pink nasty: untitled dog song.

dl: PINK NASTY - Untitled Dog Song (demo) (Z - YSI)

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Miss Jackson if you're nasty? Or maybe you like it Nastia. Or maybe you should just listen to some Pink Nasty.

Sara Beck, the waffle-loving young woman who goes by the alias of Pink Nasty, has just liberated two new demos on her space. There appears to be some uncertainty about whether they'll make it onto the follow-up to her album Mold The Gold. I'm rooting for "Untitled Dog Song" to get itself a title, as well as a place on the album. Why? Because it's a song about getting drunk and buying a dog. 'Nuff said.

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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT -

susan susan: 7 things (miley cyrus cover).

dl: SUSAN SUSAN - 7 Things (Miley Cyrus cover) (Z - YSI)
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Since I don't have a TV in my apartment, I occasionally like to indulge in watching some awful reality television with my parents when I'm visiting in the Jerz. This guilty pleasure reached an extreme low when I got hooked on Here Come The Newlyweds, yet it mostly results in watching a few episodes of American Idol or So You Think You Can Dance? every now and then. While Idol is essentially nothing more than a glorified karaoke contest, I enjoy watching it and debating with my father over the cultural relevance of Carrie Underwood and Fantasia Barrino. However, I was not enjoying Idol when this happened...

"Wow. That's pretty awesome. That song could be on a movie soundtrack right now. It really could. And who knows? Maybe it just will."---Paula Abdul commenting on David Cook's cover of Mariah Carey's "Always Be My Baby"

This is the performance she was commenting on. BLECK! But while we're on the subject of cover songs that could appear on movie soundtracks, let's talk about Denver duo Susan Susan's cover of Miley Cyrus tune "7 Things". Oh sure, it's not like this cover could pop up in an episode of Grey's Anatomy, but I have a very clear image of an imaginary (kind of lame) indie movie with Jena Malone in it. She plays an emotionally unstable teenager, and in this particular scene she is riding a red bicycle down a country road after a particularly embarrassing encounter with her love interest. The song stops when her bike crashes, and as she's lying on the ground she experiences some sort of epiphany on the depth of life. Then she cries and shit.

You see, I had a total crush on The Mae Shi's cover of the awesomely self-referential Cyrus jam "See You Again", but it seemed too self-aware that it's an ironic indie cover. I can't quite tell how sincere dear ol' Billy and Lindsay's "7 Things" cover is, but as trite and Paula Abdul as this sounds---they really make the song their own without throwing away too many aspects of the original, right down to the introductory "Sha"s. They manage to take a bratty tween love anthem and turn it into something quirky but not quirky-annoying. And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, they bring out a brief vocal mash-up with Carly Simon's "You're So Vain", likely referencing Nick Jonas. Maybe I'm just being Miley. Or maybe this is awesome.

The cover was created for the Denver Show & Tell Project, in which a pool of Denver "bands/musicians/noise makers/friends" come together to make songs within certain guidelines. I believe July's theme must have been to cover a top 10 pop song, as you can listen on the page to Denver locals' reinterpretations of Rihanna, Katy Perry, Coldplay, Natasha Bedingfield, Leona Lewis, and Usher. This months theme is "collaboration song", and Susan Susan appears to be on board to contribute once again. Apparently they're sort of obligated to contribute because they created it. But as they say "not obligated in a bad way, because it's fun". If you're in Denver and happen to make sounds with your mouth or instruments, you should experience such fun!

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- SPACE IT -

eureka gold: belly full of wine.

dl: EUREKA GOLD - Belly Full Of Wine (YSI)
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I began to have a total music crush on Eureka Gold in January 2007. This was back in the days when bands could only have four songs on their space pages, and I decided that they were "one of my favorite new bands" based solely on those four songs ("Just North", "Over Mountain", "Lovely Lovely", and "Peter Oh"). It's quite possible that this decision was made because I have always had this odd desire to run away to Nashville, TN. I've never been this fond of any other Nashville band, so it's likely that this isn't the case.

