Snotty brainwaves and drunken disgruntled employees live in San Cristobal

Ellinor Olovsdotter also known by her stage name Elliphant was discovered by chance one night at a party. She explained in an interview with Billboard, "It’s just coincidences that made me into this — a friend who needed help" She was at a party in Paris when producer Tim Deneve was playing some of his beats and a quite inebriated Olovsdotter started singing over the music. Deneve was caught off guard by her voice and was looking for a singer to flush out his demos. He recruited Olovsdotter and six months later Elliphant was signed to Swedish independent label TEN Music Group. Previous to getting signed Ellinor had worked as a kitchen worker and server in the food industry for over a decade. “The whole thing is super random and I think that’s my secret weapon in this: I don’t have anything to lose." she said. Not a bad deal for going to a party, getting hammered and singing a little bit. Since being signed in 2011 she has released 2 full albums, numerous EP's and has been featured in many songs from other artists. One of my particular favorite songs she is featured in, and where I first heard of Elliphant, was on the song "Too Original" by Major Lazer, who I am a huge fan of. Those who are familiar with Major Lazer's sound know what they are in for, but for the uninitiated you can expect a raucous heavy electronic Jamaican fused dance track that is pure energy. I highly suggest on first listen to crank up the volume and get ready to dance. Make sure to watch the video too. It looks like it was a blast to make. While that song is amazing at showcasing her hypnotic flow, her soothing raspy singing voice is not shown, so as a bonus I am going to also post a live performance of the song "Loves Me Badder" form Baeble Music. Make sure to check out her music, there is some really great stuff there.

Major Lazer - Too Original (Feat. Elliphant & Jovi Rockwell)


Elliephant - Loves Me Badder (Live)



I can't believe that I have never posted about the amazing Mal Blum! I have loved their music from the first time I heard it. It's emotional, sometimes folky sometimes rocky and the perfect type of music for those moody days when you just want to have someone to relate to, but also need a little pick me up. They have a new album set to drop on July 12 titled Pitty Boy and it looks as if they are touring quite a bit this summer in support of the new album. If you can, make sure to catch a show. Meanwhile enjoy this song! It's an older song from their 2011 album titled "Every Time You Go Somewhere". A quick note though, not all of their songs are quite this moody sounding, I just really really love the pacing of this song. And as an added bonus I will put up a song from the new album, that is giving me heavy Dinosaur Jr. vibes and that is a very good thing.

Mal Blum - San Cristobal

Mal Blum - I Don't Want To


I realize that I haven't updated this blog recently, which means that all my adoring fans who so graciously read this don't get to keep up on the events in my life. Trust me you're really not missing out on much unless you are interested in daily visits to what I call the "thrift store circuit" and hours of collecting everything that isn't nailed down in Skyrim. About 6 months ago I started a new job working in the transportation industry. I basically managed orders for multiple delivery agents. I want to start this out by saying that the people I worked with were pretty cool for the most part, in fact that was probably the only thing about the job that I really liked. Everything else was awful. There was barely any training or training documentation, the workload was really heavy and quite stressful, and communication was severely lacking on the corporate side of things. It was definitely a job where you felt like a number instead of a person that was heard and acknowledged. Every morning I would spend 15 minutes giving myself a locker room pep talk like you see in sports movies and when I left at the end of the day, I so tense and frustrated that I wanted to sit in my car and cry while blasting "Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M. I can honestly say that it was the worst job I ever had. Thankfully I realized that it was not for me early on and rambled on to another job that I like very much. This is a song about feeling trapped in career stagnation and feeling like a zombified corporate shill. If there is anything that my punk rock roots taught me it's that working for the man is a soulless endeavor. I'd like to say that I learned that early on, but truthfully I don't think it sunk in until recently. I respect those who can just switch off that part of their brain and go all auto pilot and let all the bullshit roll off their backs. It takes an iron will and Teflon skin to deal with that most of the time. I also feel really bad for them. I feel bad for those that never get the credit for their ideas, those that are never heard, those that get told they aren't good enough at what they do everyday by some entitled prick. I could write an entire book here but I need to end this ranting and I believe that I have done my due diligence in setting up this next song. With that being said I will quote the best line of this song and encourage everyone in a shitty job to shout along with it. "I AM NOT A PRODUCTION UNIT, I AM A HUMAN BEING!"

Cable Ties - Say What You Mean


Whew! That was pretty intense. Let's cool down a bit and get a little geeky with this next song, "Weightless" by Marconi Union. This song was created in collaboration with the British Academy of Sound Therapy. It is said to be one of the world's most relaxing songs and was created with exactly that intention. It's goal is to lower the listeners blood pressure, stress levels and heart rate and there is scientific data to back that claim up. Dr. David Lewis-Hodgson from the research group Mindlab International states that ""Brain imaging studies have shown that music works at a very deep level within the brain, stimulating not only those regions responsible for processing sound but also ones associated with emotions.” The data collected found that the song reduces anxiety by 65% and a 35% reduction in usual physiological resting rates. The song contains a sustaining rhythm that starts at 60 beats per minute and gradually moves to 50 beats per minute. The listeners heartbeat naturally slows to match the tracks BPM. The length is also critical in the science of the song. Lyz Cooper, the founder of the British Academy of Sound Therapy explains, “It takes about five minutes for this process, known as entrainment, to occur. And there is no repeating melody, which allows your brain to completely switch off because you are no longer trying to predict what is coming next.” The song is composed of a mix of piano, guitar and electronic samples of natural soundscapes all written in a slow moving dream like melody. This is the first song I have on my "Sleepy Time" playlist and I have listened to this track quite often. I can attest that it works very very well. I often times find that I am asleep before the song is even over, however I will admit that I do tend to fall asleep rather quickly. Why not try it out for yourself, just make sure you aren't driving or operating heavy machinery...and if you are, you probably shouldn't be reading this right now. P.S. There is also a 10 hour version on YouTube if you're into that sort of thing.

