ACRN's CineMUSic

The good, the...let's just say the good and the ugly

2012-01-17T20:41:00.007-05:00

Since this blog is all about music on TV and film, I can't not say something about the beyond disappointing performance by Lana del Rey on this past Saturday's SNL.

Oh, Lana, I had such high hopes for you! I hyped you big time a few months ago, right here on my own little blog and then you go and do something like that. We were all rooting for you! (Cut to the video of Tyra Banks yelling at an ungrateful ANTM contestant.)

I won't spend too much time ranting about the performance, because believe me, a

quick Google search of 'Lana del Rey+SNL' will give you a sufficient--nay--copious amount of reading on the matter. But my God, I think all of talent got stuck in her lips. I'm sure it acted as a wonderful plumper - better than a collagen injection! *Ba-dum-chh* Thank you, thank you, I'll be here every Wednesday and Sunday (probably. Most likely. I'll see what I can do).

So that was the ugly and, h'oh boy, was it oooooo-glay. But fear not, my loyal followers who thrive on that which is beauty. I give to you...Dum Dum Girls! Their song "Coming Down" was featured on this Monday's episode of Gossip Girl and you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who didn't immediately rush to their computer with the thought of "What the hell was that gorgeous song?!" seared into their mind

They're not total unknowns. In fact, I'm sure a few of you are reading this and you are either a.) going to send me a spam comment with links and weird proverbs or b.) rolling your eyes and thinking something like "I've been listening to them since they played at this dingy little bar in Williamstownburgville, ZZ." Well, whatever, I'm talking about them and when the teacher is talking, you're not!

Dum Dum Girls is comprised of four...did you figure it out? Girls! And by now, you should know me and my love/envy of lady rockers. They're from California (now they're double-y cool!) They work with some pretty impressive people - Scott Cohen is their manager and he also manages The Raveonettes as well as The Deer Tracks. They've also recorded with Richard Gottehrer who has worked with Blondie and helped to co-write "My Boyfriend's Back" and "I Want Candy."

The California outfit is a little bit old-school poppy (The Ronettes) a little punk (Siouxsie and the Banshees) and a little bit something extra (think Patti Smith or Courtney Love.) Lead singer Dee Dee has a lovely, soft voice at times, which adds a bit of quiet femininity to music that doesn't always lean that way. Now I'll go ahead and compare them to Mazzy Star, too. "Coming Down" definitely evokes a very Mazzy vibe, which I just so happen to love.

All right, let's tie this post up and put a fork in it. What did we learn today?

1. Lana del Rey - not a terrible artist, awful live, and massive lips that appear to take up 75% of her face.

2. Dum Dum Girls - nice little quartet of girls who play kind of punky, kind of poppy, kind of flowy music. That sort of covers every genre, doesn't it? Well, they're very versatile!

"Coming Down" Dum Dum Girls

Get it while it's hot because it's about to EXPLODE.

2011-11-07T23:16:00.006-05:00

I'm loving being back here at CineMUSic - it's making me hyper-aware of all of the bands I've been missing out on because I've been too busy listening to Letters to Cleo and Eminem, who might not be deemed 'new' or 'hip'. I'm geeking out hard every time I finish watching a show because I've suddenly happened upon my New Favorite Band (or something like that.)

I'm still digging on The Coasts and I hope you are, too. But, I bring to you a new artist who--and listen, I pretty much guarantee it--is going to be famous in three, two, one...now. She's good, she's interesting, she's that perfect blend of unique and indie but still accessible to those who might be inclined to a mainstream sound. Ladies and gentleman, I give to you...

Lana Del Rey! Born Elizabeth Grant, here stage name is a hybrid of Hollywood actresses Lana Turner and Ford del Rey. As soon as I heard her song "Video Games" on Gossip Girl (God, I can't get away from the CW. I promise, next post I will NOT write about a CW show. Cross my heart) my brain was full of "Oh, this is like Florence + the Machine meets Kate Bush meets a lullabye." She's gaining momentum fast, going from virtually unknown--with a full-length album shelved--to being signed to Polydor Records (home to Ellie Goulding, Feist, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.) Not too shabby, eh?

"Video Games" and "Blue Jeans" are her first two singles and they both reached the top five of the US iTunes Albums Chart within hours of their release. Suffice it to say, some people are digging her. And understandably so. I hate to use the words "haunting" and "lovely" but that's exactly what her music is. If this sounds remotely interesting, you should definitely check it out. Dude, Pitchfork named "Video Games" the "Best New Track." You know it's worth a listen.

"Video Games" Lana del Rey

"Blue Jeans" Lana del Rey (undeniably a little Kate Bush-esque, amiright?)

A band that will be COASTing right into your life

2011-11-06T13:15:00.008-05:00

It took me a while to find it, but I heard a song at the end of last week's "90210" (yeah, I watch that, too. Go ahead, judge me) and I had to know what it was. After a few days of searching the small snippet of lyrics - "Let's start a riot" - which lead to awful results that were not the right songs - I finally found it. The light at the end of the tunnel ended up being "RIOT!!" by The Coasts. It's at this point that I must apologize for that horrendous pun in the title of this post.

Anyway, Ike Peters and Eric Mount make up The Coasts. They're a nice little duo from...well,one half of the band is from Little Rock, AK and the other half is from Lebanon, OH (hey ACRNers! They're almost locals! Let's get 'em here.) Their first album is a little bit pop and a little bit rock 'n roll. They're raw and garage-y (think "10 A.M. Automatic" by The Black Keys). The Coasts definitely have some old-school inspiration (their track "Stranger/Danger" for instance) with a twist of current stuff. It's like Roy Orbison and The Black Keys had a love child and that child is The Coasts.

I can't help listening to their album and thinking a lot of it would have appeared on The O.C. if only it were still around. The entire thing is so listenable and catchy. It's that music you just know would be so fun to see live. I can just see these guys jamming out in The Union and people absolutely loving it.

The Coasts are definitely a little gem you'll want to check out. Their entire album is available to stream for free on their bandcamp site or you can buy it (buy it! Some of the proceeds go to Hope For Haiti's Children and it's only five bucks!) to show your support.

And maybe some proactive music-lover could contact their management and get them to Athens, eh?

"Handshakers" The Coasts (my personal favorite from the album)
&amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://thecoasts.bandcamp.com/track/handshakers"&amp;amp;amp;gt;Handshakers by The Coasts&amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;gt;

"Hard-Working Man" The Coasts
&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://thecoasts.bandcamp.com/track/hard-working-man"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Hard-Working Man by The Coasts&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

"RIOT!!" The Coasts
&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://thecoasts.bandcamp.com/track/riot"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;RIOT!! by The Coasts&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Scary shows and creepy music

2011-10-24T13:45:00.007-04:00

So, I've given in and started watching FX's "American Horror Story" because I'm a sucker for all things horror and all things TV. However, I'm a bit apprehensive about the whole thing because creator Ryan Murphy ("Glee", "Nip/Tuck", and "Popular") has a tendency to mess up a good thing. Everything he touches turns to dirt and it's a painful thing to have to watch.

Nevertheless, the show is intriguing and grabbed my attention immediately.

Another thing it has going for it is the suitably creepy music used throughout. One creepy song that sounded wonderful in my earballs was Son Lux's "Flickers." I first happened upon Son Lux while watching the movie The Romantics (which was awful, so don't ever see it) when his song "Betray" was featured.

Son Lux is actually Ryan Lott, based out of New York. He writes and performs all of his songs with the occasional helping-hand on other instruments. The reviews for his albums have been really positive. I don't think that I can say it better than Paste's Andy Whitman said it, so I'll let him do the talking:

"Ryan Lott, who records under the name Son Lux, is a classically trained pianist and hip-hop and Radiohead fan who makes upside-down music. The 11 songs here consist of lyrical fragments – short phrases repeated, like a mantra, like rosary beads – that serve as the musical anchor, much like the rhythm section traditionally serves as the musical anchor. The result is an electronica collage that is a bundle of contradictions; noisy and meditative, hypnotizing and endlessly, continually evolving. If Beck recorded in a monastery, this is what he might sound like. This is the best debut album I’ve heard in years."

Uh...how good does that sound? Really good, I'd say. I definitely recommend checking out his stuff. "Flickers" is especially wonderful (I've been playing it the entire time I've been writing this post, so I think that says something...I think.)

"Flickers" Son Lux

"Betray" Son Lux

Tell me lies, tell me sweet little (white) lies.

2011-10-18T15:56:00.008-04:00

Finally, there's a plot on Gossip Girl that is actually compelling, makes sense, and is keeping people's interest. Dan (played by the beautiful Penn Badgley) has written all about his upper-east-side "pals," and it's causing a skosh of trouble. But more importantly, viewers are getting a good amount of Dan/Blair scenes and it's awesome, because let's be honest, they're soulmates. Even Penn thinks so!

Last night's episode featured some fantastic music - for instance, Chase & Status featuring White Lies "Embrace." I knew it was the guys from White Lies immediately; as, Harry McVeigh's voice is easily distinguishable. But when I rushed to check out Spotify, I found that the song did not exist in their discography. A quick Google of the lyrics led me to discover Chase & Status, an electronic production duo.

Chase & Status have collaborated with the likes of Cee-Lo Green, Dizzie Rascal, and Rihanna. Wowza! In addition to last night's episode of Gossip Girl, they've also been featured on Nikita. That really makes it seem like I only watch The CW, but I promise I watch other stuff--it's just that a huge number of shows are scored, whereas CW shows rely heavily on "popular music," a lot of it being excellent.

White Lies has gained a lot of popularity, being featured in a lot of different shows and on the 2009 NME Awards Tour. They've been compared to Joy Division, Editors and Interpol. I would venture to say those comparisons aren't too far off.

Both artists are excellent choices if you like a little electronica in your rock and vice versa.

"Embrace" Chase & Status feat. White Lies

"To Lose My Life" White Lies

Ladies rockin' hard

2011-10-04T20:31:00.006-04:00

I'm a little bit hooked on The CW's "The Secret Circle." I know, I know--how could I watch such questionable programming? But I do and I read the book series a while ago so really, I have a reason to be watching. Plus, Gale Harold is in it, and that's all the reason that I need.

Anyway, on to the (actually) good stuff: the music! I have been incredibly pleased with the music selections thus far. And in today's CineMUSic, we're going to talk about ladies kicking ass and making sick jams (that shouldn't come as a surprise.)

We were blessed with not one but two songs from The Naked and Famous. They're a bit hipper than my usual style, but I like them nonetheless. TNAF are a five-piece band from New Zealand (is it offensive to call them Kiwi's? I don't really know.) And as unfortunate as it is, they're compared to Passion Pit whom I loathe. Regardless, they're a nice little indie-electro-pop band. The songs "Young Blood" and "Girls Like You" were both featured.

"Girls Like You" The Naked and Famous

Then, as I've raved about before, The Kills came on and I nearly passed out because their new album is sick. Their track "DNA" is completely gritty and delicious. I can't recommend the two-piece band's fourth album Blood Pressures. The actual scene in the show is the "bad girl" of the show just strutting around wearing a leather jacket and that's exactly how the song makes me feel - even if I'm wearing flip flops and a cutesy dress.

"DNA" The Kills

Last but not least is "Dressed in Dresden" by The Hundred in the Hands. Yes, it's another electro-pop band (sorry, I'm like an old dog...you know, you can't teach them new tricks?) And it's a duo, much like The Kills. They' re probably the least known of these three bands, so you still have time to get hooked on them before they're way too cool and touring with Crystal Castles or some equally hip band.

