love Comes Close Amazing track from this cool Philly band that makes me want to dance around in an icebox.

Bleech - Is It True That Boys Don't Cry? A great big britpop anthem waiting to happen by this new band that reminds me a bit of Elastica and Echobelly.

The Breakaways - That's How It Goes Ultra-infectious lost girl group gem from the early 60s. It's so not hard for me to listen to this 5 times in a row. Sing along!

xxKevington

Fuck it, Lets Hibernate

2009-04-13T19:32:00.000-07:00

It's been too long. Winter has gotten in the way of some things. Last time I contributed to the blog...oh well lets just say, funny how time flies.

And now as pea coats give way to Harrington jackets, I am rejuvenated by all the new music that comes with a season's change. (Well some will say that "obsessed" is actually more accurate.)

A couple of months ago, I fell madly in love with Fanfarlo. Their track Harold T. Wilkins knocked me over the head like a ton of bricks.

But it didn't stop there. The whole bloody debut album won me over. Believe me when I tell you, these Brits are something special. Here's another great melody from their debut album Reservoir:

Fanfarlo - Finish Line

---

In the last 6 weeks, I've also managed to attend my fair share of live shows. But, I must say I was most excited to FINALLY see the notorious Rakes. They've played NYC many times and each time I'd failed to see them. If I'd loved The Rakes before, seeing them play live no doubt made me a permanent fan. The band is like something plucked out of 1979 (before post-punk had yet to give way to colorful New Wave antics and being understated was still cool). I have to say, my favorite live moment was 22 Grand Job. One of their better-known hits.

But the songs off their newest album Klang! (officially released today) sounded great too. And helped me hone in on some real gems. Here's a couple of brilliant sample track from their third full-length:

The Rakes - The Light From Your Mac
The Rakes - 1989

Enjoy!

[mm]

Right Back

2009-02-04T08:35:00.001-08:00

Burning Hearts - Various Lives

burning hearts are jessika (singer in le futur pompiste and keyboards in cats on fire) and henry (drummer in cats on fire). they just released a gorgeous album on shelflife records called aboa sleeping. burning hearts are named after a song by the amazing nyc cult indiepop band My Favorite.

{ myspace }

The Cat's Miaow - Right Back Where We Started From

The Cat's Miaow is an indiepop band formed in Melbourne, Australia. (not to be confused with Miaow - the British band on the C86 cassette tape). The band released several cassettes in the early 90's before US label Bust Stop compiled their songs on a CD "A Kiss and a Cuddle". The song below is the well-known Maxine Nightingale cover from a 1996 split 7". It's a beautiful cover thanks to Kerrie's delicate vocals.

{ myspace }

X-mas Songs

2008-12-19T17:32:00.000-08:00

This is a definite first for me. This year I've compiled my first ever Christmas Mix CD! And I had a great time doing it! It's 30 minutes long, and hopefully it'll bring you a little bit closer to that fuzzy-wintery-cheerful Christmas feeling that i'm just beginning to understand.

Tonight is our last Mondo of 2008! What a wonderful year it's been. Hopefully you'll be able to come out tonight and celebrate with us! Free Mondo compilation CD giveaways plus a live set from our friends, The Secret History.

The 2008 Christmas Mix by Dr Maz
Here's the tracklisting:

01. The Free Design - Now Sound Christmas Introduction
02. The Bird and the Bee - Carol of the Bells
03. Eux Autres - Another Christmas at Home
04. The Garlands - Christmas Song
05. The Raveonettes - Come On Santa
06. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - All I Want For Christmas
07. Betty & The Cavaleros - Love Will Come Back To You
08. The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping
09. Slow Club - Christmas TV
10. Fireflies - X-mas Song
11. Irene - Christmas on the Beach
12. Betty & The Cavaleros - Hey I'm Your Gift Today
13. Belle & Sebastian - Are You Coming Over For Christmas?

Happy Holiday
- Dr Maz

On Rotation

2008-11-16T16:18:00.000-08:00

Earlier this year, we were lucky enough to have NYC Popfest include previews into to the Fall's most anticipated releases. Fall seemed so far away then and yet here we are...

* * *
The Secret History. TSH's sound is rich, layered and all grown up. They stood out in the "sea of Twee" that made up most of the festival. Sultry vocals coupled by carefully crafted lyrics & melodies pay homage to everything from Glam Rock to New Wave. The Desolation Town EP on Le Grand Magistery Records proves a stellar achievement by some truly gifted musicians. Hear them in all their glory:

It's Not The End of the The World, Jonah

* * *
Love Is All. The new songs sounded fantastic live (even crammed inside that tiny Cake Shop basement). I am happy to finally have the exuberant sophomore release of what is by far one of the best bands to emerge from the Swedish indie scene today. For those who haven't already heard it, here is a sample:

Wishing Well

* * *
Lilliput. Finally, I end this blog entry with a track completely unrelated to the NYC Popfest at all. In fact it's not a new Fall release, nor is it unreleased. An oldie, but goodie that's recently come to my attention and in frequent rotation on my itunes:

Die Matrosen

Enjoy!

[mm]

Hello Brooklyn Museum People!

2008-11-02T10:30:00.000-08:00

A huge thanks to everyone who came out to the First Saturday dance party at the Brooklyn Museum last night. We had an incredible time playing for you and we hope you had as much fun as we did.

Here are a few selections from our set last night.

Baxendale - "I Built This City" Lots of people asked about this one. This gem has been a Mondo staple since Dr. Maz rescued it from obscurity a few years ago.

The Whip - "Sister Siam" I thought the Whip was simply going to be a New Order sound-a-like when I first heard them. They've evolved into a clubbier act heavier on synths and lighter on guitars. They seemed like the perfect choice to up the dance quotient late in our set last night.

Happy Mondays - "24 Hour Party People" Miss Modular opened the night with this jam and let you all (and us, the other DJs) that she meant business. A total Manchester, fists-up classic.

Spearmint - "Sweeping The Nation" A song near and dear to my heart, it really epitomizes what Mondo is all about-- fun, anthemic, silly and a champion of musical underdogs and the joys of obscurity.

And also a bonus song that I didn't get a chance to play:

Crisis - "Consequences" A charity single impossible to get in the U.S. (digitally or otherwise) featuring Paul Weller, Beth Ditto of the Gossip, members of New Young Pony Club and other British luminaries, the song is super-catchy and perfect to shimmy around with all afternoon.

Come check us out this Friday at our regular spot, Don Hill's for more dancing, more music and more fun.

love and rock,
Kevington

Back To School With Horse Shoes

2008-08-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

We are eager to kick off our first September party with a marvelous band making their NYC debut at MONDO! They're called HORSE SHOES and hail from Orlando, Florida and sound like current Swedish contemporaries The Legends and The Embassy! Fans of Shelflife Records (Days, Champagne Riot) as well as The Field Mice and Sarah Records will love these songs.

Come out to catch HORSE SHOES live @ Mondo September 5th! The first 25 at the door will receive CD giveaways courtesy of Shelflife Records.

+ I Can't Decide

+ Midnight Running Club

- Dr Maz

Yes We Will

2008-08-15T08:50:00.000-07:00

Tonight at Mondo we have the pleasure of hosting super awesome electro-pop bubblegum dance act, Hey Willpower which contains 1/4 of one of my favorite bands, Imperial Teen.

Check out some of Hey Willpower's stuff here before you come and dance with us tonight!

Hey Willpower - Hundredaire
video

Hey Willpower - Heart It Races (Architecture in Helsinki cover!)

Bonus #1 because this song is classic and has a crazy funny sexy video Imperial Teen - Yoo Hoo

Bonus #2 because I can't get this out of my head The Faint - The Geeks Were Right

xoxo
kevington

My Favorite Season

2008-08-11T16:38:00.000-07:00

Summer is winding down. As Fall approaches, the smell of Summer in the city starts to fade. With it goes the optimism of backyard BBQ's, long-distance bike rides, day trips to the beach and--for me--a slight sense of melancholy always follows. Nevertheless, Fall is definitely my favorite season. With CMJ approaching and bands lining up to go on tour, there's plenty to look forward to. In the spirit of celebrating that point at which the end of one season turns into the start of another, here a few tracks for your listening pleasure...

Summer Hits

Black Kids - Look At Me (When I Rock Wichoo)
From their stellar Summer release Partie Traumatic. Fantastic Stuff!

My Teenage Stride - Theme From Teenage Suicide
From their Lesser Demons EP release. Indie Pop at it's best.

