tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19801637544081307632012-01-31T20:42:35.197-08:00Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.comBlogger1781100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-2692258387676304562009-09-12T12:13:00.000-07:002009-09-12T21:11:02.238-07:00

[Boring Editorial Update: Changed the title of this post because it sounded too similar to the previous post]For months I've been reading lots of buzz about Spotify, the music software that allows users unlimited streaming from a catalog of over six million tracks and is being dubbed around the Blogosphere as potentially the first real threat to Apple's iTunes empire. As of now, Spotify is only

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-75597889359539377232009-07-08T20:52:00.000-07:002009-07-08T23:43:01.285-07:00

I envision a future, after SkyNet takes over and the humans are locked in perpetual war with robots, where the most popular form of entertainment will involve pitting man vs. machine in epic video DJ battles. And while the robots will probably be sophisticated enough to beat mere mortals each and every time, there's no god-damned way they would ever beat Peanut Butter Wolf, because that man is a

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-76191612928041109162009-07-02T21:35:00.000-07:002009-07-02T22:53:46.637-07:00

I'll be honest. I thought Mos Def was starting to lose his magic back in 2004 when he released the lackluster Black on Both Sides follow-up The New Danger. Then two years later True Magic essentially confirmed my suspicion. Of course, now that he is free from his deal with Geffen Records (which would never have happened without the demise of Rawkus) he returns from the dead with The Ecstatic (

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-73981375756157308482009-07-01T21:09:00.000-07:002009-07-01T22:24:37.390-07:00

Don't let anyone try to tell you that music labels are dying. It's simply not true. The correct declaration should be that dumb (i.e. large) music labels are dying, but smart ones are thriving. Just because the business model changed doesn't mean it's impossible to succeed. The smart labels, like Merge and Stones Throw, are the ones who keep growing, steadily adding high quality music to their

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-59454822784551612842009-06-30T22:19:00.001-07:002009-06-30T22:39:14.118-07:00

I'm not really sure this clip needs any setup. It's two musical giants playing one of the most iconic songs ever written. Is there any way the result wouldn't be amazing? Probably not.I will say that having experienced Paul McCartney headline Coachella two months ago, the dude can certainly still do all his old Beatles songs justice. Throw in the frenetic guitar stylings of Neil Young, and "A Day

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-78536873226820808532009-06-27T12:33:00.000-07:002009-06-27T13:41:05.138-07:00

By now the death of Michael Jackson has started to sink in for many people. Yes, he really is gone forever. Yes, it was far too soon. And yes, it's normal to feel a little guilty for our collective roles in hastening his late career demise.It's that last part that makes his death a little more melancholic than it should be. This was a man who was arguably the most famous person on the planet for

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-21710699029266526802009-05-03T16:15:00.000-07:002009-05-03T21:36:33.694-07:00

...and I am back from the longest sabbatical ever. No need to explain myself, other than to say over the past two months I've lacked time, inspiration, and motivation to maintain this blog. Luckily, my recent hard drive reformat (thank you, Windows Vista) caused me to reevaluate my music library and has given me some long awaited ideas.Of course, it wouldn't feel right if I didn't make my fist

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-20943813727140412932009-02-25T07:22:00.001-08:002009-02-25T19:25:13.331-08:00

I usually don't like it when bands cover classic songs for any kind of commercial release. It's understandable that a band/artist would perform a cover during a concert, paying homage to your influences is only natural, but releasing said cover for sale is almost like admitting that your version is better than the original. I know that isn't normally the intent, but artists have to know once the

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-10185894223147941602009-02-22T12:54:00.000-08:002009-02-25T19:28:51.262-08:00

It's very easy to dismiss a band just because their name sounds stupid. Often times it's easy to infer many things about a band based solely on their name. For example, if you came across a CD-R with the name Napalm Death written on the front in Sharpie pen it's safe to assume the music found within said CD would be very dark, aggressive and loud (with an ample amount of grunting). . .and you'd

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-44482356815581999382009-02-05T21:32:00.000-08:002009-02-25T19:29:26.989-08:00

With apologies to Lollapalooza, no music festivals in the US generate more wild lineup speculation and irrational emotional attachment from its fans than Coachella and Bonnaroo. I don't understand why that is, since each festival occurs at opposite ends of the country, but many of the die-hard fans feel like they need to put down one in order to praise the other. I guess when you gotta pony up

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-67286719431161150382009-01-19T10:34:00.001-08:002009-02-25T19:39:16.020-08:00

After a four year hiatus, U2 is finally ready to unveil new music to the rest of the world. "Get On Your Boots" marks the first shot of what is sure to be a two or three month mega-promotional blitz for the supergroup's 12th studio album, No Line on the Horizon (available March 3rd in the US). So, get ready to see these guys plastered all over the place for the foreseeable future.As an

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-53054151363849170292008-12-31T15:51:00.000-08:002009-01-01T12:40:38.161-08:00

5. Q-Tip - The Renaissance: While people waited 17 years to be disappointed by Chinese Democracy, fans of Q-Tip waited over nine years for the oft-delayed follow-up to his solo debut Amplified. Luckily the similarities between the two albums end there, since The Renaissance is a tightly-focused collection of Funk/Jazz/Soul/Hip Hop that is instantly likable, while Chinese Democracy is a

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-56099415878223872372008-12-20T12:14:00.000-08:002009-01-01T12:41:52.343-08:00

