The Carps - New York Lights / Songs About New York

Oh snap!  The Carps dropped new jams last week and I missed it.
See?  This is why I had to get on Twitter.

The Carps are just incredible.  "Songs About New York" gets instant That's My Jam status.  Even with that autotune.  It's The Carps, so I can be lenient about these things.  What good are my principles if I don't dismiss 'em whenever I see fit?

Side note:  It took me 20min to realize that this was different artwork from the last set of jams.

J*Davey - Lazy Daze

Love me some J*Davey.
On Feb 21, they will release heir newest project, Evil Christian Cop, the second installment in their The Great Mistapes free EP series.

Seriously though...If I promise to chip in like a full $20-23, can I get a collabo LP with J*Davey and The Carps?

THE CARPS ARE BACK!!!!!!

YEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Wow, when they said "a year off", they actually meant a year off!
In fact, it's been 364 days since they made that announcement.  Can't tell you how happy this makes me.  If you're new around here or unfamiliar, The Carps are my Favorite Band That No One I Meet Has Ever Heard Of.  I REALLY want these guys to be successful, however they define that.  Good people, great music, incredible creativity.

About 15min ago, they posted links to 2 new jams on Facebook.  I am absolutely giddy.

   The Carps - Bo Jackson by urbnet

R.I.P. The Carps?!?!

 
Click on title to see videos (blogger.com, I hate you)


::20min of personal recovery time::

I literally feel sick.
The best band you've probably never had the pleasure to experience, The Carps, say they are taking a year off.  In other words, it's a wrap.
First Bloc party...now The Carps.

I'm gonna go drink through lunch and weep like and old southern woman at a funeral.
WHERE ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO GET SOCA-INFUSED POST-PUNK???

Ugh.
I even remember the joy of shit-talking with Jahmal a couple summers ago after NY kicked the shit out of Toronto FC. 

WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY????

Join me below for some (short-lived) greatness . . .

NOT NEW, BUT NEW TO ME: The Hickey Underworld - Blonde Fire (Super NSFW)

[vid is def not for the weak]

Speaking of The Carps, I just went over to their blog so see if there was any activity (of course, there wasn't),  but they did share this jam from Belgian band, The Hickey Underworld.

Say what you will about the video (to this day, I'm still conflicted about the value of visual presentation when it comes to music, but that's for another day and convo) but the song itself is tremendous.  After a quick run through of their posted jams on The Space, I might have to go get this album.

More after the jump . . .

J*Davey - Outta The Window

Well, alright!
New jam from the criminally slept on J*Davey.

New EP, Boudoir Synema: The Great Mistape, coming on Christmas Day.  Can't be mad at that action.  New Lupe on T-Givin', new J*Davey on The X-Mas . . .somebody wake up The Carps and tell 'em we need new shit on New Years' to complete the triangle.

J*Davey - End Of Your World (Mama's Back)

J*Davey, along with Sa-Ra and The Carps complete my Why The Hell Ain't You Up On This Trifecta.

Sa-Ra Creative Partners - Bitch Baby

Can't think of a better way to start the week than with a new Sa-Ra jam and album news.
First, go ahead and jam.

Welcome back.

Didn't know it was coming so "soon", but SRCP's new album, Nuclear Evolution: The Age of Love will be in my greedy hands on June 23rd. Yes...hands...as in, I plan to buy a physical disc if possible. This is one of those albums when I need the quality to be perfect.

Anyway, it's a huge, 23-track double disc wih a bunch of features from folks you've never heard of, but will presumably Google and download music from by this time next month. Good times!! Needless to say, I'm off-the-charts excited for this album. Sa-Ra is on my "Why The Hell Aren't People Up On This Shit" monument right next to The Carps and J*Davey.

Efph it, while we're here...
let's breathe a little more life to the Sa-Ra produced jam that SHOULD HAVE BEEN a monster, but everyone decided to front on Fonzworth. I dare you to tell me this ain't the jam:

The Carps - It's raining In The Projects, But It's Sunny In Africa

GASP!!!!
I am so ashamed!

A new jam from my favorite, under-appreciated entity in all of music was released, and I didn't know about it immediately. I'm slippin'.

I will not rest until The Carps are bigger than...Thai food...or organic vegetables.
Yes we can!

LeLe - Breakfast

The Carps posted this on their blog last week.
I have one question: Is this the greatest song ever recorded...or just Top 5?

Japandroids!!!

Hypetrak is just full of good ideas, aren't they?

I have to admit, it might be physically impossible for me to dislike a band called Japandroids.
I'd like to make an attempt at describing them for you, but it's a little tough. The duo is sort of like some things you may have heard before . . .but not.

