The Ting Tings - Keep Your Head Up
The Ting Tings - We Walk

It’s easy to understand why Dr. Drew would want to bring in great bands to his show, Loveline. If you’ve never heard the show, it’s basically a platform for the 12-30 age group to call in about their problems. Whether it be that their skank of a girlfriend gave them crabs, or ‘my boyfriend doesn’t like me anymore,’ it’s full of witty greatness.

What’s even more, this Wednesday, June 11th, The Ting Tings (one of my favorite new UK bands) will be in the studio with Dr. Drew and his counterpart (whoever that is these days.) It used to be Adam Corolla, but I think Adam had a problem just talking and talking, and never really answering any questions.

If you’re not familiar with The Ting Tings OR Loveline, I really don’t know what to tell you. I included some more Ting Tings for your listening pleasure, but you can find the local listing of Dr. Drew here. I hope you enjoy the show as much as I do.

Atmosphere - Like the rest of us
Atmosphere - Dreamer

One of my friends, we’ll call him Kyle, is a huge indie hip hop fan. Unfortunately, thanks to my roots as a Texan/New Mexican - I didn’t grow up with such a great taste in music. (I mean, it’s way better than YOURS now, but it wasn’t always this way) I think my first compact disc I ever purchased for myself was Dave Matthews Band - Under the Table and Dreaming. Not such a bad disc - especially for the grunge overtones of the day.

I’ve since moved on from the Glen Philips, Dave Matthews, and Goo Goo Dolls of my youth. While I do revisit them occasionally, just for a sense of nostalgia, I no longer crave the acoustic guitar. So, when Kyle and I took a road trip on music, we first made a pit stop at Best Buy to pick up some new tunes. He bought two, and I bought 50. Mine were blank. His were ‘Atmosphere - When Life Hands you Lemons, you Paint that Shit Gold’ and ‘Lyrics Born - Everywhere at Once.’

If you’ve ever followed either of these artists, you know that both of them have a very unique style. Atmosphere - very angry white boy rap that isn’t Eminem, and Lyrics Born is a soul groover that raps to the beat of his own damn drum. And they’re both good. And about a month, they both released some new discs that have really shown that they are growing up.

Atmospheres Lemons’ is a journey of a 30 something white boy who is just now figuring out how to grow up and not be angry. Full of wit, honesty, and charm, Sean Daley (Slug) gives insight to all his previous records. He opens up, talking about his youth, the groupies, his son, his ex, and anything else he could fit on this astounding record. The music is just as clean as his new style, and won’t get on your nerves.

Lyrics Born, on the other hand, was a disappointment. Typically in the past, Lyrics will bring some funk, some soul, some light, some dark, and some really intricate records. And when you get into the first 3 songs off of ‘Everywhere at Once,’ you quite enjoy the pure funkadelic path he has choosen. The problem is, he never let’s off the pedal. It’s Funk, and it’s ALL FUNK. For me to dislike a record on first listen is very rare these days, but, Lyrics took the cake for June, I think.

Check out the tracks I included, and make up your own damn mind.

Is it legal in California to marry an entire band?

Because if it is, consider this my premature proposal to any or all members of Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s. Have you ever been on a really awkward and uncomfortable first date? You know the kind where you accidentally insult your date’s dead grandma (Yes, I’ve done it)? Well, a night with Margot is completely the opposite of that.

Margot is that goose bump inducing “come over and watch a movie while I do my laundry” date. The one where movie watching and laundry washing are replaced with lots of making out and…other stuff.
I went to their show at the Casbah in San Diego on Memorial Day and was able to hunt down Margot’s drummer Chris Fry. He was kind enough to give me a few moments of his time and answer some life threatening questions I had about their 2nd album, “Animal!” set to release Sept. 21st, 2008.

(Not July 29th, like Wikipedia says…damn.)

First and foremost, why the hell isn’t ‘Payphone’ on the new album?!?! I heard a rumor about a month ago that it would be making its debut on Animal! but Chris shot down my hopes and dreams and informed me that that was not the case. He went as far to say that ‘Payphone’ is not that popular of a song and that none of the band members even suggested it as a track. I blame Epic records. I don’t know why but it only seems natural to blame the new ginormous label for the things that make me unhappy. And Margot might be the only saving grace of my relationship with Epic. Any friend of Margot’s is a friend of mine.
I asked Chris why they abandoned their prior label V2 records for Epic and he said V2 became strictly a catalog label and no longer produces new music. What label lets Moby and the White Stripes become free agents?? Bad move V2…bad move.

What was my absolute favorite thing about their show, you ask?? It had to have been the amazing/awkward, semi sing-along during ‘Quiet as Mouse’. I’m serious, that really happened. I’m not joking. About 2/3 of the way through the performance, Margot breaks out into ‘Quiet as a Mouse’ and when they hit “When I woke my back was broke from lying on the floor” the music died and the voices carried the song. The crowd knew the freakin’ words people! In San Diego? How cool is that? And yes, I was singing too.

So my suggestion to you, is to go to one of their shows…and then go to another. The set list always changes so you will not be disappointed, trust me. And as long as Casey Tennis is on stage you will not be bored either. By the way that guy moves I wouldn’t be surprised if he was a part of the Miami Sound Machine in a past life.

They’ll definitely play some favorites from “Dust of the Retreat” and they’ll also give you some “Animal!” teasers. Check out “I Will Be Your Lightning Rod” on YouTube. This song is a fair trade for ‘Payphone’ in my opinion.

Oh, and if you go to a show, stalk Richard Edwards and ask him why he’s obsessed with The Royal Tenenbaums and let me know what he says. I need an answer and I need it now. Click on pictures for some MNSS goodness.

Jamie Lidell - Another Day
With a new album out to follow 2005’s shocker, ‘Multiply’ Jamie Lidell seems to be turning up everywhere on the web these days. I’m one guilty party that bought the latest album, Jim, yesterday on Itunes. And I don’t know how I feel about it yet.

Weeks leading up to the release, one of my favorite websites, rcrdlbl.com was hyping him like it was Princes lost love child. He’s not. Not by a long shot. But, he does have something going for him, I’m still trying to put my finger on it.

Lidell was once known for his sonic sounds and soul, not necessarily his ability to conjur Las Vegas crooners, 80’s pop stars (Rick Astley included) or old Motown classics. It was the sophomore album ‘Multiply’ that shocked the Lidell following, and now, they’ve been waiting impatiently for what is next.

The answer is simple and easy enough, as yesterday, Lidell and crew broke out Jim. It’s not bad. But I won’t be going to any of his shows, or sharing the music with that many people. Maybe, if you can get into Maroon 5 and you enjoy anything that Quincy Jones or Clive Davis put their hands into in the 80’s - this is your 2008 record.



For me, there is just way too much interesting music out there to like something so blatantly a step backwards into the pop machine of the 90’s. I’m not saying Jamie isn’t talented, because he most certainly is. And from what I can tell, he seems like one hell of a show man. I just won’t be going. On the West Coast, he’ll be touring at the end of May, so you go check it out, and let me know if I missed out on anything.

I put a song in the post for your listening pleasure, not mine.

The Cardigans - My Favorite Game

For some reason, all day I just wanted to listen to the Cardigans. Not ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Cardigans, but in your face, screw you, you suck, etc - Cardigans. Never got into the Cardigans because of that over played ‘Lovefool’ song? I completely understand.

You are not alone. Check this track out - My Favorite Game. It might make you re-think that high school classic. It doesn’t hurt that the lead, Nina, is completely hot either. Just makes me wanna dance. Damn, this album kicks ass - 10 years later.