For the longest time, there was no digital method of getting a copy of their self-titled debut(?) album. In hopes of obtaining a physical copy, a few attempts were made to message the band asking for one. They failed miserably. Good things come to those who wait? The album is now available on Amie Street, currently priced at $2.30. If you're unfamiliar with Amie Street, songs are initially offered as free and rise in price up to 98 cents based on their popularity. It's a rather lovely system, and my only complaint is that I have trouble finding new tunes (recommendations would be appreciated). Okay. So that's not my only complaint. Ashley Alexandra Dupre somehow holds the number one and two spots on the All Time R&B charts. That's just the opposite of cute.

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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT -

port o'brien: move bitch.

dl: PORT O'BRIEN - Move Bitch (Ludacris cover) (YSI)
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Back in December 2006, I fell in love with Port O'Brien's cover of "My Humps". This was prior to Alanis Morissette's viral cover video (probably the most amazing thing Alanis Morrissette she's done since Jagged Little Pill), so the novelty of a Black Eyed Peas cover was still fresh. Beyond that, their cover was tons more enjoyable to listen to than the Alanis version, though admittedly not as funny.

Well, the band decided to one-up itself. As promotion for their latest album All We Could Do Was Sing, they've recently provided a download of their cover of the Ludacris jam "Move Bitch". It appears that this cover has been a live favorite for over a year. It takes some of the best portions of Luda, I-20, and Mystikal's individual verses, though I'm still a little sad that they left out my favorite, very poetic line---" Oh, Oh, wassup? Gettin' my dick sucked, what are yoouu doin'?" At least the shouty tone of Port O'Brien's third verse matches the craziness of Mystikal, eh?

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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT -

tilly and the wall: cacophony.

dl: TILLY AND THE WALL - Cacophony (YSI)
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When I received the info about Tilly and the Wall's new album, I was more excited about the distribution than the music itself. It's not that I find their tunes objectionable by any means, I swear! In fact, Tilly and the Wall fascinate me as a concept (mostly just Jamie Pressnall's tap-dance percussion), but they've never given me a total indie-boner or anything.

But maybe that will change with the kind-of-untitled album O. Kind-of-untitled? Yes. The album technically has no title, but it has been unofficially deemed O, a reference to the oval-shaped frame which holds the cover art. Limited editions will be available with handmade prints by different artists "giving the band's fans a unique piece of art for both their album and their walls". While this method of distribution isn't "redefining the industry" in an OMG-Radiohead way, it sure gives me a ferocious art-boner. Yay, printmaking!

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BONER TRACK: TILLY AND THE WALL - The Freest Man (CSS remix) (YSI)
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- BUY IT - SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT - WIK IT -

per se: adelaide.

dl: PER SE - Adelaide (YSI)

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Oddly enough, the very artist featured one post below this recommended Per Se. In a gchat conversation he stated, "People seem to have trouble writing good songs lately, which is different from catchy...Let's bring good back." And so here is my effort to do just that-- bring good back.

This goodness comes in the form of scrumptious folky indie with a female vocalist (and occasionally an accordion). My immediate instinct was to compare Per Se vocalist Anne Adams to Basia Bulat, so I guess that means she's also similar to Feist. But unlike both of these artists, she isn't Canadian. And she wears a pair of wings when performing. And she doesn't have an album out. Yet.

But lack of an album won't stop you from enjoying this, eh? If you're in the Portland area, take a trip to one of the shows listed on Per Se's space. It's sure to be an experience, to the degree that one showgoer gushes that, "Per Se happens and something magical enchant the room...you will cry even if you do not feel like it...maybe you will notice you have entered a gingerbread house and it is snowing sparkly snowflake ornaments and oranges are peeled like puzzle pieces..."

Those of us not fortunate enough to experience visions of puzzle-piece orange peels can still have the opportunity of enjoying Per Se from the comfort of our homes. Five songs are available for download on the official site, and it shouldn't be too long until we hear a full-length!

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BONER TRACK: PER SE - Curio (YSI)
BONER TRACK: PER SE - The Liking (YSI)

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- SITE IT - SPACE IT - HYPE IT -

cars and trains: my birthday present to myself.

CARS AND TRAINS is exactly the type of music I like.

