i'm caught up in a storm that i don't need no shelter from

Oh dear me.

During my trip, I was listening almost incessantly to songs from 2009, and listening through my 50 Favourites of 2009 list, I suddenly noticed a band and their songs conspicuously missing. For some reason, I had failed to include DP - astonishing. And as I played their songs, it hit me like a train as I realised my folly. So the more I listen, the more I'm thinking, "Just how did it slip through the cracks?"Useful Chamber was already fantastic, but it certainly got better with time, like wine. I hereby dedicate this song to be my favourite of 2009, extremely belatedly.


Dirty Projectors - Useful Chamber

Deep sonorous thumps resonate while being punctuated by the high hat, almost like a sense of foreboding. However, you're greeted with measured vocals, as the lyrics roll off like rivulets of water sliding down the window on a drizzly spring day. You sit by the window, staring out as the occasional patter hits the window, cup of hot tea in hand, utterly mesmerised by the song as you are with the dance on the window.

You ponder as he hits the highs in the song, and as he speak-sings, the album title being chanted hits you. Subsequently, melodious ahhs and ohhs that feel like honey to the ears permeate the still air, you drown yourself further in the slow but purposeful beats - almost hypnotic.

The random outburst of guitar strumming and drums again causes a small smile to break across the pensive face, just as clouds give way to the glorious sun, warm rays showering the earth.

This is Useful Chamber for you.

THIS MONTH: what was and what will be

Well, August is coming to an end, and we're two-thirds through with the year. Music this year so far has been awesome. There's so many albums which could potentially be album of the year, nevertheless, here's some goodies released so far this year.



Of course, the much hyped Merriweather Post Pavilion by Animal Collective can most certainly not be left out. In fact, I'd think that MPP would be on nearly every Top Albums List of the Year. Something random, I've come across quite a number of people who say that Animal Collective sounds even better than they already do, when you're on drugs or on a high. Well, I should try listening to them when I'm on a high. Besides, they have this really dope optical illusion for their album cover. It's already making you see weird when you're sober, what more seeing it while you're high. Trippy!

Animal Collective - In The Flowers



This is one of my personal favourites for easy listening, like really, anytime anywhere. An unexplicable attraction to their songs is the easiest I can describe this. It's Au Revoir Simone with Still Night, Still Light. I did a review of it here and they certainly are much to love.

Au Revoir Simone - Knight of Wands



Dirty Projectors sure came a long way, since the time Longstreth struck it out on his own with "The Graceful Fallen Mango" and now releasing the critically acclaimed Bitte Orca, which means Please Orca or Please Whale, since Bitte is please in german and Orca is a species of carnivorous whale (remember Free Willy?) Their fresh experimental music is definitely here to stay.

Dirty Projectors - Temecula Sunrise



They are Robin Pecknold, Skyler Skjelset, Christian Wargo, Casey Wescott and Josh Tillman. They are Fleet Foxes. With their eponymous debut album, Fleet Foxes. Says Robin, who along with Skyler could be said to be the founders of Fleet Foxes, "We aim to be adventurous and true to ourselves and to enjoy our time together—the music we make is a reflection of our instincts... ...We love acoustic guitars, electric guitars, big rolling tom drums, mandolins, dulcimers, bass guitars, bass pedals, organs, pianos, kotos, and most of all harmony and melody.. ..try to draw from the traditions of folk music, pop, choral music and gospel, baroque psychedelic, sacred harp singing, West Coast music, traditional music from Ireland to Japan, and film scores, and are inspired by the music of our friends and contemporaries in the Seattle music family." Well, they've certainly succeeded in drawing from their influences, and clearly in Blue Ridge Mountains, there's the folksy english/irish sound accompanied by what I think is the mandolin.

Fleet Foxes - Blue Ridge Mountains


There's tonnes more good music out there, these musicians, bands or singers etc, with unrelenting fervour in doing what they do best - creating music. Here's a list of several more albums that have been put out so far this year and is in no particular order. Also, this list is by no means exhaustive, for every album I list here, there's probably 5 more as good/better albums out there. Feel free to add in your comments what you think are your favourite albums so far this year.

