Are You A Fan of Delicious Flavor?

Natty - Man Like I

2009-01-11T13:27:00.004-06:00

Natty is one of the most impressive reggae acts i've seen in many years. Natty mixes the classic reggae sound with alternative rock to create some meaningful yet relaxing and mellow music. It's so easy to have his debut album Man Like I just playing in the background, that it is almost difficult to pay attention to since it fits as background music for almost any non-climactic situation. However, missing out on this music would be a mistake since it has more to offer than just noise. Natty's songs revolve around pressing issues and common human wants and thoughts that everyone can relate to. The music is cleanly cut and nothing is out of place.

Don't miss out on what is a great evolution for reggae and a great way to bring it back into the mainstream.

nattymusic.com

Here are a few tracks off of his free live EP:

Natty - Bad Man

Natty - Cold Town

The link isn't currently working but you should be able to download his live EP here:
http://www.myfreedownload.co.uk/nattyliveep

Natty's album isn't on the US iTunes but you can get it on amazon
amazon

Wear Your Flavor

2009-01-07T16:37:00.001-06:00

In honor of the comeback i've created a t-shirt design that should be iron-onable. I hope it's interesting enough that even if you're not a fan of the blog you might print it off anyway.

here's the full size URL: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3486/3177379281_96b85bde99_o.png

Cheers!

I'm Not Dead Yet

2009-01-07T16:29:00.002-06:00

I had posted an elaborate message containing information about how the blog should be coming back, and listing my top 10 albums of 2008, but it has mysteriously vanished. My Fileden account has also been suspended. This is all curious since the only tracks I've ever posted have been recorded myself or been available off of the websites of the bands. I wish someone could have contacted me before deleting my information, but i suppose that's the way some of these copyright cops operate. I'll have to figure the issue out, but until then here's my top 10 of 2008.

Top 10 Albums

10. Such Fun - Annuals
Great sophomore album, cleaned up their sound while keeping their energy.

9. Skeletal Lamping - Of Montreal
One of the most original albums of 2008. Great mix of songs, a natural evolution for the band.

8. Modern Guilt - Beck
Produced by Danger Mouse, that's all you need to know.

7. Blood Moon - Apes & Androids
Mixes so many sounds/genres it's outrageous.

6. Falling Off The Lavender Bridge - Lightspeed Champion
One of the most touching and meaningful albums of the year by far.

5. Red, Yellow, & Blue - Born Ruffians
Proof that music can be quirky and off-beat but just plain good.

4. Konk/Rak - The Kooks
Relaxing, tightly knit, and smooth. Rak offers a whole new side of the band that shouts indie.

3. Intimacy - Bloc Party
Takes the band in a whole new direction, a great innovation and good experimentation.

2. Elephant Shell - Tokyo Police Club
Honest and earnest, this is the way all music should be.

1. Oracular Spectacular - MGMT
This album covers all of it's bases. Catchy, hypnotic, innovative, and relational. This album could mean absolutely nothing, or absolutely everything. Either way Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser have figured out how to turn art into soundwaves.

Honorables:
Sleep Through the Static - Jack Johnson
Man Like I - Natty
Day & Age - The Killers
Fantasy Black Channel - Late of the Pier
Rabbit Habits - Man Man
Antidotes - Foals
The Odd Couple - Gnarls Barkley

EPs:
5. Who's Gonna Save My Soul Now EP - Gnarls Barkley

4. I Need A Life EP - Born Ruffians

3. Don't You Evah EP - Spoon

2. Mercury EP - Bloc Party

1. Metanoia EP - MGMT
One track, but it is a journey. Metanoia may seem dragged out and pointless, but you aren't listening closely. It starts out with a rhythmic alternative ballad, then explodes into a rock epic. A small pause, and everything escalates. The sound dies out and gives way to a reprise which builds and builds back again from acoustic and this time to an electric groove. The conclusion: A final statement, and we are lead out by other-worldly sounds.

Intimacy Review (Bloc Party)

2008-08-26T15:01:00.006-05:00

Intimacy hit the virtual shelves of cyberspace last Thursday, so I thought I'd put in my two cents on the album.