10. The Walkmen - You & Me: You & Me is certainly not a breakthrough, but it doesn't have to be to be considered a great record. Instead, it captures a band coming to grips with a transitional phase in their lives. Being in your 30's means things start to get more serious, which is almost antithetical to being an interesting rock band. Lead vocalist Hamilton Leithauser decides to cope with

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-3222173074572264152008-12-19T16:04:00.000-08:002008-12-20T11:57:46.998-08:00

[photo courtesy of Flickr user Toshi Hoo]The slow death rattle for the major record labels continues. After 10 years, the geniuses at the RIAA finally decided that it's probably not smart for business to continually sue your own customers. I know, it's a revolutionary concept.Much like their unceremonious retreat from DRM-laden digital music, the brain trust at the RIAA realized their customers

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-75700198389947925632008-12-15T21:24:00.000-08:002008-12-15T21:56:31.300-08:00

I really have no idea if this is the best video released this year. I don't watch nearly enough videos to feel like my choice would be an informed one. But what I do know is there can't be many that are better.Who do we have to thank for this morsel of hedonistic video goodness? Mr. Norman Cook, who spent most of his musical days known to us as Fatboy Slim, but only recently as Brighton Port

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-66157975774338286582008-11-29T13:00:00.000-08:002008-11-29T17:52:57.342-08:00

When Guns N' Roses began recording the follow-up to the immensely successful Use Your Illusion double album they were the most successful band on the planet. Fast forward 15 years later and we find GNR in a much different place. Axl Rose's megalomania managed to alienate all his original bandmates to the point that most of them never want to speak to him again, while the past 15 years has seen a

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-72124517786861827952008-11-09T20:08:00.000-08:002008-11-09T23:18:06.817-08:00

For all those people who wished somebody other than Justin Timberlake (i.e. a black person) would pick up the torch dropped by Michael Jackson, Q-Tip has answered the bell on his new album "The Renaissance." It was barely released last week and already I can tell that it's going to stay on repeat in my iPod for the next couple of weeks. That's because Q-Tip does a fantastic job of inserting his

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-55847636854221928002008-11-08T17:28:00.001-08:002008-11-08T17:54:07.654-08:00

Sorry for yet another extended absence. This presidential election has dominated so much of my time that I have neglected reading my usual rotation of music blogs and magazines in favor of obsessively reading the Huffington Post and Talking Points Memo. As a result, I am embarrassingly out of the loop with almost any new music that's come out in the last two months. Luckily, this election is over

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-20923026300398067892008-10-19T20:50:00.000-07:002008-10-19T22:56:05.931-07:00

I have really neglected this blog lately. It seems that in the last two weeks I haven't been able to come up with anything interesting to write about. Lately I've been listening to mostly old David Bowie, Lou Reed, The Smiths, and early Rolling Stones, and since millions of words have been written about all of those artists, it's not really my place to add anything to that criticism. Being out of

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-68595758890580497902008-10-07T21:34:00.000-07:002008-10-07T23:11:58.279-07:00

[Photo courtesy of LosAnjealous.com]If I could compose a list of the top ten bands I was never able to see in-person, but wish I could, My Bloody Valentine would most likely be on there (behind The Clash, Talking Heads, Joy Division, and others). Finally, after a 16 year absence, Kevin Shields and the rest of crew made their return to Los Angeles for two shows at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-50655539150509480272008-10-05T22:03:00.000-07:002008-10-05T22:08:42.323-07:00

It's time to look back on the best songs from the month of September. Not everything here is something new, but all of the songs had never been part of my music collection until last month. Enjoy!

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-5585572479847110862008-09-30T22:03:00.001-07:002008-09-30T22:43:04.989-07:00

Some of you may have noticed my effusive praise for the new TV on the Radio album didn't include any songs for you to enjoy. That choice was a conscious one, as I wanted to force you to seek out the songs yourself based on my glowing praise.There's always the idea in the back of my mind that when I post full songs many readers will just scroll straight to the bottom to listen and might never even

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-80423257555764133542008-09-29T21:21:00.000-07:002008-09-29T23:10:37.146-07:00

So, I was watching the Presidential Debate on Friday and I couldn't get Fela Kuti out of my head. It actually started about an hour before showtime, when I raced out of the office to get some dinner and a six pack of Red Stripe at the grocery store before the debate began and "Sorrow, Tears, and Blood" spontaneous starting playing in my mind. It is one of my favorite Fela songs ever and its

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-54083311567496766712008-09-27T21:14:00.000-07:002008-09-27T23:04:35.225-07:00

The much hyped, and often delayed, MySpace Music finally made its big debut to the public this week and the response has been tepid around the blogosphere. Now, I will admit that I don't particularly like MySpace very much. I find their interface very annoying (I'm a facebook user) and think too much of their core audience is obsessed with showcasing how beautiful they think they are instead of

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-4224649281677175032008-09-24T19:24:00.000-07:002008-09-24T23:56:03.733-07:00

If I were to make a list of my most anticipated albums of the year, perhaps only Portishead's Third would have placed higher on that list than TV on the Radio's Dear Science. After the triumph that was Return to Cookie Mountain, two major questions trailed the band on the follow-up; could they top it and are they capable of appealing to a wider audience in the process? After listening to Dear

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-69675689941915688942008-09-16T22:44:00.000-07:002008-09-16T23:36:06.446-07:00

