once more with feeling

On Tuesday, I’m going to Berlin for four days. Actually, I shouldn’t. Neither do I have the money for it, nor the time. But I can’t really be bothered by that at the moment. I need to get away, just a couple of days, on my own. Not thinking about everything I should be doing or dealing with back home. It’s going to be just the city and me.
Since it’s going to be my first time in Berlin, I want to discover as many wonderful places as possible. So if you have any recommendations (especially for food, coffee, record and clothing stores), let me know!

Of course, I need to have some soundtrack for my journey. Something to listen to while strolling around in the streets. So, there will be two bands in my iPod-Berlin-list that totally fit my “often been disappointed but still hopelessly romantic” mood I have at the moment: mylittlepony and We See Lights.
I already told you about how much I’m in love with mylittlepony a few days ago. We See Lights is a Scottish band (which you’ll realize after the first line you hear, omg that accent!), singing about ghosts and monsters, lost lovers and The Smiths. Their harmonic, folksy, upbeat sound is underlined by fiddles, harmonicas and glockenspiel.

We See Lights released their debut album “Ghosts & Monsters” last year, to which you can listen here. Next Saturday, they’re releasing the EP “Twee Love Pop” via their own label heroesandgluepots - and the name says it all. It’s dreamy twee love pop par excellence.
The band seems to be quite excited about their upcoming release. This is what Allan Rae thinks about it: “This is the sound of our band falling apart, the final implosion of our sanity and naked embrace of a twisted simulacrum of reality before we decided to abandon it all and go live as hermits in a yurt. Such things are we driven to, as tortured, tortured, men.”

Wondering now how that implosion sounds like? Well, here’s a video of cuteness for my favorite song of the EP, “Hope You Like The Smiths”, which also reminds me of one of my most favorite movies, “500 Days of Summer”.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFLRvg542tY

Well I think that I’m in love
even though I’ve only spoken to you
about twice.
I like to know your favorite colour
and maybe even meet your mother,
is that too soon?

And as a special gift from the band, they already let you stream the whole EP before it’s released next week. Twee love!

Life can be weird. No – life is weird. It makes you constantly run into people you avoid meeting, putting you in the strangest situations. It makes you hurt people you don’t want to hurt. It leaves you completely clueless in moments, when only a clear mind will take you a step further.
That’s why it’s wonderful to take a break from time to time. To let the world turn for a while without you in it.

This is what I did last Saturday evening. The moment I stepped through the iron doors of Badeschiff, it was in a different world. With candy and cute ponies, golden jackets and checkered stockings.
mylittlepony played at the Candy Club, one of Vienna’s queer clubs. mylittlepony don’t have very much to do with the toy ponies you might know from your childhood, except for that both are extremely cute. The five Norwegians play this type of indie-pop that puts a smile on your face during the whole set, that makes you sway during the quieter and shake your hips during the faster songs.
Listening to their music will make you happy, no matter how down you might be. Their charme, combined with egg and banana rattles, sweet harmonies, their twee appearance, poppy tunes… it’s the perfect pony-pop. During their show, Ola and Nina took me on a journey to Oslo, we met MacGyver and sang stories about love.

Sadly, my trip to a motley, happy world had to end (after getting a signed copy of “Making Marks” and a hug). But if I need another break from the world, and in case you need one too: here’s a video of Alice Tragedy before the gig (see if you find the moment when she nearly falls down the stairs), some pictures of the gig (courtesy of The405), and you can get their double single “A Miracle / Stories About Love” here as well as a 5-tracks EP here.

Let’s dive into the pony world, just for some minutes.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH9_vhGBpaw

But if we stop being cynical
and speak with real intent
we could hope for a miracle
right in this moment of our lives
and then get out of here
together you and I.

When “Only By The Night” was released, I listened to “Use Somebody” on repeat. The song meant the world to me. Kings of Leon made it to my favorite band at that point. I remember sitting in my car, driving home from work to spend the evening with R., singing out loud
You know that I could use somebody,
Someone like you and all you know and how you speak.

This time has long passed. When I now listen to this song, it hurts. Too painful memories. Also, I never managed to make friends with “Come Around Sundown”.
And then, a couple of months ago, they suddenly were there. Cold War Kids. And that feeling was back – falling in love with every single song of the record, listening to it over and over again without getting sick of it. Walking around the streets with “Mine Is Yours” in the iPhone, humming along to it and not caring about the people around me. Sitting in my bed, going through some live videos and singing out loud when the flatmates are not at home.