Dan Deacon "Bromst"
Reverie Sound Revue "Reverie Sound Revue"
Whites Lies "To Lose My Life"
Bibio "Ambivalence Avenue"
Handsome Furs "Face Control"
The Antlers "Hospice"
Fever Ray "Fever Ray"
Grizzly Bear "Veckatimest"
Phoenix "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix"
Miike Snow "Miike Snow"
O+S "O+S"
Ohbijou "Beacons"
Passion Pit "Manners"
Portugal. The Man "The Satanic Satanist"
St. Vincent "Actor"
The Decemberists "The Hazards of Love"
Camera Obscura "My Maudlin Career"
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart "The Pains of Being Pure at Heart"
Yeah Yeah Yeahs "It's Blitz!"
Florence + the Machine "Lungs"



Well, having said what was, now what will be. I'm pretty sure the later third of the year would not be a letdown, what with all the new releases anticipated by everyone out there. Here's some.

Yo La Tengo "Popular Songs"
The Big Pink "A Brief History of Love" The Big Pink - Dominos
Islands "Vapours"
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart "Higher Than The Stars EP" The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Young Adult Friction
The Twilight Sad "Forget the Night Ahead"
Volcano Choir "Unmap"
Fool's Gold "Fool's Gold"
Memory Tapes "Seek Magic"
Headlights "Wild Life"
Sufjan Stevens "Run Rabbit Run" Sufjan Stevens - The Lord God Bird
Atlas Sound "Logos"
Fuck Buttons "Tarot Sport"
Built To Spill "There Is No Enemy"
Mayer Hawthorne "A Strange Arrangement" Mayer Hawthorne - Just Ain't Gonna Work Out
The Raveonettes "In and Out of Control"
Neon Indian "Psychic Charm"




See yall in September!

The Saturday Mix #12 - tumbling down from the hills, just half way introduced, stumbling into your arms, passing out in the line

Imogen Heap - Hide and Seek (Acoustic Live)
A friend highlighted this to me, very good rendition and alternative to the layered and very very electronic sounding original. All she needs to do now is a guitar version.

Miike Snow - Sylvia
Totally different sound from Animal. These swedish people are good (but of note is that Andrew Wyatt is American). You've got Fever Ray, The Knife, Jenny Wilson, Lykke Li, Robyn and millions more. Now there's Miike Snow(2/3 swedish).

Dirty Projectors - Cannibal Resource
They really make unique sound good.

The Raveonettes - Suicide
Single out of their new album, In and Out of Control, which will be out around October.

Air France - GBG Belongs To Us
I think just click the link and you'll be able to download the song. Direct download off their own site.

The Big Pink - Dominos

The Radio Dept. - Lost and Found

anyone up for a gold thong alligator studded leather?

Aeroplane Pageant - Stars Still Pretty
Aeroplane Pageant is Brian Kelly (vocals/guitar), Timothy Watson (bass/vocals), Michael Areephituk (lead guitar), Christopher Aguis (guitar/electronics/percussion), Erik DeAngelis (drums), Nisi Jacobs (video projections). I don't know about you guys, but these guys are good. The song has a nice smooth beat going, and you just gotta love Brian's voice.

Dirty Projectors - Useful Chamber

Simian Mobile Disco - Audacity of Huge
Like it's title, everything about this song just screams audacity. Especially when you have that honey-dipped tennis wear just for play. I'd like it.

i could get to know you.. but i just want to dance.

Martin Solveig (feat. Dragonette) - Boys & Girls
This song seems like pure unadulterated fun and whimsical pop. Damn awesome. Sexy and cheeky. Throw in some French, makes this oh so good.

Note the clothes in the video. Screams fashion.

MSTRKRFT (feat. John Legend) - Heartbreaker
And I bring you some MSTRKRFT. AND JOHN LEGEND. Really trippy and wicked video. Love it.

Franz Ferdinand - Can't Stop Feeling
Another awestastic video. Mighty fine day for good videos. This is the third single off their latest album, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand.


Dirty Projectors - Stillness Is The Move
Dirty Projectors with main man Dave Longstreth should be on everyone's radars soon if not, already registering on the radars. With their latest album Bitte Orca which was mentioned as one of the albums to look out for in June, they sure are making us sit up and take note.


These songs totally made my terrible day so much better. Cheers to you people.