Today's song came to me as a result of a friend's recommendation. My buddy Rob called me and told me I should check out Budos Band because he thought I would really like them and that I should post something about them. Now, normally I never promise anything because I take the business of writing this blog very seriously, so I told him I would check out their MySpace, but ultimately I would only

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-71512987719340678182008-09-08T22:39:00.000-07:002008-09-08T23:13:35.046-07:00

It had been over 10 years since I set foot inside the Great Western...er, I mean LA Forum. I think the last occasion was either a Knicks-Lakers game or a Pearl Jam concert. Either way, it was 1998, Vlade Divac was the starting center for the Lakers, and nobody knew what the hell the Staples Center was back then. Fast-forward to last Saturday and I found myself (along with my brother) inside

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-26724094962912362312008-09-06T15:43:00.000-07:002008-09-06T16:25:17.651-07:00

[photo courtesy of the Official Nine Inch Nails Flickr photostream]This week I am taking another opportunity to showcase the most fan-friendly and technologically savvy musician in the business, Mr. Trent Reznor. Why another post about Trent Reznor? Because I got floor seats to see Nine Inch Nails (with opener Deerhunter, YES!) tonight and I am pretty excited. Also, I wanted to prove a point

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-71208570129283227382008-09-04T19:54:00.000-07:002008-09-04T23:48:02.079-07:00

David Byrne and Brian Eno are musical geniuses. This cannot be argued. Eno has his fingerprints all over some of the most influential musical creations ever created (Roxy Music, the invention of Ambient, No Wave, the Berlin Trilogy with David Bowie, producing U2's best albums, and so much more), while Byrne fronted one of the five best bands of the 1980's (Talking Heads), popularized the

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-28928971997439118132008-09-03T23:17:00.000-07:002008-09-03T23:22:40.445-07:00

OK boys and girls, now that August (and Summer) is behind us it's time to take a look back at the tracks that kept me interested the last 31 days. Enjoy!

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-85841942927876647402008-08-27T20:43:00.000-07:002008-08-27T22:55:10.704-07:00

Stereolab might be the simplest band to figure out. Their music follows a pretty consistent formula, with lounge-y melodies built upon Moog atmospherics and layered with cheery vocal delivery (although often time they are singing about leftist politics, the French lyrics and accents certainly sound cheery). You always know what you're gonna get with Stereolab, and that isn't an indictment of

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-18307814745352742552008-08-26T20:17:00.000-07:002008-08-28T16:26:28.372-07:00

[photo courtesy of Flickr user sweetcell]When one of the greatest bands on the planet comes to your town, you do what you can to see them perform. When they come in town for two days? Well, then you bite the bullet and shell out the cash to go twice.It may not be such a cut-and-dry decision for everyone, but if you've had the pleasure of seeing Radiohead in person before then the choice becomes

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-17181663749830794822008-08-20T21:59:00.000-07:002008-08-20T22:59:09.608-07:00

Over the weekend Bradford Cox left a generous gift on the official Deerhunter/Atlas Sound/Lotus Plaza blog, new Atlas Sound songs! While the download link originally led one web savvy fan to discover backdoor access to Cox's personal MediaFire storage account (which promptly resulted in an unmastered Deerhunter EP and the yet-to-be-finished new Altas Sound full length Logos being leaked on the At

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-82524881827285300692008-08-19T22:08:00.000-07:002008-08-19T23:35:40.000-07:00

While the RIAA has made some baby steps in the right direction in recent months (linking up with Last.fm and finally acquiescing to consumer demand by ditching DRM at most major digital music stores, for starters), the fact remains that the traditional music industry is still way behind the curve when it comes to harnessing the marketing potential of the Internet. This is why nearly every single

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-58752522908583364042008-08-15T21:57:00.000-07:002008-08-16T00:29:53.315-07:00

Broken Social Scene are so damn likable that they actually influence my opinion of Canada as a whole. Nobody has as much fun making music and very few bands work as hard as they do. Between recording excellent proper BSS albums, the 19 members that comprise the collective spend their time recording and collaborating with many different bands like Do Make Say Think, Apostle of Hustle, Metric,

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-89841578067090062462008-08-10T20:35:00.000-07:002008-08-10T22:46:37.146-07:00

How come all the cool brothas keep dying? In just 24 hours Bernie Mac died of Pneumonia (he was only 50) and Isaac Hayes was found dead in his home next to a treadmill. Both losses were sudden and unexpected, but since this is a music blog I will choose to focus on Mr. Hayes' too short life.Most people remember Isaac Hayes as the man who created one of the greatest movie soundtracks of all time,

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-26276273112918907792008-08-09T22:02:00.000-07:002008-08-09T23:32:33.064-07:00

When I was a little kid the WWF (er...sorry...WWE) was probably the most important "sport" in my life. I remember always being disappointed whenever I couldn't convince my parents to pony up the cash to order Wrestlemania on pay-per-view, as if any amount of persuasion on my part would ever convince them to waste money on something so silly.But when you're a kid it's hard to understand why anyone

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-24357767779187944732008-08-06T22:45:00.000-07:002008-08-06T23:58:03.410-07:00

Primal Scream is one of those bands that I haven't really thought about in years, yet whenever I pick up one of their albums I'm almost surprised by how good it sounds. Not because I expect not to like it, but rather, I forget how good this band can be.I have no idea why that is, considering they gave us three of the best albums to come out of the UK rock scene in the last 20 years. Screamadelica

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-84619265738454767442008-08-02T14:11:00.000-07:002008-08-06T23:59:38.445-07:00

Now that July is finally behind us, it's time to look back on all my favorite discoveries from the last 31 days. Enjoy!

