downwithmusic.

“Put on whatever makes you attractive. If it’s...

yckmd — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 22:22:00 -0500

“Put on whatever makes you attractive. If it’s not you, then do it for the sake of fashion. Your friends like a certain you, That’s who you’ve got to be.”

David Bazan playing Pedro The Lion’s satirical track “When They Really Get To Know You They Will Run” from his Alone at the Microphone DVD.

-dan

Here’s Black Moth Super Rainbow’s fittingly moody...

yckmd — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 20:28:00 -0500

Here’s Black Moth Super Rainbow’s fittingly moody jam “Moody Day”, off their album Extra Flavor (2011). These songs were taken from sessions around the recording of their album Dandelion Gum. I’m a huge fan of that record, as well as all their albums that preceded it, so Extra Flavor is doing the trick for me this evening.

-dan

“Listen, I’ve come to rock this boat / The take and...

yckmd — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 08:44:36 -0500

“Listen, I’ve come to rock this boat / The take and giving means no room for the living”

With “Mothers, Sisters, Daughters & Wives” off their EP of the same name, Voxtrot penned what is — in my opinion — their catchiest and most fully realized track. With sly melodies and hooks in every corner, it’s a great one to start your week with — though you might end up humming it straight through ‘till Friday.

-dan

“I don’t mind cause I know I’ve gotta be...

yckmd — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 19:02:00 -0500

“I don’t mind cause I know I’ve gotta be completely broken.”

Here’s “Completely Broken” by Sundials off their 2012 album When I Couldn’t Breathe. Razorcake have called their music “college town blues played with a punk heart and the ramshackle catchiness of ’90s indie”, and that’s a pretty apt description.

-dan

“Eventually what is meant to be covered up gets sold....

yckmd — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 14:55:00 -0500

“Eventually what is meant to be covered up gets sold. […] You will lose me as a friend if you cross that line.”

The Whitest Boy Alive’s smooth guitar riffs, tasteful organ and fluid bass-lines drive most of their songs, but they seem to gel perfectly on “Gravity” — off their flawless 2009 record Rules. It’s definitely a fitting track to ride out the rest of your Friday with.

-dan

“This stale little state, I can feel it again. Threw it...

yckmd — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 09:20:44 -0500

“This stale little state, I can feel it again. Threw it all to the winds, by the summer ends.”

A quick one for your Thursday morning: it’s “Summer End” from Vacationer’s album Gone (2012). A jaunty bass-driven pop track that echoes The Beach Boys at first before moving on to straight-up indie-pop. It’s a warm one that might help you forget the winter weather.

-dan

Yes, I’m still under the weather, and thus still on...

yckmd — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 19:31:00 -0500

Yes, I’m still under the weather, and thus still on this Ninja Tune kick for now. Tonight, it’s Blockhead’s “You’ve Got Maelstrom” off Music By Cavelight. Something for you to drink tea to this evening.

-dan

On a rainy Sunday like today, usually I’d post some...

yckmd — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 19:12:00 -0500

On a rainy Sunday like today, usually I’d post some Bonobo. Since I already did that recently, here’s Funki Porcini’s “Belisha Beacon” off their album On from 2010. An ambient-ish track that builds into a nice jazzy jam, perfect for the weather and even more so if you’re feeling a cold coming on — like I am.

-dan

This one takes me back to College, when I was finding myself...

yckmd — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 20:54:00 -0500

This one takes me back to College, when I was finding myself drawn towards trip-hop, chillout and downtempo music for the first time.

Bonobo was the first artist I really took a liking to, after hearing a mix-tape featuring songs from the Dial M For Monkey and Animal Magic era. This one is a remix of Pilote’s song “Turtle”, as heard on Bonobo’s One Offs… Remixes & B-Sides (2002) .

-dan

“Drank my sleep from a can, playing track six, track...

yckmd — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 20:32:12 -0500

“Drank my sleep from a can, playing track six, track seven, again and again.”

A classic track from Merge Records’ Superchunk with “Detroit Has a Skyline” off their 1995 album Here’s Where The Strings Come In. One of those bands that once you hear them, their discography becomes an obsession.