To begin, if you know who Bloc Party is, you probably adore them and already own this album, but if not, I strongly suggest you check the band out in general. Intimacy's new variety opens the band up better to fans of electronica and the like, with it's freshly mixed tracks. The reason behind all of the extensive track editing probably lies in the fact that from what I've heard most of the album was written inside of the studio, unlike Silent Alarm and [most of] A Weekend In The City before it. Kele Okereke (vocals/2nd guitar) and Russell lissack (lead guitar) are both DJs, which shows in this album as they were able to really let loose with their creative styles in the sound room.

The album has some respectable range: Basing itself in some louder beat-driven electronic rock (Ares, Trojan Horse, Halo) unlike it's preceeding albums, but branching out into some rather soft familiar alternative tracks like Biko and Signs. I must say only Bloc Party could deliver so strongly inside this spread.

Though there isn't as much of an overlaying theme as in "A Weekend In The City", "Intimacy" is a very apt title since most of the songs seem to revolve around relationships. Lyrically, Kele Okereke delivers as one of the most deep and ingenious lyricists of our generation. Musically it's a clear and exciting evolution for the band. There are many subtleties added onto the multiple levels of sound that show how carefully crafted these ten songs really were.

If you're looking for something deep and edgy, or just something to blast out of your car, Intimacy has it all. Let's hope the four brits continue sharing their enormous talent and experiences in such creative ways in the future.

BLOC INSIDERS:
Familiar with bloc party? I'll give you a bit of a basis to see how the album compares to previous tracks.

1."Ares" SOUNDS LIKE "The Prayer" from A Weekend In The City (AWitC), "Helicopter" from Silent Alarm (SA), "Uniform" from AWitC

2. "Mercury" SOUNDS LIKE "The Prayer" from AWitC, "Flux" from Flux Single

3. "Halo" SOUNDS LIKE "Positive Tension" from SA, "The Once And Future King" from B sides, "Luno" from SA

4. "Biko" SOUNDS LIKE "Emma Kate's Accident" from B sides, "Rhododendrons" from B-Sides, "Kreuzberg" from AWitC, "SXRT" from AWitC

5."Trojan Horse" SOUNDS LIKE "The Prayer" from AWitC, "Helicopter" from SA, "Hunting For Witches" from AWitC

6."Signs" SOUNDS LIKE "Flux" from Flux Single, "On" from AWitC, "Uniform" from AWitC

7. "One Month Off" SOUNDS LIKE "Songs For Clay (Disappear Here)" from AWitC, [Lyrically] "Selfish Son" from B-Sides

8."Zepherus" SOUNDS LIKE "The Answer" from Bloc Party EP, "Uniform" AWitC

9."Better Than Heaven" SOUNDS LIKE "Positive Tension" from SA, "Skeleton" from Little Thoughts EP

10. "Ion Square" SOUNDS LIKE "Blue Light" from SA, "So Here We Are" from SA, "Little Thoughts" from Little Thoughts EP

Bloc Party.net reviewed each individual track in a great article on their blog/site here.

Buy Intimacy.
Visit Bloc Party.com
Myspace

Apes & Androids & Intimacy

2008-08-18T14:52:00.006-05:00

Apes & Androids have become a recent obsession for me. The band molds psychedelic electronic beats with power-rock vocals to create a truly new sound. This band has more range in their one album than any band I've heard before. From mellow acoustic, to hard rock, to electronica, Blood Moon has it all. Though Apes & Androids are a bit of an aquired taste, once appreciated they never fail to impress. With 18 glorious tracks (Which includes a sound-effect filled intro and outro), you can't afford not to get this great album.