Cold War Kids are my new Kings of Leon. And “Bulldozer” is my new “Use Somebody”.
And today I’m a lucky girl, because their whole performance of Coachella is up on the interwebz. And so is Kings of Leon’s. So would you please excuse me now, I have two concerts to watch.

Bulldozer
Clear a space for us
Let’s rebuild this love on what we were.

Cold War Kids Part 1

Cold War Kids Part 2

Kings of Leon Part 1

Kings of Leon Part 2

In case anyone of you still hasn’t heard it yet: it’s RECORD STORE DAY tomorrow.
The tradition to celebrate the art of music once a year also made it’s way over the ocean from the USA to tiny Austria. So, here are my recommendations for how to spend that day in Vienna and/or participate via the interwebz:

1) At 3 pm, diver are gonna play at the Recordbag in the 6th district. Who still hasn’t seen them live despite the fact that I’ve been going crazy about them for nearly a year now – come!

2) The loveliest label, apart from the one I’m working for, has a crazy online program going on. Lazy Acre Records will be broadcasting live sessions and shows from different locations all around the world: they start with Stylusboy broadcasting from the UK, there will be an acoustic set from Uno Moller from Oslo and Sajama Cut from Jakarta, and finally a broadcast from My Little Pony who are currently in Vienna (and who you should go and see at 10 pm at Badeschiff!).

Also, there are gonna be some limited time releases in the form of single downloads including songs, videos, a fanzine and wallpapers.
You can get updates and check out the whole program as well as Uno and Mrs. Alice Tragedy (who also designed the awesome flyer) talking about their favorite records over at the Lazy Acre Records Record Store Day blog (damn, what a long word..).

3) I would also recommend you to go to the Radiokulturhaus and see Portugal. The Man doing a radio session there – but unfortunately the tickets were only given away through competitions. However, fm4 will put the session on their website from April 20 on.

Well, enjoy your Record Store Day – I’m sure I will!

A long day with university, studying and two concerts finds its end. I’m gonna say good night with a new video… an incredibly good one. One that makes you hold you breath for 5 minutes and 29 seconds. Not literally. But you know what I mean.

Manchester Orchestra – Simple Math

What if I was wrong and you had never questioned it?
What if it was true, that all we thought was right, was wrong?
Simple math, the truth cannot be fractioned.

I have something like a midterm-exam in two days. I know, that’s something quite normal. But in my life, there is no place for exams during the term. Because crazy life in Vienna doesn’t stop just because an exam. So, due to massive plans this week (Rival Schools with lovely Walter Schreifels on Sunday, Naked Lunch doing their own interpretation of Kafka’s “Amerika” yesterday, Trouble Over Tokyo in a bookstore today and The Thermals tomorrow), this means me getting up every day before the rooster caws.
However, this morning I’ve been sitting a couple of hours in front of my books, listening to the stream of the new Guillemots record, which will be released on April 19th, on repeat. And after the third time, I found myself humming and even singing along to the songs.
For all of you not knowing Guillemots: they’re an indie-rock band from the UK, and already released 2 records before this one (you can stream them on their SoundCloud). I always thought that their name would be pronounced with that French accent, but Wikipedia just told me that Guillemots comes from some seabirds and is pronounced “gillimott”.

With “Walk The River”, the band found the perfect entry song for this record. It’s a catchy tune with snappy drums that makes you tap your pencil on your study book. Besides the title track, also “I Must Be A Lover” comes with this upbeat chorus you immediately sing along to.
Another song I’d like to point out is “Dancing In The Devil’s Shoes”, a slower track with subtle lyrics and ethereal background voices.
All in all, it’s a fantastic and very atmospheric album with some Brandon Flowers and Band Of Horses in it. The lyrics might get a bit depressing from time to time (“I Don’t Feel Amazing Now”), but you always feel that there is light at the end of the tunnel (“Tigers”).

After around 5 times listening to it, I can say that this album really is a grower. You should listen to the lyrics, and you’ll need a couple of times to fully understand the 9 minutes long “Sometimes I Remember Wrong” and its story of denial and refusal that develops throughout the song.
But now: enough said. Listen.

And there’s a story in every bottle of wine
there’s a ghost that finds me every single time.
(Dancing In The Devil’s Shoes)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yef2PF2AteU

It’s one of those Saturdays. One of those when you know, that last drink yesterday was really not necessary. Or – the last five drinks. One of those when you wake up, the sun is shining, you make a step on the balcony and feel the nice warmth but know at the same time, that putting clothes on and actually going outside would be way too much work.  Also, your to-do list is endless and is waiting for you beneath the laptop.
It’s one of those Saturdays, when you wake up with a song stuck in your head. And it’s this song. And yes, it’s from the band I’ve been telling you about on regular basis. Because they are wonderful. And now you can stream their whole EP. Have a good Saturday!

