Thursday, December 15, 2005

list season: bethanne's five favorite side-projects

Taking a break from the MP3-palooza that is my main gig, I'm glad to give this list as a sneak-peek of what I'm going to be posting MP3s of next week.

For some people in bands, playing in one band isn't enough. Some people can't stop making music and that is why we have these five wonderful bands (okay, technically six.....) that prove that even as a side project, these bands can stand out in their own right.

5. The Good Mornings

Two of my friends in Calliope are present in this band. Instead of the swirling, psychadelic pop Calliope is known for, the Good Mornings inject country and folk into alternative pop and come off as charming and enduring. It's a damn shame they are going to be no more after January.

4. Mayday

Not only does this band boasts Ted Stevens of Cursive, but also Pat Oakes of Ladyfinger and several (former) members of Bright Eyes and Lullaby for the Working Class. Country-rock with whiskey and gin at its' finest. Their album Bushido Kareoke is a damn fine album from this year.

3. The Postal Service

Yes, I do not like Ben Gibbard. But I have to give him and Jimmy Tamborello of Dntel credit for crafting catchy pop songs that not only get stuck in your head, but also make you feel familiar in uncertain places.

2. The Good Life

One of the ultimate side-projects. Again, another member of Cursive is featured, only this time, it's Tim Kasher and the songs range from poppy and mellow to heartwrenching and self-depricating. This is NOT the music you should listen to when you drink since you will feel sad for days.

1. Beep Beep / Broken Spindles

Joel Petersen of The Faint is the hardest working man in the indie music scene these days. Why? He's got three bands to play in. Not only do you have the Faint with their dark-wave dance rock, but Beep Beep's art-punk and sexually charged lyrics are unlike anything you'll hear on your typical MP3 blog. Broken Spindles, Joel's solo-side project, combines wicked instrumental electronic music with dark vocals and raw emotion while gorgeous rhythms and melodies chime in the background. Glorious, glorious, glorious.

4 Comments:

Blogger douglas martin said...

the opinions of bethanne doesn't necessarily represent those of the armchair novelist staff and sponsors [haha..]

i thought the good life should have been number one, and i don't like the postal service at all. i thought the good goodbyes should have been over there [side project featuring marty of the shins-- i forgive you if you haven't heard of them].

1:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

you forget i'm very biased towards the faint. i love those boys down to the bones.

but the good life is a veryveryveryVERY close second. because i love tim a lot, but not as much as i love my boys.

and the postal service was included because i needed to throw a curveball. haha

2:11 PM  
Blogger Eric said...

You do realize that 4 out of the 5 side projects you mentioned have ties to Saddle Creek. interesting...

2:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

yes i do.

7:43 PM  

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