Steel Train - Turnpike Ghost Video

Jack Antonoff has sure been in some great videos lately and this one definitely matches up to the quality of the "Walking the Dog" video. Check out this video for "Turnpike Ghost" which premiered today!

Amber's Band Recommendation: The Morning Benders

The Morning Benders are a great band who I categorize as indie pop or baroque pop. They have a sound that was evidently influenced by '60s music. Their tunes are very catchy and it only took one video for me to decide I needed all their albums.

fun. - Walking the Dog video

Check out this excellent video by fun. It is currently unlisted on Youtube so there are only select places to view it. It is so awesome that it rivals the Ok Go video for "Here it Goes Again".

Will's Band Recommendation: Steel Train

I was introduced to Steel Train through their tour supporting Tegan and Sara (another band with which I was unfamiliar before then). Amber invited me to the concert and told me that I might like one of the openers considering their "psychedelic" tag on last.fm. While I didn't find it especially psychedelic, I was very interested as soon as she played "Dig" for me, and I obtained copies of all their albums at my first chance.

Steel Train performing in 2009

Amber's Band Recommendation: fun.

One day I was walking the dog (who stopped to stare at the barlights) so I told him to be calm. I was taking my time getting home when we passed by a store selling benson hedges and all the pretty girls were there and they lit a roman candle with me but I wanted to be the one. But at least I'm not as sad as I used to be.

So I guess using all the fun. song titles in one paragraph doesn't work out too well. Anyway if you didn't notice what I was referencing then you should read on to hear about one of my favorite bands.

fun. is comprised of Nate Ruess, Jack Antonoff, and Andrew Dost. Nate Ruess previously was in The Format. Jack Antonoff is in the band Steel Train. Andrew Dost was previously in Anathallo. These three are all very experienced and it shows from the beginning to the end of the album.

From right to left: Andrew Dost, Nate Ruess, and Jack Antonoff

Will's Band Recommendation: The Young Veins

As far as musical taste goes, I was stuck in the 1960s until very recently. Sure, music had developed a lot since then, but nothing could really compare to the beginnings of what one might call rock. From the vocal harmonies, catchy melodies, and driving yet chiming guitars of beat music to early psychedelia's effects, and instrumentation, I almost felt that all the innovation that was really necessary had already been done. While I've come to accept that this definitely isn't the case, I still very much like that kind of music, and I have a sort of fondness for music that takes much of its influence from it.

Amber's Artist Recommendation: Jenny Owen Youngs

I'm an avid listener of Regina Spektor. One day I stumbled on her Myspace page and saw a link to Jenny Owen Young's page. On a whim I decided to check it out and am I glad I did. The first song I listened to involved a clever gimmick of using messages recorded on a answering machine as an intro, it was entitled "Voice on Tape." The second thing that struck me about the song were the strong yet calm vocals by Jenny that convey much emotion. The song was fairly simple but ultimately catchy and won me over. It also helped that Regina Spektor was featured on that song.