Marconi Union - Weightless


Now I am too sleepy. I can not let this post end like that. We need to get this back to proper Rop Bop levels before departing and I think I have just the right song to get us there. This band is on one of my all time favorite punk labels Fat Wreck Chords, founded my Fat Mike of the band NOFX. This all girl power pop punk band from San Pedro California bring sugary, fast, hook laden 3 part harmonies that will keep you jumping around for hours. It's snotty, it's fun and it's tough...everything punk should be. This is a live version of the song "Cheers" from their album Not Sorry. While the songs lyrics might not convey my feelings to you dear reader and I think that song title is the perfect way to end this post. Enjoy and keep rocking until next time. Seacrest, out!

Bad Cop/ Bad Cop - Cheers (Live from The Rock Room)

Attention Shoppers Pt. 2 - Blind Thrift Store Finds

About a month ago I was lucky enough to find a working stereo receiver at a local Goodwill. I have been "vinyless" for close to 5 years. I have a few movies within that time frame and I have faithfully hauled boxes of LP's from one home to another, and as any vinyl collector can tell you a stack of 25 records is surprisingly heavier than expected. Especially when carrying them up and down a flight of straits. It's been a while since I have listened to some of these records and thinking back, I rarely used my record player when I did have one. If you could see me now I am shaking my head in shame and embarrassment. To be fair though when I did start collecting it was in the heyday of digital files and file sharing programs like Napster and Kazza. While digital media is nice for conserving space I am a man who enjoys physical media. I love being surrounded by cool fun things to look at. I love cover art, reading the liner notes and lyrics, making notes on what songs and albums are great and categorizing my collection. Buying this receiver has re-ignited me love of physical media in a big way. I've always been a fan of thrift stores and even though it is kind of hazardous to my square footage I am always looking for a deal. That being said I am going to do another thrift store haul entry...probably more in the future. I am going to try to highlight the albums that might not be as well known or those that got lost in the shuffle. So lets start doing some crated digging shall we.

The first album I want to share is The album My Way by Major Harris. This was a pretty blind buy on my part. I knew I had heard of Major Harris before in passing, maybe heard a song by him but didn't really remember what he sounded like. Without even getting into the detail on this album take a second to soak in all that cover art. I mean right off the bat you know this is going to be worth a listen. I will put it right on front street here and tell you, that this album cover is a little misleading. When I look at this I am expecting some deep and heavy funky vibes. Something you'd play while cruising around the seedy side of the city at night. Sadly you will not get that pimp like soundtrack this cover so excellently conveys, however it's not a bad record. The album does still have some funk elements mixed with soul, but it has a very heavy poppy disco sound to it. The music is pretty upbeat and the first track on the album, Each Morning I Wake Up, is probably a song you have heard before. It could possibly be the best Saturday morning cleaning the house song I have heard. Actually you could say that for this whole album. The vocal on this album are pretty decent which is to be expected from someone who was once in the R&B/Soul group The Delfonics. It's definitely a smooth buttery delivery, but the lyrics do tend to come off as rather generic. The album isn't a jaw dropper but it's for sure worth a listen and fun. I would call it a nice album to throw on and do some spring cleaning. It's got some grooves to keep you moving and it has a very regenerative and happy vibe to it. I'll be honest though I mostly bought it for that badass cover art. It'll look great hanging on my wall in my vinyl picture frame.

Major Harris - Each Morning I Wake Up

Next on the list is an album that was another total blind buy for me. Again I really just based if off of the cool looking cover art. I did do a quick Discogs search for it to see what I was getting into, but did not want to be the guy in the thrift store playing YouTube videos at full volume. Lucky for me this turned out to be one of the best picks from this haul. There really wasn't much information I could find about this artist known as Kyle. I did manage to find out that his full name is William Kyle Eidson II and he is a former member of 60's garage rock group Sin-Say Shuns. He was on the same label as Billy Joel's early album "Cold Spring Harbor" album. Further reading suggest that Kyle was a pretty decent rival for Joel's album. to be fair thought Joel's album was not mastered at the correct speed, and even though the album was later re-mastered "Cold Spring Harbor" and Kyle's "Times That Try A Mans Soul" both failed to gain any traction due to Gulf + Western (a parent company of Paramount) being indifferent to the albums. However the indifference projected toward this album was not warranted by any means. The lyrics are deep and meaningful and deal a lot with, as the title would imply, everyday inner struggle but also carries a hopefulness to them as well. There are a few songs that tread into the religious side of things like the song Soul Smith, but don't let that sway you from passing on the song as it blooms into a full on jam with backing strings and some great guitar riffs. The song Think I'm Gonna Rain is a song about feeling down and out that I could easily see in a movie where the character is finally letting out all the emotion. The song sways from a dark ballad to emotional volcano of sound and vocals that make you want to yell along. This album is full of great tracks and every song feels fresh and quite relatable. It comes across as very honest, raw, and pulls no punches. This is what really makes this album shine. The music is very well produced, and ranges from straight up rockers like Black Gets Blacker, to slower folky country ballads like The Reason. When listening to this album there is no doubt of when this album was made (1971), It's got the 70's sound all over it. If you are a fan of 70's rock, this is a gem that you really should not miss.