I'm a big fan of the undefined genre of semi-experimental folksy electronic indie stuff. This is the type of music I listen to while making art. There's a sort of peacefulness to it, paired with a chaotic element that mirrors my mind's unruly creative process.

What makes cars and trains even more appealing to me is that I can see a bit of myself in Tom Filepp, the man behind the many instruments or sound-making devices that create this music. Filepp spent high school screaming in hardcore/metal bands. He later broadened his musical interests to include hip-hop, many types of electronic music, and folk, such as Guthrie, Seeger, Dylan, etc. I like to think of my pre-teen self who refused to listen to anything but hip-hop until 10th grade when a friend of mine paved the way for my obsession with angsty emo music. And then...well, I just listened to a lot of different stuff. I guess it's considered common for teenagers to delve into subcultures based on a certain genre of music they listen to, only to realize when they're a bit older that they were stupid to limit themselves. But for some reason, this common ground makes me like this guy more.

Filepp will be releasing his new album Rusty String in the near future. You can listen to two tracks from the album below. "Fake Plastic Guns" has been said to have "a bunch of kind of crazy childhood sort of stuff in it." As someone who is slowly becoming an actual adult, I love kind of crazy childhood sort of stuff. Happy 22nd birthday to me.

dl: CARS AND TRAINS - The Wires From My Broken Record Player (YSI)
dl: CARS AND TRAINS - Fake Plastic Guns (YSI)
(multi-instrument electro-folky music)
- buy it - site it - space it -

ghosts & liars: we'll carry on.

GHOSTS & LIARS are an indie-pop quintet from Tacoma, WA. The band is a new project by several members of Some By Sea.

I got a friend request from them on VIRB, and immediately accepted it because (I'm friendly and) my narcissism propels me to desire having a lot of internet friends. Before friending them though, I decided I'd take a listen to a tune or two. There were two demos and two live songs on their page. I clicked the first one (a demo). Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. VERY-SUPER pleasantly surprised. So VERY-SUPER pleasantly surprised that I'm writing a post about these peeps.

"We'll Carry On" is an excellent demo-- a delightful, upbeat folk-pop song that could be heard on The O.C. if it still existed. Some might consider that an insult, but what I mean to say is that this is a damn catchy piece of indie-pop. Basically, you'll be thumping your foot, humming along, and swaying your head to this one. Or maybe I'll just be doing that. Whatever. I think you will like this. It's a summer jam that you could blast out your car window or simply lie around the porch to. "Sunsets on the Sidenotes" is just as good (possibly better).

For those concerned with cred and name-dropping, Ghosts & Liars have played a show with Anathallo and will be playing in Tacoma with Rocky Votolato on July 20th. Members of the band like Neutral Milk Hotel, Bishop Allen, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Decibully, Lucky Soul, Queens of the Stone Age, and Rilo Kiley. Cred is stupid. This music is good. Got it?

d/l: GHOSTS & LIARS- We'll Carry On (demo) (YSI)
d/l: GHOSTS & LIARS- Sunsets on the Sidenotes (demo) (YSI)
(indie folk pop from Tacoma)
- site it - virb it - space it - purev it - lj it - flickr it -

sofia talvik: street of dreamix.

SOFIA TALVIK just released a new video for the Johan Sigerud remix of her song "So Good". Directed by Trevor Clarence, the video details the story of a green apple coping with it's break-up with a red apple. It's not genius, but it's damn cute thanks to the happy ending. "So Good" is the first video emerging from Ms. Talvik's Street of Dreamix project. As the name may suggest, this is a remix album. As in, this is a remix of her latest album Street of Dreams. Genius, right? Well, at least it's cute too.

I'm not quite sure why Street of Dreamix hasn't been getting much attention on the interweb. I mean...as with most remix albums, there's absolutely no consistency song from song, given the various collaborators who contribute their own unique takes on the songs. However, it's motherfuckin' FREE. Since when did people turn down free music? I certainly don't turn down music when the artist literally TELLS me to take it from them. Sofia done did that. So you should take it. I don't care if you've never heard of her. You will probably like one of these remixes.

