WEEKLY CHART!

Top 30 MOST-PLAYED THIS WEEK:

1 BEACH HOUSE Teen Dream SUB POP
2 VAMPIRE WEEKEND Contra XL
3 ANIMAL COLLECTIVE Campfire Songs Pawtracks
4 NANA GRIZOL Ruth Orange Twin
5 TUNE-YARDS BiRd-BrAiNs 4AD
6 NEON INDIAN Psychic Chasms Lefse
7 JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD Heavy Days
8 BONUS EVENTUS Canaceros Dinosaurs In Vietnam
9 GROOMS Rejoicer death by audio
10 BEST COAST "When I'm With You" [Single]
11 PANTS YELL! Received Pronunciation Slumberland
12 THEM CROOKED VULTURES Them Crooked Vultures Interscope
13 FLAMING LIPS Embryonic Warner Bros.
14 THAO WITH THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN Know Better Learn Faster Kill Rock Stars
15 KING KHAN AND BBQ SHOW Invisible Girl In The Red
16 XX The Xx XL-Young Turks
17 GOLDEN GIRLS "Amateur Teen Sex Attics" [Single]
18 SPOON Transference Merge
19 BANG BANG ECHE Sonic Death Cuntttt [EP] Self-Released
20 COLD CAVE Love Comes Close Matador
21 JAPANDROIDS Post-Nothing Polyvinyl
22 MISSION OF BURMA The Sound The Speed The Light Matador
23 VARIOUS ARTISTS Underwater Peoples Winter Review Underwater Peoples
24 BRILLIANT COLORS Introducing Brilliant Colors Slumberland
25 TOM WAITS Glitter And Doom Live Anti
26 FANFARLO Live [EP] Canvasback
27 VIVIAN GIRLS Everything Goes Wrong In The Red
28 YO LA TENGO Popular Songs Matador
29 BLAKROC BlakRoc BlakRoc
30 R.E.M. Live At The Olympia Warner Bros.

TOP 5 NEW ADDS THIS WEEK:
1 FUCKED UP Couple Tracks: Singles 2002-2009 Matador
2 LOS CAMPESINOS! Romance Is Boring Arts And Crafts
3 COMPILATION Mozart Park All-Stars Breakfast Of Champs
4 EELS End Times Vagrant
5 SPOON Transference Merge

ALSO NEW IN ROTATION THIS WEEK:
Quilt - s/t (self-release)
Golden Girls - Amateur Teen Sex Attics (self-release)
Surfer Blood - Astro Coast
Magnetic Fields - Realism
Various Artists - The Underwater Peoples Winter Review (Underwater Peoples)
Kal Marks - Recovering After the Storm (self-release)
Various Artists - Casual Victim Pile: Austin 2010 (Matador)
Yawn - Yawn EP (self-release)

Top 30; Top Adds this week

Recent plays and adds this week

"Top 30" is a list of the 30 most played albums this past week; "Top Adds" is a list of the new albums we added to the rotation this week.

Top 30:
1 BEACH HOUSE Teen Dream SUB POP
2 FLAMING LIPS Embryonic Warner Bros.
3 THEM CROOKED VULTURES Them Crooked Vultures Interscope
4 BEST COAST "When I'm With You" [Single]
5 NEON INDIAN Psychic Chasms Lefse
6 R.E.M. Live At The Olympia Warner Bros.
7 TUNE YARDS Bird Brains Marriage
8 VAMPIRE WEEKEND Contra XL
9 BONUS EVENTUS Canaceros Dinosaurs In Vietnam
10 RAIN MACHINE Rain Machine Anti
11 THAO WITH THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN Know Better Learn Faster Kill Rock Stars
12 KING KHAN AND BBQ SHOW Invisible Girl In The Red
13 MISSION OF BURMA The Sound The Speed The Light Matador
14 BANG BANG ECHE Sonic Death Cuntttt [EP] Self-Released
15 GROOMS Rejoicer death by audio
16 JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD Heavy Days
17 GOLDEN GIRLS "Amateur Teen Sex Attics" [Single]
18 AWESOMELIES MAKE WAY Self-Released
19 VARIOUS ARTISTS Underwater Peoples Winter Review Underwater Peoples
20 BRILLIANT COLORS Introducing Brilliant Colors Slumberland
21 PANTS YELL! Received Pronunciation Slumberland
22 TOM WAITS Glitter And Doom Live Anti
23 GIRLS Album True Panther Sounds
24 VIVIAN GIRLS Everything Goes Wrong In The Red
25 YO LA TENGO Popular Songs Matador
26 PASSION PIT Manners Frenchkiss
27 BLAKROC BlakRoc BlakRoc
28 COLD CAVE Love Comes Close Matador
29 TIMES NEW VIKING Born Again Revisited Matador
30 BOAT Setting The Paces Magic Marker

New adds
1 JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD Heavy Days
2 BEACH HOUSE Teen Dream SUB POP
3 ANIMAL COLLECTIVE Campfire Songs Pawtracks

Review: Thao @ Iron Horse, 5/12

Thao Nguyen and friends filled the Iron Horse in Northampton with beach drums and ukulele strums last Tuesday night. Together, we bobbed our heads and braved bee stings and all (read: these intimidating characters and a phenomenon sweeping the nation that has come to be known as the Antagonistic Bro).

Samantha Crain & the Midnight Shivers of WTBU rotation fame opened first. Crain's voice shined, big and countrified, sometimes approaching a Joanna Newsome level of strange. Sister Suvi played next with a set that could be the ocean's official soundtrack. They were at their fiercest when ukulele toting Merrill took lead vocals and ordered the crowd to dance in a tone that let us know she meant business.

Thao Nguyen and the Get Down Stay Down, her backing band, took the stage next after setting up some homemade monsters made of wood and earthy colors. She kept the energy high with upbeat favorites from her debut LP, We Brave Bee Stings and All. The trio kept things fresh by pressing the fast forward button on choruses to end songs. Merrill of Sister Suvi and Samantha Crain also joined Thao for a couple songs with Crain's voice making for a rich, peculiar harmony. Thao put an exclamation point on album opener "Beat (Health, Life & Fire)" with a percussion party break around the drum set as she, Merrill and the band gathered around and went to town midway through.


Thao debuted some new songs with the same beat-heavy grooves and sad but sharp observations on the dysfunctionality of past infatuations for which we have grown to love her. "So what am I, just a body in your bed?" she shouted in the chorus of a standout new track. She ended things with "Feet Asleep" where the crowd kept the chorus going long after Thao stopped singing. Girl's got fans.


For more WTBU coverage of Thao Nguyen, including an interview and past show review, click here.

- Jessy Bartlett

WTBU Staff Picks: Top Albums of 2008

I hate when numbers and music have to cross paths. I hate how Pitchfork "scores" albums out of ten, and I hate how Rolling Stone gives out "stars". I think that album reviews should speak for themselves, and numbers lead to lazy readers. But, in my opinion, there is something different about taking time to point out the year's best new albums. Sure, these lists usually never quite seem objective enough, but luckily, WTBU is not even going to try to make one definitive list. Though 2008 wasn't nearly as great as 2007 for new music, there were still far too many new albums for our staff to possibly make one "Top 10". Instead, we asked our DJs and interns to submit their individual top lists, and the genre of their show, so our readers know exactly what point-of-view each list is coming from. Here they are!
peace/love/happy holidays,
liz pelly

PS!!!!! All of these lists aren't necessarily in a specific order. Also, at last minute, I decided to include my favorite singles in my list, which I didn't ask everyone for, so if you want to, you should leave your picks in the comments.


JOEY GERBER
DJ on "The Fleshy Fresh" (Indie/Alternative)
thefleshyfresh.blogspot.com
5. The Academy Is... - Fast Times at Barrington High
4. Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst
3. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
2. Dr. Manhattan - Dr. Manhattan
1. The Fashion - The Fashion
Honorable Mentions:
Ben Folds - Way To Normal
Kings of Leon - Only By the Light
Jeremy Messersmith - The Silver City
Chad VanGaalen - Soft Airplane


KEITH SIMPSON
DJ on "Left of the Dial" (Indie/Alternative) & "Bumptastic Brothers of Funk" (Funk)
10. Los Campesinos! - We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
9. Buena Vista Social Club - Live at Carnegie Hall
8. Thievery Corporation - Radio Retaliation
7. Raphael Saadiq - The Way I See It
6. F***ed Up - The Chemistry of Modern Life
5. David Byrne and Brian Eno - Everything that Happens Will Happen Today
4. Q-Tip - The Renaissance
3. TV on the Radio - Dear Science
2. Times New Viking - Rip It Off
1. Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Real Emotional Trash

LIZ PELLY
DJ on "You Are What You Love" (Folk/Folk/Folk)
Top 5 Albums:
5. Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst
4. Okkervil River - The Stand Ins
3. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
2. Bob Dylan - Bootlegs Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs, Rare & Unreleased
1. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
Honorable Mentions:
She & Him - Volume 1
Beach House - Devotion
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls
Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue
Cat Power - Jukebox
Best Singles:
MGMT - "Time To Pretend"
Beach House - "Used to Be"
Spiritualized - "Soul on Fire"
Fleet Foxes - "White Winter Hymnal"
Okkervil River - "Lost Coastlines"
Vivian Girls - "Wild Eyes"

JESSY BARTLETT
DJ on "Girl Powa!" (Female Vocalists/Indie/Various)
6. Lady GaGa - The Fame
5. The Dø - A Mouthful
4. Gregory & the Hawk - Moenie & Kitchi
3. Thao - We Brave Bee Stings and All
2. Land of Talk - Some Are Lakes
1. Stars - Sad Robots EP

DEVON MALONEY
DJ on "Alphabet Soup" (Indie/Rock/Various)
alphabetsoupontheradio.blogspot.com
10. Islands - Arm's Way
9. Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue
8. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
7. Dr. Dog - Fate
6. Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst
5. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
4. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
3. Human Highway - Moody Motorcycle
2. Jack's Mannequin - The Glass Passenger
1. The Decemberists - Always a Bridesmaid EP

ST. JEN CHOI
DJ on "Meows & Muses" (Indie/Alternative)
jenchoi.wordpress.com
10. Music Go Music - Light of Love
9. Santogold - Santogold
8. Deerhunter - Microcastles
7. The Magnetic Fields - Distortion
6. Lil' Wayne - The Carter III
5. Stephen Malkmus & the Jinks - Real Emotional Trash
4. No Age - Nouns
3. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
2. Beach House - Devotion
1. Animal Collective - Water Curses EP

CAL HANLON
DJ on "Cal On a Hot Tin Roof" (Various)
10. Neil Young - Sugar Mountain Live at Canterbury House 1968
9. Fleet Foxes - Sun Giant EP
8. Ray Lamontagne - Gossip in the Grain
7. Railroad Earth - Amen Corner
6. Ryan Adams and the Cardinals - Cardinology
5. The Black Keys - Attack and Release
4. Dr. Dog - Fate
3. Beck - Modern Guilt
2. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
1. My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges

JACK FLAGER
DJ on "High Fidelity" (Indie/Rock)
5. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
4. Flight of the Conchords - Flight of the Conchords
3. The Roots - Rising Down
2. Beck - Modern Guilt
1. Kings of Leon - Only By the Night
Honorable Mention:
Atmosphere - When Life Gives you Lemons, You Paint that Shit Gold
Cold War Kids - Loyalty to Loyalty
Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs
Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple

LAUREN WIEGAND
DJ on "Girl Powa!" (Female Vocalists/Indie/Various)
10. Britney Spears - Circus
9. Flight of the Conchords - Flight of the Conchords
8. Erykah Badu - New Amerykah, Pt. 1
7. Sia - Some People Have Real Problems
6. Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs
5. Adele - 19
4. She & Him - Volume 1
3. Santogold - Santogold
2. Land of Talk - Some Are Lakes
1. Cat Power - Jukebox

ADAM LEBOWITZ-LOCKARD's TOP BLUES ALBUMS FROM 2008:
DJ on "Black and Blues" (Blues)
10. Cadillac Records - Music from the Motion Picture
9. Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials - Full Tilt
8. The Mannish Boys - Lowdown Feelin'
7. Janiva Magness - What Love Will Do
6. Susan Tedeschi - Back to the River
5. Buddy Guy - Skin Deep
4. Pinetop Perkins - Pinetop Perkins and Friends
3. Magic Slim & The Teardrops - Midnight Blues
2. Albert Collins - Live In Montreux 1992
1. B.B. King - One Kind Favor

JOSH FRIEDMAN
DJ on "When The T's Closed" (Rock)
10. Motorhead - Motorizer
9. N.E.R.D. - Seeing Sounds
8. Motley Crue - Saints of Los Angeles
7. Disturbed - Indestructible
6. The Game - LAX
5. Slipknot - All Hope Is Gone
4. Everlast - Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford
3. AC/DC - Black Ice
2. Guns 'N Roses - Chinese Democracy
1. Metallica - Death Magnetic

JOHN CHIERICI
DJ on "Bratwurst and Buddha" (Indie)
10. Why? - Alopecia
9. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
8. No Age - Nouns
7. Girl Talk - Feed the Animals
6. Hot Chip - Made in the Dark
5. Michael McDonald - Soul Speak
5. Los Campesinos - Hold On Now Youngster...
4. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
3. M83 - Saturdays=Youth
2. Broken Social Scene Presents Brendan Canning - Something For All Of Us
1. Deerhunter - Microcastle

ROSS LICHTENBERG
DJ on "The Hot Dog and Jesus Show" (Talk/Comedy)
5. Jason Collett - Here's To Being Here
4. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
3. Girl Talk - Feed the Animals
2. Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell
1. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive

LANA TKACHENKO
DJ on "Fender My Gender" (Rock/Alternative)
5. Tech N9ne - Killer
4. Girl Talk - Feed the Animals
3. Thievery Corporation - Radio Retaliation
2. Lotus - Hammerstrike
1. Sound Tribe Sector 9 - Peaceblaster

JOHN CURRAN
DJ on "Turn It Up" (Alternative)
10. The Roots - Rising Down
9. TV on the Radio - Dear Science
8. Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple
7. The Raconteurs - Consolers of the Lonely
6. ZZ Top - Eliminator: 25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition
5. Beck - Modern Guilt
4. The Black Keys - Attack & Release
3. Bob Dylan - The Bootleg Series, Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs, Rare & Unreleased 1989-2006
2. Eagles of Death Metal - Heart On
1. Ween - At the Cat's Cradle, 1992


DAN RYS
Intern on "Bumptastic Brothers of Funk" (Funk)
9. Tea Leaf Green - Raise Up The Tent
8. Railroad Earth - Amen Corner
7. The Bridge - Blind Man's Hill
6. BB King - One Kind Favor
5. The Brew - Back To The Woods
4. Bob Dylan - Bootleg Series Vol. 8
3. Ray LaMontagne - Gossip In The Grain
2. Chick Corea and Bela Fleck - The Enchantment
1. Lotus - Hammerstrike

TRICIA GILBRIDE
Intern on "Over Yonder" (Folk/Bluegrass)
10. Tilly & the Wall - O
9. Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
8. The Magnetic Fields - Distortion
7. She & Him - Volume 1
6. Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue
5. Stereolab - Chemical Chords
5. Dr. Dog - Fate
4. Brian Wilson - The Lucky Old Sun
3. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!
2. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
1. Why? - Alopecia

P-FUNK's BEST HIP HOP ALBUMS OF 2008
Intern on "Bars n Hooks" (Hip-hop/Rap)
10. Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons You Paint That Shit Gold
9. Jake One - White Van Music
8. The Knux - Remind Me in 3 Days...
7. Black Milk - Tronic
6. The Cool Kids - The Bake Sale
5. Little Brother - Justsus For All
4. Q-Tip - The Renaissance
3. Murs - Murs For President
2. Ludacris - Theater of the Mind
1. The Roots - Rising Down
The Carter III - Intentionally Omitted

AMANDA FINNEGAN
Intern on "Digital Love" (Electronic/Dance/Indie)
6. WHY? - Alopecia
5. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
4. Megapuss - Surfing
3. Cadence Weapon - Afterparty Babies
2. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
1. No Kids - Come Into My House

