June 4 2008
Gorilla vs Bear's RCRD LBL
Welcome to the second edition of our new guest-blogging feature "[Insert Name Of Site We Love Here]'s RCRD LBL". Basically, we love to tip our hats to the folks posting great tracks day in and day out and chat with them about their sites and what makes them tick, or blog, as the case maybe be. Also included in every feature will be a hand picked list of their favorite artists and songs from both RCRD LBL and their own site. In the next few weeks, you can expect brilliance from Big Stereo and Music for Robots.
Needless to say, we are very psyched on this and we hope you are too.
Setting the stage this week is a blog of epic proportions, Gorilla vs Bear. When it comes to down-to-earth, true-to-life blogging, there are few who measure up. These guys have incredible taste and even better insight into the best and brightest in music. And the fact that they LOVE our bros White Denim doesn't hurt either!
Please tell us a bit more about your site. When you started it, what your editorial mission is, what you think makes it unique, etc.
I started gorilla vs. bear in early 2005, solely as a way to share songs with friends, so I never anticipated that anyone would ever read it. Since then it's done okay, and it's afforded me the opportunity to have my own radio show on Sirius, which has been great. There's really no particular mission, I just talk about whatever I find interesting at the time, whether it's music-related or not.
How have you seen the music blog world change/shift over the past few years?
It's changed pretty radically since I started. I guess the main thing is the advent of the mp3 blog aggregators; it seems like everyone is blogging for the Hype Machine now. That and "blog house" got "invented."
What is your process for discovering music like? Or to put it another way, where do you find all the great stuff you post (without giving away too many secrets!)
Pretty boring answer: I find most of it through myspace and other blogs, through direct contact with bands/labels, and by going to a lot of shows and festivals. And like every other blogger, I attempt to filter the rare gem from the 600 emails I get every day.
What are your future plans for the site?
No grand scheme, really. It's led to some really great opportunities that I could never have anticipated, so I just plan to keep doing what I've been doing for the last 3 years, because I have a lot of fun doing it.
Gorilla vs Bear's RCRD LBL
I've loved these dudes for a couple years now, been blown away by their live show multiple times, had them on my radio show, etc. But despite how great everyone thought they were, their new song "While You Wait For the Others" is on some whole new level of amazing. I hope the band's tour with Radiohead makes them a few hundred thousand new fans.
Everyone says Lykke Li for this question, don't they? But really, how can you not love her. I was pretty into her record before I saw her play a few times at SXSW, but those shows sealed the deal. She's awesome.
I've been hooked on these guys since they sent me their first EP back in 2005. The new record that's coming out on Secretly Canadian ("A Certain Feeling") in July is huge.
You guys have a ton of great artists at RCRD LBL, and there are any number i could put on this list (Beach House, Santogold, etc.) But I wanted to mention CSS MCCMBS just because I feel like he is so criminally underrated, and I just don't get it, because dude is an amazing songwriter. His album from last year, Dropping the Writ, still gets mad play at GvsB headquarters (my house).
I've probably said enough about these guys on my blog over the last couple of years, but come on, they're ridiculous. Sick live show, the new record is insane, they're from TX, etc. My favorite band right now by far.
Gorilla vs Bear's Favorite Tracks
Paavoharju is like some weird crew of druids from Finland or something, and their song "Kevatrumpu" from their new album is unlike anything you've ever heard. And quite frankly it scares me a little.
This is a duo from San Francisco with ties to Holy Shit and Ariel Pink, and based on limited evidence (they have like 4 songs), these guys can write an amazing pop song (see "Hellhole Ratrace"). Can't wait to hear more from them.
They only have out a 12" at this point, but all three songs are epic. "Explorers of the Heart" and "I Walk Alone" sound like something from the Neverending Story soundtrack. Not even sure if these guys plan on releasing anything else, because Gala Bell is pretty busy with her other band, which shall remain nameless.
If yall are reading this, put out that Hunts Vegas mixtape already.
These guys are from Michigan/NYC/Chicago, and their songs are super dark and sort of morbid. Like if the Knife were produced by Burial or something.
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