Fall Forecast

Stereolab - Valley Hi!
From their upcoming release Chemical Chords. Light and lovely.

Broken Social Scene Presents : Brendan Canning - Love Is New
From the upcoming release Something For All Of Us... Canada gets their groove back.

Enjoy!

[mm]

Scottish Pop!

2008-07-10T10:20:00.000-07:00

To celebrate The Vaselines playing tonight at Southpaw in Brooklyn, this post features 3 terrific Scottish bands! Make sure to check out The Indelicates opening the show tonight as well as their headline gig next Friday @ Mondo!

The Hermit Crabs - Friend's Folk Festival
Musical cousins ( or siblings ) to Camera Obscura! They're on Matinee Records and played NYC Popfest last month!

Wake The President - You Can't Change That Boy
Orange Juice and Felt fans will love this one! Chuckle Chuckle!

The Vaselines - The Day I Was A Horse
Legendary Scottish indiepop band!

+++ BONUS SONG +++

Spearmint - Scottish Pop

London's Spearmint pay tribute to Scottish Pop and bands like The Pastels, Belle & Sebastian, The Delgados, BMX Bandits, Teenage Fanclub, Bobby Gillespie, and Edwyn Collins!

I love
Scottish pop
I love
Scottish pop
I love
Scottish pop

Cheers,
Dr Maz

Who Rules the School?

2008-06-10T11:41:00.000-07:00

Hi hi.

A couple of summer gems for you on this hot countdown to the special Popfest edition of Mondo with Cats On Fire!

I wasn't sold on British up and comers The School. Until now.

Their new single, "Let It Slip," hits notes of Belle & Sebastian, Camera Obscura and classic 60s girl groups. Check it out!

The School - Let It Slip
The School Myspace

And I can't stop listening to the delightfully bratty New Jersey band Titus Andronicus. Their song of the same name is like the Clash, Arcade Fire and the Go! Team dumped into a punk rock blender.

Titus Andronicus - Titus Andronicus
Titus Andronicus Myspace

Love and rock,
xo
Kevington

Happy Birthday To Us!

2008-05-16T10:42:00.000-07:00

Tonight is Mondo's 4th Anniversary, so here are a few presents for you!

Pas/Cal - "Citizen's Army Uniform (Album Version)"
Pas/Cal give the grand rock treatment to the song that originally appeared on their "Dear Sir" EP. Their forthcoming album, The Gospel According to Matthew, Mark, Luke & Laura is epic!
More Pas/Cal

The Ting Tings - "Fruit Machine"
More ass-shaking bubblegum from the brits that brought you "Great DJ."
More Ting Tings

Sunny Day Sets Fire - "Adrenaline"
Hyper-catchy super sweet pop that totally lives up to its name. Listen and try to resist dancing. I dare you!
More Sunny Day Sets Fire

And an oldie for good measure--
Martha Reeves and the Vandellas- "Jimmy Mack"

See you on the dance floor.
xo
Kevington

So So Happy

2008-03-27T06:09:00.000-07:00

Oh! Custer - Your Name

Beautiful jangly tune from Sweden's Oh! Custer - reminiscent of The Radio Dept. Make sure to check these guys out at NYC Popfest in June!

Hatcham Social - So So Happy Making
Perfect pop tune for fans of Orange Juice, The Pastels, and a bunch of other great bands.

The Futureheads - The Beginning of the Twist
Incredible new single from Sunderland's The Futureheads. A welcome return to form.
Great video to boot..{youtube}

Cheers,
Dr Maz

Unrest Your Ears

2008-03-23T09:14:00.000-07:00

Unrest fans, rejoice-- the original line up of Bridget Cross, Mark Robinson and Phil Krauth have made a new record under the name Maybe It's Reno. Bridget's singing all of the lead parts and from what I've heard the songs are just as poppy if a little less manic than Unrest stuff.

Maybe It's Reno- Gravestones and Christmas Trees

Pre-order the album

Maybe It's Reno at Teenbeat Records

xokevington

Suggestion

2008-03-02T08:42:00.000-08:00

How about if you dance in your chair to the new Cut Copy single?

Cut Copy- Lights and Music (Radio Edit)

Cut Copy Myspace

Pre-order Cut Copy's new album, In Ghost Colors

xo
kevington

It's The Love

2008-02-25T21:34:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I describe Mondo as a labor of love. And yes, that's kind of a trope, but it's true. There's no way in hell I'd be schlepping music across town every other Friday if I didn't love the party, love my fellow DJs love our crowd, and of course love the music. Here are a few ways I'm feeling the love right this second.

I can compromise on a lot of points, but I can't compromise on my quasi-religiously held belief that Kim Deal is a genius. I love her like no other producer of culture and lucky me, her band, the Breeders, have a new album, Mountain Battles, due out in April. The album is a deliciously weird, deconstructed "rock" album with almost no obvious pop songs. Except for this one (a cover of a song originally done by Dayton indie pop outfit The Tasties):
The Breeders- It's The Love

Check out the Breeders' nifty new site or pre-order Mountain Battles

One of the other things that's great about doing an indie dance party is getting music tips from people who come. I noticed that a couple of people who have been known to grace our dance floor were into Moscow Olympics, a semi-mysterious and wonderfully dreamy pop band from the Philippines. I checked them out and immediately fell under the spell of this track. It's just the thing for sunny boat rides, walks in the snow, or just dancing like you're floating in space:
Moscow Olympics-Still

Moscow Olympics' Myspace

And it would almost not be a Mondo post without a mention of something Swedish. In this case, it's the fantastically hooky and instantly likable new band The Bell. If Interpol had recorded a pop album and been a bit more into Echo and the Bunnymen, it might sound a little something like these guys. Listen and love:
The Bell - On and On

The Bell Myspace
Get the Bell's album, Make Some Quiet

All for now, and make sure you check out our main page and don't miss The Indelicates at their U.S. debut Mondo March 7th.

xo
Kevington

Life Is...Sweet?

2008-01-31T09:16:00.000-08:00

I love the Indelicates. A lot a lot. For me, the best pop music has a bite and the Indelicates have a serious set of teeth on them. Their big, sing-a-long choruses are candy-coated acid bombs that take on apathy, stupidity and the general unsavoriness of people that sleepwalk through these, erm, troubling times. Plus they make great videos. The band that made "Waiting For Pete Doherty To Die" and "We Hate the Kids" is about to unleash its debut album, American Demo, this March in the UK.

The Indelicates- Julia, We Don't Live In The '60s
youtube

The Indelicates- Sixteen
youtube

More on the Indelicates
...and their myspace

xo
Kevington

Girly Action

2007-11-30T15:07:00.000-08:00

It's been a while it has. I have no excuses except that I am going through a dry spell. I haven't really heard anything worth blogging about (or that hasn't already been blogged-to-death) for quite some time. Is it just me? Well anyway, I've had these on hand for a while so they're not particularly "hot off the press", but they're truly fantastic.

Another series of girl-fronted tracks that are just lovely and worth spreading the word about. They come from all over the map (which is rather nice since that's what Mondo is all about).

All I Need to Hear - Candie Payne
Cosmopolitan pop music like only the Brits can deliver, Candie Payne is a joy to listen to.

You Drift Away - The Postmarks
Hailing from Miami, Florida (my hometown). The Postmarks will most resonate with fans of Ivy and Saint Etienne

Waiting Patiently - Belaire
From the Lonestar State--good ole Texas--Belaire deliver brilliant Indie Pop with a dash of synths.

[mm]

Watching The Summer End

2007-10-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

Pacific! - Sunset Blvd.
Fans of Pet Sounds take note - Gothenburg, Sweden has sent us yet another slice of summer sunshine keyboard pop.. perfect for our last warm and sunny days of the year! {youtube}

The Lodger - Watching
Slumberland Records release one of the finest records this year from this Leeds indie group. Hard to pick a standout track, but "Watching" is certainly one of the best! {youtube}

Fanfarlo - You Are One of the Few Outsiders That Understands Us
Lovely song from London 5-piece. Comparisons to Neutral Milk Hotel, Grandaddy, Mercury Rev... {youtube}

Cheers,
Dr Maz

Your Cover's Blown

2007-09-05T19:13:00.000-07:00

Okay so it's been a while since I've contributed to the Mondo blog and I was thinking, as Summer winds down, it'd be natural to do a posting on this season's soundtrack. But the truth is the lot of you have probably already hunted down the newest in Electrelane, Shout Out Louds, Blonde Redhead and the like.

