Song: The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, “The One”Context: I’m always a sucker for a nice, sappy/fuzzy indie pop song like the new single from The Pains of Being Pure At Heart. Their new record, Belong, is due early next year and should be a treat. The Pains of…
Song: Pedro the Lion, “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”Context: I’m loving the indie rock Christmas songs this time of year. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day – Pedro the Lion…
Song: Foxy Shazam, “Heaven on Their Minds” Context: Foxy Shazam’s Christmas single is a cover from Jesus Christ Superstar. Good stuff! Foxy Shazam – Heaven on Their Minds by mmcizmar…
Glendale’s Snail Quail is part of the same little cybercollective that brought the world Vladee Divacc of Dunkwave fame. The singer, J, tells me he wrote the song after being asked to perform for a local radio show. “I thought that was ‘rad’ and (due to time constraints) wrote and…
Song: Yo Gabba Gabba VS. Daft Punk – Party In My Tummy (Kendo Says Oh Yeah Edit)Context: I’m trying to understand the widespread appeal of Yo Gabba Gabba before this weekend’s big show…. so far, no luck. Yo Gabba Gabba VS. Daft Punk – Party In My Tummy (Kendo Says…
Song: Girl In A Coma, “Blue Christmas”Context: Congratulations, it’s officially the Holiday Season. Today is the first day I’ll listen to (or at least allow myself to enjoy) Christmas music. This cover of the Elvis staple “Blue Christmas,” by Texas group Girl In A Coma is the first new Christmas…
Song: The National, “Bloodbuzz Ohio”Context: This very well might be my favorite single of 2010. Also, being carried to Ohio in a swarm of bees sounds pretty good when the alternative is an airport full of John Wayne wannabes refusing to submit to TSA’s scanners on principle. 06 Bloodbuzz Ohio…
You know that part on cop shows when they read people their rights? You can remain silent, says Jerry Orbach, and if you don’t the cops can use what you said against you. If you can’t afford a lawyer David Caruso tells you the court will provide you with one.Perhaps…
Local indie rock outfit Gospel Claws’ first album is causing quite a stir.It’s not hard to see why the band has caught the ear of everyone up to and including National Public Radio’s All Songs Considered with songs like their first single, “Summer Nights Lakeside,” ostensibly about a beach party/assisted…
Song: Kanye West, “Power” (Remix featuring Jay-Z)Context: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was released today. Another strong effort from ‘Ye. Certainly a lot better than that shitty new Dre single, “Kush.” KANYE by ahasver1…
Song: Dr. Dre ft Akon & Snoop Dogg, “Kush”Context: Dre’s new single really is a pile of shit. I can’t believe we waited a decade to hear single that has Akon’s overplayed ass on it. If all of Detox is this bad the Doctor needs to keep it unreleased. Dre…
Song: Girl Talk, “All Day”Context: So you’re probably thinking it’s cheating to make Today’s Soundtrack the entire new Girl Talk album. Well, not only has been it impossible to download this damn thing from the official site since it came out, it’s actually supposed to be just one track. So…
Mos Def, the Hollywood actor who you may remember was once a respected rapper, has joined Zack de la Rocha’s Sound Strike.Yes, #69 on the official list of Stuff White People Like, will not be bringing his enlightened rhymes to Arizona because of SB 1070, a stupid anti-immigrant law which…
Want to get out of town for New Year’s Eve, but not so far out of town that you’re in California or Vegas?Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers are planning a pretty cool option: a show at Flagstaff’s historic Orpheum Theatre. Clyne’s shows are always a big drunken party, and sometimes…
Song: Mini Mansions, “Thriller Escapade”Context: Mini Mansions, an LA-based trio featuring Queens of the Stone Age bass player Michael Shumanthat, are playing Nov. 30 @ the Yucca Tap Room The Mini Mansions – Thriller Escapade by Vlady Turner…
Maybe you read Spin magazine’s October feature about how Kings of Leon remain defiantly popular despite the fact that everyone who knows anything about music thinks they suck?Maybe you also recognized the first quote in the piece was from a post on Up On The Sun. The quote has since…
Wishy-washy Sound Strikers My Chemical Romance have posted a short and sweet statement about their re-boycott of Arizona.We want to apologize to all our fans for the cancellation of our Phoenix show on May 24, 2011. This show should have never been booked due to our affiliation with Zach de…
Song: Digable Planets, “Nickel Bags”Context: Not only are Digable Planets coming to town, Nickel Bags are, too. Up On The Sun is so proud of how our sister blog Valley Fever is quickly becoming Arizona’s paper of record for the coming medical marijuana program. Digable Planets – Nickel Bags…
My Chemical Romance may be re-boycotting Arizona over SB 1070. Yesterday we pointed out that the band had formerly joined The Sound Strike during the height of the outrage over our state’s crazy immigration law, SB 1070. Then they announced a date at Tempe’s Marquee Theatre (without any comment) and…
Today The Beatles and the company formerly known as Apple Computer Inc. struck a deal resulting in the release of the band’s music on iTunes for the first time.The band’s entire output — 12 studio albums with 193 tracks from the original catalog plus all the filler from Anthology and…
Song: The Decemberists, “Down By The Water” Context: The Decemberists announced tour dates for early 2011 today. Sadly, Phoenix will once again be Decemb-less as the band’s closest show is in San Diego on February 13. Book your flight to California aboard a steam-powered zeppelin now. This is the first…
New Jersey-based pop-punk-emo band My Chemical Romance seems to have deserted the Sound Strike.The band was on an old list of acts boycotting Arizona over the super-stupid immigration law SB 1070 — which was gutted by the courts before it took effect — but announced today a Marquee Theatre show…
