waxwing - nobody can take what everybody owns (2002)

"if a man can love enough,
he can save a million lives,
and maybe his own.
if a man can love enough to give up his own world,
what he will receive in return will be so much more."

this is hands down one of the most raw, uncompromisingly emotional albums i've ever heard. waxwing don't get nearly as much recognition or credit as the bands the members went on to form. compromised of rocky votolato (successful solo artist), cody votolato (the blood brothers, jaguar love), rudy gajadhar (gatsbys american dream), and andrew hurley, waxwing blended genres like punk, indie, rock, and folk into something pure, intense, and intelligent. votolato's vocals/lyrics are compelling and forceful, and gajadhar's drumming was definitely a stand out on every track. sad thing that these guys called it quits in '05. get this album and relive the ride.

waxwing on myspace.

download nobody can take what everybody owns:


- panda is tattooing the waxwing logo on his ribcage.

surface of atlantic - ephemeral as we speak (2007)

considering 2007 brought us the year of "the teenager that only listens to ambient post rock, has no sense of humor, and pretends they've been a radiohead fan since before they were born", i'm really surprised surface of atlantic aren't getting a lot more love.

well, here's to the start of what's hopefully a storm of hype for these dudes.

hailing from montreal, soa have blended sounds from bands that almost sound similar, but are quite different in many areas (ie mogwai, radiohead, sigur ros, the velvet teen, travis). there's also a certain accessibility that's often missing in acts like these. moments of almost dancable pop charm randomly show themselves amongst lush arrangements and rich instrumentation. there's a familiarity to the vocals, but it's definitely a strong voice that holds it's own.

given the chance, i think these guys could really become something special to music. and with an album due out this year, make this your chance to say you were in the know all along.

official surface of atlantic website.
surface of atlantic on myspace.

download ephemeral as we speak:


- surface of panda

cassidy - my drink n my 2 step (remix) f/ kanye west, ne-yo, swizz beatz (2007)

haha, another novelty track, but yeezy's on the remix of this one. there's always an excuse to post something though.

download:

cassidy - my drink n my 2 step remix f/ kanye west, ne-yo, swizz beatz

-grizz and his 2 step

the fall of troy - ghostship demos (2005)

ah, i know. so much shit is talked about this band. i honestly think it's ridiculous. this band is next level. all three members are great assets (even though the bassist recently left) to the band. the ghostship demos are a part of a supposed project titled "phantoms on the horizon" due sometime in 09, after the next fall of troy record. these songs are among some of the best shit the fall of troy has recorded. ghostship I, in particular, destroys lives.

the fall of troy on myspace.

download:



sorry about the shitty album art. can you tell i made it myself?

- the fall of grizzly

midtown - forget what you know (2004)

midtown was one of those bands for me that was pretty good, but i wouldn't flip out over or anything like that. i wouldn't care that they broke up or stopped touring or anything of the sort. until they released this album. this album pretty much came out of left field, especially for a pop-punk band that toured with blink 182. this album was somewhat ahead of its time as far as the genre is concerned. not to mention, empty like the ocean is pretty much the greatest song ever. but of course, as soon as i fall in love with a band, they break up. for shame.

midtown on myspace.

download:



-grizzly

peter toh - missing link (wildlife demo)

our boy toh is at it again.

i'm really starting to get excited for his upcoming full length, wildlife, with every demo he posts. this new track (posted on his myspace) is no exception. "missing link" is about as smooth and natural as it gets. there's a wonderful juxtaposition between a straight forward beat/loop, soulful mid range melodies, and delicate musical intricacies blended throughout the song. dude's really starting to find his stride in the world of art and music. hopefully it's only a matter of time before the music community catches on. tell your friends to put down their akon records and tune them in to a real soulful dude.

listen to "missing link" on peter's myspace.


- panda

album review: ivoryline - there came a lion (2008)

yawn. i know. as long as i'm writing, i'm posting. who else is going to read this shit?

READ.
READ.
READ.