So in the spirit of keeping the material interesting, I've opted to post a tribute to "the tribute". You know those tracks we love that some band has came along and made their own? Here are some interesting (and obscure) selects:

Laisse Tomber Les Filles - An incredible French pop number originally written by the notorious Serge Gainsbourg for 60's chanteuse France Gall. It was virtually impossible to top the level of perfection of the original, but April March's campy surfer girl take--titled "Chick Habit"--manages to morph this tune into something altogether different.

Cover: April March - Chick Habit

Frontwards - A much beloved tune for many a child of my generation, Pavement's Frontwards is a classic 90's guitar piece. Flash forward to 2007, it's been brilliantly shaken, stirred and re-recorded by Los Campesinos. This cover gets the gold star!

Cover: Los Campesinos - Frontwards

Gigantic- This well-known track by the infamous Pixies was one of the most memorable tracks off their 1988 Surfer Rosa LP. A slower, more moody take on this track appeared in 1993 by the dream-pop band Orange, on THURTENE (A tribute to 4AD) compilation album .

Cover: Orange - Gigantic

Enjoy!

[mm]

Mirror Mirror Mirror Mirror Mirror Mirror Mirror: New Enon!

2007-09-05T18:44:00.000-07:00

This Friday, Enon mastermind/ mad scientist John Schmersal guest DJs with us at Mondo. If I could encapsulate the sound of our excitement about having him this week, it would sound something like the super hooky two-minute freakout "Mirror On You" from Enon's forthcoming Grass Geysers and Carbon Clouds.

For more on Enon, check out http://www.myspace.com/enonmusic

And check out the main page for all the details on this week's Mondo.

Dog Days Roundup

2007-08-07T16:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks again to everyone who came out to Mondo's first night at Don Hill's this week.

Here's a bit of what I've been dancing around my apartment to lately:

"Donald In The Bushes With A Bag Of Glue"- Ballboy is a big, stomping, singalong. A must for fans of Belle & Seb's peppier stuff. And check out that bassline!
"Sweet Potato"- Imperial Teen Cute & tart gem with hilarious lyrcs from the band's forthcoming The Hair, The TV, The Baby and The Band.
"Accidents Will Happen" (Broadcast Remix)- The Projects (link removed by request of the band. Check them out here: http://www.myspace.com/letsgetstatic). Mesmerizing and simple with one line that seems to become faintly more profound as the song goes on. Highly recommended.

All for now,
xo
Kevington

a rainy night in gothenburg

2007-06-03T13:37:00.000-07:00

Liechtenstein - Stalking Skills
lovely upbeat female-fronted indiepop band from .... gothenburg, sweden. for fans of dolly mixture, talulah gosh, and shop assistants.

Lucknow Pact - A Few Drinks, a Few Laughs
another tremendous band from gothenburg, sweden! pure pop goodness!

Twa Toots - Please Don't Play ' A Rainy Night in Georgia '
information about this band is scant at best. they formed in the 80's in kent, england (not gothenburg) and their lone LP "Don't Send Me Flowers" came out in 1997. this is as addictive as an indiepop song gets!

Cheers,
Dr Maz

Are You Out Tonight?

2007-05-10T10:40:00.000-07:00

"Tonight I Have To Leave It," the new single from (yes, another) Swedish pop sensation Shout Out Louds is a terifically Cure-flavored jaunt complete with meaty acoustic guitars, Caterpillar clattering and a grand, playful string section. The song is one of the highlights of the band's new Our Ill Wills (out this fall on Merge Records). The one that really catches me, though, is "South America." It's moody, pretty, and humid- perfect for a stroll around the city at dusk. It also sounds faintly like it could fit into a new Broadway musical about lovelorn troubadours kids backpacking through, well, South America of course.

Next Up We Have The Jesus and Mary Chain + long lost Reid sister. On Little Pop Rock, the Sister Vanilla record, the Reid boys step back and let sis take on the vocals. I saw two separate occasions of spontaneous dancing to "Down" recently: one involved a goth girl and the other, what appeared to be an investment banker's wife/ girlfriend. Make of this what you will.

And finally, one of my favorite fists up jams of the last few months, Brooklyn duo Matt and Kim's call to arms, "It's A Fact (Painted Stained)." Please play this loud loud loud loud loud.

love & rock,
kevington

American (Indie)Pop

2007-04-18T21:27:00.000-07:00

We've become slaves to the constant influx of wonderful Scandinavian pop that's increased by leaps and bounds in the last few years. It's hard to turn away from a sure bet. Nonetheless there seems to be an increasing amount of American bands seeping into our blog postings as of late! :) I'll contribute two more to properly even the scales:

The Eames Era - Baton Rouge, LA
The tactful use of a tambourine and a lovely jangly tune is what this band is all about. I've highlighted two of my preferred tracks from their Heroes and Sheroes full-length:

Watson by Your Side
Where'd You Go

Mas Rapido! - Seattle, WA
This Pop duet, is a bit hard to make out. Not a classic Indie Pop band by any stretch of the imagination. The "boy tracks" are a bit more reminiscent of the Kinks and even the Beach Boys. But the "girl tracks" remind me of classic 90's girl bands. The latter being what's really of interest to me. Here are two great examples from their debut album Pity Party.

Girl Du Jour
Pity Party

Enjoy!
[mm]

Imbecile Pop

2007-03-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

Pelle Carlberg - I Love You, You Imbecile
another terrific Labrador release! it's safe to say that if a pop song has cute boy/girl singing, hand claps, and it's under 3 minutes... chances are i'll love it! the new album "in a nutshell" comes out March 28th

Teddybears - Yours To Keep (feat. Neneh Cherry)
more fun from sweden! the album is spotty at best, but this tune is pure pop excellence.

Brideshead - Love Makes The Sun Shine Bright
wonderful jangly guitar pop from Shelflife Records!

Cheers,
Dr Maz

A 4-Track Machine and a One Track Mind

2007-03-02T10:34:00.000-08:00

I was enthralled with Brooklyn's own Ill Ease the first time I heard their woozy, freewheeling "Jersey-O-Matic" off of 2004's The Exorcist. Its rolling bass and wavy guitars reminded me of the Breeders while the rest of the album--spanning from dirgy noise to sarcastic, fragmented pop-- hit bits of Beat Happening, Sonic Youth and Royal Trux. Late last year, Ill Ease put out the nifty All Systems-A-Go-Go. On these songs, Ill Ease mastermind Elizabeth Sharp, like a cranky street preacher sniffing airplane glue, rails against drum machines and, in fine OCD form, every one of the fifty states. On the sunny and seemingly sweet "One Hell of a Bender," she catalogues the delights of getting fucked up on a variety of substances.

Similarly bright, but considerably less acerbic is the California dreamy, Softlightes. The band recently put out its first full length, Say No! To Being Cool Say Yes! To Being Happy on Modular Records (the new home of Mondo faves New Young Pony Club). Lots of lush little pop gems on this album (that sometimes recalls Stars), but I find myself turning to a pair of uptempo tracks:
The ironic, technofied rocker "The Robots In My Room Were Playing Arena Rock" and the twee, TeenBeat Records-ish "Black Skinheads In White Pants" (which I dare you to resist listening to ten times in a row after your first spin).

Love and rock,
Kevington

The Bird And The Bee

2007-02-26T18:52:00.000-08:00

Several weeks ago a co-worker tipped me on to the lovely Los Angeles duo, The Bird And The Bee. They immediately spoke to that part of me that's a sucker for most cosmopolitan indie pop (think Saint Etienne and Early Cardigans).

TB&TB are playing tonight at Joe's Pub. I wished I could have been there but unfortunately I am currently still strapped to my desk at work even as I type out this entry.

Below are a couple of sample tracks (two of my favorite) from their recently released self-titled debut album:

La la la
F-cking Boyfriend

Enjoy!
[mm]

Tap Tap...What's that?

2007-02-06T15:59:00.000-08:00

A while back ago I downloaded a couple of songs by a band called Tap Tap from one of the many blogs I visit (I would give due credit, 'cept I can't remember which one it was exactly). A month or two later a Pitchfork review on their full-length release hailed Tap Tap as "blogger darlings". Well yes it's true. This British outfit is indeed made of the stuff music geeks like myself like to latch on to and spread like wild fire.

The fact is, the musical references heard in Tap Tap's debut album—Lanzafame—are plentiful and pull at the strings of many well-intentioned music hounds. From Television to Arcade Fire...they are all there. Hard not to love. So in the spirit of keeping these "blogger darlings" spreadin', here are two fab tracks to get your addiction started:

On My Way
100,000 Thoughts

Spread the word and support the artist:
Buy the Tap Tap album at Stolen Recordings

[mm]

die die die, etc.

