Indicated from the polls, we learned that most of you are fans of Indie. Sasha suggests that we post more punk rock until you guys start liking it more! I, obviously, am in complete agreement! Let’s make this one a quick one. Look through your MP3 collection, do you see any Ramones, Groovie Ghoulies, or Teenage Bottlerocket in there?

If yes: You’re going to love The Vapids, so skip this, and go straight to the MP3s.

If not: SHAME ON YOU! But that’s ok… We’ll work with you anyway. The Vapids are good place to get started, and for all of you keeping track of your scene points, you can add some on as they aren’t too well known.

Now I know what you nay-sayers are thinking: “Gee silverunity, why should I waste my time with another 3 chord Ramones style band?”

And I will say “You still have much to learn young grasshopper. You see, new and innovating is good and all, but think of your favorite childhood activity. Maybe it was Ninja Turtles, maybe NES, possibly going to the playground. Now that you are older, don’t you ever reminisce for the steady, the unchanging? Something you can always count on? This my friend, is where the hills dance with the stream, and the Vapids will always be there.”

Note: theres an emo-core band that goes by the same name… don’t be fooled.

MP3:
The Vapids – Cynical Solution
The Vapids – Monkey Beach
The Vapids – These Kids Are Sick

Buy:
The Vapids

I’ve never been a huge fan of Vanderslice’s recorded work but seeing him live is another experience entirely. I’ve seen him open for the Mountain Goats several times and each time been amazed by his stage presence and energy. So as always I wasn’t wowed when I heard his new album Emerald City, but ah there’s an upside. Vanderslice and crew recorded themselves playing the album live at his studio Tiny Telephone, it’s almost as good as seeing him live. No, it’s not, but it is very good. The videos are posted on a handful of blogs handpicked by Vanderslice my favorite being at You Ain’t No Picasso.

MP3: John Vanderslice- White Dove
MP3: John Vanderslice- They Won’t Let Me Run
MP3: John Vanderslice- Karma Police (Radiohead Cover)

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Rainer Maria, a now defunct indie rock band from Madison Wisconsin, named themselves after the poet Rainer Maria Rilke. Their last album, Catastrophe Keeps Us Together came out in 2006 but I’m going to post a couple tracks from 1999’s Look Now Look Again because it’s my favorite and what the heck, it’s my blog. Breakfast of Champions has always been a favorite of mine because of the energy. The half-singing half-yelling both Caithlin De Marrais and Kyle Fischer employ adds an urgency to the song that makes it a hard track to ignore. Rise was reportedly the last song played at their final show and listening to the lyrics I can’t think of a better note to end on “a way of saving your words, say nothing, if it’s forced.”

MP3: Rainer Maria- Breakfast of Champions
MP3: Rainer Maria- Rise

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Oh Bedouin Soundclash, why must you make such sweet, sweet music? Reggae and Dub will never be the same after listening to your newest release. Bedouin Soundclash’s Street Gospel (out August 21st) blends soulful vocals with crisp rhythmic beats, making Street Gospel arguably, their strongest release (and I really love “Sounding A Mosiac”)

It usually takes me some time to warm up to new releases, however on the first listen of Street Gospel, I instantly fell in love. I’m just going to go out and say, Street Gospel is the strongest reggae release of 2007. Thanks be to jah.

MP3:
Bedouin Soundclash – Gunships
Bedouin Soundclash – Bells Of 59

BUY:
Side One Dummy

Lil’ Markie (aka evangelical Christian Mark Fox) terrifies me. He sings the good word in a high-pitched voice that supposed to sound like a child I guess; really it’s just creepy. The worst/best song is probably “Diary of an Unborn Child” in which Markie sings from the point of view of an aborted fetus. Listening to one of these songs is kind of like watching a train wreck, you want to look away but you just can’t. Listen at your own risk.

