Scotch 101

**Update: We were happy to see us pictured in the Union Club's newsletter, taken during the Scotch Tasting

As mentioned in a previous post, we attended a Scotch Tasting last week and ended up learning a thing or two.

Kelly's notes [above] on Scotches tasted with helpful descriptions [below]

The menu of "courses" paired with each Scotch

TONIGHT!!

Between the Lines

If The Jesus and Mary Chain could be combined with Belle & Sebastian, and actually work -- Sambassadeur would be the result. This fabulous Swedish band with a lo-fi energy is signed to a favorite label of ours, Labrador Records -- where some other great bands on their roster include: The Radio Dept, Acid House Kings, and Douglas Heart. Sambassadeur hasn't had an official US tour as of yet, but hopefully will set one up soon.

For now you can download these standout tracks from their self-titled debut and a couple others on their official website:

[Mp3] Sambassadeur - Sense of Sound
[Mp3] Sambassadeur - If Rain

Befriend them on their myspace

Starts Off with a Bang!

Recently, I have expressed to several friends how excited I am that Mobius Band has been added to the Stellastarr* /Editors tour and somehow they haven't seemed to share in my excitement. This is mostly due to the fact that a lot of people are still not familiar with Mobius Band's work. Unfortunately, the last two times they came to Cleveland Kelly and I misssed them. The most recent time they came (supporting Tom Vek), happened to be the night we went to Pittsburgh to see American Analog Set (check out our post on the show here). This time around, Kelly will once again be unable to attend this show because she will be visiting her sister and friends at Miami and attending a Wine Gala. In her place, Erin will be attending the show with me.

The Mobius Band, for those of you that do not know, provides the backgound music in the most recent New Balance commerical -- go here to check out the running: track add. This advertisement features the song "Starts Off with a Bang" which you can check out the rest of, along with several other tracks, on their myspace page.

Bonus:

[Mp3] Mobius Band - City vs. Country

Annual Ice Wine Festival of the Grand River Valley

Today we will be attending this Ice Wine Festival and be sure to post about it later on this week. . .should be interesting!

Logic will Break your Heart

It seems that whenever you think a band has dropped off the face of the earth, they somehow resurface shortly after you ask someone "whatever happend to [insert band here]?" The most recent example of this would be the The Stills. Kelly and I last saw them back in May '04, where Metric and Sea Ray (rip) opened. Sadly, we missed Sea Ray's set and then they brokeup shortly thereafter. Interestingly enough -- the drummer from Sea Ray, Colin Brooks, is now the new drummer for The Stills.

To read about all the lineup changes and some other info regarding The Stills' new album go here

Which brings us to our dilemma: Do we go see The Stills with Jason Collett on April 9th or do we go see Mates of State with Maria Taylor instead? The biggest surprise is that two quality shows will be happening on the same Sunday Night (in Cleveland no less!). . .which, I guess, is a good problem to have.

Check out their new track:

[Mp3] The Stills - The New Beginning

Which is definitely very different than their prior material:

[Mp3] The Stills - Still in Love Song (remix)

Scotch on the Rocks

This evening we will be attending a Scotch Tasting at the Union Club downtown. Both of us are looking forward to the event, although slightly apprehensive about the strength of the scotch, mainly because some of the scotches are as high as 120 proof! Plus, we are really unsure as to what kind of food will be served -- as far as we know, there will only be a selection of Hors D' Oeuvres made available throughout the tasting. Although, we will fortunately have the opportunity to sober up during the Cavs game, which we will be heading to later on in the evening.

Wish us luck!

[Mp3] Stereolab - Bop Scotch

to our hearts we swagger and sway

Howdy! It is a lazy saturday morning, I should have gone to work but I overslept and just called off..I just have needed a break from there as of late. This weekend Kelly is gone she is in Chi-town holdin it down. Last night I did not make a post I was too tired and felt uninspired. This morning I do not feel the same, I feel inclined to share what I just discovered. I just stumbled upon this artist, Thao Nguyen, She is the perfect music for a lazy saturday.