They sound like all the best parts of one of those unsigned bands (which they are) you hear live at a bar that has $4 Yuengling & Jager specials (an extreme compliment). It's raw, unpolished, jumbled, messy, screaming, throaty, dirty rock n' roll. Just the way I like it...heavy on the roll. And much like my favorite "band who I must see succeed befor I die", The Carps, Japandroids are a two-piece outfit who somehow manage to draw more sound out of themselves than should be humanly possible.

"They call it garage rock. They don't care what you call it, as long as it's not minimal. Japandroids are maximal - a two piece band trying to sound like a five piece band. Supporting Japandroids gets you into Heaven - no questions asked. KISS OFF."

C'mooooon, how do you not love that?!

You know what? They just inspired the flipside to my trademarked "Cognac & Blazer" music label. Behold: "Yueng & Jager" music!

The Annual Grammy Rant

Good morning, folks . . .

The nominations are out. I'm sure you've seen them by now. That means it time for the traditional post-nomination rant. Join me, wont you:

::downs 3 RedBull Colas::

ahem.

How is "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" nominated for 2009?!
Where are the nominations for Rising Down?!
"Swaggar Like Us" is the WOOOOOORST!!
I demand J*Davey for Urban Alternative!

Wait...what the hell is "Urban Alternative"?!

Santogold, FTW!!
Invent a "Freshest of the Year" award and give it to The Carps!
Why do the Grammy people hate British rock so much?!
Could the Nas nominations be any more patronizing?!
Why isn't the vocoder nominated for anything?!


GRAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!

The Jammie Awards!!!

I was sitting here putting together a long, drawn out post about this year's Grammy nominations...then I was hit with a wall of frustration and disbelief at some of the choices, that I said "efph it", I need my own awards.

After all, a blog isn't a blog without awards, right?

I present to you, the 2008 Jammie Awards for the jamminest jams that jammed in 2008 (or at least "2008" as defined by the Grammy people). remember, folks...there are "songs", and there are "jams". If you don't know the difference yet . . .I can't help you.

Winners in blue.
I'm having WAY too much fun with this!

ENJOY!

The "That's My Jam!!!" Award (Non-remix category)
M.I.A. - "Paper Planes"
Common - "Universal Mind Control"
N.E.R.D. - "Spaz"
Does It Offend You, Yeah? - "Dawn of the Dead"
Kids In The Hall - "Drivin' Down The Block (Low End Theory)"

Jamminest Remix:
N.E.R.D. ft. Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco & Pusha T - "Everyone Knows (Remix)"
Radiohead - Reckoner (Diplo Remix)
Cut Copy - Lights & Music (Boys Noize Remix)
M.I.A. - Paper Planes (DFA Remix)

Best Collection of Jams:
The Roots - Rising Down
Kings of Leon - Only By The Night
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Lupe Fiasco - The Cool
Santogold - Santogold

Jamminest EP:
The Carps - Waves & Shambles

Biggest Box of Hip-Hop Jams: (official album releases)
The Roots - Rising Down
Lupe Fiasco - The Cool
Jean Grae - Jeanius
Oddisee - 101 & 102
Q-Tip - The Renaissance

Jammenest Mixtape:
Asher Roth (w/ DJ Drama & Don Cannon) - The Greenhouse Effect
Wale - The Mixtape About Nothing
The Cool Kids - The Bake Sale
Joe Budden - Halfway House
Murs & 9th Wonder - Sweet Lord

Supreme Collection of Guitar Jams:
Kings of Leon - Only By The Night
Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell
The Wombats - A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation
Bloc Party - A Weekend In The City

Best Pile of Jams That Can't be Conveniently Sorted:
Radiohead - In Rainbows
N.E.R.D. - Seeing Sounds
J*Davey - The Beauty In Distortion / The Land Of The Lost
Santogold - Santogold
Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple

Jam Creator of the Year:
Diplo
Boys Noize
The Neptunes
Flying Lotus
Trackademics

ALL WINNERS RECIEVE ONE WEEKEND'S UNLIMITED USE OF MY EZ-PASS!!!

Your Plans For Tonight

Without a doubt, The Carps are my favorite band in that realm of bands that are infinitely better than everyone else, yet no one has a clue who they are. Their lack of exposure is frustrating for ME, so I can only imagine what they must be dealing with themselves.

Tonight, I will finally get to see The Carps over in the City, as part of the CMJ marathon. I am, in a word...giddy.

Behold the greatness:
"Heaven's Gates & Hell's Flames"


"Veronica Belmont"


"All The Damn Kids" (Greatest thing ever?? Post-punk soca!!)