(Thanks to everybody from yesterday for contributing to my headache. I still love you!)

Today, you won’t get to read me going all crazy about a band. Because today is a special day. It’s someone’s birthday.
So, this is for you, my dear little brother.

You were the tiniest thing. I was afraid of holding you – I thought I might break something.

I don’t really remember if I was annoyed by your constant sleeping/screaming/eating/burping/pooing, but I guess I was. Also, you and our sister took all the attention from me, which is why I envied you for quite a while. But all of that is just how it works with siblings, I guess. And when you smiled and your whole face with those cute red cheeks was shining, everything else didn’t matter.

I remember many moments in our life, even if most of them turned a bit blurry over the years.
Running around in our garden and playing hide and seek between the redcurrant bushes. Watching you do your first maths homework. That everybody always had to buy you a present when our sister and me were celebrating our birthday, because otherwise you’d feel offended. You puking during our way back from France and having to wear my shorts. Your love for peanut butter and fish sticks. Us all together, watching Blues Brothers and trying to throw each other food in the mouth. You playing the piano on Christmas Eve, and us sitting beneath the tree and singing. Me bringing you your snack in school because you forgot it at home (although I think that just happened once). Your drawings which you would give to everyone for any occasion you could find. And your cute letters when I was away.

I missed out on a lot of things in your life. But what can I say – you are a boy, and if that wouldn’t be enough, you’re 7 years younger than me. At first you were cute and playing with you was nice from time to time, but then I became a rebelling teenager and couldn’t deal with your childishness. While I was dealing with heartbreaks, alcohol and trying to find my identity, you dealt with finishing that Lego set and annoying our sister. Then I moved out and lost even more of that already very little connection of ours.

And suddenly, you were grown up. You listened to Marylin Manson and Linkin Park, drank beer and smoked. It all happened so fast, it feels like we skipped ten years. And all of a sudden, that connection was back. One of my most favorite moments of our lives will always be that Kasabian concert we went to. Without judging the taste in music of our sister – I’m so very happy that at least one of you two inherited a bit of my musical preferences.

Well, there’s nothing more left for me to say except: I’m proud of you. Considering how hard it must have been for you to grow up living with only females, you turned out to be a really awesome boy and the best little brother one could wish to have.
Happy birthday, Max.

I have absolutely no clue why so many people end up on my blog through the search-term “deckchair orange stay lyrics”. Google has a strange way of working…
However, I thought of doing all of those a favor and posting the lyrics… also, you can read something on their latest record “The Age of the Peacock” here.

Deckchair Orange – Stay

Is this what you try or what you want to say
You cannot run away, turn back and run
So don’t pack don’t pack
Oh you should stay

Don’t leave, don’t leave
Just stay
It falls back on you
I won’t regret a word

Stay stay stay
You’re slowly drifting away (When we are breathing in)
You and I is what only can go wrong
Stay stay stay
You’re slowly drifting away (The air is getting thin)
You and I is what only can go wrong

You think your heart won’t be the same
I’m way over this I’m way over it
I had found myself in a place like this

I know that night caused you to sway
You cannot run away, turn back and run
In a place like this it wouldn’t be the same

Stay stay stay
You’re slowly drifting away (When we are breathing in)
You and I is what only can go wrong (The air is getting thin)
Don’t give up before dawn
Stay stay stay
You’re slowly drifting away (The air is getting thin)
You and I is what only can go wrong

Stay stay stay
You’re slowly drifting away (When we are breathing in)
You and I is what only can go wrong (The air is getting thin)
Don’t give up before dawn
Stay stay stay
We are out of sync in this play (When we are breathing in)
You and I is what only can go wrong (The air is getting thin)
Don’t give up before dawn
Stay stay stay
You’re slowly drifting away (Don’t give up before dawn)
You and I is what only can go wrong

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNcxDM9alcQ

Break-ups. We know those mainly from relationships. They are hurtful, always in some way. They are never easy. But you can also break up other things. Bands, for example. We’ve seen many of those break-ups, haven’t we? Just think about Take That. Or The Beatles. Oasis. The Sex Pistols. Now, there’s one more in this list: LCD Soundsystem. To “celebrate” this very sad occasion, they played a gig at Madison Square Garden with an incredible set of 3:40 hours. The set was quite mixed from new and old stuff with some songs they usually never play live, and even Arcade Fire joined for a song.

So, if you happen to still be awake, I suggest you stay it for the next couple of hours and watch the whole show: