October

If only, if only I lived in Austin

If only, if only I lived in Austin, TX I would attend the following concerts:


SUNDAY July 31...Joanna Newsom/ Neal Morgan and Ryan Francesconi  @ The Paramount Theater
TUESDAY August 2...Arctic Monkeys/ Young Buffalo @ Stubb's
SATURDAY August 6...Avi Buffalo/ Nik Freitas @ Stubb's
WEDNESDAY August 10...Gardens and Villa/ Motopony/ Invisible Inks @ Mohawk
FRIDAY August 12...Dum Dum Girls/ Mark Sultan/bbq/ Night Beats/ The UFO Club @ Mohawk
FRIDAY August 19...The Black and White Years/ Fresh Millions @ Lambert's
FRIDAY September 16...Twin Shadow/ Cut Copy/ Theophilus London/ Diamond Rings @ Emo's
FRIDAY September 16...Smith Westerns/ Cults @ The Parish
FRIDAY September 17...Empire of the Sun/ Mayer Hawthorne and The County @ Austin Music Hall
FRIDAY September 17...Fitz and the Tantrums/ Aloe Blacc & The Grand Scheme @ La Zona Rosa
FRIDAY September 23...Neon Indian @ Mohawk
MONDAY October 3...Gang Gang Dance @ Mohawk
MONDAY October 3...Viva Voce @ Mohawk
TUESDAY October 4...Braids/ Pepper Rabbit/ Painted Palms @ Mohawk
SATURDAY October 8...Toro y Moi/ Unknown Mortal Orchestra/ Bass Drum of Death @ Mohawk
WEDNESDAY October 19...Adele @ Frank Erwin Center
SUNDAY October 23...The Drums @ The Parish
SATURDAY October 29...Zola Jesus @ Mohawk
FRIDAY-SUNDAY November 5-6...Fun Fun Fun Fest: Lykke Li/ Odd Future/ Flying Lotus/ Tune-Yards/ Okkervil River/ Ra Ra Riot @ Auditorium Shores

Post no.203

This week I will be taking a break from music because I'll be going camping. I've decided not to take my ipod. Sad, sad, indeed! But given the fact that I recently purchased some mega bass over-the-ear headphones that I use with the volume all the way up, means that my ears can take a break. I'm just going to bask in the sounds of nature and people all around. Yes, I'm going to eavesdrop. Just kidding, but not really. It's too bad I won't be able to listen to Washed Out's debut LP nor will I be able to tune into Gardens and Villa's self-titled album out this week (July 5th). For now I will listen to Washed Out's "new theory."

Your head caught in a waking dream

I really don't feel like doing my homework so I've decided to take a break. I think I take at least fifteen breaks every hour, which is why I never get anything done on time. Never did I think I could be so lazy and unmotivated! So for this break I have chosen "your protector" by Fleet Foxes. Why? Well...I tend to have phases for each song in an album. It does not occur in the order of the album track list but eventually I fall in love with every song. It's that moment when the song speaks to you and you can listen to just that one song all day long. This album is so 2008, but I am currently in a "your protector" phase.

Lyrics:

She left a week to roam

Your protector's coming home

Keep your secrets with you girl

Safe from the outside world

You walk along the stream

Your head caught in a waking dream

Your protector's coming home (coming home)

As you lay to die beside me, baby

On the morning that you came,

Would you wait for me,

the other one,

would wait for me!

You run with the devil

Tell your brother to be good

Tell your sister not to go

Tell your mother not to wait
Tell your father I was good

As you lay to die beside me, baby

On the morning that you came,

Would you wait for me,

the other one,

would wait for me!

I'm the one in the shootin' game

saturday night

Today was another one of those warm nights when the skies are clear and the winds are fierce. A good night for cruising in Laredo. The neon open signs are captured by our light sensitive eyes and headlights  decorate the streets. Turn on the music. Roll down the windows and the moment is perfect.

My sister treated me for a sweet lemonade raspa at this cool snack joint on Arkansas Street. We drove down most of McPherson smiling every time my one year old nephew lifted his arms up as if he was on a roller-coaster. And his mother joined in. And then I--the driver--joined in but quick as to not lose control of the wheel.

It was 10pm and our original destination was Pinguinos (a place with no penguins but plentiful in fatty and sugar-loaded snacks). It was way too crowded. Our destination changed and we headed to Arkansas St., the raspa/snack spot my sister discovered during her pregnancy. So down south we rode. There we were.  No longer laughing but now somewhat dejected. The three of us listening to her Black Keys playlist. I got to say that my sister knows how to pick them. "Lies" summarizes the nights mood. It was so perfect that we played it twice before moving on to the next BK song. Listen in...

"Said the moon was ours. You said the moon was ours to hell with the day."

2011

Six days into 2011 and yet not one post. But that ends right now. The beginning of the year for me means looking through music blogs and magazines for the next big band to play over and over again. I wonder what I will be listening to and what I will choose as my top albums at the end of the year which seems so far away from today. I know for a fact that this year will be all about Fleet Foxes and The Strokes. Who will I see live this year? I'm sure 2011 will be another good year for music. I'll keep you updated.

I want to feel like this song for New Years Eve

I present to you the best song on Contra, Vampire Weekend's "Diplomat's Son" ... check it out

"That night I smoked a joint with my best friend we found ourselves in bed. When I woke up he was g-o-n-e"

25 Albums & EPs I liked in 2010

In alphabetical order...

1. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

2. Band of Horses - Infinite Arms

3. Beach House - Teen Dream

4. The Black Keys - Brothers

5. Broken Bells- Broken Bells
6. Casiokids - Topp Stemning På Lokal Bar

7. Chief - Modern Rituals

8. Deerhunter - Halcyon Digest

9. Deer Tick - The Black Dirt Sessions

10. Dum Dum Girls - I Will Be
11. Generationals - Trust EP

12. JEFF the Brotherhood - Heavy Days

13. Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

14. Local Natives- Gorilla Manor
15. MGMT- Congratulations

16. Morning Benders - Big Echo

17. The National - High Violet

18. Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms

19. The Soft Pack - The Soft Pack

20. Surfer Blood - Astro Coast

21. TV Girl - TV Girl EP

22. Two Door Cinema Club - Tourist History

23. Vampire Weekend - Contra

24. The Walkmen- Lisbon

25. Washed Out - Life of Leisure

My number one is... (drumroll) BEACH HOUSE's TEEN DREAM !!!

all photos taken with a Canon G10

Grammy Nominations Announced

Grammy Nominations Announced :: Music :: News :: Paste

Grammy time is near. The nominations are no surprise and I am pretty confident that Arcade Fire will win them all. And then they'll get lots of airplay and t.v. appearances and become even more popular. Maybe. I am wondering who will take the award for best alternative album (#22 on the grammy nominations list) since all are worthy of the prize. I will just have to wait until February 2011 to see the results. Last year Phoenix won the category with Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. Now I am wondering who will perform at the 2011 Grammys or rather who will duet since many performances usually involve multiple artists collaborating on stage. I'll report on it when the time comes.

"laredo indie buzz"

I think just yesterday someone created a page on facebook titled "Laredo Indie Buzz." What a great idea since more and more people seem to be interested in this "indie" genre. Now all the music lovers of Laredo can post old and new music that interests them on this one page. If you really like a song or think others should hear it you can post it on http://www.facebook.com/pages/Laredo-Indie-Buzz/152752868102500.

So what constitutes "indie"? I see it as a genre of all kinds of music that doesn't regularly make the rounds on top40 radio stations because it just hasn't been exposed. Why not? Perhaps lack of advertisement, a desire for the band to remain underground, or most people just don't like the sound. Although, I would argue that there isn't a distinct sound to this "indie" music. Indie music tends to be a mix of bands who sound like pop, rock, blues, electronic, r&b, punk, instrumental, foreign (non-english) and many other genres. Each genre of music has its own little "indie" scene.

I see it as the stage in which bands first emerge before they become mainstream. For example, Kings of Leon could have been considered indie five years ago but today they are mainstream. However, there are exceptions because many bands, like Modest Mouse and Interpol, have been in the music business for several years and have released several albums and they have a good following and have been played on mainstream radio but are still considered part of the indie scene. In addition indie music, as the name suggests, usually constitutes of bands under independent labels or no labels at all.

I don't know but I predict that pretty soon everyone will be digging this "indie" scene. It's all about the young kids, and as they get older they'll be demanding this stuff. Maybe Laredo will get its own indie radio? or maybe the entire indie genre will become mainstream? Who knows what the future holds for music. Anyways Check out the "Laredo Indie Buzz" page here http://www.facebook.com/pages/Laredo-Indie-Buzz/152752868102500.

Also, it leads me to question is my blog an indie blog? The answer is yes because a lot of the music I blog about is part of the underground/non-mainstream scene, however, things can change and perhaps some of these bands will eventually get the praise they deserve, as I see it happening with Local Natives. It's all about appreciating good music and sharing it with others.

STILL CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT "INDIE" IS? HERE ARE SOME MAGAZINES/BLOGS THAT MAY CLARIFY THINGS FOR YOU:

Under the radar www.undertheradarmag.com
Pitchfork http://www.pitchfork.com/
My Old Kentucky Blog http://www.myoldkentuckyblog.com/
The hype machine http://hypem.com/

3 bands, 3 reasons, 5 dollars

3 bands

1.Automatic Weekend

2. Natural Child

3. Devil in the Drink (a.k.a. The Couch)

3 reasons

1. Automatic Weekend, a group of 3 young men from Laredo, TX whose music will melt the tension in your bones.

2. Natural Child will sound incredible live, and you'll be banging your head or at least feel like it the entire night.

3. Listening to Devil in the Drink's "dino romp" LIVE will change your life.

5 dollars

so why not spend $5 at Old no.2 on Saturday November 6, where music will be abounding from 8:30pm-2am. I promise it will be better than a $5 foot long.

spicy mustache

My brother, who also contributes to this blog, requested the name SPICY MUSTACHE and I liked so now it is the name of the blog. The url name remains to be listenandclap, but I'll figure something out so that it can bear the name of the blog, even if it means moving to tumblr, word press, or just creating a new blog here.

 

*photo's taken with canon g10

this is for me

So I am a music lover and I like writing too, so I'm going to try this whole blogging thing, and it doesn't matter if no one will ever look at my page.

This should be interesting, looking forward to establishing links, pictures, videos, reviews, etc. of my musical experiences and encounters.

The current title of this blog is Listen and Clap, but who knows I may decide to change it if I come up with something more interesting.