2007-01-18T18:12:00.000-08:00

South Ambulance - Die 5Times Times5
hands down the happiest song about dying!

Loveninjas - Care
two labrador songs in one posting ! que loco ! you'd think i own the label !

Tullycraft - Our Days in Kansas
more happiness... this time from seattle, washington !

Cheers,
Dr Maz

Have Yourself a Poppy Little Xmas

2006-12-19T16:45:00.000-08:00

Kids, whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanza, all of the above, none of the above or something else altogether, I hope you get some of the same holiday thrill I get out of these songs.

This is Saint Etienne at the height of frothy Europopness. I love the weird in-song narrative of Tim (of the Charlatans, of course) and Sarah Cracknell running off to get married as they've apparently been swept away by that kickin' beat and seasonal joy. Cheesy as it is, this song makes me a dancing fool in my living room at least once a year. Saint Etienne (with Tim Burgess)- I Was Born On Christmas Day

And how can you not love Pas/Cal's take on Wham!'s "Last Christmas"? The sweet, twee boys of Pas/Cal are so steadfastly paisely despite residing in Blade Runner, USA, I mean Detroit, that it makes the heart sing. The usual big dynamics and great sense of play are here on this cover as is a groovy little percussion breakdown. Good stuff. Pas/Cal- Last Christmas

And as a little holiday bonus, here are a couple of songs that would have been on the 2006 Mondo Mix CD had we gone with a double disc instead of a single:

Dreamy, propulsive and so, so danceable. Asobi Seksu- Goodbye
For more on Asobi Seksu, go here.

Stronger than a glass of spiked eggnog Headlights- Hi-Ya!
For more on Headlights, go here.

Sick Like Sid & Nancy

2006-11-29T16:14:00.000-08:00

It's been exactly a year--December 2005--since we first debuted New Young Pony Club on the Mondo dance floor. Since then, not only has the British pop quintet gained popularity, but the rest of New York City has finally caught up with us. This coming month, the band crosses the pond to grace the states with their bawdy variety of indie-dance-pop with appearances in California and New York respectively. But before they get here, we figured we'd let you in on what all the fuss is about...

In what is their first officially released UK single, Ice Cream, NYPC deliver the kind of infectious beat that's nearly impossible not to want to dance to. A combination of New Wave detachment and classic dance hooks. (So infectious in fact that--much to our dismay--they've been picked up by Intel for their TV spots.) {Ugh} Cleverly strung lyrics help the song along, creating a memorable ipod soundtrack for strap hanging lads.

But there's tons more than Ice Cream to indulge on (pun intended). You can hear New Young Pony Club on their My Space page and buy the EP on Modular Records.

Before I sign off...Here's one more for the road. Get Lucky repeats the NYPC signature-sedated-delivery of cool electronics with New Wave sensibility...Enjoy!

[mm]

The Smell of 3 Artists

2006-10-24T18:08:00.000-07:00

Billie the Vision and the Dancers - Summercat
Cute Swedish summer folk pop! Try going without tapping your feet to this.

Cats On Fire - The Smell of an Artist
Superb offering from Finland! Fans of Belle & Sebastian, The Smiths, and most good 80s indiepop take notice!

Strange Idols - She's Gonna Let You Down Again
This is ace! Bouncy indiepop from London 5-piece. Their new single ("It's No Fun") has more of a C86 jangle to it... marvelous!

Cheers,
Dr Maz

British Conspiracy

2006-10-05T22:32:00.000-07:00

Looking at the past few posts I think it's clear that we have collectively placed a magnifying glass on the British music circuit.

We can't help ourselves. They just keep coming--with music worth paying attention to. The Boyfriends, The Pipettes, The KBC, Lily Allen...you name it, we're on it. Sometimes I wonder if we're not over looking some all important global outlet for great Indie Pop & Rock. About 5 years ago Spanish Indie Pop was all the rage (in my world anyway). To the rest of the populace it was Canada & New York...maybe I need to get back on that.

Either way, it's clear that this year's iPod was dominated by the Brits & the Swedes. Lately, I've been swooning over these British gems. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do:

Assembly Now - It's Magnetic (Luke Smith* Remix)
Long Blondes - Once & Never Again (Demo)
Guillemots - Trains To Brazil

*Luke Smith, was part of the now sadly defunct British outfit Clor.

[mm]

Fuck It Up

2006-09-17T16:51:00.000-07:00

Usually, when I and the other DJs get to Luke & Leroy for Mondo, there are some people in the downstairs bar while the upstairs dancefloor, booth and second bar are not yet opened. That was not the case this week. There was an early party involving a thumpin' dancefloor moving to 70s funk and a little Michael Jackson. As I worked my way through the line dancing toward the booth to transition into Mondoness, I was accosted by a willowy woman that resembled Patti Smith's great grandmother. To go with her long, frizzled grey hair, she was decked out in a faux-Keith Haring painted on get up with matching bag. She seemed to be trying to say something, but a mysterious force was preventing her as she gestured with her empty rocks glass. I made it into the booth, waited for the early party DJ to finish and put on my headphones. The crone was back, talking as I got a song ready. I leaned over to hear what she had to say.

And this was it: "Fuck it up."

Dear crazy 70s East Village Refugee Lady, I hope my sets on Friday and these songs do you proud.

Peter Bjorn & John- "Young Folks" A very strong contender for my single of the year, I got goosebumps the first time I heard it. The funky beat, haunting whistle, ambivalent lyrics and anthemic rise make this Swedish (yes, another one!) track absolutely sublime.

Lily Allen- "Everything's Just Wonderful" Yes, she's 2006's girl most blogged about, but who cares when the tracks are this good? This one answers the question "What if Saint Etienne were 80s babies?"

Math and Physics Club- "Weekends Away" Hailing from Seattle, these sweet geeks yank at your heartstrings better than anyone since Belle & Sebastian on If You're Feeling Sinister. They have a new full length coming out in October. Check it out!

PS the grey haired lady also kept sticking her pinky at me and pointing at mine. When I hesitantly held my pinky up, she lunged in and grabbed at it, cackling. Fortunately for all of our digits, she left when the early party cleared out.

Shake Shake ...

2006-09-10T19:23:00.000-07:00

Irene - Stardust
Our good friends at Labrador Records have done it again! Another brilliant band from Göteborg..... 1 minute and 18 seconds of pure Swedish pop glee! Fans of Jens Lekman will salivate for this !

Lucky Soul - Lips Are Unhappy
Shake Shake Shimmy ! Phenomenal 2nd single from London 5-piece influenced by 60's girl bands, motown, and Phil Spector!

Language of Flowers - Tara Mascara
This song reminds me of Lush. Swirling guitars, beautiful vocals... a classic indiepop song! For fans of Heavenly, Shop Assistants, C-86, etc..

Cheers,
Dr Maz

Sleeper Hits

2006-08-28T20:41:00.000-07:00

As DJ's we take great pleasure in creating dance floor hits specific to Mondo. In fact since its very inception, Mondo has yielded its own variety of "signature classics" . The kind you'd probably not get to dance to anywhere else in this city. It's sort of our secret mission.

The problem with being in this constant state of "hits hunting" is that we often forget how much pleasure non-danceable tracks bring us. This is hard to fathom i know. After all, some of the most pivotal bands of the past are nearly impossible to dance to (think of MBV's "When You Sleep" and Lush's "Sweetness and Light" for example). Here are 4 great tracks I've been listening to that may not ever fill a dance floor to capacity, but manage to fill my ears—and hopefully yours—with pleasure....

We're From Barcelona - by Swedish pop mavens I'm From Barcelona

A Ghost In This House - by Irish lads The Immediate

Postcards From Italy - by local ethereal talent Beirut

Moonglow - by Shoegaze revivalists Soundpool

[mm]

Take the first bus, take the first plane

2006-08-27T11:42:00.000-07:00

How I spent my summer vacation:

Anticipating a spastic, sunny alternate reality of office buildings that have secet hatches to wave pools. Maccabees- "Latchmere"

Bedroom Dancing. The Ballet- "In My Head"

With my fist in the air, shouting. The Long Blondes- "Lust in the Movies"

Dreaming on airplanes. Sonic Youth- "Jams Run Free"

Longing. Mary Lou Lord- "Some Jingle Jangle Morning"

Licking my wounds, smiling against my will, and in the early, anticipatory hours of Mondos. Le Sport- "It's Not The End of The World"

I Love You

2006-07-20T07:28:00.000-07:00

We here at Mondo would like to say thank you for all your support and for coming out to dance to the songs you love! Here are several ways we'd like to say "Thanks... and WE LOVE YOU!"

