The Tape

Gary Go is a fantastic singer/songwriter from London. Gary was born in the 80s growing up around the corner from famed Wembley Stadium. Starting at a very young age and never stopping, Gary started writing songs on a toy Casio piano. By the time he entered college, he was proficient on enough instruments to start recording concept albums.

Fast forwarding a little while, Gary has already worked with many famous musicians including James Morrison, and Juliette Lewis. He sights his influences as David Bowie, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Kurt Cobain, and London architecture that inspired some of his songs and sounds. Gary later went on to work with famed Eurythmic Dave Stewart’s record label, although he was rejected from Peter Gabriel’s famed studio, Real World Studios. Gary then headed to America to live in Frank Sinatra’s old New Jersey home, and eventually wrote the songs that would land him a spot on Decca Records.

So finally after Gary wrote, wrote, and wrote more music at many different locations, he recorded in Prague, Woodstock, Manhattan, and Los Angeles. Gary’s album comes out soon, and he was generous enough to send us over some tracks.

Gary is a fantastic songwriter who has the chance to make a huge name for himself. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about him, or his music. He is a fantastic guy who makes fantastic, catchy, melodic, entertaining music. His music has an edge that can’t be found within many musicians, and Gary utilizes it perfectly. I highly recommend that you check out his music and visit his myspace.

Gary Go- Give Me A Reason

Gary Go- The Diary of Rodney Harvey

Gary Go- So So (Mediafire)

Ben Sollee is a cellist/musician from Louisville, Kentucky and on his new album “Learning To Bend” he has succeeded in crafting a compendium of lyrically sharp, melodically moving, overall powerful set of tunes. The songs are acoustic works of art shifting from the simple and dry desire for honesty in “A Few Honest Words” to the bouncing tune of “Bury Me With My Car” it’s all there. I regret to inform you that I can’t summarize this album with 2 or 3 mp3s and leave it at that; you need all of this album and the piece in its entirety. This album is fantastic.

Ben Sollee - A Few Honest Words

Ben Sollee - Panning For Gold

We recently received an e-mail from a Canadian called Plajia. Plajia is different from most of the music we receive. These guys are really, really good. The most interesting thing to me is that they sent us 5 songs, and under the “genre” tab on Itunes there were 3 different genres. They describe two songs as “Rock”, two as “Ballad”, and one as “Psychedelic.” This just sort of shows how different each one of their songs are. The band consists of 3 members. Patrick Pleau: lead vocals, guitars, keyboards and harmonica, Simon Boivin: bass and backing vocals, and Pascal Laviolette: drums, percussion and backing vocals. They’ve released one album which is called Beautiful Explosion. You can find where to buy it at their website. All the songs we were sent were truly different and all equally impressive. They’ve released a video which is also conveniently located below.

This song reminds me of Band Of Horses frolicking through a park on a sunny afternoon. Not the band, a song of theirs. If a Band Of Horses song were to have legs, this would be its offspring. But then, clouds appear and it starts to thunder a lot and the song gets sad and breaks shit.
Plajia- God’s Waiting In Line

This song has a funkier edge to it than the rest, but its good funk. Its not like Red Hot Chili Peppers funk, it’s funk that works. I love how this song completely transcends itself when the double time happens.Plajia- Beautiful Explosion

One of my favorite bands recently put out a new song along with a video entitled “Mercury.” Bloc Party is starting to turn very electronic, and I for one like it. This and flux together hint at a very electronic new album, very different from their first two. Video and MP3 below.

Bloc Party- Mercury

The first single off their newest album entitled “Stay Positive.” The album comes out July 15th on Vagrant Records. (Link removed because it is)

I was able to catch up with Jason Schwartzman, who along with being super busy working two jobs (actor, musician), and the fact that he just finished his second album, he had time to answer a few questions. Here we go.

Jason Schwartzman: let me preface this interview by saying
sorry for the short answers

Tape: Which art do you feel closer to, acting or music?

JS: That’s a tough one… like, what do you like more pasta or pizza?

Tape: We know that you left phantom planet for your acting career. What made you come back to music with this new band (Coconut Records)?

JS: I missed playing music and spending time with other musicians.

