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!
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:
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:
Welcome back to another exciting week of music and beer. We have reach a milestone on the blog of 800 page views, so go ahead and take a minute to pat yourselves on the back for all of the support of my blog. For about a month I thought the blog was just going to go away, but the tides have changed, and I am now writing back to back weeks! This week is exciting in the fact that I have both a fun new song and a great beer to go with it, so buckle in, grab your IPA, put in your headphones and let's listen to some musics!
This weeks beer is actually not an IPA. I walked Gorda across the street yesterday to Berbiglia (the neighborhood liquor store) and pick up a Dubbel from the Boulevard Brewing Company's Smokestack Series. Boulevard as we all know is brewed right here in Kansas City. The beer is called Nommo Dubbel and is more of a malt beer than a hoppy IPA. I was excited because it was more of a fall beer brewed with molasses and spices, so I figure tis the season. It has a darker color and is very rich in flavor. It is 8.1% alcohol as well, which as always a plus in my book. Well worth a try! Here's to not remembering! For that I give Nommo Dubbel
ONE EYEBROW UP!
Now that you are nice and buzzed up...music time! This week's pick was also an easy one. It came recommended from my sister-in-law's boyfriend Marcus. Marcus hails all the way from New Zealand and told me about this song. Gotye is an Aussie, and Kimbra is from New Zealand, and apparently this song is very popular "down under" right now. I can see why, because it gets stuck in my head all of the time! Gotye reminds me a lot of Peter Gabriel, which might scare you off at first, but as when you hear the song, you will like it! The Peter Gabriel sound comes across a lot in the song "I Feel Better." So without further adeau...
Gotye - "Somebody That I Used to Know"
Gotye - "I Feel Better"
I also added this song from Kimbra (who is featured in Somebody that I Used to Know). Jamie really likes it. Not to bad...
Welcome to another week of musics! A few side notes before we get to the music. Saturday (Oct. 15) was my one year anniversary. One year ago yesterday I was standing in a gazebo in Mexico getting married to my best friend. I love you Jamie. I would also like to congratulate my friend Nofel because on Friday he was getting married in a gazebo in Mexico! Wish we were there! There are no new followers this week so we can probably just cut right to the chase.
This week's IPA comes from a stones throw from my house. It was brewed at 75th Street Brewery in Waldo (which is a small area of Kansas City.) I stopped in today on my way home from costume shopping, which was horribly unsuccessful because both stores were closed, and picked up a 1/2 gallon growler of Good Hope IPA. I was really excited to try this one because it is so local. They had a choice of two IPAs, and I unfortunately I think I chose wrong! The Good Hope IPA tastes a little bit watered down, and lacks that big hop taste that I really enjoy. So for that I give Good Hope IPA
One eyebrow down. I hope there is good hope for 75th St. Brews other IPA.
Now buckle up folks because it's pick of the week time! This week was about an easy a pick as they come. This pick comes from the band Youth Lagoon. It is there first LP, and I am not sure if there is a single song on the album that I dislike. Every song is excellent. I highly recommend giving it a listen. You will not be let down. I have chosen two songs off of the album, because I couldn't choose just one. So here you go. I hope you like!
I know, I know, I said weekly blog, but it's starting to look more like a monthly thing. I have been so mad at myself for not writing my blog lately, but I think I am gonna get back on the wagon. These past few weeks have been so crazy, I just haven't made time to sit down and write this thing. Terrible excuse, I agree. I gotta give the people what they want, and that it IPAs and musics. So on that note I am just going to continue business as usual.
This weeks IPA comes from North County San Diego, called Stone IPA and I likey. It has the hops kick that I know and love. There is something that I love about a bitter, hoppy beer, and this IPA doesn't lack in either category, and for that Stone IPA...I give you...
TWO EYEBROWS UP!
And now to the music (the Nebraska-Wisconsin game is about to start, so this is not gonna be that deep). This weeks (months) pick comes from the band Pepper Rabbit. Pepper Rabbit is a band from Los Angeles, CA. I just started to listening to the CD this week, and have been hooked since the first listen. My favorite song so far is called,"Rose Mary Stretch." Without further adeau...