She has an acoustic, folk, bluesy thing going on. Her myspace page says she was once described as "if edie brickell and cat power had a baby, and you woke it up, and it was still sleepy, and you got it to sing." I would have to agree, I thought of Eddie Brickell as soon as i heard her voice and alittle bit of Fiona Apple. Her voice it is very soothing and yet draws you in at the same time. She sights her influences as Lucinda Williams,Beth Orton and Cowboy Junkies and you can hear them in her songs.

(MP3) - Hills

(MP3) - We

MySpace Page

buy her record - Like the linen

God Bless Bloc Party

So, Jose received the Bloc Party dvd, God Bless Bloc Party for his v-day gift. We are watching it right now, enjoying its awkward interviews and great live performances. Unfortunatley, we don't know what it is like to see them live, cuz they have no love for C-town. Although, we hope they play Lollapalooza 2006 -- speaking of which, their line-up should be announced fairly soon. In addition to viewing this dvd, we feel that it would provide an excellent soundtrack to a party. Some people might have had some negative responses to this dvd, most likely because it is not truly a documentary. However, it does provide some insight into who Bloc Party really is.

[Trailer]

[Mp3] Bloc Party - Banquet (The Streets Mix, from Two More Years Single)
[Mp3] Bloc Party - Tulips (Club Mix, from Tulips 12")

Amina

After seeing Amina open for Sigur Ros this past Sunday, we both felt compelled to spread the word. This Quartet is best described by Billboard as "the string section and supporting group for post-rock act Sigur Rós, that draws from an arsenal including table harps, bells, glockenspiels, vibraphone, music box, glassophone (which is, in essence, wine glass-playing), harmonium and Iceland's native skranjolin during live performances."

We would have liked to link to their myspace page, but unfortunately they don't have one yet -- although, hopefully they'll get on the ball soon. It was very impressive to see Amina perform, delicately playing a variety of instruments -- Jose particularly liked their use of the saw. We each have a permanent vision of them in their mod red dresses. If you are lucky enough to see Sigur Ros on this tour, be sure to get there early enough to see them.

Check out this interview and song:

[Mp3] Amina - Hemipode Highly Recommended

Buy Amina's EP, Animamina

and/or

Download from RegnYouth

Fire!!

Tuesday night was spent at Fire, a superb restaurant located in Shaker Square, where we had the privilege to participate in their special Valentine's Day "Comparative Tasting." Both of us were, without a doubt, the youngest people there but met some highly entertaining characters nonetheless. The wine and food were absolutely phenomenal -- especially the first glass, which was a California Sparkling Wine: Schramsberg mirabelle and the last course: a Meringue and Custard Pavlova. The most memorable part of the evening was a spirited discussion about preference of screw cap vs. cork -- please feel free to voice your opinion (we know there have to be at least a few wine lovers reading!).

[Mp3] Jason Collett - Fire

[Mp3] Longwave - There's a Fire

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope that everyone enjoys their Valentine's Day -- whether or not you have an actual valentine, this "holiday" is always a good excuse to pamper yourself and indulge on all kinds of candy.

[mp3] Ash - Candy A catchy, old-school sounding favorite by an always fabulous Brit-pop band

[mp3] My Bloody Valentine - Sometimes A haunting song that never fails to give chills

Tonight!

This evening we have the pleasure of seeing Sigur Ros perform at the Allen Theatre located within the Playhouse Square Center in downtown Cleveland. Playhouse Square is known for being the largest group of theaters outside of Broadway in the US. We found the above picture from Sigur Ros's Flickr account, where you can check out more for yourself here.

[mp3] Thursday - Ny Batteri (Sigur Ros Cover) We hope to hear the original tonight, but think the cover is great

Speaking of Thursday, apparently they are leaving their cocoon and going on tour with Minus the Bear (new album out May 2nd). Check out this cool animated video of one of our favorite MTB songs: Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse.

