(photo courtesy: evan smith)

You’ll probably see that a lot of my top bands tend to include an element of absurdity, but yet keeping it balanced with deep emotion and serious issues, at the same time producing sizzling tunes that set my heart and whole body on fire that I can’t help but move in some way, whether it’s through maniacal stomping or psychedelic swaying.

Sirius B. is an Asheville group that guarantees to bring you “the finest Absurdist Gypsy Metal Folk Funk Punk that the world has to offer.” They have often been compared to gypsy punk inventors Gogol Bordello, which to me would be beyond flattering and complimentary, but if there is any GB influence on Sirius B., it is very minimal. As you listen, you can hear an Eastern European flavor but Sirius B. provides their own original sound and incendiary blend of traditional gypsy music, effervescent indie folk and, as the band mentioned, an “absurdist” and punk rock philosophy.

The featured track here, “Francophile,” is a light track that makes me happy because it gets me dancing (and also, the title says it all). And although I am sure they are fed up with it now, that is one similarity I can draw between Sirius B. and Gogol Bordello–both bands have excelled at not only grabbing my attention with their freshness and their willingness to travel outside the border, but they conjure an intense energy and passion within me that few musicians can touch. “Francophile” isn’t GB’s “Sally” and doesn’t make me perform aggressive kick ups in the air, but like guitarist Pancho Romero once explained: “(The songs) beg for a crowd to be up dancing. Maybe those are the songs that people remember, but we have slower songs, too.”

The group also has a fantastic rendition of the WWII Italian resistance anthem, “Bella Ciao,” adding more to the smooth, melancholy theme of the song, with the ghostly violins and defeated anarchist vocals. Would most definitely recommend.

Download “Francophile”

http://www.siriusbmusic.com/home.php

http://www.myspace.com/siriusb07

I’m not going to rank my favorites because it really does depend on the day and my mood. When I get bored, I’ll go read the Blonde Redhead wikipedia page or google their name to read interviews. They are a band that’s been around for a long time and every album they’ve put out is different and more mature than the last one. They have evolved into amazing musicians. I’ve only seen them live twice. The most recent was in 2007 at McCarren Park and it was really just amazing. Even though I was surrounded by hundreds of people, I felt like I was in my own little world. Everything just felt so right. 

It’s very rare that bands really move me, but when I find ones that do, I remain a loyal fan for the rest of my life. Maybe the reason why I like them so much is because this is the type of music that I want to PLAY.

 Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons is my comfort album. Any time I am stressed out or hating everything, I can always put this album on and everything will be okay. I’ll think back to those days when this album first came out and I listened to it on repeat.  

A Cure - There are just way too many things that I love about this song. From start to finish. From each instrument to each lyric. Every transition flows smoothly into each other and nothing is ever overdone. Even the spoken parts which can oftentimes be cliche and sound stupid, make the song so personal and intimate. The lyrics to the chorus are so tragic and beautiful and I love how the context loops into each other. so dreamy! 

I haven’t really come across much new music that I like, so I’ve been listening to my all time favorite bands that I know I can always rely on to make me happy. I’m going to compile a mix and update with my top 10 favorite bands over the course of the next few weeks. So be on the look out for that!

Wilmington Exchange Festivial - www.wefestival.com - is a D.I.Y. run music fest that offers indie music with all different styles.

TheKnowbodies.com Presents - September 26th - Basement 9:00 -

• Sawteeth McTweedy and The Particles
• Zero Trick Pony
• Ponchos From Peru
• Virgo 9
• The Mathematicians

See you There!

Sawteeth McTweedy and the Particles hail from Durham NC, a magical land filled with musicians, venues, and adoring fans.  This versatile duo plays multiple instruments at their shows and always sing with pride.  The lyrics are intriguing and filled with poetic musings, sometimes presented as spoken word and sometimes with a fine melody.  Often absurd but always interesting.  If you think you will enjoy hearing two uniquely creative people who hold nothing back play music, check out their myspace page(link). My personal favorites are Quaker Bridge Mall and Mr. Sunday Afternoon.

Download Spiderman

The Knowbodies are hosting a showcase at the WE Fest Friday on September 26th, 2008. If any interested artist or band wants in on this indie music event, please email us at theknowbodies@gmail.com. Check out http://www.wefestival.com for more information! Looking forward to hearing from you! Rock!

Fortress of Swatches is Joe and Selena who live in Wilmington. They’re a guitar and drums (and sometimes keys) duo who manage to make a whole lot of noise for just two people. I’ve had the good fortune of seeing Fortress live several times and can’t say enough about the show these two put on. Both players are skilled on the guitar and drums, switching places frequently throughout the set. If that’s not enough, they also manage to sing some really wonderful harmonies over their hard driving tunes. Their first album, It’s A Battle…, does not do their live show justice, but does provide listeners with a good idea of what to expect. “Red Light Runner,” the album’s opening track, is a furious greeting with a chorus that makes you want to shout along, while the following song, “Online Banking,” provides a calm counterpoint with keyboards, soft guitar, and subdued vocals. The rest of the album continues in a similar vein vacillating between songs that make you want to dance and yell like a high schooler who snuck out of the house–”These Walls Are Made of Paper”–to more introspective numbers like “Break Into Prison.” But mostly, this is a loud and rocking record that would fit well in the Dischord library. A personal favorite of mine is “The Night Jogger.” With its crazed drumming, quasi-metal guitar riff, and angry vocal trade-offs this song really demonstrates Fortress’ unique style. Get your hands on a copy of It’s A Battle… if you have the chance. Your best bet on finding a copy is to attend one of their live shows. You won’t regret it.

http://www.purevolume.com/fortressofswatches/

photo courtesy of ninjastatus.com

I saw The Deathset when they played their reunion show at Uncle Paulie’s in Brooklyn March of 2007. I’ve listened to them before but this was my first time seeing them live and I must say, it was best this way. I had the time of my life at this show and now I am a life long fan.

Their songs can be described as poppy-punk, but not in the mainstream, Fall Out Boy kind of way. These guys are real punk rock kids who just happen to play really catchy, cheerleader type songs. Think of a punk rock version of the Go! Team on speed.

http://www.myspace.com/smugglebird

This one man musical machine has enough digital momentum to knock down your house. He works through computer screens and fuzzy dreams in order to capture a moment long gone. Still the echo of what he wanted shines through the computerized metronome by the grace of his voice. Smugglebird hails from the beat-driven school of Panda Bear, but he has not forgotten what Bruce Springsteen or Clash has taught him in his early years of rock. This music combines a eletronic handshake with a vocal wet-willy. The featured track is called ‘Tell Him’. It’s a long ride through peaks and valleys of vocal effected harmonies, guitar riffs, and of course, beats to dance with. SmuggleBird is now located in New York City. Watch out!

Download Tell Him

http://www.myspace.com/swaymusicforever

Hailing from Boston, Massachusetts, this trio brings together the soulful melodies of traditional music with a mixture of modern rhythms and toe tapping vocal harmonies. If your ears yern for a taste of the good life, then look no further then Sawy’s classic country influenced indie-folk. The band incorporates intruments normally found in bluegrass and country groups with a sense of raw contemporary energy. In the song ‘Sing’, off their new CD, the music involves a hyper-aware structure with a call-&-response dynamic. Sway is touring the East Coast and is in need of show locations. Check out their myspace to help them with booking in Raleigh NC!

The featured song is ‘Apacolypse’ because it reflects the use of modern socially active lyrics and traditional song composition.

Download Apocalypse