Digging Obsidian

Obsidian hails from Toronto, Canada and brings with them a loud, distinct rock energy that gets the blood pumping and the fists in the air.

I have to admit I didn't think much of them upon first listening. But I decided to give them more of a chance. I'm very glad I did. It's definitely music that will grow on you -- especially when you are in a screaming-at-the-top-of-your-lungs, don't-give-a-crap-about-the-world kind of mood. I now use Obsidian as my morning get up and go routine.

Ultimate Disaster
Lock The Cage

Check out more tracks on their myspace page

Doing whatever a spider can

Spider-Man 3 opens next week. I'm not usually a nerd about these sort of things, but I am looking forward to it. The storyline, the special effects, the black Spidey suit, Venom, Sandman, Mary Jane...

And the soundtrack is shaping up to be -- dare I say it -- amazing. Although the soundtracks to the first two movies were decent, they just seemed to play some song by some popular band. Spider-Man 3's soundtrack features all new material from many indie rock favorites as well as some unexpected surprises.

The track list:
1. Signal Fire - Snow Patrol
2. Move Away - The Killers
3. Sealings - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4. Pleased to Meet You - Wolfmother
5. Red River - The Walkmen
6. Stay Free - Black Mountain
7. Supreme Being Teaches Spider-Man How to Be in Love - The Flaming Lips
8. Scared of Myself - Simon Dawes
9. Twist - Chubby Checker
10. Sightlines - Rogue Wave
11. Summer Day - Coconut Records
12. Falling Star - Jet
13. Portrait of a Summer Thief - Sounds Under Radio
14. Letter from St. Jude - The Wyos
15. Small Parts - The Oohlas

You can stream the entire soundtrack on its myspace page.

All Hail Kingsbury

OK, so I could have totally used this next band in last week's Contrast Podcast for "Kings and Queens."

Orlando, FL band Kingsbury compare themselves to bands such as Calla, Radiohead and Low. I like them already.

After taking a listen, I am really enjoying their stuff. It's eerily dark -- almost too dark -- but something about it strikes me to keep listening. The music makes me feel like I'm walking through a hazy dream and no matter what I do, I fall deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole.

Blood in the Kitchen

Desert Inn

The Great Compromise

All from their latest release The Great Compromise which you can buy here.

Deathbot Lives

Deathbot is, in their own words, the "product of two kids (Justin and Rob) from San Francisco that are armed with too much time, a roomful of instruments, and some recording gear, trying to knock out some songs in the vein of the indie and alt-country bands that they love listening to." That's a good motto to have.

Although their name suggests they should be a screaming heavy rock band, Deathbot is in fact quite mellow and relaxed. This is the kind of music you can spend a lazy Saturday listening to.

Currently, they are finishing mixing on their first EP, How to Feel the Heat, which is available on their website. Here are a few choice tracks:

Hey Now

Pale

Patiently

Pay Attention to Me

Do you ever have someone in your life that you just can't seem to get off your mind? Someone you want to impress? Someone you love (or maybe even just like)? Someone who intrigues you?

I'm in that phase right now where I just want to be noticed by certain people around me. I want them to see me for what I can do. I want to do everything I can to make myself look good in their eyes. I want them to like me.

But the problem is this: In trying to make myself impressive, am I showing others who I really am or am I creating a false picture of myself? Sometimes I don't know which of the two I'm really doing.

Is it a bit of an obsession? Maybe. Self-gratification? Definitely.

The Tories - Would You Notice from The Upside of Down (buy)
The Berlin Project - Look At Me from The Transition Radio EP (buy)
New London Fire - Someone Like You from I Sing The Body Holographic (buy)

Bore-dumb

Today has been one of those days where I can find nothing to do. I've needed a break from work, but now I have no clue what to do with myself. I've been wandering around the house, watching TV, reading a book, sitting outside on this beautiful day - and still I feel bored.

Any ideas on how to cure this or at least something to keep me entertained?

Updating the blog (which I have been seriously lacking in doing lately) is a good enough cure for my boredom. Maybe I'll make multiple posts today. No promises, but maybe I can keep myself entertained with talking about music.

The Films - Being Bored from Being Bored EP (buy)
Ben Kweller - Nothing Happening from Ben Kweller (buy)
Cuckoo Canoe - Chairman of the Bored from Basketball Freedom Overdrive

Reaching #100

Well, it's finally happened. I've been doing this blog thing exactly one hundred times. It really does not feel like I've written that much already. This calls for a celebration!

Going back through all the posts I've done, I'm reminded of what artists I was into such as Michael Tolcher or Karmella's Game. There are times I remember fondly like the time I was really angry at my boss or when I professed my love for UK music. I even remember when I actually reviewed albums (The Last Kiss soundtrack).

Ah, good times. Thanks for sticking with me everyone. Here's to another hundred posts!

Flick - One Hundred Days from Flick (buy)
The Fray - Hundred from How To Save A Life (buy)
Alkaline Trio - 100 Stories from Good Mourning (buy)

A number of stories to tell

Four Stories brings with them a raw intense energy and a desire to rock. They exude confidence in their songs and they have some of the best lyrics I've heard recently.

I got the chance to sit down and talk with the guys about their music and their recent win at the Battle of the Bands contest I covered a while back. They are the most humble guys you will ever meet and they are very grateful for what they have. Plus, they are all about the rock.

Read the article here
And take a look at the photo gallery too

Mistakes
Save Your Eyes
both from Finding the Key (buy)

Love for The Office

Thanks to friends, I am loving The Office right now. Everything in it makes me laugh hysterically -- even the stupid stuff. Not many shows can do that.

It honestly reminds me of office life. The office politics, the meetings, the various types of people. Granted, I would love to have Steve Carell as my boss. It would make the day more interesting.

It's one of those shows that I can watch whenever I'm in the mood for mindless entertainment and not feel guilty. I just wish I had discovered it sooner.

Check out this awesome site dedicated to The Office.

Theme song to The Office
Anberlin - A Heavy Hearted Work of Staggering Genius from Never Take Friendship Personal (buy)
Jimmy Eat World - Work [Acoustic Version] from the Work CD-Single (buy)