Ahh. . .Nostalgia

Lately we have been immersing ourselves in My So-called Life dvds, which has been a nice blast from the past. It has been highly amusing remembering the fashion, slang, music, culture, and just the overall essence of that era. Feel free to let us know your thoughts on this show -- it's definitely worth revisiting.

[mp3] My So-Called Life - Theme

[mp3] Juliana Hatfield - Make it Home

[mp3] Madder Rose - Dropped a Bomb

PS - if somebody happens to have the Buffalo Tom song, "Late at Night", could you please send it to us? (Jose is particularly fond of it) Thanks, Brad!

Mas Vino!

VINum Cellars - Chard-No-Way

Jose stumbled upon this wine a couple weeks ago at Heinen's and was drawn to the uniqueness of the label and title. That particular evening we enjoyed the wine with our take-out sushi from Mr. Teriyaki (yum!). Being a white wine, it complimented the seafood excellently. You know that this wine must be hot because we just did a quick search for it a moment ago and found that it is out of stock everywhere.







Twin Fin - Pinot Grigio

We were introduced to this wine while at a Tasting last year, being told that it should appeal to our demographic (hence the screw cap and snazzy vintage logo). Last weekend we quickly drank this bottle with Erin before going to her engagement party. It was a great first glass because it is so light and crisp. We drank this with a soft brie cheese, crackers, and red grapes. Also, check out Twin Fin's Pinot Noir, which we remember enjoying a few months back.










Dog House - Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet

We have enjoyed a variety of Dog House's wine, our favorite being their Cabernet. Not only do they make excellent wine, they also donate to a great cause -- Guide Dogs for the Blind. These wines are consistantly good and very easy on your wallet (usually priced at $9.99). It is difficult to decide whether we prefer the screw cap to the cork -- there is something to be said for each, what do you think? Either way, if the wine tastes good, we're happy.

Recent Flicks

Within recent weeks we have been taking advantage of our dvd collections, below are just a few (of the many) reasons why we have been so vacant:

The Beat My Heart Skipped

The Classic Tale of a struggling artist forced to choose between Passion and Obligation. Based off the American 70's film, Fingers, (starring Harvey Keitel) retold in a present day Paris. If you can get past subtitles (or you are fluent in French) it is definitely worth a viewing. Unfortunately, Kelly fell asleep within the first 15 minutes, but she was tired so we won't blame it on the movie being boring.


[Trailer]



Match Point

Our favorite movie of this year (although technically of 2005), hands down. A Woody Allen film where, fortunately, he did not cast himself! This film of Allen's makes up for how God awful Melinda and Melinda was, primarily because Match Point incorporated a lot of irony and superb acting (especially the breakout performance by Jonathan Rhys-Meyers). This is a film where things truly are not what they seem.

[Trailer]



Brokeback Mountain

A beautifully directed movie (by the great director, Ang Lee) with a phenomenal score (See Raw Like Sashimi's Post). We recommend seeing this movie for the imagery alone -- not to mention the breathtaking music and performances. It truly is a film that people will not soon forget (we know Jose's dad won't!).




[Trailer]


Three Colors: White

We are in the midst of viewing the Trilogy, titled Three Colors: Blue, White, and Red, starting with the middle film which is often referred to as the most "light hearted." This highly regarded trilogy is directed by the polish visionary, Krzysztof Kieslowski. Julie Delpy (Before Sunset, Killing Zoe) stars as the vindictive ex-wife who has no idea what is in store for her. Karma's a Bitch! Both of us were drawn to these films with high expectations which have already been exceeded by White alone.

JT Leroy

Today Blogger is being an a**hole which is making us a little angsty. . .not to mention that we are feeling taken aback by the recent confirmation that JT Leroy is, in fact a WOMAN. If you do not know who JT Leroy is, you can familiarize yourself with his alleged story in this article (dated fall of last year) and official website. JT Leroy's most notable works include, Sarah: A Novel and The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things, both of which earned tremendous critical acclaim.

