New Margot & The Nuclear So & Sos Demo

Local favorite, Margot & The Nuclear So & Sos recently shared on their MySpace another early listen to what we might hear on their 2008 album Animal!.

Margot & The Nuclear So & Sos - I Am A Lightning Rod (Times Up!)

See Also:

MOKB 2007 Holiday Interview Series : Richard Edwards of Margot & The Nuclear So & Sos

More possible Animal! previews:

Margot and the Nuclear So and Sos - Children's Crusade On Acid (Live on MOKB SIRIUS Blog Radio) (new song)
Margot and the Nuclear So and Sos - Untitled (Live on MOKB SIRIUS Blog Radio) (new song)
Margot and the Nuclear So and Sos - The Ocean (Live on MOKB SIRIUS Blog Radio) (new song)
Margot & The Nuclear So & Sos - As Tall As Cliffs (Demo)

--------------------------------------------------------

Official Site | MySpace | More MP3s | eMusic | Subscribe To RSS Feed

Read the whole post...

Canon Blue : Halcyon EP

Christmas is over, but in keeping with the idea that it is better to give than receive, Canon Blue (Daniel James) has made you a present - four brand new songs for free to be exact - and what a gift it is.

Just this year he released his debut album, Colonies, through the Copenhagen-based label Rumraket. The album was mixed by Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor and mastered by Cristian Vogel, yet, most impressively, James was responsible for all the instruments played throughout the record.

This time around, friends were invited along to Nashville, Tennessee to help with the recording process, providing cellos, horns, and live drums, as opposed to the mostly programmed rhythm section heard on his full-length. Mads Brauer of Efterklang did the mastering, wrapping up an EP full of complex instrumentation and richly textured recordings.

Featured here is the song Ennui, a track that I've had on repeat since first hearing it. It begins with a delicately plucked acoustic guitar and James' soft vocals which lure you in as he sings "It's easy when it's light in the morning / but in the dark it's hard to tell if something's there." Suddenly the drums enter and from that point on, melancholy folk turns into romantic pop, building towards an epic finale that could last forever, as far as i'm concerned. Instead, it's short and sweet - all the more reason to start the song over again.

Canon Blue - Ennui

As great as this music is, I couldn't help but also mention how much I dig the artwork for this EP and Colonies. What can I say...I'm a sucker for cover art when it adds the perfect visual for the songs. If you head over to www.wilkerton.com, you'll find that there's more to the Canon Blue/Grizzly Bear tie-in, too.

The Halcyon EP is, as previously mentioned, available for free through his official Myspace or you can get it here (but go there and thank him if you like!)

Download Canon Blue's Halcyon EP

--------------------------------------------------------

MySpace | More MP3s | eMusic | Subscribe To RSS Feed

Read the whole post...

MOKB 2007 Holiday Interview Series : Ezra Feinberg of Citay

Citay signed with new Secretly Canadian imprint Dead Oceans and released the follow-up, Little Kingdom to their wonderful 2006 self-titled debut. A fine follow-up it was and one you might have missed. If so, check them out and their growing list of quality labelmates.

MOKB : Any musical plans for the 2007 holiday season?

Ezra Feinberg : Citay held the second annual Citay Christmas Party, this year at Cafe Du Nord in San Francisco. We always do a cover of a Christmas song. Last year featured our brief cover of Joy To The World and we shared the bill with The Conspiracy Of Beards, San Francisco's all male acapella choir who sing only Leonard Cohen songs. Nothing like the holiday season to appreciate a genius jew!

MOKB : What have been your most and least favorite things about the last two years?

Ezra Feinberg : Most favorite things: Writing, recording, and releasing the first two Citay albums, playing lotsa shows all over, constantly discovering and heavily digging music and art of all kinds, contiinuing to enjoy and love the people I love, meeting new lovely peeps, gaining wizdum and not having to go to the dentist to have him remove my wizdum teef.

Least fave: The state and the ways of our government, the irresponsible and uncaring people who run the media. a society whose priorities are, in my opinion, dangerously skewed, and my difficulty in locating myself within all of that. (Sorry to get kind of heavy, but you asked.)

MOKB : Where is the best place you've toured over that time? Why?

Ezra Feinberg : I've been really into smaller shows in weird places over the last few months. We played an art gallery/coffee shop with The Fucking Champs last year in San Luis Obispo, CA and it was just all kids, no skeptical beard stroking, just people who were really psyched to see and hear something they had never seen or heard before. Also they made us pasta and had chocolate chip cookies from the supermarket - delish...

