Lazy day post

When music bloggers do a lazy day post, it's usually something along the lines of "list of the last five tracks on my iPod." I'm not gonna be that transparent (though I reserve the right to do that iPod post sometime in the future), but these are a couple things I've been listening to/ thinking about over the last few days:

I came upon the Red Eyed Legends because they're one of the bands to appear in the second installment of Brendan Canty (Fugazi) and Christoph Green's Burn To Shine project about bands performing in derelict buildings before they're burned to the ground. Now, I haven't seen either installment (the first filmed in D.C., the second in Chicago), but I want to. Because while conceptually this idea doesn't interest me that much, I can see how it could be visually--not to mention aurally--thrilling (fire! rock n' roll!). Other bands appearing on the Chicago film include Wilco, Shellac, Freakwater, The Ponys--basically Windy City standard bearers.

Anyway, what I love about the sinister new-wave dance party known as Red Eyed Legends can be summed up in one word: farfisa (courtesy of ex-Dishes member Kiki Yablon). Okay, I also really dig the Pete Shelley-channeled vocals of Chris Thomson (ex-Circus Lupus). The band's latest is the EP Mutual Insignificance.

Cold In The Sun (mp3) - Red Eyed Legends

Conquest (mp3) - Red Eyed Legends



Sometimes I forget that not everyone regularly reads 50 mp3 blogs like I do. So it may come as news to you that Alec Ounsworth (yes, lead guy of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah) has a bunch of solo demos over on his Web site. Most are pretty good. One--a carpe diem, be-true-to-yourself cautionary tale--is excellent.

Cecil Stick With The Story (mp3) - Alec Ounsworth

I'm watching the kids in my neighborhood sullenly trundle back to school and can't help but suppress my glee. I'm so happy I'm no longer a student! It's so great being an adult! Sorry--I'll try to control myself for those of you whose movements are still controlled by bells. Trust me, it'll be over before you know it and you'll wonder how you ever got so old.

In celebration of the start of a new school year, I give you, " I Want To Be Your Professor," a pop tune that's just as sweet and geeky as you hope it will be. (Gotta love truth in advertising.) Make sure you visit The Fast Computers' Web site, where this boy-girl duo share their succinct mission statement: "melody + harmony = happiness." Awww.

I Want To Be Your Professor (mp3) - The Fast Computers