JT Leroy is friends with many celebrities, including Stephan Jenkins and Vanessa Carlton, who both were interviewed by "him" in Interview Magazine:

Stephan Jenkins Interview

Vanessa Carlton Interview

[mp3] The All-American Rejects - Dirty Little Secret For Akbar ;)

[mp3] Math and Physics Club - Everybody Lies

Bye Bye CoCo

Good afternoon ladies and gents. I am currently enjoying the sounds of Very Best of Frank Sinatra on this uncharacteristically beautiful (51 degrees and sunny) day here in Cleveland Ohio. Yesterday/this morning, The Inidans finally completed the Trade Of CoCo Crisp, Josh Bard and David Riske for Andy Marte, Kelly Shoppach, Guillermo Mota, and a player to be named later. I know alot of people here are unhappy about this trade, but I think it is good for our organization. I am in no way happy to see CoCo go. At the same time I always felt that Bard and Riske were nothing special, so I am glad to get rid of them. Plus, people have to realize in order to get something you have to give up to something, just remember the Bartlo Colon trade.

I am also optimistic that Franklin Guiterez (who we got when we traded for Milton Bradley) is going to have a shot to crack our outfield now. I think we are going to take a step backwards this year, but it is going to make us a better team 2007. I know a lot of Cleveland Fans are so sick of the wait for next year, it unfortunately is a slogan for us, but I like to think when finally do get our championship it is going to make that much sweeter for us after all. Of course many people think I am crazy for thinking this way and think the Cleveland Curse will stop us from winning it all, but if Boston and Chicago can why can't we? Here are two songs for you two enjoy:

( mp3 ) Frank Sinatra - luck be a lady (because of sunny optimism about the tribe's future)

(mp3 ) Stellastarr* - My Coco (because Boston has our CoCo Crisp now)

it sure does not feel like winter

It is me, Jose. Kelly is away this weekend visiting her sister @ her Alma Mater. That means I will have a lot of time on my hands. This is the first post I have entered by myself, hence why it is not up to stuff, I apologize for that. I can't believe that today is the 20th anniversary of the Challenger Explosion. That makes me feel very old. I know some of you are probaly too young to even remember it (let me know if you remember where you were when it occurred). I was 7 years old and I was sitting in my second grade class @ Boulevard Elementary School in Shaker Heights. I remember it so vividly because we were watching the launch on tv in our classroom.

Everyone was very excited about that particular mission because Christa McAuliffe (a teacher from New Hampshire) was to be the first teacher in space. Unfortunately, she never made it because the spaceshuttle challenger exploded and it was over in an instant and then my teacher just turned the tv off and had us go back to work. Sadly, in life sometimes when tragedy happens we just move on to the next task in order to keep our minds off what just happened. Here is a cover song about another space tragedy.

( mp3 ) Space Oddity from The Life Aquatic - Studio Sessions featuring Seu Jorge (iTunes Exclusive) this is a bonus a track from that session.

Feeling Lethargic

We are lazy and just wanted to post a couple mp3's. Tomorrow we'll talk about Brokeback Mountain and cool bands you should be checking out on MySpace. That's all for now, we need a rest (and so do our livers).

[Mp3] Bella - Crystal Tears Thanks to Six Eyes for turning us onto them. It's catchy and fun, reminding us of The French Kicks mixed with a little Better Than Ezra. Check out more songs on their MySpace and Official Website where there is a definite 80's influence.

[Mp3] Penny Century - I Water Plants Such a beautiful song to wake up to in the morning. Dreams of Horses steered us their way, also providing the link to Penny Century's EP, you can download for free here.

Mucho Mas

We stayed out late on a school night and saw We Are Scientists put on a great show yesterday. . .there were moments where we didn't know whether we'd make it, but once WAS got on stage, we quickly got our 2nd wind. Their set was highly entertaining and energetic. Also, the band Oxford Collapse opened and did a fine job.

