Richard Edwards of Margot & The Nuclear So and So has been posting a lot recently on the band’s Facebook page about their upcoming 5th LP. As of last night, they’ve supposedly hammered out the tracklist. In honor of the soon-to-be new tunes, here’s an acoustic version “Books About Trains,” the lead off track of their last album, Rot Gut Domestic. 

  • Me: I might go to Whole Foods to pick up turkey and food for the rest of the week.
  • Me: Or I might just lay in my bed until tomorrow and try to Jedi float a sandwich up to my room.
  • Rage: Hahahaha.

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Here’s the other song I’ve been listening to non-stop, “If Only” by Fink. I spent a good portion of last night trying to work it out on the acoustic. Finally nailed it.

I ain’t being funny,
I ain’t got the brakes
I ain’t got the aces,
I ain’t got the stakes

I’ve been listening to two songs pretty much nonstop since yesterday when I heard them on the playlist that Katie made for me. The first is Ben Taylor’s ode to booty calls, “Wicked Way.” When your dad is James Taylor and you play acoustic guitar, you’ve got some big shoes to fill, but Ben definitely lives up to the family name. If you don’t want to hear the minute long intro to the song, you can skip ahead to the music here.

The previously mentioned friend—currently still batting 1000  for those playing at home—put together a 200+ song playlist for me ranging from classic rock to singer-songwriter. Needless to say I’ve found a ton of good music. As a fan of both Manchester Orchestra and Bad Books, I was psyched when the latter’s “Forest Whitaker” came on shuffle in the mix.

Words mean more at night like a song
And did you ever notice
The way light means more
Than it did all day long?
Gregory Alan Isakov, Words

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Here’s “Chocolate,” yet another one from Manchester indie band, The 1975. It’s been getting a lot of radio play lately, much more than the first single “Sex” for obvious reasons, but I figured it was apropos to the series finale of The Office given their use of Michael Scott’s signature, “That’s what she said,” in the lyrics.

New city. New friends. New music. Bienvenido a Miami, indeed.

I was recently turned on to a wealth of new bands by a new friend down here in Miami who has exceptional taste in music. Lord Huron, Gregory Alan Isakov, The Mighty? She’s batting 1000. It seems like I’ve only been listening to new stuff the past two days which is amazing. If I had to push one band to the check out first though, it’s gotta be Gregory Alan Isakov—the guy is fantastic. Check out this ilve version of “That Moon” performed at the Bing Lounge.

Last day before the official start of 5th Semester down here in Miramar. That means lounging by the pool, reading and listening to some new tunes on Spotify at the Lambo Castle.

Last day before the official start of 5th Semester down here in Miramar. That means lounging by the pool, reading and listening to some new tunes on Spotify at the Lambo Castle.

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I came across “Whisper” by The Dear Hunter today while listening to some new music. It’s definitely worth checking out. Give it a listen.

Matt Nathanson is back with another new album on the horizon, The Last of The Great Pretenders. Matt’s been one of my favorite singer-songwriters for the past 9 years and he’s a really cool dude on top of that—he even signed my first acoustic guitar for me. Here’s the first single off the new album, “Mission Bells” performed live at SXSW. It features one of my new favorite lyrics of his, and the source for the album title.

I’m the end of a Hitchcock movie
A little dark and a lot confusing
I’m the last of the worst pretenders
So lost, so lost

For an even more epic acoustic version he recorded check here.

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Miracles of Modern Science are a string section in mutiny: guitars overboard! The Brooklyn, NY band squeezes together classical textures, disco kinetics, and explosive dynamics you might file under “post-rock” if their instruments weren’t decidedly pre-rock.

Dear Pressure is from their new EP, MEEMS, where the band pushes the limits of their acoustic instruments even further. The result resembles pop music, but you can sense the band ripping apart and rearranging its underlying mechanics like mad scientists.

(via undergroundmusicfm)

That grain of sand might be the last remnant of what had once been a mountain, but that which it is, it is. The tide comes and the tide goes. Let it hammer the grain of sand as it may. Let lofty mountains fear the slow, constant assault of the waters. Let the valleys shudder at the pitiless advance of ice. Let continents drown beneath the dark and rising tide. But that grain of sand? It isn’t impressed. Let the tide roll in. The sand will still be there after it rolls out again.
Harry Dresden, Cold Days

I’ll admit, I’m not too well versed in O.A.R. Despite seeing them a few times as openers and at festivals and one of my pledge brothers making me watch their live DVD 100x during pledging, I still wouldn’t say I really know a lot of their music. When I heard their single, “Heaven” on ALTNation today I assumed it was new and while it isn’t, it’s new to me and catchy as hell.

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I’ve always been a fan of P!nk. I mean, as far as pop artists vocals go, she’s consistently held it down whether it’s an acoustic performance, acapella, full band, or album version. Her new song with Nate from Fun. is pretty damn good. Here’s “Just Give me a Reason.”