The Boyfriends - I Love You: So this song is a serious contender for my favorite single of 2006! I know it's very Smiths sounding, but since when was that a bad thing? I've been listenin to this song for months now and I have yet to grow tired of it.

The Pipettes - I Love You: This is the final track from the new Pipettes album, We Are The Pipettes! (A fantastic debut and in heavy rotation at Mondo!)

The Zombies - I Love You: and finally, a little 60's British rock gem!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Also! Make sure to come out to Mondo on Friday as we will be celebrating the US release of the new Tiger Baby album, "Noise Around Me". For those who don't know, Tiger Baby are a Danish trio who craft melodic semi-dark synthpop. We will have plenty of giveaways, so make sure to come by early!

Here's an mp3 of their first single from the new album:
Tiger Baby - Girlfriend

More info @ www.tigerbaby.dk

Cheers
Dr Maz

Music Is My Boyfriend, Tardiness Edition

2006-06-26T21:25:00.000-07:00

This should have been my gay pride post, but um, yeah tardiness edition. The Hidden Cameras, Toronto's own gay church folk band, has recently transformed itself into a live power house, trading in tweeness for over the top apocalyptic pop and arrangements that must have involved some sort of transaction with the devil. The group's forthcoming album, Awoo, is slightly stripped down, full of surprises, memorable hooks and moments that will almost physically force a grin on your face.

The Hidden Cameras- "Awoo"

The Hidden Cameras- "Lollipop"

And continuing with the late theme, Summer isn't almost here. That proclamation expired around June 20th. But I. Don't. Care. Seeing Detroit's foppish, poppy, dandyish Pas/Cal at Mercury Lounge last week got me in the mood to post that band's nifty Summer Is Almost Here.

For more info on Pas/Cal, go here. For more on the Hidden Cameras, go here.

Swedish Indie Goodness

2006-06-13T19:32:00.002-07:00

We admit to being a bit nutty about our love for Swedish Indie Pop. It's for that reason that we're thrilled to be having a Labrador Records DJ set at the upcoming Mondo. Check out some of my favorite tunes from their catalog here:

Acid House Kings - Tonight Is Forever, finger snappin' good tune, for fans of Saint Etienne, Belle & Sebastian, and The Concretes.

The Legends - Call It Ours, catchy-jangly-hand-clappin' pop tune, for fans of Jesus & Mary Chain and The Ceasars.

The Radio Dept - Pet Grief, simply beautiful shoegazer'y bliss, for fans of My Bloody Valentine and the like.

Tribeca - The Sun Always Shines On TV, (not a cover) straddles perfectly between guitar and synthy-pop. For fans of New Order and Soviet.

Learn more about these artists and more at the Labrador Records website.

[mm]

I Miss the Mid-90's!

2006-06-05T17:04:00.000-07:00

I Miss the Mid-90's: a Flashback to British Pop Music in the Era of John Major

1994: Lush - Hypocrite, a Mondo dancefloor staple and one of Lush's many great songs about breakup and heartache!

1995: The Boo Radleys - Wake Up Boo!, it doesn't get more jubilant than this!

1996: The Frank & Walters - Colours, a wonderful catchy jangly british pop song! For fans of The Housemartins, The La's, and Smiths

Stay Tuned For More...

Cheers
Dr Maz

Gerund Dance Attack

2006-05-17T10:40:00.000-07:00

Leave it to Nouvelle Vague to transform the Billy Idol masturbation anthem turned wedding reception favorite into a breezy, Ragtime flavored ditty. "Dancing With Myself" is from the French new wave/ Bossa Nova project's forthcoming Bande A Part.

Mondo fave New Young Pony Club (thanks Dr. Maz) can apparently do no wrong. Despite having released only three singles for a total of six tracks (ok, and a remix), NYPC has already created more memorable songs than some bands do over the course of multiple albums. Check out their new B-side, the silly, infectious "Hiding on the Staircase." This one's a grower--I dare you to resist the weird charm of its rubbery bassline, kooky lyrics and tropical percussion. Love I say. It must be love.

Girls Bite Back

2006-05-03T18:34:00.003-07:00

It seems to me, that last year there'd been a deficit of girl-fronted bands on the radar. While the Yeah Yeah Yeahs worked on their new album and The Organ's outstanding debut faded into distant memory, the indie music scene had been all caught up with the Bloc Party's, Art Brut's and Wolf Parade's of the world. But in the last 6 months or so, I've noticed a significant resurgence of girl bands. Yey! They've spanned all genre's too. From Folk Rock to Post Punk. So, I predict, this year will be the year of the girl-fronted band. Long Blondes, Pipettes and Love Is All have already made their mark on 2006. Here are a couple others that I've been listening to and you should too:

Kiss Me Deadly - Dance 4
Ladyfuzz - Hold Up
Magneta Lane - Constant Lover

Learn more about Kiss Me Deadly, Ladyfuzz and Magneta Lane at their respective websites.

Enjoy!

I Heart These Songs ...

2006-04-10T17:44:00.000-07:00

... and you will too.

Suburban Kids With Biblical Names - Loop Duplicate My Heart, sweden's version of stephen merrit. you won't be able to get this song out of your head (in the good way). Stream the video:

windows media format
realplayer format

Acid House Kings - This Heart is a Stone, taken from the 4th lp from labrador Sweet-ish (get it?) indiepop darlings.

Camera Obscura - Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken : delicious new single from forthcoming lp "Let's Get Out of This Country". beware: this band is not from sweden.

Next week, indiepop songs about the pancreas.

Cheers
Dr Maz

Follow My Voice

2006-04-05T21:12:00.000-07:00

This week, we're delighted to have John Cameron Mitchell behind the decks with us at Mondo. He's taking time out of doing the final work on his forthcoming feature, Short Bus (the soundtrack of which is shaping up to be something very special), to help us help you dance. In honor of him, I'm posting one to dance to and one to, well, maybe you could slow dance to it.

The Breeders' "Wicked Little Town (Hedwig Version)" is from the splendid compilation of Hedwig and the Angry Inch covers, Wig in a Box. I first got to know John in a surly dance pit at a sweaty Breeders show at the Bowery Ballroom at which he did an encore with the band and gallantly stage dove at the end of his vocals. That something as sweet and quiet as this gorgeous track should come from a pairing that was so raucous on stage is a wonderful thing indeed. Enjoy.

And I have a little less to say about Munk + James Murphy's "Kick Out The Chairs" except that it displays Murphy's sense of humor better than anything on the LCD Soundsystem record. Alright, except maybe "Losing My Edge." Plus you can dance to it.

See you Friday!

Click here to buy Wig In A Box

Click here to buy Munk's Aperitivo

My Life Story ...

2006-03-26T13:48:00.000-08:00

... are back again !! One of my favourite 90s British bands is reforming! My Life Story, aka "The Magnificent 12", are back for a one off show in London's glitzy West End to celebrate 10 years since the release of their first hit single ’12 Reasons Why I Love Her’. This is a lush, soaring, and majestic song which best examplifies Jake's powerful vocals.

Jake is compiling ’Sex & Violins (The Best of My Life Story)' which will be released 5th June on Exilophone Records, and features a selection of tracks from all three MLS albums including six top forty singles released throughout the nineties.

Enjoy..
My Life Story - 12 Reasons Why I Love Her
My Life Story - Sparkle

My Life Story @ Myspace

Cheers
Dr Maz

Who Needs SXSW?

2006-03-22T20:24:00.000-08:00

This month has been a whirlwind of concert going for us. Combined, we will have attended 20+ shows for the month. Leaving us little reason to care whether or not we were able to partake in the lofty SXSW "industry event" that recently took place in Austin. We're in New York after all.

Behind us: Boy Least Likely To, Stereolab, The Envelopes, The Go! Team, The Rakes (to name a few). But there's more yet to come in the coming days & weeks. I am most looking forward to the Love Is All show at the Knitting Factory on Friday. They've definitely become a bit of an obsession. The perfect balance of post-punk sensibility with a modern twist. Nevertheless, the front woman's uncanny ability to evoke the vocals of 80's pop band Altered Images can not be over looked. Hear for yourself:

Altered Images - Dead Pop Stars
Love Is All - Turn The Radio Off

another batch of tunes...

