Meet Kimya Dawson!

Seattle based singer-songwriter and other-half-of-Moldy-Peaches Kimya Dawson is playing a very special in-store gig in the city tomorrow afternoon! If you live in Melbourne and you're a Moldy Peaches fan, liked the Juno soundtrack or just really love Miss Dawson's solo stuff, you should come along, especially if you weren't able to nab tickets to any of her other gigs. 

This is also Kimya's first time touring in Australia.

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EVENT INFO

When: Wednesday 18th June, 2008 @ 3:30 p.m. 

Where: Polyester Records (City Store), 288 Flinder's Lane

Cost: Free! 

Bring: a camera for some Facebook worthy photos, bottled water, your cellphone for some You Tube worthy footage, a Melway and/or CD for Kimya to autograph

Alison's Starting To Happen (+ MGMT Demos)

It's A Shame About Ray is without a doubt one of the most important records of the last decade or so, and I'm pretty sure this makes the Lemonheads one of the most important bands of the last decade or so. 

This song about a girl called Alison is really good stuff. Listen:

Alison's Starting To Happen

P.S. - Head over to Pretty Much Amazing to gain access to a treasure trove of MGMT demos from a couple of years ago including the original version of "Kids". Neat.

MGMT at Coachella & The Return of The Cure

MGMT is probably one of my favourite bands. Their music is perfect for turning up on the volume on your headphones and escaping over-crowded city streets to some gloriously Michel Gondry-esque world in a faraway place. You can't not fall in love with their blend of dreamy psychedelic taste-the-rainbow synthpop. I mean, for crying out loud, is the above black and white photo not evidence enough to illustrate that they're just a great bunch of guys? Whilst still at college, a lot of people described their songs as about "not quite growing up and a lot of nonsense", but I'm thinking they meant to say, songs about "not quite growing up and a lot of awesomeness". Here is a bootleg of their gig at Coachella, courtesy of the fine folks over at You Ain't No Picasso. Enjoy.

MGMT's Coachella 2008 set list:

Weekend Wars
The Youth
Of Moons, Birds and Monsters
Future Reflections
Pieces of What
The Handshake
Electric Feel
Time To Pretend
Kids

Oh, and in case you haven't caught on already, THE CURE ARE BACK!

Go here to listen to and download their new single 'Freakshow'.

O HAY WEEKEND!

I am pretty stoked that as of from today, pretty much everyday is the weekend for me. Oh yes.

So to celebrate, I thought I'd share two of my favourite duos/songs with you kids. 

Crystal Castles are the kitten's mittens. They're from Canada, and you might recognize their addictive 8-bit electro stuff from the Skins soundtrack. "Alice Practice" was the backdrop for what I can remember as one of the most poignant scenes from the second season. Gotta love that chaotic, choppy, shouty insanity. Plus, Alice Glass is crazy awesome. Admit it.

Crystal Castles - Courtship Dating (via nycfriction)

I cannot express my love for The Ting Tings adequately enough. Their debut We Started Nothing is amazing, and definitely an album I've been listening to non-stop for the past few months. Their music is a perfect pick-me-up without being nauseatingly sickeningly happy, and Katie White is another rear-end kicking front woman. Calvin Harris did a remix for one of their best (but certainly not only) songs. It turned out pretty well. 

The Ting Tings - Great DJ (Calvin Harris Remix) via mediafire

Have a ridiculous weekend! Try to not end up like the following if you can help it:

...on second thought, make sure you end up like that.

Facts From Learnings: Rushmore

 

Fact: Wes Anderson movies come accompanied with some pretty killer soundtracks.

Fact: 1998's Rushmore is one of these movies.

Fact: It took me ten years to watch and thus realize how fantastic this film is. Please learn from my mistake and break down the door to your nearest movie-selling retailer and demand you be sold a copy of Rushmore if you haven't seen it already.

Fact: You should also listen to some Cat Stevens and The Kinks.

Fact: It will seriously improve your quality of life. And make you shake your hips a little. Or a lot.

Fact: Jason Schwartzman is the bomb. No, seriously. If you don't believe me, dig this:

Cat Stevens - Here Comes My Baby

The Kinks - Nothing In This World Can Stop Me Worrying 'Bout That Girl

HOLY IT'S JUNE ALREADY BATMAN!

(A picture of a horse. Because that's exactly how all entries following two month absences should begin. That, and I like ponies.)

Wow. Has it really been over two months since I snuck in here? It's insane to think we're pretty much halfway into 2008.

A few things that have happened in those two months: I lost Peanut Butter (my purple iPod shuffle buddy) and had to bring back Napoleon, my battle-scarred green iPod Mini back from the dead (he dies literally every ten minutes to the point where the only thing I can ever really do with him is listen to the same song on repeat for an hour or so), I've fallen back in love with Third Rock from the Sun (I think the Solomons are my second favourite family after the Bluths), and discovered some pretty neat soundtracks like The Darjeeling Limited and I'm Not There.

A few things I've learned over the past two months: the new Mates of State album is actually a lot better than most people are giving it credit for. I wouldn't think of it as boring or safe -- rather fun, melodic, and probably the easiest thing to listen to that they've ever produced. In other happenings, university is pretty much an entire fucking alternate universe. Although it's kind of nice to sit next to people who blast the entire Vampire Weekend album on their headphones loud enough for you to hear. That said, I've decided Vampire Weekend would pretty much be the soundtrack to The Lion King on Broadway if The Lion King on Broadway ever went indie. Also. The Arcade Fire scoring Mr. Maker-of-Donnie-Darko's new film? Discuss.

Some equations that sum up my thoughts on life right now: Easy Mac = lifesaver, always Nutella = what I plan to live off of during the holidays. Adobe software developers = heartless pricks. Ugly Bill Cosby sweaters = the greatest comeback ever. Cate Blanchett as Bob Dylan = WOAH! Hot cocoa = keeping me sane. Public transport = ridiculous. A vacation = something I am desperately in need of.

Also, I'm looking for a blogging buddy to help me keep running my little baby, so if you're interested, definitely e-mail me! Running this is definitely a lot easier in theory than in real life. A lot of time and effort goes into updating as much as possible and uploading music that is worth everyone's while, so getting someone to assist me on that stuff would make me one happy bunny.

Here are some unrelated but great photos and two songs I love a lot.

The New Pornographers - Adventures in Solitude

The Beatles - Here Comes The Sun

Dynamic Duo: Hell No!

+

=

AWESOMENESS.

(True story)

Every once in a while, I stumble across what I like to refer to as a 'dynamic duo duet'. This is most definately one of them. Who knew little Scandinavian singer-songerwriter Sondre and queen of genius kitsch lyricisim Regina could get together and create something as special as 'Hell No'?

I certainly didn't see this coming, but after discovering this gem of a tune on the Dan In Real Life soundtrack, I've realised male/female argumentative duets have never been as fun.

Made specifically for your "on repeat" buttons.



Listen to Hell No