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The Unicorns, Tuff Ghost
If you’ve been visiting my site, you realize that a lot of my youtube favorites come from another era. Well here’s one from a more recent time. Part 18 of my countdown continues with the Unicorns,...
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The Magnetic Fields, Grand Canyon
In part 43 of my youtube countdown, I present to you the Magnetic Fields singing “Grand Canyon,” one of their great songs off their epic 69 Love Songs album. The Magnetic Fields are the brainchild of...
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The Top Ten Most Played Songs on my iPod
Did you know that when you plug your iPod into your computer, iTunes can arrange your iPod’s mp3s by plays, from most played to least? It’s pretty fascinating to see what you’ve been listening to...
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Islands, Rough Gem
Part 90 of my countdown blasts forward with one of my favorite group, Islands, and there video “Rough Gem.” From their debut record Return to the Sea, “Rough Gem” is a beautiful kaleidoscopic indie...
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Islands, Vapours Review
Nick Thorburn, leader of Islands and co-founder of the now deceased Unicorns outfit, is my favorite young songwriter. His 2009 LP, Vapours, is my favorite record of 2011, and the more I play it, the...
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Paul McCartney, Sloan, Waterfalls, Coming Up
TLC ripped it off. No doubt about it. This song, “Waterfalls,” was a hit in England, but it was the first song of Paul’s unable to reach the top Billboard 100 despite the previous single, “Coming...
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Willie Simpson, Funeral Business
I first wrote this song when I was a senior in college in 2006. I had it kicking around until this past Spring when I decided to revive it. I brought in my friend and musical genius Ian Wehrle to...
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The Apples in Stereo, I Told You Once
When I was 17 years old, I first heard Her Wallpaper Reverie, a sort of mini Apples in Stereo LP, and I was blown away. It was the first time I’d ever heard anyone from the Elephant 6 Collective, and...
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The Olivia Tremor Control, Love Athena, Memories of Jacqueline 1906, Black...
The oddly named Olivia Tremor Control hail from Ruston, Louisiana, and are probably the most beautiful thing ever to come out of that place. Along with Robert Schneider’s Apples in Stereo, the OTC...
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Neutral Milk Hotel, In The Aeroplane Over the Sea, King of Carrot Flowers...
Jeff Mangum’s “Neutral Milk Hotel” was the third founding wing in the Elephant 6 Collective. If the Apples in Stereo represented the happy side of the Beatles, and Olivia Tremor Control were the,...
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Of Montreal, Disconnect the Dots, Lysergic Bliss (live), Art Snob Solutions...
R.E.M. broke up yesterday, but worry not, because Athens, Georgia rocks on with their other native sons, Of Montreal. Of Montreal, famously not “of Montreal,” hail from R.E.M.’s hometown too. Kevin...
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Beulah, Gene Autry, Emma Blowgun's Last Stand, Ballad of the Lonely Agronaut
Beulah was formed in a mail room in San Fransisco when Miles Kurosky and Bill Swan decided they both liked the same music, well mostly. This is the kind of story yours truly can get behind due to own...
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The Black Keys, She Said She Said
The Black Keys are guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney. Together they have forged a highly successful blues rock revivalist band that are the darlings of the upper tiers of the indie...
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The Kinks, Autumn Almanac
The Kinks. I love them. I love Ray Davies, the writer of this song, “Autumn Almanac,” an absolute stunning piece of musical genius from 1967. A lot happened in 1967. It was the year when the...
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The Unicorns, Jellybones
I was given the Unicorns’ album, Who Will Cut Our Hair When We’re Gone?, way back in late 2004, and I still have not gotten over it. Since then, I’ve collected all the demos, music videos, Islands...
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The Unicorns, Sea Ghost
I was walking to my new office in Sheepshead Bay this morning when “Sea Ghost” by the Unicorns popped into my shuffle. As I was strolling down the dirty street towards my destination, I found myself...
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Ween Breaks Up
One of the world’s most creative and innovate bands, Ween, has apparently ended. The band’s lead singer Aaron Freeman, otherwise known as Gene Ween, has announced the end of Ween in Rolling Stone....
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Willie Simpson, Heart On My Sleeve
For your consideration, I submit yet another song from my forthcoming album “Funeral Business.” “Heart On My Sleeve” is a moderately paced romantic dance rock song that I am very proud of. The lyrics...
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Willie Simpson, Memory Lane
UPDATE 12/31/2013: Happy New Years everybody! I just want to let you know that I re-recorded Memory Lane and I updated the music video to reflect all the new sonic goodness! I hope you have a great...
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