Love of Everything - Superior Mold And Die

Bobby Burg is a busy man. From Joan of Arc, to Make Believe, to Love of Everything, he always seems to have a project to work on. This 2006 release, released on his own record label, Record Label, is a sight to behold. With the emo king, Tim Kinsella, on drums, and other Joan of Arc members as contributors, Burg brings listeners to a realm of childhood nostalgia with adult undertones. Soft voices, and equally soft sounds make this an accessible release. (Considering LOE is all I've been listening to this week, I almost think I like Bobby more than Tim now, and maybe you will feel the same way too after listening to Superior Mold And Die).

horses are brave

Midtown - Save the World, Lose the Girl

Drive-Thru Records was the dream record label of my pubescent years (along with Fueled By Ramen, LOL). While now defunct, Drive-Thru Records had produced many great acts, one being Midtown, a pop-punk band from NJ. While many may be more familiar with lead singer/bassist Gabe Saporta's other act (Cobra Starship), Midtown is on a completely different level. Conveying emotions in regards to young adulthood, the work of Midtown can relate to any "angsty" teen. Their 2000 release, Save the World, Lose the Girl may be the least popular, but overall the best example of pop-punk from their catalog. Some may recognize one track from this album, "Let Go", as being the theme song for Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Battle of the Sexes on MTV, but don't assume that Midtown was a corporate sellout. From their formation to their ultimate demise, Midtown was all about the music. Save the World, Lose the Girl is an essential addition to any music library, no matter what "taste" to which you subscribe.


it's just rock and roll

Lovestreams - "Shock Corridor"

Lovestreams, a new project from rocker Will Sheff (of Okkervil River fame), has released a preview track of his impending release. Will Sheff created Lovestreams after finally being able to obtain a "dedicated recording space." Like most Will Sheff creations, "Shock Corridor" is an epic track, almost like a story, but unlike more Will Sheff creations, "Shock Corridor" seems to drift away from the folk-rock feel. I'm greatly anticipating the release of other Lovestreams tracks. Here is track two from Will Sheff's new release, one of many more to come.

"Shock Corridor"

Swirlies - They Spent Their Wild Youthful Days in the Glittering World of the Salons

Some may say they are a My Bloody Valentine rip-off, and some may say they are just another act of the "shoegaze" movement. But their 1996 release They Spent Their Wild Youthful Days in the Glittering World of the Salons proves to listeners that their style is not definitive. Their usage of radio to create effects emits a new-age feel through the distortion. Chill, yet enticing, this release has tracks that will relate with any listener. But, as the Swirlies say, "You can't be told it, you must behold it," and so I will leave you with this album for your pleasure so that you may create your own opinion of this act.

protect yourself from aliens

The Softies S/T

The Softies, twee-superstar Rose Melberg's collaboration with Jen Sbraiga is a defining act in the "cutesy, lovey" genre of twee. Depending solely on their sweet voices and some electric guitars, Melberg and Sbraiga describe the pains and joys of love. In this 1996 release, the softness of their voices almost lulls one into a sleep. The opening track, "Snow Like This" (my personal favorite), describes the yearning for love through the coldness and loneliness of winter. While at times The Softies may sound like the performance of a teen girl's journal, they are an act that defined not only the twee movement, but an act that has helped define female musicianship.


ROSE MELBERG MARRY ME