MOKB : Where is the best and worst place to eat while touring?

Ezra Feinberg : I'd say the best move is getting food from a health food store. It's kind of life affirming to eat healthfully whilst driving and being in a bar, which, other than playing, listening to, and talking about music, are the two things that yr doing when on tour. The worst is just having lots of snacks from the gas station. I mean, no offense to my beloved almond M&Ms, but you can't live on that stuff! Gross!

MOKB : What's the worst rock n roll injury you've sustained over that time?

Ezra Feinberg : We were playing a show with Howlin Rain back in July and it was Friday the 13th. During the first song I got a small cut on the side of my fingernail. But I strum an acoustic guitar throughout our set, so with each strum the cut grew bigger and bigger. By the end of the set my hand and the strings were covered in blood. My hand was ok but it through me off to see blood gushing all over my guitar. However, it was cool to hold up my hand at the end of the set and say, in my best black metal voice, "Happy Friday The Thirteenth."

MOKB : Give my your top three hometown hotspots.

Ezra Feinberg : 1. Aquarius Records - a wonderfully curated record store and the deepest and most wide-ranging mail order catalogue in the world. 2. Sunflower Vietnamese Restaurant - really good Pho, nice peeps, not expensive at all. 3. My friends Andy and Alissa have a heated carpet. Andy has like 10,000 records and they often have chocolate covered ginger on the coffee table. The heated carpet, the records (and turntable), and the chocolate covered ginger are all in the same room, their living room. Definitely a hotspot (literally).

MOKB : What's the best piece of free you received over the last two years?

Ezra Feinberg : "Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."

MOKB : What weather event most terrifies you? (hurricane, snowstorm, earthquake, forest fire, tsunami, etc...)

Ezra Feinberg : At this point anything seems possible, so just the state of weather patterns is frightening in general.

MOKB : What do you want for Hanukkah this year?

Ezra Feinberg : Nothing in particular. I always have musical equipment that I want - a really nice reverb pedal, and the perfect amp for an acoustic guitar are on the wish list right now, but you don't want to hear about that stuff.

MOKB : What's your best holiday memory?

Ezra Feinberg : Getting Eric Clapton's 24 Nights on tape when I was in eighth grade.

MOKB : Give me your best holiday get-away.

Ezra Feinberg : As a jew I feel every Christmas is a "get away."

MOKB : You're snowed-in, who do you want to be stuck with you?

Ezra Feinberg : People who I love and love to play scrabble with. Really I'm cool with whomever or whatever, as long as that whatever involves a hot tub and that whomever involves a message.

MOKB : What's the best gift to buy for that special someone this holiday season?

Ezra Feinberg : Whatever you know will make the feel even specialer than ever!

MOKB : If you were to buy that special someone one CD this holiday season, what would it be and why?

Ezra Feinberg : Well I think that new Panda Bear album that everyone flipped for is amazing, and will prove its genius through the holidays, you know? All those sleigh bells are already there! I think it's a record that could be enjoyed by almost anyone. Also anything by R Kelly, Iron Maiden, or Neil Diamond.

Citay - First Fantasy

Upcoming Citay Tour Dates:

01/11/08 San Francisco, CA - 12 Galaxies w/ Greg Ashley
01/18/08 Seattle, WA - Sunset Tavern
01/19/08 Portland, OR - Towne Lounge w/ White Rainbow
01/20/08 Arcata, CA - Muddy's Hot Cup

Previous MOKB 2007 Holiday Interviews: Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear, Jules De Martino of The Ting Tings, BJ Warshaw of Parts & Labor, Jona Bechtolt of YACHT, John Roderick of The Long Winters, Patton Oswalt (comedian), Tapes 'N Tapes, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, Richard Edwards of Margot & The Nuclear So & Sos, Aesop Rock, Marissa Nadler, Josh Lambert of The Octopus Project, Miguel Castillo of Catfish Haven, Peter Sax of Mobius Band, David Vandervelde, Sune Rose Wagner of The Raveonettes, Tim Fite, David Metcalf of Bodies Of Water, Michael Tapscott of Odawas, Dylan Rau of Bear Hands, Kori Gardner of Mates Of State, Jared Swilley of Black Lips, Eric Pulido of Midlake, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Aziz Ansari, Paul Scheer & Rob Huebel of Human Giant, Ray Raposa of Castanets, Tobacco of Black Moth Super Rainbow, Akwetey O.T. & Bizza of Dragons Of Zynth, John Vanderslice, Ross Flournoy of The Broken West, Ivan Howard of The Rosebuds, Busdriver, Nate Martinez of Pela, Greg Bertens & Dave Dupuis of Film School, Parker Gispert of The Whigs, Dan Didier of Maritime, Michael Showalter.

