Guess what? Bands email me. Going forward, when bands email me, and I like these bands, I’ll pass it along.
First up, Todd Carlstrom. He sent me a MySpace message in April. He doesn’t remember doing this. But he did. (Quick aside: don’t send me MySpace messages. I read them about once a year, on the winter solstice. If you want to reach me, contact me on this site.)
So Todd runs a band called Todd Carlstrom and the Clamour. And the MySpace message he sent was a very funny and passionate MySpace message asking me to listen to his life’s work.
It really moved me. Which is why I got right on it and listened his music seven months later.
The album, Gold on the Map, is eclectic; the songs capture a bunch of different lo- mid- and semi-fi rock styles. And Todd has a really compelling voice. He sounds something like Ted Leo, if Ted had a couple shots.
I like it, and so I recommend it to you. There’s lots of good songs on it, but here are two solid ones.
- “Hey! Rabbit Ears!” [download mp3]
[audio:http://portermason.com/bassistwanted/files/music/01%20-%20Hey!%20Rabbit%20Ears!.mp3]
This is the opening track on Gold on the Map, and features the battle cry of “the North will rise again.” It’s creative enough to not sound exactly like music you’ve heard it before, but not too noise-filled and bizarre like some music I am often told is “good” by certain blogs. Plus, you know it’s indie because the song title looks it belongs on a Pavement album. iPods get freaked out by non-letters in song titles. Putting exclamation marks in there is, like, picking a fight with the little bastards. So you know Todd is Tough Stuff. - “3:10 A.M.” [download mp3]
[audio:http://portermason.com/bassistwanted/files/music/07%20-%203_10%20A.M.mp3]
What if there was a rock opera about an impromptu party your roommate threw? This would be one of the songs in that rock opera. In fact, it would be the song at the end of the first act, and all the other songs would blend into it as the music built. And you would applaud and then go buy peanuts and take a leak during intermission. And you’d hum this while you peed.
If you like these, buy Todd’s album. You should also friend him on MySpace and maybe sign up for his list on Reverb Nation. If you do the latter, you get some free mp3 tracks of a live gig.