Kyle - Think I'm Gonna Rain

Fact: I am a music nerd and i love learning about music. One of the most obvious places that one can learn about music is by reading the notes in those seemingly useless booklets that you get with your music. Yes, those booklets are more than just a pretty picture to catch your eye and yell out "Buy me! I'm cool!" If you take a gander at the song writing credits and even read the thank you notes you can really find some interesting stuff. Sadly, with everything going digital is a dying trend, but on the plus side you can find nearly any obscure artist with very little digging. Reading song writing credits has always been one of my biggest joys and i think it's something that often gets overlooked. There are tons of songs out there that are covers of other peoples songs. Old blues songs are one of the best examples of this. Just do a quick search for blues cover songs sometime and there is bound to be something you'll find that you thought was an original. I picked up and album by Huddie William Ledbetter, or better known as Lead Belly. As I was listening to the album, which is filled with great blues songs by the way, I recognized one of my favorite Credence Clearwater Revival songs Midnight Special. For years and years I thought CCR had wrote that song. As I am writing this I looked into other songs that Lead Belly and the list of his songs that were covered by other artists is pretty impressive. Black Betty by Ram Jam, Where Did You Sleep Last Night by Nirvana, Gallis Pole (Gallows Pole) by Zeppelin, Goodnight Irene by Tom Waits just to name a few. Now I want to make something clear so I don't get attacked by the other more enlightened music nerds out there. Lead Belly isn't necessarily the song writer for some of these songs. Songs like Midnight Special are considered traditional folk songs, meaning they really don't trace back to a song writer, but he did make them popular, so in a way Lead Belly is a sort of cover song artist as well. I would really urge you to do some searches today about cover songs or samples that were used in songs. there is a great website called Who Sampled that makes this such a fun and easy task. I really think you'll be surprised at what you find and you just might even find some new favorite songs!

Lead Belly - Midnight Special

I don't have a lot to say about this band, partly due to laziness and partly due to not having too much to write about. I am not sure why someone would get rid of this album. It's a pretty great 80's metal record. Now when I say 80's metal that should instantly give you an overall vibe of what this record is. Lots of tasty riffs, cheesy lyrics, and visions of skin tight leather, big hair and spandex. Originally from Boston they were originally known as Axes and released their debut EP but due to legal trouble they changed their name to Mass(perhaps their home state had some influence on their name). In 1982 their first full length album was recorded but remained unreleased until Retroactive Records released it 28 years later. That is not to say that Mass was unknown until then. they did have some success in the mid to late 80's. The single Do You Love Me was a hit on Boston rock radio and the video did see rotation on MTV. Their third album "Take You Home' had decent sales and they fourth album "Voices In the Night" was produced by Michael Sweet of the 80's christian metal band Stryper. The band did take a brief hiatus in the 90's and started recording again in the early 2000's. Like I said earlier the album is very 80's hair metal sounding and there really isn't much as variation from song to song, which is pretty typical for a lot of mid 80's metal. The one thing I do love about the album is the guitar playing is really good and there are so hot shredders in there. I wouldn't say that this is a disappointing record, because it is fun for what it is, but it's no masterpiece of music. Just a couple of dudes having a good time making some MASSive sound. If you like bands like Poison, or Cinderella, or Whitesnake these guys will be right up your alley. I'm happy to have a little metal in my collection, and the cover is a piece of art. Love the colors.

Mass - Do You Love Me

Again there isn't much about this album. The back side of the album says that Bob Anderson was one of the northwestern Indiana's most well known fiddle players. This album was recorder in 1969 and a few years later Bob died from a heart attack while rehearsing some tunes for a dance later that night. The country ramblers broke up shortly after this album was made and seems as thought they all went their separate ways and moved to different states. One taking a job at Pennsylvania State university, another moved to Michigan and two other moving to Kentucky. Judging by the picture and title of the album you know this is going to be some barn raising bluegrass music. All of the songs on the album are traditional bluegrass songs but the musicianship is really great. It's easy to see why Bob and his ramblers were well liked. The playing is tight and the fiddling is enough to make you want to clear out the cowpies and have a good ol' fashion country get down. this was a total random pick. I do love some bluegrass music, but what really drew me to this album, aside that it was in a plastic seeleve and in immaculate condition, was the amazing cover. I mean just look at that picture! Those gentlemen aren't your hipster bluegrass darlings of today. These guys are the real deal. I have a feeling that this is one of those albums that will be displayed in my vinyl photo frame quite a bit.

