I don't usually ask for much

And actually I'm still not asking for much but if anyone has any Loreena Mckennitt, Heather Dale, Anonymous 4, and or Medieval Babes MP3's you'd like to share with me then I'd be eternally grateful. We've already got Ms. Mckennitt's The Visit so no need to send that one thanks. Email me at monkeymuckATgmailDOTcom if you have some you'd like to share. Thanks.

Imagine if you will...

...that you're hurtling down a dark country road in the dead of night in August in a rusted out beat all to hell Chevy Nova. It's 90 degrees Fahrenheit with 110% humidity inside the car. A crazy one eyed old man is behind the wheel and he's pushing the pedal to the metal and you're screaming for him to slow down but there's no way he can hear you because he's too busy listening to the voices inside his head. You look ahead and you notice that with every foot you travel the headlights on the car keep getting dimmer and soon they'll be out and you know that the dude in the drivers seat will not stop. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that both of you are drunk and you both are taking long pulls off sweaty bottles of warm Budweiser long neck beers you stole from a bar about 30 minutes ago. In the backseat there's a kid who's way too young to drink or smoke yet he's doing both and he's laughing like a maniac as the Nova plows through the thick wet night air. As you take one last drink of tepid beer you toss your bottle out the window and the kid in the back seat hands you another beer and you think to yourself, "I hope we get to where we're going quick before this bastard doing the driving wrecks and kills us all." If you can imagine that then you have a good idea what the band Beat the Devil sounds like, follow that link and you'll be able to stream or download two of their songs.

I'm crazy about this group and especially it's lead singer Shilpa Ray.

Shilpa sings,

plays the snow shovel,

and the Harmonia and the Theremin too, what's not to love?

Her voice is pure rock and roll caterwaul that at times sounds unearthly and at all times is wildly compelling. You may not like their sound but I sure do. There's a couple of videos, both live, of them singing their song Plea Bargain on You Tube, go check them out if you are inclined. Long live Beat the Devil.

Get off that butt of yours and dance dance dance

Here's a video from Black Kids, I discovered them on RCRD LBL.

Now wasn't that fun? Yes, it was.

Monkey music round up

This sampler/compilation CD was another in the string of CD's I got my my local public radio station when I answered phones during pledge week.  I wanted to listen to it several times before I passed judgement on the many different songs on here and now that I've done it, here's what I liked and what I didn't:

1. The Fawns Snow Day- This song is pure girl pop, and that's a good thing.  It's a cute catchy song and it makes one want to discover more about these gals.  I liked this song very much.
2. Mark Roebuck and Noonday Ruin Chrysanthemum-An excellent song.  It's jangly and very reminiscent of Roger McGuinn and the Byrds.  It's a shiny bright pop rock tune that really is well made and executed well.
3. Inga Foretold Stranger- Wow.  I can't believe how much I love this dreamy confection of a song.  Inga's voice is very cool and the dreamy techno sound she achieves is really stunning.  I really dig her sound.  
4. The Willys Supertramp-Very cool and hip sounding song.  These guys have a very good retro sound.  They remind me of what the Tom Robinson Band might have been like if Tom and his band had been Americans.  This a very catchy hook laden song. (WARNING: the link to their myspace page may not work, so don't hold it against me.)
5. Handclaps and Harmonies She's Not Around-Speaking of songs that sound retro and that are hook laden, this song fills that bill as well but in a different way.  It's a good little song and if the rest of their stuff is this good then these cats may be worth buying.  
6. Jessica Defino Oh, Tori Keep Your Hands to Yourself-This song is what Avril Whatshername would sound like if she was any good.  This song is about one chick telling another to keep her mitts off her boyfriend, it doesn't sound like much on it's face but boy howdy does Ms. Defino pack a bunch of emotion and a big ass sound into this little gem.  When she tells Tori to keep her young hands to herself in this song you really know she means it and that she'll kick young Tori's ass if she doesn't listen.  

The songs I didn't care for on this CD were Adam Bernstein's Don't Let Me Turn From Love (too syrupy and predictable), David Brazeel's So Beautiful (yet another insipid love song by a mediocre singer), and Anthony Robustelli's Queen of the Screen (who knew rhyming the words 'scream' and 'screen' would provoke such a violent dislike in me for anything else Mr. Robustelli might inflict on the world).

There's a bunch more songs on this CD but not all of them were worth writing about.  All in all though, I'm glad I picked this one up and that I got exposed to the different bands and sounds on this CD.

Monkey music round up

Do you like the rock and roll music?  Do you enjoy the loud raucous, good time rock that sounds like it was made by some exuberant twenty something dudes in their garage?  Do you like loud jangly guitars that play along side incessant boisterous drums?  If you like all those things then you'll dig this CD by the Lifters.  

It's basic stripped down good time rock and roll.  The songs are fun and raw sounding.  This is the kind of music you used to hear on FM radio before FM radio started to cater to rich white men who love the same fifteen classic rock songs and who demand that they get to hear them played over and over every hour of every day.  This CD reminds me of why corporate FM sucks moldy hairy sweaty stray dog ass.

It's not a long CD, in fact it if this had been released back in the day when albums ruled we would have called it an EP.  But part of it's charm is that it is a short CD.  If it were any longer then it would wear out it's welcome and begin to annoy you, kind of like how I do when you invite me over to your house.

If you like rootsy gut bustin' rock then the Lifters are right up your alley.  I quite liked them and their sound.

Monkey music round up

I'm sure somewhere in this guy's contract there is a provision that says that at live gigs they introduce him this way: "And now please put your hands together for the song stylings of David Yazbek." And then he and his band appear after a puff of smoke and they are all wearing berets and cool sunglasses.

The "song stylings" of Mr. Yazbek and his band consist of funky piano driven jazz influenced pop songs. I liked most them, especially "Monkey Baby Hanging On A Chicken Wire." The only problem I had with this CD was that it was about two or three songs too long. By the end of the CD you're sick of listening to these guys and you just wish they'd go away. Maybe if Yazbek had cut the length of a few of the songs it might have helped as well. Don't get me wrong, I liked this CD, I just thought it was too long.

I'll admit I had slight feeling of dread as I put this CD in, I thought this gal might be one of those whiny female singer song writers like the one I listened to and hated so much last week. But from the second she played her first note of music and the second I heard her voice I was hooked. And not just hooked mind you, I was blown away.

She's got a really great pop rock sound that has a twinge of country in it every now and again. The music more than compliments her angelic sounding voice. I loved the country influenced song called "Something To Me," the title track, the songs "Broken" and "Tell Me Something True," and the last cut on the CD "Mille Tendresses," which Ms. Merritt sings in French. I admit it, I'm a sucker for a beautiful blonde who sings anything in French.

Honestly, I can't recommend this gal enough. I love her sound, her songs, and her look. You can check her out on MySpace, You Tube, and on her own website.

The swag just keeps rolling in

Not only did Barbara send me two CD's, she also sent me a nice note on a great looking card. I guess being nice does pay off some times! Thanks for the great swag Barbara!

The rest of you need to step up and swag my monkey ass. (But only if you really want to, seriously, I'm just kidding, there's no pressure to send me stuff. But honestly, would it kill you to send me something nice?)