what i'm listening to lately 1.0

Manchester's Working For a Nuclear Free City played their first shows ever in NYC this week. I tagged along to one of them as a friend's +1 because of the "free" thing, you know, but ended up actually... really digging the band and sort of can't stop listening to them since.


Working For a Nuclear Free City -- Rocket

WFaNFC play layered guitar-driven synth-y dream pop (?) that's somehow both shoegazey and dancey and incorporates influences from more weird shit than I can comprehend. Mysteriously, most of their songs seem to work as the soundtrack to the entirety of my Friday night, from the getting-ready-drinking-vodka-red-bull part, to the dark-bar-bright-lights-dancing part, to the mopey subway ride home alone, to the part where i drink half a Brita filter of water and lay on my floor with my huge DJ headphones staring up at the ceiling which is still kind of spinning while bemoaning my existence but secretly being pretty content about how awesome my headphones are and how awesome whatever I'm listening to sounds right then (you do it too, shut up.) (Also, for those of you that know the weird crap I listen to, Pitchfork gave them a 7.8/10, so it's not like I'm alone in loving their sound, either.)

If you missed WFaNFC at Music Hall of Williamsburg yesterday, they're playing a handful of showcases at SXSW, so try to catch them there. Or just check them out (and stream a lot more of their songs) at Myspace.

Canadian Blast BBQ at SXSW

Are you going to be at SXSW?  Not so keen on Rachael Ray?  You should probably come to the Canadian Blast BBQ.  Even if you're not Canadian you're welcome, as long as you have a SXSW badge, 'sall good.  Canadians are nice people, and also, the bands playing are pretty damn awesome:

United Steel Workers of Montreal

The Pack AD

City and Colour (which is the surprisingly cool acoustic side project of Dallas Green, lead singer of Ontario hardcore outfit Alexisonfire)

Hot Springs (who we at Frontside here are particularly fond of, despite the fact that they have the least google-able band name ever)

Dragonette (the Midnight Juggernauts' remix of their song "I Get Around" -- listen to it here at hypem-- was probably one of my favourite songs of 2007)

and a bunch of awesome hip-hop, featuring Cadence Weapon, Skratch Bastid, Grand Analog, etc....

Wednesday 3/12 from 3 to 7 PM, under the big top at Brush Square (across from the Austin convention center.)  Be there. Or else. K. Cool. 

Canadianblast.com

or be friends with Canadian Blast @ Myspace and Facebook

Holy f*ck, Rachael Ray likes the Foo Fighters

BrookylnVegan and Stereogum readers couldn't control their joyful disdain when obnoxiously perky Food Network queen Rachael Ray announced that she was hosting a SXSW party, slated to feature her husband's band, The Cringe, along with Holy Fuck, The Raveonettes, Scissors For Lefty, and more. Ms. Ray doesn't care that you indie snobs criticized her, though. In fact, she cares so little that she announced it on MTV News and says she doesn't understand why you all think she's some kind of "food robot." She really DOES like indie rock, especially the Foo Fighters.

"With a band like [Holy F---], I have to say that it was the name that got us listening. But we're glad we did. They're pretty good," Ray told MTV. "And I don't understand why that's so surprising. I find it weird that they find it weird.... I'm a huge fan of rock music in general — all kinds. I like indie stuff, my favorite band is the Foo Fighters."

I don't even know where to start. Indie rock is, like, almost as fantabulous as Dunkin Donuts coffee! Dave Grohl is so totally yum-o!