Nature's Kids

The almighty Pitchfork brings us the following news that is intended to make us all feel like we are in high school again (and by "us all" I mean Richard and I)

"It's official, the Smashing Pumpkins are currently writing songs for their upcoming album, their first since 2000. No release date has yet been set, but the band plans to begin recording this summer."

In similar news, I realized today why Richard thinks indie rock needs more trash talk. His beloved Pavement started it with Range Life (note the title, clever I think)

On a seperate Pitchfork note, they have also posted the new Bright Eyes tour dates, that we have (at our own complete faults) forgotten to post or discuss. They are as follows:

06-04 Victoria, British Columbia - Royal Theatre *
06-05 Vancouver, British Columbia - Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park *
06-07 Edmonton, Alberta - Reds *
06-08 Calgary, Alberta - MacEwan Hall *
06-09 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - Wheatlands "A" *
06-10 Winnipeg, Manitoba - Burton Cummings Theatre *
06-13 London, Ontario - Centennial Hall *
06-14 Toronto, Ontario - Massey Hall *
06-16 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo #
06-17 Omaha, NE - Memorial Park

* with Gruff Rhys# with Radiohead, Death Cab for Cutie, Sonic Youth, Cat Power, Beck, the Streets, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, more

Bright Eyes

So... I feel kind of bad about the whole Dashboard thing. So to make up for it, here are two Bright Eyes songs

Hit the Switch - live acoustic version w/M. Ward and Jim James http://download.yousendit.com/B11D2AB70BDAF209

&

Hell is Here, Hell is Coming - live unreleased song http://download.yousendit.com/47E100AF3867640C

Enjoy,

r.d. (to indie for uppercase)

ps. I think it's hilarious when you refer to our readers - no one reads this crap

Richard 1, Zak 0

Damn that boy is fine.

So, It begins

I didn't say you couldn't compare them, I said I didn't consider them similar (didn't they teach you difference in college). No, plus/minus is not a side project of Versus. - Simply because Plus/Minus put out their album after the last Versus album. Additionally Versus hasn't put anything out since 2000. Meanwhile, P/M put out 2 albums and an EP.

Top 3 reasons Zak's indie card should be taken away

3. He wears shorts when he swims or mows the lawn.
2. He once bought a Backstreet boys single for his wife.
1. He purchased tickets* and attended for a Dashboard Confessional show.


r.d.

*The fact that he purchased the tickets makes it unforgivable. If he would have been begged to go by a friend who he felt sorry for and went to make his friend feel better, that would have been okay.

Let the trash talking begin

VS.

So I probably should leave this in the comments of Richard's previous post, but I want all of our readers to see this.

Is your arguement that I cannot compare +/- to The Postal Service because The Postal Service is a side project? Correct my indie rock knowledge (if I am wrong) didn't +/- begin as a side project of Versus? And even if am wrong about that--why can't I compare a side project? And their styles are similar. Certainly +/- is more guitar oriented but you have to admit that there is some comparison.

For our readers, Zak is the smart one (and cute too!) and We Todd Did (Richard) down there is the one who is usually wrong.

Plus Minus vs. Postal Service

In response to Zak's previous post "+/- Steal the Blueprints. Like the Postal Service (and dare I say it) only better."

First of all, I don't really think these bands sound similar. Postal Service put out a good album, but it honestly sounds like a side project. On the other hand, Plus Minus is one of the best bands to come out in years. Need more proof?

+/- Fadeout http://download.yousendit.com/00C4470E165F8F11


I thought so...

still want more? www.plusmin.us

R.D.

a test and two songs

I didn't know if you had heard these yet. I am trying this from yousendit.com

The downloads are only available for three days

check it out

The Dears--There goes my outfit Just a great song. I listen at least once a day. The website says its only a rough cut and the final cut will have more instruments and layers. I prefer this one and I haven't even heard the final cut.

+/- Steal the Blueprints. Like the Postal Service (and dare I say it) only better.

The Ben Gibbard story. My family and I are having a nice little dinner on Saturday and the satellite radio is playing. On comes the acoustic version of Soul Meets Body. And everytime we hear DCFC, I just know my wife is gonna change her mind (she hates them if you don't already know). Well I thought this may be the day. But this acoustic version provides the listener with Ben at his whinny best and my wife states the following. A very loose translation.

"Everytime I hear him I feel like Im on a really bad date. You know the nights not going so well and he decides to get his guitar out and play you a song. You know to liven things up. And this is what comes out. And Im sitting here feeling very uncomfortable but he won't stop singing. You know"

Pretty funny stuff.

KIF

Mission Statement and Maria Taylor

So we need like a mission statement or something. Not quite Jerry McGuire, but something in that vain. I mean why are we spending our time on this little thing? I mean I think I know why, but we really should put it out there. You know something permanent.

On a separate note. In the past month, I have considered who I would write about first on this blog, and never in my wildest dreams, did I ever think it would be Maria Taylor. But here goes. So I really liked this album last year. And by liked, I mean just that. It was very likeable. I enjoyed it on a car ride or two and Conor's backing vocals are about as great as they are on the Home EP with Brit Daniels. But today is Easter. And my kids got this really big inflatable water slide from the inlaws and my family and I spent the day outside today. So I put on 11:11 and it absolutely stunned me. Now I know you indie rockers out there did not give Maria her fair dues and no one really loved this record. And I also know that some of you (Richard) don't enjoy the female vocalist, but you are missing out. For some reason she hit me today. It was simply amazing. So if you haven't heard 11:11 or you already tucked it neatly away in your cd collection (after arguing with yourself on weather to file it under Taylor or next to your Azure Ray cds) go give it a shot (or another shot).


Coming soon, why my wife hates Ben Gibbard--funny stuff.

POGS!

College is for quitters

Man we both blew our loads with using our good titles for the first two posts

I figured the only way you'd let me hand around this blog with you was if I apologized on the site.

Im sorry Richard

Abstract and Bored