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-34163400859168075192008-07-31T21:22:00.000-07:002008-07-31T22:51:17.398-07:00

In the age of digital music it's becoming harder and harder to establish the monetary value of the CD. Sales are in a free fall and distribution options are so cheap and abundant (MySpace, Amazon, iTunes, Last.fm, iLike, etc.) that people expect music to be given away, or, at the very least, extremely cheap. So, what's a band to do if they want to release an album out into the wild, but don't

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-6310570541737768042008-07-29T23:17:00.000-07:002008-07-29T23:26:19.583-07:00

So, there was this little music gathering in Chicago over the weekend called the Pitchfork Music Festival. Maybe you've heard of it? Anyway, aside from having a stacked lineup that included Ghostface and Raekwon, Spiritualized, Spoon, Boris, Cut Copy, King Khan, Dinosaur Jr., and many other super awesome bands, the organizers at P4K and the brains behind All Tomorrow's Parties Don't Look Back

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-70407954853568995822008-07-27T19:54:00.001-07:002008-07-28T13:32:06.238-07:00

I first decided to listen to this band based solely on that totally freaking rad album cover. I mean, wouldn't you listen to a band that looked like that? It's really a no-brainer, if you ask me.For those who aren't familiar with King Khan, his story is kind of a confusing one to wrap your head around. For the last 14 years or so he's been involved with various garage and psychedelic rock outfits

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-39712220777644628302008-07-21T20:49:00.000-07:002008-07-21T23:49:06.683-07:00

I haven't posted a Song of the Day in a while, so today I decided to give you a little treat by posting two, so I will keep the words short.The only things that need to be said about these songs is they kick ass. Say what you want about contemporary U2 (I think they are still a great band, and I make no apologies for thinking that), but it's hard to deny how great their early work was and finally

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-55760149594956093612008-07-16T21:44:00.000-07:002008-07-16T23:19:42.181-07:00

So today I officially entered the league of iDorks and bought myself an iPhone 3G. I just hope I don't become one of those people who is way too conspicuous when they use their iPhone in public in order to draw attention to themselves. If you see me on the street flicking away at the screen like I am conducting a class demonstration, then please hurl your best insults at me because I deserve

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-80023907105946523542008-07-14T21:50:00.000-07:002008-07-14T22:41:02.394-07:00

It was bound to happen sooner or later and what better band than Radiohead to have the distinction of being the first to receive "Song of the Day" and "Video of the Week" honors for the same song? As you may recall, I have quite a fondness for this track and believe it is one of the strongest found on In Rainbows. Where the song stood out mainly because of its simplicity and intimacy, the

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-64309154991941291992008-07-13T22:04:00.000-07:002008-07-14T22:41:46.030-07:00

Anyone who has ever spent a significant amount of time in Los Angeles knows their experience is party shaped by their proximity to the activities they like to do (good shopping, parks, bars/restaurants, etc.). Driving the freeways can be a bitch and public transit isn't exactly the badge of honor it should be for the nation's second largest city, which means if you don't live close to places you

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-39256902538055780182008-07-10T21:34:00.000-07:002008-07-11T00:35:21.126-07:00

Anytime Beck releases a new album many people can't help but take notice. When your first two albums achieve almost universal critical praise and massive commercial success, there's a level of instant street cred that comes with it and almost never fades. So, in that respect, it will never be hard for him to attract the attention of a wide audience anytime he wants. Most musicians wish they had

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-66308734994982522202008-07-07T21:27:00.000-07:002008-07-07T23:20:14.605-07:00

Wire is one of those bands who could never be accused of complacency. Nor would anyone be foolish enough to confuse them for nostalgists. Even though they've been around for over 30 years and continue to influence newer legions of musical followers, they always seem to be looking forward."One of Us" is no exception, as it sounds different from any of Wire's previous output. It's pop sensibilities

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-5556175583216383252008-07-04T12:18:00.000-07:002008-07-04T13:07:25.353-07:00

It's a couple of days late, but I finally put together a playlist of my favorite jams from the month of June. Instead of using Muxtape (which is a fabulous website, BTW) I decided to follow a suggestion from last month's comments and use Mixwit instead. I like the idea of being able to embed all the songs on this blog so that you can peruse other posts without the need to have two pages open at

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-3556819854415788622008-07-01T14:30:00.000-07:002008-07-01T14:30:01.490-07:00

I love Krautrock. Ever since I was introduced to the genre a couple of years ago I've been a sponge for anything new (to me) that came from that era. For my money, you'd be hard pressed to find a period of music history more rife with experimentation than whatever craziness was going on throughout Germany in the late 60's and early 70's. Bands like Can, Neu!, Kraftwerk, and Faust incorporated

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-72155522415478662562008-06-30T22:08:00.000-07:002008-06-30T23:17:42.802-07:00

[Photo courtesy of the official Nine Inch Nails flickr pageTrent Reznor is on fire. Pure and simple, the man has been reborn ever since he was emancipated from his record deal and decided life as a musical free agent suits him well. Not only has his musical output exploded, but in a matter of months he's become the most web-savvy musician on the planet. NIN.com has evolved from a mere band

