Cultural Convergence

Jordyn Marcellus is a word mercenary suffering from creative destruction. Keep getting them cheques.

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With every policy, there are winners and losers -- even in a welfare state nirvana.

From the Foreign Policy article "Stockholm's Singles Syndrome" detailing research on how childless singles in Nordic states are markedly unhappier than counterparts with families - in all likelihood due to the pro-family construction of Nordic-style social democracy.

[muchoharte]

[yvynyl]

Ooga Boogas - Studio of My Mind

I’m starting off 2014 right by getting turned on to the Melbourne, Australian indie label Aarght Records who has been putting out a bunch of bands w sick tracks with an early-1980’s post-punk aesthetic.

Earlier last year, these guys took drugged-out New Order and slashed pieces of Talking Heads. The rest of their album is all over the map, in a good way. Don’t miss the appropriately named “Sex in the Chillzone,” to wit. Pick up the rest of Booga Box LP on Bndcmp.

hat tip, muchoharte

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Full album here

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Menace Beach - Fortune Teller

Menace Beach plods along like a disaffected youth playing hooky in the smoker's pit. "Fortune Teller" is a slice of miserabilia, with a kind of beautiful but melancholic tinge to the blown-out, sludgy guitars and bleak wall of sound. 

Liza Violet's vocals are processed then sandwiched in the mix, her voice still manages to cut through the building crescendo that leads into one last epic blast of those bleak, gorgeous keys.

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The simple joys of a song like "LA HIlls Burn At The Peak of Winter" is just how meditative it is. 

The guitar gently laps at the edges of "LA Hills", offering momentary glimpses of hopefulness that then recedes into the dominant synthesizer. 

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Ella Eyre - Love Me Like You 

[presently-kate-blog]

Visit Original Link

Birdstriking - Magpie

I went to a CD store today to FINALLY buy a Carsick Cars album.  The guy in the store said if I liked CC I would like Birdstriking and he was so right.

[fyeahcindie]

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This is a killer song!

Birdstriking, from their self-titled 2012 album. You can listen/purchase this over at the Tenzenman bandcamp. Birdstriking and Carsick Cars share one member, bass player Hé fán (何凡). I actually thought this was a Carsick Cars tune, until I looked a bit closer at the original post. =) It’s been quite awhile, but we have posted on the band several times; please click the birdstriking tag.

[yvynyl]

The Diamond Age - Yesterday Was

This is my favorite track off the new two-track EP from Southampton, UK dream gaze outfit. More of their alt-pop singles take queues from The Smiths and more in order to craft a fresh couple delightful new singles. 

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I kicked in some cash for this awesome pay-what-you-can compilation benefitting a women's homeless shelter in DC. You should too.

Beyond Inversion surveys the outer reaches of punk, hardcore and noise rock. It's got buzz bands (Perfect Pussy and a solo track from Speedy Ortiz guitarist Sadie Dupuis) and relative unknowns that shouldn't be so unknown (Jail Solitary). 

Some of my fave tracks include Frau's "Nada" and Household's restrained "Panorama." 

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It's a Toronto hip-hop ouroboros, as Staasia Daniels sings Drake's "Worst Behviour" with guests Robb and Oshaun. 

[radio--party]

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GLITTER - SPINNING BALLERINA

owt nyow

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Sent to me by BFF and Vue Weekly film and arts editor Paul Blinov, this six-track download-only album in tribute to Kurt Vonnegut (and his Kilgoure Trout character) also doubles as a showcase for some great Alberta (well, Lethbridge mostly) singer-songwriters.

Mary-Anne McTrowe opens it up with the bouncy ukelele jam "Now It Can Be Told" which may turn some people off with its bright and cutesy ukelele. Brenna Lawrie's bluesy-rock swagger on "Dancing Machine" gives way to Jesse Northey's "Kingdom of the Solar Logos" which channels the late-period, decadent, LSD-inhaling Beatles.

McTrowe finishes off the From Tralfamadore With Love the tense, atmospheric "Bunny." She adds some glockenspiel to her spare ukelele, the perfect counterpoint to the much brighter "Now It Can Be Told" that also manages to be throat-clenchingly beautiful.

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Swervedriver - Deep Wound

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Some abrasive, fuck-you rock from the Irish band Girl Band.