*Fugazi needs no introduction. But two bands that frame the legendary DC punk/post-rock group deserve a listen. Rites of Spring is Guy Picciotto's ground-breaking punk band prior to joining up with Fugazi (we're talking 1980's here), and The Evens is a light and poppy sounding duo with Ian MacKaye and Amy Farina who put out their first record in 2005.

On Thursday March 23rd A Whisper in the Noise were live in Hollywood, CA opening for Arab Strap. We interviewed West Thordson after the show who said there would be more touring, if possible. That same night their collaboration CD with If Thousands arrived in the mail. So now finally the A Whisper in the Noise page has been updated. There is a brand new release called As the Bluebird Sings coming out April 18th. I'll get my hands on that just as soon as possible.

I want to take a second to remind everyone that buying a CD (a "compact disc", remember?) is not a thing of the past. I know that music download sites make it so convenient to obtain songs that it is hard to imagine buying something from an actual store anymore. However there are two ways of obtaining cheap CDs that are worth keeping in mind: first the tried and true used CD store. You can usually find a used CD for a dollar or two more than what iTunes sells the album for. Plus you get the benefit of having the complete album art and the much better quality of an uncompressed sound format. The second way to get cheap CDs is to continue to seek out lesser known bands and buy their albums directly from them. The other night I ordered a collaboration recording by A Whisper in the Noise and If Thousands for $10, and Bright Red Paper's debut for $11. Each arrived direct from the artist, postpaid. I don't exactly feel like I'm breaking the bank here. As an additional benefit, by ordering direct from the artist, you know where the money is going, and you can feel good for supporting the talented indies.

The Wiltern was packed all the way to the very last row. The assigned seating thing was an unusual feeling for an indie show, and sitting shoulder to shoulder in an amphitheatre with hundreds of young adults (some of whom apparently don't shower) gave the impression of being at a university lecture. When Professor Murdoch stepped on stage he laid out the lesson plan before playing a single note: the full spectrum of charismatic pop would be covered here. From mellow to happy, old to new, with a bit of blues and dance to round things off.

Belle and Sebastian impress by being musically tight, coordinated and fun to watch. Murdoch creates a connection with the audience like few frontmen can, although accidently falling into the crowd while shaking the fan's hands probably helps. He dances like a computer-science major would, but with his rockstar status he can pull it off. Besides, the guy can run betweeen the keyboards at the back of the stage to the frontman's mic while singing like a diva and without missing a beat.

While the band's set of multi-talented musicians make for diverse instrumentations it also forces lengthy gaps between songs as the guys and girls trade guitars for keys, violins for flutes and basses for trumpets. It is clear that their inter-song shuffle is a well-rehearsed thing, but there is just too much going on to make it unnoticeable to the folks patiently sitting in their seats.

With the nearly 2-hour lesson covering Belle and Sebastian's repertoire from pre-Tigermilk to The Life Pursuit the students got their ears full and went back to their dorms happy. Those of you that didn't make it to class should take not of the following announcement: B&S will return to Los Angeles in July to play at the Hollywood Bowl accompanied by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.

The often forgotten other parent of Fugazi, Rites of Spring is possibly the most innovative punk band. They were active in the 80's but their sound is unmatched to this day. In fact they make most current post-punk bands sound like whiners. Read more about Rites of Spring...

A minimalist band with big ideas. A stripped down version of punk. A rocking version of folk. Call it what you want, but Ian MacKaye of Fugazi and Amy Farina of the Warmers take a new approach to their music. This baritone guitar and drums duo create surprisingly full and satisfying pop music and enhance it with strong vocals. Read more about The Evens...

They call their sound "bastardized orchestral garage rock". Perhaps garages in Minnesota are full of cellos, violins and French Horns. And perhaps in those snowy plains all bastards happen to be talented composers and vocalists. But A Whisper in the Noise is anything but bastardized, and since Steve Albini recorded their first CD, well that rules out the "garage" bit. So you are left with "orchestral rock", but I would add "patient", "dramatic", "deep", and "downright brilliant". Read more about A Whisper in the Noise...

From noise-making toys to miniature harps to opera vocals, the two sisters of CocoRosie use whatever they can find to create a sound that is so uniquely theirs and fragile-sounding that the girls give the impression they are letting you into their tiny Paris apartment to share stories and dreams. Read more about CocoRosie...

An interview with A Whisper in the Noise leader and frontman after their first show of the spring 2006 tour. Page includes photos of the live show. Read the interview...

You are currently looking at a preliminary version of TreasureTunes. There is more work to do with presentation and "flow of content" before I can call it "finished". I will then be adding links to music stores and a few (subtle, discreet) advertisements to help pay for this. Also I am going to be focusing on creating content for a while since things are a little sparse right now. Very soon after that I am going to start working on the next version which will be more automated and will look better, but it will be a while before that happens.

More information about the site is available here.