New week, new song, new blog. This blog is actually a week overdue. I was planning on writing this last Saturday, and this was intended to be a weekly blog, but I might have had one too many IPAs that night and was not able to complete my task. So instead of last Saturday, you get it this Monday. I was like to welcome the 19th follower to the blog David. Welcome aboard sir. You will be issued your standard sailor uniform and cap in the coming weeks.
Last Saturday's IPA comes from my hometown of Papillion, NE. My family and friend Jake were in town last week for golf, so my dad was kind enough to bring a couple IPAs to try. This week's IPA is called Hop God. It is a Belgian IPA brewed at the Nebraska Brewing Company. It was a very good beer. It had a great citrus taste and aroma, and got me pretty drunk! So for that Hop God, you get:
TWO EYEBROWS UP!
Now to the pick of the week. I have been listening to the new Beirut so much, that I didn't really find any new albums to select from, so I chose a song off of Sufjan Steven's Age of Adz LP. This CD is new this year, so it is not that dated. The truth about this CD, is that when I first listened to it I was kind of turned off because it is so different than music he had put put before. I loved the previously albums so I felt let down by the new sound, and really didn't listen to it much. Luckily for my I started listening to it again about 3 weeks ago, and have really started to like it a lot. My current favorite song on the album is "Vesuvius." It is the one song on the album that sounds most like his older stuff. If you have never heard of Sufjan, I highly suggest listening to his old albums. They are extremely good, and well worth the listen. Hope you like it!
Sufjan Stevens - "Vesuvius"
And now this (I know this is old, but I just listened to it again recently after a couple years and it is still funny)...
It's me again, Dan Cutler, for another week of senseless music blabber. No new followers this week, so no one to recognize on another life changing decision. I am excited about tonights blog. The first time I heard this pick of the week I couldn't wait to write my blog. This may be my favorite pick to date, and possibly my favorite song of the year. Since hearing this song for the first time yesterday, I have listened to it at least 15 times it's so good. Before the sappy love poems about the band I picked week, let us get to the IPA of the week.
This weeks IPA comes from San Diego, CA. It was a new item at Lukas Liquors (advertised by a big red arrow that said "new item" on it) and I had to try it! It is called West Coast IPA and is made by Green Flash Brewing Company. It has much extreme hops, and I like. At first glance I thought it would be a lonely eyebrow up, but after further review and a hops chop to the tongue, I dub this beer:
Two Eyebrows Up folks!
Now it's time....the moment we have all been waiting for....the pick of the week. The story began on a wild spring break trip with two friends, the ends with a boy becoming a man. After 6 days, 9 states, a new tattoo, and an overnight in a Houston, TX park I was standing at a bar watching an unfamiliar band at SXSW in Austin, TX. I had never heard of this band, but they were sandwiched to play between the Mountain Goats, Blonde Redhead and Voxtrot, so I had to watch...and I had to idea what was coming! What unraveled on stage was one of the best concerts I had ever seen. 12 people on stage playing instruments I had never heard of. Incredibly what came out was a Eastern European sound with a certain romanticism built in. The name of the band is Beirut. They have recently released a new album called The Riptide and the song is called "East Harlem." The second I heard this song I knew it was the pick of the week, and there is no song I can find to top it. If you haven't got Beirut, then you need to get it, but if you have already got it, then obviously you get it! So here you go for the pick of the week...
Welcome to another week, another band, another blog. I would like to welcome the newest follower, a late bloomer, my brother Andy Cutler. Welcome aboard sir, you have missed so much. In recent news, I attended my 10 year high school reunion last week! What a blast that was...
Unfortunately this week I have not come prepared with a new beer. I happen to be enjoying a Busch Light. This is a beer made in St. Louis, MO by the Anheuser Busch Brewing Co. In the world of domestic beers it's not too shabby. One eyebrow up folks.
