Tunes Tuesday, "The Rat," The Walkmen

We went to see The Walkmen this weekend at Union Market, and that outdoor space is a very cool spot to catch a concert. I hope they book more bands there this summer, it would be an intimate little outdoor venue.

Anyway, I forgot how much I enjoy "The Rat," a track that is truly dripping with attitude. Maybe it's just really fun to snarl sing, "You've gotta nerve to be asking a favor/ You've gotta nerve to be calling my number." They're on the verge of breaking up, but let's keep this one going for sure.  PS: This song made #49 on Rolling Stone's 100 best songs of the 2000s.

Tunes Tuesday, "Walking Lightly," Junip

I really loved Jose Gonzalez's solo work — his cover of "Heartbeats" is so spare and beautiful — but somehow I've lost track of him since then. I got an email about Gonzalez's band Junip and fell in love with their single, "Walking Lightly." It's kind of a loping groove, to the extent that even though it's mainly Jose singing "We're all walking lightly" over and over again, the song is definitely going somewhere. Adding layers and layers of the instrumentation will do that.

Dig it? Junip will be at the Ottobar in Baltimore on Wednesday, so you can hear Jose's  voice for yourself. I saw him at Sixth and I Synagogue way back and loved the show. 

Tunes Tuesday: "Dreaming," Smallpools

I have to post this song, because I watched tennis obsessively during the U.S. Open and during practically ever commercial outro they would play a few bars of this song. And I knew that I knew it, but I had no idea what it was.

It's Smallpools, from that Daily Candy summer playlist! The singer's voice is a little punk-pop emo, but it is definitely an ear worm. Apparently the band just played their first show this summer, so maybe US Open syndication money is big money for them. Will radio be next?

Tunes Tuesday, "Even If We Try," Night Beds

I am really hoping to go see Winston Yellen of Night Beds live this Thursday at the Black Cat. His voice is just so beautiful I want to hear it in person. Jeff Buckley-esque is the descriptor I've been reading, and that is accurate. Hat tip to my friend Jason for introducing me to Winston's music. 

Sorry, the video is as disturbing as the song is pretty. Maybe just keep the sound on, sensitive readers?

Tunes Tuesday, "No Stranger, " Small Black

This synth-y song is such a pretty escape. And the video is kind of romantic, although the love interest is your run-of-the-mill manic pixie dream girl. 

I found this via a Daily Candy playlist by movie and television soundtrack expert Alexandra Patsavas. Definitely check it out, she has a lot of interesting picks from brand new bands. 
 

Tunes Tuesday, "Royals," Lorde

I was just saying that I wanted to do a Tunes Tuesday post but there hadn't been any song this month I'd been wearing out on repeat. Then I heard "Royals" on top 40 radio.  

Have you heard it too? Is it going to become ubiquitous? I would be ok with that. I'm already listening to it over and over again. It's polished to the point of being varnished, but it's got some soul too. And Lorde's voice is cool. She's just 16! 

I'm happy this is on the radio. It's going in the same category as "Safe and Sound" by Capital Cities. I will always crank that up, and I'm stoked those guys have a big hit.