:-(

The Pirate Bay trial: guilty verdict

don't put me down i'm having fun

So here's the deal. I fell off blogging some months ago when I realized that all I was doing was posting new music. Sure, I enjoyed it, since it was, well, music I really enjoyed, but I guess my "audience" wasn't too into it. So I stopped. But now there's that other blog that links to here, so I figure it's time to start up again with somewhat regular posting. It should be noted, however, that the music won't stop (as it never should), but now I will have to earn these posts by mixing them in with other stuff, whether it be "funny", geeky, or awash with hotness. Let's just say a 1:1 ratio for now. With that in mind, here's a hot motherfucking jam, one I've been rocking for several weeks now but hey, it's been a while, time for some catch up:


La Roux, "Bulletproof"

Sadly the audio quality is lacking in this version, but hopefully it's enough to convey the sheer awesomeness of this track.

hearts on fire

via ThinkGeek:

Buy one of these glowing shirts for yourself, and gift one to your significant other (boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, fembot 2000...). During your normal activities two and a half pixelated hearts will light up on your shirt. Hey... you're depressed and in need of a recharge. But get within hugging distance of your significant other wearing the matching shirt and suddenly the hearts on both of your shirts start to light up until you're fully powered up. Go too far astray from the source of your affections and you'll drop back down to two and a half hearts again. Got it?

Now I just need to find a boyfriend geeky enough to appreciate these beauties.* Alternately, I just need to find a boyfriend.

Proximity Based Geek Lovin'

*said boyfriend will also appreciate the fact that his ringtone is the Zelda theme... or else

UPDATE: I was actually kinda worried about this, but have no fear:

Q. If I buy two mens shirts or two ladies shirts will they work together?
A. Yes. Any combination of shirts will light up to six hearts when they are close to each other.

Go geighs!

can't help myself

Circlesquare:Depeche Mode::Cut Copy:New Order

Do you really need more convincing?


Circlesquare, "Dancers"

friends for never

I don't know about you, but I hardly think the wikipedia entry for "Saved By the Bell" is necessarily the place to air office grievances:

triumphant return?

Well, kinda. Figured I oughta post something since The Grapist is on the blogroll for a new blog I'm working on, Super Cute Protesters. The brainchild of a good friend of mine, and bearing a title that should be self-explanatory, I imagine what little remains of my creative energy will be directed there. But perhaps this new endeavor will inspire me back to these hallowed halls, where I will proceed to post more hot electro tracks in order to remind everyone what they're (not) missing.

xoxo
the grapist

P.S. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA


Phoenix, "Lisztomania"

Hey, it's not only NOT electro, it's also a friendly reminder that the new album from that French bastion of awesomeness, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, has leaked and is easily available if you know where to look. I do, but I'm not tryin' not to rattle anymore cages at the RIAA ::eyes track psoted above::

so......

Haven't touched this thing in a hot second. And this time there's absolutely no reason. Aside from sheer laziness. I'll be back to regular posting sometime, be sure of that, but for now I'm hungover/still drunk and not up to it. But look, I changed my "what I'm jamming"! That's something, right?

2008: the copout

I had grand ideas of completing my entire countdown over the holidays, parked at a computer, stoned, pounding out entries cause there wasn't much else to do. In a reality, I spent most of the time parked in a recliner, stoned, catching up on Mad Men and Friday Night Lights, and shoveling an inhumane amount of deviled eggs and other terribly unhealthy foodstuffs into my mouth. So now here we are, two days before the dawn of the new year, with only four posts under my belt. And since I plan to spend tomorrow playing Fallout 3(!!!) and maybe saying something about my top songs of the year, I now present, with a minimum of commentary, the remainder of my top albums of 2008. We all knew it was gonna end this way. Enjoy.



6. Metronomy, Nights Out
I don't how you made these crazy noises or where they even came from to begin with, but it's like full-on electro indie and my ears can't get enough. Now can you please bring your super fun dancey light show extravaganza stateside? kthxbye


Metronomy, "The End of You Too"



5. Crystal Castles, Crystal Castles
My esteem for many of the artists on this list was enhanced by their live show, but not so much Crystal Castles. Yes, it was fucking awesomely ridiculous and loud and sweaty and generally crazy, but the fact that I had to eventually evacuate the quasi-pit as to not pass out/die only affirmed that, yes, I'm too old for this shit. However, combining two of my favorite things - dirty electro and video game music - makes you okay in my book. Super duper okay.



Crystal Castles, "Black Panther"



4. Cut Copy, In Ghost Colours
Like another artist coming up on this list, 2008 was arguably oversaturated in Cut Copy, seeing as how they made two appearances in DC (well, 1.5 for me, since someone decided that since it was their birthday they'd get WAY too drunk halfway through and have to be escorted home to sleep while their friend got stoned and watched Star Wars with their roommate), but when said artist has crafted such an impressive blend of rock and electro, it's hardly a problem. Plus I got a bomb ass shirt out of it.


Cut Copy, "So Haunted"



3. Hot Chip, Made In the Dark
If there exists only one testament to how fucking awesome these bastards, and by extension this record, are, it shall be Leeza's bruised body after hearing "Wrestler" performed live. Twice. Well, that, and how "Ready For the Floor" fucking OWNED 2009. And rhyming "hell" with "caramel". And the entirety of "One Pure Thought". Ah fuck it: Alexis Taylor, LIVE IN MY POCKET!!!


