artist of the month

conor oberst



get ready to see a lot more of this guy. this month, he's already graced the pages of spin and gq, had 2 singles reach the number one and two spots on billboard's singles charts, and he's releasing not one, but two albums this week. not bad for a 24 year old indie artist from nebraska.

he's been called the greatest song writer of our generation and has been compared to bob dylan. are these comparisons of merit? probably not, but there's no denying that this kid has talent. he is a perpetual alcoholic, but then again, all great artists are. he headlined his own band at age 14 and is now the frontman for bright eyes, his indie folk-rock project.

his two albums, i'm wide awake it's morning and digital ashes in a digital urn (both on saddle creek records), should be on the shelves by the time you read this.

work

mmm yeah... this blog is gonna need some work. the template will do for now... i want to keep it simple. nothing too fancy. i've noticed that the comments aren't working, so i'll try to get that fixed.

i'm still looking for a good name for this site. for the meantime, its being hosted on a subdomain. all the good names are taken. i tried "b-sides.com" and "sonicplayground.com" but no dice. i want to find a name thats kitschy but at the same time simple. suggestions are definitely welcome.

i've already abandoned a plethora of blogs. what makes me so serious about this one? dunno. i've never tried anything but personal blogging, so maybe my passion for the subject will keep this going. i could talk about music for hours without being too annoying. can't say the same about personal blogging. am i done with xanga? probably not. i guess only time will tell.

perhaps i'll put together a staff or something. other people who are willing to help write reviews or get out to shows and such. hmmm. it's something to consider, but it seems kind of amitious at the moment, considering that probably only 2 people besides myself are actually reading this thing. i really need someone who knows the nooks and crannies of blogger. any takers?

things to come (hopefully):
wanted list
reviews
upcoming albums
artist profiles
new artists
festival news
scene updates
local shows

in the meantime, check out these songs:
muse - time is running out
keane - somwhere only we know
the stills - still in love song

you can find them at launch.com.

new postal service video

the "we will become silhouettes" video is now out. it's directed by Napoleon Dynamite director jared hess.

watch it here at boardmag.

first post

ok kiddos... i think i'll be devoting most of my blogging time to this site. it's gonna be a music blog, based on sites like fluxblog.org. i'll be ranting about all the music you need to be listening to, and sometimes i'll post samples. hopefully the RIAA won't nail my ass because they'll be low bittrate. i'm trying to promote artists, not rip them off.

i'm hoping that this will be hosted on an independent server in a couple weeks. until then, i'll set up a "b-sides.tk" redirection. does anyone want to help me design a template?

check back for updates and enjoy the music.

---

so... my first entry... i think i'll start off with a massive recap of 2004.

top 10 albums of 2004:

10. snow patrol - final straw
hmm... sounds like coldplay, feels like coldplay... better than coldplay?!
hell yes.
just one of the many awesome british imports this year.

9. U2 - how to dismantle an atom bomb
U2 is back, and they rock. after 20 years, its been pretty much proven that its virtually impossible for U2 to make a bad album. contrary to the title, there is nothing remotely political on this album, only great music. all bono has to do is wail "feeeeeeeellllllll" and i'm there.

8. modest mouse - good news for people who love bad news
"float on" was the feel-good anthem of the year, hands down. no one is going to forget that music video with the paper-cutout sheep any time soon. this album takes a while to grow on you, but the wait is well worth it. ranked as "best rock artists of the year" by spin.

7. franz ferdinand
"take me out" was just so damn catchy. this album is crack. once you get into this scottish band's infectious grooves, you just can't stop.

6. taking back sunday - where you want to be
emo kids rejoice at the return of taking back sunday. no, they still can't sing, but the off key notes just add to the raw emotion on this album. also check out straylight run.

5. jimmy eat world - futures
without a doubt the best mainstream album this year. "poignant", "beautiful", and "emotional" dont even begin to describe the sheer sonic brilliance of this album. take the catchy pop punk from "bleed america" and the emo from "clarity", throw them in a blender, and you get "futures".

4. the killers - hot fuss
they dress like prom rejects, they sound british, and they're from las vegas. go figure. the killers manage to recapture the glamour of the '80s, with heavy synth beats reminscent of duran duran and the smiths. its no wonder they've been nominated for 3 grammys, including one for "best rock album".

3. the postal service - give up
trippy synth beats + ben gibbard = genius. there's nothing more i can say about this album than what you've probably already heard.

2. death cab for cutie - transatlanticism
only ben gibbard could manage to land 2 records in the top ten in the same year. there is just something that words cannot describe about this album. maybe its the minimalism. maybe it's gibbards upbeat yet melancholy vocie. whatever it is, this album is fantastic. death cab also gets the unofficial award of "band most often mentioned on the o.c.". that by itself should be enough to make people flock to the record store.

1. the shins - chutes too narrow
yes, someone managed to beat out death cab for the number one spot. this album is just so insanely creative that it's sick. this is indie rock at its finest.

runner-ups:
ted leo + RX - shake the sheets
elliott smith - from a basement on the hill
wilco - a ghost is born
the decemberists - her majesty, the decemberists
interpol - antics
the thrills - let's bottle bohemia
green day - american idiot
the libertines
danger mouse - the grey album
kanye west - the college dropout

top 3 re-issues:
3. the pixies - surfer rosa
2. the clash - london calling
1. pavement - crooked rain, crooked rain

biggest letdown:
saves the day - in reverie
following on the success of "stay what you are", perhaps one of the best emo albums ever, this album was one of the most anticipated CDs of the year. fans were disappointed with the strange lyrics and utterly inaccessible songs. avoid this like the plague.

i'll post samples tomorrow.