Bob Anderson & The Country Ramblers - Turkey In the Straw



I think that is gonna conclude this go round! I have a lot more that I can post but I need to find the time to sit down and do some writing. I have so much cool stuff I want to share but, I just can't find the time or the patience to sit down and write. There are too many undiscovered bands out there that need to be listened to and too many loose records on shelves screaming "Brad! Come find me and buy me!" Is there a clinical word for music addiction? ...Ok google

Rapsnacks

I don't feel like writing much today so I am just going to keep the descriptions short and add extra space for more musical goodness.
Elzhi is a Detroit native and former member of Slum Village. His flow really reminds me of the style of Big L or even Lupe Fiasco. It's thoughtful, poetic, and not afraid to be vulnerable yet still remain hood. This song is a little darker than his other stuff but I really like it. Reminds me of waking up from a nightmare or a intense dream for some reason. I'd really recommend checking out his eLmatic mixtape, which is a tribute to Illmatic by Nas where Elzhi re-created the sounds of the classic album with Will Sessions.
Elzhi - Talking In My Sleep



This song isn't anything special, or deep, but I fucking love that beat! This is one you play to make the dance floor get all sorts of freaky.
Diamond - Superbad



It's kind of funny how Punk and Hip-Hop sort of intersect in people. This band, much like the Beastie Boys, began playing together in a punk band.I love the jazzy organ and smooth wavy beat in this song and the production is incredible sounding. I wish the vocals were a little more up front though, the beat sometimes overpowers the great lyrics.
Brother Reade - The Marcie Song



A few things I learned when listening to this song. 1. I love any song with horns 2.I love thick accents (but only when in song.) I have a hard time hearing as it is, and a thick accent usually leads me to either say "I'm sorry. What was that?" or to just nod and smile and hope it's appropriate. 3. I can't be held down by crap because the world will keep going on around me. 4. Speech Debelle is damn good and deserves more looking into. Speech Debelle - Spinnin'


I know this video is super popular among the younguns, but I fell out of the hip-hop world a while ago. I'm getting old what can I say. The reason I am putting this up is for the video and to be able to link to the director Hiro Murai. you may know him from the director of the Childish Gambion video, This Is America It fits so well with the mood of this songs. Ceepy, spooky and give you the feeling that you might be somewhere where you shouldn't be. I love earl and that Vince Staples verse is killer. If you dig this video be sure to check out all the other videos, especially this one.
Earl Sweatshirt featuring Vince Staples & Casey Veggies - Hive


I really love Brockhampton! Even though the went through some shit with Amir's sexual abuse stuff, I think they are definitely proving that they aren't going to fall off the map based off of one persons bad decisions. I am sure it fucks with them losing a member that way. I will continue to support them and even still wish Amir the best and hope he gets the help he needs. These dudes are super talented and I can't wait for the next album to drop. These boys are fire! If you aren't familiar with them they are a hip-hop collective and self proclaimed next boy band. They have cranked oust some of the best hip-hop I have heard in a while and are fucking production juggernauts.
Brockhampton - 1998 Truman


Lyrical word play at it's best, right here.
Joyner Lucas - Backwords


And lest close this post out with one of the best hip-hop tiny desk concerts I have ever seen. I am not a huge fan of Tyler The Creator. I like his weirdness style and can definitely appreciate it but there was one thing that turned me off to his stuff. The fact that he vomits a lot in his videos. I just can't deal with that shit, Tyler! Is it a small thing, yes. Should I listen to his music more, yes. Do I really want to watch his crazy videos, hell yeah. that Vomit shit though, I stop it right there. Thankfully in this video he doesn't vomit, the only vomit he brings is straight up stripped down chilled out flow of great lyrics and some amazing back up singers. Seriously, those singers are worth the watch alone!
Tyler The Creator - NPR: Tiny Desk Concert

Attention Thrits Store Shoppers

As with most thrift store shopper I love when I hit a payload of good stuff. My many years working in thrift stores has given me a serious case of thriftitis. I frequent these places very often and I find it difficult to not buy all the things. I'm not a hoarder by any means, but I love getting a deal. there is a common misconception people have that if you work in a thrift store, you get all the good stuff. What many people don't know is that there are usually pretty strict rules about buying things. Truth be told, in my experience, most of the good stuff that is put out is gone in a matter of an hour or less. I laugh when I see comments about how all the workers hoard everything. I will say there are advantages to working in a thrift store. We get to see everything that comes in, and yes, we know of the gold that is out there to be snatched up. that is called a perk of the job. Just like any other job someone works at. If we snatched up everything that was awesome, we probably would need a second house. You need to ask yourself this question if this is your thought process. If you saw something you really liked or that was interesting and priced super cheap would you pass on it? Of course not! Neither would anyone else! thrift store shopping is all about being in the right place at the right time, hitting the specific sections you are interested in right away, making sure you look hard at everything, and going in on a constant basis. If you go in expecting to walk out with a pile of sweet stuff all the time you are going to be very disappointed. You should go in with no expectations at all. Some places allow shady tings to happen, this is true, but most often places are regulated by restrictions for the workers. I have seen people get fired and had to fire people because they did not follow the rules. My job was too important to risk letting someone get cheap or free shit. I would challenge anyone who disputes my claim, and many have, to go and volunteer at your local thrift store and see how it really all works. I bet you your view will change. Rant Over! Now lets get down to business...music type business. Since I am talking about thrift store hauls (did you know there is a subreddit where people post their thrift store finds?), I will post songs from a recent nice haul of much I picked up. This trip was a bit of a bummer though, there were a boatload of CD's I really wanted but a lot of them were pretty trashed. I just couldn't take the risk. What can I say I'm a cheap bastard!

