If you’re reading this, you have one minute to do something BIG. I want you to do this for me more than I’ve wanted anything else. And I won’t ask you for anything else again- I swear. There is this insane competition going on with Chase Bank- basically, they’re giving away ONE MILLION DOLLARS to the non profit of your choosing. There are four days left. 4 DAYS. 

1) GO HERE (you’re already on facebook, I know it)

2) VOTE FOR INVISIBLE CHILDREN

3) GIVE YOURSELF A HIGH FIVE

4) SPREAD THE DAMN WORD

There are more questionable organizations participating, who will use the $1 000 000 000 to make a website. A website.. It’d be a total bummer if they won. 

While Invisible Children is giving $100 000 to HAITI RELIEF along with rebuilding schools and water wells, and other unreal things on the ground in northern Uganda. If you do this, and spread the word, I’ll make you a mix, I don’t know.. I’ll be your pal. Just do it.

Thanks friends.

I hate the word epic. Yet, I’ve noticed myself using it now more than ever. I have abruptly stopped myself when the need to use the word ‘gnarly’ ever comes up. These words are foreign, they are meant for bros and bro-related groups. I have to hold my own as a Canadian, get through the jokes and nod in agreeance that I am in fact, inferior to Americans- it’s in the fabric of my genes. Despite my protests, I will gladly use the term epic to describe Titus Andronicus’ sophmore concept album called The Monitor- based on the Civil War. The idea of us against them, brother vs brother- it’s a fascinating concept to wrestle with. To posture onesself as a stranger in a fight against man, for arbitrary pursuit.

The track, ‘The Battle of Hamptons Roads’ clocks in at around 14 minutes, followed by a few more 8 and 9 minute tracks to follow. My favorite track is called ‘To Old Friends and New’, the female vocals and a chorus of voices they sing, ‘it’s alright, the way that you live, it’s alright- the way that you live’ repeatedly, sweetly reaching a climax ending at, ‘it’s alright now!’ 

Titus Andronicus- Theme from Cheers

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Titus Andronicus- Titus Andronicus Forever

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Eels‘ new album ‘End Times’ is an excruciatingly bummed out account of love lost, thematic heartbreak- kind of like Eeyore singing the blues. Appropriately, today looked a lot like end times- with floods, storms and tornado warnings, the sun is now eerily out despite caution that we should all take safety indoors. California, this is not what I signed up for. End times are near.

Although I love End Times, I get really really sad listening to it. I was driving around with my friend Geoff the other day, and I asked him why he thinks people like sad songs, I guess it’s contemplative? We are a generation of overthinkers, and the heartbroken young.

Why am I still listening to this? I mean, the track ‘High and Lonesome’ is JUST THE SOUND OF RAIN FALLING. He seems to have hit a low point, broken down, lonely and spiritually broke. This is the record of a reluctant defeatist, conquered by love or the lack of it. A dude that needs his mother, and can only befriend birds, and sings songs about homeless men with signs. Unhinged is a little more upbeat, more aggressive, angry. 

I love the track called ‘Apple Trees’ when he talks about picking the one tree out of the billions lined up in rows along the roadside. Again, sad. So very sad. 

Eels- On My Feet

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Eels- End Times

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Eels- Apple Trees

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Hey folks,

This post may not be up to usual FWBA snuff as it is being written by a friend of the lovely Nada and Andrea, and not the walking thesauruses themselves . My name is Brooks and I feel as if every time Owen is discussed in these parts I am mentioned alongside. Anywho, last week after seeing quite a little show in Buffalo, I asked my armed friend if I could graciously share the event with all you that find themselves looking for the latest and greatest in independent-pop-rock-folk (or whatever genre tags are being used these days).  Last Wednesday, I was visiting some friends in a city most laugh at but I happen to have quite an affection for. We grabbed some dinner at a new favorite of mine, shot portraits in a rather cold warehouse and then made our way to a desolate Mohawk Place. It wasn’t that there was NO ONE there just not as many as could have been for such a great night. To cut to the chase (I’ve used up all my adjectives), Micah Schnabel was the performer. I had never heard of him at all but apparently he is in a band called Two Cow Garage that had a little buzz about them at a previous SXSW.  I wasn’t expecting much but within a few chords strummed on his “ART OR DIE” tattooed guitar accompanied by heartfelt stomps as his sole percussion, I was sold. The intimate crowd was head over heals for Micah, singing where they new the words, learning them where they could and requesting covers and likely every Two Cow song ever written to be played. There is not much I can write to convince you of how great of an experience it was to see someone so genuine as Micah spill his guts all over the stage. If you’re fan of the blue collar side of folk rock, a heart like Dylan and throaty vocals ala Lucero, you may just feel the same way I did.