Throughout the show Kelly attempted to take pictures, but it seemed as though there was an unfortunate number of tall people standing directly in front of the stage (which sits fairly low to the ground). . .But, you should definitely check out this very accurate review here (compliments of Web Vomit) from WAS's Detroit show this past Monday with good pictures, set lists, and commentary.

Enjoy these favorites off the new album, With Love and Squalor:

[Mp3] We Are Scientists - Lousy Reputation

[Mp3] We Are Scientists - Can't Lose

Check out this song by Oxford Collapse we especially enjoyed:

[Mp3] Oxford Collapse - The Boys Go Home

This awning is from the old Grog Shop when it was located further down on Coventry, which now resides in the merch section of the new Grog Shop

WAS's witty Chris Cain, reminding Kelly of her previous engineering classmates while Jose appreciates how he rocks the sports goggles ala Eric Dickerson

LOL

WAS and Oxford Collapse doing their rendition of the oldie, "Be My Baby"

(Note: if anyone has a live recording of this, please let us know!)

Walk the Line

Just because we're thrilled that Walk the Line received the recognition it deserves at the Golden Globes this evening, with both Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon winning for their performances. . .

Who would have thought that Reese and Joaquin would make it as far as they have, especially upon our first impression of each -- respectively, in Fear and To Die For. . .well, Jose remembers Joaquin from Russkies, but that is just b/c he is old ;)

In honor of The Man in Black:

Johnny Cash - Walk the Line (Live at San Quentin)

Joaquin Phoenix - Walk the Line

To find the results of other Golden Globe winners click here.

Soundtrack of our Evening

Our evening started off with Ken and Brad at Aladdin's (mmm, cheap Middle Eastern food). We proceeded to attend the We Are Campfire event (see last post) at Square Records in Highland Square. There we found some great people watching, where we were pleased to see lots of people in attendance. Several cool t-shirts were on display with a unique midwestern theme, especially focusing on Cleveland culture (C-town represent!). Kelly had the opportunity to speak with one of the designers, Andy Taray, who is currently an Art Director for Mtv Networks. Check back at We Are Campfire within the next couple weeks so you can view his sweet designs.

Next we went to La Cave du Vin (aka The Wine Cave) where we drank beer, surprisingly enough. Loose Cannon IPA was a favorite of the evening. They always seem to play good music there -- on this particular evening the soundtrack they provided us with was Stereolab, Air, Jesus and Mary Chain, and others we don't recall b/c we were consumed with alcohol and good conversation.

When we made our way down to the B-side to see Anton Newcombe (pictured above) spin, he was nowhere to be found (which really wasn't that big of a surprise given his reputation for spontaneity). Around 12:15am, Anton was spotted, b/c no one else can pull off a mustache like that! We were pleased with his selections: Joy Division, The Knife, Magnetic Fields, !!!, Kasabian, to name a few. We wanted to stay longer, but hunger called. . .

Thus brings us to our arrival to Panini's. While waiting for our food, "Ruby Soho" came on which prompted Ken and Jose to start rocking out. Since they are *slightly* older than Kelly, it made them nostalgic for their youth.

Magnetic Fields - When my Boy walks down the Street
Joy Division - Love will Tear us Apart
Rancid - Ruby Soho
Brian Jonestown Massacre - Not if you were the last Dandy on Earth

Winter Warmth

This evening we are going to an event hosted by Andy Taray (aka Ohio Boy) over at Square Records. If you have an appreciation for random t-shirts, good music, and happen to live in the Cleveland/Akron area you should check it out: We Are Campfire

Just because these songs never seem to get old. . .

Death Cab for Cutie - Bad Reputation
Freedy Johnson - Bad Reputation

Stars - Ageless Beauty
Stars - Ageless Beauty (Most Serene Republic remix)

Best of Now!

