Guise!

If there's a particular album you wanna download and the link doesn't work, let me know in the Opinionator (on the right, over there... Yes, that thing)

As well as if there's something you want reviewed or made available.

May the force be with you.

The Blue Runes - EP (2011)

[Rock/Blues]

Puerto Rico has always had it's share of shitty bands. In fact, I'd be more than inclined to say that 80% of them are. There's this custom of rehashing the same old formula, and never venturing forward.
Or... Even backwards?

That being said, this is not the case with The Blue Runes, because what they bring to the table is the sounds of the 60's and 70's, kicked out with some modern rock in a nice little package.

The guys put out their new EP by themselves. (DIY is how it should be nowadays, In my opinion) Recorded at guitarist and vocalist Gabriel Albelo's own home, with help from family and friends, this guys have managed to pull off a very fucking nice release.

Obvious influences are Hendrix, Zeppelin, The Beatles and the like, and it shows. The record sounds like it time travelled all the way from 1974. A very solid Blues rock release from some really nice guys. Check it out, and if you can buy the EP and go see them live soon.

Hit em up at their FB page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Blue-Runes/301050469911289

And check out the EP here: http://thebluerunes.bandcamp.com/

The National - Alligator (2005)

[Indie Rock]

To anyone that knows me this comes as no surprise.

The National is one of my favorite bands, ever.

Of all time.

Ever.

For those of you unfamiliar with them, The National's sound is kind of like a sexy post punk.

Baritone vocals, guitars that intertwine in their riffage, a very creative rhythm section.

It's melancholic, relaxing and at the same time a little unnerving(in the best way possible)
Not to mention some amazing lyrics. It's got high energy points, it's got some very slow songs... it's got everything you need. Just check out the difference between tracks like "Secret Meeting" and "Daughters of the Soho riots"

Here's a little sample of one of my favorite tracks off of the album, "Looking for Astronauts"


Check it out, and listen to it on a rainy day.
Or any day, really.

http://www.mediafire.com/?nwy1xqndwgc

The Death Set - Worldwide (2008)

[Indie Rock/Electro Punk/Party]
note: I just used party as a music genre. #Fuckyeah

The Death Set are fucking fun.

Just... a fun band.

Like, drunk party with smoke machines and naked people fun.

Heavily distorted guitars with some low-budget beats, and shouted vocals. You can tell they're not going for polished... and they shouldn't. Cause this works.

Mix equal parts punk energy, party rock mentality, hip hop delivery and... Cocaine, I'm guessing.

Check out the video for "Negative thinking" and you'll get an idea:


http://www.mediafire.com/?izjzymyz2ym

Tame Impala - Innerspeaker (2010)

[Psychedelic Rock]

Tame Impala like to see themselves as a dreamy psychedelic flow-y groovy ... thing.

And once you actually listen to them, you'll get it.

What they do so well is create lush musical landscapes that are totally covered by waves of fuzz guitars, full on cavernous reverb and shoegaze-y vocals.

They're just one of those bands that make you feel better, just by listening to 'em. Or at least make you feel like you're on drugs. (And not the bad drugs. I'm talking super fun time happy drugs)

Check out Innerspeaker, if you don't like it, we'll give you your money back!

http://www.mediafire.com/?gbodcan9b84ij7g

We're back!

Ok... I'm back.

Cause it's not like... I have a production team.

Let's just say thing will be looking up in a few.

Stay tuned! A lotta good news.

Campo Formio - EP (2009)

[punk/indie/other?]


Puertorrican band week, Episode 2 (Electric Boogaloo)

Campo Formio's first musical contribution is a self-released 7 track EP recorded, three months after the band was formed, live from 6:00pm-11:00pm on November 28, 2008 at Monopolio Records recording studio. It was released on June 13, 2009.

What you've got here is pure, unadulterated, raw energy. Campo Formio rip through these 7 songs like nobody's business. Creating a torrent of a bunch of different styles, feels and tempo changes, and it never feels forced, or unnecessary.
Their style draws a little from all sides, you got some clear influences here that range from Garage Rock, to Psychedelia, to Surf, to some Indie Rock... You name it.
This is, in my opinion, one of the best things to come out of the island in a while.

I also hear some Dino Jr. and Sonic Youth influences somewhere around there, so it makes me happy in the pants.