Tape: What inspires you, Has your music inspired your acting and writing and vise versa?

JS: I’m sure that it has but unfortunately i can’t come up with any noteworthy examples at this moment

Tape: What’s your view of the music industry today?

JS: I try to keep a “change is good” mentality ….and hopefully it will inspire new avenues for talented artist

Tape: What music do you draw inspiration from?

JS: Uh…. there are so many great bands…. the beatles?! the beach boys?! how’s that for an original answer?

Tape: What new music have you been into?

JS: anything jack white is doing, panda bear, artic monkeys, plus many more that i can’t think of off the top of my head

Tape: Can you explain your role in the She and Him [M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel - ed.] album?

JS: I co-wrote a song on the record called “Sweet Darlin”

Tape: Are their any artists you have particularly enjoyed working with or would like to work with in the future

JS: Steven Malkmus

Check out the Coconut record Myspace:
and listen to Some tunes

Coconut Records - West Coast

B.R.A.M. is a very poppy rock band composed of six members (Barbara Gruska: Drums, Marcel Camargo: Guitar, John Kirby: Keys, Aaron Arntz: Keys, Gabe Noel: Bass, and Bram Inscore: vocals). Bram, Aaron, and john all met at USC, Gruska came from cal arts and Marcel completed the group. B.R.A.M. have been playing as a band for four years. Their is something that makes their catchy melodies, different and more interesting, then a lot of the pop music i have been hearing recently. I contacted them as soon as i stumbled across their myspace page. They told me they are working on finishing their first CD, which i am looking forward to reviewing promptly when its released. Be sure to check out their myspace.
You’re The Reason-B.R.A.M.
Messages-B.R.A.M.

This Is Ivy League is a new-ish two man band, out of New York. This Is Ivy League can be described as versatile. They play many instruments including drums, bass, guitar, synths, and trumpet. For a two man band, that is pretty impressive. But what seems to be my favorite part of this catchy pop act, is their use of harmonies. Throughout many tracks most vocals are stacked and layered with harmonies. While this may not be the most exciting music it is extremely catchy and smart.

The band has requested that I only put up their one single, so go out and buy their self titled album on their myspace page.

This Is Ivy League- London Bridges

So Jason Schwartzman goes and makes a band after being an actor after being in a band. It’s called Coconut Records and it’s a head bobbing catchy album for road trips and sunsets when everyone is tired but it’s all good. Grab West Coast below which is one of if not the best track off his album. Be sure to get the RAC remix of “Nighttiming” off the album of the same name.
West Coast

One of Daniel Johnston’s many drawings

Daniel Johnston grew up in West Virginia and started recording on a 59$ Sanyo boom box, which gives a lot of his early recordings a really cool aesthetic: you can still here all the scratchiness from the tapes. He was inspired by the likes of John Lennon and The Beatles, although he has really evolved to create his own style of folk rock. He began his career in the late 70’s and continues to work today. His music is inspiring and straight to the point. In his early recordings he has a very high pitched voice, while in his recording during the mid to late nineties he exhibits a very different angle in his voice. Often times he would draw comic books characters to accompany his songs. Recently he has worked on a rock opera called Speeding Motorcycle.

When Johnston was young he was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder and now lives in a house adjacent from his parents. This is what may have shaped and inspired his strange and interesting music style. His songs have been praised many times over and been covered by the likes of Bright Eyes, Capitol Years, and The Eels. Here are a few of the covers, and some of my favorite songs from this artist.

Daniel Johnston-Devil Town

Daniel’s original version of this song is much more airy than Bright Eyes, their are no instruments so it gives off a feeling of solitude and emptiness.

Bright Eyes-Devil Town cover(Daniel Johnston)

This Takes Daniel’s song and makes it some what more up beat. It’s not my favorite cover, but it’s not bad.

Mary Lou Lord-Speeding Motorcycle cover (Daniel Johnston)

This is one of the worst covers I have ever heard compared to the original song.

Daniel Johnston-Speeding Motorcycle

also if you have a chance check out my favorite song by him which i was unable to upload today, but will soon called Pothead. It’s one of his early recordings and is amazing.

Daniels Website