KyleParkinson.com

Brooklyn rockers Federale remind me what rock n’ roll should be.  Their self-titled debut packs a hell of a punch, the likes of which I haven’t heard in a long while. For eight straight songs, they kick out the blues-influenced jams, calling to mind oldies like MC5, as well as modern-day rockers The Black Keys and The Hold Steady.

After a recent tour with The Hold Steady and Art Brut, it doesn’t look like the band is currently on the road, but keep an eye out for upcoming dates in the area.

MP3s to come shortly. In the meantime, hear some of the band’s songs on their MySpace page or head over to Other Music to pick up the album.

White Williams is the project of Cleveland musician Joe Williams, and wow is it good! The debut album, Smoke, came out on November 6th, but I’ve just now given it enough of a listen to appreciate it. Blending samples, synths and drum machines, Williams creates a sound reminiscent of bands like Hot Chip and The Whitest Boy Alive (Erlend Øye’s project). The vocals are eerily similar to Hot Chip at some points, and that’s a great thing.

The songs are a perfect mix of danceable yet intelligently crafted music. Unlike some of his contemporaries (Girl Talk, Dan Deacon), Williams avoids becoming too self-indulgent: the glitchy effects are kept in check and the beats are adequately adorned with catchy melodies. Not to mention the cover of “I Want Candy.”

Check out a couple standout tracks below. And be sure to pick up the album, if only to ogle the cover art featuring bawling twin Sophia Lamars smoking from a hookah.

MP3: White Williams - Headlines

MP3: White Williams - Route to Palm

The official Coachella 2008 dates have recently been announced: April 25-27, 2008. Rumors are starting to fly around about who will play and who will reunite for the festival, as each year usually boasts a few notable reunions.

I, for one, have been having vivid dreams of the festival the past couple nights. I’m counting the days until I can once again be sweating my ass off in the hot Palm Springs sun, and loving every minute of it.

And since Nic Harcourt just played these song on Morning Becomes Eclectic, here are a couple tunes that bring Coachella to mind. The first is Arctic Monkeys covering Amy Winehouse’s “You Know I’m No Good.” The original definitely conjures images of last April, and this cover adds a new touch to it. The second song is The Verve’s “Lucky Man.” Here’s hoping the recently reunited Verve will be gracing the desert stage this April.

MP3: Arctic Monkeys - You Know I’m No Good (Amy Winehouse Cover)

MP3: The Verve - Lucky Man

This past Sunday, I went to the Anthology Film Archives to see Veronique Doisneau, a 32-minute film from 2004 about a Paris Opera Ballet dancer on the eve of retirement. After spending her career dancing in the background as a corps de ballet member, she is for the first time alone on stage in front of a huge audience. In a humorous and sadly earnest mix of spoken word and dance, she takes us through a history of her career, touching on her experiences and dreams. Having no real connection to or knowledge of ballet, I was surprisingly moved by the end of the piece.  It’s a stark reminder of the simple beauties in life.

The showing was part of PERFORMA 07, and unfortunately it doesn’t look like there will be another showing in NYC in the near future, but if you happen to be able to catch it anywhere, I really do recommend it.

This commercial isn’t new, but it’s perfect in a lot of ways, so I figured I’d post it. Thousands of bouncy balls bouncing down the streets of San Francisco to the tune of Jose Gonzalez covering The Knife’s “Heartbeats.”

Thanks to the lovely Ms. Ameer, this past Saturday I attended the Wordless Music Series performances by Grizzly Bear and Michael Harrison at the Society for Ethical Culture. The show was, by all accounts, amazing. Set in a renovated church on the Upper West Side, the concert began with a piano set from Harrison, who was absolutely mesmerizing. I was admittedly tired going into the show and worried that the piano would put me to sleep, but his songs had the opposite effect, as his unique harmonic piano style pulsated with energy.

Grizzly Bear then came on to deliver a fantastic set featuring primarily songs from 2006’s Yellow House and the new Friend EP. Ed Droste’s vocals were incredible, even with the high expectations I had going into it. Daniel Rossen also surprised me with his vocal and musical perfection. Christopher Taylor commanded several instruments (bass, woodwinds) with skill, while drummer Christopher Bear drove the songs with enviable ease. The band noted how Saturday’s performance capped off a year and a half of touring, and they clearly ended on a high note.

Check out Stereogum’s rave review for some more details and photos of the show. And check out the below song from the Friend EP:

MP3: Grizzly Bear - He Hit Me

I’ve been a fan of Jens Lekman for a while now, but I think listening to his recent guest DJ spot on NPR’s All Songs Considered was the tipping point for me. One listen to his songs will give you the impression that he’s a warm, down-to-earth guy, but the All Songs Considered appearance really highlighted that he’s a good-natured guy making music that’s just fun to listen to, whether it’s melancholic or sugary.

Lekman’s music is heavy on the samples and features a lot of strings and brass. He tops it off with witty, straightforward lyrics — reminiscent of Jonathan Richman — that cover mundane topics in a clever manner:

But Nina I can be your boyfriend
So you can stay with your girlfriend
Your father is mailing me all the time
He says he just wants to say hi
I send back “out of office” auto-replies
–from “A Postcard to Nina”

Take a listen to the songs below, check out the NPR All Songs Considered episode, and check out the whole new album Night Falls Over Kortedala when you get a chance.

MP3: Jens Lekman - A Postcard to Nina

MP3: Jens Lekman - Your Arms Around Me