"Dressed in Dresden" The Hundred in the Hands

And seriously, "The Secret Circle" doesn't suck too bad. It's a typical supernatural CW drama and I like pretending that that's what my high school experience was-- you know, brooding boys thinking that I'm their destiny? Set to awesome music? Having an insane wardrobe where I never wear the same outfit more than once? Yeah, I'll take that.

Guess who's coming (back) to Blogger?

2011-09-27T20:09:00.004-04:00

It's been quite a hiatus. Should we call it a leave of absence? Maybe a sabbatical? I don't really know. But what I do know, is that I'm watching a ridiculous amount of television and with that comes a ridiculous amount of new and really cool music.

Believe it or not, I'm still watching "Gossip Girl". It's a load of crap, the plots are outlandishly bad and almost none of the characters are redeeming. I'm hanging on for the moment when Dan and Blair get together, though. So yes, I'll keep watching and blogging. Now, on to the music because you don't care to know about the awful shows I'm watching.

Ida Maria. I guarantee you've heard her song "Oh My God." It was featured in the trailer for It's Kind of a Funny Story, which just so happened to be grossly overplayed. But last night, the song "Bad Karma" was on "Gossip Girl." And just to further prove my questionable TV taste (hey, only sometimes!), it was also on MTV's summer hit show "Teen Wolf."

She's a badass Norwegian lady who means business with her music. She's a little bit Joan Jett and a little bit Feist, which sounds great to my ears.

So far, Ida has released two studio albums - both of which are awesome. Her most recent release, Katla, was a non-stop play for me this summer, particularly the track "10,000 Lovers."

"Bad Karma"

You know you love me. XOXO, The National.

2010-10-05T17:08:00.006-04:00

Last night's "Gossip Girl" had a brilliant closing montage, set to "Afraid of Everyone" by The National - a band that a lot of people lose their shit over. I won't go so far as to say that they're the greatest thing since sliced bread, but they've got a knack for creating lovely harmonies and it's hard not to enjoy Matt Berninger's impossibly low voice. Plus, they're from Ohio.

You might also recognize their song "So Far Around The Bend" as that one song from the 'Charlie St. Cloud' trailer (58 seconds in). You know, that one movie with Zac Efron (squee!), boats, and a ghost brother? Yeah, that one.

Now that I've sufficiently spread the word about The National, I'm going to get (sort of) serious for a brief moment.

People scoff at television-- especially shows on The CW. I won't sit here and say that they're full of the highest caliber actors nor are the plots usually all that deep or meaningful, but having watched three seasons of "90210," I've gotta say that they're doing a good job of covering some pretty serious stuff that people shouldn't be ignoring.

This season alone (which is only into the fourth episode) has dealt with the following: homophobia/homosexuality, HIV, rape, and the whole "am I ready to have sex?" thing. I know that this blog is about music and film and how they go together, but I really just wanted to address the fact that there's a lot of shit going on in the world and I appreciate that a show like "90210" is willing to go there.

As tempting as it is to think about shows on The CW or any show that seems like a trashy teen show (and don't get me wrong, there are plenty of those) they're not all bad and might actually be striving to send a good message to viewers.

Okay, you're free to go. Thanks for hearing me out. Now go listen to The National and find out if you like them or if you like like them.

New school year? More like new season of TV.

2010-09-30T17:11:00.003-04:00

Do you guys want to know how TV crazy I am? My current desktop is a giant calendar for the month of September. Now, if I were a good and a motivated student, it would have class times, stuff to help me study, important school dates, etc. But no. Instead, my desktop is full of premiere dates for every television show I could ever want to watch.

And now that (pretty much) everything has premiered for this TV season, let's get right into it. What I'm about to talk about will probably be nothing new to most of you, but I can't not talk about it.

The Black Keys. Good Lord, their music has been featured on anything and everything. That doesn't surprise me - their music has been used in TV and movies for years now, but with the amazing-ness of their latest album, Brothers, they've been everywhere.

Let's break it down:

1. "Your Touch" used in Private Practice premiere; everyone rolling around in bed together.

2. "Howlin' For You" used in Chuck; spying and sexting.

3. "Howlin' For You" used in Hawaii Five-O; Alex O'Laughlin and Scott Caan bantering.

4. "I'm Not The One" used in 90210; melodrama, making out, morals.

What I'm getting at is if you thought that The Black Keys were already popular...prepare yourself. I predict Bieber-Fever only...for The Black Keys?

Welcome to The O.C., bitch!

2010-06-06T12:33:00.007-04:00

If you're a bit confused about that title, please watch this video for an explanation.

You know what I never get to talk about because it's been over for years? "The O.C." It was my favorite show (honestly speaking, it still is) and helped shape a lot of my music taste. And because there are no shows on television right now and soundtracks are just...blah, I'm offering to you five of my favorite music moments from The O.C. Mind you, this list is incomplete because there are dozens of brilliant music moments from the series.

"All The Arms Around You" by Halloween, Alaska from Season 2, Episode 1 "The Distance"

Seth ran away from home because Ryan left. So now, Seth has learned to grill and is living with Luke and his gay dad. But Ryan comes along and tells Seth he should go home. In the end, they both go home to The O.C. If only look Luke had said "Welcome back to The O.C., bitch."

"World At Large" by Modest Mouse from Season 2, Episode 7 "The Family Ties"

In that clip (which I'll admit totally made me cry) Marissa's dad is leaving because he messed everything up. But don't worry, Marissa brings bagels to the Cohen residence and everything is right in the world. Adding this song into the mix just makes everything sadder, though.

"Running Up That Hill" by Placebo from Season 4, Episode 1 "The Avengers"

Season 4 opening scene. Ryan is a cage fighter? Julie Cooper has tons of pills in her medicine cabinet? Ryan and Julie are meeting in a skanky motel? What's going on?! Thanks to this Placebo cover of the Kate Bush song, this opening is especially intense.

"Caught By The River" by Doves from Season 1, Episode 2 "The Model Home

Aw, it's Seth, Marissa and Ryan's first bonding experience, bike riding and skateboarding along the boardwalk. What could be better? Oh, I know, when Ryan burns down a house 30 minutes later!

"Into Dust" by Mazzy Star from Season 1, Episode 7 "The Escape"

Shit just got real. Marissa has OD'd on Summer's step-mom's prescription pills in Tijuana (lovingly referred to as TJ) and has found a nice little pile of dirt to lay on. Later, this song comes back in the form of a spectacular cover by Ashtar Command in season 4 - another favorite music moment.

There won't be much on TV this summer - with the exception of True Blood, which is going to render me speechless due to how amazing it's going to be - so if you're looking for something to watch or to find some new music, venture into the realm of Orange County, California.

After this, no more Twilight...until Breaking Dawn comes out.

2010-06-02T21:19:00.008-04:00

Just when I think I've run out of content, it just shows up out of the blue, ready to receive my (succinct) commentary. Well, fine then. Let's do this thing.

I wrote about the Twilight: Eclipse soundtrack a few weeks ago. At the time, it was just my being a miserable music snob, talking about how depressed I was about Metric and Florence and everyone else being a part of that schmucky franchise. Now, I have the soundtrack, and I'll write about what it actually sounds like. You can stream it here if you feel so inclined. Or, the links will take you straight to the songs on YouTube!

Metric has the lead track, "Eclipse (All Yours)." Can I be honest and say that I'm already rolling my eyes? I love, love, love Metric (if you need proof, please see my live review in which I gushed over Emily Haines) but this track is just...lacking. But, then again, what else would you expect from anything Twilight related?

The Sia and Band of Horses tracks are exactly what you'd expect - which isn't a bad thing. It's just not Twilight-tailored. That's probably a good thing. Although, I'm waiting for a cringe-worthy emotional scene in the movie. I'm thinking Bella and Jacob in a will-they-won't-they situation (even though we all know they kind of do but ultimately don't, because Jacob is a pervert who imprints on a baby).

The Black Keys can do no wrong in my eyes, even if they wrote a song for this soundtrack. Although, now that I'm listening to "Chop and Change," I feel like what happened was this: "Oh you know what? We have a B-side that we weren't going to use. You wanna just..." and they did.

You know who else can do no wrong? Florence Welch. "Heavy In Your Arms" is so beautiful it's actually giving me chills

B ECK AND BAT FO R LASHES. It's the track I've been waiting for for months and months: Mostly because Natasha Khan is all that is holy, and we haven't had any new material from her. The track has yummy percussion and Beck and Natasha's voices work really well together. In fact, they're kind of like the male and female versions of one another!

Vampire Weekend. I don't even want to know. You're stupid and overrated and I don't care that you're "intelligent." As far as I'm concerned, you island-indie rock guys can just suck it.

UNKLE's track, which features The Black Angels, is a sexy rock song. I predict a chase/running/driving scene for this one.

There's a bonus track called "Don't Mourn The Sun" on the album by someone named MiMi. I can't find anything on her (them?) but the track is kind of great, actually. It has a wonderful building beat, and she has a good voice.

So, out of all of these artists/songs to check out, make it MiMi.

Harry Potter? No! Grace Potter!

2010-05-30T22:09:00.007-04:00

I neglected to talk about the Almost Alice soundtrack because 13 out of 16 tracks are just awful. But I've recently happened upon the brilliance that is Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. I could just kick myself for ignoring them for the past few years. I offer my apologies in raving about them here.

They're not exactly my usual taste, but the lead singer - Grace Potter - has so much stage presence and an unbelievable voice. The band is a perfect mixture of blues, rock, and soul. And, even better news, they're coming out with a new album in June!

The song in question on the Almost Alice soundtrack is the band's cover of Jefferson Airplane's song "White Rabbit." It doesn't deviate much from the original, but it sounds a bit more ethereal, especially considering the fact that Potter's voice isn't quite as insane as Grace Slick's. Basically, their cover doesn't make me feel like I should have just dropped acid. I suppose that could be a good or bad thing depending on who you are.

For those of you who like the musical comparisons, the band is a little bit Rilo Kiley/Jenny Lewis, a touch of Neko Case, and a hint of The Black Keys. "Medicine," a track from their new album, is catchy as hell. "Ah Mary" is a great track as well.

Also, they're going on tour and will be in the Ohio/Pennsylvania area mid-June. Be sure to check them out if you're in the area!

Something new but still the same

2010-05-28T19:57:00.005-04:00

Hi guys! I've come to talk about something before Zach Braff comes along and ruins it.

Broken Bells is a collaboration between Danger Mouse and James Mercer, The Shins lead singer. I've always enjoyed The Shins, though not to the extent that many people do. And I feel the same toward Broken Bells. Which makes me question myself: "Why are you writing about Broken Bells if you don't think it's totally super amazing?"

The answer is that I always recommend things that I love and that I think deserve a blog post, which is not to say that Broken Bells doesn't deserve one! I'm just trying to help out the masses here. And the masses enjoy The Shins.

Broken Bells is like a slightly electronic version of The Shins' album Wincing the Night Away. It's a little bit ambient (I suppose that's where Danger Mouse comes into play) with James Mercer's unmistakable vocals. To be honest, when I first heard that it was Danger Mouse and Mercer, I was expecting some crazy stuff but it's not a huge deviation from what one would expect.

So, the other night when I heard the song "The High Road," I thought that there are probably a lot of people that are jonesing for some new Shins material, which is not what you'll get, but it's not that far off.

Sorry guys. This isn't exactly a glowing recommendation, but seriously, check it out. It's nice and mellow, perfect for finals week which is, unfortunately, quickly approaching.

