Full Album Stream: Death Cab for Cutie – ‘Codes and Keys’

Death Cab for Cutie’s music has long had a certain innocence to it; a boyish, vulnerable charm that feels unmistakably collegiate. When the Bellingham, Wash., band broke big in the early ’00s, its records played like the soundtracks to breathless long-distance romances between young adults who’d always been just a little too smart for the rooms they were in. Hearing Death Cab’s music ringing over climactic scenes in The O.C. and Six Feet Under made all the sense in the world, because so few bands could convey Ben Gibbard’s gift for singing like his heart can’t quite fit in his chest.

via NPR

Live Review and Photos: TV on the Radio at 4th & B, May 13, 2011

Photos by Chris Maroulakos

Friday’s TV on the Radio show almost didn’t happen. Originally scheduled for May 2, the concert was nearly derailed by the sudden death of bassist Gerard Smith. But anyone expecting the Brooklyn band to hang their heads at the 4th & B show were instead treated to a fast and furious performance that was anything but solemn.

TV on the Radio’s latest, Nine Types of Light, was released in April to critical acclaim. But instead of leaning on that album, the band treated the crowd to a diverse set that touched upon all eras of their discography. Songs like “Satellite” and “Staring at the Sun” (both from the group’s groundbreaking 2003 EP Young Liars), “Dreams” (from their debut full-length Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes) and the crowd-pleasing “Wolf Like Me” (from their mid-career smash Return to Cookie Mountain) were all given their due.

If the five-piece was still dealing with the emotional fallout of Smith’s death, you wouldn’t have known it. The band played with focused energy, rarely letting the final notes of one song fade out before launching into the tremolo strums of the next. The night served as a triumphant statement of purpose from the group — no matter what befalls them, TV on the Radio proved that they can bounce back stronger, and more rocking, than ever. Check out our photos.

Video: Xray Eyeballs – ‘Egyptian Magician’

On May 22, Xray Eyeballs will set their sights on Bar Pink. The Brooklyn band’s dark but upbeat stylings have earned them comparisons to The Jesus and Mary Chain, but while both bands update traditional punk with hazy, washed-out guitars, Xray Eyeballs also bring a killer sense of melody to the table.

The emphasis on catchiness is no accident. According to frontman O.J. San Felipe, “I just wanted to make every song sound like a lullaby. To me, lullabies are the most memorable kind of songs; everyone remembers them from when they’re babies.” But before you consider taking your kids with you to the show, you might want to take San Felipe’s other favorite themes into account. “I think people like songs they can relate to, with things like love, loss, dark vices, and sex.”

For a taste of those dark vices, check out “Egyptian Magician” above or — if you’re boss isn’t looking — the NSFW video for “Crystal.” Xray Eyeballs will be joined at Bar Pink by San Diego’s own Trap Gold, who are no strangers to getting down and dirty either.

There Will Be ‘Blood’

Photo credit: Jason Frank Rothenberg

When people use the words “dance” and “trip” in the same sentence, it’s usually to describe my clumsy, ill-advised attempts to bust a move at Booty Basement. But thankfully, there’s now a much more exciting — and less embarrassing — reason to use those words together.

On May 21, Yeasayer will bring their dancey, trippy stylings to the Belly Up. The Brooklyn six-piece is still flying high after the release of its stunning sophomore album, Odd Blood, which earned the band a place of honor on Owl and Bear’s Best of 2010 list. Continue reading…

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