puma succeeds in appealing to my demographic

This is so cool.

anticipating veckatimest

Even though I've listened to that shit quality rip like 8 times, I'm so glad Grizzly Bear decided to go ahead and put out a full-quality preview track from their upcoming album Veckatimest. The fully-mastered "Cheerleader" is absolutely beautiful, and finally displays the amount of time and perfectionism put into Grizzly's recording process.

Check it out over at The Fader.

something on my mind...

Facebook changed again, and, like the last few times, the changes weren't necessarily for the better. It always seems that as bad as I think a Facebook change is, they never fail to followup with an even uglier and more confusing interface update.

Anyway, even though the last few times I've said I was quitting Facebook "forever" to protest the changes, this time, I really do anticipate distancing myself from the it considerably. I've realized that Facebook is trying way too hard to be EVERYTHING you would need on the Internet... a blog, a Twitter page, a Delicious account, a Flickr account, an online gaming site, etc, etc.

Yet, Facebook is none of those things, and thus it inevitably fails at offering a better version of any of those services. Facebook's prime was when it was one site, with one service -- a clean, easy-to-use social networking service that let you find friends and communicate them. By adding all these other bells and whistles, suddenly we're being overwhelmed with everyone and their mom's every move on the Internet. (Quite literally. I mean, even my mom's on FB now...)

So, I'm making it a resolution to move my online presence elsewhere. I'll use this blog for longer posts, my new Tumblr page for shorter ones, and against all expectations, I'm actually going to embrace the Twitter fad and move there for micro-updates. Lucky for you all, it'll all be here on my Blogger page. Oh, and I think I'm going start a Flickr account. I've been complaining about Facebook's shit photo service for long enough, so I figure it's about time to just give up on it.

Here's to a new era of web presence.

Love, peace, and RAWRz,

emilysaurus rexxx

new outfit

Sick.

the brighton port authority ft. iggy pop (the twelves rmx)

I can't get enough of this track. Iggy Pop's vocals are so perfect. Almost lulling. Love it. Really.

The Brighton Port Authority ft. Iggy Pop // He's Frank (The Twelves Rmx) [YSI]

warms in the shadows now

I decided to change the background of my blog from white to black to hopefully save some energy.

And it gives it a little more atmosphere, no?

music go music

Music Go Music make fantastic 4am party music. They're from LA but sadly their MySpace is currently lacking show dates. In the meantime, this track is incredible:

Music Go Music // Warm in the Shadows [thanks, GvB!!!]

aer OBAMA

Yes.

BIG in '09 z0mg

SPIN magazine recently came out with an issue predicting bands that will achieve new found fame and recognition in 2009. Examples:

- Glasvegas
- Ladyhawke
- King Khan & BBQ
- Bon Iver
- Andrew Bird
- Animal Collective

Not sure if you guys have heard of any of them, they're all PRETTY obscure. Pretty sure none of them have ever played any major music festivals/sold out prominent venues or anything. Guess I'll have to MySpace them.

Here are a few of my own picks for some bands that could.../probably will go places in 2009.

1. RAINBOW ARABIA

Rainbow Arabia is a band out of the Echo Park area of LA, a neighborhood known for putting out cool, progressive music and gentrification-happy hipsters. Their sound combines electronic dance hooks with tribal percussion and Lebanese synths, earning their music the ridiculously sick genre-label of "ethnotronica". Their "the Basta" EP was one of my favourite releases last year, and I can't wait to get my hands one their LP, slated for a spring '09 release.

2. MEMORY CASSETTE


Memory Cassette is a pseudo-mysterious singer/producer out of New Jersey (yeah, seriously) who is somehow assiciated with Weird Tapes, which is itself somehow related to Hail Social, which is actually a pretty shitty band (Weird Tapes is pretty cool, though). Memory Cassette, on the other hand, is FANTASTIC. The two free EP's released last year were full of synthy night pop and laid-back, dreamy vocals. I have a feeling she and Mr. Weird Tapes might be kind of socially awkward music nerds who makes records in their parents' basements, but hey, who knows. Maybe they'll go on tour this year and prove me wrong. Git yo'self some free Memory Cassette downloads here. [via WE'RE TAPES]

3. LITTLE BOOTS


After her single "Stuck On Repeat" became a hit among international DJ's last summer, it was pretty evident that Little Boots was going places fast. Not only does she write infectious pop music (produced by Joe Goddard of Hot Chip, no less) and DJ like a fiend, she plays the freaking Tenorion! (If you don't know what that means watch this video. Immediately.) My personal favourite music magazine, The Fader, put her on the cover of their latest print edition as an "artist to watch" in '09. They're usually right about these things. I'm hoping to catch Lil B in LA in early February. Might be my last chance to do so before she's opening for Madonna or something.

!!! ALSO !!! You should ABSOLUTELY download the Little Boots vs. Richard X remix/mash-up called "Fine Boots". POSSIBLY my favourite dance track of 2008. Clearly I'm excited because I'm using LOTS OF CAPS. Right-click and download. [via The Blue Walrus]

4. PASSION PIT


Passion Pit is from Boston. I am from Boston. Boston is great. Passion Pit is... catchy! Haha, OKAY, they're definitely pretty good, and catching on FAST, though admittedly "Sleepyhead" is the only track I've heard from them that's blown me away. They're going to blow up regardless (à la MGMT), but I'm hoping they build more on the "Sleepyhead" sound than anything else they've released. Here's hoping for a fantastic LP...

5. HARLEM


Harlem is a band that incredibly difficult to google. Seriously. Try making the mistake I did of searching for "harlem music". Not helpful. Try "harlem myspace", however, and you will be rewarded with the brilliantly stripped-down garage rock sound of one of the best rock bands I've heard in a good long while. And yes, I mean ROCK -- not "noise" or "hardcore" or "alt-rock" or "experimental". Harlem is a much-needed reminder that rock 'n roll is, in fact, not yet dead. WOO.

Happy New Music Year, beezies.

2k8....s0 long ago.

Over the holidays I had every intention of sitting down and typing up a new post about albums I had enjoyed in 2008. I... didn't do that. But since I put a reasonably amount of effort into a haphazard ranking of '08 releases (and by that I mean, "the ones I actually listened to more than once"), I figured I might as well share the list. Here we go:

EMILY'S FAVOURITE ALBUMS of 2008
(ranked "favourite" to "MOST favourite")

Santogold/Diplo, Top Ranking
Annie, Don't Stop
MGMT, Oracular Spectacular
Santogold, Santogold
Hot Chip, Made in the Dark
Kleerup, Kleerup
Kid Cudi, a KiD named CuDi
Alaska in Winter, Dance Party in the Balkans*
El Guincho, Alegranza!
Air France, No Way Down EP
Man Man, Rabbit Habits
Rainbow Arabia, The Basta EP
Fuck Buttons, Street Horrrsing
High Places, High Places
Izza Kizza, Kizzaland
Animal Collective, Water Curses EP
Memory Cassette, Rewind While Sleeping EP
Lykke Li, Youth Novels
Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago*
Crystal Castles, Crystal Castles
Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes
Beach House, Devotion
Animal Collective, Merryweather Post Pavilion**

*these albums actually came out in 2007 but hey, who's counting?
**this album actually came out in 2009, dunno if you heard.