Fleet Foxes - - Jeff Buckley -- SLC Punk

Fleet Foxes



Just about every month now another new "buzz" band starts to creep into my life. I become aware of a band as "the next big thing" and I quickly scramble to get their record, read up on who they are and why people suddenly care about them, and then make up my mind about whether or not I care about them. There have always been bands that garner immediate and legitimate attention quickly, but recently it seems like these bands are the flavor of the moment for the blink of an eye and then quickly forgotten and replaced by something else. I thought that only happened in hip-hop?

Whether it's Okkervil River, Fuck Buttons, Vampire Weekend, Band of Horses, Cut Cop or The Ruby Suns, it's become clear to me that music media and fans alike are becoming fickle and too quick to jump on and off a band. The music media has always been fickle, that's their job, but real music fans are supposed to be smarter, and more loyal. We're supposed to make up our own minds and not be led down every dark path some underpaid rock critic tells us is salvation.

It's June now, which means this months buzz band has been crowned. Drum roll....meet Sup Pop Records very own Fleet Foxes! They have everything a buzz band needs - flannel shirts and thick beards. Now appearances aside, I chose to judge the band based on music alone. I spent an hour with their self-titled debut, and found it to be good - but as with most bands that get this much hype - not that great. The songs are good, not as catchy as I like, but still good. There's a lot of acoustic guitar and ambient vocals, but it lacks anything that really grips me and makes me want to listen again. Not a total loss, but not a band I'm going to listen to much. Oh well, only 23 more days until July and our next new indie-rock darlings.

Jeff Buckley



After a mention on the March 4th, 2008 episode American Idol, Jeff Buckley's cover of Leonard Cohen's haunting love ballad "Hallelujah," became the number one song downloaded on iTunes. This got a lot of people talking about Jeff Buckley again, almost 11 years after his tragic drowning death in 1997. Although his career was short, he only released one proper full length, 1994's "Grace," his legacy continues to grow and keep him alive for new generation to discover.

I came across this documentary that the BBC put together on Jeff Buckley, and it's pretty good. Brad Pitt is in it - which is cool. I guess he's a fan. This is a really good place to get to know Jeff Buckley, both the music and the man. Check it out...



SLC Punk



What does it mean to be punk? Nobody cares.

This movie gets it right - it really captures being young and believing in something that just isn't worth the trouble. It's really cool - so watch it all here:



Part One



Part Two


Part Three



Part Four


Part Five



Part Six


Part Seven



Part Eight



Part Nine



Part Ten