What I'm listening to right now (this second)

Damn it, I had every intention of this actually being an uber-meta post about what I was listening to right this very second, but then Phantogram's EP "Nightlife" finished. I clicked the little button on my headphone because I thought I paused the album and it randomly cued up a song from Woods so I decided to check out their album "Sun and Shade", because I don't know that one that well and I like their other stuff. So that's what I'm listening to right this second....

Anyway, Phantogram is pretty cool, duo, both of them sing, but the chick's voice is what's hot (actually she's pretty hot). I like the dark brooding stuff more than the uptempo tracks, but that's pretty much true of almost everything I listen to.

Yeah, with all the politics on the blog, and literary references, and show promotion, I thought I'd bring it back to the old school WWLTN days, what I'm listening to right now. Have I made that clear? So here are some other bands/albums in heavy rotation (I just got an office, moving up in the world, so now I can listen to music easier at work, which is pretty awesome):

St. Vincent, "Strange Mercy": I checked another album, Actor, and it was okay, but nothing that great. I guess she used to be in Sufjian Stevens' band. To me she's kind of on the PJ Harvey tip, but she probably gets that a lot. But this new album jumped out at me right away. The first track "Chloe in the afternoon" is kind of punkish and she pulls off the awkward timing of the chorus really well, makes it catchy. The title track was the first thing that really hit me though, the song pivots on a breakdown and when it comes back she sings "If I ever meet the policeman who roughed you up.... I don't know what," and there is something fierce and beautiful about the words and how she delivers them. You know the way you associate an album with a time and place? Well, I just got back from China and this album will always remind me of riding around in Chinese taxis with the drivers picking their noses with their long yellow fingernails as I gazed out the window and pondered what a filthy, seething place China is.

Zoo Kid: some dude posted something on facebook with a video for "Out getting ribs" and that shit has me hooked, really authentic, kind of low-fi, check it out.

Susuma Yokota and Rothko: I'm pretty sure they made an album together but I couldn't find it online and I hate spotify soooo much that I haven't checked it out. But have checked out each of these acts, though SY not so much yet, but cool ambient, Japanese music. Rothko is kind of post-rock, but really mellow, and with two bass players, good stuff.

Sunn O))), "Oracle": I listened to this album yesterday when I needed to concentrate on something and it was really working for me, not what I typically listen to--DOOM--but it's not fast, just brooding sludge with that Lucifer voice. I think I'm going to have nightmares from that shit or go kill a puppy or something.

Apparat, "the Devil's walk": I like this album, though it could get tagged by certain people who post on here with the controversial "gay" label. Definitely on the M83 tip, if you're feeling that check this out. I've got a few this guy's records and I like it when he goes fully instrumental, but this one is cool too.

Finally, shout out to EJ for posting about Shlomo and Plastikman, been listening to both of those a lot, especially Shlomo. And DC for hooking me up with Imaginary Softwoods, that was as good as advertised.