Give them a taste why don't you?

check em at: http://www.myspace.com/campoformio

And download the EP here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?zeny4mtnmq4

Ha!

Juventud Crasa - Amor en el Zafacón (2009)

[Punk Rock]

My first post of the promised "local band week" And what a post it is...

I'm starting off with one of my favorite local bands, Juventud Crasa.

With notches under their belts, and an impressive tour record (especially for a Puertorrican DIY punk band) These guys bring the energy, especially on "Amor en el Zafacon", a 6 song EP from the puertorrican Punk rock extraordinaire. From the start, it's a relentless assault on the senses, filling you up with excitement, and pumping you up to the point where you can't help but sing (or scream) along. The guitar riffage is excelent, as are the basslines. The drumming is excellent as well (really standing out on tracks like "Borracho en el Cairo") and the vocals, being a guy+girl combo really set these guys apart from everyone else.

It's melodic, agressive, and catchy as hell (Especially on my personal favorite, the classic "No Funciona")
Simply put, Juventud Crasa don't really sound like anyone but Juventud Crasa.

Check 'em out at http://www.myspace.com/juventudcrasa


Straightforward, good ol' Punk rock for your life.

http://www.mediafire.com/?mytw2mz41fj

Polysics - Karate House! (2007-2008)

[New Wave/JRock]

It's like devo... On Cocaine! =D

Karate House is the seventh release by Japanese Newwaveelectropunk-revivalists Polysics. (Yes, I totally made that up) Released in Japan in 2007, and to the US and rest of the world on 2008.

This album is full of some of the most exciting, energizing and electrifying music ever, A perfect mix of the usual J-Rock flavor (Ok, maybe unusual), with some Devo and punk-ness thrown in. Mix of hard guitars, smooth basslines, lighting fast drums and some catchy-as-hell synth work.

These guys wear their influences on their sleeve too, as perfectly exampled by the song POLYSICS OR DIE! which has a very similar structure to Jocko Homo, by Devo. (Who are their biggest influence and favorite artist)

To give you guys a little taste:

Electric Surfin' Go Go!

You should definitely check this out if you're a fan of new wave, hyper-music, punk rock, or JRock in general. Though some are sometimes put off by the language barrier, I urge you to give this album a try. You'll bounce up and down the walls. I swears

POLYSICK!

http://www.mediafire.com/?bxasazzaazk

Team Teamwork - Vinyl Fantasy VII (2010)

[Hip-hop]

After listening to this for the first time today, i just NEEDED to post this so more people could get into it.

I'd also like to start by saying, in behalf of the geek in me, THANK YOU Team Teamwork.

Geeks and Hip-Hop fans rejoice! Vinyl Fantasy 7 is the newest mixtape by the master of Geek-hop, Team Teamwork. (Yes, I just coined that term, now give me money)

What you got here is a mash-up of the FF7 soundtrack, with some kick ass hip hop tracks. Featuring the likes of MF Doom, Jay Z, Ghostface Killah and even Tom Waits... This is something you shouldn't miss.

From those who brought you Ocarina of Rhyme.

Perfect for listening to while hanging out in Midgar.

http://teamteamwork.bandcamp.com/album/vinyl-fantasy-7

(The guys let you name your own price when downloading, so if you got a couple of dollars to spend, show some love. Me? I'm broke as hell. So I went with 0$... Sorry guys =p)

The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow (2003)

[Indie Pop/Rock]

Pa' Orlando.

The Shins are one of my favorite bands ever, they have been emulated, but never duplicated. (Rhyming! Fuck yeah!)

Led by James Mercer, the Shins play a brand of Indie pop/rock very reminiscent of old time greats like The Beach Boys, but with a flair all their own. This album, in particular, showcases some of their most developed and profound songs.

Chutes Too Narrow, is a gem of indie pop/rock, as well as their other two albums, and while most people may choose to pinpoint Oh, Inverted World as their crowning achievement, I choose this one out of nothing but personal love, and well... because this is my blog dammit.

Some must-listen songs here are: Saint Simon, Pink Bullets, and my all-time favorite Shins song... A Call To Apathy(Gone For Good)

That said, be sure to check out their other releases: Oh, Inverted world and Wincing the Night Away. Pop perfection.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2EL8L9BO

Man Or Astro-Man - Experiment Zero (1996)

[Space Surf/Punk]

So basically, take the review for Destroy All Astromen! And copy paste it here.

