Little Talks

I'm here and I'm queer!  I know what you're thinking...another week of music...finally!  It has been a busy February, and I have not taken the time to sit and talk about music.

Don't think that I didn't take time to sit down and drink some beers, because I definitely did that.  I have had the pleasure of drinking several IPAs over the past month.  Some new and some old but all very very good.  This weeks comes from Deschutes Brewery in wonderful Bend, Oregon.  I have never been but according to this beer I would love to visit.  The name is Inversion IPA and it is quiet tasty.  Strong bitter bop flavor, and great citrus aroma.  All that I could ask for in an IPA.  For that Inversion IPA, my Unlce Mike graces thee with:

This week, for the first time in years, I heard a song that I really like on the radio of all places.  The song is by the band Of Monsters and Men.  At first I thought it was Kate Nash, but it turns out this band is from Iceland.  Rolling Stones calls them a mix of The Arcade Fire and Mumford and Sons, but I feel more of a mix of Kate Nash, Mumford, and the Head and the Heart.  Regardless, the song is really really good.  As usual, I hope that you like it as much as I do.  Until next time America...

Of Monsters and Men - "Little Talks"

Dead Man's Bones

Welcome back for another day of booze and tunes.  There has still been a slow period in new releases that I have been excited about to I have had to pull from songs that are new to me, but not new to the world.  I have been listening to a ton of Pandora at work lately (Broken Social Scene Radio), so most of my current favorite songs are from years past.  That doesn't mean that the quality of the songs are bad, and I have still found new IPAs to try, so don't sweat the small stuff!

This week's IPA comes from Founders Brewing in Grand Rapids, MI.  I actually had this a couple weeks ago with my brother and liked it so much I thought I would add it to the blog to let the world know how good it is.  I just want to scream it from the top of a mountain.  The Centennial IPA is delicious, and well worth a try for all you beer lovers out there.  For the Nezars of the world...stick to Bud Light...losers.  At any rate, Centennial IPA has great hop flavor, and has an excellent finish.  For that, Centennial IPA, I give you:

Like I said before, not a lot of new music is coming out hot off the press, so I have picked songs that I have recently heard and liked.  The song is called "Pa Pa Power" and is from the 2009 release Dead Man's Bones, by the band Dead Man's Bones.  That means it's a self titled album, for all of you that were slow to catch on.  You know who you are.  Let's all get on the same page...After some research I found out that Dead Man's Bones is actually a band started by Ryan Gosling (the actor) and Zach Shields (not an actor).  The entire CD is done in collaboration with Silverlake Conservatory Children's Choir (which was started by the Red Hot Chili Pepper's bassist Flea).  I think this is a very good listen and I hope you enjoy it.

 Dead Man's Bones - "Pa Pa Power"

Yuck

Go ahead and take a deep breath in through your nose.  Smell that?  That's 1000 views folks!  Well done.  I also need to take this time and welcome our newest follower to the blog Alex.  Welcome aboard good sir.  I hope you like good beer and music, because that's all I know!  I would also like to take this time to wish my brother Mike and sister-in-law Amber good luck on their recent move to Los Angeles, CA. 

This week I picked a Pale Ale instead of an IPA.  This comes from Left Hand Brewing Co. and is called Stranger Pale Ale, and it is delicious.  Nothing like and ice cold pale ale and some really good music.  I'm actually enjoying this pale ale tonight while I watch one of my favorite moves, Blades of Glory.  Chazz Michael Michaels is my hero.  I wear Chazz underwear....and for that Stranger Pale Ale gets:

There hasn't been much new music out these days, so I have resorted to a song that I recently heard on Pandora and really like.  It is from the band Yuck and their self-titled 2011 debut album.  Yuck is from London, England, and the name of this week's pick is "Soothe Me."

Yuck - "Soothe Me"

This Charming Man

Bringing it back for another week of music and beer.  I have been spending much of the evening watching what might be the world BCS title game of all time.  Luckily I was entertained enough by my dog and Coors Light I was able to stick it out to see a touchdown.  I would have much rather seen an Oklahoma State-LSU match up.

For dessert I am having a very very nice IPA from Feral Brewing Company called Hop Hog India Pale Ale.  This also was a part of my Christmas gift this year from my sister-in-law Emily and her boyfriend Marcus.  I think Christmas should come once a week because I am getting some really nice IPAs.  This beer, like last week, comes from Australia and it is very good.  Great hops, and very smooth citrus flavors.  I am thinking a trip is in store to Australia to try all of their IPAs!

I am having trouble finding new music to listen to so far for the blog because it is early and the year and there are very few CDs being released in the month of January.  This morning on my way to work I was rifling through my iPod and came across a song I really like by Stars called "This Charming Man."  This song is actually a cover originally sang by The Smiths (Morrissey) who were indie way before indie was cool.  I also came to find out that Death Cab for Cutie has covered the song as well, and it makes since because the song is very good.  All three versions are very different, which is fun and interesting to me.  My favorite rendition is by Stars though, but I have added all versions this week so you can compare and contrast.  I hope you like it, and look forward to next week.  Happy times!