Golden Prize - Apes & Androids
Creepy Girls - Apes & Androids
Nights Of The Week - Apes & Androids

Visit Apes & Androids online:
http://apesandandroids.com/
Myspace
Buy Blood Moon

On to other news, Bloc Party's 3rd album "Intimacy" will debut on August 21! You can pre-order it right now on their website:
http://blocparty.sandbag.uk.com/

Tracklist:
01. Ares
02. Mercury
03. Halo
04. Biko
05. Trojan Horse
06. Signs
07. One Month Off
08. Zephyrus
09. Better Than Heaven
10. Ion Square

http://www.blocparty.com

Yeasayer 7-30-08

2008-07-31T14:17:00.007-05:00

Yesterday was the free Yeasayer show. It was set up quite neatly in the back corner of an Urban Outfitters store. The music was spectacular. They had some sort of bass setting mapped to their keyboard that made the entire building shake. The vocals were clean and heartfelt, and the instruments all hit their marks. Overall it was a very successful short show.

Yeasayer is one of those bands that is better live than on recording. If you don't appreciate the studio versions of All Hour Cymbals i recommend you see Yeasayer live before writing them off. They played two new songs which were both some of the best in the setlist. It's clear there are good things in store for their next album.

I took several shots which are viewable here

I also recorded four live videos of songs:
2080 - Yeasayer (LIVE!)
Final Path - Yeasayer (LIVE!)
Sunrise - Yeasayer (LIVE!)
Red Cave - Yeasayer (LIVE!)

I stripped the mp3s from all of these videos which are now available here:
2080 - Yeasayer (LIVE!) [MP3]
Final Path - Yeasyer (LIVE!) [MP3]
Sunrise - Yeasayer (LIVE!) [MP3]
Red Cave - Yeasayer (LIVE!) [MP3]

Here are the two free tracks again from Yeasayer's website:
2080 - Yeasayer
Sunrise - Yeasayer

Visit Yeasayer on the web
Myspace
Buy All Hour Cymbals

Other Delicious articles about Yeasayer

The Kooks - Konk & Rak

2008-07-29T00:34:00.004-05:00

I just recently got my hands on the newest Kooks album, Konk. The special edition i bought included a bonus disc entitled "Rak" which included another whopping nine tracks to add on to the thirteen of Konk itself. For those who haven't been cought up in The Kook's buzz, they're a four man band from Brighton, England. They're 2006 album Inside In/Inside Out received much recognition and was a success in both the US and British markets. They're follow up Album, Konk is no sophomore slump.

The Konk disc contains a good variety of songs very similar to parts of their first album. Very poppy, mostly mellow love songs. They've expanded a bit to grow on their old sound, but Konk lacks some of the originality and variety that their debut album had. However, the bonus disc Rak, is absolutely phenomenal. The tracks aren't as polished as in Konk, but the playlist is stellar. All of the lack of variety on the Konk disc is made up twofold in Rak. Most of the tunes are a little off-beat, and all feel very unique and fresh, which is perfect when paired with the more mainstream sound of Konk. This record is a must-buy for anyone who enjoys the brit-pop/alternative rock scene. Though Konk is a great follow-up album to the original, it would be criminal not to get the special edition, since Rak has so much more to offer.

Visit The Kooks Online
Myspace
Listen Online

Buy Konk & Rak Special Edition(click here for USA)
Buy Shine On Single (iTunes)

Man Man

2008-07-22T22:28:00.005-05:00

Man Man is a band with vocals stronger than any grizzly voice you've heard before. The band originates from Philly. The music will bring a faint sound of very old blues and some other old rags to memory. Tom waits comes to mind as similar in tone. The reason i only bring Man Man up now, is the Take Away Shows, as featured in my last post, did a 5 part segment on them before and after a gig in France.

Click here to check out the clips.

Check out Man Man's website
Check out Man Man's Myspace
Buy Rabbit Habbits now!

ART BY DELICIOUS FLAVOR/N-S-M

Who is Yeasayer?

2008-07-16T16:28:00.003-05:00

YEASAYER - No need to worry / Redcave
via lablogotheque

Since the next show i'll be covering is Yeasayer, i thought it appropriate to introduce readers to the group. Yeasayer hails from New York, and has a style that is almost incomparable. They mix a variety of sounds such as world, alternative, and indie together to create a very unique type of music. They toured (and may still be touring) with MGMT during early 2008. This seems fitting since they're styles are just similar enough to compliment one another. Yeasayer is playing in Lollapalooza this year along with many other fantastic bands, so i suggest if given the opportunity you attend.