These are a few of my favorite things

2010-05-24T23:03:00.007-04:00

Well, faithful readers/spammers, the school year is beginning to draw to a close. And as I've stated before, shows are ending and soundtracks haven't been all that interesting. Because of this, I'll be posting some of my favorite music/television/film moments. How does a few per post sound? It doesn't really matter - I'm doing it anyway!

1. "You Got Me All Wrong" by Dios Malos from "The O.C.", Season 2, Episode 1

"The O.C." was, is and will always be my favorite TV series ever. I credit the series with introducing me to a majority of my most loved bands. "You Got Me All Wrong" is a go-to, kind of depressing, a little bit groovy, lovely song. Plus, Ryan Atwood.

2. "New Day" by Kate Havnevik from "Grey's Anatomy", Season 3, Episode 9

Ah, back in the days of Doctor Burke... The song is intense. Kate Havnevik has such a unique voice and this song blends strings and electronica together so beautifully. As I watch this clip again, I long for the good old GA days. Everyone was much less annoying and not as preachy. And scenes like this existed. And as always, a beautiful performance from Sandra Oh.

3. "Hong Kong Garden" by Siouxsie and the Banshees from Marie Antoinette

Okay, okay. So, it isn't a new band by any means, but it is an awesome band to get into. To date, this is one of my favorite films - aurally and visually. The combination of 18th century garb and new wave music is amazing. The idea of haughty aristocrats dancing to stuff like New Order and Siouxsie Sioux just tickles me.

Recommendations? What recommendations?

2010-05-23T11:20:00.006-04:00

As I predicted, season finales have been crazy. What's even crazier? Lack of really great music. A majority of these shows have been relying on artists that are acoustically-driven and who use soft vocals. With the exception of a few artists (Damien Rice, Iron and Wine, Rachael Yamagata, etc), I really don't find those to be all that appealing.

So, instead of recommending something that I don't think is entirely worth your time, I'm going to give you a guys a quick preview of a soundtrack that I think will have you shaking and crying.

I've been trying to wrangle up some serious information on the Scott Pilgrim movie soundtrack. So far, this is what I have for you:

1. Beck is composing a ton of the soundtrack's music

2. An old Metric B-Side called "Black Sheep" is being used

3. There's going to be so much music, it might have to be a two-disc volume

4. 6 songs from the Scott Pilgrim graphic novel series' playlist will be used

5. Broken Social scene might be contributing some stuff to the soundtrack as well

With two-disc potential and Beck apparently being heavily involved, this soundtrack will probably be amazeballs.

Taking a trip back to yesteryear

2010-05-19T13:11:00.007-04:00

I recently started thinking about "Gossip Girl" and how, while it isn't what one might call a "critically acclaimed" series to begin with, it certainly has gotten a bit ridiculous over three seasons. So, I decided I ought to go back to when it didn't make me groan/roll my eyes for 42 minutes straight and start watching the first season all over again.

And what did I discover but a delicious little song hiding in the background of the pilot (skip ahead to 3:37 if you feel like watching the scene.) It was a song called "Space for Rent" by the Denmark-based band WhoMadeWho. They're pop-rock-indie-dance music-- I can't even decide which genre to put them under.

The bad news is: they've been a bit lacking in music updates and there isn't much info about them. They released their second album, The Plot, in March 2009. But their debut, self-titled album is a gem. It's like three guys who know exactly what music makes people feel good got together and just started riffing and jamming.

If you can find any of their stuff, I highly recommend it. It's a bit difficult to find. If you're going the legal, iTunes route, it's simple enough to acquire some of their stuff. If you're going the...not so legal route, happy hunting, my friends.

Who needs lyrics?

2010-05-16T23:09:00.007-04:00

I'm going to take a bit of a different route with this post - hope you guys don't mind. I think you might enjoy it.

Clint Mansell. Soundtrack buffs might be nodding their heads and saying, "Yeah," but some of you might be thinking, "Come again?" Don't worry; I'll elaborate.

Clint Mansell is the man behind tons and tons of gorgeous music in soundtracks and movie trailers alike. "Lux Aeterna" is easily the most well-known - it started off as the main theme for Darren Aronofsky's 2000 film Requiem for a Dream before being used in practically everything ever. It was even re-recorded for the Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers trailer and released as "Requiem for a Tower."

He is also the mastermind behind soundtracks for The Fountain, Smokin' Aces, The Wrestler, 11:14 and Pi (among others). But what brought up this post is actually Iron Man 2. I know, I know: "How did she get from Iron Man 2 to Clint Mansell when he had nothing to do with the movie's music at all?" I'll tell you how.

Iron Man 2 stars the amazing, attractive, talented and hilarious Sam Rockwell. Sam Rockwell starred in the 2009 independent film Moon. And who is responsible for the score? You're damn right! It's Clint Mansell! The score for Moon is creepy and claustrophobic and makes me feel anxious. That might sound terrible, but i

t's actually kind of wonderful. The main title is called "Welcome to Lunar Industries." If you're into that, dive right in and try out...everything!

Here's another fun fact with only makes him cooler: he provided back up vocals for Nine Inch Nails' 1999 album The Fragile.

Mansell's music is haunting, using everything from strings to electronic beats to piano. It's the kind of music that gets under your skin. And while it is instrumental, it's the kind of music that someone who scoffs at lyric-less music can seriously get behind. His music speaks volumes on its own. Get ready for goosebumps, my friends.

Season finales rocking my world

2010-05-14T18:33:00.007-04:00

Season finales are happening left and right which is just an excuse to play some incredible music. Here is someone I've been wanting to talk about but I haven't had anything super up-to-date to use as a reason to talk about her. Now, that reason is her song "You've Changed"'s being used in the holy-shit-what-just-happened season finale of "The Vampire Diaries."

So who is it? It's Sia! Just to give you a few references, her song "Breathe Me" was used during the final scene of "Six Feet Under" - only one of the most epic television series and chill-inducing finales of all time ever. "The Bully" was used on "The O.C.," "I Go To Sleep" on "Dollhouse" and a handful of her songs have been used throughout six seasons of "Grey's Anatomy."

She is also a contributor to the ambient/trip-hop group Zero 7. And, let me tell you, girl can make some beautiful and sexy music. Please see "Destiny" and "Distractions" for reference/proof.

Her voice is a bit of an odd one. It sounds almost pained and sleepy, but it's a nice change from girls who sing in those soft voices that don't make me feel anything but bored. Her albums have a nice array of piano-driven pieces, some electronic-sounding stuff (think Massive Attack) and acoustic tracks.

If you're skipping a night out with your friends in favor of staying in to have an introspective night, acquire one of her albums in whatever way you see fit. I'll recommend Colour The Small One to get started with. Don't be surprised if some of the tracks move you to tears or almost tears.

Will my suffering never end?

2010-05-12T13:18:00.014-04:00

In case my recommendations and commentary don't already make it apparent, I'll just go ahead and say it: I am a music snob. I don't like the general public becoming privy to the truly amazing bands that I enjoy so much. The general public likes trash like Nickleback, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, and 3OH!3. So, when they start latching on to bands that have real talent and a strong, devoted fanbases that have been around for years, yeah, I get a little bit riled up.

And you know what isn't helping my irritation? The Twilight soundtracks. Today, the artists and track names for the new Twilight: Eclipse soundtrack were released one-by-one on the half hour. Here are all of the artists featured:

Muse (of course,) Metric, Beck and Bat for Lashes, Vampire Weekend, The Bravery, The Black Keys, Fanfarlo, Florence and the Machine and Sia.

I am well aware that those are all relatively well-known bands. I am not stuck in a belief that they are little, independent bands that I can claim as "mine." But, for some reason, when

15-year-old girls who think that Twilight has Oscar-worthy writing and acting - a true love story for the times - start listening to them, it makes them sparkle a bit less (yes, that was an intentional play on the fact that the vampires in the realm of Twilight appear to sparkle in the sun).

That is not to say that I'm not looking forward to the soundtrack. It is comprised of new, original tracks from the artists, and I'm always excited for new music from some of my favorites. Beck and Bat For Lashes collaborating? I'm so there. The track is called "Let's Get Lost" and there is no way it won't be incredible.

But Twilight is a book/film series that glorifies a creepy, troubling, abusive relationship, portrays a heroine whose life hinges on whether or not some dead guy is around or loves her, and reduces grown women to having flighty pre-teen fantasies. I hate to be one of those people, but I just don't like the idea of bands that I cherish being associated with such a franchise.

If only this it a compilation/collaborative project like Dark Was The Night. But no. Naturally, it has to come from a series about vampires with glittery skin, young men who become buff and (I'm ashamed to say) kind of hot because they're actually werewolves, and a girl who has nothing of interest to offer as a human, and - yet - has at least three guys in love with her.

So, I'll be honest. I don't want to share a musical interest with someone who thinks that Florence Welch's voice is almost as good as Carrie Underwood's. But, any new material is a treasure for me. So, I guess I'll take it and just blog/whine about it/act like an arrogant fan.

P. Diddy's blog. For real.

2010-05-09T17:37:00.005-04:00

Hello world! I come to you today not with a recommendation but with something that I found too strange not to talk about.

Sean "Puffy" Combs, A.K.A. P. Diddy, A.K.A. Diddy, A.K.A. Puff Daddy, A.K.A. "Good Lord, do you have enough names yet? You're worse than Prince at this point," has released a trailer for his new blog. Take a second to really let that sink in. P. Diddy has released a trailer for his new blog.

Stranger yet, this trailer features the following things: Diddy speaking dramatically, Muhammad Ali, Martin Luther King Jr., Will Smith, M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender, Obama, 300, Michael Jordan, and George Clooney. What really ties it all together is a sample of "The Mark Has Been Made" by Nine Inch Nails.

It is one minute of baffling, awesome, mind-boggling images, voice overs, and music. His blog is literally called "DiddyBlog." I don't know what his plans are for said blog. Based on that trailer, one may conclude that Puff is going to talk about minority plights, political ideals, social unrest, and causes he believes in - not counting Ciroc Vodka. But really, I would venture to guess that it will read something more like, "On the road in the bus, laying down some beats. The new album is gonna be sick."

Wait, when was the last time that P. Diddy was actually relevant?

The sun is out, the music is AWESOME!

2010-05-08T12:49:00.006-04:00

I'm really into having just the right music for my mood, in case you guys didn't know. I'm not one of those people who can listen to sad music when they are having a great day, the sun is shining and their hair looks good.

Because of that, I am now offering to you a band with a lot of great summertime music: West Indian Girl. If you're walking around outside listening to them, you will feel like every step you take is being filmed and as if something epic is happening in your life. They're a little bit M83, a little bit Polyphonic Spree, and a whole lot amazeballs.

"What Are You Afraid Of?" is my feel-good, I-want-to-start-running-for-no-reason song. It's a bit electronic with soaring guitars and call-and-response lyrics (you know, I don't know if that's a real thing, but I wrote it and it sounded especially intelligent). As an avid "Veronica Mars" fan (R.I.P.), I was hooked the moment I heard it featured in the first season.

So, if you're looking for upbeat and beautiful music that will make you feel unstoppable, follow this link to a world of joy.

No cold feelings here (ah, puns!)

2010-05-05T21:31:00.001-04:00

So, I'm watching "Gossip Girl" the other night and I'm thinking, "When is someone going to get murdered a la 'Law and Order?' And can it please be Serena Van Der Woodsen?" because - let's be honest - she is extremely annoying. But then, while I was imagining taking her out (and I don't mean on a date), and then stealing her wardrobe, "Audience" by Cold War Kids started playing!

