Please, don’t forget the grandmas too –
the ones who buy guitars for you.
Just ask Jared Scharff and his band the Royals.
They’ll tell you there’s no one else who spoils
a child out there like grandma could
or teach them what is bad from good.

(MORE FOR MOTHER’S DAY)

¡Hola a los amigos de Uncensored Interview!

Throw back that shot of tequila and let the Cinco do Mayo festivities begin! Sure, it’s an excuse to get wasted on a weekday. Yes, we know you love drink specials on the margaritas and Mexican beers. And of course, we are fully aware that a good celebration or party needs no real occasion. Sometimes we simply make things up in the name of validation, and that’s okay too.

However, there are those occasions where good reason exists, but we were just not fully aware of the greater implications; Today, we’re going to give credit where credit is due. Mexico – it’s your day.

Here’s a group of guys in the right spirit. Pierce the Veil show their appreciation for Mexico, its people, and their culture–precisely what this now-alcohol-laden holiday is really about. But did you also know that this day was originally meant to commemorate the Mexican Army’s defeat of the French forces in the Battle of Puebla?

Don’t resent me for making you learn. I swear, you can use it to your advantage when you’re making small talk with the girl or guy you have your eye on in the bar. I bet they will have no idea that they weren’t really celebrating Mexican Independence (that’s another day), and you will look awesomely intelligent and cultured!

(MAS CINCO DE MAYO FESTEJOS AQUI)

Stretch out that winter-hibernated body.  Breathe in and exhale.

Ahhh…

Can you feel it? Spring is in the air! Doesn’t it make you want to jump into a fabric softener commercial, wrap a fresh towel around your body and go frolic in a field of wild flowers with a talking bear? Yes. Yes it does. Temperatures are rising, flowers are blooming and The Bird and The Bee are sharing their acutely spring-apropos perspective on one of our favorite things–the almighty blog.

We thought this would be a good time for a fresh start and some good vibes in some otherwise bleak times. Who better to deliver the message to us than the aforementioned LA electro-pop duo? Music has always been and should continue to be about lifting the spirit to new and different heights, and UI is happy to contribute to this grand objective in some small way.

There is simply too much good music out there to be focusing on what isn’t! Nevertheless, we’re realistic too, and blog will be blogs–negativity will ensue. But at the very least, let’s keep a healthy dose of perspective and have a little fun with it for crying out loud! Metric seems to have the right idea.

And finally, if the haters want to have their salt cake and eat it too, Modern Skirts are happy to cut them a slice. If you’re in New York City, see how they fare live tonight at The Bellhouse in Brooklyn and tomorrow at the Mercury Lounge in Manhattan.

We’re taking a concerted look into the issue of the free musical downloads on How Many Licks, your insight into the insatiable interests in the lives of our indie musicians. Guilt or pleasure? You be the judge.

In order to more aptly navigate these choppy waters, we’re going to get a little bit intellectual, a little bit technical. We’re talking grammar here. Because it seems to me that we can look at the issue of the musical downloads from three grammatical standpoints: Free Music! (exclamatory – showing feeling or emotion), Free Music? (interrogative – asking a question), and Free Music… (imperative – giving a command or directive).

Free Music!  The OaKs say a-ok!  A little free music can go a long way.

Free Music? As in, why would you do that to us?  Sons and Daughters ask if you know what you’re actually doing to the artist…

(CONTINUE READING HOW MANY LICKS)

Is it just me or does it seem like we could all use a little bit of saving nowadays? Whether we’re buried in snow, financial troubles or something far less tangible, we can’t help but secretly wish for that certain something (the lottery) or someone (Barack Obama: the new superman?) to whisk us away and solve all our problems.

Allow me to appeal to your sense of the dramatic in this week’s How Many Licks, your insight into the provocative preoccupations in the lives of our indie musicians. Guilt or pleasure? You be the judge.

The music industry has not been immune to these emotions either. We’ve had people crying for heroes all over the place: the existential Hero of Mariah, the Jukebox Hero of Foreigner, the anticipatory Holding Out for a Hero of Bonnie Tyler or the nonexistent World Without Heros of Kiss. But who? I ask you, who could be the hero of our modern times?

How about the Guitar Hero? Can I get a witness?! Thanks Toadies….

Hmm…so perhaps I overstated the virtue and influence of the game a bit. Nevertheless, Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers and Jessie Baylin will vouch for its entertainment value, and at the end of the day, isn’t that what we really need? Because while the game can never replace the real thing, a bit of light-hearted musical distraction can go a long way to salvage a sucky day.

True story.

A friend of mine walks into a record store and overhears some teenage boys rifling through the selection of CDs, commenting on their favorite music of the moment. One poor, unsuspecting lad enthusiastically picks up the Jordin Sparks album and says how much he loves the record “Tattoo,” at which point his two companions proceed to call him names such as “stupid” and “gay.” In his own defense, the downtrodden lad sputters out excuses: “…[but] Jordin Sparks is cute and a good singer” and that it is in fact a “good song.”

Nevertheless, in the teenage male world, this type of defense is more evidence to convict rather than acquit. In order to save the drowning boy, my friend jumped in to say that “Tattoo” is in fact a great song which she happens to enjoy. This was met by an enthusiastic “Thank you!” from the boy and a self-satisfied “See?” to his friends.

After recounting this tale to me, my friend asked, “Why can’t we just like the music we like without having to defend ourselves?” In actuality, we should be able to, but it turns out that sometimes we just need a little validation to do it.

This is where I jump in for another revealing How Many Licks, your insight into the fabulous fixations in the lives of our indie musicians. Guilt or pleasure? You be the judge.

This week’s topic: Pop music and the bands who love ‘em. Leading the fight against pop music prejudices are some of our favorite indie musicians who have risen like the mythical phoenix from the ashes to bring us a renewed Guilt By Association 2. Consider it part and parcel culmination and manifestation of pop music validation. Perhaps someday, people will no longer have to defend their love of Phil Collins or other ’80s throwbacks because a band like Takka Takka have made it OK to do so.

(MORE HOW MANY LICKS: GUILT BY ASSOCIATION 2)