--------------------------------------------------------

Official Site | MySpace | More MP3s | eMusic | Subscribe To RSS Feed

Read the whole post...

MOKB 2007 Holiday Interview Series : Michael Showalter

Michael Showalter used the power of the internet to promote his 2007 comedy album Sandwiches & Cats. He "toured" several prominent blogs and guest posted his thoughts on a variety of silly subjects. He revealed, here on MOKB, that he and his long-time partners, the cast of The State, would be reuniting to create a new The State sketch-comedy movie. Big news!

MOKB : Any performance plans for the 2007 holiday season?

Michael Showalter : I plan to perform oral sex on my girlfriend but I'm pretty sure that's not what you meant.



MOKB : What have been your most and least favorite things about the last two years?

Michael Showalter : Favorite Thing: DVR; Least Favorite Thing: Global Warming.

MOKB : Where is the best place you've toured over that time? Why?

Michael Showalter : We did a show in Madison, Wisconsin. I put on Go-Go's song and adlibbed something about asking a girl to dance like I was in 7th grade. After the show, Jane Weidlin (sp?), the awesome guitarist of the Go-Go's, came up to me and said, "Did you know I was in the audience?" I didn't! I've had a crush on her my whole life. She lives in Madison. She dug the show. We bonded. I felt kinda cool. I think she felt kinda cool too.

MOKB : Where is the best and worst place to eat while touring?

Michael Showalter : Best Place: Denny's; Worst Place: Burger King. (I'm aware of how sad this answer is.)

MOKB : What's the worst performance injury you've sustained over that time?

Michael Showalter : To date I've never injured myself - only my pride and my ego.

MOKB : What's the best piece of free goods you received over the last two years?

Michael Showalter : I got one of those really nice portable stereo things where you can plug your iPod in. I got a bunch of free sneakers at SXSW. I collect t-shirts from everywhere I go. Those are my favorites possessions from touring. I did a show recently and an audience member had knit me a really nice scarf. She brought it on stage. It was sort of like when Tom Jones gets panties thrown at him but it was a scarf.

MOKB : What weather event most terrifies you? (hurricane, snowstorm, earthquake, forest fire, tsunami, etc...)

Michael Showalter : Gosh, I really like inclement weather. Snowstorms are great. Hurricane's not so much. I mean obviously tsunami would be bad. I'm gonna go with heat wave. I really dislike warm weather.

MOKB : What do you want for (Christmas/Hanukkah/Insert Your Holiday) this year?

Michael Showalter : A live-in maid.

MOKB : What's your best holiday memory?

Michael Showalter : I love New York City when it's empty and no one's here and I can just walk around and it's quiet and the streets are calm.

MOKB : Give me your best holiday get-away.

Michael Showalter : My bedroom.

MOKB : You're snowed-in, who do you want to be stuck with you?

Michael Showalter : The Kardashian sisters.

MOKB : What's the best gift to buy for that special someone this holiday season?

Michael Showalter : Pickled vegetables: okra; stringbeans; etc.

MOKB : If you were to buy that special someone one CD this holiday season, what would it be and why?

Michael Showalter : I would get them the Mozart Requiem. It's a classic.

Michael Showalter - Erotica (radio edit)



