Shepizzle

Menomena has been around for a few years and have a couple of solid albums under their belt. I have been a fan for a long time and I know that I say this a lot, but if you haven’t given these guys a chance you really need to. They are pure gold!

Menomena has a style all their own. You can see it in their album art, hear it in their music, see it on their website and in their music videos. They have a great mix of sound that is aided by some pretty cool looping software. Most of their music is kind of out there on the fringes but has just enough pop in it to be catchy and memorable. I love to listen to Menomena while I’m doing something that occupies the majority of my attention… there’s just something about the music that stimulates my brain.

Favorite songs include the entire Friend and Foe album and “E. Is Stable” from I AM the FUN BLAME MONSTER!

• Menomena - Muscle’N Flo
• Menomena - Wet and Rusting
• Menomena - My My

If you’re feeling daring and you don’t already have a headache, check out the band’s website:

• Menomena.com

Here’s “Rotten Hell” from Friend and Foe:

Portugal. The Man is absolutely worthy of mention on this or any other Indie music blog.

These guys are from Alaska and I was curious to know whether or not any other bands I know of are from Alaska. A quick query on Google for list of bands from Alaska took me to www.alaskasbestbands.com and sadly, Portugal. The Man did not make the list, (Jack Johnson’s Quartet did make the list and no, it’s not that Jack Johnson.)

• Portugaltheman.net

These guys have been able to reinvent their sound over and over again. Waiter: You Vultures! (2006) was a conglomerate of electronic and rock elements with a progressive twist. The bands frequent use of drum machines and other synthesized sounds were a trademark of that album. Church Mouth, Portugal’s latest release is much more traditional rock, with an almost Black Crowes-esque southern rock feel to it. The band cites Dirty Sweet and The Butchers and the Builders as influences.

I haven’t seen these guys live but I hear that their shows are pretty mind-blowing. Now how about some music?

From Waiter: You Vultures!:

• Portugal. The Man - Stables and Chairs.mp3
• Portugal. The Man - Marching with 6.mp3

From Church Mouth:

• Portugal. The Man - Shade.mp3

If you like Portugal. The Man, try: Menomena, Tera Melos, The Sound of Animals Fighting.

Also, here’s a music video of “AKA M80 The Wolf” from Waiter: You Vultures!

First of all, do yourself a favor and instead of wasting time reading this review, just listen to these guys and let them blow your mind. Know right up front that I give them a 10.5 out of 10. For those of you that insist upon knowing a little bit about what you will be experiencing before listening, read on…

On Friday night, I was on a hot date with my wife and after a nice meal at Romano’s Macaroni Grill, we ducked into black chandelier and as the beats from “Wildcat” pulsed in my ears, my head started bobbing and I couldn’t help but bust a move right then and there.

The kid working at the store told me he was listening to Ratatat and let me hear a couple of his favorite tracks. As a result of this discovery, I got me some Ratatat of my own and I haven’t stopped grooving to it yet.

Ratatat is a duo consisting of Evan Mast and Mike Stroud. They produce an electronic blend of beats, synth, and electric guitar that is audibly delicious. I have a really hard time deciding whether it is rock or hip hop, the beats will surely get you moving and the guitar reminds me of Joe Satriani or Trans-Siberian Orchestra or something like that. I can’t believe it took me so long to hear these guys, I don’t know how I lived without this music.

Ratatat has released four albums to date, two remix albums that are definitely “off the hizzy” but they are a little strong on the lyrical side for my current liking. They have also released two albums, Ratatat (2004) and Classics (2006) with strictly original content. Classics has some truly magically moments when all of the elements of sound combine to truly transport me to some sort of funkadelic plane of existence.

Favorite songs include “Loud Pipes”, “Wildcat”, “Seventeen Years”, and “Lex”.

If you like Ratatat, try: Fujiya & Myagi, LCD Soundsystem, The Faint, Hot Chip.

• RatatatMusic.com
• Ratatat on Myspace

I really wanted to post a video but as far as I know, they don’t have any official music videos released. Seems as though these guys are a little bit low-key with that kind of stuff.