Hot Chip, "One Pure Thought"



2. Santogold, Santogold
Santogold was everywhere this year - commercials (a LOT of those), mixtapes, ::ahem:: GOSSIP GIRL (soundtracking the best scene of season 2, possibly of the whole shoe) - but nowhere more memorable for me than my ipod. Cause I played the SHIT out of this record. But really, who can blame me when it's such a perfectly composed mishmash of indie, electro, hiphop, funk, ska, etc etc etc that, from my perspective, rarely gets old. And shit, someone who can make me forget that I've been standing outside for 5 hours in 105 degree weather and quite possibly nearing heat stroke just to see her peform for half an hour? A++++++


Santogold, "LES Artistes"



1. Of Montreal, Skeletal Lamping
Love love LOVE this album, and it's number one placement should come as no surprise to anyone who even casually reads this blog. It's a true testament to its greatness that it was almost single-handedly responsible for knocking Radiohead from its top spot on my last.fm. And the fact that it got so little love come year's end? Pure bollocks. Pathos + filth = love. Simple as that. I heart you Kevin Barnes. So much it hurts.


of Montreal, "For Our Elegant Caste"

we interrupt this regularly scheduled countdown...

... to bring you one hot ass track, one that I had a hot while before Pitchfork decided to name it one of their top tracks of 2008, and one that I can't stop jamming the fuck out of: "Stuck On Repeat" by Little Boots.


Little Boots, "Stuck On Repeat"

And also, take this as a reminder that I do fully intend on counting down, or at least listing, my top singles of '08 once I get done with this album countdown bullshit. Or maybe I'll just throw it on one day while I'm bored.

2008: number 7

I've been dreading writing this one – in fact, part of me thinks I put Portishead at number 8 just so I wouldn’t have to deal with it yesterday. But no, this is a fantastic album, one I’ve had an infinite amount of fun digesting these past couple months, and one that, yes, I did, and do, enjoy a bit more than Third. But therein lies the problem: I can’t for the life of me explain, in simple terms, why I love it so much. Sure, it could be the fact that it’s just pitch-perfect synth-pop, but at the same time like no synth-pop I’ve ever heard (that is, until I downloaded his second album, Mastered By the Guy at Exchange, which I can’t recommend enough), disguising what turn out to be rather straight-forward, though certainly interesting, melodies under a blanket of glitch, IDM, even funk influences. And beyond that, the lyrics, and even the delivery to some extent, make this one of the most heartfelt electro albums I’ve heard, detailing a breakup and fallout with some of the most pathetic, nerdy lyrics, lyrics that are achingly familiar – the decidedly emo epic finale, “Until We Die”, makes reference to Rubiks cubes (“If you try to do the cube and it doesn't work out / Don't peel the stickers off or move the pieces about”) and Hollywood couples (“While Mr. Mendes kisses Kate / I, in my kitchen, break a plate / And sweep it up and dream of getting laid”), and caps it off with one pitiful request for reconciliation: “I don't know if you got my letter / But everyone thinks you're great / If you come home it will be much better / And I will be your mate until we die”. Yet through all this, through all the heartbreak and longing, runs a joyous streak, a certain lyrical and melodic optimism found in standout tracks “Will Get Fooled Again”, “Which Song”, and “The Entertainment”, that makes it anything but depressing.


Max Tundra, "Will Get Fooled Again"

such a pretty boy

In my excitement over Frankmusik making the BBC longlist and the fact that his debut album, Complete Me, is being produced by Stuart Price, I decided to go googling and uncovered a fact both remarkable and upsetting: he's only 21!!!



::sigh:: I thought MGMT made me feel old. And god damn if he doesn't have a (sick ass) song that pretty much sums up all my feelings right now:


Frankmusik, "In Step"

And don't worry (ha!), I'll get back to the whole top ten albums thing, it's just infinitely less interesting to write about than cute boys and sick ass electro jams.

2008: number 9

The LK, vs. the Snow
Yep, more Swedes (did I mention Kleerup's from the land of sweet ass electro jams?), but unlike last year's Scandinavia-heavy list, they're only one of two. And of all the Swedish music I adore, The LK seem to be most representative of their country, full of icey synths, cool vocals, and an almost chilly perfection that comes across as slightly detached. That, and completely nonsensical lyrics that make very obvious that English is certainly not their first language - "burn Elvis alive" anyone? But the lyrics aren't what these guys excel out - though "Eurovision"'s "close call / after all / fuck off / I wish you wouldn't call me" is one of my favorite lines this year - it's all about the music, and thankfully the music is pretty much the shit. Challenged to align their sound with a more familiar group I'd probably have to go with The Postal Service, but with stronger vocals, more interesting melodies, and, well, just outright better. And with real instruments, with most of the songs containing at least some glimmer of guitar amongst the electronic foundation, lending most of the tracks more organic feel. It's a record that seems effortless, frequently churned along with catchy basslines, but at the same time concerned with every tiny detail on its sonic soundscape. Oh, and one of the guys has synasthaesia, which is totally hot.


The LK, "Eurovision"