2006-03-11T10:01:00.000-08:00

Good Shoes, one of my favourite new bands from London, have been infecting my head with their brilliant tune "Small Town Girl" for months now. Their new EP "We Are Not The Same" comes out this week on Brillie Records. It's equally infectious and addictive. Brilliant band. Find out more at their myspace site: good shoes @ myspace

Good Shoes - We Are Not the Same

Anyone who knows me knows how obsessed I am about this band. Here is the first new material from The Rakes since their debut album 'Capture/ Release'. The Rakes put on an energetic live show and singer Alan Donohoe is absolutely mental. They play NYC's Bowery Ballroom on March 21.

The Rakes - All Too Human

...and just so you don't think the UK is the only country I give a damn about, here are a couple deliciously cute indiepop songs from Sweden's Strip Squad. Their fantastic full length debut 'The Adventures of Strip Squad' is out now! For fans of Belle & Sebastian, Hefner, Magnetic Fields, etc... Enjoy!

Strip Squad - Hairless Youth of Bosnia
Strip Squad - Unreliable Narrator

cheers
dr maz

Boy Least Most Likely To

2006-03-10T23:09:00.001-08:00

Earlier this evening, in the deep crevices of the aptly named "Meat Packing District", a crowd of Indie Pop kids crammed into the small dark room facing a micro-sized stage at a bar I'd never been to called R&R. I don't frequent bars in the Meat Packing District, so this had to be a pretty special event to get me there. And so it was. We were all there enthusiastically awaiting The--yet to be discovered--Boy Least Likely To.

As soon as TBLLT stepped on stage the dimly lit room was magically illuminated and it wasn't long before I'd completely forgotten about the poor choice of neighborhood for this show or the fact that the drink I held in my hand was more expensive than I was used to paying. It was all well worth it.

TBLLT, made quite an impression on me with their import release last year of The Best Party Ever. But the songs live, made the album pale in comparison. The live versions of "Monsters" & "Hugging My Grudge" left me completely beside myself. Can't wait to next Mondo to play 'em!

Bigger Than the Sound

2006-03-04T12:16:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who braved the arctic temperatures last night to join us at Mondo. We had a blast and last night's party was at turns rowdy, twee, sexy and funny. Oh. And we had someone breakdancing. To Lush.

Can't wait to see y'all at the next installment on March 17th.

Of everything I spun last night, these were two of my faves. What were yours?

The Pipettes- "Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me"

Yeah Yeah Yeahs- "Cheated Hearts"

Winter Doldrums

2006-02-27T22:27:00.000-08:00

It's (nearly) March. That time of year when the cold weather seems to become a perpetual burden. The Winter blues have settled in for most of us and yet occasionally we find a moment to chuckle at (for example) how great the new Belle & Sebastian record is or how the Sex Pistols—in punk rock tradition—flip the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame a birdie.

Sometimes it seems though, that even my iTunes is feeling the same way I am—looking expectantly towards warmer days ahead, but not entirely optomistic. This isn't necessarily such a bad thing. Songs can sometimes act like a comforter on a cold winter night. Tonight i snuggled up with these gems:

Trash Can Sinatras - I Know It's Over (A beautiful cover of an old classic)
Vitesse - Of All the Things That You've Done Wrong (Just as melancholy, but much more obscure)

Enjoy!

The beat the beat the beat

2006-02-27T19:32:00.000-08:00

Hi and welcome to the Mondo mp3 blog. There's so much music we love that we felt the need to share beyond the dancefloor.

You've probably already fallen for Architecture in Helsinki's "Do The Whirlwind" but check out this Hot Chip remix that keeps the original's whimsy and dreaminess and steps it up with glitchy, nervous production that sounds like a Cap'n Crunch and double espresso high.

And how cute is this new Concretes track, "Song For The Songs"? It's all merry go round, Springtime and fizz. Kind of makes it feel like Winter's over, no?

A Belated 2005 Recap

2006-01-14T18:32:00.000-08:00

2005 was a damn good year in music. As the delineation between genuine indie bands and pre-fabricated "indie" bands becomes clearer, I found this past year had less overnight top 40 indie hits and thus yielded a more interesting crop of new bands & new releases. Even some of the mass-marketed bands (like Franz Ferdinand for example) yielded albums with a bit less accessibility but a lot more character. Okay, so maybe that worked for some and not for others. Well anyway, to keep it simple, I tried my best to narrow down my "best of" to the following:

Top 5 "Above the Radar" Albums of 2005:
1. The Go! Team / Thunder, Lightning, Strike
2. Broadcast / Tender Buttons
3. Bloc Party / Silent Alarm
4. The Magic Numbers / The Magic Numbers
5. Out Hud / Let Us Never Speak of It Again

Top 5 "Below the Radar" Albums of 2005:
1. Jens Lekman / Oh You're So Silent Jens
2. Clor / Clor
3. The Boy Least Likely To / The Best Party Ever
4. Acid House Kings / Sing Along With Acid House Kings
5. Fine China / The Jaws of Life

[mm]

np. Felt Tip, Love Is All

Bedroom Music Streaming

2005-10-23T15:34:00.000-07:00

You can now listen to a streaming version of the Bedroom Music Playlist (below) on Radio Mondo at night from 10pm to 1am and in the morning 9am to 11am.

Enjoy!

[mm]

np. Every Day, Go Sailor

Bedroom Music

2005-10-20T17:05:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I went to see the legendary Trembling Blue Stars (Ex-Field Mice band) at Rothko with a few friends. One of my friends had had a long week and was feeling particularly tired. At one point he turned to me and said "This band is great, but they are classic 'bedroom music'"; they were excacerbating his pre-existing lethargic state. When I turned back to the crowd and continued to listen, I imagined that the crowd slowly disappeared and that only I remained sitting on a bed in the middle of the floor having Trembling Blue Stars play just to me. He was right, as enraptured as I was at the beautiful music that they played, I had to agree that this type of music was best experienced in your bedroom (ideally staring at the ceiling).

This brings me to the subject of today's blog entry. I decided I would rundown some of my favorite "bedroom music" tracks for good measure. Creating a sort of virtual mixed tape. I tried to pick not-so-obvious ones (like Air, Sigur Ros, Cocteau Twins and that sorta' thing). I promise to start an "mp3 blog" of sorts very soon; in the meantime, maybe some folks can hunt these down and bring them to fruition on cassette, cdrw, or whatever...

[Side A]

1) "It's Insane How Far Away The Stars Are" by Garlands
2) "No Fun Here" by The Stars of Stage and Screen
3) "On Peak Hill" by Stars
4) "Cecilia In Black And White" by Trembling Blue Stars
5) "The Violet Hour" by The Clientele
6) "Beatles and the Stones" by The House of Love
7) "Dinosaur" by Adorable
8) "Plainsong" by The Cure

[Side B]

1) "Rollercoaster" by Dear Nora
2) "06/12/00" by Memphis
3) "The Process" by Saint Etienne
4) "Cair Paravel" by The Melody Unit
5) "We Climb The Wired Fences" by The Radio Dept
6) "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" by Lovejoy
7) "Half There And Dancing" by My Favorite
8) "Asleep" by The Smiths

Lights out,
[mm]

iTunes Shuffle Gems Vol.3

2005-08-25T20:21:00.000-07:00

It's that time again for another edition of "what's on rotation on my iTunes". My chance to shoot the shit about absolutely nothing and--more importantly--share with others the bands I think they should check out and/or nostalgic tracks you may have forgotten about (as I so often do and am so often reminded by the shuffle functionality on my iTunes!). Plus it's been a tough month, so why not distract ourselves from rising gasoline prices and the neverending war in Iraq with a little music talk.