Then I got to thinking. Cold War Kids is relatively popular, but they just don't get enough love in my humble opinion. And I'm a lover, not a fighter (yes, I realize the contradiction in that statement based on the previous paragraph) I want to spread the love and the joy and talk a bit about Cold War Kids.

They're super cool: four guys from Long Beach, California making sexy, spicy indie rock for all to enjoy. If you want scrumptious bass lines, "Hang Me Up To Dry" will get the job done. You want to sing along -- or should I say howl along? "Something Is Not Right With Me" is ideal. And "Hospital Beds" has all the ups and downs you could want in a song.

Note: Florence + the Machine covered "Hospital Beds," and it's magnificent.

For once, I'm not here writing about female singers. Well, I almost got through a post without talking about one. I'm talking about something that's masculine and has more of a rock edge. It might not satiate someone who only listens to Pantera and Slayer, but it might do the trick for those that can't get into the boring drones of Beach House, Radiohead (I've said it before and I'll say it again) or Grizzly Bear.

Always with the lady singers

2010-05-02T22:13:00.000-04:00

You guys, it's officially May. Which means that it's time for sweeps. Which means that a whole bunch of shows are down to their last handful of episodes. And for some, there are no more episodes until next season.

What I'm trying to say is that my recommendations for television and music alike might be a bit more sparse than you've grown accustomed to. Which means that the spam I receive in Chinese on an almost weekly basis... well, it will just have to go somewhere else.

Here's a quick blurb on someone I like: Correatown. Correatown is Angela Correa and she is a beautiful songstress (is that real word? I don't know, but I'm still using it!). Her song "All the World (I Tell Myself)" was featured on "Grey's Anatomy" seasons and seasons ago as well as on the "Ugly Betty" series finale.

"Sunset & Echo" was featured on this week's episode of "Grey's Anatomy" which was (finally) new. Her songs make me want to float on a cloud and wave my arms around in slo-motion while a camera slowly zooms in on my face. Did that make sense? Probably not.

Angela's voice is an interesting (but good!) mixture of old 1930's jazz, folksy drawls and feminine vocals that any emotional girl would want to sing along with. Go now and be swift!

So many bands, so much time (spent not studying)

2010-04-28T23:53:00.000-04:00

The fictional character of Chuck Bartowski (from the TV show "Chuck") made a playlist for his girlfriend Sarah Walker. It's featured on the "Chuck" site over at NBC.com and it's written as though Chuck himself wrote it (even though the tone is totally off and it's way too simple, that's besides the point).

It's got some nice little gems on it. I'll take this time to break it down.

"Heart Skipped A Beat" by the xx is a nice tune. I've talked about the xx here before so I won't go on about it too much. From what I've heard, a lot of people listen to the xx's self-titled album before going to bed. But don't let that fool you into thinking that they're a slow, sad-sounding sort of band.

"Rhinestone Eyes," a track from the new Gorillaz album Plastic Beach, doesn't exactly fit the bill for sounding extremely romantic. Then again, with lyrics like "Your love's like rhinestones falling from the sky," I guess that's poetic. Plus, who can deny the awesomeness that is Gorillaz?

The band Gus Gus is featured, but as a journalist (er, a kinda journalist) I have to maintain good ethics and remain honest: I don't care for them. They're from Iceland so they're a bit odd. If you're into lo-fi electronic stuff, give it a shot.

Ooh, and then there're The Kills. Have I mentioned them here? I don't care, I'm talking about them now. I'm a passionate The Kills fan. Ever since I heard "U.R.A Fever" (a super sexy song in my humble opinion) I've been hooked. The Chuck playlist is recommending "Tape Song," and I concur. The Kills is a one guy, one girl duo that rocks so hard I can hardly believe it. The only word I can think to describe their sound is smoldering. You're intrigued, aren't you?

Last one and then I'm out because I've got two exams tomorrow that I probably haven't adequately prepared for.

LCD Soundsystem's newest single "Drunk Girls" is on the playlist. Can someone please listen to this song and the Beastie Boys song "Girls" and confirm that the yelling of "girls!" is very similar? LCD Soundsystem is perfect party music. Whether you're a bro, a hipster or you worship the deity Beysus, I dare you to listen to this and not yearn for the dance floor.

Let's start dancing and never stop

2010-04-21T16:28:00.000-04:00

It's Friday and Dance or Die is tonight (speaking of that, check out the Scene and Heard blog I'll be writing for it!) so you know all I want to do is shake my ass and get ready to work it out on the dance floor. In honor of that, I bring to you some sexy, groovy music that will inspire you to bust a move.

I could never get down with Passion Pit for some reason. Perhaps it was Michael Angelakos' over the top vocals that I just couldn't handle. Or maybe I just consider myself to be holier-than-thou, as has been pointed out to me. Who knows. Either way, Empire of the Sun makes for a great replacement or addition to electronic dance music!

Empire of the Sun (I'm guessing they're named after the film?) hails from Australia and is made up of Luke Steele of The Sleepy Jackson and Nick Littlemore of Pnau. Their song "Walking on a Dream" was recently featured in the trailer for Accidents Happen.

So, will you like Empire of the Sun? Let's see... do you enjoy any form of dancing? This can be swaying, grinding, shimmying or hopping around. Do you enjoy groovy tunes? Are you into both ABBA and MGMT, and you wish there was some way that you could enjoy both at the same time?

If yes to any of the above, I suggest you click on a link or listen to their album Walking on a Dream. It's conveniently embedded directly below for your listening pleasure!

Walking On A Dream (Special Ed...

Television stars making music. Hm...

2010-04-16T15:32:00.000-04:00

Taylor Momsen (perhaps better known as Jenny Humphrey on "Gossip Girl") has formed her own band called The Pretty Reckless, and they're not as terrible as one might assume. Lucky for us, she's taken some cues from the likes of Courtney Love (though, she isn't a wreck... yet), Karen O and a few other lady rockers.

For being 16, she's actually kind of a kick-ass girl. Speaking of kicking ass,

that's the reason this entry has been written. The Pretty Reckless' first single "Make Me Wanna Die" is featured on the Kick-Ass soundtrack!

It's nice to see a deviation from the "music" of Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift. Even if she's veering toward rebelling for the sake of rebelling, I'm giving her props for not falling into the Top 40-esque, Disney kid stuff. However, I foresee a spike in the number of "punk" 14-year-old girls quoting Momsen's lyrics. Some of her lyrics include "I luh-luh-luh like you. I lah-lah-lah love you. I used to huh-huh-huh hate you. But now I really fucking LOVE you!" Melodramatic and angsty? Maybe so...

If you're feeling risky, check out some of the demos that are floating around the Internetz: "He Loves You," "Blender" and "Zombie" are the only real demos so far.

Music to cry to

2010-04-14T22:09:00.000-04:00

There's an adorable little show on The CW called "Life Unexpected" that just wrapped up its first season on Tuesday. And it was so emotional, I almost cried. Almost. I managed to hold back the tears.

It wasn't just the acting of the dirty/hot Kristoffer Polaha, or the writing -- it was a devastating duet (randomly titled "Duet") between Rachael Yamagata and Ray LaMontagne that made me want to jump off a bridge because my heart hurt so much.

OK, that might be a bit extreme. I'm just going to go ahead and skip to the music portion of this post. If you don't already know, Ray LaMontagne is the bee's knees and if you don't already listen to him, do it. I would like to take this opportunity to shed some light on Rachael Yamagata.

When I listen to her music, it's like swimming in an ocean of tears, having my heart ripped out by an Ork, and falling off a giant cliff that leads right back to the ocean of tears. In a good way! She has this gorgeous, throaty (OK, that's kind of an awful word) voice and she plays the piano like someone made the instrument just for her.

Odds are, you've heard Rachael's music before. Lists seem to be my forte, so I'm going to go ahead and do that right now. Here's where you might have heard her amazing voice before:

1. "Worn Me Down" and "Reason Why" on "The O.C."

2. "Be Be Your Love" on "One Tree Hill" and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants soundtrack

3. "Duet" on "Grey's Anatomy" and "Private Practice"

I can't begin to tell you how wonderful she is. Again, a majority of her music has a spot on my "Depressed" playlist on iTunes, so if you're looking for songs to listen to while curled up in the fetal position, weeping every tear you have in you, I think her music will really help get the job done.

It's NOT Twilight!

2010-04-11T18:11:00.001-04:00

Confession: I'm a television addict. Right now, I'm completely caught up/finished with every show I've been watching. That leaves me with only one option - to start watching shows that I initially waved off, only now I am experiencing new television withdrawal syndromes so I need a quick fix.

The latest quick fix? "The Vampire Diaries." Yes, I have given in to my inner 13-year-old girl and decided to watch a show about smoldering-eye'd young (old, actually) men who just want to do right by a girl in high school. Hey, I've got to balance out the really great shows with some awful ones, right?

VD (as I like to call it because it has the same initials as venereal disease!) is on its 17th episode, so I'm not about to list the dozens of songs that have appeared, but I will pick my top three bands that might strike the general population's fancy.

1. White Lies - I gushed to my friend "They're like a mix of Interpol, Phoenix and feeling invincible." Poetic, yes? Well, they are. They're a three-piece band from London and they make sexy and trendy music. Please check out "Death" and "To Lose My Life."

2. Union of Knives - This band is a little bit electronic and a little bit rock. Another three-piece, they're a little bit dark and could definitely end up being one of those bands in your library that people say "Who?" but then listen and say "This is great!" Track it down, enjoy it and let it become something special. I think I'll recommend "Opposite Direction" and "Lick Black Gold."

3. The Dodos - They're opening for The New Pornographers this summer! And their music is catchy as hell. It has something for everyone. If you like pop stuff, you'll like it. If you like folksy stuff, you'll like it. The Dodos is just one of those bands that works. Check out "Fools" and "Fables."

There you have it. Three recommendations to keep you busy for a while. Take your time and savor the sounds.

That new show with Lorelai Gilmore!

2010-04-08T18:47:00.001-04:00

The last entry was a bit loquacious and quite ranty/ravey, so let me just take a moment to give a short and sweet spiel about a new NBC show.

"Parenthood" the hour long dramedy starring... well, a slew of people, really, hasn't exactly hit the nail on the head but also hasn't messed up royally by any means. A lot of the characters are likable (and believable!) and actually quite akin to something one might call "reality." But this is CineMUSic! Of course I'm going to talk about the music!

With the exception of the opening song ("Forever Young Continued" by Bob Dylan) the music is currently kicking ass. It's a family show, so odds are we'll never hear crazy-weird indie stuff, but here's a quick list of some of the best tracks (I think) they've used:

1. "Natural Disaster," Andrew Bird
2. "Once In A Lifetime," Talking Heads (okay, definitely not indie, but still super good!)
3. "Cool Yourself," Thao Nguyen with the Get Down Stay Down
4. "When You Learn To Sing," Rocco DeLuca

And these are among quite a few other great choices. If you're into mellow, acoustic-y music that won't offend you, I would definitely recommend checking out the music from this show. And if you're like me and no matter how much television you watch it just doesn't seem to be enough, pick up on this show. It's only six episodes in and it's nice. Even Dax Shepard doesn't totally suck in it!

Scott Pilgrim: before hipster tweens make me hate it

2010-04-06T00:25:00.000-04:00

Settle in, reader. This is going to be a two-part post and something verging on a feature (well, a feature in the realm of blogs.) Hopefully it doesn't turn into something deserving of tl;dr.

