Nu Rave Brain Wave

We all know that sometimes (infrequently) I live abroad in England, but nothing will ever change my innate Californianess. However, I am forgetful and I have to fully disclose that I completely forgot to apply to get my expatriot ballot or whatever they call it, for the California state vote on November 2nd. That DOESN’T MEAN that I can’t haphazardly in a daze create a playlist based around my favorite Proposition, #19 and urge you to vote Yes on Prop 19 if you too have the greatest blessing of being born in or living in California. We also all know that I don’t try and give off the impression of intelligence when I write this blog (have you ever read it?) so I won’t give you my reasons behind wanting Prop 19 to pass, but just know that not only am I informed, but me/my friends/my state would benefit greatly from the passage of this Proposition. That alone is reason enough for you to vote yes, no? Find a mix of my 12 favorite (and totally not just whatever jumped out at me while hastily browsing iTunes) songs that are either 100% about weed or mention it/other drugs. ENJOY. Free Drugs ;-)

01 The Growlers – Drinkin’ The Juice Blues
02 Crusaders of Love – Good Time All The Time
03 Bob Dylan – Rainy Day Women #12 & #35
04 King Tuff – Sun Medallion
05 Black Lips – Drugs
06 Best Coast – The Sun Was High (So Was I)
07 Wavves – Weed Demon
08 The Strange Boys – Drugs Iggy Drugs
09 Black Lips – Dirty Hands
10 Adam Green – Drugs
11 Black Lips – Stoned
12 Ella Fitzgerald – When I Get Low, I Get High

mp3 | Nu Rave Brain Wave’s ‘Yes on 19′ Mix

Yes, guys, it’s about that time. 2010 is halfway gone, although I don’t know how that happened, and I’ve already taken five 11 hour flights, been to Austin and back, and just generally did the thang, y’all. And I’ve racked up some awesome records that have soundtracked my life lately, and I thought I’d share some of the best one’s of 2010 and the ones that have the best chance of making my end of the year list too. This one has no particular order in mind, just what came to me. If the album name is linked, it’s because you can download a track from the album and hopefully purchase this excellent music.

Harlem | Hippies
Happy Birthday | Happy Birthday
Avi Buffalo | Avi Buffalo
Monster Rally | Monster Rally
Woven Bones | In & Out & Back Again
Fionn Regan | The Shadow of an Empire
The Strange Boys | Be Brave
Best Coast | Sun Was High 7”
Caitlin Rose | Dead Flowers EP
Fool’s Gold | Fool’s Gold
The Soft Pack | The Soft Pack
The Growlers | Daytrotter Session
Gaoler’s Daughter | The Only Way To Travel
Surfer Blood | Astrocoast
Neverever | Angelic Swells

We’ve been interested in Mississippi Man for quite some time and we’re pretty sure that they’re going to reward our faith (and everybody elses) with their debut album, A-Ok, which should see a release sometime this summer. We were initially impressed with their catchy, rootsy, Band-inspired Americana and their straight outtta the Appalachians look, and we can’t wait to see what they’ve got in store. The great LA Record is also infatuated with them and comissioned them for a mixtape of songs they love. A couple of them directly affect us, as we love these songs, too. A testiment to LA bands loving other LA bands and great music:

Entrance – “Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor” (From Wandering Stranger)
Guy’s cover of this classic is one of my favorites ever. The way his voice is sometimes off makes it so much more tangible. It doesn’t feel like someone recording in a studio but rather sounds like someone singing in your living room. The fact that Mississippi John Hurt is credited for first recording this song doesn’t hurt either.

Avi Buffalo - What\'s In It For? (From Avi Buffalo)
This is a band that we’ve know for a few years now and they never cease to amaze us. This song is such a beautifully written song and Avi’s guitar playing is just incredible. I just got their debut LP and it’s wonderful. Definitely go see them if you get a chance!

The Growlers - Soul of Coral (From Greatest Hits)
I remember going to a Growlers show at some awful dive bar in Fullerton a few years ago and thinking that this band was it. Turns out, I wasn’t far off and Brooks’ voice is still one of my favorites in town. Just make sure that if you’re going to take any psychedelics, you don’t venture into the front of their warehouse. You will be changed.

The Strange Boys - Woe Is You & Me (From The Strange Boys And Girls Club)
I’m usually not a big fan of the new garage genre but when I first heard the Strange Boys, I just really liked Ryan’s voice. He has a weird tone that I really dig. This song is a rad, high energy song that echoes some Dylan.

The Velvet Underground - After Hours (From The Velvet Underground)
It’s so hard to pick a Velvet Underground song but they’ve been on constant rotation on my record player for so long that I had to put one on here. This song is a good one to end the mixtape on. Maureen Tucker’s singing is so innocent and child-like on this song that it’s impossible not to like.

STREAM THE MIXTAPE AND READ WHAT OTHER SONGS THEY LOVE OVER AT LA RECORD.

The Strange Boys

If you read this blog regularly, you’re aware of our well-documented love of Austin’s own Strange Boys. Although we’ve not fallen for their second album as swiftly as we fell for their practically perfect ‘And Girls’ LP, we know that their live show will always deliver. They’ve got a new lineup – drummer, sax and Tim Pressley from Darker My Love and it will be interesting to see what they’ve got to offer on the live front now that the stage will be a little more crowded. They’re only playing the Wednesday so they can carry on the rest of their US tour, so be sure to check them out early, while you can.