Previous MOKB 2007 Holiday Interviews: Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear, Jules De Martino of The Ting Tings, BJ Warshaw of Parts & Labor, Jona Bechtolt of YACHT, John Roderick of The Long Winters, Patton Oswalt (comedian), Tapes 'N Tapes, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, Richard Edwards of Margot & The Nuclear So & Sos, Aesop Rock, Marissa Nadler, Josh Lambert of The Octopus Project, Miguel Castillo of Catfish Haven, Peter Sax of Mobius Band, David Vandervelde, Sune Rose Wagner of The Raveonettes, Tim Fite, David Metcalf of Bodies Of Water, Michael Tapscott of Odawas, Dylan Rau of Bear Hands, Kori Gardner of Mates Of State, Jared Swilley of Black Lips, Eric Pulido of Midlake, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Aziz Ansari, Paul Scheer & Rob Huebel of Human Giant, Ray Raposa of Castanets, Tobacco of Black Moth Super Rainbow, Akwetey O.T. & Bizza of Dragons Of Zynth, John Vanderslice, Ross Flournoy of The Broken West, Ivan Howard of The Rosebuds, Busdriver, Nate Martinez of Pela, Greg Bertens & Dave Dupuis of Film School, Parker Gispert of The Whigs, Dan Didier of Maritime.

--------------------------------------------------------

Official Site | MySpace | More MP3s | eMusic | Subscribe To RSS Feed

Read the whole post...

MOKB 2007 Holiday Interview Series : Dan Didier of Maritime

Last year, I listened and listened to Maritime's We, The Vehicles album over and over and over and then ovvvveeeer again. It was always in the rotation - home, office or car. It's still one of my favorites of the last few years. Maritime returned this year with Heresy & The Hotel Choir. It didn't grab me like the previous, but it's still has some choice tracks on it - definitely worth checking into...

MOKB : Any musical plans for the 2007 holiday season?

Dan Didier : None. My plan is to try and have a relaxing time with my wife and daughter amid the craziness that is "the 2007 holiday season". The band will start up again afterwards to begin the process of working on new songs.

MOKB : What have been your most and least favorite things about the last two years?

Dan Didier : Well, since my daughter was born on May 1st 2006 she has been my favorite thing by far. My least favorite thing is now having to go to places like the children museum and having to deal with the older bratty kids. Only because I know I was one and most likely she will be one too.

MOKB : Where is the best place you've toured over that time? Why?

Dan Didier : Germany is always fun. We do really well over there, but, I have the most fun while in Japan. Just because it is so 'otherwordly'; the craziness never stops.

MOKB : Where is the best and worst place to eat while touring?

Dan Didier : Well, over the years and years I have been on the road I have sort of found really nice places to eat along the way. The last time I was in Seattle I was really upset to find that a place called the Green Cat was closed. It had the best tofu scramble and fresh fruit and ginger smoothies. After the long bout with the mountains traveling from Milwaukee to Seattle eating at the Green Cat always refueled me. The worst is the countless fast food chains you are forced to eat while you are in the middle of nowhere.

MOKB : What's the worst rock n roll injury you've sustained over that time?

Dan Didier : I have two. A long time ago I was in a "post hardcore" band from Milwaukee called Ceilishrine. We were playing 'Madison fest' one night and the person we were hanging out with had a skateboard. So, since skating is what I did before giving it up for the drums I decided to pass the time by skating around this guys house. Well, I ended up in the hospital with a severely sprained ankle. Luckily it was my hi-hat foot, so I played the show with an icepack brace on. More recently on the last Maritime tour I pulled a muscle in my back by "rocking out" too much so I had to medicate myself heavily in order to play a few shows. Oh, wait I have another. On one of the first Promise Ring tours we were opening for a band called Texas is the Reason and we decided to have a roman candle fight in the parking lot of the club we were about to play in Austin. So, the idiot that I am, I wanted to "double barrel" it by lighting a roman candle in each hand and shoot at the guys in TITR. You know, Arnold in Commando style. So after a few shots were fired the candle in my right hand back fired and hit me right in the chest. I drop the fiery sticks and with the sounds of my "teammate" yelling "man down! man down!" fading into the background I find my way to the bathroom where a huge half dollar sized welt had appeared in the middle of my chest. Good times.

MOKB : Give my your top three hometown hotspots.

Dan Didier : There is an Indian restaurant near my house called Bombay Sweets. It has super tasty, super cheap food that is served on paper plates and you use plastic utensils to eat. I know it doesn't sound that appealing but walking out of the place with a tummy full of samosa chat or mutter paneer with 5 dollars less to your name can never be a bad thing. I love taking the little train around the Milwaukee County Zoo with my daughter. We do it every time we are there. Not because she is always tugging at my t-shirt demanding "dadda choo choo, dadda choo choo", but because dadda really likes it too. There is an art gallery called Luckystar where I once showed some photography. The owners use it as a vehicle to sell their own stuff and since I really like what they do so I peek in there from time to time and see what they have been up to.