-grizzly

the glow in the dark mixtape (2008)

for one, the glow in the dark/kanye/lupe posts will NEVER stop. jussayin.

this is a new mixtape that hit the web last week. has some really dope shit on it, and there are a handful of gems on this. see: ye's grammy version of hey mama is worth the download alone. anyway, grab this.

cover art is via lupEND @ blogspot.

download the glow in the dark mixtape 2008:



-grizzly

shadrach kabango - when this is over (2005)

shadrach kabango (aka shad k) has what could be, the greatest influences for an emcee ever. his myspace lists two people as his influences.. morrissey and warren G. now i'm sorry, but that is just dope as hell.

you've probably never heard of shad k, but dude's got talent comparable to any your favorite emcees. blending live instrumentation with turn tables, smooth flows with even smoother melodies.. trust me, you need to be on this. he released an album last year called the old prince, but we're offering up his previous album, when this is over. this isn't the faux intellectual shit you got from your message board friends.. this is real life hip hop.

shad on myspace.

download when this is over:


- panda

the reign of kindo - the reign of kindo ep (2007)

this band came from the ashes of this day and age, a band i didn't really listen to. (ah, well.) this band, however, are extremely talented. HUGE jazz influence on this ep, and overall, it just has a lot of soul. soothe your bones.

the reign of kindo on myspace.

download:



-the reign of grizzly

cut copy - lights and music (2008)

yes, this is the somewhat brand new single from cut copy's anticipated new album ghost colours due out in late march. great track. also included is the boys noize remix. get on it.

cut copy on myspace

download:

cut copy - lights and music

cut copy - lights and music (boys noize remix)

kid sister - pro nails (2007)

sooooo i posted about this track before, but it was the version found on the "can't tell me nothing mixtape. this version has the third verse, and is the version found on the music video. yesss.

kid sister on myspace.

download:

kid sister - pro nails (f/ kanye west)


-grizzly

album review: city and colour - bring me your love (2008)

i mainly do these to post about myself. no harm, no foul.

READ.
READ.
READ.

-grizzly

night facilities - only when you're winning (2007)

night facilities is 17 year old uk dj/producer brett ewels. this kid seriously knows how to bring some heat. he recently won an ocelot remix contest, and has just released the first volume of remixes for only when you're winning. he's also given his ep away for free download. get your bump bump.

night facilities on myspace.

download only when you're winning:


- panda panda

little compass - discover (2005)

little compass were a short lived emo/indie rock band from houston, tx. they weren't ground breaking, but they did release a damn good album on negative progression records before breaking up. musically, i'd say it's a fine blend of texas is the reason, the get up kids, and hey mercedes. this shit was good though, get it.

all of the band members have gone onto new projects. their vocalist/guitarist and bass player are in a band called stadium, their drummer is now in an indie-folk duo called papermoons, and their other guitarist/vocalist is working on music under the name this is tristan.

download discover:


- pandaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

days away - mapping an invisible world (2005)

fueled by ramen dropped the fucking ball on this one. this band is by far the most talented to ever grace that label, and saw little to no promotion. bullshit. not to mention, they fit absolutely nowhere on that roster, and would've been much more suited to a different record label. it's upsetting that they broke up, but not to worry, keith and tim are in a new band, CASTLES.


days away on myspace.

download:



-grizzly

kay kay and his weathered underground - live at the pretty parlour (2007)

ladies and gentlemen, i present to you, one of the most frustrating bands i've ever liked. i'd just like to thank this band for being so sweet and releasing EPs on CASSETTE TAPE, a live album released to DVD only (ha), and a full length being pressed on vinyl only.

despite this, they create great music. the best band to come from gatsbys american dream's demise, by far. kirk and kyle from GAD started this band, and create some tunes that can find a nice place in the huge shadow of the beatles.

this is the live at pretty parlour DVD audio. really high quality. enjoy. let's just hope they press some CDs sometime this year.

kay kay and his weathered underground on myspace

download:




-griz griz and his weathered underground

ratatat - remixes

i'm not sure what reason you would have for not knowing about ratatat already, but if you haven't, then i suggest you do. in the past couple of years, they've released two albums of remixes, mainly of well-known hip-hop artists. most of these tracks are pure brilliance, as this duo doesn't seem to produce any bad music.

ratatat on myspace.

download:


volume I.


volume II.

-grizzly

album review: the mars volta - the bedlam in goliath (2008)

sup hoes. i did another review. read it or jerome will stab you.

READ.
READ.
READ.

-grizzly

holy shit.

i just got the best news of my life.
may 2nd/houston,tx/woodlandspavilion
kanye.
lupe.
nerd.