Without further delay, here are a few picks from most current iTunes shuffle rotation:

Buzzcocks "Ever Fallen In Love", from Love Bites
The Magic Numbers "Love Me Like You", from The Magic Numbers
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah "Over And Over Again (Lost And Found)", from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!
Her Space Holiday "My Girlfriend's Boyfriend", from The Young Machines
Lovejoy "Sid Vicious" from Everbody Hates Lovejoy

[mm]

np. Smoke & Mirrors, The Magnetic Fields

iTunes Shuffle Gems Vol.2

2005-07-21T14:46:00.000-07:00

This has been a totally weird week/month for me. Last nights full moon was the second [in a row] in my sign of Capricorn. I read somewhere that this is rare. I wondered--as I stared at that luminous orb last night--if it had anything to do with all the endings and beginnings going on in my life and those around me. Before I got too carried away with those thoughts, I remembered I'd had a few gems poppin' up on my iTunes lately that I hadn't gotten around to sharing with ya'll. So here we go:

Keren Ann "Sailor & Widow", from Not Going Anywhere
Royksopp "Beautiful Day Without You", from The Understanding
Pinback "Tripoli", from Pinback
Of Montreal "Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games", from The Sunlandic Twins
The Long Blondes "Appropriation (By Any Other Name)", from Appropriation (By Any Other Name) [Single CD]

[mm]

np. Boxcar, The Embassy

iTunes Shuffle Gems Vol.I

2005-06-06T20:53:00.000-07:00

Not much to write about these days. Afterall there's only so much reporting you can do on the multiple Stars shows in the city. If you haven't figured out that I worship them then I don't think additional postings on the topic would have convinced you.

I've missed a slew of bands I wanted to see recently which is a big part of my lack of writing material. I did see Kraftwerk but the overall experience wasn't that great. No fault of theirs really--the crowd lacked the proper enthusiasm. The show last year at Coachella was much more satisfying. My inspiration to attend the usual indie nights has dwindled to pretty much nil. I've seen enough bosom flashing & heard enough cheesy 80's tracks to put any true indie kid into retirement. Thank god for my itunes (and Mondo of course!) for keeping my ears finely tuned.

My itunes is so full of stuff that I've bought or have been given (okay maybe there's a bit of downloads in there too, but I promise it's still the minority!) that I can barely keep up myself with the ever-growing music library. I mean do you ever have the experience of having a song come up on your own mp3 player and saying to yourself: "What's this?!".

I decided every once and a while I would share the occasional songs that comes up on my itunes that make my ears perk up with surprise. Tracks that are new to me or have been sitting in my itunes without the proper exposure until now. Here are a few of this weeks gems, along with the band's links:

Entre Rios "Un poco de sed", from Modapop Compilation
Mosquitos "Domestica", from Sunshine Barato
My Favorite "Death Mods", Unreleased
Fine China "The Cells Divide (And I Might Ruin My Life)", from The Jaws Life
The Aislers Set "Chicago New York", from The Last Match

[mm]

np. Co-Star, The Tears

Seeing Double

2005-03-26T10:01:00.000-08:00

This past week I managed to get a double dose of what were fantastic live shows. These two acts couldn't have been more different if they'd tried--but were, nonetheless, both amazing!

It all started with Tuesday's...
Mercury Lounge show of The Go! Team. A british sextet I could best describe as a cross between 80's old school, The Jackson Five, 60's Pop, backed by (what a friend of mine referred to) as "Sonic Youth guitars". Mercury Lounge was definitely packed to capacity; my friend and I, feeling the growing excitement behind us (we were at the very front). Out came two girls, that quickly placed themselves behind the two drum kits that'd been set up on stage, followed by a trio of young chaps--guitars in hand. I believe they started with the instrumental piece "Junior Kickstart"; the crowd cheered and as the song came to an end, the female front vocalist/MC came on stage to really get the party started. From then on, it was a series of cheers, hand swinging and dancing--I hadn't perspired that much at a show in ages. The band itself was having an great time on stage doing their thing (sans the smugness of most indie rock bands these days). How refreshing! I left the show absolutely elated & ready to do the double dutch. It was that kinda' show.

The following night...
I found myself surrounded by the sophisticated & more serene setting of Joe's Pub. Myself and a few friends managed to grab some decent seating for the 9:30 Feist show that had been added last minute due to the overwhelming response to the first show. Feist is responsible for what was one of my "Top Albums of 2004", so needless to say my own anticipation was extremely high (but i was certain there wouldn't be any "handswinging" involved with this particular show). As the lights dimmed, the long frail singer took the stage. What came next, even my intimate knowledge of the album couldn't have prepared me for. The only phrase that comes to mind is "out of this world". If I even tried to explain to you the depth, beauty and talent that uttered from Feist under the glimmering lights of Joe's Pub, I would fail. Feist left me intoxicated (which was more than I could say for my glass of white wine). I walked out of there still somewhat speechless, and when I got home I put Let It Die on repeat. It was that kind of show.

For more on these incredible up and coming artists go to:
www.thegoteam.co.uk
www.listentofeist.com

[mm]

np. I've Got You Memorized, Ivy

Stars Over New York

2005-03-15T15:57:00.000-08:00

Five years ago I went to my first Stars show at the Knitting Factory as they toured in support of their first album released on Le Grand Magistry. I couldn't have known then--though their brilliance was clearly apparent--that the little band from Canada (whose NYC fans were made up of the approximately 30 people in the room with me) would be selling out Mercury Lounge and playing Bowery Ballroom 4 years later. The fact is, I fathomed it would happen much sooner. Progress amongst the "indie rock revolution" for a band like Stars is slow to be sure.

Fast forward 2005...
I walked away from the Stars sold-out Mercury Lounge show last week with a smile on my face and my "Soft Revolution" t-shirt in hand. Except for the unexpected lack of encore and the newly added guitarist (whom I found incredibly distracting), Stars once again managed not to disappoint. It's interesting though, that in reflecting back on that very first show and all of the NYC Stars shows that followed--this was one of my least favorite. Why was it? Was it the sound? The overall performance? The oversized new bandmate? Or was it simply, I wonder, the fact that my little Stars were all-grown up now and the secret was out. Maybe as much as I prayed for their successes, I secretly coddled the preciousness of their obscurity....

[mm]

np.Counting Stars On The Ceiling, Stars

Concrete Capitalism

2005-02-01T11:54:00.000-08:00

The Concretes have officially given in to American capitalism. They are featured (with the track Say Something New) in the most recent advertisement campaign for Target. Argh. The most annoying part is that the commercial isn't even effective. Yeah, Yeah I know...they have to pay their bills too.

[mm]

np. Golden Brown, The Stranglers

2004 - A Year In Music

2005-01-12T23:01:00.000-08:00

I sat down, to write what I thought would be a simple "Top Ten" list for 2004 and realized that this year was a somewhat disappointing year in music for me. My continued interest in our current "indie rock movement" peaked with my attendance at Coachella—BEFORE the mainstream swallowed up Franz Ferdinand and The Killers—and it was grand; but, it quickly dwindled from there. The remainder of the year was left with less than exciting albums from the most-talked-about of Indie Rockers: Libertines, Interpol, Keane, The Zutons, etc.

So I was left with no choice but to limit it to the albums I personally feel worth noting. Those that didn't necessarily fall into the lists of Rollingstone, Spin, or NME—but instead created a sound that isn't being replicated fifty billion times over in the ever-growing pool of overnight-indie-rock-stardom.

Additionally I've listed the let-downs, the don't-believe-the-hype's, and the best under-the-radar's. Here goes nothing...

My Top Albums of the Year:

1. The Arcade Fire / Funeral - Truly brilliant. A powerful & emotional release; created with a sound all their own. Once this album sunk in, I had a real hard time letting go.

2. Lali Puna / Faking The Books - Lali Puna's third full-length album confirms they're here to stay. They continue to wow their fans with one solid release after another. As if I didn't have enough proof of their brilliance; October's 2004 live show at Mercury Lounge in NYC was literally out of this world.

3. Stars / Set Yourself On Fire - Star's third full-length release was a definite step up from their second album Heart. Leaving the (sorely missed) powerful use of synthesizers of their first album Nightsongs, for a more guitar driven pop, this proved—nonetheless—an artistic evolution worth embracing.

4. Feist / Let It Die - Not pop and definitely not rock, this release was the most sophisticated of albums I added to my musical collection all year. A decadent & soulful kaleidoscope of songs (half of them covers) by the singer Leslie Feist left me completely breathless and ready to invest in a smoking jacket.

5. The Concretes / Concretes - The Concretes managed to breakthrough the hubub of Indie Rock to allow a glimpse of Indie Pop that the mainstream remains ignorant to. Although lesser-known bands (like The Aislers Set for example) have been making this kind of music for a long time, it was refreshing to finally see it become a more prominent player in the landscape of alternative music.

Honorable Mention:
Blonde Redhead / Misery Is A Butterfly - I admit to only having gotten this album a few days ago. But it goes without saying that this was one of the most beautifully orchestrated releases of the year.

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Most Over Rated Albums of the Year:

1. Wilco / A Ghost Is Born : What can I say, it is possible that I just don't get it.

2. Keane / Hopes & Fears : Although this album has its moments, did we really need another Coldplay wannabe band? Not really.

3. Interpol / Antics : A luke warm follow-up release to Turn On The Bright Lights. "Okay" at best.

4. Morrissey / You are the Quarry : A good attempt at recapturing the momentum of the early 90's; but all the concerts in the world couldn't convince me that this was his "big comeback".

Dis-Honorable Mention:
Lansing-Dreiden / The Incomplete Triangle - Multimedia art project Lansing-Dreiden's 2004 full-length release proves that ego is more important than talent in getting a record released. And this—my friends—is not a good thing.

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Most Disappointing Releases of the Year:

1. Le Tigre / This Island : Although there was some good material here, Le Tigre managed to release a less than inspiring 3rd album.

2. Memphis / I Dreamed We Fell Apart : Beating the brilliance of A Good Day Sailing would surely be hard to do and with their first full-length album I Dreamed We Fell Apart—it shows.

3. Morrissey / You are the Quarry : { See Most Over Rated }

4. The Faint / Wet From Birth: I really wanted to like this release. But in my opinion, only Desperate Guys delivers the entire album from being a complete waste of cash

Dis-Honorable Mention:
REVL9N (aka Revlon 9) - Walking Machine / United
With their Singles Walking Machine & United Following the Cult Hit Someone Like You ... it was over before it even began.

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Most Impressive "Under the Radar" Releases:

1. The Radio Dept. / Pulling Our Weight [EP] - Simply put: this release would make a shoegazer fan out of anyone.

2. Tribeca / Dragon Down - A successful follow-up releases to Kate-97. A must have amongst both lovers of Indie Rock & Synth Pop.

3. Pas/Cal / Oh Honey, We're Ridiculous - With the 2004 release of Oh Honey, We're Ridiculous, Pas/Cal display their rapid progression towards infiltrating the pop gentry. Belle & Sebastian fans look out!

4. The Organ / Grab That Gun - The powerful Debbie Harry'esque vocals of the lead vocalist for Canada's Organ, grabbed me by the gut and didn't let go. This 80's influenced quintet shows the kind of character & emotion more "above the radar" bands should aspire to.

Honorable Mention:
Tiger Baby / Lost In You - The truth is, it was a tough call between my recently discovered Organ album and Denmark sweethearts Tiger Baby. But don't let that confuse you, Tiger Baby's delicately crafted debut album was a welcomed relief from the barage of repetitive indie rock releases 2004 had to offer.

over and out...

[mm]

np. The Radio Dept., Pullling Our Weight

Metric New York

2004-09-23T15:38:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the long delay in posting. I've apparently not been blessed with a knack for blogging. I am too much of a perfectionist and this gets in the way of my blogging on a regular basis. (Let me believe that one, won't you.) But I went to see Metric last night at Bowery Ballroom and I felt I finally had an experience that was worthy of an entry...

The Metric show yesterday was FANtastic! It was the first time I was brought to tears at a show in a while. It's always the slow songs that get me (mostly). They put on a great show and the crowd was very enthusiastic. I also danced around quite a bit as Miss Emily Haines, swerved in and out of being completely endearing & seductive to down right scary looking...but sounding consistently brilliant. The live performance of Dead Disco alone was worth every penny spent to see them.

I'm surprised how far they've gotten with a release on a small label. It is admirable. The show was sold out at the last minute, although it didn't necessarily feel that packed. Anyway, gathering from the painfully unsuccessful crowd dives that took place, I would say that the place was definitely not packed to the gills.

My only gripe about the show was the two head-banger rock bands that preceded Metric. I don't know what THAT was all about. My affinity for Motley Crue'sque music is pretty much nil, so who am I to judge? But even my friend who has a soft spot for hair bands and metal, wasn't enjoying it. I mean it was just this blatant showmanship of technical prowess. Like "look at me! Look how well I can rock this guitar and/or drums!" But the music was borderline absent. Totally unnecessary.

Til next time...

[mm]

np. Metric, Hustle Rose

Canada Presents Memphis

2004-08-09T21:00:00.000-07:00

I just read today that Memphis (a side project of one of my very favorite Canadian bands, Stars) will be releasing their LONG awaited album later this month. This makes me giddy with anticipation. For those of you interested in hearing & reading a preview of what Memphis is all about click here. It's music for lovers & spiritual wanderers.

[mm]

np. Adorable, Dinosaur

Future Endless Heroes

2004-07-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

Several years ago two of my favorite artists came together for a live performance. In this instance, the city of Chicago was blessed with having Canadian pop heroes Stars, opening up for British pop legends Saint Etienne in what must have been one hell of a concert. I would have killed to have been there! A year or so later...

In the fall of 2003 the Fates made it up to me, bringing together another brilliant musical pairing. Local pop kids My Favorite opened up for Scottish pop stars Belle & Sebastian. What a GREAT show that was! Town Hall roared with excitement (or wait, was that just me?). No, no...the whole arena rumbled as the crowd welcomed The Faves for their first large stage performance in the US, appropriately setting the tone for the highly anticipated (never disappointing) B&S.

Whether in music, film, or otherwise, it makes me incredibly happy when two highly regarded artists cross paths. (I hope that Ric Ocasek doesn't disappoint me in his collaboration with Le Tigre.) It's really exciting when those whose work I enjoy, collaborate with or admire each other. Recently, I came upon another interesting "crossing of paths"; and so, technically, my blog entry starts here:

I have been a dedicated fan of Stephin Merritt—of The Magnetic Fields and Future Bible Heroes fame—for several years now. Although I have never had the privilege to see him live, his song writing ability really astounds me. I have also been a fan of Neil Gaiman—of The Endless/Sandman fame—since the early Nineties. Gaiman was one of the DC comics writers who in the late 80's was elevating comic book writing to a level of sophistication not seen before. He's now a dedicated novelist. And guess what!? He's also a fan of Stephen Meritt! So for those of you who are just as excited as I am to know this, you can read what Gaiman has to say about Merritt here.

[mm]

n.p. Moonbabies, Sun A.M.

(Indie)Pop Will Save Us

2004-06-14T20:08:00.000-07:00

So this weekend I explored one of the Indie nights in the city I hadn't been to yet. This night, which will remain nameless, had an opening band that extended it's play time 'til way past midnight—which I personally find to be a problem when there's also supposed to be "DJs and dancing". Of course, had it been a band of some worth, I could very well have opened this entry with a completely different opinion. Unfortunately, although talented in instrumentation, this particular band was the most generic Indie Rock band I'd heard in a long time. Which brings me to my current thought...

In the last couple of years the Big Music Corporations have done a fabulous job marketing Indie Rock bands to the masses. And unfortunately, this has led to an influx of guitar driven bands desperately trying to gain instant stardom on the coattails of this movement. Young men and women, hoping for their big shot at the Rock n' Roll dream. It's not unlike the Punk Rock movement of the Seventies when anyone with a band member in safety pins was instantly signed (if you were from England you were granted the express ticket to your record contract). Often (although not always) in the midst of this kind of trend, great bands are overlooked and mediocre bands begin to take over the charts. At this point, mainstream marketing begins to water down the essence of that particular genre and as a DJ it becomes harder and harder to decipher whether you actually like something or you're buying into the marketing.

I take pride in keeping focus on melody and hooks (I have never been interested in the charts). But truthfully, I am really tired of this "Indie-Rock-as-a-trend" situation. I am tired of hearing bands that sound alike (at best); I am constantly on the look out for something fresh and new. I want more of the music that makes my heart race and my soul want to dance the night a way.

Luckily, the international (and local) Indie Pop scenes hold lots of hidden gems and a lot of Indie labels have taken to reissuing forgotten rarities (check out www.darlashop.com). Additionally, there are a few up and coming melody makers hitting the "big scene" that lead me to believe that there is still some hope after all. ;-)

[mm]

np. Afghan Whigs, Rebirth of The Cool

Welcome to Mondo!

2004-06-03T19:21:00.000-07:00

Thursday 06/03/04 (almost Friday 06/04) marks the debut of v2.0 of mondo-nyc.com. It is very exciting for us here because our concept of mondo is a multi-media resource for you, our fellow music lovers.

We put this site together in hopes that you will visit us throughout the month, for a variety of reasons: to find out what new music we've heard; to find out what we played last month, and who'll be playing next to miss modular this month; to link to other great music resources; and to enjoy what we feel is a damn fine website.

Tell us what you think! Send the link along to your friends. Most importantly, put us on your calendar for June 18th. Best wishes.