Rock It Hardcore

I was supposed to help my mom and step-dad move into their revitalized home this weekend. Unfortunately, as apparently all things involving contractors, construction, and houses go, it's not finished on time and got pushed back to next weekend, to the chagrin of my roommate*. So, now that carpet is going in at the end of this week and they move in next weekend, I was invited down for this:


(Poster designed by the lovely Emily Neveau of Calico Horse)

I do random stuff for Calico's record label. I've had a chance to hang out with the everyone several times and they're a really rad bunch (even this guy, who ruins movies and lies a lot) who make me laugh almost non-stop (with the exception of watching depressing documentaries - again the fault of movie ruiner up there).

But that's not really the point of this post.

The point is that I also saw MGMT - who put out what is my new favorite record:



They also put on a seriously awesome live show. With vocals eerily similar to beloved rocker Jack White, tone straight outta ArcadeFire-ville, and energy + chops to convincingly pull it off as their own sound, they put on my favorite set of the year thus far (even if it is only 28 days old).

The similarity to White and AF really struck me while watching them, because it's a sound I didn't initially hear in their studio album. On second and third listen, though - it's definitely there, but their live set accentuated those features.

The album is more full of subtleties - the asian flute inspired opening phrase and bridge of Electric Feel (the rest of which is more 80's synth), the organ build in Future Reflections and Time to Pretend, but out of the entire album, this is my favorite:



I love the distortion, the synth keys, the melody. Any song that can make me automatically start dancing in my chair is a winner in my book - and this song does it in spades. Love.

*Who has seriously been nothing but patient. I'm pretty sure the only reason she hasn't stabbed me in the middle of the night for my cat still being in the apartment is precisely because the cat is in my room and she'd die of allergic reaction in 2.5 seconds upon entering.