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-4637047718113955242008-06-26T22:40:00.001-07:002008-06-26T23:04:33.629-07:00

So, by now most of you have heard about the major shitstorm caused by this video clip that's been floating around the Internet over the past few days. Shaq, in another attempt to convince America of his "talent" as an MC, decided to grab the mic at a New York club and lay down a freestyle rap about how great he is and how much Kobe Bryant sucks. If you haven't seen it then you would be wise to

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-53686940240759546922008-06-23T21:28:00.000-07:002008-06-23T22:02:28.220-07:00

This isn't directly related to music, but George Carlin was such an important pop culture figure that his death is felt throughout all forms of entertainment. Aside from being one of the funniest persons who ever lived, Carlin (along with Richard Pryor and Lenny Bruce) redefined the art of stand-up comedy by bucking popular conventions of what was considered 'acceptable' humor. On top of that he

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-42479350407577973702008-06-18T20:08:00.000-07:002008-06-18T21:44:14.693-07:00

[Photo courtesy of Flickr user dublabrat]Nobody in the world of music, except Lil Wayne (and maybe Miley Cyrus), has more heat than Barack Obama. Dude's Rolodex is filled with more names in the music biz than Sophia Coppola and Timbaland combined. Everyday that draws closer to our historic presidential election it seems as if a new artistic tribute is released praising his message of change and

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-25384842976547750682008-06-17T20:41:00.000-07:002008-06-18T00:01:58.708-07:00

Lil Wayne is on top of the hip hop world right now. His street cred is through the roof thanks to his appearances on several high profile mixtapes, the critics love him, and his new album Tha Carter III just became the first album in three years to sell over one million copies in its first week. In the post-CD era, you've got to admit that's a mighty impressive feat. So, why can't I understand

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-80497470232482782862008-06-12T21:42:00.000-07:002008-06-12T23:21:47.815-07:00

Yeah, I know it doesn't require a leap of faith to recognize that Lindsay Lohan is a terrible singer. It's not like anybody in their right mind would have high expectations for any song she puts out, but even when you set the bar as low as it can go this song manages to achieve unprecedented levels of awfulness.And yes, celebrities who fancy themselves as musicians are almost always too easy to

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-48475301168597953902008-06-10T21:23:00.000-07:002008-06-10T22:14:16.067-07:00

It's really an amazing thing to see how different the music industry is today than five or ten years ago. No longer is the CD the medium of choice when it comes to marketing and distributing music. Today, digital downloads, social media (think iLike, imeem, Last.fm, MySpace, and Pandora), blogs, TV commercials, and video games provide more exposure for artists than ever before.The newest

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-59992179586014104422008-06-04T21:28:00.000-07:002008-06-04T21:38:43.283-07:00

Before anyone leaves a snide comment, I am well aware the title to this post is cheesy. I chose it because I am growing tired of all the 'clever' puns of Obama's name you see in the media. As usual, many have been beaten into the ground and now only serve to remind us about silly things like "Obama Girl." No thank you.Anyway, what the hell am I doing writing about Obama anyway? Those that know

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-50637668789079313642008-05-31T13:05:00.000-07:002008-05-31T13:29:07.145-07:00

Final Technology // User Testing from Scott Hobbs on Vimeo.You may recall that I hailed video mixing the next frontier of turntablism, but what I neglected to take into account was the possibility that the turntable itself might be in store for its own redefinition. As this video shows, soon turntables won't even have to spin anymore. Instead, they could be manipulated with touchscreen

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-85580330066903401372008-05-31T11:42:00.000-07:002008-05-31T13:05:31.494-07:00

Photo courtesy of Flickr user bradleyloos Silver Apples is one of those bands that seems to have been put on this Earth solely for the enjoyment of music snobs. Their career was brief (two albums in two years before seemingly vanishing off the face of the Earth for 30 years), their albums sold poorly, and the music was often far too abstract for the vast majority of the music-listening public. Of

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-5463739512315428662008-05-28T17:50:00.000-07:002008-05-29T00:28:21.193-07:00

I always thought disco music was far more abstract than many people may recognize. Even though the Disco era gave us "Play That Funky Music", Teena Marie, and ABBA (nothing against ABBA, btw), it also blessed us with Giorgio Moroder, The Wiz (for better or worse, but still undeniably strange) and Arthur Russell. Mr. Russell's legacy as a monumental figure of the disco movement keeps growing as

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-79788868688556284632008-05-27T21:45:00.000-07:002008-05-27T23:36:37.388-07:00

*Photo courtesy of Flickr member Charlie two hatsAdmittedly, I am a little late to the party in regards to No Age since I am a Los Angeles resident. These guys play at The Smell (an all-ages indie rock venue that is ground zero for some of the most interesting music of the LA scene) all the time and I never (at least until now) bothered to pay $5 to see them on a whim? I need to stop being so

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-40790554431624807572008-05-25T17:26:00.000-07:002008-05-25T18:13:47.621-07:00

OK, so there's this Dockers commercial that keeps playing on TV (especially if you've been watching the NBA Playoffs) and every time it plays I am ashamed for not knowing the name of the artist from the song they used. It's obviously an old song (it sounds too good for it to be something current) and probably not obscure at all (it's too catchy of a song to have lived in obscurity for long), so

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-75791325135226247992008-05-22T23:54:00.001-07:002008-05-23T00:14:20.286-07:00