DOWNLOAD ->The Strange Boys – Be Brave

Harlem

Harlem has been one of my favorite new musical discoveries of the year. You can probably guess what they’re like – lo-fi, garagey music with “hidden” pop tunes. Harlem’s new record ‘Hippies’ is filled with some of the catchiest songs I’ve heard all year long – ‘Friendly Ghost’ is witty and prime for shouting along to; ‘Tila and I’ and ‘Gay Human Bones’ stand out as best of ‘Hippies’. I wouldn’t miss Austin-via-Tucson’s Harlem who will be one of the standouts this year.

DOWNLOAD -> Harlem – Friendly Ghost

Magic Kids

Magic Kids are, to me, kind of what Los Campesinos! were in 2008. They’re a little bit twee, a lot quirky, but all in all a ton of fun. They also have extremely catchy songs – well, the two that I’ve been addicted to were, at any rate. If I was to guess, I’d say they’re going to wind up as just a kitchy little band, not go the way LC! have really, but that’s not to say they won’t put on a fun show in Austin, so I’d catch them, but only if you have the time.

DOWNLOAD -> Magic Kids – Superball

Fool’s Gold

Another NRBW live favorite, Fool’s Gold is going to be playing this years SXSW again. We loved their debut album ‘Fool’s Gold’ with its sense of whimsy, rhythm and communal experience – I even gave it like a 7/10 or something on DiS! – and can’t wait to see how they’ve improved as a live band since we saw them last April. If you’re looking to dance or if you want to have a really fun, uplifting, communal live experience – Fool’s Gold will fulfill that need beautifully.

DOWNLOAD -> Fool’s Gold – Surprise Hotel

Surfer Blood

The more I listen to ‘Astrocoast’ the more taken I am with this band – what started out as a casual listen has blossomed into something much more. There’s something instantly likable about their polished tunes – perhaps it’s the voice that owes more to Panda Bear than Cole Alexander, perhaps its the danceable instrumentation, or the delicate heartbreak layed bare throughout the album or even the wit and charm (“Coupled with a weakness for cocaine and liquor”, anyone?) of the entire album. I don’t know which of those things it is but ‘Astrocoast’ is growing on me and lucky for us, Surfer Blood is playing about 5 times a day during SXSW so hopefully everyone will have the chance to catch them.

DOWNLOAD -> Surfer Blood – Take It Easy

She Keeps Bees

Lo-fi, bedroom, sexy… What can I say about She Keeps Bees? The interplay between the members, the blues, the dirtiness of the recordings – it all comes together in a really messy little package that’s practically bursting with delight. Jessica’s vocals are beautiful and tortured on record and I can’t wait to see how they translate live. The simplicity and the timeliness of their songs is sure to make a memorable set – don’t miss out on this band – I was forced to on Valentines Day and I’ve been depressed ever since.

DOWNLOAD -> She Keeps Bees – Gimmie (Live)

Lissie

I’m gonna be straight up honest here – I don’t know a lot about Lissie. But what I do know is that the girl has an enchanting voice. A lot of people reference like 70s Laurel Canyon talking about her – and I have to agree a little bit. There’s something a little country backwoods about her (perhaps it’s because she lives in Ojai) but there’s also something really contemporary, something like female-Fionn-Regan about her. I am basing this recommendation on the strength of her Bob Dylan cover of ‘To Ramona’. Give it a listen. If you’re not taken with her voice, well, you suck.

DOWNLOAD -> Lissie – To Ramona (cover of Bob Dylan)

This will be the 3rd or 4th time the Strange Boys have played the best venue in LA aka the Echo, and this will be the first time I miss it. Last time, in June, they had the Growlers opening for them in what we called the greatest lineup ever yet, somehow Liz has managed to almost outdo herself with Chain & The Gang and the awesome Neverever opening. This is absolutely not to be missed.

mp3 | The Strange Boys – Be Brave

15 – Leeds, Nation of Shopkeepers
16 – Glasgow, Nice ‘n’ Sleazy’s
17 – Manchester, Deaf Institute
18 – Birmingham, Academy 2
21 – London, ICA
22 – Brighton, Freebutt
24 – Southampton, Lennon’s Club

DOWNLOAD -> The Strange Boys – Be Brave

White Fence is one man, Tim Presley, singer in garage-soul band Darker My Love, player on The Fall album Reformation Post TLC and now full-time member of The Strange Boys. Amid all this band-hopping, he’s managed to record an LP of lysergic psychedelic songs (think: Arthur Lee without the budget and the guns). The White Fence LP is out now on Eric and Anthony from Nodzzz’s label, Make a Mess.

Words shamelessly stolen from Vice, because I can’t believe I never heard about this! We at NRBW love everything The Tim Presley has done from DML to now, The Strange Boys, and given the first couple of listens this is right up the same alley. Definitely check out.

DOWNLOAD -> White Fence – Mr. Adams
DOWNLOAD -> White Fence – Destroy Everything

It’s not new really, because they put a weirder (yeah, I said it) video out for it quite some time ago but this. is. the. best. video. ever.

Ian Svenonius does it again. Recently got Down With Liberty…Up With Chains!–yeah, I’m late on this– and I am so, so impressed. Every song feels like a call to arms. Just listen for yourself. Do NOT miss them with The Strange Boys (!!!) at the Echo on February 26th.

mp3 | Chain and the Gang – Reparations

Chain and the Gang @ myspace