These lonely California nights
Staring out at nothing
Without you there's no paradise
I'll see you when I close my eyes
Close my eyes (x2)
And I'll be... Dreaming
New Miniature Tigers, just released Friday! The second single from their upcoming album, I Dreamt I Was a Cowboy, out October 28. While researching what to chat up about these guys, I checked out their twitter feed. Not to get overtly political on TMIS but, I love that they took such a clear stand (and have followed it up, too)...
Can you please
Sit the fuck down
Protesting in your
Paper crown
You love to feel offended
Fighting from computer trenches
You got a semi-automatic mouth
Go easy now
And you're so loud
And you're so loud
In "Loud(y)", which has been in my heavy-ish rotation for a little while now, New York-based Lewis Del Mar sum up how I often feel about social media, especially anonymous, or semi-anonymous, commenting. Hidden behind a computer screen, with almost no personal risk if nobody knows who you are in "real life" you can pretty much say what you want, and when you can do that, you tend to do it loudly.
The electro-funk-rock-acoustic-indie duo released their self-titled LP just yesterday and it's pretty solid. Mixing many styles and influences filtered through a well-produced combination of electric grooves and beats paired with acoustic vocal and string stylings. They're also solid live. We caught a good chunk of their set last weekend at ACL and I thought they were very entertaining.
Sometimes I like to go uptown
Where flashy people flash around
It's extortionate and I don't care
You can taste the pretense in the air
And I wonder what you'll wear tonight
The shiny black dress with the slit at the thigh
Is this such fantasy that I should think
Someone like you could love a creep like me
I had a terrible time picking a Most Important Song from The Wombats! So many favorites, starting in 2006 - and I've played last year's Glitterbug so often that I have no idea what might sound fresh and fun to followers of this blog. BUT, the Liverpoolian marsupials played ACL yesterday, and I couldn't let the opportunity to highlight them pass. For those of us who missed them this weekend (and/or this whole current tour, *sob*) here's a live vid featuring their current backdrop.
Oh child I'll take all you got
All your friends and all their moms
All the lessons that they've been taught
Comin' back for them tomorrow
If I told you where I bang, you wouldn't believe me
If you taught me how to fish, I would sweep the sea clean
If I had the privilege, how would you treat me
Like I'm a rare flower, cracks in the concrete
If I told you where I bang, you wouldn't believe me
If you taught me how to fish, I would never stop eating
If I had the privilege, how would you treat me
If only, if only
Sadly, Bear Hands didn't play during weekend one of ACL, and it just wasn't realistic for us to go again this weekend. They played first thing Friday morning (same spot as VHS Collection last week). Anyway, you probably already know all about this solid indie quartet, as they've been releasing catchy, heartfelt tunes since 2007, but did you know this latests album You'll Pay For This was released on their own label? Look for more good music coming soon from Spensive Sounds.
Supper time in the hole
Supper time in the hole
I shame my family, shame my home
Supper time
Old Saint John on death row
He's just waiting for a pardon
Old Saint John on death row
He's just waiting for a pardon
Old Saint John on death row
He's just waiting for a pardon
Old Saint John on death row
He's just waiting
All the white boys in the stay pressed slacks
They're home for the summer from college
Staying out late, getting rowdy at the bar
And looking for trouble uptown
They come up my block, 'bout 5 or 6 of them
Smashing their bottles in the gutter
Yelling all kinds of obscenities
About woman and God and law
Another supper time in the hole
Supper time
I shame my family, shame my home
Supper time
A young girl turned the corner with a clerk dress on
That girl was my sister
Just got off the night shift at Pennington's Place
Just wanna go home and get some sleep
Butch grabbed her by the waist with the caffeine eyes
The hands all figity, electric
I picked up a brick from my papa's front yard
And threw it at the tallest boy's face
Well, blood was streaming like a well that sprung
I couldn't believe what I had just done
Well, the other boy ran and this one stayed
On the ground and he would never move again
Old Saint John on death row
He's just waiting for a pardon
Old Saint John on death row
He's just waiting for a pardon
All us boys on death row
We're just waiting for a pardon
All us boys on death row
Yours truly on trial, I testify
I gotta keep on running 'til the well runs dry
Yours truly on trial, I testify
I gotta keep on running 'til the well runs
Yours truly on trial, I testify
I gotta keep on running 'til the well runs dry
Yours truly on trial, I testify
I gotta keep on running 'til the well runs dry
We saw Cold War Kids the other night at one of the ACL night shows and, damn, they're good. I've seen them a few times and can't think of many acts that are as consistently awesome as they are. Solid, tight and just, well, really entertaining. If you've not seen them, you should.
I included the full lyrics for "Saint John" because it's one of my all-time favorite songs and so well written. That's true of most of their work; Cold War Kids know how to tell a story. If it's new to you, give a listen. Robbers & Cowards is an essential album in my book, so if you like what you hear, check that out too. Oh! Bonus points: Bassist Matt Maust makes cool art while on tour, check his work out here.