I never really have taken the time to listen to many of Gram Parsons songs. I know of the name and I know he's pretty widely listed as an influence of many musicians. Since I don't know much about him I am going to share a few things I learn about him as I am writing this, so please forgive me as this is just going to be a bunch of random facts. Parsons is best known for is time it the band the Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers. He is well known for being a key musician that blended country and rock genres in a masterful way. His love of country music started when he was a student at Harvard and founded the International Submarine band, whose only album was released after the group had split up. His early life as a child was a tough time as her endured his fathers suicide and his mothers alcoholism, and grew up with his sister Avis. His real name was Ingram Cecil Connor III. His mother was a wealthy Florida citrus heiress. His collaborations with country singer Emmylou Harris are some of the best songs I have ever heard, and a must listen for any music fan. For a short period of time Gram moved to France and lived with Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones at Villa Nellcote, which is where the Stones album Exile On Main St. was recorded. Parsons was replaced while in the Byrds, due to debilitating health issues from drug abuse, by Clarence White and died just two months after at the age of 26. In his last days parsons traveled to Joshua Tree National park where he spent his days in the desert and nights in the local bars taking barbiturates and drinking heavily. Parsons death, Spetember 19 1973, was due to a morphine overdose. Parsons is listed number 87 in Rollings Stones list of "100 Greatest Artists Of All Time." These songs are from the album Alternate Takes from GP & Grievous Angel.
Gram Parsons - She (Alternate Version)

Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris - Return Of The Grievous Angel #1 (Alternate Version)


I have always thought it would be sweet to be a DJ. I would love to learn how to scratch records. I don't mean scratch as in "I fucked up my favorite record by doing a flying rock star leap off the couch and landed too hard on the floor". I mean like make that wiggita wiggita sound like DJ shadow does. It would also be a lot of fun to make beats that cause people to dance and I bet it's super fun coming up with songs to mix together. I would never be on the oppisite side of the turntables though. Why? Because I am 100% white boy robot. The best dance move I have is bobbing my head, which this song definitely does. I do dance, but the shades are drawn and no one is around. While I can't get my body to move fluidly to music, it definitely moves my soul. So I have that going for me. this song is from the album Preemptive Strike. It's a compilation of early singles by the shadow man. While I do prefer his more recent stuff, this is a great laid back 12 minute journey into space and time.
DJ Shadow - In/Flux


I have never been a big fan of 80's music, in fact I'd say it's my least favorite decade of music. I just can't get down with the synth driven stuff. I do love the popular stuff, but digging down deep into the decade usually leaves me unimpressed. I understand that the 80's were huge in the emergence of electronics, not only in music, but in pretty much everything. I could see how everyone wanted to get on the bus and ride the new wave sound. It's just not for me. I'd say around the late 80's is where I really start to begin liking the music put out. It was heading to a much less used electronic sound and started incorporating rock elements back into the mix. The The are a band that teeters right on that verge for me. I like them because their sound, while still heavily electronic based, is more experimental and less repetitive sounding. I'm not getting an album full of keyboard songs that sound just like the last one. This band reminds me of a less polished, and more electronics driven INXS (a band which I love). It's less pop, a little sinister, and still rocking. It's perfect music for doing art projects, putting up Halloween decorations or walking around on a misty eerie night. These songs are off their second album titled Infected, which earned them UK Gold Record status.
The The - Out Of The Blue(Into The Fire)

The The - Infected


Oh man, if you haven't heard this band before you are in for a treat. Primal scream is a Scottish band fronted by former drummer of The Jesus And Mary Chain, Bobby Gillespie along with a revolving cast of performers. The band was a key player in the late 80's indie pop scene and didn't really see commercial success until the early 90's with the album Screamadellica. The music is a mix of pop, dance and neo-pscyhedellic rock. This is one of those that I would instantly suggest to any music lover. It's filled with spacey sunshine filled sing along songs to pleasant yet odd experimental soundscapes. This album was the first to win the Mercury Music Prize, beating Gillespie's former band The Jesus And Mary Chain. If you ever see this album be sure to pick it up and if you make playlists at all keep this band in your arsenal. You could probably pick a song from any album in their discography and it will be worthy. both of these songs are from the album Screamadellica.
Primal Scream - Movin' On Up

Primal Scream - I'm Coming Down

Women who ROCK!

Get ready to have your mind blown by the awesomeness of Freya Wilcox and The Howl. If your a fan of Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Kim Carnes or Brody Dale of the Distillers you will 100% love this band. This isn't your normal soft voiced cutesy cliche female singer. Freya has an amazing rock and roll voice. It's gutsy, powerful, raspy and tough, just like the music. I love the band name too, it's so damn fitting! Make sure to check out Freya's acoustic stuff on YouTube to hear more. I promise you it's so worth it! Freya Wilcox And The Howl - Bury Me


While we are on the subject of women who kick serious musical ass, lets put in a mention for the band Hop Along. In the early years Hop Along started out as an freak folk acoustic solo project by lead singer Frances Quinlan and went by Hop Along, Queen Ansleis. After a few EP's and an album the name was shortened once it gained a drummer and bassist in 2009, as a way to signify that it was no longer a solo venture. In that same year the band released the album Wretches followd by the album Get Disowned that caught them critical notoriety. In 2014 they released the album Painted Shut on Saddle Creek records and in my opinion is their best record. They released a record this year back in April called Bark Your Head Off, Dog which might be my favorite album title ever. the new album is very good , but I feel it's more toned down and more polished than Painted Shut. That isn't a bad thing, i just prefer the more raw sound to their music. Like Freya Wilcox, Frances has a very unmistakable voice that gets quite heavy when things get rocking. This song is from the album Painted Shut and it is always suggested to me in my Spotify radio feed. I would have it no other way! Hop Along - The Knock


