Pony Up! is a band I was introduced to when they opened for Tilly and the Wall. Their sound was infectious and poppy, and a perfect lead in to the tap dancing hijinks of the headlining act.
Infinite Mixtape
All My Friends ¶
The XYZ Affair
I’m usually loath just to throw up a straight music video here, I like to find a high quality live appearance, or an interesting cover. However, with the music video of All My Friends
, The XYZ Affair share the stage with former Nickelodeon stars, Jason Zimbler of Clarissa Explains It All, Danny Cooksey of Salute Your Shorts, Michael Maronna of Pete & Pete and to top it off Marc Summers of Double Dare with some giant buckets of slime!
Love Comes and Goes ¶
Stillwater
Yeah, so Stillwater may be a fictional band created for Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous, but it was a fictional band that sure could rock. I could definitely see this band pull out a minor hit or two if they were real. This “live” performance is from a deleted scene to the movie. Enjoy!
Plush ¶
Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots nail Plush
for MTV Unplugged on November 17th, 1993.
Lazy Eye ¶
Silversun Pickups
Lazy Eye
is another of my favorites from Rock Band. The guitar solo was very reminiscent of Explosions in the Sky, and always fun to “jam with” on the fake plastic guitar of Rock Band. This is an Unplugged version courtesy of MTV.
When You Were Young ¶
The Noisettes
Thanks to Rock Band, The Killers When You Were Young
has been a guilty pleasure song of mine, but one I could never admit to, because, well, it was by The Killers. Now thanks to The Noisettes I can listen to this song guilt-free, as they completely blow the original out of the water. This is an example of how a good voice and subtle orchestration can take a catchy song and make it great.
Modern Man ¶
The Blakes
I was first introduced to The Blakes and their Modern Man
from the movie Meet Bill during the fireworks buying scene. I tried finding a better version, but this is the best I could come up with. Oh, by the way, see Meet Bill, it’s quirky, it’s funny, it’s got hot chicks … plus Aaron Eckhart’s chin.
Young Folks ¶
Dawn Landes and the WST Band
Pete, Bjorn & John’s original Young Folks
may just be the most infectious song this side of Tilly & the Wall. Dawn Landes’ bluegrass cover may not have me whistling along, but it’s certainly quirky and fun in entirely different ways. I love the contrast between the elder WST Band singing a song, well, about young folks…
Such Great Heights ¶
Ben Folds
Supposedly Ben Folds had forgotten he was to be on this program that day and cover a popular song, so he turned on his iPod and The Postal Service’s Such Great Heights
was his most recently listened to song.
Since U Been Gone ¶
Ted Leo
I’ve always thought Kelly Clarkson’s Since U Been Gone
was a decently catchy song, if a bit overproduced. Here Ted Leo strips the song to its core, and at that core we find the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Maps
…