Bojangles Medley

Bojangles like their name sake are a polished bunch that will have you toe tapping in no time. After you listen once you will be humming their musings all day. This is the kind of band when you go to your Ipod your fingers will instantly scroll to them. For a band made up of young people, you might expect an immature sound. Believe me, there is nothing immature about this band. Everything from their song quality to their instrumentation is above par. You can tell this one-of-a-kind band puts on a good show. Everything about them screams high energy and high quality. Their catchy lyrics and phrases are irresistible. Their track ‘Slow Jams’ is a must hear, with an undercoating of dub this song will have you jamming along in no time.

Bojangles Medley (myspace)
'Slow Jam' - Bojangles Medley

A Treat For Your Ears

A new mixtape form Josh Todd: This mixtape is disco, electro and very trashy, but in the absolute best way. All around well worth the listen. If you are looking for something to entertain yourself, this is a great choice.

Download it here

Bark Cat Bark Remixes (myspace)

It’s a Trap!

Their band name sums it up pretty well, it is a trap, and from the first moment you tune in you will be trapped. This band has a great deal of potential, and I’m sure in the coming years it will be fulfilled. Their track ‘Don’t Panic’ is very high energy, it will keep your attention and make you want to boogie. Just from listening to their recordings, I can tell that they must put on a good show. They are the kind of band that could not disappoint when seen live. The chemistry of this band makes for great music. They are tight, and obviously know their instruments well and do them justice.

It's a Trap! (myspace)

The Rylics

It’s not always easy for a band to capture their energy on a recording, but The Rylics make it seem like a breeze. Music wise, these heavy rockers have found something reminiscent of early Detroit bands. For all of the adrenaline fans out there, this is a promising group of musicians. ‘Paranoid Distortion’ gives the heavy guitar, bass and drum sound, while ‘Screaming Free’ the more mellow feel, if you can call it mellow. Press play if you need to get pumped up, and let the head-banging commence. Drop Magazine can’t wait to see where this youth filled locomotive is headed.

The Rylics (myspace)

The Virgins

If you are looking for music you can listen to nonstop and will never get old, The Virgins are for you. Based out of New York, they are a band that makes you want more from the first moment you hear them. They deliver catchy and entertaining tunes, with steady bass lines that will pull you out of your seat and make you want to sway to the way of the music. Their track ‘Rich Girls’ is a must hear, music like this isn’t made often enough these days. “You’ve got a lovely way with words must be the way you see the world, it’s just the way you see the world…” The Virgins must see the world in an amazing light, it’s reflected in their one of a kind beats.

The Virgins (myspace)

Vampire Weekend, This Weekend

Vampire Weekend is Ezra Koenig, Rotsam Batmanglij, Chris Baio, and Christopher Tomson. Most likely, you have already heard of this band, or possibly own their disk.

My recommendation to those of you who haven’t/don’t: buy the album. This new album comes in both traditional vinyl and CD. You’re not only going to play it until it’s dead (it turns out that this ridiculously catchy pop gets better with every play), you’ll memorize all of the lyrics in no time. Every one of these songs, often college-themed, are all enormously sing-along-y, with lines like “Lil’ Jon, he always tells the truth,” (‘Oxford Comma’) and “Oh Bryn! You see in the dark, right past the fireflies that sleep in my heart,” (‘Bryn’). Lyrics like these are hard to resist. I say go for it!

Ezra Koenig (formerly of L’ Homme Run) has the perfect voice for the music that Vampire Weekend has set out to make. His voice is unique, and at times delightfully high (without reaching whiney), yet it manages to serve the senses for people who prefer to stay a little bit closer to the mainstream-pop-scene.

This album is not a mainstream-pop album. The band obviously has a wide range of influences. Every track has a laid-back, tropical vibe, perfect for chilling on the beach. In this case, chilling on the beach would involve wearing cable-knit and/or argyle sweaters, seeing as they are based on Manhattan Island.

Stand out tracks include ‘Mansard Roof’, which opens the album, ‘A-Punk’, with jangle-y guitars, and floods of both “oh”s and “a”s is an instant favorite. ‘One (Blake’s Got a New Face)’ has some sweet keyboards and a great chorus: Ezra declares, “Blake’s got a new face!” and is instantly echoed by the same line, much squeakier, which makes it wicked fun. ‘Walcott’ is just what you want after the slower ‘I Stand Corrected’, and will make you look up the lyrics so you can sing along the first time through.

Honestly, there isn’t a bad song on this album. It may take you a couple of plays to get used to the final song this album, ‘The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance’ which has a bit of a reggae vibe and intensely echo-y vocals, but again, not bad. After about the first thirty seconds, you’ll know where you stand with Vampire Weekend: you like them

Okay kids, everything you need to know is in the first paragraph. The name of the band (and the album, by the way), is Vampire Weekend. Go get it! Also make sure to catch them on SNL this week.

-K. Butts
Vampire Weekend (myspace)
Vampire Weekend's website

Bark Cat Bark (Remixes)

Bark Cat Bark is one man, and that man is Josh Todd. Already recognized for his stunning remixes, at age 17 he is a force to be reckoned with, playing instruments such as; cello, mandolin, harpsichord, banjo, piano, harp, ukulele, glockenspiel and many more. Josh Todd can do everything from glitch music to making lovely melodic melodies. He is a musical genius; there truly aren’t enough words in the world to describe his various endeavors. When I first started listening to his large range of work, I was beside myself; one moment I’m listening to amazingly classical beautiful music and the next, intricate mind blowing digital sounds.

Bark Cat Bark’s original works will take you to far and distant places. It put whatever worries might have been plaguing your mind to rest. Your eyes close and you are cajoled into a relaxed state. His music is that of another time, eerily beautiful and complex, yet simple at the same time. You will be amazed when you step back and realize it is coming from one mind. This summer he will be releasing a new album ‘Sleep in Tale’. Bark Cat Bark is coming from all different directions, there is no telling what direction he is going in, but whatever way he does go it will be up.

We suggest you listen to…
‘Mares Of Diamonds’
‘The Gates of Crow Nest Park’

‘Sheena Is A Parasite’

Bark Cat Bark remixes(myspace)

Bark Cat Bark solo (myspace)