Here are some mp3s that are free to download on their website:
Sunrise - Yeasayer
2080 - Yeasayer

Buy All Hour Cymbals
Visit Yeasayer on the web
or on their Myspace

Clip was taken from La Blogotheque's Take Away Shows. For more of their Yeasayer videos click here.

Bloc Party Reveals New Track/Single "Mercury"

2008-07-07T17:46:00.006-05:00

It is the end of a "generation" of music for Bloc Party. The british indie/alternative/art/electronic rock group has re-invented itself from album to album. They're most recent album "A Weekend In The City" was well received and had a slew of EPs, the latest of which was "Flux". Now a new era dawns, that of "Mercury". The new single was released on BBC's Radio 1 after a countdown ended on the Bloc Party website. The track is reminiscent of The Prayer a track on A Weekend In The City, but also sounds of Flux or a remix of any other Bloc Party song.

The song also released with a corresponding music video as well as a website overhaul to accompany their next album. On Radio 1 Kele Okereke (lead singer/guitarist) claimed they were in mid-recording process.

The Mercury Single is available for pre-order now at Blocparty.com, with a 12'' and 7'' vynils plus a CD each of which contains it's own set of goodies.

So get clicking, and enjoy what the Bloc has in store for us in the future.

Bloc Party - Mercury // Stream // Download // Watch
download only available until august 11th

Tokyo Police Club Poster/Shirt Design

2008-07-07T11:34:00.007-05:00

Periodically i will submit designs or get designs from other artists for your viewing/printing pleasure. First on the list is a T-shirt/Poster design for the indie rock group Tokyo Police Club. Enjoy!

LARGE FILE Full Resolution Image Download (6000x8400 px, 300dpi)

Deviant Art Page

Buy Print

Tokyo Police Club Store
Tokyo Police Club Website

Posts tagged with TOKYO POLICE CLUB

Artwork by N-S-M/Are You A Fan Of Delicious Flavor 2008
Artwork is under the protection of the Creative Commons liscense
DO NOT REDISTRIBUTE COMMERCIALLY, DO NOT CLAIM AS YOUR OWN WORK, DO NOT ALTER ARTWORK IN ANY WAY

Summer Bands

2008-06-29T23:03:00.004-05:00

Summer is pretty much in full swing at this point, so what do you have to listen to while crusin' or relaxing in your warm paradise? Here are some recommendations to either pump you up or help you relax on those lazy days ahead.

ARTIST - GENRE
Tokyo Police Club - Indie Rock
Born Ruffians - Indie Rock
Guster - Alternative Rock
The New Pornographers - Alternative Rock
Bombay Bycicle Club - Indie Rock/Pop
The Futureheads - Rock
Goldfinger - Punk Rock
The Kooks - Indie Rock/Pop
Mgmt - Electronica/Electronic Rock
The Mystery Jets - Indie Rock
Scissors For Lefty - Indie Rock/Pop
Ratatat - Indie Rock/ Electronica/ Instrumental
Tunng - Indie Rock

Jack Johnson [6-22-08]

2008-06-23T19:15:00.006-05:00

Saw Jack Johnson at River's-Edge in Wisconsin yesterday. The show was amazing, it was outside and had a huge turn out. Jack's voice was studio-perfect as always, and the atmosphere was very happy and laid-back. Opening for Mr.Johnson was Money Mark and Mason Jennings. Money Mark is a sweet funk-styled band on Jack's Brushfire label. Mason Jennings is from local Minneapolis and puts out your sort of typical acoustic alternative rock sound. He's also on Jack's label. Both openers did excellently and really drew in the crowd.

