I thought the show was on Friday so I was at a bar with some friends last night when I found out The Mountain Goats were about to go on. I ran out of the bar to the subway and from the subway to the venue and only missed a couple songs. With the drinking then the running I was kind of light headed but here’s what I think happened:

For my money I think this was a better show than the one he played a couple months ago in Brooklyn. He didn’t play two many songs from the last two albums and even mentioned (I think) that the new album is gonna be less emo and mopey than the last couple. Awesome. He also sung the Fall Out Boy song Sugar We’re Going Down off mic. A couple of my favorites from last night were Alpha Incipiens, The Best Ever Death Metal Band Out of Denton and Pigs That Ran Straight Into The Water, Triumph of.

MP3: The Mountain Goats- Alpha Incipiens

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If there is a ska band that I’ve known indie kids to actually like, it’s definitelty The Impossibles. I must have met at least 6 indie fans who claim to hate ska, but love this band. I don’t know what it is about them…

Many people claim The Impossibles are the Weezer of ska. Unfortantely, I cannot confirm nor deny the accuracy of that claim, as my knowledge to Weezer is limited to some damn song about Beverly Hills that Sasha and AquarianBty always used to sing/play. Oh, and something about destroying a sweater (why destroy it? I’m sure plenty of homeless people can use that sweater Mr. Weezer singer!).

Regardless of whether they sound like Weezer or not, The Impossible play some amazing ska. They definitely have their own sound that no other band has been able to emulate, and it’s pretty apparent these guys were complete nerds “as I push my pen across the page, casting my spell like a first level mage.” This obviously just makes me love and respect them even more…

Not all of their songs are nerdy ska love songs, as one of my favorite songs by them “Oxygen” doesn’t have a trace of ska in it, and was my homesick song 4 years ago when I was a freshman in college… Funnily enough, it’s now my homesick song when I miss college. It also makes a hell of a winter song.

Alas, I never got the joy of seeing them live, as they broke up way back in the day, but I find myself listening to these guys pretty regularly. (They make for some great winter music).

MP3:
The Impossibles – Plan B
The Impossibles – Everyday
The Impossibles – Oxygen

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Did anyone miss the Eames Era during their first round of blog action? If so it’s not too late. Today is a great day to listen to some catchy cheerful indie pop. Watch out especially for the ba-da-da breakdowns.

MP3: The Eames Era- Fake Do-Gooders
MP3: The Eames Era- Dear Gabby

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I sound like someone from Simcity 2000 (greeeat game.). “This city has too much traffic”. Well, here are a few songs about traffic and not going anywhere, in lieu of my 3.5 hour commute to work today (at least I was only late to work, and nothing actually important.)

For me, traffic is one of the greatest tortures possible. Seriously, I think I’d rather be stuck listening to Kelly Clarkson for a few hours than be in traffic (ok, maybe not Kelly Clarkson, but definitely Natasha Bedingfield, and DEFINITELY Journey!)

MP3:
None More Black – Traffic is a Global Word
Big D And The Kids Table – In Front Of Me

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NMB

I saw Immaculate Machine open for the New Pornographers awhile ago and they were pretty awesome but for some reason it took me forever to get around to listening to their recorded work. I finally got my hands on their last album, Immaculate Machine’s Fables, and I like it a lot.

I think it’s a really nice album, sometimes the music starts to sound a little too epic for me but not enough to make me stop listening. Lead vocals are traded between Brooke Gallupe and Kathryn Calder (sometimes New Pornographer and niece of A.C. Newman). I’ve never had a problem with singers who have “bad” voices, but in case you do I should warn you Gallupe can sound a bit unpolished. On the whole it’s something I’d recommend to most people, sometimes earnest and tender sometimes playful and sweet the album is a good mix of indie pop rock.

MP3: Immaculate Machine- Roman Statues
MP3: Immaculate Machine- C’mon Sea Legs

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Well, it’s Sunday today. The last day of freedom for pretty much anyone who has a job or goes to school. It also feels like a very lazy Sunday as well. Here are some songs in tribute to this day.

MP3:
Rise Against – Six Ways ‘Till Sunday
Ignite – Sunday Bloody Sunday (U2 Cover)
INDK – Sunday Bombs

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The tofurkey this year was delicious, my only Thanksgiving regret is that my office buddy Dwight would probably be disappointed in me…

From the Schrute Thanksgiving blog:

“… I commend you on controlling the turkey population in America. Should they be allowed to reproduce unchecked, this nation would be overrun by turkeys.”

MP3: The Mountain Goats- Thanks for the Dress

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Wilco

When Sasha asks people what style of music they listen to, and they respond “Oh I listen to everything!” Sasha has been known to respond “Oh yeah? Everything? So you like crust eh?”

Well, I actually do listen to a few crust-punk bands, and Aus-Rotten is one of them. Furiously political (and intelligent lyrics), fans of punk looking for something a bit heavier will find refuge in Aus-Rotten.

They boast possibly the longest crust song ever (measuring in at nearly 16 minutes), but personally, it seems like a few different songs all merged into one track. Anyways, that’s the song I am posting today, and even if you don’t like the music, I highly recommend listening to the intro, (an actual commercial for Philip Morris cigarettes) as it will make you both laugh and cringe at the same time.

MP3:
Aus-Rotten – …And Now Back To Our Programming

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Aus-Rotten

I took the day off work today and went up to Massachusetts. At this very moment I am at the school my sister teaches at and my nieces attend. I am terrified. A minute ago I was sitting in a room full of two year olds who were smashing cranberries with hammers. A whole room full of two year olds with hammers! I love my niece but she is not someone I would want to give a hammer. I’m surprised I made it out of there with all my fingers.

So tomorrow we head up to Vermont. Posting might be sporadic these next few days as I try to find computer access in the wilds of the north. In the meantime here are some Thanksgiving songs. I hope everyone else out there is having a good holiday. Try to resist the urge to overeat and commit genocide on indigenous peoples.

MP3: The Shins- Young Pilgrams
MP3: Eef Barzelay- Thanksgiving Waves
MP3: DJ Mike D!- Rejoicing Feast

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It snowed yesterday a little in the morning. That sucks. I was ready to go with some snow songs but then I thought fuck it I hate the winter. Here are some summertime songs.

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