I first discovered Cortney Barnett on my local college radio station. I remember it well because I had to actually pull my car over and make google listen to the song at least 3 different times before it came up with something. I was getting more and more frustrated as the song got closer to ending. My local college station has a bad habit of playing 20 songs in a row and not giving the name of artists or songs. Oh, they post a playlist, but it's a hot mess of a playlist. I normally keep a pen in and paper in my car so that I can jot down key lyrics and look them up later with a 50% success rate. When I finally was able to get google to recognize the song I accidentally closed the google search. A few months later I came across a post online that had the album cover and I instantly looked that shit up on Spotify and saved it. So Courtney if you ever read this just know that I went through a lot to find your stuff. Not that I need to be thanked, because the pleasure is most definetly all mine. Ok enough babble. If I had to describe Barnett's sound I like to think of her as a more aggressive Whip Smart era Liz Phair mixed with a slice of Pavement and a hint of hard country blues. It's sonic, artsy, heavy and ferocious musically and filled with smart introspective and personally relatable lyrics. In every interview I have seen with her she seems like really sweet person and the type of girl you could just kick it with. Or perhaps I just have another musical crush. Either way I am so glad I found her music. This song is off her newest album titled Tell Me How You Really Feel. I personally am a big fan of her album Sometimes I Sit And Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, but this is still a definite solid album and an absolute must listen. I figured I would put this up since it's her newest stuff. Make sure to check out her collaboration album with Kurt Vile, it's great.
Courtney Barnett - Nameless, Faceless


Emily Haines has such a smooth voice! It's like butter the toast that is Metrics music, and I don't mean that in a bad way. Metric makes dance-able synth laden pop rock that is welcoming but also a little cold and standoffish. Meaning this stuff has a little bit of attitude. A bite that would fit on any indie lovers list. This Toronto band gained a lot of success by breaking into the ventures of high-profile media outlets. Which, if your going to hear a band on a TV show or a commercial, why not make it a great indie rock band. This is off their soon to be released album which can be pre-ordered here This sounds like it's going to be a really great record akin to the more rocking side of Metric while still mixing in that electronic signature sound that sets them apart from other bands.
Metric - Dressed To Suppress


I was introduced to Tegan and Sara one of the coolest girls I ever met and also one of the most complicated. I feel that the music of Tegan and Sara fit that persona pretty well, totally cool yet sort of complicated. If you've never listened to Teegan and Sara before they are a hard band to pin down because their music constantly shifts flawlessly between genres. Sometimes they are emo, sometimes they are dance, sometime rock and other times pop. One thing for sure is they they are a great band that should not be written off. They have consistently releasing records since 1999 and most of the albums are well received among many fans and artists. Both have great voices that work well together. I am a huge fan of anything featuring Sara Quinn. Her voice is a powerhouse. Sorry Tegan, I don't mean to discredit you, but I just have heard more guest spots featuring Sara. I love you both equally. Fun Fact: You know that insanely catchy Lego movie theme song? You know the one, I bet your humming it right now! Well guess who wrote that? If you guessed that I wrote that song then you are incorrect. Of course was these talented twins! This is one of my favorite songs from their 2011 Live album Get Along (there is a DVD version too). I would suggest you start with this album, which is great on it's own and then be blown away by the awesomeness of the studio versions.
Tegan And Sara - I Know I Know I Know (Live)


Why didn't anyone tell me about this!!! This combines two of my absolute favorite things! Fucking amazing!
Sleater-Kinney - A New Wave

Giant Dogs Hope For Magic Numbers So They Don't Feel Like Cryin' And Go Wild

If you are craving the days when rock and roll was wild then you are barking up the right tree with A Giant Dog. Their music is reminiscent of early 70's hard rock, fueled with the psychedelic and sex vibes of the 60's wrapped up with the intensity of a raging party that goes until dawn. The less energetic songs are the hangovers the next day. the lead singer Sabrina Ellis exudes unlimited energy and sexiness that make me feel like I have run a marathon, both in and out of the bedroom. Watching her live is like watching a fireworks display that you dare not to take you eyes away from. Andrew Cashen, the bands guitarist and second vocalist lays down heavy, lightning fast riffs. I like to think of it as an energy loop between each member of this band, and when it's switched on, get ready for the craziest ride, because the only off switch is when the song stops. This band is anything but pure power and quickly becoming a favorite the more I listen. If you really dig this band then you might want to check out Sweet Spirit, which features both Ellis and Cashen, however a little less frantic and more straight ahead rock. Buckle up for this one folks because this will make your head spin!
A Giant Dog - Sex & Drugs


I was a pretty fair weather fan of Mazzy Star when they first arrived on the scene. I loved the song, Fade Into You, that put them on the map. I remember buying the album and listening to it and really not being into it. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that I was still pretty young and hadn't been mature enough to really understand the beautiful melancholia of their music. I hadn't reached that level of feeling in life yet. I was still jamming out to modern radio hits like Tag Team, P.M. Dawn, Technotronic and Roxette. It wasn't until about 2010 that my interest in them was piqued. Their song Into Dust was featured in a Gears Of War 3 trailer I saw on TV and I distinctly remember saying "Holy crap! Mazzy Star! This song is great!" I instantly broke out the album and fell in love with it. In all honesty I had forgotten about the band. I had written them off as a one hit wonder, an all their songs sound the same band. While this is somewhat true, I definitely did not give their music the chance it deserved. Singer Hope Sandoval's deep velvet drone is hypnotic, chilling, alluring and unmistakable. I may have forgot about them, but not that voice. It doesn't come off as trying to sound sad, or whiny. It's effortless and carefree. It's a comfortable feeling. As soon as I heard her in that trailer I instantly knew who it was. It was like a ghost coming back to haunt me, in the best way possible of course. While I was falling into one of my many YouTube rabbit hole adventures, I came across this video (I guess it's more songs than video, but whatever! Don't judge me!) compilation of collaborations she did with other artists. The songs are great! Yes, a lot of them have that Mazzy Star trademark sadness to them, so if you aren't into that this might not be for you. However don't stop reading because there are a few songs that are a departure from the norm for Sandoval's style and she really shows that she can hold her own outside of her zone. I especially like the floaty electronic vibe of Asleep From Day with The Chemical Brothers and the country twinged Song Killing Smile.
Hope Sandoval - Collaborations with other artists - compilation "ALBUM"


