P!nk - Raise Your Glass

I love when it's all too much,
Five a.m. turn the radio up
Where's the rock and roll?

Party crasher,
Panty snatcher,
Call me up if you a gangsta
Don't be fancy, just get dancy
Why so serious?
So raise your glass if you are wrong,
In all the right ways,
All my underdogs,
We will never be never be, anything but loud
And nitty gritty, dirty little freaks
Won't you come on and come on and raise your glass,
Just come on and come on and raise your glass

Like most everyone, I find it absurd that MTV is still holding annual VMAs - or is even a channel - but they are. Silver lining though, Sunday night P!nk received the Video Vanguard award, which means of course she gave a super inspiring acceptance speech (watch below). The gist: Don't change yourself to please others, change other people's minds. Love it, love her. Her voice is perfect, her songs infectious and empowering as well. Cheers to you, Alecia from Philly! Wish I was more like you, but I'm still working on it.

Upcoming Shows

Sebadoh - On Fire

My opinion could change today, 
but I'm responsible anyway
For second or third hand information
That complicates the complication
And I don't think before I speak
And I don't know how far my words reach
So wrong nearly every time,
that I'm sorry I speak my mind
If what I said was unkind

I got to thinking about Sebadoh the other day whilst listening to The Cribs' new album. In 1996 Sebadoh released my favorite of a series of terrific albums, Harmacy. There are several classic songs on it, but "On Fire" represents the best of that era to me.

RIYL: Build to Spill, Folk Implosion, Dinosaur Jr., Hüsker Dü  

Upcoming Shows

The Republic Tigers - Buildings & Mountains

We've been waiting all our lives
For things we've always had but have no eyes to see
Something new is going to happen
The most natural thing but nothin' we'd expect

All these buildings and mountains
Slowly they'll arise
Before our eyes

How do cities understand
We drink our wine and wonder why we're really here
What's the point of even asking
You take the good and bad and make the best of it

Kansas City kid Kenn Jankowski (lead vocals/guitar) was in a band called The Golden Republic. Then he joined up with some new/old friends and formed The Republic Tigers, becoming slightly more poppy in their indie rock. And now Kenn & fellow Tiger Ryan Wallace (keyboard/guitar) have formed Jaenki and upped the pop once again. I linked Jaenki in the "Upcoming Shows" for future reference, but still love the mellow groove of this song from 2008. Thinking of Houston right now, under two feet of water and getting higher fast, as it slowly raises to over five inches in my corner of Austin. Could be four or five more days of this. The most natural thing but nothing we'd expect. 

RIYL: Ra Ra Riot, Ha Ha Tonka, A Silent Film, Zipper Club

Upcoming Shows

BANNERS - Into the Storm

If you're far from home
Broken on a lonely road
Helpless when the sky explodes
Then I need you to know
When you're 'round the bend
Close your eyes and count to ten
I'll walk through hell and back again
Anywhere you go

If your strength is falling down
I'll be right beside you now
And I'll keep you warm
Yeah, I'll keep you warm
I'll follow you into the storm

Not sure if this will be my only nod to current conditions here in Texas - no promises. Currently looking out the rain splattered windows, watching wind-swirled trees and puddles growing into ponds. Pretty safe here in Austin, but hoping Harvey goes away more quickly than predicted. And wishing that the one who keeps me warm wasn't in another state right now. Anyway, did you know Banners is the moniker for an English singer/songwriter? I was kinda surprised at first, thought he sounded more American indie-folk, but then I remembered Ed Sheeran & George Ezra, ha. 

RIYL: Imagine Dragons, Vance Joy, George Ezra, Barns Courtney, Phillip Phillips

Upcoming Shows

The Cribs - In Your Palace

And after all she said I'll impress you
With stripes of green and red
The least I can do
And I will scrapbook thoughts
Save the clippings as if they mean something again

I'm always excited about new stuff from The Cribs and their new album, 24-7 Rock Star Shit, is more of the same: song after song of solid, smart and grungy garage rock. They're often compared to well-known British indie pop outfits, and there is something to that, but I find they have as much in common with the American post-punk of the late 80's and early 90's.

RIYL: The Libertines, Junior Astronomers, Seaweed, Quicksand, Sebadoh

Upcoming Shows