MP3: Lil’ Markie-Diary Of An Unborn Child
MP3: Lil’ Markie- Story Of An Alcoholic Father… “Something’s Happened To Daddy”

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Oh man I remember hearing about this collaboration awhile ago and being really excited, but actually hearing it… I’m sorry to say I’m just not into it. Oh how it pains me to give anything Mountain Goats related a bad review! It is nice to hear Darnielle doing some yelling instead of that falsetto he’s been using on the last couple albums but as a collaboration I don’t think it works. It sounds like a regular Aesop Rock song with a bit of Darnielle tacked on at the end, like two different songs slapped together. A nice effort from both sides at cross-genre partnership but I would have liked to hear Aesop Rock slow things down (some acoustic guitar is probably too much to ask) or John Darnielle speed things up (a Mountain Goats rap would probably be too much to ask as well?) I’m afraid the fact that both artists use the same backing music isn’t enough to make this a cohesive piece. Oh well, guess I’ll just have to keep holding my breath for a 50 Cent/ Iron and Wine collaboration. Anyway Aesop Rock has a new album coming out August 28th titled None Shall pass, check it out.

MP3: Aesop Rock- Coffee (ft. John Darnielle)
MP3: Aesop Rock- None Shall Pass

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Amazon

If you haven’t heard about this story, it’s pretty amazing. Jeffrey Lee, the lone survivor of the Djok clan, turned down 5 BILLION dollars, which would have easily made the custodian one of the richest men in the world.

A french energy giant wants to extract 14,000 tons of uranium from the land, however, Jeffrey Lee claims that he will never let the uranium deposit be mined. He is quoted as saying:
“I’m not interested in money. I’ve got a job; I can buy tucker; I can go fishing and hunting. That’s all that matters to me.”

Take 30 seconds and visualize what you can do with 5 billion dollars… yeah. This dude won’t sell out, and if that doesn’t make him the most punk guy around, I don’t know what does. You can check out the rest of the article here.

MP3:
Embrace – Money

Buy:
Dischord

After John Samson left Propagandhi he started a publishing company, then he started another band. Bet you can’t guess which this post is about. The band, The Weakerthans, play indie-rock, folk-punk. It’s been four years since their last release “Reconstruction Site” so I’m pumped to hear they have a new album coming out in September. The new record titled “Reunion Tour” was produced by Ian Blurton who also worked with the band on “Left and Leaving” and “Reconstruction Site” two great records so I’m confident the new stuff will be just as good. In the mean time here are some old MP3s.

MP3: The Weakerthans- One Great City!
MP3: The Weakerthans- Our Retired Explorer (Dines With Michel Foucault in Paris, 1961)

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Emily Haines is definitely in the running for best album title of the year. Knives Don’t Have Your Back is beautiful and sad, without being sappy or trite. Like so many of my favorite albums this one took me awhile to get into. At first I thought the songs were a little slow but eventually I started listening to the lyrics. Lines like “Bros before hos, disagree on the sidelines. Fight for a fee, the man needs a maid. The maid needs a maid.” are what really hooked me; not that I understand what’s going on at all. Aside from the wonderfully confounding lyrics the songs are brilliantly orchestrated with a grace and simplicity that surprises me each time I listen. Even if you’re not a fan of her other bands Metric and Broken Social Scene I would highly recommend checking out Knives Don’t Have Your Back.

MP3: Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton- The Lottery
MP3: Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton- The Maid Needs A Maid

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Amazon

Once upon a time, there was a 15 yr boy named Thomas who enjoyed playing music. Him and some friends in the East Brunswick area NJ decided they wanted to start a punk band. They called themselves Gimp. In 1995, they released a very low quality album on cassette, called “Smiles For Macavity”. The album did not receive any circulation outside of their area, yet I can almost guarantee you know one of the songs on it.

This boy Thomas, eventually went on to form Catch 22, Bandits Of The Acoustic Revolution, and Streetlight Manifesto. Catch 22 did a cover of the original Gimp song “Super Nothing”, except the original is a slow acoustic version with a violin.

MP3:
Gimp – Supernothing
Gimp – Humming On The Table
Gimp – The Only Other Way

You Can Download The Entire CD (err… cassette) for free from here.

BUY:
You can’t buy it… silly.