I pretty much uploaded this because of my love for these guys, but also because this album is another of my favorites.

So yeah, pretty much the same concept, some good ol' Space Surf to keep your toes tapping and your arms swinging.

Jumping into hyperspace with this one.

Just in case you need more convincing:

Go!

http://rapidshare.com/files/314157396/Experiment_Zero.rar

Ratatat - Classics (2006)

[Electro/Indie Rock]

Mix equal parts electronica, hip-hop, and alt/indie rock... And what you get is a very nice young man, who takes his dates out to nice restaurants and always pays the bill, then later on, makes sweet sweet love to them. Let's call him Ratatat.

This is an instrumental album, and it's especially nice to listen to while driving at night, it's very chill-outy (not a word) and funky at the same time. These guys do their influences proud, as you can definitely hear the old-school hip hop influence, as well as the newer electro flow.
They make very good use of guitars, and effects... Not a sound feels out of place, or forced. Which is awesome considering the mix in their influences could lead to that.

In short, it's a great album to just chill out, drive around, or dance. It's your choice.
Makes me wanna shake it.

http://rapidshare.com/files/74060494/Ratatat-Classics.zip

Man Or Astro-Man - Destroy All Astromen! (1994)

[Space Surf/Punk]

Ok, so the hipster douchebag inside of me finally decided to cave in and let you in on one of my favorite bands... Well not really, I had just never gotten around to uploading some MOAM.
Man Or Astroman are one of those bands which get you so hyped up, you can't do anything except run around like crazy, or snort massive amounts of cocaine. (Then running)

They're often categorized as "Space-Surf" and I'd say that's pretty damn accurate. You won't find anything new here, but what you will find is some music performed exceptionally well. Instrumental (mostly), MOAM's strength lies in it's insane riffage, and thundering drums. Their songs are relatively short, but pack such a punch that you couldn't really ask for more.

If you're a fan of the Surf-rock genre, and/or punk rock, these guys are a must. And even if you aren't, and you're into instrumental stuff, you should definitely give these guys a chance.

Seriously, If you listen to this album without at least swaying a bit, or tapping your feet... you're dead.

http://www.mediafire.com/?p0md5cdgxtt
(thanks to supershock666.blogspot, for uppin this)

Modest Mouse - The Moon And Antarctica (2004)

[Indie rock]

The Stars Are Projectors.
I choose to open the review with those words because that song is too fucking epic for words.

Modest Mouse's The Moon and Antarctica, is generally considered as their best album, and I agree.
Musically it's everything MM is known for, and a bit more. Melancholic, introspective, shaky...
The instrumentation is pretty well thought out, especially on the epic songs like The stars are projectors. The vocals are powerful and the lyrics are really nice too.

It's one of those things that you really must listen to, to fully grasp it. But If you want, check out some tracks like: "The Stars are Projectors" "3rd Planet" "Gravity Rides Everything"

I'd really suggest listening to this record before any other release by Modest Mouse, but I'm pretty sure there's no way to escape from "Float On" now.


Seriously, this album is too fucking amazing.
You should definitely listen to it, at least once.

http://rapidshare.com/files/324078555/Modest_Mouse_-_2004_-_The_Moon___Antarctica__Remastered_.zip

Brand New - Daisy (2009)

[Alternative/Indie Rock]

This album is fucking nuts, and I absolutley love it.

It's pretty clear that when Brand New was working on Daisy, the only thing on their minds was the fun they would have playing these songs. And If you need any reassurance of that, check out the opener "Vices".

This album keeps building on the grounds set by the two previous releases, but sees the band exploring their sonic frontiers.

It's definitely darker, and very rough around the edges. But that's not to say the "brand new you know and love" isn't here. "Bed" is very reminiscent of The Devil and God Are Raging Inside me, but when you listen to the whole record, you'll know what I mean.

It's definitely a must listen for fans of the band, I wouldn't recommend it as an introduction to them, though. (For that, check out Deja Entendu)

In short, Daisy sees the band exploring their sound further, integrating a ton of different influences. They may have just created their most mature album to date, and it's awesome to think what these boys will be capable of in the future.