I have to admit I have been quite the slacker this week and have not been partaking in any new music. Because of the I have chosen Jens Lekman as my music pick of the week. Jens is a singer/songwriter form Sweden. He is more of a folk artist but I really enjoy his music. His songs tend to be slow, but at the same time weird and fun. The first song I have decided to introduce to my bloggers is called Postcard to Nina. This is a song about a lesbian who is scared to tell her Catholic parents that she is gay, so Jens visits her parents with her posing as a boyfriend. It unfolds as a funny story of dinner and awkward conversation. One of my favorite lyrics are: "I get a little nervous and change the subject/I put my hand on some metal object/He jokes and tells me it's a lie detector." Love it. The second song I would like to share is call Jens Lekman's Farewell Song to Rocky Dennis. I actually just learned tonight that Rocky Dennis is the real life person behind the movie Mask with Cher. At any rate, both songs are great so check them out!
Well I am back from a three week hiatus folks. Not to make any excuses but the last three weeks have been fairly hectic with work, and visitors. Fortunately over the last three weeks I have had the chance to listen to some great music, as well as enjoy a handful of delectable IPAs. I have been excited to finally sit back down and share some of the news tunes that I have been listening to. I feel like over this lapse in blogs so many good bands have released new CDs like Bon Iver, Handsome Furs, and The Wooden Birds (2 of 3 will be featured in today's blog.)
First things first, I want to discuss this week's IPA. It is Arcadia Ales IPA and it might just be the best IPA I have tasted to far. The best thing about blogging about IPAs is the fact that most taste so money that I am hardly ever let down, and tonight is no exception. This IPA is brewed in Battle Creek, MI. Not only is it one of the best IPAs that I have had, it probably has one of the coolest bottles as well. Check it out! I think it is no surprise that this IPA gets:
2 EYEBROWS WAY UP!
Due to fact that I have missed the passed three weeks, I have decided to add three different songs this week to make up for missed time. The first song comes in hot from Bon Iver's (some call him Bone Eve-air) newest self titled album. Much like The Antlers I had trouble just picking one song from this album because it is so good, but I had to. For some reason Bon Iver reminds me of Aaron Neville. Far fetched? Maybe...The song I chose is called "Michicant." Give it a listen!
Bon Iver - Michicant:
The second song I have chosen is from the band Grouplove. I heard about the band from my friends Matt and Justin. This band reminds me a lot of Brand New. Matt requested that I add this song to my next blog and dedicate it to Justin. So here you go Justin.
Grouplove - Colours:
The last song comes from the band Handsome Furs. Handsome Furs is a Montreal-based band led by Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade). They have more of a techno feel, but doesn't stop me from wanting to sing and dance. Without further adeau...
Handsome Furs - "Memories of the Future"
...and now David Hasselhoff eating and cheeseburger...
Welcome back to another week of music and beer. This week's blog is gonna be short, for one we have no new followers, and my cousins Kent and Audrey are coming in town and should be pulling in at any minute. Should make for a great night of drinking and singing!
Tonight's IPA is called Nectar IPA. I was intrigued by this beer when I first saw it on the shelf because the only nectar that I had ever heard of was Early Times Whiskey and any diet drink. Right before I cracked my first Nectar IPA I realized the it was brewed in Paso Robles, CA which is very interesting because the nectar (whiskey and diet) was born and raised in San Luis Obispo, CA which is right up the street. I love the connection. At any rate, it turns out this IPA is really really good. It has great flavor and aroma. I am very impressed!!! And for that, by no surprise:
TWO EYEBROWS UP!
This weeks pick comes off The Antlers newest album Burst Apart. I really like the entire album so it made this difficult to pick just one song. I decided on the song Parentheses because I love the guitar in between verses. I think this whole CD is definitely worth the listen, so if you like this song, check it out. Hope you like it.
