We're not an MP3 blog. Nope -- I'd never claim SCR to be one of those blogs that breaks/hypes new bands by posting new tracks and whatnot; it's just not what we do, really. I mean, I'm not against posting MP3s we like by bands we like, but honestly, there just aren't enough hours in the day to cover all the music that's out there & compete with the likes of It's Hard to Find a Friend, Gorilla vs. Bear, or Brooklyn Vegan. Those folks post so much music it makes my head swim.

That said, we do get a shitload of music handed to us in electronic format here at the e-zine/blog thingy, and we rarely have a chance to listen to much of it in the course of our music-loving lives. Which is pretty damn near criminal, really; I feel the same way about not getting to listen to & write about music that my wife feels about Borders coupons expiring before she gets a chance to use 'em.

So here goes; here's a smattering of things I've managed to check out recently, both Christmas-y & non-, that I really ended up liking. Merry freakin' Christmas, y'all.

Sherwood - "Snowing In Seattle"
C'mon, I had to. It's just so goddamn appropriate, I couldn't pass it up, y'know? Besides, it's a catchy as hell song, poignant and pretty while remaining non-cheeseball (to my ears, anyway). Plus, it's got a great driving rhythm, like Death Cab at their urgent, impassioned best.

65daysofstatic - "I'm Dreaming of a White Noise Christmas"
This is probably going to sound bad, but this is honestly the first thing I've heard by these folks that's really grabbed me. Other tracks have drifted past, and they weren't bad, but they just didn't get me, y'know? I utterly love the fucked-up-ness of this one, the exploding-speakers, breakbeats, and overdriven guitars; it's like Broken Social Scene if they slathered themselves in melted-down copies of Jesus & Mary Chain records before playing. And then recorded a Christmas song, obviously.

Philip Foshée - "Warm in Texas (Christmas Song)"
Yep, a local boy, but not like that last batch, since Foshée's actually still working his art right here, right now in Smog City. The track's sweet and bitter and lonely, just perfect for all those sad bastards out there who aren't where the ones they want to be with are. I've been there, man. I spent NYE of 2000 feeling lonely & envious of that cute, funny girl I worked with, wishing I was off with her in England, whooping it up by the London Eye and falling in love. (Little did I know that she spent New Year's in the hospital, a bad migraine having been somehow diagnosed as meningitis. It was funny later on, trust me.)

Blitzen Trapper - "Christmas Is Coming Soon"
Low-key and gentle and night-like; I love the understatedness of this. It fits perfectly with the quiet, night-before-Christmas vibe I'm feeling right now.

Cyndi Lauper & The Hives - "A Christmas Duel"
Bizarre, campy, and funny as hell. This is probably the best musical Christmas brawl I've heard since The Pogues' "Fairytale of New York." And yes, I'm pretty sure Ms. Lauper did just proudly boast about going down on her partner's mom. Hoo-ah.

[And now for some non-explicitly Christmas-y stuff:]

P.O.S. - "Goodbye"
I'm happy as hell to see P.O.S. back again for Round 3, even if this release doesn't come off as raw and heavy as anything off Audition -- for some reason, this one comes off like Eminem, complete with Dr. Dré production. And it still works. Damn.

Elizabeth Willis - "In Your Eyes"
Nope, not the Peter Gabriel song, but a tough, raw-voiced bit of bluesy, melancholy piano-rock that'd kick Billy Joel's piano man ass if it had the opportunity.

Broadfield Marchers - "Amazing Wheels"
This one sure caught me off-guard; gorgeous and lush and poppy, like The Byrds gone all British and Kinks-y, and it's great.

Lady Sovereign - "I Got You Dancing"
To be blunt about it, this new track showcases the side of Lady Sov that's not my favorite; it's more M.I.A.-esque dancefloor banger than truly grimey Brit-hop. That said, there's something oddly alluring about the funky electronics and "whoo!" vocals. And yeah, I kinda like the freaky Warriors-esque video, I'll admit it.

That's it for now -- I'm off to fill The Munchkin's stocking...

Labels: Cool Web Junk, Entertainobabble, Musical Crap, Things To Download, Things To Hear

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