MOKB : What's the best piece of free you received over the last two years?

Dan Didier : The shoes I always end up getting at SXSW. They last me for the better part of the year or until the next time I find myself in Austin in March.

MOKB : What weather event most terrifies you? (hurricane, snowstorm, earthquake,
forest fire, tsunami, etc...)

Dan Didier : Hurricanes, tsunamis, anything with water. I have a dreadful fear of drowning.

MOKB : What do you want for (Christmas/Hanukkah/Insert Your Holiday) this year?

Dan Didier : I am the worst person to shop for because I never really know what I want and if there is something that does peak my interest I usually just go out and get it myself. This year is no different. I need a new laptop, but i don't think people will shell out the cash for something like that so maybe just receiving Apple store gift certificates would suite me just fine.

MOKB : What's your best holiday memory?

Dan Didier : It's definitely the last Christmas I spent with my grandmother. We had a lot of family over and my uncle had one of those old video cameras that were huge and rested on your shoulder. I can't remember how old I was. Maybe 10? I remember being excited when I got the band Raven's cassette of 'Stay Hard' because on the video you can hear me celebrate in the background as my mother was being taped opening a gift from my dad. I was into shitty metal back then. I cannot lie. I have no idea where that video tape is now, but it's nice to watch it and remember how great my grandma was.

MOKB : Give me your best holiday get-away.

Dan Didier : One time my wife and I spent two nights in a Frank Lloyd Wright usonian house in Wisconsin. It wasn't for the holidays but I think if we would do it again I would like it to be.

MOKB : You're snowed-in, who do you want to be stuck with you?

Dan Didier : My daughter, wife, and the DVR full of unwatched Project Runway episodes.

MOKB : What's the best gift to buy for that special someone this holiday season?

Dan Didier : The funny thing is that my wife and I rarely buy each other holiday gifts. We usually just put money into our house or some other joint venture. Romantic, right?

MOKB : If you were to buy that special someone one CD this holiday season, what
would it be and why?

Dan Didier : Since we just got our record player working again I would hunt out the thrift stores looking to find the Earth, Wind, and Fire's album with September on it. She really likes that song. If I happen upon the Hollies record with Bus Stop on it that would work too.

Maritime - Guns Of Navarone
Maritime - For Science Fiction
Maritime - Calm
Maritime - Parade Of Punk Rock T-Shirts

Previous MOKB 2007 Holiday Interviews: Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear, Jules De Martino of The Ting Tings, BJ Warshaw of Parts & Labor, Jona Bechtolt of YACHT, John Roderick of The Long Winters, Patton Oswalt (comedian), Tapes 'N Tapes, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, Richard Edwards of Margot & The Nuclear So & Sos, Aesop Rock, Marissa Nadler, Josh Lambert of The Octopus Project, Miguel Castillo of Catfish Haven, Peter Sax of Mobius Band, David Vandervelde, Sune Rose Wagner of The Raveonettes, Tim Fite, David Metcalf of Bodies Of Water, Michael Tapscott of Odawas, Dylan Rau of Bear Hands, Kori Gardner of Mates Of State, Jared Swilley of Black Lips, Eric Pulido of Midlake, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Aziz Ansari, Paul Scheer & Rob Huebel of Human Giant, Ray Raposa of Castanets, Tobacco of Black Moth Super Rainbow, Akwetey O.T. & Bizza of Dragons Of Zynth, John Vanderslice, Ross Flournoy of The Broken West, Ivan Howard of The Rosebuds, Busdriver, Nate Martinez of Pela, Greg Bertens & Dave Dupuis of Film School, Parker Gispert of The Whigs.

--------------------------------------------------------

Official Site | MySpace | Wiki | More MP3s | eMusic | Subscribe To RSS Feed

Read the whole post...

MOKB Christmas Day 2007 Mix

Happy pagan-turned-Christian-for-easy-integration-day-of-son-of-God-birthing celebration-time! No, come on...Merry Christmas!

Here is another mix of holiday delights to enjoy today. I love these R.E.M. Christmas tunes. I believe they gave these and a bunch others away to their fan club members over the years.