As I mentioned previously, I highly recommend the Sophie Rimheden remix of "Mother's Way, Father's Way". Another favorite of mine is the hatelove remix of "I Won The First Prize Tonight". I don't know who this hatelove character is, but um...good work?

d/l: SOFIA TALVIK- So Good (Johan Sigerud remix) (YSI)-----------> video
d/l: SOFIA TALVIK- I Won The First Prize Tonight (hatelove remix) (YSI)
(remixes of Swedish folk-pop artist)
- buy it - site it - space it - hype it - wik it / space it -

BLOGWATCH: WORTHLESS brings us the best (or worst depending on how you look at it) of this world's idiocy. The Blue Walrus pops out a collection of Hot Chip remixes including M.I.A., Le Tigre, Bright Eyes, Snow Patrol, and more. Shameless Complacency has a new Hot Chip song.

the finches: human like a house

THE FINCHES came to my campus, and now I'm totes crushin' on Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs. You may understand by merely listening to her voice, but you won't fully understand until you see her live. Her laid-back sense of humor could make any boy giggle and blush. Even GAYS!

Aaron Morgan's pretty cool too, I guess. I think people tend to forget him because Carolyn is a pretty girl with a pretty voice, but there would be no The Finches without him. An absence of The Finches in your life would be very sad.

So you don't really like folk music? Well, listen to this shit anyways. According to the band's bio, Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs' voice can be compared to Vashti Bunyan, Mirah, and the Marine Girls. I will honestly state that these comparisons do nothing for me. Truth is, the girl can just SANG. Yeah, I said it. I guess I'd call her the Jenny Lewis that you don't get tired of after a bunch of listens, but that's just another meaningless indie-bullshit comparison. Cuteness is most important...

Actual dialogue from concert:

Carolyn: So is anyone here from LA?
--Crowd: ::random woos and cheering::
Carolyn: Yeah, so is anyone here from Little Rock, Arkansas?
--Crowd: ::brief silence::
--Guy in Back: My grandfather died there!
Carolyn: Oh, morbid.
--Guy in Back: No, it was a beautiful place to die.
Carolyn: See...that's what I was thinking!

Whatever, I guess you had to be there. One of the songs that stood out that night was "The Road", which featured unexpected guest vocals by Silvie Margot Deutsch of Belly Boat as she sang from the back of the room. This song was featured on their debut EP Six Songs. They currently have a new album out entitled Human Like a House, and I'm really feeling the title track. You should listen to it. When you're done, you can listen to live versions of BOTH of these songs on their website! Lastly, I'd like to say that if you like what you hear, I highly recommend both the EP and full album. Six Songs is available through their website, but you'll have to go here to get Human Like a House. Oh wait. One more thing. "Daniel's Song" is highly highly recommended as well.

d/l: THE FINCHES- The Road (YSI)
d/l: THE FINCHES- Human Like a House (YSI)
(sweet-voiced folk pop)
- site it - space it - hype it -

BLOGWATCH: I suppose this may be very out of place in a folk-pop post, but Kevipod posted the new Beyonce video for "Freakum Dress" and it is pure ferocity like some Top Model shit. Amazing choreography. I'm pretty sure this guy Jonte is one of the dancers in the beginning.

eureka gold: for my friends who have no innocence

EUREKA GOLD was shown some love on here a while back.

Since then, "Just North" has risen to the number two spot on my iTunes Top 25 Most Played. It's safe to say that I am addicted and drooling in anticipation of their debut album. I have no idea when this album will be coming out, so I may be drooling for a very long time. In other words, puddles of my saliva will begin to form in honor of Eureka Gold. I will probably have no friends because of this. However, I will still have "Just North".

Speaking of "north", these boys need to come tour up here. Whether it be NYC, New Haven, Boston...I'd be there. Hell, they can play in my bedroom. Wait. Scratch that, didn't mean for that innuendo. Embarrassment. Must...move on...to songs.

download: EUREKA GOLD- Just North (YSI, zshare)
download: EUREKA GOLD- Lovely Lovely (YSI, zshare)
download: EUREKA GOLD- Over Mountain (YSI, zshare)
download: EUREKA GOLD- Peter Oh (YSI, zshare)

--------------- site it --- space it -- hype it -

BLOGGER NOTE: This means that Eureka Gold has joined the It's the MONEY SHOT!! CLUBHOUSE. Congratulations. This is obviously a monumental point in their career.

