A Random Mp3 Trilogy: The Dodos, The Octopus Project, The XX

The Dodos


Photo by Charlie Villyard

The Dodos‘ third album hits stores physically next week, but they have made it available digitally ever since it leaked on the torrents long ago. With Time To Die, they branch out a lot farther from their Sung Tongs starting point and seemed to have come into their own. The Animal Collective influence is still felt here, but it doesn’t seem to dominate it like their last record. When this band really connects everything together right, they sound amazing, but at times they drift into slightly boring and repetitive areas. That said, the 9 tracks on this album have a lot less fat on them then previous installments, and the thoroughly enjoyable results display a sharp improvement in a band that had already started ahead of the curve.

The Dodos : Small Deaths

Buy Time To Die

The Dodos myspace




The Octopus Project


Photo by Aubrey Edwards

Similarly to The Dodos, Austin’s The Octopus Project have slimmed down their newest release and do much more with less. The 5 track EP manages to demonstrate every strength of this band in less than twenty minutes. The first two cuts are some of the best pop songs this band has ever written. The final three instrumental pieces stand testament to the post-rock prowess of this talented theremin centric outfit. They are re-releasing their first two albums today, so once you pick this EP up and inevitably get hooked, there is plenty of old material easily accessible to dive into:

The Octopus Project : Half A Nice Day

Buy Golden Beds

The Octopus Project myspace




The XX

After reading the recent reviews and super-hype on the Internet, I totally expected to hate this UK band. But after getting through the whole album, I found myself really liking it. I often rail against overly simplistic bands, but I absolutely love a group that can accomplish something rather incredible with a minimal palette. This record isn’t going to change anyone’s life and I doubt it will end up near the top of my list of faves for the year, but I have to admit that it is a good one.

The XX : Infinity

Buy XX

The XX myspace

A Random MP3 Trilogy


Photo by Adriano Fegundes

Lately I have been going through a serious Animal Collective kick. They have always been a band that I really liked, but now something has sort of clicked for me and I just can’t get enough. I’m starting to really lean towards considering them the best band to come out of this decade. Their entire discography is in my heaviest of rotations right now, but today’s obsession is Spirit They’re Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished. Here’s a track from it to help you jump on the bandwagon:

Animal Collective : April And The Phantom

I’ve also been warming up more to The Dodos‘ Visiter lately. At first it struck me as too much of an Animal Collective ripoff, but now that I have been getting to know the language of that sort of music better, I can appreciate what The Dodos are doing. They are surely AC influenced, but they do some interesting stuff with those inclinations:

The Dodos : Jody

Final Fantasy dropped two tracks on the Internet today from two forthcoming EPs. If you are unfamiliar with FF, he is violinist/singer Owen Pallett, best known for his affiliations with Arcade Fire, and you should snatch a copy of his 2006 He Poos Clouds. One of the EPs will be reinterpretations of music by fellow Toronto musician Alex Lukashevsky and the other is a collaboration with Beruit. More info here, but jam a track from the latter:

Final Fantasy : The Butcher

Live Show: The Dodos (10/20/2007)

The Dodos
2007-10-20
Doug Fir
Portland, OR, USA
*a thir13en blend*
recorded by yltfan

Source 1: SBD>iRiver h140
Source 2: Nakamichi cm300>iRiver h120

01 Chickens> Trades and Tarriffs

02 Men

03 Horney Hippies

Click here to read the entire post…

What Up In The ATL?

The news I was dreading finally broke today, and The Mars Volta concert scheduled to be at the Tabernacle next week got canceled because of the tornado damage. I guess I am going on another road trip. Also, Ticketmaster, thanks for not refunding our processing fees. As always, you suck.

The Explosions In The Sky show at The Variety Playhouse on April 13th has Sold Out. If you did not heed our warnings, you are still in luck. They have added another EITS show that same day at 4:30pm at The Variety Playhouse. Go here and buy tickets.

The free SoCo Music Experience thing that took place in Centennial Place last year is happening again on May 17th with Queens Of the Stone Age, Ghostland Observatory, Supersuckers, Bang Camaro, and Ryan Shaw.

I have been trying to catch a Liars show unsuccessfully for some time now, but I think I will finally get my chance as they are opening for Radiohead at the Atlanta show. That show is gonna be sick.

Tomorrow night there are two stellar shows that Ohmpark will be splitting up to catch. First there’s Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks with John Vanderslice opening at The Variety Playhouse. Then there ‘s new-hypes-on-the-block The Dodos, fellow SXSW act Silje Nes, and Atlanta badasses The Liverhearts at Lenny’s.

Thursday night my picks of the night are at Lenny’s featuring Battlecat, Thy Mighty Contract, Gold Painted Nails, Chopper, and Lay Down Mains and at the Drunken Unicorn featuring Ahleuchatistas, Sorry No Ferrari, and 13 Day Mission. Either one of those will be a winner.

Friday night I’m picking The Earl show with Silent Kids, Luigi (their last show for who knows how long), and The Preakness as the place to be. Saturday at the Drunken Unicorn starting at 4pm is the WREK 91.1 FM 40th anniversary party featuring all sorts of ATL bands.

The Dodos : Paint The Rust

Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks : Gardenia

Liars : Sailing to Byzantium

Silent Kids : Neptunist’s Revenge

Ahleuchatistas : K-Bit