Hello all and welcome to the newest addition to my blog. I must apologize for my one week hiatus and promise to make it up to all of you with this weeks latest post. First business as usual...let's invite our newest members to the running crew: Uncle Mike, Mike (brother), Kenny (brother), Jamie (wife). "Keep coming back it works." I would also like to congratulate my cousin Duane on his recent baptism into the world of Midlake. It feels right doesn't it. In other news, last week (which is why I missed my blog) I attended my first ever NASCAR event at Kansas Speedway and I think that everyone should do it at least once. The people watching is out of this world. Let me fill you in with the rules of NASCAR events. They are as follows:
Rule 1: Bring your own 14X14X14 cooler (FYI that size cooler can fit a 30 pack, 2 hoagies and a bag of chips)
Rule 2: You can come as go as you please
Rule 3: Bring your own food...kinda goes with rule 1
Rule 4: You don't have to wear a shirt! (and I am not sure that you have to wear pants either. Yes I'm serious Ryan Christensen)
Rule 5: People watch, because the people watching is better than the race!
Rule 6: FREE PARKING!
So as you can see, there is no reason to not go to a NASCAR event. In fact, I think that it's something that everyone should experience at least once (I had a blast).
Now let's talk eyebrows. This weeks IPA comes from Petaluma, CA and it is delicious. Lagunitas Maximus IPA is everything the name says it is. It has citrus, it has aroma, and best of all it has twice the hops folks. It is the MAXIMUS! They should change the name to Kangaroo IPA because it has so many hops! I have had the Lagunitas IPA in the past, and as my sister-in-law Emily can attest, it is good! So double the hops and the beer only gets better, and we are talking Maximus. So by no surprise Dr. Steve Brule gives this IPA:
2 EYEBROWS UP!
Now lets get to the moment we have all been waiting for, the pick of the week. Destroyer has been in my life for many years, and I just can't quit Dan Bejar. The guy is from Vancouver and can rock your socks off. Not only a member/lead singer of Destroyer, Dan Bejar shares his talents with the likes of New Pornographers and Swan Lake. I must say the the best works of Dan Bejar are most appreciated when singing lead vocals for Destroyer. All of his tracks are majestic journeys through poetic genius. I prove this point by maybe the best lyric ever written in the song "Goddess of Drought,""I was looking good, on the day that you feel for the way I look." Destroyer's catalog of music goes on for a lifetime. Every time I play an album I fall in love with a new songs, and I could add 15 music videos to this blog to share. But I won't. That is your homework bloggers. Tonight I will add one song from Destroyer's newest ablum Kaputt followed by my all time favorite off of Destroyer's Rubies. First is Chinatown, which is the first song on Kaputt, but I just love it. It sounds like Feist is featured in the song but it is actually Sibel Thrasher. Before I go on I want to congratulate the Dallas Mavericks for just beating the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals! I cannot express how pleased I am that Miami lost. Congrats Dirk. The second song is called "Painter in Your Pocket." I love this song! This is the song that turned me on to Destroyer, and like I said before, I could list 15 more videos on this blog but I don't want to bore you. If you like these two song let me know and I will give you a list of songs you need to listen to. For now...
Happy Memorial Day! Welcome to week 5. I know I am late, but had a busy weekend back in Omaha attending a wedding, and spending a wonderful night at the local watering hole, Brownies. Hug your new neighbor (if you were there, you know what I'm talking about! "I love inside jokes. I hope to be a part of one someday." -Michael Scott). As usual I would like to take this time to welcome the new followers: Ed, Bri, Darren, Kent and Audrey. We are now 12 strong folks! I would also like to point out that my cousin Kent is currently on a three week journey across the western United States in his car. Here is a link to his blog http://kntnt.blogspot.com/, check it out! You will like it!
Unfortunately, since I was out of town this weekend, I was not able to grab a new IPA and give a glorious review so for that I give myself:
Two eyebrows down...or are the up!?! Yo no se....(thanks for the senior pic Nezar!)
This week I have not been listening a lot of new music, but I have revisited Midlake, and am glad that I did. I have decided this week to pick a song from each of their 3 LPs: Bamnan & Slivercork (2004), Trials of Van Occupanther (2006), Courage of Others (2010). The reason I love Midlake so much is that each of their songs are an epic adventure that feels to be set back in time. I feel like The Trails of Van Occupanther is a trip through the 1800s in the hillsides of the Northeast, from building homes out of stones, to being robbed by bandits only to start over with a rabbit and an ox. Then Courage of Others takes me to medieval times, sucking on a turkey leg at the town joust and stoning. There are so many great songs on each of their albums, and they all include a uniquely different sound. I had the pleasure of seeing Midlake at SXSW several years ago, and was captivated by their sound and stage presence. I hope that you can appreciate their sound as I do, and look forward to hearing what you have think of this weeks' choice. Have a fun short week, and I will see you next week. For now...ENJOY!