I finally started playing around with this Muxtape thing that I keep hearing about and an idea hit me. Why don't I use this thing to post a playlist of my favorite tracks of the month? I listen to so much music everyday that inevitably certain songs will be played more than others on any given month, so why not share them with my readers?The answer was pretty obvious. So, without further ado,

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-83776970585552861532008-05-17T12:48:00.000-07:002008-05-17T13:05:49.352-07:00

Bret. Jemaine. Rollerskates. Porn mustache. Do I really need to say anything else?For those of you who don't already watch HBO's Flight of the Conchords, either because you don't have HBO (you can always download it via Bit Torrent), or never bothered to give it a shot, or you just have a horrible boring sense of humor, then please watch this video and enjoy the wonder that is The Fourth Most

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-58070422925234901822008-05-16T18:33:00.000-07:002008-05-16T19:21:51.135-07:00

This whole I-don't-need-no-stinking-record-label thing is really beginning to suit Trent Reznor real well. In the old days fans used to have to wait four to six years in between albums, but now that Mr. Reznor is free of record label contracts he can release music whenever the hell he damn pleases. Did you realize in the last four years we have been treated to four proper Nine Inch Nails albums?

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-45739972560439492932008-05-10T13:23:00.000-07:002008-05-10T17:00:33.398-07:00

After almost two weeks have passed, now comes my final installment of my Coachella recap. I would've done it sooner, but I think I am coming down with a cold, so the motivation to post isn't that strong at the moment. Plenty of stuff happened on Sunday that made the day memorable, even if the pure awesomeness of Saturday made the day a little bit of a let down in comparison.Me and my brother got

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-2726771456430347452008-05-07T19:52:00.000-07:002008-05-07T21:38:36.913-07:00

Friday was a good warm-up for the more anticipated moments of the festival. While on the first day I spent most of my time in the the Gobi, Mojave and Saraha tents, Saturday was all about positioning myself in a prime spot for the Kraftwerk-Portishead-Prince trifecta that was to close out the main stage.Now, in order to convey my experiences of the day accurately it is important to understand one

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-67618846099342101302008-04-30T21:42:00.000-07:002008-05-01T00:13:00.491-07:00

There's no weekend quite like Coachella weekend. You spend so much time getting familiar with the obscure bands on the lineup, immersing yourself in the music of your favorites and planning which ones you must see and which ones you can skip. Then, the last weekend in April finally arrives and everything happens so quickly that it takes a few extra days to realize what you just saw. That's where

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-59383991711087956322008-04-23T20:07:00.000-07:002008-04-23T22:43:55.315-07:00

One of the most important decisions to make when planning each day of the Coachella festival is determining how early you need to be inside the venue. Most people don't start showing up until around 3PM, but I like to show up earlier since a) the line to get inside is shorter and b) there's always somebody good playing around 1:00 or 2:00. On Friday, early entrants should make sure to watch

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-82212959547343621562008-04-22T20:51:00.000-07:002008-04-22T23:28:09.169-07:00

As readers of this blog know, Coachella is a mere two days away (btw, if any readers are planning to attend, drop me a line) and that means the return of Portishead to US shores is imminent. It's been 10 years since the Bristol trio have performed in America and even longer (11 years) since the release of their last album. Needless to say, I'm brimming with anticipation for their performance on

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-30733803942302683512008-04-20T17:33:00.000-07:002008-04-20T23:22:01.513-07:00

For those of you who don't know, Record Store Day was a simultaneous celebration of independent record store culture that took place in stores across the nation and the UK. Here in Los Angeles that meant the place to be yesterday was Amoeba Records, where promotions, giveaways and celebrity DJ sets were on tap for their appreciative customers. So, naturally me and my brother, dedicated vinyl

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-2575762006303180042008-04-18T16:36:00.000-07:002008-04-22T16:01:57.047-07:00

Nobody makes more imaginative videos than Bjork. Unsurprisingly, Bjork never plays it safe and uses the music video to create images that match the avant garde nature of her music. Her new video for "Wonderlust" is certainly no exception, and it's arguably the most visually beautiful video she's ever produced (and that's really saying something).Directed by the production team known as

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-439783822244193152008-04-18T14:19:00.000-07:002008-04-18T16:03:57.659-07:00

This year's lineup is arguably the worst for hip hop fans. For one, there's nobody that can even remotely be considered a headliner. In past years concertgoers were treated to the likes of Common, Kanye West, The Roots, Gangstarr and Ghostface, but not so this year. With that said, there's still a few acts who should bring the noise next weekend.One such act is The Cool Kids. Hailing from Chicago

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-3803764844052076682008-04-11T10:47:00.000-07:002008-04-13T23:24:06.183-07:00

As you may have noticed, I've been making some changes around here. I started this blog about 8 months ago because I was tired of telling myself that I should write a music blog, but always delaying actually creating one. When I finally launched The Fertile Crescent I was preoccupied with writing and not with making my blog look professional (since my readership would be small anyway). Because of

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-49991968091849555882008-04-08T21:19:00.000-07:002008-04-18T17:13:07.008-07:00

Jamie Lidell is one of the funkiest white boys you'll ever see. After making a name for himself as one half (along with Christian Vogel) of experimental techno group Super_Collider, Lidell released a solo debut (2000's Muddlin Gear) that was basically a primer for IDM, but when it came time to record a follow-up he changed up his act almost entirely. That watershed moment, known as Multiply,