I'm into graphic novels. I'm into trendy and quirky music. I'm into pretty much every form of media. Which is why I find myself attracted to the S cott Pilgrim graphic novel series. And before you get too anxious about CineMUSic implementing books, the series is being turned into a film starring the loathsome Michael Cera (aside from when he's George-Michael Bluth). However, this post is going to focus on the stuff that you find on pages.

Music is a big part of the world of Scott Pilgrim. He's the bass player for a band called Sex Bob-omb, he dates a girl named Knives Chau -- but falls in love with Ramona who has dyed hair and is way more sexually experienced than he is. I'll stop beating around the bush -- Scott Pilgrim is a hipster. And for every volume (the sixth is due out July 20, 2010!) chronicling the trials and tribulations of Scott Pilgrim there is a playlist.

So, is it good music or is it bad music? Well, we've got Beulah, Neko Case (excuse me while I hyperventilate), Spoon, The New Pornographers, The Go! Team, David Bowie, Sloan and Fleetwood Mac (among a few dozen others). It's like my musical wet dream. At the end of Volume 3, the author/illustrator Bryan Lee O'Malley writes "for each book, I tend to make one mix CD of song that capture the right mood." He then goes on to list about 10 songs with a note about why they're important in the world of Scott Pilgrim.

For once, I'm getting a little bit serious at CineMUSic. The point of this blog is not just for me to act like a pompous jerk and express how great I think bands are and if they'll be popular. It's also a chance for people to see how integral music is to all forms of art and entertainment. Music serves as an incredible inspiration. I mean, the song "Scott Pilgrim" by a band called Plumtree is what inspired the entire series. Music isn't just something to add interest to a scene or to take away awkward silent moments, it's there because it's powerful.

My point with this little post (well, actually, it's quite large compared to my other posts) is to shed light on books and music working together to create a new experience. Music and almost every other form of art go together like peanut butter and jelly, Ashton and Demi, Romeo and Juliet (okay, so that one ended badly but you get the point).

I'll be back soon with a post about the movie's soundtrack. Here's a taste: there will be Beck.

Not Radiohead (thank God.)

2010-04-02T19:19:00.001-04:00

So, I'm watching "Grey's Anatomy" this past Thursday, and in the background, I'm sure I'm hearing Thom Yorke's stupid voice managing to sound good. And then I thought, "Ah, shit. I'd rather not admit that Thom Yorke has made something enjoyable." Lucky for me, I won't have to say that. Because it wasn't Thom Yorke and it wasn't Radiohead!

It was Aqualung, or as I see it, the man with the most beautiful voice in all the land. It's devastating really. Aqualung is Matt Hales and his amazing piano playing. You might recognize his song "Strange and Beautiful (I'll Put A Spell On You)," which manages to be heartbreaking and sexy at the same time. You might even recognize another song of his, "Brighte r Than Sunshine" which was used in the movie A Lot Like Love.*

"Remember Us" was the song used at the end of "Grey's" and features Sara Bareilles (of "Love Song" fame.) It's full of subdued vocals and quite a few "oohs" and "aahs." Essentially, Hales makes music that is built for emotional moments on the screen. Or maybe in real life when you just want to curl up into a ball and die. You pick.

*Can I just gush for a moment? So many people wrinkle their noses when I admit fervent love for A Lot Like Love, but it's a wonderful chick flick. You know why? Because it's more realistic than other rom-coms, Ashton Kutcher is goofy and hot, and the soundtrack is great. So there.

A "wave" of delicious sound

2010-03-31T20:41:00.000-04:00

Punny, right? Okay, let's get to it!

Rogue Wave is by no means a super unknown band. They were signed to Sub Pop Records up until 2007 and are now signed with Brushfire Records. They've toured with Death Cab For Cutie. They're definitely not unknowns. But this week's episode of "90210" prompted me to blog about them.

I distinctly recall being 14 and hearing "Publish My Love" on The O.C. and thanking God for the existence of Google. Since then, I've been hooked. And while they're already relatively well known in the land of indie music fans, they've been getting some serious playtime - probably due to the release of their new album, Permalight.

"90210" used the song "Eyes" which is three things: classic, well-known and a bit out of date for such a "hip" show. However, the people over at Chuck had the right idea a few episodes back in playing the song "Permalight" from the new album. On top of that, their music has been used in a ton of other stuff.

I'm not going to overdo it and create a music recipe to describe what they sound like. They vary between mellow and poppy. And they were on Sub Pop - you know that means it's good. I predict what is already a successful, independent band gaining some serious popularity in the coming months.

A bear that is not of the grizzly variety

2010-03-14T15:17:00.000-04:00

Iceland may not be the first country you think of when asked "Where does cool music come from?" but the fact is, cool music does come from Iceland! Take, for example, Sigur Rós, Björk and Emilíana Torrini. Now, let's add indie/folk band Seabear to that list.

Seabear is the most quintessential, classic example of indie/folk I've heard in quite a while. As of late, most indie music has been shoe-gazey (even though I refuse to acknowledge that as an actual genre of music), and the folk stuff has been very blues or country influenced. But Seabear's music is full of modest vocals and violins with a little flare of music that sounds like something you might want to sway to on a beach somewhere.

The most recent episode of "Grey's Anatomy" featured their song "Cold Summer" in the closing montage. It's classic "Grey's Anatomy" closer music - strings, keys, horns and heartbreaking vocals. A match made in heaven. Their song "Cat Piano" has also been used in a BBC advertisement for Finding Neverland and in "Gossip Girl."

Okay, so indie/folk is a bit vague. Let's get a bit more descriptive: Seabear is "Sufjan Stevens meets Arcade Fire unplugged," according to Clash Magazine. And Rolling Stone has determined that lead singer Sindri Már Sigfússon is the Icelandic Beck (a la Sea Change). My two cents is that I've got three papers to write over the next five days and this will be just the right music to keep me calm and motivated.

XOXO, Gossip Girl

2010-03-09T15:01:00.000-05:00

"Gossip Girl" is back and let me tell you guys, I could not be more pleased. And Monday's episode? Well, the music choices were so good, I'm covering almost the entire episode's worth!

First, there was Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes. I talk about them at CineMUSic and in daily life constantly, so let me just reiterate: they're awesome.

Then there was "Spirit Horse" by Sea Wolf. Sea Wolf is led by Alex Brown Church (previously of the band Irving) and is a band that creates this comfortable, relaxing (but never boring) indie rock. Their most popular song "You're A Wolf" has been used in a slew of television shows and film and it's this beautiful little piece of music that just gets under your skin in the best way.

"Crystalised" by the xx popped up next and reminded me how good that song is and how enjoyable their debut album is. If you're familiar with The Kills, imagine that duo only a bit toned down and understated. They're a little bit dark and moody, and yet the music makes me want to move. Wikipedia tells me they're "dream pop." I suppose that's an adequate genre choice.

And rounding it all out was Monsters of Folk's "Map of the World." If you're at all interested in folk/indie music, I can say with 99% certainty that you've heard of one of the members of the supergroup. It's made up of Jim James (My Morning Jacket), Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis (both of Bright Eyes) and M. Ward. I've never been a big fan of Bright Eyes (too mopey and sad for me) but Monsters of Folk is... well I think the name of the band kind of says it. It's folk music you can sink your teeth into and enjoy even if folk isn't your favorite genre.

Basically, "Gossip Girl," you dominated this week.

The French are très magnifique!

2010-03-08T00:06:00.001-05:00

CineMUSic is turning into this more-often-than-not feminist style music blog. I feature a lot of ladies in this blog, but hey, that's the music I tend to like at the current stage of my life.

Charlotte Gainsbourg's sexy little song "Trick Pony" was featured in the opening (and also sexy) montage of last week's episode of "Grey's Anatomy." It's sexy in that strong, confident way as opposed to strictly sultry and "We are so gonna do it" way.

Gainsbourg has released three studio albums, the first being in 1986, titled Charlotte For Ever, when she was just 15 years old. That kind of thing makes me wonder what I've been doing with my time for the last five years of my life. Better yet, she's a film star. Not like Jenny Lewis who had a brief stint as a child actress and a role in Pleasantville (wonderful film). Charlotte appeared in 21 Grams, Jane Eyre, I'm Not There, and Antichrist.

Want to know why her latest album IRM will crush your soul into oblivion and make your heart explode? As if Charlotte herself wasn't enough, Beck wrote and produced 12 of the 13 songs. I think that about covers it.

Lurking around and being awesome

2010-03-03T22:15:00.000-05:00

There is currently an under-the-radar band whose music has quietly been floating around television, and they have major potential to be popular. Like... super popular. I'm talking Sex-on-Fire-please-not-this-song-again popular.

Great Northern is a band from L.A. and is comprised of Solon Bixler, Rachel Stolte, Michael Regilio, Marissa Micik and Dusty Rocherolle. I'll say it right now: Solon Bixler is the former guitarist of 30 Seconds to Mars. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth (aside from the whole Jared Leto part because... look at him) but don't be too quick to judge. The band has an uncanny ability to turn out catchy rock songs and I always give major thumbs up to ladies who kick ass.

It's tough to describe Great Northern. Maybe like the Followill brothers (and one cousin, but whatever) had a younger, rebellious sister who also wanted to make music? Or like someone told Hayley Williams to stop whining and playing the same song over and over again?

This is a band that makes me believe in what some might call "chick rock." It's not Lillith Fair and it's not a 17-year-old singing about how she's simultaneously one of the guys but the only girl you should love.

And since this blog is about television/film, not just music, I'll let you know that they've been heard all over the place. They've had songs featured on almost every CW show, Bones, Grey's Anatomy, Friday Night Lights, The Hills, Nissan commercials and in the movie 21. But the music supervisors have been hiding the goods because the band hasn't been too prominent. At least not yet...

A cute redundantly named band

2010-02-22T14:20:00.000-05:00

It's been awfully quiet here at CineMUSic. You'll have to forgive me -- week seven mixed in with the Olympics makes a whole mess of reruns on television and no time to watch the new stuff. Because of this, we're going to travel in time to March 2, 2009. The setting is "Chuck," season 2 episode 15, "Chuck Versus the Beefcake." I give to you "Airplanes" by Local Natives.

This particular episode featured a band that's gaining a lot of popularity really quickly.

Local Natives is a band from Los Angeles and is exactly what someone wants from an indie band: haunting lyrics, quirky but beautiful vocals and some careful guitar plucking. A lot of people have chosen to compare them to the likes of Arcade Fire (not really), Fleet Foxes (slightly, only not boring) and Vampire Weekend (NO).

Their debut album Gorilla Manor, was released in the UK in 2009 and received a U.S. release less than 10 days ago. I'm siding with Pitchfork on this one: they gave the album an 8.4 which is -- dare I say -- praise! The 8.4 rating is well-deserved. The album is a nice little gem that people might overlook.

I'm predicting that now that the album is available in the U.S. there will be a noticeable spike in the amount of play they'll receive in television. Let's see: CW shows will want to jump on them and quite possibly Shonda Rimes's Thursday night train wreck (you know, because the shows are simultaneously horrendous and awesome at the same time).

Keep your ears peeled (ugh, gross visual. Sorry everyone!).

Best of Music on TV for the 2000s

2010-02-17T12:57:00.000-05:00

Since everyone has different taste in music, television and film, it seems safe to say that a number of people might not always relate to my posts. So Greg Gallant, Copy Chief of ACRN, is writing here today as a guest blogger. He'll be listing his top 10 music/film/television moments from the 2000s. Without further ado...

