if you need to know for *sure what’s on the ocean floor

down to quick business:  m. ward’s newest album “hold time” will be released feb. 17th.  thats like a long time from now, right?  well the entire thing is given to us from those awesomely awesome guys over at npr.  stream the entire album live here.

m. ought to know better than to look at any of us with that…stare.  gross.

just because you didnt lock down zooey deschanel doesnt mean that any of us deserves that.

in other news, zooey deschanel and ben gibbard are professed soul mates. ben, i know a few depressed ladies. zooey, i know a few down-and-out gentlemen.

and billy, you still need to hear zooey and ward’s “volume one.” seriously. its baaaad shit. not like iron maiden baaad, but baaaad like lincoln hawk’s victory baaaad, but with more dancing and menopause.  it’s catchy as hell. watch that music video. all the way through.  its wierd; it stars the phantom profit and a homeless guy playing the recorder. and then m. ward briefly tears shit up.

in the mean time, i have another fantastic album to offer. try some Dr. Dog. this is their album, “Fate.”

very very smart.  i hear not just a tip of the hat, but an entire ovation to paul mccartney’s scream in this one. not quite a lennon, but a paul.  but still, something big lives here. to see what i’m saying check out tracks “the ark” and “army of ancients.”

Dr. dog’s driving hooks is not a common talent found these days, so hear the addicting “the rabbit, the bat, and the reindeer” along with “the old days.”  this shore beats the shania twain songs stuck in your head. or my head.  really, i find myself tapping toes to even just the rhythm on this album.  the bass dances, the melody swings, and the voices catch your face in a stare. get the album here.

here’s an obviously trusty review from amazon member and music consumer/critic “M. Blevins” concerning “fate”:

Dr. Dog’s fifth album is a continuation of the 60’s-style pop hooks that have made the band a favorite among Indie Rock fans. Many of the songs take on a playful feel, similar to Paul McCartney melodies, circa Abbey Road and White Album. Beatles and Beach Boys-like harmonies prevail throughout the record, creating a feel-good ambiance as one song progresses to the next.

Highlights include “The Old Days,” whose vaudevillian piano is reminiscent of “Rockie Raccoon.” “The Ark” combines a guitar-driven melody with classic Dr. Dog harmonies. “From” provides a melodic hook that grabs you upon your first listen. The track sounds like an outtake from 1967-1969 era Beatles recordings. “The Beach” features a driving guitar and organ and is among the ‘hardest’ rock Dr. Dog has recorded.

thanks, Blevins.

*pronounce “sure” as if it were “shore”.  it rhymes better.