Last April, we went to a memorable show. First off, the line-up was extremely unique: Harmar Superstar (we're both scarred for life!), Maria Taylor (who Kelly was frothing at the mouth to see, since she is a huge Azure Ray fan), and Ben Lee (honestly, we assure you, we are NOT obsessed with him!). To make a long story short, Harmar was scary, and Maria Taylor was pissed off b/c there were like 10 people there. As a result, Kelly thought that Maria Taylor would ban Cleveland from her future tour plans forEVER. However, low and behold, Mates of States are coming to C-town April 9th at the Beachland Ballroom with none other than Miss Maria Taylor herself :)

Mates of States - Fraud in the 80's (Highest of Recommendations!) This song is so infectious that once you start listening to it, you cannot stop! Special thanks to Kristi

Maria Taylor - Song Beneath the Song A favorite off of her debut, 11:11

Ultra Grrrl was right. . .

Last night, at Kelly's urging, we were witness to an endearing and energetic performance given by The Spinto Band. Unfortunately, Cleveland decided to suck that night, b/c there were maybe 40 people at the show. Nonetheless, they rocked. Their stage presence was impressive -- especially the lead vocalists, who were reminiscent of both a young David Byrne and that guy from They Might Be Giants. The Spinto Band is super poppy and quirky, but it works. We want to give props to Ultragrrrl -- b/c of her incessant cheerleading, we have been in the know about this band. . .she was right -- and we are glad she was!

Given their ages (ranging from 19-22), as cliche as it might sound, we expect great things to come from them in the near future.

[Mp3] The Spinto Band - Late (Preferred by Jose)
[Mp3] The Spinto Band - Atari (Preferred by Kelly)

Spinto Band's Myspace
Official Website

Alright, my Brotha

This evening was spent at Cedar Lee Theater, where we viewed the 81 minute long film: The Squid and the Whale. Expectations were fairly low since it had been quite some time since we were impressed by anything seen in recent months. However, this movie was just what we needed.

It was refreshing to see a film that not only made you laugh, but made you feel something -- anymore, truly caring about the fictional characters is quite rare. Plus, we could relate to the characters, both of us growing up in the 80's -- Jose especially relating to the spastic little boy with a foul mouth, Frank! Although, thankfully neither of our parents are separated.

Definitely check it out. . .

Official website
Trailer

Congratulations!!

We cannot neglect to mention the recent engagement of Kelly's little sister, Erin, and future brother-in-law, Todd. He popped the question on Christmas night and through tears (of joy) she said, "yes." They are planning the wedding as we speak, which is slated for early September of this year.

And, in honor of this occasion, we're posting Erin's favorite song of the moment:
Shout Out Louds - Very Loud

We're Baaack, biatches!!!

So, we have returned from beautiful southwestern Florida to the land of no sun. We will have some pictures of our trip to share soon, but for now we will offer a few tidbits of information. First off, this evening we are enjoying a buzz off the fabulous Pinot Noir by Francis Coppola, [Silver Label]: this wonderful wine goes well with pasta, olives, cheese and salad. We can't really tell you what it tastes like it but it goes down very easy and has no tannins. Infact, the bottle is gone less than 2 hours after opening it -- you can't ask for a better endorsement than that. It retails for about $15.


Next -- from the guy who brought you the movie: Funny Haha, Andrew Bujalski, comes his next tale of post-college self discovery titled: Mutual Appreciation. This story is of a hipster who comes to Brooklyn with the rock, but without a band. Unfortunately, Mutual Appreciation has no distribution as of yet -- however, you can purchase the movie here. Initially, we were introduced to the film, Funny Haha, upon the recommendation of a friend (thanks, Sarah M. Roos) this past August. Coincidentally, less than a week later, we stumbled upon the flick on the Sundance Channel. It will be interesting to see whether Mutual Appreciation will be picked up at Sundance like Funny Haha was last year. You may or may not know whether Funny Haha's soundtrack was done by Bishop Allen, where one of their guitarists, Chris Rudder, played the love interest. Speaking of Bishop Allen, we are especially excited to see their friends, We are Scientists, perform a week from tomorrow at the Grog Shop. That's all for now. . .