I got some shots of the show but less than i hoped do to some unforseen issues
http://flickr.com/photos/26809288@N08/sets/72157605777325584/

Although the one video i recorded wasn't worthwhile since it was interrupted, i did leave my camera rolling during the encore in which Jack Performed two songs with Mason Jennings. The sound is sadly pretty terrible, but it's still worth it if you're a big fan:

Jack Johnson & Mason Jennings Live 6-22-08 (song 1)
Jack Johnson & Mason Jennings Live 6-22-08 (song 2)

Around the web:
Jack's Site
Jack's Myspace
Buy Sleeping Through The Static
Mason's Site
Mason's Myspace
Money Mark's Site
Money Mark's Myspace (downloadable tracks)

Music Recommendation: Sunfold

2008-06-19T14:08:00.006-05:00

In the spirit of Annuals fever here at Delicious Flavor, I've decided to highlight the other side of the band. As some of you may already know, Annuals were initially a side-project of the band headed by Kenny Florence, the main singer for Sunfold, and guitarist for Annuals. Clearly, Annuals have surpassed the popularity of Sunfold, but that doesn't mean Sunfold should go overlooked. Sunfold consists of the same band members of Annuals just playing a little musical chairs (pun intended). I recommend you check them and their new LP out this July.

Myspace

Terpsikhore Records

Buy the Wet Zoo EP split with Annuals

We All Have Hooks For Hands [6-13-08]

2008-06-16T15:49:00.004-05:00

Apparently people do live in South Dakota after all. Representing them are We All Have Hooks For Hands. A nine-man band out of Sioux Falls. Their lead singer has some exceptionally high vocals, which give the band a fresh sound all together. With a sweet drum kit set up, they really rocked the house and set a great mood for the Annuals.

The Flavor brings you another gallery here

A Live video:
WAHHfH - The Man Trying To Outfox Us All (LIVE!)

and the live Mp3 from the clip:
We All Have Hooks For Hands - The Man Trying To Outfox Us All (LIVE!)

Here are some other Mp3s from their site:
We All Have Hooks For Hands - Hold On C'mon
We All Have Hooks For Hands - The Man Trying To Outfox Us All

Visit We All Have Hooks For Hands on the web at:
Afternoon Records Page
myspace

Buy their album, The Pretender here:
iTunes
Afternoon Records Store

The Annuals [6-13-08]

2008-06-14T16:25:00.008-05:00

The Annuals, crazy indie-rockers from North Carolina performed in Minneapolis last night. They put up quite a show, their overwhelming energy was kept even throughout the slower songs, and left most that attended a bit speechless at the end. With powerful vocals, 6 band members, and a ton of kick, they're easily the most exciting show I've been to so far.

Delicious Flavor is kicking you off with some exclusives! Check out the show's gallery here:
Annuals 6-13-08

Here are some exclusive videos from the show:
Annuals - Ease My Mind (LIVE!) [video]
Annuals - Around Your Neck (LIVE!) [video]
Annuals - Brother (LIVE!) [video]

Here are two UNRELEASED songs from their new album coming out September 2008
Annuals - "Springtitme"(LIVE!) [video]
Annuals - "Down The Mountain" (LIVE!) [video]

Here are some live Mp3s taken from the video files:
Annuals - Ease My Mind (LIVE!)
Annuals - Around Your Neck (LIVE!)
Annuals - Brother (LIVE!)
Annuals - Springtime (LIVE!) [UNRELEASED]
Annuals - Down The Mountain (LIVE!) [UNRELEASED]

And here's a track off their site from their first album Be He Me:
Annuals - Complete or Completing

Visit Annuals on the Web or on Myspace
Buy Annuals' new Wet Zoo EP (iTunes)
Visit Ace Fu Records

Introduction

2008-05-17T21:21:00.005-05:00

Are You A Fan of Delicious Flavor?

This blog intends to deliver just that. Stimulating your senses one by one.

Features to be a part of Delicious Flavor:

- Guest Writers
- Concert Reviews / Info
- Live photography & video
- Live Mp3s
- Mp3 suggestions
- Music Video/Other Video premieres
- Mixtapes
- Artist/Album reviews
- Personally or donated Band Artwork
- Printable T-shirt/Poster Designs
- Interviews

All this is coming June 2008