The Inbox This Week

I am starting to get a little more email than I am able to keep up with while I am in school [don't get me wrong, this is a problem that I like to have] so in fairness to all you struggling Keith Richards' and Thom Yorke's out there I will collect some of the songs that I received each week and put them into one post so you, Dear Reader, can enjoy them as you should. Enjoy.

Art of the Week: The Finnish Embassy by Finnish architect Mikko Heikkinen at the Museum of Modern Art.

Some more Battle Royale for you...

The Battle Royale -- Notebooks

The Battle Royale -- Our Thoughts Are A-Pourin'
The Battle Royale's MySpace

2008 Relevant Band #5: Now, Now Every Children

Now, Now Every Children -- Not One, But Two

Now, Now Every Children MySpace

Here is a sample of an album that I will be writing a little more about later:

The Federalists -- City Girl
The Federalists MySpace

[When The Federalists hit it big, I will be looking forward to The Federalist tribute band called The Anti-Federalists.]

2008 Relevant Band #6: Delorentos

Delorentos -- Basis of Everything
Delorentos MySpace

2008 Relevant Band #4: Crawling With Kings

I stumbled upon this song today while getting some CDs ready for their fate on eBay...Absolutely outstanding.

Crawling with Kings -- In the 90's
Crawling with Kings website is here.

Not to be confused with Hoobastank's "Crawling in the Dark."

2008 Relevant Band #3: The Battle Royale

Don't quote me on this, but I think about two years ago Chuck Klosterman wrote an essay in Spin about how modern rock songs rarely have multiple and distinct sections such as in Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" or "Roundabout" by Yes. Two obvious modern exceptions being "Paranoid Android" by Radiohead and "Take Me Out" by Franz Ferdinand.

Another thing that rarely happens in songs is letting the music play for a while before breaking into the lyrics. For a prime example of this check out "All My Friends" by LCD Soundsystem.

I think of this today as I listen to The Battle Royale. Their song "Racecar" begins with nearly a minute of what could be described as electro music that could be confused for a new song by The Rapture. And, to be honest, it is initially hard to believe that the song "Scream Scream" is by the same band. It has the feel of a darker Polyphonic Spree song not about the freakin' sun or having a great day. The Battle Royale is a band to watch.

The Battle Royale -- Racecar

The Battle Royale -- Scream Scream