BLOGWATCH: Fluxblog bangs out a new version of Robyn's "Robotboy" from the UK release of her album. Mad bitches have been posting the new Modest Mouse.

state bird: where the water met the land.

download: STATE BIRD- Where the Water Met the Land (YSI)
(indie-pop pop pop folk-rock.)
- buy it - space it -

Wait...this song isn't Sufjan? Are you sure? I don't know what it is, but this song doesn't sound like any other by State Bird. Don't get me wrong...it's good. It's just, well, very Sufjan. The rest of the tunes by State Bird don't necessarily sound like this, but I guess the familiar sound was appealing in this case. Perhaps you may disagree, but I don't really care.*

* Actually I do. Talk to me internet.

marching band: travel in time.

download: MARCHING BAND- Travel in Time (YSI)
(laid-back Swedish indie-pop tune)
- buy it - site it - space it - hype it -

As you may be aware, I've reserved these next couple of months as a time to post whatever the fuck I want and provide very little explanation about it. In this tune, two dudes talk about going back in time kind of like Cher's "If I Could Turn Back Time", but these guys aren't losers pondering the "if". They're just gonna do it...or at least try to learn how. That's all.

PS: Did anyone else SEE Ugly Betty??? CRAZY CRAZY SHIT.

eureka gold: just north.

download: EUREKA GOLD- Just North (YSI)
(Nashville indie-rock)
- site it - space it -

I had trouble deciding which song to post by Eureka Gold, so I decided to go with my first instinct. The operatic vocals that come in around 2:30 in this song are unexpected but welcomed with open arms. Apparently, southern boys do it better? Too bad I'm from New Jersey. Expect big things from these boys...or at the very least good tunes. Listen to three more on their space, and a few others on their site. This may be an overstatement, but I think that it's safe to say that they're one of my favorite new bands.

port o'brien: lovely lady lumps.

PORT O'BRIEN is old news in blog-time, but I liked their tunes enough to show them some love here at The Moneyshot. I discovered their music when looking up the west coast tour dates for Belly Boat, which you can view here.

I credit them for temporarily breaking my compulsion to listen to nothing but hip-hop and electro-indie biznass. Now, I shall embrace the delicate folksy sounds of the acoustic guitar. I suppose the sound isn't the only thing I love. Confession: I'm a sucker for bands with a good amount of self-awareness and humor. It all starts with their bio-- "Writing bios is so completely ridiculous because you are forced to write in the third person." FACT. Paired with a not-so-guilty pleasure involving Star Wars and a cover of "My Humps" by The Black Eyed Peas, I have fallen in love with this band. DOUBLE FACT. I am a bit sad that I'm not on the west coast. Otherwise, I would have loved to see them with Belly Boat. I would have learned all the words to "My Eyes Won't Shut" just for the occasion. If the music in this post sways you, check out more tour dates at their blog...perhaps you can learn all the words instead so I can live vicariously through you.

DOWNLOAD: PORT O'BRIEN- My Eyes Won't Shut
DOWNLOAD: PORT O'BRIEN- Don't Take My Advice (demo)
DOWNLOAD: PORT O'BRIEN- My Humps

BONUS TRACK: PORT O'BRIEN- My Eyes Won't Shut (live)

BUY When the Rain Comes LP or Nowhere to Run EP

BLOGWATCH: Silence is a Rhythm Too highlights some of the forgotten female hip-hop artists of the '90s featuring Bahamadia, The Lady of Rage, and Nonchalant. They tell us we lost our tails has two new songs from Natalie Imbruglia's little sister Laura, including one called "My Dream of a Magical Washing Machine". Pop Tarts Suck Toasted has an outstanding and diverse collection of "best of 2006" songs including The Pipettes, T.I., Cat Power, Hot Chip, Joanna Newsom, Justin Timberlake, TV on the Radio, and more. le