Hello from Sydney!

Hello, my dear friends with incredible taste in music! It's been a while, I know. Want to know why? It's because I'm in Sydney, Australia. Yep, that's right! I'm on the other side of the world. But that would never stop me from bringing you top quality music updates!

I've got some pretty big news for you, my loyal readers. I've landed myself a pretty amazing job. The dream job, actually. I am currently interning at Rolling Stone Australia. Is this real life?!

I've only been there for two weeks, but I'm working with the editorial team. I do research, transcribe interviews, write album reviews, and may even get to interview some bands. This is no coffee and filing job - I am actually going to PUBLISHED in Rolling Stone. Somebody pinch me!

I'm hoping to revive this blog in some way. In case you didn't realize, my MP3 sharing - the heart and soul of any decent music blog - crashed and burned. My music host shut down, and I simply ran out of options. I'm looking into purchasing a domain so I can get back into the swing of things, but in the mean time I'm going to do the best I can. I can't exactly give you updates from Rolling Stone Australia's end, you'll have to buy the magazine for that :) But you will be hearing from me, I promise!

In the mean time, here's a band I've been listening to a lot lately. New Okkervil River, "I Am Very Far Away" drops this May!

Technical Difficulties!

Unfortunately, I am (once again!) having an issue with my MP3 hosting website. Once the situation is remedied, I have a lot of new posts lined up. In the mean time, what are YOU listening to? Comment here or email me at jdu312@lehigh.edu.

Beach House

These last couple of weeks have been crazy. Between a paid blogging position, an admissions blogging internship for Lehigh University, and two jobs so that I can travel while abroad next semester, I am left with very little time to myself. Fortunately, Beach House's Teen Dream has been there to help me through it all. An album that graced almost every top 2010 list, Teen Dream is an easy, relaxing listen that can make a stressful time peaceful.

With sultry melodies that seem to glide over harmonies, synth and simple guitar, Teen Dream is completely cohesive. This duo from Baltimore have created an album in which each song flows perfectly into the next, which is part of what makes it so great. So it may not be "beach" music, a la Vampire Weekend or The Morning Benders, but sometimes this is so much better.

The MP3 links I provided have been removed due to copyright infringement, so you're just going to have to take my word on it. Songs like "Zebra" and "Norway" are must-listens. From Pitchfork.tv, here's "Walk in the Park", another Beach House gem.

Official Website
Myspace

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

My friend Vicky has been raving about Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros for quite some time, and I only recently bought one of their albums. A few months ago I wrote about their music video for "Home", which I loved. Now that I have heard the rest of their self-titled album, there is so much more to love. Their folk alt-indie vibe often makes you feel as if you're back in the 60s, and there are so many elements you don't know where they are all coming from. Their music is beautifully complex and unpredictable, and will leave you wanting more.

[MP3] 40 Day Dream - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
[MP3] Come In Please - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

Check out their NPR Tiny Desk video, where they perform "Janglin'", "Home", and "40 Day Dream".

Official Website
Myspace

DJ Earworm - United States of Pop 2010

Here are some of 2010s best pop jams, all rolled into one. Thanks, DJ Earworm.

Songs to Rock Out To (In Your Car)

Everyone knows and loves Third Eye Blind. If you don't, you clearly weren't alive in the 90s or you are not a college student. But, Third Eye Blind lovers, did you know that they made songs other than "Jumper", "How's It Gonna Be", "Never Let You Go", and "Semi Charmed Life"? Yeah, crazy right?!

I have a 764 song playlist for my car. This song came on about four days ago...it is still on repeat. I have driven 20 minutes to and from work three times and have played nothing else. Do you need any more convincing?

[MP3] Wounded - Third Eye Blind

As Tall As Lions

Last week I received very sad news - one of my favorite bands, As Tall As Lions, broke up. I'm not kidding when I say I'm mourning. I just bought 8 CDs this week, but haven't listened to anything but ATAL. Such horrible news.

When I first listened to As Tall As Lions, I thought they were good, but nothing special. Just another alt-indie band from Long Island. This beautiful, yet heartbreaking song, showed up on a mix CD that an old friend made me. I liked it, but not enough to look into the band more.

[MP3] Why We Cry At Movies - As Tall as Lions

"Why We Cry at Movies" from their album Lafcadio was all I heard of them for about a year. The release of their self-titled album dropped, and I heard some songs in passing. It wasn't until a friend asked me to see them in concert at School of Rock that I realized how incredible they were. I was in awe of all of the instruments on stage (in addition to guitar, bass, drums, etc. there was a keyboard, xylophone, flute, and more.), and of the true passion for their music they exuded. I wasn't really familiar with their material, but it didn't matter; it was such an awesome concert that I was hooked.

[MP3] Stab City - As Tall As Lions

I'm tempted to put up more songs for sampling, especially "Maybe I'm Just Tired" - a song I highly recommend you listen to while roadtripping by yourself, but I'm going to refrain. You can't go wrong with any of their albums, including their latest which was released in 2009, You Can't Take It With You.
"Love, Love, Love (Love, Love)"

Myspace
P.S. Dan Nigro, lead vocalist and guitarist, has a new band Blocks. Snag some of their music here.