I have been a huge fan of the Magic Numbers since their self titled debut album back in 2005. I picked that album up randomly not really knowing who they were in one of my "let's spend our paycheck on music and movies" sprees. I know nothing about them other than the album cover looked cool and the album was cheap. I am so glad I did, because that album is filled with indie pop rock scorchers from start to finish. Seriously, if you are reading this go and look up that album on Youtube right now. Did you do it? I'll wait. I was right wasn't I? Amazeballs! they released an album back in may called Outsiders and while it's not as poppy as their first album is't still filled with great songs, tasty guitar riffs, and beautiful vocal harmonies. I wish this band was more widely known because they totally deserve it. This is one of the more dark songs from their newest album and it is a monster if you love trippy crunch guitar! Make sure to give this bands other stuff a listen.
The Magic Numbers - Sweet Divide


I absolutely love soul music! This song is not only great, filled with passion, and will make you want to sing along at the top of your lungs, but the call and response back and fourth vocals are precious. I crack up every time I hear Bill say "My My My My. Buddy, talk to me, Sam!" Be on the lookout at RopBop very soon for a new Do You Have Soul? compilation.
Sam And Bill - I Feel Like Cryin'


One of the things I love is finding musicians with interesting stories. Most musicians of course have stories of being on the road and living the rock star life, but the kind of stories I really like are the ones that are off the beaten "rock and roll lifestyle" path. Laurence Wayne Fischer, better known as Wild Man Fischer is one of those stories. I won't go into full bio mode here but I think it's important to give a little background on this mans very surprising and very troubled life. Fischer was diagnosed early in his life as a paranoid schizophrenic and suffering from manic depression. He was institutionalized quite a few times in his life and was kicked out of school for singing songs in class. His style of singing is not an easy listen as he sings at the top of his lungs which he labeled as having "the pep". His mother had him committed for his odd behavior and violent outbursts. He was discovered by the great soul singer Solomon Burke who gave him the moniker Wild Man Fischer. Fischer was known to perform on the streets outside of clubs and popular hangouts and would sing his "new kind of songs" for a nickle or dime. Fischer opened for such acts as Iron Butterfly, Bo Diddley, and the Byrds. He was noticed by Frank Zappa and brought into Zappa's studio to record a double LP of his songs that were somewhat narrative in nature to his life and experiences. As time passed he became upset about the royalties he was not receiving and one night became violent and threw a bottle at Zappa almost hitting Zappa's daughter Moon. Needless to say their relationship came to an end. A while later he recorded the first song ever produced by Rhino records which launched the record label into popularity. He recorded a few other albums with comedy duo Barnes and Barnes, and appeared on an album with Captain Beefhart. These albums are hard to find and even harder to obtain is Fishcer's first album he recorded with Zappa. After Zappa's death the rights to the music on his Bizarre record label went to his wife, who refused to reissue the rights to the album as long as she lived. Fischer was also the subject of a comic book called "The Legend of Wild Man Fischer" by Dennis Eichhorn. Fishcher appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Fischer was also the subject of the rock documentary called Derailroaded, which looks very interesting and is something I very much look forward to seeing one day. there is a ton of information about Wild Man out there if you are further interested. I am going to post a few songs of his and the trailer to the documentary to end this post. Just know that these songs are very weird, but none the less interesting. The second song is much easier to listen to. I mean Wild Man is known to some as the godfather of "outsider music".
Wild Man Fischer - Merry Go Round

Wild Man Fischer - Do The Wild Man

Do: Ride A Motorcycle with a Cayetana Dont: Dance With a Jawbreaker

Hello everyone! This is going to be my 323rd I am back post on RopBop. While that number is totally a lie, it seems that a lot of the more recent posts have been "I'm sorry I am and I am back" posts. The truth of it all is that life gets in the way of the things you really want to do sometimes. Let's face it, your favorite music blog writer (or once favorite), is also very undisciplined when it comes to things. I forget for long periods of time that I once had a music blog. I sometimes think about writing a post then I get distracted, or just don't feel motivated. Well lucky for you, and for me, I am feeling motivated today! Lets do a quick update shall we? I have a new job. An apartment away from a loud ass neighbor. Still single. I took some time to work through some crappy stuff life threw at me and now feel I am actually making progress. It's not all cherries yet, but then again, when is life always good? Am I right? However it's way better than it was and getting better ery' day! Progression through baby steps, my friends, baby steps.