BRIAN KRENZER
Intern on "Bratwurst and Buddha" (Indie)
10. No Age - Nouns
10. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colors
9. Spiritualized - Songs in A&E
8. Sun Kil Moon - April
7. Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III
6. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
5. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
4. Why? - Alopecia
3. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
2. The Loved Ones - Build and Burn
1. Gaslight Anthem - 59 Sound

TARA JAYAKAR
Intern on "Left of the Dial" (Indie/Alternative)
8. The Decemberists - Always a Bridesmaid
7. The Hush Sound - Goodbye Blues
6. The Killers - Day and Age
5. TV on the Radio - Dear Science
4. Amanda Palmer - Who Killed Amanda Palmer
3. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
2. Radiohead - In Rainbows
1. Beck - Modern Guilt

JOE MIELENHAUSEN
Intern on "White Chocolate Drizzle" (Hip-hop)
8. Nas - Untitled
7. The Roots - Rising Down
6. The Killers - Day & Age
5. Doomtree - Doomtree
4. MURS - MURS for President
3. Coldplay - Viva La Vida
2. Billy Bragg - Mr. Love and Justice
1. Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold

ADAM BURNSTINE
Intern on "Left of the Dial" (Indie/Alternative)
1. Bound Stems - Family Afloat
2. Pavement - Brighten the Corners: Nicene Credence Edition
3. Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks - Real Emotional Trash
4. The Hold Steady - Stay Positive
5. Portugal. The Man - Censored Colors
6. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
7. Dear and the Headlights - Drunk Like Bible Times
8. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer
9. Times New Viking - Rip It Off
10. Okkervil River - The Stand Ins

WILL ORMAN
Intern on "Premium Blend" (Various)
10. Xiu Xiu - Women as Lovers
9. Why? - Alopecia
8. Stereolab - Chemical Chords
7. Portishead - Third
6. Gang Gang Dance - Saint Dymphna
5. Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles
4. Pretty & Nice - Get Young
3. Lykke Li - Youth Novels
2. Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight
1. Tobacco - F*cked Up Friends

JUSTIN MONESTIME
Intern on "The Fleshy Fresh" (Indie/Alternative)
5. Kings of Leon - Only By the Night
4. Carolina Liar - Coming To Terms
3. Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell
2. The Academy Is - Fast Times At Barrington High
1. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

NATHAN DAVIDSON
Intern on "Down With the Hipster" (Indie/Various)
10. Cut Copy - In Ghost Colours
9. Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream
8. Of Montreal - Skeletal Lamping
7. Van She - V
6. Studio - Yearbook 2
5. Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke
4. Miami Horror - Bravado EP
3. Hatchback - Colors of the Sun
2. College - Secret Diary
1. Hercules and Love Affair - Hercules and Love Affair

Thao with The Get Down Stay Down @ TT the Bear's Place, 8/12

Thao Nguyen and her small back-up band, The Get Down Stay Down, drew a fun loving crowd Tuesday night at TT the Bear's. The stomps and hand claps were in abundance; it was a night of head thrusts and free spirited dance for all.

Openers Pepi Ginsberg and David Shultz & The Skyline sport a folk sound similar to Thao's. Unfortunately, I missed both of their sets, but there was no shortage of David Shultz fans in the crowd, and Pepi Ginsberg's "The Waterline" is a feel-good time (check out the music video on her Myspace).

Thao managed to sneak on stage without many of us noticing. The down to earth musician praised the opening acts multiple times and kept it casual throughout the night, making jokes with the band and the crowd between songs ("Donate to Oxfam after the show and... [bassist] Adam will give you a hickey.").

Thao's unbridled singing style is well suited for a live setting, and she didn't hold back. When she wasn't doubled over during her solos or wildly stomping her fly boots to the beat, she was passionately singing us her stories. She opened with an upbeat new song and then went right into "Geography." The heavy, soulful rhythm of the drums in the song hit particularly hard live. "Beat (Health, Life and Fire)" was especially memorable with Thao's tragic "OH NO!"s shaking the room. The crowd sang along to favorites "Bag of Hammers" and "Swimming Pools," and the band agreed that it sounded like we all had microphones.

