I wanted to share some of the albums that I have been buggin out to lately. All of this stuff is old and some of the bands are broken up. But the music is still Bodacious as ever.

DJ Shadow – Entroducing

This album is a classic and the first album to be 100 % compromised of samples. DJ’s are always biting this albums style. All of DJ Shadow’s stuff is good except for The Outsider, that one is weak.

Björk – Vespertine

By far the most emotional album she has put out. The beats are random and slight. Favorite Track right now “It’s Not Up To You”. Also check Homogenic and the music video collection Greatest Hits: Volumen 1993-2003. I wish I could be magical like Björk.

 Foo Fighters – Foo Fighters, Big Me Single, (Late! – Pocketwatch)

I busted the Foo’s 1^st album out a couple of weeks ago and it’s actually really good, much better than the corndog music they put out now. The big hit off that album “Big Me” was released as a single and has bunch of b-sides from the 1^st albums recording session. I also started digging on Dave Grohl’s first solo tape under the pseudonym Late!. You can’t buy it, but go to the myspace www.myspace.com/latedavegrohl and you can get directions to download it in the blog section.

 June of 44 – all 6 of their recordings

 If you are obsessed with Slint & Rodan (honestly who isn’t), Then check these guys out. All 6 of their albums are amazing. The music may seem kind of one dimensional at first but, I’m telling you this band is the top of the pops. Best song “Of Information and Belief” off of Four Great Points. Too bad they broke up in 2000. Check out all the offshoot bands especially Shipping News. www.myspace.com/giugnodel44

 Mineral – EndSeranading

This band sounds so similar to Sunny Day Real Estate that upon listening to the bands final recording before they broke up in 1998, You might think that you are listening to a long lost SDRE recording. Only problem is the original bass player for SDRE, Nate Mendel (he’s my favorite) is much better then Mineral’s bass player Jeremy Gomez. But it’s cool, I won’t hold it against him. www.myspace.com/mineralmusic

So thar it be!! A bunch of old Bodacious music to bug out to!!

I didn’t put any links on the album covers, because I decided I have been pimping amazon.com too much!!

Jon 

So I used to be really into progish instrumental bands like Rumah Sakit, Don Caballero, Tarentel, The Cancer Conspiracy etc…  

While I still enjoy these bands. You can only listen to their albums for so long until all the mathematical tech tapin starts giving your ears the business. This music is way demanding on your attention span and is hard to listen to on a regular basis.

Then one day I discovered Trees, Swallows, Houses by Maps and Atlases and all of my indie math rock dreams were realized. Maps and Atlases is the perfect combination of off time wackiness and straight up pop action. This is one of only a few bands I have heard successfully pull of having vocals over the top of complex fast paced music. The band keeps the compositions short and so far has only released two E.P.’s. Enabling the band to keep the number of tracks per release down to no more then seven. Which is to there advantage by not demanding too much from the listener and making them enjoyable to listen to on the regular.

Their second and latest E.P. You and Me and the Mountain, does not deviate from this formula and will not disappoint.

Maps and Atlases are bananas and so is You and Me and The Mountain. Check it!!

www.myspace.com/mapsandatlases

Jon

I know it’s August already… But I still haven’t posted the rest of the summer albums list so here’s the other ten. Hurry and check them out before the weather gets cold and lame. Part 1 of this story.

Slint Spiderland

From the opening track “Brad Crumb Trail” you can tell that the album has a certain warm vibe to it. Better suited for nighttime listening because it is a bit dark and aggressive. This album while being one of the best albums of all time also serve’s as fine post punk summer music. C’mon the bands is swimming on the cover of the album for crying out loud. Favorite Song: “Washer”

The Roots Do You Want More?!!!??!

The Roots Major label debut Do You Want More?!!!??! , is the group’s most organic release. If you don’t start buggin’ out when this album starts playing you might need to go see the doctor because you’re probably dead. This album is a fine soundtrack to a lazy drunken Saturday. Give yourself an excuse to be worthless for a day, break this album and out and bust a move. Favorite Song: “Lazy Afternoon”

Wilco Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is the O.K. Computer of Alt. Country. This album goes far beyond anything that Wilco had done in previous albums before. There is some serious texture going on here. Although some of the lyrical content is bit depressing and there are some slower dark songs going on. It’s still a good album to put on during a warm summer evening. Warning: don’t ever listen to this album with your dad cause he’ll hijack it from you and he’ll never give it back. Favorite Song: “Heavy Metal Drummer”

Juno A Future Lived In Past Tense

Juno is one of the most unknown and under appreciated bands that has existed in the past 10 years. Their final album before their break up / hiatus has several tracks that will provide a calm atmosphere. The most introspective and progressive album on the list A Future Lived In Past Tense might take you a few listens to absorb but once you do this album will become one of your favorites. Favorite Song: “The Trail…”

