how royce rolls.

royce
tuff love
galapagos4

like the chicago wind they rushed in on, royce are cool and breezy. their second album, tuff love, is actually not that tough to love given it’s streetwise bark and electro bite. what sets these guys apart from similar up-and-coming artists like the streets are the surprisingly semi-sweet indie moments which could make even experimental veterans like yo la tengo, tango. blast this in your headphones while you strut down the steamy mean streets of the city. you’ll feel tough and maybe even a little bit pretty.

http://www.roycelove.com/

hear 'em.

reality serum: s/t.
supple records.

remember when rock infused rap was still an innovative idea? before the red hot chili peppers and the beastie boys had bored us all with a hundred albums each, and bands like system of a down, limp bizkit, (etc., etc., etc.) shamed the whole scene? yeah, me either.

but in the wake of that whole mess, braver bands are beginning to explore the unknown, trippy waters of ambient hip hop. reality serum have joined the likes of other genre-melding acts like tricky and 311 (in their amber days). with lickety-split lyrics spit over soothing tunes and hypnotic background vocals, this self-titled ep could easily be the dreamy sequel to the judgement night soundtrack.

enjoy yourself: http://www.myspace.com/realityserum

heart factory to close.

sleater-kinney
@ webster hall
8.02.06

set list: start together, the fox , the drama you've been craving , wilderness, jumpers, light rail coyote, night light, ironclad, rollercoaster, hot rock, what's mine is yours, youth decay, modern girl, let's call it love, entertain, sympathy, dig me out, ballad of a ladyman, oh!, call the doctor, get up, words + guitar, turn it on, one more hour.

dear janet, corin + carrie,

over the last eleven years, you have grown from your raw riot grrrl roots into modern rock n’ roll masterminds. i love you because you always sound like you. i love you because no one else sounds like you. i love you because you scream and jump and kick, even when my city’s simmering with the sweat of a hundred hipsters. i love you because you saved my favorite song for last. and no, you don't have to leave for us to want you here to stay.

xo.

rip: http://www.sleater-kinney.com/

polly says her back hurts.

pj harvey: on tour...
please leave quietly
island

the first time i saw pj harvey perform “rid of me” live, i thought i would melt into a pool of color, like in some surreal scene from amelie. though the exact details of that moment have since been blurred over time, the moment still retains enough magic in my mind, that i was hesitant to spoil it by watching the live recordings collected on “please leave quietly.” but, like nick, i caved.

this is not your typical concert dvd. in music video fashion, the songs have been pieced together from various live snippets filmed during her most recent, "uh huh her," tour. interspersed with backstage footage of harvey and her bandmates rehearsing, partying, and unraveling, all rough edges are kept in tact, and the end result is more artsy collage than glossy montage. the disc offers a rare and refreshingly honest portrayal of the stunning woman stripped of her all onstage glamour. plus there’s the added bonus of the unreleased and irresistibly delicious song,“uh huh her,” (which was unfortunately not included on the album of the same name).

wash clean: http://www.pjharvey.net

**buy it at insound!**