From Bamnan & Slivercork, "Balloon Maker":
From Trials of Van Occupanter, "Roscoe":
From Courage of Others, "Rulers, Ruling all Things":
Welcome to week four of my now universally renowned blog. A few administrative notes before we get to the pick of the week. First of all I would like to recognize and thank my newest followers Joe Crane, Ashley King, Adam, and my sister-in-law Amber Cutler. I would also like to call attention to Amber's blog http://ambers365dayproject.blogspot.com/. She takes a picture every day, so far for 470 days straight, and blogs about it. High five Amber for 470 days strong! While we are on the topic of followers, I want to address why I did not include my dad and Bri Seipel in introducing my new followers. Though they claim to be followers, Ed through text, and Bri through Facebook, it is evident by the column on the right that clearly reads FOLLOWERS, and does not include either of their names, that they are NOT followers of my blog! For this Ed and Bri get:
FAKE EYEBROWS! You can't fool me!
In other news, I think I need to define the word "chook." This was a word unintentionally invented by my father, Ed Cutler. Credit.
chook [ch-ook] - hook + chain = chook
-verb (used with object) This IPA is off the chook!
This weeks IPA comes to you all the way from Portland, ME. It is called Shipyard IPA and it just does not float my ship. I feel like there is a lack of the hops kick that makes an IPA an IPA. I was not impressed by Shipyard's IPA, and must say that this ship has sank. For this, I give Shipyard IPA:
NO EYEBROWS UP.
Now down to business. This weeks pick of the week comes in hot from Austin, TX. I have to admit I was unsure if I wanted to make this my pick of the week because in the past this band has not blown me away. The band is Okkervil River, and their previous two CDs The Stand Ins and The Stage Names didn't really do it for me. I felt like there was so much excitement for those two CDs, and resulted in a large let down for me, that I was skeptical about their newest release. Luckily I fell for the Okkervil River trap again, and I must admit, I'm glad I did because their newest release I Am Very Far is really good! My choice this week, and current favorite on the album, is "The Valley." It is a gothic, drill like song, with a gunshot snare drum that keeps me coming back for more. I especially love the strings that wrap up the song, "times ten." Overall this song is very much a trip down the "valley of the rock 'n roll dead." If you like this also listen to "Piratess," "We Need a Myth," and from The Stage Names "Our Life is Not a Movie or Maybe." (the video to that song is incredible)
This week I decided to throw in a bonus song! On my way to work yesterday I revisited this song featuring Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie) and Feist. It's off of the Dark Was the Night collaboration released in 2009. I love this song. It's a cover of Vashti Bunyan's 1966 "Train Song." Give it a listen and tell me what you think!
Welcome to week 3 of my now world famous blog. Just a few announcements before I get to my pick of the week. I have a new follower this week, bringing my total to 3 now. I would like to thank my mother-in-law, Donna and the Silk Thumb (An incredible band name!?! I think so), for joining the team. I am positive that you just listen to all of these new songs on your iPod...I am also adding a new element to my blog, because I have the power to, in which I will be drinking a new beer (mostly IPAs and Pale Ales, but I'm not scared to stray) while I blog. I will be giving my own personal review on how it tastes and will be judging them on raised eyebrows as follows:
2 raised eyebrows = off the chook
1 raised eyebrow = Pretty good but still on the chook
No raised eyebrows = try a beer that I rated two raised eyebrows.