Thao played most of the songs from her album, We Brave Bee Stings and All, along with some new fast paced songs. She ended her set with a knockout, extended version of "Fear and Convenience," and then returned for two more songs, one of them a cover (Aretha Franklin?).

Check out my interview with Thao from last month here.

- Jessy Bartlett

Interview: Thao Nguyen

If you were lucky enough to see Rilo Kiley this summer, you may have caught the energetic set from opener Thao Nguyen as Thao with the Get Down Stay Down. You may have also had a chance to meet her after the show and pick up a copy of her debut LP, We Brave Bee Stings and All; you may have watched her sign copies of it for fan after admiring fan, humbly accepting compliments in her sincere, easy-going manner. The budding rock star from Kill Rock Stars was kind enough to answer some questions for WTBU before she heads out on her first headlining tour. Enjoy.

- Jessy Bartlett

J: First, did you ever get your super-fly cowboy boots back from the Palladium in Worcester?

T: Next question.

NO IT'S FINE i can talk about them--- they sadly were never seen nor heard from again but i guess the most you can do is hope someone is sporting them with care and appreciation. I was devastated for a long time as i searched the ENTIRE EAST COAST AND SOUTHERN U.S. for another pair on tour and found nothing as good. but then i came to sf and got a pair the first day. they are darker brown and i hope just as fly. thank you for asking.

J: It must have been a thrill to tour with Rilo Kiley. Can you share any gems of wisdom they gave you?

T: They were all incredibly kind and gracious and hospitable. They said things like: "what size shoe do you wear? i'll keep an eye out for boots" and "hey, good show" (but in a sincere way) and "that is a really rad guitar" and "don't listen to your family, you should keep playing music"

J: Has it always been your goal to be a musician? Or is it something you've always done on the side that ended up taking off?

T: It has always been my goal to not do things i didn't want to. And music is the only thing i have always definitely wanted to do.

J: You've said you're interested in women's advocacy because of the way you grew up. I know some songs on the album are about your mother, who raised you... how has that upbringing influenced your music?

T: My mother is a woman of incredible strength and resolve and I watched her endure a lot of trespasses and indignities on our behalf-- it gave me a certain humanity and attraction to sadness i don't think i would otherwise have. I think that is where a lot of the melancholic lyrics come from.


J: You were a sociology and women's studies major, and many of your lyrics reflect that. Do you want to be seen as an artist who stands for activism & feminism?

T: Those elements surface because I write autobiographically- but I don't have a political agenda for my music and I don't intend on assuming one. That said, I do have leanings and causes I support and will do what i can to contribute.

J: Many of your songs seem to have an easy-going, brighter sound, but with lyrics that deal with more serious subject matter ("Swimming Pools," "Big Kid Table"). Is it important to you as an artist that people who enjoy your music get that whole picture? Or is it cool with you if people listen and just say "oh, this is light and fun!"?

T: I would prefer that folks form a connection with the lyrics as well, because they are a very important component for me. But really people will like and glean and absorb what they want and I have no say in the matter. Them liking the songs on whichever level is better than them not liking it. I think.

J: We Brave Bee Stings and All is a hit with critics and bloggers everywhere. It seems like you've found a lot of success in a short amount of time. How are you dealing with this new-found fame?

T: I would say quite smoothly because i don't think any degree of fame has been reached. certainly no one is taking pictures of me in a nightgown with boots and big sunglasses on at the drugstore. Nothing much has changed really- we're still in a van driving around endlessly and looking for places to pee. It has, however, been an absolute honor to see more and more people at shows and singing along and it makes us think we are not totally wasting everyone's time and gas money.

J: One of my favorite lines on the album is from the end of "Geography": "My blood is thin with aspirin/ I throw you in, I throw you in." Can you give any clues as to where that line came from or what it means to you?

T: UM this line is sort of about a person whose very existence gave me angina and all sorts of body and head pain and i required over the counter relief but for some reason i wanted them in my body. FIGURATIVELY. mostly.