R.E.M. - Christmas Griping
R.E.M. - Ghost Reindeer In The Sky
Run DMC - Christmas In Hollis
The Knife - Christmas Reindeer
The Beach Boys - Little Saint Nick
Sufjan Stevens - That Was The Worst Christmas Ever!
Daniel Johnston - Some People Don't Even Know It's Christmas
Eels - Christmas Is Going To The Dogs
My Morning Jacket - Christmas Time Is Here Again (Bring Out The Joy)
My Morning Jacket - Christmas Curtain
The Black Crowes - Back Door Santa
Eazy E - Merry Muthaf*ckin' Christmas
Of Montreal - Christmas Isn't Safe For Animals
El Perro Del Mar - Oh What A Christmas
Erland Oye - Last Christmas
The Kinks - Father Christmas

--------------------------------------------------------

Official Site | MySpace | More MP3s | eMusic | Subscribe To RSS Feed

Read the whole post...

MOKB 2007 Holiday Interview Series : Parker Gispert of The Whigs

The Whigs will release their sophomore album, Mission Control in January of the new year. They've played some of the new songs at their live shows recently and they've stopped in and previewed a couple for us on MOKB's SIRIUS Blog Radio. From the sound of things, it's going to be another really good one. The live versions of the two acoustic previews below rock so much harder with Julian's kit-smashing style providing the beat behind Parker's sweet licks. Sweeeeeeeet licks.

MOKB : Any musical plans for the 2007 holiday season?

Parker Gispert : Catch a Band of Horses show at the Earl, hopefully take advantage of the time at home and do some rocking out in my bedroom.

MOKB : What have been your most and least favorite things about the last two years?

Parker Gispert : Favorite things would include getting to record with Rob Schnapf in Los Angeles and having the opportunity to tour the bars / clubs of the U.S with bands we enjoy. Least favorite would be the quality time spent with the toilets found in these bars / clubs as well as gas stations in the U.S.

MOKB : Where is the best place you've toured over that time? Why?

Parker Gispert : I really liked Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Lead South Dakota. Good spirits / people in all of those cities. I am summoned to Lead by a sandwich that is basically a hot ham and cheese on a rice krispie and sugar coated pastry style bread. You dip it in jelly and try to figure out if it is more lunch than breakfast.

MOKB : Where is the best and worst place to eat while touring?

Parker Gispert : Consistently, the best and worst is simultaneously Subway. I am terribly sick of eating there but it’s better than fast food burger joints and can be found at most BP gas stations. I rip the Cold Cut Combo.

MOKB : What's the worst rock n roll injury you've sustained over that time?

Parker Gispert : I will defer to Julian who had his hand sliced open on a drum in Austin which led to an infection that spread up his entire arm. This resulted in him drumming the west-coast shows with his arm in a cast. We got robbed a couple nights later in San Francisco which made for a crap week.

MOKB : Give my your top three hometown hotspots.

Parker Gispert : La Parillia, Calientitos, and Schoolkids Records.

MOKB : What's the best piece of free you received over the last two years?

Parker Gispert : I’m assuming the "free" is free advice? Or is it "free" anything? If it is free anything… we were given an 80’s Gibson SG Custom and a 70’s Rickenbacker bass as gifts from some kind people in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Free advice would be to not give free advice to a homeless Minneapolis man who informs you that he smokes crack. Your advisements to stop smoking it might result in punches directed at your face.

MOKB : What weather event most terrifies you? (hurricane, snowstorm, earthquake, forest fire, tsunami, etc...)

Parker Gispert : I’m not scared of the weather.

MOKB : What do you want for Christmas/Hanukkah this year?

Parker Gispert : I need a new record player. We buy lots of CD’s / vinyl on the road and it was pretty sad to get home and find my record player unable to play the records I had been staring at in the van for months.

MOKB : What's your best holiday memory?

Parker Gispert : I like to remember the pains my brother and I went to as kids to find out what we were getting for Christmas. Stuff like waiting till our parents left the house to unwrap / rewrap presents under the tree or hiding a boom box in the back of their car to record their conversation and see if they said anything about a present. My brother and I would also try to trick one another by wrapping our gifts in bigger than necessary boxes to give the illusion of a grand gift. Good times.

MOKB : Give me your best holiday get-away.

Parker Gispert : Wherever the family is. Usually a relative’s house.

MOKB : You're snowed-in, who do you want to be stuck with you?

Parker Gispert : I’ll go with my girlfriend.

MOKB : What's the best gift to buy for that special someone this holiday season?

Parker Gispert : I don’t know. Let me know when you find out.

MOKB : If you were to buy that special someone one CD this holiday season, what would it be and why?

