Twenty years ago to date, the Berlin Wall opened it's gates and East Germans were free to cross over the imposed border. After 28 years of traveling restrictions under the hand of Leonid Breshnve, former president Mikhail Gorbachev's public renouncement of the doctrine led to a rapid fall. One offhand, confused affirmation from a senior communist official that the restriction was being lifted and millions poured through into West Germany.
Fist-pump inspiration to post The Notwist. Formed that same year a bit outside of Munich, they continue to pour a stream of synthesized syrup into your cerebellum. With a start of roughhousing punk LP's, the Notwist have evolved their sound into it's current incarnation - song oriented 80's (fittingly) indie pop electronica. Searing strings, warm mellow bass and icy bells come with the recent addition of the 21-member Andromeda Express Orchestra. Oh and glockenspiels. They've got glockenspiels too, but I'm not sure what descriptive temperature I can associate with those.
"Hands on Us" comes from the June 2008 release making a second appearance on ES - ref Jan. 2009 "5 Songs I've Liked More Than Others" - The Devil, You + Me. A bit tense, paranormal and vague, it would've been a good howly week post had I not been such a no-show. I know, I hate me too.
"Sturm 2" is nearly titular of the scored soundtrack done entirely by The Notwist for Hans Christian Schmid's recent film, Sturm. Basic plot - a Bosnian woman to testify against a Serb commander after the Yugoslav Wars. Not finding many sung praises for the visual manifestation, but if you're fluent in German and can speak to it better? Have at it.
Twenty years. Die Freiheit. 
the Notwist // Hands On Us
the Notwist // Sturm 2
All Hallowed Week; pre-requisite of posts are some manifestation of the morbid, shivery, and ghoulish. Short of posting Monster Mash - don't put it past me - best efforts will be made my little beasties.
To be fair, Meredith Meyer isn't all that scary. The LA gal brought her chamber pop vocal cords to Chicago where her second album, "It's Spooky to Be Young," was produced overlooking the Chicago River. (Spooky, score.) Lonely and shimmery bemoaning over a love lost to a Zelda Complex, UFO synth pulls the aluminum foil sheets up to the chin. (Alien lasers, check.) Hard to say what's spookier; heartache? Childhood? Beings from another planet? Probably childhood.
At midnight, let's all walk outside with our flashlights and start a morse code signaling to the heavens, see what flickers back at us. Who's in?
Meredith Meyer // Video Game Girl
A Thursday of Indian Summer. Makes me want to shuck my skinnies and expose faded tanlines to the level three UV Index.
Or I'll listen to Washed Out. Oozy boudoir synth, all pink pillows of sea foam and low country longing from Ernest Greene. I'll throw on neon wayfarers, slide my cut-neckline sweatshirt off one shoulder and smack some watermelon bubblicious before a solid sesh of seven minutes in heaven.
Washed Out // Feel It All Around
I just wanna feel good. Together. So I'm gonna listen to this swell five-piece Pat Carney (the Black Keys) linked by powers of telepathy and telekinesis. Few things you should know about Drummer so you get the warm n fuzzies, too.
Five - all five gents play drums in other bands.
Four - number of strings on the bass which is what Pat, (who's ironfist&foot on TBK's drum kit makes your ribs rattle), is playing.
Three - Feel(1) Good(2) Together(3) is the 11 track album emerging from seven months' furious writing.
Two - both of TBK's outside efforts are Akron, OH based. Raw, psychedelic, alt-rock, sanguine satisfaction from the Midwest, I'm down.
One - is the singular snowy afternoon in February 2009 when Pat Carney aligned some zodiac signs so he wasn't twiddling his thumbs while Dan Auerbach was on tour.
I'm aglow with good vibes - let me know when you'd like to to join hands about the fire for some s'mores and kumbaya.
Mmmm...s'mores.
Drummer // Feel Good Together
If you've been in my immediate vicinity for the past, oh, four months, it's blazingly apparent that I'm so excited about this movie I could pee my pants.
