big news... like, really BIG news

YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!! We have been anxiously awaiting this moment for a long time! And it is HERE! It quietly arrived in an inconspicuous small brown box. Davy's band, A Basement Rendezvous, has just released their very first EP! As in 5 amazing original songs - plus a bonus track - on a real music CD!

 They opened it together one evening (we missed you Henry!) and it was just the best night ever. Better than kids on Christmas. Watching them hold it in their hands and marvel over it... the compilation and culmination of so much talent and hard work... I'll never forget the look on their faces - it was a moment in time I will always love.  

And it sounds freaking awesome! I don't get emotional too easily, but I admit that I got a big 'ol lump in my throat and a few happy tears trickled down my big, fat Mrs. Puff face. We all sat around listening to it with huge, goofy smiles. I wanted to freeze that moment. 

~ our dear friend Liam Moore, the artist that created all the genius artwork 

and typography for the EP while he was at art school in London ~

One of their most popular songs - "Crigog Ross" - includes the Mouse on banjo. 

The look on his face when he heard himself on the cd was priceless :D

Many of you have heard their songs before, whether I've posted their live performances here, or you're friends with A Basement Rendezvous on Facebook, or you're a local fan. So you know their sound is a bit hard to nail down since they don't exactly fit into a mainstream category... but "indie folk" probably comes closest. 

Jimmy finally arrives and gets his first look at the CD.....

..... and his first listen (and we get a rare smile from him, hehe)

The CD is titled "The Negro Spiritual EP" 

(ironic, because their actual negro spiritual/tribute to blues is not on this EP, heh) 

The EP is available for purchase from several different sources:

CD Baby (hard copies and MP3 download) $4.99 each

iTunes (download) $5.94

A Basement Rendezvous Facebook Page (hard copies) $5 + $1.50 shipping

Rock Candy Music in Saugus - local (hard copies)

Available for purchase wherever the band is performing $5

AND OF COURSE... HERE ON MY BLOG!!! (hard copies) $5 + $1.50 shipping

IS THAT SO DOGGONE EXCITING OR WHAT!!! ZAHHHHH!!!!!!!!

AND.....

their EP launch performance is THIS Saturday, June 25th 

at Rock Candy Music in Saugus!!! It's gonna be an electric evening!!!

All local friends & fans please come squeeze in for this special night!

I'm so proud of you guys :)

actually hip

~ Julian Casablancas ~

So last Thursday on the Apartment Therapy blog, New York contributer Annie Werbler wrote a great little blurb about Julian Casablancas coming out with his first solo album entitled Phrazes for the Young. She actually wrote it somewhat apologetically, being that AT is basically a design blog... but she adores Julian Casablancas so much she just couldn't help herself. I admire such passion. And I'm always on the lookout for new music to reach down into the depths of my tie dye world and pull me up into the present. And his photo alone was enough to intrigue me. So I gave Phrazes for the Young a listen. I was instantly surprised. And instantly pleased.

Julian is the lead singer of the Strokes - a band I don't care for so very much - but he definitely has his own thing going for him with his solo music. I'm not much of a music critic - in fact, I'm lousy - but Julian's voice has depth and meaning, his songs are all diverse styles of genres, each with it's own very catchy edge, and his instrumentation is complex but never too much so that it overshadows the simplicity of his voice or the fun in his songs. There. That's about the best I can do. Luckily for you, I have a link where you can stream the whole album ---------> RIGHT HERE. Then you can hear it for yourself and hopefully enjoy it too. And purchase it. And enjoy it more.