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-61667228319663618952008-04-07T20:24:00.000-07:002008-04-13T23:57:06.147-07:00

Since Coachella is coming up in less than three weeks I decided to begin a new feature called Meet Your Coachella Lineup. With 130+ bands in attendance over the festival's three days, it can be hard for some people to wrap their heads around all of them. No doubt, you all have your must-see acts (Aphex Twin, Portishead, Kraftwerk, Hot Chip, Holy Fuck, the Bees, the Verve, and Simian Mobile Disco

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-21314171214947961702008-04-06T21:30:00.001-07:002008-04-13T23:58:05.478-07:00

The day REM signed an $80 million contract with Warner Bros. was a watershed moment for the music business. At the time REM's star was so bright, having just completed a hugely successful world in support of their commercial and critical landmark album Monster, that signing them to the largest recording contract in history didn't seem like much of a risk. Of course, what Warner Bros. didn't

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-57991971319795957032008-04-02T22:02:00.000-07:002008-04-14T20:38:49.410-07:00

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the debut of Yo! MTV Raps, which was quite possibly the greatest show in the history of MTV. Not only were the hosts super fly (yes, I am using early 90's hip hop slang for this post); beginning with old school rap/graffiti icon Fab 5 Freddy and continuing with Ed Lover and Dr. Dre (who were the Kenny 'the Jet' Smith and Charles Barkley of the rap game back in

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-31526927765150563652008-04-01T21:41:00.001-07:002008-12-09T01:56:42.716-08:00

  Since Spring is finally upon us (at least here in Los Angeles), I feel the time is right to post a song that conjures up images of sunshine and happiness. And since I finally picked up Seventh Tree, the latest album from English duo Goldfrapp, I wasn't short on songs that match the Spring feeling I am looking for. Appropriately titled "Happiness", this song is exactly the kind of thing I want

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-43394745071816780032008-03-27T20:57:00.001-07:002008-03-27T20:57:31.919-07:00

This week must be when all the 90's electronic heavyweights make their return to the music scene. First Bomb the Bass unleashes their first new material in...well, forever, and now comes the first new Portishead song in nearly a decade! All we need is for Leftfield to make a new album and the week will really feel like I've stepped into a time warp. Luckily the nostalgia trip doesn't extend to

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-48205981470847814562008-03-25T21:29:00.001-07:002008-03-25T21:29:11.602-07:00

I stumbled upon this gem while browsing The Daily Swarm (as must-read for me everyday, btw) yesterday and imagine my surprise when I read the words Bomb the Bass under the section that showcases new music. Bomb the Bass? Are they even still around anymore? I mean, their last album came out 14 freaking years ago! Where the hell have they been all these years? Actually, the name Bomb the Bass may

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-85623947911242563062008-03-24T23:01:00.000-07:002008-03-25T21:30:57.007-07:00

As I watched roughly 15 hours of college basketball over the weekend (the NCAA Tournament is my favorite sporting event) there was a commercial in heavy rotation that caught my attention. It's called "My Better is Better" and the product being sold is something called Nike SPARQ, which is apparently a training regimen that includes footwear, performance apparel and online content. The commercial

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-13325327173670436082008-03-18T19:42:00.000-07:002008-03-18T21:28:37.115-07:00

So today I checked the LA Times' website to view the latest news and I was greeted with an earth-shattering headline under Entertainment News that read "Prince to be Added to Coachella." After picking up my jaw from the ground and texting my friends in excitement, I decided to write a post all about how Goldenvoice pulled another rabbit out of their hat and, in a scant 5 days, have revitalized

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-75651340848808879702008-03-14T23:43:00.000-07:002008-03-26T09:57:05.186-07:00

As predicted, additions have been made to the lineup for the Coachella Music Festival. Analog synth God Richard D. James, more commonly referred to as Aphex Twin, has decided to come out of hibernation and join the fun in the Desert for his first US appearance in over 6 years. Along with Goldfrapp (who was also added this week), Hot Chip, Simian Mobile Disco, Holy Fuck, Kraftwerk, Justice,

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-85491981227307887372008-03-07T16:47:00.001-08:002008-03-07T16:47:05.665-08:00

With Trent Reznor, Radiohead, MySpace, YouTube, the iPod and bit torrent slowly dismantling the record industry as we know it, it was only a matter of time before somebody set their sights squarely on the other media conglomerate that's been sucking the life out of music, MTV. We've all heard the tired-but-true gripes with MTV a thousand times over. They never play videos. The videos they do

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-29336498025128406972008-03-06T15:36:00.000-08:002008-03-07T15:41:53.360-08:00

First things first, February was an ATROCIOUS month for this blog. Seven posts in 29 days? That isn't the kind of production I expected from myself when I started this blog. Last month was a hectic month for me and I rarely left myself any time (or energy) to write. There's so many things I need to change that I think I get discouraged too easily whenever I conceptualize everything as a whole.