I won't. I'm a grownup. But you get my level of anticipation.
The fantastically eccentric Karen O, of Yeah Yeah Yeah fame, created the soundtrack for the film based on the favored children's book directed by Spike Jonze. Stellar example of ex'es working together for the greater creative good. With some help from her Y3 bandmates, Dean Fertita (The Dead Weather, le sigh) and Jack Lawrence (Raconteurs), the soundtrack released September 29th is brimming with childlike wonder and whimsy. Maybe a little evocation of Daniel Johnston? If you've seen the trailer, you'll hear the soundtrack's first single "All is Love" replacing Arcade Fire's "Wake Up." Not a bad switch - but the original select did bring some major nostalgia for those of us who were learning to read with the story in the early '80's. ('84, holla)
WTWTA is released nationwide tomorrow; let the wild rumpus start!
Where the Wild Things Are Soundtrack // CapsizeWhere the Wild Things Are Soundtrack // Sailing Home
All right, I know. Absence is disenchanting, but it was for good reason and I'm making up for it. Here's a few surprise favorite bands from ACL to fill your ears with aural flavors - much like my nostrils were filled with the rank of dillo dirt. (RIP sweet bandanna, buried beneath the sludge)
Truth time. I didn't get to catch K'Naan's set on Friday, still on a plane to Austin. But I've heard from reliable, upright citizens that it was siiiick. So he's going up anyway; please excuse my second-hand enthusiasm.
A Somali-Canadian hip hop artist who's name means "traveller" in his native language, Keinan Abde Warsame lived through the Somali Civil War as a child. Coming over with his family to eventually settle in Toronto, Canada, his past is the inspiration for much of his American and African politically conscious lyrics. The featured track off his latest album, "Troubador," features him rapping in both Somali and English with Mos Def and Chali 2Na chiming in.
Sidenote: Mos Def's cover of Radiohead's "All I Need" on Saturday was one for the ages.
He calls to mind Bob Marley and has similar loops to Eminem, but he's eight miles away from Slim Shady. K'Naan's craft is "urgent music with a message" calling for an end to the bloodshed in his homeland.
K'Naan // America
The Rev is a force to be reckoned with. Massive beard, massive frame, massive voice, massively awesome guitar pickin' & slidin'. Add a guy who knows how to utilize his kick drum (the Rev's brother) and a voluptuous lady who sets fire to her washboard AND KEEPS PLAYING IT (the Rev's wife), you've got a big damn band indeed.
Yeah it's only three people but they are a solid lot.
They glory in their "home's a pig farm!" aesthetic with singles like "Your Cousin's on Cops," a true story about seeing Miss Rev's cousin get busted on national television, and "Walmart Killed the Country Store." The retail chain, unsurprisingly, does not sell their albums - Sam Walton no likey. "Boom Chank" is from a live set, Pickathon 2007, to try and give a better feel for the Rev's let-loose vocals.
If you want ferocious swampy bluegrass folk played like your pants are on fire, as well as your washboard, then come on to church. The Rev's waitin' fer yeh.
Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band// Boom Chank
80's post-punk revivalist, take heart. This Brit trio is pouring their waxy sound into the mold of the Cure - they've even signed to their label. These lads surprised me with the strength of their American following. The crowd was packed and everybody was singing along - ranging from gorgeous 20something redheads who can't dance to mangy 50something bikers with braided ponytails 8inches longer than mine.
Something to be said for a diverse fan base, just look at the dude cheesin' in the pic.
Last seen opening for KOL, it's worth it to catch these elegantly morose, dramatically gallant pretty boys before they hop back over the Pond.
White Lies // To Lose My Life
Maserati // Monoliths
The Juan MacLean // The Simple Life
The Dead Weather // So Far From Your Weapon
Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears // Boogie
Dr. Dog // The Ark
Lisa Hannigan // Lillie
Medeski, Martin & Wood // Flat Tire
The Walkmen // On the Water