Pearl Jam No Code

No Code is Pearls Jam’s least appreciated album, which is bogus because this album more than any of their others has the most variety, it’s earthy yet still Rocks The Kasbah. The vocal performance on “In My Tree” has to be one of the best vocal performance Eddie Vedder has ever put to wax, Vedder for life!! Favorite Song: “In My Tree”

Hum Downward Is Heavenward

Hum is the coolest. Downward Is Heavenward is a perfect album form start to finish it’s a shame that no one bought this album when it came out forcing the band to be dropped form their label which led to their eventual break up. It brings a tear to my eye every time I think about it. I was also extremely bummed out when I saw the Cadillac commercial featuring “Stars”. Way to ruin a good song. Favorite Song: “Green To Me”

The Flaming Lips The Soft Bulletin

The Flaming Lips return to greatness. To think that three dudes made all this crazy Ruckus is amazing. This album with its dreamy and experimental soundtrack is the perfect album for a relaxing summer afternoon. So bust out your kiddy pool, grab a frosty cool beverage, put The Soft Bulletin on and see what kind of crazy shapes the clouds will make. Favorite Song: “ The Spiderbite Song”

A Tribe Called Quest Anthology

With Q-Tips nerd style vocal inflection and Phife’s laid back lyrical approach accompanied by Ali’s smooth jazz mixing, how could A Tribe Called Quest not be perfect summer music? To me this is the best rap crew that has ever existed. The best album to own is their greatest hits Anthology; it’s got all the hits. This disk even includes Q-Tips solo hit “Vivarant Thing”. A Tribe Called Quest has all the gratuitous rhythms you could ever ask for. Favorite Song: “Award Tour”

Sharks Keep Moving Sharks Keep Moving

Spawned from members of The Blood Brothers, State Route 522, and Kill Sadie and eventually evolving into Past Lives, Pretty Girls Make Graves and Minus The Bear. Sharks Keep Swimming is jazzy, smooth and cool just like your favorite Popsicle. Sharks Keep Moving is mostly instrumental but the few tracks that Jake Snyder’s voice does appear on are that much more bodacious. This album is hard to find so if you ever find a copy make sure you snatch it up and burn it for everybody you know. Favorite Song: “Jet’s Jets”

Tripping Daisy I Am An Elastic Firecracker

Before The Polyphonic Spree, Tim DeLaughter fronted Tripping Daisy. Their second album I Am An Elastic Firecracker was by far their best album and the only one that received any attention from anybody (“Piranha”). This album is amazing from start to finish. DeLaughter voice has an innocent quality to it that reminds me of being a kid, which makes this a good album to reminisce to. Favorite Track: “Trip Along”

This is some serious music!! Checkout the first three here.

Jon

There are lots of cool bands that we are introduced to here at LEB. Want to know where these cool bands get their cool artwork created? Well, one incredible artist who does a TON of music-related design is K3n Adams.

You have probably seen his art somewhere, but you just didn’t know it. He’s an artist from Delaware (near the screen door factory) that does all kinds of work - CD’s, apparel, web design, print, skateboards, etc. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to work with K3n on countless projects and the dude just kicks ass.

His art is the in-your-face design that overwhelms you with eye candy and a kick to the head. His attention to detail is spectacular - I’m always finding subtle little things that he has added to different pieces, which take the art from good to great.

If you’re in a band or just need some design for a project at your job, K3n is your guy. Go check out his stuff here WWW.K3N.COM

If you are down to hear some Swedish Post metal check out Umeå Sweden’s very own Cult of Luna. Their newest album Eternal Kingdom is based on some crazy business.

Cult of Luna’s rehearsal space is located in an old abandoned mental institution and during a rehearsal the band found an old journal written by a former patient Holger Nilsson. In the journal titled “Tales from The Eternal Kingdom” Nilsson blames the death of his wife on some some satanic mythical forest creature that abducted her and drowned her down by the river. Some serious and creepy subject matter!!

Cult of Luna is pimp!! In fact there is a bunch of bands from Umeå that are pimp (Refused, Meshuggah, Khoma, etc…) there must be something in the water over there. Anyway, this album is really good and moody. All the lyrics are taken from the journal and translated into English and howled over the top. It’s bad!! Check it out. If you dig it check out their older stuff too. Especially, Somewhere Along the Highway.

Check the myspace pages for more details on Eternal Kingdom.

http://www.myspace.com/cultoflunaeternalkingdom

http://www.myspace.com/cultofluna

Jon