The Marble Index - Same Schools (Post)

One of the things that I would like to start doing regularly in the new year is a regular weekly video post. This week I'm featuring a band that is quite special to me personally. I remember just a few years ago when I was living in Burlington, I used to frequent the coolest CD store in town, Screaming Mimi's. One day, while admiring the CD's that I was about to purchase that day, the dude behind the counter told me that I should check out the band that he is currently drumming with. They were, of course, The Marble Index. I went to see them that weekend and although that show was low on attendance, the band's performance was ridiculously high on energy. For a moment, I thought I was seeing The Who in 1965!! Lead vocalist Brad Germain's on-stage presence was electrifying to say the least. Since then, they have received quite a bit of radio airplay, and an impressive level of success. I really like the video for "Same Schools," partially because it's a very cool concept and also because much of the action seems to take place just up the street from where I live. Here is one more quick little anecdote: I remember hearing The Pixies playing over the speakers at the aforementioned CD store. Drummer Adam Knickle and I were talking about how cool it would be if The Pixies ever got back together. He said that this was a concert he would not be missing. About a year later, not only did The Pixies get back together, but who opened for them on several Canadian dates...The Marble Index. How rock' n roll is that?

If the video does not appear above, you can see it here.

Visit The Marble Index myspace page.

"Same Schools" is taken from the CD "Watch Your Candles, Watch Your Knives." You can purchase it here.

Also, make sure you check out their video for "We Can Make It" from their last CD. It's a reworking of the Kevin Bacon dance thing in Footloose. Hillarious and impressive.

Hello Operator - Hot Step

I first heard the Toronto band Hello Operator last year on a podcast. It was when they were still known as Go! and it was a song entitled "Hot Step". To put it simply, it blew my mind! The band describe their sound as "The Cars covering "Cars" by Gary Numan." That's actually pretty funny, because I remember thinking that this song is the best Cars song I've heard in years! Now that's a compliment considering that The Cars have been the band to emulate over the last few years. Fountains of Wayne paid homage to them in one of their videos, Weezer had been desperately trying to shed their emo-image by being more Cars-like (until they finally gave up), and have you heard Franz Ferdinand? C'mon!

Hello Operator does it better than anybody. They've received a lot of praise for the first E.P., which garnered them a spot opening for Hillary Duff's last tour (I know, I know...please don't hold this against them too much.) And judging by the demos they've been posting on their myspace page, their full-length is going to be way more fun than mainstream radio usually allows a music lover to have (and many an indie-snob as well for that matter.)

Sadly, I don't have any free downloads to post for this band, but the E.P. is ONLY $5.99 here.
If you don't trust me, than listen to the truly amazing, hella funness of the song "Hot Step"
which, for now, can still be heard on their Pure Volume page which can be found...here!
And you can hear more tunes over on their myspace page.
Then you should buy the E.P. Now.