Well, you better take them to the vet. While you’re in the reception area waiting for the prognosis you should listen to this band called Dr. Dog.

No no no, it’s just coincidence that you have sickly puppies and are listening to a band called Dr.Dog. Purely coincidence.

Anyway, it’ll be ok. It’s really nice music, a bit like the beatles, but with some weird noise parts and a little more modern sounding. It will make you feel good, just trust me. And you’re puppies will be fine, why do you worry so much? They were just drunk from all the fireball you let them drink last night.

Today – Dr. Dog

Shadow People – Dr. Dog

-slobby

Modern music owes a rather large debt of gratitude to the early blues and country artists who recorded music in the 20′s and 30′s, often for nothing more than a few penies. The Blues especially provided a solid foundation for basically any rock and roll ever made. So I ask you: Does it get anymore ‘Blues’ than learning to play the harmonica while growing up on a farm in Gainesville, Alabama?

Burl C. “Jaybird” Coleman did. He, in fact, got quite good at it.

Jaybird toured the southern US in the early 20′s as a part of the Birmingham Jug Band before going on to make a limited number of recordings between 1927 and 1930. Afterwards he performed on street corners across Alabama before his death from cancer in 1950. I ask you, what is more “rock and Roll” than that?

I’m Gonna Cross The River Of Jordan, Some O’ These Day – Jaybird Coleman

-slobby

“To every glassy-eyed teenage runaway; to every pot-smoking trust fund baby in search of ‘the authentic’; to every sweaty, dreadlocked, patchouli-wearing, unemployed bassist with an underfed pit-bull and vicious body odor-we want to say to you: come home.”

(more…)

The infamous Montreal music scene. At one time the home of some incredible bands and the creation of a sound that defined and raised Canadian independent music to the standard it sits at today. Then it was sucked in, chewed up, and spit out by the media hype machine. What began as a genuine and beautifully crafted creative expression quickly deteriorated into a very shitty, very contrived initation, masquerading as the real thing.

“Have you heard that new band from Montreal?”

“No, are they good?”

“I haven’t heard them either, but probably. They’re from Montreal!”

“Cool.”

Now, I don’t want to sound bitter. I LOVE Montreal. It is the absolute bee’s knees. To prove it, I’ll let you know about this great band that calls it home. Out of the ashes of the legacy built by bands like Arcade Fire, Wolf Parade, and The Unicorns comes Parlovr.

I instantly liked this band from the first time I listened to their self-titled album. Armed with plenty of poppy hooks, twangy guitars, and mildly strained, up-beat vocals this band will make you bob your head. You might even feel like dancing. Yeah, you probably will want to dance, so make sure you are somewhere with lots of pretty boys/girls when you put this on.

Hiccup! – Parlovr

Sever My Ties – Parlovr

So great music is still being made in Montreal, just like in every other major city in the world. While a person’s surroundings are obviously an influence, how good, or not good, a band is should never be judged by what city it comes from.

And anyone who still doesn’t believe that I love Montreal is welcome to fly me out there and I will gladly show them how much fun it is.

-slobby

Ok, so winter is actually kinda shitty. I wake up in the morning and it’s dark, and guess what it is when I leave work? That’s right, dark. At 5:00. Bullshit. And it’s all rainy and dreary outside, which makes me feel even worse about  failing on my New Years resolutions. And I have to wear a jacket, like, all the time. Sorry Winter, but you suck. You make me sad. Almost as sad as when I have to go to work. If my job and Winter had a baby together it would probably look a lot like Hitler.

(more…)

With all the Michael Jackson nostalgia circulating through the media and social landscapes these days, I thought that I would ad my own little tidbit. This is the real deal. In 1989/90 U.S. Gold and Sega released the Michael Jackson video game, “Moonwalker”, to coincide with the release of his movie by the same name. I remember playing this game at Chucky Cheese when I was a kid and as I recall it was quite a fun game. At the time it was just awesome, now it seems a bit creepy and weird, and a little more awesome. (more…)

When you find an album that spans every moment and perfectly backdrops your day to day, you’ve got something great. Here is a collection of albums we felt portrayed the very best of the year 2009.

(more…)

Ever heard that song ‘Parentheses’?

Thats The Blow, made up of Mikhaela Yvonne Maricich and Jona Bechtolt (YACHT).

The song was a big hit in 2007, off the album Paper Television. The sound on the record is characterized by minimal electronic beats and vocal melody provided by Maricich. It’s a nice listen, managing to somehow sound sparse and full at the same time.

Pile Of Gold – The Blow

What I really want to talk about though, is the Blow that existed before 2004. Actually at this time it was just Maricich by herself, releasing a couple of records under the name ‘Get the Hell Out of the Way of the Volcano’. One of these records was ‘Everyday Examples of Humans Facing Straight into the Blow’, put out in 2001. It’s not what one would expect after listening to ‘Paper Televsion’. Maricich uses an acoustic guitar and her voice to create incredibly raw songs. Reminiscent of  Kimya Dawson and The Moldy Peaches with guitar playing that reminds me of Joni Mitchell’s ‘Blue’. It is relaxing and quirky and the perfect thing to listen on a rainy weekend afternoon.

Milkmaid – Get the Hell Out of the Way of the Volcano (the Blow)

My Heart – Get the Hell Out of the Way of the Volcano (the Blow)

Nothing – Get the Hell Out of the way of the Volcano (the Blow)

iceonthetrail

Grandaddy – Nature Anthem

[video]

Beirut – Scenic World

[video]

M83 – Fields, Shorelines and Hunters

[video]

Japan11
Yeasayer – Red Cave

The Kinks – Apeman

Fleet Foxes – Meadowlark

artandstars

Yeasayer – Sunrise

Attack In Black – Seeds

Julie Doiron – Heavy Snow

lionsteeth

Real Estate – Green River

Constantines – Hyacinth Blues

Akron/Family – Crickets

slobby

Born Ruffians – Foxes Mate for Life

Beirut – Elephant Gun

Animal Collective – Grass

We love cover songs here at Bluegrassish.com, so we’ve banded together to pick out a couple of songs each for you to enjoy. Also there is talk of a Bluegrassish Podcast being made. I personally am a avid podcast listener so this seems to be a good way to break into that media form. If you have an interest or suggestions for the podcast please do drop us a line.

Thanks!

Artandstars:

Taken By Trees – My Boys (Animal Collective Cover)

Solange – Stillness In The Move
(Dirty Projectors Cover)

Cadence Weapon Ft. Final Fantasy – Mini Tv”s (Chad Vangaalen Cover)

Rock Plaza Central – Sexyback
(Justin Timberlake Cover)

Lionsteeth:

The Constantines – Don’t Be Denied (Neil Young Cover)

Devo – Satisfaction
(Rolling Stones Cover)

Anthony And The Johnsons – Crazy In Love (Beyonce Cover)

Broken Social Scene – Love Will Tear Us Apart
(Joy Division Cover)

Slobby:

Electrelane – I’m On Fire (Bruce Springstien cover)

The Glimmers – Physical(Oliva Newton John cover)

The Shins – we will become silhouettes (Postal Service cover)

Iceonthetrail:

Bonnie Prince Billy & Tortoise – Cravo e Canela(Milton Nascimento Cover)

Grizzly Bear – Owner of a Lonely Heart(Yes Cover)

Nina Gordon – Straight Outta Compton(N.W.A. Cover)