Hospitality - 8th Avenue

In the vein of similar, poorly named bands that make Googling a bitch (I’m looking at you, Real Estate), Hospitality’s creative laziness (thankfully) ends with their insipid and uninspiring album title (ie: Hospitality, no surprises). 

Beyond that however, is a brand of music that while, by no means groundbreaking, is thoroughly enjoyable in the way it pulls off indie power-pop so, so very well. 

If I’ve only been able to peddle The Shins’ Port Of Morrow as 2012’s standout album thus far, Hospitality is teetering dangerously close to early 2012 AOTY honors.

Hospitality on Bandcamp.

Beck - Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometime

Every time I listen to this song, I think about the scene where Jim Carrey’s sobbing uncontrollably in the car. Can’t think of a better end-of-movie song for a movie as depressing as this.

Louis Hayes - “What’s Going On”

Was browsing around one of the second-hand vintage clothing shops in the backalleys of Shibuya and was reminded of this track. 

As far as my music brain is concerned, mind = blown.  

Kimbra - “Wandering Limbs”

There’s a lot going on in the chord progressions and melody of this song that didn’t really shine forth in the over-produced album version. Find a picturesque alleyway, strip it down to the bare essentials and perform it with a Robbie Savage lookalike and wa-hey, you have an almost-masterpiece! 

Side note: in terms of capturing single-take live music performances, the lapel mics used must’ve been of the amazeballs variety.

Lucy Rose - “Scar” 

Cue token Pitchforkian singer-songwriter-y keywords such as ingenue, whimsical, wistful and fragile and sprinkle a dose of Laura Marling comparisons.

Stereotypes aside, you could categorize her as a legitimately chirpier or far less dour Marling or a Suffolk-ier Kings Of Convenience. Only blonde and decidedly less testicular between the legs. I was raring to scour the interwebs for her album only to discover, disappointingly, that she hasn’t got anything out yet. 

It feels like I’ve just sampled really good cheesecake from a bakery that will only start operating sometime in 2012. Blargh. 

Via: Jiar 

Wilco - NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts

There’s something so remarkably “middle of the road” about Wilco, even when they’re mediocre, they’re so intensely mediocre to the point of not deserving any superlatives to describe it.

I’ll just point out that the drummer has a really cool miniature percussion/drum kit. It looks like it was made to scale for infant musicians. 

Little Tybee - “History”

On account of virtually dripping with music nerd fluids (see: insanely talented but prematurely balding 8-string guitarist, frontman that looks like computer programmer), I don’t think Little Tybee are the type of band that will ever be the talk of town in the land of the Pitchforks and Stereogums.

Crying shame, seeing as they write intelligent, tasteful and highly melodic music. Still, if Chad Kroeger and Scott Stapp made it, we can hope for lighting to strike for those who deserve it.

Land Of Talk - “It’s Okay”

So it’s not the most kickass of tracks from Some Are Lakes, but with some bourbon, starvation and a good four hours of self-flagellating introspection in a dimly-lit room, it’s a solid party trick if the party were to involve a lot of emotional teenagers crying about their repressed childhoods. 

The music video (2010 Juno Award nominee, mind you) is beautiful and quite moving. But trust YouTube comments to encapsulate things perfectly in simple phrases:

• I cried 3 times in one play
• This + weed = meaning of life
• Wow, I didn’t know it was possible to trip balls without taking drugs

Fitz & The Tantrums - “Don’t Gotta Work It Out” 

Reasons why Fitz & The Tantrums are better than your favourite band:

• Uplifting, shouty, horny music
• Frontman looks like a hipster Michael Keaton
• Frontwoman is black and bodaciously boisterous
• Paraplegics would be compelled to dance during their live sets

Metronomy - “She Wants”

Once you suppress the slick hipster grease emanating from the Monocle-levels-of-pretention of their sharp dressing (see: double breasted suit, immaculately coiffed hair, 5mm stubble), it’s much easier to appreciate Metronomy’s knack for highly watchable music videos.   

Notable mention: “A Thing For Me” for the clever use of those karaoke balls-over-words thingos.