Oklahoma Rock Newsblog

Over the next couple of weeks, we will be counting down the Top 100 Oklahoma Albums of the 2000s. Every weekday, we will unveil another ten Oklahoma albums that helped shape the way Oklahoma music is heard by the outside world.

We asked three dozen musicians, fans and journalists for their opinions on the top albums of the past decade. With their guidance and our own opinions, we compiled what we hope is a decent and fair list.

Hopefully, there’s a good bit of reflection, discovery and enjoyment when listening to these albums through Lala (when available). Enjoy!

10. Colourmusic - f, monday, orange, february, venus, lunatic, 1 or 13 (2008)

Purchase: iTunes │ Amazon │ Lala

“A, grins, fists, cheer, jump, shout, electric, electricity, electrifying, elbow, hugs, karate, 100 or 200, Yes, YES, YES!, this, shit, is, rad, !” - T.J. Clark (Scurds)

“The melodic harmonies and driving rhythms contribute to it being a consistently effective album. They’re great guys, skilled musicians and one of the most innovative bands ever to represent Oklahoma.” - Barb Hendrickson

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Over the next couple of weeks, we will be counting down the Top 100 Oklahoma Albums of the 2000s. Every weekday, we will unveil another ten Oklahoma albums that helped shape the way Oklahoma music is heard by the outside world.

We asked three dozen musicians, fans and journalists for their opinions on the top albums of the past decade. With their guidance and our own opinions, we compiled what we hope is a decent and fair list.

Hopefully, there’s a good bit of reflection, discovery and enjoyment when listening to these albums through Lala (when available). Enjoy!

30. Roustabouts - The Only One (2002)

Purchase: iTunes │ Lala

“The record is a perfect mix of the variations of punk rock, creating a unique sound that is at the same time familiar and extremely powerful. The truly sad part about this record, and this band for that matter, is that not enough people have heard it.” - Dave Brown (Oklahoma Lefty)

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Over the next couple of weeks, we will be counting down the Top 100 Oklahoma Albums of the 2000s. Every weekday, we will unveil another ten Oklahoma albums that helped shape the way Oklahoma music is heard by the outside world.

We asked three dozen musicians, fans and journalists for their opinions on the top albums of the past decade. With their guidance and our own opinions, we compiled what we hope is a decent and fair list.

Hopefully, there’s a good bit of reflection, discovery and enjoyment when listening to these albums through Lala (when available). Enjoy!

60. The Options - Romance is Bullshit (2003)

Purchase: iTunes │ Lala

“Garage rock lives, and so does the power trio, in the form of Norman band The Options, but this no throwback to the hair bands of yore. Bassist-vocalist Robbie Egle tailors tough, smart, straight-forward songs for Pat Quigley’s sharp, spare, stinging guitar work and brother Billy Egle’s surefire slapshot drumming.” - Gene Triplett (The Oklahoman)

“The Options’ sound is pitched somewhere between the snarling punk of the Sex Pistols and the glam rock of Mott the Hoople. And while its influences scream the obvious from time to time. “Romance is Bullshit” is quite a breathtaking showcase. It shows the band has its heart in the right place and knows how to careen through the musical landscape without being superficial or beholden to anything.” - Patrick Crain (LOUD Magazine)

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Here’s the music video for Starlight Mints‘ song “Power Bleed”, which appears on the band’s current album, Change Remains.

The video was directed by Nate Foll and George Salisbury, and produced by Geek House.

Starlight Mints recorded a session with Daytrotter.com awhile back.

They become the sixth Oklahoma artist to be featured on Daytrotter - Evangelicals and Aqueduct both sessioned there in 2007, as did The Uglysuit in 2008 and Samantha Crain and Other Lives earlier this year.

Below are mp3s from the session, including details on each song by the band.

DOWNLOAD: Starlight Mints - “Your Love Isn’t Real”

This was a song that has been laying around since 2001….we have always had affection for it..but never seemed to fit on any records. We were happy to work it up on the spot for Daytrotter!

DOWNLOAD: Starlight Mints - “Hold That Tiger”

This song was a left over off Drowaton… We play it live from time to time. It has some interesting things going on here and there..I think we where maybe thinking folky os mutantes or something.

DOWNLOAD: Starlight Mints - “Zillion Eyes”

Off our second record “Built on Squares” We bascially haven’t played it years but thought it lent it self to an”alternate version”

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Starlight Mints release their fourth full length, Change Remains, today (the album was released digitally in June) on Barsuk Records.