Hiatus

We are going to be in sunny Naples (Florida) throughout the next 2 weeks for the holidays. Hope all of you stay warm and safe and enjoy your time with family and friends! We'll miss posting and look forward to sharing pictures and anectdotes upon our return :)

Happy Holidays

Stars fill up my eyes

While eating countless Pizzelles (I prefer vanilla to anise) and checking my email, a few Laura Veirs songs resurfaced on my iTunes player. . .

Well, Jose can tell you all about my mixed feelings toward Laura Veirs -- although she possesses all the qualities I love in a musician (being quirky yet introspective, atmospheric yet lyric driven, etc.) there just seemed to be something missing. She even messaged me on myspace and I wasn't close to being sold. Even so, I wanted to give her a fair chance and thought perhaps seeing her perform live would make me a fan. However, I think it was her complacent stage presence that left me dissatisfied despite the fact that she sounded fantastic. Fast forward several months later, to this particular evening actually, and I finally feel like I've come to terms with her music -- really, why was I so resistant?

Laura Veirs - Bedroom Eyes Highly Recommended

Laura Veirs - Galaxies (video)

Sleep Better

Just sent Jessi, from Lost on Purpose, this old favorite and thought I'd share:

Pete Yorn - Music for the Morning After (rar file)

Sweet Dreams*

Sunday Songs

We just returned from Columbus, where we spent Saturday evening attending Andrew and Kacy's beautiful wedding ceremony and reception :) Definitely enjoyed all their personal touches, especially the buffet-style chinese food and delicious holiday cookies -- and, we love the "goodie bag" they put together with Jones Soda and Ghirardelli Chocolates.

Upon our return to Cleveland, we had the opportunity to soak in some new music from the iPod. Here are some current favorites:

The Prayers and Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers - Concerning Lessons Learned from the Aliens Love this song but still trying to memorize the band's crazy long name. Learn more about them on their website.

The Owls - Air A warm, breezy, and mellow song. . .too catchy for its own good!

Goldspot - Rewind You Aint No Picasso and Rock Insider introduced us to this band, among so many others. Download a couple other songs on YANP's post here and RI's post here.

Juan, Pablo, Jorge, umm, Santiago??

There has been quite a bit of hype surrounding the musicians, José González and Miguel Mendez. Although, based on their names you may be surprised with what you hear.

José González, pictured above, is from Sweden and heavily influenced by the works of Nick Drake and other forlorn troubadours. His music is lush and tender. Definitely check out his cover of Heartbeats, originally by The Knife.

José González - Heartbeats

Also, check out his trippy video -- can someone please offer some insight?

Video: Stay in the Shade

As for Miguel Mendez, he is from Brooklyn (via LA) and sounds eerily similar to David Bazan of Pedro the Lion. You may have first been introduced to his song, You've Got Me All Wrong, when performed by close friends, Dios Malos, on one of the O.C. Soundtracks.

Miguel Mendez - You've Got Me All Wrong

Check them out on myspace to stream more music:
José González
Miguel Mendez

A Jolly, Happy Soul

While watching A Charlie Brown Christmas this evening with Jose, I was reminded of one of my personal favorite stories for this season: The Snowman. Growing up, I had many fond memories associated with the book and its short "silent" film. Such a simple yet moving story. . .

And, since we're talking about snowmen, download Fiona's playful rendition of Frosty the Snowman:

Fiona Apple - Frosty the Snowman

As well as her beautiful cover of Hendrix's Angel, which I ended up finding yesterday while backing up an ancient computer:

Fiona Apple - Angel

Arbitrary Discoveries

Sundays are for being lazy, and for watching the Browns lose (as us Clevelanders have gotten used to saying: "There is always next year"). While capitalizing on our laziness, there were a few discoveries made.