Songs usually serve to enhance an episode of television, but, many times, the drama on the screen can serve to enhance the song, creating a more fitting visual counterpart than any music video could drum up with just a few minutes of story.

Rules:
1. Must be pre-existing songs used in a scripted sitcom or drama.
2. Characters singing the song is OK.
3. No theme songs or title sequences.
4. God Bless Flight of the Conchords, but they don't count.

10: Bob Dylan - Don't Think Twice, It's Alright. "Mad Men" - The Wheel - 2007.

As the first season of "Mad Men" came to a close, viewers got their first glimpse of the cracks in Don Draper's armor. After declining to go on a family vacation in order to work, Don decided to hurry home and join in on the fun. He made it in time, and there was much rejoicing -- except that it was only a fantasy (a rare gambit from the AMC show). His actual arrival was too late, and he wound up sitting alone in his empty mansion. Cue Bob.

9. Starland Vocal Band - Afternoon Delight. "Arrested Development" - Afternoon Delight - 2004.
"Arrested Development" had so much comedic success with their own music and song rip-offs (eg, "Yellow Boat" for "Yellow Submarine"), that they rarely used popular songs. In this episode though, Michael and his niece, Maeby, decide to sing a little karaoke. Michael suggests, "let's do the first song on the list!" The song proves to be more sexual than the title indicates, and their mistake is soon repeated by Michael's sister and son.

8. Delta Spirit - People, Turn Around. "Sons of Anarchy" - Potlach - 2009.

The amazing second season of FX's "Sons of Anarchy" featured an almost non-stop escalation of the feud between the two main characters, Jax and Clay. Their animosity reached one of its several boiling points as Gemma (Clay's wife/Jax's mom) was serving dinner to the club. Gemma smashing a serving tray is a good wake-up call for the Sons, but only temporarily.

7. Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag. "Generation Kill" - Combat Jack - 2004.

Words can not express how saddened I am that this clip is not available online. It probably could have cracked the top 3, but it's hard to explain how amazing the scene is without showing it. After a series of intensely dramatic events, the soldiers are once again driving through the desert in their humvee, and they bust out an amazing (and apt) a Capella version of the song.

6. Seal - Kiss From a Rose. "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" - The Gang Wrestles for the Troops - 2009.

With IASIP, as the quality of the show has waned over the past couple seasons, the budget has gone up. In short, more money = less funny. However, in this scene, surely one of the most bizarre pieces to ever air on basic cable, Dee abandons the soldier she had been writing to upon seeing him in a wheelchair. Frank is stuck there with his gift of jean shorts and a Seal-filled boombox. His salute for the soldier lasts absurdly long and is only made funnier by the song and the fact that Danny DeVito is barely taller than a handicapped man. (Skip to about the 1:30 mark if you just want to hear the song.)

5. Solomon Burke - Fast Train. "The Wire" - Mission Accomplished - 2004.

Season 3 of "The Wire" was perhaps the greatest season of television ever, and Burke's rendition of the Van Morrison classic was the perfect choice for the season-ending montage. SPOILER ALERT: The images show the ends of many of the brilliant stories told over 37 episodes, while also evoking the theme of business as usual, returning to the streets of Baltimore.

4. The Polyphonic Spree - Light and Day/Reach for the Sun. "Scrubs" - My Choosiest Choice of All - 2004.

"Scrubs" has used a billion great songs over the years, many of them employed excellently within the show. It was a challenge to pick one, but when all (or most, or some, maybe) of The Polyphonic Spree showed up in a patient's room to perform for the montage, that took the cake.

3. TV on the Radio - DLZ. "Breaking Bad" - Over - 2009.

SPOILER ALERT: "Breaking Bad" is the story of a chemistry teacher who essentially uses his cancer diagnosis as an excuse to descend into the world of crime. Sure, he is providing for his family, but as the show goes on, he keeps losing reasons to cook meth... and yet doesn't stop. In "Over," he vows to quit the drug game, but the monotony of his everyday life drives him back into its arms.

2. ASIA - Heat of the Moment. "South Park" - Kenny Dies - 2001.

Again, it is a tragedy that this clip is not available on YouTube, but if you haven't seen it, trust me, hilarious. When Kenny is on his death bed (for real), Cartman must plead to Congress for stem cell research. When his speech isn't quite working, he launches into this 80s staple. One representative joins in with the stomp-stomp-clap, and pretty soon the entire legislative body is rocking out to ASIA.

1. Johnny Cash - When the Man Comes Around. "Generation Kill" - Bomb in the Garden - 2008.

I defy you to show me five minutes of footage that says more about modern warfare than the final moments of the HBO miniseries "Generation Kill." As the soldiers gather around to watch the movie created by one of the grunts, they have mixed feeling about what they're watching, and begin to leave one by one. Cash is the perfect soundtrack for this powerhouse scene.

-Greg Gallant, Copy Chief

Say what you will about "Greek," but...

2010-02-10T08:04:00.001-05:00

The Broken West

Yep, I'm talking about "Greek" again. Better yet, I'm talking about The Broken West. Odds are, you haven't heard of The Broken West. And I mean this in no offense to you, reader - I know you're very informed and up-to-date on what Pitchfork and the various other in-the-know publications have to say. But sometimes, Pitchfork gets their stuff wrong because they gave The Broken West's album Now or Heaven a 5.6 and I trust my judgment more than theirs.

The Broken West is like this perfect blend of Rogue Wave and Spoon, a severely underrated 90s band and a picaresque summer day. Ross Flournoy provides guitar and vocals for the group and let me be the first to say that there's nothing more that I appreciate than a man with a crystal clear, not-too-soft-but-not-too-hard and honest voice.

A lot of their songs have been featured on "Greek" (someone there knows what's good) and their song "Down in the Valley" was featured a while back on Grey's Anatomy. They've toured with The National (I don't get their appeal) and The Walkmen (meh). Odds are, The Broken West will find its way to your ears one way or another, whether you make the wise decision to seek them out or in one year, you're watching a movie and think "Hey! This tune is pretty snazzy. What do you call this band?" What do I call this band? The Broken West and they kick ass!

British adorableness, basically

2010-02-08T14:10:00.000-05:00

Jack Peñate

"Chuck" is not only a great show because of the writing, cinematography and actors, but also because of its magnificent song choices. Last week's episode featured "40 Day Dream" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, but they've been discussed already so you'll have to do some archiving to read my thoughts.

Last night's episode? Jack Peñate! His song "Let's All Die" - which I assure you is actually an upbeat song and not a song about weird cult suicide - opened the show and most likely caught people's attention. He has a voice that you might mistake as someone else's at first but is distinctly his own. He's from London, and it's easy to tell from listening to any of his songs. You know, instead of singing "let's ahl die" he sings "let's oohl die." Charming, yes?

If you're sick of all the shoe-gazey, spacey, experimental stuff like Phoenix and Grizzly Bear, look into Jack. It's indie music you can skank to! And get this: his new album, Everything Is New, is streaming for free on his MySpace so I can't think of a single reason why you wouldn't click that link and have a listen.

My embarrassment gives way to your delight

2010-02-02T00:02:00.000-05:00

Let me be blunt: I watch a lot of TV*. And when I say "a lot," I don't mean one show a night. I mean up to five shows a night (that would be Monday - the busiest television night ever). In all honesty, some of it is what a lot of people would refer to as "bad TV," and I don't even care. I watch "Make It or Break It" on ABC Family. I'll give you a moment to judge. Are we good? Can you still stand the sight of this blog? Wonderful!

Now, on to the good stuff, A.K.A the music. On last night's episode, "White Daisy Passing" by Rocky Votolato was featured not once but twice in the episode. Better yet, the song was also featured four years ago on a little show that I like to call "The O.C." Who is this Rocky Votolato I speak of? He's a singer/song-writer from Texas and is currently signed to Barsuk Records, so you know he must be good. Even if you don't take my word for it, Barsuk should say it all. I offer Rocky as the healthier and superior alternative to the "totally chill" sounds of bro-rockers such as Dave Matthews Band, Jason Mraz and Jack Johnson.

Please do yourself a favor, put down your copy of Crash and pick up Makers by Rocky. It's a choice you won't soon regret. He's got nimble fingers which pluck the nicest melodies, a smooth and sincere voice and the ability to make the cheesiest of cheesy lyrics sound... not so cheesy. Rocky Votolato is who you want to dedicate a song to you. The guy who's songs you'll learn in order to woo that special someone. Perfectly mellow and honest, it's hard to deny how good he is, so don't even try.

*This is literally a two second section of my favorite scene in 'Some Kind of Wonderful.' I just couldn't help myself and I identify with Watts so much.

Electr(on)ic avenue

2010-01-28T21:02:00.000-05:00

You know what I like? Electronic music that I can dance to without feeling like I should've taken a club drug before listening to it. Of course, the staples are The Faint, Hot Chip and LCD Soundsystem, but why not something new? Something fresh and sexy?

I give to you Alex Metric - no relation to the band Metric, I assure you - an electronic remixer/solo artist with some sick beats that will make you want to bust out the glow necklaces and bodypaint.

His song "Head Straight" was recently featured on the new ABC show "The Deep End." Speaking of the show, let me take a moment to sing my praises. It's cute, everyone is super hot, Billy Zane stars in it, and the writing is undoubtedly outshining Shonda Rimes's writing over at "Grey's Anatomy." If you decide to go looking for some of Alex's stuff, you'll be hard-pressed to find many original songs. What you will find, however, are remixes of songs by artists like Phoenix, Ladyhawke, Beastie Boys and Bloc Party. And you know what? They're delicious.

So, if you're throwing a party and you're just not digging the idea of playing "Birthday Sex" or "Good Girls Go Bad," slap these on (as if they're vinyl or something. Ha!) and your friends will think you're a party music god/goddess. You're welcome.

Music on TV: The 2000s

2010-01-27T23:20:00.000-05:00

Rules:

Has to be a pre-existing song used in an episode of a scripted drama or comedy.
No theme songs/title sequences.
God Bless Flight of the Conchords, but they don't count.
Characters singing the song is OK.

I don't like sororities but...

2010-01-26T20:48:00.000-05:00

I know I rarely branch out from discussing shows on ABC, The CW, NBC and Fox, but hold on tight because I'm about to go somewhere you might not expect (unless you know me and my infatuation with television). "Greek" is on ABC Family and is honestly a good show. Yeah, it's about frats and sororities (which you would never catch me at, no matter what) but the writing is smart, the characters are relatable, and... everyone on the show is attractive. Even Clark Duke who I may or may not have a geek crush on.

But let's get down to it. Monday marked the anticipated return of the college-based show and return it did, with clever one-liners and CineMUSic worthy tunes. In the opening scene, my ears perked up as I recognized the sweet sound of The Submarines. The L.A. duo, which is made up of John Dragonetti and Blake Hazard (yes, those are their real names. Bitchin', right?), sing sweet little songs that make you wish they were providing the soundtrack for your life. If they were, you would be starring in a not-too-indie-but-still-quirky flick full of stolen glances, chaste kisses, and endearing speeches.

"The Wake Up Song," which also appeared in the show Gossip Girl, is a nice representation of the band's tendency to mix classic instruments and digital audio effects (note, the auto-tune). You may find yourself listening to this track thinking "These voices sound kind of familiar..." and you know what? They should!

