Crocodiles Vs. Alligators: Let The Debate Begin

[mp3]

Alligators: "Where Does It Hide?"

Listen, we don't pretend to know the difference between crocodiles and alligators. They look exactly the same, they both dwell in swamps, and they're both ornery because they got all them teeth but no toothbrush. We do, however, know the difference between Crocodiles and Alligators: The former is a No Age-approved duo drenched in fuzz who take cues from Jesus and Mary Chain and have drawn deafening buzz around here lately, and the latter is a Washington-based psychadelic pop band who call The Zombies kindred spirits. One listen to the first minute of "Where Does It Hide?" and you'll be transfixed. The melody here is so immediate that the mid-song transition to Radiohead-esque histrionics is just icing on the cake. 

The band released their debut LP Piggy & Cups late last year on startup Applehouse Records, but we wouldn't be surprised if major indies come calling soon. They've already got one power player in their corner: Piggy was recorded at Death Cab For Cutie drummer Jason McGerr's studio in Seattle. Grab the mp3 above and order the album here. 

Your move, Crocodiles.

Death Cab Solidifes Its Pervasive Emo-ness

Thanks to Tara and NY Mag for directing us to the most emo video of Death Cab's career and maybe history. It's fairly unbearable with its images of precious teen love and depictions of quaint suburban life. Talk about super-serving your fan base. But, in the end, shit gets real for these people. Some high school kid in Iowa is shedding little emo tears over the animated forest fire. But hey, at least it's not these guys.

mr. Gnome - " Night of the Crickets" New Video, Free Album Stream & NYC Tour Date

mr. Gnome (lowercase spelling and all) is a Cleveland duo of vocalist/guitarist Nicole Barille and drummer Sam Meister. Following the release of their newest album, Deliver This Creature, Barille and Meister have begun to draw some hefty musical comparisons: Cat Power, Portishead, Blonde Redhead, Thao and the Get Down Stay Down and Death Cab round out the list. The duo's newest video for "Night of the Crickets" is animalistic, a bit morbid and well, kind of creepy-- Barille's raspy female voice laid atop the somewhat psychedelic percussion of Meister works and keeps you listening. Also, when you have the "Sand People" from Star Wars make an appearance in your video, there is not much that can go wrong.

Check out mr. Gnome live:
09/04 Brooklyn, NY @ Union Hall
09/05 New York, NY @ Knitting Factory

Follow the link below to stream Deliver This Creature: http://www.fanaticpromotion.com/projects/mrgnome/ecard/

Enjoy.

Death Cab Score First #1 Record

Love 'em, hate 'em, or don't care, long time "indie" band Death Cab for Cutie moved 144k copies of their new record Narrow Stairs (Atlantic) last week to bow for the first time at #1 on the Billboard Top 200. Their previous record Plans debuted at #4, selling 90k. Death Cab's tally last week brings to the forefront many questions about the role of "indie" cred in the marketplace today. They join an ever-growing list of artists including Modest Mouse, Arcade Fire, and Feist who have achieved commercial success while still garnering attention and praise from the elusive blog community. A band like Death Cab further blurs the definition of "indie", and what does or does not qualify as pop music today. Is there really any difference?

Stalking 101, with Prof. Ben Gibbard

Why does watching this make me feel like I'm about to get murdered, albeit by a well-read sensitive pacific northwesterner? Death Cab for Cutie surprised just about everyone a month ago when the group unveiled its new single, "I Will Possess Your Heart", from Narrow Stairs, out May 13 via Atlantic. The song, clocking in at over eight and a half minutes, builds and builds on an ambient break beat coda and never quite climaxes. The video, unveiled this morning on MTV's Subterranean blog, most certainly achieves that same creepy vibe. The protagonist (unseen, behind the camera) follows a woman all across the world from behind, mastering her as prey until he finds the right moment to attack. But that moment never comes, in the song or the video, and instead we're left with lots and lots of foreplay. But foreplay in sub-zero temperatures. Because everyone looks really really cold.



-Andrew Daniels