This weeks IPA comes all the way from Lakewood, NY. It is Southern Tier's IPA and it is good. I think it should be called Bunny IPA because it has so many hops! It is brewed with 4 varieties of hops and 4 types of malts. I like it! I give this IPA:
2 RAISED EYEBROWS!
Now down to business. This week I have selected a song from the band Wye Oak. Wye Oak is a two man band consisting of Andy Stack (drums, keyboards, backup vocals) and Jenn Wasner (vocals, guitars). They are out of Baltimore, MD. I really liked their last album The Knot, and have selected the song "Dogs' Eyes" off of their recently released album Civilian. I debated all week with Jamie whether I should pick "Dogs' Eyes" or the title track "Civilian," and I have decided to choose against her better judgment. Though I love both songs, I love "Dogs' Eyes" just a touch more. The thing that throws her for a loop the most is the random guitar instrumental in the middle and again at the end of the song, but the more I listen to the song the more I learn to appreciate it , and really start to enjoy it. I love the guitar and how the song picks up after the instrumental. As you listen to Wye Oak more, you will see that in several songs Jenn will break it down with the guitar and I can respect that! I will link both songs so you all can choose whether or not I made the right choice. I hope you like it and look forward to next week!
If you like these, also check out "Siamese" and "For Prayer" from The Knot
Welcome back to my critically acclaimed blog about all things that are good. As you can see from from 45 post visits last week, my blog is an instant hit...internet sensation. I also want to direct everyone's attention to the right side of the computer screen and see that I have 2 followers (your friendship check is in the mail Ryan and Marcus)! Alright, now to the important stuff. Week 2 of my infamous blog is here and I am enjoying a Vinyl Lager, brewed by Magic Hat, a brewery out of South Burlington, Vermont. I must admit, it is a perfect spring beer for a perfect spring day in Kansas City. This weeks pick comes to you all the way from Toronto, Ontario. The Rural Alberta Advantage is trio folk-rock band the signed to Saddle Creek Records (Omaha, NE) in 2009. To me the band sounds like a mix between Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! and The Tallest Man on Earth, so definitely an acquired taste. The song I picked comes off of their sophomore album Departing, and is called "Under the Knife." It's a slower song, but I really like the mix of slow loud vocals and piano. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
If you like this song, also check out "Two Lovers" and "Music Relaxants"
BONUS PICK OF THE WEEK! Today is so nice in Kansas City (81 and sunny) I thought I would throw in a song that both Jamie and I really love! It's called "West Coast" off of the album Nighttiming by Coconut Records. To me it is a perfect song for a day like today. It makes me want to be outside by the grill, and having a blast with my friends and family. If you like this song, also check out "It's Not You It's Me" which is also a great song for this time of year. Enjoy it by the grill!
I have recently decided (actually just decided today with great encouragement from my wife Jamie) that I wanted to start a blog about some of my favorite music as well as music I am listening to right now. I love to listen to music, and always like to share what I have heard with friends and family, so I figured why not start a blog so we can all enjoy it. I want to do something simple and fun so will only be posting once a week. It gives me a good excuse to drink a couple High Life's and listen to great music. My plan is to find one band a week that I am excited about and share about my favorite songs on the album. If you are looking for something more in depth and insightful I suggest going to pitchfork.com for some real, in depth musical reviews. Also, a friend of mine Darren Grady has an excellent music related website www.speakersincode.com with very good music related news and reviews.
So here goes for Danny Cutler's inaugural pick of the week. Last weekend, on a whim with my friend Joe, I went to a concert at the Beaumont Club in KC headlined by the band Foals. The real reason that I went was to see a band that I really enjoy and have seen once before in concert, Freelance Whales. Upon arrival I had the pleasure of running into a band from New Zealand named The Naked and Famous. They had a similar techno type feel as Freelance mixed with Passion Pit energy. Another thing that I really enjoy about the band is that the lead vocals are shared by both a guy and a girl. It really reminded me of Lydia when Maria Sais De Sicilia was still sharing lead vocals in the band. The band brought a lot of energy to the stage that was returned by the crowd. All in all it was a very fun show, and I immediately downloaded the album Passive Me, Aggressive You. My favorite song from the show, as well as everyone else in the crowd, was "Young Blood." The video can be seen here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdO85Qf4Poc. Enjoy!