Exhibit one: The iPhone 3G commercial that everyone in America saw every moment of every day. "You, Me, and the Bourgeoisie" is the song used for said commercial, and it's actually an infectious little track. Another one of their songs "Submarine Symphonika" was used in other iPhone commercials as well.
Exhibit two: The characters of Nip/Tuck lip-synced the song "Brighter Discontent" in the season four finale. I can't vouch for why the hell they did this as I was told the show has really gone down hill and thus, am afraid to get involved.
Exhibit three: An instrumental version of their song "Modern Inventions" (my favorite Submarines song, FYI) was used during the credits of the HBO documentary 'A Pixar Story.'

And there you have it. A rundown of pretty much all you could ever need or want to know about The Submarines. You're officially prepared to experience their music.

The CineMUSic tumblr.

2010-01-18T15:52:00.000-05:00

This is just a quick, informative blog regarding the grand opening of the CineMUSic tumblr. Being a full-time student, it's a bit difficult for me to stay up-to-date with every television show in real time, to research the music and blog about them daily.

And so, for those of you who desire music recommendations daily, I've created a tumblr devoted to simple, quick posts full of music and television/movie scenes. At the CineMUSic tumblr, you'll find recommendations from past and current media, so don't be surprised if you find stuff from The O.C. or 80s movies. Also, let me just add: tumblr >>>>>>>>>>>> twitter. So, get on the tumblr train and follow, follow, follow!

If you want epic and beautiful music...

2010-01-15T13:34:00.000-05:00

As you may have noticed, with the return of primetime television also comes the return of CineMUSic. And last night, "Grey's Anatomy" returned for the second half of its sixth season. And let me just say, without the music during the last few minutes of the show, I would have been let down - okay, more let down.

If you haven't heard of Florence and the Machine, get out from under that rock that is your home, get on this thing called 'the Internet' and start listening. Florence and the Machine is the London based singer/songwriter Florence Welch. As of late, she has been compared to Bat For Lashes (who was featured on Dollhouse in November and I swiftly had a joyous meltdown) and Kate Bush (who is a goddess).

Last night her song "Cosmic Love" was used to make a not-so-intense scene seem... well, epic! Thanks to pounding drums, ethereal strings, and Florence's strong voice, it totally worked. People are hunting her music down after last night's episode and a serious spike in the use of her music is inevitable. Her song "Kiss With A Fist" has been used in quite a few shows (and is actually quite unlike the rest of her songs), but "Cosmic Love" is a gem that will send people into frenzies with how lovely it is.

If you're one of those people who takes pride in having heard of an artist sooner than other people, start listening now. It won't be long before you start hearing her music in a Cadillac commercial every second of your life.

The New Pornographers. Need I say more?

2010-01-13T23:00:00.000-05:00

The New Pornographers is one of those bands that people think they're familiar with. All of the trendy, hip kids have heard their name so much, they're under the impression that they know something about this band. But the fact is, they wouldn't know The New Pornogrphers from New Kids on the Block.

Okay, maybe that's a little bit of a stretch.

But The New Pornographers - one of my favorite bands of all time ever - got some prominent play time on Wednesday's episode of "Ugly Betty". "Adventures in Solitude" played for a solid chunk of the last 10 minutes of the show. If you're not familiar with the Canadian-based band - familiarize. Now. Led by one of the most adorable and talented red heads on Earth, A.C. Newman (his solo stuff also kicks ass), the band was formed in 1997. It also boasts having eight musicians, which includes the indelible Neko Case.

Side note: I think Neko Case is the greatest woman ever. If I could be anyone, I would be her.

So, getting away from my tiny obsession with Neko and back to the genius that is The New Pornographers, let's talk about how great they are and what they're like. 1. Really great. 2. Some people say 'power pop.' Some people might just call it 'indie.' But what they really are is a blend of a variety of instruments, some of the most unique and beautiful voices and clever, smart lyrics.

Let's recap: Despite having heard the name 'The New Pornographers' so often, a lot of people haven't taken the time to listen and get to know them. But after me drooling over how wonderful they are, maybe everyone will take a moment to check them out. I don't think you'll regret it.

T.I. is in jail and someone has to maintain his popularity

2009-11-12T14:08:00.001-05:00

Loyal reader(s)/anyone: we have something serious to talk about.

On last week's episode of "Gossip Girl' there was - prepare yourself - a threesome. Not just any threesome; this was a college threesome involving Hilary Duff (who really isn't as innocent as you might think). A bit risque, no?

Actually, no. All that happened is that we saw Duff down some type of alcoholic drink, kiss her boyfriend, kiss her boyfriend's best friend, then said boyfriend and best friend kissed. Big deal. I signed up for the controversial but still realistically awkward fumbling of clothes and a lot of What do I do?'s. Whatever, I'll keep watching.

I digress. What appealed most about this threesome was the song in the background - Anya Marina belting out a stellar cover of T.I.'s "Whatever You Like." Anya's sweet little voice seems a bit too innocent to be crooning the words "late night sex/so wet, so tight," but for some odd reason, it works. I can completely understand why this version was used - it's a little bit sexy and mysterious. If they had used the original, I have the distinct feeling the scene would have been a bit more... graphic.

In addition to "Gossip Girl," Anya is quickly gaining popularity through the loved/hated Twilight franchise. That's right - her song "Satellite Heart" appears on the "New Moon" soundtrack. Based on how crazed 15 year-old-girls are in terms of Twilight, count on people adding her to their list of favorite music. Also, I won't be surprised if she's the catalyst for a bunch of mopey teenagers to pick up guitars and start whispering about guys that dazzle them but break their hearts. You've been warned.

Anya Marina captures what I do like about chick rock. Lisa Loeb doesn't make me want to "Stay," I'm just a bit too young for The Indigo Girls and Jewel confuses me. Anya Marina, though? I'll allow it.

If you like magic and music, you'll want to read this

2009-11-11T23:39:00.000-05:00

This is a slightly belated report about what wonderful group was featured on what wonderful show, but not to worry - this still puts you way ahead of the game in listening to trendy music.

In last season's finale of "Ugly Betty" (skip to 5:08 for the fun and games), a little song called "40 Day Dream" had a big impact on me. The song, which I imagine could only be some type of miracle creation from Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, is a piece of music that could demolish your soul due to its astounding sound. It's easily one of the songs I've been most enthusiastic about in the last year or two.

Led by Alex Ebert - yes, of Ima Robot - it's hard to pin down what the group's sound is. It consists of ten musicians and floats around from genre cloud to genre cloud. Sometimes, in the case of their song "Janglin" it's like Bob Dylan decided to make fun music that I can understand and actually enjoy. Put down your weapon - I mean no offense.

Essentially, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes is a band that produces what some might consider magical music. It's got layers of beautiful instruments, lovely harmonies, and whimsical lyrics. I mean, just read this: "She got jumper cable lips/she got sunset on her breath/I inhaled just a little bit/now I got no fear of death."

Just try to fight me on this. Just try.

A band that makes me want to cry

2009-11-08T18:40:00.001-05:00

There is a song on my iTunes that has the ability to crush my soul and break my heart. That song is "To Build a Home" by The Cinematic Orchestra (featuring stellar vocals by Patrick Watson.)

Thursday night, the folks at "Grey's Anatom" were on their game in choosing to use the song "Breathe" by the aforementioned band (in addition to "Gold Guns Girls" by Metric - who are about to get annoyingly popular, I predict). I'll be honest in saying that typically, The Cinematic Orchestra isn't really my style, considering the fact that they're very jazz influenced. However, the most recent studio album, Ma Fleur, is brilliant.

"Breathe" features vocals by Fontella Bass, who is a soul singer. The song moves between subdued and soaring instrumentals, ebbing and flowing with Bass's heartbreaking voice.

Odds are, if you were to hear "To Build a Home," you would probably recognize it from one of the following places: "Criminal Minds," "Grey's Anatomy," "Friday Night Lights," "One Tree Hill" or "Ugly Betty." It's a piece of music that takes a "whatever" scene and makes it feel beautiful.

All music is beautiful in its own rite, but Ma Fleur is an almost perfect example of what makes up a beautiful and inspiring album. Add it to your collection - you won't regret it.

Indie of the '60s

2009-11-05T00:12:00.000-05:00

Because this blog focuses on up and coming bands, I think it's important to have a well-rounded education in music. Even if all you ever want to listen to is black metal from Finland, it might be a good idea to give a quick listen to some old school R&B or bubblegum pop.

The thing is, I fear that people are forgetting about classic rock. The stuff our parents grew up listening to. The music you'll still find played on the radio because people love it. And with good reason.

Now, get ready to have your brain melted, because there's a movie coming out that might be right up there with "Almost Famous" in terms of wonderful music, amazing acting and the warm, fuzzy feelings it gives you. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is back as a controversial radio DJ (though not as Lester Bangs this time) in the upcoming film "Pirate Radio."

The film features an all-star cast (Tom Sturridge, Bill Nighy, Rhys Darby, January Jones, and so on) and is about a fictitious pirate radio station in 1966 broadcasting dirty, devilish rock 'n' roll music to the UK. Smashing tunes, pop culture references and hilarious dialogue will absolutely ensue.

On to the music. After all, that's what this blog is about, right?

Upon checking out the tracklist, I almost passed out from sheer joy. "These Arms of Mine" by Otis Redding, "Nights in White Satin" by The Moody Blues and "Let's Dance" by David Bowie are just a few of the songs featured. If you're not familiar with these already, get familiar ASAP.

What seems great about this soundtrack is that it doesn't focus on the classic rock that everyone already knows. You won't find Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" or "All You Need is Love" by (duh) The Beatles - they're both too obvious and too easy. "Pirate Radio" features the music people don't bother checking out. The indie bands of the 60s and 70s, if you will.

If you think knowing every word to "Kashmir" and the multiple personas of David Bowie (even though I'll bet you really don't know all of them) is enough, think again. Get the soundtrack, see the movie (no doubt it will be wonderful) and try out something new.

Sashay! Shante! (Or something like that)

2009-11-01T18:13:00.002-05:00

Typically, I post about artists that are gaining popularity, but for this post I'd like to take a moment to talk about an artist/band that has been around for roughly a decade and deserves more recognition.

On last week's episode of "Castle," trendily titled "Vampire Weekend," the song "Pure Pleasure Seeker" by the band Moloko (props if you get the cult movie/book reference!) was used. Moloko, although inactive for a number of years, was fronted by a lovely Irish woman by the name of Róisín Murphy.

Róisín Murphy is basically the cooler, more original, more indie Lady GaGa. If you require proof, look here and here! It's hard to pin down Murphy's style (be it solo or in Moloko). Oftentimes her music is based on making interesting songs and the use of clever, experimental lyrics. Perfect illustrations of her awesome, though slightly whacked out music are "Ruby Blue" and "Ramalama (Bang Bang)."

This might scare some people off, but Moloko is a little bit ABBA with groovy (for lack of better term) beats and the odd effect of making me want to wear powder blue, rhinestone-encrusted jumpsuits.

I guess what it comes down to is that Moloko and/or Róisín Murphy would appeal to drag queens, divas, fans of overly dramatic theatrical appearance, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, or RuPaul. If any of those listed apply to you, do yourself a favor and get on it.

Halloween treats!

2009-10-29T14:25:00.000-04:00

A lot of people dislike Snow Patrol, and often not because of the music they make. Typically, it's because they're so popular. You can thank "Grey's Anatomy" for that. So, if you're one of those people, I have a possible replacement for you.