Speaking of progression and dealing with the world flinging poo at you like an enraged monkey. Let's talk about this band I have REALLY REALLY been diggin for the last month or so. I heard about this band through a music suggestion subreddit called IfYouLike_____ (IfYouLikeBlank). Basically you ask "If I like XYZ artist/song/movie/book, what else would I like?" Then the community can give you suggestions based on what you like. If I recall correctly I was asking about ands that sounded similar to The Front Bottoms and someone suggested Cayetana. Cayetana (pronounced Kay-tana) is an all female trio from Philly who's sound is rooted in indie rock, power pop and a little slice of punk rock. Not the angry kind of punk rock, though. The music is insanely catchy, tough, and gritty like sweet sugar crystals that melt in your brain.The bass lines are heavy and remind me of all of my favorite Cure songs, The drumming is tight doesn't let loose. The latest album form the group, A New Kind Of Normal, was released in 2017 and deals with issues such as mental health, overcoming life's challenges, and reinvention. While the songs can deal with heavier subjects it is not a sad record by any stretch of the imagination. It's actually quite uplifting and inspiring with lyrics like "And I hope that you realize/ That I was born strong/ Like the ones that made me/ And I was made soft/ By the one that raised me /this is my last call/ This is my rock bottom/ This is my curtain call/ this is my but ticket." Lead singer Augusta Koch has a strong smoky vocals that make for a unique and very refreshing sound. This woman can belt it out, and will have you rocking out right along with her. This is definitely a band that I am going to keep my eye on. I thought I had grown out of my so called "punk rock" phase, but Cayetana came and re-lit my love of the genre.
Cayetana - Bus Ticket


I just got done watching the movie Jawbreakers before starting this post. I thought I remembered it being better than it was, but perhaps younger me was drawn to it due in part to the fact that it starred a bevy of gorgeous and very talented women. When I say talented I mean that in an all around sense, and not so much in this particular movie. To be fair though, I don't think it was their acting ability, I think it was the not so great script. If you haven't seen the movie it is about a group of popular stuck up high school girls who kidnap their best friend for a birthday prank/surprise, but the only one getting a present are her kidnappers, when it turns out the best friend dies from choking on a jawbreaker. The story then begins when they try to cover up their friends murder and remain "innocent". If this premise sound familiar you are right, it's definitely an updated and thinly veiled Heathers remake. I feel I really need to do more than just crap on the movie, because tha is what it seems I am doing. While it is full of plot holes and a few unexplored/rushed ideas, it is a pretty decent dark comedy junk food movie. Rose McGowan plays a great nasty girl villain, Judy Greer goes from awkward ugly duckling to queen bitch and back flawlessly and Rebecca Gayheart plays the straight woman hero. The film also features the always great Pam Grier, and a cameo from Marylin Manson as a sleezy bar patron. All in all it's not the best movie ever made, but it is a decent watch if you dig bad junk food movies where you don't have to think too much...just don't expect much. It at least had a good soundtrack
Imperial Teen - Yoo Hoo

The Donnas - Rock 'n' Roll Machine


I am a sucker for dance pop songs. I am not a big fan of the stuff you hear on the radio. Perhaps my disdain stems from all those years of working in retail where we would listen to the radio stations that played the same handful of songs over and over, it felt so force fed. Don't get me wrong there were some that I loved. I am very embarrassed to admit that the song Love Yourself by Justin Bieber is one of those. Yeah, cool points deducted, but fuck it. We all love what we love. I do feel bad for those artists that could easily be huge, but never see popularity that commercial success brings. Or maybe I am just out of touch. The way we listen to music has changed so much in the last decade it's crazy. It is quite nice though for those lesser known artists to build a fan base and get heard. This song in particular was one that really struck me as something special. Tove Stryke is a Swedish pop singer who has been making music since 2010. In Sweden she is pretty widely known. Her album went platinum and she was nominated for a Swedish Grammy at 18, but as far as US acclaim she is relatively unknown. This year she released her third album Sway that would easily be accessible to the modern radio listener, yet a refreshing change from the watered down music you'd expect. Soft sweet airy vocals and epic electronic instrumentation that make it hard to fight the urge to bust out a few dance moves and finger snaps. A definite recommendation if you are a fan of Ellie Goulding, Lorde, or Catchy Poppy EDM. This song makes me bounce, fool!
Tove Stryke - Say My Name


I'm also a sucker for hilarious punk songs about being in love with an unhinged quasi embarrassing drunk girlfriend. The Vandals have always had a knack for tongue in cheek, irreverent, energetic witty songs. I actually have a playlist that I call "A Taraintino Type Thing" which are a collection of songs I think would be great songs to be used in movies. This one is on that list. Favorite line: I apologize for all shes done/ go ahead and keep her purse.
The Vandals - That's My Girl


My current job is working as a data developer for a Mororcycle/Motorsports retailer. Previous to this I never really was into motorcycles. I thought they were cool, but I never was interested in them all that much. I took the job because it's a very different atmosphere. Much less running around, and dealing with customers. I thought it would be less stressful than the front lines of the retail world, and in a sense it is. What I did not expect though was the immense learning curve that comes with motorcycle parts. Not only do you have to know brands of bikes but you then have sub-modles and sub-models of sub-models, various names for the parts, and they also like to switch things up every few years with the names of things. It's mind boggling! However, it's super cool to look at badass motorcycles all day. It's also fun to be able to see a bike and be able to identify what it is. This song is a cover of country outlaw extraordinaire David Allen Coe. It's a slow burning ode to the love between man and machine.
PJ Elliot - Panhead's Forever