The first discovery being that Stanley Kubrick was a photographer prior to his career in film. His engaging photographs taken, while working at Look Magazine in the 1940's, have been compiled in Drama & Shadows by Rainer Crone. Which was recently released just in time for the holidays, providing the perfect gift for the ultimate Kubrick fan.

While checking out various Kubrick related items on Amazon, we came across Full Metal Jacket Diary by Matthew Modine. This intrigued us since we are both fans of the movie and also reminded us of Pony Up's highly entertaining song, "Matthew Modine."

Pony Up! - Matthew Modine

Pony Up! toured and released a split single with Ben Lee earlier this year, which inspired him to start covering it at his own shows, including the one we saw in April.

Ben Lee - Matthew Modine

Our last discovery is completely unrelated but equally cool. While reading the New York Times, Jose happened upon a feature about video blogs (officially referred to as vlogs). One particular vlog that was mentioned is Rocketboom, which is hosted by Amanda Congdon, and just celebrated its one year anniversary. Some of their webcast topics include: Remembering John Lennon, Internet Explorer vs. Firefox, and a trip to the Brooklyn Brewery.

Enjoy! :)

Lure of the Underground

Jose's Review:

Back in May, thanks to Torr, I discovered The Hourly Radio. I will admit that I enjoyed their music so much that I actually bought the EP, which can now be found on iTunes here. It may be a bold statement -- however, I feel as though this band is one of my favorites of 2005 (along with We are Scientists). The Hourly Radio has recently gained more notoriety due to opening for the likes of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Stellastarr*, and being added to woxy's rotation. While their sound isn't anything groundbreaking, there is clearly something unique that draws you in. If you tend to enjoy early U2, The Verve, early South, and Doves -- definitely check out their "Dublin via Texas" sound on myspace and below:

The Hourly Radio - Lost + Found

Slow like Honey, Heavy with Mood

Last night was spent at the House of Blues, where we were witness to a phenomenal performance given by Fiona Apple. Unfortunately, neither of us were brave enough to attempt smuggling a camera inside the venue -- however, we will keep our eyes open for pictures that others have taken. . .

She played a long set (nearly 2 hours!) and sang most everything we wanted. . .with the exception of Never is a Promise and First Taste -- while keeping true to her original setlist outlined here.

Check out these favorite rarities:

Fiona Apple - Paper Bag (Live)

Fiona Apple - Never is a Promise (KCRW Acoustic)

PS - By some chance, if anyone reading this happens to have Fiona's (live) rendition of Jimi Hendrix's "Angel", I would so appreciate it if you could send the mp3 to: kellygatta@gmail.com

Wine makes for good posting

For those of you who don't know -- the creator of Calvin & Hobbes, Bill Waterson, is from Jose's hometown: Chagrin Falls. And, if anyone is struggling with gift ideas for him, consider getting him this.

Onto the music -- today felt especially Christmas-y due to the peaceful snowfall in our neck of the woods. As a result, we felt compelled to listen to Holiday music and share some unconventional favorites of ours:

Cheech and Chong - Santa Claus and His Old Lady Jose relates to this song b/c of the Latino in him. . .although, he is pretty white (especially in the winter!)

Soul Coughing - Suzy Snowflake Kelly thinks this sounds like Bloodhound Gang, but Jose INSISTS that it is Soul Coughing

No Doubt - Oi to the World Originally by the Vandals, but we prefer this version. . .and makes us both really hyper :)

Reindeer Section - When I Come Home For Christmas Melancholy and soothing, highly recommended

Echo's Answer

If you haven't already discovered the dream pop landscapes of Broadcast, and if you are a fan of Sing-Sing, Ladytron and Lali Puna -- check out these hypnotic tracks off of their latest album, Tender Buttons:

Broadcast - Tears in the Typing Pool

Broadcast - America's Boy

Bonus Track: Broadcast - Pendulum