Stars-

Death Cab for Cutie -

The Smiths -

Happy New Year!

Tis the season for New Year's resolutions.  I have decided that my resolution is to keep up with my blog.   As you know there were many times during the life of the blog that I fell off of the wagon.  I am hoping to maintain the blog, not only for you readers but I need any excuse I can get to listen to music and drink great beer.  I am hoping that this post will be a great kick start to my resolution as well as a start to some great music throughout 2011.  Since my last post I had the Best of 2011 CD Release Party/Beer Pong tournament at Brownies Watering Hole in lovely Papillion, NE.  I must say it was quite the success.  We were able to raise $510 to donate to cancer research.  Great job to everyone that attended, and to everyone that did not, maybe next year!

This weeks IPA is special to me.  It comes all the way from Australia and was part of my Christmas gift.  Thank you Marcus and Emily (BTW Marcus, "Somebody That I Used to Know" is by far everyone's favorite song on Best of 2011, so from everyone here, thank you)!  It is brewed a Murray's Craft Brewing Co.  It hails on it's website as on of the hoppiest beers in the southern hemisphere, and I would agree that it may be one of the hoppiest in the northern hemisphere as well!  It is absolutely delicious.  Here is a link to Murray's Craft Brewing Co..  Check it out, there are several good looking beers on the site.  Check out the label for the ICON 2IPA...very nice!  For this I give Icon 2IPA

This weeks picks are some of my favorite "new years" themed songs since, well, today is New Year's Eve.  Not much to say about them.  Maybe you can listen to them tonight while you get ready to go out with you friends and family.  Hope everyone has a great night and I look forward to spending 2012 with you through my blog.  Be safe and have a good night!

Death Cab for Cutie - "The New Year"

The Walkmen - "New Year's Eve"

The Heartless Bastards - "New Resolution"

A Classic Education, it was somewhere in between...

Sup.  It's another knowledgeable, innovative, and exciting week here on my blog.  This weekend Jamie left me for Omaha to welcome in our new niece Amelia Leone Sivertson, so I want to congratulate my sister-in-law and brother-in-law on their new daughter.  Very exciting.  Jamie left me here alone to feast on cold chicken, cold beer, and oatmeal cookies.  Very nice. 

This weeks IPA is brewed in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.  It's from the Tommyknocker Brewery and is called Pick Axe IPA.  The label is pretty neat, and drew me in immediately.  Good hop flavor, and a fruit after taste makes me give this IPA:

The song of the week comes from the band A Classic Education.  The song "Forever Boy" is from their October release Call is Blazing.  The band is from Italy, and I really enjoy their sound.  The whole album is definitely work a listen so if you have time pick it up and give it a listen.  Until then here is A Classic Education with the song "Forever Boy."

My dad is going to be very disappointed that I did not pick the song by Crystal Fighters - Plage.  This is a song he heard the other night, and really liked it.  He liked it so much he wanted it on my blog.  It's actually a fun song.  So without further adieu, Ed Cutler's pick of the week:

Crystal Fighters - "Plage"

Phantogram of the Opera!

Boo! It's the spookiest post of the year!  Happy Halloween to everyone.  I am sure if everyone is like my wife, you are making your final preparations to hand out candy tomorrow for the trick-or-treaters.  Tonight was spent carving pumpkins (see picture above...Jamie and I carved that baby together).  We cracked a bottle of one of my dad's favorite wine, Garnacha de Fuego, which is from Spain.  In the spirit of ranking the wine by eyebrows, definitely two eyebrows up.  It's an easy go to for parties and gifts.  Check it out.

This week I also tried a new IPA.  This IPA is brewed and bottled by Widmer Brothers Brewing from Portland, Oregon.  Its part of the Rotator IPA Series and is called X-114 IPA.  This beer packs good flavor and hops.  The hops are more suttle in this IPA than most, but it really does have a good citrus finish, much like a Pale Ale.  It's a good beer for carving pumpkins!  For that I give X-114 IPA:

ONE EYEBROW UP!

This weeks pick didn't come til late in the week.  I ended up selecting a song on inderockcafe.com website, from their new music page.  It is from the band Phantogram, which I had never heard of.  The song is called,"Don't Move," and it is off of their currently unreleased CD "Nightlife."  I know the song starts off like a CD played in a Sony 1996 10 second ESP Discman, but the song progresses really quickly with the beat, and much of the lyrics, my favorite being,"I'm not your drinking problem."  It's not typically a song I would listen to a lot, but for some reason I find it catchy, so you are just gonna have to give it a listen and see how it makes you feel inside.  If you feel like dancing...join the club.  If you hate it...tune in next week!  So here you go:

Phantogram - "Don't Move"