Enter Athlete. Their song "Don't Hold Your Breath" appeared on the most recent episode of "Ugly Betty" (which is such a good show, by the way!). They're from England, and they create those lovely, soaring songs that make you feel like you've stepped into a teen melodrama and something life-changing is happening.

Don't kid yourself, though. They're not exactly a new band. They formed in 1999 and are no strangers to being featured on TV. In fact, their song "Tourist" was featured on the greatest show ever" 'The O.C."

But let's not hope they get too popular. If they do, we all know it will be non-stop radio play followed by 18-year-old girls substituting "Thirstyyy Thursdayy!!" statuses for meaningful Athlete lyrics.

Consider this a Halloween treat, dear reader(s). I'm giving you not one, but two heads up in the land of music in this post.

'"Gossip Girl" (I know, I know, quit with CW) featured a kick-ass little band from San Diego called Delta Spirit. The so ng in question, "People C'mon," has received an absurd amount of plays on my iTunes over the last week. Matt Vasquez's raspy, raw voice paired with the beautiful fusion of piano and drums makes me want to stamp my feet and shout along with the lyrics.

Their debut album, Ode to Sunshine, is catchy, upbeat and probably something any in-the-know kids would want to add to their collection.

They play such good music in the 'Dollhouse'

2009-10-26T21:14:00.001-04:00

Prepare for the biggest freak out that might ever occur at CineMUSic.

Two of my favorite things came together over the weekend: "Dollhouse" and Bat for Lashes.

Let's talk about "Dollhouse" first. The show, created by the wonderful and zany Joss Whedon, is about an organization that wipes people of their personalities and then uploads new, meticulously calculated personalities into them. And while the ratings might say differently, the show is brilliant and has tons of potential.

More importantly, Bat for Lashes. Natasha Khan, from Brighton, England, is incredible. If you're not listening to her right now, you need to. When I first heard her (I listened to a cover of "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon) I was hesitant. As it happens, I just didn't like her cover. But when my brilliant friend showed serious enthusiasm about her, I went for it.

Bat for Lashes has a whimsical sound, with a touch of Kate Bush, the stage presence of Ka r en O and the adorableness of a kitten. But looking past the cutesy descriptions, Bat for Lashes is one of the more innovative, eccentric and talented artists in music today.

If dream pop sounds appealing, do yourself a huge favor and check her out. Her first album, Fur and Gold, is a good one to start with as well as watching this video.

And if intellectual, moral-questioning sci-fi television shows that have serious potential to get cancelled sounds like your thing, start watching "Dollhouse." Then, once you're hooked, write Fox a bunch of letters telling them not to give it the axe. It's way too good.

Trent Reznor will never stop...

2009-10-23T12:00:00.000-04:00

...no matter how married or retired he is.

This post is a slight deviation from what I normally write about. I simply want to share with readers an interesting little bit of information about a project between Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor and the Fox show "Fringe."

First off, if you're not watching Fringe, you are out of your mind. It's the perfect blend of "The X-Files" and "Lost" with an added tidbit of intrigue. Plus, it was created by J.J. Abrams.

Anyway, after Reznor's song "Zero Sum" from the album Year Zero was used in a promo for the show, Abrams asked Reznor (apparently, they're friends) to collaborate and do a little somethin' somethin' for the show. And so, a version of "Zero Sum" plus lines from Leonard Nimoy's character has been born. And it's awesome!*

What I think is the best part of this whole thing is that there is a standing offer for Trent Reznor to appear on Fringe. Believe it or not, there are Nine Inch Nails fangirls (I myself am included) that would both love to see him on screen and then have something strange -- like his face melting off -- occur.

* For those that watch Fringe, Reznor has stated that the sound waves digitally reflect one of the glyphs used on the show. Figure that out.

Noisettes are fun!

2009-10-19T19:11:00.000-04:00

"One Tree Hill" used to be a good show, I swear. But then, someone (I don't even want to know who) thought it would be okay to let Chad Michael Murray write one of the episodes and this happened. After that train wreck, I was out.

However, that's not to say that I stopped being interested in what kind of music was being used on the show. OTH has featured some incredible indie bands - José González, The National and Band of Horses. Recently, Noisettes were used three times in one episode.

Noisettes are like The Supremes meets doo-wop meets Santigold. The band is fronted by Shingai Shoniwa, who plays bass and treats us with her unique vocals. Also in the band are Dan Smith on guitar and Jamie Morrison on drums.

Don't get too excited about hipster cred though -- they're not completely unknown. They've toured with TV on the Radio, Tom Vek, and Bloc Party. They've appeared on the Wendy Williams Show (this is both awesome and awful. If you're not sure why, please watch this and you'll understand). And perhaps the biggest of things was their spot as opening band for Lady GaGa during the European leg of her Fame Ball tour.

So despite my ruined relationship with "One Tree Hill," I'll suck it up and watch bits and pieces and look at the website to insure that it hasn't sabotaged itself in the musical department.

Who doesn't love glam Canadian pop?

2009-10-13T14:18:00.000-04:00

So, there’s this show on ABC. It’s still relatively unknown and I’m not sure if anyone will know what I’m talking about, but it’s called "Grey’s Anatomy."

Oh! You are familiar. How very cool of you.

If there’s one thing you should know about "Grey’s Anatomy," it’s that the music featured on the show almost always falls into two categories: quirky and upbeat or sad and mellow. It all depends on whether it’s a sexy/hilarious moment or if Izzie Stevens (played by the... interesting Katherine Heigl) is delivering a monologue that could never in a million years happen in real life.

On last Thursday’s episode, my little ears spied a band called Dragonette, an electropop group from Canada. They, unlike "Grey’s," are still very much under the radar and under-appreciated. The band is led by Martina Sorbara, who released two solo albums in the late 90s. She created this little gem which makes me feel like my life is a movie.

Back to Dragonette. If you’re into the likes of Little Boots, Metric, or CSS, you should seriously consider checking out Dragonette. Their sophomore album, Fixin to Thrill, was released on September 29 and has been getting positive feedback from the typically vicious world of online music blogs.

Intrigued? Check out “Fixin to Thrill” (the song, not the album – unless you want to just go for it!) and “I Get Around.”

Say what you will about "Gossip Girl"...

2009-10-08T18:08:00.000-04:00

...but the majority of the time, the music featured on the show is better than what 90% of all human beings listen to.* This past week, a band was featured on the show that has potential to become a household name to those that stand between trendy and mainstream. Based out of L.A., The Broken Remotes are a little bit poppy and a little bit rock. In my humble opinion, I could see them opening for Spoon and the audience definitely NOT hating them. So if upbeat, indie rock with a little bit of sass sounds like your kind of thing, check them out!

I’m going to take a moment to plug the "Gossip Girl" Web site. There’s a section devoted to character playlists, and I have to admit, they don’t completely suck. The best part about it is it’s totally stereotyped. So if you identify with Serena – the wild but still sweet girl – you might find luck in the recommendations of The Ettes, PJ Harvey, Peaches, and Amanda Blank. Or, if you want to try getting into real, quality 80s music (as in, not just stuff from John Hughes movies), check out Rufus’ playlist. You’ll find Devo, Camper van Beethoven, and Aztec Camera.

In other words, the show might be clichéd and star less-than-stellar actors, but the music is good and even well-informed music nerds might find something new.

*Not an actual statistic. Just me being a pretentious jerk.

If roller derby had a soundtrack...

2009-10-06T19:24:00.000-04:00

Right now, I am giving major props to the music department of the movie "Whip It!" (Also to Drew Barrymore whose directorial debut was great!) If a Peaches song was used in the trailer, why would anyone question how good the soundtrack would be?

We’ve got The Breeders, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!, Har Mar Superstar, Little Joy, The Ramones, and The Go! Team (among others). In other words, it’s sure to be every alternative, “I’m-stuck-between-the-80s-and-90s” kid’s favorite album to spin. Or import to iTunes.

Now, listen up, reader: you should know that I'm a sucker for "bad" (or what I consider great) mid-70s to early-80s rock groups. For instance, I'm a devoted Foreigner fan and I'm passionate about Hall and Oates. So you can imagine how thrilled I was when I stumbled upon "Caught Up In You" by .38 Special on the soundtrack. Yeah, it was an absolute highlight.

It’s not just that the songs chosen are enjoyable, it also helps that they were used perfectly throughout. There’s nothing better than watching a film that’s good to begin with, thanks to the script and actors, but the music puts the finishing touch on everything.

Do yourself a favor – go see "Whip It!" and try to keep yourself from smiling when “Bang On” by The Breeders plays. If you manage this feat, then you are officially not a human being.

So much Kristen Stewart it's not even funny...

2009-09-30T18:40:00.000-04:00

Lately, I’ve been noticing a major revival of Joan Jett. Don’t get me wrong, Jett is a bitchin’ woman and her music is great, but it’s surprising the amount of playtime she’s been getting. “Do You Want To Touch Me (Oh Yeah)” appeared in the season premiere of "The Beautiful Life”; “Cherry Bomb” can be found in the trailer for "Jennifer’s Body" and let’s not forget the new biopic devoted solely to her: "The Runaways," starring the ever-boring Kristen Stewart.

And now, a real reason for indie kids to be so apathetic...

I’ve saved the best (or maybe it’s worst depending on how you look at it) for last.

The track list for the "New Moon" soundtrack has been released. It manages to be mind-blowing in both a good and bad way. Good, because the songs and artists are good. Bad, because the fact that these bands are now associated with the Twilight series is just gross-tacular.

Hipsters, I warn you now, shield your eyes. The effect of this news will destroy like the sun destroys vampires.

Death Cab for Cutie, Thom Yorke (yeah, the Thom Yorke,) Bon Iver, St. Vincent, Muse, Sea Wolf, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Grizzly Bear and Editors will all be featured on the soundtrack. In fact, Death Cab for Cutie wrote a song titled “Meet Me On The Equinox” specifically for "New Moon." I have to say, that title is laughably melodramatic (even for them).

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a sucker for sexy vampires (ha, get it? Sucker?) and of course I love cool indie music, but I don’t know if I can handle seeing Twi-hards at St. Vincent or Black Rebel Motorcycle Club concerts. In fact, if this happens, I will find myself a vampire, demand to be turned and then feed on them.

It won’t be nearly as cool as Stephenie Meyer makes it out to be. But it will be extremely satisfying for me.

Please Don't Hate on CW

2009-09-28T20:57:00.000-04:00

A few nights ago, I was settling in to watch "America’s Next Top Model" when I heard a familiar track blasting through my television set during a commercial. Metric’s latest single “Help I’m Alive” was playing during a 30-second spot for the new CW show "Vampire Diaries."

I haven’t been able to get enough of Metric’s newest album Fantasies, and if 15-year-olds were paying attention to the commercial (which, I would venture to guess they were considering their fervent love for all things vampire), I think it’s safe to say that Metric might experience a major boost in radio play, downloads and illegal use in fan videos on YouTube.

I just want to admit right now that almost every single show on CW is a guilty pleasure of mine. I mean come ON! The plot lines are addictive, everyone is attractive and they use such good music.

Last night on "90210," a band by the name of Honeythieves was featured somewhat prominently. The song, “Reminder,” was actually an RAC remix and let me just say, it sounded good and totally catchy. After a search on HypeM with zero results, it seems that Honeythieves is still under the radar. So for all you hipsters out there, get it while it’s still completely uncooked and not at all hot.

On top of Honeythieves, during my "90210" sessions I’ve ear-spied “Rome” by Phoenix, “New In Town” by Little Boots, and “L.E.S Artistes” by Santigold. In other words, they know what’s what on the set of "90210."