Happy Birthday (My Olde Friend) - Voltaire

 Today is the birthday of one of our (Juana Ghani) drummers.  He's a bit of a smart ass.  Jus' sayin'.  Anyway, his birthday brought this fun little song to mind.  And anything/anybody that brings Voltaire forward in my mind is a good thing/body.  I love Voltaire (and would love to share a show with him someday).

Happy Birthday (My Olde Friend) by Voltaire from the 2008 album "To the Bottom of the Sea"



Voltaire website

Voltaire on Facebook

Voltaire on Twitter

The latest video from one of my all-time favorite bands, The Urban Voodoo Machine.  This is directed by Sin Bozkurt (one of my favorite photographers) and Anthony Ratcliff. 
I fell in love with The Urban Voodoo Machine years ago (thanks to MySpace, actually, and clicking through "friends" of Mediaeval Baebes, whom I have loved for so long) when I first heard their song "Love Song 666".  I hope to one day make it to London and attend a Gypsy Hotel night and meet them in person.

Rather You Shot Me Down by The Urban Voodoo Machine from the 2011 album "In Black 'N' Red"




The Urban Voodoo Machine  on Facebook

The Urban Voodoo Machine on  Reverbnation

Life Fantastic - Man Man

I'm sure it's no surprise that I really like Philadelphia, Pennsylvania based Man Man.  They are gifted artists who create amazing music around intelligent lyrics and play children's toys and kitchen gadgets with the same exquisite focus as they do the more socially accepted "serious" instruments.  It's like they've taken the stuffy adult by the hand and let the curious kid do the leading for awhile.  What's not to like?  (And the bio on their facebook page is FABulously done!)

Life Fantastic by Man Man from the 2011 album "Life Fantastic"




Man Man website

Man Man facebook  (Read the bio!  Serious!  Do it!)

Man Man twitter

Sweet Spirit - Mara Carlyle & Willy Mason

It's been a weird series of days around here.  This song only added to the weirdness.  Not sure what I was expecting, but crying in my proverbial beer wasn't it.

Mara Carlyle is a British singer-songwriter from Shropshire who also plays saw and ukulele.  Willy Mason is an American singer-songwriter from New England.  "Sweet Spirit" is a 19th century prayer that Mara Carlyle set to her original music.  The combination is heart-wrenchingly beautiful. 

Sweet Spirit by Mara Carlyle and Willy Mason, released November 2011, is available on itunes.



Mara Carlyle website

Mara Carlyle facebook

Willy Mason website

Willy Mason facebook

Hallways - Islands

Canada continues to turn out some really cool music. 

Formed in 2005 in Montreal, Quebec but currently based in Los Angeles, California, the band Islands released its 4th studio album (and 3rd album with Anti- records) last month. 

And yes, I really like this video.  There's just something about skeleton marionettes that makes me smile.

Hallways by Islands from the 2012 album "A Sleep & a Forgetting"




Islands website

Islands on Facebook

Islands on Twitter

Brothers - New London Fire

Today is Veterans Day, a day set aside to remember and pay respects to our military veterans.  Also known around the world as Remembrance Day and Armistice Day, it marks the signing of the Armistice which ended World War I (the War to End All Wars?) as major hostilities formally ended on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918.

Brothers by New London Fire from the album "The Dirt The Blood The Faith" to be released November 22, 2011




New London Fire website

New London Fire on Facebook

New London Fire on Twitter

New London Fire on Myspace

Six Inch Killaz - The King Cheetah

OK. I'm sucking these days at posting regularly. My apologies. But for those who enjoy edgy punk-laced slam rock goodness, I think this one should make the wait worth it. Thanks to my friend Gavin Carroll for this turn on.

Originating in London, UK in the mid-90s, but currently based out of Los Angeles, California, The King Cheetah is a breath stealing power rock trio consisting of founders Robert Paul Mune on guitar and vocals and Simon Hancock on drums and newest member Ray Pillar on bass.

Indie-Music.com describes them as “a gritty, dirty Brit sound; imagine standing on stage in a pile of broken beer bottles two feet thick, trying to sing as a leather sofa burns in front of the stage. That is the sound of The King Cheetah.” I agree.

Six Inch Killaz by The King Cheetah from the 2005 EP "Six Inch Killaz"



The King Cheetah website

The King Cheetah MySpace page