DOWNLOAD: Starlight Mints - “Paralyzed”
DOWNLOAD: Starlight Mints - “Zoomba”

Purchase the album at Barsuk, Amazon or iTunes or your local record store. You can also order the LP version of the album in your choice of colored vinyl at Guestroom Records in Norman and OKC.

Starlight Mints is only one Outback Steakhouse ad away from indie domination. - Straight.com

Damn if this doesn’t sound like all the obnoxiously happy moments on a Blur record being thrown up all over a unicorn that’s just chilling out under a rainbow. - Pumping On Our Stereo

The Starlight Mints exemplifies my favorite new genre: complex pop. Phoenix is making it, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin thrives on it, and now The Starlight Mints has perfected it. - No Mistake in Mixtape

…Change Remains is a pop-friendly, danceable concoction of quirk — it mixes violins, eerie bells, funky guitar riffs, xylophones and theremin, and washes it all down with a sugary-sticky swig of psychedelic Kool-Aid. - Tulsa World

Starlight Mints’ recent Barsuk release, Change Remains, bears a strong resemblance to the hard candy with which the band shares a name. It’s packed with red-and-white swirling psychedelic pop that is sometimes sweet (like the airy Beatles-ish flow of “Paralyzed”) and often refreshing (the spy-movie instrumental “Coffins ‘R’ Us”). - Riverfront Times

Tracklisting after the jump.

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Photo: Christian Pitt

Starlight Mints‘ song “Paralyzed” is being featured today as NPR’s Song of the Day.

DOWNLOAD: Starlight Mints - “Paralyzed”

The band’s fourth full length, Change Remains, will be available in CD and vinyl form on July 21. You can pre-order the LP version of the album in your choice of colored vinyl at Guestroom Records.

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Starlight Mints release their fourth full length, Change Remains, digitally today (the album will be released in CD form on July 21).

DOWNLOAD: Starlight Mints - “Zoomba”

Purchase the album digitally on Amazon or iTunes.

…Change Remains is a pop-friendly, danceable concoction of quirk — it mixes violins, eerie bells, funky guitar riffs, xylophones and theremin, and washes it all down with a sugary-sticky swig of psychedelic Kool-Aid. - Tulsa World

Starlight Mints’ recent Barsuk release, Change Remains, bears a strong resemblance to the hard candy with which the band shares a name. It’s packed with red-and-white swirling psychedelic pop that is sometimes sweet (like the airy Beatles-ish flow of “Paralyzed”) and often refreshing (the spy-movie instrumental “Coffins ‘R’ Us”). - Riverfront Times

Tracklisting after the jump.

(more…)

Photo: Jeremy Charles

KGOU will offer interviews and live performances from the 2009 Norman Music Festival tonight, beginning at 7pm. The six hour festival recap will be hosted by our own Graham Lee Brewer.

Here’s the show’s lineup:

7:00 - El Paso Hot Button*, Sherree Chamberlain*, Student Film
8:00 - Other Lives*, The Absolute
9:00 - Stardeath and White Dwarfs*, Sugar and Gold
10:00 - Starlight Mints*
11:00 - Man Man*
12:00 - Of Montreal

* = interview included

You can listen tonight online at kgou.org or on 106.3 FM (Norman), 105.7 FM (Oklahoma City), 103.1 FM (Seminole) or 97.9 FM (Ada).

Photo: Christian Pitt

Barsuk Records have released a new song (”Zoomba”) by Starlight Mints. Their fourth full length, Change Remains, will be released digitally on June 9 and in CD form on July 21.

DOWNLOAD: Starlight Mints - “Zoomba”

Upcoming dates:

June 04 - Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar ^
June 05 - Tulsa, OK @ The Marquee ^*
June 06 - Omaha, NE @ Slowdown ^
June 08 - Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock ^
June 09 - Madison, WI @ The Annex ^
June 10 - Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall ^
June 11 - Chicago, IL @ The Bottom Lounge ^
June 12 - Champaign, IL @ Highdive ^
June 13 - St. Louis, MO @ The Firebird ^
June 25 - Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
June 26 - Houston, TX @ House of Blues
June 28 - Mobile, AL @ Alabama Music Box
June 29 - Birmingham, AL @ Bottletree
July 01 - Gainsville, FL @ Common Grounds
July 02 - Orlando, FL @ The Social

^ with Evangelicals
* with Callupsie