Check this out nao!

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=QNOHM99C (thanks to zndgbr)

Ps. If I see anyone refer to this band as "emo" again, I will knee you in the teeth.

Good Old War - Only Way To Be Alone (2008)

[Acoustic/Folk/Pop]

This album has been stuck in my head ever since I first got it, It's just so damn catchy!

Good Old War are a trio made up of former members of the band Days Away. Their sound is a very upbeat, folky pop which is sure to make your day.

The lyrics and instrumentation are relatively simple, consisting mostly of acoustic guitars, some percusion and... well that's pretty much it. What's really complex though, is the groups vocal harmonies. Most of the songs contain 3-part harmonies, which allows all it's members to fully show their vocal potential.

One thing I really appreciate and love about these guys, are how down to earth they are. In most shows they'll just jump off the stage and stand in the middle of the crowd playing.
Here's a bit o' that:



Win.

Listen to this release on the following link, it's sure to make your day. Or at least make you tap your feet and hum along.

http://digital.goodoldwar.com/album/only-way-to-be-alone

If you like it, go and get the album right now.

Like, now.

Lou Barlow - Goodnight Unknown (2009)

[Folk Rock/Acoustic]

(First of all, credit where credit is due. I'd like to thank unkown pleasures for posting this album a while back. you should check them out cause they have some great stuff. http://stupidcer.blogspot.com/)

As anyone who knows me pretty well can tell, I'm a pretty big fan of Dinosaur Jr. So it should come as no surprise that I'm a huge fan of Lou Barlow's other projects. I was really into Sebadoh for a while, but I never got around to hearing his solo stuff, and fuck... I was missing out.

This album is really stripped down to the basics, It's mostly Barlow and his guitar. And when it's not, the atmosphere the rest of the band creates really serves to highlight him. His voice, as any Dino jr. fan knows, is quite the opposite to J Mascis'. It's smooth and low, with a quite relaxing tone. And it's not any different on Goodnight Unknown.

Barlow puts forward another great collection of songs, really simple but they hit close to home. (Hah, I'm a poet)

Check this out if you're a fan of his, a fan of Dinosaur Jr. or you just like some good ol' Folk rock.

It's delicious.

http://rapidshare.com/files/283737482/Goodnight_Unknown.zip

The Ivoryton Piano Factory - Permagrin

Permagrin is a tribute to the music created by Justin Veatch. A composer and multi-instrumentalist whose life ended suddenly at the age of 17, back in 2007.

Just had spend most of his time crafting a series of songs which are a perfect insight into who he was. And when one listens to his craft, you can't help but wonder what may have been of him, if he hadn't passed away. The album features the few compositions Justin managed to record, as well as covers and tributes from other bands playing his stuff. (An amazing one is Moving Mountain's cover of Can't Afford The Color)

I'm not gonna be a douche and post a download link to this, because honestly, you should buy it.
All money that is made from the sales of this album goes toward the Justin Veatch fund, which
recognizes the teaching of music and art as a critical component of a child’s education. The mission of The Fund is to support emerging, college-bound artists with opportunities to discover new skills and to refine existing talent.

Melancholic, beautiful and strangely haunting. If you want to hear more about his music, or purchase the album go to:


http://www.myspace.com/theivorytonpianofactory


Recomended tracks are: "Cant Afford The Color" & "ESRT Page 14"


"And I can't stay awake, cause you're a radio wave. And you always seem to be transmitting to my brain"

Oceansize - Frames (2007)

[Progressive/Post-rock]

Oceansize are one of those bands with such a diverse quality in their sound that you can't help to wonder, what the hell are they?

To put it simply, they're oceansize. The 5 piece from the UK have been making sounds for quite a while now, and while they have experimented with their sound quite a bit, I feel the release that best represents who they are is 2007's "Frames"

In here you'll find everything from agressive, distortion-ridden songs, to strange time signatures, to spaced-out post-rockish voyages. If you're a fan of anywhere from TOOL to ISIS, you'll know what i'm talking about.

This release is the band's most coherent, and In my opinion, their most powerful work. (Excluding of course, the band's 2004 EP "Music For Nurses")

If you're a fan of good music, check this out.
You wont be disapointed.

im thuper therious.

http://depositfiles.com/files/29j747nnv