Hope you liked my first attempt at this music review stuff!
-brooks-

PS – Nada, feel free to proofread this for me.

My friend Alex Collins is such a brat. Our friendship exists mostly because of our mutual love for Dave Bazan- we are both aware of the required nerd-ness it takes to love this man’s music, and much like most of my friends, will spend a long while dissecting and understanding his lyrics. Somehow, Collins was able to convince Barsuk to host one of his house shows at his house. I couldn’t believe it! So we all got together and watch Bazan in his living room. Watching something like that with some of your best friends makes you really happy that life is so wondeful, and you come up with all sorts of metaphors as to why God exists and a gage for how much you really love something. Imagine my hands outstretched- while I say, ‘THIS MUCH’. 

Apologies for the poor quality- it was filmed on my little camera by Cameron Woodward, who is quite comfortable taking the role of creepy filmer dude, as the camera sat on his lap the whole time- he didn’t budge. He’s done this before. Enjoy!

David Bazan- Hard To Be from nada alic on Vimeo.

David Bazan- Slow and Steady Wins the Race from nada alic on Vimeo.

I guess I’m an elitist in a way- because I’d heard Harlem‘s song, ‘Friendly Ghost’ and then soonafter heard it playing at Urban Outfitters- completely shocked that it’d be on their playlist, because well- I had JUST found out about them, which subsequently meant it’d be months before the rest of the world did, right? So I laughed and walked outta there- didn’t want to further provide any evidence of my hidden music snobbery that I was really trying to keep at bay. Anyway, this song and this band are rad. Their latest LP will be out Apr. 6th, and it’s called ‘Hippies’ duh..

Harlem- Friendly Ghost

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This band is everything you like, they’re from Iceland, they take cute photos and they have an animal in their name AND their single. Did I mention that their sophmore album is entitled, ‘We Built a Fire’? How campy! Perhaps they’ve stuck to the hype formula of how to win your indie heart? The track is delicate, and as soft as a Sufjan song. 

Seabear- Lion Face Boy

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This is a glimpse of M.I.A’s new song, ‘Space Odyssey’. It’s weird, I’m into it!

Yesterday, as I sat with some of my best friends watching Karate Kid, I found out that sadly- Jay Reatard has passed.

Watching the documentary below was kind of strange, featuring interviews with close friends, talking about his beginnings in past tense, there’s a sense that he was already gone, even though he was running the show. 

There were quotes from this documentary that really struck me as his understanding of the mortality of ourselves and our music. He talks about the short window of time to have the opportunity to do what they do creatively.

He ends with a sad, and  anxious thought, “Im racing against time, constantly, and a lot of it is just fear of death too. I know I’m not going to be able to make records when I’m dead, I’m not dead right now so I wanna make records”.

Waiting For Something – a short documentary about Jay Reatard

The Swedish band, Love is All has an LP coming out March 23rd called ‘Two Thousand and Ten Injuries’ Their single, ‘Kungen’ is just about everywhere, and it sounds like the theme song for a seventies sitcom, but it still has that dance-punk vibe. It’s squealing and irritating at times, but the ba ba ba harmonies dilute all the lo-fi screaching vocals. The tracklist is below:

01. Bigger Bolder
02. Repetition
03. Never Now
04. Less Than Thrilled
05. Early Warnings
06. False Pretense
07. The Birds Were Singing With All Their Might
08. Again, Again
09. Kungen
10. A Side in a Bed
11. Dust
12. Take Your Time

All is Love- Kungen

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All is Love- Wishing Well

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