-grizzly

idle warship (2008)

my cousin brought this to my attention, and i was wondering how i hadn't heard of this yet. idle warship is the joint endeavor of talib kweli and res, where the both create some laid-back, soulful hip hop. can't wait to hear more of this. also, the name of this project couldn't be any more dope.

check it out here:

idle warship on myspace

-grizzly warship

dj felli fel - finer things f/ kanye west, ne-yo, fabolous and jermaine dupri (2008)

ohhhhh shiiiiit. dj felli fel's next single. great string of guests, including mr. west himself.


download:

dj felli fel - finer things featuring kanye west, ne-yo, fabolous and jermaine dupri

-grizzy grizz

trophy scars - goodnight alchemy

ok so i'm flat out gonna take credit for this one. i've been hyping trophy scars since their first ep came out (darts to sea). it wasn't until their full length(alphabet. alphabets.) came out in 2006 that the underground world finally started to catch on. big "told you so" to scene kids everywhere.

this is a band that is not afraid to try things. diy ethics, experimental guitars, a pounding rhythm section, and some of the most interesting vocals/melodies/lyrics you'll ever hear. this is a hate it or absolutely love it band. love em or hate em, i'm sure they're just glad you feel some way about them. watch out for their upcoming full length, bad luck, later in '08 and you can pretend you've been in the know all along.



- panda scars

album review: the cool kids - totally flossed out (2008)

i had to write an album review for the school paper, so this is just a post to hype my own review. got em.

READ.
READ.
READ.

-grizzly

p.s. my editors came up with the title. and yes, i know it is weak.

slowdance records

so i didn't even realize that i did it, but the two previous posts i made were both released on portland based slowdance records.

while i'm at it, i'd just like to hype the shit out of this label. they deserve you're undivided attention and your support. they've released music by and are home to acts like rescue, the velvet teen, the new trust, and kissing tigers. if you haven't heard any of those bands, you're really doing yourself a disservice. how they've gone under the radar for so long is beyond me. get in the know chump, i promise there's something there for everyone.

SLOWDANCE ONLINE.
SLOWDANCE ON MYSPACE.

- panda is a good slowdancer.

the evening episode - the physicist has known sin (2006)

let's face it, portishead are taking way too fucking long to release new music. shit is wack. april can't get here soon enough.

anway, the evening episode are very much in the same vein as portishead.. lush arangements, late '90s trip hip-esque female vocals, moody tones.. all present. combine that with a more organic overall sound reminiscent of pretty girls make graves later work, and you've got something fresh. the lead singer on this album, teressa eggars, left the band in 2007 (she also sings on that intramural album i just posted). she's since been replaced vocalist terra lopez, and the evening episode are working on a fresh start and new music.

p.s. if anyone knows what teressa is up to these days, let me know. it'd be a waste of a wonderful voice if she wasn't making music anymore.

the evening episode on myspace.

download the physicist has known sin:


- panda

intramural - this is a landslide (2007)

so unless you live under a rock or have bad taste in music, you're probably familiar with denver dalley (of statistics and desaparecidos fame). what you probably aren't familiar with is dalley's most recent undertaking, intramural, which is a tragedy because it could possibly be his best work to date.

recorded over four years with friend sam shacklock, this is a landslide features a different vocalist on every track. some brilliant names pop up here (most notably greg dulli of afgan whigs/twilight singers fame), all adding their own touch to the genre bending electro rock dalley's come up with.

to steal a term from roshan, this album was probably the best album you "slept on" last year. proceed to slap forehead and download accordingly.

intramural on myspace.

download this is a landslide:


- this is a panda

pela - anytown graffiti (2007)

every year, there's always a handful of bands i like to call "sleepers," or bands i missed out on in the previous year from either being oblivious, lazy, retarded or all of the above. this album was actually recommended to us in our shoutbox, and i really really like it. a great melodic (indie-rock? i hate labeling bands) album for the rainy days.

pela on myspace.

download:



-grizzly

the hourly radio (2007)

i caught this band live opening for iamx back in november, they were pretty good. i got a hold of some songs off of their website, so feel free to check em out. and they're from dallas too, so that's fun too. kind of.

the hourly radio on myspace.

download:

gun in hand (single version)
he said/she said (piano belly remix)

-grizzly

bloc party - hunting for witches (ruckus roboticus remix) (2007)

a friend showed me this remix. i love it. plain and simple. kinda long-winded, but still a solid track.

ruckus roboticus on myspace.

download:

bloc party - hunting for witches (ruckus roboticus remix)

-grizzly

treasure fingers - cross the dance floor (2007)

ok, so there's a funny story to this song. not really, though. a friend and i were at a forever 21 several months ago, and we heard a song. (yes, this one) and i really liked it, so i asked an employee if they knew who it was, and sure enough, not a single employee i asked had the slightest clue.

google, however, led me to this song. gotta love google.

this dude recently signed to fool's gold (a-trak's label) has a bunch of other dope stuff out too, so be sure to check it out.

treasure fingers on myspace.

download:

treasure fingers - cross the dance floor

-grizzly fingers