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-50412041081777572122008-02-25T23:46:00.001-08:002008-02-26T17:15:46.855-08:00

There are many great musicians who just can't put their instruments down for very long. For whatever reason, one band or solo project isn't enough for them and the need to collaborate with others is an itch that has to be scratched. Not everything they produce yields critical praise or commercial success, and many times they run the risk of alienating their core fans with such 'diversions', yet

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-60228818451641838352008-02-14T22:54:00.001-08:002008-02-14T23:01:20.382-08:00

I am a huge sucker for dub remixes. Since basically  anything considered Dub Reggae is in and of itself a remix, no other genre is better suited to reinterpret songs of all shapes and sizes. I love how anything that is given the dub treatment immediately demands you crank up the volume and let the deep bass shake your speakers. I love how random sound effects permeate in the background that sound

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-70978768322715586922008-02-14T22:14:00.001-08:002008-02-14T23:02:27.442-08:00

Here's a long overdue edition of stuff that I found interesting around the cyberspace: - Thom Yorke DJ's on NPR. Immediately afterward President Bush threatened massive cuts in the National Endowment of the Arts if NPR didn't agree to give equal time to Toby Keith [NPR] - Death of the CD Watch: Day 927 - Borders tries  desperate attempt to revitalize sagging music sales. [Idolator] - Speaking

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-23689157270914505852008-02-13T23:23:00.001-08:002008-02-14T21:26:21.656-08:00

Remember how several years ago there were a bunch of "the" bands taking the music world by storm?  There was The Strokes, The Hives, The Vines, The Libertines, The Music, The Stills, The Thrills, The Faint and. . .well, you get the idea. I was reminded of that this morning as I loaded music on to my iPod before leaving for my commute to work. As I scrolled through the list of artists I noticed

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-79894023025199690062008-02-11T23:23:00.001-08:002008-02-11T23:24:19.336-08:00

I don't know very much about Dragonette, other than they are from Ontario, Canada and sound like a teeny-bopper hybrid of Ladytron and Metric. If that sounds like a disastrous combination to you then you can skip listening to their MySpace page if  you hope to be proven wrong. But if there's one thing redeeming about derivative electro-pop like Dragonette it's that it makes great remix material.

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-53754231616562225592008-02-06T22:43:00.001-08:002008-02-06T22:46:04.644-08:00

Two weeks ago the unveiling of the 2008 Coachella  Music Festival bill was met with much criticism from music fans across the world. Many thought the absence of a long overdue reunion (say, My Bloody Valentine) or a true 'superstar' headliner (namely, Radiohead) indicated the festival had "jumped the shark" or "lost its edge." Nevermind that the quality of the acts is as strong as in year's past

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-82649128202423642812008-02-05T22:40:00.001-08:002008-02-05T22:41:33.224-08:00

Besides shouting my musical recommendations and opinions from the mountaintops, one of my favorite pastimes is watching a little television program called The Wire. Fans of the show are easy to spot since we are usually the ones who can't stop singing the show's praises. In fact, I have never met anyone who would be described as a 'casual' fan of the show. Instead, we are all convinced it is the

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-56191695149572739372008-01-30T23:07:00.001-08:002008-01-30T23:12:15.657-08:00

This gem came my way courtesy of my brother, who first heard it on Mike Nardone's excellent We Came From Beyond hip hop radio show. Anyone who is familiar with the excellent track record of Mr. Nardone knows that when anyone who appears on his playlists is definitely worth a listen. Basically it took all of 30 seconds to convince me that Y Society have some serious skills. After falling in love

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-84213504243252930252008-01-21T21:57:00.001-08:002008-01-21T21:59:29.503-08:00

So, by now you've probably heard the official lineup for the 2008 Coachella Music & Arts Festival was announced. There are plenty of surprises (Jack Johnson deserves top billing on Friday?) and disappointments (no My Bloody Valentine makes my heart sad), but from top to bottom Goldenvoice did a stellar job putting everything together. While the top of the bill could use a little help, past

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-9219884479387953992008-01-18T22:38:00.001-08:002008-01-18T22:39:06.944-08:00

For years I've steered clear of digital music stores. I'm not opposed to buying MP3's, it's just that the music labels have made it too damn hard to enjoy (or even own) your digital downloads. Sure, iTunes has a good selection of music, but if you don't own an iPod then you are shit out of luck trying to load that music on your MP3 player. And yes, I am aware you can burn iTunes tracks and rip

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-76014507585123216802008-01-16T21:34:00.001-08:002008-01-16T21:38:11.593-08:00

The first Video of the Week of 2008 comes courtesy of London's Hot Chip and it totally has me excited for the release of their new album Made in the Dark (out February 5th). If you are already familiar with this band, you know that their music is nothing but a big heaping bowl of fun. If not, then go buy The Warning and listen to it NOW. Don't worry, I'll wait around until you are done. Ready?

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-69989033261904984372008-01-11T20:40:00.000-08:002008-01-12T13:07:58.395-08:00

1.  I know it may not seem fair to give the top spot on the list to two records from the same band. Aside from the fact that Fluorescent Grey is included in the vinyl release for Cryptograms (a big hint that both are meant to be enjoyed in tandem), it's difficult for me to determine which of the two is better. Rather than choose one, I decided it would be best to reward Deerhunter for making two

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1980163754408130763.post-12698486523474221162008-01-10T23:26:00.001-08:002008-01-10T23:27:52.163-08:00

2.  If I had to use one word to describe The National, it would be unassuming. It's easy to listen to the sad drone of Matt Berninger's vocals coupled with the violin and guitar strumming and dismiss the band as a bunch of whiney sad bastards, but that would be completely short-sighted. Time and time again The National have proven themselves as not only a far more dynamic band then at first

Ivan Juarez-Mrazekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15236197901797325224noreply@blogger.com0