Tony2Nice.com

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Who says pop sucks? Well besides everyone. Can you blame them? From the dull monotone stylings of Rihanna or the squeaks and squawks of Hannah Montana, what we’re served as female pop-vocalists is hard to take seriously.

Lucky for us, Norway has sent us some humanitarian aid of the musical kind: Annie. Because this is what pop music should be. She takes risks—keeping it fun and easy to digest, but always interesting.

I guarantee this’ll put a fat grin on that mean mug of yours and be stuck in your head for hours.

You listening to anything fun lately? Please, do share with the rest of the class in the comments.

[wpaudio url="http://tony2nice.green.feralhosting.com/data/Embryonic%20v0/02%20-%20The%20Sparrow%20Looks%20Up%20At%20the%20Machine.mp3" text="Flaming Lips - The Sparrow Looks Up at the Machine"]

I didn’t really want to become yet-another-music-blog—lord knows there’s more and better out there—but I just keep running across really really great music.

Case in point? Oklahoma hometown heroes, The Flaming Lips, a band I’ve (shamelessly) never really gotten very excited about. Even with my being from that very part of america. What? Yeah.

But forget all that, cuz they’re back with a new double album: Embryonic. It’s noisy, dirty, fuzzed out, and about as far from expected as I could’ve hoped for. Listen for this: at about 2:33 you’ll notice some cellphone static that’s actually baked into the song.

Love that. And this album. Do press play.

[wpaudio url="http://tony2nice.green.feralhosting.com/data/Florence%20+%20the%20Machine%20-%20Lungs%20(V0)/Florence%20And%20The%20Machine%20-%2011%20-%20Hurricane%20Drunk.mp3" text="Florence + the Machine - Hurricane Drunk"]

I was just casually listening as I worked, when this voice came roaring up from the background. Whoa, what is this?

Aside from her being a one woman wrecking crew with her voice, and aptly naming her album “Lungs”, I don’t know much else about her. So if you enjoy the tune, I’ll let you do the digging.

Play that shit already! :D

Updated to add setlist

[wpaudio url="http://tony2nice.green.feralhosting.com/data/SDRE%20-%20LP2/06%20-%20Sunny%20Day%20Real%20Estate%20-%208.mp3" text="Sunny Day Real Estate - 8"]

Bill Ellison

So my back’s no longer sore from standing for four hours. That’s means two things: I’m old/out of shape, and it’s time to post my recap ya’ll.

Yeah, so even though I didn’t get to hear a few songs I really wanted to, the show was amazing. Boy was it. Much better than I expected it to be, honestly. Lead singer Jeremy Enigk sounded incredibly clean and crisp, considering his vocal style.

Bill Ellison

Damn right that’s my fat melon back there. Cameo, son! I’m pretty sure that was taken during the Jealous Sound’s opening set, since there were way more (interested-looking) people during Sunny Day Real Estate.

I gotta say though, the highlight of the night was the dude standing two rows up from us, holding up his iphone lighter app to the music. Yeah. Homeboy looked to be in the throes of emotional ecstasy, so I’m gonna assume he wasn’t being ironic. And that’s a whole other level of don’t-give-a-fuckitude I’m not even aware existed.

Were you there? What’d you think? Do you feel you got your 99 cents worth out of your lighter app?

*Here’s the setlist I found for the rest of the tour dates. Seems to be the same everytime (save for the encores) so I think it’s a safe bet:

• Friday
• Seven
• Shadows
• Song About An Angel
• Grendel
• Guitar and Video Games
• Iscarabaid
• Theo B
• New Song
• 47
• J’Nuh
• Sometimes

[wpaudio url="http://media.nme.com.edgesuite.net/audio/2009/mar/ambivalence-avenue.mp3" text="Bibio - Ambivalence Avenue"]

Since starting the redesign of this site months ago, I’ve heard lots of great new music that I’ve been itching to post. And wow do I have some catching up to do.

We’ll start here with “Ambivalence Avenue” by folktronica artist Stephen Wilkinson, aka Bibio, which sounds to me like a perfect track for early autumn. Enjoy.