Parker Gispert : The new Devendra Banhart (Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon and Wax Fang (La La Land). I really like the production of Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon and the vibe seems a little lighter than that of Cripple Crow or Rejoicing in Hands. It just seems like it would have been a fun record to make. Wax Fang’s new record is unlike anything I’ve ever heard and they managed to capture the dominance of their live show on the recording. Though both of these records couldn’t be more different, they both begin with great songwriters who initially recorded on their own and have rounded out their sound with musician’s who understand what the songwriters are trying to achieve. The resulting records are communal sounds from strange vantage points. If you are sick of your CD’s, I suggest grabbing either of these two records.

From their upcoming album Mission Control:

The Whigs - Like A Vibration (Live in-studio on MOKB Blog Radio)
The Whigs - Already Young (Live in-studio on MOKB Blog Radio)

From Give 'Em All A Big Fat Lip:

The Whigs - Technology (Live in-studio on MOKB Blog Radio)
The Whigs - Nothing Is Easy (Live in-studio on MOKB Blog Radio)

The Whigs on Tour:

1/4/08 - Macon, GA - The Hummingbird
1/5/08 - Augusta, GA/ Soul Bar
1/9/08 - Chattanooga, TN/ Rhythm And Brews
1/10/08 - Knoxville, TN/ World Grotto
1/11/08 - Birmingham, AL/ Bottletree
1/12/08 - Memphis, TN/ HiTone
1/17/08 - Oxford, MS/ Proud Larry's
1/18/08 - Hattiesburg, MS/ The Thirsty Hippo
1/19/08 - Little Rock, AR/ Sticky Fingers
1/25/08 - Atlanta, GA/ The Earl - CD Release
1/26/08 - Athens, GA/ The 40 Watt - CD Release

Previous MOKB 2007 Holiday Interviews: Ed Droste of Grizzly Bear, Jules De Martino of The Ting Tings, BJ Warshaw of Parts & Labor, Jona Bechtolt of YACHT, John Roderick of The Long Winters, Patton Oswalt (comedian), Tapes 'N Tapes, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, Richard Edwards of Margot & The Nuclear So & Sos, Aesop Rock, Marissa Nadler, Josh Lambert of The Octopus Project, Miguel Castillo of Catfish Haven, Peter Sax of Mobius Band, David Vandervelde, Sune Rose Wagner of The Raveonettes, Tim Fite, David Metcalf of Bodies Of Water, Michael Tapscott of Odawas, Dylan Rau of Bear Hands, Kori Gardner of Mates Of State, Jared Swilley of Black Lips, Eric Pulido of Midlake, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Aziz Ansari, Paul Scheer & Rob Huebel of Human Giant, Ray Raposa of Castanets, Tobacco of Black Moth Super Rainbow, Akwetey O.T. & Bizza of Dragons Of Zynth, John Vanderslice, Ross Flournoy of The Broken West, Ivan Howard of The Rosebuds, Busdriver, Nate Martinez of Pela, Greg Bertens & Dave Dupuis of Film School.

--------------------------------------------------------

Official Site | MySpace | More MP3s | eMusic | Subscribe To RSS Feed

Read the whole post...

MOKB Covers Project : 2007 Christmas Edition

In truth, I can't be sure who wrote and sang a lot of these originally. I mean, ok in truth, I could do the research for each, but I think that would just take the fun out of it for me. I mean, most are just Christmas classics. We'll leave it at that.

Tune in tomorrow to My Old Kentucky Blog Radio on SIRIUS Left Of Center, Channel 26 at Noon EST and again at Midnight EST to hear all of these and a lot more non-cover Christmas songs by your favorites...your Christmas Eve/Day Cover Soundtrack...

Death Cab For Cutie - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Clem Snide - Joy To The World
Anthallo - O Holy Night
Bodies Of Water - Do You Hear What I Hear?
Matt Pond PA - Holiday Road
Fiona Apple - Frosty The Snowman
Magnet - Let It Snow
Bright Eyes - Little Drummer Boy
The Pipettes - White Christmas
Belle & Sebastian - O Come O Come Emmanuel
Belle & Sebastian - O Little Town Of Bethlehem
Bootsy Collins - Boot Off (Rudolph The Rednose Reindeer)
Richard Hawley - Silent Night
Evan Dando - Silent Night
Cocteau Twins - Winter Wonderland