-dan

“Everybody’s stuck, trapped in the air on the 13th...

yckmd — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 07:22:37 -0500

“Everybody’s stuck, trapped in the air on the 13th floor.”

How about a blast of catchy pop-punk about not wanting to go to work to get you charged and ready on a Friday morning?

-dan

“I was sleepless, second avenue. Everybody’s out...

yckmd — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 22:12:29 -0400

“I was sleepless, second avenue. Everybody’s out tonight. Eight five at half past two, but you’re sleeping by yourself.”

Been a while, but I’m back with a new design and a great song. Don’t know if anyone’s listening, but here ya go. Built to Spill teamed up with Caustic Resin for this EP, and the closing track “She’s Real” is a jam-and-a-half — and at eight minutes, you might want to strap in for the ride.

-dan

“DITCH. STUCK IN A DITCH. SON OF A BITCH, LET IT...

yckmd — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:05:58 -0400

“DITCH. STUCK IN A DITCH. SON OF A BITCH, LET IT GO!”

The Marked Men doing what they do best here on “Ditch”. Mega fast and catchy punk at its finest.

-dan

“Sometimes the blues is just a passing...

yckmd — Tue, 15 May 2012 22:18:39 -0400

“Sometimes the blues is just a passing bird.”

Quick one here, some good night listenin’. The Tallest Man On Earth’s song The Dreamer, off his Sometimes The Blues Is Just a Passing Bird EP. Not much else to say other than: great melody and an unreal voice.

-dan

“But I knew what I had to do to be well-to-do, and it had...

yckmd — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:27:26 -0400

“But I knew what I had to do to be well-to-do, and it had to do with the things I had to do.”

Here’s a track recorded in 1983 — or possibly even earlier — by They Might Be Giants. It was the first track on their very first demo tape. John Flansburgh later said that the song was their first “‘official pop song’ […] to make people think we weren’t going to send ‘em away in droves”. It’s a good one too, with a great little solo in the middle and a catchy ass melody.

-dan

It has been quiet around here these days, I know. It’s...

yckmd — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 22:00:23 -0400

It has been quiet around here these days, I know. It’s pouring rain outside right now, and I stumbled upon this groove by way of a Keith Tippett Group jam that I swear I posted once upon a time. Anyway, I don’t know anything about this other than what the YouTube uploader has provided so your guess is as good as mine. What I do know though, is that it’s messing with me in all the right ways. So check this video out that I only know as Nordrach (Original 1974).

-dan

Here’s a song off the new Squarepusher album. It’s...

yckmd — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:54:44 -0400

Here’s a song off the new Squarepusher album. It’s long, and worth sitting through for the insane music video, as well as some twists and turns in the song’s structure. Get your mind ready to be blown.

-dan

I’m just gonna put this here and you’re going to...

yckmd — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 06:51:00 -0400

I’m just gonna put this here and you’re going to listen to it and love it.

-dan

“We all take out loans, we are breaking bones. Raise your...

yckmd — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:06:34 -0400

“We all take out loans, we are breaking bones. Raise your drink high, keep your head hung low.”

Thunderbirds are Now! were one of the few bands that did the post-punk/dance-punk right. They were on French Kiss Records, who know a thing or two about signing killer bands. Shame they broke up though. Here’s Better Safe Than Safari, check out Ryan Allen ripping on guitar. His riffs were always unreal to my ears.

-dan

“And we break before we bend, with tomorrow as yet...

yckmd — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:31:58 -0400

“And we break before we bend, with tomorrow as yet undetermined.”

Apparently Good Riddance are playing NXNE this year, so I’ve been listening to their underrated 2003 album Bound by Ties of Blood and Affection. Love the Bill Stevenson production on this record — totally sounds like late-career Descendents: super crunchy guitar tones and pummeling drums. “There’s No ‘I’ In Team” is one of many highlights here, super fast and catchy but they retain their uncompromising lyrical bite. A rarity for a modern album from a band who have been doing this for as long as they have.

-dan